In this chapter, you finally find out what I've been planning since I first came up with this story! Drumroll, please.
I'd like to thank Kat Morning for the setting of my story, which is based on the alternate universe of her inu fanfic "Blood Ties."
Disclaimer: I do not own Miroku, Sesshomeru, Rin, Kanna, Yura, or any other Inuyasha characters. They are owned by their author/creator, Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 12: The Agreement
It was late morning when Kura woke again and dragged herself out of bed. All of her cuts had closed, so she risked removing the bandages to take a long, hot shower. God, she loved hot showers, energy bills be damned! The hot water in her apartment was temperamental and limited, so she enjoyed the shower immensely, washing away the sweat and blood and grime. Opening the shower curtain, she was surprised to find that her kimono had been taken away and replaced with a fresh one. There were also clean towels. Blushing slightly at the realization that he had been in the bathroom while she was showering, she toweled off and slipped into the new kimono, which was dusty pink and trimmed in gold. Kura tried to remember the last time she had worn a kimono; when she was ten, perhaps? She couldn't help feeling somewhat naked, sheathed only in light silk.
Following the scent of cooking led Kura to the dining room, where Sesshomeru was talking to a sleek laptop while eating beef-pot stew. Kura's stomach grumbled loudly. With hardly a glance at her, he waved her over and pushed out a chair across the table from him with a foot. The place was already set with porcelain dishes, and Sesshomeru indicated with another wave that she should help herself to the food and green tea.
"But Sesshomeru-dono, the Council's patrols are decreasing. Isn't know the perfect time to seize Kyoto?" said a slightly electronic female voice from the laptop. Kura realized the laptop was acting as a video phone.
"You have your orders, Yura. Tokyo is our priority, and the Council is relocating its agents from various cities to this one. They're planning a large-scale attack, and I want my servants here to meet it.
"Hai, Sesshomeru-dono.
"I have sent you your itinerary. The two of you are to take the train to Tokyo, then the subway to . . .
"Why are we using human transport, my lord?
"I wish to attract as little attention as possible to your movements. That is why I have sent you a schedule of the Council's patrols. You are to avoid contact with the Council. In addition, you will not attack any humans until further notice.
"And if we are attacked?" asked a second female voice from the computer, this one deeper and slower.
"You are to defend yourselves only. Do not retaliate. Those are your orders.
"Hai," said each of the female voices in turn, and the screen went blank.
Sesshomeru raised his eyes to the young woman sitting across the table, shoveling food into her mouth at an alarming speed. She saw his raised eyebrows and blushed; Sesshomeru noticed that her cheeks turned the same shade of dusty pink as the kimono she wore. It was Rin's kimono, so it was a bit too long and slightly tight around the chest and hips, but Kura looked beautiful in it. With a mental shake of his head, Sesshomeru tried to put things back in perspective. Beautiful? She had a crooked nose, her left cheek was puffy from bruising and she had sauce dribbling down her chin from trying to stuff too much in her mouth at once. He pushed her firmly from his mind and picked up a leather-bound book.
Kura paused in her eating to stare at the book. It was larger than an encyclopedia, with yellowed and cracking pages. She stood up slightly so that she could read it, but was confused. "What language is that written in?
"Japanese.
"No it's not," Kura retorted, then blanched. "I'm sorry, I just meant that . . .
Sesshomeru was smiling slightly. "You can't read it because it's a different writing system. Instead of kanji, it uses phonetic letters. It was developed by a very old, very wise kitsune.
"Why didn't he use kanji?
"Because they weren't invented for another thousand years." Sesshomeru continued, "This book isn't nearly so old, but it was written by a demon who was reluctant to give up the old ways.
Kura glanced at the laptop. "You don't seem to have that problem." Sesshomeru grinned, and for a moment his eyes were as soft and warm as they had been the night before, when he had told her, "You don't need to fear me, ever again." Kura felt the blood hot in her face, and quickly looked away. There was an uncomfortable silence, then Kura ventured her question, "What are you going to do? About the Nosferatu Lord, I mean?
Sesshomeru looked amused by the question. "Kill him, of course. Preventing the Gathering is my top priority.
"The Gathering?" The Nosferatu had said something about gathering together as well. Was that the information that had made Sesshomeru so angry the night before?
"Your Council didn't teach you much, did it? The Gathering is a ceremony where five Nosferatu Lords pool together their powers to create a Nosferatu Emperor.
"Why haven't I heard anything about this before?
"Nosferatu Emperors are very rare. There have been less than ten in all of history. Every time one arose, it required the combined powers of a Demon Lord and a powerful monk or miko, in addition to a sizable army, to overthrow him." All of the color had drained from Kura's face. "Clearly, the best option at this time is to prevent the Gathering ceremony from being completed.
Kura leapt to her feet. "Then why the hell are you just sitting there?
Sesshomeru just watched her until, resentfully, she sat down again. "First, his army is too large for me to take on single-handed. I have called my warriors to my side; we will attack together when they arrive. Second, a powerful monk or miko is needed to break the ceremony's mystical barriers. Though I have some in my service, none are strong enough for the task. Third, your Council is planning to attack me within the week.
Kura opened her mouth in shock and said defensively, "We don't have the manpower to--
"Today you don't. Tomorrow, seventy-five demon hunters from the national Council will descend on the city to deal with the current crisis. On the way, they've decided to clean up old messes as well." Sesshomeru smiled bitterly and added, "I know Kaede has been waiting a long time for the opportunity to get rid of me.
There was a pause, then Kura asked, "What can I do?
"You can't do anything.
"Oh?" Kura's eyes narrowed. "Then why are you telling me all this? You don't seem the chatty type, so I assumed there was something you wanted from me. Do you want me to ask Council to delay their attack until after you've taken out the Nosferatu Lord?" Sesshomeru looked at her sharply, and his body tensed, waiting for what she would say next. "Or . . . are you asking for Council's help?
Sesshomeru's eyes flashed with rage. "You DARE . . .? I will never beg for the aid of human scum!
His anger hit Kura in the stomach like a physical blow, knocking the air out of her. "Sesshomeru-sama, please! I never said that. I only meant that . . . the Nosferatu Lord must be stopped, and the only way to do that is for humans and demons to work together . . .
Sesshomeru's anger eased, but didn't dissipate. "Your Council doesn't think it needs help. Why should I go to them?
Kura wanted to yell. Of all the self centered, arrogant--! He was acting childishly prideful, when the entire city was in danger. With difficulty, she said politely, "They do not know what they are facing, Sesshomeru-sama, and they do not know that you care about humans--
"I don't.
"They don't know you care about a specific human, then, or that you want to kill the Nosferatu Lord. You know that your interests and Council's align. You have to take the first step by offering a temporary alliance." Sesshomeru stood and turned his back to her. Kura reached for him and cried in desperation, "I'm begging you, my lord!
Sesshomeru blinked. He was, once more, taken completely off-guard. He had expected her passion outburst, but not this. She had called him "my lord." Was she serious in her offer to serve him?
The demon lord knew that he needed Council's help, had known from the moment the girl had said the word "Gathering." The reason he had become so angry then was because he had suspected that Kura knew this and was trying to manipulate him into helping Council. He had then decided to use the girl as a bargaining chip, to force Council to help him in exchange for Kura's safe return.
To go to Council, to beg them to help him, would be too humiliating. However, if he was to merely offer a temporary alliance . . . After all, it was a Council Senior who had begged for his help . . .
"IF I were to offer Council a temporary alliance, would you agree to serve me until the Nosferatu Lord is defeated? Regardless of Council's answer?" Sesshomeru didn't know why he cared, but he did.
"Yes, my lord," Kura whispered, her voice trembling with hope.
Sesshomeru nodded once and went around the table to stand beside her chair. He said tersely, "Tomorrow, the Council's Seniors are meeting at 8:30 to plan their attack. You will go as my representative and offer a temporary alliance to destroy the Nosferatu Lord and prevent the Gathering. You are to offer nothing else. You will not reveal my location or the existence of my foster daughter. You will then report to me within the hour. Is that clear?
Tears streaming down her cheeks, Kura slid off the chair to kneel before him. "Thank you, my lord. I will not fail you."
I'd like to thank Kat Morning for the setting of my story, which is based on the alternate universe of her inu fanfic "Blood Ties."
Disclaimer: I do not own Miroku, Sesshomeru, Rin, Kanna, Yura, or any other Inuyasha characters. They are owned by their author/creator, Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 12: The Agreement
It was late morning when Kura woke again and dragged herself out of bed. All of her cuts had closed, so she risked removing the bandages to take a long, hot shower. God, she loved hot showers, energy bills be damned! The hot water in her apartment was temperamental and limited, so she enjoyed the shower immensely, washing away the sweat and blood and grime. Opening the shower curtain, she was surprised to find that her kimono had been taken away and replaced with a fresh one. There were also clean towels. Blushing slightly at the realization that he had been in the bathroom while she was showering, she toweled off and slipped into the new kimono, which was dusty pink and trimmed in gold. Kura tried to remember the last time she had worn a kimono; when she was ten, perhaps? She couldn't help feeling somewhat naked, sheathed only in light silk.
Following the scent of cooking led Kura to the dining room, where Sesshomeru was talking to a sleek laptop while eating beef-pot stew. Kura's stomach grumbled loudly. With hardly a glance at her, he waved her over and pushed out a chair across the table from him with a foot. The place was already set with porcelain dishes, and Sesshomeru indicated with another wave that she should help herself to the food and green tea.
"But Sesshomeru-dono, the Council's patrols are decreasing. Isn't know the perfect time to seize Kyoto?" said a slightly electronic female voice from the laptop. Kura realized the laptop was acting as a video phone.
"You have your orders, Yura. Tokyo is our priority, and the Council is relocating its agents from various cities to this one. They're planning a large-scale attack, and I want my servants here to meet it.
"Hai, Sesshomeru-dono.
"I have sent you your itinerary. The two of you are to take the train to Tokyo, then the subway to . . .
"Why are we using human transport, my lord?
"I wish to attract as little attention as possible to your movements. That is why I have sent you a schedule of the Council's patrols. You are to avoid contact with the Council. In addition, you will not attack any humans until further notice.
"And if we are attacked?" asked a second female voice from the computer, this one deeper and slower.
"You are to defend yourselves only. Do not retaliate. Those are your orders.
"Hai," said each of the female voices in turn, and the screen went blank.
Sesshomeru raised his eyes to the young woman sitting across the table, shoveling food into her mouth at an alarming speed. She saw his raised eyebrows and blushed; Sesshomeru noticed that her cheeks turned the same shade of dusty pink as the kimono she wore. It was Rin's kimono, so it was a bit too long and slightly tight around the chest and hips, but Kura looked beautiful in it. With a mental shake of his head, Sesshomeru tried to put things back in perspective. Beautiful? She had a crooked nose, her left cheek was puffy from bruising and she had sauce dribbling down her chin from trying to stuff too much in her mouth at once. He pushed her firmly from his mind and picked up a leather-bound book.
Kura paused in her eating to stare at the book. It was larger than an encyclopedia, with yellowed and cracking pages. She stood up slightly so that she could read it, but was confused. "What language is that written in?
"Japanese.
"No it's not," Kura retorted, then blanched. "I'm sorry, I just meant that . . .
Sesshomeru was smiling slightly. "You can't read it because it's a different writing system. Instead of kanji, it uses phonetic letters. It was developed by a very old, very wise kitsune.
"Why didn't he use kanji?
"Because they weren't invented for another thousand years." Sesshomeru continued, "This book isn't nearly so old, but it was written by a demon who was reluctant to give up the old ways.
Kura glanced at the laptop. "You don't seem to have that problem." Sesshomeru grinned, and for a moment his eyes were as soft and warm as they had been the night before, when he had told her, "You don't need to fear me, ever again." Kura felt the blood hot in her face, and quickly looked away. There was an uncomfortable silence, then Kura ventured her question, "What are you going to do? About the Nosferatu Lord, I mean?
Sesshomeru looked amused by the question. "Kill him, of course. Preventing the Gathering is my top priority.
"The Gathering?" The Nosferatu had said something about gathering together as well. Was that the information that had made Sesshomeru so angry the night before?
"Your Council didn't teach you much, did it? The Gathering is a ceremony where five Nosferatu Lords pool together their powers to create a Nosferatu Emperor.
"Why haven't I heard anything about this before?
"Nosferatu Emperors are very rare. There have been less than ten in all of history. Every time one arose, it required the combined powers of a Demon Lord and a powerful monk or miko, in addition to a sizable army, to overthrow him." All of the color had drained from Kura's face. "Clearly, the best option at this time is to prevent the Gathering ceremony from being completed.
Kura leapt to her feet. "Then why the hell are you just sitting there?
Sesshomeru just watched her until, resentfully, she sat down again. "First, his army is too large for me to take on single-handed. I have called my warriors to my side; we will attack together when they arrive. Second, a powerful monk or miko is needed to break the ceremony's mystical barriers. Though I have some in my service, none are strong enough for the task. Third, your Council is planning to attack me within the week.
Kura opened her mouth in shock and said defensively, "We don't have the manpower to--
"Today you don't. Tomorrow, seventy-five demon hunters from the national Council will descend on the city to deal with the current crisis. On the way, they've decided to clean up old messes as well." Sesshomeru smiled bitterly and added, "I know Kaede has been waiting a long time for the opportunity to get rid of me.
There was a pause, then Kura asked, "What can I do?
"You can't do anything.
"Oh?" Kura's eyes narrowed. "Then why are you telling me all this? You don't seem the chatty type, so I assumed there was something you wanted from me. Do you want me to ask Council to delay their attack until after you've taken out the Nosferatu Lord?" Sesshomeru looked at her sharply, and his body tensed, waiting for what she would say next. "Or . . . are you asking for Council's help?
Sesshomeru's eyes flashed with rage. "You DARE . . .? I will never beg for the aid of human scum!
His anger hit Kura in the stomach like a physical blow, knocking the air out of her. "Sesshomeru-sama, please! I never said that. I only meant that . . . the Nosferatu Lord must be stopped, and the only way to do that is for humans and demons to work together . . .
Sesshomeru's anger eased, but didn't dissipate. "Your Council doesn't think it needs help. Why should I go to them?
Kura wanted to yell. Of all the self centered, arrogant--! He was acting childishly prideful, when the entire city was in danger. With difficulty, she said politely, "They do not know what they are facing, Sesshomeru-sama, and they do not know that you care about humans--
"I don't.
"They don't know you care about a specific human, then, or that you want to kill the Nosferatu Lord. You know that your interests and Council's align. You have to take the first step by offering a temporary alliance." Sesshomeru stood and turned his back to her. Kura reached for him and cried in desperation, "I'm begging you, my lord!
Sesshomeru blinked. He was, once more, taken completely off-guard. He had expected her passion outburst, but not this. She had called him "my lord." Was she serious in her offer to serve him?
The demon lord knew that he needed Council's help, had known from the moment the girl had said the word "Gathering." The reason he had become so angry then was because he had suspected that Kura knew this and was trying to manipulate him into helping Council. He had then decided to use the girl as a bargaining chip, to force Council to help him in exchange for Kura's safe return.
To go to Council, to beg them to help him, would be too humiliating. However, if he was to merely offer a temporary alliance . . . After all, it was a Council Senior who had begged for his help . . .
"IF I were to offer Council a temporary alliance, would you agree to serve me until the Nosferatu Lord is defeated? Regardless of Council's answer?" Sesshomeru didn't know why he cared, but he did.
"Yes, my lord," Kura whispered, her voice trembling with hope.
Sesshomeru nodded once and went around the table to stand beside her chair. He said tersely, "Tomorrow, the Council's Seniors are meeting at 8:30 to plan their attack. You will go as my representative and offer a temporary alliance to destroy the Nosferatu Lord and prevent the Gathering. You are to offer nothing else. You will not reveal my location or the existence of my foster daughter. You will then report to me within the hour. Is that clear?
Tears streaming down her cheeks, Kura slid off the chair to kneel before him. "Thank you, my lord. I will not fail you."