Inuyasha carried Shippou and Kagome back to the others, grumbling all thw while grumbling about Royce's strange behaviour. Kagome sighed and Shippou rolled his eyes, but neither said a word to the half demon.
Royce looked up from sharpening her claws, oblivious to Kilala's hissing, as Inuyasha came up to the clearing. "I was beginning to wonder is something had happened to the three of you. You took long enough coming back. Snago and Miroku were worried about you."
"Alright woman, who the hell ARE you?" Inuyasha demands, drawing the Tetsusaiga and transforming it.
"I already told you, I am Royce." She states clearly, looking up calmly at her companion. "What is it you wish to know?"
Inuyasha glares down at her, eyes narrowed. "Everything. Starting with how you killed that demon back there."
"Very well. It all started with the deaths of the villagers, six months ago. The patrols and guards were enforced, but the deaths were continued. We decided it was an inside job, and so certain soldiers were put under surveillance. Still people continued to die. Then there was the massacre. Men, women, children, All slaughtered ruthlessly. My Mother and Father joined in the fight, but it was too late. A demon killed them. I watched them die, but I never got close enough to the demon to have enough to identify it by.
"Naraku rescued me, hours after my parents died. We talked, and he told me Inuyasha was the one who had slaughtered my village. He advised me to take a range of weapons in order to slay you, Inuyasha. And I did. I raided the armoury, and have spent much time since training.
"The demon you saw back there, his name was Seiko. He cornered me about a month ago, and tried to… well we engaged in battle, though neither of us won then. That's how I got my scar." She stated calmly, pulling back her hood to reveal the scars across her eyes. "We fought again just now, though it wasn't much a fight. I killed him with ease. He'd underestimated my new strength, and that was deadly mistake, which ultimately ended his life." Royce sighed and reclined against a tree.
Everyone was silent for long minutes, no one had the courage to speak.
Inuyasha sheathed his blade, eyes softening. "I'm sorry I misjudged you…" He looked away and sat down, feeling sorry for the mysterious and strange woman who had just spilled her life's story to them.