Chapter seven: The Ship Ride to Shikoku
They had decided to set off early in the morning, Yasha was wearing a heavy plain ladies riding dress, a deep navy blue with silver embellishment adorning the fringe of the garment and a boned corset bodice with simple silver beading, her hair down
and still wearing her headband.
Inuyasha was grinning at himself, he felt great; he had, had a nice dinner, slept well . .
.apart from Yasha's crying and was now on the road with a princess slave, what an interesting life he held.
Yasha turned around to face him, "What are you so happy about?" she asked, rasing an eyebrow.
Inuyasha grinned, "No particular reason, just thinking about random thoughts"
Yasha nodded slowly, "Ok then"
Inuyasha grinned, "Yes, very okay isn't it?"
Yasha whipped around to face him, and scowled at him, "Have you been drinking?"
Inuyasha scowled at her, "No. . .Why would I? Did you see me drinking anytime lately?"Yasha thought for a moment, "Good point"
"I know"
Yasha turned to face the track again; they had to get to Yakima by midday, which roughly gave them about four hours.
Inuyasha sped his horse up to Yasha's, "Do you mind if we run for a little, I don't want
to miss the ship"
Yasha nodded, "I was just about to suggest the same" she turned around to check her "precious" dressing cargo on the back of her horse, it was neatly packed and secured well, excellent. Inuyasha waited for her to start up and followed her, smiling with the movements of the horse and the feeling of freedom. The brown mare ,that she was supposed to be riding, followed alongside the two of them tossing her head gaily.
Yasha turned around to face him and smiled, her eyes dancing, cheeks flushed and white hair flying behind her like a ribbon in the breeze.
Inuyasha watched her as she sat up slightly and made the horse speed up, she was a fascinating creature, and created many a hundred questions in Inuyasha's mind, he frowned, he would be home tonight and back to business, back to his duties.
He sat up and matched his speed to Yasha's, back to finding a suitor, back to paperwork, back to war, back to responsibility.
He sighed, short-lived freedom was bliss, but it was almost like the end of the world when it had to end.
Inuyasha and Yasha arrived at the port just on time; the beautiful wooden ship was being loaded with other passengers, horses and cargo.
Inuyasha hopped of his horse and helped Yasha down and was surprised to see Yasha's face was slightly twisted and she was biting her lip.
"What's wrong?" he asked, frowning with her behavior.
Yasha winced, "Nothing, my ear just hurts a little."
The corner of his lips turned up slightly, "Oh, are going to be alright?"
Yasha shook her head, "Yeah, I'll be fine."Inuyasha surprised himself and Yasha when he took her hand and lead her and the horses onto the ship, paying a small fee on the way, "Maybe there's a doctor on board that can give you something for the pain."
Yasha stared up at him and smiled softly, "Okay,"
He let her go and waved her to sit down while he sorted out a room for her to get changed into.
Yasha looked around, a few of the crew were smiling at her and chatting amongst themselves, she just scowled at them, and looked elsewhere.
Over across the deck was a man sitting with another woman.
Yasha looked at him in the corner of her eye and frowned, he looked vaguely familiar, a small world, she probably saw him at the auction or something.
She frowned in irritation when she noticed both he and the woman were watching her,
whispering to themselves.
Yasha moved her head slightly so she got a view of the woman, tall, skinny and pale, well dressed wearing a black gown with a silver sash, her hair down with a single orchid folded behind her ear. Then she caught a glimpse of the man's face. Naraku. And Kikyo.
Yasha looked down at her hands in her lap. While Yasha was looking out to sea, trying to control her shaking she only heard Inuyasha when he sat down next to her and passed her, her flask of water."Thought you might be thirsty" Inuyasha said, smiling slightly. Yasha smiled and took it from him, their fingers touching slightly and sending electric
butterflies up her arms and into her stomach.
She took a swig of the cool liquid, ignoring the weird sensation in her stomach, "Thank you Inuyasha" she said quietly.
"No problem" he replied, he turned to face her and leant against the wooden crate behind him, "Yasha, I've organized a room you can borrow to get changed"
Yasha nodded, "Should I go now?"
Inuyasha thought for a moment, "How long will it take to get ready?"
Yasha shrugged, "I don't know" then a thought flashed through her mind, when the old lady had put the gown on her Yasha didn't have to worry about doing up the hooks on her back.
Just thinking about it made he stomach knot, there was no way she would be able to get dressed by herself, "Inuyasha?"
He glanced over at her, "Hmm?"
"Are there any women on this ship?" she asked, twisting her hands in her lap. Inuyasha watched her, totally unaware of where this was heading, "No, I checked, there's only one, but I don't think she's one you really want to know about"
Yasha nodded, "Ok then . . ."
"What's wrong?" he asked, noting her discomfort.
"I'm going to need your help getting dressed," she said, staring at the deck.
Inuyasha nodded slowly and frowned, "Okay then . . .I think I can do that"Yasha looked up at him, "Now?"
Inuyasha nodded, "Yeah now, the trip won't take that long"
The pair got up and Yasha grabbed her pack off her horse and walked to the cabin entry passing Naraku, she noted that they ere already moving quite fast for a ship and frowned, that was quick.
Inuyasha followed her really not understanding what getting changed meant.
Yasha waited down stairs, "Which room?"
Inuyasha shrugged, "None in particular you can choose"
Yasha nodded and chose the one on her left; she opened the door and held it
opened for Inuyasha to enter.
"What's with them?" she heard him grumble.
Yasha closed the door quietly and noticed how rocky the ship was, "Who's them?" she asked as she laid her dress down on a chair.
Inuyasha shrugged, "That weird couple upstairs that we passed"
"Oh, them? They're not that weird," looking straight forward when she said this, Yasha tried not to think of them.
Inuyasha looked at her, "You okay?"
Yasha nodded, "Yeah I'm fine."
Inuyasha sat down, "Do you need help getting out of that dress?"
Yasha sucked in a breath; it was only getting changed right?
"Mmm-hmm" she sighed as she walked around to the dressing room.
Inuyasha strode into the small room, "What do you want me to do?" he managed to mumble out.
Yasha pulled her hair out of the way to reveal her back, "Can you please just undo the
hooks?" she asked quietly, embarrassed beyond belief and trying to control the furious blush that she felt burning her cheeks.
Inuyasha stepped forward and gently picked up the heavy material and glanced up and down the two pieces, "God! How many hooks are there?" he asked in amazement.
Yasha closed her eyes, "I don't know, fifty? I have no idea"
Inuyasha gently made his way down her back undoing the hooks and noticing that every time he accidentally touched her skin, Yasha shuddered and small goose bumps made themselves noticed upon the back of her neck. Inuyasha smirked and decided to make a game out of it, every second hook he touched her slightly muffling his laughter at her response until she spun around to face him, "I know you're doing that on purpose"
Inuyasha blinked in mock innocence, "Who me?"
Yasha narrowed her eyes, "Yes you, how many are left to go?"
Inuyasha shrugged, "Twenty? Nineteen? Something like that"
Yasha nodded and turned around again, lifting up her hair allowing him easy access to the back of her dress.
She kept noticing the boats rocking movements and there were times when they
would stumble forward and have to hold the walls and her dress up until the movements were over, they were slowing down now and things were a little calmer.
"There all done" Inuyasha said quietly into her ear.
Yasha's breath caught in her throat at his movements and she turned around slowly and looked into his eyes, assessing them silently. However the moment was ruined when she stumbled when the ship rocked violently sending her sprawling into Inuyasha.
Inuyasha not ready for such a movement fell back in surprise, having Yasha land on
top of him.
Yasha pushed herself up slightly, resting the top of her weight in the support of her arms.
She stared down at Inuyasha, "What was that whisper for?" she asked quietly.
Inuyasha looked up at her, his right hand resting on the small of her back and the other against the wall.
He smirked, "Just wondering"Yasha rose an eyebrow, "Wondering about what?"He shrugged, "About your reaction"Yasha noticed that her dress was falling, "Ah!" she caught it just in time.
Inuyasha looked up at her, her hair was tumbling all over her left shoulder and she had her eyes closed, "What's wrong?"She opened her eyes slowly, "I hate ships"Inuyasha grinned and laughed, "I don't know why, they're not that bad"
Yasha stared down at him, "Yeah they are"
Inuyasha's grin faded slightly and the two gazed into each other's eyes, assessing personalities, differences and similarities and each other in general.
Yasha bent forwards slightly and Inuyasha rose his head slightly, their mouths centimeters apart.
Inuyasha could feel her short breaths, and her hands gripping his upper arms for support.And then the door opened and the weird couple walked in, and headed straight to the corner of the room.
Inuyasha and Yasha broke from their little trance and stared at each other in wonder.
Yasha got up slowly and helped Inuyasha up and whispered into his ear when they heard ominous sounds of 'passion' escape from the small bed in the corner, "I think I'll just go next door"
Inuyasha nodded and grabbed her pack and things from the dressing room before tip toeing out and closing the door behind him.
They walked into the room next door and Yasha desperately tried to hold up her gown.
Inuyasha dropped her stuff and looked at her."What?" she asked.
Inuyasha raised an eyebrow and handed her, her pack, "You'd better finish."
Inuyasha decided to go wait in the hall.
She blushed, "Right."
She could play a trick on Inuyasha to get back at him for the hook thing he pulled.
She walked into the dressing room in front of the mirror and dressed quickly and easily, then she squealed nice and loud and ran of the room into the hall and disguised her voice, "I'm sorry Miss!" and ran into Inuyasha by accident, "Sorry sir." then strode off down the hallway. Inuyasha, burst into the room, "Yasha! Are all right?" he looked around frantically. "Yasha?"
She slipped silently into the room and came up behind him and touched his shoulder and he jumped. Yasha burst out laughing, "AH-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA-HA! You should have seen yourself!"
"Who the hell are–" he stopped. He was very confused at her choice of clothing, "Is that what you chose?" this girl was something different every time you turned around. Not only that, but the way she dressed was slightly familiar, as was her ring.
"Yeah, so. What's your point? Is there something wrong or what?" now she was confused.
"Nothing's wrong. At least I don't think so. But what will mother say?"
"Well if she doesn't like it, too bad. I'll never wear another dress as long as I live!" she vowed.
"Oh yeah, remember you said you'd show me what's under that thing on your head?" perhaps there would one more thing, just one more clue that would explain her familiarity.
"Yeah, you're right. But I said today, not when today." she passed a sly smile.
Inuyasha smirked and stood up in front of her. Yasha lowered her arms and followed his movements in the corner of her eye.
He walked around her and 'tutted' under his breath, "You don't look much like a slave anymore" he paused, "In fact you look more like a prince".
Yasha looked at her palms, "So what if I hate dresses? I bet you wouldn't last a day in a dress." she mumbled. "That old hag wouldn't let me leave without wearing one.
Inuyasha was in front of her now and he took her hands in his and made her look up, "But you are a princess."
Yasha shook her head and looked down at the rug, "That was my past!"
Inuyasha looked down at her, "I can get mother to re-instate your power and place, no one will need to know"
Yasha smiled slightly, "People know Inuyasha, you, your mother bought me for a slave, a servant, so that's what I am going to be", she glanced up at his eyes, "I'll work for you, and no-one else, I'll do whatever you ask me to do"
Inuyasha stared down at her and let go of her hands and sat down, "Then I want you to regain your position"Yasha shook her head, "I can't do that"
Inuyasha rested his head on his palm, "Yes you can, it's who you are, don't deny it!"
Yasha stood in the middle of the small room and stared at the floor but didn't say anything; she didn't know what to say."What would your father say?" he asked quietly.Yasha's head shot up and she gaped at him, not thinking that he would bring that up.
"What would you're father want?" Inuyasha asked, knowing he was getting somewhere at least.
Yasha's knees almost buckled, and she had to hold onto the back of the chair to support herself. Inuyasha watched her, aware of her minor distress and added in a monotone, "What do you want?"
Yasha looked at him and felt a tear role down her cheek, "Please" she whispered.
Inuyasha got up and sat her down and knelt by her side, "I'm offering what's rightfully yours, take it" he said quietly and firmly.
Yasha shook her head and looked at his face, "Even if I did, I have no money or place to go and live" she whispered.
Inuyasha looked at her, "You can stay at my place, until you find a husband, or until you want to leave"Yasha clasped his hand, "Don't talk about it, it wouldn't happen"
Inuyasha growled, "Damn it Yasha! I'm trying to help you here!"
Yasha stood up and glared at him, "Don't stick your nose where it doesn't belong!" she half yelled, already regretting it when the words fell out of her mouth, she didn't mean it, he was trying to help her, make her dreams come true.
Inuyasha glared at her, "This is where I belong" he grounded out between his teeth, before turning on his heel and storming out of the room, leaving a distressed Yasha behind him.
Yasha stood there limply, what was she saying? Of course she wanted to be a princess again, she could do some real good for her kingdom. Maybe even destroy the man that ruined her, the woman that ruined her.
Get married, have kids, live in splendor.
But how could that happen?
She would have to marry someone with a level head, yet still a good sense of humor.
Someone that she truly loved. She closed her eyes and sat down resting her head on her crossed arms on the boudoir desk.
That last comment.
(Flashback)
Inuyasha glared at her, "This is where I belong" he grounded out between his teeth, before turning on his heal and storming out of the room.
(End of Flashback)
What did he mean by that?