To Love an Enemy

Chapter 11

I don't own Inuyasha

By the afternoon the next day, the troops arrived at the village of the hot springs. The entire town turned out to welcome the prince and true to Kagome's word every beautiful woman that Miroku saw he ran up to them knelt down and asked them "will you bear my child." Sango laughed along will everyone else every time Miroku was slapped or beaten up but deep in her mind she said to herself, stupid idiot or not, he has the right to ask any question to any woman he wants. I don't care one bit! but a smaller voice inside her would say softly "so why do you feel hurt?" which Sango would instantly push out of her mind. After unpacking at the inn Sango decided to go for a hot spring, so what if it was a public hot spring. There would only be girls at the woman's one, so it was alright if they saw her, plus it was dark out now that the sun had set. Walking down with a towel and a housecoat, Sango reached the large hot springs, even she had to admit that she was surprised by its size. The hot spring for the woman alone was nearly he size of a large pool! Sango slowly sank into the water wincing at her scars touched the water. Once she got accustomed to the temperature she dunked her head. Surfacing Sango sighed, this felt so good, after walking for half the day with a heavy pack. After half an hour of soaking her tired limbs Sango was just debating about whether or not to get out when she heard voices. Sht! she thought. I should have gotten out sooner. Sango recognized the voice of a girl from the village that had embarrassed her by asking, why the soldiers would bother taking her as a prisoner. Well maybe if I just ignore them, they'll leave me alone, Sango thought desperately hoping.

"Oh, it's you," the girl from the village named Yuki said scathingly. Too late, Sango thought sadly. "You're that Larovellian prisoner, aren't you?."

Sango opened her eyes and nodded. "Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't catch your name? Was it Yuki or something?"

"Yeah, I'm Yuki, this is Aiko, and Miyoko," she said gesturing to her two friends.

"Hi," both of them said sinking into the hot springs. Yuki quickly swam over to the far side of the hot spring to talk with her friends unaware that Sango could hear they're every word.

"I can't believe Miroku would save something as pitiful as her. She's so plain and manly," Yuki giggled.

"Yeah," the girl named Aiko agreed. "She's not nearly as pretty as you Yuki, you know when Miroku asked you again to bear his child, I think you should say yes. Then you could be a queen, I mean well think of it. You're pretty enough o be his queen and if he can take something as pathetic and ugly as that girl over there – if you can even call her a girl with all those muscles – he could take you too."

Sango tried to block out what they were saying and just relax.

"I know," Yuki said. "I heard that she's some sort of wild cat Miroku's hoping to train. She apparently wandered in amongst their camp and began fighting with the soldiers…how stupid is she?"

"Must be pretty stupid," Miyoko agreed. "I'm surprised they let her live, after all she's not that pretty and she's a Larovellian."

That's it, Sango thought I've got to get out of here. Who cares if they see my scars, at least I won't have to listen to them talk about me any more. Quickly Sango stood up and climbed out of the hot springs. She heard the three girls gasp as they saw her horrible scar. She tried once against effortlessly to not hear what they said.

"Look at her scar!" Yuki exclaimed.

"It's so hideous, all the way down her back!"

"Gross."

Sango quickly finished drying off and slipped on her thin white house robe. She grabbed her towel and fled, the cruel whispers of Yuki and her friends following her. Sango through the village tears streaming down her face, she was unaware though that one pair of eyes followed her where she ran. She ran faster than she ever had, through the villages and into the forest, who cared if she never found her way out, she never wanted to go back there. The further she ran though the more she began to notice how she felt a tugging sensation, slowing her motions. Soon it began to be a struggle to put one foot in front of the other. At last she found a small clearing in the woods and realizing that she couldn't go any farther sank down at the foot of a large pine tree. The had obviously witched her, there was some charm on her preventing her from escaping.

There she clung to herself rocking back and forth as she sobbed. So she was ugly, she had always suspected it but she had ever actually heard someone say it before. Oh how the truth hurt, remembering her family's reaction to her all these years only made her cry harder. Her father had always wanted someone prettier for a daughter, she had never had any suitors, her older brothers had always been embarrassed to be seen with her. And the there was Miroku, who asked every beautiful woman he met to bear his children, and he had never asked her. She thought maybe it was because of the fact that she was the enemy. But then she recalled Kagome saying he had even asked her! Sango didn't know how long she sat there sobbing. But unfortunately though another few pairs of ears heard her crying. Suddenly Sango heard a twig snap in front of her. Her head flew up, the tears had stopped. There in front of her stood three big men, bandits by the look of them. Sango stood up wobbly, "What do you want?" she asked pumping more confidence into her voice than she felt.

"hehhehe," the obvious leader of the three said. "Do you hear that men, she's wondering what we want. What should we tell her?"

Mockingly the man on his right said, "oh all we want to do is have some fun."

"Yeah we just want to play with you," the third said in the same tone. Sango instantly realized that she was in trouble. These three outnumbered her in size, strength, and numbers. Not to mention it didn't help her confidence that she was only closed in a white robe that didn't even reach her ankles.

"Well I'm sorry," Sango said now getting angry. She tightened the knot binding her robe, "I don't want to play right now." She looked around then seeing a pine branch picked it up. She was glad to see that it still had the long sharp needles attached to the end; they would really cause some pain on impact.

"Oh," the leader said grinning evilly at his two companions, "well we do." And with that he launched himself straight at Sango only to receive a blow to the face. The man cried out in rage, blood was streaming down from one eye and there were many other bleeding cuts on his face. "You bloody bitch! I'm gonna kill you!"

Within moments Sango was locked in a deadly battle with the other two men while their leader clutched his bleeding eye. Soon Sango realized it was hopeless she couldn't win! Once again Sango decided that she would kill her self rather that be taken by these men, but before she could act upon it she found her arms clasped behind her back. The man holding her, much to Sango's disgust buried his nose in her hair and inhaled. She struggled violently. Sango shuddered in disgust as the man ran his slimy tongue down her neck to her shoulder.

The leader slowly advanced, until he was an inch from her face and then said. "Bitch I'm gonna make you scream in pain. I'm gonna make you wish you were dead, but don't worry we won't kill you. You are going to suffer for the rest of your days, for ruining my eye. I'm gonna use you, and then I'm gonna give you to my friends when I'm done, I hope your not tired because your gonna have a long night ahead of-" suddenly the man stopped talking and looked down at his belly where Sango could see the tip of a sword. Then he fell over. Sango looked up and saw Miroku standing there sword raised. Before Sango could even blink both of the man's companions were dead along with their leader.

"Sango what in the world did you think you were doing running off in only that robe!" he said angrily.

Suddenly Sango flung herself at him beginning to cry. Miroku just stood there stunned as the tough girl he had known broke down completely. "I'm so sorry," she sobbed, "I'm so stupid. If- if- if it weren't for you I'd be- I'd be……th- thank you so much!"

Miroku's face softened, he needed to comfort her not scold her. "Why were you running away Sango?" he said gently.

"I- I- was at the hot springs and- and- these girls were- were- talking about me! I just- I just had to get away! I could stand- I couldn't stand to listen to anymore," she sobbed.

"But why are you so upset," he said gently wanting desperately to protect her from everything. "You shouldn't trust gossip."

"It's easy for you to say that you're not the one who's ugly. No one loves me because I'm so ugly," she sobbed. "I always- I always knew that I wasn't pretty. But I never thought I was ugly!"

Miroku was shocked, Sango thought she was UGLY! "What ever made you think that!" he exclaimed.

"That's what Yuki said, and my father- my father after I was scarred he- he- found someone prettier so that no one would think his daughter was ugly!" Sango wailed sobbing helplessly into his chest. "he never wanted someone as ugly as me to take control…of the…. I think he was happy when he had to excuse not to."

"Sango!" Miroku said shocked. He couldn't believe that ANY father would ever do that to his daughter. No wonder she acted so tough! Gently as not to startle her, Miroku put his arms around Sango. "That is anything but the truth! You're beautiful! One of the most beautiful women I know! Well I think you're beautiful!" Miroku suddenly stopped did he just say that out loud. Why in the world would he say something like that! And why did he have his arms around her! Why did he want so much to protect her right now? Why did he feel like he wanted to whisk Sango away and make all her dreams come true?

Suddenly it hit him, 'could it be that…..he was in love! He had never thought that he would ever find someone he loved! Did he love Sango? But when had this happened! Yes! YES! He loved her! He loved Sango!

"Sango," he said fiercely clutching her to him. "Don't let anyone ever tell you you're ugly, don't ever listen to those gossips again. Don't let anyone ever tell or make you feel anything less than beautiful!"

"So why then-" she said still sobbing. "Why- why did you never ask me to bear your children? Kagome said you- you- you asked every be- beautiful woman, yet you ne-never asked me!"

Miroku was stunned, she thought that he didn't think she was beautiful! That was anything but the truth! "Sango-" he started to say but she cut him off.

"I don't want your pity Miroku, could you just- you you just leave me- just leave me alone. I'm going back to my room," she sobbed angrily. One pair of eyes and a hurt heart watched her as she ran back to the village.

Author's note: well there you are folks! yet another chapter! please review it makes me update faster (wink wink)