To Love an Enemy
Chapter 16 – Moonlight
VERY IMPORTANT TO READ THIS the idea for this chapter came from Mikaila's very wonderful drawing Spider webs which I am practically demanding of you to visit because it is wonderful and it is a scene that will be included in this chapter or the next one. GO (don't think i should have to say this but just incase) remember to replace the (dot) with a .
Very rarely do i order stuff, not even for you to e-mail me, but since this is not an original idea of mine, I am therefore requesting that you visit that webpage!
The sun had just set when Sango came to the clearing where she and the children had been playing tag that afternoon. It was easy to follow the soldiers trail because the horses had turned up all the dirt.
Sango followed the trail for nearly half an hour until she came to the obvious scene of the battle, where a spider bodies lay dead. Looking around she saw where the spiders had left once the soldiers had fled. Walking carefully as not to disturb any of the tracks Sango neared a thorn bush where she spied something, picking the piece of fabric carefully off the thorns; she held it up to the moonlight. From the looks of it, it appeared to be purple the same colour or Miroku's cape! But what was this, spider's web was attached to it!
"The spiders must have dragged Miroku away!" Sango thought. "Yes, that's right! I can see where he was dragged along."
Sango quickly followed the trail taking care not to let her guard down incase she came across any giant spiders. The path was fairly easy to follow because the spiders had crashed through the forest leaving a trail of destruction in their wake but none the less Sango managed to accumulate numerous scratches along her legs and arms. By the time she stumbled upon the entrance to a large dark cave the moon had risen.
Tiptoeing as quietly as it was humanly possible Sango crept into the cave, and luckily discovered the moonlight was illuminate it was a full moon that night so she could see everything. As she traveled further into the cave Sango could find no trace of any spiders and decided from the given evidence that the spiders must be out hunting. Sending a quick thank you out to which ever lucky star was with her that night Sango slowly crossed the cave, until she came to the entrance to three tunnel entrances. Sango knelt down and carefully examined the dirt. It was so dark it was almost impossible to see the markings. Which should she choose she didn't have time to try all three while looking for Miroku, the sooner she found him the better because who knew when the spiders would return.
Looking once more at the marking in the dirt floor, Sango chose the first one. Walking slowly down the tunnel because she couldn't see where she was going now that the moonlight was blocked, Sango felt her way along. Unexpectedly she stumbled into a room filled with spider larvae. She barely stopped herself if time from screaming out she was so repulsed by them Sango turned around and hurried back to the entrance of the three tunnels.
Looking carefully again at the dirt she realized her mistake, that it had been something smaller than Miroku dragged into that room, she looked at the second tunnel entrance but there was no sigh of anything being dragged, so she turned her attention to the entrance of the third tunnel, something had been dragged in there so Sango decided to try that one. Walking once again with her hand along the wall, Sango entered the chamber.
Holes in the ceiling let moonlight flow though in eerie beams of light. Sango looked around the room and gasped when her sight fell on the far left corner of the room where Miroku was strung up by spider webs, rays of moonlight filtering across his suspended form. Her hand at her mouth Sango's head spun, as if she had just been spinning in circles, she stumbled over to his limp form suspended by the glowing strands of spider silk. As she grew nearer she was shocked at his appearance, there were various bruises along his body, his clothes had been shredded until almost nothing was left of the top, there was a cut with dried blood dripping from it on his cheek and another similar but larger cut on his chest. Reaching up she touched his limp face, gently brushing her fingers down his face which hung limply by his chest. Crumpling to a heap at her love's feet Sango let out a sob, and buried her face in her hands.
Miroku was wandering around the blissful blackness, finally he was free from the pain, when out of no where he heard someone crying. Slowly and painful Miroku was forced back into consciousness, reliving the pain of each wound and bruise as he did so. Groaning he raised his head and looked around, no one was there. But then where was the crying coming from he was positive there had been someone crying. Struggling to awaken from unconsciousness, Miroku concentrated on listening to the crying. It was human and it was coming from nearby of that he was sure but, where was the question. Taking the effort to glance once more around his prison, Miroku let his head drop, it hurt too much to even breathe. He was never going to escape he had already tried numerous times after they spiders left to break free of the webs that held him suspended but to no avail.
Of all things he regretted, even more so than leaving his country to civil war, Miroku regretted not having told Sango that he loved her. "Funny," he thought wryly. "The things you regret, when everything is all said and done." Something at the bottom of his vision caught his eyes and he forced himself to look down, there was someone wearing a familiar pink and green kimono sobbing at his feet. "S- Sango?" Miroku whispered weakly. "Is that you?"
Instantly the sobbing stopped and Sango's head flew up. "Miroku!" she cried and stood up. "OH my gosh you're alive! Of coarse its me you idiot. Did you think I'd just leave you to die here?"
"You're right I should have expected you," he grinned trying to make her smile which she did through her tears.
"I don't know how you can manage it, but even when you're half dead you can still joke around," Sango said somewhat amazed.
"Of coarse I can, after all laughter is what makes the world worth living. And your smile Sango to me, means the world."
Sango shook her head. "You're delusional, you have no clue what you're saying. Now come on lets get you down. Do you still have your sword?"
Miroku tried to point to the opposite corner while saying, "over there. The spiders flung it over there somewhere." Sango hurried over to the corner where she saw Miroku's sword shinning in a ray of moonlight. Snatching it up she hurried back struggling slightly with the weight of it. Raising the sword above her head, Sango slashed it through the spider webs which had bound Miroku hostage. Much to Sango's shock Miroku slumped forward over her. He was weaker than she had thought. Gently she placed her hands on his chest and careful not to push on his wound, pushed him to his feet.
"Sorry," Miroku apologized. "Not as strong as I thought."
"It's alright," Sango said. "Here put your arm around me and use me as a crutch."
"My hero."
"But, I'm warning you. If you try to grope me, I'll drop you and you can walk on your own," Sango said threatening finding it remarkably eay to slip back into their old banter.
"Your meaning is perfectly clear," Miroku said mockingly. "But what would happen if I were to suddenly pass out, would you give me the mouth to mouth breathing that would enable me to continue living?"
"Don't even think of trying that," Sango said with a slight growl. She was all too aware of how close Miroku was, and the fact that his clothes had been practically ripped to shreds was not helping. His all too perfect chest muscles were obvious without a shirt and that was not helping to stop the blush that was crossing Sango's face. Sango sent out a silent thank you to no one in particular that is was dark enough that Miroku couldn't see her beet red face. Putting a finger to Miroku's lips she said "now shush, we don't know where the spiders are."
She could feel Miroku's shudder and the nod of his head. Quietly Sango helped Miroku to limp out of the cave. They continued on once they exited the cave the threat of the spiders returning lingering in their minds. If Miroku hadn't stumbled Sango would have insisted that they keep going until they reached the village. Looking over at her friend, she could see how pale and weak he was, they needed to stop. Glancing around Sango spied the river that ran through the forest. "Miroku," Sango asked gently. "Do you think you can make it to the river? We can rest there for a while and continue on to the village when you're stronger."
Miroku looked over to where Sango indicated a feebly nodded his head. Together they hobbled over to the river where Sango helped Miroku to lie on his back. Taking her handkerchief out of her dress Sango walked over to the river and bathed it in the warm running water. Returning to Miroku's side, Sango knelt down and began to clean the large gash on his chest. Miroku gasped and then bit his lip, he would endure the pain. "Sango," Miroku said through clenched teeth.
"What!" Sango exclaimed instantly stopping which caused Miroku to sigh in relief. "Was I hurting you?"
"No," he said gently. "I wanted to thank you. What you did back there was extremely brave. I am in your debt."
"No!" Sango said shocked. "No your not! You saved my life, I couldn't just let you die, I wasn't going to let you die while I was still in your debt."
Miroku's face fell, "is that the reason you came to rescue me, because you were in my debt?"
"No," Sango said shaking her head. "No that's not why. Oh this is coming out all the wrong way."
"What did you mean then?" Miroku asked.
"I came to save you because it would mean civil war if you died," she retorted and then added on in a softer quieter tone, "and because- because you're my friend and I wouldn't want to see you die."
Miroku was touched yet hurt at the same time. Sango no longer thought of him as the enemy but as a friend. But a friend was not someone who loved you, he wanted Sango to love him the same way he loved her, with all his heart. Yet they could never be, he was the prince of Etonet and she was a Larovellian. Today had shown him how truly important it was that he produced an heir. He needed to marry soon, probably to someone whom who help him in the war. Miroku thought sadly, "I'll probably end up shackled to some woman who cares about nothing more than hair. If only I could marry Sango, she so wonderful, so fascinating, so…..Sango. I could the rest of my life with her and never regret it for a day. She would make the perfect queen, the people would adore her, she would be a pillar of support for me helping rule the kingdom wisely rather than sitting in front of a mirror styling her hair……If Sango were my wife I would love her for the rest of my days. I would never glance at another woman no matter how beautiful because I would always have her by my side, my beautiful, strong Sango."
Sango looked down smiling at Miroku drifting off to sleep. Stroking his bangs off his handsome face, her throat tightened. How could she have been so blind as to how much she loved him. Sango could no longer deny it, she loved Miroku. But knowing they could never be together made her heart break. After all she was scarred; he would never want a scarred woman for a wife. All of a sudden a gentle wind began to blow, causing Miroku to shiver. Sango looked around for something to cover him with, for what he wore was nothing more than tatters and did nothing to keep him warm, but there was nothing there. She called herself ten times a thousand a fool; how could she not have brought food and a blanket. Miroku shivered once more, and that made up Sango's mind. She couldn't let him freeze to death, if she just lay by his side for a while, he would never know, and her warmth would help prevent him from getting cold. Slowly, afraid that Miroku would awake at any moment Sango lay down on her side next to Miroku and hesitantly put her left arm across his shivering body and gently lay her head down on his chest. Sango was more tired than she had known, because before she knew it she was fast asleep.
Miroku slowly exhaled; he had awoken when he had felt Sango lay next to him. He had been shocked by how tenderly she had treated him, and slowly opened his eyes a crack. Looking down at Sango asleep on his chest made his breath catch in his throat; she looked so beautiful, so innocent and perfect. Unable to resist Miroku gently put his arms around her, and smiled when she nuzzled his chest. "She's so sweet when she sleeping," Miroku thought. "And even if we are destined never to be together, I will always carry this special moment in my heart. Tonight we are nothing but ourselves, tonight we are not an Etonet or a Larovellian, tonight she's merely Sango and he was Miroku. And for this night only I will allow myself to love you without thinking of how we can never be. My dearest Sango tonight, I will dream of the life we might have together." And with those final thoughts Miroku slipped into dreams similar to Sango's, dreams where they were together, happy in love.
Oh this is my favourite chapter I think. It was so……….fluffy and perfect. sigh they are the best couple. So perfect for each other, I hope you liked this chapter, I know I sure did. I loved Miroku's thoughts, and at the end how sweet the moment was, her sleeping on his chest with him hugging her. To perfect. Well please e-mail me with comments, ideas and such, because if you can believe it there is still some ways until this story is finished. Well tata for now Shamanic Destiny