CHAPTER NINE

x.

"My lord." Rukusin bowed until his forehead was firmly pressed against the ground. "I have done as you asked."

His master was all but invisible in the shadows of the trees, except for a pair of narrow, glowing eyes. "Very well, Rukusin," a smooth voice said. "And Inuyasha took the contract with his own hands?"

Rukusin broke into a sweat. "Took" was a somewhat gentle term for how Inuyasha had used that contract. "Y-yes, my lord. He accepted the contract with his own hands, although he still denies that he will have to go through with its terms."

"Bah. Accepting the contract practically means acceptance." The form of Rukusin's master drifted out from the trees. He was still in shadow, but now the retainer could make out his faintly glowing shoes, and the long braid of hair whipping around his lean shoulders. "Besides, I know Inuyasha's type, and I know how to deal with him if he decides to get stubborn. He'll wed my sister before the month is out."

Rukusin felt uneasy, thinking about the war of wills that was sure to ensue. "But my lord, I think that you do not know how determined he is..." he said hesitantly.

The fire demon chuckled. "And I don't think he knows how determined we are."

x.

"Sango?"

"Yes?"

"What do you think about this betrothal business of Inuyasha's?" Kagome took a sip of her tea, but it only made her stomach twist up more.

Sango thought for a moment. "Well, it really isn't his fault, is it? Although it would almost be easier if it were. Then we would know who to blame."

"I know," Kagome sighed. "I'm just glad he won't do it. For a little while, I was really afraid that he'd decide to go off with Rukusin and marry the princess. But he says he won't, ever."

"I didn't know you could do that," Sango said thoughtfully. "Just decide not to do it, that is. I've never heard of it happening that way."

"Were you ever betrothed?"

Sango smiled a little sadly. "No. Father thought it was more important for me to be a strong slayer than a wife, at least for the time being. Besides, there weren't many villages nearby." She paused, nibbling on her rice. "What about you?"

"Uh-uh," Kagome said. "People don't get betrothed in my time. Well, not very often. I suppose it happens occasionally, but I've never met anyone who actually was betrothed when they were a baby."

"It must be much simpler in your time," Sango said. Then a thought struck her. "Hey, speaking of your time... why doesn't Inuyasha just spend some time in your home, and lay low for awhile? The fire demons couldn't possibly follow him through the well."

"That might work," Kagome said glumly. "But not in the long term. Once Inuyasha came back to fight Naraku, the fire demons would start pestering him to marry the princess again."

"That's true," Sango said, deflated. "Well, at least Miroku is studying the contract."

The reed screen was pushed aside, and Kaede came inside. Her one eye watched the two girls by the fireside, and she asked, "Where be Inuyasha?"

"I think he wanted to be by himself for a little while," Kagome said. She stared into her rice bowl. "He was really upset when Rukusin showed up again, and I think he wants to hide."

"And the young monk?"

"He's studying the contract," Sango volunteered. Swallowing the last of her fish stew, she set down her bowl and carefully set down the chopsticks. "I'll go see how he's doing."

Kagome sighed, still staring at her half-full bowl. Her stomach was hurting from all the stress, and Inuyasha hadn't shown up all evening. She decided that even if he wanted to be alone, she was going to go find him.

TO BE CONTINUED