Cursed I: To Bleed
Summary: Two months after Naraku's defeat, the group stumbles across a demon named Talika, who seems to have a sinister plan in hand… with Sango as the key player.
Chapter Two: Bleeding Roses, Ageless Time
Three Years Later
Sango stood in the doorway of her home, watching as her daughter tackled her father.
"Miroku... Kagomei... Food's ready." Sango told them. Kagomei rushed up to her mother and touched her stomach.
"Hello little sister... Momma says it's time to eat. You better eat too so you come out nice and big." Kagomei told her mother's stomach. Miroku and Sango shared a smile.
And so, the family sat down and ate their dinner once again. But things were about to get strange... Very strange.
-
Three Days Later
Sango walked the worn down path from her home to the village with a smile. Her daughter was asleep in her room, and Miroku was watching over her.
There was something wrong with the well, which was something Sango had known for years. Ever since Sango's wedding day when Inuyasha had gone through it with Kagome in order to save her, not one of them had returned. So, Sango and Miroku, with help of Kaede's village, built a shrine surrounding the well and the Goshinboku, and built their home off to the side.
Sango still felt off since her wedding, like she was invincible almost. And it scared her.
Every three weeks, Sango went to Kaede's village and helped set up the market. The market was something Kagome and Kaede had been discussing before Sango's wedding, and had been started after Sango's wedding.
It was time for the main sale; the women observing the newest cloths and fashions; the men secretly dispersing opium in the shadows of the daylight; the children wanting all the latest toys. It was busier than it had ever been before.
As she walked down the streets and observed the many carts of foods and goods set up, she noticed a single, lone basket of, what seemed, old rusted farming tools. No one sat near it; no one paid any attention to it; it was almost as if no one even saw it.
Slowly Sango approached the basket and would ask around if anyone had left a case of theirs laying carelessly around. Inside were many sharp pieces of metal. It looked to be bits of swords and spears, maybe a bloodied, rusted knife from a war, shards of metal from who-knows where… junk.
She picked up the basket by the delicate, thin, rope handles and placed it on her hip. Sango turned to walk down to the market area again. She took about five steps before the disaster struck – the handles fell through the basket.
No pain ever came. Not a single scratch was found. Not a bruise, not a cut, not even a sign it had happened. Yet the contents were strewn all over the ground.
The girl's mind raced. Why had she not been harmed?
-
"You better get over to the main area. Two kids are gettin' sold! It's a bargain too!"
"Really?"
"I need the help!"
"No, my farm is much larger, I need them."
"One's a girl, she's not much help."
"My wife will want the womanly help around the house."
Everyone talked of two children on the slave market. A girl and apparently a boy, also. It was a rare occasion to see young children for sale that all the farmers were going to be placing high prices on their backs. Work was deeply needed around harvest and planting time.
"They're starting! Hurry!"
Everyone hustled to the small stand set up. A torn curtain held up by a rope was hung between two tree branches. "Our first bargain!" a man shouted motioning toward the curtain. A teenaged man appeared. "A first rate worker from inland. Has had much experience on farms. Any beggars?" the man asked.
No one said a word. They were waiting for the young flesh.
"Not a soul?"
Still no one aroused.
"Next…a two for one deal…" a small boy and girl appeared. Their bodies were badly cut and bruised. And the way the boy protected the girl, they must have been brother and sister.
Something reined odd about the familiarity of the boy. Even the girl. Their faces… she'd surely seen them somewhere before…
Every man standing in the area shouted out prices of gold, heads of cattle willing to be sold, bundles of anything they grew. Even the opium was being resold in hopes of the children.
Sango needed to get those kids out of there. It was just…
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Big thanks to chibi-inuyasha-girl (go A-chan!) for uploading this, and almost posting it for me. And for, I admit, writing two-thirds of it while I went to babysit. Good thing we'd been discussing it before I left right?
Anyway, A-chan and I will be cowriting parts of this, although the plot line and outlines are completely mine. I have big plans for this, but it's always good to have help right?
I'm proud of her, so leave reviews for her and I'll send them on...
Sariua
Cursed-Immortal-Girl