I've been noticing that not many people are reading this. I implore that if you do read this, then please leave a review. Just knowing that someone read this makes me feel good, and makes me want to write more. So please please PLEASE review!
Thank you,
momoROSE989
ps: WARNING! EXTREME JAKEN ABUSE LOCATED IN THIS CHAPTER!
Chapter 12: PricelessHe clutched the money in his hands. For some reason, he could find no desire in his mind to keep it. It was as if he knew that Bo was getting the better end of the bargain…
Hanako stared longingly at Sesshomaru. He looked back at her. Bo began to drag her up towards where some food was being set out on a table for the wedding party.
"Wait!" Sesshomaru shouted. They both turned around.
"Yes?" Bo asked curiously.
Sesshomaru tightened the pouch and threw it back at him. "This amount of money is pathetic," He scowled, "Do you think I'd sell a slave for this?"
Jaken looked in disbelief. "Lord Sesshomaru, that is more than enough money to-"
Sesshomaru stepped on him so he would not continue ruining his plan. Jaken squeaked in pain underneath his foot.
"That is all my savings," Bo said simply, "I've seen slaves bought for much lower prices than this." Hanako's miserable expression left her. A candle of hope was lit in her heart.
"Well I have not," Sesshomaru lied, "This is nothing and will get me no where. This will not even begin to pay back my debts."
Jaken spoke. "Y-yes it would I'm absolutely sure of it in fact-"
Sesshomaru squished him down into the ground harder. His voice faded off into coughs.
"Well then what? I have no more money really…"
"Precisely. Then give me back what is still rightfully mine."
"What?" Bo gasped. He would never give up Hanako. Hanako began willingly walking toward him, but Bo grabbed her back. "Don't let him force you to do things you don't want to," Bo said to her. She lowered her head.
Sesshomaru snickered. "Do you honestly think you can resist my will? I am not accepting this money. Even a slave, as cheap as they are, is worth more than you have offered me. I paid double this price for her."
"W-well actually y-you just took her-" Jaken whimpered. Sesshomaru slammed him into the ground even harder than before. A crater had formed.
Hanako noticed his lies as well. She cocked her head to one side.
"I assure you that this is enough money. Maybe you counted wrong…?" Bo said.
"Are you insulting my intelligence?" Sesshomaru questioned.
"No… I just…"
"Then do not speak," He took Hanako away from him, "For there is no way I would give one of my possessions away without a fee."
"But I gave you a fee! It is plenty! Are you that selfish?"
Sesshomaru glared at him, ignoring the fact that Bo had just insulted him, and snickered again. "And I am not accepting your fee. It is not enough."
Bo was horrified. He could not believe what he was hearing. "Please!" he begged, "I love her! Can't our happiness be enough? Are you really that cold to break up true love?"
"Yes," Sesshomaru said, "Yes I am."
"But…I love her…"
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "Fool," he commented, throwing the pouch back at him, "I do not want your money. Taking it would be insulting."
Bo was speechless. He could do nothing but stand there. He had never met someone so heartless. "I… Then we shall go over your head!" He yelled, "We shall go over your head and get married without your permission!" He grabbed her back from him. She whimpered slightly, her arm hurting from being tugged around so much. Sesshomaru grabbed her other arm. "You cannot go over my head. You are a demon of the middle classes. I am of a much higher class than you."
Bo's eyes narrowed. "You wouldn't just break her heart, would you? What do you care if she's with you or not? She is a slave girl, and you could get a million more like her. But me, I think of her as Hanako. I care about her. She would be much happier with me."
Sesshomaru glared at him once more. "You are right. I don't care about her happiness. Which is why I don't care about taking her away from you," He looked at Hanako, whose eyes were shining with thankfulness, "Let us go, Hanako," He said, lifting his foot from Jaken. Sesshomaru peered down at Jaken, still squished on the ground. He began to lift his head. "Get Rin," Sesshomaru ordered him, "We are leaving." Jaken pulled himself upward, and began to limp forward. "Y-yeah…" he gasped in pain, going to the clearing where Rin was. Sesshomaru glanced at Hanako. Her head was down, hiding her happy smile from Bo. "Get your other clothes back," Sesshomaru ordered her. She lifted her head to look at him. "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru!" she said, happy to be able to say his name and take his orders still. She ran back to where she had left her clothes. Sesshomaru watched her leave, feeling quite satisfied with himself.
Bo watched him carefully, examining his face. As Sesshomaru was watching her, an almost invisible came to his lips as he was looking her up and down, which was very strange behavior. Bo's eyes narrowed with suspicion.
"Sesshomaru," Bo growled. Sesshomaru's trance broke. "What do you want now?"
"I love Hanako. I would've given her anything she ever wanted. You say it was the payment that stood in our way, but there is something else, isn't there? Could it be that you are the real reason we cannot be together? Could it be that you have feelings for Hanako as well?"
Sesshomaru became slightly nervous. "Never say that again. Such foolish things are not true," he said quickly. But that response was all Bo needed to confirm what he thought to be true. "You…" he growled, "You disgust me…" Sesshomaru glared at him, once more excusing his disrespectful behavior. "You better not… you better not lay a hand on my Hanako… leave her to those who actually can have her…" Bo threatened. Sesshomaru did not listen to him. He no longer wished to hear what he had to say.
Hanako returned to Sesshomaru dressed once more in her white frock. Bo came to her and kissed her hand. She looked away from him so she would not have to bear seeing the disgusting sight. He put his arm around her back. "I will not forget you, dearest Hanako," he said. She smiled slightly. She still found it hilarious that he called her "dearest". She looked at the rather expensive bracelet around her wrist that he had given her. "Do you… want this back?" she said, showing him the bracelet. "No. You keep it. I promise you Hanako, than I will go looking for you again, and we will be married," he stated. Hanako nodded. She would remind Sesshomaru to take her very far away from here. She had had enough of Bo for now…
He was about to kiss her again, this time on the lips. Sesshomaru put his hand in front of Hanako's face. "We are leaving Hanako," he said, sounding quite angry about what had almost happened before him. Jaken returned back with Rin, who had heard the news that Hanako was not to marry Bo. She smiled at Hanako. Hanako smiled back. Sesshomaru signaled them all to leave and they did, following him wherever he went…
Bo silently waved goodbye, feeling himself being torn to shreds as Hanako walked further away from him…
Jaken sighed. "But now what are we supposed to do about the money?"
Sesshomaru did not respond.
Hanako could not help but feel guilty for not getting him money. She watched the scenery change on the side of her as she walked along next to Aun. There was something behind the trees: a shop.
A sudden idea came into her mind.
She walked over to the little shop. "Hanako-chan, where are you going?" Rin asked. Sesshomaru turned around. "Hanako, come back here now," Sesshomaru boomed.
Hanako silenced them. "I shall only be a second!"
They watched her talking to the store clerk. The clerk handed her something in a pouch and Hanako handed her something as well. Hanako turned around and came running back to Sesshomaru. He stared at her.
She bowed to him and presented him the pouch. He took it, examining it closely, and opened it. Inside was enough money to pay off his debts. Just enough.
"Did you just sell something Hanako-chan?" Rin asked, looking at the pouch.
"Yes. I sold it so I could get money for Lord Sesshomaru!" she said happily.
"What did you sell?"
"Oh nothing…"
They began to walk again. Sesshomaru looked at Hanako's wrist. The bracelet that Bo had given her was no longer in her possession.
Rin sighed. "Lord Sesshomaru can we rest now, please?"
He did not speak. He stopped walking, which signified to the rest of them that they could rest.
It was dusk, and tonight they would be traveling at night. Hanako and Rin would have to share Aun again to sleep on, and Sesshomaru and Jaken would stay awake, in search of Naraku.
Rin jumped off of Aun and began to run along the bushes. She had so much energy from sitting around and doing nothing all day. "Let's play tag, Hanako-chan!" she called.
Hanako yawned. "Maybe tomorrow… I'm kind of tired…" she slumped down on the ground near a tree. Sesshomaru left them, wanting to be alone, but Jaken decided to follow him as well.
"Why are you tired?" Rin asked.
"I'm the one who has been walking all day. You have been sitting."
"Oh okay…" Rin said sadly, "How about we play a game that you don't need to get up for?" Rin asked.
"That's okay with me…"
"I wanna play I Spy!"
"Okay then. As long as I get to be the one who spies."
"Yup."
"I spy something that is… white."
"Your kimono?"
Hanako shook her head. "Nope."
"Your hair?"
"No."
She thought for long moments. "The stars?"
"Good guess, but no."
She shook her head. "What is white, Hanako-chan?"
She pointed to a wilting white flower under the bushes.
"That was too hard! No fair!"
"Really now? Then how about you be the one that spies."
"Fine…" she gazed around her. "I spy something that is green."
"Trees?" Hanako asked.
"No…"
"Grass? Any kind of plant at all?"
"No and No."
"Give me a hint…" she asked, not wanting to play anymore.
"It's coming right at us."
Hanako lifted her head. Jaken stopped in mid-step. He rolled his eyes. "Don't use me in your stupid games," he grumbled.
Hanako stood up. "Is there anything you need, Master Jaken?" she asked. Jaken nodded. "Lord Sesshomaru requests your company," he answered. Hanako blinked a few times. "Um… okay…" she responded, following him to Lord Sesshomaru.
He looked so natural under the moon. His long, straight, silvery hair the same color as the night itself, and his amber eyes glistening like stars. Hanako was breathless while looking at him.
He was sitting on a large boulder. "You are dismissed, Jaken," he said, waving his hand for him to leave. Jaken nodded and disappeared into the night. Hanako, who was still staring at him, finally remembered to breathe.
He placed his hand next to him. "Sit."
She knelt down right where she was. He snickered.
"I don't think you heard me correctly." He lifted his hand again and once more placed it next to him. "Sit here."
Awkwardly, she stood up and made her way over to the boulder. She sat down next to him, like he had order. She became slightly excited from being so close to him. She began to blush.
"Now tell me," he began, "I separated you from the one you loved, that Bo character, and yet you do not seem sad. Tell me why."
He thought it would be entertaining to see how long she would lie to him.
"I'm… uh… very sad…I just hide things well…" she stuttered. A bead of sweat ran down her head. She knew she wasn't good at lying.
"And now why are you sweating?" he asked, noticing it, "The night is rather cool don't you think?"
She became increasingly nervous. He suspected her and would most likely soon find out.
"You don't need to lie any longer, Hanako, I heard your conversation with Rin."
She paused.
"Heh heh heh… heh…"
"Hanako, you fool," he scolded her, "You poor, poor, fool…"
"I was only doing it for the best…" she said, her cheeks bright red. She glanced over at him. He was staring up at the moon.
"And making yourself miserable was for the best?" he asked, "Do you not care for own self?"
"…no."
He shook his head. "Someday Hanako. Someday you will get yourself killed."
She looked down as if ashamed of herself. "If you don't mind me saying so, I should be the one doing the questioning…"
"And why is that?"
"Since when do you take an interest in my life? That is quite unlike you… if you don't mind me saying so again," she said, lifting her head to look him straight in the eye. "If it is not too personal, I would like to know why you had this sudden change of heart."
He turned away from her. He had realized his jealousy over her and did not want her to know of it. He did not say a word to her. She got up slightly to see his face. She smirked.
"I get it now…" she said, "I had no idea you felt that way Lord Sesshomaru!"
She began to giggle. Sesshomaru decided to act like nothing was wrong, and he had no idea what she was speaking of.
"What is so funny?" he asked. She smiled at him. "Were you jealous of Bo, Lord Sesshomaru? Is that why you never seemed to like him? Come to think of it, I didn't interact with you very much since his arrival! I'm sorry!" she laughed. He lowered his eyes. She had hit the nail straight on the head. And now she was laughing at him.
He glared at her. "I'm glad you find it so entertaining…"
Her mischievous eyes flashed another look at him. "So I was right! You were jealous of Bo?" she giggled. His voice lowered. "I did not say that…" he said angrily, trying to convince her that the sad truth was wrong.
"That's so cute, Lord Sesshomaru!" she laughed.
He raised an eyebrow. Cute had never been an adjective to describe him before.
"I'm glad you think so," he said, "But unfortunately it is not true."
She winked at him. "Yeah right. Sure…" She smiled again. "It's okay I won't make you admit it! It can be… our little secret! I won't tell anyone, I promise!"
He turned away from her again. "You have no right to speak to me that way."
Her smile faded. "I have spoken out of place, Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked sadly, all of her fun ruined. She lowered her eyes away from his to show respect. She realized how rude she had been acting toward him. She had forgotten her place in the world, for those few fun moments. She had been treating him how she would have treated a friend. "I am eternally sorry," she said quietly. She stood up and bowed to him. "Am I dismissed for my rude actions?"
"Not for your rude actions, but because I have no further use of you. Go."
She began to silently walk away, slightly embarrassed to have treated him that way, and quite ashamed.
Sesshomaru watched her leave. He had almost enjoyed her acting that way toward him, almost like she had been flirting. He had not wanted their little conversation to end in that way.
"One last thing, Hanako…"
She paused. "Yes?"
"You are to welcome me when I return home. If you don't then I shall punish you. Understand?"
She turned around. "What do you mean, my lord? I don't ever recall doing anything special for you when you would return from a journey or anything…" She thought back to a little while ago. He would return from somewhere, she would bow to him, as always. Was there anything else? She thought back to not that long ago when he had returned from fighting the war. She had embraced him. Is that what he means? She thought, a hint of red crossing her pale face.
His eyes shifted their gaze to her. He noticed her blushing. "What? I thought your way was a proper introduction," he said. He then realized what he was asking her to do. He had let himself speak without thinking. Who asked anyone to hug someone when they came home? He hadn't minded it when she did before, he had actually liked it. But she had stopped when Bo came into the picture.
"I… didn't know you liked it when I did that… I thought you hated it… and it was inappropriate or something… so I stopped…" she stammered.
Sesshomaru felt slightly relieved that it hadn't been Bo that had stopped her from paying attention to him.
"Well… I have to go…" she said, thinking of some excuse to leave him so she wouldn't be standing there blushing in front of him. It was just a simple request, and she wouldn't mind fulfilling it, but there was something about it that made her too excited. She did not like it and knew it was wrong to feel that way. She ran. She ran as fast as she could.
A small crush had grown into a bigger one.