Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, he belongs to Rumiko Takahashi© Viz© The Sun©
Authors note: Anyone still out there:looks around and waves to chibineko192 and OrangeInuYasha and glomps you two: hee hee. I was wondering if something is wrong with my writing style? I mean, I've noticed the lack of reviews for not the last chapter but the one before that and I was wondering if its either my writing or the fact I took to long to update. My beta was currently out of commission and my computer crashed lol :anime sweat drop: anywho, this chapter is a rather favorite one of mine, for one, the flirting is starting between Izayoi and InuTaisho, hee hee I hope you all like. Also I apologize for the last chapter with the lacking of the page breaks. I somehow lost my Japanese characters and the ruler wasn't working, I hope there was no confusion. Enjoy!
Here are your responses:
Taberah blanc: oh wow :blushes: that makes me feel so good that you have writers flood because of me :blushes again: thank you so much for your review!
chibiNeko192: thanks so much :big arse smile: oh yes, but I prefer my Boba tea :winks: lol. Thanks so much for your review, hope this one is just as good lol.
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Japanese Dictionary:
sama: honorary, those who are above you (parents, teachers, lords, kings, etc.)
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I woke the next morning to find it abosolutely gorgeous outside. Pigmy's chirping and Sakura blossoms sprouting from dark tree trunks. Miaka obaa-chan dressed me in a light blue kimono with pink layers to go over my Miko robes. I decided for my hair to be left down and I requested to the guards to let me go down to the gardens on this fine day.
And this is where I find myself now, in the middle of a horse-shoe garden with a plush sitting mat under my hakama knees and my hands in the praying position in my lap. The guards who stood before my door each night took to patrolling the vast gardens leaving me to my mind and did I have such ot think about! I needed to think of a way to get to father, and at least receive word of his health, but I couldn't do that, I was now the Lady Isami of the Dog Demons, their miko who came from the human west, not the Lady Izayoi, Lady of the East, and truly I was responsible for that.
I took deep breaths to rid myself of the depressing thoughts, I was alone in a serene garden, Miaka obaa-chan off in the kitchens trying to find her place amongst this chaos, and I had to act as a miko, something I had no clue about what-so-ever, except being a servant of Kami and that my mother was one. Not to mention, I was part of some ceremony to take place in six months…
"Oh, pardon My Lady"
My eyes snapped open and I turned upwards to find the Lord InuTaisho standing before me. I must have been too deep in my thought to not hear his steps in the soft sand.
"My Lord? What brings you here?" I asked quietly before wincing in the fact that this was his garden.
He gave me a single-fanged grin and came to sit, in the sand next to me cross-legged.
"Besides the fact that this is my home and my gardens?"
"Forgive me My lord" I spoke softly once more, dropping my gaze to the sand.
"And what is there to forgive?" He snorted playfully, "but to answer your question, your in the spot where I come to think"
My heart started pounding in my chest, I hope I didn't anger him. I could just picture my father catching me when I was a little girl sleeping on his sitting mat. He gave me an ear-ful about coming into his chambers before shipping me off to my mother to learn my place….
"Lady Isami?" InuTaisho's voice rang clear thorugh the garden.
"Oh forgive me my lord, for I didn't know…" I seemed to have lost my voice after that point.
"Oh come and stop this nonsense, it's not a crime to sit in my garden dear woman" he chuckled to me.
A soft silence drifted in after his laughter and came to settle between us in a rather uncomfortable position. I didn't know much about this man….well Inu-Youkai, except he was well respected, had a rather, interesting personality, and ruled these lands that I would have to call home for the next six months at the least.
"Pardon me again my lord, If it is not an intrusion, what is on your mind?"
He snapped his head towards me and seemed to blink at my intrusion. I closed my eyes waiting for the insult of 'none of your bussiness' or a 'mind what you're saying woman' but instead…he told me what was on his mind….
"My lands are unsettled, the human west from whence you came is now teasing us for war, and the Lord of the canyons, a dragon-demon by the name of Ryukotsusei is now starting to become rather impaitent with me… and I fear battle will soon be on us"
I blinked at him rather stupidly, his face seemed so impassive, much like the Young Lord's, but his eyes held a sad grief and he came to stretching out his long legs out before him and proping himself onto his elbows….such a relaxed man with a heavy mind….
"It would seem….I can't have the peace I long for…I haven't had it in a long time…not since…………" his voice grew deeper as it seemed he was speaking to himself rather than me, but my curiousosity would not settle it seemed.
"My lord? Since…?"
At that he glared at me, and I knew I should of held my tongue…but recently I seemed to have lost my talent for holding holding it back lately…maybe the fact of that I was preteneding was getting to me…but I had no time to think about myself right now.
"Since thirteen years ago if you so wish to know" his tone was bitter and I flinched at every word.
"I am sorry my lord.."
"I thought I told you to stop that nonsense" he snapped.
"You seemed offended my lord, what else am I supposed to do!" I tried to keep my voice at a calm, but this demon lords moodswings were starting to rake my nerves.
"Offer me help, lend me your thoughts?..." his vocie seemed apologetic and pleading all of a sudden and I had to fight the impulse to raise my eyebrow.
"My thoughts?..."
"Just!...Just some kind of idea…."
I gave the man a look of pity, he seemed rather lost for such a powerful man…he was holding something within him… his eyes clearly showed that….
I cleared my voice and stared at my hands; this would be the first time I would give advice for political issues, father of course forbidded such ideas in my head…not that I didn't think them…
"For this Ryukotsusei…I have no idea as to quench a dragon's impaitence….but maybe to have a represenative of yours to travel to his lands and seek him out to talk….for the issues with the human west….I would try to come to peace, settle some kind of agreement if anything….."
Oh how I wanted to say 'and come to peace with you inner demons which seem to plague you so'…but that was not my place….
"You talk of such peace so easily…."
I gave him a gentle smile to which he stared at and I blushed before continuing, "But is it too much to ask for?"
My heart started to thud all of a sudden as he raised himself from his elbows to sit back onto his thighs, his feet still outstreched before him and his hands supporting his inclined postion. I swallowed as I felt the air in my throat constrict and let my eyes bashfully glance around when I froze. Soft, yet strong and calloused finger dragged lightly from the corner of my eye and over my temple, I could feel the light scraping of his talon and noticed the shifting of my hair.
"No wonder you're a miko" his voice was deep with appreciative understanding and…..endearment, "You want peace for such lands that are not of your birth, you should be holding a grudge against me for having my men drag you to this palace…but you take to his court so easily…you amaze me…."
I felt the blood rush to my cheeks and my heart beating fater than humming bird's wings…why was he saying this!
"You know dear lady…you do not mean it I'm sure…but you remind me of my late wife…."
I looked up at him rather bewildered and my eyes collided with his amber orbs that seemed to look at me with endearment…but it wasn't looking at me…
"My lovely Mikazuki….." he drifted off before suddenly shaking his head and standing rather abruptly.
"I thank-you dear miko, your thoughts have helped me much…forgive my rash departure for I have to arrange a represenative and a treaty" he smirked….but I realized something as he turned heel and almost ran out of the gardens…. He seemed frightened for some reason…..
"Honey-child? Ye in thy mind?" Miaka obaa-chan asked me dutifully, laying a withered hand upon my forearm.
I bit my lip and gave her a side nod, I knew I was lying to my loyal nanny, for I was indeed not alright. Esspecially after my encounter with the Lord InuTaisho in the horse-shoe garden….
He left me with my hear all a-flutter, yet I had no idea as to why! I never felt this for any man, not my father and not even the Lord Takemaru…It was so….so hidden, this feeling within my breast, and I couldn't place a finger of mine upon it.
"The Shrine, my lady"
I looked up at the guard who dragged me from the thoughts and was leading to me and Miaka obaa-chan to the place's shrine. This guard informed me after the Lord InuTaisho left that once a fortnight, the Miko of the Dog Demons was to come to the shrine and conduct 'The Service from the Dogs', more or less their offering to Kami I supposed.
The shirne was a massive place hidden deep within the forest; a narrow trail was the only thing that led you to it. It was colored that of the forest, I guessed to keep it hidden from attacks of an enemy, but it was indeed maybe even larger than the palace itself.
I saw two guards come forth from behind me and push the doors inwards, leading me through a long hall and at the end, a mini-shrine that held golden plates surrounding a massive bowl with a pitcher inside.
I walked inside and walked the long walk to the shrine.
"What service do you wish for me to conduct this evening?" I asked aloud, my heart thudding in my chest; this would be the first time I would lead a kind of service and I had no clue as in how to do it.
Suddenly another miko came forth from out of the shadows, and where I expected her to be a demon, I saw that she was indeed human!
She walked up to me, she was wearing a rather filthy miko garb and she was close to skin and bones and her hair lost it's sheen, her eyes were wide, and she dropped into a bow to which I nodded back.
"M-Miko-sama, I have the offerings" she held out a sack made of coarse silk and placed it in my hand. I reached inside and pulled out a golden figure of a pine tree, and I must have looked confused because the girl quickly added, "T-There golden icons of nature, you must know, to place in the bowls and offer"
A guard came forth and kicked the poor Miko child in her knees and to which she fell to the stone floor. I was horrified and quickly knelt to the girl and pulled her gently to her feet.
"Are you okay Miko-chan?" I quickly asked. Her eyes went wide with an odd sense of admiration.
I suddenly turned to the idiotic guard who kicked this girl and I felt my face glow red with anger.
"How dare you kick a child and a servant of Kami nonetheless! Know you place and if I ever see you do that again I'll directly talk to the Lord InuTaisho!" I bellowed, all the while my hands supporting the girl from the ground, Miaka obaa-chan quickly checking her knees for bleeding or bruising.
The guard snorted, "I would think you to punish this child for her stupidity! Of course you would know about the offerings and how to do so, other wise the Lord would not have chosen you with the highest honor around here!"
"Still! It gives you no right ot hurt a child, and mind you I am not demon! I am human taken from my destination to be brought here, against my will mind you, and now to serve Kami for all of your sakes! I may not have the knowledge of how you do your offerings and prayers!"
I could see the guard roll his eyes walk out the door. I took a steady deep breath and turned back to the child with a calm look on my face.
"How about you help me with this offering Miko-chan?"
She smiled and softly thanked Miaka obaa-chan with her dirt covered face and gave me a smile which revealed a tooth had been knocked out. I felt my heart go to her as she nodded that she would.
"What is you name Miko-chan?"
"Sachi, Miko –sama" she whispered, I could see Miaka obaa-chan nodding from at her feet, her smile gentle.
"Lady Isami, but you may call me Isami" I smiled at her before getting to work stumbling through my first service as the Miko of the Dog Demons.
Author's note: my favorite chapter so far I think :smiles, and I have a new character, Sachi, who I hope you will all come to like and love :smiles more:.
Until then.