Hello, readers, I know it has been awhile since I posted anything new. Sorry. Issues came up and I had a slight road block in my thought processing for this story. I know where I want to got, I just need to think on how to get there without making this story too short and obtuse or long and boring. Please be patient, the story will continue and hopefully it is to your liking.
Disclaimers: All standards apply. Not my original characters, but the story is mine.
Chapter 6
They had reached their destination a week previously. This had given them time to rest and relax—as much as could be done with Naraku still out there.
Right now, Kagura sat out on the veranda watching as Kohaku practiced his katas. Rin sat beside her, also watching Kohaku avidly.
Sesshoumaru was not there at the moment, as he had not been at the same time each day for the past week since coming to the manor.
Manor.
That seemed odd. Sesshoumaru was lord of a manor. Humans roamed the location freely with the lowly demons that also seemed to call the manor home.
When they had arrived they had been greeted by some of these demons—no humans had approached the lord—and began immediately giving updates of what was happening around the area. Sesshoumaru had continued walking, not seeming to pay too much attention at such trivial matters.
When they entered the main building, Rin had stopped just inside holding onto Kagura making her stop also. Kohaku had also stopped but continued when Sesshoumaru stated a flat, "Come boy." When Jaken made also to follow, he was held back with a "Jaken, make sure they he meant Kagura and Rin are settled."
Frozen for a moment mid-step, Jaken finally stammered a, "Yes, milord." Soon Sesshoumaru and Kohaku disappeared behind a corner with the earlier demon congregation. A moment later a female demon approached the three with a group of human servants.
"Ah, Jaken, so nice to see you again," the demoness said dulcetly, "And whom do we have here with the young mistress."
"Humph," Jaken began annoyed, either with whom he spoke to or whom he was going to speak about could not be determined. He seemed to have the same disdainful look for both demons.
"Kishiookami, this is Kagura," Rin interrupted. "She saved me from a bad demon."
"Lady Rin, did you get yourself into trouble again," Kishiookami said as she looked over Kagura. When she seemed to have come to a decision, she looked towards the corner where Sesshoumaru had disappeared. A short moment later she turned and asked Kagura and Rin to follow her.
Stopping a short time later, the demoness stood in front of a door. Rin walked forward and then turning towards Kagura, spoke, "You can go with Kishiookami; she will show you where you can freshen up."
Some of the congregation of human servants followed her in, closing the door after them.
"This way, if you please, milady," said Kishiookami. Kagura snapped at the title used and begin to follow the demon again. After turning another corner a few yards away, they came to a corridor that ended in a large door. A human jumped forward and opened the fusama. Kishiookami guided the hesitant Kagura.
Finally making her decision—it could not hurt—Kagura stepped into a large suite. She studied the interior. The current room she was in seemed to be some sort of sitting room. It had a large table in the center with cushions to sit on set around it. There was not much more other than a few tables with oil lamps set on them.
A servant walked to the left and opened another set of fusama. The raised area that she seemed to have opened up also was almost bare but seemed to be a sleeping area. Other than a few tables with lamps here and there and a closet, there was nothing else. The servant went into the closet and began taking out what seemed to be a futon. With another's help she gently laid it in the center on the tatami mats. It was a large, comfortable, and inviting futon.
Very inviting.
Kagura was tempted to go directly into that room, but resisted when she heard another servant walk to the end of the sitting room and open the shoji screens on that end. What was shown brought her a sense of tranquility that she had never felt in all her life; she was tired of following orders and the fighting. A garden sat beyond the porch that seemed to promise that what she now longed for. Stop it, Kagura, she chided herself, Nothing is ever as tranquil as it seems.
Coming back to the attention of what was going on in the room, she watched as yet another servant walked to the right and opened another set of fusama doors of another area. This area did not have the tatami mats as the main and sleeping areas had. Only hardwood covered the floor around what seemed to be a raised area. Her question of why it had no mats was soon answered when the servant opened the shoji screens in that area to reveal some new servants waiting to bringing in buckets of steaming water and pouring it into what was obviously a yokujou.
Kagura looked to the left at the inviting futon being prepared then to the inviting bath that was also being readied. She was unsure of what was more inviting, but the decision of what was to be done first seemed to have already been decided for her.
She startled when she felt hands upon her clothing, attempting to release the bindings. She stared down at the human that dared to touch her and jerked away quickly. "Do not touch me, human," she said scathingly.
"She was only to disrobe so that you may bathe, milady," Kishiookami explained, "You must disrobe in order to bathe, unless you prefer to bathe in your garments." Kagura turned to the demon and narrowed her eyes in agitation. "Very well, milady," she said with a sigh.
Clapping her hands, the room cleared of the human servants quickly. Some tarried awhile as they set some robes and towels into the proper places to be gotten to when the bathing was complete; Kishiookami stayed.
Kagura stared at her, upset that she had gotten her to give a reaction to all that was going on around her. She quickly turned her head away haughtily realizing that this was also a reaction to what the demoness was doing. "What are you still doing here?"
"I shall remain, milady. Milord would be most upset if I were to leave you to your own ministrations when you obviously could not do so without causing you some pain, considering your wounds."
Kagura turned her head again towards the demon angrily, but Kishiookami ignored the looked and stepped forward. "How could…"
"It is my job as head servant to notice such small details." Kishiookami had begun to unwrap the confused wind demon of her sash. Finally realizing what was being done, Kagura made to step back again, but realized she could not as Kishiookami held onto her opened robes. Kishiookami sighed again but held tight. "Please, milady, you must permit me to help."
Kagura attempted to swat the hands away. Even though she healed much faster than humans, she was still weakened compared to other demons. "I do not need your help!"
Another sigh. "If you do not permit me to help and be docile, you will cause me to use force. I do not wish to submit you to that, seeing as you are already injured and the lord would be angry." Kagura was about to yell conferring that he would be angry for the treatment of his guest in this manner, but Kishiookami continued, "He would be angry, but would understand. Yet, I would still rather not have him angry."
Kagura stilled at that for a moment as if she was unsure if the demoness did not have the right of it. While in that stupor, though, Kishiookami continued and finished undressing the guest. Wrapping Kagura in a robe lightly, she ushered the demon in the bathing area. "Please, milady, if you would sit," Kishiookami simply said. Having the robe removed, Kagura sat down upon the bathing stool and waited patiently.
Using the washcloth the servants had brought in, Kishiookami washed Kagura's battered body—gently in the areas that were still tender. Kagura, lulled by the gentle movements, thought of all that had happened and what seemed to be occurring now.
During the week that it had taken them to arrive at the manor, it had seemed that, although, Sesshoumaru's ultimate goal of defeating Naraku for using him and endangering his ward, his goal at the moment was returning to the manor with Rin and Kagura to project them. Sesshoumaru had not seemed to care concerning this issue when it was just Rin (perhaps it was much easier to keep track of the lone human girl). In many of the battles that he had with the minions of Naraku, the girl would make herself quite scarce, never making an appearance until after the fight was concluded. There also seemed to be times when Sesshoumaru would disappear from the picture all together. Could he have been here? Brought the little girl for some reason or other to this manor, this protected palace?
The manor.
That was another mystery. Sesshoumaru was lord of a manor, quite a large manor. This was not information that Naraku ever shared with her. Or could it be that he did not know of this location?
As if reading her thoughts, the servant spoke, "This manor is protected by a special spell." Kagura did not react. "At a time, this manor was the main in many of Sesshoumaru's farther manors that were part of his Western lands. With the passing of his farther, most of the lands passed into Sesshoumaru's hands as he was the oldest son. The lord, for his own reasons, kept this one. The spell that was placed on this manor is very strong. Should any human servants decide to leave the manor, the existence of this place would be stripped from their memory. In its place will be a memory of their own making and the life that was lead in this manor will seem as if it was a dream.
"The conditions of the spell are different for the demons of this location," she continued with the talking and scrubbing, "All demons here are loyal bound to serve the lord, the lord's family, and the manor. Should any demon attempt to betray the lord, the lord's family, or manor, the demon will find himself punished in the worst possible way in which he could think possible."
Kagura listened attentively, even though it did not seem that she was not paying any at all. If any thoughts did cross her mind, it was that she could not understand why she was being told this information. Why would she inform me, Kagura thought, I am not of any importance and I am certainly not Sesshoumaru's vassal.
Again, as she could read her mind, Kishiookami said flatly, "This information was given also to Lady Rin when she first came to this manor." Kagura's mind was again left stunned. "It is Lord Sesshoumaru's wish that you also be told this."
I did not see you speak with Sesshoumaru, Kagura thought. "No, I did not speak to the Lord," Kishiookami replied. Kagura realized that she had actually spoken out loud; she fell silent again. Behind her Kishiookami shook her head, she was going to be a tough one. Kishiookami finished with the washing of Kagura's body and directed the demon to the yokujou.
As Kagura sank gratefully into the soothing hot water, not minding the slight stinking from her few open cuts—the pain was nothing compared to the pain she had first endured after the battle with Naraku—Kishiookami walked into the main area. At the doorway, she opened the door and beckoned two servants to attend her. Entering the second room off the main area, Kishiookami directed the servants to complete the setting of the bedding and bed cloths. She closely watched them as if they would make a mistake in the preparing of the bed.
Kagura, finally allowing herself to relax slightly; then soon finding she was quite tired, soon began drifting off to sleep. Feeling a light touch on her shoulder, she startled awake and stared at Kishiookami. Having been relaxed by the soothing bathe, she forgot that she did not trust or that she was angry at the demoness for the treatment she received. Kagura stepped out of the yokujou and Kishiookami, using the drying cloths that the servants had left, began drying her carefully. Once completely dried, Kishiookami wrapped Kagura in a light kimono.
"Leave," Kagura heard him say from the doorway. Kishiookami bowed to her lord and left the suite.
Kagura turned around and stared at Sesshoumaru. I don't understand any of this. She could not see what he was thinking or feeling—not that she was ever able to tell—and it was extremely frustrating as she was more confused now more than ever. In the main area, he now stood facing the opened shoji screens.
Kagura approached him hesitantly. When she stood a few feet from him, he turned to face her, searching her face. When he seemed to have his answer, he returned to his previous stance. About to speak, Kagura closed her mouth when he spoke, "You should rest."
She knew even should she ask her question she would not get any answer; he had effectively close any discussion for tonight. Sighing, she did as was ordered. Walking to the next room where the servants had set up the bedding, she laid down. Again, thinking of all the things that had occurred since the battle, she did not think she would fall asleep easily.
A few minutes later, Sesshoumaru heard her breathing ease as sleep overtook her again. It was then, when he no longer had the thought of the safety of his party that the thoughts that he had been avoiding began to be thought of.
There was Rin.
A human he had accepted responsibility for, thus making her the daughter of a demon. A human demon princess. She was willful and stubborn, but kindhearted and accepting. She had trailed after him; he had been the one that had to adjust to her. With Rin it had been easy, eventually—considering his nature. It was her nature, he guessed, but it was that that made him worry about her. She accepted Kohaku with no qualms, yet could not believe that Kohaku would harm her, which almost happened at the stream. She would have been hurt had he not appeared when he did because she had also accepted Kohaku as having a true heart.
That brings the question of Kohaku.
He had granted only the wish of Rin—which he had ever yet to deny any of them. Kohaku followed the will of his master, one whom he had been battling since Naraku had thought to use him as a puppet—he was no one puppet; he was the master. But, as he thought of things a little more, Kohaku had turned out not to be a puppet either. He followed Naraku to bid time and knowledge. Kohaku, even if he did not believe what Rin believed concerning the trueness of Kohaku's heart, was an intelligent young man. It was because of this and the fact that Kohaku seemed to have a slight friendly affection towards Rin, that he allowed the boy to protect Rin. And, though he had given Kohaku that which he would never give to another, Kohaku had yet to gain his full trust. Kohaku would continue fighting with him because the end would be beneficial to Kohaku also.
Kohaku was fighting to be free—the same as Kagura—and he could not be free while Naraku lived.
That leaves Kagura.
He could not understand it completely.
Why? With Rin it had been easier to understand and, hopefully, protect himself from happening again—she was human and he loathed humans—but it had happened again. More subtly than previously, although still happening. He could not understand also why he did what he had done. Knowing her, even being aware of what was to come, he was unsure if he could get Kagura to accept his help and stay at the manor; she is like the wind and cannot be tamed or controlled.
But it could be directed.
Sesshoumaru turned from the garden scene and walked to the room where she lay. Filtered moonlight fell through the shoji screens, illuminating her face delicately. She was stubborn, willful, and independent. It was those same characteristics that he worried would bring her to harm are also what drew him to her. It had been similar occurrence with Rin with her fearlessness of being near and with him.
Again, he slipped into the thoughts that Inuyasha had made him think about. Mate.
Yes, he had claimed her, but the claim could not be true unless she acknowledged that claim also. And that she ignored, not denying it or acknowledging it. For now though, he would keep her safe—as much as she would let him do. This manor was the best place to do it; but would she stay.
It mattered not now, however, he was set on a coarse; and once he was set on a coarse, there was nothing, not even death, that would become an obstacle.
Sliding out of his outer kimonos, he slid beside the demoness, who cuddled deeper into the warmth of the demon lord's body. As his eyes fell, the glow of moonlight glowed in his eyes. Yes, the wind can be directed.