Chapter 7

Some Answers and the Proposal

Kiita ran blindly through the forest. As long as she was away from Kouga, Sesshomaru wouldn't look for her at the waterfall, and Kouga would live. Kiita didn't even see the pond until she fell face first in the icy water. Kiita sat up on the shallow bank and looked at her feet, freezing in the water. Kiita felt the sting behind her eyes. She buried her face in her knees and cried, wrapping her arms around her legs for warmth and support. It was so unfair! She had finally met her father! Yay! Oh yah, but he was screwing her brains out almost every night! And she had finally found someone to love, but if she ever saw him again, daddy-dearest would rip his guts out. Oh the irony of it all. The hateful, painful, shamefulness of it all. Kiita wailed, letting out all those years of abuse and lies. Yes, it was so unfair. She was only fifteen! Kiita cried for what seemed like forever. When her wells dried, and she could think logically, Kiita looked at her surroundings. Trees and the pond.

"Oh, how depressing." Kiita stood and jumped into the nearest tree. She made her way to the highest branch that would support her, for it had to be sturdy and durable, as well as high, and made herself comfortable. Kiita looked up at the full moon and the stars the sparkled around it. A tear slid down her cheek as she thought about what had transpired only moments ago behind the crystal waterfall. The kiss . . .

"Ohhh!" The thought of it took Kiita's breath away. As she gazed up at the moon, she thought of Kouga.

'I wonder, if he's looking at the moon, too.' Kiita drifted into sleep with the thought of Kouga and a kiss.

Kiita woke and blinked her eyes. The sun shone brightly through her window, and Kiita through her arm over her eyes to shield them.

"Oww!" Kiita brought her arm back down. She had absent-mindedly used her injured arm.

"Hey, wait a. . ." The blue sash that had been there last night was gone. In its place were proper bandages. They looked fresh, too. Kiita lay back down, still puzzling. She didn't remember being brought to her room or having her bandages changed. She was even tucked into her futon. Kiita shifted her head to look at the empty space beside her. She rubbed her eyes. On her pillow lay a white rose. Kiita reached over and picked it up. She held it's stem and inspected it, twirling it this way and that. Right under the blossom, a small piece of brown fur was tied. Kiita gasped.

'He took me home!' Kiita's romancing thoughts were jerked violently back to reality when she heard footsteps making their way to her room. Kiita jumped up and ran to a little table with drawers. Sesshomaru walked in to see Kiita gently closing the top drawer.

"Kiita! Where were you last night?" Kiita swung her head around, facing a very angry Sesshomaru. His eyes lashed out icicles.

"I got lost after being chased by some awful demons. They made me drop the villagers' collateral, then they trampled all over it. And the big panther demon cut my arm with his sword. That's why I have the bandages on." Kiita said this as calmly as possible, though it felt like her heart would beat out of her chest. Sesshomaru glared at her, calculating her story.

"What happened to your sash? The one that went around your waist?"

"I lost it."

Sesshomaru the stared at her for a moment then turned on his heel and left. When Kiita heard his footsteps fade away, she slid to the floor with her back against the drawers, and let out a big sigh of relief. That was enough excitement for one day. Kiita stood and slid her haiori, dirty with mud, off her shoulders and placed it by the door to her room. Then she went over to her kimono rack and picked out her red one. It had a black fan design on the sunset-red over-kimono. The two inside robes were black and midnight blue. The obi was the same blue. She guided the sleeves of the robes up on her arms one at a time, being careful not to bump her injured one. It would be healed by tonight, but it still hurt. Then she tied her obi with skill, making a nice bow-style knot in back. Then she went over to her vanity table and sat on the silk bench, undoing the ribbon still in her hair, though it had loosened drastically. She brushed out her long hair 'till it shone like a river, then she twisted it up into twin buns, placing one right behind each dog-ear. Because her hair was so long, she only got a portion of it in each bun, leaving the rest of her hair to trail after. She held it together with red-blossom pins and four black ceramic chopsticks, two for each bun. She didn't bother with make-up, for she wasn't going far. She smiled at her reflection. The image of beauty. Kiita stood and opened the screen door. She walked down the hall and down the stairs, passing many empty rooms. When she got downstairs, Kiita went out the back door to the terrace, which faced the koi pond. There was a light breeze, and it bit at the cherry trees and danced with their blossoms. Kiita smiled. The view was beautiful, truly worthy of a painting. Kiita walked down to the pond and sat. She dipped her fingers in the crystal water, making little ripples. She enjoyed watching the simplicity of them.

"Kiita-san! Where were you last night?" Kiita turned to see the little toad waddling toward her with a mischievous grin on his face. Kiita laughed. He looked so cute, like a fox that knew more than he was willing to tell.

"Oh Jaken-sama. It started out like normal," Jaken took a seat beside Kiita and made himself comfortable, "I went to the village and got the food, and was walking back when I was attacked!" Kiita widened her eyes for emphasis, "It was these two ugly ogres and a huge panther demon! They wanted something called the Shikon Jewel. Jaken, what is the Shikon no Tama?" Jaken gulped. He knew this day would come, he just wished it hadn't come so soon.

"Well," Jaken sighed. Might as well get this over with as soon as possible, "It's a magic jewel forged a long time ago from the priestess, Midoriko, and the demon she battled. It is a very powerful tool, and over the years, many beings, demon and human alike, have sought after it. One day, it shattered, its pieces scattering across all of Japan. Shortly before you were born, the half-demon InuYasha and his companions recovered the jewel from a horrible demon named Naraku. Naraku was killed and the jewel was brought to us. You were chosen to bear the jewel until a decision was made about what to do with it. Lord Sesshomaru had it placed in your abdomen until then. You, eh, weren't supposed to find out. That barrier The Lord placed around these lands, which apparently has weakened, was not only meant to keep the village safe, but to keep you in the dark about the truth."

Kiita looked down.

"Wow. I had, no idea."

"Kiita, who were you with last night?" Kiita swung her head to Jaken, a blush in her cheeks.

"W-what, who do you mean?" Jaken smiled that mischievous grin.

"The boy that brought you home, with the long black hair, the soft, furry skirt, well-toned muscles . . ." Kiita's blush grew brighter with every word. Jaken poked her in the side, "Eh, eh ehhh?"

Kiita held her hand over her mouth as a picture of Kouga formed in her head, the light breeze waving in his hair, standing in a regal pose of thought, his eyes with a day-dreamy haze about them. Kiita snapped out of it.

"He's, uh, just a boy."

"You liiiiike him," Jaken prodded.

"Oh Jaken," Kiita turned and swept him into a tight hug. He had never seen her this happy! "I, I think I love him! He's wonderful! He saved me from those awful creatures. He, he cared about me Jaken," Kiita sighed. Jaken smiled warmly as he looked up at Kiita.

'Finally, she has found her true happiness,' Jaken thought, and he hugged Kiita back.

Kiita and Jaken went in for lunch. The afternoon outside was beautiful, but Kiita caught the scent of an upcoming storm, so they headed inside for some oolong tea, rice, and oden. They went into the dining hall and waited for their lunch. Kiita looked around.

"Jaken, Lord Sesshomaru is not here. Does he have business?" Jaken looked around, puzzled as well.

"I'm not sure. He didn't tell me anything," Jaken sighed, "not that he would." Kiita sighed and shrugged her shoulders, knowing this was not the first time, and Sesshomaru always came back (no matter how much she wished he wouldn't). Normal conversation returned between the two as their lunch was brought out.

Sesshomaru was still not back at dinner, and Jaken and Kiita were the only two in the dining hall again. They ate and talked, and after dinner had ended, they retired to their rooms. Kiita lay on her futon, twirling the white rose with her fingers. She had taken the strip of fur off the stem and had tied her hair up with it. A smile graced her lips as she thought back to last night in the waterfall. He was so gentle with her. A giant contrast compared to what she was used to. Maybe, this is what love is supposed to feel like? Kiita didn't know what this feeling was, but whatever it happened to be, Kiita was enjoying it. She only wished that somehow, she would see Kouga again.

Kiita heard a knocking at her screen. Fearing it may be Sesshomaru, Kiita quickly slid the rose under the covers.

"Come in."

The screen slid open and Kiita let out her breath in relief. Jaken slowly waddled in the room. He came and sat by her.

"Kiita, there are more things about yourself that you don't know." He hesitated.

"Jaken, is it true that Sesshomaru is my real father?"

"Yes."

"Oh," Kiita looked down. So, Kouga had told her the truth, about the jewel and Sesshomaru.

"Kiita, remember I told you about InuYasha?" Kiita nodded, "He is Sesshomaru's brother, and your uncle. If you want out of this place, Kiita, just tell me. I have ways of contacting people. I know InuYasha. Kiita, if you don't like it here, if InuYasha knew what was happening to you, he would take you away, and Sesshomaru wouldn't stop him."

"Jaken . . ." Kiita did hate it here, but she couldn't leave her only friend.

"Kiita, do you want to leave?" Kiita took the rose out from under the covers.

"Would I ever get to see Kouga again?" Kiita asked. Jaken shrugged and put his hands in his lap.

"What would happen to you?"

Jaken smiled, though sadly, "I survived before you came along. I'm sure nothing much will change." Kiita turned to Jaken.

"May I sleep on it?"

"Yes, take as long as you like." Kiita smiled, and they hugged.

'Maybe, just maybe, there's a better place for me,' Kiita thought.