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The sun was rising over the verdant horizon in spite of the looming clouds. Mizoshi again sat on the wooden bench. It was useless to feign sleep. She couldn't sleep in this castle. Mizoshi barely snatched up two hours of rest last night. Since Kagura's visit, no one saw fit to enter her bedchamber, and for that she was grateful. She needed time to sort things out. The odd black-eyed girl Kanna, who disappeared akin to a white comet as soon she set the tray down, had served dinner, but Mizoshi had barely eaten one grain of rice. Mizoshi knew she should consider her situation, but her mind buzzed with worries. Indeed, she was more nervous than a cat.
She had brought Naraku's present out into the garden with her. She would read, and try to regain some sense of inner peace. Opening the book, her accursed abnormal eyes skimmed the words until a shadow passed in front of her. Mizoshi tensed and glanced up. Naraku himself stood on the path, watching her.
Respectfully setting the book beside her, she hesitantly made conversation. "Hello, Naraku-sama. Have you slept well?"
"Well enough." Naraku took the initiative of sitting right next to her. Her heart pounded. What if Kagura was right?
"I see you're reading my gift. How is it?"
"I've hardly finished the first page."
"Mizoshi, I do hate to interrupt, but breakfast is on the table. I would prefer if you give me the honor of your company every morning."
"I'm sorry, Naraku-sama, but I'm honestly not that hungry." Her voice nearly came out in a squeak.
Those startling crimson eyes flashed. "Then you will drink tea."
Without further pleasantries, he seized her by the wrist and "escorted" through the winding halls of his castle. She hadn't a choice in the matter. This was to be expected of her. Mizoshi noticed his hand was rather fleshy and how tightly the thickness of those fingers were locked around her wrist.
He led her to the parlor and didn't let go of her hand until she was sitting at the table. Quickly, he took his own position next to her while still gripping her hand as if she might attempt at escaping. He let go when she touched the floor. She looked down and saw there was a cup of simmering tea with a bowl of fresh rice mixed with sliced oranges, accompanied by a small dish containing cold melon. A full, delicious meal.
"Is it not to your liking?" he asked slowly.
"I'm simply taking in the delicious smell," she replied nervously, and picked up a melon section.
Savoring the taste, she forced herself to gaze amicably into his vermillion eyes. "So, Naraku-sama, have you any family?"
He frowned. "No. Does it honestly look like I do?"
"Oh. Is there anything I should know, Naraku-sama? Forgive me, but I'm rather curious about you." There. Mizoshi wasn't intentionally baiting him, yet she felt she had to know more about this man whose castle she was living in.
"Honestly, there's not much to tell."
This was not the type of answer she wanted and pressing him further wouldn't be an intelligent choice. He was scuttling back into his burrow now, and pursuing him would lead to his poisonous fangs plunging into her flesh.
She forced herself to take a bite of fruit and swallow some tea. Why did he so fervently seek her company when he wasn't interested in conversing? To keep an eye on her? Patiently, she waited for him to speak; yet when he did, he said something completely unexpected.
"Where did you obtain that bracelet?"
Mizoshi looked down sadly at the wooden fish bracelet set with two jade beads. She never did find out where her brother Ken had found them. Or stole them.
My brother carved it for me for my last birthday."
"Such an expression of love," Naraku mused out loud. Mizoshi did not know if he were being sarcastic, or if he truly meant it.
"What else of your home, Mizoshi?" he continued. "If it's not too upsetting, you can tell me anything."
"Honestly, there's not much to tell."
Oh, why had she said that? It appeared as though she were mocking him now. She had been thinking it. Perhaps she expressed herself too clearly. Mizoshi was an honest, direct sort and if she were annoyed in some way, she made it known. Although, being obstinate or insolent around such a powerful hanyou like Naraku was a death sentence.
He peered at her carefully with a challenging spark in his eyes, but eventually smiled. "At least you are not entirely witless." He chuckled a bit before resuming. "However, please do tell me one thing as a favor from a respected guest. Considering your lineage, is there any obscure abnormalities about you?"
She set the tea on the tabletop warily. "What do you mean exactly?"
"Quite frankly, you look as normal as a mortal, save for your vivid yellow of your eyes. Do you have any demonic powers you had the luck of obtaining from your father?"
"Powers…" she trailed off. This was too irregular even for her.
"Yes. Powers. Such as controlling the wind, transforming into animals, freezing objects on contact. Anything?"
"I have no powers." Of this one fact Mizoshi was sure.
"No, the blood is probably far too diluted." He sounded disappointed. Then—
"May I see your eyes?"
She was taken aback. Her eyes? Was this to be her only real defining mark? Yet, she leaned in close to Naraku and her flaming gold orbs met his crimson. Staring deeply in his eyes, she felt herself blushing. Their lips were perilously close to each other, and he was after all incredibly handsome. When he noticed her mooning gaze, a slightly mocking expression curled his lips. She blushed even harder. Baka, she scolded herself.
Gratefully, Mizoshi drew back with Naraku seemingly unaffected. "They are the eyes of a demon," he went on in that business-like tone as if she were a customer asking for his professional opinion about an item for sale.
To ease the awkward situation, she made an inquiry of her own. "What kind of eyes are they?"
"Could be any type of demon. Cat demon, dog demon, or bird demon." He pointedly emphasized the third type.
How did he know? Kagura must have told him. Indeed, he most likely sent her in the hopes of unearthing any information. He couldn't have just discussed it directly. Naraku was so secretive and underhanded. He dressed in dark robes to hide himself from the world; slipping back into the collecting shadows at this very moment. There was nothing more to say because he already said what needed to be said.
Sadly, Mizoshi ate her rice and finished her melon. Silence reigned the entire time. The only noise that could be detected was when she rose to standing position. "Thank you, Naraku-sama, for the breakfast and your company."
"You know where your room is." His voice carried notes of bitterness and hidden fury, as if she had wronged him.
Quietly she left. Nary a floorboard squeaked.