For once, Mizoshi slept soundly with no interruptions or worries clouding her mind. Even the storm outside couldn't rouse her.
When she awoke, she felt something cool and smooth against her cheek. Oh no. Already the unpredictable day with Naraku was starting. Opening her sleepy eyes, she found a glass bottle had been placed on her pillow. It was filled with a whitish, faintly pink-tinged liquid. On the bottle was a drawing of a peony. The flower was quaint and clearly shaped, but not overly detailed.
Curiously, she uncorked the bottle and sniffed. It was peony perfume. Someone had plucked the last of the peonies, brewed them, and poured the resulting substance for her immediate usage. Yet, who would make such a fine essence for her? Naraku was the obvious choice, but how would he know of her fondness for them?
Mizoshi suspected another. She remembered how Kohaku's eyes danced when she showed him her painting of the soft blossom. Did he, in some delirium, do this overnight to repay her "gift" of oranges? He would've have had to be up all evening burning the midnight oil whilst following the recipe.
Sighing, she eased the bottle under her pillow. She didn't want anyone else to see. This turned out to be a sound decision since Kagura shuffled through the room five seconds later. The demoness was in a sunny mood as always.
"Good. You're up. I don't have to waste time waking you. It's nearly noon after all."
"Noon? Is—"
"He insists you must eat a hearty breakfast. Follow me. You should know the routine by now," the impatient woman growled.
Silently, Mizoshi let the sorceress walk ahead to the tea room. Surprisingly, the table was in the middle of the floor and Naraku was nowhere in sight.
"You will be having rice and peaches. I hope that is to your impeccable tastes?"
She was mocking her, she was sure. Still, something of far greater importance needed to be addressed. "Where is Naraku?"
Kagura laughed airily. "Do you miss him? He is sleeping, and that's as far as I know. Sometimes, Naraku disappears for half a week or more."
"Sleeping? But it's noon, you said. He's usually up at the crack of dawn," she rambled on stupidly.
"Really? And how would you know?" the demoness inquired slyly.
Mizoshi considered firing off a remark of her own, but stopped. Her near future was in Kagura's powdered, scented hands. As much as she hated to admit it, Naraku was the one who protected her from Kagura's scheming and Kanna's soul-stealing mirror.
Sitting opposite of Kagura, Mizoshi began to consume the tiny grains of food. She did so nervously while the wind sorceress set her gaze on some feature of the wall behind her.
"Um, you don't have to stay here, Kagura. I don't know if youkai actually eat, so you might be wasting your time with me," she said tactfully. She found it amazing the incarnations were full-blooded demons while Naraku himself was only a hanyou.
Unfortunately, the demoness saw right through her ruse. "You're not embarrassed to be sitting with me, are you? Besides, the "master" instructed you are not to be alone."
"What does he propose I'll do when I'm alone?"
"Figure it out for yourself."
There was no further reason to discuss the subject any longer. Naraku wanted to assure himself that every escape attempt would be thwarted and every escape route would be blocked. This led to the next question.
"Kagura, do you know how long he plans to keep me here?"
"He said that he felt obligated to prepare you for the bitter winter ahead. Does that answer your snooping?"
Yes, the winter. And spring would come, then summer, then fall again, and she would still be here.
Blinking back tears, she sipped her tea and concentrated on finishing her meal. It would do no good to starve. Minutes later, she set her chopsticks aside.
"Finished? Very well. You may to return to your chamber. Kanna will be waiting."
A crimson stain spread into her cheeks. The demoness was treating her like a pet. A cat perhaps. At least a servant had the dignity of being able-bodied enough to complete daunting chores; Mizoshi was being brushed to the side as if no one believed she could do anything. On the other hand, she was under constant survelivallance like she was a child of four.
She bet Kagura loved wielding power over her. After being beat down for so long, she would probably take great pleasure in making life hell for Mizoshi, especially because she was Naraku's prize.
Rising from the table, she motioned to go into the hallway when a hand grasped hers. Started, Mizoshi looked into the sorceress' eyes of red. "Forgetting someone?" she purred. "I'm ordered to watch you—to make sure you don't get lost." She smirked evilly.
Forced to surrender to Naraku's rule once more, she endured the degradation on the path to her room where the ghostly girl in white was waiting. With Kohaku.
"Kohaku!" Mizoshi cried out happily.
"I suppose the two of you can stay together for a tiny visit," the wind demoness jeered. With that, both incarnations walked through the corridor and disappeared, yet Mizoshi had an inkling they would remain close by.
"I didn't think I'd be allowed to see you again," she said.
"Me neither," he replied solemnly.
Oddly, she felt her face twist into a smile. "Want to walk through the garden now?"
Kohaku nodded excitedly.
Slowly, they made their way to the screen doors. They slid open easily. Outside the weather was gloomy, but the storm itself had died down. The earth began to dry due to the dwindling leftover breezes.
Mizoshi showed Kohaku the koi pond and the bordering stone bench with the dogwood's autumn foliage shading the spot. She pointed out the stalks of white freesia that were only slightly diminished in beauty, and the lavender even though the miniscule flowers of purple themselves had decayed. Sadly, the sweet pea and roses were nearly destroyed. However, Mizoshi was intent on reaching another part of the garden.
Leading the boy forward, she caught sight of the sapphire snapdragons that were amazingly intact, and glanced behind them for the soft, silky, pink blooms. And there they were, though browned and slimy. The petals were literally melting away, but they were attached to the flower. There must be peonies somewhere else, she mused.
Not forgetting Kohaku, she turned to him. "Isn't the garden lovely?'
"Yes. Very much. I couldn't imagine flowers grew here."
"It must be because they're protected by the inner walls." She gestured at the white stone around them.
The boy's face became pained. "No, not protected. They're held captive too, and only serve the purpose of looking pretty. That's it."
Mizoshi was left to ponder that and suppressed the stab of pain she felt inside at Kohaku's comment. The two simultaneously dropped heavily on the damp wood of the bench and stared around at their prison as the sun peeked out from behind a cloud.
You like? Thanks to my reviewers! you guys are great! GiR, there might be shades of Sesshoumaru/Kagura. I think there will be a scene where they encounter each other. (Gotta love the tension between them:)) And Bowwowlover, don't worry. The romance hasn't even begun to heat up between Naraku and Mizoshi. They'll be more of it in the next few chapters. Oh, and the reason whyNaraku's gone is because it'shis time of the month.Yes, there is something going on with Kohaku and Mizoshi, but there will be no romance. This is a Naraku fic after all. ;)