Chapter 4: Kagome Meets
Her room was nothing more than a scant few paces in length and wide enough only to make room for the futon and a low table that would serve as both nightstand and eating area. Colored only with white-wash and plaster, the only hints of life in the room was a shallow vase on the table filled unto bursting with riotous greenery and flowers.
If Sesshoumaru sought to dishearten her with these bare surroundings, he would have another thing coming. This would be a safe haven from the new life she found herself in at the palace. Kagome had noted that although there was a bolt on the outside of her western styled door, another locking mechanism could also be found on her side of the portal as well....Well, not that it would do her much good if a determined youkai wanted in, but it would make her feel better.
Sesshoumaru had long since left, instructions to make herself presentable for supper ringing in her ears. Kagome could almost swear she heard something about 'smelling tears and night, sorrows and jasmine' or something like that. She, of course, took it to meant that her captor, *ahem* host, thought that she smelled.
Looking around her new dwellings one last time, Kagome turned to the door with the intent of finding the baths. *She had fallen down a couple of times, folks, and remember, she had been carted about at high speeds for a few hours now, so our heroine was understandably disheveled. * Just as her hand reached for the door, though, it opened on its own accord, and what seemed to be a moving mound of mothballed clothes shoved itself in. What followed the yards of fabric was a diminutive female figure who paused at the entrance to put down her own load of clothes and stretch her back.
Kagome, although finding nothing to say at the moment, could not help but eye the now apparent youkai female with an arched brow and a wary gesture toward the clothes.
The small youkai with a cap of brunette curls finished her stretch and looked up to the miko. Seeing the unspoken question in her eyes, she endeavored to answer. "Jakin's lazy."
Kagome's other eyebrow joined the other in the general vicinity of her hairline.
"Jakin was ordered by the master to dig out the clothing of the second wife of the old lord. He saw fit to set me that task when I passed him in the hall to ready your room. That is why you haven't a place to put your..Where are your things?"
"What things?" "Well, when there is usually a guest, they tend to bring things!"
"Ah, therein lies the difference..um, what do I call you?"
"Marisa, my lady. I'm called Marisa, but what is this difference you speak of?"
"Oh, I'm not a lady, Marisa, and as your nose has probably told you, I'm not youkai either. The difference of my situation and my lack of articles is simple. My name is Kagome, and up until recently, I have traveled and acted as a Shard Detector for your master's half-brother, InuYasha. I am not a guest, I'm a prisoner."
Throughout Kagome's mini-speech, Marisa's face grew more and more surprised. "My lady! Rumors have run in the servants' quarters about the master's enemies and how they have foiled his plans again and again. Everybody has heard of the powerful ningens that travel with a kitsune cub who cover the arse of the lord's half brother. You're telling me that you're the miko of that powerful band?!"
Kagome is astonished at this. She had no idea that their exploits were known or even commented on. Still keeping an eye on this Marisa, Kagome moved toward the closest pile of clothing with the intent to find something to change into after a bath.
When Marisa saw her new charge's movement toward the clothes, she jumped forward in an effort to be of some help. This of course was misconstrued by Kagome who reacted by withdrawing and throwing up a hand glowing with her miko powers to ward off any coming attack.
Marisa was understandably confused and paused with an old-styled kimono in her hands. "My lady?"
Seeing no harm forthcoming, Kagome lowered her hand. Slightly embarrassed, slightly angered, she snapped, "What were you doing?!"
Marisa was taken aback. "Trying to help you, my lady..with your new wardrobe?" She held out the dark blue silken kimono again.
Chastened, Kagome moved forward again. "Sorry..Its just-"
"Oh, I understand. Don't worry, I'm not offended. If I were ningens, Master forbid, and had to fight all manner of strange youkai, I'd be worried about any that happened to cross my path. But here now, I was assigned to see to you as if you were a guest, so we need to make you presentable for tonight's meal. Don't you think this would be nice to wear after a bath?" Marisa shook out the cloth again, mothballs tumbling to the floor. "Ano, doesn't it have to be aired?"
"Don't worry, my lady, I'll see to it when you bathe."
"Umm, about that..Where would I find a bath? I mean, I haven't seen a bathroom yet."
"We have an enclosed hot springs on one of the lower floors, if you would follow me, Kagome-san?"
As the maidservant led the way, she kept up a stream of chatter to the disheveled, yet silent figure that followed. Marisa was slightly in awe of the personage that dogged her steps. Who would have thought that she, Marisa, a lower castle chambermaid would be able to speak to the powerful miko Kagome on such familiar terms.
In the regular rankings of youkai, Kagome's deeds had placed her in the lower levels of the general ruling youkai. Sesshoumaru, himself, was in the top layer as Lord of the Western Lands.
Her room was nothing more than a scant few paces in length and wide enough only to make room for the futon and a low table that would serve as both nightstand and eating area. Colored only with white-wash and plaster, the only hints of life in the room was a shallow vase on the table filled unto bursting with riotous greenery and flowers.
If Sesshoumaru sought to dishearten her with these bare surroundings, he would have another thing coming. This would be a safe haven from the new life she found herself in at the palace. Kagome had noted that although there was a bolt on the outside of her western styled door, another locking mechanism could also be found on her side of the portal as well....Well, not that it would do her much good if a determined youkai wanted in, but it would make her feel better.
Sesshoumaru had long since left, instructions to make herself presentable for supper ringing in her ears. Kagome could almost swear she heard something about 'smelling tears and night, sorrows and jasmine' or something like that. She, of course, took it to meant that her captor, *ahem* host, thought that she smelled.
Looking around her new dwellings one last time, Kagome turned to the door with the intent of finding the baths. *She had fallen down a couple of times, folks, and remember, she had been carted about at high speeds for a few hours now, so our heroine was understandably disheveled. * Just as her hand reached for the door, though, it opened on its own accord, and what seemed to be a moving mound of mothballed clothes shoved itself in. What followed the yards of fabric was a diminutive female figure who paused at the entrance to put down her own load of clothes and stretch her back.
Kagome, although finding nothing to say at the moment, could not help but eye the now apparent youkai female with an arched brow and a wary gesture toward the clothes.
The small youkai with a cap of brunette curls finished her stretch and looked up to the miko. Seeing the unspoken question in her eyes, she endeavored to answer. "Jakin's lazy."
Kagome's other eyebrow joined the other in the general vicinity of her hairline.
"Jakin was ordered by the master to dig out the clothing of the second wife of the old lord. He saw fit to set me that task when I passed him in the hall to ready your room. That is why you haven't a place to put your..Where are your things?"
"What things?" "Well, when there is usually a guest, they tend to bring things!"
"Ah, therein lies the difference..um, what do I call you?"
"Marisa, my lady. I'm called Marisa, but what is this difference you speak of?"
"Oh, I'm not a lady, Marisa, and as your nose has probably told you, I'm not youkai either. The difference of my situation and my lack of articles is simple. My name is Kagome, and up until recently, I have traveled and acted as a Shard Detector for your master's half-brother, InuYasha. I am not a guest, I'm a prisoner."
Throughout Kagome's mini-speech, Marisa's face grew more and more surprised. "My lady! Rumors have run in the servants' quarters about the master's enemies and how they have foiled his plans again and again. Everybody has heard of the powerful ningens that travel with a kitsune cub who cover the arse of the lord's half brother. You're telling me that you're the miko of that powerful band?!"
Kagome is astonished at this. She had no idea that their exploits were known or even commented on. Still keeping an eye on this Marisa, Kagome moved toward the closest pile of clothing with the intent to find something to change into after a bath.
When Marisa saw her new charge's movement toward the clothes, she jumped forward in an effort to be of some help. This of course was misconstrued by Kagome who reacted by withdrawing and throwing up a hand glowing with her miko powers to ward off any coming attack.
Marisa was understandably confused and paused with an old-styled kimono in her hands. "My lady?"
Seeing no harm forthcoming, Kagome lowered her hand. Slightly embarrassed, slightly angered, she snapped, "What were you doing?!"
Marisa was taken aback. "Trying to help you, my lady..with your new wardrobe?" She held out the dark blue silken kimono again.
Chastened, Kagome moved forward again. "Sorry..Its just-"
"Oh, I understand. Don't worry, I'm not offended. If I were ningens, Master forbid, and had to fight all manner of strange youkai, I'd be worried about any that happened to cross my path. But here now, I was assigned to see to you as if you were a guest, so we need to make you presentable for tonight's meal. Don't you think this would be nice to wear after a bath?" Marisa shook out the cloth again, mothballs tumbling to the floor. "Ano, doesn't it have to be aired?"
"Don't worry, my lady, I'll see to it when you bathe."
"Umm, about that..Where would I find a bath? I mean, I haven't seen a bathroom yet."
"We have an enclosed hot springs on one of the lower floors, if you would follow me, Kagome-san?"
As the maidservant led the way, she kept up a stream of chatter to the disheveled, yet silent figure that followed. Marisa was slightly in awe of the personage that dogged her steps. Who would have thought that she, Marisa, a lower castle chambermaid would be able to speak to the powerful miko Kagome on such familiar terms.
In the regular rankings of youkai, Kagome's deeds had placed her in the lower levels of the general ruling youkai. Sesshoumaru, himself, was in the top layer as Lord of the Western Lands.