Inupunzel

Disclaimer: I don't own any Inuyasha characters.

o

o

o


o

o

o

Chapter 2: The Priestess

Izayoi had never made herself a favorite in her village. She'd been too proud, too demanding, and too obnoxious. So, it was much discussed and debated when the villagers discovered her to be so much changed after her week in the forest. Some people (of the more forgiving type) even ventured to begin to like her. Everyone was curious as to the cause of the change. When it became apparent that Izayoi was expecting, most felt they had found an answer to the puzzle. The few who had started to like Izayoi now looked on her with pity. Those who still held onto resentment shook their heads at her and generally felt it to be some type of divine justice, that the unpleasantly haughty young lady should be cursed with an illegitimate child. Izayoi's spurned suitors might have been foremost in this head-shaking, except for one thing: The new round of gossip centered around debating who the father was, and the prime suspects were the young men who'd been visiting her a few months back. As local suspicion fell on first one unlucky son and then another, their families hotly denied the rumors. As for Izayoi's family, they denied nothing. The rumors were humiliating, but the unsuspected truth was far worse.

The pregnancy did not go well. As the second trimester started, Izayoi fell desperately ill, and soon could not rise from her bed at all. One doctor after another was called, but none could help her. They all pronounced they had never seen such a pregnancy. It seemed almost as if Izayoi's body was trying to do battle with the new life growing inside her. Izayoi's parents ceased fearing for their daughter's reputation, and started fearing for her life.

For Izayoi's part, she might have given up on her own life, but when she thought of the demon's child inside her who would also be lost if she gave in, she found the strength to continue living. Her demon lover had not returned to her and she was too ill to go seeking him, but she was determined to see his offspring. So she clung to life, one desperate day after another, fighting a battle she would not admit she was losing.

The servants took to whispering around her, as if she was really already deceased, and they were simply waiting for the announcement. Even her parents started acting as if her death was certain. She defied them all, but at last came the day when she knew she had no more strength to draw on. She had become a pale skeleton of her former self, the only rounded part of her body being the belly made by the child in her womb. Her body had no reserves left. She wept bitterly as she watched from her bed the sun setting through her window, not believing she would live to see another morning. Her tears were for the beloved face she would never see again.

Her mind grew fuzzy as the light dimmed. It was with hazy detachment that she saw a pale figure at her window. The figure opened her window and entered her room, where it seemed to resolve itself into the shape of her demon lover. "I wonder if I am already dead," Izayoi thought to herself bemusedly, "or if this is a pre-death delusion." Her befuddled mind struggled with the puzzle while the demon figure approached her bed. Her mind perked up a little, however, when the figure took her hand – his touch felt rather too real to be a delusion, and his grieved expression spoke more of the mortal world than the afterlife. "I think you might really be here," she half mumbled.

"Yes, I am here," he said, "at long last. And I find you in such a condition! I am sorry I did not come sooner. There has been much strife among the demons these past months, and I didn't want to risk involving you, so I stayed away. If I had known you were expecting I would have found a way to come to you before this." The demon finished in a low, angry voice.

"I'm sorry you did not know, but I did not have a way to tell you," defended Izayoi.

The demon stopped her with a quick shake of his head. "I am not angry with you, Love, only with myself for not considering the possibility, and for leaving you to go through this alone. I can see it has not been easy for you."

"No," Izayoi confirmed. "The doctors do not know what to do for me. I think I am dying," It did not hurt so much to admit it, now that she had seen her beloved's face again. Izayoi felt her mind beginning to go blank.

"Izayoi! Do not leave!" said the demon desperately, seeing her state. He took up both her hands now, and to Izayoi's surprise, her mind began to clear. She felt a strange energy coursing into her. It seemed to come from the peculiar warmth of the demon's hands holding hers.

"Oh," she exclaimed, "I feel a bit better!" She carefully sat up.

"Don't push too far," the demon cautioned, but he smiled a little as he said it, and released her hands. The smile quickly faded back into a concerned look, however. "That won't last you very long."

"Ah, I see," she said, and laid back down.

The demon ran a caressing hand through her hair. "I had heard that pregnancy is often difficult for human women, when the child carries demon blood," he mused.

"Is there anything that can be done?" whispered Izayoi.

The demon frowned. "I've heard rumors that an herb called rapunzel can help," he replied. "Unfortunately it is difficult to come by. I only know of one place where it grows, and that a dangerous place to visit." He glanced down at Izayoi's concerned face, and his expression softened. "Don't worry, though. It is not too difficult for me. I will get the rapunzel for you."

Izayoi wanted to tell him to wait, not to go, but he was too swift for her. He kissed her gently but rapidly, told her he would be back in three day's time, and was gone almost before he was done speaking.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

There was indeed one place in the land where rapunzel grew. It was not a place most people would consider dangerous, but to a demon it was one of the most dangerous places of all. Rapunzel only grew in the garden of the Priestess Kikyo. All priestesses were the sworn enemies of demons, but Kikyo was particularly renown for her skill in hunting them. Entering her domain would be dangerous indeed. If the demon had been a lesser being, he would not have dared it at all. As it was, he approached with great caution.

With senses on high alert, he approached the high wall surrounding the Priestess's garden. He did not feel the painfully sparkling aura he associated with the presence of a priestess, and the wall itself did not seem to have any supernatural defenses. That made sense. Few demons would have reason to come pilfering herbs, and anything else would be stopped by the wall itself. The demon sprang lightly to the top of the wall, where he perched a moment to survey the garden. Every herb he had ever heard of, and many he hadn't, grew here. Each had it's own small plot of ground neatly laid out. The demon had only the rumored description of rapunzel to go by, having never seen it in person, so he was relieved to see that the various herbs were labeled. A smallish plot on the small side was labeled rapunzel, and the plants in it matched the description he'd heard.

There were no signs of any humans inside the garden, so the demon jumped down and made his way to the patch of rupunzel. It was early in the year still, but enough of the leafy greens were far enough sprouted already that he should be able to take Izayoi a sufficient amount. He carefully collected the biggest leaves into a pouch he'd brought for that purpose.

The sound of a bow being pulled taunt caused him to freeze. "And what business has a demon in my garden?" said an angry feminine voice.

The aura of a priestess was suddenly unmistakable. The demon mentally admonished himself. He'd been so absorbed picking the best rapunzel that he'd not kept sufficient watch for the return of Kikyo. Slowly he straightened and turned to face the priestess. He did not want to fight her. He felt confident he could eventually win, but it would be a long battle, and he was in a hurry. Kikyo was undoubtedly an enemy to demons, but he knew that among the humans she was said to be kind and fair, if stern. He decided to try his luck. "I apologize for my rude intrusion, honorable Priestess. I do not come to trouble you or any human. Rather I am here out of necessity, and want only a few herbs. My mate is having a hard pregnancy and may die of it, so I came seeking remedy for her."

Kikyo listened to him without moving, keeping her drawn arrow pointed at him. However, her expression softened as he concluded his explanation. "I am glad of any man, demon or human, who takes such care for his mate," she said, "but rapunzel is a human medicine, it will not help a demon's pregancy."

"Ah," the demon said, then continued, "still, I ask you the kindness of allowing me to take it." His hopes of leaving peacefully died as he watched Kikyo's expression harden and grow stormy.

"I see," she said shortly. "You have come for a human medicine because you have committed the worst of all crimes, and have gotten a human woman pregnant." Kikyo's expression showed no mercy now. "Neither you nor the child should be allowed to live!"

The demon quickly dodged to one side as she loosed her arrow at him. The glowing missile hit the garden wall instead, where it exploded, leaving a wide hole. Kikyo quickly fired a second arrow, and this time the demon dodged back through the hole. As he hit the outside, he dashed for the forest, using his demon speed to run from the fight he didn't have time for.

"You won't escape me, foul demon!" Kikyo called after him.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The days after the demon's visit were some of the longest Izayoi had ever lived through. Though she initially felt physically better than she had in some time, she was beset with worry for her lover. As the days slowly passed, and her borrowed strength faded, her anxiety only grew. At long last the promised third day arrived. The daylight hours crawled by like years. Izayoi anxiously cheered the sun in its slow trek across the sky, towards the horizon, trying to hurry the advance of the night, when she might see her demon again, and know that he was alright.

Finally nighttime arrived. If she'd had the energy, she would have paced the floor as she waited. Instead she drummed her fingers against her bedsheets. And then at last the awaited figure appeared at her window. She gasped in relief to see him there, alive. He slipped inside her room, and was instantly by her bedside. She held up a hand to him. "You are unhurt?" she asked him worriedly.

"No need to concern yourself, I am well," he told her. But his movements did not console her. They were quick and anxious.

"What's wrong?" she inquired.

"I'm being followed," he admitted. "I can't stay long, I don't want her following me here to you." He was untying a bag from his belt as he spoke. He handed it to her. "Here, this is the rapunzel. Eat a little of it each day, in a salad if you like. It will make you well."

Izayoi clutched the bag to her. "Thank you. But who is following you? Someone dangerous?"

The demon nodded. "Dangerous to me and you, and our child. It's the Priestess Kikyo."

"Oh!" said Izayoi, instantly comprehending the danger. "What should we do?"

"You stay here and get well," replied the demon instantly. "Kikyo knows I have taken a human mate who is now with child, but she doesn't know who you are or where you are. I will go and lead her away from here."

"But," Izayoi found herself yet again attempting to oppose her lover's plans.

"Don't worry," interrupted the demon, sensing her concern. "I'll be safe. I'll lead the little priestess on a merry chase. And if I'm forced to fight her, I'm match enough for the likes of her."

Izayoi opened her mouth to object again, but the demon didn't pause to let her speak. "I don't like it, but I probably won't be able to return before the baby is born." Here he quickly but deliberately sniffed at Izayoi. "Yes, the baby will be a boy," he stated. "Name him Inuyasha, and give him this." The demon handed Izayoi a bundle of red cloth. He gazed tenderly down at Izayoi for a long moment. "Take care, my love. Be well," he said finally. And then he was gone again.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

The next morning the servants were commanded to prepare a special salad for Izayoi, and to put in it the leafy greens she gave them. Each day she made the same request, giving the servants a few more greens. Her condition steadily improved. By the time her pregnancy came to term, she looked like her old self again.

At last came the day when Izayoi's labor began. Despite the pain, she fiercely drove all the doctors away. There was no telling how her child might appear, and there was no telling what a doctor might do with a newborn of obvious demonic heritage. She would not risk her child, so she suffered the labor alone. Finally the baby was born. As the father had predicted, it was a boy. He appeared mostly human, but he had his father's golden eyes and white hair. The little ears perched on top of his head were soft, fuzzy and triangular, like a puppy's ears. Izayoi named him Inuyasha.

o

o

o


o

o

o

Next chapter: The Child.

I hope you'll look forward to it:)