A1969: updating!
Inuyasha: still pretty sloppy, if you ask me.
A1969: well, no one asked you.
Inuyasha: keh!
A19696: anyway, thanks to all those who bothered to read and those who bothered to review and those who did both! Sorry if I took a while in updating—I was kinda busy writing the first page to my 'Last Moon Demon' sequel.
Kagome: aw, it's okay!
A1969: anyway, before I start babbling, enjoy!
Inuyasha: still predictable, if you ask me.
A1969: -glare-
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-Chapter Twenty-three-
Failed Attempt
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-.-Sesshoumaru-.-
Astonishing.
I have not yet even set foot into the castle, and already I wish to leave.
Wife…
Hn.
This was Mother's…hundredth attempt? Perhaps, perhaps not. I lost count.
I stared at Momitsumi, and she stared confidently back at me, smiling. As I looked into her icy blue eyes, I couldn't help but think what drove Mother to find me a mate. Clearly, she yearned for a grandchild.
How vexing.
"Well, Sesshoumaru?" Mother asked, her eyebrows raised expectantly. "You are pleased, I am sure?" Was she taking my silence as some form of awe-induced gratitude and speechlessness?
I raised my eyebrows at her. "Of course," she said. "Come, Momitsumi, Sesshoumaru, we shall discuss this within the palace and, perhaps—"
"Lord Sesshoumaru!" two voices shouted in unison, interrupting Mother's sentence.
I turned to the direction of the two voices. Rin and Jaken were running towards me, with the former in the lead. Rin was still awake at this late hour?
"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin said excitedly, as she and Jaken stopped in front of me, both out of breath.
"Milord!" Jaken screeched, bowing to the ground then straightening up.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, we waited for days!" Rin reported, flashing that toothy grin of hers at me. She suddenly glanced behind me and her eyes widened in delight. "Clara-san!"
Clara…
I had nearly forgotten about her.
I glanced at her from over my shoulder. She looked up from the ground she had been apparently staring at and met my gaze. Hn…Her eyes were a dreary blue color, and holding—I couldn't help but notice—an excruciating degree of sorrow in them…as well as pain. She suddenly pulled her gaze away from me and turned to Rin, a smile suddenly spreading across her face.
"Hey, Rin!" Even though she tried to sound cheerful, I could hear the melancholy in her voice. What had gotten into this girl? Not that I cared, of course.
Rin dashed towards Clara and threw herself at the priestess. "Have you gained any weight?" Clara asked her playfully as Rin buried her face in Clara's hakama. "Because I think you're heavier than the last time I saw you."
Rin looked up at Clara and flashed her that toothy grin of hers. "I've been eating a lot," she admitted, somewhat sheepishly. She was about to say more, when someone beat her to it.
"And who is this?" Momitsumi asked Mother, her gaze locked on Clara.
Clara blushed and pulled herself away from Rin. To my surprise, she bowed to Momitsumi, and straightened up, her eyes fixed on those of Momitsumi's. The contrast between Clara's dreary blue eyes and Momitsumi's piercing icy eyes was pronounced. Though, of course, Clara's sapphire eyes…
"This is apparently Midoriko's reincarnation," Mother answered her, a slight smile on her lips.
"Midoriko's reincarnation?" Momitsumi did not sneer, neither did she look contemptuous. Instead, she seemed intrigued. She turned to me. "My lord, why is she with you?"
"Is it any business of yours, Lady Momitsumi?" I asked softly. Admittedly, I had grown tired of being bombarded with these questions.
"Of course not, my lord," she said apologetically, bowing again. She straightened up and smiled. "I was merely curious."
"I must apologize for my son's rudeness," Mother said. "He is rather choleric in nature."
Momitusmi smiled a hesitant smile at me. "I am sure he is nothing of the sort, Lady Hayomi."
Mother smiled at her, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction. It was obvious that she thought Momistumi would easily win my affections. But then again, when it came to arranged marriages, affections hardly counted, though they helped.
"Then let us come inside," Mother said, as she swept imperiously passed me and made her way to the wide stairs that led to the veranda of the palace. "We have much to discuss."
Momitsumi looked at me, smiled and followed after Mother, without the imperiousness that most demonesses usually possessed. Hn…
I began to follow after them, but stopped. I turned to Jaken. "So, Jaken," I began, looking down at the imp. "You knew about this, huh?" My tone was cold.
Jaken gulped. "Y-yes, Milord," he admitted. I was about to say more, when I noticed Clara looking down at the ground again, her eyes downcast. Right.
I glanced around me, at the demon soldiers that, until now, were still bowing prostrate on the ground. They wouldn't harm Clara, I was certain. However, I did not trust them, as I trusted no one.
"Jaken," I said as I turned to follow after Mother and Momitsumi. "Take Clara to Rin's chambers. Do not allow her to leave, understood?"
"Yes, milord!"
"Good." Without so much as a backward glance, I left and went into the palace, ready for any assault Mother and Momitsumi would throw at me.
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-Clara-
Wife…
This gorgeous demoness was going to be Sesshoumaru's wife, huh…
I suddenly felt as though someone had their hand on my heart and was twisting it slowly. I tried to cover up the pain as I looked down at Rin and she looked up at me. I couldn't…no, I shouldn't show that I was…affected by this little turn of events. After all, in the first place, I had to hide the fact that I was in love with Sesshoumaru; second, I didn't want to make any trouble between him and his future br…bride…
"And who is this?" It was the first time that Lady Momitsumi took any notice of me, so absorbed was she in her future…mate…
I blushed and gently pulled away from Rin to face her. Our eyes locked and I saw no trace of the antagonism that most demons held for humans, particularly priestesses. I could see, instead, a curious look in her beautiful icy eyes. I bowed to her then straightened just as Lady Hayomi spoke up.
"This is apparently Midoriko's reincarnation," she said. I looked down at the ground again. More than anything, I wanted to vanish on the spot.
"Midoriko's reincarnation?" Momitsumi did not sound contemptuous—she sounded intrigued. Huh? Maybe she didn't despise priestesses like me? "My lord, why is she with you?" The question was obviously meant for Sesshoumaru.
"Is it any business of yours, Lady Momitsumi?" Sesshoumaru asked, his tone soft. I didn't...no, I couldn't look at him.
"Of course not, my lord," Momitsumi apologized. "I was merely curious."
I couldn't...bear to hear them talking to each other. I tried to ignore their conversation, thinking, instead, about trigonometry, a good form of distraction, in my opinion...
"Then let us come inside," Lady Hayomi was saying as she swept past Sesshomaru and headed towards the palace. "We have much to discuss." I felt...distraught at that. They were going to discuss their betrothal and the wedding that would surely follow...
Lady Hayomi and Lady Momitsumi both made swept past us and towards the palace. It was silent for a few moments and I kept my eyes on the ground, trying to ignore the desire to look at Sesshoumaru.
"So, Jaken," Sesshoumaru began. I glanced quickly up at him from lowered eyes and back at the ground again. "You knew about this, huh?" His tone was cold.
"Y-yes, Milord," Jaken stuttered.
Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment. "Jaken," he said. From the peripheral of my vision, I could see him turning towards the castle. "Take Clara to Rin's chambers. Do not allow her to leave, understood?" I wanted to ask him why he didn't want me to leave Rin's room, but thought better of it. It was best not to ask.
"Yes, milord!"
"Good." I looked up just as Sesshoumaru made his way towards the castle.
It was silent for a few moments. The demon soldiers that had been bowing prostrate on the ground suddenly stood up, their eyes fixed on me. If I wasn't feeling something else entirely, I would have been scared to death. Their eyes were filled with nothing but hostility. What'd I do to them?
"Come on, Clara." Jaken was suddenly standing in front of me. He glanced sideways at the demon soldiers. "What're you still standing there for?" he snapped to the soldiers. The fact that someone so small could act so magisterially was surprising. "Get back to your posts!"
One by one, the soldiers all turned to leave. I felt relieved when their hostile glares were no longer fixed on me.
"Well?" Jaken snapped, looking up at me. "What are you still standing there for, you silly girl? Follow me!"
I looked at him, annoyed. I was about to make a retort, when Rin spoke up, clinging to my sleeve as she did so. "Clara-san, you're going to stay with me!" she said cheerfully as Jaken turned and began walking away, towards the castle entrance. Rin began pulling me along with her as she followed Jaken.
I sighed, thinking of Sesshoumaru, and wished that I could be just as happy as Rin was.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"This is my room, Clara-san!" Rin said cheerfully as she, Jaken and I stopped in front of a door in a deserted hallway. Good thing it was deserted—the servants we'd passed by earlier either avoided us, or glared at me.
Rin slid the door open and pulled me into her room, with Jaken following right behind us, muttering something about babysitting. The room wasn't really that large, probably around five or six tatami mats in area. The futon had been neatly rolled and tucked away into a corner with other unused mattresses. Two sliding doors on the wall opposite from where we stood opened out onto the veranda which, in turn, led out to the garden which, according to Jaken, was famous throughout the entire country.
Rin looked up at me expectantly. "You have a nice room, Rin," I commented, thinking of my own room back in the Modern Era with a pang of homesickness.
"Thanks, Clara-san!" She grinned toothily up at me.
I smiled when I saw that grin. It was slowly starting to dispel all my anxieties from earlier. "You know, Rin—" I didn't get to finish my sentence because, at that moment, my stomach let out a low growling noise.
I blushed as Rin let out a giggle. "Sorry," I mumbled.
"Just great," Jaken muttered. "You haven't eaten anything yet? Humans and their frailties..." He let out a long sigh and I resisted the urge to hit him on the head. "Ah, well," he went on as Rin and I continued staring at him. "Wait here, you two, and do not, I repeat, do not leave this room!" Without another word, he turned on his heel and headed out the door, sliding it closed behind as he left.
"Where do you think he went off to?" I asked Rin.
"Probably off to get you something to eat, Clara-san," Rin answered. Riiight...
Rin gave me a little tour of her room, which made me smile. There was just something about Rin that suggested she was about to devour life and all it had to offer; there was just something about her that could make anyone smile.
"I want to show you something, Clara-san!" Rin said, after her little tour was over.
"What?" I asked. She beamed at me then led me to a wall.
Rin placed a finger to her lips. "Not a word to anyone, okay?" she asked.
I raised my right hand at her and pretended to sound very formal. "I swear allegiance to Rin-chan and promise not to divulge whatever it is that she wants to show me." We giggled. I must have seemed silly, trying to act serious.
Rin knelt down beside the wall and felt it with her palm. She carefully ran her hand over the wall. "Aha!" she said triumphantly as her hand stopped a little above her. She pressed against the wall and a tiny panel slid neatly aside to reveal a hidden space behind. Whoa...maybe this was where people got the idea for concealing safes behind paintings?
Rin reached into the tiny alcove and pulled out...flowers? They were pink azaleas, white camellias, and white magnolias. Rin had bunched them together to form a crude bouquet, but, considering that a seven year old had made it, it was very nicely done.
"They're lovely, Rin," I said as she held them out to me. I picked them up and felt their fragrance envelop me. "What're they for?"
Her smile widened. "They're for Lord Sesshoumaru!" she said excitedly.
I felt myself go numb at the mention of Sesshoumaru. I didn't bother to ask what they were for as I handed the bunch of flowers back to her. Rin immediately replaced them back in the tiny alcove, sliding the tiny section of the wall back in place as she did so. She then turned her attention to me, smiling toothily.
"What?" I asked.
She continued to smile. "Lord Sesshoumaru is going to get married," she announced, obviously happy for her guardian. I tried to suppress a certain pang her words induced. Hearing Rin say it...
"Lucky him," I said, sighing.
Rin nodded. "Lady Momitsumi is very pretty, isn't she?" she asked innocently. "And she's very nice."
I tried to smile at that. Well, the fact that Rin approved wholeheartedly of Momitsumi only made me...bleak.
"Yeah," I muttered, thinking of Momitsumi's lack of contempt for me earlier, "she appears to be." I sighed as I let my thoughts wander. Why did I even care so much about it? I mean...wasn't I supposed to be trying to get rid of these feelings for him? I knew, without a doubt, that I had to do it and do it fast...before they became...irrevocable. Besides, Momitsumi was—and there was no denying it—more than pretty—she was gorgeous. And graceful. And seemingly nice. And perfect...How could I even think about competing with so incomparable a creature such as her?
"Is anything wrong, Clara-san?" Rin asked, after a few moments of silence. "You seem sad."
"Do I?" Was I so obvious that a little girl could see right through me?
Rin nodded gravely. "I noticed it earlier," she said. "When you were around Lady Momitsumi and Lord Sesshoumaru." For a seven year old, she could be quite precocious. But darn, was I really that obvious?
"I was just...er...hungry," I lied. "I can be very sad when I'm hungry."
Rin nodded, but something told me she didn't quite believe me. Note to self: be very, very, very careful with Rin around.
"Are you sure, Clara-san?" she asked, really concerned for my lack of smiles. "You didn't get into a fight with Lord Sesshoumaru, did you?"
I blushed. "N-nothing of the sort," I stuttered.
She eyed me again. Okay...she was both precocious and perceptive...maybe even empathic. She was about to say more, when the door to the room slid open to reveal Jaken, holding a polished wooden tray in his hands, his staff tucked into the nook of his elbow.
"Here," Jaken said, somewhat irritably, as he thrust the tray at me.
I took the tray in my hands. On it was a porcelain bowl of noodles and a dish of some roasted...chicken or pheasant? I couldn't tell. Beside that was a flask of water.
"Thanks," I said, smiling at the imp and feeling grateful.
"Hmph," he said, irked by my gratitude. "I was only doing what I was expected to do—babysitting you!"
I set the tray down and raised an eyebrow at him. "Babysitting?" I asked, surprised. "You could go if you want, Jaken, really. I've got Rin here, I'm sure she won't object to showing me the ropes around here."
Rin flashed me another toothy smile to show that she didn't object.
Jaken scoffed. "What?" he sneered. "Leave you here and risk you getting out of this room? Lord Sesshoumaru will have my head!"
I stared curiously at him. "So am I a prisoner here, then?" I felt panicked, but enough to send me into a full blown shout-till-my-lungs-burst panic attack.
Jaken rolled his eyes. "Really, you ignorant girl," he said as he sat down in front of me, keeping the tray of food between us. "Lord Sesshoumaru wouldn't waste his time imprisoning someone like you"—ow—"when he has much more important things on his mind."
"Then why won't he let me leave this room?" I asked, thinking of his words in the courtyard earlier.
Jaken rolled his eyes again to show how asinine my question was. "You're such an ignoramus, aren't you?"
I glared at him. "I can hold my own in Trig, Algebra and Geometry if I have to," I muttered darkly.
He ignored my words, maybe because he couldn't understand them. "Anyway," he went on. "Lord Sesshoumaru forbade you to leave this room because most demons in this castle would just love to get their claws on you."
I shuddered. "But I haven't done anything to them," I protested.
"Not now," he said, sighing. "But you did before."
I narrowed my eyes. "Just because I'm Midoriko's reincarnation?" I was incredulous. It was just so unfair.
"Though most demons in this castle might not have confronted her directly, they still despise Midoriko," Jaken said. "Which is why Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't want you to leave this room—for your own good."
I could feel myself blushing again. Did he...care?
"After all, if you die, then he'll fail to pay his debt to Kikyou," Jaken said, automatically bursting my bubble. "And milord does not take failure lightly!"
I was silent for a moment, fixing my gaze on the noodles. "Jaken, do you have any idea how long we'll be here?" I asked. It was funny—first I make Sesshoumaru wait for several days to tend to Shougkyo, and now he makes me wait...to tend to his bride.
Jaken shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted. "Maybe after the Binding ceremony..."
"Binding ceremony?" I asked. I did not like the sound of that.
"It's a demon's ceremony," Jaken said, clearly not wanting to give me the details. "It binds a demon to his betrothed, not exactly marriage, but it's close. And not many demons like it, in case they get cold feet, but not milord! After all, Lady Momitsumi is perfection incarnate. Lady Hayomi couldn't have found a better choice."
I inwardly sighed, feeling like a complete doofus. "So...Sesshoumaru's going to be bound to her until they're married?" I tried to sound nonchalant.
Jaken suddenly looked doubtful. "Perhaps, perhaps not," he muttered, more to himself than to me and Rin. "After all, Lady Momitsumi is the...hundredth candidate."
My eyes widened in disbelief. "Hundredth?" I was more than surprised—I was staggered. Sesshoumaru had had hundreds of gorgeous demonesses dangled in front of him?!
"Milord is very picky," Jaken continued. "Because he'd only want the best. Hence, Lady Momitsumi. Aside from being the very essence of perfection, she's also the daughter of the Northern Lord. So, if they were to marry—and I'm sure they will—Lord Sesshoumaru will gain possession of the Northern lands, thus extending his empire."
I felt hopeless. Not only was she beautiful, but Momitsumi had wealth and status to recommend her. Surely, no man in their right minds would refuse...?
"Clara-san," Rin suddenly spoke up. "I think you need to eat now because you look very, very sad."
I sighed, pushed aside all my thoughts of Sesshoumaru and picked up the bowl of noodles.
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-.-Sesshoumaru-.-
Binding ceremony, huh? Typical...
Mother wanted to make sure that I ended up wed, didn't she?
I looked at her, sitting from across me. She was smiling that devious smile of hers. Beside me was Momitsumi who, in turn, was smiling at Mother, as though they both had a secret between them.
"Do you agree, Sesshoumaru?" Mother asked, her eyebrows raised. "A binding ceremony to seal your betrothal, which will be held tomorrow, at my prompting, in Lord Hoshimaru's palace in the North. And then, after you defeat Naraku, you can wed Momitsumi."
I could feel Momitsumi fidget beside me. I inwardly sighed. I had no desire to wed, whatsoever, much less to be bound to the demoness beside me no matter how perfect she was. Matters of the heart were beneath me.
"Well, Sesshoumaru?" Mother prompted again. I stared at her. I was sorely tempted to bolt for it, making Momitsumi Mother's hundredth failed attempt at finding me a wife. But, unlike before, Mother's attempt may just succeed. For, among the other demonesses dangled in front of me, Momitsumi was the only one who was the daughter of the lord of the North...
If I accepted her, if I were to wed her, I would gain control over her father's domain. I inwardly frowned at that. I'd rather conquer the North through my own power rather than by marriage...
"My lord?" It was Momitsumi. Both she and Mother were waiting for a response.
"Very well."
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-,-Kagome-,-
"For the last time, Inuyasha, it doesn't suck out your soul!" I exclaimed, aggravated as Inuyasha dangled my digital camera in front of his face, sniffing it.
"Then what's this for?" he asked, tilting it this way and that so it gleamed in the moonlight.
"You use it to take pictures, not souls," I said, sighing as I snatched the camera from his grasp. We had camped underneath a pine tree for the night, the cool night air comforting after a gruelling day's search for Naraku whose lack of activity made all of us rather edgy.
"What'd you want pictures for?" Inuyasha asked, as he folded his arms across his chest.
I shrugged. "Well," I said slowly. "I wanted to take a picture of everyone so I could frame it."
"Frame?" Sango asked, looking up from her bowl of Ramen.
"You know, putting a picture in a sort of holder so it doesn't get damaged," I explained. "I was hoping to get everyone's picture, then a group picture. How's that?"
"How can that little box paint a picture?" Miroku asked, curious.
"It doesn't paint a picture, it takes a picture," I corrected. Miroku gave me a puzzled look. I inwardly sighed, turned on the camera, pointed it at Inuyasha just as he was looking up at the stars and snapped a picture.
"Hey!" he roared, standing up as the light flashed.
I giggled and ignored him. I turned to Miroku and showed him the picture of Inuyasha.
Huh? Inuyasha looked...pensive in this picture. It was a sideways shot of him as he looked up at the stars and his eyes had a faraway look in them...
Could he have been thinking of Kikyou again? I pushed the thought aside.
"My," Miroku said, amazed. "This is really is a useful contraption, Kagome."
"Could you take my picture, Kagome?" Shippou, with whom colored pictures were more interesting than Jewel shards, asked.
"I will, of everyone actually," I said. "That'll have to wait for tomorrow, though, 'cause there's not enough light."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
Sleep eluded me.
I sighed as I sat up in my sleeping bag, yawning. I was sleepy, but I couldn't sleep. Well, gee that was pretty annoying. I glanced around the silent camp. Miroku was leaning against the pine tree, his face covered by the leaves' shadow. Sango and Kirara shared an extra sleeping bag I brought back for them, and Shippou was huddled close beside me.
My eyes roved to where my Inuyasha was resting. He was leaning against a tree, his eyes closed, his breathing even. I smiled to myself, glad that he was asleep, but I knew that—at the tiniest noise—he could wake up, just like that.
He suddenly twitched.
I froze, not moving a hair's breadth.
"Unh..." Inuyasha groaned, his eyebrows meeting together in the center. "N...no..."
Was he having a nightmare?
"N...no...don't...go..."
I gently shoved Shippou aside and silently crept towards Inuyasha. I knelt beside him. I had never seen him like this before, never heard him talking in his sleep until now. What was he dreaming about? No...From the look on his face, I'd say he was having a nightmare. About what?
"K...k...d...don't...go..." His voice was low and I had to lean in to hear him. Go? Why would I go somewhere? I promised I'd be by your side always, Inuyasha...I would never leave you.
I held up a hand, ready to shake him awake, when I stopped, my hand frozen in midair, as Inuyasha spoke.
"Don't go...don't leave me...Kikyou..."
The blood froze in my veins.
I slowly lowered my hand. There was a painful sensation in my chest, as though someone was slowly twisting my heart...
"Please...Kikyou...stay with me...don't leave me..."
I couldn't even describe what I felt anymore. Words weren't enough to describe the painful feeling in my chest.
Inuyasha...you're not over Kikyou yet, are you?
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-Clara-
I couldn't sleep.
Usually, I was a heavy sleeper, and I instantly fell asleep whenever I hit a pillow. But I just couldn't sleep tonight. Was it me, or was it just a little too hot in here? I sighed. The wound in my hand was still throbbing, and would still bleed occasionally. Ah, well, at least I'd changed the bandage on it.
I glanced beside me, at the little girl sleeping next to me. Rin looked so sweet and innocent, especially as the moonlight bathed her in its glow, making her look angelic. Looking at her, I came to understand why Sesshoumaru chose her, of all children, to be a daughter figure—she was simply endearing.
Sesshoumaru...
Were you the reason why I couldn't sleep? I sighed and carefully sat up so as to not wake Rin. I glanced at Jaken. He was sleeping, leaning against the door to the room. It was so no one would get past him, he had said earlier.
I drew my knees close to my chin. The demons in this castle all hated me, except for Ah-Un and—though I wasn't sure about this yet—Jaken. Still, the fact that all those human-like demons hated me just because I was Midoriko's reincarnation was daunting, nearly depressing. I mean...I've never even met them, let alone harm them!
Was that the main reason why I couldn't sleep, because I could feel their hate?
Wait...if nearly everyone in this castle hated me...then did that mean that...he hated me too? I felt my stomach clench at the thought. I wanted to talk to someone about this, but everyone was asleep. Besides, who here would listen to me in the first place? Rin, probably, but she was sleeping. And I wasn't about to wake her up just to complain about the unfairness of being Midoriko's reincarnation...
I sighed. I had so many problems, now that I looked at it. Sesshoumaru, school (what was happening to my grades, I wonder?), Naraku (he'd been quiet lately), Sesshoumaru, Sacred Jewel (two jewel shards were with a wolf demon named Kouga, according to Kagome, and one with Kohaku, Sango's brother, who was still in Naraku's clutches), Sesshoumaru...wait...how many times did his name just come up? I inwardly sighed.
Sesshoumaru...
Try as I might, I couldn't make my feelings for him go away. But I knew I had to try, I had to try and forget these feelings but...did I want to? Did I actually not want to love him? The thought...hurt...
He was the center of all my problems at the moment. I sighed, glanced at Jaken to make sure he was sound asleep, and stood up. I quietly slid the door to the veranda open, but I didn't go out. I knew Jaken would get in trouble with Sesshoumaru if I did, so I compromised. I sat on the polished wooden veranda and leaned against the partly open door, my eyes looking out at the garden. It was too dark and the moonlight too dim to see anything except the shadows of the trees.
The wind blew softly against me, cool and comforting. I sighed. The cool breeze was exactly what I needed to clear my head. I closed my eyes and leaned against the door, feeling the moonlight on my face.
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-.-Sesshoumaru-.-
What was she doing outside?
Clara was sitting on the veranda, leaning against the partially open door, her eyes closed. The moonlight fell softly on her face. She looked...peaceful. There was no other word for it. Hn...
I silently approached the veranda, creeping out of the shadows. Her breathing was slow, rhythmic, a sure sign that she was asleep. What was she doing outside? Did the fool Jaken allow her to leave the room? I would have to punish him for it later.
I leapt silently onto the veranda then stood in front of her. Much as I preferred not to dirty my hands with this human, I would have to bring her back inside, before other demons from the castle found her here, alone. I had no illusions about what they would and not do, despite my previous threats earlier.
I knelt in front of her, and at that moment, she stirred slightly, as though she sensed my presence. Her eyes fluttered open. Hn...They were still a dull, dreary blue.
She suddenly looked up at me, her eyes widening in surprise. "Sesshoumaru!" she gasped, blushing.
I narrowed my eyes at her. "Why are you here?"
Clara automatically sat up straight. "Eh...well, I couldn't sleep," she admitted.
Pathetic.
"It isn't Jaken's fault," she hastily said, as though reading my mind. "He fell asleep, and I just thought I'd come out here, you see..."
"For what purpose?"
"I couldn't sleep," she said again.
"And what is the connection to coming outside?" This girl was starting to get annoying.
She considered me for a moment, then looked past my shoulder, up at the sky, at the waning moon. "It was just such a nice night," she said, shrugging. "What about you...what are you doing here, away from Lady Momitsumi?" There was a certain look in her eyes...
"That is none of your concern."
She was silent for a moment, a funny look in her eyes, a look that I couldn't discern. "Fine," she muttered. "I'm going back inside." Without warning, she suddenly stood up. A second later, I felt a sharp pang against my chin as I felt her head collide with me.
"Ow!" she whined.
Insolent human. Angered, I gripped her shoulders, holding her close to me. I looked down at her and growled menacingly.
"Human," I said coldly, annoyed.
"S-sorry," she stuttered, her eyes widening slightly. She looked up at me and blushed.
I narrowed my eyes at her and gripped her shoulders tightly, wanting to induce a little fear in her. She didn't wince, she didn't even look afraid, despite the fact that the look I was giving her would so have easily sent demons scampering. Instead, she continued looking at me, the blush becoming more prominent.
For a moment, just a moment, I forgot about my annoyance. Her eyes, I noted, held that funny look in them, that annoying look I couldn't understand nor discern.
I inwardly sighed, then released her shoulders. "Get back inside," I ordered, as I stood up.
She looked up at me for a moment and then she carefully stood up, taking great care not to bump into me again.
I was about to leave, when her voice stopped me. "Um...Sesshoumaru?"
I was about to leap off the veranda, but I stopped. I glanced at her from over my shoulder, a rare sign that I was willing to listen. Why was I even willing to listen to this exasperating girl?
"Um...er..." she began, blushing. What was with this girl?
"Spit it out."
"Right! Um, well, I was wondering," she said. "When we were leaving..."
Ah. That. Well, she made me wait, why should I not do the same?
"Soon." I turned to leave.
"After your Binding Ceremony?"
I stopped, and turned to face her. How did she know about that?
"Perhaps."
There was another funny look in her eyes, an almost desperate and sad look.
"Oh," she said simply. She was silent for a moment. "Well..." she went on. "Um...I guess...I should...congratulate you, right?" I couldn't help but notice the pained look in her eyes. Pained?
I was about to say something to her, when a certain sound caught my attention—the delicate sound of a bowstring being carefully and silently drawn back...
Quick as lightning, I reached out and wound my arms around Clara's waist, drawing her close to me just as the sound of an arrow being released filled the still night air. A second later, an arrow soared through the air and landed on the very spot Clara had been standing a fraction of a second ago.
She gasped, her eyes widening. Keeping one arm firmly around her waist, I drew Bakusaiga with the other. I pointed it at the direction the arrow had come from, my eyes narrowing in anger. Who would dare attack her in my presence? What insolence.
"Sesshoumaru, what's—?" she began.
"Silence," I hissed, my eyes still on the dark shadows of the garden. From somewhere over there, huh? I breathed in. Dammit. I could smell nothing but flowers. Hn, typical. Using the blossoms in the garden to mask their scent, huh. I could hear a scuffling noise in the garden and knew the intruder had taken off. Was it even an intruder? Most likely, it was someone in the castle.
Conceited bastard—I was going to kill him.
I inwardly sighed. I could bolt after the bastard, but decided not to. Let him or her wait in fear for this one night. I would find the bastard in the morning.
I turned my attention to Clara at the same moment that she looked hesitantly up at me. Hn. For someone who was nearly killed, she didn't look afraid. Instead, there was that familiar blush again, spreading through her cheeks.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
-Clara-
I knew I should've been afraid—someone tried to kill me, for Pete's sake.
But that wasn't the case.
I felt safe. Heck, more than safe, even. His arm was still entwined around my waist, drawing me close against him. I could feel the blush spreading through my cheeks again. Darn, if I didn't do something about this exasperating blushing, he was bound to learn of my feelings for him. But I couldn't help it. He was holding me close, and he was looking down at me, a calculating and shrewd look in his cold, golden eyes.
I couldn't help but looking up at him. His eyes...I felt as though I could look into them and never be tired of just looking...
"Milord?" Sesshoumaru automatically let go of my waist and I staggered as my feet hit the floor. Huh? I hadn't even noticed that he'd raised me off the veranda when he drew me to him.
Sesshoumaru turned his attention to the voice that came from the open door of Rin's room.
"Jaken." He looked annoyed.
Jaken's glance flickered from me to Sesshoumaru. "You!" he suddenly cried out, pointing his staff at me. "Why did you leave the—!" Before he could finish his sentence, Sesshoumaru's foot was suddenly in his face.
Eh?
Jaken fell backward on the floor, landing on his rear end. "Did I not give you simple instructions, Jaken?" Sesshoumaru asked.
Jaken recognized the tone in his voice. He automatically bowed on the floor, his head touching the polished cypress boards. "Milord, forgive me!" he suddenly said. "I had no idea that she had left, Milord! I was awakened by the sound of a scuffle from outside and thought I should investigate!"
Sesshoumaru ignored him. Instead, he turned his attention to the floor again, at the arrow that was still pinned to the boards. "Take her back inside," Sesshoumaru said as he knelt to pick up the arrow.
"Milord, what happened?" Jaken asked carefully, standing up.
Sesshoumaru didn't answer him—instead, he pried the arrow from the floor. Seeing the arrow, Jaken's eyes lit up with understanding.
"Oh!" he said, flabbergasted. He turned his attention to me. "You almost got...What an annoying human you are, always attracting trouble!"
I felt like hitting him on the head. "Jaken," Sesshoumaru said again, as he stood up, his tone more forceful.
"Right, Milord!" The imp turned his attention to me. "Come on, wench!"
I wanted to kick him. Who didn't?
I followed Jaken back into the room. Before I slid the door closed, I saw Sesshoumaru looking down at the arrow with that same calculating look in his eyes, and I knew he was trying to detect my almost-killer's scent. He looked as though he wanted to frown. He turned and threw the arrow into the garden, where I heard it hit a tree with a muted thud. As Sesshoumaru walked down the veranda, I heard him say one word.
"Useless."
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
-.-Sesshoumaru-.-
"I don't know why you're so angry about that girl nearly being killed," Mother said the next day. She had cornered me in my study to inform me that preparations for our excursion to the North were under way. However, I had no intention of departing until I had learned the identity of Clara's would be assassin. Hence, why she was vexed.
"It is not that the girl was nearly killed," I corrected. "It was that the assailant would dare to kill her in my presence."
Mother narrowed her eyes at me. Hn. "I don't know why you brought her here in the first place," she said, going over to the open door that led to the veranda. She turned to me. "It was foolish of you. In fact, you allowing that priestess to live is rather out of character for you."
I gave her a cold look. "It is not permanent."
"It better not be," Mother said, sighing. "Momitsumi is somewhat dismayed at her presence." She suddenly smiled a smile that I detested. "She thinks that you are in danger of...following after your honourable Father."
I raised an eyebrow at her and resisted the urge to snort. "Oh?"
She continued smiling at me, but then her smile slowly turned into a frown. "Will you, Sesshoumaru?" she suddenly asked, her tone suspicious.
"Will I what?"
"Will you take after your Father, I wonder?"
I stared at her, my gaze growing colder and colder by the minute. "I have inherited Father's mighty power," I said quietly, my tone soft and deadly. "But I have not inherited his love for those weak creatures called humans." There was disdain in my voice.
Mother's frown turned into a smile of satisfaction. "Good." But then, the smile vanished. "Am I to assume that you will not be going to the Northern lands today, then?"
I nodded curtly.
"All for a priestess," she muttered darkly under her breath.
I chose not to dignify her with a reply.
- - - - - - - - - - - - - -
"Milord!" The door in front of me slid open to reveal Jaken. He automatically bowed.
"Get up, Jaken," I said as I made my way past him and into Rin's room. Rin was already awake—she always woke early—and she was sitting beside the futon on which lay Clara, still asleep. Hn? There was something off about her.
"Er...Milord." Jaken was suddenly beside me, a somewhat worried tone in his voice.
"Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin said, worried.
I knelt beside Clara, guessing that she would be the cause of Rin's worry.
Her eyes were closed, and her brows met in the middle, as though she were in pain. "Milord?" Jaken said yet again, and yet again, I ignored him.
I placed a hand on Clara's forehead—she was burning, her pale skin far too warm. My gaze strayed to her clenched and bandaged hand. Removing my hand from her forehead, I took her hand in my mine and easily pried her fingers open. I easily removed the bandage, dropped it beside her, and inwardly frowned.
The wound on her hand had become infected, the palm swollen. Redness spread from the edges of the cut, as well as small amounts of pus. The skin of her hand was hot.
"Clara-san is sick, Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin said, worried.
Dammit.
.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.
A1969: it's been centuries, hasn't it?
Inuyasha: more like eons, if you ask me.
Kagome: Inuyasha.
A19696: anyway, sorry for the late update. As I said, I was doing the first page of my Last Moon Demon sequel, but this fic just kept tugging and tugging...Anyway, thanks a mill to those who reviewed the previous chapter! Review this one, please!