The Heart of the Nile: Secrets in the Shadows
By midafternoon Kikyo had finally awakened. She had regained just enough energy from her ordeal to be led by Inuyasha to join Sesshomaru in his bedchambers for afternoon tea. The three of them sat around a small round table off of his balcony sipping chai tea while looking out over the city bellow. Sesshomaru was growing impatient with every passing hour they had not captured whoever tried to kill his sister-in-law and potential niece or nephew.
"How are you feeling?" Sesshomaru asked before taking a sip of his tea.
"I am much better thank you. However, my heart remains uneasy until I know the fate of my child." Kikyo said.
"Hm, yes that remains to be seen. This one was wondering if you recall the person who gave you your glass last night? Rin thought she remembered someone but this one wanted to hear it from you first before comparing stories." Sesshomaru asked.
"It's all very fuzzy to be completely honest with you, but I do remember a strange tattoo. I also remember that I thought it was strange that a man was serving me drinks when I only saw servant girls working. I am sorry but I do not remember anything more than that. If I see him again I'll be sure to point him out. I do not like the idea of my assassin possibly walking around my own home," she said uncomfortably.
"Agreed. Rin mentioned about a man with a tattoo as well." Sesshomaru said.
"Do you remember anything about the tattoo?" Inuyasha asked as he grabbed a piece of fruit from the bowl on the table.
"Hm… let me think." She said. After a few moments of silence she replied, "I believe it was some kind of snake on his chest. I remember it being dark in color and very detailed. I don't remember much of the details though I am sorry."
"No, that is enough. Inuyasha, as head of the guard send word out to keep an eye out for a man with a dark color snake tattoo on the chest? Also add that it might have a sword and a staff somewhere in the design."
"A sword and a staff?" Inuyasha asked with a quirked brow.
"Yes, these are the only other details Rin was able to recall about the tattoo." Sesshomaru said.
The three of them then sat in silence enjoying the afternoon sun. A light breeze was on the wind bringing with it the smell of freshly cut crops in the early summer harvest season.
Kikyo then poured another glass of chai into her cup when she asked, "Do you know the name of the servant girl who was able to save me? I have asked around but no one seems to know who she is. It also has come to my attention that she was still wearing the vale from the ceremony so no one was able to make out her face."
"She has been taken into hiding for her own safety. Because of her great healing powers and knowledge of dark magic we have hidden her away incase the assassin tries to kill her or to do another act of dark magic towards us." Sesshomaru said before finishing off his tea.
"Being a member of the royal family surely my Lord you would grace me the opportunity of meeting this woman and giving her my thanks for saving my life? I promise to keep her identity a secret," Kikyo pleaded.
Sesshomaru reclined back in his chair as he thought of Kikyo meeting Kagome. He did not like how the knowledge of Kagome's nature was steadily growing.
"Ah, come on brother. You know she wouldn't tell a soul. Just give her a chance to meet her and tell her thank you. That's all she wants." Inuyasha whined.
"Very well, this one will arrange for a time and place for us to meet. That way our meeting will remain a secret until the last possible moment. This one no longer trusts the walls in his own home," Sesshomaru said.
They all agreed that they would wait for Sesshomaru's arrangement and then they would travel together to a secret hiding place. An hour after dinner the band of three met under the gate at the front of the palace and slipped under the cover of night, into a chariot and out the city gates to a secret location only known by Sesshomaru. After about an hour or so the chariot finally stopped near a secluded location near the Nile. It was a location perfect for hiding. You would be able to see anyone approaching but them not see you.
"Where is the woman? I thought she was meeting us here? Do you think she went to the wrong location or perhaps we missed her? I pray nothing terrible has happened to her!" Kikyo said anxiously.
"No, we have not missed her. She has actually been with us the entire trip," Sesshomaru said as he began to pull the little black box from his leather bag from around his waist.
"What do you mean?" Kikyo asked with a confused scowl on her face. "Please, don't play games with me. You know how I detest them."
"This one plays no games or tells any lies." Sesshomaru said as he opened the black box and the music began to play. He laid it down on the ground a little ways out in front of them and the moonlight began to soak into the stone. Just then little pink sparkles began to glisten around it.
'What is that and why is it sparkling?" Kikyo asked as she stared at the stone in fascination.
"Just wait, it will happen soon." Sesshomaru replied.
"What do you mean, "it" and "happen soon?" Kikyo said growing slightly frightened while backing up into Inuyasha's chest.
"Patience, just keep watching. Little brother you might want to turn around," Sesshomaru said as he began to walk back to the chariot pulling out another bag and digging through it.
"Why…?" Inuyasha asked. Just as he was asking this a bright flash of light burst into the air causing both him and Kikyo to bring their arms up to block the light from their eyes. As they brought their hands down they saw materializing before them was the unconscious, naked form of Kagome lying on the ground on her stomach.
"Oh…" Inuyasha said as his face turned a bright red and quickly turned around.
Kikyo stared at the girl in shock. She did not move from her spot as she watched Sesshomaru wrap a red blanket around her still unconscious form and picked her up, holding her tightly to his chest. He then sat on the ground with her sitting in his lap. Her head was lying limply over the side of his arm. He could see a light pulse in her neck and her lightly breathing in and out. He then ran his thumb gingerly over her cheek as he whispered her name in her ear. As he did this she began to stir in his arms and fluttered her beautiful eyes open.
"Uhhh… my head." She said as her face laced with pain and she pulled her arm out of the red blanket to rub her aching forehead.
"Shhhh…. be still. I have you," Sesshomaru said as he held her tighter. It was then Kagome opened her eyes against the pain and looked into his relieved eyes. She had come to recognize that his eyes were very expressive if you paid attention. Where his face was not, you had to look deep into his soul to understand the man.
"Wha… what happened?" she asked. Her voiced was scratchy from the hours of chanting she had done last night and from the excessive amounts of healing energy and magic she used up.
"You fell unconscious after you healed Kikyo," He replied.
"Uh…" she grunted again. "I must have used up too much of my healing energy combined with my magic…" she grumbled groggily. "I'll be fine after I rest again in the stone in the morning."
It was then Kagome realized they were not alone and that they were not in his bedchambers. Turning her head she caught sight of Inuyasha and the woman she saved earlier that day. With a soft smile gracing her tired face she said," How are you faring Lady Kikyo? I hope you are well?"
"I am well thanks to you Lady Kagome. I asked Lord Sesshomaru to let me meet the woman who saved me in person so I could thank you properly. I am forever in your dept. Thank you for saving my life I don't know how I will ever be able to repay you," she said as both she and Inuyasha sat on the grass in front of her.
"Same goes for me. I would be lost without my wife. Thank you," Inuyasha said.
"You both can repay me by living long and happy lives with your daughter," she said with a light smile.
"You… you mean my baby… is alive? And, and it's a girl?" Kikyo said with tears in her eyes as she brought her hands to her stomach with a mixture of shock, relief, joy, and love flickering across her and Inuyasha's faces.
"Yes your baby girl is alive and well. She is quite stubborn actually. When I was in my trance my energy went into your body and I saw even in her early stage of life she was fighting strong against the enemy. It was having a hard time trying to put out her little light." She said with a big smile on her face as she watched Kikyo's tears stream down her face as she and Inuyasha laugh. He then held her from behind placing his hands over top of hers, bringing her to sit in his lap.
"Just like her mother," he joked.
"Hey now…" Kikyo said with a fake scowl on her face before kissing the side of his cheek.
They all laughed and relaxed in the grass next to the Nile as the atmosphere around them began to relax. It was there under the stars Kagome told Kikyo her secret. She told her tale of her enslavement to the stone, the dangers it brings. About her people, her abilities gained from her lineage of Atlantis and what would happen if separated from the box or Sesshomaru. She also had Kikyo promise under the witness of the gods that she would keep her secret safe. By the time they were finished the sun peeked over the river and Kagome said her farewell before returning to the stone. The band then made their way back to the chariot and returned to the palace.
Because of how weak Kagome was she was unable to detect the dark shadow observing them the entire evening and as it went to share of the secrets it learned to its shadow shape-shifting spirit weaseled its way around the shadows until it made it to its destination. Pulling out of its spiritual form it flew over to its master and began to take the form of a man. The man was wearing white cotton pants like the male servants in the palace. Right over his heart on his muscular chest was the tattoo of a black cobra with a staff and sword. He wore a blue turban on his head and had brown eyes. His face was an emotionless slate, an assassin of the shadows.
''What did you find out Kohaku?" asked Narakututmote.
He was in his bedroom with his back to him, arms crossed behind his back as he continued to look out his window. The Band of Seven were relaxing and lounging about his room waiting and listening for his report. They were dying for something to do. It was there where Kohaku shared everything. He told him about how the treasure was found, the maiden locked in the stone, her curse, her weakness, and the wish. He also told him about how she was the girl from the party and was the one who healed Kikyo. Then he told him about how they were unable to kill the baby girl and how they were onto them looking for a man with a snake tattoo on the heart. After he was finished talking Narakututmote began formalizing a plan with his men. Now that they knew there was no longer the issue of the baby being a boy the kingdom and everything in it including her would become… MINE.