Blanket Disclaimer: The writer does not own any characters created by Rumiko Takahashi but like everyone else wishes she did. All original characters or concepts are the author's Inuma Asahi De's (with the exception of historical figures).
Chapter Thirteen:
The Port of Spain
Walking through this port was like walking into a whole new world for Kagome. The women were dressed like tramps, the men were dressed like pirates and most of them were drunk even though it was only mid afternoon. There were people plainly smoking opium in the gutters, others smoking tobacco like chimney's and she swore she even saw one woman accepting money for men to touch her breast—half a silver coin for every feel, the woman was yelling.
The culture shock was enough to cause Kagome to step even closer to Sango, all of her earlier strength forgotten in that moment of absolute shock. She clung to the other woman's arm as she watched men with pistols hanging from their clothes walk by them, as men ran with swords in hand or with mugs of different alcohols. She glanced at the Captain and Miroku taking comfort in the fact that both men were also wearing many weapons. If anyone attacked them they would have a fighting chance.
Kagome frowned at herself internally, "So much for not being a little girl." She sighed and watched all the people around her warily. All of her earlier bravery had dissipated at the sight of so many thugs in one place. She wished she was really braver than she was, but apparently Kagome Dresmont was a weak little girl who needed to be protected in this strange new world. Kagome wanted to kick herself at that thought—she was strong—she knew she was strong, she knew she wasn't just some weak little girl, she had proven herself just moments ago on the ship and yet, Kagome glanced around her at the tremendous amount of thugs and overall wicked looking men—the sight made her cringe, she was scared.
They rounded a bend in the street and came upon a row of shops. There weren't as many people on this street, most of them were on the main street of the large port town. Kagome watched amazed as they walked towards one shop in particular. The sign was of a flower she didn't recognize.
"Miroku, you stay out here with Miss Dresmont and Sango." Inuyasha ordered as he walked towards the door.
Miroku nodded and went to stand next to the two women as Inuyasha disappeared inside the dimly lit shop. Kagome glanced around her and watched as several people passed them, some of them looked at her, others ignored them completely. Some of them appeared drunk and others appeared to be completely delusional as they wobbled and attempted to walk. Kagome pressed herself closer to Sango when one got to close to the two of them.
She reeled at the smell of his breath; it was like rotting flesh and rotting vegetables mixed into one horrible combination. Feeling nauseous she thought she might pass out until Miroku pushed the man away from them, yelling at the man in Spanish to stay away. It was one of the few phrases he could say with complete confidence.
Kagome hid her face in Sango's sleeve, her mind growing dizzy with the things she was seeing. "It's okay Kagome," Sango said in a comforting voice as she wrapped an arm around the slight girl's shoulders. "They won't bother us as long as we're with Miroku."
"What's stopping them?" Kagome asked as she glanced up at the other woman unconvinced.
"Reputation." Miroku replied as he leaned against the wall of the building.
"You mean your reputation as a pirate?" Kagome pulled away from Sango slightly so she could look at the man who was responsible for her protection at the moment.
"Exactly," Miroku looked at her pleased. "The Captain is a feared man by the crown and by other pirates. No one here would dare mess with him or with me his first mate, for fear of death."
Kagome gulped and looked to the ground. "Is he—would the Captain kill people for crossing him?" She asked in a very tiny voice, as if she was afraid to voice her question.
"He might," Miroku told her honestly as he looked at the girl feeling a slight sense of pity. "But I've known him for ten years and he has never killed someone who didn't deserve it."
"And what classifies 'deserve,'" Kagome asked as she looked at Miroku feeling a little more confident some of her earlier strength returning now that the culture shock was wearing off. "How can we say a man deserves death and another does not, who has that right?"
Sango and Miroku glanced at each other, both of them unsure of how to answer her question. She was right after all, who had the right to punish a man, who had the right to determine whether a man lived or died? Miroku took a deep breath and stepped towards Kagome, he touched her arm gently, causing her to shift nervously. He brought his hand away and scratched the back of his head, not wanting her to feel uncomfortable with him.
"I don't think anyone can say they truly have that right, Miss Dresmont." He uttered gently. "But people tend to give that right to themselves anyway. They do it in the name of justice and thus create governments and Kings and Queens, all in the name of right and wrong, all so they can have the gift of declaring one man life and another death."
Kagome looked at him, silently taking in this strange new philosophy.
"As pirates this happens to us a lot. We are declared a troublesome lot but," Miroku cleared his throat loudly. "Did you know we were created by the crown?"
"Created by the crown?" Kagome repeated like a fish out of water.
"Yes, I've been told by many old salts that long ago pirates were created by the crown to help control the waters without having to pay someone to do it. In other words," He said with a slight sneer to his voice. "Pirates, privateers as they were called back then, were a type of mercenary navy, until the monarchies decided they wanted to control them. Pirates fought back and broke free of national control, and in anger the monarchies declared them enemies. Thus, pirates couldn't return to land without fear of death because the crowns believed it was in their right to declare us fit to die."
Miroku finished and looked at Kagome, trying to gauge her reaction to this information. The girl stared at the ground, her eyes focused intently as she took in this new information. "So, piracy was created by the kingdom, it was a free service for the crown?"
"Yes, for many crowns, England, Spain, Italy, Greece, they all created pirates for their own gain and when it didn't work the way they wanted—they decided to declare us enemies of their kingdoms."
Kagome wasn't sure how to take in this information, should she believe it coming from a person who had lied to her so much? She glanced at Miroku her eyes focusing on him, looking for any signs of dishonesty, from her place she could see none. In fact his eyes looked pained from the information, as if he too couldn't believe it was true.
Kagome looked away from Miroku and wondered why the crown would do such a thing to men that used to serve them, it was unfair, it was wrong—that is if it was true. Before she could think on it anymore Captain Inuyasha emerged from the shop, a giant smile on his face as he looked at Miroku.
"Guess how much we're gonna get for the poppies?" He said, his eyes happy like a child at Christmas as he came over to Miroku. "Guess."
"A silver piece a pound." Sango voted from her spot much to Kagome's surprise.
"No way," Miroku mumbled and brought a hand to his face in thought. "Half a silver piece a pound." He countered.
"That's low." Sango countered back and looked at the Captain expectantly.
The Captain was looking at them joyously. "Neither of you are close." He said back happily as his eyes grew even more childlike.
"What are we betting on?" Kagome asked confused from her spot next to Sango. She was once again clutching the other woman's sleeves. She wasn't sure why but a part of her was scared to see Inuyasha, even if her earlier display had been strong and confident, she was now feeling the byproduct of it—she felt severely self conscious just looking at him. "God Kagome get it together!" She told herself before letting go of Sango's arm and stepping away, proudly, if not a little nervous.
"The price for the poppy seeds we have." Sango replied as she continued to think of the possible price Inuyasha could have gotten.
"What's so important about poppy seeds?" Kagome wondered out loud as she looked from Miroku to Sango.
Inuyasha glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and replied for both his friends. "They're used to make opium." He said bluntly.
Kagome looked at him in utter disbelief. "You're selling seeds for opium?"
He nodded and leaned against the wall of the store. "We found them on a navy vessel going to England, took 'em and now we're selling 'em. We can make a lot of money."
"Wait." Kagome narrowed her eyebrows crossing her arms over her chest in defiance. "They were on a navy vessel?"
"Yep." Miroku said and looked at Kagome his eyes sad with the truth. "The navy isn't as good as they would want you to think."
Kagome frowned at this information and looked down sad at the ground. She wasn't sure what to think about this, she had always been told to trust in the crown, to trust in its navy, to trust in its army, these things were designed to protect her and yet—were they even bigger liars than the pirates around her? She glanced at these people, they had disguised themselves as the navy to repair their ship in a port, they had paid for all their goods, they had done nothing to the people of Port Royal except destroy the Gallows' as Sango had told her, and she agreed with their destruction. Collectively these people had not really done anything all that bad and yet they were the ones who were condemned. Yes, they shouldn't steal or pillage but if they had no other means to survive then what were they supposed to do?
Kagome remembered reading a quote from the great Queen Victoria once, "Who makes the orphan on the street, who causes him to steal bread? It is the man who does not house him, the man who does not feed him, our monarchy was that man and we have not done our job, so we have no right to punish him."
Kagome shook her head completely confused, feeling like her whole world was turned upside down around her.
"So how much did we get?" Miroku asked turning away from her, leaving her with her thoughts.
"Four gold pieces on the pound!" Inuyasha declared and Kagome found herself caught up in a celebration dance with the others.
From her spot next to Sango she was thrown into a hug between Sango and Miroku that ended quickly. Gasping she watched as Miroku ran to the Captain and threw his arms around him with a loud laugh.
"Is that good?" Kagome questioned Sango as the other woman laughed at the two men who were currently bear hugging each other.
Sango turned to her with eyes full of happiness. "It's great. We have like twenty pounds of that stuff on the ship, twenty pounds Kagome!" The woman hugged her tightly. "We're going to make almost eighty gold pieces!" Sango then turned to Miroku, her eyes wide with excitement.
The man looked back at her, his smile splitting his face. "I can buy you a ring." He said with a deep breath and a toothy grin.
Sango darted to the man abandoning Kagome as she threw herself into Miroku's arms. The man laughed and hugged her tightly. "I'm gon'a have a ring!" She screamed as she kissed Miroku. "It better be gold."
"The best gold." Miroku said with conviction.
"And a ruby." Sango listed, "And two diamonds, not small ones, big ones."
"Only the biggest for you." Miroku replied back and the two kissed again.
Off to the side Inuyasha smiled happily at the two. Miroku had been saving to give Sango a ring for the past two years. Even though they were only married under the authority of Inuyasha (or at least they were kind of married under the attorney of Captain's law) Miroku had never really been able to give her a human wedding ring as the true symbol that they were wed. Now, with his share of the poppy seed exchange, he would be able to afford the best ring for her.
Kagome watched the excitement between the two, she had never seen a couple so excited about getting a wedding ring. She looked down at her bare finger, her engagement ring had never been fitted for her, so she had never even worn a ring—oddly—watching the two of them, she felt disappointed. She wanted to have a ring but even more than that, she wanted to have a ring that caused her that same amount of excitement, a ring that made her just as happy as Sango and Miroku.
She glanced at the Captain's happy face—her face flushed.
"Okay you two," Inuyasha called and laughed as the two kissed deeply again. "We still have more things to sell. The tobacco should fetch a good price too."
"Forget the ruby, I want an emerald." Sango said without preamble. "If we're gonna get more money you can afford an emerald."
Miroku laughed and this time kissed her cheek. It was the sweetest thing Kagome had ever seen. "I will get you whatever you want." He said. "I'll even get you a matching necklace."
"Thank you!" Sango squealed as she hugged him tightly around the neck.
Miroku laughed and then pulled away, pointing a finger towards the Captain. "Thank the Captain's negotiation skills for that."
Sango looked at Miroku starry eyed and then back at the Captain. "Thank you." She said to the Captain and rushed him as well, much to Kagome's surprise.
The woman hugged the Captain tightly, holding him so tight that Inuyasha actually looked uncomfortable as he returned the affection. "Sango." He said. "This looks really weird, an over emotional man hugging another man." He touched her clothes to highlight his point.
"You were okay when I was kissing Miroku and that's a lot worse than an overly emotional man hugging another man." She joked and backed away wiping some tears from her cheeks. "I'm just so happy, your negotiations got us the money and I—I'm just so thankful you're my Captain."
Inuyasha nodded and smiled at the girl. "I'm thankful that pup found a girl like you."
"Hey!" Miroku marched over to the two of them and shook his fist. "I am not a pup."
Inuyasha let out a small bark of laughter and grabbed Miroku hugging him to his side. "Pup, my pup."
Miroku turned bright red and pushed himself away. "Stop, you're embarrassing me."
Inuyasha laughed harder and pulled Miroku tighter. "You make an old man proud."
"Let go!"
From the side Kagome watched transfixed, confused, and bewildered by the exchange between the two men. They seemed so close, like a family. She looked at the Captain as he called Miroku pup over and over again. Kagome remembered from her studies of demon culture with her father that all demons connected to their animal side very closely and that sometimes that came out in the way they addressed people. For instance, they called women bitches in dog demon society because that was the term for a female dog. Or they called their children pups, where in fox demons they called them kits, and in cat demons they called them kittens.
This thought was rather odd to Kagome, if the Captain was referring to Miroku as a pup it had to mean that the Captain saw Miroku as his child in some way or another. She glanced at Sango who was currently kissing Inuyasha's cheek—a pang of jealousy came into her heart for a second but went away when Sango pulled back and very plainly called Inuyasha Papa.
Inuyasha laughed and swatted the girl away from him playfully, a light blush on his face. "Don't call me that." He laughed harder. "I'm nobody's Papa, and I never will be."
Sango smiled at the comment and hugged Inuyasha's arm. "Okay, big brother then."
Miroku smiled as well and Kagome watched the sight with perplexed yet longing grey eyes. She had never seen a family this happy to be near each other. The family she had grown up in hated each other compared to this. They had been cold and concerned with matters of manners, propriety, and etiquette. They had never simply hugged one another or kissed one another and been happy with one another.
Kagome looked down at her feet—would it be so bad to be a part of this life? She glanced at the Captain, her mind wondering back to the never ending question—what kind of man was he? The way he smiled now, the way he laughed, the way Miroku and Sango connected with him. Could it be, that he was a good man as Sango had said, could it be that he was a nice man, could it be he had simply done what needed to be done to protect her? Kagome was beginning to think more and more that that was the case.
She closed her eyes as she felt tears weigh on her lashes—she had never been so uncertain of anything in her life, she had never been so completely lost and unsure and perplexed. Willing the tears away she looked back at the group just in time to see Sango coming towards her.
"We're heading to our next stop," Sango informed her but stopped at the sight of the tears on her eyelashes. "Are you okay?"
Kagome forced a smile and nodded, "Yes I guess I just got a little caught up in a moment."
Sango gave her a strange look but took her arm anyway as they headed in the direction of the Captain and Miroku. "We have to sell some other things and then we'll get to the ship to distribute it. Tomorrow we'll get our shares, I'll have a ring and you'll have a bed."
Kagome nodded and tried to smile but she found her smile hidden inside a wave of confusion.
-break-
The next morning came and after another night's sleep in Sango and Miroku's cabin, Kagome found herself walking once again beside Sango into the heart of the Port of Spain. It was a fascinating place when she forced herself to focus on the wide array of different types of people, instead of the large amount of illegal activity occurring all around her and the unnerving amount of men who could easily rape or kill her.
The very thought forced Kagome to take a deep and calming breath, she couldn't freak out, not here. She glanced at the men around her and noticed the different weapons they had on hand. Most of them were loaded down with pistols; some of them even had large knife handles visible from the tops of their boots. She glanced up ahead at the Captain and Miroku unconsciously checking to see if they were as well armed as yesterday. She sighed when she noticed they seemed even better armed today, "Thank god."
Feeling slightly safer she looked at the way both of them were talking quietly to each other, completely unfazed by the dangerous men they were surrounded by. Kagome could only guess that was because they too were exceptionally dangerous men.
Looking out of the corner of her eye she noticed Sango appeared to be the same. Sango seemed unconcerned of the danger, uncaring of the men around them but then again—Kagome glanced at her clothes—Sango looked like a man. She touched her own very short hair and looked down at her own very male clothes only to sigh—she looked like a man too. That must be the reason they had not been bothered yet. None of these men knew they were women, even yesterday the men of the Port hadn't been able to tell.
It brought a bit of relief to her heart. She wouldn't be bothered as long as she looked like a man. Sighing she felt a little braver and moved away from Sango slightly, allowing the woman room enough to walk unhindered. "It's the same as yesterday, exactly the same." She told herself as she walked on her own, hoping she looked like a man when she walked. Sango glanced at her and smiled as they continued to follow the Captain and Miroku.
"See it's not so bad." Sango said to her in a low voice. "No one knows we're women. Even the demons can't tell."
"I hadn't even thought about demons!" Kagome opened her eyes wide with a slight panic. Demons were different than human men, demons could see through such things as short hair and a man's jacket. "Won't they smell us?"
Sango snorted. "Even the ones who can aren't gonna take the time." She motioned towards a few questionable women on a street corner. "When they've got that to look at."
Kagome nodded and looked around them at the port, noting the few women. They were dressed in cheap trashy outfits, red the predominant color, wearing no shawls and gowns that had the tops cut out of the chest allowing their breast to swell above the garment. "Those women," She whispered to Sango pointing out a few standing nearby. "They're prostitutes?"
Sango nodded grimly as she glanced at the girls, if it hadn't been for the Captain and Miroku there was a good chance she would have ended up like one of them, selling her body as damaged goods.
Kagome looked at the women and felt a horrible thought come into her head. Was she like those women now? Was she no better than the common whores? She glanced at the Captain and gulped as she brought her hand to her neck, feeling the mark through the cloth on her shoulder. She was a claimed woman, she was the Captain's bitch against her will. She bit her lip and looked down at the ground, wishing her hair was long enough to cover her face. "Sango," She said in a soft voice still looking downwards. "Are we—," She felt her body tense. "Are we like them?"
"No," Sango said quickly and firmly. "They're nothing like us and we're nothing like them." She turned to Kagome her eyes intense. "They're fallen women who have sex for money, we're," She pointed between herself and Kagome. "Women allowed to live freely on a pirate's ship."
Kagome felt some of her innocence leave her in that moment as she looked at the women of the docks. She watched as they purposefully wrapped their arms under their breast to make them look bigger, she watched as they pulled their skirts up showing off their legs, she watched the men feel them up, she watched the girls laugh with no mirth, she watched as they moved their hands up and down men's bodies, but most of all she watched their faces. Their eyes were all hollow, lifeless, devoid of happiness but filled to the brim with contempt, they were the eyes of people who wished themselves dead.
"I feel sorry for those girls." Sango said unaware of Kagome's thoughts. "I could never do what they do."
"But—," Kagome stopped herself from completing her thought out loud.
"But what?" Sango looked at her expectantly, as if daring her to say what she had intended.
Kagome looked at the ground and took a deep breath. "Aren't we no better? We serve men." She pointed towards the Captain and Miroku. "And we have no choice."
Sango stopped walking and grabbed hold of Kagome's arm bringing her to a halt. Kagome looked at Sango surprised as the other woman stared her dead in the eye. "I have always had a choice. You have a choice. I am with Miroku because I love him and he loves me, and that is the only reason." She said forcefully. "Miroku never forced me or paid me, and the Captain," She took a deep breath. "He would never force you into his bed. Isn't that why we're at the market today?"
Kagome didn't say a word, only looked at the ground contemplating Sango's words.
Sango nodded and smiled as she saw that look coming across Kagome's face—the look of understanding, "We're not those women Kagome." She pointed towards the prostitutes. "We have control over our men. We're not some play thing. And the Captain and Miroku, they know that, they respect us even if it doesn't seem that way."
Kagome couldn't help the strange laugh that bubbled in her throat, a sarcastic laugh. "Respect? I don't know about Miroku but the Captain doesn't respect me at all."
"Really, is that so?" Sango looked at her, her eyes firm, almost stern as they gazed at Kagome.
Kagome shifted uncomfortably, Sango had never looked at her like this, she had never stared at her as if she was looking straight into Kagome's soul. Kagome turned away unable to look Sango in the eyes.
"That's what I thought." Sango said causing Kagome's head to snap up and look at her. "You know it's true Kagome, the Captain would never force you to do something against your will and you know it."
Kagome looked at Sango with enlightened eyes as the memory of her first day on the pirate ship came back to her full force. The bite on her shoulder, the lust in the Captain's eyes, and the words he had spoken:
"I will never make you do something against your will." He declared softly. "I'm a better man than that."
Thinking about it, even now they were in the market because the Captain was making a direct effort to separate them while sleeping. He was going to give her, her own bed so she wouldn't have to worry about inappropriate actions but still live in the protection of the Captain's quarters. Sango had explained to her that the claim would be ignored if she slept alone on the ship and out of the range of her claimer.
Still, this brought up questions for Kagome. He had claimed her with his mark so why not just take her? It was apparently in his right according to demon culture—even human culture as far as the pirate ship was concerned. So why? Why wasn't she being treated like those other women, what was so different between her and them?
Kagome glanced at the prostitutes and noticed one of the girls was staring in their direction, her eyes were hollow and lifeless when they met Kagome's vibrant ones. They looked at each other for a long time, the man holding onto her was kissing her neck, sucking on it, an intimate gesture that the girl didn't even appear to notice. Kagome bit her lip hard as the girls eyes penetrated deep within her soul—would she end up like that girl? Would the Captain eventually just take her against her will as he had briefly suggested?
Kagome ripped her eyes away from the girls and searched for the Captain needing to see his face, needing her questions to be answered, only to panic when she realized he was nowhere in sight. "Sango where's the Captain?"
The older girl looked at her startled and turned to where Miroku and the Captain had been a few minutes ago, only to see a very drunk man coming towards them from their old place. Kagome backed into Sango, the two women standing together, hoping to create a united front so the man would leave them alone. They had no such luck.
He smiled at them, most of his teeth missing or blackened as held a bottle of whiskey in his hands. "Not a weapon on ya, huh?" He licked his broken lips. "Wanna fight?" He laughed at his own words and reached for Kagome automatically.
Kagome screeched as the man grabbed her away from Sango forcefully, dragging her to his side. She looked into his face shocked when he grinned at her, the scent of alcohol heavy on his breath. His eyebrows knitted as he took her in.
"Such a pretty face." He said as he licked his lips. "I'd fuck ya, man or no."
Kagome's whole face grew pale as the man took his hand and ran it through her hair, trailing it down her neck. In the process his arm brushed her chest and his eyes widened in delight. She felt her whole body convulse with fear as his hand came up and touched her left breast, kneading it slightly in his grimy hands.
"You're no man." He said delighted as his hand squeezed her painfully causing Kagome to cry out.
"Let her go!" Sango yelled out, coming out of her own state of shock. She started towards the man but was stopped by a hand that came from seemingly out of nowhere.
"You suppose this one's a woman too?" The phantom hand's voice spoke as another man came into view. "Not very honest disguising your pretty bodies." He grinned as he reached for Sango's face.
"Let me go you bastard!" She yelled as she struggled panic sinking in, not for herself but for the defenseless Kagome. She knew she would be fine, she could kick this guy's ass easily but Kagome—she was defenseless.
She glanced around hurriedly, where were the Captain and Miroku? They were nowhere to be seen, having walked off unwittingly when they had stopped to talk about the prostitutes.
"We're alone." Her inner voice realized in complete and utter fear as she watched Kagome, she would have to act fast—very fast.
"Why'd ya cut your hair so short?" The man asked as he brushed his hand over Kagome's cheek softly. "I bet you were a pretty lit'le thing before."
Kagome reeled attempting to push away from his filthy hands, tears pricking the lids of her eyes as she shuddered, her entire body wanting to vomit. She heard Sango's voice in the background and desperately wanted to break free and run to the other girl. Sango was stronger than her, Sango was capable, Sango would probably even be able to get free. "I'm just some little girl, a weak girl! Why can't I be strong?"
Sango gritted her teeth as she watched Kagome start to cry, it was the edge she needed to get her adrenaline going. With a deep breath she elbowed the man holding her in the stomach before turning, grabbing his head, and smashing it into her knee—breaking his nose. Free, she turned back to Kagome, prepared to rush to the girls rescue but before she could get any closer to the man and Kagome, the Captain materialized in front of her.
Kagome felt the man's disgusting hands leave her body and heard the obvious sound of flesh connecting with flesh. Opening her eyes she watched in surprise as the Captain threw the man against a nearby wall, one hand around his neck pressing down on the man's wind pipe.
"Mother fucker." The Captain said under his breath as he pushed down hard the gemstone he always wore around his neck gleaming surreality in the mid afternoon light as it swung from his opened jacket. The man struggled gasping and gurgling as he tried in vain to push the hand on his neck away. "How dare you," The Captain spat into the struggling man's face before he pulled his fist back and punched the man square in the nose. "Touch what's mine," He pulled his hand back again some blood splattering from his knuckles onto his shirt and the white gem causing it to become glazed with red. "You drunk bastard!" He sent his fist flying forward again.
Kagome looked at him in shock. She belonged to him, the Captain acknowledged it, so didn't that mean she was his to do with as he pleased? She unconsciously thought of the woman she had seen at the docks, no matter what Sango said in reassurance she still felt a connection with that girl. They were the same; both had to obey a man for fear of what he could do to them, for fear of a life without stability.
Her thoughts disintegrated when she saw the Captain hit the man so hard in the face that a bone broke through the flesh. She instantly turned away covering her eyes but she couldn't cover her ears as she heard the obvious noise of more bones breaking and the obvious noise of blood spraying. A loud thud made her turn back surprised and she watched in astonishment as the injured man laid on the ground his face bloodied and one of his eyes closed over from instant swelling. She glanced up at the Captain and gasped as she noticed the change in his eyes, they were tinted with an almost sinister red.
"Captain." She whispered afraid, backing up as the Captain approached the man lying on the ground. Feeling even more nauseous she turned away from the sight as the sound of the Captain kicking the man reached her ears. "Please," She said without thinking. "Please stop." She covered her ears. "Stop!"
Inuyasha froze as the sound of Kagome's voice caused the fog in his mind to leave. He blinked several times before he saw the man in front of him, he had lost it, Inuyasha realized, he hadn't lost it like this in years—not since he was young, very young. He brought a hand up to his bangs and buried his fingers in his hair momentarily. "What happened?" He moved towards the man only to stop at the sound of Kagome's voice.
"Stop—."
"Miss Dresmont?" He questioned turning to look at her, she had fallen to her knees, her ears covered and her eyes squeezed shut. "Miss Dresmont." He called again as he felt his heart drop into his stomach, anger filling him at the sight of her shell shocked form. The woman from yesterday, the woman that had challenged him unafraid was in front of him broken and scared and he had caused that fear. "Fuck."
Kagome opened her eyes and looked up at him when she heard his voice. "Please stop." She said again, her eyes pleading with him. "It's not worth it, so please," Tears dripped down her face. "No more."
Slowly realization overcame Inuyasha as he remembered what had happened. He remembered the feeling of danger hitting his heart, he remembered turning to look for Miss Dresmont, he remembered panicking when he saw she was gone, he remembered seeing the man touching her, and then everything went blank. Inuyasha gulped, his demon side had taken over in his anger wanting to protect and defend its mate. Inuyasha closed his eyes tightly, his fist clutching at his sides. "Stupid," He told himself. "Stupid!"
"Are you alright?" He asked before opening his eyes to look at her regretful.
"Yes." She said in a small voice and watched amazed as the Captain's lips turned up slightly at the corners but his eyes remained sad. For a moment she thought he looked apologetic but as soon as she thought it she shook her head. "A man like him can't—," She stopped the thought an uncertainty weighing in her heart as she looked up at him once more her eyes catching the gemstone that hung around his neck, the other man's blood was dripping off it onto the Captain's shirt. She felt herself become mesmerized by the blood and by the gem itself, there seemed to be something strange about that gem, the way the Captain touched that gem as it was a moral guide. She hadn't meant to notice but somehow she had, "He always touches it when he's nervous or unsure." She blinked when he raised his hand to touch the gem just then as her thoughts trailed off, his fingers removing the blood unconsciously as he ran them over it in a well known pattern. Glancing upwards she took in his face watching the darkness of his gold eyes as they stared down at the ground looking truly remorseful. "Thank you." She heard the words leave her mouth but wasn't sure if she had in fact said them.
The Captain's eyes widened in surprise at her words. "I," He started to say but was stopped by Sango rushing past him to Kagome. The older woman wrapped her arms around Kagome clutching the younger girl to her tightly.
"Oh, Kagome, I'm sorry—I was distracted and I—I completely didn't see that drunk coming." The woman soothed her hair down attempting to bring her some comfort. "Are you okay?"
Kagome nodded but her eyes were still focused on the Captain whose hand had now dropped from the jewel leaving only small streaks of blood on its surface. For a second they looked at each other and then he turned to walk away. With Sango's arms tight around her Kagome found herself focused on that look of guilt and regret that had quickly turned to shock when she had thanked him. He had seemed so surprised that she had done so and she couldn't blame him. "Why did I do that?" She wondered as Sango continued to cry into her ear words of apology she barely heard. "Why did I thank him for such violence?" She didn't know, but that part of him did scare her. It was violent, its eyes were chilling. Was this the part of him that was the evil and sadistic pirate? The part of him that she should fear, the part of him that could possess her, the part of him that claimed her, the part of him that could and would rape and kill her—sexually use her as the women of the docks were used?
Or was this something else entirely? She watched him walk away for a few more seconds before she noticed Miroku coming into her view. He stopped and glanced at the Captain who pointed behind him absently. Miroku's eyes lit on the two women and she saw the panic in his face.
"Are you alright?" Miroku said as he ran over to them out of breath. "We turned around and you were gone. Next thing I know so is the Captain." He reached forward and touched Sango's bangs, the rest of her hair hidden from his fingers. "Thank god the Captain reacted so fast."
Sango nodded as she helped Kagome to stand. "It was my fault, I wasn't paying attention and I got blindsided."
Miroku smiled, clearly relieved. "I'm surprised they weren't beaten senseless by you." He looked at the two men who were unconscious in the street.
"Oh I got one." Sango bragged pointing at the lesser hurt one before wincing at the one with the pulverized face. "But the Captain really messed him up bad."
"Let's get going!" The Captain called from some feet away interrupting Sango and Miroku—it almost seemed intentional. Kagome glanced at his face and saw a look of irritation or at the least irritation covering alarm.
"We're coming." Miroku yelled back to him as he motioned the two women forward.
They started to walk again as Kagome glanced back at the two men on the ground, the one Sango had incapacitated and then at the one the Captain had punched relentlessly, both of them were sporting twin broken noses, although the one that the Captain had attacked looked far worse. She wasn't sure how to feel about the man the Captain had beaten. In a way she felt bad that she had caused such a reaction and that the man had been hurt because of her. In another way though, she was glad, glad the Captain had come and saved her—still—
She stopped walking, all three of her companions stopping to look at her as she turned and watched the two men. People were walking around them, ignoring their presence in the street as if they were naturally a part of it, like a bench or a lamp post. Neither man was moving, possibly from their wounds or their intoxication. Either way, Kagome felt her heart twitch with an overwhelming sense of guilt at the sight of them on the ground.
"I'm sorry you were hurt so badly." Kagome said softly as Miroku, Sango, and Inuyasha watched her with questioning eyes. "I never wanted anyone to get hurt over me." She whispered with her head bowed slightly.
The Captain watched her with curious eyes. Why was she apologizing to these bastards? They had every intention of hurting her, raping her, and leaving her on the side of the road for dead and she was telling them she was sorry? She felt bad for them being hurt? It was their fault they were hurt, not hers. Was she really that innocent? Was this woman really that sweet and gentle? For a moment his mind flashed to the girl he had seen yesterday—to the girl who had pressed against him. He shook his head hard, maybe she wasn't such a little girl after all.
"I hope this changes your ways." Kagome turned back towards her companions and looked at the Captain surprised to see the look in his eyes. He was looking at her with a mixture of confusion and something she couldn't very well place. It was an expression she had never seen a person make before. She blinked a few times as she felt her cheeks heat up from his intense stare. Looking down at her feet she felt a different type of twitch in her chest. The Captain had saved her, he had jumped in and saved her, even if she didn't agree with him punching the life out of her attacker it still meant something to her: the Captain had run to her aid without thought, which had to mean something, it had to. Maybe this side of the Captain was not something she should fear after all it had protected her.
She looked up at him and they made eye contact. Her heart raced, it pounded in her chest, thumping against her ribs. Maybe, the violence the Captain had shown was induced by his need to protect her someone who was important to him.
Kagome closed her eyes confused. Why had the Captain reacted so violently? It must be because he fiercely wanted to protect her. And if that was the case, then, why did he want to protect her? Was it because he was protecting his property or was it because he wanted to protect her,someone he cared for. Kagome gulped—did it really matter? Either way he had saved her and she was eternally grateful.
Looking up at the Captain she heard her own voice before she could contain it. "Thank you again for stopping them."
Inuyasha watched her as she spoke softly and nodded a flush on his cheek bones. This time no one interrupted him. "I—I um." He turned away, his face hot with his blush. "It's my job." He opted to say. "I will protect what's mine." With those words he started to walk away from her, his face turned away from her sight.
Kagome felt her heart prick in her chest. What did that mean? Did that mean she was nothing but his property, like the women of the street or was there more to it? The sight of his flush came back to her mind. Maybe that meant he saw her as something worth protecting because he liked her?
Kagome shook her head, his words and his body language were saying two very different things. With a deep breath she started to walk with Sango holding her arm. She wouldn't get her hopes up. This man was violent, a pirate, a liar, and a fraud—she couldn't trust him—not with something as delicate as her heart.
In front of them, Inuyasha was reeling at the fact he had let someone that close to her. It unnerved him and made him angry. Silently he cursed himself and made himself go on full alert, he would not let anyone hurt the girl—she was his and no one else's.
Looking at the ground Inuyasha pondered his own thoughts, he knew it was in his nature to be possessive, it was in his demon heritage, it was in his demon blood and yet—he glanced back briefly at the girl behind him, taking in her shaken appearance. A part of him wanted to hold her instead of Sango, a part of him wanted to be the one comforting her, all of him wanted her to really be his.
Inuyasha growled in frustration, blaming the mark on her neck for making him feel this way. "That's the cheap way out." He mumbled to himself knowing the others could not hear him. He knew that it was not just the mark. The feelings he had at Port Royal seeped into his heart and he knew he liked her but, she didn't like him. She didn't like pirates, she had pretty much said so herself. With a heavy sigh Inuyasha turned down a road and paused to wait for the others to catch up. Once they were all together he took a deep breath before speaking with Miroku. "Take the girls and get Sango's ring, I'm gonna go pick up the stuff for my cabin."
Kagome's head darted up at the words. "I thought I was going to pick it out, it's my stuff after all."
Inuyasha gave her a strange look. "First off it's my money so I get all say." He pointed a finger at her. "And second off it's either you go with them or you come with me," He raised an eyebrow. "Alone."
Alone? Kagome pondered the thought and looked at him, would it be so bad to go alone with him? She looked at Sango and Miroku and knew the two would probably like to pick out something so intimate alone without an audience member tagging along but—she didn't want to part from Sango.
The older woman made her feel safe and didn't mind if she clung to her. The Captain certainly would. And on top of all of that, even if she didn't want to admit it, a part of her, a tiny part wanted to be alone with him, she wanted to know the answers to her questions. Kagome looked at the Captain in front of her, staring at him—who was he? Was he the man who had saved her or the man who had viciously attacked another person in her name? Was he violent or was he violent for a good reason? Or was it all an act. "I'm never going to know if I don't at least try to get to know him." She bit her lip. "I'm going to be with them all for a long time, so what do I have to lose in trying to know him?"
Making a quick decision, she detached herself from Sango and bravely walked towards the Captain. "I'll go with you." She declared, hoping her voice didn't sound as shaky as it should.
"Alright." He said surprised and looked back at the other two. "We'll see you in an hour. Meet at the docks?"
"See you then." Miroku replied before taking Sango's hand and walking towards a jeweler he knew about from past trading.
He glanced behind him to see Kagome and the Captain walking the opposite direction, Kagome looking distinctly small and timid as she stayed as close to the Captain as she could stand; her body only a foot away from the much taller man. He sighed; it was like watching a mouse with a lion.
"Do you think that's a good idea?" Sango asked from beside him as she too looked at the couple walking away.
"Nope." He replied evenly. "But at least we get to be alone."
Sango quirked an eyebrow and frowned. "But at what cost?"
Miroku frowned and shrugged his shoulders. "You know she's safe with him, he'll protect her."
Sango nodded and took in a deep calming breath. "Will he protect her from himself?"
"We can trust him," Miroku said with complete conviction. "He likes her too much to ever hurt her."
"It's not physical hurt I'm worried about." Sango whispered in return her hand going to her heart.
He looked at Sango, studying her as she watched Kagome disappear around a corner. "I understand." Miroku said as he took her arm, turning her around before he began to walk in the opposite direction, holding her as if she were dressed as a woman.
They grew quiet then, both lost in their own thoughts—not noticing the odd looks from the people around them.
"What do you think will happen?" Sango asked softly after a few minutes as she leaned her head on Miroku's shoulder, one of her arms around his waist as one of his own arms draped around her shoulders. "I mean—those two back at Port Royal, they seemed—."
"Close?"
"Intimate." Sango amended.
Miroku snorted. "The Captain likes her, I know, I can read him like a book."
Sango gasped fraying surprise. "You can read?"
Miroku gave her a dry look and hissed as he continued to walk, his eyes focused ahead of himself. "Why do I love you again?" He muttered and she laughed before turning his head to kiss his lips fondly.
"Sodomite!" A man yelled from across the street.
Miroku pulled back from the kiss flipping the man off. "I bet you like it in the ass too!"
Sango's face turned bright read at the comment and she punched Miroku in the chest. "Miroku." She chastised but he kept going.
"Bet you couldn't even get a man to fuck ya, let alone a woman!"
"Come over here and say that, you fucking Molly!" The man screamed back.
"Come over here and listen." Miroku yelled back as well, his face flushed with giddy excitement at the prospect of antagonizing someone. After all, the Captain had been the only one to get his anger out on the two men who had tried to hurt Sango and Kagome. He needed to let off his own steam and this was the perfect release—next to sex and he couldn't wait for that.
Behind him Sango watched dryly, wondering how long the fight would take. Knowing Miroku it would be over in only a few minutes, still—
"I better get my ring, damn it." She muttered and took a seat on a nearby barrel to watch the ensuing fun.
End of Chapter
Please Review
Edited for Content 7/30/2012
Special Bonus Point for pApAw for pointing out something I've been hinting at. This isn't your average pirate's fic. Congrats!
Bonus Point:
Name the episode where Inuyasha loses control of his demon blood and kills a group of bandits headed by a demon. It is an episode that I believe shows not only the deep connection between Inuyasha and Kagome but also Sango, Miroku, and Inuyasha.
Last Chapter's Bonus Point:
You guessed it, Hachi is Miroku's demon friend! Congrats to those who got it.
The Anime Chosen One, ruby the hedgehog, Flip-0v3r, Regina lunaris, KagomeLoverOfInuyasha, Loveinuyasha66, TheRealInuyasha, 3lue 3utterfly, AnimeRomanceFreak1990, Warm-Amber92, angel
Notes:
Queen Victoria – I have altered the birth date of Queen Victoria in this fanfiction by one hundred years. In all actuality Victoria was not born until May 24, 1819 but in order for her to sit on the throne for my fanfiction I have made her and the royal family all demon's, and changed her birth date to May 24 1719, she is the current Queen of England.
*I also did this with Calico Jack and Charles Vane, although I changed their death dates, 1720 and 1721, so they could have been alive long enough to have known Miroku who wasn't born until 1764.
Poppy seeds are used to make opium, if you want to know how Google it, it's all over the place. (Not that I'm promoting you to make it—just a suggestion in case you're curious like I was).
Next Chapter:
The Cabin Boy Shippo
See you then!
UNEDITED
3/13/2011