AN: I wrote part of this chapter in end rhymes. This is just me trying my hand at poetry. I wanted to give the princess's P.O.V a dramatic feel.
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The woman frowned; a dark glow smothered her hazel orbs halfway down the stairs. She stopped from the pain that clenched her heart in a vice, and pressed her hand over her bosom to smother the ache. A gasp of dread emitted from her being as she was unwittingly reminded of where she was, and that here, she would never belong.
A lonely tear rolled from her eye and fell onto her hand in that moment, as it became clearer that her heart of hope had blossomed and bloomed, but had faded to black like a wilted rose.
There was no denying the pain; it was as tangible as a spear throughout her soul. The journey by ship to her new abode was destined with the unknown, but an innocent heart and a wanting soul quickly grew dark as love withhold.
Day and night she carried a man who wasn't quite one into her heart and very soul, to love him was to lose, but she couldn't break free, of life's uncompromising noose.
She burned with fever with just one touch, and to spark the fire one memory was enough. A void he created in her soul as dark as the blackest night, which only he could fill as love grew impure, nurtured with the conflicting emotions of an obsessive tow.
Shame and resentment left meandering, where love should reside pain also grew, fleeting like the tides that ebbed and flowed, as she was caught up into love's deadly triangle. The lines blurred as there was no clear path for her to go, and so to foster rights that had tuned to wrong, she made a life changing vow.
To turn the tides she sought revenge, perhaps it would lessened the achiness; for her troubles she was tossed aside for a woman who denied the lord for her own selfish design. How then was she to be blamed, for fighting for a man that was rightfully hers to claim?
Retribution for the blue eyed woman that he loved, unadulterated despise for her husband's children of this she vowed, and for him she wasn't sure, because how could she love him and hate him with equal score?
A trembling hand pressed to her brow as the weight of her woes came tumbling down. Voices echoing up the stairs set her frown to right and her crooked form upright.
Her cousins met her at the halfway point with smiles that quickly dried as they looked upon her shaky form and saw a purple bruise and an open sore.
Shock widened their eyes, but a witty remark and a cunning smile drove their cares away.
"Do not worry cousins, my face will heal in a matter of days," she said it easy, the whimsy assurance, "and besides it is not the time to cry for dinner and our guests waits."
They nodded with feigned acceptance because something was not quite right with the princess. The emperor was here among them and hopefully she had gotten the information that would put to an end all her troubles, or rekindle them anew.
Each took one of her arms and led the way. It was no surprise as they entered the dining hall, that all eyes would be focused on them, not only because of their late arrival, but because of the pathetic state of the princess.
The emperor stood looking grim, as he perused his sister's beat up form. His eyes focused on the cuts on her lips which still trickled blood. Aiko looked away while Sesshomaru did not, eyes wide he stared with obvious disgust.
A slight unconcealed sniff of the air revealed the source of the blood, for there in her scent Aiko's own abound. He looked to the right and gazed at his daughter's white head, knowing with certainty that his child had attacked the woman for a second time again.
However, the reason for the attack rather than the assault itself clung to his mind abundantly, because here in the quiet afternoon his trap was set, but now his wife was in such a poor state, her brother the emperor looked to him for clarification, and for that he had none to give.
Contemptuous eyes turned to him that spoke of dishonor and hate. What was to be an evening of quiet relaxation was shrouded in a curtain of distrust and hate. Because it was clear to see that the emperor thought him responsible and a monster to boot.
It did not matter what he felt, for the man was a fool. He waits for someone to speak, to clear the air so that they could eat.
"Lord Sesshomaru," the voice of the emperor sounded, "my sister was given to you in good faith, so why is she in such a state?"
The question was not a question per say, but an accusation fueled by repugnance. All at the table remained still as the question was asked and princess Maemi took her place to the right of her husband.
Regardless, lord Sesshomaru sat still, and in a moment of defiance was tempted to leave the statement hanging in the air, but with the position of his affairs and victory just over the horizon he abated.
"My wife is well taken care of," he said bitingly, "but because of your obvious distrust let me say this, when the princess left the meeting she was fine as all could see, perhaps it's best if you didn't seek your answers from me."
He looked away from the demon and on her; she smiled weakly to gain his sympathy.
"Brother," she said faintly, "fret not, I had a minor accident in the garden earlier, I am afraid that I have grown quite clumsy as of late."
But even he knew that she lied, because her eyes remained hooded and she had turned into the direction of the youngest seated at the table while she had spoken.
The emperor looked from his sister to the young demoness whose eyes were filled with tears and quite uncomfortable. Shaken and trembling she pushed the chair back, and ran from the room in haste.
Sesshomaru didn't hesitate and made after his daughter whom he caught as she sped out in the open. Aiko curled her body into her father's and cried, while he held her lovingly and stroked her hair with patience and care.
"Father," the child sobbed hysterically, "she made me do it, I couldn't let her get away with insulting mother and now she knows where she is."
His hand stopped moving immediately, however, his heartbeat sped up with the sudden realization of what is wife had waited on for so long.
Now there was nothing he could do, as his daughter had inadvertently sprung the trap he had set far too soon. Kagome was in danger, because as soon as the emperor left with the news, his wife's plans would take effect of that he was certain.
Blood rushed from his head and pooled into his heart, dizziness rocked his frame subtlety as his daughter continued to cry. He was well aware that they were being watched by the fox no less, who was here on his request.
The fox was to be part of the trap to catch his wife in the act, but now those plans would have to wait. What was important was to make sure that his family was safe. He ended the embrace and now they were an arm's length away, as he stared at his pup he began to speak.
"I will never blame you for that woman's action," he stopped himself and brushed her tears away, "go to bed, do not worry, your mother will be safe, I can guarantee you of that fact."
She gave him one last sorrowful look and turned away, but not before the catch of sunlight played on Shippo's red hair as she walked slowly away.
"I trust that you have heard Aiko's confession a moment ago," he said without turning around.
Shippo drew closer and answered. "Yes lord Sesshomaru and I think it best if I were to leave to offer my mother some support."
Side by side they stood after that without saying another word for some time, until the form of his wife appeared in the doorway staring after him. Without their eyes meeting he engaged the fox in conversation again.
"She may have won the battle but the war has just begun," he said icily, and took a few steps towards the entrance of the house. He stopped and turned around.
"Wait by your mother's garden for your sister, and tell the captain to dispatch twenty of his most resourceful youkai guards to aid my mate immediately."
Shippo exhaled with all the turmoil that had welled up inside him, grateful to Sesshomaru for his assistance, and also for being an insightful and loving father. Aiko needed her mother now more than ever, for she was simply falling to pieces.
He nodded to his wife as he approached the doorway who in turn held unto his arm possessively, the urge to yank his hand away pressed down on him strong. He wanted to snap her neck from her body and watch as she bled, the cruelty in his heart threatened to overpower him that he had to turn away quickly to dispel the urgency.
He struggled with his emotions not to strike her down; the woman tempted fate and him. To go after his mate, and to use his distraught daughter to do so was a bold move and a foolish one to boot. She had played her hand and all that he had to do now was to wait, the time would soon come for him to counter the attack.
He glanced down at his wife with the enormity of the rage that spring boarded in his head and heart, as the clingy woman continued to lay on his arm. As he gazed at her, it was not surprising that the last shred of decency and tolerance that he had left pertaining to the wretched woman no longer existed.
Darkness so profound consumed his very soul that his aura grew frighteningly cold. He turned on the woman that hung onto him quickly, snagged her by the front of her kimono and then lay her hard against the wall. She gasped in shock, her eyes bulged and he uttered one word.
"Kagome?"
The princess did not know what to make of his actions though she was fearful, but as her mouth opened in a scream she was dropped to the floor carelessly, and not even a backward glance by him as he left the space hurriedly.
The events unfolded timely after the emperor had left, with the notion that his sister was being mistreated because of her husband's mistress. The ban was dropped on Edo to weed out Kagome, one act of compassion would be her undoing.
A small army descended upon Edo in a matter of days, but Kagome refused to leave. The town and its people had come to mean so much to her, she wasn't afraid, just constantly wary of always having to look over her shoulder.
Shippo never went back to the west, and Aiko became more like her usual self under her mother's care.
Going to the market now was a therapeutic activity to break up the monotony. But six months to the day that the emperor had left his sister Kagome was at the market when a fight broke out between two men.
One was stabbed in the neck, bleeding badly and would die soon by the looks of things, the commotion had prompted her curiosity and she'd looked on. The soldiers stood all around and did nothing to intervene, in fact they looked bemused.
Truthfully, they were not really there to help anyone, they were there simply to find and kill her. However, a doctor was summoned to help and to her utter amazement it was Doctor Tanaka, whom she had not seen for several months.
The surprise showed into her orbs as their eyes met briefly. Her eyes were glued on him as he bent over the dying man trying to save his life that she did not see until it was too late as the injured man's relatives came running in, brandishing weapons and mistakenly slashed the doctor across the back.
Her lungs broke free and a blood curdling scream tore pass her lips, underused muscles pumped as she made a mad dash to get to him. The sound of the market drowned out the warnings in her head and the voice of Sayoka screaming at her. However, it was too late by then.
Blue light danced along her fingertips as she called forth her powers, electrifying and powerful as she laid them upon the doctor's back. Jumbled bodies parted to the sides from shock and the oncoming soldiers, just as heavy hands clamped down on her shoulders hard. She brushed them aside easily in her haste to save her dear friend's life.
The last things that she heard and saw was Sayoka's terrified face and anguished screams before everything faded to black.
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The back of her head hurt, a trembling had reached for it and felt crusty wetness. She couldn't see anything in the dark but as her senses became more alert; she knew that what she felt was blood.
She spat in the dark room as her taste buds started to work again and the tangy taste of blood encased her mouth. She heard footsteps outside the door and kept silently still.
"Has the captain been informed that we have captured the priestess?" Someone asked.
"Yes sir," the other answered, "and so is the princess aware that we have her rabbit in a cage to be taken to the prison for interrogation and then death, but she has asked that we do nothing until she comes, she would like to observe the proceedings."
"Oh god," she almost gasped aloud. "Sesshomaru where are you?"
She struggled to her feet in the dark, the musty room stifling with humidity. Her clothes clung to her form with sweat and blood, she vomited with the onslaught of dread and rising nausea.
She didn't know how long she had been unconscious, it could be an hour or it could have been days. She had no way of knowing in the dark musty room.
She stepped on something in the darkness that felt soft and it squeaked, she screamed in fright, it was a rat. Her hand came and covered her mouth as bile formed again and she hurled until she felt as though her stomach would surely come out.
A squeak to the right and she jumped stepping in her own mess, she gulped with nausea as the rodent ran under her legs. Her eyes had adjusted to the dark and she could see now as the vermin ate her puke. She hurled again from witnessing the disgusting image. She closed her eyes and her features broke as she gave into despair, and cried until her heart felt like it would surely break.
She heard as boot steps left the doorway, she was alone again. She closed her eyes tighter feeling physically and mentally ill. The furthest corner that she could find she rested herself down and listened to the nasty sounds that the rodent made as it feasted on her vomit, and cried even harder.
She cried for herself and children, she cried for Sesshomaru to come and save her. She cried for the doctor because she didn't know if the little time that she had with him was enough to save his life, and for Sayoka as she remembered the look of terror on her face when something had smashed into the back of her skull.
The heaving heartbreaking sobs rocked her small frame; she sniffled as snot ran down her nose, while the rodent had eaten his fill and now watched her curiously.
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Sayoka had made it home two days ago with the doctor in tow and had breathlessly told Shippo what had transpired in the market.
He had returned to the west to inform Sesshomaru immediately. They had flown the short journey to the barracks and had sought council with the captain. Three of them went into the captain's office, but when they'd left only two came out.
Sesshomaru had viciously tortured the man until fear had made him pissed on himself while he spilled the princess's secret in terror and madness. The deed was done; he was of no more use, with a crack of his whip the man's head was detached from his body.
Shippo took the man's form, while the demon lord melted the body with acid. All that was left was an acrid stench and a pile of unrecognizable goo lay up in one corner of the room.
On the outskirts of Edo in a private room of a prison Shippo waits, disguised as the captain for the princess who was under the false impression that her husband was away overseas on business.
Sesshomaru silently concealed himself close. He thought of Kagome and hoped with everything good inside him that she was alright. He was aware that she was badly hurt by the accounts he had received from the fox.
The forest was quiet as he waited for the soldiers who would transport Kagome to the prison. It was only a matter of time before all parties involved would be settled under the same roof. Soon he and his mate would be reunited again, living together, sharing love and family. Just one more nudge, just a little more time and the information that he needed to act would be within his grasp.
The carriage moving passed him shakily interrupted his thoughts and he could smell strongly the scent of Kagome's blood and her tears. The quickening in his heart and the trembling in his fingers were not from fear but from unconcealed pleasure of vengeance, that would soon be his.
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