As the days continued I could feel myself getting weaker. I knew that soon if a demon attacked there would be no way for me to protect my brother or myself. I knew we needed to pick up the pace and I was the one slowing us down.
"Seiko…" I breathed, "You should continue without me… I don't want to slow you down like this…"
"But sister I need to stay with you. What will happen to you if a demon attacks and you can't protect yourself?"
I smiled at my brother and knew that there was no way that I was going to get him to leave me now.
That night as I laid down to rest beside the fire my body decided to tell me that there was no way I was going to make it much further, let alone make it home… By now I was wishing I had brought Kaage with us...
Our faithful cat demon Kaage would have easily taken us home in about a day or two... but I didn't bring him and now I was regretting it.
I sighed and knew there was no way out of this and I was just going to tough it out and get home...
As we continued our journey home I began to realize that we were being followed. In the beginning I was paranoid and kept waiting for them to attack at any moment, but as time progressed I realized they weren't going to attack so I became restless...
One night as I watched my brother sleep I realized my time had run out. There was no way I could get home in time...
So as I leaned against the tree behind me I weighed my options.
"I know you're there..." I called to the person following us. "I have a favor to ask of you… I know you don't know me and I don't know you but I don't think I will be able to make it home…" I pulled my knees to my chest as I could feel tears filling my eyes. "You see… I'm getting sick… and I was wondering if I don't make it would you watch over my brother until he makes it home… it's only a week away but I don't think I'll make it…"
I sighed and laid my head on my knees. I knew they had heard me and I had to just hope they would help me…
In the morning I could feel the effects of the fever as it spread over my body. My birthday is close and I wasn't going to make it…
I walked behind my brother as my pace slowed even more.
"You can make it Kaori-chan!" Seiko cried over his shoulder.
I smiled weakly at him. I wish he were right…
Suddenly, without warning we were attacked…
I pulled my katana from its sheath and tried to keep myself steady.
Something snickered as it came out of the bushes… It was an ogre demon…
I justified that this one would be easy even in my weakened state so I prepared for his attack.
What I didn't prepare for was a horde of ogre demons… We'd stumbled through a new nest of them…
"Seiko… Get ready to run…" I told him as I slid myself in front of him. I knew I could probably take one maybe two on but there were ten of them and even if I wasn't so sick and weak that number would be difficult to handle.
One of them ventured out toward us and I quickly ended its life.
Oh boy… that pissed them off…
"Run Seiko, RUN!!" I screamed as I began to attack the demons that charged at us.
Though I did remarkably stave the ogres off for a time they finally did overpower me and I was knocked back into a tree.
One ogre held me by my neck and continued to smash me against it as the other's watched. I knew this little ritual… The leader would kill me and have his meal from me first before the others could eat…
I could feel the pain starting from the top of my head all the way down to my feet; I knew I was going to die… I just hoped our little follower will do what I asked…
I closed my eyes and wished to be whisked away quickly and the suffering would end…
Suddenly a green light flashed across my closed eyes and the ogres yowled in pain. It only lasted a second but suddenly the ogre smashing me into the tree and his little followers howled then died.
I slid down the tree and gasped; I wouldn't be getting back up.
"Jaken-sama Sesshoumaru-dono says to get the cart!!" A little girl cried.
I knew that voice and those names… It was Rin… Rin, Jaken, and Sesshoumaru had been the ones following us…
I groaned and slowly opened my eyes. "Sess… Sesshoumaru-sama…" I whispered as I gazed up into his gorgeous golden eyes; I wanted to cry…
He gazed down at me, worry and concern crossed his face along with one other…
Relief… he was relieved… Why…?
He lifted me with one arm and just held me there.
Why wasn't he picking me up…?
I looked at his other arm and realized a sad truth… he had lost it…
I slowly lifted my arm and touched his shoulder and slowly slid my arm down the empty sleeve.
"Return to where you belong… Re-grow and repair… Become one and useful… Complete the missing piece…" I murmured quietly the one spell my mother had taught me… The re growth spell…
It was never perfect… and for the most part I knew it wouldn't last long… but I could give him his arm back and he could use it even if it was for a month or so…
I used it for our villagers that were missing an arm or a leg or something else so that they could harvest crops or finish metal working or do whatever job they needed to do to gain money to live off of.
I smiled weakly at the shocked look on his face as he lifted his new arm up to his face and moved his fingers.
"It's your own arm…" I whispered as I felt the energy slowly draining from me. "It won't last long… my mother never taught me how to make it last… she died before she could… but you can use it… it will work perfectly for you until it disappears again…"
I felt him tighten his arm around me and press me against his chest as his new arm slid under my legs and lifted me into the air gently; I whimpered softly.
Something inside me wanted to stay like this in his arms always. It was like a part of me had been waiting for him and it was finally at ease when he was with me… I wondered if he felt the same…
I heard someone gasp but by now there was no way I was going to be able to look around so I had closed my eyes. I felt Sesshoumaru gently lay me in a bed of straw and cloth, it felt so good to my body.
As his arms slid out from under me I grabbed one. I opened my eyes slowly to look up at him. "Don't leave me alone…" I whispered.
I knew it was stupid to ask him that, I knew I would be safe now that he was here, but I couldn't help it… I needed him as close to me as I could keep him… I was scared that if he left me I would be alone again and I would lose him…
He didn't say anything but stood up and stood next to the cart he had placed me on.
"Onee-chan…?" Seiko asked as he came into my line of vision.
I tried to smile but my energy was nearly depleted by now.
"We're going to go home… Okay…?" He asked as he touched my hand.
I gave the barest of head movements and he smiled.
"I'll show you the way to our home!" He told Sesshoumaru and he quickly took the lead followed by Rin and Jaken.
The creature that was pulling the cart followed Jaken and Sesshoumaru followed by staying next to me. I smiled.
I laid there on the cart for hours and though I could feel my body would heal quickly but I wouldn't be getting any better until after my birthday…
That night I was still in the cart but covered and close to the fire… I sighed…
This was so bored and I wanted to be off this god damn cart!!
I slowly sat up and looked around. Whoa headache…
When the headache subsided I realized it wasn't just my body that was stiff… My kimono was caked in mud and tree sap… Gross…
I carefully climbed off the cart and headed to the sound of water holding onto the trees as I walked past. I made it to the water's edge and debated if I had the strength to strip and wash my clothing first or if I should just climb in with them on.
The one that used less energy won out…
I slipped slowly into the freezing water and instantly felt better; I had no idea how feverish I was until I soaked my skin in the icy water.
I sighed contently and floated on my back.
"You shouldn't leave the camp in your state…" someone spoke to me.
I quickly turned to face the speaker and groaned, oh my head…
"Don't move so fast…" It was Sesshoumaru speaking to me.
"Don't sneak up on me!" I snapped then instantly regretted it. My head began to throb. I felt the water shift and knew that Sesshoumaru had climbed in with me. "What are you doing?"
"You need to get your kimono off so it can be cleaned…" and he gently peeled off my top kimono leaving me in my sheer white under layer.
I blushed and watched as he cleaned and place my Kimono on a rock by the water then turn to face me.
"Oh no… You're not getting this one… I've already stripped down far enough for you…"
"I've already seen you naked just take it off."
I growled and stubbornly crossed my arms… Big mistake…
Sesshoumaru grabbed me and pulled me to him, yanked the tie to undo my under layer and then take it from me; I didn't even have enough time to react…
I just stood there with my arms crossed and pouted at him while he cleaned and placed the under kimono on the rock as well.
I was still pouting when he turned around to face me.
"What's wrong?" He asked.
"I'm cold now without my clothing…" I snapped.
I gasped as he yanked me against his body again. "Uh…" I stuttered. I looked up into his face to see him staring back down at me.
Oh god… I couldn't move… I didn't even want to move… It felt so right being in his arms… I knew there was something going on inside me… I just didn't know what…
I wanted to kiss him again… I wanted to be able to feel his lips against mine once more…
As if he knew exactly what I wanted he leaned down and kissed me. His lips were soft as they barely touched mine. I felt him slide his new left arm up from my waist to my neck as he held my head. I blushed and slid my right arm around and placed it on his back while my left hand stayed pressed to his chest.
The kiss went from soft and gentle to rough and passionate. I felt his lips needing against mine and I knew if I didn't open my mouth he would make me bleed, so I did. His tongue slid past my lips and began exploring the inside of my mouth.
Suddenly he moved from my mouth and down to my neck, I gasped. He bit my neck lightly and trailed little kisses from my ear to my collar bone, I moaned softly.
He would have moved further down my… body… but suddenly the bushes began to rustle.
Before I could even blink Sesshoumaru was out of the water and standing half naked (From the waist up… damn it…) facing towards the noise.
"Sesshoumaru-dono…?" It was Rin
"I'm right here Rin…" He answered.
I quickly grabbed my white under kimono and pulled it on while still in the water as the little girl came out of the bushes.
"Kaori-san isn't on the cart, Sesshoumaru-dono…"
"I'm right here Rin-chan." I answered as I climbed from the water, I smiled at her.
She beamed at me. "Oh Kaori-san! I was so worried something happened to you!"
I smiled even more, leaned over to grab my kimono, and nearly fell over.
…Must have forgotten the fever…
Sesshoumaru caught me and lifted me up. "Rin… take her kimono with us… We're going back to the camp…"
"Yes Sesshoumaru-dono!!" Rin chimed as she picked up my now very ragged looking kimono and followed Sesshoumaru back to the camp.
Sesshoumaru laid me down in front of the fire to dry me off and walked over to his two headed dragon… thingy… I tried really hard not to whimper and cry.
God why did I feel that way when he left me?
He came back and I could barely hide my happy sigh, he was holding something very shinny looking.
"This is for you… Rin got it…" He was adamant for me to know he didn't buy it.
I don't know why that hurt me… but it sure as hell did…
I lifted the silken material up and gazed at a beautiful black silk kimono with lovely little pale and dark pink cherry blossoms.
"It's lovely…" I answered as I laid it back in his arms, I was still wet and water with silk is a big no no…
I closed my eyes and laid my head on my knees as I waited for the fire to dry me.
I opened my eyes later that night and realized I had fallen asleep. I had also been moved back onto the cart and was in the lovely silk kimono. I tried to roll over but quickly discovered that someone was stopping me. I began to panic until I saw the person's arm, it was Sesshoumaru…
I sighed contently and snuggled back in against his warmth. I reached for his hand and gasped, I was sicker than I thought.
Sesshoumaru stirred behind me, his arm flexed against me then slid off my waist as he raised himself.
I rolled onto my back and looked up at him.
"You're pale…" He whispered as he gazed down at me.
I nodded and suddenly felt overwhelmed with fear. I've never been so ill or so vulnerable and so useless… I could feel tears well up in my eyes. I closed them against the tears and to keep him from seeing my sudden weakness.
"You're crying…" Sesshoumaru murmured as he leaned down over me.
I shook my head and bit my lip. He wiped at my cheek to wipe away the tears that had slipped between my eye lashes.
"You are crying… Why…?"
"I feel so weak…" I whispered
"What do you mean…?"
"I've never been like this before… Unable to protect myself let alone stand… I don't know what's going to become of me…" I choked back on my tears trying to stop them.
Sesshoumaru laid down beside me again and pressed me to his chest. "I'm here… I'll protect you…" He murmured as he ran his fingers u and down my spine. "I don't know why but it's like I need to be here with you…"
I gazed up into his eyes. "You really feel that way…?"
He nodded.
I smiled at him. "But I'm human… I know that you do not care for humans… I've great many stories of you and how Rin is the only human you've ever cared for…"
He smiled at me. (God was it a gorgeous smile) "I know what's been said about me and I know that you are indeed human… but this is how I feel and there's no way to stop how I feel about you…"
I smiled even brighter. "I feel the same about you… I've felt so close to you from the moment I met you…"
Sesshoumaru laid m head on his chest and laid his cheek on my forehead. "Just rest Kaori…"
I nodded and fell asleep in his arms.
For days all I did was lay on the cart as we continued on our way home… Sometimes Sesshoumaru would walk beside me and sometimes it was my brother and sometimes it was Rin and Jaken; (though the last one complained the entire time of me being human… that damn toad demon…).
I knew I was getting worse, I could feel myself breaking out in a sweat even though the weather was cold, by now Seiko and stripped me into my under kimono and had carefully folded up the silk one I was given.
I began panting and groaning and I couldn't even lay still long enough.
"Are we almost there?" Rin asked once when she was walking next to me. "Kaori-san is getting much worse…"
"We're almost there! It's just over here!" Seiko called as he ran ahead, he stopped. "I can't open the door…" he murmured.
"What? You stupid human!" Jaken screeched at him.
"Kaori-san is the one that opens our gates…" Seiko answered dully.
"It's alright…" I said as I tried to kick my feet over the cart's edge.
"Onee-san you can't get up!!" Seiko cried as he ran over to me.
I smiled weakly at him. "But I must…"
Sesshoumaru was suddenly standing beside us; quietly he lifted me into his arms.
I pointed across to a tree in the woods. "Over there…" I mumbled.
Sesshoumaru walked across to the tree I pointed at.
"Set me down please… I have to stand for this…"
"But…" He whispered.
"Please…" I whispered back.
He set me down begrudgingly.
I stepped away from him unsteadily and took a deep breath. "I am Lady Kaori Ogensai, first in line for the seat as Lady of the village of Shenkin! I am the first child on the late Brielle! I command you to open the gates to my home and let us pass!"
"Who is us…?" was the reply
I sighed and tried to stay standing… "My brother Seiko; the young lord of the village Shenkin. The lord of the western lands Sesshoumaru and his three companions, the young human child Rin, the toad demon Jaken and the two headed dragon Ah-Un." I was shaking by now and I was having difficulties standing. "I command you to open the gates of the village Shenkin!!"
The trees before us faded and turned into a high wooden doorway surrounded by stone walls, the gate began to open.
"Welcome home my lady!!" called the villagers.
I suddenly collapsed barely being caught by Sesshoumaru.
"Oh dear! You're birthday! I'll summon the Lord right away!!" One of the ladies cried.
I just laid there in Sesshoumaru's arms as my father descended from our home above the village.
"Kaori?" He questioned as he came upon our group. "Kaori! What are you doing home so late! There's no way to get you to her village. What am I supposed to do now Brielle…?"
"Where is she supposed to go?" Sesshoumaru asked
"Her mother's village." My father answered.
"And where is it located?"
"The mountain behind the village… but there's no way to get her there before her birthday… at this rate she will die without the assistance of my wife's home…"
"When is her birthday?"
"Tomorrow night…"
With the Sesshoumaru looked down at me and nodded. "Jaken stay here with Rin…" with that he took off to the mountains behind our home.
"To travel that distance in a day… I hope he makes it…"
The sun was setting, my birthday was arriving and we had barely made it up the mountain.
"Sesshoumaru-dono…" I murmured. "It's alright… Don't worry about me anymore…"
"We're almost there…"
I smiled weakly but I couldn't figure out how we would make it on time…
Suddenly a small temple appeared before us.
"We've been waiting for you… You've come so late…" the women in cloaks said.
One took me away from Sesshoumaru while others escorted to another room.
"Oh my… She's in critical condition… we need to release the pressure…" one of the women said as they ran me to a room.
They laid me down and ripped the back of my clothing and patted down my skin. They chanted repeatedly and in another language.
Pain ripped up my spine and then into my shoulder blades; I screamed. The pain was unbearable.
"Make it stop!!" I cried
The skin rippled across my blades and my hair rustled around me as if it were alive; I screamed again.
The cloaked women kept chanting while one moved to my head. "Bite this so you don't bite your tongue…"
I didn't know what she meant until I felt the skin over my shoulder blade start to rip apart; I bit the object in front of my mouth.
I screamed over and over as something started to push through my skin.
"Kaori!" It was Sesshoumaru yelling. "Kaori!!"
The door flung open just as the objects pushed through my skin. I let go of the object I was biting and screamed long and loud.
Blood splattered against the women's robed that had been sitting around me and splattered down my back and my hair making my hair look dark red; I passed out.