Hey! Here's next chapter!
-shorty
Recap:
"SO...what have you found?"
"The Book of Law, Magic, and Loopholes."
"For what?"
"Saving Aurora." states Ae happily "and ourselves." she whispers to herself
"Good work Ae!" Yells Ana as she grabs the book and looks in it "Wait its written in Greek not Roman! Only royals can read this!!"
"And I." Ae remarks as she grabs the book back
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For the whole rest of the day and into the next morning, Ae had her nose stuck in that book. She only came out of her room, where she had isolated herself, for the meals and for her duties as a Vestal Virgin.
Of course the PM didn't notice that one of her Virgins was constantly absent for most of the day, and neither did Cassandra, nor did she care, but Kagome, Sango, and Ana certainly did.
"There is something seriously wrong with that child," Ana had remarked more than once, and every time Kagome was the one to reply back; "She's just trying to do all she can to help…that's all any of us can do at this point; help and hope it's worth something."
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"Common Ae," Sango replied walking past the blue haired girl's bedroom to get to hers, "the Prontifex Maximus says it's beautiful weather outside and wants all of us to go on a walk…"
As Sango passed Aeriana's room she only took a quick look at the girl as she walked passed. Sango thought she saw Ae laying in her stomach on top for her bed reading that book, so she did a double take. Sango stopped in her tracks and backed up until she was in front of Ae's doorway, and she stared at her friend. Sure enough, Aeriana was sprawled out on top for her bed, papers everywhere and her nose was in that loophole book again.
Sango sighed unbelievably, "Put that book down Aeriana, please…?" she begged, "it would be great for you to go outside-"
"Is she still trying to decode that book?"
Kagome's voice was heard coming closer. She appeared next to Sango in the doorway followed by Ana who had her eyebrows raised.
"Honestly, how many hours have you had your face in that damn book?" Ana asked. "Your starting to make me sick and I'm not even doing anything."
Ae sighed, frustrated and annoyed as she looked up from the large book to glare at her friends who were now curiously staring at her.
"I'm almost done, I promise," she assured them. "It's not as easy as it looks…well it is, reading it at least, but writing it down and putting it all together so that it makes sense takes a little time."
The girls stared blankly at their friend.
"Whatever," Ana shrugged, and turned to leave to get ready, "you're the smart one…"
Sango turned to leave as well but Kagome behind to say; "I know your trying your best babe, but you need to stop working your self to death, and get some fresh air."
Ae nodded.
"Just hurry up and get ready before the Prontifex Maximus comes looking for you."
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"Where is that girl?" the PM sighed impatiently.
Cassandra, the PM, Sango, Kagome, and Ana were all waiting by the main door that lead outside to the courtyard for the last Virgin; some more patient than others.
"Perhaps she had difficulties changing, ma'am," Ana suggested politely, trying to make sure Ae didn't get into too much trouble. "If you would allow me, I could go up and see what delays her-"
Before Ana could finish, Ae suddenly came hurriedly walking down the hallway to them.
"Forgive me ma'am for my lateness," Ae apologized quietly with her head bowed in respect when she approached the PM. "I could not find my shawl. It won't happen again."
The PM narrowed her eyes at Aeriana, scrutinizing her, before turning on her heels and leading the girls out onto the courtyard.
The day was breezy but the sun shone down upon the Roman priestesses creating the perfect combination of good weather.
The wind blew the plants in the courtyard, and ruffled the girls' shawls every which way around them, but the sun wormed their skin. The girls formed a perfect line behind the PM and followed her out of the courtyard. Today they were all wearing richly colored red robes that were wrapped around their impeccable bodies with only one shoulder covered in robes and the other limb left bare and which was decorated with a single silver bracelet on the upper arm. Around their heads sat a thin silver shawl that fell down to about mid back.
The walk up to the town square was peaceful and uneventful up until Sango lost her shawl to the wind.
They had only been walking about 20 minutes, and were almost to the town when the wind picked up suddenly. The girls all clung tightly to their shawls, but Sango's slipped out of her hands and the wind carried it up and away.
Sango groaned as the piece of material got away from her and she watched it as it floated over the small grass field they were passing at the time. No one seemed to notice since she was in back of the line.
"Shit. If I hurry I can get it before anyone notices…" she thought as she quickly ran after it.
Just as the girl entered the grass, the PM turned around to see one of her Virgins taking off across the weeds. "Sango!" she screamed, but her voice was dulled by the roar of the wind. The rest of the Vestal Virgins turned and saw their sister running through the small field, racing the silver cloth in the sky.
Just across the same field were this was happening, a dark haired man, with his hands tied behind his back, was being led down a dirt path by 4 soldiers. The man had strikingly handsome features, dark eyes, and a head of black hair that was tied in a tiny ponytail at the base of his neck. The man's name was Miroku; tried for an attempt of adultery with a married woman, and sentenced to be hanged. Even though on his way to death, Miroku had a peaceful, serene sort of look to his face, not something you would expect from a condemned man.
The wind suddenly picked up, and Miroku took this time to take a deep breath and look around. It was too beautiful a day to be put to death, he thought as he looked ahead to were they were going and saw in the distance the place were he would die.
Something soft suddenly brushed against his leg, catching his attention and he looked down. A silver cloth of some kind rested against his leg, the wind trying to blow it through him. Before the material could fly off, Miroku stopped and bent down, turning his hands that were tied behind him around so that he could pick it up.
"Wonder where this came from…?" Suddenly something that stopped in front of him shielded the sun, causing a shadow to cover him.
Miroku looked up curiously, the cloth still in his hands to see a beautiful dark haired woman dressed in red looking down at him, her chest heaving slightly.
"Thank you so much…" she replied as he slowly stood and she took the shawl back.
"No problem," he replied in his most charming voice and gave her his most attractive smile. Usually all the woman he met with that smile would melt in his arms right then and there, but this girl just smiled pleasantly back at him.
Miroku's eyes flashed with confusion for a second but then went back to their usually confident look, and a habit he had had for a long time took over. Even though he was about to die, old habits die harder so just when he was about to open his mouth to ask the same question he asked every attractive young lady, an older woman followed by 5 girls, all dressed in the same thing as the woman in front of him, came quickly toward him and the soldiers.
Miroku smirked excitedly as the other 5 girls approached, each as equally beautiful as the other. Even though he was supposed to die, this was defiantly making his day.
The soldiers that had been escorting Miroku all dropped this heads in respect as they recognized the older woman, the 5 girls, and now the girl in front of Miroku.
"Good evening Prontifex Maximus," one of the soldiers replied.
The solider closest to Miroku pulled him back away from Sango, "Very sorry for the disturbance ma'am," he apologized.
Sango gave the solider a funny look. "Actually if it wasn't for this man I would have lost my shawl," she corrected the apology.
The PM rudely cleared her throat, cutting Sango off. "Thank you," she replied elegantly to the solider that had apologized as she eyed Sango sternly. "Just make sure it doesn't happen again."
While all this talk was going on Miroku's mind was whirling. Prontifex Maximus…then that must mean…they're vestal virgins…Miroku smirked; wow, this really was his lucky day.
Not another word was said to the sacred girls as the PM lead them away from the men. Sango lingered a moment to smile at Miroku before one of the beautiful virgins that had blue hair grabbed Sango's arm and encouraged her to follow. "Common Sango…" she muttered quietly.. The dark haired beauty gave Miroku one last look before returning with her group.
As soon as the girls had gone, one of the soldiers untied Miroku's hands. "Thank you gentlemen…" Miroku smirked, as they walked off mumbling curse words under their breath.
"Lucky son of a bitch…" one of them groaned, but the dark haired man wasn't paying attention anymore; he was far too busy thinking about the girl that he had just met. "Sango, huh…?" Just wait until he told the guys.
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"Alright do we have everything or what?"
"I don't know, wolf, you tell me."
"The hell if I know. You were the one that was suppose to be checking shit off as I put it in the bag!"
Both the men that were arguing suddenly stopped to stare each other down. The third, and oldest man in the room that had long silver hair and strikingly beautiful features rolled his eyes in disgust, "Will you both shut up." he growled.
"Well excuse me Sesshomaru, I don't see you getting your lazy ass over here and helping," one of the men that was arguing turned and snarled at the man named Sesshomaru. This man looked younger then Sesshomaru but had the same color hair and hazel eyes as his, but had a puppy dog face.
"Your right, Inuyasha," Sesshomaru countered with a tone of arrogance and authority, "Because I'm not the one planning a rescue mission and failing miserably at it."
Inuyasha's eyes darkened and he folded his arms, "Keh, whatever. Besides I'm not the one that screwing everything up…Koga's the one that can't count worth shit."
"Excuse me, dog breath," Koga blanched. He turned his head of thick black hair that was in a high ponytail to glare at Inuyasha.
Suddenly foot steps were heard down the hall and Inuyasha swallowed the response that he was going to throw back at Koga to see who was coming. All three men turned to see who the company was.
"What the hell?!" Inuyasha exclaimed, confused as the visitor appeared. "I thought you were being hanged. What are you going back?"
Miroku scratched the back of his head, smiling, "Gee thanks, Inuyasha," he replied sarcastically.
"Well are you going to tell us, or what?" Koga asked impatiently.
"Well I was on my way when a woman's shawl came blowing toward me and landed at my feet," he explained, "the woman came for it, and it turned out that she was one of the Vestal Virgins, so they had to let me go."
"They had too?" Koga asked, raising an eyebrow.
Surprisingly, Sesshomaru was the one to answer. "Of course idiot. Vestal Virgins can free anyone if their paths cross."
Inuyasha smirked at the insult to Koga while Koga just glared at the oldest man.
"But she was beautiful," Miroku sighed interjecting, and daydreaming already. "I would, of course, have asked her to bear my children if I hadn't been surrounded by guards at the time," he replied as a matter-of-factly. "It took all of my will power not too."
"What will power?" Inuyasha snorted.
"You better watch it lecher," Koga warned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Being perverted is what got you in to this mess in the first place."
"Yeah, if you hadn't have almost slept with the daughter of one of the Senate members and gotten caught so he could press charges, then you wouldn't have been put on your death bed, perv," Inuyasha added, rolling his eyes.
"If you think being hanged is bad just think of what they would do to someone who harassed a vestal virgin…" Koga trailed off with emphasis and both eyebrows raised.
"Probably cut off the family jewels," Inuyasha shrugged. "Or skin you alive…"
Miroku and Koga both shuddered. Sesshomaru rolled his eyes for the second time, "Pathetic…" he mumbled.
The other three men continued talking, not hearing the oldest. "Well I guess we went through all this trouble to get this crap for nothing then…" Koga replied motioning to all the different ropes, weapons and gear that was laying everywhere around them.
"Yeah…and what exactly were you doing?" Miroku questioned looking around.
"We told you we were going to get you, didn't we," Inuyasha said, snorting.
Miroku sighed unbelievably. "Inuyasha…my hanging was scheduled a half and hour ago…I would have already been dead," he explained staring at his friend.
Inuyasha's jaw dropped. "Fuck, no way! I thought it wasn't for another hour!"
Miroku shook his head.
"Nice going mutt face!" Koga yelled.
Inuyasha turned on Koga as soon as he said that. "What in the world are you going on about, wolf? You're the one who got the wrong information!"
"Did not, dog breath!"
"Jesus…can't count, or tell time…what the hell are you even good for."
"Shut up, mutt!"
"You shut up!"
"How about you both shut the hell up," Sesshomaru ordered, growling.
Miroku smirked. "So Sesshomaru…did you come to plan my rescue as well because obviously there's no way these two would be able to pull it off on their own."
Sesshomaru frowned. "Actually I just so happened to be walking into my house and found the half brother of mine and his fifthly friend plotting something, nothing more. I had no wish to help."
"I'm touched, really," Miroku replied sarcastically, putting a hand to his heart for extra effect.
"It's my house too, jerk!" Inuyasha growled over Miroku.
"Yes. Unfortunately," was the reply from Sesshomaru.
"Keh."
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"Well, that was certainly something different," Kagome mumbled when her and the girls got back to the house from their walk.
"Yeah but you gotta admit, that guy was pretty cute," Ana smirked leading the way toward their rooms.
Kagome smiled. "Is that all you think about?" she teased.
Ana shrugged. "Well a girl can dream about what she can't have, can't she?"
Aeriana rolled her eyes playfully at her friends as she went into her room to study that book some more. She was more then determined to get it finished, no matter what it took.
Now it was Kagome and Ana's turn to roll their eyes. "And all she can think about is that book," Kagome muttered, shaking her head.
"You going fry your brain," Ana warned Ae before her face disappeared behind her book.
Kagome then turned to Sango who hadn't said a thing the whole walk home. "You ok?" she asked.
Sango snapped out of the deep thoughts she was having to smile at Kagome and now Ana who were both looking curiously at her.
"Yeah I'm fine…just spacing out is all."
Ana shook her head turning to go into her room. "See what I mean Kags…? We all have to dream or daydream or whatever to keep ourselves busy because our lives are just that damn lame," she cried desperately.
Kagome gave her silver haired friend a disbelieving look. "I think I might be the only sane one here…"
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Hope you liked it. Plz review!
-shorty