Chapter 23
A daring soul quietly opens the door wanting to see the poor being hidden from the world.
A young, naked, almost unrecognizable, female lies on the cold marble floor, unmoving. A long time has pasted since anyone has stepped through the door; she is alone and left to die. Her body is covered with disgusting, infected, black, blue, and purple gashes that stretches over every inch on her body. She is so thin and fragile. The gaze of the mysterious person goes to the girl's eyes and what a sight is there to behold.
'What has happened to her eyes?'
Eyes are windows to the soul and she has no eyes. They are blank and bottomless. She has no eyes so there is no soul to see.
The castle heard all the screams and the pain but the castle remained quiet. No one dared to receive Akunar's wrath. The servants stayed far away from the cell door as possible.
'She does not deserve this.'
"Who are you?" the person questions aloud.
The figure quickly disappears down the lengthy corridor when the sound of footsteps is heard not to far away.
The footsteps reveal a male with long blond hair, impossible silver eyes, and strong, angular facial figures. He walks with the arrogance of certain demon lord but he is no royalty and doesn't appear to have any demon qualities. He approaches the door that contains Kagome and pulls the rusty handle slowly.
The light from the hallway reveals the broken figure in the middle of the cell. From where he is standing he can perfectly tell that she is something different.
"She is what I need," he concludes, "So this why the dog lord is so shaky and unpredictable when around her."
The mysterious man walks closer to Kagome and pulls a vile from his dark colored robes. He bends low to reach her mouth that is on the floor and pours the substance down her throat. She makes no noise but her body gratefully accepts the liquid.
"She will awake soon," he covers Kagome with his cloak and carries her body through the castle and into a spare bedroom.
'Why haven't I died yet? The injuries should have taken my life by now? What is keeping me here on this Hell?' She screams in her mind.
There is nothing left in her body to fight, there is no soul. The darkness is now different as she feels a cool liquid rush down her throat. She sees of a field of flowers, a blue sky, and a bright, sunny day. It is all too peaceful and quiet and nothing disturbed her—nothing at all. She concentrates on her dream and how the beams of warmth felt on her skin. Light dazzles with radiance everywhere and there isn't a shadow or dark corner. She enjoys it all as she ran through the fields. Her feet molds with the grass as if she is one with nature and the sun tans her skin but not enough to burn. She runs toward a group of people that look familiar but can't seem to remember who they are but she doesn't care; she just runs. Then she hears a voice but they sound so far away. As she runs the voice become clearer as the sun becomes dimmer and the sky grows darker.
"Who are you...?"
"Mother?"
There is no body to the voice but the sound is her mother, Kyoto.
"You have to live; not for yourself but for Shippo. Live for him and..."
Her mother's voice fades out.
"Wait! Who else am I living for?" she shouts out to her.
"Who are you?" then the voice of her mother is no more.
'What did she mean by that? Who am I?'
Kagome then remembers all the times that Kyoto sacrificed her food to make sure that Kagome was fed. She remembered that her mother would go house to house begging for food and saving little money to pay the rent.
'She loved me. Mother stayed strong despite our situation. I stayed strong while I was on the street for then years. So I should be strong now, this place is no different from the alleys. I was wrong before; my childhood did not prepare me for when Sesshoumaru first imprisoned me; it is now!'
Kagome sits straight up and her eyes open to reveal that she no longer in the dungeon but a gorgeous room.
'Wait, was all of that a dream? I feel no pain.'
Kagome looks down her sleeping garments to see a few marks.
'No, it was real but what healed me?"
The room's colors are a red with white curtains. The bed faces the door and the window with perhaps a balcony is to her right.
The sun raises slowly; secretly comforting Kagome as she lives to see the dawn of a new day.
'Mother would not have given up so why should I?'
Movement from under the covers captures Kagome's eyes. She carefully pulls back the red cover followed by a white sheet. The anticipation is killing Kagome; could it be something poisonous or cute?
She pulls away the final layer of covers and cries with relief. The buddle of fur lies peaceful curled up into the ball.
"Shippo!"
"I see that you have awakened."
"Who are you?" Kagome demands to the figure in the doorway while holding Shippo close. Although Shippo is not growling like he would do strangers.
"You know," Kagome stares at the yellow haired man with skeptical eyes and doesn't understand.
"I don't know you," she speaks softly while staring at in his silver eyes.
"Look closely, human."
"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Kagome retreats to a fearful voice and little diamonds form in her eyes. Her eyes slowly lose their shine and yields to the darkness.
"No, no," he repeats softly a hand to emphasize his point, "I am Sesshoumaru but his inner self; the side of reasoning."
Kagome says nothing and he takes one-step closer to her.
"I am the side of Sesshoumaru that is "gentle." I am the side that is attracted to you."
Kagome eyes return to green when he finishes his sentence.
"Impossible, why would you be attracted to a human?"
"How many men have outwitted you? Probably none. Well, you are the only woman that has ever outwitted me and that intrigues me, Kagome."
The woman on the bed softly strokes Shippo's hair as she thinks of other questions to ask.
"Why am I healed?"
"A drink; it has healing properties and I gave it to you. One of its effects is healing physical wounds and another is healing mentally. You probably saw some images of a person that made an impact on your life. You were broken and had to heal to survive."
She nods in understanding.
"Why is your appearance different?" pointing to his sun-kissed hair.
"Until Sesshoumaru and myself become one then when I will appear as so sometimes just silver eyes. My personality will also be different until we are completely one."
"When will you become one?"
"When we have agreed on you. Now, sleep and enjoy this side of me because it is not often that I can overpower him but I have reasoned with him. You are safe for now."
"Sesshoumaru" leaves the room with his final words ringing in her head.
"When we have agreed on you," Kagome repeats aloud.
Therefore, either blond hair and/or silver eyes mean I'm safe. All right, I can remember that.
"We made it, Shippo, a warm bed and a stable roof. We should take advantage of it before it's gone and the real Sesshoumaru returns."