AN: Hey guys, I really appreciate the interest you guys have in this old story. It really means alot. I just wanted to get a few replies out of the way.
Kamalia - I realized belatedly that new readers wouldn't know what was going on. My intentions with this story were to take elements from the books by Tamora Pierce and create my own story with it. When the story was originally posted I explained that, but stupidly deleted the explanation when I reposted. My bad. Yes, a lot of elements in this fanfic are taken directly from the Wild Magic books by Tamora Pierce (which btw anyone who hasn't read 'em, please do. They are great reads) Sorry for the confusion
Renee Addiction - Not yet, and that encounter will, I hope, be quite interesting, but it's a long way off
Autumn Apple, yoli05 and Jennaha11 - thanks for actually thinking this story is funny. I really hope it continues to be, because I'm definitely not as funny as when I started writing this :)
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Plain Sight
Spilled Secrets
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He wasn't quite sure how much more of this he could take.
He'd been stalking the palace grounds for the better part of two days trying to avoid the harpy that seemed to be following him. He'd gone to the mess hall to eat lunch. He'd gone to the stable to see his horse. Even to temple, where the monk had told him to seek council elsewhere. It seemed no matter where he went, he just couldn't avoid the newest thorn in his side. Kagome.
With her bright easy smile and charming demeanor, she was a difficult wench to hate, but he was giving it his most valiant effort. It certainly didn't help that she smelled so great, or that she hadn't seemed to bother properly tie her yukata in the oppressive heat of the day and it gaped open everytime she bent over. Gods, she was infuriating. And it seemed like no matter how many times he rudely rebuked her, she just kept coming back. And then he would say something rude and repulsive and she would get angry, and of course that had upside as well. The way her cheeks flushed was...
He shook his head, trying to dislodge all thoughts of the lithe young girl. It almost worked too...right up until he walked past a little old woman loaded with baskets and he cought a distinct floral scent and his thoughts went spinning out of control once more. Wonder what she looks like with her hair up. Off her neck...
He growled lightly, his speed quickening as he wished desperatly for a clearer head.
There was clearly only one option available to him, aside from killing her. And he assumed neither Sango nor his father would appreciate him killing the help. Well, he supposed he could kill himself. Fling himself off the tallest tower and do nothing to break his fall. Of course, that might not do much more than hurt a whole lot, and what was the fun in that?
No, the only thing he could do was leave the palace grounds altogether and enter the village, all just to avoid the wench. Of course, fate might have other plans.
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Kagome stared up at the bright blue sky as she walked, not taking much care for where she was going as her mind was currently occupied by a certain silver-haired hanyou. She just didn't get him.
After she made her declaration of friendship he had simply run off, eyes downcast as he muttered something about "stupid bitches not knowing when to shut up". Although she had been disappointed to see him go, she had simply shrugged and went about her business. But then he kept popping up everywhere.
When she had been eating her lunch, there he was. When she had been tending to the horses, there he was. Even when she had delivered a message from the old miko, Kaede, there he had been. He was everywhere!
Not that she minded, of course.
It had become one of her favourite past times to see if she could get a rise out of him. The difficulty wasn't getting him to take the bait, which he did everytime, it was coming up with new and inventive bait that was the fun part. Plus, she still had a secret desire to touch his ears and she was hoping if they really did become friends he would let her touch them. She wanted to know what the fur felt like...
Closing her eyes, she wondered why that though was making her blush so hard, as she could feel her cheeks warming. Unfortunately she didn't open her eyes soon enough to avoid the large tree root sticking out of the ground right in front of her
She hit the ground with a thud and an 'oof', turning back and glaring indignantly at the offending limb. Before her eyes, she watched as the root sank back into the ground, surrounded by a pale pink light. She was much to stupified to notice that her hands were glowing as well, before it was all over.
Shedidn't know how long she sat there, speechless, her belongings beside her on the ground. As she stared at the exact spot the root use to be. "I've clearly been getting too much sun.."
"So I guess you can add talking to yourself to the list of reasons you might be crazy."
She looked up to see a familiar visage coming toward her down the path, the sunlight glinted off his silver-spun hair and into her eyes. "I was just.."
"Talking to yourself, yeah I know, I heard," he replied, pointing to his ears. "What I don't know is why you are sitting on the ground like that's something to do. Planning on putting your new throne here, princess?"
"I...tripped."
He looked at her closely. She was sprawled on the ground next to a large tree, her basket laying next to her, her coin pouch having spilt out of it. He was ignoring the fact that her yukata was twisted, the flap opening to reveal a small part of her leg, instead taking in her dazed expression. "Okay, you are clumsy and tripped over your own feet. So why are you still sitting there, like you can't believe the ground assaulted you or something?"
She looked up at him, almost laughing at how close his joke was to the truth, and broke out into a smile. "If you were a gentleman, you'd offer me your hand to help me up."
His answering smirk caused her pause as he walked towards her, stopping directly in front of her and blocking her eyes from the sun. "Good thing I'm not a gentleman," he said as he bent down and hauled her up bodily, holding her to his chest as she reaclimated herself. She turned to collect her belongings and found her self tilting back toward the ground, explosive pain shooting through her foot.
"Looks like you broke your ankle,"
She stuck out her foot and examined it carefully. There was some discolouration which would no doubt turn into a bruise, but it didn't hurt. Experimentally she wiggled her toes, then turned her foot this way and that before placing it on the floorand puting a bit of pressure on it, at which point she winced and clutched the haori underneath her hand. "I think it's only sprained..."
"Either way, you'll want to get back to the palace, put some ice on it, probably wrap it." She was silent and he was contemplating the prospect of caring her back to the palace when she spoke.
"No, I think I'll carry on. I'd better finish my errand before I go back to the palace."
"But..your injured, what could you have to do that is so important?"
"Well, Miroku-sama requires more parchment. Kaede-sama requires new supplies for her healing. Yukio-san would like to try a herbal remedy on one of the horses and I told him I would get his supplies. And I want to get a gift for Sango, after her long journey."
"None of those things are worth the pain of walking through the village, injured. You can hardly stand on your own," he informed her, looking pointedly at the hand she still had braced on his shoulder.
"Maybe not, but if I don't go a lot of people will be disappointed. My injury is minor and it won't get worse in the next few hours, so I'll just have to bare it. Besides Chiyoko is heavily pregnant and might go into labout any time now. Kaede needs her supplies at the very least."
"Fine, give me the list, I'll go. But first I'll take you to the old bat."
"That's very sweet, but I don't have a list.
"What do you mean you don't have a list?"
"I don't have a list. I have a great memory so everyone just told me what they needed."
"If your memory is so great how come you couldn't remember to watch where you were going?"
"Touche'," she replied, and looked up at the hanyou underneath the curtain of her bangs so that she saw her eyes through her thick long lashes "Can't you just help me around the village, Barnabus? I'll be an hour, tops, and then I will go wherever you want me to." The girl was probably not aware of the double meaning the hanyou had applied to her words, visions running rampant in his head. He coughed to cover his blush, and knowing that was most likely not what she had in mind he schooled his expresion before looking back at her and responding to her request with a quick negative. She let out a well practiced sigh of long suffering, "Fine, I'll make it on my own," she said as she let go of his shoulder and tried to hobble away. "I'll just grit my teeth and bare it," the fact that her teeth were in fact gritted as she cautiously applied pressure to her injured appendage was not lost on the hanyou.
He stood there watching her as she attempted to pick up her things, but instead went sprawling back on the floor. He let out his own sigh of long suffering and grunted at the girl, "Come on, princess. You'll probably just cause more damage on your own."
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A servant dressed in the dark blue jinbei that was the common uniform of the servants entered the room his lords lounged in, his head bowed, followed by a tall inu-youkai, garbed in a cobalt chest plate and armor and white dress, so that the contrast was striking. "My lord, your messenger has returned."
Lord Tai put down his tea and looked up at his visitor. "So Isamu, what is the word from the wolves, can they help?"
"My liege, Prince Koga seemed most anxious to help. He has granted your request, sending trusted men to secure our borders. He has also taken it upon himself to send out his own sentries in search of the girl."
This was surprising news, the wolf prince wasn't one to simply offer a helping hand. Curious... "Have Koga's men returned with you?"
"Yes sir, along with his sentries. They await Sango-sama's return for instruction."
"Thank you. Dismissed." The lord turned to his son and raised one delicate eyebrow in question. "Well, you're thoughts? We both know you are going to give them to me whether I want them or not."
"Koga does not help others unless there is something in it for him," Sesshoumaru observed, "Why would he send out extra men if he was not hoping to extend our alliance with Lady Ami to his own clan?"
"Why indeed..."
"Father?"
"When will Sango be returning?"
"The human woman will return tomorrow, most likely."
"Hmm...well, I suppose we will have more information tomorrow. Now drink your tea, it's getting cold."
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"Why is everyone staring at you?"
"Must be the ears.."
They had been making their way through the village market, collecting all the items they required. Kagome was rather proud of her haggling skills, managing to get most of the vendors to go down to reasonable prices. She had never had to haggle for anything before and she was almost shocked she was so good at it. What her mother had taught her turned out to be true. With enough confidence and brains you could accomplish anything, two things her mother was swathed in.
However, Kagome had noticed a very strange reastion that most of the villagers seemed to be having. Everytime they got a look at Barnabus they bowed their heads and would not look him in the eye, even the youkai. And everyone was calling him lord. Or, more specifically, 'My Lord,' was the actual title that seemed to have been bestowed on him. What was that about? On top of that, once this exchange was complete, nine out of ten villagers turned back to her and took in the sight of her with looks of wonder on their faces that were quickly turned away.
She tried to give him a haughty expression, but her irritation didn't quite come across with him pretty much supporting her whole weight. Kagome was leaning heavily into his side with one arm around her waist and the other braced against her shoulder, so that no pressure at all was applied to her injured foot. "Yeah sure buddy. Where I come from, furry dog ears don't make people bow and ply you with honorifics. That only happens when you're actually a lord. So are you?" she asked.
"Am I what?"
"A Lord," she answered, rolling her eyes, "Must you always play dumb?"
"Yes,"
"Yes you are a lord or yes you must always play dumb?"
"I must always play dumb," he smirked, wondering if he should answer her question. If she knew who he actually was, there was no chance he would be able to spend time with her. And he wasn't sure if he should be upset or happy about that prospect. Up until now they had spent their time together away from others and he wondered if he had subconsciously orchestrated that so that no one would tell her who he was. But there was nothing for it. She would find out eventually, especially when Sango returned. "And I'm a lord."
"Huh,"
"That's it, that's all you have to say?"
"Well...I wouldn't have really pegged you for a lord to be honest. I mean you've got the vocabulary and the duds but...you seem...more interesting? Better? I don't know, but more like a warrior," His cheeks rouged slightly at the light praise and a small smile crept onto his lips. It was short lived, however. "So are you going to tell me your real name now?"
He opened his mouth to respond when he felt his hakama catch on something. He looked down to see a little girl tugging on the cloth, a small bundle wrapped up in her hands."Lord, sir? On behalf of my family I want to present to you this small token of our ap...a pree..." The girl paused and looked back where a man and woman, her parents most likely, were standing
The woman didn't even blink. "Appreciation, sweetheart."
"Appreciation," she said triumphantly, beaming back up at the hanyou, "A small token of our appreciation."
"She's adorable," Kagome whispered.
The little girls mother came up to her daughter and lifted her into her arms so that Inuyasha could easily take the gift. "We know that the festival is coming up, but you are so busy protecting us that it is rare you come down to see us Lord Inuyasha. We truly love these visits and hope -"
"Wait...what did she just call you?"
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This chapter was easy cause I already knew how I wanted it to go. BTW, my current computer is way dysfunctional and I don't have a beta reader anymore. I try to go over the chapters myself but mistakes happen so hopefully you can just cringe and bear it. I love your feedback and will try to respond to MOST reviews. But past history tells me that I suck at that so if I forgot you, I'm sorry.
Until next time