Disclaimer: nope, still don't own anything…except…nope, nothing
Set Me Free
Chapter Two
When Kagome returned to the manor with her slaves she didn't know what to do.
"Kagome, you can take them out to the slave house out back" her mother told her.
Kagome shook her head, "no mother. They will stay in one of my chambers."
Lady Higurashi shrugged, "Whatever you want Kagome it's your decision. Just…don't do anything foolish, or else they will be sleeping in the slave house."
Kagome turned back and looked at the slaves, who remained silent the whole ride back, "Come on, I'll show you where you'll be staying." She said as she walked up the stairs and headed towards her chambers.
When she reached the door she turned back to make sure they were still following her, they were. She turned the knob and pushed the doors open, revealing a living room, which was lavishly decorated for her birthday.
"It's my birthday today, otherwise this room wouldn't look like this at all" she explained to the slaves, even though she knew they wouldn't care.
"Okay, first things first; everyone sit down please" she said, motioning to the several chairs scattered about the room. The three sat on chairs and Kagome situated herself on the sofa, "Okay, next thing; I'm Kagome. What are your names?" she asked them.
The room was silent for several minutes before the half demon spoke up, "Feh. It's not like it even matters"
Kagome was taken aback by his comment and tried again, "All right, just hear me out. I don't want to be your master…I want you to be my friends. And I obviously can't do that if I don't know your names."
"Friends? That's impossible I hope you know." The girl said, with distaste in every word.
"Please. I'm begging you, just let me in. I promise I will never do anything bad to you and you will sleep in here with me and I'll give you whatever you want. Just don't be so quick to hate me." She pleaded.
The three slaves looked at each other and then back at Kagome, who by now was close to tears.
"Don't cry mistress." The man said, "We are not trying to be cruel to you. But most masters say things like this in the beginning and then treat us as everyone else does."
Kagome sniffled, "I'm not like that. I promise you all. I give you my solemn word that I will never do anything to harm or mistreat you. Please believe that I'm telling you the truth"
"It's not our duty to believe you. It is our duty to serve you no matter what." The man said.
"Can you just tell me your names please? And then we can go from there."
"I am called Miroku." the man who had been doing most of the talking told her, getting out of his chair and bowing.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Miroku. Thank you for giving me a chance to prove to you that I'm not like everyone else around here."
Miroku nodded and then retook his place in the chair.
"Sango." The woman said simply, bowing her head and then raising it to look Kagome in the eye.
"Thank you Sango." Kagome said and then looked to the last man, who showed no intention of talking to her. "What's you name?" she asked him.
"Why do you care so much? Just tell us what to do and be done with it. We're your slaves, your PROPERTY, not your friends." He spat.
"Stop it!" Miroku shouted at him and then turned back to Kagome, "I apologize mistress; that was out of line."
"That is okay Miroku. Could you and Sango talk to him please? Take as long as you need, I'm going to get your rooms ready." Kagome said standing and leaving the room.
With Kagome
"All right…I need…a lot of things." She said to herself as she walked back and forth from the two conjoining bedrooms that would be for Sango, Miroku and the hanyou, to her room. She walked into her room and pulled on a cord that let a servant know that she needed help.
After a couple minutes the servant walked into her room.
"Yes miss? What can I get for you?" she asked.
"Well, I need three set of sheets and blankets, six pillows, and the seamstress. And I will also need a handful of my old gowns. Oh! And some fresh flowers and some toiletries please."
"Yes of course miss. I will be back as soon as I can be." The servant said, bowing as she left.
"Please let them notice how much I'm trying" she said as she sat on what would soon be Sango's bed.
With Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha
"Inu, you need to lighten up" Sango said, "She really doesn't seem so bad. At least, so far."
"Feh. They all seem nice at first. You would know that as well as I would Sango."
"But Inuyasha, didn't you notice how as soon as she heard that Sango wouldn't talk to anyone but us she immediately wanted all of us? Maybe that's a sign that she actually cares how we feel."
"Or maybe it's a sign that she just wanted Sango."
"Stop being so stubborn. Girl her a chance." Sango pleaded, "Just…try to be civil. This seems like a really good thing. Don't mess it up."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes and scoffed, "Fine, but don't expect me to be pleasant."
"We never do" Miroku said with a smile.
"Just…don't be mean" Sango said.
"I won't! I won't! I won't make her cry and I won't call her names either."
"Good" Miroku said.
Back with Kagome
"All right. Sango's room is done" Kagome said to herself with a sense of self satisfaction as she straightened up the bedding. She looked around the once plain room. There was now a light green quilt adorned with cherry blossoms on the bed and there was a large vase of flowers on the dresser. She had hung some of her old clothes in the armoire and would soon have her measured for new dresses.
"I hope she likes it as much as I do." She said as she walked into what would be Miroku and the hanyou's room.
It took an hour for her to set up their room. One bed had a red quilt on it and the other's was green and purple. She had dusted everything and cleaned out the armoire to make room for the clothes she would have made for them.
She walked out of the room to see the three slaves waiting for her.
"Well, I set up your rooms. Sango, yours is through that door. Miroku, yours and…"
"Inuyasha" Inuyasha said unhappily.
Kagome smiled, "Yes, Miroku and Inuyasha's room is through that door right there. The seamstress will be here shortly to measure you for new clothes but until then feel free to explore in here."
"Thank you" they said in unison and then walked into Sango's room together as Kagome sat down on the sofa to wait for the seamstress.
Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha looked around Sango's room in wonder.
"It's beautiful" Sango said, "Seems like she really does care."
"Yeah" Miroku said, "I agree. It's definitely better than anything else I've ever had."
"Me too." Sango said, "And I know it's the same for Inu, right?"
"Yeah, whatever." Inuyasha said.
"Come on guys, let's go see your room" Sango said, walking through the door that joined the rooms.
They explored both rooms fully and by the time they were done the seamstress had arrived.
"Miss, what would you like me to do?" the seamstress asked Kagome.
"I would like some clothing made for these three. Nothing too complicated, but nothing too simple either. Just plain colors and patterns. So I just need you to measure them and have the clothing done as quickly as possible."
The seamstress nodded and took out her measuring tape and looked at Sango, "you! Get over here!"
"Excuse me madam!" Kagome shouted at the seamstress, "If I do not address my slaves as such you most certainly do not have the authority to do so! If I hear you say one word further to my slaves without my permission you will be dismissed not just from this room but from this manor!"
Sango, Miroku and Inuyasha were shocked at Kagome's words. They had not expected her to shout like that, they most certainly did not expect her to yell like that because of how they were treated. They began to think that maybe Kagome was serious about what she had said before.
The seamstress finished measuring in silence and got up to leave. As she got to the door Kagome heard her mumble "Well I never."
"Madam" Kagome said and she turned around.
"Yes?" she said in a sickly sweet voice, "The clothing should be ready with the next couple of days miss."
"Yes that is very good. And one more thing madam."
"Yes?"
"Be sure to never show your face on this estate again. You are dismissed."
The seamstress left with a look of both shock and disgust on her face. As soon as the doors closed behind her Kagome semi-collapsed onto the sofa. Sango and Miroku hurried over to the sofa where Kagome was sitting.
"Are you all right mistress?" Miroku asked.
"Yes, I am fine. Thank you for your concern."
"Thank you for standing up for us mistress, no one has ever done that" Sango said.
"Maybe you believe me now?" she asked them.
They all nodded and Kagome smiled. "And just one more thing. I know that it would be weird for you to call me Kagome right away. But I don't want to be called mistress. You can either call me miss, or Miss Kagome. But I hope that one day you will call me by my first name."
"Thank you Miss. You are most kind." Miroku said, "But if I may, it has been a long day and I was wondering if I could be permitted to go to bed for the night."
"Oh of course! There should be some sleeping clothes in your dresser. You may all go to bed if you want, or you can stay up. I will be in my room if any of you need me. Good night." She said, walking into her room and leaving the door half open; an invitation for anyone to come in.
Miroku and Inuyasha walked into their room to go to bed and Sango walked into her room and began looking around more thoroughly. She noticed the clothing hanging up in her armoire and she knew right away that Kagome had given her clothing.
You are like no one I've ever met before Kagome. Sango thought as she pulled a nightgown out of the dresser and changed.
With Kagome
"This day went better than expected" Kagome said as she set up her easel to paint, "I think that they are beginning to trust me. But it is only the fist day, and we have plenty of time to get to know each other."
Just as she got her pallet ready to paint she heard a faint knocking on her door.
"Yes?" she asked.
The door pushed open to reveal Sango standing in the doorway in one of Kagome's old nightgowns.
"Yes Sango? Is something wrong?" Kagome asked.
"No, not really miss." Sango said, fidgeting with the hem of her nightgown, "You said that if anyone wanted to we could come in. and I was actually wondering if we could talk. If that's okay with you miss."
"Oh course it is. Come on over here and sit next to me. Do you mind if I paint while we talk?"
Sango shook her head as she sat next to Kagome on the bed, "Not at all"
"All right then. What would you like to talk about?"
"Nothing in particular. I was just wondering if you could tell me about yourself. You are so different from any other slave owner I've ever come across. And if I may ask…why did you choose us?"
Kagome put down her pallet and turned to Sango, "this is going to seem foolish. But I picked you because I do not think slavery is right and you were the slaves who had been there the longest."
"Oh…because you pitied us."
"Of course I did. I pity all slaves; no one deserves to be a slave. But I want you to be more of my friends. And as stupid as it sounds, it's the truth."
Sango placed her hand on Kagome's back and the two girls looked at each other, "Miss Kagome." Sango said, "I believe you."
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Authoress' note: so what do you think? R&R!