"You're going to kill him?!" Kagome screeched at the tall man across the small clearing of trees.
"What use would I have for such an old man? He's weak and far too short to reach the tops of cabinets to clean." The man shrugged as if it was no big deal. Kagome shook with a mixture of fear and anger because of what little thought this man had for someone's life. Did he have a conscience at all?
"Take me to him, please." Kagome asked as her voice quivered as she tried to restrain her emotions, she kept it just loud enough so the man could hear what she had said. The man's golden eyes studied the girl dressed in a shade of green similar to the evergreen pine needles.
"No." He replied without a second thought, as if the thought alone was enough to make him hurl.
"Please. He's all I have left." This time her voice was low and she felt Kirara cuddle closer to her chest to keep hold of her body heat. Kagome was too tired mentally and physically to produce anymore tears.
The man's facial expression did not change, as if it was made of cold porcelain. Even though his eyes were the warmest shade of gold, there was no light behind them. He respected the girl and her will to come out this far alone, and to talk to him in the way she had, even though her human ignorance disgusted him on more than one level. That girl had a fiery spirit, to say the least.
"Fine, you may say your goodbyes. Follow me." Kagome was quick to follow the stranger through the forest until they got to a two-headed demon. The demon had mucky green scales and metal muzzle over their mouths with reins attached. The demon stood about nine feet tall and made sounds similar to an upset donkey. Kagome felt a bundle of nerves in the pit of her stomach. What if this was nothing more than a trap? She had read legends about demons that could listen to your thoughts and use your deepest desires to lure.
Kagome and the man stood awkwardly, Kirara restless against Kagome's chest as she huddled closer to the human's body and head. Never before had Kagome been so close to demons, apart from Kirara who had been around in Kagome's life since she could remember. He gestured for Kagome to hop onto the scaly demon, and after a few trials and errors she was on it.
"Good boy... or girl. Is it a boy or girl?" Kagome asked the stranger curiously. She knew that she would've felt offended if someone had called her by the wrong pronoun anyway. The man simply rolled his eyes at the girl.
"Both."
"Both? How?" She did not digest how a creature could be both a male and a female.
"The head on the right is a male and the other is a female. Now, shut up we are leaving."
"Are you not getting on... too." The girl's thoughts trailing away as she watched the silver haired man float away from where her and the two-headed demon donkey sat. The demon screeched before a rough take off, Kagome latched onto the demon's matted mane with one hand, her other one tightly holding onto Kirara. Next thing Kagome knew she was flying through the cold sky, light snow still fell. Kagome tried to think of ways that she could help Gramps escape, but none of her ideas would work out and she knew it. Maybe she could just convince the demon man to spare his life? After all she did already get him to bring her to the castle, right? He couldn't be completely heartless, or at least Kagome thought so.
She watched the man ahead of her and the two headed demon as he gracefully glided through the darkening sky. It would be impossible for her to say that he was anything but beautiful. His long silver hair reflecting swirls of coral and lilac with the sunset. What happened to him that made him so cold? Was it natural, him being a demon? The idea of demons being naturally cruel didn't sit well with Kagome. If that was true then Kirara would've murdered her and many others of the village ages ago; Kirara had one of the purest, kindest hearts that Kagome knew.
Kagome's body weight shifted forward as the two-headed demon readied for a landing.
"Where are we going?" Kagome whispered to herself as she saw nothing more than a mountain. Was it a trap? Was he really luring her to her death? He was set on the idea of Kagome just turning around and abandoning her grandfather only a moment ago. She cursed on her belief in everyone deserving a second chance and not judging a scroll by it's paper. She held on tightly to the reigns as her hands felt frozen on the cold leather.
As they got closer to the side of the mountain, Kagome saw the castle; it almost blended in completely with the rocks and trees. Kagome could only assume that the rest of the castle descended into the mountain, and she couldn't imagine just how big it was on the inside. The four of them landed right outside of the entrance. Sesshomaru knocked three fast powerful blows to the door before two shorter, slightly slower ones. In a matter of thirty seconds, the door opened by a boy that looked around Kagome's age, if not slightly order. He wore a grey kimono and his black hair was tied back into a low pony tail.
"Welcome back Lord Sesshomaru." He greeted the tall man with a bow and moved to the side to be out of his way. Lord Sesshomaru spoke in a low tone to the butler, enough so Kagome couldn't hear. The teenage boy nodded as Kagome watched Sesshomaru walk into the castle and she was left with the boy.
"Hello, I am Miroku, the head butler for Lord Sesshomaru and Master Inuyasha." He greeted Kagome with a warm smile. Caught off guard, Kagome studied him silently. Was he a demon too? Gramps had always told her that humans that looked like humans were always the most dangerous. Maybe he was just a slave that Lord Sesshomaru kidnapped and forced into his labour.
"I am Kagome."
"No need to be so cold, Kagome. You may follow me." He said before he walked down the long red hallway. On the wall were different portraits some of forest scenery, others included a tall man that looked similar to Lord Sesshomaru, except his hair was up instead of down. Farther down the hallway was a portrait of a beautiful woman with dark hair and a gorgeous pink kimono.
Kagome and Miroku entered a room with a fireplace and little lanterns all around. The butler closed the door behind them and started to light the fireplace. Kagome sat on the wine coloured couch. Above the fireplace was another portrait; Kagome recognized this one.
"The Great Demon Dog of the West." Kagome spoke softly, mesmerized by the painting. It showed him in his true form over a small village. It was told that he was the most powerful demon in the land until he came to his demise.
"The one and only. Wish I had the honour to meet him myself." Miroku sighed as he finished setting up the fire and stood at the end of the right side of the door. The girl felt uneasy but didn't want to push these people to show her Grandfather. They might kill him or her out of spite.
"You haven't met him?" She asked the young man.
"Of course not. I am only nineteen years of age." Miroku answered with a puzzled look. Kagome sighed with relief and Miroku raised his eyebrow at the girl; she was an odd one. He was given direct orders to keep an eye on the girl until Lord Sesshomaru said otherwise. Miroku thought it was a strange request, but he must do as Lord Sesshomaru asks.
Nothing except the crackle of the wood was between the two. Kirara was curled up on Kagome's lap. Kagome gently stroked her fur with her fingertips.
"What's wrong with it?" Miroku questioned as he watched Kirara shake violently.
"She got poisoned earlier by one of Lord Sesshomaru's whip attacks. I hope she will recover soon." Kagome replied. Miroku stayed silent as he bit the inside of his cheek. He gave her only a few hours.
Kagome hummed a tune softly to the pained feline still lightly touching her blonde fur. Miroku could have sworn he seen a faded lilac glow coming from the girl's hand. He shook the thought away before thinking of a more realistic reason. He must have been sleep deprived it had been a long day.
Kagome felt as if time was going by slower, it was now dark outside and the lanterns lit up the stained glass windows. She could only imagine how beautiful it must've looked outdoors, the picture of lilies shining luminously along side the granite rocks.
There was a quick knock on the door before it slowly began to open. Kagome felt her heart beat harder as the image of a bloody Gramps flashed through her mind. The image dissolved when a girl that looked to be about Kagome's age walked in the room with a younger boy who was obviously not human. He had pointed ears and his hair was a burnt orange. Kagome had never seen such wild hair.
"Sango..." Miroku said almost as if it was a warning and the girl just smiled sweetly at the boy, a light blush flushed on his nose area.
"What? We heard that we had company and we always bring tea to company. Isn't that right, Ship?" The girl spoke with a musical tone as she placed a teapot onto the table. The orange haired boy nodded his head in agreement. The butler crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the girl dressed in pink and black.
"And who told you about our company?" He asked with crossed arms and a true voice of authority that reminded Kagome of the time she got caught in a tangle of fibs by her Gramps when she was a youngin.
Sango and Ship exchanged a quick look.
"So you must be Kagome the Granddaughter. I am Sango, the head housemaid, at your service." The girl with straight bangs introduced herself quickly as she avoided the question.
Kagome blinked, caught off guard by the girl's extreme friendliness. Was she a demon? The girl in green merely nodded her head, her hand stopped its stroking motion. Within a few seconds, Kirara began to hiss in pain and her shakes became more agitated. Sango took notice and squatted down to be eye level with the kitten.
"What's wrong, kitty?" Sango asked, her voice more delicate than glass.
"Lord Sesshomaru used his Energy Whip." Miroku answered in a flat tone. Sango's eyes widened at his words and Kagome creased her eyebrows. What was really wrong with Kirara?
"May I take her? I will give her an antidote and make sure she feels better. I promise." Sango looked up at Kagome. Tears burned in her eyes as they threatened to escape.
"Please help her." Kagome begged the house maid. She knew that if anything were to happen to Kirara, Kohaku would be heartbroken and she did not want to put him through that pain. Especially if something were to happen to her or Gramps on top of that.
"Sango." Miroku hissed, which she countered with a glare and took the kitten into her arms.
"I'll bring her back, you have my word." Sango told Kagome and started to leave the room. Ship followed her in pursuit after he gave a quick bow.
"Ship, stay on my service." Miroku demanded. The younger boy's whole body froze completely before he pivoted and stood beside Miroku.
Sango turned her head around, her eyes filled with rage.
"I rank higher than you, Sango. What I say goes."
"Yeah, I know." Sango spat out before she left the room with a slammed door. The clack of her heels in the echoed hallway and Miroku and Kagome sat in silence as they heard the pitter patter quickly faded away.
"Will she be okay?" Kagome asked, worried about Kirara's saviour's safety against Lord Sesshomaru. Miroku only snorted at her question.
"Of course she will. She's Lord Sesshomaru's first born after all." Miroku muttered snarkly to himself.