"The sons of Inu no Tashio are who you chose?" Kikyo murmured in some shock. She honestly did not ever think Kagome would pick them… Never had she thought the two would be for sale… Rather they may have been holed up somewhere, as their father. Yet here they were, following Kagome, and how she wished that they weren't.
"Well, you said strong enough to protect." Kagome whispered toward her as they were walking home, Kikyo holding the reins of a two headed dragon.
Kagome had been too young to remember, but these two demons had come to their home once, along with their father. Kikyo barely even remembered if she were honest with herself. But she had recalled those unmistakable golden eyes of Sesshoumaru's and ears atop Inuyasha's head. "These two demon's were each royalty, Kagome." Kikyo restrained the hiss for an almost angry whisper.
"I know… What better place than with us, though? I mean, it's not like we're going to use them for what… For what some people surely would." Those blue eyes darkened with the thoughts Kikyo could imagine rolling through Kagome's mind. Fighting, used as studs or simply abused for being who they were.
Sighing, Kikyo closed her eyes. "You are right, of course." In this, Kagome was dead on. The Tashio brothers were perhaps better off with them than any other humans, but this was still difficult for Kikyo. And by Sesshoumaru's scrutiny, demanding the bands constriction on their own right, it wasn't going to get any easier.
However, home was a perfect place to be. She was so relieved to see that house, so-
"Aaaiiiieeeeeeee!" A chill coursed down through Kagome and Kikyo, from the top of their heads to the end of their spine and out through their feet.
"Keade…" Kagome whispered, she and her sister running as quickly as they could down the hall, leaving the slaves to themselves. Inuyasha almost jumped into action, looking at his older brother who stared on without care.
As the two women ran, they seen that there was blood on the floor near a few bodies of those Kikyo and Kagome did not know. They ran through the kitchen, beyond the royal wings and down into the guard quarters where Miroku lay in a heap on the floor, his blood in a large pool beneath him. Kikyo turned just for a moment, to see, and as she thought, the Tashio brothers did not follow, but she could not call them. No, Kagome Higurashi had purchased the brothers, not she. "Call." Kikyo said as they were nearing the door. "Call them."
"Wha-" Keade screamed again. "Inuyasha! Sesshoumaru!" She screeched and four men came from Miroku's bedroom, coming for them with spears. Kikyo's palms alighted with miko born energy, colliding with one of the men by the time he could think to throw the spear. Kagome ducked as one nearly implanted the tip of his in her chest, and her body bristled at the feel of youkai energy whirling over her in the form of a green whip. It tore off the three remaining humans heads.
Kagome said nothing, rushing toward the room, barely missing the blood around Miroku when a hand caught her ankle. She felt the bite of a blade against her skin before she was yanked back by a strong, clawed hand and the human was lifted from the ground. "Do not kill him!" Kikyo shouted at Inuyasha. "He will be questioned!"
Kagome wrenched from Inuyasha's hold and ran into the bedroom where Keade and Souta were huddled together in a difficult to reach corner, almost behind a huge dresser. "Keade, Souta…" Kagome called, tears running down her face, her whole body shaking. No father, no mother, their grandfather was gone and her two siblings were almost from her reach as well.
"Kagome!" They cried in unison, rushing out into her arms. Their words were suddenly jumbled together and they both spoke at a hundred miles a minute, sobbing and shaking with terror.
"It's alright, ssh. Everything's okay now." She sat on Miroku's bed with the two, rocking them in her hold as carefully as she could. Yet there was no time for that, as the eldest knew.
"Kagome," Kikyo called. "We must help Miroku while he still lives, the children can wait." Kagome looked down at the two and Souta nodded in understanding, wiping his eyes and letting her go. Keade was in a fit of hysterics, so he took the task of holding his sister and trying to soothe her, even though he was still terrified as well. But he was the man of the house now and he knew it had to be done.
Kagome came from the room, kneeling down before Miroku while Kikyo sat behind. She stifled the sob that wanted to reach forward. "Will he live?" She whispered.
"If we begin healing now, he may." Kikyo told her. "Work with me sister, we haven't much time."
Kagome nodded, closing her eyes as their hands found their way over Miroku, scant centimeters from Kikyo's own. The room lit with miko energy, their power pulsing in time with one another as they had often practiced. Inuyasha couldn't help the surprise that glittered in his eyes while Sesshoumaru merely watched, calculating. He was also left holding to the now unconscious assassin by his throat for questioning later. Perhaps he would be given the pleasure of torturing the human. It would be a most warranted and familiar practice, after all.
For the two miko's task, mending a spirit when healing was one thing, mending flesh another, and Kagome's powers trembled from the intense effort. She did not often train with her sister and it left her stamina weak in comparison.
Biting her lip, keeping in mind that she weaved Miroku's very life beneath her fingers, Kagome would not relent, no matter how difficult it was to constantly pull the power in such a direct and demanding task. They remained there, almost motionless, for some twenty minutes, Keade and Souta having come to the door way and watched their progress, glancing at the imposing demons from time to time.
And then both miko's knew they'd reached a point where Miroku would now have to conquer death alone. Their powers drew back, Kikyo's more abated and Kagome's like a sling shot, snapping back into the comfort of herself.
The sisters sat silently for some time, looking over Miroku, reflecting on the carnage. Kikyo knew it had been her fault. She should not have left with Kagome for so long… Of course someone would have been watching the house, to see if the two sisters, or at the very least, Kikyo, had gone off somewhere. Then they would stage an assualt and try to take the house. If it hadn't been for Miroku, their home may have been burned with Souta and Keade inside of it. She could never be so foolish again.
If she were, then she would loose everything she loved. "Is the house of Higurashi to be forever cursed…?" They had first lost their mother in a dual to a maniacal, dark demon that had made their father loose his mind so thoroughly to grief that he'd created a way for demon kind to be enslaved, dying there after. And then, even after that, their grandfather had been killed in their very home. To that end, she'd almost lost Souta and Keade, let alone… Her pale fingers brushed through Miroku's bangs, her brown eyes filling with regret and self loath. They had almost lost another brother… For even her grandfather had agreed, Miroku earned himself a place, a seat, at their table of Higurashi.
Kagome brought her hand over Kikyo's, looking into her sisters startled brown eyes with calm blue. "It isn't your fault." She told her, tightening her hold on Kikyo's hand. "No one knew this was going to happen."
Kikyo pulled her hand back, folding it in her lap. "No dear sister… I am the head of this house, I should have foreseen this. I was blind."
Kagome fought the tears, looking back at Miroku. "We have to move him…" She whispered.
"There are no men left in the house." Inuyasha grumbled, making just about everyone but Sesshoumaru jump. "Everyone's dead."
Kikyo's cool brown gaze met his amber briefly, before he looked off to the side. "Even the elderly, the advisors."
He took a sniff. "Some of 'em… I can smell the ones that hid themselves."
Kikyo huffed a weary laugh. "Cowards…"
"I need both of you to help us." Kagome said, standing against the bite of pain on her leg. "We can't lift him, so I need you to carry him to our sick bay." Kikyo stood as well while Sesshoumaru discarded the unconscious human. "I'll show them where, maybe you could…" She indicated toward Keade and Souta.
"Hai." Kikyo nodded, looking at her siblings. "Come, you will sleep with me tonight." She promised, lifting Keade into her arms.
As Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha lifted Miroku, Kagome began walking down the hall, at a slow pace since one had to walk backwards. An elderly lady, named Oko, was also hiding. "Lad-Lady Kagome!" She cried out, coming forward to greet the mistress. "Oh how I-Miroku!" She called, shock and horror on her face.
"Kikyo and I healed him to the best of our ability, but now I think it's up to him, Kami and you." Kagome offered her a tense smile. "These two demons-"
"Lord Sesshoumaru and Lord Inuyasha." She managed. "I have met them." Sesshoumaru stared blankly at her while Inuyasha seemed embarrassed when she gave a bow. "Please, set him down." Oko indicated to the table.
They did as they were told, even though she was not their master. "If you need anything," Kagome told her. "I'll be just down the hall."
"Of course, my Lady. Rest yourself, all will be well." She promised.
Kagome nodded solemnly, brushing the back of Miroku's hand before she left. Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru followed her out into the hall once more, where after walking a short distance, Kagome stopped, looking to the two. "Okay… So… Inuyasha," his ears flickered and his eyes caught hers briefly. "I saw you with the demon boy, as you noticed and that's sort of what drew me to you. You are going to protect my siblings. Sleep when you need to, but you will have the room stationed right across from them. Until I say otherwise, you will remain with them at all decent times. Unless you've got to use the bathroom or something…" She was not good at giving orders. "I'll take you to their rooms and-"
"They're with your sister." He told her in a huff.
She blinked in surprise. "Oh, right, with my sister." She nodded. "I'll take you there-"
"No need." He shrugged. "I can smell 'em."
"Oh." She nodded again. "Alright, well… You can go if you…" Well he wouldn't want to, so she couldn't say that, and by the time she could think of anything to say, he was already going. Embarrassed, Kagome didn't dare look at the Inu youkai standing just behind her.
The ominous presence of the demon lord left her edgy and she could hardly look at him in the first place, let alone through embarrassment. "I um… Haven't figured out who you're going to look after just yet, so for now, we'll say who's in the most danger and sort of… Our lands."
He quirked a brow and she got the hint. "Yeah… Sort of is silly. So, you will protect our lands." The bands recognized the command, but it was a weak one, he knew. She could not give orders and though was high in ranking, seemingly did not have one. How… annoying.
She began walking and he followed, making her edgy again. "Why are you-"
"You are injured, human. Therefore you are the being that is in the greatest peril." She jumped at the depth to his voice, the tone somehow familiar. Looking at his face, she tried to picture where she must have met him before this time, but was unable.
"It's a small cut." She murmured instead, looking down at her leg.
He offered no reply, so she sighed, allowing him to follow her as he wished. "Sister." Kagome called as she noticed Kikyo move down a corridor. It wasn't long after that her elder sister rounded the corner to look at her. "The bodies-"
"I will take care of them. Go to bed, Kagome." She told her.
"But-"
"Sleep." Kikyo demanded, no way for her sister to budge.
Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru. "Help her with what she needs for now." She told him.
Kikyo rolled her eyes and began walking. Sesshoumaru immediately followed as the spell demanded. He felt Kagome going to her room, noticing it wasn't too far from where Inuyasha remained posted, but kept his mind focused on what Kikyo was doing. The bodies of the guards for her home and even the assassins were rendered into naught but energy with a touch of her hand. He knew why. They hadn't the room for the bodies to be buried any longer, and if he surmised correctly, Kagome would not take kindly to this method of burial.
"If it eases your discomfort and hate of humans," Kikyo murmured to him. "My sister and I have been trying to secretly find a way to undo the bands."
Sesshoumaru said nothing, his eyes narrowing ahead of him. It was no lie, he could sense that much, but he did not care for outward remarks as she had made. It made no difference what she tried with or without her sister, for no miko would be as powerful as the one who had done such.
No demon knew whose family had placed the spell, and Kikyo wasn't going to tell him it was the husband of Midoriko. The less any of demon kind knew about the ordeal, the better. "Your father, what has become of him?"
Sesshoumaru offered her no answer and Kikyo sighed. "I should have asked more politely, forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama." The demon lord's eyes briefly moved to her raven head before returning to look before him. "I ask because I wish to know if there is a way to retrieve him from some ill fate."
He was silent, memorizing the halls, the rooms and scents. Kikyo, after several long moments did not think the youkai would ever answer, when out of the blue, there ranged his deep voice. "The underground fighting rings hold he and numerous other once ruling demons."
She nodded gravely. "Do you know of Akin's father, Kisu?"
"He fights as well." Kikyo looked up, into the night as she opened the shoji doors to release the souls of those bodies she had destroyed. "I have no more a need of your help tonight, Sesshoumaru-sama. Thank you."
He knew she was correct and so he made his way back into the house, going to stand before Kagome's bedroom door. Right across from him stood Inuyasha, and they both glared at one another.
"Still got that ice pick up your ass?" Inuyasha asked.
"Do you remain ever incompetent?" Sesshoumaru felt dim satisfaction when Inuyasha growled.
Silence sustained for some time before Inuyasha finally asked. "This is… Where Midoriko lived, right?" He'd only come along with Sesshoumaru and his father to this home once, so Sesshoumaru gave a slight inclination. "And this is what's left of her family?" He asked.
"Yes, dear brother. Care to assist with the issue?" Inuyasha flushed, muttering something unattractive about his brother under his breath.
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed suddenly and his nostrils flared as he turned to Kagome's door, opening it quickly. Inuyasha did not move from his post but watched as his brother entered her room, having also smelt something strange. "Miko." The demon lord called demandingly in his baritone voice. He moved further into the room upon having no answer and approached her bedside, where, with his height, he seen her on the opposite side, unconscious.
He came to her, lifting her chin, mindful of his sharp claws. Her face was ashen and her skin damp. "Inuyasha." Sesshoumaru called as each of the bands warned their master was nearing death. In that instance, all else can be abandoned, for the most important issue is to defend the master's life. A slave can even defy a direct order that was last given by their master. "A moth demon's poison."
"Shit." The hanyou growled. "No wonder we didn't smell it." Moth demon poison is odorless until it infects the blood stream so much so that it fermatas from the poisoned ones pores.
Sesshoumaru sensed Kikyo's approach down the hall. "Tell the sister."
"Yeah." Inuyasha jumped up as Sesshoumaru lifted the hem of her night ware and surveyed the wound. It was purplish grey. That would be a northern moth of mediocre ranking. Two drops of his poison would devour it and cancel out in her system. Yet this would be considered direct harm upon the girl by his own intent and therefore the bands would constrict and kill him.
Kikyo ran into the room, dropping down on the other side of Sesshoumaru. "How did th-"
"The dagger was laced with moth dust." He told her.
Kikyo had gotten the man into a locked room, but hadn't the chance to question him, so she hadn't known. If only she had started interrogating him! Rage crept up in her, but she held it steady, not letting it dilute her wit. "How can she be saved?"
"A demon's venom must be counter balanced with another demon's venom. If I do this, I will die." Kikyo's heart beat unsteadily. "You must trust me to find Akin, for if he is ordered to do this, he will not die."
Kikyo looked into Sesshoumaru's eyes and knew he could not be dishonorable even if he wanted to. The ownership held him and if it was the only way to save her sister, so be it. "Go. He is east in the house of Oshwa."
A demon slayers home. Totosai was there, last he knew. Nodding, Sesshoumaru flew with the miko, his master, in his arms. Her breaths were beginning to shallow and her weak human body trembled in his arms. It disgusted him to be some savior for a human, but even if she died, he would not be free. Rather, he would be sold once more, and at least this family acknowledged his heritage. For that, he would be sure to save her.
Using his demon cloud, the mansion came in sight quickly and he was surprised at just how fast the alarm bells sounded. The demon slayer attitude was still very much alive within this family. Before Sango recognized him, Sesshoumaru had the momentary relish and opportunity to battle off the weapons. He had the enjoyment of using his muscles in quick fire motions and even in his strength to use one arm to fight them off while the other held the miko steady.
"No, stop!" Sango cried. "He has Kagome! That's her slave!"
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. He was not the miko's slave, he belonged to no one. The humans ceased their attacks and he almost growled in disappointment as he landed, feeling less alive than before. An ookami glared at him with icy eyes while Akin stood protectively before Sango, his apricot gaze flickering to the miko briefly before locking with Sesshoumaru's amber glare.
"What's happened to her?" Sango called out with alarm.
"Moth venom." Sesshoumaru intoned. What must have been keeping her alive was her purity, for most humans would have died in his arms moments ago.
Sango looked at Akin. Sesshoumaru was slightly impressed, she knew what to do without him needing to elaborate, but there again, what should be expected of demon exterminators? If they were of any decent caliber, this would be a common knowledge to them.
"Save her." She told him. "You know how, so just do it."
Akin gave a nod, stepping forward slowly, the venom spreading in his system, to his claws. His bands constricted. "My Lady…" He indicated, bright, glowing eyes looking to her.
Sango trembled, for her words could implicate her friends demise. She had to trust a youkai, something she had never done in all of her life. Even before she spoke, Sango proceeded to pray. "Poison the miko, Akin." And then the bands released so that he could draw the venom to the tip of his claws. He sniffed over her to determine how much venom would be necessary before coating the slice on her skin ever so lightly.
He yanked his hand back as the miko cried out, her blunt nails digging into Sesshoumaru's shoulder suddenly, miko power shuddering outward from pain. However, the miko energy seemed to be a frustration, just little jolts of electricity making him uncomfortable. She wasn't trying to kill anyone, she was venting from pain. How… strange. "Koga," Sango called and the demon came to her side. "Go to Kikyo, tell her we will be keeping Kagome here for the night, with Sesshoumaru. If anything happens, tell her we will send you to her once more."
"Yeah." Koga said gruffly, looking back at Kagome's pained face before leaping over the wall protecting Sango's home and running.
Another interest, Sesshoumaru decided as Koga's aura disappeared. The wolf youkai must be in love with the priestess, for his aura bespoke utter ownership of her. "Follow me, if you will." Sango said, drawing his entire focus back to where he stood, amongst the tense family. "I'll take you to her usual room."
Sesshoumaru said nothing, so Sango started walking, not missing the clear, impressive aura following behind her. "You may not know him…" Sango began, her brother glancing up from beside her. "But there is a guard who works in Kagome and Kikyo's home. His name is Miroku…" Sesshoumaru waited for her to get to the point. "Is he alive…?"
He remained silent for some while and, when he decided there was no issue in answering her, replied. "Barely." Sango seemingly missed a step in her stride before she corrected her gate, continuing on before him. It wasn't long until he laid Kagome upon a futon, where she would rest for the night. His keen senses surveyed the environment he found himself in as much as they remained attune to her, and throughout the night, he found himself annoyed with human weakness. Stuck, once more, in the grip and stench of human idiocies.
"Hn."
Alright, so, To See the Unnoticed When Blind will be updated in a few days. I've run into a few snags with it, so, enjoy Slave of My Heart and please, let me know what you think.