Chapter 3
I don't own Inuyasha!
Sanorai walked back and forth in his bed chambers contemplating the effect he could have on Kagome. She could be the most powerful woman in the world if she would just stand with him and help him to reverse the ancient magic that has caused him to creep through the night. He was forced to hide from the sun like scum; it was revolting and humiliating.
She was unlike the miko's his family had taken in the past. They would snatch the power that his ancestors dangled at their finger tips; Kagome seemed to be offended at the thought of being bought. Her values were unlike that of the man kind that Sanorai had studied for so long. They were creatures who would stop at nothing to gain power and wealth. Kagome's heart seemed to lay down another path; it was clear that she was not materialistic.
He had watched her for so long and during that time he had found so many great qualities that he had found it hard not to fall in love with such an exquisite woman. She is smart, attractive, and very strong. Everything she sets out to do, she does with unexplainable passion. It's incredible to think that a mere human woman could possess the rare qualities that define a goddess; she will make an incredible leader and mate. If only there had been a way for her to know him and to fall in love with him without having to force her into a bond that would only hopefully cause her to eventually fall for him.
It was unfair to think that he might have to keep her against her will, but it was necessary. One day she will come to appreciate her savior. Sanorai was the one who saved her from a life that would surely be nothing but hardship.
…..Tap……Tap….
A small head with long golden hair pushed through the crack of the door.
"Sir, Miss Kagome is ready for dinner. She is in the dinning room waiting for your presence."
Smiling, Gigi winked at Sanorai and waited for him to come out of deep thought. She had always thought he was incredibly handsome while he was thinking. He would pace back and forth with his shirt wrapped around his waist exposing his chest and wings. His eyes would fog over just enough for a person to know that his mind was far from the room.
Gigi had been born into her master's service, meaning she had been born in the sky. She had only stepped foot on solid ground once when she was young and didn't know enough to really appreciate the beauty of nature. She and Sanorai had grown up together and he had invited her to the garden for her tenth birthday. Gigi had never seen such an array of colors, a world outside of floating stone was like a fairy tale.
"How does she look? Is she adjusting well to her new surroundings, Gigi?"
Startled out of her revere, Gigi returned eye contact. Why he cared for someone he barely knew was a mystery and an annoyance to her.
"She is one of the most beautiful girls I have ever seen. She thinks that her new clothing makes her look ridiculous, although I told her otherwise. It was to be expected, Lord. Getting used to a world of stone minus the beauties of nature and freedom will not be easy for a girl who has lived in it for so long." Gigi didn't know if she had started talking about Kagome or if the last statement was more about herself. Looking at the ground, she clasped her hands behind her back waiting for a response. She had a way of bringing herself down at times.
"You know Gigi, you don't have to refer to me as your Lord, Master, or Sir. I have told you that many times. We have known each other since childhood. What happened to you chasing me around and calling me a 'brat'?"
Quirking his eyebrow, Sanorai chuckled at their childhood memories; they had always been in some sort of trouble when they were together. He understood that he was the Master of the house now that his father had passed on, but Gigi was more of a friend rather than a servant. He didn't know why she was trying so hard to push away from him.
"That was a long time ago Sir. I am your servant now, just as I was born to be."
If only things were as simple as they were when they were children; but everybody has to grow up eventually and take responsibility for who they were supposed to be. Maybe one day Sanorai would release her from servitude for being an excellent maid. Gigi wanted to go back the garden that he had taken her to so long ago. She still had the pink Lily Sanorai had given her dried and pressed between the pages of an old book she had stolen from the castles library.
"I would prefer if you would consider yourself my friend instead of my servant. Have I ever treated you as a slave? Have I ever asked anything of you that would hurt you or put you in any danger? Gigi, I have loved you as a friend since I can remember. I hate this new attitude you have about the way you should and shouldn't act. Please stop kissing my feet and talk to me like you used to. I value your opinions and I need them, I have lost everything that is close to me and you are the only person left who really knows me. I need you."
Sighing, Sanorai let his wings droop along with his shoulders and gazed at Gigi's perplexed face. He could never tell what she was thinking and sometimes it could be frustrating. Her face turned blank and she bowed her head letting her curls fall past her face.
"I wish I could think of you like a friend and only a friend. But to do that would be lying to my heart. Keeping my distance and doing as a servant does is the only thing that will keep me sane in this dungeon. You must be on your way; Kagome shouldn't be left waiting for too long."
Rising from her crouched position she hid her eyes behind her bangs. It was hard to keep them from watering when she knew that she had loved him as a life partner since she could remember and he only thought of her as a friend. She had always known that he needed a Miko to help him, but she had always hoped that he would give up that life and live one with her. But after his most recent speech to her, she knew that it was a hopeless battle. It would be easier for her to stay away from him.
"May I attend to the rest of my duties, or is there something else you might need?"
Gigi turned halfway towards the door waiting for it to be her saving grace.
"You may go Gigi."
Watching her turn and quickly walk away from him was one of the hardest things he had ever had to do. Sanorai couldn't understand why she didn't want to be close to him or hang around while he worked like she did so much in the past. Quite frankly it broke his heart that she preferred to do jobs that kept her from him. They had grown so close as childhood friends and then suddenly she pushed away; there has to be something that he is missing. Trying to calm the beating of his heart, he walked back and forth for a few more minutes before shrugging his haori back on over his wings. Sometimes his wings were intimidating and he didn't want to do anything to make Kagome wary of him.
I feel so stupid in this silly dress. It feels like I have to gallivant around like I'm his pet. He will find that this pet of his bites! I will get that jewel shard from him no matter what he thinks. There has to be a way to talk some sense into that damn youkai.
I don't know what he see's in me anyway. How has he watched me for so long and I haven't even noticed? You would think that my spiritual abilities would have clued me into feeling suspicious or something!
"Am I interrupting something or may a join you?"
Kagome had been sitting with her face implanted in her palms while she was trying to come up with a way to get back to Inuyasha and the others. It was hard to keep your spirits up when you are trapped in an un-breachable castle in the sky. Every time she thought about being in a floating castle, Kagome wanted to scream at the ridiculousness of the very idea of its creation.
Glaring at Sanorai, Kagome lifted her chin out of her hands and pointed it towards the ceiling.
"As a matter of fact you did interrupt me. I was thinking about how to get out of this ridiculous outfit and how to get back to the ground."
"You worry too much. You look absolutely stunning, the way a Queen of the Moon should look."
Ugh. There's one of those fancy titles that Kagome never understood again. She refused to be the 'Someone of the Something,' it was stupid. Crossing her arms over her chest she refused to look as Sanorai's face. Not only because he infuriated her, but because he was trying awfully hard to make her comfortable.
"Well, I'm guessing that you are hungry."
Sitting down next to Kagome, Sanorai summoned his servant to the elegant table. It was clear that he was trying to impress Kagome. Everything in the dining area was carved or hand spun. The dinning table was a cherry brown with carved legs and sides. The chairs were carved to match and fit perfectly around the table. The walls were covered with tapestries that told stories of love and war. Everything in this damn castle seemed to have a story behind it; Kagome was almost curious enough to ask about the different pieces of art, but talking to him in a friendly manner almost made her nauseas.
Kagome didn't want to admit how hungry she was, but the smell of roasted chicken caused her mouth to water. When the servant brought out a platter with chicken and steamed vegetables, it was hard for Kagome to restrain herself from face planting into the food.
"I know you're starving, you don't have to hold back on my account."
Scooting the platter closer to Kagome, Sanorai noticed the gleam in her almond eyes the moment the chicken was placed on the table. She was terribly thin, probably because that mongrel Inuyasha couldn't provide for her. Sanorai made a mental note to never let her go without a meal; she needed to gain a few pounds to help with her health.
"I hate to admit it, but this does look delicious. I won't lie, I am starving."
Kagome forced herself to nibble instead of gorge herself like she would have in front of her friends. It felt wrong to be impolite in front of such a cunning and charming creature, heavens knows why.
"When you're done eating I would like to take you around the castle and show you the places you can and cannot go. I would also like to show you what you and I will be doing for the rest of our lives. You are in prophecy Miko; we are meant to be together and I will prove it."
"During the seventh generation of darkness there will be a woman born to serve but meant to lead, lost but must be found, in love but not loved. Her healing and spiritual powers will make her one of the most powerful women in the history of earth, but few will know until it might be too late. If the fury of her heart is not calmed, her bow will cause the death of her partner, the King of Night. The dead will be left to wander the earth, souls will be left un-judged, and the forsaken will escape Hell."
Sanorai closed the dusty book and set it on the table in the corner of the library.
Glancing at Kagome he smiled.
"You see, I have found you in time. I am the seventh King of Night and I have been searching for you my entire life. I heard rumors of a powerful Miko a few years ago and I have watched you to see if you are what the prophecy speaks of."
Kagome's eyes widened at the idea of her being a person in prophecy. Only really important people were ever mentioned in such literature and Kagome did not think of herself as important.
"Sanorai, this can't be correct. Hell does not exist. I have been through the realm of the afterlife and it is just a pathway to reincarnation. This prophecy is just meaningless drabble."
Kagome tapped the top of the book in annoyance. This bastard kidnapped her over a fiction book that was probably just written to throw people off.
"No Kagome, you are wrong. Souls are judged and if given the opportunity they may choose heaven or reincarnation. Those judged poorly are sent to Hell without hope of a savior. Now there are different levels of Hell for different crimes, but I assure you that none of them are pleasant."
"So you are saying that we are given a choice? That means that Kikyou chose to send herself back to earth knowing that she might be able to reunite with Inuyasha and I am that piece of her. Are you sure?"
This would be profound if there really were different realms after a person died.
"Of course I am sure. That's what my family and I do once we pass on; we judge the dead. During life we hunt down the forsaken souls that escape Hell and eliminate their helpers."
"Well, if you already seek forsaken souls, then why does the prophecy make it sound like it is horrible if you continue in this search?"
Bringing her hand to her chin, she tapped the side of her cheek.
"I don't think you quite understand Miko. Let me explain what I believe this prophecy foretells."
Leaning against the window, Sanorai shrugged his haori off his shoulders letting his wings receive fresh air. If he kept them covered too long they would cramp, so he preferred to walk around without a top on the majority of the time.
"If we do not bind our powers and find a way to seal the breach in Hell, the damned souls will roam the Earth free from the realm that binds them to an eternity of agony. These souls will take over the world and there would be a Hell on Earth, thus throwing off the balance of the realms. You see, there are four realms: Heaven, Limbo, Earth, and Hell. If Hell takes over Earth, there would no longer be a Limbo, meaning that souls would not be judged. If everybody is already in Hell, there will be no one else who can enter Heaven or be reincarnated. Hell on Earth and Heaven will become two separate entities that no longer have a connection and all life on Earth will forever be damned."
Sanorai's eyes began to glow as his anger bubbled under the service of his skin. Whoever is causing the breach in Hell is going to be the end of us all. That person or thing must be found and disposed of immediately and with Kagome by his side he will be able to use the full power of the Shikon no tama correct his curse and bring the realms back into balance.
"Okay, so that puts us in a predicament. But Im still not sure that I am the one that the prophecy speaks of."
This was crazy! It was like he turned her upside down and shook the sense out of her. Everything that he had just said would change the way she viewed life forever; she would have never guessed that her religion and Christian beliefs were both so close to being right. People usually had to pick one or the other, how ironic that a person could believe in both.
And Sanorai…….He must be an angel of some sort……….
"Cant you see Kagome? You are the most powerful Miko in the world right now. You use a bow better than any person I have ever laid eyes on. You have achieved so much and you must know that I need you. You can't deny that the prophecy sounds like you."
"But, Sanorai! I am not lost and I think I am loved! At least I hope! I guess I could be considered a servant to the weak or anybody that needs my help. Im definitely a servant to the Shikon jewel. Sanorai this is ridiculous, the only thing that I'm destined to do is put the jewel back together. So if you could give me the last shard it would be nice…."
Kagome chuckled a little hoping that she didn't sound too desperate. But the goofy grin across her face gave away her nervousness.
"I will give you this shard if you agree to help me," pointing to the shard embedded in his forehead, Sanorai let go of just enough magic to allow his eyes to glow as they settled on Kagome's form. "On one condition, that you bond your power with my own so that we can be an unstoppable force."
"So you will give it to me peacefully after I help you save the world? Why am I always the one who gets caught in the middle of shit!" Kagome huffed and stuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Picking up the book of prophecy she wrapped it in both her arms against her chest. "I also would like to read this and ask you a few more questions."
"So you agree to bond with me?" Sanorai's eyes melted into a brighter hue as his heart beat pounded in his ears. All he needed was for her to say 'yes' one time and he would be able to connect with her permanently.
"Well it doesn't sound like a bad idea to be stronger. Will it hurt or anything?"
It really didn't sound like a bad idea to become stronger when one was trying to save the world. They would be fighting the dead…..which brings up the question of how we will efficiently dispose of the damned…..
"I will have the ceremony set up as soon as possible.I promise it wont hurt a bit and I'm sure you will enjoy it." Sanorai's heart almost exploded from his chest. She said yes! He didn't exactly tell her the fact that she would never be able to leave him once bonded, but he could explain the effects in due time.
Embracing a stiff Kagome, Sanorai buried his face in her vanilla scented hair.
"I will take care of you Kagome."
Kagome felt the heat creeping over her body as her cheeks turned a bright pink. Pushing him away, she stumbled back trying to create a little distance.
"I know you are there Inuyasha! Your death will be quick."
"I need your help……" Inuyasha whispered. Falling to his knees beside the camp fire, Inuyasha yanked Tetutsaiga from his hip and threw it towards the form on the ground. "I'll do anything."
Okay that was chapter 3! I really hope you enjoyed! Please obey the button and review!