Disclaimer: Inuyasha is sooo not mine.
Chapter 12
Gil, comfortably clad in jeans and a blue striped polo shirt, stood in the doorway, a look of disgust plastered all over his handsome face. "Well, isn't this a cozy little picture?" His steely gaze was fixed on Kouga, who had gotten slowly to his feet.
"Shut the door," Kouga commanded quietly, "and come here. There's no need to speak with raised voices."
"Fine," Gil snapped and with the flick of his wrist, sent the door slamming shut with a loud bang.
Kagome flinched and pressed the heels of her hands to her eyes. "What do you want, Gil?" she asked him impatiently.
Gil moved slowly over towards her but stopped when he saw Kouga's body tense. "I just wanted to speak to you, Kagome. I wanted to apologize and ask for your forgiveness for speaking to you the way I did— and to ask you to stay with me because I truly do love you. But I see you've already moved on." Gritting his teeth, he bowed to her. "I will respect your wishes, my lady," he said tightly. To Kouga he said, in the most scathing manner he could conjure up, "I should have guessed you would have tried to seduce her, you disgusting piece of animal excrement."
"Gil, stop it!" cried Kagome furiously.
"Shut up, Kagome! I'll deal with you in a minute!" Gil spat at her. His face was twisted in his rage and he turned it in Kouga's direction. "You just couldn't wait to try a piece of her soft, sweet, human flesh, could you? Have you had human women before? I suppose it's plausible. You've got a pretty face, right enough. How many innocent women have you lured to your bed with it? How many women have you tainted with your filthy—"
Hearing Gil speak to Kagome in such a harsh manner, Kouga felt something deep inside him snap. Barely holding on to the frayed ends of his patience, he shrugged into his blazer and fixed his tie before buttoning it up. His gaze held Gil's as he deliberately took his time in straightening his collar.
It worked. Instantly, Gil ceased his diatribe in mid-sentence, and as his eyes widened, he counted the stars that lined themselves oh-so-neatly against Kouga's collar. His face, which had been flushed a mere moment previously in his anger, was now a pallid white. "Holy shit," he whispered hoarsely.
Kouga bowed stiffly at the surprised man. "Allow me to introduce myself, Sergeant Marsten. I am General Kouga Tobe. I believe we've met before."
Gil said nothing but continued to stare uncertainly at his superior officer.
"Your manner is discourteous, nauseating and barbaric," Kouga remarked coolly. "That is not how a true slayer is supposed to behave. You do realize that were they here, you would have insulted the Commander and a number of his top ranking officers to their faces."
Upon hearing this interesting piece of news, Kagome stared hard at Kouga, whose gaze remained fixed on Gil Marsten. "Kouga," she began slowly, "what do you mean by that? Are you saying that the Commander, his Field Marshal and the top generals… are all youkai?"
At last, Kouga turned to her and smiled. "Yes, and what's more, Kagome, you are personally acquainted with all of them."
She stared at Kouga for a long moment. Then, a light of comprehension dawned in her eyes. "Wait a minute. You mean to tell me that Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru—"
The general nodded. "Yes. The top ranking officers are Field Marshal Inuyasha Takashi, General Shippo Kazuo, Generals Ginta and Hakkaku Matashi and of course, myself. Sesshoumaru Takashi, of course, is our greatly revered Commander. Along with Kirara, we are the founding members of the Slayer Corp."
"Hold on a bloody minute here!" Gil stepped forward. He looked completely bewildered. "You mean to tell me that Slayer Corp., an organization dedicated to the eradication of demons, was founded by demons?"
"That's exactly what I mean." He leveled a fierce glare at Gil, but turned back to Kagome, who gazed up at him in wonder. It was clear to Kouga that she had believed the Corp's founders to be long dead. "It was Sesshoumaru's idea to found the Slayer Corp. You have no idea how long we tried to hunt Naraku down. We scoured every inch of Japan for his mangy ass before crossing to the mainland. Well, by the time we'd covered every continent, Sesshoumaru called us all back to Japan and we had a long discussion. We knew Naraku had had a huge start on us and could be anywhere in the world by then. He wanted us to split up again, but this time, we were to not only look for Naraku, but find anyone who would be willing to be trained to kill demons. His idea was that the more eyes we had on the lookout, the better our chances would be."
"I get it," Kagome murmured appreciatively. "But how would you communicate? If one of your newly trained slayers spotted Naraku, what would they do? It wasn't as if you had phones back then."
Kouga smiled down at her. "Ah, that's where the elves came in." He glanced over at Gil, who snarled back. "It was during Sesshoumaru's council of war that I met Lady Miranda's father; your grandfather, Gil. As a prince of the Elven realm, he had the power to assist us in our endeavor. A lovely man, your grandfather. I was very much in awe of him. Anyway, the elves would allow us to communicate through them, seeing as how time in their world is different than it is here. Messages sent through them would reach the other side of the world within moments. Elves and humans began travelling together in small units, killing demons as they went along."
"What? No demons joined your merry bands?" Gil asked incredulously.
"Of course not, Gil. Demons were attacking people; why should they believe that we weren't out to hurt them too?"
"Exactly. Why shouldn't we think you aren't out to hurt us?" Gil countered, forgetting for the moment that the man glaring at him was a general.
Kouga nodded decidedly at the implied insult. "I have tried to overlook your poor manners and will file a report on you, Sergeant Marsten. Such conduct is unbecoming of an officer of the Corp."
Taking his courage into his hands, Gil retorted, "Excuse me, general, but what I saw just now between you and the lieutenant was not exactly reputable conduct either. How far would you have gotten if I hadn't stepped in when I did?"
Kagome heaved an exasperated sigh. "What goes on between Kou- I mean, General Tobe and I is none of your business. At your age, you should have already mastered the skill of knocking, you moron! You can't just burst in and—"
"Who are you calling a moron?" shouted Gil.
"I'm calling you a moron, you moron!" she yelled back at him. A knock came at the door and she sent Gil a withering glare. The very next moment, her head began to pound painfully. The sooner she could get rid of both Gil and Kouga, the better, so she could take something for her headache and lie down for a bit. "You see? That's how it's done! Come in, damn it!"
A blonde whirlwind burst into Kagome's office. "Kagome, I heard raised voices and I had to see if you needed any assistance! Oh." Miranda glanced at her son and Kouga, then at Kagome. "There you are, Gil. Your father and I were hoping to catch you here. I'm sorry, Kagome. I seem to have barged in on a private discussion," she murmured apologetically.
"No, no, please come in," Kagome sighed wearily, thankful for the she-elf's sudden appearance. She sank down onto her chair behind her desk in order to hide her trembling legs. The headache was making her feel woozy. "I'm glad you're here, Lady Miranda. Could you please take your son away? He's giving me a terrible headache." She rubbed her temples tenderly. Damn, but she felt horrible! A quiet smoke away from this tension filled room was just what she wanted. She swiveled around in her chair to face the window and gazed longingly at the world outside—
Miranda turned on her progeny with a scolding look. "Gil! Have you been upsetting this young lady further? From what I gather from the good general here, you've been spouting off at the mouth again." She shook her finger at her son. "What have I told you about doing that? You're far too much like that arrogant cousin of yours!"
Gil's face turned several shades of an embarrassed red. "Damn it, mum! And what have I told you about not comparing me to that prick, Yuki?" Then he swung on Kouga, his fists clenched tightly and trembling slightly. "How dare you stick your nose into my personal affairs? Just like the demon scum you are-"
"Gil!" his mother shrieked and popped him on the back of the head. "Apologize to General Tobe this instant!"
"Like bloody hell I will!" snorted Gil and shook his head obstinately. "Forget it, mum. You can't make me apologize to this freak of nature for anything."
Fighting back the urge to slash the insolent pup to ribbons before Miranda's eyes, Kouga shook his head. "Ma'am, there is really no need for him to do anything like that."
"For once I agree with you," Gil grunted and glared at his furious faced mother. "You see? Even he says I don't need to apologize."
"That's because you will be thoroughly disciplined for your conduct."
Gil sent Kouga a haughty glare. "Whatever. I don't give a rat's a—"
"Stop it, Gil!" Miranda's face paled and she burst into tears. "You cruel, malicious little boy! How can you be so mean? Did I raise you to be so incredibly hateful to any living creature? Where did I do wrong?"
At his mother's tears, Gil's faced softened. With a heavy sigh, he gathered her into his arms and held her for a few minutes. When her sobs began to subside he said, "No, mum, you didn't do anything wrong. You did your best to raise me the right way, despite that dad was always away on some bullshit trip or other—"
"Gil! Watch your language!" she snapped furiously.
He gave her a half-smile. "Sorry, mum."
"I forgive you," she muttered, slightly mollified. She gave a dainty sniff and wiped her eyes. "Now then, even if you won't apologize to the lovely general, at least apologize to Kagome for causing her grief."
"Fine, fine. Kagome, will you—" Gil turned to look at Kagome, but her chair was empty. "Eh? She was just here a minute ago!" he cried and went over to her desk.
Kouga got there first. "This window wasn't open earlier," he mused quietly and leaned over to peer outside. Her scent led away from the window. His eyes narrowed. "She escaped through the window," he said and promptly exited via said window.
"Hey, wait for me!" Gil cried and propelled himself through the open window behind Kouga.
Miranda shook her head. "Idiots," she said aloud. "I will depart from this room the normal way… through the door." She suited the action to the words.
ooooooo
Upon escaping from her office, Kagome walked quickly towards a little secluded spot that served as the station's smoking section. When she reached it, she sat down at the small, wooden picnic table and brought out her cigarettes. She removed one, stuck it between her lips and felt about for her lighter. Shit! She'd left it on her desk.
Kagome groaned. Yuki would have come in handy at a moment like this. A snap of his fingers and - poof! Instant lighter! Such a gift must be nice to have.
Just as she reached up for the cigarette to replace it into her pack, a hand appeared in front of her face. A hand, she saw joyfully, that held a Zippo lighter!
The lighter's lid flipped smoothly back and a small flame made its appearance. She smiled gratefully and lit her cigarette. "Thank you so much! I can't believe I left my lighter behind." She tilted her head back and saw a tall man of indiscernible age standing over her.
The man smiled gently back at her and motioned at the empty spot across the table from her. "May I?" he asked graciously in a mellow British accent.
"Of course!" Kagome cried, suddenly feeling quite flustered under his gaze. A gentle gaze, she realized, the moment he sat down. Poor guy, she thought as he tried fitting his long legs under the table. Gil always had a problem of situating his own lengthy limbs comfortably whenever they sat at this picnic table. Instead of forcing his legs to fit, the man across from her perched on the end of the bench and turned his large body to the side, keeping his legs free and allowing him to recline slightly.
His smile widened and he lit his cigarette. "This is such a lovely part of England, don't you agree?" he asked as he glanced casually about them. His accent was quiet and refined and Kagome wished he would speak more. She loved listening to the British accent, especially when it was as sophisticated as this man's accent.
"Yes, it is," Kagome replied, all the while surreptitiously studying her smoking companion. He was an expensively dressed, unobtrusively handsome man with very fine, short brown hair and soft, inquisitive brown eyes. His age, she thought, was difficult to pinpoint. He appeared young, but something about him told her that he was much older than he appeared to be.
He turned those curious eyes on her and laughter lines appeared. "You are staring at me," he said softly, his brown eyes twinkling with good humor. "Do I remind you of someone, or am I that interesting to look at?"
"Huh?" Kagome was startled. Gil had asked her that once, if he was interesting to look at. She studied him again and found that he did indeed look familiar. "Yes, you do, actually," she told him frankly. "Remind me of someone, I mean."
It was his turn to study her. Kagome felt her face flame under his intense scrutiny. His brown eyes searched her features with a slow, sweeping gaze, just as a lover would. After a long pause he shook his head. "It's such a shame," he said remorsefully.
She bristled at his words. "What's such a shame?" she demanded, wondering why he should insult her when she didn't even know him.
But he smiled that gentle smile and shook his head. "It's a shame that you won't become my daughter-in-law." He chuckled at her look of astonishment. "Forgive me, Kagome. I've been rude not to have introduced myself to you earlier." He rose to his feet and gave her an elegant bow. "My name is Jason Marsten. I'm Gil's father."
Kagome grinned at him as he resumed his seat across from her. "It's nice to meet you at last, Mr. Marsten, but I'm afraid that Gil—" Her smile wavered.
Jason shook his head and waved his hand dismissively. "I know what my son says about me. All too often he has made it a point to tell me exactly what he thinks of me. I am all too aware of his hatred of me." He smiled at her and shrugged when she gave him a curious glance. "I accepted that fact a long time ago."
"Gil… told me about what happened," Kagome murmured tactfully. "Why did you never try to repair your relationship with him and his mother?"
"I did try, but my job took me away during important times in my son's life. He never forgave me for all the birthdays and holidays I missed. I wanted him to realize that I went away on business to keep him and his mother living in luxury. Of course, I felt it very much knowing that my then-wife was elvish royalty. I couldn't have a princess living in squalor. What would her family think? I mean, after all, she'd had the audacity to have married a human. The least I could do was to provide enough to keep her and our son in comfort."
"I understand that, but why did you have to leave them so much?" Kagome asked, curious. "And what could possibly be so important that you needed to leave your family behind like that? I'm sorry, Mr. Marsten, but what I gathered from Gil, you abandoned him and his mother."
For a brief moment, there was a far-away look in Jason's eyes, but it vanished as quickly as it had appeared. "It does seem like that, doesn't it? Perhaps I did. But it's a long story, young lady. I doubt you would find it interesting."
She stubbed out her cigarette and eyed him squarely. "On the contrary, sir, it would interest me greatly."
"I never could deny a lovely young woman her request. I shall endeavor to keep it short then." He too, stubbed his cigarette out and shook his head, a regretful smile playing on his lips. "All my life, I've felt as though a big piece of me was missing. I have never been certain what it was. It might be a piece of my heart, or perhaps a piece of my soul. I don't know. What I do know is that I have this endless drive to discover what it is I'm lacking." He paused a moment to light another cigarette and seeing that Kagome did the same, held up his lighter and lit hers as well.
"I'm certain most people feel that way at some point in their lives," she said casually.
Jason shrugged again. "You may be right, young lady," he agreed.
She watched him take a drag from his cigarette. His gaze slid upwards to her face and he smiled at her. Just for a moment, Kagome felt uncomfortable as he stared at her with longing in his eyes.
"Forgive me for staring at you like this. I was absolutely delighted when Miranda told me about you. She was spot on when she said that you were a lovely young woman. I've always loved the Japanese culture. Everything about Japan and its people fascinates me, but the women do especially. Please don't take this the wrong way, but I personally feel that Asian women are the epitome of female perfection. I love everything about them. I adore their black hair, their flawless, porcelain skin and dainty bone structure. They're simply gorgeous." His cheeks flushed slightly with his rising excitement but he did not break his gaze on her. "I hope you won't think ill of me if I tell you that I would have preferred to have married a Japanese woman and had children with her. My dear, you fit my ideal image of the perfect Japanese woman."
Visibly startled, Kagome could only sit there, gaping at him. As hard as she tried, there was no mistaking the moonstruck look in his eyes. All the brain cells she possessed tried desperately to make some sense of what it all meant, but in the end she knew that she couldn't reason her way out of the only logical explanation she could come up with. Jason Marsten, Gil's father, was actually flirting with her!
Pulling herself together, Kagome eyed Jason somewhat coolly. "But Lady Miranda is a wonderful woman and far more beautiful than I could ever hope to be," she said curtly. "Surely you don't regret marrying her?"
"No, I don't regret marrying Miranda, and you're right, she is a wonderful woman," he agreed with a decided nod. "She's beautiful too; very beautiful. The first time I ever laid eyes on her, I knew that I would never see a more beautiful creature if I lived to be a thousand years old. Elves are known for their ethereal beauty, and she was no exception. She completely took my breath away." He inhaled, his eyes staring off into space just beyond Kagome's head. "But even though I loved her and the son she bore me, I was not happy. She wasn't what I was looking for. She was not the last piece of the puzzle that I had hoped she would be; the final piece to..." His voice trailed off and silence weighed down on them.
A stiff, cool breeze blew through the tree branches overhead and Kagome suddenly felt that all-too familiar feeling of fear. The terrifying picture of the Big Bad Wolf loomed in her mind and she shivered.
When she looked back at Jason, she jumped. His soft brown eyes were now black and frightening and fixed intently on her. A voice, low and taunting, sang eerily in her head, "Who's afraid of the big bad wolf?"
"Kagome!"
With a rush of overwhelming relief, Kagome turned to see Kouga striding up towards them. "Kouga!" she cried and jumped up from the table.
"Please don't go," Jason murmured quietly, an apologetic look on his face. He had grabbed her wrist to keep her from moving away, but the hardness was gone from his features and he looked as he had before. "I'm sorry, Kagome. I'm afraid I was wool gathering." Once more his shy grin appeared. "Oh look, here comes Gil."
Jason got to his feet as Gil and Miranda joined himself, Kagome and Kouga. "Hello, son," he said, somewhat uncertainly.
Gil eyed him suspiciously. "Hello, dad. What are you doing here?" His blue eyes rested on his father's large hand encircling Kagome's slim wrist. "I didn't know you and Kagome were such good friends," he muttered unkindly.
Jason glanced at Kagome, who suddenly looked painfully self-conscious. "We just met, but I feel as though we've become good friends already. I can see why you fell in love with her. She is quite a charming young lady." After bestowing a light kiss on her knuckles, he bowed to Kagome and released her, a warm look in his eyes.
Sensing Kagome's apprehension, Lady Miranda immediately swept in and ushered Kagome off to the side to stand beside Kouga. "Oh, stop it, you two," she said light-heartedly. "You're unnerving the poor girl."
"I'm not unnerving anybody," retorted Gil. "It's your ex-husband that's hitting on my ex-fiancé. You need to lecture him on how to behave as a man of his age and station should with a woman half his age."
Miranda and Kagome both gasped at Gil's candid words. "Gil!" they cried in unison.
Mr. Marsten chuckled. "Miranda doesn't care if I flirt with another woman, do you, dear? It's not as if I'm the one who holds your heart right now." He winked conspiratorially at his ex-wife.
Gil turned to his mother and gaped at her. "Mum?"
"Yes, darling?"
"Is that true? Are you seeing someone?" At his mother's hesitation, Gil groaned. "Please don't make your ex-husband into a truth teller after all these years!"
Miranda's countenance darkened. "Stop calling Jason my ex-husband! He is your father, Gil, and don't you forget it!"
"Why should I, mum? Why should I? He was never around long enough to be a father!" Gil yelled at her.
Goaded beyond endurance, the elven princess stormed over to her son and slapped him hard across the face. "Now you listen to me, Giles Andrew Marsten! You will apologize to your father and then you will spend the afternoon with him! He came all the way from Tokyo to see you!" When Gil tried to turn his head away, she grabbed his chin and forced him to look at her but the pained look in his eyes softened her. "I'm sorry, baby. I know this is hard for you, but you should at least make an effort to be civil to him. No matter what he's done, he is still your father." She gave him an encouraging smile. "He just wants to speak with you, Gil. It's a good thing, I promise. Just… just give him a chance, okay?"
After his mother hugged him tenderly, Gil nodded and walked resolutely over to where his father stood. Jason motioned for them to walk and they moved away together.
There was a collective sigh as the tension drifted away with Gil and his father. Now, suddenly feeling perky, Miranda turned to the other two and flashed them a brilliant smile. "Now then! I'm simply dying for some tea! Let's go to that quaint little tea shop down the street, okay?" she exclaimed brightly.
As Kouga escorted the two women down to the tea shop, Kagome asked Miranda about her new relationship. The she-elf looked startled then she blushed brightly. Kouga and Kagome stared at her curiously as she fanned her flaming face nervously with her hand.
"Well, that is… I mean," Miranda stammered. She stopped walking, took a deep breath and turned to face her companions. "The thing is, I like someone, but I'm not certain if he likes me back." Her blue eyes softened and she smiled absently into space. "He is so handsome, so clever, so unlike Jason. I've only met him a couple of times but I must admit he has made an enormous impression on me. Oh dear, I sound like a schoolgirl with a crush!" Her cheeks turned an even more charming shade of embarrassed.
Kagome gave Miranda a quick hug. "But that's wonderful! I'm so happy you've found someone, Lady Miranda. You deserve to find happiness."
Miranda smiled gratefully at Kagome and three of them continued on to the tea shop.
ooo
Gil, walking with his father, kept a suspicious eye on the older man. As for Jason, he seemed content to be near his son, for he stared ahead of them across the park that was situated in the heart of the village with a smile on his face.
"Out with it," Gil said abruptly. "What did you want to talk about?"
Jason blinked and glanced over at the young man by his side. "Your future, of course."
"Oh god," moaned Gil with a roll of his eyes. "Not again. We've been through this before."
"Yes, I am aware of that Gil, but that was-"
"When I was sixteen," finished the young man.
"As you say."
"So why bring it up again?"
Turning to his son, Jason reached out to touch Gil's arm. The latter jerked away from the contact and instead, opted for merely glowering at his father. Jason shrugged and retracted his arm. "I only wanted you to reconsider joining me in the company," he said. "Since you were to be married, I felt that your bride would wish for you to have a safer occupation. I am proud of what you do, son, but I thought that you and your young woman would prefer a life in the city rather than…" He trailed off and opened his arms in a sweeping manner, indicating the area around them. "The country never really suited you, Gil."
"Really." Gil turned his face away from his father. "Shows what you know. I happen to like it here. Besides, didn't you pay attention earlier? Kagome and I are no longer engaged."
Jason nodded. "Ah yes, I caught that. I'm sorry to hear that, son. What happened, if you don't mind my asking? Your mother was ecstatic about your impending marriage."
The young man sighed softly. "Kagome has demon friends and one of them has actually been intimate with her." He shook his head as if to rid himself of an unpleasant thought. "I know I must sound really petty, but the thought of her letting some loathsome creature like that touch her really turns my stomach." Gil's head came up and he looked at his father. "She even let me sleep with her, knowing she'd been with him! I can't believe she didn't say anything!"
Inwardly, Jason was rejoicing. At last, his son was turning to him with a problem! He nodded sagely and appeared to contemplate the issue. "Well, son, did she know how you felt about demons before the first time you were together?"
Gil screwed up his face and contemplated the cloudy sky above them. "Actually, I don't think I said anything about that, now that you mention it." He blinked his large blue eyes at his father, his cheeks reddening. "Oh, I see what you mean. How would she be supposed to know how I would feel about her sleeping with a demon…? I get it. She would hardly likely tell me of her relationship with the demon afterwards, especially if she believes I would think badly of her because of it."
A grin lit up Jason's face. He nodded. "Exactly. Don't worry, Gil. We all tend to jump to conclusions now and then. All you need to do now is apologize to her for-"
But Gil was already shaking his head. "It won't matter if I do or not, dad. Did you see that black-haired man in the uniform back there? When I went to talk to Kagome earlier I found them together on the sofa in her office, kissing." When his father nodded sympathetically, Gil added, "Did you know he happens to be a demon, not to mention a general? He is General Kouga Tobe."
Jason's eyes widened with surprise. "A demon holds the rank of a general?" he asked curiously. "But I thought the Corp. was put in place for exterminating demons."
"I know. So did I." Gil shook his head. "But the proof is on his collar and his chest. Did you ever see so many bloody medals?"
His father shook his head, but he stared vaguely off into space. "Kouga, huh?" he murmured softly to himself. The rest of his sentence came out as an inaudible mumble. After a moment, he came out of his reverie, smiled at his son and the two of them continued their walk.
ooo
After much discussion, Jason persuaded his son to leave the Corp. and to come work for him. It was decided that Gil would grovel as he had never groveled before to get Kagome back. The two of them would get married as soon as possible, resign from the Corp. and move to London.
But the father and son team had not taken into account Kagome's feelings in the matter and by the time they joined Kagome, Miranda and the attentive General Tobe at the tea shop, they were feeling quite confident that Kagome would eventually agree to return to Gil's side.
Gil bent down and whispered in her ear. "Kagome, may I speak with you for a moment?"
She turned her face up to his, her dark eyes regarding him solemnly. "Is something the matter?" she asked quietly.
He smiled and shook his head. "No, I just wanted to talk to you about something. It's rather important."
After glancing over at Miranda and Kouga, both of whom urged her to go, Kagome nodded and followed him outside the shop. Once outside, he slipped her hand through his arm and led her a short ways down the street.
"I wanted to apologize for my appalling behavior," he began. "What I said about your demon friends was unspeakable and inexcusable. I should have kept my feelings about them to myself."
"Why are you telling me this now?" Kagome kept her gaze before her. She didn't want to talk about this but she knew it would be rude not to hear him out. Despite his distressing remarks concerning Kouga and the rest of her youkai friends, she did want to salvage something of their friendship at the very least.
Gil stopped walking and turned her to face him. His hands came up to cup her face. "I still want you as my wife, Kagome," he said, his grey eyes searching her face appealingly. "I've been miserable without you these past several days. Please say you'll forgive me. I will do anything to make up for what I've said and done. Will you marry me, Kagome?"
'Oh heavens!' thought Kagome, panic rising in her chest. "Do you need an answer right this minute?" she ventured to ask.
"I would prefer it, yes," he answered, a little too ardently. "We have plans to make and-"
Panic took over and Kagome backed away from him hurriedly. "I don't know, Gil. You said some things that were really hurtful."
"Yes, I know and I'm sorry!" He grabbed for her, but his hands closed on air as she moved further out of his reach. "Kagome, please!"
Before Kagome could turn and run, softly scented hands grabbed her shoulders from behind and gently began to lead her away. "Now, now, Gil, you shouldn't press your suit so zealously. Kagome darling, I just spotted the sweetest little dress in that quaint little boutique across the street! I think you would look divine in it and I wondered if you would come with me to try it on? Come along, there's a good girl." Miranda excused them effusively to the men and taking Kagome's hand, propelled her across the road to the store she mentioned.
Once inside the store, Kagome turned her savior and offered the she-elf a breathless thank you. Miranda laughed and waved her words aside. "Don't mention it," she said with a smile. "Even before Jason explained to the general and me what Gil was doing, I could see that you were very uncomfortable." She paused a moment to study Kagome. "I dearly love my son, Kagome, but if you feel that you cannot marry him, then you should not. I would understand. I just hope we would remain friends."
Kagome cracked a smile. "Of course we would remain friends, Miranda. But how did you know? I mean, about me not wanting to marry Gil?"
Pulling the younger woman into a loving embrace, Miranda rested her cheek against Kagome's hair. "Gil told me everything he said to you the day you returned his ring. I told him that you were right to do what you did and that I would have done the same in your position. Naturally, he was furious that I was taking your side, but I scolded him for saying such horrible things to you. I told him that I was thoroughly disappointed in him for speaking so insensitively of others. Then I cried." She laughed and gave Kagome a good squeeze. "Tears," she said sagely, "if used properly, can be a woman's greatest weapon against men. At the sight of them, even the strongest men can be reduced to spineless bags of mush."
"May I help you, ladies?" a polite voice behind them caused them to break apart and turn to see a middle-aged woman staring curiously at them.
Miranda shook her head. "Not at present. We were just looking. My friend is having a bad day, you see, and I thought that she should go shopping for a new frock to enliven her day."
The clerk smiled brightly and nodded. "As you wish, madam, but if you need me, I will be in the back."
As soon as the clerk disappeared into the back room, Miranda turned back to Kagome. "But as I was trying to say, you don't have to marry Gil, my dear. Besides, there will be at least one young man whom, I believe, would take that news very badly." Miranda cast a solemn blue gaze out through the store's front window and Kagome glanced over in the direction the she-elf was looking.
Jason, Gil and Kouga were still standing in the spot where Miranda had snatched Kagome away. They were talking. Well, Jason and Gil were talking. Kouga was standing respectfully off to the side, looking quite handsome and dashing in his uniform. As though he could sense the women's eyes on him, he returned their stares. The force of his piercing gaze hit Kagome like a freight train and she gasped.
Miranda's arm slipped around Kagome's shoulders. "You didn't see his face when you and my son left the tea shop together," she told Kagome quietly. "He had the helpless look of a man watching his entire world slipping away from him." Miranda paused for effect. "It's obvious to anyone with eyes to see that General Tobe is desperately in love with you, my dear."
Choking back a sob, Kagome moved away from the window and hid from Kouga's scrutiny. "I… I know," she whispered hoarsely.
"Then what is the problem? Are you able to return his feelings, Kagome?"
Feeling suddenly cold, Kagome wrapped her arms around herself. "I want to but… I can't."
"Why not, dear?"
Large brown eyes filled with tears. "I don't know," Kagome sobbed. "I do love him, but I can't give myself up to him completely. I want him to mark me, Miranda, and lord knows he's tried, but something inside me doesn't want him to. I feel as though I'm not supposed to be his mate, at least, not right now. If something happens to me, he'd just end up alone for the rest of his life, and I have an awful feeling that that is just what could happen." She wiped her eyes with the back of one trembling hand. "Besides, there's Yuki and Akira. What am I supposed to do about them? If Akira ever finds out…" She began to cry again and when Miranda held her close, she buried her face against the elf's chest. "He'll be so hurt! I can't… I can't do that to him!"
The elven princess rocked Kagome and tenderly stroked her hair, but Kagome continued her rant. "I just know Gil told Yuki about us! And if he knows, then Hiro will know… and then it's only a matter of time before Akira finds out! One of the reasons I agreed to the engagement in the first place is because I assumed that Gil and I would never come in contact with them. That what I get for assuming anything! I should have never let him come to Japan with me. I knew he wouldn't be able to resist shoving our engagement in Yuki's face!" Kagome turned her face defiantly up to Miranda. "I'm very sorry Lady Miranda, but your nephew and your son are nothing but thorns in my side!"
Fully expecting Miranda to be angered at her passionate statement, Kagome was surprised when the princess threw back her head and laughed heartily. "Oh, don't I know it! Those two have never gotten along. It would be a waste of time to try to get them to be civil to each other. But I am in complete agreement with you, Kagome. They irritate me too, although I am able to stand my son for longer periods of time than my strikingly beautiful nephew." She winked at Kagome. "Don't worry, my little darling. Gil will be devastated by your refusal at first, but I promise you that he will get over it in time. I know you care for him, but after how he has behaved, I realize that you can never look at him the same again."
Kagome nodded then frowned. "Why are you saying these things? You're Gil's mother. Shouldn't you be defending him?" Kagome eyed Miranda warily.
"What do you mean?"
"I may be imagining things, but you seem to be pushing me to be with Kouga. If that's the case, then how much did he pay you to put in a good word for him?"
Miranda chuckled. "That's absurd, Kagome! He did no such thing. Besides, I only met him once before. I barely know him."
"Then how do you know how much he feels about me? You speak of his emotions as though you know him very well."
"Of course I know just how much he loves you, Kagome. When I touched him, I saw everything, but more importantly, I felt everything he feels for you. When you and Gil broke up, he phoned me in order to let me know."
"Oh really? You met him once before? When was this? He didn't mention that you touched him."
"When? Oh, that was when I was in Tokyo last visiting my nephews. At the time, I was under the apprehension that Kouga was the one who raped you and I-" She broke off immediately and her bright blue eyes widened in shocked surprise. "Oh no! Please forget I said that!"
Kagome was beside herself. No one besides the Yamadera brothers, her commanding officer and her youkai friends knew about that. "Forgive me, Lady Miranda, but how did you find out about that?"
This time it was Miranda who burst into tears. Between sobs, she told Kagome of the night when Gil had attacked her and then of the real reason Kagome had forgotten that night had ever happened. She cried even harder when Kagome turned and stormed out of the boutique with a murderous expression. With a cry, Miranda dashed off after her, begging for Kagome to go easy on her son.
The three men on the opposite side of the street turned to see a thunderous Kagome making her way furiously over towards them. Before any of them knew what had happened, there was a sharp smack and a cry of pain. Gil lay, sprawled on his back on the pavement with a livid Kagome standing over him. Her hand was still up in the air, her slim fingers balled into a white-knuckled fist.
"You goddamn bastard!" she bellowed down at the man who lay at her feet.
"What did I do?" Gil cried, scrambling to his feet. He brought his hand up and gently held it against his wounded cheek.
"You didn't think I would find out, did you? Oh no, of course not! How could I remember when you got your mother cover up your crime for you? When I thought you couldn't get any sleazier…"
Gil's face turned a horrible shade of greenish-white. "I never meant to… I mean, I couldn't help myself. Damn it, Kagome, what was I supposed to do? You kept turning me down! The only thought that ran through my head at that moment was to make you see how much I wanted you. Afterwards, I was so terrified of what I had very nearly done to you that I had to call my mum to help me. You were in some kind of trance and I thought that—"
"Wait a minute." Kouga looked from Kagome to Gil and back again. "What happened exactly?"
Kagome glanced at Gil, who was anxiously shaking his head at her. But Kagome was not in a forgiving mood. To tell a high ranking officer, and a general no less, of what Gil had tried to do that night, could very well spell the end of his career. She shot Gil a cold look before turning to Kouga.
"From what I remember before I blacked out, I was battling a youkai with an incompetent young man clinging onto me like a limpet when I called for Sergeant Marsten's help. He came to my aid and successfully put the creature down. On our way back to the station, we had an argument where upon Sergeant Marsten… attacked me. I don't remember the attack, because Lady Miranda, by her own admission, blocked out the memory of it." She glanced over her shoulder at the tearful Miranda, who was staring guiltily down at her shoes. Then she returned her gaze to Kouga's stunned face. "According to her, Gil said he had attempted to be physically intimate with me without my consent."
In the silence that followed, only Miranda's sniffling could be heard. At last, Gil spoke. "Mum, how could you?"
Tear-filled blue eyes shot upwards to rest on Gil's anguished face. "It was an accident, Gil! I was just talking to Kagome and… and it slipped out!" Fresh tears spilled down her pale cheeks. "I never meant to speak of it to her, darling! I swear I didn't!"
Despite his rage, Kouga kept his head together. "Sergeant Marsten, as of this moment you are to be separated from Lieutenant Higurashi until the Commander decides what to do with you. You will return to your cottage, pack your things and leave immediately for London. No contact whatsoever is to be made with the lieutenant, is that understood?"
"Kagome," pleaded Gil as his eyes filled with pain. "Please!"
Kouga stepped neatly between Kagome and Gil, shielding her from the latter. "Rape and attempted rape are serious offenses, Marsten. We have a zero tolerance policy concerning them. Perhaps you should have read about it when you were at basic training." His eyes narrowed dangerously. "Now it's time you got going, sergeant. You will be contacted within a week. Goodbye." He turned and taking hold Kagome's arm, led her away down the street.
Several minutes passed before Kouga turned around to look behind them. Gil and his parents were nowhere to be seen. He came to a stop. Glancing at the white-face woman at his side, he turned to face her.
"Kagome? Are you alright?"
She did not look at him. "I'm fine," she told him in a tight voice.
Kouga waited patiently for a minute until she burst out, "I can't believe he did something like that to me! Answer me this, Kouga! Why are men such Neanderthals? Why? Why must they treat women like objects to dominate? Why can't they-" She turned a determined face up to his and stared steadily into his eyes. "I was correct before, Kouga. Men are more trouble than they're worth."
Ooooooo
It was with a heavy heart that Gil watched his mother storm off. "Tell mum I'm sorry," he said to his father. "But she should have watched what she said to Kagome! There's no way Kagome will take me back now."
Jason's hand gripped Gil's shoulder in a comforting squeeze. "Perhaps it's all for the best, son. Well, a however it is, I would still like it if you came to work for me."
"Perhaps it's for the best? What are you talking about? Are you saying that it's good that we won't be together?"
The elder Marsten shrugged. "Now that I know of your little… er… indiscretion with her, yes, I feel this is for the best. Think about it, Gil. One day, your mother's little spell might very well wear off and suddenly Kagome would turn to you and deal you a left hook like she did today. Besides, you have to put yourself in her shoes. Would you wish to be with someone who raped you?"
"I didn't rape her, dad! Geez, pay attention! It was only an attempt, for god's sake!" He recoiled at his own words with a grimace. "Sorry, that didn't come out right."
"I know what you meant." Jason turned dark eyes on his son. "But do you think that makes it any better?" he asked gravely. "The point is that you put your hands on her when you had no business doing so."
Gil stared hard at his father. "When did you start giving a shit about others?" he asked frostily of the older man.
But the elder Marsten only turned his head and stared out over the park. A few people were out and about, walking or running along the paths that meandered among the trees and wildflowers. "I'm older, Gil, and I've been around the world quite a bit. I've seen a lot of good things and a lot of bad things in my travels, but nothing compares to the sight of a young woman who has been brutalized by someone she trusted. It was the most heart breaking sight to have ever met my eyes."
"Dad?" Gil watched his father's gaze grow distant. His face contorted with a strong emotion and Gil guessed that his father was remembering the woman he'd just spoken of.
"Leave Kagome alone, son," Jason murmured. He gave his boy a small, sad smile. "She won't ever see you in the same light as before. There will always be a hint of suspicion in her eyes when she looks at you. She may or may not say she trusts you again, but you can bet that that will be the last thing she would ever do. But don't despair. I hate to speak in clichés, but there are plenty of women out there, Gil. Only next time, try not to attempt sexual relations with her until she gives you leave."
Although Gil was listening to his father, he had an incredulous expression on his face as his father spoke. "Oh my fucking god," he whispered with a shake of his head, "You're actually making sense. I never thought, for one bloody moment that I'd ever see the day when I could mentally connect with you. Did Kagome kill me and I'm actually dead now?"
Jason laughed. "No, you're not dead. Don't be silly. Well, come along. We need to round up your mother and get your things packed."
oooooooooooooooooooo
ooooooooooooooooooooooooooo
Lord Ryuji glanced up from his computer screen. His office phone was beeping. No, wait. That was the intercom, he thought distractedly, and pressed the button. "Yes?"
"My lord, your son is here to see you."
Ryuji frowned. "Which one? I have three."
"Akira, my lord."
A smile brightened up the elven lord's face. "Well, send the boy in!" He got to his feet just as the door to his office opened. "Akira! How are you, son?" Ryuji moved forward to embrace his youngest boy.
Akira smiled against his dad's shoulder. "I'm fine, dad. I hope I'm not interrupting anything."
"No, not at all. Let me have a look at you." He pulled Akira over to the windows to get a good look at him. Marvelous green eyes that mirrored Akira's own, took in the young elf's appearance in slowly, which was nearly identical to his own. "You look much better, Akira. The color has definitely returned to your cheeks and you've put on weight. Your brothers have taken very good care of you, I see."
"Yes, they have, dad. But it's not my health that I wish to discuss." Akira paused to push his spectacles further up on the bridge of his nose. "I've come to ask for your help."
Ryuji was instantly serious. "Yes, of course, Akira. I will do anything I can to help." He motioned for his son to sit and he did the same. "What's the matter?"
Akira stared out the window for a moment before he spoke. In a soft voice he said, "I've fallen in love with a young woman, dad."
Again, a grin lit up Ryuji's face. "That's wonderful! Who is the young woman, Akira? Is it anyone I know?"
A deep blush spread suddenly on Akira's cheeks and he nodded shyly. "It's Kagome," he replied shortly. "Higurashi Kagome."
"Ah yes, I remember. She's the famous human slayer. You and your brothers were in her squadron for a long time, weren't you?" Something triggered in Lord Ryuji's mind and he returned to his desk. Once on his computer, he typed in Kagome's name and instantly, results popped up on his screen. He frowned.
"What's wrong, dad?"
Ryuji glanced up at his boy, wondering if he should bite his tongue on this. But the look of trepidation on his son's face tore at his heart. He couldn't withhold the truth from his little boy, no matter what. It was his job. Before he knew it, the words came tumbling out. "She's already engaged, son; to your cousin Gil Marsten."
"No." Akira sat there on his father's couch, his body as stiff as a board. "No, I don't believe you."
"I'm sorry, Akira, but-"
"No!" came Akira's howl of anguish. His hands flew to his head and clapped over his ears. He began shaking his head violently. "No, no, no, no!"
ooo
With a fresh cup of French vanilla flavored coffee, Hiro stepped off the elevator onto his father's floor, whistling a happy tune. He had accompanied Akira to their father's office so that Akira could visit their dad. Besides, he'd just gotten off the phone with his Aunt Miranda, who had decided to come to Tokyo for a visit. The best part of the entire conversation was when she had imparted to him that Gil and Kagome's wedding was off. Kagome had decided that Gil was not the man for her.
As he reached the receptionist's desk, Hiro felt the building tremble. His stomach roiled for a second. Was this an earthquake?
No, he thought horrifically and thrust his coffee at the stern-faced young woman behind the desk, with instructions to keep his coffee safe at all costs. He ran to his father's office and flung open the door. Akira's screams filled his ears and Hiro yelled at his father, "What did you do to him?" as he rushed to Akira's side.
Akira's eyes were wild and dark with rage. His face, his sweet, happy little face was twisted and ugly in his fury. With those maddened eyes that were far from normal, Akira stared hard at his brother. "Gil!" he ground out from between gnashed teeth, "Gil! Traitor!" He gripped his head hard and shook it from side to side, as though in great pain.
Oh no, Hiro thought sickeningly. Their father had spilled the beans about Gil and Kagome. "Dad? What did you tell him?"
Ryuji remained at his desk and clung helplessly to it. "I didn't know he would react like this, Hiro! Can't you make him stop? There are hundreds of lives in jeopardy in this building!"
With a sharp intake of breath to steady his nerves, Hiro turned to face his brother. "Akira! Akira, listen to me! Listen to me, I said!" He gripped Akira's head and forced his little brother to look at him. "Do you remember that phone call I received when we got here? It was Aunt Miranda and she said that Gil and Kagome aren't getting married. Do you hear me? Kagome does not want to marry him."
The sound of Kagome's name appeared to be a balm to the enraged elf, for the building ceased to shake. The anger left Akira's face and two tear-filled green eyes stared back at Hiro. "Kagome?"
Relieved, Hiro smiled. "Yes, Kagome. She's not going to marry Gil." In his pocket, Hiro readied his syringe.
After a moment, Akira's face returned to normal and he blinked. Pain flashed in his green eyes. "My head hurts, Hiro. I need to lie down-" His eyes slid shut and his body slumped forward against Hiro, whose hand was just pulling away with the now-empty syringe. He swiftly recapped the needle and returned it to his pocket.
"Thank you, son," Ryuji said quietly. He had walked over towards his two youngest children and took a seat beside Akira. With a mournful sigh, he pulled Akira into his arms and embraced him. "My poor baby," he whispered against Akira's hair. He squeezed his eyes shut and tears streamed down his face. "I love you so much. I love all my boys so very, very much. How I wish I could take your pain for you, my precious elfling."
Sitting back on his heels, Hiro watched the touching scene with a woeful smile. "I'm glad he has you, dad."
"Me too, Hiro." Ryuji paused for a moment then asked softly, "Are there any other impediments to Akira's marrying that girl? I would hate to have to put him through this again." He sent his curly-haired son a steady look.
"You already know about Yuki," Hiro replied, eyeing his father with a cool gaze. "I know of only one other possibility and his name is Kouga. But I think you may have to ask Aunt Miranda about him. She 'touched' him not too long ago. Whatever she saw in his mind that day made her weep."
"Is he of elf-kind?"
"No, he's youkai."
Ryuji frowned. "That's odd. Do youkai normally take humans as mates?"
"It's rare, I should think. Intelligent, humanoid youkai are not as numerous as the lower youkai forms that we fight. Only the other day, Sesshoumaru told me that youkai such as he prefers a powerful, long-lived mate. They may still fall in love with a human and have sex with them, but they would never mark them as their mate. They don't have the luxury, as his father did, of mating with humans. The youkai race needs to strengthen their numbers with more pure blooded youkai, not provide weak offspring like hanyou. Of course, Inuyasha and this Naraku creature are obviously exceptions to the rule since they are both incredibly powerful beings."
"So then we should have nothing to worry about with this Kouga person."
"That, I'm not certain of, dad. He may be in love with Kagome."
"Well, don't you know for certain?" Ryuji was getting a little impatient.
"No, I don't know for certain, because that fool Yuki fu-, I mean, screwed up everything between Kagome and us. We, none of us, have seen or heard from her for over a year. The only reason we found out about Kagome and Gil's engagement was due to Gil coming over to our house to tell Yuki to his face that she was going to marry him."
Ryuji rolled his eyes. "Those two, I swear! Will they ever get along?"
"Of course not, dad. Will oil and water ever mix?"
The elf lord chuckled softly and gave Akira's body a squeeze. "I want you to track down this Kouga and tell him to back off of Kagome. I mean for my son to have her, since she is what he desires. Nothing will get in the way, Hiro. Do you hear me? Pay him off if you must, but get him out of the way."
Hiro shook his head. "You don't know Kouga. He isn't the type to be bought. If he loves Kagome too, he's not going to just hand her over to us."
"Then he doesn't know who he's dealing with." Ryuji scowled at Hiro. "My sons' happiness comes before anyone and anything else. You tell him that if he wants a fight, he'll damn well get a fight."
Hiro looked down at Akira's peaceful face. In his sleep, he appeared to be smiling; his face was relaxed. To Hiro, he looked as though he had not a care in the world. "Dad, do people still call Akira the monster prince?" When he looked up at his father, he paled. His father's face was black with rage.
"Those fools know nothing. Akira can't help that he was born this way. But they have no choice but to accept him. He is descended from royalty. Those that speak evilly about him can't say the same for themselves or their spawn. They have to whisper behind their hands or behind closed doors for they dare not say anything aloud to where others can hear their poisonous words. Your mother's father, the Crown Prince, holds more power than all of them combined." He smiled nastily at the thought. "They hate the fact that Akira is the great-grandson of the Emperor. They pick on him because they see him as weak, as part of that absurd prophecy."
"What prophecy?"
Lord Yamadera blinked. "You haven't heard of it? It's a story that has been passed down on your mother's side. If your great-grandfather weren't so busy, I would tell you to ask him yourself. He was there when it happened."
"Oh, come on, dad! Just tell me."
Situating Akira more comfortably against him, he began.
"A long time ago, when the elves were just a band of nomads living in the forests of the Mainland, a young human male accidentally stumbled into their encampment. He was delirious with fever, ravenous from malnutrition and terribly dehydrated. The elves, of course, took pity on the poor creature and nursed him back to health. It took a long time for him to recover, much longer than normal, but eventually they discovered why. Your great-grandfather Kin was just a child then and one night, he was ordered to look after the ailing human. He found the man sobbing in his bed and out of curiosity Kin asked why he was crying. Of course, the man couldn't answer him, since he spoke a different language. But your great-grandfather was an extremely powerful elf and he laid his hands on the man. Just like your Aunt Miranda, he could see the man's thoughts simply by touching him, and that is exactly what he did that night. In an instant, he learned the man's language and began conversing with him.
"The other elves were eager to learn of the man's story and soon, Kin told them all. The reason that he was taking so long to get well was because he was suffering from a broken heart. He had been exiled from a land far to the west by a god. This god was evil and out of revenge, banished him from his homeland because the young mortal had fallen in love with the god's twin sister."
A frown furrowed Hiro's brow. This story sounded awfully familiar.
"Well, as time went on, the young man regained his health and he began to help out around the camp. He learned to cook and care for the elflings, and generally became a vital member of the community. Several of the elves offered their daughters to him, but declined every single one, telling them that he could only love one woman and that he had been forced to leave her behind when he was exiled.
"He remained unmarried until the day he died. On his deathbed, your great-grandfather Kin, who by then had grown into adulthood and was the head of the tribe, asked him if there were anything he wanted. The man, whom everyone had named Cho, said that he had but one request of the elves. Kin, who dearly loved Cho as a brother, vowed to honor his request. Cho asked to be reborn as one of them, so that he could be given time to search for the woman he loved. When Kin assured him that he would do as he asked, Cho smiled up at him. A moment later, he died."
"But what about the prophecy, dad?" Hiro asked, confused.
"I'm getting to it. By that time, Kin was already married to your great-grandmother. Her mother was a powerful seer and after the death of Cho, she pulled Kin aside and told him of the vision she'd had just as the poor man breathed his last. She said that not only would Cho be reborn, he would be born into his line. Kin was stunned and started to speak, but the old she-elf told him that a 'monster' would be a part of his family. The monster would then kill his own flesh and blood and go after the young goddess so loved by Cho. There would be a great battle for the goddess, but the outcome was not known."
Hiro listened to his father with wide eyes. "What did great-grandfather do about that?"
"What could he do about it? His mother-in-law was well-known for her powers of prophecy and she was never wrong. The only thing he could do was keep an eye on his children, grandchildren, and yes, all four of you boys, but I have to admit that he was more worried about your mother and your aunt when they were growing up. He was afraid that one of them would end up marrying the 'monster'." Ryuji laughed a trifle self-consciously. "I'm afraid that your great-grandfather and your grandfather grilled me mercilessly when I asked to wed your mother. I was so terrified of those two I nearly wept."
Hiro smiled back at his father, but his mind was miles away. The goddess of the prophecy was Kagome, without a doubt, and the monster had to be Naraku.
But who was he?