A/N – Here we all are again! I hope you all enjoy this chapter and the heavy notes it brings with it! 7000 words, yay! Inspiration goes to far too many songs to list, so I'll just say one of them was "PonPonPon", and I'm not sure who the artist is. The video is strange... to say the least. But I love it! Anyway, please read and review, and here is Chapter 14! (:
Chapter 14 – Turning Pages
"Silence is the mother of truth."
-Benjamin Disraeli
Kagome checked her hair, smoothing it down in a few places before turning to sit on her bed. Thirty seconds later, she did the same thing again, her stomach full of butterflies. "Oh, Mao, why am I so nervous?" She drummed her fingers on her thigh, marveling at the feel of silk on her skin. She felt self-conscious when she glanced at Mao's flawless skin and silky periwinkle hair, and her lips quirked.
Mao rolled her eyes. "Really, Kagome, I do not see anything to be nervous about. Calm yourself, you're making me feel… prickly." She looked so absolutely disgruntled that she'd even had to use that word.
She covered a giggle with her mouth, and instantly reigned in her aura. "Sorry." She muttered, pulling a few wrinkles out of her deep blue kimono. It was lined with silver designs that curved around her body and onto her sleeves; Kagome was delighted to find out it trailed behind her a few inches. Shippouu had practically dragged Rin to come see how beautiful his Mama looked, and when the little girl had seen her, she begged Mao to do her hair. The end result—after much fussing, to Kagome's dismay—was a simple but elegant up-do held in place by a white lotus clip. For some inane reason, Kagome felt some strange anxiety welling up in her as the sun drifted closer and closer to the horizon. It really bothered her, actually. She'd been on dates before, with Hojo and the like—so why was this any different?
Kenshin's voice drifted through the shoji screen, "May I come in? I find myself at a loss of things to keep me entertained."
Crossing her arms, Kagome glared at the screen. "You may, but try anything funny and you'll end up like Shou."
"Ah, but why would I? It seems that Sesshoumaru-sama has become a slight bit protective you." Kenshin sang as he entered the room. He leaned against the wall close to Mao, and a dangerous sparkle entered his eyes.
Kagome felt her heart stumble when Kenshin said Sesshoumaru's name.
"And may I ask why you're looking particularly delectable today?" Kenshin asked with a toothy grin.
Pink covered her cheeks, "Just get out, Kenshin!" Mao growled, shoving him out the door with a good natured laugh. She followed, leaving Kagome alone with her thoughts.
Something about the way Sesshoumaru's breath had ghosted over the nape of her neck had seemed entirely sensual, and ten times more than anything Inuyasha had ever done to her. Wait! Stop right there Kagome! Stop! Before you even go comparing Sesshoumaru to Inuyasha, maybe you might think about the fact that Sesshoumaru would never, ever hold emotion toward a miko like you. The thought left Kagome feeling empty. But… What about that night when the boar attacked me? His hands… they were so gentle. The sensation had tingled all the way into her toes, leaving her cheeks flushed. And when he caught me from falling; why does it seem like he always expects something different from me? Shaking her head, she found the sun slipping beyond the horizon, and the first hints of night in the Eastern sky.
"Kagome, Sesshoumaru asked me to escort you here." Katsumi's low voice carried through the shoji screen, but he didn't enter. He could smell the anxiety jarring her usual scent, and was reminded of earlier that day when his lord had intervened in their conversation. It seemed as though Sesshoumaru was subconsciously interested in this female, and Katsumi didn't blame him, remembering how lovely she'd looked before.
But, the line between subconscious and conscious thought was clear indeed, and neither Sesshoumaru nor Kagome had yet to cross it.
The young miko felt her heart beat faster, and then tried to calm herself. Losing control in a palace full of sensitive youkai and daiyoukai was never a good option; she tightened the barriers that held her reiki in place.
"You may relax, Lady Kagome." Katsumi's voice breached the tenuous silence that had slipped between them, and even he seemed to be uncomfortable. "I do wish to apologize, for how I behaved at first. I did not know you were a guest of my Lord's, and it appeared to me as though Sesshoumaru-sama was in a daze, so I assumed he had been injured." Katsumi met her eyes briefly as they walked, and the bright blue momentarily startled her.
Kagome shrugged. "It's not a problem; I might have thought the same thing, if I were you." She said in a light tone. "By the way, could I ask you something?"
They rounded another corner, and Kagome recognized a vase centered on a low table. "You may, as long as I may do the same." Katsumi smiled lightly at her surprised expression, and gave a low chuckle. "I am not always serious."
"O-of course." Kagome smiled widely, "Are you in any way related to Sesshoumaru? Or is light hair a common trait among Inu-daiyoukai?" The question had been niggling at her mind since she'd met Katsumi that morning, noting the way his blue-silver hair slipped over the shoulder of his white haori.
Whatever question he'd been expecting obviously wasn't the one that tumbled from Kagome's soft mouth. "Well, Lady Kago—"
"Just Kagome, Katsumi-sama."
"Ah, then I must insist on just Katsumi, Kagome." He said warmly, raising an eyebrow. Kagome smiled, fiddling with the sleeve of her kimono. Before she could say a word, he began again in a lighter tone, "For your first question, no, I am not related by any means to Sesshoumaru-sama. My sire was Masaro, and he was a childhood friend of Inutaisho, who then became Inutaisho's second in command." At the gleam in Kagome's eyes, he added with a grin, "I could tell you more about him another time, if you wish. For your second question, yes, it is common for Inu daiyoukai to have light hair; but there are those among us who have dark or sometimes black hair, like yourself, but they are rare."
Kagome digested the information, her brow furrowing, and then asked another, "Where do they live, the daiyoukai with dark hair?" Kenshin's hair was black; was he one of those unique Inu? What about Mao and Ran? Were they lower-class youkai? She realized that even though she'd traveled back and forth to this place for years, there was still much that remained unknown to her. I really need to learn more about youkai.
Katsumi shook his head, but smiled. "Remember our deal, Kagome; I do believe it's my turn." He realized she spoke much differently than the humans who lived in any village he'd ever been to; but to ask that question, he thought, would be too personal. They were fast approaching their destination. "Why don't you fear youkai like myself? When I stopped in front of you, I was half expecting you to faint."
"Well, thanks for that! I'm not that much of a baby." Kagome crossed her arms, but was happy that Katsumi wasn't a carbon copy of Sesshoumaru. Don't get me wrong… Something about Sesshoumaru has been distracting me lately. Who wouldn't be? His eyes are too beautiful not to get lost in. Besides, anytime he's around… anytime I see him, hear him, heck, even sense him, my heart beats a little faster. Mentally frowning, her thoughts drifted. Which sucks, because he can probably hear when my heart beats faster. Damn. "I guess I don't fear youkai much because I've learned to control myself a bit in that respect. In a way, it's also something I learned from Inuyasha."
At Katsumi's raised eyebrows, Kagome laughed. "One of his few finer qualities, yes, but he's never afraid of anything. Except maybe losing the people he loves, but I think that's something to admire." She finished with a soft smile, remembering Inuyasha's protective—and most times annoying—anger when it came to her safety.
"Here we arrive, Kagome-sama." When she turned to glare at him, he put a finger to his lips and pointed to the impressively carved door. "I am glad to have escorted you." He smiled gently and bent at the waist, taking her hand in his and raising it to his lips. The sensation of his lips against her skin tingled. Kind of like when the blood flows back into your hands. She mused with an internal giggle.
Katsumi was very, very aware of the hostile youki that Sesshoumaru was projecting, but that happened to be his goal. The beautiful miko in front of him was obviously attracted to his Lord Sesshoumaru, as he was to her; by subtly flirting with her he was forcing Sesshoumaru to become aware of his emotions. Oh, Katsumi knew how his Lord Sesshoumaru operated, and if he could make this wondrously amazing woman happy, then it was worth it. It wasn't as if he minded the taste and feel of her skin, like drinking in fresh rain and sweetness. Her heart stuttered, and Katsumi grinned.
He stepped back and knocked once on the door. "My Lord Sesshoumaru, Lady Kagome is here." The sharp flare of youki was his only answer, and Katsumi opened the door for a suddenly extremely nervous Kagome. Her shining brown eyes met his, and he nodded encouragingly, a bright twinkle in his startling eyes.
From where she stood, Kagome couldn't see Sesshoumaru, but she could feel the crackling energy of his aura, which made her anxious. He hadn't ever seemed that agitated, and she wondered at the cause.
"Sesshoumaru?" She queried softly, and took a few steps into the coolly decorated room. To her right, the shoji screen she knew led to his bedroom was closed, but to her left she found Sesshoumaru seated at a low table. The sight of him sitting so formally stirred something in her, and when she met his eyes and realized they were trained on her, she almost gasped. His armor had been removed, and Tenseiga and Bakusaiga leaned against a bookshelf behind him. The golden amber orbs were focused so intensely upon her she looked away and began to tug on the hem of her silver stitched sleeve.
"I wish to discuss your departure." Sesshoumaru lifted his clawed hand and gestured to a pillow on the floor directly in front of his desk. He knew that she was leaving the morning after this.
"What about it?" Kagome's voice lingered in his ears longer than he cared to admit; it didn't aid him that her scent was permeating everything in the room, he was sure that he'd be able to smell her days after she'd gone. Whether or not that was necessarily bad remained to be seen. She looked… nice, he decided, although begrudgingly. The dark blue she wore fit her well, and he eyed the sweeping curve of her waist with an appreciative eye much too quickly for her to notice—and before his brain told him not to.
The decision he'd made about her departure had only taken him a moment or two. The thought of her traveling alone was disturbing to him, for reasons he wished not to explore. He reasoned the waste if she and her kitsune perished, but his instincts told him otherwise, though he dared not listen. Folding his hands into his haori, he waited for her to sit on pillow. When she turned her eyes to him, he felt her reiki settle around her comfortably. Unlike most reiki, hers calmed and soothed, leaving tender warmth behind. It called out to a softened side of him that had been smothered for so very long, he wondered how it had survived.
"You will take Ah-Un with you." He folded his hands on his lap, looking every bit the stoic, coolly businesslike daiyoukai he was. There was a steely weight in his eyes.
Kagome blinked once. "I—what?"
"He shall accompany you to your destination, and stay until I fetch him." He paused, quite aware that she might deny his offer due to her silly qualms. "It will quicken the time of your journey." With his council members seemingly under targeted attack, he could not risk leaving the West without its Lord.
She appeared confused; her lips twisted an odd way. A light blush colored her cheeks. "I don't know what to say." Really, what do you say to such a gesture? He clearly had no need to ensure her and Shippou's safety.
His eyebrow twitched. "A thank you might suffice, Kagome."
Blushing furiously, she thanked him again with a nervous laugh and bent slightly at the waist. Quickly considering her situation, she realized that Sesshoumaru's actions were singular in their nature. To her knowledge, he'd never offered so much to a human woman—or anyone. "Sesshoumaru?"
Silently amused, Sesshoumaru continued with his little game and countered; "Kagome." The rapid-fire staccato of her heartbeat pounded in his ears, begging him to attempt things that he dared not explore.
Said woman raised her eyebrows, and for a moment Sesshoumaru thought she'd caught on. Then she pointedly averted her gaze, pulling at the hem of her kimono sleeve. The daiyoukai fought the urge to still her hands. "What was wrong the other day?"
He had thought much about what he would tell her, this much was true. It had plagued his mind for days, wracking him with indecision and a strange sense of disquiet. He had not honestly slept since his arrival, when she had invaded upon his quarters. Now, with night fast approaching, his original plan seemed faulty, inadequate for the presence whose aura so gently filled the room, just like her scent. It soothed tension in his shoulders as he breathed. The same twisting, wrenching feeling still clamored for attention within him, demanding a solution that seemed so very easy to achieve.
Gracefully unfolding his legs and standing, he slid Bakusaiga and Tenseiga into his obi and tied the knots that kept them in place. "Come." He murmured, highly conscious that he was abandoning his earlier strategy. Sliding the shoji screen to his bed chamber aside, he heard Kagome's heart beat a little louder, and fought the urge to smirk.
Why did he have to be so darn perfect? The perfect synch of his movements made her feel like an awkward duck as she stood, waiting for him to lead her out of his room. Hadn't she asked for an explanation? Oh, yes, just before she'd caught herself staring at Sesshoumaru's hair… and maybe his legs. Darn it. When he moved the shoji screen that led to his bed, she couldn't help but feel a heavy surge of butterflies in her stomach. "Wh—", Kagome inwardly cursed at the higher octave of her voice and cleared her throat. "Where are we going?"
Of course, Sesshoumaru didn't answer her; he simply led her around the bed and pushed another screen aside, this one leading to a darkened hallway. It was lit by only the dying light of day, tinting the walls a pastel pink. When he turned around, Kagome stopped a little slowly, eye level with a bright red flower on his kimono. "Oh, oop—", She scrambled back, only to be pulled flush against his chest.
"Kagome." His voice was deep, dark, and whispered across her skin just as it had earlier that day. She shuddered, and felt the gentle pressure of his hand on her waist.
He dipped his head to her hair, enjoying the saturated scent of her for a secret moment. He was quite unprepared for the simple pleasure it brought him to say her name, and let the sensation roll over him in little waves before leaning back.
"What are we doing?" Kagome asked worriedly as he stepped outside, still keeping her close to him. The only other time he'd held her this way was when he flew. She glanced down, and felt the floor slip away as Sesshoumaru lifted them into the air, a slight spark in his eye that hinted at amusement.
He did not answer her. Without any forward thought, his current plan made it harder for him to think of suitable responses, especially when he had never done anything of the sort before. His grounds shrank as they gained elevation, and he felt her small hands fist in his kimono. Acting only on instinct, he let one of his hands rest hesitantly on the small of her back. Her heart skipped a beat, and Sesshoumaru fought a small grin.
His hands were warm, hot even through the heavy layers of silk she wore. It gave her a pleasant shock, despite her fear at being so high up in the air and with only Sesshoumaru as her saving grace if she fell somehow. Even with the weather being cold as it was, Sesshoumaru's body generated enough heat to be a small volcano.
"I wish to show you something." The murmur of his voice played on her nerves again, and she almost forgot to ask him what he wanted to show her.
"What is it?" Minutes passed, or so she thought. It could have been hours. She glanced around them to see him angling upwards, toward a rocky outcropping just barely dusted with snow.
He landed without a sound, and slowly ushered Kagome forward. "Look." He rumbled, his left hand settling on her lower back again.
Kagome turned her eyes to the valley below. The sun was long gone, slumbering before its return in early morning. Stars glittered and shone in the dark sky, and a white moon hung low near the horizon, barely skimming the naked branches of hibernating trees. Silver light cast long, sharp shadows that threatened to overtake the world in blackness. Snow greedily shimmered in the bright light, reflecting the moon's glow with harsh beauty. Fir trees towered over their deadened cousins, the silent guardians of a sleeping hollow.
The Daiyoukai Lord watched Kagome's face with thinly veiled interest, seeing her eyes scan over the ground below them. Her hair seemed to absorb the darkness, while the silvery light cast gentle shadows over her skin. Her lips were parted, and her scent verged on intoxicating.
"This is so beautiful." Kagome whispered, afraid that speaking would break the fragile spell cast over the valley. She glanced at him, and found his eyes warm. Sesshoumaru was not a man of words, she knew. By taking her here, what was he accomplishing?
There was a certain questioning quality to his eyes that was almost tentative, but controlled to an extent. His fingers were light, barely touching the silk of her kimono. He was holding himself away, as if in wait.
Oh. Kagome blinked, understanding. She leaned back into his hand, and returned to staring out at the valley, feeling a small smile claim her lips. She had not expected his apology to come in such a vague form, but she appreciated it more than she expected, and the rush of happiness that she felt almost made her dizzy. He cares enough to do this.
Sesshoumaru felt the weight on his chest leave him as she settled back against his hand, the raw, screeching-iron emotion washing away to be replaced with strange warm silence.
He tested the new feeling, rolled it around and inspected it with scrutiny. Is this contentment? Her warm reiki settled about them; she was subconsciously encasing them both in a protective cocoon, much the same as she did with Shippou.
She was silently observing the scene, her eyes bright with an emotion unknown to him and her lips curved upward. For him, time had ceased to hold much meaning centuries ago, and only recently had he begun to appreciate the fragility of mortal life. Little girl though she was, Rin brought tumultuous change to his otherwise frighteningly repetitive life. It was curious, he mused, that a being whose life spanned only a fraction of his could be the catalyst for such a transition and still remain so very precious to him.
Standing atop the stony peak, Sesshoumaru realized that the very woman aside him had coveted a space of her own in his life.
She shivered, and without any forward thought, he eased his hand around her waist and gently tugged her closer to him. What has occurred to make me react in such a way?
Kagome felt butterflies assault her stomach as his arm tucked her into his side, and she fought hard not to giggle aloud at the sensation.
"It is late." His voice came, a rough whisper.
How long have we been here? "Could I ask you something?"
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "You have." He pointed out dryly.
"It's a serious question, Sesshoumaru." Kagome said, knowing full well that she was entering dangerous territory.
He reluctantly allowed her to slip out of his grasp, and met her eyes with a slow nod.
Without the warmth of his body, she suddenly felt the icy cold of the night, and gripped the tops of her arms. "Rin excluded, why do you reject humans and hanyou?
Unprepared, he let her question hang for a moment. "It is not a hate I feel. To my senses, human settlements are repulsive, pungent concentrations of disease and filth, and a cacophony of pointless prattle that assaults my ears." He paused, and Kagome wondered at the strangely pensive expression on his face. "While one human alone may be capable of reason and adequate intelligence, humans together are bumbling, idiotic creatures that lack the capacity to overwhelm prejudice or accomplish forward movement."
His eyebrows drew together. "Hanyou are not. They are simply hybrids of human and demonic blood. My dislike of them is limited to Inuyasha." He glanced down at her, and saw that she was fully entranced by his words.
"If I wished him dead, he would be." Sesshoumaru said, his tone dripping venom as he remembered his last encounter with the hanyou.
Kagome frowned. She had tried to warn him, but he had shunned her aid, and cast her aside. He was most likely sitting in the top of a barren tree with his arms crossed, thinking about how to best search for Kikyo. "He has a strong heart."
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. "You would protect him?"
Scrunching her nose, she shook her head. "I hate what he said, but I understand him. He can figure out on his own what he did was wrong." She was unsure of where her and Inuyasha's relationship stood at the moment, and it worried her to think that he might actually find Kikyo. I hope you know how to hide yourself, Kikyo.
He appraised her words, mulling them over. "You and Inuyasha were involved, correct?"
She blinked. "We were, a long time ago, but not anymore." She stared at him quizzically. "Why do you ask?"
How dense is Inuyasha's skull? I should like to find out someday, if only for the purpose of thinning it out tremendously… and perhaps violently. Sesshoumaru thought with irritation. Even if he was utterly dull on occasion, what Sesshoumaru had discovered only lowered his already weak esteem for Inuyasha.
"He is truly the fool, then." He said softly, taking Kagome up in his arms again to raise them into the air.
"Oh." Kagome responded, a light flush covering her cheeks. She huddled closer to his chest to keep warm and rested her forehead against him. "Thank you, Sesshoumaru."
By now, Sesshoumaru had lost count of the thank-yous she had sent his way, but this one he secretly kept closer than the others and let himself enjoy the gentle cadence of her voice. "You are welcome, Kagome."
0-0-0-0-0
In the time it took Sesshoumaru to return a drowsy Kagome to her room, the palace had gone silent, most of its inhabitants resting for the night. His feet making naught a sound against the aged wood flooring, he made his way to the study, settling his youki over the grounds as he did so. Not only did his aura repel would-be invaders, he could sense whenever a human or youkai entered or exited the area.
As he slid the shoji screen into the study open, he found Katsumi relaxing on one of the plush cushions that were placed in front of a low-set desk. He let the silence fall over them as he arranged Bakusaiga and Tenseiga before sitting down. Upon his desk lay scrolls of paper, neatly arranged into differing levels of importance. At the center rested a single scroll, and scrawled across it rested the names of his deceased counsel members, and underneath each a detailed report of the circumstances surrounding them. Saburou and Noboru, who were both elder members of his counsel and each offering millennia of experience, proved invaluable to his inner circle. Losing two left them with five, and new members would have to be elected by the counsel and himself.
He would have to prepare a formal ceremony to honor their lives, which would take at least a week to execute fully. And then there was the matter of calming his subjects, and the other members of the counsel. Further still laid the mystery of their deaths, and how to handle those who had so blatantly challenged him.
"If nothing is done soon, there will be opposition." Katsumi pointed out, finishing his train of thought aloud and raising a claw to point at Bakusaiga.
Sesshoumaru quickly scanned the report. "Saburou was caught with a blade in his heart. There were no scents?"
His beta frowned. "None to speak for, even though he had been only two days dead."
Strange. The heightened senses of a daiyoukai can pick up scents from long before then. It is not realistic. And yet, with the report coming from Katsumi, he believed.
"Noboru?"
"Entire estate burnt to ashes and nothing more. If not for the absence of scent, I would have thought it was a separate occurrence. It is reasonable to assume that the deaths may be connected in some way." Katsumi explained, seeming troubled by his own meanderings.
Sesshoumaru nodded. "Did you speak to any of the surrounding youkai?"
"Nothing relevant concerning Saburou, but the youkai living near Noboru reported smelling something strange before the smoke reached them." Even with a strange scent, it was not enough to provide sufficient evidence. "Said it smelled like death."
"Baser youkai are superstitious." He dismissed it, knowing that many less powerful youkai were more wary of strange phenomenon and often times let it cloud their judgment.
"They claim it was a scent that made their skin crawl."
Scanning his memory, the only thing he could recall smelling of death was Naraku himself. Like rotting flesh and dust left in a damp room.
"Anything else?"
"No. It is not much." His words were rueful, bitter, and his eyes smoldered with anger. Noboru had been a close friend of his.
Considering the evidence, he placed it aside for later scrutiny. "Tell the servants to prepare a ceremony to be held in five days' time, and alert the other members of the counsel that I will convene with them tomorrow night."
Katsumi gave a short nod. "They will have words about Kagome."
Sesshoumaru ignored the slight twinge of annoyance he felt. "Let them. None would be able to best her." He all but growled.
Blue-tinged silver brows rose. "I understand her aura is immense, but to put such faith in her is folly." Katsumi said quietly. "She has not the bearing of a trained miko."
He had seen her channel energy into her fingertips, a fact obviously lost upon his second and something he had never witnessed before. "To assume is folly." Sesshoumaru countered, his voice low and soft with challenge.
Letting the issue drop, Katsumi stood and bowed before adopting a predatory grin. "To allow such a delectable creature to slip through your fingertips is folly, my Lord." Oh, he knew. The line that drew his lord and Kagome apart was blurring, if only for the moment. He sped out the door, eager to escape the crushing force of Sesshoumaru's youki. Perhaps provoking him so might not have been the best of ideas, but he was sure that no matter what he did, Kagome would be a permanent fixture in his lord's life. He could feel it in his bones whenever they stood in even the same room; a persistent hum of energy, fizzling just below the surface.
0-0-0-0-0
"Miroku, do you sense that?" Sango was on her feet, and reaching for her Hiraikotsu as she stared at the forest. It had been a lonely few days without Kagome and Shippou, strangely even more so without Inuyasha and Kikyo. They'd busied themselves with doing errands for Kaede, having little else to do with their time due to the weather. Sango was enjoying the time she had with Miroku, but there was a certain hollow quality to her life now that she had no one to train during the day. It was a weird thing not to hear Shippou's airy laughter. She felt out of focus.
Staff jingling, Miroku stood and faced the tree line with her. "I do, dear Sango." He stood unusually silent, his brows drawn together in concentration. Kirara landed aside them and transformed, a low growl issuing from her throat.
"You don't think it's Sesshoumaru with Kagome, do you?" To tell the honest truth, Sango was worried about Kagome. She was so very far away—if anything were to happen, there was little they could do, especially against a daiyoukai like Sesshoumaru.
"No, I would have felt Kagome's reiki by now. Even so, it does not feel overly hostile." Despite his words, Miroku dug his staff into the ground with a dull thud.
Sango nodded tersely and wished she wore her armor. She'd long since stored it in Kaede's hut with the absence of much demonic activity, but still practiced with her Hiraikotsu and katana religiously. Gripping the coarse fabric that bound her weapon, she hefted it onto her shoulder and strode forward.
"Shall we see if he explains himself?" Miroku rubbed his hands together and fingered the few sutras he had stored in his sleeve, reciting prayers in his mind as he followed Sango and Kirara.
Though the sounds of the forest were usually deadened by the cold, the stranger's approach caused a strange melody to rise; the calling of birds hidden in the branches, screeching warnings to each other in rough, grating calls. It lasted almost a minute before they all fell eerily silent, only to be echoed by the deep croaking of ravens. A flock of sparrows launched out of the trees and flitted away.
Miroku glanced at Sango, and found her pulling Hiraikotsu higher upon her shoulder as she glared at the forest.
Out of the barren tree line rose a large golden eagle, wheeling upwards with its wings spread wide at an unfathomable speed. It loosed a shrill, clear cry and tucked its wings in before speeding towards them. "Sango—"
Just before the eagle reached them, it flared its wings and landed gently upon a high branch, its golden-orange eyes surveying them with unnerving keenness and scrutiny.
Stepping out from the trees, a thin male figure slowly approached. The golden eagle alighted on his shoulder with a flap of its wings. He wore a deep moss-green haori and hakama that were trimmed in a fine line of gold, and a hood hung low over his face. Simple deep brown armor covered his body. A heavy pack and bow rested upon his back, and a quiver full of arrows fletched with tawny feathers rattled with his movement. At his hip swayed a katana, its scabbard dark ebony. His feet seemed to skim the ground as he walked, and as he neared them he flicked his hood back with a twist of his wrist. His claws were curved, and deepened to black at their tips.
"I am searching for a miko named Kagome." The light tone of his voice shocked both Sango and Miroku. His eyes were just as striking as the eagle's, if not more so because there was an alien intelligence lurking just behind them. A ramrod straight nose led to the firm line of his mouth, which turned down at the corners. His jaw was sharp and his chin narrow, and his head was tilted at such an angle that Sango immediately thought of the eagle perched upon his shoulder.
His hair was the same shade as the feathers that fletched his arrows, almost golden in the bleak sunlight. It hung loose, the straight locks layered down past his shoulder-blades. "Do you know of her?" He stopped a few yards away.
Miroku remained still, but adopted a friendly smile. "And what need do you have for locating her, hm?"
"I seek solace; and to deliver a letter." Her strange scent still hung in his brain, reminding him of soil and death.
"From whom do you seek solace?" Sango asked, her voice hard and unyielding.
The eagle let loose a sharp cry, and Kirara hissed. "Of that I am unsure. A woman smelling of death approached me wearing a strange amulet, one that I know to be associated with ancient and powerful rituals."
"Kikyo-sama?" Miroku echoed confusedly, and shot a glance to Sango, who blinked. "I believe there is much we can learn from each other, but only if Edo is left unharmed."
The male gave a bow. "You have my word." He took a step forward.
The monk smiled then, and gestured to Sango and Kirara. "That lovely woman is Sango. Kirara is her companion, and I am Miroku, a humble monk."
Sango glared at him.
"I am Osamu." He said with such solemnity that Sango raised a brow. "This is Miu." He raised his arm up, and the eagle leapt onto it—she noted now that the armor on his forearms was scarred and scratched from the eagle's talons.
Said eagle cocked her head and leaned forward, inspecting them with bright, suspicious eyes. "She is a beautiful creature." Miroku said, a curious gleam in his eye.
Seeming to understand she was being flattered, Miu preened and ducked her beak into her feathers, puffing her chest out.
Osamu chuckled. "She's a proud bird."
Miu grasped a strand of his hair and tugged on it in response before flying back into the trees with an almost indignant cry.
Sango blinked at the whole scene. "She's very smart, too."
Orange-gold eyes turned to her. "Kirara is just as smart, I'm predicting."
"Indeed she is." Kirara purred and shrank; leaping into Miroku's waiting arms.
"Now, I must ask again. It is important." Osamu pulled a scroll from underneath his armor, bound with a white tie that both Sango and Miroku recognized as the same one Kikyo used. "I am to deliver this to Kagome, and I was told she may be able to aid me."
Miroku ushered Osamu forward, toward Kaede's hut. "She has not returned yet, I am afraid. She left a few days ago to seek aid for her kitsune—by Lord Sesshoumaru's personal invitation."
"Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands and first son of Inutaisho?" He recited it so quickly and so formally that it sounded like he was reading directly from a scroll.
"Yes, him." Miroku paused. "However, we are unsure of when Kagome-sama will return. It depends on Shippou."
"Will she return at all?" Osamu knew of Sesshoumaru's reputation, and wondered how a human woman could survive alone in a palace full of youkai and daiyoukai.
"Of course she will!" Sango bit out, feeling her doubts clawing at her.
"I… do not frequently associate with others besides Miu, and it is difficult to know where boundaries lie." Osamu said, orange eyes seeming truly regretful. As they approached the village, his curious eyes slid over the small huts and shops that dotted the center.
Miroku remained silent, at a loss for what to say, and led them to Kaede's hut. "Have ye brought me those herbs I asked for? It's been nearly an hour!" The elderly woman griped, and ignored Osamu's presence.
Adopting a wide grin, Miroku fumbled for an excuse. "Our apologies, Kaede-sama, we encountered a visitor that seeks Kagome."
Sango shook her head and sighed, leaning her Hiraikotsu on the wall of the hut. It was nearing mid-afternoon, and the sun was already falling quickly to the horizon.
"Seeks Kagome, you say?" Kaede turned to Osamu—who had been about to introduce himself—and squinted at him with her good eye and jabbed him in the chest with a gnarled finger. "So it's already started, hm?" She all but whispered to herself in a hoarse voice. She fumbled around with a few things, rearranging them on a shelf as she regained her bearings.
Miroku and Sango had not heard her admonition, leaving Osamu to wonder in her wake. Had that woman been the catalyst for such a chain of events that the priestess Kaede knew of it? Hundreds of prophecies filtered through his mind, each connecting to the situation at hand in some way. But which is the one I search for? Osamu had learned at a young age that his capability for information retention was extraordinary, and could recite any given scroll from top to bottom in perfect tandem with the scroll itself. His mind acted almost as a large information base that was constantly expanding, growing, and reshaping. A woman smelling of death, an extremely powerful priestess, and an old woman. Names were unreliable, and varied much. What pieces are missing in this equation?
"What did she tell you?" The old woman's gruff voice whispered as Sango and Miroku spoke to each other.
Inquisitive eyes fell upon the woman who knew more than she let on. If he could wrest a few answers from her, perhaps the complicated game of fate would unravel itself further. "Only directions to this village, and that my pride was not worth dying for." Her words had haunted him, nipping at his heels like a ravenous animal just waiting for him to stop and catch his breath.
"I see. Then it began much sooner than expected." The elderly priestess sighed loudly. "Will ye relay a message to Kagome for me?" She glanced at Miroku and Sango to make sure they were still ensconced in their conversation. Her eye was closed, and she took a great breath as her shoulders sagged.
Osamu raised a golden brown eyebrow. This woman expects to die before the message can be received. He realized, and nodded. If this was his part to play, then so be it.
"The woman named Kaede leaned forward, and in a heavy whisper that called upon wispy tendrils of memory, she recited, "A tainted god's wrath, when death's perfection flies amiss, to continue her destined path, tell dear Kagome this: A friend may lie where the sun glares hardest."
Something heavy pressed upon his senses, and his scalp prickled. He could hear Miu screeching a warning, her cries sharp and piercing.
Kaede made to turn away from him. "And remember, that message is only to reach her after the verse, lest ye want the world to burn." Something about her words made even his inner beast shudder with foreboding.
The weight pressed further on him, and suddenly he found it difficult to move. The others seemed not to have this problem, and were continuing friendly banter. The prickling of his scalp had increased to cover his body in gooseflesh, and his pupils dilated. Whatever this power was, it was suffocating him with inexorable force and causing his breath to come short.
"—as I was saying, Sango, it was simply a suggestion, not anything I would really attempt, especially on one with a backside such as you—", The monk's words were cut off with a loud thump.
"No."
Kaede seemed to take notice of his frozen form, and rough chuckle escaped her lips. "Kagome has returned." Her eye still seemed haunted, as if speaking those eerie words earlier had taken all of her energy.
Just then the mat covering the doorway flung open, and Osamu found himself facing brown eyes and glowing white fingertips that were less than an inch from his nose. Her power reminded him of a hot coal, emanating such heat that he felt beads of sweat forming on his forehead. Fascinating. I've never encountered any being that could wield power in their fingertips in such a way. I wonder how she accomplished it—perhaps I should ask her. When I am not at her mercy, that is.
"Sango, who is he?" Her voice was clear and strong.
"He's not here to hurt us, Kagome. He has a letter for you, actually."
Looking abashed, she lowered her hand and let the power fade from existence. The pressure upon his aura dissipated as well, to be replaced with her centralized reiki that gently cast tendrils of soothing energy this way and that. That is also fascinating—it's as if her soul is casting off excess energy that has nowhere else to go. No wonder this woman was to provide a safe haven; she has incredible talent already, and still much room to increase her abilities.
"I'm sorry about that, I had no idea who you were." She smiled brightly, and Osamu was momentarily blinded by her cheerfulness. "My name is Kagome, and this is Shippou." A small kitsune with red hair popped up from her shoulder, his emerald eyes sparkling with amusment.
"Jeez, mama, you really scared him!" He crowed triumphantly.
"I am Osamu." He felt a spur of excitement in his gut when he placed the scroll in her hands. She fingered the white tie, her eyes flashing to his expectantly. "The letter I bring, I am told, is from a woman named Kikyo. I shall explain more once you have read it."
"Kikyo?" She echoed with a quiet gasp. Her fingers were quick, slipping off the tie to unroll the letter with hasty movements and a sense of urgency that made a coil of fear unravel itself like a serpent in Osamu's belly. What has been unleashed upon this world?
End of Chapter Fourteen – Turning Pages
A/N – Please review! Thank you so much for reading this story, and I hope you enjoyed it! See you next time! (:
