Authors note: I am so sorry I took 2 weeks to update, I work all week and don't get much time off, I stayed up all night to write this and I am a little worried that it sucks. If it does it is okay to flame me but please don't give up my story, I will get better I promise. It's only my first fanfiction. Please review!
Disclaimer: I do not own anything that belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter 2:
The next morning, Izayoi awoke sore; the bleeding from the previous night had stopped but she discovered that it had stained her clothes. Izayoi had to admit Takemaru was kind; he'd been gentle but was unable to stop her pain. He had awoken early to review some charts with his generals, thus leaving Izayoi to explore the castle grounds alone.
Izayoi made her way down the path to the garden in the bright morning sun. The day was warm and the garden was peaceful. It wasn't like her aunt Kameko's tea garden at home, but it was a good place to get away, at least from Takemaru.
Izayoi walked amongst the willow trees and the cherry blossoms, she saw that there was a pond from which flowed a small stream with rocks scattered here and there. Crossing the stream was a tall bridge. Izayoi sat near the bridge at the edge of the pond and leaned over to watch the koi. Izayoi missed home, she had never been this far away before. It wasn't like when she was nine and her father took her to town. She loved going to the stalls filled with silk and spices, where all the hustle and bustle was exciting. It was as far as she had been from home until now. She missed her late night conversations with Kameko and the stories she used to tell her.
"Tell me about him again aunt Kameko, tell me about the dog demon, pleeeaaase!"
A six year old Izayoi was sitting in her aunts lap looking up at her intently.
"Izayoi, you must remember that demons are dangerous, even the dog demon is no exception."
"But he has never hurt anybody has he Kameko?" Izayoi had said looking up at her aunt with an innocent gaze.
Kameko smiled weakly "I—I guess not Izayoi, but still—"
"Then he must be good Kameko!" Izayoi looked at the moon with wide eyes, and Kameko looked worried.
"He must be."
Ever since that night Izayoi had wondered about the great dog demon. So many feared him and yet none had ever known him
Back then life was much simpler, Izayoi was young and could get away with most things if Kameko was around. Showing up in fathers study with scratched up knees from climbing her favorite tree was in no way a good idea. Once Izayoi became a woman, she had to put up childish things.
Izayoi watched as a turtle's head popped up out of the pond and attempted to eat a dragon fly. She placed her hand in the cool water and watched as the koi swam around it tickling her fingers and making ripples in the pond. She could feel a cool breeze teasing her long black hair and swaying the trees around her. It was a peaceful place indeed.
Izayoi stood up brushed off her Kimono and proceeded down the path to the castle. She had now found a place she knew she could feel happy, at least for a while. She thought she could spend her time sewing. That would keep Takemaru away, at least for the afternoon.
Izayoi made her way down a porch of the castle that lined a small rock garden towards the front room were her sewing things were located. She snuck silently past the room where Takemaru worked, making her steps silent as she went. It was all she could do to not interrupt him from his work, she would hate to have to talk to him after last night.
"Yes my lord, he has been seen in Setsuna. I have heard that he prowls the western lands, but he has been seen here lately my lord." Said a samurai.
Izayoi stopped dead in her tracks, could it be they were talking about—
"The dog demon?" Takemaru said to himself questioningly "Everyone in the region must be warned of this, tell all to beware, the dog demon is here."
The Great dog demon? In Setsuna? Izayoi thought. A strange feeling of excitement overwhelmed Izayoi, he was here in Setsuna were she lived! It seemed as if he had followed her all the way from home. Ever since she first saw the Inu no taishou in the sky she wanted to meet him, and now he was here in Setsuna!
Izayoi had the sudden urge to burst into the room and ask Takemaru about the Great dog demon, but she knew it would be rude not to mention it would give Takemaru a chance to talk to her and she didn't want that.
Izayoi continued to scuffle down the porch to the front room were she would finally be safe from Takemaru.
"Izayoi-sama."
Izayoi's heart sunk thinking it was Takemaru, but she realized it was a woman's voice she heard.
Izayoi turned to see a woman of about 50 looking at her.
"Izayoi-sama." She bowed low in respect and Izayoi could see the grey hairs on her head.
"I am Yuriko, Takemaru-sama had ordered me to you as a servant."
Izayoi immediately did not take likely to the word 'servant' but before she could protest Yuriko continued.
"I am pleased to serve you my lady, you are the kind and gentle lady of this house. I will do my best to serve you."
"I am thankful Yuriko." Izayoi returned the bow wearily.
"Now my lady, what can I do to serve you?"
Izayoi suddenly remembered her sewing in the front room that she couldn't seem to make her way to.
"I would like to sew a little while until dinner time."
Yuriko's eyes closed a little as she smiled gently at Izayoi.
"That is a good idea my lady, and I will help you, come now we will go."
Her tiny wrinkled hands tugged on Izayoi's and made her think of Kameko, bringing back the homesickness she had had earlier that morning. They both walked around the porch to Izayoi's sewing things in the front room. Izayoi saw the boxes filled with needles, thread, and clothe for sewing. She pulled a particular piece out of one box, a blanket that she and Kameko had been working on. Kameko had insisted that Izayoi take it with her so that she would always feel like she was near. Unwanted tears began to well up in Izayoi's eyes and she brushed them away quickly.
Yuriko spoke "I may be old but these hands can still do many things in time."
Izayoi smiled softly and laid the blanket down on the floor and carefully smoothed it out. She stared at a particularly difficult corner that she and Kameko had been working on for qiute some time. Izayoi pulled out a needle and began her work, her small white fingers working delicately.
All unhappy thoughts flew from Izayoi's mind as she worked on her handiwork. For a moment Izayoi felt as if she was home, home with Kameko. On a day like this they would sit side by side facing the setting sun, talking about the usual gossip. Kameko would even tell Izayoi a story every now and then. Of course the dog demon was always Izayoi's favorite. It had been Kameko who had taught Izayoi how to sew, she said that she had sewed with Izayoi's mother when she was alive. Izayoi did not remeber her mother, and it was during their usual sewing times that Kameko would tell her about her.
"She was beautiful, like you Izayoi, you have her free spirit and occasional sense of rebellion."
Izayoi sadly smiled at that thought, she used to be rebelious, when she was young, but now her duty was as a wife and there was no room for things of the past.
Izayoi shook her head and immersed herself into her work. It was several hours later before she realized that the sun had gone down.
"Izayoi-sama it is getting late, you must come and get ready for dinner." Yuriko said.
Izayoi was hungry but she knew that Takemaru would be there.
"Just a little bit longer Yuriko."
"Yes my lady." Yuriko bowed to her and opened the screen door.
Izayoi's heart sunk when she saw that Takemaru was standing there.
Yuriko bowed low "Takemaru-sama."
"Yuriko help prepare for dinner." he commanded.
"Yes Takemaru-sama." Yuriko bowed low again then left.
Takemaru looked down at Izayoi.
"Izayoi will you walk with me?" he asked softly.
"Yes my lord." Izayoi put hers and Kameko's blanket aside sadly, it would have to wait until tomorrow at least. Suddenly the fear of the previous night came back to her, and her heart once again became heavy. She tried not to cry as she stood up.
Takemaru stood aside as Izayoi left the room and stepped out onto the porch. Izayoi looked down at the floor as they walked side by side silently.
"Izayoi are you still in pain?"
Izayoi kept her head down "No my lord."
Takemaru smiled gently "Good."
He continued "I hope you like here Izayoi, it may be hard to get used to, but you will come to love it here, in time."
Izayoi nodded slowly.
They turned a corner and walked along the porch that lined a part of the garden. Izayoi's mind trailed off as Takemaru rambled on about his day with the generals.
Izayoi knew that Takemaru would ask her to go to bed with him and there was nothing she could do to change his mind. Painful, humiliating, embarrasing, memories of the previous night began to flood Izayoi's mind. She wished she was home with Kameko, with her father, with the life she used to have, the girl she used to be.
Izayoi held back the tears as she looked up at the sky, the moon was full again and hung high in all its glory. Izayoi stared at it intently as she had often done as a child, waiting for the dog demon to fly past it again, waiting to see him. That was so long ago, it was only childs play, he would never care about a lowly human like her. She pushed back those thoughts, back into her mind, back into her past. This was her life now, she knew, she was a woman, a wife, this was her duty.
Izayoi could have never guessed what was about to happen at that very moment. It was as if the gods of fate had smiled down upon her, for at that moment before her very eyes she saw him. Like a flash of lightening The Great Dog demon flew across the moon, it was so qiuck that for a breif moment Izayoi was unsure of what she was seeing, but she knew. Deep down in her heart she knew it was him. Suddenly a loud crash sounded from the eastern side of the castle, and Izayoi could hear a great roar.
"All men at arms!" Takemaru screamed, he grabbed Izayoi's shoulders and shoved her into the nearest room.
"Stay here Izayoi!" He threw the screen door shut and left.
Izayoi watched from inside as samurai gathered around the castle, their bows drawn. Izayoi stepped out onto the porch and out into the open night, watching in awe as the Great dog demon flew into the sky.
It was him, Izayoi was in disbelief, never could she suspect that he would come. The one that she had always loved as a child, the great dog in the sky, he was right before her very eyes! It seemed to Izayoi that for a brief moment he looked at her, and their eyes met, but she knew he could not see her.
"Izayoi-sama! Izayoi-sama! Come inside, the lord wants you to come inside! Come were it's safe!" Izayoi turned to see a terrified old woman. Yuriko pulled on Izayoi's Kimono a little harder than Izayoi expected from a woman of her age.
Izayoi looked back at the Dog demon, arrows shot into the air but she knew they would do no good. Simple human arrows would never hurt one such as he.
Izayoi watched as he flew into the night sky, flying higher and higher up until he dissapeared into the clouds. Just as soon as he had arrived he was gone again. Gone from her eyes once more.
"Izayoi!"
Izayoi turned to see Takemaru running towards her clad in armor.
"Why aren't you inside!?" He said angrily.
"I am sorry my lord, please forgive me." she bowed "I had to see with my own eyes."
Yuriko was shaking "Takemaru-sama what was that terrible thing that attacked us?!"
Takemaru looked down in thought.
"It doesn't matter it is gone now, I will put gaurds around the castle for the night, if it comes back we will be ready for it." Takemaru said.
Takemaru looked up "Yuriko you will take Izayoi to our room, I will be there shortly."
Izayoi looked up and the excitement that she had had only moments ago melted away. She watched as Takemaru walked off, she could feel the excitement wear off as the samurai went back to their posts.
"Izayoi-sama come you must get ready for bed." Yuriko said as she led Izayoi back to the caslte.
Izayoi looked behind her at the sky, she had seen him, he had come, of course it wasn't for her, although she wished it could be. Izayoi couldn't wait to tell kameko about this, although she knew it would anger her dear old aunt to hear such stories agian. Izayoi and Yuriko went into her room and shut the screen door, Izayoi stood at the screen and stared out at the sky.
The dog demon shot up from the clouds, and headed east towards his castle home. All thoughts of his day flew from his mind as he thought of her, that tiny human, so small yet so beautiful in the moonlight. Never had a female of any kind captured his heart so qiuckly. He had to see her agian, he knew he had never been so close to a human before as he would be then, but he could not deny his heart. He would go tomorrow night, he would look for her, if it took him all the rest of his days he would see her agian.
The dog demon sped up gliding over the tops of the clouds and dissapeared over the horizon.
Authors note: I just want to give a shout out to my first and only 3 reviewers Namen, Kags16, and Babiidyme! Thank you guys for the reviews, they are what keep me going! I will try to update by next weekend, I promise it will be better then. Hopefully I can keep up with my schedule.