A/N: Thanks on the goo reviews and hope you all enjoy this chapter!
Chapter two: Prisoner
The journey west from Metz proved vigorous than Kagome assumed. The road was uneven with rocks of irregular sizes along the road—it now obvious to Kagome why Jineji chose to live in such a rough terrain. The less humans willing to travel, the better; and no carriage could simply run through without turning over.
"Uh, have you traveled this way before, Shippo?" Kagome asked, nearly tripping on the seventh rock since their journey began.
"No. Normally I fly over. I've only visited once and it was when he just started building his house." Shippo maneuvered easily through the stones by hopping. "We could fly over there if you'd like, Kagome."
"Oh no, that would be a bad idea, we don't want to get any attention."
Shippo gulped, "You're right, I forgot about Lord Sesshoumaru's law." At the saying of Lord Sesshoumaru's name, Kagome noticed that his whole being tensed up and he began looking over his shoulder more often.
"Lord Sesshoumaru?"
"He's the Lord of most of Europe and some of Asia… he forbids any demon from meddling with humans." He looked apologetically at Kagome.
"You never mentioned that before, and now that I think of it, nor hasn't Jinenji." Kagome stopped to think, "What would happen if he knew I was with you guys?"
Shippo gulped a second time and made a quick slashing movement across is neck. Kagome turned pale and nodded. "Oh."
They continued their travel in silence, apprehensive for any threat that could come their way; though eventually, Shippo grew tired of the silence and began planting trick mushrooms at separate intervals in the crevices in the stones, (all the while giggling to himself.)
"Shippo, what are you doing?" Kagome asked as she saw him drop his "upenteenth" mushroom in another crevice.
"Just a little trick for anyone that passes by. These mushrooms will sense any demonic aura that comes too close, so they'll start screaming out loud, and some of these with blue dots, will explode! "He held the two similar mushrooms up, "and it will also help warn us if there's danger!" He stood up proudly on his rock, "See! My fox magic will protect us, I told you I was practicing."
Kagome didn't have time to roll her eyes when at that moment, a couple mushrooms exploded some distance behind them, and some other mushrooms were screaming. "Oh no…what could that be!" Kagome grabbed Shippo by the arm and began running away from the noise. "I thought I probably sensed something earlier…"
After being around demons, Kagome developed a sixth sense of sensing the demonic auras emitted from the demons, though, only to an extent—she could not tell the difference between something menacing and something safe.
Then there was howling and barking.
"It's the wolf demons!" Shippo yelled, as he looked over Kagome's shoulder. "Oh no, we're in trouble now!"
The wolf demons were still some distance away, but Kagome knew it only took a couple leaps for them to reach them in no time, and the road only slowed her down the more. So without second thoughts, Kagome leaped into the forest where the floor was more even and ran faster—being careful not to crash into low branches.
The orange and brown fallen leaves proved just as strenuous; they were wet and caused Kagome to slip often. "Are they behind us?" Kagome looked over her shoulder to check herself—but at the wrong time—and she instantly slipped on a pile of leaves and began rolling down a slope.
"Kagome, watch out!" Shippo yelled, carefully sheltered in Kagome's arms.
She continued rolling until she was able to turn herself and slide the rest of the way. And she made it to a more evenly spread road, sheltered by the rocks from the mountains close to them.
Kagome stopped to catch her breath and look up at the slope she just fell from. "Oh God…" But instead of congratulating herself on their quick escape, she cursed as she saw the wolves already at the top of the slope, watching them predatorily. The leader of the pack was obvious, he appeared human, but the furs and armor around his body as clothing showed who he was in nature; long black hair tied tightly at the top of his head, and blue eyes staring into her brown ones. He stared at her with an evil smirk on his face.
Shippo began shaking, and it brought Kagome back from her momentary panic. Looking quickly to her right, she could see a clearing not too far…maybe Jinenji is there. We shouldn't be too far I think…Kagome took her chance and ran again for the clearing. And it did not seem like the wolves were continuing their pursuit.
"They're toying with us!" Kagome gasped, and ran faster.
They entered the clearing, though it was not as big as Kagome assumed, it only led to a finely paved entrance to an immense gate, and a bridge leading to an enormous castle that seemed more part of the mountain than a fortress.
"Wh-where are we?" Shippo whispered, "And who's that?"
Kagome looked to where Shippo was pointing; a little girl was picking flowers just outside the gate, being approached slowly by what looked to be guards—lizard demon guards. Kagome sensed the guards' auras but the little girl had none, She has to be human!
"Oh no, we must help her!" Kagome yelled and continued running towards her.
"What about us!" Shippo looked over her shoulder, "The wolf demons are behind us!"
Kagome reached the surprised girl, "Come on, we must get out of here. These demons are going to hurt us." Kagome reached out her hand, and was even more surprised to see the little girl only back away from her, towards the guards.
In an instant the guards surrounded them, "Lady Rin!" one of them said, "Please head back to the castle, the wolf demons are here!" Paying no regard to Kagome or Shippo, they placed themselves in the straight line, creating a barrier between them and the oncoming wolf demons.
"Wha-What's going on?" Kagome whispered to Shippo.
"Oh no…I think I know where we are now," he replied shakily.
"Come with me!" the little girl grabbed Kagome's still outstretched hand and led her into the gates and across the bridge.
Kagome took a quick glance behind her and saw a confrontation occurring between the wolves and the guards; the pack leader seemed to be simply brushing off what's been going on. Slyly giving her and the little girl quick glances and smirking.
"Master Kouga, Lord Sesshoumaru has left in search of you, why have to come to the castle," said the captain of the guards.
"Well, well, so the great dog lord does come out of the castle. It would be a great pleasure to meet with him, but I merely came in chase of my prey. You see, that human and fox demon you unnoticeably just took under your care, has caused us a meal. And we'd really like it back," Kouga responded, not bothering to hide the heavy amounts of sarcasm he implied.
The captain stayed quiet, he had hoped the wolf leader did not notice the humans, hoping to deal with the extras later. "We shall send word to Lord Sesshoumaru. So we demand your cooperation and stay with in this clearing or be detained."
At that, a demon guard spreadxhis wings and flew in the east direction.
It did not take long for Lord Sesshoumaru to arrive, having taken the form of a mystical mist to transfer him to the gates of his castle. His white hair flying in the burst of air that came around him as he placed himself in front of Kouga.
Kouga, being just a tad shorter, began to withdraw slowly. He knew better than to provoke the merciless demon lord.
"Kouga, I am not pleased to hear of your activities in my territories; especially, regarding the human villages. What do you have to say to yourself?" Lord Sesshoumaru was now the judge and jury to Kouga's instant trial.
Kouga stood his ground and raised his head, " Forgive us, Lord Sesshoumaru, but we were driven from our lands in the east with this ongoing demon war you have caused with Naraku, " he said viciously, "He took and killed most of our tribe and has threatened to continue the slaughter had we not left. What were we to do with no home for my tribe and no food to keep us alive?"
Lord Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, " Naraku?" he then turned to the same demon guard that had called for him, "Summon Jaken immediately," and turning back to the wolf demons, "Regardless of your loss, causing havoc in the villages of both demon and humans is forbidden."
"But—" Kouga raised his voice and readied to pull his sword from his sheath.
"Guards, detain these wolfs and take them to the lower dungeon. They shall be interrogated later," not turning his eyes from Kouga, "I shall further investigate this matter, but you shall be my prisoner until I pass my verdict." Sesshoumaru began to turn away until Kouga outburst when the guards began to uphold them.
"We saw your human girl, Lord Sesshoumaru, I believe we should come to an agreement."
Sesshoumaru paused and his anger began to fill him, his eyes turned red, "What?" He growled, and slashed Kouga across the face. "You dare go so low as to assume I care for a human girl? Be grateful that I do not intend to kill you so quickly yet. Take them!"
The guards sped up their arrest and raced down a separate path under the entrance to the castle.
Sesshooumaru watched as the last of the wolf demons were led below his bridge entrance to the castle and then a breeze picked up and Sesshoumaru caught an unfamiliar scent; a mix of honey and vanilla, with another scent of …fox? Sesshoumaru tensed. The scents were now inside the castle with Rin. He turned his had slightly and caught Jaken running frantically towards him. Sesshoumaru's anger escalated as Jaken approached him.
"Who just entered my castle?" he said seethingly.
"M-my lord," he bows quickly, "it seems that a human woman and a child fox demon were led into the castle by Rin…" Jaken closed his eyes and prepared himself for Sesshoumaru's blow, but it never came. He opened his eyes to find Sesshoumaru no longer in front of him. "Lord Sesshoumaru?" He turns back around and sees Lord Sesshoumaru already entering his castle. "Wait Lord Sesshoumaru!"
"Kagome…" Shippo whispered into Kagome's ears, but even the silent whisper seemed to echo in the darkly lit study. "We need to get out of here. If Lord Sesshoumaru finds us we're finished" and Shippo began to shake uncontrollably again.
"But what about the girl? Obviously she's human, if Lord Sesshoumaru brings her no harm, then he would not bring us harm." Kagome fixated herself on the tiny girl in an orange girl's gown, who was busy ordering a small servant for some tea and bread.
"It could be a trap! I don't know a lot of magic, but I know there is magic that conceals a demon's auras and makes them appear human. She could be here to kill us!"
The little girl turned and placed herself in front of Kagome and Shippo, "Je suis desolé, I did not mean to rush you two into the castle, but it's the safest place I know," she paused and curtsied, "My name is Rin, and I hope you enjoy your stay here with me."
Kagome nodded, "My name is Kagome, and this is Shippo." Shippo waved his small hand from behind Kagome's back. "It's nice to meet you Rin, though, forgive me, but I have never met a human that lives with demons."
"Oh?" Rin tilted her head slightly, "Do you not live with the fox demon? Well, in the least, you two must be friends! I also never met another human who takes company with demons."
Kagome noticed how her eyes seem to fad in light when she spoke her last sentence. "Rin, do you live with Lord Sesshoumaru?"
Rin's head shot up at the name and she covered her mouth, "Oh no! Lord Sesshoumaru! He'll be furious!"
Kagome turned pale. "I told you!" Shippo whispered into her ear.
"Wh-what?"
And the mahogany doors were flung open. Kagome stood from her chair and backed up against a bookcase on the wall; she gasped as she felt the power of the aura emanating from the demon now entering the room. He stepped into the room and Kagome instantly noticed his strikingly grey-white hair, though tied in a low knot, that reached just below his waist; he wore a white linin shirt with a grey waistcoat under a strikingly black unbuttoned doublet, and the red collar around his neck emphasized the "slash" marks on his checks. And Kagome was then drawn to the bright gold eyes below his crescent moon marking on his forehead. He's handsome,she thought, though despite his beauty, she saw the shear disgust on his face at seeing her and Shippo huddled against a bookcase.
"Who are you and what are you doing here?" he said in equal measure of disgust as he portrayed.
Sesshoumaru now saw the source of the foreign smells in his castle and he quickly examined the woman in front of him; her light green "peasants" dress and white apron did no favor to her eyes, and overall, she had no remarkable features. She was plain, and it disgusted him that such a plain woman came into his castle. The fox demon cowering behind her ever more disgusted him. A demon take shelter behind a human woman? Disgraceful.
"Lord Sesshoumaru!" Rin yelled as she ran in front of Lord Sesshoumaru, spreading her arms to stop him. "Please do not hurt them, my lord! I've brought them in the castle, please punish me instead!"
Sesshoumaru did not turn his eyes to her, but spoke, "What is the meaning of this, Rin? I did not expect you to disobey me and to allow a stranger into the castle. "His eyes were beginning to cloud over in red and he lowered his head to face her.
"I-I know, my lord, forgive me…" she brought her head down as tears began to stream down her cheeks.
Sesshoumaru was surprised that her sudden wave of anguish hit him hard in the chest, but it did not subside his anger.
Kagome was frozen in her place, and staring at Lord Sesshoumaru felt like she was staring at death. Behind her back, Shippo was hyperventilating and shaking.
"Please let us go, we mean no harm." Kagome pleaded in a quiet voice, though she was intending to be braver.
Seshsoumaru's head snapped back at the girl, "Do not speak unless spoken to," he hissed.
Kagome was ready to snap back at him, but thought better. Sesshoumaru's fingers were beginning to glow green.
"But Lord Sesshoumaru, please, maybe Kagome can be my tutor!" Rin blurted as she whipped the last of the tears off her face.
"What? Who?" Sesshoumaru's eyes were now completely clouded over, "No such thing will happen, I will take care of these intruders—"
"Lord Sesshoumaru! Please!" Rin wrapped her arms around Sesshoumaru's waist in her attempt to prevent him from doing any harm to Kagome and Shippo.
And at the moment, it was working, Sesshoumaru was surprised again at the wave of emotions coming from Rin; it was actually paining him to want to inflict harm on the woman and fox demon.
Kagome and Shippo watched in horror and fear, they thought Lord Sesshoumaru would hurt, but instead he stopped himself and his eyes returned back to their gold color.
Sesshoumaru pried Rin off him, "Very well, Rin. They shall be your responsibility, " and looking back at Kagome and Shippo, "You two are now my prisoners. I shall send Mrs. Pots to take you to your new home."
Sesshoumaru frowned and turned to walk away, leaving Kagome and Shippo in a more frightened state than before.
A/N 2: I give a warm thanks to Rikayu-chan! (.com/) she pretty much inspired me on Sesshoumaru's wardrobe from her artwork "Sesskag-Mirror"( .com/art/SessKag-Mirror-134905977?q=&qo=)
Also: Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi