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Chapter 08 - Her Slave

I was walking close behind her, just as it was expected, but for some reason I could feel the annoyance coming from her. She was trying to hide it at first, but when her friends left, I could feel it much stronger. I didn't understand her and I wasn't sure what I should expect from her, but she definitely raised my interest.

She caught my attention almost immediately, the first second I saw her going through the crowd. She was different from the others, she was acting differently and I could tell right away that she didn't like it there in the least. In that case a question raised in my mind. Why would she come to this place at all if she didn't like it here? I didn't have the answer for that question and it peeked my interest for her even more. Though, it weren't just her actions, but also her face.

I still have the feeling as if I knew her from somewhere before, though there's no way that could be possible. She's just a human and I didn't meet any human for the last 400 years, excluding the priestesses working in the preparations. She was rather a memory from much before, but no human could live that long.

I was even more surprised when she noticed me for the first time. It looked as if she also knew me, but as long as I didn't know all the information, I couldn't do much more than what's expected from me. That was also my plan from the start, to get away from Naraku's watch and then there could be a chance to escape, but maybe I could wait a little longer with my plan.

I wanted to find out why she looked so familiar and why she acted so differently. I knew that the chance I would remember anything was next to nothing, but I had to at least try. Even now I remember very little from my previous life and from the people I knew at that time. I can hardly recall their faces, but even when I do, I don't know whom those faces belong. It was hard enough to keep myself aware of who I once was and this way to have at least a small chance to escape.

I knew that Naraku didn't believe for a long time that I really forgot everything, and he was right, but in the end I managed to convince him through my acting. It wasn't an easy task. The only thing I wanted to do when he was within my reach was to kill him, but I wasn't able to do that even when I was in my full strength, especially after he became a full demon. I planned to escape and gather allies and powers to defeat him, but that could wait for now. Right now she was the center of my interest and it wouldn't change until I learned more about her.

"Now, when we are alone, you can tell me what was that phone call about." She stepped into my thoughts and I nodded. This was another thing which surprised me about her. I was planning to listen to that conversation on my own, but I didn't see any reason for her to tell me to do it. But then again, I already knew she was different from the others and this was just another example of that.

Flashback

I listened to the conversation which was held through that phone call. I didn't need to think about it twice to realize who the seller was talking to.

"Milord, the one you were interested in just got sold." The seller started and if not for my long experiences with self control, I would have growled. So Naraku still kept his watch on me. I couldn't blame him. Unlike the other demons in preparations, I was his enemy for quite a long time, so I wasn't so surprised that he was taking it personally.

"Good job. I will make sure you will get the reward you deserve. Now tell me some more details about the person who bought him." The seller smirked again before he started.

"Well, I'm sure you will be really pleased with the news. He was bought by a young girl." He started and I could hear Naraku snicker on the other side of the line. "And what's more," the seller continued, "the girl is a priestess." Now it was just Naraku's evil laugh coming from the phone.

"That's really great success. I knew I should entrust this task to you. Once again you didn't disappoint me. I think I will have to see this on my own eyes. Send me the address as soon as possible." Naraku said.

"Sure, I'll send it to you right away." The seller immediately responded and with that the phone call ended.

End flashback

"Damn that Naraku! How wicked can one person get?" She exclaimed when I finished retelling her what I heard and I stopped in surprise. I was sure I didn't mention Naraku's name in any part while I was talking, and yet she just knew it. Even though I was isolated most of the time, I knew that he didn't let anyone to know his name, so how could she know it? She turned towards me when she noticed I wasn't following, and I waited for what she was going to say.

"Oh, sorry if I startled you. I was just irritated. Don't mind me." That surprised me even more. Under normal circumstances it should have been me to apologize for not following her, for stopping without her allowing me to, but instead she just apologized to me for no reason at all.

"Come on, let's go. I wanted to be at home by now." She turned and I followed her. It didn't take her long before she looked at me again.

"So, I heard I'm supposed to give you some name, any idea?" She asked.

Is she serious? I understood her less and less every minute. Did she really just give me a chance to decide this on my own?

"No." I said simply. I didn't want to risk anything and the way she was acting was starting to give me suspicions, that she could be just testing me. I started to wonder if this all was just part of Naraku's plan to make sure if I really forgot everything. Even though I heard that conversation, I still couldn't be sure if it wasn't just faked.

"You're not helping me, you know?" She scowled. "Fine, I'll try to think about something by myself." She added and started to think. I watched her. Her face became contorted from emotions. She smiled when she probably found some good name and then frowned when she dismissed it again. She was obviously giving it a lot of importance. After a while of this, one smile stayed on her face and she turned at me.

"What about Nori? Do you like it?" She asked again for my opinion and I just nodded, though, watching her thinking about what name she should give me was quite entertaining.

"What's with that amused face?" She frowned and it took me aback. I wasn't aware I would let my thoughts show on my expression and I quickly looked away, trying to put myself under control again.

"I'm sorry." I said to save my situation and when I looked at her, for some reason I saw an anger in her eyes.

"Don't ever apologize to me for anything!" She pointed her finger at me and again, I just stared at her.

"Yes Master." I said simply, not knowing how else I should react at this, but she just glared at me more and added another order right away.

"And don't call me Master! Kagome is fine." She rather sighed than ordered and I just nodded.

"Fine, now when this is settled, let's just get home already, I need to rest." She sped up, so she was almost running. It didn't give me any trouble to keep close to her, but her reactions really startled me.

Never apologize to her? Why would she give me such order? Though, once it was said, I couldn't do anything against it, even if I wanted to. Actually, this order wasn't really unpleasant for me. I also appreciated that she didn't want me to call her master, even though that it was strange for her to suggest something like that as well.

We reached Kagome's home pretty quickly, considering the pace she decided to take. Even though I expected her to be exhausted by the near-sprinting pace, she didn't show much signs of it. I assumed that she was probably used to this kind of exercise.

"Hi mum, grandpa, Souta, I'm back!" Kagome called right after we entered the house. A woman, an old man and a boy who was just a little younger than Kagome came into our view almost immediately. I stood right behind her so she was practically covering me with her body, but I was much taller, so I didn't have any trouble to see what's going on.

"Hey Kags, so how did it go?" The boy started excitedly, soon followed by the woman.

"Let us see. We're all curious." She said and I could, once again, feel the girl's irritation.

"Mum, come on." Kagome whined, but her mother just smiled.

"Kagome, you really think that we wouldn't want to see your choice?" This time Kagome also smiled, but I could tell it was just an act. Though, I had to admit that it was a good one and her family was easily deceived by it.

"Of course I know that, I just wanted to tease you a little." She grinned. "Here he is." She stepped aside and pointed at me. Her family was examining me very closely, just like anyone else would do, everyone except Kagome.

Now the mystery about her just grew even bigger. I would have thought that she's gotten her manners from her family, but her family acted like everyone else. What would make her change her behavior like this? Moreover, Kagome was pretending to act the same as every other human.

"I think you chose well." Her mother commented and Kagome smiled. "Did you give him a name already?" She then asked and Kagome nodded.

"Yes, I'll call him Nori." She said, but her mother looked at her horrified.

"Kagome, I don't think this is the proper name for a slave. Maybe you could think of something else." She tried. I had to admit that she was right. I didn't think about it much the first time, but now I realized that it really wasn't very suitable for someone on my current position. Though, Kagome just folded her arms and looked at her mother with determination.

"I'm not going to change it. I like that name and he is my slave so I can give him any name I want, can't I?" She practically yelled and her mother almost took a step back.

Kagome was really determined to win this argument, though I could hear a slight change in intonation when she said the word slave.

"Uh- umm, sure." Her mother stuttered, taken back by her daughter's reaction. Kagome then turned at me, still a little bit angry, but with satisfaction.

"Let's go." She said simply and started to walk up the stairs. I followed her and when we were both in her room, she closed the door and fell exhaustedly on her bed.

"Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! I can't take this anymore!" She mumbled into her pillow and I wondered what I was supposed to do. I could smell her tears and I didn't understand to what she meant by her statement, so I just stood there waiting for her to do or say something. After a while she sat up and looked at me.

"I'm sorry about them." She said apologetically and then sighed, dropping her head and looking on the ground. That was the second time already when she apologized to me and I decided I would try my luck a little.

"You told me not to apologize to you, I don't see it necessary for you to apologize to me, maybe it would be better if we both stopped doing it." I suggested and she slowly raised her head to look at me. She was surprised by my suggestion and I wasn't sure if I didn't go too far, but then a huge smile spread across her face.

"Sure, that sounds fair." She said happily. Then she again paused in thought.

"Say." She started and I didn't like the look in her eyes. "Do you remember anything from before?" She asked seriously.

I was in shock. Could she really have been sent by Naraku? As I pondered over the answer, she sighed and laid back on the bed.

"Never mind. Could you please tell mum that I'll pass on dinner? I think I will go to sleep early."

"Hn." I stated and she chuckled. I didn't see any reason for that and it unsettled me, but I didn't have much time to think about it as she started again.

"Oh, that reminds me." She sat up again. "I have no place for you to sleep." She said, almost panicking.

"I don't need to sleep. At least not as much as humans." I stated and she sighed.

"Of course you don't. I should have thought of that. But still, you have to sleep sometimes." She pointed out.

"When the time comes, I'll find myself some place to sleep. You don't need to be bothered about that at all." I explained to her and she just sighed.

"Ok." She said reluctantly and fell on her bed again.

It was still just afternoon, but she fell asleep almost immediately and when I was sure she wouldn't wake up, I went down to inform her mother about dinner. On my way I also reminded myself that I would have to be even more vigilant from now on. This time it worked out somehow, but the next time I might not be that lucky. If she really was sent by Naraku, then I couldn't take any risks.

In case you're wondering about it, the name Nori means 'to rule', that's why they considered it as not suitable for a slave XD.