Two: Running Scared
Sango ran through the streets, human filth and all other sorts of things raining down around her. Her prince was out cold, a dead weight that she carried on her back. Always thinking first of him, she had placed her traditional slayer's gas mask over his face, hoping he would recover sooner that way, although his sensitive nose had gotten the full force of the stink bomb right at the start. Demons were cocky and needed to be better prepared, in her humble opinion, but it wasn't like she could criticize higher beings.
The slayer was both enraged and impressed by the queen's little trick. Unlike her prince, she had known from the moment they'd laid eyes on the kingdom of Higurashi that their task would not be an easy one. What the people lacked in technology they made up for in skill, fighting spirit, and brute strength. To add to that rather formidable combination, they seemed to have the ear of some gods unknown, as even the weather was always in their favor. No matter their drive or help from above (and the sewers below), the Inu empire had defeated them, as they had defeated countless others. Case closed, story over.
Gagging, she spat into the dirt street, desperately trying to get the terrible taste of the very air out of her mouth. Their camp was just a few more minutes from where she was, but the smell combined with the heavy half-demon slowed her down. To her horror, the ground beneath her feet began to rumble, and she realized they must have floated bombs down the sewer river itself so as to not only destroy their castle, but their roads as well, cutting off all travel to and from Higurashi.
The message was clear: if I can't have it, nobody can.
Most of the people had evacuated thanks to the warning of both the smell and explosions, but some were still stubbornly and hopelessly defending their land. Even though they were not her countrymen, Sango's heart bled for them. Before her, behind her, and to her sides, strong demon soldiers were laying prone on the ground, some vomiting even while unconscious. If her human nose was in agony, she could only imagine what they were experiencing. Her precious cat, Kirara, had reverted to her tiny form, still conscious though too weak to do more than raise her head to acknowledge her mistress' presence. Sango wanted to take her, too, but the prince was her priority. She feared if she stopped at all, she would not make it. She was strong and the adrenaline was a huge help, but her prince was heavy with muscles.
Finally, their camp. Tucked away just inside of the famous Higurashi forest, it was too far to have been rained upon by the sewer waste. Muscles straining, sweat making her suit cling to her uncomfortably, Sango nearly groaned aloud in relief. Pushing aside the flaps of the large tent that belonged to her prince, she nearly flung him on his sleeping cushions, only to realize that she could still smell the disgusting filth. The smell had seeped into the fabric of his clothes, even his fire rat cape. If she left him as he was, he'd only have more problems once he revived. Reminding herself she had sworn an oath to Inuyasha, Sango dragged him to the bathing area they'd set up as soon as they'd realized this conquest wasn't going to be like all the others.
A small pond glittered like a jewel in the waning sunlight, blinding her tired eyes. Inuyasha's royal towels, soaps, and oils were behind in his tent, but she was too concentrated on getting him clean that she didn't even think of retrieving them. Setting the half-demon down on the ground, she quickly grabbed some regulation cloths and a hard brick of soap from the wooden locker all the soldiers used. Returning to her prince, she gently pried off his black leather boots, tenderly washing the feet she knew hated to be confined, just like the rest of him. Bit by bit she undressed him, going from the bottom up. His white trousers were dirty from war, and she undid his golden belt before tugging the silk down without shame, a pleasant blush warming on her face when she was met with the familiar sight of his sex. No matter the occasion, Inuyasha was not one for undergarments. The rest of his clothing followed, and there he was, beautiful and bare. Sango hurriedly undressed herself as well, thinking to get her own bath in while she could. Carefully, she maneuvered the unconscious man into the water, soaping up the rag and washing the sweat and dirt from his golden body.
It didn't take long at all for Inuyasha to wake up. Despite Sango's pure intentions, her hands lingered in areas they knew were particularly sensitive. At first confused, thinking he was just having another one of those dreams, he grabbed her wrist and forced the washcloth to his manhood, where she reflexively wrapped her fingers around him.
"Sango," he growled, mind still foggy. "I don't care if this is a dream, it's been too fucking long."
Her blush deepened. "Shhh! There might be others around! We have to act normal."
That right there was enough to let him know it was most certainly not a wonderful dream. Usually, she just did whatever he wanted without talking, and there probably would have been a few other women there as well just to liven things up. While her giving him a hand job (at the very least) was out of the question, it was not uncommon for men of higher ranks to have their guards, whether female slayers like his own or young men, wash them intimately.
"What the fuck happened?"
"The queen blew up the sewers. You and most of the army immediately collapsed. I brought you back to camp as fast as I could."
Inuyasha grumbled irritably, both at how the tone of her voice sounded like she was reporting something to her superior and how that bitch queen had made him look like even more of a weakling. First the war against a bunch of backwoods barbarians takes forever, then the Higurashi leaders deprive him of their blood, then they make him pass out with their devious trick, losing him the castle and the respect of his men. Now what!? What else would he have to suffer for the sake of the fucking empire?
"Thanks for bringing me back, anyway. Must've been hard without Kirara."
Eyes on the fairly neutral skin of his chest, she nodded, continuing to wash him. "It is my duty, after all."
"Your duty is to obey my every order." He rarely used such a firm tone of voice with her, but he had been without his favorite hobby for too long and he craved to dominate. As expected, Sango softly gasped and her nipples visibly hardened. "Hand me the rag. It's your turn."
Fingers trembling, she pushed away her worries and did as told, longing to lose herself in being commanded. To Sango's surprise, Inuyasha actually just washed her without trying anything else. His touch was harder than she personally liked, but the fact that it was him doing the touching made everything perfect. Leaning her head back, she just enjoyed the brief moment of peace. Far from the soldiers and the smell, out in nature where everything was lovely, alone with her beloved prince.
Meanwhile, Inuyasha washed her thoroughly, careful with his claws. Unable to avoid it, he lingered on her outer labia and breasts, paying some special attention to her flat, toned stomach as well. The work helped his mind focus, and he began to plan what to do next. The majority of his troops would stay behind in the now literal shithole that was Higurashi, cleaning it up and making it fit for Inu occupation. He and Sango, either by themselves or with a few of their best trackers, would go seeking the trail of the royal sisters. Winning Higurashi had not been as easy as anticipated, but what could two women on their own do? Perhaps they had taken servants with them, but they wouldn't be of much help out in the wild. They were so close to complete dominion over the realm that he could taste it. And he could taste the queen and the little princess, too. He'd make them beg for it, he swore as he rubbed Sango's clit a little too hard, making her cry out and convulse. Even if the women were too old, too young, or too ugly, he'd have them and make them regret not surrendering when they'd had the chance. The dumb whore could have kept her kingdom and her throne, all she had to do was pay tribute and acknowledge the emperor as the supreme ruler, but no, she was too proud and the blood of her people was on her hands.
Sighing in frustration, he abruptly leapt out of the water and shook himself off. Sango grimaced at the droplets of water hitting her face and hair, but endured. Sensing his mood was not the best, she wordlessly dried off and dressed, extremely conscious of his eyes on her. The feeling that they were on the verge of some drastic change was inescapable and she went back to their tent with great reluctance, wanting to linger in the memory of his hands on her body in the water. Inuyasha dressed himself in his princely best, fire rat cape already magically self-cleansed. Something about watching a man, especially Inuyasha, dress himself for an important occasion was so very attractive to her. She tried not to look at him, knowing that even though he had allowed her release earlier, all it would take was one more look and she would be a sexually unfulfilled puddle again.
The command tent was abuzz with noisy activity. During the time they'd been bathing, many of the stronger soldiers had recovered and were now back at work serving the empire. Once inside, the division commanders claimed the prince's attention first.
"We've been recording and collecting reports from the field, my lord, and most of the Higurashi humans have fled, many escaping from our own temporary prisons, assisted by the chaos. We were overwhelmed by the situation and are still caring for our wounded. If it is your wish, we could perhaps dispatch a few small teams to comb the forest for the escapees once dawn arrives, but the troops need rest badly."
Inuyasha knew they were waiting for orders. Just because he liked to, he stared them down, a hard light in his eye, until he could smell their nervous fear. "Fuck that. It's the perfect time to make our move. Humans can't see in the dark like we demons." He turned to the few able-bodied men standing at attention. "Fan out! Collect any of your brothers that can still hunt. We will take all the humans alive, you hear me? Not a single damned one killed. Anyone who has disobeyed this order will answer to me."
One of the bolder soldiers, a rookie, briefly bowed his head and voiced his thoughts. "But why, my lord? We were free to do whatever we wished with the humans earlier today."
Inuyasha toyed with the idea of punching him until he coughed up his teeth, but decided perhaps some clarification would result in a better performance. "Remember, men, we are looking for any surviving members of the Higurashi royal family, or anyone with information about them." He grinned the grin of a madman. "And someone is going to have to clean up the fucking capital and make it fit for Inu occupation. Our own people are above that."
"Yes, sir!" The men shouted as one.
"If you want to claim any captured human," he said, knowing this is what they really wanted to hear, "you'll first have to report your intention and bring the human in for examination and interrogation. The value of the slave will be deducted from your pay at double the market price."
Audible complaints were buzzing among the soldiers. In the past, they were able to claim any enemy, no questions asked. It was one of the perks of enlisting and many joined solely for that reason. Many men had built their fortunes on slaves they had acquired while serving the Inu Empire.
Inuyasha pointed a clawed hand towards where the city swimming in filth was. "We need all the workers we can to clean up that mess and build the city anew. I'm not having this disaster turn into a complete fucking loss. Scouts, head out with the best trackers you can find. Those unfit to participate in the hunt, stay behind and gather the dead off the battlefield. The humans who didn't escape will be awarded the pleasure of burying them. It would be kind to usher them into their new lives and status as quickly as possible."
The soldiers saluted and set out. From the sidelines came a silver-haired dog demon clothed in emerald robes, the regalia of a messenger from the capitol.
"My lord prince," the messenger began, bowing deeply, "I have been waiting to speak to you privately."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. Another fucking taunt from his brother, great. "Well, spit it out."
The messenger scowled at Sango, who did nothing but stay in her power stance, holding her weapon lengthwise in front of herself and the prince.
"She is my shadow," he said, waving his hand impatiently. "Whatever you've got for me, you better get to it. We're busy."
"'Dear brother,'" the messenger began, "'Father and I have been hearing about your progress, or lack of, from one of your mother's dearest confidantes. Duke Ponhiki, the sire of one of the hunters with you on your campaign, and Izayoi cloistered themselves in her chambers until they emerged at breakfast, where she happily relayed the news of Higurashi's nearing defeat to Father. While her misplaced faith in her only child might be endearing to some, I have some worries about whether you are entirely capable of defeating this village of women. After all, it has been half a year, and Father grows impatient for tribute. I myself champion your cause as much as I am able, but twisting the truth is not something I will permit myself to do. What is there for tribute in Higurashi, anyway, dear brother, other than sub-par slaves fit only to till the fields and work the mines?
"'I Remain,
Sesshomaru, First Son of Inu and—'"
The messenger crumpled to the floor, revealing Sango standing behind him holding her Hiraikotsu, poised to strike again should he show signs of consciousness.
"The messenger was so exhausted he appears to have fainted, my lord."
Inuyasha nodded, swallowing a laugh. "So it seems. Good work, Sango."
"Are we going to go searching as well, my lord?"
Inuyasha grinned. Not needing to hear anything more, Sango whistled for Kirara and walked to the front of the tent. His head tilted sideways the slightest bit. Was it just him, or did her hips always have a little extra sway when it was just the two of them?
O\o/O
Kagome stepped as quietly as she could in the heavy wooden shoes that were too big for her to the point that she was getting blisters on her delicate, untried toes. Kikyo walked smoothly, gracefully, used to the forest and its layout. A quiver of arrows rested on her back and her bow was drawn. They were currently tracking a deer and had been for hours, almost from the moment they'd entered the thickly wooded forest. Kagome had to learn how to become quiet, as well as patient. The only knowledge of hunting she had was that it existed and that was how meat ended up on her plate. She was lucky to have a sister like Kikyo, someone who knew how to do everything best.
The twang of an arrow being released shocked Kagome and she covered her own mouth, trying to stifle any noise she might have made. Something heavy fell in the distance and she darted after Kikyo. The deer was far bigger than the little fawns she had sometimes seen in her garden and begged her nurse to bring to her. It was still alive though laboring to breathe. While disturbed at the scene, she admired Kikyo's ability to bring down her target from so far away. Was there anything she couldn't do?
Kikyo pulled a long, serrated knife from a hidden sheath in her boot. Before Kagome could scream, she slit its throat and began to clean the kill, cutting it open from sternum to sex. Tears wet her face and she looked away as her sister began scooping the innards out. The smells and sounds were too much for her, however, and she stumbled a few feet, leaned against a tree, and spilled the contents of her stomach. Kikyo chuckled a bit and Kagome blushed. It wasn't like she wanted to be weak. If she had been familiar with this, brought up like this, she wouldn't have a single problem now. Taking a mouthful of water from the peasant-style canteen that hung from her waist, she rinsed her mouth, wishing she'd thought to bring some mint leaves from the plant she had growing in her room. A good chew of that would have her feeling a lot better.
"Try and start a fire while I finish cleaning the deer."
She had seen Kikyo do this several times before when they were younger and she had been allowed to camp outside for a night as a special treat for tolerating Hojo. The tinderbox was in Kikyo's pack and she brought it out immediately, caressing its golden outside, knowing it was a possession that had belonged to their mother. Though it was her first time handling it, she had seen it often enough that she knew what to do. Arranging the kindling, she propped up some fallen dry sticks from nearby. They kept falling over and rolling away. Frustrated, she kept trying. Finally, when they were all nice and neat, she struck the flint. Nothing, no sparks. Not exactly deterred but still disappointed, she tried again. Nothing. Again. And again. And again.
"Here, you rest. I'll do it."
The sight of blood on Kikyo's hands made Kagome's stomach heave again, and when her older sister took the tools away from her, leaving a small smear of blood on the back of her hand, she nearly swooned. Trying to take in deep breaths, she began to gag when all she could smell was the dead deer and all she could taste was bile. Against her will, her eyes stayed glued to the mutilated corpse of the animal, the ragged chunks of flesh resting on a length of burlap.
"Please," she gasped just as the fire was almost completely brought to life. "Please, Kikyo, please wash your hands. I-I can't…"
Kikyo nodded. "I understand." She took out her canteen and poured a small amount into her palm, less than a mouthful, and began to rub her hands with the end of her skirt. "I'll cook the meat, too, don't worry. Rest."
The runaway princess tried to rest, but she kept looking at the deer. When she tried to nap and closed her eyes, the deer was there, too. All she could do was attempt to breathe through her mouth without tasting the death on the air. She'd eaten venison countless times, but seeing what it looked like in between life and being covered in gravy had changed something.
"Here," Kikyo said gently, handing Kagome a chunk of meat impaled on a stick.
Kikyo ate her meat like a soldier, like a machine. It was just fuel for her to go on living and fighting another day. Kagome stared at hers, at the burnt outside and the bloody juices running down the stick, sluggish drippings racing each other for her hand, the fat glistening.
"It might be a while before we find food again, Kagome. You need to eat it."
Hesitantly, she poked her tongue out of her mouth and touched the tip of it to the charred meat. Knowing how the meat was obtained, that it had been inside a living thing not an hour before, that she had seen it die, prevented her from going further than that. Her stomach grumbled and she thought of quail in red wine and orange sauce with little red potatoes. Meat was still something she enjoyed, evidently, but now she knew she just hated to see it in its original state, or really at all until it was served on golden plates.
"Kagome," Kikyo said, now using her Queen voice, "you need to eat. Remember what happens to captured women like us. I promise you, the swine of the Inu army won't treat you like Hojo did."
Fear motivated her to plug her nose and take a bite. "Gods, Kikyo, this tastes like charcoal!"
She merely raised a brow. "And?"
Sniffling, Kagome chewed with her mouth open, trying her best not to taste it or vomit. "Hojo… I wonder what happened to him?"
Kikyo shrugged, unconcerned. "If he was lucky, and he isn't, he was slaughtered on sight. If he is the descendent of a god and therefore a god himself as Hekigan claims, then his guards did not abandon him and they made it out of Higurashi alive and are halfway to the sea by now." She tore another chunk of meat off her stick. "The Inu army probably have him in a dress by now. I don't want to think beyond that."
Kagome sighed. "Do I still have to marry him? I'd almost rather return to Higurashi."
"We are going to attempt to live in secret," Kikyo explained. "You don't have to marry anyone ever in your life."
For the first time since Higurashi fell, Kagome perked up. "Really? No more Hojo, no more Kaede, no more rules? Just you and me?"
She smiled. "You and me and the forest." Rising to her feet, she began to put out the fire, pouring water and flinging dirt on the flames.
"Why'd you do that?" Kagome wondered, scrambling to her feet as well. "It's getting cold!"
"A fire can be seen from miles away, and the dogs can smell it from even further on. We need to move and find a place to camp." Quickly, she tied the burlap cloth over the meat and fashioned it into a bag, picking up a stick she'd selected earlier and slinging it through the ties to better carry it.
Kagome's feet began stinging anew, but she obediently gathered her things, her back aching almost immediately.
"We need to be near the river so we have a constant source of water, but still far enough away so the Inu army won't easily find us. They're likely to search along the river, knowing we want to stay close to it. If we're lucky, the stupid beasts will assume we ran like chickens with their heads cut off into the woods, disorganized and without a ghost of a plan. Demons have a history of underestimating Higurashi."
They walked for a solid hour before Kagome felt that telltale feeling that signaled her need for a chamber pot. "Um, Kikyo, I need to, um…"
Kikyo sighed and stopped. "You really are just the same as you were when a child, Kagome. Go on and make water, I'll wait here. Leave your things with me and try to hurry. You know what poison ivy looks like, right?"
She nodded, face flushed from what felt like a scolding. There was an appropriate tree not too far away and she squatted down, doing her business quickly. Not too far from her was a bush covered in ripe, red berries, a rare sight this time of year. It occurred to her that she could make up for her reaction to the deer by gathering the berries, showing Kikyo she wasn't entirely useless. There were no thorns, so she plucked freely, stuffing the many large pockets of her peasant's dress. When she had practically stripped the bush, she turned to go back the way she'd come, but kept turning and turning.
Where was she?
All the trees looked the same to her now and she walked around, hoping to find something familiar, anything. But nothing jogged her memory. It was getting darker and darker, faster and faster. The bush hadn't even been that far away; it was within eyesight of the tree she'd been under! Just when she thought she should instead be looking at the ground for any sign of puddles, it began to rain, big fat drops falling at an alarming rate. Before too long, she would be surrounded by puddles. A crash nearby startled her. Lighting illuminated the area and a pair of red eyes made her scream, a sound that was covered by the clash of thunder. Before she could even confirm if whatever she'd seen was following her, she was running as fast as she could in whatever direction wasn't blocked by nature. Eventually, nature won, and she ran straight into the trunk of a giant tree. Scared, wet, cold, and now with a hurting face, Kagome stayed on the ground and let herself cry, sobbing into her muddy hands, dirtying her face.
"Hey, ugly! Whatcha doin' down on the ground when you got legs?"
A draft hit her backside and a different squeaky voice piped up. "Her butt is white! She's some kind of bloodless freak!"
Kagome screeched and slapped the little monkey that had compromised her modesty. Two monkeys came down from where they had been hidden among the leaves, hanging from a branch by their tails. The one she'd hit joined them, clutching his swollen cheek and glaring at her.
"You're mean! We're telling the master."
Fed up, Kagome got to her feet and clenched her fists, ready to take all three of them on in a fight. "I don't care! I'm a princess, so I outrank your 'master'."
The monkeys whispered loudly amongst themselves. "Does a princess outrank a god?"
"I dunno. What's 'outrank' mean?"
"Look at her. She's too dirty to be a princess."
Kagome stomped her foot. "I can hear you!"
"So?" they said in unison.
"Ugh," she groaned, clenching her teeth in frustration. "Can you just give me directions to the river?"
"River? Ohhh, you mean the pee pee place!"
Kagome gagged. She and Kikyo had filled their canteens there. "So where is it?"
"Find your own toilet, meanie!"
"I don't want to use it for that, I just want to find my sister!" she snapped.
"You're mean and a liar. Why should we do anything you say?"
She smiled, and it was brutal. "Because my sister is the Queen, and if you don't take me to her, she'll find you and skin you alive." Unlike with the deer, she would happily watch these little monsters suffer.
The three of them began to shake and whispered so low she couldn't hear. Finally, they took off, gesturing for her to follow, swinging from the trees. The rain had mostly stopped by then, just a few drops here and there and an occasional bout of sprinkling, so following them was relatively easy in the bright moonlight. Plus, they were loudly chattering away the entire time about nonsense.
"Here it is!" one monkey announced, pointing at a hollow tree. "Master Monkey God, this human woman wants to find her sister and if she doesn't then we get murdered."
The monkey god, who was hardly distinguishable from some wizened elder, emerged from the darkness of the tree trunk.
"Welcome back, my sprites." Turning to her, he bowed. "Princess, your sister will come to you in due time."
Kagome's mouth dropped open in shock. She honestly hadn't expected a legitimate deity to be affiliated with the little talking monkeys. "Monkey God, may I have your blessing? And if you would be so kind as to bless my people, you would have my eternal gratitude."
The monkey god shook his head and chuckled. "Oh, you are going to need a lot more than a blessing from the likes of me. And I am not the blessing kind of god."
"Well, what kind of god are you?"
"Hold out your palm." She obeyed, extending her dirty hand. "There is much suffering in your future. A miracle that will turn into a curse. Love that will twist into hate. Hate that will twist into love. And you'll stub your toe real, real bad."
Kagome snatched her hand back, nearly snarling at the old deity. "You demented old charlatan, making light of mine and my people's suffering!"
She would have continued, but the shout of her name reached her and she turned towards it, relieved. About two seconds later, Kikyo stumbled through the brush, carrying all their bags, and Kagome ran to her, throwing her arms around her older sister and trying not to cry. Kikyo's face was worried and scared, not at all the strong put together woman she had been pretending to be for Kagome's sake. She dropped what she was carrying and grabbed the girl's chin, studying her dirty face.
"Where in the hell have you been?"
Kagome, hoping to avoid another scolding, stuck her hands in her pockets and pulled out handfuls of berries. "I found these and then when I was done picking them I couldn't remember which way I'd come from."
Kikyo slapped them out of her hands. "I hope to the gods you didn't eat any of those! They're poisonous!"
She blushed and turned back towards the monkeys. Sifting through her pockets, she found one of the precious items she'd secreted away. "Here," she said, trying to sound as regal as she could. She handed the monkey god a small white gold ring with diamonds and amethyst. "My thanks."
"Wow! You're either a real princess or a real thief!"
"Maybe a real princess thief!"
Kikyo tugged on her hand and led her a short bit away. "Did you tell those loud-mouthed little sprites that you are a princess?"
Kagome nodded. "Yes, they weren't helping me at all! I even had to name drop you just for them to bring me to the stupid monkey god."
The Queen raised her hand, rage on her eyes, but stopped herself, jaw tightening and expression hardening. "Do me and the man who died for us a favor and never, under any circumstance, reveal your former identity ever again. You are no longer Princess Kagome of Higurashi, betrothed of Hojo, Crown Prince of Hekigan. You are just you, worse off than the lowest peasant. You don't even have any ground to till." She snatched up one of Kagome's bags. "And what did you bring to help you in your new life!? Gold! Jewels! Dresses! We needed things of use!"
The princess-who-wasn't was crying, just barely keeping from sobbing. "I thought that m-maybe we could use these things and sell them once we g-g-got to a city."
Kikyo growled in frustration. "We may never be in a city ever again. My goal is to survive in this forest for as long as possible, years, even, and we need tools and provisions and medicine for that!"
"I'm sorry!" Kagome yelled, feeling as worthless and poisonous as the berries she'd gathered. "I brought a canteen like you said! I tried to do everything you said!"
"This!?" Kikyo barked out a laugh and threw it on the ground. "It's not a canteen, it's a flask! I golden, bejeweled flask with the godsdamned royal crest on it! We are supposed to be dead. That is the only way we can be safe. What if someone found this on your person? What if they connected the dots and discovered you were the princess of Higurashi? What if they handed you over to the Inu? All this would have been for nothing! For nothing!" She took a deep breath, trying not to think of Suikotsu. "Because of your actions, we might end up actually dead instead of just presumed dead. Now I have to kill the sprites and the forest god." She drew her sword.
Kagome fell to her knees, hugging Kikyo's legs, preventing her from moving. "No! It was my fault, not theirs. They were innocent, just in the wrong place at the wrong time. Punish me instead, Kikyo! Cut off my head so I won't be a burden any longer!"
Kikyo lowered her sword in degrees and finally sighed, stroking Kagome's hair. The hollow tree with three frightened sprites and one monkey god faded from sight. "I'm sorry for reacting with such anger. But we need to keep going."
Still wet and shivering, Kagome attempted to get to her feet, but instead came crashing back down. Putting her hand on her shoulder, preventing her from trying to rise again, Kikyo knelt at her side.
"It's all right. We can rest now and leave at first light."
"W-where's the t-t-tent?" Kagome asked, teeth chattering.
Kikyo looked down at their few bags, then at her flat, straight form. "Do you think I'd be hiding bed rolls and tents?"
Recognizing she didn't have much of a choice, Kagome still sniffled miserably, but didn't want to cry again like a baby. Kikyo stretched and then crawled to the closest tree, patting the ground next to her. Kagome followed, uncomfortable and huddling close to Kikyo, the two of them shifting until she was sitting between her legs, cradled at her breast.
Kikyo hummed. "I love holding you like this. It reminds me of when you were just a little baby girl and I'd sing to you and tell you stories and even if you'd been putting your nurses through hell, acting like a genuine demon, you'd fall right asleep. I'd go to sleep in the chair beside you and Kaede would punish me."
She snuggled closer. "What do you think happened to Kaede?"
"She is the strongest lesser priestess in Higurashi. She's probably still fighting."
Kagome sighed. "What will happen to Mother's grave and the graves of the other departed Queens?"
"The part of Mother that matters is within me, Kagome. You know that."
The hearts of past Queens were burnt to ashes on the sunset following their demise. The ashes were added to the finest red wine and drunk by the new Queen. In the myth of Higurashi, the heart housed the immortal soul. Kikyo, as reigning Queen, currently possessed all the power of the past Queens inside her, all their souls.
Kagome warded off tears but her throat burned. "I know, but I always felt like some part of Mother liked to see the flowers I put on her grave. I didn't have time to put any there before we fled."
Kikyo shushed her. "Time to sleep, Kagome."
Shyly, she said, "Can I have a story? Please?" Her arms tightened around Kikyo, unconsciously manipulating.
Kikyo indulged her. "Let's see… There once was a princess who had dwelled in a castle without windows or doors. She could hear the noises of the world outside, but she could never see it, let alone experience it. Every day, she longed to see what her books told her lay outside the cold stone walls. Meanwhile, a handsome prince who shone brighter than the sun plotted to rescue her. But the guardian of the castle, an evil old crone, was a magician and knew his plans before he acted on them. The princess was unaware, but bit by bit, she carved away at part of the wall with an old chicken bone…"
Kikyo had put herself to sleep, exhausted.
Meanwhile, Kagome was wide awake and scared, hyper aware of her surroundings now that she was the only conscious person in their party. She fidgeted and flinched each time she heard a sound, afraid it was a wild animal and then afraid it wasn't. Closing her eyes, she decided it wasn't so scary if she only focused on what was going on inside her head. Gods, she wished she was back home and in bed and all of this was just some terrible nightmare. She'd even marry stupid Hojo and have a thousand of his stupid babies if it meant she could escape this reality and have her kingdom whole and sovereign. But no, she was not in her warm canopied bed, but curled up with Kikyo in the middle of the forest. She was so hungry. Her stomach growled loudly, and, unfamiliar with the pain, she nearly doubled over. Kaede was always telling her to eat less so that Hojo would willingly take her to his bed after marriage, saying men didn't like plump girls with breasts like udders spilling out of their bodices. Men liked strong women they could spar with. If anything, that had encouraged her to indulge more and keep being lazy. Shivering, she shifted her position, trying to get the most warmth she could from Kikyo. It was going to be a long night.
O\o/O
Inuyasha grit his teeth, trying not to puncture Kirara's back with his claws. He hated riding the thing. It was a cat, for hell's sake! But it was admittedly faster than him carrying Sango. At this point in his forced celibacy, he was very likely to get distracted.
Smoke from a fire had led them to the party they were about to apprehend. Idiots, thinking an Inu wouldn't notice something so obvious. They were practically begging for capture. Kirara flew low, right over them, and he and Sango jumped down in unison.
It was a group of soldiers, feasting and drinking and obviously unprepared and unsuspecting. Slightly drunk, they drew their swords. Or at least they attempted to. Inuyasha growled and kicked two in the face, hitting one over the head, all at once. All of them hit the ground, out cold.
"Got 'em!" he bragged, feeling slightly better after his minor victory.
"We were supposed to question them," Sango said, her tone just a hair away from being insubordinate.
"Shit."
Rustling in the bushes alerted them to a fourth presence and Sango took off towards it. He let her, thinking she needed to blow off steam herself, following at a short distance just in case things got out of hand. Sango leapt and tackled the fourth person. There was a small struggle, which surprised him, since his shadow seldom ever had a fight last longer than one or two blows, never taking any herself. Eventually, the unlucky person tired out and lay panting on the ground, defeated.
"Get off me, demon's whore!" she screeched, kicking her legs but not able to harm Sango. "I'd rather die than be raped by the likes of your owner!"
Sango punched her in the face. "Inuyasha is a prince and you will respect him," she hissed. "And no one owns me."
"Then let me go! You're human, you're a woman, you understand, right?"
"That is not an option. Now be quiet so I don't have to render you unconscious."
"Traitor! You serve demons and betray your own kind! You're just as bad as them!"
Sango hit her. Not enough to knock her out, but enough to shut her up.
"It's okay, Sango, I've got it from here."
Obedient, Sango rose and whistled for Kirara. Inuyasha crouched down near the stunned woman and held a hand to her throat. Her breaths came in gasps and his eyes were drawn towards her heaving chest. Her ample heaving chest.
"Damn, woman," he laughed. "If you weren't such an annoying bitch, I'd claim you myself." He didn't have a particular thing for big-chested women, but he did enjoy watching the fear pass over her face.
Eyes bored into the back of his head but he ignored the creeping sensation it gave him.
"Now tell me, where is the queen?"
She snarled at him, a fraction of bravery sparking in her eyes at the mention of her ruler. "The Queen is dead. The Princess will lead us now."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes. "There is no way in hell or above a bitch that blew up her own kingdom to stop me from having it is dead." Well, she could have chosen to go out with it, but his gut told him otherwise. And none of the soldiers he'd observed were capable of thinking up such a devastating plot, so the queen was it. "She's out here somewhere, and I'm going to find her. Now, would you like to be rewarded or tortured? Your pick."
"I know nothing," she sneered. "If I did, I wouldn't tell you a single thing. But a simple soldier like myself has never even seen the Queen's face. Our ranks were too far apart."
"Bring me the bag she dropped when you tackled her," he said, eyes on the woman but voice directed towards Sango.
The leather bag was heavy. He knew what was inside before he opened it. Gold, silver, jewels. Filled to the brim.
"You act loyal, but you're nothing more than a thief." He fought the urge to spit at the woman's face.
"We took it so you wouldn't get your filthy paws on it!" she screeched, incensed at having her loyalty questioned. "Our mission was to find the Princess! Priestess Kaede was certain she still lives!"
Inuyasha smirked at the information, his nose telling him she wasn't lying. "I'll let Kaede know what I think of that as soon as my men find her. I'm guessing she's the old cyclops that's been taking out scores of my men?" She was the only priestess he was truly worried about. Already she'd slaughtered the sons of some very important people.
"Kaede will kill you herself." The cold certainty in her eyes almost bothered him. Almost.
Inuyasha smiled. "I'll tell you what. After I kill Kaede, I'm going to find this little princess of yours." If the queen was anywhere, she was probably with her. "And I'm going to do to her every dirty, nasty thing you're afraid I'm going to do to you. And so, so much more."
The woman's face contorted and she seemed near tears.
"Knock her out and let's start tying 'em up," he ordered Sango, already bored. "We've got a princess to find and a queen to torture."
Note: Thanks for reading! And especially thanks for reviewing. The follows and favorites are nice, too, but reviews are my jam. I don't make any money off of this and it takes a lot of time to write, so reviewing is like flipping a quarter into the hat of a street musician. Some benefits of reviewing:
I will not haunt you when I die.
You will be able to control all your dreams.
God will smite your enemies.
There will be much macaroni and cheese in your future.
All your birthday wishes will come true.
…And more.
Also, HAVE YOU GUYS SEEN FUCKING GOBLIN!? Like for real. I don't know if you're into K Dramas at all, but I've been obsessed with Korean pop culture since I was like 12 and the mascara tears I uglycried because of this drama were freaking insane. IT'S SO GREAT. Also the next few updates might be slow in coming because I have midterms and other junk but I'm always working on my stories.