Disclaimer: I do not own the right to these characters. All rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi.
Chapter Seven: The Maiden and Miroku
Miroku had risen with the dawn. He walked alone about the temple's gardens. The early morning breeze carried a chill as well as the sweet scent of flowers, and the melodious twittering of the nearby birds. The thief continued to try and push down the rather odious thoughts of himself, if he were to be Robin Hood he need not lose his confidence now. Perhaps Inuyasha was right, maybe the villagers could still like their hero if they knew it was him; and yet he did not want to take the risk in revealing the truth. It was not a necessity for them to know the true name of Robin Hood. He had just finished talking himself from the edge, when a feminine visitor entered the grounds of the temple. His heart leapt painfully in his chest. What was she doing here? What business could she have with the old monk? Maid Sango looked in his direction then, the two locked gazes, one was hesitant while the other was laced with a vague recognition. The breeze whispered through the grass that laid between them, played at their hair, and almost seemed as though it was coaxing them to close the gap. Neither moved, until Sango offered him a warm smile, he tried to return it, but the effort was weak. She turned away from him and quietly made her way beyond the temple's doors.
He sighed in relief from her sudden departure, but he was not sure as to the reason for his relief. His eyes lingered on the spot she had stood and he could not help but to wonder what it was that he truly feared. He turned to leave, but found himself face to face with Inuyasha. He jumped visibly at the intrusion, he had been so preoccupied that he had not heard him approach. "You shouldn't sneak up on a person, Inuyasha, it's unbecoming of you."
The hanyo snorted at the subtle insult and replied swiftly, "And you shouldn't be so touchy, it's unbecoming of you." Fair enough, it wasn't normally like him to be so cantankerous.
"Sorry Inuyasha, I did not mean to be so snappy with you. I've just a lot on my mind." Ember eyes really looked at his friend and even though he wasn't good with feelings and emotions he could tell that something was bothering the man. In a rather sad attempt to help the thief feel better, he made the only offer he could think to make.
"How about we head inside and have some breakfast? That should have you feeling a bit more like yourself." Miroku stared at Inuyasha with some bewilderment, it was like him to think food could be the answer to his problems and though it was such a simple solution, Miroku couldn't help but to smile.
He chuckled quietly and said, "Maybe you're right, Yash. I have not had much of an appetite as of late." The hanyo hadn't expected for his idea to be considered, especially with the female guest that monk Mushin had just received. The two advanced towards the temple entrance, Miroku was oddly quiet, and though they were going to join Mushin in the dining room, it appeared that the thief had no desire to be seen again by the maiden. Miroku interjected suddenly, "I think we should clean up for breakfast before joining the monk."
The pair slipped in through a side door, the corridors were vacant, hushed by an empty loneliness. Miroku parted ways with Inuyasha, when the half demon entered his room, the thief continued on until he had reached the back deck. Once outside, he released a breath that he felt he had been holding. The last thing he wanted to do was talk to Maid Sango, strictly for the fact that he did not want her to make the connection between him and Robin Hood. He lowered himself into a sitting position and hung his legs over the side of the porch. In this garden was his favorite tree. The wisteria's flowers were in full bloom, the soft purple flowers were kissed by the wind, and danced slowly in its touch. As the warmth of the sun's rays touched his cheeks, he could feel the tension wash away, and he once again began to relax. It mattered not that Maid Sango was within the temple, this was still his safe place, and her presence could do little to change that.
The comfortable silence settled 'round him and for the first time in a long while he felt fully at ease. He closed his eyes and allowed the sun to bathe him in its warmth and when the temple's door slid open; he didn't react. He figured the intruder to be Inuyasha, the guy always seemed to feel the need to check in on him. Yet it wasn't the hanyou, Maid Sango watched him from the door for a moment. It had been four long years since she had last seen him and he had changed a lot in that time. His dark hair was longer, it fell at about shoulder length, and fluttered behind him in the soft breeze. He had also gotten his ears pierced, small gold hoops hung from both his ears, but a second earring dangled from his left ear. From where she stood it looked like a feather, with an amethyst gem near its uppermost base. His eyes were closed and he faced the sun's rays, like a proud sunflower, and a soft smile played on his lips. With careful steps, she crossed the deck, and quietly lowered herself beside him. She wondered if Miroku would still remember her, because if he had kept her in his thoughts, he could never have stayed away from Nakimoto so long.
Miroku felt the presence of another person and though the steps of the person were light, he heard the approach. It wasn't like Inuyasha to be so quiet, normally the hanyo could only catch him off guard when he was deep in thought. He was about to address the hanyo, when the wind carried over the subtle scent of water lilies. He opened his indigo eyes and caught himself gazing into the face of the lovely Maid Sango. His heart seemed to skip a beat and a startled gasp escaped his lips before he could catch it. She smiled ruefully and softly spoke, "It has been a long time, Miroku." So she hadn't fully forgotten him after all, the revelation was both exciting and worrisome all at once.
He cleared his throat and responded evenly, "Maid Sango, I hadn't expected to see you here. I am glad to find you well." The maiden blinked, his indifference to her was entirely unexpected. For some reason his tone angered her and brought a coldness to her voice.
"Had you come to Nakimoto more often, you would have discovered that things were far from well. Prince Naraku has taken reign and his greed has repressed his people greatly." The thief was instantly aware of her change in intonation, she was angry with him, for reasons he was not quite sure of.
Carefully he spoke, "I sense a bit of hostility. Have I done something to earn your scorn?" She opened her mouth to respond, but when she could not find a reason to give, she abruptly turned her face from him. She was not angry at him for not knowing about the villager's troubles, instead she was more hurt at his not coming to see her sooner.
"I had thought something bad had happened to you," the coldness was gone from her voice now, "you had a knack for getting yourself into sticky situations and you haven't been around in four very long years. I had thought you had been arrested for your questionable activities." Miroku's eyes shifted to land on her, she faced away from him now, so she could not see the curiosity that colored his violet irises.
"If I did not know any better, I would say you were worried about me. Questionable activities aside, you have got far more important things to worry about. You should not trouble yourself with concerns for me." He returned his attention to the wisteria tree and though he wished to mask his emotions, he could not keep them from altering his disposition. Sango spared him an annoyed glance, with every intention of putting him in his place, but every harsh word died on her tongue once she saw the hurt in his eyes. As far as memory could serve, she had never once seen Miroku anything but cheerful. His light-hearted nature was what had drawn her to him in the first place. He had always come to her with a smile, she never saw him in a fit of rage, nor had she seen him shed a single tear; and yet he had to have experienced such feelings at some point in his twenty one years of life. She wished she could look right into his heart or read his mind as easily as she could the pages of a book.
In a whisper she spoke, "Of course I worried about you." Her voice grew a bit stronger as she pushed on. "You used to visit me often, but then one day those visits stopped altogether. I had to hear from the old monk that you had left the village and you did not even think to tell me goodbye. Miroku, how could you go without telling me?" The thief had to think quickly, he couldn't very well tell her that he had left to hone his skills and return only to soon be dubbed The Robbing Hood. It was not as though that had been his plans; things had only turned out that way.
With a bit of quickness he responded, "I had begun to wear out my welcome here in Nakimoto, it was time for me to move on and terrorize another village," he paused there but the look she was giving him earned a chuckle and another explanation, "I have been living in the woods, I have learned to hunt and live off the land. I no longer pilfer bread from village bakers nor do I help myself to the crops of struggling farmers. I have turned a new leaf of sorts." The skepticism wasn't masked, she knew him well, and him staying out of trouble was a very rare occurrence.
"I find that hard to believe. You have never been the type to allow your skills to go to waste. So how are you using them to your advantage now?" He chuckled at her accusation, in some ways she wasn't wrong, but his motivations were entirely changed now; and he very well could not explain them to her.
"I can assure you that I am no longer stealing from hard-working village folk. I have learned the error of my ways. When I take from them to better my own life, I only aid in making theirs a bit more difficult. I chose to no longer participate in such crimes." Sango only believed him when he looked at her, there was something in his eyes, something she could not quite name, but it caused her to trust his words.
Instead she steered the conversation in a different direction, "That still does not explain why you did not come to see me. Did you not miss me as I missed you?" She had missed him, he almost found the idea hard to believe. Why should she miss him? He was nothing but a common thief, a man with no prospects, no claims, and no wealth.
"I am not exactly a most welcomed guest at the castle," he paused there and offered her a half smile before continuing, "besides, had I worn out my welcome, your memories for me may have not been so favorable." Disbelief washed over her calm face but was swiftly replaced with a quiet anger. Miroku tried to sort out any possible thoughts she may have had, but as smart as he was, he still could not quite figure out women. She sent his mind screeching to a halt when she turned and took his face in her hands; forcing him to look her in the eyes.
"Miroku, don't you ever again think you could ever lose my friendship, I am not so shallow as to tire of you. Do you understand?" His wide eyed stare never broke from her calm one and with his face still held firmly in her hands he nodded. He swallowed hard, desperate to get the attention away from himself, he prodded swiftly.
"So what has happened since Prince Naraku has taken power?" She released her hold suddenly and Miroku sighed in relief; as he tried to ignore the warmth her touch left behind. He barely registered her words when she started to speak in a rushed sort of way.
"The people of Nakimoto have had no choice but to feel the heavy impact of his greed. The taxes he collects is too high and most give everything they have." It was here that a soft shade of pink colored her cheeks and gave her face the warm glow of sweet feelings. "The only hope they have comes in the form of a vigilante clad in black. You would like him if you met him."
She trailed off here, but curiosity had gotten the best of Miroku and he questioned her timidly, "And why do you think I would like him?"
She lit up, her voice and eyes became animated, "Because he is very charming and clever. You should have heard him tell off the phony king, you would have laughed aloud. I have never met a man quite like him, well aside from you, he reminds me of you in some ways. I think it's his humor and quick wit, that made me think of you. The similarities end there though. I hate to be so blunt, but you have only ever caused trouble to benefit yourself, whereas Robin, well he…" She stopped before she could finish the comparison, mid sentence Miroku had gotten to his feet and had made his way towards the mountain forest. "Miroku? Where are you going? I was talking to you. Come back." Sango sighed in exasperation, she supposed she may have been a little harsh, but it was not Miroku's nature to be so sensitive. Inuyasha had been nearby, observing the encounter Miroku shared with the maiden, and from where he stood he had seen the exact moment when pain darkened his eyes. By this point, the thief had disappeared beyond the trees, but Inuyasha could still catch his scent. Without a second thought the hanyo went after him, it was too easy to be caught off guard when your heart clouded your mind.
The hanyo found the human pacing beneath the trees, his hands moved erratically, and his mouth moved in a silent and private conversation with himself. Inuyasha grimaced, he struggled to deal with his own emotions and it was no easier helping others deal with theirs. He cleared his throat, the sound warned of his presence, and he addressed Miroku with a clear voice. "What was with that sudden departure? It's not like you to run away from your problems." The thief turned on his heel and faced the hanyo with a bitterness that Inuyasha had never witnessed before.
Pain laced his voice when he practically yelled his response, "I just could not bear it to hear another word. To be compared to Robin Hood by Maid Sango is more than I could stand." If jealousy really was green eyed, then his eyes would no longer be their deep shade of blue." He tried to reign in his anger, but it still spilled out in his words. "She thinks me selfish while she thinks him some charming and charismatic hero. I am competing with a persona. How damned pathetic is that?" Inuyasha watched on as the erratic behavior returned, he found he much preferred the overtly cocky Miroku to this one. He did not care for the self doubt nor did he enjoy the self deprecation.
"Miroku, you are being ridiculous. You do realise that the person you are competing against, is you? You and Robin are one and the same. You are jealous of yourself," Inuyasha said all this matter of factly, doing his best to leave no room for argument. The thief's movement abruptly halted again and silence fell over the forest surroundings. The hanyou could only hope that his words had made some sort of impact, that realisation had dawned on him; that maybe he could go back to being the confident and capable criminal genius.
Instead Miroku cried out exasperated, "But she does not know that! No one does! To them I'm just some selfish thief. The guy who only does something if it benefits himself." He threw his arms in the air dramatically, before he began to pace again, and to continue his little rant. "It never even occurred to anyone that I could be Robin, because they believe I would never do something to aid anyone other than myself. No one sees me beneath the hood, because they do not see me as a hero." Inuyasha did not know how to calm him nor did he know how to dismiss his concerns, because in a lot of ways he was not wrong. Most people didn't understand Miroku, they didn't know him well enough to judge his character fairly. He wanted to help, but all he could think to say was thus.
"Then tell her the truth. Tell her that you are Robin Hood." In response Miroku laughed bitterly, the sound became a bit unhinged, before he choked on a sob. His back was to the hanyo, so he could not see the few tears that slid down his cheeks.
"No Inuyasha, I would not like to disappoint her or anyone else. I will stay in Nakimoto until King Hitomi returns, and then I and Robin Hood will make our permanent departure," he grew silent for a moment, then added softly, "Now please, leave me." The hanyo obliged, not because he wanted to, but because he understood that somethings are better handled alone. So they parted ways, Inuyasha returned to the temple and loyally waited for Miroku to make his appearance once more.
(A/N: This was a long wait for the next chapter. I really appreciate all of you that are patiently waiting for updates. I work full time now and it is hard to make time to write. I lost my dad just last month, it was very sudden and I had to pick up more hours to afford the apartment we just moved into. I have help and I'm not alone. I will do my best to finish my stories, please stick with me. Leave a review, you don't understand the joy your comments bring me.)