Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha; this is only a fanfic.
Authors Notes: Hi guys! This update is long overdue. I'd like to thank the reviewers of the last chapter: katana sohma-demon girl, shipposangoffe, Liandrid 313, Lady of the West, SangolovesLance and, of course, FaBzZ. A special thanks to everyone who has kept this on their favorites and story alert lists.
Please read, enjoy and leave a review!
Chapter 5: Proposal
"You shone like a single white lily on the battlefield!"
The weather was lousy. It had rained all day and our group was completely and thoroughly soaked. However, Inuyasha, Kagome, Shippo, Kirara, Houshi-sama and I continued our journey in pursuit of Naraku.
Walking beside the monk, I listened as Kagome and Inuyasha argued. The miko had suggested using the contraption from her time as coverage from the rain. I believe the thing was called an umbrella; well… whatever it was, the hanyou refused it.
"Aahh…chooo!" he sneezed.
"Come on, Inuyasha," Kagome admonished. "Why don't you use the umbrella to cover your head?"
"Hats and those umbrella things of yours are only for women and children," Inuyasha sniffed.
"That pride of yours is going to get you a nasty cold."
"Hmph!" He wiped his nose on his sleeve. "I ain't a weakling like some people."
We all smirked at that comment as we were quite used to the hanyou's boasting by now.
"You just don't understand," said Kagome.
"Understand what!" the hanyou snapped.
"Well… umbrellas can really come in handy, you know," she said smugly.
"So… ya' gonna explain?" Inuyasha asked.
"Kagome smiled knowingly as she exclaimed. "Oh… you know it!"
I was extremely interested to know what else the umbrella thing could do besides keep one dry; however, before the miko could elaborate, Houshi-sama stopped suddenly.
"Something's coming," he announced. "I can feel it."
"Humans," I said, keying in my senses.
"Yup!" Inuyasha agreed, sniffing the air. "And… lots of 'em."
Looking down the road, we saw a group of foot soldiers approaching at a rapid pace. As the troops drew closer, they stopped directly in front of us with the headman falling to one knee in greeting.
"Would you be Sango, the demon slayer, and her travel party?" he inquired.
Before I could respond, Houshi-sama spoke on my behalf.
"Yes… this is Sango here." the monk nodded in my direction.
The spokesman identified himself as the head vassal to the lord of the Takeda clan. As they had requested an audience with me, I assumed my extermination services were required. Houshi-sama, once again, took control of the situation. Seeking shelter from the rain, we decided to hear their offer.
The monk seemed hesitant as he and the vassal discussed the specifics and the fee for the extermination. What they offered was far more than I was normally paid and in good conscience, I could not accept. As much as Houshi-sama enjoyed a full coin purse, even he agreed with me.
It felt so right having Houshi-sama beside me, offering his opinion and concern for my welfare. As the spokesman of our group, he was more at ease in conversing with others than the rest of us. I had always marveled at his fluent conversations, quick wit and had often found myself prey to his suave, silver-tongued declarations.
"I am sorry," I informed the vassal. "The offer is far too generous; I must decline."
"You cannot refuse!"a voice rang out.
We all turned to see a beautiful white stallion arrive at the entrance of the shelter. A young man dismounted and stood in the entryway. He was tall, quite good looking with a brilliant smile and the quality of his clothes indicated that he was a nobleman.
He approached us and stood in the entryway. "It's been far too long, Sango," he said suddenly. His rich voice vibrated in the small surroundings. He smiled a charming smile and his gray eyes stared into mine.
"Do… ah… do I know you?" I asked perplexed. The young man did not respond, only stared as if willing me to remember. Had we met before? The room had grown quiet and the silence stretched as I tried to recall.
"Look closer, Sango-chan," Kagome whispered. "Doesn't he seem familiar?"
"He sure seems to know you." Shippo turned to me.
I agreed with the kitsune, but I could not recall a prior acquaintance.
"Well, I cannot blame her for not remembering; it was a long time ago," the young man stated as he moved in from the rain.
I continued to watch him as he walked to and kneeled in front of me. I gasped lightly as his hands captured mine.
"Come…" he entreated, "… let us retire to the castle where we can talk in leisure and get reacquainted with one another."
His attentions startled me; I blushed as his thumbs brushed enticingly over the back of my hands. Was he flirting? The thought ran briefly through my mind before I dismissed it. No, he was not, I decided. His actions were nothing like the hentai monk who sat next to me.
We were escorted to a large castle. I had to admit, the structure and the grounds were quite impressive. As we walked through, I noticed recent damage done to the surrounding buildings and I wondered what type of demon we would encounter.
Entering the main hall, we were seated and our host moved forward to sit at the head.
"Please allow me to introduce myself," he began. "I am Kuronosuke Takeda, lord of this castle."
Once again, the young lord looked my way. His name was familiar to me, but…
"He's a lord," Kagome exclaimed.
"No wonder he's so formal," said Shippo.
"Wait a minute," I gasped; suddenly, it dawned where I had met the Takeda family. "Now I remember." It was rude, but I was unaware of pointing at the young man at the head of the room. "That snotty nosed… I mean that young lord…" I corrected tactfully.
Although he had overheard and clearly knew what I was about to say, Kuronosuke smiled good-naturedly. "I am glad you finally remember," he said.
"Yes… it has been six long years already," he began and looked up at the ceiling as he reminisced. "My castle had been plagued by a demon and we had hired you and the other slayers to exterminate."
As I sat and listened to him reflect, I too recalled the events of that day. A great bear youkai had terrorized the castle. My father, the other slayers and I made quick work of eliminating the demon. On my father's signal, I had delivered the finishing blow with the Hiraikotsu.
Following the extermination, we were received in this very same hall. As Kuronosuke and his father greeted us, I recalled the young lord had wiped his nose prior to clasping my hand in thanks.
On the way home, the other slayers had teased me unmercifully. However, my father had pulled me to the side and applauded my composure in that situation.
"You did well, my dear," he had said. "It is hard to be dignified with snot dripping from your hand."
I smiled, as that was a treasured memory for me.
"You fought a magnificent battle," Kuronosuke's voice broke through my musings. "You shone like a single white lily on the battlefield. You were… awe inspiring," he breathed.
"I was?" I questioned, looking up at him. He made exorcising demons sound so poetic?
Suddenly, the young lord stood. "Enough of the past," he announced with determination, "I will get to the point." With rapid strides, he crossed the room, kneeled in front of me and captured my hands.
"Sango…" He looked deep into my eyes. "Slay the demon for us, and then become my wife."
"Huh!" Kagome's voice caused me to jump as my eyes widened at his request. "What's the rush?" the miko squawked.
"I knew right from the moment I saw you; you are the woman who will be my wife. Sango…" he breathed, "… it is only you."
"Ah… only… me?" I repeated stupidly. My head was reeling. This was so sudden… too sudden.
Kuronosuke clutched my hands tight, leaned close to me and whispered, "I hope you will accept my proposal."
The close proximity had me blushing, but I could not help myself. I was unused to such lavish praises and I hoped I had not encouraged him.
Rising to his feet, the young lord called for his staff. They were instructed to prepare rooms for us and see to our comfort. It seemed we were staying and I looked to Houshi-sama for the first time since entering the hall.
I had expected… no, I had wanted him to protest as he had done earlier, but the monk would not look my way. Instead, he simply sat there with eyes closed as if in meditation. Had he not heard Kuronosuke's proposal? Did he even care?
I felt a shiver go down my spine and I realized that it was fear. I had always wondered if Houshi-sama felt anything for me. Was I only a comrade to fight alongside during battle? Or… was I only a convenience to hone his flirting skills until the more beautiful and feminine women came along or was it my rear-end that drew him when that cursed hand of his itched for relief?
As our group was shown our lodgings, I thought about Houshi-sama and I. Our relationship was somewhat complicated and although unsure of the monk's feelings for me, I knew how I felt about him.
A young serving woman brought in an array of foods. During the course of the illustrious meal, I caught Inuyasha's glare.
"How come she gets the royal treatment?" the hanyou sniffed and nodded in my direction.
The meal Lord Takeda provided was lavish, however, the others portions paled in comparison to mine. I was also provided a stack of fluffy pillows on which to sit, as the others sat on simple mats.
"So she got more food than us." Kagome admonished the hanyou. "The lord is trying to woe her. You can't blame him for treating her better."
"What do I do?" I asked myself. "How do I turn him down?"
To accept Lord Takeda's proposal never entered my mind and I looked towards the monk. Some time ago I had come to realize my feelings for Houshi-sama, although I kept them to myself. Even though I knew he was an outrageous womanizer and an accomplished con artist, it had not stopped by burgeoning feelings.
What was he thinking right now? Why didn't he say something? There was no offer of congratulations nor did he ask me… not to marry the young lord. This time his intervention would have been appreciated, but he had not said a word.
After the food was served, I noticed the silent monk stand and head towards the shoji.
"Wait!" I cried out. "Where are you going, Houshi-sama?"
He did not answer as he had stopped and accosted the young serving girl.
"Would you consider bearing my children?" he asked of her.
The young woman gasped, as did I, before I fell to floor from my mountain of pillows. The nerve of him! How could he… and at a time like this?
"Surely you jest with me, my itinerant monk," the woman laughed as she backed from the room.
"Not at all," Houshi-sama responded smoothly. "I assure you, I am entirely serious."
I saw flames.
He was such an outrageous flirt… such a pervert and that infamous line… invitation… request, had steam coming from my ears. My jaw was clenched tight as I moved towards him like some sleek predator.
Houshi-sama turned with that lecherous smile still plastered to his face and I was unable to control my actions. Lashing out, my open palm connected with his cheek. The sound of the slap echoed throughout the room; I heard Kagome moan as the monk flew back from the impact and land heavily on the floor.
"Hmph!" I sniffed, feeling no remorse as I stepped over him, slid open the shoji and stormed out. For a man so experienced with women, the monk was utterly clueless.
"The nerve of him flirting like that!" I growled and ground my teeth in frustration. Stomping down the engawa, I rounded the corner and ran straight into Lord Takeda.
With my head down and in a foul mood, I did not see him approach. Bouncing off his chest, Kuronosuke hands closed around my shoulders to prevent me falling. My arms extended, my hands clutching the lapels of his haori to steady myself.
Neither of us spoke as we searched each other eyes. If only…
My thoughts ended there. Kuronosuke's eyes were grey, not the intoxicating shade of blue like the monk's. His hair was too long and it did not entice me to run my fingers through it. If that were not enough, the young lord's boyish face had yet to mature to the worldliness of Houshi-sama's.
With a sigh, I lowered my eyes. There was no use comparing the two, my feelings were what they were.
"Walk with me, Sango-san?" the young lord asked.
Nodding solemnly, I followed him into the garden and walked silently behind him.
"What should I do?" I asked myself. "I don't want to hurt him."
Kuronosuke walked regally with his head held high. Mine was lowered and my hands were clasped tight in front of me. I could not let this continue, I decided as we reached a small bridge. I was formulating the words to refuse him in my head, when he suddenly stopped.
"Sango…" he began.
"What is it, my lord?"
"Don't call me lord," he appealed, as we stood side by side. "Please, call me Kuronosuke. You can call me runny nose if you like." He started to laugh at his own joke and I blushed, knowing he remembered my comment from earlier. "Just kidding, of course," he added for good measure.
"Listen… we need to talk," I began solemnly.
"Sango." His lips caressed my name.
"With the state of the world, there are few people I can trust." Kuronosuk's voice had taken on a surreal quality and I could not help but listen. "Evil demons abound in the mountains and rivers; mortals resort to trickery and betrayal," he continued. "Some would say this is a hell on earth, but I am not satisfied to accept things the way they are."
"I swore that the woman I chose to spend my life with…" he turned to me, "… would be someone I loved with all my heart and soul."
"But… why did you chose me?" I asked softly.
He smiled and it pained me that I could not share his feelings. His words were sincere… his intentions honorable; he deserved so much more than I could give.
"I may be the lord of the clan," I heard him say, as I stared at my feet, "… but, I am an excellent judge of character."
Reaching out, he engulfed my hands. Kuronosuke's thumbs stroked lightly over my flesh and I noticed how much more softer his hands were than mine. I knew what was coming, but I was unable to stop it.
"Sango… I love you," he said without hesitation… without doubt. "I truly love you."
I hardened my heart. I would probably never again in life hear such a declaration, but I had to do what was right. I did not love him… I never would. My heart belonged to another.
"I'm flattered," I said sadly. "I'm happy to hear how you feel…" I hesitated and took a deep breath to plunge ahead.
"Would you please be my wife, Sango?"
"No." I said simply. "I'm sorry; I cannot accept."
Kuronosuke clasped my hand tighter. "Why ever not?" he asked.
"There is…. something that I must do before I can possibly consider marriage," I attempted to explain. "I am certain it will be difficult to accomplish."
As I spoke, I thought of Kohaku. Images flittered through my mind of Naraku controlling him and I almost wanted to weep. "Perhaps, even impossible," I added. "But… I must try."
My resolve had me returning Kuronosuke's grip. I finally raised my eyes, beseeching him to understand. "I must carry out this deed or else I won't be able to move forward in life! And… that is why I must move on and continue my journey."
"Please…" I appealed once more, "… you must find someone more suitable as your wife."
"No one," he began emphatically, "… is more suitable than you."
I gasped at his words. His dedication astounded me and I knew whomever became his bride, would be a very lucky woman. However, I was not that person.
"I have waited six years," Kuronosuke continued. "It matters not how many more I wait for your return."
"Sango, I understand perfectly how you feel right now and so… I will wait forever."
Kami… what was he saying? Surely he would not…
"No!" I began frantically. "I didn't mean…" My protest fell on deaf ears; the young lord continued as if I had never spoken.
"Please come to me anytime you require my assistance. I promise, I will do everything in my power, as a lord, to help you."
He had misunderstood. "No… wait!" I tried again, but he would not listen. Kuronosuke continued to laugh as he went about his way, leaving matters unsettled between us. With a sigh, I turned in the opposite direction.
After Kuronosuke and I parted, I stayed to myself the remainder of the day. I felt there was no one I could talk to. Inuyasha would not understand, Kagome was too understanding and Shippo was too young. Kirara knew my heart, probably better than I knew myself. I had confessed all to my neko companion; however, Kirara could not answer my questions.
It was different with Houshi-sama. He had always been there to comfort me in trying times; he always knew exactly what to say. Why did he not speak now, when I so desperately needed him? To hear him say, 'Sango, stay with me,' would make my world right again.
The castle was quiet as I walked down the engawa. I was oblivious to the beautiful moon overhead and the stars in the sky. As I headed back to my room to face the comrades I had avoided all day, I saw him… the monk.
Houshi-sama sat alone at the edge of the engawa overlooking the courtyard. I stopped to watch his figure bathed in moonlight. He was a handsome man, but I rarely saw him melancholy as he appeared now. If I was the type, I would probably flock around him wearing my heart on my sleeve, but… thank, Kami, I was not.
As if sensing my presence, he turned and graced me with a beautiful smile and I questioned my declaration.
Although he smiled, I found I could not return it. His negligence weighed heavily upon me, but I had to realize that I was being foolish. I was only his comrade; Houshi-sama had never promised me anything. He was under no obligation to return my feelings.
Looking away from that beguiling face, I moved towards him. As we passed each other, I heard Houshi-sama whisper, "I wish you happiness."
That was it, I thought sadly. He had conceded to Kuronosuke's proposal; something that I had feared all day. There was nothing more to say, he was letting me go.
I was vaguely aware of turning to him with a plea escaping my lips when…
"The demon has come!"
Houshi-sama and I both turned as the guard bellowed. The monk took off in the direction of the chaos and I ran to my room to change into battle gear.
While donning my taijiya uniform, I felt the first stirrings of anger. How could he be so callous as to offer a fleeting congratulations before casting me before the alter? Was that all he could say?
By the time I grabbed the Hiraikotsu and headed to the ruckus, I was in a foul temper.
"It's about time," Inuyasha spat on my arrival. "Don't matter," the hanyou began boasting again. "I'll take care of that demon with one swipe of my sword."
"Stay out of this, Inuyasha, and let me handle this," I informed him as I stepped in his path.
"What's the problem?" he barked. "I can handle that little demon on my own."
"Slaying that thing is my job," I said forcefully. "Besides… I wouldn't mind blowing off a little steam right now."
"Uh… okay," Inuyasha said meekly. I felt him take a step back as, in my fury, my battle aura rose.
"What did you say to her?" was Kagome's query to Houshi-sama, but it barely registered. With a war cry, I charged the giant bear youkai.
The demon's powerful paw took a swipe at me. Crouching low, I ducked and felt a whoosh of air as the strike flew over my head.
Having missed, the beast attempted another strike with the other paw. Anticipating this, I rammed the Hiraikotsu into the ground beside me. This created a barrier between us and my weapon did not budge as the demon's weight crashed into it.
The Hiraikotsu presented an opening. I released my hold on the weapon, jumped into the air and delivered a spinning roundhouse kick to the beasts jaw.
Bellowing in pain, the demon rocked to the side. The entire foundation of the manor shook as the beast slammed into the ground.
I landed gracefully next to the Hiraikotsu. Flipping my bangs from my eyes, I felt somewhat satisfied and imagined it was Houshi-sama's body writhing on the ground in agony.
The beast began to rise. With a smirk, I grabbed my weapon and returned to battle. Once again, I charged the demon and envisioned blue eyes that I would like to blacken and a seductive smile that I could render toothless.
The battle between the bear youkai and I raged on and I began to unwind. Every strike, kick and punch relieved my frustrations, taking my mind from the problem at hand. However, I could not fight forever and I was only delaying the inevitable. Kuronosuke would have to accept my refusal, as I would have to accept that Houshi-sama and I were nothing more than friends.
"This will finish you off!" I shouted and released the Hiraikotsu. My aim was true; the weapon barreled into the demon knocking it to the ground. The beast lay unmoving as I landed, lifted my arm and deftly caught my weapon.
"She did it!" Kagome cried. "Way to go!"
I looked over to my friends and smiled. I was no longer angry; it was exhausted during the battle and I felt much better. Stepping towards them, I heard everyone gasp. Hearing a growl from behind, I slowly turned. The demon had risen and its massive paw was aimed straight at me. Closing my eyes, I braced my body, but the blow never came.
Suddenly, I felt airborne. Opening my eyes, I looked up and into Houshi-sama's face. It took me a moment to realize that he carried me in his arms. We landed and I barely felt a jolt as he held me close to his chest.
The monk set me on my feet, but staggered a little a he released me.
"Houshi-sama?" I inquired, touch his arm and he flinched. Pulling my hand back I noticed blood on my fingers. I gasped and turned to him.
"You miscalculated, Sango," he said breathing heavily and clutched his injured arm.
"When I was watching you fight," the monk continued, "I realized this demon is actually a ghostly spirit seeking vengeance. It cannot be destroyed in the usual way."
The beast growled again and we, simultaneously, turned to face it. I withdrew my wakizashi; the monk removed ofudas from his robe and stepped forward.
"I will now exorcise this demon!" Houshi-sama announced and tossed the spiritual notes.
With the ofudas plastered to its body, the beast let out a roar. The monk and I stood and watched as the demonic aura was disperse and the figure began to dissipate. Thanks to Houshi-sama's quick thinking and reflexes, I was safe and the bear youkai was gone… this was finally over.
The rain had begun again and we stood facing each other. I wore a gasa against the inclement weather, but Kuronosuke, mindless of the downpour, was bareheaded. I had refused his proposal and he had, reluctantly, accepted. We had said it all, there was nothing left.
"Kuronosuke-sama," I said softly.
"Don't say another word," he ordered gently. "I think… by now, I have an excellent understanding of how you feel."
My eyes grew wide at his words. Had I given myself away; did he know of my feelings for a certain monk?
"Go on," he said and nodded towards the road where the others stood. "Your friends are waiting for you."
"Yes."
I bowed, mainly to cover my flaming cheeks, turned and headed down the path that would hopefully lead to Naraku, my destiny and Houshi-sama. I looked back once; Kuronosuke had not moved from that spot. He stood tall with his head thrown back, basking in the rain pelting gently down upon him.
"I'm sorry," I whispered, but moved forward to join the others.
Our group was quiet as we moved steadily down the muddy road. I spent the better part of my trek staring at the back of Houshi-sama's head. I was no longer angry with him; after all, he had put himself in harms way to save me.
Finally, about a mile from the Takeda castle, Kagome finally spoke.
"Miroku-sama," the miko began. "What happened to your umbrella hat?"
"I've got it!" He smiled and held it up for us to see. "The strap is broken, I'm afraid."
I felt Kagome pat my shoulder and I turned, giving her my full attention. The miko smiled a beatific smile as she handed me the extra rain-shielding contraption from her backpack.
After showing me how to use the umbrella thing, I shyly approached Houshi-sama and placed it gingerly over his head. No longer feeling the rain, the monk's blue eyes turned to me in surprise.
A peace offering… I thought, as I held tight to the umbrella. Slowly I raised my eyes, unaware of how they appealed to him.
"Thank you," he said softly and then he smiled.
All was forgiven when he looked at me that way. I could only nod as we resumed our stroll.
Walking at Houshi-sama's side, I finally understood the other function of this umbrella thing and what Kagome had meant from before. Our shoulders, arms and hips brushed against each other with the familiar jangle from the rings of his shakujo. I was no pervert, unlike the monk, but I had to admit it was most pleasing.
"How is your wound?" I asked tentatively.
"Fine," he responded.
"Um… Houshi-sama…" I began.
"I'm glad," he interrupted softly and I turned to him.
The monk stared straight ahead as he finished. "It turns out we will be able to continue our journey together."
A weight lifted from my heart. I turned my head aside and sighed with a smile. Whatever his reason, he wanted to be with me and I… with him. The sincerity and relief was evident in his voice. Neither of us spoke as we walked in a comfortable silence. Once again, my hope was renewed until…
That hand… that familiar hand skimmed across my waist and stroked my rear-end.
I gasped aloud before rounding on the pervert. Kagome moaned, Inuyasha sniffed and Shippo gulped as my palm connected with his cheek. The umbrella flew up in the air as the monk, with a howl of pain, hit the ground.
Growling, I stood mutinously as the rain-shielding contraption floated back to earth. As I would the Hiraikotsu, I deftly caught the umbrella. Sticking my nose in the air, I tossed my head before turning back to the road. The monk was left wallowing in mud and showered by the rain.
As I stormed off, I heard Houshi-sama's light chuckle. Although I was appalled and irritated by his actions, the monk's laugh was contagious and I felt myself responding. A giggle escaped my throat as joy spread through me. Things were back to normal.
I did not know where our journey would lead us or what to expect after it was over. I did not know if we would defeat Naraku or if I could save Kohaku. I only knew that Houshi-sama and I were together and, for now, that was enough.
To be continued…