AN: I was going to make the chapter longer, but I've hoarded it long enough. The pace should pick up in the next chapter.
Inuyasha awoke slowly, aware of a light tingling sensation in his limbs where the numbness had begun to fade away. His whole body felt heavy and sluggish, and he wondered if it would be better to fall back into sleep. And then he remembered the last thing that had happened to him. Instinctively he jerked, trying to rise and hissed from the pain.
"Don't try to move yet."
It was an old woman's voice, grown gruff throughout the years.
"Bitch."
He let out a menacing growl and glanced around the dark room to locate her, his normally keen senses dulled to the point of near nonexistence.
She looked none too happy to see him awake. "Be grateful. You were never meant to awaken. If it wasn't for her, I'd have—"
He felt his resolve falter. "Kagome?" Was she safe?
"She was quite persistent even in the state of her fever. She wants to see you."
She let her admission sink into the dank cellar air and waited for his response. When he did not speak further, she added with a sigh, "So tell me, what would an outlaw, such as yourself, possess that she requires?"
Her question was insulting but not surprising. "Keh. That's none of your business." He gave a toothy grin, watching for a reaction to the sight of his fangs. He could feel his strength returning, and then he would kill the old hag.
"The queen's safety is my business."
He could feel the surprise widen the features of his face and scowled, not wanting her to get the better of him. So the old hag was on their side. But then why . . . Of course. He would be treated as a threat to Kagome, regardless of whether it was true.
"Where is she." He was struggling to prop himself against the wall, ignoring the pain that seared down his spine.
All he knew was that she better not be with that bastard Miroku. He'd get him for this.
The old priestess turned to leave, not bothering to condescend an answer. He grunted and grinding his teeth, pushed off the wall to slowly stagger after her. It didn't help matters that the whole room was whirling beneath his feet, but he wasn't about to be left behind.
Kagome was sleeping on a cot in a simple room, a breeze from the window rustling her unruly bangs. She was still dressed in the pale night gown and men's military britches. He felt a sigh leak out of his chest at the sight of her. Then a movement in the corner of the room caught his eye, and he was moving without thought, his anger momentarily erasing the pain and disorientation of his body.
"Bastard. I'll kill you."
The words were a hiss, hinting of hurt and darker things but Miroku barely registered them in the demon's rush.
He ducked the first swipe smoothly, side stepping and putting some distance between them before Inuyasha could lunge again. But then he caught sight of his attacker's face and faltered. Inuyasha was actually grinning as he stared at the ground, cracking his knuckles in anticipation of the fight, fangs exposed where they bit into his bottom lip. There was no semblance to the demon he had previously traveled with left. It was like Inuyasha wasn't himself anymore. Was this an adverse effect from the priestess's sealing arrow?
Inuyasha lifted his head slowly to gauge his opponent, and Miroku stiffened with dread. There behind his bangs, Miroku could see them, the scarlet irises of a berserker.
Suddenly, Inuyasha was there, and he hadn't even seen him move. He gripped Miroku's throat, lifting him from the ground in one fluid movement.
He was choking, face flushed as he tried in a panic to pry the demon's hands from his throat before his windpipe was crushed. Even though he kicked out with full force, it had no effect on his furious opponent. His vision was starting to spot. This was it; he was going to die at the hands of an enraged demon. If he could only reach his staff. . .
"Inuyasha."
At the sound of her sleep-laced voice, Miroku saw the redness to Inuyasha's eyes start to bleed away, swirling with the gold coloration liquidly, blending and finally submitting to disappear completely when he paused at the recognition of his name. He blinked several times before glancing over his shoulder to see Kagome now sitting up and watching him with sultry eyes.
"Kagome." He was grinning stupidly at the sight of her and had no idea why.
"Sit."
He had a moment to gape at the command in confusion before involuntarily crashing to the floor, violently, face first. He let out a strangled cry at the force of the impact, biting his tongue in the process. "Wha—"
He tried to pry himself from the wooden floorboards but found it impossible.
"At Her Majesty's request, instead of killing you, I bound you to your lawful master. You will bend to her will and show some respect."
His face burned in anger and humiliation. The moment the spell wore off, he was lunging for the old woman. Her first then Miroku. "I'll make you regret that, hag."
"Your Majesty, the word."
"Sit." She sounded tired and not at all like her usual fiery self.
"Kagome." He ground the word out in a hiss against the floor, jaw aching from the impact. "Wench, don't interfere."
"I won't when you stop attacking our allies."
It was clear she wasn't going to let him do as he pleased. "Keh." He pried himself up off the floor and stomped out, pride aching as much as his body. Outside, he plopped down under a tree and angrily gripped the rosary around his neck. He jerked and twisted trying to rip it off, cursing in frustration. Of course it wouldn't come off or break. "Dammit. I never should have come this far."
He leaned back against the rough bark of the trunk and sighed. Though now was as good a time to ditch them as any. Kagome would be relatively safe in the hands of Miroku and the priestess—not that he gave a damn about her now for what she'd done to him.
"Inuyasha."
He glanced up at the sound of her voice, in time to see her stumble from the hut's doorway. It was clear she was breathing heavy.
"Idiot, what are you doing." He was up and by her side in an instant, wrapping his arm around her waist for support. "Go back to bed."
She smiled while he huffed at her and leaned into him. "I wanted to see you."
He choked slightly and hesitated before sighing, "Fine, come on. I'm not going back in there."
He carried her into the woods for a ways before setting her down gently and sliding down beside her. After a few moments of silence he interrupted, "Kagome, take this off of me."
She looked away shamefully before answering, "No."
He jumped to his feet, gripping the necklace tightly, face flushed with anger. "You can't treat me like this and expect me to stay."
She pulled her legs up against her and rested her chin on her knees. "Run if you want. I wouldn't wish to make you stay."
Confusion slid across his face, momentarily halting his anger. "Then why?" His hand fell to his side limply.
She frowned slightly before answering. "Protection." Her tone said isn't it obvious?
"You think I'd hurt you?" The wavering of his voice was indication enough of the pain her unspoken accusation gave him.
She refused to look at him as she continued. "Kaede said it's possible. You could turn on me, Inuyasha. I've seen it twice now, how you lose yourself. You nearly killed Miroku."
"That's different." Somehow he couldn't bring himself to tell her about Miroku's betrayal. And those camp guards had certainly deserved his wrath. She'd practically begged for it then. But now, now it bothered her? "You don't know what—"
"I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I can't."
He fell silent at her words, his chest tight with pain. So even she was afraid of him. He shrugged, feigning apathy. "Fine. I'll go away from here, and you won't have to worry about it anymore."
He started to turn but felt her tug on his pant leg. He looked down on her, upset to see the tears on her face.
"Please, don't go yet. I don't want to be alone."
That's right. In such a short time, she had lost everything. How could he refuse her when she begged him like that. He frowned, and sat back down beside her, rubbing one hand lightly across her back. "You don't have to cry."
She wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging to him as she sobbed against his chest. He closed his eyes and felt the sadness settle deep behind his ribs. Maybe she had a right to be afraid of him after all.
The three of them were inside eating dinner—the priestess, Kagome and Miroku—while he had been shut outside like some kind of stray dog. The thought made his blood boil, but he was in no state to pick a fight with Kagome's new subduing skill, and he couldn't just run. Not after he'd told Kagome he'd stay. It was frustrating, but he was stuck. His ears twitched as he sat back to the side of the hut and listened to their conversation.
"I will find Sango." Kagome's voice was near cracked from stress, but he could tell she was trying her best to stay calm. He smiled at the firmness and resentment present in her tone. She was not one prone to taking orders, nor did she like it.
"She could be dead for all we know." This time Miroku.
It was probably the old priestess who was shuffling bowls, clinking metal in the sink lightly as she scrubbed dishes.
"I can't just stay here. I have to do something."
"I'll go into the village tomorrow, try to feel things out. You should stay here and rest. Let Kaede treat you properly. We don't know what the situation is. It could be dangerous for you to be seen."
Dangerous was right. The last place Inuyasha should be was hanging around an annoying little girl with a mark on her head and a solider and priestess who had it out for him. Inuyasha leaned his head back against the wall and gave an impatient sigh. Above the night was inky darkness.
"I know you're listening, Inuyasha." The sound of running water had stopped.
He felt his face flush despite himself. So the hag had heard him, big deal.
"Yeah? Not like I'm trying to hide it."
The conversation fell into an uncomfortable silence, and a few moments later the old priestess stuck her head through the front door.
"I'll show you where you'll be sleeping." She was carrying her bow and arrows as if it would make a difference in close combat. Once he got within range, she wouldn't stand a chance.
He managed a shrug as he stood and sauntered over, offering her his best menacing glare. If it bothered her, she didn't show it, instead turning her back to him and leading the way through the house. He glanced into the kitchen when they passed by, but it was empty. In fact, the whole place seemed eerily empty. They were in the back, heading down a set of stairs when the unease set in.
"Where's Kagome?"
The priestess didn't respond, and when they reached the bottom he recognized it as the cellar from that morning. He glanced around, eyes narrowed, and noticed the open cell in the corner. The seals were already in place.
"Are you out of your fucking mind?"
"I won't have you running about in the night, doing God knows what, boy. I won't offer you the opportunity." She paused long enough to draw her bow. "I know of what your kind is capable."
Sometimes, he just couldn't get a break. "No, no, and no."
He was shaking his head, actually waving his arms, and why he didn't know. Not like it was going to do a damn bit of good for him. And it served him right for sticking around despite his gut instinct. He could see the stairwell out of the corner of his eye, but in such a short distance running would be difficult. He hadn't really been planning to kill her, but he wasn't about to take another arrow in the back.
"Look, hag, I'm warning you for your own good. You can't take me in this close of range." He threw his claws out, ready.
The shot was off with a twang. Golden eyes widened to follow the speed, but there was no way he'd take one head on. There was a loud crack as he lunged and snatched the arrow mid-flight, splintering the shaft in his hand. The surprise was evident in the woman's face, but it was already too late.
Inuyasha was up the stairs in a flash, not bothering to stop or slow until he had made it several hundred feet into the deeper foliage of the woods. He bent over, panting, not from the exertion but instead the adrenalin tingling down his spine. He didn't know why he hadn't killed her.
"She's only an old hag, after all," he laughed out of breath to himself. "Not hardly worth the effort."
He straightened and turned back in the direction of the hut, suddenly sober. He gripped the cool, dark beads around his neck and thought to himself, What am I going to do now?
Kagome was upset when Inuyasha hadn't returned after dinner, but she knew better than to let it show. I shouldn't have let him be treated like that. It's my fault. He's mine to take care of now. Her face flushed slightly, and she didn't know why.
The thought that the soldiers had come to the village searching for her was terrifying, and the loss of Sango had left her lonely. She trusted Miroku's loyalty to her bloodline, but she knew better than to think he cared about her. And the priestess was kind but a stranger who might easily sell out for the right price. So after everyone had fallen asleep that night, she snuck out to find the only truly trustworthy one she had left—her slave, which wasn't very trustworthy at all once she thought about it. It probably wasn't the smartest thing she'd ever done, and he'd probably already left her behind for good, but wasn't sneaking around the way she had met him the first time? Surely it wouldn't fail her now.
After several hundred feet of wandering aimlessly, and her arm starting to throb again, and suspecting she was lost, Kagome was beginning to doubt that reasoning. That's when she heard a heavy drop from the trees behind her, and she was grabbed before she could even turn around. His hand was large and calloused where it muffled her scream, and it smelled familiar. His other arm wrapped around the front of her, just below her breasts, and she melted back against his chest. She felt his lips brush her ear when his deep voice teased, "You're getting predictable, Kagome."
It was all somewhat threatening, and she should probably have been alarmed, but she didn't care, because she was glad he hadn't left her He dropped his hand from her mouth to circle her waist, and for a moment he just stood there, holding her against him.
"I'm leaving. You can either come or you can stay."
She craned her neck to look at him, and reached up, fingertips grazing pale features hidden in the dark. "Now?"
"No. They know you came looking for me. Tomorrow, when your solider goes to town. Meet me here, and don't bring anything or it'll be noticeable."
His voice had an edge to it, and she wondered if being left outside had really hurt him so. She might have offered, "I'm sorry," but he was already gone.
After a bath and some rest, Kagome's arm was feeling better—she could move it without much pain, so she was starting to feel better about her resolve to run away with an outlaw. Really it was a stupid idea, and she wasn't committed. Surely if she didn't bother to show, he wouldn't wait up for her. But that's what she was afraid of. So once Miroku left, she waited a good fifteen minutes and then slipped out for the woods. Kaede was no where to be found, which both worried her and encouraged her at the same time. This wasn't like her—she knew she'd never be able to survive on her own, but somehow she felt she could do anything with him by her side. He would take care of her wouldn't he?
She was beginning to slow in her steps, heart beating in her throat, when she saw him. He was there, right where he said he'd be, scowling as he leaned against a tree. He glanced to her, uncrossing his arms as he pushed off, the frown fading but not completely disappearing, and with a jerk of his head, called, "Come on."
Well had she thought he would lead her by the hand? With a final in take of breath, she trudged after him.
"I thought you'd pull something like this."
They'd barely made it twenty feet when Miroku slipped into view before them.
Inuyasha growled, unhappy at being taken unaware, and readied his claws. "Out of my way."
But Kagome had already noticed the packs he was wearing. There was a brief exchange in looks between the two males, and then Miroku turned his attention to Kagome. "Your Highness, I'm devastated that you'd leave without me. Who then will protect you from such a ghastly beast," he tilted his gaze toward Inuyasha, "and carry you bags?"
He was clutching his chest, dramatically, grinning despite himself. Inuyasha didn't hesitate to take a swing. Miroku barely dodged, but was laughing just the same. "You're too hot-blooded, Inuyasha."
"Inuyasha, stop it!" She didn't want to use the rosary again, but if things got out of control. . .
"Sango's in the city. Thirty miles from here. Keeping our friends company." Suddenly, Miroku seemed grimly sincere.
Inuyasha paused, but shot him a sneer. It was uncanny how quickly the soldier could go from feigned humor to dead seriousness. "How would you know? I don't buy that for a second."
Miroku answered, the question but not to him. Shit, he was trying to win over Kagome. "Last night I went out for some reconnaissance." He paused briefly as if in remembrance, and his lips just barely quirked into a smile. "Heard a band of soldiers road into the city late the night before last. Rumor says they've got a kept girl. Who would you think that is."
"Inuyasha . . ."
He turned, already deflating at the sound of Kagome's voice. She wouldn't beg him, but she didn't have to. He threw his hands up in the air, and turned to walk off. "This could be a trap for all we know."
It was Miroku who answered by throwing a large supply pack at Inuyasha's feet. "Yeah, and it's all we've got."
Inuyasha shouldered the pack but not without a glare. "Don't think I trust you."
Miroku grinned, wide and whole-heartedly, and said, "Don't think you have to."