Untamed by criticat

prompt: jactancy

This drabble was written for Smittee’s Alphabet challenge.

Standard disclaimer applies. I do not own Inuyasha.

Prompt: Jactancy - boastfulness.

It has been three years now since she started to train. Her lessons varied from combat to fine arts, the mage making sure that she had the best that gold could by and when the best was not enough, he would tutor her himself. Their meetings were brief and she was thankful for it. She supposed that many would have thought him handsome and yet she shuddered each time he came into the room, his presence suffocating.  She was rarely allowed to return to her father’s castle and to her, a child of eight, the visits were far too brief. Today, on her birthday, she was to return to her home.

“Mother!”

The richly clothed girl jumped off her horse and into her mother’s hands, Midoriko embracing the excited child, tenderness shining in her tear filled eyes.

“My little Kagome. No, not little anymore! Look how you grown.”

Unclasping her hands from her mother’s waist, Kagome bowed to her father, noting, with some surprise that his once raven hair was brindled with silver, the fine lines on his face becoming deeper.

“Father, I ask humbly for you to accept my apologies.”

Surprise flashing briefly in coal coloured eyes, the Raj spoke, motioning for her to rise as he laid a heavy warm hand onto her shoulder.

“What do you speak of, child?”

A small smile gracing her lips, Kagome stood, taking off the coverings off her mouth and head to reveal a dazzling smile as she gave the dusty material to a servant, the man scurrying away with haste, grateful for an excuse to leave the royal family.

“I did not have the chance to congratulate you yet! I hear the raj now has a prince!”

The Raj’s suspicious gaze softened, his smile finally reaching his eyes that shined in jactancy.

“Indeed. Our house was blessed with a boy.”

Kagome jumped as a large desert fox landed on the branches next to her feet, all three men gazing at her expectantly, waiting for the startled girl to proceed with her share, Miroku offering her a long curved knife. Lips pursed into a thin line, she took the blade with a nod.  The pensive girl turned their dinner over, making minute cuts here and there, making sure to ruin as little fur as possible as she worked. They watched her do the familiar task, Kagome not seeing the animal in her hands, for the past stood vividly before her eyes.