Free My Heart From This Burden by MiHonoKo

Captured Heart

It had been foolish of him to not have heeded his sire’s warning about crossing the border; he knew this now.  He should have just let the damn village killing oni pass out of the West without pursuit, but clearly there was something addled within his mind.  Looking back Sesshomaru could clearly see all the signs of a trap; the clear path in the brush, the deathly silence of the forest, the faint buzz of tension in the air, and of course – the gap in the Northern Land’s barrier.  For someone who prided himself on his intelligence over others, the Western heir certainly was stupid at times.  Not that the male would admit to any but his self…

Silently shifting in his charmed bonds Sesshomaru once more observed the small cell that he had woken in.  The dark room was far from the immaculate clean that the prince was used to, yet it was not dirty either.  If anything the prison was rather well kept (for a prison); a small blessing for his sensitive inu nose.  Another small shift brought some discomfort to the Western prince as his not-yet-healed shoulder wound was tugged.  A curse died on his lips when the sound of metal sliding against metal echoed loudly underground.

Closing his golden eyes Sesshomaru listened as soft footsteps came closer towards his cell.  There had been many points during his captivity (what he assumed to have been about a day) that someone had entered the prison, but at none of these times had the person come closer then (what he estimated to be about) thirty feet of his cell.  The Western inu could also tell by the gait, wait, and sound of the footsteps that unlike the other times this person was female.  He waited and when the girl passed where all others had stopped Sesshomaru tensed; whoever it was he would not make it easy for her to do what she had come to.  He felt the woman’s hesitation just outside of his cell, and looked up when the door finally opened.

Demon eyes adjusting instantaneously to the torch light in flowing through the opened door Sesshomaru locked gold with bluish-gray.  “Oh,” A small gasp passed carnation lips, “You are awake.”  He was stricken by her voice, like a sweetly scented summer breeze in the middle of a winter’s storm; impossible, miraculous, and comforting the sound rang threw the cell like the church bells he had hear as a child in Europe.  “You slept for two days when they first brought you; I was kinda worried that the first person I’m to care before would die before I got the chance.”  A light giggle escaped from her as she skipped towards his prone form.  “What’s your name?  Mine’s Kagome.”

Sesshomaru merely stared at the girl, “Oh, I’m sorry if I’m bothering you; father’s always saying that I bother people when I’m excited.”  She looked crestfallen at his silence.  Raven hair bounced with every step as she approached him with a tray of food and a covered basket.  “Father said to tend to your wounds, and use the food as a bribe to be good,” Starting slightly at the viscous growl that escaped him Kagome paused before continuing, “but I don’t want to treat you like a pup; so I think I can do both at the same time can’t I?”  The question was clear – she wanted to know if she could safely un-chain his hands while she was so close to him.

The Western prince chose to stare at the still open door instead of replying to her.  The girl hummed nervously as she came a fraction closer to his rigid form.  Up until this point Sesshomaru had taken shallow breathes from his mouth to avoid the stink of the prison, but now Kagome was so near to him that the inu diayokai could taste her scent.  So unsettled by the glory of spring, rain, open fields, and sunshine that Sesshomaru didn’t even register that he could now freely move his arms about him (his ankles were still chained however), and when he finally did register the fact Kagome’s warm hands were already moving gently over his wounds.  How easy it would be to break that delicate swan like neck, steal her keys and leave the small prison cell.

Instead the prince chose to use his large, strong hands to feed his body; he told himself that it made sense to allow his enemy to heal him before escaping – it would make said escape easier.  The Western heir was used to fair that was befitting to his station, yet Sesshomaru found himself savoring the rich taste of the food before him.  “Do you like it?”  Kagome asked as she rubbed an herb of some kind upon a bruise on his back, “I made this morning and had some left over, so I thought that since you need to eat anyways it might as well be something better then stale bread and mush.”  Her voice was so cheerful and her hands so gentle that Sesshomaru could not stop the slight nod of his head at her question. 

Humming happily Kagome continued to rub the herbs into his wounds, “I’m glad that you like it; father probably wouldn’t approve of giving you the leftovers, but I wasn’t going to eat them, and neither was he; so why waste it?”  She wrapped a small arm around his chest so that she could bandage the gash of Sesshomaru’s shoulder.  The Western Heir saw the most delicate claws he had ever seen.

“You are inu as well.”  He had been so wrapped up in the pleasantness of Kagome’s scent that he hadn’t noticed before seeing the shining claws.

Kagome nearly fell in surprise, “You spoke to me!”  The joy in her voice made the Western Hair close his eyes to savor it.

“This Sesshomaru did, yes,” He made sure to keep his voice no louder than a whisper as he heard the scrape of metal against metal once more.

Kagome’s happiness was overwhelming, “Oh, I thought you’d never speak!  You were just so quite that I thought you must be mute!”  The little female crawled like a pup while she spoke so that by the end of her sentence she faced him fully.

“Hn,” Sesshomaru didn’t know why he continued the pointless conversation; inwardly the Western prince told himself it was good tactics to learn one’s enemy.

Kagome giggled before remembering that the being facing her had asked a question, “Of course I’m inu; did you think I was something else?”  The raven haired onna’s brow creased delicately as her grey-blue eyes frowned.  “Are you senses confused?  The soldiers who brought you in two nights ago did say that they hit you over the head.”

“This Sesshomaru’s senses are satisfactory as of now, the stench of the other cells however is discerning to senses as great as mine.”

Kagome smiled brightly, “Is that your name?  Sesshomaru?”  At the Western heir’s slight nod Kagome giggled, “That’s an unusual name; are you named after the West’s Sesshomaru-sama?  My aunt is named after Rita-sama of the south.”  Seeing that he had finished his tray of food Kagome pulled a half loaf of bread from her sleeve and handed it to him.

“No,” Sesshomaru carefully monitored her face for any sign of change.  Once more the Western prince saw the tiny female’s brow crease.

“But you don’t look any older than nineteen ages!”  Clearly she thought that he had been named Sesshomaru before the birth of the Western heir.

‘Ridiculously stupid girl,’ Sesshomaru fixed his gaze upon her’s, “This one is not.”

Sesshomaru could see the exact moment that realization dawned on Kagome, “You’re THAT Sesshomaru!?”  She looked absolutely panicked as she sprang away from him in fear.  Trembling in a far corner Kagome resembled a scared trapped puppy, “What are you doing here!?”  Her voce shook in her agitation.

Sesshomaru tilted his head, “This Sesshomaru was brought here.”

“BUT WHY WERE YOU BROUGHT HERE?!”  The girl’s fear scent was altogether displeasing to the inu diayokai.  “If you’re here, and the West finds out it’ll be war!  And we’ll be the first place they attack,” Kagome whimpered as she inched towards the door.

“Most likely,” Sesshomaru persed his lips as the little female flinched at his voice.

“I – um- hmm- have t-t-to go.”  She practically flew out of the cell slamming the door behind her.

~!@#$%^&*()

The sun was bright that day as Kagome stumbled drunkenly out of the prison; the little inu’s head rang and hands shook enough to cause the guards to look at her in worry.  “Higerashi-san?  Is something wrong?”

Fixing her grey eyes on the lion whom had asked Kagome could barely stutter out a quite, “No,” before continuing on her path.  ‘What could have possibly possessed father to allow him to be taken her?’  Thoughts swirled Kagome’s troubled mind like a school of fish during a storm.  So troubled by the thought of an impending war was she, that the tiny woman didn’t attempt to stop the whimper clawing its way from her throat.  Unknowingly her feat carried her straight to the being whom had caused such turmoil in her mind.

“Kagome me pup!”  A boisterous voce called joyfully out as a rugged looking male smiled broadly at his beloved, eldest, offspring.

Blue-gray eyes widened innocently, “Father!”  Quickly changing direction Kagome went to her father, Higerashi Ken.  Looking up into his smiling eyes she bit her lip, “Can I talk to you about my prisoner?”  His bright blue eyes darkened instantly as he gave his only daughter a wary look.  “Please father,” Kagome wouldn’t allow him to ignore her concerns.

“Later Kagome,” Ken began walking away.

Straightening her back Kagome followed, “I think it has to be now father.”

Whirling on his eldest Ken’s voice resembled a neko as he hissed, “You are not to think; you are only to care for the Kami-forsaken wretch assigned to you!”  The male had never taken such a violent tone towards his offspring before, so it was with a slight bit of fear that Kagome bowed her head in acceptance before spinning and walking away from her father.

~!@#$%^&*()_+

It wasn’t until the next evening that Kagome was able to work up the courage to go back and tend to Sesshomaru – the knowledge that he was probably hungry was the deciding factor.  So with a half loaf of bread in hand along with some leftover rabbit stew the raven haired inu made her way cautiously down into the dungeon’s depths.  Pausing just around the corner of the Western prince’s cell the inu closed her eyes tightly and took a deep calming breath; she then plastered an exuberant smile on her face and unlocked Sesshomaru’s cell.

“Good evening Sesshomaru-sama, do you feel any better today,” She was aware that he could smell the anxiety in her scent, but Kagome was thankful when he merely nodded his head ignoring it.  Handing him his food she inched her way to his back to check his wounds.  “They do look a great deal more healed then they did yesterday.  Your healing is much greater then my own.”

“Oh?”

  Reapplying the gauze Kagome hummed, “Such a dreadful wound would take another week for my blood to heal.”

Sesshomaru fixed a golden eye on her and raised a brow, “Surely you jest, no inu could possibly so disgraceful to have such weak blood.”

Kagome wasn’t sure when exactly she became so at ease around the notoriously capable killer, “You are just accustomed to the power of a royal bred for strength!  Most common demon’s heal at the same rate as me.”

“Hn,”

~!@#$%^&*()_+

Months passed, and with each passing day Kagome found herself developing a sort of soft spot for the first prisoner she had ever interacted with.  She confided her fear of the coming Western army in him when the war finally broke out, and surprisingly the stoic male offered her comfort, “I’ll not allow them to harm you when they come for this Sesshomaru,” he soothed her.  After a time Kagome discovered that she spent more time in the Western heir’s cell conversing with him then she did at home.  Not too long after that she realized that she loved him.  In the back of her mind Kagome knew that she loved him; how could he not with the way she blushed and wouldn’t meet his treasure gaze.

~!@#$%^&*()_+

Kagome ran as fast as her legs would permit her as she tore through the prison; she HAD to get to Sesshomaru before her father noticed her missing presence.  Shaking hands could barely fit the proper key into the steal lock as the small inu through herself against the door.  “What troubles you?”  His baritone lovingly caressed elfin ears as Kagome finally calmed her shaking enough to fit the key into its slot, “Their going to send you to the capital tomorrow.”  Her whisper was filled with fear and despair, “You’ll be executed there!”  The sobs she had held back since first hearing her father’s secret talk with a visiting general tore itself from her throat.

“Why transfer this Sesshomaru now, after all these months?”  The large male raped his arms around Kagome’s shaking form; his voice was calm as he crooned in her ear in an attempt to soothe her.  His arms gave strength to her trembling form, and his hands brushed terror filled tears from her face.

“Because the West is two days from taking this town!”  Kagome would never know how Sesshomaru understood her words through her blubbering hiccups.  “You have to leave,” She knew that she was being hysterical and impractical say such a bold statement with no plan to do so, “you have to leave before the morning comes!”

Sesshomaru hugged her closer, “Then unlike the chains and allow me too.”

“My father will kill us both before we see the town gate.”  Even as the words spilt from her lips Kagome bent to fit the key into the chain’s lock.  ‘Better to die with him then live without him.’

The Western heir’s smirk caused Kagome to pause and smile back despite her fear, “You need only worry about finding the path out of town; this Sesshomaru will allow no harm to befall you in this place.”

This of course is my birthday (17 years ago the world was gifted with that which is me) gift to all my readers.  Unfortunately I didn’t start this early enough to have it as a one shot, so it’ll be a two-shot.  I might wait to post the second shot until next year, or I might not, it all depends….

Please excuse spelling and grammer errors, this has not been betaed.