Youkai Freedom by InuLuna of The Moon

Ch. 17 Secrets

AN: Here’s the next one. 9 pages.

Character/s:

Sora is Kagome’s first personally chosen slave. She is a fire dragon. Her name means “Sky” She has light skin. With long red, and black hair, and grey eyes.

Then Eleene. She is a panther demon with a special gift. I had drawn a picture of her and posted it. Description’s also down below. The way I spelt her name is unique. Seeing as all the other ones I’ve seen are Eileen. I would like her name to mean “Warm Light.”

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Ch. 17 Secrets 

Previously:

“We need to talk.” Sango’s brown eyes searched hers beseechingly.

Seeing her friends stance, and unconsciously mirroring her, Kagome nodded in understanding. It wasn’t as if she could have delayed it any longer. “Then I will.”

Now:

Looking down either side of the corridor. “Over here.“ Kagome frowned, reaching for Sango’s hand, and bringing her to the small storage room nearby. Once she knew that it was officially locked. She turned on a single light since the windows were closed shut. “You have to swear not to tell a soul.” Eyeing her carefully.

Sango held her unrelenting and hurt stare. “I swear. So, are you going to tell me the truth or leave me in the dark? I know that there has been something going on. Even bigger than just Shippo over the past few years. I can‘t believe you‘ve been hiding him in front of everyone!”

Normally they didn‘t argue. But with all the things going on her patients were snapped. “And I can’t believe you didn’t tell me about the CLAIM!” Kagome shot back. She felt horrible about it. “What if he hates me…”

Opening her mouth all she could do was close it again. Not finding the right words. Kagome had never snapped at her like that and now she knew why she heard her yell earlier. “Kagome, I…”

She shook her head. “You will have to explain the details later.”

There was a pregnant pause as neither spoke. Sango sighed. “Want to start with Shippo?”

“My father had Naraku tailing me from when I left home. It was up North at Rosevale that we stopped at. They had a Child Slave Shop, Sango. Underneath the name on the front window it also stated. ““Buy your slaves young. Easy to train!” Can you believe that! Those poor kids…”

Thoughtfully thinking about it. Sango patted Kagome’s shoulder in remorse. Knowing about her kind nature. “I’m sorry. That has been going on for years Kagome. Especially because the lower collared youkai normally grow fast. It is just now that the smaller towns have started one and you‘ve found out. Though father told me about your travels so you shouldn’t have to go into length to explain the contract and what not.”

“You knew.“ Kagome stared at her. “How could your clan allow such a thing?”

“We were out voted. The King ruled it with curiosity. Saying it would cut down on the accidents the other slavers had while trying to handle the larger and more troublesome group. It actually did make it easer so they could be found by those women that had lost their children, or needed a play thing for their kids while they were gone. We have not been able to talk about it further because of that law. No discussion allowed once a vote had been finalized.”

They both let out a collective sigh. One in annoyance and the other resignation. “So frustrating.“ Kagome rubbed her forehead.

“Yeah. Sometimes I think the King is making ridiculous laws now. Like his mind is slipping.”

That was not what she was thinking about. Her eyes hardened. “Please try to understand and keep an open mind. What we‘ve been taught about youkai was a lie. Shippo is a slave I had bought in that shop with one other. Before that… I’ve had several hidden with me.”

“What?”

“It all started when I found this under the floor boards at the main Shinto Shrine. It was just after I was taught to read. I had to copy it because it was so old. Hiding the original as soon as I could. This is the best I could translate with Kaede’s help before she died… I don‘t know the date, but it was numbered by how many days or weeks passed.” Kagome handed her an small scroll from the pouch resting on her hip. It had been the only thing that stayed clean under her clothes from playing in the mud.

Her anger and hurt disappeared. Being replaced with curiosity with that one sentence and Kaede‘s name. ‘That Shippo had been bought in Rosevale with one other and many more… What has Kagome gotten into?’ A strange yet exciting charge filled the air as if something was going to change. Taking the scroll carefully out of her long time friends hand, Sango opened it. Cracking the wax seal and crest she had never seen before.

( Beginning of Writing)

Day 3 Kira,

I didn’t want to do any of this. It was so frustrating. That dam Sachiko had taken my youkai mate and collared him. I… I couldn’t do anything but watch. My dear Malock suffered so many burns from the “Holy Warriors.” As she calls them her army . I’m ashamed to say that I had relented. Even as it went against all priestess morals. Having to help collar those poor Inuyoukai and so many others. They are so young… I’m afraid that if I don’t take care of them correctly that they will never know their heritage. But then, the horrible war that had been a surprise to the royal Inu clan. I didn’t know them that much. Though, as soon as I had seen the Inu no Tashio fall to his hands with his dead mate a few feet away from the last pups born to their race… - - were as good as lost. It was that look on the Lord Inu’s eldest son, I have never felt so afraid. What am I supposed to do? Please give me strength.

Day 9,

Sachiko broke her word… Malock… my mate, I am so sorry. Youkai weren’t meant to be collared. It should have stayed as it always was. The Cardinal Demon Lords taking care of the lands and making sure no wars started. It was- - She even betrayed Ryo. - - all my fault your gone. Now all I have are the Inu pups. I wish I could follow you my love.

(Skip)

Sango continued reading with gusto as her legs gave out from under her in shock. Plopping down in the room. Kagome right next to her. The ‘Diary’ as she had found out kept going on with tales of the growing pups and what it was like before the youkai were collared. How the Demon Slayers were instigated into the plan and even another incident. “I can’t believe you found this…”

(Another part of the scroll)

Day 14,

Oh you should have seen him. The Western Inu prince had appeared out of nowhere when Sachiko had come this morning. As she had promised the Inu clan ‘She would not harm the pups or let harm come to them.’ But, she had brought a few trained youkai that were under her control to do it. I had hidden them before she came. Don’t know how she could sense them… - -  He was so livid and the silver collar was burning his neck with his youki. I could have sworn his red eyes were a warning enough. Even as the ground trembled  because of him they held me back. I had been so worried about the pups. They were held by their necks. Like animals to slaughter! Even the youkai holding them were in pain trying to fight against the collars. That horrible woman. - - I couldn’t even see him move. The next thing I knew the youkai Sachiko had brought were dead before getting even one finger near their throats. The prince had fought her for two days and she was covered in claw marks. - -  Sachiko almost died… I don’t know why he spared her. He even looked exhausted. I thought I was going to die also when he looked at me… - - almost wished it because of my deceased mate. Yet, he spared my life. Telling me I had to watch over the last of his pack. Even named the youngest pup.

Day 36,

Him, Inu no Tashio, and one other elder male Inu had decided to visit me when ever they could. Giving me advice on how to raise them. I was so relieved. The pups had become unruly and I was running out of ideas on what to feed them. Apparently I needed to keep a lot of milking cows and a few goats…

(Skip)

Kagome saw how her friend was still speechless. She sighed. “In the original there was tear stains on the top of it and blood all over the last section. I think Kira must have gotten lung cancer. Though she did have one child since she was afraid of leaving the pups to someone else. I’ve also been doing more research on Sachiko.”

“What’d you find out?” Sango spared her a glance.

“Nothing… Every time I looked there was no record. The…” Kagome frowned. “Actually, at the library near the King’s palace, they seemed afraid when I asked that name. I couldn’t chance it and had ended up lying, saying it was a friend I met who lost their history.”

“You lying? …” She rolled the scroll back up as it had abruptly ended. ‘Only 23 years after that day Kira got the pups. The woman was so young when she died.‘ Shaking her head. “This is a lot different then what we have been taught. Considering the King had written that they had always been collared and that youkai were born for our use. Is this even real?”

“Why would it not be real? There was a very old and weak spell placed on the scroll to preserve it! The paper looked and felt like it was about to turn into ash. I even checked the ink by asking a specialist! The guy said it was hundreds of years old. I quote, “Maybe at the exact time youkai made a contract with the King.” An old youkai I got and a few others said that it held no lies. Is that proof enough for you? Do you even know why you have to call a priestess after a demon is born?”

“Not really.” Sango shrugged. “Just that it’s mandatory for them to get checked. Since it would take a few days before a collar would form and the mother would not let anyone near their baby. They could die because of the pull from the Kings contract. With the help of the priestesses they smooth over the transition. That’s why we can not leave them on their own for those few days.”

“Are any of your family members allowed to see the youkai during that time?“

This time Sango frowned, puzzled. She had thought is was strange when she was little but shrugged it off.  Because it had always been like that. She never really thought about it. “No. The Holy Guards always kept us out.”

“Well I accidentally interrupted them once. When I was at the temple to get checked for being a priestess. It had been ordered that way since the beginning, because the priestess’s would put a collar on the youkai by forming their youki, and reiki into a single band. Then putting a drop of their blood on the collars while the mothers would be held back. They said since I have the energy that I would be taught to do that one day…”

“Hold it!” Sango shouted. “So that’s also why you have declined all of their efforts to recruit you?” Sango noticed how Kagome kept glancing around, her shoulders tensed as she worried about someone hearing. ‘Now that she told me this…. It would explain a lot of what was going on. Even the secrets Kagome’s been hiding from me.’ She got an idea. Since one of the regular dragon steed breeders are close to laying eggs she could wait for the hatching. ‘I can check it out! Though I might have to get someone to distract one of the kings men who were sent to guard the dragons when they hatch. Which would explain how a miko could get to them.’ Sango grabbed her friends arm. Leaving the store room to go to her own. It was too risky to continue in that spot since they‘ve been in there longer than needed. Quickly locking her door since the room had a lot of wards, she spun Kagome around. “Spill.”

Kagome tried to pull her arm back and Sango apologized for her exuberance as she often forgot about her strength. “Our chosen oath, first.”

Sango crossed her heart with two fingers and a gesture. Saying an oath they created when growing up. “Cross my heart and hope not to die, I promise I will never tell this non lie. With secrets dance and dragons prance, my lips will stay glued like your sacrifice so dearly chanced.”

Satisfied, they sat on the bed and both pulled a pillow to rest their heads on. Crossing their legs meditation style. “It was near my 7th birthday and I guess two years after I had found the scroll.”

“What did you do in between?” Sango interrupted.

“You know the usual…”

“…. Help the stable master with the breeding horses, work in the gardens, learn with the cooks, read more, and dodge father.” They said it at the same time. Both of them laughed good naturally.

The older girl tossed a smaller pillow at her. “Or you would just play in the forest near your home. That was a stupid question. Go ahead and continue Kagome, you have both my ears.”

Kagome caught the pillow and put it under her chin to make it more comfortable. Seeing Sango roll her eyes. Thinking that is was odd Sango was accepting the information she was telling her so easily. “I guess you can all ready tell I had been thinking about that scroll, and matching it with the history books that we were both being taught.”

Sango nodded for her to keep going.

Her mind began to wonder off while the other kept quiet. “It was in Portland Peer that mother and I went to. The one near the southern part of the ocean. Koga was right behind me as always. It was really hot out with ships docking and another unloading. Every time I saw a youkai slave I was reminded that we had done this to them… Miko’s who were supposed to protect or keep the peace just as the fabled Cardinal Youkai Lords. Mom told me to go back to the rooms we were staying at. You know how my parents always give me an allowance every month….”

Kagome smiled. “Well, there was a candy store on the way to the Inn and so I had taken the detour. A sound in an ally had startled me. That was the first time I actually saw a youkai yell at their master as they tried to discipline them. You know what she said? That she had a brother and that if it weren‘t for the collar they both would have killed them without a thought. That her mother had been a free youkai before miko‘s messed it up. Then her master used a command and well… I just went up to him and kicked him in the shin.”

Sango leaned against her palm as she laid down. ‘Now that’s the Kagome I know.’ She thought. ‘Bold or fierce of her morels to the point of doing what your not supposed to do. Interfere with another’s business.’ Actually picturing a 7 year old Kagome standing up to a grown man with her hands on her hips defiantly, she smiled

“He cursed while his buddies were scared off by Koga. I then asked if I could buy his level 3 youkai off him, and he let me. Her name‘s Sora and she‘s a dragon type.”

Sango gasped. “That means you went behind your parents backs 11 years ago. You‘ve had another slave…” She shook her head. “Sorry, youkai all these years. What did you do?”

“Yeah I did. And I hid her for at least 6 months, before I found a place in the woods. Using a different name to secure it. My parents then tried to buy it from my alias for my birthday. So I ended up getting two times the amount I had paid for right back. Kind of felt bad about that… Anyway it was a perfect amount to get the place fixed up. During that time Sora had accidentally got cut.” She waved her hand in an unconscious gesture. “You know how my mom would clean my cuts and kiss it before letting me go back out? Well shoot, I was just a kid then and I had kissed Sora’s hand after I cleaned it. “ Kagome laughed, “I was so short and was fretting over her. You should have seen what happened next!” Taking Sango’s hand’s in excitement. Her reiki responded to her emotions. Shimmering over her skin delicately. “For some reason her collar started glowing and my reiki had flared. Next thing we both knew the collar was gone. I broke it Sango! And I had gotten a few more youkai over the years and did the same. Will you help me give them back their rightful freedom?”

Jerking away from her abruptly, Sango raised her hands up as if in defense. “Stop and rewind! You broke it? As in set them free and you weren‘t killed or anyone else for doing such?”

Her excitement deflated and her body tensed again. She eyed Sango warily. “After a few mishaps with the youki leaking out I got it. But, yes.”

“So all this time that you would just become quiet, uptight, or panicked when I talked to you about home…was because you had hidden youkai that had no collar and you were afraid. Because my family is full of Demon Slayers and that the miko guards would come to hunt them down. Add to that, my father is known for training them as you can all ready tell from the violent like reaction your Inuyoukai had acted towards us, and that I was trained in the same art. Why in the world would you tell me this? Are you stupid!” Sango shook her shoulders at Kagome’s instant objection to being handled. “If I were anyone else you would be imprisoned and tortured till all the youkai were found and the King…” She shouted. “THE KING WOULD KILL YOU OR WORSE START A WAR.”

“SANGO! Calm down.” Kagome shot back. “Your not anyone else. You’re my friend, like a sister, and I believe you could help me with keeping Shippo, Sesshoumaru, and the others a secret. Since I know you know he is a youkai and Sesshoumaru is a silver. But I had promised the Inu I would let him go. Yes, there are a few rules that I have come up with before I free any of them. And I all ready know what a silver may be capable of or what might happen when the balance of power shifts across the lands. From hundreds of years of oppression it is also bound to happen sooner than later. If it is a youkai that starts it I would not blame them. But, I would also stand in their way if innocent blood is spilt.”

At the next fired questions and answers Sango relaxed. “Okay, I‘ll calm down.”

“Will you?”

Sango‘s brow twitched as Kagome was giving her a wide eyed look. “Fine, but you have to bring me to that cottage of yours some time soon.”

“It’s a deal.” She grinned. Quickly hugging Sango. “You’re the best!”

Sango fell backwards and they both rolled off of the bed. Laughing as a pillow landed on their heads. “And you...” She pulled it off. “are incorrigible. Lets go get something to eat for lunch.”

“Lunch! I completely forgot.”

“Forgot what?”

Kagome got up and went to the door to unlock it. “I had asked that new girl, Eliska to get some lunch for Sesshoumaru, Shippo, and I. She should be, wait... She‘s at the door.” She felt the youkai going toward her own bedroom where Sesshoumaru was. Closing her eyes she tried to shrink the barrier she had placed over him. Ending up stumbling past Sango’s doorframe blearily. Having more difficulty with the barrier and leaning against the other wall in the hallway. “what… is this..” If felt like she was being oppressed. Kami it hurt.

“Are you okay?” Sango jumped to her side. Helping to keep her on her feet. Seeing her take slow almost ragged breaths worried her. “Kagome?”

Simultaneously Koga, Lillian, and Shippo stopped what they were doing. Looking towards the main house.

Sesshoumaru woke to his collar glowing and the reiki around him disappeared. Something was horribly wrong. Running past the youkai about to knock on the bedroom door he was abruptly bombarded . Brought to his knees by a sharp pain raking through him. His shoulder hitting the wall harshly as he tried to stand. Realizing that it was only a part of what she was feeling he looked down the hall in alarm. Seeing Kagome fall to the floor against Sango. No longer able to stand up.

“Koga.” Kagome called. All of her collared youkai appearing next to her side startling Sango. ”Ge…get Sora.” Like daggers stabbing her she screamed. Wrapping her arms around her sides. The jewel on her neck glowing with a faint black as she passed out.

“Kagome!” Sesshoumaru tried to touch her. Being violently shocked. The others getting the same reaction except Sango.

Her scream had filled the manor. Alerting everyone.

~ * ~ * ~

Blood leaked out of a fresh cut along her cheek. Long violate hair being pulled up even farther. Her feet dangling three feet from the floor as her master sat on his throne. Though the sweat on her brow slid over her birthmark. An empty box with a solid diamond on top was placed right in the middle of her forehead. What gift she was also born with she called it a curse. All she had to do was fill a cup with water and call a persons name. Seeing their image shimmering back at her. She could send them any emotion she wished no matter how far the distance. If it was strong enough, and if she also pictured giving them a hug, they would feel it. But, in this case… she was forced to cry into a chalice. Sending huge amounts of pain and darkness. She had tried the first day he ordered her to do it. Hoping to lesson it by making the person sleep longer. But she was thwarted by that storm. Letting out a sob her tears did not cease.

“Good job, Eleene.” The voice spoke smoothly. Very pleased. Every tear drop fell into the gold chalice that was held closely to her face by a startling white toned hand. His claws holding it carefully while his other yanked her hair again. It had taken him several days to get her to even cry. “Do it.”

A second later the scream of an innocent miko emanated from the tears. Echoing in the grand hall.

The male let go of her and dropped the chalice. Watching her fall on the concrete, and roll down five steps, her whimpers reaching his ears. Standing gracefully he turned his glare on a very disobedient hanyou. The hate rolling off of the chained person only aggravating him. The female he had just poisoned was most likely going to die, and it was a person he was actually fond of, because her purification was brighter than any others he had come across. Though she had done no harm against him after refusing to be trained, he liked her fire, and had wanted to tame it when she was older. But, as fate had it he also needed to make an example. “What have I told you about staying at your post?”

“To not leave unless something urgent happens that might spoil your plans.”

Back handing him the King snarled. His concealment gone with two large spiraled horns jutting out two feet atop his head, brown eyes turning orange, his fangs barred. “So what if the Daiyoukai, Sesshoumaru was about to die, and Lord Daren’s daughter healed him! Even getting herself another slave. That mean’s nothing happened. He is still the same and not dead. Having been a thorn in my side when my mother’s priestesses collared him centuries ago. Your punishment is the young Ladies life you seem hell bent on tainting.” He paused. “Such a shame. Her light was so beautiful.”

Naraku spat on the carpet. “Bastard.”

He laughed. Sending chills down the other occupants in the room. “That is what my father and mother created.”