InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Tale of Ever After ❯ Chapter 56

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

I do not own InuYasha or any of the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi

Chapter 56


Kaede finished her cup of tea and put it down.  “Now let’s check on how the oil is doing.  If it’s just right, we’ll go up and say a prayer for InuYasha and Miroku and their work today.”

Kagome, drinking the last of hers, nodded, and watched as the older woman lifted the lid to the oil pot where it sat in the warm ash.  

“Ah, just right,” the older miko said, touching the pot, lightly with a finger.  “Warm, but not too warm.  Come feel, child.”

Kagome scooted over to Kaede’s side and gingerly reached out and touched the small container.  It was very warm, almost too hot to touch, but not quite.

“When it feels this warm, the oil will get the good of the herbs, and you never have to worry about it burning,” Kaede said.  “And it’s safe enough to leave.  But when it’s warmer than this, you have to be sure to keep a close watch to make sure it doesn’t start to smoke.”

“I understand,” said the younger woman.  She brushed a bit of ash off her fingers.  “How many ways are there to make medicines?”

Kaede replaced the lid and stood up.  “Several. Teas are probably our most used type, but we can get different strengths out of different preparations.  Some herbs work better if we boil them.  Sometimes, we soak things in strong sake.  And some we burn, because the smoke’s the good of it.”

“So much to learn,” Kagome said, standing herself.  She gave the older woman a small, nervous smile.  “This is going to take a long time to know enough, isn’t it?”

The older miko chuckled. “You’re doing well, Kagome-chan,” she said, moving toward the entry.  “This is the easiest way to learn, by doing.   Sometimes it’s better to not look at how long the journey is but where your feet need to step right now.” She stepped off the wooden platform and slipped into her sandals.

“My grandfather used to tell me something like that,” Kagome said as she joined Kaede and put on her shoes.

“Maybe that’s something we older folk learn it from experience,” Kaede said.  “I think it comes from looking for the journey’s end too often when we were young.”

That made Kagome laugh a little.  “You think it’s going to take me a long time to learn that lesson myself?”

“Maybe all of us do,” Kaede said, and she opened the door and stepped outside.

As they were getting ready to leave to walk to the shrine, a girl walked up to them, and bowed.

“Excuse me, Miko-sama, but have you seen my brother?”

“No child, I’m afraid I haven’t,” Kaede replied, returning her bow.  “Have you stopped by Tameo-sama’s house?”

The girl nodded and sighed.

“Gone missing again?” a man’s voice said.  The three of them turned to see Kinjiro walking toward him. He was carrying a hoe across one shoulder and a bag strapped across his chest, and his knees were muddied like he had been kneeling in the dirt. He gave the three women a small bow.  “Sorry, Setsuko-chan, don’t know where he is now, but I saw him earlier with Isao-kun when I was going out to my vegetable patch.  I think they headed down to the river, but no telling what they’re up to now.”

“I was afraid of that,” the girl said, sighing. “Obaasan sent him out for water this morning, but he took too long, and she sent me out to find him.  And if he’s gone off with Isao, she’s going to be angry.”

Kinjiro raised an eyebrow.  “I didn’t think he could do any wrong in your grandmother’s eyes.”

She shook her head, looking quite sad.  “No.  I’m afraid she’ll be angry at me.  I was supposed to keep an eye out on him.  He and Isao.  I’m supposed to keep them apart, you know. Ever since he . . . ”

“If your grandmother thinks a girl like you can keep a boy determined to get into trouble under control . . . ” Kinjiro said, spitting.

“Hn,” Kagome said.  “That doesn’t sound fair, either.”

“Thank you, Miko-sama,” she gave Kagome a small, sad smile.  “But that’s the way it is.  I knew I should have gone with him, but I was busy with my sister and chose not to go.  I’m sorry for bothering you.  I have to keep looking.” She bowed again, and dashed off, this time towards the river.

The three of them watched her walk away.  Shippou took the opportunity to jump off of Kaede’s roof, where he scrambled up Kagome’s shoulder.

“I think I feel sorry for her,” the kitsune said.

“Who is she?”  Kagome asked.

“Setsuko-chan is Joben’s oldest daughter,” Kaede said. “And there are times that I too feel the same way, Shippou-chan.”

“She’s the nicest one in that whole family,” Shippou said.  “Sometimes she gives me sweet dumplings.”

That made Kinjiro laugh.  “I’ve heard kitsune are fond of sweets, although I think it’s true of most boys.”  Ignoring Shippou’s glare, he nodded.  “Yes, somehow or other Setsuko ended up taking after her mother instead of that father of hers.  I hope when it’s time they find a good husband for her, but knowing Tsuneo, it’ll only be someone who’ll bring that family more money.”

“So, Kinjiro, what brings you to my house this time of day?” Kaede said to change the subject.

“Ah, Kaede-obasan, I was just heading up to the hill.  I wanted to do some more work in our little cousin’s garden.”  He bowed slightly in Kagome’s direction.

“My husband told me you were there yesterday,” Kagome said, returning his bow.  “It’s been very kind of you to do this.”

“Eh, I like to see a job done right,” the young man said, shrugging.  “You’re busy.  Chichi-ue asked me to make sure it was done well. Plus, if nobody’s home, then there are fewer people to bother me while I work.”

“You mean InuYasha doesn’t talk much,” Shippou said.

“He’s a wise person,” Kinjiro said.  “Knows the value of when to let those who know what to do work.”

“Feh,” the kitsune said, crossing his arms. “You don’t know him very well.”   

Kagome laughed.

“You, young kitsune, could learn a thing or two from him.”  Kinjiro shifted the hoe on his shoulder.  “Sometimes silence is the best way.”

Shippou made a glaring face at the farmer. “That’s enough craziness. I’m heading back up to the roof.” He hopped off the young woman’s shoulder and  turning into a pink balloon drifted back up.

“Well, I want to plant some burdock today,” Kinjiro said.  “I better get going.”

Saying their goodbyes, the two women headed up to the shrine, and Kinjiro headed down the path that took him up to InuYasha’s house.  Shippou, still irritated, reached into his vest and pulled out a bamboo-wrapped treat.  
“Sweet is good, “ he said as he unwrapped it and popped it into his mouth.  “What does Kinjiro know?”

Chewing noisily, he turned around so he could keep an eye on the shrine’s staircase.

Kinjiro had made almost to the hanyou’s house where he spied something that didn’t belong.  As he neared, he heard a small bird was twittering, noisily, agitated to his right.  When he turned to look, the bird was flying at a young cow, peacefully grazing in the open field in front of InuYasha’s house.  It was an animal he knew well, having sold her to her current owners.

“Didn’t expect to see you here,” Kinjiro said. “Aren’t you a long way from home?”

The bird, seeing the farmer, decided scolding the cow wasn’t worth it, and flew off. The cow, on the other hand, looked up when she heard Kinjiro talk. She shook her head a bit, the light flashing off her horns.  She was a handsome animal, a fine reddish brown with no white or black splotches, well cared for and well fed.

Kinjiro leaned on his hoe.  “Masami,” he said, talking to her like he would talk to a wayward village child.  “You know Chime will be worried once she sees you’re gone.”

The cow looked at him and flicked an ear at the farmer, the metal in her nose ring glinting, and the red and white rope tied to it adorning her cheeks and neck.  She snorted, then bent back down to the grass.

“Masami, does Daitaro-sama know you’re out of your pen?” Kinjiro said, scolding.  “You’re really not supposed to do this to him. And what about Okuro?  Don’t you think that old bull will be looking for you?”

This time, the cow ignored him.  Not willing to be treated so lightly, Kinjiro walked up and grabbed the cords to lead her back down the hill.  “I hope you haven’t been walking in Kagome-sama’s garden,” he said softly, patting the animal.  “I’ve been working hard to get that garden put in.” He gave the rope a little tug.  “In fact that’s why I came up here, pretty girl.  But first, I suspect we had better get you back home.”

He began to lead the docile, if somewhat  reluctant cow toward the path when he heard a loud groaning.

“That’s enough out of you, young fool,” said a familiar voice.  “Hey, get back here!”

A young boy, about thirteen, with mud smeared across the left side of his face popped around a tree, running right into Kinjiro.

The farmer grabbed him by the collar.  “Going somewhere Aki?   Your sister’s been looking for you.  Where’s Isao?”

“Out cold in the monk’s hut,” Daitaro said, huffing up to the path.  He leaned heavily on his staff. “Cow there evidently had the good sense to kick the stupid kid who was goading her.  I knew Masami was a smart girl.”

“She always was,” Kinjiro agreed, shifting his hold around the boy and deftly avoiding getting kicked.  “That’s why I charged so much for her.”

“Worth every penny,” Daitaro said, walking up and patting her on the neck.  The cow lowed in return.

Aki, grunting and straining in the younger man’s arms tried hard to bite, kick and break free,  but Kinjiro dropped his hoe and the cow’s lead and held own to him with both hands, wrapping his hands under the boy’s armpits and lifting his feet off the ground.  “You really need to calm down, boy.”

“Let me go,” the boy yelled. “My ojiisan will be really unhappy.”

“And my Chichi-ue will be really happy, I think,” the farmer said, “if you’ve done half the things people are mad about lately.  I’d calm down if I were you.”

Daitaro looked at the boy struggling in Kinjiro’s grasp. “I’ve got to admit, cousin, you’re a sight for sore eyes, cousin, finding both  my cow and this runaway brat.  I’m going to owe you one.”

“You can pay me later.  In sake, I think.” Kinjiro said.  “I like yours better than Chichi-ue’s.  But first things first.  What shall we do with this wiggling and rude ball of mud?” Kinjiro asked.

“Bring that bag of stupid home to my place,” Daitaro said, taking up the cow’s rope.  “I’m going to send Shinjiro over to get his grandfather.  And your father, too.  Time we put an end to this.”

“That’s what you think,” Aki said, spitting in the old man’s direction.  “My ojiisan . . . ”

Daitaro tapped Aki on the head with his staff.

“Your ojiisan is a wise man and will know the right thing to do.  Don’t know if you’ll ever learn.  But one thing’s for sure, you won’t mess with my cows or my brewing again.”

He gave the cow a nudge and headed down the road.