InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Tale of Ever After ❯ Chapter 176

[ 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 175


“So what now?” Susumu asked his father as they watched Chiya as she wept.

Tameo rubbed his right temple. “Time to finish up here. Are you ready, Tsuneo?”

The elder, pursing his lips, nodded. He walked over to his daughter and glared down at her, his arms crossed. “Crying’s not going to do you much good, daughter. We all know why you’re here, and what you’ve done. We will do what we think as right. This isn’t going to get you much sympathy.”

She looked up at him and at the sternness in the set of his jaw. “Otousan?”

“These last five days have drained me, Chiya,” Tsuneo said, his face growing even harder. “I’ve had to deal with your mother being bewitched, your nephew being uncovered as an ungrateful bully who even will batter his own relatives, a madman my son feels giri to care for, and now you. You will do as you are told, and give me no trouble, or I will send you to the women dealers, Michio be damned.”

“Otou?” Her eyes widened at the threat to sell her away.

“I don’t have the time or the patience for the games you two pull on each other. I do not need any more shame put on our family.” He took a deep breath. “You are my responsibility now. Do as you’re told.”

Swallowing, Chiya nodded, then bowed as low as she could, with her hands tied. “I...I understand.”

Outside a child yelled, “But I want to see Chichi-ue! I want my ball!”

Kimi’s voice, a little sad, said, “Not now.  Your Otousan’s a busy man. We’ll get that when they’re done. Let’s go see Obaasan. I bet she’ll tell you a new story.”

Their voices faded way as Kimi moved off with her young one in tow. Eiji, standing by the window, looked at the retreating figures longingly, then turned back around, saying nothing, but leaned against the wall. Tameo gave him an encouraging nod.

“We’ve taken enough of this family’s time, I think,” the headman said. “Michio has returned you, for at least a time, to the care of your otousan, Chiya. What he determines, will be enforced by the village. If you do not listen to him, then you will be dealt with by the council of elders. They may not be as considerate of Michio’s feelings as Tsuneo, even if he claims he’s not. You understand that?”


Still bowed, she nodded. “I understand.”

Tsuneo motioned to Eiji. “Will you untie her?”

“Do you think it’s safe?” the younger man asked, hesitating to leave his place by the wall.

“For whom?” the elder asked. “Are you afraid of a little wisp of a woman like Chiya?”

“Not of her,” Eiji said, shaking his head. “For her. You didn’t see her earlier today when...when...” He shrugged. “I wasn’t sure what else to do.”

“You did a good thing” Tameo said, scratching under his chin. “Haname doesn’t need any more shocks. Chiya behaving that foolishly...I don’t know which would have hurt her the most - Chiya’s death or the fact she polluted your house in a fit of pique because she refused to apologize when her husband said so.”

Chiya looked up at the men, and sobbed again.

“Be quiet, girl,” Tsuneo said. “You know that’s just what you did. You always did go for big gestures when you didn’t get your way.”

“Dying like that,” Miroku said, shifting his staff. He narrowed his eyes, although Chiya did not meet them. “That is a good way to spend centuries in hell learning your lesson. There is a story I could tell about what happens to foolish women -”

Tameo held his hand up. “Later, Houshi-sama.”

The monk tapped his staff once, making the rings jingle, but nodded.

“We haven’t told Haname anything,” Tsuneo said, staring a moment more at his daughter.  He turned to the headman. “She doesn’t know what Michio did. I thought we’d get...well get everything settled before she has something else to brood about. My poor wife needs some quiet, not more strife. Let’s get her untied and where she’s going so I can take care of that...man-child. I’d like to get everything settled down before lunch.”

“You didn’t tell Haha-ue?” Chiya asked, looking up at her father. “She’s no better?”

“She’s laying in her sickbed, and she’s started to cough,” Tsuneo said. “Akina thinks she’s getting a fever. You care now? You should have thought about that before having your tantrum yesterday.”

“Otou...” she stated to say, but dropped her head instead.

He dropped his arms and rested a hand on her shoulder. “This is why you will not be coming to the house. Your okaasan is too ill to be stressed by you.”

She nodded.

“You will not run, nor will you try to harm yourself again,” Tsuneo said. “Do you agree?”

“Yes, Otousan,” she said.  

“For the next two weeks you will stay where I take you. There will be spinning for you to do. You will stay inside unless I or one of the other elders comes and gets you, or gives you permission.”

She nodded again.

“Hana-chan will be there to take care of your needs. You may use her to send messages to me if you need something.” He crossed his arms again. “I would not use that privilege lightly, if I were you.”

Tameo cleared his voice. “Is this acceptable to you, Houshi-sama? I know she owes a debt to you and your family.”

“For the moment,” Miroku said. “I have not had enough time to think this through.”

“Fair enough,” Tameo said. “She won’t be going anywhere we don’t know about in the near future.” He glanced down at the woman. “Or at least she better not.”

Tsuneo turned back to Eiji. “Unbind her so I can get her out of here.”

Eiji moved away from the wall he had been leaning against and walked up to the distraught woman. Reaching over her head, he unfastened the knot he had secured her with on the overhead beam.

“Be glad your father is the man he is,” Eiji said as the rope went slack. “If was up to me, I don’t know when you’d be getting rid of this rope.” He jerked the rope, reaching for her hands.

“Chichi-ue, where are you taking me?” Chiya asked, her voice very small.  

Eiji finished untying her wrists, and stepped back. “A better place than you deserve,” he said, coiling the rope. “I’m going to wait outside.” He clapped Susumu on the arm. “Yell if you need me. I’ll keep the rope handy.”

The village guard nodded, and Eiji moved towards the door. “Houshi-sama,” he said, turning to Miroku.  

“Yes?” the monk asked.

“When you’re through, please come back and bless my house,” he said. “There’s been so much dark last night and today. I don’t want to attract anything bad here.” Eiji glanced one last time at Chiya.  “My wife and children don’t deserve that.”

“I would be honored, Eiji-sama” Miroku said.

Eiji gave the monk a small bow and headed outside.


Up on the hill, Shinjiro winced as Kagome poured a medicinal liquid over this scraped hand.

“That stings like hell,” the injured man said. “Chi-chi, can you pass me the sake bottle?”

Daitaro started to hand his son the jug, when the young miko gave him a look that made him stop. “Have you been taking lessons from Hisa?” he asked.  

Kagome chuckled. InuYasha, walking to where Choujiro stood by the fallen log, said, “She’s had that look for as long as I’ve known her. I’d pay attention to it if I were you.”

“You’re a man,” Choujiro said. He had some log handling hooks in his hand. “You can handle it.  Anyway, that’s how you know it’s working.".

“Let me give you a scrape and have Miko-sama here pour her medicine on it and see how you like it,” Shinjiro said, glaring at the other man.

“Feh,” InuYasha said. “This stuff is mild. You should feel some of the other medicine she uses.”  

“So,” Daitaro said, trying to change the subject, “Chime told me to ask you to the wedding dinner tomorrow.”

Kagome stopped what she was doing. “I thought that was family only.”

“Well, it is,” Daitaro said. “But you’re family now.”

“Only family can hurt each other like this,” Shinjiro said, as she poured a little more of her potion on his hand.

InuYasha stood on the opposite side of Choujiro. “You’re sure she really wants us there?” he asked, studying the wood in front of him.

“She made four types of pickles, just to tempt you,” Shinjiro said. “She wants you to tell her which one is best.”

The hanyou looked back at the injured man and shook his head.  

“InuYasha, the pickle judge?” Choujiro asked. “Let’s get this piece of wood moved.” He bent forward with his hooks. “Ready, InuYasha?”

“Keh.” He leaned forward over the length of tree trunk. “Where do you want it?”

Choujiro pointed to a spot not far from where he had been sawing. “There, I think.”

“So,” Shinjiro said. “Will you come? Or will you give Haha-ue another thing to beat me up over?”

Kagome smiling, poured some of the liquid onto a cloth and daubed at his knee. She looked up at InuYasha who gave her a nod. “I guess we will. Four types of pickles is just too much temptation.”

“I didn’t know if four would do it,” Daitaro said, taking a small sip of his sake, and then putting the stopper back in. “I told her to make five. So no telling what will be there.”

InuYasha, barked a laugh as he figured out how to hold onto the log.

“Hold still,” Kagome said as she began cleaning the bridegroom-to-be’s knee. As the cloth hit the scrape, Shinjiro winced again, and his leg jerked. “It can’t be that bad,” she said, putting the cloth aside and reaching for a jar of salve.

“Says you,” Shinjiro replied. He looked up at the sky. “Just remember, o Kami and Buddhas, how I am working out my karma today.”

Daitaro snorted. “Your okaasan always said you didn’t like to take your medicine.” Daitaro said, scratching his ear. “I remember when you were a little thing, you’d run away sometimes when she needed to dose you. Remember that time when you were about five -”

“Enough!” Shinjiro said, interrupting. “That’s because everything Haha-ue gave me either tasted nasty or hurt.” A smile touched his lips. “I’ve seen you duck out too, when it was your turn to take it.”

“Me?” Daitaro said, shaking his head. “I only run away if I don’t really need it.”

“That reminds me of someone else I know,” Kagome said, looking at InuYasha, who had wrapped his arms around the log.

He looked back at her and grinned. “Feh. You know I’d heal up anyway.”

“That’s what they always say,” she said, reaching for Shinjiro’s hand.

With a grunt, InuYasha picked up the length of wood, and moved it to where Choujiro wanted.

Choujiro looked at him with wide eyes, then shook his head. “I was going to help, you know.”
“Didn’t need any,” the hanyou said, dusting off his hands. “Wasn’t all that heavy for me.”

“Maybe I should have you along every time I do this.” Choujiro headed back to the cart to put up his hooks. “You come in really handy.”

Kagome wrapped a length of white fabric around Shinjiro’s hand, and tied it. “But you, Shinjiro, probably ought to leave the woodworking alone for the day. I think you’re ready to go. Want to try to stand up?”

“I suspect you’re right.” Shinjiro watched Choujiro pick up his wood splitting tools. “Sorry I wasn’t more help.” He carefully pushed himself up off of the ground, with Kagome and his father standing by.

“Good enough to get me started,” Choujiro said. “We weren’t going to get it all made into boards today anyway.”

Shinjiro rolled his shoulders and took a step. “That knee’s going to be stiff.”

“It’s not your knee that’s supposed to be stiff on your wedding night,” Choujiro said matter-of-factly.

Kagome blushed. And surprisingly, so did InuYasha.