InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Tale of Ever After ❯ Chapter 338

[ 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 338

Susumu sat on the bottom rung of the watch tower, watching the sky brighten over the paddy fields to the south of town. This time of year, they were not filled with water to catch the growing sunlight, but with the green of barley that had not yet begun to ripen. Overhead, a couple of ducks flew towards the river. Everything was wet, or at least damp from the rain the night before. Puddles stood in the main street. An early rising dog stopped at one and took a drink.

The village guard, still wearing his rice straw rain cloak slipped off his rush hat. To him, as a farmer, the dampness felt good – it was the type of rain that makes for good crops. He gave a sigh of contentment.

"Another night's watch over and done," he said to himself. "Once Haruo gets his butt up and over here, I'm going to have a good breakfast and an even better nap. I love these nights when absolutely nothing happens."

"Those have been rather rare around here lately," a voice said behind him. "Let us hope last night is the start of a trend."

Susumu stood up and turned around. "You're up early, Houshi-sama," he said, nodding in Miroku's direction.

"Ah, I'm always up early," the monk said, smiling. "I just usually don't meander down to the village to chat with whoever's on guard duty." He shrugged. "It's an old habit of mine from my monastery days."

"Is that so?" Susumu said.

"Oh yes. They always got us up early for morning meditation. I always suspected it was so that we wouldn't pester the cook making breakfast, but I got the habit and it stuck."

Miroku walked up next to him, looked at the watch tower railing and thought about sitting, but it looked a little damper than he wanted to deal with, so he kept standing instead.

"Well, I was always told the habits we get as young ones stick longest," Susumu said. "At least the rain stopped before you came down."

Miroku nodded. "There is that, for which I thank the heavens. It makes what I came down the hill to do that much easier."

Susumu scratched the back of his head. "I'm amazed that you even came down here after the last two days. You finally get your peace and quiet back and instead of taking a day to enjoy it, it sounds like you're getting ready to do something unpleasant."

The monk nodded. "I did think about that. I owe my lovely Sango some quality time. Still, there are other people I need to keep an eye on, too, for their own spiritual good. Today, I thought I should have a talk with Michio."

"Michio?" The village guard was surprised at this, and he gave the monk a worried frown. "You're not going to take him to task for Chiya's bad behavior, are you? I don't know if Kwannon of the Hundred Hands could make that woman behave."

Miroku held up his hand and waved that thought off. "No, no. I agree with you about that. No, I never got a chance to have a good talk with him after, well the incident with InuYasha at the temple, and then finding out about how Chiya treated Sango-chan." Miroku sighed, and gave the village guard a rather sheepish, wistful smile. "I'm not sure if I want to talk to him to see how he's doing and check on his spiritual needs, or if I'm still trying to put all of what happened together in my own mind."

"Ah," Susumu said nodding. "That was a lot dropped into all of your laps. And then, everything with Maeme-chan as well."

The monk nodded. He leaned on his staff and the brass rings jingled. "I am not, perhaps, the best of monks, nor the most Buddha-like of all the people here in the village, but I have duties to those who look for me to help them. I have duties to Sango and my children. I even have duties to me. Perhaps this walk is just a way to try to do some of it all."

"Smart man," Susumu said, standing up. "If you see Haruo, tell him I went home. I have a duty, too, and it's to breakfast and maybe a nap. The morning watch is all his." And waving, he began to walk home.

Miroku watched him for a moment, and then began going on his way. Lost in thought, he totally missed seeing Michio's son Masato peering into the community well as he walked down the road.

 

In another part of the village, other folk were also up early. One place was the household of Toshiro. At least some of them were already finished with breakfast and starting their chores. One such was the teenager Asami. This looked to be an eventful day for her.

"So, Asami-chan, are you ready for your new duties?" Sayo asked.

The two of them were alone for the moment in the birthing house, except for the small baby who lay sleeping in a basket next to her mother. Asami was unpacking a basket of cloths she had brought over from the main house. A cheery fire burned in the fire pit, with a water kettle heating over the flame. Sayo was sitting up, a position she had been in since the birthing of her new daughter, on the firm belief that it was important for new mothers not to lie flat for last least a week, preferrably for longer. She had a clean, dark quilt tucked around her, and a bit of sewing in her lap, and was obviously already rather restless at being kept penned up and away from the rest of her family. The remnants of Sayo's breakfast sat on a tray, waiting to be taken away.

"You heard about that already?" the younger woman asked, surprised.

"Oh yes," Sayo said. "Yasuo beat you over here by a good hour and filled me in on all the details. I'm sure he's holding back on some of it to make sure I don't spring out of bed and charge back in." She let out an exaggerated sigh. "But he lets me know at least some of what's happening. He knows I'd hop out of bed even sooner if he didn't. Anyway, Nanami and Matsu tell me all the rest."

Asami chuckled at that. "We all know how you are, Sayo-sama."

"Anyway," Sayo said, taking a stitch in her sewing. "Fujime-chan seemed very impressed with the quality of Maeme's sons, in spite of the trials they've gone through these last years, especially Sukeo. Very loyal and careful to do what he believes is the right thing. Protective of his mother. I trust Fujime's ability to judge people – and the fact that Fumio and Koume have the family under their wing is more proof. Helping take care of that family will be a big change from chasing after Daiki-chan."

The teen bent over and emptied a basket of dirty cloths to take to the house to be laundered. "Oh, it's amazing how much laundry a new baby brings to a house," she said. Standing up, she looked down at her feet. "I've never complained about taking care of the children, Sayo-sama."

"I know that, Asami-chan. But we all know what a handful my oldest son is. It might be nice to have a break from that for a while." She gave the girl a warm smile. "I was happy that Toshiro-otousan suggested you instead of Matsu-chan. And Maeme is an expert weaver. Be sure to learn all you can while you're there. So, are you ready?"

"I think so, Sayo-sama." The younger woman looked excited and relieved at Sayo's encouragement. She walked over to Sayo's meal tray and knelt down to pick it up, then frowned. "Oh, Nanami isn't going to be happy you left so much on your tray, Sayo-sama."

"Someday, maybe, we'll be able to convince Nanami that just because I had a baby that I don't need to be fed as much as a horse afterwards," the older woman said. "I'm not doing anything but sitting up and feeding Minako."

"Good luck with that," Asami said. "I'll take this back to the house if you're done."

"Put it down," Sayo said. "Matsu can take it back when she gets here. Come here a moment."

Asami reluctantly put the tray down and knelt next to Sayo's bed.

Sayo rested a hand on the teenager's head. "Now I am sure you will do as well helping Maeme-chan as you've helped here. You're a good girl, and a fine worker. I do want you to promise me, though."

"Promise what, Sayo-sama?"

"If you find it too hard, let me or Toshiro-otousan or Yasuo-chan know. Don't try to hide it. We might need to send another person there."

This made Asami frown. "You don't think I'll be enough?"

"I didn't mean it that way. Maeme-chan has been...well her soul was battered as much as her body, and it can be hard for someone like that to find their way back to accepting the light. If you think the darkness is touching her, send word. I don't think the boys will be much of a problem, but you're going mostly to help steer Maeme-chan back to life. To keep her from feeling alone. But on the other hand, now that the aunties of the village know that they are free to help, they may also be a little too helpful. Let us know if that's happening, too."

Asami nodded.

"And it's not like you're moving out of town, so don't be afraid to come by, either." Sayo gave her a big smile. "We'll try to keep Daiki from eating all of Nanami's rice cakes. We'll try to save a few for you, too."

Asami gave her a smile in return, and nodded.

"Now go and get Matsu in here. Minako will be waking up any time now. And it's time for you to start your new job."

 

 

Shimame no Kami clicked her fan shut with a very audible click. "Who's bright idea was this?" she asked.

"Yoshio," she said, and clapped her fan open and closed.

The kami was suddenly on the branch next to her. He seemed rather surprised by the summons. He was dressed in a comfortable, if well worn, beige farmer's hitatare jacket tucked into equally worn brown hakama, and he held a pair of chopsticks in one hand and a bowl of rice in the other. He looked about him rather surprised.

"Wha..." he started to say, and then saw the land kami. Quickly he bowed. "Ah, Shimame-no-kami! You caught me unawares. What can I do for you this morning?"

Below from where she hovered on the branches of a lone tree, Shimame pointed her fan and the two of them watched where a small girl child sat crying. She had fallen into a mud puddle, totally wetting her plain kosode and splashing mud on her face and in her hair. Besides that, she had scraped her knee, and she was holding it close to her as she rocked back and forth.

"She is one of your charges, is she not?" the land kami asked.

Yoshio floated down to stand, unseen by mortal eyes, next to the little girl. "How did she get out here?" he asked, looking up at Shimame. "This is Michio's youngest. Chiya's daughter. Asuka. By herself and out this early? Hardly anybody in the village is out yet, and not everybody's even awake."

"That's what I want to know. It's nothing you planned?" the land kami asked.

"Not at all. Look how miserable this little one is. There's something dark touching her, too." He looked up at Shimame. "I've kept half an eye on her. She's been having nightmares almost every night since…" He swallowed. "Well, she's always had a tendency for active dreams, but since Chiya got sent away, she's had them every night. But there's only so much a family kami can do."

"What to do, what to do?" Shimame asked herself, tapping the edge of her fan against the side of her face.

"Maybe you won't have to do anything," Yoshio said. "Look...the monk that took care of Maeme – he's just down the road. He has daughters of his own. He'll know what to do."

The land kami cocked her head and tapped her fan against her lip, contemplating the turn of events. "Is destiny playing games here?" Shimame asked. "I'll never really understand humans and their fate. It does things I never expect."

"Or maybe one of the luck gods wandered by," Yoshio said, hope in his voice. "Michio could use some now."

"Couldn't we all?" the land kami said. "Or at least some quiet." She closed her eyes for a moment, and glowed briefly as she reached out with her kami power. "But I don't think that's going to be today."