I Am Me; No One Else

Chapter 7: Mending a Pure Spirit

The next several days passed without further incidents from the villagers; though Mitsu and Kaiyo were aware of the unrest within the whole of the village due to the demon lord's continued presence. Many of the men were harboring envy and jealousy to his closeness to the miko he brought to them; irrationally so, due to the fact they did not even know of her before now...all whilst Kagome was not even aware of the fact she had gotten noticed by them by chance.

Others of the small village merely wondered if his presence would actually mean good for their village versus ill; regardless of the promises the demon lord had made to them. It wasn't that they did not exactly believe him. They knew him to be of the higher status quo of his kind; he spoke well and much like a noble should. He was always bedecked and dressed in attire that was far more luxurious than anyone there had witnessed before.

Though that had been only initial, as the village hadn't been able to provide him such garments to replace the weathered ones, and Lord Sesshoumaru had refused to burden them all with trying to attain materials for such a thing. Though most admitted that the Daiyoukai did look rather strange in such simple and ordinary garb.

He was more concerned for his protection of the miko in his charge, however, and he admitted blatantly to Mitsu that Kagome would have been very disappointed in him if he had tried to take advantage of them in such a way.

It spoke well of him to them; to those whom had not resented his continued presence in the village, that he kept Kagome's thoughts close and that he was considering their well-being; even if he mostly did that for her sake and not both of them. In the days that had followed their arrival, all had seen that he was honorable and tended to keep his word.

More so than many of the men and women of the village that called this place their home.

Whatever the emotions were among the residents however, the Lord Sesshoumaru had remained by Lady Kagome at all hours as he too took solace in Mitsu's home while he waited and rested. His near eternally silent vigil over the miko and her condition had many there whispering of what it could mean for the future of the Western Lands.

As much as their tiny village due to the war they knew had already begun and was being waged by all the human daimyo. The demon lord himself had remained quiet to the noisy gossip, but he internally had to admit that the people were a little closer to truth than they knew.

Kaiyo and Mitsu being the exceptions in the village; though they had kept their words and had not spoken of any of it outside the healer's hut.

He had arrived there almost a week and a half ago with a deadly ill miko buried in his torn kimono; dripping wet from the storm and wounds scattered everywhere on him and on her as well from prior to her falling ill and not having time to heal fully. He had refused to be treated by them; wanting the miko healed before anything else. Kagome had been in no better condition; though her wounds were less severe.

The miko; she remained unconscious still, but her fever had finally broken. She now rested more easily than before and had regained some of her color to her complexion. Sesshoumaru was finally regaining energy from his former lethargy, so he had decided it was time to go back to the cave and retrieve their belongings as well as to hunt for some raw meat.

He stood slow and motioned to Kaiyo that he was going to see Mitsu. She nodded and stood; grabbing her journal before gently seating herself near Kagome in his stead. Mitsu and Kaiyo were two of four people in the village that could somewhat accurately read and write. Mitsu had learned from the healer she studied under, while Kaiyo had had learned from her.

Sachi had been educated due to her noble upbringing just as all her family had been, and the last person was an older male who seemed to like isolation and nature. He didn't talk much, nor venture to the busy ways of the village unless he had to.