Chapter 12
"ARGHH!" Inu-Yasha shouted in frustration. He shook the chains angrily. Dawn wouldn't come for another six hours or so, and the wait was driving him mad. The guard had taken to taunting him, dangling the key to the chains in front of Inu-Yasha's face. Of course, he wouldn't be able to reach it, and the guard would retract his arm, grinning. An ugly woman had come to take care of his wounds, but Inu-Yasha had slapped away her insinuative hands as they tried to roam all over his body. The wench had departed, depressed about his rejection of her favors. Inu-Yasha sighed. His situation wasn't getting any better. Soon, Sessho-Maru would come, and Inu-Yasha would fight him. That is, if Sessho-Maru would let him out of the chains.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"That's Sessho-Maru's castle?"
"It's huge."
"Inu-Yasha's in there somewhere."
"That was my lord's father's castle," said Myoga. "And we're not sure if my lord is there, Kagome."
"We might as well take a look inside," said Saia. She blew out the lantern and put it back in her pack. "We don't need this anymore. The evil aura gives off more than enough light."
"You can see it, too?" Kagome asked, surprised. Saia glanced at her.
"Of course I can. I'm a priestess, aren't I? Now, you guys stay here. I'll go inside - "
"No way."
"We're coming with you."
"Lady Saia, I think that - "
"Fine, you can come," Saia gave in. "But only up to the wall." She walked up to the stone wall. They followed her. She stepped back and looked at it.
"We can climb this easily," she said. "It's only seven feet or so." She jumped up next to the wall and caught a hold. Holding her body slightly away from the wall, she scaled it, stopping at the top. Kagome sighed.
"Um, we can't all do that, you know." Saia looked down at her, then probed around in her pack for something. Kagome heard a slight sigh of exasperation, then she felt a silken rope touch her hand. Gripping it, she clambered up the wall, Myoga and Shippo holding on to her.
"Yes! I made it!" she gasped, when she finally reached the top. Saia winced.
"I think you pulled out all of my hair, too." She rubbed her head. Kagome looked at her in surprise.
"That was your - "
"No matter," Saia interrupted briskly. "Now, wait a minute." She sat facing the castle, and made a few hand movements. Then, she pulled out a white powder and gently blew it over the courtyard. Myoga watched, intranced.
"What are you doing?" he asked.
"A sleeping spell for the castle courtyard," she answered. "Then I shouldn't have to worry about sentries out here. It'll be easier for me to sneak into the castle, too." She turned to them.
"Now, I'm going inside, and you - "
"We're coming, too," Kagome said firmly.
"Yeah," added Shippo.
"Well, maybe we should stay - " "Shut up, Myoga, you little coward," Kagome said.
"No, you are staying here," Saia said. "It's safer and I'll be able to rescue Inu-Yasha faster."
"But - "
"You're staying," Saia said tenaciously. "And that's final." Kagome sighed.
"Well, can we at least wait inside the courtyard?" Saia considered the query.
"I guess so. As long as the slumber spell holds, you should be safe. But just in case - " She made a slight motion over them. Kagoem heard a soft popping sound.
"What was that?" Shippo asked. "Another spell?" Saia nodded.
"A spell of invisibility. The demons won't be able to see you. But don't let anyone touch you, or the spell will be broken. Now, I'm sneaking in, so don't follow me, and keep quiet." She slipped over the side and headed toward the castle door. Kagome jumped over the side, and landed on her backside.
"Ow!"
"Kagome!" Shippo and Myoga jumped down after her. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah."
"Why'd you jump down?" Shippo asked.
"Saia said we could we could wait in the courstyard," she answered. So here we are." They sat down. The sentries around them we still asleep, not awakened by Kagome's rather noisy descent.
"So what do we do now?" Shippo asked.
"We wait," Myoga answered. "Until Lady Saia returns with Inu-Yasha."