Trapped

1404 early-Muromachi Period , Autumn, Shanghai

Kintsuke had been given a room and an attendant, quickly settled comfortably in one of the guest quarters. She'd also been given a choice to make. She could either step into the role both Daiyufan and Shoucheng had been meant to fill as heir to the family, or she could hunt down a worthy female for her grandfather to breed. The first option was far more complicated than a simple 'yes' or 'no' for her; and why his current female was not agreeable enough for the task, she could not ask, for that would be rude. She did wonder, though…

Aside from her suspicions, she found her stay comfortable and the other demons here fairly agreeable. Her room was well furnished, warm, soft, and inviting, sharing the same gentle hint of mint which permeated the entire castle, and which Kintsuke found she enjoyed. Gentle waves of familiar youki flowed soothingly from the numerous braziers inside the castle and out, and the weather on the island was constant and comfortable.

Most notable for her more immediately was the reliable presence of food. After only a couple days she could already see her body recovering from the slow starvation she'd been enduring, and by the end of the week, she had her healthy glow back. Indeed, she couldn't find anything really to complain about in this place, however, it was time for a day trip away. That time was upon her again.

She informed the attendant she'd been assigned that she would be stepping away from the castle for the day, but would remain close by, and made her way out and down the tower of stairs. On the third level, she began to feel it, a repelling sensation that urged her back to the higher levels. The further down she went, the stronger it became.

'Odd,' she thought absently.

Here on the final step it felt the strongest, and her entire body buzzed with electricity, making her hair stand on end. Slowly, cautiously, on a hunch, she reached her hand closer to that force that repelled her and met solid, insistent resistance that crackled angrily.

'A barrier…to keep people in? '

She blinked at the invisible wall for a moment before glancing back to examine the outside of the castle, as if something there would offer her a hint. Her attendant had followed her, and now meekly explained to her that it was the master's divine will that Kintsuke remain in the castle for the time being. She simply nodded and dismissed the female.

She vaguely remembered Shoucheng mentioning something about how this 'father', Kintsuke's grandfather, controlled the fates of all who wielded the black flames. Was this one of the ways he did it? Was this his doing? She noted that one of the large braziers was burning higher than the rest, its black flames tinged here and there with a pinkish hue; and it made her smile inside.

'I believe I understand now. This must be one of the many abilities one can train their fire to have.'

She was intrigued by the idea, wondering how exactly that would work, but the thoughts were quickly drowned out by a surge of panic. She couldn't leave... She was trapped in this place now. The full implications of that settled heavily on her shoulders and fear shot through her, frigid and hollowing, for the first time in decades.

Slowly, almost dazed from the near-shock, she made her way back to her room, fighting to maintain some measure of calm. There, she released the layers of decorative screens that sectioned off the innermost chamber of her quarters where her bed was set up and seated herself on it, blinking through the jumble of thoughts and emotions.

Part of her began to panic, the other part began sorting through excuses to give her grandfather to let her leave. Perhaps his permission was all that was required to make it past the barrier. She was certain she could escape any detail he sent along with her. Yes, that was her best option, she was sure, but what to say?

She was still deep in thought sometime later when her assigned attendant meekly informed her that the master had requested her presence.

Here's my chance. She thought as she checked her appearance in the looking glass and followed her attendant out to one of the patios where her grandfather sat inspecting his afternoon meal, looking quite unimpressed. She announced herself and waited, for it would be rude of her to continue speaking until she was recognized, except he was taking his dear sweet time with that part.

Finally, he noticed her, his lips twisting into a grin which brought back memories that almost made her cringe. His tone was amused, but not warm as he spoke.

"Earlier, you tried to leave, did you not?"

She licked her lips.

"I did attempt to step away from the castle, yes."

"Then you are now aware that you are unable to do so. You see, it is my desire that you remain here, and so shall it be until the time I desire otherwise. If there is something outside that you require, the servants will fetch it. That is their place, yours is to come to a decision. This is your home until you do."

His note of finality and the dismissive wave of his hand left her no room for response or argument. Quietly, she returned to her room, settling herself again on her bed.

'I'm trapped,' she thought, staring at her feet. 'There's no getting around it until… I'm trapped, oh gods, I'm trapped here!'

Panic gripped her tighter and tighter with every iteration.

'I'm trapped. I'm trapped!'

She paced the perimeter of her bed-chamber, slowly wringing her hands.

'Trapped. Trapped! Trapped!!'

The demon in her stirred, feeding on her suffocating anxiety as she pressed herself against the solid frame of her bed, sinking slowly to the floor. Her eyes were wild and mad, and she nearly hyperventilated as she tried to make herself as small as she could against the floor.

'I'm trapped! I- I'm- No, I can't. Trapped. No! No, get a grip! This isn't how we survive! You're stronger than this, you've been through far worse. This isn't the end; it's going to be okay. It's okay. You're okay.'

Somehow, she managed a tenuous control of her demeanor again, sitting back up and smoothing at her hair. Ridiculous, wasn't it; how such a simple thing had nearly given her a complete meltdown. A chuckle tickled at the back of her throat and she couldn't stop it from falling out into a full laugh. It was an empty sound, cynical, and fake.

'Something amuse you, hanyou?'

The memory echoed like the splash of cold water she so needed right now. There was a fondness attached to this memory hidden beneath the ice-glazed honey. This one memory was so precious somehow, but she couldn't quite remember. Still, it was stupid, she thought, that Sesshoumaru of all people would surface in the chaos of her mind to save her from herself. Aside from a passing notion, she hadn't really thought of him in…how long? It felt like forever; and it'd been even longer since she'd seen him, bloodlust snarling across his delicate features in the snow; livid, virulent, primal, perfect.

There was that damned pang in her chest again.

***

It had all been a bad dream, she convinced herself as she made her way down for dinner with her grandfather. There was no other way she could register what she had experienced in this place that day. The animal side of her human nature had been absolutely frenzied with terror. Everything that she had found pleasant and soothing before now screamed 'danger', even though she was consciously aware that the walls were not actually going to begin spawning horrid creatures to devour her, it didn't keep her paranoia from trying to convince her otherwise. Sesshoumaru's voice had only worked the once, and she almost felt abandoned in the ineffectual silence.

She pushed the jumble of excess thoughts from her mind, maintaining her poise through dinner. Her grandfather seemed utterly unconcerned that she'd sequestered away in her room for the better part of the day, unseen or heard from. Indeed, the only thing he even said to her was to question whether or not she'd come to a decision. He was clearly dissatisfied with her answer of 'no', and urged her to come to one soon.

The next day was the same, and she gave him the same answer; 'no'.

Each day he asked, and she gave the same answer, and each day he grew more agitated until she was sure he would launch across the table to sink his claws into her throat.

"I do not have time for your ridiculous dithering!" he nearly shouted; and she knew she could delay no longer.

She'd have to have an answer for him in the morning, or he might actually do her a harm.

She had an idea, actually, a blending of the two options he'd given her. She would step into the role of heir for the time being, training in the ways and skills of the aristocracy and fire while searching in her spare time for a female that suited him. This way, whether through Kintsuke's inability to find him a female or the birth of another, he would have his heir.

Kintsuke greatly preferred the latter, for it meant she would be able to return to her island. She was certain it would take some convincing, but that she would eventually make him agree; though exactly how to coerce someone like her grandfather into this dubious at best solution, she was not quite sure.

…Yet.