Ever Us -- The Blessing; Keiko

Chap 36
Day 149– the day before the real Nana gets back to Castletown

The guard quarters were opened and cleared out for their mid summer cleaning.  All windows including the chief’s were opened and the floors were cleaned with disinfectant.   As the incense cleared, the weapons specialist awoke.   He called out for Captain Kenichi and several guards rushed in.   One ran to get the captain.
Kenichi ran back in as fast as he could, but the chief was asleep again.   Turning to the nearest guard, Captain Kenichi asked, “What did the chief say?”
“He wanted you to know that there might be porcupine quills in the arrow.”
Kenichi ran to find his lords but they were out on patrol.
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Sesshomaru and Inuyasha had decided that morning would be their last patrol together until after Keiko was born due to Inuyasha’s increasing issues with balance.    This patrol took them out further in the countryside, with the intention of spending some time in a hot spring before returning to the castle.   The day was gorgeous and peaceful and they saw nothing of interest initially.     But as they flew over the crest of a hill they found a lone bug.  Sesshomaru let out a loud sharp bark and they landed.  From the sky it appeared that the bug was attacking some citizens.   
As the big dog landed, the farmers screamed and ran.  Turns out that the bug was just asking for directions.  The six foot tall insect with all his waving arms had been a bit scary to humans, but nothing compared to the giant dog.  Once it was clear that the bug had done nothing wrong, Sesshomaru spoke with the bug for several minutes and then turned to Inuyasha to translate their discussion.
“Inuyasha, Bug is a Dutch pill bug.  He is lost and was just trying to get directions.  He doesn’t understand what’s going on here. He claims  Japan is a scary place.  He wants to go home to the Netherlands. He admits to being a bit of a simpleton.  He was following his friends when they were hypnotized by a tall thin man.   He was rolling with the group when he hit a tree and was knocked unconscious. He can’t find the rest of his friends.  He’s been wandering the countryside for five months!”
The bug interrupted Sesshomaru.   They spoke for awhile longer.
“What made you think that?” The dog demon appeared shocked.
Inuyasha leaned in closer.
“He was told dog demons were dumb and couldn’t speak.   Since he had never seen any he assumed it was true.”
“Speechless?!” Inuyasha chortled. “Ha!”
“What?” Sesshomaru said to the bug.
“He’s lost.   He was told to help the bugs regain the land from the dogs.  He wants to know if we can give him directions.”
Bug shrunk to his small form and allowed Sesshomaru to pick him up.   The Takahashi brothers flew on the ki cloud back to the castle and arrived late that night.  They called an emergency advisor meeting.   Jinenji and Kenichi both were in attendance and informed the lords of the chief’s recovery and the news that the arrows were porcupine quills.  The lords introduced the pill bug to the advisors and told them of the mass hypnotism by a man that sounded like Tsuneo.  No other leads were shared and the group broke up.  
Sesshomaru led the pill bug to Captain Luuk and asked the captain to return the bug to his home land on their next trip.   When the pill bug heard a familiar Dutch accent he changed to his six foot form and told the startled captain that he would gladly work hard to get home.   Captain Luuk, not realizing there were demons in his home country, set down the castle sake for good, or at least until he was sober and realized it wasn’t a dream.
Little did they know but the young chamber maid Nami had overheard the entire conversation in the throne room.   Nami stayed to the side of the door to the throne room and waited until all the occupants had left early in the morning.   Afraid she’d be ratted out, she snuck into the throne room and stole Tenseiga.  Then she rushed off in to the countryside.