just love me

Lord Kannaku gritted his teeth as his arm muscle gave a twinge of pain. “damn it.” He cursed under his breath. He turned and regarded the ragtag group of men that followed behind him, many of them slumping in their saddles. His slate eyes narrowed and he turned forward again. He gave a sigh of frustration and brushed his raven hair out of his eyes. Fucking demons, he swore underneath his breath. If they hadn’t ambushed his army, they would have returned from the war victorious. He growled, he really need a stress reliever, he wasn’t sure if even his whore would be able to relieve it.
He saw his concubine is his mind’s eye, her brown hair falling in soft curls around a pretty creamy face. Her brown eyes were large and round, something rare in these parts which had drawn him to her in the first place. He also saw her friend, the beautiful priestess Kikyo. Something about the priestess just did not settle right with him. It was true, she was beautiful and Kannaku could spot beauty easily but there was an…aura….that was just …different.
The 30 year old lord gave a sigh of frustration and he kneaded his temples with his good hand. He had claimed Isako only once and she had given him a daughter. A daughter. What use did he have for a female? That also meant that he had to provide for them in order to keep his honor intact. But, he also insisted that she serve his purposes as payment. He growled, he hated the fact that a lowly peasant’s daughter could ignite such a fire in his body. He kept his visage cold on the outside but inside, his every pore was burning at her every innocent touch. He longed to take her against every tree in the village. But, he had no true feelings for her. It was all lust, not love.
He heard the sound of crunching rock and his head instantly shot up. The priestess stood at the edge of the forest. A small half demon boy clutched her hand, dried tearstains on his face. Her brown eyes narrowed with hate when she saw him, Kannaku knew that she would not hesitate to kill him. “I see you got entangled with a demon.” Kannaku addressed her, nodding curtly at the half demon. Kikyo ignored him and cast a softer eye over the men following him. “Your men my lord. I believe that they need rest and immediate care.”
“well isn’t it a priestess’s duty to care for them?” Kannaku could sense that the priestess was anxious to leave and he wished to know why. Kikyo glared at him and he could tell that she was about to refuse when one of his men gave a pained moan and slipped sideways off of his horse. Kikyo turned and Kannaku caught the barest flicker of concern.
“very well.” Kikyo knelt and whispered words into the hanyou’s ear that Kannaku couldn’t hear. She straightened up, gave Kannaku a wish that plainly wished death as she set about her work. The little half demon ran off, “ He’s getting me the herbs I require.” Kikyo answered Kannaku’s unasked question.
She knelt by the moaning man that lay on the dirt road and inspected her patient with level eyes. “I need some form of bandages.” The men hastened to follow the firm authority in her voice. Kannaku watched wordlessly as the priestess efficiently ripped the shirt she had been given into strips. The priestess had an air about her that made the men quickly obey her orders and do them willingly. Kannaku watched her brow furrow in concentration as she gently probed the nasty wound on the man’s leg. Kikyo gently smiled when the half demon shoved some herbs into her hand. The boy watched her continue with wide eyes. The priestess finished quickly then stood up. “Anybody else?” Kikyo called. The men shook their heads, “Nothing that we can’t take care of priestess, thank you.” one of the soldiers said and gave her a weary smile. Kikyo relaxed and smiled back, “Be well all of you.”. She quickly gathered the remainder of the herbs and placed them on the back of the soldier’s horse, “These are for the rest of you.”. She ducked her head in a small bow then gestured at the small boy to follow her. Kannaku frowned at how quickly she had tried to leave.
“Kikyo.” Kikyo froze when she heard the lord’s voice. She turned around and looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “What are you trying to hide?” Lord Kannaku’s slate eyes glittered as he narrowed them. Kikyo regarded him coldly, “What do you mean?”. He let out a cold laugh “I, like you, have mastered the art of concealing my emotions which means I can sense your uneasiness as much as you can sense my frustration at the pitiful outcome of the war. I’m not an idiot priestess.”
“You could have fooled me.” Kikyo spat at him and Kannaku could see every drop of her hatred for him pooling deep in the recess of her brown eyes.
“Why do you hate me so much? As far as I can recall, I’ve never done anything to you.” Lord Kannaku frowned in annoyance at the priestess’s lack of respect. Kikyo whirled around and for the first time, he saw emotion on the beautiful face.
“Why do I hate you?” Kikyo hissed, “Let me tell you, you arrogant excuse for a lord. First, you rape my best friend and then you make her your…your-”
“Whore” Kannaku finished for her then instantly regretted it when all of a sudden he found her livid face right in front of him.
“Whore,” the word dripped from her lips like a block of ice, “No, my lord that’s what YOU are. Raping, pillaging and taking what you please, that’s the only way you became a lord. You sit up on your big chair, in your big palace with your big gates. But you know what? All those big things are to make up for your own shortcomings.” Kannaku found himself backed up against a large tree. Anger filled him at the hint that his manhood was small and he snarled at her, knowing that it wasn’t the smartest thing to do. “Your friend Isako would know wouldn’t she?!”
Emotion flew out of Kikyo’s face and sadness was the only thing left in her face. “Yes, unfortunately she would,” Kikyo turned around and took the hand of the half demon boy that was watching them with curious and oddly intelligent eyes, she looked back at him, disgust evident in her eyes, “You’re pathetic Kannaku, I know your kind all too well. They love to destroy and take lives. You’re just like him.”
She turned back and walked away with the boy, leaving the confused and angry lord still leaning against the tree. I’m just like who, he wondered before dusting off his jacket angrily and mounting his horse. Time to pay my whore a visit, he thought as his horse galloped down the dirt path unaware of the mahogany eyes watching him coldly before turning around and walked away, the serpentine bodies of soul collectors twisting around her body.