Save Me

 

[A million thanks to Dragonzombie, Lord Youko, Dantae, and Rae for the awesome reviews. I always love reading them and greatly appreciate any sort of feedback. Also thanks to those who've read/rated.

There is a lot of description in this chapter, but it is so I don't have to go over it all again in the future ;^_^ There's a tiny lemon at the end as a reward for reading though! 

Thanks, and as always, please enjoy]

 

Chapter 8 – Arrival

The pair traveled for another 3 days, and on the morning of the fourth they reached the Castle Inu. 

The great building came into view as they climbed over an outcrop of rock and could see over the treetops to the mountain perched palace. Kitaru stopped in his tracks and gaped at the sight. He had been expecting a fortress, something black and ominous, but the castle was the complete opposite.

Its base was made of natural stone that looked as if it were growing right out of the mountainside. Smooth white wood made up the pristine walls of at least 8 stories, each tier smaller than the one under it. Shorter buildings of 5 and 3 stories surrounded the central castle, the complex spilling down the shallow side of the mountain. Every building had the curved roof common of Japanese castles, the corners curling into points, and the color of the roofs was a cornflower blue.

Sesshomaru stopped as well and gazed with mixed feelings at the castle. It was his home, after all. He’d grown up there, as had 7 generations of his family. Castle Inu was a cultural and political hub, where treaties were made and war was declared, sometimes all in the same day. In his younger days Sesshomaru had loved the turbulent and unpredictable nature of the place. He’d spent hours gathering gossip and causing plenty himself, sometimes for an end, sometimes just for fun.

Then his father had died. And everything had changed.

He’d avoided the castle since then, not feeling right within its walls without Inu no Taisho’s presence.

Sesshomaru felt right coming back now. The castle felt as if it had been waiting for him. He moved on, finding the white stone path that lead through the sprawling trees and entered the outskirts of the palace complex.

The path dipped down into the small valley that contained the complex, and all but the highest tower was hidden from view by the ancient oak trees surrounding the castle.

Kitaru followed close to his master. A large section of his tail was wrapped in white bandages around where those boys had tied it in a knot, though he was almost completely healed and could probably take them off now. He might suggest it to his master later. The three days of travel, though enough time for his tail to heal, hadn’t done much to quell his confused thoughts, especially since Sesshomaru had been oddly distant with him during the final leg of the trip. He’d given him his punishment of 20 lashes each night, and had allowed him to sleep on his master’s fur, but the lord hadn’t seemed to desire him in any other way. Was he not attractive to the youkai now that he’d let himself be taken by a gang of filthy human boys? But… then why didn’t Sesshomaru just leave him there? Why hadn’t he sent him away already?

Kitaru still felt a shiver travel down his spine at the thought of what Sesshomaru had said to him when he’d finally rescued him. No one was allowed to touch him. It seemed his body wasn’t his anymore.

Should be more upset by this? If he should, he couldn’t seem to bring himself to find too much of an issue with it. Wasn’t this what he’d always wanted? A place where he belonged, or at least, where he wasn’t completely useless?

Though, anything was better than that horrible place he’d left behind.

His blush was starting to return as they neared the palace. He was still completely nude, and was starting to wonder if Sesshomaru would ever grant him clothes.

The path twisted and turned back on itself, and there were times when Sesshomaru completely ignored the path in favor of just walking through the trees. Buildings started to appear among the trees, nicer than any building Kitaru had ever seen, and all with the same white and blue theme. He could hardly imagine what it would be like once they actually entered the castle. Though he couldn’t see them, the fox could smell the strong scent of other youkai. All were more powerful than him, but none were anywhere close to his master. He wondered if they simply weren’t out at the time, or if they hid intentionally from Sesshomaru.

The path grew quite steep before reaching a hulking, white stone wall that stretched out to either side into the forest as far as the eye could see. Kitaru guessed that it surrounded the entirety of the main castle grounds, though it was probably only for looks since most demons could hop right over the 20 foot wall.

Sesshomaru strolled through the three entrance gates before they entered the final walk. The demon’s face became even more distant as they walked down the white path, which split the great stretch of manicured lawn that surrounded the main castle complex. Cherry blossom trees dotted the landscape in graceful disarray, allowed to grow wild and unkempt over the clipped grass.

Kitaru looked around, eyes wide. He couldn’t help his amazement as the castle towered over them. The building looked like it had been there forever and like it would stay there forever. He followed closely behind Sesshomaru, his tail once again wrapping around his body to try and hide himself as they passed between two motionless guards positioned on either side of the large entrance. The wooden doors seemed to open on their own to allow the pair entrance into the magnificent palace.

The main foyer was well lit with natural light from the many windows and the glow of sunlight through paper sliding doors. Symmetrical hallways lead off into the many parts of the castle on either side of them, and a large staircase zigzagged up to the second floor at the back of the foyer. Dark hardwood coupled with natural white paper gave the room a rich, welcoming feel, while the subtle décor and perfect attention to detail subtly hinted the place’s true wealth and power.

A small army of servants awaited Sesshomaru, all of them already bowing low. A female raccoon demon straightened first, a pleasant smile on her face. She was slight of build and had her black hair pulled back in a severe bun. She wore a practical yukata with short sleeves and hardly any decoration. She kept her eyes downcast in respect as she said in a rich voice, “My lord, welcome home.”

Kitaru hid behind Sesshomaru, his blush flaring up again. The castle reeked of demonic energy. The place was filled with it, and it made him nervous and jumpy. If he weren’t so proud, and if he didn’t want to look even weaker, he’d be clinging to his master’s leg.

“Yuka,” Sesshomaru rumbled, and Kitaru swore he heard fondness in his voice. “Prepare two baths.”

Yuka dipped down in another bow as two girls scurried off to fill the lord’s command. The raccoon demon straightened again, “My lord, Takahiro-sama desires an audience.”

“Immediately?”

“As soon as is convenient for my lord,” Yuka replied.

“Very well. Tell Takahiro I will speak with him after I am settled and have taken care of some personal business,” Sesshomaru replied mildly, not looking at the fox, but Kitaru heard the different tone that implied the personal business was about him. He gulped, and tried not to fear whatever this ‘personal business’ entailed.  

Yuka dipped down once more at this, “Is there anything else my lord desires?”

“That will do for now,” the Inu-demon replied, walking past the woman and her battalion of servants. Kitaru trailed closely after, keeping his eyes down to the floor. He felt the servants all staring after them as they headed for the stairs and into the heart of the castle and couldn’t help feeling angry again that he had be completely naked in front of all these strangers. He knew he was weaker than all of the residents of the castle, but this just rubbed salt into the wound. He’d survived by acting tougher than he really was, and the vulnerability at being exposed in a place where any one of these demons could easily kill him as easily as a snap of their fingers made his fear and anxiety worse. Did Sesshomaru just like to see him vulnerable like this?

As soon as that question entered his mind his shoulders slumped, the answer so obvious it may as well have slapped him in the face.

The pair traveled through the maze of hallways and corridors, and Kitaru was soon lost. He’d never imagined a building could be so big. The hallways were narrow, but didn’t feel confined, and continued with the rich, dark wood and white accents theme.

After a few minutes of walking they reached the royal living quarters. They walked through a long hallway that was a little dimmer than the rest of the corridors they’d passed. At the end of the hallway was a paper sliding door that looked very solid with its heavy wooden slats and thick, specially treated paper. The image of a two-headed dragon had been painted on the door with simple, clean lines. Kitaru knew instantly that this must be Sesshomaru’s room. Why was master taking him here? Didn’t he belong in some sort of slave quarters or something?

The demon lord walked to the door and opened it, the wood sliding quietly over the floor. Kitaru gazed past the man and couldn’t help his gasp.

First of all, the room was huge. It was at least six times the size of the shack Kitaru had spent most of his life in, and the fox could hardly wrap his mind around how beautiful and clean and big everything was. The floor was completely covered in smooth bamboo mats and the bed took up a large section of the room to the right and was covered in a plethora of big, heavy looking blankets. Two walls had windows shaded with natural cotton drapes that softly whispered across the floor as a gentle breeze played with them. A heavy writing desk, large wardrobe, and an armor and sword rack made up the rest of the furniture.

Kitaru instantly felt that he shouldn’t be here, this room was way too nice for someone like him to be in it. He felt dirty and painfully aware of how unworthy a creature like him was in the face of such grandeur. He didn’t say anything to Sesshomaru though, he didn’t want to bother the demon and add ‘annoying’ onto the list of his faults.

The youkai walked in, slipping his boots off as he slid the door closed behind them. Kitaru felt even more awkward; his feet were filthy after years of walking barefoot. He decided he’d stay at the door so that he wouldn’t track dirt into his master’s beautiful bedroom.

Sesshomaru noticed that Kitaru stayed behind, but didn’t bother saying anything. The boy could do what he wanted, for now. He walked to the racks and removed his armor with casual ease. The fox watched and was again amazed that the inu-demon didn’t look any less intimidating without all his armor. Lastly, Sesshomaru took the two swords from his obi and carefully set them on the sword rack, where they sat under a sheathed sword that was already resting there.

At that moment the door to a connecting room opened and one of the servant girls came out and bowed low to Sesshomaru. She didn’t rise as she said softly, “Your bath is prepared my lord, as well as a tub for my lord’s guest.”

“Make sure I can watch with ease,” Sesshomaru rumbled, still staring at his swords.

“Yes, my lord,” the girl replied simply before retreating back into the bathhouse.

Kitaru stared after her. He was to bathe in the same room as Sesshomaru? He shouldn’t have been surprised, after all the youkai had bathed with him in the spring back in the forest. But this was Sesshomaru’s own home! Kitaru thought things would be different, that he’d be brushed off as just another slave. It was something he wanted, a simple life, one where he knew the rules and didn’t have to hurt anyone. If Sesshomaru was to keep him here, in this room, he had no idea how to behave. Sure, he felt more complete and content when Sesshomaru used him… but that didn’t make him less anxious about living here with his master. 

Sesshomaru spent a few more moments staring at the swords before he turned toward the hanyou. “Slave,” he commanded, “Come.”

Kitaru blushed and frowned a little at the tone, that defiant streak quick to crop up since he was already so overwhelmed by this place. He followed though, cringing a little as he heard dirt sprinkling onto the clean mats in his wake. Sesshomaru opened the door to the bathing room and walked in, leaving Kitaru to close it behind them.

The fox was in for yet another shock at the decadence of this room. The bathhouse was covered in white tiles from floor to ceiling, and light fixtures draped with jewel-toned swaths of fabric made the entire room feel even warmer than it already was. A large sunken pool took up the center of the room, already filled with steaming water and big enough to hold ten people. Soaps and jars of all sorts surrounded the pool, along with six girls all in thin, flowing robes. They all bowed at the waist when Sesshomaru entered, pleasant smiles on their faces.

Kitaru gulped and tried not to stare at any of the other demons. He knew female full-demons could be just as cruel and formidable as males. He spotted a moveable tub made of copper on the opposite side of the pool, also steaming, and realized that was his bath. That was… disappointing, which was stupid of him to think. Sesshomaru wouldn’t want a dirty thing like him in his own bathtub. The spring in the woods had been different…

Four of the girls approached Sesshomaru while the other two beckoned Kitaru. The fox kept his eyes glued to the floor, but when he got close he said grumpily, “I can wash myself, you know.”

The girls gave him identical mild smiles, “We must make you to his lordship’s preference,” one answered, motioning for him to climb into the tub.

Sesshomaru held out his arms slightly while the women undid his clothes, helping him out of them. He didn’t seem to be too interested in looking at their figures, but then again, he never really seemed interested in anything. The youkai walked gracefully into the sunken bath, his silver hair fanning out on top of the water as he went further into the steamy pool. Two of the women followed him into the water, not taking their robes off, while the other two knelt on either side of him on the edge of the pool.

Kitaru was blushing like mad as he clambered into the tub and immediately lost his footing, slipping into the water and sloshing it everywhere. Why did Sesshomaru have to look at him like that? Even though he couldn’t see a smile, he could feel amusement rolling off the youkai. The two servants set to work on the embarrassed hanyou, each grabbing a bar of soap in one hand and a scrub brush in the other. Kitaru didn’t quite fight them tooth and nail, and in no time both girls were drenched in bath water as they attempted to scrub every inch of him.

Meanwhile, the other four servant girls were using the utmost gentleness with his lordship. They used soft strokes of the scrub brushes over his skin, massaged his muscles with warm oils, and almost lovingly washed those ridiculously long tresses with crisp smelling soap. They were careful not to touch his skin with their bare hands, using jugs to pour water over his head and shoulders, and smooth cloths to wash his body. They did not touch the mokomoko. “Would my lord wish for one of his slaves to pleasure him?” one of the girls asked quietly.

Kitaru stilled at this, soap dripping into his eyes. Other slaves? Well, of course Sesshomaru had other slaves. He probably had hundreds at his disposal. The fox wondered if they were all quiet little submissive things, he wondered if they were broken like so many of the sex slaves he had seen. It bothered him to think about this, and bothered him even more when Sesshomaru thought about the question for a few seconds. Why would his master want any other slave when he was right there?

Wait, he didn’t want that! To pleasure Sesshomaru right in front of all these servant girls would be… oh gods, he could hardly imagine how humiliating. Not to mention it would throw him even lower in their eyes and probably provoke them to torment him even more if they got the chance.

So why did it bother him so much to think of just any old slave pleasuring his master? He ground his teeth a little, green eyes staring down at the bath water, his bad mood quickly worsening as the women scrubbed behind his ears without remorse.

“No,” Sesshomaru finally answered, and the women nodded, continuing in their washing routine. Kitaru couldn’t help but feel relieved, though it annoyed him that his lord had needed to consider the question for so long.

Lord Sesshomaru was finished cleaning before Kitaru, and so relaxed in the bath while the servant girls massaged his scalp and shoulders and he watched the other women scrub furiously at Kitaru. They spent ten whole minutes on each foot, scrubbing away years of dirt.

When they were finally done the fox’s skin looked pink and tender and he looked about ready to kill both of them. Sesshomaru had to stop the amused smile from coming over his face; that look was priceless.

“Is there something my lord would prefer him to be dressed in?” one of the women asked, her voice a little strained, as Kitaru got out of the tub just as clumsily as he had gotten into it, nearly slipping on the now slick floor.

“There is no need to dress him,” Sesshomaru replied, and Kitaru’s frown deepened with his blush. The two servants didn’t argue and simply set to running a comb through the fox’s thick orange hair. The youkai stood gracefully and removed himself from the bath. He took a large white towel that had been warmed for him and began drying himself. The servants followed politely so as not to crowd the demon. Two grabbed towels as well and knelt to dry his legs and feet for him.

Kitaru forced himself not to watch even though he was unspeakably attracted to the naked form of his master. A brief flash of that morning in the spring crossed his mind once again, but he shoved it away. He didn’t want to think about it right now, this wasn’t what he wanted at all. He wanted clothes and to be able to give himself a damn bath!

Sesshomaru, if he sensed the fox’s annoyance and anger, made no mention of it, and simply left the bathing room with the towel draped over his shoulders, the four servants following after him.

Kitaru pouted. If he could be the one to wash his master, or if Sesshomaru had been the one to bathe him, he wouldn’t have had a problem. Sure, he’d be embarrassed, but it would be his master touching him and making him into what he desired, not these stupid girls. He would know, without a doubt, that he was pleasing his master. But Sesshomaru had not touched him intimately since the night of the rape. Kitaru couldn’t help but think that he might be ruined for his master, and the thought made him feel sick and dizzy, as well as angry that something out of his control could have ruined everything.

One servant cut his hair while the other brushed the fur of his tail, disposing of the now soaked bandages. She had to cut his hair quite short since it was full of knots and mats that even her most persistent brushing couldn’t get out. She cut his hair into a messy style that framed his face, the longest locks reaching just past the nape of his neck. He didn’t get to see what it looked like as they had him facing away from the mirror, but he had to admit that his head felt better without all the grubby hair weighing him down.

When they were done, they dried him off, and then led him out back into the bedroom. The fox was still grumpy and embarrassed by everything, and so kept his eyes glued to the floor, trying to look angry but ending up with only a raging pout.

The girls all left without having to be told, and the door slid shut with a click. The pair was alone. Kitaru could feel Sesshomaru’s eyes on him but refused to look up. The youkai made a sound that might have been a laugh, “Do you like clothing so much that you must continue to make that face?” he rumbled.

Kitaru’s blush only darkened more and he refused to answer. It wasn’t that he liked clothing, it was that he’d been naked and humiliated in front of humans and youkai alike for days!

Footsteps approached him and the fox tensed; was Sesshomaru going to punish him now? Fine. Maybe his lord would enjoy punishing him, and he wouldn’t feel quite so miserable.

He felt those long fingers slowly run through his damp hair and shivered despite himself. Gods, that touch could still his heart. He felt his heart flutter as that strong hand pulled his chin up, forcing his eyes to lift as well.

Kitaru’s eyes widened when he finally looked at his master. Sesshomaru was now dressed in a black kimono with a minimal pattern of blood red bamboo leaves and stalks. A white sash was lazily tied around his hips, and the trim of a crisp white juban could be seen at the sleeve edges and neckline. Kitaru looked higher and saw that Sesshomaru had pulled his hair back using a simple black cord tied at his shoulder blades. His great length of fur was thrown over his shoulder like usual. Kitaru couldn’t help but stare. Master looked… irresistible.  

“This appearance suits you,” Sesshomaru commented, his voice low and quiet. His slender fingers lingered in the fox’s hair for a moment longer before taking his hand away again. The great lord considered him for a moment before saying, “Speak freely. What concerns you so?”

Kitaru looked back down to his feet, unsure. What was it that bothered him so much? Was it the clothes? Was it that Sesshomaru had apparently dozens of other willing slaves to please him? The fox’s tail drooped a bit, he knew deep down it was none of those things. “I’m ruined for you,” he admitted bitterly.

Sesshomaru watched him for a moment, and then swiftly scooped him up with one arm, looping his long arm under the boy’s stomach so Kitaru hung casually next to his hip. The fox squawked in protest but didn’t struggle, he knew better. “M-master?”

Sesshomaru didn’t give him any explanation, just opened the large wardrobe and then pressed a hidden button. The back of the wardrobe, lined with racks and shelves that held dozens of beautiful, neatly folded clothes, clicked and then swung open. Kitaru blinked at it; a hidden passage? That was… pretty cool, actually.

The youkai walked through the new door and closed both the main doors of the wardrobe and hidden door behind him. Behind the hidden door was a passage that looked the same as all the other hallways in the castle, and descended down a flight of stairs to a trap door set into the stone floor. Sesshomaru pulled it up effortlessly and descended another set of stairs, these stone instead of wood.

Kitaru knew instantly they were underground. The stairs became steeper, and the corridor was darker than the rest of the building had been, now lit with small oil lamps hung from the ceiling. At the bottom of these stairs was a final door made of wood with a brass handle and keyhole. A tiny key materialized in Sesshomaru’s hand and he unlocked the door, entered, and shut it behind them.

The fox hanyou gazed in a mix of horror and uncontrollable arousal at the room they entered into. It was a dungeon, but one of the cleanest and most tasteful dungeons he’d ever seen. The floor was stone, and the walls were made of dark, almost black wood, smooth and sleek from regular polishing. Long shelves mounted to the far wall held an array of neatly arranged steel implements; phallic shaped, round and strung together, clamps, rings; dozens of sizes and shapes. On the left wall were more shelves and some hooks holding various leather bondage apparel that ranged from cuffs to harnesses to gags. On the right wall were hooks holding a variety of whips and floggers, neatly wrapped up for easy use. In the very center of the room hung a single chain from the stone ceiling.

It was a sex dungeon. Of course Sesshomaru had a sex dungeon perfectly equipped to torment his slaves.

The youkai set Kitaru down next to the chain and strode to the wall of bondage gear. Kitaru watched as he picked up a length of chain with a lock attached to one end and a pair of leather cuffs. He returned and the boy looked up at him with big eyes. Was… was this his fate? This place was where he was actually going to be kept, away from sunlight and fresh air, chained up like a prisoner?

“Do not give me such a look,” Sesshomaru rumbled, amusement still coloring his tone. He stooped slightly to put the length of chain around Kitaru’s neck and locked it, the chain long enough to hang from the fox’s neck, but short enough so he couldn’t slip it over his head. “This is where your training starts, slave.”

Kitaru stared up at him. “T-… training?” the hanyou whispered. What kind of training?

Sesshomaru didn’t answer him, only grabbed the boy’s wrists and put on the cuffs, making them nice and snug on his small wrists. He pulled the boy’s arms up and attached them swiftly to the chain hanging from the ceiling. Kitaru was too stunned to even pretend to resist. After the fox was securely attached to the chain, the youkai grasped the chain and pulled up, lifting Kitaru off the ground until he was just under eye level. As he lifted, the chain disappeared into a hole in the ceiling. Clinking sounds echoed from the hole, and the chain held the hanyou up when Sesshomaru let go.

He studied the boy, his gaze growing more predatory with each second. Kitaru was blushing worse than he’d ever in his life. He stared at the floor now a couple feet under his toes, his tail almost delicately wrapped around his hips and thighs.

The youkai lord then went to the shelves lined with toys and quickly chose a relatively small metal plug. He pushed it into his slave’s mouth before the boy could protest. “Suck,” he commanded. The fox squeezed his eyes shut and followed the order, his bone deep desire for Sesshomaru overcoming his resentful surface feelings. The metal was cold against his lips and tongue, but warmed as he did as he was told.

When Sesshomaru deemed the toy slick enough, he pulled it from Kitaru’s lips and reached behind him to swiftly push the plug into the fox. He allowed himself a small smile as the boy gasped and visibly tried not to groan as the plug was rather forcefully shoved into his entrance.  

Once it was in, Sesshomaru ran a claw lightly down Kitaru’s spine, watching a shiver travel over the boy’s skin. “I have some business to attend to. In the meantime I want you to think about what I told you a few nights ago, and perhaps realize how pointless your worries are.”

And with that, the great youkai lord left, closing the door and locking it behind him, leaving his new slave to his mental assignment.