InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Broken Dreams ❯ Kouga's Message and Kagome's Choice ( Chapter 19 )

Broken Dreams

 

Chapter 19

 

Kouga's Message and Kagome's Choice

 

“Are you ready to go?' Kagome asked. Youkai looked over the supplies he had stocked in the packs and nodded. It was late day, and the sun had started to set in the valley.

 

“Yes. Are you well rested?” he replied. Kagome nodded. “Very well then. I can't carry all the packs, so if you…”

 

“Kagome!” Kagome looked up from her conversation with Youkai as Yoshi ran to her, a small bird perched on his shoulder. A crinkled piece of parchment was clasped in his hand. Yoshi stopped in front of Kagome and held out the note. Kagome frowned and took it from him, smoothing it out to read it.

 

“What is it Yoshi?” Youkai asked, standing up. Yoshi bowed to Youkai, who returned the gesture.

 

“A message for your companion Youkai, from a man called…”

 

“Kouga,” Kagome hissed. Youkai looked at her and Kagome angrily threw the letter to the ground. She walked to the shade of a tree and sat down, her head down and her knees curled up to her chest. Youkai gave Yoshi an odd look, to which Yoshi responded with a shrug. Youkai set down the pack he had started to pick up and walked over to Kagome, sitting beside her. Youkai sniffed and frowned as the scent of tears reached his nose.

 

“Kagome, are you alright?” he asked, reaching for her.

 

“Bastard,” Kagome growled. Youkai snapped his hand back.

 

“Kagome? I'm sorry, what did I…”

 

“Not you, Kouga!” Kagome snapped. Youkai cocked his head.

 

“What did this Kouga ever do Kagome?” Youkai asked. Kagome lifted her head and glared at some unseen foe through her tears.

 

“He's my…mate,” Kagome muttered angrily, spitting at the last word. Youkai lowered his own head.

 

“Oh…I see,” he said softly. He looked up again. “So he's the one…that…”

“Yeah, on a nightly basis.” Kagome sneered. Youkai gasped. Kagome had told him some time ago that she was mated against her will, but a nightly basis? No wonder Kagome grew so cold at the mention of Kouga. If Youkai were in her position, he wouldn't be much better.

 

“He is coming here,” Yoshi muttered. Kagome and Youkai looked up. Judging from the look of his face, Yoshi has overheard. “He asks that you remain here while he comes for you.” Kagome's shoulders slumped as her head fell forward yet again.

 

“Fine,” she murmured. Youkai frowned.

 

“Kagome, you're going back to him?” he asked in surprise. Kagome shrugged.

 

“What else can I do? He's my mate Youkai. I die he dies. And he can sniff me out. Not to mention that he has my friends with him. Youkai, there's nothing I can do against him,” she explained. “I'll stay here.

 

“But Kagome!” Youkai protested. Kagome shook her head.

 

“But nothing,” Kagome leaned over and gave Youkai a small hug. “Youkai, thank you for taking care of me. Goodbye.” Youkai pulled out of the embrace and looked down.

 

“Are you sure Kagome?” Youkai asked. Kagome nodded. Yoshi sighed and placed a hand on Youkai's shoulder.

 

“I promise you, I will do everything in my power to ensure she is safe as long as she is in our village,” he whispered to Youkai. Youkai whispered a thank you, and with a last look at Kagome, turned to pick up his packs, Yoshi at his side.

 

Kagome pulled her knees back and up and watched as Youkai gathered his pack, leaving hers against the tree at the edge of the village. She hung her head and felt another bout of tears come upon her.

 

“Crying solves nothing,” a voice above her said. Kagome looked up, expecting to see Yoshi, and frowned.

 

“What do you want?” she snorted. Toga looked down at her for a moment before continuing.

 

“I have heard that your rather…lustful mate is coming for you. You are afraid.”

 

“What was your first clue?” Kagome chuckled darkly. “Of course I'm afraid of Kouga.”

 

“Not of him. You're just afraid of yourself,” Toga said. Kagome looked up.

“Huh?”

 

“You hate him, and yet you give yourself to him. Why?”

 

“I don't have a choice. If I refuse…”

 

“If you truly hated him, you would never submit, no matter what he does. I thought you were a fool before, but I see now you are a whore.” Kagome glared at him, but Toga wasn't finished. “You can be safe, but you choose to stay with him. What would happen if you left? He cannot kill you. What can he do?”

 

“He'll kill my friends. He'll kill me. Kouga has all the power,” Kagome replied.

 

“True friends would try and find some way to help you. Have these friends done anything to help? I doubt it. And remember, the mating mark goes both ways, Kagome. Kouga cannot harm you just as you cannot harm him. And unlike him, Kagome, you seem all too willing to die. Kouga has power in your friends, that's true. But when it comes to true power over you, Kagome, he has only the power you allow him to have.” Toga reached into his robes and tossed something to Kagome's feet. A small bundle wrapped in cloth. Kagome stared down at it for a moment before looking back up at Toga.

 

“You can escape Kagome, if you want to. But if you stay here, you'll throw away what may be your one chance for freedom. Stop being the scared little girl. It's time you started being the miko.” And with that, Toga turned and walked away in the falling dusk. Kagome lowered her eyes to Toga's gift and reached down, taking one end of the bundle and lifting it in the air. A small quiver of arrows and a short bow fell to the ground. Kagome looked back and forth between the weapons and the forest for a moment, then sighed and reached for the bow.