InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Crest of Eternal Hope ❯ Chapter I: Just Another Onset of a Love Story ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Prologue


Once upon a time in feudal Japan, being daughter of the ruler of the South was a true blessing. That is, until you’re assigned to head to the West to make peace with the demons… KxS


Chapter I Just Another Onset Of A Love Story


“Come, Miss Kagome,” A man wearing wholesome white village attire called to a graceful young woman of about the age of seventeen.

“Coming, Tomo,” She said back, flashing him a small smile. She began walking after him, her hands at the sides of her silky clothing. Her hips swayed as she sauntered, her raven hair flowing evenly behind her.

The man, Tomo, who appeared to be in his late thirties, returned the smile and escorted her down a dirt path towards an immense building-the abode of the ruler of southern Japan.

The building was similar to a massive dojo, colored with pastel walls and bright crimson roofs. The gardens surrounding it were gorgeous, and were flooding with sweet scented vegetation.

“I’m sure you will be pleased with what your father has to say, Miss,” Tomo assumed quietly as they entered the courtyard, and walked past many statues.

“Oh,” Kagome began. “You think so, Tomo? Does that mean you have knowledge of why my presence has been requested this afternoon?”

Tomo, who was striding beside the radiant woman, glanced at her and shook his head a bit. “Why, no, Miss. But there has been quite some hearsay about a very special something that the grand ruler has for you.”

She giggled slightly. “Well, knowing father, I’m sure it will be something wondrous. “ Tomo nodded his head at this and grinned slightly.

The two then walked through a large arch doorway that led into Kagome’s home. Or rather, it was her father’s home, seeing as how she was not accounted to be a sincere member of the court, she merely lived there and was apart of the ‘royal’ family.

They walked through various hallways that were filled with scholars discussing about the latest news in the southern lands. My, they always seem to be gossiping rather than studying, Kagome thought solemnly.

After a few more minutes of walking, Tomo pushed open some large doors that lead to the foremost room.

Inside, the walls were pallid, and the floors were covered in striking mosaics of past southern battles, victories, rulers, and some were of a village.

The two natives stepped into the extent, and bowed their heads for a moment, then looked up again. Kagome smiled, and leisurely walked over to her mother, whom was seated upon a small bed, with her arms open. She gave the woman a petite hug, then stepped back.

“Good afternoon, mother,” Kagome said, her eyes gleaming with delight. Her mother offered a smile to her beloved offspring.

“Kagome” A tall man cleared his throat, and Kagome averted her attention to none other than her father.

“Oh, greetings, father,” She said hurriedly. Her father was a strict man, although he cared for his daughter very much, as well as his son.

He smiled down at her. Kagome then felt something clinging onto her garments, and gazed down to see her modest brother, Souta. He grinned up at her. “Hey, sis’!”

Kagome smiled down at him and gently stroked his hair. “Hello, Souta.”

Tomo, who was standing off to the side, allowed a small smile to tug at the corners of his lips. He was very grateful to work for such wonderful, loving people such as them.

As if on instinct, the four sat down on small chairs, and gazed ahead at the ruler. Tomo remained standing in the corner.

“Now, I know you all must be wondering as to why I’ve called you here so suddenly at this time, especially you, Kagome. I understand you three had been doing things, but this is quite fundamental. You see…” He spoke firmly, his eyes wandering from his wife, to his son, then to his daughter.

Their eyes were glued onto him, all wondering what could be so vital.

“Kagome will be leaving us,” He said quickly. His wife gasped, and put her hand to her mouth. She was going to protest, saying how she loved her daughter far too much to allow her to go off on her own some where, but thought better of it, and just looked at her lap sadly.

Souta whined. He didn’t always show how much he liked his sister, but he and she shared a sister-brother bond.

Tomo, who had had his thoughts, was prepared to hear something of that, although he was still rather shocked to know that it was true.

Kagome’s chocolate eyes widened in disbelief, as her dainty hands trembled. She was nervous now. For she knew her father could never send her of just anywhere, so this had to be some place special. “Where must I head to, father?”

He looked at her sternly. “You will be going to the west.”

Kagome’s jaw dropped slightly. “W-what? But... Why? Why shall you send me there, father? Why there of all places?”

Her father sighed, and rubbed his temples. “You see, Kagome, in order to keep the peace between our borders, we must have you marry-”

“Don’t even conclude that sentence!” His wife snapped at him. She then looked tenderly at Kagome. “Listen, honey, you don’t have to marry any of those putrid rogues if you do not wish to, but, what your father wants to say, is that you just have to try and induce them to become our allies.”

Kagome’s whole body quivered. Oh…oh god…this cannot be happening…

Souta was now stooping his head. He was distressed, that was clear on his face.

Kagome also lowered her head after she had successfully calmed her body down, although her heart and mind were still racing. “All right. I understand father. And if I must, I shall accept a marriage proposal from a…demon…”

Her mother grimaced, and her father smiled forlornly, although he was conceited because Kagome was going to go through with this, even though she did not fancy to.

“Very well. I shall arrange for you to be sent to the west tomorrow morn. Nevertheless, for now, you all should be heading to your chambers. It’s come to be in the small of the hours, and you should get your rest.” The father said to his family.

“Yes, father,” His two children spoke quietly, as they each rose from their seats, and headed out the doors towards their rooms.

The sun was indeed setting, and the light that had once flooded the windows earlier that day, had vanished, and was replaced by the cool air of the darkness.

The man frowned and walked over to his wife, who was now standing by a window, staring out into the vast on look of nature below.

He encircled his arms around her waist, and cooed into her ear, “It’s for the good of the south, dear-”

She then turned around and slapped his left cheek fiercely, a sharp sound of skin-to-skin contact echoing throughout the room. His eyes widened, and his hand went up and held his sore cheek. He looked down to meet his wife’s furious eyes.

“You…you monster! How could you do this to us? To Kagome?!” She screeched at him, taking one step closer to him with each word, as he stepped back. “I am ashamed to call you my husband!” She snapped her eyes shut and was about to slap him again, when she felt a hand grasp her wrist-and hard. The woman winced at the pain, and looked up at her husband’s cold eyes.

“It’s. For. The good. Of the south. DEAR,” He said, rage clear in his voice. No woman can dare do that to me and think they may get away with it…

“Sob…” Kagome whimpered as she lie in her bed on her stomach, her head in her wet hands. “H-how can they do this? Why am I even going through with this?” My mind and body tell me to protest and rise up against my parents’ wishes, but for some reason, my heart is telling me to go through with this…

Kagome’s trail of thought ended there, as she soon drifted off into a peaceful slumber. All the while, she was never aware of the wails and cries of pain emitting from the room she was in only hours ago.

When the sun once again rose, Kagome was up. She rubbed her eyes wearily, and stood up. She had slept restlessly all night. But, she was not one to complain about that-especially when there was something bigger to worry about. She was leaving today for the west.

The ruler’s daughter grabbed new attire she could wear, threw it on after she had slipped out of her old clothes, and walked out of her room. She walked to her parents’ chambers, and saw that her mother was weeping on the bed, holding her arm as if she let go it would shatter.

Kagome slipped into the room. “Mother…?” She whispered. That caught her mother’s attention, and the woman wiped her eyes and forced a smile and looked to her daughter.

“Oh, Kagome, you look wonderful this morning. Did you sleep well?” She asked. Kagome could tell she was tired. There were bags under her dark eyes, and it was apparent in her voice that she needed more sleep.

Kagome nodded her head, even though she, in truth, did not sleep well. She approached her weary mother, and sat down beside her. “Mom, is everything…okay?”

She usually never called her ‘mom’, but every now and then, when she was extremely worried or anxious, or something big was going on or had happened, she would call her mother that. Her mother looked startled.

“Why, of course nothing’s wrong, Kagome. I’m just a bit sorrowful that you must take your leave today,” She lied. Kagome could tell she was not being truthful with her, but she let it go, knowing the elder female did not want to talk about what was bothering her.

“Well, I must go speak with father about when precisely I am to leave, mother,” Kagome said softly. “Good bye. I shall come back to say my final fare wells when it is time for me to part.”
With that, she stood, and walked back out the door, her sandals producing light tapping noises as she walked down the hall.

The wife of the ruler smiled sadly, and once again began to weep. Her daughter was leaving, her son was devastated, and her husband was cruel, and she was heartbroken.

“Father?”

“Yes, Kagome?” He answered her when she walked outside the ‘house’. He was talking to a few people who brought him news every so often of the west.

“When exactly am I to leave?” She asked him.

“Hmm…” He muttered. “As soon as possible. I suppose in an hour.”

Kagome’s eyes saddened She would have thought she’d have more time to spend in her home ‘town’ than one hour.

So then, in one hour, I’ll be leaving for a place that will be nothing like my homelands. It will be horrible, probably. And everyone there will be all too cruel…

Kagome began walking away from her father, and went out to the gardens to see if Souta was there, since that was where he usually was in the early morn’.

She entered the gardens, and walked around some of the flowerets, and soon came to see Souta seated by the river that ran past the gardens. She walked over and sat next to him, and leaned against his shoulder.

“Hey, Souta…” She said to him easily. He glanced up at her for a moment, but then looked away again as if the mere sight of his sister frightened him. Kagome frowned at this and puckered her brow. “I’ll be leaving within an hour’s due time.”

Souta sighed sadly, and hugged his knees to his chest. Kagome smiled sadly. Aw, he’s going to miss me…poor thing… She gently patted his back, and said, “Cheer up. Now you’ll have more space, and the attention of both our parents with me gone.”

That didn’t even faze him. He just sniffed slightly. Kagome groaned. Wow, poor guy. “Hey, if something happens, you may end up with a really cool demon for a brother-in-law!”

Even that didn’t appeal to him, even though he always wanted to see the demons that resided in the west. He had heard legends and stories of them, and always dreamed of meeting one.

“Sis’…I don’t want you to go. What…what if you get hurt-or worse?” Souta sobbed slightly.

Oh, Souta…my brother… “Nothing like that will ever happen to me, Souta. I promise you that. I am able to defend myself. Have you forgotten that I am keeper of the Shikon no Tama, and am a high priestess?”

Souta nodded his head. “I know, Kagome…”

Kagome softly smiled down at her brother. “Good. I promise you I will return safely.”

Souta looked up at her, his eyes puffy and his cheeks red. “Really? You promise?”

Kagome nodded. “Yes.”

“Okay then,” Souta rubbed his eyes and wiped away his tears. “I’m counting on you to keep that promise, though.” He grinned up at her, and she returned it.

“Well, I should go pack my things now, and bid good bye to the others.” Kagome then wrapped her arms around her brother for a moment in a tepid hug, then pulled away and stood.

“Aye, child,” An old woman called out to Kagome as she stepped out of the boundaries of the gardens and the castle.

Kagome turned around, and saw the village miko, Kaede. “Oh, hello Ms. Kaede. How are you, this fine morn?”

Kaede’s eyes sparkled with sorrow. “I’m fine, child. But I wish to know when you take your leave.”

Kagome answered, “Hmm, in about forty five minutes by now, I suppose…”

Kaede looked down. She had hoped Kagome would not leave that soon, but she could not protest, nor do anything about it. It was not in her place, nor was it in her hands. “I see…”

Kagome walked over to the aged woman and reached into her kimono pocket, and pulled out a bright, round object. “Here, you should hold onto this for me. After all, with all the demons that will be around, it won’t be a good idea to have this with me.”

Kaede’s eyes widened. “The…Shikon no Tama? You wish to allow me the honor of watching over it while ye are gone?” Kagome nodded at this question and grabbed the woman’s hand, placed the mystical object in her palm, and enclosed Kaede’s hand on it.

“I know that I can trust you with it. You will be able to guard it better than anyone else, Kaede-dono.”

Kaede firmly grasped it in her hand and looked up at Kagome. “Aye, Kagome. I will protect it with my life.”

Kagome beamed. “I know you’ll do a fine job, Miss Kaede.” With that, she began walking off towards the village to tell the others of her departure.

The priestess continued trudging along a dirt path, deep into the village, her kimono trailing behind her. When she finally came to a dojo with a young woman sitting on the porch, who was only about a year older than her, a man dressed in purple robes sitting next to the woman, and a young boy playing with a neko youkai, she turned and headed towards them. Kirara, the demon, was the only one that was allowed in the village.

“Hey, Sango! Miroku! Kohaku, Kirara! Guys!” Kagome called as she ran over to them. They all turned their heads to see her jogging towards them. The woman, Sango, stood, as did the man, Miroku.

“Ah, Kagome-chan!” Sango called out to her best friend. She placed her weapon, the giant boomerang, which she had been polishing, onto the deck and greeted her friend with open arms in a friendly embrace.

Kagome returned this, and when she pulled away she nodded at Miroku and smiled. He waved back, as did Kohaku and Kirara made a soft purring sound.

“Sango, I have to tell you something,” Kagome began. “I’m leaving…for the western lands.”

Sango took a step back, and was able to hear Kohaku’s sharp intake of breath. “K-Kagome, why are you going there?”

Kagome’s eyes saddened. “I must go there, for it is my father’s wishes. He wants me to convince the demons to become our allies. I…might even have to marry one.”

Miroku frowned at this statement and walked over, leaving Kohaku and Kirara there to listen in.

“Well, you said you might have to marry one. That doesn’t mean you necessarily have to, right?” Miroku asked.

Kagome nodded. “Yeah, I suppose…”

Sango shook her head. “What’s gotten into your father’s head? How can he make you go off to the west like this? You’re his daughter, his won flesh and blood! He should be the one to go and try and make the west friends with the south!”

Kagome looked distraught. Yeah, Sango has a point there. Why am I the one that’s going, when daddy could very well go himself? She bottled that up in her mind and pushed it out of her head. She had to go along with this anyway, whether she wanted to or not. Her father was ruler of the south, after all, and even though she was his daughter, she could not disobey his wishes.

“I must go, Sango…”Kagome trailed off. Sango sighed, not wanting to sadden her friend eve more with her whining.

“Well, when are you leaving?” The slayer asked. Miroku was now standing next to her, his arm around her waist.

“In about a half an hour,” She answered.

“And…”Miroku asked slowly. “How long shall you be gone for Kagome-dono?”

Kagome bit her bottom lip. “Well, I’m not really sure. As long as it takes to convince those dirty pigs to join us, I suppose…it will probably take quite a while…”

Miroku heaved a sigh. “Well, we were going to wait to tell you this, but seeing as how you are not going to be here for it, we’ll say it now…Sango and I are to be wed in a week’s time.”

Kagome gasped. Hah, it’s about time that lecherous monk proposed to Sango. I know she’s been waiting an awfully long time…Wait, in a week? But, that means…

“Oh, gosh, Sango, Miroku, I’m so sorry I’m going to miss the wedding!” Kagome said softly.

Sango smiled sadly. “Oh, it’s all right. We understand that you would have come if you were able to, it’s not your fault.”

Kagome still felt bad, though. “Well, I’m very happy for you two, all the same.”

Miroku grinned. “And perhaps by the time you come back, you’ll see little versions of Sango and I running about-Owe! Sango, what was that for?” Miroku yelled as he rubbed the sore spot that had formed on his head after his fiancée had smacked him over the head.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, houshi!” She said, anger in her voice.

Miroku hung his head. Man, and after all this time I thought she might finally be happy about bearing my child…Oh well, I’ll just have to wait…In due time, she shall come around…

Kagome sweat dropped and grinned. Okay then…. “Well, I have to get going now, guys. I have to pack some stuff for my trip to the west.”

Sango nodded her head in understanding. “All right. But as soon as you come back from the west, you had better come see us right away, Kagome!”

“All right!” Kagome chirped happily.

She bid her good byes to them, then headed back to the castle after she had said her farewells to the other villagers.

Oh man, now I only have fifteen minutes left! Kagome thought. I’d better pack quickly then.

She entered her room and grabbed a small woven bag, and placed some of her best kimonos in them, and also grabbed her arrows and longbow. She tucked the arrows into their holder, and put that around her shoulder, and carried her bow. She picked up her bag and walked out of the room.

Well, it’s time for me to leave… She thought sadly. I can’t stop thinking about what Sango had said…“What’s gotten into your father’s head? How can he make you go off to the west like this? You’re his daughter, his won flesh and blood! He should be the one to go and try and make the west friends with the south!” Kagome sighed. She’s right, though…But, I should not be thinking about this now. It’s not as though it does me any good, after all. My father is the ruler of the south, and I am unable to go against him…

“Father, I am ready,” Kagome said sternly, yet softly when she walked back outside.

“Good. You may ride on one of the horses to the western lands. I wish you the best of luck, my daughter,” Her father said to her, grinning down at her as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

“All right, I guess…I’ll be going now,” She said, as a servant brought over a light, oak brown horse. Kagome hopped up onto her, and held the reins. “Come on, Mint (that was the name of the horse), let’s go…”

With that, she tightened her grip, and they were off. Mint started off with a slow trot as Kagome looked back and waved to her family, as well as Kaede who was still holding the Jewel of Four Souls.

Good-bye…



After that thought had finished, she willed Mint to pick up the pace, and soon they were racing out of sight of the southern lands, and were heading into the dangers of the west.

Well, I’m leaving my home, and am going to the western lands…this sucks…

After a few hours of Mint galloping, and Kagome staring off into the distance, Kagome pulled on the reins for Mint to stop.

Kagome slipped off of her horse, held the reins, and walked over to a clearing where there was a stream.

“Ah, finally. Some water,” Kagome said aloud. She let go of the rein, and kneeled down in front of the stream.

She dipped her hands in and brought the water up to her mouth, while Mint was busy sticking her head half way in to get a drink.
I wonder how close we are to being within the borders of the western land… Kagome thought as she sipped some more water from her hands.

She glanced over at Mint. We should probably stay here and rest for a little while. Mint could use some rest, seeing as how we’ve been traveling nonstop for quite a few hours now.

The priestess sighed and leaned back on the grass as her eyes trailed off and looked to the sky. The sun was setting, and the mixed colors of it spilled into the dark night sky like ink on paper.

Well, I suppose now would be a could time to catch up on some sleep. Slumbering beneath the beautiful starry night air will be nice…

The weary girl soon fell under sleep’s deep spell, and became lost within her dreams. Mint also fell asleep near the river.




“My lord!”

“Yes, Myoga?”

“The guards have been saying that they have caught onto the scent of human!”

“Hmm, well, I’ve been smelling that for some time now. I thought my nose was just tricking me again, but I suppose not. So, it is definitely not my wife, nor the girl that we have been hinted to. I order you to send out my eldest son to fetch this intruder, and bring her back.”

“Alive or dead, my lord?”

“Either one. I do not care, just as long as I am able to see the face of the mortal that dare to trespass onto my lands.”

“Yes, milord.”

………

“My lord!”

“Yes, Jaken?”

“Master Myoga has told me that you have been instructed to track down a human that is on the boundaries of our lands.”

“Hmm….I see…very well… He-he…”




“Unh…” Kagome murmured in her sleep as she felt a pair of strong, broad arms wrap around her petite figure. Her eyes slowly opened, and she could make out a blurry form of a male. “Uh…” She mumbled again. She tried to force her eyes open, but she was still too tired. But before her eyes completely closed again and she was once again trapped within her dreams, she could faintly hear Mint whinnying, and saw two fierce golden eyes piercing her own.

No…youkai!!!




***
A/N: Well, here’s the first chapter of a new story I’m working on. I hope you all liked it, since I’m trying something new and all. (I was going to update my other stories first, but my Internet has been down and I can only get into this stuff, so I was unable to start those chapters. I needed to refresh my memory on what was in the previous chapters of my other stories.) Well, please review. I’ll update when I’ve gotten 20 or 25 reviews. ‘Till next chapter!