InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Ghost of Love ❯ Chapter 5 ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Kagome eyed the young youkai across the fire from her. The youkai looked back with a combination of curiosity and fear. It was still early morning and she had just recently woken. Pleasantly surprised to see breakfast already sizzling over the low flames, she had positioned herself beside Inuyasha, directly across from the strange youkai.

Truth was she was thankful for the distraction. It had come as quite a shock to find herself in Inuyasha's embrace when the first rays of the sun crested the hills. Not being in his presence for so long had left her bashful and shy. All she had done was blush and stutter her morning greeting when he placed a chaste kiss on her forehead.

Now she was trying to ignore his body heat so close to hers as she watched the rabbit slowly roasting over the cooking fire. Her eyes seemed to keep locking with the youth across the fire. He had the most unusual violet eyes she had ever seen. Almost hypnotic was his gaze. He was a stringy boy, almost feminine in size and she was certain that he was no taller than she was.

Introductions had yet to be completed and Inuyasha seemed to be lost in his thoughts of the upcoming meal. Her absence in this time had been weighing heavily on her, consuming her thoughts for the last year. The urge to shed her burden was strong so she opted for the easiest route of striking up the conversation on her own. Catching Inuyasha's eye, she blurted out an apology and with her conscience getting the better of her she found herself trying to rapidly explain how she had come to be lost in the jewel.

With silence filling the campsite after her breathless story, she again found herself blushing with embarrassment. This morning was fast becoming a disaster. Inuyasha was looking at her with the strangest of expressions and the unknown youkai surely thought her some crazy woman that had just come down from the mountain.

“Typical weak human. Couldn't handle the fight and needed a nap.” Inuyasha sighed as he poked at the glowing embers. Beneath carefully shifted eyes he watched her response.

Kagome bit her lip and cast a worried glance down. He really did think her a failure it seemed. She had been weak, sleeping for twenty years before finally finding her way out of that abyss. She trembled when clawed fingers pulled her gaze back to fiery amber.

“You should have told me I was pushing you to hard Kagome. Had I had half the sense I have now I would have never put you through all that.” His soft voice vibrated deep into her very center. Never had she seen him look so sincere.

“That's alright, I never minded. In fact, I enjoyed every minute of those days.” She smiled back, carefully pulling away from his touch before she experienced the embarrassing sensations that her dreams caused.

“How long have you been here then? I'm assuming you've been with Sango and Miroku.” Inuyasha tried not to look disheartened when Kagome shied away from his touch. He was confused by the mixed messages she was sending. He noticed the rapid acceleration of her heart when he neared, so why was she so nervous around him?

He had spent the whole night battling his own emotions. Fear, joy, love and lust had swirled together in a potent mixture that had kept him awake all night. Awe had overwhelmed him when his precious miko had slept soundly in his arms. How long had he dreamed of that moment?

“Yeah, it came as quite a surprise to find out they had children older than I am.” Giggling Kagome carefully avoided the first question. Did it really matter how long she had been here when he had spent two decades by himself? Thinking of that just made the guilt ten times worse.

“How long?”

The tone demanded an answer.

“A year.” Kagome's soft voice barely could be heard on the breeze. Her soft reply was followed by a string of curses from the man beside her.

“Such drama,” the young youkai injected into the conversation. Kagome didn't miss the sarcasm in his voice nor the violet eyes that rolled in response to Inuyasha's colourful language.

“If I had known Kagome had returned, I swear I would have come sooner.” Inuyasha growled throwing another log on the fire a little to forcefully. His words directed more at the youth than the miko shifting nervously beside him.

“That's alright, after twenty years its only to be expected that you would have somewhat moved on with things. I mean, it's not like I expected you to wait by the well everyday. I'm happy that you continued living a normal life.”

“Normal?” Inuyasha cocked a sly grin, “I don't know if you would call my life normal, I haven't stayed put in one spot for too long since you've been gone.”

“So what have you been doing. Shippo has been trying to track you down for months.”

“That runt? He should be focusing on getting stronger, not what I've been doing.”

“And that would be?” Kagome questioned.

Sighing Inuyasha glanced back to their silent companion across the fire. Turning the rabbit he sat back and stared into the short flames. “Since you've been gone it seems I've been doing a great deal of favors for Myoga. That damn flea laid the guilt trip on me about my father and his wishes for his sons. So its been one trip after another training, reflecting and of course completing favors for that stupid flea.”

“That's wonderful though Inuyasha, doesn't that mean you've gotten to know more about your father?” Kagome encouraged.

“Feh. A little. About a year and a half ago Myoga came to me requesting I find someone of great importance to my father. So I've spent all this time scouring the corners of Japan trying to find this person. I finally tracked the brat down on a remote island far off the coast. It's no wonder Shippo couldn't find me, I haven't been on the mainland for months. I can't even begin to count how many isolated islands I've been to.”

Kagome reflected on his words while she again caught the strange violet eyes across from her. The boy hadn't spoken a word to her since Inuyasha started his tale. Not even a word in his own defense when he was berated by the hanyou.

“So what does this boy have to do with your father?” Kagome asked, still unsure of how she should address the youkai.

Inuyasha shot her a confused glance before chuckling to himself. “You mean Sumire?”

“Sumire?” Kagome was certain that name was far too feminine for a boy. The name obvious symbolic of the violet eyes the youth possessed. Still, he was unusual so why not a unusual name to go with his appearance. Finding him on a remote island would explain his appearance. The lad was dressed much like a peasant, baggy pants and an oversized shirt concealed much of his small frame. The headdress sown from rags and face scarf hid any detail that would allow someone to piece together what his facial appearance might be. Not even a glimpse of his hair was available. Either this boy was extremely self conscious or he had something to hide.

“I told you shouldn't dress like such a vagrant.” Inuyasha scowled at the youkai across from him.

“This vagrant appearance, as you claim, happens to keep me from attracting any attention. Thus I have been able to stay peacefully content before and on this god forsaken journey.” The boy's voice unexpectedly softened.

Kagome's eyes widened at the obvious soft and very female voice coming from behind the dirty scarf. Perhaps she was wrong about the whole young boy assumption. The frame of the youkai could just as easily belong to a woman. Try as she might she couldn't remember what his or her voice had sounded like last night.

“You're not a boy at all are you?” Kagome blushed even as she said it. She hadn't meant to be so rude but she was surprised at the revelation. What was this youkai's connection to Inuyasha's family?

“Not in the least. I find it far easier to take on the appearance,” Sumire began only to be cut off by Inuyasha.

“Keh! She's a failure when it comes to being youkai. I'm only a hanyou and I'm ten times stronger than she is.” Inuyasha laughed out loud. Sumire responded by rolling her eyes, clearly used to the teasing.

“That is true. For a youkai I am weak. I fear I am no stronger than you miko.” Sumire confessed. “It's easier to take on the identity of a young male youkai than a full grown woman.”

“Your youki is so strong though. When I came across you two last night, there was no mistaking it was just as strong as Inuyasha's.” Kagome furrowed her brows in confusion. The woman surely had some strength to emit an aura such as hers.

“Well, she is strong in her own right I guess. The problem is that most enemies can't be dispelled by a burst of flower blossoms or a well placed vine attack.” Inuyasha stood, pulling the cooked rabbit from the fire and dividing it amongst the group.

“I don't understand.” Kagome smiled as she gratefully accepted the meat. Carefully she avoided brushing his fingertips with her own for fear of igniting the heat inside once more.

“I am lacking in the abilities of most youkai. My family was peaceful and we preferred to live in isolation from the rest of the youkai world.”

“So why did you, I mean why did Myoga send you to fine Sumire-san?” She still failed to see how this frail woman was important to the flea and his devotion to his former master.

“Well, I accepted this request just to see the look on 'his' face.” Inuyasha grinned, the look giving him an almost malicious vibe.

“His?”

“Sumire is Sesshoumaru's intended.” The sadist smile never left her hanyou's lips. He was enjoying this far too much.

“You mean Sumire-san is Sesshoumaru-sama's fiance?” Kagome reiterated out loud trying to imagine the pristine killing machine with this odd creature before her.

“Purely by words alone!” Sumire retorted, anger lighting those violet orbs. “I have no intention of marrying such a vile creature. I am simply going along with this to win my freedom so I can go back to my peaceful island and never be bothered by such matters again.”

“I see.” Kagome shuddered at the jaki being projected by the small youkai. Her guess was an arranged marriage had been established by both Inuyasha's and Sumire's parents in days long past. She couldn't blame the woman for not willingly entering a union she had no voice in. The idea of marriage with no love was something the young miko did not agree with. In these times though, she imagined it happened all to often. After all, women in this era were viewed as possessions more than people.

“Sumire can't simply refuse the marriage. She has to convince Sesshoumaru to dispel the contract created by father. Shouldn't be to hard. He'll take one look at her and run the other way!” Inuyasha again chuckled as he finished picking the meat from the bone.

“Inuyasha!” Kagome chided, her attention turning back to Sumire. “Do you think that the union will be easily dissolved.”

“I hope so. I was no more than a young baby when our parents decided upon our fates. I have no memory of Sesshoumaru-sama but I am certain that they preformed the ancient ritual of binding us through scent. Being a baby the ritual would have had little effect on me, however, I'm sure that Sesshoumaru-sama will recognize my scent. With that being said, one of the steps for the marriage ritual has already been completed.” Sumire trailed off, eyes transfixed on an empty nothingness.

“Meaning it may be hard to break the promise created on your behalf.” Kagome finished for woman in front of her. The youkai responded by solemnly nodding her head. Clearly she was distressed by the whole matter and Kagome wondered what she could do to ease the worry the other woman was trying to hide. How could she aid the other when she knew nothing about being bound to a man she did not love?

“I am a peace loving woman, how can I be joined with a male who is notorious across the whole of Japan for his skill as a cold hearted killer? The very thought of it makes my blood curdle. I am not the person for this duty. All I wish is to be freed of my chains and return to my island.” Sumire sighed.

“Keh! Like I said, no worries. There's no way Sesshoumaru is going to be interested in a brat like you. You're simply not his type.” Inuyasha's tone had softened, his words likened to a brother reassuring his sister.

“I will help you Sumire-san. I'm certain that Sesshoumaru-sama would be willing to listen to you. I'm not to sure he's anywhere ready to settle down himself.” Kagome faked a shiny smile to reassure the youkai. As far as she could tell in all her encounters with the icy Lord of the Western lands was that women in general were the farthest things from his mind. In fact Kagome was certain he treasured his own freedom above all else. The whole situation between their father and Inuyasha's mortal mother had likely left a poor impression on the values of marriage on the taiyoukai.

Kagome became lost in her own thoughts while the trio cleaned up camp and prepared to head back to the village. On one hand there was a woman so set on retaining her freedom while Kagome herself had thoughts that contradicted the others completely. Stealing shy glances at Inuyasha she wondered just what their future would hold together.

Would they ever experience wedded bliss or were they destined to continue as they were? The last year, when she had dared dream about his return, she had trifled in the matters such as that. The only thing that had halted her happy thoughts was the reality of the woman who had held her soul before her. Kikyo had been tied to her duties as a miko, never allowed to chose the life of a normal woman.

Now that Kagome had taken on a role of a miko in her village, how would the villagers react to her and Inuyasha together? In the past she had seen the results of human and youkai relationships. Children of these unions ostracized, human widows left in constant ridicule, and youkai males killed because of their tampering with human mistresses. Was this another obstacle they would have to face? Somehow this bothered her more than thoughts of Naraku.

Finally reunited with the man she loved, Kagome feared that the stereotypes and strict standards of this time would tear them apart. A fate worse than death in her mind. With returning fears she trailed with a heavy heart behind the two youkai towards the shrine.

A/N: Special thanks to my beta as well as my readers and reviewers!