InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Ghost of Love ❯ Chapter 18 ( Chapter 18 )

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

The early rays of morning cast eerie shadows on the ground below her. Countless miles of green and brown expanse had passed underneath her, the first true signs of spring in the newly budded trees. Colourful speckles would occasionally decorate the short grass meadows signaling a shift to warmer weather that was sure to come. Unfortunately, spring also meant the start of the rainy season and she could see the banking of clouds beginning to form over the mountain range. By late morning Sumire and she were likely to be rather wet.

“Aren't you tired?”  Kagome worried that the constant task of making the petal fly would drain the energy from her friend.

“Not at all. Thanks to you I am completely healed. The strong wind currents are doing most of the work for me.”

“I see.” Kagome had been watching the other woman closely and had to admit that she couldn't see any signs of fatigue marring her features. “How long will it take to reach the island?”

“Six or seven days at the earliest, but I doubt we can push ourselves that hard. Maybe ten days. If I was stronger we could be there in a little less than a week, five days I bet.”

“How long did it take for Inuyasha and you to travel north?” Kagome was curious and frankly a little bored from spending the night traveling in silence.

“About a month and a half. I was in no hurry to reach our destination plus I had never been off the island so I made Inuyasha show me the sights. Those days seemed like they would last forever.” Sumire smiled sadly as she answered the miko.

“I see.” Kagome was reminded of her hanyou then and was so glad she had taken those extra moments in her room. A quick note had been scribbled out on her desk before she left. Vague as it was she was certain that Inuyasha would understand the meaning and know exactly where they had disappeared to.

One thing she could always count on was his unbelievable ability to reach her. He had never failed her before and she relied on him. Sumire might be great at concealing herself but she had never had Inuyasha trying to track her down in a moment of panic. Somehow he had found her on that island, so he at least knew where to go.

Sesshoumaru was no laughing matter either. True, it had only been days that the pair had been together but the Taiyoukai had her scent engraved into his very being. One small slip up on her part was all he would need to track them. Not that it mattered much anyway, Kagome had already told Inuyasha their whereabouts. With any luck the Inu brothers would reach them before that damnable spy Risa or worse yet, the Southern Lord's power hungry son.

Kagome was worried about what her encounter with that treacherous woman would mean for Sumire and her. No youkai in their right mind would be happy with what had transpired near the kitchen. Risa was likely spiteful and vengeful at being singed by a miko's reiki. Kagome wouldn't have been at all surprised if she had left the Citadel and was reporting to her superior. That was looking like the only obvious choice for the spy. It would have been hard to disguise those burns from the watchful eyes of the guards, even if they had healed within the hour. Had she been caught with reiki burns, the gig would have been up for the snoop.  

Heading back into the sanctity of the South would have been Risa's only feasible option. So that meant they were going to have to be very wary when they reached the Southern territory. Very cautious and extremely diligent in their concealment of both themselves and their trail. She couldn't leave Inuyasha hints on their location for fear of exposing themselves to their enemies. Her first concern was to ensure their safety.

A loud rumble echoed of in the distance drawing her attention back to the ominous looking clouds in the distance. She sighed in realizing her second concern; their health. Though the grass may be turning green and the trees well started on their foliage, it was still spring. The days were shorter, the nights colder and the weather unpredictable. Getting soaked during the day and shivering all night long would surely bring them to a halt sooner rather than later. Catching a cold or a fever would be dire if they were deep in the South.

As it was, they would be crossing into the forbidden territory by nightfall. Kagome's mood was darkening by the moment. She was filled with uncertainty and dread as those borders approached with every passing moment.

'Hurry Inuyasha!' she thought to herself when the thunder rolled again and the clouds began to block out the newly emerging sun.


The morning had started with a few kinks, the afternoon had turned into a disaster and so far things weren't looking like they were going to improve anytime soon. The entire place was in an uproar and he was itching to get on the road. Sesshoumaru and he had been working in the study the same as any other morning when the first bit of bad news had arrived. The guard for Sumire's room had arrived with a frantic kitchen maid. The girls were not in their room. So Sesshoumaru had sent Jaken out to find them, unfazed by the news.

Inuyasha hadn't been all that worried at first either. He thought them to be either in the massive gardens or down in the private steam baths that Kagome had been so impressed by. At the very least he assumed they were somewhere within the safety of the walls. Then more bad news had arrived, this time worse than the first. Their spy had vanished, gone in the cover of night and hadn't turned up in the morning.

By mid afternoon, the girls were nowhere to be found. Spurring both Sesshoumaru and himself to investigate Sumire's room. They found nothing, not a single trace of the girls. In desperation he had raced to Kagome's room and that's when he found the note that rocked his formerly happy world. She was gone.

So many emotions had surged through him when he had looked at that messily written note. She had been rushed, that was easy to tell by the words that had been scratched out. She had only wrote one scant  line. South with Sumire. What was bothering him was why so suddenly without telling him?Things weren't adding up quite the way he would have liked. The fact that the spy had vanished was most disturbing and he was worried that Risa was currently in company with the girls. Perhaps even taking them straight to the crazed military leader in the South.

He had been almost beyond reason when Sesshoumaru had appeared, taking the note from his hand. His brother had talked a little sense in him, making him wait for preparations to be made before they departed in chase. So that is where he was at now, watching his brother bark orders and trying to remain patient.

As much as he disliked it, he understood that all of this was necessary. Sesshoumaru had a whole land to govern and unless he had plans, things could fall apart in his absence. This wasn't going to be just a patrol of his lands that he was going on either. Their very actions in the next few days could ignite an all out war. Sesshoumaru needed to ensure that his people and followers would be prepared in that event. He was focusing on the citadel's food and medical supplies, troop organization and overall functionality of the place. Inuyasha was learning that these things took time, more than he wanted to waste.

He was extremely on edge and with good cause. Kagome was out there, heading straight into enemy territory. He didn't know if she was caught by the spy or simply following Sumire. Hadn't he worried about this when they first arrived? He knew that if Sumire was headed for trouble his kindhearted miko would be following at her heels. He knew this would happen and yet had been powerless to stop it.

“Dammit!” He cursed out loud ignoring the looks the servants gave him. He was frustrated on top of it. Last night he had confessed his love for Kagome and had spent the rest of the night second guessing himself. So he had the worries of that piled onto all of today's shit show. As he watched Sesshoumaru and Jaken going over plans, he tried to pass the time by once again rolling over his own issues.

He had been so desperate to keep Kagome near him that he had blurted out that confession. That wasn't  the way he had planned on it going. For years he had contemplated it, planned out just how perfect it would be. He had wanted to make it special, to atone for the way he had treated her in the past. He had missed so many opportunities and he'd be damned if he was going to miss anymore.

The problem was, he didn't want to do it like that. It felt rushed, too much too soon. He felt a little embarrassed by it all. Not the fact that he had confessed to Kagome, it actually felt great to have it out in the open. He was embarrassed by the fact that he had appeared so needy. Like a bloody pup looking for comfort. He had wanted to charm her, show her the man he had become and the fact that he was comfortable with the relationship that he knew they had.

Twenty years he had spent learning his mistakes from Miroku and Sango. They had all too eagerly pointed out how ignorant and childish he had approached Kagome before. His actions and the way he had sometimes treated her had made him very ashamed. So he took lessons from Miroku, followed closely with what Sango referred to as her 'Pervert Cleansing' lessons. She had weeded out much of Miroku's never fail techniques that she knew Kagome would hate him for. Between the pair he had gained a greater grasp of the workings of a woman's mind and even a little of the heart. He was extremely thankful to his friends. Thankful that they cared enough about Kagome's and his relationship.

What he had wanted to do was take her back to the place they had first met. Under the branches of the Goshinboku he would have bared his very soul. Time and circumstances had much different plans though. Even after two decades of careful planning he was still screwing things up. Kagome wasn't the same girl he had once known. They had both changed, neither good nor bad, but changed nonetheless. Anxious as he was, he didn't want to come off overbearing or pushy to her. She was likely feeling just as overwhelmed as he was.

All he needed was time, time to spend with the woman he loved. When the hell was that going to happen?  He had barely had a chance to say hello when they were suddenly at Sesshoumaru's front door and then playing babysitters to two full grown youkai. Both of whom seemed to do a great job of monopolizing Kagome's and his time.

He was drawn from his thoughts when Sesshoumaru finally came to his side. The Taiyoukai giving him a meaningful look. Finally it was time to depart. Inuyasha was in no mood for idle chit chat by this time so it was perfect that his stoic brother wasn't one for many words. The day had passed in a hurry and the sun already set in the sky.

The hanyou could feel his whole body tense in anticipation as they left Sesshoumaru's home and began making their way to the fortress entrance. The girls had almost an entire day's start on them. If they had been traveling by foot, he wouldn't have been the least bit concerned. Unfortunately Inuyasha knew of his sister-in-laws preferred mode of transportation, even if she seldom used it, and it was fast. With them departing early during the previous night, they could have made some very good ground.

He had another problem to deal with – politics. Inuyasha was beginning to hate the word. As it was, they would be traveling through Southern territory. Now— it had never made any difference to him before. He had retrieved Sumire with no problems. The trick then had been a simple shift in status. He had been nothing more than a lowly hanyou back then. A nobody. Any one of importance would have never even bothered with him.

Now was different for on his shoulder was the proud emblem of his father, his brother's family crest and one he could now call his own. Sesshoumaru had insisted that if Inuyasha accepted his proposal than he should wear the robes his father had commissioned. So now they were entering territory as high ranking nobles. Add to that the volatile state of affairs in the South and things could get hairy pretty damn quick.

They couldn't simply rush in now, in fact it would be quite the opposite. They were going to have to progress slowly, picking their route carefully to avoid stepping on what Kagome referred to as a 'landmine'. Which ultimately meant, the girls had the upper advantage.

Status and family was something that was going to take a while to get used to. There was something he wanted to get used to even more... Having Kagome by his side forever.

“How are you feeling now?” Sumire looked at the girl shivering in front of the small fire. They had pushed hard, well into the night before fatigue threatened them both. A well deserved rest had been in order. So she had skillfully navigated them into the mountains, taking refuge in a perfectly concealed cave.

Before heading higher they had stocked up on firewood and a few fish for a quick meal in the foothills. The wood they had managed to scrounge up had been wet but luckily she had found some dry kindling and a few small pieces of timber to get a small fire started. The rest of the wood had been laid out around it to dry.

Sumire was concerned about her friend for they had weathered cold rain all afternoon and into the evening. The rain finally ending at nightfall but they had continued on for a few more hours. For a human, running on no sleep for almost twenty four hours coupled with cold rain, could spell sickness in a hurry. Right now she needed to get Kagome warmed up, fed and rested.

“I'm alright. Just hungry and tired.” The miko responded, stifling a yawn as she skewered the fish and set them over the flames to roast.

“Rest for now. I will tend to our food.” Sumire stepped in to make sure the fish would be cooked well. She watched as Kagome closed her eyes, sighing as the heat from the fire warmed the tiny cave they were holed up in.

The weather had been unpleasant but had been perfect for her escape. Whatever mistakes she might have made had been washed away in the spring storm. Add to that the better than expected time they had made and she was feeling really good about her decision. With a little luck they might actually hit the island in seven or eight days.

Having Kagome with her had been soothing for her soul. Every time her thoughts became dark, her friend would strike up conversation. The miko had a knack for picking up on the subtle shifts in her mood.

Frankly, having a miko with her when she made it home was going to be perfect. Certain she was of the massacre she would be returning to, it gave her peace of mind knowing a miko would be present to pay respect to the dead. Kagome would ensure that their souls could depart from this world and be in peace.

When the fish were finished, she roused her resting friend and made her eat. Only when she was confident that Kagome had nourished herself properly and was asleep did she take her meal and seek rest herself. Their break would be minimal as she planned on departing again before the morning sun had even risen. They were in Southern territory and she reeked like the Western Lord, or so she assumed. The sooner they were in her own territory the better. Kagome could rest while they traveled.

Inuyasha still couldn't believe what he was doing. Yet, there he was, sitting right behind his brother on a rather intimidating fluff of cloud. Flying wasn't his forte nor was being so close to his brother for an extended period of time. They had made it to the Southern border in remarkable time but had come to a crawl in the first few miles in.

Almost immediately Sesshoumaru had caught the scent of Southern guards, Inuyasha taking note to memorize their unique stench. When is came to protecting his land, Sesshoumaru was in a league of his own. In his border patrols, he had taken note of the scents of the guards on all sides of his lands. Something that was now proving useful, so Inuyasha decided to take a page from his book. If he was going assist his brother and become part of his father's legacy he needed to learn all that he could from Sesshoumaru, despite his past history with the man.

Currently they were snaking back and forth, dodging possible people who could raise a flag at their intrusion. Sesshoumaru must have one hell of a network because even though he was in unfamiliar territory he seemed to find it pretty damn familiar.

“So just what the hell are we up against?” Inuyasha hadn't had time to find out the basics about the Southern noble family. Couldn't hurt to be a little prepared.

“Hn?”

“The Southern Lord, just who and what is he and his brats?”

“Powerful, cunning and deadly.” Sesshoumaru offered no room for doubt.

“What kind?” Inuyasha assumed that if Sesshoumaru didn't take them lightly, neither should he. Now he needed to know what the hell kind of youkai could command such respect from his normally self-centered and self-important brother.

“Dragon. I'm sure Myoga has told you of them. If I recall you beat the one father had sealed with his own fang.” Sesshoumaru calmly noted, his focus remaining on their surroundings more than Inuyasha. His sense acutely aware of everything around them.

'Why yes I did!' Inuyasha thought to himself, smiling smugly in remembrance of how he had bested the beast years before. Coming down from his self congratulatory mood he realized just what they were up against. The dragon he had faced hadn't been at full strength, a mere shadow of what it once had been.

“Tough crowd then hey.” He muttered, cursing the fates for positioning them against such a notable adversary.

“Hn.”

Her eyes fluttered open when she felt the gentle nudge from her friend. Days of hard travel had worn on her greatly. What little sleep she had managed had been broken and uncomfortable but she had been grateful that Sumire had granted her the privilege of sleeping in the air. Napped she had, but she was forever fearful of shifting off the petal and plummeting to the earth.

Seven days had come and gone with them passing over miles of Southern lands. So far the trip had been, thankfully, uneventful. From the looks of things, day seven was coming to an end. Already the sun was dipping low in the sky.

“What is it?” Kagome shifted to a sitting position and questioned her friend.

“There it is.” Sumire pointed to a small land mass in the distance.

Kagome noted the island and the fact that she was no longer over land. Below her a vast seascape ebbed and flowed. Around her the soft cries of the seabirds drifted on the breeze. Thank the Kami they had finally made it. Now they would see for themselves what calamity had befallen the people of this tiny Southern island.

Kagome sat upright, reaching for Sumire's hand. Squeezing it in reassurance, she squared her shoulders in preparation for the task to come. If Sumire's vision had been correct, as a miko Kagome had the grim task of preparing the bodies for burial. She had faced this before but that never made it any easier. No sooner had she erased the images of past experience from her mind when new problems arose to burn new ones in.

Her anxiety grew as the land in the distance also enlarged. The journey here had seemingly lasted for days but before she knew it they were over the burnt remnants of the crop fields. The landscape before them had been marred with utter destruction. The whole island had been torched.

“Kami help their souls...”

A/N: Thanks again for your work, my wonderful beta. You had your work cut out for you this time! Another wonderful round of applause to my fans who take the time to review! Enjoy.

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