InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In the Shadow of Destiny ❯ Chapter II ( Chapter 2 )

Pronunciation key: Ao Dai - ou' dī, ô'

 

In the Shadow of Destiny

By

Firebird Phoenix

Chapter II

 

 

 

Kagome stared at the setting suns rays braking threw the tree tops casting a peaceful beam of light threw the once dark forest; Kagome closed her eyes taking in the warmth as a beam of light was cast upon her, Kagome strung another arrow in the short bow pulling back as far as her strength would allow, she stared down at the target fifty feet away and fired the arrow; it flew threw the air hitting the bull's-eye dead center. Kagome smiled at her victory, clenching her fist Kagome looked up threw a small part in the tree top gazing threw to the crystal blue sky above, signs of yet another beautiful day in Mika.

 

`Another day InuYasha must spend under the hard lash of his master.' Thought Kagome bitterly, Kagome made two promises to herself the day InuYasha was captured sixteen years ago, one promise was she would never allow anyone to be captured because of her, and the second was to free InuYasha. And from that moment on Kagome worked day and night improving her power, learning to master it better she became quite skill in her gift, but her power comes at a price with every different shape she takes the more energy she losses until she falls into unconsciousness. With all her training Kagome has only been able to manage transforming six times before her strength gives out. Kagome also trained with a bow and arrow she became quite the sharp shooter the best among her people; no one in her village knew about what happened with InuYasha, people would ask her why she train so hard, but Kagome would only answer `I made a promise,'

 

Kagome walked back to the village she had been in the forest sense before daybreak, she refastened the frog button in front of the high fitted collar of her gown, though her outfit was common among the women of her people the high fitted collar that hugged Kagome's neck made her quite hot when training; if anyone from the council especially the older members like Lady Kendra saw her like that she would have had a fit. Though Kagome's outfit was not the easiest to training in, she did love its elegant tear drop opening just under the collar, and the simple but beautiful frog button holding the collar in place, her gown's long skirt was slit up each side straight to the waist the solid light green coloured pants she wore under the gown kept anyone from seeing too much, the gown itself reached to below her knee and was decorated with hundreds of golden leaves and flowers, though most of the women in her people just called this outfit Ao Dai or long dress. Many of the women of her tribe won't wear the Ao Dai with the tear drop like Kagome dose; in fact when Kagome first altered her dress to include the opening the council was furious and ordered her to change it, but one of Kagome's strongest traits was her stubbornness; Lady Kendra always loved to tell Kagome.

 

“You should change that stubbornness of yours Kagome or you'll never find a husband.” Nearly every time Kagome saw Lady Kendra she would always say the same thing, Kagome never really cared what Lady Kendra or the other villagers whispered. Though she never knew what they said, she could sense their hatred and fear of her; and it was all because she was born on the night the sky burned like fire and the heavens cried. The only reason they hated her was because she was the Shape-Shifter and they feared her power. Even though they didn't know about InuYasha they all sensed the power she used when she changed into the grey wolf, everyone in the village believed she wouldn't be able to change shape until she was older and had a better use of her power.

 

“Out training again Kagome?” asked Lady Kendra, she was an tall slim woman in her late sixties, but by looking at her one would never guess her real age, on first glance she looked to be in her early forties; she looked like a noble woman, Lady Kendra's family had ruled the village sense the Oracle first settled here, it was that family that whom started the Elder committee in the beginning. Lady Kendra wore a Ao Dai like Kagome but hers' was a royal blue decorated with beautiful phoenixes, and dark blue pants, her long white hair was kept in a high ponytail with two gold hairpins crossing each other in her ponytail, her dark brown eyes were young and had an arrogance about them. Kagome couldn't place it but it looked like she was hiding something.

 

`Kagome you read into things too much.' Thought Kagome, dismissing her overwhelming urge to figure out what Lady Kendra is plotting,

 

“Is something the matter Lady Kendra?”

 

“Don't be silly Kagome you worry to much; but don't forget Kane's army is out there and if you get captured you'll be on your own, no one will come to save you, we decided long ago to stay out of the troubles of Mika.” Warned Lady Kendra, Kagome sighed sadly whenever Lady Kendra caught her coming back or heading to her training she would always reminded Kagome that on one would go save her if she was in trouble.

 

`Has it ever been different?' Thought Kagome darkly, “I know Lady Kendra.” Answered Kagome, the sadness in her voice unavoidable, Kagome walked back to the small log home built by her father and mother, she lived there with her mother; Kagome's father was banished when she was a small child shortly after she changed into the grey wolf, everyone told her it was because he went mad and tried to kill Lady Kendra, but Kagome never believed that every memory Kagome had of her father he was a good and kind man even of the day he was banished. Kagome's eyes were hidden by the shadow of her bangs, hiding the hurt caused by Lady Kendra's reminder.

 

`Why does she always have to say that, does she think I'll forget or something that my own people would leave me to the wolves if I was in trouble; I guess they don't help the outcasts.' Thought Kagome entering the small two story log home, down stairs was the living room with a few chairs for guests and coffee table, a small kitchen with on open fire pit for cooking and a wooden table, on the left side of the house not too far from the fire pit was the stairway, upstairs were two bedroom Kagome mother's room was on the left facing the morning sun, a double bed with a small dresser and a vanity dresser, with a table for her to wash up in, adorner her room, near the back of the house to the right was Kagome's room, it was small with a single bed, a small dresser, a mirror and table with a wash bowl, there was a small storage room next to Kagome's room and the bathroom right across the hall, there was a small tub for taking a bath and washing the clothes on rainy or cold days when it was too cold to use the creek just down the way, a sink and a toilet. Kagome leaned her bow and arrow next to the door like she always did, her mother was finished dinner and was getting ready to set the table.

 

“Kagome your home,” greeted the soft voice of her mother, unlike Kagome her mother wore a all black Ao Dai symbolizing she lost her husband, though it was tradition for the widow to only wear black for one year, Kagome's mother wore it ever sense he left.

 

“Why do you wear black mother? Father isn't dead.” Asked Kagome, like she had asked so many times before, her mother only sighed deeply.

 

“Kagome don't bring that up again, I've told you several times before when one is banished from our people, that person is dead to us so we wear black symbolizing he is no longer apart of us.” Explained her mother, Kagome didn't fight her mother's answer like all the times before, but in her opinion, the banished Oracle shouldn't be considered dead to the people and never be given the chance to return unless his crime was truly horrendous only then should the Damned Oracle as they are called shouldn't be allowed to reenter.

 

“Mother why must Lade Kendra contently remind me that if I were to be captured no one would come save me, I could understand her telling me the first few times but by now shouldn't she have stopped?” asked Kagome, her mother sighed sadly turning back to the large pot containing their dinner, a thick steal bar was mounted into the sides of the fire pit, with a hook in the dead centre, Kagome mother would use this bar to cook their dinner and make tea for the guests, over top of the bar was a stone plank built with the back of the fire pit, allowing her mother to bake bread, cakes, and pies; this was a common designed fire pit everyone in the village built them the same way, Kagome would often wonder if the other races used a more efficient way of cooking.

 

“She is only trying to protect you, if you were to be captured by Kane, then you would expect for someone to come save you and when no one would come your hope would be crushed, but with Lady Kendra contently reminding you would never hold out hope to begin with.” Explained her Mother, her mother's answer only seem to increase Kagome's sadness, like all the times before Kagome's mother always sided with Lady Kendra and the council never once doubting or questioning the traditions or rules laid out by them. Kagome knew her mother still loved her father deeply her outfit reflected that, but she would never go against the council decision to banish him.

 

“That's stupid, regardless of how person got captured in the first place, that Oracle is apart of our people, its wrong to leave them to the wolves it should be mandatory to send a rescue party.” Said Kagome with so mush passion and fury it made her mother gasp

 

“Oh Kagome, you are such a rebellious daughter, why can't you be like the other daughter's?” asked Kagome's mother, the passion is Kagome's eyes died down and was replaced by the hurtful thing her mother just said. The stew her mother made was quite good, deer meat stew with vegetables the best in the village, Kagome never spoke a single word threw out dinner neither did her mother, the tension was so high you could cut with a knife, Kagome washed out her bowl when she was finished placing it on the dish rack to dry.

 

“I'm going to sleep.” She said, to coldly and hurt she quietly went upstairs with out a reply from her mother, Kagome walked to her room using a small candle for light she slipped into a white cotton night gown, she slid her tired legs under the plain grey and white covers she laid down looking out her window into the starry night sky, Kagome only thought one thing before she fell into a peaceful nights slumber.

 

`I will never change.' Kagome's mother watched her head upstairs, listening for her door to close she waited patiently to sense Kagome fall asleep before she slipped on a black hooded cape. She quietly crept out the door making sure not to make too much noise; the figure moved threw the quite village, crunching the frozen dirt and grass beneath her feet, she looked up into the clear nights sky the full moon casting its light over her almost to follow her on her secret mission she was about to take part in. The woman stopped the frigged night air cutting into her lungs like small shards of glass, she leaned against the fountain in the center of town, it was to represent family, that this entire village was a family, the woman chewed on her lower lip gazing at the fountain, she looked away from the glistening water her heart unable to allow her to watch it any longer.

 

“I wonder, when they built this fountain knowing what it was to represent, if they knew what we were going to do?” the woman's question was only answered with the lonely howl's of wolves in the distance,

 

“I see your finely here Iris,” the woman turned as Lady Kendra stepped out of the shadows,

 

“Lady Kendra,” said Iris bowing,

 

“What did the council say Lady Kendra?” asked Iris eagerly, her eyes glistening with a mixture of pain and hope, Lady Kendra sighed sadly shaking her head no, Iris stepped back in shock, she sat down on the edge of the fountain unable to stand any longer. Iris buried her face into her hands sobbing lightly; Lady Kendra placed her hand on the sobbing woman's shoulder.

 

“Now, now Iris it's for the best of the village, we have no choice you know that the council and I would never make a diction like that if there was another way.” Lady Kendra's words were far from comforting for Iris, Iris whipped away her tears her tears and quieted her sobs.

 

“I know Lady Kendra, I'll try and remember that.” Iris picked herself up bowed to Lady Kendra and hurried back home to escape the cold night air and the watching moon.

 

*~~~*

 

Kagome walked down stairs it was a brisk cold day, the heat from the morning fire was a warm welcome, and her mother had already laid out breakfast for Kagome, she sat down in front of the steaming plate of, scrabbled eggs, ham, hash-browns, and toast Kagome's favorite breakfast, the food looked so delicious the fluffy eggs mixed with onions, garlic, and basil, the hash-browns and toast were a beautiful golden brown toasted to perfection.

 

“Aren't you going to be eating Mother?” asked Kagome, enveloping the heavenly of her breakfast,

 

“No I eat earlier Kagome.” Said Iris quietly, Kagome looked at her mother with an odd glance at her strange behavior,

 

`Probably feels bad because of last night.' Kagome thought, she scooped some egg onto a piece of toast; the flavor was to die for a heavenly mixture of egg and toast but there was an odd delicious taste that puzzled her taste-buds.

 

`It's not basil, couldn't be nutmeg, what is it?' Kagome wondered to herself pleasantly, Kagome dismissed her curiosity and decided to enjoy this meal and ask her mother about the peculiar taste later. Kagome devoured her meal absorbing every exquisite taste into her senses, with her plate clean Kagome leaned back into her chair enjoying the feeling of a happy full stomach. Though suddenly an odd dizzy feeling overwhelmed Kagome, she opened her eyes hoping to steady herself but it only seemed to increase, the world spun Kagome looked over to her mother, and noticed the disassembled flower, its midnight blue petals scattered around next to the pot, Kagome eyes went wide she looked up to the mournful face of her mother her eyes filled with tears of regret.

 

“Mother how could you?” Kagome asked barely able to keep conscious

 

“I'm sorry Kagome, Lady Kendra and the council believes this is for the best of the village.” Explained Iris her voice breaking threw her uncontrollable sobs

 

“The village?” she asked in disbelief, “Aren't I apart of the village too?” Kagome tried to get up but fell to the floor her legs felt to heavy to move, she lay there barely able to move her mother standing by the pot holding a washcloth over her nose and mouth trying to quite her sobs over the her betrayal to her own daughter. Kagome's body grew heavy she fought, trying to keep her eyelids from closing sending her into a deep sleep.

 

`The strange taste, it was the Midnight Rose petals.' Kagome thought before her body forced her into the comatose state brought on by the Midnight Rose, the Midnight Rose grew in the surrounding forest it was a very beautiful flower but if the petals were ingested the poor soul who eat the flower petals would be forced into a comatose sleep until midnight.

 

“Forgive me Kagome.” Said Iris quietly a single tear dripped down her cheek.

 

End Chapter

 

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