InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Connection To Kikyo ❯ Koryn Meets Kaede ( Chapter 11 )

A/N: Hurray! Kikyo's soul finally has been laid to rest! Now everything is as it should be=) Oh yeah and I still don't own Inuyasha, but I do still own Koryn and Senoh. Please, please, please, please review my story! It's almost over...next chapter is the finale!

Chapter11: Koryn Meets Kaede

Koryn finally allowed her tears to fall once Kikyo's soul had crossed over to the realm of the dead. They came slowly at first barely trickling down her milky white cheeks. Then without warning Koryn's tears began quickly flooding down her cheeks like two out of control rivers. Her entire body shook from the strength of her sobs.

The entire group watched without knowing how to really comfort the weeping miko.The without a word Kouga pushed past the rest of the group and knelt next to Koryn. He wrapped his strong arms around the trembling and sobbing miko. Koryn fell into Kouga's tender embrace and began mumbling out between sobs.

"I...can't...believe....she's....gone! K-Kikyo!" "Shh, Koryn, just take a deep breath. I'll be here as long as you need me to be." Koryn snuggled into Kouga's broad chest as he ran his fingers through her hair slowly. Kagome smiled as she watched Kouga care for Koryn. Her mind began racing with a million thoughts.

'Kikyo is finally at peace! Inuyasha and I are totally free to be together! Sesshomaru looks like he's moving on from his obsession with me thanks to Senoh. Now it looks as if Kouga will fall in love with Koryn and forget about me as well. Everything is finally as it should be!' Inuyasha spoke stirring Kagome from her thoughts.

"Well Kagome, Kikyo won't be around to threaten you anymore. Koryn are you ready to go meet your sister Kaede now?" Koryn nodded as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Kouga quickly helped Koryn to her feet. "Thank you for being there to comfort me Kouga." "You're welcome. Would you like me to accompany you to Kaede's village?"

Koryn blushed deeply as she met the handsome wolf prince's deep blue eyes. "That would be wonderful. Thank you again Kouga." "It's my pleasure." "How can I ever repay you for all your kindness?" Kouga took Koryn's small hand in his much larger one. "Only by allowing me the pleasure of your company."

Koryn blushed again and gently squeezed Kouga's hand. "I would love to spend more time with you Kouga." Inuyasha made a face like he was going to be sick and then rolled his golden eyes. "Can we get going some time today?" Koryn smiled as Kouga offered his arm to her. "Yes Inuyasha, we can head to Hitoe now."

Inuyasha and Kagome led the group away from their earlier battleground. Senoh and Sesshomaru followed at a close distance behind them. Kouga turned to Ginta. "Ginta, take my warriors back home to our territory. I will be back home soon enough." "Yes prince Kouga!" Ginta bowed to his prince before turning to leave.

Kouga then returned his attention to Koryn. "Shall we Koryn?" "Yes we shall Kouga." The wolf prince led the small miko away from the bloody battleground. The now much smaller group trekked back across the countryside. Once the travelers reached the edge of Inuyasha's Forest they paused to rest. Sesshomaru took the opportunity to speak up.

"Well Inuyasha, it has been quite an interesting journey. Senoh and I are going to head back to my palace." Koryn decided to speak up now as well. "Senoh are you going to stay with Sesshomaru?" "Yes Koryn, Sesshomaru has taken me as his mate. So I'm going to live in his palace with him." After Senoh and Koryn said their goodbyes Sesshomaru took Senoh home to their palace.

Now Sango, Miroku, Inuyasha, Kagome, Koryn, and Kouga continued onward to Hitoe. Inuyasha and Kagome were a couple of feet in front of the group so they could talk privately. "Can you believe that my brother actually took a mate?" "Inuyasha, you should be happy that Sesshomaru has found happiness with Senoh." "I'm very happy for Sesshomaru. I just never thought I would see the day when he would actually fall in love." Kagome smiled and absentmindedly rubbed her still flat stomach.

The group finally came to the end of Inuyasha's Forest. Sango and Miroku linked their fingers together as they neared Kaede's hillside village. Koryn was getting exhausted quickly from all their traveling. Without hesitation Kouga scooped the small priestess up into his muscular arms. Koryn nuzzled her head in the crook of Kouga's neck sleepily. The group entered the small hillside village just as the sun was sinking below the horizon.

Inuyasha and Kagome were the first to walk into Kaede's hut. Shippo immediately jumped into Kagome's arms. "Kagome, you're back!" She gave the little kitsune a nuzzle. Sango and Miroku laid down their weapons wearily and rolled out their bed mats. Kagome watched as the two fell asleep holding hands. She smiled at their innocent closeness. Kouga sat down in a corner with Koryn still nestled against his chest peacefully.

Kaede walked into the hut to find the exhausted group of travelers. She put on a large pot of rice to cook over the fire and placed eight pieces of trout above the rice to cook as well. As dinner was cooking the old miko poured eight glasses of water as well. The wonderful smells of the cooking trout and rice made Sango and Miroku awake from their slumber.

Kaede took Kagome outside as she gathered some hanging clothes off their place from the drying line. "So have ye succeeded child?" "yes Kaede, we beat Naraku and Kikyo's soul has been laid to rest." Kagome watched as the elderly priestess got a sad and almost mournful expression on her face. "Ye did the right thing Kagome, Kikyo did not belong here in this world anymore." Kagome smiled as she pulled the now completed and purified jewel from around her neck.

"We also retrieved the sacred jewel from Naraku." "So what will ye do now? Ye have a decision to make as to where ye will live now don't ye?" Kagome's smile widened as she prepared to answer Kaede's question. Kaede noticed that Kagome was practically glowing she was so happy. "Something has changed about ye child. What is so different about ye from the last time I saw ye?" "Well I have already made my decision and I'm staying here!"

"I'm happy that ye have chosen to stay here, but may I ask ye why?" "There's nothing back home for me now. My family is here with Inuyasha." Kaede could tell that Kagome was holding something back. "Is there no other reason ye have for staying here?" Kagome could finally hold back her happy news no longer. She was so happy about being pregnant with Inuyasha's baby that she wanted the whole world to know.

"Yes Kaede, there is another reason. I'm pregnant!!" Kaede stared speechlessly at Kagome. "Inuyasha and I are having a baby! Isn't that great?" "Yes child it's wonderful. Let's go inside now ye need to eat." Kagome followed Kaede inside. Everyone else had fixed a bowl of rice to go along with their piece of trout. Inuyasha watched his mate as she made herself a bowl of rice and grabbed a piece of trout.

He started remembering back to the first time he had met Kagome. *Begin flashback* Kagome had been yanked through the well by the demon known as Madame Centipede. She had somehow caused a strange white-pink light to come from the palm of her hands when the centipede demon had tried to attack her. That's when it had happened, the sacred Shikon jewel had burst free from Kagome's side.

When Kagome's side had burst open and the jewel came flying out that's when Inuyasha had been awakened. Kagome had been thrown at his feet and sat there looking up at him stupidly. Inuyasha had at first glance mistaken this girl to be Kikyo. So he spat out at her in anger. "You look pretty dumb there Kikyo! Why are you wasting time? The Kikyo I remember would've already finished that demon!" This outburst had infuriated Kagome so much that she stood up and yelled back at the hanyou.

"Kikyo? Kikyo? Whoever she is she's not me! Because my name is Kagome! KA-GO-ME!" "Free me from this tree and I'll slay that centipede." Kagome had not even thought she just acted. She reached up and pulled the sacred arrows from Inuyasha's body freeing him from the Goshinboku tree. Then the half demon had immediately slain the centipede demon. Kagome was grateful at first but then terrified when the now free Inuyasha came after her as well.

"Give me that jewel or I'll kill you too!" "No I won't give it to you!" Kaede had managed to put the prayer beads around the half demon's neck. She called out to Kagome. "Hurry child! Use whatever word ye like to subdue Inuyasha!" Kagome looked up at Inuyasha's ears and instantly thought of a dog. She screamed out. "Sit boy!" Inuyasha was forcefully flung to the ground shouting a string of obscenities.

"I'll kill you for that you little bitch!" The spell soon wore off after a few moments and Inuyasha took off after Kagome once again. Kagome shouted out without any hesitation as the infuriated hanyou quickly advanced on her. "SIT! SIT! SIT! SIT!" Inuyasha found himself lying face first in a large crater from the numerous string of sits Kagome had yelled out at him. He lifted his face as much as he could manage and glared at the dar haired girl. *End flashback*

Inuyasha gazed at the raven haired woman that was now his life long mate. He could not help but smile as his amber eyes skimmed over her small body. They had come quite a long way since the day they had first met. Kagome was now his mate and pregnant with his child.

Her sweet voice cut through his day dream like a blade cuts through exposed flesh. "Kaede, this is your sister Koryn. She helped us lay Kikyo's soul to rest." The elderly miko turned her attention to the younger miko seated next to Kouga. She was nearly Kikyo's mirror image only with green eyes. Koryn smiled and timidly spoke. "Hello Kaede, it's been far too long." "Yes it has sister, yes it has."

The two women exited the hut to sit underneath the stars and catch up. "So Koryn, are ye going to stay in the village?" "No Kaede, but I will be nearby." "Oh? Where will ye be staying child?" "Well I have found my soul mate in Kouga and I'm going to stay with him." "He is very strong and handsome indeed. I can see why ye would want to stay with him." Koryn's cheeks turned a light shade of pink as she thought about Kouga's handsome face.

Kaede chuckled and then sighed a long sigh. "You seem troubled Kaede. What is bothering you sister?" "I'm just a little sad about Kikyo's soul finally passing. I understand that she no longer belongs in this world but it still saddens me to know she's gone." "She has gone to a much better place Kaede. Kikyo's soul no longer has to be tortured by what Naraku did to her and also by the great loss of Inuyasha's love."

Kaede nodded as she let what Koryn had said sink in. Koryn wrapped her arm loosely around Kaede's shoulders and gave her a gentle squeeze. "Thank ye for all ye have done for Kikyo and for me." "It was my pleasure. Remember I will always be near if you need me." "I will remember that and thank ye again little sister." Koryn smiled and hugged Kaede again. "No thank you sister." The two mikos went back inside to join the rest of the group.