InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Reminiscence ❯ Prologue ( Prologue )

Title: ReminiscenceAuthor: RiomiEmail: Riomi_Sess @ msn.comPairing: Kaede/?Summary: The time has come for Kaede to pass, but there is a lingering qualm in her heart and the wind wishes to know her dying secrets. She tells it willingly about her lost loves and the lonely days of her youth.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters mentioned within this fic. They belong to their creator who is, Rumiko Takahashi.

The strong winter wind burned the aged flesh of her face. Wisps of her thin white hair danced about the creases and wrinkles of her features. The old tattered eye-patch trembled in the gusts, threatening to reveal the long healed 54 year-old scar that was now a mere hollowed crevice.

On this day she greeted nature without regret. She left her hair unbound, her bow untouched and fire unkindled. It was the winds early whisper that roused her from slumber and its icy hands that took hers and led her to a remote hilltop. There she remained its silent company, soon to be joined by its brother clouds and sister snow. She gave them all silent regard.

Soon she, herself, would become one with nature's children. Likely with the wind, she could already feel its breath in the hollow of her bones, working its way whole.

She didn't mind, the feeling was welcome and they never brought her trouble, so why work against it?

She lived a long life, longer than she could have ever asked for. And the single eye she had had seen many. Yes Kami-sama had blessed her with many years, many friends and many adventures.

Though her heart would go to rest vacant of the love that she witnessed shared between almost all she knew.

She observed the love between her elder sister and the hanyou, even watched it end only to be rekindled with her reincarnate. The demon exterminator and monk were entertaining to watch, their love was always there for each other but took time to be realized. Even the little kit found his match with a young neko youkai they seemed inseparable now.

A pang in her heart made her groan. Was it nostalgia? Jealousy? Perhaps both. Either emotion was accepted with bitter repute.

Did she ever experience that love that so many shared?

A flake of snow took refuge at the crease of her remaining eye only to be melted by a heated stray tear.

She did have that love, but it was so long ago that it became disregarded and faint. Hardly a memory.

The wind lightened and caressed her cheek in a soothing manner as if sensing the woe of her soul.

"Worry not about me, Sister Wind." she recited, her voice wavered with threat of more tears.

How long had it been since she last cried? Truly wailed without remorse? Twas' the days of her youth, that it was. When her sister first lay on her fiery grave, not one whine or tear was spared.

In the end she didn't feel empty as expected, she actually felt refreshed and full. Just knowing she loved someone enough to mourn his or her death made the passing somewhat easier.

Her eye peered a patch of uncovered grass, the elemental company seem to have concentrated on it specifically; it remained uncoated by the fallen flurries and unfrosted by the crisp wind.

She watched the green tufts, in mild amazement, fold into a kanji she heard commanded many if times in amusement: suwaru. She glanced at the brother clouds and whispered, "Gladly."

With an aged elegance all her own she settled on the inviting clearance.

It was then she realized why the wind called forth her presence, why the thoughts of lost love tremor her heart and why thoughts of such plagued her mind at all.

It was time for her final look back. The wind wished to know about that look and what she saw.

The snow drifted far from her position, not one frozen drop landed on the rough fabric of her red and white garb. She enjoyed it when it cooled her warm flesh moments ago, "I will tell, if ye let the snow comfort me with it's company." she compromised, knowing the wind carried every word and heard.

Then she felt one flake landed and melted on her cheek then another and another only to be met with more tears.

"Aye..." she began, "it brings me back to my first memory..."

Author's Note: I thought it's about time we shed some light on Kaede's past and maybe whatever love she had, I want feedback to see how people take this. The next chapter shall consist of her first love and lost. No character will be original that gets paired with her. Many will be surprised with who I put her with I'm sure. This is not AU either. Please review.~Riomi~