InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Gathering of the Lons ❯ Identity ( Chapter 1 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Summary:AU Kagome has finally freed Inuyasha from the evil witch's enchantment. As he begins to distant himself from her, Kagome starts to wonder whether Inuyasha is truly free from the witch's grasp. But when she leaves to take on a mission, he refuses to let her go on alone without him.

AN:Whelp, this is the sequel to The Darkangel. You probably want to read that before this one. It might make more sense if you do. I guess you don't have to read Darkangel, though I recommend it.

Also, sorry for starting on this late. I was actually planning to start this story a bit earlier but I've been stressing my time on making my website...which I FINALLY finished. O.O Thank god.

Make me happy and visit it. It has most of my drawings on it so I think you'd want to check it out. I don't draw that bad... And while you're at it, please sign my guestbook. ^_^

http:// spiritedaway. chaotik. net

Just ignore the spacing and you get the site.

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha nor the original ideas of the Darkangel Trilogy by Meredith Ann Pierce that this story is based on. Um, what else? Ah, and the whole Charter and Free Magic ordeal is based on the Old Kingdom Trilogy by Garth Nix. Hm, I think that's it. Yeah, that's it.

This chapter's bound to have some grammatrical errors in it because I haven't looked over it yet. But I will when I find the time to.

Horns blew from the watchtowers as the wind swept Inuyasha and Kagome's transport high over the city gates of Esternesse. Kagome turned to her sleeping companion. She sighed, wishing she did not have to be the one who had to wake him.

The wind caress his skin and gently blew through his silver white hair. His adorable ears twitched as the ocean breeze whisked playfully at them. The red haori and hakama that they found eariler at the castle looked remarkably well on him. His face seemed so calm and at ease, it seemed like a sin to wake him from his peaceful slumber.

Kagome reached over and nudged him gently on the shoulder. "Inuyasha," she whispered. "Inuyasha, we're here."

Inuyasha shot up at Kagome's slight touch. His ears twitch and his eyes whipped around alarmingly. His sudden movement caused the featherly sail to rock slightly in the air. "What?"

"We're here."

Inuyasha's body tense and his breathing sped up a knotch as his eyes averted to the lady emerging from the doors of the palace they were approaching. Kagome laid a hand gently on his arm.

"Calm down," she murmured. His breathing slowed but his body was still stiff.

Kagome followed his gaze. The lady was dressed in the most elaborate robes she had ever seen and her hair was held up by beautiful ornamental sticks. She stood tall with her chin held up high and her walk was graceful but held an aura of power and authority.

Kagome heard Inuyasha draw breath and whistle a low note, summoning a wind to bring their transport down onto the square in front of the palace. Guards swarmed around them, their spear tips gleamed wickedly in the sunlight. Once it had settled, Kagome stepped off the heap of feathers with Inuyasha following close behind her.

Kagome bowed low to the lady in front of her. "Are you Lady Shinako?" she asked. "Queen of Avaric?"

The beautiful woman nodded. "Yes. I was the Queen of Avaric many years ago. Who are you?"

"I am Kagome," Kagome replied. "I've come from Avaric to return to you your son." She shifted uncomfortably. Speaking so formally felt unnerving. She was really just imitating the polite manner she had seen Renko display during special occasins back in her village.

Kagome felt Inuyasha close to her, not touching, but she could feel his long hair brush the back of her hand. He said nothing. He stayed silent with his eyes focused on the lady in front of them. Lady Shinako's eyes did not leave Kagome.

"My son is dead," she said. "He fell in a desert lake and drowned."

Kagome shook her head. "He didn't drown. That was a lie his nurse told you." Her skin grew cold at the thought of Dirna. Dirna was the young prince's nurse in Avaric who was later sold in Terrain to be a servant in the house of the syndic, where Kagome drew to know her. Kagome turned back to the Lady. "Your son's nurse, Dirna, gave him up to the lorelai, a water witch who kept him for ten years as her prisoner beneath the lake. Then..."

She stopped. What was she suppose to say next? Lady Shinako, your son turned into a darkangel. You know, those evil, bloodthirsty creatures who show no mercy to anyone. The White Witch steals children and turns him into those soul-sucking creatures then sends them out to prey on the world. But don't worry, I save him and turned him back to the way he was before. But in the years he was under the witch's enchantment, he sucked out the sould of thirteen maidens, one of them being my best friend, drank out their blood, and murdered them.

But was it even her place to say? Kagome glanced back at Inuyasha, whose gaze was drawn to the stone floor. Would he be angry at her if she said the whole story? How would she say it? The Lady's gaze still stayed intently on Kagome. Kagome cast down her eyes.

"He was the witch's prisoner for ten years," she said, "then another fourteen years more under enchantment in Avaric." It wasn't a lie - but it wasn't the whole truth either. Kagome found the Lady's eyes again. "But I undid that spell." Now the truth. "Your son is free."

Lady Shinako studied Kagome for a long moment. She drew breath and turned to look at Inuyasha. She started for she had not really looked at him before. Kagome felt him move past her. He knelt and the Lady stared.

Kagome saw Lady Shinako's eyes saddened. She dropped her eyes. Inuyasha caught her hand as she moved to turn away. The quards drew their swords half-way out their sheaths while the others held their spears threateningly in hand. Lady Shinako drew back in surprise but did not pull away.

"You changed a lot since the last time I saw you," Inuyasha said in a low tone. "But I still know it's you. Look at me."

Lady Shinako signed heavily but said nothing.

"Fine," Inuyasha growling suddenly, casting off her hand. He tossed his head towards the tense guards. "Tell them to attack. Say that I'm not your son. That I'm not Inuyasha."

An awkward silence quickly followed. Kagome could feel anxiety wrapped its icy fingers around her neck. The Lady drew breath again and drew closer. She traced the five faint long scars on Inuyasha's cheek, then outline of his amber eyes.

"You have his eyes," she whispered. She then smiled and her hands dropped to his shoulders. "I can't, because you are my son. My Inuyasha."

Kagome held a small lamp in her hands as she stood in the doorway of Inuyasha's room. She watched as he twisted and turned in his sleep. His bedsheets crumpled underneath him and his silver hair laid sprawled about his pillow. It had been three days since their arrival and he had been having nightmares ever since.

Kagome placed the burning lamp on the low table beside her and knelt beside Inuyasha's sleeping form.

She shook his shoulders as she whispered. "Inuyasha. Inuyasha, wake up."

She shook him another time when she heard him gasp and wake. She slowly withdrew her hands as Inuyasha sat with a start, blinking and staring at her. Kagome quickly stood up and stepped aside as he swung his covers aside and slid quickly out of the bed. He walked across the room and threw open the window to let the cold night's breeze blow in. He grasped the window sill as his chest rose and fell rapidly.

"What the hell are you doing here?" he asked.

Kagome drew closer with concern. "I heard you. I came in and saw you were having another nightmare."

Inuyasha whirled around in anger. "They're my dreams," he almost shouted at her. "They're none of your business."

His face changed as he turned away; the fierceness of his gaze disappeared into an expression she couldn't name. He whispered so softly Kagome barely caught it. "You can't help me."

Kagome gripped her thin yukata tightly. "You can barely sleep three hours together," she whispered urgently. "Everytime, you wake up shaking from your dreams. Let me call a healer--"

"No."

"Then at least let me tell Lady--"

"No!" His voice grew hoarse and dry. "Don't tell her anything."