InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Price of Vengeance ❯ Chapter Twenty-Six : Release ( Chapter 27 )

Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own any of Rumiko Takahashi's characters or stories. This story is for private entertainment purposes only.

Chapter Twenty-Six (Release)

Kagome rubbed dry, sleepless eyes. She sat huddled in Lady Kaede's hut, her back to the wooden wall, her legs pulled up as far as the sleeping kitsune in her lap would allow. The girl---whose face she remembered but whose name escaped, the one dressed in miko robes like Kaede---had given her a blanket, and Kagome had huddled into it, tears still silently running down her pale cheeks. For a long, long time, she couldn't seem to stop crying.

The walk from the forest edge was a blur to her. She remembered Miroku helping her to Kirara's back, Shippo still holding onto her white yukata, crying with her, though the cub didn't seem to know why. He was just worried. Kagome hated the fact that she had lost control over her emotions in front of him, that she had made the poor little cub worry and cry for her.

*Oh, Shippo. I'm sorry.* She thought at him, a small hand coming to pet the orange-red hair of the little fox demon. Shippo made a small, contented sound in his sleep, and burrowed closer to her warmth.

Kaede had kept the others from coming into the hut with her, only allowing Kirara and Shippo to accompany her inside. Kirara had gone back to her smaller, kitten-sized form, her huge red eyes reflected orange and deeper scarlet by the banked fire as she sat beside Kagome, purring her comfort. Eventually, even the neko had slept as Kagome's sobs slowly subsided into hiccups, and then sniffles, and then dry tears.

Kagome let out a long, sighing breath, exhausted but tensely awake.

A slight scratching at the bamboo curtain made her turn her head. Kirara awoke as well, softly rumbling a warning before her eyes narrowed on the bent form of the old miko as she entered the hut. Twin tails flicked once, red eyes flashed on Kagome with a slight purr of reassurance, and then the neko laid her head down once again on her black-tipped paws.

Kaede bent her greyed head slightly at Kagome, before turning to the banked fire and poking at it with a long stick. The old miko took her time, adding bits of firewood and making something up to boil over the flickering flames. Kagome watched her silently, her eyes dark holes in her white face. Kaede picked up a drinking cup, and poured water from the nearby jug into it. She added a sprinkle of dried leaves to the cup, and then came to stand before Kagome.

Kaede extended the cup, her single, dark eye unreadable in the dancing russet light of the livened fire. Kagome bowed her head once in gratitude before she extended a shaking hand to take the offering. She smelled mint, and some other soothing herb that she could not name, as she brought the cup to her lips. Her first, tentative sip turned greedy as the cool, refreshing water trickled down her throat. She returned the cup, and Kaede poured her more water, this time without the added leaves.

Kagome was still very much awake and aware, but the tense anxiety was leaving her, allowing her belly to quit tying itself in knots, allowing her tense muscles to relax against the hard, supporting wall behind her. She gave Kaede a weak, grateful smile as she handed back the cup once more.

Kaede put the cup to one side, took the time to stir the boiling pot over the fire, and then settled herself---gingerly, Kagome could see that her old bones were tired---across from the girl's huddle against the wall. Kaede looked at her for a long time, and Kagome could only stare back at her in sad silence.

"Ye have sustained much injury, child." Kaede's gravelly voice was whisper soft.

A shrug rippled through Kagome as she tried not to disturb the sleeping kit in her lap. The scratches on her arms were already fading; the bruises darkening, but healing. There was nothing really wrong with her. Even the angry welt by her neck was fading to a pink crescent. She felt weak and drained, but even the soreness between her legs had dulled. There was nothing physically wrong with her.

Work-worn fingers extended, touching Kagome's damp cheek. Kagome looked down, not wanting to see the wise knowledge in the miko's dark gaze. "Nay, child. The injuries are not of the body---though they are there. They are of the mind, and of the soul."

A tear slipped out.

"Ye must tell me, child." Kaede urged her softly. "Ye will not be able to heal the wounds until ye do."

"I...I can't." Kagome whispered hoarsely, her body shifting uneasily. Shippo whimpered in his sleep, and she instantly froze, concerned lest she disturb the poor, exhausted boy.

Kaede actually let out a dry chuckle. "Thy concern is ever FOR others, child. Ye must allow ye self at least as much concern FROM others."

Kagome bit her lip, and bowed her head.

Kaede extended her calloused hand once more, this time to gently lift Kagome's pale face up. "Tell me, child."

The faint command in the miko's dry voice cracked Kagome's silence, and she poured out her heart in broken whispers. She told the old miko everything...everything that she had experienced and could remember from the day that SesshouMaru had attacked them in the woods with Naraku's youkai and flying insects, capturing her and stealing her away from InuYasha, to the awful memories of that stinking toad, Jaken, calling her all kinds of names until she could only see red, and had golf-balled him into the wall.

Kaede was silent through her heart-torn recital, but the worn hands came to hold one of Kagome's. The chafed fingers tightened occaisionally, as if adding her support or sympathy throughout the whole long, fragmented tale.

"What do ye remember, child? From that night?" Kaede prodded her softly when she faltered.

Kagome flinched, not wanting to re-visit those awful memories, but Kaede's hands firmed on her own in reassurance. Kagome bowed her head, and determined to open the floodgates of pain. Her voice was hollow, and flat, as she said hesitantly, "It was such a blur. At times it seemed like a dream...I feel as if I am missing so much..."

Kaede waited patiently, and Kagome stumbled on. "I...we...he...he had me come to dinner again, like that first time. Except it was in his...his rooms." She took a deep, shuddering breath. She went on, to tell in more detail, how the youkai lord had trapped her when she would have run, how he had kissed her shoulder---the mark burned for a moment in memory---and how she had been filled with desire and longing.

"It grew hazy, after that." She said softly, a slight hitch to her voice. "But...I wanted him. I...I needed him."

"He seduced ye." Kaede said flatly.

"No...not exactly..." Kagome replied in misery. She blinked back sudden tears. "I knew what he wanted, and I wanted it too. Even with...even with..."

"InuYasha." The name was sunk like a dagger between them.

Kagome shivered in heart-torn pain, her whispered words harsh, even to her own ears. "I betrayed him."

Kaede sighed. "Child, ye were not---"

"No." Kagome pulled her hand out of the miko's dry palms. "No, I knew what I was doing, and still...still I did it. You could not understand, Lady."

A small smile lifted the corner of the old mouth. "I am an old woman, child, but once I knew love."

Kagome lifted her head, her eyes blinking with unasked questions.

A worn palm patted her knee. "That is a tale not best told right now, child. Just know that I understand ye. But ye are not telling this old woman all of the tale YE have to tell."

Lashes fluttered down again as Kagome bit her lip.

"There were times that were wonderful." She said reluctantly. "He...he was not what I expected. He was not cold, or cruel...or hateful...or mean...well, until..." She shook, and the miko took her trembling hand once more in her own, the careworn fingers soothing against her skin. Kagome could not continue for a long, long time. They sat in silence, each waiting for the other to speak.

Kagome finally broke down. "I...I remember little. I was sleeping, or mostly. I was so tired, but so...warm...I was dreaming, I think. I was dreaming about InuYasha."

The miko's silence was warm and comforting, urging her to continue.

"I knew I had betrayed him." Kagome said in a hoarse rush. "I was begging for his forgiveness...I was sorry...sorry for NOT being sorry..." A choked sob escaped her, before she pressed it back with tightened lips. It was some time before she could continue, before she could get her warring emotions under tight control.

"I...I felt like he was there, hugging me. And I said his name. Thanking him for forgiving me. And then...and then, I woke up." A shiver broke through her.

"Ye were not alone. He was there." Kaede's gravelly voice intruded.

"Y-Yes. I don't know why...he was so angry...I...he..."

One of the worn hands broke from hers to touch her dampening cheek. "Ye poor child." The miko murmured. "He raped ye, didn't he?"

Kagome shook her head, violently. "How could it be rape? I was with him, willingly! But he...he..."

"He used ye, and was not gentle." Kaede's eye closed in the wrinkled face, a long, troubled sigh escaping her lips.

"H-He...he flung me aside, and called me a whore. InuYasha's whore." The tears were overwhelming her loosening control, and she could not stop them from roughening her voice, the pain in her heart overflowing to spill down her cheeks. She tried not to jostle the sleeping kitsune, but Shippo still felt her pain, and he was whimpering and stirring restlessly in her lap.

Kaede bent forward, and casually scooped the cub up. Freed of his furry presence, Kagome could only curl in upon herself and cry once more, the soft, broken sobs shaking her whole body as she slid down the wall to lie huddled on the floor, her eyes closed and her chest heaving, her heart feeling as if it would burst under the aching sorrow.

Kaede disposed of Shippo by giving him to Kirara, who had awakened during the girl's heart-wrenching confession and had watched them both with lightly glowing red eyes. The neko rumbled softly in her throat, her tails twitching to rest over the kitsune, who clutched the warm little kitten in sleepy confusion, before sighing at the familiar scent and falling deeper into sleep.

Kagome was lost in her own pain, ignoring everything around her, until she felt the careworn hands drawing her with surprising strength into them. She clung to the old woman, sobbing out her pain and heartache and loss. Kaede soothed her with soft words and rocked her like a small child, until Kagome's sobs turned into soft hiccups and she hung limp with exhaustion against the woman's solid comfort.

"Shush, child. Ease ye self. There, now..." Kaede's gravelly voice was easing her into numb acceptance, and Kagome suddenly wished, fiercely, that she could see her mother once again, take comfort in her mother's arms.

*Oh, Mother. What could I say to you now?* She thought sadly, and shivered.

"Ease, child. Ease." Kaede rocked her. Kagome relaxed, the exhaustion claiming her body, and her lashes fluttered, eyes closing.

"I can take the pain from ye, child." Kaede's low words made Kagome tense and open her tired eyes in surprise.

Calloused hands combed the tangled black hair from her cheeks. "Ease, child. Ease." Kaede smiled softly, like a mother with its babe. "I have the sacred powers. Not as strong as ye, but enough."

"Wha...What are you saying, Kaede?" Kagome whispered, her brown eyes moving across the time-worn features.

"I cannot erase the memories, child. But this old one can take the pain." Kaede whispered to her. One abraded palm opened, a small glow of pink-white energy forming along the bowed fingers.

Kagome's eyes widened, watching in tired wonder as the glowing hand came up, making a slight sign of blessing and peace, before lightly touching her forehead. Kagome's eyes closed as she felt the warmth of contact between them. The glow slid over her eyelids, and she fell limp against the old woman's comforting embrace, as the warmth suffused her whirling mind, pulling the pain and easing her gently into sleep...

*~*~*~*~*

Thunder crashed, and the darkened forest was suddenly lit by the sizzling light of an arrow from heaven. The lightening bolt cracked down to the forest below, and Sango could see in the piercing white light her brother's pale, hollow-eyed face.

*Kohaku!*

Even as her mind called out to him in lost sadness, her body tensed and dove backwards, away from the first swing of Kohaku's deadly weapon. The chain rattled as the sweeping hook swiped where she had stood but a moment before. With a practiced jerk, the young demon slayer pulled the weapon back to his waiting hand.

Sango crouched in readiness, even as she felt the first hard drops of rain splattering down on her shoulders. The rain was unwelcome---it would make the footing slippery and uncertain, and the rolling thunder would drown out meaningful sounds during battle.

Hesitation could cost you your life.

Sango pulled Hiraikotsu forward, deflecting the second sweep of Kohaku's deadly blade.

"Kohaku! It's me, Sango! Your sister!" She called out, even knowing with creeping despair that her brother---mind-controlled by Naraku---would not heed her cry.

"Little taijiya, he does not hear you." There was cruel satisfaction in that deep voice, and Sango mentally cursed her forgetfulness of the youkai Goshinki. Purple claws reached for her, and Sango's arm flashed out, driving Hiraikotsu toward the mind-reading incarnation even as she leapt back, avoiding the rattling swing of Kohaku's scythe.

*How the hell can I fight two of them?*

Sango's mind whirled even as her body reacted, bringing her katana up to defend against Kohaku's weapon. Lightening flashed, and colors danced across her narrowed eyes as the writhing chain nearly snagged her sword out of her hand. With a flick of her wrist, she freed the weapon, and ducked under to avoid the return of the hooked blade.

The purple incarnation who called himself Goshinki merely side-stepped, avoiding her boned boomerang. His laugh huffed down on her. "You are going to die, little taijiya...alone."

Sango shivered, even as the rain swept down harder, plastering her hair to her head as wet rivulets ran down her back and sides. Night had crept across the forest as they had fought Goshinki; she had taken little heed as the rising full moon had given enough light for them to fight. InuYasha had taken the brunt of it, toyed with by Goshinki until the evil youkai had cut him down. Sango had rarely fought alone, there had always been her father and fellow slayers to help her and cover her. The village had been cleaved down to dust by Naraku's evil. And now, even InuYasha was...

"NO!" She cried, her sword braced against Kohaku's scythe. The curved blade swung around with a jerk and cut along her wrist. Sango ignored the pain, her focus narrowing on one goal---to rid Kohaku of his deadly weapon. If she must die this day, she would see her brother freed from Naraku's control as well.

"Your brother asked for that gift, taijiya." Goshinki's voice wrapped around her like the chain of Kohaku's scythe, seeking to pierce her determination even as his claws sought to pierce her body.

*No! I will not listen to him!* Sango rolled out of the way of the rending claws.

"AAH!" The demon roared as the sweep of Kohaku's blade made contact with his outstretched hand. The sharp scythe was buried in the youkai's palm, the glint of steel in flickering lightening showing against the curled reaction of three claws.

Sango jerked back to her feet. *Did Kohaku just defend me?* She asked in wonder, trying to blink the rain out of her eyes and peer through the darkness to see her brother's shadowed form.

A sweeping katana, bent for her head, was her answer.

Kohaku had dropped his chief weapon---or Goshinki had jerked it out of his grasp as the metal scythe buried itself in the youkai's palm---and the boy was now attacking her with his sword. Sango's heart wept even as the colder part of her, the trained warrior, secretly examined the evened odds against her. She was more mastered at the sword than her little brother, his Jewel-enhanced skills were still no match against hers.

Blade rang against blade, and Sango ignored the creeping numbness of the wound on her arm. Thunder boomed across the sky once more, and she felt the echo in her ears as the sound drowned out all else---until a roar from above drove her to her knees in shock.

"NINGEN!" Goshinki's claws swooped down, and Sango cried out as her opponent was suddenly swept up and away from her, his own yell of surprised pain lost in another growling rumble of thunder.

"Kohaku!" Sango called out as lightening flared, showing the dangling body clutched in grasping, purple-blackened claws.

"You will die for your mistake, boy!" Goshinki roared, the claws tightening as the boy jerked in reaction.

"NO! KOHAKU!" Sango screamed, tears sweeping down her rain-plastered face. She ran desperately toward the towering demon, her katana clutched in numbing fingers as thunder crashed in the rain-swept night.

*~*~*~*~*

SesshouMaru had just turned away from the broiling storms, finally tired of the brutally primeval display. His thoughts turned to more prosaic matters...he would need to change his clothing for drier robes...he desired to feel the warmth of the bath water against his skin, instead of the chilly edge of rain drops. He would have to summon servants to clean up the mess in his study...

The Lord froze, as the forgotten sword at his side pulsed once.

*Tenseiga.*

Sharp claws gripped the hilt of his worthless sword of healing in faint curiosity as the blade called again to him.

*What are you asking of me?* SesshouMaru's mind demanded of the fanged gift of his dead father.

His head jerked up and to the side, his golden eyes narrowing as his sensitive ears twitched faintly. He looked toward the storm-tossed window, his focus intensifying as he felt the draw of another blade, twin to his.

"Tetsusaiga."

There was a sharp knock on the wooden door that seperated his study from the rest of the castle. SesshouMaru growled low in his throat as his attention was jerked back to the room.

"What is it?" His voice was cold and sharp.

The door creaked open, and an ugly little green face, with a bruised, swollen beak and bulging yellow eyes peeked in. A rustle of brown robes and the clatter of a staff, and the toadish imp was in the study, prostrating himself on the floor.

"What is it, Jaken?" SesshouMaru's voice was icy with impatience.

"F-Forgive me, Master!" Jaken groveled, before peeking up at him. "M-Me Lord, I have...have...sent away the girl."

"What else?" The demand cracked between them like a whip, and the imp flinched.

"Me Lord!" Jaken whimpered even as he scrambled to his feet. "Your poor servant has already suffered, please don't punish me more!" Three fingers tenderly traced the swollen beak that hung slightly open and off-center as his yellow eyes turned mournful. "That stupid ningen hit me!"

"Jaken."

The imp was back on the floor, his yellow eyes bulging as he smashed his hurt beak back against the stone. His voice was muffled against the ground. "M-Me Lord! Please! Forgive me! I had to tell you! There is a disturbance!"

SesshouMaru fingered the wrapped hilt of his Tenseiga thoughtfully.

Thunder crashed outside, and lightening briefly lit the interior of the study with flashing white light.

"I will go."

*~*~*~*~*

A soft pulse came from the broken hilt of the bent, rusted sword. Sharp claws glinted in the white brilliance of the flaring lightening that arced across the storm-tossed sky. The outstretched palm jerked as a pulse spread through them, the chilled fingers curling briefly as a blood-red light flashed across blank amber eyes.

Blood. He needed blood...death...destruction...release...