InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ There I Was ❯ A World Shattered ( Chapter 16 )

There I Was

Chapter Sixteen: A World Shattered

{Disclaimer: I really don't own any of this.}

Authors note: Hey mina-san! I hope everyone's doing alright. Wow… the end of this chapter was really hard to write. Here are the review responses, ja.

Dreaming_Gril: You could never bug me, and I'm very glad you like this fic. Yeah, I kinda did need to kill that random girl. It adds to the plot. It was tempting to change Sessh pink in battle, but I can't in this chapter. May be in another chapter or something. Actually I have two artists who are going to draw fanart for this story. They're just being lazy.

-Flame

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I awoke with a start. I was covered in sweat and was painting. Why do I all of a sudden feel like something's wrong? I ran a hand through my hair and look around our camp. The other Lords were still sleeping peacefully and the fire was burning brightly. What could have woken me up like that?

Standing I walked out of camp and towards the river that was flowing a few feet away. I splashed my face with the cold water and stared at my reflection. I was dreaming of Kagome…again. It's been almost four days since we parted and it's felt like an eternity. We've been to the South and are now traveling back.

We should have known Naraku wouldn't be there. He's too cowardly to stay and fight; either that or he's smart and knows when to run. At least he left one of his minions for us to fight, so it wasn't completely fruitless. Not only that, but it was Kagura, one of his generals or something like that. I was actually surprised he left her for us. Needless to say, she's dead now.

Now we're headed back west to pick up the Ladies. A smile formed on my face as I thought of seeing my lovely mate again. I have to admit, I've missed her more than I will admit aloud. It's hard to believe how important she's become to me. I think I now know why my mother couldn't live without my father. I just hope she hasn't sneezed. That would be just wonderful, coming home and she's stuck in a closet or something.

I suppressed a chuckle at the vision of Kagome sitting in a closet with a pouting look on her face and her arms crossed across her chest. I think it would make a cute picture to come home too, as long as it wasn't one of the ladies who locked her in there. Though, I must be grateful that Saiyako didn't stay with them. She's not as violent with Kagome as she was when we first mated, but I still can't help but wonder about all the bruises Kagome gets when we visit Kouji.

That shouldn't happen anymore from what I hear though. Kouji said that he finally mated her off. She's mated and can't come after me, or else her mate can do as he pleases with her. Don't get me wrong, I don't wish any ill will on the woman; I just want her to stay away from my mate.

I began walking back to camp and laid down. I need to try to get as much sleep as possible. Naraku's minions still roam these woods and pop up from time to time and we have a battle on our hands. It's not like we're over whelmed or anything, it's just that twenty battles or so in a row starts to effect you. I closed my eyes and tried to return to my pleasant dreams of Kagome.

_-*~=~*~=~*-_

I yawned and stretched as I sat up. "Morning sleepyhead." Kouga smiled right in my face; our noses were almost touching.

"Leave me, pup." I batted him away and stood up. Looking around I noticed that Goro and Kanna were still asleep, so how does that make me a sleepyhead?

"Dad went out to get some food, and he said that we're only about five hours walk from the border of the Western Lands." Finally! I thought we'd never get there. I can't wait to feel my own Lands under my feet once again. I sat on a bolder near the fire and looked into the flames. "So, how are you this lovely morning?" I ignore his insufferable question, why is he even trying to make small talk with me of all people? "Okay, I'll take that as `I'm fine Kouga. This is wonderful weather we're having, isn't it?'" I glared at him. He's been spending too much time with Kagome. He's become a smart aleck just like her; only she's cute when she does it.

"Ah, it's good to see you up and about, Maru." Kouji walked into camp and placed two medium sized elk next to the fire. "Would you like to help me skin breakfast?" I sighed and kneeled on the ground next to Kouji. If I said no, he'd just fling the skin at me; I've known him far too long not to know that when he asks for help, he's demanding it. "Are you excited about going home?" Again with the small talk, what is with this family?

"Yes."

"I bet Lady Kagome misses you quite a lot. She's never stayed at home while you went off to fight before, has she."

"No."

"I remember the first time I went to war after I married Saiya. She was so miserable. You have to remember that women can't live without us."

"That's a lie." Kouji looked at me with a raised eyebrow and I continued. "Kagome lived for years without anyone. She left the last of her family when she was eighteen and lived alone after that." I didn't know why I was telling him this, I just felt like I needed to defend Kagome's honor. She has after all, suffered quite a bit.

"True, true. But Lady Kagome is special. She's not like any woman I've ever met before. It must have been growing up across the ocean that did that." Or that fact that women in her time can do more than women in this time, so she's told me.

"Yes, she is special."

"I'm actually surprised that she wasn't mated before she met you. You're very lucky."

"Yes I am." We finished skinning the elks and Kouga began to cook it. Goro and Kanna soon woke once the sent of cooking meat drifted to their noses. We all sat down once it was done and ate in silence. There wasn't much needed to be said. After that we set out westward.

We walked with small conversations every now and then in between battles. I don't understand why weaker youkai find it necessary to fight stronger youkai. Can some please explain it to me? At the moment the topic of discussion was potatoes. I don't know why, but someone brought up potatoes and it brought up a heated debate. Frankly, I don't find potatoes all that interesting.

Soon, we reached the border to the Western Lands, and I immediately felt at home the moment I stepped foot over that imaginary line. This is much better. I'm in my own territory, my mate is waiting for me back home, and we'll be there by lunch at the latest. I was relaxed for the first time in four days.

We continued walking and fighting until lunchtime, when the roof of my castle came into view. It'll only be about five, maybe ten minutes now, and then I can see Kagome. I'll walk right in that door and she'll fling herself on me with a smile and tears of joy on her face. She'll smother me with kisses and drag me into the dinning room where a home cooked meal will be waiting for me. Or so I would have liked. Hey, a guy can dream, can't he?

Once we walked through the doors the ladies ran up to me all shouting different things at the same time. The only thing that they all were saying was Kagome was missing. My blood froze and I looked at them. They stopped talking and Aiko touched my arm. "Sesshoumaru, after you left Kagome went out, and she hasn't been back since. We're afraid something might have happened to her." No…she promised me she'd stay safe. I turned around and ran out the door.

She said she would go to Senkako's, didn't she? I pushed my youki under my feet and started to fly off toward her town. I got there in a matter of minutes I landed in front of her house. I knocked on the door and my dear Rin answered. "Papa, what are you doing here?"

"Has your mother been here?"

"Yeah, she came by about four days ago, but she left after about half an hour, why?" She left…but she should have gotten back safely then, shouldn't she? "Papa, did something happen to mama?"

"She's missing. It seams she didn't make it back after she left here." I saw the terror on my daughter's face and she grabbed my arm.

"You'll find her, won't you? Oh god, it's all my fault. I should have had her stay longer."

"It's not your fault, I'm sure she just got lost or something."

"Let me go with you." She ran inside and told her husband she was going to go look for Kagome with me and he asked if there was anything he could do to help as well. I always knew Rin made a good choice when she mated that man. She told him to stay here in case Kagome came back and she came back out. "Okay, lets go." We headed out and started walking back to the castle the way Kagome may have. I hope she's just lost, or even if she's trapped somewhere, as long as she's not hurt. "I hope she's okay. I mean, I hope her mouth didn't get her in trouble or anything like that."

"No, Kagome knows when and to whom she can mouth off to. She wouldn't get in trouble for anything like that."

"You have a point there. Wait…do you see that?" I looked ahead at a pile of crows picking at something bloody. My blood froze again, it can't be…Rin and I chased the crows away and looked down at the woman on the ground. She was wearing the kimono Kagome wore the day I left, and her raven hair was so stained with blood I couldn't tell if it had red highlights or not, her eyes had been eaten by the crows, so nothing else could support or negate whether or not it was Kagome. The only other thing that troubles me is that this body is a bit fresh and it doesn't exactly smell like Kagome, then again there's so much blood it's hard to tell. "Oh Kami…that's what mama was wearing when she visited."

Rin turned and hid her face in my arm. "That can't be your mother."

"It looks like her and is even wearing the same kimono as her. So what makes you think it's not?"

"It's sent smells a bit wrong, and the body seems too fresh."

"If it's not mama, then why didn't she come home?" I stayed silent; I didn't want to think about that. I didn't want to think that Kagome was dead, I couldn't think about it.

"Let me walk you home." I held Rin around her shoulders as I walked her back to the village. "I take it, this is your home now?"

"Yes." She answered quietly. I could tell she was depressed about this; she and Kagome were so close. I walked her to her door and as soon as she entered I ran back to the body. I looked down at there it again and sighed. There is a chance, it is Kagome, but I don't want to believe it. I buried the corps with my own two hands, if it was Kagome I want her to rest in something special. I said a small prayer that she said every year the day her family was killed and walked off to find a stream.

I washed the dirt off my hands as I thought about what Rin had said. `If it's not mama, why didn't she come home?' Why? Because that was probably her. I watched the brown flow off my hands and down the stream as it hit me. It must have been Kagome. She could have just been horribly injured and died recently, and her sent could have been covered up by her attacker's sent and the blood. All blood smell's alike, I've found, it all has that putrid copper smell.

I've lost her. My mate, my Kagome, all because I wasn't here to protect her. Not only that, but I've lost my pup too. I'll never know what it's like to bounce my pup in my knee and smile as it coos. I'll never be able to watch my own child grow from an infant to an adult. I wasn't able to with Rin, and now I've lost my only chance. I stood up and closed my eyes. Summoning my youki again I flew off to my home.

I entered the door and the lords and ladies surrounded me. "Did you find her?" Kouga asked. I slowly nodded and lowered my head.

"She's dead." I walked through the stunned group of royals and walked up to our bedroom. I flopped on the bed and inhaled deeply. It still smelled like her, water lilies and raspberries. I never want to forget this sent. I rolled over and was over come with memories of the times we've shared together.

When I first saw her sleeping face in my bed I was angry, but I couldn't help but feel lured towards her. Even then I had noticed her beauty, it was hard not to, I just didn't want to admit it then. Her warm smile is what made me fall in love with her though. It was so sad, yet happy at the same time. I wanted to know what had made her so sad all the time. When we finally mated though, that sadness left her smile completely. Her smile flooded my memories and then the sound of her crying the day I left.

I felt a sharp pain in my chest. I don't understand why I feel so sad. I mean I know I loved her, but Kagome was just a woman after all, wasn't she? Just like the women living the villages not far from here? Deep down I don't think she was just any woman though. She was Kagome. She was special. She was my woman. My mate. The only one I had and will ever will. I fell broken, lost, and alone. Is this what my mother felt like? I can understand why she died now.

I'll be stronger though. I need to. I have my Lands that I need to watch over. I rose from the bed and left our-no it's my room now. I left my room and called for Jaken. I had to get out of here for a while. "Hai Milord?" The toad bowed and I looked down at him.

"I'm leaving for a while, you shall come with me." Jaken will surly keep my mind away from any stray thoughts.

"Hai, Milord. When are we leaving?"

"Immediately." I walked down the stairs and looked back up to see a faint vision of Kagome smiling at me from the hall. Yes, I have to get out of here now I can't take this. I turned away and walked out the door with Jaken. The other lords didn't try to stop me; I think they knew I needed to be left alone for a while. And that's all I need, just to leave for a while.

We started to walk in a random direction away from where I found Kagome's body. This journey may be good for me. I'm in no condition to rule right now, I just hope I will be soon. I took one last look at my home before I left and that pain in my chest started up again. I need to get going, I can't be wasting time staring that things that only bring pain. I turned back around and began walking off.

Goodbye, Kagome.