The wind blew through the boughs of the ancient tree, Goshinboku. A smell of a mixed bouquet floated through the air. A girl stood near the house, while a boy stood on the other side of the tree.
A bow was notched. The archer taking aim, quickly and quietly. She released. An arrow whizzed through the air, intent on it's target. The target reached up his hand, and caught the arrow, right before it pierced his cloak.
Hiei stared at the arrow in his hand. He glanced up at the woman who had shot at him. He looked back down at the arrow, and growled. The woman had shot at him. She was a mission, and a human mission at that, he should not have been noticed. It was not natural miko powers she emitted.
He glanced back up at her. She had notched another arrow, and was aiming it at him. He snapped the arrow in half and jumped on her with his sword at her neck, drawing blood. The broken arrow fell helplessly to the ground.
The woman, miko--as Koenma had called her, stilled beneath him. Her eyes wide, her breaths shallow, trying to think of a way to survive this.
"Onna, what makes you think you have the right to shoot at me?" The sword is pulled back a bit, no longer cutting her throat, but still close enough.
"My name is Ka. Go. Me! Not onna. And anyways! What makes you think you can follow me around everywhere? Are you after the jewel?"
"Jewel?"
"Crap. You didn't know, did you?" Kagome bit her lip. "Umm, excuse me, Mr. Demon, but I...um...need to go. I'm sorry I shot at you, and I promise I won't do it again..."
"Tell me about the jewel."
"No! I asked nicely, and even apoligized. You need to learn some manners." She growled, impressive for a human girl. He smirked. He picked her up and threw her over his shoulder with one arm. She began kicking and screaming as he pulled out his communicator to call Botan.
"I am not just some sack of potatoes! Kami, I hate it when this happens! Put me down and tell me what you want!" She had stilled in his grip by the time Botan had arrived, but she was still voicing her anger at the situation.
"Hiei, I think she might listen."
"Open a portal, Koenma can deal with her."
Botan opened the portal, and Hiei stepped through and dumped her on the floor of Koenma's office.
"Hiei! What's going on?" The prince was startled. "Why did you bring her here?"
Kagome stood up, rubbing her bum, and growled at Hiei again.
"What is going on here? Where am I?"
"I'll leave you to it. She mentioned something about a jewel." Hiei stated and stepped back to observe.
She was the protector of the Shikon no Tama. She had told a story of love and betrayal; a story of heartbreak and had been through more than any human recorded in history besides Midoriko, and she didn't have to seal herself inside a jewel to compelete her task. Fate had dealt her a raw hand. Kagome was tied to the jewel, and the jewel was tied to her soul. Hiei knew the legend of the Shikon no Tama. Hiei used to lust for the Shikon no Tama, and now it was dangled right in front of him, and he had no want for it. Koenma had assigned him to be her protector, in case it got out that the jewel was back after its 500 year disappearance.
When Hiei had first been assigned to watch over Kagome, she was angry. She could take care of herself, she demanded. She did not need a babysitter. Hiei agreed, stating that she tried to shoot him, so surely she could stupidly stand up to any demon. Koenma, who wouldn't hear of it, argued that she was only human, and her strength and physical capabilities could not be trusted.
Kagome went straight to her room, slammed the door, locked her window, and closed her curtains. That night, Kagome went out to the Goshinboku and looked up through the branches, searching for Hiei.
"I'm sorry." She looked up through the tree. She couldn't see him, but she knew he was there; she could feel his youki. "I know it's not your fault. You're just doing your job. I know you don't want to be here." She sat down and rubbed her eyes. "I'm just so tired of being helpless." She whispered. "I want to be able to take care of myself for once." She leaned back against the tree and closed her eyes.
"I'm just going to sit out here for a bit. I'll try not to bother you." She said.
He grunted.
The broken arrow lay underneath the tree, throughout the weather. Watching as the seasons changed from summer, to fall, to winter. The months that passed brought with them a growing relationship. The broken arrow watched from the spot it had inadverntly been buried in, until one night a pair of hand dug into the earth, searching for it. The hands pulled out the arrow, and cleaned it off, washing the remains of dirt and soil that clung to it. The hands wiped away the water and carefully sharpened the head back to its full potential. The hands sat the arrow in a glass chest, on display, in a place where it was treasured.
Every night, he sat in the tree, and she sat under it. He offered to train her. She accepted. She was a hard worker; and she was tough. She didn't complain when he was unfair or mean. He was intrigued. She gave her all, and more. She gave Hiei her acceptance, friendship, and eventually love; though he remained unaware.
As the months went on, their relationship grew from Sensei and student, to friends, to almost dating. Hiei wasn't sure when it had happened. It was Kurama who had alerted him to the difference in the way they acted with each other. Hiei threatened to slice off his head if he kept up his dillusions of his non-existant relationship with Kagome. Though, when Hiei was alone, in the Goshinboku, late at night, he thought about what Kurama had told him. Kagome had been acting different. Hiei decided to watch his actions closely from then on. There was no reason for him to be acting like some silly fool in love.
Sitting underneath the Goshinboku, Kagome looked up through the branches.
"Hiei." She called. "Come down here, please." Hiei jumped out of the tree and sat beside her. Kagome faced foward, not looking at Hiei, and sighed deeply, sadly.
"I've been thinking. I know you have a big job, and lots of stuff to do, and you've trained me well. I don't want to bother you anymore. You don't need to babysit me anymore."
Hiei grabbed her chin and turned it towards him. He growled.
"Onna...Kagome. Do you think I would still be here, if I did not want to be?" Hiei leaned down and kissed her. Kagome wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him as he slid his hand from her chin, down her neck and rested it on the small of her back.
Kurama laughed as Hiei grumbled about the suit Kagome had made him wear for their wedding reception. They had had a traditional Shinto wedding, with a traditional western reception.
"Hiei, I need to see you and Kagome, inside, ok?"
Hiei nodded and went to get his new bride. He ushered Kagome inside to the Higurashi kitchen, where Kurama was waiting on them. Sitting on the counter was a present.
"I wanted you to open this, without others around." Kurama said and passed the present to Hiei, who passed it to Kagome.
As she unwrapped the gift, her eyes began to water, and Hiei's eyes widened.
"Oh my...is this?" Kagome was speechless.
"Yes, Hiei told me of how he met 'that insufferable miko', and after you two began dating seriously, I decided to search for it."
It was the broken arrow that had been there, from the beginning of their relationship, when they met. Now, it would watch them start their lives together.