Hi! This is my very first story that I'll do with chapters and I hope that you'll like it. This is AU and is not following the canon, just so you know.

~(^3^)

I don't own anything in this story!

~Kagome's POV~

Everyone was quiet; no one made a sound except for some single whispers through the crowd standing on both sides of the gravel path. I knew why they were quiet, why they were all standing with their heads hanging down, why some were crying. Why mothers held their daughters tight and whispered soothing things to them. The small children, those who were under eight didn't know what was going on and they'd be glad they didn't in the future.

I turned my head forwards, I had to keep a good example for the villagers. They would not be allowed to see fear on my face. I would not show fear to anyone, because if I was scared then others would be too and I would not be able to move on if I knew that children and mothers, other girls my age, younger or older, were scared because of me. I also had to make my mother believe that I wouldn't be afraid of what awaited me then she would try to stop this and the village would be destroyed! I could not allow that.

Being the priestess I was people always expected me to show a good example for the young once. I was always supposed to sooth the once who were chosen. To sooth the girls who were scared of what fate would await them when they got the news. I had been trained to be there for them and their families when that time came that they would go and not return, but… I'd never been trained to sooth myself when my time would come. No one had really believed that my time would come, I was the priestess in their eyes. I would live up to a good example, I COULDN'T be chosen in their eyes. But I wasn't flawless and I was still a normal teenage girl.

I was scared; I had feared the day that I would be chosen as the next sacrifice. My mother had also dreaded the day that it would be me, but I guess all mothers dreaded the day their daughter would be taken away from them. I would be at least.

I looked the four soldiers walking two in front of me and two behind me, as to keep me from escaping. Did they really believe that I would do such a thing? That I would let my people suffer? That was low for even them.

I could see my family in the crowd; they were standing all the way at the end of the gravel path waiting for me to reach there so they could get their last goodbyes from me. Even from my distance I could see my mother crying, my grandfather holding her tight and my little brother holding tight to mothers and grandfathers hands, my great grandmother's younger sister just standing there with closed eyes but a tears running down her only eye.

It had been just two days ago that my family had gotten the letter about my leave. It had pained my family deep but I had kept a stern and brave face. If they thought I was scared they would just be more pained and scared for my safety. I couldn't let that happen… I just wish that it never had been me. I didn't want to go, I didn't want to die, no in the hands of a demon! I wanted to have a family, a husband that loved me and two happy children. That would never happen now… thanks to that damn letter.

~Flashback – 2 days ago~

"Kagome, Kagome, come and play with me today!" my little brother said as he dragged me down the stairs into the kitchen. "You have to come with me and my friends and play with us today! You promised, right?"

I giggled and nodded. "Hai, hai! But first could we make it past breakfast maybe?"

"But we can eat breakfast later!" Sota said and dragged me through the kitchen towards the door leading out of the house.

"Sota, Kagome! Where do you think you two are going this early without breakfast?" Sota stopped and I turned around and smiled at my mother.

"Ohayō Kaa-chan," I said and yanked my hand out of Sota's grip. "No were of course, we'll have breakfast first, right Sota?"

"Fine, have breakfast first," Sota said and walked towards the kitchen table and sat down with a grumpy expression on his face.

I smiled and sat down on the chair next to Sota who quickly forgot about being grumpy when mother gave him a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. He could be really simple sometimes, but that was nothing bad… usually at least.

"Here, Kagome," my mother said and placed a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon before me too. "Eat up."

"Thanks Kaa-chan!" I said as I was about to stuff my face full of food when a knock on the door interrupted breakfast. I stood up and walked over to the door and opened it. "Yes?" I asked to the monk and the two soldiers behind him. "May I maybe help you with something?

The monk had a sad expression on his face when he answered. "We are looking for the young priestess Kagome, may that be you?"

"Yes?" I answered again and took a step back from the monk. I didn't like his expression at all, it was so… sad? Was their another sacrifice chosen? Did he need me to help the girl and the family to get over their sadness, sorrow and fears? "May I help you with something?"

"Can we come in for a moment, please?" the monk asked, I nodded stepping out of the way for the three men who walked into the kitchen.

"Kagome? Who are these men?" my mother asked and turned to the monk who had sat down at the table while the two guards stood behind him.

"We are here to talk about your daughter, Higurashi-san," the monk said and my mother's face paled directly.

"Sota, go out and play with your friends," she said and rushed Sota towards the open door.

"But, Onee-san promised that she'd play with us…!" he protested while mother tried to get him outside.

"She has duties to attend to with these men, now go and play. I'll call you when you can come in again," mother said and closed the door behind Sota who said something about unfair and baka. "Now…" she said and sat down at the table right in front of the monk. "…What is so important that you have to call my daughter on her free day?"

"Higurashi-san, I believe you would understand when you read this…" The monk took out an already opened envelop and gave it to mother. "I… Well… Hope you'll understand the… circumstances." My mother paled even more when she'd read the letter and her eyes where wide as tears fell from the corners.

"Kaa-chan!" I said and ran up next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. "What's the matter, Kaa-chan?"

She didn't answer me instead she gave me the letter. I didn't understand at first but my hearts started to pound and everything just went blank after I read it. Everything just… seemed unreal all of a sudden.

Dear Bone Eater's village high council!

It's been quite the while since my last request and I've now decided who the next maiden shall be.

I want the young priestess with the raven black hair and the voice that sings like a thousand of nightingales. The priestess with the power over human and demon, she who can pure the darkest of hearts, I want the young maiden by nightfall tomorrow.

She shall be at the temple at the exact time strikes six o'clock. Fail this and your village will be no more.

~End of flashback – back to present~

I had cried that night, all the night I'd cried. I hadn't been able to fall asleep all I could think of was what would happen to me now. The demon must have kept a watch over me if he knew exactly how to describe me in other words then just 'the young priestess'. It made me ill at ease, thinking that I'd had demon stalked watching me for who knows how long!

I reached the end of the gravel path faster then I'd hoped we would. I didn't want to say goodbye to anyone. I'd already said goodbye to so many of my friends who'd been chosen by the demon that it was hard to believe I'd now had to say goodbye to more people.

My mother hugged me tight the first thing she did and I couldn't keep the tears in anymore. "Kaa-chan…" I cried as I hugged her tight. "…I'm scared."

"Hush, hush my baby girl, let me sing to thee a last. For last you'll live in our hearts, will never forget thee and please…" mother sang but she spoke the last part of the lullaby she'd always sang to me since I was a little baby girl. "…Don't forget us; thee loved once who will always love thee till the end."

I bit my lip and hugged her tighter. "Kaa-chan, I love you."

"I love you too, my baby Kagome," she said and let go of me. She stroke away some hair from my eyes and smiled. "We'll meet again; I promise that I'll send someone for you."

"Kaa-chan…" I said as she turned around and cried into my grandfather shoulder.

Kaede, my great grandmother's younger sister, came up to me and hugged me. "I wish I could do something to change your fate, Kagome." I hugged her back; she was the one who'd taught me all I know about being a priestess, it kind off ran through the family. "I never thought I'd loss another one precious me."

"I'll always be with you, Kaede-basan," I whispered and then let go of her. I didn't have that much time and I had to say goodbye to Sota and grandpa too.

I kneelead down in front of Sota and hugged him tight. "Sota, it's okay to cry," I said as I saw how he tried his hardest not to cry. "Big boys always cry when they have too and that is what makes them men."

He hugged me tight and then started to cry loudly saying that I couldn't go. I soothed him for a few minutes before I hugged grandpa who didn't say much who usually said the most. Guess he wasn't that into talking today, but who was?

I took a deep breath and nodded to the soldiers who brought me onto the small but long boat that was going to take me to the other side of the large lake. On the other side there would be a temple, the demons temple. The temple that all women traveled to when they would be sacrifices to the demon, I would be no difference.

I was seated in the front of the boat on a blue velvet pillow while soldiers rowed the boat forward; I took in the view of the lake. A thick mist always made the lake almost invisible unless you were inside of it. Only some soldiers and the sacrifices had ever seen the inside of the mist and got to see the beauty of the lake. I'd never seen it before now, but I'd heard stories from Kaede who had heard them from her sister who had been the only woman who'd ever returned from the demons claws.

No woman or teen girl who'd been chosen had ever returned from the demons claws except one, Kaedes sister, my great grandmother.

I looked down on my priestess outfit; I still held the letter in my hands. I didn't seem to want to let it go, as if all this was some kind illusion. It wasn't every time I saw the letter; it reminded me that the situation I was in was true.

Instead of mopping around feeling sorry for myself I decided to at least take notice of the lake around me, I wouldn't see something this beautiful ever again. It was completely stunning! The lake was so clear that it was almost impossible to believe. The fishes and the dancing sea flowers under the water surface were so relaxing. The water lilies were dazzling in all different kind off colors and I just had to pick one. It was bright red with the inside a shade of pink; it was very rare and beautiful. I took the flower took away the green leaves and even though it was still wet I tied it into my hair. I wanted to at least look something if I was going to die.

The ride was short and just within minutes I could see the red temple and the trees that had their branches in the water. It was a beautiful sight and if I wasn't going to die then I would have probably longed to step ashore on that temple and walk the beach, but no one would ever be happy about that.

When the boat docked at the temple no one except me stepped out of the boat and onto the temple. I saw out of the corner of my eye that they had already was on the edge of being swallowed by the mist and I was all alone waiting for the demon. I was for it nothing more than food.

The temple wasn't really much of a temple, just a large porch held up by red stone pillars. There was no furniture and I had a good sight into the forest but I couldn't see any demons. There was none here but me.

I took a deep breath and walked into the middle of the temple and sat down on my knees. I closed my eyes and tried to stay calm. I wouldn't show any fear towards this demon, I would show him that he couldn't scare me! Even though I was scared to the core, I just had that feeling that I had to keep up the priestess frame and be strong. I needed to be brave.

But when I finally started to calm down and get courage, thinking that he wouldn't show up for a while I was completely frightened when a strong, masculine voice that was filled with nothing but danger spoke, "Welcome… my dear priestess, to my domain."

My eyes flashed open and I gasped as I stared into a pair of golden once not too far away from me… He is…the demon!

Please review and tell me what you believe about it.