Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha
Author's Note: I started writing this story around 5 or so years ago and had taken it down sometime last year thinking that I wouldn't continue it. But after getting back into reading/writing fanfiction (after many many years), I am re-uploading it and plan to continue. For those of you who have read this before, I apologise for the inconvenience of having taken it down and hope that you will continue to read it. For those of you that are new to this story, I hope you enjoy it. Please read and review :) Thanks!
Prologue
"Kagome dear, it's time to wake," a gentle voice called to the young girl. There was no movement. The woman smiled warmly at the bundle under the covers. She gave a gentle push and there was mumble from within. The top of a dark head appeared. The woman slowly pulled the covers back . "You have an exciting day ahead of you," she told the young girl.
With her dark locks sprawled around her, the Princess slowly opened her eyes. She gazed at her mother's loving face.
"We must get you ready. Your Champion awaits," her mother informed her.
The Princess was suddenly awake and alert. "I don't need one," she huffed with a pout.
Her mother gazed at her sternly, but her expression softened. "Your father and I believe that you do. Not only are you a princess, but you are also the Keeper of the Sacred Jewel. We cannot risk putting you in any more danger. More demons are coming to realize who you are and they will come for you" her mother paused momentarily, "Even humans."
The Princess made no reply as her mother helped her dress in her finest kimono of a pale tea green. She kneeled in front of her mother and waited patiently for her long tresses to be arranged accordingly.
"Besides," her mother continued, running her fingers through Kagome's raven hair, "Your father says that he is a nice man. He is of eighteen years- three years your senior. He is also a former monk who worked with our High Priestess, Lady Kaede. So he mustn't be all bad. But of course, you can decide for yourself." She gently turned her daughter so that they were face to face. "There," she smiled and Kagome found herself smiling back. The woman softly planted a kiss on her daughter's forehead, "Your father and brother are out there with him now."
Kagome sighed heavily, still very against the idea of having a Champion, but stood and walked towards the door of the room. "Oh mother," Kagome turned back upon remembering something that she wanted to ask.
"Yes, dear?"
"Where's Sango?" the Princess asked, referring to her best friend- the daughter of the local demon exterminator- who also happened to work at the Palace as a lady-in-waiting when she wasn't training with her family.
"I sent her out on an errand in the next village. She'll return later tonight," Kagome's mother replied. Kagome nodded and bowed quickly before leaving the room.
"Here she is!" a young boy exclaimed as the Princess entered the room. Holding her head high, Kagome walked as gracefully as she could towards her brother, Souta, and stood beside him.
"Ah!" a deep voice said, "I present to you, Daughter of the Higurashi Palace and Keeper of the Sacred Jewel, Princess Kagome." Her father presented her formally to the stranger that stood before her. "Kagome," her father continued, "I would like for you to meet your Champion, Miroku."
The young man bowed to her and she bowed to him. He smiled. Kagome eyed him with interest and curiosity, relaxing as she sensed an ease about him.
"It will be an honour to serve you, Princess," Miroku said with a smile.
"As proposed by her mother, the two of you are to spend the day together in order to get to know each other," Kagome's father interjected before any more could pass between the two. "What am I saying?," he looked at the two with a chuckle, "Seeing as Miroku is your Champion as of today, you'll be spending almost every waking moment together. You have all the time in the world to get to know each other."
Every waking moment? Though Miroku seemed nice enough, the idea still horrified Kagome to no end!
"A splendid idea, nonetheless," Miroku spoke casually.
"Can I go with them, father?" the heir to the throne asked.
"Don't be foolish, Souta. We must leave these two to themselves. Now, come along," he ushered his son out of the room.
With the other two gone, Miroku turned to face Kagome. "What shall we do today, Princess?"
Since she had no other choice in the matter, Kagome considered her options carefully before reaching her final decision, "I'd like to go for a walk in the forest." Never before had she set foot in that area. Her parents had never allowed it, saying that it would be much too dangerous. With a Champion by her side, surely it would be safe.
"Shall we go then, Princess?" Miroku asked enthusiastically as he placed his hand on Kagome's lower back to guide her out of the palace. But it was a little too low for her liking.
The Princess blushed profusely, glad that Miroku couldn't see her face. "I don't think that that's an appropriate place to be touching me," she told him in the most even voice she could muster.
"Of course!" Miroku immediately took his hand away with an amused smile, "I'm sorry, Princess."
Kagome made her way to the front gates of the palace. The two guards bowed to her respectfully and she smiled at them in acknowledgment.
The Champion and Princess made their way through the village. Kagome observed Miroku carefully and noticed that his head would turn at the sight of every pretty village girl that passed them along the way.
"I don't ever recall monks being so openly aware of women," Kagome stated simply.
"I am a former monk," Miroku corrected calmly, unfazed by the Princess' statement. "And I was the most honourable kind at that," he boasted with a grin.
"I'm sure you were," Kagome smirked, laughter in her chocolate eyes. "So if you aren't a monk anymore, why do you still carry your staff? And why do you wear those prayer beads around your wrist?"
Miroku turned serious as he looked down at his wrist which the prayer beads were wrapped around, but Kagome didn't notice as she was looking around the village that she rarely got to visit. There's no need to tell her now. There'll be plenty of time later on, Miroku told himself looking back at the Princess as they walked. Kagome glanced up at him with expectant eyes. The Champion grinned at her, "Habit I suppose."
"Oh," was all Kagome said before returning her eyes to her surroundings. Kagome hardly ever went beyond the palace walls and although she was stepping on unfamiliar ground, she had heard stories from Sango; stories about the mischief of the village children, of neighbouring villages and even of the demons that were exterminated by Sango's family.
The two didn't get very far before they ran into the High Priestess, Lady Kaede. "Good morning, Princess," the old woman bowed, "I hardly see ye outside the palace. What brings ye out here today?" Kaede looked at Miroku with a smile to show that she had acknowledged his presence, "I do hope that Miroku has been of no trouble. He tends to get a bit carried away when it comes to women."
"Not at all. But I've started to notice that already," Kagome giggled, a musical sound to their ears.
"Kaede!" Miroku feigned utter shock, "You grieve me!"
"Oh hush," Kaede scolded lightly, "The Princess must be fully warned of your behaviour."
"Behaviour? Your words pain me, Lady Kaede," Miroku shook his head with a heavy sigh, though his eyes were smiling. "But it is good to be in the company of a young beauty," Miroku continued as he placed an arm around Kagome's shoulders who was too preoccupied with the 'bickering' between monk and priestess to protest, " after working with you for so long." Miroku took his arm off of Kagome's shoulders after emphasizing his point and smirked when he was rewarded by a scowl from Kaede.
Kagome laughed at them, "You two must be very close. I never even knew that you worked together."
"Well I never did like being associated with him. Now, Miroku is out of my hair and I can finally rest in peace. Ye must thank your father for me, Princess."
Both Kagome and Miroku laughed. Kaede may be an old woman, but she certainly gave as good as she got.
"So where did ye say ye were going?" the priestess asked them.
"Oh, to the forest for a walk," Kagome replied.
Kaede's worn face bore a shocked expression, "Do ye think that wise, Princess? The forest could be lurking with demons!"
"I'll protect her," Miroku interjected, slightly offended that Kaede didn't seem to be taking his role as Kagome's Champion seriously.
"Don't worry," Kagome answered with a reassuring smile that would ease anyone's troubles, "I'll be ok."
Kaede said no more, allowing herself to trust Kagome and Miroku. Though she would be wrong not to admit that she was still slightly concerned. The High Priestess watched as Champion and Princess headed for the forest.
"So what exactly does a Champion do?" Kagome asked in order to fill the silence that had enveloped them as they were walking. She glanced around and admired the beauty of her surroundings. It was all so green, though there were various flowers that brightened the forest further with its colour being accentuated by the trees and plants.
"As your Champion, it is my duty.. no, it is my pleasure to stand by your side and protect you until the day that I die," Miroku replied with a serious face, though his eyes smiled down at her.
"So, I'm stuck with you then," the Princess teased lightly.
"I'm certainly not complaining," Miroku grinned as they continued walking.
The Princess smiled warmly at her Champion. "I've been thinking," Kagome said slowly, "I know that we haven't known each other very long, but I think that we're going to be great friends."
Miroku laughed, making Kagome turn a deep shade of red. "I'm sorry," he apologized, "Please don't think that I'm laughing at you. I just meant that I think so too, Princess."
Kagome grinned as she took the lead, taking in a lungful of the fresh air that surrounded her. "Miroku?" she called out.
"Yes, Princess?"
"Just 'Kagome'. I'm sick of always being called 'Princess'."
"As you wish… Princess."
Kagome turned abruptly. "Miroku!" she stuck her tongue out at him and the former monk laughed. But his laughter was cut short as a grave look overshadowed his features. "Are you ok?" Kagome asked in concern, slightly unnerved by the sudden change in his mood.
"An ominous cloud hangs over the palace…" he whispered to himself. Just as he spoke those words, explosions and screams could be heard in the distance. The two turned towards the sound.
"The palace!" they exclaimed in unison. Kagome ran back to her home as fast as her legs would allow.
"Wait, Kagome! It could be dangerous!" Miroku yelled as he ran after the girl.
"Where is the Sacred Jewel?!" the demon exploded angrily, "And where is the Keeper of the Jewel?!" Mistress Centipede dragged Kagome's remaining family member across the dirt and rubble of what used to be the palace.
"I will never tell you where the Jewel is!" the mother screamed at the monstrosity that held her very life in its hands, "And I will never, never tell you where my daughter is! I would rather die!"
"Very well," Mistress Centipede sneered evilly and with one swipe of her sharp claws, she severed the head of Kagome's mother. Both head and body fell to the round with a bloody thud. The demon turned to face the old woman before her.
Kaede stood her ground with bow and arrow in hand. The priestess stared evenly at the demon.
"Where is the Jewel? I need the Jewel!"
"Be gone, demon!" Kaede exclaimed, cocking the arrow and aiming it at Mistress Centipede. She released it straight after. Mistress Centipede deflected the arrow with ease and when Kaede fired another arrow, the attempt only ended with the same result. Can this demon not be defeated? Kaede thought grimly, I pray that Miroku and the Princess are well away from this place. The High Priestess cocked yet another arrow and aimed.
Kagome tried not to trip as she made her way back through the forest, unbearable fear filling her heart with every step. Upon reaching the village she froze, the sight before her was no comfort. Her home had been destroyed; the royal structure of the palace had crumbled to the ground. Several of the houses had been demolished and many bodies lay scattered; a gruesome sight. Debris and bodies were everywhere; crimson liquid had stained the ground. But it seemed that most of the people had managed to flee to the mountains that cradled their village. What of her family? Had they escaped too? Kagome was at a loss for words, too shocked and traumatized to move from the spot she had been frozen in since she arrived. Even though she dreaded the unknown of what she would find, Kagome began to walk through what was left of her village and home. What she saw was more horrifying than anything she could ever have imagined. A demon stood amongst the destruction and her mother lay before it. Her mother's eyes stared blankly ahead, and her body lay a few feet away in a pool of blood. Kagome didn't even take any notice of Kaede.
"You!" the demon yelled fiercely at Kagome, but the Princess was in a daze.
Kaede turned around, "Princess! Ye must flee from this place or ye will be killed!"
The priestess' words fell on deaf ears. Kagome stared into her mother's eyes. It was all so surreal. It was only this morning that the very face she was staring at had been smiling at her ever so lovingly and now… What of Souta and her father? Did they meet the same fate?
A firm hand suddenly covered her eyes and she was grateful. Kagome was pushed aside gently. "I will handle this," Miroku assured her and she took comfort in his unwavering voice.
"You!" Mistress Centipede yelled once more and headed straight for Kagome, pushing past the old woman. "You are the Keeper of the Jewel! I can sense it! Tell me where it is!"
"Kaede, get out of the way!" Miroku yelled to the priestess who quickly obliged, knowing what Miroku was about to do. He turned to Kagome. "You must stay behind me at all times," he told the girl who nodded understanding. The former monk faced the demon once more and as Mistress Centipede was charging straight for them, Miroku quickly unwound the beads that were wrapped around his wrist and held his palm out. It seemed as if a black hole had opened up and it began to suck everything in; the debris, the corpses and Mistress Centipede.
By now, it was too late for Mistress Centipede to retreat. She flew face first into the black hole that had appeared in Miroku's palm. Kagome eyes were full of wonder as she stared at her Champion, forgetting for a brief moment about the horror that had just occurred. But her expression quickly turned to terror as she saw her mother's remains come hurtling at them.
"My mother!" Kagome cried out.
Miroku quickly scanned over everything that was about to be sucked in. Sure enough, Kagome's mother was about to go in with Mistress Centipede's other half. The Champion quickly sealed his palm with his prayer beads. He had saved Kagome's mother just in time. The remains of Mistress Centipede and all the other corpses had produced a putrid stench that brought tears to all their eyes.
Miroku turned to Kagome and he knelt beside her. "Are you ok? Are you hurt at all?" Miroku questioned as he grasped her shoulders to steady her. Kagome glanced at Miroku's hand and prayer beads.
"My Wind Tunnel- a curse placed upon my lineage by a demon named Naraku," he quickly explained.
"They call him the Wind Guardian amongst other things," Kaede added as she approached them with a grim look on her wrinkled features.
Miroku looked up at the old woman, "Are you hurt?"
Kaede merely shook her head.
Miroku returned his attention to the Princess. There was no point in asking her again if she was ok- he could clearly see all the pain, terror and confusion in her eyes. Kagome's lip quivered and tears welled in her dark eyes. The Keeper of the Sacred Jewel allowed herself to fall into her Champion's arms as she began to sob, the darkness of the day beginning to overwhelm her. Although Miroku had experience with women, he was not quite used to them being in tears. He looked up to Kaede for help, but all he received was a look that clearly meant that he was to let her cry until she could cry no more. Miroku held Kagome in his arms and did just that. Kagome may be the Princess and the Keeper of the Sacred Jewel, but when it came down to it, she was just a young girl whose life had changed forever. And at that moment, Miroku made a vow to himself- he would never let the darkness claim her.