Beautiful green grass stretched out for miles. Wildflowers were scattered throughout the expanse. Birds called in excitement to one another from tree to tree across the green expanse. Deer grazed gracefully without a care in the world.
Then in the middle of the field a woman was laid out on her stomach, her nose buried in a book. She kicked her bare feet gracefully as she turned the pages. Then a flash of orange catches her attention. She looks up to see a beautiful butterfly.
With the grace of a ballerina she gets up and reaches her hand out gracefully as if to catch the butterfly. She follows the butterfly, her book abandoned and the pages turning in the wind.
She followed the butterfly to the edge of the field. Her heart took a small leap as the butterfly entered the woods. Taking a deep breath she continued to follow the orange insect. She continued to go deeper and deeper into the forest, until the butterfly finally rested on a log.
With a ghost of a smile the woman let her hand fall. She sighed a great sigh and then raised her head to see a cave. There standing at the entrance was a wolf. A regal wolf, with bright blue eyes and a fur coat so brown it looked like melted chocolate.
She took a look behind her, back the way she had come. Then she turned back to the wolf. Her brown eyes met his blue with intensity. He then turned his muzzle and walked into the cave. The girl took one longing look back at the way she had come and then turned to follow the wolf.
The cave was dark and wet. There was a constant dripping sound coming from somewhere deep inside of it. Just as she was about to give up hope, she heard the crashing of a waterfall. It was loud and thunderous. She continued to walk on the cave floor until she came to see the waterfall.
She walked up to it, the blue waters were so clear she could almost see through it. She smiled at the water, the same ghost of a smile. Then she lifted her eyes and received a shock. There standing on the other side of the waterfall was a man.
The girl almost let out a scream but the man lifted a finger to his lips in a shushing motion. He then put his hand through the waterfall, outstretched for hers. She looked at the hand and then lifted her eyes to his; they were the most beautiful blue she had seen.
Then her heart all but stopped, the beautiful blue, she knew she had seen it somewhere earlier, but she could not place her finger on it.
She placed her hand then into his. The water made his hands cold to the touch and hard to hold onto. With a yank then he pulled his arm back through the water, and her along with it. Suddenly she was drenched in the freezing water.
Shaking from head to toe she kept her eyes clenched shut. She felt the man let her go and walk back but she did not dare to open her eyes. Then she heard a sigh, not a sigh of being content, but a sigh of defeat, of sadness.
It was that, that made her open her eyes in surprise. He had his back turned to her so she started to walk forward, lifting her hand as if to grab the butterfly. She laid it on his shoulder and was surprised at the warmth.
Then with a soft tug she made it so he would start to turn towards her…Then as she was about to see a small glimpse of his face…
"Wake up! We have to hurry! We're late; I cannot believe we slept in so long!" A voice yelled out, loud and piercing. The woman sat up slowly, her eyes clenched shut. She still felt like she could feel the icy water that had drenched her not long ago.
"Come on! It is almost sunrise and if we are not there for the morning ceremony we will be punished! Get dressed already!" The voice yelled again. It finally had her open her eyes, the warm brown was troubled.
"What is wrong? Did you have another strange dream?" The same voice asked but this time with concern. The girl with brown eyes turned to the voice and nodded with a frown. The woman who had spoken then sighed and through a kimono in front of the other woman.
"We will tell spiritual mother, but you have to get dressed. Please Kagome." The woman pleaded as she braided her hair back and covered it with a cotton sheath. Kagome nodded slowly and started to pull the kimono on. It was made of cotton, Red and black. She tied the red sash around her waist to keep the kimono closed.
"Hurry Kagome, Hurry!" The woman spoke in earnest, now desperate. Kagome quickly braided her hair and pulled on a similar cotton sheath to cover her hair. Then both women rushed out of the room, quickly pulling on their black shoes and all but running to be in time for the ceremony.
They quickly pulled open the doors and were relieved to see the girls were now just circling around a small fire. All of the girls were dressed the same, alike to Kagome and the woman.
"Sango, I am sorry we were almost late. I will not let it happen again." Kagome said while bowing her head in shame.
"It is ok Kagome, we're here now." Sango said with a smile. Kagome nodded and lifted her head; a ghost of a smile graced her lips. Then a drum sounded and the smiles fell as they fell into their spots around the circle.
The other side of the circle opened as a cloaked woman walked to the fire. She threw back her cloak and looked at the fire. Her kimono was red and white, the sign that she was no longer training and was now an official priestess. She covered her eyes and then got to her knees and bowed deeply. She rose back up and pulled a white cloth from her long sleeves.
She chanted quietly into the cloth before dipping it into the fire. Then she threw the entire rag into the fire and lifted her head to the sky and wailed. Tears streaked down her face as she began to chant.
Kagome glanced over at Sango before all of the girls in training knelt down and started to do their own similar chant. Kagome clasped her hands together and begged in her chant alike with the others.
Then the sun started to rise and the wailing of their priestess stopped. When the wailing stopped the students all began to rise with bowed heads. The fire in the middle was out now and the cloth was ash.
The priestess stepped onto the pile of ash and closed her eyes as she took in a deep breath. The air smelled of tears, excitement, fear, and acceptance. Then the priestess called out,
"There has been a royal decree sent out! All young women of age will be submitted; because those of you of age have not taken the oath you will be submitted as well."
A student stepped forward; head bowed and asked calmly "Mother, what is it that we shall be submitted for?" The priestess lifted her head to the rising sun and said,
"It is decreed that the princes of the North, South, East, and West will take brides. Though you here may have the lowest chance of being chosen for this, you will still be entered. You will still be forced to partake in this! If you are chosen, you will not fail because you want to become a priestess, is that understood!?"
A chorus of yes's rang out through the students. Though a few cries were heard as well. Kagome clenched her hands into fists. This only happened once every hundred years, so not much was known. Though what was known was that it was a cruel, horrible place to be.
Kagome felt tears gather in her eyes because all her life she had been in this station. All her life she had been a student of the priestess, of her spiritual mother. Now she was being torn away from the life she had always known.
A pang shot through her chest and she furrowed her brows in remembrance of her dream. She remembered wandering and beautiful blue eyes. Though for the life of her she could not remember anything else.
Then the priestess's voice broke through the chorus of whimpers once more, "All girls of ages sixteen winters through eighteen winters step forward. All girls younger or older, go about your daily chores and prayers." Another chorus of yes's was sounded and bows were given. Slowly girls peeled away.
With heads bowed no one realized how many people had left or how many people remained. Then the priestess spoke calmly, "Lift your heads girls. We have a lot to discuss." Kagome lifted her head and felt her mouth drop in shock. The circle was empty. Kagome then looked to her right and found Sango standing there, her eyes stern and her jaw clenched. Kagome resisted the urge to cry and lift her hands over her mouth.
The priestess stood in front of them and she said "My two girls. My bright young girls, now we must discuss what is to take place. As you can see it is only you two who are in the age markers. The rest of the girls are younger. My heart aches because just one more year and you both would have been able to become priestesses and would have been able to serve the kingdoms and the gods with all your heart. Follow me, we must prepare."
With that the priestess turned towards the place she came and started to walk. Sango and Kagome walked behind her a ways but then the tears started to roll down Kagome's face. She lifted a hand to her mouth to cover her wails as she followed her mother. Unbeknownst to her Sango walked with a clenched jaw and hands as tears leaked down her cheeks.