The servants were too busy to notice her as they ran about the large estate, cleaning and doing their assigned duties.
This left the 15 year old inumiko to wander the house, as long as she didn't get in the way. Kitana ended up in the farthest section of the family wing, reserved usually for guests who were considered family.
The young silver haired demon miko went over to the one room that was a complete mystery. No one had ever been in there before, not even her oldest siblings, who have been alive for 450 years.
Kitana paused at the door, just staring at it as if she was fighting herself.
(Kitanas POV)
I could just remember when I was just a pup, and my brother Miroku still lived here. He and I would always run around, chasing each other or playing hide or seek. During one of those games we ran right past this door.
(Flashback)
Miroku stopped, then turned around to look at the door we have never noticed before. Miroku laid a clawed hand on the doorknob and I pulled at his shirt.
" 'Roku, don't open the door... I'm scared." I told him, afraid of what we might find, or worse, what would happen if we got caught. He turned to me and smiled a comforting smile, and reached for the doorknob once again.
However, just as he got ready to turn it, mother called for us to wash up before dinner. i sighed in relief as my brother and I turned to do what we were told.
(End Flashback)
Ever since that day, when I was 5 years old, I left the door alone. I had always wondered what was in there but I never tried opening the door, afraid to anger mother or father.
Mother and Father are very kind to us, but they can be scary if we make them mad too, so I try not to do that will anger them.
After debating with myself I finally made my move. I looked around me to make sure nobody was nearby, watching me as I slowly turned the doorknob and opened the door.
I stepped inside and closed the door behind me. I looked around the small room, finding mostly old things, antiques from the feudal era, old toys and clothes from my brothers and sisters. Scrolls that looked like they would turn to dust if I touched them.
Then in the back of that room I found an old book. It was a poetry book written in the feudal era, and it was signed. The Signature was too faded to make out. I opened the book to try to read some of the poems inside it but my attention turned to a piece of paper that fell to the floor.
After putting the old poetry book down and picked up the paper. It was a white sheet of notebook paper, much like what I use for school. Though it was still yellow with age. The paper was folded in half and it had my mothers name on it.
Curiosity kept me from thinking rationally, not realizing that this was obviously something personal of my mothers.
The characters were old Japanese. I recognized it as the same style used in the Warring era, when Father and Mother met.
It struck me as odd though, old writing, new paper. No one wrote like that anymore. The only reason we have to learn it is because most of our family history is written in that old style.
So I decided to read the paper.
My Dearest Kagome,
I am deeply sorry for everything I have put you through. I know now how badly I hurt you for the last 2 years. I regret all the unnecessary pain I caused you, as i ran off to visit Kikyo, and how I would compare you negatively to her.
I am also sorry for always taking her side in everything and never really listening to your side of the story. I'm sorry for not believing you when you would tell me of all the horrible things she would say and do to you.
It is only now that you left me behind that I realize my mistakes. I am arrogant and stupid for not realizing them sooner.
I understand that this apology is long overdue. I can also understand it if you no longer want to be my friend.
I know that it is too late to tell you this, since you have long been out of my reach, but I must confess my love for you.
Ever since I first met you I have been in love with you. at first I feared you, afraid that you would do to me what others have done before you. Then as we made friends and you would defend me, regardless of the nasty things I had done, I slowly began to accept that I loved you, I was just to afraid to tell you.
My only regret now is that I lost my only chance at true love from someone who loved me for who I am rather than who you want me to be.
Love Always Yasha
October 15 1999
(Kitanas POV)
I stared at the letter, so many questions swirling in my mind. This was a love letter, dated 5 years in the future,
from some guy who is not my father.
Who is Yasha? Why does my mother have a love letter from him? Why is it hidden in an old poetry book? And why is the date on it 1999 when it is only 1994?
"Does Father know about this?" I asked myself silently. i hated the thought of being the one to tell my father that Mother has a secret love letter from another man.
I tucked the love letter in the pocket of my shirt, wanting to talk to my mother about this. Then I crept out of the room.
"You're back my Lady. Did you get what you needed?" The head Servant asked her.
"Yes. I need these bags over here taken to the kitchen, those bags on the left need to be taken to my room, and the black and red bags to study." i heard my mother reply.
I ran to my mother, who smiled when she saw me.
"I am glad to see you Kitana. you need to speak with me?"
"How did you know mother?"
"A mother just knows dear. Let's go to the parlor, I'll have the cook bring us some tea."
After we sat down and a servant brought us to she announced that my father was home. Minutes later Father was in the room, sitting beside mother.
"So what do you need to talk about daughter?" Mother asked.
"I looked over at my father nervously and just handed mother the letter I found, then letting my head fall, sure that I was in trouble for going into that room.
So when my mother laughed and father chuckled I jerked my head up shaking in fear and eyes wide in surprise.
"So this is what it is all about?" Father asked.
"What are your questions dear?"
"Did you already know about this Father?" I asked him first, seeing how he didn't seem surprised or angry at the letter in mothers hand.
"I already knew about the letter, and of the feelings mentioned in it. I take it that you read the letter?" He asked
"Yes. I'm sorry Mother."
"I'm not angry Kitana. I knew this day was going to come. Its alright." Mother replied.
I told them of all of my questions, dealing with the style of writing and the paper, the date of the letter, and who the man was.
"Do you remember back in Middle School when you were learning about the Shikon Miko?" Mother asked. I nodded
"When I told you what we were studying you guys just laughed. i asked you what you were laughing about. You just told me hat you would tell me when I'm older."
"What do you remember of the story?" Father asked.
"Well, it began with a powerful time-travelling miko and a inu hanyou. Then they added a young fox demon, a monk, and a demon slayer and her neko manta companion. They were collecting the shards of the Shikon no Tama, and working to defeat an evil spider hanyou named Naraku. Why?"
"I am the Shikon miko from that story, and I was born in this era. The Inu hanyou was the person who wrote that letter."
"He was my half-brother, Inuyasha."
"The fox is Shippo, the monk was Miroku, who your borther is named after. you sister, Sango was named after the demon slayer. the neko is Kirara."
"Wait, Shippo is the fox from the story? And Kirara is the neko?" I asked.
"Thats me." i heard from the doorway.
(Shippos POV)
Mama was finally telling Kitana our story. Kitana already knew the shard-hunting and Naraku fights, but she doesn't know what happened after.
Now she is going to tell her.
"I met Mama just after my parents were killed by the Thunder brothers. I sensed the jewel shards she had with her and i tried to steal them, but I failed. She ended up helping me get revenge on them and I started traveling with her and Inuyasha."
"What happened that made you end up with Father?"
"Well, after I first arrived to the Feudal Era and freed Inuyasha I slowly feel in love with him. Then one day when we were traveling we found this old witch who made an army of clay people using thier souls to bring them to a half-life to fight for her. She had stolen ashes of a priestess Kikyo who I am the reincarnation of. The witch took the piece of my soul that had been Kikyos to bring her to life. I would have lost my whole soul if it wasn't for Kikyos sister Kaede.
"Inuyasha had once been in love with her, and he felt guilty about her death so when she needed him she would send him a signal and he would leave us to go to her.
"After a couple of years of this I fell out of love with him. At this time your father and his pack had joined us to help, and I began developing feelings for him.
"Then the time came for our finally battle with Naraku. You know how that went. Once it was over we all decided to go our separate ways. Sango and Miroku left for her old village to rebuild it, and they later got married. Sesshomaru and I brought his pack and Shippo to his castle in the Western Lands.
"Inuyasha and Kikyo mated and they lived in her former village so she could take over for Kaede when she died.
"It wasn't until 20 years after Narakus defeat that I found out about the letter. Inuyasha and Kikyo had both been killed and a messenger came to the castle on last wishes from Inuyasha. He apparently wrote the letter only a few weeks before the final battle."
"That room has some of the more important things from that time period. That book of poems were written by Monk Miroku years after we fought Naraku."
The talking went on through the evening until after dinner when a tired Kitana retired to her bedroom, with a new understanding of her family history.
