Kagome sat quietly edge of a cliff, her feet dangling over the steep drop off. She focused on the rocky rapids so far below her. All she had to do was push herself. One little push and she would go tumbling over edge. Her petite body would smash into the rocks and it would all be over. She could escape him. She would never have to obey another one of his commands or lay with him at night. She would be free to roam the netherworld as happy as she was before he captured her.
Kagome played with the hem on her short black kimono, contemplating her choice. She could just end it now and be done with him, or she could return, and protect Rin from his harsh treatment. Rin would forgive her if she chose to end it. Wouldn't she? They had talked about it often enough before. But could she forgive herself for leaving the closest thing to family she had only with that monster?
Sighing, Kagome back up, standing up and brushing off her Yukata and turned her back to the cliff. She could not leave Rin, bottom line. Until she could be sure Rin was safe, she had to bare with him. She looked around the forest where she was. It was so beautiful here. Flowers sprung up from the ground all around her. The trees stood tall and strong and birds sat singing happily in them. It was hard to believe that this forest was part of her prison, hard to believe that such beauty was meant to disguise the evil that took place here.
"Kagome, what are you doing here?" A gruff male voice asked her. Her eyes widen and she instantly dropped to the ground, kneeling with her head bowed and a hand held across her chest.
"Lord Inuyasha," She answered, "I was just out for a walk. I was on my way back now." She kept her head low, praying he bought her lie. Inuyasha walked up to her, grabbing her loosely by the hair and pulling her up to me hit gaze. She winced in pain tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall.
"Don't lie to me Kagome." He hissed angrily at her. "I saw you on the cliff." His angry golden eyes glared into her frightened brown ones. "You were trying to leave me."
"N-N-No! Master no, I swear I wasn't I was just looking at the water. I swear I wasn't trying to leave, please believe me!" She shock violently with fear, praying to Kami he believed her. He released her hair, and she fell to the ground. She instantly shot forward and kissed his foot. He reached down and gently took her face in his hands. She looked up at him, pleading silently with her eyes.
"Kagome, I forgive you this time. However, tonight you will be punished, do you understand?" He ran a clawed hand through her silky black hair.
"Yes, Master." She whispered, lowering her eyes to the ground again. He lifted her up gently by the arm and they made their way back to the castle together.
"Master, I am here." Rin entered the dining hall. She saw Kagome standing with her head down next to the seated Inuyasha. That meant she hadn't done it. Damn her. They both didn't need to be trapped here. She had a chance to be free. Why hadn't she taken it?
"Rin, Kagome, I have received word that Lord Naraku and Lord Sesshomaru will be arriving tonight. I have to allow my pompous ass of a brother and his vassal to stay here while he's surveying this part of his lands. You two will make sure they are well attended too understood?" He glanced at them as they murmured their yeses and then dismissed them with a wave of his hand.
Both girls left quickly, heading towards the hot spring to get ready. When they were finally safely inside, far from Inuyasha's overly sensitive ears, Rin grabbed Kagome and slapped her.
"What is wrong with you?" She whispered angrily. "Why would you come back? Why wouldn't you just leave while you had the chance?"
"Rin," Kagome started, tears rolling down her cheeks, "I'd rather you be the one then I. I can't make you be the one to suffer here with him. Not after what he did to you last time." She eyed one of the half healed bruises on Rin's arm. The deep claw marks still looked fresh against her pale skin. Rin remember that night all too well. She had been late coming to him. It was only by a couple of minutes, but he was furious. He had beaten her unmercilously and then raped her over and over again, until he fell asleep. It had taken her nearly a week to get to a point where she could even hide the marks he had left all over her body.
"It does not matter Kagome." She answered, the harshness leaving her voice. "One of us could have escaped and it would have been over." She turned away and pulled off her kimono, letting it fall to the floor as she stepped in the water. "That may have been your only chance." She said her voice filled with despair. Kagome looked at her, smiling weakly.
"Well, I don't think I could ever find piece in the afterlife, if I knew you were still here in hell."