Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or The Decemberists.
A/N: Sorry this is late; I had a crap load of homework this week. It was hell. Hope you enjoy though!
The Barrow Boy
Chapter 4-Hold Tight
Bi Polar
Kagome opened her eyes groggily and half expected to be in her old bedroom back in Devonshire…but she wasn't and her heart dropped achingly. Then it had happened. She made her way downstairs tying her robe tightly around her.
"Feeling any better dear?" Mrs. Higurashi asked from the large couch that she was knitting from.
"Ummm…yeah, I suppose."
"Souta's been waiting for you to get up all morning." She smiled but didn't look up from the scarf she was working on.
"Why?" Kagome sat down in one of the chairs by the fire, her Grandfather sleeping in the one across from her.
"He said that you two were to go out and visit Madame Kaede."
"Oh…I'll go get changed." She whispered. At the moment she didn't care where she was. She was too shocked from the events of last night.
She came down a half an hour later fully dressed but in a messy sort of way. Kagome put on her coat and buttoned it up, saying goodbye to her mother she went out the front door to look for her brother.
"Souta!"
"Kagome! You're finally awake. Are you feeling better? You were really out of it last night."
"Yeah…I think I'm feeling better."
"You think?"
"I mean…I am…I'm feeling better." She gave him a reassuring smile.
"Well…if you don't mind I'd like to go visit Madame Kaede today."
"Yes, we can go." She took his hand in hers and they walked down the same path to Kaede's house.
"Oh! It's so good to see you again children." Kaede let Kagome and Souta come into her nice house once again.
"Of course! I did promise you after all." Souta grinned.
Madame Kaede gave Kagome a worried glance before turning to Souta. "Souta my dear, can you do this old woman a favor. You see, my body isn't what it used to be and it would be darling of you to go and fetch some water from the well outside." She asked him politely.
"Yes of course." He answered enthusiastically, hurrying out the back door.
Kaede turned to Kagome with kind eyes and nodded towards one of the chairs at the kitchen table. Kagome seated herself across from the older woman.
"Now Kagome my dear, what is the matter?" She spoke softly giving Kagome a questioning look.
"I…I don't know what you mean."
"Of course you do. You look pale and nervous. Something has happened, hasn't it?"
"Madame Kaede…what did Eli…I mean Inuyasha Collins look like?" She held her breath hoping upon hope that all of last night was some stupid day dream of sorts.
Kaede gave her a knowing smile but let it be. "Well…when he first came into town everyone was sure he was from Arabia because of how strange he looked. We never really did find out where he was from." She added thoughtfully. "He had the strangest hair I'd ever seen. It was silver…" Kagome's heart dropped.
"He had golden eyes, breathtaking golden eyes. His eyes were what attracted the girls." She giggled like she was a teenager again. "Including me. I'm embarrassed to say that I did have a little crush on him. He was well built and rather handsome…" She looked up at Kagome.
"Oh." Kagome felt herself shake and quiver with realization.
"Did…did you see him?" Kaede asked, hopeful.
"Yes, yes I did." Kagome nodded decidedly.
Kaede's lips turned up to her eyes in a sly smile. "Did you talk to him?"
"I…"
Souta bounded in the house with a water pale in his hand. He smiled widely.
"Where would you like me to put this Madame Kaede?"
Kagome shut her mouth, knowing that she must have sounded as crazy as the old woman herself. She wouldn't let it slip again. Kaede looked let down but quickly hid it away and smiled gratefully at the young boy. "Here, I'll put the water on for some tea."
While pouring it she gave Kagome a meaningful glance hoping that maybe they could talk about her experience later. Kagome shook head mouthing the words 'nothing else happened.'
Naturally, as soon as Souta came back into the room he wanted to hear as many stories that Madame Kaede could dish out. And she did. She told them all about her childhood and how she mastered 6 instruments. How she was inspired for several of her songs and how she loved to sing them for visitors.
"Will you sing one for us?" Souta asked politely, beaming with admiration.
She smiled and nodded slightly, getting up and slowly making her way to her guitar, her bones creaking with old age when she sat down. Kagome and Souta came into the living room and sat down on one of the old worn in couches.
She tuned it and messed about for little, getting ready for the song. Then she turned to them and smiled pleasantly. "Now this is a song about two youngsters that were from this town about 3 or 4 years ago. A rather recent song. I'll have to tell you of their story sometime. Oh and this is supposed to be sung by a man, so bear with me." She began playing a fast, almost upbeat tune and let her gentle smooth voice belt out the lyrics; which was surprising considering her age.
Here on these cliffs of Dover You come from parents wanton And oh, my love, my love I found you, a tattooed tramp And oh, my love, my love And my parents will never consent to this love Meet me on my vast veranda And oh, my love, my love
So high you can't see over
And while your head is spinning
Hold tight, it's just beginning
A childhood rough and rotten
I come from wealth and beauty
Untouched by work or duty
And oh, my love, my love
We both go down together
A dirty daughter from the labor camps
I laid you down on the grass of a clearing
You wept but your soul was willing
And oh, my love, my love
We both go down together
But I hold your hand
My sweet, untouched Miranda
And while the seagulls are crying
We fall but our souls are flying
And oh, my love, my love
And oh, my love, oh my love
And oh, my love, my love
We both go down together
Kaede finished up and Kagome felt slightly more melancholy than before. Souta however applauded happily praising her wonderful playing and singing. Kagome sat there thoughtfully and nodded her head in agreement with her brother.
"It's quite a touching tale really. But that's another story, another day." She said quietly before turning to Souta and giving him a nod before saying. "I'm sure you want to go and play today."
"Yes, but I want to visit tomorrow. Is that okay?" He asked hopefully.
"Of course, my child." She said smiling ruffling his hair with her old wrinkled hand.
She led them to the door and said a kind goodbye, giving Kagome one last worried glance and then closing the door.
"What did you and Madame Kaede talk about while I was gone?" He asked suspiciously.
"Oh nothing really." Kagome answered reluctantly.
"Oh okay." They made their way to the village again and Kagome felt more and more queasy. She didn't want to go back to the river…but she knew that's where they were headed. She fidgeted with the hem of her scarf, nervously. She stopped near the woods while Souta kept going, but when he looked back and saw Kagome standing there refusing to come any closer, he came back.
"What's the matter?"
"Souta maybe we can, I don't know, just stick in the town today?"
"Come on Kagome! Stop being chicken! Nothing's in there but trees and dirt and rocks." He said impatiently taking her hand and dragging her into the darkening woods.
She felt like a bucket of ice cold water had been dropped on her. Kagome had never been more terrified. She sat on a large boulder, probably the same one as last night, but she had been trying to push those thoughts into the back of her head all day. Souta had disappeared down the stream's riverbank long ago but she didn't dare move from her place for fear that she would never be able to find her way back.
A cold breeze licked the back of her neck and she brought her hand up to warm it once again. She brought it down again and wrapped her hands in her shawl. Then the breeze came back again and Kagome wrapped her scarf more tightly around her neck.
Now she felt it once again and she became increasingly worried and anxious. Kagome started to hear sighs and mentally tried to calm herself telling herself over and over again that it was just her imagination and she was scaring herself. Nothing was there.
And in the quiet of the evening she heard one thing. "Hello again." A masculine voice said from behind her. Kagome spun herself around and was faced with the annoyingly handsome boy from yesterday. She jumped up from the rock and screamed.
A/N: So I know the chapters are still really slow and I apologize for that but things will get better.
Thank you to all of you who reviewed it really helps out. :)
Sleep-deprived101: It gets a lot funnier when Inuyasha comes into full play. Thank you.
Teenagewitchling: No the song is from a wonderful band called The Decemberists; you should check them out sometime. Thanks for the review.
Kuroi-hana-01: Haha, you're review made me smile, thank you very much. :)
Whitewolf33: You're right! I hadn't even thought of that, you're wonderful. :) Thanks for the comment.
Katie: Thank you so much for the review, it really does help out.
Kasandra16: Haha that's alright at least you're reading now, right? Hehe, thanks so much for the comment.
Inashosetai: It seems this story isn't getting as much of an audience as my last one. What do you think I should do to make it better? You're a real help with all this stuff and thanks for the support.
It helps if you review and if you have any ideas at all that you want to share with me, go for it. Thanks for those of you who did review.
Please comment!