Disclaimer: This story is based on "Inuyasha," copyrighted by Rumiko Takahashi. No infringement of copyright intended or implied.
Gossips
Their errand was to deliver supper to the miko and her apprentice, but the obvious motivation was to snoop. Sitting on the far side of the fire pit, Kaede fumed silently as she watched the young women's eyes flick around the hut, inevitably falling on the neatly folded lengths of just-purchased material.
"That was so nice, Sayuri-sama, buying that cloth," said Cho—the headman's youngest daughter, belatedly setting down her tray, eyes sliding sideways to smirk at Kaede. "That merchant is the one father always buys from."
"I wish my parents would buy me something that nice," sighed the other, relinquishing a small crock of pickles. "Father is so cheap."
Kaede kept from snorting, knowing perfectly well that while Maki had little success bullying her father into giving her as much as she wanted, she still had more clothing than almost every other young woman her age.
"She is so fortunate to have someone who can really—take care of her, and be so generous" Cho added. "Father has wanted to do right by little Kaede, but all the damage this last spring and summer, because some people thought she could somehow take her sister's place, after Kikyo was killed by that hanyo..."
Kaede tensed. Most of the elder villagers had accepted her limited abilities and never spoken with her failures. But, she had heard plenty of whispered sneers from the younger people, particularly those who had never been friends to her sister—
"It is a disgrace, to allow the sister of a miko, who will be a miko herself, to dress in near-rags." Both of the older girls, and Kaede, jumped and stared at Sayuri. The miko's voice was as cool and precise as Kikyo's had ever been, but laced with the tonality of a superior addressing a vast inferior. Though kneeling on a pad that she had brought with her, Sayuri managed to look down her nose at the two women standing. "Inform Satsuki-dono that her gift is appreciated."
The two hastily left. Kaede sat tensely, vividly reminded of the sharp-tongued, condescending Sayuri from the temple, apprehensive that the samurai's daughter would turn that disdain on her.
To her surprise, Sayuri's expression shifted from a chill aloofness, to a snarl of rage. "I hate gossips!" she spat, in a low voice. Blazing, black eyes stared at her. "I hope you didn't listen to them..."
Kaede flushed, and her eyes burned. Looking away, trying not to cry, she shot back, "Since when do you hate gossips? You were the biggest gossip at the temple!"
She felt, rather than saw the glare. "And if I said that Kikyo was the biggest prude at the temple that would be just as correct," the miko snapped.
Kaede tightened her fists in the silence, which seemed to stretch forever, until Sayuri sighed.
"I apologize, Kaede-chan. That was beneath me." From the corner of her eye, Kaede saw Sayuri rubbing her temples. "And whatever I was then, I do not like gossip now."
Kaede chewed on her lip, then swallowed her sense of hurt. "Okay."
She looked back, as the tray scraped across the floor. "Eat what you want, Kaede," said Sayuri, standing up, looking pale, her forehead scrunched in pain. "I'm going to lie down for a while."
"I'll make some willow bark tea," Kaede offered.
Sayuri gave her a startled, then grateful look. "Thank-you, Kaede-chan."
Author's Note: This is the longer version of a piece submitted to the LiveJournal community, "Inuyasha's Unsung Heroes." (iy_unsung_heroes). It was originally published on September 15, 2010. (Last edit: 9/19/10)