The early morning was warm, with not many songs from birds. The group had been traveling from just before dawn and at the time there were more birds singing at that time then there were at the moment as if they were being hushed for a reason.
While the hours passed during travel the wind started to blow. Looking up into the sky she saw that clouds were slowly moving in. By mid-day the wind blew colder and stronger as the sky became dark with dark grey and black clouds.
"Rin climb onto Ah-Un with the miko. Jaken come." Waiting for the two headed dragon to lift off the ground the western lord soon followed.
"What is it M'lord? Is it danger?" Jaken looked back towards the ground that they had just left and saw nothing.
"Search the sky." Jaken looked around them and noticed the dark clouds and off in the distance behind them flashes of light caught his eyes.
Being airborne and not walking they would arrive back at the domain sooner. By the time Sesshoumaru saw the domain off in the near distance rain caught up with them and by the time that they had landed in the courtyard both Rin and Kagome were soaked from head to foot as well as the western lord.
"Rin take Kagome to her room then report to yours and change." Sesshoumaru voiced as they entered the building. In the background he heard whispers. After his ward and Kagome had disappeared he then headed to his own room as whispers continued.
"He's brought her back here."
"Why had he brought that miko back?"
"What power does that miko have over him, that he would bring her back."
"Did he not just call her by name?"
"Yes. He did call her by name. Master does not call anyone by name."
"Hey you there get back to work." A soaked Jaken voiced as he came inside.
Down in the western wing the western lord summoned for the red haired servant to await him in his study as he continued down to his chamber to change. Where as the girl Rin lead Kagome to her room then left to go to hers.
"You summoned me M'lord." Was the questioned asked to Sesshoumaru upon entering his study.
"You will be the personal servant to the one known as Kagome for as long as she is within this domain."
"If I may M'lord know the reason this human miko resides within these walls. What importance is she that you have your personal servant to serve her?"
"She is the sole survivor of her group that destroyed the enemy that this Sesshoumaru have sought to kill."
"A sole survivor of her group of miko's?"
"Her group contained the hanyou which was my half brother Inuyasha. Now go!"
"Yes M'lord." Bowing she left the study.
"Well here I am again. I'd best get changed out of these wet clothes."
voiced Kagome as she headed over and behind the changing screen. Setting her bag down, she knelt down to look through her clothes. Going through her clothes she pulled out a green dress with small floral patterns throughout the dress. As she stood up and began removing her wet clothes she heard a slight knock before the door slide open.
"I have brought you some hot tea miss."
"Thanks. I'll be there in a moment. I'm almost changed." When she was changed she came out from behind the screen. "Where could I put these to dry?"
"Hand them to me and I will take care of it." The red haired woman placed the cup of hot tea and small kettle on the low table.
"Please forgive my manners. My name is Kagome. Kagome Higurashi. What is your name?"
"Hanako. I will be your personal servant while you are here at this domain. When you need anything let me know. When meals of the day are to be served I will come and bring you to the dining hall. If you don't need me, I will go so you can settle." She gave a slight bow then turned.
"Please Hanako don't bow to me. That is not needed."
"You are lord Sesshoumaru-sama's honored guest. So it is proper for me to do so."
"Me as an honored guest!? I don't know about that. Proper or not. Please don't bow to me. I feel so uncomfortable and it's unnatural to me." Kagome watched as Hanako bowed once more and left with the wet clothes.
Kagome took a seat on the square cushion by the low table and sipped her tea. After drinking the cup full and two other cups, Kagome decided to get the blanket and lay against the wall and fell asleep. Much later when Hanako came back to lead Kagome to the last meal of the day she found that Kagome was asleep so Hanako laid out the futon and placed Kagome into it, covered her up and left the room to inform the western lord that the miko would not be joining in on the meal.
The next day was a damp dull day. A steady soaking rain pounded continually the night before. Kagome sat there in her room listening to the pounding rain and heavy wind as Rin lay on the floor drawing one of many pictures she had started drawing after the morning meal that she and Rin had shared together without Sesshoumaru.
"What does someone do here to have fun? I would not think there would be a library here."
"I would pick flowers when they bloom. Or chase after master Jaken when he has to watch me. What is a library Kagome?" Rin looked up from her drawing.
"A library is a place with a lot of books that a person can go to check out a book to take home to read or sit there to read."
"Rin does not know of books. Kagome would have to ask Sesshoumaru-sama."
"What would you need to speak with lord Sesshoumaru?" Both Rin and Kagome looked up at the voice.
"Kagome wants to ask Sesshoumaru-sama if there are books here to read." Rin voiced as she continued drawing without looking up.
"I can pass the request onto him. Would you want tea brought here for you and the young miss?"
"That would be wonderful. Thank you Hanako." Hanako bowed and turned and left.
"Here Kagome." Rin came over and handed her a piece of paper from the drawing pad.
Looking down at the page she saw a pretty picture. "Thank you Rin. It's very pretty." Rin smiled up at Kagome. "Tell me about this picture. What are the images within the picture?" Kagome handed back the picture. Taking the picture Rin faced it towards Kagome.
"This is master Jaken and Rin, and this here is Sesshoumaru-sama. Behind Sesshoumaru-sama is Kagome. Rin is very happy in picture because the day that I drew picture of is when Sesshoumaru-sama brought you to camp many weeks after he left you in the village. The first time of being brought here." Rin handed the picture back to Kagome which she laid the picture next to her on the cushion then gave Rin a hug.
A knock came at the door before it slid open. "Here is your tea. Do you request anything else?"
"No thank you." She watched once more as Hanako bowed again before leaving. "Here you go Rin." She poured some tea and handed it to Rin then poured herself some.
"Rin hopes that." Rin watched as Kagome slightly shook her head. "What is wrong Kagome."
"It's not Rin hopes that. It is, "I hope that". You are far too sweet to refer yourself as a third person like Sesshoumaru. It does not suite you."
"But Sesshoumaru-sama does it." Retorted Rin.
"That is because he is an adult and that is who he is."
Much of that after noon went by as a blur as Rin went on her very long talking whims. All the things that came up that she decided to talk to or bring up had nothing to do with each other while during the whole time she laid on the floor drawing. Looking down at Rin to see the reason that her conversation had ended, Kagome saw that Rin's little head was down against the paper she was drawing in with slow, easy, and even breaths.
"Come with me miss and... Oh the young miss has fallen asleep, and yet the evening meal is to be severed."
"Rin it's time for the evening meal."
"Alright Kagome." Rin slowly stood up rubbing her eyes. Kagome had to blink because the way Rin was yawning and rubbing her eyes, her image was replaced with a red-orange fox kitsune with green eyes. Blinking a few times the image returned to that of Rin.
"Hurry up sleepy head or that green imp will have all the food ate before you and I get there."
"Both will be late." Hanako tried to hurry the two.
"Sesshoumaru will just have to wait." Kagome knelt down then carefully picked the tired girl up and carried her to the dining hall and that is how she entered the room. Once inside she sat Rin on her feet and helped her to walk over to where she sits. "She had fallen asleep within my room." Eating their meal both Kagome and Rin stood up and walked to the door.
"What worthless activity had that child done to make her fight sleep while eating?" Jaken voiced.
The sight of her futon laid out and the oil light greeted Kagome as she entered her room. Changing into a pair of sleeping shorts and top, she crawled underneath the blanket and laid down looking up at the ceiling and dozed off.
Several Hours Later...
"Wench stop being worthless by laying around. Hurry up already so we can hunt shards."
"I'm not a wench or worthless Inuyasha! Have Kikyou help if you're in a hurry." Kagome yelled as she sat up and quickly got to her feet ready to confront Inuyasha but looked around for him before remembering where she was and why. Laying back down she pulled the blanket up to her chin as she curled into the fetal position.
Down the halls the western lord grabbed his sword as he got to his feet when he heard the yell. "She dreams of my dead brother and his careless words." He laid his sword back down and returned to his bed. "Your words and actions with the dead priestess had wounded the one you called friend as deep as Naraku pierced her." He said before closing his eyes to sleep lightly as the word of the old miko came back to him.
"It will take time for her to heal from the loss." Kaede's words faded.
Opening his eyes again. "To heal from loss. Not because of words or deeds done onto her." Glancing through his slightly opened door leading outside, he saw the beginnings of color in the horizon. Raising to his feet and grabbed his swords he heard the sound of rushing feet as he made his way to close one door then turned and walked over to the other door that lead into the hall.
Come dawn Hanako was greeted with the sight of Rin laying next to Kagome. She must have been awakened by Kagome when she had yelled during the night. Picking Rin up, she left Kagome's room and hurried down the halls to reach the young child's room before the one assigned to wake her up came into find her missing and alerted the whole domain and caused concern for the master. Quickly laying her down, Hanako left to head down to wake her charge.
"Morning lady miko Kagome." Hanako bowed after Kagome sat up when she was woke up.
"Please Hanako, don't bow to me or use such titles before my name. Just call me Kagome. That's all so simple." Hanako gave her a small nod.
"I'll air out your futon mat this day as no rain is coming down. Now dress quickly to go eat." Hanako opened the window to let fresh air come in. After dressing Kagome hurried out the door.
"Morning Kagome." Rin greeted as Kagome came into the dining hall.
"Morning." She responded as she took her seat. "Sesshoumaru could we speak?" She watched as he gave his slight nod. "I need to do something other then sit around all day. If I was at Kaede's village, I would be gathering herbs and things used for healing and helping lady Kaede. I would also practice my archery, but here I'm not doing anything. I would like to continue my study of herbs and locate the herbs within the forest around here."
"Bring forth a list of needed herbs and this Sesshoumaru will send a warrior to search for these herbs."
"Thanks but there is no need to have one of your warriors to be taken away from their duties to gather herbs that my being a miko and am training to for. I am capable of searching for them on my own. If I were in the village that is what I would do without help from others. I must be able to carry on perfecting my new duties." Sesshoumaru sat there giving her no answer other than silence then stood up and left the dining hall.
"Kagome want to come to the garden with Rin? We can have fun."
"Sure since there is nothing for me to do here other than that." She stood up and walked out of the dining hall with Rin. Reaching the area in the garden that Rin lead her to, Kagome found a place and took a seat.
"Kagome will get happier about living here with Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin, and master Jaken. You will see."
Much later as the domain was settling down Kagome made her way down a hall to a sliding door that lead outside that Rin had shown her. She slowly and quietly made her way out to the area in the garden that she and Rin were earlier that day. Looking up into the sky she saw that in a few days the moon would be in its new moon stage.
"It's almost the night of the new moon. The night you would turn into your human side. Well at least you don't have to hide anymore to protect yourself Inuyasha. Your enemies can't touch you." She knelt down and sat on her knees. "You know of all the times we've traveled and I've wanted to stop and take a break from hunting shards and you wouldn't let us because you wanted to get the shards and Naraku. Well now that the shards are gathered and Naraku is destroyed and you and the others are gone, I don't know what to do with myself, not to mention I can't sit around and do nothing. I know your laughing at me where ever you are right now Inuyasha. It's so strange. I guess it's strange because you guys are gone and so is the way to my family and I'm..." she went silent as her head lowered as to look at the ground. "I'm all alone in an era not my own." Unknown to Kagome as she spoke a figure watched her from within the shadow. "Well I still have lady Kaede, but soon she won't be around. Kouga would have no problem telling me that his den will take me in with open arms. Staying here with your brother is so weird... Oh I forgot… Your half brother. I forgot how sensitive you both are on that subject. I bet you are having a long talk with your father. Anyway it's weird being in a youkai domain let alone your brother's home. Rin is so sweet like Shippou. I've got to go before I'm discovered being out of my room." She rose to her feet and turned to face the main building and headed back wiping her eyes of the tears. Which didn't go unnoticed by the one in the shadows.
JAPANESE NAME & MEANING
Hanako - Flower Child