Chapter 10

Set Me Free

Inuyasha and Kagome walked out into the cold night air and sat on the balcony benches. They leaned away from each other in embarrassment, both waiting for the other to speak first. All of his fears just vanished as those big brown eyes bore into his.

No longer able to take the silence, he took her soft hand in his clawed one. "Kagome, are you happy here?"

The sound of her voice sounded like sweet bells. "Yes, very happy."

He smiled but looked to her with confusion when her eyes drifted to the starry sky above. "What, what is it?"

She sighed and he could have sworn he saw tears in her eyes. "I miss my grandfather, that's all. If I could only see him again … even if it was just for a minute. I would give anything."

He looked away from her in shame, but thought of something that might make her feel better. "There is a way, want me to show you?" he asked.

She nodded and he pulled her to her feet. He led her inside of his room, toward the luminous jewel. He lifted his white oval mirror into his hands and showed it to her. She could see herself in it, but she could tell it was no ordinary mirror.

His voice was as warm as the sun as he spoke. "This mirror, it will show you anything. Anything you want to see."

She took it from his hands and stared into it. "I'd like to see my grandfather."

Her reflection rippled like water inside the orb, warping her features. The metal around the glass fizzed and sent a tingling feeling through her fingertips. Inside the depths of it, she could see the dark forest. Wind came from within it and buffeted her face. Snow covered the leafy ground and the trees creaked, as if they were crying. Through the darkness she could see Jii, kneeling on his knees with his hand covering his mouth. After a final violent cough, he fell to the ground in a shaking heap.

Kagome's eyes grew fearful and tears pooled in her eyes. "Papa, oh no! He's out in the forest all alone! He might die!"

Inuyasha stared at the jewel, which gleamed with power. A million thoughts flew through his head, but one shouted for him to listen; he must let her go. "Then … then you must go help him."

"What … what did you just say?" she asked as shock crossed her face.

He swallowed his reason and continued to speak. "You can leave. You are no longer a prisoner to me."

She stared at him as if he had gone crazy. "You mean … you mean I'm free?"

"Yes." He said in barley a whisper.

She touched his hand, which rested on the table, and gently squeezed it. "Thank you." She glanced back into the mirror. "Hold on a little longer Papa, I'm coming." She turned back around to him and tried to give the mirror back but he refused to touch it.

"Take it, so you can always look back on this place … and me." He said, running his hand through the lone traces of hair on her shoulder.

She smiled at him in happiness. "Thank you for understanding how much he needs me."

She put her hand to his face and he leaned into her palm. After a brief goodbye she rushed to the doors as fast as her feet would allow. His gaze followed her as Myoga appeared in the doorway. The girls face was flustered and he assumed back mistake to what had happened between the two of them.

"Well my lord … I can see things are coming along splendidly. I knew you had it in you, you dog." Myoga said with a cheeky grin.

Inuyasha ignored him but words flowed off his lips. "I let … I let her go."

"Yes well, I knew the girl would …" he stopped and his eyes grew wide with horror. "You … did … what? How could you … do that?"

Inuyasha knew this fool couldn't possibly understand. "I had to."

"Yes I heard that bit, but why?" the owl asked as his breathing quickened.

Inuyasha could still feel her touch on his cheek. "Because, I'm in love with her."

After Inuyasha demanded to be left alone, Myoga rushed through the corridors to tell the others what had happened. They stared at him in disbelief as he explained.

"Yes, I'm afraid it's true." He said.

"She's leaving?" Shippo asked, as his voice trembling.

Miroku's head lowered in sadness. "But … but they were so close."

"After all these long years, he's finally learned to love." Keade said gently.

The bear's eyes lit up. "That's it isn't it? That should break the curse."

The old woman shook her head. "It's not enough Miroku. She has to return his feelings for the curse to be lifted."

All the time the conversation was happening, Shippo felt the need to get away to stop Kagome from leaving. He snuck away while they talked and crept down the dark hallway where her room was. Noticing the door was slightly ajar, pushed the rest of his way in and stared at the scene before him. Kagome ran over to her bed and snatched the bag she had come there with and stuffed the mirror into it. When she turned her back to get her cloak from the dresser, the kitsune raced across her floor and crawled into her bag. She returned from the other side of the room and lifted his hiding place up on to her shoulder. She wonder why her bag was so heavy, the mirror didn't way much at all to her. She ignored it and darted from the room. Shippo held his hand tight over his mouth to prevent her from hearing his nervous breaths. It was a tight fit inside the bag sharing a space with the mirror, but he managed as Kagome made her way into the snowy courtyard. Buyo kicked and head-butted the gate as she trudged through the knee high snow to meet him.

Inuyasha watched her mount him and pull on his reigns for him to move. Seeing his distress, the jewel pulsed and yet another crack formed on its surface. As the pain hit him, he held on to the table for support. Getting one last glance at the woman he loved as she raced away, he threw his head back and howled. The noise could be heard thought the castle, a scream filled with a mixture of agony and sorrow.