A/N: Forgive me once again for delays. Brawl is so very addicting.

Also, I should have referred to the port more often as it's proper name, "Kingstown" but...ugh, "KingsTON" "KingsTOWN" ...the British weren't very original in their naming of towns, were they? Meh, does it really matter? It's just a fanfic...

About the French in this chapter...I went to go see the English voice actor for Inuyasha, and he's canadian. So, naturally, he speaks French. Upon hearing him speak French in an Inuyasha voice, I knew I must have Inuyasha speak French one day in a fic...maybe THAT'S what inspired this fic after all?

I didn't translate it, but it's not important, you don't really need to understand it anyway, since it's rather obvious what's going on. If you're really anal about that sort of thing, go look it up, I suppose.

Chapter 14: Saint Vincent

It was late the next day when the Wound of the Wind sailed into the docks of Saint Vincent. Though night was fast approaching, Kagome stood on the deck, and saw as much as she could of the island with what little daylight they had left.

Though she knew it was a French port, it looked like any other port she had been to, in her eyes. The rooftops of many houses stretched up over the hill, leading down to the sandy white beach below, and to the docks, where several large ships rested. Not one of them was a single British frigate, most ships looking like they belonged to merchants and privateers, with a haphazard order to them, instead of the strict cleanliness that the British Royal Navy held to at all times.

This was also told by the French flag hanging off the stern of the ships; a white cross on a blue field, flapping gently in the sea breeze. Kagome wondered what kind of men inhabited those ships; those sometime-rivals of her home country, and were they really that different than everyone assumed them to be?

She was taught that, of course, being that Britain and France were rivals of old, but…Her brown eyes slid over to see the captain on the helm, steering the steady ship into the harbor. She was beginning to learn that things weren't always how she was taught.

They docked as the last bit of sun was leaving them behind; the port of Saint Vincent being lit up by the tiny balls of light from the buildings that surrounded them. Although she wondered if the captain would allow her on land this time, he seemed to have no objections as she stepped off the ship onto the dock, her eyes gazing all around.

Up close, the port looked like any other, except everything was in French. There was still the noise of drunks inside the nearby tavern, the busty prostitutes hanging out of the windows of the brothel, the smell of the salt air mixed with the smoke and drink and frivolity of the town. It was all the same as she had seen before.

Unlike much of the crew, Kagome could read it easily. That language was part of a woman's proper teaching back in England. Her father also told her it would probably be useful to her one day, as he had to deal with many Frenchmen on his travels. Being able to read the signs around the harbor was certainly useful.

Inuyasha had already warned his crew of what would happen if they ended up drunk and lost in a French port, so as soon as they stepped onto the dock, the men ran off to fulfill their pursuit or a night of joviality upon land.

Kagome was wondering what would happen to her, but the captain answered her question as he spoke to Miroku and Sango, in a hushed voice. But not hushed enough that Kagome couldn't hear them. "Look after her," Inuyasha spoke to his first mate, without even a look back at his prisoner. "It's not safe for her to be on the ship alone in this place, and I have business to attend to."

The first mate nodded, "Sango and I were planning on just going to a tavern anyway; we can take Miss Kagome with us. But, Captain, when you say 'business' do you mean…?"

The hanyou grunted in response. "And, if you can, find out what we can sell here; we can do business in the morning, and then sail out of here after that."

"Ah—of course."

Kagome couldn't help but speak up now. Marching over towards the hanyou captain, she demanded, "So now it is not that 'I would cause trouble' in a port like this, but now I am nothing more than a child that needs looking after?"

Amber eyes rolled. "You certainly can't take care of yourself like this. And in an already unfriendly port, it is better than leaving you on the ship alone."

"I can too take care of myself!" she snapped. "Back in Kingston—!"

Snorting, Inuyasha cut her off, amused, "What, that time you snuck into the Kingston jail to 'free' me? If I recall correctly, it ended with you becoming my hostage and only being set free by my good grace."

He did have a point there. Not that she was going to admit it, after all. "If you hadn't turned that knife on me, then I would have been just fine!"

"Exactly what I'm trying to say," he was no longer joking, nor angry, only serious with his words as he spoke to her. "You think you know everything; you think you can handle any situation that comes your way, yet you hardly know anything of this world, this harsh life beneath the gilded one you lived in before. You think you're grown up and can face the world, but in the end, you're just a little girl, innocent of what life is really like."

Both Sango and Miroku exchanged worried glances, wondering how Kagome would respond to such an insult. Her fists certainly clenched, her face reddening with anger, but after a moment, she seemed to calm. "Fine. If you say I am just a child…then why do you bother with me, Captain? Why not then get rid of me; leave me someplace so I am no longer a bother to you. You could do it here, of all places; I'm sure if you left me in a French port, you would never have to hear of me again. After all, as you said, you have no use for me." Kagome knew, of course, that it was a bluff; she knew already the captain had too much honor to abandon a helpless woman like herself.

She had suspected the captain to get angry, like last time she accused him of such, but to her surprise, he did not. For a second, she thought perhaps he was blushing, but instead, he merely turned around, shrugging. "Who the Hell knows?"

Now she was curious. A question that had never quite been answered floated to the top of her mind. "So why do you keep me? You don't plan to ransom me, nor are you 'using' me as you claim, so why do you bother to keep me around if I'm such a burden to you?" When he said nothing, she yelled back, "I at least deserve an answer, Captain!"

And he gave her one, turning and giving her a slight grin, Inuyasha spoke, "C'est la vie, Chère." And with that, he left to go about his business.

As Sango and Miroku escorted the fuming Kagome off into the town, Inuyasha took off the other way, amber eyes lost in thought. He remembered Kagome's question she had asked before. "Why do you bother to keep me around?"

How can she expect me to answer that, he thought to himself, When I don't even know why.

The largest port of Saint Vincent, also known as Kingstown—a name from back when it was a British territory—was spacious, and almost as big as the great port of Nassau on New Providence. Inuyasha had been here quite a few times in his life, and unlike his crew, knew his way around the French town well. Most poor English sailors were confused by the French signs here, but Inuyasha, who had already learned enough of the language to get by, found where he was going quickly.

In a port town such as this, the Red Light District wasn't that hard to find, after all.

Most men would be fascinated by the sheer excess of busty women hanging out of doors and windows in this part of town, but Inuyasha never gave the women around him a moment's look. He had business to attend to after all.

Finally, he found the place he was looking for; one of the smaller houses in this district, and a bit more respectable one; at least, as respectable as a brothel could be. It was cleaner that most, he had noticed, thankful of that fact.

While a few women outside of it tried to usher him in the front door, where customers came in, he passed it by without a second glance. He went around, to the back door, and, keeping an eye out for passers-by, he knocked once.

The door squeaked open, and a small woman dressed more modestly than those in front gave him one look and asked in polite French, "Ah—qui êtes-vous? Que voulez-vous, Monsieur?"

"Où est votre maîtresse?" Inuyasha asked, not seeing the woman he needed to speak to anywhere. "Est-elle—?"

But sure enough, he heard the harsh tones of the brothel mistress on the way. "Qu'est-ce que c'est? Qui est là, Sofie? Est-il un homme ou—" A rather large, tanned, buxom woman in a low cut, tight dress that seemed a few sizes small for her, came to push the maid, Sofie out of the way, her whole body almost filling up the doorframe. When her eyes seeing it was only Inuyasha, she immediately switched to plain English, "Oh. It's you."

Sofie looked from the mistress to Inuyasha beside her. "M-Madame?"

The mistress ignored her, but continued speaking with him, "Haven't seen you in a while. I suppose it's been a long journey for you—"

Inuyasha never was one for small talk. "Is she here?" he asked at once, coming quick to the point.

Upon hearing this, the brothel mistress gave a small sigh, and said, "I suppose I can't distract you any further. Come in."

The second Inuyasha stepped over the threshold, into a small, plain looking back parlor that looked as if it was hardly used, the mistress turned back to the maid Sofie, "Laissez-nous." Ever diligent, like a maid should be, Sofie gave a small nod and left the room, shutting the door firmly behind her.

Seating himself upon one of the faded blue airmchairs, Inuyasha glared back at her. "Madame Minuit…" he began, deadly serious. "Where is she? Where is Kikyou?"

At this, Madame Minuit looked back at him sadly. "She's…not here anymore."

"What?" Inuyasha sprang up from his chair, as if ready to bring her back that instant. "What happened? Where did she go? Did I—"

"Settle down," Madame Minuit told him at once, in a calming voice. "And I will tell you what happened."

It took a minute, but Inuyasha found himself sinking back in his chair, his heart unable to calm down, however. Kikyou…what happened? You promised…you promised to wait here for me!

The brothel mistress began her account, "You know Kikyou couldn't stand it here; I don't know how much she told you, but she was from a high born family back in England. After some unfortunate luck, she found herself stranded here, and ended up in this brothel upon the necessity to survive. But this work was a blow to her pride, I suppose. You know that girl had fierce pride."

"I know it," Inuyasha wanted her to continue.

"So, she saved up her own money, and managed to buy herself out of here, and this life forever."

Inuyasha could hardly believe what he was hearing. "She…bought herself out? Kikyou…she…didn't wait for me?"

"Monsieur Silven…"

He hardly even heard Madame Minut now; he was still trying to make sense of this. Anger, upset, sadness, and that feeling of betrayal floated inside him as he cried out, "But why would she do such a thing! Back when I met her I promised her! I said I would come back once I could and take her out of this place! If she waited for me, I promised I would save her—"

"Monsieur," Madame Minuit cut him off once again. This time, however, Inuyasha heard her. "Kikyou hated this place, to be sure, but I do not think she wanted saving." The hanyou stared at her as she continued, "Rather, I think she wanted to save herself."

"Kikyou was a strong willed girl," she continued, as Inuyasha turned away. "She was happy with your friendship, and accepted your kindness, but you know…I do not think, after the misfortunes that plagued her before, she was ready to run away with a pirate…even if it could save her from this life."

Inuyasha didn't dare look back at Madame Minuit, his nails digging into his palms as he tried to keep control. So, you didn't want my help after all, Kikyou…Does that mean…you never cared for what I felt for you, either? I was nothing to you but someone to talk to every now and then? Or was I not even that!

"Madame…" Inuyasha said, his voice practically monotone. "Where is Kikyou now?"

The brothel mistress answered at once. "She told me not to tell you."

That was too much. Whirling around, the hanyou snapped, "But—"

"If I told you, you would surely go looking for her, wouldn't you?" One guilty look from Inuyasha provided the answer. "Rest assured, Kikyou is safe, and content, but I know she would not be happy if you found her."

"Then what am I supposed to do?" he asked, unable to keep the face of Kikyou from his mind; that sad, sort of tragic beauty about her that first caught his eye, back that first time he came to Saint Vincent, more than five years ago…

By now, Madame Minuit came to stand by him, something that was slightly awkward to Inuyasha as the woman was nearly a head taller than him. "Don't think about it," she told him softly, like a mother would tell a troubled child. "She's happy and that's all that matters…Just go back to your ship and leave this place, and don't come back again. That is all you can do."

There was another long pause, broken by Inuyasha's small sigh of resolve, as he stood up fully once more, heading towards the door. "Fine…I will do you what you and Kikyou ask, but…" he glanced back at the brothel mistress once more. "If Kikyou ever comes back here, and asks of me, then tell her…I'm sorry I wasn't what she wanted."

And with that, he left the brothel, heading back to his ship for several hours of thought, knowing he had no choice to put Kikyou, the woman he once thought he loved, out of his life forever.

On the other side of the port, however, there was still more to be discovered.

"This will do," Sango said, as they all stepped through the door of La Taverne du Lys. It was a tavern that wasn't as bad as the ones found on the shoreline; small, secluded, and out of the way. The perfect place for those that did not want to be found.

The tavern had a cozy atmosphere, of a place that, while not visited by many, welcomed those that came. The firelight lit a glow about the room that served to heighten the mood of a place that welcomed its guests.

Sitting down upon the benches pulled up to the rough wooden tables, Miroku smirked, "I suppose I shall be the gentleman and get us a few drinks, then," and with a smirk, he was off.

Kagome stared. "That was nice of him."

Sango snorted, turning away. "He probably went to go check out the barmaid."

"Well, he is a man, and didn't you say before all men are fickle?" Kagome had meant it as a joke; something to laugh off the first mate's behavior, but she noticed her friend wasn't laughing at all. On the contrary, she looked downright annoyed. And then Kagome understood. "Wait…Sango…you don't actually—"

"I owe Miroku much, most of which is him taking me in when I first came about the Wound of the Wind," Sango told her calmly. "He is a kind man, and I am happy that he still continues to be as kind to me as he was when we first met—"

"I wasn't talking about that!" Kagome cut her off with a shake of her head. "Every woman is annoyed when her man's eyes look upon someone else. I'm talking about matters of the heart! Sango, do you…do you love him?"

A blush upon her friend's face was all the answer she needed. But, her answer was only, "I feel for him the same way you feel about the captain." And now, the conversation was turned, and Kagome was the one sporting pinked cheeks.

"The…captain?" she began rambling, uncomfortable. "Well…he's kind, to be sure, and he did save my life, so I'm grateful to him, but—"

She was cut off as Miroku, suddenly very pale and without drinks ran back to their table. "We need to get out of here and get the captain," he said at once, looking towards Sango. "Now."

"Why?" she asked, getting up, as her eyes drifted over to the bar. "There's no reason to…oh." Her expression changed at once. "Yes…yes, we should leave. Now."

"Wait," Kagome asked, confused. "What's going on? Is there something wrong?" And, before they could stop her, she looked back towards the bar, catching a glimpse of the barmaid, who now sweetly spoke in French to a man seated there.

And her reaction to seeing this person was quite different than the others'. For a moment, everything in the world shifted. It seemed as if time itself had reversed, her heart giving a jolt as she instantly recognized who it was with a shock.

"Kikyou!"

And Kikyou looked up from where she had been working, to see the image of her younger sister running towards her, with tears of absolute thankfulness in her eyes.

"Kikyou!" Kagome cried, somehow making it back into the bar next to her sister, arms around her as if she was nothing more than a dream, soon to disappear from her sight. "You're here! Oh God, Kikyou, you're alive! Do you know how worried we've been? Not knowing if you were alright or dead or if something had happened, and mother's been so upset, and they all thought that you were…but Kikyou, I couldn't believe you were dead, and now you're here, and—"

Kikyou was in shock too, but instead sighed, and put her arms around her younger sister who seemed nearly overwhelmed with tears. "Hush now, Kagome, it's all right. I'm here..." Noticing those around were staring, especially two people she recognized quite well, she said, "Come on, let's go into the back room where we can talk…"

And thus, Kagome found herself, walked into the small room behind the bar, filled to the ceiling with wine bottles and kegs of ale, trying to dry her tears. The feeling in her heart; the joy and thankfulness and rush of relief that came upon her was harder to quell—knowing that she wasn't wrong, that Kikyou, her beloved older sister really was alive was a feeling that would take a long time to shake from her thoughts. Sighing with a smile, Kikyou lent Kagome her hankerchief, and after another minute, Kagome had calmed enough so that she could speak.

"Kikyou…what happened to you? Why are you here, of all places! We heard you were abducted by pirates!"

Her older sister explained, leaning against the wine rack, "I was, in a way. That man, Naraku, the one I was sent to marry, was nothing more than a filthy pirate."

"What?" Kagome gasped. "A pirate—?"

"Yes," she relayed to her at once. "A lowlife scum that had nothing better to do than steal from others. He decided to attack our ship, to 'pay a visit to me before our wedding' as it were. Of course he never cared for me, but the idea of a marriage between us was advantageous to him, in the end."

Kagome didn't understand. "Advantageous? But, Kikyou, you're not—"

Kikyou huffed, "I would have died rather marry him once I discovered the truth. He's a murderous pirate that only wanted Father's Gift from me—" Her eyes glanced once at the necklace that Kagome wore, "Once he retrieved it, he didn't care what happened to me after that. That was how I ended up here."

Kagome was saddened by the fact that the man who was to be Kikyou's husband turned out to be so cruel in the end, but now that Kikyou was alive, none of that mattered! "You don't have to worry about Naraku anymore, Kikyou!" Kagome said, her face alight with newfound joy. "You can come home with me! We can go back home to England, to Portsmouth, and forget about everything here! Mother will be so happy, and Souta, you don't know how much she cried, when—"

Looking away, Kikyou told her, "Kagome, I cannot go back."

"What? Of course you can! I know a Captain who—"

Shaking her head, her older sister told her, "Kagome, listen to me. You don't know of the lows I sunk here to survive. After the man to be my husband left me in disgrace on his god-forsaken island, the only place I found to live was in the brothel. I had no choice but to work until I had enough saved up to pay the mistress back for my debts and to leave that place. Now, I must work here."

Oh, Kikyou…For six years since she had gone missing, her sister had suffered, but surely, now, that she had found her, all that could end? "Kikyou, but…our mother, our home—"

"That is exactly why I can't go back!" she snapped, exasperated. "For what I had to do to survive; I am nothing more than a fallen woman, a disgrace to the Hopewell name!"

The words hit Kagome harshly. After a moment' pause, she spoke to her sister, "Kikyou…Kiyo…I don't…I don't think you are a disgrace."

That name which Kagome had used since she was a child only caused Kikyou to turn away. "It doesn't matter what you think, Kagome, it only matters what everyone else will. You cannot imagine how people will talk; Kikyou Hopewell, the daughter of a family already struggling for fortune since their father's untimely death, now nothing more than a common prostitute! It would be much better for our mother and our neighbors if I was dead."

"Do you really think it's better if you're dead, Kikyou!" Kagome couldn't help it! Now, fist shaking angrily, she stepped forward and yelled at her sister. "Are you really that selfish? You don't know how much we cried and pleaded for a miracle for you to come back to us, and now you are found alive, and all you want to do is be dead to us again!"

"It does not matter what you think, Kagome," Kikyou turned back to her, a determination found in her eyes. "I have made up my mind. Here, in this French Port, I will work until I have enough to make my way in the world. I'd like to go to Boston someday, I think; I hear they have need for educated women to be governesses to rich children up there. Up there I am sure, no one will ever know who I am or used to be."

Kagome could still not understand how her sister would so willingly shut out her family of her life. "And this…is how you will live your life? Turning your back on your family?"

"Yes, Kagome…it is better for everyone this way."

There was more silence between the two sisters, the one trying to hold on to all that she had lost, and the one willing to throw it all away. But, after the long pause, Kikyou sighed, and spoke, "Now, with all this talk about me, we avoided the important question; what are you doing here, Kagome?"

That question caught her off guard. She hadn't expected it, after the shock of finding her sister alive. "Oh…that is right, you don't know…" Kagome went on to explain about how she had recently been affianced to Kouga six months ago, yet she too, had shared her sister's fate in being abducted by pirates.

"I see," Kikyou's eyes were full of pity for her sister, yet a woman and still so innocent about the world. "I wish that would have never happened to you, Kagome. It is a fate too cruel for you."

Kagome shook her head. "No, it's all right. The reason for it was foolishness on my part, and even still, the captain is kind to me…Captain Inuyasha cannot bare to hurt any woman in his sight, even though he does not want to admit it."

Upon hearing the name 'Inuyasha', Kikyou's eyes widened a moment, and yet, she said nothing. "And so, what do you intend to do, Kagome? About this situation, I mean? After all, you can expect Mr. Wulfe to chase after you, am I right?"

Kagome nodded, "I am sure Kouga will call upon the Royal Navy to come after me sometime, but…as for this…I truly do not know. At first, all I wanted was to get off the ship, but…I have met some people who became my friends, and I've come to understand that not all pirates are bad…some really have no choice in the matter. I suppose I shall either share your fate, or I will be handed back to Kouga, but really…I don't know what alternative I like better."

All the while, Kikyou watched her sister's face as she revealed her thoughts, and, upon seeing how her sister spoke of the pirates that abducted her, she knew all. "Still, it's ironic, isn't it?" Kikyou told her. "That the sisters who held the two halves of the jewel would share such similar fates."

Kagome's fingers flew up to touch the half of the jewel that their father had given them, long ago. It was a jewel that he had found on his travels, and brought it back for his daughter that shared his passion for the sea. But Kikyou had also wanted the jewel, and, to settle the matter, gave them each a half of the sparkling purple jewel; it was the last gift he had ever given them. "Kagome," Kikyou asked, more serious. "You have not—"

"No," Kagome nodded. "No one knows of it; I don't want to tell them."

"Good. Do not ever tell anyone. This jewel, Kagome…it is something that others want. That Naraku wanted it, and I am sure that…others…around you want it as well. Keep it close to your heart."

Kagome clasped it in her hand. "Father gave this to me…I won't let anyone have it!"

It was then that Kagome heard voices; Sango, calling her name. She knew it was time for them to leave. Looking back at Kikyou, she could see her sister knew it, too. "Kikyou—"

"You must go, Kagome. There are others waiting for you," her sister responded, looking towards the door.

It seemed that the tears were about to start up again upon the impending separation, and Kagome, eyes glistening nodded. In a sisterly move, Kikyou came over and hugged her younger sister, the one she had missed the most for all those six years. "Remember, Kagome," she spoke to her softly. "Though I am alive…to everyone else, I am dead."

"Yes, but what about…Mother? And Souta? Kikyou, only if they knew…you don't know how much you could lift our mother's suffering…"

Sighing as they parted, she spoke, "All right. You can tell them, but no one else. Kikyou Hopewell has died; I am only 'Kikyou' now."

It was impossible to keep the tears from welling up in Kagome's eyes. "Oh, Kikyou…"

"Father wouldn't want you crying over my sake, Kagome," Kikyou told her. "He would want you to live life as you should; happy, even if it means torn away from me. I hope Kagome, that you will find happiness enough for both of us, and then I will be content."

Hearing Kikyou's words in her heart, it was enough for Kagome to give her sister one last parting look of sisterly love, and then leave the small, dark room behind the bar, going back to where her friends were calling.

Miroku and Sango watched, stunned, as both Kagome and Kikyou emerged from that small room, Kagome wiping tears from her eyes. Upon seeing her, Sango wasted no time. "Kagome, why…do you…do you know her?" At Sango's question, Miroku exchanged glances with her, a silent warning not to relay too much information.

"Yes," Kagome nodded. "I knew her, once…But, please, don't mention this to anyone." She told them, absently speaking, "Kikyou wishes to remain dead."

Once again, Sango and Miroku exchanged silent glances, only this time, Miroku shook his head, answering her unspoken question. "So," Sango began, as they left La Taverne du Lys. "Should we find another tavern, then?"

"No," Kagome cut her off at once, speaking harshly. "You can do what you want, but…I have no desire to see any more of this Saint Vincent." Just the sight of this town gave to her imagination several pictures of a suffering Kikyou from years past.

Her sister was alive, yes…but imagining the suffering she went through was almost even worse.

While Saint Vincent had revealed her sister, she hoped that was the end of the secrets that Saint Vincent would hide.