Disclaimer: I do not own the characters in this story, all rights to the characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi.
Part Twenty-One: Renaissance Art
Night had settled around Crescent Moon, frogs croaked near the river, and the halls were as quiet as death itself. Sesshomaru had been kind enough to put Koga in the room right next to hers, as he was his guest as well as she was. Having him nearby did help to ease her nerves, but she worried that he may hear her once she gathered the nerve to sneak out of the room and down to the library. She sat upon the bed and listened intently, the silence went unbroken, and she could only think that the stable hand was fast asleep in his bed. She took up the lit candle and crossed the room. Once she reached the door, she exited and slowly crept out into the hallway.
The wood floor was cold against her bare feet, as quietly as she could, she padded down the corridor, and headed straight for the stairs. If memory served her correctly, the room she needed to reach, was downstairs and to the far left of the manor. All the curtains had been drawn, leaving every inch of her path shrouded in darkness. The light from the candle threw shadows on the walls, the flicker of the flame had the dark images dancing menacingly. She swallowed hard, her eyes played tricks on her, and she had to shake off the unsettling feeling of being watched. It was easier said than done, as she often times saw a second shadow of a person, one that obviously wasn't her own. She slipped into the library and breathed out a sigh of relief, here she was clearly alone. Now all she had to do was light that lamp in the back corner and find out what was in that diary.
She made her way back to the shelf in which the diary was placed. On the desk under the window, she lit the wick of the lamp. It's warm light flooded the immediate area, she double checked her surroundings before her eyes settled on the spine with no title. Her fingers tingled as she touch the leather binding and she could hear her heart as it pounded in her ears. She took it in her hands and slowly placed it on the desk before her. She opened the cover and peered at the first page, the flame's orange glow flooded the worn pages, in which beautifully written words began to weave a tale of old. In her head, Sango could almost hear the words, inscribed within the book, in the voice of a elegant and regal woman. It took a very short time for the artist to be pulled back to the past, to the time where it all truly began.
12 April, 1810
Dear Diary,
Today I have discovered that I am with child. I have conceived a life with the man I have secretly been seeing for two long years. Although I am over joyed by these turn of events, my father would be angered by what I have chosen for myself. He had already promised me to another, but I had desired more than wealth and a high title. Had my love been but a simple peasent, I would have loved him no less. I must leave this place soon, when my father is unaware. I will only be safe with him, he will offer me the truest protection, and my happiness will be assured. I shall keep record of my movements and one day share them with this child so he or she will know the lengths his or her father and mother went for true love.
The Warmest Regards,
K.O
20 April, 1810
Dear Diary,
I have finally made it to the haven in which I shall dwell. I am with him now, my dearest, and I have no intentions of us ever parting. I only fear the wrath of my father once he realises where I have gone. He will see my actions as a disgrace to him and our name and yet if things go as planned I shall have a new name. His name. What a joyous day that will be, the day I sever all ties with a name linked with such evil. I choose to be more like the man that has shown me what love is and how it truly feels. I promise I will be the mother this child deserves. They will never know of the sins of the grandfather. I would rather say I had come from nothing, then lay claim to the name of my father.
The Warmest Regards,
K.O
Sango read over the first couple of pages and although she found the story of a forbidden love sweet and interesting, it did not give her any clues as to what the mystery could be. She sat in silence, just to be sure that the people still slept soundly within the walls of Crescent Moon. She heard no signs of life about her, all was still, and there was still plenty of time before sunrise. She decided it best to skip ahead a little bit, she wouldn't have time to read every entry before the night was over. She carefully flipped to the date she had heard in the folklore story about The Jewel of Four. She figured that maybe there was some truth in the tale and a good place to start would be from the date where it all really began. 1818.
17 February, 1818
Dear Diary,
Today we find out if our bid to run the trade will be accepted. The plan to join together with three other impoverished villages may have turn tides in our favor. Yet I, once again, fear my father. He also made a bid and he hates to lose. Especially when control and power are on the line. He has also yet to discover my being amongst his people. If he was to ever find me here, my daughter and I would be at risk, and my dearest would be an enemy to my father. We need this bid if our village and it's people are to thrive, but with it we run an even greater risk of him coming to take over our home. My father has a name attached to his wicked ways and he makes no qualms against war. I will do whatever it takes to protect my home and family.
The Warmest Regards,
K.T
18 February, 1818
We won the rights to control the trades, this will be jobs and wealth to our people, but I fear his evil is upon us. He lays in wait, plotting to destroy everything we have fought to gain. I want my sweet girl to live in safety, she should not have to fear the world that lays just beyond our door. He will turn this beautiful place into something ugly. Turn these simple people into an army to fight his bloody battles. He will not stop until he conquers every weak nation and the world is what he wishes it to be. If I must, I will do what I must to put a stop to he reign of terror.
The Warmest Regards,
K.T
28 March, 1818
Dear Diary,
It has taken him some time to plan his steps, but word has reached me that my father will make a move to destroy us. I must defend The Jewel, it has been my haven for eight wonderful years and I refuse to let my father taint it's beauty. I would rather keep it just as it is, to where nothing at all would change. To stop time and live for an eternity in happiness. To save them, I must sacrifice my own joy and let them go. Yet, to send the two loves of my life to safety would be much easier than losing them to the bony fingers of the grim reaper. I now know what I must do. All I ask for is one more day. One single day to revel in the joy of my life, before I must say goodbye to them forever.
The Warmest Regards,
K.T
30 March, 1818
My Dearest Sesshomaru,
I beg your forgiveness as you must have learned by now of what I have done. You must understand that I have only left you to protect you and my sweet, Rin. You have always known who my father was and yet you loved me anyway. Now I must do what you have always done for me and keep you and our daughter safe. So I decided it was time to use the powers I had kept within. I shall keep you and all I care about away from the clutches of my father. I shall send you someplace he cannot reach. Beyond our time where I shall know that you will forever be happy in the beauty we have painstakingly created. The Jewel of Four shall never be touched by his vile hands, not as long as I breathe, nor beyond. I have placed you within a barrier, one that will keep you safe. You shall be kept within a time I know nothing of, but The Jewel of Four shall remain as it is now. Yet the name shall change upon your arrival to where you shall dwell. Shikon Square. I tell you this because you, nor anyone else can break my spell. Only an outsider can unlock you from the safe haven in which I shall create. Please, do not hold out much hope on that being the case. For they must discover the truth of their own volition and speak that truth aloud. I find it highly doubtful that any visitor who may find you, shall ever be present long enough to break my spell. I do this for you and her, my dear, I hope you shall not hate me for this. It pains me greatly knowing I may never have you nor Rin return to me, but I do what I must. Know I love you and never forget me.
With All My Love,
Your Wife, Kagura Taisho.
Sango's hands shook as she read the last entry in the diary. She had to reread the date of the entry and the name the final note was addressed to. She wanted to believe that there had to be some kind of mistake and yet the proof was right there in black and white. Her silly suspicions had proved correct, Shikon Square was the village from the talltale she and her brother had read about. She had solved the mystery of the town, she could free them, all she had to do was speak the truth. Yet, she feared what would happen if the spell was broken. The woman had written that it pained her to know that they may never return to her, which may mean that if the spell is broken they won't be freed but return to where they truly belong. Miroku, Koga, Kagome, even Inuyasha...they were not a part of her world. They belonged in The Jewel of Four, year 1818. She just wasn't ready to say goodbye. Maybe she could convince them that they were better off here with her.
She quietly shut the book and replaced it on the shelf. As far as they knew, she had stayed in her room all night and hadn't even read the pages. She tried to reason with herself, convince her heart that keeping them there was for the best. Kagura had sent them there to keep them safe from a very dangerous lord and who was she to ruin all she had done. It's not like she would want to send them back into danger, where any or all of them could die. She could easily shift her focus to her paintings, pretend she knew nothing of the truth, and she could stay with Miroku. That wouldn't be selfish of her. Would it? To want to keep with the wishes of Kagura, not make her sacrifice for naught. It was really for her that Sango didn't want break the spell, having Miroku stay was merely an outcome of that decision. She blew out the lamp, took up the candle, and returned to her room. Tomorrow she would just work on her painting and go about her day as per usual. No one at Silver Inu or Crescent Moon would ever have to know that she uncovered the truth.
(A.N: I do have an idea for a sequel for this story, if you think you would like to see this story dive deeper, let me know. Although there is still a few more chapters i still plan to add to this story, it's not over just yet. I do apologise for not updating this on a regular bases, but I have been busy lately. Please stay with me and thank you to those of you that have. Leave me a review, those really make my day.)