by Kei
AN: Wahhhh, you guys are so great! Thanks for all the reviews ^^ I'm sorry for taking so long with this chapter. Writer's block sucks. x.x This chapter is pretty short, but the next one will be long ( I hope ) and she'll meet Sesshoumaru in it! w00t! XD
Genre: Fantasy, Romance, Drama
Disclaimer: ...Do you like rubbing it in?
Review: Go ahead. I dare ya to do it!
"Can't you think about it, honey? We need you to do this for us," Kagome's mother sighed wearily, her patience running thin, which was a rare event.
"I'm not marrying him! First of all, he is fifteen years older than me. Secondly, Naraku is a nasty son of a bi--"
"KAGOME!"
"Do you know what he did to his last wife? He beat her into submission. He beat her until she didn't have the will to live!"
"You have no proof that he ever did that--"
"And there is no way I am taking care of his little brats," Kagome declared, her eyes narrowed, as she stood from her seat in front of her mother. "I know we need the money. I'll go to the capital and find a job."
"That would be too dangerous, dear. A young girl all alone in the big city spells trouble. Could you please just sleep on this? Naraku can't possibly as bad as you're making him out to be. Not to mention, most girls your age are already married.."
Kagome had had enough. Her cheeks flushed in anger as she stomped from the room. She paused for only a second at the doorway and whirled to face her mother.
"I'm not most girls."
And she was gone from the room, her skirts swishing around the corner as she trudged up the stairs to her room. She slammed the door hard, then leaned her back against the door and slowly slid down until she was sitting, her previous energy sucked straight out of her.
Why did Naraku have to be such a convincing liar? Just because he was somewhat good looking and a successful businessman meant nothing. He was shady, cruel, and immoral. If only her mother knew the reason they were having money problems was not because they were using it, but because Naraku was slowly embezzling it, and had only made the marriage offer so it would look like he was being nice. If only she knew what he did whenever he "came to call." It was sickening.
Kagome knew she couldn't refuse to his face, however, for he would find anyway to make her family's life miserable if she didn't marry him. They wouldn't be safe until she married him or died. Or at least thought to be dead. Kagome mulled over that thought for a while, her eyebrows knit in thought. She sighed in defeat as failed to think up a single working plan. Standing up, she straightened out her dress and walked to her window and looked out her window. Her eyes darkened in annoyance as she heard the unmistakable hum of his mechanical carriage. Soon enough, he stopped right at their front door, the metal horse squeaking softly as the brakes kicked in. Kagome sighed, running her fingers through her unruly raven hair in a sad attempt to look presentable, then ran down the stairs.
She met him at the front door, frowning as he tipped his hat then set it back on his curly dark hair.
"How are you, Higurashi-san?" he smirked.
Kagome ignored the question, knowing he didn't even care, and hissed, "What the hell are you doing here?"
"Such language from a lady! I only came to visit my lovely, seeing that we're to be married and all."
"Over my dead body, you sleaze!"
"Why hello!" her mother's voice startled her as she walked up to meet the two. "You should have told me that Naraku was visiting. How are you? Would you like to come in for a drink?"
Kagome watched, sickened, as Naraku put on his most charming smile and replied, "I'm quite well. Nothing for me, ma'am, but thank you for offering. I was just going to take Kagome for a ride."
"Oh, then go right ahead!" she smiled, ignoring Kagome's desperate glances and subtle shakes of her head.
"Then we're off! Come Kagome, let's go on a walk," Naraku commanded gently, as he wrapped his arm around her waist. She winced as she felt his ice cold hand through the fabric and sent one last pleading look at her mother, but it too went unnoticed, or ignored, as they walked off. Naraku opened the door of the metal carriage for Kagome and she sighed and stepped in, not making a fuss only because her mother was watching. She sat in the corner furthest away from him, setting her head in her hands as he started up the contraption. With a sickening lurch, the mechanical horse started trotting forward, the auto-pilot on. As soon as they were far enough from her house, Naraku moved over to her and trapped her in the corner before she even knew what he was doing.
"Why are you being so cold, baby? Aren't you happy you're going to be my little wife? We won't even have to do this in secret," he purred into her ear, cupping her right breast in his hand and kneading the flesh softly.
"I'm not going to marry you! Get the hell off of me," Kagome ground out between clenched teeth, and kicked between his legs, at the same time tugging his hand off her chest. He merely chuckled darkly, trapping her leg between his own and grabbing her other breast.
"You know what happens when you refuse me, baby doll. I think you'll want to reconsider my offer," he told her, his voice low and dangerous. Despite her struggles, he still leaned in close and kissed her harshly. Kagome kept her lips sealed tight and moved her head away. She managed to free a hand and slapped him hard across the face, hard enough to send him stumbling back into the other side of the carriage, a murderous look on his face.
"Naraku, you will not have me. I'd kill myself before I ever willingly let myself be touched by you!" Before he could regain his senses, she threw open the door and jumped out, her skirts tearing as they caught on the door. She didn't even flinch as she heard the fabric rip and kept running, praying to the spirits that he wouldn't follow her. The countryside flew by her as she ran as fast as she could, never stopping until she saw her house. Her mother ran out to meet her on the porch, her face a mask of worry.
"Kagome! Where's Naraku? What happened?"
At those last two words, she couldn't hold it in any longer, and right there on the front porch, she burst into tears. He mother looked confused for a second, but she gently pushed her inside, the look changed to one of concern. Between sobs, Kagome choked out the whole story, every detail from the beginning seven months prior. By the time she was done her mother was crying too, stroking her daughter's hair and whispering heartfelt apologies brokenly.
Kagome gazed at her mother, her eyes still red-tinted and glossy from crying, and more tears growing in the corners of them. She shifted the heavy pack on her shoulders uncomfortably and sniffled.
"You look horrible ," her mother told her, stroking her daughter's cheek as she gave a weak smile, a sad look in her eyes. "You should start going now. It's not far, only a half an hour walk. Make sure to stay under the cover of darkness, and don't leave any tracks behind."
"Yes, Mother."
The older Higurashi wiped a few stray tears from her cheeks and handed Kagome the small tattered book that had been clutched in her hand. "This book for you. Do not read it until the time is right for you to read it. Now you must be off, or you won't make it before daybreak."
"But how will I know?"
"You will. Go on."
"Mother, I'm not sure..." Kagome started, but the stern look on her mother's face stopped her.
"I'm sorry for helping you get in this mess. Now let me get you out of it. I love you Kagome, more than anything. Now go."
With fresh tears blurring her vision, her daughter clutched the book in her hand and nodded. She turned and ran, unable to look back for the fear that she'd never be able to leave. She ran until the house was out of sight, then slowed to a walk as sobs wracked her body. She bite her hand to muffle the sound, and she winced as the metallic taste of blood filled her mouth, but the tears didn't stop coming. As her crying abated slowly, she hugged the leather covered book to her chest, slightly comforted by the soft feel of it against her fingers. She gazed at the cover for a second curious as to what lay inside, but she fought the feeling and gently stuck the book in her pack.
With a few more pitiful sniffles, she stood up and glanced at the sky. The edges of the horizon were just starting to turn light with the soon-to-rise sun and she regained her composure, brushing off the dirt from her crumpled skirts, and continued to walk. As she came closer to her destination, the ancient trees loomed above her, and memories came flooding back to her. She hadn't been there in eight years, but the memory in every detail came to her as if it were yesterday. Kagome's eyes scanned the area and she soon found the two trees she remembered the door lay between.
She didn't fight as the forest pulled her in. The door materialized in front of her, it's magic wood the same clean white, the green leaves surrounding it the same brilliant green of nature. She ran her hands over the rough surface until her hands reached the cool metal of the doorknob. With only a second's hesitation, Kagome opened the door, stepping between the trees. She was disappointed to find he has stepped into the same forest she had seen on the outside.
"Some enchanted wood this is," she grumbled to herself, closing the door gently behind her.
It took her completely by surprise when the door disappeared and the trees behind her grew to make a giant wall, vines twisting among them to close any gap. She gaped wide-eyed as the forest slowly metamorphosized into a land only one other human hand been fortunate, or unfortunate to lay eyes on. A warm breeze whipped her raven hair around her awed face as the sun shone through the treetops. And as she took her first unsure steps toward the hidden garden, she swore she could have heard someone whisper.
"Welcome home."
