Chapter Four-The Trouble Begins

Saraku sat at Lord Seeshoumaru's feet again the next morning. The demon lord was postponing his wanderings to speak to his youngest daughter once more.

"Rin came to me last night, and expressed her concern for your unhappiness, Saraku." He fixed her with a withering stare. "I do not appreciate that you went and told her what we discussed. Such conversations are between us and us alone. Is that clear?"

"Yes,My Lord." Saraku answered barely above a whisper.

"However. Since she did talk to me, I have reconsidered my decision. You will be leaving this afternoon after your lessons to seek out my brother and his group."

Saraku's eyes lit up. "Really?! Oh thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru!" She was so excited, she forgot herself, and climbed into his lap, hugging him tightly.

Sesshoumaru shook his head, and set her back on her feet. "Be forewarned, Child. I'm giving you one month. One month to visit, then you are to return to me. If you do not, I will come looking, and you do not want that." He left her standing there, and wandered away to do his daily meditation. Saraku bounded back towards her room to dress for breakfast. Neither noticed the hidden figure that nodded in silent decision before taking up a new hiding place.

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When Kagome awoke the next morning, she found herself alone. "Inuyasha?" She crawled out of their hut, and looked around. She walked up to Kaede. "Have you seen Inuyasha?"

"Yes. He left on a walk early this morning." Kaede studied her. "Is there something going on?"

"Oh. No, nothing." Kagome sighed. "Thank you, Kaede." She returned to their hut, and pulled her hair into a ponytail.

"Kagome! Are you awake, Kagome?" Shippou's small voice called from outside.

The girl poked her head out. "Shippou? What's the matter?"

"I pricked my hand. It really hurts!"

"Okay okay…Calm down. Let me see it." She looked over the puncture, checking for infection. "It doesn't look so bad." She told him. "But I'll wrap it, just in case."

"Thank you, Kagome." Shippou said gratefully.

Kagome smiled at Shippou, and then wrapped up his little hand. "You should be more careful."

"I know." Shippou replied softly. "I will be." He bounded off to see Kaede then.

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The morning had dragged on for Saraku. She could barely concentrate on her work. When their tutor dismissed them, she looked up at Rin, before going to her room to get her pack. She returned to the front hall, where Jakken and Rin both waited. "Well…."

"Do you have your sword? You might need it." Rin advised her wisely.

"I have it. I just hope I don't run into that Kouga again. I might be taller than I was before, but he's still faster than me. Besides, I now possess my own jewel shard."

"I still can't believe Lord Sesshoumaru gave into you again! This is why you're so disobedient!" Jakken moaned. "I can see it now. You're going to stay with Inuyasha!"

"No I won't." Saraku replied,giving her father's servant a Look. "I'm just going for a visit. That's all." She let Rin help her put her pack on. "I'll be back in a month's time." She told Rin, as she hugged her older sister.

"Make sure that you are, or Lord Sesshoumaru won't be happy." Rin told her.

"I know." She walked over to Ah-un now, and petted their noses. "You two behave yourselves." The beast nudged her playfully, and she left. As she walked away from them, she could hear Jakken and Rin calling cautions to her. She had to smile to herself at Jakken. He claimed he couldn't stand humans, but every time either she or Rin was in trouble, Jakken was the one who helped them. She looked back only once to wave to Rin, before returning to her course.

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The sun was going down when Saraku decided to stop for the night. She was tired anyway. She picked a nice, open space for her camp, and began to lay out her old pallet from Sango. It was the one she used whenever she camped out. Next, she set to worked making a fire. She'd learned to do this from Jakken not too long ago. As she was adding a last twig to it, she heard something behind her. She pulled her sword out quickly. "W-who's there?"

"Me."

Before the young girl could react, she was grabbed from behind, forced to drop her sword. "Hey!"

"Be quiet." Her assailant hissed.

Saraku fell silent, trembling. She tried to wrestle herself free, but her captor was tying her wrists behind her back. "W-who are you?"

"I am Kagura." The answer came. "And you are mine now. No one to help you, no one will hear you if you scream. Things don't look so good for you, do they, Little One?"

"Let me go! Do you know who my father is?! He's going to kill you!" As she struggled, her former father's jewel shard came into view.

"Oh, I know who he is, Child. But that will do you no good, once my master has you in his control." She snapped the necklace off of the girl. "I'll be taking this now."

"No! That was my father's!" Saraku gasped, watching as the woman tucked the shard into her pouch.

"And now it belongs to me." Kagura replied. She pulled the child to her feet now, and dragged her down a dismal looking dirt road. "Stand straighter!" She ordered.

"Where are you taking me?!" Saraku demanded to know. "Lord Sesshoumaru will have your head for this! And Inuyasha will definitely kill you!"

"Calm down, Princess. As long as you behave yourself, you'll be okay." Kagura replied with a smirk. "Anyway, Inuyasha can't kill me. He's tried before."

"I don't believe you!" Saraku spat on the woman.

"Brat, I'm warning you!" Kagura slapped her hard across the face. "Just be a good little girl, won't you?"

"Never!" Saraku exclaimed, struggling. "Someone help!!"

Kagura grabbed the girl, pulling her tightly against her. "What did I tell you? No one will come!" She flicked out a dagger, and held it to Saraku's throat. "Make another cry for help, and I'll just kill you instead."

Saraku fell silent, her eyes full of tears, as her captor proceeded to drag her up a steep hill. Neither she nor Kagura saw that the whole scene had been witnessed.