Her young sister, Kaede, upon entering the village, happily greeted Kikyou. She desired to hear the entire story of what had happened in the forest and stated that it be a reward for her not leaving the shrine as she was instructed to do. Kikyou told as much as she believed she should, leaving out the details of her diverting the villagers away from Inuyasha as well as his name to avoid any assumptions.
"Kaede, you had best get to bed," Kikyou smiled, and picked up her sister and carried her to bed.
Within no time, winter passed and spring was on them. The men had begun their work in the fields, which left Kikyou to her usual work of educating the children about the lore of herbs. Kaede managed to convince her sister to let her come along for the lesson.
"Sister Kaede, I do not understand why you wish to come along. You know most everything I know of the lore of herbs," Kikyou stated to her sister as she observed the children happily picking different herbs.
"Most everything is not enough. I want to be like you, big sister," Kaede said with a hint of anxiousness in her tone.
Kikyou smiled at her sister then looked to the forest, her eyes catching sight of, what looked like, a familiar red blur. She paused for a moment and began to stare where the blur had been.
Kaede pulled on her sister's sleeve.
"Big sister?" she said in a worried tone. "Sister Kikyou, what do you see?"
"Nothing. I am only admiring the blossoming trees," Kikyou stated in a half laugh that made her sister stare at her the rest of the lesson.
Of course, Kaede was not the only one staring at Kikyou throughout the lesson. High in a tree, covered by blossoms, Inuyasha sat, carefully observing her every move. Part of him suspecting a trap of some kind the other merely confused about the feelings that stirred him to keep his golden eyes on her.
Soon, the days grew long and summer fell unto the people making the work somewhat harder than it had been. Kikyou decided that this day would be the best day to perform the Sacred Water Rite unto herself and her sister, and that meant that she would have to lead her sister to the river. Unfortunately, this meant she would have to take her sister through, as it had been claimed in her face numerous times, Inuyasha's forest. She had a feeling that Inuyasha would not cause her too much trouble but she could not help but feel anxious too see him. Her work over the spring had prevented her from entering the forest, which meant she was out of practice when it came to handling Inuyasha's 'special' temperament. She had not truly seen Inuyasha since that night with Mistress Centipede. Of course, she thought, her not being in the forest may have made him happy but, now that the birth rate in the village had died down, she had more freedom.
"…If one can call this freedom…," she muttered under her breath.
"Did you say something, Sister Kikyou?" Kaede asked merrily, two fair sized buckets dangling from her hands.
Kikyou looked to her sister and smiled.
"No," her tone grew more energetic and teasing, "but we best hurry to the river before the prying eyes of men dare follow us."
She jogged after her sister, Kaede screamed happily and ran, attempting to run away from her sister's charge. The buckets hindered her movement so she dropped them. Kikyou picked them up as she chased Kaede and finally managed to scoop her up.
"I have you!" Kikyou said with a smile, lightly tickling her sister.
"Okay! You win!" Kaede laughed as Kikyou placed her back on the ground. "No fair…you tickled…"
Kikyou smiled and pointed ahead to the river.
"You are first."
Kaede did as she was instructed and it worked almost like a chilled bath, next to the chanting and the fact that she was cleansing herself for her work as a priestess. When Kikyou poured the last bucket of river water and an herbal mix of angelica, cedar, and chamomile, Kaede exited the river and put on her new white gi and red pants. She beamed at her sister who nodded.
"I look like you, Sister Kikyou," Kaede said with a smile.
"That you do," Kikyou stated, entering the river calmly and performing the ritual on herself, which did not take as long as it did Kaede since she did not need to tell each action step by step.
"May we return to the village now?" Kaede asked happily as Kikyou finished dressing herself.
"Yes, let us return to the village, I fear we have taken too long." Kikyou let her sister lead when something red fell from the trees and stood in their path.
"Aah! Big sister!" Kaede screamed, running back and dashing to Kikyou's side.
Kikyou looked ahead to see an angry looking Inuyasha on the path, arms tucked carefully in his sleeves.
"Excuse us, half-demon," Kikyou said plainly, hiding her smile behind a stern expression.
"I told you to leave my forest…get out!" Inuyasha snapped, removing one hand from his sleeve to point to the village. "Go!"
Kikyou ushered Kaede off to the village, stating that she would handle the demon. Kaede did not ask any questions, only grabbed the buckets and walked home, fighting the urge to look back. Kikyou turned to Inuyasha and stared at him.
"What are you waiting for? Go on! Leave!" he shouted.
Kikyou walked to him, he stepped back to keep a safe distance away from her.
"I shall say this but once more. This is not your forest, Inuyasha."
With that said, she turned toward the village and chased after her sister. Inuyasha stood by the water's edge and tucked his hand back into his sleeve.
"Hmph!"
Kaede waited on the stone stairs and rushed down them when she saw her sister return. She was full of questions that Kikyou did not have the heart to come out and answer. She could not even answer when Kaede asked how she knew that demon was a half-demon and not a full demon in human form. Kikyou longed to tell someone but not even the grave of her late mother was sacred. If a villager over heard her speaking of a half-demon being let off without a scratch, more questions would arise.
No, she thought to herself, she could not and would not risk confessing that she cared for a demon of any percentage. The thought of what may happen if the village found out was frightening enough. She was a priestess and a relationship of any sort was forbidden, at least, that was what she had been taught. She shook the blasphemous thought of neglecting what her grandfather had taught her out of her mind as quickly as she could, Inuyasha is a half-demon, his only goal, she reassured herself, was to obtain the Shikon no Tama. Or was it? Could he be?
"Absolutely not!" Kikyou blurted out, her sister looking across the table at her in confusion.
"What, big sister?
Kikyou stood up, her food untouched and cup still full.
" 'Tis nothing, dear sister," Kikyou stated.
"Where are you going?"
Kikyou looked back at her sister.
"To check on Shin."
Kaede's face screwed up.
"Oh. The boy."
Kikyou held back a laugh and exited the shrine. She walked a few houses down and knocked. There was silence then some movement behind the door as the latch was removed. The door opened with a squeak and Kikyou found herself standing before a man.
She bowed respectively.
"My deepest apologies for disturbing you at this hour. May I ask how Shin is?"
The man smiled and showed her in, the small house was somewhat cooler than outside but she did not wish to stay hidden for too long. Just then, a boy covered in fading scars entered the room and rushed to Kikyou, wrapping his arms around her in thanks. Kikyou felt sorry that she had never found his real parents but was pleased to see him healthy and happy with his new family.
Although offered some tea, Kikyou kindly refused and exited the house, leaving Shin to adjust. Kikyou walked back toward the shrine, walking up the stone steps. She stopped and turned around, gazing toward the forest for any sign of movement. When she was certain that there was no life, she entered the shrine and retired for the night.
