Chapter Fourteen

The Web of Betrayal

is Spun

Kikyou was in a very happy mood the next day. The words that Inuyasha had spoken were echoing in her head and making her heart jump. Kaede found it to be odd but the fact that she was forced to wear a bandage over her eye did not help her demeanor but to see her sister happy, did make her happy. Kikyou worked busily on the hut, patching up small holes that had been made in the thatch roof by bugs when a familiar voice was heard.

"Kikyou…"

She looked up from her work and looked around.

"Inuyasha?"

"I can't wait any longer…I want to be human…now."

"Can it not wait until I finish work on the roof?" She asked quickly, still searching for him.

"No…I can't wait. Please. Get the Shikon no Tama and meet me in the meadow. Hurry…I can't stand being away from you." There was the sound of someone running away but Kikyou could not see him.

"You cannot wait? I cannot wait." She sighed quickly and jumped down from the roof and began to go near the steps.

"Sister Kikyou."

Kaede's familiar voice rose from the doorway of the hut. Kikyou turned around to see Kaede standing there, staring straight at her, in her yellow kimono with black leaf patters on it.

"Kaede, you should not be up…"

"No, Sister Kikyou." Kaede stated, cutting Kikyou off and taking her by surprise, "I apologize for interrupting, but I must speak."

"Then speak, Kaede." Kikyou said sternly, turning to face Kaede.

"You are going to the shrine, are you not?" Kaede stated as Kikyou nodded. "The jewel…you have something planned with Inuyasha…"

"Yes, I do. It is nothing bad." Kikyou stated.

"Do not take the jewel. Who knows what is out there?"

Kikyou gave her sister a smile and walked over to her.

"If it shall make you feel at ease, I shall not take the Shikon no Tama with me when I meet Inuyasha." Kikyou hugged Kaede close and a strange feeling shot through her. "I must go now."

Kaede grabbed Kikyou's hand.

"Remember…you promised you would not leave me alone…so you must return."

Kikyou smiled and nodded to Kaede and continued on, her hand slowly slipping from Kaede's grip. Kaede stood in the street and watched as her sister walked off and behind a row of housed toward the field and nearing the forest, a small lump in her stomach.

"I do not know why, but I feel a little sick. I hope Sister Kikyou will be all right…after all…she did promise me…"

Meanwhile, in the forest, Inuyasha happily walked along the paths as he did every day. The morning sun was rising into the noon stage of the day and the lush leaves that lined the many branches of the trees shielded the heat of summer. He loved the smell of this day, it was warm and welcoming and the scent of bellflowers was invigorating.

"Bellflowers…?" He stopped in his track and smelt the air again.

The wind blew, once again carrying the smell of bellflowers. They were far at first, and then the smell grew stronger. He was not sure if it were Kikyou. He was not expecting her to be in the forest at this time. The sun was almost at its highest peak in the sky and she normally enters the forest when the day is nearly done.

He looked around but saw nothing. He could not even hear her if she were near. He moved along, looking around from time to time, but the smell became so close it made him nervous.

"Kikyou?" He said softly.

"Inuyasha!" Kikyou's voice shouted and released two arrows, striking a tree to his left.

He spun around to see her figure in shadow. His eyes widened when he saw her.

"Kikyou?" He looked at her form and his eyes widened. She had fired at him.

"You were a fool to trust me, demon." She shouted.

Inuyasha backed up a bit and stared in shock as she knocked another arrow and fired, hitting another tree and coming close to his head.

"What's wrong with you?" He stated in confusion.

There was no response, only another arrow. Inuyasha felt the rage building in him but did not have the heart to attack her. So he ran away, dodging arrows as they flew and managed to hide out in a small ditch. Kikyou had attacked him. His heart ached at the realization of his predicament and he clenched his fist.

"Damn! How could I have fallen so easily!?" He scowled, slamming his hand into the ground. "I'll show those villagers…NO ONE MESSES WITH INUYASHA!!!"

In the meadow, Kikyou walked along the flowing stream of grass and looked around for Inuyasha. She heaved a semi-annoyed sigh to see that he was not there yet after stressing that he could not wait. Of course, she thought, I do not have the jewel with me.

She stood still, admiring the blue sky and the trailing clouds of white that danced along the forest horizon. The wind blew gently and Kikyou closed her eyes, envisioning her future with Inuyasha at her side. Finally, Kaede would not have that much work around the hut and shrine. She could finally be a child like she should be. Perhaps, she thought, Kaede would smile more.

Just then, the wind speed increased and shifted directions. Kikyou's eyes shot open. The wind blew for a moment then died completely. Her heart recovered from the jolt and returned to normal and her ears picked up the sound of movement. It was too fast to make out a steady pattern so she decided to walk a bit.

"SANKON TESSO!!" A familiar voice cried out.

A sharp pain shot through Kikyou's body, her right shoulder ripped through by a familiar orange light. Kikyou wobbled as the attack faded out and fell to the ground with a thud. Kikyou strained her right arm forward, trying to pull herself up. A strangely familiar person stood before her. Her eyes widened as she took in his figure.

Bare feet, flaming red pants and gi, silvery hair that glistened in the sunlight and cast a dark shadow over his face, it was Inuyasha. She could not believe it. Inuyasha, the one she loved and held dear, attacked her. Blood drenched her white gi and dripped along part of her arm.

"Stupid miko…the Shikon no Tama is mine!" He said, walking away from Kikyou's injured body.

Kikyou gritted her teeth and lowered her head, her body shaking with rage.

"You bastard!!!"

Kikyou strained and pulled herself to her feet. She had to get the village and stop Inuyasha. She had to stop him, and to do that, she thought, she would have to kill him. Her heart ached but her mind screamed for vengance. She wobbled to her feet and limped back into the forest, her blood leaving a trail as she went.