Summary: In a world where demons rule the land and humans are slaves, one family is tied by the strings of fate. But fate's made a mistake that can only be fixed by one human girl.

AN: ^^ Yay, no complaints about this chappie, enjoy reading. Only confusing part is the end, it goes back to about fifty some years in the past.

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Declaimer: I don't own Inu-Yasha.

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Fate's Mistake

Chapter 4

Autumn days blew colder and the sky threatened to snow. Frost blanketed the ground every morning, adding to the gloom. Kagome's dull eyes watched the grayness of the landscape before her. She found herself slacking off more and more. Ever since her outburst, her emotional breakdown, she felt herself dwindle down into nothing. It was as though life no longer mattered to her. She had kept up her fighting spirit, wanting to mourn for her family, but the moment that she did, the guilt of her past caught up with her, entangling her in its dark masses. Sango had told her that her mother's death should not be in vain. That if her mother died saving her, then she should go on living. But it wasn't that simple. Words meant nothing. What did they know about what she was feeling? What do they care? She was only a slave, a new slave brought home by the young masters; an unwanted member of their "family."

Kagome absentmindedly drew the piece of rag in her hand across one of the many wooden shelves. She took her time even though she was currently occupying, or cleaning, the spacious suite that belonged to Lord Sesshoumaru. It didn't really matter how long it took to wipe the dust from his already spotless book shelf. The demon had avoided her for the past few weeks, since the last time he read her the haiku. He knew when she was there, and took to keeping himself out of her sight. It was strange, being in his room, knowing that he would do nothing to disturb the quiet peacefulness while she worked. Kaede was equally shocked, but quickly grasped onto this new revelation and made use of it. It had always been such a hassle getting someone to manage the young lord's room, but now it seemed the perfect solution had arrived.

Kagome began placing the books back on the massive shelf. She'd taken them off to thoroughly rid the place of dust. Her mind remembered exactly where each book would go. Her fingers worked on their own. She vaguely wondered what happened to that book of haikus she first saw, lying open on Sesshoumaru's table. But it didn't really matter now. She was sad that the young master was avoiding her. She couldn't figure out why, but somehow, she must have insulted him.

She sighed lightly. What did it matter now? She was only inviting trouble if she continued to reminisce in the past. But it seemed that what little memory she had of the Lord was what kept her in the present. It was that little sliver of memory that kept her from sinking into depression. At the same time, it was the memory of him that drove her insane with wonder. He was an enigma to her, and until she found out what kind of a demon he was, she would not lose to the demons of her past.

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The young lord inhaled deeply. He could smell her; her musky scent. He laid a hand gently on the grand oak door to his room. Two inches of strong wood separated him from the strange creature that had been on his mind for much too long. He had wanted to ask Kaede for another maid, but could not bring himself to do so. He found too much comfort in the human girl's scent, too much comfort in the idea that she was the one who smoothed out his sheets, whose hands brushed over his books, whose presence he could sense each day.

He knew it was a losing battle. He fought valiantly to escape from the human, fought the strong pull of her essence. He knew it was a losing battle, but at least he would be satisfied that he had attempted to somehow thwart fate's wishes. It was as it had been with Rin. He could no more say "no" to Rin than he could stay away from his household's new slave.

The hand that rested on the door exerted slight pressure. The door swung open on well oiled hinges, silent and purposeful. His other hand lightly dangled the book of haikus from its fingers.

He watched her with his golden eyes as she sighed lightly, obviously lost in her own thoughts. Her long cascading black hair was washed and clean, tied up in ponytail so that it would not interfere with her work. She was very different from the day he saw her in the marketplace. She had been soiled and dirty; her eyes were defiant and angry. Now, she was clean and crisp, but her eyes were sad and desolate. He would have to do something about that.

"Hashin," Sesshoumaru's voice murmured, "No sky, no earth, but still snowflakes fall."

Kagome gasped, turning to him sharply. She had not expected to see him. "You!" She cried out, quite unaware of how rude it sounded.

He blinked his amber eyes at her, quiet and emotionless.

"I'm sorry, I was just shocked." Kagome said, "I mean, lord, sorry. Uhh.. Lord Sesshoumaru, forgive me."

Kagome groaned aloud, quickly hitting herself on the head. "No, you idiot, can't you even talk straight?"

She was talking to herself again, Sesshoumaru thought, the corners of his lips curving up slightly in amusement. Watching her beat herself up was lightening his mood.

She scowled at him, however, guessing that the demon was secretly laughing at her. "Oh, shut up," she said, "you know what I mean."

Kagome gasped yet again, clamping her hand over her mouth in surprise. Stammered apologies quickly flew out of her mouth. She hadn't meant to sound rude, words just randomly form. She always did think her mouth had a mind of its own.

Sesshoumaru more or less ignored the stuttering girl. He walked up next to her and elegantly sat himself down beside her. She shut up immediately.

He pointed to the haiku he had read when he entered.

"Um... do you want me to read that?" Kagome asked uncertainly.

"Can you?" his voice challenged.

"Hashin. No sky, no earth - but still, snowflakes fall." Kagome recited.

He nodded his regal head. Sesshoumaru's finger slid down to the next haiku, his eyes watching Kagome.

"What is this, a test?" Kagome scrunched up her face in concentration before falling back, a little disappointed. "I don't know that word."

"Issa."

"Issa," she repeated like a little girl, "In my old home, which I.. I .."

Sesshoumaru smiled. "Forsook," he volunteered.

"Forsook, the.. cherries?" At his nod, she continued, "are in bloom."

"Read it again." His voice commanded.

"Issa. In my old home, which I forsook, the cherries are in bloom."

And that was how each afternoon found the pair, crouched over the little book while Sesshoumaru taught the illiterate slave to read.

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The snow had begun to fall. It was the first day and Kagome had woken to Sango's delighted yell. She blinked groggily out their window and saw the blanket of pure white. Kagome's face split into a gigantic grin. Today promised to be a good day as Sesshoumaru had said he would read to her from one of his great leather bound books on philosophy. Well, he didn't say he would, but he didn't object when she asked.

Sango danced Kagome around the room. "The first snow of autumn! It means a new beginning, a fresh start, a clean slate!" She laughed happily. "I LOVE the snow!"

Kagome laughed along with her new friend. A clean slate and a fresh start, she liked the sound of it. Kagome wouldn't mind starting off anew. She let the past slip from her mind. The present was a much better place to be.

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He breathed in the tingling smell of snow and smiled broadly. He loved it, staring out into the white abyss of clean, untouched snow. Untouched until he got to it, of course. Laughing at the fresh snow, he launched himself out of the house, cannonballing into the white blanket. The smooth surface crushed under his weight and he rolled around in its coldness.

Inu-Yasha leapt back up, running back into the house. It was on a snowy day like this that he had first met Kikyou. His brow furrowed. On second thought, that wasn't exactly a good thing since the girl brought along so many bad memories. In fact, she down right ruined his life! What started off as a great day quickly turned into an awful day. Inu-Yasha's fist clenched, he couldn't be rid of her memory no matter how hard he tried. He wasn't really a bitter person. He wasn't bitter at all. He was just mad, frustrated, furious at himself, at her. At the whole goddamned world!

He scowled. In a matter of minutes his good mood had diminished into nothing. Just great, Kikyou was dead and still she wouldn't let him rest.

His mind preoccupied, and his nose still full of the smell of snow, he ran smack into someone's headlong flight.

"OW! Damnit, watch where you're going!" He bit out angrily.

Kagome winced as she hit the floor. She'd been so eager to hear Sesshoumaru read that she didn't look. When she heard the boyish voice, however, she immediately regretted it.

"Ah, I'm so sorry, my lord. I was not watching."

"Damn right you weren't watching!" He stood up, brushing himself off.

He stopped suddenly, it was the girl. The girl who's face was Kikyou's. Just when he was thinking about the wretched human, what luck he had. Inu- Yasha growled at himself. "Wench, just get out of my sight."

A small corner of his mind told him not to be so rude. It's not her fault she wears the face of someone who betrayed him in the past, after all.

"I have a name, its Kagome. Use it!" She spat out. New start, clean slate, out the window. It was just too hard trying to create a better image of herself with this spitting hanyou in her face. She marched up to the door she was originally going to. Before her knuckles contacted the wooden surface, it was thrown open.

Sesshoumaru's gaze went past Kagome at Inu-Yasha whose mouth was wide open as he stared at the odd picture before him. Kagome and Sesshoumaru.

Kagome and Sesshoumaru?

Kagome and his brother, Sesshoumaru??

Sesshoumaru nodded for the slave to go into his room. As Kagome slipped out of Inu-Yasha's view, his mind exploded with questions. What exactly was happening here? He hadn't seen the slave since that very first day. It'd only been a few weeks and already she was with Sesshoumaru? And exactly what was she doing in his room? Surely Sesshoumaru didn't have....didn't have.. a .. a.. a mistress??

"Inu-Yasha, get your mind out of the gutter." Sesshoumaru said softly, narrowing his eyes at his brother.

"You - you and.. and HER," Inu-Yasha pointed at the door.

"You're sleeping with her!" He accused, "With Kikyou's look-alike. I had no idea you liked Kikyou. Why would you? Why would I?"

"Inu-Yasha," Sesshoumaru's voice cut through the air, knocking his half brother back into his sense.

He closed his eyes, forcing the wild notions out of his head. Of course not, his brother wasn't crazy like that. And the girl wasn't Kikyou. She said her name was Kagome. Kagome was it, well, she was.. she was different. No matter how much Inu-Yasha hated Kikyou.. there was really no reason for him to hate Kagome too.

His competitive side flared. Especially not when she seems to fancy Sesshoumaru! Inu-Yasha should be the top pick. Besides, if she looks like Kikyou, then she must like the same kind of people as Kikyou. Which means, logically, she should like Inu-Yasha. So what in the world was she doing in Sesshoumaru's room??

Sesshoumaru resisted the temptation to snort at the wild look in Inu- Yasha's eyes. The Halfling was obviously having an inner battle with himself. He decided to leave Inu-Yasha standing there since he wasn't noticing his surroundings anyway.

Inu-Yasha looked up when the door closed. What had happened? Whatever it was, he didn't like it.

When he was finally back to the confinements of his room, Inu-Yasha frowned, squatting on the floor, scratching his head with a claw.

Kagome, she wasn't bad looking. He didn't really hate her, it was just her face, how could anyone's face be so similar! She was obviously not Kikyou, but a little part of Inu-Yasha still couldn't let go of the slave girl from fifty years ago. Had it really been so long? Would he be able to let her go, to rid his mind of all this hate, all this sorrow, all this .. love?

----------------------------------------- Fifty some years ago

Inu-Yasha was almost twenty with the appearance of a sixteen year old. He had spent twenty years of his life trying to prove himself. But it was never enough. No matter what he did, his brother still regarded him with cool indifference. No matter how well he fought, his brother's eyes looked somewhere else. He wanted only acceptance, only someone who would look at him and think of him as an equal.

He found some comfort in his well equipped claws. But what good did it do to go out and have to fight all the time? When he wasn't fighting humans, he was fighting demons. In the end, no one was his friend. He was trapped between two worlds, a little of both, yet fitting in with neither.

He trudged along the darkened streets of the Western lands. The lamps on the side of the street flickered. He was weary from all the fighting he had done during the day. He was supposed to be guarded closely by his brother, Sesshoumaru, but he had run away. Sesshoumaru could have easily found him again, but his brother was thoughtful enough to give him his solitude. Thoughtful or uncaring, one of those.

Inu-Yasha's dim eyes took in his surroundings, the play of shadows as they formed and then slipping back into the darkness. Someone was following him.

It happened often enough that he didn't really care anymore. He glanced up ahead, measuring the distance before he would reach the palace's well guarded gates. It would take him another five minutes. If he ran, he could make it in two minutes, max. Judging from the melting shadows, there must be at least six demons trailing him. His mind weighed his chances and he decided flight against fight.

He leapt into the air, spinning off the ground. Just as he felt the blast of wind in his face and he caught the currents, he was knocked back on the ground. He landed on his feet, sliding a few yards as he dug his claws into the dirt to stop himself.

Damn, his mind thought.

There really were six of them. They were younger than he was and looked no more than twelve. He smirked. His mind knew they would be a hard lot to fight against as all were full blooded demons, but if he could get them riled up, it would be a lot easier.

"So, too afraid to take me one on one, huh?" He drawled slowly, edging backwards.

They snarled at him, not liking the idea of being cowardly.

"Half breed, don't think you can hide behind your father's name and your wily tongue." One of them said, he nodded at the rest, "Get him!"

The pounced, all six of them at once, latching onto Inu-Yasha. His mind panicked. How could he fight all six of them? His claw lashed out, grabbing one and throwing him as hard as he could into a nearby tree. Five other pairs of claws slashed into his skin. He wouldn't allow them the satisfaction of seeing him wince. As blood splashed forth, he spun around quickly, one fist contacting with the skull of a cat demon, the other crushing the arm of another. The one with the crushed arm yelped in pain and fell back.

He was down to four.

But they jumped again, two of them grabbed his limbs so he couldn't swing them away. The rest of them went for him with flying punches.

They beat him again and again. Punches collided with his face, crushing his nose, splitting his lips. His eyes were black and blue. He spat blood out as they cracked ribs and made him want to throw up. Groaning, he keeled over.

"Halfling, I'd rip your face off if I could." One demon spat out.

"You'll regret not doing it," Inu-Yasha said shakily. He grinned, showing his bloodied teeth. "I'll hunt you down and kill you."

"You can try!"

The flood of punches came again, this time with claws extended. They ripped him to pieces, his haori shredded. Blood seeped from long streaks of claw marks. When they were finally satisfied that they had taught him a lesson, the two on his limbs broke an arm each and they melted back into the shadowy night.

It was winter time, and the snow beneath his crumpled body stained a deep red. He lay there in the cold for a long time, just breathing in and out. In and out. It was okay, he told himself. He was okay.

He was strong, not like what the demons assumed. He would be strong; he wouldn't let them conquer him like this. He had to be strong, for the sake of his family, for the sake of being a demon.

He pulled himself to his feet, dragging across the dirt road, dragging himself closer to home. His arms ached, the pain from it all, exploding. His mind was blank, devoid of any thought. All he knew was that, he would be strong.. he would be okay.

The girl sat up straighter as the white haired youth came into sight. Surely, surely that wasn't Inu-Yasha?

He smirked, swallowing the metallic taste of blood. He scared the humans, but it was the sight of his bloodied form that seemed to make the girls recoil in shock. His mind told him the girl would run from him, bringing up a mental barrier that prepared him for the worst: rejection.

His eyes, cold and glinting gold, watched her. She stood up, and ran to his side, quickly assessing his situation, noting the broken arms. She led him back, her cool hands numbing some of the pain as she took him through the back where the servants came and went.

Slowly, carefully, she cleaned and washed his wounds, laying him on what was obviously her own bed.

"Little lord," her soft voice soothed him, "Don't worry now."

He turned away from her, from her lovely face, from her soft hands. He was strong; he didn't need the help of a human. He didn't need to be cared for.

"Why aren't you afraid?"

She looked slightly amused as she bound the bandages tightly around him. "Should I be?"

A single tear slid down his face, touching the pillow his head rested on.

No, they shouldn't be afraid of him. He was only human, only demon, only wanting to fit in.

She sat back against the wall, content on letting him stay and rest.

"Cry," She said, "it's not good to bottle things up inside. It's okay to cry, it's not a sign of weakness. It's a sign that you've learned something, a sign of growth."

Her words hit home. It wasn't a weakness then, the tears that slid from his eyes so readily.. he would grow and become stronger and better than before.

He would grow and protect this simple slave girl whose cool touch saved him, whose gentle words comforted him.

"What is your name?"

"Kikyou."

He would grow and he would protect his Kikyou.

:End Chapter 4: