A/N:  I know, I know, that cliffhanger was evil but I thought it was tasteful for the story.  Anyway, here's the next chapter, I didn't want to leave you guys hangin' from my cliffhanger for long that would be just plain mean.

Disclaimer:  As always and forever I do not own Inuyasha…… unless some sort of freaky inheritance happened or something like that…  I really should stop daydreaming  ::sigh::

Through the Rain

Chapter 5

The Real Truth

By ShimmerSweet

Naraku walked over to the king's body and patted Inuyasha on the shoulder as if to say 'job well done'.  His smirk soon turned into pure laughter, evil laughter, while Inuyasha just stood there, solid and unknowing to what he had just done.

Naraku knelt beside the king to stare at his emotionless, pale face with Tetsusaiga, his own fang, protruding from his chest.  "You have no idea how entertaining this whole ordeal was to me."

Naraku walked over to the window and pulled back the curtain, looking upon the fighting on the Inu Kingdom land.  "Not only did I kill you but your kingdom will soon be in ruin."  Naraku turned to look at the lifeless body of King Mamoru with his evil smirk still attached to his face.  But it soon dropped once he noticed the king's body and Tetsusagia glimmering a soft color of gold.  "What the—"

Before Naraku could continue with his sentence, the golden light surrounding the king grew brighter and combusted into a powerful gust of wind and phenomenal power.  Naraku screamed in agony as he clutched his head that slowly started to distort due to the cutting winds.  Then without as much as a blink of an eye Naraku was gone without a trace.  Inuyasha's closed expression was washed away, and his eyes were no longer surrounded with a haze of control.  Inuyasha blinked his eyes as he looked at his father on the floor with disbelief.

Inuyasha's eyes widened with realization as he dropped to his knees by his father's side.  Looking down at his lap, and his long bangs falling over his eyes for he felt he didn't have the right to look at his father for the crime he had just committed.  "I-I remember it all….  I didn't mean to… I never meant to kill you."  He clenched his fists by his side even harder as he took another look at his father and the glowing sword.  His sad words soon turned into hatred as he thought of who had manipulated his mind the entire time.  For the whole time he was under Naraku's control he knew of everything that happened but couldn't control himself.  It was like he was viewing his life from a first person view for the amount of weeks Naraku had him as his puppet.  He clenched his teeth as he released a growl of pure hatred from his throat.  "Naraku…"

Inuyasha's head snapped up to look at his father.  He couldn't believe his eyes, his father was moving, and he was trying to sit up but fell back down from his efforts since his sword had him pinned to the ground.  Immediately Inuyasha withdrew the sword from his father's chest and helped him stand and guided him to the nearest chair.  His father's breaths were rapid and rigid at first but slowly returned to normal as the hole in his chest grew smaller and smaller until there were no traces of it anymore.  Inuyasha knew that full demons had exceptional healing powers, but this was beyond abnormal at how fast the wound had healed itself.  How could he even be living after a deadly blow like that from Tetsusaiga?

Inuyasha's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.  "How did you survive such a blow from Tetsusaiga?"

King Inu Mamoru stood and dusted off his clothing and stared at the hole in his shirt, he smirked towards his son.  "Rather nasty ordeal that just occurred, wouldn't you say?  But I'm rather thankful that you stabbed me with Tetsusaiga and no other sword.  For Tetsusaiga is made of my fang, and refuses to hurt me, but instead had a healing power towards myself."  His smirked dropped and his face became severely stern.  "But this occasion is only more proof as to why you should carry Tetsusaiga every where you go.  It protects you against advanced mind control as Naraku recently had you under and other manipulating and lethal things."

Inuyasha's eyebrows slowly eased apart.  "So is Naraku dead?  He just disappeared."

Mamoru let out a sarcastic small laugh.  "No, of course not, but he is weakened by a great deal…  But you were aware of what you were doing weren't you?"

Inuyasha rubbed his forehead as he racked at his mind to remember the events of the last couple of weeks.  "Yeah, most of it anyway, some spots are blank, but not many.  Why?  What does that mean?"

Before the king could explain the door opened in a rush.  It was Accius and he looked much more relieved than he had the last time Inuyasha had seen him.  He went over to the window and pointed at the battle field.

"The Sengoku Jidai troops have come to a halt in order to reach some sort of understanding.  They say that we have their princess and demand her return or else they will continue.  They are only concerned with her return and would be willing to stop the senseless killing.  I don't know what makes them think we have her but—"

"We do have her Accius, tell them that she will be returned immediately."  King Inu Mamoru stated.

"But how—"

"No questions just go relay the message."  Inuyasha said as he folded his arms.

With a mutter of a "Yes sir"  Accius was gone from the room.

"The poor child, you know you'll have to tell her the truth about how you feel."  King Inu said as he stared out of the window.

"Keh,"  Inuyasha turned his back to his father in his usual defiant stance.

King Inu walked to the door and opened it.  "Don't be like that, she really did love you.  Don't be hard on her she's a very nice girl."

Inuyasha walked towards his father, rolling his eyes.  "As if I care, what she feels is not my concern, old man."

King Inu turned his back towards his son, rather disgusted at how he treated others, but there was nothing he could do about it now.  "Come son, we have important matters to attend to."  With the swish of his cape he left the room with Inuyasha following at a distance.

~

After calming Queen Eriko's nerves we sat in silence, leaving her to her thoughts and me to mine.  Was it true?  Was it true that the king would die?  Or was the queen mistaken?  But she said herself that her visions have never been wrong… So if the strong and formidable king of the Inu Kingdom died, what was destined to happen to Inuyasha?  Was he safe?  One could only hope.

On the other side of the wall, in the original room we had entered I heard footsteps and calls for the queen and myself, but Queen Eriko didn't seem to notice.  So I tapped her on the shoulder to get her attention.  Her eyes were blank with no emotion.  My heart softened for her. 

"Some one's calling for us, should I go and see?"

She nodded and I opened the secret door and closed it quietly behind me.  In the room stood one of the queen's personal servants.  She looked a little too happy considering the battle going on right above our heads.

"Were you the one calling for the queen and me?" 

She nodded.  "Yes I am, I am here to retrieve you and the queen from hiding.  The battle is over, we have come to some sort of peace terms with the Sengoku Jidai troops.  Now, where is the queen?"

My eyes widened in shock.  "Wha, what did you just say about the Sengoku Jidai troops?"

"That they agreed to stop attacking if we gave them something, but I'm not sure what it is…"  She put a thoughtful finger to her chin.  "Anyway, where is the queen, I'm quite sure she can't be comfortable down here…"

Obviously Queen Eriko had heard our discussion because soon after she emerged from behind the secret wall, her eyes looking desperate with a spark of hope.

"Janelle, you say terms of peace, does that mean that my husband is negotiating them?"

Janelle cocked an eyebrow.  "Yes, of course, who else would it be…?"  Then her face softened with concern.  "Have you had another vision, my queen?"

Eriko's face lightened and softened as her burden was lifted from her shoulders. But some concern still lingered.  "Yes, I have Janelle, I need to see Mamoru as soon as possible."

Janelle nodded and led us out of hiding, into the main halls and corridors, and up a set of stairs.  The whole time I was silent, lost in my thoughts as the queen and Janelle talked.  Why would my kingdom attack the Inu Kingdom for no apparent reason?  Didn't mother think I was off in a distant land by now?  Or did the Inu Kingdom mistake our army for another?  But what other army had the name Sengoku Jidai, or something close to it…?

Janelled cleared her throat to get my attention.  I looked at her, but still pondered over why our troops would attack the Inu Kingdom…  Maybe Inuyasha had the answer?

"Princess Kagome, you may enter, the king and prince wish to talk to you."  Janelle's arm was extended towards the door where the queen had already entered.

The queen's expression was just as full of question as mine.  The king's was soft and calm as usual.  And Inuyasha looked as if he were mad at the world, he wouldn't even make eye contact with me.  His usual kind expressions and gestures were gone and replaced with harder more stubborn ones.  What had happened to him…?  Oh no, it couldn't be that he was mad at me?  Maybe he thought it was I who called the Sengoku Jidai army?  But he knows I would never do such a thing... 

My eyes started to fill with tears as the unanswered questions spiraled out of control in my mind.  He just knew I wouldn't call my army for no reason, didn't he? 

"I'm so sorry, I didn't know it was the Sengoku Jidai troops attacking.  If I knew I would have stopped it.  I'm so sorry, I don't know how all this happened… I never meant for anyone to get hurt…"  I couldn't control myself any more as I let the tears spill down my cheeks as I thought of the soldiers that were injured and that possibly died.  I couldn't dare look them in the face, they were probably livid with me.  Inuyasha, didn't even show any emotion of caring as I wept openly into my hands.

Someone came to my side and placed a strong masculine hand on my shoulder to comfort me.  Instantly I looked up, hoping to make eye contact with Inuyasha, but it wasn't him it was King Inu Mamoru.

The king smiled at me gently.  "We know you didn't know about the attack.  You see, this kingdom has many enemies, one being of the name Naraku.  He has powerful magic that allows him to take on different forms and is cunning enough to manipulate people to his liking."

I wiped the tears from my face and turned to face the king.  "But what does that have to do with my kingdom's army attacking you, they had no reason…"

The king patted me on my shoulder again, to try and calm me.  "They did have reason, it is that Naraku made it look as if the Inu Kingdom kidnapped you of which we must return you after our discussion….  But back to the matter, your kingdom's army has mikos which makes it extremely difficult for an all demon kingdom to defeat."

I was extremely shocked at how this Naraku had used my mother's kingdom.  I looked towards Inuyasha but he still wasn't looking at me.  That sent shivers up my spine.

"But you didn't kidnap me, I ran away.  I came to see Inuyasha.  You know that, Queen Eriko knows that and so does Inuyasha.  My mother will surely believe all four of us."

The king withdrew his hand and looked towards the floor.  "Yes, I'm sure she usually would but you see you were also part of Naraku's plan."

I was speechless, how else could he possibly use me farther than what he already had.  I don't even know who Naraku is and he's using me…

"How…?"

King Inu wasn't looking at me but instead looked towards Inuyasha.  "Son, I think you should be the one to tell her."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, keeping his arms crossed.  "Keh, whatever."

My heart stopped in my chest as the thick air of unease filled the room.  What he had to tell me couldn't be that bad… or could it?

Inuyasha walked around the desk to get closer to me but still stayed at a distance.  He wore an expression of uncaring and kept his arms folded with attitude.

"You know how our relationship was, and how you were always sneaking out to see me?  And slowly your mother began to question your actions…" 

He paused and cocked an eyebrow at me as if to say 'do you understand?'  I nodded for him to continue.

He leant back on the desk before he continued.  "So when you go home to your mother she will think you a liar when you say you came here of free will.  After all, why would she believe you?  You did lie to her countless times to come see me.  She would just think you were covering for me and the Inu Kingdom."

There was a small lump in my throat which made it hard to swallow.  "But what does that have to do with me being apart of Naraku's plan?  I just did all those things to be with you and you know it.  You know I love you with all of my heart and would never do anything to hurt you."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes.  "Keh, you haven't figured it out yet?"

A wave of confusion and hurt washed over my body and I had the feeling of cold ice water being dumped over my head.  "What are you talking about Inuyasha?  Why are you being so cold to me?  You've never acted like this before."

I looked towards the queen and she was taken aback by all this news just as I was.  And the king looked everywhere in the room except for me.

Inuyasha looked at me with eyes so barren of love and care, very unlike the way they usually were when he was around me.  "He had me under mind control wench.  He made me love you, and eventually you fell head over heels for me.  He had you so blinded by love that you lost your mother's trust and would come running to me no matter where I was.  That's how he got you here, at your own free will, told your mother of the supposed 'kidnapping' and unleashed the miko army of Sengoku Jidai on us."  Inuyasha cocked his eyebrow.  "Any questions?"

My eyes blurred with tears as I nodded.  "Why would he want to use me to get to you?  I mean, why does he have such a grudge with me and my family, and you guys also?" 

My lips started to tremble as tears slid down my face once again.  Queen Eriko came and embraced me in a soft motherly hug as I wept openly into her chest.  She rocked me back and forth and rubbed the back of my head to try and calm me.  "He has nothing against your family dear, he just uses who ever he needs which was your kingdom's army to get back at his enemies, which in this case was the Inu family."

My speech was muffled as I spoke because my head was buried in the queen's chest.  I couldn't stand to look at Inuyasha or King Inu.  "B-but what does he want w-with your family?"

"Don't worry about such trivial things dear."  The Queen said as she continued to rock me back in forth in her arms.

I slowly withdrew from the queen's embrace and was shocked to see that she was crying also.  She smiled at me softly as I turned towards Inuyasha, the tears still pouring from my eyes.  "So, all this time, it wasn't your true feelings…?  You never loved me as I love you?  It was Naraku controlling you the whole time?"

Inuyasha's face softened a tiny bit for a while but quickly went back to it's hard scowl.

"Keh, no, it was never me who loved, or even liked you, but I was aware of everything that happened but had nothing in my power to control my own actions.  That was Naraku using me the whole time."  Then he turned his head to look out of the window.

I looked towards the king who was still standing in the same spot.  He briefly made eye contact with me.  He must have felt extremely guilty. 

"Kagome, dear, your kingdom's carriage is awaiting you."  He looked directly into my eyes, his expression was soft and understanding.  "And if it means anything to you, I would like to apologize for this whole incident.  You should have never been dragged into this whole situation."

I smiled softly at the king.  "I know you never meant for this to happen…"

I turned from the king and walked up to Inuyasha.  I took the necklace he had given me from my neck and reached for his hand.  He turned to look at me, his face confused and full of question.  I smiled at him and opened his hand and placed the necklace in it, placed both of my hands on his hand to close it with the necklace inside. 

"You may have never loved me, but I loved and still do love you with all my heart no matter how hurt I feel now.  I just hope you find someone to love like I have loved you, and when you do, give her this.  She'll appreciate it and cherish it just as much as I did."

Another tear rolled down my cheek as I got on my tip toes and kissed Inuyasha on the lips for the last time.  His face was shocked and puzzled as I stepped away from him and looked towards King Inu and Queen Eriko.

King Inu stood there with a smile of sincerity and compassion.  And Queen Eriko still had tears running down her cheeks.  I looked towards the both of them and smiled.  "I thank you for your hospitality, but I would greatly appreciate it if you would show me to my carriage.  I would like to go home."

Queen Eriko gave me a quick hug and a muffled "take care". 

King Inu just nodded and lead me out of the castle and to my awaiting carriage that would take me back home to the Sengoku Jidai Kingdom.

A/N:  Wow, that was a sad ending to this chapter.  Pleas R&R until the next time.

So tata till then!

ShimmerSweet