So sorry for the long delay, I'm lazy and had an idea overload, but I think I have a handle on things now.
Disclaimer - I don't Inu or the gang (obviously!).
In which Much is Revealed
The next morning Katin sat outside Kaeda's hut. The early morning dew clung to the bottom of her kimono, and she shivered slightly. Not from the early morning damp. She hardly ever noticed the temperature, unless it was an extreme. No, she shivered in anticipation…and well, to be honest, a little fear. From all accounts, a million horrible things could have happened to her mother. Last night some of the rumors - and fear - had been dispelled, but today she would finally know the truth from the lies.
She though of her father. Last night he had hardly said a word to her when she bid him goodnight…he had hardly look at her. She felt slightly hurt, but, at the same time, it was something she was used to, and brushed most of it off. What brought her father to her mind now was not his cold eyes or indifference, it was the unguarded sorrow. She knew well enough that the man was not cast in stone. She recognized his ridiculous over-protectiveness as his only outlet for emotions towards her - that didn't mean she liked it, or that it didn't hurt her to receive such harsh treatment from the father she loved so dearly. She knew that if she – someone who didn't even remember the woman she called mother – could miss the miko Kagome as much as she did, it had to be hard for the man who had loved and cherished her.
Katin remembered countless times when she had come across Inuyasha looking off into the distance at nothing in particular. She knew now that the harsh expression he so often wore was a mask to cover whatever hurts he suffered.
He's lost two women he loved…Thinking of the other woman, this Kikyou, felt strange. She had heard things about the great miko Kikyou, of course, but yesterday was the first time she'd ever thought of her as a person and not a mythical heroine…she would have to ask the others more about this. Kaeda had told her how Naraku had destroyed the love between her father and the woman, and all the rest. Katin noticed that Kaeda, and the rest of the villagers, seemed give the miko their high esteem. While she understood, and felt sympathy for Kikyou, she didn't understand how everyone over looked the fact that Kikyou had tried to kill Kagome, and helped the enemy, repeatedly. She supposed it was one of those things she was too young to understand.
She sighed, straining her ears, listening to hear any sign that Kaeda was awake so she could finally have some of her questions answered. She hadn't bothered to ask her father about it again. No matter what it was, everything that passed verbally between them was hostile. She blamed him, naturally, as he was the one who was always unreasonable. He never trusted her. He treated her like a pup or worse, a soldier under his command. He didn't treat her like a daughter. Even Uncle Miroku gave her more care than Inuyasha; he laughed with her and gave her encouragement, just like how he treated Keto. He was a father; Inuyasha was simply there.
Her anger, again, peeked, she forgot about being understanding and worrying, and became that which she was usually in regards to her stubborn, horrible father – a defiant, moody young woman.
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Kaeda chuckled, hearing Katin huff to herself outside and invited her in to share her breakfast.
"So, ye've come to hear the rest of it, have ye?" She accepted the bowl Katin served to her.
Katin, still fuming with thoughts of her father and desperately needing to hear some truth about her mother, looked up, eyes pleading.
"Please, Lady Kaeda, oh please tell me of Mama!"
Kaeda studied the girl's eager eyes and saw the underlying sadness. The poor child.
"Aye, wait but a moment – the tea."
She nodded, fiddling with the heart shaped locket she wore around her neck. Her grandmother had given it to her for her last birthday. Inside contained young, and rather angry looking, pictures of her parents. She liked the angered expressions. Though she was used to seeing her father that way, the only photos she ever saw of her mother were posed and smiling. Seeing Kagome's anger made her real to Katin.
"Here child, pour out the tea and I shall begin."
"Hai." She hurried with her task, hardly noticing when she sloshed the boiling liquid over her hand.
Kaeda settled on her mat and began.
"Well, I told ye yesterday of yer parents and the search for the Shikon Shards and how all that came about?"
Katin nodded.
"Aye, well, for a time there was only one shard unaccounted for. It took a year to find it. Naraku had all the shards but four: one was missing, the wolf prince Kouga had two, and Naraku used one to sustain the life of his servant Kohaku…"
"Aunt Sango's little brother?" Katin interrupted, trying to keep her facts straight.
"Aye," the old woman replied, sorrow in her eyes, "Aye, that'd be the boy."
Katin nodded.
"Well, there were many rumors as to the whereabouts of the final shard. Naraku was determined to have the completed Jewel and he stopped at nothing to find it. He killed many, demons and humans alike. In the end, the shard came to yer mother. That story is very long and complex, and I don't believe I have the time to include it today, ask Miroku or yer father, they now that tale better than I."
Katin knew whom she would ask, and it was not her father.
"Once Naraku learned yer mother had obtained the shard he sought her out. As I have told ye, the demon was fond of trickery; he set many a trap. Yer parents were a formidable team though, and overcame all that they came up against. Finally Naraku resorted to mind control once more – I told ye yesterday of how he tried to turn yer mother against her friends before?"
"Hai."
Kaeda nodded, "Well, yer mother's miko powers were very strong, but it was her pure heart that really saved her from succumbing to Naraku. But, now that he held the majority of the Jewel his powers of darkness had increased. He managed to control yer mother long enough to bring her, and the shard, to his castle."
"What was father doing? Couldn't he stop her?" Her question was not one of blame but simple curiosity. She saw Inuyasha as a powerful and unmovable – it was hard to see him letting her mother walk into a trap.
"Child, the blackest of souls was Naraku. There were things he made yer mother say and do to spurn yer father away…"
Anger welled up in the young hanyou. That awful demon had already caused her father so much pain…
Kaeda saw her expression and nodded in agreement. "Aye, a true monster was Naraku."
"So did Mama beat him?"
"Aye."
"What happened?"
"I'm coming to it child, but let an old omen rest her voice for a few moments. Go ye outside and bring me in some herbs from the garden."
"Hai!" Katin jumped up and hurried outside, knowing the quicker she returned the quicker they could continue.
"Katin!" Inuyasha's harsh voice cut though her thoughts as she rummaged in the plants.
She stiffened knowing his tone meant he was displeased. Keh, when is he not!
"So this is where you disappeared to!"
"Hai, father, I am helping Lady Kaeda today, mixing herbs." She was surprised at how easily the lie rolled off her tongue.
"Hmph, tell me next time. And do not sneak out again before sunrise!" The early morning dew makes it difficult to track your scent! I hate not knowing exactly where you've gone straight away!
She bowed to him. "I am sorry to have worried you." She gave him her most innocent and sorry look.
He narrowed his eyes in suspicion. He knew she was up to something, she was never so agreeable, normally she would have snapped right back at him. He chose to say nothing.
"Hmph, be sure to stay within the old woman's sight, I will send Keto to get you for supper."
"Hai, father."
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She returned to the hut fuming.
Baka!!!!! Did he think she was a pup?! Gods, she was eleven, she didn't need an escort!
"Katin, take that bowl and help me to grind some of these herbs – ye wouldn't want to lie to your father."
Keh! Like hell she didn't!
"Are ye ready to continue with our story?"
She gathered up her anger and shoved it aside, needing knowledge more than frustration.
"Hai."
"Now, I said as how Naraku made yer mother turn Inuyasha away, but yer father – being relentless and very suspicious – ignored his hurt pride and followed after Kagome. His desire to protect her was stronger than his anger, if ye can believe such a thing," Kaeda added the last part having heard the two of them outside, she saw the anger in the young hanyou's eyes and wanted to try to get a smile out of her. Katin only frowned. Bloody stubborn family, Kaeda thought ruefully, but with affection.
"He found her in time to save her life and break the mind control spell, but not before Naraku had taken the shard. A large battle ensued. Miroku, Sango, and Shippo had followed yer father; they lent a hand in the fighting.
Naraku wanted the Jewel complete. To do so he had to extract the shard from Kohaku's back. He was not content to simply end the boy's life; he used his death to try to weaken Sango's resolve to fight. That demon understood nothing of human love!"
Kaeda spat into the fire, as though ridding herself of a foul taste.
"That despicable act enraged yer mother. Now, child, yer must understand this of the Miko Kagome: she had a spirit to match no others'. Her soul and heart were pure, but so was her anger. Naraku's cruelty disgusted her sense of honor and love for Sango. Whenever she was so enflamed her miko powers were tenfold. She shot Naraku with her purifying arrow and almost whipped him from existence."
"Almost?"
"Aye. Moments before his end would have come; he used his remaining strength to flee. But not before yer mother had reclaimed the Jewel."
"So they won!"
"Aye, but there had been casualties: Kohaku and Shippo – the little fox demon – both had fallen. Miroku and Sango were both badly wounded. Yer mother herself was severely poisoned by Naraku's evil."
"What happened to father? And why have I never heard of this Shippo?"
"He was loved greatly by all in the group, they still feel the pain of his loss. He died protecting yer mother in the last few moments of the battle. They feel responsible for not being able to prevent it."
"Oh, but what of father?"
"Ho, Inuyasha's regenerative powers are great, if he suffered any I do not remember…though probably, he was always recklessly selfless when protecting yer mother and had great rage towards the demon."
Again the thought of her father being reckless struck her as odd. He was always so cautious. But she pushed the thought aside eager to hear the rest of the story.
"All that remained to do was complete the Jewel. Once yer mother and the others had healed the group traveled to the wolf tribe of the mountains to obtain the last two shards from the Prince."
"Why would this Kouga guy give them up?"
Kaeda chuckled, "Well, the prince was in love with yer mother." She laughed again at Katin's drop jawed expression. "It took some convincing, mind, but in the end Kouga handed them over to Kagome.
The group returned to this village and me. We held a grand ceremony and Kagome joined the shards to complete the Jewel.
Now, it would seem that this should be the end of the tale, but nay, many issues remained unresolved. Who would now protect the Jewel? Yer mother was the obvious choice. But she had another life waiting for her on the other side of the bone eaters well. We could not ask her to stay."
"Wait a second," Katin interrupted, "What about father? Wouldn't mother have stayed for him anyway?"
Kaeda nodded, "Aye, Kagome's love for yer father was well known, but yer father ad yet to admit the fact to her."
That sent Katin's mind reeling. "But, but he protected her, saved her…"
"Aye, it seems a bit confusing. There had been an obvious bond between the two from the beginning, and they cared greatly for each other. But yer father is a stubborn man – and if he had other reasons for keeping his feelings quiet I know not of them.."
"But obviously she stayed."
Kaeda nodded. "I know not what passed between them, but in the end yer mother decided to stay, become the villages protecting Miko, the Jewels protector…and yer fathers mate.
Now, for two peaceful years yer parents settled into a life together, both protecting the Jewel and the village. Naraku seemed to have given up, for there was no sign of him for a very long time. Miroku and Sango married and yer mother became pregnant with you. It seemed that life was to remain peaceful, for another year it continued in such a state. Ye were born and Sango became pregnant. It was then that Naraku made his reappearance.
The demon had spent his time building a new body, gathering power and putting together a new plan to obtain and desecrate the Jewel."
"Surely he didn't try mind control again?" Katin asked.
"No child, worse: he kidnapped you."
Her jaw dropped to the floor. "ME!?"
"Aye, he used you to lure yer mother and father into a trap. First he stole you away, then used his Jaki to open a portal to hell."
Katin gasped, horror struck. She could hardly believe something so dangerous had happened in her past.
Kaeda stood then and went to the water basin, taking a refreshing gulp. When she turned back to Katin her face held a rueful look.
"And that is all I know."
"WHAT!!!"
Kaeda nodded. "This much Miroku has told me. The group set out to rescue you and kill Naraku. Miroku fought and was badly injured; he and Sango – who was pregnant, mind – stayed behind. Yer parents continued alone. All I know of what happened next is that Naraku was defeated, the Jewel disappeared, and of yer mother, well, Inuyasha returned with you and refused to speak of what had happened. We knew, of course, that Kagome had fallen, but little else."
They sat in silence for a long time.
Katin's mind was reeling, trying to process everything she a just heard and keep reign on her annoyance at the fact that she still didn't know what had actually happened to her mother.
Father must have watched her die…he is the only one who can answer my questions…
**Thanks for reading**