~Chapter Five: The Painful Secret of Kaede~
Kaede did up the guest room like she had only a few times before, making sure everything was at it was supposed to be. Of course she knew whom it was who was sleeping there, and why, but didn't feel like dragging up her own problems in the midst of her family's.
Kagome came in, leaning heavily on the door after shutting it, completely winded.
"Where has ye been? Ye know the rules..." Kaede said in warning.
"I know, I'm sorry, Kaede! I went to tell him I couldn't be his friend anymore." Kagome said, still breathless.
"Well come child, we haven't got all day. The guest is coming in mere minutes." Kaede said, hurrying to the bathroom to clean.
Kagome got to the bed, making it up and placing the pillows where they were meant to be. Then the door opened, and a woman who looked like Kagome strode through. Kagome bowed her head in respect as was usual.
"I'm sorry we were not quicker." She said softly.
"You may call me Lady Kikyou. Next time work faster in order to achieve the goal." Kikyou said, and then slapped Kagome across the face.
Kagome, who'd never before been slapped for not completing her work on time, was astonished. She put her fingertips where it stung, a slight red mark from Kikyou's hand. Kagome was at a total loss of words for the cause, not even a 'yes, Lady Kikyou.' which only tended to enrage the female more.
"And what is your answer?" Kikyou asked harshly.
"Yes, Lady Kikyou." Kagome said plainly, not bothering to hide her sarcasm and emphasis on the 'lady' prefix.
"You would do better to watch your tone around me, lesser." Kikyou said, and then dismissed Kagome and Kaede.
In the hall, Kagome practically exploded with emotional words.
"How dare she?! A miko, even! She slapped me, Kaede, slapped!" Kagome almost yelled had she not been in the palace.
"Child, Kikyou is not to be trifled with, and ye must watch your step around her. Kikyou is a dangerous woman, if not anything else." Kaede said wisely, "For she once banished me from the home of my family to inherit the family fortune herself."
Kagome's jaw dropped and for the second time was at a loss for words.
"Yes, it is true, Kagome. Kikyou is my elder sister. For now we shall bare the punishment and steer clear of the scorned woman." Kaede said, revealing a truth she'd have rather kept.
"Alright, Kaede, if you're sure." Kagome said.
"I am." Kaede responded, and the two hurried to their little home in the castle underground.
~*~
"And you couldn't have trusted me to find one myself?"
"Inuyasha, please, mind your voice. What must servants think? Besides, Kikyou is perfect." Lady Yumari said, sitting in the throne and looking through a big book on her lap.
"But what if I'm not ready? Better yet, what if I've already chosen a mate?" Inuyasha said determined. "Not only that, but damn what the servants think. They can think what they will."
"Watch yourself, son." Lady Yumari said in a warning tone.
"But I have already chosen someone!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Enlighten me, then." Lady Yumari said, directing her attention to him.
Inuyasha paused only for a moment before saying, "Lady Higurashi."
He knew the second he'd said it that he'd crossed a line. His mother's face went pale and she suddenly gripped the book tightly to avoid turning her hands into fists.
"You will not say that name in my presence again." Lady Yumari said fiercely.
Inuyasha knew it was something of great importance now. An important secret of some kind about his newest and only friend. But he feared Sesshoumaru might tell her about their earlier conversation about Kagome. However he had no choice as he could feel her anger, and that was something to avoid if possible. So without another word, he left.
In the hall, he ran into Kagome. They didn't say anything, but he abruptly turned around and followed her, whispering to talk.
"Where have you been?" He hissed.
"I couldn't see you... Sesshoumaru's rule." Kagome whispered so that a human wouldn't hear.
"Sesshoumaru's rule is about to be broken." Inuyasha mumbled. "I think I can persuade my father to return it on account of your friend, Miroku's business. That training to become a monk."
"Nobel enough, even if he's a lecherous ass." Kagome muttered.
Inuyasha almost laughed, but caught himself. "Can you come tonight?"
Kagome looked uneasy, but nevertheless said, "Where?"
"The river."
"I'll see what I can do... same time?"
"Yeah.... Screw this!" Inuyasha said, and grabbing her arm, pulled her in an almost bone-crushing hug.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome whispered, "Someone's going to see us!"
"Right... I'll see you then." Inuyasha said, and using his hanyou speed, ran away from the scene as fast as he could.
"Bye..." Kagome said to herself, and went back to her chores.
~*~
"Sesshoumaru, you told him, didn't you?!" Lady Yumari said, stepping down from her throne as her stepson and former lover came through the door.
"Not as of yet. But if you don't, I will." Sesshoumaru said unemotionally.
"Why? You've kept it from even your father. What reasons have you to do this?" Lady Yumari said softly.
"Plenty. They deserve the truth, and you exposed." Sesshoumaru said. "Is that all you wanted to talk to me for?"
"No... why do you mind me so much now? You didn't before... you didn't used to be unemotional."
Lady Yumari stepped up to him as if wanting to embrace him but didn't for the cold glare she received from his golden eyes.
"Things happened. People happened. Now I must get back." Sesshoumaru said, and walked back out of the room.
"So... Inuyasha was in his way? We'll see what happens if Kagome is exposed...."
_____________________________________________________ AN: I would like suggestions of how you think Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship could be exposed. It'd be nice to take an offer from the crowd! Leave a review with suggestions, flames, comments, ect.
Thanks for the reviews, they keep me going!
Kaede did up the guest room like she had only a few times before, making sure everything was at it was supposed to be. Of course she knew whom it was who was sleeping there, and why, but didn't feel like dragging up her own problems in the midst of her family's.
Kagome came in, leaning heavily on the door after shutting it, completely winded.
"Where has ye been? Ye know the rules..." Kaede said in warning.
"I know, I'm sorry, Kaede! I went to tell him I couldn't be his friend anymore." Kagome said, still breathless.
"Well come child, we haven't got all day. The guest is coming in mere minutes." Kaede said, hurrying to the bathroom to clean.
Kagome got to the bed, making it up and placing the pillows where they were meant to be. Then the door opened, and a woman who looked like Kagome strode through. Kagome bowed her head in respect as was usual.
"I'm sorry we were not quicker." She said softly.
"You may call me Lady Kikyou. Next time work faster in order to achieve the goal." Kikyou said, and then slapped Kagome across the face.
Kagome, who'd never before been slapped for not completing her work on time, was astonished. She put her fingertips where it stung, a slight red mark from Kikyou's hand. Kagome was at a total loss of words for the cause, not even a 'yes, Lady Kikyou.' which only tended to enrage the female more.
"And what is your answer?" Kikyou asked harshly.
"Yes, Lady Kikyou." Kagome said plainly, not bothering to hide her sarcasm and emphasis on the 'lady' prefix.
"You would do better to watch your tone around me, lesser." Kikyou said, and then dismissed Kagome and Kaede.
In the hall, Kagome practically exploded with emotional words.
"How dare she?! A miko, even! She slapped me, Kaede, slapped!" Kagome almost yelled had she not been in the palace.
"Child, Kikyou is not to be trifled with, and ye must watch your step around her. Kikyou is a dangerous woman, if not anything else." Kaede said wisely, "For she once banished me from the home of my family to inherit the family fortune herself."
Kagome's jaw dropped and for the second time was at a loss for words.
"Yes, it is true, Kagome. Kikyou is my elder sister. For now we shall bare the punishment and steer clear of the scorned woman." Kaede said, revealing a truth she'd have rather kept.
"Alright, Kaede, if you're sure." Kagome said.
"I am." Kaede responded, and the two hurried to their little home in the castle underground.
~*~
"And you couldn't have trusted me to find one myself?"
"Inuyasha, please, mind your voice. What must servants think? Besides, Kikyou is perfect." Lady Yumari said, sitting in the throne and looking through a big book on her lap.
"But what if I'm not ready? Better yet, what if I've already chosen a mate?" Inuyasha said determined. "Not only that, but damn what the servants think. They can think what they will."
"Watch yourself, son." Lady Yumari said in a warning tone.
"But I have already chosen someone!" Inuyasha yelled.
"Enlighten me, then." Lady Yumari said, directing her attention to him.
Inuyasha paused only for a moment before saying, "Lady Higurashi."
He knew the second he'd said it that he'd crossed a line. His mother's face went pale and she suddenly gripped the book tightly to avoid turning her hands into fists.
"You will not say that name in my presence again." Lady Yumari said fiercely.
Inuyasha knew it was something of great importance now. An important secret of some kind about his newest and only friend. But he feared Sesshoumaru might tell her about their earlier conversation about Kagome. However he had no choice as he could feel her anger, and that was something to avoid if possible. So without another word, he left.
In the hall, he ran into Kagome. They didn't say anything, but he abruptly turned around and followed her, whispering to talk.
"Where have you been?" He hissed.
"I couldn't see you... Sesshoumaru's rule." Kagome whispered so that a human wouldn't hear.
"Sesshoumaru's rule is about to be broken." Inuyasha mumbled. "I think I can persuade my father to return it on account of your friend, Miroku's business. That training to become a monk."
"Nobel enough, even if he's a lecherous ass." Kagome muttered.
Inuyasha almost laughed, but caught himself. "Can you come tonight?"
Kagome looked uneasy, but nevertheless said, "Where?"
"The river."
"I'll see what I can do... same time?"
"Yeah.... Screw this!" Inuyasha said, and grabbing her arm, pulled her in an almost bone-crushing hug.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome whispered, "Someone's going to see us!"
"Right... I'll see you then." Inuyasha said, and using his hanyou speed, ran away from the scene as fast as he could.
"Bye..." Kagome said to herself, and went back to her chores.
~*~
"Sesshoumaru, you told him, didn't you?!" Lady Yumari said, stepping down from her throne as her stepson and former lover came through the door.
"Not as of yet. But if you don't, I will." Sesshoumaru said unemotionally.
"Why? You've kept it from even your father. What reasons have you to do this?" Lady Yumari said softly.
"Plenty. They deserve the truth, and you exposed." Sesshoumaru said. "Is that all you wanted to talk to me for?"
"No... why do you mind me so much now? You didn't before... you didn't used to be unemotional."
Lady Yumari stepped up to him as if wanting to embrace him but didn't for the cold glare she received from his golden eyes.
"Things happened. People happened. Now I must get back." Sesshoumaru said, and walked back out of the room.
"So... Inuyasha was in his way? We'll see what happens if Kagome is exposed...."
_____________________________________________________ AN: I would like suggestions of how you think Kagome and Inuyasha's relationship could be exposed. It'd be nice to take an offer from the crowd! Leave a review with suggestions, flames, comments, ect.
Thanks for the reviews, they keep me going!