Another's Name, But My Heart

By Lady of the Ink

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.
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X

Chapter Twenty-Seven

Torn
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X

It had been four days since Inuyasha had received the blow of Kagome's confession and disappearance. His mood had been in a steady downward spiral ever since, although he fiercely denied to both himself and others that her absence was in anyway related. It was just the stress of dealing with his parents' unexpected visit along with the other million and one small details that he had to handle everyday. The pressure was higher than ever before as he had to keep his less than secure position as ruler a secret until his men found the solution to all of his problems.

Kikyo.

There had been no sign of the runaway leader so far, but he was sure she wouldn't be able to remain hidden for long. The men he had put on her trail were the best under his command. He knew that they would do exactly as they had been trained to do, fanning out to systematically search the area until she was captured and returned.

Inuyasha's gaze dropped to the single sheet of paper clutched in his hand. It was a report from another of his men whom he had sent on a fact-finding mission two days ago. He had a reputation for quick and thorough work, not mention a skill for being covert. Since all were traits needed for the task that Inuyasha had had in mind, he had deliberately kept from assigning him to find Kikyo. Now that his first job was done, however, he would join the others on the main assignment.

His eyes dropping to the letter in his hand, Inuyasha sighed. The subject that it covered was the largest source of conflict within himself. There were as many reasons not to read it as there were reasons to read it. On the one hand, opening it could be considered an act of weakness, which was something he couldn't allow. On the other hand, not opening it could be taken as a severe lapse in security, something that it was equally important to avoid.

In the end, he was unable to resist the lure of what lay on the paper. He knew he wouldn't be able to get it off his mind until he opened it and learned what information it contained. Wanting privacy, something a bit hard to come by lately, Inuyasha headed for the second floor where his bedroom was located. It was one of the few places that he knew he wouldn't be trivially bothered in.

He made it to the upstairs hallway before his plan changed. His feet seemed to draw to a stop of their own accord outside of another room altogether. His hand followed suit, coming to rest on the door handle. It was there that he paused, the metal a cool and solid weight against his palm.

The bedroom he stood outside of had been the scene of both his highest and lowest moments. Just when he had grown content with the idea of having someone he could call a friend by his side for the rest of his life, it was ripped away from him. Mere hours had separated the enveloping warmth of happiness from the stinging bite of betrayal. After finding and reading Kagome's note, he had left the room in a hurry. Neither he nor anyone else had entered it since, as per his order.

Mentally justifying that he was even more unlikely to be disturbed in there as he was in his own room, Inuyasha slowly pushed open the door and stepped inside. He was immediately hit with a rush of memories that he fiercely suppressed. He couldn't shut off his nose, however, and the scents in the room hit him like a stone wall. The smell of her hair, her perfume, her skin . . .

Slamming the door with more force than was strictly necessary, Inuyasha did the same on his train of thought. A large part of him wanted to turn around and leave, but he couldn't do it. To do so would be to admit that she still had power over him, even when she was little more than olfactory memory. It was something that his pride wouldn't allow. No matter what it took, he would conquer any lingering connection to Kagome and go on with his life. His life with Kikyo.

He took a seat on the edge of the bed and unfolded the paper he still held. The scout's handwriting was more scrawl than actually formed words, but Inuyasha was used to it. He only had to squint for a few seconds before he was able to begin reading.

Kagome Higurashi

While the report was less than in-depth, it did contain all the items Inuyasha had requested. In her letter, Kagome had given her reasons - "not excuses", she had written - for going along with Kikyo's plan. She had mentioned her family, including the grandfather who wouldn't be able to handle being tossed out on the street and the younger brother not yet old enough to be on his own.

A part of him had sympathized with her plight in the scant few seconds before the true weight of the problem had slammed down on him. While he wasn't close with his own brother, he did have a good relationship with both his parents. The thought of someone threatening them would probably have made him react in a similar way as Kagome. Of course, he had more power and influence at his disposal than she had, and so he would have handled the situation in a far different way.

Once he'd realized exactly how much her deceit had put in jeopardy, those understanding feelings had vanished. In his darker moments he had wondered if there was even any truth to them. Perhaps she had no family, or at least not the one she had mentioned. Maybe it was all a lie to try and absolve her guilt in the charade. It was then that he had hit upon the idea of sending a scout to find out.

Now, with the proof of her honesty in his hands, Inuyasha found himself filled with a strange sense of relief. It wasn't because she had told the truth, he told himself, rising to his feet. It was because it proved she wasn't a threat to the lands or to him. She had simply been pulled into a scheme and been unable to get out on her own. Now that she was free from Kikyo's threat, she could go on with her life the way it had been before.

Except she had left the village . . .

'I don't blame her for getting away from here as quickly as she could. It's not like she has anything to be proud of here. The farther away she gets, the better.'

Even with those thoughts in his mind, Inuyasha's eyes drifted to the corner of the room. It was the same spot where he had tossed her letter after reading it. He hadn't picked it up then and since none of the maids had been allowed in to clean, it should still have been there. Something prodded him to his feet and to that corner. He bent down, his eyes sweeping across the floor in search of the balled up paper. A moment later, he pushed a chair and then a small table out the way but it was no use.

The letter was gone.

X

Kaede was in something of a dilemma. Certain urgent matters required that she speak with Inuyasha, and yet she found herself hesitant to do so. She had nothing against the hanyou lord; she had even come to respect him for the ways he dealt with the people that he ruled. He was a better leader than Kikyo had ever attempted to be, and deserved the position more than anyone else that came to mind. It was only in the last few days that he had been anything less than affable. He had taken to stalking about the premises with a constant glower and furrowed brow. It was clear to everyone that he had problems on his mind, but no one dared approach him to find out what those problems were.

Kaede, of course, already knew. She had known for some time that Kagome's confession would be painful for him to receive, and she'd regretted it immensely. Neither of them deserved the fate that Kikyo had chosen for them, but nothing could be done about it now.

There were still some situations well within Inuyasha's control, however, and it was regarding them that Kaede needed to see him. The boy Kagome and Shippo had found, Kohaku, was getting better by leaps and bounds. It was just that morning that he had finally opened his eyes for the first time since being brought to the castle. He hadn't really been aware of what was happening around him and he'd fallen back to sleep quickly, but it was still a very good sign.

It was also proof that he would soon be well enough to be questioned. Given his attitude of late, she feared Inuyasha would be too brusque with the child while looking for answers. That's why she had a special favor to request from him. If he allowed it, she was sure it would benefit not only Kohaku, but himself as well.

In the end, it was Inuyasha who found her. She had just left the makeshift barracks after a failed search when she caught sight of a red and white blur approaching quickly. In the amount of time that it took for her to identify it as an angry half demon, he was standing right in front of her. His perpetual glower seemed a bit darker than usual as he crossed his arms over his chest.

"Ah, Inuyasha. I was just look-" was all she managed before he interrupted her.

"Did you let one of the maids in the upstairs bedroom?"

His tone explained exactly which room he meant even though his words did not. Suppressing a sigh, Kaede shook her head. "No one's been in that room since you ordered it closed off. The way you've been acting recently, none of the maids would have dared disobeyed." Her final comment held the slightest of edges. She knew that with his demon senses, he would have known the answer before tracking her down. He was looking for yet another excuse to vent his frustration over the current string of events. While she understood that, she was getting tired of being a target of it. She had yet to offer him her apologies over the situation, knowing that it would simply make him even angrier. As she was about to make a request, that was not the frame of mind she wanted him in.

Inuyasha frowned at her tone but didn't comment. Shaking his head, he muttered something that sounded like, "Where did it go?" before turning as though to leave. Kaede stopped him with a quickly raised palm.

"Inuyasha, there was something I wanted to speak with you about." He tenses, obviously anticipating the topic to involve Kagome in some way. He had no way of knowing that was one subject she wouldn't touch with a ten foot pole at the moment. To ease his mind - and hopefully make him more agreeable - she dove right into her question. "The boy, Kohaku, is doing much better now. I expect that he'll he be up and about in a couple of weeks' time. I know that you wanted to question him about his attacker, but I thought there is, perhaps, a better way to get the answers that you need."

Her pause was met by a raised eyebrow, which she took as a sign to continue. "I think it would be for the best if we allowed his sister to stay with him as much as possible over the next few days. This should calm him and help to aid his recovery. Once he's well enough, I think she should also be the one to question him." Inuyasha's mouth opened, and she knew he was about to object. She hurried on to stop him from turning her down before hearing all of her proposition. "I'm not saying that you shouldn't be there, or that you shouldn't contribute. I'm merely of the mind that it would go more smoothly, and with better results, if someone that he trusted did the talking. It would also help to clear your name with Sango, removing any doubt she might have that you were involved."

Kaede held her breath as Inuyasha deliberated. She knew that her idea was sound, and it was definitely in the best interest of Kohaku. He didn't need to be harassed by hanyou with a chip on his shoulder so early on in his recovery.

Her hopes fell when she saw he expression on Inuyasha's face. An obvious refusal was on the tip of his tongue when a commotion by the gates caught his attention. Several demons made their way inside, talking amongst themselves. From their dirty and disheveled appearances, it looked like they had crossed some distance before their arrival.

With his concentration clearly on them as they approached, Inuyasha muttered a quick, "Do whatever you want," before going off to meet them. The group was too far away for Kaede to make out any of their conversation. She could tell that whatever they were discussing was important by the serious expressions on all their faces.

Just as she was about to step closer in the hopes of overhearing something enlightening, something happened that stopped her in her tracks. Another demon stepped through the gates, leading a human woman by the arm. She was cloaked from head to toe, her face hidden behind the folds of a thin scarf. Even so, Kaede recognized the superior tilt of her chin immediately.

Kikyo had returned.

Age 17

Grandfather, Father (deceased), Mother, Brother (12)

Formerly employed by Yamada (baker) as assistant and for deliveries

Left for new (unknown, out of village) employment

Returned home four nights ago

Stayed one night, left before dawn

Took the Western road

Destination unknown