A/N: This will be the last, and very last, chapter in Forgotten Freedom. It's been fun writing my first serious fanfiction, hope you all liked it. I really apologize for the delay though, after the holidays, and all that I was really busy. Still, I hope this makes up for that all.
---------: Change of views. "......": Spoken words
- - -: Time change. Italics on their own: Thoughts.
Chapter Started: 10/14/04 Chapter Ended: 12/2/04
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters that go by the names of the Inu cast. I own all other characters and this universe is intellectual property of me and a bunch of other people, who I've probably forgotten. The point- don't copy it!
.:Forgotten Freedom: Words from the Heart:.
.:By: Darkwolfgal:.
With a groan Inuyasha, and a dozen or so of Kouga's wolf men, heaved the last of the stinking carcass of the dead centipede demons into the pile of at least two-dozen. All would be dragged back to the Taijiya settlement, exorcized, and then made into armor for the Taijiya. A small price to pay for the aid they had lent them, and the household couldn't do anything with an un-exorcized carcass.
He sighed and stepped away, noticing for what seemed to be the first time that morning- they had fought all night- that a wound in his side was bleeding badly and his left leg hurt when he put weight on it, not to mention the hundreds of stings and aches that covered his body, signs of the close and almost too close calls he had had with the centipede demons. The rest of them had gotten about the same treatment and anyone who had an once of healing knowledge, even if it was just to bandage a wound, with appendages still fit to move was busy taking care of the worse off of the lot. Anyone whose legs and arms were still rather functional were carrying things from place to place, including many of the Taijiya and Kouga's men.
He, being one of the stronger and less important fighters, had landed with cleaning duty, trying to make sense of the many centipede carcasses that had been left in the forest, or what was left of the nearby forest. The tree line must have extended at least half a mile after the amount of deforestation last night. They had also managed to adjust the land face a fair bit. Where there had once bit a river and a slight hill was now a rather large lake in the making, the result of the Tetsusaiga and a particularly large centipede demon.
He pulled Tetsusaiga out from where it was strapped to his waist and began to use it as a support to keep the weight off of his foot and limped towards the house, not feeling the least bit awkward since every available set of hands was being used to treat the more gravely injured of the humans, and the demon's near death. His injuries would heal, at least mostly, by sunset or morning, but it didn't mean they wouldn't become a pain the neck while they were fresh.
Glancing over at the many wincing, or unconscious, casualties that littered the grounds he had to admit he was glad he was among those whose injuries were 'minor'. Everyone was rushing around at top speed, many of them at it since the afternoon before and not having the time to take a break since. There was more than one healer among the unconscious bodies.
He reached the wall and used it as a support with one hand, leaning on Tetsusaiga with the other, and made his way around the corner so he wouldn't have to smell any more blood. The centipede demons were enough-even the humans complained about their reek- but his nose, and probably the rest of Kouga's wolves, was nearly overcome with the metallic scent. It was much better near Kagome's east facing room, which was upwind of all of the commotion. Hopefully no one would guess what he had had in mind and find him, to drag him to yet another duty he lacked the energy to perform.
With a wince he slid to the ground, already half unconscious as he hit the ground.
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Kagome chewed her lip with distress, annoyance, and no little exhaustion, as she set a broken leg and carefully bandaged it. She had had the luxury of napping in the afternoon and sleeping for a few hours, while everyone here had been hard at work. As a result she was one of the few able bodied and was left treating the more minor, and more common, injuries like a broken leg or a bad cut.
Still, it kept her away from Inuyasha. After the episode in the library she didn't think she could face him with that knowledge. He'd know she was hiding something, and he'd want to know what it was, and the truth hurt. It would hurt a lot.
Wiping her forehead on the ruined sleeve of her kimono and stood up, aware that she was swaying on her feet, and sighed.
"That's the last of them." She said to Shippo who had been carrying the bandages and splints in his arms.
"Could you take those back to the infirmary? I think they might need more."
Shippo nodded, she couldn't help noticing he was tired and scratched, but he had more energy than she did, being a demon, and scurried off. She'd have to ask him for the reason behind that later, but right now she wanted her bed.
Groaning she made her way to the house, sliding into the shadows of the doorway as a healer and another servant burst out, their gaits unsteady but their destination clear, yet another of the wounded.
Peering through the flapping doors she saw the entire front hall littered with bodies, and saw that the healers seemed a little short handed.
With a tired shake of her head she turned away. There was no way into her quarters from there, they'd only ask for her help. It wasn't as if she was selfish or anything, it was just that she'd to more harm than good walking around and stumbling like a drunkard.
In fact, she was feeling dizzy now, all the more reason to find a place to rest, and she turned, wondering if she still had the energy to climb. There was that tree Inuyasha had been sleeping in only a few nights before and if she could climb up there she could get into her rooms, unless she fell off first.
It beat falling asleep out in the open where she might be awakened to lend more help so she found herself stumbling clumsily towards the corner, her muscles more than a little stiff, and nearly trod on Inuyasha as she turned.
With a suppressed yelp she tripped over the Tetsusaiga and fell to her hands and knees with a thump. A moment later the movement of the blade's sheath under her ankle told her Inuyasha had been jolted awake.
"Sorry, Inuyasha." She said, sitting up and rubbing her palms together.
The half demon merely grunted, moving Tetsusaiga across his lap. It took her a few moments to realize there was blood on the ground on his left side.
"What happened?" She asked, leaning back against the wall now that the Tetsusaiga was out of the way.
"I got gored trying to get at some demon's neck." He replied nonchalantly, as if he got beaten up everyday by massive centipede demons.
"What got you so tired?" He asked suddenly, she was surprised he had noticed since he had been staring at the ground. "You certainly weren't fighting demons all night."
"I've been tying bandages, setting bones, delivering herbs… if it has anything to do with healing I've been doing it." She replied with a sigh.
"Fighting isn't the only thing that wears someone out." She tried to snap, but the words didn't come out right, just a bland flow of weariness.
"What are you doing here, outside my room? I'd have thought you'd prefer a tree." She continued.
"My foot hurts." He replied. "And if I wasn't already sitting down I'd fall over with exhaustion." He glanced at her and wrinkled his nose.
"Besides, I'm sick of the stench of blood, and don't you be getting any closer. You reek almost as badly as the centipede demons I've been lugging to the gates."
She just sighed, and decided that this was probably a good time to bring up what she had learned in the library, he deserved to know after all.
"Inuyasha?"
"Yeah?"
"I was in the library-"
"You and all of the other woman and children-"
"And I came across a book on the demon collars…"
That got his attention and he met her gaze, amber eyes glinting with interest.
"And what about them?" He pursued as she fell into silence, wondering how to best phrase this.
"I found a sort of counter spell…"
"And?" the half demon demanded expectantly and she looked away.
"And even if everything was going according to the spell, it still wouldn't protect you from the collars." She said softly, feeling even more down at seeing Inuyasha's confused frown.
"What do you-"?
"I mean, the counter spell require certain circumstances that haven't been fulfilled, and even then, after you were freed, you could still be enslaved again."
"As if they could catch-"
"They could, the priestesses have grown in power, the monks and priests have created ofuda that can hold even the most powerful demons immobile, if only for a few moments, and you're still half human…"
His ears pricked and pinned at that, his eyes narrowing and something like pain flashed in their amber depths, and she was immediately sorry.
"Look, I didn't mea-"
"I know exactly what you mean." He growled impassively.
She blinked, having expected some snappish retort. His wounds must be getting to his head.
"Are you alright?" She asked tentatively.
"I'm fine." He growled.
"If you want to get up to your room I'll give you a lift." He said suddenly, getting up and grabbing her around the waist before she could respond, leaping into the tree and half tossing half setting he got her through her window.
When she had turned around he was gone, leaving her with an immeasurable feeling of guilt, guilt that kept her awake for a few seconds longer before she fell into bed, asleep before her head touched the pillow.
- - -
"Lady Kagome?" There was a knocking at the door.
She groaned, turning her side, her muscles complaining as she sat up mechanically, her eyelids opening with a tremendous effort of will. Night had fallen, and nobody had yet to light her lamps. She did so now, lighting her bedside candle and going to the lamp at the window and then the door.
"Lady Kagome?" The voice asked again, knocking louder.
"Come in." She said and a servant entered, bowing low.
"Lady Kagome, Lady Kikyo wishes your presence at the late Lady Higurashi's quarters." The servant continued, respectfully monotonous in his mention of Kaede, though the words made tears prick at her eyes. Thank god he couldn't see her face.
"I'll be there in a moment, tell my sister that I'm coming." She said before heading off to her washroom to splash water on her face.
Feeling slightly better she turned out to the hallway, taking the familiar route to Kaede's rooms, filled with feelings of nostalgia. There were so many memories here, so many now painful memories. And this would be the first time she had gone to Kaede's rooms, ever since the attack.
She opened the door and slid in, nearly in shock to see Kikyo sitting in the middle of the room, fingering their mother's kimonos and robes, sorting through letters, removing things from the closet.
"Kikyo! What are you doing!?" She cried. These were Kaede's things, mother's things. What were they doing, being strewn around like this?
"Shush, sister." Kikyo said, her brown eyes impassive as she met Kagome's.
"Mother is dead, Kagome, nothing can change that. She would not want us to be burdened with the care of her things, not when we can use the money to recuperate from the attack."
"But sister, we cannot simply sell it all! They're mother's, they should be placed in the shrine!" She objected, reaching for a kimono but Kikyo pulled it deftly out of her grasp, thrusting a worn piece of parchment at her instead, meeting her eyes.
There, she saw it, Kikyo was suffering too, mourning in her own insensitive way, just as she always did. Kikyo cared, Kikyo had suffered her loss as well, only Kikyo had gotten over it, or at least she supposed her sister had.
Her eyes fell to the parchment, scanning over the smooth flowing script that could only be Kaede's.
My dearest daughters, if you are reading this it must surely mean I have passed away, but I cannot leave my daughters, my loves, empty-handed. To you, Kikyo, eldest and wisest, I leave the managing of our house and our servants. I leave to you my kimonos and jewels, few that I have, so that you and your sister may have a happy start.
To you, Kagome, light of my life, I leave you with my greatest treasure, which I have sadly had to keep secret from you both. Enclosed is a key to the white box in the closet, what lies within is yours, love.
I will always be with you, both of you, and will smile upon you from above. I have not left, I am with you in your herbs, your hearts, and I will always love you. Remember, my dearest children, I will always love you.
Mother
"Now you see." Kikyo said as Kagome quickly brushed her eyes to hide her tears.
"Mother left these for us, we must use the money we earn to repair the Higurashi house. I have saved a few things for us… oh yes, here is the key she spoke of." Kikyo continued, handing her a key.
It was small and plain, silver with an H engraved in it. It was smooth and light in her hand and her fingers closed over it easily.
Without a second thought she went for the closet, bending down and brushing the dust from the white box that had been built into the floor. She slid the key into the lock and turned, opening the lid with a click and peering inside.
It took her a moment to see what was inside before she found another box, of smooth wood with her name etched in the front. She lifted it out of the box and turned to see Kikyo peering curiously at her, and somehow she knew she wanted to open the box alone.
Quickly excusing herself she returned to her rooms, closing the door and locking it before shutting the curtains.
In the flickering light of the lamps she removed the lid of the box and waited for something stunning, something amazing, something completely and entirely unique…
But it wasn't any of those things. It was a rosary of plain brown beads mixed with black, joined with a string that looked as if it could fall apart any minute. Larger white beads completed the pattern, in the shape of a fang.
It was a necklace; Kaede had left her with a necklace! Suddenly her face flushed, frustration and anger mounting. Kaede had given Kikyo the house, her belongings, and the only thing she saved for her was a necklace, a worthless necklace! What could she do with a necklace!
She grabbed the rosary and flung it at the wall, which it hit with a clatter of beads, though miraculously, it didn't fall apart, and that was when she spotted the flash of white beneath the velvet cushion it had sat on.
She pulled out another letter, unfolding the much older parchment with care she did not think it deserved.
Kagome, love, I'm sure you're thinking there is nothing you can do with a necklace. I would not be surprised if you had flung it at the wall, and I would not blame you. Had you not been so frustrated, you could not be the Kagome I raised from a newborn.
However, there is a reason that I have left this for you. It is a talisman, unbreakable, and one of the most sacred objects ever to grace the world. It was forged of Higurashi blood, and at the cost of the life of its maker, and so is why I have kept it secret.
It is a protection, protecting its wearer from any sort of magical curse that would do them harm. Now why did I keep such a power a secret? Because there is always a catch, as you should have guessed. Once the rosary has been placed around one's neck, it cannot be removed by any known way. Also, none of Higurashi blood can wield it. I want you to have it now, I know you will not give it away foolishly. Use my gift well, dearest Kagome, I know you will.
Mother
She felt tears coming to her eyes again as she picked up the rosary, placing it back on the velvet cushion with the care that it rightfully deserved. She should have guessed it was more than it had seemed, Kaede would have never left her with a worthless piece of finery. How had she been so… so selfish?
She had been so caught up in her grief, but the time was the present, she could not linger in the past, and she knew what she had to do, but not after she had a long bout of rest.
With a yawn she fell back into bed, already half asleep.
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A pair of brilliant amber irises appeared in the early morning light, the sun's rays barely striking past the horizon, the moon a silver half in the sky.
Inuyasha blinked, his sharp eyes easily adjusting to the light, and looked down at the Higurashi home below him. The deep shadows cast by the rising sun held the entire home in a slightly ancient look, and the fact that nobody was stirring at this hour only helped the deserted look about it.
It was a nice view, if he could keep his eyes off of the receding forest line and keep upwind of the place, he didn't think his nose could take any more blood-scent, and pain. He couldn't block it all out, he was too sensitive to these things in his half-demon form, so he had had no choice to seek refuge elsewhere. What used to be a large hill, now turned outcropping since a centipede had taken the liberty of knocking half of the side away, had been perfect, ensuring none of that horrid scent would waft towards him.
That had been right after the girl, Kagome, had decided to ruin his life even more. He wished she had just left him in that darn cell and kept out of his life. Any punishment his masters could inflict would be better than this. Physical wounds would heal, and he could always convince himself he was better than them.
This was different, she, albeit unknowingly, tore at him from the inside out. She ordered him around by accident, which turned out to be even worse than if she could do it on purpose, and then not even a word of thanks. True, none of his masters would have thanked him, but none of his masters were doing things by accident.
And then she told him he could have his freedom, somehow, and then had to tell him he could only be enslaved again! Freedom, he could have real freedom, and then to have it snatched away from him. Oh gods, he hated her.
Speaking of her, there she was, right behind him. He heard her stop, as if uncertain of what to say, or perhaps do. He couldn't help but snort, he wasn't going to help her there.
She flinched; as if she didn't expect him to know she was there. Of course he would, his wounds had healed until his foot was normal and his side was host to a large bruise. Why should his senses be dull now? Or had she forgotten he was a half-demon?
She walked towards him again, clearly on a set path, and he felt his ears flicker back as she knelt behind him. He heard the rustling of her kimono as she raised her hand and-
Dear gods-
A solid half of his collar fell into his lap.
The wind picked up and, eyes wide, he felt the cool breeze against his throat. His hands lifted self-consciously to his throat, and sure enough the met with flesh. His collar was off. He was free!
But for how long would this freedom last? How soon would he be enslaved again? Hadn't she said he could only be enslaved again? What was this, another cruel joke to get at him?
He whirled around, rising into a crouch with one knee resting against the ground, and met her liquid brown eyes, brimming with some unnamable emotion. It took a moment before his eyes fell to her hands, and the tattered excuse for a rosary she held in them.
"What's that?" He snapped, unsure of what else to say.
"It's a rosary, moth- Kaede left for me." Kagome replied softly.
He eyed it, taking in the black and brown beads, and what looked like some sort of fang. He opened his mouth to scorn it, until he felt the power it expelled. This was a talisman, not some piece of junk.
"I want you to have it." Kagome said.
He narrowed his eyes. Magic always had a catch, particularly something as powerful as a talisman may be.
"What does it do?" He growled.
"I protects against magic, spells have no affect on whoever wears it." Kagome replied. "I'm pretty sure purifying spells cannot be deflected by it though, but the demon sealing spell is purifying magic."
He blinked, stunned. She would do that, for him?
"What's the catch?"
She smiled, just slightly.
"Only one of Higurashi blood can put it on, and then nobody can get it off."
He blinked again. That wasn't so bad; whoever had created this thing was pretty smart. Actually, whoever it was was probably dead. Something that valuable would need a life sacrifice at the least.
"You'd give that, the only thing your mother left for you, so someone like me?" He asked, feeling his jaw drop a little as she nodded.
"Mother said any of Higurashi blood could not use it, it's my duty to entrust it to someone else. I choose you." She said and slipped the rosary over his head.
At once he felt a slightly oppressive feeling, as if the world were falling on his shoulders, pushing him towards the ground, and when he grabbed at the rosary it glowed with violet light. He couldn't get it off, just like she'd said.
And then, with the feeling of water rushing over him, everything was normal again, and he stood up.
Kagome did the same, unable to keep the slightly wistful look from her eyes, as she looked at the rosary, half of his collar still in her hands while his held the other half.
And then he remembered the spell that had been placed on him.
"How did you break my collar?"
She sighed, sadly, meeting his eyes with a sorrowful look in her own.
"These are cruel things." She said, glancing at the collar half she held in her hands.
"They cannot be removed unless the master wishes their slave's freedom, and the slave wishes to stay with their master, but know they cannot." She shook her head sadly as he took in the weight of her words.
"So the master wants his slave to be free, but the slave wants to stay with the master, what's so bad about that?" He couldn't help blurting out.
"What's so bad is that the slave has to go, you have to go. You cannot stay here, or the collar will reattach itself. Even with my mother's talisman you cannot stop a curse that has already been laid."
He blinked, speechless yet again. He had thought- what would he do? Where would he go?
"I'll miss you." Kagome said and before he realized what was happening she had wrapped her arms around his waist, hugging him tightly, and before he knew it his arms were wrapped around her shoulders, returning the embrace.
And deep down, he knew he would miss her too. She may have seemed cruel but she was just an innocent, a child that did not understand, that had been shielded from pain and loss. It wasn't her fault, nothing was her fault, and yet she had paid for it.
Her wetness of her tears seeped through his haori as he thought this and he realized she had been crying. The girl had lost the lands she had grown up on, the mother who had raised her, and had just given away the only thing that her mother had left for her to free him. Just as he had lost his old life as his father was found slain, his mother murdered and himself enslaved. He remembered his sorrow, he remembered all to well, and a single tear spilled out of one golden eye, sliding down his cheek before falling onto hers.
He broke the embrace, feeling the tug of magic telling him to go.
"Goodbye, Kagome." He whispered, taking one last glance at her tear filled eyes before leaping off the hill and out to the East.
I'll really miss her. He thought, and the voice in his head, long dormant, awoke again.
You love her, don't you? The voice said, gently almost.
He snorted.
Admit it, you really love her. The voice said again.
He ignored it.
Admit it you big oaf, you're in love.
All right, if you're not my mind what are you? He mentally snapped.
You should have guessed by now, I'm your heart. The voice said again, and suddenly it all made sense. The way this stupid voice had always known what he was really feeling, and that unreadable emotion in Kagome's eyes, and how he had always forced himself to hate her.
He loved her, and no matter how far he went he would never forget her.
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She gazed after him, the silver haired half-demon that she had bought as a slave and set free, and there was a hollow emptiness in her heart. She barely noticed the strange feeling on her cheek, the feeling of water as it solidified into ice, but this wasn't cold… it was warm.
She lifted a hand to her cheek and brought it down again. In it was a crystal, clearer than the purest water, the size of a pebble, and as she held it it glowed warmly.
She remembered his face, so clear in the light of the rising sun, and that shining trail down his right cheek.
He had been crying, and this crystal; it had once been his tear.
Her hand fisted and she clutched the tiny object, still glowing with warmth, to her heart as she watched Inuyasha's silver and red frame race into the sun's rising light.
Towards the freedom he had nearly forgotten.
A/N: Sorry guys, no responses today. I think I've taken long enough for this update. Just that I appreciate every one of my reviewers, from the ones that merely say great to those that gave beneficial criticizim ((God,I really need to learn how to spell that)). Thank you all and I hope to see you again with my next story.
Coming Soon: Curse of Dragons. Kagome, a normal beggar girl who was unknowingly bestowed with the most sought after talisman in all of the Northern Lands, and a great silver dragon who is nothing like the others. A twist of fate puts these two together, as dragon girl and her charge, and together they must unravel the threads of the past and reverse the ancient Curse of Dragons.
Sorry all, my next story will not be Sorrows of a Demon Slayer, the sequel to this one, but I need some more time to think about that. Hopefully Curse of Dragons will make it up to you until then, though I don't think I made this story particularly unsatsifying, but what would I know? Reviews, please?
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