From the diary of Princess Higurashi Kagome of Musashi
Date: fifteenth day of the first month of summer. Year XXXX

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Onward we go, to Princess Tsuyu, our sweet friend. I am excited to resume our travels, but I know I will not be long to return to the Shiroinu castle, its wild beauty and its young lord.

And I know he will miss me too, dearly. He had expressed his feelings pretty clearly when he was about to leave me in my room.

I guess I will have to wear that scarf over my neck for a couple of days still, until the marks fade away.

From the diary of Miss Higurashi Rin
Date: fifteenth day of the first month of summer. Year XXXX

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Gods, I fell asleep, worn out and drained beyond words. I cried and tried to come up with a plan to save Kagome and Roku, to get us all safely from the castle, but nothing came to my mind.

And just now I was awoken by a knock to my door, and Kagome's cheerful voice asking if I overslept and if I was going to join her to go to breakfast before we get into the carriage.

I forgot that we were supposed to leave the castle for the lands where Kagome's friend dwells. But… will the youkai allow us to just leave like that? Was Kagome truly well?

I need to be brave. I am a Higurashi, too, and in the brilliant daylight I feel much better. Youkai can't roam free in daylight, right?

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Addendum

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We're sitting in the carriage and I'm able to write only because the road is so smooth that I can barely sense the motion of the vehicle. And the carriage is far bigger and comfier than ours was, so it is no troublesome to write. There is even a small folding table that can be put snugly to the wall or extended so one can write comfortably.

And I so need to write, to record what happened this morning. I fear that if I don't, I will start doubting my sanity and memory. Kagome sits on the other couch, her eyes closed, her hand idly stroking the scarf she wears around her neck, the silk red fabric in stark contrast to her pale skin and the light blue kimono she wears.

When I finally opened the door for her in the morning, she was already dressed in those robes, with that scarf adorning her neck. She was accompanied by a quiet, skinny maid she called Shiori, who looked around my room with big, shocked eyes shining from under a veil of pale hair that made me back away in fright.

But then they both entered the room adorned with my crude wards, so I relaxed, knowing that nothing vile could enter the circle of protection. Shiori started to pack my things that I had scattered rather haphazardly all around the chamber during the night of worry. I felt ashamed that I had made such a mess, but she seemed not to mind that she had to fold and stack all the robes I had not destroyed. She did not attempt to remove my wards. I couldn't dwell on watching her for long, because soon Kagome helped me dress properly and led me to the dining room.

I won't lie - I was more than anxious to leave my room and to face the lords, but Kagome was so cheerful and relaxed, and I was so distracted that I realized that I was about to see the youkai from the last night only when Kagome pulled me through the doorway into the dining room, where sunlight left no lingering shadows in the corners.

My gaze flew to where Lord Sesshomaru usually sat, but the chair was empty. Only Lord Inuyashha was present at the table, scarfing down a bowl of vegetable and pork meat stew with his usual gusto. His eyes shone when he looked up at us and I hesitated, remembering the youkai that last night stared at me from the pool of moonlight in the middle of a dark room. His gaze was warm and joyful, but I could not stop a cold shiver that ran down my back.

When one replaced the honey hue of his eyes with red and put a pair of canine ears on top of his head, when one painted a slash of color across his cheek - there was no way one could come up with an image different than the countenance of that vile creature. A fleeting thought went through my mind when he encouraged us to sit at the table and eat - was he even aware that last night he was not human? Was he merely possessed by a vile spirit that released him, unaware, under the sunlight? Was his older brother afflicted in such a way? A man by day and a possessed victim of a youkai by night?

Or was it all but a ploy, a game of concealment that the youkai played to amuse themselves with us?

"Sesshomaru left before dawn," the young master of the castle replied to my cousin's question about his brother. "He wants to visit your mother and discuss our marriage in person." A blush crept across the bridge of his nose and Kagome giggled, hiding her face behind her sleeve. From where I sat, I could see a responding blush on her cheeks and I felt my heart lift at the cute embarrassment between the two of them.

"A wedding?" I said, shifting in my chair. "And when did you get engaged?"

"Yesterday," Kagome replied with an apologetic smile. "I wanted to tell you later, Rin."

I nodded and for a moment I felt really happy for them both - Kagome had that glimmer in her lovely eyes and the young lord seemed to be mesmerized by it.

But then I remembered what I had seen last night. It felt so surreal, to remember the horror of that night now, in the sunlight. I turned my gaze to the man who looked so much like the creature from my nightmare. Was it possible that I dreamed it all?

"Is there a problem?" he asked with a frown, and I realized that I was staring at him.

"I… Um, I…" I hesitated. Was it right of me to speak up about last night? And what if it was but a bad dream and I was going to make myself a fool? The atmosphere in the keep and everyone's actions seemed so normal, as if nothing supernatural had happened. It was so surreal to think that my sweet, innocent cousin would give herself to that beast. As I stared at him in silence, he scowled and glared back.

"You have a problem with us being engaged?" the young lord grumbled, and I realized that my silence was taken in the worst possible way.

"Oh, no, I don't… I mean, I am happy for you two," I managed awkwardly. His scowl dissipated and he gave a short nod.

"Thank you, Rin," Kagome smiled at me and leaned over to hug me with one arm.

Seeing Kagome so happy and full of energy alleviated my worries, even if only for a short time. It was only when we were in the courtyard, stepping into the new carriage provided to us by the lords, that a wave of anxiety washed over me.

The escort that was assigned to us was much more numerous than what the Higurashi family had provided. Granted, our family had lost some of our wealth after the passing of Kagome's father. However, the lords had provided us with a dozen warriors, all mounted on strong, shaggy horses that looked like they could scale sheer mountainsides. Each wore light armor and carried spears. Kagome smiled and waved at some of them, calling them by name and expressing her joy at seeing that they would escort us. I really don't know when she had met them and learned their names. It's hard to imagine in what circumstances the Higurashi princess would make friends with soldiers of another noble. But, considering that she will most likely be the lady of this keep soon, I guess it is not that strange.

What awoke my worry was the fact that Lord Inuyasha approached me and handed me a rolled piece of parchment bearing a seal with a crescent moon.

It is the same crest that I had seen last night, adorning the golden obi on the floor. And the same crescent moon that graced the forehead of the youkai that had been Lord Sesshomaru in my nightmare.

The letter is from Lord Sesshomaru and I am anxious to read it. What has the lord written to me? Will it give me an answer as to whether or not my nightmare was real?

I glanced up when Kagome sighed and shifted in her seat, her gaze directed to the window of our carriage, observing the woodlands that the road will take us through.

I tried to talk to Kagome about that night, but I was too ashamed and anxious to open my mouth. What if it was but a weird dream?