To Love an Enemy

Chapter 8

I don't own Inuyasha so don't sue.

"Sango," a voice said quietly shaking her shoulder. "Sango it's time to get up, we have to make breakfast."

Sango groaned and slowly opened her eyes. Kagome was standing over her, with a smile so bright it was blinding. Sango groaned once more and sat up. "Alright I'm up," she mumbled wiping the sleep out of her eyes. As Sango got up and was getting dressed, she said, "are you always this cheerful in the morning?"

"Oh I'm sorry Sango," Kagome apologized instantly concerned. "Was I bothering you?"

"No," Sango said hastily not wanting to offend her new friend. 'I'm just not much of a morning person, that's all." With that she opened up the tent door and groaned, no wonder she felt like she had just gotten to sleep……..the sun was just rising! Within minutes Kagome led her to where they cooked the breakfast, and all the other meals, gave her the ingredients saying, "this morning we're making oatmeal because we travelling again today. The troops will need the energy. So I'll just leave you to it." She was about to turn away when Sango murmured something. "Sorry Sango what did you?"

"Idonnohotocook," she mumbled softly blushing.

"Sorry what was that, I didn't hear you?" Kagome asked.

"Kagome, I um……don't…..well….really…know how to cook," Sango said blushing and tried to blush even redder at the shocked look on Kagome's face.

"You've never made porridge before!" she exclaimed. Sango nodded her head embarrassed. "You mean never!" Sango nodded her head once more. "Oh, well I'm sorry I guess I never really thought that you might not be able to cook. Look here I'll show watch carefully though." By the time the soldiers were up, Sango knew how to cook porridge and was very pleased with herself. As the men lined up for breakfast Sango helped Kagome by handing he bowls of porridge and the mug of coffee to the soldiers as they filed by. After that they were responsible for cleaning the large pot which they had used to make the porridge in. By the time they were done with the kitchen duties both Kagome and Sango were exhausted. As they trooped back to their tent they were surprised to find their tent and belongings all packed up. Sango looked at Kagome for an explanation. "Oh, Inuyasha does this for me. He thinks that I don't realise that it's him but I do."

"Are you afraid that he'll well go through your…..stuff?" Sango asked cautiously.

"Oh no he's not perverted, like the other soldiers……..he's really quite sweet once you get to know him," Kagome said.

"You like him don't you?" Sango said softly.

Kagome jumped back startled, then sighed, "yeah, but don't tell him that."

"How, he's the enemy though?" Sango asked shocked.

"Well, I've been living with the 'enemy' for a while now and they're not the monsters that everyone says they are, they're humans just like us. Plus the soldiers here are as fed up with the war as the people back home. I think in all of our hearts, all we really want is this war to be over. To me it no longer matters who wins as long as someone does."

"WHAT!" Sango gasped. "How can you say that you're tired of the war. Is that all you want for someone doesn't matter who to win!"

Kagome looked at Sango closely and then said softly almost inadible. "I never thought that you weren't a peasant like me before this. But now I'm sure you're some sort of noble, because if you were a peasant you would know how sick and tired of this war we are."

Sango's eyes opened wide, and then she pulled Kagome over to the cover of the forest. Once they were out of the open Sango said, "how in the world do you know that?!"

"I guess I should have seen it earlier, your skin is too white, you've never made porridge, getting up at dawn is hard for you. If you were a peasant you would have tanned skin not milk white from working in the sun, you would have been making porridge since you were old enough to cook and peasants wake up at dawn no matter what's happened, because of your internal clock. But the biggest give-a-way is that you think that the war must be won by our side, that it's some form of glorious battle that will mean the end of one side or another. If you were a peasant you would be as tired of this stupid war as I and every other peasant are."

"Okay fine, there's no point in me denying it, yes I am a noble. But could you explain why you are so tired of this war? Please, where I've grown up we've always been raised to think that everyone in our country hated the enemy as much as I do. Why do you hate a war that is fighting for your freedom. Would you rather us just give up and let you all fall into slavery? Explain……..please," Sango begged confused beyond all belief. What Kagome had just said, was so mind-blowing so unexpected it had turned her mind into knots.

"You want to know, fine I'll explain. It is our fathers' brothers' and sons which fight your stupid war. It's them who are dying for this 'glorious' cause. We women are left to run the farms, the mills, the bakeries and everything else while every male in the kingdom is off dying on some battle field. We are sick of worrying if this time it will be our loved one on the list. I have a little brother Sango that unless this war is over in five years will enlist and will probably be killed at one point or another. Your fathers or brothers direct our families from the castle where they are safe. You never have to worry about them dying because you're a noble. There you go you wanted the answer well there it is."

Sango gasped at the harshness by which Sango said this. Turning away she began to walk out of the forest toward camp where she knew she would never cry. Not with the risk of one of the enemy….wait would she even be able to call them that after she had heard what Kagome had said?.......seeing her.

"Wait Sango," Kagome said rushing after her. Sango stopped as Kagome laid her hand on her shoulder. I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so inconsiderate, you've probably been raised looking at this from rose glasses. You've never experienced what it means to wait everyday that your father won't be killed. You've never had to pray every single night before you go to bed that your husband's name won't show up on the list every month. You've probably never had to worry about loosing someone you care about."

"You're not the only one who's lost someone Kagome, I have too," Sango said harshly shacking off Kagome's hand and walking on.

"Wait a sec." Kagome said roughly grabbing Sango by her good upper arm and whirling her around to face her. "What do you mean by that? Are you saying that you've lost a family member that's a noble to the war?" she asked peering closely at Sango who gave no response. "You're lying because the only 'nobles' that do anything in the war are the royal princes." As she gazed at Sango's impassionate face her eyes slowly opened in awe and Sango realized that Kagome knew.

Sango reached up with her good hand to grasp the hand which Kagome has grabbed her arms with. "Can I trust you to keep my secret?"

Kagome blinked and then slowly said "yes, perhaps you are not so much of a pig-headed-noble as I thought."

"Good because, the troops are moving and we should get going," Sango said and turning her back once again she strode out of the forest into the camp leaving Kagome in the forest.

"To love a noble that would risk his life to fight in this war, shows that your are one of a few good nobles that have ever existed. And to brave enemy territories to bring your love back, because they were captured says more to me Sango than any rank of blood ever could"