Chapter 6 The Real Life of The Fair Maiden

The next morning after breakfast was finished everybody met in the garden for an explanation. Shippou sat on a bolder by the koi pond as Kilala laid next to him. Kaede, Sango and Rin all sat in front of them as they waited to learn about the recent findings and what happened last night.

"This is a long story. It's the real story of the fair maiden. There are many stories that are found but non are completely true. If you ever heard them then you know of what I speak." Shippou started

"I have never heard of the story before." Sango spoke up

"A woman traveled the lands helping whoever needed her help. She would never stay in one place to long. Why, nobody really knows. After becoming well known by even the small villages the gave her a name. The y called her the Fair Maiden. It was because she was not only lovely, but kind and gentle as well. After many months of travel she met a demon prince. She would talk to him and he would listen and eventually they met every once in a while and spend time together. Eventually they had fallen in love and spent every waking day together. It did not last long however, because the demon prince left for battle never to return again. Slowly the maidens heart broke and she soon after disappeared." Kaede informed her

"That's so sad." She said in a hushed voice

So everyone who had heard it for the first time was sitting there in thought. They had never heard of this story before and the ending wasn't happy like most stories ended.

"Well that is what people knew of here." Shippou told them

"What do you mean by 'here'." Kaede asked

"Kagome is the Goddess of night and day and of the sun and the moon. She was responsible for giving light to the plain of men. But she gave it all up for a single soul."

"Kagome's a goddess?" Rin spoke up asking astonished from what she was hearing.

"She still has her power but she no longer is a goddess. She left the heavens to live on earth. Over her eternity spent in the heavens she watched and saw the hatred and cruelty and how it was seen more than love and kindness. Her heart ached for a way to help but she did not leave for fear of losing her place. But one night as people slept she saw a man walking in a forest. She watched him closely as he would easily kill his enemies. He seemed cold but she could see the heart that lie below his exterior. She would watch him every night she could and slowly she fell in love with him. After what seemed to be a hundred years she noticed his life had not ended. That was when she realized he was a demon. It was then she decided she would leave the heavens and search for her love. She did not care if he didn't know her or love her. She just wanted to be near him. So she abandoned her throne and left for earth while the changing of night and day. When she arrived she was human so the Lord and Lady of the gods sent Kilala and I to protect her and bring her back. She is to be punished for her actions and will probably stripped of her powers and become completely human. For a god or goddess it is considered the worst punishment." He said stopping for a moment

"So you are saying that Kagome has waited for Lord Sesshoumaru to be reborn so she may be with him again? Then what happened to the demon prince?" Sango asked

"After she had come down she traveled the lands in search of her love. But she did not rush because she wanted to help people while she was here. So she took her time. After all what is time to a Goddess? After many months of going village to village and helping wherever she was needed she finally met him. She was getting some herbs and water for some sick children at a small spring when she stumbled upon him. She had talked to him that night as he just stood there not uttering a word. She left only to tell him she would meet him here tomorrow night. So from that night on they would meet there after the moon would rise in the sky and she would talk while he would just sit there. After endless months of meetings he finally decided she would be his forever. He did not know of her place or powers. He only knew her name, how she smelled and the sound of her voice. So he had her move to his castle to stay with him. He had told me once that he wasn't really sure why he had returned to the spring the second night. After their first meeting. I could tell he loved her deeply. He was not known for compassion. He would just simply kill anything in his way or anything that made him mad. When she had moved to his house they spent every moment they could together. One day an evil demon called Naraku was threatening his lands. This demon was a nuisance to the Lord but he left it alone until he stepped into his lands. He could care less if he was in another's lands. So he told Kagome he was leaving for a short while to go into battle. Se didn't like it at all. She sensed something that was terribly wrong. She warned him and begged him not to go but he still left. He died that day in battle leaving her with no one and nothing. She became depressed until she was nothing but an empty shell. She walked into the Dead Forest casting a spell upon herself and her lovers soul." He explained

"What was the spell?" Kaede asked

"She would sleep bound by vine and stone until her lover came to wake her from her slumber." He answered

"Then why did she not remember?"

"Either the gods tried to interfere or she hid them from such deep sorrow. I'm not sure which it really was."

"What will happen to her then?" they all asked worriedly

"The gods will punish her. However, it may be a different punishment. Although a terrible punishment it may be to them she would probably take it glad seeing it would to be remain here. So it may be changed for her specifically. I'm not sure what they would do but I hope they let her stay on earth." He sighed

"If she would gladly give her powers and eternal life and spend her days here then will they not allow it?" Kaede asked

"It depends. You see no gods are allowed to love unless it is within the heavens. But most gods do not even think of love. It is not their way. They may appear human but they usually do not have emotions. As gods they are only here to do their jobs and watch those who roam the earth. They don't interfere and do not have emotions such as love, lust, hate, happiness, greed, compassion and sorrow. So when they decide punishment it will lack emotion for most gods do not understand." He said sadly

"So they will punish her for leaving her duties and because they do not feel her heart will suffer more? What are we able to do so we may help them. She has suffered so much she deserves no more sorrow. She has quite amazingly remained so sweet and kind even after everything she has experienced. Something must be done." Kaede spoke angrily

Sesshoumaru's Room

Kagome and Sesshoumaru's Dream

She looked around the same colorful field she was always seeing. This time it seemed different somehow but she wasn't sure in which way. She left what seemed to be her designated spot for all eternity and began to explore the area more. She felt a strong presence and calmly ran towards it as she made her way up a small hill. When she reached the top she looked down finding a silver haired man standing at the bottom. Cautiously making her way down she was soon able to make out more detail of him. When she was right behind him she stopped and froze not uttering a word.

"I see you found your way back to me, my Kagome." His voice holding no emotion as he turned to gaze upon her.

She gasped in shock as she was now able to see his face. His golden eyes that shone bright like the sun. His angelic face with the blue crescent on his brow and two red stripes that adorned each cheek. 'He's beautiful' she though as her hand slowly reached up to touch his face. Barely grazing his cheek it went to his forehead as she traced the moon and then did the same with the stripes on his cheeks. Her eyes moving as she watched herself trace his markings. Her hand slowly made its way to his uncommonly silver locks as she ran her hands through his hair and twirled them in her fingers. When she had finished she pulled her hand away and looked into his eyes as if in question.

"Do you remember my love? You waited and I have returned to you like I promised." He spoke again

"I remember but how could you leave me alone for so long? I shunned the heavens for your love only for it to be taken away. You are dead now and you come to haunt me even now. You really have no heart Sesshoumaru. Why would you do such a thing?" she yelled as she started to cry

"But I have returned to you now. I didn't want to leave you but I had to. Please stay with me forever like we had promised long ago. I would have remained dead had it not been for you. I am by your side even now. I just needed time to remember as did you my love."

"You are not here nor will you ever be. You are gone as you were a few hundred years ago. Do not ask me to live in pain and sorrow. Do not ask of me what I already have done. Please do not ask this of me." She cried

"Then just wake up. All you have to do is wake up. The pain and sorrow will end when you do. You are not the only who has suffered. I watched you from the day I died. Sitting in front of the window not moving not eating. For weeks you did not move in hopes of seeing me return to you. And when Shippou had come to tell you the news still you did not move. You moved after he had spoke but only to look from the window to the ground as you began to weep for me. When your heart cried mine did as well. But what pained me the most was when you became a lifeless shell." He said as quiet tears ran down his cheeks

"Then why do you put me through this pain again? What must I do for it all to end?" she shouted with a red, puffy eyed tear stricken face.

They looked at each other for a moment before he came to kneel in front of her and wipe away her tears.

"Wake up." He simply stated as he disappeared leaving her alone again.

End Dream

Sesshoumaru sat up checking his chest for the whole that had killed him so long ago. Finding nothing but perfect skin he looked to his left to find his mate.

"Kagome." He whispered

He watched her for a while as she slept still in her dream world. He would see her frown more than anything. He watched as tears ran down her face and gently wiped them frowning. He looked down seeing his claws. Quietly he stood and walked to a mirror and looked himself over. He was demon again but how? He had his markings and silver hair. He had his claws and fangs again. He tried his poison and whip seeing it there as well. Looking back to Kagome the only explanation was that she had done it. He knew she had extraordinary priestess powers but she truly had amazed him once again. So he climbed back in bed and curled up next to her as his arms pulled her near.

Kagome came to in a bedroom that she didn't know. She felt strong arms wrapped around her and warm skin on her back. The arms started moving revealing clawed hands. Her heart started pounding at the site of them. She heard a rumbling from behind. She stiffened by it only to be calmed by a voice.

"So you have awakened I see." The smooth male voice said in her ear.

She shuddered at the voice as the hair on the back of her neck stood up. The arms loosened their grip allowing her to move and be more comfortable.

"Sesshoumaru?"

"Hm." Was his intelligible answer.

"I'm glad you are okay. How are you feeling?" she asked not turning around

"You always were concerned more of others than yourself. You have not changed. Why do you not look at me when you speak. It is quite rude to not look someone in the eyes when you speak to them." Was his reply as a smile graced his lips when she stiffened

So slowly full of fear she turned to look upon the black haired man she had saved not to long ago. When her eyes lay upon the figure behind her she froze eyes wide with shock. Sitting next to her was her lover from so long ago. In the flesh. Silver hair, markings and the sun kissed golden eyes. She found her hand once again tracing his markings and running through his hair to make sure it was real. When her mind and eyes agreed he was real she squealed as she jumped to hug him tightly.

Hugging her back tightly he closed his eyes taking in her cherry blossom and rain scent that had calmed him all those hundreds of years ago. How he had missed her all this time. She was the only persona to make him feel and he was taken from that simple joy. This time he would not lose her again. It pained him greatly to watch her those months after his death. Watching as she slowly became nothing more then and empty shell that was once called Kagome. He had no choice in whether he could stay or go and had to wait for the day he would be reincarnated. He had waited so long but he finally found his way back to her. He would never let her go again.

"I'm so glad you have finally come back to me. I have missed you so much. I never stopped thinking about you." She said happily

"I am glad I have come back as well. I have missed you greatly as well."

Kagome yawned from lack of energy.

"Let us sleep some more. You have used much energy for what you have done. So we will rest for a while." He told her as he stroked her cheek and kissed her sweetly on lips.

They cuddled closer and fell into another deep sleep. Both with smiles on their faces as they held each other closely