Thanks to Sheenachi, Avelyn Lauren, Cold Kikyo, Royal Blue Kitsune, hermonine, DeathbyMotorBike, ShadowCat711, Itasuko-chan, Flame Ivy Moon, LynGreenTea, ABCGum, Exer, Takiko Okuda, for leaving me great comments! Thank you guys for supporting this story and sorry for the LONG waits between chapters and Happy Holidays! I hope to see you all in the New Year with a new chapter and everything!

Chapter Five

"Yes Mother? You wanted to speak to me?" said an eight-year-old Kikyou as she stepped into her parent's bedroom, where her Mother sat on her bed. Her dark tresses fell over her face, a sad look upon her face as she bed her child to come closer. Kikyou nodded as she stepped towards her Mother and saw from the corner of her eye, her Father slip out of the room, which seemed quite odd.

"Kikyou...darling..." said Isuzu as she held out her arms for her daughter.

"Yes Mother?" repeated Kikyou once again.

"Come here..." she said softly as she wrapped her arms around Kikyou's shoulders, bringing the young girl's head to her breast. Her cheek was lying upon the silk material of her nightdress as Kikyou closed her eyes, hearing her Mother's soft heartbeat.

"Are you alright Mother?" asked Kikyou worriedly, as she suddenly felt warm drops of water fall upon her head. "Is something wrong with the baby?"

"My dear Kikyou...my dear dear Kikyou..." said Isuzu. "There...there is no baby."

Kikyou didn't understand. Where had the baby gone? It had only been hours before that she and Kagome had learned that her Mother was about to go into labor.

"What do you...mean?" asked Kikyou.

"The baby died Kikyou...he died!" said Isuzu as she began to sob into her daughter's shoulder. Oh how she had hoped for so long to hear that wonderful baby's cry. To hear it burst into the world, all healthy and full, but she wad denied of that. Her baby had come into the world, but it had come quietly and had lasted only a few moments.

"Mother..." said Kikyou as she held her Mother tightly.

"I've always wanted a second child Kikyou...a child of my own," Isuzu began to mutter between sobs.

"Wh-what do you mean?" asked Kikyou, suddenly startled. Her Mother did have two children! Was Kikyou not her Mother's real child? Was that why she was summoned and Kagome was not? How could she not be blood related to her dear sister? This was all wrong!

"Kikyou...my dear, dear Kikyou," said Isuzu as she pulled away from her daughter and began to stroke the young girl's hair lovingly. "I sometimes feel as if I neglect you, sometimes I think that you believe I love you less."

"Mother...please..." said Kikyou, trying to beg her Mother not to speak any further. She didn't want to hear any of this.

"But I do love you Kikyou, because you are my daughter and no body elses," said Isuzu as she managed a sad, teary smile.

"I love you too Mother," said Kikyou as tears began to spring form her eyes.

"Do not treat your sister any less..." said Isuzu.

"No! No of course not! I love Kagome! I do! I do!" said Kikyou as she clung to her Mother. It didn't matter anymore. It didn't matter if she was not apart of this family by blood, because enternally she was and as long as Kagome was spared from the pain of knowing, she was accept this fact.

"Because my dear Kikyou...Kagome is not your sister," said Isuzu as she began to run her fingers through Kikyou's hair.

So it was true. She and Kagome were not related. Kagome was the daughter of Isuzu and Kenji and she...she was somebody elses daughter.

"Fuka was always such a dear," said Isuzu. "She was like a little sister to me. Between me, Ouka, and Fuka...Fuka was always the one making us smile in her own little way. She was always so quite and tender, sometimes we were afraid she was going to break apart into pieces."

So...her name was Fuka. What a beautiful name. Had this Fuka-Mother named her before she had gone away?

"You see Kikyou...Fuka died during childbirth and I had decided to take in her daughter," said Isuzu. "because the Father was unknown..."

Kikyou's face faltered. She was a..a...bastard child.

"And Fuka had already had a name picked out for the little angel," said Isuzu, remembering the night the three of them had picked out names for their unborn children. "What a beautiful name...it was the name of her late Aunt, the one that had raised Fuka for most of her life."

What was this Aunt Kikyou like then? Was she just like herself?

"Kagome...It was Kagome..." said Isuzu and just then, it seemed Kikyou's whole body stopped.

It had been so close. She had come back from leading the Thunder Brother's to their room and had stopped at Kagome's door, smiling at the conversation between Kagome and Kanna. Then Kanna had almost spoken the most forbidden. When had the little girl learned of the secret? Had Kagura told her sister of it? Why was she not told that Kanna knew! Was the little girl not even told that Kagome herself did not know? That was when Kikyou had bursted into the room, shuffling Kanna out before more dangerous words could be spoken.

"What is the matter Kikyou?" asked Kanna slowly, looking up at her cousin.

"Who told you Kanna?" asked Kikyou. "Who told you of Kagome?"

"Kagura did...before I left," said Kanna softly, afraid of what Kikyou might do. "She told me that since she could not be here, that I should try to take her place and comfort Kagome."

"I see..." said Kikyou.

"But Cousin Kagome does not know...does she," stated Kanna.

"No, she does not," said Kikyou.

"Why? She is almost of age and everyone knows except herself," said Kanna. "It is wrong to keep it from her."

"We care for Kagome," said Kikyou. "We don't want to hurt her Kanna..."

"But are you not hurting her more by keeping this from her?" asked Kanna.

The conversation stopped as Kikyou thought about Kanna's statement. The little girl was right...in some ways. In her heart she knew that keeping such a secret from Kagome only hurt her sister more, but what could she do? It was already too far late to fix the problem.

"Kikyou, did you not say that Aunt Isuzu needed to speak to me?" asked Kanna.

"Oh yes...she is in her room," said Kikyou quietly. "Shall I show you the way?"

"No, that is not necessary," said Kanna. "I believe it would be better for you to be alone and I would not want to burden you."

With that the young girl fled from the hallway, leaving Kikyou standing there by herself. What had this family done to Kagome? What horrible lies that had been spoken to her innocent ears. Kikyou buried her face into her hands, trying to calm herself down. Her body suddenly tensed up as an arm was wrapped around her shoulder and a hand was placed upon hers, pulling them away from her face.

"Let us talk," came the soft and warm voice of Suikotsu as he led Kikyou down the dark hallway. It seemed like an omen, for it seemed the further they walked down, the darker it became, just like how the more lies they spread, the darker the future of this family became.

"Kagome, what a pleasant surprise," said Kenji as he finished brushing down one of the horses's manes.

"Is this where you've been Father?" asked Kagome as she smiled.

"I believe you've caught me," said Kenji as he laughed. "I'm afraid all this party talk is not my cup of tea."

"Me neither! I only like the parties, not the planning," said Kagome as she giggled. "and I don't see why we have to greet all the guests personally."

"Your Mother says it's proper of us to do so," said Kenji as he led the horse back into it's stall.

"I guess so," muttered Kagome as she sighed and planted herself on one of the benches lining the inside of the barn.

"Well it won't be for much longer dear," said Kenji as he walked over and sat by his daughter. "Almost all of the guests have arrived."

"I suppose so," said Kagome. "I'm waiting for Shippou to arrive and Lord InuTaisho and his family haven't arrived yet, have they?"

"No, I'm afraid not," said Kenji as he shook his head. "But I'm sure they'll be here."

"What are they like Father?" asked Kagome curiously.

"Haven't we spoken of them a few days ago?" asked Kenji as he looked down at Kagome.

"Well...yes, but not in detail," said Kagome.

"Of course, of course," said Kenji as he chuckled. "Lord InuTaisho is a strong dog youkai who's been known to be a powerful warrior. He has compassion for others and hold a lot of mercy for his opponents. So he's quite the fair man. His late wife Yuzume-"

"Wait! I thought you said his wife was Midori!" cried Kagome.

"Well, yes, I did say that," said Kenji. "but Lord InuTaisho had two late wives. Yuzume was his first and gave birth to Sesshomaru and passed away a few years after and he remarried a human woman, Midori and she gave birth to InuYasha. Then of coruse Young Rin happened and she passed away in birth."

"So...then InuYasha is a hanyou?" asked Kagome, a bit confused.

"Yes," said Kenji.

"And was Yuzume a youkai as well?" asked Kagome.

"That's right, so Sesshomaru is a full demon," said Kenji.

"And of course Rin is human," said Kagome as she leaned against the smooth surface of the wooden stable and glanced at the hay covered ground.

"Yes, but the way I hear it, Sesshomaru has taken quite a liking to Rin and she's grown on Lord InuTaisho," said Kenji as he smiled and patted the strong horse on the back and led it back behing the gate.

"Oh, I see," said Kagome.

"Now come, why don't we see if we can help your Mother," said Kenji as he held his arm out for Kagome. She smiled and hopped up from the chair and wrapped herself within her Father's comforting grasp as the two walked back to the castle.

"Shall I show you to your room?" asked Kikyou as she looked down at the child before her.

"That's okay! I can wait for Kagome," said the child as he grinned broadly. "Where is she anyway?"

"I think she went down to the stables, but I'm sure she'll be back shortly," said Kikyou as she smiled at the young boy. He had grown quite a bit from the several months he had been gone. He was a bit taller and his hair longer and he had finally stretched out to a normal pre-teen's length as well.

"She's always making me wait," muttered the boy as he plopped himself down on the ground in annoyance as his orange hair flopped about his head.

"I think Kikyou's going to have..." Kagome's sentence trailed off and abruptly ended as a loud squeal erupted from her lips. "Shippou! Oh Shippou! When did you come!"

The young woman picked up the ends up her kimono and ran towards the young kistune and soon tackled him to the ground in a large hug. There was giggling and laughter as Shippou began to plead for her to remove herself from him, for his lungs were being crushed. Kagome paid no mind as she squeezed him hard to her breast once more and then let him go as he gasped for air.

"Just...a few...moments...ago," wheezed out Shippou as he waved the raven haired girl away from a moment.

"You've grown so big! You're taller than Kanna!" said Kagome as she brought her hand down to Shippou's head. "That's right! You should meet Kanna too!"

"Who's Kanna?" asked Shippou as he dusted himself off.

"Our cousin silly, I've told you about her," said Kagome as she laughed. "But that was awhile ago I suppose, wasn't it?"

"Father...there's someone else coming," said Kikyou as she glanced out the open doorway. In the distance of the hills was a small spec that was speeding towards them rapidly.

"That'd odd," said Kenji as he stepped out into the grass and placed a hand behind him, motioning for Kikyou to stay back. "Stay inside."

Kikyou nodded and glanced back at Kagome and Shippou, who were too busy catching up to notice what was going on. She smiled at their childish nature for a moment before turning her attention back to her father and the coming figure. She placed a hand upon the door as she watched the spec become a man upon a horse. His face held a look that looked frantic and his hands were clenched onto the rein tightly and there seemed to be a red stain upon his arm.

"What's your business here?" asked Kenji firmly as the man on the horse came to an abrupt stop and the horse gave out a long neigh.

"Pl-Please, Lord Kenji!" cried the man as he grasped his stained arm. "We are in need of help! Th-The caravan was attacked by Onigumo's forces! Lord InuTaisho is in danger!"

"How do we know we can trust your word?" asked Kenji, quite unsure of the situation.

"K-kikyou...what's going on?" asked Kagome as she tugged on her sister's arm. She looked at the blood stained man with curiosity and fear as Kikyou shushed her.

The man fumbled around in his pouch for a moment before managing to toss something rather shiny and gold at Kenji. It skidded to a stop at his feet and Kenji immediately scooped it up into his hands. He ran his finger over it, rubbing off the dust as his eyes widened at the emblem upon it. This was indeed Lord InuTaisho's family crest.

"Where are they?" said Kenji as he pocketed the emblem into his pocket.

"A few miles north of here, near the Gier Brook," said the man.

"Kikyou, go tell your Mother to set up rooms. Kagome, call Bankotsu and the others, I shall round up more soldiers," said Kenji as he directed his two daughters.

"Shall I come along Lord Kenji?" asked the man.

"No, you've done your job young man and you're wounded," said Kenji. "Go to the stables and rest your horse. Shippou will accompany you."

"Yes sir," said Shippou. "Come on, you can rest in my room...as soon as I find it." He walked over to the man, mumbling the last part.

"You'll becareful, won't you Father?" asked Kagome worriedly.

"Don't worry," said Kenji as he walked over to his daughters and kissed them tenderly upon the forehead. "It'll turn out okay. Now go."

Kikyou immediately ran up the stairs to get her Mother as Kagome lingered for a few minutes longer, watching as her Father ran quickly towards the stables. Then with a firm look on her face, she pulled up her kimono slightly and rushed up the stairs.

"BANKOTSU! RENKOTSU! WHERE ARE YOU!" cried out Kagome frantically as she rushed down the hallways, banging on every door. "SUIKOTSU! JUKOTSU!"

"Kagome, what is it?" asked Renkotsu as he opened a door from the end of the hallway.

"Lord Inutaisho is being attacked! Father needs help!" shouted Kagome as she quickly stoppped running.

At that exact moment, three more doors opened as Kouga stepped out of one, the Thunder Brothers in another, and Bankotsu and Jukotsu in the last.

"Where's Suikotsu?" asked Bankotsu.

"It doesn't matter where he is now, we should hurry up and go help Lord InuTaisho and Kenji," said Kouga, knowing very well how important it was to keep the Lords and their families safe, since he was one himself.

"I shall look for Suikotsu, just please go and help Father," said Kagome.

"Do not cry for me Kagome, I shall be just fine," said Kouga as he smiled at Kagome and ran down the hallway with furious speed.

"That idiot wolf!" cried Bankotsu as he shook his head.

"Becareful Bankotsu," said Kagome.

"Don't worry Kagome, with all of us helping, there's no way we'll lose," said Bankotsu as the rest of them rushed down the stairs.

"Kagome, did you manage to get everyone?" asked Kikyou as she came running up the stairs with bandages in her arms.

"Yes, I did," said Kagome. "But we couldn't find Suikotsu."

"Don't worry, I caught him in the hallway and told him," said Kikyou as she smiled. "Here, come help me roll these bandages up."

"Sure," said Kagome as the two sisters walked in silence to one of the many empty rooms in the castle.

"Here, start with this one," said Kikyou as she handed Kagome a strand from the basket.

"Kikyou...?" said Kagome as she began to roll up the cloth. "How can you be so calm and happy when Father is out there fighting such a dangerous battle?"

"Because I have trust in him Kagome. Trust that he'll come back home to Mother and to us," said Kikyou as she smiled softly. "You have trust for you, don't you?"

"Yes, of course!" cried Kagome as she stopped rolling for a moment.

"Then don't fret too much about it," said Kikyou as she finished up on roll and placed it neatly within the basket and started over with a new.

"I don't think I'm cut out for this," said Kagome suddenly.

"What? Rolling bandages?" said Kikyou as she laughed.

"No Kikyou, being a princess," said Kagome. "Being here and trying to act like one."

"What are you saying Kagome?" asked Kikyou as the laughter from her face completely dropped.

"I'm saying I can't stand this!" cried Kagome as she tossed the unfinished roll onto the floor. "I don't want to be this way anymore!"

Before Kikyou could speak, Kagome had sped out of the room. The girl had nearly tripped on her way out, but she had managed it. She sprinted down the hallway and stopped, trying to stop her crying. She didn't want her Mother to come around a corner and see her like this. Suddenly a door opened within the empty hallway as Sango stepped out and closed the door. She looked down the hallway and froze to see Kagome standing there.

"Don't run away from me Sango!" cried Kagome, her voice cracking slightly as she sled down to the floor.

Sango stopped, her back turned to Kagome. She turned around and walked over to her friend, placing the basket of medicine upon the floor.

"Why are you crying Kagome?" asked Sango.

"Because of you! Because of everyone!" cried Kagome as she turned away from Sango's hand.

"I'm so-," started Sango.

"What? You're sorry! You're sorry now? After avoiding me for the past few days you're SORRY!" shouted Kagome. "When my Father and Bankotsu and even Kouga is out there fighting a dangerous battle, all you have to say is YOU'RE SORRY!"

Kagome buried her head deep into her arms, as her shoulders shook violently. She wanted Sango to tell her it would be okay and to wrap her arms around her, but apart of her wanted Sango to just crumble up and die. She tensed up for a moment as she felt arms wrap around her then loosened and buried her face instead into Sango's shoulder.

"I am so sorry Kagome," said Sango. "So, so sorry."