Disclaimers: I own Nothing

Authors Beginning Note: OOPS! I completely forgot about updating...sorry.

The Christmas Dolls

Chapter 10

Whispered Name

Sango walked through the many throngs of people in the bustling city, constantly being pushed and shoved. Kirara mewed in anxiety as her new mistress gave of waves of impatience. At least her temper was in check, earlier a man had been knocking people over to get through, some had gotten hurt his shoves were so violent. It didn't take long for one of the guards to 'confront' him. Sango shook her head and looked up ahead five feet where a sign similar to all the others that advertised business was hanging outside the door.

"Should we try this one?" Sango looked at Kirara on her shoulder, who mewed positively.

Stepping in an older man came and greeted her, rubbing his hands together, almost as if they were cold.

"I'm sorry Miss, if it's a room you want, you'll have to find another place. But if its food you want, we have a nice restaurant in the back with delicious soba." Sango shook her head and smiled.

"Thanks, but no Thank you." She slowly exited, looking dismayed.

"Well Kirara, we tried. It doesn't seem that there's anyplace available to sleep. We may all just end up sleeping in the woods." The thought was depressing. The forest was ½ days walk, if you walked quickly without stop. Plus the past week of traveling and sleeping outdoors, Sango really wanted someplace inside for a night.

A small little girl, wearing a simple well worn dress that was once probably a vibrant red- now tarnished rust color, holding a small three petal flower tugged on Sango's pants.

"Excuse me miss!" Sango nealt to eye level.

"Can I help you?"

"My mommy says if you need a place to stay, you can stay with us!"

"Really?"

"Yah! But you gotta follow me!" The little girl turned and skipped away into the mass of people. Sango rushed after her as best as she could. Every once in a while she would loose sight of the girl, then sometimes when she was too far behind Sango would find the girl waiting for her at a corner.

"Can this be right? We're almost right at the palace." Sango whispered to herself.

Suddenly the girl turned down an abandoned ally. Taking turns and twists, Sango found herself in a separate, much less crowded area.

"Mama!" The little girl ran to a woman who was waiting outside of a small house of many houses, in a cozy lane with many pleasant well-dresses if not simply, people. The woman smiled and patted the girl on the hand.

"I am Kali, this is my daughter Suki. We both are workers of the palace, and we have pleanty of room at our house for guests. It is the kings wish that none should be left outside to sleep in these days of celebration."

"Thank you for your hospitality."

"Please, come inside." Kali directed Sango inside of the house she had stood outside of. It was a cozy house that had many rooms to fit travelers comfortably.

"Here, this will be your room. Be careful though, we have other guests here and while they may seem honorable…"

"I know. Once again, thank you." Kali bobbed her head and left. The room was a plain room. Simple crème colored screens for walls on either side while the back one was wooden with a window to look down at a small part of the city.

Kali brought a small tray of soup and tea before dusk. Sango sat, lost deep in thoguht, while setting the two dolls in front of her.

Kagome…please be alright…heh…what am I talking about…by now your living like a princess…

The thought saddened her a bit and made the loneliness almost unbearable.

The sun began to slowly settle into the horizon, snugly, but almost forcefully. Wanting to shield its loyal people from the lurking danger approaching.

Kagome paced her room nervously. Shippo sat on her bed.

"You know Kagome, if you keep that up you might wear out a hole in the floor. At least if you get some sleep…"

Kagome glanced out the window seeing only the dark sky beginning to brighten, morning stars began to fade. Thoughts of leaping out across roof tops in an attempt to escape tasted tantalizing to her thoughts. She tripped over her garment and they were dispelled. A small tear appeared at the hem of the dark, but rich colored kimono, that she wore over Inuyasha's freshly stolen Haori. No way was she going to leave it to chance by taking it off.

A loud roar met its way through the palace walls and Kagome jumped in fright. Her nerves were fraying and this didn't help. Foot steps pounded the floor and Kagome ran to the door.

"Whats going on? I heard…" She yelled as she slid the door open. The guards also jumped at her sudden burst.

"It seems that there has been a demon attack in the village. We are dispatching personel at current. There is no need for you to worry. We are here to protect the Empress Elect, even if it costs us our life- should such an action be required." They bowed low and Kagome stepped back, before shutting the screen.

"Kagome! Look!" Shippo was out on the balcony and was looking down. She ran to his side and gasped.

"Isn't it ginourmous!" Shippo squealed in awe and fright. A large scaled battle was happening in the small court sectioned off for minor palace workers. An ugly demon was wreaking havoc while three other beings and a large cat tried to stave it off.

A large boomerang raced against the wind to cut the demon, only for minamal damage to occur. A long black haired lad was furiously attacking the creature with claws adn rustic sword. Billows of fire spewed from the jaws of the cat with a man clad in dark robes faught with a metal clinking staff and ofudas. As strong as their attacks were however, the end of theirlives seemed to become more certain as the demon thrashed in livid fury at its aggrivators.

Kagome's heart clutched tightly as she made out undeniable details.

"My friends. Miroku…Sango…Inuyasha…" As she whispered his name, he looked up, almost as if he could have possibly heard her. Their eyes locked- Kagome felt her heart beating painfully in its breasted cage. In his distracted state the demons tail swept him off his feet, and he hit the wall of a building.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome screamed, frightened for his sake.

No…no…please be all right…please…I wish…I have to help…if there is anything inside me...

Something seemed to unlock inside her heart, a wave of something powerful.

"Shippo, can you turn into a bow and arrow?"

"Sure but..."

"Please do it." Kagome's hair slowly rose, as that power quivered in the air. She was afraid but somehow knew exactly what to do. She took Shippo, and the provided arrow he had made. She pulled her arm back, never quivering, she aimed, and fired. Not at the demon who threatened the castle and the city, the demon who's tail was demolishing building as we speak, whose eyes were a beady black, and hair a slimy green across its serpentine body. Instead she shot at the boy who seemed to be delicately holding her heart, even before she had begun to realize it.

The arrow flew gracefully in the air, but just before it struck Inuyasha's heart…it surrounded him in a cacoon of warmth and purple light.

"What did you do Kagome?" Shippo asked afraid.

"I set him free." Her own answer seemed to amaze her but it rang true to herself. She watched in amazement as he was levitated in the air, the light grew brighter until it was as if day.Then like a supernova turned blakchole, the lightreceded and he fell to the ground.

"Inuyasha!" She screamed desperately. The demon turned and faced the palace, right in her direction. Kagoem froze as her gaze moved from Inuyasha to this vile thing.

The door slammed open, startling both Kagome and Shippo.

"Empress Elect! It is not safe here, you must be moved to a room closer to safety with in the palace walls. Kagome automatically turned, but it was to Shippo the message had been addressed. He bowed in her bodily form and Kagome quickly put her scarf on her face. She turned back to look, but a guard pulled her away.

"Forgive me, but it is not safe. Go and take care of her majesty." She was shoved and ushered behind Shippo, now in the form of Kagome as Empress Elect.

Recent Memory
"Kagome, I can help!" Kagome looked up in surprise after telling him of her plight.

"Really?"

"Watch this." He jumped down and placed a leaf on his head. With a pop, there stood a Kagura being right in front of her.

"Kagura?" A boys giggle came out of her mouth.

"Nope its me. Now how about this." Another pop and he was a recognizable guardsman. A few more pops and a few more forms, Kagome stood up to look at her new clone. Shippo mirrored her very actions.

"Wow Shippo. You're pretty good at that."

"Yah, but I've had to practice. When I used to do this, my tail wouldn't ever transform, so the form I took on would have a fox tail." A plan was quickly emulating in Kagome's mind.

"See, I can be you, and you could hide!" Kagome nodded, a bright bulb lighting her mind.

"Shippo do you think you could steal a set of clothes from one of the ladies' in waiting?"

"I sure could." Pop and he was back to his original form.

"And…if you see a red haori with stitching, bring it back for me too."

"A haori? I doubt I'll find anything like that, but if I see one, I'll get it!" He quickly disappeared and Kagome sat, stewing on what she was about to think of attempting.

Kagome thought back. Shippo was putting his life in danger for her sake, as well as for the Kingdoms. He would mascarade as her, and then when time came of the coronation, he would simply pop into his normal form before escaping, giving Kagome just enough time to hopefully slip away.

Slowly her thoughts began to wonder to another particular being.

I hope I didn't hurt him…I can't believe…it just happened…I didn't even really know what I was doing…I just knew…what about the others…and the civilians…that demon was horrible…I've read that they had demons in the feudal era…but…and what about Sango…

Her thoughts died away.

Please be all right…all of you guys…

Inuyasha flexed his hand, wiggled his toes, took a deep breath-wrinkled his nose at that-and looked at the distant outline of the mountains, spying an identifiable bird soaring in the morning sky. Sound became sharp and clear, so many! It almost hurt his head. A silver lock of hair fell forward and he gasped.

"Inuyasha, you turned back!" Miroku gasped in disbelief while trying to stave off the demon.

"Hiraikotsu!" The demon blocked the attack and the large weapon feel uselessly at Sango's feet.

A laugh almost seemed to escape from Inuyasha. Slowly, savoring the moment as if it might suddenly flee him, he withdrew Tetsusaiga to its full length and glory.

"Time to get busy." He muttered in arrogance.

"Wind scar!" The demon never stood a chance.