Author's Notes: Thank you so much for your response to this story! As always, it's a dream come true for me to see such support. And thank you as well for all your good thoughts and kind words regarding my surgery. It went well, although it took an hour longer then expected, so I was slow to wake up, but beyond that it all went as planned, and now I just have to deal with the pain that comes with recovery for the next two weeks, followed by four more weeks in a brace, and then four months of physical therapy. Not exactly my first choice for how to spend my summer vacation, but oh well, we can't control fate, right?
The reason I keep updating this story and not the others is because I had already typed up the first three chapters as rough drafts before my surgery, whereas the other two stories I have not yet. I just don't have the energy yet to work on a completely new chapter, so bear with me. I haven't abandoned them, and an update will be coming shortly, I promise.
This chapter begins to set the stage for the main theme of the story (if you already didn't know), and we meet yet another familiar face. I would love, by the way, some suggestions for the names of Kagome's mother and father. The way I see it, I'm so horrible with Japanese names that I figured I could just get advice from you!
And finally, several of you have asked exactly what the setting is for this story. I'm picturing it as kind of the south in times of slavery, with an influence of French revolution. But at the same time, Inuyasha is wearing his usual red haori…I just couldn't help myself on that one. Thanks for all the reviews! Enjoy chapter three!
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Title: Impossible Dreams
Author: dolphingirl0113
Chapter: Three
Rating: PG-13 (rated for language, violence, and implied sexual situations)
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.
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Kagome observed the man with the silver hair and amber eyes as silently and subtly as she could for the next few weeks, trying to avoid any and all contact other than to offer the food she had started bringing to the slaves every day during their work. The hardworking men and women seemed very appreciative of her efforts, and some had even gone so far as to try and earn her trust and her friendship, including the man called Miroku who seemed kind and wise…but even Kagome knew there was only one person she wished she could talk to more.
Every day she brought him his food in the hope that finally he would open up to her, or smile, or even soften his harsh features just a little. Every day she'd start fresh and force her brain to forget the cruel things he said the day before. And every day produced the same frustrating routine as he would refuse to eat the food, argue with her, call her names until she rose to the bait and fought back, and then only eat the food once she put it on the ground and left.
He was puzzling, to say the least, and the more she observed, the more confused she became. But she also became more and more determined to understand his nature…to understand what drove him to be the way he was.
He was cold toward everyone who came near him save for Miroku, and she had long since deduced that the two must be longtime friends since he only spoke to the black haired man, and in turn Miroku seemed to be the only one with any tolerance for his unruly and arrogant temper. Kagome knew she could be tolerant too…she could accept everything about him, if he'd just give her the chance.
And what frustrated her more than anything was the fact that her heart and her mind refused to let that desire go.
One afternoon as she was sitting up in her room reading a book on the small window seat cushions next to her bed, she noticed him walking toward the well for a drink. He was wearing the red pants he had arrived in, though his matching red coat and white undershirt were missing, displaying for all to see the rippling muscles on his slender body.
Not having had much contact with men other than her father, Kagome was intrigued, and found herself watching him as though he were the most fascinating creature in the world. She observed the way his arm easily lifted the gourd out of the well, the way his biceps contracted as he brought it to his lips to drink, and she found her own tongue going dry and thirsty.
She couldn't have looked away even if she'd wanted to, and the thought caused a fierce blush to stain her cheeks. Cruel or not, he was beyond handsome, and Kagome could no sooner deny that then she could deny the fact that she hated the way her body reacted to his presence.
Whatever fate intended by what happened next, Kagome wasn't sure, but for some reason the silver-haired man happened to look up at that moment, water running down his chin, the gourd in his left hand, and without warning he met her gaze intently. For a time they just stared at one another, and Kagome had the distinct feeling he was trying to figure something out, but then the blank expression on his face was replaced with a scowl, his amber eyes once more flaring dangerously.
Shivering, Kagome looked away, unable to bear someone looking at her like that for long. What had made him so hard and cold, anyway? What kind of life had he known? And why did she care so much about a man who was practically a stranger?
When she glanced back once more, he was gone.
"Kagome?"
Startled, Kagome jumped slightly and dropped the book in her hands as she turned around to find Sango standing in the doorway, gazing at her with a curious expression. The novel crunched against the floor as it fell face down, the pages within crinking in protest, and Kagome couldn't help but wince slightly at the sound.
"Yes?" She tried to sound natural, but her voice was somewhat tight even as she folded her hands neatly in her lap, pretending as though the book had never been in her hands and she had not just jumped nearly two feet in the air.
Her friend was clearly not fooled by her act, because Sango took a few more steps into the room and folded her arms, giving Kagome one of her all-knowing stares. "What's wrong?"
With a sigh, Kagome returned her gaze to the well, now sitting alone in the middle of the back courtyard, framed by garden flowers. She really wished the man would come back…even if it was just to walk by on his way to a different location.
"What do you know of that new man?" She found herself asking without thinking.
"What?" Sango did nothing to hide the surprise in her voice.
Kagome turned to look her friend square in the face as she repeated herself. "What do you know about the new man, or demon, or whatever he is, with the silver hair and amber eyes?"
Sango sighed and moved to her friend's side, leaning against the wall casually, very unlike how a slave was supposed to act in the presence of a master or mistress. But their relationship had never been that way, and it never would be. Kagome would not stand for it and, in all honesty, neither would Sango. They were equals. "Why would you ask me?"
Kagome shrugged. "Because you sleep out in the servants quarters, and I know you talk to them at night."
Knowing she was caught, Sango sighed again and met Kagome's gaze. "What do you want to know?"
She decided to start with the basics. "What's his name?"
"Inuyasha."
"Inuyasha?" Kagome tested the new name on her lips, marveling at the strange meaning behind it, picturing the ears on top of his head. "Dog demon?"
Sango shrugged her shoulders. "Don't ask me why he's called that because I have no idea." She chuckled. "I certainly didn't name him."
Kagome grinned at her friend before glancing back at the window…towards the vacant well. "Does he have a last name?"
"Probably, but he hasn't told anyone."
"So…he's not very social then?" Sango gave her friend a strange look, and Kagome blushed slightly, realizing how it must sound for her to be asking about a slave that way. But she wanted to know, so she wouldn't stop now. She tipped her chin slightly higher to show she wasn't backing down, and watched Sango frown before looking away and answering the question.
"Not really; he pretty much keeps to himself. Miroku is the only one who can ever get a reaction out of him. Well," she smiled to herself, "He and Kouga, but then, all Kouga gets is an argument. The two don't get along very well."
Kagome found that surprising since Kouga was the type to get along with everyone. "Why?"
"I don't know; different personalities, I guess." Sango didn't look like she particularly cared, which meant she probably could have found out if she wanted to, but chose not to.
Kagome nodded and was silent for a minute, thinking about her next question carefully before asking it. "Sango, can you tell me why he continues to hate me so much?"
That caught her attention. "Why do you think he hates you?"
Looking down at her hands, Kagome blushed and recalled the intensity of his stare. The way it sent chills down his spine. The way her knees wanted to buckle every time their eyes locked and he showed her, for just an instant, all the turmoil in his heart before masking his feelings with one of his snappish comments. "I can see it in his eyes."
"Kagome…" Sango looked away for a minute, sounding strangely tired. "You have to understand that he hates all people who aren't slaves. Hell, he probably hates just about anyone, to be perfectly honest. We were all normal people, and he no doubt had his life turned upside down just as much as you or I that day when Naraku overturned everything we'd ever known in our lives. So just be patient with him. Besides," she adopted a coy expression, "Why would you care so much anyway?"
"No reason," Kagome instantly went on the defensive. "I mean, he seems to like insulting me, or at least provoking me into a fight whenever we meet, and I just wanted to know why." And I want to know if that's all there is to his personality, she added silently, choosing wisely to keep that to herself.
"So…you don't have any special feelings for him?" Sango always had been straight to the point with her questions.
Kagome turned a bright shade of pink. "Oh, god no!" She snorted. "He is insufferable."
Sango laughed at that, putting a hand around her friend's shoulders in an attempt to soothe her obviously ruffled nerves. "I agree with you on that one. Just be thankful you don't have to talk to him on a daily basis."
Kagome smiled, and was about to say more, when the sound of frantic hoof beats on the ground drew her attention to the far window of her room, which provided a view of the front courtyard and the turnaround. Getting up off the window sill, she moved quickly to see what was going on, and was surprised when she spotted an elegant coach pull up next to the front steps, two men and a woman getting out hastily and walking up to the front door.
"Visitors?" Sango asked curiously as she came up behind Kagome to peer over her shoulder, clearly just as confused as she was. All Kagome could do was nod her head. Her father hadn't mentioned anything about this…
"Yeah, but I don't know why," She murmured, pressing her face closer to the glass. "People so rarely travel any more." But then her eyes opened wide in surprise as the younger of the two men removed his hat, revealing a wealth of brown hair and kind blue eyes that she would recognize anywhere. "Hojo!"
"Hojo?" Sango echoed her own surprise.
Both girls stared, disbelieving, at their old childhood friend who they hadn't seen in at least three years. What was he doing here?
Kagome hastily pulled back from the window and smoothed her skirts before rushing out the door, pulling Sango along so they could find out together what was going on. The sound of voices drifted up the stairs, telling the girls that the guests had been admitted into the main hallway, and they immediately halted at the top, just out of sight of anyone in the entryway.
"Well, of course I'm pleased to see you, as always," Kagome heard her father say, a note of surprise in his voice as well. She refrained from making an appearance just yet, hoping she might glean some information she would otherwise not be told. "But I can't help but wonder why you've made this unexpected trip."
An unfamiliar man cleared his throat before replying. "We had to get away, and you were the only relation we have been in any sort of contact with these days."
"I understand that, but, what happened?" Mr. Higurashi's voice was firm and direct, like always.
"It was horrible," a woman's voice commented, and Kagome realized that must be Hojo's mother, and the strange man Hojo's father. It had been so long since she'd seen any of them…so long since the mansion had housed guests…
"What was horrible?"
Kagome peered around the corner, Sango peeping over her shoulder, and together they watched as the strange man, tall with brown but slightly graying hair put his arm around a petite woman with long blonde hair pulled back into a bun. They were all wearing black travel clothes.
"The slaves at our home revolted," the man finally answered, and Kagome swallowed down her gasp of surprise.
"Revolted?" Mr. Higurashi scoffed arrogantly. "That's impossible."
"I assure you, my friend, it has happened." Hojo's father swallowed hard. "We would never imagine something like that."
"But how?"
"During the night they attacked, setting fire to the barns and our home." The man squeezed the woman slightly as he spoke. "We barely escaped with our lives."
Kagome could see her father struggling for control, still remaining stiff, his posture perfect as always. His hands were clasped behind his back, and from her vantage point she could see the subtle tightening and loosening of his fingers as a way to release tension. "Where are the rebels now?"
"We don't know; they ran away and are out there somewhere, probably planning their next attack."
She had heard enough by then, so Kagome stepped away from the stairwell and back in the direction of her room, taking several deep breaths to calm her racing heart before she made a sound of distress that would alert the others to her presence. This couldn't be happening.
"I can't believe it," she whispered, leaning against the wall of the corridor with a hand on her forehead, and saw Sango nod her head in agreement out of the corner of her eye.
"It's finally happening," her friend replied, and Kagome noticed that there was excitement in the woman's eyes, rather than the fear and trepidation she knew to be in her own.
"You think it's a good thing then?" Why did she suddenly sound so tired?
Sango gave Kagome a look that said, 'of course, don't you?' but then she also looked slightly guilty. "Well you can hardly blame me, Kagome. If this revolt spreads, I have a chance at being free again."
"Free?" Kagome whispered, tasting that treasured word on her lips and seeing the way it made Sango puff out her chest in pride. She looked away, down at her shoes. "But…what about me?"
Sango blinked. "What do you mean? You have nothing to fear, Kagome; you're already free."
Kagome shook her head. "No, Sango, I'm in danger now more than ever. You heard what happened; the slaves set fire to the house, and could have killed Hojo and his parents if they hadn't escaped. You yourself said that no matter how kind I am to the slaves here, some of them will always only see me as the daughter of the master, loyal to Naraku, and thus the enemy." She shuddered.
"Kagome…"
"It's true!" There were tears in her eyes as she stood up and away from the wall, her back straight. "What if the revolt comes here? What if it comes while I'm asleep and I can't run away?"
"That won't happen!" Sango shook her roughly by the shoulders. "I'll protect you, Kagome, do you hear me? I'll protect you!"
But Kagome was shaking her head again, fighting back the sobs that were threatening to shake her body. "No Sango, you can't protect me, don't you see? Ever since that day when Naraku killed your family, you and I were put into different worlds. Now, no matter what I do, I'm the enemy." She blinked, shivering slightly. "I'm alone."
Sango was clearly about to say something more, when the sound of footsteps alerted them that someone was coming up the stairs, no doubt to tell Kagome she was wanted to greet the guests.
Rubbing her eyes to rid them of the tears, pinching her cheeks so that they were slightly pink, Kagome put on a fake smile as her father appeared, and Sango marveled at how well her friend hid her inner pain. No one but her knew what Kagome Higurashi really went through every day, even though she seemed outwardly the perfect image of control.
That, Sango decided, made Kagome one of the bravest people she had ever known.
"Father, is someone here?" Kagome asked in a sweet voice, pretending she had never seen the carriage arrive.
"Yes, your old friend Hojo. Would you like to come see him?" His voice was sweet in a sickening way, but Kagome just nodded, her smile still in place, lacking the energy to play her usual role as the rebellious daughter.
"Of course! I always have time for friends." She moved away, and Sango started to come with her when Mr. Higurashi sent her a warning glare.
"Don't you have something to do, Sango?" There was a hidden meaning in his voice…a sudden protectiveness that had never been there before. Things were spinning wildly out of control, and both young women could feel it in the very marrow of their bones.
"Me, my lord?" Sensing that he was in no mood to be argued with, she decided to play along, and nodded. "Of course. I'll see you later Kagome." And with a bow, she disappeared down the back stairway leading into the kitchens.
Kagome wished her friend had not left her, but also knew she had no choice. Her father was probably going to be stricter than ever toward his slaves now that he knew there were the whispers of rebellion sweeping throughout the country. And she did not miss the way his strong hand came to rest at the small of her back, guiding her and also reassuring her, in his own way, that she was safe.
The gesture worked enough to keep the false sense of cheer in her eyes, though Kagome suspected she would never feel truly safe again so long as there were slaves in her home.
Rounding the corner, she pasted the smile back on her face, and found it was almost genuine at the sight of her old friend Hojo, who was currently smiling back, gazing at her in a certain amount of awe. Blushing slightly under his attention, Kagome cocked her head to one side elegantly, moving down the stairs with her father right behind.
"Hojo!" She exclaimed his name with all the warmth she could muster. "How wonderful to see you!" She moved quickly to his side and clasped his hands in a warm greeting.
"Ah, Higurashi, you've grown up so much," he replied, still sounding like someone who was gazing at an angel, and not just an old playmate. It made her feel slightly uncomfortable, though she found the warmth in his voice rather pleasant.
"As have you," she replied, trying to sound casual even as her brain reeled from both the knowledge that slaves were revolting and the reality that she and her childhood playmate were now a grown man and woman. "Are you all here for a visit?" She looked innocently over at Hojo's parents. "I didn't know you were coming, or I would have had the cook prepare a meal for you." She decided to play stupid and pretend she hadn't heard a word of what they had been discussing a few moments earlier.
Hojo's mother was the first to smile, though it was tight, her tiny, round face pale from exhaustion and strain, though her bright blue eyes held a slight sparkle at seeing Kagome again. "I'm afraid our journey was rather unexpected Kagome, but we hope it won't cause too much inconvenience."
Still smiling, Kagome shook her head. It was amazing how their world had been turned upside down, and yet they still managed to have all the proper manners of high society. Perhaps that was because when everything went to hell all a person had left were the lessons they had been taught.
"It's no problem at all," She hastily assured the three visitors, seeing them relax as though they had honestly expected her to refuse. Hojo gave her another admiring stare. "I will have rooms prepared for you three at once." And with that, unable to keep the mask on her face any longer, she swept out of the room with an elegant nod of her head and the excuse of tending to their comfort, all the while inwardly feeling stifled by fear.
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Sango made her way to the slave's quarters almost immediately after she was dismissed to tell Kouga what she had heard. This could potentially mean serious problems if news of the rebellion spread too quickly; the slaves would be rash in what they did, and Kagome could get hurt in the process. And if nothing else, even with the prospect of freedom now in her sight, the former demon exterminator intended to keep her promise and protect her friend.
Hastily knocking on the outside wall beside the mat that was supposed to be a door, she was greeted by a confused looking Shippou, who was clutching a muffin that Kagome had brought him earlier that day in his hand. "Sango? What is it?"
"Shippou, I need to speak with Kouga." Her voice must have sounded urgent, because the kitsune didn't even ask why as he swept the mat away to allow her entrance.
Kouga was hastily pulling on a shirt as she entered, and she blushed slightly as she caught sight of his tan torso. She had no inclination toward liking the wolf man; she was just a proper girl and the mystery that was a man's body was supposed to remain that way until she was married. Or so her parents had always told her.
"Sango, what's wrong?" His question confirmed the suspicion that she must have a look of panic on her face, so she decided to cut straight to the point.
"Do you remember Hojo and his family, the ones Kagome's mentioned a few times?"
He nodded, sitting down on his bed and taking a bite out of a green apple, another gift from Kagome. "Yeah, I've even met the guy once, the last time he visited. I had just arrived here a month before. That was three years ago." He shook his head to rid it of the memory. "Why do you ask?"
Sango clasped her hands tightly together to keep from fidgeting as she spoke. "He and his family are here now." Kouga growled slightly, which surprised her. Surely he didn't still harbor feelings for Kagome? She had thought that small fancy had faded with time.
"That wimpy man?" He spat the reference as though it were vile. "What does he want? He'd better not have plans to ask Kagome to marry him again."
Clearly she'd been wrong in her assumptions about his feelings, Sango thought with an inward sigh. "If you chose remember correctly," She chided lightly, "Hojo had nothing to do with his parents proposing that the two be betrothed. In fact, to this day Kagome doesn't know that she had almost married the man, and I'd like it to stay that way."
The wolf grunted in his obvious agreement of that sentiment. "I don't care who was responsible; he was happy at the idea of being engaged to Kagome, you can't deny that."
"So what if he was?" Sango cast the comment aside with a wave of her hand and a roll of her eyes. "Kagome's a beautiful young woman who is single, as is he. They've known each other practically their whole lives. I don't see why this should bother you so much."
Kouga blushed slightly at that. "You know why."
With a sigh, Sango sat down on the bed next to him, recalling all the times he had come to her in pain and confusion about his love for the daughter of his master. Kouga had been in love with Kagome almost since the moment he'd arrived on the plantation three years ago.
Giving him a friendly smile, she chose to ignore the statement for the moment. Now was not the time. "As much as I'd like to comment on that, for now I'm going to leave it be since we have a much bigger problem at the moment."
Kouga's face immediately sobered. "What is it?"
Sango took a deep breath and plunged ahead, knowing Kouga's reaction would help her gage how the other slaves would react. "Hojo and his family are here now because they were forced to leave their home when their slaves revolted, burning their house and nearly killing them."
The wolf-man opened his blue eyes wide. "Are you serious? When did this happen? How? And why?"
"I think we know why," Sango commented blandly, "And I assume it happened a few days ago, since the family just arrived today in their carriage. As for the how, I'm not quite sure. But then, when you think about it, there are more slaves here at the Higurashi home than there are masters, so it wouldn't be that hard."
Kouga rubbed his chin thoughtfully, taking another bite out of the apple as the wheels in his brain turned over the information he was hearing. "No, it wouldn't be that hard, I suppose, if people really chose to do it."
Sango narrowed her eyes and slapped him on the shoulder in disapproval, her voice grave as she spoke. "Don't even think about it."
"What?" He blinked innocently as he looked over at her.
"About copying their example and starting a revolt here."
Kouga rolled his eyes. "Oh, come on Sango, you just said yourself it wouldn't be that hard. And once we were free, we could deal with Naraku." He practically salivated at the thought.
"And I think you're forgetting a few important factors in this plan of yours. Like how can you deal with Naraku when you and all the other demon slaves are kept under control by those diamonds?" She indicated the glowing necklace with a nod of her head.
He shrugged. "I'd think of a way."
She shook her head. "That's not the point, Kouga, and you know it."
"Look Sango, I've been a slave for five years, ever since Naraku pushed his reign of terror out toward the north and the wolf tribes. For too long I've allowed myself, a prince, to be told what to do and be a suppliant to a master. I won't have it any longer. I want revenge for what that monster did to my life, my home, and my pack."
Sango sighed, knowing how he felt. She wanted revenge too, for the deaths of her family, but she also knew that to be hasty would ruin all chances of ever attaining freedom. "I want to be free of all this as much as you, Kouga, but if we're stupid and approach this without thinking, it could all go wrong."
"How?"
She sighed, hoping he'd connect the dots without her having to spell it out for him. If he couldn't, and he cared about Kagome, then no one else would be able to either. "The slaves at Hojo's home were so hasty to be free that they burned down the house with every intention of killing their masters."
"So?" He grunted. "Mr. Higurashi deserves to die for his treachery; I make no show of pretending to think otherwise."
"But aren't you forgetting about someone else?"
He raised an eyebrow curiously. "Who?"
She sighed in defeat. "Kagome."
Kouga's face went dark, and Sango knew that now he understood their situation better. If the house were attacked, Kagome would be in as much danger as her father. "But…the slaves all love Kagome," he finally protested, "They would never harm her."
"Not all of them see her as their savior, Kouga, and you know it. I can think of one man in particular, a certain hanyou, who would gladly see her dead."
Kouga snorted in disgust. "That wimpy dog? He hates everyone but himself and that ridiculous monk of a friend. He's no example."
"Still," Sango pushed, "If his attitude were to spread, Kagome would be in grave danger, and I won't let that happen." She looked away, at the ground. "I can't let that happen." Kagome was like a sister to her, and she'd already lost more family than she cared to think about.
"I'll protect Kagome!" Shippou announced, and both adults turned to see the kitsune with his hand in the air triumphantly. They had both forgotten he was even there.
"I'm sure you would, kid," Kouga commented fondly, reaching out and ruffling his hair, "But that wouldn't be enough. We would have to find some way of warning her when the attack would take place, and get her off the land before it happened."
Sango nodded, but paled. "But can we know for sure when the attack would happen? I mean, it could happen at any time. Once the slaves catch wind of the rebellion, their courage will grow. Who knows what we can and cannot control."
Kouga frowned and looked away, his expression grim. "In that case, we'll just have to put our trust in the fact that they love Kagome for how kind she has always been to them." He didn't like the idea of trusting the woman he loved with the whims of a mob, but at the moment he had no other choice. As Sango had pointed out, so long as he wore the diamond shard he could never protect Kagome on his own.
"I suppose," Sango shuddered as an image of her friend in pain came to mind. Kagome was so kind and gentle…and there had been such fear on her face back on the upper floor of the mansion. "Though I wish there was some other option. None of the slaves are predictable as it is, but who knows what kinds of monsters they'll turn into when the prospect of freedom is dangled in front of their faces on a golden chain?"
