Chapter 14: Ocha
Kagome sat with the two demonesses in the little tea room and listened to their tale.
"I suppose you have a right to know. It began twenty years ago, when I received a vision," Nakoudo-san said as the Lady Mother poured more tea for Kagome. "I saw the dark figure of a spider turn the world red, and war break out between demon tribes and the humans. The Inu were cut down, betrayed by their own allies, and their lands reduced to ash. I was distraught, but my vision gave me hope as well. It showed the two Princes, each standing beside a human woman... and at first I thought they were the same woman, for they looked so similar. I began to look for this woman, traveling throughout the human lands, until I came to the capital, and saw Kikyou.
She was four at the time; much too young to marry, but I started watching her. You had just been born, and while I saw you and your mother, I didn't understand your role. And then, six years ago, I saw you practicing in the shrine yard. I couldn't believe my eyes. Had the princess grown younger since I'd last seen her? But I soon came to realize that it was not her, but her half-sister, Kagome."
"What, wait! Half-sister? But, my parents..."
"The man who raised you met your mother after you were conceived. Your father was the king, years after Kikyou's mother died from childbirth, bringing her only daughter into the world. You are royalty, even if your father never told you."
Kagome felt like her world was being turned upside down yet again. Kikyou was her half sister? Her mom had had an affair with the king? That was too much to even consider right now.
"Do you wish for her to continue?" the Lady Mother asked, placing her hand on Kagome's.
She'd already heard more than she wanted to know, but she knew she needed to hear the rest of the story.
"Yes, please."
Nakoudo-san nodded. "I watched the two of you grow into beautiful young women, and as I did, I started to meditate on my vision. Soon, I started to see details that I'd never remembered before, and I came to realize that the two women were similar, but not the same. The clothing, the hair, and especially the eyes were different. Kikyou's eyes were dark brown, like the bark of a tree, but yours...your were like the night sky just before dawn, with just a hint of blue amongst the black. It was then that I knew how to tell you apart."
Kagome couldn't help but smile. Her eyes were the same color as her mothers...charcoal grey, with a touch of blue. "So, what now?"
"Now we wait. More tea?" The Lady Mother smiled.
Author's notes: 'cha' is the Japanese word for tea, but it's more commonly known as 'ocha', with the o added as an honorific... kind of like saying 'honored tea'. It's kind of a weird custom, but it works for them.
And to the person who noted I was misspelling, kitsune, thanks. I've tried to find all the places where I misspelled it and correct it. :)