Chapter 24: The Curse

The evening had started as it usually did. The cooling air was drafting into the small but homey hut, so the most logical idea for supper became that of beef stew. Kaede could only blink in astonishment at how quick ones night could change. One moment she'd been about to have her dinner, the next minute a very panicked and flustered Inuyasha came in with Kikyo in his arms looking a true fright. He was talking to fast and incoherently that she was unable to piece together what he was trying to tell her. She'd told him to put her down in the back so that she could tend her but for whatever reason his more bestial half began to make its appearance. Although he struggled, he did manage to put her in the back room. It was when she asked him to step out that he became unreasonable and almost feral. It took the whole tachi and even Lord Sesshomaru to subdue him. Finally when Inuyasha was unconscious she went into the smaller room and was followed in by an exasperated Kagome and an oddly nervous Sango.

"Would ye kindly gather some warm water and cloth young Kagome? It would do well to get her at least cleaned up. Lady Sango, please lift my sister so that I may properly adjust the futon."

Nodding politely Sango knelt and gathered Kikyo into her arms as Kagome stepped out to fill a basin with water. As Kaede adjusted the futon she decided to address the silent Slayer.

"Ye are acting strangely child. Tell me, what is on your mind? Does it have anything to do with the bond you now share with our mischievous monk?"Eyes going wide and deep blush in full swing, she said, "L-Lady Kaede, how did you know?"

"Even with an eye as old as mine I could see how deeply entwined your spirits are. His aura is wrapped so tightly around yours my dear that ye will be inseparable for many lives to come and even until ye reach Nirvana. Congratulations my dear, for I know you are truly happy and have made a handsome match with such a kind, albeit, errant man."

"Thank you, so much. We wanted to go to a temple to bless our union, but too many things have happened that have postponed it." The slayer said.

"Aye, perhaps you can make an exception for this old priestess to bless your vows if Miroku approves?" Kaede said with a twinkle in her eye as she indicated for Sango to lay Kikyo back down.

"Oh, I am sure he'll agree. T-there is something else, though. I, well, there are things that I grew up unaware of. I was never taught how to tell if I was…"lips pursing together nervously, the kind old woman decided to aid her.

"Ye know not of the ways of women. Aye child, I know. Your ignorance is not your fault, nor is it your fathers. He must have had a hard enough time with no wife to teach his daughter these things. Come closer dear."

Kagome tried not to take so much time gathering the water for Kaede. Kikyo would regenerate in no time anyways she thought to herself, not having any idea that the woman was once again alive and severely malnourished and dehydrated. She found a medium sized basin and filled it with water from the well in town. Making a beeline back she knew that it would take a while longer before the water would be boiled, and it occurred to her that Shippo could just use his fox magic to heat it for her. Nodding to herself she decided that it's what she would do.

Kagome didn't have far to look for her not so little kit as she saw him at the porch of Kaede's hut talking to Rin. Walking over to him she smiled politely at the princess for the interruption. "Shippo, could you heat this up for me please?" she asked with a small smile.

"Anything for you, ka-san." He said taking the bowl and using his fox fire to heat the water rather quickly and handing it back to her.

"You're a real life saver, see you inside." The young priestess said as she made her way into the hut. Grabbing some rags she ventured back into the little room smiling at Miroku along the way as he took watch over Inuyasha's still form.

Kagome entered just as Kaede called Sango over to her side, and caused both women to notice her appearance.

"Do you want me to wait outside?" she asked politely.

"No, I think I'd rather have you here with me Kagome." Sango said looking a great deal more relieved at the thought of having her sister-friend with her when she got the new, whatever the news would be.

"Good, cause I would've eavesdropped anyways." she giggled lightly as she sat the bowl down near Kikyo's head. Kagome made sure to find a seat at Sango's side as Kaede closed her eyes and placed her spiritually charged hands upon Sango's womb. Kagome would have done this sooner, but for all of the things she knew this was one thing that Kaede hadn't really taught her quite yet. She was waiting to get here so she could check on her the old fashioned way, but hey she wasn't even going to complain about the method of finding out if she was going to be an auntie!

After a few minutes the glow from the elder priestess hands subsided and with an aging smile she nodded in an affirmative.

"So is it true then, Lady Kaede? I'm with child?" Sango asked, eyes glistening with hope as she held tightly onto Kagome's hand.

"Aye, child, aye." She said with a smile.

The elder priestess was not very surprised when the slayer practically tackled Kagome in a fit of happy tears.

"I'm going to be an aunt! Oh, Sango, I'm so happy for you!" Kagome said as she held onto Sango tightly. "But I'm pretty sure there's someone else who'd really love to hear about this too."

Pulling away from her sister-friend, Sango said, "Oh you're right!" Turning to Kaede she gave her a brief hug also before she practically jumped up and ran to the outer room.

"Ah, the joys of youth." The elder priestess said as she began to wet the rags to clean off Kikyo.

Once they were alone Kaede began to speak in low tones as not to disturb their sleeping patient.

"Do ye know what happened to her, Kagome?"

Shaking her head in the negative she said, "No, we were on our way here actually when Inuyasha must've sensed her. She looked like this already, and just when I was going to her is when she lost consciousness. I've got no clue, but Kaede, when Inuyasha sensed her we were close enough that I should've been able to sense her reiki but I couldn't. I still can't actually. I had to try sensing my soul to even tell that it was her that we were heading to."

Nodding her head slowly as she digesting that information, she realized that she too couldn't feel her sisters holy powers. "I cannot either, young one, now that ye mention it. Strange, this is…perhaps she has not been consuming souls."

"Inuyasha had mentioned that she was out on some kind of journey yesterday, but didn't give any real details." The younger priestess said. It was then as Kagome was looking down at Kikyo she noticed her shallowly breathing. "I wonder why she continues to breathe even though she doesn't even have a set of lungs. Do you think that it's just so she looks alive?

"Pardon me?"

"She's breathing shallowly, probably out of unconscious habit. She looked like she was having labored breathing when we found her, too."

Kaede's brows furrowed deeply.

"Young Kagome, would you kindly allow me to attend my sister privately."

"Of course, I'll go check on everyone else." The younger priestess said and left out to the main room in the hut. As soon as she left Kaede put up a barrier around the room.

"Oh dear sister, what have ye done?" she whispered.

Not thinking to much on the fact that she'd just been dismissed from the other room, the young priestess did wonder at why she put up a barrier. 'Probably to keep Inuyasha away.' Kagome took a second to look over at everyone. Inuyasha was still out, Sango was laughing and Miroku was pale.

"Besides, the Kami have a crazy sense of humor. Twin girls would be the karma you deserve."

And apparently Shippo was having a blast giving Miroku a hard time going by the smirk on his face.

Shaking her head Kagome went to grab some bowls for them and one by one served everyone.

"Where's Rin?" she asked the kitsune wondering if she should bring out more bowls.

"She and Lord Sesshomaru had to go. She said that they had to handle some business, but that they'd find us."

Nodding her head, she looked over to Inuyasha.

"We should wake him up, he needs to eat. Miroku, if you'd please."

Shaking the thoughts of his possibly cruel fate, he acknowledged Kagome's request and focused on his ofuda. Releasing a portion of the enchantment to allow movement, he made sure to still keep it active just in case it was required once more. "Go on, Lady Kagome."

Kneeling near his face Kagome began to shake him awake.

Bleary eyes tried to make sense of the situation that he woke up in. With a groan he sat up and rubbed the back of his head. One minute they were on their way back to Edo, the next, well, shit he didn't even know.

'Why the fuck is everyone starin' at me?'

"…the hell 're you guys lookin' at?" he said out loud.

"Inu, you don't remember what happened?" Kagome said gaining his attention.

Shaking his head slowly he looked at his best fiend. "No, we were on our way here…KIKYO!"

"Kaede has her in the back and is taking care of her. She needs privacy right now, please just let her…" Kagome didn't get to finish her sentence before he shot to his feet and was forced right back down by Miroku's ofuda.

"WHAT THE FUCK! Let me up Miroku! I have to…" then it was his turn to be cut off by a very irate priestess.

"Inuyasha calm down! She's not going anywhere!" Kagome said with very little patience. "If anything you shouting is being more detrimental then helpful!"

"Sensing her irritation and underlying hurt his ears pulled back on his head. "N-no, Kags, you don't get it. There's something wrong..actually…shit I can't..I..I don't…Fuck I can't explain it!"

"I believe I can explain, Inuyasha." All eyes turned to Kaede as she made her way slowly to the kitchen for a small bowl. "Kami know that ye are more confounded then any of us here." She said sitting down near the pot and filling the bowl with the broth of the stew.

Taking a deep breath she began. "My sister lives once more."

Seeing the obvious signs of shock and disbelief she allowed them a moment to digest what she had just said.

"Lady Kaede, I don't believe I understand. Not that I doubt you, but I was sure that Kikyo's and Kagome's fates were essentially intertwined." Asked a confounded Miroku.

"Yeah, doesn't she need Kagome's soul to come back to life for real?" Shippo asked extremely worried about what this could mean for his mother figure.

Kagome's lips were pursed tightly together, but her face gave nothing away.

Inuyasha was in shock. He couldn't even bring himself to ask the many questions that he had. The only thing that managed to sound out was, "H-how?"

The elder priestess was worried about how he would take the news, but seeing his reaction she was relieved that she would be able to explain in full.

"My sister once confided in me about the curse of her existence on this plane. As ye can remember, Urasue, that vile wretch, had used a soul binding spell to bewitch the clay that housed Kikyo's ashes. It was meant so that once Kagome's soul was absorbed she would be truly alive again with flesh and bone. The witch intended to use my sister like a puppet. She was indeed very powerful and she was very beautiful. Both those things would greatly aid Urasue in gaining power. For whatever cannot be won with her strength could be persuaded using her flesh."

"She was a sick woman." Kagome muttered disgustedly.

"Aye. When Kagome disrupted the spell only certain things had been accomplished: Kikyo was forcibly snatched from the afterlife and the clay absorbed some of Kagome's soul, which is what allows her to feel the ghost of sensation. Without the rest, she was unable to come to life fully. Because it was a soul binding spell she must consume souls to remain here on this earth.

"Years back I asked her why she took only those who's spirits were bound for nirvana and not those who's souls deserved the despicable fate she would bestow upon them. Her answer was simply so that she would remain pure.

"Not many know this truth, but it is not the purity of the body that determines a priestess, but the purity of the soul. None are ever told, but it is a truth that some of us come to realize. Take our monk Miroku for example. He is quite the lecher," she said rousing a small chuckle from everyone but one lightly blushing male, "but even so, he has a heart of gold and therefore access to his holy powers." Heaving a deep sigh, Kaede continued.

"I was approached by Kikyo some time ago, she asked me a very peculiar question. She wanted to know if there were other ways to reanimate the dead. Although I had sensed a change in my sister, I was still very hesitant to answer this question. She noticed my hesitation and for whatever reason she told me something she as far as I know, and especially after seeing Inuyasha's reaction to all of this, never told another being.

"The only souls that she'd ever consumed were dead. This was a known fact, already. What she neglected to say in the past was that were she to consume a still living soul, Urasue's true design would be complete. Urasue was never originally intending to use Kagome. All she needed was a still living, pure soul. She'd also hoped that Kikyo's ashes would have held enough of Kikyo's former essence and power to make her plan complete. By finding out about Kagome, she gained more than she'd ever imagined.

"The reason she asked me this question was because she couldn't find it within herself to rob any creature of its life, and so survived off of the souls of those already dead. She wanted to live again, but not at the expense of anyone's life. I told her that I knew of no such way. She's been searching for answers ever since then, and now it seems as if she found an answer. What I do know now after seeing to her, is that she is irrevocably alive once more, but also that she is no longer a priestess. I also sense a deep malevolence within the spirit she houses."

"I, I think I felt it too." Kagome said lowly. "When I used our soul tie, it felt like she was being drowned. It felt like a curse, Kaede."

"Nothing gets past ye, Kagome. Indeed she has been."

"I don't mean to be so foreword, Lady Kaede, but what is the nature of this curse? I would rather not risk my wife and unborn child." Miroku said with a polite but definitely protective tone.

"It is a very directed curse, young man. Ye should not be worried for it cannot be passed on to others." She said carefully.

The hanyo who'd been silent throughout the entire discussion finally chose to break his silence.

"What is it then? What's she been cursed with?"

Pursing her lips, the elder priestess wondered whether or not she should say. She knew that it was extremely personal, but also knew that he wouldn't stop until he got an answer. "She is barren."

"Remove your seal, Miroku." Inuyasha whispered, subdued.

Thankfully Miroku has always been perceptive and knew exactly what his friend wanted, no , needed to do. A quiet chant disintegrated the ofuda immediately.

Head bowed and eyes lowered, Inuyasha stood slowly and walked outside. Kagome, ever the empathetic friend waited only a few moments before rising to follow.

Heaving a sigh Kaede added more broth to the bowl in her hands. "Until she wakes, we will not know for certain what's happened. She's severely sleep deprived, malnourished, and starved. I suppose it's why she fainted when ye all found her."

"Why can't I scent her?" Shippo asked curiously.

"Ah, I put a barrier in place so that Inuyasha would not loose himself with her scent once more." She said rising. "I will retire in the room, ye know where your sleeping supplies are. Good evening."

Shippo took a deep breath before getting up and heading to the shed where all of their futons were stored during their travels./p

"Miroku, do you think they'll be ok?" Sango asked from beside her husband.

Looking down into her beautiful face, the monk wrapped his arms around her shoulders and leaned her into his chest. "If anyone could make it better, it's Kagome. Don't worry needlessly my love. It will be ok, somehow." He said with a kiss to her crown.

'There's no one else that can heal his bleeding heart.'

WOO! Another one! Weren't expecting that were ya'll! Muahhahahahahaha!- MindlessMina