A/N:
Once more, apologies for the late update, my dear readers.
However, this is a relatively long chapter to make up for that, and I hope you're prepared for a new player to enter the game!
Please enjoy.
Chapter Thirty-Two
'So this is it, huh.' Kikyo mused, stern eyes inspecting the entrance to the renowned cave as her grip on the longbow in her hand tightened.
Without a moment to spare, the priestess resumed her movement and continued onward, entering the bowels of the stone structure. Composed, she stepped further and deeper into the dimly-lit space before her, the ground harsh and uneven beneath her sandaled feet and her steady steps echoing along the walls all around as the damp, cold air brushed against her features, ruffling her long, unbound locks slightly behind her.
And the more she walked, the clearer the scenery became, until she eventually reached the source of the reading which so hurriedly called for her, coming to a full stop before the grand object.
The mummified, stone corpse of the ancient priestess, Midoriko, bathed by the soft moonlight in complete contrast to the gruesome state in which it was so perfectly preserved, right at the moment of the powerful woman's death as her mangled enemy managed to pierce through her body, successfully overpowering her and inevitably forcing the priestess into the creation of the Shikon Jewel.
She had heard stories of this tomb before during her past life... yet truly, words could never match how it looked at such close proximity.
"Miko."
Kikyo blinked as the sudden voice invaded her mind, ringing in her ears loud and clear, stronger than ever before.
And steeling herself to cold perfection, she clenched her jaw in silence, knowing full well who it belonged to.
However, nothing could have prepared her for the immeasurable spiritual energy which soon engulfed her completely, compressing all around her as if sucking the air from the space she was occupying, fierce and almost suffocating, leaving her stilled in her spot with barely any way to move, at all.
This... was Midoriko's unparalleled power.
But rather than struggling nor attempting to run away from the uneasiness of the pressure, Kikyo inhaled deeply and closed her eyes shut, forcing her mind to relax as her tense body gradually eased, choosing to welcome the harsh sensation onto her being, instead.
She was undeniably being tested.
And the more she kept her composure to the force which so viciously circled her, the more it subsided as if mirroring her actions, moderately calming itself down and lowering to hover steadily at her bare ankles, allowing the priestess the freedom of movement once again.
Opening her eyes and releasing a deep breath, Kikyo raised her steady gaze to the remains of the deceased woman before her.
And she only kept her quiet, respectfully and patiently awaiting the ancient female warrior's next move.
Soon, the ground below her feet vibrated slightly as another surge of spiritual power poured into the area, this time however, feeling quite different than before as its calm waves rose up once again, caressing her form in slow, yet firm movements.
"Allow the completion of the Shikon Jewel..."
Rather than heard, the words seemed to somehow seep into Kikyo's conscious, transmitted through the aura which was surrounding her from every side, guiding her in the next preferred course of actions against her enemy.
"...Then, once the stone is whole again, purify it along with all evil from this world."
Nodding once to the instruction with full acceptance, Kikyo maintained her lengthy silence.
But a hidden worry shortly found its way into her mind, causing her to swallow harshly.
Allowing the completion of the jewel... meant letting Naraku obtain all of the fragments.
Every single one, no matter where those were embedded, nor what sort of life they were preserving.
Before she could hold onto that thought for long, however, Midoriko's raw essence immersed the priestess once more, this time, regaining a bit of its harsh and compressing nature, surprising her.
"You accept this duty quite easily for one who harbors strong feelings for a youkai in their heart, miko."
Shoulders tensing, Kikyo's sense of alert immediately flared in her to the blunt accusation.
She did not expect the ancient priestess to access her deepest and most secret notions so easily like this, yet the more Kikyo wordlessly processed the occurrence, the more she found that it was only a logical course of events, and one that she should've indeed seen unfolding.
For this was all, unquestionably, rather absurd.
She was in love with Sesshomaru.
A full-fledged youkai.
And a species that ultimately cared for power while following the path of carnage and conquest... the same one that was also responsible for Midoriko's eventual downfall.
The waves of aggressive energy drew closer and closer by the moment, slowly but surely returning to their suffocating qualities the longer Kikyo refrained from answering to the ancient priestess' invasive question.
Form stiff and rigid, Kikyo could only lower her head in heavy silence, blunt straight bangs shielding her eyes.
Midoriko was right.
And above all, She, herself, knew far too well how this all looked like from an outsider's perspective...
So, what could she possibly reply to that? What could she possibly say?
That Sesshomaru is different? That he's not like the others?
Excuses would accomplish nothing but make it sound as if her emotions reign far too easily over her common sense and judgement, leaving her subjected to their capricious whims like a sappy fool.
Then, how can she possibly answer, and to Midoriko of all people;
A powerful and honorable woman who was ultimately killed because of one mortal man's selfish lust for her, the evil within his heart serving as an anchor for countless despicable youkai to join together into one terrible monster, taking her life at such a young age...
Similar to how she, herself, lost her own life, even.
But the more the priestess thought of the inu daiyoukai's existence, fighting alongside her in their shared alliance and serving as another sturdy being to rely on in times of desperate need, the more Kikyo's somber features softened, and she suddenly felt all of the fears and insecurities plaguing her mind and clattering her notions sink down to the bottom of her conscious, repelled and faded away as if there was no actual substance to them.
And she finally raised her head with calm dignity, eyes flashing with new acquired resolve;
Having Sesshomaru by her side in this never-ending battle against Naraku assisted her with strength, confidence and inspiration.
As long as they were together... there was no doubt in her heart that they will eventually succeed in this task of slaying their mutual enemy, regardless of Sesshomaru being a youkai or a human.
"To me, it does not matter." Kikyo finally concluded, voice steady and clear, "I trust him completely."
With one single and sudden decisive movement, the harsh spiritual aura slowly closing in on her from all sides halted all at once, plunging down to absorb in the rocky earth below her feet and freeing her once more from its constrained grasp.
"Well said, miko."
The voice echoed lastly in her mind as the entire cave vibrated for a moment with a final surge of Midoriko's power, soon resonating back into its source as if nothing had ever happened.
And Midoriko was no longer present.
Silence reigned once more in her surroundings while Kikyo remained standing in her place for another moment, the sudden tranquility allowing her to take in the entire experience as her unreadable gaze found the mummified corpse of the ancient priestess for the last time.
Then, she only released a deep sigh, turning on her heel and stepping away in the direction which would lead her out of the cave.
However, as soon as Kikyo exited the stone structure, she was met with a familiar set of troubled golden eyes, making her own slightly widen in response.
"Inuyasha..." She breathed, swallowing harshly to the unexpected sight of the half-demon before her.
"Before you say anythin'..." He began, his gaze moving up and down her figure to indeed ensure himself of her safety, "I've picked up on your scent from Sango's village... we're stayin' there for the night so I just thought I'd come and see ya..."
Staring at him for an extended moment in which neither of them said anything, the priestess' shoulders eased along with the heavy breath that parted from her.
It has been so long since they had last spoken to each other just the two of them this way...
And yet, Kikyo suddenly felt the words escape her completely, thoughts falling short and uncertainty striking at her core regarding whatever she could possibly utter before him.
And noticing her lengthy silence, Inuyasha stepped closer before her, his golden gaze never breaking from hers, eventually lowering to glance at the burgundy-colored kosode and cream mo-bakame she was wearing, a sight that he never thought he would ever get used to.
Eventually, the half-demon exhaled deeply, his expression softening before her.
"Kikyo... what are you doin' here?" He asked, golden gaze temporarily leaving her being to scan the familiar hidden side of the mountain they were both occupying.
She could see the genuine worry plastered all over his face, the swirl of countless emotions fierce and undeniable both in his expression and in his voice, so easily presented and readable before her...
And still, the priestess chose to maintain her quiet position.
"This is... Midoriko's cave, huh." He said, turning back to her.
Kikyo nodded once to his realization.
"I have received new instructions regarding how to battle Naraku from her." She informed him, gaze turning stern, "I am going to allow him to complete the Shikon Jewel and purify it at the right moment, just before he manages to absorb it into himself, entirely."
Hearing that, Inuyasha's golden eyes widened.
"You mean let that bastard take all of the shards...?!" He called, disbelief overcoming his features.
However, Inuyasha's expression soon changed once he noticed Kikyo's shifted gaze, and the half-demon followed after her calm line of vision to a certain approaching presence which was lurking in the shadows of their exchange for quite some time now.
Surprised, his dark eyebrows lowered into a confused frown.
"...What the hell are you doin' here? You should stay with Sango, Kohaku."
But the boy remained quiet, wearing a blank expression as he simply glanced over to Kikyo, who only returned his knowing gaze in response.
"He shall be joining me from now on, Inuyasha." She answered in his stead, stepping forward and closer to the young man.
Just before she managed to pass the half-demon completely on her way, however, a firm set of claws was instinctively sent to quickly grab at the wrist of her free hand, forcing her to halt her movement.
"Wait, Kikyo...!" Inuyasha called almost desperately, his initial firm grip gradually easing on her false flesh as he pulled her gently, closer towards him, "Whaddya mean Kohaku's coming with you?"
Kikyo's gaze lowered to his hold on her, observing the way his palm wrapped around her flesh with such avid urgency.
And strangely enough, she noted that a gesture which once stirred so many emotions inside her, was now left almost entirely ineffective.
Closing his eyes, Kohaku stepped forward, seizing both of their attention.
Then, he knelt down, soon placing a lock of his own hair on the ground before himself.
"Inuyasha-sama, I want you to give this to Ane-ue for me... tell her that we'll always be together." He voiced his wish and rose back to his feet, form relaxed and not a trace of fear in his eyes, "Please understand... I am not going to my death, I am going to defeat Naraku."
Still holding onto Kikyo's wrist, Inuyasha's worried golden eyes darted to her mahogany ones.
And she could sense exactly what kind of specific worry he was attempting to transmit to her.
However, something like that was only inevitable.
"Naraku cannot be slain by a cut of a sword, Inuyasha." Kikyo tried explaining in order to soften the blow, "This is the instructions we have received from Midoriko, herself."
But Inuyasha shook his head with disagreement, fingers slightly tightening on her arm.
"Kikyo –"
"Inuyasha, please, trust me." She firmly cut into his plea, gaze fixed on him.
A silent breath escaped him as his mouth formed a thin line.
And with that, the half-demon sighed, finally letting go of her.
As her hand fell back to rest safely at her side, the priestess' expression crossed with sadness to the unquestionable desperation which veiled his features so strongly.
"We both need to talk... about everything." She said, voice full of compassion, "However, now is not the time."
Balling his now empty hand into a fist, Inuyasha stared at the woman before him in silence, face turning stern as he only clenched his jaw, nodding once to her words.
"...I get it." He eventually confirmed through a low voice.
Equipped with merely a shallow understanding of the matter, he could only remain in his spot, watching as both Kohaku and Kikyo soon turned to leave, stepping together and away from the area and into the unknown darkness of the forest.
"Is it truly alright with you, Kohaku?" Kikyo asked, gaze still aimed forward.
Dawn was now breaking above their heads, coloring the sky a soft shade of light orange and exposing the land as it spread clear before them both on their way back to Kaede's village, the familiar area already visible in the far distance across the long and divided rice fields surrounding it from every direction with the warm color of the atmosphere reflecting onto the still water surface creating a perfect illusion of the seemingly endless horizon.
Raising his gaze to her, the boy nodded.
"Yes." He answered simply.
But his easy acceptance of the complicated situation at hand somehow struck the priestess with hidden discomfort.
Kikyo found his being from the corner of her eye, studying his unreadable features in silence for the longest time.
This was the same boy whose life was bound to the Shikon Jewel shard embedded at the back of his neck, the same one who was previously under Naraku's control, resulting in him committing terrible crimes on the bastard's behalf, who ruled him like a personal puppet on a string.
And yet, Kohaku also had a sister who cared deeply about him, as well as Rin, who constantly worried desperately for his sake and well-being, showering whoever was willing to hear with stories of the boy she met once when abducted by one of Naraku's underlings, how they talked and talked together, finding solace in each other's lonely presences.
To just throw his life in order to slay Naraku this way...
"Kikyo-sama, it's fine, really." He soon added as if reading her mind, breaking her from her deep contemplation, "If it means slaying Naraku... so be it."
Quietly staring down at him, Kikyo eventually placed her calm gaze forward, once again.
'Words that are far too familiar.' She mused to herself, recalling her old invariable belief regarding her own existence and what little weight it possessed as long as it meant destroying her enemy;
A thinking that originated from herself being too wrapped up in her quest for revenge... and one that was proven faulty to her by none other than Sesshomaru, exposing precisely how overly absorbed she was in her duty, letting it dictate her life and actions and eventually causing her to lose objective sight of the danger she was facing.
Granted, Midoriko's instructions were absolute.
But after knowing what she did now and seeing a live mirror of her old self walking beside her like this, she had to wonder...
Was this truly the only way?
Landing elegantly in the middle of the hidden, grassy clearing next to his two-headed dragon companion, Sesshomaru quickly inspected the space before him, his sharp senses scanning the area all around for potential threats, only for the familiar human grounds to prove as uneventful as he had left them the evening prior. Wearing a composed expression and surrounded by the calming chirping of birds to the early morning hour, the daiyoukai breathed in deeply, shortly focusing his eyes forward and onto the small, wooden hut positioned next to the elevated Torii gate.
Yet a certain realization soon prompted his gaze to narrow with silent displeasure, his head lowered as the heavy breath he was holding escaped him, jaw and sole hand clenching tightly altogether.
'Where has that woman gone to, now?' He mused with hushed annoyance to the undeniable lack of her distinct presence inside the humble structure.
And once Jaken reached the same conclusion, he only released his grip on his master's mokomoko, hesitantly stepping far and away from the possible danger of upsetting his lord any more than he had already did until now.
Lifting his chin up while maintaining his position, Sesshomaru quietly attempted to detect any trails of Kikyo's scent in order to locate her current mysterious whereabouts, but even the weather itself seemed to conspire against him as the wet earth beneath his feet smelt of nothing but fresh petrichor spreading to cling onto the trees overgrown with vines and moss, the distant sound of thunder rumbling against the far mountains indicating of a light rainstorm passing not too long ago, successfully wiping all clues regarding her possible direction of movement.
Sharp eyebrows lowered into a scowl at the unwanted occurrence.
'Did she follow after that odd reading from before?' He tried to rationalize the situation, piecing some of the recent information together.
However, the more Sesshomaru let his mind dwell on the concept of the priestess wandering the province by herself and without his knowledge of her current location, the more his discomfort grew and spread deep within him, all the way to the core of his very being.
There was no denying it anymore, now...
He needed to see her.
Luckily and before his troubled thoughts consumed him completely, at that moment Sesshomaru's keen sense of smell picked up on her sudden, nearing scent, and he immediately turned his head to the outskirts of the village, where the rice fields stretched long across the rich grounds, veiled by the foggy horizon and bathed by the soft, arbitrary rays of the early sun.
There, gradually emerging from the chilly, low-hanging mist, was Kikyo walking calmly beside another small human.
The daiyoukai steadily observed as they both slowly approached closer and closer before him, his eyes never leaving the woman as she soon noticed his presence as well, their firm gazes locking together, inviolate until they reached his concealed spot, stopping right at the entrance to the small forest.
Without even noticing, Sesshomaru had already begun striding forward in response as he closed the remaining distance, coming to a smooth stop before them while examining Kikyo's poised features in silence for another long moment.
And simply staring into her clever eyes like that, finding his form reflected in her pools of deep brown and sensing the close waves of her spiritual aura wash over him in their strong yet carefully moderated fashion, Sesshomaru instantly felt his mood effortlessly shifted and elevated, regaining its balance once more as if a powerful spell had been cast upon him.
He kept his silence, stern features easing ever so slightly.
How easily affected he indeed proved to be... and how pitifully transparent he must seem to her, now... and yet at that particular moment, he did not care at all.
Once he had his fill, Sesshomaru finally broke away from the priestess, his unreadable attention falling to the boy at her side.
"This is Kohaku." Kikyo reminded, watching him closely, "He will be joining us from now on."
Golden eyes glanced once again to her in response to her words, then, lowered back to study the well-known human child.
"Sesshomaru-sama." Kohaku firmly expressed his loyalty, dropping to one knee before his new master and lowering his head with deep respect.
The daiyoukai said nothing as he simply observed him for another moment, expression devoid of any clues regarding his thoughts on the matter.
And once Kikyo decided the gesture was enough, she sent her free hand to lightly touch the boy's shoulder, prompting him to lift his head up to her.
"I believe we are one member short." She said, allowing a hint of a smile to cross her features, "Do you think you could step to the nearest hut behind you and wake her up, Kohaku?"
Hearing that, the boy climbed back to his feet and nodded.
"Right away." He confirmed, turning on his heel and stepping towards Kaede's home.
Silent, Sesshomaru's gaze lingered on his gradually distancing form, his eyes focusing on a specific spot at the back of his neck, where the Shikon Jewel shard was located.
Then, he only found Kikyo once again, meeting with her knowing stare.
"His existence is necessary for us." She explained up to him.
Sesshomaru refrained from saying anything as he only studied the confident determination embedded in her eyes, processing the full meaning behind that assertion and already weaving together the accumulated information he had previously acquired from the priestess regarding the boy's existence.
Including what the removal of that specific Shikon Jewel shard will inevitably cause.
"Do you intend to use his life, after all?" He decided to test, recalling her own words from that night in which they both witnessed what the boy was capable of, as well as her most recent adamant verdict that no matter what sins he had committed under Naraku's control, his soul remained pure and deserving to be spared.
After her passionate speech before him, did she truly plan to go back on her own word so easily?
But Kikyo simply inhaled sharply to his bold inquiry, and she lifted her chin up to the familiar and straight-forward way in which this man in front of her never failed to challenge the traditional ideas instilled in her surroundings.
"I was instructed to do so." She replied, her words momentarily paused as she turned to watch the entrance to Kaede's hut, calm mahogany staying on the uneventful spot and eventually turning back to clash with Sesshomaru's fierce gold, "However, I shall do my best to try and devise a different way, if I can."
Hearing her final answer on the matter, Sesshomaru kept his silence, and they both only stared at one other for a stretched moment, calm gazes never breaking.
However, the sudden lack of words and close proximity between them felt somewhat stronger in its effect than usual, and Kikyo found herself suddenly overcome with high awareness to her companion's strong presence.
"I must go speak with Kaede before we depart." She told him, choosing to elegantly end the exchange between them as she simply turned to face the direction of the hut, as well.
But her plans were quickly halted by the sensation of the daiyoukai's large hand sending to grab at her wrist, clawed fingers wrapping around her false flesh and pulling her back to him, slightly closer than before.
Mahogany gaze immediately dropped to his actions as she stared down at his firm, yet moderated grip on her, the impossible warmth he carried already transferred to her through his sudden touch, climbing through her arm and easily spreading along her entire body.
Collecting herself against the strong feeling, Kikyo only raised her eyes to study him in silence.
And the way his dark eyebrows descended into a familiar displeased frown clued her enough on the reason for his unexpected actions.
Without saying as much as a word, Sesshomaru lifted her hand before them both, the sleeve of her burgundy kosode falling to her elbow as his hold eased slightly, his hand sliding upwards from the middle of her forearm to her wrist and then her palm, thoroughly erasing any and all of Inuyasha's lingering traces on her.
Kikyo observed his actions, captivated by the way his intense gaze was so focused on his doings and stilled by the youki emanated from his being, clashing against her in carefully restrained ripples of power.
"...He was also there." She soon expressed her understanding through an unruffled expression, however the priestess would lie if she dared claim her words were anything but a calculated attempt to break and disperse the heavy and dangerous tension that was quickly building between them.
Straight-faced, Sesshomaru's sharp eyes moved up to meet with hers as he allowed the contact to continue for another moment until his scent overpowered that of his half-breed of a brother entirely.
Then, he released her from his touch, both of their limbs slowly falling back to rest at their sides.
Staring up at him, a small, amused breath shortly escaped her.
"Is your mind at peace, now?" Kikyo steadily teased him, raising a single eyebrow.
And he only narrowed his golden eyes down at her in return.
"My mind is never disturbed." Sesshomaru claimed, lifting his chin before her as his expression finally eased, "However, I shall not allow him to litter his presence on you so casually."
As soon as the last part of his sentence left his mouth, the daiyoukai broke from her keen gaze and turned on his heel with a sharp movement as if recoiled by a fire, his long silvery hair flowing behind him while he wordlessly stepped back to the nearest forest, where A-Un and Jaken were currently resting.
And watching him take his leave for another moment, Kikyo inhaled the icy air in order to cool herself down from the charged, close exchange, giving her now free arm a light shake while opening and closing her palm, clearing her mind from troublesome notions and composing herself once more to cold perfection, resuming her movement towards Kaede's hut, at long last.
Moving the bamboo-weaved curtain away and entering the small wooden structure, however, her eyes widened with slight surprise to the sight of Rin, Kohaku and Kaede sitting comfortably around the warm, small fire, enjoying their cups of freshly-made hot tea complimented by a plate of assorted snacks.
"Ah! Kikyo-sama! Good morning!" Rin quickly greeted, still wrapped in the thickness of the large haori shirt provided as her improvised blanket for the night, dark hair a tangled mess and small hands busy holding onto the cup of half-finished warm liquid.
"I-I'm sorry Kikyo-sama..." Kohaku immediately apologized, a drop of sweat making its way down the side of his face regarding the current situation with full awareness to how it all may seem.
But the third party of their tranquil gathering soon released a heavy sigh, a single dark eyebrow rising to his words.
"Fret not, Kohaku." Kaede eventually spoke, shaking her head, "It was I who invited you to sit down and warm yourself a little before you both depart, after all." Then, she shifted her attention to Kikyo, who now understood exactly why the task of waking Rin was taking so long.
And watching the three of them like that for another moment, the priestess only eased her shoulders and sat herself down at the edge of the slightly-lifted wooden floor.
"I suppose it is rather inefficient to travel on an empty stomach." She stately agreed, her lips curving into a reassuring smile.
Hearing her approval, Rin giggled with joy, hurriedly turning her happiness to the boy sitting next to her spot.
"Rin told you, Kohaku-kun, Both Kikyo-sama and Sesshomaru-sama are very kind!" She whispered to him.
Observing their small, careless exchange for a few more moments, Kikyo's gaze eventually found Kaede's stern one, and the latter simply nodded with understanding to her elder-sister's quiet plea, watching as she rose back to her feet, shortly doing the same and stepping down from the elevated wooden floor.
"Finish your breakfast and follow after us, outside." Kikyo instructed, exiting through the doorway with Kaede following right behind her.
Now stepping through the still resting village in the open air of the early morning hour, both women came to an eventual stop in front of the large red Torii gate, towering over the stairs leading up to the Shinto shrine which was completely shrouded by the soft, pale mist, pouring down the angled stairs like a slow-flowing waterfall.
"Thank you for your hospitality, Kaede." Kikyo said, turning to face the direction of both the hut and the nearby forest, "I appreciate it."
The old woman released a deep breath, setting her gaze on the far, misty distance of her village as she comfortably placed both of her arms behind her back.
"I am glad I could be of any assistance to you, Kikyo onee-sama..." She replied simply, the chilly wind finding its way through their location and gliding through their hair and garbs inviting her to inhale its soothing freshness, "...and I feel as though I must apologize, as well."
Hearing that, Kikyo lowered her gaze from the village to her sister.
Then, she simply released an amused breath.
"You thought I was too far gone." She boldly surmised, recalling their conversation from the night before and successfully reading through her younger sister's troubled musings as she closed her eyes, the light smile staying on her features, "I thought so too, myself."
"Kikyo onee-sama..." Kaede breathed, voice filled with both sadness and regret.
Opening her eyes to cross her gaze with the old woman once more, Kikyo kept her silence for a few more moments before placing her stare onto the open space before them again, eventually fixing on Sesshomaru's hidden figure through the dense trees of the small forest.
"It took the most peculiar and stubborn of men to prove me wrong, after all."
Kaede remained still and only followed after her sister's line of vision, observing the youkai in question as well.
"And the children?" She soon inquired, her single eye shortly glancing over to her occupied wooden hut, "The older one seems to have his life connected to the shard embedded at the back of his neck, however, the small one, Rin, is of no use to you, whatsoever."
Contemplating her words for a long while, Kikyo shifted her gaze to the house as well, watching as both Kohaku and Rin eventually stepped out of the small structure and through the gravel path, on their way to the nearest forest where their master was patiently waiting.
And mahogany eyes focused on the small girl as she hopped with unparalleled energy, chatting with her newest companion while wearing the largest smile she could possibly offer him.
"Rin... cannot stay with anyone else but us." Kikyo reasoned, but the moment the words left her lips to hover in the air before her, was the moment the priestess felt the prick of worry, yet again;
The same one she had felt before while questioning Rin on her plans regarding the future, only now looming behind her, larger and heavier than ever.
The girl certainly did not want to alter her current daily reality...
But was it truly wise to respect her wishes, when her own safety could potentially be on the line?
"Well, I shall continue to reside in this village, at any rate." Kaede suddenly mentioned, breaking Kikyo from her deep musings, "If you ever change your minds on the matter, it will be of no issue for me to take her in."
Raising her chin slightly, Kikyo composed herself once more.
Then, she only granted her sister with a final, soft smile.
"Stay safe, Kaede." She said, nodding once, "We shall meet again."
And with that vague, yet sure word of goodbye, the priestess began stepping forward, ending their conversation and making her way towards the location which contained the rest of her companions for the journey, old and new.
But nearing the group in her calm walking pace, Kikyo found her own mind more occupied than she preferred.
Straightening herself with poise, she quickly detected Sesshomaru's silver form as she reached the edge of the forest, stepping through the row of mossy trees and eventually closing the small interval completely, stopping to stand beside the idle inu daiyoukai.
Kikyo kept her quiet, drawing in a deep breath while placing her gaze forward onto Rin, Jaken and Kohaku, who were ridding A-Un from any unneeded baggage, preparing the beast to carry the weight of another small human.
"Are you finished with your exchange?" Sesshomaru asked with a low voice, finding the woman's being from the corner of his eye.
And Kikyo only nodded in response.
"Our talk was long overdue." She admitted, clearing her throat as she quickly forced her mind back into order, eventually lifting her gaze to meet his, "Siblings should never be at odds this way."
Comprehending her audacious reference far too well for his own liking, Sesshomaru released a mocking breath.
Yet, he chose not to voice his opinion on the matter, as something else caught his attention.
Turning his head down to her, he refrained from saying anything as his gaze hovered over her being, studying the subtle shift in the ripples of her spiritual energy.
"Then, what is the reason for your troubled thoughts?" He inquired, watching her intently.
Surprise flashed behind the priestess' eyes for a moment until she soon recalled her companion's odd skill, the same one granting him the ability of reading her traitorous aura like a book and knowing exactly when she was bothered by a certain issue.
And a soft exhale left her as she tore from him, shifting her stare back to the child.
"Kaede had offered to take care of Rin, at least until the danger of Naraku passed." She steadily explained.
Processing her words, Sesshomaru observed her profile in silence, allowing his eyes to rest on her fair features.
"And what do you think of her suggestion?" He followed, genuine interest residing in his voice.
Hearing his question, however, Kikyo blinked as her parted lips met in a firm line, and she soon raised her eyes back to lock with his, the hint of confusion avid in her expressive brown orbs, showering his being with her quiet disapproval in response to him so unfairly entrusting the weight of the decision upon her, deliberately or not.
Seemingly unfazed, Sesshomaru held her scorching gaze like that, understanding full well at that moment where the line had been crossed.
In stillness, they both lingered that way for a while, lost in each other until eventually breaking to glance once more over to the carefree Rin as she happily instructed Kohaku with the task of tying the cloth consisting the necessities for their upcoming trip.
And the more the daiyoukai and the priestess witnessed her endless enthusiasm from afar, how she now had this boy, Kohaku, whom she cared so much for as the newest addition to her group, another child just like her to talk and share and relate with... was the more they both felt their mutual answer leaning to a very definite side.
Wordlessly, they continued to observe as the duty of ridding A-Un from the spare weight was finally completed, with both Kohaku and Rin climbing onto the back of the two-headed dragon, the small girl seizing the beast's reigns and eventually finding her two spectating guardians, presenting them with the warmest of her smiles.
"Sesshomaru-sama! Kikyo-sama! We're ready to go!" She called with excitement.
And following after the child's soothing cheerfulness, they only stepped forward in response, closing the distance and setting for their departure to the next location, wherever that may be.
A/N:
The beautiful themes this series has to offer never fail to keep me interested in writing this story and see how deep I can dig into them while tweaking the exchanges and occurrences accordingly.
Midoriko, for example, always felt underused in the overall plot in my opinion. I wanted her to possess a menacing presence, one that would even cause Kikyo to tremble as she was the strongest priestess who ever lived. I felt that an honorable title like that should carry its weight a bit more, and especially with putting Kikyo on the spot regarding her love for Sesshomaru ;)
Once again thank you for your lovely reviews! I'm very interested to hear your opinions this time around as well, so please never stop sharing your thoughts with me.