A/N -2022 Update
I have fixed the missing pages of this chapter. Again, I'm sorry I only just now noticed this.
OOO
Looking to see if the streets were clear, Link then helped the young girl situate the Garo just outside the Shed. There were no others lurking about at this time of night, and they were thankful for that. Getting out had proved surprisingly easy for the duo, and Link would have thought the Garo to put up more of a challenge, but thankfully time was on their side.
Kagome and Link steadied the unconscious man against the shed, with his legs stretched outward at an angle supporting his leaned posture. Both arms were crossed, and the priestess couldn't help but smile at their handy work.
"Perfect," She exclaimed softly. "Let's get out of here," She replied as she quietly shut the door before following Link down the street, a small distance away from the shed before he abruptly stopped and turned to her. "What's wrong?"
Link nodded his head toward a large bale of hay beside an old wagon, its bed splintered and old with age. "Hide there. There's something I need to get," He whispered before pushing her toward the bundle.
Though she was unsure as to why Link wanted her to hide there, she did as was asked, and knelt behind the bale quietly as Link disappeared down the street. "Where is he going?"
Just as he had left her alone to quietly ponder about his disappearance, footsteps diverted her attention away from the path down town to those walking past her. Kagome recognized them as members of the Garo tribe, and she prayed that they wouldn't notice anything weird about the shed or the unconscious Garo standing against it just up ahead.
As the footsteps continued, she sneakily peeked out from behind the wagon, and she let out a soft breath. Thankfully they hadn't noticed anything out of the ordinary.
Well that was a relief.
A few minutes went by, and Kagome silently pondered if Link would return soon. Of course she had remained hidden, watching as a few men sauntered up and down the streets, their footsteps wobbly while others sang strange songs; Kagome didn't have to think twice to know that they'd probably left a tavern of some sort, drunk as they were.
She sighed before bringing her knees to rest against her chest and her arms wrapped around them. Kagome shivered from the cold of the night, hugging herself closer. 'Sango…Miroku…Shippo…and even Inuyasha are so far from us,' Were her friends alright back in Clock Town? Why had Inuyasha run off toward Ikana, of all places, in his demon form?
Kagome leaned back, resting her head softly against the wooden wheel of the wagon. She absentmindedly found herself caressing the smooth surface of the crystal chained around her neck; it was the one Link had given to her called Nayru's Love. While she clutched it, she couldn't help but remember the time back in Ikana, when she had allowed Link to remain with her in the cave while she had bathed. Remembering this brought a blush to her cheeks, and she suddenly shook her head in embarrassment. Why had she allowed him to stay?
Oh…those zombies…
She shuddered at the thought until she remembered that she was completely alone with Link. Kagome flustered at this. Now that she thought about it, he had kissed her last night, and Kagome knew she had been guilty back in Clock Town in the Stock Pot Inn for the same thing.
'By kissing me…did he confess his love for me?' She wondered.
Flashback
Link couldn't bring himself to look at her, and instead, he focused intently on the grass clenched in his fist. "I think…y-you're very compassionate and loving to all of your friends," He explained bashfully. "Y-you seem like a great mother to Shippo, and from what I've seen, you are caring, hardworking and honest about your feelings…" He admitted before scratching his neck and looking back at her. "I admire that about you."
If she was blushing before, then she knew her face had to have taken on the several different shades of scarlet. Well, she certainly was nervous and happy at most. That had to be the kindest thing anyone had ever said to her, and hearing it from Link had her stomach doing flips and summersaults. "Oh gosh, I'm not all that!" She laughed. "Tell me the truth, Link. What do you really think of m—"
It had happened too fast for her to comprehend. One moment she had looked away and the next, she saw Link move toward her slowly before cupping her chin with his hand. And the next, he pressed his lips gently against her own.
Kagome's breath was literally caught in her throat. She didn't move, nor did she blink. Her eyes were intently focused on him at that moment, and the kiss that had her melting on the inside. All in all, her thoughts mainly cried out, 'He's kissing me!'
After a few, heart pounding seconds, he pulled himself away, his heart fluttering in his chest. From the sight of her parted mouth, her flushed and dazed expression, he knew for certain she had not expected it, but still, she had a dreamy look in her eyes, and he had the urge to do it again, but he held himself back.
By now, he was sure she understood his feelings for her; he was tired of hiding it anyway, and the worse she could do was flat out reject him, but he figured he'd cope with it. "I hope that answers your question, Kagome…"
End Flashback
Kagome's face reddened at the memory, and she covered her face. He had confessed his feelings to her! And what did she do? She just sat there staring until he returned to camp. She knew she must have made the weirdest face, but then again, she hadn't refused his kiss, but accepted it.
The priestess's mouth fell open. 'Does that mean I really do like him?' Out of all the times to worry, why did it have to be now? Kagome mentally thanked the night for hiding her red face. Honestly, she wasn't too sure how she would act around the young swordsman when he returned. 'No matter what the circumstances…we're still going to be alone together…the topic's bound to be mentioned.'
She nervously swallowed. Well, it wasn't like it had been her first kiss. With Inuyasha, it had felt … well normal. There were no fireworks, just two lips pressing against the other softly; Kagome wouldn't deny that it had felt nice to be held and loved by him, but she never felt so timid around him like she did with Link.
What was it about Link that had her silently twiddling her thumbs and shying away from him? Holding a conversation with him, however, felt natural, and it was only when she was thinking about him that she felt embarrassed and unlike her normal self. Perhaps she really did … no…Kagome knew for a fact that she had fallen hard for the young swordsman and in such a short time too.
A tumble of heavy cloth suddenly clouded her vision, and startled, Kagome released a sudden squeak. Pulling the dark material off her, she glanced up, her brown eyes noticing a hooded and cloaked figure standing before her. Link's blonde hair stuck out from the hood covering his face, and his blue eyes sparkled in the night, and Kagome looked down at the woven, black material in her hands. When she looked back at the boy standing before her, she realized he had gotten his weapons back, as well as her own.
"Put that on and follow me," He explained, watching as the priestess stood up and wrapped the woven black cloak about her shoulders before raising the hood to cover her own face.
Kagome didn't ask where he had gotten the cloak from, but she smiled as she pulled the soft material against her. At least it was warm, and since it was so dark, it would prove useful for them sneaking around in the night.
They snuck past the old buildings, bakeries and the village blacksmith's shop. Thankfully, no one was out walking the streets but just themselves, save for a few sleeping out near the road, some half drunk, but they otherwise paid them little attention.
Eventually they crept behind a few crates lying stacked beside a small hut, their attention shifted past it to where a blazing fire burned ahead of them. A few villagers were gathered around the small camp fire, warming themselves while happily conversing with the other; they were unaware of both Kagome and Link right around the corner.
Looking around while kneeling behind the crates, Link inspected their surroundings. It seemed the Garo were on patrol around the town, and from what he could see, there were a few directly up ahead, well past the local villagers gathered around the small fire. If they attempted to walk through them, Link knew for certain they'd get caught and likely imprisoned yet again.
There had to be another way out of the village…
Deciding to inspect their surroundings, without hopefully being spotted, Link kept himself in the shadows, crawling on all fours, mindful of the long cloak he wore. Ahead were a few shrubberies and he inched toward them, with Kagome quietly following. It seemed that if he and Kagome kept themselves hidden, and without any notice, they could manage to sneak over to the small alley directly opposite of them, and from there they could use the shadows of the hut to guide them safely toward the exit where the Garo patrolled. From there, he would create a distraction and…
While her eyes were elsewhere as she followed behind Link, Kagome suddenly took notice of Link's rigid form in front of her. For some reason, he had completely stopped, and she turned her head to look around him for the cause.
"Cu-cucuu!"
Link felt his breath hitch in his throat, and he immediately found himself backing away very slowly. 'Not this blasted bird again...' If it was one thing he hated, it was Cuccus.
"Link, what's wrong?" Kagome whispered from behind him, and when she saw the white feathered chicken in front of him, pecking at the ground innocently enough, she blinked. "A chicken?" The little bird reminded her of the ones back on Romani's Ranch. What were they called again? She had a feeling it started with the letter C...
It craned its neck to look upon them, its beady black eyes piercing that of Link's own, and in but a few short seconds, Link wished he could have fled just then, but it was too late. One moment it had screeched loudly, and the next, it lunged for him.
A gasp escaped the young girl when she saw the bird attack her fellow friend in front of her. Before she could do anything to assist Link or stop the chicken, their invisibility had been blown. In that instant, Link had leapt to his feet, an agonizing cry resounding from his throat as the white bird scratched its razor claws at him. Then, he had fallen out from behind the brush and out into the open where the villagers turned to stare in question and surprise.
Feathers fell from the bird that dared to defy gravity, and he held his hands up in front of his face, attempting to stop its claws from piercing his skin. Fleeing from the bird had failed as it had latched itself upon his cloak, tearing at the material vengefully, and he was so distracted that he hadn't realized a little girl had bounded over toward him and Kagome from the camp fire.
"Henry! Down boy!" The little girl with long brown braids hollered, and it was enough to cause the bird to cease its aggressive attacks on Link. Ignoring its prey, the Cuccu scuttled over to its owner, who immediately knelt beside Link with Kagome already helping him to his feet and inspecting the scratches on his arms and face.
The adults who had been situated around the burning flame of the camp fire were immediately at their feet, their gazes directed toward two individuals dressed in dark cloaks. Though some wore expressions of utter confusion, others seemed a bit disinterested while others shook their heads, as if this sort of thing happened all the time. An elderly lady merely sat there, dressed in a lavender dress that was torn and patched somewhat, and she wore an old shawl about her shoulders. Her graying hair was pulled back in a tight bun, a few strands framing her face messily. Her eyes though not as focused as they once used to be, peered upon the noise some distance away, and she couldn't help but squint.
"Petunia!" An older man with a long graying beard called out. "What's all that ruckus over there?"
After making sure Link was alright, the little girl jumped to her feet and called back to the elderly man. "Henry got loose and attacked these strangers, gramps! It's okay, I got him under control!"
From the sight of Link's terrified gaze directed toward the monstrous bird, Kagome couldn't help but sweat drop. He really was afraid of chickens, or Cuccus. Poor guy. Kagome pondered why it was that such birds never seemed to like him. Whatever the case, their cover was blown.
Petunia, a little girl ranging from around twelve years stared up at them with wide, curious green eyes. She was dressed in a knee length, gray cotton dress, its color worn and faded with time. There were no shoes upon her dirtied feet, leaving both Kagome and Link to suspect that she, just as the rest of them camped around the blazing fire ahead, were poor. It made sense judging from the village itself; it wasn't exactly as thriving and exhilarating as that back in the present time.
"Are you alright?" The child asked, eyeing Link from head to toe before inspecting his other companion just as curiously. Petunia couldn't quite see his friend's face, but she couldn't help but turn back to the boy and smile. From what she could discern in the night, his blonde hair fell messily about his face and judging by his nervousness and wary expression, she couldn't help almost laugh. What really caught her interest were his eyes. "You sure do have pretty eyes," She replied, gazing up at him a little too closely, and he turned his head away.
The old man from the fire beckoned the two of them over, along with his granddaughter leading them the way. It didn't seem as if they had any other choice but to kindly and warily accept the nice invitation to join them for a late night dinner.
A small ceramic bowl, cracked with age, was handed to the two by a nice couple seated quite close together, holding hands. Link and Kagome made themselves comfortable beside them, taking note of the curious and delighted faces of the people sitting near them, warming themselves by the fire. The scent of the sweet aroma greeted the two, and their stomachs grumbled from a missed lunch earlier that day.
Ever so curious about the two individuals joining them for dinner, Petunia hung close to Link's side, admiring his looks and quiet demeanor. "You sure do have pretty hair too…What's your name?"
Swallowing the porridge, Link didn't see any harm in revealing his name, and it wouldn't matter anyway since they were caught. No thanks to that bird… Link only briefly glanced at Kagome sitting beside him, whose attention was fixed upon the bowl of food on her lap. "Link…" He softly voiced, and when he felt something tap his leg lightly, he looked down at the little girl. Her elbows were rested upon his knees, and he offered her a small smile.
"Link?" The word fell off her tongue with ease, and she decided she liked the name. It was better than her grandfather's name, Joel… "So where did you and your friend come from? I don't think gramps and I have seen you two around here recently."
Speaking up after swallowing the warm food, Link turned to the little girl. "Oh well…we're just passing through," He explained, thus causing Petunia to blink and turn her attention toward his friend next to him confusedly.
"How come you're covering your face? Is it hideous or something?" The child asked Kagome, but Petunia only received a reprimanding look from her caretaker beside her.
Gramps cleared his throat, apologizing for his granddaughter's rudeness. "I apologize. This is a first we've seen of newcomers in our small village here. Not that we mean any disrespect or anything, but we are curious as to why you have arrived here, especially during these times."
Link and Kagome understood that their mysterious and sudden presence in ancient Termina and this town of people might seem a little baffling. It was impossible to reveal any sort of truth as to their origins without stirring up resentment and fear. They knew that these times were very troubling, so of course people would find them suspicious.
Abandoning his spoon in the ceramic bowl, Link turned his blue eyes to the old man. "I take it you are referring to the problems in the near East?" He questioned, diverting the question toward themselves and onto another matter at hand.
It wasn't surprising when a few heads turned to him on his question while others merely overlooked it, nodding their heads silently. Even Kagome had turned her attention away from the food to stare at him, and judging from her expression, it was obvious Link was attempting to shorten their visit amongst the citizens of this settlement, if only to continue on their journey to Ikana to locate Inuyasha and finish their mission.
Accidentally dropping his utensil upon the ground at his feet, grandpa bent down, holding his back achingly as he grasped the spoon. It took him a few moments to recollect himself, his back cracking as he straightened his posture. With the end of his tunic, he wiped away the dirt on his spoon before returning it to his bowl upon his lap. "Well that's what we hear…but ain't none of us been stupid enough to venture out so far over there…Heard a lot of rumors speculate about devil worshippers around those parts."
"Devil…worshippers?" Kagome muttered to herself. The old man must have been referring to the people who did the hexing rituals over Majora's Mask. While she quietly ate her porridge, a gust of wind blew by, and when her hood threatened to fall to her shoulders, she quickly reacted and pulled it over her face. Unfortunately for her, a certain little girl took notice.
In that instant, Petunia nearly leapt over Link's lap, and it was so surprising that he held his bowl over his head to avoid collision and any mess that would follow after as the child sprang over him. "Hey! You're a girl!" She exclaimed boisterously as she leaned in close to the priestess, causing Kagome to shrink back a little apprehensively while sweat dropping.
Well that certainly wasn't good. Kagome was worried that if they recognized her as the one dragged into shed, they'd notify the Garo. She wasn't sure if the people and the Garo were on the same side, even if they did share the village. Besides, just a glimpse of her face would be enough to usher up a few questions. Kagome was foreign after all, and her voice different from everyone else around her.
"How come you won't show your face?" Petunia questioned, canting her head confusedly as she leaned in closer to the girl. "Can I see it? Can I?"
"Now child," An elderly woman called from across the blazing fire tiredly. "don't go and embarrass the young miss. Leave her be. That's her own business, not our own."
Petunia frowned at this. But she really wanted to see the girl's face. What harm would that have?
The elderly woman went on. "There's nothing to fear, young one. Please feel free to relax. You are among friends; we don't care to scorn strangers from out of town, so make yourself comfortable," She explained as she threw a small twig into the fire.
Gramps nodded at this. "Of course! Maybe it's because you saw what happened earlier this morning. Gotta say, I didn't foresee ourselves having strangers roped in from the outside and locked away in a storage shed…It was rather a pitiful sight."
A grunt of irritation came from one of the men seated beside them. "It's all because of those heathens out there! Hell, ever since they started stirring up shit, everyone in the village has been out casting strangers visiting town…Surprised you two managed so long here as it is without getting tossed out or locked away for questioning!"
Link couldn't help but look up at the young man seated across from them next to the elderly lady. "I assume this has been the Garo's doing?" Link questioned, and at this he received various nods.
"Whatever you want to call those hooded freaks!" He irritably replied before spitting off to the side. "They just waltz right in here like they own the damn place and then they bark news about some war soon, telling us them people up in Ikana plan to maim our families if unprotected…"
Petunia only shook her head before seating herself between Link and Kagome. "I don't know…those Garo seem awfully suspicious…How do they know so much about Ikana anyway? I don't think it makes sense…"
Gramps tugged at his beard in thought. "They seem to know something is up over there, and I won't deny not having seen anything strange since this morning…"
"This morning?" Link asked, suddenly interested. "What happened?"
Gramps leaned back, his eyes closing as he pondered about yesterday's events. "Well, I was on my way back from the woods with a few of my boys, hunting for some food when I caught something out of the corner of my eye…"
"I still can't believe you did that gramps," Petunia frowned unhappily. "If you were caught, who knows what those hooded guys would have done to you," Petunia was referring to the Garo who often made trips up to Ikana, but she had no idea what it was they were doing.
The old man continued on. "Saw an odd individual dressed in rather dark clothing, but I remember seeing some fancy slippers underneath his cloak. I'm not sure what he was searching for, but he hurried back toward the canyons…So I had one of my boys follow after him."
"Doesn't that seem weird?" Petunia asked Link, and he nodded at her.
"Could it be possible that these Garo are spying on the Ikanaian's in the East? I gather that would make sense, seeing as how they have warned you prior to a supposed war?" Link asked, and at this, everyone nodded.
Gramps found that very plausible. "I reckon that makes sense, but I can't help but wonder why it is that they decided to spy on them in the first place…What on earth could have made them believe a war would soon erupt…"
Petunia interrupted him. "Tell them what Markus saw up there!" She replied before pulling on Link's cloak and sternly looking at him in all seriousness. "You have to hear this…"
Once again, the elderly man cleared his throat. "Ah yes…I had almost forgotten…Let's see, where was I?…Oh yes. Anyways, when Markus was returned to us, he said he had only made it so far as to the gorge, following through some winding path guided by a raging waterfall. He said he saw a large gathering of hooded people, chanting something that he thought was a spell."
"A spell?" Link asked.
Petunia nodded from beside him. "Yep! And they were sacrificing some large animals too! And it's gets even creepier from there!"
"I could imagine…" Link replied before placing his bowl upon the ground at his feet, empty of its contents.
"But that's not the half of it!" A younger man, seemingly in his late twenties with long brown hair approached them from one of the huts nearby. He was donned in a fitted blue tunic with dirtied pants and boots. "Sorry to interrupt. Couldn't help but overhear my name." He turned to Link and Kagome, but refused to sit down. "I'll tell you this … I saw something real strange…hanging around after those strange hooded guys disappeared…"
Link and Kagome leaned in, their ears itching to know more.
Markus narrowed his eyes. "I saw a devil…" He replied. "And not just any devil, but this one looked like one of us! Had this mane of white hair and blazing red eyes. Must have been searching around for something to eat, what with the way it was acting…"
Kagome immediately stood up, her bowl plummeting to the ground at her feet. "Wait, did this … devil have furry looking ears on top of its head?" She asked without thinking.
For a moment, there was a puzzling silence between the villagers, their eyes gazing upon the hooded female. It wasn't surprising that a few of them gave her disturbed and worried looks.
"You saw it too?" Petunia asked, diverting the attention upon herself. "Was it scary? How did you see it? Did you travel near Ikana's borders or something?"
Link suddenly had this urge to face palm, but he didn't, and remained there, seated. "To speak truth, we have seen this…devil," He felt a little strange referring to Inuyasha as … well … a devil. "It's how I acquired my injuries during our travels." It was truth after all.
"Injuries?" Markus questioned. "Let me take a look at them." When Link opened his cloak to reveal the large slashes and blood stains done to his tunic, Markus whistled. "Sure did a number on you, didn't it? How in the blazes did you and your friend get away?"
Link shrugged. "It took off after wounding me, but we're lucky to be alive. We had decided to continue our travels but well…" What exactly was it that had drawn Inuyasha toward that place? Link knew for certain that was where the final pendant rested, within the walls of the Palace, but could it be the power of Majora that earned his curiosity? Or was it something much more than that?
Petunia blinked and her eyes focused on Link's face and the way his blonde hair laid about his face. Just this morning she had seen a boy just like him being dragged through the village, and he was a bloody mess as well…and he wasn't alone. If she remembered correctly, there was a girl with him, with long raven hair and wearing some strange short dress…
At this moment, Petunia gasped, a sudden realization dawning on her. "Wait a minute!" Petunia suddenly pulled on Kagome's hood, and Kagome gaped. Her identity had been blown. "I knew it! You're that girl that was dragged through town early this morning!" Petunia smiled, happy that she had finally figured out who the hooded girl was.
Markus arched a brow, leaning a bit to stare over Link's head at the young beauty beside him. He never saw her kind around these parts, and he wouldn't mind getting to know her though.
Upon closer inspection, the small child couldn't help but take an intake of breath. Petunia took in the older girl's soft ivory complexion, clear of any imperfections and blemishes, the rosy color in her cheeks and her long raven hair waving about her back. Though her eyes were not as beautiful as Link's, they were large and sparkling in the night. This woman looked almost like a porcelain doll to her. "You're so beautiful!"
Embarrassed, Kagome lowered her head, feeling the piercing stares of everyone camped around the fire looking at her. Some of the men were grinning at her from ear to ear, others leaning in closer to inspect the school girl while others whistled enough to earn an embarrassing blush from her. She hesitantly looked at Link, who was looking past her toward where the Garo were on night shift. Thankfully it didn't seem as if anyone had heard the child reveal their identities and for that they were most thankful.
"Now there's no need to shout, Petunia," The elderly woman replied before turning her attention to Kagome and Link. "There's no reason to get fidgety on us. You don't seem like the type to cause problems for anyone…"
Gramps nodded. "I agree. The Garo probably misunderstood. They've done that before to others traveling nearby. Makes me think the Garo are hiding something…"
"So, I take it you are not aware of this tribe's origins?" Link inquired, and he wasn't surprised when a silence fell upon them. Well that answered that question.
Markus shrugged before plopping down behind the blonde haired warrior with his back to everyone else. Lying back in the dirt, he stretched out his arms and legs, before closing his eyes, his hands behind his head comfortably. "We don't know anything about those people, but I'll tell you one thing I don't like them waltzing right into our village like they own it!"
The child beside Kagome nodded. "I agree! We were here first!" Her thoughts suddenly lingered on that of the people just East of them. "Those people in Ikana haven't hurt us or caused us any troubles…"
At this, Markus suddenly snorted, shaking his head at the naïve child. "Petunia, you think too much. I've seen more of that land than anyone in this village!" He sat up, staring the child right in the eye, his expression completely serious. "I've seen things you wouldn't even imagine…Those people…aren't like us, Petunia and neither are those Garo..."
Link and Kagome shared a look. Their thoughts at the moment were centered on their half demon friend, skulking around the area near the waterfall due East of them. Well, at least they hoped he was still there and not causing trouble.
It was at this point that Kagome decided to speak. "But…didn't you only see as far as the gorge near the ravine? Maybe the rest of the people there aren't as…strange. There could actually be some that are good." When she said this, she immediately thought of Kai; he was once a worker in the gardens of Ikana Castle before he had been turned into a Redead by the curse in the present time. As far as she knew, he had been very polite to her, after she had relieved him of his suffering, and he warned her of the dangers that lurked within the palace. With that said, Kagome had a feeling there were many good ones dwelling there, knowing full well about the evil.
Markus snorted again. "You trying to say you think they're a peace loving kind?" He asked, and when this irked a few frowns and some glares, he laid back down. "Listen, I'm just saying that what I saw up there was something serious. I'm not sure why one of them decided to venture out and look at our small village, but a lot of us here think there's something fishy going on there," He replied.
"He's right," One of the villagers agreed. "Have you seen that tall structure in the distance? It's gotten a lot taller recently, and you can easily see it peeking over the canyons."
"I have seen it," Link intoned. Well it didn't seem as if any of the villagers knew much of Ikana or the Garo for that matter. But it wasn't as if he had wanted to find out directly from the villagers themselves. Perhaps a little interrogation was in order, if he so happened to stumble upon any Garo.
Someone seated around the fire had sighed. "Maybe the Garo were speaking the truth…Maybe we will be attacked in some war…" That person knew that no one in their village was brave enough, except for Markus, to travel so far into unknown territory haunting rumors. They were a little frightened as it was.
Deciding to change the subject, granny turned to both Link and Kagome, while silently plopping a small, round plum into her mouth. "Now what were you youngins doing out here anyway, and hiding in those bushes over yonder?"
With the disturbing thoughts of Ikana erased from her thoughts, Petunia couldn't help but allow a sly grin to spread on her cheeks. "I bet they were kissing!"
Because it had been so unexpected and out of nowhere, Kagome found herself shaking her head and waving her hands in front of her in a manner of utter embarrassment. How was it possible for them to change the topic so suddenly and turn it into something more personal? "W-what are you talking about?! It's not like that!" She attempted to explain, but Petunia only giggled. While the smirking faces from the people seated around her and Link didn't seem to buy that, she turned to the young warrior beside her. "Right Link?"
But Link was awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, a sign of embarrassment that Kagome knew very well. Though it was dark out, the light from the fire revealed the redness filling his cheeks, and his blue eyes looking at the ground rather fixedly. "Y-yeah…you have merely misunderstood…"
Granny smiled. "Ah to be young again…So how long have the two of you known each other?"
Kagome couldn't help but reminisce back to their first meeting. Her guess was probably at least somewhere around half a month? Or was it a little longer than that? "Uh, well it hasn't been that long…"
"Not that long?" Petunia asked. "I bet it was love at first sight!" She squealed somewhat to herself. How romantic!
Markus laughed. "Well you can't blame anyone for wondering. A man and a woman traveling alone together, it would be impossible not to think they were a married couple, or at least siblings," He remarked before sitting up and regarding the two individuals. "You two look nothing alike, so I can only assume you're a couple, am I right?" He smirked. "No need to be shy."
"And they never denied they were kissing back there!" Petunia declared.
A few hoots and hollers, followed by the men whistling was enough to leave Kagome and Link speechless, their gazes awkwardly directed away from each other.
A glint of something sparkling from just beneath Kagome's cloak, peeking out just enough, sparked an instant curiosity within Petunia. Immediately she was standing on her tip toes, looking at the small necklace around the older woman's neck. "What's that?"
"Huh?" When the priestess realized it was her necklace, she pulled it out from behind her cloak for the child to see. "Oh you mean this?"
Petunia grinned before touching the smooth surface of the light blue crystal. "It's so pretty! What's it called?"
"Nayru's Love," Kagome replied before smiling softly at the child. "It was given to me not long ago."
"Is it your engagement gift?" The child asked aloud, turning the small crystal around in her small hands with great interest. It looked to be carved from some strange stone and its surface was very smooth, glassy looking to be more exact.
Before Kagome could say no and that it had been given to her by her friend Link not long ago, someone had spoken before her.
"It looks mighty expensive. You, my dear, are a lucky girl!" A young woman holding a small, sleeping child in her arms replied. "Your husband must surely be thinking fondly of you," She hinted towards the blonde haired warrior beside her, and Kagome couldn't help but weakly smile at this. Despite not realizing how awkward both Link and Kagome had become when the conversation of couples and lovers had transpired, the young woman thought back to when she first met her husband. "The one engagement gift received by my family was a large pig and three chickens."
Kagome blinked. An engagement gift in these days was very different than the ones back in her own era. To be honest, she never really thought of such things in the Feudal Era, or in this world, not that it ever crossed her mind. "Really?"
"Yes. I would have rather had finer clothes and some jewelry, but I settled for what the poor man had to offer," She laughed. "He took mighty good care of me, working late hours and breaking his back these past five years to supply us with enough food."
Gramps sighed. "I remember the day I brought home 'my wife to be' a horse. Raised him since I was just a youngin. My wife loved that horse until the very end…"
After releasing the pretty necklace, little Petunia sat back down between Kagome and Link. Her head was turned toward Kagome, her large eyes looking upon the priestess questionably. "So…what did you give to your husband?"
Kagome blinked. Husband? She couldn't help but allow her eyes to fall upon Link. To her embarrassment, he had looked at her at the exact moment, and she turned her gaze away. The priestess wondered if her blush could be seen in the dark by everyone around her. "Uh…well…"
Before any further questions could be asked, directed about their 'supposed,' intimacy, Link suddenly regained his standing, handing back the ceramic bowl to the kind couple. "I'm afraid we don't have much time," He apologized. "Thank you for the meal, but we must be going…"
Petunia blinked. "You're both leaving?" Where were they going?
Seeing as how her companion was prepared to leave, Kagome stood up alongside him before patting the little girl upon her head softly. "We have to go find our friend," She explained.
Because she hadn't expected the two to suddenly change the subject so quickly, Petunia only smirked. "Are you sure you two aren't just wanting some alone time?" She teased. The child made sure to stress the word, 'alone.'
Well wasn't she just the cutest?
Petunia sighed, dropping her head as she envied the couple standing before her and her family and friends. "I kind of wish I had someone special."
Markus laughed. "You're too young. Father says you'll never marry until he's dead and buried."
At this, the child merely scrunched up her face, her tongue sticking out childishly. And before Link knew what hit him, she suddenly latched herself onto the young blonde, his arm tightly held by her two hands. "Just you wait! I'll find someone just like Link!"
Link could only sigh. They really didn't have much time left here, and leaving this village soon was a high priority. "We really do need to be heading out…" He explained, attempting to free himself from the child's grip, and to his relief, she let his arm go.
Peering over her shoulder, Petunia watched as the Garo some distance near the exit were on patrol, their torches blazing through the darkness of the streets. She couldn't help but look back at Link and Kagome. "But I don't think getting past those guys will be easy…"
Link had a hunch it wouldn't be. Perhaps a form of distraction was in order.
"I have an idea!" The child suddenly exclaimed before scuttling off to a small wooden box a few feet away from the fire. "We can use Henry!" Petunia replied enthusiastically, displaying the fiery Cuccu in her arms flapping wildly about.
Upon seeing the bird, Link narrowed his eyes. Well, it could work…
With their plan set in motion, Link and Kagome hid themselves within the shadows of the crates someplace close by where their vision of the entrance was partially blocked. A few of the Garo were stationed there, some pacing the street while others were leaned against the wall surrounding this settlement.
Petunia was silently standing beside Kagome and Link, with Henry as quiet as ever in her arms as she peeked behind their hiding spot. They had a hunch the child planned to throw the bird into the open to distract their attention, and hopefully cause a small bit of trouble to stir them into leaving their positions just long enough for them to make their escape unnoticed.
When Petunia saw an opening, where the few Garo walking around suddenly had their backs to them, the child held the Cuccu above her head. "Alright Henry, do your thing," She whispered before throwing the bird out into the open. After which, she immediately ducked down.
As soon as the bird had been thrown, someone had cried out, and when the three observed from behind the crates, they saw Henry, with his razor sharp claws, latched onto one of the Garo member's neck, his beak pecking mercilessly at his head. A few of the men there suddenly reacted, surrounding their comrade before attempting to pry the bird free, but Henry would not have any of that.
One moment a few greedy hands had reached out for the bird and the next, a shrill screech resounded from Henry, so loud that it suddenly brought a wave a fear over Link. Oh, he knew that bird call anywhere…One that always told him to quickly find shelter or else…
Almost immediately, a swarm of feathers fell over the Garo, their vision suddenly clouded by a torrent of vengeful birds, their eyes bleeding scarlet, and the Garo cried out in fear. The adults who were a distance away by the fire looked on in interest, some laughing comically at the scene while others went about their own business; they didn't care about the Garo much anyway.
"Go!" Petunia shouted, and nodding in appreciation to the child, both Kagome and Link fled from their hiding spot and past the chaos and screams. They easily managed to escape from the settlement without any trouble, and Link was thankful to the villagers for their kindness toward them, especially Henry.
OOO
Shivering as the wind swept past them, Kagome held the soft material against her as she followed behind Link. The village was nothing but a small dot in the distance now as they were already well inside the canyon walls of Ikana.
To Kagome's amazement, she hadn't expected to see such lush greenery or tall trees along the way. Back in the present, she remembered how Ikana had once been a barren land, devoid of any grass, flowers or lofty trees. Though it was still night, Kagome couldn't help but notice small golden fireflies light up around them, and she softly smiled.
No danger seemed to lurk around them, and the night seemed entirely peaceful. At some points, she had noticed a few squirrels or foxes scurrying about, some watching them before returning their own business.
"It's going to storm…" Link replied a few feet in front of her, following along a path somewhat familiar to him. The scent of rain was not far off, and he wasn't blind when he noticed the dark clouds shroud the bright crescent moon above them.
"How long until we get to the place Markus last saw Inuyasha?" She asked.
Link pondered. Well, to speak truth, he couldn't quite see much through the darkness, and thinking back on his journey to Ikana, it had taken them a few hours at most to reach the gorge. By the time they reach that point in their destination, it would soon be close to sunrise, and Link figured they'd at least have to stop to rest. Looking behind him, he watched as Kagome followed him, her movements a little slow and her expression tired.
At some point during their journey, the storm had fallen upon them, and the two found themselves cozied inside the broken bark of a rather tall tree. It was big enough to allow them entry inside, and Link figured that some of the Ikanaians had hollowed out the inside of the bark, probably in cases like this. Whatever the case, they were spared from the downpour.
Kagome couldn't help but blush as her back was pressed against Link's chest. Given that the inside of the tree wasn't very roomy, Link had found a suitable position for both of them, one that allowed him to sit behind her, with Kagome sitting between his legs, and her head rested against his chest. As much as she didn't want to deny it, she kind of liked this, sitting so close to him and feeling protected.
Link's sword, along with their other weapons, was strewn beside them messily, and their thoughts were clouded with that of the same.
As they relaxed there, Link couldn't help but look down at the young girl seated in front of him, her head gently against him. He wondered if she was still awake, but when he saw her bring her knees up to her chest, he guessed not. "Are…you comfortable?"
"Yes, I am. Thanks…Are you?" She softly asked. This was probably the closest she had ever been to Link. Before, she remembered doing this with Inuyasha and it had been so natural, so much so that she had fallen asleep many times, but with Link…well she wouldn't deny that it had her feeling a little frightened, but it was a good kind of fright.
Sitting in front of him, she half expected him to wrap his arms around her like Inuyasha had, but Link wasn't like that. Link was a shy boy, but he had his moments where he could be very romantic that it left her flustered. For the moment, Kagome felt entirely at ease, her thoughts of her and Link swirling endlessly in her head.
"Kagome…may I ask about your homeland?" Link suddenly asked, and he hoped that by taking their minds off of things, it would help bring them into more of a comfortable silence.
"Sure, what would you like to know?"
Link pondered for a moment. There were so many things he wanted to ask her. He remembered Inuyasha had spoken of millions of lights filling the darkness of her large village, and the mentioning of flying 'metal' monsters in the skies. Where would he start? "Is it peaceful there? I heard there is much noise throughout the days and nights by these strange metal monsters…"
Kagome snickered at the term 'metal monsters.' "Those aren't monsters. I keep telling Inuyasha they are automobiles," She laughed. "But you're right; it's really noisy over there…"
"What are automobiles?" Link curiously asked.
"Well…" The priestess wondered how she could explain it to Link. He'd never seen one in real life, so he'd probably end up lost on her explanation. "Well…it's somewhat like a cart, but without a horse, and it's not made out of wood but of strong steel…"
Link furrowed his brow, attempting to picture a cart without a horse, made from steel. "Like that of a sword?"
Kagome nodded. "Exactly, just like a sword, but the thing is, this material isn't as strong though. Some of it is rusted and can be easily dented if it falls into collision with other automobiles. A lot of times fires can start from them."
"That doesn't seem very safe," He replied. "Wouldn't a horse suffice?"
She shook her head against his chest. "The only horses around are in the country side, on farms and such," Kagome explained. "Plus, everyone pays a lot to drive automobiles because they're faster."
Link couldn't seem to picture any of this. "How do these 'automobiles' travel without the use of a horse? I am curious…"
"Gasoline. We use the oils from underground to make them run," She explained. "Machines and inventions have come a long way 500 years in the future. There is so much that even I don't understand about it. Somehow we've learned what makes things run more efficiently and there's been lots of trading between the countries, not to mention wars happening too," Kagome shook her head.
Link nodded, but he didn't quite understand anything of what she had said. But hearing such information about her home country brought him to suspect that it was more dangerous than that of his own. "Are you safe there? You and your family?"
Kagome nodded. "Yeah, it's safe for the most part. But there aren't always good people in the world…To be honest, I like spending time in the Feudal Era with my friends than I do in my own world." She laughed. "It's nice, to be away from all that noise, the pollution and the chaos…"
"So you'd rather spend your days battling demons?" He questioned.
"Even though I don't like it, I'd rather face demons than I would robbers. I'd rather hear the peacefulness of the woods than I would that of traffic jams and intolerable people," She explained. "I wish I could stay with my friends in the past the most…but then I'd miss my mom, grandpa and my little brother."
A scuttling noise from outside startled her, and she found her hand gripping the front of Link's tunic. Fortunately it hadn't been anything but a few leaves swept by the powerful storm. Releasing his tunic, she couldn't help but look up at his face; he wasn't looking at her but outside. What was he thinking?
Noticing her fixated gaze on his face, he tilted his head down to stare at her open mouthed expression. "Is something wrong?"
Kagome blushed and looked away. "No…nothing is wrong." After a few seconds when she had thought his gaze had switched away from her, she looked over her shoulder again, but she hadn't intended to see him looking straight at her still.
"Are you certain there's nothing wrong? You keep staring?" He questioned, not noticing the blush warming her cheeks.
Turning ever so slightly to where she could easily look at him without looking over her shoulder, Kagome reached out and touched his hair, much to his confusion. "Well, I was wondering where your hat was."
"Oh. I thought it was tiresome wearing it for so many years…" He lied, a small blush darkening his cheeks.
Kagome smiled. "Oh really? If I remember correctly, you took it off because I said you looked cute without it, right?" She teased.
Link swallowed nervously. Well it had been truth, he wouldn't deny it, and Kagome had caught on pretty fast to.
"I can't take it anymore…" Kagome suddenly voiced, bringing him out of his thoughts suddenly when she reached her hands up toward the sides of his face.
The first thought that raced through his head was that she had intended to kiss him, but when he had leaned back to avoid it out of surprise, he never intended for her to grab his ears earnestly.
Up and down, she stroked his ears, allowing her fingers to caress against them eagerly. Since the moment she met him for a second time, it was at the Stock Pot Inn during a stormy day. It was then that she realized he had pointed ears just like the rest of the townspeople, and it took so much control not to touch them. Back then, she knew nothing about him, so of course it would have been weird. But now it was different.
"W-what are you…" Link couldn't help but stutter in embarrassment. Why in the Goddesses was she rubbing his ears?
Kagome giggled. "I've been wanting to do this for a while…" She admitted, not realizing her touch had a profound effect on the boy, so much so that he seemed to almost melt at her touch. "They're different from Inuyasha's…but I really like yours, Link." They were cute.
Reaching his hands to grasp hers, Link attempted to pull her fingers away from his ears, but his body suddenly twitched when she pulled them a little, and it suddenly caused her to laugh.
"Aww, does Link like having his ears tugged?" She joked.
Links hands rested around her wrists, but he made no move to remove her fingers from his ears. Instead, he only looked at her, watching her laugh at his suspense. "You seem to have a liking for people's ears, don't you?"
She nodded. "I guess I do have a bit of a fetish," She blushed.
When Kagome moved her hands away and looked away in embarrassment, Link couldn't help but reach down and grab both of her ears. He was immediately rewarded with a gasp as the girl jumped slightly in front of him. He chuckled when she tried to pry his hands away from her ears.
"No, stop that tickles!" She laughed.
Gently rubbing the lobes of her round ears, Link looked around her to see her expression, and from her reddened face and tightly closed eyes, he found himself laughing. "I see you are ticklish…" Accidentally, while allowing himself to move his hands away from her ears, his fingers brushed across the sides of her neck, and he was surprised and amused as he watched her shoulders rise and her head turn to the side as she released a sudden squeak.
Kagome laughed, and she felt goosebumps all along her arms and legs. She attempted to move his hands away from her, but that only resulted in him snaking his hands near the sides of her waist. From there, he grabbed her sides and from the touch of his moving fingers, Kagome fell against him laughing with tears springing from her eyes. Each direction she turned, she attempted to ward off his attack, but to no avail, she cried out for mercy.
Slapping his chest lightly, Kagome couldn't catch her breath. "I give up…You win," She voiced, and thankfully, Link removed his hands from her sides, watching in amusement as she leaned against him with her heart beating erratically. The priestess closed her eyes, feeling suddenly more comfortable than before.
For a moment, she felt as if she could fall asleep, but she refused to, because one question kept weighing heavily on her mind. "Just out of curiosity…what are we?" Kagome asked.
Link mused. "If I remember correctly, I'm a Hylian and you are a priestess from another world."
Leaning off him, Kagome turned slightly around and looked up into his blue eyes. "No, I mean…what are we to each other?"
Link blushed. "Uh…"
She brought a finger to her lips suddenly, leaving them there for a short moment as her thoughts traveled back to yesterday when he had kissed her up on the hill. "Last night…you kissed me," She muttered softly, her eyes fixated on his.
Now he understood, but he was a little embarrassed that she had brought it up so suddenly. "Uh…well…last night, I apologize if my actions were a bit too forward," He replied as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. "I hadn't meant to startle you nor did I intend to confuse you."
Kagome only shook her head at this. "You don't have to apologize and you weren't too forward, but it's not like I didn't like it…"
The young warrior blinked. Wait…she had liked the kiss? So that was why she was smiling that night when he had seen her in such a daze after returning to camp? Here he had thought otherwise.
Kagome continued. "I was happy when you did that…Isn't it natural to show your affections for someone you care deeply for?" The priestess felt the loudness of her heart, and couldn't help but wonder if he would say 'yes, I love you.' She hoped he would.
Link nodded, feeling his own heart pound deafeningly in his own ears. So she had really liked it? Did that mean she accepted him as something more than just a friend?
Kagome swallowed nervously. "W-would you like to know my answer, Link?"
Before he could nod, she suddenly raised herself slightly on her knees with her hand rested against his chest. From there Link saw the color of her brown eyes become more apparent in the dimness of the night, and he felt the back of his head hit the bark of the tree behind him. When her chest fell against his own, he could literally feel her own heart beat drumming loudly, just like that of his own, and he swallowed almost nervously.
The scent of her breath against his face was sweet, and as her eyes slowly closed, he felt his own do the same. The softness of her lips fell against his at that moment; it was very gentle and pleasant. All they could focus on in that short moment was each other and the sound of the storm outside was forgotten.
Link felt Kagome's hand grasp the front of his tunic tightly, whether it was out of nervousness or not, Link didn't know, but he didn't push her away. Instead, he felt his hand twitch, urging him to draw her in closer. He hesitated. Would it really be alright to be loved by her, if only for a short time until their separation? Was it right? Did she really have to go back?
Almost breathlessly, Kagome pulled away, her forehead leaning against Link's. From such close proximity, she saw the seriousness in his gaze and he probably saw the weakness in her own. What was he thinking right now?
As if to answer her thoughts, Link suddenly rested his hand upon the back of her waist gently. His gaze was completely fixated upon her own. There were so many mixed emotions he felt at the moment, some of which left him feeling confused, exhilarated, frightened and anxious.
"I hope…that answers your question, Link," Kagome replied breathlessly, mimicking what he had said to her after kissing her on the hill last night. She had expected him to say something in response to that, but she was taken aback when he responded with a kiss instead.
Relaxing into him, Kagome melted from his kiss, resting her hands upon his shoulders. During so, she hadn't realized she was practically in his lap. Link's touch never strayed too far or too little, and Kagome thought maybe, just maybe she could be happier with Link.
'Is it alright if I stay with him? Is it wrong?'