The Mother and the Bride

Prompt: Road Trip

Universe: Historical AU (Edo Period)

Genre: Drama

1,000 Words

Kagome sat on the plus cushions and leaned against the wooden wall of the norimono. From outside, voices filtered in; the whinny of a horse, the creak of an armour, the even, marching rhythm of footsteps. The bamboo curtains were drawn, shading her from the sun and enclosing her in the small space, leaving her alone with her nervous thoughts. The shoulders that were carrying her were steady; the litter never swayed as the procession steadily made its way towards Izumo.

And inside the closed norimono, surrounded by the guards, soldiers and retainers of the Higurashi clan, she sat agitatedly picking at the heavy brocaded silk of her kimono.

She knew it had never been about her, that in the end it all boiled down to politics. She understood the importance of this all. But even though she had made up her mind, even though she clung to her resolution, her stomach kept wounding in knots. For albeit she knew that her destination was the province of Izumo, that she was on her way to the wedding ceremony, in so many ways this was a journey into the unknown.

When their trip had begun, she had barely been able to sit still. Giddy excitement had bubbled inside her, and she had drawn the curtains back and eagerly craned her head to see the passing landscape, the streets they travelled. But that had all died down pretty quickly when a peasant watching the procession had thrown a stone at her litter. Just thinking back to the incident, she could still hear the angry shout.

Demon's whore, he had cursed her.

She had kept the curtain closed after that.

And since then, days had passed and leagues stretched. By now, Edo was far behind them, together with her home, her friends, her family… Everything she knew. She had left it all behind, never to return.

She knew this treaty was a product of years of negotiation between the youkai faction and the Shogunate. She knew it was an honour for her entire clan that they had chosen her. But the great big unknown still made her squirm and restlessly worry the long sleeves of her kimono. It did not feel near as exciting as it had been, when she had still been in Edo. The closer they got to the border of the Izumo province, the more nervous she felt. She wasn't so sure what she had actually been roped into, and at the same time she was acutely aware that there was no going back now.

Two days later it actually happened. The procession came to a halt, the continuous movement she had grown so used to stopped suddenly.

"My lady," a handmaiden spoke softly, "we have arrived at Izumo's border."

Kagome's knuckles were white as her hands squeezed into fists. There was a lump in her throat.

The retinue that had guarded her passage from Edo would turn back here. At the border she would meet strangers, the people of her new clan tasked to accompany her to her new home. Only her maids would stay with her all the way and until the end.

The carriers set the norimono down. She heard the muffled voice of the guard leading her escort to exchange a few words and then a foreign female voice spoke.

"And what about the bride? Am I to see her at all?"

Kagome stiffened. Her bowels might have as well turned to lead, but somehow she managed to find that courage and determination deep within; in spite of her uneasiness and nervousness, she found herself moving. Sliding over the door and climbing out of the litter, she straightened herself, coming face to face with a tall woman.

She was dressed in rich clothing, white fur lining her shoulders. Her silvery white hair was arranged on two long tails, in a style which left her pointed ears exposed. The markings looked vivid on her pale face. But the most striking feature of all was those golden eyes that now bore into her, piercing and assessing.

It was so very obvious this was a demon, and a highly ranking one most like. Kagome set her jaw and held firm, meeting that appraising golden gaze evenly.

The red lips curled into a slow smile.

"Oh, yes. I am sure you will do nicely," the demon purred. And before Kagome had a chance to do as much as blink, the tall woman was pulling her into her arms. She held her firmly, her nose brushing against the side of her throat in passing.

Then she released her and took a step back.

"I am very pleased, so that stubborn git better be as well." the demon's lips twitched. "But I suppose we will not know for sure until we reach castle of the Moon."

"Uhm…"

"Kagome, was it?"

Kagome nodded mutely.

"Now, we did prepare Ah-Un for you," the woman flicked her hand towards a saddled, two-headed dragon, "but we can of course bear you in your litter as well if you prefer."

Kagome glanced uncertainly at her norimono. Thirty guards and six banner bearers had seen her safely from Edo to Izumo. Here at the border awaiting her was the tall woman, dragon mount, and only a handful of guards. Still, these new escorts were all youkai and the remaining journey was not that long.

"I think I have sat in the norimono long enough for a life time," she replied after a careful consideration.

"Splendid," the demon smirked. "I hope we become good friends, Kagome. I always wanted a daughter, you know, but alas all I got was that lout of a son… Well, he is not too bad I suppose, you will see. And I am sure he will treat you well. If not, just tell me, and I shall make sure he will."

Kagome nodded. Her nervousness was dissipating, though for the most part, she felt quite overwhelmed.

What have I got into?