Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, sadly. Read the previous chapters and you'll find that I disclaim the characters as well. I only own Raiken and the rest of the village. The rest are Rumiko Takahashi's idea. Don't sue, I don't have anything anyway. My landlord takes all my money…sue him :p

Quick note: I thought I should thank the wonderful readers who reviewed the last chapters of this fic. Here I was thinking I was unloved, but you brought the spark back into my typing fingers and I never seemed to stop. This chapter is for you. Thanks again, Jul-chan

Eternity's Passing: Kaede's Tale

Chapter Six: Make Love, Not Rifts

Raiken had been avoiding her. It had seemed to have taken Kaede fifteen days to come to this conclusion. Even long after he had moved out her hut two days afterward, having quickly built his own home. Deep down she had always known he had been avoiding her but she was denying the fact. Sure she could think logically and try to see this as a good thing. A man was the last distraction she needed to perform her duties as she pledged she would. Her mind had already been muddled enough when she first saw his startling gray eyes the first day he appeared in her hut, her life. He had not spoken to her since that day at the stream, which bothered her more than she was willing to admit. Nidoriko had noticed that her friend had been awfully moody lately. While Kaede was famous for her ire, she never flew off the handle whenever someone said something to her. Every comment had irritated the priestess, and she never seemed to be pleased with anything. She had managed to be civil towards the villagers that sought her help in curing their ills and wishing exorcisms. It was poor Tanosuke who would get quite the tongue lashing whenever he came up with a report on what their new resident was up to. Tano seemed to have it in for Raiken, and really did not like the idea that he had established a place amongst their village. When he first addressed his complaints to Kaede, he had been tossed out upon his ear.

"Lady Kaede, I do not believe he should be staying in the village. I would not trust him as far as I could throw this island." He informed her, Kaede whipped around glaring daggers at the head guardsman he backed away with hands raised defensively, "I just think that you should inform him that he can't just stake claim on any part of this village and stay." Kaede turned her back on Tanosuke, releasing what sounded like a growl.

"If it bothers you so much, Tanosuke, then you order him to leave. You are captain of the guard, are you not? You certainly don't need my approval to throw him out." Her tone was just a little too snippy when the subject was on Raiken.

"I already tried. He says that he would leave only if you were to order it so." The man's voice sounded petulant. Kaede sighed and shook her head.

"I really don't see anything wrong with him staying here. As long as he keeps out of trouble and is helping the villagers, I really can care less what he does."

After Tanosuke tried to argue the issue, Kaede threw a jar that was designated for one of her herbal remedies at him. Nidoriko had tried to put her finger on what could possibly be bothering her friend. That did not mean that the blind widow did not have her suspicions. She thought that she had already known the cause of her friend's moodiness and knew that she would have to draw her out to admit it. She had figured that Raiken was the reason that the priestess would fly into one of her tempers whenever someone mentioned his name… even when the young village women would sigh and call him "Sir Raiken." Kaede was drawn to the gray eyed stranger and it seemed that since he left the hut, she was having trouble coping with the fact he was not around anymore. She knew that the young priestess was denying the fact to herself simply because she does not believe her needs or wants matter. Dedicating most of her life to being the village priestess, she had not left any room for her own wants, or needs. When she had finally made it this far without any complaints, something she wanted very much was right in front of her and she was being denied, even by herself. Nidoriko thought it high time that she and Kaede had a woman to woman talk. The girl needed to learn to follow her heart, even when her mind tells her not to. And she was going to, whether she wanted it or not.

Kaede had just finished with creating herbal salves and mixtures before putting nice little labels on each jar. She was setting each jar harshly on the shelves after overhearing a young village maid boast about having 'Sir Raiken' repair her father's hut. Nidoriko could not help but smile at her friend's constant crankiness. It had meant that she was very jealous of the village girls and their interaction with Raiken. That piece of information was very encouraging and meant that Nidoriko was very close to figuring out her friend's heart.

"Careful, Kaede, you really don't need to break another jar. The last one was wasted when you hit Tanosuke."

"What do you want Nidori?" Kaede responded with a slight snap in her voice. Nidoriko knew that if her eyes had worked, she would have seen her face contorted in irritation. She heard shuffling, meaning Kaede was limping with her ankle. It was finally where she could walk on it for a bit even if it seemed painful for her to do so. It had healed a lot thanks to her magic with herbs and soothing sutras, but Nidori could already tell that it still had a ways to go before she could ever walk properly. She also knew that with Kaede's determination, it would eventually get better.

"When are you going to speak with that young man?" Nidoriko decided it was best to get straight to the point. When Kaede was this irritable, she was just so much fun to pick on. The distraction was too great of a threat. Even now, she could feel the death glare the young priestess was casting her way.

"I will when I have something to say to him." she bit out before returning to her tasks. Nidoriko found a nearby wall and sat down against it. She had been feeling tired as of late, all this worrying about Kaede had been getting to her.

"I'm sure that you have something that you want to say. Something had happened between the two of you, and it's separating you from each other. Don't tell me that there is not anything you would like to say to him."

Kaede stopped whatever she was doing, Nidoriko could tell by the sound of silence after that. She was thinking, the older woman surmised.

"Maybe there is something I want to say." Kaede replied softly. She put down all her herbal implements and sighed. "In truth there are a lot of things I want to say, but there seems to be things he doesn't want to say to me. Perhaps it's for the best. After all, the last thing I need is distraction.

"There are a lot of villagers who are depending on me. If I go around worrying what a storm eyed rogue is up to, what good would I be to them. Kikyo would not want me to abandon them."

"Kaede, Kikyo would want you happy. She would not want you to feel trapped into following her footsteps." She felt Kaede sit down beside her and heard a sigh. "It's true you know. She was always spoiling you when you were a child. When everyone remarked on it, she would always say 'I want my sister to want for nothing to be happy no matter what she's doing.' If you don't do what you want, then your sister had worked for naught. Is that what you want?"

Kaede seemed to think on that for awhile, for she had not said anything. If Nidoriko was as skilled in archery as she was, she would have been a very formidable enemy, for she had hit the right mark to get Kaede to actually believe she was right.

"Even so, there are the villagers. You were not there when she died and missed out on their wailing. When I had decided to take over, they were happy to have someone take control of the situation. I would take that away from them."

"Tough for them, then."

Kaede was shocked at how casually that statement escaped her friend's lips. "What did you just say?"

"If they believe that they would have to completely rely on you, then this village is truly lost. What if something happened to you? Who could they depend on now? The best thing you could do for them is teach them everything you know about herbs and then leave them to their on cares.

"Of course I'm not saying to abandon them completely, but they really don't need to be so dependent on you, Kaede. It's time for you to do what it is you want for you." Kaede seem to resist the thought, but Nidoriko knew that her desires were winning her over. After all, Kaede was only human and had no choice but to feel the things she felt.

"I have to protect the village. I must look to preserve their needs." She whispered, more to herself than anyone.

"But what do 'you' want, Kaede? What do 'you' need?" Nidoriko implored. She was tired of seeing Kaede moping around, and she knew that whatever rift lay between the priestess and Raiken, it could only be resolved by Kaede. Kikyo would not forgive her for not overseeing the younger sister's happiness. Kaede had told her that Kikyo longed to be a normal woman, wished to be free from obligation, from duty. Nidoriko knew that Kikyo would wish the same for Kaede.

"Kaede, do you really want to go through life longing for the things that lie before you, but deny even the thought of them? The villagers would even agree that you have not been the most pleasant person to be around lately, they would beg you to talk to Raiken to set things right."

Kaede was silent, having some form of inner war with herself. Nidoriko sighed, for she could tell that this was going to be a long talk.

Kaede shuffled along the path, getting some fresh air and thinking over her conversation with Nidoriko. She could not bring herself to agree with her reasoning, dismissing it as an old blind lady trying to meddle in other's lives. Raiken was a distraction that she cannot afford to have at the moment. Despite what Nidoriko said about Kikyo wanting her to live a normal life, Kaede could not help but feel that she would bring shame upon her sister if she made the same mistake Kikyo had. When mentioning this to Nidoriko, the woman laughed.

"I can understand your fear there, but there is no more Shikon no Tama. Raiken is not trying to trick you to hand some sort of power over to him. The only thing he would want you to yield is your heart and body. He's being a man in keeping his distance from you as you continuously reject him.

"I know you, Kaede. You have rejected him and remain so because you have not tried to remedy the situation. Either give into that which makes you a woman, or ask him to leave. I'm tired of moping people and I am receiving a terrible headache from worrying about it."

Kaede continued forward replaying the conversation in her head. What did she want? She remembered how Kikyo would wait until she was asleep and would try on lipstick while admiring herself in the mirror. Kaede used to pretend to be asleep then, but whenever she saw the sad smile on Kikyo's face, she wished she was really asleep so that she never would have to remember the sadness in her sister's eyes. Kikyo denied her hopes and dreams for the villagers. If 'he' had not came along, then she would probably still be there allowing Kaede to be free to do as she desired.

She had almost given up on such thoughts, but when she looked up her body froze and her breath hitched. Raiken had just jumped down from the roof of the hut he had been living in the past few days. Sweat dripped down his body and where the sun had shined, it glistened, highlighting different planes of his well toned muscles on his lean frame. His hair was plastered to his face, he brushed it off his cheek after dropping his tools that was used to repair the roof. Most women would have been repulsed by seeing a man so, but it stirred something within Kaede. A familiar heat that she had felt that day at the stream traveled back to her stomach and she was feeling light headed. Gods help her, she was getting all rattled again, she even forgot who she was. Raiken looked up and saw her standing there, mesmerized by him. His stormy eyes were intense as he stared at her. That invisible force that possessed her the day she buried her sister was possessing her to walk towards him. As she complied with her body, she could not help but wonder what it would be to finally do what she wanted. How it would be so easy… When she found herself wrapping her arms around him in an embrace, she realized that it was easy and that it was what she wanted. In his arms it felt so right. She looked up and allowed her lips to touch his, which responded very eagerly in return. When their lips finally parted his gray eyes stared into hers once more.

"Does this mean that Lady Kaede knows what she wants?" he asked as he stared intently into her face. She made a trail down his chest with her finger, making his breath hitch as well.

"I am sure that this is what Lady Kaede wants. I'm sure that you are what she needs." she whispered in reply. He kissed her before taking her hand and leading her inside his hut. That day, she learned that it was far more easier to give in to what her instincts wanted her to do. She also learned that it made life a little bit simpler, and she was glad that she did. At that moment as he laid her down upon his pallet, she was glad that she had finally given in.

She was beautiful, the thought that rang through Raiken's head as he watched her as she slept. He wondered what would cause her to doubt her beauty so. Earlier he had tried to remove the white material that covered her right eye, but she turned away from him as he did so. Puzzled he asked her why.

"Because it's ugly." she whispered. His hand caressed her cheek before moving it the string that held the patch over her eye. The move was so sudden, she was unable to do anything about it. The orange glow of the sunlight glinted off the marred skin, highlighting each tiny scar. There were tiny white lines branching out from a larger scar which was light pink and slightly puckered. It was not as bad as she made it out to be. He kissed her eye lid, where the large scar was, and kissed each tiny scar all the way to her lips.

"Beautiful…" his voice trailed off as she captured his lips again. A tear, he had noticed, made it's way from her good eye. He pulled his lips from hers and stroked her hair.

"What makes it so ugly is how you might have lost it. The fact that the world we live in is never safe is an ugly truth. Yet, you survived and are making the best of this ugly, unholy world. It's your strength that makes you the most beautiful woman in my eyes."

He had managed to cease all of her tears that evening. Now she lie in his arms, sleeping in more peace than she ever slept before. A small smile playing on her lips now and he could not help but smirk in the knowledge of what put it there. He ran his fingers through her hair. His hair was melded with hers with no way of telling whose belonged to who except for the silver streak in his own black tresses. A hand reached up to caress his face and he found one brown eye looking into his grey ones. She had a dreamy and dazed look in her eyes as if she was waking from a good dream. He knew the roots of those dreams as well. Her hand slid to where the silver locks were located and she traced along the silvery path.

"How unusual…" she muttered, more to herself. He knew she was still half asleep and that she was not completely aware of him just yet. He smiled at how cute she looked all bleary eyed with mussed hair, and incredibly sexy too. It was impossible to resist the urge to take her lips and hold them captive with his own. She had been caught off guard by the action but quickly responded in kind her awareness not the only thing awakening. Desires that had long been sated rose again just from the soft touch of his lips with hers. He released his hold on her and smiled at the darkening look in her eyes, a sign that he managed to succeed in waking her up fully.

"I learned the secret behind your eye patch, I suppose it's fair you learned the story behind this." he said mentioning the streak in his hair.

"A long time ago when I was younger, my home was attacked by armed men, samurai. I had tried to warn my friends and family because I was the first to see them ride towards our village. One of the men caught me and I cried out. He pushed me roughly to the ground where I cracked my head on a rock.

"Everything went dark after that, but when I came to, my family stood over me, worried I would not have come through. They removed a lot of my hair to tend the wound, so I had a bald spot with a very bad wound, but as the scar healed my hair grew back. The end result though was that it grew out silver " He smiled as her fingers wound their way into his hair, feeling around for the scars on his scalp. She slightly rubbed the raised areas, sending shivers down his spine. Her touch never failed to affect him so as if she had magic in her finger tips.

"You always seem to get yourself into some kind of trouble don't you?" she inquired as she tugged on the silvery strands. He chuckled and stretched out over her, grabbing her hands and holding them down beside her head.

"I sure do, and it seems that I've gotten myself into even deeper trouble this time. Of course I do have one thing in my favor." He said in a as a matter of fact tone.

"And that is?" she inquired, quirking her left eye brow up as he leaned down to kiss her.

"I'm not alone." He whispered huskily before claiming her lips with his. Kaede seemed to enjoy being in trouble with him for the rest of that very evening.

Note: I know, another crappy close to this chapter. Yet they finally made up and out and…well let's not get into the details here. The important thing is that Kaede got over her fears and built a bridge over that rift between her and Raiken. Yeah, anyway next chapter should lift away that shroud of mystery over lover boy and more big changes are in store for our favorite priestess. I was thinking of leaving a huge cliff hanger here, but I thought that this chapter was long enough. It's time get on with Kaede's life. I thank you readers for taking the time to read this.

I don't like to beg, but please please leave a review… At this point I don't care if it hurts my feelings, I just want to know if it's being read. I do still ask that you be polite… Keep the language clean because kiddies may be reading this. Thank you!

Jul-chan