Chapter 8: Kikyo's Discovery, Kohaku's Decision

Naraku had moved Kagome into his room months ago, and yet he still did not understand his feelings. He didn't understand Kagome either for that matter. She had come to him willingly, yes, but she had full intentions of being rescued. It has been over a year now and nothing. He often saw her at night staring up at the stars, lost in thought. He knew she still missed InuYasha dearly, but she seemed content with him. It took a long time, but she finally seemed at peace in the castle. Her and Kagura seemed to be getting along as though they'd been friends all their lives.

"Kagome, I don't understand. You seem so happy and yet so sad. What is it about you that makes this human heart skip a beat? Every time I see you, my mind goes blank, all I can see or think of is you. I don't understand it at all. I tried to stop even trying to understand, but I can't help but wonder. This emotion called love, what is its significance? I love you so dearly and yet I don't understand the emotion or why," Naraku was always questioning these new emotions.

Every night Naraku would kiss Kagome on the forehead before going to sleep, and every night Kagome would think to herself of hers and Kagura's plan.

-Meanwhile-

It had been about a week since Kikyo had met up with InuYasha and the group to report. During Kikyo's journey she came across Kohaku. He'd been living with an old man for the past several months. He left the old man, thanking him for his kindness, and continued on with Kikyo.

"Lady Kikyo, we've been searching for so long. Will we ever find Lady Kagome?" Kohaku looked down at the ground beneath his feet.

"I don't know Kohaku. But until we find her, we must keep searching," Kikyo kept walking. "Why do I continue searching for her? What purpose does it serve me? InuYasha doesn't even notice my attempts. Wait- why do I care whether he notices me? Damn, I still love him. That bastard! Ah! Kagome, why the hell am I helping for your sake? Is it because of the countless times you have saved me? Even though my presence in this world is pointless, and it would be so much easier to just let me pass on, you continue to save me. Do I feel indebted to you? Is that why I continue this search?" Kikyo's mind was racing, she could not comprehend why she searched; was she searching in vain?

The pair walked for what seemed like an eternity. Kohaku was opened his mouth to complain, but stopped when he saw Kikyo frozen in place, "Lady Kikyo? Are you alright?"

She looked ahead of her; her eyes seemed to be focused on something far away in the distance. She took a few steps forward and stopped again, "I sense her. I sense Kagome's spiritual powers, she is near. Kohaku, she's near!" Kikyo unexpectedly began running toward the pure aura the sensed. It took Kohaku a minute, but he was finally able to unglue his feet and take off after Kikyo.

They came to the edge of the forest. There, right there in front of them was the large castle. Naraku's castle, it was no more than a hundred yards away. She spotted Kagome, she was leaving the castle grounds with Kagura and Kanna. Kikyo and Kohaku ran behind a large rock and spied on the three. Kagome seemed to be laughing along with Kagura.

"Why is she laughing? She is acting as though they are friends or sisters," Kikyo was puzzled, as was Kohaku.

"I don't know Lady Kikyo, it seems rather odd though. She looks like she does when she is with my sister," Kohaku's mind drifted away back to his old life, before Naraku.

Kikyo and Kohaku continued to spy on Kagome. The three girls just stood at the front of the castle, talking and laughing ever so often. After a long while Naraku appeared. He made his way past Kagura and pulled Kagome close to him. Kikyo and Kohaku watched in terror.

"Lady Kikyo, is he going to kill her now? Shouldn't we do something?" Kohaku whispered frantically to her.

"No, he isn't going to kill her. Something is not right, but I don't know what," Kikyo watched Naraku's actions intently.

Kagome leaned in to Naraku. Kikyo and Kohaku went wide eyed. They stared in shock as Kagome and Naraku shared what seemed to be a passionate kiss. Naraku broke the kiss and then gave her a little peck on the forehead, "Go my love, and collect more fragments."

"I will try not to be gone as long today my dear," Kagome waved good-bye to Naraku as she and Kagura flew away.

"I love you!" he shouted to the winds.

"And I you!" the wind replied.

Once satisfied with the reply, Naraku and Kanna went back inside the castle. Kikyo was no longer looking past the rock, but rather leaned up against it; trying to understand what she just witnessed. Kohaku shook her shoulder, "Lady Kikyo, Lady Kikyo, snap out of it."

She looked back up at Kohaku, "What was that? What in the hell was that! How dare she. While InuYasha is worried sick and we are all out risking our necks to find her. That bitch is telling Naraku that she loved him! How the hell am I to tell InuYasha of this? If I tell him, his heart will be shattered. But if I don't tell him, he'll continue searching for that wench, and it will all be in vain. What do I do?" she was frantic; she jumped up and began pacing back and forth.

"Lady Kikyo, are you sure this is how it really is? Maybe it is different than it appears. We don't know for sure yet," Kohaku tried to reason with her.

She stopped and looked down at the young boy, "You're right. We don't know exactly what is going on, but we can't just hide the fact that we know the location of Naraku's castle."

"Sure we can. We know where it is now, so we can continue to come here and find out what is really going on. And then when we know for sure, tell InuYasha. But until then, it would be wise to keep it a secret."

"Alright Kohaku, we'll keep it quiet," Kikyo paused and looked up at the sky, "for now."