Japanese words:

Okiya: boarding house

Okaa-san: Mother

Time seemed to stay still. Bankutso had brought me back to my "cage". I desperately tried to run but it was no use. The devil of my mother had made it clear that I would not be able to leave this house. I, as you will have guessed have been tearing my eyes out, not knowing what happened to Lady Izayoi and Inuyasha. I felt so ashamed not being able to help them. My small body would not do much harm towards my mother's minions. Mother was beyond furious at me, she had slapped so many times that as I think about it I can still feel the burning of my cheek.

Lady Kaede had arrived as planed once I arrived home. I felt so horrible, miserable, not being able to do nothing. I went to my room and grabbed my things that were packed already for me. The sooner I was out the sooner mother was not going to see me. In her book I was merely a tool, a tool that could be sold for any given price. I let out a long breath as I prepared to be sacrifice to the unknown world. The only hope that I seemed to have was the little piece of jewel that Inuyasha had given me and the promise that we had made.

A solemn out looker watched as the land kept passing by, the trees moving in a synch motion, the sky the same. The world kept spinning not stopping for a moment, and the train tracks doing a clingy sound every time the train passed by a uneven track ledge.

Those usual warm brown eyes were cast by a dark shadow of despair and lodging. Tears dropping silently down her cheeks as she recalled what had transpired a mere of couple of hours ago.

"Child, ye must eat" said an old feminine voice

The child turned towards the direction of the old woman's voice. The little girl's eyes looked at the sandwich that the old woman was offering. Her stomach grumbled silently, yet it was loud enough to be heard by the old woman.

"Thank you Lady Kaede" the child whispered, taking a bite from the sandwich. Her eyes still held the same melancholy look as before.

"Ye are welcomed. Kagome"

Kagome took another bite from the sandwich and turned her attention to the scenery.

She gulped down the piece of bread and asked Lady Kaede who lived in the Kamahi Okiya.

"Ye will see when we get there. I should worn you child "she added "Lady Urasue does not like to be tempered with. One thing that she hates the most is wasting money."

Kagome nodded while taking another bite from her sandwich. Her attention turned to the great mountains that were so big and beautiful covered in snow. Like the ice cream that Inu-Chan had bought her. It was getting harder to eat her sandwich as her throat choked from the tears that were surfacing from her red puffy eyes.

"Why me?" It was more of a statement then a question. Lady Kaede turned to her and told her that it was because of her father.

"Father?" Kagome asked, trying to control the tears that surfaced.

"Aye. He had been in debt with the Kamahi household for a long time. He would come get drunk. He was a man with out morals, as of such your poor mother was in great debt when he died."

"My first mother?" She questioned

Lady Kaede quirked an eyebrow, curious of what the child had said.

"Ye's first mother?" Kagome nodded, hoping to know more about her parents.

"If memory recalls ye father had only one wife, Sayo-san.

Kagome was confused; it was just not making sense. Her step mother, whom she was called Mother since she could remember told her that her first mother had died

"But, she told me that my first mother died, although when ever I asked for her name and where she was buried she would not tell, instead she would hit me."

"Child, I hate to inform you, but Sayo-san has lied to you. I know for a fact that she is Ye's mother." Lady Kaede finished.

The look on Kagome's face went from confusion to shocking and to heartbreak. How could her mother tell her such a horrible lie? All this time she had believed, no, imagined that her long disease mother had been an angel, a saint. And here she hears that her step mother and her "dead" mother are the same person.

"Why?" Kagome question as hot tears fell down her cheeks; she hugged Lady Kaede, whom hugged her back to comfort the little girl. Lady Kaede gave her a sympathetic look. Poor child had been deceived by her own mother.

"Do not worry child, I will be ye's okaa-san" Lady Kaede finished as she passed her hand on the top of Kagome's head. Kagome looked up at her smiling face and didn't say anything as she hung her head back down.

"Thank you Lady Kaede"

They had arrived at the Hanamachi district in Kyoto. Kagome awed on how peaceful it looked. The streets were busy with people going from place to place.

"Let's move Kagome" She heard Lady Kaede say as the old woman started walking. Kagome catch up to her.

"What exactly is the Hanamachi District, Lady Kaede?" Kagome wondered, as she looked at the many people. Men in traditional yukata's, women in elaborate kimono.

"A Hanamachi is a district. The word's literal meaning is "flower town", which host various Okiya." She explained. Kagome didn't really understand what she was saying and only nodded.

They arrived at a building that was two floors and didn't have many windows. Kagome's gazed went to the plate that was in front of the house. It read Kamahi Okiya. By this time

Kagome knew that it was Lady's Kaede's last name. Lady Kaede knocked the door and waited a while until someone answered it. The door opened. Kagome a look behind of Lady Kaede, for when the door open, it had scared her that she went behind of Lady Kaede. The person who opened the door was a girl. She seemed to about the same age as Kagome. Probably two years older. She had brown hazel eyes that made an out looker fall under their spell. Her long brunette hair was pulled into a tight ponytail. She was dressed in a short yukata.

"Welcome back Lady Kaede" She said bowing at the old woman and stepping aside as Lady Kaede headed in. Kagome looked at the girl and the girl looked back at her, she smiled at her and waves a hand for Kagome to enter. Kagome nodded and followed the old woman. Once inside the old woman gestured Kagome to wait there while she went upstairs to call Lady Urasue. Kagome nodded as Lady Kaede went slowly up the wooden stair case.

"Hello" came from behind her. The girl that had opened the door stood there, a rag in hand giving Kagome a genuine smile.

Kagome smiled back and bowed, while murmuring a quick hello.

"Are you Lady Kaede's heiress?" she questioned

"Yes." Kagome replied, unsure of what to reply.

"I'm Sango" she said with a small bow. Kagome copied her and said her name.

"So Kagome, do you want me to show you around, seeing as you're going to be living here." Kagome nodded and followed her. They went into the kitchen first. The floor was made of wood; in the far left corner was the stove which was next to the sink. In the right side there was a build-in oven. It was a simple kitchen, yet it was furnished very nicely.

They went to the various rooms, which where the same format and style as the rest of the house. Next was upstairs.

"You have to be quiet or else Lady Urasue will get mad." Sango warned. Kagome nodded and followed her close, at the same time trying hard to be quiet. They stop next to a room, which smoke kept coming out.

"Is the room burning or something?" Kagome asked Sango, Sango told her no, that it was Lady Urasue smoking her pipe.

They kept on their trail until they stopped in front of another room in the hallway.

"This is Lady Kikyo's room, you should ask before entering her room." She added

"Sometimes, no… all the time she can be such a sour puss, plus has a really bad temper, so watch out." Kagome nodded again a lingered her gaze at the door until she saw that Sango was ahead of her. They stopped at the end of the hallway. Sango pulled a string and a stair case came down. She started to climb and mention Kagome to do the same.

"This is my room, it's not great, but what can I do." She shrugged. Kagome looked around it was spacious and warm. The small bed stood in the corner, while two drawers were at the other corner. A black rug, made the floor have color. There stood a window right in the middle looking out to the town.

Kagome got on her tipped toes and looked out the window. The city was just as busy as the city she used to live in. She looked down and saw the small Japanese garden in was beautiful. A small island with a bridge to the island; Decorated with small lanterns made of stone and a teahouse.

"It's pretty." Kagome awed. "My mother had a garden similar to this one, only that hers was a sitting garden, you know, to view from inside a building." A sad smile came to Kagome's face as she thought of what she had lost.

"What's wrong?" Sango asked worried for her new friend.

"I had a best friend."

"What was she like?"

Kagome smiled and told her it was a 'he'. Sango quirked an eyebrow and grin came to her face.

"Was he cute?"

Kagome blushed and nodded.

"Was he 'prince charming '"Sango asked with a silly smile on her face, which only made Kagome blush another shade of red.

"Not exactly."

"He was a jealous, short- tempered guy. But he was always looking out for me, he really was a prince."

"That's nice." Sango said giving Kagome a pat on the back. Kagome smiled and took something out of her pocket. It was a broken pink jewel.

"He gave me this, the day I left." Sango asked if she could touch it, Kagome handed the jewel to her.

"It's beautiful." Sango awed. Holding the jewel to the light and looking at it glitter.

" One day I will see him again so we can complete our promise."

"Promise?" Sango asked

Kagome nodded, her cheeks tinged a little pink as she replied.

"He said that when he is older we will get married and that he will protect me."

" I haven't asked you… but how old are you Kagome?"

" I'm five years old."

"Five!" Sango exclaimed to which Kagome nodded.

"Yes five, is it so shocking?"

"I thought you were at least eight or nine."

"Really?"

"Really. The way you talk you don't sound like a five year old… Sango put her fingers on her chin and looked skeptical "Although you do look young."

"I had to grow up fast that's why I talk like this… is it bad? "

Sango shook her head in negative.

"Of course not, its that I have never heard someone at that age talk like that. "

"Well you don't talk like your any older… exactly how old are you Sango?

"I'm eight years old."

"Eight?" Sango nodded.

"Yup, eight, like yourself I also had to grow up fast."

"Oh" was all Kagome could say.

"Let's go downstairs and I'll show you where the baths are at." Kagome nodded and followed her downstairs. Once they reached downstairs Sango bang her head.

"Oh no" Sango hit herself in the head and told Kagome that she forgot to close the attic door.

"If either Lady Kaede or Lady Urasue see it, I'm dead meat." She went upstairs while Kagome waited downstairs. There was a knock at the door.

"Some one answers that door." Came from a voice from upstairs. It was not Sango's nor is Lady Kaede for it was too deep to be theirs.

'It must be Lady Urasue'Kagome thought.

Kagome gulped and seeing that Sango was not down yet decided to open the door.

Kagome looked up and was stunned to see the woman in front of her. Her elaborate red kimono made her white make up face stand out. Her red bottom lip colored in the same color as blood stood in a straight line. Her gaze landed on Kagome who finally realized she had been gawking at the beautiful women in front of her. Sango finally arrived and her stair went straight to the woman in the kimono.

"For give me my lady I-"she was cut short as the woman in the kimono smoke

"Move this trash out of my way this instant." She spoke in a monotone voice, her gaze looking at Kagome. Kagome for her part hadn't listened to what was just said, until Sango moved her out of the way. The woman in the red kimono descended upstairs.

"Who was that" Kagome asked

"That was Lady Kikyo, one of the world renounce geishas" Sango said

Kagome stared at the woman going upstairs and wondered how beautiful she looked, even with a cold interior.

'I wonder what a geisha is?' She asked herself as She followed Sango the baths.

A?N another chappie, neat. Sorry i haven't been updating soon. I got a job and man is it a hassle, especially with a supervisor that can't stand the site of me.

anyways next chapter will be here soon.

Ja ne for now

inuyashalvrtoo .