Disclaimer: If you don't know, I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters.
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Sacrifice
Kagome waited outside of Keade's hut with the rest of the village. It had been two days, exactly. Keade would come out any time now.
"Kagome..."
"Calm down, Ami." Kagome said grabbing her friend's hand. "Everything will be just fine. Keade will have an answer."
"What if she doesn't?" Ami asked her eyes filled wit dread.
"She will." Kagome said with absolute conviction.
Ami nodded and they both looked at the hut.
Minutes passed and the village twitched restlessly.
Finally the hut door twitched and everyone sucked in air as Keade stumbled out.
"Keade!" Kagome and Ami ran forward and grabbed her arms. "Bring water!" Kagome ordered and someone separated from the group.
"Come, sit down." Kagome said leading the old woman to the fire to get warm.
"The gods...have spoken..." Keade said.
"And their message can wait until your strength returns." Kagome said sitting her down. "Water!" she reached back.
"Here." Someone put a bowl in her hands.
"Drink this." Kagome said giving the woman some of their precious water.
She drank greedily.
"Bring her some bread." Kagome called out.
"The gods have spoken." Keade repeated in a voice that was less rough than before.
"Rest, Keade, it can wait." Kagome said.
"No. Kagome, the gods have demanded a sacrifice. A human sacrifice."
There was a sudden hush over the village as all talking and movement stopped.
"Did....Did they say who?" Kagome asked after a second. Her lips felt numb.
Keade nodded and her eyes filled with tears. "Oh, Kagome. It is you."
The talking started up again twice as loud as before.
"They said you need to climb the mountain to the temple." Keade pointed and everyone looked at the large stone structure that rested halfway up the mighty peak. No humans lived there and they only came to pray when things were dire. "They said you need to climb alone. They said...Kagome they said they would accept only you."
Kagome looked at the ground as the world tilted around her.
"Well, you can't." Ami protested grabbing her arm.
"Yeah. It's not right!"
"You can't go, Kagome."
"Stay here. We will survive."
"I'll go."
"No me!"
"I'll be honored to take your place."
"No." Kagome said firmly. "The gods said me. And I will go. I will leave tomorrow."
"Kagome." Keade grabbed her hands.
"Eat." Kagome said taking the bread that had been brought. "Recover your strength. The village will need you."
"They need you more, child." Keade said. "I am old and serve no purpose. You can work as I can not."
Kagome shook her head and smiled. "You are our only healer. We need youmore. It is an honor to serve the village this way. I will climb the mountain tomorrow and I will make sure the gods deliver on their promise." she said fiercely.
Keade smiled sadly, "I would pity even the God of Death should you decide to bump heads with him."
Kagome nodded.
"Kagome. Don't do this." Ami pleaded. "We'll find another way. We'll move the village."
"Nonsense." Kagome said. "Stay here, stay safe. I'll do what I can."
Ami sniffled but backed away so others could say their good-byes and their thanks yous and their gods bless yous.
"Wish me luck." Kagome said. "Good-bye."
There was an aura of saddness, and yet hope, as she turned and started to climb the mountain trail.
Her sandals, old and worn from years of use, were sturdy on the dusty dirt path. Her hair had been pulled back to keep her eyes clear in case of emergency and she wore her best toga, because you did not meet the gods in your dirty and old clothes.
She licked her dry lips and tightened her rope that she wrapped around herself to keep her toga on.
She tried not to think, only to focus on putting one foot in front of the other but her thoughts came unbidden.
Her. A sacrifice. It was an honor to be wanted as such from the gods but...
Sacrifice.
She was to climb a mountain only to loose her life.
She took a deep breath and willed her feet to continue walking, to not stop, not falter.
"I will do this." she said out loud to herself. "Not for the gods." She stopped when the trail did and looked up. The temple sat only fifty feet above her. The rest of the way had to be climbed then.
Determined, she put her hands on the rough rock face, her foot on a small ledge, and pushed herself up.
"Not for the gods." she repeated as the wind blew her hair about her face.
"For Ami. For Keade. For Nala and her children. For the village." straining, she continued to push herself up the rocky wall.
"But not for the gods." Kagome said putting her hand in a rock and tearing her fingers.
She gritted her teeth as her blood spilled out, fresh and wet. And slippery.
"They will not die because I could not make it." Kagome said still pulling and pushing herself, ignoring the pain in her hands.
Her shoulders and arms got sore and her toes hurt from forcing her body up on the hard rock.
With one last, desperate push, her hands found, not rough rock, but smooth granite.
Kagome looked up and saw, with all her focus on pushing, she had made the 50 feet.
With a smile of triumph, she pulled and pushed herself up the rest of the way.
With a final grunt, she rolled onto the floor and stared at the ceiling as she caught her breath and gave her limbs a rest.
When she could finally move, she rolled over and looked ahead of her.
The long hall was empty. An alter to the gods sat at the end with two doors leading on and there were torches to light the room but other than that it was empty.
Then she looked in front of her. She made a sound of curiosity because there, laid out before here, was a fresh clean toga, new sandals, and a bowl of salve with bandages, for her hands no doubt.
"Those weren't there a second ago." Kagome said sure of herself. She looked around again but there was still no one there. "Hello!?"
Her voice echoed back to her, but no other.
Slowly, she reached out and grabbed the bowl of salve.
With careful fingers, she spread it over her fingers and wrapped them in the clean bandages.
When her fingers had been covered and treated, she looked up and said to the empty room, "Thank you."
"Thank you." her voice echoed back.
She picked up the toga and it unfolded and a leather belt fell out. The material and cut were much more fine than the one she wore now and the sandals had been lined in leather.
Figuring they wouldn't be put there if they weren't hers, and secure in the fact she was indeed alone, she removed her toga and replaced it.
She spent a minute savoring the feel of the silk on her skin and the leather on her feet.
After that, she walked forward into the temple. Surely a god or a messenger of a god would appear before her and take her as the sacrifice.
"Hello?" she said into the empty room. "I am ready. You have treated me very fair and I do not deserve such kindness. I have come to save my village. Please."
Nothing happened.
So, she wondered.
Curious, and with nothing stopping her, she opened one of the doors in the temple hall. It led to a courtyard surrounded by more doors and with a small paradise of flowers and even a fountain. Kagome studied it in fascination. She had heard there were fountains in the larger cities but she had never seen one. The falling water was a miracle to her. There were birds, small and colorful, and large and graceful with beautiful voices.
Suddenly a heavenly aroma met her nose.
Her stomach rumbled in response.
She followed the scent to another door. She hesitated for only a second before opening it.
She gasped.
There was a large dining hall filled with delicious foods.
Kagome nearly ran to the table. She grabbed a grape and put it in her mouth. The sweet juices were a shock to a system so long without food. So she went down the isle, sampling the food that had been laid out.
A few morsels of lamb that was succulent and flavored. Fish, bigger than she had ever seen, steamed and roasted. Grapes and apples and vegetables. There was even wine. Something treasured in her small village. Here there was enough to float a boat.
She ate and drank until her belly was full, for the first time in months. Throughout her feast, not a soul appeared. not one servant came to fill her goblet, which was gold and fabulous, yet it never emptied. No one came to clear away empty dishes, yet they were gone the second Kagome turned her back.
Happy and satisfied, she wondered if sacrifices were normally treated this good before their death.
Following her curiosity again, she left the room and walked down the courtyard. Behind more doors were fabulous things Kagome had never dreamed of. A library filled with scrolls, a large kitchen with no one there, and the best of all, a large bedroom with a canopy bed.
"It's beautiful." Kagome said walking in. "Hello? Is anyone here?"
No answer.
Seeing something off about the ivory blankets, she walked forward. Then stopped as she recognized the thing sitting folded on the bed.
Her toga, with her sandals on top.
"My room?" she said.
She moved the clothing and sat down on the large feather bed. With a large smile she fell back and sighed happily.
Suddenly the events of the day crashed down on her, that and a full belly, sent her right to sleep.
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