Kagome slowly opened her eyes, she yawned and stretched before she realized, she did not know where she was. She quickly looked around and found the room she was in was a million times better than her own, and she suddenly had an acute sense that something moved beside her.
She squeaked in fear as an arm was thrown over her lap. At that moment she grabbed the covers and raised them to her chin in fear. She clenched her eyes shut hoping it was all a dream but then peaked slightly to look at who was next to her.
She felt her body relax as she recognized the man next to her. She smiled sweetly as Kouga's sleeping face. She brushed the hair out of his face and shook her head at him, but she was still confused at how she ended up in this room. The last thing she remembered was a horrible burning spreading across her body.
Then she smiled, because she was ok, and now she was going to happy. She bent down then, nose to nose with Kouga and she stared at his closed eyes. Reaching her hand forward she flicked his nose and jumped back. He woke shocked and holding his nose.
Disoriented by sleep he looked for the cause of his stinging nose. When his eyes locked with Kagome's laughing body, his narrowed. Then his pinned her with a smirk. She stopped laughing then and narrowed her eyes back at him. Then he did something she was not expecting. He grabbed her sides and started to tickle her.
Kagome could not control the bursts of giggles or the water dripping out of her eyes. This went on for what seemed like forever for Kagome until Kouga stopped and fell back in his own fit of laughter.
Kagome started to pout then but Kouga stopped laughing and sat up next to Kagome with a serious expression. Confused by his sudden change of behavior Kagome was about to ask questions but the door opened then.
Ginta and Nala stood there staring right at them. Kagome resisted the urge to lower her eyes to them.
"I am so glad you two are getting along. We head out in an hour, say your good byes." King Ginta said before turning tail and walking out of the building. Nala on the other hand smiled at them before she walked away with a soft chuckle.
"Come on, we need to get ready to leave which means we need to get dressed." Kouga said as he ran his hand through his hair. Kagome blinked rapidly as she realized that not only was she in her sleeping kimono, but so was Kouga. Kagome lifted the covers then in embarrassment and refused to let them down as Ayame and another hand maiden came into the room.
The new hand maiden immediately started to dress Kouga for travel. Kagome wanted to look away but she wanted to see the type of clothes that were chosen. It was not the silk Kagome was used to seeing him in. It was fur. It was a fur kimono with armor wrapped around his midsection. Then he pulled up his hair into the signature pony tail and wrapped it with a fur wrap to stay in place. The hand maiden then tied black boots on his feet before throwing a huge black furred cloak. Kagome resisted the urge to run her fingers through the dark fur.
So mesmerized at her husband Kagome failed to realize she dropped the blanket and Ayame had already curled her hair. As the warm curls fell around her face Kagome started to come to her senses. She looked at the curls and then asked,
"How do you curl my hair? I have never seen someone with natural straight hair have curls like this." Kouga smiled at her before sitting down next to her.
"Our hand maidens are given fox fire for that purpose. Fox demons jar it, like a potion and when it's needed the hand maidens dip their fingers in and wrap your hair. It is not fire per say but it is packed with heat." Kouga said as he touched one of the curls that still had heat to it. Ayame then helped Kagome up to dress her.
Kouga turned his back to her for privacy as Ayame helped Kagome pull on a beautiful brown deer skin. It was soft and silky and Kagome smiled as she ran her fingers over it. Then she was surprised as the other hand maiden helped Ayame wrap armor around her mid-section that was a female version of Kouga's. Once the armor was in place, Kouga's hand maiden started to lace up Kagome's boots while Ayame wrapped Kagome in the same cloak as Kouga, a black fur.
Kagome ran her fingers through the fur now and sighed at the softness. Once she was dressed Kouga turned around and gestured for them to leave the room. Right before they left however Kagome grabbed Ayame's hand and asked
"You will be going to the South with us, right?" Ayame just nodded with a smile. Kagome grinned at that and hurried to leave the makeshift palace. When Kouga opened the door to the freezing world outside, Kagome expected to freeze, but the only thing that was cold was her head.
Then suddenly it was warm and she looked up at Kouga, he had pushed her hood up and pulled his on afterward without looking at her. Kagome just smiled at the sweet gesture. As they walked toward the pond for the last time, the other couples started to leave their makeshift palaces. Each was dressed dramatically different than Kagome.
Sesshomaru was dressed in all white with yellow, red, black, and blue designs. He also had heavy spiked armor wrapped around himself with two swords resting at his side and a giant puffy thing on his shoulder. Rin was dressed in a beautiful yellow and orange winter kimono and had a white cloak. Kagome was then questioning the armor, why did they all look like they were going into battle?
Kagome's attention was pulled to Naraku and his bride. Naraku was dressed in literally what Kagome saw him wear every day. A black kimono, with red webs and black boots, His bride however was dressed in a heavy red winter kimono with a black cloak.
It was then that she did not know Naraku's brides name. But Sango's bickering with Miroku pulled her attention to them. Miroku was wearing a dark blue heavy kimono, fur cloak, with a jingling gold staff. Sango was dressed to match in purple, and by the way Sango was moving, underneath the cloak had to be similar armor to Kagome.
When they all met in the middle Miroku pretended to break down in tears.
"Oh I am going to miss you guys so much! When will I ever see you again? Ah, and we do not even know each other's names! Whatever am I to do?" Miroku cried and Sango just rolled his eyes at the childish behavior. Kagome on the other hand giggled and said,
"I am Kagome." The girls made eye contact with her and started to say their names. When it got to Naraku's bride however she made dead eye contact with Kagome and said in a voice that sounded like frozen tinkling bells,
"I am Kikyo; it is a pleasure to meet the future queen of the south." Kagome managed a strained smile as she returned the words with a head bow. The tension started to rise between the future queens of the north and south so Sesshomaru broke it up by saying,
"You will see us again shortly Miroku. We have coronations to go to, and no doubt the half breed will want to meet you soon enough." His attention seemed to be elsewhere as he spoke Kagome noticed.
"That mutt better not come anywhere near my territory Sesshomaru, you remember the last time that happened?" Kouga said with an underlying growl, to which Sesshomaru responded with rolling his eyes.
Shippo appeared soon with a wave and a smile. Kagome had only seen him twice the whole time she had been there but she still recognized him.
"It is time for us to go big brother." Shippo said before waving at each couple. Miroku walked forward then and winked at Kagome as he passed her on his way out of the middle kingdom. One by One the couples all started to leave until it was just Kagome and Kouga.
"I am going to miss this place you know. It is weird just leaving." Kagome said as she replayed each memory she had here.
"I am so glad you remembered." Kouga said happily. Kagome looked at him then, confused at his statement.
"What do you mean? Why would I not remember?" Kagome asked. Kouga just smiled at her and then looked over at the building where he remembered Kagome had lain dying.
"To save you, we had to give you a tea. A tea that contained a special flower, a flower that is said to take away the drinkers memory, so I feared that you would forget me this morning." Kouga said with a broken smile.
"Why didn't you tell me? Why did you keep that from me?" Kagome asked with hurt lacing her features.
"Because, I wanted you to focus on our wedding, on our day together, I did not want you to fear the day afterward. I was resolved that if it happened, I would just help you remember until you did." Kouga said as he brushed the snow off of one of the flowers.
Kagome did not respond as she thought about what he said. She was angry because he did not tell her, but she was glad that he was looking out for her. She just settled on a frustrated feeling and absently scratched the mating mark.
Kouga looked at her then and then looked down at the dead flower. He sighed and then closed his eyes as if he was in pain.
"I know you are mad, I am sorry I did not tell you…I swear I had good intentions." Kouga said earnestly as he smelled his parents leave the palace. He gestured to Kagome then, that it was time to leave and head toward their future home together.
Kagome settled on the silent treatment and walked by Kouga, pretending like he was not there as she climbed into the carriage next to him. It was going to be a long trip Kagome realized at Ginta and Nala's expressions towards Kagome and Kouga.
Kagome wanted to bang her head against a wall as Nala immediately started to talk about future children and how much she was excited for them. Kouga feeling her discomfort at the topic just laughed because he realized how to Kagome he was a ghost until she forgave him.
The trip was going to be a long one indeed, but Kouga was getting a kick out of it because of his parents and Kagome's overpowering discomfort.