In the under-cellar room of Naraku's castle, Kagura was staring at the sleeping girl's figure, paralyzed in the tomb of amber. The girl's hair was loose and spread out. Wisps of the dark silk were frozen in the amber while falling across her face and over her neck. Naraku had stripped her clothes from her and she lay completely exposed, looking peaceful. Kagura felt a bit of some unfamiliar emotion run through her veins. Was it pity? Yes, she imagined it must have been. Now this girl, once so free and independent, would be a slave of Naraku's. 'Just like me.' Kagura thought sadly to herself, turning away from Kagome's temporary tomb. Even now, as she placed her small hand against her chest, there was no beating of her heart. She was hollow in the inside. Naraku was her heart, and the wind was her soul. She climbed the ladder up from the under-cellar room to the cellar and then up that to the normal castle floor. She looked out the window, and watched as a spring flower petal fell from a tree, fluttering away in the wind.

'I am the wind.' Kagura thought to herself. 'And yet…', she looked down to see the palm of her hand… her soul was encased in flesh and blood… in pain. Naraku held her heart, and without that, she could never be free. She felt a twinge of pity for that girl, Kagome, because she once, had also been free. And now, the young priestess and herself had something in common. They were both servants of Naraku. "No… we are slaves.' Kagura thought bitterly to herself, as the flower petal disappeared from sight. "We are all enslaved by that monster." Kagura whispered to herself as she started down dark, gloomy halls, even the shadows, clinging to the wood like salamanders, licking their tongues of stirring shade out towards her and then back, seemed to be a part of her prison.

She exited the palace grounds, and stood in ecstasy as the warm winds coiled around her legs and arms, welcoming her. She pulled the feather from her hair and watched at it unfolded to life-size, she hopped up on it, so that she sat comfortably on the giant, feather, five feet long, four feet wide, and yet still as light as gossamer. She breathed in the fresh air as the wind caressed her face and churned her excitement. She was going flying.

When Kagura returned, her cheeks flushed from the wind, her hair cool against her scalp and an allover feeling of light, breathlessness rushing through her, she was approached by her sister. Kanna was a little girl, no more than five or seven, but many times Kagura thought that she was allowed more knowledge than any other incarnate of Naraku's.

She wondered often, why Kanna always talked to her, when it was clear that Kagura wanted freedom, and Kanna didn't seem to have any intentions of going against Naraku's orders.

"Kanna?" Kagura asked as she landed gracefully, returning the now shrunken feather to her hair.

The little girl stared at her with her large black eyes, her white hair and pale skin seemed as lifeless as ever. "It will be many months." Kanna said gently and without expression. "Until the amber tomb around the girl cracks." The round mirror that Kanna always carried with her gleamed as she moved it into an odd angle of light.

"The tomb of amber?" Kagura asked. Suddenly, Kagome's prison shot into her mind. Did that mean that the priestess was going to wake up? Kagura quickly hid her excitement, Naraku might be watching with his poisonous hell wasps, the Samyosho. He always seemed to know when Kagura was going to betray him, or attempt to escape. "Why are you telling me this, Kanna?" She asked, sounding annoyed as she brushed past her little sister.

"Because you yearn for your freedom," Kanna said in her usual quiet voice, though this time her powerless-sounding whispers had stunned Kagura into silence. "And she is the key to everything…"

Kagura froze, and her body turned to ice. Freedom? Kagome would be able to help her gain her freedom? Then should she be doing something to break the amber sooner than it was supposed to? Suddenly it occurred to her for a second time that Naraku might be watching them. "Stop talking about nonsense, Kanna." She snapped, partially out of frustration at not being able to ask her questions. " Your words are as empty as your head! There is no way I could ever escape Naraku…"

With that she left Kagura standing alone in the lawn. The little girl looked so lonely. Kagura wondered, as she glanced over her shoulder at her little sister, if she ever felt the overpowering urge to grasp freedom. Then maybe she would understand…