Hey this my first fic don't be too hard on me and don't forget to review. There will be some OOC'ness so sooorry. I've changed some ages of people, Rin will be older in this fic as will be Kohaku and ummm... I'll announce other changes... oh yeah Kagome will be 3 years older than usual too (slight age change nothing big). I guess I'm making Kaede few years younger (Don't worry she'll still be the old hag Inuyasha likes to insult)only so that somethings could make sense in this fic because in the anime she's like 57 right...? . But give the fic a try although it sounds something that you've read before (What story doesn't -.-) i'll be sure to add something new to the mix ;]
Disclaimer: Although I wish I would I don't own Inuyasha or any of it's characters mentioned in this story. All characters belong to the great mind of Rumiko Takahashi.
Full Summary:
Kagome at the age of 15 was sent to the palace to train her powers as a miko so that one day she could become the holder of the Shikon no Tama. As soon as she becomes the holder she realizes that the palace has enemies, secrets, tragic stories of betrayal and love. The palace lingers with bitterness and she's left out in the dark to deal with something she doesn't know. So she gives into the darkness and falls for the most hated man.
Chapter 1
And Thus Today... She Was A Priestess
"Did you enjoy your birthday Kagome?" the old woman asked her.
She shifted from her bed to face the old woman at the door who had nearly startled her.
She had said that she was really exhausted from her trip back home and she needed to rest but the truth was she just wanted to be by herself. Everyone was preparing for the ceremony that was starting as soon as the sun would set. She figured she'd just be in the way even though the ceremony was much about her. In the end she had just excused herself and claimed to go to sleep.
"Mhm" she answered meekly.
The old priestess watched as her under study got up to a sitting position and slowly brought her knees up to her chest and pressed her chin between them.
"Is something wrong my child?" the old priestess ask worriedly.
She was surprised to see her all gloomy today. Ever since Kagome had started living at the palace her birthday was the high-light of each year. It was the only time she was allowed to go visit her family and when she did, she came back happier than ever and ready to get back to her training as a miko. But today on her 18th birthday something was different.
"W...hat if I'm not strong enough to take care of the Shikon no Tama Kaede-sama" Kagome blurted.
'Should have guessed' Kaede thought as she neared the young girl and placed her hand on her shoulder.
"What if I'm not pure enough... What if I'm not smart enough... What if I'm too scared... What if I'm too selfish... What if... what if.. wha-" she didn't get to finish because she was cut off by her elders wisdom.
"Kagome it's alright if your nervous, all chosen miko's are and they believe their not capable of handling the power of something so strong, just remember all the training you've done for these past 3 years and how much you've worked to get to earn this, simply remind yourself why and it'll be a piece of cake" the old priestess said with an assuring smile.
'That's right... I've been training for this for the past three years' Kagome thought as she raised her head to smile at Kaede but she had already left.
It hadn't dawned on her how long she had lived in the palace. She had started living there when she was 15 because it was her obligation... well it felt like her obligation.
Ever since Kagome was a little girl she always had a feeling she had spiritual powers flowing through her but she just didn't know how to use them. However there was a rule; any girl who possessed spiritual powers should be sent by the age of 15 far off to the sacred Mt. Azusa where they train to become a priestess.
Kagome was an exception.
~Lady Chiru~
3 years ago
Yes Kagome had been one of those girls forced to go but unlike the rest of them she was prepared. Not because she had to but because she wanted to. Her mother couldn't do much since it was the law but Kagome could see how much it was breaking her apart to see her daughter leave her for gods knows how long. See all miko's were different for some girls it could take even up to 10 years to become a miko, whereas for some girls it could just take 6 months. This worried her mother very much since miko's in training were forbidden to have visitors or visit their family.
However on the day Kagome was set off to leave to Mt. Asuza. The Higurashi's had a very unexpected visitor.
As Kagome was leaving the hut she lived in with her mother, brother and her grand-father she felt a strong presence. Something pure... something powerful... her head had snapped instantly towards the source of this aura and she saw an old woman standing a few feet away from her. She could tell that the woman was obviously a miko from the outfit she was wearing. But her own spiritual powers were weak.
'She must be one of the mentors... but how come she's here? Aren't I supposed to get to Mt. Asuza on my own?' she contemplated.
Her thoughts were interrupted when she had finally spotted the object which held such a high power. She could see it, she could see it through the woman's garment the round glowing...
"Wait a minute!" Kagome shouted as her eyes widened from realization.
'That can't be it! I've heard rumours about it... but... but that woman wouldn't be stupid enough to bring the Shikon Jewel here!'
"So we finally meet Kagome Higurashi" The woman finally spoke up.
"W-Who are you? " Kagome said hesitantly as she kept her eyes locked on the round glowing thing.
"I am Kaede"
~Lady Chiru~
"Ka-go-me-Chan!" She heard a familiar voice squeal as she opened her eyes.
'When did I fall asleep?' she thought but decided not to care much and shut her eyes again.
That didn't work because the next minute the young girl was shaking the life out of her as if she were unconscious.
Kagome began muttering irrelevant things like how she'll feed her to wolves the minute she get's up.
However her threats and scolds were useless because they came out in slurs and mumbles and Rin couldn't understand a word.
"Kagome-chan! Please! You have to get up! You have to!" Rin pleaded desperately.
By now she had stopped shaking her and resorted to just words which seemed to get some sort of reaction from the half-asleep priestess.
"I... don't... have to... until... the... sun sets..." Kagome yawned to her slowly.
"The sun has already set Kagome-chan! Your ceremony's already started!"
As soon as those words fell from Rin's mouth Kagome's eyes snapped open and she practically jumped up from the bed heading to the balcony. She slid the balcony door open and what greeted her was the sun...
'Setting!' her mind screamed.
She sank to the wooden floor moaning in grief as she pressed her head on the wall.
"This can't be happening! My first day as an actual Miko and I can't even show up on time!" Kagome moaned in disbelief.
"Pull yourself together Kagome-chan! You can still make it if you try !" Rin said as she started throwing the traditional Miko robes at her.
But Kagome didn't even budge, she sat there with her eyes locked on the clothes she was supposed to wear to the ceremony.
Rin looked up at the young priestess who hadn't moved yet.
'Why is Kagome-chan so down today?' she wondered.
Rin was one of Kagome's few friends in the palace. At the start Kagome had mistaken Rin for a servant, because while she doing her miko training with Kaede Rin would always help out. Rin would help Kaede look for medical herbs and be by her side when she was treating the sick.
Kagome knew Rin couldn't be training to be a priestess because she could sense that Rin had no spiritual powers flowing through her.
However what really caught Kagome's eyes was that no-one ever ordered Rin around or told Rin what to do. Rin was the one always offering to help the maids clean, the cooks to prepare the food and Kaede with finding medical herbs and besides for a servant she had way too much spare time.
It wasn't until she had spent two months in the palace she finally decided to ask Kaede about Rin.
This is when Kaede explained her the story about Rin which proved to be intriguing but also gave her more unanswered questions.
~Lady Chiru~
3 years ago/Flash back
"Kagome I want you to listen to this story carefully because it's very confusing, also don't interrupt me at any point" Kaede said with a serious face.
They were sitting in Kaede's hut which wasn't far from the palace but it was within the fortress that was built to keep outsiders away.
She didn't know much about Kaede back then other than that 2 years earlier she had once lived in the palace. However for some reason she had moved into this small hut where she continued taking in her patients that needed to be healed. Her patients were usually the staff of the palace that had gotten injured or sick. Other patients that lived outside the palace were usually treated at their own home. Kagome preferred treating patients at their own home's because one 1) she'd get to leave the palace grounds and see the outside world. 2) Kaede's hut was way too crammed with all the equipment she needed for treating her patients.
One day Kagome had thought about asking Kaede why she had moved out of the palace to this old hut but Rin had warned Kagome not to bring up the topic. There was something puzzling behind Rin's eyes as she warned her about bringing the topic up so Kagome decided to let it be.
'There are alot of things I've decided to let be in this palace...'
"Hmph, okay " Kagome nodded in response.
She heard Kaede taking a breath which worried her.
'It's just a simple explanation she's giving, right? Why is Kaede-sama stressing out so much then? Is she afraid she'll reveal too much?' Kagome wondered as she eagerly prepared to hear young Rin's mystery.
"Rin died when she was 8 years old but-" The old priestess started but only to be cut off.
"WHAT! How can she possibly be alive now then! That's preposterous! That's unbelievable! Unless... unless.." Kagome yelled flabbergasted as she pressed both of her hands on the floor leaning closer to Kaede in disbelief.
"Kagome..." the old miko warned in a dangerous tone.
"Right! No interruptions!" Kagome repeated embarrassed.
Turning red, she quickly lowered her head and stared at the floor of the hut as if it had something rather interesting on it.
The truth was she had spent only two months in the palace and she wasn't completely comfortable saying whatever she liked as she did back home. The palace held a melancholic stench to it and it didn't take much for Kagome to realize something tragic had happened in the palace which had made everyone so hostile and strict.
Kaede was the most strict of them all.
In archery training every time she failed to hit her target she could see the disappointment glowing in Kaede's eyes as if she were her daughter who'd let her down badly. She'd make Kagome always train too much; she'd have to hit the same target twenty times in a row until she could move on to a more difficult one and repeat the process all over again. There where 10 different targets she'd have to hit but she'd never get past 5. And each time she failed she could feel the bitterness seething through the old priestess. Kagome would always start her training at noon and be forced to give up when the sun started setting because she could no longer see her target. Of course she had breaks while doing this and she only had to do her archery training 3 times a week. But when she did this training it was hell on earth.
'Speaking of archery, I have my training tommorow' She thought sadly.
"Anyway 4 years ago Rin was killed by a pack of wolves " Kaede started once more interrupting Kagome from her thoughts.
Kagome had opened her mouth to say she hadn't mentioned that part earlier but the death glare Kaede shot at her made her keep her mouth shut.
"But luckily for her our Lord happened to pass by her and revived her"
"Wait a second, are you telling me that Lord Sesshoumaru actually saved a... human girls... life?" Kagome said ignoring the whole 'no interruptions' rule but she couldn't help it, something just didn't sit right in that sentence.
She had always found it weird that Rin followed Sesshoumaru as much as she could. Even when Rin was getting something needed for a patient of Kaede, as soon as Rin would see Sesshoumaru she would forget everything else and run after him.
But it all made sense now... Rin owed him her life and she most likely felt safe around him.
'How could she ever repay him?' Kagome's thoughts were once again interrupted by Kaede's hesitant words.
"Yes... the whole palace was shocked... especially... his... brother" Kaede said slowly and carefully.
This new information caught Kagome off-guard.
"Hold on a minute there! Lord Sesshoumaru has... a brother? How come no-one's ever told me about this or even mentioned it?" Kagome didn't miss how Kaede winced at the mention of the word brother and that left her wondering.
'Why are there so many things kept hidden from me?' Kagome thought because no-one told her about anything regarding the palace unless she'd ask and even so she'd be lucky to get an straight answer.
"Yes, he had a brother but I won't be getting into that. Is there anything else you need to know about Rin's revival because I'm in need of a nap" Kaede said sharply.
Kagome's eyebrows frowned.
'She never takes naps'
"I have one more question" Kagome stated as she got up from the floor, heading towards the door of Kaede's hut.
"How did... Lord Sesshoumaru... revive Rin?" She asked.
"With his healing sword Tenseiga" Kaede said softly.
'The sword that ironically can't harm anyone' Kagome thought.
"Ah right.. isn't it so that Totosai-san forged the sword out of the fang of Great Lord Inutaisho who gave it to Lord Sesshoumaru? " Kagome memorizing her earlier lessons with her teacher Myouga, he was one of the few people in this palace who told things as they were.
"Yes, that is very correct my child" Kaede agreed in surprise of her knowledge.
Just as Kagome was about to leave the hut she stopped on her tracks.
"But he also forged another sword... Tessaiga, what happened to that sword Kaede-sama?" She asked innocently.
"Kagome that's two questions" Kaede replied with slight annoyance in her tone.
"I know, I know.. I jus-"
"I need my sleep" Kaede now said not hiding her obvious irritation.
Kagome's eyes widened from her rude tone but then huffed.
'She's just getting old, that's why she really wants to rest' Kagome decided in her head as she walked out of the hut.
~Lady Chiru~
"Rin give it up, I don't deserve to be a miko in the first place, If I would don't you think the least thing I would've done was to wake up on time?" Kagome said turning her back towards the young girl.
'I could never be better than Her' the young priestess thought as she pouted against the wall.
Rin walked towards her and stood next to her.
"This is not like you Kagome-chan" she stated.
"Hm?" Kagome questioned looking at Rin.
"The Kagome-chan I know wouldn't give up that easily..." Rin sighed. "I guess I just got to know you better..."
'What on earth is she talking about? I'm now giving up I'm just stating the obvious... I'm not worthy of being a miko' Kagome told herself.
"It's a pity that your giving up after 3 years though..." Rin said deliberately rubbing salt in her wounds.
'Three years?' Kagome remembered.
'Three years and now you decide to be a coward Kagome?' She slowly rose from the floor causing Rin to smile.
'Always works when Jaken-sama feels like leaving' Rin thought.
'Three years of working so hard and you worry because you think you won't be as good as Her?'
Kagome picked up the miko garments.
'Better late than never' She thought as she undressed and dressed in record time.
"I'll do my best!" she assured herself as she nodded confidently.
She turned around to face Rin who didn't even glance to see if she had worn her robe correctly because she was already frustrated by the fact Kagome didn't wake up immediately. Rin grabbed Kagome from the wrist and they both dashed towards the place where ceremony was being held which was in temple found outside the palace but still within the palace ground.
~Lady Chiru~
It was too bad though that her best didn't allow her to arrive in time. As she and Rin burst in to the shrine where the Shikon no Tama was being held they did receive some glares from the guests who had already seated on the ground in front of the jewel.
The shrine was mostly populated with old monks and priestesses. There weren't any youkai's in there.
Embarrassed by her timing, Kagome walked briskly towards Kaede.
"I am so sorry!" She cried out bowing deeply to her elder.
"It's fine my dear, nothing missed your eye not even our Lord has arrived yet" Kaede said softly placing her hand on Kagome's head.
Just then the shrine doors opened. In stepped a cold stoic dominant presence. It was him; Lord Sesshoumaru, the youkai who refused to pity a single soul, the ruler of the western lands, the first son of The Great Lord Inutaisho. Not a single pair of eyes dared to shoot a glare at him as he strutted past them. Sesshoumauru barely noticed the people around him, which was expected. Eventhough he was the ruler and the Shikon no Tama was in the humans hands he still found no reason to offer a bit of respect.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" She heard Rin's signature squeal.
Honestly in the 3 years she had spent in the palace with Rin, she still failed to understand why Rin was so attached to him. She knew Sesshoumaru had saved her life, but Sesshoumaru practically had no life in him! Always the same cold posture and same monotone voice, she could've sworn the man was dead inside.
'How can someone with a personality like Rin's devote themselves to such a man?' Kagome wondered.
She watched as Rin ran towards him smiling joyfully, it was one of those smile's she only revealed when she was with Sesshoumaru and it was only meant for him.
Everyone bowed to him as he gloriously strode past them with Rin trailing behind him. Since Sesshoumaru was the ruler he was the only one who had a throne built in for him in the shrine. He took his seat behind the table where the Shikon jewel was glowing which was opposite to the people facing him and Rin sat obediently next to him on the floor.
Sesshoumaru turned his gaze towards Kaede and gave her a very subtle nod to start.
Kaede then cleared her throat and walked towards the table where the shikon jewel was.
"Before I begin the traditional speech I want to remind all of you we haven't had a holder for 5 years now since my daughter was killed" Kaede started.
"If it wouldn't be a nuisance, I'd like to have a moment of silence to honour her" the old priestess said as she lowered her head and put her hands together.
Kagome didn't know much about the earlier holder of the Shikon jewel. All she practically knew was that she died 5 years ago and she was Kaede's only child, she didn't even know her name.
All this had been told to her by Rin who didn't really know much because she was only 10 years-old when this had happened. Kaede herself refused to bring up the topic about her daughter's death, Kagome couldn't blame Kaede for that, but it still hurt seeing her grieving inside.
Every time Kagome failed something in her training. It's like she could hear Kaede's thoughts.
'My daughter could have done that better'
And it hurt. It hurt that she was constantly reminded that she was just a replacement for her daughter that had passed and no matter how hard she'd train she would never be as good as her.
'I'll never be better than her'
'I'll never be Kagome'
'I'll just be her replacement'
'Always...'
'Even though I've never met her, even though she doesn't know of my existence, even though she's dead... I can't compete with her... because... she's already won' She thought gloomily as she raised her head to look at her elder priestess who was beginning her speech.
"A lot of you know the story behind this jewel and how significant it is to the bond between humans and youkai's..." She started but Kagome wasn't really paying attention she knew the whole story by heart.
~Lady Chiru~
1000 years ago humans and youkai's were at war with each other. At the start the youkai's were winning because they were remarkably stronger and faster and eventually this lead the humans into giving up. The youkai's were ruthless, but they wanted to make use of the humans, so instead of killing them all they made them into their slaves. The human's were over-worked, beaten and raped. A night wouldn't pass by without a mother crying over her child being eaten by a youkai and a morning wouldn't wither without the same mother weeping as she woke up realizing the night hadn't been nightmare.
But truly the whole era of the youkai's ruling was a nightmare, a nightmare that lasted for 500 years.
What went wrong was the youkai's flaws and one of them was greed. What most youkai's wanted was wealth, glory and power and because they were so power-thirsty they refused to work with each other. They'd have pointless feuds which didn't settle anything and ended up killing one another.
This was a chance for the humans that were weaker and slower. The person who grasped this chance was a young but powerful priestess Midoriko.
When the youkai's had finally taken over a huge group of people fled to Mt. Asuza because it was a sacred place which youkai's couldn't enter. Many were left behind to the mercy of the youkai's but many were also rescued.
At the start they were scared and confused. They didn't know what to do and they didn't want to spend the rest of their lives in the mountain. This abhorrence annoyed a man called Nobunaga.
He found it humiliating that the youkai's had chased them away from their homes and family and refused to be perplexed by a bunch of filthy ruthless youkai's.
Nobunaga immediately declared himself the leader and no-one protested because either they were drowned in grief of their lost loved one's or simply didn't have any better leadership.
Nobunaga realized amongst him he had soldiers, farmers, priestesses, monks and normal civilians.
He separated the priestesses and monks from the rest of the people and told them that their oldest and wisest monk/miko shall be their teacher and train them with their spiritual power. They complied and they took over the temple where they trained to excel in their spiritual power. This was one of the reasons why to this day priestesses are still sent to Mt. Asuza to train.
As for the rest, excluding the women and children, would become soldiers. They would train each and every single day. They would spy on the youkai's searching for their weaknesses and then one day, they would avenge.
So when the youkai's started battling each other it was the perfect time for the humans to act. But Nobunaga had already passed away ages ago and no other soldier wanted to take the initiative to attack the youkai's.
The truth was that even though they had been preparing for this war for 200 years, generation after generation. They were still weaker and slower. No matter how hard they would train they could never match the youkai's speed or power. But they were smart and unlike youkai's they were willing to set their differences aside because they knew only way they could survive was by working together.
Though the one who knew this the best was a priestess called Midoriko. She knew this was it, that this was a now or never situation. So she proposed to lead the remains of the army Nobunaga had once lead. There weren't any useless protests or quarrels and so she became the leader.
This was an immense embarrassment for the youkai's; Midoriko's army was winning. Weaker youkai's were killed with swords and spears, stronger one's would be purified with arrows shot by a miko. The human slaves turned against the youkai's and joined Midoriko's army. The army was growing and winning.
But when the word reached the Great Lord of the West things changed. Inutaisho and a bunch of other strong youkai's were furious at the fact that a bunch of weaklings had managed to over-throw youkai's and take back their land. So they set off to finish what the other youkai's couldn't do.
However something happened in the midst of the battle. It's very unclear what happened to this day but for some reason Inutaisho wanted a truce.
Midoriko was also growing tired of seeing her men being slaughtered in front of her but she didn't trust Inutaisho enough to settle for a simple truce.
But somehow Inutaisho managed to convince her into making a truce which Midoriko accepted but only with her terms. Inutaisho would have to offer 100 of his men to her. Some would be his strongest and bravest and the other one would be the wisest and oldest youkai to sacrifice. In return Midoriko would offer the most kindest priestess she had and the most loved soldier by all.
~Lady Chiru~
"And thus the Shikon no Tama was created. Out of the souls of the demons Great Lord Inutaisho had offered and the two humans Midoriko sacrificed" Kaede said proudly.
"The Shikon no Tama is the reason why humans are able to live in harmony with youkai's" Kaede explained.
Kagome could've sworn she saw a smirk creeping on Sesshoumauru's face.
This all had been explained to Kagome before. After the way the youkai's had treated the humans when they were ruling there was no way the the humans could trust them again. So the Shikon no Tama was made, a powerful jewel that could crush any youkai... even the ruler of the lands.
This was a warning to show to the youkai's that if they ever pulled the same trick on them again, they were all going down.
Of course Shikon no Tama would always been taken care of by a priestess for a certain amount of time and once that priestess was done a new one would come along and continue this cycle.
'I just hope I never have to be the one using the Shikon jewel's power to destroy youkai's'
"And from today the priestess taking care of the bond between us, Kagome Higurashi" Kagome snapped out of her thoughts as all eyes went on her.
She smiled weakly as she realized how nervous she actually was.
'The jewel that has been existing for 500 years is being passed on to me!' It was all hitting her now the responsibility... no, the burden she would have to carry.
'It's not a burden it's an honor, it's not a burden it's an honor' she chanted in her head to calm herself.
The young priestess hesitantly walked towards Kaede who was now holding the Shikon Jewel in the palm of her hands.
'Clear your thoughts Kagome' She told herself as she slowly inhaled and exhaled.
She cupped her hands together and she reached them towards the Jewel. Giving Kaede a confident nod, Kaede released the jewel in her hands.
As the jewel came in contact in with her skin the glow it released grew brighter and stronger. It blinded almost everyone in the room. People had to turn away or cover their eyes because they couldn't look at the jewel directly. But that wasn't what surprised Kagome that much. It was the warmth the jewel brought around her, welcoming her, embracing her, connecting with her.
It was so pure, so powerful.
How could something like this end up in her grasp?
'Inuyasha' a soft voice whispered in to her thoughts.
Kagome's eyes widened.
'Did it just speak to me?'
The light of the jewel dimmed down and the jewel was back to it's original self.
Applauds echoed in her ears as she stared at the jewel.
"Your a priestess now" Kaede whispered to her ear.
'Inuyasha...' was the only thought that rang through her head.
~Lady Chiru~
"Lord Sesshoumaru your back from the ceremony I see!" the small toad squeaked as Sesshoumaru entered the main hall of the palace.
As usual the Lord did not reply.
"I still don't understand why does the mighty Lord Sesshoumaru honour his wonderful presence to such events" Jaken said purposely patronizing him.
Sesshoumaru brushed past him to his thrown and sat down. Closing his eyes and rubbing his index against his temple he coolly replied with his deep menacing voice.
"That is how father wished it to be, I would not need to attend these things if humans didn't die so easily and so quickly" He said coldly.
To his eyes humans were weak and pathetic. They died so easily and so quickly and yet to this day they stand equal with the youkai's. They even made a pathetic jewel out of fear.
'Pitiful'
He never himself understood what his father saw in humans.
'Especially Izayoi' he let out a low growl.
'And that pathetic son of hers... Inuyasha' He could feel his blood beginning to boil. Oh how he wanted to shred someone into pieces now.
Jaken could tell something was wrong with the Lord.
'Does this have something to do with Lord Sesshoumaru's brother?' Jaken thought.
He was too afraid to say his name in front of his Lord because the result would always be the same. A punch in the head that would leave him unconscious for days.
'It's been 5 years since he was last seen' Jaken thought as he stared at his Lord who had his eyes closed now.
"Jaken." Sesshoumaru suddenly said opening his eyes
'It's been five years since that miko died'
"Yes my lord!" Jaken answered as he bowed to him graciously.
'It's been five years since that jewel had a holder'
"Leave me be" he ordered coldly.
'Now it's been five years and we have a new miko and a new holder of the jewel'ยด the toad thought as he stood up and walked towards the doors of the great hall.
'Something is bound to happen' That was the last thought that went through Jaken's mind as the door closed behind him.
What is it that will happen that Jaken's so worried about? (I bet most of you can guess already). Did anyone actually manage to calculate Rin's age in this fic? Anyway that's my first chapter I feel so accomplished that I finally finished it ^^. There are many more chapters to come, many more stories to learn, Trust me this will be a Looong story that I'm willing to write :D tell me what you thought by leaving a review.
Until next time... Sayonara!
