Chapter 26

Kagome raced through the halls of the western palace, her heart blackening with each heavy step. Her new weapon leached itself to her hip and glowed brightly, responding to the emotions raging within her.

"He couldn't even tell me himself?" she yelled at herself. "He didn't even have the decency to face me and say it. Instead, I hear it from the damn cook!" she shouted into the echoing walls.

The servants, having felt her purification power flare, pressed themselves against the walls as she passed by, praying that she would spare them her fury. Though they were not sure of the reason why the miko was so upset, they had grown to like her in the very little time she had spent there.

That morning, the cook was preparing the royal breakfast when he overlooked grease that had spilt and slipped, causing all the dishes he was carrying to fall and shatter. Kagome had heard the commotion as she was trying to grab a bite to eat in private and rushed to help.

"Milady, please don't dirty you're hands on my clothing, they are covered in grease and spice!" cried the humiliated chef.

"Nonsense, take my hand," she said grabbing his arm not waiting for his response. Helping him to his feet, she began picking up the larger pieces of the broken dishes.

"Thank you milady, but you really mustn't. It wasn't you're fault I was rushing," he said with the blush erupting on his tanned skin. He was a fox youkai, and someone as he should be more stealthy.

Deciding to spare him more embarrassment, she quickly changed the subject. "So what is the name of the excellent chef who prepares my meals?" she asked trying to rub his hurt ego.

Standing straight and booming with flattery, he grabbed hold of the front of his haori and bowed deep. "I am Daisuke, milady. I've been head chef here since Toga himself was a pup," he said laughing, his crow's feet wrinkling pleasantly.

Kagome stood and returned the bow. "Well all those years of experience makes me a very happy girl every time I eat," she said giggling at her grumbling stomach.

"Here, why don't you have a taste. To let me know if its just right for Lord Sesshomaru. I wouldn't want to serve him bad food," he said hastily with a wink.

Kagome smirked and took a seat on a stool beside the cutting counter. He placed samples of the morning's food on a plate for her and waited eagerly. Kagome took one bite and her eyes closed from the delight her taste buds experienced.

"Oh Daisuke, this is delicious!" she took a look around at all the food being prepared. "What's the occasion for all this?" she asked curiously.

"Why haven't you heard by now?" he asked shocked. Seeing the confused look on her face, told him as much. "Lord Sesshomaru has decided to take a mate, milady! With Lady Miyuki's return, Lord Sesshomaru didn't waste anytime in ensuring he did not loose her again," Daisuke informed her.

Kagome suddenly found it hard to swallow and her appetite immediately vanished. "He…decided what?"

"The invitations are to be sent out this afternoon with the messengers," he told her furrowing his brows. "Does this news upset you, milady? It has been well past his due time to take a mate and Lady Miyuki is a fine choice." Kagome couldn't be hurt by his comment. He hadn't a clue at what her and Sesshomaru shared.

"No it doesn't upset me. I…I just wish he told me about this himself," she said setting down her utensil. Getting up, she bowed deep to Daisuke. "Thank you for allowing me to taste you're food. It certainly suits the celebration you're preparing for."

With that, she turned and nearly ran out the kitchen door, leaving a very stunned cook scratching his head.

As she ran through the halls to reach his study, her sword appeared at her side sensing her anger.

"It's a good thing you came. I might have to cut someone's head of now," she warned it silently. It pulsed at her hip and responded to her pain by trying to send soothing waves to her. But it was useless. She was pissed.

She made every intention of barging into his office, when right before her hand met the door knob, she smacked into something hard and white with an "oomph".

The stunned miko stepped back and rubbed her pulsing nose. Finally looking up to the wall she ran into, her anger flared again. "You!" she shouted.

"Miko," he greeted coolly.

"No! None of that bullshit! Why couldn't have told me yourself? I thought that our feelings aside…I thought we were friends! Why couldn't you have told me?" she said fighting back tears.

"I held you in higher respect, believing you would have understood that this was inevitable," he responded walking back into his study.

"Don't walk away from me," she said wagging a finger at him, following him in and slamming the door behind her. She felt him erect a sound barrier as he stood in front of her, eyeing her with a bored expression. If she wasn't so furious, she may have seen the glitter of guilt in his eyes. The twitch of the corner of his lip, wishing to kiss away her pain.

"How could you not even tell me?"

"Miko, it was decided last night. It is not my fault you can't wake any earlier."

Silence. She simply didn't know what to say, or do. So she did the only thing she could. Suddenly, there was a resounding slap heard only in the office. He could have blocked it, sliced off her arm. But he didn't.

She stood there, tears now streaming down her face. "You know what, you're blind to how much you and Inuyasha are so much like you're father," she bitterly said as she turned to leave.

She was suddenly pressed against the wall, fangs bared at her menacingly. "I am not my father. I did not cheat you nor did I fool you as to my feelings on this situation. Speak that way again and you will loose you're tongue," he threatened.

Shutting her eyes tight, she wanted nothing more than his hands to be off her. Nishi-nami swiftly pulsed with a thud and in a flash, Sesshomaru was thrown to the other side of the room, the smell of burnt flesh in the air. She turned around to look at him in horror, as his bleeding hands scrapped the floor as he tried to stay on his feet in a low crouch. He didn't take his blood red eyes from her, and he didn't know whether to kill her or hold her close. Don't do this, he begged silently.

You did this. Not me, her teary eyes responded. She opened the door to a stunned Miyuki standing in front of her. She pushed passed her angrily, storming away from the both of them. It became abruptly clear now something she was wishing wasn't true. Kikyo couldn't escape it. Countless mikos before her couldn't escape it. And now she realized she couldn't either. To be a miko, means to live alone. Fight alone. Die alone.

The tears poured down her torn face as her soul cried with her. Damn this jewel. If it wasn't for this…curse! I would be safe in my bed, around family and friends. I would still be happy.

She passed Reizo in the hall and he grabbed her arm, stopping her. "Kagome, what's the matter?" he asked concerned.

She stared down at the floor thinking for a moment. Throwing a fake smile, she hugged him. "Thank you for preparing me for the court. I would have really struggled if it weren't for you. But now I must leave. I have my own destiny to fulfill," she said as she pulled back from him.

"Kagome," he spoke out in a weary tone. "Does Sesshomaru know about this?"

"He has a lot to worry about as it is, with the upcoming mating and all. I am not his burden to bare. I'll be leaving right away, after I take care of a few things." She turned and sprinted in the other direction, hoping he wouldn't sense the lie in her voice. But he indeed sensed it. Along with betrayal, hurt, and for some strange reason, guilt. He bowed his head in remorse. Truth was, he felt for the girl. She was pure hearted and bright. The pain etched on her face was not becoming of her.

Kagome ran up the steps and stopped by one of the bedroom doors. Knocking loudly, she continued to pound even after the door had opened. Sango saw her friend in tears, and immediately wrapped her arms around her.

"Kagome! What happened?" she asked worried.

"Sango…I…I need to leave for a little while. I don't belong here and I need to really find out who I am," she started. This would spell the end of their little group. At least for now.

"Kagome, what are you saying? What's going on?" came Miroku's voice from behind her.

"I need you to take Shippo somewhere. I read in one of Sesshomaru's scrolls that there is a training village for demon children. The master there is kitsune," she said as she began giving directions.

"Kagome! Be silent for one moment! Where are you going?" Sango demanded with fear. What is causing Kagome to react this way? She would never abandon Shippo.

"Sango, please. I need to leave. You're destiny is to hunt and kill Naraku as much as Miroku. I'm not so sure what I am or what I have to do anymore. I'm not going away forever. Maybe just for a month or two, or until things become clearer," she explained dropping her shoulders.

"Mama?" came Shippo's tiny voice from behind Miroku. "You promise you'll come back for me?" he asked with his ears bent behind his head, tears rolling down his face.

Kagome's heart shattered into pieces as she scooped him up in a big hug. "Shippo, I would never abandon you. The only way I wouldn't return is if I were dead, and I will not allow that to happen," she promised.

He wiped his tears and gave her a big hug. "Then I want to train with the kitsune master. I want to be strong to protect you, mama," Shippo said earnestly.

She hugged him a moment longer before whispering, "Thank you," in his ear. She passed him over to Sango and bowed to her friends.

"Kagome," Sango called before her friend could leave. "How will you eat? Sleep?" Kagome could see the worry written all over her face. She smiled and even through her tears, it was real.

"Because I'm a survivor. I'm not weak. I simply just don't know who I am. But I do know that nothing in this world could keep me away from you guys too long," she answered giving the three of them one last hug before turning into her room to pack.

Shutting the door behind her and pressing her back against the cool wood, she allowed herself a moment to compose what was left of her sanity. She looked around the room, feeling very much like it wasn't hers, and brushed off the frown forming on her lips.

She began to throw on her old school uniform but eyed at the training suit Sesshomaru had given her. Deciding not to wear it yet, she threw it and her essentials into her yellow sack. Right before she was out the door, the sword appeared on her hip, glowing slightly in aggravation.

"Thought I was going to forget you, huh?" she giggled as it responded by pulsing harder. "Even if I did, I don't think you'd forget me," she said patting it as she walked out of her room.

No one stopped her on her way out, but she could feel the eyes of everyone from the castle staring as she walked down to the palace gates. The stare that she felt the hardest, was the only one she was hoping wouldn't see her.

Sesshomaru pivoted on his heels and turned away from the window. "Stupid human. Just like her to abandon her commitments here, for her own selfish reasons," he grumbled to himself. Looking like the spitting image of a pissed off warlord, Sesshomaru sulked down the halls and growled at all the servants in his path.

Miyuki watched her fiancé walk away and bowed her head. Tears slowly fell from her eyes and her heart sung a melancholic tune. "Love, I know what we had back then was real. But its becoming apparent to me that you're heart is no longer where it once stood." Feeling the quiver in her breath, she set her resolve and lifted her head, speaking to the walls. "This is wrong. I may want you dearly, but not at the price of my friend's, and yours, unhappiness. I will fix this. But give Kagome time to relax. If I approach her now, I will only feed to her anger."

Miyuki strode down the hall, following Sesshomaru's steps. Each step she took made her surer of her decision, and gave her the confidence to soon break her own heart.