KAWAAKARI
"The river that glows amidst the darkness"
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Part II
Chapter XII
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The snow was descending in flakes, with a cadence of a winter who knows itself owner of the moment. Kagome was observing them as they joined those already fallen, forming a thick layer of snow covering the temple's inner garden. It was a beautiful spectacle. The white of the solidified water was able to irradiate light in the same way the Sun would do, and even though she should be enjoying that sacred instant of nature, Kagome could only think how impossible it was for her to go out of the temple that day.
"Kagome, is something wrong?" Her mother wondered, by her side, in one of the rooms for their daily tasks.
One of the doors was open, allowing the two women to gaze outside as they remained by the lit hearth, covering their lower body with a blanket, so to keep themselves warm.
"Nothing," she hurriedly answered. What was she supposed to say?
Her thoughts and memories were far, far away from where she was now, as they were, most probably, from her mother's understanding and acceptance.
"You are doing a good job with your traces; they look firm and delicate," her mother complimented, as she watched her work on the paper sheet.
It was a custom for them, to dedicate one day, every three, to the transcription of the emperor's Haikus, and the shinto's teachings. Her mother had always liked to read and write, for she believed one could find freedom for one's mind and spirit through them. Kagome had been raised with such a habit, despite her initial refusal, when little, because she preferred to climb a tree, to trace fine lines of ink on a piece of paper. Now, however, she felt grateful to her mother's insistence.
"Thank you," she voiced, before her caring words.
"You've improved quite a lot, in the 'soul' kanji, and the one for 'spirit'," she pointed out.
"Thank you," Kagome repeated, giving her a light bow this time.
Her mother seemed to understand then, that her daughter needed a moment to assimilate her positive words, and so stopped complimenting her.
Kagome traced a few more lines on her work, then her gaze wandered outside once again, attracted by the falling snowflakes. For a moment, they seemed to emulate the silent and unceasing way her own ideas remained in her mind. A few days had passed since her encounter with InuYasha Taisho, and she was still unable to find enough of her composure to replay the events, without experiencing the same anxiety as she had, with him, back then. Kagome was wondering if it was possible for the man himself, who was but a stranger until recently, to be feeling something similar. Her intuition, seemed to say that both of them were experiencing new sensations, despite their different backgrounds and ways to perceive life. Kagome was completely aware of the naivety surrounding her, due to the way she had been taught, to the manner in which she lived. She belonged to a rank of privileged women, she knew, whose only duties were to society, to be admired by their beauty, and to develop a diligent and silent demeanor that was seen as a value. However, in her case, her mother and grandfather had helped her to step slightly outside of that paradigm, which in turn gave her a wider view, even if just by a small measure, to observe the world. InuYasha Taisho, she felt, came from a completely opposite path; a man in a world of men, for starters, with a lord-like poise that place him in a ladder where he also needed to be feared and respected. Kagome wasn't privy to the details surround the licentious life of a single man during these times, however, she did now such a life existed. Her friend Yuka had mentioned so before, a comment born from Kagome's two-years-long friendship with her older brother, Hojō Seijitsu.
"I believe Hojō will visit us soon. Your grandfather happened to meet with his father a few days ago," her mother mentioned, as if reading her mind as the boy crossed it.
"Since when does Hojō announce his visit?" She sought to lighten the formality that his presence at home seemed to be acquiring. "As far as I can recall, he has never needed permission to drop by."
"Maybe his intentions are changing," her mother pointed out, and Kagome felt as if the cold snow outside, were slipping inside her komon through her back.
A thick silence came into the room then, only to be broken by one of the female servants working at the house.
"My lady," they heard the voice of Hanae, by the inner door, who seemed to have been waiting for them to finish their conversation.
"Yes? Something the matter?" Kagome's mother addressed the servant.
"A note has arrived." Her words came with her hand, extended, as it held a small bamboo wood platter made for the delivery of letters.
"Must be young Seijitsu." Her mother seemed willing to receive it, while Kagome diluted the ink slightly, as to continue with her writing. "It doesn't seem to be from him."
The doubt Kagome's heard in her mother's voice, called her attention.
"Who could it be then?" Kagome's question was suddenly answered, as soon as she caught glimpse of the seal that came with the note.
"Taisho InuYasha. I've heard about that family, although I had never seen any of their inkan." Her mothers' words were enveloping Kagome in the same way a subtle mist would, slowly, yet outside of her thoughts.
Why would InuYasha write to her family?
The question lingered in Kagome's mind, almost as strange as the way they had bid goodbye to each other, the last day they were together. Once they managed to leave the restless moment they had shared in the Koishikawa gardens, they walked towards the temple where Kagome lived, all while accompanied by a tense silence that, albeit not uncomfortable, couldn't be imagined between those who shared something similar to intimacy, or a secret. However, when the time came for them to separate, at the feet of the stairs leading to the temple, his parting words had made clear his disposition: You will have news of me.
She had been days trying to decipher what that phrase could mean, thinking that he simply meant to find her on the streets, in a feigned fortuitous manner, or that he may join her again in one of her strolls through the gardens again. The possibility of him sending a letter addressed to her family never crossed her mind; it felt as if he were uncovering the casual encounters they had enjoyed until now.
"What could it say?" The question her mother voiced was the proper one, and even so, Kagome was feeling as if nothing were as it should be. InuYasha Taisho had remained in the obscure security of her secrets, adding a certain magic to their meetings, a magic that was now being compromised by that letter.
"Are you going to open it?" Kagome wasn't quite sure if her voice sounded as calm as she intended.
"I am. It's addressed to our family rather than someone in specific, so it would seem appropriate to do so."
Kagome held her breath, as she observed how her mother opened the envelope, and brought out the rectangular, four times-folded paper inside. Her gaze rested on the calligraphy, its firm and dark traces on the rice-made sheet, and brought her hand to her abdomen almost instinctively, as if trying to protect her emotions from the impact the situation possessed. Her mother, she noted, was reading in silence, something that only increased the restlessness inside her.
"Unexpected." Was the first impression she heard from her.
Kagome had to close her hand into a fist, to contain the anxiety of wanting to know what the letter said. She wanted to ask what was so unexpected, but didn't trust her own voice enough to do so.
"Mr. Taisho is asking to meet with the family." Kagome felt how her mouth dried, and she swallowed with some difficulty, trying to relieve the tension and dryness of her throat. Every second her mother took to re-read the message, felt like an eternity. "He says he doesn't wish for anything too formal, and that he is willing to agree on the day we may choose."
Kagome made an effort to clear her voice with a soft, and dissimulated cough.
"Does he say why? Her tone felt a bit higher than what was usual, yet her mother's focus seemed to be on the letter, and the intrigue of its arrival, which, most probably, helped it go unnoticed.
"He doesn't. He is only asking to meet us," she said, observing the inkan one more time, "I wonder how old he is." Kagome thought about saying she didn't know, which was technically true. However, her mother added to her wonders, another, "Do you know him?"
Kagome went mute, her mouth a thin, hermetic line, as if anything she may say could break something around her. Finally, her mother lifted her gaze from the paper, and observed her, waiting for an answer Kagome didn't get the chance to voice.
"My lady," Hanae spoke from the room's inner door.
"Yes?" Her mother's focus changed direction, even if for a moment.
"Another message has arrived as well," the woman extended the bamboo platter, with an envelope on it.
Her mother took it, and upon looking at the inkan, mentioned, "It is Hojō this time."
Kagome sighed softly, relieved to see her mother's attention changing course.
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InuYasha was ascending through the stone stairs connecting the main house to the dungeons, as he was wiping his hands clean with a piece of cloth; one that, with many others, was going to be thrown to the fire after being used. The red of the blood traced the line of his claws, and stuck to the cuticle, the only way he had to remove it was by submerging his hands in water. He had been interrupted by Myoga, who went down to announce he had a visitor whose identity didn't take him long to elucidate; their smell had filled the place with the speed of a plague.
Upon reaching the first floor, he went to the main room, where guests were usually received. The door was only partially closed, a sign that there was someone inside. InuYasha pushed one of the wooden sheets without much care, soon getting a wide view of the interior.
"Isn't a bit late to visit out of courtesy, Sesshomaru?" Were his words. It wasn't a greeting; such a thing was foreign to them. Through the window, one could appreciate the darkness proper of an almost fully fallen night.
"I see your manners are as refined as ever." Was the answer that came from one side of the room, where the youkai stood by one of the bookshelves, that whoever decorated the place had been so bent on adding.
The light in the room was dim, InuYasha liked it that way. He stepped by one of the couches, then approached the hearth where a medium fire licked the air, with just enough intensity so that the house didn't look like a cave.
"I like to keep traditions alive." He tried to sound as casual as he could, and after that, just as Sesshomaru turned to looked at him, his hand threw the bloodied piece of cloth into the fire.
The gaze of his half-brother was keen, keener than what InuYasha would expect, and even under the human appearance Sesshomaru took on, through a spell similar to his own, his features looked fierce.
"It seems you've been having fun." Sesshomaru's words were sharp, as sharp as his still lingering gaze. InuYasha, who never let his guard down in front of his half-brother, tensed slightly, prepared to face him if it came to it.
"Something like that," he wasn't about to give him details about his actions.
Sesshomaru remained silence for a short moment, as if considering his next comment, something that wasn't usual in him at all.
"To what do I owe this visit?" InuYasha took the chance to go straight to the point, wishing to end this unexpected reunion as soon as possible.
Sesshomaru stepped closer, until her stood right in the center of the room. From there, he observed him in that condescending manner he had used with him since the day they met, despite the fact that InuYasha had entered his world because he was needed.
"The meeting of the Shugoshin has been moved forward."
The words lacked intent and emotion, a characteristic behavior that had been present in all of his conversations with Sesshomaru.
"For what purpose?" InuYasha didn't bother hiding his annoyance. He didn't like to meet with that arrogant group of beings who called themselves protector deities. Maybe, at the beginning of time, that held some sense; that wasn't the case now, he believed.
"There is no purpose." Again, he received the simplest of answers, albeit this time, it came with an added phrased that seemed to only highlight the indifference of the youkai, as he passed on the message, "it simply is."
In that instant, InuYasha realized there was something else forging, behind this visit.
"You didn't need to come here to inform me of this," he told Sesshomaru, not looking at him at first. His gaze remained on the hearth's fire, and on the bloodied piece of cloth as it burned. The metalized smell was beginning to fill the room, but he cared little if it bothered his half-brother; their bond was non-existent, as it was the need for courtesy. He looked at him again, then asked, "Why have you come, really?"
Sesshomaru turned around, taking his coat that had been resting on one of the couches in the room, and hung it on his arm, ready to leave. Even so, he left a few parting words.
"I wanted to know if you were the one leaving bodies behind in the village, and I believe that…"
"City," InuYasha interrupted. Sesshomaru furrowed his brow slightly before that superfluous clarification, yet it was so brief it barely took half a second.
"What does it matter!" The man retorted, raising his voice slightly.
"It's not me," InuYasha said then, "despite what you may think," he pointed at himself, and at the many stains on his vestments, "I know how to cover my tracks."
Sesshomaru stared at the hybrid before him, pondering. He had never liked him, but once he was able to leave his desire to kill that bastard his father left, behind, he had come to see his usefulness inside the clan.
"I hope that's true." Sesshomaru was aware of the disdain in his voice, yet he cared little. "That mediocre human instinct inside you, can bring trouble to us if you don't control it."
InuYasha knew such words were meant, precisely, to arouse his anger. Sesshomaru's antics weren't unknown to him; he had fallen for them before, at first, back when his own rhetoric knowledge was inexistent.
"By the way," the youkai spoke again, on his way to the door, "you can bring a pet; the Shugoshin like to have fun with humans."
InuYasha clicked his tongue, and answered, "don't bother closing the door when you leave." He wielded his words with stoic indifference, a struggle against the inner fire ever burning inside him.
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To be continued.
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A/N
I have so many ideas I want to place inside this story, that I wonder sometimes if I'll be able to correctly position them all. I do hope so, at least.
I hope you've liked it, and that you leave your comments.
Anyara
This text is possible thanks to the translation of: Dezart