A/N

Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha or Yu Yu Hakusho. I also don't own the cover art. The original characters mentioned in the story belong to me.

This is a continuation of "Temptation's Flower". Yuuta's Name has been changed to Seijun in this second part of the story. Expect romance, battles, familiar characters, and plot! Youko will make his permanent appearance VERY early in the story. No disturbing material.

Year 1491

April 5th

Musashi Province

Two months had passed since her time spent in the Kai Province, training under lady Tsubaki, and with her training completed within five months, a far less time than high priestess Kaede had predicted, Kagome found herself at home in the village. Home sweet home. As home as it came to be and had surprisingly changed since her last stay. When she arrived in mid-march, she never expected the changes which had taken place during her absence.

First, there was the completed reconstruction of the huts, but the improvements stretched far more than she ever imagined. With the demon slayer's help, several more huts were erected, each with built in kamado stoves, which she'd seen during her previous visit to Edo and Hitomi Village, along with improved shoji screen doors, locks, nicer windows and better flooring. Not to mention everyone had their own basins to take baths! Now, if only it included personal toilets...

But that was only half of the best part.

Upon her return in mid-march, the village welcomed her back with cheers and celebration, and she was immediately enveloped in smothering hugs and affection from the former bandits. It turned out that they had settled down with their loved ones, most if not all, living their own separate lives. And then, before she could even utter a tear-jerking hello and I missed you all so much, they had snatched her off her feet and carried her all the way above the village where the old well and temple sat. Only, there was no longer a temple there, but a house.

Her house. Kagome's house.

A house in which the bandits had poured all their love into building just for her. A gift they wanted to return to her for all she'd done for them and the entire village. No lie, Kagome fought through the tears at that point, and she had cried even harder when Aiko handed Shippo over to her. She had missed everyone. Not once did she expect anyone to do this for her, to even care that much. But they did.

According to the bandits, the house was a design Yuuta had thought up for her, and during her tour of the rather large house, which even included an upstairs loft where a futon was spread out, the bandits had gone above and beyond to add everything she'd ever require. And that included everything from a living area, separated by several rooms with shoji screen doors, an upstairs loft, and an outside terrace which stretched around the house with several beddings of flowers and herbs.

There was even a makeshift basin made from stone on the back porch, compliments of Sango, with a mechanism beneath it to warm the water. A screen divider, embroidered with pretty flowers and fishes, offered her privacy, along with a shelf containing essential jars of oils, for her hair and body. Kagome remembered asking her about how she crafted homemade soaps and shampoos last year, and she was excited to use them again.

Various treasures decorated the inside furnishings, ones which she felt she didn't deserve, and she pondered where the bandits had even found these things. A thought in the back of her head warned her that these were stolen goods, likely taken from noble families, but Yuuta had reassured her that their gifts came from the riches they had saved up over the years. There were fancy vases with orchids, bear and wolf hide hanging from most of the rooms, pretty scenic paintings drawn by talented artisans, low-rising mahogany tables, curved and intricate drawers and colorful cushions, not to mention all the pretty kimonos inside a golden inlaid chest in the upstairs loft. There were even clothes for Shippo.

Speaking of Shippo, he'd grown quite a lot since she last saw him, and according to everyone in the village, although she found it difficult to believe, he had not once cried since she left. It was dumbfounding, but then again, he wasn't a human. And as sad as it was to admit, she had missed out on a lot. She had missed his first words and his first steps. Shippo was no longer a baby, but an energetic toddler whose curiosity remained never-ending.

His auburn hair had grown longer and rested just above his shoulders in soft curls, his emerald-green eyes just as bright as she remembered, but there was one thing slightly different about his appearance, despite his growth. It was the tips of his pointed fox ears. A tinge of silver painted the points, and the same silver also appeared at the end of his fluffy tail. Kagome wondered if this was a trait all red fox demons went through or if it was possible, he was a mixed breed of silver and red.

Regardless, she knew one day he would grow up to be very handsome, and judging by the rate at which he'd grown within five months, she was sure she'd see him reach maturity in no time at all. And all this time, she thought she'd never live to see him grow any older than a babe. Just thinking about it brought a tear to her eye.

Since her return, she had spent a great deal of time catching up with Aiko, only to learn that Naomi had married the young demon slayer and officially moved away to live with him. It was honestly romantic, and she couldn't be happier for her, but when she learned Naomi was pregnant with a certain bastard's child, Kagome grew uncomfortable. Fortunately, Aiko had reassured her that her husband would love the child no matter what, and Naomi would never blame him or her for what happened in the past. It was a relief, sad and yet a joyous occasion.

The same could not be said about High Priestess Kaede. When she learned that the older woman was bed-ridden with a serious illness, vomiting blood, low appetite and overall exhaustion, she feared the worst. This undoubtedly led to a serious conversation between her and Yuuta and the next step, which would decide the fate of this village, and after much time contemplating the matter, she and Yuuta made their decision.

As of late March, they married and moved into Kagome's new house as husband and wife. On the marriage contract, Yuuta had changed his name to Seijun Higurashi, with Seijun being his birth name, while the former was now a memory of the past. He vowed never to use the name Yuuta ever again, as it was a reminder of a life he no longer wished for. And with this change, he became the headman of the village.

Along with all of this, Kagome also took on the role of High Priestess, now that Kaede could no longer move from her bed without difficulty. According to the physician who had visited on and off, the old woman had little time left. Perhaps a year or less. In which case, Kagome spent as much time as she could with her, trying her best to remedy her illness while also juggling the affairs with the villagers.

Lifting herself from the futon, Kagome stretched her arms above her head and yawned. It was a new day. Moving toward her dresser, she retrieved her blue and white priestess attire, which Aiko had sewn for her as a gift. The colors matched her high school uniform, which remained tucked away in storage, and the cloth came from Edo. Surprise, surprise, it came from the Daimyo himself.

How and why?

Well, to put it bluntly, just before she finished her training, the Daimyo had finally settled everything concerning the issues with not only their village, but several other villages within the surrounding territories. Lord Takeo had paid for his crimes and was stripped of his title, and the result led to the Daimyo's guards delivering the abducted women and children back to the village. Everyone was safe and accounted for, no longer kept as slaves and or prostitutes.

As wonderful as this news was, he did not stop there. In fact, as an apology, he had delivered valuable gifts to everyone in the village, gifts ranging from fine silk clothes, an abundance of food and seeds, toys for the children, blankets, and jewels. Even more surprising, he had even gifted the village several chickens, goats and horses, one in particular for Kagome. There was even a personal letter addressed to her, one which spoke of his affections and hopes of seeing her again, but as flattered as she was, she could not accept his confession.

She was now a married woman, even though it was only by name. Truthfully, there was nothing more between her and Seijun. No intimacy besides friendship, and as far as she knew, she doubted anything more would escalate between them. There was no time for anything more adventurous besides her current duties at this moment, and just as Kaede mentioned months ago, should either of them fall in love with others, the marriage could be nullified.

This was a temporary marriage for the village's benefit. Because Kagome could not do this by herself. She needed Seijun's brains and strength for this, for as long as he could. She was fairly confident she could handle most things around the village in terms of light sicknesses, injuries, and the occasional attacks from outside demons.

Truth be told, shortly after leaving the training grounds, she never expected a summons by the Takeda Family, one of the many branches in Japan, for help locating their missing princess. Who would have guessed the family had a very close relation to the current Daimyo? It turned out Princess Tsuyu was the youngest sister of Nobutsuna, and she'd been kidnapped by an artisan who had fallen madly in love with her, but it had ended with him possessed by his own paintings. The ordeal in which they fought him took at least a full day until they rescued her and returned her safely to Kamora Castle in the Shinano Province. It was a journey that took several days, but fortunately by horse, that time was cut in half.

Aside from everything that's happened, the time spent in the village remained peaceful. Presently, there were no threats or issues at hand, and she'd taken that time to catch up with all her friends, as well as focus on some menial tasks around her new house. Oh, did she forget to mention that the bandits had installed an outhouse? Well... they did!

Oh, what a relief it was! Way better than a simple hole in the ground without a wall, and much better than a simple chamber pot, which Sango's family owned. This outhouse actually had a makeshift toilet seat, but while it lacked any Charmin ultra-toilet paper and a comfortable seating pad, it at least had several leaves and tissue paper prepared. Sadly... no Febreze, but she'd take this over squatting in the forest anytime!

It still felt like a dream. The village had come a long way since she first arrived, but she had plans to take it a step further. But for the time being, before those ideas came to fruition, she had focused on everyone's safety by erecting a barrier around the entire village. She did this by fusing her spiritual powers into many small stones and burying them in the soil around the outer village. It was a simple trick lady Tsubaki had taught her and wouldn't drain her powers constantly, but the only downside was, if someone unburied those, then chances were, the barrier would fall. Special sutras helped conceal the scent of her powers.

With this newfound safety, it meant that any trespassing demons would become neutralized or, in better words, vaporized. Kagome had prepared beads for this exact instance and had placed them onto Shippo, that way the barrier wouldn't hurt him. They were like subjugation beads, and matched the blue and white bracelet around her wrist, which still concealed the Sacred Jewel's powers.

In those five months of arduous training, she had learned a lot, so much so, that there was nothing else which needed improved upon. Those skills were bow training, staff training, meditation, spiritual sealing, healing, purification, purification-reflection, shikigami creation, mayose, and arrow of sealing. And above all of those, she had finally calmed the darkness within the Sacred Jewel.

The Sacred Jewel of Four Souls was not only an object that released her dormant powers from slumber, but had also aided her throughout her training. It was both a blessing and a curse, but for the benefit of others, she would continue to conceal its whereabouts with the subjugation beads, calling upon its powers only when she needed it the most.

But should anything corrupt it, it would end her life, hence why lady Tsubaki warned her to never fall off the path of righteousness, nor fall into a forbidden love with a demon. Kagome thought back to the last conversation she had with lady Tsubaki, her words weighing heavily on her mind.

"Throughout my years, training young girls to become righteous priestesses, I have seen many withdraw into darkness. When you let fear cloud your judgement, you make wrong choices, and the results end tragically. If you use your powers wrongly, there are consequences worse than death."

Kagome bit her lip. What could be worse than death?

"You could very well fall into darkness, your very soul consumed by the jewel and in the end, you would no longer have control over yourself. Should that happen, the jewel would become a manifestation all on its own. If that happens, I fear for this world because not even I or any other priestesses could handle the aftermath."

Kagome gasped. "Are you serious?"

Tsubaki nodded. "But I have faith in you, Kagome. You are strong willed and very persistent. I have no doubts you will have great achievements in the future. Always remember my words. Now... before you head out, there is something important I wish to discuss with you, Kagome. As a priestess, it will be your duty to help those in need, and fighting demons is a given. You will come across many terrors in your life, especially now that you've increased your spiritual strength. Those powers will lure in many demons. What I must tell you is something other priestesses have failed to surpass. Something even I fear may become a downfall for you as well, Kagome... Under no circumstances should you ever become intimate with a demon."

"Huh?"

"You may find the thought ridiculous now, but should you ever come across a demon whose form replicates a human, you must use extreme caution. Those demons have a way of tainting our priestesses. Many in my lifetime and before then have fallen prey to these foul creatures," She said, shaking her head. "Tell me, Kagome. What happens when the powers of a priestess mingle with that of a demonic sort?"

"They clash."

"Correct. When they clash, an ill fate will fall upon you. That's what happened to a dear friend of mine long ago... Back then, she gave her heart to such a demon, and in the end, she lost her life."

"Lady Tsubaki... who was she? And who was this demon she fell in love with?"

"It happened eleven years ago. Her name was Tsukiyomi, one of many talented girls who I trained beside. During that time, I was nearly finished with my training. She was a spirited girl, just like you, but her training was different. Tsukiyomi was not fully a priestess, despite being born with divine powers. Instead, she took up the sword and staff... After surpassing her training, she took with her the knowledge our teacher gave us but lost her heart to a demon along the way. A demon I will never forgive. She said it was love and that he was different from other demons, but it was then I knew she was lost."

"So... she found a demon capable of love?"

"Any creature in this world is capable of love, Kagome. But Tsukiyomi failed to realize that their powers clashed with each other. In the days she visited the temple, she was no longer the energized and spirited woman I had befriended. Her strength had depleted extraordinarily, and she became frail and weak. Still, she did not blame that demon, despite knowing his mere presence had drained her. I wanted to save her from this, but before I had the chance, she ran away. Me and the other girls tried to stop her and chased after her, but when we finally caught up to her, it was already too late."

"What happened?"

"We found Tsukiyomi consumed by her own spiritual powers, and a darkness had swept within her, eating her alive. All the time spent with that demon had drained her not only physically but also mentally, and this imbalance clashed with her enormous spiritual powers, that it became impossible to control it. Those divine powers became tainted. And in her weakened state, it was impossible to save her. The demon she had fallen in love with had eaten her and absorbed all of her power."

Kagome covered her mouth. "But... I thought he loved her?"

"He did not. Tsukiyomi could not see what others could. That demon had tricked her, preyed upon her spiritual powers, weakening her until she could no longer breathe. It was impossible for me to fight against him, as his power was too great. In her last moments, she cried out to us for help, pleading that she didn't want to die. And all that was left of her became ash. Now you understand how I feel about these demons, Kagome..."

"I'm sorry, lady Tsubaki... It must have been so hard on you and everyone else... I'll keep those words in mind, but I have a question."

"Go on."

"What about marriage? Between a man and a woman? Human, I mean. Is it possible for a priestess to marry?" She asked.

"There is no law against it. Should you decide to settle down and have children one day, you may do so. It will not conflict with your spiritual powers, so long as you continue your training. But remember this. Should you ever feel a strange darkness inside you one day, I want you to come back to my temple. I will help you. Do you understand me?"

"Yes."

"Good. My thoughts are eased, for the time being. Since you've completed your training, I'll give you this," She said, handing a wrapped scroll to her. "Take it with you back to Edo and give it to your Daimyo. Once he receives it, you will be inscribed as a priestess within the records. After which, you are then on your own. Whether you decide to wander the lands, helping others or remain in your village, you may do whatever you like. But I recommend you experience a bit of traveling which will open your horizons."

"Thank you for everything, lady Tsubaki. I won't forget my training."

After dressing herself in her priestess attire, Kagome reached for the scroll beside her futon and descended the ladder from her loft. Turning the corner of the hall, she stepped through the open shoji screen door and found Seijun and Shippo sitting at the breakfast table, with Shippo playing in his lap and tugging on his beard. The sight was too precious.

"Good morning," She said, and joined them at the table, seating herself on a soft cushion before welcoming her child into her arms. "And good morning to you, my sweet Shippo. Were you tugging on papa's beard again?"

The child giggled and nodded, pointing at him while clinging to her arm. "Hairy! Papa is hairy!"

"That's called being a man, Shippo," Seijun said, defending himself while sipping his tea. "But I suppose it needs a bit of a trim these days..." He said, stroking the mess of black hair before digging into his plate of fish and rice.

Kagome couldn't help but laugh. "A bit? I think you're overdo for more than just a trim, Seijun. You look more attractive when you're showing off your sharp jawline," She said, teasing him. "Doesn't he, Shippo?" She asked, and the child nodded and clapped his hands.

At the mentioning, he touched his beard again and brushed away bits of food which had gotten stuck. "You think so? Then... before I leave, I suppose I'll tidy up my appearance. I've got a long journey ahead of me."

"Are you certain you'll be okay on your own? At least take some men with you," She said, but he shook his head. Sometimes he could be so stubborn.

Today he would venture to Edo to meet with the Daimyo and turn in not only her diploma for graduating under lady Tsubaki but also hand in their marriage certificate, hand written by Kaede and with her signature as a witness. Seijun was adamant on taking this voyage alone, especially considering Kagome had only recently returned to the village, and that he would return within a month if nothing delayed him. It was sweet of him. Now that she thought about it, he'd gone above and beyond since the moment they married, refusing to let her lift even a single finger of chores around the house.

"In that case, it can't be helped..."

"I received a letter from Sango saying she'd visit soon. She apologized for missing our wedding and wants to make it up to us, but she's been away on several missions with the other demon slayers. I guess something sinister is happening up north though..."

"I wonder if it's related to those demon attacks we've heard so much about," Seijun asked, finishing his plate before standing. "It's a good thing the village is protected by your barrier. There's a chance those group of demons might pass through this way."

Kagome frowned. "I wonder what they want..."

"What else? To cause bloodshed and mayhem. Seems like they're trying to cause an uprising, not only eliminating every village around but also those of lesser demons," He said, shaking his head. "What creature in this world doesn't vie for domination? It doesn't settle well with me that I'm leaving, but I know the village is in safe hands. I shouldn't be gone for any longer than a month."

As Seijun moved from the table and stepped outside on the terrace, Kagome watched him as he reached for a blade and crouched over a bucket of water, shaving the mess of hair free from his face. While he tidied his appearance, Kagome finished her breakfast, wiping Shippo's mouth free of rice before carrying him outside for some fresh air.

"It's so nice outside. It's been raining nonstop this whole week. Shippo, do you want to help me pick flowers and herbs this afternoon?"

The child cheered with raised hands. "Fwoers!"

"Are you going outside the barrier?" Seijun asked, turning his head as he trimmed his fringe and swept his ebony strands in a low ponytail.

Kagome nodded. "Yes. I hoping to bring some back and grow what I can in my garden." That way, she wouldn't have to make endless trips to the forest and back. It was a simple solution, and while she was there, she might pick some mushrooms and turnips. "I'll pick some flowers for lady Kaede while I'm there..."

"She's getting worse..." He said before sighing. "I had a talk with Kosuke the other day about preparing her funeral. Better to have everything prepared just in case. According to her will, she wants to see the day that the village prospers more so than it already has. Once I return from Edo, I have some ideas in store for the village, and the most important includes a surrounding wall, much like what the demons slayers have."

"Yeah, but I think we should worry more about the crops right now. It's already the beginning of April and we barely have anything to harvest, not to mention most of the crops have already died. The soil isn't very good. With the number of fields we have, it would take a long time just to collect better soil and then replant all that we've worked so hard on. I'm worried that it may not be enough before the tax collectors arrive, Seijun."

"Well... we've got enough food to last us the remaining year, more than enough from not only the Daimyo but also from the Demon Slayers. If our harvest fails this year, then we'll come up with a solution before next year. By then, I have hopes things will only improve around here."

That was the good thing about him. He was always optimistic, but he wasn't wrong. The only thing was, she wanted everything to improve before lady Kaede passed away. After all, this was her home, a once thriving village, and she wanted to recreate that. Only better. Not to outdo the past, but to improve on everything they have, even if that meant coming up with modern day inventions to speed the process along faster.

"I suppose the only thing we can do at this point is have all the men gather manure and scattered on all the crops. It might make a little difference, but not much. And if things become tough this winter, we can always sell some animals and silks," Kagome said, musing, watching as Seijun stepped inside the house and gathered his sword, bow, and quiver of arrows before returning to the terrace. "Would you like me to see you off?"

He shook his head and proceeded down the steps and across the stone path toward the tori gate. "No, that's fine. Be careful while gathering herbs outside of the village, Kagome, and if you need any help, my brothers won't hesitate to help you. You don't always have to do things on your own. Remember that."

Kagome sweat dropped. "I know. I'll be careful," She said. "Shippo, say goodbye to papa."

"Bye bye, papa!" The boy waved from Kagome's arms. "I look after mama!"

Seijun chuckled at this and ruffled his hair. "That's what I like to hear! Well then, I'm off. Be safe, you two."