Musashi Province (Feudal Japan)

The Musashi Province, which was ruled by the Kai Clan in the early 14th century, was the largest territory of the Kanto region. It was also home to one of the most provincial Villages of the era, Edo and Takeda Castle, ruled by the reigning Daimyo Takeda Nobutsuna.

Current Shogun: Ashikaga Yoshitane of Kyoto.

A gentle wind and soft blades of grass brushed against the young girl as she slept on the forest ground. Kagome was unaware her surroundings had changed as she laid there, her expression somewhat serene. Yet as the scorching sun shined down upon her, her long lashes fluttered against her cheeks, it wasn't long before she awoke with a start, her crystalline blue eyes shifting around her as she sat up surveying her whereabouts.

Where in the world was she?

The last thing she remembered was some unknown force dragging her into the tree in her yard, but now she was somewhere else. Her house was nowhere in the vicinity and there were no signs of Souta either.

"Where… am I?"

As she regained her standing, the young girl turned to look behind her, but when she did, she was surprised to see the Goshinboku tree standing tall before her. How was it possible the tree was here and yet her house wasn't? Looking around, she realized there were more trees than usual, and for a moment, she pondered if this was just a dream.

It made little sense. What on earth happened, and where was her brother? Where was the house?

Realizing her questions wouldn't get answered just standing there, Kagome began walking in the direction she hoped to find her house, but no matter which turn she took, ducking beneath low branches, she delved deeper within the forest.

This wasn't right at all.

"Maybe I'm still dreaming," She muttered on her trek before bringing her hand to rest on her wrist. With her fingers, she gave her skin a firm squeeze, and she yelped. "Or maybe I'm not…"

Either way, she wouldn't give up. There had to be at least a road nearby or, better yet, some people who could help her. If only she had her cellphone with her; with that, she was sure she'd reach her mother faster. Continuing further, her path becoming narrower by the second as the trees became more immense in the area. She realized she probably went the wrong way, and she turned around, deciding to try a different direction.

"Someone has to be around here…"

She eventually came across something strange on her walk, and stepping closer, she came to an open area where the trees were less dense. Across from her, Kagome saw two distinct graves, fashioned from wood and moldy, both covered with small flowers.

Kagome wondered whose graves these were and why they were the only ones settled so deep within the forest. Perhaps there was a special reason. Before turning to leave, Kagome clasped her hands in front of her and offered a small prayer to the deceased.

As she stood there, her eyes closed, hoping the deceased had found solace in the next world, the sound of twigs snapping behind her surprised Kagome. Startled, she turned and saw five men dressed in clothing similar to feudal times. These top knotted strangers wore old kimono tops and trousers, some varying in colors of blues, grays or browns with straw sandals on their dirty and calloused feet. In each hand, they wielded old fashioned shovels and hoes, and a couple carried large assortments of flowers, lugging a small wooden cart behind them.

"What are you doing there?!"

"Demon!"

Kagome was irritated. These strange men had chased her through the woods, shouting unintelligible and belligerent names at her, accusing her of being some demon. After cutting off her escape route, they had even threatened to kill her, but had tied her down and threw her onto a cart and brought her to a small village.

For an awkward and frightening time, she sat there on the ground, her arms and legs entwined with rope, watching these strange people whisper about her. What was the problem?

"You didn't have to tie me up, you know!"

Old village huts surrounded her, with rice patties further over the hills, along with farmland. There were no vehicles or towers, and no telephone poles either. Wherever they dragged her, it was clear she was nowhere near home. Was this a misunderstanding? Did they assume she was someone else?

"Do you suppose she's a Kitsune in disguise?" An older lady with long raven hair questioned, her two children behind her, staring in curiosity.

"No, those shape-shifting foxes are a lot trickier than that!" An older man retorted back.

"You reckon this is war?" An old man asked, balancing himself with his small cane.

"Of course, it is, and right in the middle of rice planting season!"

As they continued conversing, eying her up as if she were some sort of oddity, questioning if she were some spy from another village, Kagome sighed. It seemed trying to convince them otherwise was out of the question; they thought she was some kind of threat.

Top knot, top knot, top knot, top knot. What is this, Japan medieval times? Was someone pranking her?

"Make way for High Priestess Kaede!"

The crowd parted as an elderly woman, dressed in red and white priestess clothes, with a black eyepatch, sauntered into the area. She carried a bow in one hand, using it to steady herself at her approach. From the way the others acted, she was probably the leader.

The old woman stared at her for the longest moment, squinting her beady eyes before throwing handfuls of rice into her face from a small bag. "Demon begone!"

"Hey! Hey! Stop that! I'm not a demon, okay?!" Kagome said, shaking the pieces out of her hair, and to her relief, the old woman known as Kaede stopped.

"Are ye not? Then why were ye found in the Forest of Inuyasha?"

Forest of Inuyasha? What a strange name. "I don't know what you're saying," She said, struggling free herself from the ropes. "I was only passing through, and I don't know what the big deal is, anyway."

Stepping closer to the aged priestess, a young man whispered into her ear, loud enough for Kagome to hear. "She could be a spy from another village."

Kaede's eyes narrowed, not once leaving Kagome. "In that case, she would be a fool! Who would dare invade a poor village like ours?"

Kagome sighed again. Couldn't they see she wasn't a threat? "I'm telling you, I'm not a threat. Look, I'll tell you everything."

The other villagers seemed hesitant to listen, believing she might spread false words. Some of the older folks demanded an explanation with raised fists, and Kaede couldn't agree more.

"Well, ye best talk, child."

Gulping, Kagome took a deep breath and exhaled. "I was with my younger brother and somehow I got lost in these woods. I didn't recognize my surroundings, and I thought if I kept walking, I might find my house. That's when I stumbled on a couple graves nearby and then I was attacked by your men."

A chorus of whispers resounded once more. Did they not believe her? Before she could say anything, someone threw a few stones at her, narrowingly missing her skull. A sharp one struck her, and another at the back of the neck. Kagome cried out in pain.

"That is enough!" Kaede said.

From the tone in her voice, the villagers ceased their attempt to stone the girl to death and looked at their elder. Handing her bow to one of the village men beside her, Kaede stepped toward Kagome and bent down at eye level.

Now what?

Kaede grasped her chin and turned her head back and forth. While she did, Kagome had the sudden urge to bite the old woman. This lady was scrutinizing her, judging her reaction to discern whether she held ill intentions.

"Be clever girl, or be ye a halfwit?" Kaede questioned. She saw nothing sinister about the girl, yet Kaede couldn't be certain whether her story was the truth. Her story concerning how she arrived in the forest near their village seemed suspicious.

"Kaede, what should we do with her?" A younger man questioned, sauntering over to the pair, his eyes glowering at Kagome, who returned the glare full on. He held Kaede's bow out for her to take, much to her appreciation.

"Ye have a peculiar color to ye eyes, child. If I wasn't mistaken, I'd think ye were indeed a demon," She said. Kaede noted the color as bright as the sky overhead, her irises a darker shade near the exterior and surrounding her pupil. Never had she laid eyes on such a color, and as she searched her gaze, the old lady felt something emanating deep within the girl. What was it? The feeling was too subtle to understand.

After much scrutiny, Kaede pulled away from Kagome and regained her standing, retrieving her bow from the young man. "Seeing as how the rice held no effect on her, she is not a demon. Ye may lower your weapons."

Aggravated, the young man bent down and grabbed Kagome by the collar of her navy-blue blazer, and pulled her to her feet, earning a startled yelp from the girl. "Don't tell me you believe her story, Priestess Kaede? Just look at her!" His dark eyes took in her entire form, and he scoffed. "Look at how she is dressed!"

The others nodded, and Kaede, however, said nothing as she watched the scene play out before her. His words spoke truth. The girl was quite an oddity, and they'd never seen a kimono quite like hers before or as short.

As he leaned in closer, he inhaled the strange perfumed scent emanating from her. It was a sweet fragrance, a scent fit for someone of higher standing than this woman in his grasp. Reaching down, he seized her skirt, tugging at it, much to Kagome's mortification. "If you ask me, she seems to enjoy parading herself around in these whorish clothes!"

A twitch under Kagome's eye formed, and if she wasn't tied up, she'd smack this guy for insulting her. She was far from a whore! "Excuse me?! What did you say?!"

Whoever this person was, he chuckled and placed his knee between her legs, rubbing the area between her thighs in a motion that sickened Kagome. Was he some kind of psychopath?! "I'm right, aren't I?" He asked, urging stern glares from the villagers. "Listen here, we don't care for women like you, who sell themselves from village to village."

The way he said that, coupled with his intense and lustful stare, said otherwise. Kagome couldn't hold back any longer, and she pursed her lips and spit on him, coating his face with her saliva. "I'm the farthest thing from a whore, you jerk! How dare you! Get your hands off me!"

But he did something that surprised her. He hit her. Smacked her right across the face, and the force behind it knocked her to the ground. A whimper escaped her suddenly as her eyes welled with tears. Why did these people treat her this way?

"You bitch!"

Kaede stepped forward. "That is enough. I do not condone such behavior in this village, Satouru."

Surprised by her interference, Satouru apologized and stepped away from the strange-looking girl who had the audacity to spit at him. It wasn't his fault she displayed herself as a whore; the girl asked for that attention.

"What do you plan to do with her, Priestess Kaede?" An older woman asked.

After careful consideration, Kaede decided for the time being to keep this strange woman in the village. If she was indeed a spy, then they would keep a close watch over her, watching her actions and behavior for signs of suspicion. "She does not leave here. Until we are certain of her intentions, she will work for us. Do ye understand?"

Kagome gasped. Keep her here? As a prisoner?! This had to be a dream. No, a nightmare! She wanted to yell at them, to escape, but she was afraid. What would become of her?

"If she works for us, then I see no problem!" A village man said.

Surprised by this, Kagome sat up, her eyes glaring at the old Priestess. "You can't keep me here! That's kidnapping! I'll go where I want!"

"Silence girl! You don't make the rules around here!" Another man shouted, waving his hand at the girl, who refused to listen.

Her head whipped back in his direction. "I refuse to be kept here against my will! Let me go!"

Kaede shook her head. "As ye appearance poses great confusion, for now ye will stay until we know for certain ye do not threaten us. Ye will well to adhere to our ways, child or ye be a fool to think otherwise."

"Shouldn't we first put her in her place, Priestess Kaede?" The same villager asked, the men beside him nodding in agreement.

Satouru nodded. "We should break her of that strong mind first. Don't you think?" He asked, his smirk never wavering.

"There will be no need for that. As ye can see, she will soon learn her place. Ye will be sure to without violence. If I hear tell of any misconduct, be ye warned I shall intervene, do ye understand me?"

They nodded, lowering their heads to her.

After she said what she needed to, the old lady walked off to resume her duties back at her old and small hut, leaving Kagome struggling to regain her modesty. The humiliation she felt at that moment, as the villagers looked down at her, kicking the dirt up at her and stalking off, was enough to well her eyes up in tears, but she refused to cry in front of them.

The only person who was left before her was an older lady, and as Kagome glanced at her, noticing the dark circles under her eyes and the pale red kimono tattered with rips in places, she didn't seem as menacing as the others. In fact, she bent down behind Kagome and untied the ropes at her feet and her arms, allowing Kagome her freedom to move.

"Thank you…"

"Come. You've got a lot of work to do."

Although she wasn't planning on staying here, she noticed that her escape from this small village was not possible considering the watchful eyes of the village men. As much as she hated to admit it, she realized she was stuck here, but it wouldn't be for long. Somehow, she would escape and return home to her family, who were no doubt worried.

The woman led her through the village, and from Kagome's understanding, she was probably in her early thirties. Similar to the other women here, her long black hair was tied in a loose ponytail with a few strands framing her face. She never gave her name, and Kagome didn't ask.

After passing multiple rice patties and fields where the men harvested their crops, plowing through the ground with the few oxen they had, Kagome arrived at a small hut. It was like all the rest, wooden with a straw door flap and a narrow crevice serving as a window.

"Go in."

Abiding, Kagome stepped inside, pushing back the flap as she entered the small room. The entire floor was made from the same wood as the hut's exterior, and it seemed straw also served the purpose for their mats. An emptiness greeted her, except for a small fire pit nestled in the middle of the floor, with a few baskets in the far corner containing a small collection of turnips and mushrooms. There was also a small chest and large futon, with a few buckets outside the hut. Other than that, this was it.

How awful it had to be to live in these circumstances. The more she dwelled within this village, the more surreal it seemed. Perhaps she had traveled back in time, as strange as that idea sounded.

While the woman sorted through a small chest across the room, she soon turned and threw a small bundle to her. "Change out of your clothes and put those on. Once you are finished, come outside. Do not take too long."

Once she left, Kagome examined the bundle of cloth in her arms and, after unfolding it, noticed it was a pale blue kimono with a dark blue obi. Much like everyone else in this village, it wasn't in the best condition. There were a few tears and holes in the sleeves. Without a choice, she removed her outer garments, folding them neatly into the chest, and donned the kimono.

I hope they don't throw my clothes away…

Somewhat satisfied, she still kept her modesty, she stepped outside, but she was immediately confronted by a robust man with a large scar across his cheek. It was the woman's husband; she assumed, and judging by his reaction to her, he wasn't happy.

"Where are your manners? Lower your head, girl!" He shouted, causing the other villagers in the vicinity glance over.

Fearful he would strike her like Satouru, Kagome flinched when he raised his fist and quickly lowered her head. Unfortunately for Kagome, this was not the proper way to greet just anyone, at least to his standards.

"Such insolence!"

Before she could find out what she did wrong, he grabbed her by the back of her collar and pushed her onto her hands and knees, pushing her head into the soil. The action happened so quickly, Kagome almost cried out hysterically, her breath suddenly shaken.

"This is the proper way to greet someone!" He said. "As long as you live in my hut, you will respect me in this manner! Make the same mistake again and you won't walk for three days!"

After which, he went inside.

"Get up," The woman said, more calmly than her husband.

It wasn't like she had a choice. Kagome did as instructed, and the woman tossed her a pair of straw sandals. Slipping her feet into the scratch footwear, she followed the woman into the fields where dozens of other women busily plucked weeds.

"It's that girl…"

"Don't look at her. She might bring us bad luck!"

"Even in a Kimono she doesn't fit in."

As she worked alongside the woman who had taken her in, whose name Kagome learned was Mayoko and her husband Daisuke, Kagome had been ordered to pluck all the weeds from the soil. It was an arduous job, especially since there was so much soil to cover within such a small village. Kagome wasn't the only woman plucking weeds; there were at least two other girls around her own age, though they seemed keen on keeping their distance.

As the hours slowly drifted by and the sun began its slow descent, Kagome trudged through the fields, a basket in hand filled with a small selection of mushrooms she found nearby. Since morning she'd been working, breaking her back to pull the weeds, which were almost never-ending; it had helped little when the two girls had disappeared on her, leaving her to finish what they ignored.

Wiping the sweat from her brow, Kagome finally arrived at the small hut. The boisterous laughter of Daisuke from inside warned her not to go in, and so she kneeled at the door, the basket forgotten at her side. From head to foot, sweat and dirt covered her, and she wanted nothing more than a bath.

Across the dirt path, dogs barked and yelped, and the chickens clucked as they usually did. It was an awful place. With nowhere else to go, she resigned herself to a small bundle of hay lying outside the hut, and crafted a makeshift bed to crawl into for the night.

What would tomorrow bring? Would she wake up from this nightmare?