June 9th
Nine days had passed since her unexpected arrival into the village, and Kagome found herself slightly easing her way into her chores more easily than before. Although she was still seen as a captive, there were few signs of acceptance among some of the people who had come to pity her rather than detest Kagome, but not everyone was as accepting.
Escaping from this village was still an impossibility. The village men were always watching, some watching a little too closely for her liking, and since the day Kaede had allowed her to leave the village to help Kosuke with his cart, she hadn't been allowed to step foot back out. Kagome wasn't sure what had gotten into Lady Kaede that day, but ever since, the old woman had called upon Kagome to assist her every so often, whether that be to fetch her water, or some other form of chore that resulted in lifting heavy objects.
Three days ago, Kagome had woken up to find a small pouch underneath her makeshift bed beside Mayoko and Daisuke's hut. The pouch contained two rice balls, and every time she returned from her work in the fields at late evenings, she found more food under the bedding. Sometimes it was rice balls and sometimes it was a grilled fish with hot mushrooms inside. Kagome never found out who it was that was leaving her food, but she was very grateful for their generosity.
On one such day, Kagome was knelt in the fields, sowing the seeds into the silty soil as the day was reaching mid-afternoon. Her forehead was accumulated with sweat and her face smudged with dirt, but her messiness was more easily tolerated as the days progressed.
Lifting herself up, Kagome gathered what was left of the bag of seeds before beginning her trek back to Mayoko's hut. Like always, very few spared her a glance and Kagome wasn't oblivious to the whispers from the old women of the village, nor the glances from the village men. It was routine after routine every day, and as tiring as it was, Kagome knew it would soon be over.
'Keep it together Kagome. It's only been a week, but as soon as their guard drops, I'm out of here.' Kagome mentally told herself to be patient and when the time was right, she would escape. Right now, it was still too soon to do anything, and besides making friends with Kosuke, who'd been absent for days now, Kagome was still on her own.
When Mayoko's form appeared leaving the hut, Kagome's steps quickened. Once before her, Kagome lowered her head and handed over the seeds to the woman who took them with an approved nod.
"I'm surprised by how diligent you have been, Kagome. I expected you back much later," Mayoko replied with her usual frown. "There's not much to do around the hut. Lady Kaede stopped by earlier while you were working in the fields. It seems she needs your assistance."
Although she wanted nothing more than to rest for a bit, she nodded to the older woman, turning to make her way in the direction of Kaede's hut. However, Mayoko stopped her with a raised hand, shaking her head disapprovingly.
"Before you head over there, I think it would be best if you bathed first."
Her eyes widened and she almost couldn't believe her ears. A bath. Her ears didn't deceive her; Mayoko was actually going to allow her to finally bathe and clean herself of all the sweat and dirt she had accumulated during her week's stay in this small village.
"Really?"
At her ecstatic smile, Mayoko only shook her head. Turning around, she stepped inside her hut, and after a few minutes of searching, she returned with a red kimono in hand, gesturing for Kagome to follow her away from the hut. "This way."
The two traveled a short while, leaving the entrance of the village and following the river's stream downhill. Along the way, many young girls were sauntering by, their hair wet and their skin much cleaner than before.
Noticing Kagome's staring at the passers, Mayoko briefed her in on the explanation. "Once every week, all the women and men gather for a thorough cleansing by the river. Men take theirs at the earliest of the day and the women take theirs turn by afternoon."
Kagome nodded. But only once a week? She supposed it was better than taking a bath once a month. Eventually the two arrived upon a large lake situated just below a huge collection of trees, concealing the village just above the hill. A small group of women were already submerged into the cold water, rubbing their hands over their arms and legs.
Near the edge of the lake, Mayoko placed the clean Kimono down upon the grass. As she did, she caught sight of a smile gracing the young girl's dirtied complexion, and she couldn't help but chuckle. Since she arrived a short time ago to their village, she'd been nothing but downtrodden, but it was to be expected of course.
The young girl removed her straw sandals, dipping her feet into the cold sparkling water. If only it was a nice hot bath with soap bubbled above the surface. Kagome imagined soaking herself in her tub back at home, her head reclined against the tub, her hair shining from her shampoo.
"Remove your kimono," Mayoko replied, moving to stand beside Kagome. "Hurry, child."
Although a little hesitant, Kagome obliged, removing her clothes before handing them to Mayoko's outstretched hand. Once doing so, Kagome covered her breasts and stepped into the water until she was waist deep in. For a moment, she shivered, but eventually she became used to the cold, and from there, she rubbed vigorously at her arms and neck, wishing deeply for a bar of soap.
Every once in a while, Kagome turned her head to look back at Mayoko, who was knelt at the edge of the lake washing the kimono she had taken off. She was rubbing the fabric against a rock in a repetitive fashion before soaking it into the water.
Eventually, after washing the kimono, along with her own, Mayoko joined Kagome, moving to stand beside her. From there, she began cleansing herself, eventually cleansing Kagome's tangled tresses, much to Kagome's content.
"Thank you…" As she relaxed into Mayoko's tender touch, closing her eyes at the feeling of someone rubbing her scalp, Kagome couldn't help but ask her something. "Why did you take me in?"
"Would you rather have been on your own, shunned by everyone around you without a place to sleep?" She asked.
"No…"
"Regarding the situation, I believe some people took it a little too far. As you said before, you were lost and you just so happened to stumble too close to our humble village. It was a little too close to everyone's liking."
Kagome nodded. "Kosuke told me your village had problems with thefts and outsiders."
Mayoko fell silent, her hands pausing in her ministrations to Kagome's hair. "And he is correct. I'm not sure who you are, Kagome, but it seems you are not accustomed to our ways."
Hearing this, Kagome also fell silent. So, she noticed?
"If I had to guess, I would assume you come from a different class of people. However, your clothing bemuses me deeply. Beautifully intricated cloth but not suited for a woman of any standing. I would like to ask where you came from and from what family, but I have no right to ask that of you, not after what has happened."
Kagome was thankful for this. If she revealed herself, it would undoubtedly make the situation worse, she was sure of it. Mayoko was understanding her little by little as the days went on, and Kagome had a feeling they could finally get along.
But, Kagome wasn't here to make friends. She was here because she was still a captive, living as one of them. That wouldn't last. Kagome couldn't stay. Even if there were some nice people here, showing her pity and friendship, Kagome had to escape, before she was pulled deeper into this lie.
Sure, she was thankful to those who showed her kindness, but Kagome couldn't do anything else but play the part until the time came to leave. The time was drawing nearer. Within the next day or two, she would find an escape and leave this terrible village behind and find a way back home. Back to her mom, grandpa and Souta.
"Kagome?"
Realizing the older lady had been calling out to her, Kagome cleared her thoughts, and flashed a forced smile at her. It seemed she was finished washing her hair, and was gesturing for them to step out of the lake.
Following after, Kagome stepped out, grasping the folded up red kimono on the ground before dressing herself. After which, Mayoko led her back to the hut. From there, Mayoko gestured for Kagome to hurry along to Kaede's hut.
With one last respectful bow, Kagome turned and made her way up the path. The relationship between Kagome and Mayoko had become more tolerable than before, and because Kagome was quick to learn things around the village, the more accepting of Kagome she became.
As she continued, Kagome heard the distinct sounds of crying nearby, and curious, Kagome found herself searching around the huts. The sound was obviously that of a child's, that much she was certain. Eventually she came across the said child, sitting upon the ground with his hands covering his eyes, and as she stepped closer, Kagome noticed many bruises upon the child's arms and legs, as well as his cheeks.
"Are you alright?" She asked, bending down to inspect his injuries. It was clear to her that someone had beat the child, and she felt the sudden urge to hug him, but she kept minimal distance between them.
The villagers who walked by paid little to no attention to the sobbing child, though after taking quick glances at Kagome, they slowed their steps for a moment before pressing on to their chores. How terrible. No one was going to comfort him? This village was becoming even more terrible by the minute. If Kosuke were here, she was sure he would have done something, right?
"Are you alright? What's wrong?" She asked, hoping the little boy would talk to her.
Removing his hands from his face, the child who was seemingly around seven or eight years old, with black hair pulled back into a high top knot, with freckles adorning his cheeks and nose, he gave Kagome a questionable stare. "Go away…"
Well that certainly hurt. Kagome understood she wasn't wanted by many here, but to hear that from a child no less, well it stung. Still, she wasn't going to give up consoling him. "I'll go away as soon as you tell me what happened? Where did you get these bruises?"
He merely wiped at his tears, looking at the young girl for a moment longer before looking elsewhere. It was clear to Kagome he didn't plan to open up to her and wanted left alone.
"Please? I'm not as bad as many make me out to be," She tried to persuade him.
"It's … it's none of your business!" He cried before standing up and running off.
As she knelt there, completely stupefied by his reaction towards her, Kagome couldn't help but lower her head dismally. Even the children detested her. With a deep sigh, Kagome stood up and brushed the dirt from her red kimono before continuing on her path to the head priestess's hut.
Finally nearing the old priestess's hut, Kagome called out to the elderly woman before stepping into the hut. To her surprise, Kaede was not inside, and baffled, Kagome looked around the small living area. Just like Mayoko's, it was small, yet more items were nestled within, accumulated with a few more chests, pots and bedding. There were even small shelves hooked upon the interior, holding various jars, and on one side of the room, many plants were hung up to dry on the ceiling.
Not knowing where she had disappeared to, Kagome stepped outside, searching her surroundings for the elderly woman, but there was no sign of her within the vicinity.
How strange.
Given her situation, Kagome was tempted to return to Mayoko's, but for some reason, she found herself facing a large set of stairs behind the hut. Perhaps Lady Kaede was at the shrine grounds? If she wasn't there, perhaps she was visiting some of the neighbors. It was worth a shot, Kagome thought.
Making her way up the flight of stone steps, Kagome heard the distinct sounds of water being thrown just ahead. It wasn't long before she was at the top when she saw Kaede bent over near the well, depositing a large bucket to gather the water within.
Noticing she wasn't alone, the old woman straightened her back and acknowledged the young girl's presence. "I see ye have finally arrived."
Stepping over to her, Kagome offered a polite bow, before curiously staring at the bucket near her feet, filled to the rim with water. "You needed my assistance?"
She nodded, looking down at the bucket and back at her. "It's been some time since I've had the chance to properly clean the shrine. In my old age, it hadn't been easy. Will ye take of this?"
Kagome's eyes shifted from the bucket to the building a short distance away. "Y-yes…" Saying no wasn't an option. She either accepted or … Well Kagome didn't want to think of the consequences.
Pleased with her answer, Kaede handed her a rag. "Once ye have finished cleaning, there is something I wish to talk to ye about later tonight."
Kagome blinked at this, baffled by her words. There was something she wanted to discuss? By the tone of her voice, it didn't sound bad or good, and Kagome could only wonder silently to herself. "What about?"
"Lady Kaede!"
At the sound of a masculine voice calling out, Kagome and Kaede stepped away from the well and sauntered over towards the stairs leading down into the village. From the bottom of the steps, a young village man waved at them with a panicked expression marred on his face.
"Something must be wrong…" Kaede voiced aloud. Looking back at the girl beside her, Kaede ushered her to begin the chore before discussing further on tonight at her hut. After which, Kaede began her trek down the incline to speak with the young man.
With a sigh, Kagome turned and walked back to the well before gathering the bucket in her hands. As she steadied it in both her arms, careful of spilling its contents, Kagome slowly eased her way over to the small shrine house ahead.
As Kaede made her way down the stairs, her old eyes caught sight of a familiar face standing just outside her hut. The mere sight of his face was enough to cause her scowl. So, this was the reason she was summoned.
After descending the staircase, Kaede stepped past the panicked villager, ignoring the other villagers who had stopped to look fearfully in the man's direction.
His name was Takeo, a young man who served under the Daimyo of Musashi and Kai Province, originally from a provincial village in Edo which was located a few miles North, away from their poor village. Takeo regularly visited each year during Summer and Fall to inspect the rice harvest and the quality of their wares which were sold elsewhere for little compensation.
All eight were dressed in higher quality garments than themselves. They were dressed in well-fitted blue Kimono's with black Hakama's tied neatly in the front. Over their Kimonos were white Buke's which were large, broad-sleeved coats similar to Haori's. It was the standard clothing for those of the middle class.
"Priestess Kaede, I assume your harvest has been more fruitful than last year's?" He inquired to which Kaede remained silent.
As the older woman surveyed the rest of the men who had traveled with him, she was surprised there were eight. How strange a village inspector would require so many men to protect him on such a short outing. "Ye arrived earlier than expected, milord."
He nodded at this. "Yes, well the Daimyo is a very impatient person, of course. Before inspecting the fields, I must inform you of the increased tax on the rice this year."
Increased? "Why has it increased? How much?"
Without having to look into his small tome held at his side, he smiled cockily at the older woman. "Well the tax on rice has increased considerably, I'm afraid. Let's see, currently, since your village has been lacking the following years, we've decreased your tax by ten mon leaving you at seventy mon yearly. Unfortunately, in order to meet the demands of our Daimyo, we can no longer keep this up. Other villages are providing adequate harvests and have been paying their taxes quite meticulously and without problem…"
Kaede nodded. Somehow, she didn't like where this was headed. If there was a sudden increase in their taxes, then it didn't bode well for the village. It was bad enough they had to pay twice a year, in Summer and Fall, to meet the demands of their Daimyo. "How much has it increased?"
Takeo opened his tome, his eyes skimming over the fine writing carefully. "It's increased ten mon more. Since we've decreased your tax over the years, that will leave your village at eighty mon per year," He explained, immediately surprising Kaede and the other villagers. "I'm afraid there's nothing I can do to decrease it this time around. We haven't seen an increase like this for five years, but it was bound to happen. You understand, I'm sure."
The villagers, who had long since gathered the moment they noticed the harvest inspector, Takeo and his men, stared in disbelief, their eyes shifting from their Head Priestess and back. Increased ten more mon? How was that possible? How in the world would they pay such an amount?
"I didn't think he would arrive so early this year!"
"We hardly have enough food for ourselves!"
"What does he mean the tax has increased? How are we going to pay that much?"
Ignoring the people, Takeo continued on. "Now I would like to have a look at how much you have stored away of wheat, rice, and barley," He explained, and at Kaede's nod, he and his men were led down the path to their storage hut. It didn't take long to arrive upon it before she opened the flap and allowed them entrance inside.
Before following them inside, Kaede acknowledged the fear in her people's faces, but there wasn't much she could do, knowing the possible outcome of their poor harvest. Once inside, the old lady watched as the inspector went from one bundle of wheat to the other. There were three stacks of wheat, four barley and a large crate filled with the rice they had managed for the year so far. Just with one glance, Kaede knew it wasn't enough to meet the quota of last year's.
Takeo swept his hands into the crate of rice and gathered a small portion into his palm before smelling the small grains. With a frown, he dropped it back into the crate and made note in his small book with his ink brush. As he moved onto the wheat and barley, he was again not impressed by the smell or texture and scribbled away.
After much time inspecting the harvest, he finally turned to Kaede with a disgruntled scowl. "Is this the best you could manage? The quality of the rice has become poor, even worse than last year's."
Kaede offered a small bow of apology. "Our harvest has suffered this year from the intolerable heat, I'm afraid."
"Not just the rice, but the wheat and barley are lacking in nutrients, and the color isn't quite right at all," He continued with a shake of his head. "I wish to inspect the fields and your soil."
Nodding, Kaede exited the hut, following behind the inspector and his group of men as they made their way through the crowd of villagers towards the fields on the hill above their village. The people were looking at Kaede as if she had answers as to what was happening, but Kaede said nothing, ignoring the stares as she and everyone else followed.
Once arriving upon the grounds, Takeo went through each field, frowning and recording his findings with each scribble of his ink brush. From his understanding, the fields were either too moist or too dry, and the crops were of poor quality.
The village men who'd been working previously, had stopped on account of the inspector's arrival. For some time, they watched him, knowing full well they would receive hell for the poor harvest. Many clutched their tools angrily, wanting desperately to knock the fool out, but doing so would result in immediate death.
Eventually he stood before the rice fields, his eyes surveying the crops intently. They were still green in color, not quite ready to turn yellow quite yet to harvest, and he started along the narrow patches of grass.
Bending down, Takeo swept his hands into the water, his fingers gliding upon the short stalks before frowning in disappointment. Immediately withdrawing his hand, he turned his attention to the rest of the rice patties near, and just like before, he examined them very carefully, touching the stalks and smelling them to judge their worth. As before, he pulled away unsatisfied.
Takeo shook his head at the High Priestess before recording the information into his small booklet. Dabbing his paint brush into the small jar of ink around his neck, he continued away. "The Daimyo will be very displeased with these findings. We haven't even inspected your wares and already this visit is doing so poorly."
At his tone, and the sight of Lady Kaede on her knees bowing, the villagers quickly dropped to their knees as well, begging for forgiveness, but Takeo only shook his head. Even the village men, who were reluctant to bow down before him did so anyways with their weapons held close beside them.
"Forgive us!"
"With the increased prices on seeds this year, we haven't been able to grow as much," One admitted somewhat feebly.
"Because of the sweltering weather this Summer, we haven't been able to increase our yields!"
Takeo's frown worsened. "Your stalks are sterile and the color is poor! You expect me to believe the price for seeds is to blame for your inability in the fields?!"
"Forgive us!"
In a manner of rage, Takeo's men pushed some of the village men clean into the dirt, smearing their faces into the wet soil roughly. In a matter of seconds, they pushed and kicked the farmers around, and the other villagers could do nothing but watch fearfully.
"Because of this detriment, the Daimyo will be informed," Takeo explained with a shake of his head. "Regardless of your troubles, there's nothing I can do. I'm under orders to visit each and every village within Musashi Province, and your village is no different. You either pay the tax or you will no longer be under the protection of our Lord."
"We can't possibly pay that amount!" A woman suddenly cried out, followed after by another.
"Our village is poor enough as it is! How do you expect us to survive if you continue raising the taxes?!"
"Silence! How dare you raise your voices at our Lord!"
A chorus of disagreements became louder, many speaking out against Takeo and his men, though they were silenced suddenly when Kaede raised her hand. While her face hardened at the inevitable, she otherwise gave in and offered an apologetic bow of her head to Takeo. "Forgive them. We will pay the amount…"
Satisfied with the older woman's response, Takeo opened his tome once more. "Since we are in the midst of Summer you will pay half the amount until our next visit in Fall of September," He explained before closing his tome. "But before that, I will be inspecting your wares, surely they are of better quality than the harvest."
While half an hour passed by, Kagome did her best to clean up the shrine. With the single rag given to her by Kaede, Kagome very easily cleaned up the wooden floors and walls of the small building. There had been cobwebs everywhere on the inside and fortunately Kagome only had to kill a couple small spiders with her straw sandals.
Inside, there were numerous shelves along the walls, each with some pottery placed upon it or antique swords and what not. She cleaned those as well, and even the few chests along the walls that were filled with many rolled up scrolls and books which were too difficult to decipher. As strenuous as this would be for Lady Kaede, Kagome found it pretty easy to clean up. Back at home, cleaning was her specialty, so this was no problem. After exiting the building, Kagome had even set about cleaning the outside walls, however she found it difficult to clean anywhere higher up near the roof.
"I guess that's as good as it's going to get…" If that was all Kaede wanted her to do, why call upon her when she could have called upon someone else?
With a sigh, Kagome sat down on the small steps of the building and placed her hands upon either side of her face. Her thoughts were centered on her family and her friends back home. Why couldn't all of this be a dream? At least then she could wake up from it and move on with her supposed ordinary life, but that wasn't the case.
'I have to get home. I don't know how much longer I can stay here. Mom. Souta … Grandpa…'
Shaking her head, Kagome stood up and reached for the broom leaning against the building. As she swept the leaves and dirt away, she couldn't help but wonder what the ruckus was near Kaede's hut earlier. Someone had arrived in the village, and Kagome couldn't help but grow curious.
'I've already finished cleaning. I'm sure Lady Kaede wouldn't mind if I walk around the village for a while, right?'
With that thought, Kagome dropped the broom upon the sidewalk and ran towards the steps before quickly descending them. As she did, she couldn't help but notice just how empty the village seemed. After reaching the last step, Kagome walked along the path, looking around the huts for everyone. To her surprise, they were all up at the fields, following a group of men around.
"Huh? What's going on? Who are they?"
"That's the village inspector, Lord Takeo," A feminine voice suddenly explained.
Surprised, Kagome jumped and turned towards the girl behind her, who was smiling from the reaction. A familiar face with soft brown eyes, straight bangs with her hair tied back, greeted her. It took her a moment to recognize the girl. "Oh, you're … Aiko? Aiko, right?"
If she remembered correct, Aiko was the girl who helped her leave the village nine days ago, with Kosuke. It had been a while since she last her in the village.
She nodded. "Yes. Sorry I scared you. It wasn't my intention."
"Oh no, it's okay," Kagome laughed softly before turning back towards the direction she'd previously been staring. "Inspector?"
Aiko nodded, moving to stand beside Kagome, her eyes staring up at the fields ahead. "Every year he shows up, and from the sounds of things, it doesn't look good…"
Kagome blinked at this, wondering why that was. "Why? Is the village in trouble?"
"It would seem so. Our harvest has been poor, and we've been struggling to pull together our finances to pay for seeds, food for our oxen and for ourselves," She explained solemnly. "And I heard earlier there has been an increase in our taxes."
How terrible. "I'm sorry. It probably doesn't help that I'm here…"
Surprised by this, Aiko quickly shook her head. "Oh no, that's not what I meant. It's great having more help, but it's not your fault. You see it hasn't been just this year, but its every year. Before Winter we're doing what we can to produce a good harvest. Sometimes we have a decent number of leftovers and other times we have nothing."
Kagome nodded at this. It seemed this village was truly struggling to survive. "Besides inspecting, what else does he do?"
"Well, if the harvest has been good, he and his men normally take 2/3rds of what we have, leaving us with the rest."
Kagome gasped at this information. "But that's not nearly enough to sustain yourselves!"
Aiko nodded. "That's just how poor villages such as ours are. The rest goes to our Daimyo in Edo. If only we had a blacksmith or some other means of making money here. All we have are our fields and a few craftsmen in our village."
"I'm sorry. I wish things were easier for all of you…" Kagome replied solemnly, which caused Aiko to softly smile. "You said he's from Edo?"
"Yes. It takes a number of days to reach, but I haven't been there personally. I've heard from many that it's the biggest village around. There are many festivals and the women there are very beautiful. There's even a few Inns there as well."
"Really? Has no one from this village been to Edo?" Kagome asked.
"Yes, but not everyone is capable of making the journey that far. Some of the women who used to live here have gone to work there to help pay off their family's debts, but that was some years ago."
Kagome found herself imagining such a huge village. In her mind, it sounded rather nice than this one. "I wonder just how many people live there. Our Daimyo lives there as well?"
Aiko nodded. "Yes, that's right. I hear he is a very prude person, but so far he hasn't wiped out our village," She faked a laugh, which caused Kagome to sweat drop. "Over a thousand people live there and a lot of them are from the middle class and up. I hear that even peasants like ourselves find it much easier to live there than in poor villages like ours."
"Why not simply move there, since it's a much easier lifestyle?"
Aiko frowned at this. "If only it were that easy. Money is the problem. In order to establish a place of our own there, we must have some form of currency. If you're a pretty girl, you'll find it easier to find a place to stay, but … it's not exactly the ideal place I would want…"
"What do you mean?"
But before Kagome could ask, Aiko suddenly grabbed the young girl's hand and pulled her quickly behind one of the huts. Kagome was about to ask what had come over her, but was silently asked not to say a word as Aiko worryingly glanced around the hut. Taking note of her change in behavior, Kagome did the same.
As Takeo sauntered about the village, one of the village men led him to his hut before quickly running inside to bring out his wares to the inspector. A grand total of twenty-three things were lain about before his hut, and he nervously rubbed his palms together, watching as Takeo bent down to examine the products.
Many of the items lain strewn before him were hand crafted bird cages made from poor quality wood, the edges cut far too narrow and thin. There was a selection of well-crafted pots, plates and utensils with unique and decorative designs which he noted within his book. Unfortunately, the rest of his wares did not suit him well, and Takeo closed his book with a disapproving nod.
"I'm afraid your village has not passed this inspection very well, High Priestess," He replied, shaking his head all the while. Placing his book into his Kimono, his dark eyes searched the village for anything of value, but he found nothing. "Is this all you have to show me?"
Kaede nodded, her eyes stern and her hands somewhat trembling. "I'm afraid we haven't much to offer in the middle of the year."
"What a shame," He replied, knowing full well that by the end of Fall it would be just the same. "The Daimyo will not be pleased. We cannot guarantee the safety of your village if this remains."
The villagers fell to their knees, pleading to spare them and help them in their time of need. The small children who were around, hid behind their mothers, their expressions confused as the adults begged.
Taking pity on the people, Takeo scratched his neck before clearing his throat. "Aside from this, there are ways to help benefit your village, despite the poor harvest," He explained.
Hope suddenly instilled itself into their widened stares, and the people lowered their heads once more to the inspector.
"Although the increased tax will burden you for some years, I believe I have an answer which will solve your problems. If you shall agree upon it however, we will not force it upon you," Takeo explained. "But if you shall refuse, I cannot guarantee your safety."
"What should we do?" Someone cried out.
"Please help us!"
Without even batting an eye, he pulled out a different book from his Kimono. When he found what he was looking for, he paused for a moment before looking at the villagers. "A simple solution would be to offer up your youngest sons and daughters," He replied, urging sudden silence within the village.
From behind the hut, Kagome couldn't help but cover her mouth as she and Aiko listened. The inspector was right next to the hut, turned at an angle facing the others and Kaede, and it seemed he had not noticed them hiding. From Kagome's understanding, the worst would befall the children if they were taken.
Kagome had read about such in her history books in school. Many children, boys and girls were sent away to become slaves and servants; they were almost always beaten and raped. The girls were mainly sent to brothels where they would live out their lives serving lustful men where there was a limited chance of escaping unless bought by a higher ranking noble to become a personal possession and or wife. One thing was certain, Kagome knew they would never see their families again.
Takeo continued. "Although young, their hard work will help ensure the prosperity of your village. We haven't had to do something like this in nearly ten years, so it shouldn't be a problem."
"Our children?!" A woman cried, holding her five-year-old son close to her bosom fearfully.
"Not our daughters! You've already taken our sons!" An older man cried out, grasping his hoe tightly in his hands.
Disappointed in their reactions, Takeo stepped closer to Kaede, his hands behind his back. "Lady Kaede, I'm sure you know what is best for your people."
"Must ye really come to this?"
He nodded. "I'll gather you'll rake in a decent amount of money if you sacrifice a few of your people. At least this way you'll all make it through the Winter or lose everything. You should know our Daimyo has been very lenient to your small village, but if this keeps up, we will have no choice but to abandon you entirely, and in these times, you will need all the protection you can get."
"Like you've ever protected us!" A village man suddenly shouted.
"Not once has any soldier come into our village to protect us! You people are just talk and no action!"
Takeo glared at this. "How dare you act this way. Hold your tongue!"
Before he could take one step towards the inspector, Kaede held up a hand to stop him. "That is enough. Apologize."
"But … Lady Kaede…"
She turned and narrowed her old eyes at the young man, and swallowing nervously, he got on his knees and apologized to Takeo.
"F-forgive me … I was out of line…"
Takeo waved it off. "Your answer?"
With a deep sigh, Kaede did what she had to do to help her people thrive. "Very well. Ye may take whomever you wish, but no younger than nine."
Pleased with her answer, he looked into his small book before arriving at a blank page. "I want all women and children between the ages of 9-18 to form a line in front of me."
As Kagome and Aiko looked on, Kagome watched nervously as the young girls and children were pulled from the embrace of their families by the men to forcibly stand before their high priestess. Mothers and fathers pleaded with Takeo, but he ignored them.
"We need to hide…" Aiko whispered, and Kagome felt a sudden shiver creep down her spine. "If we are caught, it will be all over…"
At the look in her eyes, Kagome realized she was right. There was no reason to stay any longer. She and Aiko were just as much at risk as everyone else if they were caught. There was no denying would might happen if they were caught.
Before the two could sneak away, Kagome heard a loud feminine shriek fill the air, and surprised, Kagome peeked behind the hut, only to look on horrifyingly at the sight.
Takeo was standing in front of a young girl, probably fifteen years old, with her kimono top completely open, her small breasts exposed to the public eye. She was crying, trying to cover herself, but her arms were held down by one of his men.
"Remain still while I examine. If there should be so much as an imperfection then it's best to know now," He explained. "Family name?" He inquired to Kaede, and one by one, each girl and child was examined just the same.
It was terrible and mortifying, and Kaede was simply allowing it, though given the situation, in times like these, what could they do? As Kagome allowed Aiko to pull her away, she couldn't help but glance back one last time.
Although it was the perfect moment to escape the village, Kagome couldn't quite find the heart to leave, not when this was happening. Instead, the two fled to the top of the stairs leading to the shrine behind Kaede's hut, and it was there the two hid. With the door closed behind them, the two silently held their breaths, hoping no one had seen them.
Eventually an hour drifted by, and two hours and then three hours, and there was no sign of anyone searching for them. All that surrounded the two girls was silence, sitting together against the farthest wall hidden behind a large clay pot in the corner.
Had the inspector left the village? Was it all over now? Were they searching for them? They didn't know.
"I'll check to see if anyone is out there," Aiko whispered from beside her, and with a nervous nod, she crawled towards the door, listening closely at first for any signs of movement or noise before slowly sliding open the door. Eventually Aiko crept outside, and Kagome was left hidden, wondering if it were truly safe to come out. Surely by now they had left; the village wasn't so large and if they were searching for them, Kagome was sure they'd check the shrine, right?
A minute or two passed and Aiko hadn't returned. Kagome wanted so desperately to step out, but she was scared to move. The worse possible scenario played out in her head; what if someone had grabbed her just as she got outside? No, think positive.
While she sat there, her head nestled upon her knees clutched to her chest, Kagome heard the faintest sound of footsteps shuffling just outside. Her breath caught in her throat the moment the door slid open, and to her relief, it was Aiko, smiling back at her.
"We're safe now," She reassured, stepping inside to sit beside the young girl. "It seems the inspector and his men left. I heard from Kaede that only a few girls and two boys were taken…"
"It's terrible…" Kagome muttered, fisting her hands tightly.
Aiko agreed with her. "Lady Kaede sent me to fetch you. Come on."
When Aiko stood up, offering her hand to Kagome, she couldn't help but wonder why it was this girl was treating her so nicely, even going so far as to protect her. "Why?"
"Huh?" Aiko seemed puzzled by her reply, and she canted her head to the side.
"Why … are you treating me so kindly? Aren't you even a little bit suspicious about who I am and where I came from?" Kagome asked. It seemed everyone in the village felt the same.
From her reply, Aiko only smiled, taking Kagome's wrist before helping her to her feet. As she led Kagome outside, she released her hand as the two sauntered towards the steps. "Well I am curious about you, but you don't seem like a bad person, Kagome. Honestly, it's really none of my business why it is you are here and where you came from."
Hearing this, Kagome felt a small smile tug at her lips. This girl didn't seem so bad at all. "Oh, you seem to already know my name…"
"Oh, Kosuke told me," She replied. From Kagome's understanding expression, Aiko went on. "Listen Kagome. I understand you must feel … uncomfortable here, and given the circumstances, I don't blame you. I'm sure you must have family waiting on you, right?"
Kagome nodded. "Yes, but what can I do? I'm stuck here until they are able to trust me. It's already been over a week now since I arrived."
It seemed there was something on Aiko's mind, but she didn't say anything more on the subject. The last of the steps greeted the two, and as soon as they were standing beside the hut, the smell of food emanated from within, and Kagome couldn't help but hold her stomach hungrily.
"Well, you should go on inside," She replied before standing just outside Kaede's hut.
"Thank you, Aiko."
There was something about Kagome that left Aiko almost speechless. It wasn't just the color of her eyes, but her smile. Aiko couldn't help but return it. "Tomorrow, let's work together, yeah?"
"Yes, let's."
Delighted by her answer, Aiko ushered her inside while she waited outside the hut. Kagome figured she had to talk with Kaede as well, but was allowing her to go in first. Somewhat nervous, Kagome stepped inside, pushing back the flap before staring at Kaede's back.
The head priestess was bent over in front of a pot, stirring a healthy broth of mushrooms, beans and vegetables, her ladle held lightly in her hand. Without even looking at the girl standing awkwardly in front of the door, she pointed to a spot on the floor in front of the fire.
"Ye may take a seat."
Doing as she was told, Kagome stepped across the small room and situated herself onto the floor, her knees bent under her. While she sat there, Kaede poured out a small bowl and handed it to her, and Kagome took it respectively.
As if on cue, her stomach growled, and she tried to ignore the redness on her cheeks. It smelled wonderful, but she wasn't sure if she was allowed to take a sip of it. Then again, she worked hard each day she was here, and she was sure she was entitled to eat. Despite the older lady not touching her own bowl, Kagome took a risk, tipping the contents so they poured into her mouth hungrily. It had been hours since she last ate anything, and even that had been a less than enough to fill her belly.
Kaede wasn't bothered by the girl's ill manners, and seated herself across the floor from her, watching her before taking a sip of her own. When she noticed Kagome's bowl empty seconds later, she allowed her a second, much to Kagome's excitement and disbelief.
"Ye have worked hard, child. More than I expected."
Accepting the bowl, Kagome scarfed it down as well, trying to retain some modesty but failing as the broth dripped from her mouth. She was hungrier than she first thought, and her stomach only growled further. After a few moments, she finally swallowed the last of the soup, before lowering her bowl.
To be honest, Kagome still didn't feel comfortable around the old woman, especially with all that's happened and what she had witnessed earlier. But Kagome wasn't about to call her out on that; she knew that if she did, she'd most likely suffer some sort of punishment.
"So … when can I leave?"
The old priestess's eyes squinted, noticing the blisters and scratches on the young girl's hands and feet. Contemplating, she reached over and grasped a small jar filled with crushed leaves. Ushering the child closer, she tended to the small injuries, placing the wet leaves upon her hands before wrapping them in a thin cloth.
"I mean … I really haven't done anything wrong. I've been held here for days now, and I've done my part to help you and everyone else," Kagome explained.
"Ye are correct. Ye have worked diligently these days. It has not gone unnoticed."
"So…"
Finished tying up the cloth on her hands and feet, Kaede pushed the medicine jar to the side and her gaze softened at the child seated before her. "Where are ye planning on going?"
Home. That was her plan. However, Kagome wasn't sure how to return. Her only clue was the Goshinboku Tree back in the forest; it brought her into this mess in the first place, and Kagome was sure it would take her back.
"If I remember ye story, ye said you were separated from ye brother after becoming lost in the Forest of Inuyasha, correct?"
Kagome nodded. "That's why I need to go. My family is waiting for me…"
"Those woods are dangerous and as I recall, there are no other villages around for miles. For someone as young as ye are, I am surprised ye have not been attacked. How is it ye became lost and so far from home?" Kaede asked.
This was the moment Kagome dreaded. Should she tell her the truth? Right now, it seemed the old priestess was contemplating her release from the village, but if she told her, her chance at freedom would disappear.
Noticing her troubled expression, Kaede gave the child a moment to gather her thoughts. It was obvious in her eyes that she was very far from any village, but how was the question. No woman in her right mind would travel so far on her own, not with the dangers lurking in this world.
"Child, do ye know how far ye village is?" Did she even know her way back? Judging by her troubled expression, it didn't seem likely.
Far. Her home was very far from her. Her family was far from her reach. "My home … is very far from me. I'm not sure how to return, exactly, but I need to go back. I know they are waiting for me."
"Far, is it? I see…" It was obvious the child was nowhere near her home, and judging by her expression, her family was far away from her. Could it be her family was already dead? The child said she was separated from her brother in the Forest of Inuyasha, but was that truly the case? The day she was brought to the village, there had been no sightings of anyone else within the forest, and she made sure her men scouted the area after. Had the child suffered a tragedy recently and she still couldn't cope with the grief? There was much Kaede wanted answered, but she didn't want to press the child any further.
Kagome sighed and dropped her gaze to the wooden floor beneath her. "I have to go back."
The old priestess nodded. "I understand, but I think it's best ye stay here for now. Ye say ye have no recollection of how far home is, so for now, ye shall stay here—"
"I can't!" Her head shot up suddenly and she fisted her hands. There was no way she could stay here any longer. "I can't do that. I haven't done anything to deserve this. My family is out there worried about me. I can't just stay here and do nothing."
Kaede held up a hand, surprised by her sudden outburst, but instead of reprimanding her, she instead shook her head. "I understand fully, Kagome. Understand that I will not keep ye here as a prisoner, but as one of us."
"Huh?" She was confused. So, she wasn't a prisoner anymore? Yet she planned to keep her here despite releasing her? That didn't make sense. Either way, she was still keeping her here against her will.
"However, I cannot simply allow ye to leave, especially when ye have no memory of how it is ye came here," Kaede replied. "Ye will not be treated ill by anyone."
"I can't stay. I don't belong here."
For a short moment, the two stared at each other silently. They were completely opposite in their thinking. Kaede understood she wanted to leave, but she didn't believe it was the time. Allowing her to wander the land on her own was suicidal, but Kaede wondered how it was possible she came this far without any trouble.
Her hands trembled slightly and she had a nervous feeling in the pit of her stomach. This was wrong. "Let me leave. Turn a blind eye towards me."