Shadows of Whitestone
Summary: Once betrothed, Kagome and Percy thought each other lost when Whitestone fell to the Briarwoods. Years later, they reunite—Kagome leading a rebellion, Percy fueled by vengeance and a demon-bound weapon. As old feelings resurface, Kagome's strength challenges Percy's thirst for revenge, offering him a chance at redemption as they fight to reclaim Whitestone together.
Chapter One: Shadows of Memory
The halls of Whitestone Castle gleamed in the soft glow of torchlight, its pale stone walls etched with the patterns of history, resilience, and nobility. Kagome shifted restlessly on the windowsill, feeling the cold stone beneath her legs as she waited, glancing nervously toward the grand doors. Every so often, her gaze slipped past them and out into the night sky, framed by the great window that overlooked the city. It was quiet—a rare, peaceful lull for Whitestone.
A soft voice startled her out of her thoughts. "Do you always keep people waiting, or am I just special?"
Kagome turned, catching sight of Percy's familiar figure emerging from the shadows. He leaned against the wall, a smirk tugging at his lips, his blue eyes gleaming with a mischief that so often betrayed his otherwise reserved nature. She couldn't help but smile back, the knot of nerves in her chest easing slightly.
"Only for you," she replied, teasing. It was true, in a way—Percival had quickly become more than the stranger she'd expected when her family arranged their engagement. He was clever, sometimes infuriatingly so, and though he kept his emotions tightly in check, she could see his heart through his actions.
Percy crossed the distance between them, standing beside her as they looked out over the city together. Silence settled comfortably between them, until he finally spoke, his voice softer. "You know, I think… this arrangement may not be as terrible as I once thought." He was so formal, even in his confessions.
Kagome glanced up at him, heart pounding. "Not terrible, huh? High praise coming from you, Percival."
She expected him to scoff or deflect, but he surprised her. He reached for her hand, his fingers brushing hers with a tentative gentleness, a question more than a gesture. She let him take it, her breath catching as their hands intertwined. There, in the silence, her heart swelled with a feeling she didn't yet have a name for.
"Perhaps even… quite good," he murmured, glancing down at her with a shy, almost hopeful smile that made her cheeks burn.
It was a moment Kagome would carry in her heart forever, the warmth of his touch lingering as they watched the city together, feeling like they were the only two souls in Whitestone.
The cold light of dawn cast a harsh glow over the ruined landscape before her, jarring her from her memories. Kagome clenched her jaw, her fingers tightening around the bow slung across her back as she looked down at the once-proud city. Whitestone was nothing but a shadow of itself now—a place she had fought for, bled for, all in the memory of those it had lost. All in the memory of him.
Percy. His name was like a wound she never allowed to heal, a quiet ache she had carried in silence, turning it into fuel. She had been so certain that he had died that night the city fell. They had all thought him lost, and the absence had torn through her with an unrelenting cruelty. In the days that followed, Kagome had clung to her memories, to the dream of the life they might have shared. The warmth of his hand in hers was like a ghost, something that lingered even now as she walked the haunted streets of Whitestone.
Her breath misted in the cool morning air as she glanced at the ruins of the castle in the distance. The Briarwoods' cruelty had poisoned this place, yet the people of Whitestone had not surrendered. She had made sure of that. For years, she'd led the underground resistance, forging alliances in secret and rallying people who shared her fierce loyalty to Whitestone's spirit. Every day was a new battle, every raid a chance to strike back.
The world around her had changed, but she had remained bound to her promise, bound to him—even if he was nothing more than a memory.
She shook her head, pushing the thoughts away as she began her patrol along the edge of the forest. The scouts had reported strange sightings—a group approaching Whitestone, heavily armed, their purpose unknown. Kagome was prepared for more enemies, ready to face down anyone who might try to claim the city again.
As she moved through the shadows, a sound made her pause—a voice. Her heart raced as she listened, barely daring to believe it. It was deep and steady, unmistakably familiar. Her pulse quickened, and a fierce hope ignited in her chest, battling with disbelief.
She stepped forward, and as she emerged from the shadows, her heart nearly stopped.
There he stood, older, taller, and undeniably real. The boy she had known was gone, replaced by a man who looked as haunted and battle-worn as she felt. His face was sharper, his expression hard, but those blue eyes, the same ones that had looked at her with quiet tenderness all those years ago, hadn't changed.
It was Percival.
For a moment, she couldn't breathe, couldn't move. She felt her heart constrict, a surge of emotions crashing through her—a mix of joy, pain, and the deep ache of all the years they had lost. She wanted to run to him, to touch him and make sure he was real, but she stood frozen.
Percy's gaze settled on her, his own shock reflected in the flicker of recognition in his eyes. But there was something else there too—distance, a hint of guardedness she hadn't expected. He looked at her as if she were a stranger, and the sight of it sent a pang through her.
"Kagome?" His voice was uncertain, as if he couldn't trust his own senses.
She nodded, finding her voice. "Percival… I thought… I thought you were gone." Her voice trembled, betraying the grief she'd hidden for so long.
For a moment, his expression softened, and the warmth she remembered flickered in his gaze. But then he looked away, a hard edge returning to his features. "And I thought you'd moved on."
The words stung, piercing her heart with their bluntness. She took a step back, as if distance could shield her from the pain of his gaze. "I never moved on," she whispered, her voice barely audible. "I fought. I fought for Whitestone. For… for you."
Percy's expression was unreadable, his eyes shadowed by years of bitterness and suffering. He looked away again, his hands clenching. "It seems we've both been fighting ghosts."
They stood in silence, the weight of the years pressing down on them. Kagome felt her heart aching, the memory of their past slipping away like mist in the morning sun. The boy she had loved was gone, replaced by a man scarred by his own battles. And she realized, with a painful clarity, that perhaps she had been clinging to a memory all along.
But as she looked at him, something inside her refused to let go entirely. There was still a part of her that believed, that hoped. And maybe, just maybe, this was their second chance—to forge something new from the ashes of the city they had once called home.
Kage AN: Soooo, the husband made me sit down and watch the show and um yeah...oops? XD
Yuki AN: Hope ya enjoy!