Chronicles of the West

Chapter One hundred and Six

Satoru and Daishi combed through ancient texts, some so aged that they feared they might crumble away in their hands. It seemed that Taima had long known of the enemy and what would occur, for she had left very detailed clues.

Inuyasha listened intently as his scholarly son explained these things to him. Taima had obviously grown tired of a life filled with dim solitude and pained visions. She'd discovered a way that it might be remedied and in the process, secure the peace of the world as well.

Always thinking of the future and devoting herself to others, why not help herself along the way? Satoru was rather impressed with her knowledge but then, confined to the world of her own making, he supposed she had much time to research and divine such things.

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Kagome sat, silent and staring from her window. Life went on all around her but she felt as though she were trapped in an endless winter. Taima was gone. Her child, her tormented child. Tears welled freshly in her eyes slipping in scalding tracks over reddened cheeks.

She'd failed. In the worst way possible, she'd failed her daughter. She'd let her live in pain, and let her die. Her hands balled into fists in her silken robes. What manner of priestess was she? She'd not even been able to save one so dear to her heart. Her sobs broke forth from her lips, echoing in the stillness around her.

She lowered her head, falling to her knees, her arms wrapping around the womb that had housed Taima, had given her life. Her small form huddling on the polished boards of the balcony. So intent was she on her grief that she didn't notice the flutter of white that landed silently before her.

Sesshoumaru stared down at her. It was not supposed to be this way. He understood her pain, but he had seen all to often the great strength that lay within this small woman. To see her like this angered him, for it was like seeing her defeated.

"Get up Kagome" he commanded. The small form stiffened but remained curled in a ball. Her sniffling and wet snuffling grating on his delicate ears. "I said get up". Clouded eyes lifted to his clear golden ones. "Leave me alone" she whispered.

A silver brow lifted sardonically, "Self pity never did suit you" he told her in a calm voice. His cool tone making her spine stiffen in anger. "Go to hell" she snapped at him, eyes flashing angrily. Sesshoumaru let his lip curl in distaste, "You have more than one child" he reminded her.

Kagome pushed herself upright and stood to face him. Her fists shaking at her sides, "So easy for you to say Sesshoumaru. you haven't lost a child yet!". He shrugged, "This is true, however I would not cease moving among the living were that to happen".

She flew at him, much as he had expected she would. He stood still as a stone, feeling her full weight hit him in the chest. She tore at his garments, pummeled him with little fists, screeching like a wildcat. And through it all, he was steadfast, unflappable, becoming the target of her pain and anger.

She managed to slap his face, a red marm marring his snowy cheek. With a growl he caught her wrists and forced her from himself. "Let me go you bastard!" she wailed. He growled even more, shoving her from him. She snarled and attacked him again.

He let her, he would see that she exhausted herself in this cleansing anger. Then perhaps she might begin to live again. A movement in the corner of his eye drew his attention as Inuyasha and Ayeka both hurried into the room. No doubt drawn by the animalistic sounds of rage coming from the gentle miko.

Said gentle miko was endeavoring to her rip his hair from his scalp at the moment, not that it was working. Inuyasha rushed to them, "Kagome!". Sesshoumaru's barrier flickered between them, forcing his sibling back and away from the enraged female.

"Leave her be Inuyasha" Sesshoumaru commanded, even as she leapt at him again. Inuyasha's ears flickered with doubt, Ayeka's hand was at her mouth. She'd never seen Kagome act like this, and she didn't like to see it now.

"What are you doing?" she asked her tall mate. The demon lord flung Kagome off of him again heedless of Inuyasha's growls. "Doing what he should have done weeks ago" he responded. Inuyasha snarled at Sesshoumaru, "She is grieving Sesshoumaru, she lost a child!".

Sesshoumaru grunted, heartless in the face of her pain, "So you will lose her as well?". His words gave Inuyasha pause, "Grief saps the strength of the living, robs them of the will to go on". Inuyasha watched Kagome grapple with Sesshoumaru again.

His brother was by far easily able to defeat her, yet he allowed her assualt again and again and even when he shoved her back, she was not hurt. She grew angrier, her rage nearly incandescent now. Her hands began to glow and she hurled purification at Sesshoumaru.

He blocked it all too easily. "She is weak Inuyasha, she can't even harness her energies as she once could. You have allowed her to wallow in her pain for too long. She doesn't need to grieve". Inuyasha watched as Kagome slumped forward, her strength spent. "She needs to be angry. To fight" Sesshoumaru told him.

Kagome knelt before the demon lord, panting, her arms shaking with her weariness. Her eyes were dry now. Sesshoumaru growled softly to her, and her eyes slowly lifted to him. "Get up" he commanded her again. Kagome's lips thinned and she rose to her feet. unsteadily but she rose nonetheless.

Sesshoumaru looked beyond her to where Inuyasha stood, still and stiff. Uncertain as to what had happened and what they should do now. Ayeka locked eyes with her mate, knowing what he had done. "Inuyasha" she said softly, "Perhaps now you can tell her what you know. She can hear it now"

Inuyasha blinked. What the hell was going on? Kagome lifted her gaze to his, seeing perhaps for the first time the sorry and worry etched in his handsome features. Had she caused that? Blind to everyone's pain but her own? She looked back at Sesshoumaru, seeing the bright red handprint that was slowly fading from his high cheekbone.

Tears filled her eyes then, not from grief, but shame and she reached out to him. "Sesshoumaru" she whispered, moving to stand before him, "Did I?…Oh gods I did..I'm sorry". He lifted his eyes from hers to his brother's. "I am unharmed miko" he assured her. She looked over her shoulder at Inuyasha.

In the blink of an eye she was in his arms, whispering her apologies against his chest. "I'm sorry Inuyasha, I'm so sorry". He held her, stroking her hair, feeling her aura flare with life again. Pain filled but living. For long minutes they stood in silence, Ayeka and Sesshoumaru watching them.

Finally, she lifted her head from the comfort of Inuyasha's embrace and met his eyes. "There is something you want to tell me?" she asked. Inuyasha nodded slowly, "Come to the library" he replied, taking her hand and leading her inside.

Ayeka watched them go, her lower lip caught between her teeth. Sesshoumaru moved to stand beside her, his clawed thumb moving to pull her lip free. "Think they will be fine now?" she asked him, not bothering to look at him. Sesshoumaru grunted, "We can only hope so. The news that her daughter is not entirely lost to her could affect her in a number of ways" he replied.

Ayeka nodded and then slowly turned to look at him, "You pushed her to fight you" she said, "Why you?". Sesshoumaru tucked his long hair behind the point of one ear, "Because Inuyasha was not able to do so" he told her. She supposed that was true, Inuyasha would not have been able to remain heartless to her agony, not even if she needed it from him.

Tucking her arm through his, she looked back to the doorway, "Should we join them there?" she asked him. Nodding, they made their way down the corridors and to the library. Ayeka prayed that Kagome would accept this odd news with a joyful heart and life could continue in the western palace as it should.

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Kagome sat in stunned silence. Satoru had been quite clear in his words and he knew that she had heard him. She was so still now, not even blinking. Inuyasha began to worry when she finally, slowly closed her eyes. "Satoru" she said softly, "Are you certain of this?".

Satoru nodded, "Taima was most clear in her instructions. There is a timeline and of course the needed rituals". Kagome sighed, a deep shuddering sound. Could it be possible? Could she possibly have a second chance to make amends? "What if she is like Reny?" she asked, "What is her soul is corrupted by the dark?". A valid question, for she'd not even attempt such a thing if there was any chance of such terrible repercussions.

"Not possible" Satoru told her, "For you see, the soul is not there, but here". He touched his chest as if to illustrate his point. Kagome leaned back in her seat, "But it is a portion of the soul and not the entirety" she pointed out. Satoru nodded, "This is true, however, the soul will be restored upon it's entering a body" he told her, "It will be just as if Taima was being born for the first time, however, those things which caused her pain can be avoided now".

Kagome traced her fingers over the scattered texts, "Please Satoru" she said, "Explain these things to me". Satoru met his father's gaze and sighed, before resuming his seat across from them. "There is a reason that Taima was born as she was" he told them.

Pulling out lunar charts and laying them out before them, he pointed to a set of markings. "This is the time that Taima was born" he told them, and they nodded seeing that it was correct. "This is the time that she was conceived. It is also the time when your miko powers reach their peak mother".

Kagome blinked, miko powers peaked in the lunar cycle? She'd not really thought of it. Satoru guessed her next question and hurried to explain. "Holy energies like youki have peaks, though they are not as noticeable. In fact few miko's reside in vicinity of demons so such things would not have been known as common knowledge".

Inuyasha leaned forward, his large hand covering Kagome's. "So you are saying that Kagome conceived a demon child at the height of her holy powers". Satoru nodded, "Indeed. Such a thing would not usually cause any trouble, however you are a Taiyoukai father and therefore Taima's conception was ill timed. Had a lunar chart been consulted this might have been avoided. On the continent people use them quite regularly".

Inuyasha blinked, "We don't do that so much here" he admitted. Satoru smiled gently, "No one blames you" he assured them, "However, if you desire to give Taima her desired rebirth, it would be most beneficial to consider this time frame to do so". His clawed hand fell to the chart again. "Mother's energies will be low as they were when I was conceived".

Kagome stared up at her son, "How can I be sure that it is Taima's soul?" she asked. He held his hand out to the side and Daishi appeared to press an object there. "This is a soul medallion" he told her, "When you decide to do this, you have only to tell us and we will house the portion of her soul within this. You merely have wear this during your…..erm…activities" he told her.

"At the moment of conception her soul will leave this vessel and enter the womb, the spark of life making her whole once more" Daishi added. Kagome looked over at Inuyasha, her uncertainty in her eyes. This was something they had not attempted before, or ever would again.

"And will she remember?" Inuyasha asked, "Her previous life?". Daishi shook her head, "At that moment, life begins anew for her. She will be whole and healthy". Kagome pressed her hand to her brow, "This is so much to consider, to take in" she whispered. Inuyasha tugged her to lean against him. "There is no hurry Kagome" he told her.

She nodded, her head suddenly aching, almost as much as her heart. "How do you know this?" she asked them. Satoru handed over the final letter penned by his sister. "Her words mother. It was what she hoped for". Kagome accepted the pachement with trembling hands. Her eyes shining with fresh tears as she read the last words of her daughter.

She rose to her feet and then her eyes rolled back in her head and she sank towards the floor, Inuyasha catching her against his chest. "Kagome?" he called worriedly. Sesshoumaru held his hand up for silence from the door, "She will be fine Inuyasha, likely this is a shock to her system is all. Take her to your chambers and when she wakes, you must decide what to do". Inuyasha nodded and gathered her against him before leaving the room.