The Herald of Heaven and Earth

Chapter 3: Unheard Vows and Promises

Daylight had begun to creep into the campsite where the travelers were all sleeping peacefully, except for the half demon who sat perched in a tree over a gently snoring Kagome. Inuyasha had been awake for most of the night and had seen when Sesshoumaru had quietly risen, leaving the little girl and imp curled up against Au-Un. He growled as he remembered the events that had taken place the previous day and looked down absentmindedly. Kagome had stirred slightly and clutched Shippo closer to her. Inuyasha sighed as he watched her. She looked beautiful. The sun made her skin gleam like pale gold, and her dark hair fanned out around her body. Feeling his heart lurch, he quietly leapt from the tree and sprinted off into the forest.

He ran until he reached a clearing he had discovered in his anger the previous night. Sitting upon a tree stump he bowed his head. He could see visions of Kagome and Kikyo whirling around in his mind and hear the unseen voices arguing. In pain he clasped his hands over his ears and screamed. “Why does this have to be so difficult,” his voice broke as a sob escaped him.

“Conflicting emotions brother?”

Inuyasha’s ear cocked in the direction of the intruding voice and stood to face it angrily. Sesshoumaru had quietly walked into the clearing and was quite aware of his brother’s anguish, otherwise he would have been able to pick up his scent.

“What do you want,” Inuyasha asked quietly, ashamed that he had not been able to sense Sesshoumaru’s presence.

“It isn’t as hard as you make it out to be. If you love the undead one why do you not release Lady Kagome?”

Inuyasha growled angrily at the audacity of Sesshoumaru’s suggestion. “You don’t know what you’re talking about. I love Kagome, but I made a vow to Kikyo. I’m bound to her no matter what.”

Sesshoumaru’s gaze grew cooler as his eyes narrowed with disgust. “So you mean to tell me that you shun Kagome’s love for the hate of a woman long dead?”

Inuyasha flexed his claws heatedly as he stared at Sesshoumaru with hatred. “What the hell do you know about it. You’re heartless so what do you even know about love.” Inuyasha stood and watched as Sesshoumaru’s claws began to drip poison.

“I know this you pathetic imbecile. That woman back there has been your companion for the last few years. She proved herself time and again, almost died for your sorry carcass, and I witnessed many times when you would push her aside for the corpse. I sensed her sadness and shame, yet you continue to string her along with the hope that you will claim her.”

Inuyasha’s eyes widened with shock and embarrassment as Sesshoumaru’s words struck a cord a little too close to home, and he strode toward him with outrage. “What business of it is yours? You hate humans, so why does it bother you?”

Sesshoumaru closed the distance between them and the brothers stood face to face. “She deserves better,” he said softly.

Inuyasha laughed and began to turn away. “So what, you think you’re better?” Inuyasha continued to walk and, after a few moments he heard Sesshoumaru’s voice but it seemed far away.

“In all things I am better than you half-breed, especially concerning loving her.”

Inuyasha whirled around and saw that Sesshoumaru had disappeared. A cold numb feeling began to flood throughout his body and his claws pierced the palms of his hands as he balled them into fists.

“Sesshoumaru!!!”

Back at the campsite everyone was awake and busily preparing for the day’s trek when they heard Inuyasha’s bloodcurdling roar. Miroku, Sango and Shippo all turned to Kagome as she quickly pulled on her shoes and began to run into the forest.

“Kagome!” Sango cried and began to follow her but Miroku quickly grasped her arm.

“She’ll be okay,” he said softly.

Sango looked around and saw the frightened faces of Rin and Shippo and thought better of making a spectacle in front of the worried children. “I-I’ll fix you guys some breakfast,” she said hurriedly as she prayed that her friend would be okay.

“Inuyasha,” Kagome whispered breathlessly. She was running through the forest, ignoring the thorns from the brush that tore mercilessly at her soft legs. Finally, she had reached a clearing and saw him. His face was shrouded by his long silver hair and she noticed that his shoulders heaved with each breath. She knew without seeing his eyes that he was crying and that startled her. Never in all the time they had been together did she see him cry, and pain flooded her soul.

Inuyasha felt the hot tears rushing from his eyes and all the emotion he kept bottled up in the secret place inside his heart overflowed. Suddenly a strong wind blew and the sweet scent he had come to love surrounded him. As if it were a living being, the wind and scent whirled around him caressing his cheeks and drying his tears.

“I-Inuyasha…”

Slowly he turned around and saw the pale worried face on that most beautiful creature. “Kagome,” he whispered sadly as he saw tears welling up in her brown eyes.

She didn’t know what happened. One minute he was in the middle of the clearing and in a heartbeat he had captured her in his arms. Startled she looked up in surprise but all that was there to meet her were his soft lips. She groaned as he deepened the passionate kiss and felt her body mold to his. Her heart pounded with the beat of a thousand drums and in that moment she forgot all of her misery and felt she could die of sheer happiness.

Inuyasha continued to embrace her until he realized what he had done. Abruptly he released her and looked away with shame. Still reeling, Kagome wobbled and when she caught her balance she flinched when she saw the shame on his face. “Kagome, I didn’t mean…”

“No,” she shouted, silencing him from saying the dreaded truth. “Don’t you tell me that, that was a mistake. Don’t tell me that you will never love me like you love…”

Inuyasha reached out to her as her voice broke but she sprinted away from him into the forest.

“Kagome…”

She ran until she collapsed out of breath. She looked down at her legs and saw that her blood began to seep out of the many wounds and sank painfully to the ground. Wearily she crawled to a tree and lay against it and her eyelids grew heavy. “I-I don’t know why this affects me like this… he told me how he felt,” she whispered as her eyes closed.

*Dream/Flashback*

Kagome had returned from her time to find Inuyasha and Kikyo locked together in a warm embrace. Deeply wounded she went back through the bone eater’s well, convinced that she was not wanted or needed. However, on her return she was drawn to the sacred tree.

“Where Inuyasha and I first met,” she whispered and she broke down into tears.

After an encouraging talk with her mother, she decided to return to the feudal era to face her demon. Meanwhile, Inuyasha had been sitting in a tree constantly staring at the well, when suddenly he saw small dainty hands appear and Kagome emerged. Instead of going toward the village she just sat down on the edge of the well and immersed herself in her thoughts.

“What’s she thinking about,” he thought anxiously. “I should have gone after her…” He had been in constant turmoil, and desperately wanted to go after her when she ran away that night but fear held him back. “She’s going to leave,” he thought despairingly but he had to try to apologize.

She sat with her back to him, her hands in her lap. Her long black tresses billowed softly in the wind and when he looked upon her face he was startled to see that she wore a strange smile. She looked up when she felt eyes upon her and as her eyes bore deep into his, her tears threatened to fall once more. Remembering what her mother told her she felt a strength grow inside her and her smile grew broader as she looked up at her true love.

“You know everyone, even you at one time compared me to Kikyo but, the one thing that gives me comfort is that fact that even though Kikyo and I couldn’t be more different, we are alike in our desire to want to be with you.” Kagome stood and grabbed his hand as she started to walk toward the village.

“So you’ll stay,” he asked softly, his voice filled with awe.

Kagome smiled as she nodded gently. “I want to be with you no matter what.”

*End Flashback*

Sesshoumaru paused when a faint scent of blood and flowers assaulted his nose. In alarm he stalked toward it and stared in shock as he saw Kagome curled up against a tree with her legs bleeding. He could clearly sense the pain and sadness radiate from her body and his eyes gleamed red with anger.

“I thought I made it clear to that fool…”

He began to advance toward her when a red and white blur erupted through the trees. He watched as Inuyasha looked at her broken form and gently picked her up. Sesshoumaru growled as he saw her sigh and sink into Inuyasha’s arms as the two sped away.

Shippo picked at the sausage left on his plate from breakfast, and continued to look impatiently in the direction Kagome had ran off earlier in search of Inuyasha. Miroku and Sango had tried to calm him but, he remained impassive awaiting his mother’s return. Suddenly Inuyasha bounded into the campsite and everyone rose to their feet seeing Kagome in his arms.

“What happened to her,” Sango asked heatedly when she saw the wounds on her legs.

Inuyasha smiled weakly as Kagome opened her eyes. “Nothing we just had a little misunderstanding.”

Kagome’s eyes widened. “So he does regret it,” she thought bitterly. Gathering her strength she pushed him away from her. “I can walk.”

Inuyasha gently set her down and watched as she stumbled away from him. If looks could kill he would have surely been slain with the way Miroku and Sango glared at him. He sighed and turned to walk away when a little hand stopped him.

“It’s not your fault,” Shippo said softly and then ran to his mother’s side, leaving Inuyasha gaping at him with surprise.

At that moment Sesshoumaru entered the camp and his and Inuyasha’s eyes met, each daring the other to say something foolish. Rin, feeling the tension ran over to her father and grabbed his hand.

“Daddy come look at Kagome’s legs, she’s hurt.”

Inuyasha grunted softly but Sesshoumaru ignored him and let Rin lead him over to Kagome. He looked down at the wounds and glanced into her eyes. “Does it hurt badly my Lady?”

Kagome smiled at his concern. “No I’m alright, I’ve just been a little tired lately.”

Sesshoumaru stroked the thick pelt around his shoulder with thought. “Perhaps we should let you rest today and travel when you feel better.”

“We can’t,” Inuyasha said quietly as he leaned against a tree. “Naraku is getting stronger as we speak and we can’t afford any down time.”

Sesshoumaru eyed his brother with shock. “So you would put her at risk?” Inuyasha’s face colored with anger as he stared at his brother.

“I don’t want to put her at risk but we’re on a mission. Kagome knows this and the sooner we get rid of Naraku, the sooner all of us can be happy.”

Kagome nodded. “You‘re right,” she said as she rose to her feet unsteadily.

Sesshoumaru grasped her arm as she started to fall and Kagome looked up at him in surprise. Again the their eyes met and for what seemed like an eternity, they gazed into each other’s souls.

“Damn you,” Inuyasha rumbled. “Come on Kagome let’s get out of here.” She gasped as he pushed Sesshoumaru away from her and picked her up.

“Inuyasha…”

“Quiet Kagome, I’m going to carry you for awhile, you can’t walk in this condition,” he said softly but with a firmness that meant he was serious. Miroku and Sango watched as Kagome crossed her arms in annoyance but let him carry her.

Throughout the rest of the day the tension could be felt through the air, and when Kagome finally had enough coddling and insisted that she be put down, Inuyasha reluctantly obliged but still followed closely behind her.

“You know this may be the best thing that’s happened to her,” Sango whispered to Miroku with a small smile on her face. “I don’t know how but, it seems that Inuyasha’s obsession with Kikyo is fading away.”

Miroku’s eyes lit up as he watched the two brothers throw each other evil glares over the head of the young woman between them and he glanced at Sango in surprise. “I hope you’re right, Kagome deserves to be happy.” As the pair hurried to catch up they did not realize that their conversation had been overheard.

A group of soul collectors began to swarm around a ghostly woman that materialized out of thin air. Although her face was lovely, her narrow eyes and pale skin made her appearance cold and unforgiving. As she watched the travelers fade into the distance her eyes fixed upon Inuyasha when he began to hold Kagome’s hand. “His love is fading for me? He would dare to break his vow to me, for that girl…” She said to herself in a deadly voice. Just then a strange wind blew and the woman looked around in alarm. Feeling uneasy she looked toward the direction Inuyasha and his friends were heading. “I promise Kagome, you will pay dearly for daring to take what is mine.”

“Kikyo, it is a pleasure to see you again.”

The woman was about to disappear once more when a voice, dripping with confidence and deceit made her freeze to the spot. She turned and stared at the handsome devil that had made her life hell. Adorned in a violet-blue colored kimono, his long black hair danced wildly in the unnatural wind as he smiled devilishly at her. Red irises seemed to pierce the very depths of her being, making her shiver with fear.

“Naraku…”

(author's note: It has been awhile since I've seen the beginning of the episodes so if I am not as accurate in the flashbacks as possible (my bad). Hopefully I'm not that far off.)