InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Queen of Hearts ❯ Inuyasha and the Ultimatum of Honor ( Chapter 3 )

Queen of Hearts

by: kleine-kiko

 

A/N: Hey everyone! So, I've started a tradition. I'm going to dedicate the story to those who have reviewed most recently. So, here they are from FF.net:

 

to kagome7inuyasha75, kayko15, and Sango-the-youkai-slayer

 

You are all very much appreciated by me, and I will try my best to make you all happy with the story.

 

Chapter 3: Inuyasha and the Ultimatum of Honor

 

~@~@~@~

 

Sango's shallow breathing hitched as Miroku lifted her up and cradled her in his arms like a great beast protecting its mate. He looked down at her, seeing her grey skin stretched over her cheekbones that jutted out. He gently ran his palm over her cheek, stopping to cup her face in his hand.

 

Miroku had gone to the river to ponder the situation Inuyasha had presented. He wanted to understand Inuyasha's little game of dodging between Kikyo and Kagome. And he wanted to understand why the hanyou had decided Kagome wasn't good enough to be part of their group any longer.

 

Most of all he wanted to help Kagome.

 

It was true he had left Sango alone for a few days, hoping she would snap out of the dreary life she had been living, sitting in Kaede's hut staring blankly at the wall. He didn't know she hadn't been eating though, until Kaede had brought it to his attention the previous day.

 

`Miroku?' The village's priestess approached the young itinerant monk cautiously.

 

`Yes Kaede?' Miroku had asked, aware of the stiffness and formality that had entered her generally warm voice as she neared him.

 

`Are ye aware that Sango has not been herself?'

 

`Yes, yes I have Kaede.' Miroku had thought it odd, at the time, for Kaede to bring such an obvious thing to his attention.

 

Kaede's eyes widened, `Then ye are aware that she has not eaten or slept since young Kagome left us?'

 

Miroku gasped. He had known that Sango had taken Kagome's departure rather roughly, but was confident she would overcome the shock of it quickly, because she was an extraordinary woman.

 

`She hasn't?' he asked, concern laced his otherwise calm voice and demeanor.

 

`Nay, I'm afraid, if she were to take another emotional blow, she may die,' Kaede's voice was full of sadness, she wrapped her arm around Miroku's and pulled him to the hut.

 

He looked in and knew she was dazed, but was still confident that she would pull out of the stupor she was entranced by…

 

Now, as Miroku held his beloved in his arms, and saw Kikyo clutched tightly to Inuyasha, he knew what had sent his dear Sango to a seemingly early grave.

 

Sango, who hadn't left the safety of Kaede's hut since the week after Inuyasha declared Kagome a lost cause, had most likely left the hut to find Kagome herself and found Inuyasha and Kikyo in a lover's embrace. Miroku felt disgusted and betrayed by the half-demon he had come to think of as a close friend and ally. But now he saw Inuyasha for the traitorous man he really was.

 

He looked at the hanyou and the priestess, who looked back—one with mild interest, and one with (obvious to Miroku) a fake sense of care.

 

Miroku yelled, “How could you? How could you Inuyasha? I knew you preferred her… but to do this to a woman who has always tried to take care of you and help you? You betrayed her for the dead? You've condemned her to an early grave!”

 

Inuyasha pinned his ears flat against his head, trying to drown out Miroku's cries of horror at the thought that he had betrayed them.

 

“I did no such thing! I never would abandon you guys—!”

 

He was cut off by the surprisingly strong snort from Sango, “But you would abandon a living loving woman for the dead?”

 

Inuyasha was about to retort, but held his tongue as he heard Sango's ragged breathing stop almost completely as she allowed her unconscious mind to take over, and spread through her body. She was now in a blissful oblivion; not alive and not dead, but oblivious to the worlds of the living and the dead that swirled in the darkness that enshrouded her body—mists that eventually became one in her mind.

 

“Inuyasha, you have made your last decision concerning this group,” Miroku said, a glare that contained all of his hurt was fixed on his face. “I'm going to take care of Sango, and then we will leave. I'm taking her back to her village where she belongs. And when she's strong enough, we will search for Naraku ourselves.”

 

“You can't do that Miroku! You need me to protect you!” Inuyasha said forcefully.

 

A small excited Shippo ran into the village towards Miroku and Sango, placing his small hand on Sango's forehead. Shippo looked back towards the way from whence he came, and a young girl stepped from behind a small hut that hid the entrance of the village from the eyes of the group.

 

Miroku gasped as a young woman stepped into the clearing. Her white top yellowed her sickly looking skin, the green sailor back brought out the dulled color in her once glossy black hair. Her eyes, which were once so illustrious now were darkened and dulled. Her green school uniform skirt had been lengthened to hide the bruises, which so easily were inflicted upon her body, so that it was now reached her knees. The smile, once fixed upon her face was replaced with a grimace of pain that radiated through her entire countenance.

 

Kagome had returned to the Feudal Era.

 

~@~@~@~

 

Kagome's bland expression rested on the scene which concerned Miroku, Sango, and Shippo. After she had studied them she turned her ghoulish gaze to Inuyasha.

 

She conjured a false smile when she saw Kikyo in his arms and said in a sickly false happy voice, “Hello Inuyasha; Kikyo.”

 

She bowed and a loud pop was heard when her spine gave out. Shippo immediately ran to her side, and held onto her leg. Kaede, who had just finished gathering herbs for the sick Sango, entered the village and gasped dropping her basket at the sight of Kagome.

 

“Kagome! You've finally returned to us,” Kaede went to Kagome's side, and ushered the girl, and Miroku who carried Sango into the hut.

 

Kikyo, who was the most shocked to see Kagome back in the Feudal Era pinched at Inuyasha's arm to gain his attention.

 

“Ouch, what is it Kikyo?” He said, not taking his eyes off of Kaede's reed door, where he had last seen Kagome.

 

“Inuyasha why is she here? You promised to—”

 

“I didn't bring her here Kikyo. She came back on her own,” Inuyasha smiled, how could he have been stupid enough to think Kagome had forgotten him?

 

Kikyo hadn't planned on this happening. A similar thing had happened when the great demon lord, Hyoga, had been awakened and caused the Tree of Life to suck the souls of all things living.

 

Kikyo had explained to Kagome then that she didn't belong in this world, and that she shouldn't come back. But Kagome had come back, of course, that was with Inuyasha's promptings. Kikyo thought if she could prevent Inuyasha from contacting Kagome, Kagome would be spiritually broken. Kikyo had planned on controlling Inuyasha, and preventing Kagome from coming back.

 

And now Kaede, her sister, was aiding the sickly child. It was, to Kikyo the ultimate of family betrayal. Helping a family member's enemy would not be tolerated.

 

Inuyasha broke from Kikyo's grasp and headed towards Kaede's hut.

 

Kikyo was desperate to stop him, “Inuyasha!”

 

He looked over his shoulder at her, pausing, “Yes Kikyo?”

 

“You promised you would always protect me did you not?”

 

Inuyasha was confused by her question and hesitated in answering, “Yes, I did…”

 

Kikyo pulled an arrow out of her quiver, and placed the sharp tip of it at the base of her neck, “Even from myself?”

 

Inuyasha turned to her and stepped towards her, “Kikyo, what do you think you're doing?”

 

“Stop!” she replied in a hurry, “Inuyasha, its time to make your decision.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

Kikyo tightened her grip on the arrow, pressing it into her neck, “Inuyasha you choose now, and choose wisely.”

 

“Kikyo…” Inuyasha warned.

 

Kikyo closed her eyes, “Inuyasha you either keep your promise to me, or you go and tend to that girl. And with the state of that girl's health, I'd say she only had a few days if she's not properly looked after. Either way, one of us dies.”

 

~@~@~@~

 

A/N: Hope you guys like this chapter… I wouldn't mind a few more reviews either. But hey, I guess I can't be picky, I'm just here to entertain… Don't let this note make you think I don't want reviews… I'm just in an exceptionally good mood today. ^ ^ I'll update when I feel like it, so enjoy.