InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Flower Girl ❯ Availability ( Chapter 81 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

---oOo---

Kagome sighed, almost relieved to be back in the past.

It's odd... but it's already home to me. I love my era in some ways, but I am so grateful for the chance to live here instead... she looked sideways at the beautiful youkai Lord that paced at her side and smiled a little... especially with him - and the children.

The kami truly have blessed me...

She looked down at her feet as they walked, still smiling, and didn't notice as he looked over at her.

"Something pleases you, my miko?" he asked.

A light blush tinted her cheeks. "Just thinking is all." At his encouraging look, she elaborated. "I'm blessed... look at what the kami have given me. How many people can say that they have what I do?"

He nodded, understanding what she was saying.

He frowned a little when he noticed the bouquet of flowers she held in one hand. I saw her take those as we left the house, but did not ask her what they are for...

"The flowers... what purpose do they have?"

She glanced down at her hand, them smiled up at him. "Oh... these are for Rin. I have something I want to ask her..." she trailed off and shook her head at him when he asked what that was.

"Not telling. It's between me and Rin. Once I've asked her, then I'll tell you - or rather, I'll let her tell you."

With a cocked brow, he stared at her for a moment, then decided to let it be. I suppose it is only fair... as I also have a few secrets. He folded his hands into his haori, and fingered one of those secrets.

Exchanging rings was not something I had ever heard of - but since she is human, I will do this - as long as it tells human males that she is off limits, I can agree to just about anything.

I am glad her mother told me of this custom - I doubt Kagome would have...

The moment they walked into the clearing, he was forced out of his thoughts by the excited yells of Rin and Shippo as they caught sight of their mother, and as they ran up, she opened her arms and dropped down to her knees to hug them.

"Mama! We missed you last night, Rin and me... we're so glad you're back," Shippo burst out, with a glance at Rin, who nodded.

"Yeah... Rin and Shippo missed you... you're not leaving again tonight, are you, mama?" The little girl drug her toe in the dirt, and Kagome made a mental note to get the tiny child some sandals and winter shoes.

"No, I'm not going back again overnight, probably not for a long time - and tell you what," she grinned at them, "next time, I'll take you both with me, okay?"

Their eyes widened, and they glanced at each other. "Really?" Shippo shouted, and Kagome laughed.

"Yes, really." She looked at Shippo. "If you like, you can get into my bag and get out the new crayons and coloring books I bought for both of you. Rin and I need to go have a little talk - but we'll be right back, okay?"

At that point, Sesshoumaru spoke up. "Actually, I have need of the kit." He glanced down at the little boy, who was looking up at him wide-eyed. "I have something important I need for you to do. Come... we will go speak now."

Shippo glanced up at his mother, and when she nodded, he grinned and took off after the daiyoukai without a backward glance.

Kagome chuckled, then looked at Rin and held out her hand as she stood back up. "Okay... let's go find a nice private spot to go talk."

Rin grinned up at her and skipped along happily at her side as they left the verge near the head of the village, and headed into the trees.

Kagome lifted her face into the breeze, enjoying the feel of her hair being gently blown back, and then looked down and smiled at the little girl still happily dancing at her side.

She's so precious... so full of joy and life.

They finally reached a sunny area of grass and flowers, and Kagome stopped, then plopped down onto the ground, followed a moment later by a giggling child.

Once Rin was situated, Kagome held out her hand - the hand still holding the little bouquet of flowers, and Rin's eyes lit up as she took them. "These are for Rin? Why?"

"I have a question to ask you, and you have to tell me if you think you will be available to do what I'm going to ask you to do," she said, a serious look on her face.

The child instantly got a matching serious look, and nodded. "Okay, mama. Rin is listening."

"You know that Sesshoumaru-sama and I are getting married. He has decided that our wedding day is in nine days." Rin's eyes got huge in her tiny face, and a huge grin plastered itself there. "In my time, at weddings, they have a special spot for a girl in the wedding, and I want you to do it. It's called the Flower Girl."

"Rin would be a flower girl in the wedding?!" Her entire little body was shaking with excitement. "What would Rin have to do?"

"Well, if you decide that you are available to do it," she winked at the little girl, "you would walk ahead of me and spread flower petals along the path that I will walk. It's a very important position, Rin... do you think that you'd like to do it?"

Rin nodded so fast Kagome was surprised she didn't get dizzy. "Oh, hai, mama," she breathed, "Rin would love to do it!" She looked down at the flowers in her hand, and handed one back to her mother with a firm nod. "Rin is available to be the flower girl in your wedding, mama."

Kagome clapped her hands together with a grin. "Good! Thank you so much for doing this, Rin, it means the world to me."

She frowned a little, and placed a finger to her chin. "And guess what? The Flower Girl gets a brand new fancy kimono to wear."

"Really, mama?!" Rin jumped up, clutching her flowers to her chest, and twirled around in excited circles. "Come on, mama, let's go back to Ah-Uhn... Rin wants to put these flowers in her book, because this is the best day of Rin's life and she wants to remember it forever!"

Kagome laughed as she stood up and followed after the beautiful little girl.

My beautiful little girl, she thought, smiling inwardly. She's so excited...

When they got back to the village, she caught sight of Shippo running to join Rin near Ah-Uhn, and Kagome watched the two of them with pensive eyes.

My sweet little children... just another thing I have to feel blessed by the kami for. To think... if I'd never died at Kikyou's hand...

I wouldn't be where I am now. And I can always remind myself of that when that coldness starts to creep in on me.

Sesshoumaru striding back out from under the trees towards the children caught her eye, and she smiled softly.

Oh, yes... all of this was definitely worth dying for.

And she moved to join her family, warming at the sweet welcoming smiles and loving eyes that met her.

---oOo---

A/N: The Flower Girl... a modern wedding accoutrement that I had to put in here... as if the title of the story wasn't a dead giveaway, right? But anyway... I just had to do it this way, with Kagome asking Rin to do it formally instead of just telling her that she was gonna do it.

Not like Rin would say no to flowers.

I still love Rin... and I want a Rin for myself.

On another side note, I wanted to thank my daughter, Brittani Lang, for the fanart she drew for this story. It's posted over on Dokuga on my author profile under fanart. It's absolutely darling!

Amber