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Normalcy: Chapter Two

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Innocence, Loss, and Treasures




A bowl of rice, topped with a hen egg gently found its way on her lap. Startled, Kagome smiled and thanked the tiny child, Miyo, the granddaughter of the eldest housekeeper. The kit's sparkling green eyes glowed at the praise and she bowed, taking off with a smile and back to the elder woman in the doorway, who nudged her back downstairs to continue housework.

Yoshino was quiet, and never really paid people much attention, instead choosing to focus solely on her work and raising little Miyo. The child was still so young and held that untouchable air around her, untainted by the worlds harsh realities, or even by the loss of her parents a few years before.

Picking up her bowl, Kagome leaned against the windowsill at her side. She had taken over Sesshoumaru's study, moving his feather stuffed seat to the rice paper window so she could watch the main gates. Idly stirring its contents, the miko's thoughts drifted to tonight, when her mate and his second ward would return from their patrol of the boarders. Her belly hummed pleasantly, the rice settling her morning queasiness. Sesshoumaru left almost a month before, promising to return before the end of the twenty-fifth day.

'I shall return. For the time being, do not fret over trivial matters, such as my safety. I am untouchable.'

She had scoffed at his arrogance, but caught the gleam of mischief in his sunrise gaze and merrily waved it off. 'I'm more worried for Jaken and Shippo. Who cares about what happens to you? Stubborn male.'

Jaken, the annoying little kappa that he was, sputtered and came to his masters' defense, thinking it would do him any good. A foot kicked the green imp in the head, sending the demon sprawling and left dazed. To her surprise, it had been her kit that dealt the punishment and started explaining the difference between sarcasm and seriousness.

For a moment, her mate looked at the boy with pride, a brow quirked and a smirk on pale lips, but it was gone before anyone noticed. Except her.

The miko finished her lunch and placed the bowl beside her. When she unfolded to stand, her socked feet developed pins and needles, blood-rushing back to her soles. "Ooow! That smarts…" Wiggling her toes, Kagome gently bent back over to grab the bowl, "And this isn't much better!"

Her bump, the precious little bump, kicked her bladder at that moment and reminder her of its presence. Straightening, the girl apologized, rubbing the soft obi while she cooed at infant. "You know, I have a feeling you're going to be just like your Oji-chan. Always pushy and demanding…but so cute!"

Shuffling to the shoji, she slid out onto the veranda and slipped on her geta, closing the screen behind her. Walking to the stairs, she carefully took them systematically with the click of her shoes, counting each as she went. When she got to the bottom, Kagome rounded the corner and slid into the lower level.

Little Miyo glanced up from the cloth she was running across the floor, a bright smile lighting up her face before she dropped the rag and dashed over to the miko, holding up her hands to take the bowl and chopsticks. Kagome giggled and shook her head, "It's okay, sweetie, I can do it." As always, the child looked a little shocked, but only nodded, and ran back over to the cloth and started to run the boards once again.

She put the bowl inside the washbasin, taking a scrap of cloth from the bucket of water in the wooden tub and wiping the rice grains from the stone bowl. Nodding to herself when it was clean, she placed the bowl back in the wooden chest in the corner, humming under her breath.

The soft patter of feet stilled, and Miyo sat back on her heels, head tilted while she listened to the Lady's song, cleaning forgotten. The woman didn't notice at first, until she turned and found jade orbs watching her, freckled peach skin flushed from work. Kagome blushed, having been caught. "Uhm…"

The child made an o shape with her mouth, as if she wanted to speak, but put her head down.

The look reminder her so much of when her mother caught her little brother with his hand in the cookie jar when he was three, crumbs on his nose and on the counter. She frowned; Miyo thought she would be scolded.

Thinking for a moment, the miko put her finger to her lips, the sleeves of her kimono sliding down her arm. Pretending to examine the floor, she noted that the boards were clean and dirt free. Taking a few steps towards the kit, who immediately pressed her face to the floor in a bow, Kagome clucked her tongue. "Oh Miyo-chan, please don't bow to me." Kneeling at the child's side, she places her hand on soft fire red hair. "Did you like my humming?"

The little girl nodded.

Smiling, Kagome made Miyo sit up, tapping her finger on the little nose. "Would you like me to teach you the song?" Again, the girl nodded. "Okay, but first, you have to do something for me."

Miyo blinked, but agreed.

The miko grinned. "Go get Rin-chan, put on a thicker yukata, and come for a walk with me to the shrine." She paused, "And don't worry about your chores, I'll talk to Yoshino-san. Agreed?"

The girl was shocked, so much so that her eyes watered and she flung herself at the miko in a brief hug before darting away, and out of the house.

Giggling, the miko stood carefully, trying not to trip over her own feet and the kimono. Tossing the forgotten cloth into the basin, Kagome left the kitchen and followed the girl's path outside, trying to avoid having to walk through the fusuma, only to open and close all of them as she went.

That was one thing she never liked about this palace. It was a palace. She had grown up in a simple house and while she appreciated the finery luxuries, such as running taps and a flushing toilet, and space heaters, air conditioning…The girl huffed. 'I'm not a rich snob...' she thought.

Money had never been appealing to her. She was raised with enough love, and even though sometimes a tight budget, that she wasn't greedy. There were times she missed a nice hot shower, of course, but she found that could be replaced with better things, like sitting under a falling stream in the summer. Or having a bath in a hot spring where the water wasn't tainted with chemicals.

In the modern world, you couldn't appreciate the beauty of nature as much as you could here. And in all honesty, she was content to live in a small hut. However her mate was not fit to live in a place so insignificant.

And he was literally too tall for a hut.

Hiding the snicker behind her sleeve, Kagome took in the cool air through her nose, sighing in pleasure at the smell of the coming winter. This time of year had always been her favorite, ever since she was a child.

She remembered the times her mother had to hunt her down, looking for her around the shrine as she hid behind large snow piles. They had made a game of it, her Mama calling out her name, always asking where she was with a smile, never getting mad at her. She would peek out from her hiding places when her mother walked past, then run up behind her and hug her legs. 'Here I am, Mama!' she'd say, and her mother would turn, acting surprised. 'Kagome! There's my little snow bunny!'

After her mother had Sota, and after her father passed away in a car accident, the game stopped until her little brother was old enough to play along. Kagome smiled at the memory, remembering how she'd look for her brother only to find him half sticking out of a snow pile from where he'd tried to bury into it.

Shaking her head, she felt the nostalgia creeping up into her heart like it did every time she thought of her life and family on the other side of the well. Clinically it was considered a condition that needed treatment, but never had she really been depressed by the thought of never going home. Within the first few months of returning, she had come to accept it. Her heart had yearned to return and that helped to remind her that she didn't belong in her own time anymore. Her heart belonged in this era.

The ache faded as soon as it came; barely long enough to be considered pain.

The sound of a cane on the hard wood floor drew her attention a head of her, where Yoshino struggled to walk up the short set of steps from the gardens. The girl immediately walked over as fast as she could, just a few paces ahead, and caught the elderly youkai's arm as her toe caught on the boards. Stumbling up the last step, Kagome helped the woman straighten herself, offering a smile.

White hair in a bun, the youkai bowed over her cane at Kagome, a quiet apology on her lips. The girl frowned, "Yoshino-san, you don't have to…"

The kitsune shook her head, a frown aging her face ten years. Deep crows feet crinkled around her eyes as she narrowed them, her once button nose scrunching. "Child, you must learn your duties! The Lady of the house does not help her servants!" Cracking her cane on the floor boards, she clucked her tongue at the young girl.

Groaning, Kagome smacked her forehead, falling for the trick once again. "But I thought you were actually falling this time!"

Shaking her head, Yoshino straightened her shoulders from their hunch, looking younger then she had previously. Faded green eyes glared at the miko, long claws tapping at the carved wood in her hand. "You fool. You have fallen for it every day since His Lordship has been away! Really, girl, don't you know this old kitsune's tricks by now?"

The girl grumbled an apology. "Sorry, Yoshino-san. Next time I'll remember."

Waving her hand, the elderly merrily stepped past her. "You said that last time as well. Remember, you are the one that wanted my help with teaching you etiquette of a Royal."

"Yes, but only if I ever have to entertain guests!"

The woman laughed, "And it requires practice! Get used to it, child!"

Huffing like a child, Kagome crossed her arms. "Yes, sensai. May I ask a favor?"

The woman turned from the door way, her simple blue yukata rustling with the movement. Arching a brow, pale green eyes held mirth. "Not if you sass me as such. What is it you require, Kagome-sama?"

Sticking out her tongue in good humor, the girl uncrossed her arms and smiled. "I require Miyo's services for the rest of the day and possibly the night. May I have her? She finished most of her chores!"

The kitsune frowned, "Why do you need her?"

Kagome felt her heart go out to the elder woman, having felt that protectiveness with Shippo herself. Before Naraku and the jewel were destroyed, Yoshino had lived in a small village with her son and his mate.

In one day, all that had been taken from her when the vile hanyou tore through her home and the rest of the village, slaughtering two other families along with her own. Her son, Akeno, had fought bravely against Naraku's minions, killing as many as he could before he was overwhelmed while protecting the body of his mate, Ran. Ran died in order to save Miyo from a fire worm who'd burst from the ground under their feet. Shoving the toddler into her mother-in-law's arms, she'd pushed them both back into the hut, taking the full brunt of the jagged teeth of the demon as it torn into her midsection, puncturing her heart and killing her instantly.

Akeno sought revenge and cast his magic's on the creature, burning it to ash. It took three oni to kill the hurting kitsune, taking his life with an unfair advantage.

Later, when the demons had left, Yoshino wept over the mangled bodies of her children, burns covering her hands and arms from where she'd dug her and her grandchild out from the rubble of the collapsed hut. Miyo was too young to understand, and merrily clung to her grandmother's robes, ash staining her cheeks, burns covering her chin and throat.

The child came running down the walk way to the west, tiny kit feet thumping on the wooden boards. Her face was bright and cheery; you would never have guessed the child was mute.

Kagome put on a bright smile for Miyo when she skidded to a stop at her leg, clapping her hands in excitement.

Yoshino watched the display with interest, even a little surprise. Sighing, the elder gave the miko one long look before waving her hand again, a flicker of hope and joy igniting in her chest. "Fine, you may have her. But her bed time is an hour after dark, remember that, girl."

The miko nodded, bowing her head politely. "Yes, Yoshino-san, you have my word!" Offering her hand to the girl, Kagome took her paw and they made their way to the gardens were Rin now sat, watching.

Seeing the priestess bent forwards to talk to the girl as they walked, hand in hand, the ward and servant shared a thought unknowingly.

'What a rare treasure.'
This is a SesshoumaruxKagome fanfiction.

Chapter two. I'm not done the chapter I wanted to finish before posting this, but I'm working on it. I'm two chapters a head anyway.



List of Chapters:

Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven


A short chaptered story that brings together a bigger picture.

This is not beta'd, and :iconfrizzycrls: will hit me with a spoon for it later.

Comments appreciated! :heart:
© 2011 - 2024 Sapphira-DoG
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TANSELL109's avatar
another amazing chapter! i look forward to reading the rest ^-^