I woke when the sun rose, and began gathering wood for a small fire. When it was set and lit, I leapt to a small rock in the middle of the river and crouched to watch the fish. A few minutes later, I plucked two fish from the water and jumped back to my spot on the bank. I cooked the fish slowly over the fire and ate just as slowly. I was ready to go home, but that didn’t mean I was in a rush to face my ‘Okaa-san’, my family, and my friends.

After eating, I spent an hour or so switching from watching the fire to watching the water flow in the river. My mind was blissfully blank and I was enjoying not having to worry constantly. Finally, when the sun was high above me, I decided it was time to return home. I put the fire out, buried the bones of the fish that had been my meal, and left. I spent half an hour making my way to the house. When I returned, Sesshomaru was outside under the sakura tree watching the children play.

That’s strange. Without giving it anymore thought, I stepped inside the house and searched for my ‘Okaa-san’. “Momma, we need to talk.” I told her as I stepped into her bedroom. “I am so sorry, Kagome. I never meant to hurt you.” She said frantically. “I know momma. I love you but… I want to tell him about me tonight.” I whispered so he wouldn’t hear us outside. “I understand.” She replied.

“Momma, what did you mean when you said you saved me?” I asked. “I guess I should tell you what really happened… I never meant for you to find out like this; but it’s time you know the truth.” My Okaa-san said as she waited for me to sit. Once I sat down, she turned joyless grey eyes to me.

“It was fifty years ago when I found you. You were only a few days old, hidden underneath a bush. I knew the moment I saw you why your mother had abandoned you; you were a hanyou, like me. I knew I couldn’t leave you there alone; the youkai would sniff you out and devour you if I did. Lord Sesshomaru was among them, hunting, and at that time he would have killed you immediately. That’s why I never wanted you to meet him.” She said.

“But he’s stopped talking about wanting to hunt them. He seems to want to stop hunting them.” I remarked. “It took him one hundred and fifty years to stop hunting hanyou. He told us this morning that hanyou were no longer going to be hunted. He knows you now. And now you know the truth. Be safe when you tell him how you escaped when you were a koneko.” She finished, on the verge of tears that I could have smelled from a mile away.

I stood and before I exited the door to leave and find Lord Sesshomaru I said, “My ningen Okaa-san is not my true Okaa-san. My true Okaa-san will always be you, because you could have easily left me to die as well.” When I went outside, the children were still playing and Lord Sesshomaru was still watching them. “Hello Sesshomaru.” I said softly, sitting beside him.

“You were not here this morning.” He said, a little coldly. “I left last night. There was something that I had to think through and I needed to be alone. I was there until late this morning.” I explained, hoping for him to understand. He simply nodded and continued watching the children. “I am sorry, Sesshomaru. Was there something you needed me here for?” I questioned.

He opened his mouth to say something but he slightly shook his head and closed it. I watched him for a few moments before sighing and leaning back against the tree. “Tell me about when Lord Kouga’s tutors were teaching you to read.” He muttered. I closed my eyes and recalled all those years ago before I spoke.

“I was ten years old. Kouga-kun and my Okaa-san had gone out for a stroll after he told his tutors to teach me like they had him. At first, they made me feel awful for not being taught before; but after I threatened to tell him how they treated me, they straightened up their act and began my lessons. When they began teaching me how to read I demanded that they teach me the story I told the children. Then they taught me how to write, and I began to rewrite the story. I was ‘efficiently excellent’."

"But when I started writing down my thoughts I became ‘wonderfully, beautifully, gifted’; but I still wonder if they only said that so I wouldn’t give my writings to Kouga-kun. They taught me how to properly handle myself around the court’s ladies and lords. Then they taught me math, the kingdoms’ histories, art, and music. Every day, for a lunar cycle, they taught me while Kouga-kun and momma strolled through the gardens when we came back here, I learned from Totosai how to work with metal and I opened the shop.” I told him.

He seemed shocked that I had learned so much in so little time; but I let it slide, knowing that he and Kouga had been taught for years the same material that I had. We watched the children play for a while longer before I heard my Okaa-san cry out happily and then saw her run towards me from the house. “Momma what is it?” I asked. “Kouga and I are to be married and mated!” my Okaa-san shouted ecstatically.

 I smiled, jumped from my spot under the tree, and hugged her tightly. “I’m so happy for you momma! It’s about time! You two have been like this for over forty years! Where is Kouga-kun? I have to hug him!” I yelled, already letting her go and running to meet him at the door of the house. I threw myself into his arms and squeezed as tight as I could before letting go and smiling up at him. “Finally!” I declared.

He smiled, nodded, and gave me a good squeeze before releasing me. “So, can I call you Otou-san now?” I asked. “You can, but I would never make you.” He replied. I smiled again before backing up allowing my Okaa-san to make her way to him. I had never seen her so happy before. “Are we going to live in the east with you now?” Kikyou asked from where she was with the others.

“Yes, we are Kikyou.” My Okaa-san called. “You realize that you’re going to have to send someone for the things in my shop? I am not leaving everything here. And don’t even think about telling me to stop working. I will work in the east.” I declared, daring Kouga with my eyes to tell me otherwise. His shoulders slumped in defeat and I smirked.

“It seems she truly has you wrapped around her finger now, Lord Kouga.” Sesshomaru commented from a foot behind me. I nearly jumped out of my skin at how close he was. I was so used to his aura by now that I hadn’t noticed how little space there was between us. Kouga sent him a smile and a mock glare before releasing a laugh.

“Yes, and I have no doubt that Kikyou will have me wrapped around her finger, too. They were already like daughters to me but now I will adopt them formally.” He retorted. I groaned. “Oh no…. that means I’ll be a hime.” I pouted. “Yes, you will be. And you’d better get used to it.” Kouga asserted.

“Fine. But don’t think that just because I’m a hime I’ll act like one and let you find a suitor to mate me off to. I refuse to be some baka’s way to get in good with the Lord of the east.” I bit out. With that, I spun on my heel and marched back to the sakura tree.

I sat with a huff and pushed my back roughly against the trunk before I turned my eyes to the children. I loved Kouga like a friend and an Otou-san, and I was happy that he and my Okaa-san had finally told each other about their feelings; but if he tried to use his status as my adopted father to push a man on me then I would be very ‘cross’.

 Sesshomaru sat beside me and the children went back to playing. When Sango and Miroku returned; my Okaa-san told him and they congratulated her and Kouga. Kouga even offered for them to come to the eastern castle with us for a while.

Everyone was extremely quiet and then I barely heard my mother start to pack everything in the house and move it to a wagon on the side of the house. I knew I wanted to tell Sesshomaru the truth, and that we would be leaving soon, but I couldn’t bring myself to figure out when to tell him.

An hour before sunset, Sesshomaru took Rin home and I took the children inside to make sure everything was packed. When everything was packed into the wagon, I strapped my weapons on the side and suddenly felt Sesshomaru’s aura starting to crash against my own in gentle waves.

Why is he coming back? I stood where I knew he would exit the tree line from and waited. Before he could step into the clearing that housed my home, I grabbed onto the sleeve of his shirt and dragged him to the river. “Why are we here?” he asked.

I was suddenly very nervous. What if he hated me for what I was about to say? What if he hated me for being myself and not telling him? What if- what if he tried to kill me? “I have something to tell you, Lord Sesshomaru.” My voce strained from my nervousness.

I was about to admit to him that I was a hanyou and I truly feared he would hate me. “Kagome I asked you to call me Sesshomaru; now what is it that you have to tell me?” he asked. The sincerity in his voice was almost my breaking point, but I pushed through.

“Please do not hate me for what I am about to say: I have not been entirely honest with you. I am a hanyou. I wanted to tell you; but I couldn’t. I had to protect my family.” I said. “Defending the half-breeds before, it was a lie?” he questioned. I could see his eyes becoming distant, cold. “No, I didn’t” – “When you spoke with my sister, did you tell her lies about the possible kindness of half-lings too?!” he shouted.

I had to force myself not to back away in fear when he towered above me. “I never lied to your nee-chan. I only told you because you deserved to know. It doesn’t matter if you hate me now anyway. I am leaving with my family to move to the eastern castle with Kouga! I did what I came to do!"

"I am sorry you feel I am a half-ling or a stain on the youkai society or a blemish in the youkai world! Goodbye, Lord Sesshomaru!” with that I escaped. I had never been happier for hanyou speed than when I had to escape the man I loved. I ran quickly to my home and jumped on the wagon. “We must leave! Now!” I shouted, grabbing my bow, quiver, and sword.

The children jumped on the wagon as I jumped off and Sango and Miroku sat with them. Momma, Kouga, and I ran and pulled the wagon behind us. We ran until long after we reached the border of the eastern and western kingdoms.

Finally, we stopped near a small pond and rested for the night. The children, Sango, and Miroku had fallen asleep a while before hand. I sat with my back against a tree and rested lightly while guarding over my family and friends.