Through Sapphire Eyes by amaniblue

Life

December 21, 1414

(Kagome's P.O.V)

Otou-san is coming home, today. I have not seen him in over two months. This time, I will make sure that he takes me with him... Wherever he goes. I do not like standing by the tree line whenever mother has a visitor. For, it is cold outside during the mid- winter, and it is rumored that the snow brings youkais. I do not understand why people are so afraid of animals. I told my mother that, and she lifted up her hand and slapped me, for all she was worth. Between you and me, I think she wants the youkais to come and get me. I have made it a point not talk like that in front of her. I see a horse walking through the pathway; I must go, now.

(End of P.O.V)

Kagome quickly hid her journal in a rotten tree stomp, and crouched down in the snow. The rider is a large, strong man with an unkempt beard. He quickly scans the area around the house; his eyes pause at the door, before, finally resting on her snow-covered figure. Their eyes connect.

"They are some much like mine," she whispers to herself. His once cobalt blue eyes turned navy. The man slowly gets off the horse and unties his sheath for his belt. He looks at the door before answering her question.

"Except, I have lost my innocence and have felt burning fury," he says in a soft voice that underlies strength. She gasps involuntarily. Her reverie is interrupted by his voice.

"Go far into the woods. Stay there until I come to you," he commands, his voice crackles akin to wood aflame. Kagome hesitates.

"What about the youkais?" she questions; her response is a sharp look.

She quickly takes off; the only sound heard was labored breathing and her clumsy footsteps. The opening of a sheath could be heard from somewhere. She quickly turns her head to see the source, but snow and a deafening silence are all that greet her, before strangled screams are heard. Kagome forces her already burning legs to move faster. He last thought is of the, unknown, man, before darkness fills her vision

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(Kagome's P.O.V)

Two whispering voices could be heard in the room, where the girl laid.

"She is such a silly girl; a bit clumsy I might add, but she will do you good, Ujio," said the woman.

"That she is. I am afraid that her okaa-san, Taka, has filled her with prejudice against youkais," came his retort.

"Nay, I do not believe that; she is to curious to have that prejudice. Beside, I doubt that she has seen any," Mai said.

"Before she took off running, she ask me about the youkais in the forest," came his stubborn reply.

"That was just her okaa-san talking. And, you might want to bathe before she stops eavesdropping and finally opens up her eyes," she said with a chuckle, I know you are awake, little one.

"I did not mean to eavesdrop; I promise," Kagome says while wiping the sleep from her eyes. She flinches when her hand comes in contact with her head.

"You had quite a nasty fall," the woman says

She shudders remembering her flight. "I do not mean to be rude, but who are you, where am I, and why am I here?" she says before gulping the much needed air.

"She said that all in one breathe, quite impressive. I am Mai. And, I will let that man answer your other questions," the woman said while pointing to him and smiling. Kagome gasped.

Smiles reveal everything about a person, her mother use to say; the fools always have the largest ones. And, Mai's smile bared her canines. Kagome used this time to observe the woman. Her jade eyes showed wisdom beyond her years. Her skin was flawlessly milky, not usual for most women. The hair flowing down her back gave the appearance of black water. Her dress showed her wealth, for it was a black, form-fitting kimono with gold and red embroidery designs covering it. The man cleared his throat, in order to get her attention.

"I am, Ujio," he paused, your Otou-san. The little girl's eyes filled up with tears that she stubbornly would not let flow. "You are to young to know the reason for why you are here and why your mother is not; when the time comes do not be afraid to ask. You will be living here with me, now, on the outskirts of the Western Palace. Do not try and run away or attempt to gain revenge for your okaa-san's death, or you will meet your demise; and I do not wish to loose my only child. During the day, you will train with me, and when sun sets you will begin your medicinal preparation with Mai. Go to sleep now, my child, for it will be your last dreamless slumber," he ended his speech with a curt nod and left the room with Mai following.

Okaa-san is dead. Okaa-san is dead. Okaa-san is dead. Okaa-san is dead; I keep saying in my head like a mantra. My life has been turned upside down by the swing of a blade. Only time will tell if the change is good, or if I will meet the same fate as okaa-san.

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(Kagome's P.O.V)

I awaken to a sharp shake of the shoulders. Otou-san says that I must train myself to be a light sleeper, in order to live longer. I finish rubbing the sleep out of my eye. Otou-san leaves me my training clothes and closes the door. I look down at the cloth folded neatly on my cot, and see the sun shining on it. I follow the ray to the small window, almost hidden, above my bed. I scold myself for not noticing it, earlier. I look around the bare room, to better acquaint myself with my new life. All that is in these four walls is my small cot. My attention is quickly drawn to the door; someone is knocking. I quickly pull off my old clothes and put on the new. The door opens, revealing my father, before I am able to put my shoes on.

"Come, your training begins, now," he says in an authoritative voice.

I would be taking off guard if he did not say the same things day in and day out. I have been here for two months, and I still do not know where I am. I have progressed tremendously in both my studies, medicine and wielding the sword. The only two people I have been in contact are Mai and father.

But today something different happened; I learned how to shoot an arrow. I was quite surprise when I shot the target on my first attempt. Otou-san thinks I have a natural ability for it or better yet, I might be a miko. In order to test his theory, he orders me to shoot a bird. Normally, I would not have a problem with it, but most of the birds are hiding in the forest. I have not told father of my fear, and I hope I will not ever. He tells me to walk deep in the forest, for it is the only way to shoot the birds. I hear the snow scrunching behind me, signifying his departure. My first to step in the forest were hesitant, but I remind myself that I am armed, and that the snow does not bring the youkai. After walking for half an hour, I see something moving. I aim the bow towards it as I continue my approach. As I get closer, I can make out the figure of a giant dog. When I am less than five meters away, it turns on me. I tremble. I study its golden eyes, before heading down to its snout. It bares its ivory teeth at me. I quickly knot my arrow, but something stops me. It is the same emotion that was in my Otou-san's eyes. I approach the animal more closely; I sense its bafflement, so I disregard my bow. We stand there looking at each other, wondering what the other is going to do. I make the first move, for I am the weaker. I extend my palm towards it, enabling it to smell me. I see it sniff, subtly. That action alone gave me the courage to extend my hand. My hand, cautiously, touches the velvet, snow- colored, coat on its cheek.

"You are the first being I have talked to since my arrival. I have no one to talk to, and my diary is lost. I paused to study it, more closely. I admit that I have never seen a dog quite like you. One would confuse you with a youkai. People say the snow brings the youkais, but I have only met one.

"Kagome, where are you?" Ujio's voice is heard.

"Coming, Otou-san," she calls; I must go, bye.

(2nd Person P.O.V)

That was the first and last time she saw the enormous dog. Every chance she got, Kagome would sneak off into the woods to work on her aim, she would say, but we all know the real reason. On one particular day, the end of winter, her Otou-san told her they would be leaving for the Palace. This news shocked her for only youkai were invited to the House of Moons. (The House of Moon came from Resmiranda's Tales From the House of the Moon). That night, the two packed and left for the West.

**************************************************************

March

Kagome's P.O.V

The journey to the House of Moons took two days, and they were horrid. The skirmish began after the sun set. The wind was too quiet, for the loci were silent, and the air was thick with unease. I noiselessly drew my bow and looked at father for further instructions. He raised both of his calloused hands and pulled his kodachi from their sheath and formed an X. We waited for the youkais to give away their position. Father always told me that one had to be twice as smart as his opponent to win. I admittedly doubted his statement, but I was lucky that I was wrong. I heard breathing to my left and quickly released the arrow. I could feel father's sharp eyes on me, questioning my action; but I did not return his look until I heard a low wail and the sounds of suffocation. All hell broke loose afterward. A pack of ushiyoukais (bull demons) surrounded us. I dropped my bow and swiftly drew my katana. A youkai charged at me, I decapitated it before he could blink his eyes. This was my first kill that was out of self- defense. And, I morbidly liked the way the black blood coated the ha (the cutting edge of a sword). I twirled my sword around to get a better feel of it, now that it had life's blood weighing it down. Oh, how it moved more fluidly with my body. I remember closing my eyes and hearing the gut- wrenching screams of death, and when I finally opened my eyes I was greeted by the two, gleaming, cobalt eyes of a figure drenched in blood. I knew by the darkening of his eyes that he was making sure that none of the blood on my person was my own.

We did not sleep that night, but kept trekking to the palace. It was a mile before we reached our destination that we bathed. I scrubbed till my skin was pink and threatened to bleed. I could still feel the dried blood on me. I quickly got dressed in a clean kimono. And, continued our journey.

The palace itself was magnificent. The towers were ivory in color and the landscaping was breath- taking. There were roses everywhere, the only flower that was selfless. It goes through numerous changes just to capture attention, but will turn cold and black when those actions are not reciprocated.

A green imp ushered us to the study where the lord and lady awaited. Their appearance caused me to look up at father, but he ignored my questioning gaze. What was he to them? I wondered. A warm, baritone voice ended my inner interrogation, and I looked to the source of the interruption. It was the Lord, a tall, fair complexioned man with maroon stripes adorning his cheeks and a crescent on his head. My eyes drifted to his, and I stood in shock. He was the massive Inu. His smirk deepened into a smile at seeing my reaction. My cheeks became reddened from what looked to be embarrassment. I could not breathe, my body shut down. I hyperventilated, blackness followed.

**************************************************************

Kagome's P.O.V

I woke up in an unknown environment. A bed. Where am I? I looked around the room, nervously. Where's father? Where are my weapons? I felt the early signs of a panic attack. Suddenly, the doors were thrown open, and the proud Lord, himself, stood in front of me. He gaze swept across the room, searching for an intruder. After finding none, his eyes bore into mine.

"What is it that you fear," he commanded. I raised a hand to my chest to steady my rapidly beating heart. His eyes grew darker at my hesitation.

"I fear the unknown," I said, quickly, for I did not wish to be the cause of his agitation. He nodded his head.

"Do you know why you are here, little one?" he asks. I shake my head 'no', I told my mate of our meeting, and she wished to meet you. She is still waiting to speak with you. Follow me.

I untangle the sheets from around my legs and follow him into a garden. He, then, motions to sit on a stone bench, overlooking a lake.

I hear a slight rustling and, instinctively, stiffen.

"I have been looking forward to this meeting, for a while now," she says while coming into view. She is human.

"Why?" I ask before clamping a hand over my mouth. She laughs.

"My Lord usually does not talk about his encounters with our kind, for, it is never a good one. I wish that you continued your studies here. I am aware that you were once Mai's apprentice, and she has taught you well. But, when a time of danger arises, precautions are taken.

"What precautions? What is going to be happening," I ask, frantically.

"Your father has killed a very powerful human, his name is Onigumo. And, you are seeking refuge here because a war is inevitable," came her reply.

"Why did he kill him," I sob, I cannot lose my Otou-san when we have been reunited.

"Hush, child," she says soothingly, your father had every right to kill that man. He was ordered to do so, and his wife, your mother, was having an affair with him.

"How could she? Must the man be so bad," she smiles slightly.

"Such naivety, I envy that. The man was ruthless. He killed for greed and lust. It is probable that once he got his fill of your mother that he would have come to you. And, your father had every right to interfere," she sighed, let us not dwell on the past; it is quite depressing. Follow me to the dojo. You have much to learn.

I walk with the Lady through the maze-like corridors until we stop before two sliding doors. Go, I shall be close by. I slowly open the doors to reveal a leopard youkai. I wearily open my mouth to speak, but I am cut off.

"Come, girl, you have much to learn," she says, abruptly. I nod my head and sit in front of her brooding figure, close your eyes. You will feel a sharp pai.. I open my eye to see her large canines engulfing my jugular.

**************************************************************

"Rise and shine, little one we have much to do," I open my eyes, quickly. The intense sunray blinds me. As soon as my eyes recover, I snap at her.

"You tried to kill me you, you..," my tirade is short lived, as I look into her amusement' filled eyes.

"I took you away from the deaths. The war was already among us. The Lord and your father sent you here, in order for you to become strong and to preserve you life. The war was a lost one because our kingdom did not have any enforcements," she said softly.

"What about all of the people in the palace?" I ask, incredulously.

"The human villages were emptied, in order to protect them. Royal youkais do not believe in a wasted death. The humans had no chance of survival," she responded; no more question, for now, let us train.

And, that is what we did for months it seemed, but it was only a matter of days, until someone awakened us.

I woke to a sharp pain on my cheek. I opened my eyes and felt the bruised skin. Blood coated my fingers. I looked around the room to find myself surrounded by dead bodies. I looked over at the leopard youkai to find her asleep. I grabbed onto her shoulders and shook her; she would not wake up. This time I shook her with a little more fore and yelled at her. She was not responding. How could I have awakened without her? My answer was in the shape of an arrow. It seemed that the Lady really did keep her word; she was close by. So close that the arrow went through her, grazed my cheek and, then, the leopard. I cried. I cried for the many deaths and I cried for my loneliness. I cried for my selfishness; I realized while walking through the palace full of death. I was the start of the war. It was my entire fault, and, here I am crying about my loneliness. I sat down on the cold marble floor, coated with the red ink and waited for death. I did not have long to wait because death came in the form of a tall, Inu youkai. He marched over to me and yanked me to my feet.

"What has happened here? What have you done?" he growled out.

"There was a war, here. And, it was all my fault; I killed them," I cried out. His eyes bled red, while he raised his claws to strike.

"Stop," came a gasp, do not harm the girl. I was thrown to the ground, while the youkai look at the Lord.

"But, father.." he started.

"Son, she is the key," he gasped out, painfully, before the crescent moon, along with the magenta stripes started to disappear and appear on his elder son. I hugged my self tightly and bawled.

**************************************************************

Both of the Inu youkais were gone when I ran out of tears. I sprinted out of the palace into the warm, blanket of night. I ran to the spring that I once visited with my father. I jumped into the cold water, fully robed. And, I tried to drown myself.

"You better not die on me, onna," I hear a voice saying. I slowly crack open my eyes and move my lips to respond, but only water rushes out and I choke.

"Leave me alone, youkai," I snap at him and level him with a heated glare, maybe I didn't want to live. Maybe, I wanted to die with the others.

"It is to late for that, now. You are stuck with me until our time comes. My father said that you were the key, and you will not die on me. Now, get up; we have a lot of ground to cover before morning comes," he says calmly. I follow him not having any other option. We walk in compatible silence for hours until I voice my first question.

"Why were you not defending the palace," I ask curiously, and why aren't you going towards the palace. He does not answer either one of my questions. I sigh in resignation of his cold demeanor. Minutes later I see his back stiffen minutely.

"Stay back, we are not alone," he says while pushing me behind him. That is when I see him, Onigumo.

"Naruku, why are you trespassing on my land," Sesshomaru says icily. 'No, that is, Onigumo.'

"My business is not with you, but with the young one," he says cheekily, you must be wondering why I am here since; your father supposedly killed me in your village. I swallow the lump that had risen in my throat.

"Onigumo, my former self was weak. He lusted after a woman. A woman. But, he did one thing right. Before, he died; he sold his soul to a youkai that had fused with many others to become strong. The youkai took the soul and began his quest for revenge. And, just imagine the surprise of getting a two for one deal, Ujio and the former- Lord himself," he said, while chuckling menacingly, but do not worry, my little pretty, my thirst for revenge is not yet quenched, until next time. I started to shake uncontrollably.

"You're fear is a repulsing. Stop it, at once," said Sesshomaru, while glaring down at me.

"I am terribly sorry for my offensive odor," I said, sardonically. I was pinned to a tree, milliseconds later.

"Do not mock this Sesshomaru. You better thank Kami for my Otou-san's last request, and me for being honorable; it saved you from a tortured death," he said steely, you will show me respect. There are worse things than death. If you do not heed my warning; then, you will experience it.

After, his speech, silence rang in the air for days. We were currently climbing up a mountain, in the Northwestern territory. For what, I do not know. Oh, mighty, mighty, here, will not tell me anything, but that I am slowing him down. Sometimes, I just want to purify him to oblivion. Haha, I laughed at my thoughts. I was awarded a sharp glare. I chuckled, this time in my head. Oh, great Sesshomaru-sama, your wish is my command. I will be your lap dog. I laughed out loud. Oh, the irony, me a lap dog for an Inu. Hahaha. I am loosing my mind.

"I would guard my thoughts if I were you," he said eerily. I choked. He cannot be serious, can he?

Once, at the top of the mountain a cave was in view. I looked at Sesshomaru- sama, questioningly, but he just strolled on in. An elderly man was sitting before a fire, sharpening his sword.

"It is not polite to keep an old man waiting," he said, after a moment's time.

"Old man, can you tell me about this girl," Sesshomaru said, while pushing me forward. What a jerk. The man reached out his hand for me to take.

"You have water in you, don't you?" I scrunched my eyebrow together, indication my puzzlement, I am sightless speak up, onna.

"I do not understand," I said apprehensively.

"Your mother was once a whore, Kagome, and your father rescued you, as you have done to everyone else," I tried to object, but he continued, you are blue-eyed that means you were created by impurities, your mother and father. But, the wearer of the eyes is the epitome of purity, innocence, and life. You have already heard people say that to you, yes?

"How could I have been born of contamination and become pure; it does not make sense," I said, quietly.

"Aye, you are right, but everything is relative. You are the key," he said.

"What exactly does the mean," Sesshomaru and I said simultaneously. I received a glare.

He chuckled, "It is not for me to answer, but for you to find out. Kagome, take this sword and God- speed."

**************************************************************

The trek down the mountains was a quick one, thanks to Sesshomaru- sama's floating cloud. As soon, as we landed on spring's green grass, Sesshomaru informed me that we were going to face our destiny. Be victorious or die trying.

"Sleep, now, for this will be your last dreamless rest," he said softy; tomorrow we are going to face Naraku and his army.

"It is suicide," I panted, there is only two of us.

"That is more than enough. We are both honor- bound people, and, I have to avenge the death of my kingdom; I have already shamed my father. I slept light, that night, thinking of the battles outcome. I knew we were going to die, but the cause was worth it. We flew to the House of Moons, and were greeted by an army led by Naraku and his minions. The cloud slowly descended, and we were left standing on the ground once again. Chaos broke out.

Swarm of lower and weak youkais came clashing against Toukijin and my blade. Hundreds fell to those blades. In a matter of hours my body was coated in a thick film of blood. I could not see Sesshomaru anywhere. I panicked. We must have been separated. I cut my opponent in half, and, my eyes darted for Sesshomaru's. I found him; he was fighting Naraku as well as Kagura. I slashed through the demons that held me back from aiding Sesshomaru. When I was a foot away, I saw the fatal move. Naraku gathered all of his energy into his blade and swung, widely. The blade decapitated Kagura and sliced into Sesshomaru's upper body. I let out a cry loud of anguish when his and my eyes both met.

"YOU BETTER NO DIE ON ME," I yelled, but he was already coughing up blood. I cupped my hands together and channeled my powers to every offending youkai. The blast blinded my, but I could still hear the cry of pain. The youkais were being purified to death. I dropped to the ground. Holding my eyes, they burned; I couldn't see. I called out to Sesshomaru and heard his weak reply.

"Over here," he gasped. I followed his voice and crawled to him. He was bleeding badly; I could feel his life's blood on my hands. I felt his hand on my cheek.

"You did it; you have avenged the people," he croaked.

"You did, too," I whispered.

"You have seen a youkais life through sapphire eyes, eyes of innocence and life," he said slowly, I was there to protect my kingdom because of my hate towards my family. I shamed them by running away.

"But, it is okay, now, you have avenged them," she said while tears were flowing from her sightless eyes.

"Do not waste your tears on this Sesshomaru; I do not relinquish in the fact of knowing I made a female cry for me," he said while smirking. As his last breath drew near he told me to live for, for his people, and for mankind. And I did just that. I cradled his head in my lap, while his body started to shutter.

Through sapphire eyes I lived.