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Chapter Text

He was a being of immeasurable power; purest light, endless love, boundless compassion, perfectly just. With ease he stepped through the ether between worlds, from one reality to the next. There were few who would survive such a journey without at least his protection, the properties of the Ether Place enough to shred minds and bend souls. The little one he carried would be in no such danger with his power wrapped around it, but he pulled it closer regardless as a nudge of reassurance.

He parted the starry veil in front of him and approached the small contingent of glowing beings he could see just a short way off. His steps were serene and his manner at peace. He did not want to alert them to his presence before he was ready, it was more fun this way.

They were embroiled in an intense discussion, brows furrowed and hands flying, all except for one. She appeared a beautiful, radiant woman, a soft gold glow surrounding her entire being. Black hair like silk cascaded down her back, and her gold robes wrapped around her and gleamed like sunlight. He paused and grinned at the wrench he was about to throw in their plans.

"Amaterasu."

The being so addressed turned abruptly, eyes startled and gold silk swirling.

"Ilúvatar! It has been more than an age. Are things well for you?"

"They are as well for me as they seem to be for you." He replied with the slightest air of cheekiness, and the sun goddess before him wrinkled her nose and sighed.

"Yes, we have a conundrum I fear. And having a terrible time finding a way to untie the knots these humans seem able to tie in the cords of fate with ease."

Eru Ilúvatar chuckled warmly. He knew well the mischief and trouble humans could get up too, he had plenty in his own realm.

"Perhaps I could offer a solution." He said, raising his hand to reveal the little whispy orb in his palm.

"What is this?" Amaterasu asked, knowing a soul orb when she saw one, but not catching the meaning behind his offering.

"She is an elf maiden, pure of heart and soul."

"An elf maiden? Why give her to us? What place has she on Earth? We have no elves here, and Youkai are not close enough to-"

She was cut off by more of Ilúvatar's chuckling.

"She is an elf now, but she need not stay an elf. At least, not for the time being."

"What has happened to her, Ilúvatar? Why have you brought this Elven soul to us?" Amaterasu asked suspiciously. Ilúvatar sighed, his bright, glinting eyes dimming just a bit.

"She has been displaced. A botched curse meant to destroy her has left her bodiless and untethered. A soul cannot survive this way. She would unwind and become a dark force for Sauron to use against her family, which I suspect was his purpose all along."

"Sauron." Amaterasu sneered. "Worse than that Naraku we've been dealing with."

"Yes. But he and Melkor will be brought to heel at last. Her son will play an integral role in his downfall and the destruction of the ring he so covets. Sauron knew this, and provided the necessary magic to the vexed little dwarf who thought to punish a king with his own might. He had hoped losing her would throw a spike in the wheels of fate, but he has only strengthened my plan unknowingly. I cannot return her, however. Sauron will only attack again, until he has succeeded in destroying her. I have brought her here to assist you for the time being. Her heart is pure enough to deal with your little jewel problem. I would tie a bridge back home for her inside the jewel, but beyond that, I will not interfere with your plans for your own realm."

Amaterasu looked wide eyed at the little soul orb hovering before her, gingerly reaching out to cup it in her own hands. It felt slightly different from the souls of her own people, but not so different that she couldn't command it. And though she couldn't change its nature, she could bind it to a mortal body for long enough to suit both deities' purposes.

"Very well Ilúvatar. We will help each other out in this. I thank you for your assistance, and should you ever need our help-"

"My thanks to you, Goddess of the Sun. May your kingdom prosper."

With that, he slipped back through the ether into his own realm, and Amaterasu turned to address the other gods currently in her council.

"It seems we've been granted a boon. We will not have to reincarnate the soul of our fallen priestess. Humanity is too easily tainted in any case. We shall use this instead." She said, presenting the soul of the little elf maiden to those before her.

"Yes. Yes she will fulfill our purpose splendidly."

And as the gods convened, fate was rewoven as they commanded. A still birth reversed, a baby girl to be cherished. A portal through time, a sleeping boy to wake. A heart pure enough destroy an evil gem in one realm, while her son helped to bring destruction to an evil ring in another.

The cry of an infant filled the hospital room of a young mother and father. Tears spilled from their eyes and hearts, while doctors gaped at the miracle before them. Life, where once had been death. The young woman in the bed snuggled her bundle close, whispering prayers of thanks and protection in her hair.

"Oh, Kagome. My sweet, precious Kagome."

Chapter Text

Kagome woke with a soft gasp, blue eyes sparkling in the pale light of dawn. Pink stretched into violet into indigo across the sky, a light smattering of stars still visible on the farthest horizon from the sun. She focused on these stars, breathing deeply to calm her racing heart and mind. Her dream replayed itself again and again, muffled voices and blurred figures, glowing spots whispering and floating behind a heavy fog she couldn't push through. She'd had this dream several times over the last few weeks, ever since they'd retrieved a large chunk of the jewel from a particularly nasty incarnation of Naraku, and it always left her feeling cold and forlorn. She'd wondered if Naraku hadn't cursed it in order to weaken her spirit, but she was sure he hadn't planned on losing so much of his share of the jewel. The dream was a mystery to her. It felt very familiar, as if she'd been there before; but it also felt alien and strange, like something she shouldn't have been present for at all. But she couldn't place it, and she couldn't clear the fog surrounding the beings and muffling their voices, so she tried her best to forget it until she dreamt it again.

Orange and yellow now made their way across the heavens, and she resigned herself to getting no more sleep before her day would start. She looked over their little camp and noticed everyone, including Inuyasha, still asleep. She pushed herself upright slowly, gently removing Shippo from his place asleep on her stomach. He curled around his tail and sighed before settling once more into the deep breaths of slumber. She tiptoed to her bag and pulled out her clothes and toiletries then made her way to the trickling spring nearby to wash up for the day. She couldn't shake the feeling of melancholy that her dream had settled into her heart, and she was lost in deep thought as she made her way back.

"Oi, Wench. Don't go wonderin' outta camp by yourself without even takin' your bow."

Inuyasha's brash voice startled her out of her thoughts, and he rolled his eyes as she jumped and placed her hand over her Newly racing heart.

"Inuyasha! Don't do that! I only went to the stream, I was barely a stone's throw away."

Inuyasha huffed and turned away, hands in his sleeves and nose in the air.

"Keh! Whatever. Pack this shit up, we're movin' out in ten minutes."

Kagome sighed and began packing up her things, passing out snack foods that didn't need cooking to her friends for breakfast. As they made their way down the road toward the next town, she distracted herself by playing little games with Shippo, and resolved to make the day as good as it could be, weird dreams and grumpy hanyo notwithstanding.

Thranduil stared out of the window in his study, watching the birds flitter about the branches of the trees of his beloved forest. His mind absently ran over his most recently garnered knowledge; Those damned spiders had encroached farther into his realm, two guards going missing. Ring wraiths had been spotted near the Rivendell border. Bothersome creatures all around him, casting a shroud of darkness and dread over his kingdom. He sighed and closed his eyes, brows furrowing in worry for his people, for his son. He was young yet, in his mind anyway, and foolhardy, in his opinion. He was bright and brave, ready to leap to defend his home, his friends. He was having a beast of a time trying to temper his son's fighting spirit even a little, trying to teach him to think first, act later. This was a trait he did not inherit from his old dad, that was for certain. It was something he shared with... with her. He turned from his window and took in the portrait hanging from the opposite wall. It was a tapestry hand woven by the finest weavers he could find. He took in the figure in the frame and lost himself to memories and feelings. Staring into her blue eyes, even just a likeness on a wall, still enchanted and bewitched him. His heart constricted and his soul wilted at the distance between them. He longed for the day he would join her in Aman, but he was still needed here, and could not sail for some time yet. The door to his study opened, drawing his attention away from the visage of his late wife.

"Father, we've received a messenger from Rivendell."

Chapter Text

Kagome gazed blankly at the page she'd been staring at for the last hour, her mind constantly whirring with troubled thoughts that had nothing to do with the algebra in her lap. She scooted back to lean against the rough bark of a tree. Maybe the slight discomfort would sharpen her focus. She began scratching out some numbers and formulas, forcing her mind to focus on the homework that she desperately needed to catch up on. This was her worst subject by far, she could not afford to let her grades slip any further.

She was deep into her fourth problem when her mind started to wonder on its own accord again. It went back to that dream. She'd had it again last night, and it had left the same fey feeling over her as it always did. This time it lingered for longer, and had been harder to shake. It had also been slightly different. It was as if the fog had thinned, just a little, enough to see the glowing, floating orbs a little more clearly. They had been brighter, and much more solid. Their muffled voices had been louder as well, and she'd been able to make out a few words:cursed, elf, ring, jewel. Which jewel they'd been speaking of though, she had no way of knowing. And the other words meant very little to her on their own. She replayed the images and words over and over, probing and poking at them to try and make some kind of sense. Surely there was some reason she continued to have this very same dream. If only she could-

"Kagome-Sama, are you well?"

"OH! Miroku-sama. You startled me." Miroku chuckled, taking a seat next to the young miko he'd been sensing mild distress from all day and most of the night.

"My apologies Kagome-Sama, I only wished to ascertain that all is well with you. Your aura has been disturbed most of the day, and it seems you have given up your studies in favor of more... artistic pursuits?"

Kagome looked at Miroku in confusion, not making any sense of his words until she followed his gesture toward her paper. There, in place of the numbers and symbols that should have made up her math homework, was a twisting web of swirling branches, vines and leaves. It looked like something that would be carved into a chest of wood, but she'd never seen anything like it before. That fey feeling settled deeper into her spirit, and she furrowed her brows as a memory teased the dark edges of her conscious mind.

"I... I didn't even realize... Miroku-sama, what can you tell me about dreams?"

"Dreams Kagome-sama?"

"Yes. Dreams."

"Very little I'm afraid. Have you been having disturbing dreams?"

Kagome blinked out of the trance that the glowing images of her dreams had once again placed on her, turning to Miroku with a sweet, friendly smile. He was always ready to lend a listening ear and a word of wisdom to help when needed. She was thankful for it.

"No miroku-sama. Just some things I've been reading for my classes. Thank you."

"Anytime Kagome-Sama. I am always happy to listen when you need."

He left her to her studies and retreated back to his place beside Sango, who immediately began needling him for information.

She smiled wistfully at her friends, then turned back to the book before sighing and closing it in disgust. She would obviously not be getting any work done tonight. She reached into her bag and brought out a pack of playing cards, thinking a few rounds of Go Fish might clear her mind enough to get some sleep. Inuyasha would no doubt want them up bright and early to start a new day of shard hunting.

"Shippo Chan! Go Fish?"

"Oh, my love, look! Look at him, he's perfect! Do you see? Just look!"

Thranduil lifted the little bundle from his wife's arms, peering down at the little sleeping face with a soft, pleased smile. He ran his finger over the pale fuzz atop his head, the subtle point to his tiny ear, his little pink nose, thoroughly enchanted by the little prince laying in his lap.

"He is perfect indeed, my dearest." He leaned over, placing a kiss in the silky black hair currently slicked with sweat to her forehead. "I love you both more than words can express, in any language, new or old."

"Let me hold him again!" Thranduil chuckled, placing the brand new babe back into his glowing wife's arms.

"Oh my sweet little princeling, how loved you are." The love and pride shining from her clear blue eyes made his heart swell. When the new prince opened his own eyes, eyes the same color as his mothers, he felt his heart swell again. Could a heart swell from love so much it burst?

"Welcome to the world, my sweet Legolas."

"FATHER! Are you listening?"

His wife's words faded back into the dark recesses of his memories. Looking into his son's blue eyes, her blue eyes, as he informed him of his plan to travel to Rivendell and sit in council with Elrond over the latest dangers befalling all of Arda, he'd been transported back in time. He'd almost forgotten that that reality was long gone. As he returned to the dark world he now resided, before him stood his beloved son, now grown.

"Very well, my son. But do nothing foolish or rash."

Legolas sighed. He'd never get his father to understand that he was never trying to be foolish or rash in his decisions. He was simply passionate about protecting his home and his people.

"Alright father. I will send word as quickly as I am able."

And with that, Thranduil watched his son exit the door of his study, knowing deep in his heart that it would be some time before he saw his son again.

Chapter Text

Kagome laid in the field of flowers and let the sun warm her skin. The breeze brushed through, making the soft petals tickle her cheeks. The buzz of a bee, the flutter of butterfly wings, the crinkling of the wrapper on Shippo's lollipop; Kagome could not remember the last time she'd felt this at peace. She wasn't sure what it was about this flower field that had called to her, flowers had never been something she was particularly invested in. But when she'd spotted it she could not resist the urge to be surrounded by it. She'd laid amongst the blooms and felt a weight slip off of her. The flowers seemed to whisper in her ears, caress her hands, surround her in their scent like an embrace. She didn't even have it in her to find any of this odd. After the recurring dreams and the feeling that she was missing something hovering over her shoulder like a dark, heavy cloud, this stillness was a welcome change and she would do nothing to spoil it.

"Oi! Come on wench! We ain't got time to be nappin' in the flowers!"

"Oh Inuyasha! You need to live a little." She sighed, not even cracking an eye open in his direction. Her smile stayed put and her temper stayed even. No, not even her surly hanyou companion would ruin this for her.

"Feh! We got shards to find! You think Naraku takes the time to sniff the daisies, wench? There'll be all the time for flowers when that bastard is dead!"

"There will always be work to do, Inuyasha. If it wasn't the jewel it would be something else. Just take a break for a minute. The world will not end because you decided to stop being such a fuddy duddy for a second."

"A WHAT wench?!"

Sango and Miroku's snickering were unmistakable, and Kagome found she could not be bothered to try and placate Inuyasha's ire.

"Ahh, this is so nice."

"She's right Inuyasha. You're too uptight. Just sit and breath and think about something other than Naraku and shards for a little while." Sango chimed in, the sound of contentment creeping into her voice as she settled in the flowers with Hiraikotsu.

"Indeed Inuyasha. It is not healthy to be serious all the time. We really should find some more balance in our lives. Resting is good for the soul."

"KEH! Whatever monk. These flowers are giving me a headache. Ya got one hour to 'balance your lives."

The sound of rustling leaves followed Inuyasha's leap into a nearby tree, and Kagome let the peace of the meadow sink into her skin. She was lulled to sleep by the soft sounds of her friends voices and the warm, softly scented breeze. Soon her breathing evened and her heart slowed, and she slipped into a dream.

The small, golden headed boy sat on her lap, surrounded by flowers and herbs growing wild in their secret little meadow. He held up various blooms and leaves, asking about their medicinal purposes and what their names were.

"What is this one for, Mama?"

"This one is good for pain. Remember when father took you for a ride on his giant deer and you fell and hurt your knee? Mama used this to help you."

A shadow fell over their shoulders, and a warm chuckle filled their ears. "He is an elk, darling, not a deer."

"Daddy!" The little one leapt from her lap and raced around to grab his father's leg. He was soon scooped up in his arms, towering over his mother who still sat comfortably on the ground.

She turned around to look up at them, always charmed by the picture they made with their matching pale hair, but the sun haloed their heads, leaving them silhouetted from her view.

"Are you learning anything Little Leaf, or are you picking the whole field bare to gift to your mother?"

The little boy pouted and then giggled, "Oh, I'm learning lots! Mama taught me that-"

Kagome was yanked violently from her dream by Inuyasha's brash, impatient howling.

"Alright, lazy useless humans, you've had your 'balance' and now it's time to go!"

Like a bucket of icy water, harsh reality rained down on Kagome, leave her feeling cold and clammy. That golden, hazy world she'd just been in shattered and evaporated, the pieces settling back deep into her mind and becoming foggy and distant. She tried to grab them, piece then back together, recover that feeling total belonging and wrap it back around herself, but it was too late, and she felt tears spring into her eyes and sadness burn her throat. She coughed and blinked rapidly, breathing deeply to regain control of her emotions, but the sense of loss she was feeling drowned her. She had no idea why a dream would affect her this way, but she could feel something deep in her soul longing to go back to that place.

Finally she felt herself settle. The longing receded and the tears dried and the flowers suddenly felt itchy. She collected her things from the side of the road and snuggled a purring, unprotesting Kirara close.

She wished she knew what was happening to her. She wished she could take a hot bath.

She wished she could have seen the faces of the other people in her dream.

Chapter Text

Legolas knew that his father would be less than pleased with the letter he'd sent back with the few members of the guard he'd brought with him to Rivendell, but he really felt like he'd had no choice. This was his home as much as anyone else's, and it was under threat of complete destruction. He knew how much his father hated war, knew how much it had cost him, but sometimes it was necessary. He knew though, no matter how displeased his father would be, his mother would have been proud. She'd been the one to instill in him how important it was to defend those that you love. Maybe not always with warSometimes words. Sometimes actions. This time, however, war was inevitable, and he would do what he could to ensure that the key piece in this puzzle was placed exactly where it was supposed to go, and so he took his first few steps along with his little group in the direction of Mordor to escort a hobbit safely into the lair of the enemy anf destroy the one thing keeping evil tethered to this world so strongly. Thoughts of bringing pride to his long lost mother bolstered his steps and strengthened his heart, so it was with no hesitation he had accepted his fate.

His fate as a member of The Fellowship of the Ring.

Thranduil looked at the letter in his hand again before placing it on the desk in front of him. The One Ring had shown its face once more, in the hands of a little hobbit, of all things, and his son was helping escort him to Mordor with a small contingent of other assorted beings. They called themselves The Fellowship of the Ring. Adorable.

He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, resting on his elbows atop his desk. This was the last thing he had wanted, but if his son, the crown prince of Mirkwood chose to go into battle for the safety of the realm they called home, he was certainly in no place to stop him.

He took some time to make his own plans for defense. It was likely he would have to face battle on some front somewhere, and his soldiers would need to be ready. He hoped this would lead to peace once and for all. Even better, he thought as he gazed at his late wife's portrait on his wall, he hoped the shores of Aman would finally call him home.

Kagome and Shippo played their usual round of Go Fish to wind down their night. Their giggles filled the small clearing as they tallied up who was winning the most hands, a large box of pocky at stake that Shippo was bound and determined to make his own.

"We're tied. How about one more, winner takes the spoils?"

"Alright, but I get to shuffle this time, Kagome!"

"Oh alright, here you go." Kagome handed Shippo the stack of playing cards before turning to watch the flickering fire.

An icy breeze, unusual for this time of year, blew through the camp and Kagome found herself enchanted by the fires shifting flames. Something about the way the fire was now twisting at its center filled her heart with dread and turned her soul to ice. There was an omen here, and she cursed her untrained abilities for not being able to decipher it.

"It starts..." she whispered unawares, drawing the attention of the little fox kit she'd been playing with.

"What starts, Kagome?"

She squeezed her eyes shut and shook her head, her ears ringing for a brief moment.

"Im sorry... what did you say Shippo-chan?"

"You were staring really hard at the fire and you said "it starts." What did you mean?"

Kagome stared at him in confusion, turning her mind back to try and remember saying... anything in the last five minutes. She grew concerned when she came up with nothing. Shippo looked worried, and she hated making Shippo feel like anything but the kid he was, so she recovered as quickly as possible, smirking deviously and snatching the cards away.

" I meant that your downfall starts now little fox! That pocky will be mine!"

"NU-UH!"

They giggled through one last round of cards, Shippo reigning victorious just as she'd planned. He sat snuggled at her side and shared his beloved pocky. While this warmed her through and made her feel so loved, a part of her heart remained cold and distant.

Chapter Text

Fresh, floaty blooms blanketed the floor of her favorite little clearing, the bright, spring sun warming her back and setting each flower aglow. She brushed her fingertips over the gauzy petals in front of her, enjoying their scents and colors and softness. Many of these flowers had medicinal properties. Their stems, roots, leaves or petals could be used in a number of ways to aid in healing, and as an experienced healer she made a habit of coming out here each day and replenishing her stores.

She also simply enjoyed it. She was an elf of this forest same as many others, and being here, in this clearing lush with blooms and surrounded by a dense circle of mighty trees made her soul sing. She sang quietly to her self as she carefully picked through each flower, brushing certain ones aside to pick at their leaves or to get at the smaller ones that grew under their protection. She was accompanied by bird song, and two little fox kits wrestled several feet away just under the edge of tree shade. She took a break from her work and fashioned a circlet from some of the pale pink blooms around her, placing it on her head with a small giggle before returning to her harvesting.

Peaceful.

It was peaceful here. Of course, King Oropher made sure the whole of the forest remained safe and peaceful, but there was a special magic about her clearing. Sometimes she half wondered if she was passing through some portal to an uninhabited world on some other realm. Other than the forest critters and birds, there were never any other living beings here. Just her. But that made it all the more special to her.

Just then, the birdsong died, and she felt the trees began to whisper to her. "A visitor." They were saying, the chorus of their old, woody voices echoing through her mind.

'Ah,' she thought with amusement, 'so I am not in an empty realm, separated by magic after all.'

Chapter Text

Legolas stepped out into the sunlight, leaving the borders of Rivendell behind as he followed his company toward Mordor.

With his keen eyesight ,sharp ears and skill with a distance weapon, he brought up the rear, walking easily over root and rock and singing a jaunty tune. Aside from the presence of one grumpy dwarf, he couldn't find much to complain about with this excursion, not that he was prone to being disagreeable. They may be headed toward certain danger but he'd do his best to keep the spirits of the little hobbits up, especially those of the ring bearer himself. It couldn't be easy being so exposed to that horrible ring, whispering to him at all hours as it was. He was strong of spirit though, so Legolas had high hopes.

"Legolas! What do your elf eyes see?!"

Legolas snorted in amusement. Aragorn would no doubt be teasing him through this whole journey, as he was want to do when his own spirits were high.

"Naught but rocks and flowrs and sunshine and clouds. It is a beautiful day to journey towards darkness."

He heard the grumbling from the dwarf and nearly rolled his eyes. Let the dwarf do his grumbling, his mood was too great to be spoiled.

"Leave it to an elf to be so jovial on such a stark journey."

"Not all would be so, Gimli." Aragorn soothed, hoping to keep relations between all their differing races as peaceful as possible. Elves are as different from each other as you and I. In fact, Legolas is very different from even his own father, King Thranduil."

"His father is a king?!" Pippin asked excitedly. It was all very novel, all these elves he was meeting. That one of them was aprince was even more exciting.

"Aye, Pip. The elven king of Mirkwood."

"Mirkwood? Oh! Mirkwood!" Frodo spun around brightly, facing Legolas at the back of the group and walking backwards to keep up. "Uncle Bilbo told me of meeting the Elven King! At the battle with the dragon at the Lonely Mountain! He did say he was rather subdued for an elf. But I had never met any elves before."

Legolas smiled kindly at Frodo before his thoughts turned inward. Frodo noticed the change in his attitude and worried that he'd offended their resident Elf. Before he could apologize, Legolas met his eyes again.

"Yes, my father is... he is sad, I believe, most of the time."

"No doubt still depressed at missing his chance to pilfer the great white gems of the mountain! Elves are vain creatures indeed!" Gimli groused, having heard the stories from his father about the fight with Smaug and the presence of the Elven King. Legolas did not rise to the bait in the dwarves voice. He knew well his father's sadness. Though he had all the elvish love for shiny things that was so prevalent among his own kind, he knew his father's heart went much deeper than that.

"Indeed, it was the loss of a jewel that pains my father's heart, but unfortunately it was no such jewel as can be found anywhere in this realm."

He stayed relatively silent after that, and the hobbits in the company felt awful for having brought up something that obviously made him so sad. Aragorn gave them all a reassuring smile, but they could see the sympathy in his eyes for his friend.

Frodo wondered what kind of jewel could cause a father andson so much pain, and hoped to never encounter such a thing for himself. His ring was trouble enough.

They had just come out of an exhausting battle with a large, shard enhanced bear youkai that had given them a fierce run for their money. They'd all sustained at least minor injuries, but it was Inuyasha in his recklessness that had received the greatest. He had a huge, bleeding gash in his side just above his hip. He'd gotten it when the the bear's massive razor claws had glanced him as he'd leapt to try and impale Tessaiga through the bear's giant head. Just as soon as the shard had been removed from its corpse and it had turned to dust in the wind, Kagome was waiting with bandages and antiseptic.

"Aw hell wench, I don't need none of that shit. Go patch up the others and leave me alone."

"Don't make me say it." Kagome warned, her 'no nonsense' look firmly in place and her foot tapping impatiently in the dirt. Inuyasha knew better than to argue with Kagome when she was like this, but he didn't have to like what was about to happen.

He removed his suiken and kosode, slumping in the grass with a "HMMPH!" and a dark scowl. Kagome primly ignored him and set to work, wiping his wound clean with antibacterial wipes and water. She sprayed the wound with her favorite infection fighting spray, earning a hiss from her hanyo patient.

"OW! That shit hurts worse than that damn bear claw!"

"Just shut it Inuyasha, I'm almost done."

"I don't why you even bother, wench, I'll be healed in the morning!"

Kagome pressed a clean cloth against the wound to keep the blood in while she used her free hand to ready a fresh bandage.

"Well at least you'll be comfortable while you heal! You could just say thank you!"

"They just never, ever learn to do this without ripping each other to shreds do they?" Sango whispered to Miroku, who nodded sagely in reply.

"Indeed. Seems our children have no hope of learning to play nice." Sango but her lip to stifle her giggles, and nearly choked when the irate voices of both Inuyasha and Kagome turned onthem.

"I HEARD THAT!" They replied in unison, leaving both monk and taija perplexed as to how Kagome had been able to pick up what they'd said at such a low volume. Inuyasha, sure, but he had yokai hearing.

"And this wouldn't happen every time if Inuyasha would just drop his macho attitude and let me heal him. He's so-"

Kagome stopped and stared at her hand, which was now emitting a white glow where she held her cloth to Inuyasha's side.

"What are you doing wench?! Are you trying to purify me now?!"

"No! That's not..." the glow faded and she removed her hand and cloth, revealing an unmarred expanse of flesh.

"What the hell. How did you-"

"I don't know. I... I don't..."

Kagome looked beseechingly over at Miroku, who simply shrugged and looked completely dumbfounded.

"I have never seen anything like that from anyone with holy powers, Kagome-Sama. I... I have no idea."

Kagome looked at her hands and felt an overwhelming sense of dread sink into her gut. There was meaning to this, somewhere, just as there was meaning to the odd dreams she kept having. The bottle of jewel shards resting just under her neck suddenly felt cold and heavy, and she clutched at them and worried her lip.

Something was happening to her, and the jewel was at the center of it. If only she could figure out how.

Chapter Text

It was a beautiful, sparkling day for shard hunting. The air was crisp and warm, a cool, frequent breeze keeping the sweat at bay. Puffy white clouds lazed in the sky and blocked the sun, while birds chased each other and butterflies stretched their wings and bees buzzed about on bright, heavy blooms. The road they were walking cut right through a meadow that was banked on both sides by thick forest, so they were surrounded by the happy activity of nature.

Sango, Miroku and Shippo chattered together about inconsequential things just behind her, the lightheartedness of their interaction warming something in her. They'd all been through so much, she loved any chance they all got to be more than just revenge seeking shard finders. Even Inuyasha was in high spirits, leading them at a sedate pace, his features soft and peaceful. Kagome lamented that he almost never looked like this, and hoped beyond hope that once he finally got the vengeance he sought so desperately that he'd finally be able to experience this peace more often.

Still, despite the happy haze surrounding them, something buzzed softly at the back of her mind, something she didn't quite recognize, but felt familiar all the same. She kept getting the uncontrollable urge to glance at the trees to her right. Passed the small, colorful field of flowers, the trees seemed to loom suddenly, imposing and stark and the contrast made her skin feel clammy. She tried not to stare, tried to concentrate on the peace around her and enjoy the day, but the buzzing in her mind only grew stronger. And the trees, they seemed impatientand urgent. She stared hard at them, brows furrowed and mouth turned down into a frown, trying to decipher why it seemed the trees were feeling things, and how she could tell, when they were just trees, after all. She nearly ran into Inuyasha's back. He was standing perfectly still, glaring into the same half of forest, ears alert and nose twitching. Suddenly, she could feel a jewel shard barreling down on their position, and the sensation of Miroku's own powers flexing slightly at the dark youki headed toward them.

"Inuyasha, a shard..."

"Shit. It's coming fast. And it's nasty."

Out of the tree line burst a creature she had never seen before. It seemed to be covered in some sort of shiny exoskeleton, though it did not look like any sort of bug she'd ever seen. It's limbs were long and spindly, not looking particularly strong, but the presence of the jewel shard in its abdomen meant that it should not be underestimated. It had a sharp beak that it screeched harshly from, and long talons at the end of each of its 'fingers.' It was nasty, whatever it was, the jewel seemingly twisting it beyond any recognition. She felt pity for the creature rise up in her. She imagined that it must be in pain, and was now being controlled by a thirst for power thanks to the tainted jewel shard it appeared to have swallowed. She wondered if the creature had even known what the shard was.

The creature leapt high in the air, Inuyasha leaping after it, tessaiga transformed and ready, and they met with a titanic crash above everyone's heads. Tessaiga's blade screeched against the other youkai's talons before both it and Inuyasha descended back to the ground. Sango launched hiraikotsu, but the youkai ducked under it and made a dash toward them, straight for Kagome.

"Oh no you don't, ugly bastard. Come get a taste of tessaiga and hand over that shard!"

The youkai ignored him, continuing in his direction toward Kagome before she was swept up by Sango on an transformed Kirara and placed several meters away. Inuyasha had engaged the creature again, trading blows with tessaiga against its talons. Miroku circled, throwing charged sutra that caused the creature to scream an unholy scream that hurt her ears even this distance away. Inuyasha's poor ears must have been nearly bleeding.

"Stay here Kagome. You'll be safer."

With that, Sango remounted Kirara and flew off, keeping to the air to give her a greater advantage with hiraikotsu.

Kagome tried not to bristle with annoyance at being placed aside for her "safety." She was the only one who could sense the shards, and as such she was at a greater risk of attack and capture. Still, she wasn't completely useless. She slipped her bow off her shoulder and an arrow out of her quiver and lined up a shot, waiting for the perfect opportunity to send her arrow flying without risking the safety of her other friends in the fray.

When her opportunity presented itself, she released her arrow, a corona of pink purity blazing around it as it flew toward her target. It embedded in the beasts arm, dissolving a chunk of it and drawing its attention her direction. Inuyasha looked her way as well, but the dawning look of horror on his face confused her. The world seemed to slow, and her brain felt as if it was floating in a vat of honey as she felt a blow to the back of her head. Her mind spun and her ears rang and black crept into the edges of her vision. The ground careened under her feet and she plummeted towards the grass. A set of hands swept her up before she felt impact, but she didn't see who had caught her. Her failing eyes stayed locked on Inuyasha, and as her vision turned entirely black and her eyelids slid firmly shut the sound of his voice screaming her name ricocheted through the thickness of her mind until she knew no more.

"Alright, you hold the bow here- tightly now, and put your other hand just here to pull the string back taught. Aim carefully now. Now exhale... and release."

The little arrow flew straight and true, though it did not quite hit the center of the target. She was proud nonetheless.

"Very good Legolas! You're a natural!"

The small boy in front of her spun around, a large smile making his blue eyes, so like hers, sparkle.

"I can't wait to show father and papa! When will they be home?"

That worry and dread she hadn't been able to shake since they'd left all those days ago poked at her heart again, but she dug up the most confident smile she could muster to reassure her son.

"Very soon, my darling. And they will be so proud to see how far you've improved since they've gone."

"Maybe I'll get to go with them next time!"

She chuckled despite herself, sweeping her son into her arms and squeezing him, his light giggles tickling her ears.

"Hopefully they'll not need to go on such a trip for a long, long time to come, my Little Leaf. Now go wash up for dinner, huh?"

"Ahhh mom! But I want to practice more!"

"No buts! How will you master such a skill if you stay so small from not eating anything?"

The little prince pouted and sulked off, his mother grinning behind him as she watched him shuffle his feet in the direction of the kitchen. She heard a commotion heading toward the front of the castle. She quickly made her way back inside from the training grounds and to the main entrance, where a large group of worn, dirty guards carried something between them. They took notice of her and laid their burden at her feet.

There, injured and unconscious, was her husband. Half of his face had been burned and bloodied, red seeping into his white gold hair and dripping to the floor. His braids were loose, and his armor scuffed and charred. She choked out a sob, her shock finally breaking and allowing her to kneel at his side. She covered the unmarried side of his face with her hand, and he roused under her touch. His eye opened and focused briefly in her face, his own hand coming up to cover hers before he collapsed again in a coughing fit.

"Quickly, get him to our quarters. Carefully!"

She stopped one guard member with a hand on his shoulder and he turned promptly as she addressed him.

"Celebros, where is the king?"

He hesitated, his eyes falling to the floor, before meeting hers again.

"Dragons."

Tears filled her eyes as she deciphered his meaning, but she willed them away for the time being. She had work to do.

"Please, have Legolas kept away until I call for him."

"Certainly your majesty." He gave a small bow before turning away to find the little prince and occupy him until his mother was ready for him.

She watched him go for a moment before racing off to her shared quarters to attend to her husband.

She had spent many long hours working at his healing, but his injuries had been great. His bleeding had stopped and much of his skin had knitted back together, the combination of her herbs and healing powers working well to fix much of the damage. His pain would much more manageable, and he would not lose sight in his eye.

Finally he stirred, only his uninjured eye opening, as his other was bandaged.

Her face filled his field of vision and he felt her hand on his cheek again.

"Oh Thranduil my love, you're alright. You're safe. You're home."

His hand rose to cup her cheek as well, and he stared deeply into her bright blue eyes, ascertaining for himself that he was, indeed, safe at home with her again.

The battle came back to him all at once, and his hand fell back down to the bed beside him.

His eye closed, and he leaned into her hand at his cheek as his face crumpled.

"My father...My father is..."

"Shhhhh. I know, I know. I'm so, so sorry darling."

She laid her head on his chest and he ran his fingers through her hair, letting his tears for his father fall as he felt her own seep through the cloth of whatever clean shirt he'd been changed in to. He was so very glad to have her. He wasn't sure how he would survive through this if she wasn't at his side.

At some point their tiny son had entered, having escaped the watched of the guard assigned to him. He curled up at his father's side, and Thranduil wrapped his other, bandaged arm around him while his mother held his hand.

They rested this way together for some time, putting off the work that needed to be done now in order to heal each other.

With a great, heaving gasp, Kagome woke from her unconsciousness to the sight of Inuyasha's worried face leaning over her. Her head was still filled with a thick fog and her ears still rang. She panicked for a moment, not recognizing where she was or the eyes now staring into hers. Hadn't those eyes just been grey? Why were they gold? And the hair was too white, the face too stern, and she leapt up and flailed, ignoring the vertigo that threatened to put her right back on the ground.

She backed up until she felt a tree at her back, looking around the dark clearing and taking in the faces of everyone there, looking at her with deep concern.

"What... what... who... where am I? Who are you?"

"Kagome-sama?" Said a man draped in billowing purple fabric, his hands held out in a non-threatening gesture.

"Kagome-Sama, it is only us. You are safe now."

'Safe now?' She thought forlornly, remember just how safe she'd just felt before she'd been ripped from that safety to here.

"What the hell wench? Did that bastard hit you that hard? It's us!"

Kagome closed her eyes and breathed deeply to control her thundering heart. Suddenly the world around her settled, and she came back to herself. She opened her eyes and once more took in the faces of her friends. Yes, her friends, she recognized them now. An alien feeling lingered in her heart, but she once again remembered who and where she was.

"I'm... I'm sorry. I... he must have hit me pretty hard. I was just confused for a moment."

Sango slowly approached and gently took her hand, stroking the back of it with her fingers.

"That's alright Kagome-Chan, we understand. Why don't you lay down and rest? You must be very tired. We've set out your sleeping roll for you."

"Yes... yes tired. I am... tired."

She was tucked in and left alone, and she turned her back to the fire to stair out into the forest surrounding them. Something about the trees brought her comfort.

As she drifted off to a hopefully dreamless sleep, she picked up Sango's worried voice asking Miroku a question that troubled her soul.

"Miroku.. did you hear her when she woke up? What language was she speaking?"

"I do not know my dear Sango. I do not know."

Chapter Text

Thranduil breathed a great sigh of relief as his castle home faded behind him the deeper he ventured into the trees. He'd escaped, unseen by his father, and therefore did not have to hear one more joke at his own expense. When he'd returned the day before, crowned in flowers and in a daze, his father had had a field day. Sure, he tended to be more on the reserved side, unlike his father, but that didn't mean his father, the KING of Greenwood the Great, had to act like such a child at the sight of his son acting out of sorts, right? Right. So he'd done his best to leave quietly, for he'd never hear the end of it if his father figured out where he was going. After all, it HAD only been a day. Just one, measly day, and yet there he was, mounted on his elk and heading through the forest to find that clearing he'd happened upon the day before. He had no idea if she'd be there again, and he'd never even seen that clearing before. But he couldn't help it. He'd been almost in a trance the rest of the day and night, completely bewitched by the memory of her. He had to try and find her again, and that clearing was the only lead he had. If she'd been there once, perhaps she could be there again.

He led Calon, his elk, through the trees in what he hoped was the general direction of the little flower field. He cursed himself for being in such a daze on his way home. If he'd been paying attention, he could just retrace his steps.

At last he heard a familiar voice humming a sweet tune a short distance away and followed it. She must have heard his approach, for he found her sitting up facing his direction with a look of surprise. She must have been lying in the flowers this time. She had various little blooms stuck in her hair, poking out haphazardly here and there, and one of her braids had come a bit loose.

He brought Calon to a halt and slid off his back, turning to face her again. His greeting was cut short, however, at the new look on her face. She was biting her lower lip and her brows had drawn down over her eyes.

"What..."

"Where on EARTH did you get a deer that big?"

Thranduil was, admittedly, taken aback that THIS was the first thing she'd say to him. This was not at all how he'd imagine this would go.

"Calon is not a deer. He is an elk."

She erupted in peels of merry laughter, collapsing back into the grass and holding her stomach as her eyes squeezed shut and her cheeks turned pink.

He wasn't sure if he should be enchanted by the picture she made or insulted that she was laughing at him. What a confusing woman she was.

She sat back up and wiped the moisture from her eyes, smiling widely at him.

"I'm sorry it's just... what's wrong with a horse?"

"What is wrong with my elk?"

She burst into giggles again and then stood up, walking up to place a hand on the elk's nose.

"I mean, he's very cute. But kind of... ridiculous."

Thranduil sniffed, nose in the air thanks to his slightly offended dignities.

"Calon is bred to be stronger and faster than any HORSE."

"I'm sure. Well, come on then, have a seat. Tell me, why did you come here again today?"

"I..."

Well. He'd not planned for THAT question. Did he tell her the truth? That he had simply been unable to stay away? Was that too much to reveal too soon?

"What is it you do in this field? Do you come here everyday?" He mentally cheered himself

'Good. That was safe, well done Thranduil.'

She looked at him askance, not at all fooled by his abrupt change of subject. But she was feeling gracious, so she let it slide.

"I do. Most days anyway. I'm a healer, so I like to come pick medicinal plants to aid in my my healing practice. It's also just very lovely, I was reading today.”

Thranduil took note of the book she had placed next to her bow and quiver. He'd not noticed THAT the day before.

"Are you proficient with a bow my lady?"

"Yes, fairly. I've got to have something to protect myself with if I'm going to spend so much time alone in the forest."

"You need not worry, father keeps Greenwood safer than any other forest in all of Arda."

Her sweet smile made his heart stutter.

"I know he does. I scarcely run into any trouble. It's just better safe than sorry."

He smiled warmly in return, so glad he'd thrown off any embarrassment or insecurity and come to find her.

"That is very wise indeed, my lady."

Her cheeks turned a lovely shade of pink, and he picked a soft bloom nearby that matched it exactly. He placed it behind one of her pointed ears and mentally patted himself on the back.

'Smooth.'

They talked of inconsequential things for a while. She made chains of white flowers that she looped around Calon's antlers with more of her musical laughter, and he prepared himself for more of his father's merciless teasing.

Before he departed, he turned to her once more, reaching out lift one stray lock of silky black hair and run the pad of his thumb over it's cool softness.

"I wish to see you again."

She met his eyes, shy all of a sudden, her cheeks blooming that sweet shade of soft rose again.

"A-alright, your majes-"

"Thranduil." He cut her off. He wanted no misunderstandings. "I wish you to call me only Thranduil."

She gave him a soft, radiant smile, reaching down to pick another of the white blooms she'd covered his once noble elk in. She placed it behind his own pointed ear, trailing her fingers through his hair and staring back into his eyes with much more confidence.

"Alright then Thranduil. I'll be here, should you desire to find me again."

Returning home had gone exactly as he'd expected. His father intercepted him on his way to the stables, taking one look at the flower in his hair and floral chains adorning his elk and cackling merrily at his son's expense. He was enjoying this a little too much, if you asked him. But it was worth it, and he'd take all the good natured ribbing his father could dish out if it only meant seeing her again.

Thranduil came back to himself after being so lost in memories, and found himself singing. Singing. How long had it been since he'd felt like doing that? He always got lost in the rhythmic grooming of his elk. It was a pretty relaxing past time that he'd never wanted to 'outsource' to someone else like his father had always done. He was a bit ridiculous when it came to his riding elk, he could admit that now after years of his wife's teasing, but oh well. Even kings needed hobbies. That particular memory was especially sweet to him. It was humorous of course, as she'd never, even from their first meeting, passed a chance to make fun of him. But it had also been the official start of something wonderful and perfect between them.

He put away the brush and patted the elk in front of him on the nose. This was not the elk from all those many, many years ago. They, unfortunately, did not live that long. But he was as special to him as all the others had been.

"Well Cílon, I believe this is it. My heart is no longer pained by mere memories. I feel hope once again. My time apart from my beloved is at last drawing to a close. We shall ride into battle once more, and then I shall be called home to the undying shores of Valinor to stay by her side into eternity."

Cílon huffed into his hand and lowered his head, expecting a scratch behind the ears. Thranduil chuckled and obliged, feeling happier and lighter than he had in ages.

"And you got the shard?"

"Shards, actually. That beast had one, and they bastard who snuck out and snagged you had another."

"Oh, two shards. Well that's good!"

"We put them in your bottle for you Kagome-Sama. You slept for quite some time after your initial waking. How are you feeling by they way? Any residual soreness or confusion? It is to be expected. He landed a very solid blow to the back of your head."

Kagome took a moment to feel the tender bump just above the nape of her neck. Solid blow indeed. She also remembered how frightened and disoriented she'd been when she finally regained consciousness. She couldn't tell them that she hadn't just been delirious from the hit she'd taken. That she'd actuallyforgotten all of them and who she was for a moment. That she'd been so very lost in the beauty and sadness of the dream she'd had that it had taken her several waking moments to leave it. They would think her crazy.

"My head is still a little sore, but I've got no lingering confusion."

"Kagome-Chan?"

"Yes, Sango-chan?"

"Do you... do you remember what language you were speaking when you woke?"

"Language? No... I don't really know any other languages. Maybe a little English."

"What does 'English' sound like?"

Kagome took a second to recall her English lessons from school. There had to be an easy enough phrase she could use as an example.

"Uh... well... 'Hi, Sango! How are you?' Sorry, that's about as much as I've got."

Sango sighed, a look of concern lining her face.

"No. That doesn't sound... oh well. I'm so glad you're okay! All that really matters is that you're safe!"

"He'd left his shard back at his base camp so we wouldn't sense it, sneaky bastard." Inuyasha piped up from his place at the base of a tree farthest from the fire. She had to admit, that was a smart plan to sneak up on them, if a bit risky.

"Sorry I was out for most of the fight." Kagome said as she took out her little vial of shards. "But it looks like we have nearly half of the jewel now! I'll have to figure out a better way to carry these. If I fuse anymore shards to this big chunk I won't be able to take it out anymore."

Soon, talk of the most recent battle abated and minds turned to other, more peaceful things. Kagome tried to lose herself in the conversations her dear friends were having, even Inuyasha participating as opposed to sulking in his tree all night. But instead, she kept getting lost in the memory of grey eyes and pale hair and the rise and fall of a strong chest under her cheek.

'What on earth is happening to me?'

Chapter Text

Legolas let himself release a breath of relief. They were well on their way towards Lothlórien, and it would be a calm, peaceful place to take a short rest and let the company recover from all they'd faced so far on this journey. From the tireless trek up the mountain, the battle in the mines, and the devastating loss of Gandalf, it was certainly a lot for anyone to take in. That Balrog had been a complete surprise. If it hadn't been for Gandalf, none of them would have made it out. As terribly sad as the whole situation was, he was ever so thankful that they still had a chance to get Frodo and the One Ring to Mordor.

He was also glad to be out of the mountains and headed backto the forest. Maybe not his forest, but a forest nonetheless.

He suppressed a grin. Pippin was beside himself with excitement at meeting more elves. All the hobbits were, despite their sadness. Yes, a stop in Lothlórien would be good for all their souls.

Legolas sat against a wall in their little sleeping quarters, watching the hobbits chat with Boromir and Aragorn over a meal, and Gimli bristling in the corner for having to be bound and blindfolded on their way in.

Suddenly he was surrounded by hobbits with nervous, curious faces. He grinned at them to put them at ease, and they all relaxed a bit to know they'd be allowed to ask him questions. It was Pippin, as usual, who found his courage to speak up.

"Where did you learn to use a bow?"

'Ah. Weapons. Of course. ' He thought fondly. He probably should have expected this. They had all been very interested in learning swordsmanship from the resident humans, and had not seen him really use his skills with his bow until the battle in the mines of Moria. It made sense they'd be curious about a different form of fighting.

"My mother taught me, when I was very young."

"You're mother?" Frodo asked in awe, and Merry furrowed his brows in confusion.

"Not your father? The Elven King? It seems he'd be the one to need to know something like that."

Legolas chuckled warmly. They were curious creatures indeed.

"No. My father does not use a bow. He taught me how to wield a sword, but it was my mother who was proficient with a bow, and it's the weapon I was more naturally inclined too. She taught me that first, and my father taught me swordsmanship much later."

"What's your mother like, Sir Legolas?" Sam asked, and Legolas had to take a moment to consider how to respond.

"My mother... my mother was very kind. She was energetic and mischievous, and the very best story teller. She was a healer, equal to Lord Elrond who healed Frodo, and fiercely protective of all those she loved."

"What happened to her?"

"I'm really not sure. Mother and Father went out for a walk one day. They left me behind to finish my lessons, but they were never gone for very long. My father returned alone much sooner than usual, and he was frantic. My father has always been more on the reserved side, so seeing him in such a state was quite frightening for me. When he was finally able to speak to me about it, he said that there was a dwarf hidden in the woods who cast a curse upon her, and she simply disappeared. He brought him in for questioning and learned very little.

I know, Frodo, that your uncle had spoken to you of the battle with Smaug at the Lonely Mountain. That is not the first war involving dragons that my father has been involved in. Many years before he fought along side my grandfather against dragons. We lost my grandfather in that war. He had, apparently, offended some dwarf noble or another. His son came looking for revenge not long after, and thought my father was my grandfather. All he could tell us was that the curse had been meant to kill her, and he did not know why she dissipated instead. My father traveled here and demanded to look in the Lady Galadriel's mirror, but she refused and simply told him that that which he was looking for would remain out of reach until the will of Ilúvatar had been fulfilled. So as far as we know, she has passed on to Valinor where she awaits us to join her. It is the only hope we've had all these centuries later."

A heavy, somber weight settled on all in the room. Even Gimli, who was beginning to see the elf as perhaps not as awful as he'd first thought, could feel pity in his heart for a child losing a mother. No race was without fault, it seemed.

Legolas did his best to perk up the little hobbits. He picked up the small lute he'd brought with him and strummed a few notes.

"Shall I sing to you her favorite song?"

And so his merry notes filled their hearts instead, and they drifted off to sleep feeling much lighter than they had in days.

Kagome sat on the floor of the little hut, sorting the dried herbs in front her into matching piles as she worked out how to best word her question to rouse as little suspicion as possible. It was only her and the sweet, old miko in the hut right now, but she still wasn't quite ready for anyone to know what she was really feeling.

"Kaede-baa-chan, can I ask you a question?"

Kaede, who had been sensing the unease of the young girl helping her, smiled reassuringly. She loved this girl like a granddaughter. She'd help with anything she asked.

"Of course, my child. Ask anything at all. What is troubling ye?"

"Oh, I was just wondering... did Kikyo ever say anything about, I don't know, dreams of a past life?"

"Dreams of a past life?" Kaede asked in shock. This had certainly not been what she'd expected. "No child, I cannot say she ever did. I was very young when Kikyo-onee-San passed, I'm afraid their was much she did not share with me."

"I see. Thank you Kaede-baa-Chan."

"Tell me child, are you having troubling dreams about Kikyo-ones-san's life?"

"Oh no, nothing like that!" Kagome was quick to reassure. She didn't need anyone thinking she was wrapped up in more angst about Kikyo. "It's just something I've been wondering about since... a certain book I had to read for school! Yeah, that's it! Anyway, these are ready to be ground up, I'll take these fresh ones out to start drying."

Kaede knew the young woman was hiding something, but she was old and wise enough to know not to pry. Kagome was a smart girl. If she couldn't figure this out on her own, she'd surely ask for help again later.

Keiko Higurashi watched her daughter drift around the shrine grounds with a heavy heart. She suspected that she knew what her daughter was beginning to go through, but she also knew it was not time to reveal anything she knew to her daughter just yet. Already she could see the changes her sweet girl was undergoing. She stood a little straighter, her eyes sparkled more blue than they had before, her hair was even a little longer, shinier. She figured those who were with her everyday had not noticed such subtle differences yet. She doubted Kagome herself had even noticed. But it had been some weeks since she'd seen her daughter, so it was much more apparent to her.

Kagome seemed so preoccupied and distant, coming to rest at the base of her beloved Goshinboku and staring up at it reverently. It must be coming to mean so much more to her now.

It was a bittersweet thing indeed, watching her child take her first steps toward her destiny. She was more proud than she was able to say, what mother wouldn't be? But the ache of future goodbyes weighed heavy on her heart.

If given the chance, she wouldn't change a single thing. It had been an honor to be this young woman's mother in her time on earth. She would do it all over in a heartbeat.

A knock on the door drew her attention away from the window she was gazing through, and she put down her kitchen towel to go receive her visitor.

Chapter Text

Keiko answered her door, a polite smile of greeting on her face.

"Hello, how can I help you?" She asked the handsome young man standing on her front step. He had a wide excited smile, pretty violet eyes and long, deep black hair. He was striking, and he looked like he was about to burst.

"Oba-Chan!" He shouted, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing her close.

'Oba-Chan? I'm his... grandmother?' She thought in confusion. She caught site of his slightly pointed ear as she pushed him back, holding him at arm's length by the shoulders.

"Who are you, young man? I think you'd better start explaining."

He and stepped into the house, taking a seat on the couch. Keiko was too shocked and confused to be angry at his rudeness.

"Of course, of course! Anything for you Oba-Chan! I'm so excited to meet you! Please come sit!"

Keiko took a seat in the chair across from her couch, looking expectantly at the mystery boy sitting in her home and claiming to be her grandson.

"Alright young man, you'd better start at the beginning."

Kagome leaned against the rough, aged bark of the Goshinboku and let its warm, familiar aura cradle and comfort her. There was something more about it now though, something she couldn't place. It almost glowed now, and if she really concentrated, she could almost hear it whispering. But she didn't want to concentrate, and she didn't want to ponder any of that at all. She wanted to drift in peace here and just be.

She zoned out watching the leaves over her head dance in the breeze blowing through the tall branches. It caught her hair as well, and the person watching her from a very short distance away, unbeknownst to her, felt a nostalgia sweep through his heart.

"Keh. What have I always told you about gettin' distracted all the time, wench?"

Kagome's heart leapt nearly all the way out of her chest. She stood quickly, spinning towards that familiar voice ready to give its owner a verbal lashing for scaring her so badly. But she stopped short when she caught site of the actual person standing there.

Long black hair gathered at the nape of his neck, a soft smile making his violet eyes glow. This man certainly looked familiar, but she was so frazzled from being startled she couldn't quite place him.

"Do I... do I know you?" She asked timidly, and the man took several steps forward and stopped right in front of her.

"Yes." Suddenly, he wrapped his arms around her, bringing her in for a crushing hug that left her short of breath and highly confused.

"Uh... sir, I..."

"Shut it, wench. It's just me."

He stepped back and pulled a cord with a small carved pendant from around his neck, and his appearance shimmered slightly before changing completely. His hair was silvery white again, and his eyes flashed golden. His puppy ears twitched stop his head once again, and one fang peaked over his lip with his smile.

"Inuyasha?!" She cried out in shock. This was definitely her hanyo friend alright, but he seemed calmer, and older. He looked like he'd aged 15 years since she saw him last, just the day before by the well in his time.

"Yep. Hey Kagome, it's so nice to see you again."

He was giving her such a soft, sad smile, like he was coming to say 'goodbye' instead of 'hello.'

"It's good to see you too. What are you doing here? I assume you're... not the Inuyasha I left by the well yesterday? Are you even allowed to be here?"

He chuckled and his eyes glittered with amusement. She was taken aback by how free he looked.

"Yeah, sort of." He scratched at the back of his neck, trying to figure out the best way to go about this. "There are just some things I can't say yet. Honestly I probably should have waited until... after... I just missed you."

"You... missed me?" She asked incredulously. The Inuyasha she knew had never been so free with his words and emotions. She was having a hard time merging past Inu, and this man who was apparently present Inu, into one person.

"So I take it that I... didn't stay in the past? Did I come back here?"

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that. But I did want to assure you that you're going to be happy, Kagome, alright? I know that, right now, there's a lot of confusing things happening, and younger me is gonna be a huge asshole about it, but this me...this me understands. You've just done so much for me, I wanted to do something for you, too."

She eyed him closely, studying his face and the emotions passing behind his eyes. She could decipher his words later. But there was one thing she wanted to know more than anything.

"Are you happy Inuyasha?"

'She's always so selfless.' he thought fondly. "I am, actually. That's actually why I'm-"

"TOUUUU-SAAAAAAAAN!"

"-here." Inuyasha finished flatly, turning his attention to black haired male now exiting the front door of the Higurashi house.

Kagome stared, completely shocked to see her mother following him with a bright smile on her face.

"Did he just call you-"

"Tou-San! Don't worry, I explained everything. I know you're still super awkward and terrible with words, so I did all the talking and it went great!"

"Watch it pup. You need to learn to talk less." Inuyasha growled, but the new arrival ignored him pointedly, grasping Kagome's hand and shaking it vigorously.

"You must be Aunty Kagome! It's so nice to finally meet you! I've heard so many stories!"

"Aunty... Kagome?"

Inuyasha heaved a deep sigh, slapping a hand to his face and glaring at the young man still shaking Kagome's arm practically out of her socket.

"Oi pup! Relax! She's still just human right now!"

"Oh right! Sorry..."

"Kagome, this is my youngest son Eiji."

She was reeling. So much information to take in all at once.

"Who is his mother?" She asked almost absently.

"Kikyo."

"Kikyo?! How?!"

"Well, mostly thanks to you, Kagome. But I can't tell you how."

She huffed and rolled her eyes, and Inuyasha felt joy throbbing deep in his heart to see that Kagome attitude again.

"Of course you can't, stupid time travel."

"Kagome dear, weren't you supposed to get back today?"

"Oh! You're right Mama! Inuyasha's going to be so mad if I'm late again! Bye Inuyasha! Bye Eiji! It was so nice to meet you!"

She gave them both a quick hug, kissed her mother on the cheek, scooped up her backpack from the bench in front of Goshinboku, and then disappeared into the Well house.

Keiko turned to Eiji and Inuyasha and gestures toward her home.

"Shall we go inside for some tea?"

Once Souta had arrived home and dragged his new 'nephew' Eiji up to his room for video games (that he actually knew how to play) Keiko turned to Inuyasha to begin the serious conversation she'd been waiting patiently to have.

"He's a sweet boy. You must be so proud."

"He's a chatter box who doesn't know when to shut it. But yes, we're very proud of him."

"And I am very proud of you."

Inuyasha felt his cheeks warm and glanced down at his half filled tea cup.

"Thank you Mrs. Higurashi."

Her hand reached out and clasped his and he looked up to meet her eyes once more.

"Inuyasha, if you can tell that boy of yours that I'm enough of a mother to you that he calls me 'grandma,' then surely you know I'd be honored if you called me 'Mama.'"

He felt tears burn his eyes and squeezed her hand.

"Now, tell me what you know. Everything. Is she going to be okay? Is she going to be happy?"

"We got to watch her leave. She was so beautiful, it was unreal. We even got to watch for a few minutes after she'd gone. You really don't have to worry, though I understand that you will. I don't know if anyone has ever loved anyone the way that guy loves Kagome, or whatever her name really is."

Bittersweet tears streamed down Keiko's cheeks at his reassurance, and she felt her heart settle, a little more at peace."

"The runt became a pretty proficient artist. He made a painting of it for you."

She closed her eyes and let her emotions swell. It was morethan she could have asked for.

"Thank you, my boy. Thank you. Now, I'd love to meet this wife of yours! If she wouldn't be too uncomfortable... I know things between you all were very... complicated. I'd hate to presume..."

"Oh no! Kikyo can't wait to meet you. She's so different. I guess being wrapped up in Kagome's soul all that time really does a number on a person. She just... understands everything, and is so gracious and open now. I think... I think you'll really like her."

"Marvelous! Let's have a big family dinner soon, then!"

"TOUUU-SAAAAN! Uncle Souta is CHEATING!" Inuyasha groaned and laid his head on the table, and Keiko giggled and ruffled the hair between his ears.

"Kami preserve us."

Five hundred years in the past, a much younger Inuyasha trudged through the woods toward an. eerie, glowing clearing just far enough away from his own camp that nothing said here would be over heard.

His steps and heart quickened the closer he got, for what lay in this clearing was special to him.

But a part of him shrank away too, for what waited in the camp behind him was special too. It was maddening, this feeling of being torn in two. Such was his burden for his sins, he wouldn't complain.

He entered the clearing. Before him, seemingly pondering a tree on the other side was a beautiful specter of his past that had been thrust into his present. Guilt, love and disgust all swamped his heart at the sight of her. This was his fault, this twisted existence she suffered. Answering her call was the least he could do. He was halfway through the clearing when she turned abruptly and threw up a bright, sparkling barrier between them. He scrambled to a halt, barely missing the surface of the bubble of purity before it zapped his lights out.

"What the hell?! What's this for?!"

"Inuyasha, something is happening to Kagome."

"What? What do you-"

"I just threw up this barrier with my bare hands. I have not been able to do such since before my death." She waved her hand and the barrier fell. Inuyasha breathed easier as the purity from it could no longer grate against his youki. "Whatever power I was borrowing from Kagome through our shared soul is returning to me, and I don't know why. What's more, I am loosing my connection to her and I need fewer lost souls to power this clay body. There is something going on."

"The wench hasn't seemed any different... maybe a little mopey."

"She is strong of spirit, Inuyasha, you know this. She likely would not let on if she felt poorly. You must speak with her, it is of the utmost importance that we figure out just what is causing these changes."

"Alright Kikyo, don't worry, I will.

Kagome sat just outside of their little camp, slightly down the side of the hill and away from the chatter of her friends. She could still pick up every word, for some reason, but the distance was what she was after.

She looked up at the starry sky, which looked much more crisp and alive than she could ever remember it being. She could feel her soul practically singing at the sight of it. She allowed all the information of the day to swirl in her mind. She hoped it might settle into something that made some sort of sense. Bits and pieces repeated and echoed, and she paid special attention to them just in case.

'You're going to be happy'

"Who is his mother?' 'Kikyo...thanks to you...'

'She's still just human right now.'

'I missed you.'

Suddenly, she knew what move she needed to make next.

She marched back into camp, trying to spot the red clothing of a certain hanyo in the trees.

"Where is Inuyasha?"

Sango and Miroku looked at each other uneasily, this has never ended well in the past.

"He... went to see Kikyo."

Kagome was slightly shocked. Normally she could just tell when the undead priestess was nearby.

"He did?"

"Yes. I'm so sorry Kagome, we-"

"Perfect. Thanks Sango-Chan!"

She dashed off into the trees in the direction she could see the far off glow coming from, leaving a bewildered Sango and Miroku behind.

She could see everything so clearly. Each leaf, each twig, she marveled at how defined everything was, even in the dark. Despite the distance between camps, she could easily make out the glow of Kikyo's soul collectors and followed it resolutely.

A snap of a twig underfoot as she entered the clearing drew the attention of both Inuyasha and Kikyo, and they both stared at her even, confident expression with confusion, and a bit of horror on the hanyo's part.

"Uh... Kagome? What-"

"Inuyasha. I would like to speak with Kikyo. Alone."

He didn't know what to say, so he glanced back to Kikyo who gave him a slight nod of assurance. He shrugged and walked out of the clearing, dumbfounded by all that had transpired since he arrived.

Once Kagome determined that he was far enough away that they would not be over heard, she addressed Kikyo with an air of regality that startled the undead miko.

"Two things, Kikyo. First, from now on, you will be traveling with us in our joint quest to find and destroy Naraku and the jewel. This is not a request. Second, I want you to tell me everything you can about dreams and past lives."

Kikyo stared gobsmacked, nearly unable to process that all of this was coming from Kagome, who had always been a little on the timid side where she was concerned.

'Well. Seems I'll be getting a front row seat to just what's been happening with my reincarnation, after all.'

Chapter Text

Sheer, gauzy curtains drifted gently in the warm breeze, bringing in the soft perfume of new flowers and woodsy scents of the forest. It was a lazy, golden, perfect day.

In a large, ornate bed on the opposite wall, she snuggled the little bundle in her arms and laid her head against the broad shoulder of the man next to her. Their hair, dark and light, mingled together between them, twisted like vines. The man, her beloved husband, ran his fingers over the fuzzy little head of the new babe swaddled tightly in green, woven fabric who was now sleeping deeply.

A knock on their door broke them from their spell. Her husband sat up and looked to her for confirmation. She nodded, and he kissed her forehead.

"Come in." He granted, and the door opened to reveal another man with long, pale hair.

"Well, where is he? Let me see him!"

She giggled and passed the sleeping boy over.

He was carefully cradled in a pair of large hands. Familiar grey eyes gazed down at him with love and protection.

"Beautiful. And what is his name?"

"Legolas." Her husband answered, a quiet reverence in his voice.

"Legolas Thranduilion, newborn Prince of Greenwood the Great. It has a nice ring to it." His ever present humor sparkled in his eyes, but it was accompanied by deep love and pride.

"Well done, my children."

He placed the little prince back in their arms and retreated to give them space to rest, and the new parents shared soft looks and words of love as their little one slept soundly on.

It was still dark when Kagome opened her eyes, the blue-black sky swathed in a million diamond point stars still twinkling and streaking across the sky. She judged it to be several hours to dawn yet, but she was no longer tired. She sat up, gently moving the sleeping fox kit from his place curled at her side. so as not to wake him, and made her way back to the little spot on the hill that she'd used earlier for star gazing.

She thought about all that had been happening to her, all the dreams and changes she was experiencing, things she could not understand, and wondered if they had any great meaning. Was her soul simply stuck in some kind of flux since she'd lost part of it to a past incarnation? Was another past life trying to claim some piece of it? Would she continue to fracture into smaller pieces of all the 'whos' that she used to be until no 'Kagome' remained?

Feather light footfalls barely bent the grass behind her, but she heard each one. The soft swooping of soul gatherers and the eerie stillness of a heart not beating and lungs not breathing were also clear and crisp in her ears. She met the steady, cool gaze of the undead priestess in a clay body as she came to rest beside her in the grass. Her pale skin looked ghostly in the white starlight, but she was no less beautiful.

"Should you not be sleeping Kagome?"

She wondered how a voice could be so... empty. Maybe not quite as empty as it had been before, but it was still slightly unnerving.

"Perhaps. I find I need less sleep lately, though."

"I see." Kikyo cataloged this detail. It could be a result of whatever had been changing within the young priestess she had been reborn into. "I do not need sleep either. Perhaps we could pass the time together. I recall that you had some questions for me? We did not have the discussion you mentioned earlier."

Kagome looked back up at the stars, and they helped her find her voice.

"Have you ever dreamt of a past life?"

"No, I cannot say that I have. Are you having dreams about my life?"

"No. Not you. Someone else."

"Someone else? Like who?"

"I don't know who they are. Or even what they look like. The dreams, they're all from my perspective, like I'm dreaming about my own memories but... but I don't remember these memories. And they're all out of order. And there are other people in them..."

"What kind of other people?"

"A son... a husband. And I don't know them, but they feel so familiar, and so real... like I should know them, like I do know them and I just... forgot."

Kikyo could hear the anguish in Kagome's voice, and could even feel phantom echoes of it from what little soul connection they still shared. Whatever these dreams were, they were causing her great distress.

"Are you troubled by these dreams? Are they frightening?"

"Oh no! Not at all! And that's the thing. They're so beautiful, so achingly beautiful and I feel such longing to return every time I wake up. I want to go back to these people, to that place, to that time... I can barely stop thinking about it. You know, the other day, I was knocked unconscious in a shard fight, and I was so swept up and locked away in the dream that I had, that when I finally woke I couldn't remember who I was, or even who any of my friends were. Sango-Chan tells me I even spoke some other language. But I don't know any other languages. How can this be Kikyo? What is happening to me?"

Kikyo studied the young miko next to her, checking her for any physical signs that something had been done. She even probed her aura, and what she found left her speechless.

"You hold no signs of being cursed or bespelled... but Kagome, your aura is shifting."

"Shifting? What does that mean?"

"I... I do not know. Only that you do not feel like Kagome anymore, not completely. I'm not sure what this feeling is, I have never encountered such before in either of my lives. Tell me, these people you dream of, are they human? Youkai?"

"They're neither. I don't know what they are." She shrugged helplessly, and Kikyo considered her carefully.

"Have you taken note of any other changes?"

"My vision and hearing have improved."

"How do you mean?"

"Did you know your feet barely brush the ground when you walk? Probably thanks to your soul collectors. Anyway, I heard every step you took on your way over here from the other side of the clearing. And earlier, though it was completely dark, I had no trouble seeing my way through the woods to your clearing to find you. Sometimes... sometimes I think I can hear the trees whispering."

Kikyo did not know what to say. In all of her training and experience, she had never encountered anything like this. She would almost say that Kagome was turning into a youkai, but there was no youki in her aura, and such a thing was not possible unless one traveled the path of Naraku.

She reached out with her spiritual powers again and tried to get a read on Kagome's own aura. It would be unnoticeable from the outside if she were to cast a barrier or shoot a purifying arrow, since the well of her power had been so great, but Kikyo could see where some of it had 'fled.' This must be why she herself was growing stronger. It appeared that more of their shared soul was coming to her, but Kagome's own life force remained unchanged, save for feeling slightly foreign now, and this was perplexing indeed.

"You are losing reiki."

"I'm what!?"

"You inner well of power is draining, though only slightly. It is coming back to me, though I could not say why. More of our shared soul is also returning to me. I need fewer lost souls to power this body. Again, though, aside from feeling... different, your life force is unchanged. It's almost as if..."

"What? Almost as if what, Kikyo?"

"It's almost as if you have two souls."

Kagome stared back at the elder miko completely baffled. Was such a thing even possible? How could such a thing go unnoticed by... everyone?

"But... how is that..."

"It is not obvious. I cannot even see... there's just something there replacing the bits that are leaving you to return to me. It is not something I can say to you with any surety, for I have never encountered such a thing before. We must journey back toward my sister's village, I have much to speak with her about. I will inform Inuyasha in the morning.

"Uh... I'll help."

Inuyasha marched huffily back in the direction of Kaede's village, a serene Kikyo at his side to keep his tantrums at bay.

Kagome marveled. If this is what it took to keep the temperamental hanyo from blowing every gasket he possessed, she should would have asked the other miko to join ages ago.

The confrontation, if you could call it one, had gone so much more smoothly than she could have planned. Kikyo's quiet command and her own stern 'no-buts' expression had been the perfect combination to make Inuyasha give up with little to no argument.

She hadn't even needed to use the subjugation command! He'd grumbled here and there about wasting precious shard hunting time, about how back tracking only two weeks after leaving was counter productive. All it took to shut him back up was a quiet reminder from Kikyo.

"We are venturing back to get some understanding on what is happening with Kagome. Do you not want to be sure she is not in any danger, Inuyasha? Did you not promise to protect her, as you did me?"

'Damn she's good.' Kagome thought to herself for the dozenth time. 'I'll have I take notes.'

Sango sidled up next to her, looking concerned and confused.

"What's up, Sango-chan?"

"Um... a lot Kagome. Why did ask Kikyo to travel with us? I thought..."

She trailed off, leaving Kagome confused.

"Thought what, Sango-Chan?"

Sango glanced toward the front of the group where Inuyasha and Kikyo walked. They were taking quietly, and with she and Kagome's position at the rear, she was confident that they could speak without being heard.

"Well, you know. I thought you didn't like her, because of...Inuyasha."

Kagome's brow furrowed in bemusement as she wracked her brain for what Sango could possibly mean. She went back further and further until she finally arrived at her answer. 'Oh... OHHH...' she'd nearly forgotten about all of that drama. She'd been dreaming of grey eyes and pale gold hair for so long now, she'd forgotten that she had ever noticed anybody else.

"Oh Uh... no that's... I mean..." she sighed, resigned to just spilling everything. She'd have to tell her best friend at some point.

"I...know that I used to have a sort of crush on him, yeah..." she explained, keeping her voice at the barest of whispers. "But, there's been a lot going on recently that's been taking a huge toll on me, stuff that I haven't been ready to speak about. I've just, I don't know, moved on from that I suppose. To be honest Sango-Chan, I suspect that any feelings like that I had for him were echoes of Kikyo's feelings anyway, and after the discussion I had with her last night, I'm pretty positive that that's what it was."

"What do you mean, Kagome-Chan? What discussion?"

"I don't think I'm Kikyo's reincarnation. At least, not completely."

Sango's shocked expression was not unexpected, she was still having a hard time digesting it herself.

"I'm losing parts of that soul. They're going back to her, along with my miko abilities. But there's something else there filling in those gaps, something that she couldn't identify. I mean, it's obviously a soul, but a soul she's never felt before. It's been making me have a lot of very strange dreams, dreams that feel like memories. I think they're of a past life, but I'm not sure. It's been very confusing."

"Oh Kagome-Chan!" Sango felt her heart go out to her friend. She'd had the most troublesome time where souls were concerned since she'd been brought here, and she hated that it seemed fate was putting another weird knot in things for her in that arena again. "I'm so sorry Kagome-Chan. You've had such a time with this reincarnation thing already. Now to be faced with this..."

Kagome grabbed Sango's hand and smiled fondly.

"It's alright Sango-chan, I'm sure we'll figure it out. We're going back now just to make sure I'm not in any danger, but I don't think I am."

They spent the next leg of their journey skipping with their arms interlinked and giggling like children, much to Inuyasha's dismay.

Legolas inspected the bow he'd been gifted by Galadriel as they'd left Lothlórien with a close, shrewd eye. It was breathtaking. Spectacular. Absolutely perfect. Everything he could have ever wanted in a bow. He wished he could show his mother, she would have loved this. He caught site of Gimli inspecting his own gift, wiping a tear away when he thought no one was looking.

He had to admit, seeing the surly dwarf be so besotted with an elf had been very humorous indeed. Even better that the Lady Galadriel herself seemed to be charmed by the dwarf. It was an amusing, if odd, way to end their stay there.

But something else weighed on his heart, a message that Galadriel had imparted to him in secret as she'd presented his gift to him.

'A ring of darkness, a jewel of terror.

Small in size but mighty in power.

They hide that which was stolen from you.

Remove their shadow, and light shall be returned to your house once more.'

He puzzled over these words for a time as their boats sailed onward down the river. He had very little clue as to what they could mean. The ring could very well be the One Ring, that was certainly standing in the way of many people's light. But 'jewel of terror' did not ring any sort of bells. He'd never encountered anything like an evil jewel before. And what had been stolen from him? He couldn't think of anything that he was missing that might be hidden from him that would warrant such a cryptic message.

A following fellbeast distracted him from his circling thoughts. He shot it with startling precision, and forgot his worries for a time.

Chapter Text

"Kagome child, about when did ye start having these dreams ye speak of?" Kaede asked, stroking her chin and trying to comprehend all that had been shared with her this day. It had been shocking enough to watch her sister walk in peacefully next to Kagome, a subdued Inuyasha entering behind them. But the tale they had to tell was far more astonishing. And she could, indeed, see what her sister meant about Kagome losing pieces of the soul they shared and in turn, her reiki as well. But she could also sense the 'other' that was apparently taking its place. It did not seem dark or menacing, so she did not believe that there was cause for worry, but it was concerning that neither of them could place the origin of the feeling it gave off.

"After we took a rather large chunk of the jewel away from Naraku."

"Ah. And have you collected any additional shards?"

"Yes... and... OH! The dreams got stronger and clearer! And much more frequent. You think they're connected?"

"Aye, child. It would seem so. 'Tis the best conclusion I can draw at this time, in any case. I would think finding the rest of the jewel would solve this problem for ye, in one way or another."

"Keh! Now we're talking about something that makes sense! Let's get back on the road-"

"Calm down Inuyasha! It's already late in the evening, we can rest here for the rest of the day and get started tomorrow!"

"Yes, the slayer is right, Inuyasha." Kikyo's muted tones cut off his building tirade before he could even start. "We would have to stop and make camp in only a handful of hours."

“KEH! Whatever, lazy, worthless mortals." He grumbled all the way to Goshinboku, and the other's in Kaede's hut decided they would simply enjoy their short reprieve.

And Kagome opened her heart to whatever dreams her soul might share with her this night.

It was another blessedly beautiful day in her golden clearing. She had no need to gather anything, so she was simply watching the bunnies play and making chains of leaves and blooms... and trying not to wonder if she would receive a certain visitor this day.

He'd come to see her almost every day since he'd declared his desire to see her again.

She'd teased him.

"I figured a prince would have many important things to do."

He'd smiled softly at her, and then moved around behind her and began braiding flowers into her silken hair.

"I do. I have many important duties to attend to. I am attending the most important one right now."

Her cheeks had burned and her heart had faltered.

"Adorning my hair in flowers is the most important thing you have to do today?" She'd tried to keep things light to keep herself from floating away in wonder or incinerating to ash in embarrassment.

But he was not easily deterred.

His husky chuckle tickled her ears and wrapped around her heart.

"Adorning your hair in flowers is the most important thing I have to do AT ALL."

Well. There he went again. She wasn't sure what to make of the prince's behavior towards her. She supposed if he was anyone else his intentions would be quite plain. But he wasn't anyone else, he was the crowned prince of Greenwood the Great! Certainly there was something else he-

"Elloth-nin."*

And then he called her THAT, and she feared she had no room to question what he wanted from her.

She turned to greet him, still sitting in the center of her flowers, and betrayed herself with the radiant smile she could never hide from him. As unbelievable as this whole setup was to her, with him here with HER of all the people in the world, she could never deny how deeply happy it made her. His visits to her in her little clearing, where they'd spend the sunshine or the starlight speaking or laughing or telling stories had become more precious to her than she was able to say.

"Thranduil! I'm so happy to see you again today."

He approached and kneeled in front of her, the soft smile he gave only to her plain on his face. He offered her his hand and she took it. As he stood, he pulled her with him, not letting go of her hand or making any movies to put space between them.

"I have something I wish to show you. Will you walk with me?"

Chapter Text

Thranduil read over the letters he'd received from both Lothlórien and Rivendell, making note of all the current information on advancing enemy lines and defense plans.

The lead of his guard arrived to his study, and he put the letters aside to listen to their own plans for fortifying the castle grounds and preparing to ride out. There was much to do to prepare, and he wanted to be as prepared as possible. He wanted as few complications and casualties as possible, weary of losing his people to the grizzly realities of war. He knew, though, that there was much to gain from this particular war, so he would lead his people, one last time, into battle for peace.

Whatever happened after this would be for his son to decide, for he would be sailing West at last. That was a secret he kept close, and would not reveal for some time.

"No Orcs gathering near our borders?"

"No, Your Majesty, not at this time, be we are watching closely and will act quickly and fiercely should we find any approaching."

"And the spiders?"

"There has been some shifting, but they have not attacked in some time."

"We should plan on ridding our borders of them soon."

He dismissed his general, and looked over the portrait on his wall of his wife. Happiness and restlessness settled in his heart, his eagerness to see her, and the distance between them that he could feel closing more by the minute, leaving him feeling lighter than he had in many years. He would see her, speak to her, hold her again soon.

But first, he would be rid of Mirkwood, and raise up Greenwood the Great once more, where his son would reign as the new king of the wood elves.

Sparkling blue eyes focused with intensity into the horizon, concentration sharpening them as they followed the traveling swarm far ahead.

"Legolas, what do your Elf Eyes see?"

His brows furrowed in annoyance.

"Aragorn, there are other ways to ask me that question."

He heard his friends chuckling behind him and rolled his eyes, now was not the time for jokes, if you asked him.

"They're taking the hobbits to Isengard."

Their brief stop to regroup and make a decision on their next course of action had been a disaster. They'd lost Boromir in an orc battle, sad and repentant after losing his sense to the Ring. Aragorn had absolved him and sent him off nobly, with all of his honor.

That same day, they'd been separated from Sam and Frodo, who went off alone to deliver the ring to Mordor, and Merry and Pippin, who had been carried off by the Orcs.

It was the latter hobbits they were after now, determined to save them from the grizzly fate they were sure awaited them at the hands of the Orcs who had snagged them. They just didn't deserve such a fate.

"Legolas, you should sing us that song your mother loved, again. Lighten this heavy atmosphere a little."

"Aye, I wouldn't mind brightening up this dark atmosphere a little myself."

Legolas smiled at both of them, more than happy to oblige. He was wise enough to admit that he might not understand exactlywhat they must be feeling, death was different for mortals than it was for elves, after all. But he wanted to be a help to his friends as much as he could, even the dwarf.

Chapter Text

"The song, mama, the song! Sing me the song!"

She giggled and the sound chimed musically in the warm air of their little sunny spot in front of their home. Since most of their castle home was underground, it was a lovely place to come sit and feel the sun and the breeze. It was one of the many places she'd come to love to sit and relax other than her flowery clearing. Her tiny son bounced on his toes, hair aglow in the golden sun.

"Alright, alright my little one. We'll sing the song."

His little voice sang along with her. He'd long memorized this song by now, he made her sing it enough. But she was always happy to oblige. A much deeper, richer voice joined in from behind them to help them finish it off, and the little prince's eyes lit up in wonder.

"DADDY! YOU know the song?!"

"Of course I know that infernal song," he answered as he rested in the grass at his wife's side. "Your mother has been singing it since WELL before you were born, Little Leaf."

He climbed up into his father's lap and removed the circlet from his head, placing it on his own. He giggled when it slipped over his forehead and caught on his nose, obscuring his sight. Thranduil smiled at him indulgently before removing it and setting it aside.

"Where's papa?"

"He is doing boring, kingly things in his boring, kingly study. Why don't you go bother him?" He watched little Legolas run until he had entered the castle doors, and then turned to his wife with a mischievous smirk. She felt the faintest bit apprehensive, her husband was not normally prone to MISCHIEF. He lunged at her, pushing her over onto the grass and hovering over her. He kissed her nose, her forehead, her cheeks, and she laughed brightly, his good mood infectious.

"Children are troublesome." His eyes were laughing and amusement bled into his voice.

"Yes they are."

"And loud."

She giggled, wondering what point he was trying to make.

"Indeed the are."

"Very inconvenient."

"Yes."

"We should have a hundred of them."

"A hundred Thranduil! Where ever would we keep them?"

Tiny, rapid footfalls in the grass was their only warning before a small dead weight threw itself into Thranduil's back. He gave a very undignified 'OOF' as he did his best to not crush his little wife under him, rolling to the side and scooping the young prince up to sit on his chest.

"I thought you were going to see your grandfather?" He asked sternly, but the little prince's cool expression remained unperturbed.

"I got bored on the way there." He said matter-of-factly with a little shrug of his shoulder.

Thranduil looked over at his wife with a wry expression, her own eyes dancing with mirth. She chuckled and poked him in the side.

"A hundred of them Thranduil! Just think of it!"

"Alright. Maybe not a hundred."

The tune from the song of her dream was stuck in her head for the rest of the day. She hummed it to herself and remained perfectly blissful as the warm feelings of family that she'd felt in that dream lingered in her heart.

It seemed like the more dreams she had, the less they affected her negatively, and the longer they stayed with her when she woke. She was not going to complain, she'd not felt this blissful in ages!

A few of the words from the song that had featured in her dream came back to her, and she sang them out when she was able. She skipped and twirled at the front of the group, leading them down the road they traveled, feeling every ounce of the warm breeze and sunshine sing through her, oblivious to the concern and confusion of her friends behind her.

Koga sidled up next to Inuyasha, arms crossed and brows furrowed.

"Since when does she sing like that?"

Inuyasha tried to hold in his temper, which was already starting to rise at the mere presence of the irritating wolf.

"A few days ago. None of us even knew she could sing. Now she's always makin' some kinda noise."

Koga grunted in reply and rubbed his chin, considering his next words carefully. He didn't necessarily like the half dog he traveled with now, but they were both canines, and his next question could be delicate.

"She smells different."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes and glared at the wolf.

"What the hell does that mean, shithead? You been sniffin' around where you ain't wanted?"

"Relax. Even you should be able to smell it from here. Her scent is shifting. She doesn't smell bad now or anything, just different."

Inuyasha took a moment to inhale deeply, finding Kagome's scent in the breeze. His eyes widened in realization. Koga was right, her scent had changed a little.

"You're dead wench smells different too."

Still reeling from the previous revelation, Inuyasha just barely registered those last words.

"Huh?" He asked bewildered, and Koga would swear he was the worst dog that had ever lived.

"Open your nose every now and then Inubaka! She smells less dead."

"Miroku, do you hear her? That sounds like those other words she spoke. Remember? That night at camp after she was knocked unconscious?"

"Indeed I do Sango. And you're right, they sound very similar."

Sango fidgeted nervously with the strap of hiraikotsu over her shoulder, worried for her dearest friend and all she was going through.

"I'm worried Miroku. She was down and upset for so long. She seems happier now but she's changing... you heard in Kaede's hut! Her soul is leaving her! What if it's making her lose her mind and making her speak in nonsense tongues? What if-"

Miroku chuckled and grabbed one of Sango's wildly flailing hands, holding it gently and stroking her knuckles with his thumb. He smirked at her cute blush and wide eyes, and decided not to release her hand just yet.

"Be calm, my dear Sango. You also heard Kaede say that there seems to be another soul 'filling in the gaps,' so to speak. It's possible that things with Kagome-Sama's soul are much more complicated than any of us anticipated. We must remain calm and supportive, and pray that completing the jewel will solve this little problem."

Sango smiled sweetly at her wayward fiancé. He really knew how to set off her temper in ways no one else ever had, but he was also so kind and wise.

"Thanks Miroku, I guess your right. Try not to ruin this and keep your hands to yourself, huh?"

"Oh my dearest Sango, you wound me."

From the front of the group, the Miko who's strange behavior had them all on pins and needles came to an abrupt halt. Her singing stopped and her twirling ceased and her ears twitched as they picked up a faint noise that even the youkai ears had yet to register. Her head turned sharply toward the tree line at her left, and her eyes focused intensely at an invisible point somewhere ahead of her. She drew an arrow and readied her bow, aiming above the trees and releasing a pink comment of purity that arced up and over before descending below the tree tops, exploding in a shower of sparkles that just made it above the tallest branches.

She took off into the forest, heedless of the cries of her friends. They stared blankly at each other before taking off after her, finding her laying in a heap in a clearing, the smoking ruins of a low level yokai laying in piles of ash and two jewel shards in her hands. She began to glow before their eyes, and when it faded, an altered Kagome lay before them, still unconscious. Inuyasha knelt down next to her taking in her appearance and inhaling her scent to try and determine if there was something more serious wrong with her. The scent that registered to him only held much less of the scent that he knew as 'Kagome' than it had before.

A fairly large Orb rose from the sleeping body of the little miko they all loved. They watched in a combination of awe, confusion and terror as it hovered above her for a moment before streaking past all of them and slamming straight into Kikyo's chest. . She grunted with the impact. It threw her back and she landed hard in the packed dirt of the clearing. She remained awake; a dead woman wasn't technically conscious in the first place. Inuyasha leapt to her side to ensure she was alright, and what he saw shocked him all over again. Her cheeks now held an even deeper shade of pink, her eyes held warmth, and her hair had grown more lustrous. She grabbed his sleeve and coughed, tears beginning to gather in the corners of her eyes.

"Inuyasha... Inuyasha I can breath."

He stared down at her with wide, blank eyes, watching as the tears began to fall and trail into her hair.

"Holy shit."

Chapter Text

She paced right at the edge of her flowers, mind whirling and heart troubled. She was expecting him again today, the prince who had stolen her heart, and she was a nervous wreck. Something had shifted between them into something deeper, more sacred and meaningful, and it scared the lights out of her as much as it thrilled her. She wasn't sure what she was getting herself into, or what a PRINCE was thinking involving himself with HER when he was a PRINCE, but it was a little late for that. She twisted some of the length of her sleeve in her hands and worried her lip between her teeth, anxiety overwhelming her until she almost couldn't tell up from down.

And then he arrived, sun shining off of his silvery robes and his white golden hair and she forgot everything for a moment. He lengthened his stride to reach her, stopping only inches away and taking her hands in his. His thumbs stroked her knuckles and it distracted her terribly.

"I'm sorry, I cannot stay today."

"You can't? What's wrong?"

"Nothing. Nothing is wrong. I just... I wanted to give you something."

He reached into a pocket in his robes and pulled out a small square of folded paper.

"My father is throwing one of his parties. I want you to come."

"What?"

"I want you to meet him. And father is eager to meet you, as well."

"You... you told him about me?!"

"No, I didn't have too. He just knew."

"He did?"

"When I came home that day after I first met you, head in the clouds and flowers in my hair, he knew right away. He's been asking to meet you since nearly then."

She tried to swallow the panic that was now rising in her throat and choking her. She could scarcely breath around it, and her heart beating in her ears grew louder with every second.

"You want me to meet your father... the king?"

Sensing her growing panic, he softly cradled her face in his hands, gaining her full attention. He stared deeply into her wide, scared blue eyes, and the peace she found within his grey depths silenced all that raged within her. He gave her that sweet, soft smile that she loved so much, and when he was sure that he'd fully captured all of her attention, he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead. He lingered there for several moments, and she closed her eyes and relished it, bringing up her free hand to clasp one of his at her cheek.

"Elloth-nin, you have no need to fear anything, for I will be with you through it all."

Everything in her mind quieted to complete silence and her heart slowed back to its normal pace and then she knew.

She smiled brilliantly at him and leaned into the touch of one of his hands, pressing her cheek more firmly into it.

"Alright. Alright, Thranduil, I will come."

He kissed her forehead once more, dropped his hands and took several steps back.

"I will see you then, My Lady, and count every second utnil the day."

When she was sure he was gone, she fell to her knees in the flowers below and clutched at her heart. It beat wildly in her chest and left her lightheaded. She had several days hence to prepare; it felt like barely any time at all to wrap her head around what was happening in her life now. His beautiful face flashed in her mind; it felt like an eternity until she would see him again.

Kagome sat off a short distance away from her group, observing her physical changes in a hand mirror she'd pulled from the dark depths of her bag. Her hair was glossier and her eyes were bluer, but perhaps most shocking where the soft, faint points that the tips of her ears now came too.

Koga's face invaded her reflection, and he narrowed his eyes in contemplation of what he saw.

"Preeeeeetty weird Kagome, pretty weird." She giggled and stuck her tongue out at him and he smirked impishly. Leave it to the most hyper, thick headed person she'd met since she'd come here, even including Inuyasha, to be the most level headed about all of this.

"Look, our eyes are the same color now."

"They are. You sure you wanna persist with the 'my woman' stuff? We could be siblings now." She said, putting one of her new, subtly pointed ears next to one of his much more pronounced one.

"Yeah, we could be." He said, taking in their similar midnight hair and icy eyes. "I really just pull that shit to aggravate Inuyasha, anyway. He's so easy to piss off it's almost not even fun anymore."

Kagome giggled again. He was right, after all. Inuyasha usually seemed just one short fuse away from exploding like a giant atom bomb.

"Besides, I'm not an idiot. I remember that stupid promise I made to Ayame. I may be a jackass but I'm a jackass with honor. Most of the time anyway."

"Oh Koga, that's so sweet. I think you two will be very happy together."

"Yeah yeah. So what's all this about anyway?" He asked, flicking the tip of her ear with one of his claws. She rubbed the tickle away and shrugged.

"I don't know, really. Something to do with the jewel and these dreams I keep having."

"Are you scared?"

"At first I was. It was all very confusing and the dreams I was having made me feel so sad. But now, I don't know. Now I feel more like myself than I ever have, and my dreams don't leave me so sad anymore."

"What Dreams you talkin' about, anyway?"

"I've been having these dreams about what I think is a passed life. There all from my point of view, but there all out of order. I have a husband and a son, I'm a healer. The most confusing thing though, is I know that I'm not human. I don't know whatI'm actually supposed to be, but I'm not human, and I'm not youkai either. Anyway, I'm not really sure what's going on in them or why I'm changing all of a sudden, but I'm not worried about it any more."

"And the other miko? Why's she less dead all of a sudden?"

"Her soul is leaving me and returning to her. I've got something else that's coming out to fill in the spaces that hers leaves behind. I'm not very sure about all of that either, but it feels... right, so I don't feel the need to question it too much."

Koga considered her for a few moments, taking in her beloved face and all the changes she was undergoing. He may be choosing to keep his promise to another, but he'd always feel he missed out where Kagome was concerned. Hearing all of this though, he wondered if he, or anyone, would have had a chance with her regardless.

"Well, that's about the weirdest shit I've ever heard. You sure know how to find a mess to get into, don't ya?"

"You jerk!" She shoved him over and their joint laughter rang out, soothing the heart of most of the other members of the group.

As one by one her friends fell into slumber around the slowly dying fire, Kagome, not the least bit sleepy, went to her pack to retrieve a light blanket. She felt the soft fabric of one somewhere near the bottom and tugged it out, but paused when she got a good look at it. Though it was dark with the fire dying, her new and improved eyes could make out every detail of it.

It was a very simple blanket, made of warm flannel of one solid color. But it was the color giving her pause. It was the same shade of grey, with the barest tint blue, as the eyes that haunted every dream she'd had lately. Her heart throbbed as those same eyes flashed in her mind, full of so many soft emotions all for her. Or at least, the person she had been, whenever those dreams had taken place. She closed her eyes and buried her face in it and let the memory of those eyes swirl inside her head and make her feel whole and broken.

She reached deep into her mind and searched her memory store for these dreams.

'Thranduil.'

Yes, That had been his name. She repeated it mentally a few times, and each time a faint pulse of 'rightness' rippled through her soul.

She sighed and wrapped the blanket around her head and shoulders, making her way back to the empty patch of grass she'd sat with Koga in earlier. She laid back and looked up into the stars, letting their cool, twinkling voices sing her a healing song.

Yes, she could absolutely make out the voices of the start and trees now, they were no longer faint whispers she had to strain to hear. She could not understand their words, but she could hear them now.

Two soul collecters floated above her and circled over head, their soft glow complimenting her own and left their little pocket of solitude feeling ethereal and magical.

Her precious friends were sleeping only a few feet behind her, but she felt worlds away in a time and place she wasn't even sure existed.

Chapter Text

Sesshoumaru, enigmatic Lord of the West, paused in his steady stride and lifted his nose into the air. The wind had carried to him something curious indeed, and he was now taking the time to investigate it further. He registered a scent he could not place intermingled with those of his half brother and the group he traveled with. As old and experienced as he was, it was nearly unheard of for him to come across a scent he'd never encountered before.

'Hn. Curious indeed. Perhaps it is time I paid my little brother another visit.'

He did not speak any thoughts aloud, simply turning on his heel and continuing his sedate pace in another direction. Rin skipped along behind him and Jaken led Ah-Un at the back, no questions or concerns.

It was several days walk to his brothers current location, but he was in no hurry.

He had questions, and the half-breed would answer no matter what time he arrived.

Kikyo couldn't keep her hands off of her cheeks or the space on her chest just above her heart. They were warm. And what's more, she could breath again. She could take in lungfuls of the sweet, warm air. She could smell the woodsy scent of the trees around their forest path. She could feel happiness zipping through her veins with every inhale-exhale. She almost wanted to sing! She wondered if the wolf yokai and Kagome would mind if she joined them. They were currently walking toward the middle of the group, and he was teaching her some wolfy drinking or hunting song. It was a terrible song, but by their raucous laughter, they seemed to be having a lot of fun.

She glanced over at Inuyasha walking at her side. He was positively bristling with agitation, the thought of Kagome bonding with the wolf making his blood boil to dangerous levels. He was so ridiculous, and she found it hilariously charming.

She was beginning to be so glad Kagome had all but forced her to begin traveling with them. She'd started to see a side of Inuyasha she'd never been allowed to see before. He was much more open, though usually surly and grumpy, and he carried himself with a more easy confidence than he used to; he didn't appear always ready to either attack or run for hills at the slightest provocation. He was more patient too, evidenced by the fact that the little kit who liked to gnaw on ears was still alive.

It was a marvel to look into his eyes and see how clear they were now, not so clouded by hurt and suspicion. Kagome's influence reached much further than anyone probably realized, and she placed her hand back over the warm spot on her chest, evidence of Kagome's changing influence on her own existence. It felt wonderful to have some of the pain and darkness of her resurrection recede and just feel alive again.

Inuyasha began growling under his breath and she giggled softly at him. His sensitive ears picked it up, of course, and she soon found his formidable glare turned on her.

"Keh! What's funny?"

She chuckled grinned, catching him off guard.

"You are."

He blushed and quickly looked away, and then the good humor around them was shattered at Kagome's sharp gasp.

"Inuyasha! Something's coming!"

"What're you talkin' about, wench?"

The distant sound of snapping branches drew his attention, and he whipped around in the direction he could hear it coming from.

Whatever it was was down wind, so he couldn't smell it, and it had no aura to speak of, so he couldn't sense it, but by sound alone he could tell it was approaching rapidly.

Kagome began firing arrows into the trees, and he took a moment to absently register that she seemed to have improved leaps and bounds recently.

What finally appeared before them left them alarmed and confused.

Running over the mountains in pursuit of their hobbit friends had been invigorating. Being threatened by Rohirrim has been infuriating. And now, learning that they may have been too late to save the hobbits from a grizzly fate, Legolas was devastated. Of all of them in this party, the hobbits probably deserved such a fate less than any other. He clutched at his bow and gritted his teeth, wondering just how much more darkness they would all endure before this quest reached its end.

Galadriel's words came back to him, her riddle about the light of his house cast in shadow by a jewel and a ring. He hadn't even had a moment to spare to try and unravel the layers of meaning behind it. He was fairly certain the aforementioned ring was the one currently on its way to destruction, but that left the jewel. What on earth could that even be? His father had not recently acquired any gems with any sort of power or influence, and no one in his family was in possession of an Elf Ring, so had almost nothing to build off of and try to solve this particular mystery.

He took a seat on a large nearby rock, chewing on one of his fingernails, brows furrowed in concentration. If either of his other two traveling companions thought this odd, they didn't say anything, and he wasn't quite ready to address that his hobbit friends may be dead, so now was the time to puzzle this out.

'A ring of darkness, a jewel of terror. Small in size but mighty in power. They hide that which was stolen from you. Remove their shadow, and light shall be returned to your house once more.'

'Light shall be returned once more...' he thought in frustration.

'My house hasn't known any light since...' his eyes widened as hope tried desperately to sink it's determined claws into his heart, but he resisted with all the inhuman strength he possessed. It just didn't make any sense, especially not for right now. How could it be relevant to this quest all these many centuries later?

Chapter Text

Thranduil walked sedately through the little room in the back of his castle that he kept locked and alone. He usually avoided this room if it wasn't absolutely necessary for him to be here. It held too many precious relics that brought too many painful memories.

However, he actually had a reason to be in here, and as his heart had lightened considerably with the knowledge that he would soon return to his beloved, he took his time to look things over and actually let himself remember. This is where he'd stored most of his wife's things after she'd disappeared. It had taken him some time to finally remove them from their quarters, but looking at all of her stuff just sitting there as if she was due back from a trip at any time had grown too painful.

He stopped in front of a wall rack holding her sword and bow, and he lifted the blade from its display and eyed it shrewdly. He'd had this made specifically for her when she'd expressed a desire to be taught at least basic swordsmanship. He'd questioned why she'd want to know such a thing when she was already such a proficient archer, and her answer had scared and delighted him.

"If I'm going to be a princess of this forest, then I WILL defend it with my life. I can do that much better with a sword AND a bow."

They had been newly betrothed and the thought of taking her anywhere near a battle made every part of him violently recoil. But he was also filled with pride that she wanted to step into her role so completely, and so he could not deny her.

She hadn't had to follow him in to battle too many times, mostly a few orc raids here and there, and then they'd had Legolas. But she had proven to be a fierce warrior, and a steadfast protector of the things she held dear.

Chapter Text

Sesshoumaru turned over every piece of information the little miko had given him, as well as all the physical changes he could see and sense for himself. It was outlandish, a true fantasy tale, but his senses did not lie.

He had been nearly visibly shocked when she'd asked him to join their party, and would have vehemently declined to be anywhere near his barbaric half brother for any significant length of time, but her logic had been sound, and he was certainly wise enough to admit that.

'Extra hands and minds in battle can only be a good thing, Sesshoumaru-sama. Naraku has been opposing all of us individually with his own small army. I think it's time we all join to form our own.'

Being so near his brother and that obnoxious wolf that the miko somehow enjoyed making a spectacle with was certainly a chore for his more sensible nature to endure, but he hoped that it would mean being rid of Naraku all the sooner.

Not that he needed help, mind. He was more than capable of crushing that half breed spider with his own might, but the miko had a point. He really only focused on one of their groups at a time, unless he set a trap for them all to find. That meant they could all go some time in between Spider sightings. If they were all together all of the time that would cause Naraku to have to come out and face them all at once.

He was tired of this, so he would play along.

"I sense a shard."

The dead Miko's voice broke the silence that had fallen over them after they'd stopped to rest.

That was another anomaly he was curious to observe more of, the dead Miko regaining life.

It seemed that as the living miko became less miko, the dead one became... less dead.

It was all very bizarre.

He could already feel the oncoming youki of the shard bearing threat. He had some tension to burn, trying to reign in his temper where is brother was concerned, so he streaked off in the direction he could feel it heading for them and made quick work of it.

"Hn. Weak, even with the influence of this useless gem."

Back before they could fully process that he'd even gone anywhere, he stopped in front of Kagome and offered her the tainted shard.

She marveled at how easy it was for him to touch it and just give it away. Mere contact was enough to drive many straight to corruption. She smiled brilliantly and took it, giving him a polite bow. Maybe this would go even faster than she'd hoped!

"Thank you Sesshoumaru-sama! That was certainly efficient."

He gave her the barest of nods and returned to his place at the front of the pack.

Tonight was the night. She hadn't seen him in three days, but today, as the sun sank over the horizon, they would be reunited. She smoothed out the skirt on the dress she was wearing and looked once more in the mirror on the wall of the little cottage she technically lived in.

She'd shared this place with her parents before they'd been killed in an orc raid ages ago. She'd grown up here in this little cottage. It was located much nearer to a little village outside the forest than it was the King's castle, but it was still located well within Greenwood proper. Both of her parents had also been very skilled healers and this location had made much more sense to their practice than any other.

She didn't stay here much, since she didn't need a place to sleep. It functioned more like a storage place than anything else. She'd come back here to find something else to wear to this party tonight.

The dress she wore now was slightly nicer than what she usually wore. She didn't have much occasion to wear anything particularly formal, so she had gone through some of her mother's old dresses.

She'd come up with a nice dress the color of the night sky, with silver threads running the length of it. She might not be the best dressed, but she'd look better than usual.

She had already been to her clearing to gather flowers for her hair, a basket of white blooms sitting on a table nearby.

She weaved a series of intricate braids through her hair, looping flowers into them so they cascaded down her black silk hair like stars. She used the remaining blooms to weave a circlet which she placed atop her head, and then all the things she had to do to expend her nervous energy were gone, leaving her feeling jittery and short of breath.

She'd missed her prince these last days, she couldn't deny it. She was an excited, anxious mess to see him again. But meeting THE KING, his FATHER made things seem... like they were moving toward something that thrilled and terrified her.

She didn't know how this night would go. She was certainly not royalty, that was for certain, and as long as she'd lived in this forest she'd never met the king. She had no idea what to expect, and that unknown was what made her dread this night as much as she'd longed for it.

The note he'd left with her informed her that he'd meet her at their clearing at sundown, and a peek out her window told her it was time to make her way there.

He was already there when she arrived, waiting with his back to her and his eyes scanning the opposite forest. He heard her soft footfalls and turned as soon as she'd entered the clearing.

He looked so regal and beautiful in his long silver robe, a crown of twisted silver branches resting on his forehead. He'd left his hair long and loose, and the falling sun set it aflame. He looked every inch the prince that he was, and it took her breath away.

He closed the distance between them, taking her hands in his and holding them to his chest as his eyes roamed her face.

"Elloth-nin, I feel I have been waiting a thousand years to see you again. And you are even more lovely than my memories could capture.

She blushed brightly and dropped her eyes, her heart pounding in her ears. She thought briefly about teasing him that it had only been a few days since they'd last parted, but the truth was that she'd felt just the same. And this night, she did not feel like creating a safe distance between them with jokes. He was too skilled at subverting those efforts anyway.

She met his gaze again and smiled softly.

"I have missed you, my prince."

He almost thought to admonish her for reverting back to such formality, but by the look in her eyes and the softness of her voice he caught her implication and his eyes blew wide. His face split into a grin that anyone else would say was very uncharacteristic for him, but the happiness bubbling in his soul left him uncaring about any such appearances. She was claiming him, much as he'd claimed her. He would soar above the earth the rest of the night.

He hooked her hand in the crook of his elbow and set off, scarcely able to look away from her.

If she'd thought the castle looked impressive from the outside, she'd been utterly gobsmacked when she'd been ushered inside. Huge, arching halls and passages carved from stone to look like great trees were holding up the very ceiling. She tightness her grip on Thranduil's arm, head craning around to take in everything around her.

She was lead right into the throne room, where she finally caught sight of who she surmised was the king, perched on a tall, raised throne carved from wood.

She noticed the similarities and differences between father and son right away. They shared the same grey eyes, though these eyes held much more mischief within their depths than her prince's did. And where Thranduil's hair fell straight down his back in a silken sheet of the palest gold, his father's was much yellower, and held a soft wave much like her own.

He was watching them approach with a positively impish expression, and he stood to his full Height and extended his arms, the sleeves of his lush robe cascading down to hang freely at either side.

"Well, Well, Well. I see that I was correct in my assumptions. It WAS a lovely woman keeping my son's heads up in the clouds and out of the forest."

Thranduil stiffened at her side, and she took a moment to panic at the direction this meeting may go.

King Oropher descended the stairs of his throne and stood in front of her before taking her free hand and placing a polite kiss on the back of it.

"Anyone who can inspire my stodgy heir to DAYDREAM like a restless child is fine by me. Be welcome here, my dear."

She peeked over at Thranduil, who's face had gone unreadable, but the reception she'd received from his father made her feel all the better.

"Thank you, your majesty."

"Nonsense my dear, call me Papa, I'm sure that's where all this is headed anyway."

She blushed brightly and he laughed merrily, turning toward his son and clapping a hand on his shoulder.

"She is lovely my son. Now, let's party."

King Oropher's parties were legendary. Copious amounts of elvish wine flowed from every corner of the room and platters of food lined every table. There was always at least someone dancing, and the music never paused for even the barest of moments.

The king himself could be heard above the cacophony of noise laughing raucously at some joke or other, his cup of wine always full no matter how much he drank from it.

Despite a large portion of the castle being underground, the party room was above, and so she'd taken the opportunity to slip out on a balcony and breath in the calm night air and watch the stars. Thranduil had excused himself from her side to speak to his father. She could see him through the doorway, his face serious while his father smirked in amusement at something.

He pulled a small box from a pocket in his robe and handed it to Thranduil, who looked shocked before taking it and quickly stashing it away. His father laughed and clapped his shoulder again before passing him a goblet of wine and shooing him off. Thranduil glared at the cup and made his way toward her, thankful for the semi seclusion they'd found from the chaos inside.

"Forgive my father, he finds humor in everything and takes almost nothing seriously."

"That's alright. I like him."

"He enjoys vexing me and laughing at my expense."

"Perhaps he simply thinks you take TOO many things seriously." She teased him lightly, mirth sparkling in her eyes and making them shine brighter than the stars over head.

He stared at her quietly for a moment, but before she could get nervous he placed his cup on the balcony ledge and extended his hand.

"Will you dance with me?"

"Wha- out here?!"

"Better than in there."

She looked back in through the door at the throngs of people swirling in and out in wild patterns, barely a breath of space in between them. She feared she'd be crushed if they tried to enter that themselves.

"Right. Okay then."

She took his hand, and he spun her around under the twinkling night to a softer tune only he could hear.

He held her close, spinning tightly on there little balcony to avoid hitting any walls. She was certain he could feel her heartbeat banging away inside her chest. She was so lost in the soft glow in his eyes that she nearly startled when he finally spoke.

"When I first saw you there, in that field of flowers, you were so beautiful I thought I had stumbled through time to watch the Lady Lúthien meet with the mortal Beren."

She listened raptly to his every word. His velvet voice wrapping around her heart and hugging her soul.

"I could not believe my good fortune when I learned that you were not."

She was completely spellbound as she watched him begin to slowly lean down, his eyes probing hers to ensure she was fine and would not turn away.

A hairs breadth away, and a loud crash from inside startled them both and they turned toward they balcony door, both their hearts beating rapidly. They spotted the king standing from his chair looking aghast at the platter of food that had been dropped to land unceremoniously in his lap. Food and wine stained his robe, and the poor elf who'd been carrying it was apologizing frantically to the poor offended king.

Thranduil couldn't help it, His amusement at his father's misfortune overwhelmed him, and soon he was clutching his sides and laughing harder than any had ever seen him laugh before.

She couldn't believe how handsome he looked, so free and full of glee. She'd never seen him this way, and she felt her heart swell even more for him.

His father heard, ears as sharp as any elf especially as the music had finally halted. He glared before rolling his eyes and stalking off, muttering to himself about disrespect and ungrateful children.

Thranduil turned back to her, tears beginning to form in his eyes and mouth stretched wide in the largest smile she'd ever seen.

"I guess this party is over." He said, turning toward her, his face still glowing with mirth.

He reached up plucked a bloom from her crown that had fallen loose, tucking it into one of his empty button holes.

"Shall I walk you home?"

They walked back through the forest, fingers laced and voices hushed, a happy, content haze following them. They stopped in the center of their flower field, the moon washing it white and silver and ethereal.

Thranduil reached up and twirled one of her loose tendrils of hair around his finger, before brushing his knuckles softly against her cheek.

"I will come see you tomorrow, I have something I wish to discuss with you."

Thrilled to not be faced with another separation, she stood up on her tip toes and brushed her lips against his cheek. He inhaled sharply, every move she made to claim him thrilling him all the way to his toes.

He stepped back and gave her a small bow, a teasing smirk, and a cheeky wink. She giggled, giddiness filling her so much there was no room for disappointment when he turned and left the clearing.

She laid in the blooms the rest of the night, admiring the moon and stars and feeling as though she was floating amongst them.

This time when Kagome woke, a feeling of wistful sadness had settled over her. By the position of the stars, she had only been a sleep a couple of hours, but after such a long, detailed dream, she thought she'd have to have been asleep all night and well into the morning.

She sat up and moved just to the edge of the clearing they'd set up camp in and hugged her knees. She looked up into the sky and watched the stars blink, counting each one that fell to streak across the sky. They did not offer her comfort as they usually did, for these were not the stars she'd danced with her prince under.

'My prince? When did I start thinking of him that way, and not just a prince of a past life?'

Before she could puzzle out her new, troubling thoughts, the sound of graceful footfalls alerted her to her newest visitor, and her still present, though admittedly much weaker reiki, told her exactly who it was.

'He walks almost as quietly as Kikyo. He's so much bigger than her though, I wonder how he does it.'

"Should you not be sleeping Miko?"

His cool, muted tones sliced through the sadness in the air around her, and left her feeling chilled.

"I find I don't need as much sleep as I once did. Less and less in fact. I won't sleep anymore this night."

"Hn. Why does sadness now fill your scent? You were quite...jovial before you fell asleep."

She smiled sadly remembering her silly escapades with a certain wolf yokai. He was wonderful fun when he wasn't trying to whisk her away to be his bride. Unfortunately, it was not enough to lighten her dampened spirits.

"My heart feels far away from me tonight. Sesshoumaru-sama... do you think it's possible to miss somebody that you don't really know?"

He took a moment to consider that. Memories of his father assailed him, as well as all the things he thought he knew about him and all the things he realized he never did. He figured that you could miss someone you never really knew.

"I suppose it is miko."

She hummed quietly in response. The cool air of night prickled her skin. Her soul felt tired.

"I'm ready for this to be over, to finish the jewel, to figure out what all of this means."

"One wonders what you hope the conclusion will be, miko."

His words ghosted back behind him as he walked back through camp and disappeared into the opposite tree line to begin another perimeter patrol.

Kagome gasped, she hadn't thought about that. What did she hope the conclusion to this mystery would be? What was she expecting to happen once that final shard of the jewel clicked into place and Naraku was no more?

Her heart constricted as images from her accursed dreams played out in her mind. She brushed her fingers over the shell of her ear, feeling them catch on the soft points they now came too. Crestfallen, she laid back in the grass and gave a valiant attempt to blink her tears away. Sadness swallowed her and she felt more hopeless than she had since she'd first come here and faced her first yokai. She knew, deep down where she wasn't quite ready yet to acknowledge exactly how she wanted this journey to end. But she wouldn't touch that, not yet. It was no use, and the starkness of that reality froze around her heart and nearly suffocated her.

For what was the point in entertaining dreams of fairy tails?

Chapter Text

Kagome sighed. Another attack by an incarnation. That creepy baby with that aura silencing stone- fuyoheki, she recalled- had very nearly left them scrambled and defenseless. If it weren't for the whisper of the trees and Kagome's quick warning that something was coming, this day would have spelled disaster. They were just able to assemble a meager defensive position when he'd burst through the trees held by Kagura on her feather. They'd dropped some new incarnate horror in their midst before sailing off again.

It took them several chaotic moments to realize that Rin had been snatched. Sesshoumaru had promptly gone feral, and Kagone had leapt on a newly transformed Kirara and raced off after Kagura and the infant to retrieve her, Sesshoumaru's roar of anger and subsequent blast of youki as he transformed erupting behind her.

They were going quite fast, but with Kirara's own demonic speed and the aid of her new, superior eye sight she followed them easily. Kirara sat her down several yards away, shrank back to her kitten form, and perched on her shoulder to allow the miko extra stealth.

Kagome crept up to what appeared to be a dilapidated hut in the middle of the forest. Her feet made nary a sound as she lightly tip-toed her way over strewn twigs and leaves. She paused several feet away, peeking around a tree into a window cutout in one of the standing walls. Inside, Naraku leaned against a wall as Kagura held the baby out towards him, a scared, silent Rin still shivering on her feather.

'This must be his current hideout.'

She watched closely for several moments, knowing that there was something useful that could be learned here, but she couldn't figure out what. She took a moment to center herself, calling on the brief moments of spiritual training she'd been able to snatch here and there from Miroku or Kaede. She closed her eyes and breathed, summoning what was left of her remaining stores of reiki. It was, admittedly, still a lot, so she was confident that she would have no problems. She opened her eyes, which would be glowing to anyone else who happened to see her, and stared back into the window of Naraku's current hidey hole.

She searched for something, anything, when she saw a smoky red tendril extending from Kagura to a clay jar sitting against the wall to Naraku's right. Three other jars sat there as well, their own red tendrils leading out and away, though one went only so far as right next to Naraku, where Kanna sat stoically with her soul stealing mirror.

'I guess that's where Naraku keeps their hearts.' She concluded, before the "bigger picture" finally clicked.

'Oh... hearts!'

She focused on Naraku chest where one's heart was supposed to rest. She found his tendril, though his was black and hard to see around his hair. It extended just in front of him, and stopped... right in that creepy baby.

'No way... its his heart!'

She could feel Sesshoumaru's writhing, violent aura rapidly approaching from behind, obviously following her scent.

She was running out of time to make any significant moves.

She took one last look at the situation and took action. She surrendered to some instinct that was still foreign to her buzzing in the back of her brain, drawing two arrows from her quiver instead of one. She knocked them and turned her bow to the side. She kept Kanna's jar and the fuyoheki in her sights, as well as Rin's position on the feather.

She exhaled, arm hair standing on end as Sesshoumaru's aura barreled down on her and drew Naraku's attention. She ran for the hut, pumping her legs as hard and fast as they would go, closing the distance from her hiding spot to Naraku's in seconds.

She lept up on a stump under the window and released, quickly bringing her free hand up to summon a barrier which she threw around Rin.

Simultaneously, the jar containing Kanna's heart and the Fuyoheki shattered, forcing Naraku to flee quickly in a thick cloud of miasma with his own living heart vessel. Kagura scooped up the remaining jars, but Kagome had already drawn another arrow which she loosed into another jar.

'Damn, not Kagura's.'

With Rin in an untouchable bubble of reiki, Kagura was forced to release her second feather and rocket away out of the collapsed front wall, leaving a crumbling Kanna and the shards of the two jars and Fuyoheki, Just in time for Sesshoumaru to leap over the tree line and land in front of the hut, shaking the ground and the weak walls of the already damaged building.

"Stupid dog!" She yelled, releasing her barrier and picking up Rin before dashing out to safety.

One of Shesshoumaru's great white paws crushed the building, though, thankfully, nothing remained inside.

"Hey, Killer! Calm down, I've got her!"

Sesshoumaru turned his glowing red eyes on her, a formidable growl forming in his throat.

Kagome glared right back and tapped her toe impatiently, fairly unimpressed and agitated that he'd ruined a perfect sneaky opportunity in his blind rage.

He lowered his large snout and sniffed at them, determining his ward was safe before his youki finally calmed and he shifted back to his more humanoid form.

Kagome placed Rin on the ground and she skipped up to the youkai lord with a large smile.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! Rin is safe, Kagome Sama came after Rin right away!"

He placed his hand on the top of Rin's head and glanced her way, looking her up and down briefly. She continued to glare, he paid it no mind.

"Hn." He turned back the way they had came, a now happy Rin skipping behind him.

"You've got to be kidding me. I'm so sick of dogs!" She kicked a clump of leaves and ignored kirara's amused chirping. The Neko hitched a restful ride as the angry little miko chose stomp all the way back to the rest of her friends.

Kagome stirred her tea back at camp, agitation still thrumming through her. She supposed she shouldn't be too angry with him, she knew how protective parents were, Though she also knew Sesshoumaru would never admit that that's how he felt toward the little human girl who followed him. But he hadn't even said thank you!

"Well," she addressed the rest of the group who watched her warily, all except Sesshoumaru who ignored her completely. "despite the fact that all of this would be completely over if someone hadn't gone all rabid dog," she said pointedly, "some good did come out of today's encounter. And no, Inuyasha, I don't mean that stupid shard."

She dismissed both his grumpy grumbling and Sesshoumaru's warning growl.

"Both Kanna and another incarnation are dead, though I don't know which one. Even better, I know where Naraku's heart is."

A shocked silence followed, and she lifted her hand to silence their rapid fire questions.

"It's in that freaky baby Kagura's been carrying around. OH! I shattered that rock he carries that makes him feel invisible, too."

An excited chatter broke out, these new advancements giving them all a new, tentative hope that they might just conquer this quest after all.

After dinner, Sesshoumaru cornered her on her way back from a hot spring that Inuyasha had found for them that was close enough to use safely. She was drying her hair and when he'd stepped out from behind a tree and into her path, startling her from her distracted thoughts.

"Kami-sama! Are you trying to give me a heart attack?!"

He ignored her strange words and heaved a very uncharacteristic sigh that shocked her again.

"I suppose I owe you my thanks for saving my ward."

She shook off her shock and straightened her spine, sniffing primly before stepping around him to finish her trek to camp.

"Yes you do. And you're welcome."

He growled and she continued on unfazed.

"Oh don't be so ridiculous! Lighten up, huh? Life isn't so serious all the time!"

He narrowed his eyes and watched her stalk off before making his own way back.

"What a vexing creature."

Kagome sat next to Koga by the fire, stealing one of his chips that he'd fished from her bag earlier.

"I'm so sick of dogs."

He laughed at her before offering her another chip.

"I hear you. Bunch a yappy bastards."

"And so stubborn."

"And stupid."

"And hard headed!"

"Smelly."

She broke down in a fit of giggles, already feeling much better.

"Hey! Wanna play cards with me and Shippo -chan! I'll teach you everything."

And so they settled in, content with each other's company for the night. Kagome held her current good humor close, for the unknowns of her ever shifting emotions hovered ever over her shoulder.

Chapter Text

Hooves pounded through leaves and steel sliced through rough, bristly skin. Another vermin down, another nest decimated. Thranduil flicked the thick, sticky blood off the blade of his sword and swung it back around to fell another. They'd been at this for hours already today, branching out every day in new directions in farther distances to clear the wood once and for all of the spider's taint. He would no longer allow the oppressive darkness of the past to shadow his kingdom, no longer dim love's light from his heart.

He drew back on Cílon's reigns, careening him around to address his soldiers.

"That is enough for today. We will retreat to rest and-"

Faster than any of them could react, draw a sword or knock an arrow, a spider that had been hiding away much higher in the branches fell on Thranduil, knocking him from his elk and his sword from his hand. The spider landed on top of him and screeched an unholy screech. It reared back, bearing its fangs, prepared to drive them through his neck. For just the briefest of moments, he thought about letting it. Considered allowing this creature to be his gateway to the next world, to the other half of his soul. But then the face of his son, even now risking his life to help bring light back to all in the world, flashed through his mind and he decided no, not yet. He still had work to do. He elbowed it sharply as it descended, rolled out from under it as it recoiled, swiped up his sword, and skewered the spider through the head.

He met the eyes of the closest member of his guard, who had begun approaching with his own sword to save his lord. There had truly not been enough time to react, the whole ordeal taking less than a few, rapid moments. He noticed his other guard members in various other stages of defense, some with swords half drawn, others with arrows just meeting bows.

He straightened his armor and brushed some dirt from his cloak before finally addressing them, shocking them with the small twinkling of amusement in his eyes.

"Bothersome creatures, are they not?"

He turned to remount Cílon, and made his way past his guard and toward his castle.

The remaining soldiers stood silently, looking at each other in confusion before also turning to follow their King back.

'Had he just... made a joke?'

Legolas stood off to the side of the room of the holding they were currently waiting in, as alone as possible, feeling tense and nervous. His feelings were reflected by the straight, rigid line of his shoulders and his stern expression, ensuring that most of the humans gathered and milling about gave him at wide berth.

He had known, of course, that this would not be an easyjourney. He had anticipated death, darkness, struggle, but he was having trouble actually wrapping his head around just how much had unraveled, and so quickly. The only seeming bright spot now, was that Theoden King was no longer possessed, and the hobbits had a good chance of being alive.

He took out the necklace he'd had stashed in his pocket and ran the pad of his thumb over the jewels embedded in it. He hoped beyond all hope he would not be holding on to this necklace for much longer, but he wasn't sure if humans were sturdy enough to survive a fall off of a cliff the size of the one Aragorn had been pitched over. But then he'd also been fairly certain their little hobbit friends would not be able to survive capture by orcs, so his tiny seed of hope did not die.

A commotion at the entrance drew his attention, and what he saw caused his heart to grow much lighter.

Aragorn strode in looking so much like he'd crawled out from under a rock in a swamp.

He rushed over to embrace him, relief squeezing him all the way to his soul.

"Aragorn! You look terrible!"

They shared a laugh and he passed over the Evenstar necklace he'd taken from the orc on the cliff, which Aragorn clutched to his chest in relief.

Legolas had a sick feeling that things were about to take yet another turn into darkness, so he'd hold this small boon close for now.

Kagome's arrow sliced through a small group of low level youkai effortlessly and they turned to sparkling ash that floated down around them, adding a macabre sense of beauty to the gruesome fight they were currently engaged in.

They'd decided to stop in a village to fish for shard rumors, all except for Sesshoumaru and Koga who'd had no desire to deal with humans and their prejudices, when they came upon a large swarm of low level yokai that had descended on a small village in their path, wreaking all sorts of havoc and causing detrimental chaos.

'This must be one of Naraku's swarms.' Kagome thought to herself wearily. The swarm was doing major damage to the outer lying huts in the village, as well as some of the crop fields and livestock. It was impossible for Inuyasha or Sango to escape the center of the swarm with their weapons designed to clear huge swaths of such demons, as the were currently fighting back to back right in the center. Miroku was using his wind tunnel as much as he could, but Naraku had made sure to send his hell wasps out as well, meaning the monk would be in danger from using it too much.

Kagome glanced around her quickly taking stock of their situation from all angles. Something had to be done about the village perimeter. She noticed a small pen off one side of one of the larger huts. It housed a pig and a horse tied to a stake. She felt that tell-tale tingle in the back of her skull, the one that had been happening pretty regularly lately, telling her to do something she didn't consciously know she knew. It was like some muscle memory took over. She followed it, as it hadn't steered her wrong yet, and jogged over to the pen and untied the horse.

She mounted him, though he had no saddle, and carefully steered him out of the pen before flicking his reigns and setting him off at a quick run. It felt just like riding a bike for the first time in a while, even though she'd never done this before, in this life anyway. It was perfect for covering the ground she needed to cover quickly and secure the outer perimeter of the village from the stray pairs of yokai that had broken off from the larger swarm. She quickly caught up with whatever instinct was helping her even stay on the horse, and soon she was able to draw her bow once more, rapidly firing several more glowing arrows into the main melee and clearing out a nice chunk of the swarm and allowing her friends in the middle a chance to breath and gain a bit of an upper hand.

She set her sights elsewhere, then, drawing the sword she'd brought from home, charging it with reiki much like her arrows, and slicing through any low level vermin that flew into her path. With the sizeable chunk of jewel around her neck, that meant all of them. Once she'd finally finished off all of the spare strays, she turned the horse around and road into the main battle to help her friends finish off the main swarm.

They were greeted by the village headman once their extermination job was finished, and he regrettably had to inform them that there was no longer a place for them to stay, as their inn and larger buildings suitable for hospitality had been destroyed. But since he'd noticed they had three users of holy power in their midst, he offered them something else.

"One of our children found it playing near the river, and it has caused nothing but trouble for us since. Would you perhaps be able to make use of it?"

He held out a hand, and in his palm rested another shard.

"Oh!" Kagome exclaimed, "this must be why Naraku sent this swarm." She quickly snatched the shard away, which purified at her touch, and placed it in her glass vial at her neck.

"Thank you sir. We've been on a journey to gather these. They're shards of a very dangerous jewel, it's best you don't keep any here, if possible. They only spell disaster."

"Indeed they do, miko-sama, Indeed they do." He sighed regrettably, taking in the damage done to his small village. But he was certain they would have been flattened completely if these strangers had not shown up when they did.

"I must thank you all, though I have nothing to offer now. We most surely would have decimated to the very last of us had you not shown up. What a fortuitous occurrence."

"Keh, don't need nothin'. Gettin' another shard outta that bastard Naraku's grubby hands is good enough for me."

After assuring the group that they needed no help rebuilding, as they had much to take stock of before even beginning such a feat and he had no desire to delay them any further, the group of shard hunters moved on to the road leading out of the village, were they once again joined their two full yokai companions. Kagome turned to Kikyo to ask a question that was suddenly bothering her a great deal.

"Kikyo, if that shard was there the whole time, why didn't we sense it?"

Kikyo took a moment to consider and shrugged.

"It's possible that we were simply overwhelmed by the much more imminent danger of the youkai swarm and we simply did not notice. It is also possible that the increasing split of our shared soul is now equal enough between us that neither of us will be able to sense the jewel very strongly until one of us holds the greater share again. I have been pondering on the affects of our situation for a time now. Perhaps we are now seeing some of them."

Kagome's brow crinkled in thought and slight worry. That, along with the constant distraction of her many other changes, could prove troublesome in the near future if they weren't very careful.

"You may be right. We'll have to be careful if that's the case. Hopefully it's not, but... who can know?"

They made camp and settled in, and shortly after dinner, Sesshoumaru spoke up with an interesting change of plans.

"I know someone we can speak to who might hold valuable information for our fight against the spider. We should change course first thing tomorrow, and I will lead us there."

"That's great Sesshoumaru-sama! Anything is better than wondering around with no real destination at this point. Today was a lucky break, helping that village and gaining a shard. But we spend too much time just walking and hoping we stumbling into something useful."

Surprisingly, even Inuyasha agreed, so the night, especially for her, ended peacefully, her lap full of children demanding a bed time story and then cuddling them as they drifted off to sleep in the calm of their little camp site.

She fought off the feeling of dark foreboding and ignored everything but the steady breaths and peaceful faces of Shippo and Rin as they slept cuddled in her arms.

Chapter Text

The sun warmed their backs and a cool breeze blew in their faces, creating a dazzling, comfortable atmosphere for traveling. Kagome's spirits had lightened considerably since that dark cloud had settled over her several nights prior. Whatever that had been, she had managed to ignore it so effectively that it had fully dissipated and she was not in the mood to question it. She walked next to Ah-Un, who was carrying the children, and played games and taught them silly songs, genuinely enjoying a day of easy travel.

With Sesshoumaru in the lead, they traveled at a much more leisurely pace. He never really seemed to be in a hurry, and after being driven to near constant breakneck speeds by Inuyasha for the majority of this little assignment, everyone, except for maybe the hanyou himself, felt thankful for the reprieve.

The were headed west into the demon Lord's territory, for whatever ally he would have them speak to was located there. That in itself promised a break as well; there was very little chance they'd be attacked by anything too unsavory while traveling with the very protector of the land they walked through.

Around midday they left the road and entered the forest, the cool shade of the trees only adding to the wonderful atmosphere that surrounded them.

Kagome wouldn't deny that being surrounded by the thick trunks of the old trees lent a huge hand in perking her spirits up even further, and she was soon skipping and dancing along.

Soon enough, Sesshoumaru's subdued voice broke through the spell of contentment that had woven around the group.

"We will stop soon. There is a village ahead where we will be welcomed."

Noting the sun's rather high position in the sky still, Inuyasha finally let his annoyance at the day's slow travel bubble over.

"Oi, bastard! Why we stoppin' so early? We could still travel for hours! And what kinda village is gonna welcome all of us?!"

"If you would spend less time complaining, Inuyasha, and more time listening, you would already have obtained the information that you seek."

Sesshoumaru's chastisement was as flat as anything else he ever said, but no less effective, and they all giggled at Inuyasha's disgusted "feh!" at his brothers scathing words.

"There is a yokai village only two more hours walk in this direction. None of you will ever speak of it's location again outside of this travel party. You will all be welcomed, but only as you come with me."

"A yokai village! I didn't know such a thing existed! Oh how wonderful!" Kagome clapped her hands excitedly, very eager to see how a yokai village would be set up and run. She very pointedly ignored Inuyasha's eye rolling and grumbling at her excitable nature.

"Indeed miko. They are uncommon. Most yokai keep to themselves, or in packs of their own kind. There are, however, those who choose to live together in a sort of harmony, when it is beneficial. As I am Lord of these holdings, and a yokai myself, they are safe to do so under my protection. Most places are too overrun by humans, and they pose a threat to such a community."

"I see. That makes sense. It's a shame, really, that we all can't just live peacefully. I bet we're all much similar than we'd think. In any case, I'm excited to see such a place!"

He said no more, merely leading them on toward their future place of rest.

Whatever relief Aragorn's seemingly miraculous return had granted Legolas was soon gone. He watched children and elderly being fitted for weapons and armor and his heart despaired. This was a horrible, terrible plan, and he could see no way out of it as the King would not be swayed. It seemedAragorn would not be swayed either, as he'd quickly switched into the mindset of battle, prepared to defend these people with his last breath. It was noble, he'd admit, but frustrating as all hell.

He felt Gimli's approach at his side and met his unlikely friend's eyes, all of this uncertainly and irritation plainly evident.

"So, you feel as chafed as I over this."

"This goes against everything I've ever been taught, by either of my parents. These people, they are not warriors. They are children, they are elders... how will they wage a war successfully? I fear this is a death trap for them all."

"Aye, Elf, it is that indeed. A hopeless affair from almost any angle you look at it. Fighting in a mountain is some comfort though."

Legolas snorted and rolled his eyes, actually finding some humor in that.

Chapter Text

She fidgeted nervously, bouncing in the seat she'd taken to try and keep still. That was obviously a fools errand, as she'd been fidgeting all day even IN her seat.

She was just so, SO excited.

She had the most extraordinary news, and she simply COULD NOT wait for her husband to return with his father from the border patrol they'd gone on two days prior so she could share it with him.

'Husband.'

It didn't matter, really, that they'd been married half a century now, calling Thranduil such still left a thrill in her heart. She still couldn't believe sometimes that she'd ended up here, wed to the most wonderful, beautiful being she'd ever known. It had been nearly constant bliss, save for an argument here and there. They WERE both unreasonably stubborn from time to time.

As she had been hovering near to the entrance all day, she heard when her husband and father-in-law returned, and ran as fast as she was able to greet them. She threw herself into his arms squealing, and he chuckled through his confusion.

King Oropher simply laughed and carried on toward his quarters to remove his armor, knowing well the emotional ways of newlyweds.

Thranduil clutched his wife tightly to his chest and ran his fingers through her hair as he waited for her to calm herself enough to stop squealing so loudly in his ears.

Chapter Text

Wiping sweat from his brow, legolas looked about the slowly milling humans and sighed. They'd stayed behind for just a couple of days after the end of the battle to escort Theoden's remaining subjects back to their homes. With so many young men having lost their lives to orc sword and arrow, they'd have a bit of work ahead of them ensuring that the women and children left behind would be alright for the time being. Legolas was certainly not opposed to such work, on the contrary, he probably would have insisted on such a thing had it not already been suggested. But there was a growing sense of urgency in the back of his mind that he could not shake and it made him very uneasy.

He decided to go look for Aragorn and hopefully discuss moving on from here soon, but his attention was soon caught by a group of tired, dusty children huddled closely together in a small clump of wildflowers. They looked pale and sad, already world weary when they were barely more than babes from the womb. His heart ached for them, and he found himself approaching them almost absently.

"Hello little ones."

Five sets of wide, wary eyes turned up at him, and his face and heart softened even further toward them.

'Too young, too young.'

He sat on the edge of the little flower clump so as not to crush all the delicate blooms with his much larger frame. He patted the ground in front of him in invitation and the children sat down in a loose half circle,all save one. The smallest, a girl who's head was haloed in yellow-gold ringlets that glimmered in the warm sun, sat right at his side with a shy smile and a light blush. He smiled down at her indulgently and patted her head before addressing all the children in his company.

"I came to admire your flowers and see if all might wish to learn something fun."

"Like a game?"

"Sort of I suppose. I thought we might make something with them."

"Aren't you an elf?"

Legolas turned to the lone boy of the group. Too young for battle, he'd been left behind to watch over the other children. He wondered if some of these girls weren't his sisters.

"Yes."

"Aren't you a boy elf?"

Legolas chuckled as confusion drove the boy's brows down over his eyes.

"That I am. Why do you ask?"

"Well then why do you play with flowers?"

"Oh, I see. You think flowers are for girls."

"Of course!" He puffed his little chest out and crossed his arms and Legolas worked very hard to stifle his amusement. He began picking the small, wild blooms and weaving them into a small loop approximately the size of the boy's head as he addressed his great concern.

"Well that is where you are wrong, young one. I know a great King of Elves who has slain orcs in greater numbers than you can imagine, and faced dragons so fierce seasoned warriors coward before them. This king wear flowers in his crowns as he sits on his great throne. Would you tell this king that flowerswere for girls?"

He watched the little boy's eyes widen in his face as he gravely shook his head.

Legolas reaches over and placed his newly formed circlet over the brown waves that made the boy's hair.

"Then I welcome you to the ranks of the Elven King. Now, who would like to learn to make an Elf crown?"

Some time later, after he'd dubbed them all prince and princesses of Elves and placed their crookedly made flower crowns on the tops of their happy little heads, Legolas stood to leave. He gave them all a solemn bow and bid them farewell, turning from their giggles of delight to find his friends at last. He was shocked to find them standing a short ways off, watching him with poorly concealed amusement.

He approached unabashedly and grinned back in the face of their oncoming teasing.

"You should always listen to all the lessons your mother teaches you, you never know when they will show themselves useful."

Aragorn and Gimli shared a look and shrugged. He was right, after all.

Kagome watched numbly as heavy sheets of rain fell blindingly outside the mouth of the cave they were sheltering in. The deluge made the whole world blurry and grey, but that suited her mood just fine. They still didn't know where they were going. Sesshoumaru had remained tight lipped about their destination, but that wasn't unexpected.

She listened to the quiet hum of chatter behind her. Koga asked Miroku questions about the sutra he was making, Sango and Kikyo petted a purring Kirara as they cooed to her companion about how pretty her fur was, the latter looking even more alive, with sparkling eyes and warm hands. She'd apparently gained even more soul back after Kagome had gone unconscious in the youkai headman's hut. Inuyasha snoozed impatiently against a rock wall, his ears twitching and rotating now and then, listening for... something. Sesshoumaru was as still and quiet as ever.

It was the children who managed to shed a little light through the dark shroud over her heart this time. They were coloring in the center of the cave by firelight. Shippo was being very generous with his crayons, which warmed Kagome's heart even more. She'd have to bring them both a new set next time she made a trip home.

They were just so sweet, the cutest little friends. These two days of hiding from the rain since her "incident" in the youkai village had left her feeling cold and distant again. She realized how much she missed the children, who had been doing their best to give her space.

She closed her eyes and sighed, and then a seed of a memory took root in her mind and she found some withered inspiration.

"When I first saw you out there in that field of flowers, You were so beautiful I thought I had stumbled through time to watch the Lady Lúthien meet the mortal Beren."

While the echo of that voice sent another stabbing thread of longing through her soul that choked and frightened her, it was the names that registered and brought forth the knowledge of a great legend. A legend the children might enjoy.

"Rin, Shippo! Would you like to hear a story?"

While little Rin looked starry eyed and lost in day dreams, Kagome could see the wheels in Shippo's mind cranking. She waited patiently for his questions.

"But... Kagome... why did she have to be Mortal too? And why did the guy die so early? If they were mates, he'd live as long as she did!"

"What do you mean Shippo? How would a mortal man live so long just because he was married to an immortal woman?"

"Because that's how it works with youkai, Kagome! Mates stay together, even if one won't live as long as the other. Mates never leave each other."

Kagome looked to Inuyasha for confirmation, but he simply shrugged.

"Ain't no one ever told me anything like that."

She looked at Sesshoumaru next, hoping he'd dignify her with a response.

"Being a youkai does not guarantee true immortality, miko. Life spans are reflective of power. The kit is right. A true mating between a youkai and a weaker being would ensure that something as trivial as disparate life spans would not come between the mated pair. Such a thing would cause great pain and distress."

Something occurred to her then, something she hadn't thought much about since it had happened. An older, more settled Inuyasha visiting her at her shrine home and introducing his son, whom he'd had with Kikyo.

'That must mean... they're still together even then. He's not alone.'

She smiled to herself, pleased that her best friend would get a happily ever after that would never end. He deserved it, after all.

"That's so nice. Youkai are very lucky then. Unfortunately Shippo, Lúthien was not a youkai, and so she was unable to share her life with Beren in that way."

"Well if she wasn't a youkai Kagome, then what was she?"

The cute tilt of his little head was entirely endearing, but his question unsettled her. This was an answer she was supposed to know, but she couldn't grasp the word she was looking for as it hovered tantalizingly out of reach just beyond the horizon of her conscious mind.

"She... she was..."

Sesshoumaru stood at that moment and startled her from her thought.

"The rain has finally stopped. We will continue on. We are almost there."

She never got to continue her mental search, as the rest of the day was spent taking down their camp of the last two days and trekking the final leg to whoever it was Sesshoumaru thought might prove helpful. And then the shock of meeting this mystery person chased the rest of her unsettling thoughts back for the foreseeable future.

Chapter Text

She was almost certain she'd never seen a creature more beautiful and radiant than the one standing before her now. Not in any book, movie, painting, or fantasy game like her brother always played.

When Sesshoumaru had stopped them in the middle of an empty field, announced they had arrived, and then pulsed his aura several times, none of them had had any idea what to expect.

It certainly hadn't been the dainty yet colossal silvery dog that had flown down from the clouds to alight on the grass before them.

And it certainly certainly hadn't been the beautiful woman that the strong, formidable youki she'd swirled around her had revealed, either.

They were, in a word, stunned. Even Inuyasha had had nothing to say.

This woman held all the cool, stern beauty that Sesshoumaru himself possessed; long, gleaming silver hair, piercing gold eyes, flawless alabaster skin, a violet crescent moon on her brow. However, unlike the strict control that gave nothing away on their resident demon lord's face, this being held a certain mirth deep in her eyes, and it struck a chord of familiarity deep in Kagome's mind.

"Oh my..." she hadn't known she'd spoken aloud until those very eyes met her own, and in them she could read amusement, curiosity, contemplation, and a very slight confusion.

She turned her golden gaze back to their leader, the barest hint of a smirk lifting the corners of her mouth.

"Well Sesshoumaru, to what do I owe this completelyunexpected visit, hm?"

Her voice was soft and lilting, as cool as Sesshoumaru's but layered with all sorts of other things that Kagome couldn't hope to unravel.

"Play not your games with me today, mother, I know your spying, scheming ways. No doubt you've been expecting us."

'That's his MOM?!' Kagome thought, mind completely shaken. She wasn't sure why, but she'd always just assumed his mother was dead like his father. He certainly never spoke of her, past or present tense.

"My my, still so serious." She drug her eyes over every face that had been trailing along behind her stoic son, lingering just a hair longer on Kagome before addressing her son again.

"What an...interesting group of friends you've collected my son. I am surprised at their diversity."

"We are allies mother. Nothing more."

"Hmmmmm." It was as close to a mocking giggle as she'd heard from any of the dogs Kagome had known since she'd come here.

"Oh yes, allies. Well, be welcome to my palace. I'm sure you remember your lessons in hospitality, and will have no trouble ushering your... allies into my courtyard. Do not tarry, now, Sesshoumaru."

With that, she wrapped her youki tightly around her and streaked straight up into the sky in a glowing sphere of explosive energy, much like they'd all witnessed Sesshoumaru do on occasion.

And judging by the demon lord's wildly fluctuating aura, Kagome could tell that he was barely keeping the lid on his usually tight control.

Suddenly, a roiling, shimmering cloud of youki seeped under their feet and seemed to solidify. They were raised suddenly, slowly, slowly, higher and higher. They all subconsciously huddled closer to each other, watching in awe as the ground below disappeared and they ascended through the clouds above that looked so much like the cloud under their feet. They stopped at a small but ornate little palace floating on a cloud of its own, and stepped off into the courtyard of the palace in the clouds.

It was the most curious little castle she'd ever seen. Most of it was open and airy, fully enclosed spaces few and far between to allow for a full view of the glorious, shimmering sky all around. She imagined the night view would be even more spectacular.

Upon their arrival, Sesshoumaru's mother had snapped her delicately clawed fingers and a servant had appeared nearly out of nowhere to usher them into rooms. She and Sesshoumaru had disappeared shortly after and had yet to return.

Chapter Text

The sound of a twig snapping underfoot startled her and yanked her attention away from her current task. She spun quickly around in the direction she knew the noise to be coming from, and felt her heart stutter and stop before speeding up again and fluttering in her chest.

The glittering light of morning cast a warm, golden glow all over the very being she'd spent the rest of the night thinking hopelessly about. No amount of busy work and fiddling or fidgeting had been able to distract her from what she'd assumed would be a long wait for his return.

'Apparently not so long.' She thought with no small amount of relief.

Thranduil paused just at the tree line, taking her in as if they'd been separated for months instead of mere hours, but she didn't mind. She simply wanted to take him in, too. On his beloved face spread the most beautiful, radiant smile she'd ever seen, and his eyes sparkled with a myriad of things; happiness, excitement, contentment... love. She felt breathless and dizzy and secure.

He finally crossed to her, taking both of her hands in one of his and cradling her face in the other. She leaned in to it, closing her eyes and smiling softly, the feeling of being reunited too perfect, too sweet.

"Elloth-nin." He spoke softly, not wanting to shatter the enchantment and magic that swirled around them.

"Yes, my prince?" His smile widened and something sweet and melting sparked behind his eyes before he broke contact and gestured for her to sit with him.

"Elloth-nin, I have something I wish to discuss with you. Something important."

She felt her heart beat spike again and began picking at some of the loose folds of her skirt that had looked around her where she sat.

"O-oh? What is it?"

"I love you." He spoke it in a rush, as if those words had barely been held back and had clamored to be released for some time now.

She was stunned, unable to move as his declaration filtered through her mind and coiled around her heart.

"I love you. Surely you must know. You are nearly all I can think of when I am away from you. And I long to return to you almost as soon as I've left. I wish to never part from you again."

She could feel hot tears tracking down her cheeks. Everything she felt for this beautiful prince who was even now throwing himself at her feet swelled up and swirled around inside her, leaving her feeling like she might burst from her shock and happiness. She still hadn't spoken, simply unable to force any words past the lump in her throat, and he was staring at her beseechingly, waiting for an answer or acknowledgement. Finally the dam broke, and she half laughed, half sobbed as her elation become too much to contain.

Thranduil looked momentarily alarmed before he caught her unmistakable smile. He cradled her face and wiped the tears from her cheeks. She lurched forward and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and he held her gently, still somewhat perplexed. She continued to laugh-sob into his chest before she sniffed audibly and sat back up to meet his gaze, the tears still flooding her eyes making them sparkle.

"I love you too! So much."

She watched his eyes widen, and his face split into a grin full of so much relief and gladness. His face fell then, and he began patting around various folds on his tunic before finding a hidden pocket and reaching inside.

He pulled out a small wooden box, ornately carved and richly polished and presented it to her. She took it gingerly and opened it, revealing a delicate chain and a small, glowing, white stone shaped like a rain drop. It was one of the most beautiful things she'd ever seen.

"I know it is not a betrothal ring, that will come, but I wanted to give you this now. It was my mother's."

'Betrothal ring.'

She wondered if she'd ever find her voice again.

Her tears began anew, and she sniffled and met his eyes, handing the box back to him and turning, pulling her hair to the side.

He took his cue and clasped the chain around her neck before regathering her hair and smoothing it back in place. He held himself back from running his fingers all through it, and she turned back toward him with the most dazzling smile.

"It's beautiful, thank you so much. I will treasure it always."

He cradled her face again, and placed the softest, sweetest of kisses on her mouth. Her breath was stolen and her voice withered again, her heart hammering against her ribs while her mind screeched to a stop.

He gathered her to him and nearly crushed her against his chest, but she'd not felt so whole and warm in as long as she could remember. His heart beat strong and steady in her ear, and his fingers twined in the ends of her hair, and she was certain nothing else would ever feel so much like home.

The warm, soft feeling of a futon under her back clashed violently in her mind with the picture of the stars swirling above her head, and it took Kagome several minutes to come back to herself and figure out why these two seemingly opposing features were peacefully coexisting.

'I don't carry a futon around, my sleeping bag is not- oh!'

She suddenly recalled the regal inu who lived in the clouds and all made sense again.

The private rooms they'd been given were mostly closed in, unlike most of the rest of the palace, for privacy's sake, though there were great gaps in the ceiling boards to allow sunlight and starlight in.

Kagome sat up and drew her blanket snugly around her shoulders, gazing up at the stars from the warmth and safety of her little cocoon. She held on desperately to that lingering feeling of home that still pulsed through her soul. It was doing a lot to fill most of the emptiness that had settled within her lately, even temporarily, and she was hard pressed to let it fade.

This is what she'd been missing, what had been chafing at her.

She recalled Koga's odd questions the day after her incident at the yokai village, and they stuck a strange thorn of unease in her heart.

"So Kagome has never had a child."

"And you're all VERY sure?"

"She sounded just like every one of those mothers did."

"And you're absolutely sure they're of a PAST life?"

Something in Kagome went cold. Was she sure of that? She'd had no other explanations for what any of this could be, and since past life memories made the most sense, that was what she'd gone with. But now that she thought about it...

"I'm just sayin, I've never heard of someone's memories of a past life affecting them like THIS."

She reached up and felt the very subtle point her ears now came too, probed at her ever shrinking stores of reiki, and looked around in the dark with her ever sharpening eyesight.

Koga was right, this didn't make any sense if she was simply wakening to a past life. People in her time did that all the time just for the novelty of it. Psychics and mystics advertised their abilities at opening up those parts of a soul on TV, and she reckoned at least some of them were capable. And yet she never heard of someone completely changing into who they'd once been.

Chapter Text

Thranduil sat high on his throne, one leg crossed over the other and bouncing in agitation. He glared ahead at his empty throne room, huffing silently at its audacity to be still and silent. He glanced this way and that, waiting for some message, some letter, some update on... something. Anything.

He twirled the ends of his hair absently and tried to plot, but the nervous energy boiling through him left his mind in a distracted whirl. He tugged too hard on the hair now knotted around his finger and shook it off in disgust.

He slumped over and rested his chin in his hand before narrowing his eyes on an empty corridor passage, willing a guard or messenger through.

He snorted when it still remained static and empty.

'How dare.'

He spun the golden ring on his finger, and the firelight from the sconces around his throne room glinted off of it and caught his eye and attention, giving him a blessed distraction for the time being.

His wedding ring.

He'd never taken it off, though many of his mortal acquaintances had asked him why.

But that's just not how it was for elves.

He only wished he knew what had happened to his wife's ring when she'd seemingly evaporated in front of his eyes that dreaded day. She'd left nothing behind but a beloved son and painful memories.

He remembered well the day they'd traded in their silver betrothal rings for their golden marriage rings, and smiled faintly at the memory of it, of becoming one with his soul's match.

Which reminded him that he did still have their betrothal rings locked safely away. Small mercies.

She'd looked radiant at their celebration. His father, of course, had pulled out all the stops for their royal wedding. It had not been quite the raging party he usually liked to throw. No, their marriage celebration had been much tamer, more elegant, more intimate. Perfect.

His betrothed had shown up in a glorious gown she'd claimed her mother had wed in, his own mother's jewel glowing softly at her neck. Shed done her hair up in flowers again, and so had he, as a sort of surprise and a nod to what had brought them together in the first place.

She'd been delighted.

It was why he still wore flowers in his crown to this very day.

She had loved it.

It was one of the easier ways to honor her memory, and he'd not had the heart to stop, even in the deepest depths of his despair at losing her.

He plucked one such bloom from his head now, and twirled it absently as he let himself remember, and let his heart feel closer and closer to the one it loved.

He nearly missed the sound of footsteps echoing through one of the passage halls, but he looked up in time to see one of his guard entering in a rush.

"Your Grace, we have found and captured an orc spy. He awaits you in the dungeons."

The grin that split King Thranduil's face left the guard's blood chilled.

Thranduil exited the cell holding the orc prisoner, the cell door shutting loudly and firmly behind him. He flicked the blood from his sword blade before sheathing it with a flourish, staring straight ahead at his guards with a cool, neutral expression.

"They are coming. Though I know not when or from which direction. The vermin would not say."

"What are your orders, Highness?"

"I want the watch doubled, call in half our forces off clearing duty and fortify the defenses. We will be ready for them whenever they come, wherever they come from."

"Yes, Your Grace."

"And if any other stragglers find their way through to my forest... bring them to me."

"Oh!" Kagome placed her hand over her rapidly beating heart, trying to calm herself from the scare she'd just received.

"Um... my lady, I'm sorry to intrude... I thought this was a public garden..."

"It is."

Her unwavering gaze made Kagome all the more uneasy, and she couldn't help but look away to try and gain a measure of comfort.

"Should you not be sleeping at an hour like this, child?"

"Oh, Uh... maybe. I don't need to sleep much lately."

"How strange. Your other human companions are still slumbering soundly."

Kagome shrugged awkwardly, unsure what the demoness was looking for.

A flawed finger lifted her chin, pushing her face side to side and observing her closely. She turned her head enough to see one of the softly pointed ears, and her eyes narrowed and she "hummed" interestedly.

"What a strange child you are. Very strange indeed."

"Uh..."

"But then, you are not a child at all, are you? No, I think you are something... much more interesting."

Kagome floundered. She had no clue what this youkai was trying to say to her.

"My lady, I... I don't..."

"Hush now, child, there's no need to worry yourself. Inu I may be to my bones, but I hold the curiosity of any old cat. Where do you think my son comes by it so honestly?"

Her tone was sly and set Kagome on edge.

"Sesshoumaru-Sama? Curious?"

"Hn. And what's not to find curious? An unremarkable human girl loses her humanity without binding her soul to darkness. Certainly a puzzle worth solving."

Offense at being demeaned and objectified made Kagome defensive and reckless.

"I'm not a puzzle. And I'm not losing my humanity, I'm-"

"You cannot fool me with your words, girl. Your forget yourself. You smell less human by the moment, and I can smell your insincerity as well. You don't believe that anymore than I. You are losing humanity. What I, what my son, and what I'm sure your other little companions would like to know, is why?"

All of her swirling emotions stilled and her heart slowed and and melancholy settled back over Kagome like a thick shroud.

'What a mess'

She smiled sadly, meeting gold eyes with blue, and shrugged helplessly.

"I would love an answer to that. But I'm afraid I've never been any good at puzzles."

Chapter Text

"Your power signature is truly unique."

Growing weary of being the current object of Sesshoumaru's mother's curiosity, Kagome sighed and rubbed her eyes, feeling tired again.

"I'm sorry my lady, but I'm losing power."

"You are losing reiki, but you are not losing power. Surely your more spiritually sensitive friends told you this?"

"They noticed the soul I was losing was being replaced... "

"Well, they probably wouldn't recognize this as power as well, then. I myself cannot even place it... I have never felt such..."

"Great. That's very helpful."

She didn't realize she'd voiced these sarcastic thoughts aloud until she heard bright, tinkling laughter.

"You show proper reverence to those worthy of it, yet you will also show irreverence to the same. Strange girl."

Kagome flushed with embarrassment.

"Sorry..."

"Are you aware that you glow like a firefly?"

That was a shock. She hadn't noticed that about herself yet.

"I... I What?"

A slow, satisfied smirk spread across the beautiful face of the Inu Lady who'd been keeping her company before she turned and tread slowly out of the moonlit garden.

"You are tired, girl. Go get more sleep. But I will be watching."

Kagome slumped forward with a groan, digging the heels of her hands into her eyes and rubbing her face.

Having another set of eyes on her sounded exactly like the type of thing Kagome didn't want right now, but if the Lady of the Palace had had her curiosity sated for now, she would simply be thankful for that and try to get some more sleep for her tired mind.

The next morning, Kagome made her way to the dining room for breakfast, hopeful that some food might perk her up and clear the fog from her head. Upon entering, she noted that all of her companions were already seated and eating, and she smiled to them in greeting and moved to take a seat at the furthest end of the long table.

"Come here, child. You will sit next to me."

The dulcet tones of the Lady Of the Palace sent a scraping chill up her spine, but she turned and made her way back up the table, taking the empty cushion she'd been offered. She met the Lady's gaze and smiled an unsure thanks and then looked across the table at Sesshoumaru, who stared at his mother with the barest hint of wariness deep in his eyes. His golden gaze snapped to hers and she blinked before he returned his attention to his food.

Finally, Kagome took notice of the newest presence in their midst. Sitting at Sesshoumaru's other side was a very small boy with silver hair to his shoulders. He possessed twin slashes across each cheek much like the taller Inu next to him, though they were the same blue that Inuyasha's were when visible. He blinked solemn yet curious eyes at her, his little round face turned up at her as he studied her, and his little nose twitching as he sniffed at her.

Her hand flew to her heart, the sweetness of him overtaking her.

"Oh! And who might you be, little one?"

"I am Ginjiro."

His little voice was sweet and bright, as any child's should be, but she could tell he was trying very hard to sound somber and serious. She smiled her truest smile in days.

"Hello, Ginjiro. I am Kagome. Do you live here?"

"Yes. I am the prince here."

"The prince?" Kagome tilted her head in confusion. Did Sesshoumaru have another brother? She looked to him, thinking to ask, but he answered before she could voice her questions.

"Ginjiro is my son."

"Your son!? You have a son?"

All conversation at the table ceased, and Sesshoumaru looked slightly put out at having so many eyes turned to him.

"Yes."

"But... you've never said anything!"

He said nothing for a moment, and Kagome half expected him to ignore them all and the obvious questions that now hung in the air over them. His mother also stayed suspiciously quiet, though the air around her fairly vibrated with wicked amusement.

"Until such a time as he is old enough to defend himself, the protection of my heir falls to me. He is safer here, kept in a shroud of secrecy. My mother is his caretaker, as I have many duties."

"Oh. Well that makes enough sense, I suppose." Though she couldn't fathom being away from her child for such long stretches of time, she could understand that keeping him safe was the most important thing.

"Well then, Ginjiro-Sama, would you like to play with me, Rin-chan and Shippo-kun today?"

For the briefest if moments, excitement flashed behind his wide, golden eyes before it dimmed sadly and he looked down at his breakfast.

"I have many lessons..."

Her heart melted and she turned beseeching eyes on the little pup's father. She may be overstepping bounds, but she couldn't bring herself to care.

"Oh surely one day away from schooling wouldn't hurt, please Sesshoumaru-Sama?"

Ginjiro might be the true pup in this situation, but Kagome had long ago mastered puppy dog eyes.

Sesshoumaru sighed. One day away wouldn't hurt. And as serious as he himself had always been, and as heavy as the title his son would be inheriting would be, he often regretted that his young pup was kept locked away in his mother's palace away from any other children to play with. He didn't playenough, and that could be problematic for such a small child. Truthfully it was part of the reason he'd allowed Rin to follow him around, no matter how attached he'd grown toward the little girl. She was meant to be a playmate of sorts, though he hadn't yet been able to introduce them.

"Very well, miko."

She squealed and clapped her hands before gathering the children and ushering them away to the garden. His mother quietly chuckled, and he turned a glare on her which she primly ignored as she returned to her breakfast.

Cool grass, warm sunshine, the perfume of flowers, the sweet giggles of children, all of these were a refreshing balm to Kagome's soul. She made long chains of daisies with Rin while they watched Ginjiro and Shippo chase each other in endless loops and leaps all over the garden. Shippo's sweet laughter rang familiar and unending in her ears, but it was Ginjiro's quiet, reluctant giggles that made her heart soar. She could just tell that the boy had far too little fun in his young little life. She cut her eyes to Rin weaving stems contentedly next to her and grinned secretly to herself. She could just bet that once this whole awful affair with Naraku and the jewel was over, Sesshoumaru would keep her and his heir close. It made her happy to know that, as aloof and distant as he presented himself, he was thinking of seemingly frivolous things like play time and companionship where his child was concerned.

'I bet he's a great father.'

"Kagome-Chan!"

Surprised she didn't hear their approach sooner for how deep into her thoughts she'd gone, Kagome glanced behind her to wave a greeting to Sango and Kikyo, beckoning them to join her and Rin on their sunny patch of grass.

"Hey guys! Oh Kikyo! Your hair!"

With the sun shining down on them from above, Kagome could see how much more luster had returned to the formerly dead priestess' locks. Accompanied by the ever deepening pink to her cheeks and the gentle sparkle returning to her eyes, Kikyo only grew lovelier and sweeter by the day.

'I suppose it's nice to not be the only one changing so fundamentally so quickly!'

She stifled a giggle when Kikyo stopped abruptly, gathering a lock of hair and tugging it self consciously.

"Is there something the matter with it?"

"Oh no! It's just become so lovely! It's like silk. You must let me braid it! Both of you!"

Kikyo and Sango exchanged a look, and little Rin took the opportunity to present her back to them.

"Kagome-Sama already did Rin's hair! She did such a good job! She made Rin look so pretty!"

The eyed the braids and blooms twisted and woven in an intricate pattern down the length of Rin's hair and marveled at them.

"How did you learn to do this Kagome?"

"I don't know, Sango-Chan. It just... started doing it. Well come on! It's such a lovely day! And we hardly ever have time to just do something girly and frivolous!"

And so they surrendered to Kagome's ministrations, each donning a unique, elaborate style to dinner that night. Sango blushed at Miroku's generous compliments, and Inuyashablushed every time Kikyo caught him staring.

Kagome felt for some reason that she ought to burn these images of her friends in her mind and preserve them for all time. There was something very bittersweet about it all.

A small body collided with her side on her dinner cushion, and she looked down to see Ginjiro blinking up at her with gilded eyes full of innocence. She smiled at him sweetly, and he gave her a small, childlike grin back.

"What is it, Ginjiro-sama?"

"I want to sit with you."

Kagome was truly shocked for a moment. She figured he'd want to sit with his father, since he likely had to be separated from him more often than not. She glanced up toward Sesshomaru, who merely quirked one eyebrow at her.

She shrugged and looked back down at the pittle prince pup at her side. "Alright then, Ginjiro-sama! Shall we sneak you away for more play time after dinner?"

His answering grin was was so wide, she could see his tiny little fangs peeking out over his lip, and he looked so cute she was almost unable to keep from squeezing him.

They turned to their meal, listening to Rin and Shippo chatter to each other and try to draw Ginjiro into conversation.

All the while, Kagome did her best to ignore the feminine gold eyes she could feel steadily on her through the course of the evening.

Chapter Text

They spent several more days in the cloud-bound palace. Sesshoumaru disappeared everyday for a lengthy amount of time with his mother, all three children ran and played until they all but collapsed, and Inuyasha sulked at all the time they were wasting. Kagome couldn't help but laugh at his impressive array of grumpy faces.

He was wearing just such a face now, as she reclined in the grass under a shady tree he was leaning against, tessaiga hugged in between his crossed arms. His ears twitched at the sound of her quiet chuckles and he 'hmmphed' in disgust.

"Feh, what're ya laughing at, wench?"

"You. You need to learn to relax."

Inuyasha huffed again. Perhaps she was right, and he did enjoy getting to spend some quiet, uncomplicated time with her, but all the doom and dark of their journey hung heavy over his shoulders, and he couldn't just shrug it all off."

"I'll relax when Naraku is dead."

"Yeah, Yeah. That's what you always say."

"And I'll keep sayin' it 'cause it's true!"

"You're sour mood is not going to kill him any faster on this little layover than if you'd just relax for a minute. I'd tell you you're going to make your hair turn grey, but that's kind of impossible considering it's already silver."

He's shot her a look and she giggled again. He couldn't deny it was nice to see her seeming so happy and at peace. She'd been tied up in some kind of knots lately over whatever was happening to her. Truthfully he hadn't been thinking on it too much. He didn't really understand how dreams could affect a person so much. He'd had his fair share of guilt dreams and nightmares in his life, but none had ever done whatever thesethings were doing to Kagome. It didn't make any sense. And on top of it, he had a mostly living again Kikyo hanging around and changing before his eyes as well. It had all been a little more than he'd been able to process at once, so he'd kind of just let it all be. Which made him feel guilty all over again. Kagome had been through a lot since she'd been drug here, yet she was always making sure he and the others were alright and comfortable.

Some friend he was.

"Oh now what's wrong?"

"Huh?"

"Before you looked grumpy. Now you just look sad. Is it thatdepressing being here? I know being around your father's first wife is probably awkward... and there are a few portraits of him... oh Inuyasha, I'm sorry, I didn't think-"

"Shut it, wench, that ain't it at all. The Bitch who owns this place barely looks at me and ya gotta go sniffin around all sorts of dark corners to find any pictures of my old man."

"Oh. Well then...?"

He sighed and met her eyes, which stared back open and imploringly. She was always so easy to read. He wished it was so easy for him.

"How... how ya been doing lately, Kagome?"

Her brow furrowed slightly, but she smiled sweetly.

"I'm fine."

"No, I mean... ya know. You've been dealin' with all of this... stuff... whatever it is... and it's been makin' you sad..."

He trailed off and gave her the most desperate, agonized look she'd ever seen. He was trying so hard to voice his concern and, in usual Inuyasha fashion, was having a grand time being coherent enough to get his point across without screwing it all up. His look all but screamed 'help me out here, wench!' And she burst out in a round of bright giggles that left him feeling both relieved and insulted.

He reclined back against the tree and settled his facial features somewhere between a grin and a scowl. At least she'd understood him.

Kagome settled back down and wiped the stray tears of mirth from her eyes.

"You know, I still don't know for sure what is even going on, if all these changes are permanent, or if finishing the jewel will put things back to normal. Sometimes the truth of it feels like it's hiding behind some kind of veil so that I can't really see it... but then sometimes, something will just sort of dangle out of my reach, like it wants me to grab it and figure it all out. Sometimes it all weighs so heavy on me, all of these phantom feelings that belong to someone else but to me, too, at the same time. But then other times, like now, it's not so burdensome and I can just lay back and enjoy some peace."

"That don't make no kind of sense, Kagome."

She sighed again and closed her eyes against the sunlight shimmering through the leaves and branches of their shade tree.

"I know. But you know what makes even less sense?"

"What's that?"

"How are they growing trees up here in the clouds?"

Inuyasha barked out a surprised laugh and shrugged. Kagome's mind was an ever turning enigma sometimes.

Unfortunately for Kagome, it wasn't all rest and relaxation in the little oasis in the sky. When she and Sesshōmaru weren't off having whatever discussions two noble inu-yokai were want to have, the lady of the palace tended to hover near Kagome. It seemed that when she'd warned Kagome of her curiosity, she hadn't been speaking lightly.

Kagome could scarcely brush the feeling of "being watched" from her person. She felt a near permanent chill of eyes on her back. She was trying her hardest to be as unremarkable as possible, but her ever shifting soul and its abilities repeatedly caught her off guard, and her silvery shadow always managed to catch the worst of it.

When she subconsciously began singing to herself one morning after breakfast while she watched the children play, the watchful Lady was there to remark on the interesting language she knew.

When she sat to polish and sharpen her sword while Sango worked on Hiraikotsu, there she'd been to remark on how rare it was to encounter a miko who "played with swords."

When tiny Ginjiro injured himself in a game of chase and Kagome looked over it to make sure it wasn't severe, both Sesshoumaru and his mother had witnessed her accidentally heal the little prince's wound with that strange white light she'd only produced once before with one of Inuyasha's wounds. That incident had prompted a round of tense questioning she'd been very unable to provide any meaningful answers too. She was beginning to join in on her hanyo friend's eagerness to depart, if only to not be the center of such persistent scrutiny for a while.

Kagome sat across the dinner table from three whispering, giggling children wrapped in chains of sweet flowers and smiled. The little silver inu prince had come out of his reserved shell so well these last days of being able to play, and it warmed her heart thoroughly. She glanced down the table, where she was still being sat next to the Lady of the house, to see Inuyasha ignoring a conversation between Miroku and Koga to steel glances at Kikyo, who was giggling happily with Sango. She once again felt thankful that they were all getting along. She could feel her thoughts begin turning down a bittersweet path, but before she could work out all the knots in her feelings, a delicate "ahem" from the head of the table drew her attention back outward.

"My dear, strange Kagome. You will join me and my son in my study after dinner."

Caught off guard, Kagome could do no more than agree.

"Oh... yes, my lady."

She tuned out any questions that floated up through her erratic thoughts and turned back to her dinner, determined to not let the enigmatic lady unsettle her any further.

'My son has been most insistent these last days that I help you all find this... troublesome hanyo you all search so tirelessly for. What a bore that is, using my special abilities for such a thing. But, since I have been unable to shake him from my hair about this, I have agreed to lend my assistance."

Kagome perked up, excitement at possibly having a new edge to use against Naraku blinding her to the cunning smirk currently situated on the Lady Mother's face.

"Unfortunately, since I don't currently have much of a stake in this silly little battle you chase, I can't do this for nothing."

Kagome fought back a snort of disbelief. 'No stake... except maybe survival once Naraku gets his greasy fingers on the completed jewel.'

She glanced toward Sesshoumaru who stood passively beside the little desk his mother was seated behind, giving no indication that anything she said caused him any concern. She relaxed. If he wasn't worried, she would hear this out.

"Alright. What did you have in mind? Money? We don't have much of that. Well, except maybe Sesshoumaru-sama."

The silver lady smirked and slid an open scroll across her table, but Kagome suddenly felt too apprehensive to peek.

"Here are my terms. A mating contract between you... and my son."

Kagome felt Sesshoumaru's youki surge angrily, and something in her snapped and recoiled so harshly she was physically thrown back several steps, nearly falling over in the process. She could hear Sesshoumaru exchanging heated words with his mother, his voice rough with an enraged growl, but her ears were ringing and she could not make anything out. Her blood turned icy and pumped frantically through her body, leaving her feeling panicked and chilled. She struggled to catch a breath and hold her ground, everything in her prompting her to flee as if for her very life. Distantly, she thought this reaction was extreme. Sesshoumaru was a decent guy, for lack of a better word, it's not as if she were being married off to Naraku. But to the very foundations of her soul, the "deal" she was being offered felt like a death sentence, and every cell in her body revolted at the thought. Sesshoumaru was obviously trying with all of his strength not to kill his mother where she sat, and the female inu herself simply met her son's eyes calmly, satisfaction shining from their golden depths as though she could already taste her victory. At least she hadn't been the only one blindsided by this arrangement.

Kagome placed shaking hands over the spot she could feel her heart drumming firmly against her rib cage and forced a deep, clarifying breath. Cool, grey eyes flashed quickly through her mind and then something didn't make sense.

"Wait."

Both of them met her gaze with interest, and she cleared her throat to steady her voice.

"I thought.. I mean aren't you...? Your son..."

Sesshoumaru blessedly caught her meaning, and he straightened, his face falling more into his usual mask of calm control, though she could clearly see the cracks in it.

"This Sesshoumaru has no mate. My heir's mother was a political consideration, and she is now dead, in any case. However," he turned back to his mother with a heated glare tinged red with his steadily growing agitation. "that does not mean that I am willing to be bound so completely to anyone. Especially not-"

His mother's light, tinkling laughter cut him off.

"Oh Sesshoumaru. Do not try to talk me out of my desires in this with threats of hanyo. She is not human. Not completely. Not anymore. Any pups between you would be truly unique and powerful, would they not? Perfectly suitable co-heirs with Ginjiro. And she is certainly very adept at handling your little heir, is she not? And he's grown quite attached himself."

His brow furrowed in thought and Kagome felt her panic levels raise even further.

'Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. He CANT think this is a good idea!'

"This Sesshoumaru would never take a mate to satisfy yourcuriosities, mother." He spat derisively, though his mother seemed unperturbed and highly amused.

"You deny your own curiosity then, my son?"

"Curiosity is no foundation for mating."

"Ah, but any interest can grow and deepen. And you'd certainly have enough time to-"

"Enough!"

They both turned to her, brows raised in shock at her sharp command.

She balled her fists up at her sides and could feel her patchwork aura swirling around her dangerously. She took another steadying breath. She still had enough reiki to do some considerable harm if she wasn't careful.

"No."

The Lady of the castle seemed taken aback at being denied, truly not expecting any opposition on her part. She probably supposed Kagome could not do much better on her own.

"Pardon me?"

"I said no."

"Do you not think my son a suitable match? Surely you could not-"

"No that's, that's not... that's is to say..." she sighed and rubbed her eyes, feeling much too stretched.

"Look. Sesshoumaru-sama is perfect. Anyone would be lucky to be matched with him. But I'm not tying myself to someone I barely know so eternally just to make this quest go a little faster. Thank you for your offer My Lady. But the answer is no."

With that, Kagome spun on her heel and left the now tense room behind her. She stretched out what reiki she had left and zeroed in on a welcome, familiar aura and set off.

Inuyasha felt her before he heard her, though only by a few bare seconds. Her aura was swirling wildly and her reiki poked at prodded at him in what was an undeniable summons. Then her voice, fragile and desperate, reached his ears and away he leapt.

"Inuyasha?! Inuyasha!"

She was panicking and that was never good. Kagome could keep a level head in the most dire of circumstances. He'd been awed more than once at the things she managed to face without falling apart. Whatever had happened in that meeting had not been good.

"Inuyasha!"

"Wench? Wench what's-"

They both stopped when they spotted each other, and Inuyasha noted the tears tracking down her face.

'What the hell did that bastard and his mom SAY to her?!'

"Wench what the hell?!"

She ran then, aura still writhing in a panic and her breath coming out in forced pants. She was going to make herself dizzy.

"Inuyasha, we need to get out of here. Now. Get me out of here."

"Hold on a second, what happened?"

And then her eyes flashed pink and she fainted. He barely caught her before she hit the floor, and as he cradled her in his arms he stared at her in shock and horror, unable to process what had just happened.

"Inuyasha?"

He turned, staring almost blankly at a confused Kikyo who's eyes flickered between Kagome's face propped against his shoulder, and his own.

"Inuyasha what's... what's happened?"

He shook his head and shrugged helplessly, trying not to jostle Kagome too much.

Kikyo approached carefully, placing a gently hand on Kagome's forehead. Her fingertips glowed pink momentarily before she dropped her hand and stepped back.

"Her soul is fluctuating madly. It's like it's... fighting for something. Take her to the garden, somewhere mostly hidden, and sit with her until she wakes. I will bring something to calm her."

He nodded and carried her off, unable to do much more, and desperately hoping it was enough.

Chapter Text

Legolas sharpened the tips of his arrows, hoping beyond hope that the letter he sent his father would arrive soon, if it hadn't already.

He'd sent him word with the surviving elf soldiers who'd come to their aid at the battle at Helm's Deep, ensuring his safety and passing along the ominous words of the Lady Galadriel. Perhaps they would mean more to his father than they did to him. He hoped they'd offer some encouragement, in any case.

He knew his letter would take some time, as none of the soldiers had been from Mirkwood, but he trusted his father would receive it all the same.

He could feel it in his bones, things would be ending soon. They were approaching the finale, for better or worse. They'd done all they could from wherever they were, and they'd continue on, putting their faith in a pair of little hobbits making their way through desolation to save the world.

It all weighed so heavy, but they could not afford to lose hope, so Legolas scooped up his newly sharpened arrows and went off to bolster the spirits of his friends.

A dark shadow followed him and circled all around, but they'd keep it at bay, and hopefully light would prevail in the end.

When Kagome opened her eyes into a white void, she knew she must be dreaming again.

When she registered that she was fully conscious as herself, she knew this dream was very different from all the others. She looked around herself and noted her surroundings.

Nothing.

Empty and white, she was enclosed on all sides by... nothing.

She furrowed her brow and reached out tentatively with her ever dwindling stores of reiki hoping to sense something within mind numbing void. For some reason, she could see the tendril of reiki leaving her, and when it had gone no further than a foot, it sparked and recoiled sharply back into her. She jolted at the sensation of her reiki "snapping" much like a rubber band, and then the whole void around her flashed a bright, shimmering pink that felt much like the jewel she carried.

‘What... what does the jewel have to do with this?'

Suddenly, the white void melted away and she was standing off to the side in an ornate room she was fairly certain she'd never seen before.

Dark wood floors felt firm under her feet, and filmy, gauzy curtains billowed to either side of her. She turned and found an open window behind her, one that looked out over a dense, dark forest. Something about it engendered a distant feeling of home within her, and she wondered if this was the same forest she always visited in her dreams.

She heard a door open, and turned quickly to see tall man with long brown hair enter and bow stiffly. She touched her softly pointed ears when she noted his own, pointed much more sharply, but looking very different to the pointed ears of her youkai companions. He spoke, and that's when Kagome noticed she'd not been alone in the room until now.

"Majesty, I have a message from your son."

He bowed over the folded piece of paper as a strong hand with long fingers sportting several rings reached out to receive it.

"Thank you, you may go."

The answering voice sent a shiver through her. It was a shiver of anxiety, recognition, anticipation. She wasn't sure which feeling she should focus on first.

Her eyes traveled up his arm slowly, almost apprehensive about what she'd discover. She trailed up to a broad chest covered in fine threads, strong shoulders draped in shining hair of the palest gold, ears much like the other man's. She settled on his face which remained passive as his eyes ran all over the paper before he turned toward her to walk around and sit at the desk he'd been leaning against.

At the full view of his face a gasp of recognition tore itself through her before she could stop it. It was him. The male that had been haunting her dreams and her heart. He was, apparently, very real. His eyes- grey and cool, snapped up to meet hers. She almost immediately lost herself in them, and she couldn't breathe. She felt tears pricking at her eyes and she firmly clamped a hand over her mouth to keep any further sounds from escaping.

She wondered why he continued to stare at her. It wasn't as if she was hidden. He approached slowly, eyes narrowing and brows furrowed. Then, he seemed to pass right through her as he peered out of the open window. She released a shaky exhale. He couldn't see her. But she could certainly see and feel him. As he passed back through her seemingly incorporeal form, her aura twined around his and she got the full brunt of him. She found her soul, at least the new one that had been unlocking within her, recognized every part of his and it broke her and healed her all at once. Instinctively a lot made sense, but she found she had so many, many more questions.

The door opened again and suddenly his back was to her.

"Sire... they have come."

"Excellent."

He exited swiftly, robe and hair swishing behind him and leaving her feeling cold me empty.

Adrift, she looked slowly around what she assumed must be some sort of office. It was fairly lavish, though simply decorated. Her eyes trailed along the things adorning the walls before stopping at the bottom on a large tapestry on the opposite wall, right next to the desk. She took it in slowly. It was beautifully weaved, silver threads sparkling through it. Swirling blue skirts and long black hair leaning against a great, twisting tree trunk at the edge of a field of white blooms. She was enchanted by it. She'd never seen such a thing in all her life.

Her blood quickly ran cold she she reached the top of the figure depicted in the tapestry.

For there, clear as the brightest of summer days, was she herself smiling serenely back at her.

Her jaw dropped and her eyes widened. It was unmistakable. This was not a passing likeness that had led everyone to believe that she was a reincarnated priestess of the feudal era. That was her, Kagome, standing in front of her made of threads and beads.

She felt that panicky feeling returning and couldn't catch her breath. Her heart hammered against her ribs and she worried it might beat right out of her chest.

Suddenly, the floor fell out from under her and she plunged into a pink, viscous liquid, all evidence of her previous surroundings vanishing completely.

She flailed her arms, trying to swim up through the liquid to breach the surface though she could see no light shining above her to indicate there was a "surface" to breach. She swam desperately, never making progress, and her lungs began to burn before feeling like they were going to pop for lack of air. Her movements slowed and she began sinking. Just as she began to feel like she might die in this dream, a white aura swirled around and encapsulated her. She could breath again, but she felt her body "dissolve" until she was the white aura. She panicked momentarily, before she felt the most beautiful, reassuring presence she'd ever experienced cradle her gently. All that was Kagome relaxed into a peace she had never known was possible. She found she could still see, so she looked "up" as best she could. What she saw awed her completely. A being made of pure, sparkling light was holding her close. His power surged calmly around him, and its depth was more immense than anything she'd ever experienced before. She felt a deep, instinctual recognition in her soul, which reached out and brushed against his. His own essence chimed back in greeting and reassurance, and Kagome felt even more peace wash through her. Suddenly he stopped, and she heard his great, booming voice greet another.

She looked out and noticed several more beings seemingly made of light, one standing out brighter than the rest glowing a bright, soft gold. Suddenly, she recognized where she was.

That first dream she'd had, the one that had started it all. She was in the middle of it. She strained hard to make out the voices of the light beings, but all her senses were dulled considerably in this state. She made out all of the same words she'd been able to make out when she'd experienced this from a distance as just another dream, and was disheartened that she'd learn no more about this place.

Her attention was brought back to her current state when she felt herself being passed over to the golden being. This one's touch felt distinctly feminine, and did not encompass quite so much as the other being's did. But Kagome could feel her immense power all the same.

More words were spoken over her, and then she felt herself descending back down, down, down, until all she knew was darkness.

Chapter Text

Thranduil sat tall, alert, and stoic in the saddle of his mighty battle elk, sword freshly sharpened and hanging at his hip. He had halted his soldiers just inside the tree line, and even from here he could see the dust kicked up by the enemy army marching down on them in the distance. He'd received word just that morning that a large battalion of Orcs were on their way, coming to spread their darkness, to take his forest. They would die disappointed. He had already worked tirelessly to clear his forest of the taint of those spiders, and as long as he existed in this plane, darkness would never find a foothold in Mirkwood again.

'No, not Mirkwood. Greenwood stands proud and clear once more.'

Pride thrummed through him for his home kingdom, and the new legacy he'd be leaving behind for his son to rule.

'Not much longer.'

His heart kicked up a measure, hope and longing washing through him at his coming fate.

But those thoughts needed to rest for now, as the enemy marched on, growing ever closer.

He raised his hands to signal his archers. In near perfect synchrony, the sounds of arrows drawn and bowstrings pulled accompanied the usual sounds of the forest. They held their positions, ready to fire right at their king's command.

Thranduil waited until just the perfect moment, and then gave the signal.

A hail of arrows sliced through the leafy canopy of the forest, arced through the sunny blue sky, and rained down on the front lines of the marching enemy.

And the battle was joined.

Kagome peaked down over the edge of the glittering youki cloud that held the small castle they'd been staying in. She'd tip toed as close to the edge as she dared, and leaned over to try and see the earth below. She gulped at the sight. All she could see was clouds, clouds and more clouds. And then fog. She backed away and simply gazed out across the cool, sparkling sky.

When she'd finally woken up after what she could only describe as the strangest dream she'd ever had, one that still replayed over and over and troubled her mind and heart, many things had changed. She'd opened her eyes that morning to find herself in the garden, Kikyo and Inuyasha asleep against a tree just a short distance off. She'd gathered her bearings and gently woke them. She felt much calmer than she had before. Something inside her had settled, and she felt like the new soul that had been separating itself from Kikyo's inside her had finally taken root, and taken over. It certainly helped to calm her emotions.

Kikyo woke and immediately knew something had happened. Her heart was beating and all of her skin was warm. Kagome was pleased. It seemed she'd received even more of her soul back, and a new life was right in front of her.

She filled them in quickly on what had transpired with Sesshoumaru's mother, and both quickly agreed that leaving immediately was in everyone's best interest.

They gathered the rest of their group and their belongings, and had decided to take turns riding Kirara down through the clouds and back to the fields below.

Kagome volunteered to go last and stay behind , ensuring them all that she'd be fine, she just needed a few moments to herself to think over everything. Deep in her heart, she knew for a fact now, that the series of dreams she'd been having were not about a life so far in the past that all within them were gone. The dream she'd had last night had been all the proof she needed. It had been too real. He had been too real. She could still remember they way his soul felt as hers twined desperately around it without her prompting, as if it had been waiting a lifetime to do so. He hadn't noticed, and for that she was grateful, but the feeling of it haunted her all the same.

She had this new drive and desire to get that feeling back, and return to that place that should have felt like a foreign land, to a person who should have been a stranger. Yet she'd not felt so at home since all of this started.

The feeling of Sesshoumaru's approaching youki startled her out of her thoughts and she braced herself. She wasn't sure how badly she may have insulted him, but she was more sure than ever that being tied to him would have been a fate worse than death at Naraku's hands.

He appeared as unruffled and serene as ever, and his aura was calm. She simply stared in confused apprehension, and he sighed so subtly she thought she may have imagined it.

"This one will carry you down to the others. I have important information to impart to everyone. Come."

She stepped close enough that his youki cloud easily gathered under her feet. They lifted, slowly drifted past the edge of the castle's cloud, and began descending.

"I didn't know you'd still be coming with us, Sesshoumaru-sama."

He blinked.

"Um... where is Rin?"

"She will be staying."

"With Ginjiro?"

"Hn."

"I said my goodbyes to him before we left. He's a very sweet boy, Sesshoumaru-sama. You must be very proud."

"Hn."

Kagome fidgeted and tried not to ramble in her nervousness. Still, she felt she owed him an apology for her extreme behavior the night before. She'd truly meant no insult to him or his person.

"Sesshoumaru-sama... I just wanted-"

"Kagome, drop your awkwardness and guilt, it has no place here and the scent of it is offensive. I wanted no part in any of my mother's scheming, and if anyone has insulted this Sesshoumaru's dignity, it was her."

She released a breath, feeling much better, but disliking how discomfited she felt now in his presence.

"It's just... I don't know, your mom made it seem-"

He sighed out loud this time, and he looked visibly uncomfortable and disgruntled.

"I am not in love with you, miko, if that is your concern. My mother exaggerates to suit her purposes. You are a curious case, and try as I might to deny it, I am a curious being. But it is nothing more than that, and never will be. You are a wholly vexing woman and living with you would drive me to the ends of my sanity, no matter how much my heir may adore you. Put it all to rest, for it was nothing more than the greedy imaginings of my opportunistic mother and her desire to keep something close that puzzled her and held promise of something more."

Kagome felt full, blessed relief then. She hadn't really believed he held any truly deep feelings for her, but his mother hadmade it sound as though his interest in her might run a little deeper than she'd have thought possible. She'd already hurt Koga and two Hojos in that way, she couldn't stand the thought that she may be hurting someone else.

Suddenly he met her eyes and a slow, cunning smile spread across his face. Her eyes widened and she gulped in apprehension.

"Besides, your scent has shifted again."

"O-oh?"

"Hn. You no longer scent of an unattached woman. Curious indeed."

He turned away from her again, leaving her to stew in this new knowledge.

When they reached the grass, she was still gaping at him, and he stepped off his cloud with an air of satisfaction at making heras uncomfortable as she'd made him.

'Insufferable dog!'

She stepped off behind him and he addressed the group.

"After the... former Miko's little power display last night after my mother's ridiculous and impertinent behavior, this Sesshoumaru was able to... convince her to help us without some arbitrary payment."

A pleased, happy murmur flowed through their little group, and Sesshoumaru allowed his words to sink in before drawing their attention back to himself.

"She found Naraku in her spying mirror, and we discovered that he is determined to open a portal to the land of the dead, to my father's resting place."

He cut his eyes to Inuyasha's, their identical shades of gold meeting in a small understanding.

"To our father's resting place. We will take Kagome to the well to quickly gather supplies, and then we will meet Naraku in the grave of the Inu no Taishou. A grave he is undeserving of, but will soon share."

There was a finality there that was unmistakable. It settled over them all, and hope, fear, and acceptance swirled in their midst. This would be finished- soon. They could smell it, taste it, they reveled in it. Peace, revenge, freedom, they were all right therefor the taking, and Naraku, finally in their clutches, was all that stood in their way.

Kagome slid open the back door of her childhood home, entering slowly and feeling very strange and out of place. She looked around her, taking in every detail. The paint on the walls, the pictures in the frames, the tiles on the floor... she felt very distantly connected to all of it, yet she also felt like she must commit every last inch of it to memory. Something in her ached a little, and nostalgia and melancholy choked her.

She heard her mother's approaching foot steps and turned toward the direction she could hear her coming from. Unbidden, tears streamed slowly down her cheeks as she waited for the woman who raised and loved her to round the corner.

"Kamome? Is that you? I heard the do-OH! My darling! Look at you!"

She took in the physical changes her child, at least on this plane, had undergone and marveled at how much more beautiful she'd become. Her hair shimmered, her eyes sparkled, her features had matured. She stood a little taller and her bearing had become more graceful. She had truly transformed, and Keiko's heart swelled with pride and sadness. She noted the tears in Kagome's eyes and opened her arms.

"Oh my dear, come here, it will all be alright."

Soon her arms were filled with her child. Different as she was and would always remain, Keiko had nursed and cradled and mothered this woman clinging to her while she was destined to be here, and she would always be her child. No matter where fate took her from here.

For the short time they were allowed before the draw of battle and need of supplies pulled them apart, they comforted each other and whispered their love and goodbyes, knowing in their hearts that this would be their last embrace.

Keiko quieted Kagome's guilt that Sota and Grandpa were not home. She wiped her tears as Kagome gathered her last round of supplies, and they shared once last, lingering look of love and sadness, and then the door slid shut between them, and their connection was severed.

Almost immediately Keiko heard a knock on the front door, and she took a moment to collect herself before making her way to answer it.

She was greeted by a somber yet smiling group. Two she recognized right away, Inuyasha and Eiji-kun, his excitable son who'd all but steamrolled his way into her life with their last visit. There were several she didn't recognize. A handsome redhead with a portfolio under one arm, a lovely woman with the softest smile, and a sweet, shy little girl with her father's hair and ears. She was besotted on sight.

"So, I was right. This is it, then."

"Hai, it is. We thought we'd come keep you company, Higurashi-San. And I have lots to show you!"

The red headed man answered, handing her the portfolio he'd been carrying, she gave him the most genuine smile she could muster, and thanked him.

Inuyasha cleared his throat.

"You remember my youngest son Eiji. This is Shippo, resident artist. This is my mate, Kikyo, and this-" he paused, looking to the small girl resting her head on his shoulder, smiling shyly before hiding her face.

"is my youngest daughter... Kagome."

Keiko felt her heart begin to knit itself back together surrounded by what was left of her daughter's family from the other side of the Well. She soon found her daughter's sweet namesake in her lap, and she delighted at the opportunity to scratch her little ears as she cuddled close to her new Oba-Chan.

She cried more tears over the beautiful portraits from the former tiny fox kit her daughter had saved and loved as a mother, determined to find the perfect frame for the last in the pile- a perfect rendering of her baby girl in all of her transformed glory, the last she'd appeared before she was sent away from them forever.

When they departed, memories, tears, and dinner shared, they left her with promises of more family to come. Two more former children with their own hanyo offspring, and a former Lord finally reunited with his brother. Her daughter would never know the legacy she'd left here, but Keiko would cherish these people for her with all of her heart. It was enough. She would be forever surrounded by Kagome's love through these people, and her heart found a great, resounding peace.

Chapter Text

How they managed to meet Naraku just as he was opening his portal they would never know, but they sent up a quick prayer of thanks for small, heavenly favors and gave chase. Upon sighting them, Naraku had quickly turned tail and attempted to leap through his portal and close it behind him. He nearly succeeded, but a blazing pink comet from Kikyo's bow halted whatever dark magic he was utilizing, and gave them enough time to jump through after him.

It had been quite some time since Kagome and Inuyasha had battled Sesshoumaru in their father's ruins, and she was left no less breathless at the sheer, gargantuan size of him. He dwarfed even Sesshoumaru, and she couldn't stop her mind from trying to imagine what such a being must have been like in life.

Grizzly as their coming confrontation promised to be, a small pulse of gratification thrummed through her that both his sons were here to fight together this time, instead of fighting each other. She hoped he'd be proud of them both.

They continued to pursue Naraku toward the great bones of the Inu no Taisho. He didn't throw so much as a ball of miasma as he raced desperately toward something somewhere on the ribcage. Kikyo gasped and called out, and then Kagome felt the telltale sensation of a nearby shard, though much, much fainter than usual.

'So that's it, then. He's after the last shard.'

Sesshoumaru poured all of his youki into increasing his already unparalleled speed, and he streaked forward in a bright beam of blinding light. He met Naraku there in front of the spot his father's heart once beat, and his sword flashed dangerously as he began in his attempt to draw blood on the vile spider.

As usual, Naraku had many disposal parts filled with miasma to sacrifice to the dog lord's sword, so it was as futile as any other attempt to harm him physically. Inuyasha and Koga worked together to take down Kagura, who was still guarding the baby who was the vessel to Naraku's heart. Hiraikotsu spun in and out, decimating hell wasps and Miroku twirled his staff and tore through any low level demons managing to escape Naraku's body. Kikyo shot well timed arrows flaring to life with bright, incandescent purity, and Kagome decided she'd be best suited keeping an eye out on her friend's backs. He sword and arrows, glowing a much duller pink now, saved them all more than once as she edged herself closer and closer to a distracted Kagura on her feather, and the living, beating heart of their greatest adversary.

Legolas wiped his brow and ran around the outer perimeter of the battle field collecting arrows. He could hear Gimli bellowing out another victory, and he quickly refilled his quiver and dashed back into the thick of battle. He had a bet to win, after all.

The black gate loomed in the distance as he made his way back to the center of the melee, and he unsheathed his blades to cut a path through the swarming orcs and other dark allies of Sauron.

Though he used these less often than his bow, he was still more than formidable with them, and had soon added to his growing number of fallen enemies.

This was sure to be the bloodiest battle they'd endured yet, but he could feel the end grow ever nearer, and so hope and adrenaline fueled his heart and pumped his blood through his veins ever faster.

If he had any say, they would stand victorious, and darkness would lose all footholds it had so far managed to cling too in this realm.

The distant call of his forest home tugged at his soul, and he fought on.

His sword flashed one last time, releasing an orc of his ugly head.

It was almost sad... almost. They had never truly stood a chance. Thranduil's losses in this pathetic attempt to overthrow his forest for Sauron were minimal. The blood that stained this swath of grass at the edge of his realm belonged to no Elf he called his own.

No, the blood that pooled here belonged only to the dark, witless dregs of Sauron's army.

It was almost insulting how weak these 'soldiers' had been, how easily they had fallen. Thranduil supposed he could be thankful instead.

He took stock of his injured and ordered the passing of rations as they moved off away from the gruesome sight of a battle won.

The scavengers would be gathering. They sooner they could leave this place, the sooner it would be cleaned up.

They all marched slowly back through the trees, the injured secured to their horses and their scant few dead wrapped up respectfully.

Spare sun beams found their way through the thick canopy, warming their faces and illuminating their hair. Rabbits and fox kits scurried behind bushes, oblivious to the carnage that lay just beyond their forest refuge. Birds fluttered and twittered, swooping low to warn intruders away from their eggs. They all gazed around in awe. How quickly the birds and beasts had returned once the dark pall of evil had been purged from this place

The air around them was light and it sparkled with life and promise.

Naraku grew desperate, and so he grew sloppy, but he also grew crazed. He through all he had in his arsenal at them, every spare fodder youkai, all the poison filled tentacles he could summon, the last of his hell bugs, even a few weak incarnations. He had simply lost too much of the jewel, and therefore could not regenerate himself as quickly or as fully as he once had been able. They slowly chipped away at him and his defenses, and Kagome was able to peel away to collect stray arrows to replenish the quivers between she and Kikyo.

Finally, after what seemed an eternity in the endless throngs of battle, Kagome could see an entry. She quickly yanked Kikyo to her side, who was, thankfully, close nearby. She relayed her plan, and the once dead priestess nodded firmly.

Kagome found Sango hovering above them on Kirara. All her pieces had been exactly where they'd needed to be. She thanked the Kami under her breath, called out to the fierce taija to release Hiraikotsu, and readied an arrow with Kikyo.

The great bone boomerang spun heavily through the ever shrinking crowd of low level youkai, clearing a swath of them right up to Kagura, still sitting on her feather and clutching Naraku's heart. However, it stopped short, having bounced off of tessaiga and snagging Inuyasha's attention.

"Inuyasha, Koga, move!"

At the sound of Kagome's command, Inuyasha snatched Koga by the scruff and hauled him away. He protested, and Inuyasha offered to leave him to be purified if he wished. He took note of Kikyo and Kagome's position and quickly hopped out of the way.

Path clear and shot perfectly lined, the two raven haired archers Flared as much power between them into their shared shot, and the corona of purity was massive and blinding. Kagome could feel a foreign power bubble up within her true soul, and it bolstered the reiki swirling between her and the woman she had once thought was her past. She was so glad things had changed the way they had.

Finally the time had come.

"Go!"

They released their bowstrings, and their arrows flew in perfect unison toward their dual target, shining like the sun and burning with purity. Naraku tried to slow its progress and dull it affect by filling its path with more castoffs, but he simply did not have enough left to spare. Sesshomaru blocked his attempt to intervene with his own body, no doubt planning on snatching his heart away and retreating to repair his damage in secret. But he was driven back by the dog lord's unforgiving sword.

Kagura, unable to defend herself in her injured state, and knowing her fan attacks would do nothing against such a powerful blast of purity, decided she was ready to be free, one way or another. She was overcome, and did not try to shield the infant vessel of her master's heart. He wasn't truly a helpless infant anyway. She felt no remorse, only elation at her release from slavery to the depraved hanyou that had created her.

As Naraku watched his heart dissolve, he felt the searing pain of Sesshoumaru's glowing poison claws tear through his chest to were his half of the jewel was kept. Right in the spot his heart should have been. He was eaten from the inside out by the corrosive energy of the inuyoukai who was his doom. The body of the spider crumbled. And he was no more.

Sesshoumaru closed his hand around the accursed bauble, looked up at the remains of his father, and began his decent to his comrades.

Luckily, the portal Naraku had opened had not fully closed, Kikyo's reiki doing a thorough job purifying Naraku's magics from it and keeping it open. They stepped through, dazed at the knowledge that it was over, and that they were free.

The chunk of the jewel belonging to Naraku was presented to Kagome, and then Koga relinquished his own shards to her, ready to be done with it and move on from the darkness it had caused him.

Kagome looked at all the shards and wilted.

She met the sister of her heart's eyes and wanted to cry.

"Kohaku's shard... it's here. They're all here."

Sango stepped forward and placed her hand comfortingly on Kagome's shoulder.

"It's alright, Kagome. I will grieve, and I will live. End this. Get rid of it. We won't let it take anyone else."

Encouraged by her friend's bravery, she closed her hand around the remaining shards and poured all of her remaining reiki into her fist of shards. It glowed and then dimmed, and when she opened her hand, the jewel was whole once more.

Deep in a mountain in a land of death, a weary hobbit opened his fingers and watched absently as the ring he'd been clutching desperately for longer than he would ever have wanted too fell swiftly into a lake of molten stone below. It hissed as it sank to its doom, though the tired hobbit could not hear it.

He felt the hooks it had gotten into his heart and mind release, and blessed relief made his body sag.

It was over. It was done.

Chapter Text

Almost as soon as it had been revealed, pure and pink and whole, the jewel began to glow and warm, rising from Kagome's palm and pulsing like a tiny quasar.

She stared at it dumbly, and she could hear her the frightened voices of her friends as they tried to reach her, to warn her.

The growing aura of the Shikon no Tama began to coalesce around her, shrouding her from view with its bright, dazzling light display. It swirled and pulsed brighter, and soon all in the field with her had to hide their faces to protect their eyes. The power filling the air was suffocating, and felt as though it would crush them all before, almost as soon as it started, it stopped. The air cleared completely and a chatter of birdsong reached their ears. They would have believed they had imagined it, if not for the fact that Kagome no longer stood with them, and the jewel was gone with her.

Kagome looked around her with awe and interest. She knew she was somewhere in the jewel, as she could feel it around her somewhere, but this place looked nothing like the last time she'd been in a place made from its influence.

She was in a glittering glade surrounded by lush trees. A sparkling pond stretched across it's middle, a doe and her faun drinking from it while pond skimmers danced across its surface.

A pair of blue birds the color of the sky flew overhead and butterfly circled around her, tickling her skin. The air smelled like spring and she wondered, for a brief moment, if she might actually be dead.

A deep, warm chuckle sounded behind her. It stirred up a shocked recognition deep within her, and she spun to see a tall, ethereal being clothed in light. She could not make out his features for the blinding aura that he seemed to be completely made of, but something about him made her feel so safe, so warm, so loved. Tears wet her cheeks and she had the strong urge to bow or curtsy or full on plant her face in the grass before him, but before she could make any moves, he reached out and brushed her tears away, holding her face up to meet his.

"Oh, my child, you have done well."

His touch and his voice clicked together a few of the puzzle pieces that she'd been storing up, and she knew who this was.

"Iluvatar." She breathed in wonder, and she got the distinct impression that he was smiling.

"Yes. I have come to thank you for your service to a dear friend of mine. She would have come herself, but she is very busy. I believe you know her as Amaterasu."

She gasped at that name. She did know who that was.

"Amaterasu-Kami-sama?"

"Indeed. She was in great need of assistance, and you have been a great boon to helping her restore order to her realm. But, it is time to come home, Little One, there are others who need you now."

"Home?" She could scarcely take in what she was hearing and she would have despaired at how lost she felt. She felt Iluvatar place his hand on her forehead, and she was consumed by his love and power. It washed through her, surrounding her soul and her mind and opened all the places within her still locked away. Suddenly, every other puzzle piece placed themselves in their correct order, and her mind whirred to fill in all the blanks. And then before her was the whole picture, complete at last. The full knowledge of her identity, her heritage, her home, her name settled in her and chased away all the remaining distance and darkness between her heart and soul and she couldn't believe she'd ever thought she could be anything else. Tears of relief and happiness poured from her eyes. She felt her ear tips and hair lengthen, she felt herself grow several inches taller, she felt Iluvatar's power swirl around her, leaving her clothed in a shining white gown and crowned in a simple silver circlet. She was complete and the relief she felt was nearly crippling in its intensity.

She also saw the reason she'd been taken from her family and brought here, and shuddered at the dark possibilities that had awaited her had she been left to drift bodiless in a land consumed with so much evil.

"You will be allowed to say goodbye of course. And you may offer the fox boy a place at your side. Should he wish to follow you, I would welcome him."

She beamed, grateful for such an offering and nodded her readiness to return to her friends one last time.

The hodge podge group of bickering friends were silenced as the most radiant being any of them had ever seen blinked into existence where Kagome had been standing, and disappeared from, mere moments before.

They were stunned, even Sesshoumaru willing to admit he'd never seen such a being even among youkai.

She fairly shined, and it took them all several moments of gaping like fish before they realized who stood before them.

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked tentatively, and when she beamed and her eyes sparkled they sighed in relief and swarmed her.

Shippō buried his face in her shoulder and Sango and Kikyo ran fingers through her hair and inuyasha and Koga took in the final shifts in her scent and all it told them about her.

'Woman. Mother. Wife. Other.'

Sesshoumaru kept a respectable distance.

She stepped back, taking in each of their faces and etching them all into her memory like treasures in a vault.

"I'm here to say goodbye."

"Goodbye? But... where are you going?"

Sango's voice wavered, and Kagome took her hand and squeezed it.

"I must go home now, my task here is complete."

"Home? You mean through the well?"

"No. I'm afraid I'm going much, much farther than that."

Her voice was bright and melodic and wrapped around all of their hearts. There was something about her now that seemed more complete and at peace, more serene, though a shimmering spirit bubbled just beneath. It was hard to reconcile this woman with the girl Kagome had been, but all of that was there and more. They lamented that they apparently would not get to know her the way she was meant to be.

"I cannot tell you all how much each of you has come to mean to me, even you, Sesshoumaru-sama."

She giggled at his look of discomfort, but he managed to nod in agreement anyway, and it warmed her.

"Shippo, would you like to come with me?"

"You... you really want me too?"

"Nothing would honor me more. You will be welcome in my home, should you choose to follow me."

He stared up at her, his heart in his eyes. She was the reason he was even alive, and the thought of parting from her tore at him. But then two more childlike faces flashed in his memory, and he turned to look at the mismatched little family he'd found for himself and he knew where he was needed.

He turned back to meet her gaze, so familiar and so different, and she could read his answer in his eyes. She squeezed him close to her heart, kissed his head, and tried not to cry in his hair.

"Oh, my sweet little fox, you make me so proud. Never forget how much I love you and will miss you. Any of you. You will alllive in my heart for as long as it beats." And she knew, even if they didn't, that that would be forever.

The gathered around her once more, even Sesshoumaru coming close enough to lay his hand on her shoulder. She hugged them all close, whispered her affections to each of them personally, pleaded with Sesshoumaru to give her love to Ginjiro and Rin. Finally she turned to Inuyasha and Kikyo, who was now fully living again. She beamed once more, so pleased with how their fates had played out.

"Be happy, be so so happy." Inuyasha blushed and Kikyo wiped at a stray tear, unable to adequately thank the woman in front of her for her good fortune.

She hugged Inuyasha one last time. She had started this quest with him, and he'd come to be so special to her.

She framed his face with her hands, noticed just how boyish he looked, memorized every flash of gold in his eyes.

"Please take care of Mama. And Sōta and Jii-Chan."

"Of course, Kagome. Always."

She tweaked his ear one last time, feeling a distant tug on her soul. It was time.

Behind her she felt an ancient magic swirl and tear an opening between to separate realms.

She turned, and then he was there.

Thranduil walked sedately through his forest, breathing in air cleaner than he'd remembered it being in centuries. The peace that radiated through the leaves and branches seeped through his skin and settled in his bones, and the sun warmed him and glinted off the silvery threads of his simple tunic. He wore no crown this day, his hair blew free in the breeze and his mouth wore an near permanent grin as he took in the forest life flitting about with their mates and young ones. He was proud, so proud of what he'd be leaving his son when he left. He only needed to wait for Legolas' return home and then finally his soul would be free to be whole once more.

A shift in the air several yards in front of him drew his attention, and his brow furrowed and his hand moved to his sword at his hip as something began churning and rippling before his eyes. He drew his blade and held it out at the ready, in case this was some last ditch effort on behalf of Sauron or Saruman. The ripples began swirling and an ancient magic ebbed around him, just lifting the ends of his hair. The air split, and nothing opened up to the greatest something he would never have predicted. What waited on the other side of this mysterious portal was no bringer of darkness, but a bearer of a light so breathtaking he knew not what to do with it.

His eyes blew wide and his mouth fell open and he dropped his sword to the grass at his feet. It thunked awkwardly but in his disbelief he could not find the spare attention to notice.

He could simply do no more than stare. And then she was stepping through. And then she was approaching. And then she was there.

The little group of former shard hunters watched with a mix of despair and rejoicing as their miko out of time became a... something returned home. It seemed all of her dreams that had been tearing her apart had finally managed to make her whole, and as she walked slowly to the being standing on the other side of the hovering portal they held their breath and their tears.

They all noted the look of awe and love on his face, the way he eyes roamed over her, afraid she might leave if he looked away for even a moment. They way he cradled her face so gently, as if he feared she would turn to smoke if he was too rough. The way he whispered reverently, as if he feared she would shatter like an illusion If he spoke too loud.

This was their bitterest goodbye, but the sweet evidence they were being granted that she would be loved, that she would be protected and cared for, soothed their hearts enough to breath again.

It was with dismay that they watched the portal begin to close, and it was with love that they sent off a silent farewell and prayer of safekeeping, as the opening shrank to a pinhole and blinked closed.

And their connection was severed.

Thranduil sank to his knees before the shining image of his wife, his beloved, and she followed him down and stroked his cheek.

His grey eyes met her blue and he finally found his voice.

"Elloth-nin... have I died then?"

She smiled so softly at him, and it was so much more beautiful than his memories had been able to capture.

"No. No, my love, you are not dead."

His heart broke again, and she panicked at the look of sad resignation that filled his eyes.

"Then I have gone mad. And soon I will wake and find you gone from me once more."

Her hands came up and she framed his beautiful face, forcing him to look her in her eyes.

"No. I'm here, and I'm never leaving again."

She caught his hand and placed it over her heart, and when he felt it beating against his palm his face lit up with the purest elation.

He tangled his fingers in her hair yanked her forward. And then he was kissing the life out of her and she was clutching at him like she'd be torn away again if she ever let go.

They shared tears and whispered words of love and promise, reestablishing bonds and embracing on the forest floor as the sun sank below the horizon and the stars twinkled to life.

In the chilly dawn of the next morning, Thranduil escorted his beloved wife into their home, and ordered preparations for a grand feast the moment his son returned from war. The castle seemed to bloom with life around him with her mere presence, and a lively bustle echoed all through the halls. There was much to do to prepare.

They would not disappoint their king as they celebrated the return of the queen.

Chapter Text

Thranduil reclined against a large, shady tree at the edge of a particular, very special field of flowers. He was the picture of serenity and contentment, the loose folds of his robe pooling around him and the sun glowing off of his hair. Anyone looking from outside his little sanctuary would see him for the ethereal forest spirit he was.

But the only thing that the reigning king of Greenwood the Great had eyes for, was the small, slumbering bundle in his lap.

He ran one of his fingers through the black curls covering her head, and then down one of her tiny, pointed ears. She breathed in and sighed, and he couldn't fight his indulgent smile at the sound of her sleepy exhale.

If her eyes had been open, they would have stared back with the same grey as his own. That was all his little princess had inherited from him, save, perhaps, for his more sedate personality. In all other ways, she was every inch the mirror of her mother. She was beautiful. Perfect. He could not be more pleased.

He recalled again the tale is wife had told him about her time away. Living as a human, traveling through time, collecting a shattered, dangerous jewel, defeating an evil being bent on world domination. He also recalled the words of Galadriel that his son had passed on, about a ring and a jewel. It seemed impossible, the odds they'd had to beat to be returned to one another, separated as they were not by death, but by time and space itself. She'd been sent to an entirely different realm ruled by a foreign pantheon. He didn't like to think of the consequences of just one thing going awry. He lifted the infant princess and cradled her against his shoulder, feeling thankful that they had overcome, and that this sweet princess been gifted to them. She was their gift, their reward. She would be cherished.

A loud thump sounded next to him, bringing his attention back to his surroundings. He glanced over to find Legolas sitting there, hands outstretched and an expectant look on his face.

He shouldn't have been surprised. He'd been left alone with the babe for a few hours already, and as Legolas had taken to elder brotherhood like a song bird to air, it was about that time that he came back round to hog her for himself again.

Thranduil switched the baby to his other shoulder and narrowed his eyes.

"This child is mine. You know what to do if you desire one of your own to smother with your presence."

Incensed, and a little embarrassed at such an implication, Legolas 'hummphed' and crossed his arms.

"Just stop being selfish and hand over my sister. You've been holding her all day!"

Thranduil certainly thought such an accusation coming from him was rich indeed. It took a feat of impressive strength to pry the babe from the prince's arms once he'd gotten hold of her. He was certainly in no hurry to hand her back over to her greedy brother. He made an exaggerated show of snuggling her close, kissing the top of her head and resting his cheek upon her hair.

"I thought you were going for a stroll with your mother to make flower necklaces or some other such nonsense."

"I was, but then I realized how long you've been holding mybeloved sister. You spend too much time with her, she'll never learn to have fun at this rate!"

"Well perhaps another person with my good sense is just what this household needs."

"You two are both just awful. Give her to me."

Legolas smiled sheepishly at his mother, and Thranduil passed his still sleeping daughter over with a distinct look of displeasure.

He smiled lovingly though, at the picture his wife made cooing at their new child so like her in appearance. Until her sweetly spoken words made it past the fuzzy barrier of happiness that seemed to wrap around his mind like cotton nowadays.

"Don't worry, my little one. I'll teach you all about how to handle these fussy men. It's not so hard. None of them are very bright, after all."

Legolas laughed merrily, though Thranduil could manage no more than a wry smile. He shook his head and sighed.

"You are all going to ruin her."

But then the small form of his beloved was snuggled against his side as his son ran off with the sleeping girl in question to daydream of all the ways he would corrupt her to drive him to madness. It was, truly, the life he'd always dreamed of, a life he thought he was destined to forfeit on this side of his existence. One that had been handed back to him, and the only expectation attached was that he would live it. He entwined his fingers with his queen's and propped his chin on the top of her head.

Oh yes. Live it he would. Every second.

"I love you, husband."

For eternity.