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Murmured words of merchants drifted to Kagome's ears, coupled with the soft clanking of wooden trinkets hanging from eaves that danced in the breeze. The full moon's glow casted shadows through the sparsely-populated dirt road, bordered by various tents and wooden stalls.
"Watch it," a man grumbled to her with a wretched stare, nearly bumping into her as he passed. She weaved through the gathered tradesmen, her boots becoming slick with mud and hay that covered the walkway, her path lit by a few hanging lanterns and the moonlight. This area of the kingdom wasn't exactly known for its pure-intentions, so she pulled her hooded cloak tighter around herself, obscuring her features from view.
Kagome had never intended to become a face on a wanted poster. To be fair, she hadn't actually done anything yet that would warrant them wanting her head. Her lineage had been what condemned her. She had lived peacefully within the palace walls with her mother and brother, until a stray, ruthless guard tried to beat a child half-to-death. And how was she supposed to just sit back and watch?
Chased from the palace, Kagome had found a way to survive by stealing what she needed, and offering aid to those who didn't denounce her abilities. The rest of her family had been put to death, she was sure, but she couldn't rest until she knew for certain. If they had been executed, then her next path was clear: to bring down the kingdom.
But she had no idea exactly how to make that happen.
Her brown eyes considered each tent that housed different peddlers, until she came upon one hidden in the shadows and tucked out of view of the main drag. An intricate, wooden carving of a hand with its palm facing up hung just to the side of the tent flaps. With a confirming pulse of her aura, she knew she had found who she was looking for.
Kagome dipped her head as she pushed the curtain flap aside and stepped into the semi-darkness of the tent. A single lantern on the table in the center caused a soft glow to illuminate the room. Shelving that bordered the walls had various mixtures in vials and a collection of ingredients for witches' brew - bones, insects, and medicinal herbs.
A few of them she was able to put a name to, and could vividly recall the pictures sketched in her mother's herbalism book. Being an apothecary was her mother's specialty, and she took great pride in passing down her teachings to Kagome whenever the chance presented itself.
Kagome's heart ached at the memory of her mother in their kitchen, book open on the counter, as she prattled on about a new concoction she was brewing.
"Good evening," a man's sultry voice filled the tent.
She startled and spun around, her hands grabbing ahold of one of the shelves as she stumbled back.
A man with a long, hooded-cloak stepped into the tent and chuckled at her reaction. "No need to be frightened, Kagome. After all, you searched for me, didn't you?"
Her name on his tongue befuddled her further. "How do you know my name?" she asked, watching as he crossed the small room and sat down at the table.
He gestured with his hand to the chair across from him. "Please, sit."
She cautiously lowered herself into the seat. "You didn't answer my question."
The man smiled and slowly pulled back his hood, gaze meeting hers, and causing a heated pink to flush her cheeks. His eyes were violet like the deep sea; clear and vivid, and she could almost hear the waves falling against the shore. Their currents could easily take her out to sea and drown her in their depths.
"I know many things," he answered her. "Isn't that why you sought me out?"
Kagome swallowed thickly, and pulled her hood down from her head to reveal herself. It was true she had been looking for him, but all she knew was a fabled story her mother once told her.
"If you're ever in danger, seek out the man with violet eyes and an upward palm."
It had never made sense to Kagome, no matter how many times her mother had told her that phrase over the years. Perhaps it was because she knew of Kagome's ancestry, that she very well could be born with the abilities shamed by the kingdom.
"I did," she confirmed, folding her hands on the table and leveling him with her gaze. Now that she had found him, she felt the fear she had kept hidden away since she escaped the castle beginning to bubble to the surface. She took a moment to force it back down, his steady gaze causing her to feel uneasy.
He swept fingers through his dark bangs and then held out his hand. "No need to concern yourself with your tale," he assured her. "I'm already aware. Now please, give me your hand."
Kagome, too stunned to argue against him, slowly did as he asked. "My mother-"
"Ah ah ah!" He held up his hand to quiet her. "Your palm will tell me all I need to know."
His hands, smooth to the touch, gingerly turned her palm upwards, his eyes studying the lines she bore.
"Your headline is forked - you are full of ideas, and can be an excellent mediator," he murmured. He tilted his head. "A deep thinker with a rational approach to problem solving. And although you tend to get distracted easily, you're blooming with creativity and practicality. However, the separation between your heart and head lines reveal you were separated from your childhood home at a young age."
She swallowed thickly. "I didn't come here for a palm reading," she snarked, a tad annoyed by his arrogance. "I know where my life has been. I need to know where to go from here."
He ignored her plea, instead tilting his head with an amused gleam in his eyes. "Your heart line speaks of you being a sensitive person, very romantic and forthright in love." He sent her a flirtatious smile. "It curves in a way that suggests you may have an active libido."
Kagome's cheeks now flushed red, as she attempted to yank her hand back from him, but he held firm. "How dare you!" she shouted, ready to give up on her mother's instructions. Regardless of what her mother said, Kagome was not about to subject herself to such talk.
"Relax," he said with a chuckle, running his thumb over her palm as he gripped her wrist firm. "I only read what the palm tells me. I swear I do not jest, and I would never take advantage of a woman seeking my guidance."
She rooted her jaw, but relaxed her hand into his again. "You seem to know more about me than I've disclosed," she reminded him. "So you must know what I'm capable of."
The jovial expression fell to one of apology. "That I do." He cleared his throat then, settling his gaze back on her palm. "Your life line is deep, which means fewer problems, but that you are more resilient in every sense. There are crossings, showing you will have unexpected dangers or suffer mishaps during your life. And they're very clear - I fear the situations will be far worse than you can anticipate."
Kagome's mother had always warned her that her actions would have consequences, that it was not just her life she would put in danger should she act impulsively. It had been something she had drilled into her since a young age. But regardless of her mother's teachings, how could Kagome rightfully sit back and watch a child be beaten half-to-death by a pompous guard who was having a bad day?
Always airing on the side of caution, Kagome knew her mother would've been proud of her for standing up for someone in need, despite the consequences. Yet, that didn't help ease her worry for her family's safety.
And this man's words only solidified her concerns further.
His brows furrowed then as he continued to study her palm, and her interest was piqued. Despite her skepticism of the man her mother led her to, she couldn't help her curiosity. "What is it?"
"You are certainly a rarity," he murmured, his eyes lifting to study hers. "You have no fate line, which is nothing to fret over, as it only means you control your own destiny." He then pointed to a line that curved the bottom of her palm. "But this here is a Warrior line. It shows you have inner spiritual awareness, and a guardian angel."
"Guardian angel?" she parroted, observing the line he spoke of. "Well, they're doing a shitty job."
He chuckled at her statement as he released her hand. "Well, to be fair, perhaps you hadn't met them yet."
She opened her mouth to ask him what he meant, when there was a sudden commotion outside of the tent. Her heart beat thrummed in her ears as she turned, her mouth running dry, frigid terror running down her spine.
"Are you sure there were sightings of her this way?" a man said, footsteps nearing.
"That's what the scouts said. Let's just finish sweeping so we can get back to drinking."
"I have to-" Kagome's words were cut off as she stood, ready to run from the king's guards, but suddenly, a cloak was thrown over her and the lantern was snuffed out.
"Quiet," the man whispered in her ear, his arms embracing her, his body wrapped around her like a cocoon. "Listen to me very carefully."
She nodded her head, eyes wide, her breath quickening, her senses overcome with the smell of damp pine. His heartbeat raced beneath her ear as she waited for his instructions, all while the guards' footsteps drew closer.
"Follow my lead and don't look back."
He didn't give her time to respond. In one fluid movement, he pulled her hood back over her face to conceal her features, and grabbed her hand, tugging her quickly toward the back of the tent.
Pulling back a portion of the tent to reveal the outside, he paused and looked over his shoulder at her. His eyes sparkled with the moonlight and he smiled. "My name's Miroku, by the way."
She gaped up at him, because now was not the time for formal introductions. The guards were just outside of the tent, their voices rising in crescendos as they neared.
He drew her close to him, and as she peered up at him, she could feel his breath whisper against her lips. "I have some friends I think you should meet," he murmured, his tantalizing gaze seeming to devour her as they stood shrouded in darkness. "They're very good at what they do and will help you, if you let them."
Two weeks ago, Kagome couldn't have fathomed herself living outside the castle walls, let alone trapezing around the countryside searching for a fabled prognosticator.
But now here she was, with the kingdom's guard on her tail, and a mysterious, violet-eyed man offering her aid. His aura spoke of no ill-will, nor his countenance, and her mother's advice continued to echo in her ears.
The life Kagome had always known was over. What more did she have to lose?
"Let's go," she said.
He grinned, causing heat to pool in her core. "Follow me, then, Princess."
And then they were running. The rhythm of her boots pounded against the dirt as she chased Miroku into the unknown.