Edge of the Sword by Aura Depths

A Summons

Disclaimer: I make no profits writing this, I don't own Inu-Yasha or its characters but I do have rights to my original characters (which anyone may use in their own stories with notification).

Notice: A glossary is provided on my profile.

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~*The Edge of the Sword*~

Chapter 1

A Summons

Kagome twirled a leafy stem of herb between her thumb and forefinger, idly riding back to Kaede's Village. The sun was warm on her back as it angled to set, and the saddle was firm under her bottom. She now lived in the feudal era full-time, but even a year of infrequent riding still hadn't broken her in to the uncomfortable mode of transportation. These trips to and from Jinenji's farm to study and collect rare herbs were slowly building up her resistance, but the rides home always had her daydreaming of a good hot soak near the end.

The barest sensation of yōki had her blink and glance over toward the nearby treeline. Spotting a familiar figure in white, she brought her mare to a stop and dismounted, patting the inquisitive muzzle. The sudden urge to pat and smooth her miko garb had her small smile faltering, but she soon reined herself in and offered a greeting to her visitor. “Good afternoon, Sesshōmaru-sama.”

“Miko,” he began frigidly, and not in a friendly or even a formal way. Her smile faltered. Sure, expecting him to be friendly was like expecting a frog to grab a hat and cane and start high-step dancing while singing Joseph Howard's 'Hello! Ma Baby', but him cutting straight to a point had her wondering exactly how offended he had been by her practically calling him a brother all those months ago. Sure, he acted this way with everyone – save Rin, of course – but damn it the guy's disregard was infuriating.

The stoic male – she felt odd calling him a man, considering that he wasn't by strict definition – moved in the blink of an eye to stand a mere five feet away. Kagome, craning her neck to meet his gaze, couldn't help but think that her head would have been higher than his had she remained mounted.

“What do you know of the visitors?”

“Eh?” she inquired lightly, truly surprised. Autumn was settling in, so people would be traveling less and preparing more for winter at home. “Visitors? From a nearby village, or traveling merchants?” His expression darkened at her questions, and she defiantly pinched up her expression right back at him. There was an easily breached limit to how much rudeness she'd accept from anyone anymore, even from Sesshōmaru.

“What is their goal, miko?”

“I'm not telepathic, you know,” she replied a little heatedly. “And even if I was you'd still be too closed off for me to understand. I haven't been back for days, so what visitors?”

“Hn.” His gaze turned further down the small dirt road with grass growing between narrow wheel tracks, towards Kaede's Village.

Sighing, and considering the short duration Sesshōmaru spent in someone's company willingly, she decided to simply tolerate him and tried to piece together an answer; else he may just spook her horse for fun and she wouldn't make it home until well past nightfall. “We're not expecting visitors,” she attempted, controlling her tone a good deal more than before. “Villagers come to us sometimes for remedies, and Miroku and Inu-Yasha have patrons coming every now and then to call on their services.” But he already knew that. Her eyebrow ticked at that thought. “Is everything alright at the village?”

A glare was her answer, and then he simply vanished, body and aura together. Rolling her eyes, she decided to walk alongside her mare for a time, giving the horse a break considering the two long wicker baskets she bore, stocked full of herbs for medicine for the winter. After twenty minutes she sensed him again, Sesshōmaru's yōki unfolding nearby. She wondered if that served the same function as someone clearing their throat upon entering a room and not being noticed by a present occupant.

Looking around didn't reveal the inugami daiyōkai, so she continued walking, wondering what he could possibly hope to achieve with these antics. Within forty seconds there were two men on horseback, riding at a trot around the edge of the woods down the bending road towards her. They stopped ten feet away, and she planted her feet as well.

“Are you the miko of the nearest village?”

She studied them. These men were human, but had an aura of self-possession and pride which could have stood in the shadow of Sesshōmaru's; he cast a long shadow, but they still managed being on a fuzzy edge.

“I am she.”

The men wore the same colors and armor, identifying them as uniformed soldiers though she could decipher neither rank nor which lord they served. Their clothing was dirty with travel, which would take at least three days by horse to do, so they could have hailed from anywhere. The closest location was Edo, a day's ride away through troublesome thickets, so she contemplated if they came from the next nearest budding city. On a side note, it still baffled her that Edo would grow to envelop Kaede's village over the years, turning into the Tokyo she knew and missed.

“Miko-sama,” the same man addressed, eyes shadowed in his open-faced helmet by the cast of the afternoon sun. He had a strong jaw, and an often broken nose judging by its shape. “You have been summoned and enlisted in the service of our holy Emperor in our time of need. You will be accompanying us until your services are no longer needed.”

She could only stare in mute disbelief, though her mouth did try to utter something as it opened and closed and her tongue flapped about uselessly.

“Come,” the guard nearly barked, and while he turned his horse about the silent soldier, bearing thin lips and a nicked out scar on his upper right cheek, rode closer.

“Get about it, miko-sama.”

Eying the sword at his hip, she offered a warm glare and got herself into the saddle, proceeding to follow the first soldier while thin-lips rode close behind. She found herself to be trapped between them, and pondered the somewhat open meadows before they entered the forest engulfed portion of the road. Did they think she would run? Well, sure, she had ideas for it, but the notion was a silly one. This was nothing compared to how often she had been kidnapped while hunting for the Shikon no Tama. They were uniformed men after all, not thugs, not oni, not a particular ōkamiyōkai, not even a centipede with nudist ideals and lusting issues. The number of questions she had did make her restless though, which had her horse tossing her head now and again. Questions, for her... 'entourage', and for a persistently following inuyōkai.

Irked, she cast a chilled look towards the forest and with her ki singed the free-flowing yōki back to the edge of the treeline. It flared angrily around its source, but he received the message and kept it to himself. Too much contact with yōki gave her arms gooseflesh, and too much in a certain area could be picked up by the average human, though they simply got an itch between their shoulders, felt cold air, or got the impression that unseen eyes were peering at them from nowhere. Her biggest motive, however, happened to be the weird feeling that he was keeping a close eye on her.

Shuddering, she sought to occupy her mind with something else. “What threatens our safety?” she inquired lightly, catching up to the first soldier but staying a little behind, riding at his steed's haunches. When neither offered an answer she persisted with, “why was I singled out?”

“You will do well to learn to speak when spoken to,” the strong jawed fellow replied, not bothering to look back at her. Kagome's spine firmed at the tone of his voice, making her ride very stiffly at the trotting pace they set. “Proof of your summons will be presented to you at the village. You will have until sunset to prepare before we leave.”

“Sunset?” she exclaimed incredulously, eying the sinking fiery orb in the sky. “We'll barely get to the village before then!”

“Then I suggest you keep up.” Lantern-jaw suited his words by heeling his mount, and before she could even encourage her own mare to do the same thin-lips caught up and slapped her horse on the rump to get her going.

Riding at a gallop, her thoughts still outran her. Were these the strangers Sesshōmaru had asked about? Why did they insist on traveling at night? What was she summoned to do? Was the summons even real? Would they take her away from the village for long? Why was Sesshōmaru still following them?

The more she wondered, the more she felt like leaning in the saddle to empty her stomach. Battle she was fine with, pain she could bear with, and she could handle any personality storming towards her, but if anything got her stomach fluttering it was definitely the feeling of uncertainty; of falling backwards, unarmed, into the unknown.

A good hour before sunset, and their horses came to a quick halt in the center of the village. Sliding off, Kagome patted her mare's face – the poor thing was winded, and sweaty all over from the trip – and watched over the saddle as people milled from their houses, avoiding a larger group of soldiers lounging about fifty feet away.

“Kagome-sama!” many called, while others echoed her questions.

“Where are they taking you?”

“Will you be gone long?”

“What is the summons for?”

“Why are you and hōshi-sama leaving?”

Blinking, she scanned the ring of villagers around her to find the last speaker. “Miroku as well?”

“Yes, miko-sama,” another answered in woeful tones. “We prayed they wouldn't find you as well.”

Handing the reins to a young man of thirteen – ages and their implications were much different in the feudal era. Even girls as young as fifteen were considered women and married off to start their families – Kagome set off for her hut. It was small, but it was new and – most importantly – it was her own. The villagers followed, two men in their early twenties taking it upon themselves to follow her inside, carrying the two long herb baskets from her horse, and she pressed everyone for answers. According to the villagers, a full dozen soldiers arrived together, eight leaving after the summons was announced and two of those returning with her. When Kagome commented on the intended time of departure the women began helping her with packing, and they had plenty of verbal bashing over men and (if you could even separate the two topics) stupidity in general. With four women helping Kagome soon exited her hut with what she needed, and found that not even twenty minutes had passed, giving her some time to find Kaede with the villagers' assistance.

“Do you know anything about this, Kaede-sama?”

“Nay, Kagome-san,” the elder replied, hands clasped behind her hunched back as her gaze swung between the stoic soldiers and the bustle of a disturbed village. “This fills me with worry. Nothing good will come of it. You and Miroku-san take care of one another, do you understand? Trust no one else to consider what is best for you, not even once. Where too many people live together, you will find treachery. Protect each other and yourselves. Promise me you will!”

“I swear it,” Kagome reassured, blinking down at the elder miko. Kaede stared up at her until finally giving a satisfied nod and looking forward once more, at Miroku's and Sango's hut.

“Dark times are coming,” Kaede continued, a bone-weary tiredness settling in her voice. “Dark indeed. Remember your light, child, no matter how small it may appear. Remember it.”

“Kagome-sama!”

The wail had Kagome flinching before she realized it was only Rin as she came bursting from the hut before them. The girl ran towards her and clutched her around the waist in a nigh desperate hug. They had become close under Kaede's tutelage over the past year. Kagome returned the embrace, though she was a little hesitant to have the young woman's face so thoroughly pressed into her chest. She had grown a lot since Sesshōmaru left her in the village four years ago.

“We'll be fine,” Kagome reassured, trying to sooth the shaking from Rin as she cried. “We'll be back, someday. In the meantime, be strong for us, alright? The winter ahead will be a harsh one, so I expect those herbs I collected to be very well preserved for the season.”

A miserably silent nod had Rin's face rubbing between Kagome's breasts. Immediately the miko's mind sought something with which to distract the young woman and her intrusive nose. Finding one, she bent to whisper in the girl's ear. “Sesshōmaru-sama is thirty feet behind Kaede-sama's hut. I think he's worried about you.”

“Really?” Rin asked, casting a glance in the daiyōkai's direction.

“M-hm. Please go over and reassure him. Avoid the soldiers. We won't leave before saying goodbye to you.”

The girl nodded, and jogged over towards her idol. She had an undying adoration for the inuyōkai which Kagome found to be both charming and mind boggling.

Free of the young woman's clutches, she went to the hut of her friends and knocked on the solid frame of the doorway in which the reed flap hung. “Sango-chan?”

Almost immediately the reed flap got pulled aside – nearly straight out of the frame as two little sets of hands battled for possession at each side – and finally revealed two mirror image girls staring up with startlingly blue eyes.

“Kagome-sama!” Kiyoshi cried happily.

“Mama! Kagome-sama's here!” Sada announced. They were three and a half years old now, meaning Sango and Miroku had found some privacy together before the last battle with Naraku. Kagome timed it to be while she had gone to her own era to study for entrance exams for ten days, leaving her friends in that village to lounge and play tic-tac-toe in the dirt or do whatever amused them.

Sada ran off, letting the flimsy door fall against her twin as Kiyoshi grabbed Kagome's long white sleeve and guided her inside, echoing, “Kagome-sama's here!”

“Story?” Sada asked with big hopeful eyes.

“Not today,” Kagome replied gently, getting duplicate exclamations of disappointment.

Kagome was rescued by Sango's appearance from the only other room of their family hut; Miroku had it built for them immediately after Naraku's death, and insisted that they could not have a sufficiently large family without at least two rooms, so they had two and the backside of the large hut was designed to accommodate later additions easily. By the time Miroku was satisfied, they'd probably have a whole inn simply for their kin.

Kagome offered a small smile to the taijiya. Sango's eyes were red, but Kagome affected not to notice.

“Ki, Sada, don't bother Kagome-sama.” Her daughters ran to her, and reached up. Sango proved her physical strength by lifting the two girls up, one per arm, and they rested their chins on her shoulders so as to stare at their one year old baby brother Hiroko, asleep and secured to Sango's back.

“They get cuter every time I see them,” Kagome stated fondly, then winced inside as she and Sango noticed her failed attempt to dodge the issue at hand.

“Miroku says that every time he comes back from an exorcism,” Sango replied calmly, glancing back at the room she had just left. “He's still gathering things together. Kaede-sama agreed to watch the children while-”

“NO!” came twin wails of protest from either side of Sango's head. Kagome's own ears rang with sympathy pains.

“She's boring!” Sada yelled while Kiyoshi followed up with “she smells funny!”. Hiroko woke up from the screaming and proceeded to emit horrible wails, which soon had Sango looking ready to cry again. Instead, she prayed to the ceiling for the strength to not discipline them on the spot over something they wouldn't understand. Kagome affected not to notice this as well.

“Girls, you know mommy has things to do if I'm gone too long.” Everyone looked to Miroku as he entered the room, setting a bundle of things by the main entrance before working to free a still crying Hiroko from Sango's back.

“Don't go, daddy!” Kiyoshi begged over Sango's shoulder.

“Stay, daddy, stay!” Sada put in from the other side, and they both grabbed his sleeves. Kagome came over and disentangled him, and Sango let her daughters stand on their own feet once Hiroko was safely unbound and bouncing in Miroku's arms.

“I'll be back later,” Miroku tried to console the girls lightly while patting Hiroko's back in an effort to quiet the wails.

“You always say that!” Sada yelled over her baby brother.

“Because I always mean it,” Miroku replied. Seeing Sango's face, he smiled sadly and leaned in, kissing her. “I will be back.”

“You better be,” Sango threatened halfheartedly, grabbing his ears and pulling him into a deeper kiss. Kagome's attention chose then to focus on the girls, who looked up at their parents and giggled with hands over their mouths. “If you leave me alone with three, maybe four children, I'll never forgive you.”

“Who's to say we won't have more sets of twins?” Miroku asked jokingly. His mirth faded slowly as his wife stroked his face. With a somber expression, he attempted to console her, wailing infant aside. “Not even death will keep me from you, Sango. I will return, and in good health. I swear it.”

“Good.”

Kagome quickly left the hut with children in tow, wondering exactly how many times those two would copulate before Miroku was dragged away by the soldiers, clothed or not. Her immediate target was Kaede, unto whom she unloaded the youngsters despite fervent protests from both sides. Her next target stood with Rin, still out of sight but not far off, and it was with determination that she marched his way.

“Kagome-sama!” Rin greeted as Kagome continued to pick her way through the foliage. “Are you leaving now?”

“Not yet,” she answered, meeting Sesshōmaru's golden eyes. “You have answers I want, Sesshōmaru-sama, and I have precious little time to get them from you so pardon my rudeness.”

“Hn,” the stoic lord replied. His gaze promised a challenge, so she inhaled and pushed onward.

“Where did these soldiers come from?”

The daiyōkai didn't bother hiding a confused frustration. “You presume much, miko, to think I would waste my time on such details.”

“I presume accurately,” she snipped back. He wasn't going to fool her. He was an amazing fighter, and would put knowledge of his enemy as a top priority whenever the chance presented itself. “I know you better than that. I need to prepare the villagers – to prepare Rin and her surroundings – for whatever comes, so the more forthcoming you are about this the better for everyone.”

He very nearly sneered at her, which she sort of deserved for using Rin in such a way. “They come from the southern territories of the Eastern Lands.”

“What does the Eastern Lord have to say about them?” Kagome set to challenging any challenge from him, which resulted in a bit of a stare-down that had Rin as fidgety as a rabbit between a badger and a wolf. There was no way in hell he wouldn't seek knowledge from connections as well, but perhaps there was some code of honor or whatnot she was treading on by inquiring about his associates. Sighing, she tried another question, battling the sun for time. “Fine, that's private. What's their goal then?”

“You believe I know even after my earlier inquiry?”

“I think you do, and merely want to test where my loyalties are,” she replied coolly. “I can't say if I support their goal if I don't even know what the goal is.” She faltered at the sound of her name being called, and noted the amount of light in the sky. “Please, Sesshōmaru-sama. Don't make me go unwittingly into a battle I didn't start.”

He frowned at her, but something – something very small – altered in his expression. Almost like he was weighing her. In his shoes, she'd weigh her as well. Her phrasing of things tended to get unnecessarily elaborate when stressed.

“Kagome-sama,” Rin nearly whispered in worry. “The soldiers sound angry...”

She was getting desperate. “Please, Sesshōmaru.”

Her lack of formality didn't seem to phase him. “Hn. Be available at nightfall.”

Wondering what that meant, Kagome looked over her shoulder at the sound of approaching footsteps, then turned forwards again to see that she and Rin stood alone. Grabbing Rin's shoulder, she pulled them both down to their knees, and began in the middle of an explanation on what type of herb a certain weed between them was. Rin's baffled expression didn't clear until the soldiers came into view.

“What are you up to, miko?”

“Teaching,” Kagome replied. “I wanted to pass on knowledge from another village before we left.” She faced Rin. “Remember that it has to be mashed up three days before use so its toxicity is neutralized.”

The girl made a big 'o' with her mouth, understanding the acting, and they both followed the soldiers ut of the forest. Falling back a little ways, Kagome leaned closer. “Rin, tell Inu-Yasha and Shippō not to reveal themselves to the soldiers.”

“Why?” she whispered back.

“I don't know what will happen if they do,” Kagome supplied. “Tell Inu-Yasha that I'll 'sit' him until his ears bleed if I sense him rushing over. And tell Shippō that I won't even look at him for a full week if he disobeys.”

“That's very mean, Kagome-sama.”

“It's very necessary,” Kagome corrected. Rin promised to relay the messages, and they continued onward in silence just as a soldier gave them a suspicious glance. Kagome found Shippō's need of a practice dummy for further testing to have impeccable timing, and Inu-Yasha's gullibility to be an undying blessing when he let himself be led away by the kit when Kagome left for Jinenji's place.

Kagome's horse was brought over, already brushed down, fed and watered. She looked quite refreshed, but small under Kagome's bundles of possessions and weapons. It seemed the women had continued packing even after she had left her hut, because saddlebags bulged where they hung via a wide leather strap behind the saddle, and to overshadow those were four – Four! – rolled bundles of mystery items. Most was probably clothing, but one of them Kagome recognized as the bundle she wrapped with her sleeping yukata and a thin blanket and mat for sleeping. On top of everything was her conical sugegasa, made of straw with interior straps for her head and under her chin, and for particularly bad weather they had included the complimentary kappa cloak by draping and securing it over the baggage. She hoped that rain would be limited while traveling, but both articles were designed to shed off water and would make for comfortable sleeping arrangements if need be, so she was grateful for that.

Miroku was squatting on his heels and hugging his daughters near Sango, his own laden down horse (carrying similar items), and three of the six soldiers in the village. It was with a heavy heart that Kagome mounted, and villagers came by to rest hands on her legs and sleeves and give their best of wishes, as though she were dying and they were in mourning, before being squeezed away by two soldiers pressing in to either side of her mount, one of them being thin-lips; they were so close that their knees brushed hers whenever their horses breathed. The strong jawed fellow from earlier barked at Miroku to be prompt, and with a final kiss and embrace for Sango he mounted, his typical clothing riding up slightly in the saddle to expose some skin above his tabi and waraji, which matched Kagome's own footwear. They were very durable sandals, designed for travel, but would have to be replaced in a few weeks, before the first snows.

An armored man who seemed to be made of the same material as the blade at his hip withdrew a rolled parchment once he rode his horse between everyone, eying the five soldiers around Miroku and Kagome in a way which marked him as the commander. “By this summons, ordered written and sealed by our holy Emperor, I hereby enlist the hōshi Miroku-sama and the miko Kagome-sama into service to the Emperor, which will end when he deems it time. I take you now in pursuit of fulfilling this service to our holy Emperor.”

He didn't even offer to let others see the document before rolling it again and slipping it into a protective bamboo cylinder. The officer wheeled his horse around promptly and set off at a gallop, and the guards had hers and Miroku's horses following in short order, speeding out of the village and heading south-west.

Kagome didn't look back. This wasn't the first time that she went plunging head-first into uncharted waters, the thought of which brought up an old pain and old unanswered questions. She did glance to her left though, through the trees. Miroku did too, when Sesshōmaru's yōki furled out briefly before disappearing completely. Uncharted waters, but perhaps this time there would be a guide, however unwilling he was.

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A/N: Thank you for reading!  Please let me know what you think of the chapter, all opinions are welcome and greatly cherished.  ^_^