A New Life by opera_ghost

The Change

The Change

The days were getting colder; winter was coming sooner this year than any other. It was these years that mass famines came and left thousands dead. Only the strong and wealthy families remained safe and sure throughout these times. However, for those that lack of wealth was a new experience, a quick approaching, harsh winter would surely result in the fall of the house. He knew this. He knew that unless something was to be done, his family would perish; at least what was left of it. Why had he been so stupid? He should have never trusted that damn appraiser and be tricked into the most naïve of scandals. He could never face his children again.

He hadn't told them yet. No, he was trying his best to prolong that. It didn't matter either way, he figured. Either way he had failed them as a father and as their protector. He could no longer be either. Tochi Higurashi had to tell his three children, and he had to tell them now. Signaling one of his remaining servants, he waited for his pride and joys came in.

A few minutes had passed, all while Tochi sat with his face in his hands, when a knock came upon his door.

"Come."

"Father, you called for us?"

"Yes. Kikyo, Kagome, Souta, enter. I have news on this family's welfare that involves you."

The three children entered the room, exchanging worried glances at their father's apparent distressed state. None had seen him in a few days, as since it was not unusual for him to lock himself away for business purposes.

Kikyo and Kagome, both sixteen and fraternal twins, stood behind Souta, the youngest, only seven years old. They stood patiently, knowing that their Father would speak when he was ready.

"Children, I have distressing news. I ask that you not reply until you hear everything I have to say. Please, this is very difficult and I fear that once I stop, I won't be able to continue." After seeing the three nod their heads in confusion, Tochi continued, "Winter has come earlier than expected this year, and they say it will be the most harsh since before you were born."

"But Father, we have faced harsh winters before. This too shall be nothing." Kagome and Souta nodded their heads in agreement with Kikyo. Why was this different?

"Be Silent! Do you not understand? Everything is over. My reign, our wealth, our family! Our money is gone and I am in debt. Even if I sold everything we owned would not be enough. Even without the harsh weather we would starve. I only have till tomorrow to respond to Naraku with my decision and I have decided. It breaks my heart, but for the sake of continuing this family, it has to be done. Kikyo, Kagome, I have been offered my withdrawal from debt for the ownership of you two to be sold as servants. Naraku will come tomorrow to gather you. I expect you to be ready and for your goodbyes to be said. Please don't hate me, for I still love you."

They all stood there speechless. The only person they had to rely on as a parent was selling them? No, not all of them were being sold, just Kikyo and Kagome. Souta had his rights as male to stay and carry on the family name. Woman were only useful in situations likes this for easy money. The only disbelieving part of this all was that the only person Kagome had ever trusted had betrayed her.

"Father, how you can expect me not to hate you is beyond me! You are selling us like cattle and you expect us to love you? If I ever speak to you again it will be to lower you! I hate you, do you hear me? I HATE YOU!" With tears now streaming down her face, Kagome ran from the room straight to her bed chambers.

Kikyo just stood their. She, too, was shocked at her Fathers reckless behavior but was much more aware of her status as a woman and what that meant in times like this. "Father, while I am truly saddened that our paths must separate, I do not hate you. I understand and I hope to make you proud. Please be careful and know that we will be alright."

Tochi simply nodded his head, not even looking at his daughter. She left him to Souta and went to find her heart-broken sister. Though they were the same age and were twins, they could not be any more different then they were. Kikyo always stood tall and proud, never allowing anyone the power to make her feel belittled; no matter what. She never lost control of her emotions and always had the upper hand because of this. Kagome, on the other hand, allowed every emotion she was experiencing to be known to the world. Though she was a powerful young girl, perhaps more so than Kikyo, she couldn't gain complete control due to her lack of emotions.

Reaching Kagome's room, Kikyo gave a gentle knock and entered the room; knowing full well that Kagome would never answer in a state like this. Upon entering, she actually allowed shock to briefly come across her fact at the state of her sister's room, or in better words, lack of. The entire room looked as though a band of bandits had come through. Her once clean room had clothes, jewelry and even furniture strewn everywhere; her sister on the ground curled up into a ball and sobbing for the entire world to hear. Carefully, like approaching a wounded animal, Kikyo kneeled beside her and pulled her into her lap. Trying her best to call Kagome before she succumbed to hysterics, she swayed her back and forth and smoothed out her hair.

"Shh. Kagome, everything will be alright. I will never leave your side. Together we must overcome this. We are stronger than this. Be strong for me, Kagome. Please? Be strong for Mother. She would never want to see you react like this. We must be stronger than this."

Kagome began to calm at her sister's words. 'She has always been here for me, no matter what. Now won't be any different.' "Kiko?"

Kikyo smiled at her sister's kid name for her and decided that referring to each other in that way would be best. "Yes Kags?"

"Thank you. For always being here for me and never shunning me, even though we are so different. So you promise to never leave me?"

Kikyo looked down at her broken sister. Such news had made her seem ten years younger, like a lost soul. She knew that she would always be there for her, no matter what happened. Their love for each other was unbreakable. "You know I would never leave you, Kags. I swear on everything I hold dear that nothing but our lifestyle will change. I won't let anything separate us, not even Naraku."

Kagome gave a small smile, and, after a few hiccups, fell into a deep sleep; exhausted from the energy exerted from crying. Tomorrow everything would change, 'But not me and my sister.' And with that thought, Kagome didn't wake until the next morning.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Kagome woke feeling sick. Her nose was stuffy and her eyes hurt. Then she remembered. Winter. Debt. Sold. Servant. Everything she had ever hoped for in her life had been taken away with one conversation with her... no that man couldn't be her father. She refused it. Opening her eyes, she realized that dawn had not yet approached. When the sun rose Naraku would arrive; and with his arrival, Kagome realized, her freedom would be forfeit. Determined to see the man she loved one more time, Kagome snuck out and headed for his house. Throwing a few stones at his window, she was at least happy to see his cute face come out of the window. He had chocolate brown hair with eyes to match.

"Hojo, can I come up? I have to tell you something."

"Umm, I don't think so Kags. Last time I was punished for a week. Why don't I come down there?"

Seeing her nod, he immediately left for his porch. Seeing Kagome definitely made his night, but that thought was quickly swept from his mind at his love's sad expression. "Love, what is it? What's wrong?"

"Hojo, my sister and I have been sold to Naraku to cover my father's debt. He is coming for us in a few hours and I will never see you again!" By this point, Hojo and pulled her into a tight embrace and Kagome had buried her face into his bare chest (since he only slept in night pants) and cried.

Hojo was speechless. Never had he expected this. "Why? How could he do this to you!? To us?"

Kagome could only shake her head, too exhausted from all the crying she had done in the last ten hours.

"Kags, know this; I will always love you, but don't let this stop you from living your life. You are only sixteen. Love me, but please don't obsess about me. I could never forgive myself if you stopped living because of our separation. I will always be in your heart, but don't hold me in that special place anymore. Please."

Kagome just looked at him, completely shocked. 'He...he's almost crying. He really means it. And it is tearing him apart to say it. I can't refuse him. If I do, it will only break him more.' "I will never forget you Hojo, but the same holds true for me. Find love again. Let her have my spot, but make a new one for me."

Wiping the one tear that had escaped, Hojo went inside and came back out with a small box. With shaking hands, Kagome took it and opened it. Gasping, she took the silver chain out of the box and noticed a small, pink gem attached in the middle of a silver circle, the whole thing about an inch in diameter. Pulling Hojo into their last embrace, she whispered into his ear, "Thank you, love, for everything. This will be your special place in my heart. I will never stop wearing it. I love you"

"I love you, Kagome. Never forget what we had, but never dwell on what it could have been."

Nodding her head in affirmation, Kagome reached up and kissed their last bitter sweet kiss. Pushing herself away from his soft lips, Kagome broke into a run back to her house; leaving behind her, her first love.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

The sun had finally peaked out above the mountains, spreading its unwanted light over the Higurashi chateau. Tochi stood by Souta and watched as Naraku pulled up onto his property. Being the evil man he was, he brought with him two sets of chained shackles; seeing these made Tochi's heart clench, making him almost sick.

"I trust they are ready and in the condition we discussed?"

"My daughters are ready and they are fine. Souta, go get them and say your final goodbyes."

Souta cast the dark man one more glance before heading upstairs to retrieve his sisters.

"Here is the amount we had discussed, and may I add you have made a wise decision."

"Know this, Naraku, I do not like this nor would I ever do this if I didn't have some other option. I love my daughters."

"Kukuku. Of course you do. That is why you are selling them to me to become servants so that your name can live on."

Tochi's heart clenched again. At this rate he wouldn't be able to support Souta from heart failure. Taking the bag of coins from him, he left the room. He knew his daughters would not want to see him again, especially Kagome. He knew she had taken it hard, but he also knew that she had many great things to come for her and knew that with Kikyo by her side, she could over come anything. Just before exiting the room, Tochi slipped a piece of paper into the burlap sack with Kagome's only belongings inside. Hearing his daughters approaching, he took one final glance at his two joys and left the room, never to see or hear from them again.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Souta knocked on the door, knowing that the two of them were together. After hearing an approval, he stepped inside. Both his sister's were looking at a necklace in Kagome's hand.

"What is that, Kagome?"

"It is the only thing that I have left of Hojo."

"Oh. Please, sisters, don't be mad at me. I don't want to lose you!"

Kikyo and Kagome exchanged surprised looks and went to crush their brother into a hug.

"Never will we hate you, Souta. We understand everything and will never forget nor stop loving you. Never forget us, Souta. Live and be happy, for us!"

Souta left the embrace and looked into his sisters' faces; memorizing them while he could. Kikyo had hair and eyes like him, both brown. She was pale, but not sickly pale. Kagome, in the other hand, had midnight black hair and had the rarest eyes he had ever seen; her left eye was brown, but her right eye was blue. It made looking at her awkward, but Kagome never let her different eyes make any difference to her, so no one ever really paid much mind to them, except at first glance.

"Father sent me for you. He is here for you and he brought chains. Just giving you the heads up."

Kagome flinched at the word of her father, but both jaws dropped at the sound of shackles. Rising together, they left to face their new fate, and the man that had control over it, at least for now.

Heading down the stairs, Kikyo and Kagome saw their father leaving the room, stopping only to give one final, sad look before turning to leave. Kikyo, however, noticed his hand slip something into Kagome's bag. Naraku instantly stepped up to them and looked them over approvingly. Kagome felt her anger rise when his approving look stopped at her eyes and was even more angered when he smirked at her. Kikyo, noticing her sister's lack of control, grabbed her hand and squeezed. That snapped her out of it and she tried her best to act like Kikyo had told her; indifferent.

"Now, be good girls and hold out your hands."

Both did so, and Kagome couldn't help but cringe as the cold metal was clamped onto her wrists, adding a lot of weight due to the chains. After they were both shackled and chained, he grabbed each chain and led them, 'like dogs,' thought Kagome, to the back of the carriage and roughly pushed them inside. Slamming the door, Naraku climbed up into the driver's seat and gave the horses a harsh snap of the whip, and they were off.

Kagome looked at her wrists. She had never experienced being tied like this, or in any form for that matter. She cringed at the meaning these shackles held, 'slaves'. Not being able to bear looking at them any longer, she sneaked a quick peak at her sister, who was simply staring at the road outside the window, and soon followed in watching the passing scenery; wondering when she would ever see this land again...if ever.