Happiness by gullible-taurus

Time

DISCLAMER: I do not own Inuyasha (but I did make Nika up!!!!)

Chapter One: New role

Naraku screamed. Kagome collapsed. And that was it. Kagome had just used up the rest of her energy to purify him. Inuyasha lay on Kirara, badly wounded and his breathing ragged. Miroku and Sango were sitting in the ground, leaning on one another for support, as they could not stand by themselves.

Kagome held the jewel in her hand. Someone had to make a wish. She looked around; they all looked at her expectantly. She couldn't use the wish herself she just couldn't do it, it would be selfish and the wish would ruin the jewel. Seeing Inuyasha sitting, exhausted and beaten she gave him the jewel. She knew his wish, and now was the time to do it. She handed it to him. He turned his head- refusing it and stared purposefully at the ground.

Miroku sighed wearily, "I think he wants you to make the wish." Kagome stared at him shocked, she couldn't do that!

She shivered, now knowing that she may be responsible for everyone's life, even the life of people she may never know. She wanted the best for everybody, but she had no idea what to wish for, not wanting it to be selfish - that would ruin the jewel. Looking again at everyone individually, silently apologizing, she took the jewel again, clasped her hands and wished.

'Happiness, even at my expense.'

~oOo~

She was in a....wait, a....a room? Or something like it for whatever time she was in, and she had a terrible headache. The fact that she was cold didn't her help either. The room wasn't exactly welcoming, or friendly, as a room ought to have been, it held a cold and distant air to it, and was rather plain. No windows, of any indication of what time it was, the room lit with many candles. Kagome began to shiver subconsciously, and pulled up a very thin, scratchy woven blanket over her cold and sore body.

No where in modern Japan that she knew of had a place like this, so that meant that she might be in the feudal era? That made no sense, didn't she come from the future? Wasn't she, now that the final battle was over, supposed to go back? Inuyasha! she looked around hurriedly, Maybe he was here! Talking wouldn't be of any good even if her words could come out of her scratchy throat.

ugh...too much thinking, now her head hurt again.

She propped herself up on her elbows, scanned the room again for any other signs of life. She spotted a plate, with food. She sat up, not too quickly mind, and picked up the teacup, her stomach growling of her newfound hunger.

The food was cold- old, a few hours maybe. Must have been how long she was asleep. She ate anyway, skipping a meal was bad if she was woun-, wa-i-t a second ... was all she had a headache?

Okay, rewind! She looked at her arms, her legs her stomach, felt her back, and searched her body. Nothing. Something was totally, completely incorrect.

That's impossible! I came out of the final battle, how could I not be wounded? Wait, maybe it was longer than just a few hours, maybe a week? After all, she only got scrapes and cuts, and grazed and.... Okay, maybe there was a healer? That must have been it.

~oOo~

*Knock*

*Knock*

*Knock*

Kagome glared at the door. It was giving her headaches, ugh stupid door- stupid person. "Come in", her raspy voice found her again, in a not-so-sweet tone.

In walked a girl, no, a youkai, with a yukata for Kagome. She had a happy air, in which Kagome noticed instantly, especially in this melancholy room. She bowed with her eyes lowered, yet still obliviously light. Kagome admired her greatly for the amount of tolerance for this...this...wasteland of a palace..

"Please miss, I've come to change your clothes, if you'll allow me", spoke the maid gently.

"Ah.... umm......thank you, but you really don't have too, and please, my name is Kagome" replied Kagome taking the yukata. "Umm.." she started again uncertainly, "I've questions, and it would be really great if you could try to answer them."

"You're asking me for permission to answer your questions?" asked the maid incredulous, obviously used to

"Yes? Is there something wrong?" Kagome asked, gladly changing out of her dirty, soiled clothes.

"No, go right ahead mi- ah, Kagome" said the maid helping her change anyway.

"Alright, umm, what's your name?"

"Nika, if you will"

"And, how...how did I get here?"

"Lord Sesshomaru-sama brought you here, after finding you almost dead in the forest"

'oh crap, oh crapohcrapohcrapohcrapohcrap!!!!' Kagome's eye's widened, searching for a way out, 'this isn't good, he's going to try to kill me without Inuyasha here to distract him!!!...wait....he wouldn't kill me in his own castle would he? No most likely not, that would be a disgrace on his behalf for even him....but why?'

Taking comfort on that thought, she looked again at the Nika.

"Umm...how long have I been asleep?" Kagome started again.

"Ten days."

Kagome winced.

"And a healer?"

"Only our best", Finished Nika.

"Oh" Kagome said uncertainly "Why would Sesshomaru do that?" wondering out loud.

"He always wants his maids healthy!"

'MAID?' "Could you kindly repeat that?" Kagome said with false politeness.

"Well, my Lord wants you as a maid, Wasn't that what you were before?"

"No, I've had little cleaning training in my life, I was a priestess."

Nika backed away nervously "A priestess? Why would he make you a maid? Did he know you were a priestess?" A few steps farther now.

"Yes, actually I've fought him before, in a dispute, and now he's ..kidnaped me?"

"Oh no, Lord Sesshomaru-sama would never kidnap a human priestess, you probably just hit your head too hard"

"But how else would I know him? I certainly would never become a maid to a human-hater"

"Well, maybe he met you...."

"No, I think your right I probably just hit my head too hard."

"Oh!" Nika exclaimed, clearly surprised, "but, but I still have to teach you the palace pollicies, and punishments, and how to properly clean the Lords room"

The lords.... "Wait, I'm cleaning Sesshomaru's room?"

"I'm afraid that is what he asked for, yes" she thought for a second, "I suppose you'll last a few days, he gets new ones every week"

"That Jerk!"

"Excuse me?"

"Oh, nothing Nika, I was thinking to my self!" Kagome smiled politely.

"Miss Kagome?" Nika started again,

"Yes?"

"I have work to tend to, so please excuse me."

"Oh, well, okay, I'll see you later."

After Nika left Kagome went over to the bookshelf she spotted. Unfortunately, she was sore after 10 days of sleeping, and moving anywhere past her bed was painful and tiring.

The booked she picked up was coincidentally blank, and she found a quill pen, and some ink. She started to write all of her memories down, from before the final battle, starting at when she first met Inuyasha, even if it was only a dream.

~oOo~

......so, I've revised this chapter, the other chapters are still not revised, but hey!!!!!! I'm still working on it-tell me if it's better!!!!!!!