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Story

Kagome sighed as she stared at her ceiling, while lying in her bed. She had already finished her morning duties, and was now taking the rest of the day off. The only problem was that she was unable to think of anything to do. That seemed to be happening to her a lot lately.

She closed her eyes in concentration, trying to think deeply. Sesshomaru was out of the question-

"Hey Sesshomaru, I was wondering if-"

"No." He spoke sternly, leaving no room for argument.

"…" She pouted. "You're no fun."

She sighed in disappointment. He didn't even give her time to explain…

"You know, you look very sexy when you're thinking…" A familiar voice whispered in her ear.

"Why do you always have to say such strange things, Yoko?" She asked, yet she couldn't stop the smile that crept its way onto her face.

"Intelligence turns me on." He replied in a purr.

"Everything turns you on, you horny fox."

"Doesn't make it any less attractive." He reached up and caressed her cheek, while blowing into her ear. She blushed, but placed her hand over his face and pushed him away from her.

"Down boy." She sat up and looked at him, a kind smile on her face.

She was happy he was here. He always knew how to keep her busy and occupied with his sly tricks-

"What has my lovely beauty puzzled so?" He questioned. "You seemed quite distant when I entered. What were you thinking about?" He asked. "Me, perhaps?"

"You wish." She replied. He looked at her with disappointment and gave a saddened sigh. She shook her head, but smiled at his movements. "I was trying to think of something to do, to entertain myself for the day."

A sly smirk appeared on his handsome face, and he leaned down. He gently grabbed her chin, tilting her head up and placing his face very close to hers.

"I know of an activity that we both can play, that will certainly 'entertain' us all day..." He whispered to her seductively, hinting heavily at what his mind was thinking.

A blush went across her nose and she turned her head away. She should have known he would have said something like that. She sighed. Feeling something tug at her neck, she glanced down, seeing that Yoko now had her necklace within his clawed hand. His focus was now placed onto it, as he stared at it with a dazed look on his face, before a soft expression over took his features.

"I see that you are wearing the gift I gave you." He spoke gently and looked into her eyes. She couldn't stop herself as another blush forced its way onto her cheeks. He raised the necklace higher, and placed a soft kiss onto the blue stone. "I also noticed you are not wearing the jewel…" He told her before standing up, releasing the necklace, and looking around. His gaze locked onto the jewel that was resting on her dresser, next to the roses he gave her so long ago. "Why are you not wearing it instead?"

She smiled to herself, before walking towards her dresser. She stared at the jewel, before placing her focus onto the roses. She reached out and touched the blue one softly, inspecting it. It was quite lovely, even after all this time. She was able to keep it alive using her miko powers…

"You are not going to steal it." She calmly stated, while pulling the rose out of the vase, and placing the delicate plant to her nose, inhaling deeply.

"Oh?" He seemed amused by her words. "And why do you think that?"

"You had your chance before, yet you did not take it." She told him.

"Hmm…" He smirked. "It seems you have caught me with my hands red once again." He slowly strolled over to her, before reaching out and placing a lock of her hair in front of his lips. "But I could change my mind at any time though…"

"Yes, but you wont." She smiled while twirling the rose, allowing him to inhale her scent.

"You sound so confident." He sated. "Why?" He asked while releasing her hair, and turning his attention to her cheek, caressing it softly with his knuckles.

"Because." She paused and looked at him with a happy expression. "We are friends."

He stopped in his movements, surprised by her words, and a tint of pink went across his nose. He recovered quickly though, a soft look soon over took his features and he gave her a gentle smile.

"Yes…" He whispered. "We are…"

Yoko was lying on the grassy floor outside, his hands behind his head. Kagome was lying beside him, and they both were staring into the sky, relaxing. She believed that leaving her room and coming outside would be a good idea. He had to admit, it was rather relaxing-

"That cloud looks like a fluffy bunny." She spoke her thoughts, while pointing to the sky. He paused in his musings, and blinked in surprise. Did he just hear correctly?

"Kagome?" He turned his head, looking at her.

"Yes?" She replied innocently.

"The sky is blood red, and the clouds are black- How could you possibly see a bunny within those ominous colors?" He asked.

"Umm…By looking?" She answered. He gave a deep chuckle, enjoying her truthfulness. Sometimes she acted so pure, like a child- He paused, being reminded of something-

"Kagome." He called her name once again.

"Yes?"

"I was wondering…" He sat up, showing he was serious. She looked towards him, and then sat up as well. "It's about your son, is he really…?" He let his question fade, unsure of where he was going with it. She smiled, knowing what he was trying to ask.

"No. He is not my birth son. His parents were killed when he was a kit, so I took him in and raised him like my own."

"I see…" He sighed as a wave of relief washed over him. Why was he glad about this fact? "To take on the kit like that was very kind of you." He complimented her. "How long have you been together?" He asked, wanting to know more about the intriguing woman sitting beside him.

"Around 488 years…" She replied.

"Four hundred and…?" He paused. "But your only 503?" He questioned, obviously surprised. "But you were just a kit yourself."

"Yes, I suppose I was quite young, but a lot of things happened to me near that time frame." She told him. "I also met Inuyasha, Koga, and Sesshomaru, including many others you have not met." She sighed, and looked down regretfully. "That is also the moment in my life when the jewel came into my possession."

"You had the jewel for that long?" He had no idea…

"Yes, but I guess you can say that I have been forced to keep it for this long…" She sighed again. "When I first got the jewel, I wasn't too happy about it." She told him. "Its more like the jewel found me, not the other way around."

"How so?" He questioned, curious. How could such a powerful gem just fall into her hands?

"The jewel was embedded inside my body." What-? He looked at her in surprise. "I am the reincarnation of Kikyo, a woman who died and burnt the jewel with her body, to keep it from evil hands." She looked down sadly. "Because of this, the jewel was inside me from the moment I was brought into the world."

"Wait a minute, Kikyo-?" Isn't that-

"Yes, Inuyasha's mate."

"But I thought you said she died?"

"It's a long story." She turned her head away, as if in shame.

"I see..."

He did not want to press it further if she did not wish to talk about it. Even though he was curious and wanted to know more, he pushed it back. He could tell that the subject was very touching to her, and he did not wish to upset her.

So instead he lay back down onto the grassy floor, hands behind his head, and closed his eyes. Though he did not speak, his voice was echoing throughout his head, asking questions. Who was Kagome? How did she end up this way? Why has she kept the jewel with her for so long? Who was this Kikyo person and how is she alive, but dead? There were missing pieces to the puzzle that made up this woman, and he wasn't sure if he would be able to figure it out.

He sighed as he tried to think of the possibilities. After a few moments his mind was still drawing a blank, and he growled in disappointment, unable to figure it out without more information on her past.

"You know, you look very sexy when you're thinking…" A familiar voice told him. A smirk appeared on his calm face. He opened one of his eyes and looked at her. He was slightly surprised to see a small smile on her face, yet her eyes had a far off sheen to them. His smirk immediately lowered, and he sat up.

"Is there something bothering you, Kagome?" He reached out and gently cupped her cheek in reassurance. Out of reflex he started to stroke her soft cheek with his thumb. Another small smile appeared on her face, and she finally took her eyes off of the ground, to stare into his golden orbs.

"Just thinking about the past." She answered.

"If it saddens you, you shouldn't think about it." He replied, earning a sad laugh from the female.

"If only it was that simple." Reaching up, she removed his clawed hand, making him sigh in disappointment. Yet she did not release it, and instead held it, inspecting it carefully with a far off expression in her eyes. "Close your eyes." She commanded him softly.

"And what, pray tell, would you want me to do that for, hmm?" He asked, a smirk on his face.

"Just do it." She paused. "Please?" She asked nicely. The excited tone flowing out of her voice made him curious, so he closed his eyes. She then stared to draw into his open palm, making his hand twitch slightly from the contact. That tickled- "Guess what this is…" She told him. Ah, so she wants to play a game with him? He almost chuckled at the thought. It was rather cute…

"A smiley face." He spoke, a small smirk appearing across his features. She gave a small cheer before drawing yet another picture. "A flower." She giggled softly before drawing a different picture. "Stickman-" She then added a triangle to the bottom half of the picture. "Stickwoman" She gave a happy laugh, and he couldn't help but smile at the soothing sound.

"You're pretty good at this game." She complimented him. "Though I'm not that good at drawing, you got every one of them right so far."

"I am just happy to see that my lovely rose is not sad anymore." He whispered. Opening his eyes, he was greeted by a blushing Kagome, which made another sly grin show on his face. She released his hand and turned her head away, embarrassed.

He chuckled, before placing his arm on top of his raised knee and looking into the sky. He had to wonder: When did it become like this? Her and him, sitting outside and just enjoying each others company? How did it happen this way? He came here on a mission to steal the jewel, and now look at him. The jewel had never crossed his mind, and he found great pleasure just being with her instead. He had to resist another chuckle. The woman had bewitched him…

She lured him with the jewel, then trapped him with her lovely sent, soft voice, shapely body, and mysterious personally. Now, his was finding it difficult to leave-

"I trust you." She suddenly spoke, cutting off his musings and almost making him jump in surprise. He slowly turned his head to look at her, and his ears twitched.

"Oh?" He smiled at her, making a small tint of pink appear across her nose.

"Yes." She nodded her head and looked at the ground. "I think-" Pausing in her words, she hesitated slightly. "I want to tell you about my past."

To say he was surprised was an understatement. Really? She was going to tell him, a thief she has only known for a few months, her delicate past? His tail soon had a mind of its own, swaying across the grassy floor in excitement and joy.

"You do not have to..." He replied, speaking against his instincts and curious nature. He wanted to know more about the alluring female, but not if talking about it upset her.

"But I want to." She smiled at him and he returned the smile, before nodding in acceptance.

"Then I will listen."

"Thank you…"

She then proceeded to tell Yoko about her past, yet she decided to leave the part about her being human out. She did not want to bombard him with so many things at once, and her being human, along with the story of the jewel, might have been too much for one sitting. She did not want to hide it from him, but if he knew, she wasn't sure how he would react.

He might take it personally, be upset by it, and hate her because of it; or tell other demons about it, making widespread panic go across the world. She figured it was best to keep it a secret a little bit longer. She will tell him, just not now.

So instead she told him that she was a demon that lived in the human world since she was born, before the barrier was placed between the demon and human world. She also said that she was born with her powers, and wasn't sure why she had them. She could tell that he knew she was lying about some parts of her story, but he didn't question it, and for that she was glad.

She then told him about the centipede demon that suddenly attacked her, because it sensed she had the jewel. She, of course not knowing what it was talking about, ran and came across a human village.

Beyond that, she no longer had to 'stretch the truth' about anything else, yet she kept the well a secret too, deciding to tell him about that later, because it connected to the fact that she was really human…

She told him the story of her past, and how she had to struggle after the jewel came into the world, and meeting Inuyasha. After she told him that she broke the jewel, and it spread across Japan in hundred of pieces, the look of shock and amazement that showed on his face almost made her laugh.

She spoke about Inuyasha's blade, and how they first meet Sesshomaru, who at the time was their enemy. She then confessed about Kikyo, and how the witch brought her back to life using clay and magic. The story about Kikyo and Inuyasha, and how they believed to have been betrayed by the other over the jewel. How they met Miroku, and the real truth about Kikyo and Inuyasha. How their betrayal was all a plot by the cunning, shape shifting half demon named Naraku.

Sango, her demon slaying companion Kirara, and her brother Kohaku. How her and their entire village was tricked by Naraku as well. Koga, from the wolf tribe and how he played into the story as well. How Naraku soon gained so much power that he could create detachments from his own body, yet they had their own thoughts and abilities.

She continued to tell him the long and detailed story of her past. She was surprised to see the many emotions that were openly expressed on the fox as he listened. Anger and disgust at the mention of Naraku. Understanding when she spoke of Sesshomaru. Compassion for Miroku and Sango. Small hints of anger when she talked about Inuyasha at some points, while others he seemed to be respect for his strength and power, when he won against strong opponents. A low growl would sound in his chest, when she mentioned Koga and his outspoken words of confession when calling her 'His woman'. She also enjoyed his tail swaying in satisfaction when she would talk about how they escaped Naraku's plots and traps.

Time seem to fly by as she talked to him about everything. All too quickly the sun set, taking with it the light of the day, and ink covered the sky, turning it dark. Several hours past that point, she was finally coming to an end in her story…

The battlefield was a bloody mess, and she looked no different. She was covered in scraps, cuts, and her outfit was torn in so many places she could feel the chill of the air blow across her skin.

Looking at the only jewel shard held within her hand, she started to question if it was even worth it. Glancing back up, she saw all her friends battling for their life, yet one in particular caught her attention. Sesshomaru was attacking Naraku with all he had, yet he was unable to break the barrier that surrounded the powerful half demon.

She reached behind her and pulled out one of her arrows. Looking at the shard she wondered if she was going crazy- If this didn't work- She shook her head from any doubt and slapped the jewel onto the arrow head, taking aim.

"While he was distracted, I let loose my attack…"

The arrow zoomed through the area, only to slam into the barrier with a thunderous clash of power. The bubble around the demon cracked, before it burst. The arrow continued onto its target even after it destroyed the barrier, and it pierced the demons chest. In a blinding light, a horrible screech of pain was heard throughout the area, before everything went calm. She looked on as Naraku disintegrated into nothing.

"He was purified to the point of no return…"

As the lower demons ran away, their leader defeated, the others cheered in joy and happiness. She slowly walked up to the completed jewel. Looking upon its blackened aura, she realized that Naraku tainted energy still effected it.

"That wasn't much to worry about; after all, I just needed to touch it to purify it." If only that was true…

Yet once she touched the cursed jewel, a spark erupted from the gem, because of their clashing powers. She hissed as the several lighting bolts burst out of the jewel and snaked its way around her entire body. Encasing her in pain like she never experienced before-

"The darkness was going to consume me." She looked down and shivered. That feeling is something she will never forget. "Then a voice called to me."

"Make a wish. If it is pure, the jewel shall be cleansed." A soothing voice spoke to her.

"A wish? What could I possible wish for?" A sad smile appeared on her face as she looked down at her hands.

"I wish…" Her body started to glow white, and her mind went blank…

Kagome woke up with a start, covered in sweat.

"Kagome!" Shippo's small voice squeaked out. "Everyone! Kagome is awake!" He yelled. Soon, thumps of rushed foot falls where heard and some of her friends ran into the room.

"Are you feeling alright Lady Kagome?" Miroku was the first to arrive, soon followed by Sango.

"You've been asleep for days" Inuyasha barked out.

"Don't yell at my woman, Dog breath." Followed by Koga.

Sesshomaru was the last to arrive, for he was walking in a calm manner, at his own pace. He did not speak, and chose to observe from the back of the room.

"I'm fine." She tried to tell them.

"What happened anyway Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. "You touched the jewel and all hell broke loose. Then suddenly there was a light and you passed out."

"Nice speech mutt, but she already knows that, she was there."

"Shut up Wolf!" Inuyasha growled.

"I made a wish…" She told them. Hearing her words they all looked towards her.

"But I soon started to have regrets…"

She sat inside of the hut, while the others were also inside the small building. Inuyasha had just announced his plans for the future… With Kikyo.

She looked down sadly as stab of pain went going through her chest, but she quickly put on a forced smile.

"That's wonderful. I wish you two the best."

"She was now of flesh and blood. Our souls were linked. As long as one is alive, the other shall be too…" Hearing a small growl come from the demon sitting beside her, she gave a soft smile, patting his shoulder in reassurance. "It was a long time ago…"

"But he-" She shook her head.

"It was his choice, as long as he was happy, I would be happy for him."

"Kagome…" He whispered. He then sighed and shook his head in disbelief. "If that is what you wanted to do…"

"I was given a choice." She told him. "And I chose to keep the burden to myself." She sighed and looked at the ground.

"I will give you a choice, Kagome." The soothing voice whispered to her. "You can keep the jewel, protect it with your life for as long as it is needed to be-" She paused. "Or you can allow another the responsibility for its care" She told her.

"Who would have it…?" She let her question fade, unsure. "Kikyo?" She whispered, as if distressed by the thought.

"It is a high possibility." She spoke. "If not, it will have to be reborn into another's body, like it was with you."

"So it's either me, Kikyo, or some innocent bystander?" She questioned. When she did not receive a response she looked down in regret.

"I will give you some time to decide…" Was her only answer, before she slowly opened her eyes, and was harshly greeted by the blindly rays of the sun.

"…" She looked down sadly. She started to fidget in her seat, once again wondering if she made the right choice.

To give such a burden to an innocent person would tear at her conscience. So, it was now her burden to carry, alone. For her sacrifice, the jewel granted her longevity, yet that was more of a punishment then a gift.

She decided to stay in the past, for she lived longer then her human family could, and watching them grow old and die, would be cause to much pain…

"Kagome, what are you going to do now?" His boyish eyes sparked with unshed tears, fearing the worst. Fearing she will go home, back to her time, and never see them again.

"I believe I am going to stay here." She smiled. Some of the people around the room became less tense once they heard her words.

"Really?" He gasped, and his tail wagged back and forth in joy.

"Really really." She giggled and patted him on the head.

Yet even that was a bad choice, for her human friends started to grow old, and she could only watch as they died of old age- She nibbled on her lower lip as the image of Sango and Miroku flashed in her mind. They happily got married, had three children, yet time flew by and they got older, until they passed on. Rin too- Though Sesshomaru did not show anything on the outside, she knew he was hurting because of it.

After watching Sango and Miroku's family grow old, only to pass before her eyes, she couldn't take it any longer, and left. She wondered alone, until she met Sesshomaru…

"You are still weak, I see."

"I can do pretty well on my own…"

"Oh?" He questioned. "Then I must have been mistaken when I witnessed you struggle with that demon…"

"Well…" A small blush came onto her cheeks. "What do you suggest?" She asked.

"Learn to control your abilities." He stated. "Only able to channel your powers if you are using a bow is a huge weakness…"

"I guess you have me there…" She sighed. He turned around and started to walk away. Out of reflex she followed him. After a few quiet moments he spoke.

"I will allow you to accompany me for a short time- but do not think this is permanent."

"Of course not…" She smiled at him. "Master."

"…" His expression softened and a small smile appeared on his face.

"After the barrier was put into place, I continued to stay with Sesshomaru…" At least then I didn't have to watch my friends die around me…

"But the jewel was more of a burden then I could have imagined." She looked down in regret. "The jewel brings nothing but pain everywhere I go." She started to wiggle in her spot, remembering. "Just walking around was a task, for demons would surround me and try to take the jewel, but I could not let them have it. It was my duty to protect it with my life-"

Once again she returned to Sesshomaru's castle, beaten and bruised, half dead…

"I trained and trained until my body became more suitable to defend itself, but that just brought more challenges to me…" She nibbled on her lip once again. "More powerful and cunning demons showed up. They did anything they could to get the jewel."

Suddenly the doors to Sesshomaru's office burst open, revealing and familiar face, yet he looked discouraged. He was out of breath and covered in sweat.

"Shippo? What are you doing here?" She questioned while sitting in of the chairs, reading a book. Sesshomaru also paused in his paperwork, looking at him.

"Someone took Kaji!" He announced in distress.

"What!" She screeched.

"Kaji was Shippo's only son, but because of the jewel he was taken." She sighed. They were able to save him before anything bad happened, but it could have been worse…

"Kagome, this is Suru, she will be helping you with your paperwork and daily duties." Kage told her, while motioning towards the lovely female demon standing beside him.

"Ah, so I finally get some help? That's great!" She smiled. All the things she had to do around the castle was started to get to her, she needed some help, and Sesshomaru probably saw that-

"It is a pleasure to work with you, Lady Kagome."

Kagome then smiled, and started to pull the woman around the castle, giving her a grand tour. It was nice having another woman around…

"But that too was a trap to get the jewel…"

"Suru, what are you doing?" Kagome yelled at her after walking into the room, spotting her red-handed.

The woman just smirked and jumped out of the window, jewel in hand.

"I thought we were friends- I-" Tears filled her eyes and a ball of energy appeared in her hand. She too, jumped out of the window, and easily caught up to her-

"Because of my duty to the jewel, I was forced to kill her…" She turned her head away, as if in shame. "The jewel comes first, before all else, even my life." She spoke. "That is how I have lived, and that is how it will always be." Tears of regret started to form in her eyes. "I am living this empty life, where all my actions are controlled by the jewel." She gave a small whimper. "Who can or cannot be my friend. Who might want the jewel, or wont. What choice is best for the jewels safety."

The burden of carrying such a tremendous weight had started to take its toll on her…

"I couldn't even be with my family…" She missed them so much-

Feeling a soft touch on her cheek, she took her gaze away from the ground and looked into his golden orbs. She was surprised to see the compassion and worry hidden within his once serious and piercing eyes.

He tried to wipe away her tears with his hand, while gently caressing her cheek in a calming manner. His efforts were in vain for they were quickly replaced with new ones, and he was soon overwhelmed, the warming liquid going over his fingers. She looked down, as a sense of emptiness and sorrow started to seep into her conscience. Her shoulders shuddered slightly and she wept in response.

She suddenly flung herself forward, and wrapped her arms around his neck. His body instantly tensed, but then quickly relaxed. He reached up and started to rub her back while running his other hand through her hair. She buried her face into his neck, and allowed her cries to escape her trembling lips.

Realizing his efforts were not helping, he tried to make her more comfortable, and gently picked her up, placing her onto his lap. The movement caused her to release her hold from around his neck, and instead clinched his shirt while nuzzling her nose into his chest.

He continued to stroke her raven locks, while whispering soothing words to her. A soft and comforting rumble erupted from his body, surrounding her frame. Yet she continued to weep, soaking his once dry and warm shirt in her tears. She clamped her eyes shut, and started to shiver uncontrollably. He hugged her softly, and pulled her closer to him.

"I just want to be free." She mumbled into his chest, while gently shaking her head side to side in regret. "Free from the pain. Free from the jewel…" She wrapped her arms around his body, and buried her face deeper into his chest. His scent evaded her senses, slowly putting her mind at ease while filling it with the image of wild roses. "I want to live my life without worry or regret, put the past behind me, yet I can't…" She gave a soft whimper, and he replied to her plea by softly whispering warming words into her hair.

To live her life to the fullest without questioning her actions. To have a caring husband, and loving family. She would have been happy- She would have been better off without the jewel- Why did she have to accept the reasonability and care for it? Why did she have to be its protector? Why didn't she just let it go, and give the burden to someone else?

"If only I was selfish…"

"Then we wouldn't have met." His deep and calming voice enclosed around her, sending a soothing feeling through her. "If you did not choose this path, we would have never met, and I would have lost the opportunity to hold you in my arms." His hug around her tightened, and a pleased growl released from his chest.

"Yoko…" A small smile crept its way into her sad expression, and she sighed, feeling comforted by his words.

He was right. She lived a long life, and had many friends. She was surrounded by people who cared about her, and people who looked to her for guidance. Her tense muscles relaxed, and she withdrew her arms from around Yoko's body, placing her hands against his chest. She took a deep breath, and soon. The calming rhythm of his heart started to drum in her ears. She raised one of her hands and gently placed it overtop of his heart, feeling the soothing thumps against it.

She felt a soft hand glide up her cheek. The contact made her open her eyes, only to see that her vision was burry and unrecognizable. She had to blink several times, before it started to return to normal-

"Your tears have stopped…" He whispered. "That's good…" He sighed in relief, and continued to gently caress her cheek with his knuckles. She slowly snuggled closer to him, and tucked her head underneath his chin. She too sighed, feeling relaxed within his strong hold.

She nuzzled her nose into his neck, allowing more of his scent to overpower her thoughts. Her mind soon became blank, and all she could think about was the fox who was kind enough to comfort her-

"Yoko…" She purred his name, earning a small chuckle from the pleased demon.

"Kagome…" He whispered, lowed his head and rubbing his cheek softly against hers.

He placed his nose near her neck as well, and then took a deep breath, inhaling her scent. He sighed in satisfaction, and his deep growl surrounded her fame. She slowly raised her hand, and pressed it against his cheek.

She then caressed it softly with her knuckles, finding his skin to be smooth and warm to the touch. His golden orbs stayed locked onto her deep blue pools, even as her hand moved up and onto his ear. She gave a small laugh as it twitched under her touch. His expression softened, and a smile appeared on his handsome face. He hummed in delight, but it soon turned into a purr of pleasure and he closed his eyes, enjoying the gentle treatment she was giving his ear.

She finally released her hold on his ear, and lowered her hand back on to his chest. She smiled to herself as she felt the calming thumps of his rhythm heart once again. She rested her head onto his shoulder and closed her eyes, feeling safe. The sound of his deep breathing and the pounding of his heart against his chest soothed her. She let out a long sigh, before allowing her body to completely relax in his arms.

His lovely scent filled her nose. His strong arms made her feel safe, and his deep voice quelled her rampant mind.

"Thank you…" She softly spoke out, barely above a whisper.

All too quickly, her thoughts went completely still, and she was lulled into a deep sleep…

Yoko sat on a branch, deep in thought. He couldn't get his mind off of what transpired just a few hours ago. He heard the trouble and the hardships Kagome had to go through in her past, and it bothered him, yet it didn't upset him as much as what happened afterwards.

She told him about how much pain she was truly in, because of the jewel…

He raised his clawed hand, and rubbed his face in frustration. Her saddened expression worried him, but then when her tears started to fall out of her deep blue pools, it made his heart stop beating.

It took a while, but he was finally able to calm her down, and she fell asleep in his arms. He sighed, remembering how he picked her up and placed her back into her bed, inside her room. After that he had spent hours in this tree, just thinking.

It pained him to see her that way, and he didn't know why. His chest tightened and he looked down, as if expecting to see something causing the pain.

"I was given a choice." She told him. "And I chose to keep the burden to myself."

Another twinge of pain hit his chest, and he raised his hand once again, placing it over his heart.

"But I soon started to have regrets…"

He looked at the ground and sighed. She was in so much pain- Could he do nothing to ease it? He questioned.

He was Yoko Kurama, and yet he felt pity, wishing to help her. How could he help her? Glancing at his clawed hand, his mind was once again filled with unanswered questions. He spent all night questioning himself, yet he was unable to settle on any answers…

"I just want to be free."

Was there a way to free her?

"The jewel brings nothing but pain everywhere I go."

"The jewel…" He whispered.

"To be free from the pain."

He looked down sadly. There had to be a way-

"To be free from the jewel…"

"The jewel…" He spoke his thoughts, finding that it led to the jewel yet again.

What if he took the jewel? He questioned. Immediately he shook his head, knowing it was an idiotic idea. The answer wouldn't be that simple- besides; he had been trying to steal the jewel the whole time. How would this time make it any different? He would just fail again.

"Wait-!" He sat up straight, a serious look on his face.

"I also noticed you are not wearing the jewel…" He told her while looking around. His gaze locked onto the jewel that was resting on her dresser, next to the roses he gave her so long ago.

The jewel was back on her dresser, no longer on her person. He could easily take it if he caught her out of the room- He quickly looked to the side, seeing that the sun was just starting to ascend over the horizon. He smirked at his luck and hopped off the branch. She should be busy with her morning routine, and that should buy him some time-

With that thought in mind, he quickly ran towards the castle…

Looking at his target, as it rested peacefully on the expensive wooden furniture, he started to get nervous. Watching it gleam happily as the rays of the sun slowly crept its way into the window, reflecting off its beautiful surface. Slowly, he reached out, bent on taking his prize. The moment his fingers touched the surface he flinched away, as if burnt.

He sighed, wondering why he was acting this way. He shook his head and this time, without hesitation, he grabbed the jewel. He looked down at the treasure as it lay motionless in his palm. He watched as the sun's light continued to dance across its wondrous surface.

He was having a hard time convincing himself to take it-

He resisted the urge to snort at the idea. He was Yoko Kurama, the greatest thief known in the demon world-

"Besides…" He whispered. "It was for Kagome…" Yes. He was going to steal this jewel, for her…

For some reason, it didn't bother him that he was going to steal it, if it made her happy…

"Kagome…" He whispered her name, his eyes fogging over in thought.

Without a doubt she was one of the most alluring and exciting females he had ever met. He smiled, remembering all the times she rejected his charm and stepped over his wit. A warming feeling started to surround his body as he thought about all the times she laughed and how her smile always made him feel relaxed.

Her voice was soothing to his ears, and her personally had its own charm at times. She could always make him laugh when she was happy, and make him worry when she was upset. She had a big heart, and cared deeply for those around her. Without him even realizing it, she lured him in and melted his once cold exterior…

He sighed, wondering how such a spirited woman could be shackled by something so small. He growled, already knowing the answer.

"The jewel is nothing but trouble." His eyes hardened, staring at the cursed jewel.

It attracted demons from all around, because of its power. The thought of power and abilities far beyond imagination would entice anyone into approaching, no matter the risk.

"Something like this should never fall into the wrong hands." He spoke his thoughts. "And it shouldn't have been given to someone so pure like Kagome either." He growled, showing his distaste for the dreaded object in his hand. "She didn't deserve it." To be forced to carry all the weight by herself…

"Hello Yoko." She greeted, a small smile on her face.

She was always so perplexing to him. She was kind, and did not kill him when she realized he was trying to steal the jewel.

A loud crack echoed throughout the calm forest.

"Don't touch me, you damned fox." She huffed.

Then again, she could be quite feisty when angered. He reached up rubbing his cheek, remembering all the times she slapped him.

"Ah-Ha! Checkmate!" She exclaimed, while placing her stone onto the board.

"This is not chess, Kagome." He stated, though he tried not to laugh at her happy outburst.

He chuckled as the image came back into his mind. She was very good at Go as well.

"Because." She paused and looked at him with a happy expression. "We are friends."

Though they were few, her words meant a great deal to him…

"I am living this empty life, where all my actions are controlled by the jewel."

"No." He whispered.

"The jewel comes first, before all else, even my life." She spoke. "That is how I have lived, and that is how it will always be."

"Not anymore." He stated, clenching the jewel within his hand.

A soft click behind him made his ears perk up in alert. He cursed in his mind, realizing it was the door. He quickly turned around and ran across the room, then leaped out of the window. He continued to run at full speed across the field, before leaping over the gate wall, and landing softly on the other side. Though he made it safely to the forest, he kept on running, knowing that he needed to get as far away as possible…

"Kagome, you won't suffer anymore." He vowed.

His heart thumped loudly in his ears, as the image of Kagome's smiling face appeared in his mind…

"I'll set you free, I promise…"

Kagome slowly walked down the hallway, finally finished with her morning duties. A happy expression was on her face as she held her necklace, looking at it carefully. The blue gem sparkled with life, and she couldn't help but find it relaxing. She finally released it, allowing it to drop to its rightful place below her collarbone.

Last night, she confessed to Yoko about her past and the jewel. For some reason, she was glad that he knew. The fact that he knew made her feel at ease.

The image of said fox appeared in her mind, making her cheeks flush a rosy color.

"Today is going to be a good day…" She whispered. "I can feel it."

Another smile appeared on her face and she reached out, turning the knob to her room. Suddenly a shock to her senses spiked, showing something was wrong. She slammed the door open, only to catch a glimpse of a blur jumping out of the window. Instincts kicked in and she immediately looked towards the dresser, not seeing the jewel. She cursed in her mind and ran towards the window.

She stretched her hand out in front of her, and a bow materialized in her hand, made out of pink energy, miko energy. She raised her other hand to the string, about to pull back, when suddenly the thief scaled the wall in one leap.

"Damn, his fast…" She cursed again and jumped onto the windowsill. She quickly jumped up, and went from window to window, before jumping onto the roof. "He won't escape now…"

She got into her stance and grabbed the string. Pulling back, an arrow materialized as well, and she took careful aim. She focused onto her target and- Her eyes widened, seeing a familiar sliver flash in her vision.

"No…" She whispered. Her breath caught in her throat, and her heart stopped beating. "Not you…" She looked upon his retreating back in regret.

"…" She continued to focus on him, her grip on the string tightened. "Please." She begged. "Please stop." Her hand trembled slightly. "Please…" Yet she knew he would not hear her.

"You're quite delicious looking when you're angry." He complimented her, while giving her a sly smirk.

"Don't…" Her voice cracked slightly, wondering why fate could be so cruel to her. Why him? Why-? "Stop…" She pleaded.

"You like science?" She asked.

"It has intrigued me, yet I still don't believe that humans were able to go to the moon. It's just not possible."

"A skeptic I see…" She laughed.

"I can't…" She bit her lower lip.

He was sly…

"Do not deny yourself from your true desires. You know you want me."

"You just keep believing that."

"Your words cut like daggers piercing my heart." He frowned, placing his hand on his chest, over his heart.

"Stop…" She whispered. Tears started to fill her eyes as images and memories flooded her thoughts.

He was smart and cunning…

"Your tears have stopped…" He whispered. "That's good…" He sighed in relief, and continued to gently caress her cheek with his knuckles.

"Stop…" She begged. Her chest started to feel constricted, her body going cold.

He was kind…

"If you did not choose this path, we would have never met, and I would have lost the opportunity to hold you in my arms." His hug around her tightened.

"Goodbye, Yoko…" She whispered into the wind. A lone tear rolled down her cheek as she released her arrow.

He was my friend…

Fin~

.-..-.

Omg it's finally finished! And so is my book! AND IT'S PUBLISHED~ WhaaaaT! A real book and everything! I can't believe it either! Its already gotten 4 out of 5 star reviews on both Amazon and Goodreads! YAY~! I've been working really hard on it for a long time, which is why I suddenly vanished from Fanfiction for a while. After I finished I went straight to working on this and got it done for you guys.

It's about a world where there are three realms, each stuck in their own perpetual season (spring, winter, summer) and everyone has control of a single element. (Fire, water, rock, plants) But the world is changing, and there are now people who are born without magic, Voidians.

Arianna (Based off of Kagome from Inuyasha, of course) Is princess of the magicless, and she finds out she is betrothed to Prince Roland (Yoko Kurama from Yu Yu Hakusho) A flirtatious man who tries to woo her from the moment he sets eyes on her, but she isn't having any of it. A tragic war breaks out with the neighboring kingdom, Shani (The fire kingdom from Avatar the last airbender) Her new husband is forced to go to battle to stop the approaching army from destroying her kingdom, and he places the only man he trusts to protect her, Conrad (Levi Ackerman from Attack on Titan)

If that sounds interesting to you, then please check it out!

You can't copy and paste in the story chapters but you can in my author profile~ You can go there and it's the very first link at the top of my bio~

Or just google in ' To Betray My King ' or type it on your URL It should be the very first link.

If you guys enjoyed this story, enjoy my work, then please go to the link. Check out the sample, read it, see if you like it. It would help me out greatly if you guys supported me in anyway you can. It's available on Kindle Unlimited, so you can get it for free if you have the subscription, or if you don't have it, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial on amazon.

I have a full time job, but I love writing. I spent all my extra time on this story for you guys, my readers, and I'm sorry if I wasn't able to update anything because of it. I'm going to be working on the second book, and I'll do my best to try and update all my other works too in-between my full-time job and taking care of my mom.

You guys and FanFiction mean so much to me. I've been on this site since I was 13, and this community has been nothing but wonderful and supportive through all of it.

I'm just so happy…

It's because of you that I found my love of writing. Because of you that I was able to realize my dream. Because of you, I can now hold my book in my hand and proudly call myself an author.

Thank you so much.

And here comes the tears…