One Shot 38
Title A Mother's Secret
Author landofthekwt
Rating K
Word Count 1492
Prompt "And know that I am with you always; yes, to the end of time." Jesus Christ
POV SessMom
Warning none
Summary The Lady allows Kagome to meet Izayoi
Part of the Garden of Memories Universe
The Lady waited at the grave. Inuyasha had sent word that Kagome would be meeting her there. Why Kagome? Why was the little one not coming? Kagome had him for fifty weeks Why would she begrudge her two precious weeks with Inuyasha?
Kagome dropped out of the sky startling the Lady. Inuyasha had not specified the mode of travel, but it never occurred to her that Kagome would arrive by nekomata. Cats, she shivered at the thought. Only a cat would join with taijiya to hunt youkai.
Speaking of consorting with the enemy the little one seemed to have a thing for mikos. First tthe disastorus infatuation with Kikyou. Now mating her reincarnation. So far she had tried to turn Inuyasha into a human, but it was still only two years since she came back.
Shoving all her fears and doubts about Kagome into the background,the Lady walked forward to greet Kagome The girl had no taste. Dressing like a miko to meet a daiyoukai was a naked threat. She hesitated when she saw the child strapped to her back.
Inuyasha changed her world. Izayoi she hated, but she could never hate Inuyasha. That was why she gladly acceded to all Izayoi's demands. the Princess might believe that she was haunting the Lady to avenge her death, but the Lady had cherished every moment she got to spend with Inuyasha.
Now she had opportunity to play grandmother to a whole new generation She took tentative steps toward her
"Inuyasha told me that you would be waiting here He did not really tell me what to expect. Just something the two of you have done for nearly one hundred fifty years"
The Lady almost laughed So Inuyasha. Something they had done for one hundred fifty years She could not blame him He did not know that she was being haunted by his mother. The secrecy had been forced upon her by Izayoi who told her that Inuyasha must never know
It occurred to her that her vow of silence did not cover Kagome. The burden she carried by herself for so long could be lifted at last. All she had to do was whisper her secrets into Kagome's ear
Would Izayoi approve? the Lady was sure that meeting Inuyasha's wife and child would make the spectre pause. She experienced the same feelings when she realized how Sesshoumaru felt for Rin. How could Izayoi resist the child that Kagome carried on her back. She knew that she could not.
"Kagome-chan (make her your junior not your equal.) Normally Inuyasha and I spend the two weeks prior to the anniversary in my Garden remembering what went before and preparing him to tell his mother what happened in the last year. If you wish to experienced what Inuyasha experiences every year you are welcome to come to my home Maybe you can learn something about Inuyasha you do not already know."
Kagome bit her lip. She took a chance coming her on her own. Inuyasha was so enthusiastic He wanted her to love the Lady as much as he did. By experiencing what he did evey year wtih the Lady she coud come to the same appreciation of her as he did.
Kagome was not so sure, but she was game to find out " That is why we are here."
"Do you want to ride on my back or are you more comfortable on your cat?"
Kagome sorted through the Lady's statement She remembered what Rin said. The Lady's true form was a giant dog similar to Sesshoumaru. Kirara was familiar and safe especially where the Lady's castle was located. Rin had bad memories of the castle,,but that was changing since the Lady extended the hand of friendship.
Kohaku was staying at Miroku and Sango's for a couple of weeks had loaned her Kirara for the duration. Inuyasha was on the road with Miroku because both of them now needed funds to feed their families
"Why don't you lead the way I will follow on Kirara"
It was a beautiful day and the flight to the Castle in the Air was uneventful. Kagome was overwhelmed as she saw the magnificent abode of the Lady of the West. It made her feel small knowing that she was a shrine living the life of a Feudal Era peasant.
What connection did Inuyasha have to this woman? Why was she treating Inuyasha as if he were her son? Why did they meet at Izayoi's grave every year? Inuyasha' was son of the Inu no Taisho and Izayoi.
The Lady should hate Izayoi and Inuyasha. The more she thought about it, the more questions arose. The more confused she became. Maybe the answers lay in the castle Inuyasha seemed to think so. That was why he insisted that she go with the Lady since he could not.
The tour was fine. The sakura, the ikeban,the grassy knoll under the skylight. The tea room, the throne room The fountain. The rock garden. The bridge over the stream. All seemed to have meaning, but in spite of the stories the Lady told,she did not get it. Maybe because it did not hold memories for her like it did Inuyasha and the Lady.
The Lady motioned for Kagome to have tea with her. Kagome was glad since they had been walking all morning She had not time to feed or change her baby. Perhaps while they were having tea, the Lady would allow her to take care of her child
"While you are makng the tea, could I have a moment to take care of my child?"
The Lady nodded That is what a mother would do Kagome's actions clinched her decision. The secret she never secret Inuyasha must never know, she would share with Kagome. She would have to let Kagome decide her fate. When Kagome was finished she put her baby done for a nap. It was then that the Lady began her tale.
"Once upon a time there was a daiyoukai who had a child with a human woman The daiyoukai died and his mate blamed the human woman for his death. Although she did not actually kill her, she did not aid her leaving the human woman and her son to twist in the wind at the mercy of all the humans and youkai who hated them for what they had done.
The woman died of exposure leaving a young son In the final moments of her life, she cursed the mate of the daiyoukai for not helping the daiyoukai's son. The kami granted her curse. She was not allowed to move on, but was forced to haunt the mate of th daiyoukai
The mate of daiyoukai finally asked for a way to appease the dead woman She was forced to bring the boy to the dead woman's grave on the anniversary of her death and have the boy tell her what happened to her in the last year.
As she watched over the boy to make sure that he was still alive to tell his mother about his years, the mate began to develop feelings for the boy. She started to treat him as her own son. Keeping him with her for longer and longer periods prior to taking him to the grave.
And despite all this time, the mate and the dead human woman remain caught in the curse spoken nearly two hundred years ago. The mate feels fortunate that she got to know and love the son, but she feels guilty since she is the reason that the dead woman is not able to pass on"
Kagome was shocked. The facade was paper thin. It was obvious that Inuyasha was the boy, that Izyaoi was the dead woman who could not pass on and the Lady was the person cursed by Izayoi to perform the task of keeping Inuyasha alive to come to Izayoi's grave on the day of her death
The Lady continued "I have never told that story to anyone before. I am telling it to you because as Inuyasha's wife, you deserve to know why I ask for Inuyasha to come to his mother's grave on the anniversary of her death. Please do not tell Inuyasha. I do not want him to hate me"
Just as Kagome was nodding showing her compassion for the Lady and all that she had suffered for the curse, the Lady touched the meidou seki. "One last thing. since you are Inuyasha's wife you deserve to meet his mother."
With those words the Lady summoned Izayoi from the depths of Hell. She swirled around the room until she materialized in front of the Lady
"Why was I summoned?"
The Lady smiled "Izayoi, I thought you would like to meet your daughter -in -law and grandchild in person."