Purely Tainted by Chiyoko Lace

Prologue

A/N: I only want to say, that I originally wanted to withhold the story from bein' posted so I could add more chapters to my backlog, however, the story continued to bug me that, unless I posted, no more would be written so here it is! Review and let me know what you think so my confidence will grow! Information will be accessable on my profile!

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    The sun was just beginning to set, casting shadows upon the tranquil courtyard. Guards, armed with a weapon upon each side, lined the exterior wall. Only a few mingled with another, senses remaining on high alert for a threat. An inuyoukai flared his aura, calling the attention of his squadron as a lone figure approached the gates to the castle. Proudly stitched upon the youkai's breast was the Northern crest of an inverted crescent, the points of which curved down against the indent of the figure's waist.

 The guards stepped aside as the familiar sage scent wafted toward them, and the lieutenant escorted her in, resting a hand against the small of her back.

 “Lady Kaoru, it has been nearly a lunar cycle since you have last graced these halls with your beauty. How fair thee?”

 The female in question lifted dainty hands to gently brush back the hood curtaining her features in shadows. Opaque orbs settled on the grinning visage of the lieutenant, a mirroring smile spreading across rosy lips. “Well, Hashiro-san, I have sorely missed the o-shiro and have decided to visit my dearest friend.”

 Approaching a door depicting a detailed carving of an fully transformed inuyoukai in battle, the lieutenant marveled briefly at the image ahead before rapping his knuckles lightly against the cherry frame. A feminine voice permitted entrance, and Hashiro-san slid the shoji door to the side for the female who lowered into a bow upon entering.

 “Lady Inukimi, I have arrived as promised.” Lady Kaoru lifted from her bow, approaching the Taiyoukai settled behind a mahogany desk, neatly covered with scrolls and little decorations. She knelt upon the cushion set out solely for her arrival, and gently placed the tightly bound scroll upon the desk before Lady Inukimi.

 “Kaoru-san, welcome, and thank you. How was your travel from the North?” Lady Inukimi questioned her friend. She extended a hand out to rest slender digits upon the scroll, feeling the soft hum of power binding the prophecy. Kaoru's eyes softened at the Lady's solemn look, aware that the fate of her son lies in the words scrawled on the parchment. “M'lady, it was an easy passage..”

 Lady Inukimi nodded at the inuyoukai, “I am glad, my friend. It wouldn't have been well for trouble to happen to you, or the scroll during your trip. I have a room prepared for you if you would like to stay for a while.”

 Soft knocking interrupted Kaoru from answering, and the Lady's shifted their attention to the shoji doors. “Enter.”

 A human child knelt beside the door for a breathe, waiting for the gentle pulse of youki from Lady Inukimi before she rose and entered the room, lowering into a seat beside Kaoru. She flashed a warm smile at the two youkai, completely at ease in their presence. “Has it arrived, Lady Inukimi?”

 The Taiyoukai in question nodded at the young human, granting her a motherly smile. “And how are your studies coming, little Rin? Have you abandon your tutor the minute you heard of Kaoru-san's arrival?”

 Rin bowed her head sheepishly, smiling up to her Lady through a curtain of hair. “Yes, Lady Inukimi. I just could not wait.”

 Inukimi reached out to lay her hand against Rin's shoulder, giving her wink. “I was the same way, little one. Now, let us see what this scroll has to say.”

 Removing her attention from her son's ward, she returned her grasp to the scroll, allowing her youki to flare against the spell binding the prophecy. Furrowing her brow at the resistance, a stronger flush of youki pressed against the energy, flashing with a lavender sheen as the binding dispersed, freeing the scroll to slowly unravel across the desk.

"When a new foe seeks to ravish the lands, particularly of the Crescent clans, an old soul will awaken from her slumber to join the rightful Heir in battle. If the soul mates win, the world will prosper with an abundance of life, and if all were to fail, the world will surrender to darkness." Inukimi reiterated loudly to the two ladies in her study. "I only wonder who the soul destined for this would be."

Kaoru motioned to the bottom of the scroll where a picture was depicted. “Look, m'lady, that might help.”

The drawing was of a raven haired female with vibrant, sapphire eyes lined by silver markings across her eyelids. Across her cheek in a jagged, downward strike was a violet marking that had Lady Inukimi lifting a brow in the similarity between her own mark, and the woman's. Upon her forehead was a prussian inverted crescent, and wrapped around her shoulders was an onyx moko-moko. Next to the picture of the woman was a slender sword with a name scrawled beneath.

Rin leaned in close to the picture, staring at the features of the woman, a name on the tip of her tongue. “I know her face.”

Lady Inukimi snapped amber orbs to the girl whose brow was furrowed in thought, and she was mumbling names beneath her breath. “She looks like Kagome-sama, but she does not have those markings for she is only human.”

Inukimi tilted her head to the side in thought, and motioned for a servant to retrieve one of the scholars. When he arrived, she showed him the image. “Find out anything you, or any of the other Lord's and Lady's know of this Kagome girl. Report back immediately on your findings.”

The scholar bowed his head to Inukimi and exited. She smiled at Rin and Kaoru. “Come, let us have some tea.”