As Kaede wearily withdrew, Kagome felt fatigued herself. It was the force of the old woman’s simple, stubborn faith that had worn her down, as standing too long in the wake of a slow-moving current would. Even as Kaede’s figure faded from view, Kagome felt the ebb of her convictions still. She regretted that she’d been compelled to demean her former mentor—even though it was Kaede herself who’d pushed her to it.

Kagome resolved, then, in that moment, to tell Kaede the truth of things concerning Sesshoumaru. At least then there would be one other soul who would know them—who would know why Kagome had made the choices that she had. Even if Kaede disagreed, even if she never spoke to Kagome again, in her wisdom she would understand. Of this, Kagome was convinced, and heartened by the thought.

And so it was with renewed energy that she turned back toward the scene at the gates. The crowd of civilians had dispersed seemingly as one, but the soldiers remained tensely divided on either side of the road. With distrust bordering on hostility, many of Kohaku’s men were glaring and muttering at Ren’s.

“Where is Kohaku-kun, I wonder,” the samurai captain said loudly and pointedly, “to rein in this quarrelsome lot?”

“Kohaku-dono remains indisposed,” one of the militiamen answered shortly. “Yet his orders to us are clear.”

Shut in then, still, Kagome realized, and felt a prickle of anger. In the weeks following her rebuff of his drunken advances, he’d more or less barricaded himself in his guard tower, refusing to answer her summons or admit anyone except for a few of his most tight-lipped underlings. It was a temper tantrum if Kagome had ever seen one. So far all it had accomplished was to worry Rin sick and to piss Kagome off to the tenth degree.

In what universe he thought she was going to come crawling on her knees begging help from him after all this, she couldn’t imagine.

“And what orders were those?” Kagome asked Kohaku’s lieutenant, as she stepped forward into the middle of the road, Ikiryou a pale shadow trailing behind her.

“To maintain order in Edo, Miko-sama,” the man replied haltingly, as if her direct address had unsettled him.

As she advanced another quiet step, the man’s unease seemed to deepen further. Kagome could picture the image she struck: otherworldly, with her strange eyes, strange powers, and even stranger manner, and with the great beast of a wild dog ghosting her footsteps. There was reverence in the gaze of this grizzled old lieutenant, but there was caution even more.

Kagome was glad to see it. To be loved was good, but to be feared was better. Stopping before him, she smiled.

“Those are fine orders,” Kagome said, turning aside to Ren. “And, Heichou, what are yours?”

“To protect Edo, Kagome-sama,” the samurai replied.

Kagome nodded. “To maintain order in Edo, to protect Edo…it seems to me like you guys are more or less on the same page.” Calmly, she looked around at them all. “So why are you at odds with one another—just because a different man gave these orders to you? That’s just plain silly, if you ask me.”

“You speak wisely, Kagome-sama,” Ren said as he approached her in turn. “Why indeed should there be two voices of command? It can only cause confusion and dissent where there should be none. And so I propose—”

“Ah,” Kagome said, cutting him off in the mildest tone she could muster, “thank you, Heichou, but since you’re of the same mind as I am, surely I can speak for us both.” The gleam in Ren’s eye dulled as she continued to walk forward, past him. Just before the stone arch, she turned back to face the expectant men. “Forgive me for any past misunderstandings, but there’s only one voice of command here—and that is mine. You are all one army, united in holy service to me, and to the vision of greatness for Edo which I have foreseen. You will train together, work together, and together we’ll prevail against the forces threatening us from without and within. Ren and Kohaku are your captains, appointed by me, and you will respect them as such—is that understood?”

Kagome’s words were for them all, but her eyes were on Ren. The frown cleared from his handsome face as he met her gaze. Though his own eyes were hard, he bowed graciously to her, and the army of Edo followed his lead.

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi