One Bead at a Time


[timeline: companion story to Fragile Dreams]



written by Christine


“See Kikyo?” her mother said, “just like this.”

	Kay sat on the step in front of her small daughter with a gemstone mala bead in one hand and a small hand drill in the other. She turned the drill the last couple of twists and it poked through to the other side. She dropped it in her daughter’s hands. Kikyo looked at the bead and then handed it back. She watched as her mother added the new bead onto the current string of beads and mumbling a prayer as she tied a knot in the silk cord after it to keep it in place.

Kay was making prayer beads for the new monk. Prayer beads were usually created from wood. She was one of the very few crafters that created her prayer beads from gemstones. It was slow and tedious work but this time of year there was little else to do. The crops have been harvested and stored. The early winter weather was upon them. Kay reached for another bead out of a large bowl. They were already shaped and polished. The strand she was working on was being formed from sodalite beads, a dark blue gemstone. Sodalite will help the monk speak clearly and give him self-esteem. The bead making was the hardest part so each winter she and her husband made as many as they could manage. “Can I try?” the six year old asked. Kikyo was an attractive child with black hair and dark brown eyes. She was very much the image of her mother.

	Kay looked at her daughter and smiled. This was the first time she showed any interest in bead making. It was a tradition handed down from mother to daughter for untold generations. The holy people traveled in from everywhere just to have beads made by her hands. They were said to possess special protection qualities. Kay made each necklace or bracelet carefully, praying over each bead as she worked.

Kay reached in the bowl without looking and pulled out a onyx bead and another drill. She handed them to her daughter. Kikyo looked at the bead. "It's black, " she said with disappointment "Hold it up to the sunlight," her mother said. The young girl did as requested and the dark stone lighted to a translucent color. "It's an onyx gemstone," her mother said. It's very reflective and in bright sun it will pick up shades of color around it. It helps the wearer to balance and align their higher powers. It also helps with self-control, decision-making and encourages happiness and good fortune." Kikyo smiled at the explanation and sat on the porch next to her mother. She placed the drill onto the mala bead and tried to follow her example. She pressed the drill to the bead but every time she tried to turn it so it could drill the hole the drill bit slipped off the bead. She growled in exasperation. “You’re pressing too hard. Let the drill do the work,” her mother advised. Kikyo tried again and this time the drill didn’t slip. She stuck her tongue out the corner of her mouth as she concentrated on twisting the drill. Eventually the bit emerged through the other side. She removed the drill and proudly showed the bead to her mother. Her mother took the bead from her and gave it a thorough examination. “Very good,” she said with approval. Kikyo beamed. “Can I have enough to make a necklace?” she asked. Kay hesitated but it would be good practice for her daughter and the onyx gems were easier to find than most of the other gemstones she worked with. “If you can find enough onyx beads, you can use them. You will also need to use the three strand silk cord.” Kikyo smiled and immediately started digging through the bowl, extracting every black transparent bead it contained. She accumulated a total of 49 beads, just enough to complete her project. From her pile she picked up another bead and began drilling. “Can you do this with teeth and claws too?” Kikyo asked. “Teeth and claws? Why would you ask?” Kikyo reached into a pocket and pulled out her treasure of ten white claws to show to her mother. Her mother picked up one of the claws and examined it. She discovered that they weren't claws at all but actually comma shaped white jade stones. “These look like magatama stones. Where did you get these?” Kay asked. “InuYasha gave them to me,” Kikyo said. That hanyou son of Izayoi’s again, Kay thought. "Magatamas are very rare and sacred stones full of shamanic power. They're used to protect swordsmen in battle and in sacred rites such as funerals. Do you know what these represent?" Kay asked her daughter. Kikyo shook her head. "Magatama beads represent the yin-yang, like a sprouting seed, or an embryo. They are part of the Japanese Imperial Regalia, in Human World and they were the jewels worn by the sun goddess Amaterasu no Okami. Many shinto shrines have magatama beads inside. If you wear magatama beads you gain the protection of kami, which are the good spirits. I wonder where he found these?" Kay asked hypothetically. She was not really sure she wanted to know the answer. Before the Princesses came to this world there were awful battles between demons, overlords, and the humans. One can still find fields littered with the bones of the dead. The boy probably stumbled upon one of these fields and found the beads there. Kay really didn’t care for InuYasha but she felt sorry for Izayoi and knew that the young woman deeply loved her son sired by the deceased Dog Demon Lord. InuYasha wasn’t a bad boy, just different, very different. There was no mistaking that the boy was hanyou, with the dog-ears and all. Even his half-brother who was now the Lord of the Western Lands of Demon World, looked more human until one could see his demon markings. Hanyous have a rough life in store for them. Both humans and demons shun them. Kay was not sure why humans did. It seems like hanyous would be great allies and protectors of humans if they were accepted. It must be jealousy and fear about the power they possess, Kay thought. “What are you going to do with these?” Kay asked handing her daughter's sacred stone back to her. “I want to add them to the necklace. I think InuYasha will like it,” Kikyo said. "Since the beads are already drilled, that will be easy to do but the necklace might be irritating to wear,” her mother commented. “That’s alright, InuYasha won’t mind.” “You’re giving the necklace to him?” Kikyo blushed. “He’s so nice to me and Nami. Everyone else picks on him. I thought it would be a nice way to show that we like him. Besides us, there is only his mother and Isabo who seem to care about him. Now that I know more about the magatama stones, I know he's going to need all the protection he can get.” She picked up the string and ran one of the comma shaped on to it, followed by the bead she had already drilled. Then she picked up the next bead and started drilling it. Isabo. Now there's other strange one, Kay thought. She appears to be and acts human but she has that strange mark on her forehead. She also has the beauty of a high-class demon. She just doesn’t match up. The children love her though. Isabo was a good teacher. She was teaching most of the village children reading and script as well as herbal medicine and martial arts. For some reason though, the head council of the town didn’t like her, probably because she lived with Izayoi. “Come," Kay said to her daughter, "it’s much too nice of a day to sit inside.” Kay said.

	Kikyo's brother, Zhen, joined the two of them in the field as they were working on their projects. The three of them were quickly joined by Kikyo’s friend Nami. Kay was able to finish her prayer beads. Once they were complete she left the children to start the evening supper. She carefully hung the beads on the rack on a table inside the door. Their new owner would be by to pick them up in the morning.

Kikyo had made amazing progress on her own strand. She showed her brother and Nami what exactly she was doing. Zhen liked the idea of stringing claws in the necklace and claimed that he was going to get some claws to string for himself. Kikyo was quick to tell her brother that the white stones were not really claws but magatama stones. But then she told him that claws would look very nice in their place. When the sun was getting low in the sky, Nami had to go home so Zhen and Kikyo gathered up the beads and returned to their home for supper. Kikyo hung the incomplete necklace on the rack next to the other beads.

InuYasha sat on the hill staring at the village as the sun was setting. Ever since the day he was cruelly teased by the townspeople, he never went down there. His mother came up and sat beside him. “You’ve been sitting here for hours,” Izayoi said. “She didn’t come today,” the boy said. “Who didn’t come?” “Kikyo. She always comes but not today.” “You like her, don’t you?” “Like her? Eh… I’m just worried about her.” His mother pulled him close to comfort him. “Don’t worry, I’m sure she’s fine. She just must have been needed at home today.”

	He climbed into her lap and rooted around under her kimono. He found what he was searching for and started nursing. She stroked his head and then started humming, rocking him as he suckled. She knew she was spoiling him. He had long outgrown the need to nurse for sustenance but she needed the closeness nursing gave them as much as he did.

InuYasha was her only child from the only man she’d ever loved. Only Isabo understood for she too had loved Inutaishou. She was there when he died and she had lost all her children that same day except one and he wouldn’t even talk to her. Three years ago Izayoi saw them confront each other over that rusty old sword that Inutaishou left for her son. She learned that day who Isabo was but she never brought it up. There was no doubt who Sesshomaru’s father was, and she heard him call Isabo mother. Izayoi didn’t know why Isabo came to help her, especially considering the objection of Isabo’s only remaining son, but she was grateful. They both poured everything they had into raising InuYasha. Maybe no one else saw it but they did. InuYasha was very special.

Kikyo’s father returned home for supper. He had some news that he knew his family was not going to like. Yoshin sat at the table as his family served him. As they settled down to eat he made his announcement. “We are moving,” he said. Kay stopped eating due to the shock but she said nothing. It was a declaration buy her husband, and as his wife, she had no choice but to obey his wishes. Kikyo and her brother on the other hand, had no hesitation about vocalizing their protest. “We can’t! “ Zhen said. “This is our home!” “I have friends here!” Kikyo said. “This is not open for discussion. We leave in two days.” Zhen pouted and Kikyo broke down in tears. Kay gathered her weeping daughter into her arms and looked at her husband with quizzical eyes. He shook his head to stop her question and continued with his meal. She knew well that there was a reason but she was not going to hear it while Kikyo and Zhen were present. Kikyo never finished her meal. Kay watched her daughter as she worked diligently on the necklace for her friend, determined to complete it in time. Zhen had stormed out of the house as soon as he was released from the table. Seeing his daughter absorbed in her task, Yoshin tapped Kay’s shoulder and walked outside. Kay rose and followed him. “What’s wrong, Yoshin?” she asked. “This is your father’s land. Why are you giving it all up?” “The council is about to do something very foolish. I've protested strongly but I cannot sway them. They have found out what Isabo is and they are looking to sell her to the highest bidder.”

	“Sell her? That’s barbaric! What is she that they think they can get any price for her at all so close to Demon World?” “She’s not a demon, Kay, she’s a Unicorn,” he said.

“A Unicorn! But they’re sacred creatures. How can they even consider this? She must be why we have been so prosperous the last five years.” “That’s what I tried to tell them. They insist that prosperity is because of the Inutaishou’s death. They’ve shunned poor Izayoi and her son and now they are going to take away the last support she has. Have you seen Izayoi lately? She’s not looking well these days. If something happens to her and they capture or kill Isabo, heaven help that poor boy.” “If you feel this way why are we leaving? We should stay to help them!” “Because someone has already accepted the offer, Kay. They’re mercenary bandits. I’m sure they’re the ones that have been plundering and killing villages all along the border. If we try to interfere, everyone will be killed. I also believe these mercenaries will turn on the village once they have their prize. Even if they don’t kill us, what do you think the Dog Demon Lord Sesshomaru will do when he finds out what happened to his mother?” “His mother? Isabo’s his mother?” “Yes. They may be estranged but he will seek revenge, I have no doubt. This village is doomed, Kay. I have to think of you and the children first. Our only choice is to escape. I just thank the gods that we've had enough warning.” They embraced and stood there together for a long time. What they didn’t see was a small figure creeping away. Zhen raced back to the house and told his sister what he had overheard. “You’ve got to warn her!” Zhen said. He’s had a crush on Isabo ever since he first saw her but Zhen was too young and far too shy to ever approach her. “I will” Kikyo promised.

Kikyo feign sleep until her parents were soundly sleeping. She then moved close to the fire and, working diligently through the night, finishing the necklace just before dawn. Gripping the necklace tight she finally succumbed to exhaustion. Her mother rose at first light and found her daughter sleeping by the fire. Kay saw the completed necklace in her daughter’s hand and immediately knew what she had done. She woke her husband and had him move the girl back to her mattress. During the move, Kikyo lost grip of the necklace and it fell to the floor. After tucking her daughter in, Kay retrieved the necklace and looked it over. “Is that what she stayed up all night for?” Yoshin asked. “Yes,” Kay responded. “This necklace is very important to her, especially now.” “Why now?” “She’s making it for InuYasha.” Kay said inspecting it closely. “She really has talent,” “Why InuYasha? She can’t be getting that close to him. They’re only six years old.” “I don’t think it’s that type of relationship, not yet anyway. They're best friends though. This parting is going to be hard for both of them.” Kay laid the necklace down next to her daughter and went to start the morning meal. Hours later Kikyo awoke with a start. Her brother shaking her. “Kikyo, wake up! You need to go tell Isabo!” “Oh, no! I fell asleep!” she said distressed. She quickly dressed, grabbed the necklace and ran out of the house. “Kikyo, don’t you want something to eat?” Kay yelled after the girl but Kikyo didn’t respond.

	Nami met her friend on the edge of town and both girls ran across the field toward where they saw Isabo and InuYasha practicing swordmanship. Suddenly they saw a beautiful tall man dressed in white with long flowing white hair appear. He was obviously a demon. The demon was talking to Isabo in cold angry tones. Nami grabbed Kikyo by the wrist and held her back.

“That’s Demon Lord Sesshomaru!” Nami informed her friend They both gasped as they saw InuYasha charged at him only to be held back by Isabo. There was obviously a very intense conversation going on between Isabo and the demon. Then the demon turned and left. Both girls bowed low to the Demon Lord as he strolled by. Sesshomaru completely ignored them. Kikyo was the first to move after the encounter. She ran toward the hill. “INUYASHA!” she yelled.

	The cute dog-eared boy dropped his wooden sword, grabbed up his ball and bounded down the hill towards them. He hugged each friend in turn. Nami always looked uncomfortable with the emotional contact but Kikyo willingly hugged him back. The three of them sat on the grass. “I missed you yesterday,” InuYasha said to them. “I was busy making this for you,” Kikyo said pulling out the beaded necklace and placed it in his hands.

He looked at the necklace. For every five beads there was one of the magatama beads he had given to her. He was awestruck. “You did this for me?” She nodded. He placed the necklace around his head. “I will never take it off, I swear.” Suddenly, Kikyo burst into tears. “Is it something I said?” InuYasha said worried. Kikyo shook her head. “I’m leaving tomorrow.” “Leaving?” both InuYasha and Nami said in chorus. “Father is making us move,” she said and then she told them all that her brother had told her from what he overheard of their parent’s conversation. “We’ve got to tell Isabo!” InuYasha said, but as he rose they saw a Unicorn run off towards Demon World. Then they watched Izayoi was coming down the hill toward them. The walk seemed to tire her and she started coughing. “InuYasha, has your mother seen the healer?” Nami asked. The boy shook his head worry lines creasing his forehead. “She won’t go. She says there's nothing they can do for her anyway." “Isabo has been teaching me some healing things,” Kikyo said. “I’ll gather some herbs that should help your mother feel better.” “Thank you.” InuYasha said. He went up to his mother and urged her to return to their home.

InuYasha prepared the herbs as Kikyo instructed but they didn’t seem to help. He told his mother what Kikyo had told him. “Don’t worry about Isabo, she’s gone to find her other surviving child but she said she would be back in a week. She can take care of herself.” Izayoi coughed and blood came up this time. She was drowning in her own fluids. She knew her end was fast approaching. “InuYasha, if something happens to me, you wait for Isabo to come back you hear? She’ll take care of you.”

	“Nothing is going to happen to you! I’ll get the healer! I’ll drag her here if I have to!” Izayoi grabbed him. The grip had no strength but InuYasha yield to it. “There’s nothing she can do for me.” Izayoi coughed again. “Isn’t Kikyo leaving today?”

InuYasha nodded fighting back tears. “Then you should go tell her goodbye,” Izayoi released him and he looked down at her, obviously torn. "I'll be alright until you get back. Go on. It's your last chance to see her." He went to the door, then he paused and looked back at her again. “I’ll be right back,” he said. Izayoi smiled at him and watched him go.

The wagon was all packed and the rest of the family had climbed on board. They were waiting for Kikyo and she waited for her friends. Nami finally showed up. She had some bruises on her face that looked like a hand had grasped her chin too tight. Kikyo tried to inquire what happened but Nami shook her head and refused to answer. She looked into her friend’s tear-filled eyes and saw that she was being tortured by some knowledge, but all Kikyo could do was hug her friend tight. Both girls cried . “Kikyo…, come on honey, we’ve got to go,” her father said as he picked her up and put her in the wagon. “But InuYasha hasn’t come yet,” she protested crying even harder. “I’m sorry, we can’t wait any longer.” He said gently to her. He hated seeing her cry. He climbed into the wagon and started the horses moving. Kikyo turned so she could face behind. Her friend Nami was waving goodbye. Suddenly a red and white object streaked by her. “KIKYO!!” InuYasha called as he raced to catch up to the wagon. Kay made her husband stop the wagon and Kikyo got out. InuYasha grabbed her in a hug, which she returned. Yoshin bristled and started to get out but Kay held him back. “I thought I missed you,” he said as they parted. Kikyo grabbed his hand and led him a little away from the cart. “Did the herbs help your mother?” she asked He shook his head. “Then you need to get her to the healer,” Kikyo continued. “Mother says there is nothing a healer can do for her. She’s coughing up blood now. Her lungs sound like she’s drowning.” InuYasha said, tears falling down his face. “Oh, InuYasha, I’m so sorry!” Kikyo said, embracing the crying boy. “InuYasha, if something happens to your mother, you come find us. Okay?” “I’m going to miss you,” the boy said. “And I you, she said back. “Kikyo!” Her father called to her. She turned to go back to the wagon but InuYasha turned her back and kissed her, an innocent first kiss. “I’ll never forget you,” he said. “KIKYO!” Yoshin yelled sharply. He didn’t like seeing that kiss. Kikyo blushed and said, “Goodbye, InuYasha.” She turned away and ran to the wagon. Her father lifted her in and she turned to watch the boy with tears in her eyes as they moved away. He half-heartedly followed for about two yards and then stopped and watched the wagon as it disappeared over a hill. He wiped his face with his sleeve and turned back down the road fingering the necklace, the only thing he had left of her. He saw Nami staring at him, standing in the same place as she was when he passed her. He walked toward the only friend he had left when her father walked up to her and roughly escorted her away. InuYasha knew what that meant. Nami was going to be forbidden to see him ever again. Now the poor Hanyou truly was alone. He walked slowly back toward his home, the only one he’s ever known, to watch and wait for the last piece of his world to fall apart.

Song: Homage for InuYasha - Piano Solo