The pale haired woman stood in front of her brother, head bowed and waiting for his orders. She glowered at the edge of her kimono but dared not look at him in the same manner. She knew he could already feel her displeasure at being brought before the court like a common wench. When she heard her brother's voice finally break the silence, the woman looked up at him with an emotionless gaze, gold eyes meeting gold. "Yes, Great Brother?" She inquired, placing her hands elegantly in front of her and clasping them together.
"As you know, the West has finally come into a new Lord," The woman nodded for her brother to continue, "and as I am the head of this domain, it is my duty to the new Lord to provide for him a prospect." The similar looking male grinned down at his sister before continuing. "As there are not many… pleasing young Daiyokai left in our ranks, I have offered you, my dear sister, as a potential for the new Lord of the West."
Junko, despite the urge to claw at her brother for the betrayal, bowed and accepted his wish with grace. "Yes, Great Brother. As you wish." She looked to him again, this time a slight distaste on her lips. "Will that be all, Great Brother?"
Ichirou looked down his nose at his younger sister, "Come now sister, you should be grateful that I have simply offered you as a prospect along with the other noble woman of Inu Yokai in the varying domains. Would you have rathered I arranged your courtship to another, less appealing Lord?" He all but chuckled when he saw a flash of anger flash in his sister's eyes. "Leave, before I have the sense to change my mind and do just that." With a flick of his hand, the silver haired woman was dismissed, retreating from the grand receiving room, her handmaids in tow.
The servants of the palace scurried around her and bowed in her presence as she made her way rather angrily through the long, turning hallways of the traditional lodging. When one had offered her a 'good day my Lady', Junko looked at the unsuspecting imp, the fire of her anger clear in her golden eyes. The poor creature had become so frightened by her glower that it turned a pale shade of green and promptly fainted. Again she faced frontward and continued on her rampage into her chambers.
When the young looking woman slid open the screen of her private receiving room, she couldn't help but pick up a blue and white porcelain vase and smash it against one of the opposite walls of the elegantly decorated room. "How dare he!" She exclaimed, picking up another of the vases that sat on pillars by the entrance screen. With a growl, Junko tossed this one as well, harder than the first, causing small splinters of fine porcelain to dust the air and fine wood furniture. "Has he no respect for his kin?" Again she growled, deeper and much more animalistic than the first, picking up a wooden trinket box and aiming her arm. "Has he no respect for the last will of mother?" She stopped herself from tossing the box and looking at it instead.
The Inu Daiyokai clutched the box to her breast and walked slowly over to a second screen, pulling it open. She walked into the private resting room and — upon turning left — kneeled in front of a small shrine. Placing the wooden box down in front of her, Junko took hold of a small incense and lit it with the ever present flame embedded into the stone shrine, bowing her head. After a few moments, the woman looked up and stood, the wooden box forgotten.
She turned her head when the sound of her handmaid's light footfalls echoed towards her location. "Yes?" She called as the smaller, Inu yokai bowed her head in greeting and respect.
"Your Great Brother has requested that you bathe, my Lady, as he says you travel to the West on the morrow." The young handmaid said, standing straight, folding her hands in front of her simple working kimono.
Without so much as a growl, Junko walked past the young woman. "Bring my salves." She called over her shoulder without stopping.
She leaned against the cold rock of the palace hot spring, eyes closed. The woman gave a deep sigh and slid further into the warming, soothing water. She didn't know what her brother was playing at when he demanded that she be sent to the West the next morning. It was unlikely that after all these years he had yet to figure out her moon cycle. Had he intended for her to be presented to the Western Lord the day of her First Moon? To make her even more alluring for the Western Inu Daiyokai? Perhaps he had no intention of simply sending her as a prospect but as a conquest for the new Lord.
At this thought, Junko sat up straight and looked around for her attendant. She would not give such an honour as her maidenhead to another whom she hadn't met. To whom she was but a prospect for a Mate and not an actual Mate for. The woman scoffed at the thought of siring bastard pups and soiling her esteemed bloodline. Licking her lips, Junko called for her handmaid and insisted that they proceed with her slaves. If she was to be presented tomorrow for the Great Lord of the West, than she had better look and smell her best. Again she closed her eyes, allowing the lesser Inu Yokai to unbind her hair and begin the process of applying the beauty slaves to her hair and pale skin.
Much to her dismay, the young looking woman hadn't slept. As she sat in front of her grooming mirror, she groaned at the dark bags that appeared puffy beneath her eyes. Junko called for her handmaid to bring her one of her soothing salves and within a few moments, the smaller Yokai had brought the Inu Daiyokai a small vial of opaque white salve. With the bow of her head, Junko took the vial and uncapped the top opening, turning it upside down and dabbing a bit onto the tip of her index finger. Pulling the flesh of her cheek down, the young woman began to blot the salve beneath her eyes. When she was finished, Junko was relieved to see the darkness fading from her pale skin.
She dropped her hand from her face and turned her head from side to side, admiring the two downward crescent shaped, mint Yokai marks on her cheeks. She smiled and reached for a pot of pale rose coloured paint. Picking up the delicate brush, Junko wiped off extra before placing it to her lips and painting it on to help create a pouty lip. She replaced the brush and admired herself once again.
The handmaid looked towards her lady and smiled before bowing again. "My Lady, I have been told it is time to leave. Your belongings have already been sent." She looked towards her loyal handmaid and stood, glad that she had been allowed to accompany the Inu Daiyokai on her endeavor. Junko nodded and allowed the lesser. Yokai to lead her towards a fate she had wanted no part of.
After a rather quiet journey, Junko was escorted into a receiving room just off of the main courtyard of the grand, Western palace. Her nose tingled as wave after wave of female Inu Daiyokai scent assaulted her senses. When her escort stopped a few feet in front of her, Junko came to stand beside a rather thin looking woman. With a raised brow, she corrected her observation from woman to young girl. Pulling her shoulder back, she stood tall, giving the illusion of a long, elegant neck.
From the right, a tall Yokai made his entrance, a scroll of some sort held in his hands. As the male spoke, Junko gazed at the line of women and girls beside her. They were all of different ages and, as she could smell, pedigrees. Upon hearing the announcement of the Lord's approach, the woman bowed her head and awaited her call.
She had expected the ordeal to take longer. But these were fleeting thoughts when she had been ordered to greet the Western Lord. So she did. As per to her years of courtly training, the young woman stepped forward, presenting herself to the Lord. A blank but graceful look on her face, Junko bowed and clasped her hands together. "My Lord." She said in an almost purring way.
Looking up, she met his gaze, slightly taken aback. When the gold eyes of the male before her narrowed, Junko knew that he saw her moment of failed grace. In response, she stood straight again, graceful and elongated. She watched as he began to lift his hand to dismiss her but stopped. Though the movement was too small for those around him to notice, Junko caught the slight puffing of his nostrils. She couldn't help the feeling of pride that filled her at this small movement of his. The male glanced to his left, his head unmoving, to a green imp holding a two headed staff in his hands. Junko pursed her lips a bit while she watched the creature start to sweat. She could hear his little heart beat quicken at the sideways glance from his master.
As if on cue, the little toad creature opened his mouth and demanded that the rest of the gathered individuals, whom 'the Great Lord Sesshomaru' had no interest in, be escorted out of the room. Still standing as if she was on display, Junko continued to look at the Western Lord, whom had just learned his name. When the room was empty, save for a few that managed to make an impression, Lord Sesshomaru stood and began to walk towards her. She bowed and when she saw his boots, looked up again, "My Lord." She said, cocking an eyebrow before letting her face rest into one of elegance.
His face remained unchanged as he looked at her, studying her features. When he had come to some sort of conclusion, he turned away from the silver haired woman and began to walk from the room. "Take them to their respective quarters." Lord Sesshomaru said in an unwavering tone.
Junko released a breath, which she hadn't known she had been holding and followed as her escort led her to a rather small set of rooms, instructing her that the Lord would send someone for her if he so choose to accept her further. Junko nodded and, as she was left alone, trembled. She knew that he, Lord Sesshomaru, knew. She knew that he sensed it, smelled it, when his nostrils flared. None of the other male Yokai had. Or perhaps it was to be expected with so many female in one gathering, that they paid no mind to it. Reaching behind her head, the woman pulled the binding from her hair allowing for it to flow all around her.
She stood before the screen that marked the entrance of her resting chamber and slid it open. If there was ever something she would beg for, it was that this Lord wouldn't call on her this night. Or the next 2 nights for that matter. Although she doubted he would so foolish as to pursue her in such a disgraceful manner; without a proper coupling.