Chapter 1:
Kagome was crying uncontrollably, running through the woods faster than anyone thought she could as branches grabbed at her clothes and hair. She Just ran, not bothering to look where she was going, not even to catch her breath, sobbing to herself, "how could he do this to me? it's like he wasn't himself." However, she was unaware that someone was listening, having smelled the salty tears and the metallic scent of blood that rolled off her in waves, when she literally ran into the silver haired mans chest. Kagome would have fallen if it weren't for the strong striped arm that had wrapped itself around her waist. She looked up into a pair of breathtakingly gold eyes and collapsed against him in fear, as the memories of the past few hours rushed through her head once more. Sesshoumaru, not knowing what to do to help the troubled young woman, scooped her up and carried her to a nearby lake then laid her on the shore waiting for her to regain consciousness. He stared at her, taking in her disheveled appearance. Her shirt was torn to almost rags as it hung from her shoulders revealing the strange contraption that seemed to be there to bind her breasts but Sesshoumaru was unsure, her skirt was relatively unharmed except for a few rips and tears but her panties were gone, probably torn to shreds by his idiot half brother. Her feet were bare with scratches all over them from running so long in the woods. It didn't take long for her to rouse as her reiki felt the powerful but calm presence beside her, sitting up slowly she looked in his direction with almost dead eyes and asked as though resigned to the fate she was asking about. "Are you going to kill me?" She stared at the ground, no longer able to stand his piercing gaze. "If I had wanted to kill you, I, Sesshoumaru, would have done so by now, miko", Said the stoic daiyoukai like it was obvious.
Kagome released the breath she didn't realize she was holding and lowered her head into her hands crying again, but this time less hysterical as she finally gave into the exhaustion from running for what seemed like to hours to her. Sesshoumaru looked to the frail women in front of him and frowned, she was a lot thinner then he remembered, even before this terrible ordeal had taken place. The poor girl looked absolutely defeated, which for some reason didn't sit well with him, no, he wanted the strong defiant girl, the one who showed him no fear even if it did annoy him. From the looks of her something had been going on for a while, she had changed into a sniveling mess and Sesshoumaru didn't like it, though, he knew not why. Why should it bother him if she cried till she passed out, He wouldn't admit even to himself that it bothered him that she didn't seem as strong willed as before. He could smell Inuyasha all over her. He pondered on why his brother seemed to have attacked this girl in such a brutal manner. He could smell the blood that was just now starting to slow running down from the deep claw marks he used to pry the unwilling girls legs apart. She had gotten away in time, for he could still smell her innocence, this pleased him for a reason he did not yet know. Physically he knew she would heal as long as they did something to stop the bleeding from the many gashes and scratches she had, but mentally, he wasn't sure, for even he knew how much the young miko had loved his hanyou brother. He was just staring when a thought struck him; the miko had said that his brother hadn't been himself.
Though Sesshoumaru didn't like his young brother and the thought of the young woman being in love with him angered Sesshoumaru beyond belief. A human he supposedly cared nothing about, he himself couldn't help but agree with that statement. It wasn't like the hanyou to attack someone without reason. Even though Inuyasha didn't love Kagome, he still cared for her deeply as he did all his friends, youkai, and mortals alike. "Miko, you need to clean yourself and sleep, then I will allow you to accompany me to my castle tomorrow. I will have my healers attend your wounds and the cold water should stop the rest of the bleeding once they've been cleaned" Kagome just nodded then walked to the water looking at her reflection. Sesshoumaru chose this moment to rush to a nearby hut he smelled close by, and asked for some linen to help her dress her wounds, thinking it best to at least tend to them now before infection set in. When he got back to her she was just sitting there in her weird breast thing and her skirt having decided she couldn't save her shirt, and did not think her modesty was needed at this point since she had been half naked this whole time. What difference did it make now that she had thrown the rags away? Sesshoumaru slowly approached her, trying not to startle her, though he felt certain she knew he was there. He sat down beside her, he began to bandage her with the torn linen, everything was fine till he got to her legs. He paused as some need deep within him twitched. He then handed her the torn pieces and looked away, motioning toward her to wrap them. After she had finished, Sesshoumaru laid his hayori around her shoulders to not only cover her but to keep her warm, not needing it himself. She then lay back, suddenly too tired to even notice his muscled chest and well defined arms, and faded off to a fretful sleep, her instincts telling her she could trust him at the moment to keep her safe while she tried to sleep. Sesshoumaru's imposing presence would keep anyone from coming any closer. Watching the stars he sat beneath a tree, stretching out his long slim legs then crossing them, and waited till morning. One night seemed like an hour to the immortal being. Upon the sun rising, poor Kagome felt like a stranger in her own aching body, she thanked kami that she was able to get away before anything completely devastating happened or worse. She feared Inuyasha. She felt he had been out for blood. Had it not been for the enchanted beads he still wore around his neck, she never would have made it very far, and if it hadn't been for Sesshoumaru, she probably would have been youkai food or bled out from her gashes.
Oddly enough she felt taller as she sat there, like she was still increasing in height. Being twenty one, she had thought she was done growing at least by modern standards. It's not like she was a child like young Rin that traveled with the very handsome daiyoukai that stood waiting for her to make her way to him. She was surprised at the direction of her wayward thoughts, and even if she admitted, she had to be blind not to notice that he had an otherworldly beauty about him. She had not even noticed he had walked up to her, As she sluggishly got up to her feet, she looked to Sesshoumaru's out stretched hand. Taken aback by his, what seemed like kindness, she took it, wearily looking at him from the side and gasped when he suddenly pulled her closer, wrapping his arm around her to summon his foot cloud. Smirking ever so slightly, he stepped up, picking her up easily to rest in his arms like a blushing bride after her wedding, and blushing she was. Sesshoumaru feeling her unusually soft hair brush against his arm, it didn't feel like the mortals he was used to encountering. It seemed longer to him though, and her scent seemed to have changed as well but only slightly. Though he could be over thinking, but he wouldn't know for sure till he had been around her for a little longer, because whatever the change it was so subtle that even his youkai senses were having trouble picking it up. Kagome relaxed in to his hold, and couldn't help but feel the heat from his arms and clawed hands, soak into her morning chilled body. As cold as his demeanor usually was, she half expected his skin to be just as cold. Ignoring the little sensations his touch was giving her, she focused on the sky before them rushing by. It was like she could see forever when she looked to the horizon in front of them. Then, all too quickly, she saw a magnificent tower of grey stone, and a maroon roof, Sesshoumaru descended to the ground. She must have traveled farther then she realized to be this close to his castle.
When they reached the gates, Kagome could barely hear the call from the guard "open the gate! it's Sesshoumaru-sama." They walked into the courtyard and were greeted by a very excited Rin, and a grumbling Jaken. Rin made it to about three quarters of the way to them when she suddenly stilled seeing the wrappings and Sesshoumaru's hayori around Kagome. She asked worriedly "lady Kagome are you alright?" Kagome, not having the heart to explain such a terrible thing to the young girl, just smiled sadly and nodded. Sesshoumaru not missing the sadness in that smile proceeded to say "lady Kagome has been pretty badly injured. Rin, will you quickly but carefully escort her to the hospital wing? Where she can relax from her tiring journey. Jaken, have a meal prepared for her at once, and if I hear a complaint out of you, I shall kill you." Jaken, swallowing his insult with wide eyes, gave his compliance with an "aye milord" and scurried away with Rin trailing behind him at a much slower pace. She gently grabbed Kagome's hand guiding her to the place Sesshoumaru-sama had directed.
Sesshoumaru on the other hand, set out for his captain of the guard to request an observer to find Inuyasha, and the rest of Kagome's friends. Then report back to him about the group's condition knowing that the young miko would no doubt be worried about her friends soon, and to bring the kitsune with him. Sesshoumaru was no fool. He knew the young boy would not only be a good friend to Rin, but he could also see the bond between the miko and the kitsune, almost as if they were born from the same mother as siblings. Kagome being a great older sister to him, instead of youkai and human. That would certainly make her happy to know the young kitsune was alright and safely here with her.
Meanwhile, in the hospital wing, the nursemaid was shocked to see that Kagome's wounds looked several days old instead of just one night. She was no expert at human healing time, but she knew that the injuries should still be fresh because humans healed slower than youkai. Akiko was the nurse's name, she had pale skin like her lord with beautiful cinnamon brown hair and dark blue eyes. She had heard about the miko that traveled with the lord's younger brother, and at present was sitting by the pretty young women's bed, watching her sleep when Kagome shot up with a slight red tint to her eyes, probably from all the crying. At least Akiko thought that's what it was from not knowing Kagome hadn't cried in hours. Kagome looked around then visibly relaxed her eyes slowly fading back to the white and chocolate brown, "are you alright child?" said the beautiful nekoyoukai beside her.
"Yes, but where am I? Who are you? And how long have I been asleep?" said the confused miko in a rushed sentence. "You are in the hospital wing in Sesshoumaru-sama's castle and I am Akiko, your nurse at present, and you've been asleep for about half a day. You collapsed as soon as young Rin brought you in here, the poor girl was so frightened by your fainting spell she wouldn't leave your side till I made her fetch you some food, saying you'd be alright after you ate." Akiko was about to comment on how Sesshoumaru never went to such lengths to help anyone but the young girl who happily ran about the castle and travelled with him, when suddenly, there was a knocking at the door.