The March of Time
Chapter 1
She sat by her fire, in her hut that the villagers of the Citadel helped her build, once she took over from their previous priestess. Lost in her thoughts. The jewel had been completed a scant 6 months before, just for her to make her wish and the well to stop working, trapping her in the Sengoku Jedai. Apparently, because she had spent so long in this time, she couldn't return to her own. Her heart had broken until that very same night, Midoriko had appeared before her in the dream-scape and explained that, though she may be stuck having to live through this time, she would make it back to her own but that she would have to take the long way. It had turned out, that the jewel had been reabsorbed by her body but that it had weaved itself into the very fabric of her soul, in order to protect itself forever, which meant that she, had to live forever with it. So her family would see her again, but it wouldn't be until 500 years into the future.
After this incident, Kagome had woken up and left Edo that day. Everything was where it needed to be in Edo, Inuyasha had Kikyo, living and breathing, Sango and Miroku where married the week before and had set off back to the slayers village to rebuild, and give a place of safety to youkai, hanyous and humans alike, so Kagome felt no guilt in leaving and making her own travels. She had brought Shippo with her as well as Kilala, a gift from Sango, and headed out in the direction of the West. It was warmer there in the Winter, and pleasantly comfortable in the Summer, it also had a decent balance of youkai and humans living in that part of the country, which she felt she needed, having a young kitsune and neko with her.
They had travelled for weeks, stopping to help where they could and giving aide to any and all who needed it. It had been tiring and it had been long, but eventually they had came upon the village they where currently living in, just to be told that they where slowly losing the current Miko to age and ailing health, so Kagome had offered to take her place. The village had been readily accepting of her offer but had informed her that she would have to receive permission from their Lord, due to their proximity to the Palace of the Moon. At first Kagome had been nervous, having forgotten, that the Lord of the West, was in fact Inuyasha's older brother Sesshoumaru, her ally and secret crush, not that anyone would ever hear her admit it. He had readily granted her permission to settle in his lands, on the condition that she help him raise Rin, as she was human, Sesshoumaru wasn't entirely sure of her needs, or how her human body worked. Kagome had agreed to this and had also offered to teach Rin how to access and control her dormant but strong Reiki, if Sesshoumaru would help in training Shippo to use his youkai powers and gifts. Sesshoumaru had agreed and the rest was, as they say, history.
That had been three weeks ago now and she was currently relaxing after a long day of healing and teaching. Shippo had been put to bed a while ago and now she was sitting with a cup of tea and Kilala purring happily on her lap. She supposed that she had come a long way in the last 6 months, her strength had more or less quadrupled and now that her soul was fully restored once more, she didn't tire as easily with extended use of her power, now it was like she had a never ending supply of energy, it was staggering really. She was proud of herself and how far she had come, in not only the past months, but in the last year as well. She wouldn't have imagined that this is where she would have ended up. She supposed it was true what they said, you never knew what fate had in store for you.
Kagome was brought out of her thoughts by Kilala jumping from her lap, and transforming into her battle ready state, beginning to hiss and growl ferociously, her hackles completely risen. Kagome was about to reach out with her aura, when she heard yelling from the villagers and the warning bell tolling in the centre of the village. Something was attacking. Kagome sighed and grabbed her bow, placed a barrier around her hut to protect Shippo and then calling to Kilala, ran from her home, to face whatever was outside. What would be dumb enough to attack a village right by the palace? Who was stupid enough to indirectly attack Sesshoumaru? Luckily Kagomes hut was close to the centre of the village, so it didn't take her long to reach the area and come face to face with a small youkai, running for his life, with another youkai, possibly a panther giving chase. It was clear that the panther was trying to kill the young boy. Kagome ran toward the little one, grabbing him up and placing him behind her, then knocking an arrow into her bow, fired a warning shot at the panther, causing it to come to a skidding stop, metres from her, where she had already had another arrow readied.
'State your business demon and hope I approve of what I hear, lest you meet your maker sooner than you thought.' Kagome said, her voice strong and clear. The panther, growled at her, transforming into it's human form, to reveal a beautiful demoness with green eyes.
'Just give me the brat and I'll leave you and your village be wench. Stand in my way, and I will go through you to get to him.'
'Wrong answer.' Kagome stated simply and let her arrow fly, the arrow bursting into her customary bright pink light.
The panther dodged the arrow, but the smell of singed hair, belied that it had been just barely and no more. The demoness hissed and lunged towards Kagome, who threw up her barrier around her and the young youkai, that was currently clutching the leg of her hakama, in fear. The panther hit Kagomes barrier and was thrown back three or four feet and slammed against the town bell, destroying its frame. Kagome wasted no time, and knocked another arrow quickly, took aim, and let it loose, to fly true and hit its mark into the heart of the demoness. The panthers eyes widened as she let out a screech and burst into a flurry of ash. Kagome relaxed her hold on her bow, letting it fall to her side and sighed. What the hell was that all about? But she didn't have time to think about it much as she felt a small tug on her hakama, reminding her that she had a small youkai at her back. She turned towards the little boy and knelt down by him.
'Thank you miss. That panther was scary, I tried to protect myself honest. But I wasn't strong enough.' The little one said dropping his eyes to the ground in what Kagome though looked like shame.
'Hey, it's ok, you're just a little one, no one expects you to be able to protect yourself against every attacker and especially not a fully grown youkai.' Kagome replied but then trailed off as she got a good look at the boy in front of her and came to a startling realisation, he looked just like Sesshoumaru, right down to the silver hair and she was willing to bet, if she lifted his head up, he'd have the gold eyes and magenta markings of the Western Lord.
'Little one, tell me, are you related to The Lord of these lands in anyway?' Kagome asked in a bid to confirm her suspicions. The boy at this point, looked up at her and sure enough Gold eyes and magenta markings greeted her, eyes that were sparkiling happily.
'Yep! My name is Akimaru and Lord Sesshoumaru is my Papa, though I've never met him.' Akimaru said with an adorable fanged smile.
Kagome just looked at Akimaru with a dumb founded expression, as a thought began to present itself in her mind….She had just saved the heir of the Western Lands and now Sesshoumaru would owe her a life debt, not that she cared whether he did or not, Sesshoumaru however would care and he may not be happy to be in debt to a human for the rest of his life.
'Fuck!' Kagome said uncharacteristically, she rarely swore...but given the current situation, she couldn't think of anything else to say. She had a feeling that her life was about to change immensely.