Disclaimer: I don't own it.
Authoress' Note: new idea. Will it work? Hopefully.
Living on a Prayer
Chapter One
Kagome knelt at the base of Artemis's statue in prayer. When she had completed her prayer she rose to her feet and left the main room of the temple and retreated to the chambers where she and the other priestess' of Artemis resided. She sat down upon her pallet and laid down for an afternoon nap before the nightly ceremony commenced.
As she closed her eyes to sleep, the temple bells began to ring. Kagome hurried out of bed and into the main room of the temple. The other priestess' seemed to be just as confused as she was. The head priestess stepped into the middle of the massive round room to address all of the girls.
"Daughters of Artemis: tonight Emperor Sesshoumaru will be attending out nightly ceremony in honor to pray for a good hunt tomorrow. He will be accompanied by his head priest and brother, along with a few other servants. I wanted to tell you girls this all now so you can prepare yourself. Tonight, as is every night, is about our goddess; not about who is at the ceremony, remember that. Until then you are all dismissed."
The girls returned to where they had come from, and as Kagome began to walk back to the chambers, the head priestess called to her.
"Kagome!"
Kagome turned around and bowed her head quickly, "Yes Mother Kaede?"
"Because tonight we are entertaining a very important guest, I would like you to sing for the goddess tonight at the ceremony. You do have the loveliest voice."
"If it pleases the goddess, and you, I would be honored to Mother Kaede."
"Bless you child. You are favored in Artemis's eyes."
Kagome turned back to the goddess' statue and knelt quickly before it, saying a prayer of thanks. "Mother Kaede, who is the protector of the emperor's house?"
"Why Zeus of course child. The king of God's surely is the protector of the most powerful man in Athens."
"Of course, that was foolish of me. I will retreat to my room for now and I shall see you for tonight's ceremony."
"Of course child. Until then, may the goddess go with you."
"And with you also Mother Kaede." Kagome said with a smile before turning from the woman and walking to the chambers again.
She sat down on her pallet once more, but this time rather than attempting to sleep she picked up her lute and began to play, checking to see if her hands still remembered the prayer. Her fingers were adept at the lute and they moved quickly and gracefully over the strings. Although she wanted Artemis to be please with her prayer, she also wanted Emperor Sesshoumaru to be pleased with it. She practiced for hours, loosing track of time. The lamps were light as Apollo lowered the sun in the sky and Artemis brought the moon into full view.
The priestess' gathered in the main room of the temple as Emperor Sesshoumaru entered the temple with his closest advisors and family. They took seats near a smaller statue of the goddess as the priestesses prepared for the ceremony. Kagome stood in the center of the round room, on a carving of the moon in its fullest state, with her lute in hand. As she began to play, all attention was on her as she deftly played a song full of praise and beauty. She looked to the emperor, seeing a pleased look on his face before turning to face the statue and lifting her voice in prayer.
Oh Goddess Artemis.
Protector of maidens, pour your blessings upon us.
Keep safe your daughters, those who find favor in your eye.
As your glowing moon rises in the air, a symbol of you love and constancy.
Remember those who sing your praises; your precious maidens.
As her voice halted, her fingers continued to play the notes as the other priestesses continued the ceremony. Kagome slowly began to stop playing and placed her lute at the feet of Artemis as she knelt before the statue, deep in prayer – unaware of anyone around her. The presence of the goddess surrounded her and she opened her mouth and out sailed one clean, perfect note. There were no words spoken to this note, but everyone there knew what Artemis was saying through her priestess: all would be well. Her blessings went with all present.
The ceremony ended and Kagome stood at the base of Artemis's statue; she had never felt so moved before, and knew that Mother Kaede had been right, she was indeed favored by the goddess. And that favoritism had granted Emperor Sesshoumaru success in his hunt the following morning.
She looked to where the emperor had sat and saw that he had already departed with his household. She was disappointed by this, she had hoped to get a good look at the handsome man before he had left, but the goddess had not allowed it. Kagome picked her lute off of the goddess' feet and retired to her bed for the night; feeling Morpheus' power drifting over her.
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"Who was that priestess? The one who sang and played so beautifully. What is her name?" Emperor Sesshoumaru asked Miroku, the high priest of Zeus and his most trusted advisor as they walked from the temple of Artemis to his palace.
"I do not know sire. I can find out for you posthaste."
Sesshoumaru nodded, "Yes, very good. And when you find out who she is, I want her brought to my household."
"But sire, she is a priestess of Artemis, and Artemis requires all of her daughters to reside in the temple to remain close to her. Especially those who have found such favor, such as our little songbird."
"I don't care Miroku. She needs to be here. I will pray to Zeus for Artemis's understanding and forgiveness from sunrise to sunset if that is what he requires."
"Are you smitten with her brother? You know what the law says about taking a priestess forcefully from her temple. I believe you have decreed the punishment for this is death." Inuyasha said slyly.
"I make the laws brother. I can also bend them to my will." He snapped and then turned back to Miroku, "Go pray to Zeus for answers. I want her here and I will stop at nothing to get her."
Miroku bowed, "Of course sire."
Sesshoumaru returned to his chambers to prepare for sleep but Morpheus was not as merciful to him as he had been to Kagome. She plagued his thoughts as he turned in bed, feeling unrest he hadn't felt in a long while.
After hours of struggling to reach sleep, he climbed from his bed and made his way to the statue of Zeus that rested in his antechamber. He kneeled before the statue and bowed his head in prayer to his protector.
"Father Zeus, protector of my house and my family. Please deliver the priestess of Artemis into my household without anger from her patron goddess. Soften her heart father so she can allow her favored priestess to come to me."
A single thunderclap was heard in the silent sky and Sesshoumaru knew that Zeus was on his side.
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Authoress' Note: I'm a nerd and love mythology, so I wanted to write this. And I'm also turning towards Sesshoumaru and Kagome as a couple so I wanted to try writing my first SessKag fic. Let me know if it's worth continuing!