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Authoress' Note: still going strong. I have a lot of ideas so I hope they come together well. Please keep reading and reviewing!
Living on a Prayer
Chapter Two
The lamp over Kagome's head became illuminated, waking her up. She sat up in her bed and looked around; there was no one there who could have lit the lamp that was not burning brightly above her. The lamps in the halls of the temple began to illuminate one by one, Kagome rose from bed and followed the trail of lit lamps all the way into the vacant main room of the temple. Kagome never realized how large the room was at night; looking around the empty room she was nervous for the first time she had ever been in her own home.
The main light over the statue of Artemis illuminated, lighting the face of the goddess. Kagome knelt before the statue, knowing that it was the goddess as behind the miraculous lighting of the lamps. Kagome looked up at the face of the goddess, smiling down on her.
"Goddess Artemis, what do you want of me?" she asked softly, knowing that she didn't need to speak loudly for the goddess to hear her.
"Kagome, my daughter. My father Zeus has big plans for you. You are to take a station in the emperor's household. The emperor has prayed to his protector and guardian for you and my father has asked my permission to release you from my service. Serve me by serving the emperor Kagome; that would be joy to my heart." The goddess' voice sounded in the room.
"But Goddess; I wish to be a maiden all of my life, to serve you. If I leave the temple and serve the emperor…if I marry…then I would no longer be favored in your eyes." Kagome whispered to the statue's feet; avoiding looking at Artemis's downcast eyes.
"My daughter, you gain your favor by obeying my wishes. You will always be my favored one, now go and do mine and my father's command."
"As you wish goddess." Kagome said, a tear rolling down her cheek. She stood and turned to return to her chamber. As she turned around she saw men from the emperor's household walking up the temple steps and towards her. They approached her and before they had the chance to say anything she spoke.
"I have spoken with my goddess. I am ready to join the emperor's household." She said, bowing her head.
"Very well priestess, come with us."
Kagome didn't have the chance to say good bye to Mother Kaede or the other priestesses – the servants of the emperor took her from the temple right then and escorted her to Emperor Sesshoumaru's palace.
She walked between the guards through the center of Athens, climbing the many stairs into the palace. She was not shown to a room, or even given a change of clothes – rather, she was brought directly to the chambers of the emperor.
The guards knocked three times on the door before a servant came to the door.
"What is your business with Emperor Sesshoumaru?" she asked.
"Tell the emperor that we have retrieved the priestess he requested."
Requested…that makes me seem like property, something you can own. Kagome thought and was disgusted at the emperor for referring to her in such a way.
"Send her in" she heard the emperor say.
The servant opened the door and the guards pushed Kagome forward into the room. Kagome walked into the room uneasily, she looked around, trying to figure out which side room the emperor was waiting for her in.
"Priestess? He is in here." The servant said, pointing to a door on her left.
Kagome thanked the servant and knocked on the door the servant had pointed to.
Kagome took a deep breath and knocked softly on the door. It opened, revealing the emperor and his brother sitting across from each other on separate couches.
Kagome walked into the room and bowed before the emperor. "Emperor Sesshoumaru, I – Kagome, priestess of Artemis – am honored to join your household. Both my goddess and your protector Zeus have deemed it so and so I am here." She said meekly, still bowing.
"Rise priestess." Sesshoumaru said, looking Kagome up and down as she stood before him. She was even more beautiful standing before him then she was singing in the temple. "Do you know why you are here?" he asked.
"No sire, Artemis did not tell me. She told me only that her father and herself have heard your prayer and I would come here."
"Artemis…spoke to you priestess?"
"Yes. Does your protector not speak to you?"
"Through nature he does. With thunder and lighting and wind; but he does not speak to me."
"I am sorry sire."
"And why is that Priestess? What would make you feel pity for an emperor?"
"I am sorry your protector does not speak to you as Artemis does with me. She speaks with me often, telling me that I am favored."
"Then you are blessed indeed priestess." He said, his voice at a cold monotone, something that frightened Kagome, rendering her unable to read his emotions at all.
Kagome nodded, "so I am told."
"You must be curious as to why you have been brought here."
"If you wish to share your intentions with me I would be pleased to hear them."
"You flatter me priestess" He said, his voice still a monotone. Kagome tried to figure out whether or not what he had said was to be considered good or bad, but his voice did not allow her to do so.
"Is it not my duty to flatter you sire?" She replied, decided it was safest to simply continue being humble before him.
Sesshoumaru cracked a very slight smile, almost unnoticeable to Kagome, and turned to his brother, "She's coy Inuyasha."
"I have noticed that; just your style, brother." He replied, staring at Kagome as he talked.
"Kagome, the reason I have brought you here is a very important matter to both myself and this city-state." He said, the smile gone and the icy voice returning as he directed attention from his brother back to Kagome.
"What reason could that be sire? I am but a priestess, how could I be important to the city-state or you?"
"Priestess, simply put I have brought you here to become my wife and the empress of this city-state."
Kagome took a step away from the brothers, not knowing how to react, but knowing it was not what she wanted but also knowing she did not have a choice in the matter.
"Don't look so disgusted priestess," Inuyasha said, enjoying the fact that she looked so uncomfortable.
"But Emperor Sesshoumaru, I am a maiden, a daughter of Artemis. I cannot marry you." She stuttered after a moment of silence, her mind spinning.
"Did Artemis not send you here?" he asked calmly.
"Yes, she did."
"And did she tell you what to do once you were here?"
"Whatever I was told to do. And she said that I would remain in her favor no matter what. Even if I…married." She said, hesitating on the last word.
"So it seems Artemis has already spoken. We will marry Priestess, even if I have to win you over myself" He said coldly.
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Authoress' Note: hmm…sounds like a challenge. I hope you are all still enjoying it. Please review and I'll keep writing!