Chapter 3: Intrusion of Reality
Sesshoumaru awoke early the next morning, well-rested, and more content than he could ever remember being, and for a moment, he couldn't understand why... and then the memory of everything that had happened yesterday filled his mind, and he rose swiftly from his bed, determined to see to his business early, so he could spend the rest of the day with his miko.
However, by the time he'd finished with reading through the stacks of scrolls deposited on his desk that morning, he was livid.
Damn the Northern Lord! What ever made that fool think I would take his insipid daughter as a mate? And to send a message stating his intention of arriving this very day, with said daughter, to commence a courtship? I will kill him for his insolence!
And if that's not bad enough, I'd forgotten that the Eastern Lord was due to arrive today as well for a conference!
He sighed irritably... he'd never much cared for Koga, the Eastern Lord, personally, but they were allies, especially since neither of them could stand the Southern Lord, and weren't much fonder of Hikari, the Northern Lord. He'd much rather deal with Koga, he'd have to admit.
He just didn't want to deal with anyone right now, not while he was courting his chosen - and Kami only knew how Kagome would react to this mess with the Northern Lord and his daughter.
No, I'll not allow her to be upset... not by anyone. When the two fools arrive, I will introduce them to Kagome, make sure the idiot knows his little plans are to no avail, then toss them both out of my home. And if he objects, an evil smirk crossed his face, I will gladly kill him and be done with it.
Stacking all his scrolls neatly on his desk, he stood and exited his study, done with business for the day. Most of the rest of those matters could wait for a while, and they would, because he had no intentions of locking himself away in his study working while Kagome waited for him.
Striding swiftly through the halls of his shiro, he thought of the things that he would need to attend to due to his upcoming mating. First and foremost, his mother would need to be notified. He was unsure just how she would respond... more than likely, she would be impressed with Kagome's power, and the fact that she was as immortal as either of them.
And maybe she wouldn't be so against her humanity - after all, she knew of Rin, and had actually brought her back from the dead for his sake. He sighed inwardly. Only time would tell on that aspect of things, so he moved on to the next item on his mental list.
Formally notifying the other Cardinal Lords. Not that I care one way or the other what they think, but I will not shame Kagome by making it look as though I do not hold her as valuable enough to follow the customs. No one will be able to question her status, nor her place as Lady and my mate. I will never tolerate disrespect to her in any form.
Then, of course, there would be the formal dinner he would have to host to officially announce the mating itself, once the courtship was over and he'd actually mated her. It would be her first appearance as his mate and Lady of the West... he was not worried, however. He knew she would do her position justice without a doubt. When she so chose, she had a regal bearing without being the least bit arrogant - it was just one of the reasons she drew so many to her.
He had no doubts whatsoever... he couldn't have chosen better, not if he'd spent the next millenium searching could he have found a better match for himself - that was his opinion anyway, and that's all that counted.
He finally found her, sitting in the formal gardens, apparently meditating. He decided he could wait, and taking a seat nearby, he calmly watched over her.
It wasn't long however, before a disturbance from the entryway of the shiro announced the arrival of the Northern Lord... and Sesshoumaru scowled. As Kagome finally opened her eyes, he wiped all expression from his face and stood, holding a hand out to her, he pulled her to her feet as she placed her hand in his.
"There is a certain matter that needs both our attentions. The Northern Lord has brought his daughter here to attempt to force me into mating her - you will accompany this Sesshoumaru to the shiro's formal reception room. This one will introduce you to them - by the time they leave here, they will be sure that their machinations are completely wasted. They, and all others will know beyond a shadow of a doubt, exactly who will be the next Lady of the West."
Kagome allowed him to pull her along, blushing at the knowledge that he wanted her... and was not afraid to show it to the world. It felt good to be wanted so openly, and she couldn't help but smile.
Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, was extremely annoyed. It wasn't just that the two irritating youkai sitting in his reception room had invaded his home. It was the reason that they had done so. That they had the nerve to attempt to back he, Sesshoumaru, into a corner, was unforgivable. He was sorely tempted to challenge Hikari to a duel to his death for the disrespect. However, he did not really feel like having to take over the Lordship of the Northern lands after Hikari found his death at the business end of Bakusaiga.
He allowed a small frown to cross his face. Maybe he should just sweep in, introduce Kagome as his future mate, then have them thrown out. He was personally attracted to this plan, since it would get them out of his way sooner than any other option.
I don't want to waste any more time on the fools than absolutely necessary.
Kagome looked up at him and smiled uncertainly as they reached the doors into the reception room. "Are you sure I should come in with you, Sesshoumaru? I mean, they really aren't expecting to see me, only you."
He raised a slender, ebony brow haughtily. "I do not care what they are expecting. Nor should you. You are my Lady, and I desire your presence - they will accept that, or I will kill them and be done with it."
"Hmm. Very well, then, my Lord. Lead the way."
"Kagome," he said warningly, "do not speak so formally to me. Is it truly so difficult to call me by my given name?"
"Only when you are being arrogant, Sesshoumaru. When you say things like your previous comment, it absolutely screams for formality." She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, a tiny smile curling her lips. "I'm ready. Shall we?"
He gave her a promising sort of look. "We will continue this later, little miko." With that, he pushed open the doors and entered the room, keeping hold of her arm in an openly proprietary manner.
He truly did not care what the Northern Lord thought... if he were smart, he would back off, if not, he would die.
-sSs-
Kagome was smiling as she entered the room on Sesshoumaru's arm, although she knew that this little scene was not going to be pleasant, she was not going to be the one to start the hostilities, so, when she was hit with a wave of hatred and dark jyaki, she was actually prepared, and didn't allow her reiki to react negatively.
Hikari sneered when he caught sight of the woman on Sesshoumaru's arm. A human, although her scent spoke of something other, something neither youkai nor ningen. That mattered not, however. He stepped forward and glared at the Western Lord.
"What foolishness is this, Sesshoumaru? You know why we are here, to discuss your mating with my daughter. How do you dare to bring this ningen female into our presence this way? That is an insult to me, and to my daughter!"
Sesshoumaru's eyes flashed red for an instant, and he gently pushed Kagome behind him before moving in a swirl of white silk, pinning the Northern Lord to the wall by his throat.
Rage poured off his aura, and he glared into the eyes of the male before him. Jaw clenched tightly, crests writhing unevenly across his cheeks, he looked every bit the deadly predator he was in that moment, and Kagome was sure that someone was about to die. She wasn't far off... if she had not been there, the older youkai male would, indeed, be dead. The only thing that saved him was her presence, for Sesshoumaru refused to dishonor her by gutting someone with her in the room.
Voice made harsh and guttural with rage, he spoke. "Never disrespect my chosen mate again, Hikari, or you will die. You dare to enter my home and try to force me into a mating with your insipid daughter? I should destroy you - and if you ever darken my door again with your useless presence, I will." Sesshoumaru turned and threw the hapless male towards the door. "Get out. You and your daughter have exactly one day to be off my lands, if you are not, I will hunt you down and kill you both."
Kagome was shocked, truthfully, at the level of rage that the insult to her had provoked in Sesshoumaru, and apparently, so was the daughter of the Northern Lord, because she burst out shrilly, "But, Lord Sesshoumaru! She is nothing, a mere ningen! Why would you choose such weak blood?"
Sesshoumaru whirled towards the screeching female with a look of disgust on his normally placid features. "Silence!" he hissed. "You are ignorant - the Lady Kagome is no mere ningen, you foolish bitch, she is the Shikon no Tama in the flesh, and carries far more power than you ever will!" Casting a disdainful look at the male youkai pulling himself from the floor, he stalked back over to Kagome and took his place at her side. "Even if that were not the case, still I would mate her, ningen or not, she is always, and will always be, Kagome to me. If she had no power to her, she would still be worth a thousand of you!"
The Northern Lord stood, rage and humiliation pouring off him. "This will be war, you arrogant young bastard, make no mistake. I will destroy your house for this insult!"
"Hn. You are too weak to defeat me, Hikari... if you try you will only hasten the fall of your own house. Do what you will, it makes no difference to me. It will take no effort at all to see you dead before me." He turned away from him, leaving the Northern Lord facing his back - a deadly insult in youkai society. To do so showed that you felt the person you were turning your back on was weak, powerless, beneath your notice. Hikari knew exactly what was meant, and with an enraged bellow, he rushed forward, claws extended.
He never stood a chance. Sesshoumaru didn't even look at him as he threw up a barrier of youki that stopped the older male in his tracks, making sure to trap the fool's terrified daughter in the barrier with him.
Calling for his guards, he gave orders for the two to be thrown from the grounds of the shiro, reiterating his warning for them to be gone from his lands within one day. He completely ignored Hikari's enraged threats - the bastard had upset his Lady, and he would pay dearly for that mistake, if he was caught still within Western Lands after his time was up.
Kagome was stunned - all that had taken place in the span of just over a minute.
She looked over at him, unsure of what to say.
Sesshoumaru turned to her and, pulling her around to face him, ran a claw-tipped finger gently across her bottom lip. When she met his eyes, he spoke. "I apologize for that scene, koi - you should not have been witness to such dishonor. Will you forgive me?" he asked softly.
She gave him a small smile. "It wasn't your fault, don't apologize." She shook her head, still trying to get over his rage. "I didn't realize you would be so... so... over-protective, though."
He tilted a regal brow, giving her an enigmatic look. "Are you certain that I was being over-protective? I do not see it that way. You are my Lady, or will be. There is no such thing as overly protective where you are concerned - I will always protect what is mine, and that effort will always command my full strength."
Before Kagome could even finish processing that answer, the doors opened again, and Sesshoumaru turned towards them questioningly. The guard bowed and spoke. "My Lord, the Eastern Lord has arrived. Should I escort him in now?"
Sighing internally, Sesshoumaru nodded curtly. "Do so." He glanced at Kagome. "Come, miko. Your place is at my side."
She nodded, taking his proffered arm, she waited with him as the Eastern Lord was escorted into the room. She was smiling - but the smile dropped off her face as the Lord came to a shocked halt at sight of her and stared. Wide-eyed, she stared at him, equally shocked. "K-koga?"
Koga was more stunned than he had ever been in his entire life. After Naraku had been defeated, he'd gone looking for the young miko, only to be told by her former companions that she had returned to her home beyond the well, and would not be coming back. Heartbroken, he had managed to get the kit to tell him just how far in the future she was... and had been determined to wait for her. And yet, here she stood, looking the same as she had a hundred and forty years ago, on the arm of the Western Lord - and wearing his courting mark, no less.
He was so shocked he could barely breathe.
Sesshoumaru growled low in his throat when he realized that Kagome knew the ookami Lord, pulling her possessively closer as he scented the almost instant arousal from the other male. Eyes narrowing, he pinned the ookami with an icy, dangerous look. It was apparent to those in the room that he wouldn't have any problems ripping the youkai to shreds.
"Speak, wolfling. What is your connection with Kagome? How is it that you know her?"
Koga glanced uneasily at Kagome, then back to the Inu Lord standing in front of him. He knew inu were very protective and possessive of their chosen females, as were ookami like he, himself, but this was over the top, and he knew he needed to be very careful how he handled this conversation.
Drawing a deep, calming breath, he spoke. "We met, uh, back during the time she was traveling with Inuyasha and her other friends, looking for shards and hunting Naraku. I took her away from the mutt because I needed her help with some enemies of my tribe that we were battling - their leader had jewel shards, and since she could see them..." he trailed off.
Kagome tightened her grip on Sesshoumaru's arm to get his attention, and nodded when Koga finished speaking. "It's okay, Sesshoumaru. He's telling you the truth." She smiled up at him, then looked back over at Koga. "I'm just surprised to see Koga, that's all. I didn't know he was a Lord."
Sesshoumaru nodded, calming slightly. "I take it you also are surprised, Lord Koga. Why is that?"
"Yeah, you could say that." He looked at Kagome and smiled. "What exactly happened to you after the battle with Naraku all those years ago? I went looking for you after it was all over, and found the mutt with that creepy undead priestess of his. He told me that you had gone home to your time and wouldn't be returning."
He growled suddenly. "Was he lying to me?"