Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha

Kagome bit her lip and stilled herself to watch as two loyal guards dragged her lover across the marbled floor of Kings Court. Kagome, herself, would have gone to him, if there hadn't been two guards holding her firmly in place; forcing her to stand and watch at the back of the crowd. There was a murmuring amongst the crowd of noblemen and ladies.

"This is it." A demon muttered with obvious anticipation. The lady next to him nodded in agreement as they watched the hanyou try to stand and walk, only to be shoved down again and dragged to stand directly in front of his executor. The judge. The ruler of the western lands and more importantly, his older brother.

"Soon that hanyou will be out of our hair forever." The demon continued. His lady next to him smiled mercilessly,

"This scandal has been going on for far too long..." The demoness suddenly fell silent as one of the loyal guards strode by, his job to keep the peace in the court. Kagome heard another demon farther away whisper,

"At least the older one had enough decency and sense to end it. The hanyou alone was barely tolerated, but the girl was just plain repulsive." Kagome bit her lip more fiercely, until it began to bleed.

"A human." Someone snorted and then looked to her. Ignoring him, Kagome watched as Sesshomaru commanded Inuyasha to stand.

'He's going to die because of me.' She thought dejectedly. Tears began to form in her eyes, though Kagome refused to shed them. She would not give the demons the satisfaction of seeing her broken.

"I don't know why he can't kill the girl as well." A demoness whispered to a lady next to her. Trying to ignore them Kagome closed her eyes, though she could still easily heard their taunts and accusations.

"We couldn't say anything anyway, the Western lord's actions and judgments are not to be questioned. Besides, I hear the lord has a special punishment in store for the girl." The women snickered darkly, looking directly at Kagome.

"Whore." Someone hissed at her.

Once upon a time, there had been a beautiful princess. No, she hadn't been a princess then, not even a lady. Not until the dog demon had taken a particular interest in her that night in the woods...

She was just an ordinary peasant gathering herbs for her delirious little brother who had been sick with fever. Just an ordinary human girl no older than sixteen...

"Girl, do you know who's land you are trespassing in?" The tall demon lord had demanded. His very presence frightened her, it didn't take a genius to know that he had been struggling over his temper and using his best efforts to remain in control...

Her meeting with him had meant instant death and so Kagome hadn't bothered with a reply. Instead she had found herself enchanted by those golden eyes and long silver hair...

Surprising him, she asked for his name and even more surprising he told her it. Then she laughed and bowed.

"I am humbled by you, and the death you deliver." And then he thought she was crazy and in his confusion he dismissed her. Although in reality, he stood there motionless and after some waiting, the girl left...

He told no one about his encounter and perhaps it was his lack of confession that drove him to near madness. The fact that she had dared to address him in such a disrespectful manner angered him and confused him. Soon he found all his thoughts and dreams centered around the human girl...

Eventually, he grew angry and left to find the girl and end her existence, less he continue to be haunted by her...

He purposely told no one where he was headed, less his brother learn the news and use it against him in jeer as a weakness. For he hated his brother...

But when he found her he couldn't kill her and instead had asked for her name...

Kagome...

And then he had insisted to pursue whatever relationship he justified to be with her...

He brought her with him to his court...

After all, he was the son of the great dog demon and a lord over the western lands. No one had the power to voice their protests with his conduct except his brother. And his brother hated him too much and avoided him at all costs. Besides, his own interests mattered little to his brother...

Kagome was paraded with him wherever he went and because of his power no one in his court rebuked him or harassed her...

He never told her he loved her. He was too arrogant and self absorbed to tell her, though he treated her with great affection. He was confident that she belonged to him and so it came as a great surprise when he found her in the arms of his brother...

Though enraged, he still wanted her and there for forgave her. He had a few words with his brother, and though he couldn't kill him of course he tried he warned him to never let it happen again...

He was foolish to believe that the pompous would heed his warnings. He was too warped in his own power and defiance...

He told the girl that all would be forgotten if she never let it happen again...

She promised too, never to let it happen again...

But her words meant nothing when her scent changed. It told him who exactly her heart belonged to and who she had been with. In that instant, he no longer found her worth his pursue and publicly denounced and humiliated her...

Kagome's breath caught in her throat as she watched Sesshomaru's claws decapitate Inuyasha. It was too much for her, she collapsed. Or she would have if not for Sesshomaru's guards holding her in place.

It was convenient, really. He hated his brother, a mere hanyou who had only his father's blessing by birthright as protection. The whole court hated him, and he couldn't end his brother's life without a just cause...

Kagome barely noticed when the two guards began to lead her to the front of the court. When she saw Inuyasha's dead body not but two feet away she tried to go to him, but the guards would not let her. Sesshomaru snarled at her. Others would have thought it because of his impatience, but Kagome knew it was his personnal rebuke for her betrayal.

Though he was arrogant, he had indeed known of how the court had frowned at him with a human. Their opinion of him had lowered. It was convenient to cast her aside now, with a legitimate excuse ...

Now the court thought that he was justified in his actions. That she had been but a mere tool. That he had used her and allowed her to pit the two against eachother. So he could destroy the thorn in his side and then eliminate the girl. They were correct in a way...

But he could not kill Kagome. For whatever reason, he could not. And so, he would let her live, though he did have her imprisoned during her remaining stay at his palace...

Allowed her to be summoned back to his court with escorting guards to watch his brother be killed. Allowed her to feel the pain...

All the while, Sesshomaru had to wonder to himself, if it was she who betrayed him or he who had betrayed her...

Kagome nearly fainted from the intense pain. One moment, she was standing in front of Sesshomaru, and then she blinked. The next moment, her body was covered with strange curves and designs made of black ink that had been carved into her skin. Sesshomaru's claws glowed black while his loyal subject Jaken, announced to her and the court,

"With these marks, you will be identified as a traitor to the western lords. The one responsible for dividing their house and bringing death and shame to their bloodline. You will therefore be cast out and all who come across you, will know you by your deeds and betrayal. You will be forever under the protection of these marks and none will be permitted to harm you, less they be cursed as well."

Braving a glance, Kagome looked up into Sesshomaru's cruel eyes that held no recognition of her. His tone was cold when he hissed at her,

"You are banished."