I think I am on a roll here. Hope the muses stay with me. Not sure how many chapters this story is going to have. I am just going to keep writing until I come to the end.
As always - "Parenthesis" are spoken words, italics are thoughts, and ++++++ are a scene shift.
Shout outs are in bold at the end of the story.
Disclaimer- Unfortunately the fates did not give me the inspiration to think of Inuyasha before anyone else did. But hey, I can still have fun with them!
After cleaning Shippo up and making sure he was fed, Kagome took him to her bedchambers to rest. He had explained his leaving the group to find her and his trials along the way. Kagome was surprised at the strength and determination of her young adopted son.
She had held him while he cried. She was extremely tending while cleaning his little body of the dirt, sweat, and blood that covered him to make sure she didn't reopen any of his wounds. She tended to him like loving mother should. Although she felt pangs of guilt at leaving him, even though it was against her will, she was happy to be reunited again.
She softly sang to him while he curled in her lap until she could hear the soft breaths even out as sleep claimed him. She then picked him up and tucked him into her large bed and kissed him on the forehead.
She walked from the room knowing that many hours had passed since their tearful event earlier in the day. She could smell the food cooking which meant the end of the day meal would be ready soon. She called for Lili as she stepped across the threshold into the hallway.
"Could you please find someone trustworthy to watch over my kit until I can return to him later tonight?"
Lili thought for a moment and retrieved a young maiden. Kagome looked the girl over for a moment.
"The kit that sleeps in my bed is not to be disturbed. He is very important to me. Should any harm come to him, it will be punished as I see fit. Do you understand?"
The maid never looked up as she answered" Yes, Lady Kagome."
Satisfied, she and Lili made their way to the dining hall to eat with the Lord and Lady of the North. She knew this would be a long night. She had the feeling that the "talk" they wanted to have with her would be long and involved and certainly draining. She dreaded the confrontation but at the same time was looking forward to finally being able to share her knowledge.
Dinner was served and eaten. Nobody speaking but everybody glancing at each other. The air was full of tension as each of the members at the table went over their thoughts of the meeting that would soon take place.
After all were finished Kagome and Lili followed Aiyana and Aisoka to their private study. Once all were settled in large cushions, Aisoka looked to Kagome. He decided it was best to break the silence and relieve every one of the tension that had fallen over them.
"Kagome, you say that you are happy here with us, but I can feel sadness in your aura. You bring joy to all around you and yet carry a burden in your heart that you are unwilling to share. Trust in us, for we want nothing but the best for our little one. Please, let us take away the burden that pains you so."
Kagome looked deep into her eyes. She could see this sincerity and love within those depths and could feel the concern radiating from his person. She looked to Aiyana only to find the same emotions spilling from her. She sighed softly.
Perhaps it is time that I confided in them. They have given me no reason to distrust them or think that they would have any other purpose.
She lowered her eyes to find an interesting spark in the fire as she began. She told them of how she met all the members of the group she had belonged to before she had come to them. She told of how she had adopted her kit, removed the seal on Inuyasha, come across the young monk Miroku, saved what she now considered her sister Sango from Naraku's hold, and the bonds they had all formed. She confessed of how she often thought of them and missed them dearly.
Not once did Kagome look up from the small fire that burned as she told her tale. She did not want to see the disappointment or even worse, disapproval, that she knew would be on their faces. She hadn't lied to them, and yet she had hid things, lots of things, from those who had taken her in.
If she had looked up, she would have seen that instead of those things she feared, other emotions played on the three youkai that accompanied her in this small room. They shocked that a human, much less, a miko would adopt any youkai as their own and care and love for them as a child of their own blood. They were angry at the hanyou who had treated her so badly and broken her heart for the dead one. They showed humor when Kagome talked of the relationship between the perverted monk and the sisterly demon slayer.
They were amazed that their little one had touched so many in her travels with the small group. And yet, it wasn't all that surprising after all. The three of them had witnessed Kagome touch so many hearts of the youkai at this very castle. She was an enigma. A wonderful enigma.
Kagome told them all she could think of. One thing worried her though. She knew that Naraku was dead. She KNEW that it was her that ended his existence. Why couldn't she remember?
She remained silent as she waited for them soak in all the information she had given them.
When she looked up into Aisoka's eyes she saw the one thing she had never expected. Pride.
He smiled at her. "My little Kagome. You have been through so much and touched so many. It would give me great pride if you would allow us to call you daughter."
Her eyesight started to fog as tears gathered and threatened to fall. Her heart swelled with joy. "I would be honored, father."
Tears of joy silently fell down her cheeks. They had accepted her. Knowing everything about her and her past, they had accepted her for who she was.
"We have a few things to discuss with you my child." This time Aiyana took the lead and steered the conversation.
She looked at the young onna. "First, I would like to introduce you to your sister." She swept her hand across the room in a regal manner or presentation until it landed on Lili's shoulder.
Kagome gasped. She was taken aback and blurted out the first thing that came to mind. "Why didn't you tell me?" Accusation and betrayal were dripping from her words as Lili sighed.
She looked Kagome in the eyes. "I wanted to so many times but we thought it was best to wait. We wanted you to be comfortable and loved. If you knew who I was, would you have honestly been so forward and bonded with me with the love and friendship that we currently hold for each other?"
Ashamed, Kagome cast her eyes down. She knew Lili was right. She would have held back and felt more like prisoner if she had known the truth. "No."
Aisoka chuckled deep in his chest at his little one. "There is nothing to be ashamed of. If anyone should be ashamed it should be us." His little one was always taking the blame upon herself.
After a brief moment of confortable silence and several loving and knowing smiles were passed around, Kagome's mood suddenly changed. Something had been bothering her and she didn't know if it was the right time to bring it up. She didn't want to ruin the moments of joy they had all shared.
Lili could sense the change is her new sister's mood. She stilled marveled at how fast and how many emotions her human sister could shift through so easily.
"What is still bothering you sister?"
Kagome took a deep breath. She knew lying would serve no purpose now. She started with a shaky voice but was determined.
"I have had dreams lately. Some good, but others so bad that I have wakened screaming with tears streaming down my face. I feel safe and warm and can see only the others eyes in my good dreams. I know that those mean me no harm and are perhaps of someone who has yet to come into my life.
"I worry about the ones that are bad. I can see his eyes. The cruelty and evil that stretch down into his very soul. I hear him speak to me only to say the most horrible things. My skin crawls when I feel him near and he always touches me. And when he does I feel sick. It's awful! I know this evil one. I know that deep down I know who he is and yet I can't put my finger on it. Every time I can feel his name pushing to front of mind I wake up. Grasping for the identity but never able to touch it."
Concerned looks and scrunched brows passed through the rooms as those in attendance were deep in thought. But one male youkai saw this for the opportunity he had been waiting for and jumped on it.
"Perhaps my little one, it is not a dream but a memory. It will reveal itself in due time. Your mind is trying to heal from whatever it was damaged by. However, since we do not know whether or not this threat is gone, we must consider your safety."
Aiyana could see where her sly mate was going with this and jumped right in, showing him her support. "I agree with your father. Measures must be taken until we can confirm this threat."
Kagome looked to them as they spoke and a spark of hope ignited in her heart. She was tired of living in fear. She looked to Lili and saw when her head nodded in acceptance.
"What kind of measures, mother?"
Aiyana smiled at this. Kagome had accepted her into her life as well. Her heart warmed as she looked to her newest young one.
"I have an idea, but you must have your kits approval as well."
Aiyana continued to tell her their plans and watched Kagome for the emotions that always showed so clearly on her face. Lili had already been informed of their plans and had actually taken part in some of them. Now it was only a matter of whether the miko would accept.
Kagome lightly slid open the door to her room, careful not to wake her sleeping kit.
She looked down at his angelic face and smiled. One day she would hope to have children of her own, but Shippo would always be her son. She kissed him on the forehead as she settled into the bed next to him for some much needed rest.
He rolled over and snuggled into her mumbling "I love you" in his sleep. "I love you too, Shippo."
She knew that they would have to talk in the morning about everything that had happened in the study. For now, though, they would sleep. She cuddled her kit as she slipped off into the darkness.
Meanwhile, across the lands the Lord of the Western Lands dreamed of his blue eyed goddess. Her voice twinkled to him like soft chimes in the wind. She would sing to him in his dreams. Like an angel. She showed so much love.
I will find you. This Sesshomaru swears it on his life. And when I do, you will forever be mine.
Ok, guys. Another set-up chapter. I know this thing is slow going, but I don't want to miss a single detail. I promise things will start to speed up soon and I should be getting to our first Sess/Kag romance chapter soon. Lemons will start appearing in the next few chapters, too. So reader beware! Don't worry, I will let you know, so you can skip them if you want to.
Thanks everybody for the support so far. Just hang with me and it will get more entertaining.
