A/N:
Words. They cannot say enough to apologize for the ridiculous wait. I just really have had no will to work on any of my fanfiction. Which I know is horrid since I have so many people eager to see what happens. I have finally sucked it up and decided to write a new chapter.
I hope you approve, my good readers.
:The Only Way – Chapter Nine:
Consciousness was not the abrupt and sudden trip that Kagome was used to. It was slow, riddled with careful thoughts.
Did I fall asleep on Sesshomaru?
My head doesn't hurt anymore.
She rolled over, running a careful hand across her scalp. No pain came from the action, and she let out a relieved sigh.
How long was I asleep?
Why hasn't Inuyasha come for me?
Kagome slowly opened her eyes, staring uncomprehendingly about for a bit, exhausted simply by the action.
This is a pretty room.
Why am I in here? Sesshomaru shouldn't keep a prisoner in a pretty room. It's just not done!
She rolled over onto her back once more, the sheet twisting around her waist.
Unless I'm suddenly Belle and he's the Beast.
A slow smile spread across her face as she imagined anyone calling Sesshomaru a 'Beast'. Kagome sat up ever so slowly, her hand now exploring her chin. Where there had been a painful gash, there was no longer even a bruise.
Where is he?
Why am I so dizzy?
She took a deep breath.
Why do I care where he is, anyway?
With a grunt, Kagome shoved herself onto her hands and knees. The kimono had hitched around her waist, flashing quite a bit of leg. She reached back to tug it down, and nearly fell over from the unbalancing. She managed to keep herself upright and preserve her modesty, eyes half-closed against the dim light of the candle lamps in her room.
No. Not my room. The room. She amended absently.
Kagome tried to shift her weight onto her knees entirely, carefully lifting her hands.
Everything about this exercise seemed futile and stupid.
Why don't I just lie down until I can stand up without having to make myself?
Kagome slowly made her way to her feet.
Because Sesshomaru is somewhere in this castle, and I refuse to be any more weak around him than I absolutely must.
On her feet, Kagome stopped to pant triumphantly. Peering about, she took in the room one more time. It really was very pretty. Mahogany and dark colours, the futon in the center of the room and a vanity against one wall, a bureau against another.
Not exactly an extravagant room, but certainly better than a dungeon.
Kagome made her way to the door, sliding the shoji open. She started to step through, but jerked back with a gasp. She felt magic. What was Sesshomaru planning? Was he going to keep her prisoner in the room?
It's a nice room. This wouldn't be bad…wait. No! I'm no one's prisoner!
Kagome reached out, and ran her fingers along the tendrils of the spell. It wasn't powerful enough to keep an ant in, but it was rigged to send an alarm to Sesshomaru if she left.
She didn't know how she could assess this from the barest touch, but she decided not to argue with her instincts.
It wouldn't be bad to step through. If she were to take the spell down, that would take a whole lot of explaining that she simply did not wish to cover.
With that decision, Kagome stepped through the barrier.
Sesshomaru's head jerked up from his paperwork. She'd left her room.
So soon? It had only been two days…she should have slept longer. The human had been exhausted.
With a smirk, he realized, She's trying to appear strong and brave. Well. I'll give her points for that – but I wonder how strong she'll feel when she falls again?
Realizing that he didn't want her to fall again…to preserve his floors, of course – who wants human blood splattered all over their floors?...Sesshomaru got to his feet and swiftly vacated his study. The papers could wait.
Kagome was only one hall over, he found her without even having to take trouble to do so. She was moving slowly, mincing each step with her head tilted slightly to the side.
"Does your head hurt?" Sesshomaru inquired, keeping his voice to a low rumble so as not to scare the girl so much that she fell. Again – think of the floors!
Kagome seemed incapable of reacting quickly, and she slowly turned her head and then the rest of her body, mincing gingerly still, "Yes sir." She murmured.
Sir?
Oh, yes. That's right.
Sesshomaru decided that he didn't like that term so much. It was some newfangled term that one of his underlings had brought back from overseas. Supposed to be on the same level as 'lord'. But he didn't like it, didn't sound right.
Without batting an eye he amended, "Sire, would be preferable."
Kagome stared at him blankly for a moment. Oh, come on. It's only a letter off you stupid thing. Sesshomaru thought at her fiercely. He was allowed to change his mind – Lord's prerogative and all that jazz.
"…Yes, sire." Kagome finally said in a tone that belied no question as to why he'd suddenly changed his chosen term. Well, good. He was King, damn it all.
Sesshomaru held out his hand, "Come." He watched confusion flicker over her blanched features before she took his hand carefully.
Well, I'm not going to rend you from limb to limb. Sesshomaru thought, still irked with her for no absolute reason, After all, I'm trying to preserve the sanctity of my floors. I'm only touching you so you don't fall over following me and I don't have to spend all day waiting for you.
This silently announced, as if somehow through osmosis Kagome would absorb his thoughts and sentiments, Sesshomaru led her down a pair of halls that ended in a heavy door. He knew she couldn't open it, which was why he let her come with him. Very few demons could open it – that was the point of triple-steel-enforced doors. Steel was quite the convenient thing.
Sesshomaru set his jaw to keep from making any noise as he slowly heaved the door open, and then ushered the girl inside, closing the door behind them. "This is my healing room."
Kagome turned to him, eyes wide. "What?"
"I heal myself. I do not believe in having healers, so I have a room for it. There are many dangerous things in here – therefore I do not let others in and make sure they stay out by using the door I just closed."
Again, Kagome did not comment and Sesshomaru felt a grudging respect for her ability to, as she would put it, 'shut up', when necessary. Not for her. Just her ability. Just that ability.
Sesshomaru moved across the room, and selecting some herbs and wine he went to a small mixing pot. Ignoring the girl, who stood by the door and obviously resisted an instinct to explore the room, Sesshomaru worked on pounding the herbs to powder and then mixing them into a small glass of wine.
He turned, fully expecting to see the girl touching something, but she wasn't.
I almost want to yell at her for being so good… Sesshomaru realized, shaking his head and holding out the drink.
Kagome took it without argument, drinking it rather quickly – what with it being wine and all. Sesshomaru himself knew enough to drink it slowly. Obviously the girl didn't drink much.
Sesshomaru smirked as he watched her cough in surprise and shook his head at her. "My dear – you should not drink it that quickly."
MY DEAR?
My dear?
Kagome blinked, considering whether or not she could get away with commenting on that slip of the tongue.
She was going to have to start a journal of some sort to resist the urge to comment. Perhaps I'll go back to my time and blog.
She was still coughing, but her throat didn't burn as much. Now she felt slightly nauseas. In Kagome's experience, it had always been better to just upend the medication and drink it quickly.
Obviously, this one single time, that was not the case.
"Got a spoon full of sugar?" She inquired sarcastically. Sesshomaru's ever-so-slightly puzzled look prompted her to mutter, "Sorry."
Kagome leaned her head back to get a breath, and realized that doing so didn't make anything hurt. She wasn't even dizzy now. That was nice.
Sesshomaru frowned at her. Well, more at the door behind her. "I must go hear grievances."
"You must do what?" Kagome inquired incredulously.
"I'm the ruler of this land." Sesshomaru responded sharply, "Settling disputes is one of my duties as sworn Lord."
Kagome had to stare at him.
Somehow, she had a hard time imagining such a selfish man being able to solve grievances from selfish people. Sesshomaru could really sit and listen to people whine about whose property the fence was on?
"Okay." Kagome finally decided, not wanting to make him angry over something so small.
Sesshomaru nodded and walked by, shoving the door open again. It was a rather impressive display. Kagome followed him out into the hall, and just continued following him when he gave her no signal to stop.
Soon they came to a familiarly large room. The throne room. Oh, dear. The exit was right over there.
Sesshomaru indicated to one of his servants, Kagome wasn't paying attention to what he said but suddenly he was pressing her shoulder so that she would sit in a chair. It was off to the side, just behind his throne. That way she wasn't intrusive, but he could keep an eye on her.
Oh, lovely.
Kagome remained neatly seated as the 'guests' filed in.
They were from all walks of life. Rich, poor, middle-class. They smelled like roses, or garbage. They were beautiful, ugly, and horrifying.
Kagome saw things that looked like failed Chimeras, a few Satyrs, some centaurs, a Griffin. Things that weren't supposed to exist…defiantly not in the feudal era of Japan! She saw some demons that looked as normal as Sesshomaru himself – and almost as beautiful. She saw some demons that looked like the horrific little goblins off of Labyrinth.
For a moment, thinking of that movie, Kagome had to wonder if Sesshomaru would look as good in the Jareth pants as David Bowie. Then she decided to stop thinking about it, as it made her blush quite severely.
They were all awfully quiet, just filing in and sitting in chairs that the servants had been rushing about. Not a word was spoken. Sesshomaru reclined on his throne almost lazily, as if he'd been there all day and had been waiting for them … and almost as if this wasn't an inconvenience in the slightest, even though Kagome knew for a fact he'd been extremely irritated just before entering the room.
When all of those with complaints had settled in, Sesshomaru lifted his head and his hand. A scroll appeared there. Kagome had never seen him conjure before, and it made her gasp. The sound was startlingly loud in the silent throne room.
Despite her disturbance, Sesshomaru remained unruffled and none of the complainers even glanced her way.
Well, good.
Sesshomaru lazily opened the scroll, peering down at it, "Aolc Yrrehc, and Sraseac. I hear you both have a grievance about the matter of a servant."
"Yes, M'lord." The two in question chorused, on their feet and heaving up to the front to present their case.
Kagome was surprised at the patience Sesshomaru put forth throughout the 'hearing'. He listened to both sides, deliberated for a moment, and then informed them of his decision.
She had read that back then, a grievance was the last resort. The Daimyo – or in this case, the King or Lord, whatever he wanted to be at the moment – was the deciding factor. Their word was law, and there was no arguing with it afterwards.
When the last grievance and been sorted and the two involved shuffled away, Sesshomaru turned his head lazily to peer at her as the scroll winked out of existence. "Surprised?"
"Not as much as I was." Kagome replied, but nodded anyway.
Sesshomaru stood, looking like he wanted to stretch and crack his back. "Come, we have much to do." He started down the hall.
"Much to do about what?" Kagome inquired, scrambling after him. She felt much stronger now, and the sudden movements didn't knock her over.
"I have a ball coming up. I don't really wish to have one, but as it is a tradition my father began I must. You shall attend."
"Me? Why?" Kagome inquired, blinking at him. Well, wasn't this just a ridiculous plot move? It was entirely pointless. What a plot bunny.
"You are mine now, and I am willing to bet that somehow you'll stumble into the ball accidentally. So I therefore must teach you some etiquette, so you don't make me look ridiculous."
"…Yours?" Kagome didn't like where this was going.
"Of course. You are my prisoner – the spoils of 'battle' if you will. I own you now. I'll not have you running about and making me look … as I've heard you say, 'stupid'."
Kagome stared at him. Okay; she took it back. Great plot line. But it sure sucked. "I'm not yours."
Sesshomaru glanced down at her and smirked, "Kagome, you don't have the slightest clue as to how very much you belong to me."
