Summary: The Lady of the West finds a half-dead miko and a kitsune pup. Curiosity overcomes her. When Sesshomaru returns to his home, why is his half-brother's miko his mother's pet?
The chase had gone on for the greater part of the day. His little Miko had led him far beyond the limits of the Citadel. He had stolen her sakura pink hair ribbon at one moment and had almost had her in his arms when she playfully pushed reiki at him, enough only to tickle him lightly. Her laugh echoed in the woods as he began the chase once more. At the end of it, when he caught her, she would be his. There was enough stalling; he would make it so that no one could ever take her away from him again, ever. He had been fool enough once before, not again.
Kagome darted past trees and continued pushing her reiki into the soles of her feet so that she could evade Sesshomaru. She needed time to think, even though an animalistic part of her urged her to force him to chase her. The last she had remembered was Sesshomaru with a lost expression on his face, turning away from her and then nothing, only darkness. He had not reciprocated her feelings. He had left her alone with Shippo. Something had happened. She had nearly lost her life. Then her life as Himiko had begun. No. She remembered something, a desire so great to protect Shippo that she could feel something breaking inside of her and then nothing.
It was too soon, Gods, it was far too soon. Just as she had gotten over Inuyasha, Sesshomaru had caught her in his silken net. She wasn't sure as to why she had fallen for the emotionally stunted prince, but she had. When she had realized it (and told him), it was as if Fate had thrown a bucket of ice water over her. So when he left, her heart had torn itself to shreds. His actions towards her had meant nothing. She was nothing in his eyes. As always.
So what had changed? Why did he now want her?
As she ran past a tree, her hand skimming the bark, she felt a familiar darkness envelop her, she knew what it was attempting to do and she tried to fight it. But how could one fight such suffocating power? Kagome lost the battle before it even began. Fear rose inside of her and then she screamed. Solid darkness rose up in her sight and extended tentacle like limbs towards her.
Sesshomaru heard her screams before he reached her. Guilt and shame and anger coursed through him as he reached her shaking form. Again he had failed her. Again he had caused harm to reach her. Again.
"Kagome, Kagome, wake up, please wake up...please..."
Himiko's fingers tensed around the handle of her fan. She had had a tormented sleep with words and voices and faces laughing and taunting her. It seemed that she had fallen ill during her mock war with the young Lord and had fallen to the ground in a dead faint. But even now, a full day after it had happened, she still heard a sweet voice in her ear, begging her to wake. But when she woke, no one was there...
"Himiko, dear, are you too ill to sing?"
"No...Ageha-sama, I am fit enough to sing, but I am afraid that I am still too weak to dance." Startled out of her reverie, Himiko replied quickly and moved next to her friend as she searched her mind for a song. Hauntingly sweet lyrics found their way to her lips.
Have you ever been on the road between holds,
As the sun falls away, and the darkness turns cold
And the moon will not rise 'til the night has grown old
And the only things left are the stars?
Those born as the heir, those who rule up above
With a kingdom forever held fast by their love
With all they can do, it will ne'er be enough
To reach the impossible stars.
Those born for the earth, who do work by their hands,
They sweat and exert their will over the land,
When the labour is done, their fatigue does demand
That they rest while the moon courts the stars.
Those born to the sea, with its roll and its swell
Know the faces and names of those patterns so well
And each night on the ocean's a story to tell
But the only observers are stars.
And those born with the fire within, burning bright,
Are inspired by moonglow, so cool in the night
And the fiery passionate sun shares her light
But there's no lady gentle as stars.
So to those of low bearing, and those born to fly,
To those who sweat, sing and sail under the sky
As we're born and we love, we grow old and we die
Watch impassive, eternal, the stars.
As we're born and we love, we grow old and we die
Watch impassive, eternal, the stars.
Author's Note: The song is 'Stars' by Heather Dale.