Chapter 25
"Really the best way to tenderize meat in my experience is a simple boil," Miroku explained over a hot stove piping with steam and all sorts of delicious smells.
The kitchen staff was ordered to put together a grand dinner tonight, but yet somehow the chef found time to instruct a beautiful female on his cooking methods. For once he didn't have to go prowling the hallways for a pretty sight as one had came to him in the form of a young dragon demon named Blythe.
"I thought you had to beat the meat with a hammer of some sorts to tenderize," Blythe smiled as she was quite forward with grabbing Miroku's hand, "but yet these soft fingers of yours look as though they've never been part of a hard day's work."
Miroku smirked lacing his fingers with hers not wanting her touch to leave him quite yet, "Well that's true I don't do much hammering, but Lord Sesshoumaru prefers his meat raw, so sometimes a little force is necessary though a little soak in my famous marinade is all a beautiful cut of meat needs."
"Beautiful is an odd way to describe a bloody piece of animal fat," Blythe noted with an eye roll, "but if you go to such lengths I wonder what a man would think of a female such as myself. Do I compare to the precious pork you are preparing tonight?"
"Words can't even describe you my lady."
The dragoness giggled, "Tell me Mr. Chef do you like to dance? You keep giving me all these cooking tips I might find myself in debt to you, and however would a girl like me pay you back? Perhaps I could show you some moves."
"Oh I dance, but I'm sure a girl such as yourself has much more experience than me therefore a lot to teach."
Her fingers stayed locked to him, "You've guessed right. I can show you the two step but you'll have to keep up."
"That won't be a problem. I find it hard to keep my eyes off of you-
"Blythe!" Kagome couldn't believe that she had to wonder in the kitchen to find her Lady's Maid.
She probably did this on purpose too, because tracking her scent had almost been impossible. Wasn't Blythe suppose to be making her life easier? Yet here she was having to hunt the girl down on her own.
"Lady Kagome might I say you look beautiful today," Miroku quickly removed his hands from Blythe and bowed.
"Miroku I'm sure there is a million other things you could be doing other than flirting with my maid."
Kagome still had many issues when it came to her relationships with the servants, but honestly the way she talked to Miroku hadn't changed at all. He was a pervert and offered no clean fun for anyone. If it hadn't been for his skills in the kitchen he honestly would have been sacked long ago.
"My Lady," Blythe frowned crossing her arms, "other than finding a vanity you told me you didn't need me today."
"You said you could adapt easily," Kagome couldn't believe she'd now have to watch over a grown child in this manner, "and now it's time to act on that. There will be a dinner tonight as both InuYasha and Akuma will be returning hence why Miroku is so hard at work. I will need your assistance Blythe, and in exchange not only will you be paid but I shall part some advice on you. This pervert is nothing but trouble. Stay as far away from him as possible, and Miroku you'll be taken to task later. Not only for this, but for bothering Sango constantly."
"Lady Kagome please," Miroku looked up from his work to attempt to give her a charming smile, "Sango and I are just friends anything I've suggested to her was just a joke."
"I'm so sure," Kagome rolled her eyes waiting for Blythe to follow, "you surprise me Blythe. There you were just mere hours ago attempting to instruct me on what is proper and what is not and already I catch you flirting with a man the likes of Miroku."
"You told me to make friends," Blythe huffed following her out of the kitchens, "so I did. Mr. Miroku is quite nice."
"Maids aren't allowed to talk to the male staff in that way unless married or in the company of older females to keep watch," Kagome recalled the strict rules, "besides you won't find husband material there. Sure he'll tell you about how he'd like to wed you and have children with you, but I'm sure he has eyes for another."
"The demon slayer?" Blythe remarked, "she is quite cold to him my Lady, but I don't plan on pursuing anything with a human man though I would find fun in the anger it'd bring to my clan. Still not my type. I was just having a little bit of fun."
"How old are you Blythe?"
"15 years hatched my Lady," Blythe informed, "my egg remained still for many years though apparently, but that doesn't really count since no dragon can recall infant life in an egg."
Kagome was 15 when she had been transformed into a demon almost five years ago now, and here she was in charge of a teenage demon girl that was suppose to be working for her. Why did she put herself in this situation.
"Since you technically weren't suppose to start working today I'll let it slide this time Blythe, but starting tomorrow you will learn the rules and follow them. You wanted this job so badly remember? It'd be a shame if I sent you home after it didn't work out because you are the kind that can't be controlled."
Kagome hated talking this way, but this girl definitely could benefit from some discipline. Perhaps Blythe could be some good practice for her, because one day Reimei would be this age and would also probably be hard to handle.
"I won't do anything to warrant getting sent home Lady Kagome," Blythe looked fearful of that threat, "so we are finally going to get to work together I see?"
Kagome nodded reluctantly as she returned to the bedroom to find that out that indeed Blythe had accomplished his first task as there was now a proper dressing table over next to Sesshoumaru's wardrobe as well her own closet full of clothes.
"We should have everything," Blythe smirked opening the closet quickly, "what color and level of formal would you prefer tonight my Lady?"
"It's just InuYasha," she mentioned watching the girl work through all the fabrics, "so nothing too formal. We just want to have a good meal tonight to welcome him and Akuma back. Do you know Akuma? He is also a western dragon demon."
Blythe shook her head, "Never met him just heard grandmother curse his name. How about yellow? Let your loved ones know they are returning to a happy home."
Was it a happy home? Inukimi was gone forever, and Akuma who had been the closest to his queen during all the secret drama wasn't even aware of it yet. InuYasha would also be receiving a lot of bad news, and she was sure they weren't bringing Naraku's head back on a spike.
"Nothing too bright. If we have a dull gold like color maybe I could pull it off."
"You could pull anything off with that form my Lady."
"You can call me just Kagome. Not that we are on familiar enough terms you can go off flirting with Miroku and get away with it, but my name suits me just fine. Sesshoumaru I smell you lingering out there. Get in here. I don't stand awkwardly in the hallway while Jaken assists you. You need to get use to Blythe."
Sesshoumaru walked in and studying the room for a moment, "I've noticed you've finally moved in Kagome."
"Hope you don't mind, but it was kind of silly of me to dart to several different rooms just to get ready in the morning, and I assume in order for us to make any more 'deals' regarding what I may or may not owe you my residence in this bedroom is wanted."
"Not wanted required," Sesshoumaru put his swords against his wardrobe doing his best to ignore the dragon demon at all costs, "and now my brother and that lizard's arrival will only delay things further. Last time we took a meal at the table was for Kovu now it will be for lesser guests."
"You need to stop," Kagome gave Blythe the okay on the dress that was presented to her, "InuYasha and Akuma probably have a lot to tell us and we have even more to tell them. One dinner with the family won't kill you."
"This family is poison. I thought the latest incident made that entirely clear to you."
"I don't see it that way. You're just upset that for many years you and InuYasha were left to your own devices, and now that the family has grown change must come with it and you clearly don't like change. It's the truth and you know it. If you wish to ignore the dower conversations we must have then you can sit next to Kyra while I openly show interest in all the family has been up to."
"Why Kyra?" Sesshoumaru pressed his lips together looking for his own clothing, "is it because she was once my intended? Do you believe I prefer her company?"
Blythe loosening the obi on Kagome's kimono preparing to undress her but seemed uncomfortable.
"It's okay Blythe it's only my mate," Kagome told her as the silks were pulled away and she stepped out now only in a sleeveless yukata before stripping that off herself revealing her naked body, "and you'd like that wouldn't you Sesshoumaru? For me to actually be jealous of you? Don't count on it. I doubt there is anyone lining up for you."
Blythe still kept silent and felt completely uncomfortable when she should have been excited to finally be doing what she loved, because from her point of view it seemed like Lady Kagome and Lord Sesshoumaru were fighting. She was completely unaware that this was how things always were.
"When I reign over Dragonsbane should I go the route of polygamy to test the waters and find out?" Sesshoumaru threatened, "just odd you would bring up Kyra to me. Is because I struck a nerve when I asked about your former relationship with InuYasha?"
"So you are becoming jealous?"
"Depends how one defines jealously. Jaken overheard something Akuma had suggested to you once, that he didn't know it was possible for InuYasha request my ideal mate with the Siren's Tear that you could have been created for him instead."
"Akuma was a fool to force Jaken to work that little party, and does any of that matter? I am able to phase between human and demon at will because you, my mate, gave me permission so that proves Akuma's theory wrong. I didn't even start talking to InuYasha again until during the war, so why you're worried about the two of us I don't know."
"I'm not."
Kagome couldn't figure out if him bringing up her and InuYasha was his way of teasing, or if maybe he did have a bit of jealousy. If he did where it was it coming from? Perhaps it was all just another way he was masking himself from facing what he'd done to his mother.
If anyone were to be jealous or curious it should have been her. Apparently a woman named Amara was once in love with Sesshoumaru, and this was the first she was hearing about it. Not only that, but he was going out of the way to hide the evidence of her.
Blythe had interrupted her course of thought when Kagome had to put on one of those damned corsets. Kagome understood taking the effort to look nice to correspond with her status, but coresets?
"Blythe I enjoy being able to breathe," Kagome growled despite letting the girl tighten it around her anyway watching as her frame was crushed into her body and her breast were pushed up.
"Beauty is pain Kagome," was all Blythe said before revealing the dress that was as Kagome wished and a gold dress with a large bow on the back of it.
"I did some quick alterations to make it look like a proper dress," Blythe commented, "when I have more time I plan on going all out. Little gems or maybe flowers will really make it look as though it's from a fairy tale."
Sesshoumaru seemed to ignore the dragon girl until she dared to speak in his presence, "Is that what you think Kagome has girl? A fairy tale life? Where do you find such illusions? I can't imagine you found it in the dragon corpse outside the castle."
Kagome gave him 'the glare' when she turned her head, "Why do you have to be that way? Blythe is just here doing the job I hired her for."
"No one lives the fairy tale life," Blythe growled giving Sesshoumaru a glare of her own being capable of standing up for herself, "and if anyone did I can't imagine it'd be the two of you who'd be so blessed. Everyone plays pretend that's what I'm here to assist in."
"A servant serves and isn't meant to be heard," Sesshoumaru let her know, "I believe your girl needs more training Kagome. Perhaps this immature lizard isn't ready for this lifestyle."
"You know all about immature lizards don't you Sesshoumaru?" Blythe wasn't going to let him have the last word, "though the dogs of Dragonsbane isn't a popular topic among my people there has been a lot said about you."
"Words from dragons are nothing but lies and exaggerations. Spreading rumors you know nothing about will get you exiled from my home or worse girl, and Lady Kagome won't be able to protect you from me."
Another case of Blythe being more trouble than she was perhaps worth, Kagome thought to herself, but still where did Sesshoumaru get off talking down to her servant? Also she did want to know about the rumors he was quite defensive about, but that'd have to wait until later.
"Blythe," Kagome said in a warning tone she'd accepted as something she'd be using a lot around this girl, "stop fighting with our castle Lord and help me get into this dress, and Sesshoumaru you won't be talking down to any servants without just cause. Don't forget who I use to be."
"A human girl I never noticed because you kept your eyes to the ground and mouth shut just as a good servant should."
"Honestly what is with you lately?" a very annoyed look didn't leave her face even as the dress was secured around her, "anytime I pout or self loathe you say 'it's very unbecoming of you Kagome' yet you've been betraying yourself a lot lately. All you do is whine and complain and lash out on others. You're proving that you and InuYasha are indeed brothers, because that's who you are acting like lately."
She knew that would strike a nerve. Honestly what were they even doing? Before their banter was like a beautiful yet frustrating game between the two of them, but she was actually getting quite annoyed with his attitude as of late. It was easy to forgive him for they'd been through alot, but still this was all on another level. It couldn't have just been because of his mother or Blythe.
"I'll go dress elsewhere if you desire so since no peace can be found in my own bedroom," Sesshoumaru said not ready to find out if their fight was indeed a game or not, "if anything can be found in this room at all anymore."
"Oh," Kagome rose an eyebrow.
How cute. It seemed her little mate might have been lashing out because he was frustrated. It had been a while since they joined each other in bed as proper mates.
"Something will be found tonight don't worry," she let him know on his way out, "just stop betraying yourself over something so petty. It's not very becoming of a demon Lord Sesshoumaru."
"Is that what you are Kagome? Something petty?"
"Sesshoumaru just go get dressed before I change my mind. I'm beginning to forget why you should even be rewarded for anything."
Finally the demon lord took his leave going elsewhere to get ready for a dinner he had no interest in. Was it really time to give Blythe another lecture about how to act? Sure Sesshoumaru deserved to be put on edge sometimes, but by her? This stranger that had come into their home?
"You just witnessed how me and my mate talk to each other on the regular," Kagome sighed to Blythe during the awkward silence while her hair was being brushed, "it's nothing to get worked up over."
"I don't desire to worked up over your relationship drama," Blythe hissed forcing Kagome's long hair into a tie, "but if someone insults me I'll insult back. I don't care about their rank."
"I'm sure a beautiful dragon demon such as yourself doesn't get insulted much."
"You haven't been around my clan. If you're a dragon demon that can't fight or display power you're nothing. This job is pretty much a welcome banishment from them."
Something Blythe said earlier to peak Kagome's curiosity, "So what are these rumors? The ones your clan spreads about my mate?"
She was quiet for a bit as she thought about her answer, "The dragons are fighters, but when they have been defeated they accept their defeat, that is why my clan will never be a threat to your family again, but that doesn't mean our den mother, Aletha, isn't a sore loser and always saying cruel things. She says it will be a dark day when our lands are ruled over by Sesshoumaru, because unlike Inutashio he didn't earn it. I guess he did nothing during the war."
Kagome had heard that. Sesshoumaru would have been full grown during the war with the dragons, but yet was still protected and kept out the line of fire. Before that was made clear to her she always assumed Sesshoumaru's hate of dragons was because of something that happened to him during the fighting long ago, but now his dislike made no sense. The dragons were the victims honestly. This had been their land and Inutashio conquered it without mercy or compromise.
'Sesshoumaru's problem with dragons is a personal matter you'll have to get out of him' was what she recalled Inutashio saying to her.
"So they assume he is weak?" Kagome asked, "that's all they say about him? Nothing about a dragon demon named Amara?"
Kagome looked in the mirror to see Blythe cringe a bit when Kagome said that name. There was something going on. If Sesshoumaru knew what was good for him he needed to tell her the truth.
"Blythe?"
"We don't talk about Amara," Blythe shook her head as she finished with Kagome's hair and stepped back.
"We?"
"Amara was Aletha's first eggling and she died because of the war. Lady Kagome I swear my family knows their place and will never be a threat to you, and what little peace there is in my home regarding the dogs is because we don't dare bring Amara up okay? Aletha doesn't want to think about it."
Everything Blythe said was either boastful or snarky, but when she was discussing the politics and living situation from her old home it was like she was a different person… a fearful child?
"I just wanted to know if Sesshoumaru knew an Amara is all I'm sorry it's none of our business I guess," Kagome sighed getting up looking at her appearance in this golden dress with her hair completely out of her eyes allowing her blue eyes to sparkle.
Honestly this appearance was too grand for InuYasha and Akuma. Blythe needed to be working for a Lady demon that actually cared about traditions she'd be wasted here.
"Good job Blythe. You really outdone yourself. You can go be left to your own devices now…. Just stay away from Miroku please?"
Blythe gave a smile glad to see her work was recognized, but was still feeling very uneasy about where Kagome had tried to take the conversation and was quick to leave the room.
Sesshoumaru was in a guest room also staring in a mirror, but unlike Kagome he didn't see any beauty reflected back at him. He shut his eyes wanting to free from any more glimpses of himself and what he was becoming.
'You hate me right?'
His mother's voice was still echoing in his subconscious.
'I was never a mother to you! All I did was fill you with hate to twist your soul into something bitter and cold'
He tried to drown out the voices by bringing in the soothing sound of glass shattering when he used his fist to punch the mirror. He opened his eyes and growled at the mess he had created.
"Why won't you just die already?"
One of the most disturbing tidbits of information he'd gotten out of his conversations with Kagome today other than the fact that she was going to keep Blythe on as hired help was that his father still believed Inukimi to be alive. She was pretty much dead for there was no way for her to ever come back to this world, but how could they move on and forget about that bitch if she was still out there drawing breath.
Why did he even waste any thought on her at all? Why did he even hesitate in cutting both her and Luna down? He felt like his mother had unleashed some evil curse on him where she would always plague his thoughts. At least that's how someone stoic like Sesshoumaru interpreted having genuine feelings of mourning.
"Bitter…. Cold… angry," Sesshoumaru then turned his scowl into a small smile, "killing perfection? All those traits, but yet I still have the ability to love one such as Kagome despite what was done to my love before her? You turned me into who I am mother. I am more your son than I have ever been my father's, and that is fine with me. I will no longer have any regrets."
With that he simply kicked away all the broken glass leaving it for someone lower than him to clean up later. He didn't need Kagome to have some long talk over tea about what his mother and his mother's potential death meant to him. He knew what all of it meant to him all along. His mother used what feelings he had and forced him to be cold for her own agenda, and in turn gave him the outlook on life he needed to continue on from this point. It was fine. Everything would be fine. There was no reason to ever mourn again.
"Wow look Akuma they are actually letting us dine at the grand table tonight!" Sesshoumaru cringed when he could hear his brother's annoying voice all the way across the castle.
The idiots had returned, and the hanyou dared to have his usual upbeat voice when he and Akuma failed in their mission to kill Naraku? Naraku was low tier compared to Luna, and they should have been able to handle it. Oh well. Inukimi was no longer here to offer any protection or find any use for Naraku so Sesshoumaru himself would be free to kill that slug himself.
Sesshoumaru had no choice other than to run into the two of them in the hallway on the way to dinner, and it wasn't InuYasha that continued to piss Sesshoumaru off. It was Akuma. On face value Akuma deserved respect. He was pretty much just an adopted member of this family and he did everything he could to service it with research and his battle skill performing duties above and beyond what InuYasha or his father as of late could do for them, but Sesshoumaru still despised him. Despised those silver eyes that lizard had.
Why did his sister have to die while he got to live in their halls? Why was he even thinking about Amara? He had put those feelings away along time ago, but it was much easier when Akuma stayed in the east and his mother stayed in the south not always on his mind as she was now. Then there was Blythe. That damn wench didn't help matters at all. Especially with the comments that the dragons would dare spread rumors about him. If she even attempted to repeat any rumors he'd end her services here pretty quickly.
"Sesshoumaru I'm glad to see you are well," Akuma told him politely, "I take it since we were called back there might be nothing to celebrate though… how is the Lady Mother?"
Sesshoumaru knew his father was probably stressing out about having to deliver mounds of bad news to everyone tonight about what had happened in their very castle walls, but Sesshoumaru didn't stress about anything.
"She's gone," Sesshoumaru said coldly, "and never coming back. She is dead."
Akuma opened his mouth to speak. The topic him and InuYasha had been debating about on their way back was how Sesshoumaru faired against Kovu, so this was an unexpected shock.
Before Akuma could even speak Sesshoumaru's eyes hardened towards his brother, "Then there is you hanyou. Tell me what is your purpose to this family? It seems all you do is cause strife. First you disregard your marriage arrangement for this Kikyo girl, who killed herself on your watch once you were free to have her back, and then you abandon your children for a mission you knew you would fail. I've watched over Rin more than you ever had, but perhaps if her actual father had been around she wouldn't have stabbed to death in your absence."
Sesshoumaru wanted to see the hurt and pain from the hanyou as the waves of failure and despair washed over him, but he decided to show mercy this time.
"I revived her with the Tensagia, but I can never do so again. So instead of running the halls and yammering about which table you get to eat at worry about your own damn table and your own damn children you stupid simple half-breed fool."
There was only one more comment the inuyoukai wanted to make, but he needed a few more moments to debate about it.
"Also how about you try being loyal to the woman you mated and accept the arrangement that was made for you. Be loyal and responsible to one person for once in your life, and stay the hell away from Kyra. That woman has done more for me than you ever have and you won't bring your misery on her."
Speaking of rumors even Sesshoumaru wasn't deaf to the ones about InuYasha's 'latest desire'. He had two children and how many women had he been through and now people were saying he had some kind of desire for Kyra now? InuYasha didn't deserve that woman even if she was human now, and he especially didn't deserve any woman like Kagome.
Akuma and InuYasha were still left speechless as Sesshoumaru walked into the dining room where his father was already sitting at the head of the table. Perhaps this whole honesty thing Kagome was always preaching to him about wasn't all bad after all. Sesshoumaru sat at his seat feeling completely confident with how things were going. His mate went through some issues at the hands of Luna and they worked it out. His daughter had been kidnapped and was in danger and he and Kagome saved her. Sesshoumaru was now in a state of feeling there was nothing he couldn't handle.
"InuYasha get in here in sit down," Inutashio snapped knowing his youngest was nearby.
"I need to see my children!" InuYasha yelled back from outside the door way.
"You can see them soon we have family business to discuss," Inutashio's voice was commanding and his youngest pup had no choice but to join them in the room followed by Akuma.
"I already told him about Rin," Sesshoumaru stated plainly and coldly while relaxing with a drink.
Inutashio's gaze bore into Sesshoumaru. He just had a feeling that Sesshoumaru didn't deliver that kind of traumatic news with any grace or dignity. Why were his sons so much easier to command and care for in times of war and disarray as opposed to when they were supposed to be at peace? It was almost as though if there wasn't an enemy for them to all be against room would form for dysfunction to grow.
"Rin is fine and in good spirits," Inutashio made sure to tell InuYasha.
"No thanks to her 'family'," Sesshoumaru remarked.
"Sesshoumaru if you do not silence yourself I will do it for you," Inutashio glared, "my oldest should know better than to come back from battle and act as though he is above everyone else."
"I am what my father and mother made me," Sesshoumaru responded plainly.
Inutashio at that point was 99% done with Sesshoumaru and his newfound arrogance and attitude. Now that he had cleansed the world of both his mother and grandmother who outmatched him many levels over in battle it seemed his son honestly believed himself to be better than everyone else and perhaps the head of this household. Inutashio was close to attempting to knock his son out, but Kagome came into the room looking as beautiful as ever and that calmed the mood.
"Lady Kagome," Akuma smiled upon seeing her.
Kagome gave Akuma a smile as well missing the dragon demon that always picked on her, but she was ready to join Inutashio in delivering the bad news of the state this family was in.
Kagome frowned, "Due to the circumstances of everything Aimee doesn't want to join us tonight."
"I can't blame her," Inutashio sighed before he told InuYasha and Akuma everything from his point of view about how Luna came into their home was really Inukimi's mother and how she used her powers to force Aimee into killing Rin for a ritual sacrifice, and that it all lead to the permanent banishment of Inukimi.
"Please let me see them father," InuYasha just spoke quietly looking at the floor, "if Aimee is afraid of what I might say or do it doesn't matter it's not her fault. She needs to know that. I know she'd never hurt Rin or Kiyomi willingly."
"In a minute InuYasha let's just all take a moment to breathe," Inutashio said actually being the first one to eat any food at this dinner.
Sesshoumaru was already bored of all the talking and was just glad to see that Kagome decided to sit next to him.
His hand went to hers as he whispered low, "What is it you want to know?"
Kagome blinked though not surprised Sesshoumaru was being so uncaring and rude, "About?"
"You said if I told you something about myself you didn't already know you'd be all mine tonight. I don't know what information to share."
Kagome knew exactly what she wanted to ask about. She wanted to ask about Amara, but this was not the time or the place. Sesshoumaru probably knew that, and Sesshoumaru probably didn't care.
"Anyway," Inutashio decided to continue the conversation hearing Sesshoumaru whisper over on the other side of the table, "I don't know how far you and Akuma got in tracking down Naraku, but you have your whole lives to get revenge on that creature while I feel like I only have so much time left in my life to take care of my affairs. I wanted to discuss this in front of Amethyst, but InuYasha will just have to inform her himself. I plan to travel with sole intent to kill her father Radaromaru. Whether or not Luna or this silly religion of hers encouraged it he still raped her mother when she was my mate to father a child with her. This is a personal insult to me and family so he will be destroyed with no mercy given to his clan or anyone that protects him."
That finally got Sesshoumaru's attention and kept his mind out of the gutter. Radaromaru was a daiyoukai similar to his father and could probably match each other in strength.
"You're going alone?"
"It's my business and my pride on the line so yes," Inutashio growled.
"You can't go into a battle against a whole clan by yourself when you have your lands and family to care for," Sesshoumaru simply stated though if he were in a similar position and Kagome had been raped he'd probably make the exact same decision… but Kagome wasn't his mother.
"It's because I'm thinking about my lands and family that I must do this alone. I won't drag everyone into another war over something that happened along time ago. This is between me and him. If I die that is what I have heirs for isn't it? So the last thing that needs to be discussed is succession."
"I will be head of Dragonsbane while you are gone," Sesshoumaru said flatly, "and permanently if you fall in battle. What is there to discuss?"
"That depends on you. You've gotten yourself into far more danger than I have during this turmoil I don't know how long your reign could possibly last. Is Reimei your heir Sesshoumaru?"
So they weren't discussing Sesshoumaru's future. Inutashio was thinking a lot more long term. He wanted to know who was second in line to Dragonsbane.
"I will have a son and I want my son to be my heir," Sesshoumaru knew in times like these his opinion on this matter was quite petty especially when he expected the females of this family to be just as strong as the males, but it was his desire to have and raise a son to inherit the world they'd create for him.
"So Reimei is not your first in line?"
Kagome didn't even understand why any of this mattered at all. Reimei inheriting Dragonsbane seemed something that was hundreds of years away and nothing that needed to be discussed in the here or now, but these Inu's had weird priorities when it came to discussion of who owned what.
'They are like dogs they are so damn territorial,' she thought to herself.
"She is if I don't have a son I suppose, but I will eventually and not for a lack of trying."
"You know how this works Sesshoumaru. You either name your first born as your heir or the child of your choosing. You only have one option at the moment so what is your final decision."
"Reimei is my infant daughter so I am not naming her as my heir," Sesshoumaru spoke plainly, "if I were on my death bed I would, and she is your only option for second in line anyway so I don't understand why I'd be pressured to make such an official decision at this present time."
"I have options," Inutashio said looking at InuYasha who was still just waiting for this conversation to be over, "since you made your stance on the issue clear until you have a son InuYasha is second in line to Dragonsbane as per my mate's and my own wishes."
InuYasha could honestly care less right now.
"He is a bastard his mother was never your mate."
"He is my son and will now be given every advantage you've been given. If he has a son that child is third in line and so on, and you can't complain about the rules, because you pretty much just made them yourself."
Both Kagome and InuYasha still thought this was stupid. It seemed Inutashio was just trying to find something to get under Sesshoumaru's skin as payback for all the shit he said tonight, and it seemed the best way to do that was with succession technicalities, and it worked. Sesshoumaru was furious. His family had reigned for a long time, but how succession was going to work in the monarchy they set up had never been very well flushed out. If Sesshoumaru wanted his way, which was for first born sons to inherit while still keeping Dragonsbane for his immediate blood line he'd best have a son before InuYasha, and InuYasha was already one child ahead of him.
"Fine," Sesshoumaru was trying to pretend that none of this got to him, "I will have a son soon so this conversation has all just been wasted breathe. Enjoy your revenge hunt may it be more fruitful than InuYasha's."
"Shut the fuck up you have no idea what we accomplished," InuYasha growled.
Before that comment Kagome was the one about to go off on Sesshoumaru. He was about to hold the contest of 'who could have a son first' when InuYasha wasn't even playing and she was expected to just be a willing participant in the public arrogance Sesshoumaru was trying to display, but she kept quiet. A storm of family drama was about to brew.
"Please do tell us," Sesshoumaru took a bite of his food.
"We can save the subject for another day," Akuma interrupted, "as our Lord said we have our whole lives to make Naraku pay for what he did. We should just wish Inutashio well on his campaign and work together to keep the estate stable while he is gone."
"Perhaps I should just go handle Naraku on my own since it was my mate he attempted to hurt," Sesshoumaru spat back, "and Naraku is nothing compared to what I've gone against lately. I should do that. Go on my own campaign, leave InuYasha incharge, and let you see the state of ruin Dragonsbane is left in when you return father so you can immediately regret your decision."
The table had become nothing but death glares. Dogs and dragons just staring each other down to rip each other apart. This was not right. This was supposed to be a family, and what made Kagome the most disgusted is none of this wouldn't be happening right now if Sesshoumaru didn't come to this dinner with full intentions of being an antagonist. She didn't understand what was going on with him lately, and she was beginning to give up on trying to understand what he was going through. The sole mission at the moment was to get him to shut his mouth before she lost anymore respect for him and was forced to have their relationship soured over it all.
His sharp comments had been upsetting and catching everyone off guard tonight, so it was his turn.
"Sesshoumaru," Kagome's voice cut through the air of silence and high tension, "you know I wouldn't allow you to just leave me like that and I know you're not serious about it, but since you clearly want to be the center of attention tonight and want to air out everyone's dirty laundry can you please tell me about Amara? Inutashio is the one that told me I should press you on your past with the dragons, and if he can provide information that you won't I'd like to get it before he leaves."
She swore minutes went by with no one talking. She really wanted answers when it came to Amara, but at the same time she was just glad that her mission in stunning Sesshoumaru worked.
Sesshoumaru was indeed stunned. How did Kagome know about Amara? What did his father tell him? Did that stupid Lady's Maid of hers tell her something? That stupid silver haired girl that looked so much like- no he bet it was that damn Akuma. Akuma probably snuck in Kagome's window before arriving with InuYasha to have some friendly gossip. That damn dragon was always way too damn close to his mate to the point of enraging him.
"How do you know about her," Sesshoumaru hissed not even looking at Kagome.
"A letter that was in the book you were obviously trying to hide from me," Kagome replied, "she was a dragon demon that you loved, wasn't she? A woman that you loved before me. I know it's in the past, but we were going to be honest with each other remember? So I think I should know about her."
Sesshoumaru growled again pissed off that Kagome would dare go through any of his personal things. She had no right to touch his book or that letter. No right to read it. That would be a discussion for another time. A punishment for a later evening in his bed.
What Sesshoumaru could do to deflect from himself was to put the blame and attention on someone else. Someone who deserved it.
"Since you already felt as though it was your place to discuss personal matters father why don't you tell Kagome about Amara," he said darkly, "tell my mate about the woman I loved before her. Tell her what happened to her. What you did to her. Let's see if she would dare ever take your side, or even my mother's side, over mine in anything once she knows what you did."
Inutashio knew what Kagome was attempting to do, and was almost proud of her for doing so, but wished it could have been any other subject than Amara.
"We came to this table tonight to discuss new business Sesshoumaru not ancient."
"We never got to discuss anything, because you wouldn't allow it."
Or maybe Kagome hadn't made a mistake. Inutashio took a moment to think about Sesshoumaru's change in attitude and how he was a special case. He wasn't emotional like InuYasha, probably because he never really got to experience emotions until Kagome came around. Maybe what Sesshoumaru needed to stop this behavior and lashing out at others was to finally get everything from the past off of his chest.
"Fine Sesshoumaru you want to discuss it we'll discuss it, but it won't bring you the closure you want and need you will only find that in yourself," Inutashio began, "when Inukimi and I engaged in war with Ryokoutsei and his clan we took measures to prevent all the dragons in the land from forming an alliance and fighting us together. We took a hostage from every single known dragon clan in the region that claimed to be neutral in the war to guarantee they remained neutral. Inukimi and I focused on the fighting while Sesshoumaru was put in charge of watching over the hostages and learning about their families to get information. Amara was the hostage from one of the clans and apparently Sesshoumaru developed feelings for her."
Sesshoumaru didn't want his father to go into in depth about his feelings for Amara. It was never his parent's business, and there was a bit of embarrassment that came with his father discussing how Sesshoumaru fell for a member of an enemy race.
"So you knew I had interest in that woman," Sesshoumaru continued, "and since you knew…. Your mate- that bitch knew as well."
"That bitch is your mother Sesshoumaru," Inutashio glared.
"Yes that bitch mate of yours is my mother. So tell Kagome father. Tell her what my mother that you still hold up on a pedestal did to the dragon woman I had feelings for."
Inutashio sighed, "She wanted to kill an innocent dragon demon in front of Ryokoutsei to let him know we were serious about conquering his people and taking his land and there'd be no mercy. She decided Amara would be the perfect sacrifice."
"Remind me why we should feel sorry for the bitch again then father? Because from my recollection she was never any different from Luna. She chose Amara because she knew Amara's family wouldn't join our forces in order to save her, but most of all she choose Amara because she wanted to hurt me. She wanted me to know love was poison."
"Didn't you just learn the truth Sesshoumaru? The truth to your mother's madness? It wasn't her fault. Her decisions and treatment of you wasn't done with a clear mind and heart."
"Mother is gone now. There is no reason for me to hate her anymore. I've accepted her father. I know you don't believe me, but if I truly hated her would I have ever invited her to join us and to help train Kagome? I've accepted that my mother is apart of me and for better or for worse she made me who I am today, or for better or for worse I have no regrets about who I am. It's you I can't forgive. You could have stopped Amara's death, but you didn't. You did nothing. Just like you did nothing when she beat me and called me names. You never protected me, and I've accepted you never will. I won't be like you. I'll protect my family I'll watch over them. Even InuYasha's family I'll save while you just sit in your dark office and pretend to be the bond that holds this family together. If what you've been saying for years is true and your conquering days are over than you might as well let your next fight be your last, because all you were ever good for was conquering and killing. Without that you are nobody."
Inutashio knew this was needed. This was the venting Sesshoumaru needed to help calm him down and get through all of this. His words stung as there were was so much truth in it all. Inutashio let Inukimi do her own thing and never interfered with how she treated their son, and because of it the man that stood before him today was nothing but a bitter and stoic shell of someone who could be better, but at the same time Inutashio was proud of his son. Perhaps he was right. Sesshoumaru on face value didn't seem like he'd be the most understanding and kind ruler, but at the same time he was able to stand up and protect what was his.
"Are you finished?"
"No," Sesshoumaru hissed as though his words were venom, "Akuma… you know he is Amara's brother. You might have not had it confirmed until recently, but both you and I have always known. Just look at those eyes… you watched as my mother killed her, but yet you took Akuma in. Raised him as your own let him have the same advantages in this life as InuYasha while I was set aside to suffer? What game was there in that father? Did you honestly thinking me sharing the same hallways with him would somehow make what I went through any better? That it would make it right? You just killing off that whole family would have been better honestly, and now here he is again. Saying all the right things all the right time acting as though he doesn't have an agenda when everyone always has an agenda. It disgusts me."
"I had to do something to make it right. Did you honestly think I went through life guilt free after watching Inukimi kill that girl? Making sure Akuma was taken care of was more for me than for you and he has done a lot for this family and deserves no ill will from you."
"If that's what you need to think to feel better than go ahead," Sesshoumaru went back to his drink actually feeling a lot better.
Verbally attacking InuYasha in the hallway gave him a nice feeling, but finally telling his father how he felt after holding it in all these years was just amazing. He left Kagome earlier after seeing that dragon girl just feeling frustrated and angry, but now he was at peace. At peace with all of it. He knew he'd have to do some severe apologizing to Kagome and have some long conversations with her to put everything back to where it needed to be, but right now it felt as though a burden had been lifted from him. He didn't want to think on Amara ever again, especially now that he had a perfect mate, but by finally lashing out at his father he felt as though she'd been avenged somewhat.
"It made me feel better to watch Akuma grow up from an eggling to a promising young demon with a bright future ahead of him," Inutashio sighed standing up, "but it didn't make me feel whole, but maybe I can find it what I'm looking for in either my death or Radaromaru's death or the knowledge knowing that my true oldest grand-daughter is back where she belongs. I'm sure you met that Blythe girl Kagome hired. I'm sure you know who she looks like, acts, like, talks like… she's your daughter Sesshoumaru. You're bastard daughter with Amara, and your mother knew this and wants her cared for. In her sanity she wants things to be made right."
Well Inutashio had succeeded in what Kagome attempted to do. Tonight at this dinner someone had finally managed to make Sesshoumaru shut up, and for the second time he was completely stunned in his silence and this time the effects were more lasting. Same for Kagome. She thought at worst she might have accidentally hired a dragon demon assassin that would get herself into trouble by sleeping with a fool like Miroku not Sesshoumaru's first born daughter he had with another woman.
InuYasha had tried to focus on his own problems and would do anything he could to get out of this room, but when the moment called he just couldn't help himself.
"So where does this bastard fall in the line of succession father?"
AN: Sorry it's been a long time. Been working a lot of ours at work and you know…. Video games came out, but I decided to crank this out today. Kind of turned into a spiral with Sesshoumaru acting out and going through the attitude of a terrible teen he probably never got to go through as an actual child, but I think it all came full circle on him. This family just keeps on growing on I guess.