Monday
I am a day late, but I will update today.
Wednesday
Oh, crap. To-today! I'll update today!
Friday
Zel no Miko: So you're updating on Monday, huh?

Just shut up.

Death, Greed, & Love
Chapter 37
Prelude

Miroku rubbed at his temples and let out a sigh of irritation. His idiot friend just did not seem to get it. Inuyasha just couldn't seem to figure out how much he had messed up when he left Veshrane without so much as a goodbye to Kagome. That had been a little over a month ago. It was only now, within the past two weeks, that the hanyou had arrived at the possibility that maybe—just maybe—he had been wrong in leaving so suddenly.

Inuyasha had been in a fair state of panic when he realized this. The guests for the Suitor Tournament had, after all, been decided within a week after Naraku's death. Fortunately Asami had the foresight to send a letter of request. She knew the hanyou's nature (he hadn't changed much from when they were children) and that he would sincerely regret it if he was unable to attend the Tournament. (No matter what he had claimed in the beginning.)

It had taken quite a bit of persuading for Asami to convince her mate to send the letter, even though Inuyasha had been quite vehement in telling Sesshoumaru that under no circumstances would he participate in that Tournament.

It was sad really, how predictable he was.

So now, here Miroku was. Finding himself charged with the task of teaching the uncouth hanyou a bit of etiquette.

Maybe he should have left this to Sango after all.

Oh wait, there was that whole business of her being required to stay in Veshrane to protect Kagome. Damn.

"Oi, Bouzu! What's next?"

"Next?" The urge to hit his head against the wall repeatedly was great. "What makes you think we're moving on Inuyasha?" Maybe if he gave him a few concussions…

"I've got the bowing thing down just fine."

"You think so?" There was that urge again. Miroku paused and glanced over at his staff that rested so innocently against the wall. Weren't there some theorists who claimed that pain was effective when used in the learning process?

Large, fluffy flakes of snow were just starting to fall in Veshrane. Sango, Kagome, and Aya had gathered to sit in the pavilion by a small pond in the Court Yard. Wrapped in heavy blanket, hot tea in their hands, the three women were quite comfortable. Sango couldn't stop herself from watching the flakes fall onto the pond. She had never seen snow before. Keshante was, after all, too far south for it to form.

"It won't stick."

The Taiji-ya averted her eyes from the pond to look over at Aya. She pointed at the healer's dark tresses. "They stick in your hair."

"You know that's not what I meant." For some reason the healer sounded overtly irritable.

"Why are you in such a mood?"

"Aya hates snow."

Sango fought had to fight to hid her grin at the amusement in Kagome's voice. It had to be the first time in weeks that she had said something that wasn't full of forced cheerfulness.

Several concussions and bumps later…

"Well, I wouldn't call that a successful bow, but it should do."

"Keh, why is everyone making such a big deal about this? All that matters is winning the Tournament."

"So are you saying that you're worried?"

"Hell no!"

The houshi breathed in some air and released it with a ragged sigh. "Idi-oto," He muttered.

"What was that!"

"I know you have a thick skull Inuyasha, but this really is unbelievable. Do you have any idea as to what type of welcome you'll receive?"

Inuyasha gave no reply, but assumed the position that he usually did when he realized he was wrong and refused to admit it. He looked away, his posture straight, and stuffed his arms into the billowy sleeves of his haori.

There it was again. The insistent painful throbbing at his temples. How was it that the hanyou could bring another attack so quickly?

"Why do you hate snow, Aya? I think it's beautiful."

"Sango, dear, you are young and obviously have never experienced a Veshranean winter. Give it time and you will come to dread the frozen beauty. Besides snow means cold and cold means that my bones will ache. I'm an old woman. I would much rather our country was a southern isle."

"You don't look that old."

"It's not nice to lie, Sango, even if it is well meaning."

"I wasn't lying."

"I shall be the judge of that."

"No, she's right Aya." Kagome took a sip of her tea. "You do not look that old."

There was a certain smugness glittering in Aya's eyes. It was the smugness that came from one who was very much aware of a certain aspect of their character or appearance, but always liked to hear someone confirm that awareness.

"Well, whatever my appearance is it doesn't change the fact that the cold affects me. Perhaps we should go inside."

"Shall we should head to the lower levels. Kikyou told me that the hot springs were fixed."

"What is your bathroom not large enough, Kagome-chan?"

"Only someone who's never been to a natural hot spring would say that."

"The hot spring is far from natural, Kagome." Aya commented dryly. "Unless you consider magic to be natural."

"There are some who would argue that Aya." Sango was suddenly more interested in seeing these mysterious hot springs that were deep underneath the castle then the fluffy, crystallized beauty of the snowflakes. Besides the tips of her fingers were about to get a bit cold.

"Besides I promised Kikyou that I'd meet her down there soon." Kagome added primly, her cheeks coloring slightly.

"Inuyasha, you don't understand how little patience the Council has for you. Even if you do manage to win the Tournament—"

"I will win it!"

"Fine, but winning the Tournament doesn't necessarily mean that life will be easy for you and Kagome after that. Do you even remember what you are to the Council?"

"It's not like it matters."

Bam! The bronze staff connected squarely with Inuyasha's skull, the many rings on the staff jangling at the impact. Miroku slammed his staff against the stone floor angrily. One hand reached up to rub at his left temple.

For a moment the silver-haired hanyou seemed unable to respond. He seemed a bit stun. Although Miroku had used his staff on his head many times never had he used it with such force! The houshi was just not the type to get so riled up. Briefly, he wondered if he had gone too far. Hell with that! When had he ever stood quietly by when someone—namely Sango and Miroku—hit him!

"What the he—"

"Shut up, Inuyasha. Just shut up." Miroku fairly trembled with rage. "You still don't seem to get it. The Veshranes don't understand the bond that you share with Kagome. They don't know that it runs deeper than the bond any married humans have. Youkai, much less hanyous, are few in that kingdom and none of them are native. I imagine that most of the Council regards Kagome as someone akin to a whore."

Inuyasha's eyes flashed red.

"What did you say?"

The dangerous growl didn't even cause the houshi to wince. Miroku just ignored it and continued to shout at his friend. "Do you understand why she allowed the High General to take command? Do you even know or care how she felt when you refused to talk to her about it? When you left? No, of course you don't. You didn't think of anything other than yourself. How you were hurt, how you felt. Kagome's feelings didn't—"

It happened faster then his human vision could grasp. One moment Inuyasha was standing there, bristling with anger. Within the next he had moved forward and wrapped his clawed hand around Miroku's neck and lifted him high. The staff fell to the floor with a metallic clatter. The houshi smiled even as he tried to pry his hand underneath Inuyasha's and struggled for breath. He tried not to think too much about the crimson that was bleeding into those amber eyes.

"What's wrong, Yash?" He gasped. He managed to get finger between Inuyasha's hand and his throat. "I didn't make you angry, did I?"

Inuyasha tightened his grip just a little bit more. "Don't you ever call Kagome a whore again!" His grip tightened even more before he threw the houshi down.

Miroku coughed and rubbed his neck. He still smiled.

"When did I ever call her that?"

"Just now you—"

"I'll say it again. Idi-oto. I never said that. I just said that is what the Council sees her as now."

"How would you know that?"

"I don't, but just think about it from their view. Naraku, however horrible he was, was their King. Kagome, their Queen, had an intimate relationship with a male that was not her husband. They may have felt sympathetic towards her situation and some may have wanted her out of it, but they despise the fact that she had an affair."

"An affair? Mating is not an affair! It is—"

"I know that Inuyasha, but the point is that they don't. I can also guarantee you that most, if not all, have had no encounters with those of youkai blood. Not including you, Sesshoumaru, and Naraku, of course."

The hanyou was unable to find any words to counter this.

"Now do you understand why you have to go through this etiquette training? You need to show them that you are worthy. They need to see you as an equal. It will take a lot of work. Kagome will help you in convincing them afterwards. Right now you just have the worry about the Tournament. It won't be easy."

"Especially since we never received an acceptance letter." Inuyasha muttered. "Keh! Let's get this over with! I'll teach those pricks not to underestimate the inu youkai."

Miroku got up from his spot on the floor, picking up his staff as he stood.

"Good. Now moving on. Next I am going to teach you to speak like a civilized being."

"Fuck!"

The four women slid into the steaming hot springs, sighing simultaneously. With the help of leather thongs and metal clips they piled their dark hair on top of their scalps, keeping it dry.

"Wow." Sango was surprised to find a seat worn smooth into the submerged rock. "I thought natural hot springs could only be found near volcanoes. Why doesn't it smell of sulfur?"

"Magic." Kikyou's voice was subdued, quiet. She sunk until the water was up to her neck. It was almost as if she was trying to hide from them. "There is a reservoir of hot springs at the border between Veshrane and Glely."

"Kikyou used her powers to transport one of the springs here." Kagome explained. "It was a gift for my mother."

"I only did it to show my gratitude to Megumi-sama, may the gods bless her soul, for taking me in. Life," There was a pause in Kikyou's speech," it is very hard for mikos here."

"Mama had a passion for hot baths."

"Yes, I had heard that. I also heard Megumi-sama constantly complaining on how long it took the baths to heat up."

"You mentioned that this one comes from a reservoir of springs, Kikyou. How does it work?" Can anyone spy on us?

"The spell creates a barrier around the spring, and it is connected enough to the other springs so that it never gets cold."

"It is very fortunate that there is no smell of sulfur." Aya leaned her head back against the rock, her eyes closed. "And to have smooth seats such is these in the rock. Even a royal can't buy this type of luxury at such immediate disposal."

"Kagome-chan's a royal."

"She's the one exception, and that's only because of Kikyou. A spell like that takes a lot of energy."

"You seem to know a lot about magic, Aya."

"I've always been interested in the occult. Besides the province I'm from is one of the few in Veshrane that is accepting of mikos. I did do some training for a while, but I was always more interested in the healing arts of the craft than the magic. I wasn't very good at spells anyway. It took a lot of my energy."

"You know I've never understood that. The energy consumption, I mean."

As Aya and Sango found themselves getting deeply involved in a conversation about the basis of magic Kagome turned to Kikyou.

"Gomen ne, Kikyou. I know you wanted to talk alone."

"Its okay, Kagome-sama. It's not your fault that I'm not good with talking to people." The miko glanced over at the healer and the Taiji-ya to see that they weren't paying attention. She lowered her voice. "How have you been holding up?"

"Much better. Hephastis gave me the list of Tournament participants."

"Is he—"

"Please Kikyou I don't want to talk about him right now. I think about him enough as it is. I don't want to think about him during the day. I need to concentrate on other things to take my mind off of him."

"So that's why your good mood doesn't seem forced."

Kagome nodded. "It's the nights that are hard to deal with."

"Don't worry, Kagome-sama. I'm sure everything will turn out all right this time. Even if Inuyasha isn't able to participate in the Tournament I'm sure the winner will be someone that you will be able to love." She added hastily. "With time."

"With time." Kagome echoed. Kikyou missed the shadow that passed over the queen's face and how her next smile seemed to be forced.

...I'm not that happy with this chapter. I like what I have, but I don't like how it turned out. Oh, well. I guess I'll redo it later on. Sorry it took so long. I can't remember if I asked this in my last A/N, but does anyone know of a website that contains Rosefire's Shadow fic?