A/N: School is over and the holidays are just shy of ending! I'm back baby!
"Mother will be arriving tomorrow evening to meet you and in one week all guests will be checked in. Ten days from then, the gala is to occur Saturday night." Sesshou walked with purpose, dressed in his princely attire once more, Kagome beside him in her own warrior priestess clothing.
"Jeez, I'm out for a few days and I already feel so out of the loop." Kagome hurried along side her companion. They turned another corner of the castle as they made their way into the West wing.
"You will remember those few days fondly in one hundred years, I promise you." The dry sarcasm that left his mouth only brought a grin to her face.
"No, it's good to be back."
The two came to a double door and Kagome looked to him. Sesshou didn't grant her a glance, and instead pushed forward. The door gave no resistance and they entered the office.
"Mr. Taishou Sesshou and Ms. Higurashi Kagome," the smooth, even toned voice of a young man rang familiar in her ears, but the visual before her didn't match her memories quite right. "It is an honor to make both your acquaintances." The gentleman dressed in a suit bowed low to them both.
Sesshou eyed Kagome's reaction keenly, waiting for recognition to bloom across her face. Afterall, this meeting was being held in appointment to a schedule he was not aware she had planned.
"Please, allow me to introduce our guest," Ami came around the desk and gestured to the young man straightening himself. "This is Sakai Jiyu, of the Sakai priests of the northeast."
"Sakai?" Kagome's thoughts were churning, "As in 'well'…?"
"Yes, my Lady, my family prides itself on our roots." Jiyu extended a hand for her to shake. Crossing the room to their visitor, Kagome took his hand hesitantly.
"Lady priestess," Ami guided everyone to take a seat at a tea table on the far side of the room. "Allow me to explain." With everyone seated, Kagome and Sesshou together, and the stranger opposite of them, Ami tucked herself between them and motioned for the man to present a folded piece of paper. "Mr. Sakai here is a priest, coming from many, many generations of priests that began hundreds and hundreds of years ago."
"You see, Lady Kagome," Jiyu opened the folded diagram many times, exposing a chain of names that branched out extensively. "I am a direct descendant of your dear friends, Sango and Miroku."
Her eyes never left the map of names. She followed Jiyu's upwards, reading more, vaguely recognizing the amount of children each generation produced. Nearing the top of the page, she found what she was looking for.
Sango-Miroku
"Oh," Kagome's eyes glossed over until she could no longer see their names, or the fourteen others listed directly below. "It's them." Blinking back her tears, and failing miserable to contain them, she directed her attention back to the man before her.
After so many generations it was hard to find similarities, and maybe she was only seeing what she wanted to see, but Kagome could swear Jiyu's kind smile was a beautiful blend of Sango and Miroku. His demeanor was peaceful, and despite the oddity of an invitation to the Western Palace, he seemed entirely at ease in the presence of demons.
"My Lady," His voice again rang familiar in her ears. The soft baritones of his even tone were smooth and charismatic. He was a charmer, she was sure, just like Miroku. "If you wouldn't mind my asking, what took you so long?"
"Pardon?" Kagome's head tilted in confusion, her eyes still wet with tears.
"You have been every slayer and priest's bedtime story for nearly five hundred years." Jiyu again reached for an item within his jacket pocket, withdrawing a thin journal. "This story has been passed down for generations, the tale of Naraku's curse of the wind tunnel, his puppeteering of humans, the slaughter of slayers, and his downfall, all thanks to the time traveling priestess and her beloved half demon."
Jiyu slid the book across the table to Kagome. She was too stunned to receive it.
"It's a love story, a classic, that rivals Romeo and Juliet."
She wasn't hearing his words anymore. Her heart rate spiked in her panic.
Sesshou watched with interest, remaining outside the interactions as a third party viewer, up until her fear was palpable in the air. She was spiralling and he would not allow her to wallow. Reaching for her hand under the table, he was able to snap her from the dark thoughts that invaded. At least for now, he would allow himself to be her anchor. She needed someone, and he would not fail her.
"Did they think I was coming back?" Kagome's broken whisper tore at his heart.
"You were unable to say goodbye after the battle, and Lord Inuyasha returned without you, but he waited every day for your return. Until the war hit, and he swore he would protect Edo, so you would have a home to return to, and not a wasteland." Jiyu explained, aware that this information pained the young woman before him.
He was older by a handful of years, but he felt small in front of the priestess. She was garbed properly and as beautiful as promised. After so many years without her return, his family nearly gave up on the thought of the time traveling priestess. She had become a fairytale. Her time had come and the years still went on without word of her. Now, with the teary time traveling teenager before him, he realized just how traumatic the events of his bedtime story were for her. She was a child. Fifteen. Fighting for her life and losing everyone in a year's time.
"After Inuyasha's death, your return relied solely on your desire to." Jiyu continued, "The demons you once knew, fled from us after a single generation. We went our separate ways. Slayers and monks returned East, and the demons West. The war divided us in territory, but not in alliance. We always had their protection, and we were grateful." A diplomatic appreciation was visible in the way he addressed Sesshou, "You kept us alive and thriving, and for that, I wanted to personally thank you, Lord Sesshoumaru."
"Your kin earned their place under my protection." Sesshou nodded back, his hand still clasped with the priestess beside him. "However it became unnecessary as the modern age came to be." Jiyu nodded in affirmation.
"So everyone's been waiting for me all this time." Kagome's shoulders hunched in her musings.
"Remember, My Lady, that those who knew you no longer wait. Those that do, have done so in the same fascination a child awaits Peter Pan's arrival to whisk them away."
"And once again I'm a legend in a book." She released Sesshou's hand to fondle the journal in front of her. Flipping through the pages, she was able to pick up many familiar words from her story. Priestess. Half demon. Shikon jewel. Naraku.
It all felt so far away.
And close enough to be yesterday.
"May I ask you something, Mr. Sakai?" Kagome's curiosity piqued both the demon and monk's interest. He nodded. "Would you like to attend the annual Taishou Gala as the first human representative of your clan?"
"If it would please My Lady," He nodded his head in a slight bow, "And it would be an honor to fulfill your request."
"Good." A renewed determination swelled inside Kagome. "Now when can I visit the shrine?"