Kagome licked her dry lips. "I relinquished my powers?" she repeated, stunned.
He gave her a short nod.
"InuYasha..." She took a shaky breath as the thoughts raced through her head. "He wanted to live a quiet life with Kikyo. As a human. Did we—did he—"
"InuYasha remained a hanyo," Sesshomaru said, as though he sensed the question she struggled to ask. "Without the jewel's wish, he did not have the ability to become human or a full yokai as he'd once sought."
"That's unfair!" The words burst out of her. "Why would I do that? I thought we—well, I thought when I went back that I would be helping him protect the village and our friends. But you're saying that I gave up my powers and became a housewife?"
Sesshomaru's expression was sympathetic. "I do not know what conversation took place between you," he told her gently, "only the end result, Kagome."
In other words, he doesn't know why. She sighed. "And I never told you?"
His expression shifted, the gaze in his eyes far away as though he was no longer really seeing her. "I asked," he said simply, "but you would not answer."
"So what happens then?" Her hand on his arm tightened. "I need to know, Sesshomaru. Please. you said that I can't marry InuYasha. But why does that mean I need to marry you?"
Kagome felt a little silly asking the question, but it was his plan, not hers.
Still. She flushed. I don't have any feelings for him. Not like that, at least. And I doubt he has any for me. What kind of marriage would we have, anyway?
Her eyes dropped to his ring. He said he came close to marriage, once. What kind of woman was she?
His gave shifted back to hers but he didn't give her an answer.
"Sesshomaru." She kept her eyes on his, willing him to answer her question.
After another moment, he capitulated. "Because of what our union would represent," he told her quietly as his gaze fell away.
"A miko and a daiyokai," she breathed in recognition. "You want to be an example for others to prevent further war. That's why you want me to go back and marry you. I married InuYasha and became just another human, but if I married you—"
"You retain your powers and your purpose," he finished for her, his voice quiet. "You would be the change we sought."