Chapter 4
Sunrise had come and gone by the time Kagome's scouting party made it back to Endo. It was midmorning and the village had been up for hours. More troops had assembled. New banners flew over the tents. But they passed over all of it and headed straight for home.
Miroku had never been happier to see Sango, nor she him. They ran into each others arms and embraced the embrace of lovers gone too long from one another. They kissed and held each other tight, reveling that their fears had been baseless and that they were together once more.
Kagome gave them a minute or two, but she couldn't spare any more. She had to interrupt their happy reunion.
"I'm sorry guys, but we need a confab. We need to figure out what we're dealing with here so that we can get the news to Kuranosuke and his allies."
Sango was the first to agree. She slid easily back into her training. "I take it you found something out there."
"More than we bargained for," Miroku replied. He still hadn't let her go.
"Then let's get inside. You two look like you've been through hell. I'll put on some tea and we can talk it out."
They had hardly made it in the door before Kirara found her bed and took to it. The poor little thing was exhausted. She was asleep in seconds.
"I think we pushed her a little too hard," Kagome confessed as she herself slumped down into a pillow by the table.
But Sango only gave the little feline a pat and set about getting the tea. "She'll be fine in an hour or two. The rest of the time she just sleeps because she's lazy."
Kagome was too tired to argue. "I still feel bad," she said.
"Don't worry about it. Just like the rest of us, Kirara likes to be needed."
A slow nod from Kagome, "We sure couldn't have done it without her."
Sango returned with fresh tea. She poured each of them a cup and waited for Miroku and Kagome to tip their first back and be refilled before she sat down with them and got to business.
Between the two of them, Kagome and Miroku relayed all of the details from their trek North. Sango sat quietly and listened through all of it before she spoke. When she did, it was all Slayer talking.
"The Drakes are a problem," she said. "But with enough men, I can train them to take one down. As for the sickness…I can think of only a handful of creatures that have the ability to turn people to stone. The Kitsune can do it, but most often that is just a trick or an illusion. I think it's more likely that we are looking for something akin to a basilisk. Though I have never come across one that spewed a toxin, it may be as good a theory as any considering what you've found. But controlling a man that has already been turned to stone? I have never heard of such a thing."
"I think I have," Kagome said thoughtfully. "In China. The first emperor…Han, or Huan, or something."
"Huang," Miroku interjected. "Qin Shi Huang"
Kagome shrugged. "Whatever. The point is: When his tomb was found it was filled with thousands of terracotta soldiers. And not just army men, but simple men as well. Tailors and blacksmiths and bakers. Even horses. All made of clay and stone."
"Having an Army of stone does not mean you control it," Sango pointed out.
"Maybe not," Kagome allowed. "But it does make all of this make sense. Where the bodies have disappeared to. Why the Army didn't raid that village. What happened to those men we found. And if I remember correctly, those terracotta soldiers they found in China came with a warning, maybe even a curse: Disturb the King's tomb and his army will march again."
"Surely you are not saying that this army has marched here from China," Miroku asked.
Kagome pulled a face. "No. But I am saying that I think we have a real problem here. If we don't prepare for it, if we don't warn those men about it, then we might all perish in this fight."
From across the table Miroku yawned and stretched. "You may have a point," he said groggily. "I am simply glad that I will not have to be the one to try and explain it to Kuranosuke."
"Oh no you don't," Kagome warned him. "You're not getting out of-"
Before she could finish the door to the hut burst open. All three of them turned to find Rin standing in the doorway. She was out of breath, as if she had run the entire way across the village. Her eyes were wide. She looked stunned.
"Rin?" Sango went over to the girl in concern. "Are you alright?"
"Lord Takeda…" she said strangely.
"What about Lord Takeda?"
Sango reached out to Rin and tried to put a steadying arm around the girl. But Rin stopped her. She took hold of the Slayer's arms and held her so that she could see her face.
"Lord Takeda," she said again. "He's…He's asked me to marry him."
"Marry?" It was Sango's turn to be stunned.
Rin nodded vigorously. A smile began to pull on her lips. "Isn't it wonderful?" she said.
"Wa…" But Sango had been left speechless.
Miroku stepped in. "When is this marriage to happen?"
Rin was absolutely glowing as she looked over at the Monk. "Tonight. Before he leaves with the troops in the morning. Lord Takeda believes that a marriage celebration is just what the men need to lift their spirits before battle."
"Tonight…?" Sango was beside herself. "Rin, you can not possibly be thinking of going through with this! Kuranosuke is…well, he's twice your age! And you…you are still just a girl! You are not ready to take a husband!"
"But Miss Sango, I am ready," Rin told her. "Lord Takeda is a wonderful man. He would make a fine husband. And I can not ignore my duty to these men. If my getting married means that they might know a night of peace before they go to war, it is a small price to pay."
"A price? A price!" Sango had gone from concern to outright hysterics. She was livid. "You are not a trophy to be bought! I will not allow you to be paraded in front of these men as some token icon!"
"But Miss Sango it would not be like that. I can not fight like the rest of you, but I can do this. I can serve, just as you do, as you all do! I can do this."
"A wedding would certainly raise morale," Miroku put in from the sidelines.
Sango swung her sights hard onto her husband. "Whose side are you on, Monk?"
Miroku held his hands up in surrender. "I am merely making an observation."
"Well observe something else," Sango shot back. "Rin is not marrying that man!"
"Sango." Kagome had seen enough. She couldn't let her friends go on like this. "Just relax for a minute. We can talk about this."
"There's nothing to talk about!"
But Kagome shook her head. The Slayer was wrong. She could see Rin's reactions to what was going on clearly. The girl had come here, to the woman who had taken her in like a sister, to share her happy news. Sango's reaction was tearing her up.
"Rin," Kagome beckoned her, "Come here."
Kagome didn't have the energy to stand, but Rin must have understood. She knelt before Kagome. Her tear-filled eyes and trembling lips were tragic.
"Forget about the men," Kagome told her. "Forget about what Sango has said or what you think she wants for you. Forget about everyone else. What do you want?"
"I want…I want to marry Lord Takeda."
"This is not something to be taken lightly," Kagome warned her. "This is not just a temporary arrangement. This is the rest of your life. Think clearly, Rin. Is this what you want?"
It didn't take her long to come to an answer.
"Hai. This is what I want."
"Kagome, you can not be going along with this!" Sango wouldn't let it go. "She's just a child! She doesn't know what she wants!"
"She's old enough," Kagome was sure of it as she was of Rin's commitment. "She knows what she's doing."
"You…You've all gone mad! This is insanity!"
"No, Miss Sango." Rin got up and went over to the Slayer. She set her pleading eyes on her and begged her to understand. "I do know what I am doing. I could not ask for a better man than Lord Takeda for a husband. I will never want for anything. I will never know strife, or hunger, or poverty ever again. I am a peasant, but a Lord has asked for my hand and I will not deny him. Please Miss Sango, you must understand. You have been so good to me. You have been like the sister that I could never know. Please be happy for me. I do not think I could go through with it knowing that you would be angry with me for it. Please…"
Tears had begun streaming down her cheeks and Sango could no longer be hard against them. She cracked. Sobbing she took Rin into her arms.
"Oh, Rin I'm so sorry. Of course I'll support you. If this is what you really want, you have my blessing."
Rin stayed in Sango's embrace for a moment more, but after a time she stepped back. The love she shared with her sister was no longer on her mind. Her gaze was distant, far away and long ago as she looked to Kagome.
Kagome let out a long sigh. She knew what was coming. It wasn't just Sango's blessing the girl needed if she was to go through with this wedding. The very thought of another long ride made her yawn.
"What do you say, Kirara?"
In all the excitement there was no way the little cat was still sleeping. She was faking it and Kagome knew it. When she got no answer Kagome reached out and touched the feline. Not with her hands. She couldn't reach that far. But with a focused extension of her aura she managed to give the cat a little nudge.
Kirara looked up clearly not amused. She actually hissed at Kagome for the suggestion.
"Come on, Kirara," Kagome urged her. "You know you want to."
When all that got her was a low feline growl, Kagome tried a different approach.
"I have a bag of kitty treats stashed back at my house. You can pig out on the whole thing just as soon as we get back."
That certainly got her attention. Kirara's ears perked up. She tilted her head a little to one side debating it. Then she meowed.
Kagome sighed and rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine. Two bags. I'll get you another one before we start the march North. But you have to dig up a coin for me to trade or it's no deal."
Kirara seemed content with that. She nodded her head. Of course, the cat didn't realize that one Feudal Era coin went for several hundred dollars in Kagome's time. It would be enough for cases upon cases of the kitty treats. Or one bag of kitty treats and an army sized supply of first aid equipment. So all in all it was a good deal.
"Well that settles that," Kagome said. "Oh, and congratulations, Miroku. You just volunteered to talk to Kuranosuke while I'm gone."
"Goody," he said through a yawn.
He probably would have argued, but he was just too tired. Besides, they all knew that if anyone was going to find and then face-off against Sesshomaru it had to be Kagome.
vvvvvvvvvvvvv
A little more than four hours later, just past high noon, Kagome found herself along with Kirara and Rin standing on one of the highest peaks in the Southern Alps. Towering and awesome 10,000ft above sea level, the mountain was the best place she knew to light a signal flare.
There was a part of her that wished she didn't have to use the arrow that Sesshomaru had carved his message in. A small, sentimental part of her wanted to keep it all to herself. But as she reached into her quiver to draw an arrow fate had guided her hand to that very one. She wouldn't discover why until she loosed it high in sky to streak West across the land.
Sesshomaru must have infused something into the shaft of that arrow. Some manner of poison or gas. The usual glittering blue of her magic reacted strongly to its presence. It ignited the sky where it passed. A fire of greenish blue flames lingered and danced in its path.
Kagome watched the arrow in a trance. She couldn't help thinking how much more beautiful it would have been had it been night. It was almost a shame that she had to waste it now.
"Are you sure this will work?" Rin asked from her side.
Kagome spared the girl a look. She was past tired by this point, working only on fumes. It had taken everything she had just to fire that one shot. She didn't have enough in her for another one.
"It'll work," she said. And she prayed she was right.
"But what if it does not?"
Rin had started pacing. It made Kagome tired even watching her. She slouched down beside Kirara. The cat had hunkered down immediately after landing. She was just as wiped as Kagome.
"I mean, what if I can not contact him? Or what if he does not give his blessing? How am I to tell the others? Sango is preparing the ceremony as we speak. What would I tell her? And Lord Takeda?"
"Rin." Kagome couldn't take any more. "Calm down and think. How often does Sesshomaru concern himself with Human affairs?"
"Not often," she replied slowly. "Hardly ever."
"And when have you known him to stand in the way of something you wanted?"
"…Never…"
"Well, there you go. So long as this is what you really want I can't see him objecting."
"But what if-"
"Oh thank God."
Kagome was saved from any more questions or hysterics by a strong sense that she would soon be having company. She pushed herself to stand and motioned Rin over to her. Thirty seconds or so later a near-blinding flash of light streaked before their eyes. By the time their vision cleared they were no longer alone on the mountaintop.
"Lord Sesshomaru." Rin bowed fully low to him.
And though Sesshomaru appeared about as impressed as he usually was to see her, Kagome figured she could show at least a little bit of respect for Rin's sake. She bowed her head to the Youkai. It lasted all of a second or two, but it didn't sit right in Kagome's craw. Something about taking her eyes off of him was beyond disturbing. She was quick to straighten, even quicker to give Rin a nudge to tell her to get a move on.
The girl was tentative at first. Her steps were slow, seeming heavy. But somewhere along the way she found herself. She walked over to Sesshomaru, bowed once more, and then began to speak.
Kagome didn't listen to Rin's words, or at least she tried not to. It was a private matter. She was just the chauffeur. She gave them as much privacy as she could by looking past them to the land below, just not so far past that Sesshomaru was completely out of her line of sight.
After a while Rin bowed once more to Sesshomaru and started making her way back. By the smile on her face Kagome took it that things had gone well. She gave Kirara a nudge to get her back on her feet, but to her surprise the Firecat let loose a low, angry sounding growl.
Kagome looked at her friend in shock. But it wasn't her that Kirara was focused on. It was Sesshomaru. The cat hissed and spit. Her hackles rose. And Kagome's hand tightened against the bow strung over her shoulder.
"You son of a Bitch," Kagome faced Sesshomaru full-on. "What did you say to her?"
Sesshomaru delayed his response only long enough to take a cursory look over Kagome's fighting stance. Unperturbed, he replied, "I told her to take Rin back to your village."
"Without me?" Kagome was pissed. "Kirara has more loyalty than that. How dare you try and use your position to try and manipulate her! She may not be able to take you in a fight, but that doesn't mean she wouldn't try."
"So it would seem."
Kagome couldn't tell if that was a good thing or a bad thing in Sesshomaru's eyes. What she did know was that she was really starting to dislike the way he was looking at her.
"Send her away," he said.
It was order, direct and indisputable. Sesshomaru had rarely taken that liberty with her. Kagome didn't like it. But mostly she didn't like the way he was looking at her. She had figured it out. It was a look of challenge, like he was taunting her to see what the consequences would be if she disobeyed.
"Miss Kagome," Rin spoke softly from her side. "Lord Sesshomaru has said that he will come to my wedding. You could return with him. We will be alright on our own."
Kagome almost laughed at that idea. It wasn't them she was worried about.
"That will be all, Rin," Sesshomaru told her without taking his eyes off of Kagome. "Take your mount."
And like a good little girl, Rin obeyed her Lord without question.
"Miko?"
He stood waiting for her reply. Kagome was hesitant to give it. If she obeyed it was like giving in, and she just couldn't stomach the thought. But if she didn't…
Finally, with a sigh, she relented. "It's alright, Kirara. Take Rin home. I'll be along in a little bit."
Kirara was hesitant to go at first, but Kagome soothed her with a soft rub behind her ears. She shooed the cat on her way then turned back to Sesshomaru.
"Look, I'm sorry that I had to use that arrow, but it was necessary. Rin wouldn't have gone through with the marriage without your blessing. And before you ask, Kuranosuke is a good match for her. He's a little older, but I think he appreciates her well enough. He's a good man and a Lord to boot. He can give her anything her heart desires. Beyond that, she's really excited to be able to do something for the cause. Her marriage will be celebrated by thousands. She will be a token of…Light of…She's…"
"How long has it been since you have slept?"
Kagome blinked in slow confusion. "Slept?"
"Yes, sleep. That thing required to restore your energy and focus. How long has it been?"
It took Kagome too long to figure it out, but she finally realized, "I…haven't. Not since I last saw you."
"Unacceptable."
Sesshomaru took a step towards her and Kagome was quick to back away.
"What are you doing?" she asked.
"You require rest," he told her plainly. "I will return you to your village so that you might do so before it is time for you to perform the wedding rites. It would be a poor ceremony indeed if the Miko attending to it fell asleep in the middle of the passage."
"That's…that's all?" Kagome was dumbfounded. "You're not going to ask about Rin or Kuranosuke or anything? You're pissed because I haven't slept?"
"If you did not approve of the union, you would not have gone so far as to bring Rin to me. What more do you suppose I need to know? It is a Human tradition. If it is Rin's choice to partake in it, then she shall. As for you, a Miko without her focus is a useless commodity. Your feline would take too long to return you to your people. This Sesshomaru would have you there in minutes."
"Wow…" Kagome didn't really know what to say, but her addled mind came up with something. "That is so unbelievably cool of you. And weird. Definitely weird."
But she was so tired she wasn't about to argue. The idea of being in her bed in a few minutes was a blessing she would be more than grateful for. Unfortunately there was something else she needed to tend to.
"Before you warp us back there, there's something I was hoping to ask you."
Sesshomaru paused for a beat. Indecision, calculation, or just plain irritation Kagome didn't know, and frankly didn't care. All she wanted was his answer.
"As you will," he finally said.
Kagome got right to the point. "What do you know about basilisks?"
"Never look one in the eye."
Sesshomaru's reply was prompt and concise. Kagome was learning that he was really good at giving answers so long as they had nothing to do with him.
"Yeah, but past that," she pressed. "Is it really the eyes that cause the whole stone turning thing? Or do they use some kind of toxin and spray their victims?"
Sesshomaru considered the matter.
"A toxin would certainly be more effective," he replied shortly. "It would have a wider range. Potency and dilution might be an issue, but I could see the advantages of such an adaptation."
Well that was clear Maybe. Kagome logged the info and pressed on.
"But you're a poison master, right? So you would know how to make an anti-venom for stoning?"
A marginal lifting of one of his eyebrows made the Youkai look quite peculiar to Kagome, but she figured that whatever he thought of her questions didn't really matter so long as he answered. She waited.
"Certainly I could," he answered slowly, "Should the need arise."
The way he said it made Kagome think that, in his opinion, the need would never be so dire that he would actually have to resort to such measures. She almost pushed him for the information she needed but he beat her to it.
"However, the best and quickest way to counter a poison lies within the creature that created it."
"Yeah," Kagome wasn't so sure. "I don't think it's going to just hand it over to us so easily."
"You do not need the creature's cooperation to harvest its blood."
"Its blood?"
Sesshomaru's only answer to her question was a slow nod. But it was enough. After all, it made sense. The natural immunities of whatever creature was creating this disease would be more than enough to fight against it.
Kagome supposed that she should have been more disturbed by the idea of 'harvesting' a creature's blood for her own purposes, no matter their crimes, but she just couldn't find it in herself. Perhaps her sympathy had already found its way to the bed she couldn't wait to be reunited with. Then again, maybe Sesshomaru had been right about her after all. Maybe she was just making the call. One life to save hundreds or even thousands was a small price to pay, wasn't it?
But there was no time for questions on morality or ethical dilemmas. There never was. Kagome had to press onwards.
"What about Qin Shi Huang?" she asked. "What do you know about him?"
The question was a little too obscure. Sesshomaru called her on it.
"In what way is he relevant?"
"His terracotta army," Kagome clarified. "Did it ever march? Did he control it? Was he some kind of sorcerer or magi? Is that how he managed to unite the seven states of China?"
"I suspect that you think me a great deal older than I actually am," Sesshomaru told her.
"Yeah, well, you got me beat by at least five centuries," Kagome returned. "I was just hoping that you would have some idea about it. I've gotta tell you, this whole business is pretty whack."
Sesshomaru was silent for a moment before he spoke. "If I recall correctly, it was rumored that Qin Shi Huang was not the rightful heir. Many believed that it was in fact Lu Buwei, the king's advisor, who took the queen as his consort."
"And that's important…how?"
"When the rumor surfaced, Qin Shi Huang had Lu Buwei and his entire family put to death. The act was accompanied by a massive Dragon migration. It is possible that the two are not separate events."
"Lu Buwei…was a Dragon?" Sesshomaru nodded and Kagome began putting the pieces together. "So if Qin Shi Huang was really his son, he was some kind of hybrid. Maybe he was trying to keep it a secret. Or maybe he was wiping out the competition. Wait…if Huang commanded the army…that means that the basilisk…was the emperor."
"It is only speculation," Sesshomaru advised, "But it may have been possible."
But Kagome could already see it. "If it's a Dragon that explains what the Drakes are doing with the Army."
"Drakes?"
"Yeah, at least two or three more than that one the other day. They've been raining hell down on the scouting parties Kuranosuke sent North. That's why I had to go. We finally figured out that we might be dealing with a basilisk, but now I'm almost certain. Except…I still don't really know what I'm looking for. Will it be a Dragon? Or will it look like a Man?"
Sesshomaru had no answer for her. "It is impossible to tell. Halflings are notoriously unstable. Their appearances vary as much from one to the next as the blossoms of a Sakura tree."
"Sakura tee?" Even in her sleep-deprived state Kagome caught on to the unusual reference. Of course, because of her sleep-deprived state she managed to dream up an image of it. In her mind she pictured a tree in full blossom. Pink petals everywhere. And Sesshomaru standing in the middle of it all smiling like a happy little girl. It was just too much. She couldn't pass on the comment. "That's awfully poetic, don't you think?"
But Sesshomaru didn't bite at her jibe. "One could spend a lifetime searching for the perfect blossom and it would not be a wasted life."
A smile tugged at Kagome's lips. She shook her head. "You're a hard one to figure out. You know that, right?"
Sesshomaru didn't answer. Instead he held out his hand for her to take. Kagome wasn't sure, but she thought that maybe that was answer enough. Sesshomaru was so much a solitary creature. His words always kept him so. He revealed no more and no less of himself in them as he would his weakness in battle. So it was impossible to know him by what he said. All she could ever know of his true self she would have to gain from what he did. His actions spoke for him more clearly than any words.
Right now he was telling her to let it go, just give in to the inevitability and go with him. Don't argue anymore, don't question it. Simply come with me and I will see you home safely. This is my word. It shall not be broken.
Kagome stepped closer, but a part of her remained uncertain. Not about him. About herself.
"Will it hurt?" she asked.
"Not if you do not fight me," Sesshomaru replied. "But be warned, Miko. Burn me and I will drop you."
Kagome was appalled. "Well that's comforting."
"Do not expect me to coddle you, woman. Control yourself. That is all."
"That's easy for you to say, Mr. Immaculate Perfection! But I'm just a Useless Commodity right now. Remember?"
Kagome was agitated, but she couldn't place her anger. Not to be taken in the wrong way, Sesshomaru did always manage to irk her in a unique and incredibly annoying way, but it was more than that. She was burning mad. It was actually taking restraint to keep herself from lashing out at the Youkai with whatever remained of her sleepy powers.
She didn't realize until it was too late what was really happening. Tired as she was she wasn't holding herself in proper check. Sesshomaru was taking advantage of it. All the while he was riling her up he was feeding the fire within. Her anger wasn't just because of his words. She was responding to his presence but he had her so distracted she didn't even realize.
A warning in her mind was her only cue, but before any real alarms could be raised Sesshomaru reached out and pulled her tight against him.
"That will do," he said. He sounded almost pleased; with himself, with her, Kagome didn't know. But she could have sworn she saw what look like a grin spread on his lips before he said, "Who would have thought it would be so easy to turn you on?"
Before Kagome could object, before she could do anything at all, Sesshomaru lifted off. The G force hit almost immediately. Kagome couldn't do anything more than hold on for dear life. She hugged Sesshomaru close and did her best to convince herself she wasn't a kernel of corn inside a flame that was about to pop.
She had never been more grateful for her hours of training and meditation. Had it not been for them Kagome doubted she would have been able to grasp onto any semblance of control. Sesshomaru was helping her, she knew it. There was order in what should have been chaos, a structure she knew he had put in place around her. Still, every fiber of her being screamed at her to break free, to lash out, to eliminate the threat, to destroy.
It was frightening, this thing inside of her, like an animal trapped in a cage. She fought it. She was the one in control, not it. It was her Power, not her its tool. She slammed it back, shut it down, and blocked it out with every breath. Until there was no breath. Until her mind went black. Until the heavy G's and impossible speed caused her to lose consciousness.
vvvvvvvvvvvv
Six hours later Kagome was woken by the sound of knocking. Gasping a breath she sat up and looked around her. She was safe in bed in her little hut. The shades had been drawn but light still filtered in from outside. She could see the room clearly. Her bow and pack were set beside the dresser, but other than that the room was undisturbed.
She was alone.
The knocking came again. It spurred Kagome up. She pulled back the cover, but paused before she let it fall. She didn't remember getting home. She didn't remember getting into bed. And she certainly didn't remember covering herself with the blanket.
A question nagged at her but she didn't let it in. She shook it off and got out of bed.
Kagome reached the door just as whoever was knocking got tired of waiting. The door swung open to reveal Sango. She was dressed in her finest silks. Her hair had been tied up in an intricate weave. She was even wearing makeup on her face.
"It's about time you got up," the Slayer said, clearly annoyed. "I have been making all of the arrangements without you, but it is time for you to fulfill your part."
Sango pushed a bundle of cloth into Kagome's hands.
"What…?" Kagome was having trouble catching up. "What is this?"
"A Miko upgrade," Sango told her. "Just put it on. Kaede damn near took my head off when I told her you were doing the ceremony. She insisted you at least look the part if you're going to be representing the village."
Kagome looked down at the robe and grimaced. "I hate these things," she whined. "Can't I just wear a nice dress or something?"
"Out of the question," Sango informed her. "Now get a move on. We've only got an hour or two before sunset and the Lord insists that the marriage be finalized before then. And Kagome, please make an attempt to do something with your hair."
"What's wrong with my hair?"
Sango just cocked her head to the side as if to say, 'you've got to be kidding me,' then she took it upon herself to make it right. She grabbed Kagome and strong-armed her back into her hut. For a pregnant woman, the Slayer certainly hadn't lost her edge.
vvvvvvvvvvv
In less than an hour Sango had Kagome washed, dressed, and prepped for the ceremony. Her hair had been pulled up with combs too tight. Her face had been painted with makeup too thick. And her body had been crammed and twisted into a sash far too tiny and a robe far too heavy to be anything but cumbersome. To top it all off the thing was downright hideous. It was the standard Miko red and white, but with an overcoat of flair made of white silk and red embroidery that put it all over the top, not to mention added an extra ten pounds. Kagome felt like a drowning insect as she was forced to swim through the layers of cloth.
It sucked, but Kagome just kept reminding herself that it was for Rin. It helped. A little.
As the sun began to set on yet another day, Kagome stood atop a dais in full ceremonial dress, ready to perform the marriage rites for the new couple.
Kuranosuke's procession was long and drawn out. Boring as it was, it gave Kagome the perfect opportunity to asses the man one last time before she gave her little friend away to him. By the time he reached her at the front of the dais, Kagome had come to a conclusion.
"You look pale, Kuranosuke," she whispered discretely. "Let me guess, you weren't expecting to find a Youkai Lord at the end of Rin's pretty little rainbow. I do hope it has not changed your opinion of her."
Kuranosuke stood his ground. "Not at all, Lady Miko. I still believe that Miss Rin will make a charming wife and Lady."
"As you should." But that wasn't the point. Kagome's smile was disarming. She spoke through her teeth so that it could stay on. "Just remember, Lord Takeda, as frightening as Sesshomaru is, he was playing nice for Rin's sake. And he's got nothing on me. If you hurt her, in any way, I will find you. I will remove that thing which makes you a man and shove it down your throat so that no one can hear you scream when I hand you over to that Dog to be skinned alive. And if that is not enough to satisfy me, I will have him strike you with his sword and bring you back so that the torture can begin anew."
And still her smile was pleasant and sickly sweet. "Do I make myself clear?"
If it was possible, Kuranosuke paled even further. He swallowed thickly. "Perfectly."
"Wonderful!" Kagome clasped her hands together and then raised them and her voice for all those gathered to hear. "Good people!" she called out. "We have come to celebrate a union of love and fidelity! Give us your hearts and share in this, oh happiest of days!"
A chorus of hands clapping met her words. Shortly thereafter the music started. The crowd of onlookers turned and viewed for the first time the blushing young bride.
She was stunning. Beautiful. Like an angel from above. The pure joy that radiated from her was a Light of its own. It basked the crowd in its happy glow and took their breath away.
Kagome was so proud of her, though she suspected not nearly as proud as the one that led her down the isle. The murmurings of Sesshomaru's presence had long since been silenced. For the most part the Humans just looked past him. But not Rin. She had perhaps never been so happy as when Sesshomaru brought her to Kuranosuke, leaned down and gave her a gentle kiss on her forehead. Crystal tears of joy without words fell from her eyes. And she smiled so brightly it must have warmed even his cold-forged heart.
The ceremony was a complete success. The words Kagome spoke came to her as easily as any other, like she had said them a hundred times before. She did her duty, blessed the union as it was meant to be, then stepped back and allowed them their first moment as husband and wife.
The crowd greeted them warmly. Happy cheers and applause marked the completion of the rite. And Kuranosuke introduced for the first time his new Lady for all the world to see.
Music and dancing, food and drink followed. The village, the camp surrounding it, all participated in the festivities. The mood was light, happy, and carefree. Thousands of individuals united together in one shining moment of peace and joy. One night without worry, without fear or trepidation for the battle to come; it truly was a blessing.
Kagome stood apart from the crowd. As much as she wished she could join them, she knew she could not. And not just because she could barely move in her stupid robes. Kaede's message kept repeating itself to her.
'Look the part. You are representing the village.'
And with it she couldn't help hearing Sesshomaru's voice as well.
'You are Miko.'
Even here, in this time, she did not fit in. Her station made it impossible. Distance was expected, required. As much as she was of them, was for them, she could never truly be with them. It was a sobering thought.
She closed her eyes and watched without looking. A single Human light was so dim it was almost impossible for her to see. But multiply it by hundreds, by thousands, and suddenly it was a living force, a pulse so strong it was like looking into the heart of a star. For a while she merely let it wash over her, but soon another source of light caught her inner eye. She focused on it, watched as it approached. The blaze was all too familiar by now.
"I thought you had left," she said without opening her eyes to look. He had badgered her enough about that particular shortfall.
"Not just yet."
Sesshomaru's voice came to her like it always did, smooth and strong as a polished blade. But something about hearing a voice come from a flickering blob of energy put Kagome off. She opened her eyes.
"Did you enjoy the ceremony?" she asked
He moved to stand beside her, but his focus never left the crowd.
"I found your speech prior to it more interesting."
Kagome cringed a little at that. "You heard that, huh? I didn't really mean it you know. I just couldn't let him off so easily. He had to have seen it coming. Besides, Sango's would have been worse."
"Hn. Perhaps."
He went quiet and Kagome wasn't sure what else she could say. She had questions, but she really didn't think now was the time to ask them. She really didn't think there was a good time to ask the things she wanted to ask. So instead she just stood there, quiet as he was, and watched the crowd.
It lasted all of two minutes.
"Do you dance?"
Kagome's question came from way out in left field. Literally. In the field to the left people were dancing to the music of a small assembly of players.
It was one of very few instances that Sesshomaru looked at her with any discernable emotion. He actually looked horrified.
"Oh, come on," Kagome giggled. "It's not that bad. It's not like I'm asking you to get down and dirty in the mud. It's just one dance. I can't very well go out and ask one of the army men. Kuranosuke's a little busy right now. And the other Lord, I haven't even met him, and I certainly don't plan on doing so in a way that might suggest…you know…things. So what do you say?"
Sesshomaru didn't answer fast enough for Kagome's liking. So she did for him.
"What was that? You'd love to? Oh, how very kind of you."
She slipped her arm around his and gave him a pull towards the field. Sesshomaru didn't budge and Kagome was none pleased.
"Look," she said, her free hand settling on her hip in annoyance. "I didn't get all trussed up in this stupid outfit just to stand around and look as foolish as I feel. And you, you knew what you were getting into coming here. You're not even wearing your armor. So don't even try and tell me you didn't consider the possibility. So why don't you just step down off your pedestal for a second and come dance? Then I can hand you over to Rin for a turn and we can all go home happy."
He still didn't budge. "This Sesshomaru is not a party favor for your amusement."
"Well no shit," Kagome replied. "Party favors are more fun."
When he still showed no signs of moving Kagome let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine, be stubborn. What do I care?"
She stepped back, gathered her robes, and mocked a formal bow. "Have a pleasant evening, Sesshomaru-sama. We have been most honored for your presence. Now if you will excuse me, I think I'm going to go back to bed."
Kagome turned and started to walk away. She only made it a step before a flare of energy buzzed past her. In the blink of an eye Sesshomaru had moved from standing behind her to blocking the path ahead.
"Oh give me a break!" Kagome was about half a second away from throwing protocol out the window and blasting the guy a new one. "What?"
But as angry as she was, Sesshomaru looked even more so.
"You take far too many liberties with This Sesshomaru," he said. "You are offensively outspoken, improperly direct, and worst of all you are completely oblivious to the challenge you are continuously sending out through your presence. You have no sense of control, no shame, and absolutely no conception of gratitude." He paused only long enough to draw a deep, cleansing breath. "That being said, I acknowledge that it is only proper for a Miko to be seen with an individual in a position of power. As it is your Human tradition, I am willing, in this instance, to make an exception. However, it is only befitting that I ask you properly."
He actually bowed. He, Lord Sesshomaru, Demon Assassin, Overlord of all the Western lands, bowed to one tiny Mortal girl.
"Miko Kagome," he said as he rose, "Would you do me the honor of this dance?"
Kagome was left stricken. Her eyes were wide, her mouth hung agape. She was speechless. For about two seconds. A twitch that had been stuck in her neck snapped her back.
"Oh my God. You can't be serious! I mean, you are, which is so totally twisted. But you honestly think that I'm going to say yes to that? You are so ridiculously arrogant! And you call me offensive? You better take a good look in the mirror, buddy, because I have never been so offended in my entire life! You are such a…Such a…"
"Am I to take it that your answer is 'No'?"
Kagome bristled even more at the thought. "Gee, ya think? Here's one for you. How about: Hell No. Not in this lifetime. Not in a million, billion years!"
There was a dangerous tint in his eyes as he replied, "That can certainly be arranged."
Toe to toe they faced off: Miko and Youkai. The confrontation was drawing a crowd but neither of them paid it any heed. Anger, rage, all things violent and volatile clashed between them even in the silence. Had the onlookers eyes to see, they would have witnessed a spectacle of turbulent energy crashing and thrashing against spectral walls of pure power.
Neither one would back down, but neither one made a move. A full minute passed before Kagome had the presence of mind to wonder why.
"Why are you doing this?" she asked.
She was looking too closely, seeing too much of the Demon. His eyes were blood red. His fangs appeared more prominent. The simple act of speaking caused the deadly tips to flash.
"Open your eyes, Miko," he replied. "This is what you asked for."
His voice was too deep, too rough. It sounded more like a growl than words. He lifted his hand, slowly, letting her see it. His claws were longer, thicker, and the tips glowed a poisonous green.
But if she didn't look, or rather if she looked past what she was seeing with her eyes, there was so much more to it. Just by simply lifting his arm he had caused a current in the flow of power. It twisted and curved around his arm. And when he reached out, it went with him.
The current flowed until it clashed against the sea of blue. It impacted against it like water against rocks, splashing and swirling out in a hundred different directions, each one a tiny little current of its own. They licked and jumped, danced and swayed. And without realizing it she was adding to the dance with currents of her own, tiny sparks that flickered and flashed, long jolts that crackled and split as they touched the fire.
Sesshomaru reached out the distance between them, pushing past the point where their energies clashed against one another. In full contact with her power and beyond the shield of his own the skin of his hand began to smoke. He held it there just long enough for her to see, just long enough for her to know that whatever defense she could put up around her he could break though. Then he pulled it back, holding his palm forward to her within the shielding flames of his own spirit.
Kagome was hesitant, but she took the hint. Guardedly she lifted her hand to meet with his. Palm to palm their physical bodies met. The sensation was distracting with so much energy flowing free. To feel something solid was a peculiar anchor in the sea of turbulence.
Sesshomaru began pacing slowly to her right and Kagome followed with steps just as slow to her left. They circled each other in this way, their hands never parting from where they met in the middle.
"Is this your idea of dancing?" she asked after one turn.
His only reply was a taunting lift of his brow as he laced his fingers together with hers and took a full hold on her hand. Using his tight grip he forced her into a turn. Kagome was caught off guard. She had no choice but to follow his direction. She was off-balance. She tried to correct by lifting her other hand to steady her when she came around, but Sesshomaru had been waiting for it. He caught that hand as well and now controlled both.
"I only know of one way to dance," he told her as he began pushing her back.
Four paces lapsed before he paused and gave Kagome a chance to fight back. She was quick to pick up on the game. She pushed him back where he had come from, another four paces.
"You couldn't just say something?" she said as she went. "Did you have to piss me off so much to do it?"
She would have kept pushing, but he stopped her with a strong stance that leaned heavily on his back leg.
"You are too easily riled," he said, and too fast for her to object he dropped her left hand and reached around her waist to draw her closer. "Besides," he added as he began pulling her in step with him, "I would much rather feel the burn of your touch than the touch of your hand."
Kagome took serious offense to that. She forced herself still and him along with her.
"You're an asshole," she told him.
But Sesshomaru only smirked, clearly enjoying himself, and used his hold on her hand to push her back against his arm, dipping her in a low sweep.
"Congratulations on finally finding an adjective," he said once he brought her back up.
Again he pulled her to step with him. Kagome let it happen. In a weird way it was almost fun. He wasn't hurting her. The insults went both ways. And, truth be told, he was actually a remarkably good dancer. But that didn't mean she was going to let him off the hook completely.
"I take it back," she said after another turn, "You're a gigantic asshole."
"Perhaps."
He was toying with her. He spun her out so fast the only thing keeping Kagome on her feet was Sesshomaru's tight grip on her hand. She gasped when she felt his other hand running across her shoulder and down her outstretched arm. He was behind her now, fully in control as he took each of her hands in his.
"Do you trust me?" she heard him ask as he slowly began to push her arms back down to her sides.
"Not really," she answered truthfully.
"Hn. Fair enough."
With her arms locked straight at her sides Sesshomaru pushed up with a sudden burst of strength. Kagome was lifted clean off the ground and into the air. The lift was deliberate. It spun her a half turn in the air so that she would come back down facing Sesshomaru. He caught her by the waist just above his shoulders.
Kagome steadied herself by placing her hands on his shoulders. Slowly, purposefully slowly, he started lowering her back to her feet.
"You know," she said, "I could probably fry you from here."
Her feet touched the ground and Sesshomaru brought his hands up to cover hers. "Do not tempt me, girl," he warned her and he pulled her hands from his shoulders and began pushing them up above her head. "You may not like what you find."
Again he used her hands to spin her, bringing her about in a full turn before he took her waist again and started to move.
"And you?" she asked as she fell in step with him. "What do you suppose you would find?"
Pulling her closer Sesshomaru dipped her back with his whole body. Still his eyes burned a dangerous red. And his voice truly was a growl as he replied.
"Trouble."
Trouble indeed. A commotion had started in the crowd. Shouting pushed its way closer. Kagome didn't recognize it for what it was until Sesshomaru stood her back on her feet and released her. She was flushed and a bit flustered, but she managed to pull herself together in time to turn and watch a man shoulder his way through the crowd of astonished onlookers.
The man would have been tall if it hadn't been for the fact that his neck seemed to crane out from his shoulders. Too many years of bowing away his advantage had left him crooked. He was too thin, his skin stretched too tightly across his features making every depression seem shaded and dark. And he didn't so much push his way through the crowd as slink around the larger forms that didn't quite move enough to let him pass. Still, by his dress, Kagome pegged him right away as a Priest.
"Blasphemy!" the man shouted in indignation. He pointed a bony, accusing finger at Kagome. "Heretic! You dare defile your Miko line with this abominable creature!"
"I beg your pardon?" Kagome was as stunned as she was outraged. "Just who the hell do you think you are?"
"Who I am is no matter!" the man raged. "It is you, Miko, that have disgraced yourself and your people by consorting with this Demon filth! You willing allow it to bend you to the depravity of its will! It is repulsive!"
Kagome actually shook with the effort to control her fury. Her hands clenched tightly into fists at her side. As much as she had bantered and expressed herself with Sesshomaru, when it came to others she had no choice but to be restrained. It was the price she paid for having her power: it could not be used against those who did not.
"You will curb your tongue, sir," she told him with authority. The man may have been a Priest, but he was a fool. "Sesshomaru-sama is an honored guest to this venerated occasion. You will not dishonor him, Lord Takeda, or the Lady Rin with such vulgar speech so long as I stand witness."
"A Miko under the compulsion of a Demon is no witness!" the man returned. "You are filth no better than it! You will be punished for your sins!"
Insults and threats against herself Kagome could have handled. She could have just taken the high ground and walked away. But that this fool of a man dared to threaten Sesshomaru, she knew something had to be done lest the Youkai decided to step in and take care of it himself.
"You, sir, have gone too far. Your foul accusations will no longer be tolerated in my village. Gentlemen," she looked past the irate man to the crowd and addressed them, "I would be most obliged for your assistance. Please escort this man back to his encampment so that he might sleep off the effects of too much drink and we might continue with the festivities."
A Miko's order won over crazy any day of the week. And a woman's plea for aid was even quicker to get results. Three men steeped forward and locked the Priest in an inescapable hold. Military precision certainly had its advantages. The man fought and squirmed but it was futile.
"Heed me!" he screeched as he was dragged away. "The Devil feeds on the pure soul! It will consume her! It will consume her!"
Kagome drew a shuddering breath before turning back to Sesshomaru.
"Do not," he said before she could utter a word.
"Don't what?"
"Do not apologize for that wretch. Not to me. And certainly not in front of these people."
"But-"
"No buts, Miko."
He bowed then, conferring to her in a strange twist of fate a higher status than she deserved; and Kagome could do nothing but stand in stunned silence and watch it unfold.
Then, as if things couldn't have gotten any worse, a tiny voice from the crowd made it happen.
"Lord Sesshomaru?"
There stood the new bride looking on in distress as her most esteemed Lord gave homage to a simple Miko. Her pristine image of the Youkai was shattered in one instant and Rin was absolutely devastated.
"Rin…" Kagome tried to go to the girl, to make her understand.
But Rin wouldn't hear it. "First you make Inuyasha leave, and now you ruin my wedding with this…this spectacle." A fine layer of moisture lined her eyes, but anger was the more powerful emotion driving her words. "I think it best if you go now, Kagome. We no longer have use for a Miko's service."
How easily the girl had fallen into the role of Lady. And how easily she had forgotten the friends that had put her there. But Kagome understood. Rin idolized Sesshomaru. As a child she had dreamed of a day when he would see her as something more. As a young woman she had put the dreams of the past to rest, knowing that they were not to be, but she had not forgotten them. She would never forget. With jealousy in her heart she would use every tool she had to pry apart anyone that dared come so close to her Lord.
Kagome swallowed her pride and bowed to the Lady's will.
"As you say, Lady Rin. With my blessings upon you for your wedding night, I will take my leave."
Kagome straightened and walked tall past the girl on her way to her hut. She didn't look back. She didn't dare.
The crowd that had gathered was thicker than Kagome had thought, but they all parted for her. It was a strange sensation. She was reading a mixture of awe and trepidation in the souls she passed, but she walked straight through without pausing for a closer look.
She would be glad she did.
Once past the crowd Kagome spotted Sango and Miroku. They were standing back from the commotion, but Kagome suspected that they hadn't been for long. Miroku would have felt the play of her power. He would have been the first to come and make sure she was alright. But now he stood with his wife, a big, goofy smile plastered on his lips.
"What?" Kagome asked when she was close enough.
It was Sango that answered. "I can't believe you just did that."
The Slayer's voice was oddly giddy. She was excited, but Kagome couldn't fathom why.
"Did what?" she asked in confusion.
"You danced with Sesshomaru!"
"Yeah…" Kagome still didn't get it. "So what? It was just a dance."
"Just a dance? Just a…!" Sango threw her hands up in the air. "You explain it to her," she told her husband.
Miroku cleared his throat. It did nothing for the idiotic grin plastered on his lips.
"That particular style of dance is more a form of storytelling," he said. "First the battle, then the lowering of arms, followed immediately by acceptance, and finally unity. It is the visual representation of a peace treaty."
Kagome tried to see what they were seeing, but it just didn't come. If they had been there, heard what had been said between her and Sesshomaru during that dance, they wouldn't think what they were thinking.
"I think you're reading too much into this," she told them. "It was just a dance."
Miroku disagreed. "Maybe to you, but to those people watching, it was a true work of art. Miko and Youkai declaring peace in their midst. Imagine the possibilities."
"And Kagome, you looked so beautiful up there," Sango added with pride. "I could hardly believe my eyes. It was the most amazing thing I have ever seen."
Too much praise was making Kagome uncomfortable. She changed the subject.
"I'm glad you guys enjoyed it. But not everyone was as happy about the whole thing as you are."
"Oh please," Sango huffed. "That idiot Priest got what he deserved. And the way you handled it, too perfect. Even Kaede would have been proud."
"If you say so."
But Kagome wasn't so sure. Despite her best efforts she had caused a scene. She didn't think Kaede would have been very forgiving of that. And then there was Rin…
"Look guys, I really need to get going. I've caused enough trouble for one night. I think I'm going to go sleep it off. We have a big day ahead of us tomorrow."
"Kagome…" Sango voice softened and grew more serious. "You mustn't think too much on what Rin said. She may be wed now, but she is still just a girl. Her emotions got the better of her. She'll get over it."
"Yeah, I know." Kagome sighed softly. "I just…I don't know. Wish things had gone differently, I guess. But I didn't think. I never do." She sighed again and shook her head, but she managed a tiny smile for her friends. "Have fun you guys. I'm going to call it a night."
"Do you need someone to walk you back?" Miroku asked.
"No, I'll be alright. After all, I actually look like a Miko tonight. No one's going to want to mess with that."
Kagome bid her friends goodnight and began her slow walk back home. She took her time. She watched the throng of people moving here and there, celebrating the night. She was poised and polite when she was greeted on her path. But mostly she just tried not to think. Not about anything. It might have worked too if it hadn't been for the presence she began feeling the closer she got to her little house.
She wished she could have said that she was surprised to find Sesshomaru waiting for her when she got home, but she wasn't. There was still unfinished business between them and apparently he wasn't about to let it go.
She didn't hurry. She walked at the same pace she had walked the rest of the time. It struck her as odd. Hadn't he once done the same with her? No press forward, no retreat back, just a steady pace that she had set and didn't waver from. She wondered about that.
It wasn't like she didn't want to speak with him. She did. She still had so many questions. But at the same time she didn't, and she couldn't understand why. He was arrogant and rude and condescending, but that was just him. She was learning to look past it. But there was something, something that made her feel sick to her stomach as she approached, some kind of apprehension or trepidation that she couldn't put her finger on.
But with no way around it she pressed forward.
He was leaning against the wall at the front of the house looking out over the fields. Kagome decided that it looked like a comfortable enough position and did the same a couple of feet further down. She leaned there and said nothing, waiting for him to speak.
Almost ten minutes passed before he finally did, and still he didn't look at her.
"Will you march with the Army on the morrow?"
Kagome nodded. "Yes."
"Even though you could just as easily return to your time?"
"I'm needed here. I can't abandon them now."
"And when it is over? Have you made your choice?"
Again she nodded. "Yes. I have."
"Then you will be needing this."
He held out a small parcel for her to take. Kagome did so curiously.
"What is it?" she asked.
But Sesshomaru only shook his head, his sight still trained somewhere across the field.
"Be wary of the Tokugawa clan," he said. "They have only their own interests in mind. Your presence has become something of an inspiration to the fighting men and the ruling parties have taken an unfavorable notice. They sent their Priest to discredit you. They failed, but they may make another attempt."
Kagome was a little overwhelmed, but she tried not to let it show. "I'd ask how you know all this…but I suppose that would be a dumb question."
Sesshomaru's only response was a lazy blink of his eyes.
"When the Hanyou returns," he went on, "Be sure to keep him in check. You can ill afford his brash manner alienating what allies you do have."
"Inuyasha…" Kagome breathed out the name. "You…you know where he is?"
Sesshomaru finally turned his head to look at her.
"I will," he said, but it was more like a promise.
That was what he would leave her with. Sesshomaru straightened himself. He didn't bow, didn't tip his head, didn't even so much as say a word of farewell; and in that moment Kagome realized just how much he had compromised to do those things in front of her people.
"Sesshomaru…" she called after him.
He looked back, but only just.
"I…I'm not ungrateful. It's just…that I have no way to thank you. Not for all that you've done."
"Live through the day," was his only request. "I expect not to see you again for a very long time."
From anyone else it would have been a dismissal, almost an insult. But from the one creature that could actually give life once it had been taken, it was blessing, or at least as close to one as Sesshomaru would ever get.
Kagome smiled and nodded. "Deal."
And she watched him go. Just like that he would walk out of her life. Not the Youkai Lord, she would see him again before long; but the person she had been coming to know, the one that was so full of knowledge and unexpected consideration, the one that had accused her of ignorance only to show her the light of truth, who would condemn her for childish behavior only to play with her in turn, who had been so distant and aloof but would take the time to put a blanket over her while she slept. He was a myriad of contradictions. She would truly miss him.
But she wouldn't forget. She could honor him in that way. For all he had given her she could give him at least that. For all he had done she could do no less.
Only one small piece remained. Kagome held up the little package he had given her and opened it. The binding cloth fell away to reveal what looked like a hawk's beak crested with two long spurs jutting out from its centre. Below the spurs two ovals of onyx glinted with an iridescent sheen. They were riding shields, but blacked out so that only her eyes could see through them. An armored blindfold.
Kagome smiled as she traced her fingers along the lines and curves.
'Never look one in the eye.'
She understood. She would lead the men. It would be her eyes that showed them the way.
As she gazed down her vision became clouded. She blinked it away and looked up, past the fields, past the trees of the forest, somewhere out there in the night.
"Thank you," she whispered reverently.
Moonlight danced on the white of her robes like paint on a canvas. It made brilliant the red strokes of her station stitched so delicately in the fabric, a work of art in its own right. Come tomorrow it would not be art or beauty that set her apart, but a mask, a shield against the world. To wear it she would have to be strong, tempered like steel and just as sharp. It would be a new day, a new dawn with a new life awaiting her. And Kagome was ready for it.
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