Author's Note: I do not own Inuyasha or any of the source material for this story. All are owned by Rumiko Takahashi. This fic is labeled MA per standards for eventual violence, sex, and language so be warned.
...
Reconciliation
Chapter 27 – The Separation: Year 1: Spring: Part III
The next morning…
Kagome's eyes fluttered open as she woke feeling heavy and sore. The sight of the strange ceiling and her mother's living room was disorienting for a moment. Flexing her legs beneath the blankets, they felt stiff and overused just like her arms… and her back.
'Overdid it, I guess. He had it coming, though.'
Memories of last night came creeping back in and Kagome slowly sat up, groaning, and took in the room, rubbing her sore eyes. It was still very early. The pale sunlight streamed in through the familiar café curtain over the small, open window in the kitchen. Her mother didn't seem to be up yet if the dead silence of the house was any indication. There was a duffle bag that had been tossed roughly into the armchair.
"Who…?" She shook her head. "Coffee. First, coffee."
Kagome threw back the blankets and stood, centering her weight and testing her legs before walking forward to the kitchen. Straightening her sweater and pants and giving her wild hair a toss back into submission, she readied the coffee maker and turned on the faucet to fill the pot. The tiny moment of stillness gave her mind clearance to bring up everything from last night. Looking back at the couch, Kagome saw the pillow and blanket lying on the floor next to where she'd slept and wondered what had happened.
"Not that I don't have enough to deal with without them here."
Not ready to face all of the new possible catastrophes swimming through her mind, Kagome pulled out a pan and planned some breakfast instead. When the coffee pot had dripped its last, Kagome caught the sound of a 'huff' of effort and a heavy, crunching step in the gravel through the kitchen window. Was Souta back already? Pouring a cup and heading outside in her pink house slippers, the miko peered curiously around the corner into the backyard to find an unexpected sight. Before he could notice her, she concealed her aura and her scent just to watch.
Shippou was wearing the same black t-shirt and had added a matching pair of sweatpants with his concealed, brown hair tied up in a high ponytail. He was barefoot on the cold ground, and wielding what must be the two swords Sesshoumaru had mentioned. If he noticed her quiet approach, her kit didn't show it but continued the slow kata in a wide circle around the stone paths. She watched as his curved blades glinted in the early morning light, following each other through the air with practiced control. His eyes narrowed on some phantom enemy in the distance as he snarled through another swift series of turns and slashes. Kagome lost sight of the swords several times as he moved too quickly for her to follow.
While pride and peace settled into her heart seeing he could defend himself, her mind bored holes in the logic that he needed to. Her son was now a warrior trained by the Lord of the West. He had probably used those blades to end lives and the thought of her bright-eyed, effervescent little kit hardening in such a way brought unexpected tears to her eyes. Maybe if things hadn't gotten so bad for them, he wouldn't have to use the ferocity she could see on his face. Kagome wanted to replace his fanged grimace with the happy smiles he had for her yesterday.
Then, she got an idea.
Downing the rest of her coffee and quietly setting the mug down, Kagome closed her eyes and reached for the bulk of her power for the second time in twenty-four hours. It was shallow from disuse and weak from her low energy but just for now, here in the safety of the shrine yard, she could afford to play just a little. He still hadn't noticed her so she began the game as they always did. Shippou had done so much for her, helped so much, maybe he'd like to relive a happy memory with her. She stepped out of the shadows of the house and planted her feet with a deep breath, raising an arm high into the air.
"Five!" Kagome yelled from the corner of the house, dropping her guard and letting her reiki free.
Green eyes popped open wide, and Shippou nearly broke his neck turning around to find her with his mouth hung open. His mother was standing on the stone path, in fluffy slippers and the clothes from the night before, with an ear-splitting smile and five orbs of her power floating in a loop over her head.
"You ready?" she goaded happily.
"Momma…" he said with a sloppy smile. "You… you remembered?"
"I asked if you were ready, Ship?"
"I- Uh huh. Yeah. Yes! Let's do this!" Shippou planted his feet and concealed his blades again.
The twin blades blinked from his hands and reconnected with the silver chain at his neck with a light tinkle of metal. Youki-infused blades and kitsune magic were a match made in heaven and Shippou was a master of both. Kagome blinked confused for a second then he held out the chain from a distance and she nodded, understanding. His smile and anticipation grew as whispers of her power reached him across the yard, caressing and welcoming his familiar aura.
Her kit's happiness was palpable and she could feel it radiating warmly around him now that her own power was awake and open. His energy was different, she noticed. Darker and more varied in color and intensity. He was still himself at the core but there was so much more. The familiar feeling of his natural energy was mixed with another lesser but wilder, more aggressive energy that barricaded itself against her probing. That was a question for later. She was supposed to be playing a game.
"It probably won't be much of a challenge compared to Sesshoumaru's training but-"
"No! Come on!" he whined. "Gods, this used to be fun."
"And you used to be small and much slower, my little prodigy."
"Aw! Don't take it easy on me. Show me what you've got!"
"That's my line." she laughed. "Okay, here we go!"
She'd have to be clever to get one over on him now. Not only was he grown, and far stronger and more agile, he was also a fully realized kitsune. Two orbs shot forward directly at him while the other three disappeared above and into the sunlight.
Shippou crouched, deciding to dodge them in the air, and launched into the sky. Sniffing the air and finding no one nearby that would see him, he shivered the glamour away, keeping his human form but freeing his hard-won tails and wild, red hair. Her happy awe was his reward and he preened at her clap of approval as he hovered thirty feet in the air. He watched her hands moving in small circles, directing her power, but he couldn't remember what each flick and turn meant anymore. It was exciting, though, and the old feelings of nervousness and happiness mixed together in the pit of his stomach as they played.
"You are something, kiddo. Heads up!"
And she meant it literally. While he was distracted, Kagome pulled one of the orbs straight down over his head. He dodged to the left only to feel a second one bearing down. Jetting to the right, he felt the needling tingle of her power brush his ear and had to swoop down and around to avoid the third, laughing as it disappeared into the gravel.
"Oh, now that was dirty."
"Shippou, you have six tails, two swords, and can actually fly. I have to take it where I can get it. Heads up!"
The first two arced back around and pinched in from the sides. He grinned wickedly. Forming orbs of his own sky-blue foxfire, he met her power with a flick of his wrists. Two small explosions of their colliding energy burst in midair and she laughed once again.
"Little you would be so jealous. Whew!" she said, collapsing to a bench a few steps away. "That might be all I have in me for today, sorry."
He was to her in a flash, tails gone, and placing a warm hand on her back as she recovered.
"Little me has a lot to learn and so many tests to take! I don't envy him those. You look beat already." He offered her a hand up and an arm to lean on. "Come on, let's get you inside. I'll make some breakfast and we can talk about what to do today."
"We're doing things?"
"We are," he said with a grin, "if you're up for it."
Kagome nodded happily. "Then we're doing things."
…
After breakfast, Mariko was folding laundry in the other room while Kagome showered and changed. Shippou was scenting the air outside while he strolled a short distance into the forest.
A bird lighted in the tree overhead, chirping at no one, and Shippou held out a clawed hand. Instantly, the small yellow songbird fluttered onto his finger and he flared his power, infusing the lifelike illusion further to make sure it held for the next several days. The illusion bird flew away and disappeared into the forest. Shippou repeated the action several times with apparitions of many different birds. When he was satisfied the makeshift alarm system was secure, the kitsune jogged back to the house to check on his mother.
Kagome was just coming down the stairs, dressed in a simple, green button-down and dark jeans. Her hair was still damp but braided neatly and laid over a shoulder.
"You look nice." he commented as she walked past him and to the kitchen.
"Thanks, Ship." Kagome smiled warmly.
"She does, doesn't she?" Mariko replied happily, meeting Kagome at the kitchen table with a pile of laundry. She turned to Shippou and held something out to him. "Here's your wallet, dear. It was left in the laundry room."
"Thanks, Grandma."
"You have an actual wallet and everything." Kagome said, craning her neck over to see it. "This is just weird."
"Yeah, check it out. Legal documentation."
He handed the black leather bi-fold over for her inspection. There were cards, a few scraps of paper, and a driver's license. She pinched it and looked over at him. When he nodded, she pulled it out. He looked so serious and mature in his photo. His address was in a smaller town out west and further out in the country.
'Good. He's probably safer out there.'
"Your last name is Mikazuki? Like Sesshoumaru's?"
"Yep. I'm his legal son in nearly every lifetime we reinvent."
She smiled and handed the wallet back to him.
"He kept his promise then, I guess." Kagome said to the small picture then looked up at her son. "Do you feel like you had a father, or a mentor?"
"That's a tough one. Both? He teaches like a mentor but he scolds and gives life lessons like a father. I gave him plenty of opportunities to do both, believe me."
"I do. And did he love you? Be honest."
"In his way. Not like you, for sure, but you already knew that. You know what, though? Rin started asking for hugs all the time after you left the first time and he was so used to it with her, he didn't bat an eye with me. They weren't as good, obviously, but he tried. He read to me a lot. In hindsight, that was his version of quality time. Even if he wasn't as affectionate, I give him plenty of credit for trying. Especially after things got bad."
Kagome wanted to ask more about how he had grown up, how their lives had gotten to this point, and what "things" had gotten so bad but the downcast look in her son's eyes made her want to change the subject even more.
"I'm glad to hear it. So, what are we doing today?"
"Shopping! If you're up for it?"
"There are a few things I'd actually like to grab to take back so I need to find an antique store and do the best I can to blend them in."
"Okay, we can do that. Grandma, do you need anything?"
"No, but Kagome, dear, remember what I said and find something while you're out."
"Will do, Mom. Shall we?"
She looked over at her grown son, he nodded, offered her a hand, and they were off.
…
Shopping was easy and relaxed. They took their time, catching up and getting to know each other outside of the life-altering conversations of yesterday. Shippou, to his credit, didn't mention Sesshoumaru or the plot to change their futures until they were safely inside the third antique store of the day.
Kagome was deep in the consignment section lined with dusty vanities and dinnerware when she stopped to look over a tarnished collection piled on a tray.
"I still need a brush, I want to find a small mirror for Rin, and a- Oh! Finally! Look at this one. This might work."
Kagome picked up a tarnished silver, horsehair brush from a dark oak vanity and Shippou felt his heart leap.
"It has camelias molded around the handle… How pretty. Oh, and on the back, too. This will do. Doesn't look too conspicuous, right? Needs a lot of cleaning though."
"No… that's definitely the one."
He knew it because he had watched her use it every day until she died. About five hundred years ago, he'd returned home from school for the summer and his mother had told him about a shopping trip with her mother while the sickeningly sweet scent of vanilla told him she was lying at the same time. He remembered the moment distinctly because it was one of the only times he'd become familiar with the scent of her dishonesty. He'd dismissed it as a need for deception when talking about the future, which she was always careful about, but until now didn't realize it was because she had been shopping with him. Shippou's head spun for a moment with the realization that he'd been involved in his own plot already.
"This is weird… And maybe it really will work." he whispered to himself.
"What, Ship?" she asked, turning around from the display. "Whoa. Are you okay? You look pale all of a sudden."
She was on him in an instant, checking his face with the back of her hand and feeling his pulse. He smiled gently down at her beneath her gentle touches, then growled and bear hugged her.
"Whoa!" she laughed. "What's gotten into you? I'm not complaining but are you okay?"
"Yeah, actually. I'm happy to see you happy and I have a good feeling that all of this might work out."
Kagome hugged him back, said nothing, and continued looking around the dusty store, touching things here and there and lost in thought. Shippou finally lost the battle to leave the conversation alone after she turned a corner and gave him another nervous, side glance.
"You're quiet… You don't think this will work? Don't you think it's worth a shot?"
Kagome sighed. "If I agree to work past-Sesshoumaru like a sucker?"
The fox hissed through his teeth. "Damn, Momma. That's harsh."
"No, it's true." She put down the odd coffee cup she was holding and faced him. "I was thinking about it this morning. If I do this, I have the advantage of time and foreknowledge of his needs and wants. It's like… cheating."
"Which is different than any other part of your life in Edo how exactly?" He crossed his arms defiantly.
"It's not explicitly different, I guess." Kagome admitted.
"Until the last fifty years, I never realized what you'd left behind. There're so many advantages to living here. I had trouble understanding why you came back at all after the first accidental trip down the well. You hadn't met me yet, you and Inuyasha hated each other, and everywhere you stepped there was a demon, death, and disaster."
He was baiting her, hoping she'd defend her decisions. He wasn't disappointed.
"I also had a responsibility. And then we met," her eyes softened up at him for moment before steeling with determination, "and the choice was shirk it all and live with the guilt and failure, or go back and do the right thing. You know what happened next."
She turned the brush over in her hands and ran a finger along the petal of the largest relief on the back. He bent his head down and caught her eyes, shaggy bangs crossing his face. His glittering, concealed brown eyes looked tired and sad but resolute as he made his point.
"It's the same thing, Momma. What we're asking you to do? It's exactly the same. We can live with what happened and let it all go, or we can fight to make things better. We have. We've fought to stay here, fought to keep everyone we could alive, and fought to make sure you made it to this point in time so we can beg you to help us. I wish there was something we could do for you. Both of us would do anything but the truth is, we just can't. He's- Well, he is who he is in the past, and I'm still just a brat back there."
"An adorable brat." she grinned. "You're pretty smart, you know that?" He nodded his head. "But it feels wrong. Like I'm manipulating Sesshoumaru into a relationship he doesn't really want. It's just the Mating Bond and the after effects, right? Without it, he'd never feel the way he does now."
"Oh? And how does he feel now?" Shippou asked impishly.
"He…" Kagome nervously blinked back and forth between the brush and her son's knowing eyes, "he loves me… doesn't he?"
"He does," Shippou nodded, "and it's not because of the Bond. It started before that. He'd tell you if you ask him, and you should ask him."
Kagome clasped her hands together innocently and peered up him with exaggeratedly hopeful eyes.
"'Hi, sorry I blasted you across the yard and fell asleep during the heaviest conversation any of us has ever had. By the way, do you love me?' Yeah, that sounds just… great. Really sensitive."
Shippou burst into laughter and drew the attention of the clerk at the front of the store.
"Pfft! Kami in heaven, please do it just like that. I'll snap a picture of his face and share it with everyone we know."
Kagome smacked his arm and the slap drew the attention of another shopper a few feet away.
"Sorry!" She waved to the gawking patron then turned to her son. "This is serious, Shippou! Don't you have any conflicting feelings about this? Or is it all too old and buried for you to understand how I feel?"
"Of course, I loved Inuyasha but it was like- he was like a big brother, not a father figure. It's just the way we were together. Sesshoumaru is completely different. For you and for me."
"He has a memory of me being someone I'm not yet. And he loves her. He's made some saint of this person in his head and then had five hundred years to brood about what an ass he was."
"All valid points," Shippou inclined his head, "and I'd agree with you if it weren't for one critical flaw in your reasoning: he loved you before the Bonding ceremony."
"Bullshit."
"Language!" he chuckled. "Without your memories or emotions softening his heart, without the benefit of years of brooding, and without you having been a martyr for his sake. If you do nothing differently between now and the ceremony, he will still love you long before shit hits the fan. He sure as hell won't say it out loud but I know the scent of my mother's love well enough, better even, and it wasn't all for me and Rin."
An eyebrow rose into his hairline and he gave her that kitsune grin, waiting for her to get the point.
"See? Cheating. Damn it!" The tears welled up and Kagome turned away from him to get it together.
Shippou walked up behind her and placed his chin on her shoulder. She leaned her head against his and took a deep breath. Loving someone else was not on the agenda for a long time as far as she was concerned. Being happy was more than welcome but accepting Sesshoumaru as a lover?
"Take it as a hint from the universe, Momma. After we moved to the West, and after the Bonding ceremony, things were really good for a while. He made you happy because he tried to make you happy. You made him happy, too, from what I could tell. You also pissed him off just by being yourself but that's nothing new." Her son smiled wistfully over her shoulder and then straightened up.
"Thanks a lot." Kagome sniffled, and turned to face him.
"Then Sesshoumaru got some bad advice and everything changed, but before that, you guys were really into each other without any prodding. I know it for a fact because my room was just down the hall and-"
"Zip it, Ship. I get it." she scowled, then turned thoughtful. "Who'd he get the bad advice from? And what was it?"
"His mother…" he drawled, thinking, "who got it from someone else, if I remember right. I was just a kid, remember. Sesshoumaru told me that she ran the intelligence ring that gathered information to report to the Council, just so you know, and she reported everything back to him first. One of her spies heard somewhere that Katsurou was planning to attack the West once you guys were fully Bonded and had gotten pregnant with a hanyou heir they could use against you."
Kagome turned six shades of pink but continued, swallowing the longing for how badly she still wanted more children sometime in the future. That was another problem left unresolved.
"But you don't know where the information came from exactly?"
"No and Pop won't- Wait, are you plotting with us?"
"I think I am." she sighed. "I'm not ready to talk about using him, using whatever Bond we create, to save myself but I'd like to try to stop the destruction of everything he worked his whole life to build, and that means stopping the attack on the West first. Of course, I want to save Rin and everyone else we can, too, but it seems like if we stop one, the other falls in line, is that right?"
"Maybe. Probably. Even if you prevent the massacre at the Palace, you still might end up a captive and if your Bond hasn't changed, he might not find you in time again and that's top of my list." Shippou took her hands in his. "Please don't go back without at least telling me you'll think seriously about saving your own life while you're still living in Edo. I want you, this you, to be around to see everything we've built. Please."
"Shippou, I love you and I don't want you to mourn me all over again. If this doesn't work, this visit might end up just a cruel memory. Of course, I'd love to be here to see you grow up but I won't throw myself at a man who doesn't want me just to live kami-knows how long after you're moved away and are living your own life. If we can't find a way to be together in a way we both agree on, then I can't let our Bond be the thing that saves everyone and I can't see us working out. I'll try to work on some other way while," she held a finger to his lips, "I consider what you're asking."
He grinned behind her index finger and she dropped the hand to let him speak.
"I get that. You're right, I guess, but you're in for trying?"
"I guess I am. I have until the ceremony to do to think about… the other thing, right?"
Shippou laughed just once at her obvious embarrassment. "Yeah. You guys meet up a few times in between but after we move is when it gets serious. I'll call him and let him know. He wanted to have dinner tonight by the way. Just us. Yes, I'm gonna be there, too. Don't give me that look."
"Good." she sighed. "Let's do it tomorrow night though, okay? I'm already tired and I want to spend some time with my mom."
"I get that." He winked at her. "I'll go call him and then be back in. You okay?"
"Yeah, I'll finish up and just meet you outside."
Shippou went outside to make the call and Kagome wandered over to the glass case housing the more delicate items. Pins, combs, and necklaces all lined the clear shelves and then a pair of matching enameled mirrors caught her eye, covered in tiny, detailed wildflowers. Rin would love one and the other, she could keep for herself.
Last on her list was a journal. Mariko had been very clear that writing had helped her recover from losing Kagome's father and once she was back home, and living alone, it would help to write down what had crossed her mind that day.
"Write it all down." Mariko had said. "The good and the bad. It helps you to understand how you're growing into this new person now that he's gone. You will become a new person. And she will be wonderful when she's had time to heal and rediscover herself."
Perusing the dusty shelves full of old books wouldn't help her find a blank journal but it was nice just to browse. A book of classic Japanese poetry caught her attention and Kagome fingered the spine and tipped the book down to look it over.
'Rin would love something like this. Now if only…'
And the dates were passable. It might contain several works that were not yet written but who would Rin tell? The girl had found a passion and Kagome would help her enjoy it. The small cloth-bound book joined the brush and mirrors in her hands and she continued browsing. Further down the shelves, she spotted another collection of poetry and palmed it, too, but these were predominantly about lost battles and lore that illustrated, in particular, the failures of men.
'I know exactly who'd like this one.' she thought sarcastically, lifting her arm to put the book back but pausing in midair.
"Maybe he'll feel less responsible for tragedies he can't control if he reads about even worse ones." she mused aloud, noting the chapters in the index highlighting heavenly blunders of the kami themselves.
Kagome hadn't planned on buying past-Sesshoumaru a gift, and she hadn't seen him read for pleasure or even knew if he did, but Shippou had said one of his memories was the daiyoukai reading aloud to him. He had saved her life twice. That deserved a used book at minimum. At this moment in the past, Sesshoumaru was apparently thinking about her and their future just like she was. If this Sesshoumaru was to be believed, she was on his mind even now and that… changed things.
While she was recovering, Kagome hadn't thought about him at all except to consider the nerves she felt at moving to the West. The inudaiyoukai, on the other hand, had come to visit her in the infirmary during her stay, made plans with his General specifically to acquaint her with him, and introduced her to the wonders of the Palace. All without her asking or prompting him to. Had he done it all out of duty? Kagome realized she didn't even know enough about him to decide one way or the other.
Sesshoumaru had shared some intensely personal feelings with her, too. That had to be an outlier for the daiyoukai. He was relaxed around the General but about as relaxed as Kagome ever was with out-of-town relatives. He might also have shared those intensely personal memories of Yaeko with her because Sesshoumaru hadn't wanted her to feel alone in her sorrow. Showing her that they had something in common and he understood.
He might not have visited because he was a Lord, she realized, who probably had better things to do. He was also giving her the space and time she had asked for, and that he knew from personal experience Kagome needed to recover.
"I do not envy you the coming months."
He had known what awaited her in Edo away from all the distractions of the West.
Her head swam with the idea that her son was right. Surely, the Lord of the West didn't go to such lengths for all of his guests. She was his intended and he was treating her with due consideration and deference, human or not. Maybe he didn't hate the idea of her as much as she wanted to believe.
'Oh kami in heaven, he really might care more-'
"Whoa, Momma, are you okay?"
Kagome nodded silently when Shippou returned from outside, feeling deep down that her revelations were correct. Gods, was Shippou right? Was he already bonding with even the idea of her? And why did that make Kagome so damnably nervous and unsettled?
…
After checking out and putting her things in the car, the sun on Kagome's face felt warm and soothing after her near-panic attack in the used book section.
"So, what's next?" the young woman asked.
She found herself eager for a distraction while still shaking off the revelations about her future husband.
"Well, my plan was just to take you out for a while so we can do whatever you want to. Is there something you want to do?"
"How about that park across the street?" She pointed to a gateway through a low stone wall and an expanse of green beyond. "Wanna just go for a walk? I love the shrine but it's awfully gray and I already miss the woods."
"Now that is a great idea." he smiled. "This one is pretty small but it has a pond near the back corner that's calm and usually not swarming with humans. Sorry."
"I get it. I'm not fond of all humans all the time either. Perfect." she agreed. "I could hear Sesshoumaru's influence in that 'humans' comment, though."
"Probably. It's hard not to pick something up after five centuries together." he laughed.
They stored her purchases in the car and walked across the street to the park. Shippou pulled out his phone and sent a message to Sesshoumaru about where they were. It wasn't paranoia, he thought to himself, but he and Sesshoumaru had both been attacked here in the city and if Kagome wanted to go somewhere isolated, it was just plain smart to let someone else know where they were. The reply came that the inu was working but could make it there within the hour if he was needed. A gentle touch to his arm brought Shippou's attention back around.
"Hey, is everything okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. Just letting Pop know where we are."
"That really is adorable. When did it start?"
"Oh, way before you-" Shippou stopped talking and cleared his throat.
"Died? It's okay. You've both told me. I understand. Don't tiptoe so much."
"It's just- It's hard. I've been avoiding you and that conversation your entire life, and we've been keeping tabs on you since you were born," he glanced nervously over at her for a reaction, "and now it feels weird to say it all out loud when you're standing right here."
"It's been a long time for you. Longer than I can actually imagine, Ship, but now I'm plotting with you, remember? We're gonna try to stop the worst from happening. I don't know how, but I can try."
A pale, brown eyebrow lowered in doubt. "You're awfully level-headed about this all of a sudden."
Shippou watched Kagome walk slowly and thoughtfully past a couple sitting close to each other on a large quilt in the sunshine. The strangers were talking back and forth about nothing in particular and each wore easy, relaxed smiles. The kitsune heard his mother sigh and then she turned her saddened eyes back to the pathway ahead.
The filtered sunlight passed over their heads, through her hair, highlighting her eyes when she looked up and smiled. He stopped seeing her as his mother for just a moment and realized she was a woman who was lonely, lost, and tired. He and Sesshoumaru weren't the only ones who had been suffering.
"I've earned it." Kagome said, breaking the thoughtful silence. "I think losing Inuyasha was the last straw. The worst has happened, right? How much worse could it get?"
"Don't tempt Fate. She's a real bitch where you're concerned."
Kagome laughed loudly as they turned off of the cobbled path, headed deeper into the park on a flagstone trail.
Shippou took a deep breath of the warm, humid air and the wild forests of the past flashed in his mind. The danger and excitement of the unknown lurking amongst the trees. The woods around the Fortress had been protected, almost jealously, for centuries under Sesshoumaru's rule. Shippou had grown used to the close hemming of ancient trees and it was one of the things about the past he missed the most. This journey through the park, manicured and sunny though it was, felt as close as he could get now.
"Hey, look over there!" she pointed excitedly, picking up speed and breaking him out of his reverie.
"Yeah, there it is." Shippou nodded. "Cute, right?"
The small pond was still, larger than the average backyard pool, and covered in lily buds atop fresh, green lily pads that were still tightly bound and waiting for warmer weather. Songbirds flitted from the forest on their right and sped through the sunlight over the water, chirping their arrival and then disappearing again into the trees. Shippou watched and listened until they were out of earshot then exhaled. No unwelcome visitors around. Kagome shivered next to him as they stood beside the pond and Shippou peeled off his leather bomber jacket and hung it around her thin shoulders.
"Yeah, it is. Thanks." Kagome said, sitting down cross legged on the bank and pulling the warm coat further around herself. "Miroku would have loved this as a meditation spot."
Shippou flopped down lazily beside her, resting on his elbows and cocking one knee up to look like the textbook picture of relaxation.
"Yeah, I guess so… or as a spot to spy on the local women bathing." Shippou waggled his eyebrows.
"Oh," Kagome waved the idea away, "he quit that after they got married."
"Did he? I remember you complaining about him a few times."
"I'm an exception. He's like a big brother. He only pretends with me to make Sango annoyed. It's a weird game they play. Like he wants her to put him in his place or something."
"'Does.' Whew." Shippou sighed and sat up, palming the back of his head and giving his mother a strained grin. "This is still weird."
"I know. I'm sorry." Kagome's eyes softened and she laid a hand on his in the grass.
'Put him in his place… Who could get through to Sesshoumaru like that? Make sure he doesn't take the wrong advice? Whose opinion would he listen to? Wait a minute...'
Bright blue eyes lit up as Kagome sat up straighter in the grass.
"Oh! I have an idea…"
"What?"
"I need to think about it. I'll talk to you both at dinner tomorrow."
"Oh, now that's just mean." Shippou groaned and flopped back onto the grass.
Kagome's light laughter echoed across the pond.
…
After returning home with everything on Kagome's list, the trio made dinner and ate together around the kitchen table. Soon after that, the young miko grew sleepy and excused herself for the night. After hugging everyone around the living room and taking the steaming mug of tea upstairs, Kagome got ready for bed and braided her hair to hang heavily over one shoulder. Sifting through her drawers for something comfortable, Kagome threw on a set of light blue, silk pajamas and settled into bed.
The room was dark and silent. The laughter of her mother downstairs over something Shippou had said made her smile as she rested on the pillow. Her heart felt at peace for the first time in months and that gave the young miko an idea.
'Maybe I should meditate for a while. It's been months after all and I'm not actually that tired.'
Decision made, Kagome sat up and crossed her legs. Rolling stiff shoulders and neck to relax, Kagome set her posture, and then closed her eyes in the dark room of her childhood and slipped away.
Her reiki was tired and drained from spiritual malnourishment over the slow months of her illness and recovery. Kagome bolstered it and felt the core of her power grow as she infused her spirit with the tender happiness from the last two days. Satisfied her aura would recover soon enough, she centered it deeper within herself to rest untouched, promising herself not to use reiki again until she was stronger. Overexertion in the West had been crippling and she had no desire to feel so out of control ever again.
…With the exceptions of her forced hand in marriage, and the unavoidable move to an unfamiliar position in life and an isolated Palace in the mountains that was inhabited exclusively by youkai, of course.
Setting aside the trepidation about her future, Kagome found her heart was much more at peace. The frigid loneliness was abating thanks to Shippou's easy smiles and her mother's constant love and attention. Miroku and Sango had tried their best to be there for her after the worst was over but between the children and the shrine duties Miroku had taken over in her absence, they were both terribly busy.
The next emotional trials to overcome were her confusion over the situation with Sesshoumaru, and the apprehension over leaving Edo and everything she had come to call "hers" at the end of this waiting in two years. Kagome was deep in thought about how to proceed with her life when a frantic voice pierced the silent sanctuary of her mind.
"Momma!" it shouted.
There was a loud and desperate cry nearby but there was work to do, and the safe and secure void of her thoughts fought back for control.
"Kagome! Please! Wake up!" The shouting did not stop but changed direction. "I'm gonna have to just carry her!"
"Think! It will be futile if she cannot wake to activate the well." came another hurried voice.
Vertigo-inducing shaking made her mind swim and her focus broke completely. Sleepy, ocean eyes swam and fluttered open to a hazy image of her panicked son's flashing and fear-stricken green eyes. His clawed hands gripped her arms painfully tightly.
"Ouch! Shippou, what the hell-"
Shippou shoved a wad of clothes into her hands followed by a small, paper grocery bag of her other things.
"Finally! No time. Here! Take your robes and stuff. You're going home right now!"
"No- Wait. What are you talking about? What's wrong?"
"Your reiki! Your power was a fucking homing beacon for them. Goddammit, I didn't think!"
"No, you did not." Another voice rumbled behind her son, and a tall and imposing shadow filled the doorway of her bedroom. "Come, Kagome. You must leave now. We have only minutes."
"Sesshoumaru?" she squinted.
"Come." he said more urgently, holding out a hand.
Kagome swallowed, remembering the last time he'd said that to her with a hand outstretched.
"But who-"
"Our enemies have found you. There are no miko left who hold such power. We did not think to warn you against centering yourself. The prolonged exposure of your aura drew our enemies to you and the shrine."
"Everybody, shut up!" Shippou yelled. "They're gonna be here any second! Move it!"
"Who's here? What about my mother?" Kagome questioned, growing more panicked by the second. "My brother will be back tomorrow or the day after, too. What about him?"
"Your mother has already left at my urging. She bid me give this to you," he handed Kagome a handwritten note, "and has vowed to warn your family. I promise to keep them all from harm until we can neutralize the threat. Now please, we must leave. We can save the well from becoming a target if you are gone before they arrive. I will carry you, if you will allow it."
"Wait!" Shippou yelled, sitting down in front of her on the bed with a pained look. "I'm not- It's not that we want- I don't want you to go. I'm so sorry. This is all my fault."
Kagome sat on her heels, leaned forward, and hugged him tightly. "It is not. If anything, it's mine. No matter what happens, I'm proud of you and I love you."
His voice dropped to a whisper in her ear. "Tell me you'll be back, tell me to- Damn it, I don't know… tell me to scrub behind my ears one more time, tell me you-" His voice broke and he buried his face in her neck, breathing hard. His fingers gripped her tighter, almost bruising her ribs, but she held him closer and rubbed his back. "Two days is not enough. I'm not ready to let you go."
"I promise you, honey, I'll do everything I can so that you don't have to." Kagome looked up over her son's shoulder to answer Sesshoumaru. "You take care of him. And yes, fine. Carry me. Those are for you two." She pointed a small stack of wrapped things on the corner of her desk and he nodded.
"Pop, you should let me carry her-"
He was interrupted when a small bird appeared outside the window, chirping shrilly and flapping wildly against the glass.
"Shit. Incoming!" Shippou shouted, pulling away and heading for the door.
He ripped his swords from their concealment at his neck, dropped the glamour, and disappeared down the stairs faster than Kagome's eyes could follow. Kagome turned desperate blue eyes on Sesshoumaru and pointed down the stairs.
"Can't you take care of them? Why does he have to go?"
Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to answer but was cut off by a shout from the kit outside in the yard.
"It's my job, Momma! Pop, get her back safely or I'll melt your hair next time!"
"Hardly a threat," he scoffed, "but we must leave now."
"Okay. His job?"
Kagome stood, bundled the clothes into the paper bag, still waiting for an answer when Sesshoumaru stepped forward to pick her up and waited for her permission. Kagome nodded and he lifted her from the floor with a sharp inhale and a fanged grimace.
"What's wrong? Are you okay?"
"Another time, miko. Hold on."
She gripped Sesshoumaru's neck tightly and pressed her head into his chest, preparing for the jarring feeling of lurching forward at youkai speed.
But it never came.
Sesshoumaru dashed down the stairs, out the front door, and was still jogging over to the wellhouse just as the first sounds of battle reached her ears. The ringing of metal and the bellows of battle cries constricted the heart in her chest and Kagome felt the blood drain from her face.
"Will he be okay?" she asked fearfully.
"There are likely to be only a few sent to catch us off guard. Their army grows smaller each time he meets them in battle." Sesshoumaru said with pride, still running. "He is a master in his own right, even if his methods are often less than conventional."
"Thank the kami. If you can complement him, I'm satisfied. You still can't just come out with a 'yes' or 'no,' can you?"
"Hm."
They reached the wellhouse in seconds even at a normal pace and he pried open the doors with a foot, scenting the air for intruders. Shippou seemed to be keeping them all busy in the main yard, taunting and pelting them with foxfire to keep them distracted and away from his parents. Kagome stared at the dark well and sighed.
"Well, goodbye then." the young miko said defeatedly from his arms.
"Goodbye, Kagome. Think hard on what we ask and perhaps next time, we will have more time to discuss."
It was a pitiful excuse for a farewell, he mentally cursed. The daiyoukai hated the distance between them now even more, knowing it would remain until she came back. But when would that be? Why would she? To see her son, undoubtedly, but what hope did he truly have for seeing her again? For forging anything like a new friendship with his still-future Mate?
His thoughts were cut off when he felt the cool tip of her nose and warm lips pressed against his left cheek. Amber eyes went wide in surprise and Sesshoumaru looked down at her, confused.
"Kagome…?"
He could smell the citrus of her nervousness and see the embarrassment in her cheeks but still she looked up at him.
"I thought we were in a hurry and you're spacing out. If you put me down, I can just climb down on my own."
She didn't know why she'd done it. It was an impulse. He responded with an impulse of his own. Sesshoumaru lifted the miko closer so he could brush her cheek with his, breathing her in as much as he could. His silken hair whispered against Kagome's face. Her contented, barely audible sigh gave him more hope than he'd had in nearly five hundred years.
"Foolish woman. You can barely manage stairs. Be still."
And she gripped his neck tightly again just in time for him to leap neatly to the bottom of the well, earning another quick inhale of breath as his eyes slammed shut.
"Are you sure you're okay?"
"Do not concern yourself." the inu clipped.
Sesshoumaru leaned down, letting Kagome slide forward and onto her feet before righting himself with a groan. She fussed nervously with her pajamas then straightened to face him. Clearly, whatever was paining him was off limits as conversation.
He suddenly stiffened and turned to growl threateningly at the wellhouse door. The scent of an opponent he recognized was growing stronger.
'He cannot find her here!'
The inudaiyoukai swallowed and looked down at Kagome, taking a chance and both of her small hands in his. He spoke quickly and clearly, checking the streetlight shining through the crack in the door between every few words.
"If you wish to aid us in forging a deeper Bond, the quickest and most effective way is to challenge my instincts and my male pride. It has rarely been questioned by anyone but you, however, you are singularly accomplished at rousing my need to put you in-"
'your place.' Sesshoumaru considered the curious, cerulean gaze that would instantly turn violent if he finished that sentence. Who was he kidding? His Mate did not take orders but he needed her to understand his meaning above all else.
"-my need to prove you wrong. Use it to your advantage should you decide to-"
Before he could finish, the door to the wellhouse exploded, sending shattered wood flying over the well and clattering down on top of them. Sesshoumaru dove over Kagome, hunching to protect her from the shower of splinters and dust filling the small space in the well.
"Found your hideaway, little mouse." said the intruder, brandishing a frighteningly large scythe whose wicked, curved blade was glowing a crimson red. "Still standing, Sesshoumaru?" The dark-haired young man raised his chin defiantly. "Surprising."
Kagome could feel the condensing youki in Sesshoumaru's right hand and forced her eyes to remain on the attacker as the inu prepared his assault.
"Retreat, pup, while you still can." the inu threatened.
"I am not a dog! And you are stalling." sang the assassin.
"Not anymore."
Sesshoumaru raised a hand and a pale green whip materialized between them, glowing with venomous intent and fastened tightly to his right hand. With a loud crack, the attacker was thrown back from the well.
"Will you be okay?" Kagome asked desperately, checking him over.
More concerned for his wellbeing even now, he marveled. Sesshoumaru ended the whip, reached forward with both arms, and embraced her roughly. Hugging her small body against his chest with his head tucked neatly into her shoulder, Kagome laid a warm hand against his back. The inu was shaking when he released her.
"Thank you…" he said, the barest hint of a grin on his face. In the next instant, a roar of displeasure from the attacker outside ended the moment. "Now go! Goodbye, Kagome, and think on all we have said."
"Be careful!"
Sesshoumaru leapt away without a backward glance and Kagome felt more alone than she had in weeks. The well lit with power beneath her feet now that the foreign presence was gone, and the miko felt the dizzying and unsettling feeling of falling rise from her toes to drown her.
'Goodbye.' Kagome thought sadly, listening to the sounds of battle from outside. 'Please be okay…'
…
It was still the middle of the night when Kagome fell to her rear in the empty dirt well of ancient Edo, alone and cold. The sound of crickets and a gentle wind through the grass was a stark contrast to the thudding of heavy blows and the ringing of swords from only a moment ago.
'They could both be dead now for all I know.'
"Goddammit! Why is everything always so screwed up?!" she yelled at the bottom of the well. "I can't even recover from one fuck up without the world blowing up again! Enough is enough." She stomped a foot. "I'm tired of feeling like this."
Always on the wrong side of luck. Always left behind. Always finding out the truth after everyone else. How had she allowed this to become her life? Kagome Higurashi was not a plaything of Fate. Not anymore. Her eyes narrowed on the heavens and the heart in her chest began to pound as a fiery determination she hadn't felt in months hardened into purpose. From here on out, she would carve her own way forward. Some things about her future couldn't be changed but it was time to grab the reins again and whip her life into shape.
"Fix it, Kagome. Lift your chin and get to work. Pouting at the bottom of the well won't solve your problems."
Mind made up, Kagome started to climb the packed dirt walls of the well but made it only a few feet before the cold, dry dirt crumbled and gave way. Landing heavily on her ass, her weak arms burned with the effort of pulling up her own weight. The miko stood, recovering her breath, and thought out loud.
"What the hell am I going to do now? This a great start…" she mumbled, brushing the dirt from her thin pajamas and gathering her strength to try again.
"Lady Kagome? My Lady? Is that you?" came the question from above.
"Ahhh!"
Kagome screamed her surprise and Inaba plastered his hands over his ears. A slow moment passed, and Kagome uncovered her head and peered cautiously upward. The outline of a helmet she recognized shone dark against the moonlight filtering in.
"Oh, Inaba! You surprised me. I didn't realize it was you."
"I have been awaiting your return." he said with his fingers in his ears to clear the ringing of her scream. "Your companions seemed to think you would be gone much longer. Why are you in this dry well? Why do you smell strongly of milord and… so many other unfamiliar things?"
"Spoilers, Inaba. Spoilers." At his confused look, she continued talking up at his dark outline. "I can't tell you, sorry, but I ran into Lord Sesshoumaru on my way home. I'm also sorry to ask it of you but can you please help me out of here? The dirt and my arms aren't cooperating."
"Of course, milady. Step back, please."
She heard the rustling of armor being unhooked and laid down as she stepped against the wall to give him room.
"Coming down, Lady Kagome."
He dropped down into the well, gained permission to carry the intended Mate of his Lord, secured her to his back, and made a tall leap to land neatly in the grass above. Kagome watched him silently assess her for injury as she straightened herself out, his nose twitching.
Inaba, inudaiyoukai that he was, had a strikingly similar build to the others she had met. He kept a short crop of silver hair above warm hazel eyes and was a lean and powerful daiyoukai with one notable exception: he was scared of her. Rather, he was nervous about being in such close proximity to the future Mate of his Lord. This particular soldier was placid and deferent compared to the others she had met in the West. Kagome was winning him over during his stay but it was slow going. He was respectful, distant, and accommodating but poor company.
Inaba considered the human before him. The last time the soldier had seen her in Edo, she had been fragile and grudging. Now, however, the future Lady appeared angry, impatient, and much more animated. What had happened over those two days visiting her family?
"Welcome back, Lady Kagome. Are these your- Milady! Forgive me!" The male turned away and began removing his over coat. "Your state of dress is- Here, please cover yourself with my haori."
"Oh, this?" Kagome looked down and realized he probably thought the silk pajamas she was in were her undergarments. "Sorry. Traditional… nighttime… travel-wear from my parents' village." It was not entirely a lie.
"How odd." he murmured, still not facing her.
Scuffling down the hill caught the attention of the soldier and his head whipped around to assess the threat. Inaba jumped in front of her in a wide and ready stance before relaxing with a tired sigh.
"The monk, milady." he said over his right shoulder.
Kagome caught the first sounds of her friend's voice from down the hill.
"…from the well! It could be Kagome!" Miroku yelled back at his wife.
"It's okay then." Kagome laid a hand on the soldier's arm and walked past him.
"Why do humans yell so often?" the inu questioned as she passed.
"Right, human lessons. I forgot." Kagome giggled. "We have pitifully inept ears and can't hear each other at long distances like you can… unless, of course, we yell."
"Ah, I suppose that makes sense." he nodded.
"Glad I could help. Hey, Miroku!" Kagome waved happily.
"Kagome! You are- you look-" His relieved smile was a reflection of her own.
Kagome closed the distance between them with a short jog and collided roughly with his chest with a giggle. Inaba stood aghast.
"Kagome-sama, you shouldn't be so familiar with another male! What would Lord Sesshoumaru think?"
Used to her overfamiliarity, Miroku only smiled and returned her embrace, thrilled to see some life in her steps.
"Oh, Inaba…" Kagome shook her head, still smiling, then looked up at Miroku. "I look better, right? I feel better."
"Thank the kami." He pulled away to examine her, violet eyes flashing in the moonlight. "You are returned so soon. We thought you would be staying much longer."
"So did I." she sighed. "Look, it's late… or really early, whatever, so we both need to get some sleep for now but can I come for breakfast tomorrow? I have a lot to tell you. Both of you. Please don't be mad at me when I get it all out."
"Where are you going, Kagome?" Miroku questioned. "Are you not coming to stay with us?"
"No, I'm going home. My home. It's time." Kagome asserted. "I'll be fine, I promise."
"Do you know, I truly believe you. See you in the morning then. Inaba-san, look after her, please."
"On my honor." the soldier nodded and watched the monk turn away and start back down the hill.
"Good night, Miroku, and tell Sango for me, too, okay? Inaba, shall we?" Kagome asked, taking the first steps down the road.
The Western soldier walked silently behind the miko down the hill, out onto the road, and past the shrine. Feeling her determination growing, Kagome began to walk faster.
The young priestess took the first step up onto the porch and steadied her heart. Lifting the curtain, Kagome waited for her eyes to adjust to the darkness of the abandoned house. The smell inside was different. When they lived here, the rooms had been laced with the scents of spices, roasting game, and the scent of flowers from the field outside. Now, it smelled of dust and ashes and the remnant sting of frost. That would have to change starting tomorrow.
Kagome turned on her heel, leaving her guard wondering, and padded back outside to gather firewood for the night. Finding the disappointing stack left over from last year, Kagome sighed. She should have known. Seeing her concern, Inaba volunteered his services.
"Allow me, Kagome-sama." he said from behind her, disappearing in a flash into the woods.
There was enough to light the brazier in their room, though… No. Her room. It would be her room now. Kagome swallowed the rising feeling of loneliness and got back to work.
This would be hard. It would take time, just like her recovery had, and that was okay. The difference was that before the idea had seemed like a sentence, but now the idea felt more like a challenge.
…
In modern Tokyo, the battle concluded and Shippou was burning the four bodies of the fallen assassins in a small heap at the edge of the woods where Sesshoumaru met him, breathing hard.
"He got away again but I got the rest. Did Momma make it back okay?" Shippou asked, not looking up from the makeshift pyre.
"She… did. I believe… she will be okay."
"Hey, are you- Oh shit. Not again." Shippou gasped.
Sesshoumaru was gasping with the effort of standing and the white button-down he wore was stained dark red from collar to hem on his right side and seeping into the silver hair falling over his chest. He remained standing for another few seconds, growling against the rising pain before losing the battle and sinking brokenly to a knee. Shippou walked over but left him alone, knowing that touching him now would only make him angrier.
"Damn it. I was afraid of that. I should have carried her."
"You were oc-" He growled again as the blood soaked further through his clothes and dripped to the ground, "You were occupied and I am not an invalid."
"Tell that to your shirt. Seven hells... it's worse than last time."
"It is not."
"It fucking is. Two hundred years ago, you could still transform. Last century, you could still hold a sword in that hand. Now you can't even lift your Mate. You were supposed to ask her to heal you, idiot."
"There was not time. The pendant is- Hunh!" The pain redoubled and the blood soaked into the fabric over his chest turned coal dark and sizzled through his clothes, burning them to ash over the open wound. The split in Sesshoumaru's flesh was now visible and Shippou flinched at the smell as much as the sight. His chest was torn open from his shoulder to his ribs. The right arm would have been severed completely during the battle if not for his mother's interference. The blood that had already dripped on the ground turned molten and melted the grass, reducing it to an unrecognizable, bubbling mass. Deep in the wound, cursed youki flared to life like crimson embers deep in his chest, burning the inu from the inside out.
"You are not allowed to open that back up anymore. I mean it, Sesshoumaru. If this happens and I'm not around to help, you could bleed out or burn to death all alone."
"Do not lecture This One on the dangers of cursed blades, kit. I am clearly aware of the repercussions."
"Then we understand each other. No more, Pop."
It was a deep wound to his pride but the kit was right. Incapacitated. His dominant sword arm was useless, dripping futility onto the dirt below. He was useless. Even if the daiyoukai used his left hand, which was arduously trained to be equally deadly to his right, the risk from running into battle was too great. He'd lose more than an arm this time with no way to return the limb now that his youki was diminished by the curse.
"It is worth it. I saved her from this, at least."
"You did."
"For all the good it did her in the end."
Shippou growled in exasperation.
"Always so defeatist! She's trying, Sesshoumaru. We have hope and it might not feel like things'll get better right now, but I have a good feeling they will."
"If you are done fantasizing about a future that may never come to pass, here."
Sesshoumaru held out the silver and amber amulet to the kit and let his left arm fall limply back to his side. Shippou took the necklace from his hand and fed a small amount of youki into the warm stone. A second later, a pale blue light exploded in a sphere around the gem, that enveloped them both in warmth and the tingling sensation of his mother's aura.
"Hi again, Momma." Shippou smiled.
Her reiki caressed his cheek but quickly left him to condense around Sesshoumaru, who was now swaying dangerously on his hands and knees in the grass over the growing pool of cursed blood.
"I am sorry…" the inu whispered to the aura surrounding and penetrating his injury, instantly soothing the throbbing pain. The gash slowly closed but a flare of foreign youki from the curse pulsed in defiance deep in the wound that would never truly heal. "Reduced to this. The ghost of you keeping us alive. It cannot end this way again."
…
Back in Edo…
An hour later, Kagome was sitting in her bedroom and changed into the familiar worn, pale blue sleeping yukata she'd loved. She sighed several times while smoothing the futon and quilt on the floor in preparation for sleep. This was her bed now. Her life.
'You can do this.'
The large, polished trunk in the corner was left open and a low table near the door sported a few discarded pieces of paper and a quill. Inaba called from the central room.
"My Lady? Do you require anything else this evening?"
"One second, Inaba. I'll be right out!"
Kagome left the futon, gathered some folded letters in her hands, and stepped quickly out of her room to meet him by the fire.
"I do actually need you to do something for me, and I'm afraid you're not gonna like it. Inaba, I'm giving you two letters to take to Lieutenant Kouji at the Fortress whenever it's convenient."
The solider looked the letters over but fixed his eyes back on the miko, confused.
"Both to the Lieutenant, My Lady? But this second one is addressed to-"
"I understand your confusion but I need this done and I can't get that far before spring is over." Kagome pointed emphatically at the letters in his hands. "Both of those in the hands of Kouji-san, please." Then she pointed at the third letter in his large hands. "Then this last one is for Sesshoumaru."
"For my Lord. Understood, Kagome-sama." Inaba bowed and turned for the door, relieved to be leaving the human village.
Kagome chuckled and Inaba turned around confused. "You don't have to leave right now, you know. You can wait until morning at least."
"I have been resting for weeks, I feel, since this assignment was handed to me. If you are well enough for me to leave, I will do so immediately."
"That makes sense but, Inaba?"
He froze in the doorway and turned back around.
"Yes, Lady Kagome?"
Her smile was bright and genuine in the firelight.
"Thank you for everything these past few months. Safe travels and tell everyone there I said 'Hello!' when you see them."
The Western soldier released the doorframe, relaxed his arms at his sides, and bowed to her.
"Of course, my Lady. If it is not impertinent, I wish you better health and happiness in this coming year as well."
"Thank you." Kagome inclined her head, still smiling. "Your wishes are welcome and much appreciated."
He dashed out wearing a grin of his own, and the young priestess watched him sprint down the road before launching into the clear, starry sky on his way West.
"Sorry, Sesshoumaru, but I'm going over your head… Remember one day that you asked for this." Kagome sang mischievously as she stepped back into her home to rest for the long journey to a new life, starting bright and early tomorrow.
…
Hours later, Inaba landed tiredly on the training field at the Western Fortress. First, he thought, to report to the Lieutenant and deliver the letters.
Dashing across the field, through the hallway and up the two flights to the General's quarters, he knocked quietly at the door. The General appeared a moment later, toting Haruto tucked into the crook of one arm. The kuma's pale azure eyes turned angry seeing the soldier Sesshoumaru had personally assigned to guard Kagome back here in the Fortress after less than a season.
"Inaba! You were assigned to stay in Edo through the summer. Report!"
"Don't bark at the male like that, Ryota." Kouji said tiredly from inside, rising to join Ryota in the doorway. "Let him speak."
"Apologies for disturbing your evening, General, Lieutenant," Inaba bowed, "but Kagome-sama bid me bring these letters to you. She has returned home, is now in better health, and vowed to stay in Edo through the summer."
Inaba handed the two letters to Ryota who was now much more confused than informed.
"Returned home? Now in better health? What happened to her?"
"She became critically ill after returning and was bedridden during the winter for almost two months. She is recovering well now, however, and regaining her strength. She traveled home to see her family two days ago and has just returned. My Lady bid me give everyone her greetings."
"Of course, she did. How terrible she was so ill." Kouji muttered. "Sesshoumaru has no idea, does he?"
"I doubt it. Between our campaign in the south and the patrols to the East, he has been absent much of the time. This letter is for you, Mate." Ryota passed the papers over. "Though why, I cannot guess."
"Milady said both of those were for the Lieutenant and bid me to hurry." Inaba said.
"For me? Most unusual. Thank you, Inaba. Please report on the Lady's condition to Lord Sesshoumaru before you retire."
"Hai! I have a letter for him as well. Please excuse me."
Inaba bowed and turned to dash down the hallway, headed for the Palace and Lord Sesshoumaru.
"What does it say?" Ryota asked, hefting a wriggling Haruto higher and peering over.
Kouji's eyes narrowed in concentration as he read then brightened and returned to Ryota twinkling with mischief.
"Oh ho! Our little dove learns fast. I am to depart as soon as I am able to deliver the second letter in person." Kouji chuckled, perusing the letter again.
"Why in the West would Kagome-sama send you a letter telling you to deliver a letter?"
"She pays attention, Mate. The second missive, my dear, is to Kikuko-sama."
"What? Why in the seven hells would she write to Kikuko?"
"She asks me to wait a week or so to deliver it until she regains some strength," he grinned at Ryota, "in case our Lady mother pays her a visit too soon."
"Bah! She'll not visit a human village at all, surely. What can Lady Kagome be thinking?"
Kouji reached over and tenderly stroked Haruto's soft, black hair.
"That Sesshoumaru-sama was a son before he was a Lord, and that is not a bond to be taken lightly."
…
The quiet knock on the study door was unexpected. The voice of the soldier he had handpicked to guard Kagome in Edo was even more unexpected.
"My Lord? I have a letter to deliver to you from Lady Kagome."
Also unexpected.
"Enter." came the quiet command.
The door slid open and Inaba stepped inside the dark study to find Lord Sesshoumaru sitting alone at the low table with a mass of papers spread out before him. Golden eyes narrowed on the soldier.
"Why are you returned from Edo so soon? Your orders were to remain through the summer."
Inaba swallowed nervously. "The Lady bid me to bring the letter as soon as possible."
'Ordering This One's soldiers about again, miko…'
Inaba passed the small folded parchment to Sesshoumaru with a bow and stepped back but remained in the room.
"You have something else to report?"
"Indeed, milord. Lieutenant Kouji wished me to relay that the miko was gravely ill until these past two weeks, has traveled to and returned from her home village, and is now regaining her strength in her own home."
"Gravely ill?" Sesshoumaru questioned.
"Yes, my Lord. She was ill with a human affliction when I arrived and spent almost two months in the healer's home before recovering enough to visit her family."
"Thank you, Inaba. You are dismissed. Please send Kenshin to the study on your way to the barracks."
Inaba bowed again and left hurriedly. Sesshoumaru stared the letter curiously.
'Your grief overcame you then. Perhaps you are truly healing now.'
The missive in his hand still smelled like her. Familiar notes of camelias and rain mixed with the ink and parchment, and Sesshoumaru inhaled despite himself. The inu unfolded the letter carefully and began to read.
'Sesshoumaru,
I hope this letter finds you well. I have returned from the trip to my family home, like we discussed, and I promise I won't leave again before summer's end. I hope you're still planning to bring Rin to stay with us for the summer. She is most welcome. Tell her that the first of the wildflowers are already springing up!
If you're not too busy, you might consider staying for a few days yourself when you bring her. I understand you have lots of responsibilities but please think about it before your visit. I'll look forward to seeing you both.
Warm regards,
Kagome
PS - And don't be mad with Inaba. He's only doing what I asked him to.'
"Hn." He scoffed at the last line.
'Presuming not only to disobey my request but order This One around as well. This woman…'
Her handwriting was clumsy, irregular, and the language was overly familiar yet again. He chuckled just once in the dark at the realization that the letter was an embodiment of the woman who had written it.
The message was short and direct but it made the daiyoukai think. Visiting her in Edo, purely for the purpose of seeing her and spending time with her was a big step forward in their relationship. One he assumed was many months, if not the full two years, into the future. Was the miko ready to begin courting in earnest?
Did she truly desire his company?
Did he desire hers?
...
AN: This one took me a while, I know. I kept messing with it and messing with it but Spring is wrapped up nicely and Summer is going to be one of my favorite chapters so far. Next time, Kagome goes to kitsune school to see Shippou and meets a familiar daiyoukai who's there for a specific purpose...