Sanctuary
Author's Note: Before I let you read the following, I just have to say that I did not include Kanna or Kagura mainly because I have not read much about them and I have no clue as to what the heck they actually do in the series. I cannot write about someone that I have absolutely no clue about. So, in my story they do not exist. With that said, enjoy the rest of the story.
Another thing… so sorry for the delay in updates. I had a 101-degree fever on Wednesday and a 104 fever in Tuesday so I was quite out of it for a while…
Disclaimer's Note: The song 'Smile' is not mine… don't exactly know who sang it though.
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SesshouMaru got a clearing in the woods and found a baboon clad hanyou hiding in the shadows. He stood perplexed and cautious as he watched the hanyou walk calmly towards him, stopping merely feet away. SesshouMaru made sure he had his emotions in check. He had dealt with the hanyou before and it proved that Naraku was no jester. He was someone who didn't play by the rules, and had brains to weasel out of tight situations, that combination made him a very dangerous enemy.
" Greeting, SesshouMaru-sama," he said.
SesshouMaru merely nodded as if to say ' You are not worth my time, but give me a good reason and I won't kill you'
" I have a proposition for you," Naraku continued. " The miko you hold in your… protection, I want her."
Stifling a growl, SesshouMaru stepped up towards the baboon and crossed his arms. " Pray tell, why would you want her?"
" She is the guardian of the true Shikon and is very valuable to me. I shall give you whatever you ask if I have the miko."
"No"
Naraku stepped back in surprise, his long baboon pelt rattling the bushes. " No?"
" I refuse." SesshouMaru said flatly.
" What would you want a mere ningen for anyway?" Naraku asked desperately. " I can dispose of-"
Before he finished his sentence, he found SesshouMaru's right hand on his throat.
" Stay away from the miko. She is my mate. If I sense you near her or my lands, you shall find yourself up close and personal with my poison claws," SesshouMaru growled as he raised his glowing left hand.
Naraku chuckled evilly. "Kukuku, protective are we? Well, well… so the Great Sesshoumaru does have a weakness!"
SesshouMaru decided to rid of him, only to find him crumbling into nothing but dirt and a wooden doll, wrapped with a long strand of black hair.
' Kagome!' he thought. He frantically ran towards the castle, not even realizing that another presence was watching the scene with him and Naraku's doll.
Weakness
SesshouMaru growled louder and fastened his pace. ' Kagome is no weakness, nor is Rin… they are…' He stopped. 'Family'
With that last thought, he looked up and found himself before his castle. His blood pounded in his veins as he ran towards her scent.
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Naraku stood over the fallen pelt and doll. He still held his ningen lord disguise. ' So the taiyoukai has taken a liking to my miko, ne?' He recalled the number of arms the taiyoukai had. 'It seems our little miko is getting stronger…'
' Too bad that whore of a miko, Kikyou had to see the wrong end of that inu-hanyou's claws… the poor bitch' he thought. 'She was quite good at relieving my stress'
He then thought back to Kagome and wondered if she knew of her own past and who she would become.
He began to walk towards his own domain and think about what had happened. ' Soon the miko will realize who she is… and she will become stronger… I must act quickly before she has the chance to be told!'
Placing the pelt over his arm, he went off deeper into the forest until he reached a worn path where a carriage was awaiting his presence.
" My lord?" a ningen servant asked. " Is everything alright?"
Naraku placed the pelt in the servant's arms. " Take this and clean it, mend it, do whatever, just bring it back in good condition"
"Yes, your lordship," he said as he signaled the guards to carry the carriage and they went off.
' I'll have to get Kagome myself… my copies just don't do it well enough' he thought. With an evil smile on his face, he took out a small pouch containing several pieces of the jewel. ' There is only one more shard left, and I shall let her group find it for me… then they will all be together.'
His blue eyes glinted with an evil plan.
' How convenient'
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Kagome found one of SesshouMaru's white yukatas and decided to try it on, loving the feel of the silk robe on her, she decided to lay on the bed and think of what had happened. Things were just rushing by her head, and it gave her a headache.
She recalled InuYasha's sad eyes and his tone of voice. She knew that the hanyou would not give in so easily… so why had he just handed her off to SesshouMaru?
'Not that I mind' Kagome thought as she smiled. She massaged the bruise on her neck and sighed.
Kagome felt so complete, so safe in this castle, with SesshouMaru.
"Kagome-sama?" a small voice squeaked through the crack of the open door.
Kagome sat up and faced a tear-faced Rin and frowned. " What happened?"
The little girl ran up towards her and sobbed in her arms. Kagome shushed the child and began to sing.
Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by...
Kagome lifted Rin's chin with a clawed finger and smiled as she sang.
If you smileWith your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll find that life is still worthwhile if you'll just...
Light up your face with gladness
Hide every trace of sadness
Although a tear may be ever so near
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you'll just...
Smile, though your heart is aching
Smile, even though it's breaking
When there are clouds in the sky
You'll get by...
She wiped Rin's tears away and cradled her as if she were Shippou. A small tear fell from her own eyes as she recalled Souta and Shippou, and the rest of her loved ones both in Shengoku Jirai and beyond the well. Singing with a clearer voice, she stood and twirled Rin around. She smiled at the little girl's laughter.
If you smile
Through your fear and sorrow
Smile and maybe tomorrow
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you'll just Smile...
When Rin's laughter died down, she watched Kagome's expression as she sang in a softer voice.
That's the time you must keep on trying
Smile, what's the use of crying
You'll find that life is still worthwhile
If you'll just Smile.
Rin smiled and nodded. Kagome placed her hands in Rin's little ones. " So what seems to be the problem, little one?"
" Well, Rin… er… I was playing with Jaken-sama and he said that R..I was just a m-m-menace that d-d-disturbs SesshouMaru-sama…" Rin stuttered.
Kagome frowned and embraced the little girl.
" I shall fix that, my dear. Do not take his words to heart. He is just afraid of what will become of him," Kagome comforted the black haired ningen.
"Hai, Arigato Okasan!" Rin said happily.
Kagome smiled and nodded. " Now go on and play, I have to get dressed!"
Rin bounded off, leaving an incredibly sleepy Kagome in SesshouMaru's chambers. 'A little nap won't hurt, ne?' she asked herself as she laid on the soft mattress and dozed off.
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SesshouMaru's heart beat faster. He stopped completely before his chambers. Almost afraid to see what he would discover, almost fearing that the one he loved the most would not be there. He opened the birch doors slowly and released the breath he did not realize he held.
There, lying peacefully over the covers of his mattress was a heavenly figure dressed in one of his white yukatas.
"Kagome" he breathed. " Thank Kami."
She stirred mumbling his name. He smiled and brushed the locks of hair that covered her face. He bent down and kissed her on the cheek. She woke up tickling his face with her eyelashes.
" Sesshou?" Kagome groaned. " What… how long have I been asleep?"
SesshouMaru sat down beside her and took her hand as she sat up. He kissed it and moved up towards her arm.
" Not long, love." He said lovingly.
Kagome smiled and maneuvered her way towards his lap. She rested her head on the crook of his shoulder and wrapped her arms around his waist.
" I think we should make our presence known, ne?" she asked.
SesshouMaru grunted in agreement and picked her up bridal style. " I think we should. Though, I'd rather you get dressed and cover up a bit."
Kagome pouted playfully. " Why?"
" I don't want that lecherous houshi to see you like that," SesshouMaru said with a twinkle in his eyes. " I might get jealous…"
Kagome was shocked, but she kept it inside. SesshouMaru seemed to do that a lot lately. She complied and went towards the closet, only to find SesshouMaru already there.
" I think you should were this one, ne?" he said holding up a kimono that matched the one he wore, only instead of it being red, it was light blue.
Kagome nodded. " Turn around."
SesshouMaru smirked. " No, its nothing I haven't seen before."
Kagome blushed and whacked his arm playfully. " Come on, please?"
SesshouMaru crossed his arms and shook his head as he smiled. " Where's the fun in that?"
Kagome sighed exasperatedly. " Fine." She let the white Yukata fall and put the silk kimono on. After a few minutes, she tied on the Obi and twirled around. " You like?"
SesshouMaru took her arm and twirled her into his arms. " I liked it more when it was off you."
Kagome blushed once more and went on her tiptoes to give him a peck on the lips. " Later."
As SesshouMaru watched Kagome walk out of his chambers, he smiled fully and nodded. ' Definitely not a weakness'
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Shippou looked around Kagome's room and sighed. 'Its no fun without Okasan around' he thought sadly.
" You seem sad, young one," a voice said behind him.
He turned around and found Lady Yumemaru standing by the doorway. He nodded and took out Kagome's yellow backpack.
" Can I go visit her now?" Shippou whined.
Yumemaru laughed and shook her head. " She's in training with SesshouMaru, besides, InuYasha is still there… he might be a bit… wild."
Shippou's shoulders drooped and bent his head. " Aww… he has the Tetsusaiga… he should be fine now…"
Lady Yumemaru looked at the kit. "Th-the Steel-cleaving fang? InuYasha has it?!"
Shippou nodded. " Hai. It was one of the main reasons that SesshouMaru targeted him."
" Shippou, pack your stuff, we're going to the Western lands," she said. " If you are correct and InuYasha does hold the Tetsusaiga… your Okasan may be in real danger."
Shippou gasped and nodded. ' Please be okay'
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SesshouMaru sensed InuYasha close by and turned around. He saw a silver blur by a dark corner. Kagome noticed SesshouMaru stop and placed her hand on his shoulder.
" What's wrong?" she asked.
SesshouMaru shook his head. " You go on ahead. I shall be down shortly."
Kagome nodded. Sesshoumaru released his tail from her waist, but placed a loving kiss on her forehead. Kagome blushed and smiled.
" Don't be too long," she purred and gracefully walked down the stairs.
SesshouMaru smiled and faced his brother. " You can come out now"
InuYasha stepped out of the shadows and SesshouMaru frowned at his appearance. He still looked fine, but his emotions were locked tight. He looked like a mirror of SesshouMaru, only without his stripes or his crescent.
" I don't know what the hell you think you're doing, but I'm on to you." He said flatly.
" Whatever do you mean?" SesshouMaru asked.
" Bullshit. You're making Kagome think you love her…" InuYasha said angrily. " I don't care what Mariko says. You don't care a horse's ass about Kagome! You never took a liking to her when she was a ningen and you barely notice any other youkais!"
SesshouMaru sighed and nodded. " Hai. That is right." He hung his head and sensed InuYasha's anger disappearing. " I don't blame you for feeling this way, but believe me… Kagome changed me. She taught me how to open my eyes…"
InuYasha looked at SesshouMaru and stepped up towards him. " Look… just…Kagome loves you… and… I-I just hope you're being truthful, SesshouMaru." He walked on towards the stairs. " If you ever hurt Kagome… I will hunt you down and rip out your heart."
SesshouMaru chuckled and walked next to him. " Believe me, if I hurt Kagome… I will rip my own heart out."
InuYasha smiled. For the first time in centuries, he felt close to his brother once more. 'Maybe he is telling the truth…'
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Author's Note: Sorry for the delay! I hope you enjoyed it anyway!
