AN: Here's the next chapter. For all of you waiting for the next chapter
Reclaiming Home I'm working on it and I hope to have it up this weekend.
CH: 6 Little Schemes
Sesshoumaru nearly growled when he felt Saiya grab on to his arm. "What do you think that you are doing?"
"Keeping you company throughout this event. I would not want any wretched female to take my mate away." Saiya answered, the false sweetness in her high voice hurting Sesshoumaru's ears. "Especially those human women, could anything be more retched."
'Kagome is not wretched.' Sesshoumaru almost blurted out, but contained himself. "Release my arm wench." Sesshoumaru said with a low warning growl.
Unfortunately Saiya was not that bright and only clung onto him harder and batted her eyes at him.
"Ah, Sesshoumaru I see you have found my niece." Sesshoumaru noticed an old wolf youkai walk up to him.
"It would seem unfortunately so."
"Oh, Sesshoumaru you're such a kidder." Saiya said with a tiny laugh.
"Saiya is in search of mate here. It would seem she already has her choice. You do not happen to have a favorite at this moment, do you Sesshoumaru?" Takeji said to the young lord.
"Perhaps I do." Sesshoumaru responded. He knew that he could not out right say Kagome's name for fear of Saiya wrath against the girl. He also knew that if he said no it would only further encourage her. Unfortunately the phrasing he chose did not help him much either.
"Oh, Sesshoumaru, you need not be so coy. If you want me to be your mate you need only ask."
Sesshoumaru almost groaned. He silently wondered if it would be worth it to lose the only arm he had in order to escape her. But he quickly dismissed the foolish thought. That would make it most difficult to protect his lands and would probably encourage her to grab his waist.
"Well, I shall leave you two to get reacquainted." Takeji walked off leaving a very distress, though he would never show it, lord of the Western Lands and a very clingy and ignorant female wolf youkai.
"I will tell you one last time. Release my arm."
"Oh, you're no fun Sesshoumaru. But don't worry I still love you."
'Oh Kami.' Sesshoumaru felt the distinct need to roll his eyes.
"Saiya, you should no better than to just run off." Another wolf youkai came up to the couple. Sesshoumaru really did sneer this time. "Sesshoumaru."
"Kana."
"I see my sister has found you already. I do not know what she sees in you." Kana and Sesshoumaru were great rivals. Being that Kana was not the heir to the Northern Lands for he was only the nephew of the Lord, he had tried to make a name for himself by trying to take the Western Lands when Sesshoumaru had first come to power right after his father had died. Kana actually enjoyed seeing his sister hang all over Sesshoumaru. He had no special liking for his sister and knew that Sesshoumaru practically despised the girl. He enjoyed any situation in which Sesshoumaru suffered.
"Yes, now will you remove your sister from my arm before I am forced to detach her most forcefully." When no one made a move to do anything, Sesshoumaru flung his arm to the side and knocked the annoying girl off. Being that she was youkai she was agile enough to not fall or get injured much to Sesshoumaru's dismay.
He walked off without looking back at either of them. He could still smell her scent on her arm and it disgusted him. He looked around at the now almost full room. It was late noon and many of the humans had gone off to eat lunch. It was not a needed meal for youkai, but many indulged in it. He decided that he would check Kagome's room and then check the dining hall for her.
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"So do you remember the plan for tonight?"
"Yep. It's pretty easy, Rin hopes it works."
"Yeah so do I." Shippou and Rin had returned inside and were now in search of Kagome. Rin knew that she was not to associate as closely to Sesshoumaru as she normally would in these types of places, so they decided that they could play with Kagome.
Shippou was having a difficult time finding his surrogate mother because of the multiple scents that filled the room. He had remembered her saying that she would go to her room, but they had not found her there.
"Shippou-kun, Rin is getting hungry."
"Okay Rin we'll go get something to eat." They arrived in the dining hall where multiple tables were covered in the most delicious looking foods. Then Shippou spotted who they had been looking for. "Kagome." He ran over to her and she welcomed him into her arms.
"Hello Shippou, hello Rin. You two done playing already?"
"Rin got hungry." The little girl said. Kagome lifted her into the seat next to her and handed her a plate and began to place different foods on it. "Thank you Kagome-chan."
"You're welcome Rin-chan."
"Why weren't you in your room Kagome?"
"I got hungry." Kagome explained simply. She handed Shippou a snack. "So what happened to Sesshoumaru?"
"I don't know." Shippou answered. "I think he went off to find you."
"Why would he do that?"
"Rin thinks Sesshoumaru-sama likes Kagome-chan." Kagome's cheeks turned a bright red.
"Umm...I don't think so Rin." Kagome said, but then the memory of the kiss they had just shared came to mind and her blush darkened even more.
"But Rin wants Kagome-chan to be her okaasan."
Kagome only smiled at the small girl, while her mind circulated over the thought of her with Sesshoumaru. 'Who knows what will happen while I'm here? I wonder what the others are up to.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Inu Yasha slow down. We're only checking out a rumor of a jewel shard, without Kagome-sama we don't know if it's really there." Miroku and Sango tried to keep up with the hanyou. Kirara had been carrying them earlier, but had already tired out.
"Fine, we'll rest here." Inu Yasha jumped in a tree and sat down on one of the lower branches.
"Finally." Sango said out of breath.
"Isn't it wonderful to finally get a break, Sango."
"AAH! Hentai!" Sango went and sat down under a tree leaving an unconscious houshi on the ground wearing a signature handprint on his cheek.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sesshoumaru finally got to the dining hall after seeing that Kagome was not in her room. There he found her and the children eating and laughing.
Kagome looked up and saw the youkai lord staring at them. She smiled at him. "Would you like to join us Sesshoumaru-sama."
He did not respond but took the chair next to Kagome. Kagome was now sitting between Rin and Sesshoumaru and had Shippou in her lap. "You were not in your room."
"I got hungry." Kagome explained. After a moment of silence Kagome finally understood what he had really said and wondered why he was at her room. "Did you want to speak with me about something?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, you said you went to my room, so I figured you were looking for me."
"Aa." 'Should I apologize? What will she say? She has made no moves to be anything but nice, so I suppose I should. I would rather apologize now than have that stupid wolf get to her first.' "I wanted to..."
"Sesshoumaru!"
'Oh Kami not now.'
"I found you." Saiya came running up to the youkai lord. "You should have just said that you felt like eating something. I would have accompanied you." She took the other seat next to Sesshoumaru.
Kagome was rather shocked and felt a little jealous when she saw the girl grab Sesshoumaru's arm. "Ne, Sesshoumaru-sama, who's your friend?" Kagome asked.
"She is not my friend. Kagome this is the Saiya, the Northern Lord's niece." Sesshoumaru did not want Kagome to ever have to meet Saiya. 'Why did she have to show up now of all times?' Sesshoumaru had the distinct feeling of a headache coming on.
"Hello, I'm Kagome. It's nice to meet you."
"I do not associate with humans." Saiya stated haughtily. "Sesshoumaru, how could you stand being with such a creature?"
Kagome was greatly insulted and felt her temper flare. Sesshoumaru also noticed the rise in her aura energy. Kagome though was trying her best to keep herself under control. 'I can't believe her.'
"Sesshoumaru why bother with these other women? Everyone knows you're going to be my mate." Sesshoumaru growled at the statement and Kagome could tell that he definitely did not agree.
"Rin doesn't want her as Rin's mommy." Rin stated when she finally figured out what was going on.
"Don't worry Rin."
Saiya looked over at the small girl. "Do not tell me the rumors are true and you travel with that small human. But not to worry. When we are mated she will be the first thing to go."
Rin made a small noise that sounded as if she were going to cry. That was it for Sesshoumaru. He stood up wrenched his arm from Saiya and turned to look her straight in the eye. "I will never take you for my mate wench. Now leave me and mine alone." With that he grabbed Rin and had her hold on to his kimono then he grabbed Kagome's hand and left the room.
"Umm...Sesshoumaru-sama. You can let go of my hand now." Kagome said when he had actually been dragging her for quite sometime. Sesshoumaru noticed this and let go of her. Kagome caught her breath and noticed that he had gotten to the library. She took a seat and put down Shippou who she had been carrying haphazardly in her free arm. Sesshoumaru also set Rin down after he had let go of Kagome's hand.
"Sesshoumaru-sama's not really going to get rid of Rin, right?" Rin's lower lip trembled and tears filled her eyes slightly.
"No Rin." Rin smiled and hugged his leg.
"Yay, Rin never want to leave Sesshoumaru-sama."
Sesshoumaru took a seat next to Kagome on the couch she was on. "So, are you going to tell me what that was about?"
"Saiya has been trying to get me to be her mate for some time."
"And you avoid her like the plague." Kagome finished what she knew he was thinking. He only nodded. "Well, that's a good thing for Rin." Kagome looked at the small girl who had climbed into her lap along with Shippou. Rin smiled back up at her. "Looks like my lap is getting kind of crowded." Kagome giggled.
Sesshoumaru found the sound of her laugh like music, light and whimsical. So very unlike Sayai's high pitched laughter that made his ears want to bleed. Rin and Shippou laughed to themselves when they saw Sesshoumaru staring at Kagome. "What's so funny?" Kagome asked the two children, but they shook their heads and got off her lap and began to run around the room. "Why is this room so empty?" Kagome had just noticed that the huge library didn't have anyone else in it.
"Youkai do not often socialize in a library."
"Oh." Kagome looked down in her lap for a few minutes before looking back up at Sesshoumaru. "So what were you going to say earlier?"
Sesshoumaru decided to say what he needed to say before anyone else interrupted him and it seemed like a good time since no one else was in the room. "I wished to ask for your forgiveness for my earlier actions. They were uncalled for."
Kagome stared at him for a moment and he began to wonder if she understood what he was talking about. 'He's apologizing?! I didn't think he knew how. Wait what's he apologizing for? The kiss or the thing with Kouga?' "Umm...are you talking about the thing with Kouga or..."
"Yes, the wolf is very annoying, but my actions were not called for. What else would I be apologizing for?" Kagome fidgeted and averted her gaze. From the way she was acting, Sesshoumaru seemed to understand what she had been thinking. He brought his hand to her chin and made her face him. "I do not regret kissing you and I will not apologize for it." He was leaning forward and Kagome closed her eyes waiting for the kiss, but her eyes shot open when she heard the door slammed.
Kouga stood in the doorway. "I thought I told you to stay away from my woman." Kouga ran over to Kagome and grabbed her arm. "Come one Kagome, dinner is being served already." Kagome looked out the window and hadn't noticed how late it was getting. Surely she couldn't have been sitting around in the dining hall earlier wasting the day away earlier.
Sesshoumaru nearly growled when Kouga grabbed Kagome, but knew that he would just be acting childish again. He was actually surprised when he saw Kagome grab her arm back from Kouga.
"Kouga I think I can walk there fine on my own." Kagome went and grabbed the two children and left the room. Sesshoumaru stood glaring at Kouga and followed Kagome. Seeing Sesshoumaru's glare Kouga swallowed hard, he knew he was in big trouble when this meeting was all over.
Sesshoumaru caught up with Kagome and walked next to her. "Aren't you afraid of what everyone will say if you walk in with a human?" Kagome questioned the lord as they were at the door. The only indication that she had been heard was Sesshoumaru arching a brow at her.
He opened the door for her and followed her in. Many eyes turned to see who had just entered. Kagome was torn between being jealous and giggling at all the women both human and youkai who seemed to be looking very intently at Sesshoumaru. She couldn't help and she began to laugh softly. Sesshoumaru caught it and frowned down at her. His sour look only caused her to laugh more. "It's not my fault you seem so irresistible." Kagome said, but then quickly shut her mouth realizing what she'd said.
Sesshoumaru looked at her, but did not show the shock that he felt from her statement. They got to an empty table. He pulled out her seat for her and she blushed. Sesshoumaru could hear many of the whispers going on of how he was treating a human. He inwardly groaned. It was not as rare as many thought for a youkai lord to mate with a human, however, he had a reputation even among them for hating humans and now there he was with a human child and courting a human woman.
After they had sat down Kouga came in. He took the seat across from Kagome. She tried not to say anything bad and hoped that Kouga and Sesshoumaru would behave themselves. Then female dragon youkai came up to Kagome. Kagome looked up and saw a beautiful youkai who seemed about the same age as her, but she was probably hundreds of years old. She had dark purple scales that framed her face and went down her neck to a lovely pale yellow kimono. Her eyes were a fiery orange and her black hair was up in an intricate style. "You are a human miko are you not?"
"Hai." Kagome answered. 'I hope I'm not in trouble, but I don't feel a dangerous aura from her.'
"I was wondering if you were perhaps the miko that injured Naraku." Kagome nodded and then she noticed that everyone around was looking at her. As soon as she had nodded they all began to whisper to each other about her. "It's a pleasure to meet someone with a reputation such as yourself. To think a human with enough power to injure Naraku, and a female at that. I'm Ryuujo, the princess of the South. That's my mate to be over there." Ryuujo pointed to another dragon youkai who was watching her out of the corner of his eye.
"I'm Kagome, nice to meet you." Kagome couldn't believe that she had a reputation and felt very nervous since she knew everyone was talking about her.
"You certainly did find a gem, Sesshoumaru. Well, I'd love to talk to you later Kagome perhaps tomorrow we can eat together." Kagome nodded and Ryuujo went back to her table. Kagome then turned to Sesshoumaru questioningly.
"Ryuujo is a kind for a youkai especially a princess, though she can be overly hyper at times." Sesshoumaru explained. "It would seem she has made you the topic of the night." He the stated as he could distinctly hear many people speaking about her.
Just as the servants were coming in with their meals, Kagome groaned when she saw who stepped through the door. Saiya and Kana had just walked in. She did not know Kana, but anyone associating with that girl couldn't be good. Luckily Sesshoumaru had been sure to sit at the end of the table so that Saiya could not sit next to him since that seat was taken by Kagome.
Saiya came over a greeted Sesshoumaru in her normal fashion and then took the seat across from him. She frowned at Kagome because she had heard the miko's reputation as well and was angry she was not sitting next to Sesshoumaru.
Kagome didn't notice the bad looks she was getting since she was watching the man Saiya had come in with basically scare Kouga out of his seat. He then took the seat across from Kagome. "So Sesshoumaru are you not going to introduce me to your friend?"
Kagome could almost feel the tension between the two. "Kana this is Kagome. Kagome, Kana the nephew of the Northern Lord."
"Pleased to meet you Kagome." Kana said in a tone that would have made many women swoon.
"Nice to meet you. So you are related to Saiya?" Kagome asked.
"Unfortunately so." Kana answered. 'This girl certainly is strong if she lives up to her reputation. No wonder Sesshoumaru is trying to court her. I would never have believed he would choose a human. She is most beautiful though. I wonder if he would be heart broken if she was with another.' Kana smirked at his own thoughts.
As dinner went on Kana and Kagome would talk amicably while Saiya would try to talk to Sesshoumaru or throw in a bad comment at Kagome every now and then. Sesshoumaru was incredibly tense. He did not like Kana talking to Kagome as if they were good friends. He was wary as to what Kana was up to and believed Kagome much too trusting for her own good.
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Kagome sat on her bed combing out her hair and thinking about how the day had gone. She was still very nervous being here around so many youkai, but many seemed actually very nice. After dinner many of them had wanted to talk to her after finding out who she was. She giggled to herself as she remembered how Sesshoumaru had been giving every male that came up to her a glare. 'I wonder if he really cares for me or if it's just like the whole Inu Yasha thing. Inu Yasha never loved me, but for some reason hates it when I'm with other guys.'
Kagome looked up as she saw her door open. "Hey Kagome."
"Hey Shippou." Kagome smiled and the little kitsune ran over and ran his hands through her hair.
"You're hair's really soft Kagome."
"Thank you, but shouldn't you be in bed Shippou."
"I wanted to go outside and look at the stars. Please Kagome."
"Okay, but only for a bit okay, then it's off to bed." Shippou nodded and they both walked out of the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin ran over to her fatherly figure and hugged his leg.
"Rin, you should be asleep." Sesshoumaru stated coming out of his thoughts of a certain human miko.
"But Rin wants to go outside and watch the stars with Sesshoumaru-sama." Sesshoumaru couldn't understand the girl's fascination with the stars. When they traveled and had to camp she could watch the stars. Why did she want to do it now?
He looked into the girl's pleading eyes and felt his resolve to say no melt away. 'I must be getting soft.' "Only for a moment Rin." The girl cheered and grabbed the youkai lord's hand and led him from the room.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Shippou!" Rin yelled as they got outside and she saw the little kitsune. Then she turned to the girl sitting on the grass. "Kagome-chan!" She ran over and hugged the miko.
"Hello, Rin-chan. What are you doing out here?" Kagome asked.
"Rin wanted to watch the stars."
"Really? Shippou wanted the same thing." Kagome said in slightly suspicious voice. Before she could say more Shippou grabbed Rin's hand and they ran off, but not too far.
Sesshoumaru had heard the suspicion in Kagome's voice and he too wondered if the children had really wanted to watch the stars. He sat down next to Kagome and studied the miko. He hair was now down out of the weave it had been in earlier that day and the light wind played with the raven locks.
"I think we've been set up." Kagome said breaking the silence. "But I'm glad I came outside, the stars really are nice tonight."
Sesshoumaru for a moment wondered if she enjoyed the fact that he was there with her as much as he did. He looked up towards the shining silver lights in the night sky. "What is so special about them?"
"They're beautiful. Shining so brightly. I don't know why, but they just seem to warm my spirit." Kagome may have had a warm spirit, but her body shivered a bit as a gust of wind went by.
"Obviously they do not warm you enough." Sesshoumaru stated and then did something that shocked both himself and Kagome. He pulled her to him till she was practically in his lap.
Kagome's could feel her cheeks getting warm. "Umm...Sesshoumaru-sama what are you doing?"
"Warming you up."
'Yeah a little too much.' Kagome thought. Her body reacted without her thinking and she leaned back against his broad chest. 'I must say he does a better job than the stars.' Kagome turned and looked at the youkai lord and quickly wished she hadn't as her eyes locked with his smoldering golden ones. Sesshoumaru brought his hand up to cheek and brushed back some of her windblown hair. Kagome turned into the gentle touch and Sesshoumaru felt his blood start to boil. He leaned in and claimed her lips as he had done before. Neither noticed the audience that they had.
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"Yay, now Rin will have a mommy."
"Don't be so happy yet Rin. They still haven't really confessed yet." Shippou reminded her. Rin just pouted.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Little did anyone else know that two other sets of eyes watched the couple kiss. "I can't believe that human whore. I can't believe she's kissing my Sesshoumaru. He should be with me."
"Well then little sister perhaps we can make that happen."
"You're going to help me?" Saiya said rather skeptically.
"Of course. You are my sister." Kana responded. 'And I would like nothing more then seeing Sesshoumaru lose the one he seems to love to his enemy and being stuck with the one he can't stand.' Kana smirked a little. 'I'll make the miko mine and see Sesshoumaru suffer.'
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AN: wow that was a kind of long chapter, I didn't know where to end it. Hope you all enjoyed and please please please review.
I kind of just made up the names so I don't know if they mean anything. I just know Kana which is my brother's middle name.
Review Responses:
Obscuredwaif: I agree Rin and Shippou are just too cute
Sith: Sorry about the cliffhanger that I usually write, but I can't figure out when to end a chapter
LovelyLioness57: thanks for pointing that out. Saiya was supposed to be a wolf youkai, I don't what made me write hawk, I must have been out of it. But I fixed it, so thankyou for catching my mistakes
Yukari: Sure I can make the dress like that, I think I'll write it for the next chapter
Destiny Lobademonia: Yay another person turned to S/K fics
Napea: Sure you can archive my story if you want. I always feel so happy when people say they like my stories enough to archive them
Big Thanks to everyone else that reviewed. ^__^
~*Shichan
CH: 6 Little Schemes
Sesshoumaru nearly growled when he felt Saiya grab on to his arm. "What do you think that you are doing?"
"Keeping you company throughout this event. I would not want any wretched female to take my mate away." Saiya answered, the false sweetness in her high voice hurting Sesshoumaru's ears. "Especially those human women, could anything be more retched."
'Kagome is not wretched.' Sesshoumaru almost blurted out, but contained himself. "Release my arm wench." Sesshoumaru said with a low warning growl.
Unfortunately Saiya was not that bright and only clung onto him harder and batted her eyes at him.
"Ah, Sesshoumaru I see you have found my niece." Sesshoumaru noticed an old wolf youkai walk up to him.
"It would seem unfortunately so."
"Oh, Sesshoumaru you're such a kidder." Saiya said with a tiny laugh.
"Saiya is in search of mate here. It would seem she already has her choice. You do not happen to have a favorite at this moment, do you Sesshoumaru?" Takeji said to the young lord.
"Perhaps I do." Sesshoumaru responded. He knew that he could not out right say Kagome's name for fear of Saiya wrath against the girl. He also knew that if he said no it would only further encourage her. Unfortunately the phrasing he chose did not help him much either.
"Oh, Sesshoumaru, you need not be so coy. If you want me to be your mate you need only ask."
Sesshoumaru almost groaned. He silently wondered if it would be worth it to lose the only arm he had in order to escape her. But he quickly dismissed the foolish thought. That would make it most difficult to protect his lands and would probably encourage her to grab his waist.
"Well, I shall leave you two to get reacquainted." Takeji walked off leaving a very distress, though he would never show it, lord of the Western Lands and a very clingy and ignorant female wolf youkai.
"I will tell you one last time. Release my arm."
"Oh, you're no fun Sesshoumaru. But don't worry I still love you."
'Oh Kami.' Sesshoumaru felt the distinct need to roll his eyes.
"Saiya, you should no better than to just run off." Another wolf youkai came up to the couple. Sesshoumaru really did sneer this time. "Sesshoumaru."
"Kana."
"I see my sister has found you already. I do not know what she sees in you." Kana and Sesshoumaru were great rivals. Being that Kana was not the heir to the Northern Lands for he was only the nephew of the Lord, he had tried to make a name for himself by trying to take the Western Lands when Sesshoumaru had first come to power right after his father had died. Kana actually enjoyed seeing his sister hang all over Sesshoumaru. He had no special liking for his sister and knew that Sesshoumaru practically despised the girl. He enjoyed any situation in which Sesshoumaru suffered.
"Yes, now will you remove your sister from my arm before I am forced to detach her most forcefully." When no one made a move to do anything, Sesshoumaru flung his arm to the side and knocked the annoying girl off. Being that she was youkai she was agile enough to not fall or get injured much to Sesshoumaru's dismay.
He walked off without looking back at either of them. He could still smell her scent on her arm and it disgusted him. He looked around at the now almost full room. It was late noon and many of the humans had gone off to eat lunch. It was not a needed meal for youkai, but many indulged in it. He decided that he would check Kagome's room and then check the dining hall for her.
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"So do you remember the plan for tonight?"
"Yep. It's pretty easy, Rin hopes it works."
"Yeah so do I." Shippou and Rin had returned inside and were now in search of Kagome. Rin knew that she was not to associate as closely to Sesshoumaru as she normally would in these types of places, so they decided that they could play with Kagome.
Shippou was having a difficult time finding his surrogate mother because of the multiple scents that filled the room. He had remembered her saying that she would go to her room, but they had not found her there.
"Shippou-kun, Rin is getting hungry."
"Okay Rin we'll go get something to eat." They arrived in the dining hall where multiple tables were covered in the most delicious looking foods. Then Shippou spotted who they had been looking for. "Kagome." He ran over to her and she welcomed him into her arms.
"Hello Shippou, hello Rin. You two done playing already?"
"Rin got hungry." The little girl said. Kagome lifted her into the seat next to her and handed her a plate and began to place different foods on it. "Thank you Kagome-chan."
"You're welcome Rin-chan."
"Why weren't you in your room Kagome?"
"I got hungry." Kagome explained simply. She handed Shippou a snack. "So what happened to Sesshoumaru?"
"I don't know." Shippou answered. "I think he went off to find you."
"Why would he do that?"
"Rin thinks Sesshoumaru-sama likes Kagome-chan." Kagome's cheeks turned a bright red.
"Umm...I don't think so Rin." Kagome said, but then the memory of the kiss they had just shared came to mind and her blush darkened even more.
"But Rin wants Kagome-chan to be her okaasan."
Kagome only smiled at the small girl, while her mind circulated over the thought of her with Sesshoumaru. 'Who knows what will happen while I'm here? I wonder what the others are up to.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Inu Yasha slow down. We're only checking out a rumor of a jewel shard, without Kagome-sama we don't know if it's really there." Miroku and Sango tried to keep up with the hanyou. Kirara had been carrying them earlier, but had already tired out.
"Fine, we'll rest here." Inu Yasha jumped in a tree and sat down on one of the lower branches.
"Finally." Sango said out of breath.
"Isn't it wonderful to finally get a break, Sango."
"AAH! Hentai!" Sango went and sat down under a tree leaving an unconscious houshi on the ground wearing a signature handprint on his cheek.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Sesshoumaru finally got to the dining hall after seeing that Kagome was not in her room. There he found her and the children eating and laughing.
Kagome looked up and saw the youkai lord staring at them. She smiled at him. "Would you like to join us Sesshoumaru-sama."
He did not respond but took the chair next to Kagome. Kagome was now sitting between Rin and Sesshoumaru and had Shippou in her lap. "You were not in your room."
"I got hungry." Kagome explained. After a moment of silence Kagome finally understood what he had really said and wondered why he was at her room. "Did you want to speak with me about something?"
"Why do you ask?"
"Well, you said you went to my room, so I figured you were looking for me."
"Aa." 'Should I apologize? What will she say? She has made no moves to be anything but nice, so I suppose I should. I would rather apologize now than have that stupid wolf get to her first.' "I wanted to..."
"Sesshoumaru!"
'Oh Kami not now.'
"I found you." Saiya came running up to the youkai lord. "You should have just said that you felt like eating something. I would have accompanied you." She took the other seat next to Sesshoumaru.
Kagome was rather shocked and felt a little jealous when she saw the girl grab Sesshoumaru's arm. "Ne, Sesshoumaru-sama, who's your friend?" Kagome asked.
"She is not my friend. Kagome this is the Saiya, the Northern Lord's niece." Sesshoumaru did not want Kagome to ever have to meet Saiya. 'Why did she have to show up now of all times?' Sesshoumaru had the distinct feeling of a headache coming on.
"Hello, I'm Kagome. It's nice to meet you."
"I do not associate with humans." Saiya stated haughtily. "Sesshoumaru, how could you stand being with such a creature?"
Kagome was greatly insulted and felt her temper flare. Sesshoumaru also noticed the rise in her aura energy. Kagome though was trying her best to keep herself under control. 'I can't believe her.'
"Sesshoumaru why bother with these other women? Everyone knows you're going to be my mate." Sesshoumaru growled at the statement and Kagome could tell that he definitely did not agree.
"Rin doesn't want her as Rin's mommy." Rin stated when she finally figured out what was going on.
"Don't worry Rin."
Saiya looked over at the small girl. "Do not tell me the rumors are true and you travel with that small human. But not to worry. When we are mated she will be the first thing to go."
Rin made a small noise that sounded as if she were going to cry. That was it for Sesshoumaru. He stood up wrenched his arm from Saiya and turned to look her straight in the eye. "I will never take you for my mate wench. Now leave me and mine alone." With that he grabbed Rin and had her hold on to his kimono then he grabbed Kagome's hand and left the room.
"Umm...Sesshoumaru-sama. You can let go of my hand now." Kagome said when he had actually been dragging her for quite sometime. Sesshoumaru noticed this and let go of her. Kagome caught her breath and noticed that he had gotten to the library. She took a seat and put down Shippou who she had been carrying haphazardly in her free arm. Sesshoumaru also set Rin down after he had let go of Kagome's hand.
"Sesshoumaru-sama's not really going to get rid of Rin, right?" Rin's lower lip trembled and tears filled her eyes slightly.
"No Rin." Rin smiled and hugged his leg.
"Yay, Rin never want to leave Sesshoumaru-sama."
Sesshoumaru took a seat next to Kagome on the couch she was on. "So, are you going to tell me what that was about?"
"Saiya has been trying to get me to be her mate for some time."
"And you avoid her like the plague." Kagome finished what she knew he was thinking. He only nodded. "Well, that's a good thing for Rin." Kagome looked at the small girl who had climbed into her lap along with Shippou. Rin smiled back up at her. "Looks like my lap is getting kind of crowded." Kagome giggled.
Sesshoumaru found the sound of her laugh like music, light and whimsical. So very unlike Sayai's high pitched laughter that made his ears want to bleed. Rin and Shippou laughed to themselves when they saw Sesshoumaru staring at Kagome. "What's so funny?" Kagome asked the two children, but they shook their heads and got off her lap and began to run around the room. "Why is this room so empty?" Kagome had just noticed that the huge library didn't have anyone else in it.
"Youkai do not often socialize in a library."
"Oh." Kagome looked down in her lap for a few minutes before looking back up at Sesshoumaru. "So what were you going to say earlier?"
Sesshoumaru decided to say what he needed to say before anyone else interrupted him and it seemed like a good time since no one else was in the room. "I wished to ask for your forgiveness for my earlier actions. They were uncalled for."
Kagome stared at him for a moment and he began to wonder if she understood what he was talking about. 'He's apologizing?! I didn't think he knew how. Wait what's he apologizing for? The kiss or the thing with Kouga?' "Umm...are you talking about the thing with Kouga or..."
"Yes, the wolf is very annoying, but my actions were not called for. What else would I be apologizing for?" Kagome fidgeted and averted her gaze. From the way she was acting, Sesshoumaru seemed to understand what she had been thinking. He brought his hand to her chin and made her face him. "I do not regret kissing you and I will not apologize for it." He was leaning forward and Kagome closed her eyes waiting for the kiss, but her eyes shot open when she heard the door slammed.
Kouga stood in the doorway. "I thought I told you to stay away from my woman." Kouga ran over to Kagome and grabbed her arm. "Come one Kagome, dinner is being served already." Kagome looked out the window and hadn't noticed how late it was getting. Surely she couldn't have been sitting around in the dining hall earlier wasting the day away earlier.
Sesshoumaru nearly growled when Kouga grabbed Kagome, but knew that he would just be acting childish again. He was actually surprised when he saw Kagome grab her arm back from Kouga.
"Kouga I think I can walk there fine on my own." Kagome went and grabbed the two children and left the room. Sesshoumaru stood glaring at Kouga and followed Kagome. Seeing Sesshoumaru's glare Kouga swallowed hard, he knew he was in big trouble when this meeting was all over.
Sesshoumaru caught up with Kagome and walked next to her. "Aren't you afraid of what everyone will say if you walk in with a human?" Kagome questioned the lord as they were at the door. The only indication that she had been heard was Sesshoumaru arching a brow at her.
He opened the door for her and followed her in. Many eyes turned to see who had just entered. Kagome was torn between being jealous and giggling at all the women both human and youkai who seemed to be looking very intently at Sesshoumaru. She couldn't help and she began to laugh softly. Sesshoumaru caught it and frowned down at her. His sour look only caused her to laugh more. "It's not my fault you seem so irresistible." Kagome said, but then quickly shut her mouth realizing what she'd said.
Sesshoumaru looked at her, but did not show the shock that he felt from her statement. They got to an empty table. He pulled out her seat for her and she blushed. Sesshoumaru could hear many of the whispers going on of how he was treating a human. He inwardly groaned. It was not as rare as many thought for a youkai lord to mate with a human, however, he had a reputation even among them for hating humans and now there he was with a human child and courting a human woman.
After they had sat down Kouga came in. He took the seat across from Kagome. She tried not to say anything bad and hoped that Kouga and Sesshoumaru would behave themselves. Then female dragon youkai came up to Kagome. Kagome looked up and saw a beautiful youkai who seemed about the same age as her, but she was probably hundreds of years old. She had dark purple scales that framed her face and went down her neck to a lovely pale yellow kimono. Her eyes were a fiery orange and her black hair was up in an intricate style. "You are a human miko are you not?"
"Hai." Kagome answered. 'I hope I'm not in trouble, but I don't feel a dangerous aura from her.'
"I was wondering if you were perhaps the miko that injured Naraku." Kagome nodded and then she noticed that everyone around was looking at her. As soon as she had nodded they all began to whisper to each other about her. "It's a pleasure to meet someone with a reputation such as yourself. To think a human with enough power to injure Naraku, and a female at that. I'm Ryuujo, the princess of the South. That's my mate to be over there." Ryuujo pointed to another dragon youkai who was watching her out of the corner of his eye.
"I'm Kagome, nice to meet you." Kagome couldn't believe that she had a reputation and felt very nervous since she knew everyone was talking about her.
"You certainly did find a gem, Sesshoumaru. Well, I'd love to talk to you later Kagome perhaps tomorrow we can eat together." Kagome nodded and Ryuujo went back to her table. Kagome then turned to Sesshoumaru questioningly.
"Ryuujo is a kind for a youkai especially a princess, though she can be overly hyper at times." Sesshoumaru explained. "It would seem she has made you the topic of the night." He the stated as he could distinctly hear many people speaking about her.
Just as the servants were coming in with their meals, Kagome groaned when she saw who stepped through the door. Saiya and Kana had just walked in. She did not know Kana, but anyone associating with that girl couldn't be good. Luckily Sesshoumaru had been sure to sit at the end of the table so that Saiya could not sit next to him since that seat was taken by Kagome.
Saiya came over a greeted Sesshoumaru in her normal fashion and then took the seat across from him. She frowned at Kagome because she had heard the miko's reputation as well and was angry she was not sitting next to Sesshoumaru.
Kagome didn't notice the bad looks she was getting since she was watching the man Saiya had come in with basically scare Kouga out of his seat. He then took the seat across from Kagome. "So Sesshoumaru are you not going to introduce me to your friend?"
Kagome could almost feel the tension between the two. "Kana this is Kagome. Kagome, Kana the nephew of the Northern Lord."
"Pleased to meet you Kagome." Kana said in a tone that would have made many women swoon.
"Nice to meet you. So you are related to Saiya?" Kagome asked.
"Unfortunately so." Kana answered. 'This girl certainly is strong if she lives up to her reputation. No wonder Sesshoumaru is trying to court her. I would never have believed he would choose a human. She is most beautiful though. I wonder if he would be heart broken if she was with another.' Kana smirked at his own thoughts.
As dinner went on Kana and Kagome would talk amicably while Saiya would try to talk to Sesshoumaru or throw in a bad comment at Kagome every now and then. Sesshoumaru was incredibly tense. He did not like Kana talking to Kagome as if they were good friends. He was wary as to what Kana was up to and believed Kagome much too trusting for her own good.
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Kagome sat on her bed combing out her hair and thinking about how the day had gone. She was still very nervous being here around so many youkai, but many seemed actually very nice. After dinner many of them had wanted to talk to her after finding out who she was. She giggled to herself as she remembered how Sesshoumaru had been giving every male that came up to her a glare. 'I wonder if he really cares for me or if it's just like the whole Inu Yasha thing. Inu Yasha never loved me, but for some reason hates it when I'm with other guys.'
Kagome looked up as she saw her door open. "Hey Kagome."
"Hey Shippou." Kagome smiled and the little kitsune ran over and ran his hands through her hair.
"You're hair's really soft Kagome."
"Thank you, but shouldn't you be in bed Shippou."
"I wanted to go outside and look at the stars. Please Kagome."
"Okay, but only for a bit okay, then it's off to bed." Shippou nodded and they both walked out of the room.
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"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin ran over to her fatherly figure and hugged his leg.
"Rin, you should be asleep." Sesshoumaru stated coming out of his thoughts of a certain human miko.
"But Rin wants to go outside and watch the stars with Sesshoumaru-sama." Sesshoumaru couldn't understand the girl's fascination with the stars. When they traveled and had to camp she could watch the stars. Why did she want to do it now?
He looked into the girl's pleading eyes and felt his resolve to say no melt away. 'I must be getting soft.' "Only for a moment Rin." The girl cheered and grabbed the youkai lord's hand and led him from the room.
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"Shippou!" Rin yelled as they got outside and she saw the little kitsune. Then she turned to the girl sitting on the grass. "Kagome-chan!" She ran over and hugged the miko.
"Hello, Rin-chan. What are you doing out here?" Kagome asked.
"Rin wanted to watch the stars."
"Really? Shippou wanted the same thing." Kagome said in slightly suspicious voice. Before she could say more Shippou grabbed Rin's hand and they ran off, but not too far.
Sesshoumaru had heard the suspicion in Kagome's voice and he too wondered if the children had really wanted to watch the stars. He sat down next to Kagome and studied the miko. He hair was now down out of the weave it had been in earlier that day and the light wind played with the raven locks.
"I think we've been set up." Kagome said breaking the silence. "But I'm glad I came outside, the stars really are nice tonight."
Sesshoumaru for a moment wondered if she enjoyed the fact that he was there with her as much as he did. He looked up towards the shining silver lights in the night sky. "What is so special about them?"
"They're beautiful. Shining so brightly. I don't know why, but they just seem to warm my spirit." Kagome may have had a warm spirit, but her body shivered a bit as a gust of wind went by.
"Obviously they do not warm you enough." Sesshoumaru stated and then did something that shocked both himself and Kagome. He pulled her to him till she was practically in his lap.
Kagome's could feel her cheeks getting warm. "Umm...Sesshoumaru-sama what are you doing?"
"Warming you up."
'Yeah a little too much.' Kagome thought. Her body reacted without her thinking and she leaned back against his broad chest. 'I must say he does a better job than the stars.' Kagome turned and looked at the youkai lord and quickly wished she hadn't as her eyes locked with his smoldering golden ones. Sesshoumaru brought his hand up to cheek and brushed back some of her windblown hair. Kagome turned into the gentle touch and Sesshoumaru felt his blood start to boil. He leaned in and claimed her lips as he had done before. Neither noticed the audience that they had.
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"Yay, now Rin will have a mommy."
"Don't be so happy yet Rin. They still haven't really confessed yet." Shippou reminded her. Rin just pouted.
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Little did anyone else know that two other sets of eyes watched the couple kiss. "I can't believe that human whore. I can't believe she's kissing my Sesshoumaru. He should be with me."
"Well then little sister perhaps we can make that happen."
"You're going to help me?" Saiya said rather skeptically.
"Of course. You are my sister." Kana responded. 'And I would like nothing more then seeing Sesshoumaru lose the one he seems to love to his enemy and being stuck with the one he can't stand.' Kana smirked a little. 'I'll make the miko mine and see Sesshoumaru suffer.'
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AN: wow that was a kind of long chapter, I didn't know where to end it. Hope you all enjoyed and please please please review.
I kind of just made up the names so I don't know if they mean anything. I just know Kana which is my brother's middle name.
Review Responses:
Obscuredwaif: I agree Rin and Shippou are just too cute
Sith: Sorry about the cliffhanger that I usually write, but I can't figure out when to end a chapter
LovelyLioness57: thanks for pointing that out. Saiya was supposed to be a wolf youkai, I don't what made me write hawk, I must have been out of it. But I fixed it, so thankyou for catching my mistakes
Yukari: Sure I can make the dress like that, I think I'll write it for the next chapter
Destiny Lobademonia: Yay another person turned to S/K fics
Napea: Sure you can archive my story if you want. I always feel so happy when people say they like my stories enough to archive them
Big Thanks to everyone else that reviewed. ^__^
~*Shichan