Author's Note: Well, we're getting closer! I still have no idea how many chapters are left of this story, but rest assured, it's not over yet! At a rough guess, I'd say maybe five or six more chapters left. However....it's all pretty much fluff from here on out. Don't hold me to that, though - some of these chapters cover far less than I'd planned.
Disclaimer: I don't own anyone but Tsuki and Hana and their mother. Nothing to warn about in this chapter except I think Fluffy swears once, but that's about it.
Kagome's Gone
by Maia Serrelinda
Chapter 10
The group sat in silence for a few moments before Tsuki finally spoke. "It would seem that there are different versions of what happened. Since I am the one who began the confrontation in the first place, I will begin.
"My mother was widowed when my sister Hana and I were very young. She was the youngest daughter of a noble house, and had grown to love our father even though the marriage was an arranged one. When he was killed during a confict with a neighboring tribe, our mother was left with only Hana and I and this house.
She decided that the best option was to take another mate. She had met Inutaisho before she was mated to my father, but he had a mate and a young heir," here she nodded to Sesshoumaru.
"It was rumored that the lord was involved with a human woman, but my mother dismissed this as unimportant and determined to have him." She glared warningly at Inuyasha, who was growling softly. Kagome placed a restraining hand on his knee and he calmed.
"She traveled to the Western Lands and located Inutaisho. He coldly told her that he had mated with his human woman and that they were expecting a child and then he callously slit her throat and left her to die.
"When my sister had grown, she traveled to the Western Lands as well to avenge our mother. The last thing I heard was that she was to have an audience with Inutaisho. Two weeks later a messenger appeared bearing Hana's body and Father's sword."
Sesshoumaru's displeasure was almost palpable in the room. Tsuki let her head drop, unable to look the obviously angry youkai lord in the face.
Inuyasha and Kagome watched Sesshoumaru silently. They were as eager to hear what Sesshoumaru had to say as Tsuki was.
Sesshoumaru finally spoke. "That is not how it happened."
Kagome sighed. She rolled her eyes again and happened to catch sight of Inuyasha's expression and had to fight back a smile. His expression quite clearly said Well, duh, tell me something I didn't know! She giggled almost silently and Inuyasha gave her hand a quick squeeze.
Sesshoumaru glared at the couple and Kagome had to fight the sudden urge to stick her tongue out at him. She carefully assumed a bland expression and turned her attention to the youkai lord.
"Your mother did indeed attempt to convince my father to discard his human mate in her favor. However, he did not kill her. He explained to her that he loved his mate and that she, together with their unborn offspring was his family and he would not leave them. She did not take it well. She began screaming and cursing. She attacked him. He tried to calm her and stop her attacks, but she only became more and more wild. One of his retainers was forced to subdue her. Unfortunately, she later died of injuries she had inflicted upon herself.
"My father did his best to atone to you and your sister for the death of your mother, even though it was not his fault. Unfortunately, your sister in her grief incorrectly interpreted his attempts to help as an admission of guilt.
"Several years later she attempted to murder my father in his sleep. Unfortunately, she misjudged the distance from the castle wall to the ground below. She missed on her first attempt and on her second attempt she overcompensated and cleared the wall by some distance, falling to her death over the other side of the wall. Her body was returned to you.
"You have been foolish in pursuing this revenge. If I had been aware that you had pursued this path I would have sought you out much sooner and set the record straight."
The room was completely silent now except for the small sounds of Tsuki's sobs. Kagome moved to go to her, but Inuyasha shook his head slightly, indicating that she should wait. As it turned out, he was right, for Sesshoumaru was not finished with the youkai yet.
"If you insist on pursuing this ridiculous vengeance, you will face me and not the hanyou. You have shown yourself to possess honor. Do you really feel it is honorable to pursue vengeance against one who was not yet born? The one who will kill Inuyasha," and here Kagome and Inuyasha both looked at the ceiling and mouthed along, "is this Sesshoumaru."
Tsuki was sobbing openly now as Sesshoumaru waited for some sort of response. Kagome moved again to go to the youkai and this time Inuyasha allowed it. She sat next to Tsuki and pulled the youkai into her arms, glaring at Sesshoumaru. Tsuki was content to remain there for a moment or two, then moved to stand. Kagome released her hold on the woman and Tsuki faced Sesshoumaru, looking him squarely in the eyes.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, I accept that I have been wrong to pursue my misguided revenge. I will never trouble you or yours again. Please accept my apologies." Hot tears slid down Tsuki's cheeks during her entire speech. Before his mind realized what he was doing, he had reached out with his hand and brushed away a tear with the pad of an elegant finger. He jerked back as if he had been stung and quickly composed himself.
Sesshoumaru nodded once, briefly at the youkai. She remained standing as he looked to where Inuyasha was watching the scene play out. He quirked an eyebrow at his brother and then inclined his head inquisitively towards Kagome and was amused when the hanyou instantly flushed. He'd been right - Inuyasha did plan to mate the miko. He half hoped the hanyou would follow tradition and formally request that he, as head of the family, accept her as a member just so he could give him a hard time and watch him squirm. He wasn't about to hold his breath though - he had a feeling the hanyou did not see him as someone with authority.
Sesshoumaru turned and nodded to Kagome, then turned to leave. Inuyasha was suddenly standing in front of him, an almost anxious look on his face. The older youkai scowled at his younger brother. "What is it, half-breed?"
Inuyasha looked back into the room at Kagome, who had again pulled a crying Tsuki into her arms. He looked back at Sesshoumaru and spoke. "You know I've marked Kagome as mine."
Sesshoumaru nodded and waited for him to continue.
"She has agreed to become my mate," the hanyou said.
The youkai's brows rose. "Congratulations. I did not think you would ever pull your head out of your ass."
Inuyasha stood for a moment in utter shock. He immediately wrote off the comment, because his ever-so-composed brother surely had not said what he thought he had heard. He heard muffled sounds behind him and assumed that Tsuki was crying again.
He continued resolutely. "I ask your permission to take this woman as my mate and I ask that you accept her into the line of Inutaisho."
He fell silent and it was Sesshoumaru's turn to be shocked. He honestly had not thought the brat even knew that he was supposed to gain permission from the head of the family. He had also done it so suddenly that Sesshoumaru had had no idea what was coming.
He appeared to consider the request as Inuyasha grew impatient and began to fidget. He decided to put the hanyou out of his misery.
"I accept this woman into the line of Inutaisho. You have my permission as head of the family to mate with her. As part of this family she is entitled to the same rights and privileges of any other member. Therefore, I require that you host a...reception, I believe it is called. I also require an invitation." He turned and left, leaving behind a completely stunned Inuyasha. All that was really necessary was that Sesshoumaru give his permission. He was not required to expressly grant her the rights and privileges accorded to any member of the house of Inutaisho. And just what was that about a...reception, he had called it? He would have to ask Kagome.
******
Soon after Sesshoumaru had left the room, Tsuki's sobs lessened slightly. Kagome knew that the youkai would need time to get over the shock. Her life had been turned upside down by today's events.
Tsuki was crying, but not for the reason Kagome had assumed. All her life Tsuki had lived under this burden, knowing that one day she would have to fight the sons of Inutaisho. She had always hated to fight and never liked to practice. Now she was free. Free to use her magic how she saw fit and not in the name of some nebulous vengeance.
The two women quieted just in time to hear Sesshoumaru's wry congratulations and the remark that followed it. They made the mistake of looking at each other and simultaneously burst into laughter, which they quickly muffled. Out of the corner of her eye Kagome saw Inuyasha do a classic double-take and then he'd apparently decided to ignore it.
Soon Inuyasha stepped back into the room and looked at the two women. They seemed to sense his approach and almost as one they fell silent and looked at him.
Kagome moved slightly away from the youkai and gazed at her hanyou. He looked slightly confused and the very tips of ears were drooping just a little bit. She thought he was adorable and, without thinking, reached a hand up to coax the tip of one ear into its usual position. When she realized what she was doing, her gaze flew to Inuyasha's face, but his eyes were closed and he was leaning ever so slightly into her touch. She brought her hand back down to her side and watched as Inuyasha opened his eyes and gazed at her warmly.
A hand insinuated itself between their faces and moved up and down. "Hello? Anyone in there?"
Kagome shook her head to clear it and looked at Tsuki, whose hand it was. The youkai was smirking and obviously in a much better humor.
"Well, now that that's out of the way, won't you two stay another night before you return?" she asked.
Kagome groaned in realization. Her exam was tomorrow! But then, it wasn't like I studied at all for it.. She turned pleading eyes to Inuyasha.
"I guess it's all right, if you want to." Inuyasha said. Kagome hugged him quickly and the small group settled down into various positions in the room they still occupied. It was just past noon and they still had most of the day left. Tsuki reclaimed the chair she'd just vacated and Inuyasha sat on the chaise, taking Kagome's hand and pulling her down to sit just in front of him, reclining against his chest.
Tsuki smiled at the couple. "You know, Kagome, that first night I wished we'd met under different circumstances, because we could have been friends. Looks like we get that chance now, doesn't it?"
Kagome grinned back and the trio began to talk animatedly, or rather, Tsuki and Kagome did most of the talking. Inuyasha listened and inserted his own remarks here and there. The afternoon sped by as the three friends told humorous stories, swapped jokes, and got to know one another.
******
