Ok, I promise there will be some real romance in this chapter, however it will be subtle. I actually did some research to write this story and here's my first citation on the art of haiku (had issues getting ff.net to show the url, so I broke it up into pieces):

http : // www . moonrisings . com / whatishaiku . html

Hope you enjoy!

Chapter Five

Kagome rose from the plush futon and stretched her arms high above her head. By the light streaming in her window she guessed it was close to noon. How had she slept so late?

"I guess I did get to bed close to dawn," she thought aloud. Swinging her legs over the edge of the bed Kagome stood and glanced around the room, her eyes resting on the kimono she'd worn to dinner. Oh what a dinner -- more lavish than anything she'd ever encountered. Sesshoumaru spared no expense -- they'd been offered seven courses, five different main dishes to select from, and at least seven confections for dessert. Of course, she realized, the gracious offering was undoubtedly meant more for the local aristocrats than for Inuyasha's companions.

She stretched again and considered what to do next. Inuyasha was scheduled to take a tour of the various villages and farms that comprised his new domain. She'd barely seen the hanyou since their arrival almost a full day before. The thought of that left her feeling empty. Would he always be so preoccupied from now on? Surely the it was the concubine's prerogative to see her master, right? Kagome couldn't help the small smile that found its way to her lips at that thought. Not that she'd ever admit it, but the idea of being his personal consort actually pleased her.

Miroku had been offered a tour of the more lavish kingdom temples at sunrise. Being his 'wife', Sango was likely along for the trip. That left Kagome completely alone. She wished they'd taken Shippou along.

Sighing, Kagome noticed a small bundle of fresh clothing had been set out for her. True, concubines did have their own servants. No sooner had Kagome considered when the door to her room opened and admitted a small girl of about eight with long black hair wearing an orange and white kimono. "You're…"

"Rin, Kagome-sama. Sesshoumaru-sama asked Rin to take care of Kagome-sama." The girl set down a small tray which held what was to be her breakfast. "After Kagome-sama eats, Rin will take her to the archery field so Kagome can practice with her arrows."

"Practice?"

Rin's smile turned into a look of confusion. "Kagome-sama is a master archer, yes? Sesshoumaru-sama said Kagome would be bored sitting in her room all day."

The girl was right, Kagome had no desire to sit still while everyone else went exploring. Besides, a little target practice usually helped her clear her mind. She laughed. "I don't know if I'd call myself a master archer. Thank you for breakfast, Rin, I think that sounds like a good plan."

Smiling again, Rin bowed quickly and turned to leave. "Kagome-sama should call for Rin when she is ready to go."

* * * * *

"I appreciate that you didn't consume the rice bowls along with your dinner last night, Brother." Sesshoumaru stared straight ahead as he and Inuyasha made their way toward the northern border of their home.

"Keh. I know how to behave."

"Hardly. There are no starving peasants within the castle walls. If you are so hungry that you must inhale your food, I recommend eating more meals."

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed. "Stuff it, baka."

"That's another thing: you really should work on expanding your vocabulary." Sesshoumaru sighed. "I don't know what I was thinking, bringing you here to lead our father's kingdom. You're nothing but a crude, arrogant half-human peasant. It will rain honey before you resemble anything close to an inuyoukai."

Inuyasha stopped suddenly and folded his arms into his haori. "Are you trying to make me a leader, or are you trying to make me into a copy of you?"

"You could never achieve my greatness, hanyou. For one thing, I wouldn't take a fool human woman as a mate."

"Oh? So that Rin girl is a demon in disguise, then?"

"She isn't my mate."

"She would be if she were old enough. Don't deny it."

Sesshoumaru said nothing.

"Uh-huh. That's what I thought." Inuyasha grinned at his small victory.

"Rin can care for herself. That is more than I can say for your mother and Kagome."

"Don't you talk about my mother."

Sesshoumaru turned to face the hanyou, raising an eyebrow in amusement. "You glorify her because she died when you were too young to recognize her weakness. Just as you are too blinded by passion to recognize the same in Kagome."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Inuyasha grumbled. "My mother died because we were exiled from the safety of father's castle; and don't pretend you had nothing to do with it."

"My role in your exile was minimal, hanyou. The kingdom was under imminent attack and our father knew your mother would fail to protect herself. He doubted she could even protect you. I was only twelve when you were sent away but I already knew that to honor Father, I had to be strong and brave. I suggested he send you away for his own protection, because I realized he would let down his guard if either of you were in danger. If he hadn't listened, Father would have died that day and our ancestral lands would be under the control of the nekoyoukai."

"So what does Kagome have to do with any of this?"

Sesshoumaru turned back to the road ahead and began walking. Inuyasha followed.

"I've seen how you react when the girl is in danger. So much like Father. A ruling lord's first duty is to his kingdom. If Kagome is in danger, you will allow your love for the girl compromise the lives of everyone in this domain. The girl must be stronger; not just for her own safety, but for the safety of everyone here." He glanced at his younger brother again. "You must make her strong, Inuyasha."

* * * * *

"Got it!" Kagome did a little happy dance before walking over to the target. One hundred paces away and she'd hit the dummy square in the forehead.

"Kagome-sama is a great archer," Rin squealed encouragingly. "Two times!"

Pulling the arrow from her target, Kagome turned back to the little girl. "Yes, but out of fifty tries. I'm getting better, but I have a long way to go."

"Scram kid."

Kagome leapt at the sudden interruption and shot a look toward the back gate of the castle where Inuyasha stood watching them. Rin glanced from the hanyou to her mistress. "Hai!" She ran off toward the castle.

"Getting better, huh? Let me see."

Nodding, Kagome took her previous position away from the dummy and notched her arrow. Kami, please let it hit, she prayed silently as she let the arrow fly. It embedded itself square in the center of the dummy's forehead once again, and Kagome grinned.

Inuyasha walked up to the miko and examined the shot.

"Well?"

"Well what? The target doesn't move. That's hardly impressive," he snorted derisively.

Kagome's face fell. "I may not be as impressive as certain OTHER people," Kagome chanced a look at the hanyou to see if he caught her hint, "but I haven't exactly been doing this all my life, you know."

"Pathetic excuse. I'll be impressed when you can hit a moving target with any accuracy."

A challenge! Kagome searched the field before her for an appropriate target. "How about that branch over there? It's swaying a lot…"

"Keh. I suppose that might be something." He walked over to the branch and notched a small 'x' into its center. "Hit it right there," he announced walking back to Kagome and coming to stand behind her, "and I might be a little more convinced of your 'progress'."

Aiming her bow, Kagome's face began sporting small beads of sweat in her concentration. He wanted to be impressed, huh? She let the arrow fly and closed her eyes when it missed the branch altogether, landing with a plop into the small stream beyond.

"More practice. Definitely need more practice." He smirked at the miko and turned to walk away.

Kagome's face reddened in anger. "If we were back at Kaede's village…"

"What? You'd sit me?"

"YES." Kagome blinked back the tears of anger and frustration she felt pooling in her eyes. She wouldn't let the arrogant hanyou see how much he'd upset her.

"You haven't sat me in weeks," he noted smugly. "I think you forgot how to say it."

Her teeth grinding together, Kagome kept repeating the same mantra in her head. Must stay cool… must stay cool…

Seeing no further response forthcoming, Inuyasha gave her one last smirk and walked back to the back gate. "Oh, you might want to be more careful about those stray arrows. Wouldn't want you to kill some innocent bystander."

She couldn't help herself. As soon as he was far enough away, Kagome harshly whispered the therapeutic "SIT BOY."

Miroku held back a laugh at the scene before him. As soon as they left this place, he had no doubt Kagome would take all her accumulated 'sits' and present them to Inuyasha with great glee. The hanyou wouldn't be able to move for a month.

"You know Inuyasha, upsetting a woman is not the best way to get her into your bed."

"Who said I wanted that wench in my bed?"

Wagging a finger at the half-demon, Miroku followed him into the main hall. "Your eyes say what your words deny. I could give you a few pointers, my friend. As your advisor."

Inuyasha actually considered the offer. "Oh, like what?"

"Well women like being touched a lot, even if they tell you otherwise."

"Oh really? So Sango is constantly pounding you with hiraikotsu because -- what? -- it's a love bump?"

"Sango is an unusual woman," Miroku replied.

Snorting, Inuyasha shook his head. "Sure, I'll bet that's why. What other 'advice' do you have for me?"

"You should speak more passionately to her. Lower your voice a little," Miroku deepened his tone in a manner reminiscent of Barry White, "like this."

Now Inuyasha was holding his sides in laughter. "Miroku, in the three seasons I've known you I have yet to see you with a woman for longer than an hour. Something tells me you're not the person I should be asking about courting women."

Huffing indignantly, Miroku turned his nose up at the hanyou. "Suit yourself. At least I know better than to insult the woman I'm courting." With that, he stalked off toward his bedroom leaving Inuyasha sighing in good humor.

"Good call," Sango announced from behind him. "That baka knows NOTHING about what women want."

"And you do?" This constant barrage of love advice was starting to get tiresome.

Sango raised her eyebrows in amusement. "I AM a woman, you know."

She had a point. "So what would you suggest?" Inuyasha asked, then blushed and quickly added, "assuming I were interested in courting one."

"Oh, of course, this is strictly hypothetical," she assured the hanyou with a glint of humor in her eyes. "Women like to feel special… cherished. They like when men make an effort to please them."

"Yes, women do seem to require a lot of maintenance," he grumbled in response.

"Most things worth having are hard to come by," she pointed out.

He had no reply, as he realized she was right; and Kagome was definitely worth the effort.

Sango continued, "I know why you've been so harsh with her lately, and I don't expect you to be able to change that. Still, you should honor your human side as well, Inuyasha. If you are trying to court a human, then you need to treat her as such."

"So what do humans do?" Inuyasha found himself thoroughly engrossed in her words, eagerly taking in every bit of wisdom she offered.

"Come with me to the library," Sango suggested. "I have a few ideas."

* * * * *

"Good night, Sango-chan!"

Kagome closed the door to her room that night and eagerly made her way to the futon. Her arms were already becoming sore from her long hours of practice. Damn that arrogant hanyou for belittling her effort!

In her fatigue, she almost missed the slip of paper lying on her blanket. It was simple parchment, but for this time period likely an expensive commodity. The words were written in an unfamiliar hand with graceful strokes by a dark black calligraphy brush. Glancing around the room as though to find the one who'd left it there, Kagome finally settled herself onto the futon and read the note.

Orchid in the wind, Sheltered by the cherry tree, Standing in the rain