NOTE: Definitely AU. Some episode spoilers. Sango has joined the group. They've met Rin, Sesshoumaru's ward. Things are tense between InuYasha and Sesshoumaru. Naraku is still on the loose.
NOTE: I've used japanese and english terms intermittantly. I'll probably post a glossary or reedit the file some point in the future but right now I'm impatient to get the fic up for reviews so enjoy!!
AN: Thank you for the reviews and again I apologize for making all of you wait for so long. Enjoy!!
AN: How does everyone else react?
===========================================================
~*~ Ignoring Skepticism ~*~
"Hey, Sango, is Kagome there? She hasn't made breakfast."
The taijiki woke in a quick rush at InuYasha's shouted words and glanced around. Kirara and Shippo were still fast asleep. Kagome was not present. She probably woke up earlier to warm up. A small kernel of concern came to life. Quickly she dressed in her usual travelling clothes, a long green skirt, pink shawl and haori, before stepping out.
"Kagome isn't here. Maybe she went exploring."
"What an idiot!" InuYasha grumbled. "The bastard told us not to go into the caves. Looks like we have to go rescue her from her foolishness."
Sango bridled at his description of her friend but held her tongue.
"Wake Sesshoumaru," She replied evenly. "We'll need his help to search the tunnels."
"He isn't here either." Miroku responded. The houshi had responded to the noise and moved to do a quick headcount. "Jaken and Rin are still sleeping though."
InuYasha jumped to the quickest explanation that made sense to him.
"I knew it! Sesshoumaru kidnapped Kagome!"
"Don't be an idiot!" Sango replied glaring at the hanyou. "He would never leave Rin behind. He probably woke up earlier and went looking for Kagome."
Miroku nodded solemnly as he wrapped a strip of cloth around a branch and lit it to make a torch. "I agree with Sango. I suggest we go look for them. They may be in trouble."
Grumbling InuYasha conceded leading the way. Soon signs of Kagome's presence were easily identified.
"The foolish wench went exploring." InuYasha noted touching the chalk marks.
"At least she left signs for us to follow." Miroku pointed out.
InuYasha sniffed. Wisteria blossoms, the scent of a distinctive poison claw attack. "Sesshoumaru passed through here."
The three hurried until they entered the cavern that had enchanted Kagome.
"Wow! This is gorgeous!" Sango murmured looking up at the patterns of refracted sunlight through crystal prisms dancing over the stone and pools of water.
InuYasha stiffened as an unfamiliar scent drifted in the air. The mingled scents of two people – one who he hated, the other who he cared for a great deal. Wisteria dominating jasmine overlaying musk. An involuntary growl escaped InuYasha as he ran followed by the taijiki and the houshi.
The three froze at the sight that greeted them.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Blue eyes opened as Kagome came to in a very unfamiliar situation, wrapped in the silken material of an unfamiliar haori, lying upon the soft pelt of a wolf-hound, pressed close against a hard male body. She shifted and winced at the unaccustomed soreness and sticky wetness between her legs.
"Do you regret this?" A familiar silken murmur interrupted her thoughts.
Sesshoumaru.
"No." She responded just as honestly even as she turned to meet his golden gaze without flinching.
Sesshoumaru felt the knot within him loosen at the love, acceptance and heating desire he could see in the blue eyes of the miko lying beside him. He sat up on his youkino brushing black strands away from her face. A soft contended sound as she leaned into his hand, into his touch, his caress even as she sat up to reach for him, to wrap her arms around his neck, to bring his face down to hers, to kiss.
It was gentle and reassuring. It became heated and demanding. Kagome moaned softly when he lost control nipping the full lower curve of her mouth. Sesshoumaru reared back ashamed. Blue eyes flashed as she traced the red strips on his cheeks.
"Don't!" She ordered sharply even as her hands moved to follow the mirrored red markings on his shoulders, arms, torso and hips, raising welts with her own nails. He winced at that small hint of pleasure-pain. It awoke memories of the night before. She smiled knowingly. "Don't feel you have to protect me Maru." She used the shortened name to remind him of their intimate relationship, of how it had been chosen as her name for him. The oversized haori slipped baring pale shoulders and the curves of her breasts. Gold eyes drifted over the enticing sight of full curves and pale skin marked by mouth and touch. "I wanted you then. I want you now. I think I will want you until the end of time." She confessed quickly.
Sesshoumaru did not know what to say. He settled for showing her. Two strong arms wrapped around her holding her close. Two arms, another miracle of the previous night. Kagome somehow absorbed and channelled the energy from their mating into his youkino and regenerated the arm lost to Tetsaiga. He buried his face in the crook of her neck where shoulder met neck. Instinct urged him to bite, to sink his fangs in her pale flesh, to taste her sweet blood, to mark her as his.
He had taken women before – it had always been casual arrangements for material benefits – but this was different. Kagome was the One. For the first time Sesshoumaru understood what could possibly have driven his father to take a ningen-hime for a second mate.
Gold eyes flashed. He spoke in a low almost threatening growl as he tilted her chin up to meet his eyes.
"You are mine. Now and forever."
A flash of satisfaction in blue eyes that lowered demurely. "I am yours."
His new hand explored the curve of her hip before slipping to the moist thatch of hair between her legs even as the other cupped the nape of her neck for a long intimate kiss.
Both were so engrossed in their passion they were completely unaware of the three that formed an unwanted audience.
Sango gaped at the sight. She blinked several times. Nope, still there. Kagome kissing a tall guy with long silvered hair. All she could see of her friend was the top of a black head and arms wrapped around the slim torso marked with a red vine design. The two were seated on a white pelt that looked very much like the fur Sesshoumaru always wore. But this guy couldn't be Sesshoumaru because this guy had two arms. Sesshoumaru lost one in a fight with InuYasha in their father's tomb.
A low growl from InuYasha interrupted her distracted thoughts.
"Sesshoumaru!" The hanyou charged.
Kagome pulled away from her lover. Blue eyes dazed with passion before they iced. Her companion wrapped both arms around her protectively ready to push her to safety. Not that Kagome needed it.
"Osuwari!"
The sutra beads around the hanyou's neck glowed. InuYasha's face met stone with a loud thump leaving him dazed.
Kagome swiftly adjusted the haori that came to mid thigh so it covered most of her before she started to rise to scream at InuYasha.
Sango quickly decided to nip the rant in the bud.
"Kagome, who is that?"
Something stuck out. The haori Kagome wore had a distinctive design on the lapel and shoulder, red and white sakura flowers, just like the one Sesshoumaru wore. But this wasn't Sesshoumaru, was he?
Kagome smiled. Sango could see the passion and yearning her friend felt had been sated, but by who? Kagome wasn't the kind of girl who fell in and out of love quickly. She was loyal…
"Sesshoumaru?" Sango guessed. "But how? The arm…?"
The silver-haired man rose securing the hakama he wore and turned.
The familiar cool visage of the tai-youkai. Amber eyes slightly heated but controlled. Silvery locks slightly tousled. Three red strips on each cheek, a blue crescent on the forehead, red markings down the shoulders, biceps and fore arms, more markings about the pectorals and torso before disappearing into the waistband of the hakama.
Surprisingly Miroku was the one who answered Sango's question.
The houshi had been observing the body language of the two. The bond he had seen growing between the two had been formalized last night. Violet eyes noted Sesshoumaru had not formally marked Kagome but the bond between them was solid. He could see it in the subtle motions, in the way Kagome gave way to the tai-youkai at times without the heated protests she normally made. They were a couple now, One. He hadn't expected this. The two had been avoiding each other, fighting the attraction. Why did they give in last night of all nights? Miroku shrugged internally before speaking.
"It is obvious Kagome and Sesshoumaru have bonded--."
"He hasn't marked her!" InuYasha protested.
Gold eyes flashed. Fangs gleamed in silent warning. Kagome laid a small hand to restrain the angry tai-youkai.
Miroku coughed discreetly.
"As I was saying, Kagome and Sesshoumaru have bonded. It is not a formal mating but it is serious, is it not?" Violet eyes were hard as they met gold without flinching.
Sesshoumaru was impressed by the ningen's courage.
"It is." He responded. "I do not intend to anger the other tai-youkai by presenting them with a done deal. It is better to give allies the illusion of having a say." Laughter gleamed in the typically solemn gold eyes. "Even when they do not."
Miroku nodded solemnly. "True." He stared at the pair intrigued by the energy emitting from the two. "Kagome is a powerful miko but to do such a complex healing as regenerating a youkai arm..." Violet eyes widened when he realised something else. "You allowed her access to your heart!"
Sango was shocked. "You melded with his youkino?!" She squeaked as she bounded over to make sure her friend was really okay. Brown eyes stared at the tai-youkai. "And you let her?!" She accused him. "Youkai always hide their youkino!"
InuYasha was confused. What were they talking about? He was a youkai and he didn't know what the houshi and tajiki were talking about.
Sesshoumaru shrugged as he wrapped one arm across Kagome's shoulders.
Kagome blushed. She remembered how intensely personal and intimate the act had been. Kagome had explained that away as side effects of her miko powers. Was what she did really bad?
"No." She started before she realised she had spoken the question out loud. "Just intensely personal." Sesshoumaru continued to explain softly. "Forming such a connection means accepting vulnerability. You could have easily destroyed me if you chose to."
Kagome paled and buried her face in his bare chest. Her tremors slowed under the reassuring steady strokes of his touch.
InuYasha grumbled but didn't speak. He knew better than to attack Sesshoumaru. Miroku and Sango were on Sesshoumaru's side and Kagome would 'sit' him.
Of course it wasn't long before the awe on Sango and Miroku's parts faded and they began to worry about and for Kagome.
"Sesshoumaru's enemies are going to attack you to hurt him." Sango warned.
"That's nothing different," Kagome replied wryly. "Youkai attack me for the shards."
Miroku was more concerned about the spiritual side effects.
"You may loose control of your power. The mingling of miko and youkai powers is unprecedented."
"I'll talk to Kaede-obaa-san." Kagome replied with a smile. "She will know how to handle any problems."
That meant the Shikon shard hunting trip was cut short and group traveled back to their home base, Kaede's village.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Kaede listened to the explanation with neutrality that masked her awe. She'd had plenty of young women come to her for help with their lovers, husbands and family. Of course none of those young women were a miko with a tai-youkai lover.
It took a great deal of control to still her blushes and patient insistence to get Kagome's stammered dreamy details about her feelings. And even more to drag the details from Sesshoumaru. In the end Kaede came to a conclusion.
"This bond between Kagome and Sesshoumaru has been forged by some deity and fate. Neither one of them asked to be bound to who typically is the natural enemy. They didn't want to, or plan on falling in love with each other so don't take out your feelings on them. If you want to blame someone blame the Fates."
This was directed towards InuYasha who hummphed before striding off.
Rin was thrilled at the prospect of a new okaa-san.
Shippo needed patient reassurance from Kagome that she would still look after him, that she still cared for him like her own pup. Their family was just going to get bigger: a powerful stepfather, a stepsister as a playmate, a grumbling pseudo-uncle nanny.
After talking with all her friends and reassuring them that she wasn't crazy Kagome needed some reassurance of her own so she went to the only person she could trust to be objective: Kaede.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Kagome stared into the small altar fire of Kaede's hut. Sesshoumaru had left leaving Jaken and Rin; he had to send notice about his intent to the other powerful tai-youkai. He was determined not to repeat his father's mistake of insulting allies. The rest of the group were outside eating dinner near the communal fire.
Kaede stared at the young miko with her one eye. She could see Kagome was struggling between the conflicting loves she felt for two brothers. She could see the younger girl come to a decision and relax noticeably before smiling at the older woman.
"Kaede-obaa-chan?"
Kaede threw a few twigs into the fire.
"Yes Kagome-chan?"
The younger woman spoke quickly. "I love him Kaede, I love Sesshoumaru. I care for InuYasha but not enough to make him happy by breaking things with his brother."
Kaede smiled.
"That is a very wise decision child. The Fates do not care for those who try to thwart their plans."
Kagome nodded. "But what I feel for Sesshou… It is like a fire," the girl confessed softly. "I don't want to hide it, or cool it."
"Then what is wrong?"
Kagome blushed. "I feel guilty. I promised Okaa-san… I had sex before marriage."
Kaede sighed before speaking. "Kagome, in a sense this bonding is marriage, two become one. Informal, but still marriage."
"But--."
"Don't fight it." Kaede interrupted with a smile. "You have no reason to feel ashamed. Ignore what others say. You are married – you have been married by Fate. You are going to be married by society very soon." Kaede chuckled drily. "Plenty of betrothed couples anticipate their vows."
Kagome blushed hotly.
"That's another thing." She whispered softly. "Sesshou wants to be married in a youkai ceremony."
Kaede eyed her student carefully. "Do you have any problems with that?"
Kagome sighed wistfully. "I wish my family could be here. My mother, I miss her so." Kagome blinked. "I won't be using the Bone Eaters well to return to the future. If I go back they will try to change my mind… But now, this is my time and place."
Kaede nodded understanding Kagome's sorrow. "Grieve for the past but look to the future child." The miko spoke briskly. "Have you decided what you wish to wear for your wedding? Green is the traditional color for fertility…"
The conversation turned to lighter matters.
~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC...
===========================================================
AN: I made the tidbit about green being a marriage color. Does anyone know better?
Please review, no flames though..
--Sarhea
NOTE: I've used japanese and english terms intermittantly. I'll probably post a glossary or reedit the file some point in the future but right now I'm impatient to get the fic up for reviews so enjoy!!
AN: Thank you for the reviews and again I apologize for making all of you wait for so long. Enjoy!!
AN: How does everyone else react?
===========================================================
~*~ Ignoring Skepticism ~*~
"Hey, Sango, is Kagome there? She hasn't made breakfast."
The taijiki woke in a quick rush at InuYasha's shouted words and glanced around. Kirara and Shippo were still fast asleep. Kagome was not present. She probably woke up earlier to warm up. A small kernel of concern came to life. Quickly she dressed in her usual travelling clothes, a long green skirt, pink shawl and haori, before stepping out.
"Kagome isn't here. Maybe she went exploring."
"What an idiot!" InuYasha grumbled. "The bastard told us not to go into the caves. Looks like we have to go rescue her from her foolishness."
Sango bridled at his description of her friend but held her tongue.
"Wake Sesshoumaru," She replied evenly. "We'll need his help to search the tunnels."
"He isn't here either." Miroku responded. The houshi had responded to the noise and moved to do a quick headcount. "Jaken and Rin are still sleeping though."
InuYasha jumped to the quickest explanation that made sense to him.
"I knew it! Sesshoumaru kidnapped Kagome!"
"Don't be an idiot!" Sango replied glaring at the hanyou. "He would never leave Rin behind. He probably woke up earlier and went looking for Kagome."
Miroku nodded solemnly as he wrapped a strip of cloth around a branch and lit it to make a torch. "I agree with Sango. I suggest we go look for them. They may be in trouble."
Grumbling InuYasha conceded leading the way. Soon signs of Kagome's presence were easily identified.
"The foolish wench went exploring." InuYasha noted touching the chalk marks.
"At least she left signs for us to follow." Miroku pointed out.
InuYasha sniffed. Wisteria blossoms, the scent of a distinctive poison claw attack. "Sesshoumaru passed through here."
The three hurried until they entered the cavern that had enchanted Kagome.
"Wow! This is gorgeous!" Sango murmured looking up at the patterns of refracted sunlight through crystal prisms dancing over the stone and pools of water.
InuYasha stiffened as an unfamiliar scent drifted in the air. The mingled scents of two people – one who he hated, the other who he cared for a great deal. Wisteria dominating jasmine overlaying musk. An involuntary growl escaped InuYasha as he ran followed by the taijiki and the houshi.
The three froze at the sight that greeted them.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Blue eyes opened as Kagome came to in a very unfamiliar situation, wrapped in the silken material of an unfamiliar haori, lying upon the soft pelt of a wolf-hound, pressed close against a hard male body. She shifted and winced at the unaccustomed soreness and sticky wetness between her legs.
"Do you regret this?" A familiar silken murmur interrupted her thoughts.
Sesshoumaru.
"No." She responded just as honestly even as she turned to meet his golden gaze without flinching.
Sesshoumaru felt the knot within him loosen at the love, acceptance and heating desire he could see in the blue eyes of the miko lying beside him. He sat up on his youkino brushing black strands away from her face. A soft contended sound as she leaned into his hand, into his touch, his caress even as she sat up to reach for him, to wrap her arms around his neck, to bring his face down to hers, to kiss.
It was gentle and reassuring. It became heated and demanding. Kagome moaned softly when he lost control nipping the full lower curve of her mouth. Sesshoumaru reared back ashamed. Blue eyes flashed as she traced the red strips on his cheeks.
"Don't!" She ordered sharply even as her hands moved to follow the mirrored red markings on his shoulders, arms, torso and hips, raising welts with her own nails. He winced at that small hint of pleasure-pain. It awoke memories of the night before. She smiled knowingly. "Don't feel you have to protect me Maru." She used the shortened name to remind him of their intimate relationship, of how it had been chosen as her name for him. The oversized haori slipped baring pale shoulders and the curves of her breasts. Gold eyes drifted over the enticing sight of full curves and pale skin marked by mouth and touch. "I wanted you then. I want you now. I think I will want you until the end of time." She confessed quickly.
Sesshoumaru did not know what to say. He settled for showing her. Two strong arms wrapped around her holding her close. Two arms, another miracle of the previous night. Kagome somehow absorbed and channelled the energy from their mating into his youkino and regenerated the arm lost to Tetsaiga. He buried his face in the crook of her neck where shoulder met neck. Instinct urged him to bite, to sink his fangs in her pale flesh, to taste her sweet blood, to mark her as his.
He had taken women before – it had always been casual arrangements for material benefits – but this was different. Kagome was the One. For the first time Sesshoumaru understood what could possibly have driven his father to take a ningen-hime for a second mate.
Gold eyes flashed. He spoke in a low almost threatening growl as he tilted her chin up to meet his eyes.
"You are mine. Now and forever."
A flash of satisfaction in blue eyes that lowered demurely. "I am yours."
His new hand explored the curve of her hip before slipping to the moist thatch of hair between her legs even as the other cupped the nape of her neck for a long intimate kiss.
Both were so engrossed in their passion they were completely unaware of the three that formed an unwanted audience.
Sango gaped at the sight. She blinked several times. Nope, still there. Kagome kissing a tall guy with long silvered hair. All she could see of her friend was the top of a black head and arms wrapped around the slim torso marked with a red vine design. The two were seated on a white pelt that looked very much like the fur Sesshoumaru always wore. But this guy couldn't be Sesshoumaru because this guy had two arms. Sesshoumaru lost one in a fight with InuYasha in their father's tomb.
A low growl from InuYasha interrupted her distracted thoughts.
"Sesshoumaru!" The hanyou charged.
Kagome pulled away from her lover. Blue eyes dazed with passion before they iced. Her companion wrapped both arms around her protectively ready to push her to safety. Not that Kagome needed it.
"Osuwari!"
The sutra beads around the hanyou's neck glowed. InuYasha's face met stone with a loud thump leaving him dazed.
Kagome swiftly adjusted the haori that came to mid thigh so it covered most of her before she started to rise to scream at InuYasha.
Sango quickly decided to nip the rant in the bud.
"Kagome, who is that?"
Something stuck out. The haori Kagome wore had a distinctive design on the lapel and shoulder, red and white sakura flowers, just like the one Sesshoumaru wore. But this wasn't Sesshoumaru, was he?
Kagome smiled. Sango could see the passion and yearning her friend felt had been sated, but by who? Kagome wasn't the kind of girl who fell in and out of love quickly. She was loyal…
"Sesshoumaru?" Sango guessed. "But how? The arm…?"
The silver-haired man rose securing the hakama he wore and turned.
The familiar cool visage of the tai-youkai. Amber eyes slightly heated but controlled. Silvery locks slightly tousled. Three red strips on each cheek, a blue crescent on the forehead, red markings down the shoulders, biceps and fore arms, more markings about the pectorals and torso before disappearing into the waistband of the hakama.
Surprisingly Miroku was the one who answered Sango's question.
The houshi had been observing the body language of the two. The bond he had seen growing between the two had been formalized last night. Violet eyes noted Sesshoumaru had not formally marked Kagome but the bond between them was solid. He could see it in the subtle motions, in the way Kagome gave way to the tai-youkai at times without the heated protests she normally made. They were a couple now, One. He hadn't expected this. The two had been avoiding each other, fighting the attraction. Why did they give in last night of all nights? Miroku shrugged internally before speaking.
"It is obvious Kagome and Sesshoumaru have bonded--."
"He hasn't marked her!" InuYasha protested.
Gold eyes flashed. Fangs gleamed in silent warning. Kagome laid a small hand to restrain the angry tai-youkai.
Miroku coughed discreetly.
"As I was saying, Kagome and Sesshoumaru have bonded. It is not a formal mating but it is serious, is it not?" Violet eyes were hard as they met gold without flinching.
Sesshoumaru was impressed by the ningen's courage.
"It is." He responded. "I do not intend to anger the other tai-youkai by presenting them with a done deal. It is better to give allies the illusion of having a say." Laughter gleamed in the typically solemn gold eyes. "Even when they do not."
Miroku nodded solemnly. "True." He stared at the pair intrigued by the energy emitting from the two. "Kagome is a powerful miko but to do such a complex healing as regenerating a youkai arm..." Violet eyes widened when he realised something else. "You allowed her access to your heart!"
Sango was shocked. "You melded with his youkino?!" She squeaked as she bounded over to make sure her friend was really okay. Brown eyes stared at the tai-youkai. "And you let her?!" She accused him. "Youkai always hide their youkino!"
InuYasha was confused. What were they talking about? He was a youkai and he didn't know what the houshi and tajiki were talking about.
Sesshoumaru shrugged as he wrapped one arm across Kagome's shoulders.
Kagome blushed. She remembered how intensely personal and intimate the act had been. Kagome had explained that away as side effects of her miko powers. Was what she did really bad?
"No." She started before she realised she had spoken the question out loud. "Just intensely personal." Sesshoumaru continued to explain softly. "Forming such a connection means accepting vulnerability. You could have easily destroyed me if you chose to."
Kagome paled and buried her face in his bare chest. Her tremors slowed under the reassuring steady strokes of his touch.
InuYasha grumbled but didn't speak. He knew better than to attack Sesshoumaru. Miroku and Sango were on Sesshoumaru's side and Kagome would 'sit' him.
Of course it wasn't long before the awe on Sango and Miroku's parts faded and they began to worry about and for Kagome.
"Sesshoumaru's enemies are going to attack you to hurt him." Sango warned.
"That's nothing different," Kagome replied wryly. "Youkai attack me for the shards."
Miroku was more concerned about the spiritual side effects.
"You may loose control of your power. The mingling of miko and youkai powers is unprecedented."
"I'll talk to Kaede-obaa-san." Kagome replied with a smile. "She will know how to handle any problems."
That meant the Shikon shard hunting trip was cut short and group traveled back to their home base, Kaede's village.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Kaede listened to the explanation with neutrality that masked her awe. She'd had plenty of young women come to her for help with their lovers, husbands and family. Of course none of those young women were a miko with a tai-youkai lover.
It took a great deal of control to still her blushes and patient insistence to get Kagome's stammered dreamy details about her feelings. And even more to drag the details from Sesshoumaru. In the end Kaede came to a conclusion.
"This bond between Kagome and Sesshoumaru has been forged by some deity and fate. Neither one of them asked to be bound to who typically is the natural enemy. They didn't want to, or plan on falling in love with each other so don't take out your feelings on them. If you want to blame someone blame the Fates."
This was directed towards InuYasha who hummphed before striding off.
Rin was thrilled at the prospect of a new okaa-san.
Shippo needed patient reassurance from Kagome that she would still look after him, that she still cared for him like her own pup. Their family was just going to get bigger: a powerful stepfather, a stepsister as a playmate, a grumbling pseudo-uncle nanny.
After talking with all her friends and reassuring them that she wasn't crazy Kagome needed some reassurance of her own so she went to the only person she could trust to be objective: Kaede.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Kagome stared into the small altar fire of Kaede's hut. Sesshoumaru had left leaving Jaken and Rin; he had to send notice about his intent to the other powerful tai-youkai. He was determined not to repeat his father's mistake of insulting allies. The rest of the group were outside eating dinner near the communal fire.
Kaede stared at the young miko with her one eye. She could see Kagome was struggling between the conflicting loves she felt for two brothers. She could see the younger girl come to a decision and relax noticeably before smiling at the older woman.
"Kaede-obaa-chan?"
Kaede threw a few twigs into the fire.
"Yes Kagome-chan?"
The younger woman spoke quickly. "I love him Kaede, I love Sesshoumaru. I care for InuYasha but not enough to make him happy by breaking things with his brother."
Kaede smiled.
"That is a very wise decision child. The Fates do not care for those who try to thwart their plans."
Kagome nodded. "But what I feel for Sesshou… It is like a fire," the girl confessed softly. "I don't want to hide it, or cool it."
"Then what is wrong?"
Kagome blushed. "I feel guilty. I promised Okaa-san… I had sex before marriage."
Kaede sighed before speaking. "Kagome, in a sense this bonding is marriage, two become one. Informal, but still marriage."
"But--."
"Don't fight it." Kaede interrupted with a smile. "You have no reason to feel ashamed. Ignore what others say. You are married – you have been married by Fate. You are going to be married by society very soon." Kaede chuckled drily. "Plenty of betrothed couples anticipate their vows."
Kagome blushed hotly.
"That's another thing." She whispered softly. "Sesshou wants to be married in a youkai ceremony."
Kaede eyed her student carefully. "Do you have any problems with that?"
Kagome sighed wistfully. "I wish my family could be here. My mother, I miss her so." Kagome blinked. "I won't be using the Bone Eaters well to return to the future. If I go back they will try to change my mind… But now, this is my time and place."
Kaede nodded understanding Kagome's sorrow. "Grieve for the past but look to the future child." The miko spoke briskly. "Have you decided what you wish to wear for your wedding? Green is the traditional color for fertility…"
The conversation turned to lighter matters.
~*~*~*~*~*~
TBC...
===========================================================
AN: I made the tidbit about green being a marriage color. Does anyone know better?
Please review, no flames though..
--Sarhea
