Disclaimer: Sesshoumaru, Kagome, Inuyasha, etc. do not belong to me.
Author's Note: In this story, Kagome is supposed to hate Sesshoumaru with a passion. And I mean a _real_ passion! Gomen for the OOC-ness! But then again, it makes the plot more fun, ne? ^_~
"___" = Dialogue
'___' = Thoughts
*___* = Special 'stuff'
Conflicting Desires
By Forsaken Tenshi
Chapter 1: The Defiant, Confusing Ningen
Kagome stepped into the square and looked at the other girls chattering mindlessly. They eyed her enviously. She, Kagome, was dressed in the blue silk kimono; her hair was piled high on her head in an elegant twist and decorated with various bits of hair jewelry. Her mother had done her make up, using just enough to bring out her features perfectly. Kagome glared at them and shuffled her feet nervously in the dust. Her hands instinctively reached up and clasped the small pink orb that hung about her neck. The Shikon no Tama. The jewel wanted by so many demons.
"Kagome-chan!" A small reddish ball of fluff careened into the girl's arms.
"Shippou-chan, daijobu desu ka?" asked Kagome softly, hugging the small fox demon.
"Hai, daijobu desu!" replied Shippou, smiling radiantly at the teen as he gazed into Kagome's russet colored eyes with his own warm brown ones. "Kagome-chan, why are you all dressed up?" He glanced down at her kimono.
The teen sighed. "I have to see the Lord of the Western Lands, Shippou- chan," she answered, "I don't really want to though."
"Doushite?" asked Shippou, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
The priestess sighed. "If he picks me to go with him, I won't be able to see you for a year."
"A year?" Shippou echoed, tilting his head.
"Hai, a year," replied Kagome sadly.
Shippou thought a little. "Kagome-chan," he asked apprehensively, "You'll come back and see me, won't you?"
"Mochiron," responded the girl, a smile gracing her lips. "I'll come the moment I am able to."
"Promise?" Shippou's chubby pinky was extended in the air, waiting for the Kagome's finger to link with his own.
Kagome's smile disappeared as a sense of déjà vu overwhelmed her. She shook her head and looked at the worried Shippou. She pasted a brighter smile on her face.
"Promise." Their fingers linked, and Kagome hugged the fox demon before he jumped down and regarded her with loving eyes.
"Kagome!" called another girl's voice.
Kagome spun around. "Sango!" she called.
The teens hugged each other happily. The housecat sized Kirara mewed happily as she rubbed against Kagome's dress.
"How's the youkai exterminating going?" asked Kagome as she smiled at her friend.
Sango shrugged. "Not too bad," she replied. She held her giant boomerang, Hiraikotsu, on her back, effectively blocking out everything immediately behind her. "I'd gone off to this village with houshi-sama, Kirara-chan, and Shippou-chan where this large snake youkai was a-"
SMACK!
An angry Sango had wheeled around, revealing the priest, Miroku, nursing a bright red hand-shaped marking on his cheek. Her eyes were bright with anger. "_Why_ do you keep doing that!" she snapped.
Miroku feigned innocence. "Nani?" he asked pleasantly.
Kagome and Sango rolled their eyes, and Shippou shook his head.
Inuyasha sauntered out of the shrine and hugged Kagome from behind, all the while glaring at the monk. "Don't attempt anything, houshi!" he grumbled.
Miroku good-naturedly backed off, his hands raised in mock surrender while still maintaining his grasp on his staff. "She's all yours, Inuyasha- sama!"
Sango looked off into the distance and suddenly heard the piercing cry of a demon rising from beyond the forest. She groaned. "Kagome-chan, I need to go. . . evidently more youkai have decided to raise hell with other villages. Ja!"
Kirara transformed into her true form and Sango, Miroku, and Shippou hopped on her back. They took off in the direction of the demonic wail.
"Feh," Inuyasha huffed as he let go of Kagome. "I'm going to hunt. I'll see you later, ne?"
"Hai," Kagome replied as she kissed his cheek. "Ja ne."
*Somewhere in the sky*
Sesshoumaru shook his head. 'Why the hell do I even _want_ another ningen?' he asked himself as he flew through the morning air. He was dressed in his usual intricately designed white kimono, adorned with his bone armor and his two swords, the Tenseiga and the Toukijin, sheathed on his waist. His fluffy tail was draped elegantly over his right shoulder; it floated behind him, as did his long silver hair.
With him was Jaken, his trusty servant. The toad creature carried the Staff of Heads in one hand and a small glass container with some sort of peach colored cream. The bulbous eyed creature glanced up at his master, who stared emotionlessly ahead. The rising sun shone brightly before them, drastically shortening the shadows of the trees of the forest they flew over. In the distance, both could see the small village that was their destination.
They landed near the edge of the forest surrounding the village. Sesshoumaru could easily smell the stench of the humans. His nose wrinkled up slightly in disgust. He again wondered why. Oh yes, he remembered. They provided entertainment for him, be it when he felt lust, or when he simply needed something to do to pass time. Of course, he could not quit his roving about his lands, patrolling his borders. But he could always find time to do that.
He dipped a clawed finger into the cream and gently rubbed the substance over the crescent moon and talon marks on his face. They faded away, as if he never had them to begin with. He applied more to the stripes on his hands. With a toss of his head, his hair covered his pointed ears. As there was nothing to be done with his claws, he kept them hidden within the sleeves of his kimono. His tail he pretended it was a rather large, puffy boa.
"Stay here, Jaken," the Lord of the Western Lands commanded of his servant, "And set up that spell." He did not want the humans of his territory to know he was a demon, for he did not want to kill them if they rebelled against him. Even though other demons thought of him as heartless and bloodthirsty, all he really wanted was peace throughout his lands.
By now the sun was half way to the zenith of its daily path. Sesshoumaru strolled out of the forest and headed towards the village square. His eyes fell upon a group of girls chattering excitedly, and a single girl standing somewhat apart from the group. His keen ears picked up bits of gossip.
". . . he's supposed to be handsome. . ."
". . . richest in all the lands! Does my hair look. . ."
". . . of course _I_ am the prettiest. . ."
". . . he'll choose me! I'm sure. . ."
Sesshoumaru snorted at the fragments of the conversation. He continued towards the village at a leisurely pace- well, leisurely for a demon, which was quite fast. As he neared the village, both villagers and girls gasped at the sight of him. The girls haphazardly arranged themselves in a line while the peasants bowed before him. He passed by them as if he never noticed.
The Lord of the Western Lands approached the line of ladies. He paused before each one, inspecting them. The one he stopped before would bat her eyelashes, smile coquettishly, bow low and gracefully from the waist, and greet him with the usual, "Ohayo gozaimasu, Lord Sesshoumaru."
At the end of the line, he paused before Kagome. He eyed her carefully. Kagome kept a straight face and bowed her head. "Ohayo gozaimasu." She felt the strong presence of a demon, yet she didn't dare think it came from the lord himself.
All the other girls gasped in shock. Never had they seen someone treat an esteemed person as such!
Kagome refused to bow from the waist. Inside, she was seething, yet she retained her outward cool. She studiously trained her eyes on his feet. A hand forcefully grasped her chin and forced her to look into his burning gold eyes. She felt hard, sharp claws on the fingertips.
"Wench," Sesshoumaru snapped, "Is that how you treat I, Sesshoumaru, your lord and master?"
Kagome's delicate control over her anger nearly broke. She glared at him and spat out through gritted teeth, "Hai, my lord."
Sesshoumaru's irritation rose. "And why is that, wench?"
"You wouldn't understand," she replied acrimoniously, dropping her eyes. She savagely repressed the memories of Ayume. As she couldn't look at the ground, she settled for his armor.
Sesshoumaru studied the girl for a moment more. She was quite pretty; but then again, so were the others. He felt the presence of the Shikon no Tama with her. He had no desire for such an object. Her scent, pleasant to his sensitive nose. . . reeked of his younger half-brother, Inuyasha. 'So this is his bitch, ne?' A smirk came to his lips, yet he hid it and released her. 'Such a strong spirit. . . perhaps I can break this ningen. It will definitely be different from the submissive females I've had in the past.' He reached his decision.
"Woman," he commanded, staring directly at Kagome, "You will come with me."
Kagome's anger exploded. "I will never go with you!" she shrieked. She stood there, quivering with rage. Her eyes blazed with hate towards the man before her. Her breath came in quick pants; her face was flushed.
Sesshoumaru eyed her indifferently. Yet he was pleased. Her spirit was untamed, untouched by the pressing submissiveness males desired of their bitches. Right then and there he promised himself he would tame her spirit. Kami knew how long it had been since he'd had a challenge. Instinctively he knew that it would be virtually impossible to bed her in the first few weeks, possibly even months.
"You _will_ come, wench," he growled. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared. With a broad stride he strode up to Kagome and purposefully hefted her over his left shoulder. Kagome froze in shock for a moment before she began furiously beating her fists on his back, screaming all the while. He ignored his ringing ears and walked arrogantly off towards the forest. The village people could only stare. In the minds of each person, they asked, 'Who will protect us from youkai now that our miko is gone?'
Once within the protective enchantment that muted sound, he dropped her on her feet and quickly used his "boa" to trap her arms to her sides. He smirked as the girl stiffened in surprise. Yet she did not scream. It occurred to Kagome that the Lord of the Western Lands was a demon; the thought was supported by her senses. She instantly wished she had her bow and arrows and berated herself as she felt herself involuntarily snuggling into the furry warmth his tail provided. With her in a safer position, he called forth Jaken. The toad demon scuttled from the underbrush and bowed. He still carried his staff in one hand and the jar of cream in the other. With a wave of his hand the enchantment was dispersed.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, is this the ningen wench you have chosen?" he asked, prodding her with his staff.
Kagome looked on, paralyzed. 'Why was this youkai here? Is this a subordinate? Is it. . .' she shivered, 'Going to _eat_ me?' She struggled violently against his tail. Sesshoumaru simply ignored her efforts and tightened his grip on her. She gasped.
"Jaken, we are going home."
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."
Kagome gasped again as she suddenly realized they were in the air. Sesshoumaru's hair whipped about, but he held her at an angle with his tail so that she wasn't whip lashed in the face. The scene was breathtaking: the towering trees far below her feet, the sky, a light blue dotted with puffy cumulus clouds, the sun's yellow rays illuminating the landscape perfectly. And off in the distance, barely visible on the horizon, was a chain of snowcapped mountains. The cool breeze was refreshing; she'd never felt anything like the experience she felt at the moment. She closed her eyes and wished her hair was free flowing, rather than confined by pins and combs. She could smell the fresh scent of flowers blooming, particularly sakura blossoms. She relaxed in the fur and felt it rearrange itself around her body so that her arms were free. Oddly enough, for her at least, she had faith that he wouldn't drop her. With her now free hands, she plucked the pins and combs out of her hair and shook her head, letting her waist length mane stream behind her.
Sesshoumaru peeked at her using his peripheral vision. He saw her pull the hair accessories out of her raven colored hair and shake her head. He noted the carefree attitude she had assumed, along with the beauty of her features. Sesshoumaru couldn't help but wonder what kind of human this girl was. Ordinarily, he knew from experience that any human, at the sight of a demon, would have screamed themselves hoarse and tried to kill the demon, yet this girl hadn't. She had simply become virtually mute. And even now, she was resting in his tail, enjoying the breeze. 'Strange ningen indeed,' he thought wryly.
Sesshoumaru could see his home fairly easily from their high vantage point. The sprawling white marble castle stood out from the green ocean that was the forest. His home was surrounded by gardens; they were excellently maintained and he did not want Rin to be plucking off every single blossom that grew in it. He could make out the meadow where he allowed Rin to pick flowers to her heart's content. He spotted the lake that a small river fed into via a waterfall. Oftentimes he'd gone swimming in this natural pool. He sniffed the air blowing gently in his face and found nothing unusual.
They landed in the garden near the front door. He strode towards the doors, and, to Kagome's amazement, they opened of their own accord. The Lord of the Western Lands marched in, still clutching her in his fluffy tail. Jaken turned down one of the many hallways and disappeared. Kagome nervously tried to memorize the way back out, but after so many twists and turns she shook her head in defeat. She was virtually lost without the help of the demon lord or his toad servant. He opened a door and walked in.
The room was actually a bedchamber; in it was a large, round futon that served as the bed. There were low tables in the corners and a straw mat on the floor. He set her down on the futon and regarded her carefully with emotionless amber eyes. She glowered back at him.
"You are allowed to roam about the premises," he informed her, "However, you are not allowed into the master bedchamber. Is that clear?" His tone warned her that if she disobeyed, there would be swift and painful retribution. She nodded.
"Good." He watched her for a little more. "Will you not say anything, wench? Are you mute?"
Her brown eyes clouded in anger, yet she replied in an even, sarcastic voice, "Iie, my lord, I can speak quite well; arigatou."
He continued, unruffled. "These will be your quarters. Clothing and food will be provided while you are here." With that said Sesshoumaru turned and headed for the exit.
"Matte!" she called. He halted, turning his head to let her know he was listening. "Where is the dojo located? And where are the training grounds?"
The dog demon replied, "The dojo is located further down this hallway. It is the last door you encounter. The training grounds are behind the back gardens." He walked out the door and left the girl to her thoughts. He had barely gotten far from the human girl's room when-
"SESSHOUMARU-SAMA!"
A light body slammed into the demon lord's legs and latched itself onto him. Sesshoumaru looked down, unfazed, to see a small, black haired human girl hugging his legs. He patted the girl's head.
The girl looked up and smiled. "Rin missed Sesshoumaru-sama!" she cried, burying her face in his white pants. "Rin wanted to see Sesshoumaru-sama!" Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow at her and pried her off him. He bent down before the girl, gently grasping her shoulders.
"Rin, what did Sesshoumaru say?"
The girl bit her lip in thought. Then she replied slowly, "I missed Sesshoumaru-sama?" Sesshoumaru nodded and straightened, scanning the area with his sharp eyes. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" The dog demon looked back down at her. "Will Sesshoumaru-sama give Rin- I mean, me, an okaa-san?" Her happy hazel eyes sparkled with hope.
Sesshoumaru sighed. He didn't want to answer her for fear he would kill the joyous, optimistic look she held at the moment. "Rin," he said slowly, "In time, I will. But not now, alright?"
"Alright," she replied before bounding off in the direction he'd come from. No doubt she was going to see who he brought home this time. Sesshoumaru shook his head and made his way towards his study.
*Back in the bedroom*
Kagome lay flat on the futon, an arm draped over her closed eyes. Her hair fanned out around her head, its dark color creating a striking contrast to the pure white bed sheets she lay on. She could faintly hear the pattering of feet in the hallway, but she thought it was probably Jaken scurrying about on an errand for the demon lord. The bouncing of the futon alerted her to the presence of another. This person or demon was a lot lighter than she.
"If that is you, Jaken, I suggest-"
"Rin thinks your hair is pretty!"
Kagome's eyes snapped open and she took her arm off her face. Her brown orbs searched for the owner of the voice and found a young girl approximately the age of eight. The girl, named Rin, was gently caressing a lock of Kagome's midnight black hair.
"What's your name?"
Kagome blinked, then started. "Oh! My name's Kagome."
The girl pointed at herself. "Rin," she stated happily. "Rin thinks Kagome-chan is pretty too!"
Kagome blushed. "Arigatou, Rin," she said. She gently hugged the girl. 'She's adorable! Demo. . . why is she in Sesshoumaru's castle? If he's a youkai, shouldn't he look down upon any ningen?' She then thought about Kirara and Shippou. Both were full-blooded demons, yet both enjoyed the company of humans. Kagome supposed Sango raised Kirara from when she was a little kitten, and as for Shippou, Kagome had taken him in and raised him after the Thunder Brothers killed his parents. Kagome was snapped out of her thoughts by-
"Rin."
There in the doorway stood the Lord of the Western Lands. Kagome internally flinched under his unreadable, icy gaze.
~*~*~*~
Japanese Translations
Daijobu desu ka- are you all right
Hai- yes
Daijobu desu- I'm all right
Doushite- why
Mochiron- of course
Houshi- monk (Buddhist)
Youkai- demon
Nani- what
Ja (ne)- see you later
Ne- way of saying 'eh'
Ningen- human
Ohayo gozaimasu- good morning [formal]
Kami(-sama)- god
Miko- priestess
Iie- no
Arigatou- thank you
Matte- wait
Okaa-san- mother
Demo- but
~*~*~*~
FT: Konnichiwa, minna-san! I finally churned this one out! @_@ That was a crappy ending! ^o^ So many reviews for the prologue!!! I'm so happy!!! *dances*
Sesshoumaru: *arches eyebrow* I have to stay with that _wench_?
Kagome: *sigh* Where's Inuyasha when you need him?
Rin: I have an okaa-san now!!! *runs in circles*
Sesshoumaru and Kagome: . . .
FT: ^_^;;; Ano. . . Rin-chan, maybe not _quite_ so soon. . .
Rin: Demo, I still get an okaa-san, don't I?
FT: . . .
Rin: *happily* I guess so! *runs off*
FT: Anyways, review! *bows* Domo arigatou gozimasu to those of you who already did!!!
~*~*~*~
Author's Note: In this story, Kagome is supposed to hate Sesshoumaru with a passion. And I mean a _real_ passion! Gomen for the OOC-ness! But then again, it makes the plot more fun, ne? ^_~
"___" = Dialogue
'___' = Thoughts
*___* = Special 'stuff'
Conflicting Desires
By Forsaken Tenshi
Chapter 1: The Defiant, Confusing Ningen
Kagome stepped into the square and looked at the other girls chattering mindlessly. They eyed her enviously. She, Kagome, was dressed in the blue silk kimono; her hair was piled high on her head in an elegant twist and decorated with various bits of hair jewelry. Her mother had done her make up, using just enough to bring out her features perfectly. Kagome glared at them and shuffled her feet nervously in the dust. Her hands instinctively reached up and clasped the small pink orb that hung about her neck. The Shikon no Tama. The jewel wanted by so many demons.
"Kagome-chan!" A small reddish ball of fluff careened into the girl's arms.
"Shippou-chan, daijobu desu ka?" asked Kagome softly, hugging the small fox demon.
"Hai, daijobu desu!" replied Shippou, smiling radiantly at the teen as he gazed into Kagome's russet colored eyes with his own warm brown ones. "Kagome-chan, why are you all dressed up?" He glanced down at her kimono.
The teen sighed. "I have to see the Lord of the Western Lands, Shippou- chan," she answered, "I don't really want to though."
"Doushite?" asked Shippou, his eyes sparkling with curiosity.
The priestess sighed. "If he picks me to go with him, I won't be able to see you for a year."
"A year?" Shippou echoed, tilting his head.
"Hai, a year," replied Kagome sadly.
Shippou thought a little. "Kagome-chan," he asked apprehensively, "You'll come back and see me, won't you?"
"Mochiron," responded the girl, a smile gracing her lips. "I'll come the moment I am able to."
"Promise?" Shippou's chubby pinky was extended in the air, waiting for the Kagome's finger to link with his own.
Kagome's smile disappeared as a sense of déjà vu overwhelmed her. She shook her head and looked at the worried Shippou. She pasted a brighter smile on her face.
"Promise." Their fingers linked, and Kagome hugged the fox demon before he jumped down and regarded her with loving eyes.
"Kagome!" called another girl's voice.
Kagome spun around. "Sango!" she called.
The teens hugged each other happily. The housecat sized Kirara mewed happily as she rubbed against Kagome's dress.
"How's the youkai exterminating going?" asked Kagome as she smiled at her friend.
Sango shrugged. "Not too bad," she replied. She held her giant boomerang, Hiraikotsu, on her back, effectively blocking out everything immediately behind her. "I'd gone off to this village with houshi-sama, Kirara-chan, and Shippou-chan where this large snake youkai was a-"
SMACK!
An angry Sango had wheeled around, revealing the priest, Miroku, nursing a bright red hand-shaped marking on his cheek. Her eyes were bright with anger. "_Why_ do you keep doing that!" she snapped.
Miroku feigned innocence. "Nani?" he asked pleasantly.
Kagome and Sango rolled their eyes, and Shippou shook his head.
Inuyasha sauntered out of the shrine and hugged Kagome from behind, all the while glaring at the monk. "Don't attempt anything, houshi!" he grumbled.
Miroku good-naturedly backed off, his hands raised in mock surrender while still maintaining his grasp on his staff. "She's all yours, Inuyasha- sama!"
Sango looked off into the distance and suddenly heard the piercing cry of a demon rising from beyond the forest. She groaned. "Kagome-chan, I need to go. . . evidently more youkai have decided to raise hell with other villages. Ja!"
Kirara transformed into her true form and Sango, Miroku, and Shippou hopped on her back. They took off in the direction of the demonic wail.
"Feh," Inuyasha huffed as he let go of Kagome. "I'm going to hunt. I'll see you later, ne?"
"Hai," Kagome replied as she kissed his cheek. "Ja ne."
*Somewhere in the sky*
Sesshoumaru shook his head. 'Why the hell do I even _want_ another ningen?' he asked himself as he flew through the morning air. He was dressed in his usual intricately designed white kimono, adorned with his bone armor and his two swords, the Tenseiga and the Toukijin, sheathed on his waist. His fluffy tail was draped elegantly over his right shoulder; it floated behind him, as did his long silver hair.
With him was Jaken, his trusty servant. The toad creature carried the Staff of Heads in one hand and a small glass container with some sort of peach colored cream. The bulbous eyed creature glanced up at his master, who stared emotionlessly ahead. The rising sun shone brightly before them, drastically shortening the shadows of the trees of the forest they flew over. In the distance, both could see the small village that was their destination.
They landed near the edge of the forest surrounding the village. Sesshoumaru could easily smell the stench of the humans. His nose wrinkled up slightly in disgust. He again wondered why. Oh yes, he remembered. They provided entertainment for him, be it when he felt lust, or when he simply needed something to do to pass time. Of course, he could not quit his roving about his lands, patrolling his borders. But he could always find time to do that.
He dipped a clawed finger into the cream and gently rubbed the substance over the crescent moon and talon marks on his face. They faded away, as if he never had them to begin with. He applied more to the stripes on his hands. With a toss of his head, his hair covered his pointed ears. As there was nothing to be done with his claws, he kept them hidden within the sleeves of his kimono. His tail he pretended it was a rather large, puffy boa.
"Stay here, Jaken," the Lord of the Western Lands commanded of his servant, "And set up that spell." He did not want the humans of his territory to know he was a demon, for he did not want to kill them if they rebelled against him. Even though other demons thought of him as heartless and bloodthirsty, all he really wanted was peace throughout his lands.
By now the sun was half way to the zenith of its daily path. Sesshoumaru strolled out of the forest and headed towards the village square. His eyes fell upon a group of girls chattering excitedly, and a single girl standing somewhat apart from the group. His keen ears picked up bits of gossip.
". . . he's supposed to be handsome. . ."
". . . richest in all the lands! Does my hair look. . ."
". . . of course _I_ am the prettiest. . ."
". . . he'll choose me! I'm sure. . ."
Sesshoumaru snorted at the fragments of the conversation. He continued towards the village at a leisurely pace- well, leisurely for a demon, which was quite fast. As he neared the village, both villagers and girls gasped at the sight of him. The girls haphazardly arranged themselves in a line while the peasants bowed before him. He passed by them as if he never noticed.
The Lord of the Western Lands approached the line of ladies. He paused before each one, inspecting them. The one he stopped before would bat her eyelashes, smile coquettishly, bow low and gracefully from the waist, and greet him with the usual, "Ohayo gozaimasu, Lord Sesshoumaru."
At the end of the line, he paused before Kagome. He eyed her carefully. Kagome kept a straight face and bowed her head. "Ohayo gozaimasu." She felt the strong presence of a demon, yet she didn't dare think it came from the lord himself.
All the other girls gasped in shock. Never had they seen someone treat an esteemed person as such!
Kagome refused to bow from the waist. Inside, she was seething, yet she retained her outward cool. She studiously trained her eyes on his feet. A hand forcefully grasped her chin and forced her to look into his burning gold eyes. She felt hard, sharp claws on the fingertips.
"Wench," Sesshoumaru snapped, "Is that how you treat I, Sesshoumaru, your lord and master?"
Kagome's delicate control over her anger nearly broke. She glared at him and spat out through gritted teeth, "Hai, my lord."
Sesshoumaru's irritation rose. "And why is that, wench?"
"You wouldn't understand," she replied acrimoniously, dropping her eyes. She savagely repressed the memories of Ayume. As she couldn't look at the ground, she settled for his armor.
Sesshoumaru studied the girl for a moment more. She was quite pretty; but then again, so were the others. He felt the presence of the Shikon no Tama with her. He had no desire for such an object. Her scent, pleasant to his sensitive nose. . . reeked of his younger half-brother, Inuyasha. 'So this is his bitch, ne?' A smirk came to his lips, yet he hid it and released her. 'Such a strong spirit. . . perhaps I can break this ningen. It will definitely be different from the submissive females I've had in the past.' He reached his decision.
"Woman," he commanded, staring directly at Kagome, "You will come with me."
Kagome's anger exploded. "I will never go with you!" she shrieked. She stood there, quivering with rage. Her eyes blazed with hate towards the man before her. Her breath came in quick pants; her face was flushed.
Sesshoumaru eyed her indifferently. Yet he was pleased. Her spirit was untamed, untouched by the pressing submissiveness males desired of their bitches. Right then and there he promised himself he would tame her spirit. Kami knew how long it had been since he'd had a challenge. Instinctively he knew that it would be virtually impossible to bed her in the first few weeks, possibly even months.
"You _will_ come, wench," he growled. She crossed her arms over her chest and glared. With a broad stride he strode up to Kagome and purposefully hefted her over his left shoulder. Kagome froze in shock for a moment before she began furiously beating her fists on his back, screaming all the while. He ignored his ringing ears and walked arrogantly off towards the forest. The village people could only stare. In the minds of each person, they asked, 'Who will protect us from youkai now that our miko is gone?'
Once within the protective enchantment that muted sound, he dropped her on her feet and quickly used his "boa" to trap her arms to her sides. He smirked as the girl stiffened in surprise. Yet she did not scream. It occurred to Kagome that the Lord of the Western Lands was a demon; the thought was supported by her senses. She instantly wished she had her bow and arrows and berated herself as she felt herself involuntarily snuggling into the furry warmth his tail provided. With her in a safer position, he called forth Jaken. The toad demon scuttled from the underbrush and bowed. He still carried his staff in one hand and the jar of cream in the other. With a wave of his hand the enchantment was dispersed.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, is this the ningen wench you have chosen?" he asked, prodding her with his staff.
Kagome looked on, paralyzed. 'Why was this youkai here? Is this a subordinate? Is it. . .' she shivered, 'Going to _eat_ me?' She struggled violently against his tail. Sesshoumaru simply ignored her efforts and tightened his grip on her. She gasped.
"Jaken, we are going home."
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama."
Kagome gasped again as she suddenly realized they were in the air. Sesshoumaru's hair whipped about, but he held her at an angle with his tail so that she wasn't whip lashed in the face. The scene was breathtaking: the towering trees far below her feet, the sky, a light blue dotted with puffy cumulus clouds, the sun's yellow rays illuminating the landscape perfectly. And off in the distance, barely visible on the horizon, was a chain of snowcapped mountains. The cool breeze was refreshing; she'd never felt anything like the experience she felt at the moment. She closed her eyes and wished her hair was free flowing, rather than confined by pins and combs. She could smell the fresh scent of flowers blooming, particularly sakura blossoms. She relaxed in the fur and felt it rearrange itself around her body so that her arms were free. Oddly enough, for her at least, she had faith that he wouldn't drop her. With her now free hands, she plucked the pins and combs out of her hair and shook her head, letting her waist length mane stream behind her.
Sesshoumaru peeked at her using his peripheral vision. He saw her pull the hair accessories out of her raven colored hair and shake her head. He noted the carefree attitude she had assumed, along with the beauty of her features. Sesshoumaru couldn't help but wonder what kind of human this girl was. Ordinarily, he knew from experience that any human, at the sight of a demon, would have screamed themselves hoarse and tried to kill the demon, yet this girl hadn't. She had simply become virtually mute. And even now, she was resting in his tail, enjoying the breeze. 'Strange ningen indeed,' he thought wryly.
Sesshoumaru could see his home fairly easily from their high vantage point. The sprawling white marble castle stood out from the green ocean that was the forest. His home was surrounded by gardens; they were excellently maintained and he did not want Rin to be plucking off every single blossom that grew in it. He could make out the meadow where he allowed Rin to pick flowers to her heart's content. He spotted the lake that a small river fed into via a waterfall. Oftentimes he'd gone swimming in this natural pool. He sniffed the air blowing gently in his face and found nothing unusual.
They landed in the garden near the front door. He strode towards the doors, and, to Kagome's amazement, they opened of their own accord. The Lord of the Western Lands marched in, still clutching her in his fluffy tail. Jaken turned down one of the many hallways and disappeared. Kagome nervously tried to memorize the way back out, but after so many twists and turns she shook her head in defeat. She was virtually lost without the help of the demon lord or his toad servant. He opened a door and walked in.
The room was actually a bedchamber; in it was a large, round futon that served as the bed. There were low tables in the corners and a straw mat on the floor. He set her down on the futon and regarded her carefully with emotionless amber eyes. She glowered back at him.
"You are allowed to roam about the premises," he informed her, "However, you are not allowed into the master bedchamber. Is that clear?" His tone warned her that if she disobeyed, there would be swift and painful retribution. She nodded.
"Good." He watched her for a little more. "Will you not say anything, wench? Are you mute?"
Her brown eyes clouded in anger, yet she replied in an even, sarcastic voice, "Iie, my lord, I can speak quite well; arigatou."
He continued, unruffled. "These will be your quarters. Clothing and food will be provided while you are here." With that said Sesshoumaru turned and headed for the exit.
"Matte!" she called. He halted, turning his head to let her know he was listening. "Where is the dojo located? And where are the training grounds?"
The dog demon replied, "The dojo is located further down this hallway. It is the last door you encounter. The training grounds are behind the back gardens." He walked out the door and left the girl to her thoughts. He had barely gotten far from the human girl's room when-
"SESSHOUMARU-SAMA!"
A light body slammed into the demon lord's legs and latched itself onto him. Sesshoumaru looked down, unfazed, to see a small, black haired human girl hugging his legs. He patted the girl's head.
The girl looked up and smiled. "Rin missed Sesshoumaru-sama!" she cried, burying her face in his white pants. "Rin wanted to see Sesshoumaru-sama!" Sesshoumaru arched an eyebrow at her and pried her off him. He bent down before the girl, gently grasping her shoulders.
"Rin, what did Sesshoumaru say?"
The girl bit her lip in thought. Then she replied slowly, "I missed Sesshoumaru-sama?" Sesshoumaru nodded and straightened, scanning the area with his sharp eyes. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" The dog demon looked back down at her. "Will Sesshoumaru-sama give Rin- I mean, me, an okaa-san?" Her happy hazel eyes sparkled with hope.
Sesshoumaru sighed. He didn't want to answer her for fear he would kill the joyous, optimistic look she held at the moment. "Rin," he said slowly, "In time, I will. But not now, alright?"
"Alright," she replied before bounding off in the direction he'd come from. No doubt she was going to see who he brought home this time. Sesshoumaru shook his head and made his way towards his study.
*Back in the bedroom*
Kagome lay flat on the futon, an arm draped over her closed eyes. Her hair fanned out around her head, its dark color creating a striking contrast to the pure white bed sheets she lay on. She could faintly hear the pattering of feet in the hallway, but she thought it was probably Jaken scurrying about on an errand for the demon lord. The bouncing of the futon alerted her to the presence of another. This person or demon was a lot lighter than she.
"If that is you, Jaken, I suggest-"
"Rin thinks your hair is pretty!"
Kagome's eyes snapped open and she took her arm off her face. Her brown orbs searched for the owner of the voice and found a young girl approximately the age of eight. The girl, named Rin, was gently caressing a lock of Kagome's midnight black hair.
"What's your name?"
Kagome blinked, then started. "Oh! My name's Kagome."
The girl pointed at herself. "Rin," she stated happily. "Rin thinks Kagome-chan is pretty too!"
Kagome blushed. "Arigatou, Rin," she said. She gently hugged the girl. 'She's adorable! Demo. . . why is she in Sesshoumaru's castle? If he's a youkai, shouldn't he look down upon any ningen?' She then thought about Kirara and Shippou. Both were full-blooded demons, yet both enjoyed the company of humans. Kagome supposed Sango raised Kirara from when she was a little kitten, and as for Shippou, Kagome had taken him in and raised him after the Thunder Brothers killed his parents. Kagome was snapped out of her thoughts by-
"Rin."
There in the doorway stood the Lord of the Western Lands. Kagome internally flinched under his unreadable, icy gaze.
~*~*~*~
Japanese Translations
Daijobu desu ka- are you all right
Hai- yes
Daijobu desu- I'm all right
Doushite- why
Mochiron- of course
Houshi- monk (Buddhist)
Youkai- demon
Nani- what
Ja (ne)- see you later
Ne- way of saying 'eh'
Ningen- human
Ohayo gozaimasu- good morning [formal]
Kami(-sama)- god
Miko- priestess
Iie- no
Arigatou- thank you
Matte- wait
Okaa-san- mother
Demo- but
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FT: Konnichiwa, minna-san! I finally churned this one out! @_@ That was a crappy ending! ^o^ So many reviews for the prologue!!! I'm so happy!!! *dances*
Sesshoumaru: *arches eyebrow* I have to stay with that _wench_?
Kagome: *sigh* Where's Inuyasha when you need him?
Rin: I have an okaa-san now!!! *runs in circles*
Sesshoumaru and Kagome: . . .
FT: ^_^;;; Ano. . . Rin-chan, maybe not _quite_ so soon. . .
Rin: Demo, I still get an okaa-san, don't I?
FT: . . .
Rin: *happily* I guess so! *runs off*
FT: Anyways, review! *bows* Domo arigatou gozimasu to those of you who already did!!!
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