Kagome woke up the next morning feeling awake and refreshed. The time
off from hunting the shards was nice. It'd been rather quiet on the
demon hunting front for a while.
"I hope it doesn't mean it's the calm before the storm." Kagome thought to herself as she got out of her bedroll. Rolling it up and placing it in the corner she walked outside to find Kaede pulling weeds in the garden. No one else was around.
"Need some help?" Kagome asked.
"Nay child. I'm almost finished here but thank you." said Kaede.
"Where is everyone?"
The elderly miko thought for a moment. "I believe Shippo is playing down by the river and Sango is taking a bath and Miroku, well, you can probably guess where he is. I haven't seen Inuyasha all morning however."
"Really? Well, in that case I'm going to go by the river and read for a while." smiled Kagome happily.
"That old journal getting interesting is it?" Kaede asked.
"Oh yes! I think the lady that wrote it is falling in love with a lord she met at a party! It's very exciting and romantic!" Kagome sighed.
"Well, off with ye then. It's about time ye relaxed."
"Thanks Kaede! I'll be back for lunch!"
Kagome ran back into the hut and grabbed her backpack. Hefting it to her shoulders, she felt a twinge of guilt for not having touched her homework since she came back two days ago. She comforted herself with the thought that by reading the journal she was getting a firsthand account in history. She walked down the short path that lead to the river's edge and sat down on the grass and leaned back on a boulder and picked up where she left off last night.
Kisaragi 5th
Now I can continue with what happened last night.
After the rest of our guests arrived, Lord Inutaishou escorted me to the dinner table where the men set about discussing politics. It was all very boring. I think my father noticed the look on my face because he interrupted:
"Let's not discuss business tonight gentlemen.That will be for tomorrow. Tonight is a night to celebrate. I'm sure my lovely daughter and her ladies would rather sing for us than hear us talk politics."
Several of them agreed and my ladies and I gathered our instruments and played and sang for them for about a half hour. They were an attentive audience and when we were finished Lord Inutaishou was the first to applaud.
"Your daughter has a voice as lovely as she is Lord Takashi."
I blushed and said "You're too kind my Lord. I'm only happy that my voice has pleased you so."
"Indeed it has my lady."
I couldn't believe it....was he flirting with me? It seemed like it was judging from the look of discomfort on my fathers face and my Mio and Mayu's blushing faces.
My father cleared his throat. "Ahem. Yes, well, shall we retire for the evening gentlemen? My servants will show you to your quarters for the evening. If there is anything that you might need please don't hesitate to ask."
Lord Inutaishou smiled and asked
"May I ask that your daughter show us to our quarters instead? I would like to pick up on our earlier conversation."
My father looked astonished and shocked at such a request but he was not one about to refuse hospitality to his guests. He inclined his head giving his permission.
Nervously I stood up and Lord Inutaishou came around and once more offered me his arm. His son stared at me rather coldly when his father did this. Lord Inutaishou gave no indication that he noticed and in a jovial voice asked:
"So, Lady Izayoi, where are we staying tonight?"
I must have been as red as a turnip!
"Your quarters are on the west side of the manor my Lord. It overlooks the garden and it's pond."
Lord Inutaishou waved his hand.
"Please, no more of the "my Lords". You may call me Taishou. May I address you as Izayoi?"
I smiled. He was so very polite and charming!
"You may my l-...Taishou."
His eyes sparkled with merriment.
"I'm now your Taishou? How did that happen so quickly?" He must have sensed my discomfort because he laughed. "I was only joking with you my dear."
I laughed nervously and noticed we had arrived in front of their quarters.
"Here's where you will be staying. Have a pleasant evening Taishou and you as well,Sesshomaru."
"That's Lord Sesshomaru if you don't mind." he said in an icy tone that gave me chills down my spine. He strode past his father and me and into the quarters.
Taishou looked angry. He turned to me and bowed. "I apologize for his rudeness. I shall speak to him later about it."
"Oh! You needn't do that. It was rude of me to not address him by his title without his permission." I said.
"No...no..this talk is long in coming Izayoi. Don't worry yourself about it, and have a pleasant evening." He bowed formally and when he straightened up he had the same look of merriment in his eyes as before. "May I have tea with you tomorrow? In the garden perhaps?"
I was stunned and I could barely stammer out a "Yes"
"Wonderful. I shall meet you in the garden at eleven o' clock?"
"I would like that very much."
"I am looking forward to it." And he bowed to me again, and went into his quarters. I hurried back as fast as I could to my own quarters. Mio and Mayu were there awaiting me.
"What did he have to say to you?" Mio asked excitedly
"Yes! Tell us everything!" Mayu smiled.
I laughed and said "Well, we didn't really talk about anything. He invited me to tea tomorrow, so I imagine I'll talk with him at greater length then."
They both gasped.
"What is it?" I asked
"You're falling in love with him!" Mayu accused
"No! I'm not......" I trailed off.
"Yes you are. Oh, Lady Izayoi you can't fall in love with him! He's a demon!" Mio said.
I scowled at them.
"I'll not hear you speak of Taishou that way! He's a very kind man."
Mayu shook her head. "No no..you misunderstand Lady! He is a demon. Lord Inutaishou is the Great Demon Lord of the Western Lands."
"I hope it doesn't mean it's the calm before the storm." Kagome thought to herself as she got out of her bedroll. Rolling it up and placing it in the corner she walked outside to find Kaede pulling weeds in the garden. No one else was around.
"Need some help?" Kagome asked.
"Nay child. I'm almost finished here but thank you." said Kaede.
"Where is everyone?"
The elderly miko thought for a moment. "I believe Shippo is playing down by the river and Sango is taking a bath and Miroku, well, you can probably guess where he is. I haven't seen Inuyasha all morning however."
"Really? Well, in that case I'm going to go by the river and read for a while." smiled Kagome happily.
"That old journal getting interesting is it?" Kaede asked.
"Oh yes! I think the lady that wrote it is falling in love with a lord she met at a party! It's very exciting and romantic!" Kagome sighed.
"Well, off with ye then. It's about time ye relaxed."
"Thanks Kaede! I'll be back for lunch!"
Kagome ran back into the hut and grabbed her backpack. Hefting it to her shoulders, she felt a twinge of guilt for not having touched her homework since she came back two days ago. She comforted herself with the thought that by reading the journal she was getting a firsthand account in history. She walked down the short path that lead to the river's edge and sat down on the grass and leaned back on a boulder and picked up where she left off last night.
Kisaragi 5th
Now I can continue with what happened last night.
After the rest of our guests arrived, Lord Inutaishou escorted me to the dinner table where the men set about discussing politics. It was all very boring. I think my father noticed the look on my face because he interrupted:
"Let's not discuss business tonight gentlemen.That will be for tomorrow. Tonight is a night to celebrate. I'm sure my lovely daughter and her ladies would rather sing for us than hear us talk politics."
Several of them agreed and my ladies and I gathered our instruments and played and sang for them for about a half hour. They were an attentive audience and when we were finished Lord Inutaishou was the first to applaud.
"Your daughter has a voice as lovely as she is Lord Takashi."
I blushed and said "You're too kind my Lord. I'm only happy that my voice has pleased you so."
"Indeed it has my lady."
I couldn't believe it....was he flirting with me? It seemed like it was judging from the look of discomfort on my fathers face and my Mio and Mayu's blushing faces.
My father cleared his throat. "Ahem. Yes, well, shall we retire for the evening gentlemen? My servants will show you to your quarters for the evening. If there is anything that you might need please don't hesitate to ask."
Lord Inutaishou smiled and asked
"May I ask that your daughter show us to our quarters instead? I would like to pick up on our earlier conversation."
My father looked astonished and shocked at such a request but he was not one about to refuse hospitality to his guests. He inclined his head giving his permission.
Nervously I stood up and Lord Inutaishou came around and once more offered me his arm. His son stared at me rather coldly when his father did this. Lord Inutaishou gave no indication that he noticed and in a jovial voice asked:
"So, Lady Izayoi, where are we staying tonight?"
I must have been as red as a turnip!
"Your quarters are on the west side of the manor my Lord. It overlooks the garden and it's pond."
Lord Inutaishou waved his hand.
"Please, no more of the "my Lords". You may call me Taishou. May I address you as Izayoi?"
I smiled. He was so very polite and charming!
"You may my l-...Taishou."
His eyes sparkled with merriment.
"I'm now your Taishou? How did that happen so quickly?" He must have sensed my discomfort because he laughed. "I was only joking with you my dear."
I laughed nervously and noticed we had arrived in front of their quarters.
"Here's where you will be staying. Have a pleasant evening Taishou and you as well,Sesshomaru."
"That's Lord Sesshomaru if you don't mind." he said in an icy tone that gave me chills down my spine. He strode past his father and me and into the quarters.
Taishou looked angry. He turned to me and bowed. "I apologize for his rudeness. I shall speak to him later about it."
"Oh! You needn't do that. It was rude of me to not address him by his title without his permission." I said.
"No...no..this talk is long in coming Izayoi. Don't worry yourself about it, and have a pleasant evening." He bowed formally and when he straightened up he had the same look of merriment in his eyes as before. "May I have tea with you tomorrow? In the garden perhaps?"
I was stunned and I could barely stammer out a "Yes"
"Wonderful. I shall meet you in the garden at eleven o' clock?"
"I would like that very much."
"I am looking forward to it." And he bowed to me again, and went into his quarters. I hurried back as fast as I could to my own quarters. Mio and Mayu were there awaiting me.
"What did he have to say to you?" Mio asked excitedly
"Yes! Tell us everything!" Mayu smiled.
I laughed and said "Well, we didn't really talk about anything. He invited me to tea tomorrow, so I imagine I'll talk with him at greater length then."
They both gasped.
"What is it?" I asked
"You're falling in love with him!" Mayu accused
"No! I'm not......" I trailed off.
"Yes you are. Oh, Lady Izayoi you can't fall in love with him! He's a demon!" Mio said.
I scowled at them.
"I'll not hear you speak of Taishou that way! He's a very kind man."
Mayu shook her head. "No no..you misunderstand Lady! He is a demon. Lord Inutaishou is the Great Demon Lord of the Western Lands."