Gasp, an update. I'm sorry that this chapter took so long to write. Life interfered more than anything else, and I had a little trouble making some of the transitions move smoothly. I hope it came out all right. And I hope all this is not too boring – I feel like this story is going very slowly. Hopefully there will be a little more action in the next two chapters.
Thanks to all my reviewers, and especially to LadyRune for her encouragement!
***
Inuyasha faced Kagome, his expression serious. "Kagome, I want you to tell me everything that Yoko told you when you talked last night."
Kagome blinked. "What?"
Inuyasha whirled on her, a look of determination on his face. "Tell me everything you found out about her."
Kagome frowned. "I'm not going to do that."
Inuyasha's mouth fell open a little. That was not the answer he expected. "What?"
"I wouldn't tell her about you without your permission, I'm not going to turn around and tell you about her the same way. You should talk to her yourself."
Inuyasha's expression went stormy. "What's the matter with you? She didn't tell you any big secrets, did she? Just tell me what I want to know!"
"No," Kagome scowled, folding her arms. "If you want to know about her you can just ask her yourself. I'm not your go-between!"
Inuyasha gritted his teeth in frustration, and lightening sparked between them as he and Kagome matched glares.
"Keh," he finally spat, turning away.
"You're being stupid," Kagome scolded.
"Who's stupid?" Inuyasha scowled.
"What do you expect me to be able to tell you, anyway?" Kagome demanded. "She didn't give me her life history, we were just talking. If you could just sit down and talk to her like a normal person for five minutes you'd know everything that I do."
"Keh," Inuyasha repeated.
"Fine," Kagome threw her hands in the air. "You can sit here and stare at the wall for all I care." With that, she flounced out the door, and the disgruntled hanyou stomped after her.
"Kagome! Damnit, come back here!"
He caught up with her easily, but she ignored him.
"Kagome, answer me! Hey! Are you listening to me?"
"No," she said succinctly, smiling cheerfully at him. "Look, there's Sango and Miroku." She ran off, leaving Inuyasha to sputter angrily and stalk after her.
Kagome slowed as she saw that her friends weren't alone. Sango and Miroku were kneeling comfortably on the grass near a clump of white flower bushes. Shippo and Kirara were running around playing nearby. Beyond Sango and Miroku, their hostess's brightly colored kimono stood out against the green grass. Kagome sensed that Inuyasha had stopped. She hesitated a moment, and then picked up her pace again. "Sango! Miroku!"
"Kagome!" Shippo came running up to her. Abandoned by her playmate, Kirara decided to deposit herself in Sango's lap for a nap.
"Kagome-sama," Miroku half-turned, smiling. "Please, join us." He motioned Kagome to a seat next to him. Kagome looked at him suspiciously and sat down on Sango's other side.
"Yoko-sama," Kagome smiled. "It's good to see you again."
"Yes," Yoko smiled back. "Would you like some tea?" Yoko was seated on a small wooden bench, and at Kagome's nod she touched the shoulder of the young woman kneeling beside her. "I hope you had a restful night," she said as her attendant moved off towards the house, folding her hands around the fan in her lap.
"Yes," Kagome lied, her eyes sliding toward Inuyasha, who had finally decided to catch up with her, but remained standing. She jerked hard on his pant leg, and grumbling, he seated himself. "You have such a lovely home."
Yoko smiled, pleased. "My Lord has been very good to me. This courtyard used to be very plain, but he let me have these bushes planted and hire a caretaker. I always like to sit out for a little in the mornings, when the weather is nice. Your friends were gracious enough to keep me company today. Sango-san was just telling me about her village."
"Oh," Kagome glanced over at the taiji-a, a little surprised. Sango's gaze was fixed on her teacup.
"We could certainly use the services of a taiji-a here. The forest there is full of youkai," Yoko indicated the trees beyond with a nod. "My Lord's men have quite a lot to handle keeping them in hand. They rarely attack the house, though we often have to drive them away from the village down the road." She frowned slightly. "They seem to becoming more active, lately. It's very strange. I'm anxious for my Lord to return. He had business quite a distance from here, and he has been away for quite a while. If this youkai activity continues, he may have difficulty on the way home."
Inuyasha frowned, and Yoko started as he spoke for the first time. "He left you here by yourself?" His eyes slid to Yoko's ever-present guards, who were looking, at the moment, rather bored. Only the lady's personal attendant looked truly alert. Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, slightly. The girl noticed his scrutiny. She gave him a tight-lipped smile and a tiny nod, sliding the hilt of a dagger out of her obi just enough for him to see it. Inuyasha grunted in mild surprise, and shifted his attention back to the mistress.
Yoko smiled, blushing slightly. "Originally I was to go with him, but I haven't been well lately." Her hand fluttered unconsciously to her abdomen in an unconscious gesture any woman would recognize.
Kagome's eyes lit up and she grinned broadly. "Yoko-sama, that's wonderful!" Inuyasha looked at her in confusion.
"Yes," Sango agreed, with a smile of her own. "Congratulations."
Miroku blinked for just a moment, a half-step behind the girls, but quickly nodded as well. "Such a mother will certainly bear a beautiful child."
Inuyasha's eyes widened as comprehension finally came to him.
Yoko's cheeks colored thoroughly at the attention, and she smiled happily, bowing her head a little. "Thank you all for your good wishes."
Kagome elbowed Inuyasha in the ribs. "Say something," she hissed under her breath.
"Oh. Uh, congratulations," Inuyasha muttered belatedly, looking away in embarrassment.
Yoko's smile faltered, a little uncertain for a moment, and she looked at her hands. Kagome sighed a little, glaring at Inuyasha, who continued staring off towards the woods.
"Anyway," Yoko raised her face again, the serene smile of the lady back in place, "My Lord should be returning soon. He's expected any day now. In the meantime, the house guard keeps me safe."
Inuyasha looked skeptically again at the guards, but when he thought about it, whether Yoko's husband was present or not would not make much difference. If the house were attacked by a youkai weak enough for humans to defeat, the guards would suffice. The house's lord would have to be something extraordinary to make a difference if his house army failed.
"Inuyasha-sama…"
The hanyou's ears twitched and his eyes slid reluctantly back to his new-found cousin. Yoko's expression was earnest, and a little anxious.
"May I borrow a little of your time this afternoon? There is someone I believe you should meet."
Inuyasha frowned, and glanced at Kagome. He started a little at the vehement look on her face as she nodded vigorously. She made little shooing motions with her hands. He looked back at Yoko, who was trying to politely ignore Kagome but was plainly a little perplexed.
"Sure," he said, his eyes sliding away again.
"Exellent," Yoko brightened. "I'm so glad. Very well then, feel free to stay and enjoy yourselves. I have some matters to attend to in the house."
When Yoko and her attendants had removed themselves, Inuyasha looked darkly at Kagome. "What was that all about?"
Kagome waved a flower at him as if she were scolding him. "You wanted to find out about her. This is a good chance. You can talk to her on your own."
"What?" Inuyasha blinked, and scowled. "You're coming with me, wench!"
"No, I'm not," Kagome stated firmly. "I'm staying here with Miroku and Sango to enjoy myself. And study out here in the sun. Do you think one human female is more than you can handle without my help?"
"What?" Inuyasha's voice rose in shock. He glared at her. "What are you talking about, stupid woman? I'm the one always having to save you. I don't care about that girl, but I'm not leaving you to run around in this strange place by yourself."
"Miroku and Sango will be with me," Kagome declared stubbornly.
"Me too!" Shippou cried, hopping up on Kagome's shoulder. Kirara mewed from Sango's lap.
"See?" Kagome grinned triumphantly. "I'll be fine."
Inuyasha fumed. "Fine," he snapped, standing up and stalking off. "I can see I'm not needed here." A leap took him to the roof of the house, and another one took him out of their sight completely.