It was the middle of the day when three scouts ran back into Sesshoumaru's main gates. Aya was there to greet him.
"Bring him here!" she said, pointing to the man all dressed in purple looking shocked and scared. He was tied and put on the horse. Obviously he hadn't wanted to come back with the scouts. That didn't matter to Aya at the moment though. As long as he was alive. "Hurry!"
Kenji was behind the castle waiting for him, grabbing the man dragging down from the horse, and all but dragged to him to the nearest quest room on the first floor, next to Kikyo's. He through Miroku into the room, and locked the door, before walked quickly outside the castle.
"What the hell just happened?" Miroku cursed to himself looking about the room with awe. Untying the ropes where no problem. If only the scouts hadn't been keeping their eyes on him constantly, he could have gotten away. But no.... Miroku closed his eyes and shook his head.
What a day it's been...
"Lord Arata." Sango knocked on his door, and opened it when his voice said 'enter'.
"Yes? What is it?"
"You friend, Miroku has arrived." Arata nodded.
"Thank you Sango, dear. Let me freshen up, and I'll go visit him." Sango nodded and walked out the room, back to the room that she and Keade where sharing, where Keade was experimenting with deferent herbs to make new healing potions.
Arata was shown to Miroku's room and walked in with out knocking. Miroku turned to see who had entered and smiled.
"Arata? Long time to no see!"
"Yes, it has been a long time." The two men shook hands and smiled, heading to the two chairs in the room.
"So you are behind this, man-napping."
"Excuse me?"
"I innocently was talking to a few young beautiful women on the side of the road," Arata snorted not believing the innocent part for a second. "When three youkai appeared out of nowhere, grabbed me, tied me up, and carried me here, on a youkai horse." Arata laughed.
"You mean to tell me that they never told you where you where going, never mind asking you?"
"Nope." Arata laughed harder.
"What a trip this must have been for you." Arata chuckled looking at his friend with happiness. Miroku had been a childhood friend. A close one, at that. Arata had been there for Miroku when his mother and father died, and Miroku had been there for him, when his own parents had past on.
"An odd one indeed. So tell me, what so urgent that you had pulled me away from my constant travel?" Arata launched into his story, going into detail. Couple times Miroku got lost, and Arata would have to go back and re- explain a couple of things, but other then that, Miroku was a good listener.
"Goodness. You really are in trouble aren't you?" Miroku said thoughtfully after Arata finished his tale, stopping with him arriving to the castle.
"Yes. Now... Do you know any demon that is after something that Lord Sesshoumaru has?" Miroku thought.
"As you know, This taiyoukai is a powerful. The whole castle is full of his power. I was on edge, for I felt his powerful aura about 2 miles from here. It was like a wave when we reached the castle main gates." Arata nodded, leaning foreword listening to him intently. "So many demons are wanting to slay him for the lands... But have I heard of any demon so wanting any thing that Sesshoumaru-sama has enough to attack his closest friend.... No I haven't." Arata ungracefully plopped back against the chair.
"Damn," Arata cursed. "I was so hoping that you would help us on this. " Miroku nodded.
"Arata. Please tell me about Katsuhiko though. When did he first started feeling down and such, and when did it end." Arata told him everything that he knew about Katsuhiko's incident.
"It might be helpful if you talk to him, your self. As I'm sure he knows more that went on inside him then we do." Miroku nodded.
"Why is Katsuhiko still in my palace?" Sesshoumaru said stiffly as he Aya walk down the hallway. Kagome was in their old room, watching the servants move and pack things helping in any way that she could. Servants ran in and out the rooms behind Sesshoumaru with stuff, moving it further down the hall. They where moving the to the master bedroom, that Sesshoumaru was finally able to get as he now had a respectable mate. Their door was hidden behind a large picture of a dragon, his head looking up at the night sky. It had a high mystical look to the sky, like it was the heavens themselves.
"I wanted to speak to you about that. You and Kagome." Sesshoumaru nodded.
"Very well. But this better be good." Sesshoumaru walked into the room behind him, coming out seconds later, with Kagome on his arm, her face flushed, and giggling slightly, as a servant had just told her a rather funny incident that happened with one of the other servants a few seconds ago.
Aya led them in another study, one that was open to guest men if they wanted a quiet place to study. Locking the door behind her. She launched into the story of how Katsuhiko was feeling sort of ill, too the conversation when the healing youkai was healing him.
Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru, as saw Sesshoumaru studying Aya closely. Aya rocked on her feet slightly unnerved by his gaze.
"This excuse..." Aya sucked in her breath.
Does he not believe it?
"...Seems reasonable." Aya let out a breath that she hadn't realized that she had been holding. Kagome happy that Katsuhiko hadn't turned on Sesshoumaru. "But are you sure that he is not lying just to save his own skin?"
"Absolutely! It was Sango that discovered it." Sesshoumaru nodded. "Then Lord Arata sent for a Buddhist munk, my Lord. Miroku is his name. Lord Arata says that he knows much about the troubles of youkai in high stature. He is here now, and Lord Arata is questioning him if he knows of any youkai that is after what you have."
"Many youkai want what I have. It will be impossible to find out whom, just by that. You must find out more about this youkai." Aya nodded.
"I'll go find out." Sesshoumaru nodded, leading Kagome out of the room.
"You're having trouble believing her," Kagome whispered as they walked back down the hallway. Sesshoumaru nodded.
"It seems too unreal." Sesshoumaru stopped before they got to the busy hallway of all the servants. Kagome nodded, grasping his hands tightly in hers.
"At least you and Katsuhiko can be friends again." She smiled brightly up at him. Sesshoumaru smirked down at her, placing a soft kiss on her lips.
"I don't need friends when I have you." Kagome giggled softly, and blushed heavily, under his smirking gaze. Once again he offered his arm, which Kagome took, walking down the hall.
Late that evening, at dinner Miroku made himself known. "Lord Sesshoumaru and Lady Kagome!" he said, his voice echoing slightly in the dinner hall they all where seated. "The land rejoices in your joining!" Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru in surprise.
"I'm not surprised if the other lords all ready know of my journeys. Servants tend to talk... in and out the castle walls." Kagome nodded, her mouth forming the shape of an 'o', taking a sip from her dinner wine. Under the table, she felt Sesshoumaru's hand rest on her knee suddenly in a strong grip. She looked up and gasped softly, but no one else heard, as they own ushered their cry of shock or gasp.
There stood in the doorway, an injured soldier of high ranking it seemed, stood wobbly.
"Sesshoumaru-sama." he choked out. "A whole troop...attacked...dead...Demon...Naraku..." Kagome's hand flew to her mouth, as the high-ranking officer collapsed to the ground.
"Jaken! Get this soldier some help now!" Sesshoumaru ordered instantly.
"Naraku..."Every one looked at Miroku in confusion. His face was pale, and shaking, all most looking petrified. His left hand, was clutched his right wrist that was wrapped with purple cloth, and dark blue hard clay beads. "He's finally back," he whispered.
"Do you know of this youkai, Sir Miroku?" Sango asked.
"In-deed, I do." Miroku stood and ran from the room. Arata looked pale and sighed.
"What is wrong with him?" Keade asked.
"Naraku. He must be the one that is attacking Lord Sesshoumaru."
"Who is he?" Kagome asked.
"Naraku is a powerful half-demon that killed Miroku's grandfather and father, with a single curse on their family, and possibly kill him too."
"What curse is it. I will counter it." Keade stood up, ready for action.
"I'm afraid that it isn't possible," Arata shook his head sadly. "This curse... It's like nothing I've never heard or seen before. It's like an empty void of space that will suck up anything, rests in his palm. He uses it like a weapon, that can suck up everything in it's path, but every year that whole in his palm gets bigger and bigger, and eventually it will suck him up, just like his father, and his grandfather, who was the original person to get the curse."
"Why was the curse placed on his grandfather?" Kagome asked, taking Sesshoumaru's hand fearfully.
"His grandfather, constantly went after this Naraku, to bring him down. But he underestimated this simple hanyou's power. This hanyou's power... It's unreal." Arata looked up at Sesshoumaru. "Even as a half-youkai, I believe that he could be a real threat to Sesshoumaru himself." Sesshoumaru bristled.
"Like a damned hanyou could overpower me." Arata looked at him closely.
"That exact sentence, is what Miroku's father said the very day he died, sucked up be the wind tunnel."
"Let me get this strait." Keade said, looking Arata right the eye. "This 'hole' in Sir Miroku's hand, hold an endless empty void, that sucks up every thing in his palm. But surely things are two big to fit!"
"It seems just to shrink is size. I told you, not to underestimate his hanyou's power. He is powerful, his Naraku fellow. Powerful in-deed." He stood, and walked out. Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru, fear resting in her blue eyes.
"What does he want that you have?" she asked him. Sesshoumaru stayed silent, not sure of how to answer the question.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, your brother is a hanyou is he not?" Sango said softly, yet her words where strong and blunt. Sesshoumaru stiffened slightly.
"Yes, he is. He's a disgrace to the family."
"Do you know the single thing that your brother wants?" she asked.
"To become a full youkai." Sesshoumaru's answer didn't hesitate for a second, his face showing boredom, but Kagome knew that he was listening carefully.
"Do you have anything that could change that issue?" Sesshoumaru's eyes lit up with realization, and in a flash he was gone. Kagome looked shocked, before running out the room her self, stretching her miko energy to find where he was going or was for that manner.
Once again he was in his privet study.
"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked breathless once she got there. Sesshoumaru stood in the middle of an ransacked room. Sesshoumaru turned around to face her, a smirk on his face, his eyes dancing with the promise that he had just made a new enemy.
"I had moved it when we where moving into our new bedroom. I wanted to keep it close to me, and it's a good thing I did too."
"What's 'it'?"
"The scroll... That scroll with the spell and information of the spell that could turn a mere human, never mind a hanyou, into a pure youkai like myself."
"You think Naraku is after that scroll?"
"It's seems quite obvious, my dear. Look at this room. Second time in a week this room has been damaged. The attack of the troops was a diversion, and when the soldier came in, and when we where all talking, a demon must have ransacked this room.
"But that was hardly 8 minutes! Who could damage a room so quickly?" Kagome asked walking to the middle of the room to where he was. He arched an eyebrow at her.
"A very desperate youkai, my dear miko mate."
"Gods, but a trying day this has been!" Kagome whispered dressing in a sleeping kimono. Sesshoumaru chuckled putting his armor on the proper stand that was near their bed.
"It has in-deed." He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around his waist, kissing the side of her neck, lightly on his mark. He licked quickly, making her shiver slightly, before stepping back, taking his brush, and brushing his hair quickly, before placing the brush back down on the stand.
They both climbed in the bed, getting under the covers. Kagome propped her self up on her elbow. "What are we going to do about this Naraku person? It doesn't sound like the type to settle for a compromise." Again Sesshoumaru chuckled.
"We shall play it on ear for now. If he attacks my soldiers again, then I shall take proper actions. I talked to Keade before I came here. She needs to leave tomorrow, to head back to the village to heal some of the wounded youkai exterminators, but she plans on leaving Sango for your extra protection. I have asked her to take the scroll with her, that way the demon exterminators shall protect it. As I can not keep my eye constantly on the scroll." Kagome nodded, laying back down, snuggling up to Sesshoumaru's side.
She traced lazing patters on his chest softly, deep in thought about the whole situation. "Naraku sounds like he's powerful enough all ready. Why does he need to become a full fledged youkai?"
"Being a hanyou, means that he's half human. Meaning that he must have strong human emotions that he is trying to get rid off. That is the key reason why most hanyou want to be youkai." Kagome listened to his strong voice rumble through his chest, as her cheek rested on his chest softly.
She smiled softly as she felt his arms tighten around her as, he breathed in slowly, and slowly released it. "Go to sleep now, love. You'll need your energy." Kagome looked up and saw his eyes sparkle with the message 'I know something, you don't know.'
"What are you keeping from me?" Kagome asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Sesshoumaru smiled, making him look even more handsome then he all ready was. His eyes where dancing with amusement.
"You shall find out soon enough." Kagome, finding out his was the only response that she was going to get from him, smirked.
"What if I don't want to sleep, though?" Sesshoumaru smirked as he rolled to his back, bringing her on top of him.
"I'm sure if you want, you can find something to do, to spend your time with." He winked at her, causing her to blush slightly, but she didn't back off.
"Maybe I will!" she whispered, as she lowered her head and kissed him fully on the lips, her tongue sliding across his lower lip, begging for entrance. He opened his mouth, letting her tongue explore his mouth.
Kagome's body slid up, till she was straddling his hips, her hands, doing fast work to untie his pants. "Eager are we?" he smirked against her lips, as she began to slid them down his legs.
"Very!"
Keade and Kagome hugged in farewell. "I'll miss you Keade," Kagome whispered.
"I'll miss you as well. But I must return to my village." Kagome nodded, they stepped back as Sesshoumaru neared. "This is the scroll?"
"It is. Guard it with your life...Things like this in the wrong hands, can bring disasters to the whole world." Keade nodded, putting it tightly in the saddlebag, on her horse.
Keade and the troop of demon exterminators said their farewells, and cantered out of the village. Arata with them, but he was to return soon, as he needed to appoint someone to take care of the village.
"It's going to be a lot quieter with them gone." Huang said laughing softly. Kagome smiled at him.
"That's going to be a good thing." A light chuckled went around the group as they headed inside.
Keade was in head of the troop, they where walking now, to not tire the horses to much. Keade was lost in thought, when her horse neighed, and bucked sending her flying to the ground.
"Lady Keade!" Arata was at her side in an instant, along with some of the higher ranking demon exterminators. "Are you all right?" Arata asked concerned.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine... The horse...Where's my horse? Why did it buck?" Keade tried to the stand up, wanting to get to her horse, for the scroll in the saddlebags. If any thing should happen to that scroll.... Keade shuddered with the thought of all the demons that would be roaming around with unimaginable power.
"A snake was in the path is all." Arata said smiling, as he helped her up. "I'll go retrieve your horse for you, while you rest. That was quite a fall you took." Keade nodded dazed, her head getting a spitting headache.
"Thank you, Lord Arata." Arata smiled again before running off into the woods.
Keade had finally reached the village, and sighed, taking her saddlebags inside her hut. "Welcome home!" she said to her self, as she put the heavy bags on a table. She started to unpack her clothing and such.
When it came to the last bag, it was the one that held the scroll. Something didn't feel right though. Slowly she opened the bag. Her eyes widened, as she dumped the bag on the table, its contents came flying out, rolling on the table.
But one thing was missing.
The scroll was gone.
"Bring him here!" she said, pointing to the man all dressed in purple looking shocked and scared. He was tied and put on the horse. Obviously he hadn't wanted to come back with the scouts. That didn't matter to Aya at the moment though. As long as he was alive. "Hurry!"
Kenji was behind the castle waiting for him, grabbing the man dragging down from the horse, and all but dragged to him to the nearest quest room on the first floor, next to Kikyo's. He through Miroku into the room, and locked the door, before walked quickly outside the castle.
"What the hell just happened?" Miroku cursed to himself looking about the room with awe. Untying the ropes where no problem. If only the scouts hadn't been keeping their eyes on him constantly, he could have gotten away. But no.... Miroku closed his eyes and shook his head.
What a day it's been...
"Lord Arata." Sango knocked on his door, and opened it when his voice said 'enter'.
"Yes? What is it?"
"You friend, Miroku has arrived." Arata nodded.
"Thank you Sango, dear. Let me freshen up, and I'll go visit him." Sango nodded and walked out the room, back to the room that she and Keade where sharing, where Keade was experimenting with deferent herbs to make new healing potions.
Arata was shown to Miroku's room and walked in with out knocking. Miroku turned to see who had entered and smiled.
"Arata? Long time to no see!"
"Yes, it has been a long time." The two men shook hands and smiled, heading to the two chairs in the room.
"So you are behind this, man-napping."
"Excuse me?"
"I innocently was talking to a few young beautiful women on the side of the road," Arata snorted not believing the innocent part for a second. "When three youkai appeared out of nowhere, grabbed me, tied me up, and carried me here, on a youkai horse." Arata laughed.
"You mean to tell me that they never told you where you where going, never mind asking you?"
"Nope." Arata laughed harder.
"What a trip this must have been for you." Arata chuckled looking at his friend with happiness. Miroku had been a childhood friend. A close one, at that. Arata had been there for Miroku when his mother and father died, and Miroku had been there for him, when his own parents had past on.
"An odd one indeed. So tell me, what so urgent that you had pulled me away from my constant travel?" Arata launched into his story, going into detail. Couple times Miroku got lost, and Arata would have to go back and re- explain a couple of things, but other then that, Miroku was a good listener.
"Goodness. You really are in trouble aren't you?" Miroku said thoughtfully after Arata finished his tale, stopping with him arriving to the castle.
"Yes. Now... Do you know any demon that is after something that Lord Sesshoumaru has?" Miroku thought.
"As you know, This taiyoukai is a powerful. The whole castle is full of his power. I was on edge, for I felt his powerful aura about 2 miles from here. It was like a wave when we reached the castle main gates." Arata nodded, leaning foreword listening to him intently. "So many demons are wanting to slay him for the lands... But have I heard of any demon so wanting any thing that Sesshoumaru-sama has enough to attack his closest friend.... No I haven't." Arata ungracefully plopped back against the chair.
"Damn," Arata cursed. "I was so hoping that you would help us on this. " Miroku nodded.
"Arata. Please tell me about Katsuhiko though. When did he first started feeling down and such, and when did it end." Arata told him everything that he knew about Katsuhiko's incident.
"It might be helpful if you talk to him, your self. As I'm sure he knows more that went on inside him then we do." Miroku nodded.
"Why is Katsuhiko still in my palace?" Sesshoumaru said stiffly as he Aya walk down the hallway. Kagome was in their old room, watching the servants move and pack things helping in any way that she could. Servants ran in and out the rooms behind Sesshoumaru with stuff, moving it further down the hall. They where moving the to the master bedroom, that Sesshoumaru was finally able to get as he now had a respectable mate. Their door was hidden behind a large picture of a dragon, his head looking up at the night sky. It had a high mystical look to the sky, like it was the heavens themselves.
"I wanted to speak to you about that. You and Kagome." Sesshoumaru nodded.
"Very well. But this better be good." Sesshoumaru walked into the room behind him, coming out seconds later, with Kagome on his arm, her face flushed, and giggling slightly, as a servant had just told her a rather funny incident that happened with one of the other servants a few seconds ago.
Aya led them in another study, one that was open to guest men if they wanted a quiet place to study. Locking the door behind her. She launched into the story of how Katsuhiko was feeling sort of ill, too the conversation when the healing youkai was healing him.
Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru, as saw Sesshoumaru studying Aya closely. Aya rocked on her feet slightly unnerved by his gaze.
"This excuse..." Aya sucked in her breath.
Does he not believe it?
"...Seems reasonable." Aya let out a breath that she hadn't realized that she had been holding. Kagome happy that Katsuhiko hadn't turned on Sesshoumaru. "But are you sure that he is not lying just to save his own skin?"
"Absolutely! It was Sango that discovered it." Sesshoumaru nodded. "Then Lord Arata sent for a Buddhist munk, my Lord. Miroku is his name. Lord Arata says that he knows much about the troubles of youkai in high stature. He is here now, and Lord Arata is questioning him if he knows of any youkai that is after what you have."
"Many youkai want what I have. It will be impossible to find out whom, just by that. You must find out more about this youkai." Aya nodded.
"I'll go find out." Sesshoumaru nodded, leading Kagome out of the room.
"You're having trouble believing her," Kagome whispered as they walked back down the hallway. Sesshoumaru nodded.
"It seems too unreal." Sesshoumaru stopped before they got to the busy hallway of all the servants. Kagome nodded, grasping his hands tightly in hers.
"At least you and Katsuhiko can be friends again." She smiled brightly up at him. Sesshoumaru smirked down at her, placing a soft kiss on her lips.
"I don't need friends when I have you." Kagome giggled softly, and blushed heavily, under his smirking gaze. Once again he offered his arm, which Kagome took, walking down the hall.
Late that evening, at dinner Miroku made himself known. "Lord Sesshoumaru and Lady Kagome!" he said, his voice echoing slightly in the dinner hall they all where seated. "The land rejoices in your joining!" Kagome looked at Sesshoumaru in surprise.
"I'm not surprised if the other lords all ready know of my journeys. Servants tend to talk... in and out the castle walls." Kagome nodded, her mouth forming the shape of an 'o', taking a sip from her dinner wine. Under the table, she felt Sesshoumaru's hand rest on her knee suddenly in a strong grip. She looked up and gasped softly, but no one else heard, as they own ushered their cry of shock or gasp.
There stood in the doorway, an injured soldier of high ranking it seemed, stood wobbly.
"Sesshoumaru-sama." he choked out. "A whole troop...attacked...dead...Demon...Naraku..." Kagome's hand flew to her mouth, as the high-ranking officer collapsed to the ground.
"Jaken! Get this soldier some help now!" Sesshoumaru ordered instantly.
"Naraku..."Every one looked at Miroku in confusion. His face was pale, and shaking, all most looking petrified. His left hand, was clutched his right wrist that was wrapped with purple cloth, and dark blue hard clay beads. "He's finally back," he whispered.
"Do you know of this youkai, Sir Miroku?" Sango asked.
"In-deed, I do." Miroku stood and ran from the room. Arata looked pale and sighed.
"What is wrong with him?" Keade asked.
"Naraku. He must be the one that is attacking Lord Sesshoumaru."
"Who is he?" Kagome asked.
"Naraku is a powerful half-demon that killed Miroku's grandfather and father, with a single curse on their family, and possibly kill him too."
"What curse is it. I will counter it." Keade stood up, ready for action.
"I'm afraid that it isn't possible," Arata shook his head sadly. "This curse... It's like nothing I've never heard or seen before. It's like an empty void of space that will suck up anything, rests in his palm. He uses it like a weapon, that can suck up everything in it's path, but every year that whole in his palm gets bigger and bigger, and eventually it will suck him up, just like his father, and his grandfather, who was the original person to get the curse."
"Why was the curse placed on his grandfather?" Kagome asked, taking Sesshoumaru's hand fearfully.
"His grandfather, constantly went after this Naraku, to bring him down. But he underestimated this simple hanyou's power. This hanyou's power... It's unreal." Arata looked up at Sesshoumaru. "Even as a half-youkai, I believe that he could be a real threat to Sesshoumaru himself." Sesshoumaru bristled.
"Like a damned hanyou could overpower me." Arata looked at him closely.
"That exact sentence, is what Miroku's father said the very day he died, sucked up be the wind tunnel."
"Let me get this strait." Keade said, looking Arata right the eye. "This 'hole' in Sir Miroku's hand, hold an endless empty void, that sucks up every thing in his palm. But surely things are two big to fit!"
"It seems just to shrink is size. I told you, not to underestimate his hanyou's power. He is powerful, his Naraku fellow. Powerful in-deed." He stood, and walked out. Kagome turned to Sesshoumaru, fear resting in her blue eyes.
"What does he want that you have?" she asked him. Sesshoumaru stayed silent, not sure of how to answer the question.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, your brother is a hanyou is he not?" Sango said softly, yet her words where strong and blunt. Sesshoumaru stiffened slightly.
"Yes, he is. He's a disgrace to the family."
"Do you know the single thing that your brother wants?" she asked.
"To become a full youkai." Sesshoumaru's answer didn't hesitate for a second, his face showing boredom, but Kagome knew that he was listening carefully.
"Do you have anything that could change that issue?" Sesshoumaru's eyes lit up with realization, and in a flash he was gone. Kagome looked shocked, before running out the room her self, stretching her miko energy to find where he was going or was for that manner.
Once again he was in his privet study.
"Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked breathless once she got there. Sesshoumaru stood in the middle of an ransacked room. Sesshoumaru turned around to face her, a smirk on his face, his eyes dancing with the promise that he had just made a new enemy.
"I had moved it when we where moving into our new bedroom. I wanted to keep it close to me, and it's a good thing I did too."
"What's 'it'?"
"The scroll... That scroll with the spell and information of the spell that could turn a mere human, never mind a hanyou, into a pure youkai like myself."
"You think Naraku is after that scroll?"
"It's seems quite obvious, my dear. Look at this room. Second time in a week this room has been damaged. The attack of the troops was a diversion, and when the soldier came in, and when we where all talking, a demon must have ransacked this room.
"But that was hardly 8 minutes! Who could damage a room so quickly?" Kagome asked walking to the middle of the room to where he was. He arched an eyebrow at her.
"A very desperate youkai, my dear miko mate."
"Gods, but a trying day this has been!" Kagome whispered dressing in a sleeping kimono. Sesshoumaru chuckled putting his armor on the proper stand that was near their bed.
"It has in-deed." He walked up behind her, wrapping his arms around his waist, kissing the side of her neck, lightly on his mark. He licked quickly, making her shiver slightly, before stepping back, taking his brush, and brushing his hair quickly, before placing the brush back down on the stand.
They both climbed in the bed, getting under the covers. Kagome propped her self up on her elbow. "What are we going to do about this Naraku person? It doesn't sound like the type to settle for a compromise." Again Sesshoumaru chuckled.
"We shall play it on ear for now. If he attacks my soldiers again, then I shall take proper actions. I talked to Keade before I came here. She needs to leave tomorrow, to head back to the village to heal some of the wounded youkai exterminators, but she plans on leaving Sango for your extra protection. I have asked her to take the scroll with her, that way the demon exterminators shall protect it. As I can not keep my eye constantly on the scroll." Kagome nodded, laying back down, snuggling up to Sesshoumaru's side.
She traced lazing patters on his chest softly, deep in thought about the whole situation. "Naraku sounds like he's powerful enough all ready. Why does he need to become a full fledged youkai?"
"Being a hanyou, means that he's half human. Meaning that he must have strong human emotions that he is trying to get rid off. That is the key reason why most hanyou want to be youkai." Kagome listened to his strong voice rumble through his chest, as her cheek rested on his chest softly.
She smiled softly as she felt his arms tighten around her as, he breathed in slowly, and slowly released it. "Go to sleep now, love. You'll need your energy." Kagome looked up and saw his eyes sparkle with the message 'I know something, you don't know.'
"What are you keeping from me?" Kagome asked, her eyes narrowing in suspicion. Sesshoumaru smiled, making him look even more handsome then he all ready was. His eyes where dancing with amusement.
"You shall find out soon enough." Kagome, finding out his was the only response that she was going to get from him, smirked.
"What if I don't want to sleep, though?" Sesshoumaru smirked as he rolled to his back, bringing her on top of him.
"I'm sure if you want, you can find something to do, to spend your time with." He winked at her, causing her to blush slightly, but she didn't back off.
"Maybe I will!" she whispered, as she lowered her head and kissed him fully on the lips, her tongue sliding across his lower lip, begging for entrance. He opened his mouth, letting her tongue explore his mouth.
Kagome's body slid up, till she was straddling his hips, her hands, doing fast work to untie his pants. "Eager are we?" he smirked against her lips, as she began to slid them down his legs.
"Very!"
Keade and Kagome hugged in farewell. "I'll miss you Keade," Kagome whispered.
"I'll miss you as well. But I must return to my village." Kagome nodded, they stepped back as Sesshoumaru neared. "This is the scroll?"
"It is. Guard it with your life...Things like this in the wrong hands, can bring disasters to the whole world." Keade nodded, putting it tightly in the saddlebag, on her horse.
Keade and the troop of demon exterminators said their farewells, and cantered out of the village. Arata with them, but he was to return soon, as he needed to appoint someone to take care of the village.
"It's going to be a lot quieter with them gone." Huang said laughing softly. Kagome smiled at him.
"That's going to be a good thing." A light chuckled went around the group as they headed inside.
Keade was in head of the troop, they where walking now, to not tire the horses to much. Keade was lost in thought, when her horse neighed, and bucked sending her flying to the ground.
"Lady Keade!" Arata was at her side in an instant, along with some of the higher ranking demon exterminators. "Are you all right?" Arata asked concerned.
"Yes, yes, I'm fine... The horse...Where's my horse? Why did it buck?" Keade tried to the stand up, wanting to get to her horse, for the scroll in the saddlebags. If any thing should happen to that scroll.... Keade shuddered with the thought of all the demons that would be roaming around with unimaginable power.
"A snake was in the path is all." Arata said smiling, as he helped her up. "I'll go retrieve your horse for you, while you rest. That was quite a fall you took." Keade nodded dazed, her head getting a spitting headache.
"Thank you, Lord Arata." Arata smiled again before running off into the woods.
Keade had finally reached the village, and sighed, taking her saddlebags inside her hut. "Welcome home!" she said to her self, as she put the heavy bags on a table. She started to unpack her clothing and such.
When it came to the last bag, it was the one that held the scroll. Something didn't feel right though. Slowly she opened the bag. Her eyes widened, as she dumped the bag on the table, its contents came flying out, rolling on the table.
But one thing was missing.
The scroll was gone.