AN: Sorry it took so long. On with the story.
Kagome slowly opened her eyes. When her vision cleared she realized that she was back in her room. The events of yesterday came to mind, but she pushed them aside for the moment. Just then her door opened and in came a servant with a tray of food.
"Ah, Mistress. You gave the lords quite a scare yesterday, how are you feeling?"
"I'm quite well actually. In fact, I feel as though I could run around the entire castle and not be out of breath."
The servant smiled warmly. "Such energy would do well to the future heirs."
Kagome looked at her and blinked, "Excuse me?"
"Never mind milady, just a nonsense comment." She then turned and left in hurry.
"Well that was just weird."
"What was weird?" Misawn asked from the door.
"Oh just a comment that one of the servants made. What are you doing?"
"I was coming to check on you, I hope you're doing well." He sat down on the edge of the bed.
"I'm fine. I should be up and about within the hour."
"Good because you need to be well for the ceremony tonight."
"What ceremony?" She took note of the gleam in his eye.
"Just a ritual ceremony that my parents are having."
"Oh, well I should be well enough for that."
Misawn looked her over and took in her scent.
"What?"
"You're just so beautiful that's what."
Kagome blushed and looked down at her hands. She felt him place a kiss on her cheek before leaving. He always knew just how to get to her.
'Misawn is so sweet and he and his parents have been so good to me over the past few months. They deserve more than my thanks could offer them. I'll just have to do my best in making a good impression on their guests.'
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"How about now?"
"No."
"Ok….now?"
"No! I'll tell you when we get there alright? Just shut up!"
Sango put a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. She and Miroku were riding on Kirara, while Shippou had chose to ride on Inuyasha's back. They had been traveling for almost four hours, and Shippou had made a game of badgering Inuyasha with questions.
"Funny Inuyasha hasn't made a move to hurt the kit yet."
"I think he's just as excited about seeing Kagome."
Miroku hugged Sango's body closer to his chest. "I am too."
Sango sighed and to the houshi's surprise leaned back into him. "I've really missed her Miroku."
The ceremony was one of success and surprise. Many of the elders were apprehensive about a miko wedding a youkai, but few protested.
Kagome was having a wonderful time talking with the other ladies, they all seemed so civilized and mannered. Really the only other youkai that she had met that acted this formal was Sesshoumaru.
"I am above being civilized miko."
"Ah, Sesshoumaru. I must say I am surprised to see you here, I thought such events were merely for the weak?"
He gave her a wry look. "I'm forced to come, being that I am Lord of the Western lands."
'Again, young miko, your courage amazes me. Strange that my brother isn't here with you.'
He grasped her hand in his own. "Dance with me."
It was more of a command then a request. At first she was about to reject, but sensed that this was not going to be just an ordinary dance. When they hit the floor, he gracefully turned and gathered her close to him. Their bodies seemed to meld together as they danced to the music.
Sesshoumaru was so caught up in the moment that he almost forgot the real reason that he had asked her to dance with him.
"Why are you not with the hanyou?"
"We finally realized that we weren't meant to be together, so we separated."
"Yet you still love him."
Kagome looked him in the eyes. "Yes."
Her answer startled him and made him feel a little angry. "How can you? He has done nothing but hurt you."
She merely shrugged. "Love makes you do strange things I guess."
"If you love him so much then why are you not with him?"
"I prefer to let him choose, it'll hurt less."
"You are truly foolish, you should have better control over your heart."
Her eyes flashed angrily at him. "This coming from someone that knows nothing of loving someone."
She pulled away abruptly and left him in the middle of the dance floor. Suddenly dozens of single and non-single females came to see if he would dance with them.
'I wish she hadn't left.'
"Look Shippou , there it is."
Shippou raised his head to gaze at the castle. "Kagome's in there?"
Inuyasha began to sniff the air, he growled low in his throat.
"Yea, she's in there. So is that youkai that took her away, and my bastard brother."
"Sesshoumaru is there too?" Miroku asked.
"Well houshi, it is a social event so don't be too surprised. Though we should be on our guard, he could pose a threat."
"Come on lets move." Inuyasha said. 'I'm coming Kagome.'
Kagome slowly opened her eyes. When her vision cleared she realized that she was back in her room. The events of yesterday came to mind, but she pushed them aside for the moment. Just then her door opened and in came a servant with a tray of food.
"Ah, Mistress. You gave the lords quite a scare yesterday, how are you feeling?"
"I'm quite well actually. In fact, I feel as though I could run around the entire castle and not be out of breath."
The servant smiled warmly. "Such energy would do well to the future heirs."
Kagome looked at her and blinked, "Excuse me?"
"Never mind milady, just a nonsense comment." She then turned and left in hurry.
"Well that was just weird."
"What was weird?" Misawn asked from the door.
"Oh just a comment that one of the servants made. What are you doing?"
"I was coming to check on you, I hope you're doing well." He sat down on the edge of the bed.
"I'm fine. I should be up and about within the hour."
"Good because you need to be well for the ceremony tonight."
"What ceremony?" She took note of the gleam in his eye.
"Just a ritual ceremony that my parents are having."
"Oh, well I should be well enough for that."
Misawn looked her over and took in her scent.
"What?"
"You're just so beautiful that's what."
Kagome blushed and looked down at her hands. She felt him place a kiss on her cheek before leaving. He always knew just how to get to her.
'Misawn is so sweet and he and his parents have been so good to me over the past few months. They deserve more than my thanks could offer them. I'll just have to do my best in making a good impression on their guests.'
"Are we there yet?"
"No."
"How about now?"
"No."
"Ok….now?"
"No! I'll tell you when we get there alright? Just shut up!"
Sango put a hand over her mouth to stifle her giggles. She and Miroku were riding on Kirara, while Shippou had chose to ride on Inuyasha's back. They had been traveling for almost four hours, and Shippou had made a game of badgering Inuyasha with questions.
"Funny Inuyasha hasn't made a move to hurt the kit yet."
"I think he's just as excited about seeing Kagome."
Miroku hugged Sango's body closer to his chest. "I am too."
Sango sighed and to the houshi's surprise leaned back into him. "I've really missed her Miroku."
The ceremony was one of success and surprise. Many of the elders were apprehensive about a miko wedding a youkai, but few protested.
Kagome was having a wonderful time talking with the other ladies, they all seemed so civilized and mannered. Really the only other youkai that she had met that acted this formal was Sesshoumaru.
"I am above being civilized miko."
"Ah, Sesshoumaru. I must say I am surprised to see you here, I thought such events were merely for the weak?"
He gave her a wry look. "I'm forced to come, being that I am Lord of the Western lands."
'Again, young miko, your courage amazes me. Strange that my brother isn't here with you.'
He grasped her hand in his own. "Dance with me."
It was more of a command then a request. At first she was about to reject, but sensed that this was not going to be just an ordinary dance. When they hit the floor, he gracefully turned and gathered her close to him. Their bodies seemed to meld together as they danced to the music.
Sesshoumaru was so caught up in the moment that he almost forgot the real reason that he had asked her to dance with him.
"Why are you not with the hanyou?"
"We finally realized that we weren't meant to be together, so we separated."
"Yet you still love him."
Kagome looked him in the eyes. "Yes."
Her answer startled him and made him feel a little angry. "How can you? He has done nothing but hurt you."
She merely shrugged. "Love makes you do strange things I guess."
"If you love him so much then why are you not with him?"
"I prefer to let him choose, it'll hurt less."
"You are truly foolish, you should have better control over your heart."
Her eyes flashed angrily at him. "This coming from someone that knows nothing of loving someone."
She pulled away abruptly and left him in the middle of the dance floor. Suddenly dozens of single and non-single females came to see if he would dance with them.
'I wish she hadn't left.'
"Look Shippou , there it is."
Shippou raised his head to gaze at the castle. "Kagome's in there?"
Inuyasha began to sniff the air, he growled low in his throat.
"Yea, she's in there. So is that youkai that took her away, and my bastard brother."
"Sesshoumaru is there too?" Miroku asked.
"Well houshi, it is a social event so don't be too surprised. Though we should be on our guard, he could pose a threat."
"Come on lets move." Inuyasha said. 'I'm coming Kagome.'