I swear people, if you ask me about Kagome, I'll kill her off, I don't care if it fucks up the rest of the story. She's actually BEEN mentioned, and if you can't notice it, don't keep nagging me, it only irritates me that you think I can't remember people that are so important. Everyone who isn't nagging me about it, thank you. I love you for your lack of nagging.
*****
Gossamer Dreams
Part 16
*****
"My daughter has been spending a good deal of her time with the young Lord ka'Ookami as of late, it seems." Naraku sat comfortably on a chaise in Kijo's private chambers with the Empress Mother herself curled up next to him, peering at the report he was reading from their personal head of intelligence, Kodoku, who was one of Sesshoumaru's very own personal servants, thanks to Kijo's maneuvering. His weekly reports included the dates, times, and natures of all visits to the Imperial Chambers, as well as any facts or suspicions gleaned from the rulers themselves or weeded out from gossip amongst the other menials.
"Yes, but that is good news, my dears brother." Kijo wove her fingers through his dark, wavy locks. "His father is a supporter of our causes, and the young Lord has shown a good deal of promise himself."
"Has he, then?" Naraku did not sound as though he expected an answer for his softly spoken question. Instead, he shifted his own free hand, moving fingertips slowly over his companion's shoulder. "I would be pleased with this revelation had I not long since decided that while we controlled them separately, our children have been utterly unmanageable since we united them. I must say that when it comes to Kagura, I am always suspicious of her intentions, as they seem most often aimed at opposing my own hopes."
"She is rather fractious, isn't she?" Kijo considered. "Shall we have it investigated, then? Surely Kodoku can serve tea personally to the Empress and her new favorite guest. Look here, he has seen her on four separate occasions in the last week alone, and as you may recall, he was reported visiting twice last week, and three times the week before that."
"Very good." Naraku's fingers left Kijo's shoulder to underscore the neatly written words he had now moved on to. "Kagura's bed has been occupied at least twice in the past week. Noises were heard that were quite unmistakable, once at teatime, and another time in the middle of the night. This is very telling, do you not think?"
"As I told you, she is a lovely young woman, and my son could only possibly restrain himself for so long. Beautiful or not, all men have the same needs, as you know well enough, my dearest." Kijo smiled wickedly and stretched against her brother. "In no time, we will hear good news, I am sure."
"And after the child is secured, we shall move." Naraku assured her. "The babe cannot learn to love its parents and their foolish ideals. The only option is to raise it on our own. I am sure with no interference from foolish parents, we shall not raise another rebellious wretch."
"It is sad, though." Kijo pouted slowly, moving her hand to trace the line of Naraku's jaw, attempting to distract him from the report. "I had hoped Sesshoumaru would learn the wisdom of our ways. He is so very beautiful, and I would have enjoyed spending the rest of my life beside such a creature."
"Am I not enough for you, dear sister?" Naraku asked, the report discarded, his grin purely wicked, not in the least bit worried. As answer, she pressed her lips to his as he shifted so that they could move closer to each other. Now, she was practically in his lap, her arms wound around his neck, and his holding her close, working at the back of her corset with practiced ease and without any rush. "Or perhaps you miss your late husband."
"Hardly." Kijo snorted in a way that was not at all elegant or ladylike. Only Naraku was allowed to see her in this way, bare, free, true to what he had known since their days growing up together in the same home. "You know that I found him pretty, but my heart is always yours, brother. I cannot abide such weaklings, no matter how fine their cheekbones are."
"He resembles you a good deal, you know." Naraku placed a light kiss on the top of Kijo's head as she frowned at the many buckles and ties that were momentarily separating his chest from her own flesh. She worked at them diligently, but looked up slightly at his comment. "Sesshoumaru, that is. Of course, his father is very strongly visible, but your grace and beauty make that boy so much more gorgeous than the other that there is no comparison. It is obvious which came from finer stock."
"I had a dream about the three of us, all together at once." She told him as she bent back to her work, removing layers as easily as he edged her corset off, leaving him to the relatively simple gown underneath. "It was lovely, the color of his hair, melding with yours, melding with mine, our skin pressed tight and hot," she sighed softly as pulled her up in a way that ground her over his tightening breeches. "Both of you in me, in each other, happily complete. It's a shame he'd never agree to it."
"A shame." Naraku agreed, "Of course, if you wish for an extra member, the women in the Apartment are rather appealingly obedient, as I have told you before. You have watched me on countless occasions, and yet you take nothing for yourself." He had unfastened the last of her ties, and they both paused while she pulled his shirt off and he pulled her undergarments off before she wiggled down to work at the tie on his breeches, something far less complicated than the first set of ties and buckles and fastenings. He sat up while she worked, arms going behind her as he laved her neck with his tongue. "You know, in only seven months, the dear little Kikyo will be of age, and then we can both taste her untainted fruits, if you would like to."
"That sounds lovely, brother." She ground down onto him now that she had successfully unclad him totally. "Let us move. The velvet of this chaise was rather expensive, and I fear it would stain."
"Excellent thought, my dear Kijo." He kissed her roughly, staying in her as he carried her to the bed. "Tell me what you want." He hovered over her, his mouth ghosting over her flesh, her legs keeping him pulled into her.
"I want you." She told him, her voice husky and rough. "I want you in me."
"I love you."
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"No, that is not how it goes! You have changed the story, Inuyasha." Rin giggled, pulling off the circlet she had borrowed momentarily from Kagura to act out a story Kikyo had told them countless times. Inuyasha was acting opposite her, and they had managed well enough until he seemed to lose his direction in the middle, and began making things up, much to Kagura and Sesshoumaru's amusement. Rin visited the rulers with Inuyasha at least once a week, and they talked of many things, from politics to fairy tales to linguistics. It had been the mention of a certain story that Rin and Inuyasha both loved dearly that had prompted Kagura to entreat they perform it.
"How do you mean?" Inuyasha looked bewildered. "Doesn't he have her make any more gold?"
"No, silly, he promises to marry her after the third night. Then when the little elf man comes, she does not have anything to offer him, and that is when she promises her first born child to him." Rin explained. "So later the name guessing comes into play, as you may recall."
"Oh…yes, you're right." Inuyasha laughed sheepishly. "We should skip ahead to that part."
"No! I enjoy this too much for you to cheat me of a full performance." Kagura protested, hand outstretched. "I even loaned you my circlet."
"Well, once we're married, I will need the crown, if you don't mind." Rin smiled winningly, and Kagura nodded, waving her hand lightly for them to continue. "Now then…you were threatening me, Inuyasha."
"Alright." He smiled, enjoying acting out this story even if he had lost track of the events halfway through. "You will make all of this straw into gold by dawn, or I will cut off your pretty little head!"
"Oh no!" Rin squealed and ran to hide behind Sesshoumaru's tall chair, the young Emperor clearly trying to quell his smile.
"If you do as I say this night, I will make you my queen, and you will only have to make children for the rest of your days." Inuyasha assured her.
"As if that's much better." Kagura laughed while Rin emerged from the chair's back and curtsied.
"I shall do my best, my King." She told Inuyasha. Just as she raised herself, a servant bustled in, looking a bit worried.
"Your Highness, his Lordship, Kouga ka'Ookami is here as you requested for him to be." She explained. "Shall I tell him you are busy?"
"Oh…dear me, I almost forgot." Kagura rose, causing her husband to stand as well out of propriety. "The time flew by without my notice…well, tell him I will be but a moment, but send him in as soon as you have water boiling for tea." The servant curtsied low and left, while Kagura sighed and crossed the floor to hug first Rin and then Inuyasha. "I am sorry, I shall have to cut our visit short. Perhaps you can finish up in Sesshoumaru's sitting room for him and he can fill me in on how the story ends later?"
"I would hate to intrude in that way." Rin immediately responded. She was not sure she felt comfortable around Sesshoumaru when he did not have Kagura restraining his tongue. Ever since that first meeting, she felt nervous around him, and she was sure he would not want her dirty, Gifted presence making a mess of his own private sitting room. "I am a bit tired. Perhaps Inuyasha would not mind taking me back to the Apartment."
"That will be fine." Inuyasha assured her, noticing that his brother was glaring at them both in a very unnerving fashion. He spared the older man a quick smile before nearly fleeing the room, rushing past Kouga on his way out, and not even noticing until Rin was safe in the Apartment that the young man had not said a single snide word to him.
Odd.
And why was he visiting Kagura?
Very odd.
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"I think they really enjoyed it, even Sesshoumaru, and he is so very hard to read." Rin was telling Kikyo about her visit with no small amount of pleasure. "But I could have sworn a smile found his face once or twice. He thinks he is so very serious and solemn all the time. It must be a horrid bore for him."
"Which is why he is so fortunate to have your company, sweet Rin." Kikyo was watering her plants, acquired thanks to Rin's outings, and intended to produce the ingredients in Kaede's old eye color tea. Rin did not see the point in all of it, but it kept Kikyo occupied, and seemingly a bit happy, so that was very fine. "You could win the heart of a stone if it had such a thing."
"That is a funny thing to say, Kikyo." Rin giggled. "I hardly think myself charming as you say, but I do enjoy spending time with them. Kagura is very funny, and quite kind."
"I had heard as much from Inuyasha. I have seen her only twice, I think. Sesshoumaru I have seen three times, all of them searching for his brother." Kikyo explained. "He came close to sleeping in here, some nights, but the women would never allow it, especially now that he's of age."
"Inuyasha would never—" Rin was cut off by the opening of the door, a sound she dreaded after being dropped off by Inuyasha. She had been very well protected by Kikyo, so far, who had kept her hidden and on his three visits so far, Lord Naraku distracted. But it could not last forever. Eventually, one of the men would point to her, hidden in the back of Kikyo's niche, pillows surrounding her as she pretended to sleep, and she would be lost for what to do if she wanted to escape. There was no escape, it seemed. Only mourning the loss.
"Inuyasha is not here." Kikyo's voice brought Rin's head out of the pillows a fraction, and she spotted Sesshoumaru. The Emperor, the most beautiful man she had ever seen, and he never visited the Apartment except to find his brother. Not that he needed a non-consensual partner when he had a nation of willing mistresses at his beck and call. None of them are dirty Gifted girls, either. Rin did not know why that made her so very bitter. What did she care? It only meant one less rapist to fear every night.
"I am not looking for my wayward brother." Sesshoumaru stepped toward the niche a bit more, his hair glistening in complimentary candlelight. "I came for you." He pointed to Rin as though he were passing some sort of edict, and she felt her stomach drop.
What?
"What do you want her for?" Kikyo demanded, standing up and stretching to her not entirely impressive full height. "She is tired."
"It matters not to you what I want her for. I am Emperor, and I will take her, tired or not." He snapped, and Rin felt herself rising without a second thought. Only when she was at his side did she realize what had just happened, and she immediately had the urge to slap him.
Am I a pet of some sort?
"Come, Rin." He turned and left without another word to Kikyo, who looked rather concernedly after her friend. Odd that after all this time, Sesshoumaru would wander down to the Apartment. But perhaps all men had a time when they felt the need to try it, at least once.
But with my friend…Inuyasha's friend. Why?
There were no answers for her, and she could only wait up, worrying over where Rin might be, what she might be doing, and when she might possibly return. She did not have long to wait, however. After two hours, Rin returned with a servant who dropped her off in the Apartment amongst several curious stares from slightly envious women in the Apartment. Kikyo rushed to hug her strangely cheerful seeming friend.
"Are you alright?" Kikyo asked. "What did he…and you…both of you, I mean to say…"
"He wanted a story." Rin told her in a soft tone full of wonder. "I was asked to act out a story, and when I was done…"
"When you were done?" Kikyo prompted anxiously.
"He offered me tea, and when I told him I was tired, he sent me back after thanking me for the story." Rin giggled slightly, obviously still confused by what had happened. "He even clapped for me. I thought he hated me. He let me into his bedroom, Kikyo. He even seemed…sad when I left. He liked the story!"
"Maybe, Rin." Kikyo smiled warmly. "He just liked the teller."
"What does that mean?" Rin wanted to know.
"Nothing at all."
*****
The End (Of Part 16, That Is)