Two months. Two long, agonizing, excruciating months. Sesshoumaru wanted nothing better that to bang his head against the polished marble pillars that lined the halls of the Western Wing and only the strength of his will and pride kept him from doing so.
'After all,' he thought sourly, 'a dent in solid marble would be quite difficult fix and a dent in my reputation even harder.'
The girl that his father had insisted that he marry had not given him a moment's peace since invading his portion of the palace. It seemed that no matter where he went, what he was doing, she would always be there.
Never had he faced this problem of not being able to eliminate that which caused him such grief before. And now, the latest of her trying escapades had almost cost him a war and Kumiko her life.
The Southern Cardinal Lord had sent an ambassador to the West to discuss the pressing situation of Inu Taisho's fall out of favour, the resulting unrest that was brewing within all the lands, and a possible alliance between the two lands should anything happen that required such a course of action. Both parties had agreed that the conference would be kept secret from the Western Lord due to obvious reasons.
The negotiations had been proceeding with ease until Kumiko had decided that she could not stand being away from her "darling", as she had so magnanimously dubbed him. He and the Southern ambassador had been in the process of cementing their deal when she had barged into his office, throwing a wild tantrum, tears, yelling, screaming and all, demanding to know why her darling fiancé had left her alone yet again.
At this grotesque display, the ambassador, who had been in the process of signing the contract, swiftly halted and stood swiftly, and demanded an explanation of the young lord. Barking an order to the guards at the door to drag the hysterical girl out of the room, he turned quickly away to quell the homicidal urges that swelled up inside him.
Normally, he would never have thought twice about dispatching such an annoying nuisance, but not only was she under the protecting of Inu Taisho, he was also honour-bound to keep her safe while she resided in his Wing.
'And while the Western Lord has no such obligations towards honour,' Sesshoumaru thought bitterly, 'his son was cursed with the burden.'
It had taken him a full hour to convince the Southern ambassador that he had not followed in Inu Taisho's footsteps. It had taken him another hour to explain the whole embarrassing situation, which he had at first wanted to keep hidden.
Even worse still was the fact that now that the ambassador had opened his mind to the idea that humans resided in the Western Wing, he had also noticed the two other females' distinctive scents, leading to yet another explanation that the lord had hoped to do without. After some half truths and twisted words, leaving out the developing bond between himself and Kagome which even he dared not contemplate, the ambassador was finally placated and proceeded with the contract.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Sesshoumaru brusquely strode towards Kumiko's scent; loathed to speak to her again, but having no other choice. Her behaviour had been atrocious and he would not tolerate her ineptitude in his home. Quirking an eyebrow, he followed her heavily perfumed odour to the gardens.
Finding it odd that the fussy and spoilt girl would go out into the sun in fear of darkening her skin, Sesshoumaru quickened his pace to see what kind of trouble she was causing now. The answer to his thoughts darkened his mood considerably.
Facing off were Kumiko and Kagome, the latter, though rarely incensed, was undoubtedly ready to tear the girl's throat out. Listening to their conversation as he stayed hidden, Sesshoumaru soon learned the root of their quarrel.
"You whore! You know the only reason my darling kept you around was because he didn't have me yet. So why are you still here now? You're not wanted!" Kumiko's shrill voice pierced the lord's ears.
Visibly taking a deep breath, Kagome tried to calm herself. Not only had she been through this with the chit before, she had also tried to distance herself from Sesshoumaru for propriety's sake. After all, what would people say if they say her with him all the time, while his 'fiancée' was left unescorted?
Perhaps it was lucky that Inu Taisho decided to let Yoshiro off from his spying assignment as he was now available to teach her physical combat. Kagome found out fast that he was just as tough a teacher as Sesshoumaru, and though she did not feel it, her improvement was swift.
Left with much more free time now that she did not have the pleasure of accompanying Sesshoumaru, the miko had had time to familiarize herself with the entire Western Wing. As was her custom, she had come to know a great deal of people within the wing during the past two months.
It had been difficult for her at first as the youkai, both servants and not, were wary of the human woman and girl that their master had brought back, especially after recent events concerning those who resided in the Northern and Eastern Wings. But, Kagome's persistence paid off after she befriended one of the guards, an acquaintance of Yoshiro's, and the fear of her began to dissipate within the wing.
The two months had also been an opportune time to get to know Sakura. She was an intelligent and strong girl, and Rei, the youkai nurse who had taken care of her since he arrived, had provided much relief for Kagome. She had much more stamina that Kagome and much more experience, allowing Rei the ability to calm Sakura much more efficiently that Kagome could alone.
Lost in her thoughts, the miko ignored the current situation until a snide voice said, "Well, whore? What are you still doing here?"
As calmly as she could manage at the moment, Kagome replied in a clipped and formal tone, "Lady Kumiko, I would ask that you refrain from calling me as such. You are a guest of Lord Sesshoumaru and such language is an embarrassment to him. And as for the reason as to why I am still here, I believe that it is not your concern, as I am not your concern. If you do object to my presence, I suggest you leave it now and it would benefit the both of us if you never spoke to me again."
Breathing harshly to keep her temper in check, Kagome turned around swiftly, her emerald miko outfit swishing around her and began to walk away. Before she got very far however, Kumiko lashed out at the outrageous woman who had dared to talk to her in such a manner.
Kagome felt the girl's aura flare, and the instinct that Yoshiro and Sesshoumaru had honed sprang to life. Dodging the awkward slap that Kumiko had been intent on delivering, the livid miko thrust a hand towards her stomach, using her own momentum against her, causing her to curl on the ground.
Realizing too late that this would not be the cat fight that she had originally intentioned, Kumiko tried to crawl away, but she had overstepped her bounds with the miko once too many times. As Kagome was prepared to deliver another blow, a white blur caught her in his arms, holding her tightly to avoid further damage.
Growling so low that only the vibrations were felt by Kagome, he slowly calmed the furious woman, barking out frigidly at Kumiko, "Did I not inform you on your first day here that Lady Kagome is to be afforded every respect that is given to me?"
Seeing no reaction from the sniffling girl, the young lord bit out, "When I ask a question, I expect it answered."
Nodding slowly, Kumiko managed a weak 'yes'.
Sesshoumaru continued, "Then why is it that I find you here, insulting her? Most would already have been executed for such disrespect."
Wheezing still from the blow and now trembling from the blatantly serious threat, Kumiko managed, "For… forgive me, my lord. It will never happen again."
Glaring down at the pitiful girl, Sesshoumaru's simple reply was, "See that it does not." As an afterthought, he added, "From now on, 'Lady', you will be confined to your quarters. Your meals will be taken there, as with anything else that you may need to do. If you wish to leave, my permission must first be sought and a guard will be with you at all times. You have embarrassed me enough."
With that, he, and the miko that he still held in his arms, disappeared into the recesses of the palace.
Glaring at the entrance with vehemence, Kumiko swore that Sesshoumaru would be hers. All she had to do was be rid of the nuisance of a miko that he seemed so fond of. Maybe the best way to do so would be to get rid of the child she seemed so attached to. Then she would be too broken to attempt anything else.
Being carried by a six foot something tall, silver-haired demon with a flawless physique was something that every girl dreamed about. That is, every girl besides a rather irate miko who was currently struggling to escape from said demon's stranglehold on her.
Still angry over what had transpired in the garden, and still having no control over herself, Kagome struggled futilely against the iron hold of the youkai lord. Finally, rational thought descended over her again and she began to shake uncontrollably. Wide-eyed, Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru, pleading for an explanation.
"What just happened out there? It was like I knew what I was doing, but had no control over it. And… and… I enjoyed humiliating her, got satisfaction from it. I've never felt this way before. If you hadn't stopped me, I don't think that I would have stopped short of seriously harming her. Why, Sesshoumaru?" The shaken miko's words ended in a whisper, speaking of her deep shame and fear that she felt due to the strange phenomenon.
Drawing her even closer, Sesshoumaru spoke in a gentle voice that had once been reserved only for his mother and now had found use again with Kagome, "It is a response that your darker side initiated. You see, every single soul must have a lighter side, and a shadowed side. One cannot exist without the other.
"As a miko, it is usually your lighter side that shines through. Your powers enhance the strength of your soul so that the light in you is even brighter. However, the darker side that is still a part of your soul is also increased and at times, when highly emotional, you will lose control of your rational self, such as the case now."
Slightly stunned by the revelation, Kagome whispered, "Why didn't you tell me? If you hadn't been there, and I didn't know, do you realize that could have happened?"
Taking the shaken girl into his arms, the young lord crooned softly, "But nothing did happen. Had I told you, it would simply have been another unnecessary strain on top of an already heavy burden."
Pausing momentarily, Sesshoumaru added, "Kagome, it is not like you to have become so angry at something so trivial, especially when it is said by someone such as her. Now tell me what else is bothering you."
Shaking her head, Kagome muttered something incoherent as she tried to escape from Sesshoumaru hold, resulting only in a tightening of the lord's arms.
"You will not escape me so easily, and you will not be leaving until you tell me what the problem is. I suggest that you make this as easy as possible for the both of us by telling me."
Sighing in defeat, the miko mumbled, "It's just that with Yoshiro being back and Kumiko being here, I have barely seen you, much less talk to you for the past month at least. And now, between the rumours and your fiancé's accusations, I just feel as if I don't belong here.
"The things that Kumiko said I usually wouldn't pay any attention to, but the situation now with Ryuukotsusei, who we can't do anything about, Inuyasha being under my care, Mariko wanting to kill me, Inu Taisho trying to get me alone with him at every instance possible, Yoshiro's guarding me every minute of every day to avoid that situation, and everything else that's going on just wore away my patience until Kumiko broke the dam."
Feeling the need to comfort the one person who had comforted him since his mother, the youkai lord replied, "First, my dear, allow me to remind you that she is not, and will never be, my fiancée. Second, had you not taken care of her, I would have, and the results would have been far worse than now. Had I had my way, she would be nothing more than a carcass by now."
Failing to contain her curiosity, the miko asked, "What did she do now? I know she's been an absolute pain in the neck, but for some reason, I doubt that her normal antics would make you so angry."
Growling, Sesshoumaru answered, "The wench interrupted a meeting between a Southern ambassador and myself. She almost caused the failure of an already-tentative treaty between myself and the Southern Lands."
Relating the entire story to Kagome relieved a large portion of his frustration. An evil smirk crossed the youkai lord's face, causing a certain miko in his arms to squirm rather nervously.
"Kagome, I am quite anxious to see the progress that you have made with Yoshiro…"
Massaging his head did nothing to alleviate the painful pressure that was building there. Mariko's ranting had not ceased for the past two months and now, Ryuukotsusei wanted nothing better than to sink his claws into her neck to stop the incessant whining. The only thing that kept him from doing so was the fact that she was a valuable, albeit unknowing, informant, and he needed her to talk.
Finally having enough, he bellowed, "Close your mouth woman! All I've heard these past weeks is about your precious son. There is nothing that I can do about that, especially when he is in Sesshoumaru's wing of the palace. The bastard has something against me, and it's only through politics that I still have my life.
"Now shut up and leave me alone. Go to Inu Taisho if you want anything done in that area. Otherwise, keep your mouth closed unless you want to lose your tongue."
Turning from the incensed woman, Ryuukotsusei ordered two guards to escort Mariko back to her chambers. Thinking to himself, the dragon patted himself on the back for the careful omission of the facts where Mariko was concerned.
Not only did he avoid telling her that he was the reason why Kagome was here, and therefore resulting in the removal of her child, he also did not tell her of Sesshoumaru's knowledge of his involvement in the whole episode. She was dispensable, after all, and the less she knew the better. And now that the master plan had been set into motion, he would be rid of her very soon.
Inu Taisho wanted nothing better than to kill himself at the moment. In a lapse of judgment, he had invited his mate to take tea with him, hoping for Kami-knows-what to result from such an encounter.
He was then stuck listening to her rant and rave about how she could barely eat and sleep because her precious baby was taken away from her. After she had finally stopped and he had ushered her out, after all hopes of some sort of reconciliation had been stamped out by her incessant nagging, Inu Taisho slumped in his sheet.
Sniffing the air, he caught a trace of a very distinctive smell in the air. Finding it faint, but oddly entwined with his mate's Inu Taisho casually dismissed it as some sort of short meeting between the two, ignoring the small nagging voice that told him that there was much more to it than that.
After all, one only accepts that which he wishes to.
Fate had to hate her and Destiny must by laughing her ass off. Here was Kagome, standing before one of the most beautiful and deadly youkai in Japan, and possibly the world, drenched in sweat and panting like a dog.
'The situation would make more sense if it was reversed,' thought a rather cynical miko ruefully.
Indeed, the smirk that had settled itself upon Sesshoumaru's face didn't bode well for Kagome. In fact, the next words out of the lord's mouth had been to inform her that they would be meeting in a matter of half an hour in the dojo so that he could test out her improvement with Yoshiro for himself.
Only now did Kagome realize that "testing out" to him meant a barrage of full blown spars that didn't faze Sesshoumaru but left her huffing and puffing, and that always ended with his claws close to her throat. And admitting defeat was not an option to him. No matter how many times she yielded, the fight would only start again.
Finally having enough, realizing long ago that she would never be able to beat him this way, Kagome said, "Sesshoumaru, let's do this a different way. Physically, there's absolutely no way for me to beat you. You know that, I know that, and all my bruises know that too.
"So why don't we add weapons to this? Only ones that we can make with our energy, of course. That should at least give me a fighting chance."
A small nod was all she received for an answer before the young lord dropped into an offensive position again. Kagome prepared herself, coming to the realization that surprisingly, she could follow Sesshoumaru's movements with her mind's eye. Closing off all other senses, the miko prepared herself for the imminent attack.
Several small jabs to her left were easily deflected by the barrier that she had created. However, the barrier could not last against the onslaught of energy from the young lord's energy whip, leaving the miko defenseless.
Jumping back to place some distance between herself and Sesshoumaru, Kagome saw his move towards her. Fashioning her energy around her as a net of sorts, she flung the contraption at the fast approaching youkai. The purifying energy halted him dead in his tracks, but not before he wrapped one clawed hand around the miko's neck.
Brilliant blue eyes met glowing gold ones. It seemed as if an eternity passed before either looked away.
Still staring at the spellbound miko, Sesshoumaru whispered in a guttural voice, "It seems as it we are at a tie, Kagome."
"Yes…" was all she could manage.
Leaning close, so that their faces were only a hair's breadth away from each other's, Sesshoumaru said, "Well done."
Turning around quickly, intent on escaping the thrall that the miko currently held him in, and unwilling to accept the rising feelings in his chest, Sesshoumaru quickly rushed out of the dojo. Walking deliberately to his quarters, he only hoped that he could clear his head of the foreign thoughts that were swimming through it.
Unbeknownst to the other, both participants of the episode were equally confused, both having no clue as to what was in store for them, and both completely unprepared.