Authors Note: One of you lovely reviewers asked me if Sesshomaru would have actually been expected to marry Inuyasha's widow. Well, I'm not sure but I think it was highly acceptable in those days because Inutaisho would have wanted his family name to live on and, since Kagome had no child by Inuyasha, Sesshomaru would have married her to keep the family name stable.

Second Author's Note: I've noticed that the hit counter on my stories is rather large but the number of reviews is rather low. (Pouts) I'm quite sad and if it was like me I'd cry a river. But that's okay. I hope that I get more reviews for this humble chapter. Enjoy!

During the next few days Kagome kept to her chambers in silent reverie of the past. Now that she had gone into mourning she had limited time to enter the glories of society. She was to keep a safe distance from any selfish indulgences and she locked her social calendar inside her writing desk to remove all temptation from sight. Though, at the moment, Kagome felt nothing like entertaining. Entertaining a group of guests only reminded her of all the happy preparations she had taken upon herself before and after her marriage to Inuyasha. They were happier days and Kagome longed to return to those times for she felt that the thin slivers of her sanity had remained with the memories she kept inside the back of her mind. At the current moment Kagome sat down at her writing desk and her hand swept over the freshly polished wood covering that sheltered all of her writing utensils. She once had longed to become an author and publish her writings throughout London. And she might have done so if her parents had not passed on leaving strictly detailed instructions behind on how she was to live her life now that they no longer lived. Lord Higurashi was good friends with the Lord of the West and had given his daughter's hand in marriage to the younger of the brothers seeing as he was closer to Kagome's age than Sesshomaru. She had been shocked to learn this news but accepted it demurely as a proper woman of good breeding and excellent lineage should. Kagome sighed at the thought of her sweet, loving parents being gone from her as well. A cholera outbreak broke out one summer taking everything Kagome cherished with it. Her younger brother Souta lived on and honored the family name by using the money they left behind to start a small business that quickly blossomed into an outstanding accomplishment of the name Higurashi. Kagome smiled then for the first time since Inuyasha's death and decided to write a letter to her dear brother. Just as she was about do so a knock came on the door and she turned her lovely head towards the sound.

"Yes," she said in her soft voice, "please enter." The door opened and Sesshomaru walked inside with all the grace and quiet awe that he radiated. Gazing at Kagome through emotionless golden orbs he blinked once and then twice before clearing his throat.

"Father says that you need to leave your room and dine with the family. He worries for your comfort during these difficult times," Sesshomaru said eloquently and smoothly in his rich voice. He glanced around Kagome's chambers and nodded to himself. "I see that you have left nothing out in the preparations for mourning," he added. She looked in the direction that he was staring out and bowed her head with a sigh.
"I am merely superstitious," Kagome replied softly. "Even if it is just a silly superstition, I cannot be too careful during these dreadful times. I would not want to make a mistake and prohibit Inuyasha from enjoying his afterlife." Sesshomaru took a black chair and sat upon it focusing his golden eyes onto Kagome's bowed head.

"Kagome, I understand that you are still in the process of mourning my brother's death, but I must ask you something." Kagome's head snapped up and looked at the tall man with widened eyes. But just as Sesshomaru opened his mouth to speak once more Sango knocked on the door with a tray of tea. She curtsied to the occupants of the room and gave a secret smile to Kagome. Kagome nodded to Sango and accepted the dainty cup of tea which was proffered to her. Sesshomaru took a cup as well but internally he growled at being interrupted. He sensed that the maid's timing had been previously planned and this notion raised his curiosity. Could she possibly know already what he planned to ask her? He sipped the warm tea and savored the taste all the while looking at Kagome who seemed calm enough. Once Sango left Kagome placed her cup on the table next to her and folded her hands in her lap. Slowly, she raised her eyes to look at Sesshomaru only to find him rising to his feet.

"The tea was wonderful Kagome, but I must take my leave. I hope to see you at dinner. The gentleman that he was, Sesshomaru took Kagome's delicate hand and gracefully kissed it. A blush stained Kagome's cheeks for she was not accustomed to such treatment from men and then a small smile spread across her face.

"Of course, Sesshomaru," she murmured softly. Sesshomaru then took his leave leaving Kagome to breathe a sigh of relief the moment that he departed. Sango entered soon after he was gone and smiled at her lady mistress.
"That went rather well Sango. Your timing was perfect!" Sango giggled with her hand to her mouth and her shoulders shook with her mirth. She gave a slight curtsy and moved to sit next to the young lady of the house.

"Well, I do try milady," said Sango. Kagome removed a tiny golden key from around her neck and unlocked the writing desk that held all of her precious writing materials. Sango looked on with curiosity for she had never seen such exquisite tools of penmanship. Kagome smiled at Sango and handed her the black feather quill pen that she had plucked from her case inside the desk.
"See, that is a very fine quill pen that my brother sent me for my birthday," Kagome explained.
"My, it's beautiful," Sango breathed as she turned it around in her hand. She handed it back to Kagome and watched as Kagome retrieved a piece of parchment which was outlined in black. "What shall you write with it?"
"I'm going to write to my brother and explain to him the circumstances," she said softly with saddened eyes. Sango nodded and watched as Kagome dipped the quill's tip in the ink pot and began to write in flowing letters across the paper. 'To my dearest brother Souta; I've not spoken nor seen you since we parted ways before my marriage to Inuyasha. Unfortunately, my dear husband was killed in battle and now I have become a widow. It would greatly raise my spirits if you would come to visit me in the near future. I understand that your company and the family name come first but it would be kind if you would put me in your heart. Kagome waved the paper in the air so that the fresh ink would dry and then she turned to read it to Sango who could neither read nor write. When she finished Sango smiled and nodded her head.
"You truly have a way with words Lady Kagome. Would you like me to send it for you?" Sango said kindly.
"Yes, of course," Kagome agreed as she handed the now dry letter to Sango and locked the writing desk. Sango stood and left with the letter. As soon as the door shut Kagome stood and walked to her wardrobe to change into a more suitable gown for dinner. It was black just as the rest of her clothing and had a rather fashionable black collar around the neck which was beaded with black glass beads. It had belonged to her mother for her mother had also enjoyed wearing black on a daily basis. Kagome smiled at the memories and then her memories traveled to the first day that she had met Inuyasha and had detested his very being…

01010Flashback01010

A coach rumbled up the hill and outside stood a tall young man with silver hair blowing in the breeze. His arms crossed across his chest and he scowled not amused at his father's decision to force him into marriage. Still he knew his duty was to his family so when the coach came to a stop he walked to the door, opened it, and held his hand inside for the woman's hand to take his own. To his surprise a delicately gloved hand took his hand and when he brought the woman down from inside he saw that she was rather lovely with fragile features such as dark brown eyes that sparkled and long raven hair that was brought up into a fashionable hair style that was all the rage in London's high society.

'You must be Kagome,' Inuyasha said with disappointment in his voice and she nodded her head lightly so as not to disturb the small hat atop her head. Kagome frowned upon hearing his tone of voice and tilted her head.
'Is something the matter?' she asked of him. Inuyasha's scowl widened and he turned his back to her while glancing at her over his shoulder.

'I don't understand why my father would make me marry a wench like you,' he said thoughtlessly and watched with amusement evident in his eyes as she narrowed her own eyes into two thin slits of fury.

'Although it is the woman's duty to be demure and accept everything that a man might deliver to her I am afraid that I cannot tolerate being called a "wench",' she said slowly and calmly. He chuckled at her offended tone of voice. Just when Kagome felt that she was about to erupt in a very unlady like manner the front door opened and out stepped a tall man who appeared to be an older version of her husband to be.

'Ah, Lady Kagome,' said the man with a graceful bow. 'It is a pleasure to finally meet your acquaintance. I trust that your accommodations were suitable and to your liking.'

'Yes, they were quite enjoyable,' Kagome replied with a deep curtsy. 'I thank you for your courteous manner Lord Inutaisho.'

'Oh, please call me Father. After all we will be related within a few weeks' time.' She nodded her agreement and gave him a pleasing smile but cast a slight glare in Inuyasha's direction. This did not go unnoticed by Inutaisho and he frowned. When Kagome entered the house Inutaisho turned on his son with his booming voice. 'Inuyasha you are going to marry Lady Kagome whether you so desire to or not. It would make things far less complicated if you cease being difficult and become more of a proper gentleman that your mother and I raised you to be.' Inuyasha bowed his head under the force of his father's tirade and heaved a heavy sigh.

'Why couldn't Sesshomaru marry her? I'm far more interested in courting the Lady Kikyo.'

'Although my heir is Sesshomaru he is much older than Kagome and her parents thought that it would make things more comfortable for her if she were married to someone who was nearer to her age.' Knowing that he could not win Inuyasha growled with annoyance and stormed inside leaving his frustrated father to stand outside looking over the moor.

01010End Flashback01010

But her dislike for Inuyasha soon waned and they grew even closer through the few short weeks that they had before their wedding. But now all their love and all their memories were in the grave with Inuyasha. The mere thought of that sent a cold chill down her spine with icy sparks as frigid as the tomb. Kagome stood and walked to her door without telling Sango where she was going. Stealthily she moved to the coat rack and took a black shawl to wrap around her shoulders. Silently she opened the door and traveled outside to where a horse stood grazing on the rich green grass. Tenderly she stroked the beast's broad side and climbed atop its sturdy back without placing a saddle before. Though she had no saddle she continued to ride to the side instead of astride so that she would not be seen as indecent by others who could see her legs bared to the world. Urging the horse forward she rode across the large expanse of rolling fields with her sights set straight ahead.

01Scene Change01

When she reached her destination she dismounted the horse and walked across the frigid graveyard soil to a large stone monument on which Inuyasha's name was inscribed. Her fingers grazed across the deep lettering with saddened eyes and soon she slid to the ground so that her back leaned against the cool stone.

"I dreamt last night Inuyasha," Kagome spoke in a soft whisper. "And you were in my dream, still dead, but alive enough to touch me and hold me just as you used to do.

"I had my own named written on this stone so that when I die I will be with you in body as well as in spirit. I tried to die sooner so that you would not be without me for long, but I'm afraid that my cowardly attitude towards death prevented me for doing so." She smiled sadly as her fingers plucked at the dew covered grass surrounding her seat on the ground. "I know that you would scold me for thinking of such a foolish way to go, but I miss you so much and every moment that I spend without you makes me feel as if I were going crazy." Kagome stood up when she heard approaching footsteps and whirled around only to face Sesshomaru who stared at her through cool amber orbs.
"I thought that I would find you here," Sesshomaru said. "And it appears that my suspicions were correct."

"Are you here to visit Inuyasha? Should I leave you alone?"
"No, I came here to collect you. Father discovered your absence and grew fearful that you had done something hasty." She shook her head so that loose tendrils of her raven locks could dance around her pale face. Having nothing else to add to the conversation she stood and collected her mass of black skirts so that she could move to her horse without the risk of injuring herself. A cool, misty rain poured down from the skies above and Kagome tilted her head upwards to feel the tiny drops fall upon her face. Sesshomaru stared down at his brother's grave and internally gave a small sigh. True, he and Inuyasha fought most of the time that they spent together but that did not mean that he wanted his brother to die. It seemed that death crept along every place like a stealthy assassin leaping out from the darkness to collect its prey and return from whence it came. Sesshomaru left Kagome to her own devices as he walked down the crooked lanes of hastily constructed grave sites until he reached a certain marble monument. Carved in its stony depths was the name Inori, the name of Sesshomaru's mother who had passed away when he was but an infant in swaddling clothes. He could not remember her but for every day of his life that he was able to walk he had visited this very site to pay homage to the woman his father continued to grieve for. As Sesshomaru placed a rose at her grave, a rose identical to the woman he had buried with his brother, he heard Kagome sigh behind him as she collapsed to the ground in a swoon.
"Kagome," Sesshomaru said quickly as he moved with desperate speed to her side. Although it appeared she had merely fainted from lack of oxygen caused by the tightened stays of her corset he detected a faint crimson blush on her cheeks displaying to the world that she suffered from a fever. As he collected her in his arms and carried her back to her horse which waited patiently Sesshomaru looked up at the rain with his golden eyes. And so Sesshomaru returned to his father's mansion on the moor with Kagome in his arms.

01010Change Scene01010

Later on that night Sango entered her lady's room with a basin of cool water and a rag to dip into it. As Sango knelt at Kagome's side and dabbed at the young woman's feverish brow she heard Kagome murmur Inuyasha's name. Sango shook her head and continued with her job of bringing down the fever.

"How is she," asked a voice from within the doorway. Sango turned her head to look upon Kagome's doctor who stared at his patient with worry evident on his face. Sango stood and curtsied to the man.

"Well, Doctor, she has a slight fever but the lady never complained of being ill before." He walked inside the room and examined her with a doctor's cautious maneuvers.

"She may be suffering from stress and that very same stress, perhaps, has caused this weakening of her body. I shall give her a powder that you must mix into her drink twice a day. It works to soothe her nerves." Nodding her understanding Sango waited for the doctor to give her the said medicine and when he did she pocketed it safely within the folds of her maid's black skirt.

"Thank you Doctor," said Sango. The doctor, who had been standing in the doorway, turned to her with a smile on his face.
"Please, don't call me doctor. I believe that calling me Miroku would suit me just fine." With this he took his leave leaving behind a rather baffled maid and a sleeping widow.