Always Doesn't Last Forever
Chapter 4: Welcome HomeDisclaimer: I own nothing off Inuyasha! Just the plot and any original characters!
To Kagome it seemed that they had walked for days before finally arriving at Sesshoumaru's castle. But in the end it was all worth it. His castle was by the sea, something that she never would have expected. As they walked out of the woods and into the grassland she knew it was a sight that she would never forget. Although it was seated high upon the sea cliffs the plains surrounding the castle were covered with flowers, scenting the air sweetly with their fragrance.
"It's beautiful." She said softly.
Sesshoumaru did not look at her directly but his eyes shifted over to her face. "Yes." He agreed and started to walk towards his home. As they drew closer to the castle Kagome could see that a large number of youkai were waiting for them. Something on her face must have given away the fact that she was afraid because Rin slipped her hand into hers and smiled at the older girl encouragingly. "They're my servants." Sesshoumaru said coolly and Kagome relaxed, but only a little.
"Welcome home milord." Said an old dog youkai as he bowed formally to his master.
"It pleases this Sesshoumaru that you are well again." Replied the youkai lord.
"I'm afraid milord will not be pleased for long once he learns that the Lady Haruko is coming to stay for a few weeks with milord."
"Why?" Sesshoumaru demanded softly.
"I know not milord." Answered the old youkai humbly.
"Fine. Kado, prepare a bath for the Lady Rin and Lady Kagome." He commanded the older youkai and then strolled into the castle.
"As milord wishes." Kado replied with a bow before he turned to the two humans. "This way if you please…"
Sesshoumaru was furious. Coldly, dangerously, totally in control angry. How dare Haruko return here! He wanted to snarl but did not. Such was below him and the one thing he'd learned to have at all times was absolute control over all of his emotions.
As soon as he entered his quarters Sesshoumaru stripped out of his clothes and went to his private bathing chamber. He really needed to relax, especially after spending so much time with a wench like the one he now had under his protection.
"Why must I always be the one to deal with things such as this?" He wondered aloud as he slid into the hot spring. He was so tired, not physically, but mentally. Tired of having to think, of having to fight of demons trying to claim his land. Or by trying to marry me for it. He added sarcastically.
"Milord?" Kado's voice called out.
"Yes, Kado?" Sesshoumaru answered calmly.
"Where do you want Lady Kagome's quarters to be?"
"Place her next to my own."
"Are you sure milord? Those quarters are for your future Lady Wife." Kado reminded his lord hesitantly and entered the bath chamber.
Sesshoumaru sighed and smiled slightly. Kado had served his family for generations and took his duties very seriously. "Kado, do you honestly think I'm going to be able to take a mate anytime soon?" He asked in amusement.
"Perhaps if milord actually got to know a woman he liked…" Kado answered with a stern frown.
Ah, Kado. What would I do without you? Sesshoumaru wondered fondly. "That remains to be seen." He replied and began to wash his hair.
"The Lady you brought is very beautiful."
"Perhaps if you're blind and a human."
"Milord!" Kado scolded.
"Peace Kado." Sesshoumaru said after he rinsed his hair out and stood to soap his body and tail. "The human wench is merely under my protection for a time. And to instruct Rin." He added the last almost as an after-thought.
Kado frowned and went to get his lord's drying cloth and robe. "That's all very well and good but who will take care of my lord when I am gone?" He grumbled.
Sesshoumaru finished rinsing then and shook his head wryly as he accepted the drying cloth and began to towel himself dry. "I think you'll be here for awhile yet Kado." He stated.
"Perhaps my lord, but who knows what the Lady Fate has in store for us?"
"Kagome looks pretty!" Rin exclaimed.
"Thank you, Rin." Kagome said although she herself wasn't too sure about that fact. She was dressed in a beautiful traditional kimono that was a light forest green in color and had delicate blue flowers embroidered upon it. She had pulled her hair up halfway in an intricate wooden clip but she felt… strange without her regular clothes on.
"I think so too, Kagome." Shippo added his opinion as he jumped into the older girl's arms.
"Thank you Shippo." She said gratefully and hugged him.
"Come on. Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't like it when Rin's late for supper." Rin said and pulled the older girl out of her room and led her as quickly as possible to the dinning hall.
The castle was very beautifully designed and decorated. It was obviously meant to be both a place of defense and a home. Breathtaking scenes of landscapes of the mountains and sea were strategically placed upon the walls.
Kagome was so busy looking at everything that she barely noticed that they'd entered the dining hall, and she completely missed Sesshoumaru sitting at the table as her eyes continued to wander the walls. One painting especially captured her attention and she set Shippo down gently before walking over to the wall it was placed on and studied it more thoroughly. The artist had painted a storm at sea. The waves of the ocean crashed furiously against the majestic walls of stone the storm battered them against. But despite the sky's dark gloominess a ray of sunlight parted through the clouds and touched the very tip of the cliff. It was a powerful picture; breathtaking yet soothing as well…
"I take it you approve of my home?" Sesshoumaru asked coldly.
Kagome whirled around, no easy feat in the kimono, blushing furiously. "I'm terribly sorry Sesshoumaru. I did not mean to be rude." She answered sincerely and kept her head bowed.
For a long moment he did not bother to reply and then finally said, "Sit and eat."
Kagome moved to do as he said and one of the servants came forward to escort her to her place, on Sesshoumaru's right. Kagome's unease skyrocketed, she wasn't exactly comfortable around the youkai lord and such close proximity made her feel, well, uneasy.
After they finished their last course of dinner a loud commotion outside drew everyone's attention. "Stop! Thief!" Only to be followed by a masculine laugh that was pure pleasure to hear.
"What is going on?!" Sesshoumaru demanded and stood up from the table gracefully.
"Milord, a thief has entered the castle!" Kado answered.
"To be a thief one must be take something, not give something." Stated an amused voice from behind one of the curtains as he stepped out into the light. In his hands he carried a sword and two bows; two quivers were also placed upon his back.
"Who are you?" Sesshoumaru demanded as he took in the man's clothing and build. Tall, with broad shoulders but very lean; he moved with the easy grace of one used to walking silently. His clothes were a dark gray and obviously designed to fit like a glove while blending into the night, his face was completely covered with a hood except for a slit that allowed him to see the man's eyes. They were a pale icy blue.
"Currently? An errand boy. Tomorrow? Perhaps a king or a peasant." He answered and somehow managed to bow to the youkai lord even with the weapons in his hands.
"What is your purpose?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"To deliver these weapons to the Lady Kagome and Lord Sesshoumaru, afterwards I am to serve both the Lady and Lord until my lady bids me to return to her." He answered.
"Who is your lady?" Sesshoumaru growled.
"The same one who bid you protect Lady Kagome." He answered and his icy blue eyes flashed in amusement even as Sesshoumaru's darkened in anger.
"And you are?"
"I am called Hunter, milord."
"An odd name for one who hides their face." Sesshoumaru said coldly.
"Yes milord." Hunter said and bowed once again to Sesshoumaru before turning to bow to Kagome. "Milady, these are for you." He said formally and handed her a beautifully made bow of a silvery metal and a quiver full of silver arrows. He pulled one of the arrows out for a moment to show her the tip and she was amazed to see that the tip, while deadly, was made of a beautiful crystal like stone. "Never will you need to worry that you're string will break nor that your arrow will fly true. My lady herself had these for you and so they will always return to you by the end of the day if you cannot retrieve the arrows yourself." He explained and bowed once more before offering the sword to Sesshoumaru.
Sesshoumaru pulled the sword free of its scabbard and looked at the beautiful weapon in his hand with something very akin to awe. The sword's blade was made of the very same material that Kagome's arrow tips were and the edge of the blade held the same deadly sharpness that his own claws did, but to a greater degree. The hilt of the blade was made of he same silvery metal as Kagome's bow and delicate markings had been etched into the hilt for decoration. "A sword made for a great ruler. Never will you need to worry that the edge will grow dull nor fear it will break. The edge is deadly enough to slice through bone and stone alike. But it will accept no other to use it except for those of your family if you choose to accept such gifts." Hunter warned them.
"What do these markings mean?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"Yours says 'honor and truth' milord. Milady's says 'light into the darkness'." He answered.
"What about yours?" Shippo asked as he stared at the midnight black bow Hunter had kept.
"Justice is always blind." He answered good-naturedly and slung the bow onto his back.
"Who has made such weapons and what are they made of?" Sesshoumaru wanted to know, and managed to slide the sword back into its scabbard despite the fact that he had only one hand.
"They were made by the last Forgotten Guardians milord, two of whom you shall probably never meet in this dimension, and the metals are of Learian origin. A deceased race that milord and milady will never know." Hunter answered, his voice sad now. "I am allowed to say no more about the makers." He added.
"I see." Sesshoumaru said coolly and studied the man before him briefly. "Take off your hood so that I may see the face of my new servant." He ordered.
Hunter did so without hesitation and Kagome literally had to keep herself from gasping. His hair was very thick and black as the night. It came just to his shoulders, giving him a roguish look. His skin was lightly tanned and his face, though not as refined as Sesshoumaru's, was handsome. Sesshoumaru still looks better though. Kagome thought to herself and didn't notice the slight smile that appeared on Hunter's face.
"You may stay." Sesshoumaru decided, an obvious dismissal.
"Thank you milord." Hunter said formally and bowed to his new lord and then followed a beckoning Kado out of the dining room.
"Should we trust him?" Kagome asked Sesshoumaru without thinking. He looked at her coldly and somehow managed to stand even straighter as he looked down at her.
"I trust no one." He stated and swept out of the room.
"Well that went well." Kagome said with a sigh and looked at the two children. "Come on you two, let's go get cleaned up." The two nodded and followed the older girl happily out of the hall.