Still don't own Sesshomaru, Kikyo, or Rin.
Chapter 7
Sesshomaru pondered on the issue that had been bothering his wife, which was why in the hell was his guest so interested in Kikyo? He could only think Itachi wanted to use Kikyo against him, but he could not think of how the man might try that. It was not like Kikyo would just go along willing with anything that the weasel wanted to try and it was not possible for her to be forced into anything. She was just too strong-willed to be forced into things by such weak demons. Even still, he decided he would keep an eye on his wife and his guests to make sure that nothing happened.
The dog demon now personally watched his wife as she and their adopted daughter moved about the castle, shadowing them. When they had first come to stay at the palace, Sesshomaru had frequently studied Kikyo and Rin when they were together. It relaxed him to see them together, enjoying each other's company. Something about the joy on Rin's face really did something to him and he was not sure what it was, but he knew she needed Kikyo just as much, if not more, than he did. He would make sure that he got to take pleasure in such a sight for as long as possible.
Right now, this was not about pleasure, though. This was about safety. He could not even trust his guards with this anymore. Kikyo had put up with the guards keeping an eye on them, but he did his best to make sure she did not know he was there. He did not want to hear her argument about how he had better things to do with his time and how she could take care of them. He knew she could take care of herself and Rin, but he needed to be sure of their safety.
"Milord," Kaori said as she approached Sesshomaru, much to his dismay.
"Milady," Sesshomaru replied, turning his attention to her and away from his family. He politely bowed his head slightly to her and she smiled. She then annoyed him by just standing there for three seconds without saying anything.
"I have not seen much of you during this visit," she finally said, still smiling. Her perfume and scent filled the air and turned his stomach. He never cared much for Kaori.
The guests had been in Sesshomaru's home for over a week and he had not seen much of Lady Kaori, somewhat on purpose. He was thankful to not see much of her. He knew her better than he knew her husband. She was a viper in weasel clothing, but he did not expect anything less from a noblewoman. No one was to be trusted in the upper class, but he knew that a man should always be extra-cautious around a woman, whether she was wed or not. A woman's motives were always top secret, sometimes they did not even make sense, and her methods were infinite along with being underhanded and vicious a great deal of the time.
"You are still very handsome, milord," Kaori said with a small flutter of her eyelashes.
Sesshomaru merely looked at the Lady weasel. She expected such from him. He had never been much for verbal communication. His wife was similar to him in that regard, being just as tightlipped as the indifferent dog demon. Kaori wondered if the similarities between Sesshomaru and Kikyo were deeper than just choosing specific times to speak. She actually considered that the couple might be married because they at least liked each other and they could get along. The notion almost disgusted her and it was so ludicrous her husband refused to consider it.
"I wonder, you have taken a human wife and claimed a human as your child. Will the little girl also inherit your lands?" Kaori asked in a quiet, almost demure tone. If he was going to give that little monkey his lands, she and her husband should just wait for him to die… or speed up the process in someway.
The golden-eyed lord did not respond because the answer to that question was hardly any of the woman's business. He had not even considered naming Rin his heir. The girl just was not suited for ruling anything. She did not have the personality for it, but he felt that she would be a great asset to his heir in regards to advice and a number of other things, provided she learned to focus as she got older.
"Are you just not talking to me, milord?" Kaori practically purred at him.
"I'm merely waiting for something worth my answering," he replied in a dull tone to express his disinterest in her. He glanced over her, checking on his wife and child. Kikyo was on one knee, holding a butterfly in her palms up to Rin's face.
"Fair enough. So, have you agreed to trade with my husband in order to deck your humans in our fine silks?" she asked, holding up her arms to show off her latest kimono.
He glanced at her and actually imagined Kikyo and Rin in similar clothing. The picture was laughable. They just were not made for such things. Rin would probably tear a silk kimono within ten minutes of pulling it on… if she could stay still long enough to put on a proper kimono.
"Still no answer?" she asked.
"Still nothing worth answering."
"You will never change," she stated in an amused tone, throwing her head back slightly with a light laugh. He was like a block of ice for as long as she could recall. Women used to swear he was either completely interested in other men or dead from the way he did not react to their advances.
"Indeed," he concurred in a grunt. He watched Rin go to touch the butterfly and it predictably flew away. Rin chased after it and quickly showed she might possibly be feral from her time wandering with him because she climbed part of the wall to try to catch the butterfly as it got away from her.
The amused look did not leave Kaori's face. "You took a wife so quickly and quietly, Lord Sesshomaru. We have only just heard about it in our lands." She brushed a hand against his chest.
"Some still have not heard," he pointed out and backed away from her, putting more than an arm's length of distance between them. He refused to advertise his marriage. It was not anyone's business and he hated so many people swore up and down that his marriage was their business. If he wanted people to know about the union, he would have invited them to what he thought was an irksome event for most of the day.
"Are you… ashamed?" she asked with a taunting smile and an arched eyebrow.
"I don't shame," he answered, but he definitely got annoyed and the subject of his marriage brought up by someone other than Kikyo was a good way to bother him. Most of his vassals and staff learned this the hard way.
"No, that's right. I forgot that you're perfect. Perfection has nothing to be ashamed of. So, this act was a calculated, thought out move of perfection," she reasoned.
The platinum-haired male did not reply. Why were these people so interested in his marriage? He considered for what felt like the millionth time they might foolishly assume he was weak for marrying a human woman or that he was losing his mind, which might explain their visit. They more than likely wanted to see which it was first hand. He hated knowing they were more than likely plotting to try and use his beloved against him. They were going to regret whatever it was when they tried. For now, he just regretted they existed and that he had to put up with them.
To calm himself, he sought out his family once more. Kikyo grabbed Rin by the waist to help down from the castle wall. Of course, the priestess scolded her for behaving like a little monkey. Rin, we'll turn you into something like a lady eventually, he thought. He was fairly certain that would only happen when she matured, though.
"I wonder why you would take a mortal mate considering all of the demon females offered to you. So many noblewomen to choose from and you settled on a mortal woman who is a priestess of all things," Kaori said, drawing his attention again.
"What I do is none of your concern," Sesshomaru replied, waving her statement off.
Kaori smiled slightly. "You're so defensive, even now," she commented while reaching out to actually touch him, touch his face. He dodged the contact and stepped away from her grasp once again.
"You're overstepping your boundaries," he pointed out in an apathetic tone, as if he did not care.
She smiled again and pulled her hand back. "Forgive me, milord," she apologized and bowed her head a little. The movement seemed mocking.
Sesshomaru waved it off and decided to dismiss himself from the lady's presence. He did not wish to bother with Kaori or whatever games she wanted to play. He turned his attention back to his wife and daughter only to discover that they were gone. He sighed and walked off without bidding the noblewoman farewell.
-8-8-8-8-
Kikyo followed behind Rin, who was chasing a goat. Kikyo could not believe the energy Rin had because she was doing a good job of keeping up with the little goat, even after many minutes of running and in her bare feet. The priestess was not too sure how much longer she would last following them, though. The hot summer air was not making the task any easier. Of course, Rin did not seem to think anything of it.
Kikyo was curious as to where Rin got the goat. It was as if she turned her head for a moment and then Rin stood before her with the white and grey kid. Her daughter claimed to have saved the animal, but she was not sure if that was the total truth since Rin had a habit of telling stories from how she perceived things to be rather than how they really were. It was quite possible Rin had stolen someone's goat without meaning to. She suspected she would find out if someone came searching or complaining about the missing animal.
While keeping up with Rin and making sure that the child did not cause any trouble, Kikyo noticed something. She spied Itachi following them. He skulked around in the shadows, probably thinking that her human senses were too dull to take note of him. She could not help wondering what the man wanted.
Kikyo disliked the weasel lord creeping around with her daughter playing in the area. She was very tempted to fire an arrow at him, not to hit him, but to discourage him from following around her child. As he continued on, the idea became even more tempting and the notion of not hitting him was fading from her mind.
"I could put one right between his eyes," she murmured as she paused for a moment. Rin thankfully caught the goat, and possibly hurt herself and the goat in the process as she tackled the creature. Sliding with the goat in her arms, Rin put a lot of dust in the air as she went through the dirt in the courtyard.
"Gotcha!" Rin laughed in triumph, hugging the small animal to her body.
"At least she's not hurt," Kikyo sighed and then glanced up to keep track of the weasel lord.
Itachi did not think he had been spotted. After all, this was rather simple. He was following two mortals and one of them was more concerned over a goat than anything else, so he continued on. As they came to a courtyard, he hid in the shadows, behind a thick support beam. He wanted to see if he might find the reason for the priestess being in the castle, for her being married to Sesshomaru. He did not see anything, though, except that she was like a nursemaid for that barbarian child in her keep.
The priestess seemed to disappear from Itachi's view as he pondered why she would be with Sesshomaru. He was baffled by her seemingly supernatural powers because she had so easily vanished from his sight. He turned around to go find her and nearly walking right into Kikyo.
"Milord," Kikyo greeted him coldly, glaring at him.
Itachi gasped and then quickly took a few steps away from her. She guessed it was because of what Sesshomaru had done to the last weasels to get too close. In a moment, losing his eye would be the least of his concerns if she had anything to say about it.
"Milady," he replied, swallowing hard.
"Please, call me Kikyo," she requested as gracious as she could sound.
"That's quite all right, Lady Kikyo."
She shook her head. Apparently, he was a coward. He probably did not want to chance her husband hearing him address her informally. Sesshomaru probably would not take kindly to such a thing, even if she had given him permission.
"May I help you with something, sir?" Kikyo inquired because she wanted to hear the reason he would give for stalking her and Rin.
A lone bead of sweat ran down his thin face. "No, I am fine."
"Are you sure?" she asked with a level look.
"I am."
"Perhaps you are lost," she offered him something to use since he obviously was not one for thinking on his feet.
"No! Of course I'm not lost," he objected. She made it sound like he was incompetent.
"Then what brings you to this part of the castle?" she asked as if she did not know. The problem was that they were in a courtyard that Sesshomaru had closed to off to everyone, guests included, except for his family. It was a place that he, Kikyo, and Rin could go to be together and alone. Only one other person was allowed to enter and that was Jakken and Sesshomaru specified that the little toad had better be bearing special news if he did enter the family sanctuary.
"That's what I would like to know," Sesshomaru commented as he seemed to appear out of nowhere behind Itachi, causing the weasel lord to leap from surprise and fear if the dog demon's nose was right.
"Lord Sesshomaru," Itachi practically squeaked, not realizing how close he was to Kikyo now.
"What is he doing here?" the platinum-haired male asked his wife.
"Leaving, I'm sure," she replied and Itachi took the hint.
"Good day, milord and milady." The weasel demon bowed to the couple and quickly made his way out of the place.
Sesshomaru watched the shorter male almost trip over himself as he left. The dog demon growled under his breath. He then turned his attention to Kikyo and took her in his arms. He noticed something was off about her and he sniffed the air around her. She knew what the problem was.
"The scent is my fault. I sneaked up on him and got very close, looking to distress him a bit," Kikyo explained. Perhaps, she should have shot the weasel. Surely, it would have bothered her husband less had she done that.
"What was he doing here?" Sesshomaru asked, glancing in the direction the little weasel fled.
"Following us."
Sesshomaru frowned. "I dislike how interested this man is in you. I think I shall send him on his way in a few days. I could care less about why he is here or if I look like a terrible host. They have to go."
"I won't object in the slightest. I don't trust him and I have already considered shooting him for sneaking around with Rin here."
Sesshomaru was close to laughing. "I can't have you slaying our noble guests, so I shall send him away soon. Is that good enough for you?"
"As long as he keeps away from our child," she answered in a deadly tone. She had taken to carrying her bow and quiver in case those weasels tried anything, but she had not expected the lord to do something. Now, if he as much as looked at their daughter wrong, Kikyo would put an arrow through him.
"And people think I'm overprotective," he remarked. He had no doubt should Kikyo find the other lord following their child again, he would be shot and killed by Kikyo's own hand.
Kikyo only cut him a glance. She turned his eyes to Rin, who was apparently having a great time with her tiny goat. Sesshomaru turned to regard Rin and saw her playing with the beast. He sighed and shook his head. Rin certainly was a free spirit and he had no idea what he was supposed to do with her.
"You know, I used to suspect there was something wrong with Rin," Sesshomaru whispered to make sure the child did not hear his words.
"Because she is happy?" Kikyo guessed.
"Openly happy."
"She appreciates life and what it has brought her."
"Death to her kin, beaten, and then killed by filthy wolves?" he asked. He did not see why Rin would be happy with the cards life dealt her.
"Rebirth thanks to a kind demon lord, safety, warmth, and love. You would be surprised how little a human requires for happiness," Kikyo commented with a small smile, gently rubbing his abdomen.
He glanced down at her, then to Rin, and then back to her. "I think that it's only you and Rin."
She shrugged. "Be that as it may, we are happy."
"And to me, that's what matters," Sesshomaru replied while leaning down to gently kiss her mouth.
-8-8-8-8-
Next time: The "guests" are given the boot. What will they do once Sesshomaru kicks them out?