Chapter 15: Cloaked Woman

Sesshomaru forced his eyes open. He found himself in a room, his hands chained together in his lap. He looked around and sniffed and found no trace of Kaori. He tried to break the chains, but it didn't work.

'Must have some sort of spell on it,' Sesshomaru thought.

He looked at his surroundings. It was a bedroom, for sure. There was a bed of furs, box for hair supplies, even the same shelf Kaori had. Was he in Kaori's hut?

"Nice to see you've awakened," a female said. She stood in the corner of the room, still wearing the cloak.

Sesshomaru sniffed. She smelt a lot like Kaori. He must not be in Kaori hut.

"Where's Kaori?" Sesshomaru asked.

The woman waved her hand and some sort of portal showed up. Instead of something you would travel through, it showed Kaori, knocked out on furs. She had chains on her hands as well.

"She will be just fine," the female said, walking forward. He face was still hidden by the hood, but now Sesshomaru could tell it was a woman. The clothes she wore were traditional women's wear of kimonos. Her cloak only hid her face and hair. He could see something on her wrist, but she hid it almost immediately.

"Why did you take us?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I need the girl to stay here, with you," the woman said.

"Who are you?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I'm shocked you don't actually understand what's going on, of all people," the female said.

Sesshomaru glared at her, trying to get all the facts straight. How was he supposed to know who it was if she didn't show her face?

"You will meet up with Kaori soon. For now, just relax in this place," the female told him, twirling a finger. His chains broke. "I trust you wouldn't try to escape without Kaori."

Sesshomaru lashed out as soon as he could, but the woman disappeared. She arrived in Kaori's room as Kaori awoke.

"Mmm, Sesshomaru?" Kaori mumbled, opening her eyes.

"Hello," the woman said, still wearing the cloak.

"Where's Sesshomaru?" Kaori asked.

The woman did the exact thing she did when Sesshomaru asked and Kaori saw Sesshomaru standing, his claws extending. He was looking around the room, but he was all right. Kaori sighed.

"I need you to stay here," the woman told Kaori.

"Why?" Kaori asked.

"You and Sesshomaru are needed here," the woman said.

"Who are you?" Kaori asked.

"You will find out soon," the woman said. "There is a kimono in the closet. I would like you to wear that next time I arrive."

She twirled her finger and Kaori's chains broke, but she didn't try to lash out.

"Where's the sword?" Kaori asked.

"The Tenseiga?" The woman asked. Kaori nodded. "We have taken it somewhere important. You will see it soon as well as me and Sesshomaru. But for now, please get changed."

The woman disappeared and Kaori sighed. What the hell had Sesshomaru gotten her into this time?

She went over to the closet and found the exact kimono the woman was wearing. She looked at it. Only one thing was changed; there was no sash. Kaori put it back in the closet. She wasn't going to wear it unless there was a sash.

"Damn it, where is she?" Sesshomaru's voice yelled. Kaori looked at the portal that was still open. His voice was being sent through it. She saw he looked at her and she smiled.

"Are you all right?" Sesshomaru asked, taking a chance that she could hear him.

"Yeah," she said and then thought maybe he couldn't hear her.

"Good," he said. She sighed. They still could communicate, just not be with each other.

"Are you?" Kaori asked.

He nodded.

"Do you know where we are?" Kaori asked, looking around her room.

"No," he told her.

"Do you know who that woman is?" Kaori asked.

"She visited you too?" Sesshomaru asked.

Kaori nodded. "But she said I would meet her soon, along with Tenseiga and you," Kaori said.

"She took the Tenseiga?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Yes," Kaori said.

"How is that possible? Only a few people can hold it. I took a chance with you holding it, but it seems to accept you along with me and my father, but that is all," Sesshomaru told her.

"This is scaring me," Kaori told him.

"Calm down and do as she says," Sesshomaru told her. "Just like at Naraku's."

"She wants me to get changed," Kaori told Sesshomaru.

"I will not look," he told her.

"There's no sash. I'm not wearing it without the sash," Kaori told him.

"Do as she says. I have no idea what's she's planning, but it doesn't seem good," Sesshomaru told her. "Change and do as she says."

Kaori nodded and went to the closet and changed. Her hand had to keep the kimono closed, so she only had one hand she could use.

"Happy now?" Kaori asked, coming back to he portal. She saw his eyes go wide and then he looked away. "What?"

"That's exactly what she was wearing," he told her.

"I know, just she had the sash," Kaori complained.

Suddenly, the portal went black.

"Sesshomaru?" Kaori yelled.

"I closed it," the woman said. "I'm glad you changed."

"Where's the sash?" Kaori asked.

The woman giggled. "Fashion is everything," the woman said.

Kaori rolled her eyes. She then heard Sesshomaru's voice behind her door.

"Kaori?" Sesshomaru asked.

Kaori looked at the door and then at the woman.

"I'll meet you later," the woman said. The door opened and Sesshomaru saw Kaori running towards him. She embraced him.

"You all right?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Yep," Kaori said.

"The portal went black and the door opened, so I came looking for you," he told her. He then looked away from her.

"Huh?" Kaori asked.

"Your, um, clothes," he told her. She looked down and saw what he was talking about. She quickly held the kimono closed and stayed near Sesshomaru.

Another door opened and Kaori looked questioningly at it. Sesshomaru took a chance and walked towards it, Kaori close behind him. They followed the alleged path of open doors and came to a huge main hall. A throne-like chair was at the back. No one was on it. Guards were aligned the wall, spears next to them. They weren't in position to attack them, but Sesshomaru was still on the defence.

Kaori stood next to Sesshomaru in the middle of the hall, waiting. Sesshomaru didn't like the silence or the cease of movement. It seemed like no one was moving or even breathing. He looked at the guards. If he made one wrong movement, he knew they would most likely attack. He brought a tighter hold on Kaori's waist and brought her closer to him.

Kaori was looking around. From what it looked like, it seemed like it was a modern palace, not an ancient one. It looked like the room was made of gold and the material around was silk. When she was pulled closer to Sesshomaru, she didn't mind. She wanted to be closer.

The woman in a cloak showed up, still wearing it. The guards moved to defensive positions it seemed, moving their spears across their chests. Sesshomaru was weary about the movement, but at least he knew there was a movement. A servant came by with a plate in hand. It looked like a sword was on it. The woman took it and placed it in her lap.

"Sesshomaru, you look so young still," the woman said. Kaori could heard a low growl in his throat, but he kept himself from releasing it.

"Can we just do whatever and get this done and over with?" Kaori asked. Sesshomaru noticed the guards were nearly scowling at Kaori.

"Don't talk unless spoken to!" One yelled out.

"Silence," the woman said. Everyone regained their sonic expressions. "Sorry about that. They don't know who their talking to. Men, this is Uzuha Kaori."

Many of the guards gasped and whispered to each other. The same guard that had yelled out said, "how is that possible?"

"I will explain. Please bring me two formal chairs," Kaori asked a servant nearby. They nodded and left, bring two almost exact chairs as the woman's.

Kaori sat down, followed shortly by Sesshomaru.

"Kaori has a purpose in this palace. It is why I brought you two here. Kaori could not live without you, so, Sesshomaru, you need to stay as well," the woman told them.

"What purpose?" Kaori asked. No one scowled at her this time.

"You need to rule this world," the woman said.

"Yes, I know that, but why here?" Kaori asked.

"This is the perfect place for you. It's where you belong," the woman said. "I should know. I've lived here for fifty years and I need to finish my life soon."

"I don't understand," Kaori said shaking her head.

"I've had many experiences in my life, but it shouldn't have last this long. I need you to take over, Uzuha Kaori. It is a must," the woman said. "Or the world will be in more chaos than it is now."

"Why?" Sesshomaru asked. Many guards started whispering again. Sesshomaru ignored it.

"Glad you decided to join this conversation," the woman said.

"Why would the world be in chaos?" Sesshomaru asked.

"It has happened once. The Queen of the World was killed by a half-demon many years ago. The world went into chaos until another one showed up from another time. She took over until she had a daughter, which continued the role. You are next in line," the woman explained, looking at Kaori.

"So, my mother was like this?" Kaori asked.

"Was she a Uzuha Kaori?" The woman asked. Kaori nodded. "Most likely."

"Why don't you wait until you have a daughter?" Sesshomaru asked. Kaori was just about to ask that as well.

"That's the problem. I can't. My husband and I don't have the right chemistry to have any kids," the woman said. "And I've already mated him, enabling me to go to anyone else."

"Mating is for demons," Sesshomaru told the woman.

"I know," the woman said. She whispered something to a servant and they rushed off. "My husband is a demon."

"So, your daughter would have been a half-breed?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Half-demon, and yes," the woman said, a bit of annoyance in her voice. "But it seems history is going to repeat for a long time. Something must have happened that made time repeat itself. Every queen is named Kaori and is over seventeen."

Kaori gasped and held the kimono closer. The woman could be seen smiling.

"She understands, don't you?" The woman asked.

"I have to do this, don't I?" Kaori asked.

"Yes, but don't have to until you're twenty," the woman told her.

These words were confusing Sesshomaru. "What is seventeen and twenty?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Age. We count our age," the woman said. "They're numbers."

Kaori looked up at the woman, wondering how she knew. The servant the woman had whispered to returned and bowed, saying he was coming soon. The woman nodded and smiled.

"Everything will be explained soon. How I know all about you and your words, Kaori. Anytime soon," the woman said, looking at a door nearby. Sesshomaru was alert. He must have been having some problems with his nose. He didn't just smell his scent coming from over there. The woman had her hands on her hood, ready to remove it and Kaori saw what she didn't understand. There was a bracelet on each, a coloured pearl on each. She looked at Sesshomaru and she could tell he was trying to get something straight. The guards started bowing as the demon come into view. Kaori and Sesshomaru both gasped and the woman also removed her hood. Kaori put her free hand up to her mouth.

In front of them were the almost complete copies of Sesshomaru and Kaori, a little bit older.