Enchanted Orbs
Chapter 15 Rules
After a few moments of silence, Kagome realized the taiyoukai was done with his questions. Knowing this, she rose, grabbed her black bag, and walked in the direction of the river.
She stripped to her undergarments and moved to the water; as soon as she stepped into the water she regretted it.
She yelped when she realized how painfully cold the water was; she was only ankle deep, but she could feel her skin raise into bumps and she fought the need to shiver. The weather itself wasn't cold, but this stream must find its roots in the snow covered mountains in the distance.
Kagome gritted her teeth and was about the plunged into the water, when she got an idea. Focusing on the heat within her body, Kagome produced several red spheres of light. She reached out to touch them, but the temperature caused her to pull her hand back.
She smiled at a newly learned ability and sent the orbs into the river a bit upstream of the current. A few minutes passed, and soon she found herself bathing in a warm stream. A sigh escaped her lips as she felt the heated water breeze around her body, pulling all the tension from the muscles in her sore legs.
She reached over and grabbed her bathing supplies from her bag, and walked to the middle of the river. After cleansing herself she left the river to retrieve her towel.
After drying and dressing, she set down on the ground and began working out the knots in her mistreated shoulders. She had learned quickly, when traveling with Inuyasha, that her pack could be very abusive towards her neck and shoulders.
After years of practice, she had become quite skilled at relieving the pain of muscles. After treating her upper back, she worked her fingers over her legs and feet. Tomorrow she would not even feel the ache of todays activities. While she was concentrating on her task, she realized she probably could have used her healing powers to replenish herself, but she decided against it. She had a feeling of pride that she could tend to herself without the use of magic.
Kagome slipped her shoes on, grabbed her belongings and returned to the campsite.
Sesshoumaru looked up at her entrance, but turned his gaze back to the fire shortly afterwards. He heard her rummaging in her bags, then a soft scent reached his nose.
He looked at the girl in front of him. She had a salve of some sort in her hands and was applying it to her hands, legs, and feet.
"What are you doing?" His bored voice asked as if he hadn't the slightest care.
Kagome scrunched her brow in confusion, then realized what he was confused about. In all honesty, she would have applied her lotion by the riverside instead of in his presence, but she didn't want to have grass, rocks, leaves, and Kami knows what else sticking to her moist skin as she walked back.
Now, though, she had to answer his questions.
"Its nothing really, it just keeps the skin moist and soft. It can crack if..."
"You have no need of that." He interrupted her. No doubt she was about to explain some trivial information that he had no need or desire to know.
"huh?" Kagome articulately replied as she stopped working her lotion into her hands.
"No one will believe the deceit if your hands are not rough."
"What are you talking about? What deceit?"
"The reason you are with me at this time."
"Oh, that reminds me..." Kagome started, acquiring a somewhat menacing tone. "Why am I here anyways? What is your purpose of forcing me into your service?"
"You will be one of my servants." He said in his usual flat tone.
Silence loomed.
"What?" Her low tone threatened immediate death is she had heard correctly.
"One of my servants." He repeated annoyed.
She held her peace for a moment trying to regain balance, but she failed miserably as she started.
"You mean to tell me that you put a time limit on Naraku's demise and the jewel's completion, pulled me away from my family and friends, and threatened me into your service to be one of your SERVANTS?!?" Her voice escalated to a harsh pitch.
"That is not all..." but his words were not allowed.
"You arrogant jerk!! You made it out to seem that you didn't want my powers to be used against you. You said that you would rather kill me than let someone else use my powers...what do my powers have to do with SERVING you?" Anger dripped from the words that hung in the air for silent moments.
He had to refrain from wincing at the volume and pitch of her voice. He had never really seen her angry before. Defiant, irritated, and frustrated? Yes, but never as furious as she was now.
Sesshoumaru let her anger cool, or perhaps simmer, for a short time. 'Maybe I should try a different approach. I don't not wish to have a fruitless argument with her.'
A strong and quiet voice broke through the silence. "Kagome..."
Kagome was roused from her violent images of his death, when a soft voice that she had never heard from him called her name.
He had rarely used her name, let allow addressed her so gently. Her lifted her eyes to him.
'Well that worked very well.' Sesshoumaru registered a way to get her attention in the future. He also had to suppress a smirk at the awestruck look on her face.
'She may look and sometime act like a warrior, but she can be easily won to my side just like any other woman.' He thought in a cocky manner, but he held his face expressionless and continued in a gentled voice.
"That is not your sole purpose..." he knew she was listening, but he drew out the dramatic pause to make it appear he was hesitant to say what he was about to reveal.
"...what I'm asking of you will be dangerous, that why I needed someone strong."
'Did he just say he needed me?' Kagome was in shock. She had never seen him like this. Something didn't ring true, but then again their meetings in the clearing were much different than he normally acted also.
"There are a few in my home that may not be trustworthy, and may have hidden agendas. I want you to go among the servants of my household and find out whom. Most demons think humans insignificant. They will not worry about hiding their activities among them because if a demon is found out to be traitorous by a human, who all too often aren't loyal to a demon lord, he or she can easily be killed."
The words he spoke registered in her head, but she really didn't want to believe them. Yes, he was asking of her something she could do, but he wanted her to pose as a servant! She had never really submitted to anyone out of anything but respect, kindness, love, or friendship. How could she just drop that lifelong habit and serve demons that could very well be more arrogant and unlikable than the one in front of her now.
"I need some one to find out that traitorous one in my household and survive long enough to tell me about it. Since you are strong enough to be a challenge to me, you are the most capable I have found."
She did not like it. She did not want to do it, but her mind drifted back to what Nara had told her.
She closed her eyes, grit her teeth, and "Fine. I'll do it."
As her eyes were closed, a wicked gleam crossed Sesshoumaru's eyes. He fought the urge to smirk. This would be easier than he thought, and he knew he would enjoy ordering her around to compensate for the indignities he had suffered from her.
"I'm tired I'm going to sleep." Kagome resigned to her fate and retired to her sleeping bag.
Kikyou and Inuyasha had been training, testing themselves.
Inuyasha could now reach a distance of about twenty feet from her without having to fight is demonic side.
He was not scared of losing control anymore. The rosary was strong enough to subdue him long enough for Kikyou to move close enough for him to grasp onto his human soul.
It was challenging, but he was slowly learning to fight the powerful inuyoukai blood now coursing in full potency through him.
He was faster, stronger. He was now everything he had always dreamed of being, but now he just longed for the ability to grasp the sword he had relied on for so long. All of the abilities he had acquired, all those things he found himself. No one needed to teach him how, he just instinctively knew what to do with it. Because of that, he felt that the Tetsusaiga was a trusted friend, but no more.
When he had thrown it at Kagome's feet, he didn't expect to feel a wrench in his heart as he saw it rejecting him. He did not expect to feel helpless with it falling in a clattering heap on the ground.
Now the sword hung in Kaede's hut, Kagome insisted that he keep it for his first child. He had winced at this statement, but the more he thought about it, the more he liked the suggestion.
He and Kikyou still had some major issues to resolve, but one day he hoped to be able to pass down the sword. A smile crossed his face as he thought of how he would be able to teach his son how to wield the legendary fang of Inutaisho.
"Inuyasha, what is distracting you?" Kikyou said in a gentle tone as she approached him.
Startled from his day dream, he looked to the first woman who had stolen his heart. She was still as he remembered her. She was the sad, strong woman that he had once fallen for and vowed to protect.
The sadness was leaving, but he knew she was scared to allow herself to be happy. One who was always subject to loneliness and dignity would have to gradually slip into the idea that she may experience joy.
A smile crossed his face as she was waiting for his answer. He walked to her, let his arms find their way around her waist, and whispered in her ear. "You."
Her eyes widened slightly at his open affections and gentle word. Her miko senses were screaming that a dangerous demon was too close to her, but she would no longer listen. She knew he would not hurt her physically, but she was afraid of the emotional torment that she had experienced once.
She slowly lifted her arms to accept him as he nuzzled his head in her hair. She was scared, but she could get used to this.
She would have to get used to it. She was bound to him. She did not feel any resentment from that, though she probably should have.
She was even forced to go to her reincarnation's world when Inuyasha went to speak to Kagome. That future world was more than a little unnerving, but she would not deny her duty.
If Inuyasha went there without her, many would die. Well, maybe not. Kagome was much stronger now, but she, herself, had almost been killed trying to bring him back to his senses. Kikyou would not risk innocent lives with him. She would stay with him.
Maybe one day she would learn to accept her love of him.
"Get up. It is time to go." His rough voice woke her from her sleep.
With a groan, she rolled over to see piercing gold gazing at her. Reaching into her yellow pack, she grabbed a tank top and some jeans and dressed herself underneath the cover of her bag. She hadn't packed her uniform because she knew it would be a while before she returned home.
Jeans, though hot in the afternoon heat, protected her legs from brambles and thorns.
She got out of her bag, rolled it up, and stuffed it into her yellow pack. She went to the river to wash her face and brush her teeth, then headed back to the demon lord.
"I'm ready."
They had been walking for several hours. The sun was climbing to the apex of the sky when Sesshoumaru stopped.
He turned to her and sat at the base of a tree.
He had waited long enough. He wanted more answers; though she didn't seem tired, he figured she wouldn't complain about the break.
"Tell me about your village."
Kagome realized he must have really wanted to know if he hadn't waited until they camped at night like he had yesterday.
"What would you like to know?"
Sesshoumaru scowled slightly at her. She would only answer his questions, not supply excess information. 'Very well then, we will play your way. For now.'
"How big is it?"
She thought for a moment. 'He will be really unsettled if I told him it was a world instead of a village, but that might not be a good thing.'
"Well, I'm not sure how many people are there. It is big enough that I do not know everyone there. Everyday I'm there I see people I've never met before."
Her village was bigger than expected, but it was not uncommon to have villages like that in his lands. Even large villages were easily destroyed, but what of the power her people hold?
"Are your people like you?"
"What do you mean 'like me?' Powerful?"
He nodded slightly at her question.
"Yes and no. I haven't heard of any one with the abilities that I have, but I really don't let anyone there know of my power."
His confusion was evident. "Why would you hide your power?"
A deep sigh escaped her lips. "It is very different there. Power is not measured by strength, but by accomplishments. We have weapons that protect us, but those are not used much. My power would make people fear me, maybe even attack me because they would not understand it."
"If you are more powerful than they why..."
"I do not know if I could protect myself. Plus, I do not want to attack them."
'She couldn't protect herself?' How powerful are her people?
"Hnn" He made a note to resolve this after he had regained a firm hold on his subjects. He stood and assumed the pace he was walking earlier.
Kagome rose and followed, but her thoughts were far from the path she walked.
Kagome knew he would not ask her questions without purpose. Why did he have an interest? Did he want more land to conquer? No, he was already having problems within his home. In all likelihood, he didn't like the fact that there were a people of which he did not know the existence. Unless...did he feel threatened by it?
"Sesshoumaru, do you feel threatened by my people?"
He stopped dead in his tracks and turned a menacing glare on her. "This Sesshoumaru is threatened by no one."
"Yes, Lord Sesshoumaru." She immediately regretted her question when his eyes burned through her, but, against her better judgment, she continued. "Its really very interesting. No one in my village knows of the existence of any one in this world. Everything that happens here is held in legend where I'm from. I didn't believe it myself when I first fell through the well."
With that statement, silence began its reign again. Sesshoumaru was puzzled with her words. How would people not know, but he could not smell any change in her scent to suggest a lie was spoken.
That evening, Kagome noticed, they stopped earlier than the night before.
As was custom, Sesshoumaru opened up another conversation. "I must speak to you of the rules."
"Rules?"
"You are to be disguised as a servant and because of that, you must follow the rules of servants. You would raise suspicion if you did not."
He could almost hear her brow furrow in thought and irritation. 'Indeed. This would be fun.'
"You are not to speak to anyone unless spoken to. Since you will be one of the newest additions to the staff, you may be subject to harassment. Blind submission is the only way to avoid it in the future. If you stand up for yourself or even look someone in the eye it will be a challenge that you are not up to."
He let the words sink in for a moment; then he continued. "Human female servants usually do not survive long in my household. You are to stay out of sight as much as possible; otherwise your lifespan alone will raise suspicion. You will report to me everyday on your activities. The first few days, I will be monitor your movements and suggest appropriate actions in response, but after that you will need to move on your own. Only when I'm not there will you be able to glean information."
Nervousness seeped into her veins. "Why will you monitor me? I can take care of myself."
"No, you cannot. You are not to use your power in attack unless someone is intentionally trying to kill you because of your knowledge. If you are threatened, use trickery or illusion to escape notice. I am fully aware of your capability in those areas. There are also some passages which I can show you to escape if need."
She remained silent.
"Now I need to teach you some things. Before you cast any spells you need to suppress your scent. The magic leaves a residue scent in the air. As powerful as you are, any demon will know what happened. Do you know how to do this?"
"Yes."
"Good. Next you need to suppress your aura. Yours is much larger than normal humans."
She remained silent. She looked inward and found her shining aura flowing around her. Forcibly, she withdrew it inside her.
"No, that is too much. Leave it partially visible. Only very powerful beings can fully suppress their aura. It will not do for others to know you have this ability."
She loosened her hold on her aura slightly.
"That will do. Also, demons with a strong sense of smell can detect when you lie. So if someone is questioning you, it may be necessary for you to disguise that smell, with your own. Can you do this?"
Kagome was hesitant to answer. She didn't know what she smelled like, how could she cover a lie with a smell she didn't know? Maybe she could just hold onto her body's responses and not allow the changes to occur.
"I'm not sure"
"We will try that tomorrow with your illusions. Go to sleep. We will arrive tomorrow evening."
"Is this better?"
"I can still easily see through your illusion."
Kagome gave a frustrated sigh. How on earth did he not see through her illusions in the forest, if he can see through them now? Oh, yeah. Her feelings fuel her power, and then, she was scared out of her mind. The kitsune illusion must have been very powerful.
She let the illusion go, and she appeared in front of him in her abnormal attire.
Kagome added her frustration and irritation into her concentration and attempted again.
Sesshoumaru saw her shimmer slightly and reappear in a normal servant's attire. The bags over her shoulder disappeared completely.
He focused his energy into seeing through her spell. He could see the disruptions around her, but could not through it.
"That will do. We will arrive at night. If all is according to plan, a new set of servants arrived this afternoon. No one should notice your late arrival. Every morning at dawn you will bring a pitcher of water to me in the dojo under pretenses of serving me. This is where you will report to me on the events of the day."
They arrived in the middle of the night. He showed her to the room she would be occupying, and left her to her rest.
Kagome did not want to rise with the sun. She only got a few hours sleep. "But the master calls..." she bit out harshly.
She rose and dressed herself, suppressed her aura, and found her way to the kitchen.
When she finally found her way to the dojo, Sesshoumaru was waiting impatiently for her.
"You are late." He stated as the solid door shut behind her.
"I was lost." She retorted.
"You forget, do not speak unless spoken to."
"Look, Lord Sesshoumaru," She made sure he knew she was being sarcastic with her respectful title. "You and I both know that I am not your slave. I will not be treated like one when we are alone. Now what did you want of me? I have not even been here a day; surely you do not expect me to have a report for you as of yet."
"I am bored, so you will train with me." He erected a barrier around the dojo as he usually did whilst training.
"What?" Kagome answered in a harsh tone.
"Defend yourself." He warned; then he disappeared.
Yes, yes, I know. This was a really boring chapter, it was only meant to be a bridge into the household activities. BUT evil laugh now is when the fun stuff starts. The action will definitely pick up in the next chapter. Til next week Syrinx
