Authors Notes: Umm, yeah. Not much to say right now I suppose. Then again I just woke up and I'm feeling a tad out of it. (and yes I stay up all night and sleep all day, Im a night owl). This chappy is a tad too dramatized for my taste, but meh, it happens I suppose. But it's showing how Kagome's growing and changing lil by lil so it's important to the story.
Disclaimer: Me no own Inu Yasha and co
Falls On Me
Chapter 3: Seven Sins Of Wantonness and Everything That's Good Is Gone
The next morning Kagome was busy making sure everything was just right in the guest bedroom for Sango and Miroku. She had talked Sesshoumaru into letting her use a room outside of the east wing, and she instead gave them a room in the west wing near her own. She even went so far as to add three sprigs of sakura blossoms to a vase on a small table.
After that she went to the kitchen and helped the cook make several dishes. She still didn't know how to make chicken tatsuta on her own, but she loved the taste. The cook suggested the filling katsudon rice bowl as a main course. Kagome chose sweet chestnuts as a side with fried custard as a dessert. Everything was going very well until Mako came in holding the side of her face and crying.
"Oh my god Mako, what happened?" Kagome asked as she quickly grabbed some ice and wrapped it in a piece of cloth.
"Inu Yasha ma'am. He was very angry this morning when he woke up. He wanted-" And suddenly Mako dissolved in tears as she collapsed into a heap on the floor. Kagome sat next to her and pulled the girl into her lap, then pressed the ice pack on the quickly forming bruise that covered the left side of the girl's face.
"Shh, don't worry. I'll take care of this," Kagome said, her eyes full of hatred. Inu Yasha was going way too far this time. She had endured him hurting her, but she wouldn't allow him to hurt others.
"But my lady, he'll kill you! Please don't go!" Mako cried as she clung to Kagome, trying to keep her from moving.
"No, I can't let this go. I'll deal with it," Kagome told the kitsune girl.
Kagome stood after several minutes and Airon hugged her tightly.
"Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?" The cook asked. Kagome shook her head.
"I don't want anyone else hurt. This has gone too far, and I need to end it," Kagome told her. She quickly left the room, Mako sobbing even harder, and silent tears slipping from Airon's eyes as the door closed.
Kagome walked resolutely down the hallways, trying to steel her reserves. She didn't notice Anei following her After all, he was at heart a feline, and thus the best hunter on the planet.
Her fear seemed to take over all of her nerves, paralyzing her when she arrived at the door to her old room. Within she heard snarling and growling as things broke. She took a deep breath and opened the door before she could turn around. The sight that met her eyes scared the hell out of her though.
Everywhere there were broken family heirlooms and the shoji screen was destroyed, as well as the tatami mat their futon had been placed on.
"Kagome?" He suddenly said as he turned and saw her. For a moment she wanted to laugh at the confused expression on his face.
"Inu Yasha, I saw what you did to Mako, this has got to stop," She said in the calmest voice she could muster.
Suddenly Inu Yasha's face distorted into something ugly, like a horrific mask.
"If you weren't sleeping in another room every night I wouldn't have to try and rut with servant girls!" He snarled as he suddenly grabbed her and threw her down on the floor. He held both of her wrists in one hand and tore at her beautiful kimono with his other.
Kagome was silently crying now. She didn't want anyone to see this. It was disgusting. She was being raped by her husband! Disgust for herself welled up within her, and disgust for the man she thought she had once loved. All of her feelings gathered in her heart and with one scream everything was washed in a flaring pink light.
"Argh!" Inu Yasha snarled as he was thrown back from her. Kagome watched, shocked, as he hit the wall, the impact created a loud crash.
As Inu Yasha slid to the floor Anei came in, his katana drawn. Kagome looked up at him from the floor, tears leaking from her eyes.
"What happened?" A new voice asked. Kagome looked to the door and saw Sesshoumaru surveying the wreckage the room had become.
"I don't know. He was trying to-And then he was thrown back against the wall," Kagome whispered, awe filling her voice. Had she done that?
"Well Kagome, it's good your powers react naturally in self defense," Sesshoumaru told her. Kagome and Anei both gasped in surprise.
"What?" Kagome asked.
"It seems your powers as a miko saved you. My guess is they reacted naturally to your distress," Sesshoumaru told her. "How long has it been since you've even tried using them?"
Kagome was at a loss. She hadn't tried since they had won the battle against Naraku. Sesshoumaru only had to look at her to surmise as much.
"It is my advice you begin training. The shrine up the hill where you got married has a priest there who can help you. As for him," Sesshoumaru said, looking at Inu Yasha, his distaste evident, "I have a place he can stay for a week or two."
"Where?" Kagome asked, fearful for her husband despite his actions.
"Do not concern yourself. He assaulted you in my home, and thus I can mete out whatever punishment I so choose. Don't worry, he'll be in one piece when I am done," Sesshoumaru told her. Kagome nodded her acceptance. She didn't have much of a choice. After all, it was still Sesshoumaru's home. She was surprised he had allowed her and Inu Yasha to stay so long despite his father's demands.
"Kagome, you need to cover yourself," Anei suddenly said, his eyes closing. In the moment no one had noticed that Kagome's chest was exposed to everyone in the room. She tried to pull what was left of the kimono together but failed because there was so little material.
"Anei, you have let this come to pass by not watching her diligently. Because of your negligence, you will be watching Inu Yasha for the next two weeks to make sure he doesn't do anything too foolish. And you can't kill him," Sesshoumaru finished.
"Now wait a minute! It's not his fault. I closed the door behind me, and I didn't make any noise. For all he knew Inu Yasha and I could have been making up or something!" Kagome shouted at the demon lord.
"Never the less, his hesitation to act led to you almost getting hurt, and it is his job to prevent that. He must be punished accordingly," Sesshoumaru told her.
"I understand my Lord," Anei said as he cut his palm with the blade of his unused katana. Kagome gasped as blood flowed freely from the wound.
"Sesshoumaru, please, don't make him watch Inu Yasha! That would drive anyone to murder. Please, if you have to punish him, let me find away. He is my guard," Kagome pleaded. Sesshoumaru looked at the girl, not showing his exasperation. Did she not understand that a samurai that had failed at a duty required punishment to soothe his mind and pride?
"My Lady, in this matter, I think it is best that my punishment be left to Lord Sesshoumaru. But, it is soothing to know I would have such a strong, kind hime as my champion," He told her.
"I'm not a princess," She began.
"You are a noble woman of high class, no matter by birth or marriage. And your soul is rich. You are more noble than your husband, My Lady. You deserve the title of hime," Anei told her as he walked out of the room, leaving Sesshoumaru and Kagome alone with an incapacitated Inu Yasha.
"Kagome, it is a samurai's way to accept his punishment with grace. Anei was taught the Bushido by a human samurai. Though he is the only youkai I know of to follow Bushido, he still follows it diligently, and I am his lord. No matter what, ultimately he answers to me," Sesshoumaru told her.
"I understand," Kagome said quietly, feeling chastened.
"After your friends leave, you will begin your training," He told her.
"What do you mean?"
"You will learn to control your power, and when you do, we will begin your battle training. Naraku may be gone, but there will always be enemies of the priestess who hold the shikon jewel," He told her. Kagome nodded, suddenly realizing just what he was implying. Suddenly she was thankful that Inu Yasha was the only one to attack her in the past seven months.
"I understand Sesshoumaru. Thank you, for everything," She told him. Sesshoumaru nodded.
"Your guards for the time being are Yotogi and Shisou," He told her.
"I will escort you to the kitchen, they will be sent to you later. Until they arrive I know Airon would protect you with her life, and the woman can throw a knife very accurately," He told her. "But before we go anywhere, you need to cover yourself, here." Kagome accepted his happi coat and gratefully wrapped it around herself and tied it.
"I will escort you to your room for kimono first," He told her. Kagome nodded and followed him. Thankfully they did not encounter any servants along the way, and when she got to her room she quickly dressed in a simple kimono of white silk devoid of decoration. She stepped out to see Sesshoumaru still waiting.
"You will have some bruising, but otherwise you seem to be fine," He stated, then began to walk.
"Sesshoumaru, what about Inu Yasha?" Kagome asked.
"One of the servants is taking him to a private room, where he will get no sake or shochu. Maybe by then he will stop acting so foolishly," Sesshoumaru stated.
"Maybe," Kagome sighed. They finished their walk to the kitchens in silence. Kagome bowed and opened the door. After entering, she closed it and saw Shippou and Rin munching on some sweet chestnuts that had been set aside for the dinner later that night.
"Rumors are flying fast around the castle aiji. Already I heard you threw your husband across the room using your powers. Good," Airon said as she sipped some bancha tea. Kagome blushed.
"I didn't do it on purpose," She defended.
"Aw, that's no fun. After all, the entire castle is singing you praises. Also, we heard about you defending Anei. Very well done of you if I do say so myself. I know he is still being punished, but the fact you defended him, well, that says a lot about you to the other servants, and you're quickly rallying supporters to your cause," Airon told the girl.
"What do you mean? What cause?" Kagome asked.
"Oh, nothing. The other servants are just coming quickly to adore you," Airon said with a smile. "And I think you could do just about anything and get away with it. It is something many of the Lords don't realize. If your servants love you and are treated well, they will do anything for you. If Lady Akari had decided to have an affair she probably would have had the help of the entire castle to hide it," Airon explained. Kagome blushed.
"I won't ever need anything like that," Kagome told her friend as she sat down and accepted a cup of tea.
"I see. Well then, I saw your menus and most of it can be made about an hour beforehand, and I approve the choices. But why so much curry?" Airon asked. Kagome giggled.
"I love curry. Inu Yasha despises it. I guess it won't matter now, but I think it was my own form of revenge," Kagome said with a blush. Airon chuckled and smiled at the young girl. Inwardly the youkai was musing about the girl's strength and powers.
"Sometimes it still seems so surreal. I still wonder if this is just something Naraku did to me, like we're still fighting him and he's got me trapped in an illusion or something," Kagome told the cook.
"Kagome, over the past week, I have seen you come alive again. Did you know that when you first arrived, you confused some of the servants? You acted like everyone here was equal. Then only a few scant weeks later, you were suddenly like a spirit.
"Now you've caused another upheaval, but a good one. We have a Lady again, and we've needed it. Lady Akari, after she died, oh goodness, years ago. She was our champion, much as you are.
"Since she died, and since Lord Inu Taisho passed on, we haven't had much of anyone to serve. Lord Sesshoumaru was almost always out and traveling. He started coming back more when little Rin came along. And now he's been here for several months. It's good. The castle is coming alive again," Airon finished.
Kagome sipped her tea, contemplating everything the cook had told her. The servants liked her? Well, that was good she supposed. But they saw her as a champion. Lady of the castle. What would happen when Sesshoumaru took a mate? Kagome knew she would have to step down most likely and occupy herself otherwise.
"I fear for Sesshoumaru though. He is still young as far as demons go, but he should have taken a mate by now. He won't live forever, he knows that. I don't know," Airon sighed. Kagome nodded her head in understanding.
"It would be disastrous if the castle fell into the hands of our lord's younger brother," A new voice said. Kagome jumped and looked at the door. Two feline youkai walked in. Kagome gasped as the beautiful man and woman sat down gracefully, their tails moving slowly.
The male was the most exotic looking youkai she had ever seen! And the female wasn't someone to just glance over either.
"I see you've noticed our more exotic warriors. Yotogi's parents were from the youkai tribe of White Lions from a far land," Airon began.
"That is enough Airon, I can explain for myself," The white youkai chuckled. Kagome was struck by the beauty of Yotogi's ice blue eyes. He reminded her of something regal, powerful. His entire being radiated the strength of a tornado, all held at bay just beneath the surface.
"I am from a land called Africa. I had heard of strong youkai in this land, disciplined and honorable, and came here to learn to fight. I ended up staying," He told her with a kind smile. He was just past his prime. Kagome figured he would be around forty in human years.
"And I am Shisou," The female told Kagome. "I too fare from Africa. I came with Yotogi. We've known each other since we were little children," Shisou said with a fond smile to Yotogi. She too seemed to be just a little past her prime, but by no means old or unbeautiful. Kagome took in her white fur and light brown and black spots. She had remembered seeing an animal in her textbook once. Suddenly it hit her, Shisou was a snow leopard!
"That's interesting. Sometimes I wonder what it would be like to go to a foreign land, but then I think about my surroundings. Well, it's not much like home here," Kagome chuckled.
"I understand. I presume Lord Sesshoumaru told you that we are to be your guards until Anei has fulfilled the terms of his punishment?" Shisou asked. Kagome nodded and relaxed. Both of the youkai seemed to be kind.
"I think Sango and Miroku should be arriving sometime late tonight or tomorrow morning. Oh crap, what will I tell them about Inu Yasha?" Kagome asked suddenly, scared.
"He is out touring the lands to bring a report for his brother. That or he's out fighting for his brother, it's not unusual. The bigger problem is the bruise that's forming on your face and that wound on your neck. I had heard your husband was a cruel man, but I didn't think he was so…Visible about it," Shisou told her. Tears welled up in Kagome's eyes again, and she felt like breaking down.
"I don't know what to do anymore. Where I come from there is such a thing as divorce. It's when a couple legally splits, but there's nothing like that here. All I can do is sleep in a separate room and pray he leaves me alone," Kagome told them.
"My Lady, he will not bother you for two weeks. Sesshoumaru has him in a cell below the castle. And after that he will be under our supervision once Anei comes back," Yotogi told her. Kagome gasped. Her husband was a prisoner!
"Kagome, before you say anything, he's being fed and he's not being mistreated," Airon told the girl.
"How do you know?" Kagome sniffled. Despite everything, she still felt badly about her husband getting hurt.
"Because despite how cruel he may seem at times, and believe me, I've seen some of the things he's done, Sesshoumaru won't kill his brother if he imprisoned him. If he wanted to, he would have by now. How many opportunities has he had Kagome? Think. The only way he would do it now is if Inu Yasha did something beyond all forgiveness to Sesshoumaru or someone living at the castle besides you. In fact the only reason he hasn't killed Inu Yasha for the transgressions against you is because you haven't requested the hanyou's execution yet," Airon said in a factual tone. Kagome gasped and stared at the cook in horror.
Sesshoumaru expected her to order her own husband's execution? How could he believe she would ever do that?
"Kagome, there are some things that would cause you to order his death," Airon said after several moments.
"Like what?" Kagome asked in an angry voice. She wouldn't believe herself capable of ordering another's death. She had endured abuse by Inu Yasha and still not ordered his death.
"Pray you never find out," Yotogi told her.
Authors Notes: Not much here I know, right now the plot is developing. I know Im emphasizing the abuse, but you'll understand why in later chapters. Believe me, everything is going to be explained, tied together, and hopefully done well. I'm really trying to show how Kagome's becoming stronger and beginning to defy Inu Yasha, which is pretty important to the story.
This is something Im having a bit of a hard time writing to be honest, because I don't think I've ever played with character's personalities this much or created so many new characters to support the plot. Blah, well, I'm off to write the next chapter. Please review!
Thankies to: Hoshiko Megami, Youkai Sesshomarulover, Sesshie's Black Dominatrix, D.C., Kyo-Babe, Bluediamond-Hime, Erttu, Fairie Mistress, Waxynixo, Vik, windprincess342