Ch 3 - Sorcery
A/N: Looks like there are going to be more than 3 chapters! The story just kept growing. Oh well.
Here we go!
ENJOY!
~oOo~
For the first time in Kagome's memory, she awoke feeling warm, comfortable, and well-rested.
Keeping her eyes closed, she let her other senses flare to life. She heard the crackling of a nearby fire and smelt the woodsy smoke, felt the heavy furs and blanket that covered her and the soft mattress she rested upon. A searing heat at her back peaked her curiosity. Slowly, she rolled over, her hands splayed in front of her. There, she felt something solid and velvety. Her fingers patrolled the warm surface, dipping into each defined crevice as they explored the mystery topography.
What is this? she thought, sleepily.
Above her, a throat cleared and a wry voice said, "Are you always so brazen when you first awake? Or do merely enjoy testing my patience, human?"
Kagome's eyes blinked open to find her hands resting on the chiseled, lower abdominals of a strange man. He was shirtless, laying on his side, head propped on his raised hand. Long snow-white hair cascaded around his shoulders. Startled cerulean met annoyed citrine and Kagome yelped, scrambling backward.
In her haste, she didn't realize how close she was to the edge of the bed. Another shriek as she tumbled to the floor in a heap of limbs, blankets, and furs. It was only as she righted herself did she notice her own state of undress. Her thin shift was hiked around her thighs while a strap dangled off her shoulder. Kagome quickly grabbed a fur and wrapped it around herself.
The man in the bed gave an amused snort at the blush that stained Kagome's cheeks. She had been in bed, with a strange, attractive man, in a precarious position…Where the hell was she and who was he?!
"No, I don't typically make a habit of feeling up strangers," spat Kagome. "Now tell me who you are and where I am! Last I remember, I was in the forest with Winter." She looked around the unfamiliar room. "Where is he?"
The man's lips quirked slightly at the edges, but his voice was mocking as he said, "For the last time, my name is Lord Sesshomaru, and if this is the way you react when one saves your life – remind me to let you perish."
Kagome opened her mouth to retort, closed it, and blinked. "I – uh – what? Could you run that by me again?"
"You had succumbed to the cold and were on the verge of death. I graciously saved you. You are welcome." He sat up, moving himself to the edge of the bed, before crossing the room to a magnificently carved chest of drawers. Kagome adverted her gaze as he passed, blush deepening as she caught a glimpse of rippling muscle, hakama slung low around his hips.
"And you cuddling in bed with me was, what – a life-savingmeasure?" she asked, skeptically.
"Precisely." Sesshomaru opened a drawer, pulled out a kimono, and frowned. "For the record, I was not cuddling. I was providing you with my body heat. It was the fastest way to return you to your –" he sneered, "talkative state." He grabbed a second kimono from the drawer and threw it at her. It billowed over her head and she sputtered at the indignity. "Now that you are up, and don't appear to be any more damaged beyond your normal levels, –"
"Hey!"
"– I have business elsewhere to attend to."
With that, Sesshomaru turned on his heel and walked briskly from the room, slipping on the kimono as he passed. Kagome spent a moment gaping after him, a million questions on the tip of her tongue, before she hastily put on the too large kimono – looping the sash twice around her tiny waist – and dashed from the room. She caught a glimpse of movement at the end of a long corridor and ran to catch up; her bare feet made nary a sound on the plush rugs that filled the hall.
"Winter! Wait up!" she called, giggling under breath when Sesshomaru gave an irritable sigh. He didn't slow his pace, however, as he turned down another intersection, and Kagome felt like a rat in a maze as she followed him. She picked up the pace, grinning when she caught up to the annoyed Lord. His loosely tied kimono exposed his pectorals and Kagome did her best to focus on his face.
"Look, if what you said is true – then thank you for saving me. That was a really kind thing you did and I don't know how I'll ever repay you."
"You can start by leaving me be," grumbled Sesshomaru.
She laughed. "Did you really think that would be the case?"
"I had hoped."
"Are we going to talk about the dog thing?"
He eyed her distastefully as he led her into a large foyer that boasted a grand staircase. "What 'dog thing' ?"
Kagome pulled up short, tugging on his wrist to stop him. He glared at the point of contact. "The dog thing! You were a giant, winter. Dog. Thing. And now you're –"
"Exquisitely handsome?" he supplied, raising a fine white brow.
She waved vaguely to encompass all of him. "– just not a dog thing! Explain."
Sesshomaru pulled his wrist out of her grip and moved his glower to her face. "I owe you no explanation, human. Remember to whom you speak or there will be repercussions for your impudence."
Kagome bit her bottom lip, moderately chastised. "My apologies, my Lord." She said his title like an insult and Sesshomaru growled, displeased.
"Perhaps now is a good time to set some ground rules. This is my fortress. You are free to roam the premises and its grounds – however, you are to expressly forbidden from going into the lower levels." He pointed to an unassuming door on the far side of the foyer. "Pick a room that you wish to claim for your own and, most importantly, leave me be. Questions?"
"Yes, actually –"
"Excellent. I will leave you to it then." With that he strode down another corridor, leaving Kagome in her borrowed, too-large kimono in a demon's fortress.
"What a grouch," she mumbled.
"I heard that!" he called from somewhere in the stronghold.
~oOo~
The fortress was a massive piece of opulent architecture built from hardwood and mountain stone. The ceilings were lined with exposed beams and decadent chandeliers. A broad staircase took up a large portion of the foyer, and traversed up three floors. Kagome had spent the better part of the day wandering each level, exploring room after room after room. She discovered a library filled with hundreds of books and fragile-looking trinkets, dozens of empty bedrooms with hand-carved furniture and paintings of stoic demons, servant's quarters, a kitchen stocked with more food than she had ever seen in her life, and a bathing area created from a natural hot spring. Lavish artwork, tapestries, and statues adorned the walls and open spaces, the wooden floors covered with thick rugs.
Kagome currently soaked in the steaming hot spring, enjoying the heated mineral water as she reclined against a stone outcropping. She sighed as she looked across the empty chamber. The alcoves were filled with fluffy towels and endless jars full of soaps and oils. There were enough supplies to satisfy her village ten times over. But despite the grandiose accommodations made to support an entire noble household, she had yet to encounter another living soul. Kagome wondered briefly if Winter lived alone and felt a curling strand of pity unfurl within her heart.
It must be so lonely being in this big place all by yourself. Where is everyone? It's obvious this place was built to house a hundred people or more…Where could they all have gone?
Rinsing her hair, Kagome finished her bath and redressed in her borrowed kimono, the hem flowing past her knees. Her stomach growled and she wandered back towards the kitchen. It only took her two missed turns to find the extravagant set up. A delicious scent wafted from the fire pit; to her surprise, a large pot held a simmering stew. She eyed the kitchen warily, thinking she'd finally run into a servant who created the meal – but, the kitchen was empty.
Did Sesshomaru make this?
She doubted it. Kagome couldn't imagine the grumpy Lord chopping vegetables and mixing spices into a boiling broth. So that left the question, who did? Her stomach complained loudly, and she put the question aside in lieu of finding something to serve herself with and – after several minutes of opening cupboards and pantries – she managed to find a bowl and spoon. Kagome ladled the concoction into her bowl, marveling at the fresh meat and out of season vegetables. The first bite was heaven. The second bite was sublime. All subsequent bites had her licking the bowl and going for seconds. A cup of water from a nearby jug was poured and enjoyed. Crisp mountain water cooled her palette, and she felt refreshed.
She was content for a moment until her pesky thoughts weighed heavy on her.
Is this my life now? Wandering an empty fortress like a living ghost? And what of the village…of Souta? Sesshomaru didn't mention what happened to them. I need to find him and get some answers.
She had yet to see hide nor hair of the Winter Lord in her explorations, but she was determined to locate him. With her new goal set in her mind, and her belly full, Kagome began her search for Winter.
~oOo~
Sesshomaru stood on the balcony of the northern turret overlooking the mountainous terrain, very obviously not hiding from the human woman patrolling his home. He was not lamenting the decision he made to bring her, nor was he even remotely intimidated by the unusual company after so many years alone. He ran a clawed hand down his face, pinching the bridge of his nose.
Who was he kidding – he was cowering in the tower in hopes of avoiding her for as long as possible.
In the wee hours of the morning, he had brought Kagome to the fortress as quickly as he could; worried when her lips took on a darker shade of blue, face pale as death. He was familiar with the symptoms of exposure to the elements, and knew he needed to get her warm – and soon. Winter dashed through the halls of his abode and belatedly realized he had brought them to his personal chambers. With a snap of his fingers, the fireplace flared to life and he tucked the tiny woman into his bed – irritated with his soft heart.
Sesshomaru had watched as color slowly came into her cheeks, and she began to shiver once more; a positive sign her body was warming. The violent quakes of her body put his fangs on edge as she groaned. He knew what would help her recover more quickly, but he was loathe to do it. When the chattering of her teeth made him want to pull his own hair out, he disrobed down to his hakama, and slid into bed beside her. A moment of hesitation as he steeled himself to touch her, and then he brought her close; spooning his much larger body around hers.
He was surprised to find that she smelt of summer – of wild iris and warm grass. He clutched her closer absentmindedly, and breathed deep. Summer, that season he longed for but was cursed to never see. Winter buried his nose in her hair, and sighed.
Her cold form melted against him as she shifted closer in sleep. Gradually, her shaking and chattering stopped, and she murmured something he didn't quite catch in her sleep. They laid that way for some time. He, tense and highly aware of all the places that their bodies touched. She, warm and pliant, unaware she was being held by a demon. The warmth of the room, her scent, coupled with her slight weight in his arms, had Sesshomaru's citrine eyes drowsing until he too succumbed to sleep.
The feel of her small hands roaming freely along his bare flesh had him awake in an instant.
It had taken all his will power not to groan at the sensation. He was both horrified at his own rising urges, and ashamed at how nice it felt. How long had it been since someone, anyone, had touched him? Decades at least. Yet here was this human who touched him so freely – in either form – it made him question her sanity – then, his own. He wanted to push her away. He wanted to hold her close and see where else her hands would roam.
Sesshomaru hadn't realized how touched starved he actually was until it stared him in the face.
Suddenly nervous at his own inhibitions, he did what always worked best, and slid into his haughty role as Lord like it was a second skin. Her fear and her anger upon falling to the floor intermingled with her summer scent, and Sesshomaru was grateful for the distraction. He had hoped to deter her from the questions she would inevitably have – which he would need to answer eventually. But, for now, his mind was too clouded to concentrate.
So, he scurried away to the tower under the guise of "having much to do," and contemplated how his life had fallen to shambles so suddenly. He gazed across the snowy peaks and into the frozen valley below. From his vantage point, the human village was a vermin-filled nest sullying the scenery. Already they had cut down large swatches of his forest to make way for their crops, livestock, and homes. Even now, they scuttled like ants around their homes; oblivious to the demon watching from his tower. It made his lip curl in disgust and, for a blessed moment, he thought of nothing except for his revenge against them.
The sound of faint footsteps coming up the tower staircase dragged him from his reverie. He growled at his misfortune and contemplated leaping from the balcony in an effort to evade her. Before he had decided one way or another, the door burst open, and a panting, red-faced Kagome doubled over with her hands on her knees.
"I – I found you!" she wheezed triumphantly. "I seriously – searched – Every. Single. Room. This was the last one!" She laughed, blowing her bangs out of her eyes. She peered out across the balcony, her face shifting to one of surprise. "Wow, look at that view." She walked to stand beside him, wrapping her arms around herself at the cold. "You can see the village from here!"
"Indeed," sneered Winter. "It is a wretched blight on the landscape."
Kagome's brows furrowed, but she didn't comment. Instead, she let her gaze sweep over the mountain range, the valley, before they landed on the obstinate Lord. Sesshomaru watched her from the corner of his eye, unsure of what to say. That's how he saw her shiver due to the frigid alpine air.
Winter gave an irksome growl. "Have you not learned your lesson about the cold, human?"
She shrugged. "It's not like I had much of a choice – or warmer clothes to pick from. I wanted to talk to you, and you're here." Another shiver wracked her body and Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. With a flick of his wrist, a white pelt appeared in his upturned palm. He offered it to her without looking, eyes fixed on the distant horizon.
Reaching out a hesitant hand, Kagome took the pelt, wrapping it around herself.
"Thank you," she said gratefully.
Sesshomaru grunted his acknowledgement, unsure why he cared if she was cold or not.
Kagome turned to fully face him. She smiled, stroking the pelt. "You know, you're not what I expected."
"And – what were you expecting? A slavering, mindless beast who conjures blizzards and destroys everything in its path?"
Kagome shrugged. "I'm not sure what I was expecting, to be honest. But I'm glad you are the way that you are."
Winter scoffed. "Cruel and frightening? I am a demon after all."
"Kind and thoughtful." He gave her an incredulous look as she considered him, hiking the fur tighter around her shoulders. "Maybe a bit lonely too."
Sesshomaru couldn't stop his lip from curling in a sneer. "So many assumptions. You think me kind and thoughtful all from knowing me for a few hours? Idiocy."
She gave another shrug. "I think I'm a good judge of character. And actions speak louder than words. If I just ignore your sour attitude and grumpy face, I'd consider you a good person – destroying my village aside, that is."
"Because murder is something so easily ignored," he rolled his eyes, already annoyed with the conversation.
"All I'm saying is, I think you can be reasoned with. Maybe…maybe you and I can come to some sort of agreement to stop this senseless hardship you keep inflicting on my people."
He turned then, towering over her, face menacing. "You continue to barter for the lives of those who you sent you as a sacrifice? They had no consideration for you – they thought to give you to the beast! I could have killed you! Tore you apart with claws and fangs. Buried you in feet of snow. Eaten you whole! There was nothing you could have done to stand against me."
"But you didn't!" she said brightly.
"There is still plenty of time," he growled.
Kagome laughed. There was no underlying fear in her scent, only carefree joy. It confused the demon. What was wrong with this woman?
"You do not fear me?"
"Maybe a little. You are a demon after all."
For some reason, her answer made him bristle. "Indeed I am – do not forget it, human." He scowled. "Come, it grows late in the day and I grow tired of the abysmal view." Without waiting for her, he stormed back into the turret. The staircase curled in a seemingly endless spiral. A door appeared for each level and he ignore the first two, making his way to first floor. Kagome followed quietly behind, her face thoughtful whenever he glanced back at her.
As they entered the kitchen, Kagome sat on a stool near the fire, warming her hands. "Can I ask you a question?"
"If I said no, would that stop you?"
"Probably not." She pulled the pelt into her lap, stroking the white fur.
Winter pulled a kettle off the trammel hook near the fire, and poured the steaming water into two mugs. A nearby pantry supplied a tin containing fragrant tea leaves. He handed Kagome a mug, which she gratefully took, and he leaned against a nearby counter.
"Then if you absolutely must." He took a sip of his tea, eyeing her.
"I originally came to find you, to ask what happened to the village. If maybe you sent a storm in your stead or something to destroy them. But, looking down on the village, everything looked normal from what I could tell."
"That is not a question."
She rolled her eyes. "My question is – if you were so hell bent on getting rid of them last night, then why didn't you?"
Because I had taken in a troublesome female who needed immediate care. Because I fell asleep and forgot about my obligation. Because I had too much on my mind today to see my will be done.
All those responses died behind pursed lips. Instead he coldly said, "You can thank your own weakness for giving them another day. I cannot say the same for them tonight."
Kagome drank her tea, a frown marring her beautiful features. Her free hand continued to stroke the pelt on her lap, fingers digging into the plush fur. The sight unsettled the Lord, and with another flick of his wrist, the pelt vanished. The woman let out a startled gasp.
"Are you a magician? Is that how you can change forms and make things appear and vanish so easily?"
Citrine eyes became hard. "Some of it is my nature. Some of it is…a curse."
"A curse." She tasted the word. "What does that mean exactly?"
"Nothing that concerns the likes of you."
With that, Sesshomaru finished his tea, setting the mug on the counter, and stormed from the room.
~oOo~
Kagome watched him go, and she felt pity for the demon. Alone in his grand fortress, cursed with an unknown bit of sorcery – it made her heart ache. She considered him and his predicament as she finished her tea.
Maybe – maybe if I help him break his curse, he'll leave the village be.
She grinned at the prospect. Now, she only needed grumpy Winter to open up to her and let her help. Kagome washed the two mugs and put them away. Then, she made her way down through the labyrinthian halls until she found the room she had originally woken up in. She stepped inside and looked for the perpetually irritated Lord.
The room was empty.
Well, this room is as good as any. And he did say to pick whichever one I wanted.
Mind made up, she explored the space.
The bedroom was larger than many of the others she had seen, yet its furnishings boasted a minimalists décor without losing any of its comfortability. A huge four-poster bed took up the far wall, stacked with featherdown pillows. Kagome picked up the blankets and furs she left on the floor earlier, and returned them to their rightful place. On the opposite wall, a roaring fire crackled in a fireplace made of polished riverstone, the hearth warm. A plush chair and ottoman stood proudly before it, a book lay forgotten on the cushion. A wooden trunk at the foot of the bed, the magnificent chest of drawers, and two curling nightstands were the only other furniture.
The warm room made Kagome recognize just how exhausted she actually was. Galivanting through the fortress, the adrenaline of the night before, her almost-death – she was weary. Crawling into the center of the bed, she snuggled beneath the heavy blankets, and swiftly surrendered to sleep.
Kagome's dreams were full of citrine eyes and soft, white fur. Of walking through an ice palace, cold and barren. Of snow, that fell and fell and fell, smothering her.
She awoke with gasp, skin clammy as she searched the dark room. The fire had burned low casting shadows, as night suffused the space. Something had woken her, and her senses went on high alert for any indication of what it was. Heavy footsteps outside the bedroom door. Growling. Cautiously, she crept from the bed and made her way to the door that led to the hall. More growling as she opened it on silent hinges and peered outside.
In the corridor, Winter paced. The beast's hackles were raised and his tail flicked with irritation. Another growl had Kagome opening the door wider, and stepping out to join him.
"Is – is everything alright?" she asked.
Winter froze, and slowly turned to face her.
"No, they are not alright," he snarled into her mind. "What are you doing in my chambers? When I ordered you to choose a room, I did not think you'd pick mine."
Kagome fisted her hands on her hips. "How was I supposed to know? This was the room I woke up in, I thought it was fair game. Maybe if you spent more time explaining and less time growling or ignoring me, we wouldn't have these problems."
Sesshomaru's gaze narrowed on the small female who glared up at him. How easy it would be to bat her aside or, better yet, toss her down the mountain.
"Pick another room."
The maiden huffed. "With pleasure, my Lord."
Storming past the wintry beast, she opened the door across the hall, saw it was another bedroom – this one sumptuously decorated, fit for a queen – and slammed the door. The fireplace sprung to life as if it had been waiting for her arrival, and she glared at the door. Out of the two rooms, she much preferred the conservative décor of the former, but in terms of sleeping arrangements, her current room would do. She moved to the gilded bed wrapped in thin, silver drapes and climbed in.
She lay there, angry and annoyed, when she heard more growling in the hall. With a sigh, she traversed the room and opened the door.
"What is it now?" she asked, crossing her arms.
"You are too close," barked Winter. He lowered his large head until he was nearly eye to eye with her. "Go away. Pick another room, preferably one on the other side of the fortress."
She poked him the nose. "You said pick any room, but that one." She pointed across the hall. "So, I picked this one. Let this be a lesson in communication. I'm not a mind reader so you need to use your words."
Sesshomaru's muzzle curled and she poked him in the nose again. "And enough with the growling, some of us are trying to sleep."
"Careful human…I only have so much patience and you have already worn out your welcome."
"Then send me home to my brother! At least then I'll have some semblance of happiness as I wait for you to slaughter us, or freeze us, or whatever bit of torture you had in mind! Better that than both of us continuing to waste each other's time! Why did you even save me if I am such a burden? You could have just left me in the snow and none would be the wiser. At least then you could go on your killing spree without some human harassing you!"
Winter roared, smashing a nearby table with his paw. The vase atop it shattered in all directions and Kagome yelped. A tapestry was next to fall to his ire; he ripped it from the wall with his teeth, and tore it to shreds. Paintings were destroyed, the rugs slashed to ribbons, statues broken, a door ripped off its hinges and dismantled. The beast stood, panting, in the ruins of the corridor. His breath came in great icy bellows as the temperature dropped significantly. Snow fell within the corridor, and wind whipped the flurries into a maelstrom.
Kagome stood shaking, but her eyes never left the beast for an instant. She met his vermillion gaze and asked, "Are you done?"
The two glared at one another, one scared yet defiant, the other, angry for reasons beyond her.
Kagome lowered her arms and let out a heavy breath. Closing her eyes for a moment, she calmed herself. Walking through the snow, careful of the destruction, she made her way to Winter. Her bare feet left imprints as she walked. By time she stood before the crouching canine, the wind had calmed and the snow drifted in lazy whorls from the ceiling.
"I'm sorry," said Kagome, earnestly. "That was uncalled for. I'm just – confused as to what we're doing here."
"I…I do not know," said Winter. The anger left him in a flood and he was left with shame as he took in the scene before him.
Kagome swallowed nervously, then reached out a hand. Slowly, so slowly, she ran her fingers across his muzzle, caressing the jagged stripes on his cheek. She could see the tension in his body, the unsurety in his gaze; she didn't let it phase her.
"How long have you been alone?"
"For many, many years," he said quietly. "It is part of the curse."
She continued to stroke his cheek, his long ear, his brow. He leaned into her touch. "I want to help you. But, for me to do that, we'd need to work together."
He looked askance. "There is nothing you can do," he said gruffly. "What's done, is done."
"We won't know until we try." She smiled. "Think about it." She scratched him under the chin. "Good night, Sesshomaru." Kagome picked her way across the cold floor and gently closed the door behind her. The room was toasty from the fire and she made herself comfortable in the bed.
In the back of her mind, so quiet she thought she may have imagined it, she heard, "I am sorry too. Good night, Kagome."
Smiling to herself, she faded off to sleep and was not troubled by any dreams.
~oOo~
A/N: Woo! Another completed chapter! This story is coming along quickly. I have no idea how many chapters this fic is gonna be, I'm just gonna let the story tell itself. *finger guns*
Thanks for reading!
3FF