Protector

Recap:

"Then why do you want to die?" he asked, wondering whether her gray matter had been jumbled up in the fall.

Chapter 13: Castle of the Crescent Moon

Kagome looked startled, glancing at him warily. "It's not that I actively want to die… I'm not going to throw myself off a cliff or commit seppuku or do something weird like that. I'm just… kind of… tired…" she answered slowly, brows creased. "How can you be weary after only one century? I know of demons who have survived more than twenty and are still in the prime of their lives!" Sesshoumaru's golden, cat-like eyes flashed in irrational anger. "Humans are not meant to live forever. I never wanted to be immortal. I never wanted to become the living embodiment of the Shikon no Tama," she sighed wistfully, eyes misty in memory. "You are a foolish girl. Do you know how many humans want to live forever?" the taiyoukai sniffed disdainfully.

"Do you know what the Shikon no Tama has done to my life? Do you know exactly why Inuyasha left me? Do you know why I still wander alone after so long? Do you?" Kagome snarled in frustration. Sesshoumaru remained silent. What could he say, anyway? If he said yes, he would be lying. Not acceptable in a lord. If he said no, she'd go off in another tirade and his ears would be half singed off. If he said he didn't care in the least, she would purify his butt to within an inch of his life. What kind of choice was that?

His eyebrow twitched spasmodically and he looked away, refusing to meet her piercing cocoa eyes. "I'll tell you why." She took a deep breath as Sesshoumaru flinched slightly, undetectable to anyone.

He was flabbergasted when the miko extended a small hand to him. "Think dirty thoughts and touch me," she instructed flatly, eyes like chips of stone. "This Sesshoumaru does not think 'dirty thoughts' about anyone, least of all a human girl," he pointed his nose into the air arrogantly, eyes half-shut. "Do as I say. Now." She demanded. Her hair flared around her in a dark halo. "I will oblige you this once, girl," he allowed grudgingly. She could be excused for ordering Sesshoumaru himself around this time, since she had just been injured because of him… Stretching out his hand, he brushed her fingertips while (cough cough) imitating Miroku in his mind.

A soundless explosion of violet and white light flashed, sending Sesshoumaru flying across the room, his arm scorched badly. Kagome sighed, getting to her feet gingerly. Her wounds stretched uncomfortably tight, but didn't reopen. She moved over to the dazed taiyoukai, who was slumped against the wall.

Dropping to her knees, she lifted his injured arm into her lap, sighing when he flinched at her touch. She didn't know whether it was out of pain or whether it was his instinctual response after she'd almost blasted him to kingdom come, but it somehow felt wrong to her. An aura of soothing green radiance surrounded her fingers, and she gently stroked the burns along his forearm.

"Why did you injure me?" Sesshoumaru growled. Pink tinted his cheeks lightly; a flush of deep anger. It showed just how furious he was. His face was usually even beige and nothing more than something extremely serious could make him flush or become pale. "I didn't mean to. This always happens whenever someone touches me while… erm…" Kagome sighed, cut off by Sesshoumaru's rigid nod. "How severe are the wounds inflicted?" he asked, calming as Kagome painstakingly healed his burns. "It's hard to say, really. I don't exactly know. But it can – and has- killed before. Humans and youkai, both races are affected," she replied, biting her lip. "Killed?" Sesshoumaru prodded farther patiently.

"A long time ago, a group of bandits attacked me. I didn't want to shoot them, they were only human. I hadn't gotten the knack of making barriers yet. When the leader tried to grab me, he died instantly. I think his heart burst. Two more tried and died. Following that, the remaining men escaped," she told him, eyes darkening. She drew her hands away from him, and stumbled back to the rumpled bed. Unblemished skin covered his arm, injuries vanished.

A pillow supported Kagome's back comfortably as she leaned on it. "Okay, we went way off subject just now. So why'd you bring me here?" she queried, hugging another pillow tightly. Her raven hair pooled around her, gleaming in inky black curls. "To have Kiria treat your wounds, of course," he answered, standing up. "You didn't have to, you know. A village with a healing miko would have sufficed. If you managed to keep me alive for just one day, my own power would have kicked in. Why bring me all the way here?" she pressed him for answers, seeking a satisfactory one. Sesshoumaru paused, mulling over her question seriously. "You were willing to sacrifice your life to save mine… courtesy bids that I give you the same treatment as I would wish to be given. Kiria is an extremely skilled healer. I could not trust your life to some random village girl who has a little knowledge about herbs," he replied. Kagome's lips curved in a small smile. "I always pegged you as a guy of few words, Sesshoumaru. That was the closest to a speech as I've ever heard," she finger-combed her hair, laughing silently. He considered it beneath his dignity to reply to the jibe, and remained silent.

"Where's Kirara?" Kagome asked, after a short period of comfortable silence. Sesshoumaru had moved to sit in the chair before the dressing table. When she pointed to a hairbrush, he tossed it to her and she deftly caught it, nodding in thanks. "Rin enjoys the company of the fire-cat," he told her in a monotone.

Kagome's eyes teared as her mouth in a silent yawn. "You will sleep now," Sesshoumaru ordered, rising to leave. "Aa. Thank you for bringing me here," she murmured, settling down. "No, it is I who should thank you for saving my life, he paused briefly at the doorway, then was gone a moment later. 'Did the Ice Prince just say thank you to me?' she wondered hazily. The last thing she saw before slipping into the throes of sleep was Shiruka stepping into the room.

---------- (Next morning)

Kagome's eyes opened. Shiruka stood nearby, alert to any suspicious movement. "Good morning, Shiruka-san," she greeted, rubbing her eyes with a fist. "Ah. Good morning, kagome-san. It is a lovely day, is it not?" he turned to glance at her. "So it is," she replied, sitting up.

Sunlight poured through the gigantic window, pooling on the honey-colored floor. A playful breeze, carrying a hint of the winter chill, rustled the long hair of both miko and guard. Birds which hadn't left to migrate to warmer places for the winter chirped outside happily. As it was already late autumn, the leaves on the trees were few. Dried, crunchy leaves carpeted the ground, as several rake-wielding demons swept the gardens. A marble fountain full of fish decorated the corner of the large courtyard.

"I need a bath," Kagome realized as she yawned again. Shiruka bowed. "Sesshoumaru-sama has ordered that you use his personal hot spring. Clothing has been tailored for you, and is hanging in the wardrobe," he gestured at it. "Oh, I see," she got up and walked towards it. A pair of heeled black slippers rested beside the dressing table. She thrust her feet into them. Taking a random kimono from the array, she also snatched up a pair of fluffy white towels, a hairbrush, and a long silver ribbon. Shiruka held the door open as she made her way out regally.

Shiruka showed her into a room with a large hot spring. Steam billowed from the hot water as Kagome exclaimed in delight and pleasure. "Please take your time," Shiruka said and retreated, shutting the door silently.

A rocky warm pool occupied most of the room. Water cascaded over the rocks at the highest point, the corner that fitted the walls neatly. The spring was quite deep, no doubt reaching Kagome's shoulders. A few pink water lilies were clustered together at the side, drifting on the surface aimlessly. Droplets of liquid dotted the rosy flower petals, green waxy leaves and stems. Thin roots hung down limply, moving this way and that sluggishly. No algae encrusted the rocks – maidservants probably came in to clean up everyday. The stones were polished to a smooth and shining finish, and gleamed with moisture. The floor was cool white marble veined with grey, the walls were blue. Fish peeked out behind strands of waving kelp and seaweed. Anemones and starfish rested on the lower pat of the wall, hued sandy brown to represent the seabed. Crabs scuttled along the bottom, claws raised before them. A flame-haired slender maiden with a fish tail replacing legs clung to the back of a sleek bottlenose dolphin. A group of semi-transparent girl children swam together near the surface, frolicking about in joy – the lesser elementals of water, the undines. A few older girls watched over them – the larger and more powerful naiads. A school of silvery fish swam by, salmon heading to their birthplaces to lay eggs and die. (A/N: depressing isn't it.)

Kagome hurriedly stripped, eager to immerse herself in the spring.

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A/N: And that's where I'll stop for today. Updated faster than I thought.

Now, because of the new feature, I will be responding only to signed-in reviewers unless I have to answer a question. And I will be replying via email, like how you receive a review.

People who asked for music transfers but didn't receive them, please give me your email address again. Add spaces please. I couldn't see them last time.

Thanks to everyone who told me when you have holidays.

Also, who was the one who added Protector to the new C2 created by youkai99angel? Please tell me. I want to thank you in person.

That's all. Have a good week.

Kyasarinyume07 signing off. (My nose hurts.)