Protector

This chapter is dedicated to xSaki-chanx for the correct answers last chapter and Yami396, Won-Won-Weirdofor reviewing every single Inuyasha story that I've written since I posted Protector and supporting me even when I revealed that I had writers block. (This also applies to inus blue eyed miko.

Kono you ni umarete

(We've been born in this world)

Anata no me ni

(And within your eyes)

Nani wo ozoshite

(Something is stirring.)

Ima kono chi ni chikara wo

(Right now, there is power in this earth)

No ni hana wo

(And flowers in the field)

Kokoro ni ai wo

(And love in your heart.)

Ai no Uta, sung by Every Little Thing. The rough English translation is done by me and may not be accurate as I could not find it on the Internet.

Chapter 18: Ai no Uta

Kagome fumbled with the clasp of the necklace exasperatedly before giving up. Opening the door and leaning out, she asked Shiruka for help. He nodded in acquiescence, and proceeded to unhook the necklace from around her neck with no trouble at all. Kagome growled a little when she saw that he was perfectly fine with it, and ducked back into the room again, ready to sleep.

Shiruka was summoned with a soft cry of pain about an hour later. He rushed into the room immediately, only to see Kagome writhing on the bed in agony. There were regular red marks around her neck, where the necklace had rested. 'Poison!' he guessed immediately.

"Kagome, please awake," he called, slapping her cheeks lightly with the back of her hand. Her eyes fluttered open slowly. "Shiruka? It hurts…" she moaned. Fever spots raged high on her cheekbones, and her face was flushed. Shiruka cursed silently as he felt the heat emanating from her.

"Hang on a minute, I'll just go get Sesshoumaru-sama," he reassured her. She nodded, and fell back weakly. The poison was coursing through her veins with every beat of her heart, and every drop of poison which reached the organ pumping blood was one less required to kill her.

Shiruka dashed down the corridor at his maximum speed, boots thudding on the polished wooden floor. "Ikaru-san, Kagome has been poisoned," he gasped out. The eagle demon nodded, folded his wings and opened the door after knocking on it for a moment. Shiruka almost fell inside. "What's wrong?" the regal dog demon asked, seated in a chair with a book open on his lap. "Kagome has been poisoned, she's having a really bad time," Shiruka reported. Sesshoumaru wrinkled his brow.

"Ikaru, summon Kiria and have her brought to Kagome's room now," he ordered. Ikaru bowed and darted off instantly. Sesshoumaru rose to his feet, the book discarded and forgotten. Without speaking another word, he strode out and towards the guest room the wayward miko was living in.

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Kiria bent over Kagome, frowning anxiously. Tracing the burgundy marks on Kagome's neck, she laid her hands on the unconscious girl's shoulders, and concentrated. Soft green light manifested under her fingers, and sank into Kagome's skin. The bubbles of radiance could be seen moving about in Kagome's body. They drifted towards the red markings, and then Kiria clenched her fist shut. The bubbles began to implode, and rose out of Kagome's body, causing her to cry out in pain. Kiria soaked up the liquid leaking out of the hollow air bubbles with a disinfected piece of cloth, wearing a satisfied air.

"I've taken a sample of the poison which was used on her. I suspect it is a contact poison which only comes into effect after all contact with it has ceased, so put the necklace on for her. I'll try and analyze the ingredients that went into this poison, and I'll concoct an antidote for it. This might take a while, so please don't worry while I begin work," Kiria reported. Sesshoumaru nodded in understanding, waving a hand in dismissal. Shiruka opened the door and let Kiria out, while Ikaru guarded the corridor outside.

"This is a deliberate murder attempt, Sesshoumaru-sama," Shiruka exclaimed vehemently. He did not reply, steepling his fingers in front of his face and beginning to consider the people who might have done it. "Shiruka, think of the possible people who might have targeted her," Sesshoumaru ordered.

"Well… I'd say it was either that idiot who stood up and protested during court, or Keegan's vampire murderer," Shiruka deduced. Sesshoumaru nodded. "However, it's not very possible for Rendan to have done it. No one was informed of Kagome's arrival except the court herald on duty. He wouldn't have known that she was here at all. Besides, he only protested because she wanted to start something new. He's a bull-headed person. So, I conclude that the most likely murder suspect is the one who killed the guard," Sesshoumaru reasoned out loud. Shiruka nodded in agreement.

"So, how do we begin to search for him?" Shiruka asked.

"It's possible that we'll be able to tell which region he comes from judging from the ingredients used in the poison. If that happens, then we'll be able to narrow the suspects down. We can cancel off the servants immediately; none of them would have the power needed to kill a guard. We can start by checking through the soldiers, and the nobles. All of the nobles." Sesshoumaru explained. Shiruka looked thoughtful.

In the bed, Kagome tossed and turned restlessly. Shiruka went to wet the cloth on her forehead which was meant to bring her temperature down, and found it almost fully dry. Her temperature was dangerously high, and she was drying up inside. Shiruka tried to dribble some water into her mouth, but she spat it out and continued thrashing.

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Several hours later, an exhausted Kiria returned to the room, greeted by two pairs of eyes, one openly anxious and the other displayed no emotion at all.

"I managed to isolate the most dangerous ingredient of all. It is the Draca Cor, which is found in the high mountains on the easternmost tip of Japan. The antidote to the Draca Cor can be found there also, it is named the Shinketsuchi plant. I've drawn a rough sketch of it. I need someone to go and collect it, because I don't have any of it here. It's such a rare plant, I've never bothered to learn much about it. But I need the leaves of the Shinketsuchi in a maximum of five days time. It will take a regular youkai more than a month to cross Japan. Without it, Kagome-sama will die," Kiria elaborated. Her voice was slurring, and there were bags under her eyes. She was very tired from taking the poison apart, and it showed very strongly. Kiria could do no more that day.

"Is there any way to keep Kagome alive long enough for someone to get the plant?" Sesshoumaru asked.

Kiria shook her head. "I can devise a way to keep her going for perhaps two or three weeks at the most, but it's not enough. This poison is specially devised so that it can't be burnt out by raw healing power alone," she explained, feeling guilty that she couldn't help when her lord required it.

"Some of the envoys come from the East, right? Perhaps they have the antidote," Shiruka suggested after thinking for awhile. "That's true. Ikaru, summon the four Eastern envoys, Luria, Mikki, Chidori and Terazuin," Sesshoumaru ordered. The eagle demon had returned to his employer a few moments before Kiria. He bowed, and slipped out of the door again. The light flickering from the lamps in the four corners of the room reflected off the metal surface of his spear point sharply, as shadows danced on the wall.

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Luria arrived first, and she frowned as she spotted Kagome's inert form lying in the bed. "What's wrong with her?" she asked, bending down to touch Kagome's forehead and wincing when she felt how hot it was. "Poison," Shiruka answered succinctly. Sesshoumaru said nothing, indicating to her with a gesture that they would wait for the other two to reach first.

Terazuin came next. A pale petite figure with snowy white hair glided in through the doorway, looking like a ghost. She was draped in white velvet, which didn't help her much. She looked washed-out. She was somewhat an outcast from the clan of Eastern snow demons, which was why she had volunteered to come to Sesshoumaru's castle and serve as an envoy. She pursed her lips when Kagome thrashed in her fevered sleep, and went to stand near the window.

Mikki arrived on Chidori's arm. The tall, stately tree sprite was not a demon at all, but was classed as an immortal spirit, like Luria. She was the spirit of a cedar tree, and her skin was very lightly-colored. Her long hair fell in waves around her like a curtain, warm chestnut brown enveloping her. The green satin dress she wore showed off her curves nicely, and she seemed to float a little above the gown, looking ethereal.

Chidori, on the other hand, was almost her exact opposite. A short and rather plump demon, he had a perpetually red nose and cheerful aquamarine eyes which sparkled with humor. He was the good-natured sort, and always wore a happy grin. He had short, spiked grey hair, as he was a little past his prime. He loved dressing in bright, crass colors, and didn't seem to mind even though people mocked at his awful taste in clothing. He didn't care if the colors matched or not, just as he didn't care whether he was particularly neat or not when he went out.

"Kagome has been poisoned with the Draca Cor. Do any of you have the antidote?" Sesshoumaru asked bluntly, getting straight to the point as usual. He just couldn't be bothered to be diplomatic and beat around the bush, it was already past midnight, and it was time to go to bed.

Chidori only looked perplexed. "I'm sorry, but I've never heard of this Draca Cor. Mikki, what about you?" he turned to the tall sprite beside him. She shook her head silently, since she preferred not to speak unnecessarily. It was a common habit among sprites to convey messages with graceful hand movements, and they shunned verbal speaking.

"I have run out of useful leaves," Terazuin uttered quietly.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any of it with me now. However, I have a hunting lodge some distance away from here, and there is a demon herbwife living there now, with many rare plants. I could go and see whether she has the antidote," Luria suggested. The miko had been polite to her, and that was rare in holy priestesses. So far, other than Kagome, the mikos she had seen had threatened to shoot her with their arrows or beat her bloody with their strange wooden staffs, and she found Kagome's attitude refreshing.

"Go," Sesshoumaru said. It was all he voiced, but it was enough.

Kirara mewed from the corner of the room, flames swirling around her as she swelled in size rapidly. Luria gazed at the fire-cat interestedly, marveling at Kirara.

"Ride her. It will be faster," Sesshoumaru ordered, waving a dismissal at the other envoys, who summarily bowed or curtseyed before scuttling away.

"I will go now," Luria sketched a curtsey before cautiously mounting Kirara, who mewed in encouragement.

"Hold on tight, Luria-sama," Shiruka advised. The unicorn spirit nodded and tangled her fingers into Kirara's thick mane. Her gasp of surprise turned into a shriek of shock when Kirara's paws sprouted fire and they galloped into the night sky.

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A/N: Well, isn't that strange. Right after I announced that I had writers block on this, I suddenly felt like writing it again after receiving reviews on 'Worth a Million Words'. They said that they were sad that I was having trouble with it, but that they were okay with waiting longer. I was so touched by it… thank you, guys! Love you all!

Anyway, tell me, seriously, WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THIS STORY? I want constructive criticism. Am I going too fast? Is it too boring?

I also did a little soul-searching on why I like SessKag, after watching the 2nd movie… 'Kagami no Naka no Mugenjou', the one where Inuyasha and Kagome had their first kiss. Yeah. When watching them, I was like 'exactly why do I like SessKag again?' Yeah. After pondering for a while, I came to no conclusion at all. /makes face/ what a waste of time, huh?

On a happier note, I named my Inuyasha muse Danae. She's about six inches tall, has wings and flies around being annoying and bugging me until I can't take it. She's been particularly active lately, huh?

I can't believe it. My school is having food and water rationing today, not because Singapore is short of supplies, but because it's freaking TOTAL DEFENCE DAY. And yet, my Science teacher is happily chirping away about the digestive system.(What the hell is amylase anyway...)How evil...

Pray that I will survive the day. /winces/

kyasarinyume07 signing off.