Chapter Two: First Encounter
The morning air was thick with the smell of flowers and the sounds of songbirds rang in the air. The courtyard of the Western Manor was well tended to. Many species of colorful flowers grew in planters and along the stone pathways that winded through the yard. There was a single tree at the far-right end that had grown beautifully and its cherry blossoms were in full bloom. The cool forest air blew through the leaves and the flowers, spreading the peaceful aroma over the land. It was a beautiful place.
Little Rin was leading Kagome through this place and toward the cherry blossom tree. When they arrived, Rin guided Kagome by hand over to a stone bench to sit down. The bench had a crescent moon carved on the stone legs and over the seats ornately decorated surface. Once Kagome took her place, Rin hopped up onto the bench with her, swinging her little legs while cheerfully humming a tune.
It had only been four days since Kagome woke up from her stupor. Rin was more than helpful. The child made sure Kagome was staying out of trouble and avoiding the Master of this house. Besides a few very short interactions with him, Kagome knew nothing about her host. She only knew he was very cold and did not seem to like her company, but was letting her stay for Rin's sake. Kagome had already become quite attached to the young girl. The two stayed close and Kagome enjoyed Rin's company quite a lot.
"How are you feeling today, Kagome?" Rin broke the silence with a sweet concern. Kagome looked to her with a soft smile, took a deep breath, and looked calmly around the garden.
"Thanks to you, Rin, I'm doing pretty well. I don't know what I'd do if you weren't so kind to me." Kagome said, lightly nudging her arm against Rin's shoulder. Rin smiled widely back at Kagome. The two talked about anything Kagome could comment on. Rin learned quickly that bringing up anything that Kagome won't remember made her feel sad, so they talked about the castle they were living in, the garden, the maids, the little imp Jaken, and their favorite spot under the cherry blossom tree.
The two fell onto a conversation about a memory the two now shared. Jaken had attempted to bring in the horses from their feeding, but they all stepped on him. If the little monster wasn't so durable, he might have been killed. Instead, he came out of it with a few bruises and a headache. Rin laughed happily when she recalled the incident. Kagome was laughing too, but was cut short by a strange sensation that crawled creepily over the back of her neck. Kagome jumped up, grabbed Rin in a panic, and held the girl close as she looked back to the cherry tree behind them.
"Kagome, what's wrong?" Rin held onto the woman tightly, looking around worriedly.
Kagome stared at the top of the tree. She felt something there, like she was being watched. There didn't seem to be anything there until a breeze picked up and blew the blossoms. Kagome narrowed her eyes at something she spotted. There were two glowing red orbs floating there. It did not take her long to realize they were staring at her. She backed away from the tree and the eyes followed her.
"Kagome! What's wrong?" Rin raised her voice. Kagome heard her and set the girl down.
"Rin, I need you to run. Go get… Um, Jaken. Get Jaken!" Kagome said desperately, not remembering Sesshomaru's name again. She did not take her eyes off the eyes and they did not look away from her.
"Why, Kagome? I don't underst-."
"Please, Rin! Just go!" Kagome glanced back to Rin and gently nudged the child along. Rin hurried away with fear leading her through the courtyard and back into the manor. Kagome looked back the moment Rin began to run, but the orbs moved. She looked around quickly only to find them floating right in front of her face, not a foot away from her. "What do you want?" Kagome asked it. The eyes narrowed at her and Kagome could see a sense of amusement in them. This made Kagome more nervous.
"Interesting." A low raspy voice echoed out from nowhere. A moment later, a hand came from out of a dark portal and reached out to her. Kagome froze in fear, her eyes and body trembling as the rough hand caressed her cheek and ran freely through her hair. "It seems that it worked."
"Wh-What worked?" Kagome asked, her voice shaking in fear. The hand came back and pulled away what seemed to be a cloak of energy that disappeared. When it did, Kagome immediately felt sick to her stomach. She stumbled back, but was caught by the newly revealed man. He curled his arm around her waist and pulled her into him. She fell limply into him and her senses were all overwhelmed.
"It'll pass, Kagome." The man spoke all too familiarly with her. Kagome tried to regain her composure and stand on her own, but her body would not respond normally. She looked at this man, but could only see the outline of his figure. She knew his eyes were red and his hair was long and black. Her vision instantly became horribly blurry, so she couldn't make anything else out. In a few moments, everything went black.
"Kagome! Kagome! Please wake up!" the sound of a rather upset child stirred her back into consciousness. Kagome's eyes fluttered opened and were immediately met with the tear-filled ones of Rin. Kagome blinked a few times, sat up, and quickly pulled Rin into a tight hug.
"You're okay! Good." Kagome looked around to see where she was. She was still in the courtyard, but it was a bit warmer and closer to the afternoon. There were two other people in the area as well, Jaken and the lord of the house, Sesshomaru. When her eyes met his, Kagome felt like she was being smothered by his presence. His glare was always intense, but it was more intense than normal at this moment. Kagome figured he was probably angry with her for causing trouble.
"What happened?" Sesshomaru demanded an answer by his tone alone. Kagome looked away and thought for a moment. She remembered something and then looked back to the cherry tree. Her eyes widened and jaw dropped. Every beautiful blossom the tree had was gone. The tree was dead.
"They all died…" Rin said sadly. Kagome looked down to her and picked Rin up, setting her down on the bench they always sat at. Kagome wiped Rin's tears away and smiled weakly at her.
"Listen to me, Rin… The flowers will grow back. They always do. It may take some time, but they will return, okay?" Kagome reassured the child, who nodded solemnly, "But you know what cannot be replaced, Rin? You. It is impossible to replace you. So, I need you to promise me something, okay?"
"What?" Rin asked happily, but also surprised at Kagome's care for her.
"When I tell you to run or to get away like I did before, you need to do it right then and there. You do not ask me why because if I'm telling you that you need to run, that means I think something might try and hurt you and I do not want that to ever happen. Do you understand, Rin?"
"Yes." Rin hesitated and then said, nodding with a soft smile.
"Now, promise me. Promise me that when I tell you to run, you will run."
"I promise, Kagome. I promise!" Rin stomped her foot and stood strong. Kagome could tell she wasn't exactly aware of whatever danger that was, but that was a promise that Kagome had no problem holding Rin to. She pulled Rin into another hug and looked over to Sesshomaru, who was still just glaring at her. Either way, they both knew that the two of them were going to have to talk.
"Jaken." Sesshomaru looked down to the little green imp.
"Yes, my lord!" Jaken's ear piercing voice sounded out rapidly at his master's call.
"Take Rin inside and get her some lunch. She needs to eat." Sesshomaru demanded. Jaken agreed and tugged on Rin's kimono to tell her to come on. Kagome smiled at Rin as she let her down and waved as the child hurried off with the annoying green toad that Kagome had quickly come to dislike. Though she did have to admit that the little monster was entertaining for the young Rin.
Kagome had taken the hint quickly. When Sesshomaru stayed there, the two of them were going to have a conversation about what happened. Sesshomaru frightened her though. He always seemed angry with her very existence and she understood that he hated her, but did not know why. Any time that they were alone, which was a rare event, Kagome's heart would race uncontrollably and now was no different.
"Before you begin your interrogation, I don't understand what happened." Kagome spoke up quickly and clearly to show she knew what he wanted. His eyes narrowed at her again, his piercing glare being warning enough for her to keep talking. "I felt something. I don't know what it was, but I felt something crawl up my back and to my neck. I thought something was touching me, so I grabbed Rin and pulled her away." Kagome stepped toward the dead tree and pointed up toward one of the thick branches. "Whatever he was, he was standing there watching us. I told Rin to run and get Jaken and when I looked back, he was right here… He was in my face. He touched me, said 'it worked' and I fainted."
"He?" Sesshomaru repeated.
"Yes. He. It was a man's voice. When he… appeared, everything around me felt heavy." Kagome swallowed nervously, "I don't know how else to describe it. I felt like something was pressing down on my body, I couldn't see clearly."
"Do you not know what he looks like?"
"I can only tell you tall, male, black hair, and red eyes. That's it."
"That is of little use to me. Someone has invaded my home and I need to figure out who. If you remember anything else, come see me at once. Understood?" Sesshomaru demanded. Kagome nodded in reply and he turned to walk away. Kagome watched his back and then remembered another thing.
"His voice." She called out toward Sesshomaru and he stopped walking, "It reminded me of you." Kagome stared at Sesshomaru as he turned his head to glare back at her. "He looks at me like you do too, like he hates me, like he wants to hurt me. Whatever I did to you before I forgot everything, I'm sorry. I know you're doing it for her sake, for Rin, but I am grateful that you haven't thrown me out and I'd really rather not stay here if I have to look around every corner to avoid you."
"I am doing it for her, but understand that if your actions or your presence here is putting her in danger, I will not hesitate to dispatch you from my home." He replied seriously and Kagome nodded. He turned to walk away without another word, but was stopped when she abruptly ended her next sentence.
"I wouldn't want it any other way, Lord Se-..." Kagome stopped when she realized she couldn't remember how to complete his name. When she addressed him previously, she avoided his name at all cost, usually calling him "my lord" or some other variant of it.
"Sesshomaru." he spoke up to remind her, an eyebrow raised in irritation at her, "Rin told me you never remember it. Since you still forget your own name at times, I won't fault you, but I suggest you not forget it again. Rin says my name enough that it shouldn't escape your mind that easily."
"I'm sorry, Lord Sesshomaru." Kagome sighed and lowered her eyes to the floor, "It's not just my memory that is messing me up. I doubt admitting it will do anything, but you scare me."
"As I should."
"I had a feeling that's what you wanted." Kagome refused to lift her head to look at him, "Being here is terrifying. When Rin is off learning, I'm afraid to leave my room even though I've been given permission to do it. If I don't have her as my guide and run into you in the halls, I honestly fear you'll hurt me."
"You think me that petty?" he asked, venom in his tone.
"Petty? I don't think you're petty, but I can tell you hate me. I don't know why, but you do." Kagome stated and crossed her arms, a bit of her old personality showing, "I don't remember anything and I'm not sure if I'm ever going to. That's scary enough, but to have the only person I have no choice but to rely on look at me like he's ready to destroy me for tripping over my own two feet is too much!"
"Rely on?" Sesshomaru said and looked utterly disgusted at her. She relied on him? What the hell?
"Of course, Lord Sesshomaru." Kagome said and stepped angrily up to him. He didn't move an inch, but there was this brief moment of surprise at her actions. She dared to step up to him? She was behaving like her old self, gutsy and with too much attitude. "Do you have any idea how it feels to not know who you are? I don't remember anything about me: my Mom or Dad, whether I have siblings. I don't even know if I have any friends, where I am supposed to live. The only thing I know is that I was attacked and hurt bad enough that I lost my memory. So, whether you like it or not, since Rin is a child, you're the only person I have to look to. You and Rin are the only people in my life! How is that something you don't understa-"
Sesshomaru grabbed Kagome by her hair and dragged her over to the bench. He pulled hard enough on her hair that she was forced to sit like a puppet on strings. She whined and asked him to let go, but he only tightened his grip so her hair pulled harder on her scalp.
"Understand something, girl. I do not care about who you have in your life to rely on. I do not care about how scared you are in my company or about how uncomfortable you feel when Rin is not around. You are here to entertain and take of Rin. Once your memories have returned, I will send you on your way. If they never return, I may decide to get rid of you at any moment. Your words will not sway me. You'll be wise to understand that and quickly."
"I-I understand!" Kagome said and was let go. With a couple of tears welling in her eyes, Kagome held onto her head and chose to not look back at him. Sesshomaru glared at her for a moment more and turned away with his holier than thou huff. As he walked away, Kagome looked to his back, wondering how someone could be so cruel. Maybe it wasn't safe to stay.