Disclaimer: I'm just not that brilliant . . .
Moonlit Lives
Chapter 6
"Sesshoumaru! GUESS WHAT!" Kagome came speeding down the hall toward the slightly surprised Taiyoukai. It was as if she had not just been through four hours of rigorous, tiring training. "Rio said I can use my fans now!" She yelped happily as she pile-drove into Sesshoumaru, who smiled despite himself. Kagome wrapped her arms about his torso, as she had been doing often when she was happy, though she obviously had never placed her lips to his cheek, forever heeding his warning.
"Is that so? And why is that?" Sesshoumaru, in return, wrapped his arms around her as well, though less tightly. Soon, they were walking together with their arms about each other in a friendly manner.
"She said that I have improved so much that she thinks I will be able to handle them without hurting myself." She smiled brilliantly. Then, both of them heard the soft pitter patter of Rin's small feet coming toward them.
"Okaasan! Otousan!" Came her blissful cry. Rin had taken to calling them this, and neither of them seemed to mind. In fact, Kagome was able to somehow let go of her memories of the kitsune that had stolen her heart when Rin was there. She held out her free hand for Rin to take, seeing as how the girl was ten, and Sesshoumaru had forbidden everyone from picking her up.
Gladly, the girl did so, giggling as she grabbed hold of Kagome's hand. "How were your lessons, Rin-chan?" Kagome asked. She had Rin taking lessons in History and Language, as well as Arithmetic. Rin was ten and already had a mind that sought knowledge, and it seemed to Kagome that it would be a waste of such a beautiful mind if they did not explore what the girl could do.
"Really good, Okaasan." Rin answered enthusiastically. She seemed to struggle with her next sentence. "I- I can speak properly now!"
Kagome smiled brilliantly at her and said, "Yes, you can, Rin! I think you deserve a treat!" Kagome looked up at Sesshoumaru, who had remained silent but whose eyes were glittering with pride. "Would you like to come, Sesshoumaru?" Kagome asked him, smiling at him in knowing.
"I suppose." He responded shortly, and Kagome half expected him to sigh and roll his eyes with his hand holding his chin on the heel.
"Good! On to the market!" Sesshoumaru seemed to groan. The last time they had gone to the market, Kagome had bought more kimonos than she could wear in a year and had gotten hit on by almost ten youkai . . . twice. And they had only gone to get tofu, courtesy of Kagome's need to feel important.
"We'll have lunch at that Sushi place that we couldn't go before." Kagome said, glaring up at Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru returned the glare evenly. Kagome huffed and walked off with Rin attached at the arm. "We're going to go take a bath and get changed. We'll meet you in an hour at the entrance hall, ok?" Kagome called over her shoulder. She didn't wait for Sesshoumaru to answer before speeding of, earning a delighted squeal from Rin.
A disgruntled Sesshoumaru walked off in the opposite direction, vowing that he would not be at the entrance hall in an hour.
An hour later, Sesshoumaru was seen waiting for the two females in the entrance hall, looking extremely dark and tapping his foot impatiently on the floor. There was one thing he did not tolerate, and that was tardiness. However, he did not have to wait very long, for at the moment of his near breakdown, the delighting sound of laughter reached his ears, assaulting them with the melodious sound that could only belong to the two people who had managed to worm their way into his heart.
Kagome walked in with Rin in hand. She wore a navy, silver lined kimono and a black obi, which hung to her knees. Rin wore, instead of the customary one she always wore, a white kimono that came up to her knees, decorated in light blue sparrows, and a light blue obi. Really, how did Kagome do it? Sesshoumaru was wearing the same as he always did, including the armor.
Despite the fact that the armor pointed out ominously at her, Kagome glared at it ferociously, wanting it gone. It gleamed maliciously back at her. Finally, she shrugged and met Sesshoumaru's questioning gaze. Instead of humoring him, she ignored the silent question and said, "Shall we go, then?"
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" Tempura satsumaimo, for the little one." Kagome told the chef, a dragon youkai who was unabashedly looking her up and down. She scoffed at him. Then, kindly, she looked down at Rin. "Rin-chan, is there anything else you would like?"
Rin shook her head no. "No thank you, Okaasan. I love sweet potato tempura." She grinned at her proper use of grammar. After a moment of thought, she said, "Aren't you going to get something, Okaasan?"
Kagome smiled down at her and shook her head. "No, Rin-chan. I'm not getting anything. Sesshoumaru nearly killed me last time I came to the market with him. I have been put on probation. Nothing for myself unless he is with me."
Rin seemed to pout. "That meany. It's okay, Okaasan. I'll share with you!" Her face broke into a grin, unable to keep it in any longer. Laughing, Kagome turned to the chef to see if he had finished the tempura only to find him staring at her in total and utter shock.
"What is it?" She asked, a bit impatient with the man. "I hope you're paying attention to that tempura." She growled at him, baring her fangs a bit. What wonderful things, really.
"You-- Sesshoumaru-sama -- nearly killed?" He stuttered incoherently, paying no attention to her words. Something burning reached Kagome nostrils and she looked down at the tempura to see that he had burnt the whole mess. The horrible scent made her gag before she was pulled from under the roof by a strong hand. She looked up to see Sesshoumaru staring at her coldly.
She smiled sheepishly, but turned her attention to Rin, who was near tears at not getting her beloved tempura. She saw Sesshoumaru enter the small establishment out of the corner of her eyes. "It's all right, Rin-chan. Your Otousan will make everything okay and you will get your tempura." She hugged Rin.
This seemed to calm the girl and they turned just in time to see Sesshoumaru approach the vender. "What have you to say for yourself?" He said coldly, glaring at the cowering dragon.
"I-- I-- It . . . Gomenasai, Sesshoumaru-sama. I am at fault."
"That woman you were so disgustingly staring at is Lady Kagome of the Northern Lands, and that child whose food you have just ruined is my ward, Rin. You have disgraced yourself by disregarding these facts and questioning Lady Kagome's words which were not meant for you. You have until sunset today to get out of my kingdom."
With those final words, Sesshoumaru walked out of the small restaurant, beckoning for Kagome and Rin to follow. All the youkai around had heard what Sesshoumaru had said and stepped out of the way to bow to both him and Kagome, whose markings now made sense. Kagome took this new attention well enough, though she had paused once to make an elderly human man stand so that it would not ail his back, which was obviously unstable. He had gazed up at her with wizened, grateful eyes and bowed his head in respect.
However, along with the show of respect, gazes were fixed to her, causing her great discomfort. Some, the men's, were lustful and appreciative. Others, the women's, were envious and awed. Kagome unconsciously inched toward Sesshoumaru and gripped Rin's hand just a bit more. Rin seemed uncomfortable as well and clung to Kagome desperately. She looked around warily at the youkai surrounding them, wanting nothing more than to just hide.
It was like this for the rest of their outing. It seemed that within the amount of time it took Rin to eat her sweet potato tempura, the word had gotten around as to who was with Sesshoumaru and a few rumors were flying about a certain courtship that neither Sesshoumaru nor Kagome had known about.
However, both of them secretly wished for these rumors to be true.
Back at the castle, Rin had gone off to play with Rio, who had grumbled slightly but welcomed Rin with a smile. Rin, who had three hours of Kagome and Sesshoumaru, was happy to comply with their wishes for her to be elsewhere.
They walked to the garden, towards their favorite place of meditation and such. That small place of sanctuary, where they were never bothered and always at piece. It was where they met at night when either couldn't sleep, or when they had just decided to rise from the safety of their individual sheets and on a whim, came here. This was their spot.
The trek there was silent, as it always was, a brief time of companionship, pure and simple. When they sat down, they were facing each other, their expressions reading the same thing.
"Something's coming." They said in perfect synchronization.
"I can feel it coming."
"The air is still and moist."
"It's no ordinary rain."
"No, rage consumes it's being."
Realization hit Kagome like a large, flat, overwhelmingly obnoxious stone in the chest. "Sesshoumaru, it's a typhoon."
"How do you know this?"
"I recall learning something of a devastating typhoon around this time."
"I see."
"We must send messengers to the villages."
"I don't think that this action will be necessary. My kingdom has survive typhoons before."
"I think this one is different, Sesshoumaru." Her voice shook slightly and she stared at him with scared and anxious eyes.
"How so?"
Cocky bastard.
"Sesshoumaru, if I remember correctly, this is the day that you and your kingdom becomes a legend." She looked up at him, pleading him to believe her.
This hit him, and he stood up. Kagome stood with him, in control again. "Kagome, You will gather all residents of the palace together in the dojo. I will find messengers to warn my people." His voice was cold and even, the voice of a leader.
That was the first time she had ever heard him refer to them as his people, but she kept her head and nodded. "Yes, Sesshoumaru." She was about to shoot off, when Sesshoumaru stopped her.
"Kagome. Take Rin and do not let her out of your sight."
She nodded and bowed before sprinting off in the direction of the palace. As she passed servants in the garden, she ordered them, "Get to the Dojo at once, bring every one you see with you!" They looked a bit perplexed, but ran off as well, towards the dojo.
She immediately went to where she knew Rin and Rio were playing–the library. She shot inside and stopped, taking a moment to look at them together, and then made herself known. "Rio-san, Rin-chan!" they looked up quickly. "There is a typhoon coming! Rio, I want you to take six of your fastest and check every single room in this place, and tell everyone you see to immediately report to the dojo, orders of Sesshoumaru-sama." Rio nodded without hesitation and with a quick bow, shot out of the room. "Rin, you come with me. We are going to the dojo as well, and your otousan has ordered me not to let you out of my sight."
Rin's eyes were wide with fear as she nodded. Kagome hugged her warmly, reassuring her that all would be well. However, she was not so sure herself. "Come, Rin-chan." she knelt down for Rin to climb on her back. The child did so with a bit more of enthusiasm. "Hold on tight." She felt Rin's grip tighten on her, and she bolted out of the library, heading for the kitchen, where she knew Kaji would be.
"Kaji." She walked through the doors of the kitchen, where Kaji was quietly fixing a lunch for herself. "Kaji, you must go to the dojo immediately. Bring your lunch, but hurry, it's an emergency. Tell anyone you see to do the same." Kaji was surprised by Kagome's crispness, and nodded with a bow. Then grabbing her small sandwich, she scampered out of the kitchen. Kagome decided to make a round trip around the home to catch anyone that was not hiding away somewhere. "Ready Rin?"
"Yes, okaasan."
"Okay, hold on." Once again, the small grasp tightened.
They all were standing, restless and anxious. Rin's small arms clung to Sesshoumaru's pant leg while Jaken, the poor soul, found himself off somewhere at the other end of the dojo. Everyone knew where they were going; into the underground garden. Sesshoumaru's cultivation of darkness and magic.
Sesshoumaru turned to Kagome, his intensity sending subtle shivers down her spine. And then his gaze was gone, and she was left slightly chilled. Sesshoumaru suddenly flipped open a previously invisible door with his foot, and said, "Everybody in." And like obedient dogs, all the servants filed in together, silent but fidgety. Carefully he unwrapped Rin's hands from his leg and gave one of them to an elderly servant with kind eyes and wise lines on her face.
The woman bowed reverently and took a reluctant Rin down into the gardens with her. Rio went in last, giving Sesshoumaru a meaningful look. Soon, it was only He and Kagome standing in comfortable silence. They both knew that it was coming, could feel it's blind and powerful wrath building behind the deceptive silence and calm that always proceeds the storm.
Suddenly, Sesshoumaru was striding towards the exit in quick, long steps. "Quickly, Kagome; we must prepare." His voice was cold and authoritative, unusual to Kagome now. However, she brushed off her unfamiliarity with this brusque side of him and nodded, hurrying after him.
They picked up pace, faster every second as he led her through hallways she didn't recognized, winding through strange and alien territory to an unknown destination. She could feel them going higher, the altitude changing the pressure in her head, her ears straining to cope with the new balance of inner and outer forces.
Finally, Sesshoumaru stopped at a dead end. A great golden drape decorated the massive, otherwise bare, stone wall. Kagome did not recognize it. With a simple flick of his wrist, Sesshoumaru sent the drape flying away to land on the floor with a great rustle of fabric accompanied by a desirable thump. Stones had been taken out of the wall in a orderly fashion, serving as a slightly primitive ladder to the top, where, Kagome notice, there was a trap door. However, she did not have much time to wonder over this as Sesshoumaru promptly began scaling the wall, quick and efficient.
She quickly took the initiative to follow, struggling to catch up to the speeding youkai. Sesshoumaru barely paused to open the trap door and soon had disappeared through the hole that shone murky light down on a slightly frazzled Kagome.
As soon as she had escaped the palace, she found herself on a solitary pillar, large and circular, with about a 5 meter diameter. The air around her was cool but wet and oppressive, coating her like a blanket. Sesshoumaru's face looked impassively at her, his mask in place, ready to fight whatever force was coming. She realized that this was the great pillar she had always wondered about but never really gotten around to asking about. And now she knew. It rose above all else on the kingdom, the perfect place to stand alone and solitary and yet be surrounded by all around you.
Sesshoumaru was standing rigid, gazing out at the horizon. Kagome stood next to him, and together they watched the great beats came for them, a cyclone of black and gray and white, all blending together in a monotonous tunnel of bleakness and destruction. Before that, sheets of mobile grey pounded down upon the earth, murdering all that is delicate, testing those who stood against it. The air thickened still, as if with a swipe of your hand, you could create a hole in the atmosphere, move the air particles away like floating sand.
Kagome suddenly knew what do do, enlightenment hitting her with all of it's force and brutality. As if She and Sesshoumaru were linked in some way, they simultaneously bowed their heads, brows furrowing in effort.
The sky was suddenly black and swirling above them, the storm making it's presence known. However, the darkness was broken up by an odd shimmering, transparent and nearly invisible to one who was not looking closely enough.
Kagome braced herself against a sudden weight on her shoulders. She could feel Sesshoumaru's power combine with her own as they constructed a shield around the palace. It was an odd sensation, but she could almost feel the wind of the outside world around them whipping furiously at the strengthening shielding, trying desperately to breach it's now thickening shimmer.
She could feel rain pelt against her flesh, but she dared not look to see if it was real, or an illusion. Sesshoumaru's aura mingled with her own and kept her standing. She knew that the entire storm had not yet even touched them, this was just the storm that preceded it, as the silence and heavy stillness had preceded this storm. They both knew that if they wanted to stand a chance, the shield would have to be stronger. Kagome focused on a solid wall of magic between the palace and the typhoon, a solid and indestructible wall.
Even as the shield strengthened, so did the storm, taking it's own shape and chaotic order. The two concentrated. Kagome could feel Sesshoumaru's power feed off hers as she fed off his, each using the other to bind and tie them together in an unrelenting knot. "Sesshoumaru." Kagome whispered as the typhoon was suddenly upon them.
She fell to her knees, grasping her head in her shaking fingers, pressure was building in her body, in her soul. It wanted free, wanted to be released at the storm with all of it's fury. Kagome struggled to reign in the power. A solitary figure stood beside her, became her focus. Carefully, she pulled out the power a piece at a time to use in the construction of the wall that was trying to crumble.
"Kagome, do not quit yet." She heard him say, felt his hand on hers. He was holding her head with her hands, helping her bring out the power. The pressure receded slightly.
And then the full brunt of the typhoon was upon them and she could feel it beating against her flesh, whipping at her, scarring her with wind that never touch her and chilling her skin with rain that never fell upon her. She felt the typhoon spinning around her, upon her, along her spine, looking for a seam, searching for a way into her body, into her soul. And she knew that this could not happen, that she could not allow this to happen.
She braced herself against it, using her entire being to protect what she loved. The world turned black, and she was alone, holding something that was not there away from herself, and then even that was gone, and she was no longer aware of the storm, or the pressure, or of Sesshoumaru holding her tightly against his body. Only darkness. Sweet, tumultuous darkness. Never still, always moving, but hiding that movement so well that stillness was all that was there.
As awareness crept from her being, she had one thought; "Sesshoumaru..."
-The lioness protected fiercely
that which she loved
Her child that she called hers
growling at whatever passed
"leave my babe alone"
said she
and then she moved,
and stumbling on legs too long
for it's body
a small and spindly antelope
fell upon it's knees next to it's mother-
Alright! Chapter 6! I have a game for you guys. The winner/s get to help me decide a major decision concerning my story and will be given the preview of the chapter when I am finished with it. Probably chapter eight or nine. And all you have to do is guess correctly. Alright, here's the question: Based on my writing, how old do you think I am? It was a friend of mine's idea. I decided, what the hell... it's all good. Okay, have fun!