Chapter Twenty-Eight
With the first softened rays of sunrise filtered through the dense leaves of the trees above him and resting on his skin, Sesshomaru's golden eyes fluttered open to the early morning hour, the unusual quiet surrounding his spot allowing the distant, curled chirping of birds to float through the forest as it reminded him of his current relatively secluded location. Inhaling sharply, he straightened in his makeshift seat still against the wide trunk of the tree behind him, lifting his sole arm upwards, his fingers rubbing the corners of his eyes in an attempt to reduce the still lingering haziness of sleep.
For the morning to already overcome the night...
Since when was he even capable of sleeping this much?
Once he deemed it enough, Sesshomaru placed his hand back on his bent knee, sending his adjusted gaze forward and immediately distinguishing Kikyo's back through the heavy morning mist which slowly drifted over the meadow and accumulated up to the priestess' knees, watching as she stood in stilled position closer to the edge of the brook before him.
Quietly and discreetly, he eased himself and allowed his eyes to rest on her captivating being, observing the woman's dignified posture, her stern attention raised upwards and far away to a precise, yet unnamed spot, the orbs of spiritual light casting their pale glow onto her profile and her long silky hair now collected in its formal priestess binding occasionally reacting to the chilly draft of wind.
Watching her like that for the longest time, he only released a silent breath.
Something about the serene and enchanting sight of this woman standing before him prompted his still clouded mind to reflect on recent events, making him slowly realize the true suffocating weight of some of the unthinkable actions he had taken before her as his eyebrows lowered down into a displeased frown.
A result of desperation and amassed stress from these irritating past few days, he will admit.
There was, however, a certain other quality to that particular moment which the daiyoukai couldn't quite define.
One that unlike his most recent understanding regarding the lack of self-restraint which he so evidently displayed before, now evoked a rather light sensation within him, the soothing freshness almost clearing his mind from the heavy burden resulting from his uncalled-for behavior and granting him with something else entirely, instead;
Like an unnamed missing puzzle piece that was finally pushed into its rightful place in his head, as if updating each and every one of his senses and allowing him to see so perfectly clear before him, hear every sound, smell every scent. Amplified, vivid and strong, he suddenly felt so keen to the world all around, so whole and balanced.
After his much-needed rest, he now proved so impossibly receptive to all of this new information, and unlike before... Sesshomaru found that he was not as willing to so quickly reject it.
He narrowed his golden eyes at Kikyo's being engulfed in the misty, pale and thin curtain of dawn not far before him, a hint of confusion forming between his sharp eyebrows.
What was the exact meaning of this unfiltered feeling which teemed through him because of her presence?
Was it just his mind acting awry due to the unplanned laden slumber, or perhaps there was something else which elicited this odd, yet addictively comforting sensation?
Before he could dig any deeper for potential answers, however, Kikyo suddenly turned her head in his direction, calm mahogany colliding with his deep gold and breaking him out of his secret pondering about her.
Sesshomaru stiffened on instinct, drawing in a sharp breath of the cold air while making sure to keep his expression unreadable before her as he wordlessly held the priestess' gaze.
Eventually, he rose to his feet, striding his way through the thick, low-flying mist and grassy earth, reaching where she was and stopping to stand next to the small river as well. Maintaining their mutual silence, his eyes hovered over her close being for another short moment before he lowered himself down with a smooth motion onto one knee, sending his sole hand downwards and cupping his palm into the gentle flow of the stream beneath him, collecting a small amount of icy water in it. Kikyo watched as Sesshomaru lifted the improvised drink to his mouth, sipping it soundlessly and lowering his hand once again to the clear, flowing river in order to gather another small amount.
Then, with a sharp and decisive movement he wiped his face with the back of his palm and stood up once more, his frame towering over hers as their gazes once again locked together.
Quiet, Kikyo scanned his features, her stern expression softening to the still avid remains of tiredness displaying below his eyes and exposed by the early rays of sunlight.
"Good morning." She curtly greeted, observing him closely, "Have you slept well?"
Sesshomaru merely raised his chin slightly to her words.
"My rest was efficient enough." He replied dryly, breaking away from her gaze and fixing his attention upwards, to the same mysterious, far spot which caught the priestess' focus, before.
Noticing his actions, Kikyo did the same.
"There is a certain battle happening around the west mountain's area, at a few hours' distance from here." She notified him, narrowing her eyes up to the location, "I have been monitoring the occurrence for quite some time, now."
Glancing down at her for a moment, Sesshomaru shortly looked up once again as his frown deepened into a scowl.
The area undoubtfully smelled of Naraku's underlings, along with none other than his own cursed half-brother, Inuyasha.
Kikyo turned back to him, carefully studying his being.
And the daiyoukai already knew she was silently awaiting his opinion on the matter, curious to what he supposed they should do about it.
Yet, another realization soon overcame his thinking process, causing him to lower his attention to her, gold meeting with her mahogany brown.
'The fact that Inuyasha and his group have gathered there means that there is most likely a hint of a jewel shard nearby.' He surmised, watching her closely, 'Did she wait for me to wake instead of giving chase by herself?'
And reaching this certain understanding, Sesshomaru blinked his golden eyes down at her as he felt his chest suddenly pile with the warm sensations he had already known too well for his own liking.
"Let Inuyasha deal with the insignificant." He eventually responded through a low voice while stepping away and turning on his heel in the direction of the camp area and its still sleeping occupants, "We shall proceed on our own and focus on finding either the vermin or his heart's location, first."
Kikyo simply remained in her spot, watching his back in silence for a few more moments.
Then, she lifted her head one last time to the remote gathering, noticing that the hint of Kohaku's jewel shard which she was so closely following had now nearly vanished, completely.
And somehow, she couldn't help but sense as if something truly evil was about to befall.
'Stay safe, Inuyasha.' The priestess breathed in deeply, closing her eyes and detaching herself from the lengthy surveillance as she simply turned on her heel and began stepping away from the scene, to the patiently waiting inu daiyoukai in front of her.
Crossing through the clearing with a slow, yet matched pace, both Sesshomaru and Kikyo remained silent until they approached their resting companions. The early hour painted the slowly waking forest with a peaceful veil of comfort while the stubborn mist continued to pour from the angled side of the mountain, seeping through the rocky formation etched into the damp grass and avoiding the heat of the low-burning embers located in its middle.
"I suppose I should wake her." Kikyo calmly deducted, her soft gaze falling over the curled child laying asleep against her scaly, two-headed friend. Keeping his idle spot just outside of the camp's boundaries, Sesshomaru observed the priestess in silence, watching her step her way through the arbitrary-placed rocks and soon reach Rin, then kneel down with a smooth motion. A small breath escaped him to the rare sight of a soft smile decorating Kikyo's features as a single fair hand extended down to gently stroke the child's frizzy head, eventually stopping to rest on her small shoulder.
Somehow and more than usual, he found himself unable to tear away from the mundane occurrence.
"Rin." Kikyo hummed the child's name, shaking her lightly.
With a small groan, Rin wobbled into a sitting position, her squinting and tired gaze finding Kikyo's being as she simply lifted a small hand to block her wide yawn.
"Kikyo-sama... is it morning already?" She asked, proceeding to rub her tired eyes.
"Yes, I'm afraid it is." Kikyo answered through an amused breath, tilting her head slightly to the side.
Sesshomaru kept his golden gaze fixed on them both for another moment before turning to stare at his sprawled, green vassal, snoring loudly on the other side of the low campfire.
Then, he began stepping towards him, halting before his small being as he only examined the forlorn sight positioned beneath him. Straight-faced, Sesshomaru raised one foot and placed the sole of his shoe against Jaken's head, applying more and more pressure by the second.
Feeling his skull being slowly crushed, Jaken woke with sheer panic, flailing his limbs below the weight of his master's leg and soon beginning to scream with alert, only to realize that nothing truly dangerous was occurring around him. Once he had enough, Sesshomaru released him from the deadly grip, calling back on his foot as his vision sharpened down at the imp-demon.
"Were you not supposed to stay awake, Jaken?" The daiyoukai rhetorically hissed through an eerily impassive expression.
Jaken flinched to the dire realization of himself once again failing to avoid mindlessly slumbering on the job, and he could only shift to sit on his knees and immediately perform a deep, respectful bow before his master, apologizing profusely.
But Sesshomaru already settled his attention away from his presence, back onto the priestess still at Rin's side.
"We should keep moving." He announced while meeting her gaze, earning Kikyo's silent nod of agreement.
Then, he shifted in his spot, stepping away from the center of the camp and back into the large clearing.
Climbing to her feet, Rin dusted her kosode off from the remains of the soft soil which acted as her comfortable bed for the night, her actions suddenly making her recall a most urgent matter that was sadly postponed and then completely forgotten from the night before.
With renewed energy, the child whipped her head back to Kikyo, surprising the priestess.
"Kikyo-sama, can Rin change into the pretty kosode, now?" She asked with an excited smile, joining her small hands together.
Eyeing her being in silence for a moment, Kikyo assessed the stained outfit of the girl, attempting to remember when was the last time she had washed it for her, eventually reaching a rather unfortunate conclusion.
'I have denied her of this small comfort yesterday by completely forgetting about it and tending to my own business, huh.' She regretfully realized, the thought only worsening the concept of the injustice she had unintentionally caused.
"Yes, let me fetch it." Kikyo answered, rising up to step towards the still open box which by now barely consisted of half the amount of fruit from before, sending her free hand inside its four straw walls and grabbing the colorful garment placed at the very bottom, then pulling it out before her.
With a smooth motion, she handed the girl with the outfit, who gladly accepted it into her arms.
"Are you going to change too, Kikyo-sama?"
The unpredictable question caught her off-guard and caused her eyebrows to slightly rise.
"Me?" Kikyo inquired down at her with sudden interest.
But the child was firm with her intent, nodding with confirmation.
"You should change into that pretty kosode you've bought for yourself, as well!" Rin further explained her suggestion, her large brown eyes filled with genuine happiness, "You looked so beautiful wearing it!"
Raising her chin as she pondered her unparalleled honesty, Kikyo soon glanced to the single bundle tied to A-Un's saddle, the one which contained the kosode she had once purchased right after Naraku's attack on Mt. Hakurei.
And as if pulled by a force stronger than her better judgement, the priestess found herself kneeling once again before it, a hesitated hand sent up to untie the knot and reach inside the package, managing to find the tailored fabric in question.
Silently, she let go of her longbow as it fell to the grassy earth, using both of her now free hands to pull the cloth out through the countless objects occupying the improvised wrapping. Calm mahogany eyes ventured over the deep burgundy-colored garment and red flowery pattern through an unreadable expression, slender fingers rising to slowly trace the simple, yet efficient sowing of the piece, the familiar action somehow reeling her memory back to that time;
A time where she was so blind, so narrow-minded and so unbelievably wrong regarding what she thought she so strongly believed in, with the one opening her eyes to the actual truth being none other than Sesshomaru, himself.
Releasing a silent breath, Kikyo merely brushed the hints of accumulated dust aside.
'It had been about a month since that day, and yet so much had already managed to happen.'
Who would have thought this odd and unexpected makeshift alliance that she had accidentally found herself a part of thanks to this small girl standing beside her, was something that could also grow and affect her this much?
Who would have thought that it could change her this much?
'The entirety of progress is truly hard to see unless we occasionally stop to reflect upon our journey, huh.' The priestess recalled an ancient saying, appreciating the stark contrast between what she knew now, to how indefinitely tranquilized she was by the small, trivial details of her revenge, instead of seeing the bigger picture like she truly needed to.
Really, she had let Naraku burrow under her skin and influence her while thinking that she had perfect control over her own choices, all of those mistakes and instances now appearing so perfectly clear before her.
The same urgency which once gripped her and pushed her into changing back to her priestess outfit as soon as possible, even... how truly pitiful.
Swallowing harshly to her newest decision, Kikyo reached for her discarded bow and eventually rose to her feet once again, her eyes still placed on the attire in her hands.
This outfit that she was currently holding... if it could grant her with more comfort during her current journey which now does not seem to possess a clear deadline as it once so invariably did... then, why not?
"Well, this current ceremonial outfit of mine could use a wash, I will admit." She replied simply.
And Rin's smile only doubled in size to her approval as she quickly intertwined her small fingers around Kikyo's hand, pulling the amused priestess after her into the nearest dense bush in order to finally complete the task.
"We must be quick, Rin." Kikyo stately reminded, pulled by the eager small hand which guided her forward into the row of trees and low bushes, marking the end of the clearing and stark entrance to the lush forest.
"Yes!" The child confirmed, letting go and hurriedly locating a secluded and hidden enough spot for her to lose her clothes in while carefully placing the brand new kosode and obi onto a low branch, already beginning to rid herself from her old and dirty outfit.
Wearing a soft smile, Kikyo let out a deep breath to the impressive never-ending amount of energy which this child somehow managed to contain, shortly stepping between the tall growth as well and using a nearby branch as means to steadily support her clean garments, proceeding to release her red obi belt and allow the scarlet-colored hakama trousers to fall onto the grassy earth beneath her.
"Kikyo-sama, can you please tie Rin's obi?" The child suddenly called from behind her, clutching the two pieces of her robe together with one hand as the other presented the priestess with the orange material.
Delaying her own task for a moment, Kikyo turned around and lowered herself on one knee before Rin.
"Lift your arms." She instructed, fixing the robe's sides into proper place and wrapping the orange obi around Rin's waist with a skillful movement.
With this, the look was completed, and Rin couldn't help but giggle and twirl around herself with pure joy, excitement and happiness clear in her features to the soft feel and bright colors of the freshly-made garbs.
"Can Rin go show Sesshomaru-sama and Jaken-sama?" The child asked, beaming.
"Of course." Kikyo answered, rising back up as she searched for her folded outfit.
She watched Rin hurriedly make her way out of their secluded area and back to the campsite, confirming that she had reached both of their companions safely before resuming her actions. Then, with her free hand she lowered the haori shirt from her shoulders to slid down her back until that met with the earth as well, quickly wrapping her bare body with the clean burgundy kosode and completing her appearance by securing the cream-colored mo-bakama tightly onto her high waist, tying its straps into a neat bow at her back.
Sighing, Kikyo reached back to pull her tied, long hair out of the cloth, allowing it to fall all the way down to her low waist, then, she propped the arrow quiver back on her right shoulder and leaned down to collect the discarded outfits of both her and Rin, folding them once to drape over her right arm.
After giving the place one final scan in order to make sure that nothing was left forgotten, the priestess stepped out from the lush walls of greenery back to the open, vast clearing, approaching where the rest of her companions were currently located and shortly passing the now clean campsite, noticing both Jaken and Rin making sure to assemble all of their belongings and tie them to the saddle of A-Un, preparing for departure.
And the low hum of the chilly wind flowing through the treetops rang above her head as she eventually raised her eyes to the last member of the group, her calm gaze colliding with his fierce golden one, which was already carefully settled on her being.
Poised, Kikyo held his eye-contact while maintaining her relaxed walking pace through the grassy field towards him, shortly reaching where he stood and coming to a stop before his stilled being.
Sesshomaru said nothing as he examined her fresh appearance for a long moment, his sharp golden orbs trailing down her newly-changed attire, recognizing the colorful look from not too long ago.
But his intense gaze and lack of proper words suddenly made the priestess far more conscious than she had potentially expected, and she could only straighten before him, composing herself against the familiar emotions which his pools of gold managed to stir so suddenly within her.
"My old garbs could use a wash, that is all." She steadily reasoned up at him, alerting him of her awareness to his potential thoughts.
But even hearing that, Sesshomaru still kept his mysterious quiet, his eyes never leaving her existence.
And once she deemed it enough, Kikyo breathed deep and broke away from his stare to cast her gaze downwards, to the still draping pieces of clothing hanging over her right arm.
"I shall go put these away." She informed, glancing up at him one last time before ending the exchange and turning on her heel altogether, beginning to step in the direction of both Rin and Jaken.
As soon as Kikyo turned her back to him, however, Sesshomaru swiftly raised his sole hand upwards, using one sharp and precise claw to tug on the white ribbon collecting her hair into its traditional priestess binding, tearing through the piece as it immediately loosened up and slid to the earth before his feet, releasing her rich and long, purplish-black hair to spread and pour gracefully down her back, free of any restraints.
Frozen with shock for a single moment, Kikyo stopped in her tracks.
Then, she turned halfway back in Sesshomaru's direction, confusion more than avid in the way her lips slightly parted before him as her mahogany eyes lowered to the torn white ribbon now slumped on the low meadow, as if to indeed confirm his unbelievable act just now.
Quiet, Kikyo lifted her studying gaze once more to meet with his unreadable one, her eyes boring through him and demanding for answers.
"Remain like this." Was all Sesshomaru said, raising his chin with something akin to both pride and a certain achievement before breaking from her presence and setting in the direction of their designated path out from the forest.
With her eyes lingering on his gradually distancing back for the longest time, the wind soon reached her spot, swaying her now completely loose hair as if to add more weight to the daiyoukai's bold actions.
And Kikyo could only rid both her mind and her expression from the stubborn residue of perplexity, proceeding to turn on her heel and step towards the center of the camp area in silence, leaving the discarded and ripped binding behind her.
The hours passed and with it the increasing uneasiness from before, making Kikyo subconsciously lift her head towards the far area of the mountains, to where the familiar faint reading of Inuyasha and his group had sourced from. It was now already noon, and yet she could still sense them there, only now with the exception of any of Naraku's underlings nearby.
And a small sigh of quiet relief escaped her to the possibility of the half-demon surviving the recent occurrence, allowing her to ease her shoulders, if only a little.
Her hidden worries and tensed spiritual aura, however, were closely monitored by another being without her knowledge throughout all of this time.
"By now, you should already know that worm operates by setting cowardly traps for his enemies, miko." Sesshomaru's low voice suddenly reached her, prompting the priestess to set her attention up to him as he strode beside her on their current path through the side of the mountain, "Therefore, chasing after his every move is nothing but a potential waste of our time."
Composed, she processed his words in silence, allowing her eyes to rest on his regal profile with slight surprise to the impression he possessed regarding her current interest. He was not entirely correct this time, yet still, she couldn't help but appreciate his subtle attempt at easing her thoughts.
"Rest assured, I am aware of that." Kikyo soon answered, the genuine tone in her voice coaxing him to turn his head slightly down and find her existence through the corner of his eye, "Old habits are hard to break, I suppose."
Lost in the deepest shades of her mahogany brown, he weighted her reply through a placid expression.
And just like that, Sesshomaru felt the same unparalleled relief from before emanating from somewhere deep within his chest, washing over his being and granting him with an immediate sensation of ease to the idea of this woman finally realizing the true importance of herself staying close to him, sparking immense pleasure from the avid level of their shared understanding together;
A certain mutual comprehension that he couldn't achieve with anyone else before, based not only on combined interests and a set of basic principles, but also a state of mind and matching level of strengths, something that he wasn't even sure he could ever find present in another being and especially not this effectively, all of it forming the foundation for these intense feelings which he now possessed towards her.
Every step of his journey which led him to this precise point appeared so perfectly clear before him, now...
And every part of this woman's existence walking beside him simply seemed so right.
Their silent moment of peace, however, was suddenly interrupted by a sharp hint of Naraku's undeniable scent, carried by the air and quickly hovering over their spot like a cloud of poison. Alert, Sesshomaru and Kikyo immediately broke from each other, whipping their heads upwards to the new area from which it came from, now located much closer than the one from before.
"Sesshomaru-sama?" Jaken voiced his confusion while stopping in his tracks, his yellow orbs going wide to the sudden occurrence as he quickly sent his green hand into his garbs in order to test the crystal of youki, which surprisingly had no reaction to the matter.
Kikyo's expression turned stern once she further examined the other presence which accompanied her loathsome enemy, eventually recognizing the weak life aura, barely readable in relation to the suffocating one of Naraku.
'Kagura...' The name crossed her mind, and a dark feeling soon found her to the obvious, yet bitter meaning behind this occurrence, the regret heavier than she expected, enough to cause her to lower her gaze to the ground for a moment.
There was no doubt that by making himself known in this bold fashion, Naraku was using Kagura's existence and the knowledge of her betrayal to lure one of them there, her life placed at the palm of his hand regardless of their potential choice of actions...
And yet, still...
Releasing a small breath, Kikyo glanced up to Sesshomaru, who was already observing her closely.
Steady mahogany ventured deep into his intense gold, and she only nodded once up at him to confirm her wordless deduction which he had already anticipated, as well. However, the priestess noticed there was something else residing in his features, a certain, unexpected understanding coming from him, followed by a surprising quiet promise that flashed behind his eyes, undeniable and strong, even if only visible for a single moment.
And with no further use of words, Sesshomaru shifted towards the direction of the vile scent, his fur sash extending far below him and carrying him away to the endless horizon, flying quickly in order to reach the cursed area.
Kikyo watched him ascend and disappear into the distance for another moment, then, she tensed her shoulders and exhaled deeply, clenching her fingers onto the longbow in her grip.
"Kikyo-sama?" Rin attempted to search for answers this time, worry clear in her voice.
And the priestess only breathed in once more, clearing her mind and turning on her heel to face both the child and the imp-demon with a smooth motion, her expression unreadable.
"We must locate a place to properly conceal ourselves until Sesshomaru returns." She answered.
A/N:
A small reminder that this story is, indeed, canon-compliant, and follows the events of the manga and not the anime.
As always, thank you for your reviews and welcome aboard new readers!