Chapter 3
They trekked for hours until they came across a giant castle, surrounded by pink and white weeping sakura trees. The walkway was lined on both sides with servants awaiting their masters' arrival; they spoke in a monotone fashion in unison.
"welcome home Lord sesshomaru, Lady Rin"
a lady walked up to the lord, her face staring at the ground "forgive me my lord, is there anything you would like help with? If it pleases you I'll take the woman that lays in your arms."
she shook his head "no, it's alright. I have her. You and the other maids ready the guest rooms, our guests will be staying for an unknown amount of time. Place the kitsunes room beside Rin's"
she nodded her head, not daring to argue with the lord and rushed off to do his bidding.
"Sango'' she said her name coldly, she stepped up beside him "you and your friends can stay here as long as you'd like, i just ask that you stay out of my chambers and office, i also ask that if you or any of the others leave even if you are just stepping outside for air you let me or one of the castle guards know beforehand to ensure your own and everyone else's safety."
she nodded her head "of course lord sesshomaru, thank you for allowing us to stay in your home"
he just nodded his head in return. "You are free now to walk around the grounds and palace, dinner is at sundown, don't be late. And please dress nicely"
sango reached for shippos hand "thank you lord sessomharu ''
with that sango, shippo and kirara walked off to explore their new surroundings. Sessomharu took Kagome into her chambers, as he walked in while the maids were finishing her bed.
"Leave us, at once" he spoke with no hint of emotion whatsoever.
they bowed their heads and did as he commanded, closing the giant doors behind them as they left.
He laid kagome on the bed, he walked over to the closet and shifted through the wardrobe seeing the kimonos and yukatas that hung there he decided what she was wearing was better for now until he could have a few made for her.
-"no one will see her right now anyways"-
he walked into her bath and put a bit of warm water into a tub, he sat beside the miko and began to wipe off the dirt and tears that had stained her skin. After he finished and put everything away he locked the door and laid beside kagome.
-"just for a moment, i didn't sleep much last night"-
with it being settled it didn't take long for him to fall asleep. It felt like he had just fallen to sleep when a loud bang was heard on the door "my lord" jaken's voice screeched.
he looked out the window and saw the sun had set. He looked down to see that at some point kagome had rolled over and was snuggled tightly against him, her head rested on his chest, her arm gripped tightly at his waist, her leg thrown over his own. It gave him a weird sensation, he smiled and quietly left the bed. He fixed himself in the mirror so no to raise suspicion.
He cracked open the door "what"
jaken waited for his lord to step outside the door "my lord is it time for dinner"
he nodded his head "of course, jaken send the tailor to my chambers."
Jaken bowed and left.
The sun rose, the cicadas sang along with the birds, and the wind blew in through the glass double doors softly carrying a subtle yet sickly sweet aroma from the trees. The light from the sun shone on Kagome's face like a gentle kiss urging her to wake, she opened her eyes and sat up in bed she shrugged off the past events like they didn't even happen and stretched.
She looked around the room. -"where in the world am i"-
that's when she heard the door creak, her head spun around to see what presented itself to her. She smiled lovingly when shippo and rin poked their heads in. "good morning you two"
they both smiled and pushed the door wide open, they jumped into kagome's bed and hugged her "good morning momma, how are you feeling?" Shippo asked his mother.
"Actually I feel alot better, where are we?"
rin smiled brightly "father brought you here, he also let miss sango and shippo come along too. He offered an invitation to the monk you travel with too, but he declined. He acted as though something was troubling him. Father sent us in here to see if you were awake yet, Breakfast is done kagome, there is a clean outfit in the wardrobe for you"
Kagome hugged the young girl and the kitsune tightly "alright, thank you rin. I'm sure it's nothing, I'll get dressed" she smiled brightly.
she looked at rin "rin, sweetheart would you and shippo walk me into the dinning hall afterwards so i don't get lost"
Rin's grin, if it was even possible, grew even wider "yes, of course!"
kagome smiled and shooed the children out of her room so she could change. She opened the wardrobe to find a few silk kimonos. The one that caught her eye was a goldish yellow one that was adorned with peach color flowers on the sleeves and down the front of the dress, on the back was the crest of the western lands. She tried it on and looked in the mirror in amazement. It was like it was made for her, it fit her frame perfectly, she brushed her hair and tied it up, she grabbed a pair of hair sticks and placed them in. she walked out the door being sure to close the door behind herself
"are you guys ready?"
They both nodded, one grabbed her hand and the other went to the otherside to hold her hand.
They entered the dining room to see jaken and sango already seated.
"Kagome, you're awake"
sango stood up quickly and rushed over to her friend, hugging her tightly. Kagome returned the hug, a deep voice cleared itself behind them. They turned around and bowed deeply
"we're sorry lord sesshomaru"
he shook his head "don't be, i know you are just excited to see each other. Kagome after breakfast, I ask you to meet me in my office. I'll explain everything to you and answer any questions you may have. I'm sure you have many."
she nodded her head "thank you sesshomaru"
both girls walked over to the table and sat down, they waited for sesshomaru to sit and start breakfast before eating. The table was alive with chatter from the women and the children. On the outside sesshomaru kept the same cold exterior but inside he smiled, this is what he's been missing.
-"what are you doing? Enjoying this idle chatter, you are a powerful demon the most feared in the land. You are a RULER"- his inner demon growled displeased with sesshomaru -''you have one purpose and one purpose only to impregnate the human miko and have her raise the pups, once they are old enough to rule take them and kill her. She'll no longer be of use to us. Do not forget our objective with her. We have no use for any of this lifestyle"-
sesshomaru growled in response.
It wasn't long after that sesshomaru stood and left the dining room, he had work to do.
Sango had already explained majority of what happened to kagome including the potion
"now kagome don't be getting angry with lord sessomharu, although he'll never admit it i do believe he was doing what he thought would be best for for"
kagome nodded "although yes i am upset that he tricked me and lied to me to get me to drink a potion i do understand why he did it and i'm happy he did. It allowed me to sort through my feelings and heal. I don't understand how, I don't remember anything from when I was sleeping except ''
Unknowing to the girls who thought they were the last ones in the immaculate hall, sessomarhu was standing outside the door. He had originally gone down there to fetch the miko but instead caught himself eavesdropping when he heard the demon slayer mention his name.
Kagome continued "I remember a pair of strong, warm arms holding me. I also remember a scent and the warmth of a body laying next to me, their arms wrapped like they never wanted to let go. The scent was intoxicating, I felt so safe. But that's foolish isn't it ''
sango smiled "not at all, maybe your conscience gave you a form of comfort while you dealt with the hurt internally.
Kagome agreed with sango, she pushed her chair back and stood "i'll meet you in the gardens later sango, i still have to meet with sesshomaru.
The girls walked out of the dining room and split ways, Kagome walked through when she came to his office door it stood cracked. She peeked through and watched him while he worked for a few seconds before knocking
"enter" he spoke in his normal cold voice "and be sure to close the door behind you please"
she nodded as she walked in and shut the door, he gestured to a makeshift couch
-"the first of it's kind i guess"- she made a joke about the first attempt of seating, even after years of traveling in the feudal era she still gets a chuckle out of some of the inventions before they actually figured them out, she sat, her eyes looking around taking it all in.
"miko, i've already spoke to the demon slayer. Think of this place as your home for as long as you'd like. I do have a few rules that you'd have to follow and I have a request to ask of you"
she nodded, her eyes locked with his "first. Unless told otherwise by me directly do not enter my chambers or office. You are free to come and go as you please or even walk around the grounds and gardens but I do ask that you let me or one of the guards know beforehand so we can ensure the safety of not just you but everyone who lives on these grounds."
she nodded, agreeing to his terms. "Second, I have some neighboring lords coming for a political dinner tomorrow evening. They are the lords that fought alongside my father before his passing. They have been on my back about settling for a mate and producing heirs to take over after my own passing. Since Inuyasha is not a part of the family after his banishment he is no longer worthy to take my seat in the line of succession.
This time she stared at him "what does that have to do with sango and myself?"
he shook his head "i didn't discuss this to the slayer, i'm asking you meko to attend with me, i don't have any plans to mate or produce heirs with you if that's what your worried about but i would still like for you to attend with me"
she hesitated for a moment, her face turned red and her hands tightened around each other in her lap "yes my lord"
he smiled softly "i would like to begin the courting phase with you miko, i have watched you for many years now and there is something about you i can't explain. I'd like the chance to learn more about you. If i may"
-"what are you doing? What could you possibly want with this woman let alone this human woman"- he quickly put the inner demon in check.
if at all possible kagome's face turned even redder "i…" she stumbled with her words hoping to find the right combination so not to offend the lord that was sitting right in front of her "i don't mean to upset you my lord, but i do not know about that, you despise humans what if i am not the interesting thing you believe me to be and i disappoint you"
it must of been her lucky day because not only did she get to see the ice lord smile not just once but twice he actually showed emotion around her.
"That is what the courting phase is kagome, it is so we get the chance to know more, in depth about one and another. Just as long as you are open with me I in return will be just as open with you and only you. The only other who has been granted access this close to me is rin and even then it is not very much nor as often"
she smiled and looked up at him when he said her name, as if he had been saying it just as he had for decades, she nodded "yes my lord"
he frowned a clawed finger pushed her chin up to look him in the eyes ``when we are here, when we are alone you do not have to use titles or be so polite, speak to me as if you would sango or the others, speak to me as if you've known me for ages''
she nodded.
"i'll speak to you later when the others have retired for the night until then feel free to walk the grounds''
she rose from her spot on the couch "thank you sesshomaru"
she smiled brightly at him then walked out to meet up with sango and shippo. This sent a tingle down his spine. The look she gave him was one so simple, that he's seen her wear numerous times but yet this felt like a bolt of lighting had just struck.
"Oh, one more thing kagome"
She stopped in her steps and looked back at him over her shoulder "yes sesshomaru?"
He grinned "it's rude to peek into rooms when the door is closed"
Her face turned red and she walked out of his study.