A1969: I have nothing to say except—thanks to those reviews!
Inuyasha: predictable, as always.

A1969: hey! I can be unpredictable too, you know.

Kagome: hear, hear!
Inuyasha: oh yeah? Prove it!

A1969: fine, I will! Just you wait, Inuyasha. Oh, and I don't own the series and I hope you all enjoy this chapter!

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

Chapter Twenty-two:

-Hostility-

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

.:.:.:-Clara-:.:.:.

About three things I was currently worried about:

First, the wound in my hand was throbbing like mad.

Second, it was getting increasingly difficult to hide my emotions around a certain demon lord who was currently off somewhere and who was clearly annoyed at me for wasting his oh so precious time.

And third, Shougkyo-san was getting sicker each passing moment.

I sighed as I stared at Shougkyo. It was night now and she was sleeping—peacefully, I hoped—on her futon. By the low flickering light of the fire, I could make out her worn and haggard features ravaged from her illness—an illness that not even medicinal herbs could cure…or maybe they could, but it was that Shougkyo-san had lost the will to live? Would that be it?

I didn't know.

Hm…Lose the will to live. How could one lose the will to live? I brought my knees to my chin and wrapped my arms around them. I leaned my head on my knees and sighed as I watched Shougkyo's strained breathing.

Why I wanted to help her out so badly was a complete mystery, even to me. Maybe it was because she somehow reminded me of my own grandmother who had passed away when I was eight…

Maybe.

I sighed again as I watched her. I knew I should be asleep by now, but I couldn't sleep. I was too absorbed in what happened this morning to get some shut eye…

Takeshi…

What did he want from me? Why was he so determined to take me away? And another thing—how did he know of my feelings for Sesshoumaru? And…speaking of feelings…I wanted…no, I needed to change the way I felt about him because Takeshi was right about one thing—demons and priestesses were two opposing forces that couldn't become one. They were mortal enemies through and through…

Still…I knew that it would very difficult to change the way I felt about him because even now, I could feel my feelings for him growing and getting stronger with each passing moment. I had to think of some way to change the way I felt before my feelings for him became completely irrevocable.

I sighed again and lay down on the floor, hoping both sleep and an answer would come to me.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Cherry blossoms again…

I could see cherry blossoms again and they blew around me in a haze. For a moment, my vision was obscured by swirling pink petals and then the wind slowly died down and the petals fell to the ground.

Looking down at the mass of pink against the green of the grass, I became aware of a pair of black boots standing in front of me. "Eh?" I looked up hesitantly and blushed.

"Sesshoumaru," I whispered, blushing.

He was looking at me, his cold golden eyes boring into mine. I blushed again. Why was he looking at me that way…?

Before I could even blink, he took a step towards me and drew me into his arms. I blushed as he held me tighter against him, the blood rushing in my veins, my heart thudding against my chest.

"What are you doing?" I asked.

He didn't answer; instead, he drew me even tighter against him. I blushed and closed my eyes, resting my head against his chest.

A sharp pain suddenly sliced through my right arm. My eyes widened in shock as Sesshoumaru calmly stepped backwards, his clawed hand held in front of his face with blood dripping from those lethal claws…

My blood.

I slowly fell to my knees, a hand on the gash in my arm…

Midoriko, your love for him is impossible.

The voice belonged to Takeshi.

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

My eyes flew open and I could feel the cold sweat breaking out on my forehead. A dream…it was just a dream…a dream that could easily become reality…

I quietly sat up. The fire had died and all that remained were ashes and glowing pieces of ember. Shougkyo-san was still asleep, thank goodness for that. I glanced out the wooden window of her home to find that the sun was slowly peeking over the horizon. Dawn was just breaking in, then.

I stood up and looked at Shougkyo; she was still sound asleep, thank goodness for that. Kami knows that she needed sleep badly. I stretched and as I did so, my eyes fell on the wooden shelf upon which rested all those dusty boxes that Shougkyo wouldn't have me touch earlier.

What could be in those boxes anyway?

I slowly made my way over to the shelf, careful not to make the slightest noise lest Shougkyo should wake up. I tiptoed so my eyes were level with the shelf. The boxes were all dusty and moldy. They smelled strongly of mildew and a few cobwebs clung to the four boxes on the shelf. I slowly reached for the nearest box, a medium sized one but my hand stopped in midair.

No! It was none of my business—I shouldn't snoop in on other people's affairs.

But…what if there was some sort of clue in those boxes about Shougkyo-san's life? Maybe the answer as to why she wanted to die so badly was in one of those boxes…

My hand reached for it again then stopped.

It's none of your business, Clara!

But what if I found something in those boxes?

You have no right to meddle…

But what if…?

"Miko?" I nearly jumped out of my skin. I quickly spun around to see that Shougkyo-san was sitting up in bed, a somewhat amused yet strained expression on her face. It was still somewhat dark and I couldn't make out if whether or not she was angry at me.

"What are you doing?" she asked and I was relieved to hear the somewhat amused tone in her voice. Huh? Amused? What had happened to her choleric attitude?

"Sorry, Shougkyo-san," I said, turning to her and bowing. "I nearly let my curiosity get the better of me…" I gave her a sheepish look.

She looked at me for a moment, a thoughtful look on her withered face and then she sighed. "Bring those four boxes over here, won't you?" she requested.

Huh? I blinked at her, somewhat confused by her change of heart. I mean, wasn't it just yesterday that she screamed at me for wanting to clean out those boxes?

"Well, what are you staring at me for, girl?" she snapped. "Bring them here now." I inwardly sighed. So much for being placid.

I stood on tiptoe and carefully removed the boxes from the shelves. They weren't that heavy and their contents rattled slightly as I took them down from the shelf. I attempted to stifle a sneeze brought about by the dust from the box.

"Ah…choo!" I sneezed, nearly dropping the boxes that I piled on top of each other. The stack of boxes in my arms swayed dangerously. "Oh!"

"Careful, miko!" Shougkyo said, worried.

I managed to steady the boxes. I brought them to her and placed them beside her futon. I sat beside her, next to the boxes and waited expectantly. She took her time with them. First, she took the box lying on top, sighing as she looked at it. She turned it silently in her hand, a faraway look in her eyes. Eh? Was it my imagination, or did a look of tenderness spread over her features? It must have been a trick of the sunlight that was slowly creeping in the room, I decided.

She sighed then looked at me. "First, miko, I have to…apologize for the way I've been acting for the past several days…"

I raised my eyebrows at her. "Eh? You don't have to apologize for anything," I said, blushing. I hated these kinds of conversations.

She gave me a weak sort of smile. "Oh, I think I must apologize," she said. Er…what happened to the rough old woman I had known? But then, fear crept through me. Maybe she was acting this way because…her time was almost up…

"Besides, I shall be leaving this world very soon." My suspicions were confirmed, then. "Which is why," she went, a little more quietly, "I intend to tell you something about me…About the life I led…the life I lost…you are a priestess, ne? So, I guess telling you my life's story will be like confessing." She was silent for a moment. "In any case, telling you something about me will help lift the weight that's been on my shoulders…"

She slowly opened the box and tilted it at me to show me the contents. My eyes widened. Inside the box was a beautiful white silken kimono. It was folded and sage leaves were tucked in the cloth to preserve it, their scent filling the air. On top of the folded kimono was a beautiful comb in the shape of a half-circle. It was made of a jade and decorated with porcelain lilies. Besides the comb were various hair ornaments of indescribable beauty, all made out of cherry wood and jade. Shougkyo slowly took out the comb and handed it to me. It was heavier than the average comb, having been made out of jade.

"Beautiful," I whispered, fingering it in my fingers. I was careful to hold it with my left hand rather than my right so it wouldn't get dirtied by my bandaged wound. I looked at her and, to my astonishment, she smiled at me. Her whole face seemed transformed when she smiled. Was it me, the slow creeping sunlight or did she just look younger?

"I was born into a very poor family," she began and I listened intently. "We lived near the outskirts of the village. My mother was very beautiful but very sickly and she spent all day in bed. My father was a farmer. As it so happened, I took after my mother. They say that I was very beautiful…in fact, so beautiful, they all began to have misgivings for surely, such beauty cannot be long for this world? When I turned fifteen summers, the mistress of a geisha house espied me and bought me from my father, who agreed to sell me in exchange for money. As you can imagine, I was desolate, thinking that I was betrayed. As it turned out, my father sold me in order to acquire medicine for my mother, but still…

"Well, I was apprenticed to a beautiful geisha named Itsuko and, long story short, miko, I was soon one of the most famous geisha in our town. I was suddenly living a much better life than the one I'd lived before but life wasn't all roses. I had my fair share of problems, you must know, but I shall not tell them to you, miko, for they are far too lingering, if you know what I mean.

"It so happened one day that the lord's young son returned home from a grueling war." Here, the faraway look returned in Shougkyo's eyes and she paused before going on. "His name was Ryou. He was very handsome, even for a human…in fact, your lover reminds me of him a bit, though Ryou has nothing on him."

"What?" I interrupted, feeling the violent blush that rose in my cheeks. "L-lover? You…you mean…Sesshoumaru? He's not my lover!" My face felt hot. Oh…please let Sesshoumaru be somewhere far away!

Shougkyou raised her eyebrows, looking surprised. "No? I thought he would be. I mean, what reason other than love would a demon and a priestess have for traveling together alone?"

I blushed deeper. She chuckled then went on with her narration. "As I was saying, Lord Ryou came to the geisha house. But it must be known that he was only forced to accompany his friend, general Yugiri. I entertained general Yugiri and Lord Ryou and we can say that I caught the latter's eye. After that, I met him. In secret, of course, for, as a geisha, I was not allowed to have a lover. One stormy night—how I remember that night well!—I met him in the abandoned hut on the outskirts of the village…" A faraway look came into her eyes and I didn't need to be told that something happened that night.

"Well, after that night, he bought my freedom from the mistress of the geisha house," Shougkyo went on, as though she had snapped out of her trance. "He wanted to marry then. Well, long story short, miko, a lot of people opposed it. His father, for starters, but his mother was on my side, thank heavens for that. Well, after a grueling year of trials, our betrothal was finally announced…" A faraway look came into her eyes again.

"But…" She sighed and I sensed that this part of the story would be difficult for her to tell. "A month before our marriage…"

Uh-oh, here was the glitch to the happy ending I'd been expecting.

Shougkyo sighed and it was several moments before she spoke again. "A month before our marriage," she went on, her voice a faint whisper. "War broke out again…Lord Ryou left in order to defend the borders but…he…never came back." There was a strange catch in her voice, as though she were about to cry. She was silent for a moment, her head bowed over the beautiful white kimono she held in her arms.

I placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked up at me and I smiled comfortingly at her. At least I now understood a part of why she wanted to die so badly.

She sniffed once, then rubbed her eyes with the corners of her sleeves. She let out a sigh. "These things, this jade comb and this kimono…they were the last things he gave me…" She sighed as she replaced them in the box once again then she took the other box and opened it. To my surprise, they were filled with letters. Shougkyo took one out and sighed. The paper on which the letter was written was yellow and faded with aging. "These were his letters to me," she said, sighing. "He wrote them when he was still wooing me…" She placed the letters back in their boxes and took out the third box.

This box was somewhat different. It was made out of cherry wood and intricate carvings had been engraved over the lid. Aside from that, the box was not only polished to a high shine, but it was knotted tightly with a piece of string. What could be in it?

She slowly untied the strings with shaking hands, I noticed. I also noted that her eyes seemed even more watery. "Shougkyo-san, please, don't," I said, restraining her hand. "If it hurts too much to remember what happened in the past, then don't remember it."

She gave me a wan smile. "Ah, miko," she said, smiling. "How am I to move on peacefully to the next life if I refuse to share my grievances in this life? You yourself should know that a soul must die in peace and not in agony." I nodded and she finally untied the knot on the box. To my surprise, it was filled with small kimono…the kind of kimono an infant might wear…

My eyes widened in realization. "Oh," was all I could say.

Shougkyo gave me a small, sad smile. "Yes," she said sadly. So absorbed was she in her grief, she didn't even bother to stop the tears from falling from her eyes. "Before Lord Ryou left for war, he left me with an infant…but…" Her eyes hardened. "He was…he was killed or he just died, I'm not sure…"

I placed my hand on her own. "I'm so sorry, Shougkyo-san," I said quietly. I knew perfectly well what loss felt like. "I shouldn't have been pestering you all this time…"

"You were right to pester me, miko," she said, wiping her eyes with her sleeve again. "Anyway, after that, I decided to leave. I had had enough, you see. I left the village, bringing nothing except these boxes that you see before you. But I did not move to any village. I decided to live apart from the world and so I stayed here in the forest. The day you found me, I was heading towards a nearby village to trade these in." She slowly opened the fourth box, which was just as intricately covered as the first to reveal a menagerie of jewelry within.

She coughed again. I tapped her gently on the back and she quieted down. "Miko…no, Clara," she said as I returned the boxes to their shelf. "I want to thank you for everything you've done for me…"

I returned to her side and smiled at her. "Anyone would've done the same thing, Shougkyo-san," I said, smiling. She coughed again. Was it my imagination, or did she look paler than usual in the sunlight?

"Do you want me to make some soup, Shougkyo-san?" I asked. "I'm sure you haven't eaten yet."

She smiled then slowly lay back down on her futon, coughing while she did so. "Yes, miko, please do," she said, closing her eyes.

"I'll be right back."

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

I left Shougkyo's hut, bringing the pot with me and made my way towards the stream nearby. I sighed as I knelt in front of the stream. Sunlight glinted and danced on the surface of the mirror, like diamonds twinkling. The soft murmur of the water sounded soothing. I washed the pot first then set it aside to dry.

I sat back on my haunches and sighed as I stared at the stream, my own thoughts flickering like the sunlight on the water…

Shougkyo-san had lived such a sad life, loosing the ones she loved then exiling herself to a place like this. In the beginning, I had this feeling that something must have happened, but I never imagined it to be this…

My thoughts flew from Shougkyo-san, to the dream I had last night. The moment I thought of the dream, I could feel a small red tinge spreading on my cheeks. Of all the things to dream about…

Well, at least Sesshoumaru was nowhere to be seen…

Speaking of which, where was he? Ah well, maybe it was good that he was away, after all…the last part of that dream…

I shuddered as I thought of it. My blood trickling from his claws…

Your love for him is impossible.

Takeshi's words reverberated through my mind. I closed my eyes. He had a point, I'll admit…priestesses and demons were just too different, two opposing forces that couldn't become one…

Couldn't they, really? What about Kagome and Inuyasha? They were together and they seemed happy, right?

Still, Sesshoumaru was a full-fledged demon and Inuyasha was a half-demon…

I sighed again. So, if two opposing forces couldn't work out then I had two options…

One, get rid of my feelings for him before they became immutable.

And two…two…I couldn't even think of a number two. Number one already seemed so painful…

Speaking of painful…

The throbbing pain in my hand forced me to take off the bandage that Sesshoumaru had placed there. The wound hadn't completely closed up yet and I could see blood glistening on my palm. I really should change the bandage, but seeing as Shougkyo-san was probably waiting for me, I would do that later. I quickly tied the piece of cloth back around my hand.

I sighed as I took the pot from the ground and left.

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

"Sorry, I'm so late, Shougkyo-san," I apologized as I entered the hut. "But I was—"

I stopped. Shougkyo-san was asleep again but this time, instead of the usual tired look on her face, she looked relaxed and peaceful. Well…breakfast could wait, I guess. I placed the pot on another shelf and glanced back at Shougkyo-san.

Wait a minute…

"Shougkyo-san?" I carefully made my way towards her and knelt down beside her futon. She looked peaceful…too peaceful…

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

-.-.-Sesshoumaru-.-.-

Annoying.

How long was that girl going to make me wait? As of the moment, I was tempted to leave her regardless of what Naraku might do to her if I did leave. Hn, how humorous. That girl was the first to make me wait and live to tell the tale. Hn.

Were all humans this ridiculously annoying? I stared up at the noon sun. From the corner of my eye, Ah-Un basked quietly in the golden sunlight, his tale swishing softly through the air.

I had to leave. Now. Despite what Clara might say.

I glanced at Ah-Un then turned and left.

Clara was going to leave with me whether she wanted to or not.

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

I approached that abomination of a dwelling place, the old woman's hut, thinking of what I would say to that burdensome girl when I saw her. She would protest, I was certain. I would talk to her and if she still refused, then I would leave her and if Naraku captured her…well, she would no longer concern me.

As I approached the hut, I could make out Clara squatting on the ground, leaning against the doorframe of the hut, her head bent between her knees so her face was hidden from me. She was motionless and as I came nearer, I became aware of a salty scent in the air. Tears.

Not again.

What now, I wonder? Did the old hag insult her? Hn.

"Clara," I said as I approached. She did not look up and I heard a choked sob escape her. Hm. Was she trying to stop crying? Miraculous.

"Clara," I said, a little more forcefully. "Are you deaf?"

Hesitantly, she looked up at me. Her eyes were red at the corners. "Se…sesshoumaru," she said. Her voice sounded choked.

"We are leaving," I said.

She continued to look up at me, as though she could not understand my words. "L…leaving?" she said.

I raised an eyebrow at her. "Yes," I affirmed. "Despite what happens to the old lady you are caring for."

She lowered her eyes, as though to hide another wave of tears. That must have been the case for the scent of salty tears permeated the air afresh. After a moment, she looked up at me. There was such a haunted look in her dreary blue eyes that, for a second, I was suddenly…concerned. But the feeling vanished as soon as she spoke again.

"Shou…shougkyo-san is…dead."

Who knew?

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

Clara was shocked, to say the least. After she had informed me of the old lady's demise, she hurried back inside the hut to, in my opinion, prepare the dead for burial. Hn, well trifle human concerns such as this were beneath me and I turned to leave.

At least one good thing would come out of the old woman's death—we can finally leave.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

.:.:.:-Clara-:.:.:.

How shocking.

I never thought that I'd be confronted with more death after Kikyou's…

But, I asked myself as I entered the hut again, why didn't Shougkyo-san's unexpected death have the same gut wrenching effect on me as Kikyou's had? Was it because Shougkyo-san had died with such a peaceful expression on her face? Was it because I knew all her suffering had ended? Or…was it because this time wasn't the one to blame for her death, like Kikyou's?

As I thought of the last question, the pain in my chest seemed to open anew. I wrapped my arms tight around me. Yes, I had been the one to blame for Kikyou's death, but not Shougkyo's…was that why the latter's death didn't affect me as much? Or, as I said earlier, was it because she had died looking so peaceful and relaxed?

I didn't know. But I did know one thing—death was common in the Feudal Era of Japan.

I pushed the thoughts of death from my mind as I regarded the body lying on the futon. What to do? I placed a hand on her forehead. Normally, I'd be freaked out at the mere sight of a dead person, but…

My eyes strayed to the shelf where the boxes were kept. Inspiration hit. I would dress Shougkyo in her white kimono and adorn her hair with her jade comb. As I stood up to reach for the boxes, I glanced back at Shougkyo's lifeless form and thought—with a start—that her face seemed to smile.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

-.-Sesshoumaru-.-

Was Clara done crying yet, I wonder?

Perhaps, perhaps not. In any case, it was time to go. I had given her ample time to be with the dead—it was nearing twilight already—and I expected to be at the palace before nightfall. Hn.

I left Ah-Un and went back to the hut, wondering what I might find there. A part of me said that I should've stayed with the girl, and helped her bury the dead woman. I? Lord of the Western Lands, attend to such a menial and trifling task? Don't attempt to humor me.

When I reached the hut, I found Clara kneeling beside a mound of newly turned earth. Impressive. She had managed to bury the dead woman in the space of several hours. She was kneeling beside the old woman's grave, holding a bunch of white althea flowers and chrysanthemums in her arms. She laid these down over the grave and knelt back, her eyes fixed intently on the crude cross she had erected at the head of the grave.

There was something about that scene—Clara with flowers in her arms, kneeling beside this grave, her blue eyes fixed intently on the cross…I banished the thought from my mind as I made my way towards her.

She looked up at the sound of my approach. "Oh," she said softly, smiling. "Sesshoumaru, it's you."

"Time to go."

She turned her attention back to the grave. "She lived such a lonely life, you know," she said softly, her eyes soft. "This morning…she told me what happened to her. She went through such sadness…which is why she wanted to die so badly, I guess." There was something in her tone that made me stop any insult that I was thinking of. She sighed then turned to me. "But I don't think you'd understand," she went on, her voice low, as though she were speaking to herself.

"Of course I don't," I agreed, for once. "Grieving is a waste of both time and energy."

She shook her head sadly at me. "You wouldn't know…" she said, her voice so low, it was barely a whisper. "You've never lost anyone you loved, haven't you?" She blushed when she asked her question.

I resisted the urge to snort. "Love?" I sneered. "What a useless emotion."

Clara turned her gaze away from me and looked back at the grave. For a moment, a look of sadness and hopelessness crossed her face, but then it vanished.

"Is it really useless, Sesshoumaru?" she asked, her eyes still on the grave. "Shougkyo-san died because she lost the ones she loved…but she was happy that she loved…Inuyasha and Kagome love each other and I…" She suddenly stopped, a violent blush blossoming across her cheeks. Was this girl ill?

She was silent again, staring at the grave with a thoughtful expression on her face. "It isn't useless," she suddenly said, to herself.

"That is your opinion," I said. "Come, Clara, time to go."

She nodded, her eyes still on the grave. She stood and looked up at the sky, where the sun was slowly starting to set. She looked at me, a smile on her face.

"Alright then, time to go." To my surprise, she took my hand in hers and started pulling me away from the grave. Her hand was warm and, surprisingly, I didn't feel the need to pull my hand away. I glanced over my shoulder at the grave just as a sparrow alighted on the cross and sang.

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

Clara looked somewhat apprehensive as though the thought of going to the West somehow unnerved her. It should unnerve her. Not many demons in the castle would give up the chance to avenge themselves on Midoriko…

"Hey, Ah-Un!" Clara greeted as Ah-Un made his way towards her. Clara patted him lightly on the head and he closed his eyes indolently, as though he enjoyed it.

"Enough," I said as I flew off.

"H-ey!" Clara shouted. "Wait for us, won't you?"

Somehow, her annoyance amused me.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

.:.:.:-Clara-:.:.:.

Wow…

Flying through the clouds with Ah-Un, I had the most breathtaking view of the sunset. The sky was pink, gold and orange and the clouds seemed to glow golden orange with the light of the setting sun. For a moment, I thought of Shougkyo and instinctively knew, wherever she was, that she was happy.

I smiled to myself as I turned to look at Sesshoumaru who was flying just beside Ah-Un and me. His gaze was fixed ahead on the horizon. The colors of the sunset glinted off his eyes and his lustrous silver hair. Suddenly, he turned his face towards me, his eyes locking with mine.

He raised an eyebrow at me.

I blushed. Before he could think that I was staring at him, I thought of a question. "Um…I wanted to…er…ask you…what…everyone in your castle is like," I stammered as the wind whipped past me.

He didn't answer, instead he turned his attention back to the horizon. "You'll see for yourself," he said, his gaze still fixed ahead. I inwardly gulped. Had he somehow managed to pick a hint of my feelings for him? Please, no.

I sighed as I turned my attention to the horizon. I could feel my thoughts drifting towards one direction—his mother. What was his mother like, I wonder? Would she be just as cold-hearted as him or was she somehow different? Wait a moment…why was I even concerned about his mother? Get a grip, Clara; after all, how was I going to get rid of my feelings for him if I cared about what his mother might think of me?

Still, I couldn't help but wonder…

-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-;-

It was nearly dark by the time Ah-Un started fidgeting. "What's wrong?" I asked as I gently tugged his reins. He only snorted and with one of his heads, he seemed to point at something up ahead. I squinted ahead at the darkness that slowly descended. Amidst the thick veil of clouds that hung overhead, there suddenly appeared the faint outline of a mountain.

"A…mountain?" I asked. It was tall enough to reach to the clouds. Wow. Halfway up the mountain was—I felt my nerves act up—a palace. It was nestled into the mountain. Even from this distance, one could tell that it was more magnificent than any other palace in Feudal Japan. It reminded me of a fortress—an elegant fortress. It seemed to stretch across the whole side of the mountain, making it one of the biggest palaces I'd ever seen. Buckingham palace seemed to pale beside it.

As we neared the palace, my nerves went into overdrive mode. What was I going to expect at such a place, I wonder?

I glanced at Sesshoumaru. His attention was fixed on the palace.

We finally approached and I felt dread rise within me.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

-.-Sesshoumaru-.-

Clara looked ill.

Whether it was from riding Ah-Un or from something else, I couldn't tell, nor did I care. As I alighted at the courtyard of my mother's palace, the guards who were patrolling all looked up and, as soon as they realized that it was I, they automatically fell into formation, bowing down to the ground as they did so. Hn.

As soon as I touched the ground, Ah-Un landed next to me. I glanced around the demons that were prostrating themselves before me and narrowed my eyes, more out of habit than anything else. I turned my gaze to Clara who was dismounting Ah-Un. Something in the way she alighted told me that she would rather stay on the dragon than on the ground.

There was apprehension in her eyes as her gaze slowly met mine. Her eyes flickered around the demons that sensed her spiritual energy, demons that slowly lifted their heads from the ground, their eyes narrowed in suspicion at the newcomer. Once they realized what she was, their lips pulled back from their teeth to expose feral fangs that glimmered softly in the moonlight.

"Clara," I said.

She automatically hurried to my side, probably sensing the hostility that rolled off the demons. "Wh…why're…why are they looking at me like that?" she asked, her blue eyes wide.

Before I could even answer, one of the demons suddenly lunged from the ground and towards Clara. I quickly stood in front of her and drew out my Bakusaiga, slashing the demon in half before he could lay a single finger on the girl, whose late reaction was to utter a small scream and hide behind me.

By now, the other demons stood from their prostrating positions and stood before me, their eyes narrowed at the young woman behind me. "Anyone who touches her shall die," I said softly, my eyes warning them.

"But…milord," one of them said, his head bowed. "A priestess…no…Midoriko's reincarnation…"

"And how sure are you that this girl is Midoriko's reincarnation?"

"Milord…I have once encountered Midoriko…and this girl has the same aura." He glared at Clara.

I raised an eyebrow at him. "Do you wish to die as well?" I asked, raising my sword.

"N…no, milord!" he stuttered, automatically prostrating himself on the ground again. "Please, milord, forgive me my insolence!"

I looked at him then turned to the other demons that were all looking at Clara with hate filled eyes. "Who else wishes to die?" I asked. The demon soldiers all looked at me warily then one by one they stepped back then bowed to the ground again. Satisfied that they would try nothing, I sheathed Bakusaiga and turned to the girl hiding behind me.

Clara was looking hesitantly up at me, a faint red tinge on her cheeks. Hn…was this girl ill?

"Tsk, tsk, tsk." A voice suddenly said. I turned my gaze to the steps that led to the palace where a woman was standing at the veranda.

"Mother."

She stood there on the veranda, her eyebrows raised at me. "My son," she said as she eminently descended the steps and made her way towards me. I quietly shifted so I stood in front of Clara. Mother was capable of anything. "So, you have finally decided to honor me with your presence," she went on as she continued walking towards me, her head held high. The soldiers automatically cleared a path for her as she approached me.

I was silent as she stopped in front of me. The moonlight glinted softly off her hair and shimmered on her kimono. She eyed me in a critical manner, as though trying to see if there was something about me that had changed in the days that I had last seen her.

Her gaze suddenly slid to Clara whom I could feel tensing behind me. Mother raised her eyebrows and the look in her eyes was indiscernible.

"Ah," she said. "So, this is Midoriko's reincarnation, I take it?" Her gaze suddenly became sharp as she peered over my shoulder at Clara. "Step aside, Sesshoumaru, I wish to see her."

Strangely, I felt the need to protect her from my mother's harsh gaze; however, I did as I was told and stepped aside.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

.:.:.:-Clara-:.:.:.

I could feel the dread slowly building within me as Sesshoumaru stepped aside so I met his mother's somewhat harsh gaze. Was it harsh? Her eyes were somewhat cold, like her son's, but with a little more emotion in them.

"Hm," she said. "You are Midoriko's reincarnation?"

I bit my lower lip. Boy…this woman was very, very, very intimidating. It was easy to see where Sesshoumaru got that from. It took me a moment to gather my guts and answer her, a moment that seemed too long for her.

"Miko, are you deaf?" his mother asked. "I asked you a question."

"Y-yes," I stuttered, not even daring to glance at Sesshoumaru.

"Yes you are deaf, or yes that you are Midoriko's reincarnation?" Her tone was both amused and sharp.

I blushed. "I…am Midoriko's reincarnation," I said.

She raised her eyebrows again, a habit that Sesshoumaru had obviously picked up. "I see," she said, looking me up and down. "You don't even resemble Midoriko…"

Of course I didn't. Midoriko was very beautiful and very graceful, and I…well, let's just say that I was the anti-Midoriko in looks. I decided that the best thing to do was to keep silent and stare at my feet, as though they were enthralling.

"Hn," she said. "I don't see much of Midoriko in you. Are you sure you are her reincarnation?" I couldn't make out her tone. Was it interrogative or was it taunting?

I hesitantly looked up to meet her golden gaze. "They say that I am Midoriko's reincarnation, Lady…"

"Hayomi." Surprisingly, it was Sesshoumaru who answered. I glanced at him for a second—he was staring at the palace, eyes narrowed slightly, as though he sensed something that he didn't like—then turned my gaze back to his mother.

Lady Hayomi ignored her son, her eyes still fixed on me. "And who says that you are Midoriko's reincarnation?" she asked.

"A very powerful priestess, Lady Hayomi," I answered, my eyes on my feet. Darn, what was wrong with me? Normally, I could look anyone I talked to in the eye. So, why was I having such a hard time with this lady? Did it have something to do with the fact that she was Sesshoumaru's mother?

She was silent and I could still feel her penetrating gaze on me. "Hm…it is because of you that Sesshoumaru took such a long time to get here," she pointed out. "Am I correct?" She sounded accusatory. I felt as though an ice cube dropped to my stomach.

What do I say, what do I say, what do I say?

"Nonsense." Lady Hayomi and I turned our surprised gazes to Sesshoumaru whose cold eyes were locked on his mother.

"So, she isn't the reason why you took so long in getting here?" Lady Hayomi asked. "Shizune said she was."

"What a fool," Sesshoumaru said. "I, Sesshoumaru, would never wait for a human." Huh? He was…lying?

Lady Hayomi looked at him for a moment, their eyes meeting. "I suppose that is true," she said. "If that is so, then tell me my son, what kept you?"

"Naraku, as always." For a moment, I was in awe with the way he lied to her—the lie sounded like the truth.

"Naraku," Lady Hayomi said, smiling softly at him. Uh-oh…that smile couldn't be good now, could it? "I see." She was silent for a moment, her eyes still locked with her son's as though she was determined to ferret out a lie from him.

She shrugged. "Ah well," she went on, "it hardly matters what kept you. You are here now, that is what's important—"

"Finally, you have arrived." The three of us turned our heads to the owner of the voice who stood at the veranda. The owner turned out to be a beautiful young demoness, who stood at the top of the steps of the veranda. She was beautiful. Unlike Sesshoumaru or his mother, she had lustrous golden hair that fell in a ruler-straight cascade past her waist. Her eyes were ice blue and her pale skin seemed flushed with a faint pink iridescence. She had bangs that parted neatly in the center of her forehead to reveal a star shaped marking. The kimono she wore was a silky ivory color with a splash of flowers that decorated the hemline all the way up to her waist. She also wore a silver obi.

She smiled as she gracefully descended the steps towards us. The soldiers immediately stepped aside so as to clear a path for her. Bathed in the moonlight, the unknown woman looked more like a goddess than a demoness.

She stopped in front of the three of us and turned her lovely ice-blue eyes on Sesshoumaru. She bowed to him from the waist, straightened up, then looked him in the eyes. "I have been waiting many a day for you, my lord," she said, smiling. I have never seen anyone look so beautiful in my life.

Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrows at her, somewhat contemptuously. "And who are you?" His voice was colder than usual.

"Sesshoumaru," his mother said, smiling as she turned her attention from me to the newcomer, a smile replacing the frown she wore earlier. "This is Lady Momitsumi, daughter of the Northern Lord Hoshimaru…and you're soon-to-be wife."

Wife?!

.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.:.

A1969: sorry for the late update, I've been very busy, etcetera, etcetera…

Inuyasha: we get it, you were busy. Period.

Kagome: oh, don't be harsh, Inuyasha. After all, graduation practice isn't exactly breezy.

A1969: so true. Anyway, thanks to those who reviewed the last chapter. And please, don't hesitate to review this one!