Kagome didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to do. Kaede had warned her about running into Inuyasha and she'd gone and broken a teapot over his head. She inwardly groaned. That was not what Mama had meant by a cure-all.
The man standing in front of her resembled Sesshomaru in many ways. From his silver-white hair to his metallic, eyes, their features were a perfect match. Where they differed was just as apparent. Inuyasha didn't share the familial markings that Sesshomaru and Touga had. And then there were his ears…
She had read about cosplay cafes and even owned a kitty-ear headband but this was not the same at all. Inuyasha's ears twitched with each sound. From Sesshomaru's strike to her stunned remark, his ears turned in the direction of the noise, like miniature satellites. He kept tilting his head as he spoke. Kagome had to suppress a giggle. If she hadn't known before, it would have been easy to guess he was a dog demon.
Well, half-dog demon…
"Who the hell are you talking to?" Inuyasha snapped.
"My intended, whose chamber you broke into." Sesshomaru managed to sound condescending and agitated all at once.
His younger brother scoffed. "Shows what you know. Her name is Kikyo."
"You are a poor excuse for a Taisho," Sesshomaru said. "Like a human, you rely primarily on your sense of sight."
"What are you on about?" Inuyasha grumbled.
"She is not your mate. She is my intended. Her name is Kagome."
Like a cross between nervous butterflies and a wave of warmth, a strange sensation bloomed in Kagome's chest. They had come to an agreement less than ten minutes ago but Sesshomaru seemed to be taking it seriously. Kagome wasn't sure whether to be surprised or grateful.
Inuyasha glared at his brother. "What are you—." His question cut off as he turned and inhaled her scent. Golden eyes were blown wide. "You're not Kikyo."
"Nope."
"B-But the jewel," he stammered, staring at her torso. His gaze turned hard. "What did you do to her?"
"Nothing," Kagome replied.
"Liar!" He lunged, a pair of clawed hands reaching for her.
Sesshomaru positioned himself between them, blocking his brother's attack. Inuyasha attempted to get around him. His annoyance had escalated to rage. Kagome shuffled along the wall behind Sesshomaru. She wondered if she could grab her bow from her bedroom before Inuyasha pounced.
"It wasn't me. This woman named, Tsubaki, did. She's after the jewel. Kaede told me—."
Inuyasha stopped thrashing against his brother. "Wait, Kaede? You know the little brat?"
"She's not a brat! She's a child who just lost her sister!"
He let out a strangled sound and sunk to the floor while fisting his hair. "So she is dead."
"I don't know that," Kagome quickly replied. "Kaede believes she is but I heard something when I…," she shook her head as she trailed off. Kagome couldn't tell them that she'd come from the future. They'd either think she was crazy or believe she had something to do with Kikyo's disappearance. "Look, I'm sorry that I'm not her. I know you two are friends."
"They were not friends," Sesshomaru stated tersely.
She shot him a glare.
He ignored her. "Inuyasha, it is late. You should leave. It is inappropriate for you to be in Kagome's private chambers."
Inuyasha straightened up and crossed his arms in front of his chest, his hands disappearing beneath the large sleeves of his red robe. "So what's your excuse then?"
"Pardon?"
"You're here," Inuyasha reminded Sesshomaru. "She's not your mate yet so that makes you being here inappropriate too, doesn't it?"
"I picked up on your scent from outside. I knew you would behave recklessly. I came in to ensure her safety."
"Since when do you care? You never wanted this marriage. What makes this wench so special? She's not even pretty."
"Hey!" Kagome stepped forward and pinched his ear, ready to yell at him for being so rude. The instant she felt the soft fur between her fingertips, she was overwhelmed by a new impulse. "So soft!"
"What are you doing, you crazy woman? Let go of me!" Inuyasha shouted, shoving her.
Sesshomaru steadied her then turned on his brother. "Keep your hands off of my intended," he warned.
"My hands! She's the one grabbing my ears!"
She hadn't meant to do anything weird. Mama had always pinched their ears. Ayumi, Eri, and Yuka's mother reprimanded their children the same way. Gramps called it a more traditional approach. Kagome figured Izayoi and Arisu had done the same to her sons.
"I'm sorry," Kagome apologized, embarrassed. "They look so cute."
"Cute?" Inuyasha repeated incredulously.
Sesshomaru appeared equally horrified by her assessment.
"Sorry," she said again. "I've just never seen anyone with ears quite like yours."
"Haven't been around many hanyos, huh?" he muttered.
"Not inuyokai ones, no, but Jinenji is a half-demon like you. I was actually hoping I could introduce him to you."
"Who the hell is Jinenji?" Inuyasha asked.
"My friend."
He scoffed again. "You have a hanyo friend? Yeah, right!"
"If you had been at the reception as father requested, you would know it to be true," Sesshomaru remarked.
Inuyasha's attention flickered between his brother and Kagome. "Is this some kind of joke?"
"Why would my friend be a joke?" Kagome asked.
She didn't like his tone. Inuyasha wasn't shaping up to be the role model she wanted for Jinenji. She couldn't decide what was worse— his profanity or his temper. One outburst and Jinenji was sure to run off into hiding again.
"Whatever," he mumbled, moving to open the window. "I'm leaving."
"Good," Sesshomaru responded.
"Wait," Kagome called after him. "Do you know how to get in touch with Kaede?"
He cocked his head. "Why?"
"I wanted to let her know I arrived safe," Kagome answered. It was another partial lie. Kaede was her only option of getting back home. She needed to check in with the younger girl about her trip to the demon slayer village. Maybe the chief knew how to reverse Tsubaki's curse.
"If you wish to write her a letter, I will have my vassal deliver it for you," Sesshomaru offered.
"You still have that toad following you around?' Inuyasha asked. At Sesshomaru's nod, he rolled his eyes. "I'm not sticking around for that." With a shake of his head, he leaped out of the window.
Kagome turned to Sesshomaru, confused by his reaction. "A toad?"
"Jaken."
The sound of skin flapping against hardwood echoed through the corridor. A moment later, a small, green imp appeared in the doorway. "My Lord Sesshomaru, I have heard your summons and come to your aid. What help can I be to you, my lord?"
"Jaken, this is my intended, Kagome. I want you to stand watch outside her chambers this evening," Sesshomaru instructed.
The imp's eyes, which were already quite large, bulged as he stared at her. "What? Your intended? But—but, Lord Sesshomaru—."
"Jaken, Inuyasha's antics have already worn my patience."
He bowed. "Yes, my lord. Of course, I would be honored to guard your bride."
Sesshomaru turned away from the imp and scanned her chambers. His focus landed on the window. It was still open from Inuyasha's departure. In three strides, he crossed the room and slammed the window shut. "This will remain closed."
His posture was stiff. Kagome remembered what Sesshomaru had told her about Kikyo. She had suspected there was more to the relationship than Kaede revealed but seeing Inuyasha's reaction confirmed it. He and Kikyo had been together. So why weren't they engaged? Why had Kikyo agreed to marry his older brother?
"Sesshomaru, about Inuyasha and Kikyo—."
"That is a discussion for another time," he interrupted, shooting a furtive glance at Jaken. "Rest now. I will collect you in the morning so we may train."
"Okay," Kagome replied softly.
He bowed slightly forward, his bangs brushing across the top of her head. "Take this."
She felt him slide something into her hand. Kagome glanced down to see a tanto blade. "What—?"
"Until you learn to control your powers, you need a way to protect yourself."
"No," she hissed. "I'll end up cutting myself before anyone else!"
He frowned. "You need a weapon."
"I have one," she insisted.
Kagome stomped into the adjoining room. Yukanna and Izumi had placed her belongings in the bedroom. Kagome had set her backpack along the wall beside her bed and laid the bow on the floor next to it. She wanted to keep it close. Kaede's warning was still fresh in her mind.
She grabbed the bow and brought it out to the main room.
Sesshomaru eyed the weapon. "No."
"No?"
"That is a weapon for attacking at a distance. You need a weapon to leverage against attackers in close proximity," he advised.
"But I don't know how to use a knife," she replied.
"I will teach you. For now, keep it under your pillow." Sesshomaru held out the tanto blade.
Kagome could tell this was one fight she wasn't going to win. With a sigh, she took the blade.
"Tomorrow morning. I will return before dawn," he reminded her.
"See you in a few hours then."
"Goodnight." He exited her chambers, sliding the door closed behind him.
Kagome glared at the floor mats. She didn't like that Sesshomaru thought of her as weak. They hadn't covered martial arts in gym class but they did review a conduct self-defense drills. Kagome doubted any of those techniques would be effective against Sesshomaru.
She studied her bow. If Kagome practiced on her own, maybe she could prove Sesshomaru wrong. After all, he didn't know that she'd made the weapon. Maybe if Sesshomaru had, he wouldn't insist on her taking the knife.
It made her nervous. Mama didn't believe in keeping weapons in the house. Kagome remembered her and Papa arguing about it once. Papa said that having a blade was no different than Mama using her cooking knives. He spent the night sleeping on their living room floor. Her mother had made a stand and Kagome would too.
She left the tanto blade on the table. Her plan for the evening didn't include it. She walked into her bedroom. The quiver Kaede had sent along with her bow was propped up between the wall and her yellow book bag. She slung it over her shoulder and headed for the corridor.
That's when Kagome remembered that she wasn't alone.
Jaken stood in the doorway, muttering to himself. It was clear to see that he didn't want to be here.
Well, that makes two of us…
Kagome forced a smile onto her face. She knelt and held out her hand. "It's nice to meet you."
Jaken glared at her. "I don't know what spell you've cast over my lord, temptress, but I shall free him. I will make sure you are thrown out of this palace, like the filthy wench you are."
She didn't like how he spat out the words as if she was beneath him. Well, if that's how you want to play it…
Feigning surprise, she focused on the hallway behind Jaken. "Oh, Sesshomaru, you're back!"
Instantly, the imp threw himself onto the floor. "Forgive me for speaking out of turn, my lord. I'm sure your intended is a virtuous woman indeed!"
Kagome burst out laughing.
The imp lifted his face from the floorboards and glanced around wildly. "Where…You— you tricked me!" Jaken cried.
"Serves you right," she scolded.
He wheeled around, jabbing his staff at her. "Why you—!"
Kagome shut the door in his face, fuming. She was not a wench. She was not a temptress. She sure as hell wasn't weak. And she was going to prove it.
One way or another.
Sesshomaru was unsurprised to find Inuyasha waiting outside his chambers. "What was your plan? Sneak in, grab the woman, and disappear into the night?"
His brother scoffed. "Like you could come up with something better?"
"I have no need to. I did not reject my mate and abandon her."
Inuyasha's lip curled, revealing his fangs. "You don't know anything!" he snapped.
Sesshomaru fixed him with a glare. "I know you denied your relationship with her to our father. I know you sought Totosai's support on the matter. What I am unaware of is why? What did you hope to gain through such a ruse?"
"It doesn't matter now," Inuyasha muttered. "Kikyo is gone."
"Kagome mentioned a woman was after her, in pursuit of the jewel."
"Almost everyone who knows about that damn relic wants a piece of it," Inuyasha grumbled. "It was Kikyo's duty to protect it. That's how we met."
Sesshomaru frowned. "You wished to make yourself a full demon."
"You try being the second son of Touga Taisho and a half-demon! Do you know what people say about me? What they say about my mother?"
Had he been a lesser yokai, Sesshomaru might have flinched. The sharp sting of Inuyasha's words was not meant for him. However, that did not make them any less true. Society— especially the elite ranks where they reigned —was a cold, unforgiving battleground.
Regardless, it was no excuse for exhibiting poor behavior.
"Manipulating the power of the Shikon Jewel would have granted you that life, at the expense of losing this one."
"What are you on about?" Inuyasha groused.
"Had you succeeded in your endeavor, you surely would have become a full-blooded demon, but at what cost? Do you believe your mate would accept you as a yokai? She was the jewel's protector. Could you betray her trust and disregard her wishes to fulfill your selfish need?"
Inuyasha's ears turned down. "That's not what I wanted!"
"Perhaps not, but perception is truth. Those who you do not curry favor with in court would likely not care about your status. They are narrow-minded peons in search of one thing: power. They have already made up their minds about you. Nothing you do will change their opinion."
"No?" Inuyasha quipped, resting against the door jamb. "Then how comes you're putting on this act with Kagome?"
Sesshomaru's nostrils flared. His hand shot out so fast that Inuyasha was unable to dodge. Long fingers wrapped around his brother's throat. "What happens between the miko and I is a private matter. You will not interfere."
"Fine, fine," Inuyasha wheezed, struggling against his hold.
Sesshomaru's grip tightened slightly, then he released his brother. Inuyasha hit the ground, gasping for air. "Y-you bastard," he rasped. "You could have killed me."
"Indeed," Sesshomaru responded. He slid open the door to his chambers. "I suggest you listen. I will not warn you again."
He stepped inside and closed the door behind him. Inuyasha needed time to ruminate on his actions. Sesshomaru needed an uninterrupted opportunity to strategize. If the miko's plan was to be a success, he would need to use their union to his advantage. He went to his study to review the accounts of past celebrations.
It was tradition for the new couple to tour the country. The trip was viewed as an introduction. The couple met with dignitaries and other contacts that they could choose to align with as they prepared for their roles as leaders.
There would be the panthers, the birds, the kitsunes, and the wolves. The latter was the group that concerned him the most. The wolf pack's next alpha was preparing to succeed his father. He was young, inexperienced, and arrogant— three traits that Sesshomaru loathed. He would need to limit their interactions with the wolf prince.
Historically, the post-marriage tour was limited to the daiyokai clans, however, given the nature of their nuptials, Sesshomaru thought it would be best to include other noble houses.
He was unfamiliar with the human hierarchy. Apart from the daimyo, Sesshomaru could not name a single leader amongst them. He would order Jaken to procure a list of the highest-ranked families. Once identified, those nobles would be added to the tour route. Until he had a full list, the details of their trip could not be finalized. There was nothing more he could do this evening.
Sesshomaru moved on to the next issue: the miko's request for protection.
Based on the limited details provided, he could not be certain the woman who had attacked Kagome was the same one responsible for Kikyo's disappearance. However, the motives and timeline of events aligned too closely for it to be a mere coincidence. Sesshomaru suspected whoever this woman was, she would not give up until she had the jewel.
The Western Palace was fortified with barriers— physical and yoki-enhanced. It would be impossible for the woman to attack Kagome here. She would most likely strike while they were on the move. Sesshomaru would request Seiten and Kujaku be temporarily reassigned as Kagome's guards during the tour. With their attention on the miko, Sesshomaru would be free to focus on incapacitating her adversary.
Though Sesshomaru did not care to acquire the Shikon Jewel for himself, he did not wish for another to possess it. Such power wielded by the wrong master could be catastrophic. For now, the jewel resides in the miko and it would remain there. Her struggle for control only extended to her powers. When it came to the jewel, the miko kept it confined.
His research described the sacred artifact as two sides of a coin. Like the faces of the moon, it possessed both light and dark. Either side could assume control. The wielder was the one responsible for maintaining the balance. Sesshomaru had many questions about his bride. The most pressing one was how she was capable of managing the jewel without it affecting her.
The scrolls Jaken provided him on the Shikon Jewel mentioned the past bearers succumbing to manipulation. No matter how pure their intentions were, all had been corrupted. It was the same reason why the jewel had been entrusted to a priestess. As a pillar of purity and virtue, they were trained to deny all selfish urges. That may have been true for Inuyasha's mate, at least in the beginning.
The same could not be said for Kagome.
She was a paradox. Her temper was as violent as a storm. She fiercely defended those whom she considered allies. Her determination was on par with her impressive courage. Yet, she could humble herself when discovering she was in the wrong. The miko was assuredly the most interesting human he had ever come across.
Sesshomaru did not know what to make of her. She possessed all the abilities of a miko yet none of the education. Her personality was far too vibrant for her to be mistaken as one of those dull dolls the shrines kept to maintain their grounds. So how was she able to balance the jewel?
He contemplated the question for hours until beams of light stretched across the parchment in front of him. Dawn crept across the land as sunrise approached. It was time to begin the miko's training.
Sesshomaru left the scrolls on his desk. He would return after breakfast to continue debating the reason behind the miko's unique ability.
Despite the early hour, the palace was buzzing with activity. The preparations for the wedding ceremony was the staff's main focus. Arisu had not exaggerated when she told Kagome that her presence was all that was required. His mother had seen to every single detail.
Had it been any other clan, a fortnight would not be sufficient time to transform the Western Palace gardens into a lavish oasis. The Taisho clan was unlike any other, both in terms of their position and the breadth of their resources. Sesshomaru was confident the event would be a marvel. After all, nothing short of perfection would be tolerated— not by the court, not by his parents, and certainly not by him.
His marriage to the miko would be in name only but that did not diminish the importance of the ceremony. Sesshomaru viewed the wedding as part of their strategy. It was their initial move on the field. They could leverage it to take the high ground, present a united front. If they were successful, the rest of their plan was sure to fall into place.
He rounded the corner to the guest wing. Sesshomaru stiffened. The miko's scent was faint and her reiki signature was distant. She was not in her chambers. His boots thundered along the wooden floors as he approached her room.
Sesshomaru found his vassal propped against the doorframe, asleep. "Jaken."
The imp jolted awake. "Oh, Lord Sesshomaru! My lord, apologies, after a long night's watch, I was merely resting my eyes."
"Where is she?"
"Who?"
"The miko," he growled.
"She's in her chambers, my lord. As requested, I kept guard all evening."
Sesshomaru brushed past him. He slid open the door without bothering to announce his presence. He already knew what he would find inside. Jaken rushed to follow. The imp collided with Sesshomaru's right leg when he stopped just outside the miko's bedroom.
The door had been left ajar, revealing a bed unslept in and an open window.
"Jaken."
"I— she must have— my lord, forgive me!" The imp threw himself on the floor, trembling.
Sesshomaru ignored the pathetic creature. It seemed he could not trust Jaken with even the simplest of tasks. The imp had no further value to him.
Scowling, he marched out of the room to track the miko's scent. He picked up on a fresh trail near the courtyard. Sesshomaru followed it to the stables, where the dragon's paddock door hung open.
As he neared the stall, one head popped up over the wall. Sesshomaru peered inside to find the miko curled up against the dragon's side.
There was straw in her hair and dirt on her hakama. Her bow and quiver were tucked away in the far corner of the pen. Sesshomaru scanned her body for injury and discovered markings on her hands. There were blisters on her fingertips and scratches on her hands. She had spent the evening shooting. Based on their severity, he guessed the miko had spent the better part of her evening shooting.
Her breathing was shallow. Strands of hair fell across her face.
Sesshomaru reached down to brush them aside. "Miko, it is time for our training."
She did not stir. Sesshomaru nudged her with the tip of his boot. The dragon hissed at him.
"Miko?" he tried a second time. No response.
With a sigh, Sesshomaru knelt and gathered her in his arms. "You are a truly troublesome woman."
But when she relaxed against him, his lips curved upward.
