Quick, high-pitched trills woke Kagome. She rolled over and buried her face in her pillow to drown out the birds. The silk-wrapped cushion felt cool against her skin. Kagome sighed contently. Five more minutes…As she began to drift off, a question tickled the edge of her subconscious. Had A-Un brought her a pillow?

Kagome shot up in bed. She glanced around bewildered. The furnishings were familiar. It took her a moment to chase away the haze of sleep so she could place them. Dark wood, elegant tapestries, and hand-woven floor mats decorated the room.

My room, she thought, recalling the events of the prior day.

Kagome ran a hand through her hair, trying to remember when she had returned. She had snuck out to practice shooting her bow in the courtyard. Hitting the target hadn't been as easy as she expected. The movies always made it look so effortless but when Kagome attempted to imitate that success, she failed.

Her quiver was packed with two dozen arrows. She had memorized the number. Each time Kagome had to retrieve the arrows from the grounds, she counted. She didn't want Sesshomaru to know that she had snuck out. If he figured out what she was doing, he'd try to stop her, or worse, he'd offer to help.

It wasn't that Kagome didn't want his help. Out of everyone in the palace, he was the most qualified, and, though she hated to admit it, the safest option. If she slipped up, Sesshomaru wouldn't think anything of it because he knew her secret. With him, she didn't have to put on an act. Despite that, archery was something Kagome wanted to learn on her own.

Ever since she created her bow, Kagome had felt a connection to the weapon. She thought that meant it was tied to her abilities. So when none of her shots hit the target, Kagome was discouraged. She tried numerous times to hit a knot in the oak tree. Not a single arrow found the mark.

After hours of firing and retrieving, she'd given up. Her hands were covered with scratches from the fletching and her fingers were blistered. Frustrated, Kagome had packed up her gear with the intention of returning to her bed chambers.

Then A-Un appeared.

He grabbed the strap of her quiver and pulled her over to the stables. All it took was one look at the soft straw and Kagome gave in to her exhaustion. Falling asleep in the dragon's stall was the last thing she remembered.

"My lady?" A knock sounded.

"I'm up, Yukana. You can come in."

The door slid open to reveal her handmaidens. "Good morning, Lady Kagome."

"Morning," she greeted the sisters.

Yukana and Izumi bowed before entering her bedroom. Izumi went to the left and her sister circled to the right. They moved in perfect unison. Izumi closed Kagome's bedroom window, while Yukana sorted through the wardrobe for an outfit.

Neither required oil lamps to light their way. The sun had risen high enough to fill Kagome's bed chambers. Her brow creased. "What time is it?"

"Almost time for the midday meal, my lady."

"What? Oh, no! I'm late!" Kagome leaped out of bed. She raced around the room, ignoring the handmaidens' protests. All of the clothes she had been given were meant for engagement events and other palace affairs. There wasn't a single item appropriate for training. "Did you return Kujaku's uniform yet?" she asked Yukana.

"I was going to deliver it to her once you were dressed. It is in the wash basket." The inuyokai gestured to a basket of freshly folded items in the corner.

"Great!" Kagome rummaged through the clothes until she located the uniform. Then she ducked behind the changing screen.

"My lady, are you unwell?" Izumi called to her

"No, just late."

"But, Lord Sesshomaru—."

Kagome didn't hear the handmaiden's reply. She was too busy coming up with excuses for her tardiness. Being late on her first morning of training was not going to win her any brownie points with Sesshomaru. She would have to work twice as hard today to make it up to him.

Shoving the screen aside, she moved over to her bed and took a seat to tug her boots on. Kagome tied them tight. The only thing worse than being late to training would be tripping during their session. She stood up and hurried out of her bedroom.

"Thanks! I'll see you later," she told her handmaidens, pausing briefly to grab her tanto off the table.

If they responded, she didn't hear them.

Kagome ran down the corridor. She dodged attendants, muttering apologies as she went. They probably thought she was rude— and they would be right— but keeping up appearances was the last thing on her mind. While she had been rushing to get dressed, Kagome realized what was missing from her chambers: her bow.

I must have left it in the stables…

She sped around the corner. The doors to the courtyard were open. Kagome wondered if Sesshomaru was waiting for her. She'd considered what to say to him but none of the excuses justified her absence. It had been her request that he train her and she missed their first lesson.

Kagome slowed to a halt. She stood by the doorway, nervous to see what was waiting for her on the other side. As her mind quieted, she became aware of several distinct sounds coming from the courtyard. There were metallic clangs, loud grunts, and the rapid shuffling of feet. Curious, Kagome stepped forward. She peered through the door. A dozen guards were paired up and running through sparring drills. Kagome recognized a few of them from the envoy that escorted her to the palace, including Seiten and Kujaku.

The mated pair was the closest to her. While the rest of their unit was engaged in swordplay, Seiten and Kujaku were focused on hand-to-hand combat. Neither had a single weapon on their person— at least none that Kagome could see.

She watched Seiten block a throat strike. He batted Kujaku away with one hand and used the other to reach over to grab her wrist. Kujaku ducked under his arm and spun out of his hold. They made the exchange look like a dance. Their motions were effortless, flowing from one to another with an ease that Kagome and only seen in movies. It would be a miracle if she could be half as good as them.

Maybe ten percent, Kagome revised as she watched Kujaku land a front kick to Seiten's chest. The soldier staggered backward half a step. When Kujaku followed through with a jab, Seiten caught her wrist and flipped her. She landed on her back in the dirt.

Kagome gasped, altering them to her presence.

"Don't worry," Seiten chuckled, giving his mate a hand up. "She's endured far worse."

"So have you," Kujaku retorted, elbowing him in the ribs.

"By your hand," Seiten returned.

Kagome laughed. "You guys are so cute. It's easy to see how much you love each other."

The pair stared at her for a moment. Kujaku cleared her throat nervously, turning away as her cheeks colored. "Yes, well…we have been together for nearly a century."

"Wow," Kagome breathed. She knew yokai had longer lifespans but she had never considered how much longer.

"Speaking of mates, are you searching for yours?" Seiten questioned.

"Oh, no! Actually, I came by to visit A-Un."

"Who?" they asked.

"A-Un is the name I gave Sesshomaru's dragon," Kagome explained.

Seiten and Kujaku exchanged a look.

Kagome tilted her head. "What?"

"Nothing," Seiten responded, smiling reassuringly. "We are pleased to hear that you and Lord Sesshomaru are getting along."

"He's not so bad— maybe a little rough around the edges —but I think that's because of the war. It must have been hard for him….for all of you."

"No matter who claims victory, in war, no side truly wins. Some bear scars on their skins, others their souls," Seiten told her.

Kujaku's expression was solemn. "Those that come home are considered the lucky ones because they survived but for some, it is a cruel fate. You can never return to the person you were before battle. There are those who can learn to live with it and others who cannot."

There was immense pain in their words. The carefree atmosphere from before had been displaced by a heaviness in the air. Kagome was reminded why she wanted to go through with the marriage. If there was a chance it could stop the fighting, she had to try. She owed it to yokai like Seiten and Kujaku and mixed families like Jinenji and Hina. They had all suffered. Kagome wouldn't turn her back on them.

"I'm sure things will get better after the wedding," she said.

"I agree. It has been far too long since we had such a celebration," Seiten replied.

"Lady Arisu is certainly enjoying it," Kujaku commented.

"To be honest, I'm glad she's handling everything. I wouldn't know the first thing about planning a daiyokai wedding."

"Few do. It is a human custom, though it has been growing in popularity since Lord Touga married Lady Izayoi. I've heard several other clan pairings have begun to adopt the tradition," Seiten shared.

"Did you two have a ceremony?" Kagome asked.

Seiten's gaze softened as he looked at his mate. "I courted her for almost a full decade before she agreed to be mine."

"You must be really patient."

"Indeed."

"Why did you make him wait that long, Kujaku?" she asked the female warrior.

"I was afraid of losing him. There has always been turmoil in these lands. Serving Lord Touga is an honor but it also increases the likelihood that we will meet our end in battle. I have never questioned my dedication to him. Taking a mate meant asking myself if I could continue my life as a guard. I worried such an attachment would affect my ability to serve. If I had to choose between Lord Touga and my mate, my decision would be Seiten."

"But you did mate and you're still here," Kagome pointed out.

Kujaku nodded. "When I went to resign, Lord Touga requested a reason. I told him why I was unfit for duty. He disagreed with my logic. He told me that having the courage to confront my worst fears made me stronger and he needed someone with that kind of inner strength at his side."

"He is truly a wise and gracious leader," Seiten remarked. "I can only hope Lord Sesshomaru turns out the same way."

Me too. A day ago, Kagome might have thought that was impossible. Last night had changed her mind. Sesshomaru wasn't impractical. He was stubborn. It was no wonder they had clashed. Mama had warned Kagome about her attitude. She had never given it much thought.

Not until she found herself matched with someone who was just as headstrong.

Sesshomaru had strong opinions about things and he didn't hide them. For instance, his feelings towards Kikyo were rather unforgiving. Kagome had been surprised by his angry tone, but considering Kikyo's history with Inuyasha, she understood why Sesshomaru was upset.

What she didn't understand was why Inuyasha hadn't offered to marry Kikyo in his brother's place. Touga was reasonable. He would have chosen his son's happiness over a political marriage, wouldn't he? If Kagome could find Kikyo and bring her back, then Kikyo could marry Inuyasha. Their union could be just as beneficial as her marriage to Sesshomaru— more so because Kikyo and Inuyasha loved each other.

"They should be the ones getting married."

"Who, my lady?"

It wasn't until she heard Seiten's voice that Kagome realized she had spoken the words out loud. "You two," she lied, forcing a smile. "You never got a wedding ceremony. It feels weird that I'd get one when you two didn't."

"That's very kind of you, but Kujaku and I are not the type for lavish affairs."

"Me either. It's why I prefer your uniform to those kimonos Yukana and Izumi keep making me wear," she mumbled.

"Keep it. I can grab another one from the supply room."

Kagome brightened. "Really?"

"Of course. It will be nice to have another female around," Kujaku confirmed. "And don't worry about the wedding. You will be fine."

"Thanks, you're probably right," Kagome said.

That, too, was a lie.

Even though she had been the one to suggest going through with the wedding, Kagome was still getting used to the idea. She had always planned on being married but when she thought about that day, it was years down the road after university. Kagome had never considered such a big milestone happening this soon. She hadn't even passed her high school entrance exams yet! Of course, if she never made it back to her time, there would be no exams. There wouldn't even be a high school.

Kagome needed to speak with Kaede. Sesshomaru had offered to send Jaken to deliver her letter. Kagome would remind him once she retrieved her bow.

"Sorry for interrupting your training. I'll leave you to it," she apologized to Seiten and Kujaku.

The guards gave her a respectful nod.

Kagome strolled away, ignoring the curious gazes of the other soldiers as she passed.

The stable doors were propped open. Kagome walked in to find an attendant loading fresh hay into the stalls. "Good morning," she greeted him.

He bowed in response.

A pair of heads rose over the rear paddock.

"Hi, A-Un." Kagome hurried over to the dragon but when she reached his stall, her bow and quiver were gone. "Excuse me," she called over to the attendant. "Has A-Un's pen been cleaned already?"

"Yes, my lady."

"Did you remove a bow by chance?"

The attendant's brow scrunched in confusion. "Are you missing a hair piece, my lady?"

"No, I'm looking for an archery bow."

He shook his head. "If I had come across a weapon, I would have reported it to the guards. The only things I remove from that pen are hay and apple cores."

The attendant resumed his duties. As she heard the scrape of his pitchfork on the stone flooring, Kagome felt her stomach churn uneasily. If her weapon wasn't in the stables, where was it? She remembered carrying her bow inside, along with the quiver. Kagome stepped inside A-Un's stall. She knelt, studying the straw as if it would reveal the location of her missing belongings. There was nothing, not even a feather from the fletching to prove she had been here.

Kagome chewed the inside of her cheek. Maybe they were back in her chambers and she had simply overlooked them? Discouraged, she straightened up, turned around, and walked into a wall.

She stumbled backward. A head pressed itself between her shoulder blades, steadying her. "Thanks, A-Un." Kagome scratched the beast affectionately behind the ears. It was a brief reprieve before confronting Sesshomaru.

He was staring at her, face impassive. Kagome couldn't tell if he was upset that she'd missed their first training session. There was a chance he had come to the stables to see A-Un. She knew the odds of that happening were small, so she readied herself for another fight.

"I believe you were searching for these." Sesshomaru held out her bow and quiver.

Immediately, Kagome grasped for them. "Yes, thank you!"

He withdrew them from her reach. "Did I not instruct you to stay in your chambers?"

Kagome frowned. "I just wanted to practice a bit."

Scoffing, he allowed Kagome to retrieve her weapons. "You wanted to prove me wrong."

Her cheeks burned. She wasn't surprised he had caught on or that he felt no shame in calling her out. "Okay, it might have started out that way but—."

The rest of her reply was cut off when he struck. Her quiver fell to the floor. In one swift movement, Sesshomaru pinned her to the paddock wall. Kagome barely managed to keep hold of her bow. He kept his palm flush against her shoulder while his other hand began to produce a green cloud.

"Wh-What is that?"

"Poison."

"What?" she shrieked.

"Tell me, what use is an arrow now?"

Kagome clenched her jaw. She knew she couldn't hit him. Even with perfect aim, there wasn't enough space for her to draw her bow. He had been right. That didn't mean she would let him beat her.

"I don't need an arrow." Kagome dropped her bow and pulled the tanto blade from her belt.

Sesshomaru smirked.

She drove the knife upward in an attempt to free herself. He shifted so fast that Kagome wasn't able to counter him. Sesshomaru reached over to pinch her hand, forcing her to drop the tanto. He nudged his boot under the blade and kicked it out of the stall.

Kagome stared at him incredulously. How did everything come so easily to him? She had practiced all night and not a single arrow hit the tree. Her frustration grew.

"You are inexperienced with combat. Techniques differ based on distance. You must build up your skill set like an arsenal so you will always be prepared to adapt."

"Adapt to this."

It happened much the same way it had when Kaede shot her. Kagome's powers manifested as a result of her emotions. Back then, she hadn't been aware of the energy surge but this time, she recognized it.

And controlled it.

A sphere of light, roughly the size of a baseball, shot out of her hand. Her reiki encompassed the poison, neutralizing it.

Kagome stared at Sesshomaru's hand in disbelief. She had wanted to stop him— had imagined blocking the attack —but she hadn't thought her reiki would listen. Everything up until now had been luck. Her past success was likely a result of overwhelming emotions and unfathomable powers rather than skill.

But if this was how it felt to control her powers then Kagome would train all day, every day.

She felt amazing.

"Good," Sesshomaru said, releasing her. "You have completed your first lesson."

Kagome grinned. "Bet you didn't think I could do it, did you?"

"What I believe does not matter. It is what you believe," he returned evenly. His gaze shifted to her hands and he frowned. "Overexerting yourself will only hinder your development. That is enough for today. You need to see a healer. Those require salve and bandages."

"It's fine. I have a first aid kit in my room. I can wrap them and we can go again."

"Absolutely not. Though I am sure you would prefer your remedies, I can assure you that our clan healer is well-skilled. It would be better if he treated your wounds. I will take you to see him. Come."

His grip on her wrist was firm but not forceful. Kagome could have yanked free had she wanted to, but she didn't. She let him lead her inside. There was a slight flush to her cheeks and a quickening of her pulse that she tried to place. A number of reasons flooded her mind, each more unlikely than the last.

As they made their way past Seiten and Kujaku, Kagome realized she had never corrected them when they referred to Sesshomaru as her mate. She glanced up at him. His lips were pressed together and his jaw was tight. Her gaze dropped to her blistered hands. She thought about his reaction. It was unexpected, though not nearly as surprising as finding out that he had been the one to tuck her into bed. Kagome thought he would have been furious with her but he didn't seem mad. He was worried.

About her.


For a period, all she knew was darkness. She floated in a realm that existed somewhere between life and death. Her body was weightless, and her senses dulled. Or perhaps there was nothing to sense in this endless realm of nothingness. There was no light, sound, or heat. There was only the black.

She did not know how much time had passed. There was no way to measure it. Beginnings, endings…those rules did not apply here. This place was a boundless void. She drifted along, like a discarded leaf being carried by the river.

Then came the sound.

It began from a distance, or it might have merely sounded that way due to the lack of noise up until now. Eventually, she heard it clearly— a steady cadence of shrill beats coming from beside her. Her eyelids were heavy. She had to use a substantial amount of effort to open them. And when she did, the light was blinding.

She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to lift her hand to shield her face, but her limbs required even more energy. Energy that she didn't have. It took several attempts and intense focus before she was able to try again.

Initially, her vision was blurred. As her eyes adjusted to the light,— the first she had seen in recent memory —she became aware of several anomalies.

First, it was not the sun shining above her head but a collection of oil lamps embedded in the ceiling. Which led her to the next strange detail— the ceiling itself. The roof was not thatched like her hut, nor was it made of terracotta layers. It appeared to be crafted from white porous stone. Her gaze sank lower, following the barren walls to the floor. Marble tiles were laid out. They were so well polished that they reflected the light like the waters of a calm lake.

A question was lodged in her throat. If opening her eyes had been a monumental task, speaking was impossible. That notion became fact when all she managed to produce was a strangled, guttural sound.

"You're awake."

She tried to turn toward the voice and winced. As her eyes opened, an unfamiliar woman came into view.

"Don't worry," the woman said, wrapping a hand around hers. "You're safe now. No one here is going to hurt you."

The woman had kind eyes. They were a golden brown color that reminded her of honey. It would have been reassuring had it not been for her hair, which was cut as short as a man's. Her garments had been fashioned in an array of colors that only nobles could afford yet their design matched nothing she had ever seen before.

"We found you at the bottom of our well. Do you remember what happened?"

There had been something before the expanse of black? Something skirted along the rim of her consciousness. It felt like an itch that she couldn't scratch— there but just out of reach.

"That's alright. The doctor said you would probably have some short-term memory loss. Let's try something simpler. Do you remember your name?"

She reached inside herself. There was a name buried deep within. She clawed through hazy memories and incomplete thoughts. The further she burrowed down, the less she understood. She passed through an empty space that once housed an integral part of her person. A vague feeling of importance coated the area but she paid it no mind. Whatever had been there was no more. She could not mourn that which she didn't remember. It might have been minutes or maybe hours before she located the answer. She was slow to surface and even slower to speak.

"K-K-Kikyo," she rasped, unable to recognize her voice. "My name is Kikyo."