The Fang and the Flower

Chapter 05: I Look Forward to Your Imminent Return


That afternoon, as soon as they returned to the castle, Kagome went to the guest room to jot down a letter.

My Lord Sesshōmaru,

I hope you are well and your trip to the human realm has proved eventful.

I am writing this letter to apprise you of your sister's progress. Her grace and charms are immeasurable indeed, and by the end of our first public stroll, she has attracted the eyes of a noble Lord of the highest standing and birth. He wished for an introduction, which I had to decline. I fear they cannot proceed unless you are present to make formal arrangements, as is the proper way.

If I may be so bold, I implore you to return to Inumura Castle at your earliest convenience. I wish I did not have to disturb your peace while you are diligently carrying out your duties to the Empire, but I would like to secure the Lord's affections for Lady Shōri as soon as possible. In the meantime, I shall devise several serendipitous encounters so that your sister remains fresh in his mind.

I look forward to your response.

Higurashi Oiran

Kagome opened the lacquered box that contained her seal and stamped the letter. As she stared at the red imprint in the design of a plum blossom, she realized: Sesshōmaru had the same red plum blossom motif on his kimono, albeit his flower was six-petalled, while hers had only five. Moreover, his emblem was surrounded within a tortoiseshell pattern, which she believed represented longevity, while her plum blossom was contained within a circle, which for her symbolized continuity or eternity.

She had chosen red plum blossom as her insignia specifically because it stood for the renewal of hope. For her, it was a constant reminder of her goal to see her family again in the modern era.

She wondered what Sesshōmaru's plum blossom meant to him, and if the motif was chosen for a specific purpose.

Once the ink dried, she folded the parchment and handed it to the servant, who would then take it to the messenger Kazuhiko had sent.

Later that evening, when she had just finished her supper, the messenger returned to the castle with the response. Another servant took the letter and delivered it into Kagome's hands.

"Could you please ask the messenger to wait?" She asked the young servant as she inspected the letter in her hand. "I may have a response to send back to Lord Sesshōmaru."

"Yes, Oiran."

Somewhat impatiently, Kagome unfolded the parchment, her eyes quickly tracing over the boldly masculine characters Sesshōmaru had written.

Oiran,

I placed you under my employment so I do not have to deal with this.

Do not disturb me.

Sesshōmaru

His response had Kagome so vexed that she tore the parchment in half.

"Please bring me another sheet of parchment," she instructed the servant.

The moment she had the paper laid on the table in front of her, Kagome dipped her brush in ink and began writing:

My Lord Sesshōmaru,

As the head of the House of the Crescent Moon, is it not your first and foremost duty to see your only sister settled? You spoke about it so eloquently and profoundly at Ritsushima Kōen. I confess I feel rather dismayed at the proof of your apathy.

I look forward to your imminent return.

Higurashi Oiran

… …

Sesshōmaru narrowed his eyes at the letter he held in his hand. I look forward to your imminent return. Imminent? He would not pretend ignorance. He sensed a command in those parting words.

Staring at the paper, he noted the delicate and graceful brushwork that marked her as an educated and accomplished female, begrudgingly admiring the fine wisp at the end of each character that faded into nothing. A Tayū was proficient in all kinds of art, including calligraphy. He supposed he could not expect anything less from someone who had climbed to the top of her profession.

The paper carried the subtle scents of his home, and of her: a delicate fragrance of peonies in bloom. It was such a contrast to the stench of battle surrounding him: a mix of blood, smoke, acid, and burnt flesh.

He looked around at the reminiscent of the battle from earlier. There were always yōkai trying to cross from their realm to the human's unauthorized, and it was a part of his duties as the Lord of the Western Lands to quell the illegal crossing.

However— his golden gaze narrowed. Something was decidedly odd.

He had carefully patrolled the perimeter of his territory three times, and still, he could not find the breach. There were hardly any tracks, and the little he could find was inconclusive. Yet, he could vaguely sense them inside his dominion somewhere. They, or the yōkai who smuggled them, must be experienced in masking their presence because he could not yet pinpoint their location.

However, during his search, he found a band of yōkai who had rampaged through several villages, giving the general population of yōkai a bad name. And so, he had demolished them all.

All and all, a productive trip thus far.

Jaken, emerging from behind the hiding place after the battle was over, found the letter that Sesshōmaru had let slip through his fingers and fell onto the ground.

The imp picked it up and began reading.

"That wench!" He exclaimed. "How dare she take that tone with you, my Lord!"

Sesshōmaru bit back an irritated growl as he shook Bakusaiga to rid the blood that smeared the blade.

"I will write back a message and inquire exactly who she has in mind for my sister."

Jaken gaped at him. "Does that mean you plan to return to the estate, my Lord?"

He scoffed and started to continue on his way. "If her catch proved to be as big as she makes it out to be, I will be more inclined to consider her request."

"What about the runaways, my Lord? You will let them go?"

He stopped to shoot the imp a pointed glare. "Jaken. Do you doubt my abilities to track them down and deal with them?"

"Never, my Lord! I am merely impatient to witness a display of your prowess again. But now, we may have to wait until your return from Inumura Castle."

"Hnn. I will only make my way back to the castle if her lead seems promising."

"But my Lord, who could it be? There are not many unattached Lords in the yōkai realm who can rightfully stand on equal footing with yourself."

"I have an inkling," Sesshōmaru replied, then narrowed his eyes. "It is not a revelation I welcome with open arms."

Jaken put a couple of fingers under his chin as he thought hard. "Certainly… my Lord's sister is a flower that bloomed unseen. She deserves the regards of a Lord of the highest standing…"

"Jaken." Sesshōmaru stopped the imp's blabbering. "Do not say a word of this. Not even to Rin. She will only be too excited and let out a word or two in Inuyasha's hearing."

"Of course, my Lord. We have guarded the secret of Shōri-hime all these years from the hanyō. It would be such a shame to let it slip now."

Sesshōmaru did not respond.

It had not been his initial intention to hide Shōri's existence from Inuyasha. It was something that had never come up, and he was still unsure if it ever should. Inuyasha and Shōri had existed separately in two different realms — parallel to each other, though not necessarily connected. Their common denominator was their father who had been dead for over two and a half centuries.

Simply put, Shōri was not Inuyasha's concern. If the hanyō ever asked, Sesshōmaru might consider telling the truth. But he certainly would never volunteer the information.


The next day

Kagome had only been staying at Inumura Castle for two days, yet she had begun to learn the characters of its inhabitants. Though the complex was large and sprawling, it seemed to run efficiently with a minimum staff.

Aside from Anafune and Kazuhiko, there were other maids, cooks, gardeners whom she had seen and greeted 'good morning', 'good afternoon', and 'good night', but never had the opportunity to sit down and chat with.

So far, she knew Shōri's two personal attendants the best. Anafune was Shōri's buoyant maidservant, very good with needles and threads and even better with hairdressing. She was also in charge of Shōri's extensive wardrobe and the substantial collection of accessories and paraphernalia that completed her ensemble every day. She selected Shōri's outfits at home and every outing, and therefore was very much responsible for the young lady's elegant appearance.

If Anafune was the cheerful stylist, Kazuhiko was the much more taciturn guard. As inconspicuous as a shadow, as quiet as a panther, even if he was an inuyōkai, and therefore more a canine than a feline.

Just as Kagome finished that thought, the soft hairs on her nape stood to attention. She did not sense anything malicious, just a little prod, or a nudge, that something required her attention. Looking up, she found Kazuhiko kneeling just outside the door.

He bowed.

"Oiran, Shōri-hime extends an invitation for you to join her for tea this afternoon."

"That is kind," Kagome said. "Thank you, Kazuhiko-san."

The guard looked up, a faint crease on his brows.

"Oiran, you should not use an honorific when you are speaking to me, or when you are referring to me," the guard said. "I am a servant of this house, while Oiran is an esteemed guest. It is improper for me to receive such regards."

Kagome smiled. "It is just a simple honorific, Kazuhiko-san. Will you not let me keep it?"

The guard stared at her mutely before he bowed again. "Please come to the Lotus Pavilion in the East garden this afternoon. Shōri-hime will be waiting for you."

She inclined her head. By the time she raised her gaze, Kazuhiko had disappeared, his departure as silent as his arrival.

… …

Kagome arrived at the appointed place a little early. She had anticipated getting a little lost before she managed to find the Lotus Pavilion or the East garden, when in fact, they were easy to find. The pavilion hovered above a beautiful pond filled with blooming water lilies. She spotted the stunning profusion of pink and yellow blooms from the path she took from her quarters.

Kagome could see Anafune and Kazuhiko from a distance, but strangely, Shōri was not there.

She had to cross a large clearing to reach the pavilion. After a few steps, she was about to lift her hand to wave a greeting when a massive amount of yōki slammed onto her. She staggered to a halt, too terrified to move. Cold sweat beaded underneath the hairline at the back of her neck. Shuddered breath escaped her lips as she struggled to keep calm.

Lifting her gaze, she saw Kazuhiko slowly approaching. The inuyōkai placed an index finger on his lips, signalling her to keep silent. She felt a potent presence to her right. A colossal presence, from the feel of the aura.

Kagome moved her head a fraction at a time, and there she saw: a gigantic white dog, towering over even the tallest building in the estate. Its massive muzzle was just an arm's length away. She could feel the heat of the creature's breath on her skin. Its lips were pulled back to reveal a row of sharp teeth that could surely tear her asunder into nothing but a heap of flesh and blood.

Kazuhiko finally reached her. Under the vigilant glare of the giant beast, he led her away, one tiny step at a time until they reached the entrance to the pavilion, a distance away from the watchful creature.

"Who…" Kagome gulped. "What… is that?"

"That is Kai, Shōri-hime's beloved pet," Kazuhiko supplied. "He obeys Shōri-hime and Shōri-hime only, and barely tolerates the others living and working at the castle. He has been known to eat first-time guests and new servants. Oiran, please take care and do not get too close to him."

"He is… an inuyōkai, isn't he?"

Kazuhiko nodded. "Kai was born without humanoid form. He is a full beast."

There was intelligence in those crimson eyes. Their turquoise slits expanded as the beast studied Kagome and breathed in, as though cataloguing her figure and scent into his memory. Finally, after moments of tense silence, the beast huffed and turned, skulking away towards the clearing. The earth shook underneath his massive paws, his size gradually shrinking until he was the size of a stallion. Still large for a dog, but nowhere as gargantuan as he had been before.

"He can change his size?" Kagome asked.

Kazuhiko nodded. "He wanted to intimidate you earlier since it was the first time he met you. He did not know if he should treat you as a friend or a foe, so he bulked up to nearly full size. But now, I think he understands."

She hoped this meant Kai had placed her under the 'do not eat' category and felt comfortable enough to be around her in his smallest size.

"And… ah, where is Lady Shōri right now?"

"Oiran is a little early. Shōri-hime is just over there—" Kazuhiko pointed at the forest that hugged the side of the estate. "She is still hunting for her pet."

"Hunting?" Kagome repeated, eyebrows arching with surprise. "For food?"

Kazuhiko nodded. "Kai eats once a week, but he insists on consuming only the freshest kill."

A high-maintenance pet, then, Kagome thought. It was difficult to picture the delicate and feminine Shōri going into the forest to butcher some animals. But— she was Sesshōmaru's sister after all. Though innocent and in possession of much less battle experience, she was born a yōkai.

Kagome decided to wait inside the pavilion where Anafune had laid tea for two on a black lacquered round table. Not long after, Shōri emerged from beyond the clusters of trees, wearing an apron — stained red with blood, and dragging a deer-like creature in each hand. She had caught five. Kazuhiko went to help her stack the kill on a field adjacent to the forest, still within sight of the pavilion. Kai sauntered towards his mistress, affectionately butting his head up against her torso, preening under her touch as she scratched the side of his neck as though he was a mere puppy and not a bloodthirsty beast.

Kagome looked around. It was a rather odd environment. To her left, she could see the splendour of a majestic garden: meticulously landscaped, pristinely maintained. A pond filled with yellow and pink blooming water lilies. A distance away to her right, however, a humongous beast happily munched on a pile of freshly caught game animals, crunching on their bones, blood dripping from its massive jaws. Its muzzle was stained pink with blood and innards.

And in front of her sat her host, as fresh as a peach at the height of its season. Shōri's cheeks were flushed from the exercise, and she practically glowed with radiant health. She had taken off her bloodied apron and rinsed her hands with citrus-scented water. The jade upper garment she wore set off the tone of her skin beautifully, and the mandarin orange skirt emphasized her youth. Again, she wore a hat —a jade and teal silk creation to match her top — though this time, it was more to protect her delicate complexion rather than for propriety.

"This is a large estate for only you and your brother," Kagome said as she poured the tea for both of them. "Are you often lonely while he is away?"

"Ani-ue's duties as one of the Lords of the borderlands often take him away from this estate," Shōri replied. "Thus, I have become accustomed to his absence. It is a shame that we do not often receive guests."

She sent a bright smile in Kagome's way. "Which is why I am delighted that you are here, Kagome-san."

"What about your mother?" Kagome asked, pausing to take a small sip of her tea, tasting the delicate smokiness of the tea leaves. "Does Lady Tsukuyomi visit often?"

Shōri shook her head. "Mother's role is very much similar to my brother's, and so her constant presence is required at the Moon Palace. However, four times a year, I am permitted to join her for a short period."

They enjoyed the tea, and a tray of sweets confections that came with it. Kagome relished a particular one: a chewy rice cake moulded in the shape of cherry blossom and filled with sweet sesame seed paste. She was finishing the last bite when Shōri asked:

"May I ask… a personal question?"

"You may," Kagome said. "I will endeavour to answer."

"Why did you leave the village and… Inuyasha? Ani-ue told me the two of you are married."

Kagome was not surprised that Shōri was curious and had broached the subject during their tea. Perhaps it was a good time to air it all out. After all, it was not a secret, and it should not be.

She took a deep breath. "Your brother is partly correct. Inuyasha and I were married."

"Did you perchance… not love him anymore? Is that why you separated?"

"It was more complicated than that, Shōri. I loved Inuyasha very much," Kagome said. "The first year or two following our wedding, we were very happy. I held the role of the village priestess, and together with a friend of ours, he became a yōkai exterminator. We lived a simple life. We did not have much, but we had each other. Or so I thought."

"What more could you need but each other?"

Kagome smiled sadly at the question.

"Children," she answered.

Shōri looked flummoxed for a moment. "And—" She paused tentatively. "Was that a problem for either of you?"

"Yes, it was," Kagome said. "A big problem, for me, because I am barren."

Shōri was stunned to speechlessness, at least at first. Then, hands on the tables, she leaned forward. Her eyes stared intently at Kagome.

"But— the absence of children is no proof that you are barren," she passionately said. "Besides, how could you be so sure that the issue lies with you and not with him?"

A wistful smile appeared on Kagome's lips. "We tried for five years. And, about a year after I left, he remarried. The last I heard, his new wife gave birth to their third child. So… I do know for a certainty that it is my body that is incapable of conceiving."

Shōri's shoulders sagged as though in defeat. She leaned back in her seat. "I do not understand… How could he remarry when you are still very much alive?"

"I offered him a divorce."

"Divorce?"

"Human marriages are not necessarily for life, Shōri," Kagome explained. "A divorce is a dissolution of marriage in all sense, including legally. In Edo, to divorce a wife, a man only needs to write two lines on a piece of paper and expel her from his home. That is what he did."

"So, Inuyasha divorced you?"

"In his defence, I asked him to."

Once again, Shōri seemed to be at a loss for words as she stared at Kagome with lips slightly parted, the latter idly toying with the confections she had placed on her platter.

"But—" Shōri's softly spoken word prompted Kagome to lift her gaze. The young female's eyes appeared suspiciously bright with moisture.

"Did it not hurt your heart that he went along with it? Even if you had offered him the opportunity." Her voice was thick, as if she was holding back tears.

The ache that remained was a dim, nearly forgotten memory. A phantom pain, reminiscent of a limb long discarded.

"I suppose in my dreams, once upon a time, a part of me wished he would tell me that the two of us was enough," Kagome said. "That I was enough. But he did not. And so, we went our separate ways."

"I see." Shōri's lips turned upside down. "I confess, I feel rather disappointed."

"Disappointed?"

"In him. In my half-brother. In how his love was so easily overcome."

Kagome could not help but smile. Shōri had the ideals of a young girl who believed love would conquer all odds. And so, she should. How wonderful it was to be young at heart. There would be plenty of time for the world and experience to temper those dreams later.

"To be fair, Shōri, it was a simple matter of which one was more important to him: me, or his dream of having a family. I cannot fault him for choosing the latter."

Shōri peered up at Kagome, her expression shy and uncertain. Then, hesitantly she asked: "Even if you are no longer married to my half-brother, may I… still call you Ane-ue?"

Kagome smiled and reached out to squeeze Shōri's hand. Her heart felt oddly warm. She came to this estate to take on a job, not to add a family member to an embarrassingly short list, but she seemed to have found one anyway.

"That, I insist," she told Shōri.


When Sesshōmaru arrived at the village that afternoon, Rin was waiting for him at the field where they usually met. He saw her sitting on a wooden bench, peacefully watching three of her youngest children at play, a soft smile lingered on her lips.

She was no longer the little girl who had been a curious part of his pack. She was now a thirty-six year old woman, respectably settled and married to the Chief of the yōkai taijiya, and a mother to four happy and healthy children, soon to be five. She had also taken over some of Kaede's duties after the old priestess had passed on, and now served as the village midwife.

Her eyes lit up when she saw his approach.

"My Lord," she greeted him, making a wobbly attempt to stand up despite the advanced stage of her pregnancy.

"Rin." He said to her. "Perhaps it is best that you stay seated."

She sighed gratefully and sat back down, patting her swollen belly.

"Why are you alone with the children?" Sesshōmaru asked as the children came over to give him their proper greetings. After a word or two with each, he sent them off to continue their play.

"Why is Kohaku not here to watch over all of you?" Sesshōmaru asked again.

Rin laughed. "My Lord, we are in clear view of the village. Kohaku is nearby. He wanted to stay with us, so much I had to remind him of his responsibilities as Chief."

"Hnn."

Rin's and Kohaku's first and second sons had gone into training to become yōkai taijiya like their father and their aunt. The third son will be going next year, most likely followed by the youngest daughter, and then the latest baby, who will arrive this winter.

Panting as though he had run a mile, Jaken dragged over the chest Sesshōmaru had brought from the estate.

"Rin! Come and look at what Shōri-hime had packed for you and the children!" The imp said.

Opening the chest, Rin found stacks of kimono for herself and for children of various ages. Each one was made from the highest quality fabrics, thick and multi-layered, suitable for autumn and winter that was coming soon. There were even toys for all the children, including the upcoming baby.

Rin smiled gently as she felt the fabric with her fingers. "Though I am thrilled to receive these gifts, I wish Shōri-hime would come and visit us in person," she said.

"Insolent girl! Can you not be grateful for once, Rin?"

"I'm not being ungrateful," she retorted. "I am merely saying I would very much like to see Shōri-hime again."

Before Jaken had the chance to berate Rin again, Sesshōmaru said: "Lady Shōri asked for my permission to come to visit you and the children, but I declined her request."

Rin's face fell. "Why, my Lord?"

"Rin, as a child, you joined me during my travels because these lands are your home. However, Lady Shōri is not from these parts. She does not belong here, and so she will remain in the yōkai realm."

"And Rin," Jaken added. "Think about it. Where will she stay? Where will she sleep?"

"There is an empty hut that we can clean and spruce up for her stay," Rin replied.

Jaken gaped. "Who will care for her?"

"Anafune and Kazuhiko can accompany her like usual," Rin answered readily. "There is plenty of space for everyone."

While Rin and Jaken continued to argue about where Shōri would stay and who would take care of her, Sesshōmaru walked away. It was a pointless argument; he would never permit his sister to cross into these lands.

He was nearly outside the village boundary when Inuyasha stepped into his path.

"Oy, Sesshōmaru."

The hanyō was alone. Sesshōmaru did not see the wife or any of their children around them.

"Did you hear anything about Kagome during your travels?"

Whenever Sesshōmaru visited the village, Inuyasha always asked the same question, and the daiyōkai never had anything to tell. Until today.

Sesshōmaru was not in the habit of lying, but Kagome's whereabouts and present circumstances was not his secret to tell. Before he departed, he had even inquired if she had a message she wished him to pass on to her former husband. She had none.

The daiyōkai turned around and walked away without answering, leaving Inuyasha cursing under his breath.

As he moved farther away from the village, he sensed little footsteps following him. And, just as he was about to enter the woods, he felt a gentle tug at his pelt. He turned and saw the little fox— well, not so little anymore, yet still a way to go before reaching adulthood. The kitsune stood behind him, fingers clutching a handful of furs.

"Shippō, is it?"

The kit peered at him with squinted green eyes. "Do you really not know where Kagome is?"

Sesshōmaru's eyes narrowed in return. The kitsune was quite intuitive for one so young, not to mention brave, grabbing his pelt that way.

"Would you like to see her?" Sesshōmaru asked.

The kitsune's eyes widened with surprise and delight.


Later that night, Kagome sat on the open veranda outside of the guest room, enjoying the fresh air of a summer night. Faintly, she could hear the sound of sozū: a garden feature that trickled water into a bamboo tube, filling it to the brim until it grew heavy and toppled against a rock with a satisfying plunk. Once emptied, the whole thing started all over again.

The conversation with Shōri at tea earlier this afternoon made her slightly melancholy. Unable to sleep, she had gone to the kitchen to ask for a flask of saké. They sent their best, of course, and now she was sitting under the moonlight, reminiscing.

Since her wedding day to Inuyasha, they had never prevented pregnancy. When six months of actively trying for a baby had come and gone, she became concerned and anxious. Inuyasha had always believed that one day, their child would come. But Kagome had come from a very different era, one with vast progress in healthcare and medicine, including that in the field of fertility. If she had been in the modern era, she would have made an appointment at a fertility clinic. She knew many things could be done had she been in the proper age: medicines, cycle monitoring, intra-uterine insemination, surgical procedures, and perhaps, even in-vitro fertilization.

But what were her options in the feudal era?

Kaede-sama had examined her and confirmed there was nothing wrong with her. Nothing deficient, as far as the old priestess could tell. Kagome had looked after herself, watched her diet, making sure she got sufficient rest and exercise, but still… nothing. She had consumed every herb, tea, and traditional medicine they said would help her conceive.

And… nothing.

The repeated failures at conceiving placed a heavy strain on their marriage, casting a pall over their daily lives. Although Inuyasha tried not to show his dismay, especially in her presence, she knew he was disappointed whenever her monthly flow arrived. Disappointment escalated to impatience. Then, slowly but surely, they grew apart, like the frayed hem that unravelled a little every day until one day, it was threadbare.

She had known he had grown up without a family. For almost all his life, he had been alone. Thus, she also knew that he wanted one with his whole heart.

And, gods, she wanted to give it to him. Even if it meant leaving him.

The day she offered him the divorce, he flat out refused, but he had looked embarrassed. And they both knew: in the split second after she suggested it, a part of him, the more honest part, roused to say 'yes'.

She supposed she could have urged Inuyasha to take a second wife. After all, men in grander circumstances had done it. His father, for example. But she understood her own limitations. She would never be at peace, living in the village and watching the man she loved create a family with another woman. It would gnaw at her, eat at her, and she would have died inside a little at a time.

In the end, even after everything, she still wanted that one person who would be hers and hers alone.

And Inuyasha was not going to be that person.

As she aimed her eyes to admire the starry night sky, she saw a figure that looked a lot like Sesshōmaru floating above her. With the moon large and looming behind him, it was quite a magnificent sight. Awed, Kagome watched him landing in the garden, his lower body partially obscured behind a healthy bush of late-blooming camellias.

"I must be hallucinating," she murmured.

"Insufferable woman." Her hallucination spoke in a clipped tone that was very much like Sesshōmaru. "Not only have you summoned me to my own home, then you have the audacity to say I am naught but an illusion?"

She arched her brows but said nothing, watching him approach the veranda. He lowered himself to sit next to her, then looked at her with that half-smirk, half-smile that she used to consider his trademark look.

So— it is you, Kagome thought with bemusement.

"I can see you are deep in your cups," Sesshōmaru commented, looking mildly amused.

"No— it's just that… I had no idea you were going to come."

He raised one elegant eyebrow. "Were you not expecting my imminent return, Oiran?"

She laughed and smacked his arm. "That's just what I wrote to piss you off."

To his credit, he looked more stunned than affronted that she had dared to lay a hand on him.

"Hnn. I see you slip back to your casual speech when you are intoxicated."

"I'm not intoxicated," Kagome replied impatiently. "I might be of small stature, my Lord, but I have developed some tolerance for alcohol."

To her shock, he reached out for the flask of saké and began to pour.

"Wait— let me call someone for another cup," she said, making a hurried move to rise to her feet.

"No, don't bother," he told her. "It is late. I do not wish there to be any whispers that I overwork my servants. This cup will do."

"Well, let me pour for you, at the very least," she said, extending her hand to take the flask from him. He pulled it out of her reach.

"You are here in the capacity of a matchmaker, not an entertainer," he told her. "I do not expect you to pour for me, or sing, or dance, or play any musical instrument for my enjoyment during your time here."

He finished pouring the saké. Kagome could do nothing but watch him drink from the cup she had used, placing his lips where she had placed hers. There was heat on her cheeks that had nothing to do with the saké she consumed.

"I received your latest missive," Sesshōmaru said after he took a sip, oblivious to any nuances that caused the added colour on her cheekbones. "You plan to have Lord Ryūji properly introduced to Shōri."

Kagome nodded, regaining composure. "Customs require that you are present to make the formal introduction."

He scoffed. "You think that bottom feeder is a good match for my sister?

A deep frown appeared between her brows. "Lord Ryūji is not a lobster. He is the head of a mighty dragon clan with a long, rich lineage. He is the right age, has the right looks, and he has everything, including birth and position. I thought you would have approved of him."

Sesshōmaru remained silent as he poured another serving of saké into the cup and handed it to her.

"Are you aware of how my father died, Oiran?"

Kagome accepted the offering. "Because he battled Takemaru no Setsuna to protect Inuyasha and his mother?" She asked before she took a sip.

"Hnn. That was the hay that broke the camel's back. It is not widely known that before battling Takemaru, my father had been fatally wounded. By Ryūkotsusei." He slid his golden gaze towards Kagome. "You recall that pesky dragon?"

Kagome nodded. It was her turn to refill the cup, and so she did. Then, under her watchful eyes, he picked it up and brought it to his lips.

It was entirely inappropriate for them to be sharing a cup back and forth like this. Okami-san would have collapsed with mortification if this had been at the Okiya. But, if Sesshōmaru was not concerned about it, Kagome would not give it a second thought.

"Do you know how Ryūkotsusei's is related to Lord Ryūji?"

She shook her head. To tell the truth, she did not even make the connection until Sesshōmaru mentioned them both in the same sentence.

"Ryūkotsusei—" He paused for effect. "—was Lord Ryūji's uncle. He was exiled from the yōkai realm for unknown reasons. He ended up wreaking all kinds of havoc in the human world, and thus my father was tasked with putting a stop to his rampage."

That day, Inu no Taisho sealed the dragon. A couple hundred years later, Inuyasha finally put an end to it.

"Do you reckon Lord Ryūji wanted an introduction to Shōri so he could get started on a family vendetta?" Kagome asked.

"I am not certain." He sighed and rose to his feet, pacing back and forth along the garden path.

"I have no objection to allowing a formal introduction," Sesshōmaru decided. "But, Oiran, beware of Lord Ryūji's true intentions. I do not wish my sister to fall into the hands of someone who is plotting revenge on this family. We must be certain before their relationship advances. Once Shōri is out of this house, she will be under the full control of her mate, and I will no longer have legal rights to protect her."

"Certainly," Kagome replied. "I do not desire Lady Shōri to enter into any union that may make her unhappy." She thought for a moment and sighed.

"I have known Lord Ryūji in my capacity as an Oiran for a long time, and he had always behaved honourably," she continued. "However, I was not aware of the intricate history between him, Ryūkotsusei, and your father, and the possibility of a blood feud between the dogs and the dragons. If you are willing to formally introduce them, let us proceed with that part. We will keep their interactions under strict surveillance until we can be sure the Lord has no ulterior motives."

Sesshōmaru did not respond, but she could sense his quiet agreement.

They sat side by side in silence, both watching the moonlit night sky as the night-blooming blossoms unfurled and released their sweet fragrance into the air. Somewhere in the gardens, a fish leapt over the pond before plunging back into the water with a gentle splash. Summer fireflies came out to play, their tiny bodies twinkling like golden stars in the darkness of the night. All the while, the moon continued to loom large, shining silver above their heads.

As she sipped, she wondered: why does the saké taste so sweet this night?


A/N:

Another chapter done. Thank you so much for your continued support. I hope you enjoyed this last instalment.

Not sure if any of you are curious about Shōri's wardrobe, as sometimes it is described as something that sounds quite western: a top, a skirt, and a hat. Though Kagome wears the traditional Japanese kimono, albeit more elaborate ones when she performs as an Oiran, Shōri's costumes are inspired by traditional Korean hanbok, which consists of a top upper garment, and a billowy skirt. Since I am describing the yōkai realm being in a sort of parallel universe, I feel a change in fashion is justified, and fun. The billowy skirt also allows for more movements than the more constricting kimono, in case she does need to fight one day. Her hats (with veil), is known as jeonmo, which interestingly, was historically worn by gisaeng (courtesans in Korea during the Joseon dynasty).

Anyway, thanks for reading! As always, comments are greatly appreciated. Until next time!