Kagome waited by the eastern gate, nervously shifting her weight. She could see Sango approaching from the palace, her light pink kosode traded for dark armor that wrapped tight around her form. Her long hair was held high above her head and a giant white weapon hung from her back. As she neared, Kagome ran her hands over her hakama, flattening non-existent wrinkles in the fabric.
"Kagome-chan, are you ready?" Sango asked.
"Hai, Sango-chan," she replied, hoping that with a little time her apprehension would be calmed. Together they walked through the gardens, cutting directly to a large dojo. Guards trained, steel flashing in coordinated movements. Sango led her to a corner of the dojo where extra katana, naginata, yari, and other weapons were stored.
"Sango-chan, what is that?" Kagome asked as Sango removed the giant weapon from her back, leaning it against the wall.
"Ah, this thing," Sango smiled, patting the weapon fondly, "this is Hiraikotsu. It was a gift from my father upon completing my training in our village." A faint smiled lingered as Sango's eyes glossed over, recalling her childhood.
"Does everyone receive a weapon so large?" Kagome inquired, her natural curiosity once more emerging. "What is it made of? How do you use it?"
"No, this one is different than others," Sango said, laughing lightly as she began answering Kagome's questions. "My younger brother was trained to use a kusarigama, and my mother used a yari as well as a bow. Our weapons choose us, and each one selects its bearer perfectly."
"Your mother fought as well?" Kagome asked, surprised.
"Yes. In my village it is common for everyone to learn the art of war, regardless of their station," Sango answered quickly, selecting a pair of wooden tanto from the wall and offered one to Kagome which the young woman quickly accepted, holding the practice knife delicately.
"So, how do the weapons choose who will wield them?"
"They are made using demon bones, and… it'd difficult to describe, but the weapon calls to its bearer. I knew I was made for it when I first saw it."
"Demon bones? You're joking! Isn't steel stronger than bone?"
"Ie, our village has made weapons for centuries that last far longer than anything a swordsmith could forge," Sango said proudly, looking fondly over her great boomerang. "Come on Kagome, let me teach you a magic trick," she declared, walking into a smaller room attached to the main dojo. This room was empty save for the two of them. The tatami mats creaked slightly as Sango stepped forward confidently and held her hands up, the wooden tanto nowhere in sight.
Confused, Kagome started to speak, only to look on in shock as Sango produced the sturdy knife from her sleeve. Chuckling, Sango twisted her wrist and the knife disappeared again.
"How did you do that?" Kagome cried.
"Practice. I'll show you how it's done," said Sango. Moving to Kagome's side, Sango demonstrated how to properly hold a tanto knife when obscuring it from view, and how a quick movement of the wrist would allow her to grab the handle and bare the weapon for use. Kagome's attempts resulted in the knife falling to the ground multiple times, at one point nearly shredding the sleeve of her yukata. Sango patiently explained how using her wrist allowed full control over the blade, and Kagome nodded in determination. By the ninth time, Kagome no longer dropped the wooden tanto. After the seventeenth attempt, she had nearly acquired the same motion Sango had shown her, though with much less grace. Sango happily demonstrated other maneuvers and movements that were flashy enough for a younger brother, though Kagome remained focused on achieving the first movement perfectly. Strands of hair fell out of the elegant twist Atsuko had made, and Kagome removed the comb and secured it in her hakama, scared to lose it from her hair. Her own limbs moved stiffly, unused to the types of movement she now forced upon them, while Sango's arms moved like snakes, cutting through the air. Finally, she succeeded in flicking her wrist to reveal the blade with the same fluidity Sango had and squealed with joy.
"Arigatou Sango-chan! This is the perfect thing to show my otouto!" Kagome hugged the young samurai quickly, her exuberance spilling over to the warrior.
"It's nothing Kagome-chan, a mere parlor trick. If you want, I can keep teaching you other things to show your otoutosan," Sango offered slowly. "For now, you keep that," she said, pointing to the wooden tanto, "so you can practice whenever you want."
"Shouldn't I return it?"
"There are plenty of practice tanto, that one will not be missed."
"Ok," Kagome said, tucking it into her yukata. "Now what?"
"Now we train on horseback – have you ridden before?" Sango said, turning to meet Kagome's eyes.
"Err, I am afraid I've never ridden before. I never cared to," Kagome admitted. "Horses have scared me since I was a little girl, though I'm not sure why," she said, nervous laughter filling the gaps in the conversation.
"That's okay, we all have to start somewhere. The palace has quite a few mares who are good for first-time riders – granted most of those riders are children – but I'd be happy to teach you!"
"Sango-chan, whatever did I do to deserve a friend like you!" Kagome responded brightly, causing Sango to laugh.
"The Kami have blessed me by sending at least one sensible girl to the palace to help me endure this silly selection process!" Sango replied and their laughter trailed after them as they made their way to the stables.
Kagome inspected the horse Sango selected for her, uncertain that she should have accepted this daunting task. The mare was on the smaller side, almost too small to truly be considered a horse. The horse's dark brown coat shone in the dappled sunlight, and Kagome hesitantly patted the filly's neck, jerking back when the animal's large glassy eyes turned to meet her own.
She heard Sango calling out to her but couldn't make sense of the words she said. Carefully breaking eye contact with the mare, she turned to Sango, who was sliding a thin saddle over the horse's back.
"Yui won't bite, Kagome. She's as gentle as they come," Sango said easily, patting the mare's stocky neck affectionately. "Here, I'll help you into the saddle." Moving so that she was next to Kagome, Sango took Yui's reins in her hand, leading her to a set of miniature stairs. Beckoning Kagome come closer, she instructed, "Step up on the stairs and throw your leg over the saddle." Following her instructions, Kagome quickly rose and swung her leg over Yui's back, uncomfortably settling into the saddle. Sango quickly mounted her own steed, a chestnut charger with lively eyes. Sango's horse snorted loudly, and Yui turned her head, her great brown eyes no livelier than they had been when Kagome had first seen them. Lazily, the mare walked out to the fields, her head dipping down for a bite of sweet grass. Kagome turned to Sango, frantically trying to decide if she should just fall off the horse that moment or if the young samurai had another magical skill of controlling a horse from far away.
Sango steered her steed towards Kagome's and reached over, grabbing the reins from Kagome. She led the horses at a walking pace, Yui trailing behind the charger at an easy pace.
"Sango-chan, do all horses go this fast?"
Sango looked to Kagome in disbelief, saying, "Kagome-chan, this is as slow as they can walk."
"R-really?" Kagome squeaked out, trying not to think of the giant creature below her moving any faster.
Bringing the horses to a halt, Sango looked down at where Kagome sat on her mare. Reaching over, she gently pushed Kagome's shoulders back, adding, "Try sitting up more, but keep your shoulders relaxed. Horses can tell when you're nervous, and if you're nervous she won't trust you."
"Like this?" Kagome asked, adjusting her posture to mirror Sango's.
"Exactly. Here, take the reins back – you don't need to jerk them around, Yui knows how to follow. If you want to turn or something, just move the reins where you want to go," Sango supplied. Gingerly, Kagome took back the reins, all the while thinking, I hope Yui is as good at following as Sango said. The young women continued through the fields, driving their horses towards the woods. The rest of their morning would have been spent leisurely, had it not been for a red-clad hanyou riding furiously towards them. The grey dappled horse he rode galloped harshly, muscles pumping underneath its gleaming coat.
Pulling his horse to match their pace, Inuyasha took one look at Kagome's uncertain seat on the filly before smirking, "First time on a horse? You've gotta be kidding!"
"How would you know that?" Kagome snapped.
"Come on! You're all slouchy and your horse doesn't trust you. Keh, you can't even steer the oldest horse in the stables without help," he jeered, jerking his chin in Sango's direction.
"Inuyasha-sama, please stop bothering Kagome-chan. I am trying to teach her to ride," Sango said wearily.
"Keh, like she'll be able to learn," he mocked. His dappled horse stomped his foot, prancing agitatedly in place. Expertly handling the huge stallion, Inuyasha walked him closer to Kagome's side.
"Why do you have to be so mean?" Kagome asked, her eyes getting glassy.
"I'm not mean, you're just sensitive and girly and stuff," he retorted.
Sango glared at Inuyasha, repeating pointedly, "No Inuyasha-sama, you are mean and rude and I think it would be best if you left now." Her gaze never left Inuyasha's, a harsh challenge hanging in the air.
"Keh, you're boring anyway," the prince said loudly, his voice grating on Kagome's ears. His eyes betrayed him though, golden orbs stealing a glance at Kagome, taking in the thick black waves hanging down her back and the agitated azure eyes of the woman before him. Kagome scowled at him, sticking her tongue out for a fraction of a second before turning her mare away from him and walking closer to the trees. Sango followed close behind, tossing her hair over her shoulder. Giving his horse a light kick, Inuyasha went back to the palace at a more leisurely pace, content that he had elicited such a reaction from the young woman. Her actions and words intrigued him, and he happily thought that Higurashi Kagome was the most interesting woman his parents had brought to the palace. The wind carried her voice to his ears, and the corner of his lip curled up in a rash grin as he heard her mutter "Inu-baka" under her breath.
The sun hung low in the sky when Kagome and Sango returned to the stables. Kagome had refused to return any earlier, even though it meant she had missed the midday meal, claiming she wanted to improve by the next day just to show Inuyasha how quickly she could pick up riding. Sango uneasily agreed, and when they arrived back in the stables Kagome understood her friend's apprehension. Her legs buckled underneath her when she dismounted from Yui, and Sango moved quickly to catch her. Kagome sat heavily on the ground, bewildered by her non-functioning limbs.
"Oh, Kagome-chan, I fear we have ridden far too long today. You'll probably be very sore these next few days," Sango said gently.
"W-what?" Kagome asked, her mind fuzzy. Struggling to stand, she leaned heavily on Sango for support, the two women gently making their way back to the palace.
"Perhaps you should head for the baths, Kagome-chan. The hot water will help relax your muscles, so it should reduce your pain," Sango supplied, leading Kagome to the bath house on the other side of the palace. Their progress was interrupted by Koga, who caught sight of their sluggish stroll. Once he learned why they were moving so slowly, Koga chuckled before offering to take Kagome the rest of the way. Gently lifting Kagome in his arms, Koga made quick work of traversing the palace; within mere moments Kagome was at the entrance to the baths, steam spilling out the wooden doors.
Koga set her down, and Kagome hobbled in, turning back briefly to ask "Would you mind finding my maid to come find me? I'm afraid these clothes stink of horses." Her easy smile had Koga nodding in agreement.
"What's her name?"
"Atsuko. Arigatou, Koga-kun," Kagome said, bowing her head in gratitude. Continuing her stilted walk into the bath house, Kagome thanked the kami for hot springs and herbal baths. She stripped, tossing her soiled clothes into a nearby corner, and sank happily into the steaming baths, protesting muscles loosening in the hot water. Scrubbing the dirt and grime of the trail off her skin, Kagome looked at her reflection in the water. It wasn't a perfect mirror, but in the slight ripples she saw her hair, an untamed mane floating around her head, her face flushed with the exertion of the day's activities. The sun had also burned its mark on her face, the light pink tint sure to stand out when she joined the other ladies for dinner that evening. Groaning to herself, she sunk deeper into the pool to soak until Atsuko arrived with a fresh yukata.
When Kagome entered the dining hall that evening, her eyes were drawn immediately to Sango, who sat at the close end of the table. Around her were a few other courtiers; most of the ladies vying for the prince's attention sat closer to the Imperial family. Kagome looked down the length of the table, and quickly realized her options were severely limited. She could either sit next to Inuyasha where an empty space was held or claim the place by Sango at the end furthest from the royal family. Her eyes met Inuyasha's, and he gave an arrogant huff. Well, that decides that I guess, promptly taking the seat next to her new friend. Sango looked up in surprise, and then delight, upon realizing the person sitting next to her would not be one of the vain women who had permeated the palace keep.
Servants began placing steaming dishes before everyone seated at the table, and Kagome's stomach growled in anticipation. The meal passed quickly, Kagome talking quietly with Sango over the many courses of rice, fish, and vegetables. Every so often a girl closer to the prince would make a loud comment hoping to grab his attention, and the two women would glance down the length of the table before quietly laughing to themselves. Even more often, Kagome would catch golden eyes staring at her from down the table, though they would quickly redirect attention to anything else when she looked in their direction. Inuyasha-sama isn't very good at hiding his interest, though he could act more like a gentleman about it. Each time she caught his gaze and he looked away, she could swear she saw his cheeks flush pink and his ears perk up, one subtly turned in her direction, his head tilted subconsciously. After the meal, Kagome slipped into the hallway, walking beside Atsuko when one of the other young women– Natsumi, her mind supplied– present at dinner cornered her.
"I see you learned your lesson yesterday," she said, red lips carefully and snidely forming each word while blocking her from continuing down the hallway. Fine jewels hung from an intricately crafted necklace, the stones glinting in the low light; Natsumi's powdered white face loomed at Kagome in the near darkness as she said, "so kind of you to leave that spot open by Inuyasha-sama for me."
"Huh?" Kagome asked, shifting so that she was slightly in front of Atsuko.
"Are you really so stupid? The prince won't want anyone like you– just look at yourself!" Kagome subconsciously patted at her wild hair, loosely hanging down her back. Her burned face flushed darker in anger, the insult to herself and her family igniting her ire. "You want my opinion? You'll be gone within a fortnight, back to whatever hovel you and your disgraced family crawled out from," Natsumi taunted, dark eyes proclaiming victory over Kagome.
"You're wrong!" Kagome sputtered, but Natsumi only laughed as she turned and disappeared in the dark hallway.
Kagome woke in the middle of the night and slipped out of her futon far earlier than she had the past few nights, unable to sleep. Restlessness plagued her, her mind fixating on Inuyasha's strange behavior and Natsumi's aggressive promise. Gliding quietly through the now-familiar halls, she passed through familiar junctures and into the gardens. Finding the same lotus pond, she sat calmly among the flowers, looking up at the sky. Cicadas sung in the trees, their chirping chorus a lullaby to the tired girl. Kagome lay flat on her back, watching the heavens for signs that the Kami were looking down on her. Maybe Souta is watching the sky now too. Over there is the Celestial River, and Kengyu is watching Tanabata, waiting for the bridge to form so they can be together. I hope that whomever I wed looks at me the same way. Her eyelids slid shut, the romance of Kengyu and Tanabata lulling her to sleep.
The morning sun hid behind a blanket of thick clouds and a chill was felt throughout the palace, the late summer season foretelling of the coming autumn. Moaning lightly, Kagome turned in her sleep, rolling in the gentle flowers. Dew wet her yukata and Kagome groggily pushed her hair out of her face. Sitting up, she looked around, realizing that she had accidentally fallen asleep outside. Quickly standing, she hurried to the palace, brushing dirt and dew off her yukata, unaware of the golden eyes watching her progress until she ran squarely into the owner of those eyes. Her azure orbs slowly rose to meet his, and Kagome fell into a deep bow.
"Majesty, I apologize – I did not look where I was going and I was w–"
"Higurashi-san, what brings you to these gardens at such an early hour?" Bemusement colored the Emperor's voice, his fanged smile bestowed on her.
"I was unable to sleep, and I came here," she said, gesturing weakly to the gardens behind her, "to watch the stars. Please, forgive me," she rushed, bowing deeply. What an embarrassment I am! At this rate, Natsumi will be right about me being sent home! From the corner of her eye, she saw the sizable indentation she had made in the flowers and on the grass and red bloomed over her cheeks. She kept her head down, hoping that her insult and devastation to the gardens would be forgiven. A low rumble rolled out from the Emperor, like the growling of a dog, and she dared to glance up to see his face. To her surprise, he was laughing, his great fangs shining in the muffled light.
"Higurashi," he began, his deep voice loud in the quiet morning, "there was no ill done here. Go," he said, jerking his chin towards the palace, "most of them in the keep are sleeping so you shouldn't run into anyone else."
"Hai, Inu Taisho-sama," Kagome said, her cheeks flaring at his word choice. She bowed her head quickly and bolted down the path like a hunted rabbit. She made her way to her room through nearly empty hallways and corridors and almost made it back to her futon when she bumped into Atsuko.
"Kagome-san!" Atsuko cried happily as the pair reunited in a small alcove. The little girl had been frantic upon discovering her mistress was no longer in her room and had taken to searching the entire palace to find Kagome. "Where have you been? I was just about to send guards to find you and alert the Emperor, I was so worried!"
"Forgive me Atsuko, I couldn't sleep. I thought watching the stars might help but I fell asleep in the gardens," Kagome blushed, "And now I find myself in dire need of a bath."
"Hai, Kagome-san," Atsuko replied, and the two headed directly for the bath house, stopping briefly for Atsuko to collect clean attire for Kagome to change into. Keeping to their morning ritual, Kagome allowed Atsuko to once more confine her hair into a twisted mass secured by a comb and quickly donned her clean yukata. By this time, a few other women had entered the bath house, their maids trailing behind them. Unlike her previous encounters with many of the selected women, the morning proved they were no different than Kagome, at least on some level. Each woman's hair had odd bends or kinks from sleep, their faces held no powder and their lips no tint. Tired eyes met hers as they each stumbled to an area of the baths to refresh themselves before the day began.
Kagome looked to Atsuko and grinned conspiratorially, saying, "Let's get out of here before they wake up and start talking about jewels and princes and stuff." Atsuko returned the expression and they left as quickly as they had come, giggling all the way back to Kagome's room about how unimpressive the women were without their cosmetics and fine clothes.
Their good spirits lasted through the morning meal and Kagome passed the morning in leisure, returning to the library and archives of the palace to find more books to read until Yuuto and Touma arrived with her things. I wish I'd at least grabbed the book I was reading. They probably have it in here somewhere, though. I'll just have to find another copy until my things get here. Goal in mind, Kagome set out to find Matsuo Bansho's books of poetry. She strolled through the shelves, fingers trailing over the collection of books and scrolls assembled in the palace. Occasionally her hands would stop, pulled in by the books they touched. She read their unfamiliar titles and promised to remember them when she finished Matsuo's Oku no Hosomichi. Finally, at the end of a long row of dusty scrolls, she found a section she assumed to be poetry, for many of the names stuck out to her as poets– Fujiwara no Teika and Kokin Wakashu, old poets from ages long past, to more recent works from authors such as Yosa Buson. She nearly squealed when she spotted the book she sought, happily extracting the thin volume from the shelves. Kagome headed for the small room attached to the archives with assorted cushions and pillows. Claiming a soft blue cushion in the furthest corner, she settled in and lost herself in the poetry.
Hours passed before Atsuko collected her for the noon meal. Kagome was still sore from riding the day before and sleeping on the ground combined with sitting for hours had not helped her situation. Her muscles strained as she stood, complaining with sudden intensity. Kagome gently ambled behind Atsuko, grateful once they made it to the dining hall and she could sit again, once more forgoing a place closer to the head of the table and the impudent prince in favor of the space Sango saved for her. The typical fare was laid on the table, women made the same comments hoping to ensnare Inuyasha in conversation, the hanyou's ears never relaxed, and Kagome caught him looking at her more than once. The meal progressed at an agonizing pace and she felt that they would never leaver the table. Thankfully before long the Emperor and his wife rose and left, Inuyasha close behind them. He glanced at Kagome before exiting the room, golden eyes burning with curiosity. Sango and Kagome waited for the horde of women to leave after Inuyasha and slipped out quietly to the gardens, heading for the stables.
Once more, Kagome uncertainly mounted the docile mare, following Sango out to the fields. She held the reins tight in her hands, knuckles turning white. Their horses plodded along dirt paths, taking them into the woods.
"Where are we going?" Kagome asked lightly. The trees swallowed up her gentle voice, an unusual reverence in the woods.
"I thought I'd take you to the edge of the dragon lands - I always loved watching them fly when I first came here- I thought you'd like to see them," Sango replied, steering her chestnut steed deeper through the woods, breaking away from the path. Yui followed along, the change in terrain essentially unnoticed to the old mare.
"We're going to see dragons?" Kagome blurted out, eliciting a laugh from Sango.
"Hai," Sango laughed, "They live at the foot of the mountains–"
"I know, Koga-kun told me! How many are there? Do they fly all the time? Koga said they can turn into humans, have you ever seen them or talked to them?" Kagome's eager inquisition began, and the ride to the foothills passed quickly in conversation. The two women were so engrossed in conversation they didn't realize that a red-clad prince followed them from afar, his dappled charger weaving through the woods in their wake.
When they arrived at the border of the dragon's territory, Sango spurred her horse into a light trot, Yui faithfully trailing after her. The new gait had Kagome bouncing in the thin saddle, and she dug her hands into Yui's coarse mane, fingers looking for purchase. The reins slipped from her grasp, a pointless endeavor to give Kagome a modicum of control over her steed. The mare increased her gait, confused by her rider's actions. As she bounced in the saddle, she saw Inuyasha's riding up from behind them, his charger's legs pumping at a full gallop. Coming closer to her, he reached down and grabbed the hanging reins, tugging the mare to a stop. The two sat side by side, horses shifting and snorting, Inuyasha looking down at Kagome.
"What'dya think you're doin?" He asked loudly. "Oi, Sango! If you're gunna teach her to ride, at least teach her to use the reins! Stupid girl," he muttered, tightening his grip on the reins. Kicking his own horse's flanks lightly, they started walking to where Sango had stopped at the top of the ridge.
"Kagome, are you alright? What happened?" called Sango, worry in her eyes and voice.
"I'm fine, I just got nervous when we started going faster," Kagome said, embarrassment filling her whole being. Then she sat up in her saddle and turned to Inuyasha, looking up at him in agitation, saying, "But just because I'm learning doesn't mean I'm stupid, you jerk." Snagging the reins out of Inuyasha's shocked hands, she kicked her mare's sides and pulled the reins away from the prince, intent on heading to where Sango sat a few strides away.
"Keh, whatever."
Reaching Sango, the two headed for a good vantage point from which the could watch the few dragons flying in the sky. They were nearly over the ridge when Kagome called back, "Inuyasha-sama, aren't you coming with us?"
With a small grin, Inuyasha spurred his horse over to them, making up the lost ground in seconds. He slowed, matching their pace, and looked down to see Kagome smiling brightly back at him. The trio walked on towards a rocky outcropping, following Sango in silence.
Shielding her eyes from the sun, Kagome watched the skies for dragons, eagerly awaiting their appearance. Her eyes moved from clouds to horizon to the peaks of the mountains, trying to figure out where they would be, when one of the clouds exploded as a dragon flew through it. The dragon was a soft blue, the color of the skies; smaller and nimbler than Haruto, the dragon wove between clouds and Kagome lost sight of it as it soared up, blending in to the sky. Kagome jerked the reins and Yui stopped moving, Inuyasha and Sango pausing to look at her in question. She didn't see them, eyes still lost to the sky. Her jaw hung open in awe, eyes large and luminous. Inuyasha's flaming gold eyes softened at the picture of a young woman so in awe of the great demons that she looked like a little child who had just experienced kompeito candy for the first time. Their group sat quietly, Kagome watching the skies, Inuyasha watching Kagome, and Sango watching them both. Dragons flew over them, their brilliant colors filling the sky. The smallest dragons twisted elegantly, ducking and dodging around the giants in the air. A few of them flew low to the ground, one even passing above them close enough that Kagome saw the sun through the thin membrane of its wing. They sat for hours, until the sun hung low enough to warrant their return.
Inuyasha walked his horse closer to Kagome, saying quietly, "Hey, Kagome, we can always come back tomorrow. Let's go eat."
"Really?" Hope filled her voice.
"Keh, yeah, if you really want to. They're just dragons, nothin special– now let's go, I'm starving!" he declared, grabbing her mare's reigns once more, steering them back in the direction of the palace and tapping the horses into a light trot. Kagome was glad he was slightly ahead of her and watching their path so that she could smile freely as they rode back, her nervousness gone in the presence of the prince.
They arrived at the palace with time to spare before the evening meal was served, and Kagome escaped for a quick bath– her hair and skin held sweat and salt from her afternoon, and, hoping not to offend the Emperor's nor Inuyasha's noses, she decided a quick soak was in order before attending dinner. Freshly clean, Atsuko hurriedly brushed her hair as Kagome stood in front of the closet, deliberating on what kimono to wear. Time was short, and Kagome pulled a plain kimono and obi from the wardrobe, frantically slipping it on. Atsuko grabbed the obi and fixed it around Kagome's waist, knotting it behind her back with practiced ease.
"Kagome-chan, are you sure you don't want me to do your hair or find some jewelry for you?" Atsuko asked, uncertain that the simple kimono would hold up to the scrutiny of the other women.
"What? No, this is perfect!" Kagome declared, glancing in the small mirror to ensure nothing was glaringly wrong with her appearance. Satisfied, she turned to Atsuko and said, "Let's go eat!"
The two walked through the palace, Kagome now beside Atsuko instead of behind her. Kagome excitedly narrated her day to Atsuko, happily detailing the different dragons she had seen during her time with Inuyasha and Sango. The walk to the dining hall was too short, and Kagome promised to tell Atsuko more after the meal. They entered the hall, Atsuko leading Kagome to a seat at the furthest end of the table. She passed Sango, surrounded by courtiers and other women, their eyes meeting in apology. So much for a peaceful meal to end today, Kagome thought bitterly. When Atsuko finally indicated which space was Kagome's, her eyes flew open in shock. Only two spaces separated her from the Emperor's seat at the head of the table, and the one across from her typically reserved for Inuyasha. Other women arrived to fill in the other open spaces, many shooting her hateful glares even as they sat gracefully at their allotted spaces. She sat, wringing her hands within the sleeves of her kimono.
When the Emperor and Empress entered and sat, a third person came with them. His ethereal appearance looked out of place in the room full of courtiers and humans. His spiky blue hair stuck up at sharp angles, burning blue eyes looking around the room in interest. His ears were hidden in his blue mop, but Kagome knew they were pointed– this man was a demon. His skin radiated, a sheen of silver glinting in the light. Intricate patterns ran over his skin, like the scales of a snake, and elegantly tapered nails played in the air. It's like he's made of magic or something. The being walked towards her, taking the seat between herself and the Emperor. His eyes met hers, and a pinch of familiarity ran through her.
"Haruto-san?"
Thanks for reading! Based off of recent reviews, I realized I need to plan my writing a little bit more so the next four or five chapters are all mapped out and the actual pairing for this fic will start building soon. I'm sorry this is kinda slow moving, I'll need to go back and update some earlier chapters and consolidate and add some other things!
Please review!
-homestyler
