Chapter 12: The New Arrival
High above them, a star fell, leaving a gleaming trail in its wake.
"Father, did you—"
"Yes, my son. I saw it."
Quiet tension hung in the air.
"Why does it matter?"
Inu no Taisho was silent, his harsh gaze flicking at his expectant son, revealing nothing. Sesshomaru cocked his head slightly, trying to interpret the importance of the sign.
"You are keeping something from me."
The Emperor still said nothing.
"This Sesshomaru does not appreciate being kept ignorant of things."
"Then you should expect your alpha to inform you when the time is right, pup."
As his son left, Inu no Taisho returned to his observation of the skies.
The next morning dawned clear and crisp. Sesshomaru slid the door open to the dining hall with quiet ease. Unsurprisingly, the hall was empty except for a few members of the royal court. They acknowledged him as he passed, walking to the head of the great table. From his position, he watched as the assembled nobles ate and took their leave of the dining hall.
As he began his own breakfast, Higurashi slipped into the hall. Gone were the rags from yesterday and the exquisite kimono from the day before. Now, she wore a simple blue yukata and bore the lightest of make-up, her lips barely stained red. Her eyes were red too, and puffy. She has been crying. Hn… She walked forward, taking a seat far away from others, further up the table than they dared claim. Servants placed bowls of rice and soup in front of the girl, who barely acknowledged them. She sat, eyes downcast, halfheartedly picking at one of the dishes before her. Sesshomaru took advantage of the opportunity to study the girl without scrutiny. Higurashi was unlike many of the other irritating women who had come to the palace, however her reason for attendance was much the same. Her arrival was a stark contrast from the pomp of the other young women. Her face was plain, her eyes expressive. She acted without regard for status and appearance, yet her words reflected intelligence and a desire to impress. But she was also humble and fragile, if the last few days had been anything to go by.
Higurashi represented a puzzle. A new, interesting, and intriguing puzzle. After her strange display last night, he spent the night reflecting on his interactions with her. She was of little importance compared to the other potential mates that filled the palace, however she had managed to infiltrate different spheres of palace life with ease. His father's advisors and generals all showed this girl great deference, actively seeking out her company. He had seen Higurashi with Himura Sango frequently, as well as Kitayama Koga. He even recalled a night when the dragon Haruto had dined by her side, engaging the girl in constant conversation. They each competed for her attention, for her praise. The dragon sought her out for flowers, leaving his own in return. Even her handmaid seemed enraptured with the girl, showing an unexpected loyalty and fierce protectiveness of her mistress. Strange, this girl who attracts those of power and influence. And Inuyasha is clearly smitten with her.
Higurashi shifted, and Sesshomaru's eyes widened slightly. In his musings, he had lost awareness of himself and had been focusing on the young woman for several minutes. A cursory glance at the rest of the hall showed that no one noticed his lapse of attention, yet Higurashi's gaze met his own for a moment. She had noticed.
That evening, Atsuko aided Kagome in preparing for the evening meal. Their routine of bathing and dressing took on a mellow overtone as Kagome declined Atsuko's offerings of scented soaps and beautiful kimono, the young girl trying in vain to improve her mistress' mood. Atsuko conceded, and quietly set to arranging Kagome's hair. Before long, the pair set off for the dining hall, Kagome wearing an elegant yet inconspicuous kimono of dark blue silk, accented on the sleeves and hem by a glittering gold design. After her experience the last time she walked these halls, Kagome stayed to the edge of the hallways, eyes nervously glancing for signs of Natsumi and her posse. The pair soon arrived and Atsuko led Kagome into the now-familiar dining hall.
What Kagome noticed first was the general buzz of light conversation in the hall, an undercurrent of excitement accenting the typical chatter. Then she noticed distinct lack of an open space. Scanning the rows of seats at the table, her nerves grew as she failed to identify where she would be sitting. The sides of the long table were filled, occupants talking in hushed tones. The sight was not abnormal, as many ladies and courtiers frequently arrived before her at previous meals. As she glanced towards the head of the table, her heart fluttered at her final realization. The space across from Inuyasha- her space- was occupied. Another young woman had claimed it, and the hanyou had yet to take his eyes off her. The royal family remained enraptured by the woman as well. The woman had long, straight hair that fell down her back in a thick sheet. Her voice was gentle and soft, but carried across the hall. The other women were conversing lightly, yet Kagome heard no derogatory remarks about this new contender for the princes' hearts. The women and other nobles commented on her beauty, her poise, or her presence- how appropriately and perfectly she met the requirements as a potential future mate for either of the Emperor's sons. It's like she's cast a spell to make them all love her, Kagome thought ruefully. Maybe they'll finally just leave me alone now. Even Natsumi did not notice nor scorn her, too deeply involved in listening to the mystery woman's story.
From her vantage across the room, Kagome could not see the woman's face, but seeing Inuyasha's had caused enough damage to her pride. Coupled with the lack of seating, Kagome's breathing hitched, tears prickling in her eyes. Atsuko paused her search for a seat to assure her mistress, concern growing as she recognized the mounting distress.
"Kagome-san, I am sure there has been a mistake— I can fix it, I promise!" Atsuko said quietly, her hushed voice not breaking the overall murmur. As she looked for one of the attendants, Kagome dared another glance at Inuyasha. I thought I was his friend, she thought sadly. Could he really forget me so quickly? She shifted on her feet, uncomfortable to be standing awkwardly at the side of the full banquet table. A glint caught her attention, and through watery eyes she connected with Sesshomaru's stare from the far end of the table. He showed no interest in the newest arrival, nor in the food that was rapidly being served. His eyes focused on her and her alone, and Kagome offered a weak nod in his direction. His nostrils flared slightly, the corner of his mouth twitching into a nearly imperceptible frown.
Next to him, Inu no Taisho glanced at Kagome as she slipped to the edge of the hall, his eyes at first genteel, then narrowing in intense scrutiny. Kagome did not see, yet the Emperor glanced once more from her to the woman in front of his younger son.
"Gomen nasai Kagome-san. It appears there has been a mix-up in the dining schedules. You will dine in the smaller hall tonight. Please, forgive me," Atsuko murmured to her.
"Hai, of course," Kagome whispered, "It is no problem, Atsuko-chan."
As she stepped through the doorway, Kagome looked once more at Inuyasha. To her surprise, the woman across from him was looking at the door, straight at Kagome. Her simpering smile flashed at the hanyou, but her eyes met Kagome's with cold, proud contempt, proclaiming utter victory over the retreating girl. The strangest realization came after the door slid shut. She looks like she could be my twin.
I'm kicking myself because I had a few things outlined and then I realized that I've written some things too soon and I wrote myself a few major plot holes that I am now trying to amend. I'll be updating the previous chapters so they fit with fixing these holes (I am so mad at myself. Ugh.) I' also revising, so those changes and updates will be reflected on the chapter itself, with the original publish date and the date it was updated.
I'm also going to start writing some shorter chapters because then my trigger-happy self will be satisfied with an update and not leave something important out.
MAJOR CHANGES: I changed the ending of chapter 10 slightly. I've also added to the end of chapter 11 (because I always post prematurely….), so that changed as of 5/4/2020. I included the updated end of 11 at the beginning of this chapter. If you have questions or comments, DM me or leave a comment.
