Chapter One
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA! THIS STORY IS FOR MATURE ADULT AUDIENCES ONLY!
Hello all! This is entirely rewritten from the original, which is still posted on my account. This will have the same story line, mostly, but it will have a lot of changes to make the story better and more well rounded. Thank you all!
Snow drifted softly down around her, mesmerizing and distracting her. She raised a hand and caught a flake while pretending to listen to the elderly many who was speaking at her. She sighed, wondering how everything had changed so fast, yet felt so similar. It had been six months since the defeat of Naraku and everyone had settled into their lives, everyone but her. Kagome sighed, feeling disappointment simmer through her. She was happy for Sango and Miroku. They'd married and fell pregnant with their first child very shortly after their monumental win. Kaede had been keeping watch over Rin during the summer months, watching her grow and mature. She was twelve now and growing more every day. As was Shippo. He'd come to her as a young kit, but he had been slowly maturing in front of her eyes. Shippo had begun his training in magic and combat. To everyone's surprise, Koga married Ayame shortly after Naraku's fall, successfully uniting the wolf clans.
As for Inuyasha and Kikyo, that wound still stung Kagome. She had known that if Kikyo survived the final battle that Inuyasha would stay by her side. Kikyo was still a walking corpse, but Inuyasha had decided that she was going to be his mate and that him and Kagome could remain friends. He hadn't realized, however, that choosing Kikyo had been the last straw for Kagome. She cared for him, but she couldn't stay and watch them live happily ever after. It was too painful for her. It would have hurt no matter what, but the worst part was that the well had disappeared with Naraku and the Shikon Jewel leaving nothing but a square patch of dirt that nothing would grow on.
She had no way to return to her time and her home, and no way to see her family again. Inuyasha was gone and couldn't make her feel better about her loss, and she didn't want to burden Miroku, Sango, and Shippo with her sadness. For Kagome, that was rock bottom. Her heart had broken into pieces at the loss of her family.
She'd decided shortly after that she would leave Kaede's village and travel as a priestess, practicing with and honing her spiritual power as well as her healing abilities and attempting to find a new home. She had been searching for one that wouldn't cause her anymore pain, and she'd trudged through dozens of villages, helping to heal their sick with medicinal herbs and purifying any demons that threatened their people. They were all happy, quaint little villages but none of them ever felt like home.
She'd decided she was leaving this village soon; it had occupied her longer than most. She'd been there for at least a week, helping to treat a handful of orphans who had become ill with fever. Once they were all up and toddling around again with healthy pink cheeks and squalling with happiness, she knew it was time to leave. She'd been travelling far through the Eastern lands and into the West to end up here and she planned to continue Westward. Kagome knew that Inuyasha would never purposefully travel this far West due to his brother being the Lord of the West. Inuyasha would avoid Sesshomaru like the plague.
Before setting out that day, handfuls of the villagers stopped to give her supplies of food, herbs, arrows, and trinkets, telling her of the dangers of the forest ahead of her. She blinked back into focus and realized the older man was still talking about the danger.
"There's a demon Lord that lives in this forest. He is vicious and practically made of ice. However, if you can make it to the other side unnoticed, you should be safe from harm. Another day or two of walking and you'll reach another village on the other side of the forest that was in need of a healer."
She nodded at him thoughtfully as he began to drone on again about the coming winter storms and that she was welcome to stay in their village. She thanked the man and the gather villagers, but politely brushed off their invitations and set off into the forest. There were a few inches of snow already layered on the ground and she gazed at it fondly as she walked. Her thoughts drifted again, this time to the Lord of the West himself. She chuckled to herself at the thought of running into Lord Sesshomaru.
He'd either kill me or glare at me while I passed him by. He might possibly even grace me with a sneer. Either option was likely and at this point, if he granted me a swift death, it wouldn't really affect anyone else.
She internally scolded herself at her negative thoughts. She'd been a bit depressed lately, but she didn't necessarily want to die, she just wanted meaning to return to her life. She'd felt that her life held little purpose now that the Jewel was gone, which was exactly why she'd been putting in effort to help and heal others. She was attempting to create her own purpose, her own happiness.
As she pondered her life, she kept walking straight on the path that would lead her all the way through the forest, past Sesshomaru's estate and to the village on the other side. She took her time an attempted to enjoy the fresh, crisp, clean air brought on the softly falling snow. The passing scenery lulled her into a state of ease; the trees were lightly dusted with fresh soft powder, giving the forest a beautiful glaze.
Her thoughts consumed her again: I wonder if Inuyasha is finally happy. She wasn't sure if it mattered anymore, however, since she didn't think she would see him again anytime soon. Her heart was broken at the loss of her family, and she couldn't find the effort to mourn over her loss of her bad boyfriend. Leaving her for Kikyo was one thing, she'd even been expecting it. However, abandoning her when she'd just lost everything she held dear, was another thing entirely. All she wanted to do in the wake of her loss was find a place she could be happy again and possibly find a fresh start.
Her thoughts scattered as she heard a squealing noise mixed with laughter, and a high-pitched shouting that could make anyone's ears bleed.
"Rin! RIN! You're going too fast", the little green imp squawked at her as he chased her on his stubby legs while waving his arms in the air.
A commanding baritone struck out into the air, as if it were electrifying the space between them, "Jaken. Silence. Let her enjoy herself before it is too cold to do so."
His deep voice rumbled through the clearing sending shivers down Kagome's spine. She was shocked to discover that it wasn't fear that had sent shivers rolling through her, but something else entirely. His voice was exceedingly pleasant to her ears.
"Hai, Sesshomaru Sama", Jaken replied sullenly, managing to sound dejected and terrified all at once.
Ah, so I've reached the halfway point through the forest; Sesshomaru's estate. Hopefully he'll just ignore my presence and let me continue on. There's very little chance that he hasn't been able to recognize my unique brand of spiritual power for hours, possibly since I arrived in the village. Not to mention, he could probably smell me nearby for the last week.
The happy voice of Rin, Sesshomaru's ward, broke through her thoughts again, "Priestess Kagome! Priestess Kagome! Look, look Sesshomaru Sama, it's Kagome!"
Kagome almost sighed to herself but chose not to since she knew Sesshomaru would hear it. Passing by unnoticed was no longer an option. She turned slowly toward their voices to see Rin practically buried in layers of warm winter clothes holding wat looked to be an old shield that she had clearly been using as a sled. Jaken was sputtering angrily and staring at her with wide eyes and red, mottled cheeks. Kagome's eyes met Sesshomaru's, and she gasped softly at the intensity that passed between them before she steeled her spine.
In less than a second Sesshomaru was standing before Kagome holding his sword to her throat. She didn't move an inch, simply held still, and stared up into his face. Sesshomaru was known for being the "Killing Perfection" and he tended to kill first and ask questions later, or not at all. She couldn't, however, keep herself from noticing that his eyes were a deep honey color and were filled to the brim with warmth and intensity. He was not as cold as ice as the villagers seemed to think. He was just very good at keeping his thoughts and feelings to himself.
His face was serene and passive as he eyed her with mild curiosity.
"Sesshomaru", Kagome said gently with a small smile on her face. He was so much more beautiful than she remembered. His skin was a flawless alabaster and the purple marks that were high on his cheek bones were alluring and graced his skin perfectly. His silver hair flowed around him gracefully and shone in the sunlight, not a single strand out of place. Now that she considered it, he was probably the most handsome creature she had ever laid eyes on.
The gentle tone she'd used must have caught him off guard because she saw his sword waver a fraction before it froze again it its rightful place, inches from her throat.
Sesshomaru had been able to smell her in the area for days. Her presence at that village did not go unnoticed by him. He had wondered why he could only sense her and not her traveling companions, including Inuyasha, his disgraceful Hanyou half-brother. Apparently, that was because she was alone. The thought legitimately had not occurred to him. He was surprised that they'd leave her by herself and that she was on her own. There was no trace of Inuyasha's scent on her anymore, her scent was all her own. And it was intoxicating to him. It was a mixture of something pure, roses, berries, and sunlight. The smell had practically invaded his nostrils over the past week, making him annoyed and slightly off kilter. He'd noticed her immediately upon her arrival to the village because her spiritual powers had grown ten times stronger then when he'd last seen her at the final battle with Naraku. However, it was undoubtedly the same unique reiki that was synonymous in his mind with the Shikon Miko.
What he hadn't expected was for her to knowingly enter his forest and walk right past him and his estate. Sesshomaru had known she was coming; he could smell and sense her from miles away, knowing she was growing closer. When he caught sight of her, his breath had caught in his chest. She was beautiful. She'd grown and matured in minuscule ways since the last time he'd seen her. She was stunning and serene in a dark blue kimono that had a silver moon near the trim, which was oddly alluring to him, as if she'd branded herself in his symbol purposefully. The odd garments from her own time were long gone and he couldn't help but appreciate her form in this more appropriate and traditional attire. Her hair was wound up in a traditional bun and she was breathtaking to him, seeming nearly spectral in her beauty.
His thoughts plagued him, Why am I thinking of a human miko this way? He was mildly disgruntled with himself for internally fawning over her.
He kept his face masked and approached her, sword drawn, after hearing Rin greet her. He leveled his sword with her throat and held it there silently, meeting her gaze and waiting for her to speak, sputter, or begin apologizing.
Instead, she smiled softly up at him, and it was the most beautiful sight he'd seen in centuries. Her eyes were warm and almost adoring as she gazed at him.
"Sesshomaru", she greeted evenly and gently. Her tone caught as his heart strings and sent lightning through his entire body. He was buzzing at her nearness and his sword wavered for a moment. Her voice, so soft and gentle, held a depth of emotion he could hardly grasp. She sounded content and heartbroken all at once.
He mentally shook himself, "Why are you here, and alone, little Miko? Where is your Hanyou lover?"
He'd meant for his tone to be cutting and harsh, but it had come out soft and wondering.
Her reaction, however, truly surprised him. Her eyes flared with heat and her face set into a stony scowl.
"He is not now, and never was, my anything. Lover included. He was a friend, and a poor one at that." Her voice was filled with ice and contempt, and he could tell something bad had happened between her and Inuyasha. Why Sesshomaru cared at all was beyond his current mental ability to analyze and sort through. He mentally shrugged it off, he could think about it later. For reasons that alluded him, her admission sent a wave of pleasure through him.
"Ah, so he's run after the corpse priestess with his tail tucked firmly between his legs, has he", he replied harshly. The thought made his anger ignite causing his eyes to flash red and his stripes to go jagged for a moment. That dead bitch was trouble from the beginning and the fact that he'd left the warm, strong Miko Kagome alone and unprotected made Sesshomaru see red for a moment.
"Yes, he mated her", she said evenly, with little emotion invading the statement. Er voice was filled with curiosity, "Does that bother you, Sesshomaru? Your eyes bled momentarily."
Her gaze had softened again, and her acute observation set something alight within him.
She is intelligent. Beautiful, smart, powerful, loyal, and kind. What was my brother thinking, letting this woman go and picking an undead priestess? Shaking those thoughts off, he redirected the conversation.
"He was always a despicable hanyou. He has no loyalty or honor. It simply is not done. Once a mate is chosen, Inus do not pick another, even if there are easier options available to them. Even if one were to die, we do not usually pick another. Despite being partially Inu, he has gone against the ways of our people."
She kept her gentle gaze on Sesshomaru, noticing fully how he'd technically avoided answering her true question. The silence stretched on, and he could tell it didn't make her uncomfortable in the slightest. Which was odd, really. Most creatures, human or demon, couldn't bear standing around in silence while making eye contact with him. They were intensely afraid of him, but she clearly was not.
"Are you alone then, Priestess?"
"Yes. I've been travelling through villages, helping, and healing as needed. I've bene looking for a new home." Her voice hadn't wavered once, but he could feel that there was something she was leaving out.
"Why not return to your own time and home?" He was never this vocal, but something about her made him hyper aware of her and his surroundings and it made him curious.
Her face never changed but a single tear fell, and she said, "The well was destroyed along with Naraku and the jewel. I can never go home again."
Her sadness permeated his sense of smell, rolling off her in waves. It made him uncomfortable simply because he wanted to erase the emotion from her.
"So, you have no one to rely on, nowhere to go, and the winter storm is going to be here today", he said with a sigh.
Her face hardened once more at his callous observation. Anger flared in her eyes then died down as she gained control over her emotions. He knew he shouldn't suggest it, but the though of her wandering through the forest and possibly getting caught in the storm and freezing to death was unacceptable.
"Come. Be my guest until the winter storms pas. The village is at least a day, possibly two days through the forest during the best of weather." He lowered his sword and turned away from her on his heel. He was thoroughly confused by his own desire to keep her safe under his own roof.
He sighed internally, having this miko in my house will certainly only cause more trouble. I should have just taken Rin inside and let her pass, but her scent, gods her scent is just too intoxicating. I couldn't possibly have ignored her.
"Jaken. Stay with Rin. Rin, behave for Jaken and be inside before the storm hits."
He turned toward the house and nodded at Kagome.
"Miko, come."
He kept walking, intentionally not turning to see if she followed.
