Why Me

Ch. 4 Strong Will Meets Hauteur

A week later just as promised the Toga was back to pick her up from the village where he had found her. She was excited to see the western shiro again though she was sure it was relatively the same she also knew it would be different because a different lord was ruling it. She turned her musings inward as thought about the people she knew she was about to meet.

She wondered if Sesshomaru was the same as he had been before Rin changed him probably after all he likely just found out about his father's human mate and knowing how inu-youkai worked would have seen it as a betrayal. She knew what Izaiyoi looked like due to the incident with the un-mother, but she wondered what the hime would be like in person certainly intelligent of course, but what more was there to the hime. Would she be haughty like many other females she had met, would she be shy and demure like many of the feudal era's female's, or would she be kind and just and always have a very good and valid reason for her actions.

She also wondered about lady Inukimi she had met Sesshomaru's mother on one occasion during her training, and she knew that her teacher did not just get his intelligence from his father. The lady Inukimi was intelligent to the extreme and ruthless as hell just like her formidable son especially if she wanted something what she wanted she got and nothing got in her way. That realization made a shiver of fear course up her spine and she decided she would do her best to keep Inukimi's curiosity off of her she really did not want to feel like an ant under a magnifying glass pun intended.

Sesshomaru's iciness and witty come backs she could deal with his mother's curiosity and penchant for toying with people out of boredom she could not. It was lucky thanks to lessens from the lady that she knew pretty much everything there was to know about youkai culture, and she was freverently thanking Sesshomaru for forcing her to go through torcher by Inukimi to learn about such things. Inukimi had also taken the liberty of teaching her many of the youkai languages which came in handy if you wanted to listen in on youkai talking without them realizing you could understand them. She remembered the look on several of Sesshomaru's generals and advisors faces when she repeated word for word in Japanese what they had said about her. She thought they were going to faint and die of a heart attack right then and there and she had to struggle to keep from dropping to the floor rolling around laughing her ass off.

That had most definitely been one of the best days of her training that and the day she put the stupid servant in their place who dared to insult her little Shippo calling him a disgrace the their race. He miko powers had risen and swirled around her dangerously then making the hair on her son's neck stand up and the female servant cower in fear of what she would do. Luckily Sesshomaru had decided to step in then and punish the insolent maid himself she had been banished form the palace and threatened with bodily harm should she attempt to return or conspire against him. If there was one thing Sesshomaru didn't do it was make idle threats if he promised something he keep that promise.

She was brought out of her musings when she felt them landing and even after all this time she was still in aww of the western shiro it was magnificent with its towering outer walls, lush luxuriant gardens, and plush bedrooms. Not to mention the remarkably modern bathing chambers Kagome was almost heartbroken when she had to leave simply because she loved bathing and the hotspring waters were simply divine.

She walked two steps behind Toga as he was higher ranking than she only one of equal rank was allowed to walk beside the lord. The gigantic doors to the entry hall of the castle were opened and they were admitted inside and before them stood the lady Inukimi who looked a little younger and a definitely younger looking Sesshomaru. The lord stepped aside so his lady and first born could get a look at her she showed no weakness she knew she had to prove herself worthy to the two inu before her if her stay here was to be at all pleasant. The lady circled her inspecting every inch of her, she then flared her aura out and Kagome flared her aura in response just as strongly as the lady had. The whole time she had not looked up as looking the alpha(s) in the eye was a sign of disrespect.

Finally the lady seemed satisfied and said "raise your head little miko" she did and met the lady's sharp golden eyes that had something akin to approval in them. "I must admit when my lord first informed me of his intentions I was skeptical that you would be of any help, now I see I was wrong in my assumption you are strong and will do a fine job protecting my lord's mate." She bowed and said "I am honored by your praise milady and will do my best not to disappoint you or your lord "I did not doubt you would". The young lord just gave her a onceover and sniffed in disdain before giving a look to his father and turning around to stride out of the room.

When the doors had closed behind his eldest the lord sighed and turned to the miko who he had brought to help his mate "I am sorry for my eldest disrespect he does not approve of my mating nor does he approve of humans in general." "It is all right my lord I have dealt with youkai and humans like him before I am sure if I can deal with them I can deal with the young lord's temperament." That got a chuckle from the lord "yes but I doubt they were anything like Sesshomaru he gives a new meaning to the word asshole no pun intended." The lady gave her lord an icy glare for that one and he just srugged the look in his eyes saying as clearly as if he were speaking "what you know it's true". The miko chuckled at the exchange which caused both youkai to raise an eyebrow at her in a similar fashion to Sesshomaru which made her want to chuckle harder, but she withheld the chuckles knowing they might think her crazy.

Shippo who had been silent the entire way to the shiro and up until now chose that moment to speak up gaining the attention of the inu matriarch "mama I'm tired can we go to our room now so I can sleep?" She looked towards the lord for the answer, but it was the lady that spoke "come I will show you personally to your room for the duration of your stay here." The lady turned to lead the way out of the entry hall of the palace and just before they disappeared through the door the lord spoke "I will send a servant for you to escort you to dinner, at dinner you will meet your charge, after dinner we will move to my study to discuss your duties and privileges in more detail and inform Izaiyoi of the reason for your being here." She nodded before fallowing the lady into the twisting hallways of the palace.

With the lady, Kagome, and Shippo…

She fallowed quietly behind the lady as she was led to her room knowing from personal experience the lady did not appreciate idle chatter. Having grown used to not conversing as much due to traveling and being trained by both the lady and her son she was not bothered by the silence at all unlike most of her kind would. Eventually they came to a door in the family wing of the palace which didn't surprise her after all it would be easier to take care of Izaiyoi if she were placed closer to her. What surprised her though she kept it tightly hidden behind her polite mask was the fact the room she would be staying in the same room she had been during her training with Sesshomaru.

The lady turned to her and said "this will be your room for the duration of your stay here; the other door inside on the right leads to your own personal hot springs, the armoire in the corner is full of kimono you can wear if you do not have fitting clothing, the bell near the futon summons a servant if you need anything." "I suggest you bath and get dressed the evening meal is in one hour, oh and your son will be staying in the same room as you since my lord felt you two would not want to be separated in an unfamiliar place, I will see you at dinner." And with that the lady was gone leaving the two newcomers to get themselves settled in their new home for the time being.

With Kagome and Shippo…

As soon as the door clicked shut behind the lady Kagome spun around and took in the room it was the same as it had been when she stayed in it in the future, Light blue walls polished elegant mahogany furniture, with soft cushions around a small table, a desk with paper and writing utensils, and a large futon big enough to fit six people comfortably and armoire filled with beautiful silk kimono, and a mirror with all the works a female would need including a standing mirror. She set her bag on the floor on the right side of the armoire before looking for a formal kimono suitable for eating dinner tonight, and then getting Shippo one of the formal hakama and haori she had bought him from out of her bag. She turned to Shippo and he nodded and they both headed for the hot springs to get cleaned up for dinner.

Once in the hot springs they quickly cleaned her helping Shippo with his hair before she took care of her own and then getting dressed. The kimono she had chosen was a two layer kimono with a pale blue inner kimono and an about two shades darker but still very light blue outer kimono with white doves racing across the fabric, and a pair of matching light blue slippers. For Shippo she had chosen a teal haori with emerald leaves scattered about the sleeves, a brown vest to go over the top, pale green hakama and durable brown youkai hide boots. She sat Shippo down in front of the mirror and brushed out his hair tying it with a white ribbon and then sat down herself to brush out her own long raven locks that now reached down to her mid-thighs. She then threw her hair into a tight yet slightly messy bun and put on a bit of pink rouge to complete the ensemble.

Just as she was wiping the excess rouge from her finger tips there was a knock on the door she called out "come in" and a maid stepped into the room and bowed "my name is Hitomiko milady, milord has sent me to escort you to dinner." She nodded to the young youkai female who she could tell was a bird youkai of some sort since she was a little flighty so to speak. Occasionally the youkai would look over at her and she guessed the youkai found it odd that a miko such as her was not trying to kill her no but instead was fallowing sedately behind her calmly. Eventually the youkai gained the courage to ask her question "milady pardon, but I wanted to ask why help the lord he is youkai don't your kind hate youkai and think us ruthless savages born form the depths of hell itself?"

Outside the dining hall…

The maid was surprised by the chuckle she got after her question, but even more surprised by the answer she received "while that is true of most of my kind it is not true of myself." "Milady?" at the maids questioning look she elaborated "you see I do not believe that all youkai are evil hell spawn, but should receive the benefit of the doubt just like humans, after all there are good humans just like there are good youkai, and there are bad humans just as there are bad youkai." "wouldn't you agree?" Just as she finished that sentence they arrived at the dining hall and the miko and the young kitsune left a shell shocked youkai maid behind. Hitomiko knew things would be quite different around the palace and couldn't wait to tell the other maids about what their lord new miko ward had said.

With everyone in the dining hall…

As Kagome entered the dining hall she and Shippo bowed to the lord, his mate, and his lady and thanked them for their hospitality and the privilege they had given them. Dinner was a quiet affair with only Lady Izaiyoi trying to make small talk she caught the young prince starring a few times likely surprised that she could handle watching a youkai eat. She was used to it after all she had spent months in this very palace watching the very prince who watched her eat along with any of the youkai guests he happened to have visit. Not to mention she had been on battle fields covered in blood spatter from fallen enemies and had to treat wounds from said battles before so she was pretty much immune to blood and gore now.

After dinner Toga-sama stood and offered his hand to his mate and motioned for her to rise as well. She fallowed quietly behind the lord and his mate to his study that was the same as she remembered with a few minor details. Toga-sama sat himself down behind his desk and his mate down beside him, and motioned for her to take the seat across from him. "Now to outline your duties, you will check on Izaiyoi every morning after she gets up and every evening before she goes to bed to assure that she had the pup remain healthy."

"You are free to go anywhere you wish in the palace, and you have full use of the dojo anytime you wish as I'm sure you and your kit would like to hone your skills."

"You may leave the palace and got collect herbs in the forest, but you must inform me first and take at least one guard with you I will not have you harmed while in my employ."

"Also at some point I would like to see your skills with the sword and the bow so I can judge whether you are competent enough to protect my mate, I mean no offense it is simply the way I do things."

"That is all for the night, you may return to your room for the night" she nodded and walked back to her room and as soon as the door closed her mask crumbled and she let out a sigh of relief. The day had not been nearly as bad as she imagined, but it had still been really tiring she thought as she stripped and pulled on a sleeping yukata she had gotten out of the armoire. The last thing she remembered before darkness took her was collapsing on the futon and curling around Shippo protectively.

|Chapter End|

Author's Notes: Next chapter Kagome teaches Sesshomaru a lesson in humility. Thanks to all who have read and reviewed this story it makes me very happy that so many people like this story already even though I have barely started it!

Ja Ne!

Purplerose97