Fire and Ice

In order to keep on task with the wedding planning Kagome had to have a good reason to be meeting with others or else she'd be locked up on the collar and chain with just Sesshoumaru for company. However, it didn't seem to matter that she was finally staying on task because her dog demon fiancee still followed her everywhere she went to keep an eye on her. He'd made his presence well known as he sat behind her inspecting his own claws as Kagome went over the wedding dress design with her seamstress. She couldn't help but wonder if her business was boring him often turning around to see if he was angry at her or not, but there was nothing really to be found in his expression at all. When she turned around thinking she must've looked foolish for constantly staring at him she questioned why she even cared about how he was feeling in the first place.

"So is it doable?" Kagome asked after making few sketches with some measurements and a material list before pushing it over to a young red headed wolf demon.

Ayame was her family's seamstress and was quite talented always coming up with new designs and way to wear fashionable silks that Kagome hadn't even thought of before. She was easily pretty jealous of the flower adorned headband decorating the girl's ginger locks.

The two of them use to be quite close once when Kagome was interested in sewing and making cloaks, but those days were behind her so it wasn't often she met with the demoness anymore for when she did she was met with questions about why she'd given up her hobby.

"Super doable," Ayame gave a toothy grin as she looked over Kagome's sketches, "might not be completely flawless with the amount of time you're giving me but it will look stunning. I can't believe I'm actually going to make your wedding gown Kagome. You're going to look so beautiful in this. Should he even be here though? A groom shouldn't see his bride in her dress before her wedding nor should he know what it's going to look like in my opinion."

"Probably not," Kagome shook her head, "but doesn't seem I have a choice in the matter. This demon is my new shadow apparently."

Ayame seemingly cringed at something Kagome had said, but before she could ask what the problem was Sesshoumaru weighed in.

"I'm not paying any mind to the two of you," Sesshoumaru remarked doing some clothing alterations of his own by picking at a loose thread on his kimono, "gowns do not interest me only results."

Ayame addressing Sesshoumaru's presence reminded Kagome of another reason why it was awkward to be reunited with the wolf demon. A lot of the rumors regarding the dog demons and they way treated others came from her own family, but Ayame had helped with the criticism often sharing her own negative feelings towards Sesshoumaru's whole race. Apparently dogs and wolves weren't friends in demon culture.

"Do you know Lord Sesshoumaru Ayame?" Kagome asked despite the prejudice kind of wanting to include Sesshoumaru since it was so awkward just having him seated behind her quietly, "you're originally from Winter Spiral aren't you?"

"I know of him yes," the wolf spoke as though Sesshoumaru weren't even in the room seemingly having a ability Kagome did not, "but that's all. His father was not my king."

"I have no reign over the wolves," Sesshoumaru explained not even bothering to give Ayame a glance, "they keep to their own. That is how I prefer it."

Obviously there was something between dog and wolf demons and to Kagome's logic it made no sense. Didn't pet dogs and hounds only exist because they were bred from wolves? So wouldn't that make the two races kin of some sorts? She wanted to ask Sesshoumaru if demons were the same as animals in that regard but had a feeling she'd be scolded for such a stupid question.

"Besides I was a little girl when I was last there and lived in a cave like a barbarian," Ayame smiled, "there were no beautiful wedding gowns or ceremonies up there. I prefer it here. You're going to invite me right?"

"Of course."

The guest list wasn't anything Kagome was ready to tackle at the moment though, because she knew it'd be quite an embarrassing affair. Only people she knew to invite were a few servants she'd been close to and her family. It was hardly enough to fill even a section of the throne room Sesshoumaru wanted to have the ceremony in.

"Oh and before I forget," Kagome interjected, "the materials and the cost of labor and everything will be paid by me after. None of it is to be charged to my family."

"Alright. I'll make sure to keep a record of it though you're kind of doing this wrong. You know traditionally the father of the bride is supposed to pay for everything."

"The father of the bride is a cheap bitter insect," Sesshoumaru obviously felt comfortable enough with his disdain to insult the king of the very kingdom he was visiting, "and Kagome are you not going to inquire how much this dress will cost you?"

"I'll figure it out when I pay for it," Kagome gave one of her naive answers that disgusted Sesshoumaru to no end.

"No," he told her in his one of his coldest tones yet, "you find out the estimated cost now and you write it down to deduct from your budget. How else will you know what you have left?"

"I doubt I'll blow through the whole budget for something this small that we're planning quickly" Kagome sighed as she was discovering Sesshoumaru had no tolerance for ignorance in economic matters, "but fine what do you estimate Ayame?"

"About twenty gold should be enough," Ayame shrugged, "won't go a bronze piece over. Special friend price for the honor of making such a beautiful piece."

"Twenty gold that's it?" Kagome seemed surprised.

"You're acting like that is cheap. It's not. Mostly you're paying for me to expedite my efforts."

A royal wedding gown only cost twenty gold coins? This had Kagome in shock because she was expecting it to be in the hundreds or thousands. That had been what she believed since it was nowhere near the eighty gold coins it would have cost her to board Sesshoumaru's ship when he was trying to trick her. Unable to hold her tongue about this discovery the girl turned around and faced her betrothed with the fire in her eyes that he'd been missing as of late.

"So apparently it cost more than four wedding dresses to get a ride on your ship?"

"I wasn't going to deny you if you somehow paid the toll," Sesshoumaru answered matter-of-factly, "but smuggling you aboard my ship would have caused strife with Naraku. Eighty gold coins would have at least bought me a couple of well crafted weapons for my men if a war was started. I needed to make sure it was worth my time and effort to obtain you in a dishonorable fashion."

Sesshoumaru would have actually taken her if she'd earned the gold? That was new to Kagome as she'd assumed he'd just been messing with her. Well he was considering that the game was rigged, which it was since she'd wind up married to him no matter how much luck was her side that night. She was convinced she had no luck anymore other than when she was stealing something.

"Kagome," Ayame seemed to want to steal the girl's attention from the dog, "what theme were you going with when you came up with this dress design?"

"Theme?"

"Yes didn't you discuss it with your wedding planner?"

"I am the wedding planner," Kagome actually managed to put a bit of confidence behind her voice happy to at least have retained the responsibility she given, "everything is going to be my doing."

Ayame seemed uneasy about that, "Do you actually know what you're doing my princess? You're suppose to have a theme and you use that to decide the colors of the banners, your clothes, and flowers. Basically all the decorations. It makes things a lot easier."

"The theme is whatever Kagome says goes," the princess remarked at pleased that she got to make the tough calls regarding how the ceremony would go down.

She wasn't going to go for anything she knew as traditional for the sole fact she wasn't going to have her father give her away to Sesshoumaru. He was already doing that so there was no reason to represent it with a symbolic gesture. Especially when he was doing it for the purpose of her assassinating her future husband.

"If you say so," Ayame's tone told Kagome was she was going about everything all wrong, "I'm sure whatever you put together will be spectacular and will the envy of all Lords and Ladies in the kingdom."

"It better be because they aren't invited."

"That makes it even better."

Sesshoumaru had the feeling the conversation was turning into idle chit chat. He would not tolerate it. If Kagome was aiming for a proper wedding the clock was ticking and she didn't have all day to gossip with a creature Sesshoumaru didn't very much care for. When she wasn't hard at work she was to be chained up in his custody assuming the proper position expected of his woman, therefore wasn't going to be allowed the leisure of talking with friends.

"Kagome," Sesshoumaru's spoke coldly, "she gave you a price and you did not write it down."

"I think I can remember twenty gold pieces for a dress. I'm not that clueless."

"Write it down and we'll be on our way. We are losing daylight. You have access to a paper and quill on the wolf's desk."

Kagome had been around him along enough and recognized his request as a demand she had to give into or else. She wanted to yell at him and tell him to be patient, but after what she'd gone through that day she needed to remember to just behave and let him have his way. She had to appear completely accepting of the task before her and show everyone the proper wedding she put together to lower her father and Sesshoumaru's guard. This whole thing was the hardest task she'd ever endured.

"Okay twenty gold pieces," her handwriting showed her disdain as she tore a piece of paper and held it in her palm, "seems I have to be going now Ayame. It was nice talking to you again."

"Yes I missed you. We need to talk like this again especially when you get further along in your planning. Thanks for coming to me with this and not one of those stuck up tailors in the city."

Ayame ended their meeting with a genuine embrace before Sesshoumaru stood up signaling that it was time to go. He hadn't been bored with Kagome's appointment, just left with a bad taste in his mouth.

"That woman is a servant of your castle," Sesshoumaru remarked as he followed Kagome out the door, "yet was quite familiar with you rarely calling you by your title. She did not even bow in a show of respect."

"Didn't expect her to," Kagome tried to suppress how irritated he was making her, "we were really close once. She's a friend not just a servant."

"You also have a maid that I've been told believes to have the right to lecture you and tell you how to act accordingly. This whole thing is ridiculous."

"How so? Sango is pretty much like the mother I never had. She's a hard worker and a good woman so I'd be stupid not to listen to her advice. Actually I rarely do listen to her advice and that's why I do so many stupid things I guess. I should know better."

Sesshoumaru's response was a rough tug of her wrist as he tried to cease her from walking, "You will not be so familiar with the household staff in your new home. They are your servants and you will be their Lady and employer. That is a line of separation that is to be made and made clear."

Kagome looked at him in disgust when he grabbed her like that, "Nothing you're saying is new to me. That gets brought up all the time in my family but what you fail to recognize is things are different between a woman and her servants and men and theirs. Our servants dress us and it's a more intimate thing. You have to like the person that's always so up close and personal to you."

Really Kagome just liked Ayame and Sango's company, but she knew Sesshoumaru wouldn't understand so she was trying her best to explain herself in a way he might better grasp.

It seemed to work as Sesshoumaru was impressed Kagome had actually made a logical argument rather than just pout or declare that he was wrong. It was impressive, but it didn't make her actions alright in his mind.

"Perhaps it is more intimate but my stance remains the same. Those in your service are no more than replaceable workers paid to serve you and their realm at large. They are not friends you embrace or take advice from. Only person's advice you need to follow is your husband's."

Kagome was never going to agree with him, but she didn't want to talk about it anymore so she simply nodded. Sesshoumaru knew it wouldn't be the last time they spoke on the topic and he'd have to be more aggressive later. After all Kagome had a demon slayer in her service and wasn't even aware of it. Sango could have been nothing more than a plant with a contract to kill her or someone else in her family if it weren't for the fact that she was a disgrace to her clan.

"I did not say you could move forward," Sesshoumaru noted as it seemed that Kagome believed she was free to walk wherever she wanted once the conversation had finished, "recall the chain? It is a certain length for a reason, you are not collared but you must visualize it nonetheless. You will follow behind me with distance close to the chain's length keeping pace with me but not coming too close as to mistakenly stand beside me as my equal."

The fire had come back in her expression, "But it's my home and you don't know where we're going."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his gaze as he took a couple steps forward with his back facing her, "Correction you do not where we are going. Do you not recall the rules? By default we shall be returning to my quarters where you will be returned to your actual chain unless you can make a case for something productive to do elsewhere. Only if I approve shall we go to a place of your choosing where I will be leading you to."

Kagome clenched her fists. The creature she was expected to marry had irritated her like no other. She had recalled the rules but she didn't think he'd be anal about them so much as to remind her every five seconds going as far to not even let her walk a few steps freely in her own home. However, she was quickly learning that arguing with him wasn't doing her any good anymore so she had to think of a place to go to avoid being chained up again.

"We still got daylight thanks to your careful planning regarding the venue and my appointment with Ayame," she tried to sound as submissive and grateful as possible, "perhaps a trip to the market so I can see what flowers are available."

"Do you have your mind set on floral arrangements or are you only invested in this goal because of what the wolf suggested?"

"Does it matter? As long as I'm working on it and getting things done it doesn't matter who I get the idea from. I can use flowers for a lot of things so I should see what we're working with."

"If you are going to follow the wolf's advice than perhaps you should settle on a theme. It does seem like it would streamline things."

"If I were to decide on a proper theme for this wedding my father would be giving me away while I was shackled and chained up," was what she wanted to say, "I can't think of one at the moment. Maybe the flowers will give me some ideas. Just lead me back to my room so I can change my dress."

He was going to ask why she would waste time changing out of such an appealing gold dress just to go out in the city before recalling what Sango had told him. Kagome was planning on dressing like a common woman to blend in to avoid an incident like the one that befell her when she was doing a charity task. That would not do.

"You will not change," Sesshoumaru instructed, "if flowers is what you want we will go to a vendor as is. You are the princess of this kingdom in need of a florist so that is how you will appear. I will not be taking you to your room."

Kagome was feeling nervous, she didn't have to recognize her own body language and thoughts to know that. She could tell by her urge to want to dip her hand into Sesshoumaru's obi to see if he were carrying anything and take whatever she could find, but she had to control those desires. Her not stealing from him was a matter of loyalty now after all.

"If you are not up to it as you are now we shall return to my study," Sesshoumaru warned her.

The demon did not believe he was capable of ever feeling nervous, but he was a bit uneasy about taking his bride to be out among the people. It wasn't because of her personal feelings and past turmoils, but because of that disgusting grayish mark on her face where Naraku had hit her. He didn't want outsiders seeing that. To him the bruise came off as a message that others were allowed to strike something that didn't belong to them.

"I'll go like this," Kagome released a heavy sigh picking the uncomfortable option of sticking out in public versus being chained up, "after you. Not that I have much of a choice."

"Hold your tongue," he warned walking in ahead of her expecting to follow by the distance he described in detail, "or your days of being able to speak freely in my presence will dwindle."

"Anything else I need to know about your home and how I'm supposed to act or mostly not act?" she was really struggling with the task of appearing complacent as though her tongue had a mind of its own, "though I'm sure I don't have to request your lessons as you bestow them upon me as you see fit."

"Being behind your Lord or kneeling beside him in public is no lesson," he warned, "it will be your way of life. What else is there to know? There will be no escape for you."

Kagome almost froze. Just the way he said that sent shivers down her spine as she was wondering if he was reading her mind and knew she was planning to runaway the moment she was out of her father's grasp. Dog demons couldn't read minds could they? No if they could he would have known about her tendency to steal when nervous or under pressure before he was given the proof. She had to keep her composure and find out more so she knew what she would be faced with in his lands.

"Is it because you have a vast guard or because there is snow and ice everywhere?"

"Trying to discover my defenses or lack thereof Kagome?" he wondered to himself not being that simple minded, "I do have many powerful creatures in my employ but I do not need to rely on them solely for I am quite aware of who is going where and doing what under my own roof. You will not being getting away with much underneath me that much is a given."

"Yet I took that key and you didn't even know," Kagome took advantage of his back being to her to display a mischievous little smile keeping in mind that Sesshoumaru's skills weren't that of a god, "you have eyes and ears everywhere? Got it."

"Also Winter Spiral is not the ice filled wasteland you Havenbrooke foreigners believe it to be. We have all the seasons they are just shorter than you'd be use to. The temperature is colder, but it is nothing harsh. My kingdom is named after the cliffs made of ice in the higher regions. Truth be told those so called marvels are not even in my territory but that of the wolves. I would change the name in honor of my reign, but I believe doing so would be quite bothersome. Perhaps in another century or two. You will understand the land when you are given a glimpse of it from the ship, but I won't allow you to leave my home often. The reason you must be well guarded and forbidden to leisurely bound towards civilization is because of the dragons. Maybe if it were colder those creatures wouldn't be a bother, but until I can take to the skies as high as them they will continue to be so."

Sesshoumaru said until because he didn't plan on having limitations on his flight for very long. Not with what the strength he'd be getting from Kagome's blood.

"You can fly?" Kagome asked realizing how much she didn't know about Sesshoumaru, "and dragons? Like dragon demons?"

"No. Those lowly reptiles were exterminated long ago in my father's time. Actual dragons. They aren't much of a threat mostly keeping to themselves in the mountains, but with rumors of me marrying a bonafide princess I'm confident they will become active. Dragons collect princesses."

Kagome was thinking that Sesshoumaru was teasing her for what he was saying sounded like a children's bedtime story with the goal of getting royal toddlers to behave, but she then recalled that Sesshoumaru didn't joke or tease unless it was in a malicious way.

Sesshoumaru could not see Kagome's reaction behind her but he took the silence for disbelief, "It is not a fool's tale. Dragons are known to collect to valuable things. Gold, gems, and even royalty itself. That is one of many reasons I do not wish to see you wear a grown. They take the symbol of status that comes with it far too literally and will see you a prize. Some care for their princesses by feeding them and admiring them while others have ways of turning them to stone to use as statues. If you do not wish to become stone you will heed my warning and not leave the castle walls."

It still sounded like a children's story book, but Kagome had to take it as face value considering the source.

"What else is there to know?"

"You will cease calling me and creatures like Ayame demons once you are across the border. I do not care what humans in your land call the better species or how you refer to my race, but the proper term in my kingdom is youkai. I am a finer breed with intelligence and strength rarely rivaled so I am is what's known as a daiyoukai. Demon is a term created by humans and if you say it to the wrong ears it will cause offense and strife. Do not be too careless in my company."

That was all new to Kagome. She'd never heard them referred to as youkai before or knew the term demon was offensive. Things in her kingdom really were different if demon was so frequently used even her father seemed unaware it was improper. In truth Kagome liked the word youkai a lot better. Demon seemed to conjure up a fear while there was something a lot more eloquent about saying that she was marrying a daiyoukai.

"Daiyoukai Lord Sesshoumaru," Kagome spoke properly, "alright I'll use this time to practice. I won't say demon anymore so that way I can exercise my tongue and try to get use to it. So I guess don't mind you correcting me if I slip up."

Not that she needed to request him not to correct her. However, she noticed Sesshoumaru give her an approving nod. He was pleased with the way she decided to tackle training herself in regards to the terms she used and could tell by the tone of her voice she was taking it seriously rather than just feeding him what he wanted to hear or saying something dismissive. Finally the girl was learning and adamant about doing something that was a departure from what she considered normal.

Just hearing her say Daiyoukai Lord Sesshoumaru as though she were born and raised in his lands was enough to make him optimistic about the heights he could take her new life to.

"So is my father and InuYasha are half youkai then? Or would InuYasha be a half-daiyoukai?" she was genuinely asking wanting to learn more.

Sesshoumaru's good spirits were diminished when he was forced to hear her utter InuYasha's name. He had no doubt that the woman had given up her fantasies about marrying that bastard now that she saw him as a traitor, but just the thought of those two having any feelings towards each other was enough to flare up anger in Sesshoumaru.

"Hanyou," Sesshoumaru informed her as though the term were laced with venom in his mouth, "that is what we call half-breeds."

Youkai in Winter Spiral might not have approved of the term demon, but in Kagome's land calling someone of mixed blood a half-breed was not something you did out in the open. Anyone that that used that label was punished because it would be seen as considering the king as something lesser than.

"I prefer hanyou as well," Kagome was referring to the term while Sesshoumaru interpreted it as her making a jab at him and saying she preferred InuYasha to a pure blooded daiyoukai like himself.

Sesshoumaru stopped expecting her to do as instructed and freeze behind him allowing some distance, but instead the woman plowed straight into his back clearly not keeping count of her paces. There would be a punishment for that, for both not being mindful of his instructions and upsetting him with mentions of InuYasha. Something else would need to be taken away from her since her freedom was just so precious to her.

"Ouch why did you stop for!?" she pouted her cheeks turning red from having her body against his, "you might wear a lot of silk but you aren't as soft as it. That hurt."

She shut up when she saw Sesshoumaru's gaze and recognized it as an angry one. She had a strange fixation on those eyes of his. Him being pleased with her and him being disinterested always came off as the same as the color would be a soft amber that appeared to just go through everyone as though he were the only one in the room he were concerned with, but when he was displeased you knew it. Not only would his eyes harden but his entire face showed he was indecisive on whether or not the target of his rage was worth a full on scowl or not.

"I wish to make another alteration," his icicle like tone stabbed at her while being full of foreboding.

He was talking about alterations, but yet Kagome still remained concerned with his eyes.

"His eyes, his face, and that white hair of his. His whole demeanor always goes from being as calm as snowfall to as sharp as ice. You make me scared and angry a lot Sesshoumaru, but yet I can't ever bring myself to just look away."

As Kagome was reflecting on her own thoughts Sesshoumaru swiftly reached for her braid and tugged at the ribbon that held it all together. He ripped the yellow ribbon right out of the braid forcing it become undone and unfold into a mess of ebony hair covering her face.

"I prefer your hair free," he stated, "no more fancy braids or wearing it on top of your head even for our wedding. This is how it will always be worn."

Kagome blinked. That was it. That was his alteration? That was his punishment. She was trying to keep herself from looking amused and wanting to laugh.

"No braids no corsets?" she giggled to herself in her mind, "really? Sesshoumaru do you know the headaches that stuff caused me all this time? You're trying to take away my freedom and by doing so you ripped away a frivolous chain. Jokes on you I really hate those braids Sango forces on me. I just know she worked really hard at mastering them so I don't have the heart to tell her how much I despise them. I guess I won't tell you either."

Sesshoumaru searched her expression and watched as a corner of her mouth almost turn into a smile.

"What is so amusing?" he demanded to know.

"Just the lengths you go to in your cruelty," she didn't want him to know how relieved she was just incase he thought of a worse way to assert dominance over her, "really you're telling me how to wear my hair now? It's deplorable really. You hate how I dressed you hate how I try to put effort into making my hair pretty turning it into this mess. You're really just a cold spiteful creature when it comes down to it. Isn't there anything you like about me at all?"

She had recalled the advice Kikyo had imparted on her. Men like Sesshoumaru wanted to control everything about their woman because they were afraid if they were free to be themselves they would be met with rejection. She wanted to know if there was anything about her at all even if it was superficial that he liked about her. If she knew that then maybe she'd have a piece of herself to build up to gain his admiration and trust.

Sesshoumaru didn't have to think on it long, "Your eyes. Not the color for it is a rather common one, but the way the color seemingly adopts a new hue all together when your emotions bubble to the service. It makes me think that there is a flame behind them illuminating them in a way. Since it happens in relation to your dramatics and defiance I'd prefer to see it muted when we are in the public's eye, but in private I enjoy it."

He didn't like the color because he would have preferred green. The same color as her mother's eyes and the default color of all pure blooded first borns. If she'd had those eyes perhaps the magic in her blood would be even more potent, but it seemed he had to work with the eyes of a low born bandit. He could make due. The flames he saw within them was evidence of her hidden potential and power while the eyes of a thief now made her more desirable.

Him admiring her eyes despite there being some negativity in his justification of it had made her cheeks heat up as she was on the verge of blushing for him again. Feeling that heat she quickly tried to stop herself from being exposed as someone who was easily flattered by appearing as upset.

"Well if you think of them as a fire it's because I'm mad at you," she reverted into sounding like a pouting child, "like I said you're nothing but a cold brute. You should keep your kingdom's name as Winter Spiral. It suits you since you're just so- just so cold. You know what I'm saying."

Sesshoumaru shrugged in amusement wishing he could take in her flattered expressions longer, but he needed to remind her he was the one in charge and leading the imaginary chain therefore turned around as to continue on their way.

"Fire and ice I suppose," was all he said low under his breath.

"Fire and ice?" reflecting on his words, "I guess. I like it. Sounds like you, the daiyoukai Lord Sesshoumaru who seems to think himself too above getting involved with our wedding planning just decided on our theme."

"I did no such thing," he quickly told her regretting saying anything.

"Yes you did," she smiled to herself.

(End Chapter)