Chapter 3
It was all happening so fast, and yet it wasn't. Kagome had been so swept away with the whole affair of helping Sesshomaru that she hadn't realized it had been seven days since he had asked for her help at the spring. As for "spring", she had spent some of her spare time wondering why the deadline was in spring. Perhaps it's just tradition to marry or mate at that time. At any case, if her misery in missing Shippo and Rin were this bad, she may not last until then.
It felt unreal to step out of the palace to find Sesshomaru, Jakken and Ah-Un waiting for her at the main gate. Their eyes followed her as she sheepishly joined them. The small toad unhappily spoke first, "Good morning, Lady Kagome. Hurry up and get on Ah-Un so we can find some stupid wench to- Whack- but my lord!" A single glare had Jakken silenced while distracting them from Kagome's clumsy mounting. She could only offer a little "I'm ready" smile at the dejected servant and possibly annoyed dog demon.
The plan was to go from furthest lady in the northern island and work their way to the islands in the south. The priestess had made sure to pack her modern winter jacket and thermals. As fun as it was to blend in with the other miko of this era, suffering from something like cold temperatures just didn't make sense. Blue eyes watched silver hair shimmer over fluttering white fabric and soft clouds as Sesshomaru flew in front. The last she had seen him from this view was when she clung to the white fur inside of Naraku.
Kagome looked down at the trees and villages beneath her and realized that this was one of the rare times where she wasn't on a flying animal during some great rush or battle. Sure, Ah-Un was flying along with great speed, but it wasn't fast enough to cause fear for the girl who spent the last couple years on the backs of Kirara and Inuyasha. Ah-Un was a very steady and graceful two-headed dragon, so she took a risk. The miko released her grip on the reigns and held her arms out. Chilly and powerful, the wind rushed between her fingers and into her long hair. The pressure rammed against her chest only to slip around her small form in an endless embrace. Ebony locks tousled about her face as if they were black flames against ivory skin. Kagome closed her eyes and smiled at this wonderful feeling of freedom.
She didn't know how long she stayed in that position and she really didn't care. The young miko eventually opened her eyes and returned her hands to the reigns, but her worries had calmed. However, a new problem stepped up in the form of company. She had gotten so used to either being alone or having friends that willingly talked to her. So, for the second time in those couple hours, Kagome took a risk.
"Jakken, do you still want to hear about Rin?" She called to the poor toad clinging to his lord's leg. In an instant, the anxious servant jumped from his position to catch and climb onto the front of the saddle. Big, yellow eyes stared up at her with his complete attention. Relieved to have conversation, the two prattled on about the younger girl and her little adventures in the village. Rin was there to assimilate into human society, but it hadn't come without some struggles for the old Kaede. They continued on during the preparation of camp and through dinner. Jakken wanted to hear all of it, while Sesshomaru relaxed against a nearby tree.
"Oh! And then there was this one time when she spent a whole week stalking me to figure out where my home was! Can you imagine how cute she was as she sneaked around the village with disguises?" The enthusiastic miko paused, "I spent the afternoon collecting herbs and found her sleeping against a tree on my way back. Silly girl had gotten so bored of watching me pick plants that she drifted off." Kagome laughed as Jakken cackled. Then, the toad went silent and the atmosphere changed.
"But wait, Lady Kagome, isn't your hut in the village?" The toad stared. Sesshomaru stared.
"Y-yes, I have a hut in the village. When I say "home" it is the place where I was raised by my mother and grandfather. I have a little brother, too." She awkwardly explained. Kagome hoped Jakken wouldn't push further; her family's location shouldn't be so carelessly leaked.
"Oh! My lord has such similar family conditions!" The toad squawked, "An absent father and a younger sibling, you are lucky that your brother isn't as ungrateful as that hanyou. Lord Sesshomaru has such high expectations weighing heavily on him to surpass the great Inutaisho. I think my lord has surpassed him one hundred, no, a thousand times over. He's the best of the best-." "Jakken" The ever praised lord interrupted with a hint of annoyance and a dash of exhaustion. But, the servant got the wrong idea, "But my lord! I must explain to this human that there is no one as perfect and powerful as you, my lord!"
A cold glare from Sesshomaru seemed to go completely ignored by the oblivious imp. Kagome, however, broke the tense feeling with a fit of giggles. "He's powerful, yes, but perfection? I would not wish that curse on any one, not even Naraku." Seeing that she had caught Jakken's attention, Kagome recited the passage she had read an hour before, "Perfection is an idea in constant fluctuation based on changing dependent variables: interactions, time, location, personal maturity, intellect, etc. By the time someone reaches what they thought was perfection, the original concept would be obsolete." This was around the time that Inuyasha would blow her off and call her stupid from rambling about her school studies. Miroku would have just nodded in agreement, while Sango would have looked for an experience to compare it to. Shippo would have been completely lost, and Rin would have chirped in about Sesshomaru. Sapphire eyes drooped as she was hit with waves of loneliness. Kagome really missed them.
"You women jump from one emotion to the next. Go to sleep already." The green servant's voice crackled like the fire. With the unrolling of her sleeping bag, Kagome did just that. She quickly fell into a deep sleep. It would all be okay because she was under the protection of Lord Sesshomaru and the quirky but loyal servant Jakken. She would see her feudal family soon.
At dawn they started off again, it was planned to reach the first lady by midafternoon. This day went similarly to the first but exceedingly more boring. Kagome was drifting off when they had arrived; the slight jolt of landing jostled her awake. Servants shuffled about to greet them, but Sesshomaru received most of the doting.
The yawning miko pulled out her report on this participant. They were here for the ice demon Lady Yukiko. She had been promoted by her mother, Lady Yuki-Onna, general to the Northern Lord. This powerful demon was highly respected for her abilities to blow away or freeze entire armies in her personal snow storms.
The group was denied audience with the girl that day, but Kagome used it to her advantage to collect more information. When she inquired if anyone needed medical help, there seemed to be a couple odd injuries that needed attending to. There were two instances of frostbite that she could only help them manage. Kagome assisted the make of a special boot so that the servant had more control over a blackened foot. When the timid demon girl took her first step, free of her crutch, many people cheered in celebration.
Admittedly, they hadn't been too kind to Kagome due to her being a priestess, but with this tiny victory, the servants flocked to meet her. As the day went on the true reasoning behind all of the small injuries came to light. The young lady of this house was very emotional and for a snow woman that was very dangerous.
Sesshomaru and Jakken had chosen to retire into the shared room given to them, but Kagome spent this time around a small fire in the servants' courters. They had gathered just outside of their tiny housing to share tea and stories around the fire. She sipped warm tea as the frostbitten demon quietly admitted, "You see, Lady Kagome, with the main mistress of the house so frequently absent the young miss cannot help but act rebelliously. This foolish demon tried to alert my lady of her daughter's action and was rightly punished for it. It was not my place, you see?" Kagome nodded her head, "I see, but I don't like it. The most loyal servants are the ones who care about their masters." There was a soft hum around the fire as several demons agreed.
"Are you loyal to your master, miko?" Another demon lightly chuckled as others watched her with more interest.
"What? 'My master'?" Kagome choked out, completely lost.
Another demon piped up this time, "Yeah, miss, are you loyal to Lord Sesshomaru?" And another, deeper voice chimed in, "Yeah, do you care about your Lord?" They all watched her face turn beat red and burst out laughing. Then suddenly, they were quiet and bowing towards her. No, it was the angry demon behind her that they bowed to.
"We are leaving." Sesshomaru demanded as he threw her pack into her arms. There was an eerie drop in temperature as the wind picked up. Before following after him, Kagome managed to dig out a heavy winter jacket, wool beanie and blue scarf. She waved goodbye at her new friends as she rushed to catch up.
Somehow, in the few hours they had been there, the stoic lord had managed to anger some demon with special snowstorm powers. It pays to be prepared, but Kagome saw that a certain imp wasn't. Poor Jakken shivered and sniffled in discomfort while he raced to keep up with his lord. He looked miserable. She didn't know if it would be disrespectful, but the miko reached down from her spot on Ah-Un and snatched him up.
He squawked in surprise, "What are you doing? Unhand me woman!" But as soon as she had him sitting on the saddle, wrapped in her scarf and beanie, he stopped complaining.
"I'm sorry Jakken; I miss my kid." The raven haired girl softly admitted, trying to excuse her actions.
"You mean the fox kit, right?" The snow fell more heavily, causing Kagome to pull her hood up. "Mm-hm" she hummed in agreement.
"Is it normal for a priestess to adopt a demon son?" His voice calm enough to not crackle and squeak as it usually did.
"Is it normal for a demon lord to adopt a human daughter?" She countered.
"Not at all! That's what makes Lord Sesshomaru the best! My Lord is the kindest, most generous demon lord in all of history!" Kagome quietly snickered at the sudden burst of energy in the toad. Jakken sat happily in his warm cocoon as his voice crackled with every enthusiastic praise.
Sesshomaru led them through the dark night and onto their next location. The air was still chilled, but they had escaped the snow storm. Kagome, still on Ah-Un, clung to Jakken like a teddy bear as she fought to stay awake.
"Sesshomaru" The sleepy girl called out, "Why did we leave so quickly? Did something happen?" The pale figure in front of her never missed a step as he clarified, "She is not worthy."
"What?" Blurry eyes squinted in concentration, "Why?" After a moment of silence, Kagome tried again, "I need to know for my records should they come searching for why they were denied." She nibbled on her lower lip, hoping he would be baited. And like a victorious fisherman, Kagome lit up with a smile when the lord stopped and glanced over his shoulder at her.
"She was in this Sesshomaru's futon." His voice was flat but Kagome liked to believe that even he was embarrassed at the situation. She liked to believe a lot of things. He continued walking as the miko dwelled on imagery of the poor lord's night.
With the rising sun, they came to the next palace. Beautiful women floated over the wooden patios in their luxurious kimono. They were all fox demons, Kagome realized as she reread her report on the next demoness.
Lady Haruka, a kitsune whose favorite color was blue. As the priestess looked around at the ladies swarming them and ushering them inside, she noticed that they were all wearing different shades of blue. Kagome really wanted to smack the lazy person who had recorded so little to identify the demoness.
A blonde regally stepped out of her home, gold eyes glistening with interest. There was no doubt this coy beauty was the daughter of the fox general. The black haired foxes bowed as she calmly stepped forward to greet her guests. Kagome stared in awe as Sesshomaru nodded in greeting.
Like silk and honey, Haruka spoke, "I am Haruka, daughter of a northern general. Has Lord Sesshomaru truly come to meet me?"
Kagome leaned around to peak at his face, trying to see any expression he might let slip. Nothing. His face was as stoic as ever when he replied, "Yes." The miko sighed at Sesshomaru's antics, while the demoness grew quite excited. Gold jewelry jingled as she spoke, "Come! We shall converse over breakfast. Your human looks hungry."
She had hoped she would get to see a new side of Sesshomaru, but Kagome excused herself to sleep in a guest room after finishing her meal. Eating in their company drained the last bit of energy she had. Haruka would talk about herself and then ask him a question, then talk about herself some more. Why? The great Lord of the West answered in melodic grunts and single word answers. He didn't even ask her any questions. The priestess knew that she would have to talk with him after this visit about communication being the key to a healthy relationship.
When Kagome awoke the warmth of the sun still hung in the air. In a bout of energy, she sprung to action and pulled out her records. The miko scribbled away about the transgression towards Sesshomaru and a couple notes about Haruka that she had heard that morning.
The fox was playful but never went far enough to insult her main guest. Her father was truly a nine-tailed fox of a thousand years, while she was only three hundred or so. The pen froze, Kagome stopped moving. How old was Sesshomaru? Did age matter to demons the same way that it did to humans? The miko stared at the paper in front of her as she racked her brain for some clue.
Sesshomaru had been alive before Inuyasha was born, so that's fifty years plus eighteen years plus four more for Kagome's time here. Alright, so he is definitely older than seventy-two. That just didn't sound right. Haruka was four times that, so he had to be more, right?
The raven haired girl sat mumbling to herself, glaring at the ceiling as if analyzing unbelievable, invisible data. Her lips had been sucked in to an unattractive frown, forehead rippled with wrinkles from furrowed brows, and eyes squinting to soft curves of black lashes. This was the face Sesshomaru was greeted with as he slid open the screen door.
"AH! Sesshomaru!" Kagome exclaimed. He deigned her worth of a single eyebrow raise as he entered and sat against the wall across from the lunatic. The poor lord wasn't expecting the miko to crawl over and plop down beside him, paper and pencil still in hand.
"Age is important to humans, but I don't know demon culture." Kagome spoke in hushed tones, "How old are you? Are there age limits and prejudices for demons that I should know?"
From one chatty female to another, Sesshomaru sighed before cursing the promise he made at the spring. "This Sesshomaru has lived for five hundred and sixty-five years." After enjoying the silence from the shocked miko, he calmly continued, "Dog demon children take twice as long to mature. Where a human would be ready to mate by age fourteen, a demon would only be ready after twenty-four years. Even then, they are viewed by many as too young."
"So, I won't have grandkids for ten more years, putting me at thirty. Maybe Shippo can hold off on mating Souten a little longer." Kagome gushed at the thought of their children before returning back to the soft glare of gold. "You would claim the kit's progeny as your pack?"
"Of course I would and his mate, too. She will be my child just as much as he is." The scent of honesty brushed his nose, while a soft 'hn' left his throat. The stoic lord closed his eyes and relaxed his head against the wall. "So, um, what's the report for Haruka?"
Sesshomaru thought on it for a moment before responding, "She is adequate strength, age and position. She speaks too much." There was a pause as thin lips stretched into the slightest of a smirk, "But, perhaps that is not intolerable."
Kagome missed her chance at seeing a new emotion shown on the porcelain face as she wrote down the good news. Without looking up the miko thoughtlessly asked, "What exactly are you looking for in a mate?"
Again, a long pause as the lord thought about his answer. Kagome had plenty of time to finish writing and reposition her sitting position. She sat with one knee bent so that she could rest her head on it while watching him.
"This Sesshomaru requires a full blooded heir to rule in my stead when the time comes. She cannot be someone who would bring shame to my clan." The miko fidgeted as she realized there wasn't anything else. He didn't need a wife; he just needed someone to produce him a son. Kagome's heart went out to the poor girl that would become his bride, for she would be quite lonely.
"Eat your dinner so that we may leave." Sesshomaru spoke with eyes still closed. A dark brow shot up at the resting demon until a servant arrived with a tray of food. She somberly ate while mulling over their conversation. Kagome noted how she really failed all of his requirements, but it didn't bother her. She couldn't be paid enough to mate this slow talking, stoic jerk.
As soon as she was done with the cooked pork and rice, they met Jakken and Ah-Un to continue their journey. The next two locations were past a certain familiar mountain range. The first, being Rina and Riko as the princesses of the northern lord, and then, Miyako as a bat general's daughter. With those three, their trip through the north would be complete.
