Chapter 11
And there was silence. It wasn't that Kagome expected any compliments on her outfit or makeup but she had hoped for a nod or a blink from Sesshomaru. Anything to show he approved of her appearance would have been nice, but she found his attention stayed to his cup.
Her eyes wondered about the room in disappointment; her mood almost tainted the beauty of the painted, hanging scrolls and large, decorative fans. The tatami matting felt strangely more cushioned than most thus helping her gracefully and proudly take her spot next to the lord.
Inukimi took to her cushion at the head of the room; her fan hid whatever expression might have matched the mischievous glint in her golden eyes. Yuuka and Tamiko sat across from her guests with frowns as prominent as her sons.
To be fair, Tamiko, the darling little sister, greeted Kagome with a quick smile and a childish wave before returning to copy her elder sister. Said elder sister held quite the glare in the miko's direction for some time until Inukimi spoke.
"Children of my brother and child of my own, you have come here with thoughts of mating. Speak now of your requirements." His mother's delicate hand rose toward the two demonesses in a subtle signal.
"Yes, Lady Mother." The woman in red spoke, "This Yuuka is well learned, connected, and bred. There cannot be a mate any less than she. He would need to be surrounded with others that recognize his glorious status." A pointed look focused acidic words towards Kagome. "Of course, one cannot help those of which he is connected but hope for an inevitable cease of interactions."
Kagome met Yuuka's glare with a steady look of her own. Normally, the miko would have given that dog a piece of her mind then and there, but for Inukimi and Sesshomaru she managed to hold her tongue.
"Thank you, Yuuka." Inukimi politely interrupted the glaring match. "Sesshomaru, won't you speak?"
"This Sesshomaru" He began in a slow and measured voice, "would have a mate that is well learned, connected and bred. There are none greater than he, only those equal and less. She would be surrounded by those of all status, for business will need her hand in his absence."
In an unexpected gesture, the tall demon lord turned his head to Kagome. She felt a soft blush creep up in surprise as gold eyes quickly took in her appearance. "Is there more, miko?"
It took a moment of blinking as Kagome quickly thought over the many women that had been rejected. "Yes" She hesitated before continuing with a small nod, "my lord, there are two."
"Proceed." Sesshomaru ordered before returning to his proud, forward facing position. The dark haired beauty straightened her posture as well, meeting the prudish gaze of Yuuka.
"Lord Sesshomaru would have the mother present in raising his child. In his absence it would be up to her to make sure his heir is trained and educated in becoming the next Lord of the West." Admittedly, Kagome was really trying to sound as formal as possible considering he had switched to complete third person. Again, she restrained her tendencies for the sake of her hostess and lord.
"Secondly, Lord Sesshomaru has a human ward. She is still a child and lives in a village amongst humans, so it would be for the best if his heir did not inherit any prejudices." She finished.
"Thank you, Sesshomaru and Kagome." The esteemed mother repeated as custom. "Now, that the limits are set, let us dine while we think upon them."
The three ladies bowed to their hostess in gratitude, while the lord merely nodded. As Kagome rose up again, she found dark, little tables with bowls of rice, meats, and vegetables in front of each guest. At the edge furthest from her sat a pair of jade chopsticks. In fact, all the plating was jade she just hadn't realized it yet.
With a cautious bite, blue eyes glanced over to see if Sesshomaru was sitting bored and proper as he had before. It was a good thing she was already being so careful with those chopsticks because had she been any less careful they would have slipped from her hand. He was eating.
Mind you, Kagome was starving so eating was definitely a priority, but she couldn't help but sneak a few glances at his food while she did so. For example, he got a dish of sake with his meal. It was golden and glowing, but it was served in a dish for sake. And then, he didn't have rice or vegetables; there were just strips and chunks of meats neatly presented on several plates. Some looked cooked and others were most definitely raw. A small bowl for dipping his meats sat at the corner of his table and looked a little like spices mixed into dark blood.
A couple years ago, that would have really grossed her out, but instead her heavenly feasting only paused when a clawed hand slipped black hair back behind her ear. The miko hadn't even noticed it slip until he moved it. She offered a smile in gratitude and took his motion as permission to ask.
"What is that?" She whispered, so not to disturb the others. "Does it taste good?"
"Demon" He replied in an equally quiet tone, if only to appease her.
"Demon?" She echoed. After another bite of rice and pork had been swallowed Kagome asked again, "Does it taste good?"
"Hn" Sesshomaru tried to return to eating when she asked something that notably caught him by surprise.
"Can I try some?"
She looked so pretty and innocent as she blinked up at him with her big, blue eyes. At any other time Kagome wouldn't have asked, but the idea that he liked it and ate it was mind boggling. This was a rare moment that she just couldn't pass up.
He stared at her and she stared back. Though it went unnoticed, Inukimi was quite surprised to see her son give in to the human beside him.
"Demon flesh is endowed with its dark aura and soul. Humans are likely to be possessed by its essence." The lord quietly explained.
With a sip of tea, Kagome's resolve heightened. "What about miko's?" A moment of thought passed before she asked, "Would it just dissolve if I tried to purify it?"
The smallest of eyebrow twitches had the miko smiling in victory. She beamed as he placed a small, cooked piece on a cleared section of her plate. Now, to think.
Another moment went by as she continued eating her other food, all the while staring at the small chunk. Kagome was better at summoning her power through objects, so her steady gaze turned to the green chopsticks in hand. Slowly, she grabbed the meat between jade and started the terrifying process of adding the smallest amount of purification as she could. Her eyes slipped closed so that she could see the aura of the food before her.
Once she could see it, she knew exactly where to send her powers. The stressful deed suddenly seemed ridiculous as she slipped the meat into her mouth and finished the process as she chewed. It was delicious, and textured just as pork.
"It tastes really good. Do you want a piece of mine?" Sesshomaru just stared at her before picking off one of her meats. She watched him chew and swallow all the while thinking, "So he can eat 'human' food."
"I admit I've never seen a human eat demon before." Spoke Inukimi.
The miko tilted her head to better address her around the lord's armor, "I'm glad I could; it was delicious."
"We have thought on it and have decided." The loud voice of Yuuka interrupted. "If Lord Sesshomaru should be so willing as to give up all relations to the miko Kagome, then any human would be treated most kindly by Yuuka and Tamiko." The blue clad identical sibling slowly turned to her sister in a fine mixture of confusion and disbelief. No words had actually passed between them.
Kagome froze at the mention of her name, but guiltily knew that agreeing to such a deal would be for the best. After all, it wouldn't do her any good if the man she loved chose another woman to return to every night. It really was like Inuyasha all over again and she got to choose the Kikyo this time. Her breathing faltered and she felt the prick of tears.
The miko straightened and hid her devastation under a soft smile. She purposefully opened her eyes and lightly lifted her brows to finish the illusion of being ok. She did this once, so she can do it again.
"Hn." That was his response. Dark brows quickly fell in a light glare as the lord stood from his cushion and nodded to his mother. In her many layers, Kagome quickly followed suit.
She watched his back as they walked down the halls together and yet separate. Sesshomaru walked proudly a few steps ahead of her with long, light silver hair swaying from side to side. His mokomoko draped his right shoulder and the spiked armor adorned his left. Either of those sisters would have matched perfectly with his appearance.
"This night you have your own room to sleep." Sesshomaru paused to motion to a screen door, allowing her to enter before closing it behind her. And suddenly, they really were separate. Her hands slowly closed beneath sleeves she still hadn't noticed the color of. Her covered toes dragged across the floor to a seat before a vanity of sorts.
Her makeup and hair still looked perfect, but now she could take in the rest of the outfit reflected in the mirror. Red and white kimonos draped over her form while a bright yellow obi held fastened by a thin, braided rope. A tear slipped down her cheek from behind long black lashes adorned with a painted eyeshadow of matching purple. It was the silver crescent moon that sat innocently amongst the yellow and purple rope which reminded her of the reality.
She really wanted to be Kikyo this time.
In shame, tears falling without her desiring them to do so, Kagome stood back up to properly hang the borrowed kimono. These were the clothes of a lady of the demon court and she would never be that. Finding her miko garb she started to put it on, quietly sobbing. Wiping off her makeup, Kagome looked back at her reflection and saw how closely she resembled the dead priestess now.
It hadn't really bothered her all those times that Inuyasha had stared or had to double take to see that she was Kagome this last year. He would always be waiting for the woman he loved first. And Sesshomaru, who was he waiting for? Who did he want to see?
The miko closed her eyes and let her head fall back. She calmed as the colorful auras of the demons around her came into view much like nebulas in space. There was peace here in the pitch black, as she watched his colors dance only a few feet away. Another aura was coming close; there was a quiet knock on the door.
Her head shot up, as she squeaked out a, "yes?" just in time for Yuuka to slide open the door. She was holding a bag and as sure enough as the door was closed, the demoness had the bag empty on a table across the room. Jewelry and expensive metals glistened up at the surprised miko as she came closer to ask what this intrusion was about.
"About? Don't be daft." Yuuka replied, "You are to leave your lord a good word or just leave him." She just as quickly hurried to open and gaze out a window. The high altitude air quickly chilled Kagome's boiling anger.
"Do you think you can bribe me?" She almost growled at the carefree looking demoness.
"This Yuuka knows humans well enough to know you all have a price. Name it and it is yours." Suddenly in Kagome's eyes she looked just as beautiful as Bankotsu or Kagura and just as dangerous. She should have paid closer attention to that strange familiarity.
"There is nothing you have that could make me lie to him" Blue met gold, but the latter wasn't bothered.
"Very well."
A strong force crushed her human diaphragm as the demoness appeared at her side. Kagome's world started fading to black with the last of her sights being of white clouds amongst starry skies. She couldn't even scream for him.
"Lady Kagome!" Someone yelled while shaking her shoulder violently. "Lady Kagome!"
The miko opened her eyes to find herself lying across the back of Ah-Un and Jakken at her side. "Jah-k'n" She managed with a very sore chest. The loyal steed gracefully flew them up to main entrance with the large throne to land. "Ta' kyou."
She hugged the small imp against his will, although he didn't particularly not enjoy it. Kagome was quite distracted while nuzzling the two headed dragon and gushing over their speedy and heroic entrance to notice the arrival of both Inukimi and Sesshomaru.
"Oh? It is the little demon from last time, is it not?" The lady tilted her question to the ever silent son.
His tall and intimidating form towered over the three of them, four if you count heads. Ah-Un snorted in excitement to rejoin the lord, but his stern look had them tucking their heads beneath Kagome's with her hair as a shield. She tried to stay serious but the ears tickling her chin and the intense throbbing of her stomach left her with an awkward smile instead.
"My-my lord!" Jakken started. "I have returned, my lord!"
With a steady glare from the trembling miko to the short servant, he angrily demanded, "Explain."
"Yes, my lord! This humble" "Before he can speak further, I must insist on taking this inside. Your human is shivering." Inukimi teased.
Kagome glanced at her hands, frowning at the truth, and tried to crush it with resolve. She petted Ah-Un one last time before sending him away to curl up amongst the clouds. Without looking his way again, Kagome walked past Sesshomaru to join his mother. Her body hurt so much but she continued to walk forward with a smile.
Jakken hesitated with an open mouth as he turned his head to the seething lord and back to the disappearing ladies. Only when Sesshomaru turned to move inside did the toad's floundering stop. "Wait for me, my lord!"
Once inside with magically appearing tea, Kagome tried her best to rush the calming process that follows such a survival. She knew the drill; it was just hurrying it along that distracted her. A distraction is just what she wanted from the pissed looking demon lord that finally entered the room. He sat gracefully and quietly whereas Inuyasha would have huffed and puffed. Kagome refused to look at him and instead focused on her tea and pain.
"You had something to say, little demon?" Gold eyes watched Jakken enter the room and take his spot behind his lord.
"Yes, Lady Mother." He began in his squeaky voice, "This humble servant of the great Lord Sesshomaru was returning after a successful delivery when these large eyes spotted a familiar form of the miko. My lord and lady mother, she was falling unconscious through the clouds."
Two pairs of metallic eyes shifted to her calm form, neither missing the faltering breaths. Kagome knew they were looking at and judging her, so she simply continued sipping her tea. Her form had to be straight and rigid, because slouching only put more pressure on her wound.
"Ah-Un caught her in the nick of time and returned her to you." Jakken finished with a bow.
"There is quite the scent of tears on our Kagome, were you cold enough that she would jump?" The growl from the demon lord fiercely disagreed. "Then, perhaps a visitor?" Inukimi eyed the miko for every telling sign of the truth. "Perhaps, Yuuka visited and things turned ill?"
Kagome finally lifted her eyes to look the demoness head on. "It is my fault that she sees me as a threat. Regardless of my affections, I am only your son's matchmaker and there should not be any confusion for the contestants of my position." She was serious, but it really hurt to say it all. Even still, the miko drew in a shaky breath and continued, "It is my fault for allowing this poor girl to get the wrong idea, so please do not judge her for it."
The demoness sat up and flicked open her fan, "What is this 'wrong idea'?" As Kagome's eyes watched Inukimi, she saw her calculating, cold eyes drift to her son.
"It's wrong for them to think that I am a contestant." She replied with a confident breath. Behind the fan there was a small smirk, and the miko knew it was from what she saw of the lord. Quickly, so that she might not miss it, Kagome turned her gaze to look at the demon she'd been ignoring. But, she didn't understand; his head was turned away. What is there to smirk about with him just looking away?
"If you'll excuse me, I'm a bit tired." She moved to stand but the throbbing turned to a sharp sting. Seeing her pause in the middle of trying to get up, Jakken jumped to his feet to steady her arm as best as his smaller form could. Thanking him again, she quickly returned to her room for some ibuprofen.
To be honest, she had no real memory of carrying her bag anywhere past the original tea room. And yet it sat innocently enough in her room.
She gently lay on top of the futon and waited in silence for either the pills to kick in first or sleep to take her. To her dissatisfaction, the screen door slid open. Kagome was pretty much fine with just glaring at the intruder, until he glared back.
Red eyes and elongated fangs had the miko sitting up in surprise. Her arms immediately wrapped around her aching core at the sudden motion, but his first steps in had most of her attention. The last time this "inner beast" of his had appeared, she got quite the licking for her smell being tainted. After the emotional rollercoaster of today, Kagome really doubted that she could handle much more.
As frightening as he looked, this Sesshomaru calmly sat beside her. His dangerously clawed hand softly pushed her hair back behind her ear, before his other touched her arms.
"It hurts." She admitted in hopes he understood. His gaze focused on her arms as his hand carefully moved to draw them away. It wasn't forceful, thankfully, but she still didn't know what he meant to do.
When the demon started untying her hakama, she squeaked in protest and turned her body away from him. Kagome glared in disbelief and growled. It was silly that she would even try to reply with a little, shallow, human growl, but this Sesshomaru just wasn't as articulate. She really wanted to drive home the fact of her displeasure.
However, all she got was a head tilt.
In the moment she closed her eyes to sigh, Sesshomaru slipped a large hand to the base of her neck and pulled her head back. To have your head pulled back slowly in such a way can sometimes lead to your eyes closing and your lips parting. This was quite the case for Kagome as her eyes had barely any time to open in surprise before slipping back close again. It was hard but she opened them just enough to peak at the glowing red eyes.
Heat built in her cheeks as that pale demonic face rested itself in the crook of her neck. His hot breath caressed her neck and she simply couldn't think enough to stop him. This is how he untied her hakama and slipped it down to her waist. Kagome could only focus on his breath, his fangs, his lips just above her bare skin.
Suddenly, before she could take any more, the demon lowered his head to touch the wounded stomach. The bruising was much more obvious through the eyes of the lord, but she knew when he kept calm that there were no serious injuries to worry about. It was just a bruised belly.
With a large hand softly resting over her color changing navel, the terrifying mouth opened. "Killing would displease you?"
"Yes!" She panted, "Don't kill for this."
This Sesshomaru, who was also not Sesshomaru, looked at the door and stared at it in contemplation. His other hand still carefully held her head in place, so she could only think to grab his face and turn it toward her. Her grip wasn't hard, but it still caught him in surprise.
"Do not kill her, Sesshomaru." Kagome wouldn't beg, even in this submissive position. Red flickered to gold and the hand loosened. She sat up as the lord seemed to be figuring out what all had taken place. "Are you ok?"
He paused; her words had struck. The miko nibbled at her lower lip in embarrassment for sounding as breathy as she did. Chills crawled up her spine as his claws thoughtlessly trailed over the skin just below her bellybutton. If her blush and shallow breaths gave him any clues as to her own personal problems, surely he would have left. But something bothered him enough to continue staring at her stomach, at the forming bruises.
"Sesshomaru?" She tried.
"Humans are so fragile." He whispered in that deep voice.
"Wait" Kagome thought. She knew this look and those words. It reminded her of those times that Inuyasha had almost lost her and acted all guilty. The miko watched in disbelief until it slowly melted into a frown. Those stupid down cast golden eyes, even if they were colder, she knew that look.
"Stop sulking" It wasn't harsh as much as it was frustrated. Mind you, how often would someone be able to get away with claiming the great Lord of the West actually sulked? The man himself turned to her in his stoic form of disbelief.
"If you don't like what happened" Not that she was all too sure as to which part he disliked, "then try not to let it happen again." Kagome smiled and mentally thanked her mom for the life lesson. Sesshomaru, though, could not have known why she smiled and simply took it as a cue.
And he kissed her.
It was soft and lingering. She still hadn't enough time to fully register anything, let alone close her eyes. Soft pink lips were left parted and lightly frowning in confusion. Kagome could only watch in silence as the lord pulled away and moved to leave.
Then it hit. Butterflies swirled as if they were caught in a hurricane about to burst through her chest. Her heart beat so loud that the world around her could have exploded and she wouldn't have heard it. And her smile, Kagome's blue eyes teared up as the largest smile threatened to escape.
With an inquisitive hand coming up to touch the same lips that had received such a gift, the miko looked up to watch Sesshomaru pause in the doorway. Silver hair swayed out of the way to show a side-long look of honey.
"You did well, Kagome." He almost whispered before closing the door and leaving the girl to her thoughts.
With the morning sun, the miko stared out the same window she had been thrown from. She had slept, but her dreams had a strange habit of repeating last night with different scenarios. One was silly enough that Inuyasha and Inu no Taisho interrupted their kissing. Another wasn't so silly and caused deep red blushes with the slightest memory.
Kagome drifted in and out of thoughts throughout the rest of the morning. She became aware long enough to see the surprise on Yuuka's face, but she couldn't remember what happened to the demoness. Perhaps Inukimi gave her a few stern words regarding guests but it really wasn't noticeable. Then, Jakken came and she became aware to their leaving the Palace of the Wind due to the pain of climbing onto Ah-Un with such bruising. It was a good thing or else the miko would have missed giving Inukimi a proper heartfelt goodbye. And then finally, while flying away, it mildly dawned on her that she never did figure out the mystery behind the appearing tea and food.
Even though Sesshomaru had kissed her, Kagome knew that the next destination wasn't home. It wasn't to their wedding or to his bed. There were two names left on the list Keiko and Noriko. Two more ladies of the demon court who could give him the heir that he desired. After all, this human could only be his matchmaker.
