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These were the times that Kagome had started to like best even if this were to be the first and only time, all curled up and snug with Sesshomaru, no space existed between them. They talked about everything and nothing as they both have been awake from just before daybreak.
For the first time in a very long time, she felt like she belonged, felt truly wanted and desired, she felt beautiful and appreciated as the Daiyoukai hugged her and nuzzled her hair and neck while she spoke and he listened wholeheartedly. Life was beginning to feel lived and wonderful. She would have to remember to thank the kamis later with an extra prayer before she went to sleep.
Soon the moment came to an end with the knocking at the door, and they both untangled lazy limbs from each other reluctantly, Sesshomaru sat up in bed while Kagome remained as she was. "Master, the morning meal is ready," the voice of the servant said from outside the door.
He got up and made his way to the door and opened it. He took the tray from the manservant, closed the door and placed it on the table, he then signaled to Kagome to come and join him. Breakfast was an assortment of jams, eggs, meat, fruits, bread, a pot of tea with honey, and a jar with juice. "Mmmm, it smells and looks delicious," Kagome said hungrily. "Then let's eat," Sesshomaru remarked.
Everything was white, yellow, and green. The ceramic bowl with its short-stemmed tulips and white roses in the center of the long and wide polished oak table of the council room caught her eye; she and Sesshomaru were its first occupants here waiting on the other members to arrive so that the meeting could start.
She had dressed herself in a white kimono with small patterns of lime green and yellow flowers decorating it and securing it with a red sash. She did not like the wide obi and it seemingly complicated efforts to knot and secure it. The sleeves of her kimono were wide but not too much, and the material soft and silky hugged every curve accentuating her wide hips and firm bottom, and her hair she pinned on the top of her head loosely and left a small portion out at the back. She relined her eyelids, stained her lips a soft pink, and dusted her face mildly with the white pearl powder giving it a luminous look. She looked and felt beautiful.
When Sesshomaru had seen her earlier after she'd come outside to meet up with him for the meeting he was captivated and could not look away, until she cleared her throat and he took her arm in his own and directed them to the meeting. She smiled pleased knowing that she had impressed him. Now here they were watching as the first council members arrived, his mother, followed by everyone else one at a time. When all were seated, and the servants poured water into the tall glasses and left, lady Harumi stood and glared at Kagome, but she was not perturbed because Sesshomaru had given her a small lecture on his mother's prejudices and attitude, and so she glared right back at her and did not look away.
However the first to look away was the demoness and she did it grudgingly glaring daggers at the priestess; she had to call the meeting to order. "Once again we assemble and hopefully we will put our heads together so that when we leave here today and return to our homes we will feel a sense of accomplishment." She paused then and took up her glass and drank some of the water and then replaced it on the table and began again. "I welcome you all, and may our gathering be productive," then she looked directly at Kagome and spoke, "I trust that you slept well last night little priestess?" with a smugness about her and a vindictive smile on her face remembering how she had called one of her son lovers to come and cause trouble.
Quietly Kagome pushed back her chair and stood while everyone else looked on and wondered about the tone and statement that lady Harumi had directed at Kagome; only Sesshomaru knew better but he did not stop Kagome from having her say. She was calm and confident as she answered. "I slept just fine…like a baby," and then she sat back down just as quietly as she had stood, while lady Harumi clenched her jaw in vexation and anger but did not reply also reclaiming her seat. No one said a word but it was obvious that something other than what had happened yesterday in the meeting had transpired during the course of the day afterwards; Sesshomaru was pleased at Kagome's courage and nodded his approval of her actions and she did likewise.
It was Sesshomaru's turn to address the council and so he stood and looked around the table on all, and then calmly and with a sense of pride he said. "The priestess has accepted the offer of chief advisor," and for an instant there were complete silence, and then noise, as all except his dam and her associates shouted their approval and rapping their fingers on the table, and Kagome was happy knowing that she was appreciated. And in the midst of the celebration and angry voice resounded; "I object to this appointment," and the cheers stopped immediately and all confused, and stunned eyes stared at the demoness waiting for an explanation of her disapproval of the appointment of the priestess. For most could not come up with any reasonable justification as to why she was in objection.
Sesshomaru remained calm as Kagome seemed agitated with an angry frown upon her brow, but she said nothing and waited like everyone else to hear what the angry demoness had to say. Lady Harumi clucked her tongue and looked fiercely with bitter and cold eyes at Kagome as she looked back at her without any fear. "Tell me priestess, did you not share a bed and your body with my son last night?" she asked spitefully wanting to belittle and damage Kagome's character. Kagome let loose with an audible gasp and so did the other members. "You want to know what?" she rebutted in surprise "You heard me," the demoness shouted losing all semblance of control…"Did you not partake of pleasure with Sesshomaru last night?"
"Enough mother!" Sesshomaru countered frustrated at his mother's interference in his life and her obvious dislike of Kagome who remained sitting, and as he looked at her he wasn't sure what she was feeling or what she was going to do as she got up from around the table and stood. But his mother was relentless and continued. "I will not agree to her appointment if she is sleeping with you," and she stared at her son, "we need objectiveness in this council, and if she is your lover then I am sure that will not be achieved," and then cunningly she looked at the other members and asked. "Don't you want a council member who is not only objective but subjective to offer advice and to lead with clarity and wisdom into the future?" And they all sat back in their seats at this point and thought about the question put to them. As she continued on her malicious verbal assault on the priestess:
"She is not fit to sit at this table much less to secure our survival; she will only hinder us with her attachments to Sesshomaru and will be his lackey, only doing what he tells her, for here she is already getting acquainted with my son's cock and causing trouble in his house." She remarked with malice and a certain evil smirk plastered on her face, "and I can prove all that I have said here today."
Kagome eyes widened at the last remark and she looked to Sesshomaru for answers but he seemed just as clueless as she was, and the other members looked on silently but you could tell that they were intrigued and amused at the whole proceedings, and lord Shun the only none inu demon and a member of the council spoke aloud. "Is this a meeting for our survival or one to hear our most private affairs?…I for one vote that the priestess remains," and then he sat back down and after awhile lords Hitoshi and Aburame agreed, stood up and spoke in Kagome's favor, and Sesshomaru was satisfied.
She whirled away in anger because she wasn't able to convince everyone present of Kagome's unsuitability to become a member, lady Harumi walked to the door and flung it open and standing there was a beautiful inu demoness with platinum blonde hair, yellow eyes and no markings on her face. Sesshomaru's eyes widened a fraction and he thought to himself, 'didn't I chastise her last night for her behavior and sent her back to the palace…so why is she here.' The newly arrived demoness walked behind lady Harumi and towards the table where she stood beside her with her head hanging down.
Kagome looked around the room slowly and then her eyes settled up front on the two female demoness's trying to make sense of what was happening; this was not a meeting but a circus, a soap opera from her time. She frowned internally and prepared herself for what she felt was going to be unpleasant. Then the out of place laughter from Sesshomaru's mother got everyone's undivided attention, the demon lord's eyes narrowed and his jaws clenched in anger and frustration as he waited on his mother to do her worst.
"Sesshomaru," his mother asked, "do you know this female, and what position does she hold in your household?" And angrily he responded, "I will not be a part of your games," and then she snorted, "hmph, alright then, I will carry on without your aid." Turning to the female demoness beside her she enquired. "What is your name and who are you to my son?" The woman waited a few seconds before answering. "I am Seira and the mother of Sesshomaru sama's firstborn and heir, and I am also the mother of his twin daughters Misora and Himeko, she stopped speaking at that point and when she began again she pretended to be distraught and with tears in her eyes, and Kagome felt uneasy at the sight of the demoness's tears.
"Continue," lady Harumi prodded. "When I first came to him he promised to make me his mate if I produced him an heir, and I did, so I am his intended, and I am responsible for running his household," she said and shedding more tears for effect. "But he has changed since spending time with that human woman," and she pointed with disdain at Kagome, "and last night I came unexpectedly to tell Sesshomaru sama that his youngest was ill and I found them together in bed." Kagome did not respond to the accusation and neither did Sesshomaru, and the council members sat fascinated as the drama unfolded. Their leader was the silent and private type, who knew he was so adventurous?
Kagome couldn't believe that lady Harumi would go so far and stoop so low just to spite her for being a human and for having affectionate feelings for her son, maybe she hoped that by scandalizing her and Sesshomaru that she would become despondent and shamefaced and leave; obviously she did not know her son very well, and she certainly did not know her at all. Sesshomaru had told her when they spoke last night and even this morning almost everything she needed to know about him and his life over the last thirty years, and she understood perfectly his perspective as to why he did some of the things that he had done. She did not agree with everything, but she understood.
Sesshomaru watched his mother and the demoness who was one of his lovers, but remained cold and emotionless at the fiasco happening in the meeting.
"I know many of you are wondering what my motives are for doing this, but it is simple, the priestess is a filthy whore who cannot keep her hands off my son, and if she is to remain she will have to live here in the west, and that will cause all sort of problems with his concubines and caused disharmony in his house. We need a leader who is contented and focused to make pertinent decisions. Her presence here will have the opposite effect and it is not welcomed." And then lady Harumi turned away from the council members momentarily and asked Seira one more question. "How would you feel knowing that this woman was to reside in the west and possible in your home if she were to be accepted among our kind?" Her tone was disrespectful and contemptuous while she spoke and stared at Kagome.
Disbelief was clearly written on the concubines face when she heard that the priestess may have to reside in the west and possibly in her home, and when she answered she was upset and red in the face from her crying and anger.
"I would not like it, and none of his other females would, and neither would his children." Her voice changed from mild anger to hurt and outrage as she made her next remark. "And as I am Sesshomaru sama's intended, she will have to fight me and win to have a place among us." Kagome gasps and leaned in on the table not quite sure that she had heard correctly, but the demoness in the swishy blue dress shot through with silver threads rushed at her and she looked up in surprise as the woman lunged with claws bearing for her throat.