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Kagome sighed heavily running moist palms down the front of her robes nervously, while Sesshomaru looked down into the courtyard from the uppermost balcony of the auditorium watching briefly for the first signs of the aristocracy to arrive, he told himself that he was no more involved than he would be at any other time.
His son was taken and treason had and was being influenced. It was his business to find out how it was done. He would have felt no less if he'd been told that his empire had fallen, but with the deception of his mistresses, and the abduction of his child, a sense of personal outrage and emptiness, then a surge of melancholy not strong enough to make him lose himself, but keener than mere regret, which surprised him by its intensity had afflicted him.
He'd hardly turned away from the view when Kagome stepped in front of him with a solemn look about her face. Taking his hands onto hers shakily she asked. "Are you alright?" But before he answered he concentrated on the question.
He had developed a cursory survey out of habit by dealing with Kagome, she was always thinking of others before focusing on herself. That exercise had its practical purposes, but he recognized that in some obscure way it fulfilled a psychological need. Sharing one's self with another wholly required care and patience, and as he looked down into her blue gaze he knew that she was anxious and worried for both of them.
And now in these few remaining minutes before the arrival of the members of the council and the start of the summit he felt peaceful, knowing that the woman by his side would never betray him or misuse his trust. "I am well Kagome," he answered assuredly, however, if she was hearing correctly there was an air of feign confidence and wellbeing, and she suspects that it was for her benefit so that she would not worry too much.
Clasping her hands more closely around his, she tried to convey her feelings to him when the words simply failed her as the anticipation of what this day meant came crashing down on her. In time he pulled his hands gently away from hers; stepping away briefly he opened a desk drawer and took out a golden bracelet encrusted with small rubies and clasped it around her wrist.
The jewel elegant and refined as Kagome observed the intricate design which sparkled and fitted flawlessly around her dainty wrist. She smiled at him lovingly and muttered. "Thank you," while tiptoeing and kissing his lips, "It's beautiful and I will wear it always," she continued gratefully, he was pleased. Making her happy always brought him a sense of joy.
The gesture and the moment were emblematic. Sesshomaru had just given Kagome the first gift as his mate, and how fitting. When closed it was a complete circle symbolizing there unending love and devotion to each other. Kagome realized in that instant what it meant and felt a little peeved because she had nothing of material value to offer him.
Her mouth turned down into a frown, and then quite suddenly a smile lit her face, reaching inside the front of her robes and around her neck she held a golden necklace and attached to it were two gold rings. She'd stopped wearing the family heirloom many years ago, but when she was leaving with Sesshomaru to go in search of Taro she had packed it amongst her things, and it was on a whim that she had adorned herself with it earlier when dressing.
Both rings were symbols of her parent's love for each other. The necklace was her mother's and she had given it to her when she was about to return to the feudal era over fifty years ago to wed Inuyasha. She fumbled with the clasp before removing it from her neck while the daiyoukai watched curiously.
Kagome placed both rings in her palms and stared at Sesshomaru who stared right back at her. Holding out her palm to him she explained their significance. "These are wedding bands and they belonged to my parents…And I would like it very much if you would wear this one," she said timidly not certain if he would object to her proposal.
Steady eyes looked and saw how much this gesture meant to her and he wanted her to be happy, and so he nodded his head in agreement, she smiled and took his hand and placed the ring around his finger, it fitted perfectly, it was as if it were meant for him all along.
Without any form of prompting he took the other ring and placed it on a similar finger on her hand, she was a little surprised with her mouth agape, he saw the look and said. "My father had a human as a wife and mate." His statement was unforeseen because she knew of their history and that he had issues with his father on that premise. However, so much has changed since then and he was a different being now, at least in regards to old prejudices.
Anyways, she looked at the shiny object on her finger touching it and became totally immersed in thought that it was the deep voice of Sesshomaru that alerted her to procession lining the streets of the west with its pageantry. The nobles were finally arriving for the second annual council meetings, and it was significant because it was the twenty fifth anniversary of a united western domain, and the inception of the renewed council of nobles.
Sesshomaru took her hand and led her to the balcony for a better view. Both sides of the streets were filled with persons of different species, demons and humans that resided in the west peacefully.
The colors of the procession were red, white, blue and yellow. The horse drawn carriages were splendid with magnificent horses of various tones of black, white and brown; their headdresses were glowing silver with red feathers protruding from the top. The royal guards from each aristocratic house rode alongside and to the backs of the carriages, while the citizens shouted their approval.
And if you looked carefully you could see as the nobles waved through the windows of the carriages, and some even threw coins at the feet of the jubilant residents. Sesshomaru watched unenthused, and felt angered because the party was a mockery. Today was going down in history as a fateful day; none knew at this point what the outcome would be.
Tensing slightly as the carriages came through the gates of the auditorium, Kagome looked away and held her head in her palms and sighed, while Sesshomaru became concerned and took her to sit on the bed in the far corner of the room. Now that the moment was here her nerves tightened and her throat dried.
And as he held her close to his side he spoke. "Today all will know that you are my true mate, and I fear that this situation will put you in grave danger," he said sadly, and Kagome dipped her head as a lonely tear fell from her eye, because she was also very worried about him, he too was in danger of losing all that he holds dear. "Remember my koi if all else fails take the path that I have shown you and get out of the city…Find Tora and he will assist you."
If the plan goes wrong we will all die. He went over it again in his mind for the last time, probing, testing, and searching for flaws. If it worked it would be a spectacular feat; but sadly, when he made those plans his son was still safely living in his home, and that singular anomaly changed the whole dynamics of the strategies, because he could not act without knowing if Taizo was safe, and even so he could never sacrifice his child's life for power.
Kagome shuddered when the door of the great hall creaked on its hinges as it opened. He rubbed her arm through the light green robes that she was wearing and it must have had a calming effect, because she stood up suddenly, gave him a stern look and said. "They will not succeed with achieving evil here today. We will stop then."
As he gazed at her he knew in his heart that he would pay whatever price so that she and his children would live on even if he couldn't. He got up and took her hand; she did not say a word as he led her out the door and into the passage then down the stairs.
The meeting was about to commence. All were at their seats, and even though he did not see as his mother arrived he had felt her. But why didn't he sense the presence of his son if his dam was going to use Taizo for leverage in her sick games of power and authority? The thought left him feeling disturbed as he held onto Kagome's trembling hand, and turned the brass handles of the wide door of the great hall and pushed it open.