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The week ticked by slowly, so did the memories of the misdeeds that had taken place high above the ground on Mt. Fuji. Sesshomaru related little of what happened there to his mate. He only relayed to her that they were successful in destroying the creatures that had stood before them and progress.
She was satisfied on some level, but worried because she could tell that there was more he did not say. He wasn't a big talker; none could successfully refute that point. But his current state was too quiet and pensive, and that's how she knew that he was hiding something.
Not to worry, her mate had always told her what was on his mind when he was good and ready. With that thought in mind she entered through the council room's door and took her place at the other end of the table, directly facing him.
Kagome now held the position of lady of the west and current supervisor of the council now that lady Harumi had died. She smiled feeling pleased by the accolades, then stood as she was about to call the meeting to order.
"Good day to all members of the council and to our leader lord Sesshomaru."
As she introduced her mate who was sitting at the far end of the table he responded with a stiff nod but didn't get up. The greeting warm and heartfelt was a welcomed change from the usual disingenuous salutation from the former supervisor.
"Hai, Hai," was the calm and timely response by everyone.
It was a pleasing sight to behold that brought a soft smile to her face, and in a short while she continued.
"Before Sesshomaru sama speaks he has requested that I brief the council on current matters."
Kagome gave her mate a quick glance as she said this, the action took him by surprise as he saw the way her brows crinkled in thought as she saw the look of worry upon his countenance.
Now lost in a world with her thoughts as she pondered on her mate's state of mind, she promptly forgot about the speech. She was convinced now more than ever that something was definitely wrong with him. He wasn't paying attention to the call of the meeting as he stared off into the distance with eyes unfocused, his face rigid, the planes and angles looked as if they were carved in oak.
The council waited in silence for her to continue, not having inkling as to what had distracted her. The silence held for a moment longer but ended when Sesshomaru addressed her.
"Kagome please continue."
The statement brought to an end the weird silence as she looked straight ahead and began to speak again.
"I'm sorry for the delay, so let us continue," Kagome said apologizing to the council, the slight nod of heads was testament that all was well.
"Today is the day when we can celebrate the end of our worst fears. My mate and others have destroyed the remaining threat to our cause…Dragons."
The cheers that followed were loud and filled the room with relieved sighs and cheers, as most present here could still remember the war with them and how powerful and cruel they could be.
Kagome's cup rattled on the saucer as the members tapped on the table. She put both hands under it and lifted it to her mouth and then glanced at her mate again. The look of worry was gone, but now it was replaced with an emotion that she couldn't adequately describe as he moved to stand.
His mask was back in place as he was about to speak. His face was rigid once more, caught in the shafts of sunlight between the open windows and the trees, making the planes and angles looked as if they were really carved from polished limestone. His left hand came to rest on the table while the other hung stiffly by his side and his eyes steadily focused ahead.
Looking straight to the fore he recalled the minutes of the impromptu meeting that had transpired with the human emperor and sighed internally. Not only was his mind pre-occupied with Mt. Fuji, it was also saturated with what was to come when he returned to Osaka to start the negotiations. He had a feeling that his and Kagome's worse fears would begin; he touched his father's ring once more and hoped to the kamis that he would be wrong.
"Welcome all," he began. "The time has come when we will make a stand, although delayed by high treason we will not be denied the satisfaction of seeing our goals come to fruition."
Kagome watched him with a curious eye as he'd spoken trying to decipher why he had shut her out of his thoughts, she couldn't feel his emotions through their bond.
He knew that she would pry into his thoughts, she had become good at the venture, and whilst he had nothing to hide he would grant her access to his mind. She had no hope of learning anything new if he didn't want her to, but the instinct to guard his mind after returning from the mountains had made him shut her out completely.
She knew that he had restricted her from his mind; however, she did not ask him why he had done so, because she trusted him he knew implicitly. Whatever emotions she found in his eyes as she gazed upon him while she waited for him to continue, vanished as he raised his head and stared at her.
"Tomorrow I and two members that I will choose personally will accompany me to Osaka; there we will lay our ideas for the future on the table, and hopefully all will go according to plan."
Sesshomaru sat down after he was finished speaking, and Kagome wondered about the mystery surrounding who will accompany him to see the emperor.
She had always assumed that she would be the one to accompany him there when official talks started. After all, it was originally her idea. Nevertheless, she knew that things were done a little differently in the past, and she wasn't as sure if she could represent herself as well as her mate in this time period being a woman.
The council meeting took an hour's long break for lunch. Sesshomaru was crowded by most of the members. She and Akiyoshi went outside and sat in the garden after they had eaten. With her mind a little troubled she thought it best to sit in the sunshine and relax. Akiyoshi was the son after her own heart even though he wasn't her biological child, as he too felt at ease outdoors.
The meeting resumed again for the final time, Sesshomaru didn't wait for her to reconvene the meeting, he just stood when all members were once again seated and spoke.
"After considering some pertinent facts I have made a decision, I will take as my companions my mate's adopted son Shippo, and my confidant Tora."
There were no objections as the meeting came to a close only…
Kagome felt a spurt of irrational envy, hurt and anger against her mate who had found it so easy to choose others while quietly dismissing her claim to assist him. She was left alone long after everyone had gone. Akiyoshi had patted her on the shoulder before he'd taken his leave knowing that she was hurt by his father's insensitive decision.
And now that it seemed like the longest Tuesday was drawing to a close, she sat in bed surrounded by many soft cushions while she waits on Sesshomaru.
In the afternoon anger had kept her sitting in the council room for many hours, idly hoping that Sesshomaru would return, even though she knew that he wouldn't, she still hoped.
He had gone with the other lords to check on the treasury and to inspect the regions; from experience she knew that he would be gone for some time. It was late in the night that he'd finally returned, and she'd remain awake throughout his absence because she wanted to talk to him about the meeting.
The sound of rustling could be heard as he prepared himself for rest; the left side of the bed sank as he came into it. Kagome turned into him abruptly as he sought to become more comfortable by shifting a bit.
"Sesshomaru," she said a little angrily, "why didn't you choose me as one of your companions, I am sure that you must know that I would want to go, because initially it was my idea, or have you forgotten?"
She knew that he could hear the resentment and hurt in her words and tone, but she could not deny what she felt as her emotions spilled from her lips. Let him deal with it, he had shut the gates of his mind and hence distancing himself from their bond, and now this, it was all too much and it was enough.
There was a small silence, and then Sesshomaru's voice, carefully uncommitted, surprise and perhaps a small note of resentment replied.
"Sorry Kagome, but your presence is not required at this time, neither would it be appropriate."
For one insane moment she felt like slapping him hard as the arrogance she had long disassociated with him came bubbling from his mouth, and instead a high pitched female voice that she rarely used on him spat out the furious words that she'd been holding in all day.
"Tell me Sesshomaru do I embarrass you being human now that all is well?"
She wanted to cry as she could not understand his actions from the day he'd left for Mt. Fuji, and even now, but she wouldn't. She had believed, still believed that only with her had he been wholly at peace, so why was he closing the doors on her?
Sesshomaru was tempted to answer but resisted, he knew that Kagome knew better than to question his integrity. Granted, he was conscious of the fact that his actions of late needed some sort of clarification, but he too was filled with worry for the future and a prophesy that he felt was knocking on his door.
So instead he held her and pulled her a little closer kissing her forehead as he did so.
"Rest Kagome, nothing has changed," he replied softly, knowing full well that his mate was not allowed into a meeting of lords among the humans because she was female.
Tomorrow he would discuss the matter with her further before he left for Osaka, he could not stand it when she was unhappy, and her faith in him was being tested also, he needed to ease her mind by reassuring her with his words and commitment.
Long after she fell asleep huddled close to him he remained awake, and when sleep finally claimed him, his dreams were filled with her crying eyes as she ran away from him. Was it a premonition of things to come, as the image prevented him from slumbering for the rest of the night?