MAY I JUST MENTION!!! I am So very very sorry for not updating in like a month! Well the first week I had exams, then after that I got grounded, and then rowing started and - gah I am sorry but my life has become very hectic. However after this I will update every week once again - so just think of it as I took my summer vacation ne?
So yesLe Gaspers! I am back - 'tis an amazing thing.
Anyways I FINALLY figured out what I am going to do with this chapter - some very kind people gave me notice that some of the facts in my story did not match up…. HOWEVER, because of this I suddenly have another twist [insert evil laughter here for my story.
Damn I am so cruel to these poor fictationalcharacters(Holy crap fictational isn't a word….I always thought it was but Microsoft Word has just proved me wrong O.o
Anywho, on with the update!
Disclaimer: If you really think I own this story, I want the stuff your smoking.
Kagome gave a small smile, which withered quickly under Sesshoumaru's gaze.
"Kikyo…is not the one who pinned Inuyasha to a tree."
"I did."
Kagome stood there, unshed tears glistening through her chartreuse eyes. Silence enveloped the room like a heavy blanket, muffling all sound and heightening the already high-strung tension in the room.
Sesshoumaru watched Kagome carefully; looking at her while she looked down to her feet, questioning the truth in her voice.
The quiet rustling of expensive silks alerted Kagome to Sesshoumaru's movement.
Looking up fearfully, Kagome saw Sesshoumaru standing at his full glory, his height and daunting demeanor amplified by the icy tone of his expression.
"You are lying." Sesshoumaru stated with a slight grind of his canines. Even though he did not say anything further, Kagome understood his tone.
I do not have patience with liars. That is what he was saying, even though he would never loose his cool enough to allow the words to escape his throat.
"I…I am not lying…" Kagome answered, wavering slightly. For some reason Sesshoumaru's presence was frightening to her. It wasn't the fear of bodily harm, but the fear of him finding out the truth.
"You said that the Shikon lay beneath your breast, yet you say to me that you pinned Inuyasha to the tree for the power of the Shikon no Tama. Do not lie to me wench." Sesshoumaru growled, carefully articulating all of his spoken words, letting the poison of his voice drip over them like acid.
Kagome's eyes widened considerably as she fought the sudden thickness of the air, her lungs expanding but bringing none of the life giving oxygen to her body or mind.
"Please…I can't tell you that…" Kagome whispered, letting her front bangs cover her eyes, covering the shame and guilt that harbored under her skin.
Sesshoumaru gave another low growl, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose, mistaking the girls emotions for unnecessary theatrics.
"Just tell me what happened." Sesshoumaru managed to spit out, thinking again how he wished he had never begun this conversation, but his natural curiosity defied him the wish of leaving the topic untouched.
"I already told you…" Kagome's voice deadpanned as she tried desperately to replace her mask of calm facade.
"No you didn't."
Kagome sighed, her head still hung low as she sank down onto Sesshoumaru's bed, clasping her fingers together. Closing her eyes, Kagome could still remember the exact details of the day…the fire…the sweat and the tears….the expression of the miko woman and the hanyou boy as she shot the arrow through Inuyasha's heart…
"Fujin…" Sesshoumaru growled warningly.
"Hai…" Raising her head from and opening her eyes Kagome decided to ignore the emotion of self-disgust that had risen through her.
"The jewel that the miko…Kikyo…possessed was not the Shikon no Tama.
It was a fake one…it had miko powers influencing it but other than that it was just a pink crystal."
Sesshoumaru sank back down to his chair, his eyes studying Kagome carefully as she continued.
"I couldn't….Naraku…he didn't know that the Shikon jewel was inside of me…it has a Kekkai around it. I don't know why we, my family, never told him. I guess it just never came into question. And I knew he would be…so angry… with me if he knew that I possessed such power and not him.
"So I went along with it and pretended that the little crystal in the miko's hut was the real thing…but in the end…" Kagome trailed off, desperately hoping that Sesshoumaru would either kill her where she sat or that he would just let her stop there.
"Then why did you deem it necessary to pin Inuyasha to the God tree with the sacred arrow?" Sesshoumaru queried.
"I…got angry."
"As easily believable as that is against Inuyasha, it does not explain fully fujin." Sesshoumaru's stoic expression was marred slightly by the grimace that contorted his face when saying his half brothers name.
"Him and Kikyo…I watched the two of them while I pretended to capture the so-called Shikon…and I was so jealous of that woman, Kikyo. They were…so in love…" Kagome paused for a moment, a wistful expression capturing her face.
"I do not believe that is the reason that you fired the arrow." said Sesshoumaru.
"No…because Naraku wanted the Shikon…or something else…quickly." Kagome realized she was just babbling now so she shut her mouth with an audible snap of her jaw.
"So I gave it to him. He needed the jewel, and I gave it to him."
"What was the 'something else' that he wanted?" Sesshoumaru questioned, narrowing his eyes and pursing his lips, choosing to ignore the girls obvious discomfort with the topic.
"Me." Was the sullen reply, unhesitant, but very quiet in tone.
Sesshoumaru sat there for a very few seconds, before standing and walking swiftly towards the door of his bedroom amid the quiet whispering of his silk haori.
Turning for a moment, Sesshoumaru looked at Kagome piercingly with his left hand on the door.
"You are weak."
The scent of saltine tears suddenly assaulted his nose. Unfazed, Sesshoumaru simply walked out the door, ignoring the large slamming sound that ricocheted down the halls as the doors closed behind him.
One…two…three, four and turn….one, two, three, four and turn.
Kagome's eyes watched listless as Ryoku guarded her door, her uninterested mentality causing her to count his steps in her mind.
It had been three days since she had last seen Sesshoumaru, not that she particularly cared about seeing him, it was just that staying inside of a cell with no one to talk to was causing her to slowly lose her mind.
Kagome sighed and rolled her neck around, letting the motion relax her while working out the kinks in her neck. It appeared that the rough bed with the lumpy mattress was not good for ones muscles.
A few steps were heard coming down the prison's winding stairs.
Sesshoumaru dono…?
Kagome listened carefully, studying the sound and direction of the footsteps, shaking her head somewhat forlornly.
I guess not then… Kagome thought, flicking away the niggling thought of comfortably being Sesshoumaru's prisoner.
"Oh I cannot stand this!" Kagome mumbled to herself, standing upright in a fluid position, walking in a slow circle around her prison.
Thoughts tumbled over themselves in a constant reel of pictures and words, floating through her mind with all the consistency of water flowing through ones hands.
It was amazing to Kagome, how ones thoughts could vary so widely when one had nothing in particular to think about.
Finally, willing her mind to shut off, she slipped back onto her futon, sitting cross-legged as she seemingly meditated, closing her eyes and allowing her thoughts to run on into space and leave her be.
It was a sharp rapping on the iron bars of her cell that awoke Kagome many hours later.
Opening her eyes slowly, with the languidness of one who has all the time in the world to do what is requested of them, Kagome stared into the faces of Ryoku and Shirou.
"Lord Sesshoumaru requests your presence in the dining area Kagome - chan." They stated bluntly, and as usually, simultaneously.
"Oh, how nice of him to invite the lowly prisoner fujin to dine with him. And let me guess, he plans to have his way with me after the meal right?" Kagome asked dryly.
The taka youkai blushed at what Kagome was suggesting, but Shirou was the first to recover, his blushing cheeks dimpling slightly as he spoke.
"Sesshoumaru-sama also demands that you bathe before entering his presence, since he does not believe it 'necessary to endure the awful stench of the fujin'."
Kagome gave a slow smirk before standing up, brushing off her raggedy-Anne clothing and looking at the twins with a mischievous glint in her jaded eyes.
"See, I told you he was going to have his way with me after the meal." Kagome gave an ear-to-ear grin, a rare appearance at anytime.
Shirou and Ryoku shuddered at the hinted tricks implied by Kagome's actions. Looking at each other for one bewildered moment, they shook there heads like dogs trying to clear there ears of water, and walked on, Kagome pacing in between them.
Hmm…this is so relaxing….
Kagome lay in the women's bathing room, soaking her skin in the luxurious warm water, enjoying the softly scented bubbles that floated atop the surface.
One hand still firmly attached to the towel that she had wrapped around her body and refused to take off, Kagome slid around the deep pool, giving little doggy-paddle strokes through the water as she swam slash glided through the water.
"Shirou, Ryoku? You're so quiet." Kagome called.
Shirou and Ryoku being her guards, were not allowed to leave her out of sight for any length of time, so they had been forced by a passing general to accompany Kagome into the bathroom.
Backs turned and faces a brilliant color of red, Shirou, his long blonde braid sweeping his back as he shook his head, replied.
"We're here Kagome-chan…" This is so embarrassing….
Kagome gave a low chuckle as she sank lower into the water, her modesty still veiled by the bubbles in the water and the towel she wore underwater.
Deciding to make use of the rough brownish soap and hair cleaner sitting uselessly by the large sauna like bath, Kagome carefully went to the side, picking up the soap and shampoo, and glared decisively at the backs of Shirou and Ryoku.
"You two keep your backs turned." Kagome said, still eyeing the two somewhat suspiciously.
"Yes!" The two answered, sounding indignant at the prod to their dignity.
"Hmmm…." Kagome (carefully) removed her towel, setting the sopping mop of cloth down on the wooden edge beside her.
Being watchfulof where certain parts of the female anatomy may or may not escape the waters cover, she took the soap and quietly hummed to herself, enjoying the sensation of being clean again.
After washing her body and hair carefully, rewrapping herself in the towel and wrapping her hair in a dry cloth, Kagome stood up, awaiting one of the women to return her clothing to her so she may meet said Lord in dress.
But instead, it seemed that Sesshoumaru would not allow the indignity of someone wearing rough peasant like clothing at his table. Kagome was shown a plain, but clean dark green yukata.
Putting it on without much fuss, Kagome padded barefoot towards her two 'companions' of sorts.
"Shall we go then?" She asked rather cheerfully, a small smile on her face as she linked arms with the slightly dazzled young taka brothers.
Kagome hummed a simple childhood tune, one she remembered from her child hood days.
Cherry blossoms gracefully bloom o'er the fields that lie
High up is the castle wall, where have warriors gone?
Where is the moonlight that brightly shone up high,
Shone upon the warriors who drained the glasses dry?
Giving a small smile to the two warriors beside her, Kagome asked them nonchalantly what was going on.
"There is a gathering of the Lords from the four corners of the world tonight." Ryoku answered, his tousled golden hair waving slightly as he walked, hi demonic markings flexing as he spoke.
Kagome gave a small start from the information.
"Why?!" She asked, more shrilly then she had expected. Her emotions were heightening, something odd for her….one with no soul had little to no emotion.
"They wish to see you." The indifferent reply was meant to end the conversation…but Kagome's curiosity was hard to withhold.
Walking briskly, the trio passed several rooms, the servants chambers seemed to be in an uproar of some kind, the sound of pots and pans skittering across cold marble floors met the demons sensitive ears with unwanted volume.
Speaking in the silent language of two people who shared a womb, Ryoku and Shirou glanced quickly at themselves, at Kagome, and at the chaotic throwing of pans in the kitchen type room.
"Kagome-chan….." They started, only to be interrupted by a soft smile from Kagome as she waved her hand in dismissal.
"Go on ahead, I know where I'm going and I'm not very likely to run now am I?" Giving dimpled smiles the two left off in a quick dash.
Walking past the clattering extent, Kagome walked forward, clouding her aura in an age-old habit of self preservation. That and she liked to have her privacy, after it being ripped from her hands so many times.
Singing softly, she returned to the 'Moonlight on the Ruined Castle' song.
White frost o'er the autumn camps freezing the whole night,
Flocks of wild geese cry and pass just below the moon.
Where is the moonlight that might have shone so bright,
Shone upon the warriors' swords gleaming through the night?
While singing her thoughts tripped over themselves in an unwonted flurry, but the focus kept on coming back to one point…
Do I use Sesshoumaru….or do I let it pass me…?
Even the thought of using Sesshoumaru to control her brother was sickening but still…the want of freedom was unnaturally beautiful.
Oddly enough, the thought of Sesshoumaru killing Naraku never crossed her mind.
To have the wind blow through her hair…to run without fear, to laugh without unease…
To her, it was a lifetimes full of want.
I will do it. Kagome thought, her hands clenched as she moved her feet like pistons of a car, with a purpose, in a specific direction. I can do it.
Oh, the moon is rising high in the depths of night,
Silent is the ruined site lying on the ground,
Ivies creep o'er the gate in the cold moonlight,
Rustling are the pine trees through the windy night.
The light of a door opened just a crack, and the scent of Sesshoumaru piqued Kagome's interest. Her mind made up on her final plans, she put on her mask and walked to the door, ready to begin the fall of her brothers' power.
The scent of a human girl made her pause for a moment, as she looked in, suddenly glad for her masked aura and scent.
The scene however, did nothing for the sanity of her mind and the purpose of her heart.
Sitting in the glow from a crackling red fire, Sesshoumaru worked at his desk, his beautiful poised face scrunched in a slight frown. The glow of the fire added to his surreal beauty, accentuating his angled face and adding to his head the halo of an angel…whether that angel carry death or life seemed to rest upon his shoulders.
However, it was not his unmatched exquisiteness that caused Kagome to pause; it was the small child sitting underneath his chair.
She was human, of that much Kagome was sure, even from her slightly minute view from the crack of the large double doors.
The child was female, with long brown hair gathered up in a side ponytail. She was small in stature, with a toothy grin which Kagome saw when the girl gave a small yawn.
The brown haired ningen was coloring with colored wax, like something you would collect from used candles, on rice paper. However her head was nodding as she did so, her large bubbly eyes drifting slightly as she struggled to stay awake.
When she leaned back against the leg of the chair with a 'bump' Sesshoumaru leaned down with a slightly puzzled expression, only to be replaced by a small smile.
Reaching down, Sesshoumaru gathered the girl in both arms, placing her down on his lap, allowing her the privilege of using his mokomoko-sama as a pillow.
Oh, the moon is rising high in the depths of night,
Silent is the ruined site lying on the ground,
Ivies creep o'er the gate in the cold moonlight,
Rustling are the pine trees through the windy night.
Kagome slowly stumbled backwards, away from the door and away from the heart-wrenching scene in front of her.
Eyes wide with un-spilt tears, her delicate hand covering her mouth, Kagome sunk down to the ground, suddenly remembering the scene of her and Naraku together, so alike to the picture she had just seen play out.
She remembered…pulling Naraku into her lap, and singing him to sleep…promising the world, the world that she had created that was safe, and warm, and theirs.
I can't do this…I was wrong. So very, very wrong.
Flying up to her feet, Kagome ran the opposite way down the large corridors. Her feet silently padded down, barely touching the surface of the ground as she ran.
I cannot do this anymore…
Running, running seemed to help her, to let her leave her memories behind.
Her unshed tears from centuries past seemed to overflow now, leaving moisture in the air as the evaporated behind her windy trail.
The abruptness of a black shape falling in front of her made Kagome stop suddenly, her feet sliding slightly as she tried to stop quickly enough.
But she couldn't.
Tripping forward in a characteristic display of clumsiness, Kagome fell into the waiting arms of her brother.
"Hello sister." The quietness and the venom laced in the words of Naraku made Kagome shiver. And yet the always-apparent feeling of safety in being held by her brother made her feel warm once more.
"…Brother…" Kagome whispered. The feel of his breath against her ear made her shiver.
"You are going to come home now aren't you…?" The question was rhetorical. Kagome could never say no.
Sweeping her away, Naraku fled out in the night, his hair and Kagome's blending into a cover for the full moon that shone outside of Sesshoumaru's castle.
To rise and fall is people's fate, the moon shines so bright,
Looking down upon the world lying far below,
How sublime the moonlight o'er the ruined site,
How I love the moon that shines in the depths of night…
Allrighty then! Finally done that chapter lol, sorry again about the delay. However I am going back onto my update-weekly plan now that I have got my mojo going….WOOTNESS!!!
Kekkai protective aura around oneself
Song Moonlight on the Ruined Castle is a traditional song sung by Japanese children ( aha, I researched!)
Ningen human
Anyways I have to post this and my fingers hurt so I am ignoring my little endy-of-chapter-rant-that-nobody-reads-anyway-.
Lol also, this is one of the last chapters with Kagome being kind of quiet and demure and you s hall see why, next week!
Mwahahahah
Ja
ThE jElL0- GiRl