Chapter III -- Home of the Lord

"It is an honor to serve my lady," the youkai, Mayuko, said. "If there is anything you should need anything, please let me know; or if you cannot find me, simply send another servant to look for 'Mayuko.'" As she spoke, Kagome watched her, as well as the halls they passed through. Mayuko was a youkai that much was clear from her aura as well as a few small features that a human would not have. The woman had long silky black hair tied back with a pale blue ribbon, flawless creamy skin and a perfect figure. Her eyes were a brilliant violet and her ears were pointed similarly to Sesshomaru's. She wore a pale blue yukata that the ribbon matched. "Might I ask your name, my lady?"

"It's Kagome."

"Very well, Kagome-sama," Mayuko stopped and bowed, sliding open a door in the process. "This is the bath house. If you would leave your things here, I will bring clean clothes for you. The bath is through there," she made a small gesture to the door in the opposite wall. "If I may, I must go see to it that your room is prepared properly; as well as see to it that a suitable wardrobe is made for you." With another bow, she turned to leave.

"Wait, Mayuko?" Kagome started. "Please just call me 'Kagome,' and you don't have to do all that bowing."

Mayuko turned back with a startled expression on her face. "But, Kagome-sama, it wouldn't be right!" she exclaimed. "I am sorry, but my station makes that an impossible and improper thing to do." With a swift bow, she turned and hurried away. Kagome frowned. She really didn't like the formalities being used. With a sigh, she stepped across the threshold and slid the door closed behind her. Pulling off her dirty clothes, she folded them neatly and placed them on the bench beside the door. Crossing the floor, she entered the second room.

As it turned out, the 'bath' was a hot spring that the building was built around. It took up roughly one third of the floor space; a smaller pool took up one corner. The large spring was steaming, the pool wasn't. Near the pool sat a couple of buckets and a brick of what looked like soap. That was impossible for Kagome to pass up. Kneeling by the pool, Kagome scooped a bucket full of water and dumped it over her head, shivering as the cold water splashed over her body. With the soap, she washed off all the dirt and grim she had accumulated over the last few weeks. Sure, she had bathed with Rin, but that had been in a river, without soap. Once she was as clean as she could get, she dumped a last bucket of water over herself and slid into the spring. It was a welcome change from the cold water.

Letting her body relax, she leaned back against the wall. With the water up to her shoulders, she simply stared off into space. It was only when a gentle hand was placed on her shoulder that she realized she must have drifted off to sleep.

"Kagome-sama, your room is ready," Mayuko's voice said softly. "You should get out now."

Opening her eyes, Kagome suppressed a groan. "Alright." She hoisted herself out of the water. Mayuko presented a towel for her to dry herself with, leading her to the other room to get dressed. The miko outfit was no longer sitting on the bench; instead, there was a tan yukata in its place. It was very similar to Mayuko's yukata, but made of a higher quality fabric. Kagome insisted that she could dress herself, and Mayuko –after some persuading- let her.

Finished dressing, Mayuko led Kagome back into the main building and through a maze of hallways and open-air walks. Despite all the turns, it did not take long for them to reach their destination. Mayuko stopped just outside a door that was sitting open. Motioning for Kagome to enter first, she followed the miko in. Kagome looked around, surprised at how simple her room was, while it conveyed a sense of style, class and money at the same time.

"Are you sure this is for me? It's just so…" she was going to say 'classy' but wasn't sure if Mayuko would understand the term.

"Yes, Kagome-sama. This is the room Sesshomaru-sama ordered us to prepare for you." As Kagome looked around the room, Mayuko walked over to a wall and slid aside a panel, revealing a closet. "If you would, please come and see your wardrobe." Kagome complied, and was amazed to see a range of yukata and kimono, all in pastel shades but a wide range of colors. Ranging from simple cotton to fine silk, it consisted of garments she would never have thought she would have ever owned. "Does it please you, Kagome-sama?"

"It does, but you're sure this is what Sesshomaru ordered?"

"Yes, Kagome-sama."

"Please, you don't need the 'sama.'" Mayuko only looked at her. "Never mind," Kagome finished with a sigh.

In all the room was sparsely furnished, with only a low bed and writing desk, both built in the style she had come to expect of the feudal era, low to the ground. The desk had a cushion in front of it. Despite this, there was a certain quality to everything that you would not find in all but the richest lords' homes. There was a single window providing a view outside. Walking over to it, Kagome found herself looking out into a garden.

"Is there anything you would like to do until dinner, Kagome-sama?" Mayuko asked. Kagome decided she was going to have to do something about all this 'Kagome-sama' business. It was irritating for one whom, if anything was used to being called simply Kagome; although that was not always the case.

"No, not really." She paused as a thought crossed her mind. "Why did Sesshomaru tell you to do all this? I thought he didn't like humans?"

"Sesshomaru-sama may not like all humans, but Rin-sama and yourself are proof that he does not dislike all. He is always very hospitable towards guests. No matter who is staying in his house, he always treats them with respect."

"Oh."

"Kagome-chan!" a familiar voice shrieked. Kagome turned from the window in time to find Rin running towards her with a paper in her hands. "Look what Rin did!" Kneeling down to the smaller girl's level, Kagome looked at the paper when Rin handed it to her. It was a drawing of two girls in a field of flowers. Above them were their names, written just neatly enough to be readable: 'Rin' and 'Kagome.'

"This is really good," she said truthfully. It had been a surprise to her how much Rin had picked up when it came to writing.

"Rin made it for Kagome-chan."

"That was very nice of you, Rin."

"Does Kagome-chan want to see Rin's special place?"

"Hm, that sounds nice. Sure I would." When she stood, Rin took her hand to lead her to the 'special place.' Kagome caught Mayuko smiling out the corner of her eye and couldn't resist a smile of her own.

Rin pulled the older girl out of the room and through the halls. Kagome soon found herself outside with Rin pulling her down a path. Ahead was a garden surrounded by a low wall. This is where Rin took her. Kagome breathed a small 'wow' when she saw the inside. It was beautiful. Along the wall were flowering bushes; the flowers ranged in color and shape, many Kagome had not see before. There were various other flowers planted in groups. Grass grew where flowers didn't, and at the very center lay a pond with a variety of water plants growing in it. Kagome found herself speechless at the sight.

"This is Rin's special place. Rin takes care of all the flowers here. Does Kagome-chan like it?"

"Yes, it's very pretty," Kagome replied once she had thought of something to say. "Do you take care of it all by yourself?"

"No, Rin sometimes has help from the servants here. They are Rin's friends." This proved that the girl really could make friends with anyone. It wasn't every day you would find a girl who had called the servants who were supposed to serve her, friends. Not to mention they were all youkai and she was a human. Kagome watched as the girl wandered through the garden, checking out different flowers and occasionally pulling out a weed that had been missed.

There were benches near the pond; Kagome chose one to sit one as she watched the girl. The garden was truly a peaceful place; it was obvious why the girl liked it.

"Kagome-sama, Rin-sama," a voice called from the entrance to the garden. It was Mayuko. "It is time for dinner."

"Coming," Rin replied, brushing the dirt off her hands as Kagome stood. Rin set off at her usual fast pace, Kagome followed with Mayuko.

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Red eyes opened into the darkness of the room. They did not need to adjust to the darkness to see what was there. The room had no furnishings save the cushion the being sat on, no windows and only one door set into the wall so you hardly knew it was there. Soft footsteps outside the door paused as it slid open, then stepped in quickly and slid it shut once again. The eyes watched as the arrival set what it had been carrying down before kneeling near the door.

"I trust this will satisfy your hunger," a pause, "for the meantime anyway."

Cloth slid on wood as the bundle was dragged toward the being. Sounds that would have been disturbing to anyone other than the two in the room followed. A juicy squishing accompanied by crunches of breaking bones as the being bit into the body of the human girl it had been brought. Within minutes, the body had been devoured, leaving only the cloth it had been wrapped in.

"I have a proposal for you, I believe it will satisfy both of our wishes."

Sorry it's so late!

Lunarcat12 -- (Thanks for another review!) Oh, that bugs me so much too. I just had to do that. I still don't entirely know what it is. But that points up does give a little bit more info, huh?

Katey98y -- Thanks. goes to work on upcoming chpaters