gasp An update?? Could it truly be?
Why yes, yes it is!! Amazing ya?
Heh, alright... I am truly sorry for the lengthy absense. I know that most of you would rather just cinse me and get it over with than read my stories, but hey! Here's an update anyway.
Enjoy! Tell me what ya think!
I promise the next update will be longer. I was going to just slap all three of these first chapters into one, but that would mean having to delete the first two entries and loosing all my wonderful reviews. ;.; Not gonna happen... heh.
Well, I'll let you get to the chapter now.
Ch. 3: How did we find ourselves here?
Disclaimer: I own no InuYasha characters. All ownership is on Rumiko Takahashi.
Sesshomaru stood at the window of his study, gazing out over the gardens. He had left his chambers, and the girl, hours ago. Sleep had refused to claim him. Instead, his mind kept visiting the events of the evening before. As he thought about it, the pain seemed to return, as if it had just happened. A cruel reminder that maybe he had underestimated the miko. An insult, more than an injury. Unconsciously, a clawed hand rose to once again prod at the offended flesh of his stomach. It hadn't hurt; hell, it had only felt as if the small girl had simply attempted to punch him. He actually wished that that were the case; cause then it would mean that she didn't have a clue. But no, he had distinctly seen the flickering blue leave her fingers, and the flash of defiance in her eyes. Did she know? Or had it been a fluke accident, only a sudden reaction to his threat on her friend's life?
A very uncharacteristic sigh escaped the inuyoukai's lips as his eyes drooped closed. He didn't like not having control. And this situation was challenging exactly that. He had kept certain details of their union from her. Actually, he kept most of them from her, only allowing her to know exactly what he felt she needed to know. He had felt safe in the decision, assuming that she would have no other access to the knowledge but from himself. Sure, there was Jaken, but the kappa hated the girl, as she did him, so that ruled him out from sharing such information with her. The little kit that had traveled with her could be a potential threat to his secret, but being as he was still young and orphaned, he probably knew nothing as well. Other than that, the girl had no contact with other demons, unless you count the hanyou. Which, Sesshomaru didn't. The demon slayer didn't worry him much; true, she probably knew a good deal about youkai traditions, but he doubted she had accurate knowledge on the finer points of matters such as mating. The monk, and elder miko, he wrote off as easily as the slayer.
Though, it seemed that all that careful planning wasn't going to do the great lord much good. The little miko seemed to be figuring things out on her own, and there wasn't much he could do about it when she started asking questions. He wouldn't lie; no, that was beneath him. One could say that he already had lied to her through selective elimination, but he only saw that as being cunning. No, his only hope now was that she'd decide to forget it, or feel too intimidated to question him.
Sighing yet again, his eyes opened ever so slightly, two golden slights gazing out into the approaching sunrise.
Kagome was sitting in her bathing spring with a similar look on her face. The fact that she had actually been able to generate her power against Sesshomaru had startled her. He had told her that once they were joined, they would be immune to each other's powers, and possibly not even be able to aim that at each other. However, she had done both. True, she hadn't injured him in the least, and had only served to anger him more. But the fact remained that she had been able to produce her miko powers against Sesshomaru, her mate.
Instead of the thought thrilling her, or filling her with thoughts of power, it scared her, and sent a shiver of fear through her body. If she was able to do it, could he? If he felt the need, would he be able to summon his powers against her? Not that she saw herself ever giving Sesshomaru a reason to act in such a way. She suddenly felt cold, and vulnerable; and it had nothing to do with her state of undress. She found it hard to admit to herself, but she had found comfort in and had felt protected by the fact that the great Lord Sesshomaru, daiyoukai of the western lands, was supposedly rendered useless against her.
Shivering, she stood from the natural hot water swirling around her, and made her way into her chambers. Thoughts were still swirling in her mind, and she couldn't shake them. Was it odd to feel fear toward the one that had sworn to protect her? She had felt safe this last year since she'd mated the inuyoukai, knowing that no one would be able to harm her with Sesshomaru around. But now... her protector once again seemed to be an adversary.
She pulled on a white kimono with the Inu no Taisho family crest printed across it in blue, identical to Sesshomaru's. As she hands numbly pulled the fabric around her delicate form, her small hands faltered for a moment as she tied the obi, a sudden new line of thought coming to her. If he had been able to indeed harm her the whole time, why did he allow her to believe otherwise? Was he trying to lull her into a false security? Was he planning something?
Though the thoughts sent cold chills through her, they also riled her ire. 'How dare he?' she asked herself, in slight shock. She had always knew that he was cruel, but this? To try and control her reality? It almost seemed that he was trying to dominate her completely; control what she knew, and how she reacted to such knowledge. As she thought on these things, her anger rose. She would not put such behavior past Sesshomaru, in all actuality. He was one to desire and relish dominance. If she had learned nothing else about the youkai in the past year, she knew that he was not one to accept defeat, in any aspect of his life. Obviously, she was included.
He felt her coming long before she pushed the dining hall door open. Her scent was quite strong today; several emotions riddled her, and he knew that she had finally come to a decision on something. This had him waiting in slight anticipation; though one would never be able to tell. He, Sesshomaru, scared of a little miko? Unlikely.
Kagome slipped into the huge dining hall, almost silently. She had perfected her arts of never being heard before seen, though she knew that it didn't really matter, with living in a castle full of youkai. Closing the heavy door behind her, she turned to glance toward the table. She already knew what she's find, and she had been correct; he sat there, regal as always, waiting. She had beaten Jaken and Rin to the morning meal, and almost felt the need to flee. She never had any desire to be in a room alone with her mate, and now she relished the situation even less. Pushing her fears down, she knew she couldn't leave, and thus she began to walk slowly toward him, hoping that her steps, and scent, didn't give her away.
Of course, he was able to sense every change in emotion that rolled through her, as well as read them flash across her face. She didn't want to be alone with him; she feared it. This fact pleased him. Perhaps he wasn't loosing hold of the situation after all. Maybe the whole episode had only served to strengthen his dominance over her. She now knew that if she were to try and leave, he would only reclaim her. His rules were not to be compromised, and maybe, just maybe, her eyes had been opened wider to this fact.
Kagome finally found herself sitting to Sesshomaru's right, and to her dismay, fidgeting quite terribly. She had never before been so nervous before him. Not when they were still enemies, on the battlefield, her fighting alongside InuYasha. Not when she faced his wrath after angering him once, when she had trespassed into a secret room in the castle. Not even on the night of their wedding, when he had claimed her, all of her, as fully and completely his.
Sighing softly, she closed her eyes and took a couple deep breaths, trying to force her hands to lay calmly on her lap, and her teeth to still against her bottom lip. She tried to assure herself that he wasn't going to strike her down, or harm her in any way. If he hadn't yet, why would he now? The thought calmed her enough, and she slowly opened her eyes to look over at him. She knew that he had been watching her, and was sure that he had even gotten a good laugh. Oh, how she sometimes despised him...
Sesshomaru had indeed been watching her, but he was far from laughing at her. Sure, the show served to feed his need for dominance over her, and he enjoyed it. But did he need constant reminder of such simply because he feared to loose it? 'Ridiculous,' he sneered to himself. No, instead he had been watching her, wondering just what was the reason for this sudden new-found fear towards him. He didn't mind it, though if he were to admit it, which he wouldn't, he had begun to dislike the scent of fear off of her. The reason for this fear, though, was what he was worried about. If she had pieced together what the scene in the village hinted at, she then knew that they weren't completely immune to each other, as he had led her to believe. However, the amount of fear that had ahold of her suggested that she thought different, that he had lied completely to her; either that, or was simply paralyzed at the thought that he had even the tiniest ability to harm her. He didn't mind righteous fear; but he didn't like her being afraid of him for no apparent reason.
When she looked up at him, he held her stormy blue gaze with his cold golden one until she looked away again, down to her plate. They hadn't spoken a word to each other since he had issued the order of returning to the castle last night. When he was about to decide to break the silence and perhaps get a grasp on what she was thinking, the door was once again pushed open, this time revealing Jaken and the young Rin. Jaken led the girl to the table, where she happily bounced onto the cushion next to Kagome, issuing a bubbly greeting to both the miko and her lord. Jaken, after bowing low to Sesshomaru, took his seat on the other side of his lord. Once they were all seated, the morning meal began, and Sesshomaru knew that he had lost his chance to speak for now.
Kagome ran through the gardens, her breathing slightly ragged. She had to find something to hide; somewhere she wouldn't be too easily discovered. After a few frantic looks around the garden she had just entered, she sprinted toward a large tree, and scrambled up it. She was once again thankful for the years of running through Japan's countryside, and the shape it had kept her in. Seating herself on a thick branch a couple layers up the tree, she sat back and tried to calm her breath.
After a few minutes of complete silence, save for her slowly quietening breath, she heard the footsteps, following her exactly, almost as if she had left a trail. Holding her breath, she gazed down through the limbs, watching.
Suddenly, the small girl zoomed into view, and grinned up at her. "Kagome-chan, you hid there last time!" The bubbly voice called up to her, followed by a giggle. Kagome blinked; sometimes she wondered if it were possible to inherent traits from demons if you traveled with them long enough. For, she was fairly certain she had never been up this tree before. Thus, the only explanation being that Rin could sense her much like the lord that she loved so much. Of course, this was ridiculous, but upon looking down and seeing quite a familiar amused glint in the girl's eyes, she had to wonder.
"Alright Rin-chan, you win!" She called down.
The child had rounded Kagome up after breakfast, begging her to accompany her to the gardens for some games. Kagome had agreed as she always did, but with a bit more vigor this time. Anything to get her out of the presence of that dog demon. She probably would have even accompanied Jaken somewhere, just for an escape. Well, almost. She wasn't sure she had been that desperate.
Smiling at Rin as her feet touched the ground, she chuckled in a playful manner. "Almost Rin, you better run!" she said, crinkling her hands at the girl, as if she were getting ready to tickle her sides. The girl squealed and took off with a speed that once again left Kagome to wonder ever so slightly about the transfer of demonic traits.
Sesshomaru stood in his study once again looking down at the gardens. His eyes watched the two females race through the gardens until they effectively tired themselves. As they drug themselves toward the castle, he turned himself away. His thoughts were still on the miko. He was getting nowhere, and he knew he wouldn't until she approached him, and he could learn exactly what was bothering her. Deciding he needed something to keep his mind busy, he headed toward his personal dojo, ready to get rid of some frustration.
Nearly a Year Ago
To say she had been shocked by his advances would have been akin to saying InuYasha had been mildly amused at the shattering of the Shikon no Tama. No, she had been downright rendered dumb for a moment, and almost scared. Her? Why in all hell would he be interested in her? A lowly ningen? A lowly, miko ningen! She had not been able to wrap her mind around the thought.
However, he had been relentless; always there with a new gift, a few more flattering words. InuYasha of course had not been happy with it in the least, not to mention Miroku and Sango thinking it was quite odd. Though through his gentle persistence, she finally began to accept that maybe, just maybe, he was truly interested in her.
Thus had begun the courtship of Lord Taisho Sesshomaru and Higerashi Kagome. The whole fragile relationship had lasted for a couple months, and only towards the end did Kagome's fears and worries start to melt away. With hers, Miroku and Sango's were diminished as well.
InuYasha on the other hand, never let his guard down. It wasn't that he wanted Kagome for himself; no, they had gone through that. They knew that no matter how much they truly did love each other, they couldn't have a relationship. They saw each other too much as friends. Kagome's love for the hanyou had cooled and then hardened into a fierce loyalty, and possessiveness, very much like the one that he harbored for her. No, he just didn't trust his brother. And with good reason.
It had been on a cool autumn night that he approached her with the question. He had seemed so sincere, and true. She hadn't been able to tell the demon she had grown so fond of, no. So it was decided; she would be his, forever and always.
The event had been grand indeed; the lords and ladies of the other lands had attended, along with all the lower rulers of all the lands. The castle had never been busier, and had felt full to the brim. The grandeur lasted for three days, making sure that the new Lady of the West felt welcome and accommodated. Everyone played their parts, but not as well as Sesshomaru. He was the perfect gentleman, always at the side of his new mate, attending to her every wish, giving her soft kisses out of nowhere. He had everyone believing that he was a new man, and the little miko next to him the supposed reason.
Sadly, it had all truly been, nothing more, than an act. As the castle was emptied of the all grandeur of the event, all evidence rid of, it seemed that it had been wiped from Sesshomaru as well. Soon, there was nothing to remind Kagome that it had happened but the mark on her neck. He wasn't cruel to her; though he was no longer the man that he had her believing he was. Gone were the gentle whispers of flattery, gone were the soft kisses to her skin, gone were the small smiles that were only for her.
Back was the cold-hearted, emotionless lord that everyone knew him as. He had obviously gotten what he wanted; he had succeeded in tricking her, gaining her all. She had been nothing but a conquest to win, a new toy to conquer. He had won.
All that was left of Kagome was an empty, cold shell. She felt used, discarded; broken to pieces like a forgotten piece of pottery. But, there was nothing she could do. She was his; though he was still no one's but his own.
Over the several months after their union, Kagome had come to accept her place. There was no way for her to get away, so she might as well have done her best to be comfortable. So, she did. She and Sesshomaru finally got back onto speaking terms, though she was never able to fully forgive him for his trickery. To her slight bemusement, he never asked her to either. He obviously didn't care. This cold fact had hurt her even more, but like everything else, she got over it.
She did however, get her small revenges in every once in a while. Though, they had only been small ones until the last time. She had then finally found the well-hidden limits to her lord. She had dared to test his loyalty, and possessiveness. In doing so, she had lost one dear friend, and almost another one. This brought her to her current predicament.
Sighing, the young miko buried her head in her arms. The first three years of running around hunting for Naraku and jewel-shards had none nothing to prepare the now 19 year old for the events that had transpired around her for the last year. True, they hadn't been as adventurous, but what they had lacked there was made up in confusion.
Groaning again, she rubbed her eyes before she shot up. 'The jewel!' she gasped to herself. Shaking aside the slight dizziness that took a hold of her from this slight revelation and standing up so fast, she hurried from the room. Her resolve to stay as far from the one that ruled the castle as possible was instantly forgotten, as she ran off to find him, her head swimming with questions.
Sesshomaru was just finishing cleaning up after a long session in his dojo. His muscles ached and nearly screamed with every movement, which was quite a feat for the inuyoukai. It had been a long time since he was worked himself to near exhaustion. Allowing his eyes to droop a bit in a very unlordly manner, he groaned ever so softly as he pulled the pair of black sleep hakamas up around his waist. After fastening them, he reached for the sleep haori as well, though he was momentarily halted when his door was thrown open rather hastily.
Glancing over, he was greeted with the sight of his mate, panting softly as she stood in his doorway. 'Ah, so she has finally come,' he mused to himself as he finished dressing, tying the haori around his solid frame. He turned to face her, and she was suddenly again humbled. He saw her gaze immediately go to the floor, but she didn't leave the room. She obviously had something she wanted to say.
Kagome finally found him, after reaching the grounds and then his study. She didn't know why she checked his actual chambers first. Though, she had a good thought as of why, when she thought about it. Swallowing as he turned to her, her uneasiness from earlier returned, and she almost turned and left again. She then realized how weak she must appear to him, and she then steeled her nerves as well as possible.
Looking up at him, she caught his honey golden gaze still watching her. She bowed to him ever so slightly, showing the required respect. She didn't want to anger him, for she hoped to get as much information from him as possible. Thus, keeping him in a decent mood was in her favor. Straightening up, she took a few steps into his chambers.
"Sesshomaru-sama?" She started, watching him closely. "May I ask you a question?"
Sesshomaru found himself enjoying her soft voice, but didn't show this pleasure as he nodded at her. "Continue," he told her in his smooth voice.
Swallowing, she nodded. Hesitating for only a few moments, she blurted the question. "My lord, what ever happened to the... Shikon no Tama?"
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