Last Time…

Kagome continued to talk with Kuro, they discussed the next time Kuro would guide her to the springs, and other things. After about an hour, they both tired and fell asleep.

Sesshomaru soon came back to the room, and found them both asleep. He looked at Kagome's clothing, and could see that her wound had apparently closed again. The blood stain was dry, and he could smell no fresh blood. He sighed and walked over, picking her up. He carried her to her room, and on the way she fidgeted and opened her eyes a bit. He stopped, "Can you walk, Kagome?" She shook her head no and closed her eyes, falling asleep again. He brought her the rest of the way there, and set her on the bed. He covered her up, turned, and left quietly closing her door.

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Kagome was startled from her dreamy stupor by a rather accomplished sounding squeal, emitted by none other than Rin. She was clapping her hands and dancing in circles, Kagome watching her curiously.

"Kagome-ka-san is prettyyy!" she sang, waving her hands and still dancing. Sesshomaru was seated across from her in front of the wardrobe, in a rather comfortable looking arm chair. Sitting up slowly, as her stomach was still very tender, she looked in the mirror. Rin had braided her hair, and tied the braid with a ribbon. It was a very well-done braid too, considering she was so young. But then one must remember that Sesshomaru has very long hair, and he would never hurt his ward, she must have had lots of practice on his silver locks. Smiling, Kagome turned to get out of bed.

"Where are you going?" stoic, un-emotionless, and as callous as ever.

"I need to take a bath."

"You just took one yesterday, you don't need another one."

Kagome huffed and pouted, "Yes, I do. My hair feels greasy and I feel like I smell bad. Now please, let me go get clean! Uhm… gomen nasai, will you please take me to the springs, Sesshomaru-sama? Cause I don't know if Kuro is well enough just yet to take me," Kagome chewed her lip a little, feeling nervous to his response. She'd just smarted off at him, and caught her big mouth a little too late. The fact that he was quirking his eyebrow at her like that made her all the more nervous. She watched as he rose from the chair, and strode towards the bed. Squinting her eyes closed for fear she was about to be struck, she waited a moment but felt nothing. Opening her eyes he was standing right in front of her… but not doing anything?"

"Ningen… I will take you to go get clean. Kuro's condition has greatly improved since yesterday, but her leg is not yet well enough to be moved. Afterwards, if you so wish it, you may visit her. After lunch, you will watch after Rin in the courtyards, then clean up for dinner. Understood?"

Kagome huffed a little bit, she didn't appreciate being called 'ningen' or getting ordered around like she was a pet, but she was a guest in his home… and he was superior to her in strength and speed and… well, just about everything else except for modern intelligence. If she wanted respect from him, she would have to treat him with respect in return, "Sesshomaru-sama, please just call me Kagome. I don't like being called ningen, bitch, whore, or any other name besides my own. It's… degrading. I would really appreciate it, if you called me by my name," her voice was soft and meek, which was exactly how she felt.

"Don't use such language around Rin," he replied. Kagome jumped a little in surprise when his response came, feeling shamed. The young girl had been so quiet; she'd forgotten she was still there. Looking around the floor for the innocent being, she found her entertaining herself with braiding ribbons on the floor. It seemed she had noticed nothing that had gone on between herself and the little girl's surrogate father… which was a good thing, "Are you coming?"

Kagome nodded quietly, and carefully rose from the bed. She straightened out the haori and hakamas she was wearing with hardly any difficulty, and slowly approached the demon lord. She had one more request for him, "Sesshomaru-sama?"

"What now?"

Kagome twiddled her thumbs, he sounded slightly irritated… which probably meant that he was very irritated, "I was wondering if Rin may bathe with me."

He stopped walking a moment, Kagome almost not noticing and nearly bumping into him. He seemed to be thinking, "…Yes." He then headed back down the hallway at a slightly slower pace than he usually used. Rin was tagging quietly along on Kagome's heels, being the wonderfully mannered young girl she usually was. Kagome smiled, she was surprised that Sesshomaru had said yes. Maybe he felt that if I was watching her this afternoon, she should get to know me a little more first..? No, that didn't make sense. Little Rin-chan was already very attached. Maybe he felt like his servants were not worthy of bathing his little girl, and he did it himself… that could be a reasonable explanation. Little children splash and play quite a lot, which might be uncomfortable or annoying for the demon lord.

Maybe even, he wanted to test Kagome's ability to watch after a child before actually leaving her completely alone with one? Especially his little ward. He would not be leaving the building, or the vicinity probably, while Kagome was in the springs with Rin. He'd be able to watch them by simply using his senses. Kagome figured that this was the most reasonable explanation, and that must be why he's allowing Rin to join her in the springs.

Soon they were stationed outside the shojo screen that led into the guest springs. Rin was starting to get excited now, as she'd began to jabber senselessly about how much she loved to take a bath. It's a good thing that these springs had a rather large shallow area, where Rin could play and still be safe. Kagome was not in the greatest of shape to be chasing down an endangered child, after all. She could still hardly eat!

Sliding open the door, she allowed Rin to enter first. Following after her, she slid the door shut and looked around. It was so beautiful here… this was her favorite place in the whole castle, aside from the lavender dining room. Rin was nekkid in a matter of seconds, and splashing around joyously and singing in absolute glee. Kagome on the other hand had a little bit more trouble undoing her clothes, though she had to admit it was much easier getting them off than it was getting them on. Sliding into the water, she waded over to a slightly deeper area so she could sit on the ledge and enjoy the water's soothing warmth. She kept a constant eye on the little girl, who seemed to be having an absolute blast.

Removing her ribbon and sadly undoing the braid, she dunked her head underwater to wet her hair. Once it was soaked, she looked around for the buckets of shampoo and other necessary bath stuff. Glad to find that they were actually right behind her, she leaned up a bit to look in. Determining which was which, she grabbed some of the hair wash and began to scrub her hair. Once it was sudsy and all piled on top of her head, she called Rin over. She was surprised at the girls instantaneous reaction: Playing… stop. Turn, walk walk walk… climb onto ledge. Walk walk… stop, "Yes Kagome-okaa-san?"

Kagome smiled, "Would you like me to wash your hair?" The little girl instantly grinned and nodded furiously, kneeling down on the ledge so she would not be over-submerged. Kagome cupped her hand and scooped out some more of the wonderful-smelling hair wash, and told little Rin to close her eyes. She did as she was told, and even giggled a little when Kagome began to scrub the soap into Rin's hair.

"I like it more when you do it, than when Sesshomaru-sama does. He just uses the flat parts of his hands and rubs a little then stops, but you use your fingers and everything and it feels really good!"

Kagome laughed a little. Once all of Rin's hair was piled on her head, Kagome told her to go ahead and dunk her hair. She carefully did the same, wiping the soap suds from her eyes and face before opening them again. Looking down at the child, she saw that she'd already begun to scrub herself clean with the body wash. Kagome grabbed a handful, stood and did the same. Before long the two girls were squeaky clean, and enjoying the water again. Rin was playing, seeming to never run out of energy, and Kagome was resting on her little ledge.

A knock was heard on the wood of the shoji screen, and Kagome looked over. She could see the darkened outline of Sesshomaru standing behind it, it was unmistakable, "Yes, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Lunch is in twenty minutes. If you aren't out soon, you will be late," he then turned and left. Kagome stood and got out of the water, "Come on Rin, time to get dry and dressed for lunch!" She squealed and launched from the water, grabbing onto a towel and beginning to dry herself in a rather hilarious fashion. She swung the towel everywhere, like she was dancing with it. Kagome dried her hair first, then herself. Seeing that someone had laid out rather nice outfits for the two of them, she followed after Rin (who actually helped her get dressed).

Kagome's kimono was rather nice, in its simple yet beautiful design. It was a black, silk fabric that displayed nobility. There were silver dragonflies embroidered all over the entirety of it, with the occasional butterfly tossed in here or there. The obi-wa was black, and the obi was silver. Standing on a ledge, Rin quickly maneuvered the heavy fabric and tied it into a perfect bow. Turning to try and help Rin tie her own obi (since she can't tie it herself) she was surprised to see it was already done. Rin's was light blue, with dark blue clouds stitched all along it. She had a white obi, and a blue obi-wa.

"Rin, how did you tie your obi without help?"

She grinned, "Like this!" She pulled off the obi by undoing it behind her, then showed Kagome how she tied the bow in front and then turned it around behind herself. Kagome smiled, it was so simple yet ingenious at the same time.

"Good job, Rin. Who taught you how to tie obis?"

"Sesshomaru-sama did," she nodded ferverently, hopping down from the ledge, "Oof; Rin-chan is so very hungry. Can we go?"

Kagome laughed at the girl's use of third person, and latched onto her hand, "Yes, we can go, but you'll have to show me how to get there. I never remember."

Rin only nodded and walked Kagome to the door, which Sesshomaru was standing outside of it, "Oh… never mind Rin, we can walk with Sesshomaru-sama," she watched has he turned and began to walk down the hall, and the single-file line formed again. It wasn't long before they reached the dining room, which Kagome was about to go sit down and saw that Sesshomaru kept on walking. She followed after him curiously, wondering where they were going.

In a matter of minutes, he was pushing open a grand looking door. They were entering the ballroom, which was full of a congregation of various demons – many of them female. Kagome watched as they would swoon or bat their eyes as Sesshomaru passed, even accentuating their own curves by clasping their hands at their waists and pushing their breasts together with their arms – lightly exposing cleavage. Kagome snorted, figuring that during this time period even slight cleavage was dirty. Sesshomaru did not bat an eye, he continued his focus towards the front of the room where a huge buffet table lined with officials was waiting for them. There were many other tables, but those were for the guests.

Once they finally got around the buffet table and took their seats, Sesshomaru in the largest and most handsomely decorated chair of course, Kagome at his right and Rin at his left in the second most, an official from the far right end of the table stood. The entire hall silenced themselves and paid rapt attention.

He began an announcement in a loud and proud voice, "As you are all aware, we are congregated today to celebrate the marriage of my brother, and this wonderful woman youkai named Midori. Sesshomaru has honored us all by offering his ballroom and services for the celebration of this grand event, so everyone be sure to say thank you! Now that the final guests have arrived, lunch will follow soon after. Once everyone has finished their meal, there will be a dance lasting until midnight. I hope everyone has a grand time, and congratulations again, Hatori!"

There was loud applause and multiple whistles as people traveled from wherever into a seat at the multiple tables. Servants flooded the hall carrying plates of widely varying foods. The buffet table where Sesshomaru and Kagome sat of course was served first, but it wasn't long before food reached everyone else. She sighed, she wanted to dig into absolutely everything, but with her sensitive stomach she knew she would be missing out. And with the crowd here, it was likely that there would not be leftovers.

Looking up at Sesshomaru she quietly murmured to him, "Why didn't you warn me of this?"

He looked down at her and ever so slightly raised a fine eyebrow, "Because they simply showed up. I do know these people and I do owe them a favor, but they at least owed me the respect of warning me first… or maybe even asking."

"Was that a slight bit of sarcasm, Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Quiet."

Kagome smiled and laughed to herself slightly. She figured that after Rin and herself danced a little, she would take the child out to the courtyard to rest and play. Looking at all the plates and making sure she knew of everything that was there, she carefully made her decisions on what she wanted to taste and eat, "It's going to be quite the night."

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BC: ZOMG I am so sorry everybody! DDDX I fell into a slump with my updating… a long, long slump and writer's block. To top it off, with school work and everything else I didn't have time for ANYTHING. I'm in school again now, and I have a lot of make-up homework to do, but I just had the biggest urge to write and so that's what I've been doing for the last two hours. I've updated two stories now, which I'm glad for. Sorry, you're all probably totally pissed at me for taking so long or… you may have even forgotten about the story! But I'm sorry again, and thank you sooo so much for reading and reviewing! Ciao! 3