Previously:

She would be an officer of the Western Lands, under the command of Lord Sesshomaru. It truly was a big honor. And it was showing trust on Sesshomaru's part, which she didn't quite understand.

Still, fear crept into her heart. Would she really be able to handle it? And would she even achieve her own goal of defeating Naraku and proving herself to that certain hanyou?

Chapter Seven

Castle of the Western Lands

He had been following his nose for the last year and half. Her scent was all that was left of her in his life.

"Inuyasha," a tired demon slayer called out for him. "Maybe we should rest. It's getting late." The sun had long relinquished its reign over to a full moon. Shippo and Kirara slept on either of her shoulders.

Panic flared up in him. "Her scent is getting stronger," he stated, hoping the false excuse would buy him a little more time.

"I agree with Sango," the monk called from further behind her. "We've been walking since before sunrise."

The hanyou slowed to a stop. He gazed ahead, wishing they could continue on. But once his friends caught up, they immediately plopped down, exhaustion filling their limbs. Torn, he sat down as well, helping with the camp fire.

The fire made and his friends fast asleep, Inuyasha found a tree and jumped to its branches, making himself comfortable. Memories of her scent drifted through his mind. Hers always overpowered all her other friends' smell. It had been a constant he'd gotten used to. Even after a year and half, he wasn't used to its absence.

Kagome was all he really had left. Sango and Miroku had each other. Shippo kept himself occupied with Kirara. Kikyo was long gone. Even if she was still around, she could never have gotten him to yearn for her as he craved for Kagome now.

If he could just see her, he'd be guaranteed to last another year. But no matter what, he'd continue to search for her.

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The demon calmly continued to walk the forest territory. Despite the hostility of the other group members, he remained perfectly indifferent, as usual.

It was odd how easily the addition fell into the group. He had suspected it to be more awkward. But his servant seemed to be forming a bond with his new apprentice that was similar to that of which he had with Rin. The little girl expressed no problem either, always enjoying everyone's company.

"Ow!" Kagome's surprised yell sounded. Immediately, she turned to the source of her pain. "You stupid little imp, you did that on purpose!"

Jaken held his staff proudly. "What are you talking about wretched human?"

Kagome nursed the burn marks on her arm. Glaring at the imp, she growled, "Point that flame stick at me one more time and I'll play golf with your ugly head."

Jaken smugly ignored her comment, walking triumphantly next to his master. Kagome glared after him, wishing there were train tracks in this era.

"We're close," Sesshomaru stated in a monotone.

Thoughts of terminating the annoying imp gave way to excitement. Her eyes brightened in anticipation. It was only a matter of time before she'd be back to her training, and this time under a powerful daiyokai.

When the castle came into sight, Kagome could only stop and stare in awe as the others continued on. In the center of a crystal clear lake was the beautiful structure. The entrance was an enormous wooden drawbridge. Thick sturdy walls protectively surrounded the castle. The thick center tower stretched only slightly past the forest surrounding the lake, while the four slimmer side towers stood almost twice the size. Brilliant water cast a bluish hue on the surrounding deep gray stones.

Rin's giggle snapped her out of her trance. The little girl tugged on her arm so they could catch up with the other two. Kagome complied distractedly glancing at the castle.

Jaken whistled loudly using his crooked fingers. The next thing Kagome knew, the monstrous bridge slowly cranked down into place. It settled right on the edge of where the group was standing. Sesshomaru and Jaken continued on while Rin still had to tug the dazed Kagome on.

They stepped off the bridge and into a clearing surrounded by the castle walls. The drawbridge slowly returned to its place as Kagome observed the new marvel. It was a huge garden. It included everything from rose bushes to lilacs to tulips to daisies. Just about every flower, no matter its blooming season and despite the approaching winter air, was there to see and smell. In the center was an industrial sized fountain, its water coming directly from the surrounding lake sparkling and clear. Around the garden were trees of sakura blossoms. In one corner, however, a flowing willow tree stood surrounded by more foliage. The sight instantly made Kagome smile.

The group walked through the stone pathway to the giant metal doors of the castle. The doors opened just as the Lord Sesshomaru stepped on the stairs leading to the door. Nonchalantly, he walked through the door frame followed by Jaken and finally Rin and Kagome.

The inside was just as beautiful as the out. Black, white, and blue marble mingled together to make up the floor composition. Pillars of green marble made a circle around the spacious room. In the center of the circle were lounging chairs and dozens of furs all surrounding a fire pit. Two staircases leading to the center tower were off to the side crisscrossed all the way up to the tower floor. More stairs led to the remaining four towers. Doors about half the size as the one they'd just passed under occupied the center of each wall, leading to other wings of the castle.

Suddenly, a demon in humanoid form stepped toward them. Kagome had sensed the close presence before they'd even entered the castle, but since Sesshomaru didn't react, she guessed it was fine. Her hair was a pale red and she had matching demon markings along her face and wrists. Her creamy skin was tanned darkly and covered with brown and black furs. Her pointed ears, fluffy tail, and triangular nose suggested she was a cat demon.

"Lord Sesshomaru, good to see you again," she spoke with a bow.

He glanced at her. "Tami, we have a new guest. Give her a tour, and set her up with the room in the Besa tower."

"Yes Milord," she bowed once again and turned to Kagome. "Please follow me," she instructed with a kindly smile.

Kagome returned the smile and obeyed. The servant led her through the central dome-like room to the tower in the back right of the castle. As the climbed the never ending stairs, Kagome introduced herself and Tami spoke.

"You must be pretty special for the Master to give you a tower. The only other tower being used is the Alsa tower, taken by the young Rin. And even the cooks know how the Lord feels about that little girl."

Kagome raised an eyebrow. "You mean the Ice Prince shows emotion?" Kagome noticed a couple doors on their climb up.

Tami's laugh echoed through the tower stairs. "Yes, he does seem very stoic at first. I've lived here since I was born. Surprisingly, he shows emotion more than you'd think." Tami turned and winked at her. "It's all in his eyes."

Kagome thought of Sesshomaru's image in her mind. His eyes, huh? But all she saw was the usual irremovable indifferent mask. She shook the vision from her eyes as the stairs reached an end.

The walls transformed from gray stone to dark brick. Kagome walked onto polished redwood floors as Tami led the way. To the right, the hard wood sloped slightly and leveled. Chairs and furs were there, surrounding a cozy fireplace. As the girl gazed at the brilliant architecture, Tami went to two round doors on the other side of the room.

Tami opened the first as Kagome followed. The entire floor was green marble, with a large hot spring pool in the center and several smaller ones branching from it. Kagome could clearly see the bottom of pools through the crystal clear water. An enormous window was on the other end of the room.

"The water comes straight from the surrounding lake," Tami explained. "It's heated by the castle's power core." Kagome stepped to the edge and dipped her sandaled foot in. Tami smiled and said, "You may take a bath if you'd like. The other door leads to your bedroom, and the dresser has extra clothes for you. I'll get them for you."

As Tami left, Kagome immediately stripped down. After all her running around, she was dying for a nice hot bath. The girl jumped into the warm water and sunk to the bottom. It was surprisingly deep and offered a great deal of swimming room. Kagome floated to the top and closed her eyes.

This reminded her of the last time she had swum like this. Right after that, she and Sesshomaru fought. But he'd seen her swimming. Kagome curled up into a ball. What did he think when he saw her? Did he really think that she had a "lovely" voice and body? Or was he only saying that to distract her in combat, testing her abilities?

She dove underwater and surfaced again. It didn't really matter, she concluded. He was her master now, she was his apprentice. How they viewed each other as people was not relevant to her goals.

"Here's your clothes and towel, Lady Kagome," Tami said from the door entrance. Kagome turned and thanked her. "When you're finished, we can continue the tour." Kagome nodded and continued with her bath. Bathing herbs and soaps were in a compartment by one of the smaller pools, Kagome noticed. She also saw another room that she guessed was where the toilet was located. The door on the side wall most likely led to her room.

Her bathing finished, Kagome dried off and inspected the clothing left for her. The navy blue shirt folded over and pinned at the top and middle. It went just past her waist line, covering the top of her black hakama pants. Her new belt was black silk and the length of it swung by her side even after she'd double knotted it around her slender waist.

Kagome emerged from the room and saw Tami curled up on one of the couches, quietly watching the flames in the fireplace flicker.

Kagome cleared her throat and said, "We ready to go on?"

Tami stood and stretched. "Let's go," she said with a smile.

The cat demon led her down the stairs. While heading to the other back tower, they passed a large door. "This is the North Wing, which is where the training grounds. I suspect it's where you'll be spending most of your time." She opened the double doors and Kagome saw the walls similar to those surrounding the garden in the front of the castle. The area seemed much larger, however, since there were far less trees and flowers. Training dummies and targets dotted the area.

The doors closed, and the tour continued. Tami pointed out the stairs to the Alsa tower, which was Rin's quarters. As they passed another large double door, Tami said, "This is the West Wing. It's where Lord Sesshomaru spends most of his time. Everyone of the house has strict orders never to enter them, although he has the only key to the doors."

Curiosity pricked at Kagome's mind as they passed the doors. "Those stairs lead to the Charsa tower," Tami explained, pointing to the darkened stairs in the corner, "which is unoccupied right now. Lord Sesshomaru usually sends temporary guests there." As they passed the entrance doors, Tami said pointing to it, "And you already know where the garden is."

They continued on. "The last tower is the Delsa tower, which has been unused since the previous owner. And the last wing is the East Wing, which is where the subordinates reside. The kitchen and dining room can be found there as well."

Tami went to the center room, passing the pillars as Kagome followed. "This is the Taisho Dome. The stairs to the top lead to conference rooms. This castle is where most of the lords meet."

Kagome peered up at the dome, only now noticing that the top was see-through. She could see dusky colors from sunset. The girl looked down at Tami. "It's amazing," she breathed.

Tami smiled. "Glad you like it." She led her toward the East Wing. "Dinner should be served soon. You may seat yourself now if you'd like."

Kagome smiled. "Thanks for the tour, Tami."

The servant bowed as Kagome walked through the doors. In the center was a long table with several seats. The end chairs were much larger than the rest. Doors where nestled comfortably in the back of the room, which Kagome assumed lead to the kitchens.

The girl took a seat in about the middle of the table. Not one minute later, Rin burst through the doors giggling like a school girl.

"You can't catch me!" she shouted as she fled around the room, Jaken following.

"Child!" he panted in his shrill voice. "Calm down this instant and be seated! Lord Sesshomaru will not tolerate such silly behavior!"

The two circled the table before Rin noticed the other body in the room. "Lady Kagome!" she shouted and collapsed into her outstretched arms. She looked up at her and smiled. "Rin forgot you would be joining us."

Kagome grinned at her unending cuteness. The girl giggled again and took off just as Jaken caught up. The little girl seated herself comfortably and calmly across from Kagome, a huge smile on her face.

Jaken scowled and seated himself as far from them as possible, right next to one of the end chairs. Just then, Sesshomaru stepped into the room regally. The room seemed to silence at his entrance. The demon took his time walking to the end chair and sitting down. He seemed slightly irritated that Jaken was right next to him.

Just as he was seated, the doors in the back of the room opened, and servants came in. Platter, fork, knife, drink, and napkin were placed before Kagome and the others almost simultaneously. The silver cover was removed to reveal an assortment of vegetables and fruit along with a sauced, roasted, red meat. Judging from the smell, Kagome guessed it was deer.

Rin joyously gobbled down her food as Jaken mirrored her actions. Sesshomaru politely cut and ate the food. Kagome uneasily ate her food as politely as she could. She knew she'd be here a while, but she still felt like a guest. Everyone else neatly fell into their daily dinner routine. She felt out of place.

"Rin is glad Lady Kagome is here," the little girl across from her stated with a smile, red sauce on her nose.

Kagome's uneasy frown grew to a laughing smile. "Lady Kagome is glad to be here," she replied.

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Inuyasha's smiling face was right there. It was so close, she could touch it. The joy that filled her heart at the sight of him seemed to overflow.

"Kagome…" his kind voice said.

Suddenly, his aura became black and cold. His eyes turned crimson red and the malicious smile on his face sent chills up her spine. His claws cracked as his voice rang through her ears.

"You're so weak!"

"Kikyou was so much better!"

"You don't even compare!"

"There is no 'next time'!"

"You're hopeless!"

All the hateful things he's said in her past clouded in her mind. Tears sprang to her eyes, despite her hard efforts to fight them back. The confidence and strength she'd built over the last year and a half crumbled before her eyes as she curled up into a defensive ball, isolating herself from the world.

She wanted to hide, but his words followed her, wounding her heart, scarring it forever.

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Kagome woke with sweat pouring from her brow and salty tears on her face. Her bed's sheets were twisted around her legs and her long hair was splayed in every direction. Her heart was beating out of her chest.

It had been so long since she'd had that dream. Even after all this time, the pain was still there. She couldn't hide from it. And she'd decided long ago that she wouldn't. It was the whole reason for her long journey. Once the hanyou's words were proven wrong, she'd be able to rest easy.

The girl rolled out of her soft canopy bed lazily, her sheets trailing after her. As she walked toward the door to the bathroom, she saw through her enormous bedroom window that the sun had not even risen yet. After a warm bath in the hot springs to wake her from her lingering dream, the girl dressed in a red shirt like the one she's had the day before and black hakama pants. She considered putting her hair in a bun, but instead brushed it out and let the raven waves flow behind her. Without a single cut since she'd left Inuyasha, it was well past her back now.

Kagome made her way down the stairs in search of life. Silence pushed down on the entire castle. The girl wandered under the Taisho Dome, looking up at the dark sky. Demons' presence caught her attention and she turned to the entrance door. Sesshomaru stood there talking to another demon. She had long golden blond hair, and creamy milk colored skin. Her armor and katana suggested she had a high rank.

The female demon departed through the front door. Sesshomaru gazed down, deep in thought as the miko walked up to him.

"Problem?" she asked.

The demon looked up at her. "You're up early," he stated as Kagome observed the exasperation in his eyes.

"Nature does that to you," Kagome brushed it off. She paused before asking, "So who was that?"

Sesshomaru sighed. "That was Maori, the general assigned to the northern region of the Western Lands. Apparently, there's a domestic problem that's threatening to go regional." The demon turned toward her. "Your training was supposed to start today, but I have to go take care of this."

He began exiting the castle. "Wait a minute," Kagome started, following him. "How long is this gonna take?"

Sesshomaru started down the stairs to the front door. "Depends really, I could be gone for up to a week."

Kagome gasped. "Hold it, I don't wanna wait that long."

"Get over it."

Kagome scowled at him. "Why can't I go with you? I can always start off with hands-on experience."

Sesshomaru growled, "If this problem is big enough to go regional, it's too much for you right now."

"Come on," Kagome pleaded. "I can't stay here doing nothing for the next week. I need to be doing something, anything."

Sesshomaru paused. Finally he sighed, "I supposed you're right. I can't let you have a break in the beginning of apprenticeship. You'd better be able to handle yourself though."

Kagome grinned. "You know I can."

Sesshomaru grunted, possible in disbelief, but Kagome ignored it. Suddenly, a white smoke surrounded his feet and thickened to form his traveling cloud. It lifted slightly into the air before he turned back toward Kagome.

His arm stretched out for her. Kagome stared at the sight in amazement. Never would she have guessed that the two of them would ever get to this point. But now, it signaled the official beginning of her new days as an apprentice. This would be her new life for now, until she was ready to move on.

Before Sesshomaru got impatient, she grabbed hold of his hand. He tugged her to his side, resting his hand on her waist as the cloud took off. Except in combat, this was the closest she'd been to him. Her heart skipped a beat, and she couldn't help the pink blush that rose to her cheeks.

But after a few moments on the cloud with him, she got used to it. The uneasiness fled and comfort came. She felt a sense of accomplishment, having got this far in her journey to be traveling next to a Lord himself.

Next, she'd be an officer. Then, she'd kill Naraku.

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I am SO sorry for the late update. The short chapters was supposed to make it easier for me to update quickly, but that obviously didn't happen. It's the end of school and finals are here in my face. It was hard to keep up with all of it. To make up for it, I made the chapter a little longer this time. But either way, I got it done, finally.

I kinda had writer's block on this because I hate writing details so I was wrestling with the look of everything, and I didn't really wanna write it. Lol! But I finally did it, probably not well, but that's besides the point. I hope you enjoyed it. The next chapter should come much faster than this one did because my summer vacation officially starts next Tuesday. Woot!!

Anyway, I'll see ya'll next time!

(P.S. I'm sure I probably don't have to tell you by now, but I didn't check for errors, so you'll probably find some, lol!)