Chapter Five

Everything happened exactly as Sesshomaru said. When she arrived at Naruki's, a message came announcing Tanaki's wedding. Kagura didn't show her face there. She didn't have any personal attachment to Tanaki, so it wasn't jealousy that drove her actions. She was hurt that being a perfect housewife, doing everything necessary to keep a good household, she was forgotten when the bed warmer appeared.

Rin was indeed brought quite soon, even before the wedding. When Kagura asked her about her feelings about being separated from her father, she replied that she was fine. It was much better to be with Kagura-chan than with a new mother.

And so they stayed at Naruki and Hitomi's spacious and comfortable house. Kagura had nothing to complain about except for Nakuki's buddies, the youkai slayers. There was no escape from their lecherous glances, hints and even gropes. With time she got used to it, and blamed it on the men's nature, not because they meant ill to her.

A tradition for Kagura to entertain the guests formed when Rin announced that Kagura was quite skillful at singing. Turned out that it wasn't only singing.

"So what will it be tonight?" Kagura asked with a tired sigh. She had been doing chores the whole day, so playing geisha was her last wish at the moment.

The men began a loud discussion, but a voice from the doorstep made them shut their months with a snap. "Fan dance."

Kagura wasn't surprised. Somehow she gained awareness for Sesshomaru's presence. Whenever he entered the village, she felt a powerful aura moving in the air. She turned towards the door and bowed to the master of the house. Not a direct one, but Kagura came to understanding that Naruki's regard towards Sesshomaru was of highest respect. The reason was unknown to her, but the household had it rules, so she had to follow. Kagura wasn't exactly against that…

"I will bring the fans then."

Kagura hurried towards her room, shaking with nerves. He was never present at their small gatherings. Why did he have to come that day? If he says even one word about her poor performance… She'll break the fans against his head!

With new-founded determination Kagura began her dance. She wasn't that good of a dancer, but her movements were elegant and fluent enough to enchant her audience. Music changed to a faster tune and Kagura's movements became more rapid, as if she was not dancing but fighting, using fans as weapons. If everybody's eyes hadn't been fixed on Kagura's dance, they could've seen a smile that graced Sesshomaru's thin lips.

The fans snapped shut – the dance reached its end. Kagura bowed for the applauding audience. She shot a glance at his direction to find him sitting motionless like always, but there was something different about the youkai. And he was looking right at her! For some reason Kagura felt herself blushing. His golden gaze was burning through her like a real fire. Why was she feeling so weird? Nothing new happened that night, everything was the same. Kagura concluded that she was simply flushed from the dance.

"Are you alright, Kagura-chan?" asked the always concerned Rin.

"Everything is fine, itoshigo (beloved dear child). It is time for you to get to bed."

"Okay."

When they left the room, Kagura could still feel the burning gaze on her back.

….

The sun had set long ago, but Kagura still couldn't fall asleep. That penetrating gaze still couldn't leave her mind. It was as if he was looking at her, as if he looked at her very soul, and she allowed him.

Her window had a view of the garden with the pond. During sleepless nights Kagura often looked at it with the moon reflecting in the dark water, envisioning the taiyoukai bathing in the moonlight, his long hair blown by the wind. It was a mystery how somebody so dangerous could be so beautiful, at least on the outside. The inside remained covered by layers that were impossible to bare.

"His true form, the ferocious beast that resides inside him, is it what he really is?" she asked herself, stepping towards the window once again. This time however she didn't need to use her imagination – Sesshomaru was standing right there, gazing into the depths of the dark waters.

Drawn by some invisible force, Kagura sat down onto the windowsill and jumped out of the window. It was pointless to try to surprise him, so Kagura openly walked across the garden and towards the pond, taking a seat at the ground. She let out a gasp, feeling the monomoko encircling her. "Thank you." No response. "I suppose you were at Tanaki's wedding." A slight nod from Sesshomaru. "So who is his new wife?"

"A widow with a son of her own."

"A good setting for her, I presume," Kagura said with disgust.

"The union is mutually beneficial."

"I bet," Kagura grumbled. "So what did Tanaki say when you took Rin away?"

"He agreed it was better for all involved."

"Do you get some sick satisfaction when nobody says 'no' to you? I mean, you order and it's done. Do you have a ruler complex? If so, why don't you become a shogun or even the Emperor?"

"This Sesshomaru's walked this land long enough to know how everything must be done."

"What about the change? The evolvement?"

"Nothing changes. Every generation completes its circle and gives place to the next generation. The minor changes that happen don't affect the general direction of humanity."

"What about youkai? They don't totally extinct only because of joined offspring with humans. Isn't that a significant change?"

"Foolishness is the ever present trait of all living beings."

"Except you, of course," she said holding back a chuckle.

"This Sesshomaru doesn't allow himself to do anything that could disgrace him."

"I can see that. I also see the mask you wear. Despite you telling that youkai don't have one. I wonder if the woman you trusted could see it too. Or she probably didn't, otherwise you wouldn't trust her. What did she do to gain your trust? Became your slave?"

"She went to Hell and back. Her body was one of a slave, but her soul was free as the wind she commanded. I didn't kill her master, thus watched her die."

Kagura listened with baited breath to every word he said. The words were simple but so full of emotion that couldn't be seen or heard. It could only be felt, and Kagura indeed felt it – the boundless desperation for things that couldn't be undone. "I am sorry if I insulted her memory," Kagura apologized softly, watching the dimple of the pond water. "She must've been a very strong woman; I wish I could be as strong as her."

"The strength of a woman is measured by her devotion to a man."

"But a woman on her own must be even stronger than the one who is kept under man's protection," Kagura retorted.

"A woman shouldn't be on her own. That's why I free you from your obligations-"

"Don't you dare take Rin from me! I love her as if she was my own daughter! Don't you even think-"

"Not to have a family of your own. You can marry and have your own children as you wished previously."

Kagura's vigor instantly evaporated. "If I marry, will you take Rin away?"

"You are her caretaker till she settles with a man of her choice."

Whatever Kagura was going to say was postponed by Yasha's arrival, who covered the moonlight with his large figure. "Mum went into labor. She requested you and Hitomi to help."

"Oh okay." With adjusting to the new life, Kagura totally forgot that Kagome was pregnant. She stood up, brushed the grass from the kimono and headed towards Yasha to get onto his back as usual, but instead her knees buckled because of the alien pressure and the next thing she knew - she was in the sky. Miraculously she managed to grab onto Sesshomaru's neck in time not to fall down from his arm.

….

The whole Inuyasha village was on up and about. Sesshomaru landed right in front of Inuyasha's house, Yasha and Hitomi followed soon after. Kagura slipped from Sesshomaru's arm to be swallowed by the women that were moving into the house with Hitomi.

"Shippo has returned," Yasha stated, looking at his uncle's broad back.

"Not alone, I presume."

"He came to receive Otou-san's approval, which was granted."

"Are you planning to follow his example?"

"I am of age already, but in twenty years maybe? When there is less youkai to hunt, and… No matter," he finished with blush spreading over his cheeks.

"You will need something to protect your mate with. You both will receive from me what you desire when you, the eldest, are mated."

"What was that all about, I wonder?" Yasha asked himself, watching Sesshomaru leave the village with his majestic gait. "He could've at least acknowledged his niece."