Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the videos that I gave link to in this chapter
Beta and co-author: Tokahlia
Reply to reviews:
Darksilvercloud: Yes he is definitely in denial. It was so fun to write his teasing. Though I have to confess that Tokahlia have more credit. She is very skilled with writing out Sesshoumaru.
x4Kaichouxxhaku4x: Well first off, your scene name is very hard to remember. I had to keep looking back and forth to retype it in here. Anyway, Yes I did modeled my Haku with Kohaku nushin from Spirited Away. Good job on the recognition!
Veraozao: Hello again my loyal reader and reviewer! Yes I agree; Sesshoumaru is very cute. He is normally hot but I just love to find way to make him cute. Kawaiii ne? *huge smile and a wink
tsuirakuangel: Oh i'm so glade someone caught the little hint! Just wait until you read this chapter!
Thanks all for the reviews!
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire
Chapter 8
Sesshoumaru could do nothing but sneer as his ward's tutor quickly changed into more suitable clothes (probably caused by his growls when she made to go in her yukata) and then disappeared into the forest. The, being, that had tried to contact her had immediately set Sesshoumaru on edge. It had the audacity to send a flash of a challenge in its aura, did it not realise that Sesshoumaru could probably pulverise it in a flash? In retribution he had sent a wave of his youki, which had finally woken the girl from her sleep. The being had remained more subdued then, but, he allowed himself to think, it was extremely annoying how both its, and the miko's aura's became brighter when he allowed her to go.
So, she had become engaged. Sesshoumaru rested his head back onto the tree and stared up at the sky above him. Stringing along a hanyou and a wolf youkai seemed incredibly selfish, he mused, if she was already betrothed. 'Yes, it is very uncaring but perhaps she is ignorant of her effects to those two.'Sesshoumaru began to meditate but one, earthly thought kept repeating itself.
He would have to find out who his ward's tutor was engaged to. It was either that or go on a murderous rampage; the first option seemed a whole lot less messy.
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire
Kagome arrived at the clearing faster then she had anticipated. she was still unsure how this magic worked but shrugged the thought off for now. He was not there to greet her and caused a tingle of disappointment to sting her heart.
"Beloved, disrobe and enter my spring."
Kagome gasped as she heard his deep voice rung in her mind. Her surprise turned into embarrassment as she registered what he had said. She wanted to ask why but decided to trust him and did as he said. Musing, she realised that Sesshoumaru probably wanted her to trust him like this. Well, she bitterly thought, that's what happens when you suddenly become nice after trying to kill someone most of the time. Kagome entered the spring and looked around in confusion. Nothing happened. She squeaked and instantly took back what she'd just thought. The spring water lit up and a seal appeared. The next thing she knew she felt for a brief moment to be suspended in space and then she was in his arms, dressed in an elaborate sleeping yukata.
"Welcome home, dearest."
His warm, deep voice caused her heart to quiver and she snuggled into his warm, inviting chest.
"I'm back, Haku-sama."
Haku made a sound of acknowledgement and snuggled her hair with his cheek taking in her sweet scent. Kagome giggled at the ticklish sensation then gulped when he lead her by the hand to his large bed. He motioned her hear to sit down, which calmed down the girl, then sat himself behind her.
"Haku-sama." she gasped as she felt him gently comb her hair. It warmed her heart that he would lowered himself to do this task and she felt tears gathering in her eyes at the longing she felt because long ago; the last man who had done this to her had been her now decreased.
There was a pregnant pause as Kagome began to relax before; "Dear, you have told me that you were in the company of a hanyou, then by yourself. Why, then," he tugs became a little harsher, "were you camped with a daiyoukai?"
She whimpered. Though he did not hurt her and his voice was calm she knew that he was displeased with her. "Please don't be upset. I'm sorry." she took a deep breath. "Forgive me, onegai. I did not plan to be in his company. Not at all." She wanted him to say something but he remained silent, though his strokes were gentler.
"Earlier today when Shippou and I stopped for a break and I decided to practice my ribbon dances and look for ways to use it in battle Sesshoumaru approached us." Her breath hitched when she felt him move her hair back. The right side of her neck, now suddenly bare, burnt hot against the cool air that hit it. That cool air stopped, however, when it was replaced with Haku's breath; she nearly forget how to breathe.
"Continue." His deep voice rumbled down her spine and made her private place feel uncomfortable.
"He employed me to be his ward's tutor and in exchange Shippou and I have his protection and are free to travel with him to find the Shikon's shards."
"Is that all?" Kagome's heart beats were out of control, made so by a jolt of electricity from Haku's velvet lips on her neck.
"H...Hai!" She squeaked. She shivered as he chuckled, the vibration sent spikes of pleasure through her making her felt numbed and hypersensitive all at once.
"It's just that, he felt very protective of you."
"Pro-protective? Sesshoumaru? Of a ningen other than Rin?" Kagome spluttered, the very idea pulling her out of the trance Haku had put her into. Kagome laughed at the idea while a bit of color drained from Haku's face. In a flash he had her pinned beneath him. Kagome was scared for a nanosecond until she saw the ultra cute pout on his face and her heart melted.
"I'm serious, Kagome. He sent me a flash of his youki as a threat and everything. Not that it scared me. He may be powerful but he is still a mortal."
"Mortal? Sesshoumaru? I thought youkai live forever"
"You kills youkai all the time, dearest miko."
"B... but that's different. This is Sesshoumaru we're talking about."
"He may not be human but he is still a mortal." Haku rolled his eyes at the disbelieving look she gave him. "I admit that youkai do have a long life expectancy but they can still die so it still makes them mortals."
"... Fine, but I still find that thought of Sesshoumaru dieing unbelievable. He just seems too... out of this world, I think. Like death can't keep him or something."
"What do you mean?"
Kagome was quiet as she thought about her answer. "He has Tenseiga. It's the sword that can heal and bring back the dead."
"..."
"Haku?" She 'umfph' as he laid on his side and pulled her close.
"Go to sleep, dearest. I will wake you later."
"But..."
"Sleep."
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire
Kagome woke up some time later and found Haku gone. She sat up and scanned the room only to find it was empty. A spark of panic rose inside her and she felt her throat tighten. Any residue of sleep was now gone; she rose from the warm bed and made her way to the only exit she saw. The moment she stepped out of the archway runes lit up around her. Shadows of the stings of the runes slithered up her body and ringed around her throat like a choker then disappeared under her skin.
The sight made Kagome's step falter. Her eyes widened as she looked in every direction, taking in the scene before her. She had never thought that she would ever have the privilege to see something so... mystical. The only thing she could think about was that it must be an underwater palace. She didn't juxtapose this palace to Ariel's undersea castle as it was very much oriental eastern kingdom in architecture. However, in place of wood the structures were made out of granite, limestone and marble. The only possible reason she could think of was because wood would not last in this watery environment, for she was definitely underwater, she could she so many exotic fishes swimming lazily around. That posed a question, how was she breathing?
Deciding to shove that confusing question away for later Kagome wandered along the long outdoor hallway and took in everything around her. She was walking in a fantasy. The little girl inside her all but took over. She felt so free and giddy. A huge, brilliant smile shined radiantly. Her hand reached out to play with the colorful fishes. Their fins were so soft yet hard. She could feel their thumping heart beating under her fingertips. Many fishes were nudging her, she was sure that if they had tongues they would be licking her.
That was how Haku found his beloved. She was playing with the fishes as she sat on a marble bench in somewhere within his garden. He slowly made his way towards her, taking his time to simply observe her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind causing the creatures around her to swim away. A few remained close while others hid only to peeked at the two from their hiding places.
"Hello, beloved." He kissed her cheek.
She blushed. "Haku."
"Why are you up so early?" He whispered, resting his head on her shoulder.
"I just woke up and you weren't there." She shrugged nonchalantly.
"Hm?" he smiled. "Missed me, beloved?" He chuckled when she felt the heat emanated from her skin. "Something came up and need my attention."
"What was it that you had to do?"
"Reports came that someone had contaminated my river somewhere down stream. I'll have to go on patrol soon."
"Your river?"
"Hm? Have you forgotten that I am a river god?"
"Ah; no, it's not that. I just haven't had the time to actually think about that yet. I wonder if I've ever come across your river before."
Haku was quiet for a moment. "No."
"How would you know?"
"Your aura, I would never forget your aura." His arms tightened around her and he breathe in her scent from the crook of her neck. "Definitely not."
Kagome blushed as she felt him kissed her neck but was cut off all thoughts as an impromptu yawn gaped her lips and her hand reflexively went up to cover the open mouth.
"Come, beloved. Lets get you back to bed."
She nodded but had to cover up another yawn and let him lead her by the hand. Kagome stepped closer and leaned on him, hugging his arm.
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire
Sesshoumaru did not sleep a wink. As a daiyoukai, sleep was not a necessity, for he needed very little sleep. However, this night, he was restless. Tried as he might, he could not stop thinking about that insufferable onna. As he meditated, he was forced from nirvanna by a happy face. When he went to get a drink by a stream all he could see was her reflection. When he slew ten lesser youkai that were feasting on a kill around five miles away all he could feel was her skin as he brushed it while accepting tea. It was infuriating to say the least; enough to drive him insane at the most. So, when he sensed an aura similar to one of the being that had contacted his tutor coming from a river, Sesshoumaru decided to relieve his stress.
Dokkasu dripped from his claws and he watched with a hint of a sadistic smile on his face as the water's clear blue turned green, brown, then finally black from his poison. Little did he know that he had just made a personal attack on the being; he thought that the river just carried a similar aura.
The river god was irritated to say the least. He did not want to alarm his bride so he had withheld the information as to whom had polluted his water. A stream of anger ran in his vein. That mangy mutt had another thing coming if he thought that he would take this insult lying down. What the accursed mononoke did not know was that his river was one of the main sources of water bed that brought water to the western castle. That also meant that at least half of the food source came from his river and he could easily cut off. If he thought that he could take his bride around with him and poison his river without retribution, the arrogant dog was wrong.
Haku closed his eyes and let an image of the sky came into his mind. The light indicated that it was an hour till dawn. He canceled the spell and opened his eyes. He lower his gaze to his slumbering bride. She looked so peaceful. He was hesitant to wake her, especially since he noticed her dilating eyes behind close lids and the serene smile on her lips.
He caressed her face, running a hooked index finger down the bridge of her nose then tap lightly on her rosy lips, loving how soft they are. He smiled when her lips wiggled then leaned in and kissed her once, twice and then he stopped counting and let the feeling of euphoria consume him.
Kagome moaned. She woke up to gust of pleasure from her lips rushed through her whole body and ignited the heat in her core. Her eyes opened half lidded and she her sleepy gaze landed on Haku's handsome face. She stared into his darkened emerald eyes and she could feel his lips curled up in a smile for a brief moment before he resumed kissing her. She timidly returned the caress, unsure of herself for she had no experience in this art. As expected of him, he guided her with great patience. When she felt his wet tongue on her lower lip she froze.
"Do not fear, my bride" his husky voice set her body ablaze and she shivered. She nodded slightly and he kissed her again.
'Is this what a french kiss feels like?'She thought, blushing. Many weird sound escaped from her throat and she felt embarrassed. Just as she thought she would faint, Haku pulled back. His arms positioned on either side of her head and he smiled down lovingly at her; though if she was not mistaken, there was a hint of desire in those emerald gems.
"Are you awake now, beloved?"
"H..Hai" She gulped as his eyes darkened. She was distinctly aware of his scent, the intoxicating aroma was becoming more potent and concentrated. She felt his knee slowly peeled her legs open and did not know what to think. Her heart was beating dangerously fast and she fear that it will explode any seconds.
"Haku-sama" she breathed his name. 'What is he doing to me?'What ever it was though, she did not want him to stop.
"Yes, beloved?" he asked huskily, his lips ghosting the shell of her ear.
She gasped and shivered. She was so confused. She wanted something so much. Her body was hot and wanting, needing something; 'Touch?' But there was a thought in the back of her mind that beckoned her to stop and think. There was something she need to do and places she need to be. She was making those weird and embarrassing sounds again as she felt jolts of pleasant lightning struck her from every places that Haku's lips touched. She cried out when Haku bit down somewhere on her neck. The tiny pain only made her body burn more. 'Is this pleasure?'
Then he was kissing her again and she was lost to the world.
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire
The sounds of flapping wings were a crescendo in the silent atmosphere of the early morning. The sky still ruled under darkness but a peek of light peeked its rebellion; dawn was near. Glowing golden eyes flashed open behind magenta-striped markings, aimed towards the approaching sounds.
Confusion slashed through his thoughts, Sesshoumaru had up his arm and let the hark perch on his forearm. He took no notice to the majestic beast, his sole focus was on the rolled up parchment tied securely to it's left leg, with a red and yellow twine. He swiftly removed the parchment and made motions with his arms and the bird immediately flew away.
A frown marred his face as he read the missive. His eyes flashed in irritation and the parchment was quick to dissolve under his acidic poison influence. He strutted to where the imp laid and swiftly kicked the slumbering creature none too gently.
"Jaken, awaken."
"W... wa?"
"Clear up camp. The castle beckons." Being outside on his own personal vendetta sometimes made the Lord forget that he had a land which he ruled and that said land had problems.
"Uh? Ah yes, of course, my lord!"
Sesshoumaru did not pay the green creature attention as his gaze was off in the distance at the horizon. He pushed away the thoughts of the crisis surrounding his lands and instead focused on something easier. 'Dawn approaches and the miko has yet to return.' His eyes narrowed. He discretely sniffed the air in search of her scent. A growl vibrated from deep within his throat when he finally caught her scent. It was tainted. Her unique scent was laced heavily by another irritating male.
That, and the fact was, she was embarrassed. Why, he couldn't guess but when he heard her clearly not one hundred metres to his right he darted to her side. For one she certainly seemed well-rested. For another, she was wearing a different set of clothes and carrying her original in the crook of her arm.
Seeming to only have just seen the daiyoukai Kagome shrieked and took a step back at his sour expression.
"I'm back..." She meekly murmured, straightening the edges of her skirt in nervousness.
"Hn. This one has eyes, miko." The way he sneered her position made it sound like a curse. Kagome huffed and stomped her foot.
"I don't even know why I come back anymore if that's how you're going to treat me." She crossed her arms, imitating Sesshoumaru's pose.
Sesshoumaru stayed quiet, then, as his nose began to twitch again at his scent he did something very impulsive. Normally Sesshoumaru would say that he had complete control of himself but, when it happened, he had all but lost control to his base instincts.
Kagome went deathly still. Sesshoumaru was... surrounding her. She could feel the strength of his youki as it swirled around her body, covering every inch of her. She wanted to pull away but found herself paralysed by the tangible weight of it. The inu 'hn'ed after a minute of intense youki exposure and then Kagome was free.
"Wh... What was that for?" She nearly screamed, some part of her registering that screaming right in front of a being with good hearing was not the way to stay alive.
"This Sesshoumaru will not allow you to smell like some-other male in his presence. Especially if said male does not have This one's permission." When her face turned dark with anger Sesshoumaru began to mentally back-pedal. Did she not realise that it was a matter of honour; that if it seemed that Sesshoumaru did not know who was courting his ward's tutor that hers, and by association, his, reputation would be lowered?
Instead of exploding like he expected Kagome instead brushed past him and to the campsite.
Kagome was giving Sesshoumaru the silent treatment. Normally, she would be fuming even if it was within the privacy of her mind but this time she locked away all thoughts. Inside her mind as now a void, no light, no sounds and empty of all emotions. The let her senses reigned free but did not analyze or think about anything other then let her mind registered what she was looking at and what she was hearing. She made conversations with the children, telling tales and random facts about anything that came into her mind. They were on their way to Sesshoumaru's citadel; she briefly wondered what for but she pushed that thought away not wanting to even think about things that would string her back to the thought of the arrogant Inu lord. She was still mad at him.
Her arrival at the castle was not... pleasant. The prejudiced youkai were not taken by human and she was not just any human. She was a miko; their worst enemy.
"Miko, you will refrain yourself from harming This one's subjects."
Kagome said nothing.
"They are expensive and take a long time to train." Sesshoumaru peeked a view at the still-silent miko. She was staring at nothing and everything, eyes unfocused and focused at once.
"Tonight for dinner we shall be having your kit as an appetiser, followed after by a main course of monks."
Kagome blinked. "Wh... What did you say just then?" Her eyes focused onto his.
"This one does not like repeating himself." he growled. "But, for your sake I shall repeat. We will be having fried rice for an appetiser, followed by a main course of pheasant."
Seeming to remember that she was mad with him she rolled her eyes and once again cleared her mind, Sesshoumaru smirked at his little victory.
Kagome eyes turned away from him and stared ahead again and she held Shippou tighter to her chest. 'I can't be hearing things.'Her eyes narrowed and she bit the inside of her cheek.
"I will not harm them if they refrain from doing something to me or my kit. So warn them to not test me." She spoke softly, her eyes did not stray from the scene ahead.
"Hn."
She grounded her teeth at his response. 'It would seem like he is not part of the do-not-test-me category.'Looking ahead, she did not catch the smirk on Sesshoumaru's face that was caused by the spike in her scent due to her irritation. There were many demons that did cower away in fear. Seeing their lord smirk was a bad sign, usually followed by a new guard position opening up.
"Jaken, prepare a suite in the northern wing for the miko and her kit."
"B... but, Sesshoumaru-sama. That wing is for-"
"You dare question This One?"
"This lowly servant is sorry. Please have mercy on this Jaken!" The imp dozega, his small body shaking in fear.
On the sideline, Kagome silently observed. 'He rules by fear.'The thought saddened her. She felt something akin to sympathy for the Inu lord. It made her wonder if there was anyone in his life that genuinely like him for who he was, who was devoted to him out of kinship or adoration in place of other superficial respect and fear. She saw his golden eyes turn to her and looked away once more.
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire
"Speak," Sesshoumaru barked. This had taken too long already.
"My lord," the retainer began "we do know why this is happening but the population of water creatures are migrating upstream. Everything was find until early this morn'." Just as the first finished the second took over.
"Not only that, Sesshoumaru-sama, but the trees and plant-life that live of the many streams are not doing well. The leaves have lost their luster and flowers are not as vibrant. We do not know what to do." The poor youkai were distressed.
If Sesshoumaru had been a lesser being he would have gulped. Fortunately, he had a steady control of his bodily actions. Instead, he remained quiet.
"I think I know the source of this problem." His voice was low and dangerous.
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire
Kagome caught her breath at the first sight of her temporary suite. The room was simply beautiful. What had truly caught her eyes were tasteful sheets of sheer and silk fabric strung down from the ceilings. The room was very airy, large windows and slide-doors to the private garden on the other side of the room. So lost in her inspection of the room, Kagome did not notice when the imp had left. She walked, though she felt like she was floating around the room. Her piano digit fingers touched and the many sheers as she breathe in the cool air the flown in from the outside. The wind caressed her, her hair waved back like ocean currents. She sat down on the mattress; the bed was too big for someone of her size. She guessed it could equivalent to a California-King-bed. She spread her body onto the soft mattress then rolled around and faced the ceiling. A pretty smile bloomed on her face when she was greeted with the acoustic sight of a mural. Kagome chuckled as she studied the mural, the theme was underwater. She rose from the bed and made her way to the banister. For a moment she was anticipated to walk into the garden but decided against it. She sat down on the polished wood floor of the banister and on impulse retrieved her long neglected harp form her seal.
Kagome felt bad for having neglected on her study; most of all, her music study, one of which was with the harp. As a little girl, she had watched in childish fascination as her paternal grandmother made this harp sing. Kagome loved to watch was her grandmother's long fingers moved so elegantly as she played her beloved harp. A sharp pain stuck her heart as she thought of her grandmother. She remembered when that tragic day came when her grandmother was diagnosed with osteoporosis. Because of this medical condition she was unable to play her beloved instrument any longer. The pain had become too much. Kagome had vowed then that she would play the harp in her grandmother's, place. Kagome now felt the bitter pain of guilt.
'How could I have forgotten?'"Je suis désolé, grand-mère." Kagome sniffled and wiped the tears that had fallen unbidden with her sleeve. She closed her eyes and took a moment to remember the feel of her instrument, the fingerings, the correct hand positions. She tuned it quietly, frowning at the fact that almost all of the two higher octaves were flat compared to the mid-range. Then, sure her instrument and her mind were in the right place she began to play. Her finger glided across the strings of the harp like how raindrops left ripples in the still water surface. The sweet melody resonate intoxicating sequence of notes through the air. Kagome eyes were closed as memories of old times danced inside her mind. Her fingers took a life of their own as the ten lithe digits soared through her grandmother's favorite piece of all time, First Arabesque by Debussy.
Author's note: http:/ youtu. be/A8FWcoWInWs
As she finished the piece, Kagome felt as if her sadness and guilt had dispersed, her hands returned to her control and she felt the need to answer her grandmother with one of her own favorite piece, Hommage à Haydn.
Author's note: http:/ youtu. be/NxotQJjcJAc
Kagome's eyes were closed and a small yet angelic smile shone brightly on her pixie face. Around her, it seemed as if flowers had magically bloomed and as if butterflies danced joyfully around her. The breeze picked up and sent everything aflutter. 'Can you hear me, grand-mère?' Kagome inhaled and breathe in the sweet scents of flora, it was wonderful. She smiled a more serene smile. 'A fantasy, a melody, so timeless. I hope that my music can cross time if only for your ears to hear.' Kagome fluttered open her eyes half-lid. She gazed lovingly at her harp and the ways her fingers moved then she blinked and a faraway look entered her eyes. 'I promise I'll visit you soon, grand-mère.'
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire
Sesshoumaru made his way through his castle quickly and effectively. After his retainers had explained themselves he had firstly taken off his armour (it was heavy and in the safety of his own home he decided it was unnecessary), freshened up with a hot, damp towel before deciding to get answers. The miko had some information that he needed.
So, when he knocked on her room's door he had been surprised to hear some more of her strange music played on an instrument with strings. He guessed it to be something like a konghou, but, as he entered her room and took in the sight in front of him, he realised that he had never seen the instrument before. That in itself was enough to annoy him. Kagome was well-read, spoke with things of yet to happen with such certainty and seemed to have things that he, the great and knowledgeable Lord Sesshoumaru, had yet to seen.
He listened, unnoticed as she finished her first song and launched into her second. This music... it was almost enough to confuse him. Like the song he had heard her play while practising her fighting routine it was almost abrasive to his ears at first. However, once listening for a few minutes he began to appreciate this new form of art. Everything was impeccably structured (which a daiyoukai such as Sesshoumaru could appreciate) and, though it was based on scales that made him feel unfamiliar and played on an instrument he hadn't known about, he had to admit that it was... pretty.
Once the miko had finished her playing Sesshoumaru shook his head and tried to remember why he had come to see her in the first place. The music, and the smile that had come onto her face had, though he refused to admit it, distracted him. Kagome rested for a few moments before putting her instrument away into her seal. By the time she stood up and began to turn around Sesshoumaru realised two things.
One, that it would look like he had been listening in on purpose and two, that he had no idea what he had come in for.
Her eyes settled on his form, first unseeing, then she seemed to come to her senses. The girl jumped back in shock and lost her footing on the edge of the porch were she had been sitting and falling slowly backwards.
Before she hit the ground however, two clawed hands wrapped around her waist, steadying her moments from her collapse; Kagome looked up at her savior from wide eyes, only to find that she was now upright, away from the ledge and that the imposing figure of an inu youkai stood a respectable distance away.
"Uh... Sesshoumaru-sama? What are you here for?" Kagome spluttered out, looking at a Sesshoumaru minus his armour. He looked almost, naked without it. It was like when a teacher suddenly took off their glasses, it was startling to say the least.
"Hn," Sesshoumaru lifted his chin and turned to his side, trying to cover his back-pedaling mind with a haughty air. He remained quiet until he walked towards Kagome slowly, making her heart-beat stammer in the most pleasing way. Then, with a click, his mind filled in his reason and his slightly amused expression dropped. "This one needs to know more about your betrothed."
"My fiancee?" Kagome mused, eyebrows scrunching at his sudden curiosity and mood swing. "Why do you want to know now?" Kagome had to step back as he kept his steady pace toward her.
"Hn."
"Would you stop answering my questions with that 'hn'? I'm pretty sure it's not even a word." Kagome crossed her arms.
"You're evading the answer This One seeks, Miko." He was dangerously close to cornering her, the young girl cast a glance behind her and was startled to find that the wall was only a few steps away. Flashes of a strong hand pinning her to said wall via her neck ran through her mind, the almost feral expression on Sesshoumaru's face didn't help her delusions.
"Don't come any closer!" she quietly hissed, heart beating erratically.
Sesshoumaru raised his brow but decided to amuse her and halted in his step. "Do you fear This Sesshoumaru so much, Miko?" he asked, his amusement ringing loudly in his tone.
"Why shouldn't I be? It's not like you haven't tried killing me before." Kagome stared defiantly into his eyes, hands clenched at either side. Sesshoumaru took a half-step closer, looked down at her from his superior height, then turned on his heel and walked back a few steps. He let his gaze fall on the new sight of the garden. Never had he seen his garden with more life. His eyes half-lidded as he glanced back to the silent miko behind him. He was sure it was her doing. He knew not how but could not find in himself to care at the moment.
"Are you so ashamed that you would want no other to know the identity of your betrothed, miko?" He baited her. After all, it was the easiest way to get information from her.
"Shame? I would never be ashamed of my fiancee! Do not accuse me of something you do not know!"
"And yet, you still hold tightly to the name of this person like it was some kind of dirty little secret." Sesshoumaru turned his body so it faced her yet didn't move. He could smell the pure energy burning near the surface of his skin and, from what he had seen so far, she had little control of her powers.
"You know nothing" Her rage clouded her mind. She strutted to him. For a mere second she wished he was wearing a tie so that she could yank him down to her eye level. Their height difference made her anger more profound. She was so tempted to yank him down by his hair. His perfectly straight, stupid, silver hair. The only thing that was stopping her was her the very limited self preservation left within her as the rest was blown away by her anger. "Why are you so desperate to know who he is, Sesshoumaru? What would you do with the information once you had it? Don't think that any harm you plan to do to my beloved will go without retribution."
"Oh? Then what, pray tell, will you do about it?" he taunted her, leaning down, so close that their noses touched. "An untrained miko who cannot even control her own power. What makes you think you could do anything to This Sesshoumaru?" As her anger bubbled forth stronger he cut her off. "However, This Sesshoumaru doesn't desire this knowledge for personal gain." He pulled back and looked into the garden. "I believe that he is causing a drought to my lands." Wisely, he decided to leave out the fact that he might have poisoned her husband-to-be.
"A drought in your land... I see nothing wrong with the weather." Kagome took a moment to think over what he had just told her. 'If it's not the weather then it's the water.'Kagome still in thought, walked off in to the garden. She did not stop there however. She continue walking until she was at the wall of the castle. She crouched down and pushed some reiki into her legs and jumped. She landed unbalanced on the wall's roof and had to take a moment to balance herself. As she did so she numbly noted the swish of fabric besides her to be Sesshoumaru.
Once her heart calmed down from her vertigo attack she scanned the land below her. The sight was wonderful. Kagome had to force herself to focus on the task at hand and moved her eyes to the many braids of streams and search for the source. Her heart jumped at the sight. The clear blue-green water of the grand riverbed was majestic. She was instinctively reminded of Haku and smiled then blushed brightly at her latest memory with him. 'Not the time, Kagome.'Blacking out whilst making out was not something she wanted to remember ever again. When she had finally stirred Haku had left her a note, saying that he had business to attend to and giving her instructions back to where she had met him the night before. He also mentioned that she was too much of a temptation for him that morning. That had caused her to nearly have a nosebleed as her imagination ran wild.
"Pay attention, Ka-go-me." The way he pronounced each syllable caused Kagome to blush anew. She darted a gaze over to him, only to see a slightly proud smirk on his face. When she squinted yet again into the far distance the inu lord allowed himself a small sigh before wrapping a hand around her waist and propelling them forward and down into his lands before.
Kagome screamed. "LET ME GO!" She was falling, straight into the lands below her. When the hand around her began to slowly untangle itself from her shirt's fabric Kagome reconsidered her words. "I take that back!" Thinking only of her own safety at the current moment then of in the long term she turned and buried herself into Sesshoumaru's side. "Don't let go!" The hand paused, then tightened around her mid-section and instead of falling, Kagome's heart began to slow down as she realised that they were descending.
"Miko." Kagome held onto Sesshoumaru's kimono tighter, still convinced she was in the air.
"Kagome." She felt, rather than heard, Sesshoumaru sigh. Meekly she opened her eyes only to find a slightly uncomfortable daiyoukai looking anywhere but at her. "We have landed."
Kagome immediately pulled away, surprised to find that she was indeed standing on her own two feet. "Oh... sorry." She mumbled, straightening her clothes before she realised what he had just done. "Oi, wait a second! What the hell was that? You aren't supposed to just jump off a wall without some-one's permission!"
"This one follows no-one's expectations but his own." He almost-huffed, straightening where her fingers had crumpled only slightly. That made Kagome confused, she had Sesshoumaru pinned as an OCD-neat freak.
"Well... have you ever thought of letting someone know when you're about to take them with you off a building?"
"Yes, but, have you ever thought of not screaming 'let me go' when four storeys above the air?"
Was that a... laugh? Kagome stared, open mouthed and in amazement as the stoic killing perfection began to chuckle. She didn't have him as someone who would put on a falsetto when imitating her either but, it seemed that he was trying to break her assumptions of him.
"Whatever." She huffed. "What was it you wanted to show me again?"
"You left on your own to see This One's land, miko." He deadpanned.
"Oh..." She cleared her throat awkwardly. She turned and stepped away from him, feigning on wanting to see the garden more closely. "It's the river that is posing the problem for you isn't it?" she asked as she ran her fingers over the petals of a peony blossom, withering though there had been rain the day before last.
"Hn."
"What made you so sure that my fiancee had anything to do with your land's problem?"
"This one... might have possibly poisoned a river carrying a similar aura to your betrothed's." If Kagome hadn't been so involved she would have thought the very uncomfortable look on Sesshoumaru's face cute, if possibly awe inspiring.
However, she had other things on mind. "You tried to poison my boyfriend?"
"No, a river that felt similar to your betrothed." He said it as if it was a huge difference.
"He's a water god!"
"... Hn." She supposed that was Sesshoumaru's version of an 'oh'.
"Whatever." Kagome crossed her arms. "So, what are you going to do?"
Sesshoumaru, having long looked away from the girl and her angry comments cast her an almost-shy glance. "Me?"
"Yeah. You. You're the one who started this mess, you should clean it up."
"..."
At his silence Kagome huffed. She pressed her lips together and crossed her arms. "Hm..." She studied his face with critical eyes. "Why did you do it in the first place?"
"This One need not explain himself to you, miko." Explaining the fact that it had been the only way to get her off his mind wasn't one he wanted to do out-loud. Sesshoumaru, seeing a question form on her lips again turned and began walking away. "Be ready for supper in two hours time, miko. Do not be late."
A White Rose_A Kiss of Desire