Morning arrived and Jaken had returned with Totosai behind him. Sesshomaru had already told Rin to get her food and have breakfast, as well as playing not too far from where he was. When the sword crafter arrived, he cleared his throat, "here priestess, stand beside me, attention straight ahead of you," he stated.
She stood, her movements almost robotic like, moving to stand beside him and raising her head to look straight ahead of her, causing her to face Totosai.
"I must say I was reluctant coming here Lord Sesshomaru but now I see you had a true dilemma and hopefully don't intend to try and kill me...oh! Kagome?! What's happened to the priestess?" he asked in shock starting to panic. "What have you done with her!" he moved behind a tree to hide.
Sesshomaru looked at him rather annoyed, "I've done nothing too her, is there a problem with Tensaiga? I used it to revive her and clearly you can see, she did not revive," he explained and removed Tensaiga from the sheath, giving it to the old demon to inspect it.
He took the sword looking it over and nodding, "hmm...nice and sharp, could slice clean through solid rock...nope nothing wrong with Tensaiga, she is as perfect as the day that I made her...as for Kagome, I have no idea, that's truly odd that she didn't come back to life as normal...what happened to her before she died?"
"I do not know...but I intend to find out. Jaken, get Rin and lets go, priestess, follow," he stated as he walked by Totosai heading in the direction of the western lands.
Totosai watched him go and stood there utterly confused, "why do I feel as though I've missed something? Oh well, now to get a nice relaxing bath," he said to himself and got back onto his cow, heading back home.
They had walked all day long, not a single complaint from Kagome, not that she could complain, she was in a doll like state after all. But Sesshomaru wasn't unaware that despite no feeling or anything at all, the body itself of the priestess appeared to be worn out. Stopping where he stood he turned to Jaken, "we stay here for the night, find Rin food," he ordered and sat down against a tree. "Sit priestess," he stated and she did as was told, sitting beside him, her eyes as lifeless as ever.
Rin was a bit more quiet than usual and sat down beside her lord, looking at him worried. "Will Lady Kagome be alright? What's wrong with her?" she asked.
"She will be fine Rin, now go gather your flowers," he said in a normal tone to her.
Rin nodded with a smile and stood up, running off to pick her flowers.
Not long after, Jaken returned with food and Rin sat down near the camp fire the toad demon built, waiting for her food to be cooked before she could eat it. He ate a bit as well, Sesshomaru however wasn't hungry and Kagome merely sat there beside him. By the time dinner was through, Rin lay down to sleep and Jaken settled against a tree separate from his lord. Sesshomaru was lost in thought, his mind swimming with any kind of idea on how the priestess's soul could be returned to her. The only logical thing was to kill the inhabitant of her soul, however he had a feeling that would be more difficult than it sounded.
A week had gone by and Sesshomaru returned to his castle in the Western Lands, the moment they arrived, he sent Rin to take a bath, sending Kagome's body with her as well as a maid to clean the lifeless woman's vessel. He had made his way to his own private hot springs to take a bath himself, emerging once clean and getting dressed before heading to his study to look through what paper work needed attending. He hadn't been in there long when a maid came to the door, knocking lightly, "my lord..." she whispered, fear clear in her tone.
"What is it?" he asked.
"I apologize for interrupting you but the priestess..." she trailed off the moment she heard him stand and she immediately shifted out of the way of the door.
He walked out and looked to the maid who pointed in the direction of the springs that he had sent Kagome and Rin too. He sighed and walked down the hallway and knocked, "Rin are you dressed?"
"Yes my lord, but Lady Kagome isn't, she's acting strange...I'm scared..." she whispered as she hid in a corner. He opened the door and entered, looking in Rin's direction then at the priestess. Kagome's body was limp in the water and she was glowing with a strange blue light. Around the water were piles of ash, the demon maids he had, some had been purified. Seeing the condition told him he'd have to retrieve her from the bath, "Priestess, enough. You are safe," he stated.
With his command, her body's glow dimmed until completely gone and she stood straight in the water. "Out and get dressed, Rin you may go to your room until dinner is ready, there's nothing to fear from the priestess."
She nodded and ran out of the springs and down the hallway, calmed by the fact that Kagome was back to normal, well at least where her body was concerned.
Kagome had obeyed and got out of the water, drying off and dressing slowly, she then moved to stand beside the demon lord. He turned and walked out, "Follow," was all he uttered to her.
Once back at his study, he saw the maid still standing there in fear, "go clean the mess and tomorrow I want applications on my desk in the morning," he ordered and the female demon nodded and ran off.
Inside his study, he sat down and placed a chair in a corner for her, "sit," was all he said before resuming his work. It had taken him 3 hours when he completed all the paperwork that needed to be done. Dinner was almost ready, though he wasn't hungry, he always made himself present for dinner, knowing Rin normally refused to eat unless he was there. Sitting at the table, he was lost in thought once more. 'Why am I bothering to help the female? What use would she even be if I were to return her soul to her...she'd be off with my brother once more...leaving her dead would do her better than have her suffer in misery behind him again...still...she is strong for a human, perhaps I can make her take care of Rin as payment for saving her life...' he was cut off from his thoughts by Rin hugging him around his waist, "good night lord Sesshomaru," she smiled. He nodded and patted her head, "Good night Rin."
Sesshomaru stood once she ran off and ordered Kagome to follow him, "Jaken, keep a watch over Rin, I am going to bed," he stated and walked into his room, closing the door behind him. Walking into his room he went to a door within it and opened it, walking into another bedroom that connected to his, "priestess, lay on that bed and sleep." She did as she was told and once that was done he left the door open and went to his own bed, laying down to get some sleep of his own.
She awoke with darkness surrounding her, her heart was broken and she felt numb, her entire body was cold. In the distance, slowly, a light appeared, leading her away from where she now stood. She began to follow it, not feeling herself move, but she knew she was indeed getting closer too it. Once she entered the light, she froze, staring wide-eyed at the scene before her.
"How...I...I'm dead?" the words left her lips and she felt helpless and sad, there was so much she wanted to accomplish in her life and now she was filled with regret. There was no way to undo what had been done and she knew the truth deep inside her heart. Tears began to roll down her cheeks, though her face remained dry, "I don't understand...how could this have happened? Inuyasha...Sango, Miroku, Shippo, Koga, Mom, Sota, Gramps...I'm so sorry, I was careless..." she grieved for herself and apologized to those that loved and cared for her. Suddenly shackles appeared around her wrists and ankles, dragging her down. She fell to her knees and screamed in pain, not understanding what was happening to her. "Please don't take me...please let me go back, I promise I'll-" she was cut off as a gag covered her mouth. Slowly she was pulled back into the cold darkness once more.
She thought it was over, that she was gone forever. She had fallen into a deep sleep in the surrounding abyss. The floor was cold, almost like ice, but it didn't, no, it couldn't faze her in this state, it was over, her life...was over. But something woke her up. How could this be? Her eyes still saw black for a moment, slowly she sat up and gasped, reaching for her wrists, she found the shackles gone, her hands moved to her mouth to find the gag had vanished. "What...is this?" she asked in shock and wonder. The light she had seen at the first moments after her death had appeared again, but this time, it shined more brightly. It drew her, called her too it and she stood up to quickly follow. What she saw was unexpected, it wasn't even believed to be possible, but there, standing near her body was him.
Why did he use the Tensaiga to save her? What did he care if she was lying there dead or not? Just what did he even intend to gain in helping her? She watched him as he watched her body, only to find she didn't awaken at least not right away. Her eyes were locked on the demon lord but what shocked her the most is that despite no soul, her body returned to life, the only thing is, she wasn't in her body. "I don't understand..." she whispered. He walked away from the area and her body had followed, she didn't want it to leave her behind, she didn't want to be stuck in the darkness again, reacting on her desires, she took a risk, she stepped forward. One step. Two steps. Three steps. A few more steps and she was now standing in the light, where her body once lay on the ground.
She stood there for a moment, unsure of what to do. Sighing, she realized, she had no real say in the matter and so went to the camp of the great demon Lord and although she didn't trust him, she stayed within the area, after all, what choice did she have in the matter?
He stood in the gardens of his castle, his eyes closed as he leaned against a tree, taking in the scents of the various flowers within this tranquil space. That was when he smelled something unusual, a scent that drifted to his nose with the breeze, the fresh scent of jasmine after a rain fall. However, he had no such flowers within his gardens, so where did this scent come from? Opening amber orbs to look around, his gaze drifted to the direction of the smell, stopping at the source.
Raven hair flowed down behind her, she stood facing the opposite direction, the scent of salty tears mixing with her beautiful fragrance. He recognized her immediately but found himself confused. "Priestess?" he called and took a step forward toward her.
She turned around to face him, tears streaming down her cheeks, a strange glow surrounding her. He didn't know how to comfort her or to ease her pain, hell, he had no idea what the problem was nor was he one to ask, he simply remained silent and took a seat on one of the benches in the center of the gardens where they stood.
After a moment she calmed down and looked at the ground, "What do you plan to do with me?" she asked.
This question had taken the demon lord by surprise. "What do you mean? You are a lifeless doll...I will return your soul to you," he stated cooly.
She looked at him now and backed up a bit, "You never do anything without a reason, I know you want something from me...what is it? Why did you even try to save me?" Kagome asked.
"I have a reason yes, but you will know once you are alive again. Tell me priestess, how am I speaking to you without your soul?" he was curious, after all, she hadn't been able to speak since he revived her.
"..." she looked at her hands, noticing the glow around herself and then it appeared. A sudden light shined down on a spot not too far from the pair. Beneath that light was her body once more, sitting still on the ground and against a tree, eyes a blank void.
"I...I don't know...when I died...I was chained and...I just..." she dropped to her knees, covering her face as she began to cry.
"Enough priestess...you will return to your body soon enough," he stated.
"But...why are you even helping me? I don't understand..."
"I can't give you answers to questions that even I don't know the answers too. Just know that you will be alive again soon enough and then you can worry over my motives, for now you seem tired, so rest," he ordered. Kagome had no idea why, but she immediately managed to calm down and stop her crying, sniffling, she listened to him and took a seat beside him on the bench. He watched her intently and just as she seemed to be at peace, he sat up in bed, groaning.
It was a dream, nothing more. Sighing he sat there and leaned against the headboard of the bed. 'Sesshomaru what are you doing? What use is she to you? Why save a human who's loyal to your brother?' he asked himself.
'She is more than just a mere human,' his beast answered.
'A priestess who can see the jewel shards Naraku is after, but loyal to my idiot half demon brother, she is useless... unless to me...' but as he finished that sentence to himself a thought suddenly came to mind.
'Yes? You will use her then?' the beast in him asked curiously.
'Perhaps she can indeed help me...but first, I will need to get her soul back from the dead priestess, I am certain she is the reason for this strange state of revival,' he stated and lay back down in bed, closing his eyes. He sighed a moment and tried to clear his mind. Still unsure of his own reasons for saving her, he'd see how things would go as time progressed.
Author's Note: And thus chapter 2 was born! No but seriously, I'm so sorry for the delay in updating. I had honestly gotten writers block after the first chapter, absolutely sad but all too true. Then it hit me! When I was listening to the song this fanfic is based on again, the words gave me an idea for chapter 2 and finally here I post it. I had actually finished this chapter about two weeks now but after reading a fanfic for my favorite pairing ever, Sesshomaru and Kagome of course, I got the inspiration to write again. Plus, I was going to update last night but found out that google chrome had chosen to restrict me from viewing the manage story pages and such on this site, so I had to bypass it, now I can post freely again! Which means updates should be much more frequent now that I have motivation and new ideas on how to progress this story. I hope you all enjoy and thank you to all those that reviewed so far. Normally I'd dedicate a personal message to each reviewer but since there's the new reply option (new to me at least since I only started using this site again about a month now) I've found its not necessary to answer reviews on here, unless its a question more than one person has, I'll simply be writing personal messages to everyone in response :) Anyway thanks again and I hope you enjoyed this new chapter =^_^=