Kagome woke in her room exhausted and weak, darkness greeting her eyes. Even then that somehow hurt her head. She slowly, weakly, tried to sit up where a weight caught her off guard. Looking down at her chest, Keade's face was resting against her, and at her left side, Sota was sleeping against her ribcage. Looking over them, how they clung to her even in their sleep, Kagome fought hard to remember what had them so… So afraid, she wanted to say.
Slaves… They, she and her sister, had purchased two slaves. No, three, or four, if you included the two headed dragon. And when they came home… Kagome's blue eyes grew wide, remembering the carnage of the palace, how Miroku was in a pool of his own blood and they had to save Sota and Keade from the men in the home. She'd called Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha… Things happened too fast, made her dizzy thinking about it, but she knew that Keade and Souta had been hiding behind a dresser, that… "Ah…" She hissed lowly, her leg having a distinct throb, reminding her she'd been wounded. But it was just a cut, just a slice from a blade. What had happened to her? Was Miroku alright?
Looking down at the siblings resting on her still form, she decided there was no way she could intentionally wake them up. Knowing full and well, however, that at least one of the brothers would be at her door left her with a thought. She couldn't go to her sister, but maybe her sister could come to her.
"Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru?" She whispered so lowly that not even she heard her voice over her thoughts.
She almost jumped when the two were there, bowed before her bed. Heart in her throat and allowing her body a small tremor, she barely heard their quiet. "My Lady."
Swallowing, she whispered. "Can you bring me my sister, either of you." They never looked at her, to which she was grateful for as seeing as she was in a gown. Instead they glanced at one another and Inuyasha was the one who stood. "Thank you." She barely managed before he left.
Sesshoumaru remained, still knelt to the floor, his eyes never traveling to her. It was a thick silence in the air, one that left her edgy, and he could feel it. She, a priestess, one who could surely put up a fight, but would not need to defend herself from him because he was shackled, bound most disgracefully, was frightened by his overwhelming presence. How entirely weak. He, the Prince of the west, had never once applauded weakness in any since. Rather, it disgusted him beyond imaginable thought.
"You don't have to stay in here…" Kagome was trying to say that he should go out without saying it.
Those amber eyes flashed up to her, holding her eyes for a moment. She knew that he'd read her underlying words, and she read his unspoken ones. As emotionless as his amber gaze was, she knew he was sickened by her. And then, just as the bands constricted, he turned and walked from the room.
It was only moments that she sat there, thinking about that gaze before Kikyo came walking into the room. "Sister," She chided quietly as she walked into the room, stress lines clear on her face even in the moonlight. "Why are you awake?"
Swallowing, Kagome asked just as quietly. "What happened?" She frowned. "Feels like I've been out for a while."
Kikyo's expression tensed as she moved to her sisters bed, sitting very carefully so as not to stir the children. "You were poisoned with moth demon dust." At Kagome's clear confusion, she added. "It was on the blade."
"So I almost died." Kagome concluded, swallowing tensely. Someone almost succeeded in killing yet another member of the Higurashi house. She would have rather died than her siblings of course, but still… She wouldn't be here to protect them and that frightened her. "Who saved me?" She wondered, keeping herself from trembling at the thought of death.
"You were taken to Akin by Sesshoumaru." Kagome still looked pale, which meant her body was still weak from the venom her purity had been burning away bit by bit. "His venom counter acted the moth demon's."
Her blue eyes turned glassy briefly, as though unaware before they found the calm cinnamon of her sister once more. "I have to thank them both." She said, determined. "I could be dead right now." She commented.
"For now," Kikyo murmured softly so as not to stir her siblings. "You must rest. Gratitude can wait, sister. Your health can not."
As gentle as her sister may have spoken, Kagome knew better than to ignore her sister's demand. "Have Sango come with Akin tomorrow?" She begged of her instead. "I'll even eat inside if you want me to." Kikyo knew just how her sister hated being indoors, and for Kagome to offer such seclusion…
"As you wish." She inclined her head slightly. "For now, rest. I will see you in the morning."
"Goodnight sister." Kagome murmured.
"Sleep well." She breathed as she left the room, standing between Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru. "If she suddenly become weak, more ill or shows signs of duress, one of you must come for me. I will do whatever I must."
Sesshoumaru watched her with nothing but contempt and Inuyasha just scoffed. Kikyo knew they'd had an understanding though, and in knowing so, she moved down the hall, to her chambers and lit a candle, reading over even more death threats. She'd find out who sent these bastards, and when she did, she would kill them.
Brown eyes burned with a fiery rage no pure priestess should ever have, for that burning alone warned of a dark shadow in their heart. Kikyo knew this as well as anyone, but to protect her family, she would turn into something more monstrous than these political fiends if she had to. "Mother," she murmured softly, the candle light catching the sorrow across her features. "If I am not who I once was at the end of this life, would you still see me?"
Somehow, she wasn't so sure.
Kagome woke again to the sound of whispers in her bedroom, and was not too surprised to see Keade and Sota there on her bed, but to see Kohaku at her bedside… Well, this was certainly a surprise. "Good morning sister!" Keade cried, hugging her. Kagome 'oofed' but didn't mind her sisters exuberance in the least.
"Good morning." She murmured against her before looking at Kohaku. "Is your sister here too?"
"Yes, she's talking with Kikyo." He told Kagome. "Akin and Sesshoumaru shadow them."
"So Inuyasha's just outside the door?" Kohaku nodded. "Inuyasha, could you come in here please?"
The sliding door grated as he came into the room, eyes downcast. "My Lady." He greeted softly.
"I wanted to thank you for protecting us. You and your brother." She told him honestly.
He scoffed.
She didn't have to hear him say he didn't believe her. "I guess I have to prove it, huh?" She sighed. "You are relieved from your post for the rest of today. Tell Sesshoumaru I said this as well. You both should stay here, but you can eat and rest." At his somewhat widening gaze, she shoed him with her hand. "Go on." She added when it seemed like he wouldn't listen.
He slowly stood. "Yes, my Lady." And then he slipped out of the bedroom doors, feeling for his brother's aura to give him the order as well, wondering at how the elder sister would react to the younger one's strange whim.
"SHE SAID WHAT?" Sango raged as Inuyasha spoke to Sesshoumaru and Kikyo. "Is she mad?" Sango huffed. "She's weak and sick and… Oh, that little-!"
Kagome, Sango had spotted, was just skittering around to the stables. "Kagome has always been this way." Kikyo sighed, not surprised as Sesshoumaru simply left her side and disappeared to do something other than guard. Inuyasha, however, remained a little awkwardly before leaping up into a tree above them. "Akin, I may not be your master, but I would appreciate it, if with Sango's consent, that you would look after my sister. I'm sure she would have a fit if we forced her inside."
The youkai turned his apricot eyes to Sango, awaiting her command. She huffed. "Hai. Kikyo and I have too much to discuss, so I can't go wallop her just yet."
Akin bowed. "Yes, my Lady." Scenting the air discreetly, he then moved away from the two women and hanyou high above him, heading for the stables.
"Wait a minute! She's outside!" Sango began, going to follow Akin when Kikyo's light chuckle caught her off guard.
"Let him find her and let him defend her, Sango. You and I still need to discuss too much." Turning her brown eyes from the young woman before her, Kikyo murmured. "I may require the assistance of your family to slay true demons."
Sango swallowed tensely, her eyes a darker shade of brown as she nodded slightly. "I understand." She sighed. "But I can't say if my father will agree to fight any human men who don't attack our family…"
Kikyo turned and began walking and Sango followed. "I've already considered the fact." She admitted. "Though I had hoped if I could find certain proof that a certain Lord was behind these crimes that-"
"Kikyo," Sango interrupted. "If perhaps you could… fool whoever was trying to assassinate you into coming here themselves-"
"All Lords are cowardly, Sango. None will directly attack another of power. Surely you know this."
"With your demons, he may realize he must." Kikyo looked at Sango in some surprise. "I don't think this is a royal who is sitting fat and happy on some throne room cushion. I believe it's a more dangerous man who would rather not get his hands dirty, but will if he must."
"What makes you say so?" Kikyo wondered.
Sango sighed. "I can't say who for certain, but there are several young men who have recently acquired their father's thrones. Maybe one has decided to try and overthrow the most powerful families one member at a time."
"Hm." Kikyo glared ahead, holding her thoughts prisoner as she and Sango continued to walk.
Kagome giggled as she pet the two headed dragon. "I didn't think they would be so friendly."
Sota poked Keade. "Well yesterday she did give them a bit of rice cake…"
"Well I wanted to be friends with them!" Keade pouted. "So I just did what anyone should do who wants to be friends-"
"And tried to buy their friendship?" Sota asked, rolling his eyes.
Kohaku laughed a little, reaching his hand out for the two headed dragon to sniff. "I've read of these dragons, Kagome-chan." He smiled at her. "It is said they are of the lightning and that they can fly."
Kagome whistled a little. "Can you two fly?" She asked them. One nodded quickly, the other just watched her with an interested flicker. Her eyes sparkled and the less approachable dragon blinked with growing interest and sniffed at her. "If I asked would you consider-"
"Uh, Kagome-chan, I don't know if you should yet." Kohaku intervened. "You may want to wait until you're at least somewhat stronger."
Kagome huffed. "I was just going to ask if they would consider ONE DAY, letting me fly with them?"
The two dragons looked at one another and she idly wondered if they shared their thoughts, like they could converse within their mind. Kagome was not their master, as she well knew, she added. "How about for an entire rice cake, one for each of you?" They both bumped her face in excitement, agreeing and she laughed. "See, a little bribery never hurt anybody, Sota."
Kohaku looked behind him, to Akin and looked around. "Where's my sister?" He asked.
Akin had his head bowed as he answered. "Conversing with Lady Kikyo. Each asked that I look after Kagome."
"What for?" Kagome asked, a frown on her face.
"You relived your demons of their duty to you this day, therefore you are in need of a protector, Lady." Kagome huffed while Keade and Sota laughed.
"And if I demand you go look after Sango?" She asked him.
Akin answered. "I must continue to be at your side, Lady."
"Figures." She grumbled, giving both of the dragon's a final pat. "Come on then. If you have to watch me, you should get some free food out of the deal."
"We're going to have snack?" Keade asked.
Kagome nodded. "You, Kohaku and Sota, but I'm going to have breakfast. And Akin, well, he can call it whatever he likes."
The dragon demon watched Kagome with interest as he stood behind her, following in silence. She was weakened, tired and indeed famished, yet still there seemed this glow about her. It did not emanate from the jewel about her neck necessarily, but from something more than even her miko blood. He could name it, but wouldn't search with his gaze any further as Kohaku turned and caught his eyes. The bands throbbed once in warning, and Akin remembered his place once again.
Sorry it always takes me so long to update anything. I've got no real excuse beyond life and trying so hard to be an author of my own trilogy.