Author's Note:
This story evolved as an as I went thing with no real end in mind. It was more of a character exploration of "what would happen if..." So enjoy this bitter exploration into hurt, healing and hope.
Be warned, since I haven't followed the series closely in years or seen the Final Act, I'm pretty sure some things won't fit into cannon.
Of Pride and Power
Chapter 29: E
It was evening when Kagome found herself ushered into a carriage with Lord Goro. Idly her fingers moved along the beads of subjugation hanging from her neck as she silently prayed for strength and Sesshomaru's safety. At all costs, Sesshomaru couldn't know she'd been taken by Lord Goro. If that at least could be assured, then Kagome could figure out how to handle the pushy lord by herself.
"Why are you doing this?" Kagome asked, her attention on the passing forest beyond the window. The hanging lantern beside the coachman offered little luminance into the wilds beyond the darkened road, but staring into the dim nothingness proved preferable than to looking at Goro's quasi-distressed expression. It was evident that her discomfort caused him discomfort and he appeared lost in how to speak to her.
"Are my motives not obvious?" he asked testingly, his brow troubled with concern.
"Look, I get that you think you're helping but you're not." Kagome explained. "Sesshomaru isn't as bad as you think he is."
At her words, Lord Goro became stiff. ""Do you sympathize with the fiend who slaughtered hundreds of my men?" he questioned bitterly. Kagome's gaze lowered, knowing all too well of Sesshomaru's regard or rather, disregard, of human life.
"I'm sorry that happened." Kagome sympathized with sincerity, after all she knew how it felt to lose loved ones and friends to Sesshomaru. "But I know him, he'd never just kill people just for the sake of murder. Who attacked first?" Kagome asked, looking to Goro with intent. "Sesshomaru is a lot of things but I know him. He wouldn't have attacked unless you started it."
At her challenge, Goro's jaw locked and his posture stiffened. In every way he appeared ready to dig his heels in and bullishly argue his point. "You would fault my desire to destroy its kind?"
"Not all youkai are evil you know." she countered. "Some of them were my friends," At her admission, Goro's eyes widened briefly before a hardness chilled his countenance. It was as if her words were some unforgivable sin in his sight. Whatever warmth that had lingered towards her became quenched in the wave of bitterness and fury. Unable to hold the intensity of his glare, Kagome returned her attention to the window.
Goro said nothing but from his audible deep breaths, Kagome could hear his upset and his attempts to tame his upset. If Kagome judged him for his hate towards Sesshomaru she'd be nothing but a hypocrite. After all, if not for her morals Sesshomaru would've died by her hand like all the other youkai who dared to harm her friends. The only difference between Goro and herself was that Kagome had had the opportunity to learn of Sesshomaru and could see up close the warmth of his heart. His heart was something you'd never see at first glance and was more akin to an igloo; cold, frosty and encased in ice on the outside, warm, cozy and tender on the inside.
Like lighting tearing through the air, a thunderous howl sounded in the distance its cry visceral and raw. The sheer distress in its sound caused physical pain to Kagome and her hand moved to clutch at the unreachable wound at her chest. Goro's chin lifted at the sound, his brows dipping as his shoulders lifted with confidence.
"It seems the creature has found our trap." he mentioned, his palms clenching into fists atop his knees.
"What do you mean trap?" Kagome asked sharply. Goro eyed her carefully, and Kagome sensed his indecision to explain. "Tell me!" she demanded as she scooted to the edge of her seat, leaning towards him.
He looked to her with care, and undoubtedly his lessons of proper gentlemanly behavior was the culprit of his hesitant tongue. They both knew that his explanation would be problematic, but at this point it didn't matter. The cat was out of the bag.
"Well?" Kagome demanded firmly. "Tell me!"
"Very well." he acquiesced with a nod. "My advisors suspected that the creature would be drawn to you." he explained carefully even as he measured his tone with calm as to not agitate her upset. "A woman slain by its hand wearing your priestess garb would be enough to confuse its senses. For you see, she carries both its scent and yours. Though her blood may be old, it wouldn't matter. All that creature would see is your death."
Shaking Kagome sat back as the numbing sense of panic overwhelmed her. No, Sesshomaru was strong and he was smart. He'd figure it out. "It's not going to work." she countered, reassuring herself more so than him. "He can raise people from the dead. He'll know it's not me."
"Even still..." Goro began quietly, letting the cataclysmic sounds of cannon-fire in the distance serve as his answer.