Chapter 37
Sesshomaru led the tiny miko down corridors that she had never seen before. The couple's winding path took them past quite a number of vast, unknown rooms to her and she glanced in them curiously. A part of her mind told her this was a section of the palace that she had only visited briefly once. This was the old family wing that was no longer used and she glanced all around her, taking in everything she could see while they passed. Old portraits hung on some walls; valuable family heirlooms cluttered some rooms and were placed in obvious honor in others. Everything, though a little dusty, was painstakingly taken care of and Sesshomaru explained as they passed that only one servant was allowed in this section of the palace and they came in twice a year to clean the dust off and light incense to honor his ancestors of the past.
Kagome soaked up everything as they went, wondering in the glory of his family's history, marveling at how long the family had ruled and the legacy they had left behind to be honored by those of the future. A pang of sadness struck her that these things did not exist in the future; much of Japan's beautiful history ended up destroyed in one war or another. Many heirlooms so carefully preserved would be eradicated without a second thought, or pawned off to the highest bidder to sit in some rich noble's house until it rotted away or was cast off like another unfashionable decoration. So much history and heritage lost to callous and uncaring hands. Greed was indeed an ugly thing.
Abruptly he stopped in front of one of the closed shoji screens. The modern miko watched him in fascination as he reverently opened the screen and stepped aside to allow her entrance. Slowly she stepped into the room, looking around her in wonder. The contents of this room were not as old as the others and the incense in here was stronger, as if it were burned more often. The inu youkai watched her as her head slowly turned to take in everything. Her eyes were drawn to a magnificent set of armor against one wall, set on display in an obvious place of honor, the spikes and planes glimmered gently in the faded glow of the room. It was so similar to Sesshomaru's own but different at the same time. She couldn't help but glance up at her companion.
"Your father's?" she asked quietly and he nodded. A few hesitant steps brought her before the shrine, her eyes filling in the empty armor, imagining the great Inu no Taisho who once wore it. Kneeling reverently she bowed and paid respect for his deceased father, treating the armor as if he were there wearing it, and said a silent prayer of respect and thanks to the man who made Sesshomaru who he was and who brought two amazing men into her life.
Sesshomaru, for his part, was impressed. Such shows of respect were expected at shrines for the dead, but she took it a step further and greatly honored his father and herself with her actions. A swell of pride filled his chest as he knew in his heart that his father would have been proud of his choice. Finally she rose and returned to his side, her eyes filled with too many emotions to name them all.
"Though I thank you for your reverence, this was not the reason I brought you here," he told her quietly and she nodded, her eyes still dancing. Gently he took her hand and turned her to a darker section of the room. When her eyes adjusted he heard a soft intake of breath. There in a place of great honor, sat the battered and silent guardian of InuYasha: the Tetusaiga. Placing a steadying hand on the supporting arm of her demon lord she stared at it a while before looking up at him.
"Sesshomaru, where did you find it?" she asked barely above a whisper. He looked down at her before gazing himself at the fang that had protected his half brother for so many years.
"Over twenty years ago, when a badly injured miko asked me to bury the bodies of her fallen friends, curiosity and honor got the best of me and I complied with her wishes, though she fell unconscious and did not witness the process. I realized when I reached the body of my fallen half brother that although I no longer desired the sword's power, Tetusaiga would not remain buried for long if I were to place it with his body. Nor would it do the sword justice to leave it in the ground. Wrapping it carefully in cloth I sealed its power with a spell and left it in the hollowed trunk of a tree.
"If by some miracle creatures were to find it and break the enchantment I knew it would not trouble me overly much to hunt them down and simply take it back. I was not concerned. Upon my rather sudden return I discovered the sword had not been touched. Incapable still of touching it myself, I brought it back to my home and set it here, where it has remained these many years." He looked down at her, the miko captivating him with her endless blue pools.
"It occurred to me that InuYasha was only capable of using the Tetusaiga when he did it in defense of you, a ningen, as my father designed the sword. At the time, I was incapable of utilizing its power or even touching it due to the barrier my father erected about it. This Sesshomaru's cavalier attitude toward the lives of humans put a stop to that." His eyes danced curiously as his gaze once again rested on the aged blade.
"In recent times however, a certain miko has turned my once orderly life completely upside down and changed almost every aspect of it." Ember orbs turned and regarded her gently and she felt as though she would burst. "I did not, however, want to attempt to take up the Tetusaiga, even in your defense, if you did not wish it. The fang became as much yours as it was InuYasha's during his lifetime and I would not wish to dishonor his memory should you desire I not use it." Kagome's heart in her eyes, she looked from Sesshomaru to the dormant sword and back again. Of anything he had done or said thus far, this by far topped them all. To take her feelings and place them even above what he thought to be the best way of protecting her filled her with such love for him that she hardly felt she could contain herself. A thought drained some of her joy.
"Sesshomaru... what if the fang still rejects you? My belief was that part of why InuYasha could wield it was because he was half human. Though I know your father used it and was full demon, the sword has rejected you for as long as I've known you. What if it hurts you?" she asked fearfully.
"The sword will not hurt me worse than it has in the past. I have wielded it despite its rejection of me, of course resulting in damage to my person, but nothing I couldn't handle. If it rejects me, I will simply let it continue to sleep. Is this your answer then, little one?" he asked, slight hesitation in his voice. Kagome smiled encouragingly at him and nodded solemnly.
Steeling himself inwardly and turning toward the sword sleeping peacefully, he stepped forward, his outward expression still that of bored disinterest, though the little woman knew better. The great taiyoukai would not have brought her here if this was not of the greatest importance. For so long he had sought the fang of his father and for so long had been rejected, even by the very sword itself. Eventually he had no need of its power, having become immensely powerful in his own right.
As he stepped forward and raised his hand Kagome understood that this was not a desire for power or even really to protect her, though that was part of his primary motivation. The young woman sensed that not all had gone well in the last hours of his father's life; regret hung about the powerful demon like a cloak. She knew in her heart that this was his way of reckoning; his form of acceptance; his need of forgiveness. If the fang accepted him, it would be his way of redeeming himself before his father's gaze.
The powerful hand of the taiyoukai hovered above the hilt of the Tetusaiga for a split moment, though just enough for Kagome to feel his hesitation before his steely resolve took over and his long, deadly fingers closed over the hilt of the battered blade.
No lightning, no shield was raised to fend off his advance. Hope swelled in his chest and he felt slightly light headed. Part of him doubted that he would be accepted, that the sword would sear his hand upon nearing the cloth of the katana. Gripping it firmly he gently lifted it from its place of rest and grasped the sheath with his other hand. Metal against metal rang through the silence of the room as the rough blade slid free.
Kagome watched her demon as he reverently held the fang of his father before him. A moment passed, two... with a surprisingly loud roar and a blinding flash of light, the Tetusaiga transformed into the fang of its natural glory. The blade shimmered with the power of the diamond, a hint of red with barrier breaking, but most of all, glowing brighter than she'd ever seen it with the combined power of the dual fangs of father and son forged into it mixing with the natural power of the eldest son holding it.
Her eyes like saucers she watched the face of the man she loved more than anything as he studied the powerful blade before him, not a hint of victory or malice on his features. Instead his face held nothing but awe and relief, his mask in another rare moment completely gone, leaving the Sesshomaru within to shine through. Never had she ever seen him more beautiful than she did in the light of the Tetusaiga with such raw emotion present on his porcelain features.
With control that only Sesshomaru could possess, he deactivated the sword and quietly returned it to its sheath, reverently tying its battered strings to his belt to rest with his other swords. Though he looked like a walking armory with three swords at his waist, she couldn't help but smile, her joy for him boundless.
Sesshomaru finally met her eyes, finding the largest, most heartfelt smile he'd ever witnessed before on her features, small tears forming in the corners of her eyes as she watched him. Leaping high into his arms she wrapped her own small arms tightly around his neck, her feet dangling far off the floor as he held her up against him. Reveling in the feel of her body pressed so against his own, his arms in turn wrapped around her small frame, holding her in place. Pulling back she kissed him firmly, much to his surprise, though he was never one to complain about such things. Finally when she pulled back panting slightly, she grinned sheepishly at him.
"Gomen, Sesshomaru, for the outburst," she said, her eyes still swimming with emotion, "I got a little carried away." He shook his head lightly.
"Not at all, little one, I rather enjoyed it," he said still holding her tightly against him, her feet about a foot off the floor.
"Um... you can put me down if you want, Sesshomaru." He looked at her curiously.
"Now why would I want to do a thing like that?" he asked and a blush formed on her cheeks. "I rather like the way things are right now," he insisted staunchly, "unless, however, you happen to think my chest is an uncomfortable place to be..." he asked, an eyebrow raising elegantly.
"I didn't say that!" she exclaimed.
"Good," he cut her off, "now then, if you were to wrap your legs around my waist we could really get into some interesting things..." he said in a deadpan voice. A moment later realization dawned on the innocent little miko and her blush spread straight down into her robes.
"You HENTAI!" she gasped, half giggling, half mortified.
"And it is my fault you are amazingly beautiful and your every move taunts me and begs me to touch and kiss your every curve?" he asked, his expression still blank. Kagome thought she might actually die from blood flow to the face.
"If you're trying to give me time to adjust you're not doing a very good job," she pouted, unable to prevent the corners of her mouth tilting upward slightly. Kissing her forehead gently, he set her down.
"You are right, my love, but do not think your insistence on taking your sweet time is not taking a toll on my sanity," he said taking up her arm and guiding her toward the door.
"You mean you have some of that left?" she asked, feign amazement on her face. A glower from him had her giggling as he shut the door carefully and the couple continued off down the hall.
As the dust from their disturbance in the room began to settle and the air ceased to stir, warmth radiated gently from the suit of armor reverently placed against the wall. A tall taiyoukai, his silver hair in a high ponytail, regal markings on his cheeks and forehead, his armor gleaming and perfect in the dusk light appeared, his image shimmering as he stood next to the shrine in his honor. A smile and a bow of his head were the inu lord's only movements before he faded away, leaving the room to its silence.
A day or so later found the little priestess bustling about her room in half a frenzy, packing for her soon to be trip to the eastern kingdom. She had visited the coast only a bare few times and she couldn't deny her excitement at the prospect of seeing the ocean as well as her dear friend again. Of course, those few visits had been over four hundred years in the future when buildings and pollution marred the landscape of Japan and she looked forward to seeing it in its pure state.
Akiko sat helpless on her futon as her lady darted around the room. Every protest she'd made and every attempt to help her lady had been staunchly put down. The cat demon was not to exert herself at all, despite the fact she was recovering quickly. A day or so more and the tiger would be back to full strength, none-the-worse for her ordeal with Fubuki in her body. Though part of her couldn't deny that it felt quite a bit more quiet and lonely in her body without his constant quipping, she was glad to be back to normal.
Her sad, expressive eyes fell on the sheathed sword lying quietly on Kagome's futon and hoped ferverently that his recovery was swift as well. The neko couldn't help but miss him after being so close to him for so long. A frustrated huff from the other side of the room brought her attention back to the present and she watched the priestess toss aside a garment she obviously disapproved of.
"Akiko," she practically whined, "why do I have so many kimonos and not as many practical clothes?" She glared at the silk. Akiko stared at her dumbfounded.
"There are more practical clothes than kimonos?" the neko asked hesitantly and the priestess nodded vigorously. Waving a hand dismissively she began digging again.
"Oh never mind, Sesshomaru's much happier now that I'm wearing more 'decent' clothing, so I guess there's no contesting the matter... though I miss jeans terribly." Akiko tilted her head curiously not understanding what 'jeans' were.
Soft tapping at the screen heralded a visitor and Kagome veritably growled for the person to enter. An apologetic fox demon face poked in around the partially slid open screen and the little priestess looked up with her own expression of remorse.
"Oh, gomen, Sho-san… packing has put me out of sorts, do come in," she said turning and stuffing garments into a bag with more force than was necessary.
"Sesshomaru-sama was speaking with a few of his subjects and sent me to inquire as to when the Lady Kagome might be ready to depart," he said sheepishly, stepping inside hesitantly. The captain was all too familiar with the fits the little miko was capable of throwing and made sure the exit was readily available in case the need to depart became urgent.
The young woman in question made a smoldering look at the wall before turning and smiling in an all too sweet and definitely fake manner, at the young captain, making him wince inwardly.
"Please tell his lordship that I will join him when I'm damn good and ready." Sho suppressed a chuckle despite himself and quickly ducked out. "Stupid, arrogant pup," the priestess grumbled under her breath making the poor cat demon sitting nearby blanche at the colorful terms cascading from her mouth. "One would think he was anxious to get rid of me," she continued to grumble.
"Now, Kagome, you know that's unfair of you," the small woman sighed.
"Yes, I know, sometimes he can be so damnably aggravating. I'm not one of his subjects to be pushed around or pushed to the side." Akiko smiled.
"You know he doesn't think of you that way," she said gently, rising to her feet and ordering Kagome's bags while her back was turned. Refolding the clothing and adding a few accessories the young woman had forgotten in her haste as the miko plopped down on the seat next to her futon.
"I know, Akiko. Half the time I think he just can't help it."
"You're probably right," she agreed with a smile.
Glancing to the side, the priestess laid her hand on the silent katana beside her on the futon, the neko demon watching her with sad eyes as she straightened the last of the miko's rumpled garments.
"I'm going to leave him here for this trip. I will be safe with Yoko-chan and he needs his rest," her servant friend nodded. Raising her torn eyes to the woman across the room, Kagome smiled gently. "Will you watch over him and make sure he's ok while I'm gone?" she already knew the answer but was relieved to see Akiko nod with a sad smile.
"Yes, Kagome-san, I will take good care of him."
The silver haired taiyoukai was outside the palace discussing plans with the head of his guard, Daichi, when abruptly and loudly a bag was thrown at his feet. Glancing down at it then up in the direction it came from, his eyes were met with a very irritated little woman standing a short distance away, her arms crossed under her bosom, one little black eyebrow raised in his direction.
"Alright, Mr. High-and-Mighty, I'm ready to leave when you are." He stared at her a moment, unsure of the reason for her irritation until a gentle breeze brought an enticing scent drifting under his nose and he inwardly smiled.
At least it was Yoko and not him that would be dealing with a disgruntled miko in a few days. For now she was simply in her fertile stage when the irritation of being ready to bear children yet no ongoing actions to do so relieves the pressure. He was certain Yoko would be more than willing to commiserate with her over the pain in her abdomen, but for once, his palace would be without the heavy scent of her womanhood, allowing him some peace in the late hours of the evening.
The lord would never reveal this to her, but those times were hardest on his resolve to wait for her. It was his natural instinct to take her in her time of high fertility and to deny himself his desires was difficult when her scent permeated the entirety of his home.
"This Sesshomaru had no intention of rushing you out the door, little one, and a time frame was my simple request," he informed her in his usual bored tone. The guards were still unaccustomed to someone questioning their lord and having him actually give an answer as opposed to beheading whoever dared ask, but it was a change they were quickly growing fond of. The repartee between the couple was amusing for all within listening range, so long as they did not show it for fear of their own lives.
A message had been sent to the Eastern Lady the moment the decision had been made and although Kagome was happy to be visiting her good friend, part of the reason for her grumpiness was that first off, he somewhat considered this a time period of training for her and second, she would miss him more than she really wanted to admit.
Accustomed to his underhanded courting tactics, the petite woman knew it would take a few days to stop looking over her shoulder, expecting a strong arm to slip around her waist when she was distracted. Sesshomaru for his part was thinking similar thoughts, though no one would ever know. It had been his idea to send her, though now he doubted the wisdom of such an action. Not only would the woman be out of his reach, who knew what horrible ideas and bad manners the aquatic lady would teach her? Suppressing a groan and steeling himself as he saw the object of his desires put an indignant hand on each hip, his face carefully blank, he waited.
"It would have been nice," she began in clipping tones, "if I had been given a time frame as well," she glowered at him. "If I'd known you'd be sending me the moment you heard back from her, I might have been a little better prepared," she pouted a little and the taiyoukai had to forcibly keep his eyes on her eyes and not wander down to her lips.
"How, this Sesshomaru wonders, would the little miko ever survive should an attack on the castle happen? I am sure the enemy will be more than courteous enough to give you advanced notice, that way you will be fully prepared and primped before they arrive," his baritone, dead-pan voice revealed nothing, but Kagome saw the sparkle in his eyes and fumed.
"This is not an enemy assault!" she ground out and a quicksilver eyebrow raised at her.
"Oh? This Sesshomaru seems to be quite assaulted at the current moment," he baited her and was rewarded with the bright flush in her cheeks.
"What? So I'm an enemy now?" she all but yelled back at him. Before she could blink he was behind her, his lips at the shell of her ear, his warm breath cascading down her neck causing an uncomfortable warmth and tightness to pool abruptly in her belly.
"Not at all, my dear. Though sometimes just keeping my hands off you is a battle on its own," the small woman shuddered a little and he wrapped an arm about her waist. "Now if you are done battering this Sesshomaru with your feeble verbal attacks, we should be on our way. Lady Yoko is expecting us." Kagome grumbled under her breath as Sesshomaru grabbed her bag and summoned his cloud beneath their feet. Wind began to whip by them at an alarming rate for someone not used to the speed and Kagome's arms were wrapped firmly around her demon, partially for that reason, but also because the whipping air chilled her and she could feel his warmth even through his armor.
So quietly she almost missed it, he leaned closer and whispered, "I am also eager to send you away because then you will return to me sooner." Smiling she snuggled closer to his warmth and held on, her little hands finding purchase in the creases of his armor and pressing them against the soft silks of his hakama, feeling the firm body beneath.
Within moments the ocean came into view, expanding before them and the priestess stared in awe. To her delight, the castle that appeared on the coastline was not as large and grand as she had expected it. It looked more like a very large and majestic Japanese style house with a wall erected around it. There were sprawling gardens and glorious fountains everywhere, spilling over into small, trickling streams that wound their way through the lush landscape. Large windows adorned two sides of the estate, open to the sea and the gardens.
As they drew closer, Kagome realized the house was much larger than she'd originally thought, though it didn't appear as a castle, it had to have well over a hundred rooms in its interior, probably much more than that. The sloping roof was sectioned off giving it the impression that it had been expanded more than once, though where one had started and the other began, the architecture was beautifully done and did well to hide it.
Alighting in the gardens, the small woman was about to ask Sesshomaru if it was a good idea to just show up in the gardens unannounced when Yoko appeared in one of the doorways. Squealing her delight, much to the agony of his sensitive ears, the aquatic lady lunged forward and grabbed up her miko friend in a crushing bear hug. Kagome laughed and hugged her back, wheezing a little as the air was forced out of her lungs by the powerful woman. Stepping back and brushing her turquoise hair out of her eyes she regarded the younger female.
"It's so good to see you again, Kagome-chan! Thank you for bringing her here, Sesshy, I'll take good care of her," she grinned and winked in his direction and was rewarded with an annoyed dead-pan expression.
"If you need to contact me you know how to reach me." Yoko nodded at the inu lord and smiled brightly. Turning to Kagome his eyes rested on her for a moment. "I will return for you in a week," he stated blandly, his cool façade in place.
"You can do better than that," Yoko insisted putting one hand on her hip and shaking a finger at the demon lord, "say goodbye to her in a better way than that!" she scolded him before turning to the blushing, ebony haired girl. "I'll be inside, come on in when you're ready!" with that she bounded back into the house, her aqua hair bouncing merrily behind her.
Suddenly shy, Kagome fingered the worn metal hilt of the Tetusaiga by his side and refused to look up at him, her cheeks stained a pretty shade of pink. A single clawed finger under her chin brought her eyes slowly up his armored chest, past his elegant neck to his pale porcelain face. Her breath caught in her throat at the unguarded look in his eyes and leaned into him reflexively as he brought his head down and captured her lips with his own. After a few moments he pulled away, clearly satisfied with the look of disappointment in her eyes and smiled one of his small, rare smiles.
"I will return in a week, do not miss me too much," he said, his usual cold attitude slipping into place making the miko giggle.
"Oh, I'm sure you won't miss me at all, will you, Mr. Icicle," she giggled at the flat-line expression she received and flipped her hair over her shoulder as she turned to head inside, purposefully giving him a great view of her swaying hips as she walked away. Tossing him a half lidded, lusty expression before she disappeared inside, he grunted inwardly at her underhanded tactics and disappeared in a blinding ball of light.
Kagome giggled as she slid the door closed behind her, knowing full well the havoc she had just wreaked upon his mind. Two can play the teasing game, my inu love, she thought gleefully as she pushed away from the door to go find her watery friend.