Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.
When Kagome opened her eyes, the wilting petals of the rose blocked her view. Sango was spinning it between her fingers and glancing down at her. Her head felt sharp and the foggy memories came back to her in a rush. Her head fell back onto the pillow and she just basked in her self-pity.
"What's up with you?" Sango asked, gently tucking the flower behind her friend's ear. Kagome touched the petals and then sat up. Her back ached and her eyes stung. "You look like hell."
"Thank you for that beautifully truthful comment." Kagome rubbed her forehead and muttered under her breath about the potion woman. Sango raised a perfectly carved eyebrow and crossed her arms; a physical sign that Kagome was not leaving the room with out an explanation. "The potion woman, she can make you dream."
"Don't mess with demon magic, Kagome, it never ends well." She stood and walked to the door before spinning around to face her startled friend. "Just watch your step around here. All I know is that all the woman flooding the palace are looking at you like a toy they wish to play with."
She took her friends words to heart and rose diligently before putting on her best gown and marching out to find Sesshomaru. She needed something to keep her hands busy before Yuzuki returned home, triumphant.
Servants bustled around every corner. Many stood atop precariously placed ladders and dusted the ceilings and the moldings. A few woman artfully arranged a bundle of flowers to match the art work behind them. Her bare feet drew little notice and she went unheard through the throngs of people. Less then a week from now she would be returning, the heir that is, and Kagome wondered how she would take the victory.
Kagome was sure the demon would be successful; just like her father, she was skilled and clever and like her unknown mother, charismatic and friendly. A maid barreled past her and stepped on her foot. The girl threw an apology over her stack of boxes but didn't bother to stop and ask if she was ok. A few more girls untied the thick tapestries and a male bundled them up.
"What are you doing with them?" She asked, pointing to the rolled fabrics. The colorful designs depicted flower demons frolicking in a stitched meadow and large dogs bounding across multicolored rivers. She squatted down and ran a ran over the needlework. The threads felt thick and hearty on the pads of her fingers.
"Storage. The celebratory hangings will be brought out." He explained before tucking the curtain under his arm and striding down the hallway. A few girls giggled when he passed but he seemed to remain steadfast in the direction of what she assumed to be storage.
"Miko." She spun around at Sesshomaru's voice and felt a blush at the thought of having a slutty dream about him. She rubbed at her neck and bit her lip. He glanced at the man walking down and then back to the flustered woman before him. "You hold some sexual interest in my lieutenant?"
"What?" She seemed generally confused before understanding and stuttering out a sincere but hurried "No!".
"Do you wish for your job or to trail my underlings like a puppy?" He snarled and she was taken back by his harsh tone. Her face twisted with anger and she shot back a resort.
"You wish I was following you around?" She questioned, cocking a hip and planting her fingers on her waist. He raised an eyebrow at her defensive posture.
"I simply wished to convey that you seem to be preoccupied as of late." His tone had gone from cold to icy within seconds and she readjusted her sleeves when she felt a blush of mortification creep up her neck. She shook her head and tried to get the color from her cheeks. She didn't catch the thick swallow Sesshomaru took when her hair splayed across her back.
"Can you just tell me what I have to do?" She asked, crossing then uncrossing her arms. He nodded once and turned to the side and inviting her to walk with him. She obliged and hooked her arm at his elbow. He glanced down but she was too caught up in her own world and was oblivious to his looks.
"I require someone to help the chef with small matters like herb gathering and cooking." He explained. She nodded and they continued their stroll in quiet. A few guest followed lead and sat in different gardens or walked around the palace.
"I must pick a possible mate at the party." He muttered and she was surprised to hear the small undertone she heard. She thought it might have been fear. Her hand tightened around his arm and she smiled.
"Don't fret Sesshomaru; I'll protect you from those monsters you call noble woman." Her teasing caused him to sneer and her to giggle harder. A few people glanced in their direction bur the pair were much to caught up taking about the party and the guests, that they seemed to miss the stares and whispers.
"This Sesshomaru does not require protection." He defended, raising his chin and subtly set his shoulders back a bit to appear more menacing. He had slipped into third person because of his anger and she just nodded and laughed. Her smile vanished when a man richly dressed passed by.
Gorai, the Northern Lord, smirked and leaned in close and grabbed Kagome's hand from its place at the crook of Sesshomaru's elbow. He pressed his thin lips to her skin and her fingers tightened around her companions shirt. He growled a bit when the Lord let his tongue lick the soft flesh of her fingers. She hissed and yanked her hand back.
She knew from her studies that cat demons were fickle creatures, and that they liked bright new things constantly. The northern Lord had worked through three marriages and the women had all died due to severe beatings.
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes and placed a reassuring hand over hers before striding forward. He felt the little swell of pride at how well she handled herself and to show this, rubbed a small circle onto the skin of her palm. She smiled and forced her coiled muscles to unwind.
"You did well." He complimented, separating from her at the kitchens. The pounding in his head was causing some alarms to ring and he decided reflection would be the best way to solve that. He was stopped by her words.
"Why does he like me?" She questioned. He looked at her over his shoulder and stared for a few seconds. He thought about it from the perspective of a feline. She was not small and lithe like females of the cat tribe, her shoulders were large and strong from practice with sword and bow. Her legs were longer and more corded with muscle.
"You prove to be a challenge." He replied, not finding the answer satisfactory when it rolled off his tongue. He looked out to the garden and tried again. "He is handed splendid trinkets and bobbles, I assume he thinks you are one such thing."
"Good answer. Don't worry about me, I know I have a big strong demon to protect me." The joke fell flat when Sesshomaru snorted.
"InuYasha is lacking the strength you think he has." The comment was rushed and she cocked her head before answering in kind.
"Who said I was talking about him?" Her mouth tightened into a stern line before she ducked into the cover of the kitchen, their previous fight all but forgotten.
TUH
"Ok Katsuo, when you heft an ax, you have to straiten your back and spread your legs. An ax is heavy and if you don't have strong footing, it will cause you to trip or stumble durning battle; something we most certainly do not want." Yuzuki chided. Cho smiled and spun the small knife around between her fingers while watching him twist the large weapon around his head.
"Why do we have to change weapons?" Hiroaki questioned, bumping his brother to wake him up. The twin blinked languidly before sprawling out on his brothers lap. Hiraku brushed his hand over his brothers knee and Hiroaki ran fingers through his brothers hair. It was a sibling sentiment that suddenly pulled the training to stop. Cho stood and threw the knife in the general direction of Kazuki's head. The blind owl rubbed his brown hair and looked her direction with confusion.
"Did Cho just attempt to scalp me?" He questioned and Takeshi laughed from his place beating up a fallen log with his sword. She chuckled.
"It's your turn, old man." She stated, trying to yank the blade from where it was deeply imbedded in the wood. When it refused to give, she hissed in annoyance and planted her hands on her hips before glowering at the tree.
"Do you need help?" Katsuo asked kindly and then when she nodded, he carefully removed it and placed it in her waiting hands. She smiled and then leaned over to carve something into the bark. When she leaned back, his name was etched into the wood using the deep grove created from her original throw. He smiled and placed a kiss to her cheek. With both their faces burning, they parted and spent the rest of the night sitting at opposing ends of the camp until they were ultimately forced to interact when they setup their tests in the two places the rest of the group had left for them, right next to each other.
Yuzuki roasted small lizards and newts over a spit and when they finished, were plucked off their sticks and devoured whole. While stuffing her face, she thought over the day.
Hiraku and Hiroaki both were proficient at almost every weapon she handed them, but she knew they could do better. Katsuo showed real promise with his axe and his broad shoulders. Cho needed to calm her temper and focus if she was to ever master such an advance weapon as a spear. Kazuki revealed that, though good with a blade, he preferred whips. After six rounds with him, she wondered if she could truly win in an all out battle with him. Takeshi reduced to take part and she was fine with that. Only one question bubbled up.
"Why are you all so talented but yet so untrained?" She asked and felt mortification curling in her chest. Before she could stop it, her next rushed sentences made her statement sound garbled. "I mean you're practically overflowing with raw aptitude but it's been unharnessed. I thought you joined the army?"
"We did. You're just the first person to actually take the time to learn our strengths and our weaknesses. They never did." Cho explained like it was common knowledge and the others nodded their head and seemed to move on, talking about battle strategies and what they would rather be eating. Yuzuki felt her heart hum in content.
Then she realized it wasn't her heart humming, but the ground; shaking from the heavy footfalls of an oncoming army.
I'm back! Sorry for the late update but hope you like this chapter!