Disclaimer: I don't own InuYasha.
Yuzuki was quietly lead into the embroidered tent. The hand sewn fabric was smooth and well made, crafted by a fine hand. She watched the men eye her wearily, most placing their hands on their swords as she passed by. Her mouth pulled away from her teeth and she found herself hissing like a cat. She laughed when the solders spooked and jumped back a few feet.
The leaders all slumped their shoulders and she cursed her fathers pride that ran hot in her veins. The soles of her shoes had since been worn down and she kicked them off as she entered the half crescent that was made entirely of the Dragon's Council.
As she was asked to kneel, she realized the error she had made. Her father's intel had said no more then hundred families escaped the hostile takeover but there were too many for her to comprehend let alone lead. Their distrustful eyes lingered on the crescent placed between her brow and then to her tight mouth.
"You dare to seek our council then refuse to show us the respect we deserve?!" One called, his blue hair seemed to shimmer like scales. He banged his hand down onto the wood and glared at the defiant female.
"Who are you to think you are worthy?" She asked, raising her chin up and looking him strait in the eye. She knew the dragons were domineering to their females and her skin hummed with anger when his fingers clenched. Her mind rebelled at the idea of talking out of turn, but the words slipped out of her mouth before she could stop them. "As for the respect you so desperately want, let your people rebuild and become strong again. You have them living in a wasteland, imagine what you could become. Do not let your pride hinder your vision for your people."
"You think me so insolent?!" His pale face was pulled taunt and his knuckles were so tightly clenched that they turned white. He was visually shaking and she shot a glance over to Ryutaro. He was caught between laughing and crying. She could feel the warm feeling swell in her chest but it was extinguished when he stopped smiling and put on a face that meant, even with a younger appearance, he was all business. She could feel her patients withering under the glares from the other leaders.
"No. I think you are having many affairs and bought your way onto the council to hide the trail leading back to the murders of two woman. I couldn't help but notice the pictures hanging around the camp and the fact that they both belonged to the same group of secretaries that are sitting behind you now, judging on their collective fear or you and the matting uniforms." She sighed and waved a hand above her head. "I will think you insolent but you can not claim me a fool."
His mouth flopped open like a fish and the others slowly examined their fellow leader. A few scooted away and glanced worriedly to the guards placed around the room. Yuzuki blew on a nail and rubbed it against her shirt before speaking.
"So will this take much longer or...?"
TUH
Kagome could feel the pounding in her skull and when she blinked, the blurry night sky came into view. At first, she thought she must have stumbled outside and fallen asleep. It was when she glanced to her sides that she realized the ceiling was painted with metallic stars that glimmered in the low light like a thousand small galaxies.
Her fingers wanted to reach out and touch them but she knew they would only connect with air. Her feet were numb but she managed to throw them over the side of the bed and onto the cold stone floor. Her eyes were still adjusting to the lowlight and when they finished, she was shocked to see just how massive the piles of fur and bedding truly was.
"Sesshoamru's room." She remembered and a blush of mortification crawled up her cheeks as she remembered her declaration. Her groan bounced off the walls and she gripped her roots and tugged a bit. "Great!"
She stood and padded lightly into the next room. The fire was burning low and she knew it was a few hours before dawn and that soon maids would come to add more wood. She noticed a shape slouched over the padding by the fire. With a gasp, she realized it was a sleeping Sesshomaru.
Her footfalls were silent over the crackling of the flames and she moved forwards quietly and watched his eyes flutter under his eyelids. She tugged the splayed blanket up to his waist and tucked it in. He turned inward like a child, clutching at the fabric.
Her teeth caught her lip and she though about heading back to her room to change out of the heavy garments or to explore a bit before leaving. She favored the latter and slowly moved to the far side of he room. A long desk was covered with old scrolls and a stamp to mark as approved.
The room was lined with shelves of scrolls and a thick stitched carpet covering the floor. Her toes wiggled in the carpeting and then she moved on to the next room. Her startled gasp went unheard over the bubbling natural spring placed in the middle of the room. A wooden edge had been built around it and steps lead into the dark depths of the inky pool. She longed to dip her feet but knew Sesshomaru would have her head for bathing in his private chambers.
After her little exploration, she moved past his bedroom and into a side room. It was bare and while lines on the walls told that furniture had once been placed around the room, all the floorboards were bare. It was when she spotted the distinct shape of a crib when she realized what the room was used for.
"A nursery." His voice slipped over her and she jumped, spinning around and splaying a hand over her erratically beating heart. His face was dark and his shadow engulfed her. The moonlight was not enough to illuminate his features and she felt like she was seeing a different side to the mighty Demon Lord. Her fingers twitched at her side and she felt like she might have wanted to reach out, like she had done with the ceiling stars.
"You were raised in here?" She questioned, looking over her shoulder at the outlined toy house. He nodded and reached out to run a hand down the wall. Her eyes followed the movement and she wished for nothing more then not to see how truly vulnerable he was. "Nice place."
"You should not leave this room until the presence of alcohol has left your system. If males smell liquor in your blood, they will think you easy pray." He muttered, slipping back into his icy mask.
"You are worried about me?" She crossed her arms and cocked her hips. He raised a single eyebrow and shook his head; much to her confusion.
"I hold much fear that you will be the one doing the killing, wether it be unintentional or not." Her waved her from the nursery and she padded down the hall to his bedroom. Her back was tingling from were his fingers pressed lightly into the fabric to make sure she never bumped into anything.
When her knees bumped into the bed frame, she sunk into the bedding and patted the spot next to her. He scoffed and just when she thought he might throw her out, he crawled into the bed and shifted so his back was facing her. The smile on her face was threatening to brake into a grin when he scolded her for riling herself up.
She drifted into sleep with the taste of liquor on her tongue and Sesshomaru in her dreams.
Sorry for the wait. Jobs require time and I can't be writing and working.