Three days later, Kagome stood in front of the door to the gathering hall and sighed deeply. She didn't know why it was so important she make an appearance for this thing, but under threat of decapitation she conceded to the haughty demon lord. With another deep sigh she slowly opened the door and silently stepped in.
Sesshoumaru looked over to the door when the girl entered and was slightly taken back. Her midnight hair was pulled beautifully upon her head with silver combs adorned with pearls. Her kimono was silver with flowers stitched in blue thread from the left bottom corner and lined so that the pattern continued up across her chest and over her right shoulder. Instead of the traditional obi, she had a navy blue sash that matched the stitching of the flowers wrapped twice around her small waist and tied in the back.
His eyes traveled up her body to her face and he noted how the silver of her kimono made her blue eyes sparkle. Her lips were parted in a small uncomfortable smile and her hands fidgeted nervously in front of her. She would be a perfect escape from the lord of the south's constant droning on and on about the affairs of his lands. However, before he could excuse his self, that damn annoying feline beat him to the girl. His eyes narrowed dangerously as he watched the cat walk up to the girl smiling charmingly, hold his hand out to her, and escort her to the center of the room.
xx
Kagome blushed as Kei twirled her in the center of the small dance floor then bowed to her as they came face to face.
"You look beautiful." He stated as they did a circle step.
A small embarrassed giggle passed her lips as a blush spread across her cheeks. "Thank you." She said shyly as she looked him over. He was dressed in a black silk haori and hakama with a long black sash wrapped around his waist three times and tied neatly in the front. His boots were black ankle boots and his long reddish black hair was pulled into a high ponytail with a black ribbon. His copper colored eyes stood out brightly along with the copper colored paw on his forehead, against all the black and she found him to be quite beautiful. "You are rather handsome as well."
"Well so long as you think so then that's all that matters." He said as he spun her around again.
Sesshoumaru's sensitive ears picked up their conversation and could feel his ire rise. He did not like how the neko seemed to speak to the girl as if he were wooing her. Why he didn't know, but he did know for certain that the girl was a constant plague to his mind. Even in his sleep she was there, taunting him with her intoxicating scent, begging him with those lips to just take her and ravish her on the spot.
He walked away from the southern lord without so much as a word and made his way to where his general and the girl were dancing. "You will cease this behavior." He growled to the neko.
Kei stopped the dance and cocked a black eyebrow at his lord. "And what behavior might that be? I was just entertaining this beautiful creature with a dance."
Sesshoumaru truly had no response to that nor did he have a legitimate excuse for stopping them; he just knew that he did not like them being so close to one another. However before he could make a move to leave, he felt the girl's small hand in his.
"Perhaps you would like to step in." Kei stated as he placed Kagome's hand in the pale hand of the taiyoukai's. He then gave them both a bow and made his way over to the eastern prince.
Sesshoumaru looked down at the girl who was staring up at him with awe clearly written across her face. "Close your mouth, it is very unbecoming to make such a face."
Kagome snapped her mouth shut but continued to stare at the gorgeous male before her. His haori and hakama were blood red with the honeycomb/flower pattern in white on his sleeves and shoulders. His sash was white as well and wrapped around him in the same manner his traditional gold and purple sash hung. His silver hair hung loose down his back, his gold eyes sparkled in the candle light, and the two silver swords at his side made him look like the most regal being in existence. "Gorgeous." She whispered not knowing that she spoke her thoughts out loud.
When he heard the word pass her lips he cocked an eyebrow at her. "As are you." He stated as he continued to stare down at her and noticed her blush deeply at his words. He gave her a curt bow and escorted her to the other side of the room.
"So what is this party for?" Kagome asked as she sat down upon the bench against the wall trying to distract her self from staring at him.
Sesshoumaru eyed the room critically and once satisfied with whatever it was he was looking for he turned back to the girl. "It is a gathering of lord's, so that we may maintain the peace between the lands and each other."
Kagome furrowed her eyebrows for a moment. "So it's like a kiss ass party." She stated with a large grin across her face.
Gold eyes narrowed slightly at her vulgarity, but he realized rather quickly that that's exactly what it was. "Hai."
Blue eyes stared up at the demon lord and smiled sweetly at him. "Must be hard being a lord."
"Hn." He responded as he watched the guests speaking amongst each other.
Kagome stared up at him and finally lost the enduring battle against touching his hair. Reaching out she grabbed a few strands and twirled them between her fingers. "Can I ask you a question?"
Sesshoumaru cut his eyes down to her and narrowed them upon seeing his hair wrapped about her fingers. "If you have to ask me something, ask it."
She stared at the silvery stuff around her fingers for a moment then sighed. "So are you going to kill me after you kill your enemy or are you just going to cast me out and leave me to my own in a time I don't belong in?"
He stared at her for several long moments; so long in fact she looked up at him. "I have not decided your fate. When the time comes only then will you know of your future."
Kagome dropped his hair and slowly rose to her feet. "I suppose this is the life of a tool." She sighed sadly and walked away from him.
Sesshoumaru watched her leave the room through the door she entered and after scanning the room followed after her.
xx
Kagome sat upon her new bed in her new room and watched with blurry eyes as the tears fell from her cheeks staining her kimono. She didn't bother looking up when the shoji door opened and the demon lord entered.
"You are weeping." He stated in a bored tone.
She really didn't need him to point out the obvious but answered him anyway. "Hai."
"Explain." He ordered as he stepped up to her and stared down at the top of her head.
"What's to explain? I'm away from my family in a time I don't understand with a life that is controlled by someone who doesn't like me." She stated plainly then lay down on her bed and curled up into a small ball. "Not much to be happy about."
He sat down on her bed looking down upon her with a hint of understanding in his hard, cold eyes. "Fate is a cruel mistress. Do not fear your future; I shall not cast you away. Perhaps I will find you a strong mate to care for you properly." The only response he received was a strange sigh or perhaps it was a snort; he didn't know.
"It doesn't matter what you do; my life is null in your eyes and as such you will decide my fate based on your hatred for me. I think I'd rather die than continue to wait for you to decide my fate as if it were no more than the telling of the sun rise."
"I do not hate you." He stated as he really realized that he in fact did not hate her.
"Hate; tolerate same thing." She sighed sadly. "I know I am only here because of the jewel that your enemy desires. If it wasn't for that you would have killed me the moment you laid your eyes upon me."
He had to agree with that statement because it was true; the jewel was; at the time he found her, the only reason he didn't kill her. Yet now he wouldn't kill her he, found her to be… He didn't know, but there was something more than tolerance he felt for her and he hated himself for it. "Very well; when the hanyou is destroyed we shall find you a way home and if there is no way then you will stay here until you find a mate that makes you happy and will care for you properly." After the words left his lips he realized that he did not like them in the least and somehow they made him angry.
Kagome sat up and stared at him in shock. "Really? You would really do that for me?"
He gave her a curt nod and before he could rise to leave her; she wrapped her arms around his neck hugging him fiercely and whispering thank you over and over again in his ear. He took a moment before prying the girl from his person and holding her in front of him. His deep gold locked with her shiny blues and before he could stop his self or even think about what he was doing, he leaned in and pressed his lips to hers.
Kagome's eyes went wide with shock along with a gasp which allowed the hot tongue of the male holding her to slip his tongue into her mouth and caress her tongue gently. 'What is he doing? Why is he doing this? Oh Kami he tastes so good and warm.' Her mind blurred with all the whys he was doing what he was doing and her body took over, reacting to the hot appendage in her mouth; swirling her tongue around his and giving it the same attention she was receiving. Her eyes fell closed as she leaned into him, her hands locking into the silk of his haori; then he was gone.
Her eyes suddenly fluttered open, glazed over and shocked as she looked around the room for the missing warmth only to find nothing in his place. Her fingers went to her lips and she could still feel his lips upon hers causing a strange tingly sensation to course through her body.
xx
Sesshoumaru stood against the wall of the gathering room, the southern lord rambling on about the hanyou Naraku and he didn't hear a word he was saying. His mind was swirling with what he did with the girl and why. What he did was wrong and he hated himself for it; yet at the same time it seemed to feel so right and part of him wanted to do it again and again. No, he would never indulge in such an act with the girl again… Ever!
He had to bring the hanyou Naraku down so that he could rid himself of the girl and be done with her. His eyes landed on his general; perhaps he would mate the neko to the girl, Kei seemed smitten with the ningen as well as she did with him. His stomach churned miserably at the thought of those two being together causing his ire to flare up. What was wrong with him? The girl was a simple ningen and nothing more; and he shouldn't be giving her any more thought than he does to the dirt under his feet. These feelings that the girl churned up within him were unacceptable and he had to do something about them and do so soon.