Chapter 24

Several hours had passed since Kagome fell asleep in her room. Judging by the setting sun and the rumble in her belly, it must be close to dinner. There was a knock suddenly on the door, and almost as if she was heard telepathically, Kei had entered the room to bring Kagome down for dinner.

"Kagome," Kei asked unsure. The room smelled of salt and Kagome's red, puffy face was easy to read.

"Kei, would it be alright of I ate in my room? I'll bring the dishes back myself, I…I just want to be alone right now," she answered slumping her shoulders.

Kei's face softened and she sat on the bed next to Kagome. "I'm still you're maid you know. You're wish is only my command. But, a little advice, girl to girl?"

Kagome glanced up questioningly.

" The emotion is running very high in the palace walls. From you being proposed as Sesshomaru's council, to Miyuki's return. It's all very overwhelming. You can choose to sit within the confines of your room and wallow in your own self pity," Kei said pausing to halt Kagome's insulted intake of breath. "Or, you can brush it off and deal with what fate has given you as a lady of class. You are part of this family, Kagome," she said signaling to the palace walls. "Servants, lords, and ladies alike are all connected once they take shelter here. Statuses are only for political reasons. In the end, if the palace falls, we all fall with it. If the palace triumphs, we all share its success. Do you understand what I'm trying to tell you," she asked.

"I think I do. I'm not pitying myself, though. I simply need a break," she said hastily.

"Well that I can understand. Demon or human, we're all sensitive females, right?" she said winking. "I'll bring up supper for you," she said taking her leave.

Kagome sighed and threw herself back into the soft down pillows. Kei was right, though .There's no point in moping around. It is what it is. And Sesshomaru did deserve better than her. Someone who could give him a full blooded heir. Someone who would live as long as he. She was only a momentary fling compared to his almost eternal life-span. He needed someone that would live as long as he, so that he would never be alone. Even if it wasn't her, as long as Sesshomaru was happy, she guessed she could live with that.

The next morning, she was feeling brighter and a little happier. It was a new day and her destiny had only begun to show its face. Throwing the covers off of her, she threw on an everyday kimono and ran down the stairs, neglecting to do a thing about her hair other than tie it in a high knot. She found the children easily playing in the empty grand hall and she decided to join them. The whole palace could hear their easy laughter and the walls themselves seemed to lighten their weight. Miyuki stood in the door way, watching the three of them fall over each other and run around. She always wanted children, but she never naturally had an instinct with handling them. So, she watched from her spot, half cheerful and half jealous of Kagome's ease with the children.

She sensed Sesshomaru coming down the corridor toward them, and she gave him a deep bow when he approached. "Good to see you this morning, Sesshomaru," she said with a pleased smile. He looked at her for a moment before returning the bow,

"You look lovely this morning, Miyuki," he replied honestly. She beamed at him and watched him as he turned into the grand hall. Stopping behind Kagome, he looked down at the children.

"Lord Sesshomaru! Look what Lady Kagome taught me to do!" Rin exclaimed holding out a paper swan and a paper frog. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow and patted Rin on the head.

"Very good, Rin. Why don't you make a necklace out of the swans and put it around Jaken's neck?" he suggested humorously.

"Oh really Lord Sesshomaru?! Master Jaken would be so happy!" she said grabbing Shippo's hand. "You find him for me and I'll throw the necklace on him!" she said as their voices disappeared down the hall.

Kagome stood and brushed off her kimono. "Miko," he said to her.

Oh, we're back to that crap again? Kagome asked herself eyeing him.

"Meet me in the dojo at noon to begin your training. I have had a tailor place a sparring uniform in you're closet. Wear it and I expect you're hair to be completely put together somehow. However you choose to style it, is you're on consequence. Just make sure nothing is loose," he ordered.

She was stunned at first, then nodded quickly and glanced at Miyuki nervously. "Good. Now please leave Miyuki and I in private," he said not meeting Kagome's eyes. Kagome glanced down and walked out of the hall quickly, not giving Miyuki a second look.

Miyuki, thinking Sesshomaru wanted to be in private for a particular reason, shut the door and seductively walked toward him. She was giving a low purr and Sesshomaru could smell the arousal all around him. But for some reason, he found in uncomfortable. He walked passed her and paused once she was behind him.
"I apologize but I have many things to do this morning. Meet me tonight in the garden once dinner has finished. I will spend time with you then," he told her. "Tell no one," he added as he walked out leaving her in the hall alone.

She walked out with her head bowed low and worry written on her face. She knew Sesshomaru still had feelings for her. But Kagome was standing in the way. Kagome didn't mean anything purposely, but she was the reason she hadn't already been mated by him. If this was him decades ago, she would have been thrown onto his bed in a heartbeat. He was never able to resist the scent of her arousal. Kagome changed this.

Miyuki began to growl and her inner demon began whispering and clouding her better judgment.

Noon approached and Kagome raced up the steps to slip into her room. She quickly changed into the outfit that was waiting for her in the wardrobe. She found a sparring stick leaning inside and grabbed it. It had the miko crest etched around the edges and pink stripes under them. Glancing in the mirror, she decided two side buns would be fine for her hair. She sported two pairs of hair sticks in them as well, and made a note to suggest to Sesshomaru that maybe they could be sharpened and used as daggers. Her bangs wouldn't stay back but she shrugged it off deeming it unimportant. She smiled and ran out of the room quickly. She wasn't sure why, but she was in a very excited mood to train.

She walked down the long hall into the dojo, and heard the guards practicing within. She heard their clashing of swords, the buzz of their youkai and the heavy pants they made in their training. Walking in, she was in awe at the size of it. It was matted, for a soft landing, and it was huge. Some of the soldiers caught her staring into the dojo and signaled to their partner. When they saw the royal markings on her outfit, they bowed and left the dojo for her to train. She smiled to the passing soldiers and their curiosity to who she was.

She walked to the center of the room and sat cross-legged with her staff beside her. She meditated and tried to ground her energy. The outfit she wore was black leather and skin tight for easy maneuvering. The top was sleeveless, almost a tank top shape, but it came up to the base of her neck. It was designed to support a woman's figure and she was grateful for that. It was tucked under leather boots and had pink stripes going up and down her thighs to her boots.

She sensed Sesshomaru approach and she opened her eyes when she heard the dojo doors open. He was standing in only his white hakama and boots, with his own sparring staff. His hair was tied back low and his chiseled chest rippled as he walked. He shut the dojo doors behind him.

She stood gracefully and readied her staff. He stood in front of her and bowed low. She returned the bow and he stepped up to her. "First, we must work on your form," he told her. He stood behind her and positioned her body. He had her stand on her tip toes, which made a burning sensation run up her shins. "When you are flat footed, you aren't able to pounce out of the way of an attack easily. Having yourself on your toes, gives you some bounce," he instructed.

"The best defense is to not give your opponent time to attack. But take a moment to study them, study each part of their body," he said circling her. "The larger your enemy, the slower their attacks will be. But not by much, so act quickly. You need to be able to judge their next move from their facial features. The tiniest twitch will suggest their next attack," he said stopping in front of her.

"Attack me," he told her. She didn't hesitate, she charged and pretended that she was going to hit him head on, but instead rolled when he jumped up and shot a burst of energy from her palms. He easily dodged and landed in front of her.

"Your eyes squinted before your rolled; you braced yourself. Why do you think I always have a bored expression? When your face is unmoving, it will be harder for your enemy to predict you." She got up and faced him again. "Ready yourself!" he yelled as he charged, bringing his staff up to her. She winced and curled into herself, and he lightly placed the staff against her head.

"If this was a real fight, you're head would be rolling on the floor now. Don't withdraw in yourself. Instead, if you cannot escape, meet the attack head on and block," instructed as he positioned her staff to an angle where she could have blocked him.

"Don't worry about using your miko powers now. Focus on your form," he told her.

They repeated the same process for hours. She attacked, he flew back, then struck her down. Her body was screaming and demanded rest. But she pushed herself. Sesshomaru felt her body growing weak and decided to wrap up the physical training. "Take a minute to cool down," he told her as he walked over and placed his staff against the wall. She bent forward and rested her hands on her knees, breathing deep.

She wasn't sure if she was going to be able to do this. Sesshomaru had centuries of training. She only had a month. Her shoulder hurt from the workout and she stood and massaged it walking around in half circles trying to get her body relaxed. Sesshomaru noticed her discomfort and came up behind her and moved her hand from her shoulder. She looked at him questioningly but allowed him to do as he pleased. He brought his hand to her tense shoulder and rubbed the muscle. She relaxed her shoulders and allowed him to massage her.

"Miko, do not feel so tense. It is only the first day of training. I understand our time to prepare you is limited, but trust in me. I will not allow you to go into this battle if you are not ready," he ensured her. She turned and faced him and read his eyes easily. Trust me.

She sighed and nodded her head. He moved from behind her and walked to the center of the dojo. "Sit."

She sat in front of him and waited for his instruction. "Remember when I spared you in the garden, the healing energy you were able to find within yourself?" he asked looking at her steadily?

"Yeah," she answered.

"Close your eyes," he said. She did and waited. "Search within yourself for that power."

She did as was told and focused. She couldn't find it right away, and opened her eyes. "I'm not sure how to find it again," she told him.

He thought for a moment, and then decided to try something his father taught him. Since her miko power was naturally pink, he decided to use this as his base color.

"I want you to close your eyes and imagine a very small pink ball," he told her. She did was told and nodded when she was ready. "Let nothing else invade your mind. Just darkness and that pink ball."

He waited until her face became still and very calm. "Now imagine that ball drifting, disappearing. It is moving in some direction only you see. Follow it."

Her right eye twitched slightly, trying to follow her imaginary ball. She was beginning to draw slight beads of sweat. Suddenly, her body erupted in a pink glow and she opened her eyes excitedly.

"I found it!" she said.

He didn't outwardly say anything, but his eyes were proof enough of the pride he had for her. She saw it in his face and she blushed. "Now," he told her. "Guide that power into the palm of your hand."

Kagome focused on her palm, trying to push her energy to her hand. It easily glided from her body to her palm, and she was ecstatic. She made a ball of it in her hand and tossed it up and down. She was able to throw it up and catch it, move it and make it dissipate and reappear.

"Good," Sesshomaru told her. He stood and walked to the side of the dojo, leaving her to play with her ball of energy. "What you have in your hand isn't only healing energy. It is the source of your power. It is the pool of energy ready for you to shape and control," he said over his shoulder.

She stood up, still holding it in her hand. Sesshomaru opened a cabinet of weapons and paused his hand over the sword he had crafted for her, eyeing a different one. In one swift decision, he grabbed the other one and turned to her.

"Miko, I want you to take this sword," he said looking at her sternly. She saw his seriousness and allowed the ball of energy to disappear. "It is very special and chooses its holder carefully," he told her, holding the katana by its sheath in front of him. "It is light and durable, and the secrets of its natural power are mysterious."

She eyed the sword carefully and looked up at him unsure. "How do you know I can wield it?" she asked.

"I don't," he told her truthfully. "There was only one other who was able to, and since her death, it refused to be touched by another," he explained.

"So, if it doesn't not want me to touch it, what will happen?" she asked a little nervous now.

"It nearly burned my hand off. It might have a similar reaction to you," he said simply. Her eyes widened and she stared at the sword. She extended her hand to it carefully and paused at the hilt. Looking up at him, she saw him nod and she shut her eyes, grabbing onto the hilt. When nothing happened, she opened her eyes and smiled victoriously. She pulled it from the sheath and the sword pulsed to life in her hand. Sesshomaru had a very strange look on his face and he handed the sheath to her.

"Curious," he said to himself. Without skipping a beat, he continued, "The sheath itself can be used during battle as a staff, as it is impenetrable to any earthly metal."

She stood back and slashed the air with it, hearing the high pitched whip as it cut. It glowed pink, synching with Kagome's miko power and pulsed again. "Well done," he told her. He grabbed a training sword from the cabinet and he walked back to the center of the dojo.

She met him in the middle and they bowed. "I don't want you using the power within the sword, simply just block my attacks," he told her. She nodded and they began.

They worked for roughly an hour before the sun was beginning to set. Kagome's body was ready to give up on her and she desperately wanted sleep.

"That is enough for today, then. Meet me here high noon tomorrow," he told her putting away the staff and training sword. She nodded and sheathed her new sword.

"What other things is it capable of doing?" she asked eyeing the beautifully engraved sheath. It had an old language etched into it and she felt a strange magic coming from it.

He paused a minute, staring at the sword. "I honestly do not know. What I can remember however is that it will sense if you are in trouble, and appear at your side in an instant, even if you are buried in concrete. It's special attacks depends on your connection with it, but most of the power it had was forged with the sword."

She thought a moment then looked up at him. "You said 'she' before. Whose sword was this?"

Sesshomaru looked at her steadily and stepped up close to her. "My mother's." He looked at her for a moment then left her in the dojo. She was awestruck.

"His mother's? Why would he give me something so valuable to him? What does this mean?" she asked the emptiness around her. The sword pulsed in her hand and filled her with a soothed feeling, almost answering her question. She wondered where she would put the katana and it suddenly disappeared from her hand, only to reappear, attached to her hip. Shocked, she tried looked to wear it was attached to. The minute she put her hand to it to pull it off, it fell into her palm and pulsed, almost as if it were laughing at her confusion.

Puzzled, she held out the katana, and dropped it, wishing it to appear at her hip. In an instant, it repeated its previous action and she was just as bewildered. Shrugging it off, she painfully made her way up to her room. Her body was in miserable aches and she could only imagine how crappy she'd feel tomorrow.

Placing the katana on her bed, she undressed quickly to slip into her night clothes. It struck her then that her sword should have a name. Even Sango's weapon had a name. She eyed it carefully.

"Why do I feel like I'm not supposed to name you?" she asked it. It pulsed once, agreeing with her inkling. "Does that mean you have a name?" she asked it again. It pulsed twice, then sent out a flash of energy towards her. Her breath caught in her chest and her mind was blackened.

There was silence. And bright pink lights. Suddenly, a voice with no gender echoed a single name into her mind. She snapped her eyes open and stared at the sword in awe.

"Nishi-Nami," she breathed out. "The Western Wave." Her sword glowed once until it became silent and disappeared. It placed itself against the side of her bed against the wall, choosing that spot to rest upon.

"Alright, have it your way. I'm tired though so you behave yourself," she warned it collapsing onto the bed.

Within minutes, she was snoring, never noticing the slight wave of energy pouring towards her from the sword, feeding her power to be completely ready for the next day's challenges.