Chapter 25

Sesshomaru strode out to the snowy gardens pondering on the turn his life has taken. He needed quality time alone with Miyuki to determine if she was a proper mate for him, Kagome aside. He wasn't sure if the time in the future has altered what he framed as a picture perfect memory of her.

He glanced at a tree to his left, where they had first been introduced to each other…

The Southern lord had visited his father's palace to discuss problems with lesser demons attacking villages within both their lands. He chose to separate himself from his father's political business for the time being. He had just learned of the Western Lord's discression with a human female. He was furious, irritated, and most of all, hurt. As a boy, he always looked up at the relationship between his parents. It seemed solid and unbreakable. They always shared loving looks with each other and, despite the mating being arranged, they always seemed head over heals in love with each other. Seeing his father become a home wrecker hit him hard. But it was his parents problem, none of his business to interfere. However, if his mother ever said a word to him about being sad or hurt, he would slice his father's neck without a moment's hesitation.

Sulking in his own problems, he didn't even notice the tiny demoness bent over playing with a caterpillar. He tripped over her twitching tail, causing her to yelp in pain, and went tumbling forward, squishing her specimen when he braced himself with his hand.

"Hey! Oh! Now look what you've done!" she huffed sitting up on her heels.

Sesshomaru's eyes bled red ready to slice the onna's neck open. "Woman, don't you know better than to sit in the middle of a pathway?" he bickered.

"Don't you know better than to watch where you're going?" she bit back cradling her injured tail. The two growled at each other before both jumping to their feet studying the other for an opening to attack.

"Do you have any idea who I am?" he said haughtily, baring his teeth at her.

"Does this seem like a princess that would care any less?" she said straightening her back and throwing her nose up.

"This Sesshomaru is not amused by you're demeanor woman! You will respect me within the walls of my own palace no less."

"Your palace? Last time I checked this castle belonged to Toga, Lord of the West. You are not he. Not in looks, nor in mannerism," she chimed as she turned her back to walk in the other direction.

Suddenly she was pinned against a tree, her beautiful yellowish-green cat eyes glaring daggers into Sesshomaru's. "Get you're slimy hands off me, dog!" she growled low.

"I am not my father, and you will learn that that is a blessing. For a princess, you have a mouth like a street rat and a temper that is most un-lady like."

"Sorry, I was not aware that stomping on a princess was the proper action of a prince," she said as she allowed one of her sharp claws to get him on the sensitive part of neck. He yelped and threw her on the floor as if she were poison.

Deciding he was done with this rude woman, he pivoted on his heel and walked the other way. She caressed her shoulder from the impact of the tree and murmured something to him so low, he had to ask what she said.

"Hn?"

"Miyuki, that's my name. You told me your name. I should return the favor," she said in a huff.

He eyed her for a moment before turning his back to her again saying, "It was not out of courtacy, woman. I was informing you of who it was you had disrespected."

Feeling her anger rise again, Miyuki jumped to her feet and sent an energy ball zooming to Sesshomaru's back. Sesshomaru, being that he was not a lesser demon, was able to sense it immediately and jumped out of harms way. He turned to face her off, eyes bleeding red, but she was already gone. He sniffed the air and took chase.

Miyuki's anger began to dissipate as she ran through the western territory. She always felt connected to the wild and feeding the feral side of her demoness, she was beginning to grow excited. Regardless of the taiyoukai chasing her. She could hear him approaching quickly, so she used her youkai and disappeared into the woods.

Chasing her began as a duel. She had attacked him and he could not let that go. But running after his pray stirred his beast and a more untamed part of him was rattling to be freed. Gradually, as he began to sniff out Miyuki's excitement, his own anger faded and he gave in to the most erotic feeling a demon could experience; the chase.

Suddenly, the girl appeared at his right and attempted to push him, her laughter ringing in his ear. He jumped aside but she caught his armor in the layers of her kimono and both of them tumbled forward. His eyes caught sight of the deep ditch they were about to fall into and he leapt up, taking her with him. He landed softly in the grass beside the pit and placed her beside him, eyeing her carefully.

Feeling the blush erupt on her cheeks for nearly having causing them both to tumble towards a very painful fall, she looked up at his face with an apologetic expression. That was quickly whisked away when she saw the intense stare he was giving her. She saw the corners of his eyes had turned red and she knew his beast was awakened. Fulfilling the duty as the caught prey, she submitted to his beast before it harmed her. She turned her neck to the side and lifted her chin up, exposing her slender, pale skin. Sesshomaru allowed his beast to command his actions as he leaned forward and inhaled her scent from her juncture. His senses were filled with the aroma of sweet rose and her aura was still pulsing from the chase.

He suddenly found himself purring into her neck and only took notice of his position when he felt her purr in return. Not knowing what to do with the situation, he stepped back from her and proceeded to walk back to the palace, leaving her behind. She didn't follow him; instead she stood there hugging herself closely. Sure, she had demons come to court her before. But not a single one of them opened her senses like this youkai did.

She looked over her shoulder to follow the demon lord with her eyes. If he had glanced back at her, he would have seen a glorious sight. Her light brunette hair with orange highlights had fallen loose in the tumble and strands of it cascaded over her flushed face and blew gracefully with the breeze. Her green eyes were glowing yellow and her pupils had dilated. When her kimono caught Sesshomaru's armor, it had caused a large tear down her thigh. The wind blew through the layers of the tear, and caused her kimono to appear as if it were dancing around her.

If he had turned to look back, he would have given to his beast's feral demands. It commanded him to go back to her. But he refused. He marched forward, ignoring the rose scent that traveled in his mind with him.

That was the day he met her and the day that he first allowed someone to tear down each of his walls with only a smile, or a wave hello. Striding through his gardens, he again followed the smell of roses until he found what had been calling for him all these centuries. Still, he couldn't shake the uneasy feeling tugging at him in his mind.

There she stood, royal ornaments adorned her hair, which had lengthened down to the floor throughout the years. Her skin was pale and glowing in the moon light, with the only hint of color in her flushed cheeks and the rouge on her lips. Her kimono was made of silk and fine threads, and the colors were true to her Southern Lady status. Green, white and gold shimmered under the light of the moon and only flattered her features. She was utterly beautiful. This, he could not argue.

She stepped forward to him, her hands folded within the sleeves of her kimono, her long lashes batting at him flirtatiously. "Sesshomaru, centuries have passed since we last touched, spoke, or even caught a glimpse of the other. Do not deny me my yearnings," she plead as she extended her hand out to him. He stepped towards her, eyeing her carefully. She moved her head to the side and he inhaled her scent deeply. Visions of their past blew into his mind, erupting and stirring something deep within him. But still, it was not enough.

Stepping away from her, he turned his face to the moon. "Why do you decorate yourself with so many ornaments?" he asked referring to her hair and the rouge.

She was stunned by his question, but kept her composure. "It is the appropriate embellishments of a lady. Do you not approve of my attire?" she asked a little hurt. She had gone out of her way to look this way for him tonight.

"Hn," was all he said. A vision of a careless girl pushed its way into his mind, a girl who didn't dress up for him, for anyone. A girl who simply just was.

Miyuki sighed, not knowing whether he disapproved of her or not. She wanted his appreciation, she wanted to be touched and kissed as they did so long ago.

Why isn't he all over me? Do I so unattract him this much now? Fed up with his lack of attention, she decided to make the first move. She moved closer to him and leaned her head on his chest, allowing herself to be completely vulnerable to him.

"Love, what has happened to you these years that has turned you so cold to me?" she asked with genuine pain etched in her tone.

He looked down at the onna in his arms decided enough was enough. It was unfair to both women, and himself to be divided in his feelings this way. He had to choose who he wanted, now. He did still love Miyuki. She would provide excellent heirs to his throne. She is strong and powerful. She was even taught by his own mother in combat. Though his mother's katana did reject her…twice. She would still make a perfect mate, and his beast rumbled in his mind its agreement.

Kagome was beautiful in her own right. She was natural, simple. She did not ask for expensive things, she did not ask for much at all except respect. And she proved that she deserved it in all her little ways, despite her clumsiness or quirkiness. Though those things were attractive about her. She was sweet tasting and she stirred a deeper feeling within himself than the neko did. She captivated him, a human, and not even the youkai in his arms could make him feel that he actual held…love to another.

Love was not enough now. He was a lord, and he had to remember that. He needed to think about the west, about the safety of his people. If he mated a human, it would create an uproar among both species within his lands. None before had taken a human mate. His father only had an affair with one. His mother was still the lady of the west. Pushing aside the guilty feeling rising in his soul, he made his decision.

"Forgive me, Miyuki. I have been away from you too long, and my thoughts have been clouded. But I have decided," he said pulling her away from him so she could look at him. He had love for her, though not the same as he felt with Kagome, but this was the way it must be.

"Yes?" she asked, apprehension making her breath catch in her chest.

"Tomorrow I will send out invitations to the other lords. We will have the mating ceremony on the next full moon," he said nonchalantly.

Miyuki was ecstatic, and she jumped up and down in his arms. She grabbed hold of his head and pulled him down to kiss him flush on the lips. He responded to her, mostly out of duty, though he could not deny the beautiful woman giving herself to him. They kissed only a moment longer, before he broke away and lead a very happy neko back to the palace.

Only once they were gone, did the little spy reveal herself. She was unhappy as tears cascaded down her face. She loved Lady Kagome. Who was this woman all over Lord Sesshomaru? He wouldn't do this to her! He knew she loved Lady Kagome so much. She would be a great mamma for her. Who cares about an heir! He told her countless times she could not be his until he had an heir. Rubbish! She was his and Kagome should be his too! Who cares about 'the court'? This ruins everything. Shippo was supposed to be part of our family, too!

"I hate her!" she whispered into the night as her little bare footsteps ran in the opposite direction, trying to push away the sounds of her little heart breaking into huge pieces.