Kagome huffed lightly as she trudged to the top of the hill. She bent over, grabbing her knees. She tried to regain her breath from following Sesshomaru all day. "Lord Sesshomaru!" She heard from the other side. When she looked up, she saw Rin run toward Sesshomaru and hug his legs. 'Oh, so she can hug him but I can't poke him in the chest..' She sighed as she straightened up and walked down the hill to join everyone else.
Rin looked up and saw Kagome crest the hill. "Lady Kagome!" She dislodged herself from Sesshomaru and ran over to Kagome, hugging her as well. "Lord Sesshomaru is bringing you with us?" Rin looked from Sesshomaru to Kagome and back to Sesshomaru.
"Silly girl! Why would Lord Sesshomaru drag around another pathetic human? He already has to deal with your incessant chatter!" Jaken squawked at Rin.
Kagome glared at Jaken, gently pushing Rin behind her as she marched over to the toad. "All I have heard you do, every time our groups have crossed paths, is talk about 'insufferable humans this,' and 'Rin stop doing that,' and 'half-breeds and humans are completely worthless.' Well news flash buddy..." She knelt down to stare him in the eyes and yelled, "I don't care what you think!"
"Rin, Jaken, come." Sesshomaru said as he started to leave the clearing. He looked at Kagome with a slight glint in his eyes. "Simply prove this Sesshomaru's point, miko."
Kagome sputtered as she followed along, Rin taking her hand to lead her. Kagome's cheeks flamed as she realized that she did, in fact, prove Sesshomaru's point through and through by standing up for herself and Rin to the toad. She huffed and pouted a little. "Arrogant dog," She muttered.
"This Sesshomaru is not arrogant, miko, only showing that he is correct." He said without hesitation.
Kagome groaned. Rin looked up at her and smiled. "It is alright Lady Kagome. Lord Sesshomaru is always right in matters of direction. He is taking us to his fortress right now," Rin piped up.
Kagome smiled at the small girl. "That's not what that was about, Rin." She looked around. "About how far are we out from the fortress?"
Rin giggled. "Just a little longer. We will be there by night fall."
"Hmm... Lord Sesshomaru? Would we be able to go to Edo?" Kagome asked softly.
"We leave at first light tomorrow," He stated as he walked out of the trees and onto a main road.
Rin's smile grew. "We are almost there."
Kagome stopped fore a minute and looked around. "Wait a second. I know this road." She looked to her left and pointed. "We follow this road to the outskirts of Edo."
"And thus why we leave in the morning." Sesshomaru glanced back slightly, observing the mannerisms of the miko in question.
Kagome groaned a little. 'Why do I always get stuck with the egotistical ones?' She wondered. "I can head to Edo on my own, now that I know where I am. Thank you for letting me travel with you guys for the day," She said as she started to go the opposite direction.
"weaponless and right at the edge of dusk is not the best time for a woman to wonder the roads," Sesshomaru said as he stopped and faced the stunned miko.
'Did... Did he just offer me to stay at his fortress without saying "Stay at my fortress"?'
Rin scampered over to Kagome's side. "Lady Kagome, are you alright?" She asked worriedly.
Kagome nodded quietly as she turned to face west and started walking. 'Well, why pass up on not sleeping on the ground for a night?' She asked herself.
No more than a half an hour later, a mountain came into view. Carved out of the rock face was a stone palace. A bustling village sat in the valley below.
An arch way greeted the group as the strode though. Villagers bowed as they saw their lord make his way past shops and homes lining the street.
"Lord Sesshomaru, may I?" Asked Rin.
"Hn."
Rin smiled as she ran down the street to meet up with a group of children.
Kagome watched as Sesshomaru let his ward wander off. She stopped for a moment when a shop caught her attention. She glanced at all of the fine fabrics and assorted jewelry that the merchant had to offer. A mall silver and opal pendent caught her eye as she thought about how she wanted to get her mother something special. She sighed softly, "I'm sure she would love that."
Kagome glanced to the side and saw a silver and dark gray kimono. She gasped and looked from the kimono to the necklace. "They look almost perfect together," She mumbled to herself. "If only I grabbed my bag before I left." She hung her head slightly in defeat.
Sesshomaru watched as the girl hung her head. He looked to the shopkeeper and nodded slightly.
The shopkeeper smiled a little at Kagome. "Why don't you try it on?" She asked. The shopkeeper took Kagome's hand and led her into the shop itself, grabbing the kimono as well. "Here you are." She pushed Kagome into the back room and handed her the cloth bundle.
Kagome's eyes widened as she was dragged away into the large hut that was maintained as a functioning clothes store. "It's not necessary. I can't buy it.." She told the woman as she was thrust into the back room and left alone. "Oh well," She sighed as she changed into the silver and gray kimono.
Outside the shop, Sesshomaru looked to the woman standing in front of him. "Kisana, this Sesshomaru hopes that you have everything set."
Kisana, the shopkeeper, smiled and nodded. "Rin's new kimonos are ready. Several for living at the fortress and others for travel with you. They have already been delivered to the fortress."
"Hn... This Sesshomaru will need several more in the miko's size as well."
Kisana toled her head a little. "Is she going to be a part of your pack or just a passing fancy?"
"Hn.." Sesshomaru turned to watch Rin play for a few minutes. "Kisana, check on the miko. Be sure she is properly dressed." He walked over to Rin.
Kisana shook her head a little as she went into her shop. "Lady Miko, are you alright in there?" A muffled 'mhmm' met her ears as she pushed aside the curtain between rooms. She saw Kagome trying to tie her sash with little success. "Let me help."
Kagome blushed a little as she turned arounf. She felt a few tugs and was turned around forcefully. "There you are Lady Miko. It really brings out the sapphire in your eyes," Kisana said as she turned around to grab another item.
"I... I'm sorry but your name is?" Kagome asked, trying to blink her eyes into focus after being turned so quickly.
"Ah-ha, Kisana is my name. I am the seamstress of the Western Fortress. During your stay, I will be providing you with the appropriate clothing for your station." Kisana was a whirl around the young lady, taking measurements. She stopped right behind Kagome. "And the final touch to the outfit, Lady Miko."
Kagome looked down to see the necklace she saw earlier hanging right on pot of the kimono. "No, no... I can't accept this. Miss Kisana this is too much." She tried to take the necklace off but got her hands swatted away.
"Nonsense. You must be dressed to match your station. As a lady by Lord Sesshomaru's side, you must look the part even if you do not act the part." Kisana took Kagome by the arm and led her outside. "Look at Lady Rin and those she plays with. Lady Rin is dressed in vibrant colors while the others are in more dull colored clothes. It is because she travels with Lord Sesshomaru."
Kagome looked from child to child. "That's not fair though. If the child's parents can afford the colored material, they should be able to wear what ever they like." Kisana chuckled a little. "And that is why you are dressed the way you are."
'Where is that seamstress? It should not take this long to dress one person.' Sesshomaru thought as Rin ran around him with the other children.
Rin stopped next to him and pointed to the hut. "Lady Kagome looks like a princess!"
Sesshomaru turned to the hut. The vision he saw was of a black haired beauty that beat even the most stunning demonesses he had seen. Silver and a stormy gray swirled around each other in the dying sunlight, dancing like clouds in the sky across the kimono, moving with every step Kagome took. The necklace glinted happily from its resting place at the hollow of her neck as he turned away. "Hn. We are leaving."
He turned to face the fortress built into the mountain. "Miko, come," Was all he said as he walked out of the village proper. He heard a rushed goodbye and a promise to visit again as the girl followed behind him. A stone wall started to reach into the sky the higher the group climbed the road. Silver banners hung on the walls. As the walls grew closer, Kagome could see a cherry blossom branch in each corner in a dark gray while a sky blue crescent moon floated in the center of the banner.
"We're home, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin yelled as she ran up to the gates.
AN: Head over to my Dokuga page and find my flag design. The tag name for me is just Lilly while the title for the image is Western Flag.