His mother walked around her. So many things, so little time, and could this human pull it off? Would Sesshomaru be able to pull it off? Could they pretend well enough?
"Why did you so eagerly help my son,"
"He was going to lose a lot more than a sword if I hadn't!"
"So you told them you were his mate with no regard to what it meant?"
"I thought it would have been enough," Kagome looked down,
"These men had a specific set of rules given to them by his great and terrible father and a time limit, and you thought it would be that easy?"
"I guess I didn't think-"
"Correct, you acted without thinking, a trait I assume you got from his half-breed half-brother,"
She stopped walking. "I highly suspect one or more of them hope for him to fail. They wish to claim this land for their own; they will be watching closely,"
"Why didn't they just claim the West?"
"A code of law and honor, Miko. They respected his father's rule, and he is the son. Had they broken that law, their life would be forfeit, and they fear, they are unsure of how powerful he is, but if he was anything like his father-"
Kagome understood.
"Do you see my predicament?"
Her predicament?
"I have very little to work with and very little time to work,"
"Well, what do I need to do? He already marked me,"
His mother crossed her arms. "It will take both of you, and that is my concern; he must be just as convincing,"
"Maybe talk to him them?"
His mother scoffed. "He will do his part, Miko,"
"Then I'll do mine,"
"You do not even know what your part is, but that is why I am here,"
"Inuyasha was upset,"
"I do not doubt it; done right, it can be a beautiful thing; done wrong, done in a lie, it can be deadly,"
Kagome looked confused. "I thought this was a party,"
"It is a party for fools but a trial for you; as I said, this is no longer childs play,"
"Killing Naraku was not a childs play," She wished she would stop saying that.
"You were a young group with a lot of luck, hope, and faith, Miko. Yes, you fought, yes, you got hurt, almost died, but you would have died a child,"
"We grew along the way,"
"Indeed, yet you are still not a woman,"
Kagome blushed. "Are we talking about what I think we are talking about?"
"Your virginity, yes,"
"Fighting, loving, lying, deceiving, lust, all those things are done differently when one becomes more"
His mother moved around the room. "Inuyasha once fought with a brave heart, acting fast without a thought first, but now, he is calmer, wiser, skilled and has something more than his own life to fight for,"
Kagome listened,
"You still have a young heart with hope and false fantasy in your dreams,"
Kagome was not sure if she was being insulted; it was hard to tell.
"What you are about to go through will test you," His mother came close. "You go into this under falsehoods, and while you may convince them, you will find you can not lie to yourself or to him, and it will crush you, and that's if you do not die first,"
"Die?"
"Tell me, are you willing to also die for this?"
Kagome swallowed; no one said anything about dying.
"We will have to do this step by step, and you must obey Miko if you wish to survive this,"
"You said if I did, I may not be able to leave,"
His mother drew even closer. "I will give you my first bit of advice, Miko: do all with your power for him as if he is your every desire, but do not forget it is a lie; he does not love you,"
"I dont love him,"
His mother moved back. "Desire, lust, power, and will, Miko, that is all you need here; love is not even part of the trials; it is a useless feeling that will get you killed,"
His mother turned away,
"Dying for it by choice is not the same as being killed," Kagome knew; his mother was remembering his father's death.
His mother turned her head and narrowed her eyes,
"You still have not told me why leaving may not be an option,"
"As he said, they will push to see you carry the future of his house, that Miko is how far your duty goes, he will not stray from what needs to be done so this all lays apon you if you are not willing to go that far, tell me now,"