I disclaim everything that needs to be.
Bold means a change in location and/ or time or time period. Italics are thoughts or Sesshomaru's (or anyone's) inner demon talking, or flashbacks
Note: Chapters 1-12 are now updated! So go check that out since it flows waaaaay better now. I'll still be doing some minor edits, to make things flow better visually, but the big changes are done!
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Chapter 25: The "Other" Woman
Through the bustle of the morning preparations, Sesshomaru could hear the servants talking about Akitoki. He was thankful Kagome was still asleep in his arms, so she didn't have to hear the gossip. Apparently, Akitoki was talking to any and everyone about how much he admired Kagome. He wanted to emphasize it, for some reason. When he was asked about his wife and child, he always stumbled over his words and walked away. When he couldn't bend a servant's ear about Kagome, he was talking to Hayako. Who was more than happy to hear about anything Akitoki had to say about her. He even had questions, keeping Akitoki talking much longer than anyone would usually let him.
Kagome stirred in his arms, drawing his attention. He knew she was close to waking up, the sun warming her face as she turned to face the giant windows. When she settled again, Sesshomaru sighed. The maids were chatting too, wondering if Akitoki was going to be mean to their Lady once his wife arrived. That made the most sense, it had gotten around that his wife wasn't fond of Kagome, and everyone was curious to see how it'd play out. Even he was curious, their time at the Palace had been full of surprises so he couldn't rule anything out. The absolute love of his life was a human miko, so anything was truly possible.
Kagome's soft voice startled him, "they really think she's going to be horrible to me, don't they?"
"Regardless of how she feels," Sesshomaru's voice was low, "you are the Lady of the West. She will not disrespect that."
She yawned, her sleepy voice replied with a teasing edge, "probably not. I've heard the leader of the West is ruthless."
Sesshomaru smirked, "Oh? What else have you heard?"
Kagome's face had a sleepy smile as she stretched next to her mate, "I hear he won't let anyone near his family. Anyone who has laid an unkind hand on the princess has completely disappeared."
He pressed a kiss to her head before moving to get up, "Then the Lady of the West will remain free from anyone's venomous tongue."
Kagome watched as Sesshomaru slowly dressed comfortably, before moving to open the sliding doors. She watched him make himself comfortable on the couch where he could still see her, even if she went into the gardens. Soundlessly, he started his work. His morning would be spent settling their trip along their new Southwestern border, and preparing materials for the upcoming Council Meeting. He still had to present her to the Council, and with everything that's been going on, the questions Roarah could ask only brought Sesshomaru anxiety.
As he jotted down some notes, he heard Kagome stretch and get up. In his peripheral, he saw her wrap herself in a robe and open the doors to their gardens.
"Within sight, please." His voice was just loud enough for her to hear.
"Mmhmm," Kagome mumbled back, "I just want to meditate. Maybe yoga."
"I'll leave you in peace. I will be working here." His voice barely pierced the morning air.
"Of course," she settled into the dewy grass, taking a deep breath. As she settled into her meditation, a light pink barrier formed around her, bending slightly to the time of her breathing.
Sesshomaru settled back into his work after confirming the even-tone of her breath. He knew she would be lost in her thoughts and meditations for as long as the peacefulness of the palace remained. She would probably be listening for the whispers of the maids and attendants alerting each other of Hojo's Family's arrival. He would be too, knowing General Kuno would follow his orders and come straight to him for a report the moment everyone in his charge entered the gates. Close behind, he knew, would be Miroku and Sango to update Kagome on the details she cares about.
His nose twitched, they would arrive soon. He could smell Kirara and Ah-Un's scents on the breeze flowing from the Southeast. From General Kuno's letters, he knew that Hojo lived with his family in a village near the edge of the Eastern borders in the West. Sesshomaru knew of the village, it was potentially on the route to a Demon Village that had requested his honored appearance at a festival. They could avoid it, but the village was well known for Miko healers, and Sesshomaru knew his Kagome would be drawn to them to ask questions.
He sighed, he'd hoped their travels could be a reprieve from the drama of the Courts. Everything had been happening far too fast for his liking, and he'd had almost no time to simply enjoy this celebratory time with his family and his people. Sesshomaru's mind drifted towards the memories of his father's mating ceremonies with Izayoi.
The lights looked magical, even to him as a young adolescent. The courts were filled with demon nobility celebrating his distinguished father. His great, powerful, terrible father was happy. Smiling. Spinning Izayoi around the room as she giggled in his arms. It was what he envisioned, when Sesshomaru envisioned his own mating celebrations at that age.
It'd taken so long for him to consider mating as an option for him, and when he'd caught Kagome stealing glances at him- a spark of hope lit in his heart that maybe he would find someone to mate. Maybe it could even be Kagome, he would think, as every touch of hers seared through his skin, directly into his heart.
Sesshomaru could tell that Izayoi made his father's heart sing. Even though he hated Izayoi, he respected her for teaching his father new things. His father was known as a hard, tough leader. A War Hero. An esteemed diplomat who should never be crossed by any means. But Izayoi, she taught him a different level of humanity. She calmed a War Machine, showed him the intricacies of ruling in peacetime. Sesshomaru never thought that possible for him, The Killing Perfection.
The whisperings of the maids shook Sesshomaru out of his memories. They'd arrived. And before breakfast, at that.
General Kuno, Sango, and Miroku had just reached the gates. They were seen helping Hojo's wife, Suzu, off of Ah-Un's back, and their daughter, Mai, from Kirara's back. From there, the servants watched as Miroku caught the smaller-transformed Kirara in his hands before walking behind Sango towards the palace doors. General Kuno was speaking with his underlings at the gates, before walking towards the main rooms.
Sesshomaru looked up, Kagome was standing and stretching in the grass. Knowing she must've heard the servants whisperings too, he stood to meet her.
As she crossed the bedroom to the sitting room, she sighed, "Shall we go meet them?"
He shook his head, "General Kuno, Sango, and Miroku know to come straight here. The servants know to escort his family to wherever he happens to be now, hopefully in his rooms. If you'd like, General Kuno and I will speak in my study."
Kagome smiled, "It's okay. It's pretty out, Sango and Miroku can sit in the garden with me. You and General Kuno can speak here."
He nodded, taking her into his arms and sitting back down on the couch, "I want to enjoy you until the chaos begins again."
Kagome kissed his cheek and snuggled into his arms. They sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes, Sesshomaru soaking in every second. He didn't move until he heard General Kuno's footsteps coming down the hallway. The heavy boots thumped towards them, causing Sesshomaru to sigh as he unraveled himself from his mate. She stood and stretched, taking in the clothes she wore.
"I should change," She hummed, walking to their bedroom and slipping behind a privacy screen right as a hard knock hit the door.
Sesshomaru looked at his own clothing, he'd chosen linens again, but in the dark blues of the Western House. For breakfast, he would don the crest-embroidered haori that his father would wear at casual Court events. Akitoki's family would be introduced as planned-accessories to Cali's attack against the lands, and Sesshomaru knew Aldeberan would want to speak with them, to gain information on what Cali has told them.
Sesshomaru took the slow steps to the door while Kagome finished getting dressed. The hard knock came once more before Sesshomaru unlocked and opened the heavy wood.
"Lord Sesshomaru," General Kuno dropped into a bow, "Good Morning, Sire. I have my report."
"Come in," Sesshomaru's voice was quiet, "formally meet the Lady before your delivery."
General Kuno nodded furiously before stepping into the sitting room, dropping into a kneeled bow. Kagome stepped into the sitting room again, dressed this time, with a soft smile.
"General Kuno, Lady Kagome. Lady Kagome, this is the lead General of Our Armies, General Kuno." Sesshomaru spoke again.
"Lady Kagome, it is an honor to meet the Shikon Miko and Lady of the West." He kept his head in a deep bow.
"It's lovely to meet you, General Kuno. Thank you so much for going on this errand for us." Kagome smiled softly, bowing her head in return.
His response was gruff, "My duty is to the West."
Sesshomaru spoke up, "Rise, and be seated, Kuno. Give us your report."
The couple sat together on the couch, with General Kuno across the coffee table from them. General Kuno took a breath, and began.
"The Demon Slayer and The Monk were very helpful. Ms. Suzu recognized them from descriptions Hojo had given, even the two-tail was recognized. With that, she was much more comfortable speaking with them, rather than relay information directly to me."
Kagome nodded, urging him to go on.
"Your friends are smart, Lady Kagome. The Monk first presented a gift from the Western House, in the form of sacred sutras. Then, they offered to help around the house and the shop. After that, Suzu was very comfortable with our presence and insisted we stay the night. Her child, Mai, was very open about how often her father spoke of Lady Kagome. The child relayed that her mother was beautiful, but not the most beautiful person her father had met. She said that she was not the most beautiful either, but the Priestess in The Stories was."
"The stories?" Kagome asked, suppressing her giggle at the mention of Miroku's sutras.
"Your friends will go into more detail on that, I'm afraid. My duty was to protect them from harm, and gain any information on Cali's mission."
"And what did you find out?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Cali sent his General, Akira, and they too stayed with the family for a night. Suzu relayed that Akira spent a long time with her husband, alone, late into the night. When her husband finally came to bed, he told her that his friend was in terrible danger. There was no one else, she said, that could help. He made sure to emphasize this. His friend had been all but abandoned by their other friends. Suzu asked if the 'friend' was Kagome, and he quickly said 'yes. The real Kagome', upsetting Suzu greatly. He insisted that he had to go to her, he had to save her. He said it would be dangerous, and he would leave with Akira in the morning."
"And so, he did." Sesshomaru concluded.
"Yes, sire. There is more, however. Lord Sesshomaru, Lady Kagome, I collected the journals from the house and the shop, under the instruction of Ms. Suzu. Not only did Hojo write about the Lady frequently, he saved a letter he received from Lord Cali. You will find everything here, though Suzu mentioned something about a journal that her husband keeps with him. You may want to take that." General Kuno handed three thick leather-bound journals to Sesshomaru, then stood.
"My Lord, I will go immediately to write up my report. It will be on your desk by midday." General Kuno bowed deeply, "Lady Kagome, Lord Sesshomaru, it is an honor to be of service."
Kagome sighed as soon as the door clicked behind General Kuno.
"That was quicker than I imagined," She spoke softly, "I can hear Sango and Miroku coming, too."
Sesshomaru kissed her head and stood, "I will allow you three privacy. I have certainty that they will keep you safe, so if you require me I will be in my study until the morning meal."
Kagome smiled up at him, "Okay, I'll see you soon."
Sesshomaru kissed her head again before slipping on the haori and slides. He silently opened and closed the main doors to their rooms, habitually locking the door behind him as he headed towards his study. On his walk through the halls, he listened to the servants whisper about the happenings of Hojo's family since their arrival. It seemed that Akitoki wasn't visibly happy to see his wife and child. Suzu winced when he kissed her cheek, calling her 'Kags'. Mai immediately asked if her father saved 'the pretty lady', and watched as Akitoki's face lit up as he assured his daughter that the Pretty Lady was safe and she would get to meet her at breakfast.
Sesshomaru internally rolled his eyes, the honey that laced Hojo's voice when he spoke of Kagome annoyed and disgusted him. It was barely hidden when he spoke to her, no matter who else was around. Looking at Suzu's face, he could tell she was just as disgusted, even humiliated to hear how Akitoki gushes over Kagome to their daughter. He understood Inuyasha's constant annoyance at both Hojo's even more now, as his own skyrocketed past the astronomical heights it was already sitting at. He was happy to avoid them on his walk to his study, where he could sense Jahari and Choro waiting for him. As he rounded the corner his senses were confirmed, they were standing outside the door to his study. Jahari was barely hiding his grin.
"An audience, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jahari teased.
"If you insist," Sesshomaru's voice was quiet, annoyed. He opened the door to his study quickly, walking to his desk and dropping the three journals onto it..
"I told you he'd be in a bad mood." Jahari nudged Choro through the door, closing it behind the three of them.
"Actually, I told you that," Choro settled in one of the armchairs, "I sent Jaken for tea. He will be the only one to disturb us until the morning meal."
"Go on, Jahari, I know you want to say something." Sesshomaru sighed as he settled into his chair.
"Oh nothing," Jahari laughed as he settled into the other armchair, "I simply wanted to know your thoughts on our new guests."
"I overheard the wife's tone when mentioning the Lady," Choro commented, "something to keep an eye on. It's no doubt something that Cali noticed."
Sesshomaru nodded, "It is apparently well known that Suzaku is not my Mate's biggest fan. A man who can speak so little of his alleged beloved when asked about his life surely doesn't love her."
Jahari nodded, "So it seems. Could she be turned in Cali's favor?"
"From what I've seen, she loves her husband. And her child. I do not believe she would dare muddle that up." Choro's voice was serene, "no matter how much she may dislike the sweet Lady."
"But Kagome's never met her?," Jahari asked, "right? So maybe she'll be swayed herself."
"She does charm," Choro agreed, "it is very possible that the two could become friends after a private conversation. Maybe suggest to the Lady, invite the wife to a private meal?"
Sesshomaru nodded, "that may prove a worthy idea. I know that Kagome would likely be glad to have a private meal, especially if the pups get along with her offspring."
"Ah, that's right," Choro smiled, "have you heard of how the child has been adjusting?"
As Sesshomaru shook his head, Jahari was the one to speak.
"They have not been here long," he shrugged, "the child does seem excited, though. The maids were speaking about her excitement about the gardens."
"Likely, then, that the Little Princess may have found herself a new friend." Choro's smile was soft, dropping back into stoic at the sound of knocking at the door.
Jaken slowly opened the door, balancing the tray of tea in one hand.
"Milords, your tea," he set it on the desk quietly, "the morning meal will be served in one hour."
As Jaken hurried out of the room, a child's gleeful scream echoed down the hallway.
"Daddy, look at the FLOWERS" Hojo's child's voice was almost a scream. It was Rin's laugh that followed, quieting when the door clicked shut.
"See?" Jahari smiled, "a new friend for the Little Rin."
Sesshomaru nodded, "The kindness she exudes is Kagome's doing."
Choro chuckled at that, "No, it's encouraged by Lady Kagome. Little Rin has always been a kind and sweet child."
"She makes friends quickly," Sesshomaru agreed, "befriending at least one child from every village we got close enough to."
"She's the best welcoming committee in the West," Jahari agreed, "what are those journals you've brought, Sesshomaru?"
"General Kuno recovered them from his mission," Sesshomaru handed a journal to each demon in the room, "apparently he writes about his travels, and about my Mate."
"Hmm," Choro hummed as he flipped through the pages, "It seems to be one of three central topics. Besides the goings on of his shop? And his child's growth."
"Here's one," Jahari started to read a page aloud, "Mai is growing up so quickly. She's smart and funny, sweet like Kagome is. I'm happy that I spend so much time telling her about Kagome, she'll turn out more like her. I hope we run into Kagome soon, my only fear is that she's married. I don't know if my heart could take that. If we run into her, I'd ask her to be Mai's live in teacher and-"
"That's enough." Sesshomaru growled.
"Indeed," Choro agreed, "No need to…..rile anyone up. Akitoki seems to fear both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru," he flipped to a different page of the journal he was holding and read a passage, "I can see why Kagome would prefer to be protected by someone like Inuyasha. He's strong, powerful, sometimes he'll catch me looking at Kagome too long and I can feel my heartbeat in my feet. I can hear it in my ears, louder than my thoughts. Shippo said Inuyasha's brother is more fearsome. Imagining that makes my blood run cold."
"Oh here's another," Jahari was even more excited, "Shippo said I was lucky to stumble upon them when I did. They'd just run into Sesshomaru, Inuyaha's brother. He came to ask Kagome to be his ward's teacher. Shippo was….excited because he's moved to be closer to them. I've asked Kagome to help me gather some herbs for the shop this afternoon, hopefully she'll come alone and hopefully I'll have the courage to ask her if she'd care to be Mai's teacher. I know Mai is only 2 years old, but she's smart. Already talking a lot. Kagome would be a wonderful addition to our family, I wonder how Suzu would react if I asked her to move to Lady Kaede's village…"
Sesshomaru made a mental note to ask his mate about the afternoon Akitoki was referencing. Choro, however, beat him to his next question.
"So did he recount this afternoon?"
"Oh of course he did," Jahari laughed, flipping a few pages before starting to read, "Kagome brought Miroku with her big sweet smile. I couldn't bare to try and tell her I wanted to be alone with her. And she was right, Miroku knows so much about the uses of medicinal herbs….his knowledge was very helpful…I just wish…she would've come alone. Maybe she thought I couldn't protect her if something happened, that's why she brought Miroku and his spiritual powers."
"Interesting that he sees Lady Kagome as one who wants to be protected." Choro commented, "I've not been in the presence of the Lady for long, but she does not seem the type."
"She's not," Sesshomaru confirmed, "Kagome is fully capable of protecting herself."
Jahari nodded, "So it seems the boy has a strong fantasy aligned with the sweet Lady."
"Was the other similar in this way?"Choro asked
Sesshomaru nodded, "Unfortunately. He thought she was coerced, taken advantage of."
"By you?" Jahari asked, "an accusation not taken lightly, I hope."
"He's said it was taken care of, did he not?" Choro reminded, "He's been disposed of."
"In every way but physically, as I recall." Jahari agreed.
"There is one more journal that he keeps on his person." Sesshomaru let out a soft sigh, "my current priority is to obtain it."
"Would he give it to Kagome, do you think?"
"No," Jahari answered his own question, "it's too tender, too close to his heart. Maybe you, Sesshomaru, will have to be the one to obtain it."
"Maybe you should ask this of Little Rin," Choro suggested, "no one can say no to that child."
"I will discuss it with Kagome at the morning meal," Sesshomaru nodded, "there are many options."
"Let us turn to other things, Sesshomaru." Jahari's voice was playful, "tell me you aren't thrilled that Cali has been banished."
Sesshomaru joined in his friends light chuckling as the conversation moved on to their shared hobbies. Training, history, philosophy. It was almost two hours later that a knock came to the door.
Jaken leaned in carefully, "Milords, it is time for the Morning Meal."
"Thank you Jaken," Choro waved him off before turning to Sesshoamru, "Are you headed back to your rooms to escort your mate?"
Sesshomaru shook his head, "She's accompanied by her dear friends. They are equipped to handle…any unforeseen occurrence."
They stood, walking to the main dining hall. Sesshomaru could hear Inuyasha yelling at Shippo, as well as Kagome walking nearer with Sango and Miroku. As they reached the doors, he gestured for Jahari and Choro to go ahead as we waited for Kagome. When she came into view, she beamed at him.
She slid her hand into his and leaned up for a kiss. When they broke apart, she spoke, "You okay?"
"Better. Are you well?" he replied, "your conversation went well?"
"Yes, I had a lot to catch them up on." Kagome smiled, "Shall we?"
"After you, my love," Sesshomaru held open the door for her as they stepped into the bustle of the Morning Court.
*that's all folks! I really appreciate y'all taking the time to read my stories! Writing these is such a fun creative break, haha Let me know what y'all think! –Inu'sgurl97 *