Hello again, dear readers. Welcome to the 26th installment of BtSS. I'd like to start us off by thanking you all for your amazing response to the last chapter, despite its belated appearance and reduced length. Thank you also for all of your understanding about my schedule and the difficulties it presents to updating this story regularly. I truly appreciate the patience you've all shown.
I know many of you responded to the last chapter with questions and more than a bit of confusion. Strange as it may sound, that's pretty much the effect I was hoping to achieve with that chapter. I meant it to be a least a bit disorienting. I can say, though, that the majority of the questions raised in the last chapter will be answered in this one.
No mini-history lesson for today, but feel free to PM me if you encounter any pressing questions.
Dawn brought with it an abrupt awakening.
The light of day seemed harsh as it pressed upon Kagome's closed lids. As she reluctantly allowed her eyes to open, raising a hand to guard against the bright light, she realized suddenly, certainly, that she was no longer in the cave.
She could not say what made her feel so certain, only that she was. Perhaps it was merely that the remnants of that fog were finally clearing from her mind. Perhaps the surprise and horror of the whole happening had been assuaged somewhat by a good night's rest. Whatever it was, she knew that she had escaped.
Or, more accurately, had been saved. Kagome shifted, turning just enough to see his face. His eyes were closed and his head hung forward slightly. He appeared to be dozing, though his arms were still wrapped loosely about her.
A rush that was a confusing mix of embarrassment and affection heated Kagome's face, both at the position and at the memories of the previous night that it invoked. She wanted to try and pull free of the embrace, but her reluctance to wake him won out after a few moments of consideration. She remained where she was.
Despite her embarrassment, she found that she did not regret what she had told him last night in the least. She would never regret it. She had needed to say it, and every word of it had been the truth. If it was the surreal haze that surrounded the previous night that had made it easier to say, then she was grateful for it.
They would have to be more careful in the future, however, to avoid situations like the one that she found herself in at the moment. It was one thing to come to an understanding about everything, but it was quite another to put themselves in such compromising positions. In the future they would have to take into consideration the possible scandal that such a scene might cause in the court and especially the feelings of…
Well, she was not quite ready to think about that yet. Besides, there were far more daunting and immediate realities to consider.
Kohaku had kidnapped her. He had taken her to….well, she was not certain what exactly he had taken her to. Nor what the thing had been trying to accomplish in stirring up such memories and visions in her.
All that she did know was that it was something to do with the spider. She had seen it inside of Kohaku and had felt in the baby a youki a very similar to it. Somehow it was involved, and that might be the only comfort she could offer to Sango.
It was Sango, despite all else, that concerned her most. That the little brother she loved so much had done something like this, even under the control of another, would crush her. That Kagome had failed to save him when she had had the chance and that they now had little to no way of finding where he had gone would devastate her. Kagome could scarcely imagine telling her all of it. Guilt writhed in the pit of her stomach.
"Oi."
Kagome nearly jumped out of her skin, far more startled than she should have been by the quiet word.
She turned to find Inuyasha, expression solemn and eyes on her face. She blinked, wondering how long he had been awake.
"…G-Good morning," she said, unable to think of anything else to say.
He said nothing, merely looking at her for long moments. One of his hands came up slightly as if to touch her face, but after a moment of hesitation it fell back. Slowly both of his arms fell away from her.
"We need to get going," he said, gaze slipping to the trees beyond her. "That thing might decide to come back for you as long as we're out here. We need to get back to court."
"Wait," Kagome said, placing a hand on his arm as he shifted to stand. "I can't go back yet."
He shot her a sharp look.
"Kagome-"
"Please," she cut him off. "Sango-chan and Miroku-sama have no idea where I am. Shippou-chan is with them, as well. And my mission is almost finished. If you just return me to them, I can still-"
"Like hell you will!" the hanyou snarled, fangs flashing in the early morning light. "Kami, Kagome! They could've killed you! Or worse! Fuck, if I hadn't found you, they-"
"They could have done anything to me," Kagome finished softly, a chill running through her as she spoke the words. "But you did find me. You did, Inuyasha, and I don't want to think about anything else. I can't. Because if I start thinking about it now, then I'll be stuck back in that darkness forever. I'll never get out. You came for me, Inuyasha. You saved me. Nothing else matters."
His mouth twisted, and his eyes slid away from hers. He raised his hand, pulling something from beneath the collar of his robes.
It was the nenju.
"I heard you screaming," he murmured. "Screaming and screaming and screaming. I'd heard you before, but never like that. And I had no idea what was happening. If you were dying or…I just kept following the screaming, for days and days. And if I live a thousand more years, that sound is still gonna be echoing around in my skull."
He raised his eyes to her. She froze.
"For once just listen to me, Kagome. Just lemme take you back to the court, alright?" he said quietly, the words strained. "If you wanna whine and sulk once we're there, fine. Do it as much as you want. I'll listen to every damn word of it. But for once just listen to me."
Kagome bit her lip. She was helpless to do anything save nod.
"Just…" she said softly, reluctant to push the matter any further. "Just…if we can just let Miroku-sama and Sango-chan know what has happened, that I am returning to the court with you, then I will ask nothing more. Please, Inuyasha. They have done a great deal for me, and they might be in danger, as well. I cannot simply leave them out here."
Inuyasha looked at her for a long moment, frowning deeply. Abruptly he huffed out a sigh that was half-growl, tossing his head. The ghost of a smile flitted across Kagome's lips.
"Thank you," she said, understanding well enough what the sound meant.
"Feh," Inuyasha scoffed, shaking his head. "Let's just get going already. The sooner we find them, the sooner we-"
Kagome's hand on his arm brought him up short as he moved to stand once more. He found her eyes fixed on his face, as impossibly grey and piercing as he had remembered.
"Not just for this," she said solemnly. "For everything. For coming for me. You were the first person I thought to call for when…well, you were the first person I thought to call for."
Inuyasha could only look at her, at those eyes he was sure that he knew better than any others in the world, uncomfortably conscious yet again of how close he had come to never seeing them again. His hands clenched at his sides, resisting the impulse to reach for her. To assure himself once more that she was there and warm and alive and that the screaming really had stopped.
He had already allowed himself too much.
"Don't thank me," he said, hating the roughness that choked his voice. "Just…stay alive, okay?"
The eyes blinked uncertainly and he was free. He rose abruptly and strode past her, needing to move. To get further away, as far away as he could get, from this place and this feeling.
"C'mon. Let's get going already."
They debated briefly on the best way to go about finding Kagome's companions, deciding ultimately that it would be best to return to Jinenji's village and track their movements from there in the hopes that they had not gone too far. Kagome was uncertain exactly how long it had been since the day that she had left the village with Kohaku, and Inuyasha could only tell her that he had heard her crying out for days on end but had himself lost track of time as he searched for her.
It took little time for Inuyasha to get them there, and the people of Jinenji's village greeted their appearance with astonished joy. A week before Sango had gone tearing through the village, no stone left unturned in her frantic search for her brother and Kagome. The villagers had been shocked to learn of their disappearance, and Sango had been on the verge of threatening them if they continued to conceal their whereabouts.
Eventually Miroku had been able to calm her enough to convince her that the villagers had obviously had no part in their disappearance. Several days ago, after combing every last bit of the village and the area surrounding it without finding the smallest clue, Miroku and Sango had decided to set out to the south in the hopes of finding them. They had departed, but the villagers had continued the search for them for days afterwards in the hopes of finding something. No trace had been found, though, and every day they had grown more distressed at the thought that after all that she had done for them they had been unable to do anything in return for her.
Her unexpected reappearance, whole and apparently unharmed, caused such an uproar that the whole village was out to greet them in mere moments. Jinenji wept loudly and openly, wrapping her in an embrace fit almost to break bones as even his mother had to work to force back tears. The village, despite their still meager food supply, proposed a feast of celebration.
While Kagome would have liked to have remained at least long enough to explain things to them-she had no intention of putting further strain on their supplies by indulging in such a frivolous feast, however kindly meant-time was not a luxury she had. They needed to catch up with her companions and return to the court as quickly as possible.
Thus she was forced to bid a hasty farewell to the villagers, promising to visit when she could, before setting out with Inuyasha at full speed again. As they began to move southward from the village Inuyasha was able to catch enough of a scent to begin to track her companions. At the rate they travelled, Kagome's companions were able to cover quite a bit of ground in the matter of only a few days. Thankfully, though, Inuyasha was more than equal to their speed. It took them a day's worth of solid travel without rest, but at last they were able to catch up.
Night had long since descended by the time they found their camp. Two guards were on watch as per usual. They were the first to spot Inuyasha and Kagome as they approached, though in the darkness they were unable to identify them immediately.
Their astonishment was doubly great when they realized who it was that had just materialized out of the darkness before them. Not only Kagome, who they had all but given up for lost, but the Tennō, as well. For several long moments the pair could do no more than gape.
Tomiko, one of the two on duty, was the first to move, nearly tackling Kagome with the force of her embrace even as she made several confused bows in Inuyasha's direction. She was babbling something so quickly that Kagome could scarcely make out a word of it, let alone give a response. Over the woman's shoulder she saw the second guard bow low to Inuyasha before darting back into the camp.
Even with Tomiko still chattering rapidly in her ear Kagome could hear the noise that went up in the camp. Moments later there was the pounding of feet on the earth and the whole of the group emerged from beyond the line of the trees.
Sango was at the head of the group, the strained hope that pulled her features taut almost more than Kagome could bear to see. Their eyes met over Tomiko's shoulder and Kagome tensed.
This was the moment she had been dreading. The moment Sango's eyes lit up at the sight of her, only to dim slightly as she realized that Kohaku was nowhere to be found. Kagome's heart constricted in her chest.
Still Sango rushed toward her, a strangled sound escaping her as she nearly yanked her away from Tomiko and into her own embrace. Kagome's own arms came up around her tightly and she pressed her face to her friend's shoulder, a faint trembling beginning to spread through her limbs.
A moment later she felt two more pairs of arms surround her. She knew without having to glance up that it was Miroku and Shippou. Not a one of them said a word, though she could hear Shippou sniffling where he clung to her leg. She could feel herself crying, too, and did not bother to try and stop.
At length she was able to lift her eyes to meet Sango's. The older woman, her dearest friend, offered her a watery smile as she pushed back the hair that had fallen into Kagome's face. Kagome wished that the earth would open and swallow her.
"I'm so sorry, Sango," she said, her voice cracking around the words.
Sango frowned, shaking her head immediately.
"No, Kagome," she said. "No. You're here. You're alive. Nothing else-"
"I couldn't save Kohaku," Kagome interrupted her, needing to get the words out. "I tried, but…they still have him. They took him away with them. They…they've done something to him…to his mind. I think they're controlling him."
She had long since decided that she would never breathe a word of the role Kohaku had had in abducting her. He could hardly be held accountable for his actions, but Sango would never be able to understand it. She would be crushed.
Kagome would much sooner shoulder the guilt of having been unable to save him than reveal the truth of the betrayal.
Sango stared at her, wide eyes searching her face as her features paled rapidly. She looked as if they wind had been knocked out of her, her mouth moving wordlessly around the confusion of her thoughts.
A hand reached over Kagome to rest firmly on Sango's shoulder. Sango's gaze fixed on it, and she blinked as if coming out of a trance.
"He was alive when they took him?" came the voice from over Kagome's shoulder.
It was Miroku, the stolid quality to his tone easing the erratic thumping of Kagome's heart somewhat.
"Yes," she said, though it was to Sango that she directed her reply.
"And have you any reason to believe that they will do him harm any time soon?" Miroku asked in that same infinitely practical and infinitely comforting tone.
Sango's eyes were fixed over her shoulder on his face.
"No," Kagome answered immediately, not allowing herself time to consider the question. "No, I don't think so."
In all honesty it was hard for her to know. The spider youkai obviously had its reasons for wanting to control Kohaku. If those reasons went beyond her abduction, then he would be kept alive. If they did not…
There were times when delusion was infinitely kinder than the truth.
Sango's eyes lingered on Miroku's face several moments longer, her expression steadying. Her eyes slid back to Kagome's face.
"I don't blame you," she said lowly, shaking her head. "How could I? I'm just so glad you're alright. I thought…but I never gave up. I knew you would fight. If anything had happened to you, though…I-I never could have forgiven myself. I-"
She was crying now, unabashedly. It struck Kagome that, despite all that they had been through together, she had seldom seen the woman cry. It hit her how much she must have suffered, both her friend and her brother taken in one fell swoop, and she felt her eyes well with tears once more.
"It's alright," she said. "I'm alright. Inuya-The Tennō-sama saved me. Nothing happened to me. And we'll find Kohaku. I know we will. We'll find him and bring him back."
"…T-Tennō-sama?" Sango said, blinking to clear her eyes somewhat.
For the first time her gaze moved beyond Kagome's general vicinity, as if she had only just realized that anything else existed.
Inuyasha stood some distance off from the group, obviously uncomfortable. If he could have he would gladly have waited a ways off from the camp for her to finish her business with them, but he was unwilling to let her out of his sight. As Sango's eyes locked on him, he looked as if he were regretting that decision.
The noblewoman disentangled herself from Kagome, moving toward Inuyasha swiftly. The hanyou's eyes darted between Kagome and the approaching woman in askance, and he looked as if he would have bolted if he could.
Kagome only had a split second to wonder what Sango was doing when the woman practically launched herself at Inuyasha, embracing him for all that she was worth. Kagome blinked. Inuyasha turned to stone.
They were too far for her to catch what was being said as Sango's lips moved rapidly, but Kagome could only imagine it was words of gratitude for her rescue. Inuyasha relaxed slightly as she spoke and even nodded once in acknowledgement, his expression softening somewhat.
Beside her Miroku moved toward the hanyou, watching the pair. Shippou scrambled hurriedly up into her now free arms, voice so choked as he spoke that it was difficult to call the sounds escaping him words. She held him tight, stroking his hair as she watched Miroku kneel down beside her. From the corner of her eye she could see the rest of her companions follow his lead, all of them going down onto their knees in the dirt almost in unison.
Miroku arranged his hands before him, bowing lowly to Inuyasha. They all did, their foreheads nearly touching the earth. Kagome watched them as she cradled Shippou, unable to shake the feeling that the gesture was more one of thanks than respect. At any other time the thought might have troubled her, but at the moment she felt her heart swell almost painfully in her chest. She hugged Shippou more tightly, blinking hard.
Sango released Inuyasha, taking a quick step back as she recalled herself. She dipped in a low bow before him, and Kagome could see the flush that lit her features even from several lengths away. The others rose up from their places and Inuyasha took a step towards the group, his eyes moving to Kagome.
"We cannot stay long," he said shortly, with his usual skill for ruining a mood. "I am returning Kagome to the court for her own safety."
Sango glanced from her to him and back, considering this for a moment before nodding.
"That is likely for the best," she said, slipping quickly back into her role as the leader of the mission. "She will be safer there than here. With all due respect, though, your Majesty, I cannot yet return to the court. The rest of the guard may return if your Majesty wishes it, but until I find my brother…"
Inuyasha nodded.
"Fine," he said. "You have my leave to do as is necessary to retrieve your brother. Half of the guard will go with you. The other half will finish out the original mission and then report back to me. Houshi, you will take up the lead position for the mission in Tachibana's place."
Sango shot Miroku a look. Miroku turned towards Inuyasha, bowing his head to him in deference.
"If I might make a request, your Majesty," he said. "I believe I would be of more use in the search for Tachibana Kohaku."
Inuyasha frowned faintly, glancing towards Kagome. She nodded to him, understanding immediately Miroku's intentions. He wanted to be there for Sango. It seemed the disappearance of herself and Kohaku had been enough to get them past the rift that had grown up since they had stumbled across the village where Miroku's father had been cursed.
After a moment of consideration Inuyasha nodded.
"Fine," he said. "If you think you will be more useful there, I will allow it. Tachibana, I will leave it to you to determine how the two groups will be split and to appoint a leader to the second group."
Sango nodded, bowing her head to him gratefully.
"Haru-san," Kagome spoke up, adjusting the kitsune in her arms. "You are free to return to the village now, if you would like. His Majesty is willing to assign a pair of guards to escort you back. I fear I have already asked too much of you in all this."
Haru stepped towards her from among the guard, shaking his head. He made a clumsy bow in Inuyasha's direction.
"I appreciate the Tennō-sama's kind offer," he said. "But when I offered my help to Kagome-sama, it was meant to be until the mission was done. I'd like to remain with the taiji-ya, to see this thing out until the end."
"Are you certain, Haru-san?" Kagome pressed. "You would be safer returning to the village."
"Your safety is the only one I'm worried about, Kagome-sama," Haru replied, offering her a small smile. "Please, go back to the court and keep safe. I will do my best to support you out here. If I don't keep my word to you this time, I'll never be able to live with myself."
He met her eyes and Kagome hesitated. She did not like the idea of him continuing on with a guard drastically reduced in size and the spider youkai still lurking around out there somewhere. Haru was not trained to defend himself should the need arise and the spider youkai had access to a good deal of knowledge about her guard through Kohaku. There was no way of knowing if it would choose to go after them.
Still, she remembered clearly all that he had confessed to her. His desire to atone. She had no right to take that decision from him, even out of concern for his safety.
"Alright," she said. "On the condition that you stay close to the taiji-ya at all times."
His smile widened. He nodded before bowing to them both once more.
"Thank you, Kagome-sama, Tennō-sama" he said before stepping back among the guard.
"Miroku-sama, Sango-sama, the Tennō-sama and I need a word in private with you before we go," Kagome said, turning to the two.
They glanced at one another before moving forward towards Kagome and Inuyasha. Asking to be allowed a moment, Kagome handed Shippou off to Sango before moving to stand among the rest of the guard.
She expressed her thanks for all the work they had done in protecting her and said her farewells, clasping hands and exchanging promises to visit once they returned to the court. She was certain Inuyasha would want to leave as soon as they were finished speaking with Miroku and Sango, and she did not want to go without having spoken to each of them first.
Once she was done she returned to the group of four and they moved off a ways so as not to be overheard. Though she trusted them all with her life, Kagome knew that this was not a matter that they should all be involved in.
"The spider youkai was behind the abduction," Kagome said without preamble as Shippou scrambled eagerly back into her arms.
Miroku and Sango both tensed.
"How do you know?" Miroku asked a bit sharply.
"I could sense it," Kagome replied. "It wasn't actually there, but I could sense its youki. I know it was involved."
Sango looked to Miroku. He was silent for several long moments, brow furrowing as he considered this. At length he raised dark eyes to meet Kagome's, jaw set in a solemn line.
"Then, when we find Kohaku-kun, we might find the youkai, as well?" he said.
Kagome nodded.
"Yes," she said softly. "There is a chance, though I cannot say anything with certainty. I just…I thought you should know. I didn't want you to be caught off guard in case…"
"Thank you, Kagome-chan," Miroku said, his expression softening somewhat. "I appreciate the gesture."
"Just don't do anything rash, alright?" Kagome said, meeting his eyes beseechingly. "Stay with the group. Stay safe."
This last bit she directed more to Sango than Miroku. The noblewoman nodded slightly to show she understood. She would keep an eye on Miroku. She would make certain he was safe.
Truthfully Kagome had entertained for a brief moment the idea of saying nothing to Miroku about the spider youkai. He was so fixated on avenging his father's death. There was little Kagome could imagine that he would not do to accomplish it, including sacrificing his own life.
She had dismissed the idea rather quickly, though. She could only imagine how she would feel if she were in the same situation and someone who was supposed to be her friend hid such knowledge from her. She did not doubt that he would never forgive her for it.
So she had decided that she would simply have to trust him. Trust him and trust Sango to watch over him.
"We will be as careful as we possibly can, Kagome-chan," Sango replied in Miroku's stead. "And we will return, all of us, to the court as soon as we can recover Kohaku. Until then, please just focus on keeping yourself safe."
Kagome nodded, offering her friend a small smile. At her side Inuyasha stepped forward.
"We need to get going," he said. "We only came to make sure that you were fully informed before we went back to the court."
Kagome shot him a glance, slightly annoyed at his cutting their reunion so short. Everything that was absolutely essential had been conveyed, but it still felt like there was so much she wanted to say. Inuyasha, catching her look, merely shrugged before distancing himself enough to allow her to say her last good-byes.
Sango stepped forward first, embracing her once more. Shippou let out a small squeak of protest as he was sandwiched between them.
"I'm serious," Sango murmured feelingly. "You just focus on keeping yourself safe. I can take care of everything else. The court is the safer choice, but we both know that even it is not the safest. Keep close to the Tennō-sama. It seems that if there is anyone in this world capable of protecting you, it is his Majesty."
"Stay close to Miroku-sama," Kagome said in reply. "The spider youkai…I am afraid of the lengths he is willing to go to destroy it. But if you're with him, I know he will be alright. I know you can keep him safe. And keep yourself safe, as well. When you find Kohaku-kun…just keep in mind that he is not himself. The spider has a firm grip on him. But if it's you, I think you can get through to him."
Sango nodded, squeezing her tightly once more before pulling back.
Miroku stepped forward, embracing her in turn. Faintly she heard Inuyasha grumble something behind them, but he did not interfere. Miroku leaned his head down slightly until it was level with her ear, speaking softly to keep from being overheard.
"As you well know, minions of the spider youkai or the youkai itself may still be in the court," he murmured. "I want your word, Kagome-chan, that you will not seek them out."
Kagome frowned, attempting to pull back far enough to get a look at him. He tightened his grip, holding her fast.
"I know you, Kagome," he continued lowly. "I know that you will want to try and help me, but I shared the story of my father with you only under duress. I do not want to you to involve yourself in the matter any further, do you understand me? I need your word that you will not pursue it."
Kagome hesitated for a long moment. Miroku was right. She did intend to at least look into the matter of the spider youkai when she returned to court, though it was not solely for his sake. The spider was connected to the death of Inuyasha's father in some way and obviously was after her for some reason or another. With all of that on the line she could scarcely promise not to do anything.
She was spared the argument that her answer undoubtedly would have caused. The length of their embrace had stretched Inuyasha's patience to its limits, and the hanyou stepped in to yank her forcibly from the houshi's arms. Miroku stumbled forward a step, blinking in surprise.
"We need to get going," Inuyasha snapped, scowling at the other man.
Kagome frowned at him, hardly pleased with the coarseness of his manner, but nodded nonetheless.
"I wish I could stay longer, but his Majesty is right," Kagome said apologetically to her friends. "His Majesty should not be absent from the court for any longer than is absolutely necessary."
"It is alright, Kagome-chan," Sango said, coming forward to stand beside the bemused houshi. "We understand. We will see you soon back in court."
Kagome nodded.
"Yes. I will see you all again soon."
She hesitated, her eyes lingering on her friends' faces for several long moments. She simply had to believe in them.
She forced herself to turn away.
"Wait."
The unexpected voice came from inside the cradle of her arms. Kagome blinked, looking down at the kitsune.
"Shippou?"
The boy looked up at her, big green eyes solemn.
"I…I want to stay with Sango and Miroku," he said timidly.
Kagome blinked. That was the last thing she had expected to hear. She had simply taken it for granted that Shippou would want to come with her. Besides which she was his guardian. It was her responsibility to make sure that he was safe, and while the court was not the safest place it would likely be safer than if he were to remain outside.
"Shippou-"
"Kohaku's my friend," the kitsune said hurriedly, sensing a denial. "He was always really nice to me. I wanna stay with you, but I wanna help him, too. That's what friends do for each other. That's…That's what you'd do if it was your friend, isn't it? So I wanna help him, even if it means we have to be apart for awhile."
He gazed up at her, eyes meeting hers steadfastly, and she saw in that small face the flash she had seen from time to time in him of something older than his years. Some sort of simple wisdom that understood the world in a way she never could.
With a flash she recognized the moment for what it was. Perhaps she had not given birth to the kitsune, had not raised him, but some parental instinct flared up in her. This was one of those important moments. One of those moments that would either be a step towards adulthood or stumbling block in the path of it.
He wanted to help his friend. To return kindness with kindness, even if it meant being apart from her. It was honorable, a sign of something good growing inside of him.
But it was dangerous. He would be with Miroku and Sango, but she could not be there personally to ensure his safety. She would never forgive herself if anything were to happen to him while they were apart.
There was no denying that he and Kohaku had grown close during the course of their travels. Or, at least, had appeared to have grown close. After what had happened, it was difficult to say how much of what she had observed had been Kohaku and how much of it had merely been the spider biding its time inside him until the moment was right. He had seemed partial to Shippou, though. She had observed something lighter in him when he was around the kitsune. Perhaps, then, Shippou might be helpful in breaking the boy free of the spider's hold.
But was any of that really enough to justify her allowing Shippou to do something so dangerous?
"Let him go."
Kagome blinked, raising her eyes to meet Inuyasha's. She half-expected to see impatience there, merely a desire to have the decision made already so that they might go.
Inuyasha's eyes, however, rested measuringly on the kitsune. There was something almost like the beginnings of respect in his gaze, and Kagome got the feeling that he understood Shippou much better in that moment than she did.
"He's gotta grow up sometime," Inuyasha said, glancing up at her.
Kagome frowned. Of course it was easy for him to say that. He was not in charge of the boy, after all. He was not responsible for his safety and care. He could afford to speak lightly.
But he was not. She knew Inuyasha was not the type to speak flippantly about things that were truly important.
Kagome sighed.
"Alright," she said, feeling the weight of the word as it left her. "But you have to promise me that you will not separate from Sango-chan and Miroku-sama. Not even for an instant. You have to stick with them no matter what, do you understand me?"
Shippou nodded readily.
"I understand. I promise."
"We will take care of him, Kagome-chan," Sango said, stepping forward and extending her arms to the kitsune. "I promise no harm will come to him."
She offered Shippou a smile, warmed by more than merely the affection she felt for him. There was gratitude there, too, for the sake of her brother. Kagome knew that whatever the circumstances she would do her utmost to protect the kitsune.
Reluctantly she raised the kitsune up, squeezing him tightly for several long moments before handing him over to Sango. He offered her a small smile from the other woman's arms.
"Don't worry," he said. "We'll be back soon, remember?"
Kagome blinked, swallowing back the tightness she could feel growing in her throat. She nodded once and, taking one last long look at the three, turned to move away. In moments she was on Inuyasha's back and they were flying through the dark forest. She refused to look back.
She had faith in them. They would see each other again soon.
Inuyasha did not slacken his pace in the slightest on their return journey to the court. A part of her was glad for it. She was well aware of the danger of him being absent from the court, and the sooner they could get him back the better.
Another part of her was worried. Surely even a hanyou would be worn down by this grueling pace. Any time she expressed concern, however, he shrugged it off succinctly. If he felt tired he refused to show any sign of it. He was bent on getting them back to the court as quickly as his body would allow.
On the nights when she did manage to force him to take a rest -invariably by complaining of her own exhaustion)- Inuyasha always stuck close to her. Often too close. Each night when they settled in to sleep he would take up a guard near to her, though he allowed her enough space for her to be comfortable.
Inevitably, though, he would drift closer to her through the course of the night until she awoke fully to find him a scant hand's breadth or so from her. And he always seemed deeply irritated when in the morning he awoke and realized what he had done, as if he had been unable to keep himself from it. The mornings after these nights were always a little tense and silent, neither of them willing to address the matter aloud.
On Kagome's part it was largely uncertainty that left her silent. In the complete disorientation that had followed her rescue such close contact between them had not felt at all strange or improper. In a clearer state of mind it was not hard to see how compromising it all potentially was, them travelling alone together and sleeping so closely.
Still, it was hard to deny him the desire to keep an eye on her after all that had happened. It was harder to deny that she enjoyed the comfort of having him close by as she slept. In the end she said nothing to deter him from doing it, assuring herself that as soon as they arrived back in court things would go back to the way that they were supposed to be.
There proved to be little reason for his over-protectiveness. Remarkably they did not encounter a single youkai on the whole of their journey. Even stranger, Kagome could hardly sense any as they went. Usually the pressure of youki on her spiritual sense was constant as she travelled outside the court, but there were long moments at a time that she could sense nothing at all. It was slightly disconcerting, and she was not at all sure what to make of it.
In a little less than a week's time the outer gates of the court came into sight. For the first time in what seemed like forever, Inuyasha slowed his pace.
"We need to go in by the East Gate," he said, almost more to himself than to her. "Less people that way."
Less people to see him sneak back in, Kagome realized. She had suspected that he had snuck out of the court again, but some part of her had hoped that he had gone to the trouble of creating some pretence to give to the courtiers before departing this time. So much for that hope. She sighed.
As he turned his steps towards the East Gate, Kagome noticed his hand moving absently upward toward the nenju. She frowned.
"If it's bothering you that much, you don't have to wear it anymore," she said, pointing to the beads.
He blinked, glancing down at his hand as if he had only just realized what it was doing. He hastily dropped his hand back to his side, turning his head away as much as he could with her on his back. The move failed to hide entirely the faint red on his cheeks.
"Feh," was all the response she got.
Kagome's frown deepened. Throughout the entire journey back she had periodically observed him fiddling with the nenju and she could only assume it was irritating him. Perhaps she had made it too small and he had only been tolerating wearing it for her sake up to this point.
"Here, if I just undo the spiritual links holding the beads together…" she said, reaching over his shoulder to lay a hand on it.
He caught her wrist, stopping her hand just short of it. Kagome blinked, turning her eyes to his face. He shot a sharp glance at her over his shoulder.
"You gave it to me, remember?" he groused. "So it's mine. So just leave it."
Kagome blinked at him, bemused.
"If you say so," she said, lowering her hand.
"I do," he said firmly. "Now come on."
He started forward once more towards the gate. Not too long after she caught him with his hand on it again. She made no comment, merely observing him discreetly from the corner of her eye.
Perhaps he had not been tugging at it after all. It seemed more of a caress.
They entered through the East Gate, Inuyasha pulling the hood of the nondescript black cloak he wore over his hakama and karaginu up around his face. The creation of the barrier had allowed for a reduction in the number of guards posted at each gate, so thankfully there was only one man there.
Inuyasha presented him the seal of some minor clan in the court without speaking. The guard looked slightly suspicious, moving as if to have Inuyasha remove his cloak. Kagome intercepted him, presenting the special seal Inuyasha had given her months ago. The guard glanced from it to her, surprise lighting his features. Kagome offered him a perfunctory explanation about her return, claiming some essential piece of knowledge that needed to be imparted to the Tennō before Inuyasha fairly dragged her through the gates.
The cloak assured that Inuyasha went unnoticed as they made their way hurriedly to the Dairi, but the streets he guided them along were relatively empty. It was difficult to tell in so short a time, but it did not seem that the court had erupted into chaos since Inuyasha's departure. Kagome breathed a mental sigh of relief, certain that it must have been Kikyou's efforts that had held things together once again.
She made a mental note to try and find some way to make all of this up to the woman, uncomfortably aware that this was the second time Inuyasha had done something so impractical on her behalf and at Kikyou's expense.
They got past the guards at the outer gate of the Dairi without any issues, both of them taiji-ya of the Tachibana clan who recognized Kagome on sight and trusted her enough not to question her as to her companion. It was as they approached Inuyasha's quarters in the Jijūden that they received their first surprise.
As opposed to the pair that was usually assigned to the entryway of Inuyasha's chambers, there was only one guard. One that Kagome was quite familiar with.
The strained, pale features of Akitoki Hojo lit up at the sight of her.
"K-Kagome-sama," he fairly choked, taking a stumbling step towards her before hesitating as if he could not quite believe his eyes.
"Akitoki-sama," Kagome said, taking it upon herself to close the remaining distance between them. "Are you all alone here? Where is the other guard assigned to this post?"
"Kagome-sama!" he exclaimed, the sound of her voice bringing a violent flush of color to his pallid features. "It truly is you! I am so glad…I thought I might have been hallucinating…but it truly is you!"
He reached out in a gesture that was almost convulsive, his hands closing around both of hers as if to further assure himself of her presence.
"Akitoki-sama, what has happened?" Kagome asked, a cold knot beginning to form in the pit of her stomach.
The haggard look of him, skin almost waxen in hue and eyes hollow with exhaustion, was even more apparent up close. Hojo hesitated for several moments, squeezing her hands anxiously. The flesh of his palms was clammy against hers. Absently she felt Inuyasha looming just behind her, his eyes practically burning holes into their hands as he fought to keep back an outburst that would undoubtedly expose him.
Hojo's eyes darted nervously over her shoulder to Inuyasha's figure, then back towards the entryway to the Tennō's chambers. His eyes returned to her face searchingly, and something inside him appeared to give under the strain of his feelings.
"If anyone can be trusted, surely it is you, Kagome-sama," he said, as if trying to convince himself. "I have managed to keep it quiet thus far. Only those few among my clan who were chosen to serve as guards to his Majesty know what has happened, I swear it. But I am uncertain how much longer I can possibly-"
"Akitoki-sama," Kagome interrupted gently before he could work himself into a real state. "Please, take a deep breath and start from the beginning. Whatever it is, I promise I will do all I can to help you."
Hojo nodded, following her instructions and drawing a deep breath. Some of the panic went out of his features.
"I'm sorry," he murmured. "You have only just returned from such a long journey and already I am forcing all of this upon you. I truly am glad to see you returned safely to the court. I…I t-thought of you often while you were away and prayed for your well-being."
His cheeks pinked faintly, though the flush of color more closely resembled the sick glow of fever on his exhausted features. Kagome offered him a faint smile, touched by his concern for her despite his own obvious strain. A faint growl from behind them, however, quickly put an end to the moment.
Hojo's eyes darted to the hooded figure looming just behind her, his expression shifting uneasily.
"My companion is trustworthy, I assure you," Kagome said hurriedly. "Please continue, Akitoki-sama."
His eyes lingered on Inuyasha for a moment longer before he nodded, though he did not look entirely reassured.
"It was nearly two weeks ago," he resumed. "The day after the wedding ceremony. It was early morning and I was assigned a shift guarding his Majesty's chambers. I encountered her Majesty Fujiwara-sama as I arrived. She was leaving his Majesty's chambers."
"She stopped when she saw me, though, and said something about all of this being mine now to do what I could with it. She said she no longer had the strength to do it herself. I did not understand what she meant, but she hurried off before I could inquire further. I have never seen her Majesty look so…distraught before."
"I went into his Majesty's chambers, to ask if I should go after her Majesty. His…His Majesty was not there. I searched and I waited, but his Majesty was nowhere to be found. After some time I began to worry, and I decided to go after her Majesty to see if she knew where his Majesty might be."
"I went to the Fujiwara residence in search of her Majesty. I found it almost entirely empty, save a few servants cleaning up what was left. When I asked one of them what was happening, all she could tell me was that her Majesty had decided to go to the Fujiwara residence outside of the court for a time. Her Majesty had not said when she would return or…or anything else at all."
"I knew then that something must be wrong. For her Majesty to simply…simply leave so shortly after the marriage ceremony…and to clear out her residence so completely, taking even her servants with her…I told the remaining servants not to breathe a word of her Majesty's departure on pain of punishment and hurried back to his Majesty's chambers. His Majesty did not return. His Majesty…has not returned."
"I had no idea what to do. So I continued to stand guard as if his Majesty were still here. No one else seemed to be aware of his Majesty's departure, so I decided to follow the only instinct I had. I decided to conceal his Majesty's absence. I knew the court would dissolve into chaos if it got out that his Majesty had disappeared without a word, and her Majesty, as well. So I hid it all."
"I confirmed that her Majesty had departed through the East Gate with the guard who had been on duty there, and that she had taken a guard with her for protection. Thankfully he was a kinsman of mine and agreed to help me keep the matter quiet. I tried to find out when his Majesty had departed, as well, and if the Tennō-sama had left word with anyone as to where his Majesty was going. I was afraid to inquire too far, though, as I did not want to risk revealing that his Majesty was gone. And so I was unable to discover anything. I still know nothing of his Majesty's whereabouts, or when his Majesty will return."
"Even so, I believed that his Majesty would return. I enlisted the help of a few of my clansmen among his Majesty's guard who I am certain are trustworthy beyond a doubt. They have helped me to maintain the appearance that his Majesty is still present within the court and to circulate the rumor that his and her Majesty have merely withdrawn for a time to…ah, celebrate their new union in private. The pretence has been plausible enough thus far to hold up under the scrutiny of the courtiers, but I do not know how much longer I can-"
Abruptly Hojo stopped speaking, his eyes growing wide. Kagome glimpsed a flash of blood red out of her corner of her eye.
Inuyasha had lowered the hood of the dark cloak, stepping forward to reveal himself to the guardsman. Hojo's face went through such a range of colors in that instant that Kagome feared he might pass out. At last he stumbled forward a step before bowing so low that he nearly fell over.
"T-Tennō-sama," he stuttered, his voice emerging as a squeak.
"Akitoki Hojo, right?" Inuyasha said, features tense with the effort he was making to hold on to some composure in front of the man. "You and your clansmen have done well. I am grateful for your efforts and you will all be rewarded accordingly. For the time being, though, I dismiss you to go rest. I will be counting on you to maintain the silence you have kept so well this far. My reasons for departing are my own, but I give you my word that they were worthy."
Unconsciously he glanced at Kagome. Hojo followed the line of his gaze and some sort of understanding lit his features.
"I am glad to have been of service, your Majesty," he said, bowing once more and with a little more grace. "Though no reward is necessary. To see your Majesty and Kagome-sama back safely is all that I require. I will take my leave now. Please summon me if you require anything further."
He started down the walkway that went over the water, casting a glance backwards at Kagome as he went. She watched him go, her head a mess of information. Beneath it all, though, she realized how grossly she had underestimated him. Of all people she would never have suspected sweet, shy Akitoki Hojo of something like this. And yet he had likely just saved the court from tumbling back down into the depths of another throne war.
He offered her a small smile before disappearing beyond the line of her sight, and she wondered how much of it had been for her sake.
Inuyasha swept past her into his chambers, the motion enough to draw her from the whirl of her own thoughts for a moment. She moved to follow him and then hesitated, wondering if he would want her around at the moment.
Kikyou had left the court. They were married-it was difficult to pry her mind away from that fact, though she was aware it was hardly the most important one among all that had just been told-and Kikyou had left the court without so much as a word to anyone. It was difficult to believe, but at the same time it made all the sense in the world.
They had married and almost immediately after Inuyasha had dropped everything to come after her. If she had been grateful before for what he had done, it paled in comparison to the awe and trepidation that swept through her now. She had known that he had risked a great deal in leaving the court to come to her aid, but truly she had had no idea at all.
Kagome could not avoid seeing it through Kikyou's eyes, though. Only just married and the man with whom she had been in love for years had decided to run off after another woman. Likely he had not even been able to give her much of an explanation as to why he was going, beyond simply that he had a bad feeling.
He had only been trying to keep the promise he had made to protect her, but something like that would have been impossible to understand for Kikyou in light of everything else. And she had been left to hold everything together all on her own.
Kagome was disappointed at the path the noblewoman had chosen, knowing full well as she did the disaster that might have resulted from her defection, but it was not difficult to understand why she had done it. Her heart was broken.
Kagome sighed, deciding to go in after Inuyasha. She was not quite ready to venture out and risk being seen by anyone else in the court, after all, and there was really no use in delaying the inevitable. Better that they try and sort out this mess as soon as possible.
Inside the room was so dark that Kagome stumbled over a cushion, unable to see much beyond her own nose as her eyes adjusted. Inuyasha had not even bothered to light a lantern, despite the darkness that was rapidly descending outside.
Once her eyes had adjusted enough to make out the outlines of things, she could see Inuyasha standing in the far corner near the low desk that held all his stacks of papers. He was holding something-it was hard to tell what-and standing very still.
Kagome stumbled a few more steps into the room until she reached the spot where she reemembered one of the lanterns was usually kept. She groped about until she found the flint that sat beside it, striking it until a spark caught the wick inside the lantern. She lifted the light, turning back towards Inuyasha with it.
He still had not moved. He was staring down at the piece of parchment clutched in his hands, the line of his jaw set hard.
"W-what is it?" Kagome asked softly, not daring to venture any closer to him.
"She's gone," he said lowly, more to himself than to her. "She's gonna live outside the court from now on. She says she's not coming back. That I…I betrayed her…"
He was silent for several moments. Abruptly his face twisted in a snarl and he tore the note to pieces. His fist came down atop the low wooden desk and the thing splintered with a crack that was nearly deafening in the silence of the room. Kagome flinched.
"Fuck!" the hanyou shouted, the word on the verge of cracking as it left him. "Fuck! Damn it!"
It was difficult to tell from a distance, but Kagome thought she saw his hands shaking. She took a tentative step towards him.
"Inuyasha-"
"What did she expect me to do?!" he shouted, turning blazing eyes on her. "Was I supposed to just let you die?! Kami…how could she just…!?"
He cut himself off, the blaze of his anger abruptly dimming.
"…what was I supposed to do?" he murmured hoarsely. "I swore I wouldn't leave her. I swore I'd take care of her. For years, all I've been doing is running my mouth and promising her things. And it's all just been…it's all just been bullshit. I can't do anything for her. I thought if we…If we could just get through the wedding, then I'd…kami, I really fucked up this time…"
His lips twisted in a grimace of self-disgust. Kagome bit her lip, taking another cautious step towards him.
"Inuyasha," she said gently. "You haven't failed anyone. Fujiwara-sama is upset. She has misunderstood. We will summon her back. I will explain everything that happened and she will understand. She will forgive you. If you hadn't come for me, I would likely be dead now. Or…or worse. Surely Fujiwara-sama will understand that what you did was honorable."
Inuyasha raised his gaze to her, eyes dark. For a moment she saw that look in his eyes once more, the one she had seen time and again on their journey back to the court. Something terrified and tender all at the same time. Something she did not understand. Something she did not think he meant for her to see there. He looked away.
"Don't get me wrong, Kagome," he said lowly. "I don't regret what I did. I don't…I'll never regret coming after you. But I'm all Kikyou's got. And she's put up with a lot of shit for my sake. I can't leave her. I can't."
Kagome's heart twitched in her chest. She ignored it. She had known full well what she was coming back to.
"I know. I understand."
Their eyes met and held. She offered him a small smile. His expression remained heavy.
"Alright," he said. "I need to go after her. Make sure she's safe. If I hurry I can get there in a few days-"
He was already moving towards the entryway as he spoke, and Kagome caught hold of his arm to stop him.
"Inuyasha, wait," she said. "You can't possibly be thinking of going after her right now."
"You think I'm gonna wait?" he countered. "We both know how dangerous it is out there, Kagome. I can't just sit on my ass around here doing nothing."
"Just think for a moment, Inuyasha," Kagome pressed insistently. "You can't just go running off without a plan. If you leave now I will be as hard-pressed as Akitoki-sama to continue covering your absence. We simply can't continue to hide it for much longer. We need to come up with some sort of plan before you go. To at least have you show your face before the court and give some sort of excuse for going out for a time."
"Kagome…"
"Please, Inuyasha," she begged. "Just a day. Just give me one day to figure everything out before you go. Akitoki-sama said that Fujiwara-sama took a guard with her, so she should be safe. Besides, you've been travelling with barely any rest for days on end now. I know you're not human, but even you have to rest sometimes. I won't be able to do anything but worry for you if you leave without at least a night's sleep first."
It was this last bit that truly seemed to soften him, though he scoffed at the mention of him requiring rest. After a moment of indecision he gave a reluctant nod.
"Fine," he said. "We've got one day to figure it out before I go after her."
Kagome nodded, relieved. Exhaustion was beginning to settle slowly over her like a shroud. She was grateful for even the short reprieve that a night would provide.
"Good," she said. "Then I am going to retire for night to rest. Please do the same. I'll return early in the morning so that we can discuss everything and decide what needs to be done. Good night, Inuyasha."
The warmth of his hand around her wrist brought her up short as she turned to go. When she turned back to look at him she found his eyes fixed on the floor between them.
"Wait," he said, followed by a long beat of silence.
Kagome watched him uncertainly, the angle of his head making his expression almost impossible to read.
"They might not…have your rooms set for you anymore," he said at length, voice scarcely above a mumble. "You should…You should stay here for the night."
Kagome blinked, a flush that she could not control creeping across her cheeks.
"Here?" she echoed dumbly.
His eyes darted up to meet hers, a flash of his usual ire in the twitch of one dark brow even as red suffused his cheeks.
"What?" he snapped. "You'd rather stay in some dusty, stinking room that might not even have a futon in it?"
"N-No," Kagome stammered, shaking her head. "But…I mean, in here…"
She trailed off, feeling her face heat further. It was not that she thought he had any untoward intentions. If that had ever been his aim there had been innumerable chances for him to act during the course of their journey back to the court when they had slept side by side.
But she had convinced herself that things would go immediately back to normal once they returned to court and the thought of them spending the entire night alone together in his chambers just seemed so…taboo somehow. To say nothing of the scandal it would cause should they be discovered-
"Look," Inuyasha bit out, breaking her out of her thoughts before she could work herself into a real state. "I always sleep on the cushions anyway. You'll have the whole futon to yourself. It's practically the same thing as when we were out there."
He flapped his free hand in a vague gesture that she supposed was meant to indicate their time outside the court. Abruptly she realized that if she returned to the Chūgū's residence tonight, it would be the first time day or night they would be apart since he had come to her rescue.
With a twinge she realized that she was not quite ready for that yet.
She blinked, eyes turning up to scan his face. With such a flimsy pretense as his excuse-there were, after all, a great many rooms in the Chūgū's residence, one of which certainly had to be fit to be slept in-it was hard not to wonder if perhaps Inuyasha's feelings ran along the same line as her own. Kagome felt her expression soften.
"Alright," she said.
He blinked, surprised. He had expected her to put up more of a fight.
"A-Alright," he echoed a bit woodenly, nodding. "Fine, then."
"Thank you," Kagome added softly, hoping he realized that it was for more than just the place to sleep.
"Yeah," he said, a faint curl at the corner of his lips betraying the gruffness of the response.
His hand lingered around her wrist for several moments longer than necessary before releasing her. He cleared his throat awkwardly.
"Well, I'm gonna…"
He gestured vaguely towards the cushions before turning and going to flop down on a pile of them. Kagome smiled after him before heading towards the futon.
It was much larger than what she was used to. She rolled onto her back, stretching out her arms as far as they could go. It felt so wonderful to be lying on a proper bed once more. She rolled onto her side to settle in and realized that everything smelled faintly of Inuyasha. She fought against the urge to inhale deeply, losing the battle within moments.
She was aware that she should not have been as comfortable as she was given the situation. Setting aside the potentially disastrous scandal it might cause in the court should word ever get out, Inuyasha was married now. The very bed she was lying on should by all logic have been the conjugal bed, had things not gone so badly between them. The thought sobered her mood slightly.
Not by much, though. She could sense Inuyasha's presence nearby and smell him all around her. Everything was in chaos and he wanted her close by. She wanted to be close by. Nothing untoward would happen. Surely she could indulge herself for just one more night.
She inhaled deeply once more and was asleep before she knew it.
She was half roused at some point-it was difficult to tell when in the darkness of the room and through the haze of sleep that still held her-by a shifting of the futon. She murmured something garbled that was her sleep-addled mind's attempt at a question. A shushing noise issued from somewhere behind her.
"This is…this is the last time, okay?"
Warm arms wrapped about her waist. Kagome relaxed, twisting instinctively to press herself against that familiar solid warmth.
"Dammit, Kagome."
The arms twined more tightly about her, pressing her close. Kagome half-smiled in her sleep, an unthinking certainty settling over her of the absolute rightness of the moment. She drifted back into a deep sleep quickly.
"You are certain it was that dog's son that came for her?"
"Yes, Naraku-sama. It was the former Tennō-sama's blade that broke your barrier. It was the current Tennō-sama who came for her."
Silence reigned in the darkness for several long moments.
"I see," the first voice said at last, satisfaction curling lowly through it. "They are proving themselves to be greater fools than I ever could have imagined. So be it, though, if they are willing to build their own pyres to lie down on. It seems this was not a loss, after all."
"…What are my orders, Naraku-sama?" came a third voice.
"No orders, Kagura," the former voice returned coolly. "You will wait. Given time and a little encouragement, they will do my work for me. I will provide the encouragement, of course. The wind from the beating of a moth's wing has brought a useful bit of information that even you failed to provide me, Kagura. Boy."
"Yes, Naraku-sama?"
"It seems you have not yet outlived your usefulness. You have one more mission to carry out for me before I do you the kindness of death. Fail me again, however, and I will be certain to stain your hands with the blood of so many men, women, and children that not even the deepest layer of hellfire will be able to burn the stain from your soul."
The true terror of the words was in the almost passionless tone that they were spoken.
"Yes, Naraku-sama."
"Good. Then it seems that time will be my last enemy. Let the battle commence."
Some sound, loud and persistent, was trying to draw Kagome away from the comfort of oblivion and the warmth curling lowly in her stomach. Surely nothing could be better than this feeling, this unthinking contentment, and she struggled to cling to the sleep that was fast escaping her-a losing battle, as she was already conscious enough to be aware of the struggle itself. Something shifted behind her and she gave the fight over with a sigh, shifting enough to blink blearily behind her.
Wide golden eyes met her own. Suddenly Kagome was very much awake.
The situation was not at all like what it had been outside of the court. No, it was undeniably intimate. Kagome felt a flush that was not entirely of embarrassment sweep across her skin.
Her body was pressed along the solid length of his from shoulder to foot, her hips tucked neatly into the cradle of his own. One large, clawed hand was splayed across her hip. The other hand…her hakama had come untucked as she slept and his hand now rested perilously close to the bindings that were the only thing left to conceal her chest. A flare of warmth curled sharply through her at the realization.
Neither of them seemed capable of moving. The pupils of his eyes were so far dilated she could scarcely see the line of gold that ringed them. He was not breathing, and neither was she. At last he shifted, but it was not away from her-
"Tennō-sama! Your Majesty! Please, your Majesty…please, it is an urgent matter!"
Kagome gasped, jerking herself away so forcefully that she accidentally elbowed the hanyou squarely in the stomach. He swore loudly, but she was too busy scrambling free of the futon to concern herself. Her heart was hammering inside her ribcage and her body felt uncomfortably heated.
The voice was the one that had woken her in the first place, she realized, though thankfully it was coming from outside of the entryway. They hadn't been seen.
"Inuyasha," she hissed, careful to keep her voice low enough to avoid being heard. "Hurry and answer him!"
He scowled at her, his hand pressed to the spot where her elbow had connected with his gut. Kagome frowned at him, gesturing insistently with her head towards the entryway hanging.
"What is it?" Inuyasha called.
"Please, your Majesty," the guard answered, tone coloring with relief at at last receiving a response. "Your Majesty's presence is urgently required at the Western Gate. He is…he is calling for your Majesty to come out, or else he will attempt to tear down his Majesty's barrier."
Inuyasha and Kagome exchanged a sharp glance.
"What?" Inuyasha snapped, addressing the guard once more. "Who?"
There was a moment of hesitation outside the entryway.
"It…it is your Lord brother. He has returned."
Inuyasha's eyes widened. He tensed, his jaw clenching so tightly Kagome could see the muscle there tic.
"Sesshoumaru."
Dun dun dun. Yet again my penchant for cliff-hangers reigns supreme. Hopefully you all won't be left hanging too long, though, as I'm in the midst of the holiday break right now and have a little more time free to write. I'm going to try my best to get out another chapter before school starts back up again in January.
I feel as if both a lot and not a lot happened in this chapter. It's strange. I know it was a bit emotion-centric rather than plot-centric, but I swear I'm using it to build up to something important. Besides which it was just nice to focus back in on Inuyasha and Kagome being together again. I hope you all got some enjoyment out of it, too, because I certainly enjoyed writing it.
Also, Naraku's moth reference…I won't explain it right now as I'd risk spoiling something, but it is connected to something within the original series. It's such a miniscule piece of trivia that I don't really expect anyone to get it right now, but I promise it will make sense in the future.
Anyway, I hope you are all well and enjoying your holidays (if you celebrate anything. If not, I hope you're enjoying life in general). Thanks for the amazing response to the last chapter (despite its comparative brevity) and I hope you enjoyed this chapter, as well. Review if you feel so inclined. The feedback is always much appreciated.
Until next time,
E-n-B