Chapter 6: Onward

I opened my eyes, squinting at the bright sunlight. I tried to move but I couldn't. I looked down. Sesshomaru had his arm hooked around my waist and leg draped over me. I blushed when I started remembering what had happened last night… all of last night. I shifted my legs and I regretted it the moment I had. I was so sore all over. Was that all it took to mate someone? Did it work? Had I been saved? He pulled me closer, nuzzling into the crook of my neck. It made me feel strange inside… It was a warm fuzzy feeling.

"You're awake," I said.

"I have been awake for the past few hours. I did not wish to disturb you. You needed your rest."

"I see, thank you."

I felt so out of place. I was saved, but it was finally starting to set in. This was my life now. I was going to have to live it with a man who held no love for me and vice versa. I should be grateful. I get to live. I'll spend the rest of my days in this beautiful palace... still, a beautiful cage is a cage nonetheless.

"What now Sesshomaru?"

"Now, we go and finish this."

"We do not know when Naraku will show his face."

"I will lure him out."

"With what?"

"A month ago. My men found someone while patrolling the western border. I held onto them, to use as leverage at a later time. If and when he made his way West. However, it seems now is the right time. It seems to be someone important to him. We will use that to our advantage."

"You've planned it all out."

"Is that not one of the reasons you came to me." He said more than asked.

He released me from his hold and slid out of the bed. I watched him go into the bathroom. There was steam coming from the tub. When had he done this? Was it while I was asleep? He squeezed the body wash into the tub, I had left in the bathroom yesterday and mixed it with his hand.

Had he been paying attention to that?

My eyes traveled downward, and he cleared his throat, making me snap out of it. He walked over to me, picking me up.

"I do not need to be carried." I lied.

"You can not walk." He said matter of fact.

I felt my face get hot, but he was right. I barely had the energy to lift myself up. He stepped into the tub and sat down in the water with me, putting me between his legs. I sighed, the hot water soothed my sore muscles. I relaxed against him. I blushed, feeling him pressed up against me; despite how sore I felt. I would be lying if there was not a part of me that wanted more.

"When do we leave?" I asked cutting the silence.

"In a few hours."

"I see."

"You are uneasy."

I wrung my hands. "How can you tell?"

He touched my neck. "The mark. I now feel what you feel."

"My feelings are no longer my own... that's wonderful," I said, trying not to sound sarcastic.

My feelings were the only thing that was mine. I would have to share those too.

"Nor are mine. The mark connects us both. We are now one, for as long as we are alive."

"You seem to be okay with all of this. Mating me I mean."

"As I said before, you were the far better choice than other demonesses I have come across."

I smiled to myself, feeling a sense of pride, but it faded only seconds later.

"A lot of people are going to die, aren't they?"

"That is what happens in war. I will protect you and your friends."

"Inuyasha as well."

"He is capable of taking care of himself."

"Still, as much as he may get under my skin. He is still a friend.."

"Do you still love him?" he asked.

For a split second. I felt something, but I couldn't put my finger on it. I couldn't tell exactly where it was coming from. It was only there for a moment and then it disappeared.

"Inuyasha? No. That was a very long time ago. Those feelings are long gone. I let him go a long time ago."

"Hn."

"Why do you ask?"

"That is of no importance. You are to stay here. I must prepare some things. The final hour is approaching. The maids will attend to you while I am gone. I will be back soon."

Before I could ask him anything, he slipped out of the tub and left the room.

Sesshomaru hadn't been gone for long. When he'd returned, he had personally dressed me and fit me with armor similar to Sango's; along with armored plates that covered my vital spots. He'd given me a cedar bow, with a matching quiver and specially made arrows. He wore his usual attire; swords strapped to his sides. We rode on horseback. We had been riding for a few hours. His army marched beside us. I had never seen so many demons in one place. There were thousands of them. I had only ever seen Sesshomaru by himself for the most part. I didn't know he had all of this power on his side. This is what the Lord of the West was capable of. I noticed we were going in a different direction from the village.

"Sesshomaru, where are we going?"

"There has been a change of plans. We will be bringing the battle to Naraku. Fighting near the village will cause too many casualties. I have sent word to your friends. We should run into them while on our way."

"And this important person that you have of his. It will lure him out of the castle?"

"Hn."

"Do you always do things your way, without consulting anyone else?"

"Indeed. I am a prince. I do not answer to anyone."

"You are a mated prince. You are not alone anymore. I should be included in things like this."

"Hn."

"Is Hn, the only thing you know how to say?" I grumbled.

I could have sworn I saw him smirk out of the corner of my eye. The further we ventured on the more the landscape changed. Everything had died off. No animals could be heard. It was a familiar silence that I knew all too well. I scrunched up my nose. There was a lingering smell of miasma. Naraku's castle was close. I tucked the jewel away and tied the mask around my mouth. The miasma would get worse the further in we went. I couldn't handle it as the demons could. About twenty minutes or so had passed, and that's when I saw a familiar white head of head off in the distance. Sango, Miroku, Kikyo, and Koga stood by him. There was no sign of Kaede, and for that I was glad. She would not make it if she had come here. With Sesshomaru's help, we surely had more than enough. I clenched my jaw. I was not ready to deal with him and the many questions. I am sure that he had. Sesshomaru had stopped a few paces away from them. On cue, the rest of the army stopped. It was so precise how they moved as one. I made eye contact with Kikyo, she gave me a small smile. No doubt she thought I would die today. She was waiting for the moment that the battle would be over. Inuyasha stepped forward, his hand on the hilt of his sword.

"Oi, Kagome, what are you doing with him? What is all of this? Why are you dressed like that?"

The interrogation begins.

"She does not answer you halfbreed." Sesshomaru interjected. "You required help to defeat Naraku. I am here to pick up where you will surely fall short."

I could feel Koga's eyes on me, but I could not bring myself to look him in the eyes.

"I wasn't speaking to,-"

I gripped the horse reins. "Inuyasha! We do not have time for this!"

He scowled at me but did not say anything else. Sesshomaru and I rode off and the army followed after us. I couldn't explain anything to my friends now, but if I survived this, I was in for a painstakingly uncomfortable talk.

Sesshomaru had ordered his men to surround the castle. I felt uneasy about this entire thing. A dark cloud was cast across the land. Rays of sunlight peeking through, illuminating parts of the battlefield. It was dead silent. it only added to my uneasiness. My friends stood to the left of me. I stood between them and Sesshomaru, bow, and arrow in my hands. He must have felt my uneasiness. He placed his hand on the back of my neck, rubbing his thumb over the mark, before letting his hand drop. His reassurance helped some, but the look Inuyasha gave me did not go unnoticed. I had to focus. Naraku knew we were here. There was no way that he couldn't. What was he waiting for? He had made us wait enough, no more. I notched my bow in my arrow, aiming for the balcony door where the miasma seeped from the most. I let the arrow fly. The bright pink light soared through the sky, ripping a path through the dark cloud; letting more sunlight in. It crashed into the balcony doors and tore a hole through it. The miasma poured out, cascading down the castle side. He came lurking out of the shadows, a scowl on his face. He leaped from the balcony, transforming his arm into a tentacle. He shot spikes from his tentacle in our direction. I erected a barrier simultaneously, blocking us from his attack. He came over to us, stopping a few yards away from us.

"Where is she!?" Naraku spat.

Sesshomaru raised his hand, and seconds later the soldier brought a large trunk forward and dumped out the contents in front of us. My eyes went wide. It was Kagura, she was covered in blood and bruises, and gasping for air. The look on Naraku's face was one of pain. This is what Sesshomaru had taken from him. Why was she important to him? I studied his face a bit more. That's when I noticed the look in his eyes… he loved her. This evil man was capable of love?

"Give her back to me!"

I quickly notched another arrow in my bow, pointing it at her head.

I could feel the anger rising in me. "Why should we? The countless lives you have taken! Men, women, and children! Why do you deserve happiness!? You've been a stain on this earth for too long. The last thing I would ever do is let you be happy."

"Naraku," Kagura whispered. "I love-"

I released the arrow into her head, purifying her instantly. I watched him watch as she slowly turned into ash. I watched as the light went out in his eyes. It made me feel good to know that I had hurt him. That he was capable of feeling such pain. He deserved to feel a fraction, of what we had felt; the pain he'd forced upon us. I stepped forward and stood in her ashes. He dropped to his knees.

"Now you know of the loss we have felt."

"AHHHHHH!" he cried out.

The ground shook violently. His body rapidly changed its form. It was as if he were losing control of himself. He had grown twenty times the size of his normal form. He was a writhing blob of flesh. Holes opened up from him. Droves of demons came spilling out. This is where the real battle began.