InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Simple Legacy III ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: elle6778 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.05.2007 | Pages: 9 | Words: 9.0K | Visits: 1.1K | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 05.05.2007 | Pages: 9 | Words: 9.0K | Visits: 1.1K | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.
A/N: Thanks for the reviews and the rating!! AngelGirl101 - I'm happy that you're enjoying the drama, :P. Winter's mistres - I'll be posting every night, you'll be glad to hear! Wolf-of-black-flames-kikyo - Gah!! Keep your soul stealers away from me! Darkserenity07 - I very much doubt I'm doing better than the creator of Inuyasha, lol! Ah yes, I love pocky! HentaiVixen - (grins) Maybe they will get it on at some point, :P. Gradualwisd0m - Hehe, I hope you find this chapter squealing material as well!!
A Simple Legacy III by elle6778 - Chapter 8
Her heart thudded wildly in her chest and her fingers shook against her heated face. She could feel the breeze blowing lightly against her body, she could hear the sounds of birds chirping in the distance, but everything seemed to reach her through some sort of filter, dampened and muted.
What happened there?
One moment they had been arguing and the next, they were kissing.
Sesshoumaru and her.
Kissing.
Her heart skipped a beat and Kagome felt her face redden further as she pressed her palms harder against her cheeks. Sesshoumaru had not said a word, but she could feel him behind her, his barriers down. He was tense and she could feel his desire intermingling with shock like it was her own. Not that she blamed him. Anyone would be shocked at what just happened between them.
But she could also feel a mounting anger radiating from him, red and thick. He was mad about what had just happened between them.
Strange. She was not angry. For her, confusion and shock reigned supreme.
Suddenly, the urge to get away overrode everything else.
She gave in to it.
Without a single backward glance, she lifted her feet and took off, uncaring which direction she went. Her feet pumped the ground, her breaths coming out in shallow puffs as she continued to run and run. She did not know how long she continued to traverse the cliff tops, down the valley and further on, the greenery blurring in her vision as she sped past everything in her quest to escape. But all the while, she could not shake the feeling that Sesshoumaru was not far behind her. She did not dare to look back. She had a feeling that she would not be able to face him until she figured out exactly what had happened back there.
When she finally stopped, she bent over and gulped in much needed air. Her mad dash had released the tightly coiled tension in her and she felt calmer now. Glancing at her surroundings, she noted that she was near Kaede's village. Fanning out her senses, she tried to pinpoint Sesshoumaru's location.
Nothing.
He must have decided to leave her on her own. Maybe he had decided that he was too angry to face her. Whatever the reason, she was relieved that she could not sense his presence any longer. It was hard to think when she knew that he was not far from her. And right now, she needed to do a lot of thinking.
Straightening, she began to walk towards the village. Slowly, she let the memory of the kiss surface in her mind.
It had been mind-blowing.
But it was unexpected.
Sure she had been having not-so-innocent thoughts about the taiyoukai. But those were just thoughts. And as long as those thoughts remained in her mind, she was relatively safe from it. She had been confused about her reactions to him for weeks now and she had not been able to make sense of it. But now she had an inkling of what was happening to her. Their kiss just now had basically forced her to see the truth.
She had feelings for Sesshoumaru.
If the size of the lump in her stomach was any indication, it was a bad sign. It was definitely different, something much more that what she had ever felt for Inuyasha. This was more intense and just the realization itself was enough to make her feel like she was caught in an avalanche, with nowhere to run or hide.
She groaned. Inuyasha had been right after all. From the kiss, it was clear that Sesshoumaru also felt something. But what? Lust? What did he want from her anyway? A fling? An affair of sorts? Or something more permanent?
Who said he wanted anything from her anyway? It could have been just a one off thing. Like he momentarily lost his senses due to the pheromones from the stupid youkai. Although the thought of Sesshoumaru losing control was hard to swallow, she remembered that he had done the very same thing when under the influence of the panther youkai.
Yes, that must be it. He had lost it because of the pheromones and that was why he had been so angry afterwards. That could also explain why he was no longer following her. He must have decided to stay away until the effects were gone.
But it had felt so real. It had felt as if he really wanted her. What if it was not the pheromones and he had kissed her because he simply wanted to?
Her head pounded. She was thinking in circles. For all she knew, she might have just misread the entire situation. In her state of mind, she could very well arrive at the completely wrong conclusion.
A groan escaped her lips as she grabbed the sides of her head and shook it violently. She was doomed. If she was not careful, she would end up in a very bad state. Not that she was not already in a bad state.
Perhaps there was still time for her to get out of it. Perhaps she was simply overreacting to something simple. Sesshoumaru probably would not even remember that kiss tomorrow. Or he would simply brush the whole thing aside.
And she should do the same.
Yes, she would just try to push the entire thing to the back of her mind. When she returned to the Western Lands after this little trip, everything would be back to normal.
…***…***…***…
< br>
The sound of the gurgling stream was the only thing which surrounded him, but Sesshoumaru paid no attention to it. Sat on rock facing the stream, his mind was centered on one troublesome miko as the sun began to descend in the west.
Confused, he had simply stared after her when she suddenly ran away from him. It took him a while to compose himself before he decided to give chase, keeping her within sensing distance without approaching her directly. He had no intention of confronting her until he arrived at a rational explanation on what had just happened.
Once she had neared the village of the old miko, he had decided that she would be safe from harm. He concluded that she would seek shelter there for the night. It was only then that he had left her to seek some peace to ponder the unexpected event.
The first thing he did was attempt to banish the encounter from his mind. It was simply an aberration from the norm, nothing more. A mistake that should not be repeated. He should simply disregard it.
It did not take long for him to understand that his attempts were pitiably unsuccessful. The kiss was seared into his memory, together with her taste and her soft moans of pleasure. His lips thinned in irritation. If he could not prevent those thoughts from surfacing when she was nowhere nearby, what were the chances of him preventing it when they were back in the Western Lands? How was he supposed to avoid her?
Did he even want to avoid her?
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. Judging from the way she had fled from him, he doubted that he needed to do much avoiding. The miko had been bent on escaping him, even to the extent of running halfway across the Eastern Territories. If he was not as strong as he was, he would never have been able to follow her.
For someone who possessed no issues with confrontations, verbal or otherwise, her reaction had surprised him. It was not possible that she had found the kiss to be distasteful. In fact, he was almost certain that she would not have responded so enthusiastically if she did not hold some attraction towards him. Then why had she sought to avoid him when her attraction was clear? For the kiss they had shared told him everything. The miko had responded freely.
As he had done.
His lips tightened. In which case, it stood to reason that he was just as attracted to her. And now that he thought back upon their past interactions, he did not understand how he could have failed to notice that particular fact.
Her determination, her skills, her loyalty and her intelligence were the traits which had first caught his attention during that first month of training. Those traits had simply resulted in his respect for her. And that had been the root of the attraction. After they had embarked on the shard hunt, the fact that no other female came close to her in terms of strength had appealed to his youkai nature, marking her as a suitable mate. His past thoughts of how she would make a good mate should have alerted him to his feelings, but somehow, it had not.
His preoccupation with her lips and his reaction to her body had been further signs which he had ignored. The most recent had been the encounter at the hotsprings several weeks ago, the one which he had forcefully banished from his mind. With her fingers pressed against his skin, her body flush against his, he had been tempted to kiss her. In the end, he had simply settled for scent-marking her. That, itself, should have informed him of his attraction to her, seeing that he rarely wished for female company in such a manner. The mere thought of being burdened with a worthless female was enough to keep him from seeking one. However, in all the time he had known the miko, she had never felt like a burden to him. An annoyance, perhaps, but certainly not a burden.
The scent-marking he had freely volunteered and the fact that he always sought her company were further evidences of his feelings. Regardless of how he had justified his actions to her and Inuyasha, the scent-marking was not something he would have done simply to protect a female from the advances of other males. As for keeping her close to him for her protection, he could have simply assigned her an inuyoukai guard.
The most obvious evidence of his attraction was his reaction to the males who had sought her for a mate. His displeasure at the very thought of the miko mating with any other male apart from him should have been enough to alert him to his feelings. But once again, he had chosen not to see it.
He had foolishly disregarded all the signs.
His lips thinned in a grimace.
He would not lie to himself, now that the evidence of his feelings was so irrefutably clear. The existence of his attraction to the miko could not be simply brushed aside. If he chose to do so, he had no doubt that it would simply result in yet another unexpected encounter such the kiss they had shared. What displeased him most was the manner in which the entire situation had crept up on him slowly, without his consent, until such a point where there was no turning back.
And it was clear that such a point had come upon him.
Was there really no turning back?
Sesshoumaru expelled a heavy sigh, his brows furrowed in thought. He already knew the answer. It was everything that he had subconsciously thought of in the last few months. Something told him that he had been denying what his subconscious had known all along.
The question was, what was he going to do about it?
The fact that the miko had fled meant that she was highly unsettled by the event. He had accepted his feelings for her, but would she reciprocate? Her response to their kiss indicated that she was attracted to him, but apart from her occasional preoccupation with his body, she had shown no other sign of wanting him. His eyes narrowed in recollection of a certain incident. She had even insulted him by rejecting the notion of a farce human marriage between them.
Regardless of how she felt, Sesshoumaru knew that things would change. It was simply unthinkable that their interaction would remain unchanged. Their kiss told him that much.
There was only one obvious conclusion to this.
He would have her to himself.
She would simply have to come to terms with it. Knowing her, the task required a certain amount of persuasion on his part.
His eyes took on a predatorial gleam. He had always relished a good hunt. Judging from the miko's earlier reaction, he was certain that he would be embarking on an interesting chase.
The corner of his lips tilted.
This hunt would be different from the others.
In this hunt, he would be pursuing his future mate.
…***…***…***…
Mor ning dawned bright and early.
Kagome stood at the doorway of Kaede's hut as she stared out into the village. The old miko had left for the neighboring village soon after her arrival yesterday, so she had not been able to talk much to her.
Kagome sighed. She was not sure if she wanted to talk to Kaede about Sesshoumaru anymore anyway. Somehow, something like that felt…personal. And she had probably overreacted anyway. It did not help that sleep had eluded her last night, making it even harder for her to think. Her mind was filled with nothing but the kiss she shared with Sesshoumaru. She had decided that the best thing to do was to simply ignore it. Sesshoumaru would no doubt do the same.
She grimaced. So why was she thinking about it again? She needed to get a grip on herself.
Stepping out into the open, Kagome tried to calm her jumbled emotions. It was useless to think about it. A distraction was all she needed. And anyway, she could help around until Kaede returned.
Grabbing a basket from the side of the hut, she made her way to the forest. Maybe she could find some herbs for the old miko.
“Kagome?” A voice called out in surprise.
She spun around at the familiar voice. Then her face brightened. “Miroku! What are you doing here?” His familiar face was a welcomed one, even if she had just visited the taijiya village last week.
Her houshi friend suddenly took on an uncertain expression. Then he laughed sheepishly, his eyes darting left and right as he rubbed the back of his head. “Well, just visiting the village, you know?” he declared brightly.
Kagome's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but before she could voice her doubts, Sango appeared in the distance. Waving, Sango smiled as she reached them with Kirara mewing her own greeting by her side.
“Sango-chan!” Kagome exclaimed as she hugged her friend.
“Kagome-chan! It's nice to see you so soon again. I thought you were going shard hunting?” the taijiya asked, lifting a questioning brow. “Any news?”
The image of Sesshoumaru's heavily lidded eyes staring into hers as he nipped at her lips appeared in her mind. She quickly gave herself a mental shake. Trying to keep her face straight, Kagome replied, “Um, no…I'm just taking a quick break.”
Tilting her head to the side, Sango frowned. “Is everything alright? Where's Inuyasha?”
Kagome gestured absently, trying to change the topic. “Enough about me. What are you doing here?”
Sango and Miroku exchanged a meaningful glance as Kagome's eyes narrowed again in suspicion. “Guys?” she prompted.
Miroku finally sighed and said, “We're rebuilding the well. It was meant to be a surprise for you.”
Kagome stilled as his words sank in.
A bittersweet feeling welled-up inside her. She had not been able to make herself go anywhere near the well ever since it had been destroyed in their battle with Naraku. Something inside told her that she simply did not want to know how bad the destruction was. Vaguely, she wondered if once it was rebuilt, would it look like the one she had always known in her family shrine in the future. She sighed inwardly. Probably not. By being here, she had probably changed history. Or perhaps she was not even in the same world. This could be a parallel world for all she knew.
Forcing a smile to her face, she said weakly, “That's great.”
Sango's eyes softened. “Say, I think the well could wait. Why don't we go to the river to catch some fish or something?”
It was obvious that Sango was trying to distract her from painful memories. Shaking her head, Kagome told her, “I think I'll head into the forest to pick some wild herbs for Kaede. You guys go ahead without me.”
Miroku nodded, giving her a look of understanding. “Well, we'll see you again.”
“Take care, Kagome-chan!”
“You too.”
Waving at them, Kagome turned around and made her way into the forest.
Perhaps it was not such a good idea to come back here. It brought back memories of how she could no longer return to her own time. Not to mention that the entire thing was probably her own fault. It could only be her own blast which had taken down the entire area together with Naraku. Sighing heavily, she bent down to pick a bunch leafy herb and carefully piled them onto the others in the basket. She really should not think about it. After all, there was nothing she could do to fix it.
The sudden sound of twigs snapping made her spin around, her guards instantly raised.
When she saw who was before her, Kagome's eyes widened. She could not believe that he had tracked her down again. It was the last thing she had expected him to do after their kiss yesterday. It was too soon and she was nowhere near ready to face him.
Sesshoumaru was standing not far from her, his entire body as still as a statue. His golden orbs flickered as he stared at her intently. Then, silently, he took a few steps towards her.
He seemed…different.
She took an involuntary step back, her senses screaming with an odd mix of alarm and anticipation. Sesshoumaru seemed almost…predatorial. Her feeling of trepidation increased. What was going on? It could not possibly be the effect of the pheromones from yesterday. Sesshoumaru's youkai system would have washed it out by now.
“Miko.” His voice was silky.
Kagome gulped. A little unnerved by his tone and the odd gleam in his eyes, she took another small step backwards before she managed to utter, “What is it, Sesshoumaru? Why are you here?”
He lifted his gaze from her and shifted it to an indeterminate point in the distance. “Do you wish for this Sesshoumaru to leave?”
“Leave?” she echoed, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. Since when did Sesshoumaru ever asked something like that? He had always done whatever, whenever he pleased.
“Hn.”
She did not know what to say.
Silence descended upon them.
Tearing her gaze away to look down at the grass beneath her feet, Kagome shuffled as her agitation increased. This was really awkward. She wondered if they would ever speak of what had happened yesterday. Maybe he was here to talk about it. The moment the idea crossed her mind, she quickly discarded it. Sesshoumaru would never bring something so uncomfortable up.
A slight breeze shifted her hakama and she jerked her eyes up to find Sesshoumaru standing in front of her.
The next thing she knew, she was pulled right into his chest. Her breath rushed out of her lungs as her basket fell from her listless fingers but she did not notice it. All she noticed was the feel of his arm around her and her breast squashed against his chest plate. His eyes were unreadable as they stared down at her.
Kagome licked her dry lips. What was he doing? She wanted to ask, but the words refused to form.
His hair brushed against her cheeks, tickling her, as he lowered his head and brushed his lips against her forehead. Kagome instantly choked in a sharp breath, stunned at his actions. Was this because of what they shared yesterday? Was this his weird way of teasing her about it? He had an odd sense of humor, but this was just too much.
When he lifted his head to lock his eyes onto her, Kagome detected a twinkle of amusement in those golden orbs. A feeling of irritation suddenly bubbled inside her. Blinking rapidly to clear her head, she tried to push him away, but it was like trying to move a stone wall.
She finally aborted her futile attempts and glared at him. “Just because of what happened yesterday, it doesn't mean that you can tease me like this!” she snapped.
He quirked a brow. “Is that so?” But he made no move to release her.
“Yes!” she hissed, trying to push his arm away. She did not know how to react having him this close, behaving in such an uncharacteristic way. “Can you please let me go?”
She froze as she felt warm air stirring the hair next to her left ear before his soft lips brushed against her earlobe. Her breath caught in her throat and the fine hair at the back of her neck stood on its ends.
“Certainly,” he rumbled against her.
Then she found herself released abruptly. The sudden loss of support made her stagger unsteadily for a moment before she righted herself and tossed another glare at an expressionless Sesshoumaru.
“What was that for?” she demanded, gripping her hands into fists to stop them from shaking.
“This Sesshoumaru merely complied with your wish to be released,” he replied evenly.
She glowered. The sneaky taiyoukai was up to something. Even if she could not read his emotions, the unexpected twinkle in his eyes gave him away. She took a few steps back, suddenly feeling the need to distance herself from him. Preferably with an entire continent between them.
Planting her hands on her hips, she gritted out, “Don't pretend! You know that was not what I meant.”
He raised a brow. “Perhaps you should explain then, Miko,” he drawled smoothly as he took a step to close the gap between them. His eyes locked onto hers, making her feel as if she was drowning in those golden depths.
She gulped and quickly looked away. Then she felt a clawed finger at her chin, tilting her head up so that their eyes met again.
“Why do you look away, Miko?” His voice felt like a caress.
Her breath suspended in her chest.
He was frightening when he was like this.
Suddenly she felt annoyed. Sesshoumaru was doing this deliberately. For some reason, he had decided to take some perverse joy in embarrassing her. “Stop playing with me. I mean it, Sesshoumaru!”
His eyes glinted. “This Sesshoumaru does not play.”
Letting out an exasperated exclamation, Kagome spun around and began to walk away. She found herself suddenly jolted to a halt by a vise-like grip around her arm.
“Are you afraid of this Sesshoumaru, Miko?” he taunted.
Eyes widening, Kagome whipped around to face him. “I'm not afraid. I'm just a little confused! What's going on, Sesshoumaru? What are you doing?”
His expression was unreadable as he studied her intently. Then he loosened his hold on her and took a step back.
“Come, Miko. It is time to return to the Western Lands.”
…***…***…***…
Sesshoumaru glanced at the miko in his arms. She was holding herself stiffly, keeping as little contact as possible between them while still remaining on his cloud. It was a far cry from her usual casualness with him.
His lips twitched. Her reaction was not unexpected. It was clear that the miko was puzzled by the latest development between them and did not know how to react. Perhaps he had been too hasty in pursuing her. It appeared that the miko require some time to acclimatize to the notion. The wait would be tedious, but he would be patient.
They were fast approaching his castle. He could see the group of warriors in the training ground, going through their battle techniques under the supervision of the generals. A flash of red told him that Inuyasha was also in their midst.
A gasp sounded beside him, and he glanced down at the miko. Her eyes were fixed on the training ground in the distance.
“There are so many of them,” she exclaimed, her eyes widened disbelievingly.
“They are the Western warriors.”
She twisted around, giving him a questioning look. “How long will they be training?”
His lips twitched. Apparently, in her curiosity, she had forgotten her discomfort at his proximity. “As long as necessary.”
“Oh. I guess they haven't been fighting for centuries, huh?” she remarked thoughtfully.
“Hn.”
Sensing her interest, Sesshoumaru decided to descent close to the training ground, but far enough to ensure that the training session remained uninterrupted. Also, there was something else he wished to observe.
“Miko, cloak your scent,” he instructed quietly.
Her eyes widened. “Why?”
He closed his eyes in resignation. Must she always challenge his authority? “Now, Miko,” he said evenly.
She gave him an odd look before she shrugged. Slowly, her presence dissipated. Only then, he began to walk closer to the warriors.
“I don't think I've ever seen so many inuyoukai in one place,” she whispered in awe. Then she stilled. “Wait…Is that a horse youkai?”
“A large number are inuyoukai warriors. The rest are mixed,” he explained, keeping his voice low. “All have pledged their loyalty to the Western Lands.”
His eyes scanned the sea of warriors, watching intently as they continued to train. He was waiting to assess what the warriors were capable of before he embarked on planning a strategy to attack Ryokusen. What he had seen so far was not discouraging. A plan was beginning to form in his mind.
Then his eyes paused as they landed on a figure in red. Inuyasha appeared to be telling off one of the generals. Sesshoumaru's brows quirked. Perhaps it had been a mistake to assign Inuyasha with such responsibility, even it was temporary. The breeze carried their conversation to his ears, but it was too faint for the miko to hear.
“You're supposed to get them here an hour ago, you idiot!” Inuyasha shouted.
“Inuyasha-sama,” the general gritted out. “There was a problem back in the camp that needed resolving.”
“And what exactly is the problem?” Inuyasha challenged.
“That will be something I discuss with Sesshoumaru-sama,” the general shot back. “Not you.”
“Just spit it out, will you? Or do you want me to pull rank?” Inuyasha threatened.
A strained silence commenced. Then the general gritted out, “It's about the miko, alright! A couple warriors were fighting over the idea of courting her.”
“WHAT?! Where are they?” Inuyasha cracked his knuckles. “I'll tell them where to shove their idea.”
“You stay away from the warriors!” the general snapped.
“Keh! Try to stop me!”
Sesshoumaru growled inwardly. This young general, the one called Shin, could potentially be a problem. Inuyasha was still the son of Inu-no-Taishou and should be respected as such by his warriors. If Shin did not possess a lot of skill and was loyal to a fault, Sesshoumaru would have declined to have him in the ranks. However, Inuyasha also should have moderated his language.
It also concerned him that the warriors had the notion to court the miko. Sesshoumaru grimaced in distaste. They would be informed that the miko was out of bounds.
Then Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in surprise as they landed on one small figure near another group of warriors. The kitsune had joined in. Although he remained to one side, out of the way of the larger warriors, it was obvious that he was participating in the training, mimicking the moves the warriors were taught.
“Look, Miko,” Sesshoumaru said, inclining his head in the direction of the kitsune.
The miko's eyes widened. “Shippou is training?”
“Hn.”
Obviously surprised, the miko fell silent for a moment. And then she asked, sounding a little confused, “Is it just me, or Shippou had actually grown quite a lot in the past couple of months?”
He glanced down at her. Perhaps she did not realize how some youkai children grew. “Shippou is growing physically because he is ready to do so.”
Frowning, the miko asked, “Ready to grow? I'm not sure I follow.”
“Youkai children can remain in their childish form until they are sufficiently mature in thought. Usually, this occurs when they cease to depend on their parents. Only then, their bodies begin to grow,” he explained. Suddenly it occurred to him to wonder about the pups this miko would bear him. And then his blood heated as his mind wandered to the events which had to occur for her to conceive his pups.
Oblivious to his thought, she turned her innocent gaze to him. “Oh. I didn't realize.”
Their eyes met, and for a moment, he was tempted to kiss her again. Her eyes widened slightly in realization of his intent, her parted lips drawing his attention. His hand reached out to touch the side of her face. But before he could lower his head, he caught a flash of red out of the corner of his eyes.
Sesshoumaru bit back a growl of irritation. As always, the hanyou's sense of timing was appalling. Straightening, he let his hand drop to his side.
“Inuyasha is approaching,” he said quietly, his eyes not leaving hers.
She blinked, her eyes clearing as a blush swept over her cheeks. “Oh.”
“KAGOME!”
The miko winced, and then slowly turned around as Inuyasha skidded to a halt in front of them. The hanyou gave him a suspicious look before his expression became thunderous as he glared at the miko.
“Um…hi?” she greeted sheepishly.
“Don't you EVER do that again, you hear me?!” he yelled.
Bristling, the miko's eyes flashed. “You could have just gone home when I asked you to!”
“And leave you out there alone?” he exclaimed incredulously. “Are you out of your mind?”
“Inuyasha…” the miko gritted out.
“That's enough.” Sesshoumaru's tone was quiet, but it had the desired effect of silencing them.
But not for long.
Inuyasha spun towards him. “And what the hell took you so long? You've been away for three days!” he shouted.
Sesshoumaru simply stared at the irate hanyou. The whelp certainly required a lesson in manners. “You will not raise your voice, Inuyasha.” His voice was cold.
The hanyou's eyes bulged. “Don't lecture me! Especially after you dumped your stupid warriors onto me. Some of them are real idiots.”
Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. “Do not forget that they are your warrior as well.”
Inuyasha froze. “W-What?”
“Your inferior memory failing you, Inuyasha? Have you forgotten who your father is?”
Inuyasha sputtered incoherently.
Beside him, the miko added, “Inuyasha, I think your father would want you to be a part of this.”
“What?!”
“Do you deny your heritage, little brother?” he challenged, his eyes narrowing.
“Of course not!” the hanyou exclaimed loudly, his amber eyes flickering in confusion. “And of course I know who my father is!”
“Then your behavior should befit your station.” His voice was hard. “It is only then that you might gain the warriors' respect.”
Inuyasha simply gaped at him.
Satisfied that his message had been delivered, Sesshoumaru inclined his head at the training grounds. “Inform them that the miko is out of bounds. Any attempts to court the miko will result in severe punishment.”
Inuyasha blinked before his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “So…you're courting her?”
“HEY!” the miko exclaimed. “Enough of that already, Inuyasha!”
Ignoring her outburst, Sesshoumaru studied his brother. No doubt the hanyou was simply waiting for the opportunity to mock him for his failure to identify his attraction to the miko. However, he refused to allow Inuyasha such a satisfaction.
Even if it was justified.
So he quirked a brow. “So you wish for the warriors to pursue the miko?”
Frowning, Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. “What are you talking about? Of course not!”
How easy it was to distract the hanyou, Sesshoumaru thought with an inward smirk. Beside him, the miko rolled her eyes.
“Keh! I'll tell them, but that's it. I'm going back to the taijiya village.”
“As you wish.”
…***…***…***…
< br> Kagome yawned as she opened her eyes and blinked away the last vestiges of sleep. She sat up on her futon and stretched. Her gaze immediately landed on something just inside the shoji screen.
Curious, she stood up and walked over. When she bent down to pick it up, she realized that it was a small bow and a quiver of arrows wrapped in a large piece of cloth. A frown lodged itself between her brows as she inspected it. Although she was not an expert, she could tell that the bow had been skillfully crafted. A small symbol of a sakura was carved into one corner, telling her that it had been made for those in this castle.
Was Sesshoumaru the one who had left it here? If so, why? He had already given her the pair of kodachi. Did he think that she needed another weapon? She glanced down at the bow again, suddenly realizing that it was probably a little too pretty to be used as a real weapon. But then, why would there be a quiver of arrows next to it?
So what was it? A gift from Sesshoumaru?
Then suddenly she remembered that Sesshoumaru had said that different youkai court differently. And for inuyoukai like him, there was a courting ritual. One which he had refused to explain to her.
Her lips parted in shock.
Could this be Sesshoumaru's way of telling her that he was courting her? Was this the ritual that he had been so reluctant to fill her in about?
Standing up, she held the bow out in front of her and strung an arrow against it, testing it. A sudden flare youki pulsed outwards, making her gasp. Then light strands of energy whirled about her hands gently.
It was a demonic weapon, but one which had appeared to accept her.
She lowered the bow and frowned thoughtfully. Sesshoumaru had been behaving strange since their kiss. She was beginning to wonder if she had got it all wrong and he was in fact, really pursuing her.
But why? Sesshoumaru did not do anything without a good reason. The only reason she could think of was that he was trying to protect his own interests. After all, thanks to the sorceress, most of his strength was also hers. Could it be that Sesshoumaru had decided that he did not want any other youkai to use the strength she had gained from him?
She sighed. Although things looked bad with all the courting and the rumors, she really had to make him understand that there was nothing to worry about in that respect. The rumors did not bother her enough to make her mate the first available youkai to protect her reputation.
She frowned as something else occurred to her.
Sesshoumaru had been annoyed when Shin, one of his generals, had mistaken her for his mistress. Could he be courting her out of some sense of honor?
Her heart suddenly felt heavy. There was still a bit of her which could not help but wish that Sesshoumaru was really interested in her. But if he did, would he not have shown something before this?
Stifling the urge to scream, Kagome shook her head violently to clear it. No, she should stop thinking about him like that. Otherwise, she would only end up getting hurt.
…***…***…***…
Chi n braced on her hand, Kagome idly flicked through a bound parchment on the table in front of her. Opposite the table, Shippou and Rin were immersed in the little mathematical problem she had set them. The only sound that broke the silence was the scratching of quill-tips against parchment.
Until she heard the sound of rapid footsteps rushing down the hallway. Kagome looked up just in time to see Jaken running past, muttering something about visitors.
It looked like there were more arrivals. She had gotten used to seeing them flooding the castle for the past few weeks. At first, she had stood there to watch as they met Sesshoumaru for the first time, but after so many of those sessions, she had decided to give it a miss. She knew that things in the castle would calm down once the warriors were assigned their accommodations in the separate compound next to the castle.
Her absence in those meetings had absolutely nothing to do with her troubled feelings for him, she told herself resolutely for the hundredth time.
Turning away from the open shoji screen, Kagome's eyes landed on Shippou's hands. His fingers were growing out, looking less like a child's. She let her gaze travel up until she reached his face, noting that it was no longer as chubby as before.
“You're growing really fast, Shippou,” she remarked wistfully. Soon, he would be too big to sit in her lap.
Pausing in his writing, Shippou's green eyes widened. “Really?” Then he looked down at himself. “I guess you're right.”
“Shippou is almost as tall as Rin now,” the little girl beside piped up. “But Rin is still growing too.”
Kagome laughed. “Let's see who grows faster, huh?”
Shippou puffed up deliberately. “I'll definitely grow faster.”
The little girl stood up and looked down at Shippou, prodding him with her bare foot. “No, Rin will grow faster.”
Getting into the game, a grinning Shippou shot up and poked Rin in her stomach. “Hah! As if!”
Giggling, Rin ruffled Shippou's hair roughly and then immediately ran away. Pretending to be outraged, Shippou yelled and ran after her.
Laughing helplessly, Kagome got to her feet and chased after the two screaming children. “Stop!” Kagome yelled as they stumbled along the hallway and around the corner.
Then her eyes widened as Rin made a beeline towards the reception hall. She was positive that Sesshoumaru would not be too pleased to have his meeting with the new warriors interrupted.
“Oh no,” she groaned.
…***…***…***…
A sudden commotion sounded outside, gradually growing louder. And then the shoji screen to the reception hall slid open. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and willed his patience forth as he heard the excited yells of his ward and her kitsune playmate.
Jaken hurried to detain Rin before she could venture further into the room. “Rin! You're not supposed to be in here!”
“Sesshoumaru-sama!” Rin yelled breathlessly, ignoring Jaken's warning.
Sesshoumaru opened his eyes just in time to see the miko barreling in behind them, looking disheveled but strangely appealing. Their eyes met for a brief moment before she tore her gaze away.
As she had done for the past three days.
It was clear that she was attempting to avoid him. Sesshoumaru's lips twitched in amusement. After thanking him for his gift, she had made herself scarce. And whenever they had run into each other, she had been skittish. Finally, he had decided to allow her a few days of reprieve before he recommenced his pursuit.
He had every intention of continuing the courting ritual today, whether or nor she was prepared for it.
Until he had been presented with the unpleasant appearance of his two recent guests.
His eyes narrowed. Their expected arrival was inconvenient.
He focused his attention on the miko and the children. “What is the meaning of this, Miko?” he asked, giving her an uncompromising look. She should know better than to interrupt a conference.
To his annoyance, she did not answer him. Instead, her attention was drawn to his two guests. “Kouga!” she exclaimed exuberantly. And then in a more polite tone, she greeted, “Takeo-sama.”
The wolf prince gave her a look of surprise. “You're staying here now?”
The miko nodded. “For good, it seems.”
Kouga flicked Sesshoumaru an incredulous look. “The mutt agreed to this?”
Sesshoumaru simply regarded him silently.
The miko laughed nervously and then backtracked slowly. “Rin! Shippou! Let's go somewhere else, alright! Let's leave them to their boring battle stuff.”
Giggling, the children tumbled out of the room behind her. When the shoji screen slid shut again, Sesshoumaru turned his attention to his guests. Their inconvenient timing irked him. He simply did not require their bothersome presence while he was busy courting the miko and preparing his warriors for battle.
“What brings you here?” His voice was icy.
Flicking a sideways glance at Kouga before his eyes landed on Sesshoumaru, Takeo straightened. “We are here to propose an alliance.”
“An alliance?” Not surprising, considering the rumors he had heard with regards to the trouble in the east and south.
Kouga nodded. “The Northern forces have been attacking our territories. Just last week, a group of neko youkai destroyed one of the tribes.”
“It is time to take Ryokusen down,” Takeo added, his booming voice grating on Sesshoumaru's nerves. “But there are too many skilled warriors in his ranks for us to do it alone.”
“Indeed,” Sesshoumaru responded dryly. He knew what it was like. After all, he and the miko had faced those warriors not so long ago. The mere thought of it made his blood boil. The urge to decimate Ryokusen grew stronger.
Frowning, Kouga continued, “You know that my territories, Takeo's Southern Lands and your Western Lands are peaceful ones. We haven't had the need to maintain a full rank of warriors for centuries now. But I found out from my spies that Ryokusen for some reason had kept his warriors prepared for the last century or so.”
“Interesting,” Sesshoumaru remarked thoughtfully. It explained why Ryokusen had been so well-prepared when he and the miko had launched the attack. Perhaps the neko youkai sought to overthrow the rest of them and seize all the lands for himself?
“So, what do you say?” Takeo asked.
“The attacks had been centered in the south and the east, correct?” Sesshoumaru said evenly, suppressing his smirk. The attack on his castle had been kept quiet, so they would not know any better. “But not the West.”
Kouga bristled. “So you're not going to join us?” he burst out indignantly.
Takeo turned to Kouga and glowered darkly. “I told you it wouldn't work.”
Kouga scowled, and then turned to face Sesshoumaru. “Look. If Ryokusen continues like this, the Western Lands will not be exempt from it as well.”
Did the wolf think that he, Sesshoumaru, did not realize something that simple? He had no intention of alienating his allies. He would agree to an alliance, but only on his terms, but not before he made them squirm for it. Takeo, especially, deserved it after the distasteful prank he had pulled with the panther youkai.
“Ryokusen will fall if the West and the East combine forces,” Sesshoumaru remarked casually, leaving the rest of it unsaid.
Takeo's eyes bulged. “Wait! What about the South? My forces are not to be laughed at, Sesshoumaru.”
Quirking a brow, Sesshoumaru intoned disdainfully, “If the Southern forces could not manage a simple panther youkai, there is no reason for this Sesshoumaru to believe that you would be effective against one such as Ryokusen.”
Takeo's eyes widened further before his expression hardened. “So this is your way of retaliating against that little incident?”
Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. That little incident had almost caused him to ravage the miko. If she had not had the presence of mind to stop him, he might have killed her in his lust. Even if she managed to survive it, such an act would bring nothing but dishonor to both of them.
Frowning in confusion, Kouga asked, “What incident?” Then he turned to Takeo. “What did you do?” he snapped accusingly.
A sheepish look crossed Takeo's face. “It's a minor issue, really. Look, Sesshoumaru. Let's say we forget that little thing and move on, alright? After all, no harm was done since you managed to destroy the panther youkai.”
“What are you talking about?” Kouga asked, curiosity written all over his face. “Takeo, I'm not going to help you with anything if you don't talk.”
Takeo sighed in resignation. “Fine. I'll tell you. There was this panther youkai who had been causing problems for centuries. All of us who went near her could not destroy her. The strong ones only needed a dose of her aphrodisiac to stop them from killing her, and instead, rut with her to give her cubs.” The bear shuddered. “It's terrible. There was no way any male could stop themselves from rutting once they were hit. She got her warriors that way, by birthing all those cubs. Those warriors of hers can easily kill the weak enemies, leaving the stronger ones to her. So when I heard that Sesshoumaru and the miko were looking for the shards, I got one of my bears to bring the shards I have to the panther.” He shrugged. “Figured that with someone as cold as he is, he will not succumb to her tricks.”
Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to fling the bear youkai across the room. He had suspected it, but to hear the admission directly from Takeo's mouth infuriated him even more. He might be cold, but it did not mean that he was not susceptible to something like that.
“Did you get hit with the substance?” Kouga asked.
Sesshoumaru did not bother to answer.
An outraged Jaken stepped forward. “You dare to question Sesshoumaru-sama?! Such impudence from a lowly wolf!”
“Jaken.” His voice was low, but none could miss the warning.
Except the wolf prince.
Kouga's eyes narrowed. “So you did.” Then his eyes flared. “And Kagome was with you, wasn't she? Did you take it out on her? Did you violate her body?”
His hackles rising, Sesshoumaru simply stared at the wolf. He could not believe that he was being accused of something like this again. He was not going to justify his actions to these fools. What he chose to do with the miko did not concern them.
“You have your own mate to please, Kouga. The miko's body is none of your concern,” Sesshoumaru bit out coldly.
“So you did!” Kouga flared indignantly.
Sesshoumaru could not help but wonder if Kouga was related to Inuyasha.
“Calm down, Kouga,” Takeo quickly interjected nervously. “The miko is untouched. Can you not sense it? Sesshoumaru-”
“The bastard took advantage of Kagome!” Kouga yelled harshly. “That's why Kagome stinks of him.”
In a blink of an eye, Sesshoumaru had Kouga's neck locked in a clawed grip. Forcing the wolf's head back, Sesshoumaru leaned over and intoned dangerously, “Your insolence is astounding, Kouga.”
Kouga's eyes bulged as he tried to drag in a breath.
“Let him go, Sesshoumaru,” Takeo urged, his flickering eyes displaying his worry. “It's not like you don't know what Kouga's like. He didn't mean to offend you.”
“Hn.” Then he released his grip abruptly, watching disdainfully as the wolf coughed, his body bent over.
When Kouga looked up, his eyes were hard. “She's my friend, Sesshoumaru. And she's too good for you. If you-”
The wolf's words were muffled by Takeo's hand clamping over his mouth. Laughing loudly, Takeo boomed in an overly bright voice, “Just ignore him, Sesshoumaru. He's just an ignorant pup.”
Sesshoumaru's expression remained impassive. He had no intention of letting the wolf continue with his line of accusations, even if it meant throwing the wolf out of the castle. This conference would end now. He needed time to consider the implications of forming an alliance with the other two lords before he fully agreed.
But he knew what was expected of him, much as he disliked the notion. “It grows late. Do you accept the Western Lands' hospitality?”
Still keeping a firm grip on the irate wolf prince, Takeo nodded, “Your generosity is accepted.”
“Hn.”
“Wait, Sesshoumaru. We have a couple of other allies who will be arriving at dawn. They would be waiting outside your barrier.”
“They will be granted access at dawn.” Turning to Jaken, Sesshoumaru instructed, “Lead them to the East Wing.”
His retainer bowed. “Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama.”
With that, he left the reception hall.
What happened there?
One moment they had been arguing and the next, they were kissing.
Sesshoumaru and her.
Kissing.
Her heart skipped a beat and Kagome felt her face redden further as she pressed her palms harder against her cheeks. Sesshoumaru had not said a word, but she could feel him behind her, his barriers down. He was tense and she could feel his desire intermingling with shock like it was her own. Not that she blamed him. Anyone would be shocked at what just happened between them.
But she could also feel a mounting anger radiating from him, red and thick. He was mad about what had just happened between them.
Strange. She was not angry. For her, confusion and shock reigned supreme.
Suddenly, the urge to get away overrode everything else.
She gave in to it.
Without a single backward glance, she lifted her feet and took off, uncaring which direction she went. Her feet pumped the ground, her breaths coming out in shallow puffs as she continued to run and run. She did not know how long she continued to traverse the cliff tops, down the valley and further on, the greenery blurring in her vision as she sped past everything in her quest to escape. But all the while, she could not shake the feeling that Sesshoumaru was not far behind her. She did not dare to look back. She had a feeling that she would not be able to face him until she figured out exactly what had happened back there.
When she finally stopped, she bent over and gulped in much needed air. Her mad dash had released the tightly coiled tension in her and she felt calmer now. Glancing at her surroundings, she noted that she was near Kaede's village. Fanning out her senses, she tried to pinpoint Sesshoumaru's location.
Nothing.
He must have decided to leave her on her own. Maybe he had decided that he was too angry to face her. Whatever the reason, she was relieved that she could not sense his presence any longer. It was hard to think when she knew that he was not far from her. And right now, she needed to do a lot of thinking.
Straightening, she began to walk towards the village. Slowly, she let the memory of the kiss surface in her mind.
It had been mind-blowing.
But it was unexpected.
Sure she had been having not-so-innocent thoughts about the taiyoukai. But those were just thoughts. And as long as those thoughts remained in her mind, she was relatively safe from it. She had been confused about her reactions to him for weeks now and she had not been able to make sense of it. But now she had an inkling of what was happening to her. Their kiss just now had basically forced her to see the truth.
She had feelings for Sesshoumaru.
If the size of the lump in her stomach was any indication, it was a bad sign. It was definitely different, something much more that what she had ever felt for Inuyasha. This was more intense and just the realization itself was enough to make her feel like she was caught in an avalanche, with nowhere to run or hide.
She groaned. Inuyasha had been right after all. From the kiss, it was clear that Sesshoumaru also felt something. But what? Lust? What did he want from her anyway? A fling? An affair of sorts? Or something more permanent?
Who said he wanted anything from her anyway? It could have been just a one off thing. Like he momentarily lost his senses due to the pheromones from the stupid youkai. Although the thought of Sesshoumaru losing control was hard to swallow, she remembered that he had done the very same thing when under the influence of the panther youkai.
Yes, that must be it. He had lost it because of the pheromones and that was why he had been so angry afterwards. That could also explain why he was no longer following her. He must have decided to stay away until the effects were gone.
But it had felt so real. It had felt as if he really wanted her. What if it was not the pheromones and he had kissed her because he simply wanted to?
Her head pounded. She was thinking in circles. For all she knew, she might have just misread the entire situation. In her state of mind, she could very well arrive at the completely wrong conclusion.
A groan escaped her lips as she grabbed the sides of her head and shook it violently. She was doomed. If she was not careful, she would end up in a very bad state. Not that she was not already in a bad state.
Perhaps there was still time for her to get out of it. Perhaps she was simply overreacting to something simple. Sesshoumaru probably would not even remember that kiss tomorrow. Or he would simply brush the whole thing aside.
And she should do the same.
Yes, she would just try to push the entire thing to the back of her mind. When she returned to the Western Lands after this little trip, everything would be back to normal.
…***…***…***…
< br>
The sound of the gurgling stream was the only thing which surrounded him, but Sesshoumaru paid no attention to it. Sat on rock facing the stream, his mind was centered on one troublesome miko as the sun began to descend in the west.
Confused, he had simply stared after her when she suddenly ran away from him. It took him a while to compose himself before he decided to give chase, keeping her within sensing distance without approaching her directly. He had no intention of confronting her until he arrived at a rational explanation on what had just happened.
Once she had neared the village of the old miko, he had decided that she would be safe from harm. He concluded that she would seek shelter there for the night. It was only then that he had left her to seek some peace to ponder the unexpected event.
The first thing he did was attempt to banish the encounter from his mind. It was simply an aberration from the norm, nothing more. A mistake that should not be repeated. He should simply disregard it.
It did not take long for him to understand that his attempts were pitiably unsuccessful. The kiss was seared into his memory, together with her taste and her soft moans of pleasure. His lips thinned in irritation. If he could not prevent those thoughts from surfacing when she was nowhere nearby, what were the chances of him preventing it when they were back in the Western Lands? How was he supposed to avoid her?
Did he even want to avoid her?
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. Judging from the way she had fled from him, he doubted that he needed to do much avoiding. The miko had been bent on escaping him, even to the extent of running halfway across the Eastern Territories. If he was not as strong as he was, he would never have been able to follow her.
For someone who possessed no issues with confrontations, verbal or otherwise, her reaction had surprised him. It was not possible that she had found the kiss to be distasteful. In fact, he was almost certain that she would not have responded so enthusiastically if she did not hold some attraction towards him. Then why had she sought to avoid him when her attraction was clear? For the kiss they had shared told him everything. The miko had responded freely.
As he had done.
His lips tightened. In which case, it stood to reason that he was just as attracted to her. And now that he thought back upon their past interactions, he did not understand how he could have failed to notice that particular fact.
Her determination, her skills, her loyalty and her intelligence were the traits which had first caught his attention during that first month of training. Those traits had simply resulted in his respect for her. And that had been the root of the attraction. After they had embarked on the shard hunt, the fact that no other female came close to her in terms of strength had appealed to his youkai nature, marking her as a suitable mate. His past thoughts of how she would make a good mate should have alerted him to his feelings, but somehow, it had not.
His preoccupation with her lips and his reaction to her body had been further signs which he had ignored. The most recent had been the encounter at the hotsprings several weeks ago, the one which he had forcefully banished from his mind. With her fingers pressed against his skin, her body flush against his, he had been tempted to kiss her. In the end, he had simply settled for scent-marking her. That, itself, should have informed him of his attraction to her, seeing that he rarely wished for female company in such a manner. The mere thought of being burdened with a worthless female was enough to keep him from seeking one. However, in all the time he had known the miko, she had never felt like a burden to him. An annoyance, perhaps, but certainly not a burden.
The scent-marking he had freely volunteered and the fact that he always sought her company were further evidences of his feelings. Regardless of how he had justified his actions to her and Inuyasha, the scent-marking was not something he would have done simply to protect a female from the advances of other males. As for keeping her close to him for her protection, he could have simply assigned her an inuyoukai guard.
The most obvious evidence of his attraction was his reaction to the males who had sought her for a mate. His displeasure at the very thought of the miko mating with any other male apart from him should have been enough to alert him to his feelings. But once again, he had chosen not to see it.
He had foolishly disregarded all the signs.
His lips thinned in a grimace.
He would not lie to himself, now that the evidence of his feelings was so irrefutably clear. The existence of his attraction to the miko could not be simply brushed aside. If he chose to do so, he had no doubt that it would simply result in yet another unexpected encounter such the kiss they had shared. What displeased him most was the manner in which the entire situation had crept up on him slowly, without his consent, until such a point where there was no turning back.
And it was clear that such a point had come upon him.
Was there really no turning back?
Sesshoumaru expelled a heavy sigh, his brows furrowed in thought. He already knew the answer. It was everything that he had subconsciously thought of in the last few months. Something told him that he had been denying what his subconscious had known all along.
The question was, what was he going to do about it?
The fact that the miko had fled meant that she was highly unsettled by the event. He had accepted his feelings for her, but would she reciprocate? Her response to their kiss indicated that she was attracted to him, but apart from her occasional preoccupation with his body, she had shown no other sign of wanting him. His eyes narrowed in recollection of a certain incident. She had even insulted him by rejecting the notion of a farce human marriage between them.
Regardless of how she felt, Sesshoumaru knew that things would change. It was simply unthinkable that their interaction would remain unchanged. Their kiss told him that much.
There was only one obvious conclusion to this.
He would have her to himself.
She would simply have to come to terms with it. Knowing her, the task required a certain amount of persuasion on his part.
His eyes took on a predatorial gleam. He had always relished a good hunt. Judging from the miko's earlier reaction, he was certain that he would be embarking on an interesting chase.
The corner of his lips tilted.
This hunt would be different from the others.
In this hunt, he would be pursuing his future mate.
…***…***…***…
Mor ning dawned bright and early.
Kagome stood at the doorway of Kaede's hut as she stared out into the village. The old miko had left for the neighboring village soon after her arrival yesterday, so she had not been able to talk much to her.
Kagome sighed. She was not sure if she wanted to talk to Kaede about Sesshoumaru anymore anyway. Somehow, something like that felt…personal. And she had probably overreacted anyway. It did not help that sleep had eluded her last night, making it even harder for her to think. Her mind was filled with nothing but the kiss she shared with Sesshoumaru. She had decided that the best thing to do was to simply ignore it. Sesshoumaru would no doubt do the same.
She grimaced. So why was she thinking about it again? She needed to get a grip on herself.
Stepping out into the open, Kagome tried to calm her jumbled emotions. It was useless to think about it. A distraction was all she needed. And anyway, she could help around until Kaede returned.
Grabbing a basket from the side of the hut, she made her way to the forest. Maybe she could find some herbs for the old miko.
“Kagome?” A voice called out in surprise.
She spun around at the familiar voice. Then her face brightened. “Miroku! What are you doing here?” His familiar face was a welcomed one, even if she had just visited the taijiya village last week.
Her houshi friend suddenly took on an uncertain expression. Then he laughed sheepishly, his eyes darting left and right as he rubbed the back of his head. “Well, just visiting the village, you know?” he declared brightly.
Kagome's eyes narrowed in suspicion, but before she could voice her doubts, Sango appeared in the distance. Waving, Sango smiled as she reached them with Kirara mewing her own greeting by her side.
“Sango-chan!” Kagome exclaimed as she hugged her friend.
“Kagome-chan! It's nice to see you so soon again. I thought you were going shard hunting?” the taijiya asked, lifting a questioning brow. “Any news?”
The image of Sesshoumaru's heavily lidded eyes staring into hers as he nipped at her lips appeared in her mind. She quickly gave herself a mental shake. Trying to keep her face straight, Kagome replied, “Um, no…I'm just taking a quick break.”
Tilting her head to the side, Sango frowned. “Is everything alright? Where's Inuyasha?”
Kagome gestured absently, trying to change the topic. “Enough about me. What are you doing here?”
Sango and Miroku exchanged a meaningful glance as Kagome's eyes narrowed again in suspicion. “Guys?” she prompted.
Miroku finally sighed and said, “We're rebuilding the well. It was meant to be a surprise for you.”
Kagome stilled as his words sank in.
A bittersweet feeling welled-up inside her. She had not been able to make herself go anywhere near the well ever since it had been destroyed in their battle with Naraku. Something inside told her that she simply did not want to know how bad the destruction was. Vaguely, she wondered if once it was rebuilt, would it look like the one she had always known in her family shrine in the future. She sighed inwardly. Probably not. By being here, she had probably changed history. Or perhaps she was not even in the same world. This could be a parallel world for all she knew.
Forcing a smile to her face, she said weakly, “That's great.”
Sango's eyes softened. “Say, I think the well could wait. Why don't we go to the river to catch some fish or something?”
It was obvious that Sango was trying to distract her from painful memories. Shaking her head, Kagome told her, “I think I'll head into the forest to pick some wild herbs for Kaede. You guys go ahead without me.”
Miroku nodded, giving her a look of understanding. “Well, we'll see you again.”
“Take care, Kagome-chan!”
“You too.”
Waving at them, Kagome turned around and made her way into the forest.
Perhaps it was not such a good idea to come back here. It brought back memories of how she could no longer return to her own time. Not to mention that the entire thing was probably her own fault. It could only be her own blast which had taken down the entire area together with Naraku. Sighing heavily, she bent down to pick a bunch leafy herb and carefully piled them onto the others in the basket. She really should not think about it. After all, there was nothing she could do to fix it.
The sudden sound of twigs snapping made her spin around, her guards instantly raised.
When she saw who was before her, Kagome's eyes widened. She could not believe that he had tracked her down again. It was the last thing she had expected him to do after their kiss yesterday. It was too soon and she was nowhere near ready to face him.
Sesshoumaru was standing not far from her, his entire body as still as a statue. His golden orbs flickered as he stared at her intently. Then, silently, he took a few steps towards her.
He seemed…different.
She took an involuntary step back, her senses screaming with an odd mix of alarm and anticipation. Sesshoumaru seemed almost…predatorial. Her feeling of trepidation increased. What was going on? It could not possibly be the effect of the pheromones from yesterday. Sesshoumaru's youkai system would have washed it out by now.
“Miko.” His voice was silky.
Kagome gulped. A little unnerved by his tone and the odd gleam in his eyes, she took another small step backwards before she managed to utter, “What is it, Sesshoumaru? Why are you here?”
He lifted his gaze from her and shifted it to an indeterminate point in the distance. “Do you wish for this Sesshoumaru to leave?”
“Leave?” she echoed, her eyes narrowing suspiciously. Since when did Sesshoumaru ever asked something like that? He had always done whatever, whenever he pleased.
“Hn.”
She did not know what to say.
Silence descended upon them.
Tearing her gaze away to look down at the grass beneath her feet, Kagome shuffled as her agitation increased. This was really awkward. She wondered if they would ever speak of what had happened yesterday. Maybe he was here to talk about it. The moment the idea crossed her mind, she quickly discarded it. Sesshoumaru would never bring something so uncomfortable up.
A slight breeze shifted her hakama and she jerked her eyes up to find Sesshoumaru standing in front of her.
The next thing she knew, she was pulled right into his chest. Her breath rushed out of her lungs as her basket fell from her listless fingers but she did not notice it. All she noticed was the feel of his arm around her and her breast squashed against his chest plate. His eyes were unreadable as they stared down at her.
Kagome licked her dry lips. What was he doing? She wanted to ask, but the words refused to form.
His hair brushed against her cheeks, tickling her, as he lowered his head and brushed his lips against her forehead. Kagome instantly choked in a sharp breath, stunned at his actions. Was this because of what they shared yesterday? Was this his weird way of teasing her about it? He had an odd sense of humor, but this was just too much.
When he lifted his head to lock his eyes onto her, Kagome detected a twinkle of amusement in those golden orbs. A feeling of irritation suddenly bubbled inside her. Blinking rapidly to clear her head, she tried to push him away, but it was like trying to move a stone wall.
She finally aborted her futile attempts and glared at him. “Just because of what happened yesterday, it doesn't mean that you can tease me like this!” she snapped.
He quirked a brow. “Is that so?” But he made no move to release her.
“Yes!” she hissed, trying to push his arm away. She did not know how to react having him this close, behaving in such an uncharacteristic way. “Can you please let me go?”
She froze as she felt warm air stirring the hair next to her left ear before his soft lips brushed against her earlobe. Her breath caught in her throat and the fine hair at the back of her neck stood on its ends.
“Certainly,” he rumbled against her.
Then she found herself released abruptly. The sudden loss of support made her stagger unsteadily for a moment before she righted herself and tossed another glare at an expressionless Sesshoumaru.
“What was that for?” she demanded, gripping her hands into fists to stop them from shaking.
“This Sesshoumaru merely complied with your wish to be released,” he replied evenly.
She glowered. The sneaky taiyoukai was up to something. Even if she could not read his emotions, the unexpected twinkle in his eyes gave him away. She took a few steps back, suddenly feeling the need to distance herself from him. Preferably with an entire continent between them.
Planting her hands on her hips, she gritted out, “Don't pretend! You know that was not what I meant.”
He raised a brow. “Perhaps you should explain then, Miko,” he drawled smoothly as he took a step to close the gap between them. His eyes locked onto hers, making her feel as if she was drowning in those golden depths.
She gulped and quickly looked away. Then she felt a clawed finger at her chin, tilting her head up so that their eyes met again.
“Why do you look away, Miko?” His voice felt like a caress.
Her breath suspended in her chest.
He was frightening when he was like this.
Suddenly she felt annoyed. Sesshoumaru was doing this deliberately. For some reason, he had decided to take some perverse joy in embarrassing her. “Stop playing with me. I mean it, Sesshoumaru!”
His eyes glinted. “This Sesshoumaru does not play.”
Letting out an exasperated exclamation, Kagome spun around and began to walk away. She found herself suddenly jolted to a halt by a vise-like grip around her arm.
“Are you afraid of this Sesshoumaru, Miko?” he taunted.
Eyes widening, Kagome whipped around to face him. “I'm not afraid. I'm just a little confused! What's going on, Sesshoumaru? What are you doing?”
His expression was unreadable as he studied her intently. Then he loosened his hold on her and took a step back.
“Come, Miko. It is time to return to the Western Lands.”
…***…***…***…
Sesshoumaru glanced at the miko in his arms. She was holding herself stiffly, keeping as little contact as possible between them while still remaining on his cloud. It was a far cry from her usual casualness with him.
His lips twitched. Her reaction was not unexpected. It was clear that the miko was puzzled by the latest development between them and did not know how to react. Perhaps he had been too hasty in pursuing her. It appeared that the miko require some time to acclimatize to the notion. The wait would be tedious, but he would be patient.
They were fast approaching his castle. He could see the group of warriors in the training ground, going through their battle techniques under the supervision of the generals. A flash of red told him that Inuyasha was also in their midst.
A gasp sounded beside him, and he glanced down at the miko. Her eyes were fixed on the training ground in the distance.
“There are so many of them,” she exclaimed, her eyes widened disbelievingly.
“They are the Western warriors.”
She twisted around, giving him a questioning look. “How long will they be training?”
His lips twitched. Apparently, in her curiosity, she had forgotten her discomfort at his proximity. “As long as necessary.”
“Oh. I guess they haven't been fighting for centuries, huh?” she remarked thoughtfully.
“Hn.”
Sensing her interest, Sesshoumaru decided to descent close to the training ground, but far enough to ensure that the training session remained uninterrupted. Also, there was something else he wished to observe.
“Miko, cloak your scent,” he instructed quietly.
Her eyes widened. “Why?”
He closed his eyes in resignation. Must she always challenge his authority? “Now, Miko,” he said evenly.
She gave him an odd look before she shrugged. Slowly, her presence dissipated. Only then, he began to walk closer to the warriors.
“I don't think I've ever seen so many inuyoukai in one place,” she whispered in awe. Then she stilled. “Wait…Is that a horse youkai?”
“A large number are inuyoukai warriors. The rest are mixed,” he explained, keeping his voice low. “All have pledged their loyalty to the Western Lands.”
His eyes scanned the sea of warriors, watching intently as they continued to train. He was waiting to assess what the warriors were capable of before he embarked on planning a strategy to attack Ryokusen. What he had seen so far was not discouraging. A plan was beginning to form in his mind.
Then his eyes paused as they landed on a figure in red. Inuyasha appeared to be telling off one of the generals. Sesshoumaru's brows quirked. Perhaps it had been a mistake to assign Inuyasha with such responsibility, even it was temporary. The breeze carried their conversation to his ears, but it was too faint for the miko to hear.
“You're supposed to get them here an hour ago, you idiot!” Inuyasha shouted.
“Inuyasha-sama,” the general gritted out. “There was a problem back in the camp that needed resolving.”
“And what exactly is the problem?” Inuyasha challenged.
“That will be something I discuss with Sesshoumaru-sama,” the general shot back. “Not you.”
“Just spit it out, will you? Or do you want me to pull rank?” Inuyasha threatened.
A strained silence commenced. Then the general gritted out, “It's about the miko, alright! A couple warriors were fighting over the idea of courting her.”
“WHAT?! Where are they?” Inuyasha cracked his knuckles. “I'll tell them where to shove their idea.”
“You stay away from the warriors!” the general snapped.
“Keh! Try to stop me!”
Sesshoumaru growled inwardly. This young general, the one called Shin, could potentially be a problem. Inuyasha was still the son of Inu-no-Taishou and should be respected as such by his warriors. If Shin did not possess a lot of skill and was loyal to a fault, Sesshoumaru would have declined to have him in the ranks. However, Inuyasha also should have moderated his language.
It also concerned him that the warriors had the notion to court the miko. Sesshoumaru grimaced in distaste. They would be informed that the miko was out of bounds.
Then Sesshoumaru's eyes widened in surprise as they landed on one small figure near another group of warriors. The kitsune had joined in. Although he remained to one side, out of the way of the larger warriors, it was obvious that he was participating in the training, mimicking the moves the warriors were taught.
“Look, Miko,” Sesshoumaru said, inclining his head in the direction of the kitsune.
The miko's eyes widened. “Shippou is training?”
“Hn.”
Obviously surprised, the miko fell silent for a moment. And then she asked, sounding a little confused, “Is it just me, or Shippou had actually grown quite a lot in the past couple of months?”
He glanced down at her. Perhaps she did not realize how some youkai children grew. “Shippou is growing physically because he is ready to do so.”
Frowning, the miko asked, “Ready to grow? I'm not sure I follow.”
“Youkai children can remain in their childish form until they are sufficiently mature in thought. Usually, this occurs when they cease to depend on their parents. Only then, their bodies begin to grow,” he explained. Suddenly it occurred to him to wonder about the pups this miko would bear him. And then his blood heated as his mind wandered to the events which had to occur for her to conceive his pups.
Oblivious to his thought, she turned her innocent gaze to him. “Oh. I didn't realize.”
Their eyes met, and for a moment, he was tempted to kiss her again. Her eyes widened slightly in realization of his intent, her parted lips drawing his attention. His hand reached out to touch the side of her face. But before he could lower his head, he caught a flash of red out of the corner of his eyes.
Sesshoumaru bit back a growl of irritation. As always, the hanyou's sense of timing was appalling. Straightening, he let his hand drop to his side.
“Inuyasha is approaching,” he said quietly, his eyes not leaving hers.
She blinked, her eyes clearing as a blush swept over her cheeks. “Oh.”
“KAGOME!”
The miko winced, and then slowly turned around as Inuyasha skidded to a halt in front of them. The hanyou gave him a suspicious look before his expression became thunderous as he glared at the miko.
“Um…hi?” she greeted sheepishly.
“Don't you EVER do that again, you hear me?!” he yelled.
Bristling, the miko's eyes flashed. “You could have just gone home when I asked you to!”
“And leave you out there alone?” he exclaimed incredulously. “Are you out of your mind?”
“Inuyasha…” the miko gritted out.
“That's enough.” Sesshoumaru's tone was quiet, but it had the desired effect of silencing them.
But not for long.
Inuyasha spun towards him. “And what the hell took you so long? You've been away for three days!” he shouted.
Sesshoumaru simply stared at the irate hanyou. The whelp certainly required a lesson in manners. “You will not raise your voice, Inuyasha.” His voice was cold.
The hanyou's eyes bulged. “Don't lecture me! Especially after you dumped your stupid warriors onto me. Some of them are real idiots.”
Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. “Do not forget that they are your warrior as well.”
Inuyasha froze. “W-What?”
“Your inferior memory failing you, Inuyasha? Have you forgotten who your father is?”
Inuyasha sputtered incoherently.
Beside him, the miko added, “Inuyasha, I think your father would want you to be a part of this.”
“What?!”
“Do you deny your heritage, little brother?” he challenged, his eyes narrowing.
“Of course not!” the hanyou exclaimed loudly, his amber eyes flickering in confusion. “And of course I know who my father is!”
“Then your behavior should befit your station.” His voice was hard. “It is only then that you might gain the warriors' respect.”
Inuyasha simply gaped at him.
Satisfied that his message had been delivered, Sesshoumaru inclined his head at the training grounds. “Inform them that the miko is out of bounds. Any attempts to court the miko will result in severe punishment.”
Inuyasha blinked before his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “So…you're courting her?”
“HEY!” the miko exclaimed. “Enough of that already, Inuyasha!”
Ignoring her outburst, Sesshoumaru studied his brother. No doubt the hanyou was simply waiting for the opportunity to mock him for his failure to identify his attraction to the miko. However, he refused to allow Inuyasha such a satisfaction.
Even if it was justified.
So he quirked a brow. “So you wish for the warriors to pursue the miko?”
Frowning, Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest. “What are you talking about? Of course not!”
How easy it was to distract the hanyou, Sesshoumaru thought with an inward smirk. Beside him, the miko rolled her eyes.
“Keh! I'll tell them, but that's it. I'm going back to the taijiya village.”
“As you wish.”
…***…***…***…
< br> Kagome yawned as she opened her eyes and blinked away the last vestiges of sleep. She sat up on her futon and stretched. Her gaze immediately landed on something just inside the shoji screen.
Curious, she stood up and walked over. When she bent down to pick it up, she realized that it was a small bow and a quiver of arrows wrapped in a large piece of cloth. A frown lodged itself between her brows as she inspected it. Although she was not an expert, she could tell that the bow had been skillfully crafted. A small symbol of a sakura was carved into one corner, telling her that it had been made for those in this castle.
Was Sesshoumaru the one who had left it here? If so, why? He had already given her the pair of kodachi. Did he think that she needed another weapon? She glanced down at the bow again, suddenly realizing that it was probably a little too pretty to be used as a real weapon. But then, why would there be a quiver of arrows next to it?
So what was it? A gift from Sesshoumaru?
Then suddenly she remembered that Sesshoumaru had said that different youkai court differently. And for inuyoukai like him, there was a courting ritual. One which he had refused to explain to her.
Her lips parted in shock.
Could this be Sesshoumaru's way of telling her that he was courting her? Was this the ritual that he had been so reluctant to fill her in about?
Standing up, she held the bow out in front of her and strung an arrow against it, testing it. A sudden flare youki pulsed outwards, making her gasp. Then light strands of energy whirled about her hands gently.
It was a demonic weapon, but one which had appeared to accept her.
She lowered the bow and frowned thoughtfully. Sesshoumaru had been behaving strange since their kiss. She was beginning to wonder if she had got it all wrong and he was in fact, really pursuing her.
But why? Sesshoumaru did not do anything without a good reason. The only reason she could think of was that he was trying to protect his own interests. After all, thanks to the sorceress, most of his strength was also hers. Could it be that Sesshoumaru had decided that he did not want any other youkai to use the strength she had gained from him?
She sighed. Although things looked bad with all the courting and the rumors, she really had to make him understand that there was nothing to worry about in that respect. The rumors did not bother her enough to make her mate the first available youkai to protect her reputation.
She frowned as something else occurred to her.
Sesshoumaru had been annoyed when Shin, one of his generals, had mistaken her for his mistress. Could he be courting her out of some sense of honor?
Her heart suddenly felt heavy. There was still a bit of her which could not help but wish that Sesshoumaru was really interested in her. But if he did, would he not have shown something before this?
Stifling the urge to scream, Kagome shook her head violently to clear it. No, she should stop thinking about him like that. Otherwise, she would only end up getting hurt.
…***…***…***…
Chi n braced on her hand, Kagome idly flicked through a bound parchment on the table in front of her. Opposite the table, Shippou and Rin were immersed in the little mathematical problem she had set them. The only sound that broke the silence was the scratching of quill-tips against parchment.
Until she heard the sound of rapid footsteps rushing down the hallway. Kagome looked up just in time to see Jaken running past, muttering something about visitors.
It looked like there were more arrivals. She had gotten used to seeing them flooding the castle for the past few weeks. At first, she had stood there to watch as they met Sesshoumaru for the first time, but after so many of those sessions, she had decided to give it a miss. She knew that things in the castle would calm down once the warriors were assigned their accommodations in the separate compound next to the castle.
Her absence in those meetings had absolutely nothing to do with her troubled feelings for him, she told herself resolutely for the hundredth time.
Turning away from the open shoji screen, Kagome's eyes landed on Shippou's hands. His fingers were growing out, looking less like a child's. She let her gaze travel up until she reached his face, noting that it was no longer as chubby as before.
“You're growing really fast, Shippou,” she remarked wistfully. Soon, he would be too big to sit in her lap.
Pausing in his writing, Shippou's green eyes widened. “Really?” Then he looked down at himself. “I guess you're right.”
“Shippou is almost as tall as Rin now,” the little girl beside piped up. “But Rin is still growing too.”
Kagome laughed. “Let's see who grows faster, huh?”
Shippou puffed up deliberately. “I'll definitely grow faster.”
The little girl stood up and looked down at Shippou, prodding him with her bare foot. “No, Rin will grow faster.”
Getting into the game, a grinning Shippou shot up and poked Rin in her stomach. “Hah! As if!”
Giggling, Rin ruffled Shippou's hair roughly and then immediately ran away. Pretending to be outraged, Shippou yelled and ran after her.
Laughing helplessly, Kagome got to her feet and chased after the two screaming children. “Stop!” Kagome yelled as they stumbled along the hallway and around the corner.
Then her eyes widened as Rin made a beeline towards the reception hall. She was positive that Sesshoumaru would not be too pleased to have his meeting with the new warriors interrupted.
“Oh no,” she groaned.
…***…***…***…
A sudden commotion sounded outside, gradually growing louder. And then the shoji screen to the reception hall slid open. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and willed his patience forth as he heard the excited yells of his ward and her kitsune playmate.
Jaken hurried to detain Rin before she could venture further into the room. “Rin! You're not supposed to be in here!”
“Sesshoumaru-sama!” Rin yelled breathlessly, ignoring Jaken's warning.
Sesshoumaru opened his eyes just in time to see the miko barreling in behind them, looking disheveled but strangely appealing. Their eyes met for a brief moment before she tore her gaze away.
As she had done for the past three days.
It was clear that she was attempting to avoid him. Sesshoumaru's lips twitched in amusement. After thanking him for his gift, she had made herself scarce. And whenever they had run into each other, she had been skittish. Finally, he had decided to allow her a few days of reprieve before he recommenced his pursuit.
He had every intention of continuing the courting ritual today, whether or nor she was prepared for it.
Until he had been presented with the unpleasant appearance of his two recent guests.
His eyes narrowed. Their expected arrival was inconvenient.
He focused his attention on the miko and the children. “What is the meaning of this, Miko?” he asked, giving her an uncompromising look. She should know better than to interrupt a conference.
To his annoyance, she did not answer him. Instead, her attention was drawn to his two guests. “Kouga!” she exclaimed exuberantly. And then in a more polite tone, she greeted, “Takeo-sama.”
The wolf prince gave her a look of surprise. “You're staying here now?”
The miko nodded. “For good, it seems.”
Kouga flicked Sesshoumaru an incredulous look. “The mutt agreed to this?”
Sesshoumaru simply regarded him silently.
The miko laughed nervously and then backtracked slowly. “Rin! Shippou! Let's go somewhere else, alright! Let's leave them to their boring battle stuff.”
Giggling, the children tumbled out of the room behind her. When the shoji screen slid shut again, Sesshoumaru turned his attention to his guests. Their inconvenient timing irked him. He simply did not require their bothersome presence while he was busy courting the miko and preparing his warriors for battle.
“What brings you here?” His voice was icy.
Flicking a sideways glance at Kouga before his eyes landed on Sesshoumaru, Takeo straightened. “We are here to propose an alliance.”
“An alliance?” Not surprising, considering the rumors he had heard with regards to the trouble in the east and south.
Kouga nodded. “The Northern forces have been attacking our territories. Just last week, a group of neko youkai destroyed one of the tribes.”
“It is time to take Ryokusen down,” Takeo added, his booming voice grating on Sesshoumaru's nerves. “But there are too many skilled warriors in his ranks for us to do it alone.”
“Indeed,” Sesshoumaru responded dryly. He knew what it was like. After all, he and the miko had faced those warriors not so long ago. The mere thought of it made his blood boil. The urge to decimate Ryokusen grew stronger.
Frowning, Kouga continued, “You know that my territories, Takeo's Southern Lands and your Western Lands are peaceful ones. We haven't had the need to maintain a full rank of warriors for centuries now. But I found out from my spies that Ryokusen for some reason had kept his warriors prepared for the last century or so.”
“Interesting,” Sesshoumaru remarked thoughtfully. It explained why Ryokusen had been so well-prepared when he and the miko had launched the attack. Perhaps the neko youkai sought to overthrow the rest of them and seize all the lands for himself?
“So, what do you say?” Takeo asked.
“The attacks had been centered in the south and the east, correct?” Sesshoumaru said evenly, suppressing his smirk. The attack on his castle had been kept quiet, so they would not know any better. “But not the West.”
Kouga bristled. “So you're not going to join us?” he burst out indignantly.
Takeo turned to Kouga and glowered darkly. “I told you it wouldn't work.”
Kouga scowled, and then turned to face Sesshoumaru. “Look. If Ryokusen continues like this, the Western Lands will not be exempt from it as well.”
Did the wolf think that he, Sesshoumaru, did not realize something that simple? He had no intention of alienating his allies. He would agree to an alliance, but only on his terms, but not before he made them squirm for it. Takeo, especially, deserved it after the distasteful prank he had pulled with the panther youkai.
“Ryokusen will fall if the West and the East combine forces,” Sesshoumaru remarked casually, leaving the rest of it unsaid.
Takeo's eyes bulged. “Wait! What about the South? My forces are not to be laughed at, Sesshoumaru.”
Quirking a brow, Sesshoumaru intoned disdainfully, “If the Southern forces could not manage a simple panther youkai, there is no reason for this Sesshoumaru to believe that you would be effective against one such as Ryokusen.”
Takeo's eyes widened further before his expression hardened. “So this is your way of retaliating against that little incident?”
Sesshoumaru's lips tightened. That little incident had almost caused him to ravage the miko. If she had not had the presence of mind to stop him, he might have killed her in his lust. Even if she managed to survive it, such an act would bring nothing but dishonor to both of them.
Frowning in confusion, Kouga asked, “What incident?” Then he turned to Takeo. “What did you do?” he snapped accusingly.
A sheepish look crossed Takeo's face. “It's a minor issue, really. Look, Sesshoumaru. Let's say we forget that little thing and move on, alright? After all, no harm was done since you managed to destroy the panther youkai.”
“What are you talking about?” Kouga asked, curiosity written all over his face. “Takeo, I'm not going to help you with anything if you don't talk.”
Takeo sighed in resignation. “Fine. I'll tell you. There was this panther youkai who had been causing problems for centuries. All of us who went near her could not destroy her. The strong ones only needed a dose of her aphrodisiac to stop them from killing her, and instead, rut with her to give her cubs.” The bear shuddered. “It's terrible. There was no way any male could stop themselves from rutting once they were hit. She got her warriors that way, by birthing all those cubs. Those warriors of hers can easily kill the weak enemies, leaving the stronger ones to her. So when I heard that Sesshoumaru and the miko were looking for the shards, I got one of my bears to bring the shards I have to the panther.” He shrugged. “Figured that with someone as cold as he is, he will not succumb to her tricks.”
Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to fling the bear youkai across the room. He had suspected it, but to hear the admission directly from Takeo's mouth infuriated him even more. He might be cold, but it did not mean that he was not susceptible to something like that.
“Did you get hit with the substance?” Kouga asked.
Sesshoumaru did not bother to answer.
An outraged Jaken stepped forward. “You dare to question Sesshoumaru-sama?! Such impudence from a lowly wolf!”
“Jaken.” His voice was low, but none could miss the warning.
Except the wolf prince.
Kouga's eyes narrowed. “So you did.” Then his eyes flared. “And Kagome was with you, wasn't she? Did you take it out on her? Did you violate her body?”
His hackles rising, Sesshoumaru simply stared at the wolf. He could not believe that he was being accused of something like this again. He was not going to justify his actions to these fools. What he chose to do with the miko did not concern them.
“You have your own mate to please, Kouga. The miko's body is none of your concern,” Sesshoumaru bit out coldly.
“So you did!” Kouga flared indignantly.
Sesshoumaru could not help but wonder if Kouga was related to Inuyasha.
“Calm down, Kouga,” Takeo quickly interjected nervously. “The miko is untouched. Can you not sense it? Sesshoumaru-”
“The bastard took advantage of Kagome!” Kouga yelled harshly. “That's why Kagome stinks of him.”
In a blink of an eye, Sesshoumaru had Kouga's neck locked in a clawed grip. Forcing the wolf's head back, Sesshoumaru leaned over and intoned dangerously, “Your insolence is astounding, Kouga.”
Kouga's eyes bulged as he tried to drag in a breath.
“Let him go, Sesshoumaru,” Takeo urged, his flickering eyes displaying his worry. “It's not like you don't know what Kouga's like. He didn't mean to offend you.”
“Hn.” Then he released his grip abruptly, watching disdainfully as the wolf coughed, his body bent over.
When Kouga looked up, his eyes were hard. “She's my friend, Sesshoumaru. And she's too good for you. If you-”
The wolf's words were muffled by Takeo's hand clamping over his mouth. Laughing loudly, Takeo boomed in an overly bright voice, “Just ignore him, Sesshoumaru. He's just an ignorant pup.”
Sesshoumaru's expression remained impassive. He had no intention of letting the wolf continue with his line of accusations, even if it meant throwing the wolf out of the castle. This conference would end now. He needed time to consider the implications of forming an alliance with the other two lords before he fully agreed.
But he knew what was expected of him, much as he disliked the notion. “It grows late. Do you accept the Western Lands' hospitality?”
Still keeping a firm grip on the irate wolf prince, Takeo nodded, “Your generosity is accepted.”
“Hn.”
“Wait, Sesshoumaru. We have a couple of other allies who will be arriving at dawn. They would be waiting outside your barrier.”
“They will be granted access at dawn.” Turning to Jaken, Sesshoumaru instructed, “Lead them to the East Wing.”
His retainer bowed. “Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama.”
With that, he left the reception hall.
...***…***…***…
A/N: Okay…now this is definitely not a cliffie, right? (grins) I hope you've all enjoyed this chapter. Please review and let me know what you think. Thanks!