InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cannot Be Broken ❯ Serendipity ( Chapter 4 )

Dawn came too soon. Kagome knew so personally. She did not sleep at all last night. Instead she wandered around the manor, soaking in everything, remembering every memory she could and storing it away with her to keep them fresh in her mind. Yet, she could not go near her chambers. They were empty, and seeing the many crates, filled with her things she would never see again in the hallway outside her room, was too much to put on her self.

 

She understood the reasoning behind packing light now seeing them lined up. What caravan would be able to carry it all? But she knew deep down, if they were important to have, Sesshomaru would have made some arrangements for her to take them. Since he did not, then maybe she was being pushed out of her home. Maybe she did have to start a new life without relying on her father's protection. She knew it had to happen someday, that she would have to make her own life in the world, she just never thought she would have to do so without her father's love.

 

The look he had given her in the Great Hall was so cold and dead. He was the only man she trusted, the only father she ever knew. Memories of silver and gold, love and protection, was stilled by that one look he gave her. It felt like the light and the good was stolen from him, and she was the one that took it. The thought made her breath catch. Did he love her anymore? Could a daughter give up her faith on the man that had loved and raised her by just one look?

 

Every time she thought of him, tears would sting the back of her eyes. Memories of him holding her when she was hurt, protecting her from everything that caused her angst…. She never knew her real father, but she would never want anyone other than Sesshomaru if she could choose. He was always calm and gentle, yet stern and just when she needed him to be. Her heart ached.

 

`Stop torturing yourself. You have to be brave. He taught you to be a warrior, don't let him see you afraid.' She rebuked herself, but she could not stop the childhood memories and the cold hard look that darkened them.

 

She sighed and looked out the window. The sun was now peaking in the east. It was now morning. She would be leaving with InuYasha as soon as the household was up, and by the sound of it they were stirring. Kagome held her breath to fight back her emotions. She would not have anyone see her weak, especially not InuYasha.

 

Walking down the corridor quickly to hide in her empty room, she collided into something hard making the air she was holding rush out of her. She stumbled back suddenly, but was able to catch her balance as she looked up. Immediately her gray eyes widened.

 

“Otou-san?”

 

Sesshomaru looked down at her. She almost thought he looked relieved but his face quickly turned expressionless. Maybe she was wrong. She turned her head away, heartbroken.

 

The demon lord turned his back on her quickly and she held her breath again to keep the tears of hurt and confusion back. He acted like he didn't love her anymore. Could she blame him? She made a stupid pact without thinking of whom she was making a pact with. Who could ever forgive such reckless betrayal?

 

He began to walk away from her. “Come, he is waiting for you.” His cold voice demanded.

 

Kagome nodded, unable to formulate words as she followed him down to the Great Hall. Quickly gazing around the stone meeting place, she could see that it was patched up, though chipped stone was still apparent from yesterday's events. And there waiting for her was her mother, Kikyo, Jaken, Kaede, a few court Elders and chiefs, and finally, InuYasha. Kagome noticed that Kouga was nowhere to be seen.

 

Her father grabbed her left arm tightly and guided her over to InuYasha who stood there impatiently.

 

She looked at him and her eyes narrowed into slits of hatred. He avoided her gaze. Instead he watched Sesshomaru with a sour look.

 

Everyone was quiet, and Kagome wondered what she was supposed to do now. It turned out that she would now be making another promise, one she was not ready to make.

 

“I, Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands, give you, InuYasha,” for a moment it looked as if her father were going to be sick, “Lord beneath and younger brother to this Sesshomaru, my daughter, Kagome, to be bound to you for life. You will protect her and honor her for the rest of your days.”

 

With that said he pushed Kagome roughly to stand before InuYasha. She regarded the hanyou questionably, still overwhelmed by the cold words and behavior of her father.

 

InuYasha stood tall but did not look at her. Instead he grabbed the arm that Sesshomaru let go of and pulled her roughly to his side. He did not let go, instead gave a small squeeze in reassurance before he relaxed his grip.

 

“I, InuYasha, Lord of the Western Lands, take from you, Sesshomaru,” here he rolled his eyes and growled, before continuing on hurriedly, “Lord above and older brother to this InuYasha, your daughter, Kagome, to be bound to me for life. I will protect her and honor her for the rest of my days.”

 

There was silence in the room and Kagome looked around in confusion. They all stared at her questionably. She looked up at Sesshomaru and then reluctantly at InuYasha. Both glared at her as if waiting for something. She sighed and cringed as she realized what she was being asked to do. She swallowed hard the bile that rose to her throat. “I go willingly from my father, Sesshomaru, and I will honour and,” Kagome closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, “obey my Lord and mate, InuYasha.”

 

The mating ceremony was cut down dramatically, but the words were binding. She was now mated to InuYasha, and her father's hold no longer applied. Sesshomaru turned from her and left the hall without any further word or recognition of the events that had just transpired.

 

InuYasha let go of her and walked to the doors that led outside to wait for her. He knew she needed to say her farewells alone. She would have respected that if she didn't already feel the need to hit him in the head with a hefty rock.

 

Kagome's head was spinning madly. She wanted to run after her father, to beg his forgiveness and to have him hold her again. But he had given her away, and she would honor his traditions. It was killing her softly but she would not let herself put more shame on him. She held her head high and proud, just as he had taught her, and glanced around the room regally.

 

Rin was the first to come to her and held her tight, tears streaming down her face. “Oh Kagome, that was such a lovely ceremony. I do love weddings.”

 

Kagome almost choked on the spit she was trying to swallow. It wasn't exactly what she expected her mother to say, but it rather dumbed down the whole ordeal dramatically. Thankfully, her mother never left her side as she bowed to the chiefs and elders, then Kaede, even the worthless toad demon, Jaken, who only just snubbed her. But to Kikyo, she hugged fiercely.

 

“Thank you, for everything. Thank you.”

 

Kikyo hugged back and whispered against her ear softly. “Stand strong. Do not let him break your spirit. He loves you.”

 

Kagome was confused. Did Kikyo mean Sesshomaru or InuYasha? Before she could ask, Rin was holding her again, and Kagome had to lean awkwardly so not to bump her mother's very big stomach. She got a small kick by the unborn pup in the process.

 

Kagome kneeled down and kissed her mother's stomach. “Goodbye, Little One, I will see you soon.”

 

When she stood, everyone but Rin had left the Hall. Sesshomaru was nowhere in sight. He had not come back to say goodbye to her. Hurt and saddened, Kagome quickly let it pass and turned to smile at her mother so not to worry her.

 

“I love you, Okaa-san, be well.”

 

“Oh, Kagome-chan, you will be missed dearly. But we are here, and now that the houses are joined, life will be better, you'll see.” Rin leaned up kissed her forehead.

 

Kagome stood amazed at this small woman before her. For fifteen years Rin had remained unchanged. Even though the bond with a demon also entailed a shared lifespan, Kagome knew there was more to this youthful woman and it was the fact her childlike innocence never wavered. Even now, pregnant and a mother to the new heir, she still carried hope and faith in the darkest of times. Rin was an inspiration, and Kagome never wanted for anything with that in her heart.

 

A cough erupted from the doorways outside, and Kagome turned to scowl at the inu-hanyou leaning on the frame.

 

“Come on, mate,” he smirked, “haven't got all day.”

 

“In a minute!” Kagome barked.

 

“Keh.” He turned and walked out the door. Over his back was her yellow bag.

 

Kagome was confused at that detail, but shrugged it off. She turned back again to her mother, but Rin was already walking from the room, saying something about `soaking in a hot spring' and `damned swollen ankles.'

 

The young bride cast one more glance around before she turned to walk out the doors. She begrudgingly met InuYasha at the bottom of the stairs and looked around. No one else was in sight. It seems an order was given for everyone to stay clear, for whatever reason. She looked back at the manor in one last hope to see her father, but only stone and shadowed windows looked back at her. She thought her last goodbyes, and blessed her childhood home, before finally turning to the hanyou beside her.

 

“So where now?” She sighed.

 

He looked at her and scoffed. “Home, Bitch, where did you think?” He started to walk down the lane towards the palace's stone archway that led to the open region of the Western Lands.

 

She was going to yell at him for calling her `that' again but his actions spoke louder than words. “Whoa there, dog boy, are you telling me we are walking to the eastern territory?”

 

Growling, he turned to her. “No, not all the way.”

 

She sighed a bit in relief and began to follow.

 

“I'll be running as soon as I get out of this stinking hell hole.”

 

Kagome stopped. “Run straight to the…and how exactly will we do that?”

 

“Don't know how you will, I ran all the way here to find your sorry ass. I'm okay. You on the other hand, will have to learn how to keep up.” He shifted his hold on the bag.

 

Kagome growled, and turned away from him to walk back to the manor.

 

“Oi, Wench, where do you think you're going?” He shifted quickly to her side and grabbed her arm, hauling her back to look up at him.

 

“I,” she regarded him coldly, quickly tearing her arm from his grasp, “am going to get my horse.”

 

“No, you're not!”

 

“You can't expect me to `run,' to the eastern territory! That's almost a three day travel for one on foot, and as fantastic as you think I am, my endurance is not demon enhanced!” She turned again toward the manor.

 

InuYasha was immediately in front of her and smirked down at her. “You are sworn to obey me, Wench. Come on.” He grabbed her again and swung her over his shoulder.

 

Kagome yelped as her world was turned upside down and her face was now inches from a very nice ass. She scowled. What was she thinking, nice ass? But whether it was nice or not, she didn't have time to assess its perfection. The yellow bag was bumping against her, and the contents where hard and some had pointed edges.

 

“OwOWWooohhhh! Let me down, you horse's AHHHHH!” She started to kick her legs and pull her self up on his back, only for him to let go of her flinging legs and she flipped off his back to land hard on her own on the ground, leaving her winded and dazed.

 

InuYasha turned to look down at her. “Keh, how does it feel?” With that he turned away and started to jog out of the archway towards the east. Kagome got up with burning fury and started to jog after him. She shrugged internally.

 

`At least I'm not carrying the bag.'

 

She thought too soon. Outside the archway lay the large yellow bag. She screamed inside her head, but would not give him the satisfaction of getting the best of her.

 

She hefted the bag on her back, and for once was thankful they did not have the many crates now stacked away in her old chambers. She walked forward shakily. What the hell was in this thing? She looked ahead. The bastard waited a few meters ahead with a devilish grin on his face while she looked at him with murder on hers. He didn't know what he just got himself into.

 

-+-

 

A figure stood in the shadows of an open window at the highest room and surveyed the outside world below him. He watched numbly as a part of his soul now walked out of his manor, out of his homeland, and out of his life. Yet Sesshomaru's face did not share what his heart screamed out. He would miss her, he would love her, but she could no longer be with him.

 

He turned his head slightly to recognize the miko standing behind him. Sesshomaru cast his golden eyes from the window to sense the room. They were alone. He again turned and faced the window once more while the miko moved to stand beside him and followed his gaze.

 

“She will not be happy.” Kikyo said.

 

“Hmm. Maybe not, but she will be safe.”

 

“How can you be sure Naraku will not find her there?”

 

Sesshomaru flinched slightly at the name. It was a name they both harbored fear and hatred toward for nearly fifteen years. Naraku was a traitor among demons, an abomination and a power that could rival his own. The enemy would stop at nothing to gain the power he sought. He would even sacrifice an entire village and a demon horde to claim one small child.

 

And Naraku was still looking for her.

 

With all that had happened in these last fifteen years and with all that they knew, Kagome could no longer stay here. She was no longer safe because he could no longer hide her. Especially now that a spy was in Sesshomaru's midst and it possibly knew what to look for.

 

But would she be safe from Naraku with InuYasha by her side? He guaranteed it.

 

Sesshomaru peered out the window. “Contrary to what we see, he loves her. He committed to be mated to her for the rest of his life. He could have retracted his claim, but he did not. He willingly bound himself to her, with the knowledge he bound himself to me. Knowing that we have fought for so long, that he would have given it all up for her, proves he truly does love her. He would not let Naraku take her, and with the Tetsusaiga, she could not be anywhere more safe than with him.”

 

His stern eyes flicked up to watch his daughter throw and hit his half brother clear in the head with a large stone. He held in a begrudging sigh as his enhanced hearing picked out them yelling at each other. Their voices could almost be heard by the miko even though they were over a kilometer from the manor's outer walls.

 

A small smile nearly traced the demon lord's lips. “Whether he will be safe from her is another story. He does not know what he has gotten himself into, but knowing the dumb fool, he would not have it any other way.”

 

Kikyo smiled and nodded.