InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Chou Shoki I: Learning from Yesterday ❯ Chapter 25 ( Chapter 24 )

Prolonged endurance tames the bold.

-Lord Byron

 

CHAPTER 25

 

He felt frustrated. He had no way of getting near her without alerting the rest of her party of his presence. The image of her kissing the `idiot kid' - albeit he knew the kiss was innocent - plagued him. Sesshoumaru wanted nothing more than to beat the bloody smirk off that pathetic excuse, good for nothing, idiot, wanna-be samurai. The ningen laughed, talked and would `innocently' rub against HIS Kagome.

 

Sesshoumaru jumped off his perch. He had decided to stay a bit far behind. He needed distance between him and the kid or else he might kill him. By midday, the royal army was several hours ahead of him. He still kept alert, watching for incoming danger.

 

It was night already, so he decided to catch up with Kagome's party. However, when he was a few feet away from the furusato that seemed to have offered them shelter for the night, he turned toward the direction of the ocean. He needed to think before he made the next move.

 

The inu youkai walked along the shoreline, wondering how he was going to approach Kagome. She just wouldn't relent. If it weren't for his stubborn pride, he would have already turned and left. No female had ever been worth a second glance from him - until her. Yet nothing he did seemed to work. In fact, he could honestly say, that everything he did backfired on him. There were no indications that she would ever give in.

 

Well, there was that kiss.

 

`Aahh, yes. THAT kiss.”

 

If anything else there was that kiss. He felt her give in then. It had been her first. He knew that.

 

And damn if he didn't feel like the greatest male ever for being her first. He'd decided then that he'd be her first everything - her first kiss, her first love, her first real smile, but mostly her first and last time.

 

It wasn't possessiveness that drove him to this decision. No. It was more than inu youkai pride. Hell, it was more than male pride. It was a need, a desire. She was beautiful beyond comparison. It wasn't just physical beauty. There was more to Minamoto Kagome than met the eye. Everyone failed to notice what he saw with just one glance into those beautiful tormented lavender eyes.

 

She yearned. Yeaned just like everyone else. Yearned with a passion that ignited in the deepest recess of his being a fire he realized only she could quench.

 

She wanted - no - she needed to feel loved. And who would ever love her more than him? He smirked inwardly. If she only knew how much he could love her. But, that was just it, how could he?

 

He continued with his musings until...

 

the scent of gardenias!

 

She was standing in front of him. There was an aura of extreme power and lethal danger emanating from her. It rippled and sizzled around them and made the hair on the back of his neck rise. That blank expression remained and she made no effort to try and change it. He reached his hand to try and touch her but her aura stopped him. Before he could decide what to say or do, Kagome made to walk. He did the only thing he knew would work on her.

 

Hook...

 

“Will you never talk to me?

 

Line...

 

“Will you always run away?”

 

and sinker!

 

She whirled around and for once he was relieved to see some sign of life in her eyes. The moment, was however, short lived. She composed herself and began to walk towards him with a look that had him a bit confused. But when she graced him with that beautiful smile he forgot everything and pulled her to him. The feel of her hands sliding up his chest and interlocking at the back of his neck was all he could concentrate on. It made his blood hot.

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru.” His name upon her lips evoked in him feelings he never knew someone like him could ever experience.

 

He struggled inwardly not to throw her on the floor and bury himself in her. “Ka-Kagome?”

 

She sighed peacefully and looked up at him. Her hands disentangled from him and he growled at the loss. She responded by intertwining her fingers with his and silently asking him to follow her. He was too hypnotized by the moonlight in her eyes to even think of denying her anything. They walked hand in hand until they reached the small opening of a cave within the forest, a distance from the furusato where her ningen companions were sleeping. There, at the entrance, she stopped and turned her back to him. Kagome was nervous - it was written all over her body; yet he couldn't catch a trace of that scent. He wondered.

 

“Sesshoumaru?” she whipped around, cheeks flushed and her chest heaving. “I've been thinking.”

 

Suspicion washed though him. “About what?” he asked anyway.

 

“About...about what you said to me that day on the dojo and about you being saved.”

 

“And?” he prompted, all of his senses coming to attention.

 

She cleared her throat. “And I was wondering,” she said in a voice so quiet his inu ears almost didn't catch, “if your offers still stood.”

 

Sesshoumaru hadn't stayed alive these two centuries by being a fool. The dark tennyo was up to something. On the other hand, if it involved the two of them being naked, he was all for it. Still... “I thought I made you ill.”

 

“Hai, well, I was angry.”

 

“And you aren't any longer?” He didn't try to hide the skepticism in his tone.

 

“I don't understand how you can be such a bastard, like at your home and so sweet the next, like at the dojo. You confuse me so,” Kagome said slowly. “Your father - ”

 

“For Kami's sake,” he interrupted, “if we're talking about seduction, don't mention my chichi-ue.”

 

“My apologies,” she said in a nervous grimace. “I'm new to this.”

 

“To what?”

 

“You...you're going to make me say it?”

 

He strolled up to her, abruptly without hurry. “Hai, I am,” he replied and kissed her.

 

He lifted his head, but Kagome pursued him, rising up on her toes and twining her dainty fingers through his silky hair. She pulled his head down for another kiss. Almost of their own accord, his hands slid around her slender waist. He tugged her up against him.

 

“You still have to say it, Kagome,” he murmured. “Say it.”

 

“I...” she began breathlessly, her gaze on his mouth. “I want to know if you'll stop following me around if...if I...”

 

A tiny part of him grew angry at the extent to her sacrifice to get away from him. The other ninety-nine percent, however...

 

Sweet Izanami (mythological ruler of the underworld in Japan).

 

Tennyo could be a frustrating, pitiful bunch. “If you take me inside you,” he whispered, pulling one of the blue ribbons holding her hair in a bun. Auburn waves of lilies cascaded over his hands.

 

“Hai.”

 

Sesshoumaru shook his head, removing the second ribbon. “Say it.”

 

Her cheeks flushed and, her lips already swollen from his attention, her breast pressed hard against his chest, the pristine tennyo moaned. “If I take you inside me,” she whispered.

 

Difficult as logical thought was becoming, he was nevertheless aware that her choice of phrase regarding his attachment to her left him a fair amount of room to maneuver. “That is a deal, Kagome.”

 

“Not here, though,” she said, gasping as he brushed the outside of her breasts with his thumbs. “Someone - ”

 

“How about here?” He captured her mouth again, only partially aware that he usually didn't react like this.

 

“Iiee, Sesshoumaru. More private. Onegai?” She wasn't even able to utter full sentences any longer. “The cave.”

 

“The back,” he agreed, grabbing her hand and pulling her inside. A clean patch of dirt would have suited him at the moment.

 

Because of his keen inu sight, he led the way inside, careful not to let her fall. The air was also starting to chill a lot more due to the beginning of fall. Sesshoumaru paused in front of a small, smooth boulder.

 

“Are you sure this won't do?” he asked, yanking her up against him for another kiss. Thank Kami she'd decided to give in because he wasn't certain how much longer he would have been able to keep his hands off her without going stark, raving mad.

 

“Too close to the entrance,” she managed clinging to his sash.

 

“I'm going to make you scream in pleasure,” he whispered against her mouth. If they paused here much longer, he, who prided himself in his self-control, wouldn't be able to walk. Sesshoumaru took her hand again to lead her. He searched for a comfortable area until he saw a few feet away a small provisional futon probably left by some thief or wondering samurai.

 

As soon as they reached the futon, he pressed her back against the stone wall, meeting her upturn mouth with a hot, openmouth kiss. Finally, just the two of them, with no one to interrupt for at least half the night, until the samurai began to prepare for their journey.

 

“Kagome,” he groaned, kissing her throat, peeling back the collar of her cloak and haori to kiss her shoulder. His voice was thick with lust and his demonic aura flared. Though his eyes were closed he could already feel his youkai surfacing.

 

“I'm sorry,” she whispered, her breaths coming already in hard, fast gasps.

 

Sliding one arm around her waist, he pulled her up against him. “What are you sorry for?” he breathed, kissing her again.

 

“It's for your own good.”

 

“What - ”

 

Something sounded behind him. Sesshoumaru whipped around as something blunt and heavy crashed down the side of his skull. He uttered a half-articulate curse and collapsed.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Taking as much control over my mind as was possible, considering what Sesshoumaru was doing to me, I made a crack on the cave's ceiling and brought down some large debris.

 

I stared down at the demon prince as he lay slumped at my feet. I couldn't move, couldn't speak, and couldn't think of anything. I couldn't change my mind now, and yet in the hot, sensual place Sesshoumaru had awakened inside of me, I almost wished we had finished what was started, and that he'd fulfilled his promise to make me scream with pleasure.

 

When he first kissed me, I was going to make him promise me things and if I'd timed it right, he would have agreed to anything I said. Just talking had left him with quite a predicament by the tightening I unfortunately noticed in his hakama. Shaking myself out of my nerves, aroused and shock stupor I sank to my knees. He was still breathing. Aggravating as the Prince of the West was, I didn't want him dead. Even the thought left me feeling oddly...empty with imagined loss.

 

A trickle of blood ran past his elf-like ears and I checked again to make sure his heart still beat. He looked so...innocent, with his face relaxed and the cynicism gone from his expression. Innocent and beautiful. The most beautiful man I'd ever seen.

 

I stood, picking him up. I laid him on the futon that lay at the back of the cave. I used a small amount of my power to make shackles, chaining each side to either side of his head to keep him from freeing himself. Each shackle had five links to them. I made another pair for his feet. His natural scent mixed with his arousal reached my nose. I shuddered. Even knowing his seduction would be stopped, I still felt dazed and a little resentful. Sesshoumaru was going to be furious According to rumor, he'd killed anyone who so even looked at him the wrong way over slight to his honor; this must fall somewhere beyond that.

 

With that thought in mind, I removed his sword and checked his person for any other things he could use against me. I just found his katana and threw it in no particular direction.

 

Hours after, as I sat cross-legged (quite a few feet away), Sesshoumaru came awake with an abrupt start. With a low, almost inaudible groan, he lifted his head. “What the hell happened?” he grumbled, trying to pull a hand to his temple. It came away bloody.

 

“It's a long story. Do you need medical assistance?” I wasn't about to summon anyone, of course, unless Sesshoumaru's injury was life-threatening. Even then, I could easily tend to his wounds.

 

“No. What I need is my sword. Who hit me?” Slowly he straightened up, looking across the space to where I sat.

 

“I can't tell you that. Listen - ”

 

As his gaze sharpened and refocused, he began looking at our surroundings. “Where are we? Daijoubou desu ka?”

 

“Me? I'm fine. I need to - ”

 

Staggering, he tried to break away from the shackles to no avail. He tried to lift himself with just his feet, only to find them shackled, too. He cursed. “Shinpai shinaide (don't worry), Kagome. I'll get us out of here.”

 

I rolled my eyes. Now he wanted to be a hero. “You don't understand. I'm not a prisoner. You are.”

 

I watched as he slowly absorbed what I said. Then, faster than I could draw a breath to explain, he sprang to his feet. “You damned - ”

 

The chain snapped taut, and he went down. I lifted myself calmly from the floor. Sesshoumaru tried to reach for me, and missed by some distance. “Stop that. You'll only injure yourself,” I stated.

 

A glint to his left got both our attentions. The sword that I tossed was close by - to him. I ran to it as Sesshoumaru lunged for it. The chain pulled him up just short. He tried to claw the chains off, pulling at them, trying to reach for his sword or me. I wasn't sure which. I snatched it up and threw it to the front of the cave.

 

“Release me, wench,” he growled in a dark angry voice.

 

This was the Lord Sesshoumaru everyone feared, I realized, the inu youkai he was with the veneer of civility torn away. And I'd managed to awaken him alone in a cave, with no help - not that I needed it.

 

“Ochitsuite (calm down),” I ordered.

 

He drew up into an alert semi-crouch, red eyes glittering with a fury that made my blood chill. “Calm down?” he snarled, swiping away at the dirt-mingled blood running down his cheek from the wound he managed to reopen. “I'm shackled to a wall, Kami knows where, and - ”

 

“We're in the cave,” I interrupted.

 

His eyes followed my every move. “Why am I shackled to the wall in the goddamned cave, Kagome?” he asked in low, dangerous-sounding growl. “And who hit me?”

 

He obviously wasn't going to listen to reason. If anything, trying to speak in a rational manner with him would only make him angrier. I turned my back to him.

 

“You should have listened when I told you to stay away. You have no business following me around inu youkai. I have never warned my enemy. Be grateful that I felt merciful towards you. Stay away. This will be my only warning for I will not think twice before I drive an arrow through your heart, allegiance or not.” I hissed as I began walking.

 

“You are not going to leave me here, goddamn it. Kagome, this is ridiculous. Release me. Now.”

 

I looked back at him with as much hatred in my eyes as I could possibly muster. “I can't do that. And I am leaving you.”

 

Now, golden eyes gazed at me levelly. “If you don't release me now, you'd best hope I don't get out of here,” he said in a low, hard voice. “Because the first person I come after will be you.”

 

I challenged him with my own heated gaze. “If you ever want to see the light of day again, you'd best not say such things,” I said grimly, and left him yelling at me.

 

The walk outside was fairly visible but thankfully I was able to make it out without falling on my face. With every step, I heard a growl of frustration and not-so-mild curses. The minute I stepped outside the cave, I lost part of my courage and my legs became a bit unstable. I supported myself against the entrance wall. The situation worried me; I would never allow harm to come to him, but neither would I allow him to see me as one of the weak and pathetic women who swooned at the sight of him. The encounter had actually gone better than I expected, considering that I hadn't known precisely what I was going to say until I'd begun speaking. Eventually he might even appreciate the lengths to which I was going in attempt to turn him into a true gentleman. To think of all the maidenly virtue I was saving! Dangerous as it could be, my plan wouldn't succeed unless Sesshoumaru saw me as the psycho, ruthless miko and not a woman.

 

The soft breaking of the wind broke my thoughts. I moved aside a fraction to catch with my left hand the arrow that would have otherwise hit me on the face. Instinctively, I conjured a yumi and ya and fired towards the direction of the unfamiliar aura. A small, quiet blast was the evidence of my precision. Shikigami (kind of spirit summoned to do the will of its master; can take many forms).

 

But even without searching I knew that the arrow belonged to a miko. It was laced with a weak spiritual aura...a familiar weak aura. And yet I could not place where I had encountered it.

 

I wasn't even going to bother to look for whoever it was. With Sesshoumaru inside the cave, I risked the chance of someone finding him. I felt trapped, so I opted for radiating as much spiritual energy as possible to force them back. Fortunately, it worked for my attacker receded until I felt them disappear.

 

When they left, I opened my hand and looked down to find a note attached to the arrow. I searched again for any other intruders to the area or any possible dangers to the inu youkai should I leave him. I found no more. I opened the small ofuda-like paper.

 

It read:

 

You sell your pure soul to be a demon's whore...

you are not worthy of being the protector of the Shikon no Tama.

Stay away from the demon

or accept the consequences.

 

My eyes widened a fraction at the message. Not because of the threat to my person but at my carelessness. I had thought no one had seen us. Then and there I realized that this demon was someone I really needed to avoid - for his sake and mine. Million of thoughts ran through my mind - all of which included who and why. I folded the piece of paper and put it inside my sleeve. I could not let it fall into anyone's hands. I hurried on my way back to my companions.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

She smirked. Still she knew that the miko would evade the arrow. Nothing less could be expected from the great Shikon miko.

 

But Kagome had fallen! She had soiled her good soul. She had tainted herself by mixing with the most foul of creatures roaming the Land of the Rising Sun - youkai. And so it was with great pains that she decided, for the good of her sister, that she would eradicate the youkai that so shamelessly polluted the Soul of Light and she would release said soul into the heavens for the Kami.

 

Kagome must be sacrificed to restore her honor and purity in the eyes of the Kami. It wasn't her fault that the embodiment of evil had taken advantage of her good heart and pure soul. A soul that could be likened to that of a goddess but her body was mortal and susceptible to temptation. But she would save her!

 

FLASHBACK

 

Ever since that day, she had wanted to be her - the miko Kagome. But it had not always been that way.

 

When, her father, a temple priest, had discovered in her the raw spiritual power, he had sent her off to be trained in the ways of the Shinto miko. At first, it had been more a duty than a desire. She'd awaken at the crack of dawn and train until the last ray of the sun left the sky. Of course, there was no playing around with the village children! `That was for children who weren't favored for the Kami,' he'd say.

 

For years until she turned nine, she followed the torturous routine, hoping that one day the Kami would be merciful enough to remove `the gift' from her.

 

And then it happened.

 

One day, when she was ten, Matsushima, her furusato, was graced with the presence of the revered miko Kagome. Any miko in existence knew who she was. Hell, they all trained to one day have the opportunity to meet her. She represented all that was good and pure in this world. But mostly, they all respected her because of her accomplishments at such a young age. Naturally, she had never met the infamous miko nor had any desire to do so.

 

Kagome had been thirteen then (a few months shy of the `village attack'), just three years her senior, when she came into the village. As a priestess and princess of Nippon she was bound by law to visit the daimyo and the Shinto shrines in each village. One by one, she inspected the shrines and the overlooking grounds.

 

It was until the miko came to the last shrine in the village that Aita realized that she would be standing in the presence of the Shikon miko. Nervousness unlike she'd ever felt claimed her body. And as her powerful aura neared, she began to cower and realize that perhaps she wouldn't be able to breathe anymore. The wind had been chilly, for it was mid winter, but the snow was late this year. Aita wanted to blame the fierce cold morning wind for the shivers that ran down her spine, but she knew better.

 

At last, Kagome came into view. First, it was the top of her head where a small bun rested, kept up with blue ribbons. Then piercing lavender eyes, unlike any seen on any Nihon-jin (Japanese), stared ahead, head held high as she moved without a sound. The breathtaking blue aura that surrounded her and that was visible to any spiritual being, radiated ferociously off her. There was no mistaking her in her all-black chihaya. Next to her, a small neko youkai with two tails walked just as calmly surveying the area.

 

Aita must have been staring because the next thing she knew, her miko onee-san (big sister) bopped her lightly on the head and pulled her down on the ground with the rest of them. Of course, she'd forgotten that not only was Kagome a miko but also the princess of Nippon. She remained still, ears alert to Kagome's steps. She was disappointed, however, when she realized that Kagome had already passed her without a sound.

 

She paused in front of the first and oldest miko in line. “Ohayou gozaimasu. Hajimemashite. Kag - ”

 

The elder miko interrupted. “Ohayou gozaimasu, hime. We know who you are and the honor is ours.”

 

Aita stole a glance and noticed that neither was too happy with each other. She could only assume that her onee-san didn't like bowing to someone who was without a doubt more powerful than her but also much younger. Kagome, on the other hand, seemed only to care about being interrupted in what was clearly a forced amiable introduction.

 

Kagome bowed rigidly in return, a scowl on her face. “I assume you're the keeper of this shrine and that you're name is...?”

 

“My name is Chie, hime,” replied the eldest.

 

“Very well, Chie-onee-san. Give me your report.”

 

Chie appeared to loosen and beckoned the Shikon miko to follow her inside for tea while the apprentices executed their daily rituals. The miko-in-training all rose and began marching towards the exercise grounds. Being the last one, and not seeing Kagome up front, Aita stopped and looked back. She noticed Kagome had not moved but was instead gazing towards the east with a glare.

 

Aita was about to ask her if everything was all right when a dark aura clashed with her own premature one. She froze! Sure she had fought Shikigami to simulate a demon-miko fight but she was years away from being permitted to engage in battle.

 

Chie ran as fast as her old body allowed her to. She stopped next to Kagome. “Don't worry Kagome-sama. We'll take care of this!”

 

Kagome didn't move. Her face was set in stone. Her aura seared with unbelievable electricity. There was no evidence that she accepted nor denied the help or even acknowledged what the old miko had said. Chie, though, was already ordering all the miko to take their positions. No sooner had they taken her stance that the sky was darkened black and jyaki surrounded the village.

 

Chie ordered them to move and several arrows flew into the sky. Most of them missed their target but those that did reach barely managed to kill one small youkai. Aita was rendered helpless by her fear and she couldn't remember when had been the last time she had seen her father. Perhaps that would have been the final one for surely today she would die.

 

She was awakened of her nightmare by the screams of the frightened villagers as well as those of the other miko. Mustering as much courage, she reached back for her ya. Fumbling she placed one on her yumi. Too scared and trembling like a leaf, her arrow flew completely off target and almost hit Kagome, who was still standing exactly where she had last seen her. In fact, it seemed she hadn't even batted an eyelash.

 

The arrow, though, did make Kagome turn in her direction. It was a slow movement. Kagome's eye's were staring directly into hers, no emotion played across them. Then, she leisurely walked in her direction and stopped a few feet next to her. Aita sucked in her breath and stilled.

 

Keeping her eyes ahead, where everyone was screaming and running, she spoke monotonously. “It's a shame you waste what could be great power.”

 

Wasting no more time, she gave a heavy sigh and put out her left arm. In an instant, her spiritual power concentrated in her outstretched fist and elongated to form a makeshift bow. Using her right hand, she collected more power to form an arrow. She pulled back the string and let the arrow go. At once, three fourths of the demons were purified by it.

 

Aita fell to the ground speechless. She would never forget what she witnessed that day. Never had she seen such display of immense power. If she had been amazed by her teacher's spiritual power, Kagome had far surpassed that today. However, she knew that this was not over and the thought awakened her fear again.

 

Her head snapped in Kagome's direction when she heard an ear-piercing sound coming in their direction. Said miko, nevertheless, remained tranquil looking at the oni (Japanese folklore creatures, similar to western ogres and demons) charging in her direction. Aita looked between Kagome and the oni, her growing fear escalating by the second.

 

She kept calling Kagome's name, begging her to move before she was hurt, but Kagome wasn't listening. Several other youkai joined the oni and were charging, closing in on their target - the Shikon no Tama.

 

A low, almost inaudible whisper, reached Aita's ears. “Kirara.”

 

Faster than the wind, the neko, whom she'd forgotten about, transformed into a larger, fiercer form of herself and ran toward the miko. As she passed in front of Kagome, the miko grabbed onto her and mounted her in a single jump, not once slowing the neko. They met the incoming demons head on and a blast echoed throughout the entire village.

 

Uncovering her ears and lifting herself from the ground, she noticed that Kagome was walking down the shrine and heading towards the injured villagers at the bottom of the steps. Slowly, she made her way down, healing those at the foot of the steps.

 

It took almost all day to help half the village and that was only because Kagome had seen to most of the injured. Feeling rather disappointed in herself, Aita made her way to the shrine grounds. Maybe this was the sign that she was looking for. The sign that said she wasn't meant to be this. She sat in the middle of the training field looking around. There were several miko lying dead and some were being carried inside the temple to be looked at.

 

She had been too engrossed in her self-pity to notice the presence that had stopped quite some time in back of her.

 

Kagome was glaring down at her when she snapped her head up. “Being a miko means being under constant attack. Fear is something we embrace and not something we run from. Just because someone discovered a speck of power in you, doesn't mean you can call yourself a miko,” came her harsh words. Kagome didn't seem at all sorry for what she said and continued. “Go home. You'll only get in the way.”

 

The child-miko turned around and began walking away. Kagome's words should have made her feel even worst but they somehow made her feel angry. Standing up clumsily, Aita glared at Kagome's retreating back and yelled, “I do have what it takes and I'll prove it to you! One day it shall be me who will be called the Shikon miko!”

 

Kagome only turned her head and stopped. “Those are brave words for a cowering girl.”

 

Then she turned around completely and the courage that had filled Aita moments earlier, now escaped her as she watched Kagome amble back to her and halt just before her. Kagome seemed to notice this and narrowed her eyes. “No amount of training could prepare you to be the protector of this kind of power. What makes you think that someone as pathetic as you could even come close enough to touching the shadow of this jewel?”

 

Aita didn't know how to respond. Trying to sound confident, she held her gaze. “I promise you that I will be ready. I will dedicate every waking moment to be worthy of fighting by your side and of being the one who protects the jewel.”

 

It was a long, unnerving silence that followed. Then Kagome looked at the neko sitting on the first step of the stairs. She watched as something passed between them both and Kagome simply turned back to her and fixed her with another glare. “If you're still alive in four years, come and fight with me. Should you win, I will bow to you and deliver the Shikon no Tama into her hands.”

 

Without another word, both of them disappeared. Aita remained in the field for a long time after she left. Yet, her last words echoed in her head.

 

Mind made up, she made a promise to herself. She would become the greatest miko in her village. She would train until she surpassed her sensei. But most of all, she promised she would beat Kagome. Only then could she truly call herself a miko and only then would she be able to fight by her side.

 

END OF FLASHBACK

 

That was four years ago, and in a few weeks she would finally get her chance. Kagome would finally acknowledge her as a superior miko and would ask her to stay by her side. Her dream will now come true and all she had to do was erase the mistake that marred her perfect plan.

 

The inu youkai would die and then Kagome would thank her for helping her get rid of the one that was tainting her.

 

Yes! It was all coming to plan perfectly.

 

Smiling to herself, she continued to ride to the Imperial City. But first, she needed to make one little detour.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Sesshoumaru froze until the last footsteps of Kagome's footsteps were heard. He stood there for another moment, listening. Then a low whistle followed by a small blast, followed by more silence, and the scurrying of footsteps. She was gone. Truly gone.

 

He spat into the dirt, he slid down to the futon he was standing upon and sat. She'd infused the shackles with a fraction of spiritual energy. It was enough to make sure she was long gone before he could get out of them. Because she knew that he would eventually break them - or tear off his arms in attempt.

 

Crossing his legs as best as he could with both chained, he fingered the almost-gone cut on his temple again. He'd been an absolute baka. Why had he thought Kagome meant to spread her legs for him? Because he'd wanted to think that. She'd acted like a complete psychotic all this time, then had lashed out on him in fury, and he'd accepted that she would twenty minutes later offer her body as a bribe because he wanted it to happen.

 

He'd underestimated her, which in an odd way pleased him. As dicey as were some of the situations in which he'd found himself, no angry mate or jealous lover had ever managed to chain him up. Whatever lesson Kagome thought she was teaching him, he wasn't having any of it. No wench bested him at anything. All he needed was to discover what she thought she wanted from this, and then use that to finally get her to submit. And revenge where she was concerned was going to be very sweet and it was going to take a very long time.

 

Once more, using as much of his poison as he could concentrate on his fingers, he tugged at the clasp, repeating the same action for the ones at his feet. They sizzled away in an instant. He stood and quickly made for the cave entrance. He searched for his sword. It took him a good while but he finally found it. He looked at the sky and realized that he'd surprisingly spent quite a few hours shackled up. It was surely past midday. Kagome was surely much closer to her home.

 

No one would know of this. No one but Minamoto Kagome. And she'd made the mistake of thinking she could change him - improve him, even. Ha! Well, he'd show her. With a scowl, he crossed the forest to the nearest river, stripped and dove in.

 

He'd escaped. He'd satisfied part of his damn lust where she was concerned, he'd freed himself of his shackles and now he could do as he pleased, with whomever he pleased. Except that what pleased him, what occupied him at the moment, was the idea of having her in his arms again. Sesshoumaru submerged in the water once more.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

When I reached the small furusato, the samurai were already up and about. The samurai, including Hiroyaki, bowed as I passed them by. I couldn't rid myself of the feeling that I'd lost more time and that somehow everyone could see right through me and know that I had thrown Sesshoumaru in a cave. My otou-san was barely coming out of the daimyo's home. He looked in my direction. I bowed reverently only to receive a questioning glare

 

I straightened. “I went to check the area for any possible attacks. I found none.”

 

He looked at me with suspicion but said nothing as he gave the order to continue with the journey home. We were only six days away. As the imperial army began taking their place, he stepped next to me and I bowed once again as was customary in his presence.

 

“I did not hear you come back last night,” he said.

 

I straightened and looked at him. “I tried to be as quiet as possible. I did not think my lord would have noticed otherwise, for he was, at the moment...occupied,” I answered, referring to the company of women that had entered his room.

 

His face did not show any emotion. He knew I hated when he lay with other women. He'd had many concubines after my mother's death, but had at least had had the decency to keep them in the shadows and outside the palace walls. I had inquired on my return from the monastery about these trysts of his, angry at his betrayal of my mother's memory.

 

`I am after all a man. It is only natural that I feel the need to be with a woman. Yet it is only carnal pleasure that I seek. No woman will ever take the place of your mother. And so it shall remain until you take your place as the leader of this great land of Nippon.'

 

While not the answer that I hoped for, I did feel a bit more at ease. It did not stop, however, the score of whores that tried to squeeze whatever they could out of him. He was not moved by their threats. He was a man with a cold heart and he did not think twice before disposing of that which hindered his passage. Perhaps that was one of the reasons our kingdom had prospered. Still, it made my stomach turn every time he came home smelling of cheap oils and anger welled up inside me to see that he would no longer keep his visits in the shadows or in the night.

 

“Why is your hair wet?”

 

I blinked and recovered. “Sumimasen, my lord. I could not help but feel the need of a bath before returning. It will be a long trip and I don't think that stopping on our journey would be wise. So I took the opportunity of cleansing myself when I came upon a hot spring a short distance from here.” I did not know why I felt the need to give a long and quite unnecessary explanation.

 

He seemed angry at my response. “You decided to let your guard down for such triviality as a bath?! You could have been attacked, Kagome! Naïve onna, did you not think of the jewel?”

 

I felt my own hackles rise, but I kept my voice steady. “I never let my guard down, okami. But be assured that even if I did, it would take an army of youkai and men to bring me down. And as far as the jewel is concerned, my lord...even the Kami wouldn't be able to pry it from my cold, dead fingers.”

 

“Anyone can be taken down easily, Kagome. Even the wisest have fallen. You are no exception. Why, even a simple comment brings forth your arrogance and pride. The jewel is sought out by many. Let this not happen again. At least, other times that dog pet of yours is there to warn you of dangers.” His words stung and were well aimed.

 

I took calm breaths, trying hard to show him that he was wrong. “The jewel has survived all this years in my presence and it SHALL continue to be safe. And Kirara is neither an inu nor a pet. She is a neko and my friend. I have no hold on her.”

 

He cast me a side glance and walked ahead. He entered his carriage and gave the order to begin the journey. I remained still, the underlying message of his last words turning in my head. “...other times that dog pet of yours is there to warn you of dangers.”

 

I frowned. He couldn't possible know about...Sesshoumaru. Could he?

 

I shook my head. More reasons to remain as far away as possible from the inu youkai. I thanked the daimyo for his hospitality and bade them farewell, as I urged my horse to catch up the royal entourage.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

He found his prey as she was riding behind her companions. Her aura radiated anger and tension - nothing new. She was holding tightly to the reins of her stallion and if that didn't warn off everyone, then the scowl that marred her natural beauty was just the right sign. Kagome was quite disturbed and he wondered if it had anything to do with their recent encounter two days ago.

 

Sesshoumaru didn't want to think that he was the cause of her present state. Even when she left the cave, the anger in her words did not reach her eyes or matched her aura. No. Something must have happened after she arrived and right now. He decided that he'd let her work off her stress on any stupid youkai that wished to attack them. He would approach her afterwards. He was still a bit peeved himself and with the two of them angry, chaos would surely ensure.

 

Some time after, the inu prince felt a shift in her aura. He chanced a glance towards the miko and saw her loosen her grip, but her tension grew. He looked around and tried to understand what made her react her that way. Again looking down in her direction, his eyes were caught by hers. She had known he was there!

 

He momentarily lost his composure and stared wide-eyed at her. She smiled at him. She never smiled! Something must be wrong. It wasn't until he saw her reach for her yumi that he felt the collision of his demonic aura with a collective one heading towards her. She stopped and yelled at the samurai to protect the okami.

 

No sooner had the order left her mouth that a herd of bull youkai attacked. She gave one warning glance in his direction that clearly said, `interfere and you're dead', before she jumped off her horse and raced towards the youkai.

 

The ningen samurai were no match for the youkai. They were thrown like ragged dolls to the side as they approached the carriage that protected the okami. Sesshoumaru had to give credit to the wanna-be samurai. The kid was holding up much better than his comrades. He turned once more to Kagome. Even with his anger still present he could not help but worry.

 

It was the first time he had seen her fight. And Kami was he impressed! Never had he seen such grace and cunning in a ningen since he'd seen her mother. He had the opportunity to once accompany his father on a small battle where Midoriko had been a participant. He had been forever amazed by the easiness she displayed while in battle. It seemed the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

 

As more youkai came into view, he began to worry for only a handful of samurai were still standing, including the kid. He kept his gaze on his miko. She reached back one last time only to come back empty handed. She threw her yumi and unsheathed the two swords at her back. As experienced as he was with katana, he could not help but feel awed at the expertise in her moves. It was as if she were born with a sword in both hands. He saw her spiritual energy seep into each sword and cut the youkai, dissolving them.

 

However, the youkai only increased and he began to step forward, intent upon defending her. Even in her current occupying position she was aware of him and turned to shake her head at him in disapproval at his nearness. Sesshoumaru growled in exasperation and surprised himself when he obeyed her command. It only made his anger grow at how much power she held over him.

 

Kagome pushed with all her might at the four youkai surrounding her. She turned both swords so that each of the hilts was facing each other. Her eyes sparking with cockiness, she fused both ends, blades instantly glowing red, and moved too fast even for his keen sight. She sped to each youkai, killing them without so much as a drop of sweat.

 

Running towards the middle of the battle field, she stopped and separated her swords. Criss-crossing both, now black blades, she blew lightly at them. Ominously, she yelled. “Soyo Zetsu (Breath of Death; Kagome's naginata attack).

 

Her black blades glowed fiercely, dispersed and disappeared in the area. The youkai surrounding her had suddenly stopped when her blades had vanished into a cloud of dust around them. Sheathing the hilts, which had blades to them again, she turned her back. The youkai that remained rooted all of a sudden began convulsing as blood began to seep out of their eyes, nose, mouth and ears. Then, with a loud thud, they all fell dead. Her victory, nevertheless, was short-lived by a sharp cry of pain. She turned swiftly to the source.

 

Eyes wide, her aura flared and once more he noticed the color of her eye change. Silver eyes hardened as she charged at what Sesshoumaru could only guess was the leader of the youkai herd. The new youkai that were in her way were disposed off with great ease. Kagome sliced them into tiny pieces. Sesshoumaru stared at her only to realize that she was covered in youkai blood.

 

A chill ran down his spine as he realized she was smiling. It was a pleased smile, as one that enjoys their handiwork. The closer she came to the leader the more she hacked the demons, almost covering herself in their blood. The image of her now, as she was, made him, a merciless demon, feel cautious. Ujio had warned him that Kagome could turn violent with little provocation. That she was known to attack even other miko and anyone else who came near her. That truly scared him. This woman was capable of anything.

 

When she drew near her target, the youkai laughed but was cut off by the sound of a sword cutting through flesh. The bull remained still unable to comprehend how she had appeared behind him when it had not seen her move. It exploded into tiny fragments that were dissipated by the aura she emanated. Another pained cry caught her attention. Her eyes returned to their normal lavender hue, as she quickly tossed her swords and raced to the okami's side. Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes at the small superficial cut. He watched as Kagome easily used her powers to heal the wound. Once healed, he pushed away the hands that had been checking for any other wounds.

 

“DID YOU SEE WHAT I MEANT BACK THEN?! The jewel is no longer safe in your hands...and evidently neither am I. You dishonor me,” he hissed quietly at her. Sesshoumaru fought with himself not to beat the hell out of that wimpy ningen. How could he call his miko anything short than amazing? If it weren't for her, they'd all be youkai lunch. Those pathetic samurai hadn't been able to protect him!

 

He was even more surprised by her response. “Gomen nasai, okami. It is my fault. Be assured that it will never happen again.” She looked unfazed by his hurtful words, even her aura remained even.

 

“NO...it will not,” he responded icily. He stood and faced the remaining samurai. “As for the rest of you, so-called samurai...you will be punished and demoted. When we are within palace walls you will begin rigid training, your lands will be taken from you, and you will not receive any pay until I deem you worth of such.” He looked disdainfully at Kagome once more. “You will make sure that they train night and day until they have redeemed themselves before me. Do I make myself clear, miko?”

 

“Hai, okami,” she replied monotonously. He yelled at them once more from inside his carriage to move forward. The kid glanced worriedly at Kagome and she nodded him to continue. Sesshoumaru waited until they were out of sight to jump down to the place where she had been standing. He reached down to pick up the fallen katana. He quickly bit back a curse as the barrier that encased the black blades singed his hands. He looked down on them pondering on how he could take them without being purified. He noticed a black cloth a few feet away. As he picked it up, he recognized the garment. It was the black cloak with the silver butterfly mon worn by his miko.

 

Sesshoumaru unconsciously lifted it to his face and inhaled the wonderful gardenia scent. He was surprised to find a small, almost unnoticeable trace of his scent intermingled. It must have permeated itself when they were together in the cave. She was marked - by him - whether she liked it or not. And the idea was surprisingly pleasant.

 

With that settled, he sheathed and wrapped both katana in the cloak. However, he noticed a small kanji inscription at the bottom of each of the blades where they met the hilt:

 

I belong to the warrior, - the tiger within

 

He tried to understand the inscription but failed. Besides, for now, he needed to get these swords to their owner. Sesshoumaru turned east and quickly caught up with them. It continued to be a quiet trip. There were no more attacks and nothing but the sound of horse hooves was heard. Not once did she glance his way for the remainder of the trip.