InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Desert Rose ❯ Forbidden Heart ( Chapter 11 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

By: ji-an

Kagome learns a shocking secret about her new sorcerer, and the mystery arises about his past... R N R Please.

�Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, it's the sole property of Romiko Takahashi, and I cannot take credit for her genius.

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Mystery / Hentai / Drama / Adventure / Action | Type: Alternate Universe | Uploaded On: 07.29.2006 | Updated On: 03.19.2007 | Pages: 12 | Words: 13.0K | Visits: 2.7K | Status: Work In Progress

Chapter 11: Forbidden Heart

“Good evening, Lord Sin. I see you've been well.” Hiten gave his salutations while entering the great ballroom of the palace of Southern Domain. Silently, with all the eyes of the court on him, he walked the marble runway leading to throne where the leader, Lord Sin, awaited him.

“What is it you want? I have no business with your lord. I want nothing to do with the war.” Lord Sin replied rather hotly as Hiten neared. He sat on his throne in silent resentment for the demon in front of him. For one in Lord Sin's position, as king of Southern Domain, he didn't want to get involved with his ally's enemy. All though he had not agreed to send his troops to war in alliance with Western Domain, the two countries were on peaceful and friendly terms. There was no anonymity between them, so it was natural that he would suspect a warlord from his friend's enemy.

“I promise I'm not here for any trouble.” Hiten spoke while keeping his gaze on one of the young courtiers at Lord Sin's side and smirked when he saw the young girl fidget under his eye. He knew very well that Lord Sin was a notorious womanizer in his right and had the largest harem in all of the Domains, but that didn't stop him from staring at his female company. Hiten was told that his weakness for the fairer sex would be his undoing. That Achilles' heel, however, wasn't what Hiten needed to accomplish his goal here.

“I'd appreciate it if you kept your eyes to yourself.” Lord Sin snarled.

“Sorry. I didn't mean to stare at your woman. I've come bearing some news from my lord.”

“I don't care what news Naraku has to offer.”

“Oh, I think you do. You see, I have very important news concerning your ally. You might want to hear what we have to say before Sesshoumaru sends troops to take over your country as well as ours.”

()()()()()()()()

It was strange to think why Jordan's home was called Lunar Oasis when the sunlight hit her face in the morning. Though her eyes were closed, Kagome didn't need to see to know it was morning, for the heat and light of the sun tingled on her eyelids. She awoke and, to her surprise, found herself alone in the bed. She was sure yesterday was her debut. For a moment it hit her that the occurrences last night were just a dream before she saw Inuyasha across the room. He was sitting in a chair near the table, his head resting against his palm and his face emotionless in contemplation.

Rising from the bed, she neared his table and reached out to tap his shoulder. Her action was never completed for Inuyasha's eye shifted from misty thoughts to focus directly on her, eyes shining with crimson before they returned to their liquid, gold color.

“Don't do that.” He said, rising from his seat.

“Do what?”

“You are the only person I can't sense moving about or feel coming near. Don't do that. Silently walk about. I couldn't even sense you come in when you came into the golden room.”

“Well, sorry for being able to walk quietly.” She snorted.

“Whatever…”

Just when he was about to rise from his seat, there was a small rapping on the door. Removing himself from the chair, Inuyasha walked across the room to answer. Grasping the handle, the door was slid open to reveal Koharu. She bowed silently, and, blushing, entered the room.

“Good morning Kagome- chan. I'm here to help you change into your host robes.”

Kagome nodded, keeping her eye on Inuyasha. He turned to the door, but not before Koharu could call out to him. “Aren't you staying Inuyasha-sama?”

“I'm pretty sure Kagome wouldn't like it if I followed that tradition.”

“But she is you host now an-”

Koharu couldn't finish her sentence. Inuyasha bared his fangs at her in warning, apparently showing she wasn't allowed to speak of such things. She nodded and, turning to a confused Kagome, began preparing the host gown. Once the hanyou was out the door, Kagome was stripped of her nightgown and wrestled into two layers of silk.

The host gown was as light as a feather, despite the fact that it was two layers of fabric. It was a blue robe that ended just above Kagome's knees with slits on both sides from her hips to the hem of the gown. The outer layer of fabric was blue, in contrast to the white under layer. The gown had no sleeves. Instead, it wound itself around Kagome's chest, covering her bosom. Besides the gown itself, a white and blue sash was tied around her waist as well as a violet shawl that was draped from her shoulder to her hip. The last part of the gown was the leather sandals.

“There, that should do it. Now all you need is the necklace.” Koharu said, when she finished dressing Kagome.

“Necklace?”

“Lady Jordan is giving you hers. Every host has one: a jade pendent. It's a symbol that shows that another male cannot touch the host. If your sorcerer was a woman then a woman could not be able to touch you either.”

“Why?”

“Because they could send the wrong impulse into your host energy. Once you have tied your powers to your sorcerer, someone who is of the same sex as your sorcerer cannot lay a hand on you since they would damage that sorcerer's force. It won't do you any harm, but if your sorcerer takes strength from you, they could be hurt.”

It was almost as thought she were Inuyasha's private property. The feeling didn't sit well with Kagome. She didn't like feeling as though she belonged to someone. She would have to set some ground rules with him. Knowing that host's are able to freely express themselves, she was about to give Inuyasha a piece of her mind.

Going down that train of thought, Kagome began to wonder why he was acting so strange this morning. She had seen it many times since she got to this world. It was almost as if Inuyasha had two separate personalities. At times he would tease her and be easy going. Other times he acted as if he had no emotions. He would be expressionless, angry or violent and act as though he didn't care about anyone and anything, even himself. She saw it when he first spoke to Jordan, when she asked if she could be his host, also the time she was attacked at Base-point, and this morning as well. It was amazing how he could change characteristics so fast.

“Kagome?” Koharu voice brought her back to her senses.

“Yes?”

“Are you ready to go? Jordan wanted to see you.”

“Right.”

She left the room, intent on seeing Lady Jordan, only to find her objective standing outside waiting with Inuyasha, Sango and Miroku. “You look good in uniform.” Jordan stated. “Before you go Kagome, this is my jade pendent. I don't need it anymore, of course.” Tying the jade, jeweled pendent around her neck, she stepped back to see Kagome in full host uniform.

“You look gorgeous Kagome-chan!” Sango exclaimed.

“Indeed, Kagome you do fit the part of a host.” Miroku seconded.

Her face heat up. “We'd better leave before another raining complement falls on me.” She said. Sango and Miroku decided to leave the corridor first, but before Kagome could make her exit with Inuyasha, Jordan called her back.

“Kagome, take this too.” Jordan said, handing her a white bow.

“Jordan that's-” Inuyasha began.

“I know whose bow it was, Inuyasha. I think she deserves it more than I do. That's a special bow, Kagome. You don't need any arrows. All you have to do is put your miko or host energy into your hand and you'll generate endless arrows.”

“Wow, thank you so much.”

Jordan nodded.

You must know something. Kagome jumped. Did lady Jordan's voice just echo in her head?

I have to warm you, Kagome. Don't fall in love with Inuyasha.

`Why?' She thought back.

Because he will be unable to love you back.

`Why?'

Long ago, he lost his heart. Something happened to him that made him stop believing in such a strong emotion as love. I'm sure you've noticed that, at times, he doesn't seem like himself. That's because part of him is missing. That part of him also has his ability to love. He cannot feel love without a heart. If you fall in love with him and you want him to love you back, you have to find a way to open his heart from the chains it is in.

`How?'

I don't know the answer to that. I don't know what made him the way he is now. I won't lie to you Kagome; it is common that a host falls in love with her sorcerer. It doesn't matter if the sorcerer is male or female. He was this way before I met him, so I don't know why he is the way he is. If you want to avoid emotional pain, then don't fall in love with him.

She stared at the woman in front of her. Jordan's face was once again emotionless.

“Are you done with your weird goodbyes?” Inuyasha's voice cut through the awkward stare that had erupted between the two women. Kagome turned to stare at him instead of looking at Jordan in contemplation. She couldn't believe that he didn't have a heart. He was unable to fall in love? How terrible.

“Is there something interesting about my face, Kagome?” Inuyasha asked, rather annoyed. He hated it when others stared at him too long. “What with the sympathetic looks your giving me?” He sneered.

“Oh,” Kagome scrambled for an appropriate answer, “nothing, I was just thinking about something strange.”

“Whatever.” Inuyasha turned and left the corridor entirely.

“See what I mean, Kagome?” Jordan spoke. “You'd better get going, extend my goodbye to Inuyasha.” She said.

()()()()()()()()()

Kagome contemplated what Jordan had said about the hanyou behind her. So imposed in her thoughts was she that she couldn't even complain about the camel ride back to Western Domain. She couldn't believe that he had no heart. It was scientifically impossible but, then again, this world was still full of surprises and after all she had seen she could almost believe that Inuyasha had no real pulse in his body. It was like he had a muscle that pumped blood but wasn't able to feel.

The air around the four of them was thick with uneasiness. Sango was still angry with Miroku about ogling the dancers from Kagome's debut, so she had refused to sit in from of Miroku as well as forbid him from all sexual rights to herself, which, of course, left Miroku in such upset humor. She was instead sitting behind him on the camel with her arms around his abdomen for support.

Inuyasha and Kagome weren't fairing so well either. Inuyasha still in his “heartless mode,” as Kagome began to call it, and Kagome still in reflection and sympathy for him. Neither one had spoken to each other since they had exchanged those meek words before departure from Lunar Oasis. Kagome couldn't bring herself to look at the man behind her after the shocking revelation that morning, and it seemed that Inuyasha wasn't in the mood to look at her either.

It was then that she came to realize that Jordan's words made absolute sense to her. She shouldn't fall in love with him if he was unable to love her back, and, more importantly, at least in Kagome's mind, if she was going to leave this world once the war was over. What use would there be in loving him then if she was never going to see him again? It's decided then, she wouldn't be, and neither did she think she was or could be, in love with Inuyasha. Then why did it hurt so much thinking about it…

She turned her attention to the Sahara that, once again, appeared before her. She was unaffected by the heat now, for her continuous exposure to the high temperature had helped her develop an immunity to the warmth. There was also the fact that the white linen that Inuyasha had tied around her face had kept her face cool. It was a requirement now to wear the linen, for the desert spell was becoming more violent as more dust storms and heat came into the desert. So it was no surprise that the four of them had the face covering.

“Miroku,” Inuyasha's still voice cut through the silence, “I smell a storm coming.”

“How far is it?” Miroku asked, his voice as dull as Inuyasha's.

“I think it'll be an hour or two until it reaches us.” He said.

“Not another storm.” Kagome mumbled.

“If those bastards weren't strengthening the desert, then we wouldn't have to deal with this problem.” Inuyasha said over her shoulder.

As Inuyasha had predicted, they had to endure a storm. Luckily, the four of them were able to wait out the storm covered under blankets while the sands scraped the desert above. As if on reflex, Kagome had latched onto Inuyasha, holding him under the sheets. She didn't like desert storms, after having to suffer through them the first time she had gone to Lunar Oasis. It didn't surprise her that she felt warmer in holding him, but it did surprise her that he suddenly held her back after how aloof he had been before. It felt great to have him hold onto her, so great that she wished the storm would never end but, to her plight, the typhoon had ended within two hours time.

Once the four of them had emerged from beneath the fabric that had acted as their barrier from the sand, they were on their way, continuing toward their objective as they neared Western Domain.

()()()()()()()()()

Within two days time, after enduring scorching desert and the blistering cold nights, they had reached the shimmering castle of Western Domain, only to learn that Rin had fallen ill and Sesshoumaru was tending to his adopted daughter. So they could not speak with the tai-youkai that day, which was all right with Kagome, for she felt exhausted after her long journey through the desert.

So, while Inuyasha had gone to attend to the guarding spell, she had stayed in his room, lying on his bed. Before she knew it, her eyes had drifted closed.

The light sound of feet tapping across the floor had woken her from her dream. Bewildered from sleep, she sheepishly turned her eyes in the direction of whoever was at the door, only to see Inuyasha stumbling across the room and flop in the bed a few inches away from her feet.

“Are you ok?” She asked when she noticed how fatigued and drained he looked.

“Just tired. The sorcery extractions for the guarding spell take a lot out of me. That fucking desert spell!”

“How's Rin?” Kagome asked, rising to a sitting position on the bed.

“She'll be fine. It's just a fever.”

“That's good.”

“It's late.”

“Huh?”

“I'm tired, Kagome. I used up too much energy for the guarding spell, I need sleep.”

“NO way! I just replenished your energy supply two days ago and you already wasted it!”

“I'd like to see you try and give ninety-eight percent of your energy, wench!”

“My name is not wench!”

Inuyasha huffed. `She's being so difficult. Whatever Jordan had told her has her on bad ends with me.' He thought to himself. A soft touch on his arm had him blink out of his opinions, to look at Kagome.

“I'm sorry, Inuyasha. I didn't mean to yell.”

He placed his hand on hers where it rested on his arm. “Keh, don't worry about it.” For a moment he looked away and said, “I've had a lot on my back lately.”

“What happened?”

“Nothing, just news from my father's servants.”

“What did they say?”

“It doesn't matter.”

Kagome sighed. Though she had become his full-time host, he was still uneasy sharing things with her. In a way she could tell that he hadn't had many good relationships with people. It made her wonder what had happened in his past that made him lose his heart as well as be so cautious. `Maybe I can teach him to trust me more.'

She watched him as he stretched and let out a small yelp when he laid his head on her lap, looking up at her with a smirk. She raised her brows at him. “It's too much fun to mess with you.” He said. She looked down at him. He looked so boyish when he was teasing her. Other times, he seemed like one big enigma. `He makes no sense, but I guess that's what makes him so fun to be around. No, remember, you may have to leave him!' Her common sense reminded her. “Yes, but that doesn't mean I can't enjoy my time with him now.'

“You make no sense, Inuyasha.” She said. He smirked and closed his eyes.

“Neither do you, Kagome.”

Before she could say, or do anything for that matter, Inuyasha had placed her chin between his forefinger and thumb and pulled her into a kiss. Her back became a quarter circle as she bent over to meet his mouth from where he rose slightly off her lap to connect his lips with hers and run his tongue over her teeth.

Soon Inuyasha became annoyed with their position and flipped them over so that he was on top, hovering inches away from her bosom, though his lips never left hers. Still too shy to respond, he felt the girl beneath him tense slightly, his hand leaving her chin to cup her cheek instead, which served to calm her down and gain her participation as she shyly pushed her tongue against his. Growing with gratitude for her partaking, Inuyasha deepened the kiss to the point where she was left breathless.

Kagome felt as though she never knew how to breathe. He was refusing to release her for air and, in the heat of that moment, though her lungs her refusing, she didn't want to let go. The significance of breath had become a small formality as Inuyasha started a war with her tongue.

He broke the kiss as his head sunk so that his forehead was resting against her rising and falling chest. She was breathing harshly, eyes still steaming from his contact with her. It didn't take him long to regain his posture. Once he was fine, he leaned on his elbows to look at her face.

Kagome was trained on giving energy back to the sorcerer, but she never knew that Inuyasha's way of taking energy would be so appetizing. When he gave energy, she felt warm but when he took it back, she felt breathless and cold, leaning on him for his warmth. She never had this feeling with Jordan. Was it the way he gave energy, through the mouth. or was it because it was Inuyasha?

She stared at him from where he was leaning over her, supported by his hand. She blushed harder when he smirked at her. Managing to push him upward, she slid off to he side, as far away from him as she could on the bed.

He grinned. “Still not used to it eh?”

“Oh shut up! I'm not as forward as you are. You could at least tell me when you are going to do that!”

“It's the surprises that make it so much fun. Don't you think?”

She could feel her cheeks heat up again. He was right, but that didn't mean she would admit it to herself just yet.

It was a while before both of them could sleep, caught in their quiet conversations about the war, the desert spell, how Kagome was going to get home, and even some friendly exchange of words. They stayed up, thinking, talking, worrying, and finally dozing.

()()()()()()()()()

“So tell me, has she been able to tie her powers to Inuyasha.” Sesshoumaru asked as he sat at his daughter's side. The girl was sleeping soundly even though her temperature was as hot as the sun. He took his hand away from her burning forehead to look at he monk whom had decided to tell his brother's report.

“Yes, Inuyasha-sama was able to tie his power to hers. She's his full host now.”

“I see. Has anything changed in that idiot brother of mine?”

“Yes, he's acting…odd. Even more emotionless than before.”

“I knew that having a knew host would effect him that way. No doubt Jordan knows what's happening to him too.”

“What IS happening to Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru-sama?”

The tai-youkai turned to give the monk a silent yet menacing stare. He looked back to his daughter before speaking again.

“If you want to know the full truth, Houshi, I cannot tell you. I can tell you that he is slowly losing more of his human heart.” Sesshoumaru explained.

“I don't understand.” Miroku puzzled on what he could mean by that. Inuyasha was losing his heart? Was he speaking figuratively or literally? If Inuyasha was losing his human heart, did that mean he was losing his soul as well?

“Do not try to understand, Miroku. This is something only he or, if that woman has the ability to penetrate that thick head of his, she can fix. You are dismissed.”

Miroku bowed, but before he could leave, something caught his attention. It was a portrait hanging above Rin's bed. The frame was gold, and in the center of the painting was a…girl. A girl that looked astonishingly like Inuyasha! Knowing that he had never been in Rin's room before proved that he had never seen this painting before. The girl's smiling face had the same high cheekbones as the hanyou prince. She also had the same hair and ears. In fact, the only difference besides the fact that she was female and a child was that her eyes were brown instead of gold.

“Seshoumaru-sama. May I inquire about that portrait?'

“No, you may not.”

“Please, allow me the knowledge of knowing who she is. Is she yours?”

“No, she is not. I will speak no more of it. Talk of that girl is forbidden.”

“Understood.” Miroku exited the room, but not without thinking of the looming mystery of the little girl's identity.

()()()()()()()()()()

Kohaku was finally able to speak to his sister after almost three months of separation. They sat in her room happily speaking and giggling from all the strange things the palace servants did while the men were off at war. Sango couldn't help but laugh when Kohaku explained how one of the older servant ladies jumped a young merchant in town, yelling that her husband was forever gone and that the young man could “claim the ravishing beauty that he was `longing' for.”

Both brother and sister would always enjoy each other's company no matter how heavy the air was between them. Even though Sango had Miroku, Kohaku was her only family and she treasured his company as equally as she treasured Miroku's, all though, right now, she would rather be with her brother for she was still angry with her husband. The two of them were enjoying their speech when Miroku decided to grace them with his presence.

“Oh, Kohaku,” Miroku had said when he had seen his brother- in-law, “how have you been?”

“Fine, Miroku-sama, but I doubt you have been well because sis in angry.”

“Kohaku!” Sango exclaimed.

“Well, I think I'll be alright. Your sister's tantrums are what made me marry her in the first place.” Miroku answered, noting the blush on Sango's face.

“Really. How can anyone fall in love with Sango's temper?” Kohaku teased.

Before Kohaku could even gasp, Sango had started teasingly chasing him around the room saying something about making sure Kohaku never has any babies, which made the boy jump behind Miroku. Sango has stopped in front of her husband, looking him in the eye as if daring him to say something and, to her unluckiness; he said something that would cost him.

“To answer your question Kohaku, your sister's temper tantrums are what make her such a wild ride.”

Sango had squealed, pounced on her husband, and managed to slap him ten times while Miroku yelled at Kohaku to run away while she was busy with him. The boy was out the door before Miroku caught Sango's hand in mid-slap and before his face became serious, causing his wife to become serious as well.

“Before you injure every bone in my body, Sango, there is something I want to speak with you about.” He said, releasing her hand.

She set her palm on the ground and looked at him in they eye. “What is it, Miroku?”

“Sango,” The woman squeaked when she felt his hands on her bosom. In one split moment, the monk had his head in the floor and a very angry wife standing behind him.

“You can at least be serious when you are trying to have a serious talk, houshi! And I'm still mad at you!”

Miroku grumbled and rose to sit on his bottom while subbing the sore spot on his check. He grumbled before smiling innocently and saying, “My dear Sango, I'm truly sorry about my behavior at Lunar Oasis. You know how I can be sometimes but you also know that I will never leave you for another.”

Sango huffed, “You better mean that, Miroku..”

Miroku rubbed his sore face for a moment before again becoming serious, this time with complete sincerity. “Sango, I have to ask you if you have ever been to Rin's room before.”

“No, Rin is always playing outside, so I never had to find her in her room. In fact, I don't even think anyone but Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru-sama have been in her room.”

“I see.”

“Is there something interesting about her room?”

“There was a portrait that…I'm afraid I cannot describe it. It has an uncanny likeness to Inuyasha, yet the picture doesn't seem real…”

“I don't understand, Miroku.”

“Do you know anything about Inuyasha before we met him. About his past?'

“ Other than our experiences together, I do know of a few things. How come?”

“I'm starting to wonder if Inuyasha is ill.”

()()()()()()()()()()()()()()

It was dark. Dark, not like the night or the shadows, but like the blinding obscurity that engulfed all your senses and chilled your bones till all you can do is scream to numb the silence. Hearing his footsteps as he walked on the damp earth in the darkness, Inuyasha was caught up in his thoughts about the war and the all the suffering he had seen in those five years fighting. Blood. Blood. Blood. No color was left to him except red, his favorite, but now the plague that haunted his people and coated his father, brother and even himself. He couldn't believe now that the fluid that ran through his veins was red. He was sure it was black, empty, like how he felt.

His mind kept going back to that moment, where the woman who had become part of him had…

The blade had run through her heart before he could get to her to stop it. Her assaulter had twisted his wrist, pulled out the razor, with her un-beating center riding on its tip. The woman's body fell into the dirt and what she was carrying crawled out from under her body and tried to shake her awake.

He watched, his legs moving but the earth held still. He couldn't reach, she was so far. He let our a cryptic scream when the sharp edge sliced through her frail form, letting her new, crimson blood run into the sand. He couldn't catch their killer, for he had disappeared into the dark as he fell to the ground watching the two lie motionless, the woman who was once his, now gone and the small child. The child who mirrored his face, he saw himself lying there dead in the ground!

Inuyasha jolted from the cushions, panting heavily, as if air was foreign to his blood. His blood…He brought his hand up to cover his eyes. What a nightmare, no, worse than a nightmare: it was a haunting. “I could do without those nasty thoughts.” He said to no one in particular. He kept reminding himself it was a dream, yet whatever was pumping the blood in his chest told him otherwise. His heartbeat was wild, like the death he had seen.

Looking over to the slumbering maid that was beside him, he pushed her bangs aside to look at her face under the moonlight. She was there, but she wasn't real. She was gone, but in someone else?

Inuyasha looked at Kagome's face. She looked so much like her, but her eyes were blue and her face was gentle. `They are not the same,' He reminded himself, “Kagome is Kagome.' He continued to stare at her slumbering face. When had the dreams started? He hadn't had those nightmares before, well, not since…He shook his head. `Maybe I'll never get over this.' He thought. He kept thinking how the dreams had started when he stayed with her that night in the golden room before she disappeared and was found in the desert. Why was he dreaming that now? The dreams where there almost every time he was next to Kagome in sleep. Was it because Kagome looked like her?

He pushed the bed covering aside and, placing his bare feet on the floor, walked across the room to draw back the curtains, stepping out into the balcony, he stared up at the moon.

No matter how he tried to go back to sleep, he neither felt tired nor did he feel the wave of slumber to fall upon him. He was sure that even if he could sleep, he wouldn't want to. He didn't want to see it again, not anymore, never again.

Inuyasha walked back into the room, locked the balcony doors, covered the slumbering girl more securely in his blankets and walked out of the dark chamber of his room.

()()()()()()()()()()()

Kagome had woken up to find herself alone the next morning. Not questioning where Inuyasha had gone, for she new a place he was most likely to be, she rose, dressed, and left his room. Returning to her old room, she picked up her school clothes and her backpack before returning to the prince's room. She sat there in his empty room, thinking that he wanted to be alone wherever he was. For some odd reason, she could feel him near. It must have been the host bond already forming, for she could also feel that he didn't want to be disturbed.

“Inuyasha?”

What?

“Are you alright?”

…In a sense…

“Where are you?”

I don't want to talk to anyone right now, just leave me alone.

“Are you mad at me?”

Why would I be? I don't want to be bothered, Kagome. I need some time to myself. Even someone like me wants to think ever once in a while.

That being said, Inuyasha had broken her weak tie to his consciousness. Kagome huffed in irritation, slumping back down on Inuyasha's bed. She lay there for a while and, not knowing what to do, she decided that she couldn't accomplish anything by staying in his empty room. She left, thinking if it would be all right to see where the hanyou was, but deciding that it was best to leave him be, like he wanted. She instead turned to go see Rin, concluding that the girl needed her attention more than Inuyasha did.

Walking down corridors and passing through various, large rooms, she frequently asked the servants for directions before she arrived at Rin's room. Opening the door, the smell of sickness came into her nose. Realizing that it was the smell of the girl's breath, Kagome questioned how she was able to smell it. Were her senses getting stronger already? Besides connecting her powers with Inuyasha, the only power intake she had was the night before the sandstorm in the desert. She had only gathered his energy twice and only given it back once. Then, why was it she was already getting stronger?

“Kagome-chan?”

“Rin!” The child's voice had brought her out of her thoughts and she ran to kneel beside the girl in her bed. Her face was pale, as if all the blood was drained from her face. Her eyes were pale and her skin burned from the fever.

“How are you feeling Rin-chan?”

“I'm okay. Otou-san was here yesterday, he said I was getting better.”

“Rin…”

“Why are you so sad Kagome-chan?”

“I'm not sad.” She lied, she was worried out her mind for Rin.

“ I'll be okay. I'm just sick.”

“ Promise me you'll get better, okay?”

“I promise.”

For a while, Kagome stayed with her. Rin seemed to enjoy her company and she seemed to feel stronger with a friendly face around. Kagome stayed there, watching as Rin fell asleep. Once the girl was dozing soundly, Kagome thought she would go outside to get some food. Standing up, she turned toward the door when some gold glint caught her eye. Turning her head in the direction the shine came from, Kagome's eyes focused on the painting.

Don't look at it!

“Huh?”

Don't look at the painting!

“Who?”

“Kagome-chan, don't look at the picture.”

Kagome looked down at Rin. She was sitting up in her bed.

“Why?” Kagome asked.

“Otou-san says it's forbidden to talk about the girl in the painting.”

“Rin, is this you?”

“No, I'm not her. She's pretty, huh? Otou told me she couldn't see. It's too bad, she has pretty eyes.”

“Is she Sesshoumaru-sama's girl?”

“I dunno. She looks more like Uncle Inuyasha. Oh! Don't look at the picture Kagome! Otou says it's not okay to talk about her.”

“Why Rin?”

“He said `it's not good for Inuyasha's heart.'”

Kagome stared at the painting, against Rin's warnings. Was this…child that reflected Inuyasha in her face and hair, the reason Inuyasha was so cold sometimes. Who was she? And it wasn't Rin's voice she heard first: the voice that told her not to look at the painting. It was and odd, foreign voice, menacing and harsh.

It was then that Inuyasha himself made his entrance. He ignored Kagome and went straight to Rin. He asked her how she was feeling and tucked her in when he realized that she wanted to go back to sleep. It was then that he turned his attention to Kagome for the first time.

“Hey.”

“Inuyasha, are you…okay?”

“I'm fine.”

“What was wrong this morning? Why weren't you with me?”

His eyes widened for a moment before he smugly replied. “Do you feel lonely without me there, Kagome?” He chuckled when he saw her face redden. “N-no, it's just you need to be with me if you want to replenish your magic sup-”

“I know that,” he cut her off, “but you had me going there for a moment.”

“Huh?”

“Man, what a disappointment. And here I was thinking you had other things in mind.”

“What do you mean?”

“Oh, nothing.”

“Stop teasing me!”

“I just thought you had more…intimate things in mind.” He caught the blush in the corner of his eye and chuckled when she growled at him for her humiliation.

They left Rin's room, allowing the girl to sleep in peace. On their way back to Inuyasha's room a servant told them that Sesshoumaru had requested an audience. As they came into his room, Miroku and Sango, whom Sesshoumaru had also called, greeted them. The tai-youkai stood in the center of the large bedroom office that led to his inner, private chambers.

“So, you were able to tie your powers to his. Congratulations.” Sesshoumaru said coolly.

“Thank you, Sesshoumaru-sama.” Kagome replied.

“I have sent a messenger to Southern Domain. Lord Sin has not replied to me nor has my messenger returned. Normally, I do not worry about the political state of other countries but if Lord Sin is avoiding my kingdom, that could only mean negative outcomes. I want the four of you to go there and see what is wrong.”

Feeling that he had given his orders, Sesshoumaru left the room, no doubt going to see his daughter, even though he denied it.

Kagome sighed. Another journey in the desert? They just got here. The four of them left the lord's chambers. As Miroku and Sango left to prepare for their ride, Kagome and Inuyasha began walking down the passageways to his room to prepare. They walked together in silence down deserted corridors.

“Inuyasha?”

“Hm?” He looked calm.

“That painting in Rin-chan's room…” he stopped walking beside her. She saw his face change from the calmness it had before into an unreadable expression.

“What painting?”