InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ His Past, Her Present, Their Future ❯ Confrontation ( Chapter 29 )

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

Disclaimer: No own. Nothing else to say.

I also don’t own Kougaiji…he has nothing to do with the story, but I like the looks of his character so much I threw him in. Whoever owns Saiyuki and its characters owns him. He’s just a hottie. Him and Hakkai (without the nerdy headband…and his shirt…yum). And Goyjo. I’m not partial to blondes, but Sanzo won me over in the early episodes of Reload with the kitten, so him too. XD I may throw all of them in as guards too, just for the hottie-male factor. Bwahaha.

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His Past, Her Present, Their Future
Chapter 29 - Confrontation

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“So, I guess we were right, sisters. Looks like the Prince over there has taken a human whore. What is it with dogs taking to the stench of decay?” it was one of the triplets, and Kagome grinned. She squeezed Sesshoumaru’s hand and stepped away from him.

“You know, girls,” Kagome began, smiling at the trio, “Perhaps at dinner I gave the impression of being a demure and weak little ningen, but I assure you that’s far from the truth.”

They scowled in unison and the pink-crested one, whom Kagome had dubbed the ringleader, stepped forward, “Know your place, mortal wench. You are undeserving of a youkai like Sesshoumaru.”

Kagome laughed liltingly, her voice sugary sweet, “Oh but my dears, how do you know what is deserved? Stay away from me and mine and I won’t have to show you my bad side.”

The three scowled and opened their mouths to say more, but Kagome was already back at Sesshoumaru’s side and ignoring them completely. They conferred and decided to gain a plan of attack; one of them would get the Western Heir, for sure.

Kagome refused to dance; the archaic patterns and steps foreign to her. This was all right with her escort, though, because he didn’t enjoy it anyway. They were talking peacefully until a high pitched squeal broke their conversation, “Ohh Sessy, I know you’d come to your senses. That’s my boy!” Kaori grinned, hugging the both of them tightly.

“Mother..” Sesshoumaru began, but another bone crushing hug stopped his words. Kagome just looked confused.

“This, silly girl!” Kaori said, tapping the pendant, “I am happy for the both of you! I trust you with my pup, my friend.”

Kagome blushed, but Kaori’s excitement was contagious and she found herself grinning as well. She soon swept away, presumably to inform Mattaki. Kagome sighed and looked out over the group. Several of the castle town’s noble families had been invited in for the celebrations as well, so the rather large hall was crammed with youkai. Kagome stayed close to Sesshoumaru.

Whether her escort or not, since they were not formally announced as being betrothed, Sesshoumaru was obligated to give a few dances to the demoness’ who approached him. In these times Kagome tried to swallow her jealousy and stayed off to the side and hopefully off radar of the possibly hostile youkai.

The guard she had come to befriend, Kougaiji, stood nearby to her. Though he was not supposed to converse with the partygoers, Kagome had prodded him until he talked to her. Since it was a formal evening, his usual armor was replaced with a more elegant white kimono. The long burgundy red hair that he usually left down was in tails and he had combed his unruly bangs for once. She couldn’t help but think he looked attractive, though she was careful not to flirt. Kagome chatted with him amicably, feeling more comfortable to have someone to talk to in the intimidating atmosphere.

Kagome buried her face in her hands, “Mou, Kougaiji-kun, I am bored! If all these women weren’t trying to get Sesshou he would at least be here talking to me.”

“Calm down, Kagome. Am I not sufficient company?”

She popped her head up and grinned, “Of course you are. But I just became engaged and within the first hour of its commencement I am without him. Baaaaka. I will be so glad for all these people to be gone.”

She gave a short wave to the Inuyoukai before darting out the terrace doors, walking to the edge and looking down over the lake. The moonlight shimmered over it and called to her; would it be so inviting to swim in? She wondered if she could talk Sesshoumaru down to it for that reason. She and Rin had swam several times in it the summer before, and she knew it was brisk but she wanted to dive in anyway. It called to her soul, anything to get away from the stuffy reception room.

“Well, little miko, seems I have you cornered,” a drawling voice mocked, and she swiveled on her heel to face the voice that was far too close for comfort. Her assailant stood sneering only a foot away, his steel grey hair whipping in the night’s breeze.

Kagome narrowed her eyes, “So you have. What do you want, Gojou?”

“That is Gojou-samato you, little wench.”

“Sorry, but I only give respect where it is earned.”

His sneer dissolved into a scowl, “How dare you, insolent bitch? Your trash is soiling Nippon and you dare to tell me I must earn your respect? I have heard the blood of a miko is particularly satisfying, shall we see?”

He caught her hard against the railing, Kagome’s joints popping from the impact. She grunted and struggled against his taloned hand, lashing out with her extremities in hopes of gaining a hit. Her attacker smirked, “Now now, this won’t hurt much. If you stop struggling, you might even enjoy it.”

He dug his claws into her neck, missing arteries but puncturing deeply. She tried to gasp but could not, the pain making her vision go white. The dragon raised a claw to his face and licked the blood, smiling, “I heard correctly it seems,“ he chortled, leaning back to her bleeding neck. Kagome flung her hands up to his face and shot all the power she could muster into them, raking her blunt nails down his cheeks.

The dragon roared and dropped her, leaving her teetering on the edge of the wall. She heaved herself back onto the stationary balcony floor and met the wide angry eyes of the lord across from her. His face sported angry red, bleeding burns across both sides; those wounds would take at least a week to heal. Even if he killed her now, Kagome could smile knowing the damage she had caused. He rose to his feet and dashed at her, and Kagome tossed up a barrier just in time to deflect him back.

“You can’t hold that for long, bitch,” he choked out through his fury. He would kill her for her disrespect. No ningen had ever dared stand up to him, and there was no way he would let her live. No matter how afraid she got she stood strong, and he hated that he couldn’t make her cower. Gojou swore to himself that he would break her.

He smacked into the barrier again, and Kagome screamed. The pain in her neck was magnified by the attacks; she hoped Sesshoumaru or Mattaki would soon pick out the scent of her blood. She glared at her opposition, “I can hold it long enough, asshole.”

The dragon’s eyes were bleeding ruby red and bulging grotesquely. She was pissing him off and proud, but she knew with more strength meant less time she could hold her barrier. She had to drop it now and hope that before he levied a killing blow she could muster it one more time, or that her new accessory would do it‘s job. If she held the barrier now she would go down just as quickly.

He saw the barrier fall and grinned, his bulbous eyes glowing in the dark. He grabbed her by the neck and lifted her, “Not so brave now, are you wench?”

“Urasai!” she choked out, her vision swimming.

He snarled and pitched her hard, but in his rage didn’t pay attention to where he threw her. She smashed through the shoji doors and into the hall. The crowd parted as she got to her feet, the last vestiges of her holy power snapping in a palpable aura around her. She glowered at the dragon who had chased her in, “Get the hell away from me, lizard.”

“Where will you run bitch? The others here would kill you just as easily as I.”

“No, they wouldn’t,” a bass resounded, and Mattaki stood forward, Gyakusetsu following behind him, “You attack my guest in my home, and think any would be as foolish as you? Get out, and take your family with you. You are no longer welcome here.”

“I was going to leave anyway, who would want to remain when you keep such filth? I swear to you that I will be your downfall, Western Lord. Your family, your followers, and that damned miko will fall at my sword. The West will be mine!”

The dragon stalked from the room, leaving a weakening miko and two very angry Taiyoukai behind. Mattaki ran and held Kagome close to him, “Daughter, are you alright? Kagome!”

She blinked sapphire eyes slowly up at him, managing a weak smile, “Glad you came, Mattaki. Where is Sesshou?”

He stilled, “I assumed he was with you, I haven’t seen him in quite some time.”

Gyakusetsu walked to the pair, “I saw him leaving to avoid the triplets out to the courtyard, but surely he would have come back by now after the display of power on Kagome’s part?”

Kagome turned to him, steadying herself on her own feet, “Setsu-kun, did they follow him?”

“Hai, they did.”

“Iie, Mattaki, we have to go after him! Those stupid girls, I’ll purify them if they did anything to Sesshou…”

He shushed her and scooped her into his arms, “We shall go, friend. I don’t like the sound of it anymore than you do.”

The trio left a still blinking hall behind them, everyone unsure of exactly what to do. They rushed through the halls in youkai fashion, Kagome gripping the front of Mattaki’s kimono to keep from the woozy feelings at bay.

In the courtyard was not the sight they expected. The three princesses stood around Sesshoumaru’s prone body, a faint glow signifying the binding spell in place. They hadn’t noticed the new arrivals yet.

“Right now Otou-san is offing your little whore, Prince. As soon as she’s gone I will simply force you to mark me and then you will have no choice but to mate me.”

Kagome snarled and pushed herself out of Mattaki’s arms, “This is mine,” she hissed, striding purposefully towards the group, “I don’t think so, you stupid girls. Let him up. Now.”

Their ‘leader’ flinched, “What are you doing here?!”

“Go pack your things and get the hell out of this castle, I would hate to have to purify any of you. Your father is to be gone within the hour, and you will be joining him. Don’t make me kill you.”

She leapt towards the miko, breaking the binding spell and releasing Sesshoumaru in the process. He held onto the other two while Kagome circled the pink-crested dragon. It leapt for her and she raised a lilac-coated hand, placing it on the other girls chest and blowing her backwards. Her anger had tapped deeper levels of her power, and she knew she would pay for the overuse for a week. But she was not going to back down. With heaving, angry steps she approached the recovering youkai and held her hand out again, “Leave in peace or I swear I will purify your ass to Hades.”

The hime gulped and stood, brushing off her kimono. She flipped on her heel and stalked back into the palace, her newly released sisters following after. Kagome looked over to Sesshoumaru and smiled, “I think I want to start this day over, would that be alright?” she collapsed to the ground in a heap, three daiyoukai dashing to her side.

Sesshoumaru pushed past his father and lifted the girl in his arms while Gyakusetsu opened her eyelids and checked her breathing, “She has only swooned. She had to use her powers far too much, she needs rest. You should get a healer to look at the punctures on her neck, too, they look deep.”

Sesshoumaru cringed at her appearance. Blood ran down her neck in frozen rivulets, dried in place. Her face looked gaunt, somehow, and had hardly any color left in it. Her beautiful new kimono was crumpled and ripped and he hugged her closer to himself.

Mattaki placed a hand on his son’s shoulder, “She will be fine, my son. Take her, I need to go inform your mother of the happenings and call on a guard to be posted at Lady Kagome’s door.”

“She is fond of Kougaiji,” he said softly, brushing the girl’s bangs back.

“Then I will assign him. Go, take her to her chambers, I will have the healer sent up.”

Sesshoumaru obeyed and dashed nimbly through the halls. He held his betrothed close to his chest and tried to keep his raging temper in check as he smelt Gojou and his disgusting kin. He silently hoped his Chichi-ue would declare war on the North so they could slaughter them all.

He pulled back Kagome’s coverlet and slipped her under, pausing at what to do about her clothing. He deftly sliced through the layers and pulled them off her gently; it was nothing he hadn’t seen before, right? They were stained in her blood and the only layer that mattered was ripped anyway so he tossed them to the floor.

His mouth went dry as he looked at her, her slim body bathed in moonlight. He eyed the strange scraps of cloth she wore as undergarments and resisted the urge to touch them to see what material they were. He tore his eyes away and pulled out a plain white yakuta, dressing her quickly and covering her body from his own ecchi thoughts.

He sat beside her and ran clawed fingertips over her cheek, watching her sigh and nuzzle into his hand. He smiled and cupped her face in his graceful hand, seeing her smile contentedly. He spied the necklace he had given her only hours before peeking out from her robe and tucked it in more securely, a smug grin tugging at his lips. She was his, at least for now.

He stood to leave her to her rest and was stopped by a hand pulling his back. “Stay with me, Sesshou,” she murmured sleepily, and he sat back beside her. Lying down for a moment wouldn’t hurt. He slipped down beside her, his arm securely around her waist and buried his face in her hair. Sleep came deeply and easily for both.

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When morning’s rays touched the pair, Sesshoumaru was roused. He had not slept so long nor so deeply in years, and he smiled at the woman beside him. Apparently the healer had come in the night, because her neck was cleaned and bandaged. How he hadn’t awoken to her presence he didn’t know, but he was thankful for it anyway. He sat up and slid from the bed and out of the room, leaving the sleeping woman alone to recuperate.

At breakfast, only the Eastern family remained; his mother told him Gyakusetsu had left at first light with his kin and gave his farewells to both he and Kagome. Sesshoumaru politely answered inquiries into the girl’s health but picked at his food with a frown on his face.

Whereas just the night before he had given her that necklace in hopes of ensuring they were compatible, this morning he could think of no reason not to just take her as her own as soon as she was recovered. What had his reasoning been? Oh, yes, he was afraid they weren’t well-matched. That was quite the lie he had told himself. He sighed inaudibly and pursed his firm lips. The only obstacle in his way was likely Kagome herself; with a will like hers he doubted he would be able to convince her he had changed his mind and did not need an assessment period.

So he would wait, and give himself every chance to second guess his choice. Would he really be satisfied with her? A mere ningen? He disregarded that thought immediately. Somewhere in the last week he had ceased even thinking of her as a mortal - she was Kagome. Fire, lighting, storm, and flood, all encased within a temporary frame of petite beauty.

It was a dangerous thing for him to stop thinking of her mortality, because she was surely that. He would have her for mere decades before she would wilt, fade, and finally disappear from the earth. Maybe she would reincarnate? Surely a soul as powerful as hers would have that privilege. But then that reincarnation would not be her. Perhaps similar, but not the same. He wanted this one, Kagome, not some different version of her.

He dismissed himself and left the castle; he needed time away to think. His waterfall beckoned.


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A/N: Mou…I wonder, do you all think I went too fast on the relationship change? In my experiences (and they are plentiful) these things tend to be quick, the change between hated to attracted or friends to love can be rather speedy. I could have drawn it out more, but I like that it is going somewhere. There is still story to go, people! This will likely be about 50 chapters…give or take.

Sorry to those who like the build more than the relationship…but there are things to do!!!

THANK YOU REVIWERS! I took advantage of an extended internet stay to answer a couple (Sorry, just a few recent ones) questions and comments…but I want to send a blanket GINORMOUS thank you to you guys. Its you who make me read and re read my chapters, picking them apart and making me make sure I’m not leaving gaping holes in my plot and that its original…its you guys who end up making me rethink my ideas and improve them. Thank you from the bottom of my heart!!! ^_______^

To people urging me to post all my chapters: you know better. ;) I can’t post too many, that would be bad! I’ve now written up to 34 and am still going…but I promise you by the end of this summer, the whole story will be up and I’m already plotting something new and different….probably will be more cliché than this one is, but I will throw in my own elements to keep it as original as I can.


Now, a few responses:

scorpion’s lady - PRINTING IT?! OMG…you have no idea how I squealed when I read that. XD I am honored!!! blushes and glomps for good measure WHEE!

draegon-fire - No getting his mate, but did she do a good job on Goujo? ;) And I agree about flirting…I am a natural harmless flirt, and while in relationships I make sure that is known. Just because I flirt doesn’t mean I want the guy, its just banter between my friends and I. Pretty much all my friends are guys, so yeah. ^_^

Lorccan - You always make me look forward to your little comments. ;) Such a faithful reviewer! I have a few, and to those of you who do, I am honored.

RhiannonoftheMoon - OMG. giddy I am honored. I read ‘Darkness’ and ‘Shed a Little Light’ and adored them both….I love seeing people whose writings I love review me. Don’t worry, I am a hentai too…and though in this fic I held off for the story, someday I will have a less rigid storyline to work with and have fun. In this one, there will be citrus, though. Like I could leave a story without it? Pah!!! And thanks for telling me about the Anon…I didn’t know. ^^; Thanks for telling me, its fixed.

kittycat925 - Yes, I had several possible bad endings….one was her fucking up the future and making her disappear…one was being killed in the past….one was going back to the future and never finding him. Twisted, I am. ;)

Kurai Kysobin - XD Did you give her the English/Jpnese dic? I know you did, FESS UP! ^__^ Hah. Ahhh someone else who liked Saiyuki!!! ^____^ Good! I through in Kou and Hakkai as guards later…for my entertainment…actually, Kou was in these chapters, ne? Whee! I don’t use their personalities, I just throw them in for looks…that way, if people know who they are they can picture them. ;) I love you too! *glomp*

Arryelle - I never said I wouldn’t have her live as long as him…though I’m not sure if she will, but just because I won’t let simply being his mate extend her life doesn’t mean its out of the question. ;)

mcleigh - You catch on. ;) Shh! In my original story, I am known for foreshadowing (usually to my friends’ screeches)…some people have noticed, but few really get it. Good job on noticing a few of my details. ;) You will see it all come to fruitation (assuming I remember all of the things I foreshadowed… ^^;;;)