InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Kagome! Where are you?! ❯ jealousy part 1 ( Chapter 22 )

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

Chapter 22: Jealousy . . . part 1

I had a couple of reviewers mention that ch 21 was a bit uneven. An explanation for that, I think,
is needed.

Basically one side of me, the side that likes history, wanted me to go into detail about life at that
time. Another side of me, the story writer, knows that slowing the story, by adding two, three or
more chapters of historical details, would upset the readers, so . . . I tried to fit in as much detail
as I could in one chapter, and because of that, some of the passages could have been better.

I also had a couple of reviewers indicate that they thought the tenno was evil. I'm actually
writing him as a pretty nice man, compared to many emperors. Think about how he was brought
up. How do you say no to the son of a living god? A lot of emperors that were sons of emperors
were very spoiled kids, ok.

The Tenno is another name for Emperor

Kami roughly translated as God.

Corrected by angelica Birmingham.


_______________________________

Kagome leaves the building she's been in. She is dressed properly for marriage.

Sesshomaru raises an eyebrow. 'She is beautiful.' He licks his lips. 'There is no way that I'm
going to allow anybody to possess this woman.'

Kagome is dressed in a beautiful white Kimono. Her hair, instead of flowing freely, is bound up
into a complex hairstyle. Her face is covered in white powder. In addition to her real eyebrows,
fake eyebrows are painted on her forehead. (She won another argument with the girls, they
wanted to remove her eyebrows, as well as her pubic hair.)

She stares at Sesshomaru. "You know what's about to happen."

He nods.

"Why? Why didn't you?. . "

"Why didn't I claim you?"

Kagome nods.
"A few reasons. First: you would not have liked it and you would have argued and the Tenno
would come to the same conclusion. That you are not mine. Second: I do not own you. Third: I
felt that you would not like it if I tried to intervene."

'I don't think Inu-yasha would have thought about those reasons. He would have probably
attacked the Tenno, instead.' Kagome thinks.

Kagome works her jaws. "I wish . . . I wish we had left this morning, before we meet the Tenno.
Then . . . "

"This Sesshomaru did think about that, but decided that you would like being with humans, so I
dismissed that thought."

'I knew that this would happen, I could smell his lust when I brought you in. Now, to wait and
control myself. Sooner or later you'll ask for help . . . and then . . then I'll intervene and save you.
One step in my plan to acquire you.' Sesshomaru thinks.

Kagome bites her lips and nods, "Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru, that was very considerate of
you." She bows, low, awkwardly holding her hair in place. "And yes, up until I found out about
this marriage, I had been having a good time today."

'Do I ask him if he has any ideas?' Kagome thinks.

She mentally shakes her head, 'No, this is my problem, besides his solution is probably to kill
everyone. And I cannot allow any deaths to occur. Who knows how important to the future
anybody is in the village. If someone dies, will I kill off, say, my ancestor?'

She looks around at the village. 'Yes, given the small number of people here, the death of
anybody will affect the future. So no matter what happens . . . no deaths.'

Kagome and Sesshomaru walk toward the Tenno's building, which is brightly lit with clay lamps.

Kagome mentally shakes her head, 'That means . . . if my plan fails and he doesn't agree to my
plan . . . If I'm given a choice between marriage or the death of anyone here . . . I've got to, for
the sake of the future . . . I'll have to marry the Tenno, with all that means. And then in the
morning . . . once the cube charges . . . we'll see . . . ' she thinks. Kagome nods. Her plans and
thoughts are set.

Kagome thinks, 'How I wish I could be polite tonight. But . . . If I'm polite, I have to follow the
Tenno's commands . . . so . . . I'm going to do something else.' She sighs, 'My plan is an Inu-
yasha plan through and through, but, it is the only thing I can think of . . . '

Kagome is lead into the building and seated at the left-hand side of the Tenno. Seated next to her
is another woman. Her dress is the fanciest in the room, obviously the Tenno's senior wife. She
is covered in make-up, so Kagome cannot guess her age, but, she's probably in her thirties. She
gives Kagome a glare that makes Kikyo's glares seem mild. Sesshomaru is seated on the right-
hand side of the Tenno, and a couple of seats down from the emperor. The men seated between
him and the emperor are obviously part of the Tenno's family.

Kagome leans over, holding her hair, she's afraid the complex hairstyle will collapse, and
whispers into the Tenno's ear. "Lord Tenno, could I, please, have a moment with you, alone?
Before anything happens. I have some things to tell you that could affect tonight, please. I beg of
you, I don't want to cause a scene, but . . . "

He looks over the gathering, about forty to fifty people of both sexes are seating or mingling
around the room waiting for supper. They are his family and his nobles, through which he rules.
'A public scene . . . would not be good.' he thinks.

He nods and stands up. "I and my wife will discuss some matters in the next room for a short
time. Continue to talk and mingle, we'll be right back."

Kagome gets up and follows him into an adjoining room.

In that room . .

"Sir, I do not how to begin, really."

"You are my wife. You may address me as husband."

Kagome licks her lips, "We have not gone through the ceremony, yet."

"Immaterial. What I have ordered will occur." He raises an eyebrow, "Or, are you trying to tell
me that you refuse?"

Kagome nods. "Yes. I refuse."

He stares at her, anger in his eyes.

She stares back, anger in her eyes. "I know that since you have announced the wedding that there
is no way to back out of it."

He nods.

"But . . . you can you say that I'm on a quest, with my demonic companion, and until that quest is
over, I cannot, by order of the Kami, get married."

"Delaying the marriage in other words."

She nods.

"No."
1. She grits her teeth, "Why?"
"Why, because I do not believe that you would return, and I am not going to let you go."

She pales, "Why? Could you, at least, tell me why you want to marry me?"

"You have displayed tremendous power today. If I do not marry you, then any of my nobles, or
my brothers, will marry you. That power must be in my hands, not in the hands of anybody else."

"I have no desire to marry anybody here. And my power will not fall into the hands of anybody
else. My companion and I will be leaving tomorrow."

He raises an eyebrow, "Really? My men might have something to say about that." He holds up a
hand, forestalling her protest. "And if you are planning on leaving, it makes it even more
important that I possess you. I cannot let your power leave."

She works her jaw. "Do not threaten me or, even more importantly, my companion. There is no
way your troops can stop us, when we decide to leave."

"Then, I will use my powers to stop you." The Tenno concentrates. "I am the son of Amaterasu,
the goddess of the sun. I am a living god." His mystical aura grows. He glows.

"You cannot stop me." Kagome growls out. She concentrates. Her mystical aura grows. She
glows. "I am Higurashi Kagome. I am the daughter of Uzume, the goddess of joy and happiness."

'Please, don't let him call my bluff . . . ' she thinks, 'any battle between us would be a mistake . . .
I'll marry him, if necessary, but . . '

'Powerful. Even more so that I thought. How can I let her go?' The Tenno thinks. He stares into
her eyes. 'I will win the battle, of course, but a full scale battle between us would devastate the
area. Is she worth it?'

He stares into her eyes . . .

She stares into his eyes . .

"You will be leaving tomorrow?"

"Yes, or even earlier if needed. I'd just like to change back into my clothes."

"You will not marry anybody?"

"Yes."

"By what will you swear that."
"By all of the gods of Japan."
"I want you even more than I did before." he says in a whimsical tone.

"Why?" she asks with desperation in her voice.

"No woman, nobody really, has ever denied me. That makes you special and mysterious. The
challenge of getting you to say yes . . . is a very tempting challenge. It makes me want to do
things for you . . . " he says as his voice trails off. 'No . . . I am the emperor, and people do things
for me. I do not do things for her. I suddenly saw myself, on my knees begging her for her
approval. No. Never.' He nods. "I have decided."

'I've lost my bluff . . ' she thinks, sadly . . .

"I will agree with your story. Tomorrow you will leave with my permission and support."

Kagome's jaw drops, her aura vanishes, her concentration shattered. "..."

The Tenno relaxes his concentration as well.

"You will, of course, acknowledge, my claim on you. I'm not going to have anybody else have
you. But, instead of my wife, you will be my fiancé."

Kagome licks her lips, 'It's better than a fight.' she nods. She smiles, 'I am sure my grandfather
will love the idea that I got engaged to the emperor. Of course, I'll never come back here again,
so . . the marriage will never happen. I don't like the idea of breaking my word, but . . . I was
never given any choice, so . . . I suppose I can be forgiven for never returning.'

"What if I never return?" she whispers.

"Then nobody here will have your power and that is acceptable. And, if you never return, that
also means that the barbarians will not acquire your powers. If I cannot have you . . . then having
you never return is the next best thing."

Kagome nods in understanding.

Kagome and the Tenno reenter the main room. The people in the room have taken his command
to mingle literally and most of the people are standing and talking. Nobody is near the doorway,
as they open it and nobody is near Sesshomaru. The Tenno's wife remains seated.

The Tenno raises his hand. "Your attention."

The room goes quite.

"The miko Higurashi Kagome has informed the Tenno about the quest that the miko is
performing. By the orders of the Kami, the miko Higurashi Kagome cannot marry until this
quest is finished." he pauses. "Because of this, the miko Higurashi Kagome will become my
fiancé. Upon her return, she will marry me." He gestures to her.
"Yes. It is as the Tenno says." She bows to the room. 'What's up with Sesshomaru? His
_expression . . . he's surprised . . '

The room begins to buzz from whispered conversations.

'That bitch has already got her claws into him . . . she got him to change his mind very easily . . .
' the Tenno's wife thinks as she glares at Kagome.

The Tenno and a few of his advisors huddle up as he tells them about his decision.

Kagome walks over to Sesshomaru and asks in a whisper, "Sesshomaru, what happened?"

He subtly points to a young man, in his late teens, that is hanging around the Tenno's huddle. Not
part of it, but close. "This Sesshomaru has found out why the cube sent us to this place and time."

Kagome looks at the young man, "And. That reason is?"

"His is planning on going on a hunting trip in the next couple of days."

"So?"

"My family's history, Higurashi Kagome." Sesshomaru pauses. "During that trip he will meet
and gain the loyalty of my ancestor. Later, when he is emperor, he will, as a favor to his
companion, he will grant my family the lands and title of The Lord of the Western Lands."

"Oh . . and the cube?"

"It was going to possess me and use me to change the way things are supposed to be. What better
way to attack my family than to attack it at the beginning."

'Hmmm, no. Don't say it, Kagome.' she thinks. She looks at Sesshomaru. 'Sigh . . . that ego of
his. Everything has to be about him. I do not think that's the reason why the cube did this, but, if
I argue with him. That's an argument neither of us can win. And I'm not going to get into stupid
arguments with him. I've had enough of that with Inu-yasha. If I'm going to argue, then it'll be
over something I can win.'

The huddle around the Tenno breaks up and he orders, "The feast will continue. Now."

Everyone sits down, the food and drink (sake), is brought in. Sesshomaru, as is his custom, does
not eat or drink with humans, but everyone else is eating.

'There is more meat with the meal than I would have thought . . . oh . . . Buddhism and it's rule
against killing and eating meat have not been introduced yet.' Kagome thinks.

The sake flows freely . . and after a while . . . everyone is having a good time . .
Kagome quickly becomes the center of attention.

Kagome tells the Tenno and the people in the room edited stories of her adventures. 'I need to
tell them stories about my quest so they will believe me.' she thinks. 'Of course, I have to edit out
anything the might upset the future and there is no reason to tell them about the embarrassing moments.'

Kagome thinks as she looks around the room, sipping on her sake during a break in her
storytelling, 'Why is Sesshomaru always staring at me? One would think that his staring would
creep me out, but . . . it's making me excited.'

'I want her . . . ' Sesshomaru thinks as he stares at Kagome. His hand, by his side, is curled into a
fist, which he is squeezing, blood trails drip down it, as his claws dig into his palm.

'She's flirting with that man . . . a short time ago . . she was angry at him, but now . . . she's
flirting with him. I can smell her excitement.' He can feel his anger increasing. 'Jealousy . . . is
that what I'm feeling?'

'I should not be being feeling jealousy, but . . . I am. Why? Am I afraid she'll change her mind
and marry the human?' he thinks, 'No. I know her well enough that I can say that. So . . . why is
she flirting with him? She wouldn't. But . . . her excitement. Why?'

Kagome glances at Sesshomaru again. He sniffs. His eyes widen, the red in them vanishes, 'It's
me. There was an increase in her excitement . . . when she looked at me.' He smiles and relaxes
his hand. The wounds heal quickly.

The Tenno's wife glares at Kagome throughout the night. The friendly talk between Kagome and
her husband is plainly upsetting her . . . a lot . . .

Later . . .

A few minutes after as a new jar of sake is opened. Kagome picks up her wooden cup filled with
sake, politely nodding to the servant girl that has been serving her and the Tenno's wife all
evening. 'Remember, sip. Luckily I've drunk sake enough with Inu-yasha to know my limit, and
you're close to it, girl.' she thinks. 'Sometimes . . . all there was to drink was sake or water. And
I've had diarrhea too often from plain water, so drinking sake . . . is better than running to the
woods every few minutes.'

She raises the cup.

"NO!" Sesshomaru, instantly, is standing beside her, grabbing the cup of sake from her. The
room goes silent.

"What?" Kagome asks.

"Demon, explain." The Tenno demands.
"The sake is poisoned. I can smell it." Sesshomaru stares at the Tenno's wife. "The same smell is
on her. I ignored it, when I noticed it. Whether or not you humans kill each other is beneath me,
but, I will not allow the miko to the poisoned."

"That is a serious charge, demon." The Tenno's wife says in a low controlled voice.

"It is." The Tenno remarks in a thoughtful voice. 'I've had other girls, ones that I've displayed an
interest in, die suddenly, and my wife's jealousy is well known.' His eyes scan his advisors. They
are looking back at him, shaking their heads. 'Good. That jealousy and the fights that it has
caused have finally turned my advisors against her. So . . . '

"Akemi. Drink the cup." The Tenno orders the servant that has been helping his wife through the
feast.

Akemi and his wife exchange glances. Akemi pales.

She rushes to the Tenno and collapses at his feet. "Please master! Please . . . I will tell you
everything!" She twists and points to her mistress. "She had me put it in her cup!"

"Bitch! Whore!" The wife stands up, yelling. "I made you? I saved your family and this is how
you repay me!" she snarls at Kagome. "You are not going to replace me, you bitch!"

Kagome covers her face with her hands. 'I was told that she was jealous. But . . . I never would
have thought . . ' she thinks.

"Grab her!" the Tenno orders. A couple of the guards in the room seize the wife.

"You cannot do anything to me, Tenno Oho Yamatohiko Suki Tomona no Mikoto!" the wife
yells at her husband. "My family is powerful and . . . "

"And they have another daughter, who will gladly take your place, woman." The Tenno says in a
cold voice. "Drink the cup."

The wife closes her mouth and shakes her head no.

"Force her." The Tenno orders.

Kagome uncovers her face. 'She's going to die . . . I can't allow that. Her death will change the
future and . . . I just can't sit back and allow a person to die, if I can prevent it.' She thinks.

"NO! Tenno!" Kagome stands up "Don't kill her!"

"Miko, she just tried to kill you." The Tenno says.

"So. That is not a reason to kill her." Kagome tosses her head and stares at the Tenno.
"She has, I am sure, poisoned and killed other people, as well."

Kagome shrugs. "I will not allow her to die."

The Tenno, with anger his voice, "I control life and death here, miko, not you."

Kagome shrugs, like his opinion means nothing to her.

"Hold her, do not let her interfere." The Tenno orders a couple of more guards to seize Kagome.

Sesshomaru, who is still standing next to Kagome, places his hand on Tojikin's hilt. "Nobody
will touch her." he growls.

Kagome grabs his hand. Her eyes light on Tenseiga's hilt. Her lips twitch. "No, Sesshomaru,
don't do anything. I'll behave." She twists to face the Tenno. "But, I want her body."

The Tenno shrugs. "Do it." He orders the guards holding his wife.

The guards, after a struggle, open the wife's mouth and pour the poisoned sake in. They let her
go. She drops to the floor and twists in agony for a couple minutes. Then she stiffens and stops moving.

"The body is yours miko." The Tenno says.

Kagome turns to Sesshomaru. "Lord Sesshomaru, please, I beg of you, please use Tenseiga." She
bows, very deeply to him.

Sesshomaru's hand goes to the hilt of Tenseiga. He can see the minor demons forming to take the
soul. 'This is very important to her. She's never learned to hide her emotions. I wonder . . . What
promise can I extract from her. A mating, I'm sure. Her love?' His eyes flicker between the dead
body and Kagome.

Kagome falls to her knees and she grabs his robes. "Please, Sesshomaru. She has to live." Her
voice catches, "I'll promise you anything. Just bring her back to life. Please."

Everyone in the room look at each other is shock at that statement.

'I am not going to acquire her love this way. She'll go through with it, I'm sure, but, she'll always
remember that her love of me is due to this promise . . . not her natural love and that is what I want.'

Sesshomaru draws Tenseiga. "You do not owe me anything, Higurashi Kagome."

Kagome looks up at his face.

Sesshomaru, in low voice, that only Kagome can hear clearly, says "We are friends, this
Sesshomaru believes. And friends may ask friends for favors. I do this as a favor."
He uses Tenseiga on the Tenno's wife.

She wakes up and throws up, violently, only Sesshomaru's speed saves him from being splashed.

"What?!" The Tenno orders. "How?!"

Kagome stares at the Tenno. "You have punished her. She died. Do not kill her again."
Sesshomaru stands next to her.

The Tenno rubs his chin as he thinks. He says, "Very well. I divorce thee, woman."

She tries to speak, but the guards force her jaw closed.

"You will be exiled. Tomorrow you will be released at the edge of the village, with only the
clothes of a peasant. Should you show yourself in my lands, I will punish you again. And that
punishment will be crucifixion." He waves at the guards, "Take her away."

The guards drag her off.

He stares at Kagome and Sesshomaru.

Kagome stands up straight and stares back.

A pause. 'Do I press matters with them?' the Tenno thinks. 'The power to raise the dead . . . I
want that . . . ' he glances around at his guards and his advisors, what he sees there disappoints
him. Nobody is willing to meet his gaze.

He licks his lips, 'Against one of them, I can win. But, together, especially since they will work
together . . '

"Let's us continue with the feast." He waves to the food.

There are no other incidents throughout the rest of the meal.

Sesshomaru and Kagome are walking back to the room that they have been using. (A couple of
torch bearers wanted to go with them, but Sesshomaru's growls, stopped them.)

Kagome stops and turns to face Sesshomaru. "Sesshomaru, umm, could you please bend down some?"

"Why?"

"A surprise." Kagome says in a hopeful voice.

He sighs, but complies. He doesn't bend at the waist, which might look like he is bowing to her,
instead he bends his knees and lowers himself that way.
Kagome smiles, reaches out and hugs him. She whispers in his ear, "Blame this on the sake, if
you will." She kisses him on the cheek. It's more of a sisterly peck than a kiss, but it is a kiss nonetheless.

"That was for tonight, my dear friend Sesshomaru. Everything went much better than I would
have ever dreamed of."

She twirls away and walks into the building.

Sesshomaru reaches up and gently rubs his cheek. 'That smile . . . I want to see her give me that
smile again . . . '

He shakes his head, 'Hmmm. My plan was to kill the Tenno to save her from his advances, but,
maybe, by not killing anybody . . . that might have worked out for the better....'

He frowns, 'But, tonight did show that I suffer from jealousy. That is an emotion for weak willed
women. This Sesshomaru will have to examine that emotion and eliminate it. Like the woman
tonight, I have seen jealousy destroy too many lives. It causes people to be careless and do stupid
things. I can not allow myself to be jealous.'

Sesshomaru listens as Kagome, whistles a happy tune as she undresses inside. 'I saw jealousy
destroy my family . . . I will not make those same mistakes . . . '

The end of chapter 22.


An excerpt from chapter 23.

"I can't believe how jealous that woman was last night, Sesshomaru." Kagome says.

"Believe it, Higurashi." Sesshomaru pauses. "Would you like me to tell you a story of how
jealousy destroyed another family?" he says in a small voice, staring off into the distance.

Kagome looks at him. 'Ever since we left the Tenno's town, he has been in a weird mood,
obviously something about last night is bugging him. Perhaps, if he tells me this story I can
understand why.'

"Of course, Lord Sesshomaru, I would be happy to hear any story you wish to tell."

"This is a story about a demon warlord and his wife and how when he married . . . a human, his
first wife's jealousy . . . destroyed everything . . . "

_____________________________

"I am the daughter of Uzume." Statement. I explored Kagome's and Inu- yasha/Sesshomaru's
family history in the story, "Spring Fertility Festival"
Divorce: Up until 1946, a man in Japan could divorce his wife, as easily as shown above. (There
was a ritual saying, but that's it.)

Crucifixion: Was, from what I can determine, a pretty common, punishment in Japan . . .

Author note world three: Something I've always wondered about . . .

Tenseiga vs. western undead, like vampires. It should be a powerful weapon, I would think. So .
. I wanted to find a world with vampires in it that I could send them to. Buffy was my first
choice. But . . . I decided against it. However, I do still plan on a Sesshomaru vs. vampires' world.

Thank you for reading, Jeff Shelton.