InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Secrets of the Shinju (Part IV): Power of the Purified Shinju ❯ Explanations ( Chapter 33 )

Chapter Thirty-Three
Explanation

Sesshoumaru and Kagome stayed out in the garden for nearly an hour before he decided she needed more rest. He escorted her to her room and remained with her until she fell asleep. He then moved to sit in the chair that was in the corner of her room. As long as he was at her home he would respect her mother and her wishes. He, himself, would expect no less in his home.

Kagome woke early and found that Sesshoumaru was not in the room. She quickly got up and went to clean up and dress. She house was oddly quiet and Kagome peaked outside. In the rear of the shrine Sesshoumaru was with Souta. Each had a katana in hand and Sesshoumaru was instructing Souta how to hold it.

He was wearing a white T-shirt and khaki pants that had belonged to her father. The pants were a bit baggy as Sesshoumaru was leaner than her father had been, but the shirt fit him nicely, accentuating all of his muscles. She acknowledged that he looked quite good in the modern clothes. She watched as Sesshoumaru encouraged Souta to make a move towards him and then blocked it while explaining to her brother about proper defensive maneuvers.

She smiled slightly at his patience when he again blocked Souta's move while speaking to him. After a few moments, he showed Souta the proper defensive stance and made a move for Souta. She could tell that he had no intentions of harming her brother and continued to watch with interest. Souta correctly blocked Sesshoumaru and he nodded his head and praised his accomplishment.

Though what he was doing was only very basic swordsmanship, she could tell that Souta was quite proud and was enjoying Sesshoumaru's company. Kagome sighed and went back into the house. They were in their personal garden and almost no tourists ever came out there. If anyone were to see Sesshoumaru from a distance in her father's clothes they wouldn't suspect him being anything other than human.

Kagome's mother was sitting in the kitchen when she walked in. "Good morning." Her mother said brightly. "Mom, did you know that Souta and Sesshoumaru are outside with father's katanas?" Her mom nodded her head.

"Yes, Souta has been asking me lately to let him take a class to learn to use them. Ever since he met InuYasha he has wanted a sword of his own, but I told him he isn't allowed one unless he can wield it properly. I don't want him getting hurt." She sighed and continued. "He asked me again this morning and Sesshoumaru offered to work with him until you woke." Mrs. Higurashi then looked at her daughter closely. "Sesshoumaru also asked me to contact Jomei today. I assume he spoke to you last night?" Kagome nodded her head.

"I will call him shortly. I believe he will be able to come over this evening. I know Sesshoumaru is anxious to return to the little girl, Rin, I believe he called her." Kagome simply nodded again. Her mother sat there silent for a moment while Kagome looked around for something that appealed to her for breakfast. Finally, she had to speak with her daughter.

"I must admit that I was wrong about him. At first I believed he had taken advantage of you. You had gone through so much and it seemed as though he was taking advantage of your vulnerability. Though, now I can see that he isn't a person that would do that." Kagome turned to face her mother.

"Sesshoumaru would never do something like that. He has always treated me with love and respect." Mrs. Higurashi simply nodded her head in agreement. She excused herself when Kagome sat down to eat and returned nearly ten minutes later. "I told Jomei the situation and he said he would be delighted to come by this evening. He's almost as crazy as your grandfather." She muttered nearly under her breath. Kagome gave her mom a questioning look and her mother just shook her head and smiled. "Today, I would like to take you shopping. Though, we can't have a traditional wedding, I would like to at least purchase both of you proper kimono's to wear." Kagome nodded her head and felt bad for her mother.

She knew her mother had always dreamed of her having a traditional Japanese wedding. Many young people had begun to be influenced by western culture and truly traditional weddings were becoming rarer. Kagome was sure her mother would try to help her pick out the time honored white kimono for herself and a black one for Sesshoumaru.

However, in a traditional ceremony Kagome would be painted white from head to toe and would have an elaborate head piece as well. The families of the bride and groom would normally face one another rather than facing the couple, but there would be very few people at the ceremony and this tradition would also not be followed. After the ceremony both bride and groom would normally partake in ritual of drinking nine cups of sake. Something Kagome certainly couldn't do in her condition and was sure Sesshoumaru would have no desire to do either.

They spent the afternoon shopping. Kagome wore loose clothes and did her best to hide her condition from anyone that might recognize her. However, at the second shop they entered Mrs. Higurashi pulled Kagome aside and spoke to her softly. "Kagome, stop trying to hide yourself. I'm not ashamed of you, and you shouldn't be either." She then turned and went back to looking for kimonos.

Kagome followed and after searching through a couple more shops they finally found a beautiful white kimono with nearly transparent silver designs on it. It was a stunning piece of clothing and Kagome nearly gasped when she saw the price. However, her mother ignored her protests and left the store with the kimono in hand. Next they stopped at a men's clothing store and began to look around. Mrs. Higurashi had noted the size difference in Sesshoumaru and the clothing she had given him that morning. She would easily be able to find a kimono in his size.

Though his was not nearly as expensive as Kagome's, the kimono she chose was quite extravagant. Just as Kagome suspected it was a black kimono that was made of the softest material Kagome had ever felt. She felt guilty about her mother spending so much money but knew not to complain.

Kagome was surprised the Sesshoumaru and Souta were still sparring when she returned. Sesshoumaru was still showing great patience and Souta appeared to be having a wonderful time. She stood and watched as Sesshoumaru came at her brother quickly, making several powerful moves with the sword. Each time Souta blocked it. His form was excellent, neither his footing nor his sword faltering. Kagome's pride swelled when she saw her little brother's accomplishment. Sesshoumaru again complimented Souta and then turned to watch Kagome. She just smiled at him and turned back into the house.

It was late afternoon and Jomei would be arriving in the evening to perform the ceremony. Kagome decided to relax in a hot bath and then returned to her room to start preparing. It saddened her slightly that her wedding day would be so rushed and sudden, but realized that it didn't really matter. She was sitting in front of her mirror brushing out her hair when she heard a knock at the door. She turned as Sesshoumaru walked in and gazed down at her. He stood there for a moment and then asked if he could speak with her. She nodded and watched as he pushed the door shut. She moved to her bed and motioned for him to join her. He sat with her and asked how she was feeling.

"I'm feeling fine." She said with a smile while running her hand softly over her stomach. "She doesn't move a lot during the day, but she doesn't seem to stop at night when I want to sleep." Sesshoumaru smiled slightly, noting Kagome still referred to the child as a female. There was little doubt in his mind that it would be a girl. Finally, he decided to speak.

"Kagome, today I am officially accepting you as my mate. You deserve my honesty, so I would like to speak to you about my reasons for not marking you." She perked up immediately wanting to know why he wouldn't mark her as his mate.

"The process of marking itself is not the problem. However, when a male marks his mate, he releases a toxin into her blood. It causes the females scent to change, letting other males know that she is mated and not to be touched. Most females are unharmed by the toxin, though many become ill after the mark is placed on her. Often times, her heart rate and body temperature will rise and she will become quite stressed for several days until the toxin's effect lessens. Of course, such a thing would not be good for someone carrying a child. However, human females that are marked often have more severe reactions to the toxins, though few actually die from it." He stopped speaking for a moment and watched her reaction before continuing.

"As I've said, if you still wish to bear my mark after you have given birth then I will honor that. But there is no way that I can mark you now." He again stopped and watched her before he decided to tell her the rest. "The effect of the mark is a direct result of the demon itself. My toxin would no doubt be quite potent. I fear that if Naraku is the child's natural father, marking you while you are pregnant might harm or even kill the baby. The toxin would no doubt attack the blood of another male demon."

Kagome's eyes widened and she brought her hands to her stomach instinctively. Sesshoumaru too brought his hand to her stomach and gently caressed her. "I will not risk hurting you or our child." Kagome looked up at him and nodded. He then stood and walked towards the door. "I will return shortly. There is something that I need to do before the ceremony." She glanced up at him but didn't ask him any questions. Instead, she lay on her bed and decided to get a little rest while she waited for his return.