InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Slave to the Heart ❯ Sacrifices ( Chapter 2 )

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

When Kagome woke the next morning, Sango was quick to get her ready. Lady Higurashi made a request to see her daughter immediately.

The young princess yawned, throwing her hands high above her head in a dramatic fashion before hastily getting up off her futon. Sango shed Kagome of her sleeping yukata and began changing her into a nice summer kimono.

Like most things Kagome wore, this kimono was spun from only the finest silk available from China. This kimono was a pastel pink one with thin, silver, horizontal streaks. The obi that Sango expertly tied in the back was Kagome's absolute favorite. It was solid red. Not that you could call this color red, it was richer than red, more vibrant and much more romantic.

Sango whisked a comb through Kagome's silky tresses and skillfully tied it up into an intricate bun.

"Arigatou, Sango."

Her beloved lady-in-waiting tried to hide her prideful smile as she bowed. "It was my immense pleasure, Lady Kagome."

Together, they made it to the inner most part of the garden in the palace, which was restricted for the use of the noble woman only. There by the koi pond sat Lady Higurashi and Kaede. Both sets of woman smiled warmly to each other before inclining their heads.

"You wished to see me, Mama?"

"Yes. As we discussed last night, we are going to try to find you a new suitor. Our first step in doing so is to invite the Lords here."

"How will you get them to come?"

"I will invite them here to see the cherry blossoms." The older woman smiled coyly. "Everyone in Japan knows we are known for ours. They will come and when they do it will be up to you to pick one. I expect an engagement from one of them by the end of the week, if not sooner."

Kagome blinked. "I have one week to get one of the Great Lords to marry me? It's sweet of you to think I'm capable of accomplishing this but I don't see how-"

"Nonsense," Lady Higurashi interrupted, waving her hand in a dismissing fashion, "both lords are unmarried to my knowledge and if they are, well, Lords are always looking to take on concubines. It is only natural that both will see how beautiful you are and want you for their own."

Her daughter wasn't convinced. "Well, you are not married. What if one of the lords chooses you?"

Lady Higurashi laughed, covering her mouth with her sleeve. "Who would want an old woman like me?"

"Mama." Kagome said seriously.

"Do not worry, my dear. This whole thing is for you. What good would it do us if I ended up married?"

"If you think this will work, then I trust you." Kagome smiled lightly before adding, "So it seems like you have everything ready. When do we send out the invitations?"

"As soon as you do one thing for me..." Lady Higurashi held out her hand and Kaede handed over two scrolls.

One scroll was tied shut with a white silk ribbon, the other with red. "Scent mark these two scrolls."

Kagome shook her head in confusion. "Scent mark?"

It was Sango who answered. "Demons have a very acute sense of smell and when they look for a potential mate or concubine, the person in question must smell good to them. Smell is a big part in demonic relationships."

"Should I have my perfumes fetched?" Kagome asked puzzled.

"No, you just have to rub them thoroughly against your skin. Your natural scent is what will entice them."

Kagome thought this was some kind of joke. "Honestly?" She chuckled.

"Yes, dear." Lady Higurashi handed them to Kagome.

"Where should I rub them?" Kagome asked, the scroll with the red ribbon instantly catching her eye.

"Your neck. Most demons find that spot to be the most intimate." Sango continued matter-of-factly.

"How do you know all this?" The question slipped off Kagome's tongue.

"My father was a demon slayer. I naturally studied demon culture as a child. The scent marking was my idea." Sango replied through a light blush.

Kagome looked to her mother who nodded. Kagome timidly took a scroll and put it to her neck. Applying a little pressure, as to not bend or wrinkle it, she rubbed it against her ticklish neck. Everyone watched as she did the same with the second.

***

After the brief meeting with her daughter, Lady Higurashi went in search of Ukaran. She wanted him to make sure her letters met their intended destination.

Finally, she spotted him coming out of the library, he looked rather distracted; his nose buried in a scroll.

"Good morning, Ukaran." She seemed to have startled him.

"Forgive me for my ignorance, my lady. I should have seen you sooner." He formally got to his knees, pressing his forehead to the wooden flooring.

"It is alright; please, stand up. I have an errand for you to take care of."

Ukaran rolled his original scroll up and tucked it into his kimono sleeve. "What can I do for you, my honorable lady?" He rose to his feet gracefully.

"Make sure these letters make it to the Western and Northern Domains. We are having them over for a cherry festival viewing." Lady Higurashi handed him the scrolls Kagome had scented.

"Shall I deliver one to the Southern Domain also?" Ukaran slipped them into his empty sleeve.

Lady Higurashi shook her head. "No, those two will do. Have them sent out immediately; the festival begins in a little over two weeks. We have no time for any delays."

"I understand." He inclined his head as his lady exited.

‘It seems Lady Higurashi is wary of the Great Lord Naraku.’ He mused as he pulled out the red ribboned scroll Kagome had earlier scented.

Ukaran put it to his nose and inhaled deeply, closing his eyes as he was over taken by a strong sensation of desire from the girl's innocent scent. 'She has good reason to be wary. However, in the end it matters not where she sends Kagome. If she is the girl of the legend, she will become mine.'

***

Later that night, Sango lead Kagome to the bath house. They stripped of their bathing robes and sunk into the warm awaiting waters. Both girls sighed deeply. Normally, ladies-in-waiting, such as Sango, would be forbidden to bathe with their nobles, like Kagome, but things were always different in the Eastern Domain.

"Sango, I just realized back there in the garden, how little I know about you. I feel guilty for never asking before." Kagome frowned, settling against the side of the hot spring.

Sango smiled and let her hair out of its confining green ribbon. "It is alright, Lady Kagome. You shouldn't feel guilty. It wouldn't be proper for me to speak of such things with you."

Kagome's frown deepened. She reached out a hand and lightly touched Sango's arm.

"Come on, now. I wouldn't have asked if I didn't really want to know. Please, tell me, Sango."

Sango's brown eyes looked up at Kagome, hesitant for a minute. "Well, as you remember I came here five years ago, when you were only twelve years old."

"That's when we became meiyuu." Kagome smiled.

Sango nodded, appreciative of Kagome's endearment. "Before I came here, I lived just inside the Western Domain, in a small village of professional demon slayers. Our people were under the service and protection of the Honorable Lord Sesshomaru. When I lived there, I had been training to become a slayer like my father; so was my little brother Kohaku, well at least for awhile. He got sick right before I came to live with you. I had to put a hold on my training so I could take care of him."

Sango absently began to swirl circles in the water as she looked at the mountains to the west. Kagome thought she wasn't going to continue.

"While watching him one night, my father came home early and told me that I was to accompany him on a slaying. I went with him, leaving Kohaku with a friend of our family; a nice, elderly woman." Sango's eyes got a little misty with unshed tears, causing her thick lashes to sag. "As it turns out, the slaying mission was only a distraction so that a horde of vengeful demons could attack our village. When we returned from the slaying, our village was under siege. The battle took the lives of many, including my father. The few of us that lived began to bury our dead. I-I remember when I found my father. After that, everyone moved closer to the Western Palace. I, however, couldn't follow them. I had to find my own path and start a new life for myself. I almost ended my pain, but one thing kept me going."

Sango suddenly came back to reality. Her eyes focused and she saw Kagome on the verge of tears as well. It touched her that Kagome would cry for her.

"What was it?"

"Kohaku." Sango spoke almost in a whisper. "We never found his body." Tears slowly fell down her cheeks. "And somehow I knew he was still alive. I still believe he is. And one day, I will find him."

***

By flicking candle light, a hand was writing soundlessly as its body laid out on a futon. The letter was short and to the point. The young maiden's voice quietly read it back to herself.

"Lord Sesshomaru, Naraku is demanding to marry Kagome. You and Kouga are being summoned in hopes one of you will propose to her instead. Everything is going according to plan. Forever Your Loyal Servant."

Satisfied with the letter, the girl pulled her green kimono open a little at the chest and slid the folded letter inside. She quickly stood and exited the room, grabbing her geta on her way out. She hurriedly made her way through the winding halls of the inner palace toward the main gate. Once there, her tabi-less feet kicked on her geta.

The guards waved to her friendly and she bowed back at them upon reaching the main gate. 'These samurai shouldn't be so trusting. How come none of them ever mention my periodic visits through the main gate?' The girl thought idly as she fell into the darkness of the surrounding forest.

Her feet crunched on the gravel of the dirt road. Ahead, she spotted a large form coming from the opposite direction toward her. She crouched down low in the surrounding brush, until the figure down the path lit a torch and waved it to the right. It was the signal she was waiting for. She broke into a light sprint.

She was met half way by the approach of a man on a fine white horse. Before the horse even came to a complete stop, the man slid from the beast's back and quickly ran up to the woman.

"My love." He said breathlessly as he pulled her into a lover's embrace.

She spread her fingers against his back, pulling him as close to her as possible. He smiled into her neck and begin to place soft butterfly kisses on her bare skin; it had been far to long.

She smiled to herself. "Miroku, we don't have the time."

He chuckled. "My dear, but we do have centuries of it."

"After our mission is accomplished, that is." She corrected.

He nodded and reluctantly pulled back a little. She leaned forward and rested against his chest. They continued to embrace for several minutes. It was sweet and the comfort she wanted and desperately missed. These rendezvous were too far and few in between.

"I regret every time I must travel back without you. Tonight Sango, come back with me." Miroku whispered to her.

"You know I can’t do that. Kagome needs me here. Tonight, you go back alone." Sango hated the circumstances to which the plan held them.

He sighed and casually reached into the front of her kimono for the letter that he knew was there. Sango gasped, immediately her cheeks tinted; not that he could see, for the lighting was poor. He smiled though, knowing how red he made her. After all, he had known her for ages.

***

Kagome was kneeling nervously beside her mother. 'Honestly, where did the past two weeks go?'

Just two weeks ago, Lady Higurashi had come running in on Kagome, and shrieked happily that she had received word from the two Lords. The time that passed from that day to now seemed to be a mere blink of an eye. It had been the most hectic two weeks of her life. But no amount of stress compared to what she was feeling now while waiting on the steps of her palace for her future husband to arrive.

And too add to the complete chaos of the passed weeks, Lady Higurashi's most trusted retainer, Ukaran, had an urgent message sent for him. He wouldn't be back until sometime after the daimyou had left. Even though Lady Higurashi had begged and bribed, he couldn't be persuaded, saying it was a family problem that needed him immediately. Right now, everyone was feeling stressed and cranky, since when he left things weren't as smooth as usual.

Kagome shifted her weight onto her other knee and gently tugged at the red obi around her waist. The outfit she wore was picked out carefully by Lady Higurashi, picked to compliment both houses of the visiting Lords.

*flashback*

"Remember Kagome dear, you want to please both houses. Then, at the end of the week pick the one you wish to marry. Now, in order to make a good first impression, we need to find something for you to wear that will catch the eyes of both Lords. So, how about we dress you in their two house colors; white and red?"

"Of course." Kagome replied obediently while Sango worked through the minor knots in Kagome's hair.

Just then, Kaede walked into the room holding two neatly wrapped packages. One quite large and the other was small like a piece of fruit. At seeing her favorite maid, Lady Higurashi quickly rushed to Kaede.

"Kaede! I’m happy you are here! We must pick something suitable for Kagome to wear.”

Kaede bowed and extended the two packages. "My Lady, I think I have something to aid ye. These just arrived from the Lords, who are waiting outside the palace gates."

Lady Higurashi hurriedly took the packages and knelt in front of Kagome, placing them in her lap. "Open them, dear."

Kagome smiled, and picked up the smallest. She untied the red silk ribbon and pulled off the white silk that covered this offering. Her eyes widened and she gasped as she held the item up higher for everyone to see.

It was an elaborate kanzashi, in the form of a light wooden comb, which was encrusted in deep, red rubies along the comb's teeth. Above the rubies, the Western Domain house symbol was hand carved, the Crescent Moon. No one spoke for several minutes as each in turn admired the gift.

"This is some gift. Can I even accept it, Mama?" Kagome asked in disbelief.

"Of course, you can! This means that the Great Lord Sesshomaru is very interested in you. Sango, please arrange that in her hair."

Kagome held the ornament back so Sango could reach it. Once Sango had the kanzashi, Kagome proceeded to the next package.

Kagome stared stupefied down at her lap. In the white silk wrapping, was a snow white silk kimono. The unblemished fabric had a pattern of the northern mountains embroidered in gold. The mountains started across the right shoulder and went diagonally down to the left thigh. It was meticulously detailed. And below the left shoulder was the Northern Domain house crest, a northern mountain pine.

Lady Higurashi clasped her hands over her mouth and her eyes watered. Sango momentarily stopped fussing with Kagome's hair and Kaede sunk to her knees to get a better look. Everything they needed just landed in their laps.

"Child, I think this is a mission accomplished. Ye have succeeded in attracting both demon lords."

"Kagome dear, you are saved!"

It was right there, when Lady Higurashi said this, that Kagome noticed the bags that hung under her mother's normally bright eyes.

'We are all saved.'

*end of flashback*

So now Kagome was dressed in Lord Kouga's white kimono gift, her favorite red obi and topped off with Lord Sesshomaru's wondrous kanzashi. Her mother next to her, was wearing her junihitoe with splendid emerald green silk flowers pinned in her hair. In front of Kagome stood all of her castle security, which was roughly 200,000 of the highest trained samurai and ninja of this domain. Her guests servants were lined up on either side of Kagome and her mother.

Like a grand performance, first there was the procession of the Northern Lord and his traveling party of both human and demon samurai, coming into the courtyard. His samurai lead the way, followed by two dozen carriages, then followed by more samurai. There in the center of the carriages was one that was considerably larger than the others. The arrival of the Northern Domain was complete and out of the largest carriage stepped the Northern Lord himself.

The Great Lord Kouga, of the Northern Domain, almost had Kagome drooling. He was roguishly handsome and had the most startling color of green eyes Kagome had ever seen. This man definitely had everything going for him, even if his clothing was a little strange.

He was clad in a fur skirt and chest mail, and he was shoe-less, which was a little shocking. She had expected him to come in something more elaborate. Besides, his expansive showcase of skin had Kagome blushing.

Just before the Western Domain procession, Kagome swore she saw Lord Kouga raise his nose and sniff the air in her direction. When he smiled and sent a wink her way, she bashfully looked down to her lap. She wasn't trying to be coy, she was genuinely mortified. 'He just sniffed me!'

Lord Sesshomaru's procession to the palace was very much similar to Lord Kouga's. Expect for the noticeable fact that Lord Sesshomaru's was much, much grander in size. Stepping out of the largest carriage first was a boy, one unlike any Kagome had ever seen before. He had a supernatural quality about him with his long, wild, silver hair and what looked like golden eyes. Something on top of his head moved and Kagome almost giggled.

'He has dog ears! They look so soft; I think I want to touch them!'

A man, similar in looks to the boy, stepped out next. This man was definitely the Great Lord of the Western Lands. He had the same silver colored hair and same golden colored eyes but his features seemed to be more refined, and by far more intimidating.

Once both processions were finished, the lords made their way toward the palace steps where Kagome and Lady Higurashi sat. Lord Sesshomaru and Lord Kouga, followed by the silver haired boy, stopped just a few steps shy of the first step to bow on one knee to the women.

Kagome and her mother acknowledged their bows with deeper bows of their own, which was appropriate since these were males.

"Welcome, to the Eastern Domain. I would like very much to thank you for your quick arrival. And may I introduce to you my lovely daughter, Kagome."

Kagome smiled, careful not to look either lord directly in the eyes and gave another bow, this one not so deep.

The eyes were all on her and if the unforgiving sun wasn't enough, her nerves caused even more moisture to collect along her hairline and upper lip. She would have to thank her mother later for making things quick.

"My servants provided for you, " Lady Higurashi began and the surrounding servants moved to their temporary masters. "will show your samurai to the vacant North wing. And my daughter, will personally show you to your rooms in the West wing." Lady Higurashi bowed. "Excuse me, my honorable guests."

After the others acknowledged her departure, Lady Higurashi left things to a stunned Kagome.

'I am doing what? Oh, kami help me!' Kagome stood. 'She couldn't find time in the past two weeks to mention this small detail to me?'

"Please, follow me, my Lords." She did her best to walk away gracefully.

'How come mama pinned this on me so unexpectedly?' She slowed her pace slightly and concentrated on her breathing; she tried to relax.

Lord Sesshomaru's half brother, Inuyasha, walked behind the two Great Lords, utterly bored. He allowed his attention to wander in front of him and land on the very petite young woman leading the way. The red obi around her slim waist caught his eye. After all, it was his favorite color.

As he watched her, he could literally see her discomfort.

Kagome stopped outside a shoji, and turned toward Lord Kouga. "Lord Kouga, this is your room and this is Iaka. She will be able to accommodate to your every need." She said sweetly with a small incline of her neck.

What happened next, was far from expected. Kagome was standing next to Iaka, waiting for Lord Kouga to enter his room. Instead of entering as she assumed he would, she found him standing so close to her, they were almost touching. He then grabbed her smaller hands, in his larger, rougher ones.

"Can I not stay in a room closer to yours, Princess?"

Kagome inhaled a sharp gasp and immediately flushed all over. She made certain to keep her eyes locked on his chin, so she wouldn't make the mistake of looking him directly in the eye.

"Princess?"

"I-I... here, is-"

"Back off, wolf shit." Inuyasha stepped out from behind Sesshomaru.

"Excuse me, but I am talking to my woman right now, mutt face."

Kagome's eyes widened. 'His woman?!'

"To hell you are-"

"Enough." It was Sesshomaru who spoke in his naturally dominate voice.

Kouga sighed before allowing Iaka to lead him in his room. After she took a minute to gather herself, she turned puzzled to the two men.

"Excuse me, is he a guest of yours too?" She asked Sesshomaru lamely, talking about Inuyasha.

"Inuyasha, is my half brother."

Kagome nodded and slowly continued walking. Once her back was to Lord Sesshomaru, she bit her lip.

'Great, the only other room we have prepared is the one next to mine.. but I don't have a ready servant.' Kagome halted outside the door with another young servant girl outside.

"Lord Sesshomaru, this is your room. I hope it pleases you." She bowed and he entered wordlessly.

Inuyasha saw Kagome frown slightly as she lead him back toward the center of the palace. She was very quiet and was radiating with worry. The closer they got the their destination, the more strongly the place began to smell of her. He almost believed she forgot about him until she stopped suddenly and kneeled out front a shoji and opened it for him.

"You can stay here, Master Inuyasha. I will run and fetch you a servant. Sorry for any immediate inconvenience." Kagome bowed before standing up.

"Keh, whatever." Inuyasha entered and closed the shoji firmly.

Kagome scowled. 'What a rude, bratty...'

'Unprepared wench.' Inuyasha thought, taking in his room.