InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sword of Supreme Conquest ❯ Chapter 2 ( Chapter 2 )

The sun shone brightly through the kitchen window despite the sheer half-curtain drawn across it. It warmed Kagome's cheeks as she washed the small collection of dishes in the sink but could not dispel the throng of troublesome thoughts from her mind. The previous night's encounter had kept her awake until the midnight sky faded into a fuchsia coloured dawn. Who was the demon? What did he want with her? How did he know so much about her? With so many questions running through her mind it became impossible to keep track of them all and she eventually gave up trying to sort it all out. She ultimately settled for thinking about what she could understand - her fear.

 

 

She hated admitting she was afraid of him. The honesty of the admission weighed heavily on her mind and had her questioning once more if it was such a good thing that she'd come to rely on Sesshomaru for protection. She'd been lucky so far…lucky that the demon hadn't wanted to kill her, but next time it might not be so. What would happen to her next time when he wasn't around? And when exactly had she become so helpless? The question left a bad taste in her mouth, one that lingered like a foul stench throughout the day.

 

 

Turning off the faucet, she slapped the sopping rag into the metal basin and braced her hands on either side of the sink. It was getting late. The sun was already low in the sky and the demon, whoever he was, had yet to show his face. Not that it was a surprise he hadn't shown up. Meetings like theirs generally took place under the cover of darkness when the shadows could hide the faces of the guilty and the deeds of the wicked. He would wait until the moon was high before showing, or rather not showing, his face again, she was sure of it.

 

 

With a somewhat defeated sigh Kagome stood up and languidly stretched backwards, pressing her fingertips into the tired muscles of her lower back. She let out a small groan as she straightened herself again and glanced thoughtfully at the stairs. If I'm going to get any sleep I should go now…, she reasoned logically after realizing that another night of no sleep wouldn't do her any good. She couldn't afford to take any chances with the baby so near its due date. She would not be responsible for the death of another child. She'd barely forgiven herself the last time. If she lost this one too...well, there was no telling what would be left of her after that.

 

 

Feeling bloated and heavy, Kagome dragged her body slowly up the single flight of stairs to her old bedroom. Though she was a married woman, her family still kept her room the way she'd left it, except maybe a little neater of course. She paused in the doorway with her hand resting lazily against the doorframe and let her eyes pan across the pink decor.

 

 

It was strange being back here. This room brought back so many memories, both good and bad, from her time spent with Inuyasha and the others. A ghost of a smile crossed her lips as she remembered how she used to come home from school to find the silver-haired half demon sitting cross-legged on her bed wearing an impatient scowl. He was always there, waiting to take her back so they could search for more jewel shards. It seemed like so long ago now…a lifetime seemed to have passed since those more carefree days.

 

 

 

With a relaxed sigh she collapsed into the soft, fluffy pink sheets on the bed and rested her head gratefully atop the down-filled pillows. Her body seemed to melt into the mattress, the grooves sculpting perfectly to her form to massage away every ache and pain. After one last comforting sweep around the pastel pink walls her chocolate brown eyes slowly fluttered shut.

 

 

The further into her pregnancy she got, the harder it was to fight off the almost overwhelming exhaustion. Some days she was barely able to make it through dinner before Sesshomaru had to carry her to bed. He'd been so good like that. He'd never complained once…not even when she'd fallen asleep during one of their more intimate moments. Oops!

 

 

Kagome realized she'd dozed off when she awoke to the stifling sensation of a hand being pressed over her mouth. The room was dark and from the light breeze she could feel against her arms she surmised he'd come in through the window.

 

 

“Shh! Don't make a sound,” he implored in a hushed whisper, his face still frustratingly hidden from view.

 

 

Annoyed from being so rudely woken up, she narrowed her eyes at the ceiling and curtly nodded her head beneath his hand. He moved beside her as he lifted his fingers from where they'd been pressed against her lips and lowered himself to settle on one knee next to the bed. Her eyes flickered, following his movements until they met a pair of dark cobalt orbs. Here she paused, the breath stuck in her throat.

 

 

She wasn't sure what she'd expected, but she was surprised to see that the endless dark seas of his eyes held no malice in their depths. Whoever this demon was his eyes were warm and kind, if a little sad, telling her at once everything and nothing about the man who owned them. With one glance she knew instinctively that he wouldn't harm her, how she wasn't sure but she attributed it to her diminished spiritual powers kicking in, but she still didn't trust him. She eyed him warily, watching as he moved across the room to perch himself atop her old desk.

 

 

She pushed her body upright, the sheets falling to settle lazily across her stomach, as he brought one foot to settle casually atop the seat of her office chair. They studied one another in the tense silence, neither completely sure what to make of the other. Eager for a distraction Kagome swept her ebony locks over her shoulder and began quickly braiding her hair to keep it out of the way. Turning away from the demon who seemed to still be studying her in silence, she looked out the open window. As memories began to come flooding back once more, a small smile played across her lips.

 

 

“You know,” she spoke up, anxious to break the silence, “for a second there I thought you were someone else.”

 

 

“Oh?” came the curious reply.

 

 

She nodded thoughtfully and her smile brightened as she recalled the days when Inuyasha used to climb through that same window to visit her. When she spoke again her tone was lighter and captured her smile perfectly. “An old friend of mine used to come through that window to watch me while I did my homework. He was always so impatient,” she finished with a far away look on her face.

 

 

“What a strange interest to have. What was this friend's name?”

 

 

“Inuyasha.” The name came off her lips easily. She was so lost in her memories she'd almost forgotten who she was talking to. With a tiny gasp she caught herself and looked over at him quickly. She still didn't know who he was. Just because he has nice eyes doesn't mean you can trust him, she quickly reminded herself.

 

 

“Am I a lot like him?” The question caught her off guard and she stumbled on her answer. When she didn't respond right away he tried to explain further. “I've heard many stories about Lord Sesshomaru's half-brother. I've looked up to him and the Lord all my life.” He faltered there, his cheeks colouring in embarrassment.

 

 

Kagome eyed him thoughtfully. The moonlight cascading into her room cast just enough light to illuminate his figure in the darkness. He was wearing dark trousers and a dark knit sweater that hugged his thin muscular frame. She knew he was strong from the night before but he was well proportioned as well. Above his dark eyes was a mane of long silver hair tied up in a ponytail which cascaded elegantly down his back like an icy waterfall. Realizing that he was still waiting for her answer she shrugged nonchalantly.

 

 

“I don't know how I'm supposed to answer that. I mean, I don't know anything about you. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru are both great men so if you've spent your life trying to emulate them than I can hardly say you're wrong.”

 

 

Resting his chin thoughtfully on his fist the demon seemed to consider this answer thoroughly before continuing on. His eyes rose to meet hers and he held them for a moment before turning his gaze to the full moon. Hopping abruptly off the desk he paced back and forth in front of her bed, her eyes following his every step. Finally he stopped, his finger tapping against his mouth thoughtfully.

 

 

“I had hoped to find some better way of telling you this but I'm not good with words so I might as well just come out and say it,” he began. Kagome raised her eyebrows expectantly and waited for him to go on, her fingers nervously twisting into the thin bed sheets.

 

 

“It's Lord Sesshomaru…He's going to…He will die unless you do something to stop it. You must save him.”

 

 

With a cry Kagome leapt off the bed with unnatural speed for her size and hurriedly stomped her feet into her running shoes while simultaneously pulling a sweater over her head. Surprised that a woman so pregnant could move so fast, the demon gawked at her for a moment before grabbing hold of her shoulders.

 

 

“Wait, let me finish!” he pleaded, trying to keep his voice down. She wrestled out of his grasp and picked up the small bag she'd brought with her, slinging it over her shoulder.

 

 

“Get out of my way!” she demanded, her eyes flashing with annoyance at the demon who stood in front of the door, blocking her exit. His eyes were pleading with her but she didn't care. Looking towards the open window she stubbornly waddled towards it despite the fact that there wasn't a chance in Hell she'd fit through it. With a growl of frustration the left off guarding the door and threw himself in front of the window his arms outstretched.

 

 

“I heard you were as stubborn as an ox but this is unbelievable!” he cried out breathless. She paused at his words and watched his heaving chest with curiosity. There it was again…he knew about her life and the way she was…he always spoke about her in the past tense…just who the heck was he? A sudden shiver ran down her spine and forced her arms to wrap around her body to block out the chill that had nothing to do with the open window.

 

 

Seeing that for the moment she wasn't going to leap out the window or through the door the demon lowered his hands and shot her a reproachful look. “Lord Sesshomaru is in mortal danger, just not yet. There is still time but we must act quickly if we want to save him.”

 

 

Growling in frustration, Kagome gestured to her blatantly pregnant belly and shot the demon a scathing look. “Well what exactly am I supposed to do about it?” she demanded with her hands on her hips. “In case you haven't realized I'm pregnant. I move slow, I eat every two hours, I fall asleep after dinner and I'm in constant pain. How can I do anything to help Sesshomaru like this? I can't even protect myself!”

 

 

“You don't understand,” the man said shaking his head back and forth. “You have to be the one. My hands are tied. I can't explain it right now but you have to trust me. Pregnant or not, you're the only one who can save him. ”

 

 

Crossing her arms in front of her chest Kagome settled herself back down on the edge of her bed. She looked up at the demon expectantly and he stepped forward, taking a seat in her office chair.

 

 

“Fine,” she began warily, “I'm listening. Tell me what I need to know.”

 

 

In the moonlight she caught the hint of a smile on his lips, an expression that seemed out of place with the rest of his stoic features, and for a second he reminded her of Sesshomaru. Feeling an ache within her heart she realized acutely just how much she missed him even though it'd only been a couple of days since they'd last been together. Once this business was over she'd go gratefully back through the well and return to his arms. With so much excitement, she actually began to long for the quiet claustrophobia the castle provided her.

 

 

Bunching a few pillows up behind her back, Kagome relaxed against them. Folding her hands over her stomach, she forced down an exhausted yawn and prepared herself to hear the demon's story. His clever eyes examined her thoughtfully before he spoke, making her feel self-conscious beneath his gaze. Letting out her breath in an impatient huff she returned his stare and felt somewhat satisfied when he started and looked away.

 

 

The demon rocked back and forth in the office chair, oblivious to the tiny squeaks of protest offered up by the rusty hinges. He'd heard so much about this woman, the Great Priestess as she would come to be called, that he felt humbled in her presence. He'd spent his entire life wondering who she was, what she was like and now that she was sitting across from him, alive and in the flesh, he hardly knew what to say.

 

 

One thing that caught him off guard was her humanity. She was more human than he'd imagined. From the stories they told of her, he'd always pictured her to be this great and powerful priestess, larger than life, and yet she was nothing more than a girl. Barely out of her teen years, she appeared fragile and weak, much smaller than he'd expected.

 

 

There were many things he wanted to ask her, so many things he wanted to say that he'd never been given the chance to tell her before, but it would all have to wait. For now, he could only reveal what she needed to know. Time was of the essence and the quicker she knew the faster she could be on her way. Shifting uncomfortably in the chair, he wrapped his hands around the headrest and rested his chin atop his arm.

 

 

He stared at the floor in silence for a moment, collecting his thoughts. When he looked up she was watching him patiently, her chocolate brown eyes missing nothing. He shot her an apologetic smile before he began. “I suppose I should start at the beginning hmmm?”

 

 

Kagome shrugged impatiently. Her back ached and she felt a headache brewing, all she wanted to do was get back to sleep. Why couldn't this be just another bad dream? “It's your story to tell. Start where you need to,” she responded impatiently.

 

 

The demon frowned slightly but nodded and continued on. “Yes…well…somewhere around this time in the feudal era, the Great Lord Sesshomaru will think it necessary to fashion himself a sword made from his own fang, one that has the power to overcome both Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. It will be called the Sword of Supreme Conquest. It is this sword, or rather the battle to retrieve it from an enemy, that will result in his death.

 

 

“There will be a great war amongst the tribes for power once the sword is fashioned. Many innocent will die, including the child you carry now, though he will be a grown man by then,” he said, nodding his head towards her stomach.

 

 

Kagome placed a protective hand around her belly and her brows knit together with concern as she listened to his words. Her life in the feudal era seemed to peaceful and complacent now that Naraku was dead. It was hard to imaging such a dismal future for her family and their lands.

 

 

“Your second son will be left an orphan by this horrific war - the only survivor of the great dog demon family. As a hanyou he will be alone, a social outcast and the Western Lands will quickly be engulfed by the other tribes. For obvious reasons you see why this cannot happen.”

 

 

“My second son will be an orphan? So you're saying…,” Kagome cut in, her intelligence as keen as ever. Without hesitation the demon nodded and answered her unspoken question.

 

 

“Yes. By this time you will be dead. You die shortly after giving birth to him.”

 

 

Kagome gaped at the stranger in front of her, her features frozen in shock. He said it so matter-of-factly…you will die shortly after giving birth she wasn't sure how to react. How should one respond after being told exactly when and how they are going to die? Her eyes stared unseeingly at the floor as thoughts about the implications of this new tidbit of knowledge ran rife through her mind.

 

 

She would die young, and Sesshomaru would follow her, leaving their son to grow up alone and parentless. No child deserved that fate! She knew how hard it was for Inuyasha growing up after his mother died. She didn't want that for her own son too. Feeling the child within her womb kick at her ribs she felt a deep well of sadness form inside her chest. This child, their child, would die brutally in a war unless she could somehow stop it.

 

 

Her eyes hardening with determination, she bravely met the demon's gaze. She saw a withdrawn sadness behind his eyes that touched her heart. Had he been there? Fighting alongside Sesshomaru and her son? With demons it was impossible to tell their age. Though he appeared to be a young man he could very well be hundreds of years old. Sesshomaru himself had been over 800 when they first married but looked barely a day over twenty.

 

 

“What must I do?” she asked softly, her determination shining brightly in her eyes.

 

 

The demon was admittedly taken aback. He was finally beginning to see what the stories meant when they said she had a great power that emanated from within her very being. Her desire to protect the ones she loved increased the strength of her aura immeasurably. He was both humbled and impressed. Holding her gaze for a moment he studied her carefully before going forward. He had to be sure she could handle the challenges coming her way, but the look in her eyes told him she would face any battle head on, regardless of the risk.

 

 

“When you go back to the feudal era, you have three days to convince Sesshomaru not to create the Sword of Supreme Conquest. But you must not, under any circumstances, tell him what I have told you. He cannot know what is going to happen in the future. The only reason I have told you is so that you understand what is at stake. Do you understand?”

 

 

Kagome nodded silently as she planned out ways she could subtly tell her mate not to make a sword that he possibly hadn't even thought of making yet. How was she going to do this without making him suspicious? Her face frowned as she thought of possible scenarios in her head, all of them turning out badly. Sesshomaru was no fool, he would know in an instant that she was up to something.

 

 

Seeing the lines of discouragement etched on her face, the demon hopped off the desk and bent down on one knee in front of her. Taking her hands in his he held them gently and peered into her eyes. “I know you can do this. I have faith in you. You just need to have faith in yourself.”

 

 

Kagome nodded, feeling a well of anxious tears in her eyes. A few managed to cling to her eyelashes like tiny dew drops and she sniffled the rest away. “What if-what happens if I fail? Is there any way…”

 

 

The demon frowned and stood up, pacing back and forth in front of her bed. His long silver hair swished elegantly back and forth across his back with each step he took. She watched him hopefully, her hands clasped together as if in a silent prayer.

 

 

“If for some reason you are unsuccessful, you must come back here immediately. I don't care how you do it, but you have to get back through the well to this time. I will find you again and we can go from there. Do you have any questions?”

 

 

Kagome pursed her lips together and stared at her protruding belly thoughtfully. Of course she had questions. She had a million questions! Her mind was racing with `what ifs', `buts' and `maybes' but a few important ones stood out.

 

 

“How long after I die does this war happen?” she asked. That was question number one. The demon eyed the ceiling while doing a mental calculation in his head. He turned back to her, his eyes flashing in the moonlight.

 

 

“About 300 years or so. It's hard to say for sure since the dates are kind of fuzzy.”

 

 

Kagome pondered this thought. Three hundred years was a long time. It was hard to imagine anything she did now having that much impact on the future of the feudal era. She wasn't about to doubt him though. Turning her attention back to the demon she tentatively asked the next question that'd been pulling at her heart.

 

 

“Tell me, after I die does Sesshomaru…does he re-marry?”

 

 

He raised an eyebrow at her question and casually folded his arms across his chest. After a moment he shook his head. “From what I know, he did not officially take another wife. As for mistresses or whatever he did in his private time…that I can't be sure of. I do know he cared for you a great deal though. There was an incredible sadness in the lands when word spread of your death, or so I am told. I don't think he ever could have replaced you. For what it's worth you're unlike any human I've ever met.”

 

 

Kagome nodded her head graciously at his compliment. She looked up when she heard her window slide fully open. He looked at the sky thoughtfully for a moment before turning back to her, his hands still on the windowsill.

 

 

“I must leave you now. Remember, if you should be unsuccessful in your attempt, come back to this time and I will find you.” He put his foot on the ledge and made ready to jump down but Kagome's call held him fast.

 

 

“No wait! Before you go I have one last question!” he paused and looked over

his shoulder at her. “You must tell me your name. You don't have to tell me who you are or how you know all of this, but you can at least give me your name can't you?”

 

 

A half smile graced his lips and he bowed his head to her reverently. “You may call me anything you wish, but my given name is Akira.”

 

 

Before she could respond he disappeared into the night, the curtains fluttering in his absence. Easing herself off the bed she shuffled over to the window and peered outside. The yard was completely deserted except for the moonlight which still shone down on the carpet of sakura blossoms that covered the ground.

 

 

“Akira…,” she rolled the name off her tongue, tasting it in her mouth. She watched the setting moon for a moment, her eyes shining with unshed tears. Rubbing her belly thoughtfully she prayed to the gods to give her strength in the days ahead.

 

 

“Little one please forgive me if I don't succeed. I hate to think that your life will be cut short because I failed you.”

 

 

The child responded with a soft kick that radiated against her palm. Turning around she looked at her bed longingly but knew with the sun nearly set to rise she wouldn't have time to enjoy it. With a sigh of resignation she snapped the window shut. Shuffling over to her long discarded travel bag she undid the clasps and began to shove clean clothes inside in preparation for her journey back through the well.