Categories > Anime/Manga > Inuyasha > Unexpected Endeavors
Title: Unexpected Endeavors
Author: scottishfae
Rating: R
Pairing: Sesshomaru x Kagome
Word Count/Page Count: 6, 347 Words // 19 Pages
Summary: The shard hunting group is rocked by an unexpected request from Sesshomaru and forced to endure the deal when, by mistake, Kagome agrees to his offer. Now the group must not only deal with the end of their quest but a moody Kagome, an irritated Taiyoukai, and a very jealous half-demon.
A/N: I’ve reached a problem with /Unexpected Endeavors/. With each chapter, I’m finding it harder and harder to write. I’m losing inspiration, not to mention the ending I had originally planned. Things spiraled as chapters went through. Now don’t worry, I’m not discontinuing this story. Instead, I thought I would issue a fun new game for my readers, in hopes of helping push me along the writing path.
Readers’ Game // Author’s Challenge:
After every chapter, I’m going to give all readers a chance to leave me some prompt for me to include in the next chapter. Prompts can include anything from a specific phrase, a setting, or just a general concept. I’ll go through all the prompts suggested and include one or two in the next chapter, with a note at the beginning to whose prompt I’m using. You can leave a quick comment to the story chapter with your prompt, or IM/email me. (AIM: NipponElla, Y!M: scottishfae, Email: scottishfae (at) gmail (dot) com). We’ll try this for two chapters and see how it goes.
As per request, I’ll have listed translations for Japanese words, or links to images/articles that will further explain them.
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Chapter Nineteen: Unexpected?
-----
She lay stiff, huddling to the edge of the mattress while her fingers played with the heavy blankets that rested just under her chin. She was acutely aware of the heat that radiated against her back from just meters away. The soft sound of breathing joined the noises from outside, the door having been left open to catch the breeze. Kagome pulled the blankets closer to her. Sesshomaru grunted behind her.
She felt the futon dip before she felt him. He was very careful not to completely touch her though he did grab the blanket and pull it down to her waist. He slung his arm around both the blanket and the other occupant, keeping them both secure. “If you cannot be comfortable with just sleeping beside me, then how will you be able to complete our agreement?”
“Is that what this is? Just sleeping?”
“If you like.”
Kagome blinked, trying to resist the urge to hide under the blankets again, though his arm prevented it anyway. On the back of her neck she felt his breath playing with the small hairs that had fallen from the loose bun she had put it up in earlier. “W-when…?”
“When?” he asked, urging her to be open about this discussion.
She took a deep breath. “When…do you want us to…I mean, /you know/.”
“I know?”
“Why are you being so obnoxious about this?”
“Why won’t you come out and say it?”
Kagome twisted in his grasp, burying her head in the Soba Gara Makura*, and letting the soft, silky material muffle her scream of frustration.
“If it is that much of a problem,” he said, moving his arm to pet affectionately at her neck. He dragged each finger, careful of his claws, down her neck and just under her neckline before retracing his way up and repeating the process. She shivered from the attention. “You could just call it,” he continued. “Our agreement, if it is that much of a problem.”
Again Kagome turned, towards him this time. She blushed at their proximity. She curled her legs in, an automatic response, unintentionally entangling her legs with his. “I-I don’t want to call it that,” she said. “It’s so…unromantic.”
“Oh?”
Sesshomaru had returned to petting Kagome’s neck, trailing his fingers further and further into her hair. It was something her mother had done for her many times growing up and it continued to be one of her favorite things. “Yeah—I mean…I always thought the first time I did…/it/, it would be with the person I was madly in love with and planned to stay with for the rest of my life.”
“Inuyasha,” he supplemented.
The confidence in his statement took her guard. She hadn’t thought very hard about who she would lose her virginity to, though she had dreams of romantic situations or beautiful settings and erotic fantasies—what hot-blooded teenager didn’t—but she had never put too much thought into who. “Well—no,” she drawled, still in thought. “When you put it like that, I guess I had destined myself to follow a miko’s vow of chastity. I did always tell Inuyasha I would stay by his side forever.”
“And this is against your plan how?”
Kagome smiled softly, burrowing her head into his shoulder so he could not see her sadness. “Inuyasha would never look at me like that. And that’s not even going into the whole ‘vow to hell’ he has with Kikyo.”
“That is a vow he will break,” Sesshomaru stated. “He is too important to give up so easily, for someone who has been undead for too long.”
Kagome laughed quietly, stray tears trickling out of the corner of her eyes. “Tell me about it. Good luck getting through to him though, nothing I do ever works.”
“You exist.”
“Huh?”
“He denies his importance in this world because he cannot see it,” Sesshomaru explained. “Just like you deny your importance to Inuyasha because you cannot see his reaction to you.”
She remained quiet, letting his words sink in and listening to his breathing. Every time he exhaled she could feel his chest brush against her arm, which was curled between them. It gave her comfort. “You know, you aren’t doing well in the whole ‘sweet-talking’ department.”
“Sweet-talking?”
“Yeah, like—trying to make me fall for you.”
“I don’t need you to fall for me.”
Again reality hit Kagome hard in the chest and she bit her lip to keep from crying. “Yeah, I suppose all you need from me is to fulfill my part of our agreement.”
He grunted as he felt her push away from him. She tried to covertly wipe her eyes, but the slight tear tracks and the abuse to her lips were both clearly noted. “Kagome—” he began but she shook her head for him to be silent. He obeyed.
She sat up awkwardly, leaning on one hip more than the other so that she didn’t have to sit up completely. Grabbing the end of her pink-checked pajama top, she lifted it quickly up and over her head, throwing it off to the side, before she lost the nerve. She couldn’t resist bringing up an arm up to cover her now exposed breasts.
“You don’t need to prove—”
Sesshomaru’s eyes widened as he found his lips attached to another. Kagome, eyes wide herself, looked into his golden orbs, challenging him to reject her. He reached out for her, his arm sliding over her waist to her back and tracing up her spine. She shivered, closing her eyes. He took charge of the impromptu kiss, caressing her lips with his gingerly, trying not to frighten her. She responded to him, her shyness coming back as her initial hurt faded for new, unknown feelings.
“Kagome,” he said, his voice husky and low. “You don’t have to do this right now.”
“I know,” she replied, unsure of where she was getting her courage.
She leaned forward, capturing his lips again. Sesshomaru sighed into the kiss, bringing his arm to the back of her head and holding her to him so he could deepen it. The invading tongue in her mouth felt odd and as the slick muscle slid over hers she felt herself wanting to gag. She repressed the urge as much as she could, pulling back from his embrace.
Sesshomaru loosened his grip, allowing her to pull away some, but still close enough that they could feel each other’s breath. “Se—Sesshomaru,” she panted.
“Tell me to stop,” he challenged, gently switching their position so he hovered over her, braced against his one arm.
Kagome’s arm automatically went around his neck. The breeze from outside ghosted over her flesh, pimpling it. “Don’t,” she said, as he leaned down to kiss down her neck. “Stop.”
Sesshomaru smiled against her neck, his elongated teeth dragging slowly against her tender skin. She swallowed from the sensation. He kissed her neck again, apologizing for the rough treatment in his own way. “Gladly,” he whispered, straightening up and taking her lips, once again, in a lover’s embrace.
-----
They had redoubled their efforts after the storm had knocked off much of their progress. The sun hadn’t peaked for days, leaving the ground soggy and unfirm. The humans were nearly useless in such a situation and the youkai—much fewer in number than the humans—were forced to pick up the slack. It was wearing down on everyone and tempers were beginning to flare.
“How much longer will it take?” Jiro asked.
Kin shook his head, looking at his plans and then over at the raging river. It seemed further in the Western lands the rains hadn’t stopped.
“I don’t know but there will probably be changes to the original plan. I want to make double sure that the waters won’t threaten the island.”
Jiro nodded. He stood from his seat and walked to the open flap of the foreman’s tent. He peered out of it to see how things were progressing. The humans had begun on some of the minor detail work—things to be added later but still important. It was the only thing that Jiro or Kin could think to keep them busy.
“We’re not making much progress.”
“No, but until the ground is once again hardened for the humans to work on, there isn’t much we can do.”
“When will Lord Sesshomaru return?”
Kin sighed and placed his calligraphy brush down for a brief second. He looked over at the human. “Too soon, I’m sure. If he is returning to his birth home—the palace of the West—then he will have to attend to courtly business and that will take up a good bit of time.”
“One can only hope.”
Kin smiled. He leaned back, allowing his hands to support his body. “Now stop worrying for a moment and come keep me company.”
The human blushed but still stepped away from the tent entrance. He pulled on one of the strings, allowing the two privacy from the outside world.
-----
Kagome shifted from foot to foot, the formal attire of the court once again lying heavily against her frame. This time, Inuyasha also stood next to her—though still in his usual fire rat outfit. No amount of threats could make him change into something ‘more suiting for his rank.’
The teen was grateful to have the familiarity of her friend next to her. But at the same time, the reality of her situation from the night before played heavy on her mind. Inuyasha has been so against this idea to begin with; would he think badly of her—abandon her—now that the deal had been consummated?
“Inuyasha,” she whispered.
He looked over at her, a tick already visible in his left eye. She smiled uneasily at him and returned her attention to the doors in front of them. They were in the ante-chamber, waiting to be allowed into the main chamber of the Western Lord.
“Would you stop that?” the hanyou exploded.
Kagome jumped tripping over the long fabric of her uchikake* and falling to her butt. Michiko ran to her aide, scolding Inuyasha. His ears dropped and he reached down to pull Kagome up.
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
Kagome smiled back at him, as she tried to smooth out some of the wrinkles. Michiko did most of the work—annoyed that her hours of work had been messed up so easily.
“Don’t worry, Inuyasha,” she said. “It’ll be fine.”
He nodded, turning to the side to try and avoid his blush from being seen. “He…he didn’t hurt you, did he?”
Kagome puzzled for a second on what he meant. The hanyou saw he confusion and continued—much to both of their embarrassments. “Um—you were…/loud/ last night. I-I couldn’t do anything ‘cause you know—” he shot a look at the servants, unwilling to admit his weakness in front of strangers.
The miko’s eyes went wide and a sleeve-covered hand came up to hide her gasp of surprise. Nothing could hide the blush that overtook her face and disappeared under the high neckline of her uchikake and kosode*.
“Figures that bastard would wait until I was incapacitated to rut with you.”
“What language, so unbecoming of a lady.”
“Who are you calling a lady?!”
Michiko rolled her eyes. “Kagome-chan, you dumbass.”
Inuyasha glared at the other inuyoukai. “Well, here,” he said, bringing up a hand and extending his middle finger. “You’re no lady, so here’s a gift for you.”
Michiko snorted. “I never claimed to be one…and in your dreams—/baka/.”
Kagome giggled nervously, again bringing a sleeved hand to cover her mouth. Both youkai looked over at her, relieved that she was at least laughing again.
“At least this means we won’t be staying here much longer,” Inuyasha sighed. “I hate this place. It feels so…/fake/.”
Kagome reached out a hand and squeezed his arm. He brought up one of his hands and squeezed hers back. Under her bilious sleeve, they intertwined their fingers.
“Why would we leave?” she asked, eventually.
“Not safe anymore—thought technically it wasn’t safe to begin with anyway. With a possible heir on the way, there will be many people who will want you and your child’s death.”
“Not to mention how untraditional this union is,’ Michiko added. “Many of the other Lords are quite angry; most especially those with eligible daughters.”
Inuyasha snorted. “Why is everything in the courts related to either conniving or rutting?”
“You speak so ill of rutting, but how do you think you were conceived?”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not stupid but there is more to life.”
“Like?”
He paused, blushing and looking of the corner of his eyes to Kagome. He bowed his head to allow his bangs to cover his eyes.
“Aw, how cute,” Michiko cooed.
“Shut up,” he growled.
The conversation was cut short as the doors to the ante-chamber were opened and an inuyoukai walked in. Without a word, he motioned for the two to enter the audience-chamber. Michiko whispered encouragements to Kagome, brushing out some stray wrinkles and stepping to the side so they could enter.
She whispered a prayer, though she didn’t believe any human gods would listen to her. The directional Lords had all convened and the two would need all the help they could get.
-----
The oppressive atmosphere in the audience-chamber was overbearing. Inuyasha, brazen and bold as he was, thrust his arms in his sleeves, bared his teeth, and cursed at anyone he felt was belittling him. Kagome kept near him, looking down, fumbling with her sleeves.
“Rude and disrespectful, I see,” an old youkai said.
Set to the side of Sesshomaru’s raised dias were three others, each containing a Taiyoukai, though raised lower than the Western Lord’s own. The only Taiyoukai to Sesshomaru’s right had spoken, puffing on a kiseru* as he looked over the pair.
Inuyasha growled, ready to remark. He stopped only when he felt Kagome tug on his sleeve. She shook her head, tugging the sleeve again. The two bowed together, resting on their knees in front of all four Taiyoukai.
“Lords of the North, South, and East,” Sesshomaru spoke from his position, his language formal and fitting for the courts. “I would like to present my half-brother Inuyasha and Higurashi Kagome, bearer of the Western heir.”
“A miko,” another Taiyoukai commented. His words rolled off his tongue like a snake slithering through grass. It made Kagome shiver.
“You have a problem with this?”
Sesshomaru looked at the youkai that ruled the lands East, challenging him to say anything that he disapproved of. The youkai scoffed and focused back on his writing desk.
“Kagome,” Sesshomaru said, quietly.
She looked up at him, smiling when she met his eyes. The warmth she saw in them, at least when looking at her, helped her relax some, forgetting the other Taiyoukai her were judging her—and Sesshomaru’s mother sitting with the other Ladies to her left.
“Come,” he said, motioning for her to come up the dias and join him. “Take your honored place.”
She stood without fumbling too much (she had practiced earlier in Sesshomaru’s quarters of walking with the extra fabric) and walked up the stairs. One of the court advisors took her hand and helped her until Sesshomaru could reach her hand and bring her to sit next to him. As she had the day before, she sat to his right, slightly behind and head bowed just slightly. The Ladies, now to her right, whispered vehemently between each other about the position taken.
“Would you cads shut up, as if we couldn’t hear your pompous comments and lies,” Inuyasha yelled, his patience finally broken.
The Taiyoukai of the South, also on Sesshomaru’s left, stood up outraged, demanding an apology—and the hanyou’s head.
“Quiet, old fool. My brother’s words may have been barbaric but he spoke justly. The Ladies should keep their gossip to chambers where this Sesshomaru cannot hear them, for I will not have them disrespecting my miko or anyone under my care.”
“Letting such insult stay is a dangerous thing boy,” the Southern youkai said again. “I don’t believe your father taught you disrespect such as this.”
“My honored, late father told me to respect the court until I was strong enough to rise above their influence. If anyone should want to test my strength, they are more than welcome to do so now.”
The court quieted. The Taiyoukai of the North, emptied his kiseru into a pot, laughing a bit. “So proud,” he commented.
“Are you challenging me?”
“No,” he laughed. “I am much too old for these foolish chest-pounding games of the youth.”
“I will,” hissed the Eastern Taiyoukai.
Sesshomaru looked at him, their eyes meeting with a fierce glare. “Fine,” he said, standing. “We will meet in the field at the bottom of the hill in twenty minutes.”
The Eastern Taiyoukai nodded, standing as well. The two exited opposite each other. Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other confusedly, not knowing what to do. The miko desperately wanted to run after Sesshomaru.
“Come, you two, I shall escort you to safer places,” the Northern Lord announced.
He too came down from his dias, lifting a hand for Kagome, and waiting for Inuyasha to come to his side. They walked out of the side door, the one Kagome had entered the day before, and down the halls towards Sesshomaru’s chambers.
“I-I remember you,” Inuyasha said, cocking his head to look at the elder youkai as they walked.
“Oh? I only met you one or two times before you and your mother…left the palace.”
“I know—but I remember you. You…you were nice to us.”
The Northern Lord smiled sadly. “Your father and I were great friends. We had grown up with each other. He was always a sucker for a pretty face, ever since he hit the trying time of puberty, but your mother—never before did I see him…/happy/ like I did when she was with him. And when you came around—you changed everyone, my boy. Even Sesshomaru opened up to you like he did no other, not even Haru.”
Kagome smiled, reaching out to touch Inuyasha’s arm. His face was flushed and he hid it from the view of the other two. The Northern Lord smiled. “I apologize to you, Kagome-chan, since I have yet to introduce myself to you.”
They stopped for a second so the Taiyoukai could spin about. “My name is Masa, Lord of the Northern Lands.”
“It is nice to meet you,” she said, bowing politely.
He laughed again—a deep sound that reverberated in his chest as a small rumble and spilled from his lips like an avalanche coming down a mountain. It was the type of laugh that was contagious and Kagome soon found herself joining in.
They began their trek towards the chambers and had gotten almost there when Shun and Sesshomaru appeared. “Sesshomaru,” Kagome exclaimed, rushing forward.
He was once again in his usual attire, both swords at his side. “Are you really going to fight such a needless battle? Let those women gossip.”
Sesshomaru looked down at her, noting the worry in her features. He brought his hand up to trace her features, his fingertips memorizing the soft contours of her cheeks, nose, and lips. She kissed his fingers lightly and he allowed himself to smile, ever so slightly, at the young miko. “It is necessary, of which will have to be explained to you later,” he said. “Masa, please watch over them.”
The other youkai nodded. Assured of their safety, he made his way past the three, Shun following, and towards the pasture where the fight was to occur.
“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Inuyasha exclaimed. “I wanna see him kick some pompous ass!”
“I’m afraid it isn’t safe for Kagome-chan to be down there. Too much excitement leaves the opportunity for ‘accidents’ to happen.”
Inuyasha’s own excitement deflated as he realized the truth in the statement. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” he mumbled in defeat.
“So who is this Taiyoukai who challenged Sesshomaru?” Kagome asked, prompting the other two to continue walking towards their quarters. The rest of their group was confined to them, after all, and it would be nice to have more company.
“Asa,” the Northern Lord explained. “A snake of a youkai with a very big grudge against Sesshomaru. They butt heads a lot and there have been many times when it has been left to Taro and I to help stall out full war between the two lands.
“Taro?”
“The Lord of the Southern Lands—though Sesshomaru will have to make amends tonight for his words in the chambers earlier, with Taro at least.”
“Why should he?” Inuyasha grumbled.
“While Taro is the youngest of the Lords, his lands are some of the more fruitful. The Western lands benefit from some of that prosperity,” Masa explained. “Plus, it helps not to piss off the people who claim to be neutral in an already heated situation.”
“A heated situation?” Kagome asked.
Masa shook his head. They had reached the main hall of Sesshomaru’s chambers. Michiko was waiting for them next to a door. “Kagome-san,” she said. “Masa-sama.”
She bowed to the two, glaring at Inuyasha. He returned the gesture. Masa laughed at their playfulness.
“Kagome-san, your friends are asking about you.”
“Oh, we were just going to see them. Sesshomaru is—”
“—Acting a fool,” she finished.
“Yeah, I suppose that is the most proper way to put it.”
“Do not worry,” the servant said, trying to comfort the teenager. “Lord Sesshomaru is very strong. He won’t lose, he’s incapable of losing.”
“He lost to me,” Inuyasha said.
Michiko rolled her eyes. Resisting the urge to knock him over his head, she led Kagome to the room the rest of her friends were in.
-----
The thing about two Taiyoukai fighting was that it was loud, long, and /big/. Obviously, at some point, the two had switched to their true forms and the ground shook as the two battled it out.
Kagome kept Shippo near her, trying to occupy her mind with playing with the kit, instead of worrying over Sesshomaru. The rest of the group tried to keep up normal conversation but it was forced and too many times they would find themselves looking at Kagome with worry. Inuyasha kept by the door, in case she attempted to run out to the field to ‘rescue’ his brother, something that she wouldn’t think twice about doing.
“Where’s Haru? We haven’t seen him since last night?”
“Hm, Haru? He’s here?” Masa said.
He had been smoking his kiseru in the corner, looking on a miko and kit as they played.
“Yeah, the lech met up with us a while ago and has been with our group ever since,” Inuyasha explained.
Masa hummed, keeping in his curiosity to that situation. He had always been under the impression that Haru disliked Inuyasha and wasn’t especially fond of his elder brother either.
The room shook at an enormous quake. It sent the crayons Kagome and Shippo were sending flying in the air and tipped over the tea at the low table between Sango and Miroku. Cheering erupted after a moment or two.
“Ah,” Masa commented. “That must mean a victor has been declared.”
Kagome looked over at the Northern Lord and then over at the door. “I’ll go, Kagome-san. Please stay here,” Michiko announced.
She threw a rag over Inuyasha’s head as she passed, ordering him to clean up the spilt tea.
“Why the hell should I?”
“Language, Inuyasha!”
The hanyou rolled his eyes. He threw the rag towards Miroku. “You can clean it up monk.”
Said Houshi sighed, picking up the material and drying the table. It had already spilt on his robes and they would need to be cleaned before the day was out.
“I hope they aren’t too injured,” Kagome fretted. “My bag is in Sesshomaru’s room, should I fetch it? It’s got all my first-aid supplies in it.”
“He’s a /demon/, Kagome,” Inuyasha interjected. “He’ll be fine.”
“But—that seemed like a fierce battle.”
“Not much of a battle as much as posturing. They’ll be fine, Kagome-chan,” Masa explained.
Not too much later Michiko came back into the room, smiling. “Sesshomaru-sama, of course, won. He’s returned to his chambers for a bath and asks for Kagome-san to join him.”
Kagome blushed at the indication but didn’t hesitate to stand and walk over to Michiko. “I will walk with you two until she is back under Sesshomaru’s watchful eyes,” the Northern Taiyoukai said, standing and coming to the door. “It was nice seeing you again, boy. I hope to see you again, in the future.”
-----
“Sesshomaru,” Kagome exclaimed, running into the bathroom.
Said Taiyoukai was already relaxing in the hot water. Shun was next to him, putting an ointment onto his master’s shoulder where a nasty bite wound was turning varying colours of purple and blue.
“You’re hurt,” she whimpered.
“Nothing much, it will heal by morning,” Sesshomaru dismissed.
“Lord Sesshomaru,” Shun interjected. “It would be best if you rested for the next few days. Asa-sama’s poison is still very dangerous until we can have it completely leached from your system.”
The Taiyoukai waved off the conversation. Kagome’s eyes furrowed. Without bothering to disrobe, she walked into the hotspring and straight across it until she was in the other’s face. “Listen here,” she demanded. “If you are hurt enough to cause your servants to worry, then you should listen to them and rest. I mean, who else is going to have confidence in your abilities then the people serving under you?”
Shun smiled at the girl, putting the last rag of the nefarious smelling concoction on the wound. He excused himself to wait outside the room, in case he was needed during the bath, and to dress the wound after it.
“You were worried?”
“Of course I was! I couldn’t even watch to make sure you were okay. I just had to listen to all those horrible noises and hope that it wasn’t you.”
Sesshomaru lifted his hand to cup her cheek. She leaned in against it, allowing her anger and frustration to flow from her. “You are wearing too much.”
“You’re changing the subject.”
“It doesn’t matter, you would still be wearing too much.”
The hand cupping Kagome’s cheek dropped as it cut through her uchikake, obi, and kosode. The ruined fabric fell to the water, floating with the small tides on the bubbling surface. Before she could even gasp at the change, Sesshomaru’s form engulfed her and she found herself embraced once again.
“When it comes to you and our child, you should never doubt me,” he said quietly.
She nodded, bringing her arms to encircle his neck. “I won’t,” she hummed, allowing his lips to overtake hers.
-----
What was only supposed to be a couple of nights at the Western Palace ended up being a week as Sesshomaru was forced to, first, rest and heal from the impromptu ‘battle’, and, second, deal with courtly business. Once available to leave, they did so with great relief. The anxiety of the group almost instantly listed as they exited the palace grounds.
The group arrived at the river estate surprised that the building was actually finished. The human men and youkai were eating lunch together chatting merrily together and laughing. Stray comments were shouted their direction from the women who were moving in and out of the house, putting the finishing touches on the building.
“Lord Sesshomaru,” Kin shouted, coming out of his tent.
A hush came over the group as they looked at the traveling group entered the clearing. Sesshomaru guided Kagome over the small stream, their hands connected, and walked over to Kin and Jiro.
Sesshomaru looked over the work, listening to the bear youkai prattle over the finer details of the project. Kagome’s attention was taken by the group of youkai and humans fellowshipping together. She smiled. Squeezing Sesshomaru’s hand before releasing it, she walked towards the group, listening to their conversation. Both Jiro and Inuyasha followed her, keeping an eye out on the group.
“So it seems the miko has tainted herself and laid with the demon,” a voice called from inside the building.
Aiko walked out moments later a basket under her arm. She sneered at the teenager in front of her. “How disgraceful, to think I have to serve such a person and the abomination you will produce.”
Three growls overtook the area, a dangerous aura causing every creature to cower in fear, and before anyone could blink Aiko was pinned to the wall by an irate Taiyoukai. Inuyasha stood in front of Kagome, his bangs covering his eyes, though fully astute of the situation. Haru stood to the side.
“You are foolish human,” he hissed, his claws pressing into her neck, drawing blood.
Kagome whimpered, keeping him from killing her completely. He stepped back, letting the human woman fall back to the ground. She mimicked a fish as she struggled to get air back into her aching lungs.
“This is your only warning,” he said. “If you upset my miko again, then your life will be forfeit.”
“/Your/ miko, eh?” she gasped, her voice rough. “Your child will still be a dirty hanyou.”
Sesshomaru’s eyes bled red and Kagome clenched her fist in anger. Inuyasha was shaking in front of her. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him and burying her head in his back.
“She is wrong—”
“You are wrong,” the Taiyoukai growled. “While rash and sometimes utterly foolish, my brother is a proud member of the Western family and I will not have you speak ill of him…nor of my child.”
Inuyasha laughed dryly to himself, bringing a hand up to squeeze one of Kagome’s. “And if you upset Kagome again,” Sesshomaru continued. “Then I will give my brother full right to do with you as he pleases.”
Aiko’s eyes widened, looking over at the hanyou. His eyes were still shadowed from view but the aura of danger had not faded.
“Aiko-san,” Jiro said, standing next to Kagome. “Please, apologize. We haven’t a problem with the youkai.”
“Shut up,” she hissed at the other human. “You are hardly better than her. Taken as a lover of a youkai—a male youkai. I hope you find a nice place with them, for you are certainly not welcome in our village.”
She picked herself up off the floor, walking around the youkai and back into the building. She still had tasks she had to accomplish and certainly didn’t want to piss off the Taiyoukai further. Indeed, her plans needed her to be inside the protective barrier of this place in order to work.
“I-I apologize,” Jiro said, prostrating himself in front of Sesshomaru and Kagome.
“Oh, Jiro,” Kagome exclaimed. She stepped back from Inuyasha and looked down at the man. “Please don’t do that, it isn’t your fault.”
“Kagome-san,” Kin spoke quietly. “It is out of respect.”
She looked over at the bear youkai and then at the three inus around her. None of them were looking at her. She sighed and walked forward and kneeled down herself. Feeling the eyes on her, she ignored everyone else in the area. “Then I too owe you an apology, Jiro-san,” she explained. “You just lost your home for my sake, because you stood up for me and because you were brought here to help build my home.”
Jiro looked up at her and smiled at her. “No, Kagome-san,” he responded. “I am grateful for having coming here.” He paused to look at Kin and smiled. The bear smiled back. Kagome giggled at their attention to each other. “I have found another home, one I am quite happy with.”
“That’s so cute,” Kagome cooed, leaning over and hugging the other human.
Sesshomaru growled unhappily. She recognized the warning and straightened up, looking over at him angrily. She pouted, but stood up (with help from Kin), and walked back over to Sesshomaru’s side.
Haru, Inuyasha, and Shippo looked on with surprise. “Wow,” Shippo whispered.
Miroku looked over at his shoulder where the small kitsune was perched. “What?”
“She just obeyed his growls.”
“So? I mean, Kagome may be stubborn but she’s not—”
“No, that’s not it,” the kit interrupted. “She understood him.”
“So?”
“It’s not something everyone can do,” Inuyasha supplied. “And her reaction, though still a bit Kagome-esque, was very much like that of a mate.”
The humans in the group looked over at the two, Kagome oblivious to their discussion though Sesshomaru certainly not. He didn’t bother to pay them any attention as he guided Kagome into the building that would be serving as her new home.
“Things are getting complicated,” Sango said.
Inuyasha scoffed, shoving his arms into his sleeves. “As if they aren’t always, especially when Kagome is involved.”
Miroku laughed. He patted his hanyou friend on the shoulder. “Shall we go see what our quarters will be over the next few months?”
“Sure, but where do you think you’re going?”
The monk looked over at Inuyasha curiously, pointing to the building beside them. “Uh-uh,” the hanyou said, shaking his head. “Males around a pregnant female is a big no-no for Inus.”
“So where are we staying?”
Inuyasha pointed to a small hut down at the far end of the island. It wasn’t something so shabby, like Kaede’s—in fact it was a quite substantial improvement and something no peasant would ever have—but it was severely lacking to the near palace building that had been built for Kagome. Miroku’s face fell, his shoulder slumping forward; his disappointment obvious.
Sango laughed. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Whatever, Kin said there are multiple rooms, so we don’t have to sleep altogether.”
“So I get my own room?” Shippo asked.
“Yup, kiddo.”
“Awesome!”
The group laughed at the kitsune as he danced around the group.
“What about Rin?” the little girl asked.
The group jumped and looked over back at the stream. Jaken, Ah-Un, and Rin stood there patiently waiting for their master’s return. “I-I don’t know Rin-chan,” Sango stuttered, embarrassed she had forgotten about the child.
“Why don’t you come with me and we’ll find Lord Sesshomaru and Kagome-chan.”
Rin pouted, looking at Jaken. “Come Rin, this will be our new home for the next few months.”
The little girl’s eyes widened in horror. “No, Sesshomaru-sama wouldn’t leave Rin here! Rin wants to go with him.”
“But Rin—”
Not listening to hear the toad’s reply, she ran into the building, looking for her beloved caretaker.
-----
Legend:
Soba Gara Makura: traditional Japanese pillow, stuffed with buckwheat hulls
Uchikake: heavy brocaded style of kimono and is supposed to be worn outside the actual kimono and obi, as a kind of coat. In fact, the uchikake is one of the ancestors of what we now know of the kimono, coming to be commonly used in the Kamakura period (1185-1333), I believe. Today, uchikake’s most traditional use for formal occasions, most often as a bridal wear.
Kosode: a plain kimono worn traditionally worn underneath another. In its earliest incarnation, it was simple underwear worn with (and under) hakama (pants). Later the hakama were dropped and obi were adopted to keep the garment closed. Again, the kosode is an ancestor to the modern kimono.
Kiseru: a long, pipe with a small bell at the end to put that which is being smoked. Usually it’s very thin.
Thank You:
Sorry for the excessive end notes. I wanted to thank everyone for their support in my writing. Unexpected Endeavors started as a joke that I didn’t think anyone would actually follow. Now, over a year later, UE has been nominated almost every quarter in the IYFG and Feudal Awards and has won four times. This just blows my mind. So thank you to every person out there who has ever read, reviewed, or nominated /UE/!
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Author: scottishfae
Rating: R
Pairing: Sesshomaru x Kagome
Word Count/Page Count: 6, 347 Words // 19 Pages
Summary: The shard hunting group is rocked by an unexpected request from Sesshomaru and forced to endure the deal when, by mistake, Kagome agrees to his offer. Now the group must not only deal with the end of their quest but a moody Kagome, an irritated Taiyoukai, and a very jealous half-demon.
A/N: I’ve reached a problem with /Unexpected Endeavors/. With each chapter, I’m finding it harder and harder to write. I’m losing inspiration, not to mention the ending I had originally planned. Things spiraled as chapters went through. Now don’t worry, I’m not discontinuing this story. Instead, I thought I would issue a fun new game for my readers, in hopes of helping push me along the writing path.
Readers’ Game // Author’s Challenge:
After every chapter, I’m going to give all readers a chance to leave me some prompt for me to include in the next chapter. Prompts can include anything from a specific phrase, a setting, or just a general concept. I’ll go through all the prompts suggested and include one or two in the next chapter, with a note at the beginning to whose prompt I’m using. You can leave a quick comment to the story chapter with your prompt, or IM/email me. (AIM: NipponElla, Y!M: scottishfae, Email: scottishfae (at) gmail (dot) com). We’ll try this for two chapters and see how it goes.
As per request, I’ll have listed translations for Japanese words, or links to images/articles that will further explain them.
-----
Chapter Nineteen: Unexpected?
-----
She lay stiff, huddling to the edge of the mattress while her fingers played with the heavy blankets that rested just under her chin. She was acutely aware of the heat that radiated against her back from just meters away. The soft sound of breathing joined the noises from outside, the door having been left open to catch the breeze. Kagome pulled the blankets closer to her. Sesshomaru grunted behind her.
She felt the futon dip before she felt him. He was very careful not to completely touch her though he did grab the blanket and pull it down to her waist. He slung his arm around both the blanket and the other occupant, keeping them both secure. “If you cannot be comfortable with just sleeping beside me, then how will you be able to complete our agreement?”
“Is that what this is? Just sleeping?”
“If you like.”
Kagome blinked, trying to resist the urge to hide under the blankets again, though his arm prevented it anyway. On the back of her neck she felt his breath playing with the small hairs that had fallen from the loose bun she had put it up in earlier. “W-when…?”
“When?” he asked, urging her to be open about this discussion.
She took a deep breath. “When…do you want us to…I mean, /you know/.”
“I know?”
“Why are you being so obnoxious about this?”
“Why won’t you come out and say it?”
Kagome twisted in his grasp, burying her head in the Soba Gara Makura*, and letting the soft, silky material muffle her scream of frustration.
“If it is that much of a problem,” he said, moving his arm to pet affectionately at her neck. He dragged each finger, careful of his claws, down her neck and just under her neckline before retracing his way up and repeating the process. She shivered from the attention. “You could just call it,” he continued. “Our agreement, if it is that much of a problem.”
Again Kagome turned, towards him this time. She blushed at their proximity. She curled her legs in, an automatic response, unintentionally entangling her legs with his. “I-I don’t want to call it that,” she said. “It’s so…unromantic.”
“Oh?”
Sesshomaru had returned to petting Kagome’s neck, trailing his fingers further and further into her hair. It was something her mother had done for her many times growing up and it continued to be one of her favorite things. “Yeah—I mean…I always thought the first time I did…/it/, it would be with the person I was madly in love with and planned to stay with for the rest of my life.”
“Inuyasha,” he supplemented.
The confidence in his statement took her guard. She hadn’t thought very hard about who she would lose her virginity to, though she had dreams of romantic situations or beautiful settings and erotic fantasies—what hot-blooded teenager didn’t—but she had never put too much thought into who. “Well—no,” she drawled, still in thought. “When you put it like that, I guess I had destined myself to follow a miko’s vow of chastity. I did always tell Inuyasha I would stay by his side forever.”
“And this is against your plan how?”
Kagome smiled softly, burrowing her head into his shoulder so he could not see her sadness. “Inuyasha would never look at me like that. And that’s not even going into the whole ‘vow to hell’ he has with Kikyo.”
“That is a vow he will break,” Sesshomaru stated. “He is too important to give up so easily, for someone who has been undead for too long.”
Kagome laughed quietly, stray tears trickling out of the corner of her eyes. “Tell me about it. Good luck getting through to him though, nothing I do ever works.”
“You exist.”
“Huh?”
“He denies his importance in this world because he cannot see it,” Sesshomaru explained. “Just like you deny your importance to Inuyasha because you cannot see his reaction to you.”
She remained quiet, letting his words sink in and listening to his breathing. Every time he exhaled she could feel his chest brush against her arm, which was curled between them. It gave her comfort. “You know, you aren’t doing well in the whole ‘sweet-talking’ department.”
“Sweet-talking?”
“Yeah, like—trying to make me fall for you.”
“I don’t need you to fall for me.”
Again reality hit Kagome hard in the chest and she bit her lip to keep from crying. “Yeah, I suppose all you need from me is to fulfill my part of our agreement.”
He grunted as he felt her push away from him. She tried to covertly wipe her eyes, but the slight tear tracks and the abuse to her lips were both clearly noted. “Kagome—” he began but she shook her head for him to be silent. He obeyed.
She sat up awkwardly, leaning on one hip more than the other so that she didn’t have to sit up completely. Grabbing the end of her pink-checked pajama top, she lifted it quickly up and over her head, throwing it off to the side, before she lost the nerve. She couldn’t resist bringing up an arm up to cover her now exposed breasts.
“You don’t need to prove—”
Sesshomaru’s eyes widened as he found his lips attached to another. Kagome, eyes wide herself, looked into his golden orbs, challenging him to reject her. He reached out for her, his arm sliding over her waist to her back and tracing up her spine. She shivered, closing her eyes. He took charge of the impromptu kiss, caressing her lips with his gingerly, trying not to frighten her. She responded to him, her shyness coming back as her initial hurt faded for new, unknown feelings.
“Kagome,” he said, his voice husky and low. “You don’t have to do this right now.”
“I know,” she replied, unsure of where she was getting her courage.
She leaned forward, capturing his lips again. Sesshomaru sighed into the kiss, bringing his arm to the back of her head and holding her to him so he could deepen it. The invading tongue in her mouth felt odd and as the slick muscle slid over hers she felt herself wanting to gag. She repressed the urge as much as she could, pulling back from his embrace.
Sesshomaru loosened his grip, allowing her to pull away some, but still close enough that they could feel each other’s breath. “Se—Sesshomaru,” she panted.
“Tell me to stop,” he challenged, gently switching their position so he hovered over her, braced against his one arm.
Kagome’s arm automatically went around his neck. The breeze from outside ghosted over her flesh, pimpling it. “Don’t,” she said, as he leaned down to kiss down her neck. “Stop.”
Sesshomaru smiled against her neck, his elongated teeth dragging slowly against her tender skin. She swallowed from the sensation. He kissed her neck again, apologizing for the rough treatment in his own way. “Gladly,” he whispered, straightening up and taking her lips, once again, in a lover’s embrace.
-----
They had redoubled their efforts after the storm had knocked off much of their progress. The sun hadn’t peaked for days, leaving the ground soggy and unfirm. The humans were nearly useless in such a situation and the youkai—much fewer in number than the humans—were forced to pick up the slack. It was wearing down on everyone and tempers were beginning to flare.
“How much longer will it take?” Jiro asked.
Kin shook his head, looking at his plans and then over at the raging river. It seemed further in the Western lands the rains hadn’t stopped.
“I don’t know but there will probably be changes to the original plan. I want to make double sure that the waters won’t threaten the island.”
Jiro nodded. He stood from his seat and walked to the open flap of the foreman’s tent. He peered out of it to see how things were progressing. The humans had begun on some of the minor detail work—things to be added later but still important. It was the only thing that Jiro or Kin could think to keep them busy.
“We’re not making much progress.”
“No, but until the ground is once again hardened for the humans to work on, there isn’t much we can do.”
“When will Lord Sesshomaru return?”
Kin sighed and placed his calligraphy brush down for a brief second. He looked over at the human. “Too soon, I’m sure. If he is returning to his birth home—the palace of the West—then he will have to attend to courtly business and that will take up a good bit of time.”
“One can only hope.”
Kin smiled. He leaned back, allowing his hands to support his body. “Now stop worrying for a moment and come keep me company.”
The human blushed but still stepped away from the tent entrance. He pulled on one of the strings, allowing the two privacy from the outside world.
-----
Kagome shifted from foot to foot, the formal attire of the court once again lying heavily against her frame. This time, Inuyasha also stood next to her—though still in his usual fire rat outfit. No amount of threats could make him change into something ‘more suiting for his rank.’
The teen was grateful to have the familiarity of her friend next to her. But at the same time, the reality of her situation from the night before played heavy on her mind. Inuyasha has been so against this idea to begin with; would he think badly of her—abandon her—now that the deal had been consummated?
“Inuyasha,” she whispered.
He looked over at her, a tick already visible in his left eye. She smiled uneasily at him and returned her attention to the doors in front of them. They were in the ante-chamber, waiting to be allowed into the main chamber of the Western Lord.
“Would you stop that?” the hanyou exploded.
Kagome jumped tripping over the long fabric of her uchikake* and falling to her butt. Michiko ran to her aide, scolding Inuyasha. His ears dropped and he reached down to pull Kagome up.
“Sorry,” he mumbled.
Kagome smiled back at him, as she tried to smooth out some of the wrinkles. Michiko did most of the work—annoyed that her hours of work had been messed up so easily.
“Don’t worry, Inuyasha,” she said. “It’ll be fine.”
He nodded, turning to the side to try and avoid his blush from being seen. “He…he didn’t hurt you, did he?”
Kagome puzzled for a second on what he meant. The hanyou saw he confusion and continued—much to both of their embarrassments. “Um—you were…/loud/ last night. I-I couldn’t do anything ‘cause you know—” he shot a look at the servants, unwilling to admit his weakness in front of strangers.
The miko’s eyes went wide and a sleeve-covered hand came up to hide her gasp of surprise. Nothing could hide the blush that overtook her face and disappeared under the high neckline of her uchikake and kosode*.
“Figures that bastard would wait until I was incapacitated to rut with you.”
“What language, so unbecoming of a lady.”
“Who are you calling a lady?!”
Michiko rolled her eyes. “Kagome-chan, you dumbass.”
Inuyasha glared at the other inuyoukai. “Well, here,” he said, bringing up a hand and extending his middle finger. “You’re no lady, so here’s a gift for you.”
Michiko snorted. “I never claimed to be one…and in your dreams—/baka/.”
Kagome giggled nervously, again bringing a sleeved hand to cover her mouth. Both youkai looked over at her, relieved that she was at least laughing again.
“At least this means we won’t be staying here much longer,” Inuyasha sighed. “I hate this place. It feels so…/fake/.”
Kagome reached out a hand and squeezed his arm. He brought up one of his hands and squeezed hers back. Under her bilious sleeve, they intertwined their fingers.
“Why would we leave?” she asked, eventually.
“Not safe anymore—thought technically it wasn’t safe to begin with anyway. With a possible heir on the way, there will be many people who will want you and your child’s death.”
“Not to mention how untraditional this union is,’ Michiko added. “Many of the other Lords are quite angry; most especially those with eligible daughters.”
Inuyasha snorted. “Why is everything in the courts related to either conniving or rutting?”
“You speak so ill of rutting, but how do you think you were conceived?”
He rolled his eyes. “I’m not stupid but there is more to life.”
“Like?”
He paused, blushing and looking of the corner of his eyes to Kagome. He bowed his head to allow his bangs to cover his eyes.
“Aw, how cute,” Michiko cooed.
“Shut up,” he growled.
The conversation was cut short as the doors to the ante-chamber were opened and an inuyoukai walked in. Without a word, he motioned for the two to enter the audience-chamber. Michiko whispered encouragements to Kagome, brushing out some stray wrinkles and stepping to the side so they could enter.
She whispered a prayer, though she didn’t believe any human gods would listen to her. The directional Lords had all convened and the two would need all the help they could get.
-----
The oppressive atmosphere in the audience-chamber was overbearing. Inuyasha, brazen and bold as he was, thrust his arms in his sleeves, bared his teeth, and cursed at anyone he felt was belittling him. Kagome kept near him, looking down, fumbling with her sleeves.
“Rude and disrespectful, I see,” an old youkai said.
Set to the side of Sesshomaru’s raised dias were three others, each containing a Taiyoukai, though raised lower than the Western Lord’s own. The only Taiyoukai to Sesshomaru’s right had spoken, puffing on a kiseru* as he looked over the pair.
Inuyasha growled, ready to remark. He stopped only when he felt Kagome tug on his sleeve. She shook her head, tugging the sleeve again. The two bowed together, resting on their knees in front of all four Taiyoukai.
“Lords of the North, South, and East,” Sesshomaru spoke from his position, his language formal and fitting for the courts. “I would like to present my half-brother Inuyasha and Higurashi Kagome, bearer of the Western heir.”
“A miko,” another Taiyoukai commented. His words rolled off his tongue like a snake slithering through grass. It made Kagome shiver.
“You have a problem with this?”
Sesshomaru looked at the youkai that ruled the lands East, challenging him to say anything that he disapproved of. The youkai scoffed and focused back on his writing desk.
“Kagome,” Sesshomaru said, quietly.
She looked up at him, smiling when she met his eyes. The warmth she saw in them, at least when looking at her, helped her relax some, forgetting the other Taiyoukai her were judging her—and Sesshomaru’s mother sitting with the other Ladies to her left.
“Come,” he said, motioning for her to come up the dias and join him. “Take your honored place.”
She stood without fumbling too much (she had practiced earlier in Sesshomaru’s quarters of walking with the extra fabric) and walked up the stairs. One of the court advisors took her hand and helped her until Sesshomaru could reach her hand and bring her to sit next to him. As she had the day before, she sat to his right, slightly behind and head bowed just slightly. The Ladies, now to her right, whispered vehemently between each other about the position taken.
“Would you cads shut up, as if we couldn’t hear your pompous comments and lies,” Inuyasha yelled, his patience finally broken.
The Taiyoukai of the South, also on Sesshomaru’s left, stood up outraged, demanding an apology—and the hanyou’s head.
“Quiet, old fool. My brother’s words may have been barbaric but he spoke justly. The Ladies should keep their gossip to chambers where this Sesshomaru cannot hear them, for I will not have them disrespecting my miko or anyone under my care.”
“Letting such insult stay is a dangerous thing boy,” the Southern youkai said again. “I don’t believe your father taught you disrespect such as this.”
“My honored, late father told me to respect the court until I was strong enough to rise above their influence. If anyone should want to test my strength, they are more than welcome to do so now.”
The court quieted. The Taiyoukai of the North, emptied his kiseru into a pot, laughing a bit. “So proud,” he commented.
“Are you challenging me?”
“No,” he laughed. “I am much too old for these foolish chest-pounding games of the youth.”
“I will,” hissed the Eastern Taiyoukai.
Sesshomaru looked at him, their eyes meeting with a fierce glare. “Fine,” he said, standing. “We will meet in the field at the bottom of the hill in twenty minutes.”
The Eastern Taiyoukai nodded, standing as well. The two exited opposite each other. Kagome and Inuyasha looked at each other confusedly, not knowing what to do. The miko desperately wanted to run after Sesshomaru.
“Come, you two, I shall escort you to safer places,” the Northern Lord announced.
He too came down from his dias, lifting a hand for Kagome, and waiting for Inuyasha to come to his side. They walked out of the side door, the one Kagome had entered the day before, and down the halls towards Sesshomaru’s chambers.
“I-I remember you,” Inuyasha said, cocking his head to look at the elder youkai as they walked.
“Oh? I only met you one or two times before you and your mother…left the palace.”
“I know—but I remember you. You…you were nice to us.”
The Northern Lord smiled sadly. “Your father and I were great friends. We had grown up with each other. He was always a sucker for a pretty face, ever since he hit the trying time of puberty, but your mother—never before did I see him…/happy/ like I did when she was with him. And when you came around—you changed everyone, my boy. Even Sesshomaru opened up to you like he did no other, not even Haru.”
Kagome smiled, reaching out to touch Inuyasha’s arm. His face was flushed and he hid it from the view of the other two. The Northern Lord smiled. “I apologize to you, Kagome-chan, since I have yet to introduce myself to you.”
They stopped for a second so the Taiyoukai could spin about. “My name is Masa, Lord of the Northern Lands.”
“It is nice to meet you,” she said, bowing politely.
He laughed again—a deep sound that reverberated in his chest as a small rumble and spilled from his lips like an avalanche coming down a mountain. It was the type of laugh that was contagious and Kagome soon found herself joining in.
They began their trek towards the chambers and had gotten almost there when Shun and Sesshomaru appeared. “Sesshomaru,” Kagome exclaimed, rushing forward.
He was once again in his usual attire, both swords at his side. “Are you really going to fight such a needless battle? Let those women gossip.”
Sesshomaru looked down at her, noting the worry in her features. He brought his hand up to trace her features, his fingertips memorizing the soft contours of her cheeks, nose, and lips. She kissed his fingers lightly and he allowed himself to smile, ever so slightly, at the young miko. “It is necessary, of which will have to be explained to you later,” he said. “Masa, please watch over them.”
The other youkai nodded. Assured of their safety, he made his way past the three, Shun following, and towards the pasture where the fight was to occur.
“Well, what are we waiting for? Let’s go!” Inuyasha exclaimed. “I wanna see him kick some pompous ass!”
“I’m afraid it isn’t safe for Kagome-chan to be down there. Too much excitement leaves the opportunity for ‘accidents’ to happen.”
Inuyasha’s own excitement deflated as he realized the truth in the statement. “Yeah, I suppose you’re right,” he mumbled in defeat.
“So who is this Taiyoukai who challenged Sesshomaru?” Kagome asked, prompting the other two to continue walking towards their quarters. The rest of their group was confined to them, after all, and it would be nice to have more company.
“Asa,” the Northern Lord explained. “A snake of a youkai with a very big grudge against Sesshomaru. They butt heads a lot and there have been many times when it has been left to Taro and I to help stall out full war between the two lands.
“Taro?”
“The Lord of the Southern Lands—though Sesshomaru will have to make amends tonight for his words in the chambers earlier, with Taro at least.”
“Why should he?” Inuyasha grumbled.
“While Taro is the youngest of the Lords, his lands are some of the more fruitful. The Western lands benefit from some of that prosperity,” Masa explained. “Plus, it helps not to piss off the people who claim to be neutral in an already heated situation.”
“A heated situation?” Kagome asked.
Masa shook his head. They had reached the main hall of Sesshomaru’s chambers. Michiko was waiting for them next to a door. “Kagome-san,” she said. “Masa-sama.”
She bowed to the two, glaring at Inuyasha. He returned the gesture. Masa laughed at their playfulness.
“Kagome-san, your friends are asking about you.”
“Oh, we were just going to see them. Sesshomaru is—”
“—Acting a fool,” she finished.
“Yeah, I suppose that is the most proper way to put it.”
“Do not worry,” the servant said, trying to comfort the teenager. “Lord Sesshomaru is very strong. He won’t lose, he’s incapable of losing.”
“He lost to me,” Inuyasha said.
Michiko rolled her eyes. Resisting the urge to knock him over his head, she led Kagome to the room the rest of her friends were in.
-----
The thing about two Taiyoukai fighting was that it was loud, long, and /big/. Obviously, at some point, the two had switched to their true forms and the ground shook as the two battled it out.
Kagome kept Shippo near her, trying to occupy her mind with playing with the kit, instead of worrying over Sesshomaru. The rest of the group tried to keep up normal conversation but it was forced and too many times they would find themselves looking at Kagome with worry. Inuyasha kept by the door, in case she attempted to run out to the field to ‘rescue’ his brother, something that she wouldn’t think twice about doing.
“Where’s Haru? We haven’t seen him since last night?”
“Hm, Haru? He’s here?” Masa said.
He had been smoking his kiseru in the corner, looking on a miko and kit as they played.
“Yeah, the lech met up with us a while ago and has been with our group ever since,” Inuyasha explained.
Masa hummed, keeping in his curiosity to that situation. He had always been under the impression that Haru disliked Inuyasha and wasn’t especially fond of his elder brother either.
The room shook at an enormous quake. It sent the crayons Kagome and Shippo were sending flying in the air and tipped over the tea at the low table between Sango and Miroku. Cheering erupted after a moment or two.
“Ah,” Masa commented. “That must mean a victor has been declared.”
Kagome looked over at the Northern Lord and then over at the door. “I’ll go, Kagome-san. Please stay here,” Michiko announced.
She threw a rag over Inuyasha’s head as she passed, ordering him to clean up the spilt tea.
“Why the hell should I?”
“Language, Inuyasha!”
The hanyou rolled his eyes. He threw the rag towards Miroku. “You can clean it up monk.”
Said Houshi sighed, picking up the material and drying the table. It had already spilt on his robes and they would need to be cleaned before the day was out.
“I hope they aren’t too injured,” Kagome fretted. “My bag is in Sesshomaru’s room, should I fetch it? It’s got all my first-aid supplies in it.”
“He’s a /demon/, Kagome,” Inuyasha interjected. “He’ll be fine.”
“But—that seemed like a fierce battle.”
“Not much of a battle as much as posturing. They’ll be fine, Kagome-chan,” Masa explained.
Not too much later Michiko came back into the room, smiling. “Sesshomaru-sama, of course, won. He’s returned to his chambers for a bath and asks for Kagome-san to join him.”
Kagome blushed at the indication but didn’t hesitate to stand and walk over to Michiko. “I will walk with you two until she is back under Sesshomaru’s watchful eyes,” the Northern Taiyoukai said, standing and coming to the door. “It was nice seeing you again, boy. I hope to see you again, in the future.”
-----
“Sesshomaru,” Kagome exclaimed, running into the bathroom.
Said Taiyoukai was already relaxing in the hot water. Shun was next to him, putting an ointment onto his master’s shoulder where a nasty bite wound was turning varying colours of purple and blue.
“You’re hurt,” she whimpered.
“Nothing much, it will heal by morning,” Sesshomaru dismissed.
“Lord Sesshomaru,” Shun interjected. “It would be best if you rested for the next few days. Asa-sama’s poison is still very dangerous until we can have it completely leached from your system.”
The Taiyoukai waved off the conversation. Kagome’s eyes furrowed. Without bothering to disrobe, she walked into the hotspring and straight across it until she was in the other’s face. “Listen here,” she demanded. “If you are hurt enough to cause your servants to worry, then you should listen to them and rest. I mean, who else is going to have confidence in your abilities then the people serving under you?”
Shun smiled at the girl, putting the last rag of the nefarious smelling concoction on the wound. He excused himself to wait outside the room, in case he was needed during the bath, and to dress the wound after it.
“You were worried?”
“Of course I was! I couldn’t even watch to make sure you were okay. I just had to listen to all those horrible noises and hope that it wasn’t you.”
Sesshomaru lifted his hand to cup her cheek. She leaned in against it, allowing her anger and frustration to flow from her. “You are wearing too much.”
“You’re changing the subject.”
“It doesn’t matter, you would still be wearing too much.”
The hand cupping Kagome’s cheek dropped as it cut through her uchikake, obi, and kosode. The ruined fabric fell to the water, floating with the small tides on the bubbling surface. Before she could even gasp at the change, Sesshomaru’s form engulfed her and she found herself embraced once again.
“When it comes to you and our child, you should never doubt me,” he said quietly.
She nodded, bringing her arms to encircle his neck. “I won’t,” she hummed, allowing his lips to overtake hers.
-----
What was only supposed to be a couple of nights at the Western Palace ended up being a week as Sesshomaru was forced to, first, rest and heal from the impromptu ‘battle’, and, second, deal with courtly business. Once available to leave, they did so with great relief. The anxiety of the group almost instantly listed as they exited the palace grounds.
The group arrived at the river estate surprised that the building was actually finished. The human men and youkai were eating lunch together chatting merrily together and laughing. Stray comments were shouted their direction from the women who were moving in and out of the house, putting the finishing touches on the building.
“Lord Sesshomaru,” Kin shouted, coming out of his tent.
A hush came over the group as they looked at the traveling group entered the clearing. Sesshomaru guided Kagome over the small stream, their hands connected, and walked over to Kin and Jiro.
Sesshomaru looked over the work, listening to the bear youkai prattle over the finer details of the project. Kagome’s attention was taken by the group of youkai and humans fellowshipping together. She smiled. Squeezing Sesshomaru’s hand before releasing it, she walked towards the group, listening to their conversation. Both Jiro and Inuyasha followed her, keeping an eye out on the group.
“So it seems the miko has tainted herself and laid with the demon,” a voice called from inside the building.
Aiko walked out moments later a basket under her arm. She sneered at the teenager in front of her. “How disgraceful, to think I have to serve such a person and the abomination you will produce.”
Three growls overtook the area, a dangerous aura causing every creature to cower in fear, and before anyone could blink Aiko was pinned to the wall by an irate Taiyoukai. Inuyasha stood in front of Kagome, his bangs covering his eyes, though fully astute of the situation. Haru stood to the side.
“You are foolish human,” he hissed, his claws pressing into her neck, drawing blood.
Kagome whimpered, keeping him from killing her completely. He stepped back, letting the human woman fall back to the ground. She mimicked a fish as she struggled to get air back into her aching lungs.
“This is your only warning,” he said. “If you upset my miko again, then your life will be forfeit.”
“/Your/ miko, eh?” she gasped, her voice rough. “Your child will still be a dirty hanyou.”
Sesshomaru’s eyes bled red and Kagome clenched her fist in anger. Inuyasha was shaking in front of her. She stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him and burying her head in his back.
“She is wrong—”
“You are wrong,” the Taiyoukai growled. “While rash and sometimes utterly foolish, my brother is a proud member of the Western family and I will not have you speak ill of him…nor of my child.”
Inuyasha laughed dryly to himself, bringing a hand up to squeeze one of Kagome’s. “And if you upset Kagome again,” Sesshomaru continued. “Then I will give my brother full right to do with you as he pleases.”
Aiko’s eyes widened, looking over at the hanyou. His eyes were still shadowed from view but the aura of danger had not faded.
“Aiko-san,” Jiro said, standing next to Kagome. “Please, apologize. We haven’t a problem with the youkai.”
“Shut up,” she hissed at the other human. “You are hardly better than her. Taken as a lover of a youkai—a male youkai. I hope you find a nice place with them, for you are certainly not welcome in our village.”
She picked herself up off the floor, walking around the youkai and back into the building. She still had tasks she had to accomplish and certainly didn’t want to piss off the Taiyoukai further. Indeed, her plans needed her to be inside the protective barrier of this place in order to work.
“I-I apologize,” Jiro said, prostrating himself in front of Sesshomaru and Kagome.
“Oh, Jiro,” Kagome exclaimed. She stepped back from Inuyasha and looked down at the man. “Please don’t do that, it isn’t your fault.”
“Kagome-san,” Kin spoke quietly. “It is out of respect.”
She looked over at the bear youkai and then at the three inus around her. None of them were looking at her. She sighed and walked forward and kneeled down herself. Feeling the eyes on her, she ignored everyone else in the area. “Then I too owe you an apology, Jiro-san,” she explained. “You just lost your home for my sake, because you stood up for me and because you were brought here to help build my home.”
Jiro looked up at her and smiled at her. “No, Kagome-san,” he responded. “I am grateful for having coming here.” He paused to look at Kin and smiled. The bear smiled back. Kagome giggled at their attention to each other. “I have found another home, one I am quite happy with.”
“That’s so cute,” Kagome cooed, leaning over and hugging the other human.
Sesshomaru growled unhappily. She recognized the warning and straightened up, looking over at him angrily. She pouted, but stood up (with help from Kin), and walked back over to Sesshomaru’s side.
Haru, Inuyasha, and Shippo looked on with surprise. “Wow,” Shippo whispered.
Miroku looked over at his shoulder where the small kitsune was perched. “What?”
“She just obeyed his growls.”
“So? I mean, Kagome may be stubborn but she’s not—”
“No, that’s not it,” the kit interrupted. “She understood him.”
“So?”
“It’s not something everyone can do,” Inuyasha supplied. “And her reaction, though still a bit Kagome-esque, was very much like that of a mate.”
The humans in the group looked over at the two, Kagome oblivious to their discussion though Sesshomaru certainly not. He didn’t bother to pay them any attention as he guided Kagome into the building that would be serving as her new home.
“Things are getting complicated,” Sango said.
Inuyasha scoffed, shoving his arms into his sleeves. “As if they aren’t always, especially when Kagome is involved.”
Miroku laughed. He patted his hanyou friend on the shoulder. “Shall we go see what our quarters will be over the next few months?”
“Sure, but where do you think you’re going?”
The monk looked over at Inuyasha curiously, pointing to the building beside them. “Uh-uh,” the hanyou said, shaking his head. “Males around a pregnant female is a big no-no for Inus.”
“So where are we staying?”
Inuyasha pointed to a small hut down at the far end of the island. It wasn’t something so shabby, like Kaede’s—in fact it was a quite substantial improvement and something no peasant would ever have—but it was severely lacking to the near palace building that had been built for Kagome. Miroku’s face fell, his shoulder slumping forward; his disappointment obvious.
Sango laughed. Inuyasha rolled his eyes. “Whatever, Kin said there are multiple rooms, so we don’t have to sleep altogether.”
“So I get my own room?” Shippo asked.
“Yup, kiddo.”
“Awesome!”
The group laughed at the kitsune as he danced around the group.
“What about Rin?” the little girl asked.
The group jumped and looked over back at the stream. Jaken, Ah-Un, and Rin stood there patiently waiting for their master’s return. “I-I don’t know Rin-chan,” Sango stuttered, embarrassed she had forgotten about the child.
“Why don’t you come with me and we’ll find Lord Sesshomaru and Kagome-chan.”
Rin pouted, looking at Jaken. “Come Rin, this will be our new home for the next few months.”
The little girl’s eyes widened in horror. “No, Sesshomaru-sama wouldn’t leave Rin here! Rin wants to go with him.”
“But Rin—”
Not listening to hear the toad’s reply, she ran into the building, looking for her beloved caretaker.
-----
Legend:
Soba Gara Makura: traditional Japanese pillow, stuffed with buckwheat hulls
Uchikake: heavy brocaded style of kimono and is supposed to be worn outside the actual kimono and obi, as a kind of coat. In fact, the uchikake is one of the ancestors of what we now know of the kimono, coming to be commonly used in the Kamakura period (1185-1333), I believe. Today, uchikake’s most traditional use for formal occasions, most often as a bridal wear.
Kosode: a plain kimono worn traditionally worn underneath another. In its earliest incarnation, it was simple underwear worn with (and under) hakama (pants). Later the hakama were dropped and obi were adopted to keep the garment closed. Again, the kosode is an ancestor to the modern kimono.
Kiseru: a long, pipe with a small bell at the end to put that which is being smoked. Usually it’s very thin.
Thank You:
Sorry for the excessive end notes. I wanted to thank everyone for their support in my writing. Unexpected Endeavors started as a joke that I didn’t think anyone would actually follow. Now, over a year later, UE has been nominated almost every quarter in the IYFG and Feudal Awards and has won four times. This just blows my mind. So thank you to every person out there who has ever read, reviewed, or nominated /UE/!
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