The two females were walking ahead of him, happily chatting about this and that. He listened, mildly amused at Rin’s ridiculous questions and Kagome’s even sillier answers. The two were a remarkable pair. He had no doubt that Kagome would handle her future children well and that they would adore her above all else.
He knew well the destination the girl had in mind. There was a small stream at the back of his property running through the extensive woodland. He had surveyed his lands many times but he hadn’t been back here in quite a bit.
He heard Rin’s excited cheers as they reached the water and she pattered out into it walking around in it animatedly. Kagome however seemed unwilling to follow her example and so Rin splashed her causing a fit of laughter between the two. It was hardly such times for things, it was near the end of winter, but it had snowed just yesterday even if the temperature had picked up a bit since.
"Rin, remove yourself from the water."
She made a pouting face.
"It is too cold."
Kagome was quick to agree and the girl sat down beside her as they began chatting again about how fun it would be to play here in the summertime.
Kagome’s attention held fast to the girl in front of her, but occasionally her eyes lifted and turned toward him. Each time their gazes met, it seemed the time between her glances became shorter as though perhaps his staring was making her nervous.
Rin gasped suddenly and dramatically, as she stood. "Look! Flowers! Can Rin-chan go pick some flowers for Kagome-chan and Sesshoumaru-sama?"
He was on the verge of saying no; he didn’t want her wandering off into the forest but he saw the wild patch of flowers to which she was referring and it would leave him alone with Kagome. He nodded in agreement and she scampered across the little bridge.
"Rin is such a happy girl." Kagome commented absently watching her as she scuttled around the patch picking flowers here and there. "I wonder if I was that happy when I was her age."
He snorted. "Probably."
She stole a side-glance at him laughing lightly.
"What does your family intend to do with Senaka missing?" He asked, careful to keep his gaze now leveled upon his young ward across the stream.
"I don’t know, they haven’t said anything. I assume they think he’ll come back because the preparations are still in motion and all. I guess I just have to wait and see."
She turned suddenly, standing as they heard a loud rustling and then grumbling.
"Shut up! I didn’t ask what you thought!"
He watched as her face lit with a smile.
"Inuyasha!" She called, and his brother, a short distance off peered around the monk toward the sound.
"Kagome? What are you doing out in the middle of-" he trailed off as his gaze met Sesshoumaru’s. "Oh, " he grinned suddenly and proceeded toward them.
"Good day, Kagome-sama." The monk greeted her. "I trust everything is well with you and your family at the shrine?"
She nodded. "Yes, thank you. And you?"
"Well enough."
"What happened to your faces?" She inquired cheerfully causing Miroku to sigh heavily, a hand over his heart while Inuyasha puffed up.
They looked worn, and a bit on the tattered side with cuts and bruises decorating their faces here and there.
"Stupid bastard downtown –" Inuyasha started when Miroku cut him off.
"We were defending the honor of a young girl. A large, unseemly character was bullying her, she reminded me strangely of you, Kagome. So I, naturally, stepped in knowing you would want me to do the right thing. The girl was so grateful-"
Inuyasha shot him a nasty look before shoving him aside. "That’s not what happened! Some nutcase called Kaijinbou was hanging out around the tavern making trouble thought he could just come around here making demands. Someone had to put him in his place."
"Did you say Kaijinbou?" Sesshoumaru stepped forward interrupting. "You seen him at the tavern?"
Inuyasha nodded.
"Monk, go fetch my servant Jaken."
He blinked but dared not defy the order and set off toward the house. Inuyasha seemed about to follow when he turned back to Kagome.
"What are you doing here, anyway?" He shot his brother a glance, and Sesshoumaru ignored him turning back to Rin who was still collecting flowers, and now, he could discern, she was also singing.
"Masaharu-sama was kind enough to remind me I had promised to take Rin-chan on a walk, so here I am."
He scoffed and turned away but had only gotten a few feet before turned back again.
"Hey Kagome?"
"Hmmm?"
"You okay?"
Sesshoumaru watched curiously the interaction. Inuyasha had always been far more expressive, and his genuine concern for Kagome was evident. It was just as apparent the girl was touched by his concern as her eyes were almost bubbling over with warmth.
"I’m okay." She reassured him.
This seemed to satisfy him and he stomped off loudly leaving them alone again.
"Do you need to leave now, Masaharu-sama?" she turned back to him, her eyes having lost most of the warm glow she had given to his brother. "I’m a little worried about the chill in the air and Rin-chan is a bit wet."
She didn’t mention her own water-spattered clothes he noted. He nodded curtly and she went off to collect Rin. He stood there, glancing back toward the house to check for any signs of Jaken, but the servant was not forthcoming. What was taking so long?
He turned his eyes back to the females across the stream. Kagome was now kneeled down beside Rin whispering words he couldn’t hear. For a moment, he watched as Rin’s expression faded but whatever Kagome said afterward relit her smile and the girl leaped up. Gathering her flowers quickly she handed half off to Kagome and then, with the other half in hand came running toward him.
Kagome followed at a leisurely pace watching Rin.
"Be careful, Rin-chan!" Kagome warned as the girl approached the bridge.
The girl, it seemed, was lost in her excitement, and her foot caught at the edge of the bridge and she went careening down onto the wooden planks. Her flowers fell in all directions, but their importance had dimmed as the girl pulled herself up, whimpering weakly before breaking into a shrieking cry.
Kagome had reached the girl before he could and was already attempting to calm her. The source of her distress was easily located as she revealed her skinned knee and cut along her shin.
The little girl clung to him as he kneeled down, likewise refusing to release her hold on Kagome’s kimono, drawing her even closer to him.
Kagome was clearly uneasy with the position, even more so as Rin shifted from one shoulder to the other, one that was closer to Kagome and somehow managed to loop her arm onto Kagome’s other shoulder, drawing her even nearer.
"It’s okay, Rin-chan. Let’s get you back to the house so you can get that cleaned up okay?"
She sniffled, and her next words demonstrated how far her mind had wandered from her injuries.
"Can Kagome-chan stay with us again? Rin wants Kagome-chan to be her tutor, Rin’s tutor isn’t as nice as Kagome-chan. Please, Sesshoumaru-sama?" The girl whined.
"Kagome had other obligations, she can’t stay with you Rin."
He was glad the situation was diffused when he heard Jaken approaching. It had become far more uncomfortable than he liked. He managed to get out of Rin’s grip and in his absence, the girl decided to cling to Kagome.
"Master, you called?"
He stepped away from the girls who had somehow ended up talking again. Kagome it seemed could work wonders as she and Rin began collecting the dropped flowers. He turned away and walked out of their earshot.
"Inuyasha has told me that Kaijinbou is in town down at the tavern. Go there, and keep him there. I’ll stop by on my way to take Kagome back to the shrine."
Jaken quickly complied and set about his orders.
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"Take very good care of yourself Rin-chan, maybe we can walk together another day."
"Do you have to go?" The little girl whined, still clutching Kagome’s kimono.
"I have to get home. Another day, okay?"
"Do you promise?" Kagome smiled. Another promise she thought amused.
"I promise, we will walk again sometime."
Rin smiled widely before she was drawn away with her guardian leaving her alone again with Sesshoumaru. Her former master was standing several feet away and looking preoccupied with his thoughts. After a few more moments of silently staring in his direction he turned to her, and simply stared back.
Wasn’t he going to say anything?
"Um… well I assume you have business to take care of, so I’ll see you later then Masaharu-sama."
He cocked a brow in curiosity. "Oh? Just how do you intend to return to the shrine exactly?"
"I was going to walk." She replied simply and then quickly added when she sensed his dissent. "Besides, you have important business to handle, and I do not wish to be any trouble."
He snorted as though he found something ridiculous with the notion but he said nothing of it.
"Kaijinbou is a minor nuisance, it will take but a moment." He raised a hand, beckoning her forward with the slightest of motions.
She held back.
He started forward and she, more out of self-protecting instincts, stepped back when he glided forward suddenly snatching her wrist in an unyielding grip.
"I tire of warning you, must you be difficult?"
In moments she found herself atop the horse once more, staring uneasily down at the beast on which she sat.
"I don’t… I don’t like riding horses, can I please walk?"
"No. Do not ask me again."
She made a noise much akin to a whine, but he ignored her as they started forward.
The tavern was near the center of town. That of course meant passing through town and all the stares that would come with it. He didn’t seem to care, or perhaps even notice but she was acutely aware of all the stares, and the whispers as they passed by. Could it get more embarrassing than this?
She felt him yank suddenly on the reins and slid off, making quick work of doing the same to her and heading into the small building. Halfway to the door he stopped, turned back, and tugged her along with him, the look on his face not leaving any room for any discussion.
She cringed seeing the interiors of the small building and the looks a few of the locals were tossing in her direction. She hadn’t spotted the man they were here to see, er he was here to see, but she didn’t know what he looked like either.
She was dragged to a small table in the corner where a man was slumped over the table.
"Eh? Sesshoumaru-sama, that you?"
"You had strict orders Kaijinbou, explain why you are wasting away in a tavern instead of obeying them?"
He chuckled, apparently amused. "Naraku." He laughed once more pleasantly delighted in his drunken stupor. "Yes, yes, I have found this Naraku you asked."
Kagome unconsciously crept closer to Sesshoumaru, her hands reaching up to bring herself nearer to her source of safety. While she did not fear the small man hunched, over the table several others were leering at her from across the room. She latched firmly onto the sleeve of his kimono, not noticing his surprised stare, as he was momentarily distracted from his business with Kaijinbou by her actions. Noting her fearful backwards stare he pulled her closer to stand at his side.
"Senaka Naraku has retreated to a mountain fortress owned by his father… Onigumo has supposedly taken ill and Naraku went to… aid him."
"What of the Shikon no tama that is allegedly in his possession?"
This caused another fit of chuckles before his face melted into one of utmost seriousness. "It is a demon," he whispered, eyes narrowed. "The Shikon is a demon’s jewel and has eaten him."
Kaijinbou erupted into another round of chuckles and Sesshoumaru frowned, clearly in disbelief.
"So it happened after all."
Her fear of her surroundings suddenly faded and Sesshoumaru turned a searching stare down at her. She was still clutching his cloth.
"The Shikon no tama, unless purified by a miko of suitable power, is a dangerous entity. Demon’s powers are locked within it."
Kaijinbou nodded exultantly. "See? Even the girl knows of its powers."
Sesshoumaru scowled at him.
They were out of doors once more minutes later, the discussion over with. He seemed to be in deep thought over the matter. She was insanely curious as to why he was searching for Naraku and thought nothing of voicing her question to him, and did so.
Until who she remembered whom she was addressing, but far too late as the question had already been asked. Her head snapped up, eyes widening as she realized what she’d said.
"I- I’m sorry, please forgive me Masaharu-sama, I have no right to question after your personal affairs."
She was silently dismissed or forgiven as he turned away heading back toward his horse.
"Tell me of the Shikon no tama."
. . .
"Do you need this jewel?"
She looked up, appearing confused by the question.
"Need it? The Shikon was our responsibility, mine since I was the miko keeping it pure but… it serves no purpose really. We had it because we were entrusted for containing it, it wasn’t needed at all."
"Would you want it back?"
"I would like it destroyed, it only serves to bring maniacs around. Those persistent enough to track it down to our shrine anyway, but I’m not so sure destroying it is possible."
He was quiet, quieter it seemed than he normally was. He stood there calmly, staring the opposite direction, loitering about at the base of the shrine stairs.
"Return to your family," he ordered suddenly his eyes turning back to his stallion.
She hesitated briefly before following the command. At the top of the stairs she turned back but he was already galloping away. Watching him, his back to her, leaving her suddenly left her feeling… she wasn’t quite sure what it was, but it was definitely of the melancholy sort. He hadn’t even spared her a backwards glance.
Naraku, she thought. She was engaged to Senaka Naraku, it didn’t matter what Masaharu Sesshoumaru thought, or it’s what she was telling herself as she made her way to the door. Unfortunately, it didn’t catch, and her heavy mood just got heavier.
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The terrain of the area he was headed to was treacherous, and he was not looking forward to the journey. But his self-proclaimed duty urged him forward. How did he get involved with situations like this?
Really it was very rash of him and he, at the moment, was reviling himself for behaving like his younger brother. It didn’t, however, change his course. He was going.
He was going to this insipid little retreat and he was going to find this jewel or destroy it and he was giving serious thought to simply eviscerating both Naraku and the slime that had sired him. He hated obstacles, especially ones that made themselves obstacles purposely.
Jaken was out front of the mansion when he arrived and he barely spared the servant a glance before abandoning his animal to the servant’s care and disappearing within. He needed to get ready.
The Higurashi’s were preparing for the wedding, which meant it must be set for soon. There was but a few precious weeks left of the winter season and then he would be busy also with his brother’s wedding. He scowled. Things were not going his way at all.
However as the afternoon progressed he realized it would not be possible, or wise to leave before daybreak and regretfully settled down for the night.
Come sunrise the next morning at the breakfast table he was still conflicted. This wasn’t going to work. Naraku would not give Kagome up that easily nor would he relinquish the jewel he’d gone through so much trouble to acquire. He’d need something else. Something to force him to see things from his point of view.
He temporarily considered kidnapping the little girl with the oddly white hair but dismissed it. He would not sink to such lowly means of persuasion. Yet as the day wore on and the servants he’d sent out some days before trickled in with their reports he began to wonder. Perhaps this Naraku was the type of enemy that needed to be vanquished instead of nullified. A discovery like that only made the situation more complicated.
Perhaps Kagome could do the persuasion however… she was the key to this, if only he could figure out exactly how.
Kagome’s family was suspicious but not certain that Naraku had anything at all to do with the theft of the family jewel. Perhaps if he could prove Naraku was behind the thievery, they would be forced to call off the wedding. It was a good sound plan, and he liked it. He would go about things that way, but one question remained.
What happened if he was successful? Why was he doing all this for her? He had no intentions of marrying her when this was all over, so what was the point? Inuyasha remained convinced his mind could be changed on the matter and he, himself wasn’t certain entirely it couldn’t happen. However the answer remained elusive, but he was not self-deceiving enough not to realize he didn’t want her marrying anyone else. Especially not Senaka Naraku or any of his ilk.
He stepped outside, Jaken almost under his feet as he scurried ahead. There was no path to take but forward.
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The grounds of the Senaka mountain retreat were extensive and wild. There was only one ill used path that marked the way and it was so overgrown one might easily lose their way. He had lost Jaken somewhere along the path, but wasn’t worrying over it.
The small mansion came into view as he passed a section of thick growth. At the back of the property he saw a column of smoke rising. He grinned. It looked as though Kaijinbou had arrived. His smirk vanished however as Kagura appeared at the front door. He tied secured his horse and preceded gracefully to the door. How did this woman keep showing up wherever he went?
"Masaharu-sama, what a surprise to see you."
"I am looking for Senaka Naraku."
"Why?"
"Business that does not concern you."
"Naraku is busy, he cannot be bothered, but I am free to entertain you."
"Inform him I am here to deliver a message from Higurashi and when he will agree to see me is when he’ll receive it."
With that, he turned on his heel and went back to his horse. That seemed a good start. An outright lie, but he wasn’t about to quibble over his own honesty. He was in no rush to see him, he thought with a grim smile. This might turn out better than expected – let him wonder what this ‘message’ was.
Oh yes, this was suddenly turning into a very good plan. Provided someone else didn’t get involved and screw it up. His patience was short with interlopers and he’d be damned if he was showing anyone mercy in this situation.
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Sesshoumaru returned to his rented lodging at the base of the mountain with a tired sigh. It was a rough ride and he was glad he had reached the end of it. He handed off his horse to a servant and proceeded within.
"Just what the hell do you think you’re doing anyway?!"
If the voice itself hadn’t startled him, the words sure enough had. More so when their owner stalked into his line of sight. He felt the muscles in his jaw tighten. She wasn’t actually standing in front of him, was she?
"How did you get here, Kagome?"
"That’s not important, you didn’t answer my question!"
He frowned. "Do not use that tone of voice with me, and watch your mouth, woman."
"Like hell! Answer my question!" She demanded.
"What would that be?" He asked, feeling his patience begin to slip.
"What you’re doing up here, that’s what."
He scoffed. "Business."
"I should’ve known." The look in her eyes was troubling, what was she babbling about? He really needed to get away from these Higurashi’s; he was seriously starting to doubt their sanity, the whole lot of them.
"What are you talking about now?" He asked, his tone dripping with boredom.
"That drunken creep who works for you came to my house and told me you were coming up here to meet with Naraku. That you and he had made a deal, that you paid him to steal it for you."
"You say Kaijinbou went to the shrine?" His tone was of utter disbelief.
She nodded impatiently.
"You, woman, are the most gullible thing on the planet."
He stepped past her without another word, hardly expecting it to end the argument.
"Kaijinbou finds shrine grounds to be disturbing, he claims to see spirits and their voices torment him. He won’t go anywhere near a shrine let alone visit one. Couldn’t have been him anyway, I sent him on assignment. It doesn’t explain how you got here."
He didn’t actually dismiss the Kaijinbou story so easily. While shrines did disturb Kaijinbou he was a thug whose fears were calmed if enough incentives were offered. Naraku very easily could have swayed Kaijinbou into feeding Kagome some story. It didn’t explain however what the stupid girl was doing here, believing it.
The servant brought a much-needed tray of tea and served him silently.
"What would I want with a stupid rock anyway?" He asked, sipping his tea contentedly.
At least as content as he was going to get with that distressed look on her face. He found her sudden quietness to be just as disturbing as her yelling.
She collapsed down on the other side of the table across from him.
"Kagome?"
"I knew the man at the shrine wasn’t the same guy from town."
He frowned at the quiet confession. She was more upset than he’d originally realized.
"When he left I immediately went back to see Inuyasha and found out from him where you’d gone."
"Inuyasha told you?"
She must have picked up on the edginess in his voice that meant Inuyasha was going to be punished for this little slip up because she immediately explained.
"I threatened to tell Kikyo a thing or two and he conceded to my wishes although he grumbled and told me I was being an idiot."
"You have failed to explain what you are doing here."
"Naraku is… I am trained to handle the Shikon no tama. When I found out you were coming up here… I started to worry. I was especially worried since you showed little belief in the power of the jewel- it really is very dangerous. I couldn’t help it, I had to come."
"Does your family know where you are?"
"I told my mother."
He sighed. "And?"
"And nothing, I don’t think she heard me though."
"I hope you enjoyed the trip, you’re going back tomorrow."
"I am most certainly am not."
He turned tired eyes up at her; she was grinning like a madwoman. "You do not have a choice in the matter."
"I don’t want or need your permission. I am staying until you leave Naraku alone."
The ceramic glass slammed against the table and he turned hard, unfriendly eyes back up at her.
"What did you say?"
Whatever defiant happiness had been in her eyes before it suddenly evaporated under a blanket of fear, which seemed to have paralyzed her on the spot.
No matter how he looked at it, it was the same. ‘Until you leave Naraku alone’ repeated over and over again in his head. Did she actually just say that? The opening of the door couldn’t have been timelier as an exhausted Jaken stumbled inside.
"Jaken, take Higurashi to a room."
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Kagome’s frown seemed permanent. She’d been worried, worried that his lack of belief in the very real power of the Shikon was going to get him killed. She’d come out here to help; she’d left her family, her safety and gone against everyone’s better judgment, including her own and what had come of it?
She swallowed hard. Could she face him in the morning? Could she sit in the same room with the man who wouldn’t even raise his gaze to hers several hours ago and had all but ignored her presence?
No, this has gone too far. She had gone too far this time. She had allowed her silly fantasies to get out of control this time. She was going to marry Senaka Naraku, she shouldn’t be here.
She eyed her bag in the corner; it was a small collection of things she’d brought, mostly just essentials. Time to grow up, she said to herself. Accept your path. But it still hurt. It hurt to know she was going to leave here before sunrise and make her way up the mountain where she knew her betrothed was. How many times had she run away? How many times had it involved Masaharu Sesshoumaru?
The man she had feared not so long ago, the man she admired above all else – and she was going to be leaving him again. It was stirring up a torrent of emotions, and all of them seemed to make her sadder causing tears to collect in her eyes.
Whatever she’d said to so suddenly upset him, she hadn’t meant it. Why did he have to be so serious all the time? Couldn’t he lighten up?
Could she love someone like that?
Love him… she thought. She believed she did. On some level, in some way she fancied herself in love with him, and maybe she was. This man, Sesshoumaru, who had caused her more emotional turmoil than anyone else, she dropped her head sadly.
She wiped away her tears. She wasn’t going to cry. She didn’t need him. It didn’t quell the pain however. She stood up, abandoning her bag and crept out. The house was silent, Jaken was probably sleeping, and it was likely Sesshoumaru was in a back room. Or she so assumed until she stepped out of the narrow side corridor into the main room and to her horror he was standing directly in front of the front door, eyes on her as though he’d simply been waiting for her to show up.
She stopped, hands folded nervously in front of her. Her previous fear of facing him something she could now not escape. Just as she could no longer step by him and simply run for the cover of darkness. Now, as she stood there, him between her and her goal she realized just how foolish such a move might be. Running off into the darkness of a town, knowing no one and probably ending up lost and who knew what else. Really, where was her mind today? This was the second time she’d run off, the first being after she’d cajoled Miroku into helping her get here.
She hadn’t forgotten he was standing there in perfect stillness, but her mind had wandered a bit from him until her unfocused eyes caught his movement snapping her back to her predicament.
He was coming towards her. The only place she could go was back to her room, or she could attempt to run into the main room and then get around him to the door. She doubted the effectiveness of such a plan however. Running wasn’t really an option anyway, she wasn’t afraid of him hurting her, nor was she afraid of him at all. Well, not really. Unless you counted the twisted apprehension in her belly, she thought wryly but that wasn’t really fear.
Just as she realized her mind was wandering again, he stepped up in front of her. No escape. No running. The only option now was to turn around and go back the way she’d come but she found herself unmoving and him still silent. She fearfully raised her gaze to his gold colored eyes that seemed to glow with their very intensity and found herself frowning. His expression was imprecise and unreadable, she might have said unconcerned if it weren’t for the intensity of the stare. Oh no, she thought, this wasn’t going to be good.