Chapter One – A Chance
The sun had just passed its midday mark when Kagome led her horse into the large town that surrounded the Western Shiro. Having made much better time than she'd thought, the young woman dismounted and made her way through the market, trying not to stare at the grandeur that surrounded her. There was no doubt that the town prospered greatly—every building was built of white plaster and dark, polished wood. The streets were cobbled and the vendors who sold wares in the market were not lacking in supply; in fact, their carts overflowed with fruits and vegetables. Their meats didn't gather insects, and their fish smelled clean and fresh. Her mouth watered, and Kagome decided to stop and eat before finding an inn to stay in. Carefully threading through the bustling crowd, she found a stable and paid the horse keeper, managing to convince him to let her pay much less than was usual. She thanked him with a smile, and then turned and immediately found her rear end on the ground. Her first instinct was to yell at whoever had knocked her over, but as her head snapped up and her mouth opened, her senses screamed and the words died in her throat. The most beautiful woman she had ever seen was staring down at her, and Kagome could tell by the heavy looking silks she wore that she was a lady. 'Not just any lady,' her mind supplied frantically, 'but Lord Sesshomaru's first and most favored concubine, Lady Kotono!' "Are you alright, little one?" Suddenly, Kagome realized that she was staring, and she jerked her gaze away, nodding at the question that had been asked. She could feel the lady's eyes on her, and, much to her mortification, she found herself looking back up. Lady Kotono wore a deep green kimono, the silk heavily embroidered with gold sakura blossoms on the shoulders, sleeves, and hem. Her obi was white, and the bow in front was large, gold stitching done in a leaf and branch design. Brilliant emerald eyes, wide and alert, stood out against her beautifully pale skin, dark eyebrows and long, thick lashes framing and making them seem that much more startling. And then, as if the woman wasn't exquisite enough, her markings glimmered gold on her skin, the delicate looking scales sweeping along her high cheekbones and down her elegant throat. Her hair, at first, seemed black, but Kagome could see a deep violet shine as the sunlight bounced off of the glossy locks, all of which were pulled back away from her face, held with numerous clips and accessories. Even her pointed, demonic ears were shimmering with jewels, her lobes sporting a set of dangling gold and emerald ear pieces. Hair ornaments jingling softly, Lady Kotono tilted her head to one side, a gentle smile quirking her painted lips. "But you are bleeding," she remarked as Kagome struggled to her feet, hands stinging. She looked at her palms, shifting nervously as she pushed the pain to the back of her mind and put her hands at her sides. "It is n-nothing, my lady," she stammered, bowing clumsily. "I-I apologize for bumping into you." The area around them had gone silent long ago, and Kagome felt her skin flush in embarrassment as the silence stretched on. Didn't these people have anything better to do than stare? Another light jingle alerted her to movement, and then she felt a hand rest gently on her shoulder. She was pushed, and only when she straightened did the lady speak. "You are exceptionally beautiful for a human, little one," the lady murmured, gently grasping her chin between a clawed forefinger and thumb. "What business do you have so near to my lord's home?" Kagome felt her eyes widen, and, profusely thanking the kami of good fortune, opened her mouth to respond. "A-a herald stopped m-me in the fields two moons ago, my lady. H-he wanted to know where the next youkai town was, and h-he told me that he was going to-to announce that Lord Sesshomaru was—" A long finger settled over her lips, and Lady Kotono smiled gently. "I see." For a long moment, she simply stared, and then she released Kagome and straightened to her full height, nearly a foot taller than the smaller human. Green eyes alight with what Kagome could only hope was interest, the lady motioned to a demon that Kagome hadn't noticed before. They spoke in hushed tones, and the male nodded, bowing before making his way through the gathered crowd and jogging down the main road. "Come. You and I must have a word." Kagome could do nothing but nod and trail after the dragoness, hope blossoming in her heart.
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Hindsight was always clear, and Kagome was beginning to wish that she'd changed into her kimono before leaving her village that morning. The one she wore, a worn traveling kimono with a simple obi, was dirty, and she felt disgusting walking on the lavish grounds of the Western Shiro and being accompanied by the gorgeous Lady Kotono. Fighting back the urge to fidget as the lady led her further into the compound, Kagome busied herself by looking around, admiring the stone outer wall, which was visible over the smaller buildings and made of pure white rock that caught and reflected the sunlight. Kagome marveled at the number of buildings there were on the massive grounds, and she couldn't help but notice that they were all connected by covered walkways. In fact, the entire compound was connected in some way; the layout flowed out from the main entrance in a widening 'v' shape, with the main building sitting in the center and rising up, tall and majestic, above the rest. The colors remained the same—ebony wood, white plaster, and gray roof coverings—but each building was somehow different from the others, unique in the style of its rock garden or flowering landscape. Lady Kotono led her through the courtyard and into a side building, closing the shoji screen behind her as she slipped free of her shoes. Looking up, she was momentarily shocked by the elegant simplicity of the receiving room—the tatami mats were dyed white, the walls made of the same ebony wood as the low table, around which were spread blood red silk pillows that looked immensely comfortable—and then Lady Kotono walked past her, breaking her out of the staring contest she was having with the cushions. Flushing as the lady glanced at her over her shoulder, she followed sheepishly, unable to stop looking at everything around her. They walked from the receiving room into a wide, torch lit hallway, the wooden floors and walls gleaming in the golden light. The walls were bare, but there were enough doors lining the hall to make up for the lack of decoration; the fragile shoji screens depicted natural waterfalls or rolling hills, and many were painted with pictures of sakura trees in various stages of blooming. The lady led her down the hall, turned to the left, and then walked down to the only door in that hall—positioned against the very back wall, the shoji screen took up the entirety of the space, and decorated in an elegant design of fire and dragon scales, it was clear to whom the room belonged. Lady Kotono pushed the screen aside and stepped into the vast room and Kagome, nibbling on her bottom lip, stood just outside of the door, unwilling to step into such an esteemed woman's personal chambers. She watched as the dragoness dismissed the handmaiden that had followed them, seating herself on an emerald cushion in front of her mirror. A cursory glance around the room revealed tan tatami and cherry wood furniture. A futon was rolled up against one wall and a large window on another allowed sunlight to spill into the room, lighting everything to brilliance. Cushions covered in various shades of green and gold were littered about the floor, a shamisen tucked carefully into one corner. A low table holding a bare Go playing board sat in the center of the room, and Kagome wondered if the lady might allow her to play. The tinkling sound of a hair piece moving snapped Kagome's attention back to the room's occupant, and she noticed that the female had begun to unbind her hair, clawed fingers carefully removing pins and clips. Deep violet locks began tumbling down her back, pooling on the floor at her feet in a puddle of thick, shining hair. Kagome felt a tiny bit of envy coil in her chest, but pushed it away as the lady finished and put away her accessories. She looked up, and startling green eyes met brilliant blue in the mirror. "Don't hover so, little one," the lady said, amusement coloring her throaty voice. "Come in, and sit beside me." Cautiously, nervously, Kagome complied, mind reeling. 'I can't believe this is happening…gods I hope it really is! I don't know what I would do if I woke up right now!' Though the pillow that the lady rested on was large enough for her to kneel directly beside her—the expression on her face indicated that she expected Kagome to settle herself in that spot—Kagome chose instead to sit on the tatami, an action that earned her the raising of a dark, perfectly sculpted brow. The lady said nothing, however, and reached forward, gently grasping Kagome's slim wrist. She turned her palm up, and inspected the raw skin with a critical eye. "I-I'm fine, my lady," Kagome stammered, having forgotten about the injury while admiring her surroundings. Kotono glanced up at her through her lashes, a small smile quirking her lips. "It could get infected, could it not?" "Well, I suppose so, but—" "There is a basin over there; wash your hands." Unable to refuse such a clear demand, Kagome nodded shyly and stood, making her way quickly over to the basin and dipping her hands into the cool water. The soap stung, and she hissed lightly, ignoring the pain and scrubbing her palms with a rough cloth. Once finished, she dried her hands on a separate cloth, turning and being met with the sight of Kotono disrobing and perfectly folding her outer kimono. The thin inner kimono she wore clung to her body like a second skin, and Kagome tried not to stare as the woman knelt once more in front of the mirror, lightly patting the cushion beside her. Kagome knelt, and the dragoness grasped her wrist once more, observing the reddened skin. A scratch or two had opened again, and Kagome winced as Kotono probed at them. Humming in apology, Kotono lifted a finger to her mouth and slicked the tip with saliva. Much to Kagome's surprise, she slid the wet finger over her skin, which tingled pleasantly as the saliva cooled. "What is your name?" Startled out of her surprise, Kagome licked her lips before responding. "Higurashi Kagome, my lady." "Kagome," the dragoness repeated slowly, almost as if tasting the sound of it. She swiped her finger over another line of raw skin. "And how old are you, Kagome?" The little miko cleared her throat. "I turned one-and-twenty with the sunrise today." Lady Kotono nodded, curiosity taking over her elegant features as she paused to look up at her. "I feel pure energy on you, yet you are not a miko by profession. Why?" Unbidden, a wry smile twisted Kagome's lips. "According to our head priestess, I'm hopeless." A low, pleasant chuckle reached her ears, and Lady Kotono's eyes sparkled with laughter. "She must be a very stern woman." "Her patience is nonexistent," Kagome conceded, and Kotono laughed aloud. "And what of your family?" she asked when she had calmed herself. "Do they know that you are here?" Kagome shook her head. "My birth parents died in a fire when I was young. I was raised by the village headman, and he is the only one, besides a childhood friend, who knows." The lady hummed in her throat, and, for a while, was silent, working slowly and methodically on Kagome's palms. Still in awe of the demoness's beauty, Kagome found herself staring once more, oddly comfortable with the silence. 'She's much nicer than I thought she would be,' she thought absently, observing once more the scales on the lady's cheeks. 'And so beautiful too; it's no wonder Lord Sesshomaru chose her as his first.' Almost of their own accord, Kagome's eyes traveled along the line of the dragoness's long, graceful neck. Her kimono had loosened as she worked, and Kagome followed the curve of her shoulder and the light protrusion of her collarbone. Her eyes fell further, and she felt her cheeks heat up as she caught sight of the dragoness's ample cleavage. 'I don't know if I can compete with her,' she thought morosely, glancing at herself in the mirror. 'She's much prettier than me.' "Tell me more about yourself, Kagome," the dragoness murmured suddenly, jolting the miko out of her thoughts. "More?" "Yes, more." When the lady gave her nothing more to go on, Kagome licked her lips and began to talk, starting with her earliest memories. She told her about how devastated she'd been when she'd lost her parents and about how Daisuke and Tanaka-sama had cared for her. Then she told her stories of how she and Daisuke had always gotten into trouble as children. The lady greatly enjoyed her tales of mischief and Kagome basked in her attention, feeling truly appreciated for once in a very long time. When Kagome had run out of things to say, the dragoness tilted her head to one side, some of the humor leaving her eyes. "Now," she murmured, "tell me why you are here." She released her hands, and Kagome carefully folded them in her lap. "I…" If Kotono was bothered by her trailing off, she gave no indication. She picked up a nearby cloth, dipped a small portion of it into a shallow basin of water on the vanity in front of her, and then lifted it to her face, wiping around her eyes to remove the paint that had been used. Kagome watched, and then remembered the lady's question as she finished and gazed at her in the mirror; she flushed and her eyes fell to her lap. "I-I learned from a herald that Lord Sesshomaru was searching for a-a twelfth," she stammered, trying not to fidget. "And you are hoping to fulfill that position?" There was amusement in the light question, and Kagome nodded. "Hm." For a moment, there was silence, and Kagome looked back up, unable to tear her gaze away from Lady Kotono's as their eyes met once more in the mirror. "Why?" It was a simple question with a complicated answer. Kagome swallowed. "No men in my village would marry me," she confessed in a hushed voice, feeling her eyes prickle. "So you left?" "I had no other choice." Fighting back the flood of emotion that washed over her, Kagome forced herself to continue. "I'm not the kind of woman that men want; even when men from other villages came for market, none could speak to me for more than five minutes without being repulsed by me." Their reflections blurred, and Kagome swiped away a stray tear, blinking back the rest before they could escape. Lady Kotono turned away from the mirror, grasping Kagome's shoulders and turning her as well. The human instantly averted her eyes, but Lady Kotono clicked her tongue, prompting Kagome to look at her once more. "You are human," the dragoness began quietly, hands resting on her shoulders, "and I cannot guarantee that my lord will accept you—" "Surely he would give me a chance," Kagome interrupted without thinking. The lady shrugged delicately, full lips set in something of an annoyed expression. "My lord is very…specific about those he shares himself with." Her eyes took on a distinct, searching light. "And he is not too fond of humans." Kagome nodded. "I know, but I just want an opportunity to—" "To what, little one?" the lady asked quietly, something in her voice making Kagome nervous. She shifted, and clawed fingers gently caressed her cheek. "You don't even understand what it is you ask of, do you?" Kagome opened her mouth, but a slim finger fell over her lips. "Listen to me, Kagome," Kotono murmured, voice intense and full of demand. "What you ask for is more than what you think, and I do not know if you have it in you to give up what you must to meet the requirements." Kagome felt a stirring of anger. "What makes you think I—" "Hush!" Lady Kotono demanded harshly, eyes flashing. "You are human, and therefore do not understand what it means to give yourself to a youkai. It is more than a physical joining," she said, continuing on even though Kagome blushed fiercely at her words. "It is an intense bonding—for a human such as you to endure it would be nothing short of a miracle." Kagome bit her lip. "I want to try." "Trying is not an option, little one," Kotono responded. "To try means that failure may occur; there is no room for failure when it comes to pleasing Lord Sesshomaru." She sat silently for a moment, and then inhaled deeply. "Furthermore, you are untouched, pure of body and of soul." Kagome looked away momentarily, embarrassed, but forced herself to meet the dragoness's eyes as she spoke again. "Do you know how to please a man, Kagome?" "N-no, I—" "Are you able to seduce with your eyes and pull him in with your body?" Flustered by the intense expression on Kotono's face and the gleam in her eye, Kagome stammered, "I-I don't know, I've never had to—" "Would you do anything asked of you?" the lady continued, voice harsh and eyes sharp. Her full lips pulled back into a grin. "My lord sometimes has…darker…desires, little one." Before Kagome could react, the youkai was on top of her, her hands trapped over her head and claws at her throat. A dark curtain of hair fell around her, and in the absence of adequate light, Kotono's eyes glowed. Kagome panicked, bucking and fighting back the urge to scream. "W-what are you doing? Let me go!" "Such pleading will only fuel my lord's desires," Kotono whispered, her breath ghosting over Kagome's cheeks as she held her captive and pressed their bodies together. Unable to get away and unsure of where the dragoness was taking the conversation, she stilled, fear beginning to edge to the forefront of her mind. Kotono's eyes were large, the slit pupils unnerving her more than she cared to admit. "Can you handle his darker side, Kagome? Can you take being bitten and bruised, held down and made to submit?" The questions were gentle, and didn't match the intensity in the dragoness's eyes. Kagome swallowed around the lump in her throat. "I-I can." Silky strands of Kotono's hair brushed against her cheek as she tilted her head to one side. "You are uncertain," she observed, eyes not losing the sharp, searching light they had possessed since she'd knocked Kagome down. "Why do you agree to such a thing when you are not sure of yourself?" Kagome swallowed again. "Because I-I have to do this," she whispered, eyes swimming. "I have to." Lady Kotono exhaled slowly and released her, grasping her wrists and pulling her up as she did so. The hard light in her eyes melted, and her fingers lay gently on Kagome's cheek, emerald eyes turning apologetic as a soothing croon left her throat. "Forgive me, little one," she said gently, wiping Kagome's tears. "I only want to be sure that you understand, because if Lord Sesshomaru accepts you, everything you know and everything you thought you knew will be thrown to the side. Everything." Kagome swallowed, feeling her stomach churn as the slight fear she'd had gave way to nervousness. She knew that she wouldn't understand everything, but this was something she had to do for herself—there was no turning back now, no rethinking her plan. Sure, she'd told Daisuke that she would return, but she knew she couldn't. There was no way she could lie to the villagers about why she'd left, and she didn't want to go back to the same life she'd had, harvesting and setting up market and harvesting again. It was too much for her to handle, especially when she didn't have anyone to take care of her when she returned from the fields. Lady Kotono's fingers brushed underneath her eye, and she realized that she was crying again. Cheeks burning, she turned, wiping at her eyes and staring in her lap. "You may be human," Kotono murmured softly, "but there is something special about you, little one." She paused. "I will speak to Lord Sesshomaru on your behalf." Kagome didn't know whether she hugged the woman or began to laugh with joy first.
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"You brought a human onto the grounds." It wasn't a question, but a statement, and Kotono languidly lifted herself from the futon, being careful not to trap the long locks of silver hair beneath her arm as she leaned on one elbow. For a moment, she remained silent, tracing a lazy pattern against the broad, pale chest before her. "I did," she responded quietly, meeting the gilded, half-lidded gaze of her lover as she did so. "She wishes to be the twelfth." Amber eyes turned to the ceiling, and Kotono laid her head on Sesshomaru's strong shoulder, feeling a large clawed hand rest itself against her lower back. "The twelfth must be youkai, just as the rest," he said, tone speaking of finality. Kotono sighed, pressing her palm flat against his abdomen. "But you tire of youkai, my lord," she said, and having been the first for nearly three centuries, didn't let propriety stifle her tongue. "Shouldn't you like a human to make things exciting?" The inu remained silent, and Kotono grazed her index finger up and down the line of his stomach, ghosting over his bellybutton as she knew he liked. "She is a feisty little thing, with sparkling blue eyes and hair the color of tar—a beauty, really," she continued, carefully keeping her tone conversational. When he didn't answer, she pressed a kiss against his shoulder, inhaling his fresh, autumn breeze scent as she slid up over his body. Her lips skipped over his jawline, up to his cheekbone, and then to the shell of his ear, which she traced with the tip of her tongue. He shuddered, and his hand tightened on her hip. "This one hopes you are not attempting to convince him, Kotono," the inu murmured, voice an octave lower. Kotono smirked against the skin of his neck, running her hands up and down his sides while rubbing herself against his member, her skin beginning to heat. "No, not of the twelfth, my lord," she answered, licking his cheek and moaning softly as his earthy, masculine taste burst across her tongue. "But of other things, yes, I am attempting to convince you." A low growl met her ears, and the inu turned, trapping her beneath him. "Attempt no more," he whispered. She cried out as he pressed into her, and somewhere in the back of her mind, she realized that although he had stated that the twelfth had to be youkai , his eyes had held a little curiosity at the mentioning of the human. It seemed that there was hope yet for the miko Kagome.
Author's Note: I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and thanks for reading!
~Aubrey
