The Twelfth Concubine

By: AubreySimone

folder InuYasha › Het - Male/Female › Sesshōmaru/Kagome

Rating: Adult +

Chapters: 39

Views: 20,378

Reviews: 54

Recommended: 3

Currently Reading: 9

Category: InuYasha › Het - Male/Female › Sesshōmaru/Kagome

Rating: Adult +

Chapters: 39

Views: 20,378

Reviews: 54

Recommended: 3

Currently Reading: 9

Disclaimer: The anime/manga Inuyasha belongs to Rumiko Takahashi. The author, Aubrey Simone, makes no money from the writing or posting of this fic.

Sealed With a Kiss

Chapter Twenty—Sealed With a Kiss

Sesshomaru had been entertained various times over the course of his long life, but being able to see and hear the miko and his mother argue in the courtyard was undeniably the most entertaining thing he'd been witness to to date.

"This is ridiculous! I will not stand here and do this just to appease you!"

"No, you will not stand miko; you will walk, and you will do so until I say otherwise."

"I know how to walk!"

"You know how to stumble about, Higurashi. There is a difference."

"Just because I don't walk the same way you do doesn't mean that I don't know how to do it!"

"You are raising your voice to me, human, and I do not like it."

"And I don't like doing this over and over again!"

"Then do it correctly. And quickly; I do not have all day."

With a huff, Kagome threw up her hands, and from where he sat, quite comfortable in his study, Sesshomaru could hear her muttering and had to fight a smirk at her words; "overbearing dog" and "haughty hag" among them. His mother, who could be fairly vicious when it suited her, simply opened her fan and watched Kagome walk back and forth in front of her, correcting the miko's posture one moment and her facial features in the next.

It went on that way for a handful of long minutes, and Sesshomaru felt his amusement hitch just a little higher when, finally far too irritated to continue, Kagome stopped, propped her hands on her hips, and glared at his mother with rage in her eyes. "I'm done for the day," she said quietly, the semi-calm cadence of her voice contrasting with the rigid line of her body.

Chiyoko raised one brow. "Oh? I do not remember dismissing you."

"That's because I'm dismissing myself." The miko bowed deeply, though the movement was stinted with anger. "A good day, Chiyoko-sama." And then she walked away, and Sesshomaru looked at his mother, whose youki undulated in waves of lucid amusement.

She briefly slanted her eyes up to him, and when he inclined his head in greeting, she smirked and bowed lightly, disappearing from his line of sight as she strolled away.

Sesshomaru turned his attention back to his work, but knew that he would spend the rest of the day thinking about the feisty little miko that even his mother had come to like.

:..:..:..:..:

The town proper was just as busy as Kagome remembered it.

She smiled at the owner of the tea house as she settled onto a raised platform set off from the rest of the patrons and found herself glad that this reserved portion of the fairly sized building sported a large window that looked out onto the main street. The panes of glass that would keep the cold out in the winter were thrown open, and with the sound of the crowded street providing a soothing hum, Kagome allowed her mind to wander.

For a moment, she thought that Lord Sesshomaru would be angry with her for leaving the grounds without his permission, but shoved the worry away. She had come here to get away from the stress of being on the grounds, not think about things that would only make her anxious.

But her mind traveled back to the stoic inuyoukai lord, and she sighed lightly.

They hadn't spoken since the day after he'd taken her to his bed, and though it had only been a short while ago—'Just the day before yesterday,' she reminded herself—she couldn't help but feel a little…lonely. It wasn't a strong yearning, hardly even a buzz, but still…She wondered when he would call her back into his company again. 'Maybe after the gathering in the South.' Her gut twisted.

She was nervous—beyond nervous, even—at the prospect of leaving the West. She'd never stepped foot across the border, and the fact that she would be doing so in as little as three days scared her. The fact that she would be doing so as a concubine was even more nerve wracking. She fervently prayed that she wouldn't make a fool of herself, and then remembered that she hadn't necessarily been taking well to Chiyoko's lessons. She told herself that it was because the demoness' haughty attitude grated on her patience, but deep down she knew that she purposefully refused the knowledge so openly offered to her in hopes that Chiyoko would give up on her.

Even now, she realized, she was hiding, knowing that the lady would leave her alone for the day. And after the audacity of dismissing herself from the demoness' presence, how could she expect anything other than complete disregard? Lady Chiyoko did not waste her time pining after those who didn't like her—Kagome had seen her blatantly ignore servants who mumbled about her behind her back, and though she assumed that the lady would punish those who showed her such disrespect, she simply allowed them their dislike and forced them to work for her despite it.

'She makes them remember that she's better than them; that she controls what they do…She probably enjoys knowing that they can do nothing to get away from her.'

It was almost cruel, Kagome thought. But if it got the results that it did, could she truly call it ineffective? Or was it absolutely ingenious?

The light rapping of a knock on the partition beside her brought her out of her reverie, and she looked over as the screen was slowly slid aside, the tea shop owner kneeling on the stair. "My lady, a visitor," he said, and Kagome looked past him to see Inoue Fuyu standing a few paces away.

She hadn't seen the tayū since the day she and Kotono had gone for tea and Fuyu had given her the impromptu lesson on touch, and the perfect beauty of her was a little shocking. Pointed ears, a little longer than the ears of any other youkai Kagome had seen, were decorated with yellow-gold jewels that sparkled like drops of sunshine, bringing out the gold leaves on her dark green obi and giving her black kimono something to contrast against. Jet black hair was pulled back away from her face, hair ornaments tinkling over the murmur of patrons' voices.

The demoness smiled and tilted forward into a respectful bow. "Lady Kagome, this one does not mean to interrupt, but I sensed you here, and…"

Kagome felt her cheeks heat. "Please, come in," she invited, smiling at the owner. "Thank you, Hideki-san."

Fuyu stepped up and settled across from Kagome at the small table, waiting until Hideki had closed the door to speak. "The kami have kept you healthy, I see," she remarked, startlingly violet eyes shining with kindness.

"And you as well, Inoue-sama," Kagome responded, pouring the demoness a cup of tea.

With a nod, Fuyu accepted the beverage, and then demurely folded her hands in her lap and fixed Kagome with a curious expression. And then, despite the modest lines of her face, she asked, "Lord Sesshomaru has made a woman out of you, yes?"

Kagome flushed. "I was a woman before," she answered, skirting around the question but giving an answer to it nonetheless.

A ribald grin stretched across Fuyu's painted lips. "Just as I thought. Was it enjoyable?"

'Enjoyable?' Kagome asked herself. She momentarily thought back on that night—the heat, the passion, the release—and nodded, and even though she tried to make the movement look nonchalant she knew that her embarrassment made it stinted and stiff. Fuyu's laugh reminded her of spring, and Kagome scowled in rebuke.

"Forgive me," the demoness murmured as she calmed, waving one claw-tipped hand in a leisurely motion. "But your modesty is highly amusing." She took a sip of tea, and eyes still sparkling, changed the subject. "How goes life on the grounds?"

Kagome turned her gaze to the street outside. "Nothing like that," she answered, nodding toward the busy crowd. "It's always so quiet, so calm. All the work is done for me; there are servants who cook my meals and clean my rooms and attend to my every need."

"There are many who would enjoy such a privileged life," Fuyu remarked lightly, "yet you sound as though you do not."

Kagome nibbled her lip. "I'm grateful," she assured, "but I come from a working village. I harvested rice for years before I came here." Her eyes swiveled back to Fuyu, and she was glad that the demoness didn't seem to think her a lunatic for her words. "I just feel…"

"Unoccupied," the tayū supplied, and Kagome nodded, finding that it was the perfect word to describe the jittery restlessness that seized her limbs during the evenings. Of course, Kotono kept her as occupied as she could, challenging her to games of Go and telling her stories, but after Chiyoko finished all her lessons, after Kagome had nothing more to learn—as unlikely a prospect as it was—what would she do?

Sudden uncertainty about her future made her frown. What would she do? Live out the rest of her days servicing Lord Sesshomaru and entertaining herself as best she could? Kagome had never really liked to be a burden on anyone, and the thought that she had irreversibly tied herself down to a place where she wouldn't be able to make herself useful flooded her belly with cold doubt.

A light touch against her arm brought her out of her musings, and she turned to find Fuyu kneeling beside her, concern displayed on her beautiful face. "Are you alright?"

Kagome thought to lie, but Fuyu's worry was sincere, and she couldn't betray that anxiety by giving back an untruth. "No," she answered. "I need…something to do besides take lessons from Chiyoko-sama and play Go with Kotono."

With an understanding hum, Fuyu lifted a hand to her face and tapped a corner of her mouth with her index finger. "Why don't you ask Lord Sesshomaru if there's something you can do?"

The idea had crossed her mind, but Kagome wasn't sure. "What if he refuses?"

"He may be stoic, but he is not unnecessarily cruel," Fuyu admonished gently. Her eyes took on a mischievous twinkle. "And there are ways you can convince him to agree, no?"

Kagome found herself giggling despite her embarrassment, and as she and the tayū chatted idly about their lives, she felt anticipation curl behind her breast. She would be enjoying Lord Sesshomaru's company much sooner than she'd originally thought, and she could only hope that he would grant her request.

:..:..:..:..:

She was scowling quite thoughtfully at the parchment in her lap, and if Sesshomaru hadn't been raised as the perceptive youkai that he was, he probably would've attributed her expression to the contents of the scroll. As it was, he could tell by the glaze in her eyes that she was not paying attention to what she'd originally decided to pay attention to, and he found himself curious.

"Miko." She jumped. "You are distracted."

Wide blue eyes instantly lowered in embarrassment, and slender fingers twisted into the sleeves of a bright red kimono. "Well, yes…" Deliberately, she untangled her fingers, smoothing the silk of her kimono over her knees in a nervous motion. "I…wanted to speak with you about something."

'Ah, so that is what she has been contemplating…Mayhap she will ask for another night in this one's bed?' Amused at the thought, he smirked. 'No, she is still much too modest for that.' She fidgeted, and he waited until she glanced up at him before inclining his head. She rolled the scroll in her lap and set it aside, her brow furrowed in thought.

"Before I came here," she began, "I worked the fields every day and helped around the village when I could, so I'm…used to work, and although I truly do appreciate this life of leisure, I…" She trailed off and licked her lips, and when it became obvious that she wouldn't finish, Sesshomaru completed the thought for her.

"You wish to work once more."

She nodded hesitantly. "Only a little," she added, her scent and aura twisting with uncertainty. "I know that I don't have to, but I feel like a burden here." Her eyes slid away from his face. "I don't want to be a burden."

The words were nearly whispered. Sesshomaru watched the torchlight dance across the planes of her face for a moment, and then hummed. "And what is it that you wish to do?"

She pulled her lip between her teeth, and her aura darted in shy nervousness against his youki. "I…want to teach."

"Teach?" Of all the things he'd expected her to say—work in the kitchens, tend to the gardens, organize the servants—scholarly work had been at the bottom of his mental list.

Ebon locks and lacquered scarlet hair ornaments glinted as she nodded. "Tanaka-sama always told me that to know was to be powerful, and I want to share that with others." She met his gaze once more, and he saw her ever-present determination swirling in the azure depths.

"Hnn." If he had not already been convinced of her unique character, any doubt would've been erased. 'She is so very different from any other being to roam these lands…This one shall indulge her.' "Very well. I shall commission a building."

Tentative hope and happiness tempered by disbelief bloomed across her face. "Really?" He inclined his head, and she launched herself at him so quickly that he was nearly caught off guard; still, he managed to knock the parchment in his lap onto the floor and catch her, blinking at the wall over her shoulder. "Thank you, Sesshomaru-sama! You won't regret this, I promise!"

The mild shock at her impulsive action eroded and left behind an acute awareness of her body; slim arms around his shoulders and firm, pert breasts pressed against his chest. She smelled like winter sunshine, and the memory of the heady odor of her arousal made his manhood lurch beneath his clothes. He laid one hand at the small of her back, and almost as if she'd only just realized how close they were, she stiffened.

There was silence.

Sesshomaru slowly turned his head and pressed his nose against her neck, nuzzling gently at the soft skin behind her ear. She had dabbed a bit of wisteria oil there, and the gentle smell of it only fueled his growing desire. He pulled her tighter against him, and reached up with his free hand to remove the ornaments that adorned her hair.

"S-Sesshomaru-sama?"

The innocence in her voice made him yearn for her all the more, and he dropped a kiss to her neck, running his fingers through her hair as the last ornament fell to the floor with a light clink. "Hnn?"

"Wh—what are you doing?"

He nipped, very lightly, at her throat, and soothed her surprise with a soft kiss. "Did you think, little miko, that this one would grant your request without requiring…" He dragged his nose up to her jawline and poised his lips at her ear, uttering the next word in a rumbling growl. "…payment?" His action had the desired effect; the petite human shuddered almost violently, and the tiny hands that had been casually resting against his back tightened in the silk of his kimono. He chuckled. "There is something you must give this Sesshomaru, onna, and he expects you to give it freely."

"Wh-what is it that m-my lord r-requires?"

He was pleased at her stumbling, and even more so at the arousal that made her words trip over themselves. He inhaled deeply, the desire wafting from her skin heightening his passion. "I will show you."

It was all the warning he could stand to give her; pulling away, he captured her chin between his fingers and pressed his mouth to hers, having wanted to kiss her since she'd walked into the room. She had not painted her lips, and the lack of red coloring only made them that much more alluring to him; he wanted to redden them himself; wanted the plump flesh to swell from his treatment and flush in heated bliss.

She tasted just as he remembered, and the whimper that edged from her throat when he pressed his tongue between her lips was still as arousing as it had been the first time he'd heard it. He wound his free hand into her hair and released her chin to cup her face, tilting her head for better access and growling low in his chest when she shifted closer. The sound startled her, and she pulled away.

Sesshomaru cupped her cheeks in his palms and felt pride well up in his chest at the expression on her face; blue eyes dazed and half-lidded and mouth parted just so, she made an arousing sight—Sesshomaru leaned forward and kissed her again.

His manhood throbbed with each beat of his heart, and the scent of Kagome's excitement only made his own climb higher. He wanted—and very badly, at that—to lay her down and spread her legs; to expose her womanhood to him and plunge himself deeply into her; wanted her to scream her rapture as he took his own.

The desire grew with each passing second, and the twisting of blunt-nailed fingers into his hair was all the indication he needed to know that the miko felt the same want. But there was no time for that; both he and she had early starts on the morrow, and he would not have his mother barking at his miko for being late to her lessons.

Deliberately, he drew himself away, though he did not resist the urge to lick her lips, savoring her flavor as though he would never have it again. For a moment, only their heavy breathing interrupted the silence, and then he set her away, his body screaming for release.

She took a deep breath. "Sesshomaru-sama…?"

Dear gods how he wished she wouldn't sound like that. "Hnn."

"Have I…Did I do something wrong?"

'She does not realize…' With a grunt, Sesshomaru shifted into a more casual position, and then reached forward and drew her into his lap once more, deftly loosening her obi and forcing her to straddle his hips. Hands on her waist, he pulled her down against his aching member and watched her eyes widen. "Never doubt this one's desire for you, onna."

Her throat bobbed as a small tremor shook her spine, and she flushed prettily, licking her lips. "Then, why…?"

He smirked at her. "There are not enough hours in the night to slake this thirst, miko." Impulsively, he wound his fingers into her unbound hair and pulled her mouth to his own. "Nor in the day," he added, nipping at her lips. "Nor the week, nor the month."

He kissed her again, and when he pulled away, there was an unfamiliarly coy look in her eyes. "But what about the season, milord?"

He chuckled, pleasantly surprised. "Mayhap there is time enough then."

And then, despite her obvious embarrassment, she smiled, and Sesshomaru vowed that if there wasn't time, he would make it.

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