Shifting Spheres of Influence

Disclaimer: The usual please.... Rumiko Takahashi knows the rest...

“ORDER UP>>>”


A/N : I would like to humbly thank those of you who have reviewed my story thus far, you inspire me with your thoughts... ^^,


For those of you who haven’t figured it yet...
“ ...” – speaking
‘...’ – thoughts

*Bows low* Now on with the story.....

“To give into ones desires, one must eliminate all manifestations of desire as ones true benevolence is drawn upon in the moment of truth.” Confucius


Chapter 2: Ending in a meal


500 years in the past, House of Tashio, Western Palace.


Breathing in the deeply masculine scent,

‘Hmm musky.... wait that’s a male scent... Yummy’

She shifted under the blanket, bringing her sleeping limbs to life. Burring her face deeper into the quaffed pillow, she breathed deeply once more.

‘Hmmmm, I wonder where I am...’

The sun shone through the rice paper walls of the shoji door that separated the small alcove of the sleeping mat she was on from the rest of the room. Groaning from the unwanted light, she huffed into the pillow and sat up, her bones clicking back into place with the movement. Scratching her head, she caught a piece or white where the usual colour of her arm was suppose to be in her peripheral vision. Looking down at her arm, she realised that the wounds that she had attained from the Youkai gladiator arena were bandaged and dressed. Glancing down at the rest of her body, she found herself dressed in a very fine quality silk sleeping yukata, instead of her usual miko garb.

“How did I get like this?”

As if on announcement, a very wet, half dressed very male hanyou wondered into the small alcove where she was sitting. Still in half a daze, she took in the Inu, his ripped chest, seated above very red, low riding, hamaka pants, her gaze travelled upwards towards his face, taking in the platinum hair that flowed about his backside dripping wet, splashing the surrounding furniture and floor in the droplets of water as he moved. Her gaze came to rest on his fuzzy ears.

Fully aware that he was being ‘checked out’, a slight smirk adorned his lips as he broke her out of her daze.

“Umm glad to see you’re awake, sleep well? You have one powerful grip there, I couldn’t get you to stop clutching my haori long enough to get you cleaned up..heh... and the cute thing is that you kept purring like a cat when I left you be... your quite the kitten hey?”

Turning his toned body away from her gaze, Kagome registered what he had said and immediately turned her gaze downwards towards her hands as her face blushed a new shade of crimson...

“Umm...”

“Well at least you don’t kick in your sleep....”

Her mind slowly coming out of the sleep induced daze she was in, voiced her rising fear as her rational side still slumbered in the imaginary bed of her subconscious.

“What I slept-“

Inuyasha, once having done setting his clothing back into the cabinet on the other side of the alcove, made to remove his pants.

Kagome watched the hanyou with shaded eyes as he moved from one side of the room to the other, packing away certain objects, talking to her as he moved about, when the comment about her sleeping hit her , her head shot up at the wrong moment, when the hanyou’s pants were halfway down his thighs, unaware to the tomato red miko, he did have a loin cloth underneath, covering the more primal part of him, yet the miko’s instincts were in overdrive, she looked away and by the time her rational side kick-started itself to life in her still sleeping brain, her body had thought for her and was making a fast exit through the shoji screen doors, into a deserted hallway. Her feet carrying her further away from the hanyou, his voice echoing down the hall.

“Hey wait...”

She disappeared around a corner and came to a sudden stop as she hit a very hard fleshy object with a loud

“Umph”

Landing on her already bruised rear, she looked up to find the fleshy wall that blocked her escape rout. Her cerulean pools locked with deep green as a smirk graced the lips of yet another very toned youkai, half naked, that stood in the place where her fleshy wall should have been.

His black hair cascading down his right shoulder in a wet mess as a robe of some sort graced his other shoulder.
Amusement tinkling in the greed depths, he addressed the miko.

“Kagome, I presume?”

Blushing an even deeper crimson colour, she gave a faint nod.

His aura, effecting her miko senses, pushing her to the oversensitive state she now found herself in, bruised and red with embarrassment at having seen enough male flesh in the first moments of her waking than she ever had to see in her entire life.

He leaned forward in an effort to help her off the ground, extending a clawed hand.

Wincing back from the extended hand, her body once again taking on a mind of its own, it had her off the floor and running the direction she had just escaped from, she came crashing into another fleshy wall. She was seeing start by the end of all her falling on her now prominently bruised backside, but to her amazement, she didn’t connect with the floor. Shaking away the stars, she looked at her new fleshy wall.


The fleshy wall she now found herself flushed flat against, clad in a white haori. Blushing an unnatural shade of burgundy, she snuck a small glance at his face, deep amber eyes met hers and softened slightly at her distraught features. Her tiny bandaged hands fisted the white silk in her fingers and she buried her head into the toned chest of the Taiyoukai. Her adrenaline leaving her body as she slumped against his chest.
At that moment, a very dishevelled and hurriedly dressed Inuyasha came scampering down the corridor, yelling out for Kagome and muttering something about skittish mikos. On the other side of the Tayoukai, a half dressed General Tsukai waltzed up baffled by the sight that met his eyes.

“Sesshomaru-sama, Inuaysha...?”

Glancing from the small girl buried in his chest, to his general, the Taiyoukai flared his nostrils as he took in his brother’s scent from behind.

“Sesshomaru? What the fuck?”
The hanyou, busying himself with tying his hamaka pants, voiced his confusion.

The Generals heartily chuckle reached all ears as he spoke.

“Why Inuyasha, I believe Sesshomaru-sama said to protect the young miko, not bed her...”

Growling at the accusation, Inuyasha defended his honour.

“AAk, what? Kai... I did protect her, she just clung to me like a kitten so I couldn’t put her in her own bed without her growling at me, so I just left her to sleep. She woke up this morning to me getting dressed and she bolted, so don’t you for one second-“

“Well it looks like you did a pretty good job of scaring the wits out of her then, Casanova.”

“Grr why you I DIDNT-“

“ENOUGH”

The voice of the Taiyoukai boomed down the hall at the silly bickering, his baritone causing the tiny girl in his arms to quiver in fear.

Picking her up bridal style, she clung to the youkai Lords haori like it was a life line, her nerves frayed from yesterdays and this morning’s commotion; she collapsed into blackness in the Lords arms, welcoming it willingly.

Sesshomaru sauntered down the passage, pushing past his general with his precious bundle in his arms. Voicing his thoughts to the two, as they watched his retreating form

“Inuyasha, report to my library when you are dresses and try not to frighten any of the other guests as you go....”

Giggling silently at the insult, Kai pointed a finger in Inuyasha’s direction and smirked.
“...And Kai, put some clothes on.”

The Generals face dropped immediately at the comment and it was Inuyasha’s turn to point and laugh.

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Present day, The Bar opposite the Italian restaurant.


Still plopped down on the couch in the small bar, she opened the envelope, tipping the contents onto the piece of wood that was broken from Inuyasha’s ‘sitting’, her eyes widened at the information sunk in.

“Holy crap.”

Pictures of her, at home, getting dressed, intimate moments with herself, her in her office, in the elevator to her apartment, and it continued on, confusion reigned supreme, until the very last photo in the stack...

The photo was of a man, no, youkai with a huge lens, the bowlers hat and coat, a flimsy attempt to hide his pointed ears and dark violet eyes, giving away his youkai form.

In the distance in the photo, she saw her apartment, clarity forming in her mind as she realised that the photos of her were been taken by the guy in the last photo, as if on cue, which seemed to happen a lot with the Inu’s in her life, her cell phone began belting out a very familiar tune of ‘Mr big stuff. ‘

‘Sesshomaru...’

She reached for her purse and fished the tiny mobile out of the bag. Flipping the receiver, she answered the call
“What the hell are these?”

The silky baritone of the youkai Lord echoed into her ear.

“I see that you receives Kai’s package, they’re photos of you.”

A small vein throbbed in the side of her head at the obvious answer the Taiyoukai gave.

“Yes I am aware of that fact...”

“Very intimate photos of you...”

“Hentie....”

A small chuckle was heard on the other end of the phone.

“Naraku”

“Naraku what? You aren’t helping Sesshomaru...”

“ It’s one of Naraku’s photographers, he’s been following you around for quite some time.”

“What?”

A small shiver ran down her spine at the mention of her esteemed lunch guest.

“Don’t make me repeat myself, Kochou”

“Don’t you get all high and mighty on me Lord Tight Ass, How did he ge-“

“You are not to have lunch with him, a limo is pulling up outside the bar now, get in.”

“WHAT!?!?!?!? Sesshomaru, how many times do I have to tell you, you can’t tell me what-“

“Kochou, you are –“

“AAAAAHHHH , what about Naraku?”

“He has been ....inconveniently detained at his office with an emergency”

“What have you done now...”

“I’ll See you soon Kochou.”

The phone line went dead, signalling the end of their conversation, slamming the small contraption together, she fumed.

“ARROGANT BARSTERED!

Huffing she grabbed her purse and downed the remainder of her glass of bubbly, she picked up the contents of the envelope and she stomped her way to the limo that was, like he said, parked outside waiting for her.
Jaken, the driver, had gotten out of the black machine and opened the door for her in a slight bow.

“Ms Higurashi.”

Sitting into the leather seating, she crossed her arms in a huff, sighing defeat. The small imp moved back round to the drivers’ side of the vehicle, winding down the black glass, he addressed the angered Miko.

“Higurashi-sama, how have you been?

“Fine”

Pressing a button on the dashboard, the small imp explained the glass and bottle of bubbly, the same one she had been drinking in the bar, that popping out the side panel of the limo.

“Milord offers his apologise to drawing you away from your drink and hope you can relax.”

Glaring t the back of the imps head, she turned to face the window.

Fifty minutes later, she arrived outside the gates to a very pristine large complex,

“We have arrived Higurashi-sama”

Having pooped open the bottle of Champaign a while ago, she took one final big swig directly from the bottle before she dabbed the remainder off her lips.

“Right, time to go and rip the Lord a new asshole...”

Cringing at the anger in her words, the little imp bowed as she got out of the car and watched her slightly wobbled walk up the steps to the mansion.

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Bursting through the mansion doors, she shouted to the empty house, her voice echoing off the marble surfaces.

“Where are you...”

One of the servants, Sienna, a panther demon, one that had been in the Tashio household for centuries came running to greet her.

“Higurashi-sama, it’s good to see you again.”

Bowing slightly and following Kagome up the stairs, she proceeded to take her things from her while trying to warn her not to go barging into the Lord’s office.

“Higurashi –sama, may I take your jacket? Please Higurashi-sama-“

Flowing the fast footed women’s light frame the servant juggled her purse and jacket that she, rather unceremoniously, had thrown into her hands by Kagome, still walking at determined speed to get to the private study, the maid still trying to dissuade her.

“Please Higurashi-sama, he’s in a meeting, please-“

Ignoring the maid completely, Kagome paused momentarily at the huge wooden doors, taking a deep breath, she could feel his powerful aura ticketing her scenes, sliding along her own and already comforting her. She barged into the huge study, tracing instinctually set footsteps to his desk, she began talking to him as she rounded the bookshelf that lead to his desk, the maid following close behind her.

“Sesshomaru, You have a lot of nerve playing God with people’s lives-“


Coming to a sudden stop, when she realised the situation that she had walked in on. There in the room sat Sesshomaru behind his desk, General Kai off to his left, and the two baffled faced looking up at her as if she had grown three heads, the two, she recognised as

Jujinko from the Labs at Tashio enterprises, and the other face she didn’t know.

“Milord, forgive the intrusion, i tried to warn the Lady but to no avail...” The panther maid bringing Kagome out of her stupor at an attempt at a poor apology.


Bewildered by her situation, a light tint lightening her cheeks as her heart beat a little faster, Sesshomaru, sensing her unease; spoke before she had the change to apologise.

“ Thank you Sienna, Kagome, how nice of you to join us, may I introduce Jujinko-san, the lead scientist on metaphysics, whom you have met before...”

She nodded slightly to the scientist, while the maid took that as her cue to leave.

“..And Kenko, Kouga, the head of our pyrotechnics and newly appointed head of our physics team.”

Another small nod accompanied the last one in the direction of the pyrotechnics man

A vein was beginning to throb in the side of her neck as her aura fluctuated with pent up rage at the audacity of the person standing behind the desk, introducing her to his employees as if they were about to have Sunday afternoon tea. Closing her eyes and gaining some composure of the rage building inside her, she was not prepared for what happened next...


Starling the room by his reaction, the pyrotechnics man, got out of his seat and made his way over to Kagome, grabbing her hand in his, his blue eyes, sparkling with something, memorising her form, he kissed her knuckles as he greeted her.

“A pleasure, Kagome-sama”

She was now blushing an even deeper red with a mixture of anger and now sudden embarrassment at the very forward youkai. Her eyes as wide as saucers as surprise raced across her face at his close proximity, then the contact with his skin, when he took her hand into his it pushed her over the edge, suddenly she felt like she was drowning, swimming in a sea of fear, it raced through her body and somewhere in the back of her mind, the confident business women that was in the room a few seconds before coward in fear as her mind’s eye flashed a gory montage of the Man, no, monster, and how he scarred her... how he broke her... she began to tremble under the youkai’s gaze, a flash of something flickered in the depths of her mind, causing her aura to pique as she quickly removed her hand from the youkai’s grasp and backed away a few inches.

Suppressing a growl, the Inu Lord addressed his two employees.

“Gentlemen, if you would be so kind, We can settle things at the office, Higurashi-san and I need to talk.”

Sensing the Lords possessives and unease towards his actions, the Wolf youkai backed away, still maintaining eye contact with the miko.

“Tashio-sama, it’s been a pleasure as always.”

Jujinko stated his thanks and bowed to the Lord and general.

Hearing the thanks of his fellow work colleague, the wolf youkai turned to face the Lord.

“Sesshomaru-sama, arigato for your time...”

Returning his deep blue eyes back to Kagome, he closed the distance between them, mere inches from her person, invading her personal space, he took both of her trembling hand into his.

“Until we meet again Kagome, it has been a true pleasure to see such divine beauty in this dull world of-“

The trembling women gasped with the close contact of the wolf youkai, and for some reason, whether it be the sever amount of alcohol flowing through her system or this faint fear that was building at the back of her subconscious, she ripped her hands out of the wolf lords bigger ones, swivelling of one pointed heel, she bolted for the door, almost knocking Jujinko off his feet, her aura flickering across the jaki of the youkai in the room. Bewildered by her reaction all except for one youkai, they blinked at the spot the small women occupied not moments before, each of their skins tingling with the pure power that tickled their senses from the retreating miko, all but one youkai understood the reaction of the fiery women. Fear permeated the huge study and the youkai Lord took in the smell, closing his eyes in an attempt to suppress his mounting rage at the young wolf youkai, his mind drifted.

‘Hnnn, I haven’t felt her fear like that since then... back then so long ago when she lost her parents.’

Bringing the silent room out of their musings with the small women, the general spoke.

“Well gentle men, Kagome-sama isn’t your usual women... Right Sesshomaru-sama?“

“Indeed”

Taking the flat tone of the Western Lord, the two work colleges took that as their cue to leave, managing another quick bow to the Lord, Jujinko made a hasty retreat for the doors the young women had just fled through, grabbing the Wolf on the way out by the scruff of the neck.

Glancing at his Lord, General Kai gazed out to where his lords attention was focused, the Eastern wing of the palace was situated in the Lords view and almost instinctively, he knew that’s where the young miko had fled to.

“I’ll leave you two alone...” The General, bowed to the Lord and exited the room, leaving his Lord in the huge study.


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500 years in the Past, House of Tashio, Western Palace

Her eyes fluttered open as the first colour that came into her hazy view was white, a kind of cream colour, but white.

Kagome blinked a few times, ridding the sleep from her eyes, and focused on the white in front of her. From what she deduced, it was a pillow, a silken pillow, which meant that she had to of been in a bed or on a futon.
She extended her focused onto her other senses, bringing them to light, sniffing lightly, another male scent bombarded her nose, this one not as mucky as he first, fresh, crisp, yet still un-defiantly male.
Rolling her eyes at her present predicament, she groaned and snuggled into the warmth that her body created in the mass of pillows.


‘Ugh, here we go again, another male, yikes...’

‘yeah you can say that again’

‘well nice of you to wake up...and join us...’

‘what? Rationality has to take a rest once and a while’

‘well you aren’t wanted now... ‘
‘well tough I’m here... so what we gonna do now?’

‘ who knows, maybe we could all go back to sleep and wake up from this dream?’

Groaning at the conversation she was having with herself in her head, she shifted under the pillows. A very silky voice drew her out of her self-conversation.

“Miko, do not attempt to fool this Sesshomaru by pretending to be asleep.”

Her breath hitched in her throat, the voice, as cold as ice, woke her completely, kind of like throwing a bucked of cold water on her, except this had more effect, that when rationality decided to comment.

‘Busted! ‘

‘well duh! ‘

‘good luck...’

‘Humph *mentally sticks tongue out at rationality’

She slowly lifted her head from the mountain of pillows, blinking a few times to clear her sleep educed brain, she scanned the room. Books, scrolls and more books everywhere on every wall, obviously she was in some kind of library. As if reading her mind, the Taiyoukai addressed her again.

“Welcome to the Western Lands, Miko, you are currently in My private study.”

Her mouth formed a small ‘o’ as comprehension hit her.

She continued to scan the rest of the room, plush seats and pillows scattered about the room, books lay in piles next to the cushions, her eyes came to rest on a huge mahogany desk, papers and scrolls littered the desks surface, a candle was light, binging her attention to the dim light that bathed the room in a cosy glow.

‘It must be night fall then’ she mused.


A few moments of silence followed as she continued studying the candle on the desk, shifting her focus to just beyond the candle, her eyes locked with a pair of amber orbs, the same amber orbs from before... instantly she blushed from the memory, her eyes widened to take in the Taiyoukai that sat behind the desk, that she had failed to notice until now. She gasped at his presence, his aura swirling around him in a testament to his power, she took in his platinum hair, the angular face, his maroon markings on either side of his cheeks, enhancing his amber eyes, her eyes came on rest on the blue crescent moon on his forehead, slightly hidden by his bangs. Her rational side kicking in once again as recognition dawned heavily on her as the reality of her situation wacked her upside the face.

‘Oh crap... the western lord, I’m in THE WESTERN LORD, the Prince of Youkai, his royal Highness, the cold ass bastard of a Half-Brother of Inuyasha, as he so creatively put it, Lord Sesshomaru...’

‘Na, can’t be him...’ Rationality kicking in again...

‘But he looks so similar to the one who saved me that day....’

‘Hello, you were what, ten back then? And why the hell would THE western Lord save your scraggly ass?’

‘True, but then...’

In a moment of doubt the question slipped out...

“Who are you?”

Eerie silence flowed into the room, making the temperature dropped a little.

His aura flared with the question, his eyes taking a slight sheen to them, the only indication that he was annoyed at the question.

“Sessho-“

-Maru-sama, Lord of the Western Lands, Taiyoukai to the western realm and heir to the house of Tashio... wow”

A little miffed at being interrupted, he continued suppressed the feeling. Another blush threatened to consume her face once again at his next question.

“If you already knew the answer to the question, why did you ask it?”

Realising her lack of manners, she immediately erected her stance into a sloppy Kao-Tao, mumbling her apologies and thanks to the Lord before her.

“Forgive me my Lord, I did not know to whom I was tal-

‘Kikyou is gonna kill me’

‘Now that’s an understatement’

‘Quite you...’

Her mind ran a mil a minute as rationality piped up again. She was brought out of her ramblings by a clawed hand that rested on her shoulder.

Quickly withdrawing from his touch, surprise and fear coated her features as he spoke.

“Rise”

Whimpering at his words, she backed further away into the pillows.

Realising her oncoming fear, he stopped his actions, analysing the situation as the strategist he was.

‘hnn, she is full of courage and curiosity the one minute, stating my full title, the next, cowering in fear. She fears touch?

“where’s Inuaysha?

“He has other loyalties that he must see too.”

“Oh, My I ask where’s Kikyou-sama? May I be returned to her? She would be very worried about me, I am her apprentice.”

Realising the ice in his voice, adding to her fear, his eyes narrowed and softened at her features once more.

“She is informed about your safety, do not worry yourself, you shall see her in due time.”

Still cowering into the pillows, she voiced her anxiety.

“Please My Lord, why am I here, please may I be returned to my master, please-“

“Enough.”

Grabbing her roughly by the arm, he stood her in the middle of the room, she whimpered from the contact, it drove her senses into a frenzy, her raw powers coming to life, sensing the threat, the pink light ghosted along her skin, coming into contact with the Taiyoukai’s skin, his skin sizzled and tingled under her power.

‘She truly is the one; no miko has such raw power, able to burn my skin on contact.’

Hiding the pain, he looked her right into the eye as he addressed her in a stern voice.

“Do. Not. Fear. This Sesshomaru”

Taking in he’s words, her resolve seemed to return with certainty of his voice.

‘Why the arrogant ass, Inuyasha was right he is a bastard...’

Staring straight into his golden pools, all formalities forgotten as anger bubbled in her, she saw something flicker in his cold depths, rather than the ice cold exterior that Inuyasha had accused him of, something akin to worry coated his irises, and something more, something she couldn’t quite put her finger on shined in his eyes as he spoke to her, she has a overwhelming feeling that this was a very different Taiyoukai from the one his subjects and people in the kingdom of the Western domain knew.

His eyes softened with each enunciated word that left his lips, something in her resolved cracked.

‘Ok so maybe we don’t fear him, maybe he isn’t such a bag guy after all, he smelled nice, like Inuyasha... but better...’

A small nod was he’s response to his words, and he nodded in return. He withdrew his hands, the smell of scorched flesh hitting her nose, she looked down and immediately took his hand into hers.

“Oh my, I’m so very sorry, my powers I have no control over them sometimes.”

Snatching his hand back, he moved away from her.

“This Sesshomaru will heal.”

Flustered by his abrupt manner, her anger voiced itself, and for a few minutes the rough tough girl she was returned.

“Well for a few second, I thought that you were the honourable Lord Kikyou-san had told me about but you are nothing more than an arrogant demon, I was just worried that I might of-“

“Your concern is not necessary-“

“Well that’s still no reason for being rude...”

“I think I liked you better as the fearful miko.”

“Hah well that’s not gonna happen, not as long as you keep your distance-buddy.”

“Fool, show your respect-“

“what, you don’t show any respect for me so-“

The next minute, she found herself pinned under his big claws against the wall, pressing her neck a little, he took in the fear that rolled off her in waves.

“Don’t test me, miko.”

Her eyes widening with the hidden promise, memories ripped through her mind’s eye of her family, the dark demon stinging above her mother, cutting off her air supply. Her body began to shake with the memories, trembling under his influence.

Her lower lip trembling as she whimpered.

Her resolve was cracking and she knew it, hair line fractures setting in.

He let his hand drop from around her neck, realising by the distance gleam that she got in her eyes that her mind was wracked with something that was causing her to become so fearful and anxious.

Coming out of her memory montage, she stared at the demon Lord, his eyes, gone was the anger sheen to be replaced with a softness that she has seen before, earlier in the hallway.

“What did he do to you before I found you?”

Trembling under his gaze still, tears leaked down the side of her face, her throat still too rough to voice her internal turmoil.

And it shattered, crumbling to pieces around her fragile heart.

Wiping away one of the crystal tears that spilled down her cheek, he took in a breath as he felt her small bandaged hands fist his haori once more and falling flat against his chest, she breathed in his scent, not caring about her manners towards the Lords of the west at this point, she lapped up the small amount of concern he displayed towards her, knowing instinctively that he never displayed much concern for others, not often so out of character for him, the feeling of instinct driving her to bury herself in the youkai’s arms, almost as if it was the most natural thing to her in the world.

She felt it, a small shift in her, a small shift in him, at that moment, she knew she had shared something precious with the youkai Lord, something connected them in a silent bond that they were not aware of taking place.

She released the Taiyoukai’s haori after a few moments of awkward bonding on his side, slightly baffled at her spontaneous actions, he allowed her to take comfort in his chest. More slightly baffled at the feeling of naturalness of her being in such close proximity had on his inner beast.

Her eyes taking on a sombre gleam, stared down at the floor, making his way back to the desk, he continued their conversation.

“What do you know about the Lords Council meeting and the Alliance?”

“Ummm only what Kikyou –san has taught me, that we are here to celebrate the renewal of the Alliance and the discuss the lands of the west?

“hnn”

A pregnant pause followed her answer.

Shifting in her footing, her anxiety grating on her nerves, she began to shake with suppressed power that threatened to bubble over in reaction to the mornings’ events and his powerful aura.

Sensing her anxiety, his body moved towards her small form taking on a life of its own in accordance with his mind, almost of if he was drawn towards her, his mind analysing this, and filing away the information.

‘ Apparently I am drawn to her, like I was this morning when I sensed her distress.’

Feeling the close proximity of his aura, she looked up, only to lock orbs again for the third time that day. Almost loosing herself in the embracing honey coloured eyes, she sighed as he removed his hands from her shoulders, not realising the grounding effect that his touch had on her.

“It’s late and you need nourishment.”

Bowing her head once again as a slight blush took over her cheeks as she realised the intimacy of the looks that she had shared with the western lord, a small tap was heard on the shoji doors that slid back a moment later to reveal a small otter youkai, bowing low, she beckoned for the miko to follow her. Hesitant for a second, she looked back to the Lord.

“Musa shall take you to have a bath and eat, then return you to Kikyou, Inuyasha will be along shortly.”

Taking in the sound of his voice, which she shall later realise, she even then, took his presence as reassurance. And will later become one of her soul dependences.

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The present, Water gardens, Eastern Wing, Tashio Mansion

She had bolted out of the room, running with all the life in her veins, as if the hounds of hell were on her heels, why? She wouldn’t be able to tell. On instinct, something at the back of her mind told her to run, this is what she would tell her youkai Lord later.

Once the adrenaline of her escape had made its way out of her system, she found herself in one of the many gardens of the Tashio mansion, satiated in the Eastern wing. Still shaking from the exertion of energy, she gazed upwards at the Sakura blossoms that slowly floated down from the tree above her in the gentle breeze, to land in the soft waters of the different pods, flowing into one another and causing a rippling effect with each soft fall of the petals.

The miko was brought out of her state of shock by familiar clawed hands that rested on her shoulders, turning her around to face the Taiyoukai, his gaze followed hers upwards.

“I knew I would find you here, Kochou”


A clawed hand caressed her cheek as her eyes closed and she lent into the comforting warmth, she felt his aura enveloping hers, and she gracefully fell into the comfort he offered her like so many times before, she opened her eyes, locking with is amber orbs once again, a familiar softness, a softness that she was aware was reserved for her alone, mad his eyes glow unnaturally. Tears welled up in her eyes as her voice broke the damn that had been stored up there for a good while.

“I’m sohorry....”

Fisting his crisp black satin shirt in her hands, she buried her face into his chest. He instinctually wrapped his arms around her and began a small purring growl that washed over her and soothed her.

After a few minutes of her using his shirt as a personal hanky, she spoke again.

“Arigato kishi”

Chuckling at the offending nickname, he addressed the miko.

“daijinboka?”

Sniffling and letting go of his shirt, she looked at the blubbering mess she left there.

“Hai, gomen nasaii for using you as my...”

“Hanky? Its fine, for you its ok.”

“Hnnn”

“You know you haven’t called me that in a while...”

“Hnn..”

“I thought that was my line...kochou.”

Giggling softly, she shifted in his arms, returning her gaze to the shower of Sakura blossoms.

She rested her head against his chest as his arms moved to encircle her waste.

“Why do I find such comfort from them?”

Gazing once again at the blossoms himself, the youkai L lord answered her question.

“There was a tree that blossomed much like this one outside of the village you were born in, your mother and you would sit under the branches and watch the blossoms fall in a shower of spring beauty.”

“Why don’t I remember them Sesshomaru?”

“It was a long time ago”

“Yes, but you remember much more than I ever could about me”

“ It is my honour and privilege to protect and watch over you, Kochou”

“Yes, but even back then?”

“Hai.”

Comforted by his words, they both stood there in total silence, just enjoying each other’s company as their minds ran off into their won worlds.

‘Hai, you have always been there Sesshomaru, even back then’

‘ Kochou, I’ve been drawn to you from a very young age, even back then, when I was but a pup, you fascinated me and I took it upon myself in my free time to watch over you, until that day when he destroyed your home, that’s the day I swore my protection over you...’

A gentle breeze caught a strand of the Lords hair and lifted it gracefully into the air, fascinated by his strand of hair, she heard him sigh.

Unwrapping his hold on the miko he voiced his suggestion

“Come, let’s have lunch.”

Placing his clawed hand in the small of the mikos back, he guided her out of the study, the small connection strengthening the bond they shared, on both sides, reassuring the one that all was ok and reassuring the other that she was still his.


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A/N well peps, there we go another doosy, hope you all enjoy... the other characters will show themselves as the plot develops.
Please let me know what you think
Until next time...

Glossary
Haori-top shirt of a male worn in the Warring States
Hamaka-Baggy pants often worn over the Haori, tied at the waist, common during the Warring States
Taiyoukai-Lord or Noble demon
Hanyou- half-demon
Miko- Shrine priestess
Kochou- Butterfly
Kishi-Knight
Hentie- pervert of lecher
Arigato-Thank you
Jaki-Demons chi energy
Kao-Tao- Low bow done to nobility where a crouching is done proceeded with a knocking of the forehead upon the ground.
Daijinboka-Are you ok?
Gomen Nasai-Sorry