Pre-Note: For the purpose of this story, I'm going to assume that kotatsu (old-fashioned heaters) were not common among the poorer of Japan's population, hence Kagome's exuberant reaction to it. I understand that this may not be true, but I'm going to go ahead and take artistic liberty, just for this story. Enjoy!
Chapter Twenty-Nine—Reunions and Forging Bonds
"So what happens next?" Kagome asked, vigorously rubbing her palms together in an effort to restore feeling into her numbed fingers. The walk back from the main building had somehow taken much longer in the chill of night, and not even her meandering thoughts about the scene they'd left behind had made the trip any faster. Humming thoughtfully, Kotono made sure the door was shut firmly against the cold, and then motioned for Kagome to follow her down the hall. "That is up to Lord Sesshomaru," she announced over her shoulder a moment later, pausing at a shoji screen Kagome had never bothered to look behind. "If he chooses Akamoto-sama,"—her tone suggested that he would and likely already had— "there will be a feast held in her honor, and soon afterward, if things go the way he will no doubt plan them to go, she will be pupped by mid-winter and ready to give birth by spring's beginning." Absently pulling a painful pin from her hair and humming in awed understanding—'So soon?' she wondered, excited and anxious and afraid all at once—she balled the emotions up and shoved them into a dark corner of her psyche, peeking curiously into the room as Kotono stepped inside. The sconce just across the hall revealed spare squares of tatami matting and neatly rolled futons. 'A storage room,' she deduced, and the thought that Kotono had something as simple as a storage room gave her a twinge of nostalgia. 'Tanaka-sama had a room like that.' Thoughts of the man who had raised her brought a smile to her lips, and she distinctly remembered how the wise old headman would putter about his hut, searching for this thing or that; how he had loved telling her stories over his shoulder while he rifled through a room similar to the room Kotono was rifling through now. She grinned. 'Not that Kotono and Tanaka-sama are anything alike,' she mused, watching the demoness step over a futon and reach for what looked like a thick roll of ornate fabric. Upon closer inspection, Kagome realized that it was the oki quilt used for a kotatsu, and her inner child jumped for joy at the thought of such a luxury. Amused at her expression, no doubt, Kotono smiled, closing the door to the storage room and leading her to the wall-length shoji that hid the dragoness's rooms. Once inside, Kagome watched as Kotono set up the kotatsu, pulling up a square of tatami in the center of the room to reveal a covered charcoal pit. Kagome wandered closer. The pit itself wasn't terribly deep, and the closely spaced bars of metal that covered it ensured that nothing could be accidentally dropped inside. Kotono knelt and lifted the grate, and then reached into the pit and flared her aura, which tingled warmly as it brushed against Kagome's cheeks. The coals gave off a reddened glow, and Kagome stepped back as Kotono replaced the grate, put a small, low table over the pit, arranged an impossibly comfortable looking cushion, and then draped the oki over the smooth wooden surface and motioned for Kagome to sit. Carefully, reverently, she did, draping the thick quilt over her lap and closing her eyes as blessed heat soaked through the silk of her kimono. Kotono chuckled and settled behind her, gently removing the pins and combs from her hair and running the pads of her fingers along the miko's tender scalp. She hummed in thanks, and as the tension of the day slowly melted out of her system, a myriad of questions leapt to the forefront of her mind. "Kotono?" "Yes?" "After Akamoto-sama has Sesshomaru-sama's pup, will any of the others be free to do the same?" "If they are so inclined," Kotono responded quietly. "The law against concubines bearing children only applies to the firstborn." Kagome frowned lightly. "But what if Sesshomaru-sama takes a mate, and she wants to have children?" "Then those children shall be of higher status than any of the pups on the grounds, except for the heir." "Will she…get to keep her pups?" "Of course, little one. A mating is much more permanent—and much more personal—than breeding for an heir, and if my lord ever takes a mate, then we will go and she will stay." Momentarily thrown off guard at how easily Kotono spoke those words, she shook the mild alarm—'Go where?'—away and remained silent. 'At least Sesshomaru-sama's mate would have the respect she deserves.' "Tell me, little one," the dragoness murmured after a while, smoothing her fingers through Kagome's hair once more before scooting to sit beside her, draping the oki over her lap as well, "was your stay in the South as trying as you'd thought it would be?" 'We never talked about that,' Kagome realized with some embarrassment, shifting to trace the intricate, swirling pattern of the quilt. Lightly, she cleared her throat. "No," she responded, "but Yun-Qi and Jiao-Long were a great help." She paused, and added, "Mostly." Kotono graced her with a curious look, clawed fingers plucking the ornaments from her own hair. "Might you be referring to the Duan brothers?" "You know them?" Kotono's lips twisted, though Kagome couldn't tell if it was revulsion or amusement that made her eyes glitter. "The elder has quite the reputation," she replied, "and the younger is certainly no saint." Quirking a brow, Kagome turned, helping to comb through the thick mass of deep violet that was Kotono's hair. "That Jiao-Long has a reputation is no surprise," she observed wryly, easily remembering the way he had flirted shamelessly with serving maids and court ladies alike. "But Yun-Qi?" "Now, now, Kagome," the dragoness chided, pausing to stand and carry her ornaments to her vanity, "you mustn't mistake Yun-Qi's shyness for naiveté." She waggled a brow as she knelt beside the miko once more, prompting a giggle. "He is quite amorous, or so I've heard." Kagome fixed her with a disbelieving look. "Really?" One shoulder lifted in a mild shrug. "As rumor would have it, yes." She shook her head, an amused movement that sent the heavy fall of her hair swishing gently against her shoulders. "Those pups are far more than I could have handled; surely the gods have graced you with the patience of an angel, Kagome." And Kagome giggled, launching into tale after tale of her stay in the South. She regaled Kotono with stories of Jiao-Long's unrepentant flirting and Yun-Qi's quiet embarrassment; told her about the dinner in which she'd made Chiyoko—Chiyoko!—proud; and then she lapsed into the hesitant tale of her arrival, and the absolute terror she had felt before Lord Naraku had generously utilized his gift on her behalf. When she finished, Kotono was frowning, the expression only minutely thoughtful and almost exclusively troubled. "There was no one around?" "No; no one but the twins and I, and Chiyoko-sama." The dragoness remained silent, and Kagome asked, quietly, "Do you…know something about what happened?" The nuances of her question weren't lost on Kotono, and with a pursed-lip shake of her head, she answered, "No, little one; nothing. My Sight is not as all-encompassing as most would believe it." Kagome hummed. "Do you think it could happen again?" Fear curled into her stomach, a tight ball of uncertainty, and she tried not to dwell on it, not to let it shake her hands or her voice. Emerald eyes soft, Kotono gave her elegant, one-shouldered shrug. "I am not certain, but perhaps, if you are truly worried about a recurrence, you can write to Suzume-san and ask her to return; strengthening your spiritual powers could prevent such an attack." The thought that it had been an attack was not nearly shocking as Kagome thought it would have been. 'Someone wanted to scare me—someone did scare me, badly—but why? I haven't done anything wrong…have I?' And then, of course, she realized that she had done something wrong, by being a miko amongst youkai, living and socializing as though she belonged there. She frowned, trying to remember if anyone, besides the Matsumoto women, had openly displayed any hostility toward her. Her list came up terribly short, and though she had been warned time and time again not to underestimate the youkai population, she doubted that the snide little serving maid who'd reluctantly shown her to the bathhouse was capable of doing what had been done. "Kagome?" She hummed, and focused, slowly, on her companion. "Hmm?" "Worry not; I will protect you from the worst of it." The worst of what, Kotono didn't say, but the words—familiar words the dragoness had spoken to her once before—comforted her nonetheless. Something in her loosened and fell away, and she fell asleep—much, much later, with Kotono nearly having had to threaten her to her own rooms, and her letter to Suzume written and sent—with a smile on her face.
:..:..:..:..:
Kagome woke to the sensation of claws skimming along the curve of her cheek. She shifted, and registered through the fuzz of half-sleep that something about those claws was…familiar. She forced her eyes open, blinking blearily at the blob of gold and green above her. A calm, gentle roll of youki washed over her. "Yun-Qi…?" She blinked some more, and the gold shifted into hair and the green into a kimono. "My lady, it is time to wake." "Yun-Qi!" Suddenly wide awake, Kagome sat up and stared, wide-eyed, at the manservant she had missed more than she realized. His soft smile and the deferential dip of his head sent her launching into his lap, and she refrained from squealing only by sheer will. "I'm so happy to see you!" she gushed, removing herself from the inu's personal space and grinning at the deep flush on his cheeks. "And this one is glad to see you as well," he murmured, averting his gaze until the color on his cheeks faded. When he looked at her again, his pale eyes were soft. "Would my lady like assistance this morning?" She smiled. "Of course!" He nodded, and together—much to Yun-Qi's visible chagrin—they made quick work of her bedroll before selecting her wardrobe for the day; a pale silver kimono of heavy silk, with a darker silver obi and a deep blue overcoat, all embroidered with simple geometric shapes in blue and white silk. Their short walk to the bathhouse, quickly made so as not to spend too much time in the cold, was uninterrupted, and as Kagome settled into the bathing pool, Yun-Qi slipping into the water behind her, she asked, "Where is Jiao-Long?" Gathering her hair in his hands and giving a gentle, nearly nonexistent tug to prompt her gaze toward the ceiling, the inuyoukai made a noise dangerously close to a snort. "He has decided to remain in the town proper for a time, visiting Inoue-sama, no doubt." "He sleeps with Inoue-sama?" She knew she sounded incredulous, but Kotono had confided in her that Fuyu took far less lovers to her bed than most people thought she did, and that Jiao-Long was one of them spoke much more toward his character than one would think. With an embarrassed clearing on his throat, Yun-Qi nodded, carefully rubbing the pads of his fingers against her scalp. Curious, Kagome cocked her head to one side. "Do you sleep with Inoue-sama?" And Yun-Qi's face turned the color of Kotono's reddest lip paste, his eyes focusing pointedly on the frothy substance her hair had become. "My lady, surely this is not an appropriate subject," he muttered, voice nearly cracking with mortification. She smiled, and closed her eyes as he began to cup water over her hairline. That had been all the answer she needed. Behind her, Yun-Qi shifted, and she felt the fabric of his fundoshi brush against her hip, the heavy weight of his manhood recognizable even through the drenched material. She felt her cheeks heat, and then remembered what it felt like to have Lord Sesshomaru's erection pressed between her legs, against the spot that made stars dance behind her eyelids. The words he'd whispered to her the day before, voice and youki thick with promise, echoed in her mind, and she shivered, nipples pebbling even in the warm water. "Shall I inquire about my lord's schedule, Kagome-sama?" Yun-Qi's question was low, and she felt mildly discomfited at the thought that he could sense—and could have been affected by—her arousal, but shook her head nonetheless. "No, thank you." They finished her bath in silence.
:..:..:..:..:
She was nervous, but twisting her hands in her sleeves was doing nothing to assuage the emotion, so she stopped and took a deep, steadying breath. 'She said she wanted to have tea, Kagome. She's not going to kill you, for the gods' sake!' Feeling minutely better, the miko took one more breath, stepped into the main building, and began to make her way to the nearest sitting room, in which Mei had told her she would be waiting. The politely worded note—"It would be my greatest pleasure to be allowed afternoon tea with you, Higurashi-san," it had read—had come as a little bit of a surprise. She hadn't expected Mei to make contact with her, much less so soon after the brief gathering held earlier in the morning to announce Lord Sesshomaru's choice to his Court. "She is curious about you, little one," Kotono had assured. "Go, and spend an hour or two in her company." And so Kagome had gone—was going—to enjoy a cup of tea, nerves be damned. She stopped, momentarily, outside of the room where Mei's youki—an earthy feeling roll of power that reminded her of meditating in the pine forest—was concentrated. And then she knocked, waited for the demoness to invite her in, and then nodded to Jiao-Long, who opened the door and entered before her. When she stepped inside, her eyes immediately found Mei, who sat demurely at one end of a small table, her red-brown hair piled atop her head and dotted with jewels. Kagome smiled. "Good afternoon, Akamoto-sama," she greeted, bowing deeply in deference to the demoness' inheritably higher status. When she rose, Mei had dipped her head, soft gray eyes crinkling at the corners despite her small, polite smile. "Higurashi-san, I am honored. Please, join me." Kagome did as bid, settling across from the genteel inuyoukai as Jiao-Long and Yun-Qi knelt behind her. "Call me Kagome," she murmured, taking the soon-offered cup of tea with a gracious nod. Jiao-Long leaned over her shoulder, sniffed, and then gave a low murmur of assent. "As you wish, Kagome-san, and please, call me Mei." If she was perturbed by the caution the mainland youkai had taken, she gave no indication of it, instead sipping demurely at her own brew. "Of course." For a moment, they sipped in silence, and Kagome took the moment to observe Mei's pretty face, noticing with a mildly surprising sense of satisfaction that the youkai looked happy, content. Mei smiled shyly at her, and then set her tea cup on the table and folded her hands demurely in her lap. "I must admit, Kagome-san," she began quietly, "that I'm surprised at how easily you've blended in to youkai society." Kagome shook her head. "It isn't easy, not at all." She gestured lightly to the demoness. "I still don't understand this situation." Mei smiled. "But you are coping remarkably well." She blushed and momentarily fiddled with her sleeve. "My cousin believes that you are weak-minded." The confusion that leapt to life in her must have shown on her face; Mei added, "Yuri," and Kagome hummed in realization, seeing the family resemblance in the shape of Mei's eyes and the slope of her cheek. "Yuri-sama is not very fond of me," she confessed, "so I suppose she would only have bad things to say." The small indentation that appeared between Mei's delicate brows spoke of a different story, but instead of voicing whatever worry had creased her forehead, she hummed and changed the subject. "Kotono-san tells me that you enjoy walking the kaiyu-shiki…Perhaps, after we have finished our tea, you would like to show it to me?" And even though it had grown chilly, winter just weeks away, Kagome nodded.
Author's Note: Sort of a filler chapter, sort of not. *shrug*
To clear up any confusion, Mei is NOT a concubine. She's a full-blooded inuyoukai lady from the Eastern Lands, daughter to a minor youkai lord, and of breeding age. Her purpose—her ONE AND ONLY purpose—is to bear Lord Sesshomaru's heir. Not to say she won't prove useful in other ways, but she's there to get pregnant, have a kid, recover, and leave. In that order. Also, someone asked a very valid question: whether Chiyoko is Sessshomaru's biological mother. The answer is yes. She and the Inu no Taisho were mated before he was born, so their arrangement was nothing like the one Sesshomaru and Mei have now. Anyway! Thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!
~Aubrey
