Chapter Three – Tested [Part One]
The soft sounds of smoothly rounded stones being selected and placed on a flat piece of wood were the only noises beside that of breathing and occasional murmurs that interrupted the quiet serenity of the comfortably sized room. Seated across from the ever-stoic demon lord of the West, Higurashi Kagome deftly placed a white piece on the board, and, with little to no thought, her opponent placed a black. For quite some time, the game continued. It wasn't until the board was nearly full that Kagome, grudgingly, settled back on her heels and frowned. "Pass," she mumbled, glancing at the apathetic inuyoukai. His ocher eyes flicked to her face, and then he plucked a black stone from the bowl beside him, held it carefully between his index and middle finger, and placed it gracefully at an intersection. Noting with dismay that she hadn't even seen the spot, she grumbled to herself as Lord Sesshomaru took the white piece he had captured, adding it to an ever-growing dish full of her pieces. Not one to be intimidated, Kagome calmly focused more fully on the game, shutting out the sound of the rain that fell rhythmically against the roof. Keeping her composure even when she was losing was something that Tanaka-sama had drilled into her head on rainy days just like this one, when the fields were flooded and he insisted on occupying her mind by playing countless games of Go; even now, playing against the unemotional youkai lord brought fond memories of her enthusiastic games with Tanaka. "Pass," she said, not realizing that she'd mumbled it until the sound of her voice echoed around in her head. Lord Sesshomaru placed a black stone, and as the game resumed, Kagome allowed her mind to wander to the events of earlier in the day. Though she'd been positive that Sesshomaru would demand that she leave after the horrific events during his morning tea, he had done nothing of the sort, obviously choosing to give her another chance despite her outburst. Kotono, on the other hand, was nothing but amused by the encounter in spite of the fact that Kagome was mortified. "My lord will most assuredly be interested in you now," the demoness had said, mirth shining in her emerald eyes and amusement coating her throaty voice. Kagome had buried her face in her hands and berated herself in a self-depreciating voice that bounced around in her head until the other candidates arrived. Bringing herself out of her thoughts as Sesshomaru murmured "pass", she frowned momentarily at the board, and then placed a piece and allowed her mind reprieve once more, glancing up toward the side of the room, where Kotono and Aoi sat with the other youkai who had made their way onto the grounds in the early afternoon. Eyes absently skipping over their faces before falling back to the board, Kagome inwardly scoffed. The females had been outraged when finding out that she, a human, was going to compete for position of the twelfth, and they had no qualms about expressing their anger. Though she had been tempted to defend herself, Kotono had taken care of the problem for her, stating that any who questioned Lord Sesshomaru's choice would be immediately dismissed. Her words had helped, but Kagome could still feel the animosity that they felt toward her and was positive that arguments would be waged as soon as they were left alone. "Pass," Sesshomaru murmured, the deep baritone gently tugging her out of her musings. She studied the board for a moment. "Pass," she conceded. A short nod met her statement, and the formidable youkai began to count up the pieces he had captured while she did the same. "Forty," the inu announced. She frowned. "Thirty-eight." He'd won. A clawed hand lazily waved her away from the table as soon as the words left her mouth, and she narrowed her eyes as he gave her a bored look. "It was a pleasure, my lord," she gritted out, making no effort to hide the fact that she was annoyed by his easy dismissal. If he felt anything about the tone of her voice, he said nothing, though she could've sworn she saw a small smirk on his face as she stood and moved away from the low table. "Next." Kagome sat between Kotono and Aoi, feeling numerous glares settle between her shoulder blades as the next female took the space she'd previously vacated. Clenching her hands in her lap, she forcefully reminded herself that all of this was for a reason; she would endure the western lord's apathetic nature and ignore the hateful females if only to have the chance to change her life. She felt her shoulders relax, and beside her, Kotono made a noise in her throat, prompting Kagome to look up. Emerald eyes approving, the dragoness smiled gently, her beauty only magnified by the ebony kimono she wore, which made her markings and eyes almost painfully perfect. "Very well done, Kagome," the demoness murmured. "Indeed," Aoi added, dark eyes trained on the pair sitting in the center of the room. Kagome observed her from the corner of her eye after mumbling her thanks, curious. It was obvious that Aoi was highly respected on the grounds, and not just because she was Lord Sesshomaru's second concubine. She carried herself with the same regal grace that Kotono possessed, but, unlike the dragoness, often seemed aloof. Kagome supposed that it was because she was, as Kotono had informed her, a panther youkai; after all, cats were known for their indifferent attitudes, and there was no reason for Aoi to be any different. Shaking herself free of her thoughts, Kagome forced herself to pay attention to the game being played in front of her and was shocked to see that the female was getting up. Kagome blinked. They had only been playing for about ten minutes, and whether or not the youkai had purposefully lost in order to appease Sesshomaru, Kagome could clearly see that the western lord was not impressed. "Next." His baritone voice easily reached them, and the next female stood and made her way to the table. Kagome watched in interest as Sesshomaru allowed the youkai to take the lead, and then very quietly overpowered her and won the game in less than fifteen minutes. Impressed, Kagome watched him as he breezed through the remaining youkai. To observe a youkai like Sesshomaru was to study an intensely complicated puzzle with nothing to go on but its outward appearance. Kagome would never be ashamed to say that the dog demon was painfully handsome, beautiful even, but beyond his looks there was a cool calculation that was, to her, as easy to see as the stripes on his cheeks. It danced in the air around him and shone in the amber hue of his eyes, and along with his indifference, covered him in a cloak of impenetrable emotionlessness. Of course, whether or not that was a good thing was still to be determined. Kagome was brought out of her musings as Kotono lightly touched her hand, smiling and motioning for her to stand, which she did immediately. She brushed off the gorgeous orange kimono, and then looked up and found herself staring straight into the piercing gaze of Lord Sesshomaru. For a moment, he did nothing but stare, and Kagome resisted the urge to fidget under the intense scrutiny, steeling herself instead and not looking away even when her cheeks heated with embarrassment. 'I'm not going to let him intimidate me. He may be able to beat me in Go, but he's not going to make me feel weak.' She straightened, disregarding the small voice in the back of her mind telling her that she was challenging a being that could kill her before she even had the time to register what was happening. For a very brief moment, the sharp gold of his eyes flickered with slight amusement, but before she could wonder what he found so interesting, his gaze slid away. "Tao," the inu murmured, "you are dismissed." "As you wish," the addressed said demurely. Kagome, unable to resist, looked to her right and was shocked to see one of the prettiest youkai bowing out of the room. Swallowing, Kagome turned her attention back to the inu only to see him walking toward a side door, silver hair swaying gently against his back. Kotono moved from Kagome's side and gave each of the remaining females an assessing look. "You have made it through my lord's first test," she said, clasping her hands in front of her. "Well done." A feeling of satisfaction flooded through Kagome's veins, and she smiled broadly, not able to help herself. "Come." The dragoness turned, and Kagome fell into step behind her, ignoring the glares boring into her back.
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The day wore on, and afternoon melded into a quiet evening that melted into an even quieter night. Sitting on the front stoop of Kotono's building much as she had been doing earlier that morning, Kagome marveled at what had happened in just two days. When she'd left her village, she hadn't truly expected to be accepted as a candidate, but here she was, not just a candidate, but one of the few who'd managed to make it through the first day; a staggering fifteen female youkai had been sent back to their homes, and only three candidates remained, including herself. 'He has to be toying with me,' she thought suddenly, apprehension and doubt curdling in her belly. 'He's only letting me get my hopes up to crush them in the end.' She shifted on the wooden platform, tucking one leg beneath her and resting her opposite foot on the step below her. A frown found its way onto her face, but she cleared it in frustration, pushing the pessimistic thoughts from her mind. 'Like Tanaka-sama used to say, "It doesn't benefit to worry about the future when the present is right in front of you."' The gentle sound of the shoji screen sliding open behind her pulled her out of her thoughts, and she turned to see Kotono stepping out, an ebony robe draped around her body. The dragoness smiled softly and lowered herself onto the wooden planks beside her, copying her position. "Are you alright?" Kagome nodded. "I just wanted to sit for a little while." Kotono hummed but said nothing, and Kagome glanced at her from the corner of her eye only to find the youkai looking up at the sky, a serene expression on her face. Following her gaze, Kagome took in the clear brilliance of the stars, twinkling in a dark velvet sky free of rain clouds. Kagome shifted, pulling her knees up to her chest and resting her chin against them, wrapping her arms securely around her legs as a cool breeze brushed against her cheeks. "I love when it's quiet like this," she remarked. Beside her, Kotono copied her position, and Kagome noted with a small touch of astonishment that her bare feet sported delicately clawed toes. "There have been many nights like this of recent years," the dragoness responded. Kagome turned to face her, resting her cheek against her knees and adjusting the hold she had around her legs. "It hasn't always been this way?" The dragoness once more mimicked her, eyes glowing a silvery-green in the moonlight. "No, little one." She paused, examined Kagome's face, and then went on, her voice a quiet murmur. "A very long time ago, the land was consumed by war and famine, and there wasn't a peacefully quiet night to be had; only the kind of quiet that makes a body nervous with anticipation." Her voice dropped. "The kind that makes a youkai prepare for battle." "You've fought." It came out as a statement instead of a question, because Kagome was suddenly fiercely aware of the ghost lurking in Kotono's gaze, clouding it with a darkness that didn't belong there. She had only seen that wisp of a shadow in the eyes of hardened soldiers, men who'd seen and caused too much death. "I have," Kotono responded. "Before I was Lord Sesshomaru's concubine, I was a general in my father's army." "Your father?" Kotono nodded, a tendril of deep violet hair dropping over her cheek. She pushed it back behind a pointed ear, markings glimmering in the moon's glow. "The Northern Lord, Ryukotsusei." The name was familiar, as though she might've heard it in passing, but Kagome pushed away the feeling, brushing off the searching look Kotono was giving her as well. "Did you like being a general?" The lady lifted a shoulder in a delicate shrug. "It pleased my father," she responded lightly, almost nonchalant. Kagome frowned, and as if sensing her train of thought, Kotono smiled gently. "But I did enjoy it, yes." Kagome nodded, and then tried to imagine the graceful dragoness in full battle regalia. She guessed that her armor must have been tinted a dark green to compliment her eyes, or maybe black to offset her coloring. 'She probably carried a sword,' Kagome reasoned, too lost in her thoughts to notice the figure approaching them. 'Or two, even. I'll bet she was one of the best warriors in her father's army.' "My lady?" Kagome's mental image dissolved at the voice, disappearing like fog before the warm rays of the sun. She lifted her head, and caught sight of a male youkai standing a respectful distance away, pale blonde hair highlighted with moonspun silver. "Yes, Shinji?" "My lord requests your presence," the male said, wide, pale blue eyes locking momentarily on Kagome's face before sliding back to Kotono and then down to a point at their feet. Kotono nodded. "Very well," she murmured, standing and brushing herself off despite the fact that the step, and therefore the silk, was clean. The youkai—Shinji, Kagome reminded herself—produced a pair of soft soled slippers from thin air, stooping as Kotono lifted one foot, then the other, and carefully placed them on her feet. "You had better go to bed, little one," Kotono murmured gently, emerald eyes glimmering serenely as she glanced at her over her shoulder, stepping gracefully from the platorm. "You wouldn't want to be tired tomorrow." Nodding in agreement, Kagome pushed herself to her feet and stepped into the building, watching Kotono walk away for a moment before closing the door. It was perhaps a few hours later when Kagome, stuck between the planes of sleep and wakefulness, became aware of a presence hovering over her. She thought she might have opened her eyes, might have seen a shadowy figure standing just a few feet away from her, but in the instant she thought she should get up, the sensation of being watched disappeared and she rolled over and slipped back into sleep.
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Kagome was curious, and had been so ever since that morning when, after her bath, Kotono had announced that there was someone she had to meet. Kotono could feel the miko's rising impatience pressing against her skin and see it growing in her companion's eyes with each passing second. Keeping her pace calm and deliberately unhurried, Kotono led Kagome across the grounds, her inner beast nearly giggling at the fidgety restraint the miko was trying to uphold. "Where are we going?" Kagome finally asked, the question bursting from her lips in a breathless, intensely curious inquiry. Glancing over at her, Kotono smiled. "Such an impatient little onna," she teased. "What if I told you that it's a surprise?" A pretty pout creased the miko's lips. "I don't like surprises," she responded, almost childishly crossing her arms over her chest. Kotono laughed, laying a hand on the miko's shoulder before continuing along the path. "You'll like it, I promise," she assured. Kagome was silent, though her reiki sparked in slight irritation, and Kotono allowed her mind to wander. 'There have been many who have come this far before and failed,' she thought grimly, remembering the hundreds of youkai who had, at one time or another, vied for a position as Lord Sesshomaru's concubine. 'They never understood why this was an important step, but Kagome...Kagome is different.' Almost as if to confirm her thoughts, the kami of chance dipped his fingers into their world, and as a youkai who maintained the grounds stepped aside to let them pass, his foot slipped from the raised platform and he stumbled a few steps backward, auburn tail swinging behind him. Kagome was checking on him in an instant, her reiki brushing over Kotono's senses like a comforting autumn breeze. The youkai, one of Lord Sesshomaru's few neko employees, carefully brushed away the tiny onna's concern. "It is of no consequence, Higurashi-sama," he murmured demurely, gaze averted. Kotono inwardly smirked, and Kagome cleared her throat, reiki snapping. "My name is Kagome," she corrected, shoulders back and gaze a little stern. The neko bowed deeply. "Of course, Kagome-sama." "Kagome-san," the miko corrected, smiling softly. "Just Kagome-san is fine, umm...?" Through his obvious shock, the youkai responded to the question in her voice with a quiet, "Iwasaki Ryôsuke," to which Kagome nodded cheerfully. "It's very nice to meet you, Ryôsuke-san," she responded, the bright smile on her lips reflected in the light, joyful caress of her reiki. Snapping himself out of his shock with a minuscule shake of the head, Ryôsuke bowed deeply, murmuring an apology to Kotono as they resumed their walk; the words were low enough that the miko didn't hear, and Kotono dismissed his statement with a small wave of her hand. Once she sensed that the neko had gone about his business, Kotono turned to Kagome with a smile. "You make friends easily, I see," she stated, causing a blush to appear on the miko's cheeks. "I didn't want to walk by without making sure he was alright," she responded, voice just a little defensive. Crooning in her throat to soothe whatever rift she'd caused, Kotono carefully led the onna off of their current walkway and onto a paved path. "I meant nothing by it," she assured, glancing down at the petite onna. "Your affable nature is a good thing." Instead of flattering her, the compliment embarrassed the petite miko, her cheeks tinting a deep pink. 'She is most assuredly interesting, if nothing else,' Kotono thought, amused by the young woman's personality. They strolled for a little while longer, and when they walked through the outer wall, Kagome stopped. "Umm...Kotono?" "Yes?" Kotono turned to look at her to see her gaze locked on the stone walls behind them. Realizing what she must have been thinking, Kotono smiled reassuringly. "My lord keeps some portions of his holdings outside the walls of the shiro," she explained, careful not to give away their destination. Kagome's mouth dropped into a perfect 'o', and she nodded her understanding, resuming their walk with no further goading. The scent of pine began to permeate the air, and Kotono slowed her pace to allow for the miko's lag, watching her observe the towering trees that rose up around them. Large blue eyes traced the thick trunks up to the wide limbs, and small feet crushed the thin pine leaves that had fallen, sending more of their soothing fragrance into the air. Eventually, they crossed into the gardens, the path splitting into two walkways that led into different parts of the elegantly planned space. "Oh, it's beautiful," Kagome breathed, eyes jumping from one spot to another. Finding pleasure in her awe, Kotono nodded and took the westernmost path. "My lord takes great pride in his gardens," she said, motioning as she spoke. "We are going to the portion reserved for entertainment," she continued, "but the other side is the kaiyu-shiki." The miko's eyes lit up even more at the mention of the latter. "Will I get to see it? I've never been in a strolling garden before." Her enthusiasm was refreshing, and Kotono couldn't help the chuckle that rose in her throat, nor could she stop the indulging impulse to comply with the onna's wishes. "Of course. Perhaps you and I could visit again later. For now..." Purposeully trailing off, she turned and continued, heading toward a vine covered pavilion, the floor of which was covered in large, comfortable pillows, their silk covers colored in bright shades of pinks and yellows. In the center of the pavilion, a slender figure stood and began to walk toward them, and Kagome stopped, glancing up with a question in her eyes. Knowing that the miko's thoughts were headed in the right direction, Kotono nodded lightly, turning toward the approaching young woman and flashing a smile. "Rin, I present Higurashi Kagome. Kagome, this is Rin."
Author's Note: I've decided to upload the chapters faster - two a day isn't going to be quick enough to get everything posted by the time next week's new chapter is ready for upload.
At any rate, thanks for reading, and I hope you enjoyed!
~Aubrey
