Encroaching Darkness

Kagome sat against a cushion that had been propped against a tree. She reveled in the warmth of the sun on her facing instead of wallowing in sorrow over her loss of sight. She enjoyed hearing Rin hum as the young girl planted seeds in Isamu’s garden.

“She is such a dear, is she not?” Kagome heard Michiko ask her.

“Hai. Rin-chan has always known how to make me smile. I don’t even have to see her to know that. Even her aura tells me how gentle and pure she is,” Kagome replied, and picked up one of the flowers that Rin had picked for her earlier.

“How is your back?” the demoness wondered.

It is much better. It is a bit sore, but not like it was eleven days ago. The cushion was a great idea and I guess it helps that you had a numbing herbal treatment there,” Kagome informed. “You will have to teach me how to make it.”

“Lord Sesshoumaru will be arriving tomorrow. He will be informed of Jaken’s poor treatment of you,” Michiko stated.

“I know, but Jaken was probably thinking that when Sesshoumaru meant to prepare a room, that it did not mean in a regular guess quarters,” Kagome tried to defend the kappa.

“You are naïve, Kagome. Jaken detests humans. Lord Sesshoumaru merely thinks of them as a hindrance, something below him to take notice. For him to offer to train you and house you in his ancestral home does not constitute throwing you in the dungeon and Jaken knows that. He did it on purpose. He probably did not think the blasted bear youkai would have mistreated you, but he definitely was not adhering to Lord Sesshoumaru’s request. Jaken cannot stand having Rin along and pushes her off onto Isamu and I. We love having her with us, but we have seen him pinch her and verbally degrade her constantly. Rin is the same as you, very naïve, but her only excuse is that she is still a child. Isamu has decided that Jaken must be reported,” Michiko explained, her voice full of conviction.

“I never thought of it that way. I had always thought that Jaken was always grumpy,” Kagome said, taking in Michiko’s words.

Kagome heard a rush of clothing coming in and looked over to recognize it as Isamu’s aura.

“Why are you in a rush, my mate?” Michiko asked.

“Lord Sesshoumaru has returned earlier and has requested for both his ward and Lady Kagome,” he stated. “Come, he wishes to see you immediately.”

“You must arrange for Lady Kagome to be escorted on a palanquin. She will not make it and if you carry her, you will jostle the wounds on her,” the inu demoness said sternly.
“Of course, my love,” Isamu agreed. “It has been done.”

Isamu bent down and scooped Kagome up carefully, cushions and all. Kagome winced a little, but she was not in too much pain as Michiko’s herbs had alleviated much of that problem. Rin followed behind, brushing her yukata from errant flower petals and leaves.

He escorted her to the front entrance of his home where there were four guards waiting around a navy covered palanquin that bore a white crescent moon on he fabric. Rin eagerly hopped in, and then Isamu carefully arranged Kagome inside of the palanquin. Satisfied once Kagome was comfortable, he lowered the curtain and signaled for his guards to pick up the contraption. The guards were quite careful in handling them, and Kagome did not feel even one jolt as they rushed their entourage to the Western Citadel.

“Can the miko not walk?” Kagome heard Sesshoumaru ask.

“I apologize my lord for you to find out this way, but Jaken had placed Lady Kagome in the dungeon. A guard brutalized her, and when I found out, I whisked her into my home for care. She is still healing, but she needs more time, hence why I had arranged this mode of transportation for her,” Isamu explained, and lifted the curtain.

Sesshoumaru looked upon Kagome and saw that she held some bruising on her face, but her attire covered the rest of her body, hindering him from assessing her injuries. He turned to Jaken, and found the kappa youkai shaking in fear.

“Did I not ask you to prepare a room for the miko, Jaken?” Sesshoumaru asked.

“Hai mi lord, you did,” Jaken replied meekly.

“Then why did you feel that she deserved to be placed where we put criminals and war prisoners when she was to be trained by this Sesshoumaru?” he pried further.

“She is the half-breed’s bitch. I only thought that she would be better there while you were gone so she would not destroy anything,” Jaken answered as innocently as he could.

“That is a pathetic excuse. I did not allow you to align yourself to my house just to be presumptuous of this Sesshoumaru’s intentions. You have disobeyed and thusly since you believe that a guest of this Sesshoumaru deserves to be placed in the dungeon, then there you will live,” the demon lord ordained.

“But mi lord, she is just a human. I have been your vassal for many years. You would do this to me?” Jaken cried out.

“Your words are a cry for desperation. This has not been the first act that you have gone against my will. Despite your intentions for the best of this Sesshoumaru, you have forgotten that I make the final word. Isamu, escort Jaken to his permanent home,” Sesshoumaru said, and then walked to the palanquin.
“You have been wronged, miko. You will want for nothing in this place anymore. Know that this Sesshoumaru did not encourage such behavior from the lowly Jaken. Every person in the citadel will know that you are to receive as much respect as if you were this Sesshoumaru,” he vowed.

“It is okay. You do not have to do all of that just for me,” Kagome replied. “I am just plain old Kagome. Your training is adequate enough.”

“You are too modest. I will bring you to a room so you may rest. I imagine Michiko has been taking care of you and will ask Isamu to have her remain your healer,” Sesshoumaru said, and then signaled the guards to pick up the palanquin once more and follow him.

Kagome really did not want Sesshoumaru to go all out for her. She knew he was honorable, but did not want to feel like he had to do everything in his power to make her comfortable after the incident with Jaken. She just wanted to train to become a better fighter and priestess. He had already agreed to help her with that even though she was blind.

The room he bestowed upon her was breathtaking, at least how Sesshoumaru describe its features. She was grateful for his consideration of her disability. There was a small welcoming chamber, then a hallway that led to the larger bedroom, and then had a small storage room and even a room built over an onsen. The bedroom was spacious, and had a large cushioned futon on the floor with many inviting pillows. It was done in white with tasteful, yet simplistic trim in the navy and gold house colors.

One of the guards helped Kagome out and onto her bed.

“I trust your accommodations look appealing, Lady Kagome?” Sesshoumaru asked.

“Hai, this is far more than I had imagined. Thank you for giving me a vivid imagine of my room with your words. I almost did not think you were the demon lord I have come to know. Are you sure, Sesshoumaru? Do I really deserve it?” she asked hesitantly.

“Do not be ridiculous. It is far less than you deserve. I will send in a seamstress to make you attire for court, practice, and even travel. I apologize, but I must go for now. I will have you summoned to partake an evening meal with this Sesshoumaru,” he said, and then turned.

The guards also left the room, and Kagome lay back onto the cushions, enjoying their softness. No sooner that they had left, Rin came bouncing into the room.

“Ooh, Kagome-chan got a very nice set of rooms!” Rin exclaimed, and then jumped onto the bed.

Fortunate for Kagome, the bed was large enough so that she was not jostled too much.

“Rin, settle down. I am sure Sesshoumaru would not want you to be jumping on anyone’s bed. Perhaps we can find something to do around here. I am not familiar with the citadel like you are. Do you know anything we can do?” Kagome wondered.

“Well, Rin has those crowns that you gave her. Maybe we can draw?” she said.

Kagome laughed at her cute pronunciation and replied, “It is ‘crayons’. Cray ons. Yeah, sounds like a good idea. I will wait here while you go get them.”

“Ok, Rin will go get paper and cray ons,” Rin said and zipped out of the room.

When Rin returned, pulled a table over.

“Rin has returned. Here you go Kagome-chan. Pick a color,” she beckoned.

Kagome did not want to make Rin sad, but she reminded her, “Remember Rin-chan, I cannot see. Perhaps you should draw and then when you are done, you can tell me about the picture. I will do my best to imagine it so I can enjoy it.”

“Rin is sorry that she forgot that Kagome-chan was blind,” Rin said, and then hugged Kagome lightly.

Kagome patted the girl’s head.

“It is okay. Hopefully sooner than later I can see, and then we can draw together,” Kagome smiled.

Kagome’s mind wandered a while, going over the way Sesshoumaru sounded more softer than she had every heard. Was it because of her disability? Was it because of the beating she had gotten by his guards? She would have been happy in a mediocre room, but from Sesshoumaru’s description, it almost sounded royal.

“What room is this, Rin-chan?” Kagome asked off-handedly.

“Sesshoumaru-sama put you in the Lady of the West’s room, the best room in the citadel, except for my lord’s own chambers,” the boisterous girl replied, her crayon dancing over her drawing page.

“Why this room?” Kagome asked.

“So that you are protected? Why else, Kagome-sama?” Rin-chan said her voice sounding confused.

‘Well, I feel kind of dumb asking that. It makes total sense,’ she thought, giving herself a mental slap.

“Nevermind, Rin-chan. I just have never known Sesshoumaru like you have,” Kagome explained.

Rin accepted the answer, grabbed Kagome’s hand, and then said, “I am done with my drawing. I will explain it for you. Here is a picture of Sesshoumaru-sama standing underneath a tree. He is watching us pick flowers.”

Rin directed Kagome’s hands over the drawing. Although Kagome could not see, she could imagine the picture. She tried to feel the wax on the page, but it did not give her much help.

“It sounds lovely,” Kagome answered with a smile.

“I will keep it safe. When you can see again, I will show it to you,” Rin assured her. “Oh, Michiko is here. I better go so she can take care of you.”

Kagome could hear the girl skip out of the room, the drawing flapping along with her movements.

“Well, you are back earlier than expected,” Kagome said teasingly.

“Maybe I should go so you can miss me more, little miko?” Michiko teased back. “I am not here for taking care of your back for the moment. I need to explain what has occurred.”

“What do you mean by that?” Kagome asked nervously, not sure where the conversation was heading.

“Jaken has dishonored a female under Sesshoumaru’s care. We take care of our females as there are not many and we youkai do not produce in quantity as we use to. That has to do with the expansion of humans. However, that is beside the point right now. You were brought here under his protection and to be given training that only youkai of the highest honor are to be bestowed. For you to be given such a privilege means that you are very important to the Western Domain, especially since you are ningen. The wrong Jaken has done has made Sesshoumaru to right it by giving you the highest honor next to his own,” the inu demoness explained.

“What does that mean?” she panicked, not exactly knowing the full implication Michiko’s words.

She then felt Sesshoumaru enter the room and looked to him with confusion.

“It means that you are the Lady of the West, Lady Kagome,” Sesshoumaru said, finishing Michiko’s explanation.