In His Arms

All previous disclaimers apply.


“Kagome!” Kagome was surprised when the door to the bathing room was thrown open as she sat in the bath, playing in the warm water with Rin. Over the past two months she had become accustomed to life in Nishi. Every morning she would wake up and take breakfast with the other concubines, most of whom had become her good friends in a very short period of time. Leiko, on the other hand, was another story. The haughty concubine had kept her distance from Kagome, swearing that she could not be in the same room with the miko who stank like the human scum she was. Most of the time Kagome just considered it a blessing, because all of the others had told her that this was the way Leiko always behaved with the rest of them as well. Kaida was a low class village rat. Hoshiko was an old granny who could never hope to entice a man into her bed even if she offered to pay him. There was something wrong with all of them when it came to Leiko. But, she had never before refused to stay in a room they were in. They all thanked Kagome often for being human if it meant that they did not have to deal with Leiko. Kagome had absolutely no idea what she did with her time when she was never in the gardens or touring the courtyards with the rest of them.

Often, Rin would join her at breakfast, sitting on her lap as they all ate, opening her mouth sweetly when Kagome said that she needed to eat, too. If she did not have lessons in the day Rin would spend the entire day in Kagome’s company, sitting and listening or watching as Kagome did her own lessons. Shortly after noon meal, during Kaida’s lessons to Kagome, she would lay her head in Kagome’s lap and fall fast asleep as Kagome listened to Kaida and stroked her hair. After her nap they would bathe together, often for nearly an hour. After they were both clean it was more play than anything else, but neither Kagome nor Rin would have missed it. The others were happy to see the hollows in Kagome’s cheeks filling in. The shadows in her eyes, while not completely gone, were greatly diminished.

Kagome still saw much of Miyuki. The kitsune general would often join her for evening meal and they would speak for hours like good friends. Miyuki spoke openly about her love for Paru and how hard life had been in Nishi for such a very long time. Kagome often told her tales of hunting for jewel shards. Miyuki noticed that she never mentioned Sesshomaru’s brother’s name, preferring just to call him ‘he’ or ‘Lord Sesshomaru’s brother.’ Miyuki had made it a point to Aiko to ask Kagome about it. The courtesan had come to her saying that she had been unable to get any information out of Kagome at all. He, her friends, and the child she had lost were closed topics to anyone. Kagome simply would not speak on them. So, Miyuki had learned to let it go. She was willing to do so only because Kagome had regained so much of the spirit that had always seemed to fascinate Sesshomaru in the past. She was often outspoken, and infuriating, but she was so dear that no one could remain angry at her for long.

Life had settled into a wonderful pattern that satisfied Kagome very much, even as she was forbidden from leaving the castle grounds, which angered her. It was just until Sesshomaru returned and officially named her his favored, Miyuki assured her often. She felt it was a little unusual that Kagome would have taken to her new position so well and so soon after seeing Rin again until she realized one day that Kagome had simply made a choice to block out everything unpleasant from her mind. She had not truly mourned the loss of her friends, nor her child. She was just simply covering up grief with new activity and learning. Miyuki, as well as the other courtesans, knew that she would not be able to continue in such a manner before everything would come to the surface. They just prayed that someone would be able to catch her when she allowed herself to remember and fell into mourning.

“Cho!” Kagome called out to her friend who had rushed into the bathing room, “Come to join us?”

“No,” Cho giggled, “Though a bath sounds wonderful. I came to give you news. You’re to join Kaida in your new rooms right after your bath. She has a few last minute lessons and instructions for you.”

“Last minute lessons?” Cho watched as the color drained from Kagome’s face even as realization dawned in her eyes.

“Lord Sesshomaru arrived just a few moments ago,” Cho said, more subdued, as she helped Kagome out of the bath and turned to briskly dry Rin, “He has requested that you be ready for him tonight. Mistress Rin, you had better go get dressed and meet him, don’t you think?”

“Kagome-lady,” Rin ran to Kagome and hugged her around her middle. Kagome smoothed her hand over Rin’s hair absent-mindedly, “Lord Sesshomaru is home!”

“Yes, darling,” Kagome murmured, “Go see him. I have so much to do today. I’ll see you tomorrow for breakfast.”

“Tomorrow I have lessons day, Kagome-lady.” Rin made a sour face.

“Of course,” Kagome attempted a small laugh, “How could I have forgotten? The day after then.”

With a small giggle, Rin wrapped her small kimono haphazardly around herself, jumped up and down on her toes as Cho made her stop for a moment so that she could straighten it, then ran off as fast as her legs could carry her when Cho let her go with a small kiss to her head. When Rin had closed the door, Kagome slid to her knees.

“Oh, little sister!” Cho ran to her and wrapped her in her arms, “Do not be frightened. Lord Sesshomaru is a very good lover. He will not hurt you!”

“I am not frightened, Cho. I just . . . I am a miko, Cho. And I am about to become the favored courtesan of a taiyokai. And I was . . .”

“There you are, human bitch!” Leiko came storming into the bathing room, followed by the others, save for Kaida who was waiting in Kagome’s rooms, trying to hold her back, “He always spends his homecomings with me! I will not let you take him away! You dirty blooded, ignorant minded . . .” Before any of them knew what she was doing Leiko had knelt and stuck her hand between Kagome’s legs. Kagome gasped as strong, unforgiving fingers pushed deep inside of her roughly. Leiko smirked, “You aren’t even pure. Who knows how many you’ve spread your legs for? How many, little miko?”

“Just one,” Kagome sneered back, acting stronger than she felt, “Lord Sesshomaru’s brother. Are you angry, Leiko, that I could attract them both where you fail to keep the attention of even one?”

Leiko pulled back her hand to strike, but Etsu grabbed it, “I wouldn’t. She is the favored, Leiko. And the streets of Nishi are not kind to a disgraced woman.”

Leiko growled at them all and bared her teeth, then stormed out of the room. The others made a general fuss over Kagome as they always did and pretended not to notice her silence as they led her to her rooms. Kaida had decorated everything beautifully so that it glowed in the light of the sun and the glow could be recreated with candles. The best futons were out, the best feather beds. Kagome sat in the middle where Kaida motioned without a sound.

“He has asked that you be ready for him. There will be none of the sweet seduction we have been talking about, little sister. He will most likely offer you the position. Accept with grace, humility, and thanks. Bow when he first addresses you. Rise when he tells you, but do not look him in the eyes until the offer has been made and you are making love. He is a generous lover, little sister. Do not worry.”

“No,” Kagome attempted a small smile, “No, I will not worry. I am his to do with as he pleases.”

Kagome felt numb as Kaida helped her rub down with sweet smelling oils, then left her sitting in the middle of the room, stark naked, just as the sun was setting. She gave Kagome and encouraging smile as she lit the candles and left the room. For a time, Kagome waited, until it was finally too much to simply sit in the silence. So, she grabbed her brush from the low vanity and began to run it through her hair. She did not even realize when the door slid open and then closed. She didn’t even know she was not alone in the room until she heard his voice.

“I see you are ready for me, Miko.”

Kagome paused, put her brush to the side, moved her long hair so that sections of it covered her breasts, turned to him, and bowed, her forehead almost to the floor.

“Welcome home, my lord.”

Author’s note: What happened to the others still won’t be revealed for a while. I want to establish Kagome’s position in Sesshomaru’s castle and his life before that happens. So, those of you who have asked about it, it is coming, I promise, it’ll just be a little while longer. I hope the story can keep you entertained until then! Thanks so much.