As A Courtesan

Previously…

"Kagome, what is your father's name?" Naraku questioned quickly.

Kagome looked confused at first, "Ken Higurashi, why do you

ask?"

Naraku felt his blood grow cold, 'Higurashi...' By the

orders of his father, He must kill all members of the Higurashi

family.

Present…

"Naraku-sama, you seem pale, is

something the matter?" Kagome reached over and grasped his hands gently.

Naraku shook out of his daze and smiled softly for Kagome.

"No, I'm

fine" the small group continued to chatter away about childhood friends

and pastimes. When it was Naraku's turn he spoke very little. "Ney*,

Naraku-sama, what about you? I'm sure you've had several happy moments at

least?" Kagome urged her newfound friend to tell Sango and herself a

story. Naraku closed his eyes, nothing. He furrowed his eyes and tried

again this time, his head was struck with pain. He clawed his hands into

the skin of his head, drawing tiny beads of blood.

"Naraku-sama!"

Kagome ushered over to help Naraku. He instinctively bent over, leaning

onto Kagome's lap. "Naraku-sama, you must let go of your hand for me to

help you," Kagome gently pried his hands away from his head and she began

a series of massages over his temples, his forehead and around his skull.

Naraku closed his eyes and sighed in peace as Kagome's administrations

eased the pain greatly.

Sango sat by dumbfounded at what little

massages can do with pain. 'I've got to ask Kagome to teach me that

later,' Sango scooted closer to Kagome and glanced curiously at the

movements of her hand, " so graceful" she mumbled.

Kagome looked up

and blushed, "Sango-chan, can you do me a favor?" Sango nodded and stood

up waiting for her friend's orders. After all, she is now her personal

servant and she would have it no other way. "Can you bring me a small

basin with warm water, a small cloth and a hair brush, please?" Sango

looked at Kagome curiously and nodded and quickly strolled away to retrieve

the items.

After a few moments of silence, Sango came back holding a

bronze basin with an ivory colored cloth and a hairbrush tucked under her

arm.

"Kagome, I have to help in the kitchen and prepare for tonight

's dinner. Will you be fine alone?" Sango asked as she set the basin in

front of them. Kagome nodded and smiled softly at Sango.

"I will be

fine, Sango-chan" Sango nodded and left without another word leaving

Kagome and a slightly napping Naraku in the comfortable silence. Kagome

reached over the basin and dipped the cloth in the lukewarm water.

'Amazing, even the wash cloths in the palace are made out of silk' Kagome

marveled at how one lord can be so wealthy. She squeezed the excess water

out and slowly began cleaning his face.

Naraku sat up abruptly and

stared at Kagome in shock, "What are you doing?" Kagome giggled.

"

Stay still Naraku-sama, I was merely cleaning your face, now come closer,"

she bid. For some odd reason, Naraku obeyed and sat obediently in front of

Kagome. Kagome reached over the basin once more and dipped the cloth in to

begin washing Naraku's face.

"My Naraku-sama, your skin is very

beautiful without all the dirt," Kagome giggled. He looked down and

blushed, "My sister tells me what to do. It's as if I live to serve her.

" Kagome furrowed her eyebrows.

"No one lives to serve. You only

serve if you allow her to control you, Naraku-sama you have your own life

as well, and your sister has her own. She can't control you if you don't

let her," Kagome smiled as she finished cleaning his face. It was several

shades lighter and the water in the basin seems somewhat darker. "Turn

around, I wish to brush your hair," Naraku did as he was told. Kagome ran

her hands through his hair and marveled at their softness. They sat in

silence as Kagome brushed the knots and tangles away, leaving that once

wild hair and evolved into soft waves of dark ebony hair that shone

brightly in the sun.

Kagome motioned for Naraku to sit in front of

the pond; Naraku glanced down at his reflection and was in disbelief. "Is

this really me?" he touched his cheeks and hair, 'After all this time, my

sister is the one who made everyone fear me…'

"This is you Naraku

-sama. This is who you really are, gentle and kind" Kagome put her hands

on his shoulder, "Let no one control you, live your own life as you deem

fit." Kagome smiled. Naraku closed his eyes and he felt overwhelmed, 'I'

ve met an angel…'

Naraku shot up from his crouching position and

shielded Kagome from what he detected as an arrow. Kagome turned around in

time to see the arrow glow with purification power and shoved Naraku away

from danger.

A cry of pain sounded through the palace as Kagome

dropped to her knees clutching her shoulder. Naraku raced toward the

direction of the arrow but the intruder already left. Naraku squinted his

eyes at the only source of evidence, a strand of crimson hair blowing

softly in the wind. 'There's only one being in Japan who have this color

hair…' Naraku tucked the hair in his robes and sped to where Kagome laid

in pain.

Sesshoumaru jumped from

his balcony in lightning speed after hearing a feminine scream, 'Kagome'

he prayed inwardly she was safe.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at

Naraku as he saw him help Kagome up.

"Naraku, unhand her,"

Sesshoumaru landed several feet away from them. Kagome looked up through a

cloud of pain, "Sesshoumaru-sama" she whispered weakly. Sesshoumaru's

heart skipped another beat as he noticed the arrow embedded in her

shoulder.

"No, she needs to treat her wounds right away," Naraku

motioned for Kagome to stand up slowly. Sesshoumaru growled as Naraku

disobeyed his orders and continued to lay his hand on Kagome.

"You

are unfit to protect her, leave NOW" Sesshoumaru roared at the intruding

male, crimson seeping into his eyes and his golden pupil dilated to a blue

haze. Naraku narrowed his eyes at Sesshoumaru and gently laid Kagome on the

soft grass.

"You, are unfit to protect her as well, Sesshoumaru-sama

" Naraku flexed his claws.

"Is that a challenge?" Sesshoumaru

smirked and continued, "You are of no challenge to this Sesshoumaru, Leave

NOW." Naraku lunged at Sesshoumaru and both stopped their advances as

another voice broke out in the garden.

"You both are unfit to

protect the ones you care about," Inu Taishou lifted Kagome in his arms

carefully and walked out of the scene leaving two very unhappy

youkai.

Inu Taishou sighed as he took another glance at the two grown

pups and sped off to the infirmary. Inu Taishou barged into the room and

settled Kagome on the soft futon.

"Yuna, where are you?" a demoness

with rich brown hair and silver eyes entered the room.

"Inu Taishou

-sama" Yuna bowed respectfully at her lord, "How may I help you?" Inu

Taishou rolled his eyes, "Enough with the greetings, save this girl. She

was struck by an arrow," the Lord sat around the futon.

Yuna

examined the wound carefully when Sesshoumaru and Naraku barged in. Yuna

ignored them and continued to study the wound once more.

"Father,

this Sesshoumaru shall take charge," Sesshoumaru bowed to his

father

"Over my dead body, you failed to protect her Sesshoumaru!"

Naraku growled threatenly at the Inu. Sesshoumaru growled back in annoyance

when his father interrupted again.

"You both, are unfit to protect

her. If you can not ignore your challenges and attempt to save the ones you

love, I doubt you both are ready to ascend the throne," the two younger

youkai bowed their heads in shame and embarrassment.

"Inu Taishou-

sama, the arrow head seem to have been poisoned," Yuna concluded and

reached over to her medicine cabinet.

"What kind of poison is it?"

Naraku interrupted.

"Human" Sesshoumaru answered for Yuna. Yuna

nodded and continue to search for her antidote.

"How is that

possible? The purification arrow was directed to me," Naraku questioned

out loud.

"You knew of this arrow and you did not remove her from

harm?" Sesshoumaru growled dangerously. Naraku was about to reply when

soft coughing sounded in the room.

"He's telling the truth,

Sesshoumaru-sama," Kagome coughed violently, "I noticed it was a

purification arrow and I had to save him." Sesshoumaru bent over the futon

and grasped her hand in his.

"This Sesshoumaru apologize, we were

unable to protect you" Sesshoumaru kissed her knuckles softly. Naraku and

Inu Taishou, and Yuna stared in shock at the display of emotion from

Sesshoumaru. Yuna returned from her medicine cabinet bearing awful

news.

Yuna bowed lowly, "I apologize my lords, for I have not the

antidote to this rare poison."

Naraku ripped a low and dangerous

growl from his throat and sped off to the being he knew did this. Inu

Taishou gave no thought about Naraku and questioned Yuna.

"What

ingredients are needed for the antidote?"

"Unknown" Yuna bowed

lowly once more, "I am afraid, I have no power to save her."

Inu

Taishou sighed, Sesshoumaru clutched onto Kagome's hand, "Kagome…" he

whispered. Kagome opened her eyes slowly and smiled painfully at

Sesshoumaru.

"I'll be fine…" Kagome drifted into unconsciousness.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against her hands. "We

can not lose you…"

Inu Taishou smiled softly at the display before

him, 'I have not seen my son bear any emotion since his mother died, I don

't want him to lose that… there must be something I can do.' After

several thoughts in silence, the Lord's eyes widen in realization.

"Yuna!" she appeared into the room once more, "human poison is weak

compared to pure bred youkai poison, prepare a concoction for it

immediately." Yuna caught on and grabbed several herbs from the shelf and

a pestle and mortar and crushed the herbs into a soft paste. She placed the

paste in a porcelain cup and returned to her lord.

"Sesshoumaru, she

will need your poison," Inu Taishou ordered. Sesshoumaru shook his

head.

"No." Sesshoumaru shook his head, "What if my poison is too

strong for her body to handle, she could die" Inu Taishou narrowed his

eyes, "Out of all those time to be fearful, you choose now? Sesshoumaru if

we don't try, she WILL die!" the Lord grasped Sesshoumaru by his kimono

color and hauled him up.

Sesshoumaru glanced down on Kagome's face.

Her face was paling by the minute; her fingernails began to tint purple and

the wound touching the arrow discolored into dark purple. Sesshoumaru

sighed, "Yuna, how much do you need?" Inu Taishou released his son and

patted him on the back, "She will be fine."

"Three drops" Yuna

stretched her hand with the cup in her hands and motioned for him to

proceed. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and focused carefully in liquidating

his poison. Three drops of his youkai poison dripped from his

forefinger.

"Thank You" Yuna bowed and swirled the cup, gently

mixing the paste and poison together. She placed the cup aside and motioned

for Sesshoumaru to come.

"My Prince, I need you to remove this

arrow," Sesshoumaru nodded and unnoticeably gulped. He bent down on his

knees with Kagome on the futon in front of him. "Kagome, stay with us…"

He grasped the arrow shaft gently and Kagome cried out in pain. Sesshoumaru

released his hands, "Father we can not do it, even the slightest touch

pains her," Sesshoumaru turned his eyes away from Kagome.

"Whelp,

if you wish to ascend the throne, prove to me you are not weak and you can

protect the ones you love," Inu Taishou backhanded his son's face and

regret was written all over it, 'my son, you must snap out of this idiotic

self pity… I regret hitting you but this is the only way.'

Sesshoumaru's eyes widen, "Father you-" he started to growl but

stopped and realized what his father has done, "Thank you, Father."

Sesshoumaru declined his head slight and turned to retrieve the arrow from

Kagome's shoulder. Sesshoumaru bent over and gave a gentle kiss on her

forehead, "We are sorry for your pain" Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and

took a deep breath.

He clasped his hand around the arrow shaft once

more, and tried to drown out Kagome's cry of pain. With one sharp tug, the

arrow was released from her body. Kagome's loud scream echoed through the

palace as black blood poured out from the arrow wound. Sesshoumaru closed

his eyes in pain as stench of poisoned blood invaded his and his father's

senses. He walked over to the other side of the futon and took Kagome's

hand in this.

"Yuna, apply the paste" Inu Taishou commanded. Yuna

shook her head.

"What is the meaning of this?" Sesshoumaru glanced

as Yuna smeared the poisoned blood on her fingers.

"The poison has

progressed too far, this concoction will not save her, however it'll ease

her pain and slower the poison from spreading. From what this blood

indicates, the poison has spread near her lungs," Yuna winced when Kagome

cried out as she applied the paste on the wound. "I predict, she will not

live until tomorrow." Yuna bowed her head in sadness,

"I've done

all I can milord, I'm sorry."

"KAGAI!" Naraku roared into the room in which his sister resides in. Kagi

smirked and walked out behind the changing screen.

"What's wrong

brother dear?" she asked innocently. Naraku growled and grasped her wrists

roughly.

"What poison was it?" he grounded out.

"I have no

idea what you're talking about brother," Kagai lied and smirked into his

eyes.

"Give me the antidote, I KNOW you have it" Kagai frowned.

"Brother, cease your yelling. I am your superior." Kagai walked over to

the dresser and pulled out a large decorated box.

"You have failed

me brother, you have befriended the whore-" Kagai was cut short from

Naraku's outburst.

"She is no whore, sister the only whore in this

palace is you!" Naraku growled out, but soon regretted it. Kagai

shifted around gracefully on her chair, with a sadist smirk on her

face.

"Brother, you have not denied me in centuries, perhaps the

whore put you under a spell, I can fix that" Kagai stood up and

opened the decorated wooden box and withdrew a large whip with thorns.

Naraku stood in fear and he knew what came next. Kagai grabbed another

piece from her box, a long rope that glowed with dark magic.

"Brother, stand by the futon's post" Kagai commanded. He obeyed out of

fear, deciding it was best not to anger her more. He waited as she tied the

dark rope around his wrists and onto the post.

"Now now brother, you

should not have disobeyed me, you know what I can do" Kagai smirked and

lifted her whip above her head and hauled it down on her brother's back.

The whip crackled with dark magic and tore off the kimono on Naraku's

back. The rope crackled in dark power as the whip made contact with his

back. Naraku groaned in pain as he felt lash after lash mar his back. 'I

have to stay strong…'

"Sister, I need the antidote…" Kagai

narrowed her eyes dangerously and crackled, "Brother, if you want that

antidote, survive fifty of my whips and I'll give it to you."

Naraku braced himself for the next fifty impacts, 'no one survived

twenty of sister's deadly whips, but I shall, for Kagome…'

.

.

.