Handcuffed by Aumi

The Jewel

Hello again everyone. Ive decieded to post another one of my babies on here for your enjoyment. Let me know how you like it.

All comments and reviews are greatly Appreciated.

note:2/7/16 I am aware of the few gramatical errors. Majority of my writing is done on my Ipad mini, so its a little difficult to notice everything. I am aware that there are mistakes. I am planning on fixing everything on my laptop, eventually.  So, please bare with me. 

Thank Guys. 

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Sesshomaru found his brother’s index finger pointing in his face, far too close. The attempt at intimidation had the opposite of its intended effect. He wanted nothing more than to remove the digit from the offending hand. With effort, he controlled the simmering anger.

“Your life of comfort has made you greedy. You think of nothing but grasping everything you can get. Or perhaps you seek to revenge yourself for some imagined slight. There is no reason for your jealousy, little brother“

InuYasha felt a pang at Sesshomaru’s sarcastic use of the endearment.  InuYasha had once called him ‘big brother’ under very different circumstances.

“Thank you for explaining” he said to his brother in a cordial tone. “ I will take your opinion under advisement“

To his credit, Sesshomaru did not fire a parting shot at his brother. Instead, the Ruler of the West simply strode off from where they were standing to join the rest of the party.

The reception likely were buzzing with the news that the estranged brothers had spoken, and InuYasha had walked away from the encounter looking thunderous.

He smiled to himself. Let the talk. Let them spread the news that they spoke. The lord of the west will not be intimidated.

Would their conversation result in InuYasha having more troops along the border that separates their lands? Then Sesshomaru would respond with double that number.

Sesshomaru strode to where a slip of a person hid behind a magnificent potted plant. Ah yes, time to deal with the other blight on a perfect night. Miss Kagome Higurashi, the one woman in the world who did not like him.

“You may come out now” he told the woman.

“Unless you have not listened to you fill. But, I doubt you will hear any more intriguing conversations out here tonight”

The woman emerged from her hiding spot, her head bent low, lifting the skirt of her autumn foliage pattern Houmongi to take hesitant steps.

Moonlight glinted off shiny hair the color as black as night. The locks swept up on her head in a complicated twist, leaving her neck bare. Her brows drew together.

“Uh” her low, feminine voice reminding him of a whisper “Sorry, I got stuck back there”

She smelled of warm lavender, he noted. Every other woman at the party wore an excess amount expensive scent that annoyed his sensitive Inu Youkai nose. But not Akira Higurashi’s bastard daughter. Hers was subtle, warm, calming, and inviting; Sesshomaru decided her scent was also annoying.

“Certainly, I imagine getting stuck often happens to spies” He adjusted the length of his Kimono.  A man should care how he dressed.

There had been a time in his life when he had worn dirty clothes. He would never do it again.

Kagome’s face became carefully blank. No doubt in an attempt to convince him of her sincerity. “I can see how you would think I was listening in, but it’s not true. I’m sorry you got that impression”

“and what impression should I have gotten?” he asked.

“Right” she snapped her fingers in a casual gesture he hadn’t seen before. Confusing. The few times that he had glimpse of her she seemed to him as nothing more than a wealthy business mans poised and self-assured daughter, albeit one who subtly disliked him.

She fumbled in her tiny purse, searching for something. He waited patiently. White teeth bit into her full, scarlet-painted bottom lip. In all in dealing with Higurashi, it wasn’t until two summers ago he had learned of a mysterious daughter. All she had ever done was stand behind her father and look lovely.  With the new development Sesshomaru had some investigation done on her. She was not the daughter of Akira’s late wife, but a long-ago mistress. She had come into her father’s care after the passing of her mother and the pillaging of her village.  That was 10 years ago all together.

The dichotomy of her life served to illustrate what he had learned at a very young age when he sent to the island village of Izena. All beings have two faces. One they show to the world, and the other they keep in secret. People’s lives were full of lies. No one could be trusted. Miss Higurashi was a liar, like her father, like his own brother. Sesshomaru had long since stopped feeling guilty about his own lies, the ones of his past, and the ones he was about to commit.

When she drew a handful of what seemed like endless tissue from her purse, he noticed a tiny scarlet tinge of lip coloring on her front tooth. Should he make her aware of the stain? He decided not. Looking after her was not his responsibility.

“I was trying to catch you alone” she told him, smiling and unwittingly displaying her stained tooth. “I found something of yours in my room”

She offered the wad of paper. He hesitated to take the mass of paper from her, but as soon as it crossed his hands the weight intrigued him. He was holding something with weight.

He pulled back the layers of paper to reveal a treasure. A treasure stolen from him, specifically. His entire body tensed at the sight of the dark jewel.

The heart of the West. A roughly cut ruby redder than any shade of lipstick.

As he pulled back the paper to reveal more, a think gold chain.

The heart had been stolen from his home a month earlier. He had used all his power at his disposal to keep the news of the theft of the famous jewel from spreading.

Now, Here it was. Kagome Higurashi had restored the heart to him. What did she intend to extort in return?

“Okay, Well, anyways I can see you’re glad to have our ruby again. I’ll be taking my leave”

Before she could take a step, Sesshomaru manacled his hand around her wrist. Amber eyes narrowed in fury

“Every inch of my palace was searched many time over. Tell me the truth, Girl” he demanded.

Kagome eyes widened as her heart raced then sat her scarlet mouth in a straight line. “I told you, I found it in my room”

He could hear the slight tremor in her voice as she spoke, each word trying to sound strong and precise. She had practice her lie more than once.

“A room that had been searched thoroughly. I can tell you did not steal the jewel, but you are lying. And not very well”  He considered her lack of skill to be her greatest sin. She was a terrible liar, as if she did not even care to try. “Why? Who are you protecting?”

She sighed, another gesture that clashed with her title.

“Crap. Okay maybe I didn’t find your stuff in my room. But your property is being returned to you, so-“  She gave her arm a sudden twist, wrenching her wrist out of his grip.  He noticed, that she did not slip out of his grip through strength. She twisted against the weak point of his grip, where his fingers came together. A clever tactic She had received some self-defense training, he was certain.

“Please, lets move on from this” she pleaded as she bowed.

Someone have her the Heart, of course. But Who? He took a sniff her scent. It was no good, she had been interacting with many different people this night. She must be protecting whoever had stolen the necklace.

“Sometimes good people do bad things out of desperation and then later regret it”

He considered her words. “So one of my staff took the opportunity to steal my property due to financial need.”

Even in the moon light her saw the blush creeping up her face. “I never said that.” Kagome reached out to him and laid her hand on his arm. Sesshomaru recognized the tactic inherent in a woman touching a man she wanted something from, but for some reason, the action did not annoy him as usual.  “I am asking you to take what I say at face value. I found the heart in my room. Please trust me”

Sesshomaru scuffed at her “In my experience, people who ask you to rust them are least likely to be worthy of trust”

She smiled too broadly, showing the red stain on her tooth again.

Then he thought about it. She could have easily taken off with his jewel. But she didn’t, she came to return it to him.  Her naïveté was annoying. How had she managed to reach the age of twenty-one without seeing the error of her ways, but he suspected that she would soon learn an expensive and pain full lesson .

“I will grant your request”

Kagome smiled even brighter. “Thank you so much, I appreciate your mercy more than you know”

He nodded. Their transaction was complete, he watched as she began to make her way towards her father and other acquaintances

“Wait” he ordered.

Kagome turned giving him a quizzical, almost confused look. Sesshomaru removed a perfectly folded square silk from his sleeve and offered the fabric to her.

“You have something on your tooth”

Kagome flushed. 

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SO, What do you think? please let me know.

Next Chapter: With you