The quiet of the land brings peace to my soul as I sit relaxed against a cherry blossom tree in meditation. I can feel the vibrations of running feet across the ground under me and calmly wait. Soon the steps come to a stop a little to the left of my and to the front. I open my eyes to see my friend and servant, Sango, standing there breathing heavily. I smile at her and climb to my feet dusting off my kimono. I hand her my water skin from my side. She takes it with a nod of thanks before tipping it back to take a quick drink. With a sigh, she stops drinking and holds the skin out for me to take again.
"I am sorry for the intrusion on your meditation Hime-sama, but your father has requested your presence in his study," she tells me in a quiet tone of voice.
"Thank you Sango," I say with a smile before giving out a shrill whistle.
The sound of flapping wings announces the approach of my dragon, Seriyu. She quickly comes into view and her light blue scales and almost white wings glisten in the sun light off the slight beads of water making her look almost ethereal. She lands a few feet away from me and gently rubs her head along my left hip. My clothing gets a little wet from her wet scales.
"Went for a swim did you, Seriyu," I ask with a giggle petting her head with a smile.
She nods with a growl of agreement as she turns to allow me to climb into her saddle. I pull myself up into the saddle and then reach my hand out to pull Sango up behind me. A few seconds after we have settled, Seriyu opens her wings and leaps into the air flapping her wings to gain altitude. Sango squeaks and grabs ahold of my tail as Seriyu dips and tight turns for fun. I just laugh and smile widely. I have always enjoyed flight. It takes about five minutes for us to arrive back at the Eastern Castle. Seriyu lightly lands on the ground near a group of mysterious demon horses. They look well cared for that it is most likely a demon noble here on a visit.
“My lady, here is a gown for you to change into. I must warn you that your father has high noble guests with him,” Sango warns me bowing her head as she hands me a package.
I nod my head in thanks before heading to one of the small changing room near father’s study which were conveniently placed for instances like this. I open the package and see that it contains a twelve layer kimono that starts black and develops more cherry blossoms with each further out layer. The kimono also has a furisode. There is a cherry blossom hair ornament and white slippers. There is also a black war fan with cherry blossoms across the cloth pattern. I sigh in annoyance as I hate wearing so many layers of a kimono. I hurry to dress and make sure each layer is smooth and tightly tied for a thin waist. The obi is light silver with cherry blossoms along the bottom of it. I tie my hair up in a tight bun securing it with the ornament and let a few strands of my hair frame my face. I reach for the slippers and my hand rubs against a small container. I open it to see some face paint and kohl.
“Really father for what reason am I going to be fully decorated,” I whisper staring at the paint and kohl.
Once I have finished preparing myself, I look at myself in the mirror and sigh. My tail is hanging over my shoulder. I hurry a couple of doors down to father’s study. I kneel by the door and lightly rap on the door bowing my head.
“Enter,” my father commands with a slight hint of agitation.
I gently slide the door open and slide myself into the room before closing it back behind me. I turn around and kowtow to my father and his guests. They are the Western Lord and his sons who are silver inu demons while father and I are shadow inu demons.
“I apologize for the long wait my lords,” I say keeping my head touching my hands.
“About time you arrived wench,” the youngest son whispers trying to not let me hear as I raise my head and softly approach the seat on my father’s right.
“Quiet Inuyasha,” his father, Inutaisho says. “Hello Kagome, it has been a long time since you came for a visit. May I ask why your daughter has joined our talks, Kiru?”
“Ass you know, my daughter is very skilled in the ways of war as well as the court my friend. She is the one who trains our dragons and war horses,” he tells them with a smirk.
“Father,” I gasp snapping my fan open and holding it in front of my face hiding my blush.
“Stop being modest and read this,” he commands handing me a scrap of paper.
I look at the sheet and my brows scrunch together in worry. This is not good at all. The note stated that the East and West owed the Lord of the South a large payment of goods for the supposed stealing of something important to the Lord of the South or a return of the stolen item if not a war between
“I told you the gift would not be enough to appease them father for the supposed wrong done to them. Has a letter of demands arrived just yet,” I ask staring at all of them.
“Not yet my dear but I am expecting it,” father replies but is interrupted by the door being slammed open nearly causing the screen to break off of the track and a cat messenger in all white clothes walks in.
“Where are your manners, neko,” demand Sesshomaru, Inutaisho’s oldest.
“Shut up mutt. This is for the lords and not you,” the neko hisses glaring at him.
In a flash I stand up and block Sesshomaru from attacking the neko. I grab ahold of his hand and rub on it soothingly. He turns to glare at me but I smile at him.
"Sessh my love please calm down," I whisper a little too loudly in a stage whisper.
He stares at me for a moment with a questioning look in his eyes. He sighs before wrapping his arms around me and placing his head on my shoulder and breathing in my scent to calm down. He has never been good to offense to himself or his allies The neko stares at us before smiling and handing the letter to my father and heading out the door. After we can no longer hear him walking away, I step out from Sesshomaru's arms and move to sit near my father. Before I can get more than a step Sesshomaru pulls me close to him and sits down in his seat pulling me into his lap. He rubs his nose against my neck.
"Okay where has the ice prick gone? Normally you would have torn someone’s head off for daring to do such things to you,” Inuyasha yells getting up close to us.
Sesshomaru grabs his brother by his throat and throws him away from his barely jarring me before saying, "Because she speaks the truth. Kagome-hime and I have been arranged since her birth to be wed. Have we not?"
"Yes we have. There has long been an agreement between the both of our families," I reply with a smile.
"Hold on, so you are willing to marry this prick," Inuyasha demands staring at me.
"Your brother and I have long since come to agreement on our marriage. Have we not my love," I ask.
"Yes and those reasoning’s you will find out with time little brother," Sesshomaru says holding his hand out to me.
I smile and take his hand allowing him to pull me to my feet. I gasp as he pulls aside the top left shoulder of my kimono and hurry to cover myself. I look down and realize that he is showing one of my scars to his brother. I blush and try to move the cloth back but he just lightly growls a warning at me.
"This is no wall flower, Inuyasha. Kagome-hime has gone thru much in her life and come through it much better for it. We have not always been this close," Sesshomaru says before laying a soft kiss on the scar.
He pulls the sleeve up and growls at his younger brother as we can both see the slight lust in his eyes. Sesshomaru pulls me closer to him and runs his deadly claws down my neck. I tilt my head back in submission showing my full trust in both him and his demon side. His chest rumbles contently.
"Father, we shall be in the gardens if you need us," I tell him. "We can expect another set of demands in a couple of days."
"And why is that wench," Inuyasha demands glaring at me.
Not even a second later, Inuyasha is on the ground holding his throat and coughing. I had rammed my fan into his throat with it’s metal bends. I bend down and pull his chin up with my fan with a growl.
"Even I have a limit to my patience, Inuyasha. As your brother has hinted at I am more than some soft wall flower who needs protection. This is your last warning. Call me wench once more and more than your throat will hurt is that clear," I demanded glaring at him.
He nods his head slowly. I grab Sesshomaru's hand and drag him out of the room. As the door nears closed completely, I hear Inuyasha ask what the hell my fan was made out of and I chuckle.