Koishiii no Hana by MiHonoKo

Koishii no Hana

This is honest to god the longest thing I have EVER written.  The final word count of this one-shot is 15,169 of PURE STORY!  Now enjoy my b-day gift to you.

Once upon a time in a land far-far away their lived a blossoming tree.  This tree was unique, for the fragrance of its black blooms would hang heavy and sweet in the air.  The flower’s scent was so lovely that even the deep teal leaves seemed to shiver in delight when the first spring buds would appear.  The dark blossoms had the loveliest scent in the world, by anyone’s opinion, but perhaps that was because the smell was never the same for any two people.  To demon’s the silver barked tree held a special place in their culture, for it was by the fragrance of its blossoms that they would find their soul mate.

However humans wished to have such trees as well, though the senses of a mortal were greatly lacking compared to that of a demon’s, even a mortal could smell the strong scent of those ebony blooms.  So it was that the first of the Hana Wars were fought.  Throughout countless centuries youkai and humans fought tirelessly over the Koishii tree, so ruthless were they that by the end of the third Hana War only four Koishii trees remained.  The trees were long past the age in which they could produce offspring, but fate could be both cruel and kind.  While these four Koishii would be the last of their kind, if no disaster struck them they would remain for the rest of time.

After that war and the calamity that came from it the youkai decided that humans could not be permitted to continue such destruction.  After all, it was the human race that started the Hana Wars, and it was the human race that cared so little for the world around them!  The cardinal courts wrapped their walls securely around the last Koishii, and the West, East, South, and North joined together a final time to put an end to the Hana Wars.  With the death of so many Koishii trees burning hotly in the hearts of their solders, youkai made quick work of the human armies.  For the crimes committed against nature the human race in its entirety was enslaved. 

A millennium passed, and the cardinal courts allowed youkai to flock to the Koishii gardens they held, but no human slave would ever lay eyes upon the black flowers.  However though they were enslaved, it was not uncommon for a youkai to find a mate amongst the diminished human race.  Should a youkai find that their soul mate was human, mating them would turn the slave into a youkai as well.  It was in this manner that some humans found freedom.  It was into this world that the Western prince of Inu was born, and the pup was proudly named Sesshomaru by his sire.

As the Western prince grew he was surrounded by tutors, and one of the first thins the inu learned was that humans were a troublesome lot that needed enslavement to keep them from violence and destruction.  However even as they were enslaved the mortal creatures still found ways to destroy.  It was in Sesshomaru’s 122nd summer that a human rebellion claimed the life of the pup’s most beloved mother.  He only looked to be about seven human summers old, and his personality and development were the same.  Mikomi had been the light of the young pup’s life, and in an instant the beautiful and strong creature was gone.

Sesshomaru never forgave the humans for this new crime, and losing his dam at such a tender age left the inu a cold and stock being.  His feelings of hate towards the ‘lesser beings’ only intensified in his teens when his great father took a slave to his bed.  The useless creature even had the audacity to bare his honorable sire a son, and worse yet the male refused to kill the abomination!  In fact the old inu matted the onna, and much to the courts surprise she changed into a youkai.  “How could this be?”  They whispered among themselves, “Lord said that the lady Mikomi bore the scent of the Koishii hana!” 

The Western price began to fight often with his sire after the night of the lord’s mating, and Sesshomaru found that the only time and place he could find peace was within the Western Kioshii gardens at night.  From sun-up to sun-down the garden was crawling with youkai imprinting the scent of their soul mate into their memory, but at night it was peaceful.  An added bonus was that, unlike the palace, the Kioshii never had even the slightest scent of a slave within it.  That was a good thing, for the Western prince would not want the filthy scent of a human to tarnish the divine scent of his soul mate.  Like with most youkai the scent of his soul mate could be both an aphrodisiac, and a soothing presence, those nights that Sesshomaru sat silently fuming he would allow the Kioshii blossom scent to fill him until he purred in utter peace and contentment.

In order to distract himself from his sire’s ‘betrayal’ the young inu would sit and imagine what his soul mate would be like.  She would of course be an inu, and would have long straight blue hair like his most noble mother, the onna’s eyes would be green specked with gold, and she would be submissive and devoted like any good bitch should.  Sesshomaru imagined that she would have large breasts, perfect for nourishing their pups, and she would have markings adorning her like him.  His bitch would smile demurely up at him while they shared a silent dinner, and she would never look him in the eye.  Sesshomaru would often leave the Kioshii garden in the middle of the night needing to satisfy himself with some courter whore, oh how he couldn’t wait to find his soul mate.

Things continued like that for two centuries, than the council of youkai found a terrible secret.  The Western lord had used a forbidden magic to turn his human mate into a youkai.  The magic the inu used was old and dark, and in order to do such the lord had to make a sacrifice.  Youkai around the world were appalled to learn that the Western lord had killed one-hundred pups and bathed his whore in their innocent blood.  Needless to say the Western lands had a new lord by the next spring, and Sesshomaru was far less lenient on the slaves than his father had ever been.

It was when Sesshomaru had entered his 749th summer of rule (and looked the human equivalent of twenty-two) that Kagome was born.  Her mother was owned by the Western palace, and was a kitchen maid there, Kagome’s father had recently been sold to one of the wealthier farmers in the area, and he did back breaking work as a harvester.  Like all slaves Kagome was taken from her mother to be examined, and when it was deemed that she would be worth something Kagome was sent away to be with other humans pups.  For the first five summers of her life Kagome was taught things that any good female slave should know, how to clean, how to cook, and by the elder slaves that cared for her, how to avoid becoming a youkai’s unwilling bedmate.  They were good lessons, and before long Kagome was sent back to her master, but before she had even spent an hour with her mother Kagome was sent to a lesser house of the West to work.

Kagome was lucky, in that she had been permitted to learn to read and write after a few summers of working hard in the lesser house.  When Kagome was ten she sent her mother and father her first letters. Kagome was excited to get a letter from her mother almost two months later, and when she was eleven she received one back from her newly literate father.  It was in this way that Kagome was finally able to know her parents, and even though the days were long and hard, all three found at least one time a month to write to another.  It was Kagome’s nineteenth summer that she began to attract attention from the male kind.

Kagome had always been a bit short in stature, and the hard work she did daily kept her muscles lean and taunt.  The slave was by no means bulgy, she was merely toned.  She also had warm cinnamon eyes that seemed to pull people in, and so thoroughly expressed the young slave’s every emotion that a person would feel the inexplicable need to protect something so innocent.  The petit slave had long raven hair that, when not up due to work, fell in silken waves down to her waist.  Although her chest wasn’t much to speak of, Kagome had a nice curve to her body.

Kagome would often sing while she worked, which unfortunately for her drew the attention of many a youkai.  Her soprano voice was like that of an angle, and many sought to buy her from the house because of it.  Even though Kagome lived the hard live of a slave, she was still happy, and what was more she was still innocent and pure.  Kagome was twenty-one when she was called back to work in the Western palace in her dead mother’s stead.  Her mother had been executed for assaulting a youkai, but in actuality the poor woman had only been attempting to defend herself from an unwanted advance.

Kagome was saddened by the loss of her mother, but she quickly adjusted to the life of a palace slave.  Things were even a bit comfortable for the slave at first, apparently the most fearful Western lord Sesshomaru was away, allowing all of the slaves to breathe a bit easier.

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Kagome hummed softly to herself as she cleaned some pots and pans in soapy water.  Today was turning out to be going rather well, the little slave was speeding right through her work, so it could be possible that she would be able to see her father today.  ‘That’s the only happy thing to come out of mother’s death, I get to see papa.’ Kagome thought with a somber smile.  Truthfully in the last two months since she had been taken to the palace Kagome had felt a growing unease, while in the lesser Western house Kagome didn’t have to worry as much about youkai attention, the palace was literally crawling with the beings.  Especially during the day, there were always so many youkai pilgrims come to see the Kioshii tree, some of the more wealthy of the pilgrims were even given rooms in the palace.

Shaking the upsetting thought from her mind Kagome focused on finishing her task, after this she had to go to the nearby village with some other slaves to get supplies for that night’s supper; that was the time in which she might see her father.  Singing softly under her breath Kagome thought about that night, Sesshomaru-sama was returning, and all of the slaves were nervous.  Even those like herself who were new to the palace knew of the Western lord’s cruelty against their kind.  Kagome suppressed a shiver, once when she was barely into her fourteenth summer she had heard the rumor that Sesshomaru had slaughtered twenty-nine slaves for breathing to loudly as they moved heavy crates from off the back of a wagon.  Kagome would have asked her mother about the lord, but the little slave knew fully that any communications of slaves were strictly monitored.

There had been times that Kagome had received letters from her mother which were nothing more that ash in the envelope, a sign that one of the monitors found fault with the elder woman’s words.  Kagome was brought back to the present with a hiss as her finger slipped and her soft flesh was torn open by a misplaced knife.  Whimpering slightly as she examined the cut the slave attempted to wipe it clean with a dish cloth.  Stiffening slightly when she felt a being behind her Kagome spun on her heal abruptly to come face to face with the head chef of the kitchen, “Did you injure yourself little save?”  He was the same ookami youkai that her mother had died because of.

Frowning slightly Kagome huffed, “Nothing to draw your concern Kouga-sama.”  It had taken her great effort to give the name the proper honorific, Kagome was after all a slave.  Watching warily as the ookami smirked at her before grabbing the wrist of her injured hand in a lightning fast movement Kagome whimpered slightly.

“Oh come now little slave, we wouldn’t want to have to get another replacement should you hurt yourself too badly.”  Kagome gasped at the obvious threat; apparently he wanted the daughter to be his next victim.  Struggling a bit to free her hand Kagome glanced around for help, all the youkai in the room merely looked on in amusement, and the slaves avoided looking at the pair as if their lives depended on it.  Kagome whimpered as Kouga allowed a long rough tongue to lick up the blood on her finger, “My my, not only do you look lovely, you also taste simply divine.”

“Let go of me!”  Kagome demanded harshly as she tried once more to rip her hand from the ookami’s disgusting claws.  How could her fellow slaves not even attempt to help her when the onna was so clearly being accosted?  Falling roughly to the ground as Kouga released her with a bark of laughter Kagome scrambled to her feet.

Still laughing as he made his way back to the stew he was making for lunch Kouga glanced back at her with a wicked glint in his sky blue eyes, “Don’t worry little slave, right now I’m too busy, but I’ll be sure to find time to play later.  Oh and be sure you watch out for sharp objects, would hate to smell more of that delicious blood of yours.”  Glaring at his back Kagome turned and carefully shifted through her full sink.  By the time she was done with her inspection the raven haired slave had found four more knives hidden amongst the pots, and she had a feeling they weren’t there on accident.

“That bastard!”  Kagome cursed under her breath, he had planned for her to get injured!  Glancing up at the slave around her Kagome made a mental note to ask if things like this had happened before, than again the scars she had seen on some of the onna’s hands said it had.  It was about two hours later when Kagome found that she had no more things to wash, over that time she had found nine more knives that had found their way into her loads.  The position of the sun told the young slave that it was approaching noon, and she had been up since before the sun had risen.  Asking her overseer if it would be alright if she had some time to eat seeing how she had completed all of her duties for the morning Kagome was allowed a small stale piece of bread no larger than her fist which she ate on the way to her next duty.

Kagome and twenty-nine other slaves of varying age were led two miles behind a large wooden wagon to the village.  Keeping her cinnamon eyes open for her father Kagome followed some guards to a waiting stall to begin loading the wagon with various food items.  Kagome stumbled slightly under the weight of a particularly heavy sack of rice; the actually sack was almost as tall as she was.  As she hauled the sack over to one of the men standing on the wagon Kagome caught sight of her father doing similar work, only instead of food he was hauling farm supplies for his master.  Smiling brilliantly at him Kagome called his name only to receive a curt nod, and a warning from one of the guards.

Kagome didn’t care though, she had gotten to see her father, and all was well in the word, it didn’t matter what was going on back at the plaice, all that mattered is that she had been able to sneak a small moment of peace into her day.  The little slave was so happy at the sight of her father that she couldn’t help but sing in a ringing voice.  Where before her voice had gotten her reprimanded now as she sung the guards and other youkai nearby stopped to listen, even some of the slaves paused momentarily before continuing in their tasks for fear of reprimand.  Her voice was a bit breathless due to her manual labor, but it only seemed to add a bit of seduction into her sweet bell like melody.  Kagome smiled gloriously when she caught her father’s proud gaze as she handed another (much smaller) bag of rice to the men in the cart.

Finishing in a gentle hum as she and the other slaves moved on to their next stop Kagome saw some youkai approach the guards watching them.  It wouldn’t be the first time that youkai (mainly males) had wished to buy her from the West, and Kagome was certain it wouldn’t be the last, and just like always the guards referred the inquiring youkai to the master of the slaves in the palace.  Even thinking about the male caused Kagome’s mood to darken, Naraku was perhaps worse than Kouga.  Hanyou were truly oddities in this world, they could never have the status as even the lowest of youkai, but at the same time they were not quite human enough to be slaves.  Naraku had only obtained his position because his youkai father Onigumo had been close friends with the previous Western lord.  The old lords own hanyou son happened to be one of the guards escorting the slave today.

Inuyasha was said to resemble his half-brother in away, but all Kagome knew of the unfortunate hanyou was that although the circumstances regarding his parent’s affair were terrible (his father had been banished, and his mother executed), Inuyasha was a kind, if not brash male.  In fact in the time Kagome had spent in the palace the two were already friends of a sort, Inuyasha would often come to hear Kagome sing while she worked, and Kagome likewise would rub the silver puppy ears that he had on his head.  Glancing up to see that the taller male had his amber eyes upon her Kagome could not help but roll her eyes towards the many youkai who had asked for her ownership.  Giggling at the fanged smirk he sent her way Kagome began work anew as she hauled large jars of fine sake to the wagon.  Kagome could almost imagine them being more that just friends, but although he was at the bottom of youkai society, Kagome was a slave and thus much further down then him.

It would be different if the two were soul mates, but just like slaves hanyou were not allowed to enter the Kioshii gardens under pain of death.  The world truly could be cruel at times, ‘Not that it matters much, Kogua’s probably going to make me another one of his whores anyways.’  Kagome shuddered at the thought as the slaves were once more lined up to return to the palace.  Glancing up at the sun’s position Kagome had reason to hope that she might have a few moments of free time once returning to the palace, perhaps she could finish that letter to her father.

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Sesshomaru glared coolly at the imbecile before him, perhaps the little human needed a lesson in proper mannerisms when around one so high above him.  The Western lord hadn’t been in his home for five minutes when the stupid thing had tripped and soiled Sesshomaru’s boots with what appeared to be water for the vase of flowers near the window, needless to say Naraku would have to find yet another replacement slave.  Wiping his pristine claws on the shirt of one of his guards Sesshomaru snorted and continued on the way to his study.  Oh how he would just love to kill all of the useless beings, but it was not very economical to have too many servants, and slaves were cheap.  Entering Sesshomaru found his half-brother, “Hanyou” He growled in greeting.

“Nice to see you too brother,” Inuyasha ran a clawed hand through unruly silver locks.

Sesshomaru stared at the male blankly for a moment before brushing past him and sitting on a plum cushion behind his desk.  “Surly you realize that this Sesshomaru does not have time to play with one as low as you, what do you want half-breed?”  Picking a scroll of his desk Sesshomaru’s eyes scanned it before dubbing in unnecessary and melting it with his dousuki.  His Elvin ears twitched when he heard the hanyou huff in indignity.

“I came to ask a favor for the sake of our shared blood.”  Sesshomaru growled under his breath as he fixed his half-brother with a blank stare.  “I know you already did all your willing to do when you got me a job as a guard, but there’s this onna and-.”

“A slave?”  At the hanyou’s hesitant nod Sesshomaru glared fully at the male with and icy chill in his golden eyes.  “Out half-breed, now.”  Silencing the other male’s protests with a light flick of his whip on his unsightly inu ears Sesshomaru went back to his papers.  Sesshomaru continued to work until a knock at the shoji screen door signaled it was time for the diayokai to prepare for super.  As he walked down the halls of his home Sesshomaru caught a faint wisp of the Kioshii Hana, ‘Strange, the gardens are on the other side of the palace’.  Writing it off as coincidence Sesshomaru continued on his way.

That night Sesshomaru sat through a rather boring meal as various courters welcomed him back from his trip to the East, there were many inquiries as to if it had proven fruitful, and the Western lord found himself with a migraine.  Calling a server over Sesshomaru requested that instead of the fine sake he was drinking that he have some ginger tea and honey.  “Sesshomaru-sama how glad I am that you have returned safely.”  A dark haired hanyou knelt at the foot of the Lord’s Table.

“Naraku, I was unaware that half-breeds were invited to feasts.”  Sesshomaru jibed coolly as he accepted his tea with a dignified air.

“I have been most honored recently to earn that privilege, and I wonder if your lordship would accept a small performance I have had arranged as a token of my gratitude.”  Naraku’s oily voice asked as his crimson eyed narrowed at the insult he had been dealt.  “Your lordship’s council has already approved of the show.”  Sesshomaru merely nodded his head as he fixed the nearest council member with a cool glare.  What were they thinking to accomplish by not only allowing the filthy half-breed in the dining hall, but also having him prepare the night’s entertainment?

As Sesshomaru reached once more for his tea the lights in the hall dimmed and a group of slaves entered the room, ‘Is the half-breed tiring to get himself killed?’  As Sesshomaru inhaled the soothing scent of his tea in an effort to block out the disgusting scents of the humans one in particular caught his eye.  The onna was obviously meant to be the center piece as the slave around her fanned out to form a circle, all of the onna were wearing simple silver cloaks, but the raven haired one in the center wore a simple kimono.  Uncharacteristically of the diayokai he took the time to notice that the onna seemed rather nervous and confused, was it possible that she hadn’t known she would be performing?  The other onna he could tell were at ease, and had obviously preformed before, and- ‘Why do I care whether or not the bitch is comfortable?’

Glancing at the still kneeling Naraku the Western lord caught his eye, and motioned for an explanation, “Originally I was only going to have some dancers perform for your delight, but luckily a most – talented slave was brought to the palace.  You will see my lord.”  Naraku’s greasy black hair was flipped over his shoulder as he turned to signal for the entertainment to begin.  “Unfortunately the onna was only able to be informed of her participation a short while ago, but all will be well.”

Sesshomaru suppressed the urge to growl as the dancers removed the cloaks to reveal scantily clad bodies, “Tell me hanyou, why would one such as this Sesshomaru wish to see some slaves whoring their body out to a room full of youkai?”  More protests died on his lips however as the onna in the center began to hesitantly sing.  Her voice sounded like a thousand bells all chiming in blissful harmony.  If the onna wasn’t human Sesshomaru was sure that he would pay handsomely to hear the sound again, but seeing that she was a slave he would never bestow such an honor as his attention upon her.  Once more the scent of the Kioshii Hana tickled his noise and the lord started, could it be that his soul mate was in the room?

Ignoring the dancing onnas before him, Sesshomaru began to scan the room with an almost fevered intensity.  Noticing his unusual behavior the council man sitting beside him set questioning look upon his lord, “Sesshomaru-sama is something amiss?”  Standing to his full height Sesshomaru continued his search while also attempting to suppress his beast.  The diayokai’s inner youkai had awoken with the proximity to his soul mate.

Those near him began to inch away in fear at the sight of his lord’s red tinted eyes, and the slaves began to shake in their movements as well, than a single word escaped from his thin lips, “Kioshii.”  That word along with the Western lord’s behavior signified exactly what was occurring, and all the males within hearing range of it moved as far away from the agitated diayokai, and all of the females in the room.  Being near ether of which might cost them their lives, for once a soul mate was found the youkai male would stop at nothing to obtain her.

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Kagome had been terrified enough when she had been grabbed by the upper arm and told she would be in a performance for the Western lord earlier that evening, but now that said being stood so aggressively before her, Kagome’s voice couldn’t help but crack.  The only reason that she and the dancers around her were even still performing was because Naraku had told all of them himself that if they so much as missed a step (or in Kagome’s case a note) than they would surely be executed.  Unfortunately for the frightened slave the sudden crack in her melody had drawn the reddening eyes of the diayokai to her trembling form, and the next thing the raven haired slave knew he was inches from her face.  He voice failed her completely as he sniffed delicately at her neck; the Western lord was huge compared to her, Kagome shivered under his hunched form as he growled lowly in his throat.  He had to stoop a great deal to reach her neck, the top of Kagome’s head only came to just below the male’s shoulder, and his curtain of blue-white hair disallowed the slave to see anything around her.

Jumping in fright as the diayokai allowed his clawed hands to grasp her hip tightly Kagome looked up into crimson eyes, ‘Oh dear Kami-sama, he’s going to kill me!’  Whimpering slightly in fright as the being before her nuzzled her forehead with his aristocratic nose Kagome was on the verge of a faint.  Kouga she could handle just fine, but the power rolling off of this inu in waves told her there was no escape for whatever he had planned for her.  Now normally Kagome wouldn’t act like this, but seeing how this was the most feared human hater of them all nuzzling her, and Kagome was consequently scared shitless; her mind accepting her actions as reasonable behavior.  Attempting to put some distance between herself and the overbearing male Kagome tried to take a large step back, only to be stopped by two things.  The first was the tightened grip his clawed hands had on her hip, and the second was the way he viciously snarled in her face as his maroon markings grew jagged.

Perhaps that wasn’t the wisest of moves on her part, and it seemed that Kagome would continue to make such mistakes as she began to beat wildly on Sesshomaru’s hard chest in an effort to escape.  The petit slave squealed in fright and pain as she felt the lord’s claws sink sharply into her skin drawing blood.  Kagome’s world was spun in circles as she found herself thrown haphazardly over Sesshomaru’s shoulders sobbing pleadingly for help from the stunned onlookers as they left the room.  No one made a single move to help the frightened onna however as the large oaken double doors slammed shut behind her; she didn’t know where the large inu was taking her, and Kagome was terrified because of it.  “Let me go!  Let me go!”  She screamed to no anvil as Sesshomaru made his way through the large palace.

Kagome’s shouts to be released and whining pleas for help from any unfortunate soul they passed caused the sharp claws of the diayokai to bite deeply into the skin of her thigh.  By the time the pair reached Sesshomaru’s massive chambers Kagome’s legs were bloody and raw from the inu’s touch.  The heavy doors were locked as Kagome was thrown roughly onto a futon.

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Sesshomaru stared down into the terrified grey-blue eyes of his new, dare he say it, mate.  A mate who until last night had been one of those deplorable humans!  The onna backed her shaking body into a corner as the angry male growled out loud; this was all his beast’s fault!  Baring his fangs at the shivering naked body of the onna Sesshomaru flung one of his tops towards her, “Dress yourself you filthy whore and get out!”  The onna flinched slightly at his hostile tone, before doing as he instructed and fleeing the room, undoubtedly into the waiting arms of the council standing outside his door.

The diayokai heard as the fools attempted to calm their new lady as they handed her off to a group of waiting maids to be attended too.  Ignoring the youkai outside his chambers for the time being Sesshomaru began to pace as his mind looked for a way to get out of this mess.  Sure since the bitch was now youkai she would be accepted as his mate and lady with open arms by youkai society, but the inu himself didn’t want to be mated to a slave, former or otherwise.  Cursing he punched the wooden wardrobe, there was no way to break a matting bond between soul mates, oh his beast was in for one hell of a reprimand.

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Kagome hissed painfully as one of the youkai rubbed an herbal salve on one of the gashes across her body.  Images of how she had received the cuts and bruises that covered her new body entered the onna’s mind, and she whimpered lightly.  She had been so powerless to stop the assault on her body, and now as she lay there being tended to Kagome was ashamed of herself.  Arching her back in pain as gently fingers probed a particularly nasty bruise on her back Kagome felt a growl escape her throat, which to say the least was disconcerting for the former slave.  Brushing the hands roughly from her body Kagome curled into herself, “Leave me alone!”

One of the maids (Her ears indicated she was a bat youkai) rubbed soothing circles on her back, “Please my lady, we must tend to your wounds.  The first mating is rather rough.”  The onna smiled when Kagome relaxed slightly under her compassionate touch.

 The raven haired former slave tensed once more, ‘Isn’t she the youkai that tripped me into a mud puddle and laughed when I first got here?’  Shrugging the onna’s hands from her abused body Kagome growled once more.  “Leave me alone the lot of you!”  The maids obviously confused by their charge’s unwillingness to be cared for filed silently out of the spacious room they were in.  Kagome curled further into herself as her tears began anew; what had happened?  All Kagome knew was that after the worst night of her life the monster who had abused her so had screamed at her to get out, and when she did she was surrounded by people calling her lady.

On shaking legs the former slave stood stiffly from the soft silk of the futon, another thing that confused the little onna was the fact that all senses seemed to have been awaken since she had woken that morning in Sesshomaru’s painful embrace.  Turning her head to look around the room Kagome was a bit awed, it was positively gorgeous!  Midnight blue curtains draped elegantly over and open balcony, the walls were a dark mahogany that spoke of elegance and sophistication, the futon the onna had been lying on was covered in black satin, and a wardrobe in the far right corner was carved intricately with roses.  It was a room fit for a lady, and from the smell of tings hadn’t been used in quite some time.  Inhaling deeply Kagome caught a stale scent that even the garden below the balcony couldn’t cover, and speaking of the garden, Kagome could smell every flower and tree in it.

While the scent of so many plants should have been overwhelming (they smelled rather strong) they were instead soothing, and caused Kagome’s tensed muscles to loosen slightly.  Below she could smell chrysanthemums, and cherry blossoms, the gentle scent of jasmine tickled her nose, and the hum of bees filled her ears.  In the distance Kagome could hear birds singing sweetly, as a small animal foraged in some bushes down below.  Shaking her head to clear it the former slave ignored her sensitive senses and stumbled across the room to a make-up and hair table with a round gilded mirror set atop.  Kagome knew that it might be frightening, but she need to see what that monster of a lord had done to her for herself.

When she came close enough Kagome hesitantly lifted her eyes to the image before her, delicate feet came into view first, followed by neat ankles and pale legs.  Her sight lingered momentarily on the bruises in the inside of her thighs before moving on to the small crescent shaped cuts on her hips where his claws had so dispassionately bit into her skin.  Kagome’s smooth stomach was covered in scratches and bruises, and her small breasts were now a black and blue mess, raw and aching with bite marks.  Turning her back to the mirror the onna saw that her tussled raven hair came to her waist now, and once she had flipped it over her shoulder Kagome saw multiple claw marks zigzagging across her pale flesh.  Turning once more to face her image the former slave saw two puncture wounds at the juncture of her neck and shoulder (what appeared to be a crescent moon shaped bruise was still forming there).

Finally her eyes skimmed over bruised and bloody red lips to see bruised cheek bones from the numerous times she had been slapped the previous night.  Lifting her eyes to meet that of her image Kagome froze at the sight of stormy blues, ‘My eyes are brown!’  Taking a step back it was then that the onna realized that the nails on her feet and hands were in fact small deadly claws and the tops of her ears ended in tapered points.  Staring back at Kagome from the mirror was a very frightened, very confused youkai.  Doing the only thing that came to mind Kagome opened her mouth to reveal a set of pearly fangs as she gave off a bloodcurdling scream.

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Kagome lay stiffly on the futon, the silken sheets bushing harshly against her skin, looking out at the cloudy night sky she frowned.  Lifting a hand listlessly to run through her hair Kagome sighed, yet again she couldn’t sleep.  Rolling onto her side Kagome began the torturous work of sitting up; once up she looked about the dark room.  It had been three days since that night, and the onna found that she could find little sleep as the darkness of nigh hung heavy on her soul.  Shivering a bit in the cold room Kagome crawled off the futon to the hard wooden floor, before standing on unsteady feet.

Allowing her eyes to search out the faint flicker of light from a dyeing fire Kagome contemplated going near the fireplace, but decided not to.  Instead the thin onna took a few hesitant steps towards the open balcony; once outside she allowed a bony hand to trail over the dry stone of the rail.  Over her head thunder rumbled, the loud boom sinking deep into her tired bones, Kagome stared blankly into the night.  Once she would have been delighted to see such a sight as the small garden at night, but now all the former slave could feel was a deep seated emptiness.  The sight of so many flowers stirred no feelings of romanticism in her breast; they only severed as something to stare off into while she sorted through a troubled mind.  Watching as the wind caused some night blooming flowers to bend their heavy heads Kagome decided it was time to go back into her empty room.

Where once the room of the Western lady had been stale with disuse, now Kagome’s own scent was branded into it.  And just as her scent was branded into these chambers, Kagome knew that his scent was branded onto her skin.  ‘So this is how a farm animal feels, branded with their master’s mark.’ She reflected silently as his scent on her skin wafted up to her.  That was how she felt too, like cattle, his smell seared on her body, and his mark stamped on her flesh.  Falling once more onto the cold silk of the futon Kagome closed her stormy eyes in an attempt to block out the inky blackness; only to find a greater darkness under her closed lids and within her troubled mind.

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Sesshomaru growled at the quaking servant before him, “How hard is it to get one injured onna to eat something?!” he demanded harshly.  Standing from his position behind the dining table the Western lord towered over everyone in the room, glaring at all present he began to storm for the door.  It had been four days now and the bitch had neither left her chambers nor eaten; honestly was the onna retarded!  Just because she was no longer human didn’t mean she didn’t require sustenance.  The onna was more trouble than she was worth, not that she was actually worth anything, but still.

Sesshomaru came upon her chambers and harshly threw the shoji screen doors open, inside was the onna, and some servants.  “Out.”  Watching in satisfaction as the maids bowed and scurried out Sesshomaru turned his golden eyes upon his mate.  She was sitting on her futon, her stormy-blue eyes watching him wearily; Sesshomaru couldn’t help but think of a caged tiger when he looked at her.  There was a slight scent of fear and apprehension to her scent, but looking at her the Western lord could already tell which response he would be dealing with.  When trapped in a cage, there was no flight, grimacing Sesshomaru turned his back on the onna.

“You will eat; this Sesshomaru will not be looked down upon because his mate dies from stubbornness.”  His tone was harsh and bitter, why would such a weak female be his soul mate?  His ears picked up the subtle shifts of silk as the onna moved and tensed, the little female was going to begin fighting.  In a moment he had her pined to a nearby wall by her slender, breakable, neck.  “I suggest that you do not try my patience girl, it is already spread thin by you very existence.”  Snarling as she glared defiantly into his eyes Sesshomaru squeezed.

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Kagome choked and gasped for breath, “Let go of me you bastard!”  Wasn’t it bad enough that he had already taken her innocence from her, couldn’t he just leave her the hell alone!  Kicking wildly with her feet Kagome tried to claw his hand from her throat, when that didn’t work she began to beat on his chest.  Her new claws ripping at the silk of his top the former slave could smell blood as she took a gasping breath in; weather it was his or her own she could not be certain.  After a few minutes of her helpless struggle Kagome’s body began to go limp in his grasp, she needed air, and the tight hold Sesshomaru had on her neck prevented the new youkai from obtaining it.

Pulling her body from the wall, grip still tight about her throat, Sesshomaru walked briskly towards her futon.  Kagome’s struggles would have began anew if it weren’t for the dark blots swimming  across her vision when she felt the cold silk of the futon below her she was released.  Rolling onto her side the former slave clutched feebly at her throat as she took in a lungful of air.  Sesshomaru had allowed his claws to bite into her flesh, and the new wounds burned under her touch.  Before she could completely regain in her raged breathing Sesshomaru was straddling her, a platter of roasted meats in hand, “Eat.”

Attempting to bite his long fingers as he stuffed a piece into her mouth Kagome was met with a hash slap and claws tearing at the skin of her thigh.  The former slave growled but didn’t attempt it again, by the time the platter of meat was empty Kagome could have killed Sesshomaru a thousand times over if looks could kill.  When the youkai rolled off of the petit onna she sat up and continued to glare, “Why did you do that?”  Her voice was both harsh, and sore from disuse.  Looking at the silver haired being from the corner of her eye Kagome crossed her arms.

“You were not eating, as much as this Sesshomaru would like it if you died, it would reflect poorly on him if you did so.”  He stood from the futon to survey the room with a scowl, “I see they gave you my mother’s rooms, such a disgrace to have them house one such as you.”

Growling Kagome leapt to her feet, “Don’t act as this is my fault!  You are the one who raped me a human, and turned me into you fucking youkai mate!”  Judging from the lack of response from the large Western lord she was being ignored in favor of him idly picking up a brush from her make-up desk.  Tossing it over to her Sesshomaru watched as the former slave (yet to be used to her new youkai speed) fumbled with it for a moment to keep it from the ground.

“Brush that rat’s nest you call hair, it is disgraceful and displeasing.”

Looking up at his cold golden eyes Kagome growled once more. “How dare you; you pompous dog!”

Sparing her a short glance the Western lord walked out to the balcony, “And you are a low-breed bitch, are we done exchanging facts now?”  Kagome had half a mind to use her shiny new claws on his turned back at that moment, but knew that he was far stronger than her.  While she might be almost boiling over with anger and hatred at the moment, the onna could still clearly remember the occurrence a few nights ago.  No, perhaps provoking him wouldn’t be the best for her mental and physical health, but that didn’t mean she would do as he said.

Putting the pearl inlayed brush back on the table Kagome glared hotly at the male invading her ‘little haven’, “Can you go now, or do you intend on forcing yourself into my presence?”  When he turned to acknowledge her the onna stood up straighter and crossed her arms, she would not be intimidated, even by him.  As she glared obstinately into his impassive eyes, Kagome could have sworn she saw a spark of pure unchecked fury, before he swept past her.

“As little as this Sesshomaru is inclined to admit, you are now the lady of the West, and as such are expected to do more than lie in you futon and bemoan the transgressions committed against you.”  He glared at her for a moment before continuing on his way out.  “You will begin to see a tutor on the marrow, and you will learn to curb those pitiable human tendencies you still seem to have.”  He closed the shoji screen behind him and Kagome was left to fume at his words.

For a moment Kagome held fast to the furry she felt, before promptly crumbling to the floor in a heap.  That was the male that had raped her, and she had done nothing but irritate and infuriate him.  “Shit”

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Kagome ran a clawed hand through her slightly messy raven hair, it had been a week.  Looking up at the snobbish lion youkai before her the onna sighed, it had only been a week since she had been forcibly mated to the lord of the West and this withered old male in front of her expected her to be a bloody genius.  “You expect me to know all of the names of all of the members of all the noble families in the West by when?”  Honestly if it were up to her, Kagome would still be safe and sound in that nice comfy bed of hers.  Instead she was in the large (previously unused) study of the lady of the West.

The onna was so discontent that she couldn’t help but sneak glances at the shoji screens every now and then to make sure she wasn’t going to be attacked by her ‘mate’, the youkai had literally dragged her kicking and screaming down the hall by her hair that morning.  Apparently he hadn’t been joking about the whole tutor thing. ‘As if he would joke about anything, the bastard.’  She silently scoffed as she looked at the furious male before her, apparently he had been speaking.  Frowning a bit Kagome continued to tune his nasally voice out in favor of staring listlessly out of a window.  It made the former slave slightly uncomfortable to be out of the room she had spent the last week in; it had become a sort of safe haven for her troubled mind.

Yes maids were known to frequent it, and Sesshomaru had even made a short appearance to shove food down her throat, but for the most part Kagome had been left alone.  The small amount of loneliness the former slave had felt in those chambers was actually a comfort to her turbulent thoughts.  In that room there was no one to see her tears, and so she had been able to cry freely over all that had occurred.  It had been a simple matter to wrap herself in her sorrow and hide from the world around her.

Now that she wasn’t a slave Kagome was free to do things at her leisure, and she had very leisurely decided against leaving her little ‘bubble’ so to speak.  Why should she when outside the doors of her room were scores of faces all waiting to look down on her.  Slaves she had once worked with would undoubtedly view her as a sort of traitor, and the youkai that now surrounded her would most likely have views similar to those of their lord.  What was more was that the former slave didn’t want to show her face, she was ashamed of herself.  No longer was she that pure, innocent even, human, instead she was a disgraced onna. 

Kagome had been raped, raped by a monster that couldn’t care less about her.  In her own mind she was little better than some cheep whore, after all that was how her ‘mate’ viewed her.  In her mind’s eye she could practically see the taint that now laid heavy over her soul, her heart was filled with hate and her body was now unclean due to Sesshomaru’s touch.  That first day after being raped Kagome had spent hours scrubbing her new youkai skin raw, she would have continued to do so, but a maid came and saw that her wounds had been reopened and enlarged.  After that there was always a maid in the small bath chamber connected to the bed room, they didn’t want a repeat of that first day apparently. 

Watching as a sapphire colored bird flew past the window Kagome laid her head on the low table in front of her.  The onna was still having difficulties sleeping at night, and so she blamed her constant state of weariness on that.  Perhaps she could take a small nap, even with the harsh voice of her new tutor ringing sharply in her elfin ears Kagome’s eyelids drooped.  Oh, how badly the former slave wanted the emptiness of sleep; what she would give to put her thoughts at rest with a nap.  With a final look at the bird flying so freely outside Kagome succumbed to the body’s demand for rest.

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Kagome opened her eyes to find herself in a dark study, ‘Have I really been asleep that long?’  From what the former slave could see night had fallen on the palace while she had been napping.  Peeking around the dark room the onna found herself to be alone, and hungry.  Kagome hadn’t eaten before meeting her tutor that morning, and had fallen asleep somewhere around nine, looking outside she concluded that it was late.  Now hunger didn’t bother Kagome much, or rather she was used to it, as a slave the onna was lucky to be fed a small meal at some point in the day.

However Kagome found herself more than just a little hungry at this point in time, something that on the whole surprised her.  The onna hadn’t felt the slightest bit of hunger since that night, but now it would appear that she had her appetite back.  Too bad she would have to wait until morning to eat, Kagome was unsure as to whether or not she could go to the kitchen to grab some food.  The former slave knew that many of the palace youkai had a disposition for midnight snacking, but couldn’t for the life of her know if she would be allowed to get something to eat on her own.  If she had still been human (and subsequently a slave) she would have never dreamed of sating her hunger, after all it was just a part of any slave’s life, but now as a youkai she was uncertain if she would be welcome into the kitchen.

The former slave was still unsure about her status, sure Sesshomaru had called her the new lady of the West, as well as the maids that constantly seemed to swarm around her, but that didn’t tell her whether or not she could slip into the kitchen at night to eat.  Not to mention the fact that the kitchen was Kouga’s domain, and Kagome would much rather avoid the ookami at all costs.  If he was dishonorable enough to put his unwelcome attentions on slaves, than what was there to say that he would not do the same for the unwanted mate of a youkai.  All this told the petit onna not to risk it, but it was such a good feeling to have her appetite back and be hungry again that the onna didn’t want to run the risk of it slipping once more away.  Kagome knew that she hadn’t exactly been in a very good mind frame lately, and getting her appetite back was a good sign.

As she took a last look around the study Kagome stood and made her way to the shoji screen door, glancing up and down the hall she breathed a slight sigh of relief.  There was no one that she would have to face, and she could only hope she continued on her way without coming across anyone.  The light tapping of her geta clad feet and her breathing were the only sounds to be heard as she made her slow way to the kitchen.  Kagome would peek discreetly around every corner it ascertain whether or not there was someone there, luckily the petit onna was alone in the halls so late at night.  Reaching the kitchen the former slave found it devoid of life; that is until she actually went in.

Kagome attempted to scream as all of a sudden every cell in her youkai body yelled danger; unfortunately a hand covered her mouth firmly before the sound could escape her lips.  “Well looke here, I caught me self a little slave girl.”  Kagome whimpered as the strong scent of sake invaded her nose; attempting to shake the offending male off of her only caused the hand to press harder against her mouth.  Choking the former slave struggled to breathe as she was dragged roughly over to a counter.  Digging her claws into the flesh of the offending hand Kagome was satisfied to hear a grunt of pain from behind her before she was slammed into the corner of the counter top.  Turning the onna found Kouga glaring murderously at her.

“Damn it!”  The ookami roared as he brought up his uninjured hand to smack Kagome’s cheek, “What is it with you bitches!  First your Kami dammed mother now you!”  Catching her arm as the former slave attempted to flee the kitchen Kouga growled.  “She I had killed, but you just had to go and get mated to that dog!”  He flung her across the room into a wall filled with pots and pans, the crash ringing in Kagome’s ears as the youkai slowly made his way to her side.  Looking up at the approaching ookami the former slave grabbed the closest thing to her and lunged, she would NOT be taken advantage of again.

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Sesshomaru sat in his study going over papers when there was a sharp knock on the frame of his door, sighing the Western lord stood to allow his half-brother in.  “Yes?”  Inuyasha had been away from the palace ever since that first night Sesshomaru had been back, and judging by the expression on the half-breed’s face he had found out that the onna he had asked his brother for was now said youkai’s mate.

For a moment Inuyasha just stared at his seated brother, then “Do you even know her name?”  His voice was soft as he too took a seat.

Fixing his golden eyes on his half-brother Sesshomaru thought for a moment, “Does it matter?”  Frowning at the hanyou before him when he started cursing Sesshomaru ran a clawed hand through his moon-spun hair.  “Do be quite, your insistent cursing is grating to this Sesshomaru’s ears.”  Standing he strode gracefully to the open door, “You are dismissed.”  Watching as the disgruntled hanyou left the Western lord breathed a sigh of relief.

Honestly what was the point of knowing the useless onna’s name, he would call her whatever he so desired.  Sesshomaru was about to return to his papers when he felt as though his chest was being torn apart, stumbling he gasped for air only to smell the scent of sake and ookami.  Clutching at his chest the Western lord took off in the direction his troublesome mate was in.  The fool onna had somehow caused the matting mark his beast had placed on her to activate and send danger signals to the youkai.  Reaching the kitchen Sesshomaru skidded to a halt at the sight before him.

The scent of blood hung thickly in the air, so thick that for a moment the Koishii scent of his mate was indiscernible, and pans were scattered about the floor as though they had been tossed at random.  Sesshomaru looked to the back right hand corner of the room where the small form of his mate sat shaking over the body of an ookami.  Her small claws were cutting groves in the handle of the knife she held in a white-knuckled grip, a knife that was lodged deeply into the chest of the ookami.  The former slave’s shaking shoulders tensed when she heard Sesshomaru’s feet on the hard wooden flooring, and when she turned to face him there were crystalline tears falling from dark gray eyes.  Her porcelain like face was spattered with dark blood, and those eyes shedding tears so continuously looks like those of a frightened pup.

Never before had the Western lord felt such an urge as he felt now looking at the mate he so despised, from deep within his soul he felt such an unimaginable pain; it was as though every tear falling from her mirror like eyes was a fiery knife tearing at his chest.  Such a feeling was so tremendously powerful that Sesshomaru found his own hand tightly baled into a fist to prevent shaking.  Taking a step forward the Western lord fought his beast and instinct to soothe the tiny onna.  She flinched from his presence and curled further into herself when his clawed hand sought to lift her from the ground.  The former slave was so frail looking at this moment that Sesshomaru couldn’t help but wonder how she had survived their unwelcome mating.

Amongst youkai it was not uncommon for a matting to be less than enjoyable on the onna’s part; after all that was the time in which dominance of the male and submission of the female came into play.  Often times mating was very similar to rape, however the difference was that in the end the onna had wanted it.  Who wouldn’t want their mate?  However in the small onna huddled so pitiably on the cold stone ground things had been different.  Sesshomaru knew that the onna had been frightened and terrible confused, and what’s more she had continued to fight with his beast throughout the night.

That was why her wounds still hadn’t healed though she was youkai now; his beast had truly brutalized the onna.  Even Sesshomaru felt ashamed at the thought of what he had done, and looking at the breakable creature before him, and for the first time thought of her feelings on the matter.  The Western lord was shaken from his thoughts by the arrival of a group of gourds attracted by the scent of the ookami’s blood.  Looking to see their shocked faces Sesshomaru sniffed disdainfully before roughly grabbing hold of his mate.  Turning her abruptly to face him the Western lord inhaled the lingering traces of fear and panic from her bloody scent, “He attacked you.”

The guards shifted uneasily at their lord’s harsh tone, but he paid them no mind.  Watching as the onna nodded a dazed head, and smelling the return of her fear Sesshomaru thrust her from him.  “Take her to her chambers, see that any wounds are attended too adequately, and bring a necroukai here at once!”  He growled to the guards, it was his duty as Western lord to ascertain why his mate had been attacked, and to deal out the punishment.  The ookami would live once more, however it would be a brief and most likely painful time.

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Kagome huddled on her futon shaking like a leaf; she had killed someone!  Yes it was Kouga, and the youkai was probably about to rape her, but still.  Kagome had always been taught not to raise her hand against youkai, and now she had killed one of them.  Surly she would be executed like her mother before her now.  Flinching when she heard the door to the dark room open Kagome whimpered, this person nearing her now was probably the one to lead her to her execution. 

Sure they had had a healer attend to the slight bruises and scrapes Kouga had given her, but that was what they always did.  Kagome jumped slightly at the deep voice behind her, “Excuse me my lady, but the lord wishes to see you now.”  Turning Kagome found a flaxen haired youkai kneeling behind her, outside of the open door another two guards waited.  So this was how her life was to end, at the hands of the monster that had ruined it so completely.  Kagome attempted to stand only to find that feeling had yet to return to her legs.

In fact her whole body had been numb since that moment that she had found her hands gripping a knife that was deeply lodged into Kouga’s chest.  He had still been alive at that moment, gasping and wheezing for breathe, and Kagome thought he would live.  After all youkai are made of tougher stuff than humans, so surly in a month or two the cook would be just fine, but that didn’t happen.  There was obviously something wrong with the knife, and as Kagome shook upon the cold wood covered in another’s blood watching him die, she saw a faint glow on the blade.  When that glow had seeped from near the handle into the ookami’s chest, he had stopped moving, he had stopped breathing, and Kagome had heard his heart stop beating.

It was at that point that Kagome had really started panicking as her vision swirled and her body threatened to pass out due to shock.  There she knelt over the dead form of Kouga, and knew without a doubt that she would be killed for it.  The former slave wasn’t sure how long she had stayed like that when Sesshomaru had walked in, and how she got to her chambers was also a bit of a mystery, but now she couldn’t stand.  Looking towards the guard Kagome wondered if it would be worth it to ask for help, he would undoubtedly be rough with her.  However before she could voice her plea for assistance, the young guard was at her side gently asking permission to touch her person in order to help.

Giving a slight nod Kagome couldn’t help but tense at the contact as he carefully helped her to stand.  This was a bit new to her, the male treated her delicately, and touched her as little as possible.  Kagome had long been used to the slightly, if not wholly, rough treatment of both human and youkai males, and this caution in which she was now handled was nice.  The guard treated the former slave as though she were fine china on the verge of shattering.  That at first felt wonderful to the onna, but she saw the way he touched her as little as possible as well.

Where in one moment she felt precious due to his actions, the next Kagome felt dirty.  No, the onna knew she wasn’t fine china; she wasn’t something dainty and delicate.  Instead the former slave was a worn out dirty tool, something to be used and disposed off promptly.  Her metal was tarnished, and the handle caked with things better off left unsaid, the wood once so strong now chipped and cracked on the verge of rotting away completely.  That was why the flaxen haired guard treated her as he did, Kagome was something he had to touch, but he would touch as little as possible for fear of contamination.

The flaxen haired guard led the onna down the hall with the two others flanking the pair in silence.  Kagome kept her head down in an attempt to avoid the eyes of the many servants and courters who had been awakened by the commotion earlier.  It had taken close to ten minutes for the party to reach the dungeon doors, and the waiting Western lord.  Kagome was promptly transferred to the steely grip of her mate, so she would spend a time in the depths of the Western keep before her demise?  The moment the two entered the former slave was shivering in the cold, all dungeons were bad, but the one of the Western keep was known to be one of the worst.

“You will have to watch your step upon this stair; it is known to be wet and steep.”  Sesshomaru’s emotionless baritone nearly caused Kagome to slip into the dark depths below.  Why would he warn her of such, surly he didn’t care.  Three times the former slave nearly fell during their descent, and three times it was the Western lord’s tight grip on her forearm that prevented injury.  Once at the bottom Kagome held a sleeve to her newly sensitive nose in an attempt to free herself of the stench of her surroundings.  It was a futile attempt, and even if it were not the gasping groans, and shrieks of pain that now surrounded her would have been just as bad.

Kagome was grateful that the impenetrable darkness hid those that made the noises that rung so heavily within her Elvin ears; this new prison of hers would be even more unbearable than the one she had had above.  The two walked for a time, Kagome relying solely on the guidance of Sesshomaru through the dark underground.  This nightmare of reality was near as bad as the dreams she had during her few restless hours of sleep each night.  Finally the onna felt the Western lord beside her come to a halt, and in seconds she was blinded by the dim torch light issuing from a now open door.  Once she had been dragged in and her vision adjusted Kagome gasped at the occupants of the cell.

A large burly boar youkai held down a bloody and bruised Kouga as an orange haired hawk youkai used his dimly gleaming talons to elect another scream from the ookami’s throat.  The two stopped and bowed towards Kagome and Sesshomaru before continuing the torture.  Watching as the hawk moved to give Kouga another cut the former slave couldn’t stop the whine from escaping her throat.  That was the youkai she had killed, and as confused as to how he was alive now, she really didn’t wish to see any more of his blood.

“Tzou, that is fine for the moment.”  The Western lord’s cold voice stopped the hawk before he could rake a claw across the ookami’s stomach.  Jumping at the proximity of his voice Kagome realized that her mate still had a firm hold on her forearm.  Gazing at him with confused eyes the onna waited for answers, “You tell this Sesshomaru exactly what it was that this servant did to cause his death.”  The Western lord ordered as he dragged her closer to the bloodied cook.

Leaning her body as far away from the four males as possible Kagome wet her lips with her tongue; looking into Kouga’s glaring eyes the former slave began to tell Sesshomaru what had happened.  Her story was halting, and at times a bit jumbled, but by the end of it the Western lord was emitting a threatening growl.  Kagome who had been too engrossed in her story to have noticed whimpered at the intimidating sound, as his claws spasmed around her arm.  Looking at Sesshomaru out of the corner of her eye she saw that a haze of pink had invaded the edges of his narrowed eyes, “Finish you games and then dispose of him.”  His voice was more of a snarl as he ordered the boar and hawk to torture Kouga to death.

Turning swiftly on his heel the Western lord dragged Kagome behind him; they had been walking for a time before she found herself pressed against a cold stone wall with Sesshomaru sniffing her mating mark.  “What the hell!?”  The former slave panicked kicking out at him in the dark.  Beating his chest her hands were soon captured and she was pressed deeper into the wall his rumbling growl frightening her.  Even the prisoners were silent after his growl; the darkness and stench being all that surrounded the couple as Sesshomaru gently nuzzled her neck.

Kagome didn’t know how much time had passed when the Western lord finally pulled away; keeping a firm grip on her hand he began pulling her up the steep stairs.  “While neither of us wished to be within such a distasteful situation; there are certain things you will need to be certain of doing.”  Kagome was startled by his voice; perhaps it was the impenetrable black and aura of despair that surrounded them, but his tone had almost been soft and comforting.

“Like what?”  Her own voice seemed raspy and feeble to her ears as they moved through the stale dungeon air.  This was the youkai that had raped her, and the male she was now mated too.  They would have to at least try and get along, so maybe a hiving a chat about expectations could help bridge the gap.  The former slave had no intentions of forgiving Sesshomaru, but eternity was a long time to fear and hate someone without even knowing them.

“Hn, we will discuss it over supper.  This Sesshomaru has other more pressing matters.”  Up ahead a small sliver of light came through a crack in the door.

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Sesshomaru sat poised and elegant within his privet gardens; from here he could see the masses of youkai crowding around the Koishii tree, and smell the hana’s scent on the wind.  The Western lord would be the first to admit that he had been shaken by last night’s events.  He had never expected to react so violently where the onna was concerned, but when he found out what the cook had tried to do he was infuriated.  Truthfully if his mate wasn’t there he would have ripped the pitiful ookami apart.  The fact that he hadn’t because of her presence was upsetting as well.

Yes Sesshomaru had done to the onna what the ookami had only tried to do, but the thought of that happening to the little former slave was disturbing.  Perhaps the Western lord was going crazy; that was the only explanation for the onslaught of feelings he was now experiencing.  When he had seen his tiny little mate covered in blood like he had last night something in him snapped.  That was his soul-mate and he had treated her no better than waste; ever since Sesshomaru had mated her he had felt her despair at the corner of his mind.  The Western lord had raped and then ignored the Kami’s greatest gift to him.

Running a clawed hand through his blue-white hair Sesshomaru sighed; how had he come to this.  He had spent centuries dreaming about his soul-mate, and when he finds her at last he does nothing but hurt her.  No he didn’t love the creature but still, one’s soul-mate should be treated like the precious gift they were.  She had been human, but should that really make a difference?  The Western lord despised humans for what they had done to his lady mother, yet his mate had not been the one to give the blow.

Every fiber of Sesshomaru’s being called out for the onna that was his mate, yet he constantly suppressed the yearning.  Last night had only made things worse; he felt remorse for the manner in which he had treated her after the mating.  Better yet, the Western lord felt like an absolute ass for raping the onna.  He shouldn’t be feeling these things; he was a lord for Kami’s sake!  Such feelings were a weakness, and thinking that they were only made the diayokai feel worse.

Was it really a weakness to care for one’s mate?  Sesshomaru had been sitting there on that cold stone bench since he had left his mate, and had only succeeded in confusing himself.  He didn’t know her name; he didn’t want to know, yet not knowing left a bitter taste in his mouth.  Too often he thought of the many males who sincerely loved their mates, and seemed no worse for it.  Before he had met the former slave he had been in love with his soul-mate.

His mate was nothing like what he had pictured, and so the lord had been greatly disappointed.  That coupled with the human factor had led to him hating the little onna.  Thinking on it now with her scent; no the Koishii hana’s scent, heavy in his nose made Sesshomaru begin to question himself.  Never before had the Western lord done such, but now the only thing running through his head was ‘What has she ever done to deserve such treatment?’  Could it be possible that he who prided himself on being an honorable male; have acted dishonorable to perhaps the only person that mattered?

In the solitude of his privet garden Sesshomaru rested his head in his clawed hands – hands that had so brutalized what once must have been something innocent – he felt sick.  Never in his long life had he ever felt so lost and alone, and the diayokai found himself craving her presence to sooth his lonely heart.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Kagome sat uncomfortable on her cushion as she watched Sesshomaru out of the corner of her eye.  The two were alone within the Western family’s private dining room, and the atmosphere was stifling.  Fidgeting slightly the former slave didn’t miss her mate’s look of disapproval, “You said we had something to discuss?”  Idly picking at her rice she sat in nervous anticipation.

“Hn,” Sesshomaru regally took a bite of his supper, “Much to discuss.”

Kagome glared at him and pursed her lips, ‘Does he have to be so damned difficult!?’  Noting his mate’s look of contempt the Western lord gently whipped his face with a cloth.

“This Sesshomaru shall put it bluntly, we are mates, and as such you must act accordingly.”  At her glare he continued, “You must conduct yourself in a manner befitting the Lady of the West, and as this Sesshomaru’s mate you must take care not to put yourself in danger.  Also seeing how we are mates you must prepare yourself to bare this Sesshomaru pups. No matter our feelings for one another we must both attempt to come together as the mates we are and function properly.”  Kagome paled.

Taking in a shaky breath the former slave stared at Sesshomaru, “We’ll have to sleep together?”  Trembling at his curt nod she nearly fainted.  “WHY!?”

“This Sesshomaru is in need of an heir, and you as this one’s mate must give it to him.”

Kagome shot to her feet, “Wasn’t raping me good enough for you?  Now you expect me to willingly seek your bed!”  Sesshomaru had her pined to the floor within seconds.  “LET GO!”  The former slave pleaded as she struggled piteously.

The Western lord growled low in his throat, “Calm yourself!”  Loosening his grip slightly he gently nuzzled her neck, “I will not harm you again mate.”  His voice was soft and soothing as he attempted to reassure her, and Kagome found herself stunned at his sudden change of demeanor.

“Why should I believe you?  What’s more, why should I sleep with the man that raped me?”  She couldn’t help but tense under him.

“Because this Sesshomaru’s word is his law and because we are mates.  No matter the circumstances in which we became mated we are with one another until death.  The Kamis made it so.”  He purred deep in his chest in an attempt to assuage her fears.

“Please just let go off me.”  Kagome’s voice was feeble as she tried to push the diayokai away.  Looking down at her Sesshomaru allowed a brief look of sadness to cloud his flawless features.

“As you wish mate, but know this.  You are my mate, and will remain so, this Sesshomaru has come to realize the error within his actions, but you too must see the error in yours.”

Kagome growled as he sat up from her, “And what error might that be?  You are the one who raped me!”

“Perhaps the fact that you refuse to accept what none can change.  You were this Sesshomaru’s soul-mate and thus were made his mate.  Accept it.”

“I have!”

“Not fully.  Good night.”  With that he left her alone within the small dining room. 

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Kagome sat on her balcony railing staring out at the night sky; what had Sesshomaru meant earlier?  He was quite obviously the only one at fault for misconduct.  The male had raped her for crying out loud!  Sighing the former slave pulled her kimono closer to her body as the wind picked up.  It was strange, but she felt as though she was healing when she should still be a mess.

Perhaps it was the fact that she was now a youkai, or maybe the onna had always been so strong.  All Kagome knew was that she felt so much better than that first day, and the incident hadn’t been too long ago.  The former slave remembered seeing onnas who had been used by their youkai masters before.  The slave women would always come out of it like husks, and some would even kill themselves.  For a time after it had happened Kagome thought she would end up like that, but now all she could think was how his scent had filled her senses earlier that night.

Thinking back on it Kagome knew that human soul-mates were found often enough; so why didn’t anyone ever hear of problems?  ‘Isn’t the mate of the head council-man, Anna, a former human?’  The onna thought as she brushed off a firefly that had landed on her sleeve.  The two kitsune youkai had been mated since before Kagome’s grandfather had been born, but it was still common knowledge that the female was once human.  It was juicy gossip amongst the slaves about how happy the mates were; in fact they were eagerly anticipating their third child. 

Glancing up at the stars the former slave puzzled over the new turn of events.  ‘Children with Sesshomaru?’  That thought didn’t disturb her near as much as it should; in fact a small part of Kagome was even ecstatic at the thought of carrying the Western lord’s child.  Leaning over the railing to lightly trace her fingers over a leaf the onna decided it would be best to get some advice.  She didn’t know whether or not she would be welcomed by the council-man’s mate, but she was the only one that Kagome could go too; the only one who had even an inkling of what the little onna was going through.

There was no way that Kagome could ever forgive and forget what Sesshomaru had done to her, but for some reason her body and soul cried out to do just that.  Walking into her darkened room the former slave decided to see the lady Anna on the marrow.  For now rest was needed after the long and tiring week.  Falling into the loving embrace of her futon the onna couldn’t help but recall that night; after sating himself with her the beast had cradled her broken form.  Sesshomaru had fallen asleep holding the bloody Kagome to his rumbling chest, and where once the remembrance of those quite moments had caused the onna to be ill, now she felt a sort of craving for it.  His strong arms had been raped loosely about her from as her head rested on his firm chest, his nose nuzzling the side of her neck almost lovingly.

Strange how Kagome now thought almost happily on that scene; there must be something wrong with her.

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Kagome looked about her uncomfortably; it felt so strange once more walking about the Western home.  Perhaps it was her sequesting herself within her chambers for the last week, or mayhap it was her new youkai senses, but everything was different.  One thing that was glaringly obvious was the change in attitude of the inhabitants of the palace.  Slaves whom the onna had once worked closely with now adverted their eyes and shuffled away from her presence, and the youkai who now bowed down to her had once sneered in her direction.  At first Kagome had kept to the narrow strip of stone allotted to slaves on each side of the halls to walk in, but soon she noticed how it inconvenienced her former peers.

Kagome knew all too well what it was like to have a youkai walk where a slave should; pressing so tight against the wall in an attempt to not dirty the youkai with their body that breathing was difficult, and if by some chance the youkai did brush against you then punishment was inevitable.  It was odd to be walking on the lush carpet, and to have others go out of their way not to brush against her.  Even the youkai attempted to keep a polite distance as they stopped and bowed until she had walked by.  It was wholly an unwelcome experience truth be told; Kagome didn’t like the attention of so many youkai who had once ignored her.  Turning into one of the side halls the former slave paused for a moment; never before had she been in this part of the palace. 

This area was too close to the Koishii gardens, and thus slaves were kept out by two burly inus standing guard.  For a moment Kagome thought that the two youkai wouldn’t let her pass, but like the rest of the beings she had passed on the way they merely bowed.  Biting her lip the former human hesitantly walked into the adjacent hall; looking at the many doors and branching halls the onna frowned, ‘How in seven hells will I be able to find where I need to be?’  Jumping at the clearing of a throat she spun to find one of the guards staring at her.

Kagome took a step back in fear; she should have known she wasn’t allowed here!  “My Lady,” The inu looked at her appraisingly, “Would ya allow me ta ‘scort ya to ya destination.”  At her puzzled (if not slightly frightened look) he bowed deeply.  “Beggin’ ya par’on; ya seem a tad bit lost, an I bein aware that ya be new to this ‘ere part of the Wes’n Home off me services.”  Although he looked sincere enough she couldn’t help but be mistrusting of the youkai.

After all while the demons might be courteous to her now, when she was a slave she met with nothing but contempt.  “I-I’ll manage thanks.”  The onna clasped her hands in front of her, “But directions would be appreciated.”

The guard smiled reassuringly at her, “Be me hona Lady.”  Giving another deep bow he waited.

“Um, it would be helpful if you could tell me how to get to Sakura-sama’s quarters.”  Kagome searched around her as she spoke.  Looking at the guard from the corner of her eye the former slave anticipated his answer.

He smiled broadly, “Well my Lady, that is easy enough to find.  Tis jus down this ‘ere hall, an ya make a left at the hall that has the red tiles.  Then the eighth door on ya right.”  Standing up straight he winked, “I su’pect the Lady Sakura been waitin on ya.”  Watching the guard walk back to his post Kagome smiled bitterly.

“I wonder why,”

&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&

Knocking on the appropriate doorframe the former slave fidgeted slightly as she awaited an answer.  Would the council-man’s mate accept her into her chambers?  Would she understand what Kagome so desperately needed to know?  Better yet, would the kitsune give the onna the answers she seeked?  Running a delicately clawed hand over her silken kimono Kagome jumped slightly at the sudden opening of the shoji screen door.

A neko youkai maid bowed deeply towards the former slave, “My Lady, Sakura-sama has be awaiting your arrival.”  Flourishing a callused hand the female invited Kagome in, “The lady Sakura shall hoist you in the parlor upon her eminent return.”

“She isn’t here?”  The former slave’s voice was sharp in her state of nervous anticipation.  The servant bowed deeply and once more flourished her clawed hand.

“Sakura-sama deemed today appropriate to bring her lord-mate his noon meal.  She will be back before the sun passes one of its lengths.”  Leading Kagome to the correct room the servant fluffed one of the lavish sitting cushions.  “I beg thee to make yourself comfortable and use my services at my Lady’s discretion until the Lady Sakura’s return.”  The neko humbly said as the former human sat apprehensively.

“I’m fine thank you, but please let me know when your mistress comes back.”

“At my Lady’s wish.”

The maid left and for a time Kagome was alone in the small parlor.  Left with nothing to do but think her mind turned once more to the reason she was in such a predicament; the rape.  It still preoccupied her mind almost constantly, and yet the former slave found herself aching for the male who had harmed her so.  The onna truly didn’t know what she would do if Sakura didn’t have the answers to her questions.

Sensitive ears picked up on the soft humming of the maid as she cleaned another room.  It was a song that Kagome knew by heart, and before she would have joined in with the words with no hesitation.  Now however the former slave feared she would never be able to sing as she once did again.  Singing had always been her way of letting out her happiness; singing was the sound of her pure soul.  Now Kagome hardly felt anything like happiness; now her soul was tainted by her mate’s unkind touch.

Covering her face with her hands the former slave shuddered; is this what she had become?  Bitter and broken unable to sing?  The onna had always thought of herself as strong; after all very few slaves could set aside their circumstances and sing with a pure soul.  Now it seemed she had lost that ability.  Strange how whenever Kagome thought she was getting better she would only sinks deeper in her despair.

Every waking moment of every day since that night she had been nothing but irrational and unstable.  One moment the road to recovery would be planted firmly underneath the onna’s feet, and the next she would feel nothing but despair.  What good would seeing the kitsune do her?  Standing to make her leave Kagome’s blue-gray eyes widened in shock at the figure in the door.  The former slave had not even noticed the counsel-man’s mate’s arrival.

“Hello Kagome-sama, this one is pleased that you have finally come.”  Her voice was soft; bet held a quality to it that seemed to make it reverberate in the Western Lady’s chest.

“How did you know I would be here?”  Kagome’s voice seemed feeble and weak.

Softly Sakura smiled, “Because you need guidance from one who understands your plight little kit, and I am the nearest that can aide you.”  Sitting elegantly on one of the cushions she kept smiling serenely.  “Will you allow me to help you, or would you choose the difficult journey of blindly stumbling towards your answers?”

Sinking to her knees Kagome held back her tears, “I need help, I need your help!  Please understand I just don’t know what to do.  I’m not the same person I was before, and I react to things that I shouldn’t!”

“Shu, it’s alright dear, let it all out.”  Sakura embraced Kagome; her chestnut hair falling in jasmine scented waves around the crying girl.  It was a soothing scent, and the Western lady did just as the kitsune asked.  In broken sobs she spoke about the confusing and sometimes painful changes to her body and senses, she spoke about the way she reacted to the presence of the one who had caused it all; and for the first time Kagome spoke aloud about the rape.  The details of that night rushed back like a broken dam, and all poured from the inu’s mouth.

“Please tell me what’s happening!”   Kagome sobbed into the chest of the kitsune.  Still she did nothing but gently rub circles on the girls back, and hush her quietly.  By the time she had calmed the sun had set and nigh had fallen heavily over the Western domain.  “What should I do Sakura-sama; I feel as though I should just forget everything and bend to Sesshomaru’s will.”

“And to a point that is what you should do.”  The kitsune pulled back and smiled at the dumbfounded inu with shining emerald eyes.

“But-,”

“Did you know, Lady Kagome, that that the kamis only ever create two people at a time?”  At her blank look Sakura continued.  “A soul is never complete when it is just in one vessel, just as a single person is not complete.  The kamis knew this, and they also knew that no mortal body could ever hold a complete soul.  Do you know why?”

“No” Kagome shook her head while looking out of a window into the starlit sky.

“Because a soul is always at war with itself; dark and light, pure and tainted.  If the entirety of the dark were together with the entirety of the light part of a soul it would be destroyed.  But the kamis knew it would be a cruel thing to separate a soul from itself, so they came up with a solution.  Do you know what it was?”

Kagome gave a small gasp, “Soul-mates?”

“Yes my dear,” The kitsune smiled, “A soul is split in two, one half containing mostly light, the other mostly dark, and the haves are given separate vessels to be born into the world.  It doesn’t matter what type of body the soul is put in, all that matters is that the two haves become a whole.  Sometimes it takes many lifetimes, but eventually the two will find one another.  To help things along the Koishii tree was created, and still four stand.”

“How is this meant to help me?”  Kagome asked in a small voice.

Sakura gave her a motherly smile, “It helps to know that no matter what he did in a moment of weakness, no matter how he tries not to, you mate will always love you with all his heart, just as you will love him.”

Phew!  Wow, that sucks big ones….  What evs though it is finished, and now I am proud to present to you, as a gift for my 16th birthday, my very first M fic!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Really only M cus of the rape though.  And of course you don’t care…  I might do a sequel, not sure yet.  Please tell me how long it took you to read this long peice of shity fiction.