Alpha by Lyra
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Drabble Collection Alpha
CXIX
Prompt From Priestess Skye’s Bi-Weekly Challenge
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"My Lady -”
“Oh please – you must call me Kagome. You are Yoko?”
“Yes, My – Kagome. In private, I may and surely must do as you ask, but I must warn you that such familiarity in public is not...seemly.”
Kagome only smiled.
“Thank you, Yoko. I won’t mind then, or if Sesshomaru complains. But...really, it sounds funny, people calling me lady. I’m new to... all this.”
“You do not come from court?”
Kagome shook her head, laughing.
“No, no, not even close! In this time I’m a miko, and I’ve spent the last few years trudging all over Nihon because of this thing.”
She tapped the jewel hanging at her throat lightly.
“In my own time I’m just a schoolgirl, the daughter of a family that owns a shrine with an extremely odd well on its property. Really that’s the most special thing about me.”
Again, the laughter; Yoko leaned forward, drawn by it. Such sounds were not common in a place like this; youkai were not known for their humor. But it was welcome to her, as very few things would have been welcome. She was more pleased to know of Kagome’s kind heart and joyful nature than she had been to notice her tremendous power.
“Kagome – my Lady – I am pleased to take your service, if you will have me.”
Kagome nodded and smiled, and reached across the table to take Yoko’s hands.
“Yes – of course! I’m so glad there’s someone like you here.”
Yoko nodded herself and then for the first time appeared faintly nervous.
“If I am now in your service then I must beg pardon to say...to say that my Lady, you have been hurt! Do you need care?”
Kagome appeared puzzled for a moment, and then touched her cheek, lay her palm over the side of her face, comprehension dawning.
“This? Oh – no, but thank you. It’s just a bruise.”
She was surprised when Yoko did not just drop the matter; her face changed subtly and Kagome watched her eyes flash toward Sesshomaru.
“My lady, please forgive – but it is not a question of just. Someone has struck your face! Unless my Lord -”
Sesshomaru proved then that he had noted their conversation.
“There is nothing that would incite me to visit violence on my mate, Yoko! Be careful with your words.”
He saw surprise flicker on Kagome’s face as he spoke, and then become a tentative smile.
“But....then...my Lady! Who has dared -”
Kagome sighed, shrugged.
“It was Inuyasha – Inuyasha, before Sesshomaru came back for me. I don’t think....I don’t think you know him.”
From his place further down the table, Shizuka stood, his face tight and angry.
“My lord’s half-brother? I know of him. If you will excuse me, Lady; my lord -”
“Shizuka. Where are you going?”
The dark-haired Inu stopped and turned to face Sesshomaru with an expression on his face that willed him to understood the deeper motive in his sister’s words.
“This insult must be addressed, my Lord! To strike your mate – the fool deserves death!”
And Sesshomaru recognized then the opportunity he had been given to deliver a warning – a warning, for all those ears listening in on these moments, all those ears that would deliver reports to many others. He would give them something to tell, oh yes...
“Sit down.”
Shizuka bridled at the command, but Sesshomaru spoke again, more sharply.
“Sit down, Shizuka! The matter has been dealt with; if Inuyasha still lives, it is luck that sustains him, for it certainly was not my intention. Still, regardless – he is not worth interrupting a good meal.”
Shizuka bowed swiftly before returning to his seat.
“My apologies, my Lord.”
And Sesshomaru shook his head, marveling at the preparedness of these two.
“I tell you now, Shizuka – anyone who seeks to harm her, I will punish them – and I will make sure that as much as I enjoy it....they do not.”
Sesshomaru’s words were harsher than was strictly necessary, but he wanted to impress the thought behind them; he wanted to make his people understand. There was a promise of violence towards anyone who might think of reaching out towards his mate in that statement.
He scowled as he stared at the vivid bruise still darkening on Kagome’s cheek; Inuyasha’s work, and he had forgotten that it would not heal with the passing of a few moments – or he would have thought of this himself. He almost shuddered, thinking of the violence that would be directed at her if there was suspicion he did not want her...did not protect her with his approval.
Human, she is human, I must remember...I must remember...
She was so different from any other human in his experience that it was easy to think of her as something other, something...more than mortal – and now that he knew about her origins, now that he had examined her improbable power...
But he shook himself, the barest twitch of his muscles, and returned to his attention to the table.
The moment had passed; Rin and Shippou were involved in debate on the merits of stickiness versus squishiness in desserts. How...strange. Kagome had returned to her conversation with Yoko, which had apparently turned to fads in youkai fashion; Shizuka was watching all this with an expression that was both satisfied and amused.
“You are pleased, Shizuka?”
And Shizuka nodded slowly, responding to all the layers of that question at once.
“Most pleased, my Lord; and yet, still not as pleased as you, I think.”
Sesshomaru shook his head.
“You will go too far one day, Shizuka.”
Sesshomaru heard Kagome laughing then, and turned to see what was so amusing – but he had obviously just missed the joke, and managed a glare that only served to convince him, by the redoubling of Kagome’s laughter, that the joke was on him.
“Mate, you are laughing at me.”
“No – I’m not – I’m not laughing at -”
But words failed her completely at that point, and he glowered even more spectacularly than before.
It was Shizuka who finally shook his head and pointed out the not-so-obvious.
“My lord, a message -”
And Sesshomaru turned finally to see a very small messenger, purple with fear and shivering so violently his knees were actually knocking together. In an attempt to keep quiet and keep his teeth from chattering, the sad thing was making all sorts of odd contortions with his face, and Sesshomaru took a moment to look back and forth between the messenger and his mate.
“I see. Forgive me, Kagome. And you – give me your message and go.”
With a final shiver, a note was passed into Sesshomaru’s grasp. The messenger fled before Sesshomaru could even note the seal of the sender...and once he did, he felt the pleasant mood of the evening flee from him.
It was his own seal. And there was only one other being living with the right – the daring – to use it.
Mother!
~~~
A/N: Whew! This is, by far, the LONGEST Alpha chapter yet! But, I met the word limit; 1200 words, yay! Now, truly, give me some feedback on what you think. Longer chapters, or shorter...or in the middle? I think my favorite is probably the 400-700 range, but I do take suggestions into account, always, since...well, I write for you guys! Now, I think this is a good [and evil] place to leave our intrepid miko and her insanely sexy demon lord, and venture back to the Abyss – where Inuyasha has been waiting...
Revisions complete!
Please Review!