A/n: Inuyasha does not belong to me.
Warning: This story will deal with many gory scene and political debates. It might be conflicting at times but I will try to make it as acceptable as possible. The romance between Sesshomaru and Kagome will be very slow. The most important thing that I would like to point out over here is that this story will deal greatly with the character development of Kagome, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. Kagome’s character development would be taken up a notch in each step. Over here I would not show Kagome to be the ever powerful and tactical priestess all at once. She will develop her court handling skills and her bantering skills at a slow pace.
I would like to make it really clear over here that I view Kagome as incapable of handling a demon court or any royal court as a fact. She has grown up in a modern lifestyle and knowing the ways of the court will not be possible if not taught since childhood. Since Rumiko Takahashi has portrayed kagome as someone with an infinite amount of intelligence, therefore she would learn how to be in a court with the course of the story. So readers please bear with me and the pace of the story. Now I will like to start my story.
Chapter 1
Feudal Japan, borders of the western lands.
The Kamijou Village
“Sana, bring the buckets over here” a sturdy lady in her middle 40s shouted to a young-looking girl. The girl wore a creamy kimono, covered with mud and dust. Her face was covered with dirt and hair tangled in a bun. She walked at a slow pace, towards the river of Shinzou.
“I will be back soon after I draw water” she shouted back to the bulky woman. The woman took a step back in fear and concern.
“Sana” the girl looked back “be careful” she smiled and took off.
The woman whose name was Mira cried softly. She knew Sana would not return. She had been that neighbour to Sana who had looked upon her as she had grown. Sana's parents had abandoned her at a very early age and never returned. Mira had been there for her as she had raised herself. Mira knew Sana was a proud and independent girl, she would never listen if Mira tried to stop her. So, she had allowed her to leave. But now, she was not so sure anymore. She did not want to go after her since she was selfish about her own survival but hoped that she received some sort of help. She prayed to the Gods so that the lovely soul could be saved, this was all she could do!
Sana walked through the forest thickets humming a sweet song, she often played on an old Erhu which she had inherited traditionally. She smiled a bit. Today she knew, was her day. She could not fight back, she knew it. But she had secretly stolen a prayer bead from the village temple; she would protect herself and return back to her grandmother, the woman who had been there for her even when the rest had abandoned her.
Weary eyes looked up to see the village in front of her, the villagers were all busy and in a hurry. To any normal person it would look like a regular village, but she knew, the village belonged to the demons. Not any demon, but the demons of the inu clan.
She closed her eyes and shuffled a bit; bringing the prayer beads close to her heart she swallowed a thick gulp of air. Her feet shook from fear and uncertainty as she slowly moved towards the village.
The Shinzou Village
“Idiot move out of the way” a man of huge stature treaded down the village path. His long hair moved with the steps he took. He was tall and of a muscular built. A long diagonal cut ran down his face. His pale complexion and intricate markings proved his demonic lineage. The white snow like hair proved his Inu clan lineage. He made his way towards the royal palace.
Sana walked the rough ground of the village, bumping into a demon, she fell backwards. She landed on her rear end. Timid and scared eyes of Sana looked up at the person in front of her. The sturdy demon with a long scar on his face stared back, his eyes glaring angrily.
“Did I not ask you to move? Where did you leave your brain?” the demon looked in such a way as if he would rip her head off. Sana shook like a lone leaf in the winds of the autumn, her eyes wide and her face pale. The demon narrowed his eyes and a smirk crossed his face.
“Ooh. What is this, a human?” he bent down on his knees and sat across of her making himself of her height. “A mortal treading the paths of Shinzou, this is rich!” he laughed a sick laughter. A chill ran down her spine and she scurried backwards, pushing the ground with her legs she tried to stand up.
“No dear, you are not escaping” the demon held her elbow and pulled her forcefully towards himself. She collided with his well built chest and struggled to break free. He pulled her towards a hut. He reached a hut and all the residents of the hut emptied it. He pushed Sana inside the hut and closed the wooden door with force “now my dear, come close.” He licked his lips and looked at her with a lustful gaze.
Sana hurried to move backwards, falling down as she hit a narrow edge. Her eyes wide with fear and her face begging mercy “please lea…..leave me alo…..alone” she choked on her tears. Fear gripped her sense; she had to do it now. She would do it, now or never. A look of determination passed her face. The demon lifted an eyebrow in sarcasm.
Sana shuffled through her kimono makeshift pouch and took out the sacred beads. Chanting in the imitation of her village priestess, she forcefully flung the beads across his neck. She waited, three minutes passed, nothing happened. She broke down into cold sweat. She closed her eyes; she knew she would not live.
The demon gritted his teeth in anger, gripped her by her hair and yanked her outside.
“Bitch, now everyone will see, as I will show them what happens when a human fights against a demon.” He moved forward to tear off her Kimono.
“Someone, please save me, don’t just look please help me.” Sana’s cries were unheard as all the demons looked down at her with condemn and a look of excitement crossed their face. She knew now, they were over here to enjoy her humiliation. She sent a silent prayer to the heaven,
“Please save me God, someone out there save me please. I don’t want to die over here. Save us from these ruthless beings. I beg of you, send someone to our aid.”
Somewhere between the eastern and western feudal Japan.
“Get your lazy ass moving woman.” A figure in red clothing, with silver and furry ears shouted at a girl.
“Yes, yes Inuyasha I’m coming, no need to shout.” The girl in question huffed and steadied her pace.
The jewel ‘Shikon no Tama’ had been fixed, Naraku had been destroyed and the jewel, the jewel was gone. She was horrified to learn that the wish which she had made on the jewel would be granted in the coming 30 years.
She huffed; they had fought for what again? Now she and Inuyasha would go around Japan, helping villages in need. Today was no exception. They had been travelling for about a week and now they had to reach the western borders. There was a village named Kamijou on the borders which had asked them for their assistance.
Kagome particularly had no objections in helping needy people. Her only problem was, western lands were completely on the opposite direction of Edo and they belonged to Lord Sesshomaru. Now she had no such describable problems with Sesshomaru, the only problem was Inuyasha. She looked at his annoyed face and wanted to cry out of frustration. Of all the villages, why the western lands?
A week ago, a woman of a sturdy build had come to Edo. Her name was Mira. She was trembling and crying. She had begged them to help her village. She had said “my granddaughter would be the next one. Please save her, they would kill her” she had never seen a face so helpless in her life. Kagome had decided to help them right away. Convincing Inuyasha was a completely different story. Bribing him with four bowls of Ramen for a day had done the trick just fine. She had jumped in victory and Inuyasha had warned her to keep quiet.
They had almost reached the village, one step, two step…….a hundred and fifty steps and they were in.
The woman, Mira rushed towards them, her eyes red and puffy from constant crying.
“Save her. She is there. Save her please.” Kagome put a hand on her shoulders and patted her with a concerned face.
“Where is she? Tell us. We need to know to save her.” The woman gulped down her fear, “across these thickets” she pointed towards a lush green forest “please go fast, they will kill her.” The woman shouted in urgency. Inuyasha nodded his head and left in a hurry carrying Kagome on his back.
Kagome was horrified to see the scene in front of her. A demon dragged a young girl by her hair and pushed her onto the dirt floor. She cried and begged for help but no one came forward. Everyone stared at her with a sadistic expression enjoying her humiliation.
A voice passed through her head, fuzzy at first and then clear and urgent.
“Please save me God, someone out there save me please. I don’t want to die in here. Save us from these ruthless beings. I beg of you, send someone to our aid.”
That moment Kagome closed her eyes, took a deep breath and aligned her hands in an equidistant manner, positioning her arrow and bow. She closed an eye and aimed. Her arrow glowing a blinding blue was released in a heartbeat.
Almost in a slow-motion, as if time had ceased to work, the demon moved his hand to tear of her kimono when an arrow of intense power and purpose had cut through the air and pierced his arm. A part of his hand was purified in an instant.
The demons alarmed, turned around. The entire village of Shinzou was staring at the pair, a fierce priestess and a terrifying half demon, the pair dripping blood red.
Note: Erhu was a musical instrument which many musicians of that time played. I used it in my story because I got the reference from the anime, Sainkoku Monogatari. To know more about it refer to the anime, cause I have no clue if this instrument existed or not :p
Read and review my lovely readers.
Thank you!
~Weirdlykagome.