InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Understandings ❯ Kagomes next assignment ( Chapter 2 )

Chapter 2
       

 Kagome's Next Assignment

        Kagome woke up to a stormy morning. That was fine with her because she liked the rain. The world always smelled so fresh and clean after a storm. Dressing she rang for breakfast, the residents of the palace only ate together on special occasions. Each person, having their own schedule, made this an unfortunate necessity. She hated to eat alone and almost wished she had a servant to keep her company. She never had taken one, although her position gave her right to. She hated the idea of someone taking care of her when she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself.

        Walking through the gardens later that day she found herself in front of the Demoness Sango of the High Counsel. Bowing with respect, she stood in silent awe. The Demoness in front of her radiated a silver light that stunned others to silence. This was a special power given to her by the stone she wore around her neck. Not everyone had a special power though. Only the High Counsel and Kagome had the extra gifts. Or at least that's the way it was supposed to be. There were some demons that had found a way to tap into the King's stones and blessed themselves with powers. That's how Hisoka had the power over the soul and to take the lives of two of her friends. She missed them greatly. They had only been gone two weeks but for her it seemed like a life time ago. Kagome didn't even know what her special talent was. She was so powerfully strong without it, that she never bothered to find out, and doubted she would even try.

“Kagome, what a pleasant surprise to see you here; are you enjoying your afternoon off?” asked Sango.

“Yes, very much so Lady Sango, thank you for asking.”

“Good, you will need to be in audience with the entire High Counsel tonight. Make sure you are rested up. This next assignment will require all of your strength and patience. Dinner will be at eight, do not be late.” With that the High Demoness Sango disappeared.

        Kagom e sighed. She had hoped to have one more day to recover form her losses and misery but her job was more important. She had only a few more hours to enjoy before she would need to get ready, so she decided to go pay a visit to the library.

        Spending the rest of the afternoon reading hadn't relaxed her enough to face the dinner. She always hated these assignment meetings. All seven of the High Counsel members and three dozen or so spectators were in attendance. The executioner (Kagome) was seated at one end of the table and the highest council member, Sesshomaru the Great, was seated at the other. She didn't know the other counsel members that sat in between as well as she knew Sesshomaru or Sango and so was always nervous when the dinner was to begin. Formality was a must. This was the business of deciding the death sentence of a fellow demon and wasn't to be taken lightly. The dinner was eaten, then the announcement was made and the fate was sealed. The executioner was to carry out their orders immediately. This time was different though. Sesshomaru had enough and confronted the other members about his concerns. Much to his relief they agreed and granted permission for his idea. He was going to enjoy this.

        Kagome entered the hall and sat in her seat. She wished that they could get someone other than her for this assignment because she wasn't ready to take another life just yet. Last night was too fresh in her memory. She had never shown remorse for dealing with a criminal and she wasn't sure why this one affected her the way it did. She decided that she could never think of him again because, if she were to have, she didn't think she would be able to do her job and her job was all that mattered.

        Dinner ended and the tables were cleared away. Kagome stood, smoothed her dress and took her position to stand before the council. The audience that had been talking before took this as a sign and the talking died to silence. Sesshomaru Stood and cleared his throat to speak. `This is different.' thought Kagome. The High Counsel members never stood to address the audience. `I wonder what is going on.'

        Sesshomaru could see the confusion in her eyes as he stood. He had to try very hard to hide his smirk. Yes, he was going to enjoy this.

        “Demon ess Kagome, Please step forward!” his voice thundered through the room.

        Kagome became scared. This wasn't part of the ceremony of sentencing, what was going on? She hadn't ever had to meet with Sesshomaru after a kill before and his questions last night had unnerved her. She took a few steps forward and stopped. The slow smile that spread across Sesshomaru's face turned her blood to ice. Lady Sango had the same look on her face as well and Kagome was close to fainting.

        “D emoness Kagome, we have reviewed your work for us...” Sesshomaru started in a loud voice. “And we,” turning around to indicate the six other members of the High Counsel, “have come to a decision.”

        K agome's heart sunk to her knees and her face paled. She had thought they liked her work. Why else would they have chosen her to be the top executioner? She started to panic.

        Sesshomaru had watched the terror flood her face and he could take it no more.

        “Your service to us has been invaluable and we want to keep it that way. We are therefore giving you a reprieve from your duties for a few weeks in order to do us a personal service.” Sesshomaru almost laughed out loud at the relief that washed across her face. He couldn't, because he was the head council member and could show no weakness in public, however that had been close.

        Kagome's legs almost collapsed under her. A reprieve! She was so happy she almost cried.

        “Than k you sir!” she almost yelled with the flood of relief she felt flowing through her body.
        “You may not want to thank me yet.” he stated with an arched eyebrow. The Demon King is sending one of his sons, Prince InuYasha; to Earth to stay with us for a month and he needs an escort to err...um... keep him out of trouble. His father is making sure his son has the knowledge to sit on the High Demon Counsel properly. He will arrive here tonight and you will meet him tomorrow. You have your orders Kagome. You may take your leave now.”

Seething, Kagome bowed to Sesshomaru and then bowed to the rest of the High Council of Demons and turned to leave.

With all eyes on Kagome, Sesshomaru was free to smile. Yes he truly had enjoyed that.

I cannot believe this! How dare them?” she said as she stormed to her room.

        She kicked open the door and spun around to kick it closed again, But her foot made contact with Sesshomaru's chest and not the door. It was lucky for him that she hadn't kicked it that hard.

        Sesshomaru had followed Kagome to her room to try to explain his reasoning to her. She had kicked the door open and he knew just then exactly how angry she really was. He hurried over to talk to her when she kicked for the door and make contact with him instead.

        Gasping in disbelief at what she had just done she ran over to help him up.

“Sesshomaru, I am so sorry sir!” she managed to choke out.

He was impressed at her strength. He had known she was stronger than the rest but he had no idea about how much. He winced at the pain as he stood and chuckled. “Had you been anyone else Kagome, you would have been dead by now.”

She winced because this was true. The penalty for harming a High Counsel Member was immediate death. Sesshomaru was fond of her and she knew that he was just joking.

Changing the subject Kagome became angry again. “How could you degrade me to a damn babysitter?” the venom practically dripping from her voice.

Sesshomaru just chuckled again. “It's only for the time that the Prince is here. You will return to your normal duties after he leaves. We can trust no one other than you for this job. The Prince has some more difficult personality traits and you are the only one with the ability to stand up to them. Now get some sleep. You're going to need all you wits and strength to keep up.” He turned to walk out the door when Kagome stopped him.

“Thank you Sir.” was all she said.

“Good night Kagome,” he smiled and closed her door behind him.

 

It was a fitful, sleepless night and Kagome slowly opened her eyes and glared at the ceiling. It was way too early in the morning to even be awake, let alone thinking but it was giving her a headache to pretend to sleep any longer. She was not looking forward to today at all. Rolling over, she pulled the covers up over her head and groaned. This was going to be the longest month of her life. She was an executioner, not a babysitter.

 

Getting up she walked over and looked out of the window at the lake below and smiled at the fact it had ice at its fringes. Winter was definitely on its way on its way. In a few weeks if not sooner snow would be on the ground. Kagome sighed. What did it matter to her? She wouldn't have to go out and hunt in it anyway, now that she was a babysitter. Why did a 130 year old demon need a babysitter anyway? Seriously, what trouble could he possibly get into? Kagome wasn't going to have to wait long to find out.

 

She started to ring for breakfast but there was a knock at her door. Throwing on her favorite robe, she went to answer it pondering who was foolish enough to bother her at this hour of morning. She swung the door open, ready to verbally assault the person on the other side and froze. Sesshomaru was there with her breakfast already in hand.

 

“I thought, with your new assignment, we might not be able to spend much time together, so I brought you breakfast in hopes you would join me.” he smiled.

 

“Sure, come on in.” she held the door open for him. “Let me just go and get dressed.” How did he know she was going to order bacon and eggs?

 

She put on her uniform. Normally she wouldn't have to, but there was royalty in the palace, and that required her to dress for work at all times. In fact, the entire palace would dress in uniform for the month.

 

She came back to find Sesshomaru had set up the breakfast and had sat down to wait for her. “Thank you for this,” she began. “I thought as well, that we might not get many chances to talk this month.”

 

“You are most welcome.” he stated as he handed her a cup of tea.

 

“So how are you this morning Sesshomaru?”

 

“I am fine, but I find myself worrying about you.” He told her.

 

“Me?” surprised that he would be concerned

 

“Yes, I have not seen you smile in weeks.”

 

“Oh, well I didn't think I had to walk around with a smile plastered on my face.” she teased.

 

“Well from now on you do.” He told her smugly. Kagome kicked at Sesshomaru under the table and did smile. Sesshomaru wished she would smile more. She was beautiful when she did.

 

Finishing her meal she stood to clear the dishes and put the finishing touches on her uniform. She attached her sword to her hip and straightened her buckles. Giving one final glance at herself in the mirror she turned to face Sesshomaru. “I really am glad that you're my friend. I think the time off will do me some good, thanks for arranging it for me.”

 

He walked over and hugged her because he was just as glad they were friends as she was. It was hard to be so serious all the time and he enjoyed the freedom she allowed him, to just be himself. As if sensing what he was thinking, she reached up and tugged on his ear and he growled at her as she laughed.

 

“Its time we go to meet with him now, Kagome.” Sesshomaru said carefully turning her towards the door.

 

He could feel a small resistance as he pushed her, but with a little more pressure she went forward to the door. “This will be good for you Kagome.” he stated.

 

“If it helps you sleep tonight, Sesshomaru, you can just keep telling yourself that.” she sighed.

 

She waited outside the door for him to pass her. She was always to walk slightly behind him just to his right. This signified that she served as the High Counsel's right hand, so to speak. Her boots clicked softly as she walked and her sword hit upon her side with every step. She placed her hand on the hilt to stop its movement. She was skilled with the weapon but chose not to use it at work, opting for her body instead. She found the sword limited what could and couldn't be done in a fight and she hated feeling limited so it was usually left behind; however, it was a required part of the uniform with royalty here. She would have to suffer through the month with it at her side.

 

The two rounded the corner and came to the Great Hall. Sesshomaru parted ways with Kagome and took his place behind and above the other Counsel as he was the highest ranked member. Kagome took her place off to the side of the platform this time to the left and faced the audience with her staff behind her in a ranking line. She would stand guard here until she was called forth. After everyone took their places the doors opened and a man and two female servants walked in.

 

He stood a head taller than Kagome. His formal robes were of a rich, dark blue with silver accents that shimmered when he walked and his pants were black as well as his shoes. His silver hair was kept long and gathered by a black leather strip at the base of his neck. His chest and shoulders were strong and muscular, but he looked like he had never been in battle a day in his life. Why should he have been, when that's what people like her were for? His servants were dressed in sheer baggy purple pants and short tight tops. She slightly shifted, suddenly uncomfortable. Yes Kagome's uniform was skin tight, but it was to keep the enemy from grabbing on to her clothing and using it to their advantage. Theirs was for plain and simple pleasure. She smiled slightly. She guessed they had a job to do as well.

 

He caught her movement out of the corner of his eye and smirked at her. She was pretty enough but she looked like she was ready to attack at any moment. That just made his amusement even greater. She was going to be fun to torture. Attitude or not, just like all the rest, he would send her running home in tears. It irked him that everywhere he went they sent him some sniveling person to be his guide. They did that in France last week. That girl had been the most fun so far. It took a whole three days to make her cry.

 

Kagome swore she had never seen a more arrogant man in her life. That nasty little smile he was giving her was enough to make her want to rip out his eyes. Almost as if he could see her thoughts, his smirk got larger.

 

As she calculated exactly the angle to go about getting to his eyes, she gasped slightly, noticing they were the same gorgeous liquid amber as Sesshomaru's. Perhaps that color wasn't as rare as she had once thought.

 

“Welcome to the palace of the High Demon Counsel, Prince InuYasha,” Sesshomaru began. “Feel free to have full run of the grounds but be sure to take your guide with you whenever you leave your chambers. This is a dangerous region and she is there for your protection. “

 

`I highly doubt that.' he thought as he turned and looked her over again. He wondered how she ever managed to complete an execution in her life. She looked entirely too fragile and her stance and grace made her seem way too innocent as to have ever killed anyone.

 

Stepping forward when Sesshomaru called for her she turned and bowed to her new charge. She didn't like her new position as palace babysitter, but she still showed her respect for her title. Yes, this was going to be one hell of a long month.

 

Sesshomaru gestured to a chair next to his for the Prince to sit in, his entourage taking place behind. Business carried on a usual, arrangements made for the ball in the Princes honor, people tripping over themselves to be introduced to the Prince. Kagome sat back and watched it all with a fair amount of disgust. Why people drooled and slobbered on the shoes of those higher up was beyond her. The Prince began every morning just like every one else. `No, perhaps not.' She thought factiously as a purple clad servant handed him a drink. She rolled her eyes and a snicker coming from the ranks behind her snapped Kagome out of her daydream of a drownding Prince to discover Sesshomaru was in the process of dismissing everyone. He bowed to Sesshomaru and turned to glance at Kagome. She sighed and followed him out into the hall.

 

InuYasha whirled on Kagome, startling her in to a subtle defensive stance which fortunately, he missed. “You will follow me wherever I go?”

 

“Yes, every time you leave your room I will accompany you.” she replied coolly, relaxing. Why the hell was she so jumpy?

 

He turned and dismissed his two servants back to his chambers and turned to Kagome and smirked. “I want to take a walk around the palace now. I arrived so late last night that I didn't see much.” and took off with out even a glance back.

 

“As you wish.” Kagome bit out and followed several steps be hind him.

 

They walked in silence the till noon. Finally tiring, he returned to his chambers which were located next to hers. Access to the Prince in case of an emergency was a must, and that he would not have to wait on her for long when he needed to leave. “I will send for you later this evening.” With that he turned and entered his chambers.

 

Kagome waited for his door to close before sighing and returning to her chambers. That man was so arrogant! She had a headache and needed to lie down.