For what felt like the millionth time that evening, Kagome’s lips twitched up in a polite, strained smile as yet another guest stepped forward to offer her his sincerest congratulations. After a seemingly endless series of pleasantries and bows, her expression sagged in relief at the end of the exchange. Her hand rose to soothe her aching jaw. Whoever said weddings were ‘fun’ was out of their mind. Weddings were work—hard work, and having to carry out that work under so many dense layers of silk was fast becoming pure torture.

Sweltering, Kagome cooled herself off as best she could with the ornamental fan Sango had gifted her. Pretty, yet practical. Her taijiya friend was right on the money, as usual. Uncomfortable as she was, Kagome had to admit, it was a beautiful summer night. As she looked up at the strings of lanterns glowing against the velvety dark skies, a soft sigh broke past her lips.

Even more people had turned out for the reception than Kagome had anticipated. She basked in the sound of their happy talk and laughter—her new husband’s, most of all. A short distance away, Inuyasha stood arm-in-arm with Miroku atop one of the long banquet tables they’d set out upon the open field. Sake cups in hand, they struck up a bawdy tune to the cheers of the gathered crowd.

Breathing in the scent of hanging flowers, barbecued meat, and fresh summer grass, Kagome revised her opinion of weddings: they were plenty of fun—just not so much when she was the bride. After a few dozen more forced smiles and greetings, she finally seemed to have gone through the roster of attendees. As she looked around to make sure she hadn’t missed anyone, she saw him at last. Clothed like herself in his usual white, he stood beyond the softly lit edge of the reception space, next to the dark outline of a tree.

Always on the outside, Kagome thought to herself as she wended her way toward him. From the crown his ward had made for her, a fine ivory petal fluttered down to dust her cheek. Brushing it aside, she ascended the low hill to meet him.

“Sesshoumaru,” she said, a true smile touching her lips, “you made it.”

Faintly reflective, his gaze lingered on the flowers in her hair. “Rin asked me to attend.”

Most brides probably would have been insulted by this flat remark, but Kagome just laughed lightly. Knowing how persistent Rin could be, she figured that ‘asked’ was most likely a huge understatement…

“Well, anyway, I’m glad you came,” Kagome said, stepping up beside him. “Have you spoken with Inuyasha?”

“No,” he answered, his eyes slanting toward his swaying, red-faced younger brother, “but I doubt he would remember, if I had.”

Kagome grinned ruefully. “You’re probably right…”

A stretch of companionable silence passed between them. Kagome’s eyes lifted to gaze up at the star-flecked sky. When her sights lowered to earth again, she saw that he was looking at her.

“Something on my face, Onii-san?” she asked him wryly. 

His jaw clenched as he glanced away. “Don’t call me that,” he said shortly. “I am not your brother.”

“I-I know,” she stammered. An embarrassed blush stained her cheeks. “It’s just a human tradition, to refer to your spouse’s family like they’re your own.”

His expression softened in contemplation. Bathed in the starlight, he looked almost as young as herself.

“Human marriage customs are strange to me,” he said after a moment. “So much frivolous formality and ceremony.”

Based on her recent personal experience, Kagome was inclined to agree with him.

“And what are youkai marriages like?” she asked with genuine interest. “I’ve often wondered.”

His eyes slid to her, and for a moment, despite the triple-layer kimono she was wearing, Kagome felt distinctly exposed. 

“By morning,” he said, “I suspect you will know.”

With an angry huff, Kagome ripped the sprig of herb in her hand up by its roots. A shower of dirt rained down across her folded knees. Why she was thinking of her wedding day—and of that moment in particular—was endlessly frustrating. Ever since that stormy afternoon a few weeks ago, when she’d inadvertently stumbled upon a revelation during her reminiscing, Kagome couldn’t seem to stop mentally replaying every interaction she’d ever had with Sesshoumaru—analyzing every word, every look. What else had she missed? What else had she failed to understand?

What might she be failing to see, even now?

This was the question that troubled her most, that kept her awake at night when even her guilt had subsided enough to let her sleep. There was so much about him she just didn’t know. Even what she thought she knew, she felt she now had to question. In the pit of her stomach, a sick sinking feeling began to grow—a feeling that she had gone too far. A dark, primitive intuition that she had awakened something better left to lie.

Inuyasha being gone these past few days on a youkai hunting expedition with Kohaku and Miroku had been a double-edged sword. While Kagome was glad for a reprieve from the near-constant bickering and tension, being alone had left her with a lot of space to think. Too much space, she suspected. Her troubled mind seemed to have taken free rein. As her back ached and her breasts grew full and tender in that familiar, monthly way, the turbulence within her only intensified.

She hadn’t found it in her to be tactful these past few weeks. Despite the surprised glances of Rin and a few others, she had gone out of her way to avoid Sesshoumaru. She didn’t want to speak to him. She didn’t even want to look at him. It was ironic, in a way, considering how much time she spent in her memories doing just that.

Logically, Kagome understood that the concept of ‘too late’ was flawed. She wasn’t a train stuck on its tracks. She could still choose, even now, to end this pact between them. They could put this behind them like a bad dream and go on as they had before. As the years went by, it would fade further and further into the depths of her mind, as if it truly had been nothing more than a dream after all.

So lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear the sound of approaching hooves until the riders were almost upon her.

The basket of herbs toppled over as Kagome leapt to her feet, arming her bow. Five men on horseback galloped into the clearing. A cold trickle of fear ran down her spine as she took in their rough appearance and the sacks of gold and valuables hanging from their horses’ saddles.

“Oh-ho!” the leader of the group called out with an oily smirk, slowing his horse to a canter at the sight of her. “What have we here?”

“A little girl lost in the woods, it seems,” another of the bandits sneered.

Kagome backed away defensively as he made to circle around her. Reiki blazed down her arrow shaft as she drew her bowstring farther back.

“Don’t come any closer!” she warned.

The leader’s eyes widened at the sight. Her powers were useless against humans, but maybe he wouldn’t know that…

“A miko, eh?” he grinned, running a gloved hand over the stubble on his chin. His lascivious gaze seized her own. “And such a rare beauty, as well.”

Kagome’s arm trembled with panic and strain. Yelling for help would be useless. Inuyasha was gone, and she was too far outside the village for anyone else to hear her. One shot, she realized, that was all she had—one shot, and they would be on her before she could even think to re-equip herself. As her mind raced, one of the bandits flanked her. Dirty fingers reached toward her unbound hair. Instinctively, Kagome reeled, her loosed arrow piercing him straight through the throat.

The bandit’s horse reared beneath the hot gasping stream of his blood. In the confusion, Kagome took off running as fast as she could toward a gully nearby, where at least the men would have to dismount to pursue her. Her destination was nearly in sight when she felt hard fingers digging into her skin. A scream tore from her lips as a strong arm wrenched her up, crushing her against an armored chest. Sour breath rasped along her cheek.

“You’re a spirited one,” the bandit leader chuckled, steering her face back toward his by the chin. “I like that in a woman.”

Kagome’s eyes flashed as she slammed her forehead against his nose. The sound of splintering bone and cartilage echoed nauseatingly in her ears. As he yelled and cursed, she scrambled down from the saddle—but a booted foot between her shoulder blades sent her sprawling to the ground. Winded, she could only watch as the bandit dismounted, still clutching his bloody broken nose as he stalked toward her.

“You mad bitch,” he seethed. “I was going to take you back to camp first, but it seems I’ll just have to break you in right here and now.”

The three others hung back leering as their leader reached for the ties of his hakama. Kagome inched away. Her fingers curled around a half-buried rock in the dirt.

“If you’re smart,” she panted with as much steel as she could muster, “you’ll leave me alone. My husband’s a powerful demon.”

The bandit smiled darkly as he continued to advance on her, sliding a hand through the opening in his pants. “I’ll show you a demon, little girl.”

As the others guffawed, a heavy shadow seemed to fall over the entire forest. The horses whinnied and shifted. The bandits’ laughter died in their throats.

“Youkai!” one of them managed to yell—a moment before his head sheared free from his shoulders.

It happened so fast she could scarcely see—flashes of white, sprays of red, screams of pain. There was the piercing cry of the horses as they bolted away in terror, and then the desperate wheezing of the bandit chief as a clawed hand held him aloft by the throat.

Blood slashed Sesshoumaru’s pale skin and clothes, but it was the expression on his face that was the most chilling of all. Sharp golden eyes cut to Kagome.

“Are you hurt?” he demanded.

Mutely, Kagome shook her head. Sesshoumaru’s cold alien gaze returned to his captive.

“Please!” the bandit croaked, his eyes wild with fear as he scrabbled at the stony claws that gripped him. “I meant your wife no harm, I swear it…”

Her lungs constricted as the daiyoukai closed his fist. The bandit’s neck snapped like a wet twig. Still looking murderous, Sesshoumaru cast the limp corpse aside. As he approached her, Kagome shrank back. With effort, it seemed, he forced his hostile features to relax.

“Come,” Sesshoumaru said to her, extending his bloodied hand.

After a moment of hesitation, she accepted.

---

Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Revised 7/14/22

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