I Am Me; No One Else

Chapter 22: Conspiracy Foiled

(A/N: The picture above is not mine; only borrowed)

Kagome had indeed found a material this time to use on her garment and so; after she had purchased probably more than enough of the fabric, she then excused herself to go see the seamstress with her designs for the outfit. Sesshoumaru had smiled internally to her excitement over finding a material that would work.

And internally breathing in relief; as he had been running out of options for merchants to summon.

The rest of the day, Kagome was barely seen as she spent most of it going over her outfit's design with Korina, the spider demon who was the castle's seamstress. If she wasn't there, then she was busily bustling about getting the castle fit for guests, or finishing the reception area, or examining the food that was being made ahead of time as so to make sure some of it was acceptable for herself to eat as much as Rin and her friends.

Her friends were returning here for the tournament to keep watch on the nobility who came here for it, as were some of the veteran miko from the temple. Sesshoumaru had not said anything of this to the elders on the council, as he knew they would protest it if they did. And, the idea would also have agitated some of the other nobility.

Some of the nobles; they had daughter's competing in the tournament and while they internally knew by now that if their heiress died that they could not exact revenge due to the rules of the tourney...Kagome still expected trouble because she was human and a miko.

Rin and Shippou had begged to be allowed to come too and she and Sesshoumaru finally agreed to allow it. So long as Sango and Miroku kept an eye on them; they believed the two children should be fine. They had been warned to be on their best and utmost good behavior because there would lots of foreign nobles or other guests in the palace and the danger was still high.

They had promised them, so both Kagome and Sesshoumaru expected them to keep their words.

--

The next morning Kagome awoke to a hand carding through her hair gently. She didn't even need to open her eyes to know that it was Sesshoumaru. She sighed softly as her eyes opened and saw his worried and distressed gold ones staring at her; though his face was blank for the most part.

"Sesshoumaru?" She asked softly

He just watched her silently as his hand carded through her hair and she became concerned now for him. He was not usually so emotionally movable like this.

"Kagome...I know today will be hard for all of us; more so for you as it is you who are being made to fight for the right to stand by me instead of me fighting for you as would be more normal in demonic society. Please...be careful and do not take unnecessary risks in there within the arena. Those demonesses will use any means to kill you or overpower you." He said softly

"If you die in there...I will not be the same person ever again and it is likely I will never accept another into my life like I have done for Rin and for you." He said as he stood and walked across the room; his back to hers.

She sat up and stood slowly before gracefully stepping up to him. She wrapped her arms around him in comfort to his neck and shoulders from behind his tall frame. Sesshoumaru felt her smile against his skin to his back; his eyes softening and his lips emitting a very small smile for it.

"I know they will do whatever they can to eliminate me in there, and I do not intend to risk myself like that." She said slowly, "I want to be by you each day. To see you enjoy my company and to see me swollen with our pups. I want to see you teach them to hunt and to learn how to be strong. I want to walk each day beside you knowing we have endured all the hardships thrown our way so far and that our family we will have one day is proof of it."