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Unexpected Endeavors	By : Scottishfae Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > Sessh?maru/Kagome > Sessh?maru/Kagome Views: 70550 -:- Recommendations : 4 -:- Currently Reading : 5
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Chapter List
- 19
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Unexpected Endeavors
scottishfae

Arc 2: Of Grief
Chapter 19: Depression

Walking out of her room, Kagome inhaled deeply. The nights were getting colder. The clean, cool air crept into the morning hours.

Across the river, Kagome could make out Sango training through the ebbing fog. The two friends had grown distant within the short time the men had been away (again).

Movement to her right drew the miko’s attention. Aiko walked by. “Morning Aiko-san,” Kagome smiled sweetly. “How are you?”

“Fine,” she replied stiffly.

The older human was carrying woven baskets filled with linens.

“Would you like to have lunch with Sango-san, Shippo-chan, Rin-chan, and I today?

Aiko shook her head. “It wouldn’t be proper. I must decline.”

Kagome’s smile faded some. “I understand. You must be busy. But—if you ever need help, please ask. Don’t work too hard.”

Aiko kept her eyes focused ahead. Her tongue itched to respond with her own thoughts of the woman who had chosen to befriend youkai. Instead, she excused herself and walked towards the servants’ quarters.

Kagome watched her leave before turning inside. “Well, it’s not like Sango-san and Rin-chan really eat with me either,” she mumbled. It made her very grateful for her fox friend.

She walked over to a low writing table, and sat behind it. Her textbooks sat next to it, but she had what remained of her notebook paper separated into two stacks on the table: one stack blank, and the other contained letters. Some were to her family, written as a way to ebb the loneliness. The others were written the guys. She didn’t think she would ever have them delivered. It was just something to pass the time. Without traveling all the time, the Sengoku Jidai was incredibly boring.

She was trying to write each person equally—at least amongst the traveling men—but Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were more and more gaining a higher count. It didn’t surprise her that she had more to say to Inuyasha. They had, after all, been together the longest. It was the letters to Sesshomaru that made her question herself. She known Miroku longer, though certainly not in the same way she knew either of the other two men. She felt guilty about this.

Then there was Sango. They were barely speaking now. It broke her heart. And with Cho gone to gather supplies, there was really no adult to talk to.

“Good morning, Miko-sama,” a young inuyoukai spoke.

She was just outside the room, bowing from a sitting position, with a food tray next to her. “I have your breakfast.”

“Thank you,” Kagome responded.

She pushed herself away from the table and walked close to the outside door before sitting back down. If she was going to eat alone, she was at least going to do it with a view. The servant moved slightly forward and placed the black, lacquered tray in front of her.

Kagome decided to await Cho’s return before beginning to speculate anything, but her appetite had gone absolutely crazy recently. About all she could stomach in the mornings was a very small breakfast of grilled fish, miso soup, and rice. Even then she struggled to eat it all.

“Thank you,” she told the servant again. “Tell Hatsu-san that he food was wonderful, as usual.”

The youkai bowed. “Yes, Miko-sama.”

“Do you know where Shippo-chan is?”

“Yes, he’s down at the river with Sango-san. Would you like me to fetch him for you?”

“No, that’s okay. He’s probably having fun. Make sure he eats though, and not too much.”

The inuyoukai smiled. “Spoken like a mother.”

Kagome blushed and thanked the woman. With that she left. A kettle with tea had been left, but Kagome had taken to drinking simply water in the mornings and afternoons; only taking tea in the evening before bed.

Just down from her room, Kagome could hear Jaken talking to Rin. She hadn’t been awake, evidently, and he was trying to get her out of bed. The little girl had been spending more time on her own. She clung to Jaken when she could. Sesshomaru’s departure seemed to take a toll on her this time. Kagome didn’t blame her; the little girl had almost lost two of the people she was closest to while they had been trying to protect her. It had taken Sesshomaru coming down on her hard to get her to stay at the estate.

Unfortunately, it seemed that the Taiyoukai’s warm good-bye to Kagome had turned the little girl just below the line of hostile to the miko.

There was movement from the room down the way. A short, heavy stride came out of the room and down the outside walk. Kagome waited until Jaken was closer before greeting him. “Good morning.”

The retainer jumped—obviously not expecting her to be there. “Good morning, Higurahi-san.”

“How is she?”

Jaken looked down towards Rin’s room. “She is being stubborn, childish, and…human.”

Kagome pursed her lips. She knew he wasn’t trying to be rude…she didn’t think so. She still didn’t like her species being used as a derogatory term. “She’s just upset. It’s barely been a month since everything happened. She’ll get over it,” Kagome assured.

Jaken studied her, tentatively nodding. “When does Cho-san return?” he asked.

Kagome shrugged. “Soon, I hope.”

“Do you feel ill? Do you need a healer?” Jaken hastily inquired; jumping to conclusions.

She brought up her hands and shook her head. It hadn’t been her intention to make him panic. Jaken’s attitude had changed a lot and she didn’t want to torment him. “No, no. I—“ Kagome though about how to say what was on her mind. “Well, I guess Rin-chan and I are kind of suffering from the same thing. We’re both bored and missing our friends who are traveling without us.”

“You miss Sesshomaru-dono?”

Kagome smiled. “I do, and Inuyasha.” She laughed at herself. “I even miss Haru-san. He and Miroku-san are quite the pair together.”

“How are you holding up?” she asked the retainer.

“I am well. I am here to serve. And my duty is to Rin-chan.”

“I’m grateful you are here,” Kagome spoke quietly. “Someone needs to be there for Rin-chan.” And you’re the only person who will talk to me.

Jaken studied her. No one would ever accuse him of having an abundance of intelligence, but he had enough intuition to know something was off. “Where is the Taijiya?”

Kagome looked over into the distance where she had last seen Sango. The clearing was empty. “I don’t know. She was training earlier.”

Jaken nodded. “You should finish your breakfast,” he began. “And if I could ask a favor of you…”

Kagome nodded.

“Would you read to me the scroll you seem so enthralled with? It can wait until after lunch, but I’m curious.”

Kagome smiled. She had a couple of novels in her bag that she knew by heart now. She had taken to reading them more while she tried to find things to do. “I would love to.”

Jaken bowed in return. “Now I must go see to Rin’s meal, then Ah-Un’s.”

Kagome nodded. “Thank you.”

Jaken scurried off. She looked down at her tray. Finally picking up her chopsticks, she dug in. It was just barely warm now, but it didn’t disagree with her stomach. For that, she was grateful.

Kagome really hoped Cho would return soon.

<hr>

The rain had started the fifth week after the shard hunting crew had left. It reflected Kagome’s mood. More and more she seemed isolated. Sango spent most of her time with the human servants, or training. The servants were polite but distant to their mistress. And Jaken was forced to split his time between the two younger humans. Kagome would often send the retainer away, knowing that Rin needed him much more. She valued the time, however, he did make for her. Shippo was her only light, but as her mood fell, his attempts to cheer her up failed, and he soon gave up to play with others.

The young miko had taken to walking evenings alone—though Ah-Un had began following her after the first couple of nights. The rain prevented even that. Now her exercise was limited to only walking about her rooms and she was quickly losing energy to do even that.

“Higurashi-san, have you still not eaten?” Jaken admonished.

All three of her meals sat next to the door, each on their lacquered trays. “I’m not hungry,” Kagome tried to explain. “Just tired.”

She punctuated her statement with a yawn. The wind from the storm outside fluttered the screens surrounding her futon, allowing Jaken only glimpses of Kagome rolled up in her bedding. He did not dare get closer. No male had permission to be there and Sesshomaru would surely smell it.

“If you don’t eat, then you’ll continue to feel tired. You must eat.”

“I’ll try to eat when I wake up. A good night’s rest is probably all I need.”

“Kagome,” another voice entered.

Jaken jumped as the small inuyoukai walked into the room. She smiled at the retainer. Passing the retainer, she entered the futon area through the split in the screens. She clucked in disapointment at seeing the young miko. “Jaken,” Cho called. “Please tell Hatsu to bring me hot tea and to make some rice porridge. If they have any fish that can be quickly cooked, that would also be helpful.

Kagome turned around to look at the other woman. “I’m fine, really.”

Cho shook her head. She had a box about the size of a small cat precariously held under her arm. She walked up and sat next to Kagome; setting the box down next to her. “I’m afraid that we underestimated the affects that conception would have on your body.”

Cho opened the box. A distinct smell of herbs penetrated the scent of rain and mud. Pulling out several trays, she extracted a small mortar and pedestal. “I’ll make you something to help. You can take it with your food.”

Kagome stared at the healer. “Conception? C-can you already tell?”

Cho smiled. She lifted a hand and brushed back black locks from the younger woman’s faced. “I can’t tell you officially until you get stronger. But, I believe you have.”

Below the covers, Kagome lifted her hands and placed them on her stomach. “So, he’s in there?”

“He or she,” Cho corrected. “Sesshomaru may want a male, but he certainly can’t control that. Though, historically, the House of Inu have had very few female offspring.”

Kagome nodded her head. It was a mix bag in her family, but at least they had a good shot of having a boy right off.

Cho was grinding some herbs, releasing thick, sweet scents as she did so. It was almost too much for the miko. “So,” Cho began. “What started this mess?”

Kagome’s brows knit, unsure of what the other woman was talking about. Cho elaborated. “You are a strong woman, even with the chaos this conception has been putting on your body, this should not have happened. What else is going on?”

Kagome looked off to her left, away from Cho. “I guess—I dunno, I guess I was just lonely. I’m so use to being active, being around lots of people, and all of the sudden I’m not. It’s just hard.”

The sound of grinding stopped as Cho focused all of her attention on the human in front of her. “Where is Sango? The servants? Do they not attend to you?”

“The servants are wonderful—just, they’re so busy. And Sango-san is training. I think well—perhaps she should join up with the men. She has as much at stake to find Naraku as the others. It must be eating at her—having to stay here with me.”

Cho sighed. This was unexpected. “Well, I shall remain here and will gladly be your companion. Have you talked to Sango about joining the ranks?”

Kagome shook her head.

“That’s fine,” Cho assured. “We both can discuss it later this week. Hopefully we can get you balanced out so we can test for conception, then perhaps, if Sango chooses, she can deliver a message to Sesshomaru and join up with them.”

Kagome chewed on her lips, thinking over the arrangement. Eventually, she nodded.

The sound of footsteps down the hall indicated that the requested meal was coming. Cho stood and walked over to grab it from the servant. “Now, Kagome, let’s get your spirits and health up.”
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Unexpected Endeavors