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Love\'s Consequences	By : Sylean Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > Naraku/Kagome Views: 10437 -:- Recommendations : 4 -:- Currently Reading : 2
Disclaimer: Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor do I make any profit from this story.

Chapter List
- 32
- 33
- 34
Love's Consequences
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha nor do I make any profit from this story.
Warning: Spoiler alerts! Just make sure you've seen the whole series, Final Act and Movies included, for I touch upon pretty much everything at one point or another.
Warning: There will be lemons in this story later on. Also, there will be character deaths in this story at a later time.
Chapter 33: Gauging Worth
"I saw him dissolve demon bones in an instant, melting them to sludge with his Poison Claws," Kiseki recalled what her mother told her about first meeting Sesshomaru. She kicked off from a sturdy branch, casting her body over the canopy to glimpse the expanse she had still to cover. The distance from her father's castle to the western lands was no obstacle for a demon, or in this case, half-demon; Kiseki could reach the Western Land's border within a day if she continued to run.
She replayed everything she had ever been told about the relentless hunter, 'Acid whip, a band of youki so potent it is made solid, cutting anything it touches.' She could not afford to forget even the smallest of details. With his control over life and death, one slip and he could take hers away. She was forbid from his presence, but she was informed of his abilities none-the-less, just in case he ever caught her. It was her father's biggest fear, that Sesshomaru would find them, and kill his entire family.
His claws and whip were lethal enough, but most fearsome of all was that sword, Bakusaiga, "One strike and the body is doomed," Naraku had warned his daughter. "Do not attempt to fight; flee." The incomprehensible, destructive power of his blade was the only weapon she feared; the only sword she would never dare cross with her own. And yet here she was, rushing towards such danger; racing in his direction with every intention of engaging him in a duel.
"What am I thinking?" she stopped dead in her tracks on the forest floor. Splotchy shadows dappled her form and the trees swayed in the wind. A foreboding chill shot up her spine and dread seeped into her skin. She was close, only a few miles from her destination, but the thought of continuing in this direction made her tremble. Her legs refused to move and her heart hammered as the fear rose in her chest. There was no way she could challenge him; no way her powers would stand the slightest chance against the strongest demon in these lands. "He will kill me."
She stepped backwards, the urge to flee pulling at her. There was still time. He didn't know she was here. She hadn't crossed that invisible line into his territory. She could still turn and run. Back home to the safety of her parents. Hiding in their fortified sanctuary. Cowering in the dark. Never to tell anyone; no one need know she got scared. It would be her secret…
But she would know.
Could she live with never knowing, not ever trying? The question would haunt her mind; it would follow her for the rest of her life, 'Am I weak?'
One measly little scratch from Bakusaiga, and no one would be able to save her. Her life would be lost, unless, 'I just have to keep him from drawing his sword.' She had set up several "power seeds" on her run; planted the means to blink home in rapid succession if it became too dangerous. It was a habit, one ingrained in her mind from a child; always have an escape route. She'd be gone before he could so much as free the sword from its hilt. 'This is not a clash of power, but of minds. I just have to outsmart him.' She knew his every skill, every weakness and strength, but he didn't even know her name. She had the advantage, and she would keep it.
The fear was still there, only a true psychopath would face Sesshomaru without a healthy dose of terror, but it was under control now. The odds were not in her favor; his mere existence meant he had never lost in a fight. She was courting death just approaching the west, but this was a chance she had to take; she had something to prove to herself.
Mind made up and body in motion once again, she continued to close the distance. She occupied her mind with strategies to counter his superior abilities; running scenarios in her head to make sure she didn't waste a second when it really counted. The more she thought, the more doable this endeavor looked to be, but only if she could keep Bakusaiga sheathed. Her blades were her strongest weapons, but if she drew hers, he would undoubtedly do the same. She could not use them.
Drawing a line from the mountain peak to the north, to the precipice in the south, made the eastern border of the Western lands. Standing in the highest of branches, a glance in either direction affirmed that she was on the edge; standing in the last vestige of safety before the land of no return. However, there was no sign of the resident Lord, 'Where to now?' Straight-ahead and deep into his lair? Or should she skirt the boundary for a bit longer, but which way; north, or south? He had to be here somewhere; Kanna told her so.
Battling her indecision, the first thrum nearly knocked her out of the tree she was precariously perched in. One moment there was nothing, and the next an impossible sensation. 'That couldn't have been a real heartbeat,' she gaped and waited to feel it again. If it were, it would happen again. Seconds ticked by, and still nothing. Fingers splayed across the tree's trunk waited; senses tuned into her surroundings. It repeated, and her jaw dropped. No one had a perfect heartbeat. Half-demons had a sort of echo beat, almost like two hearts beating in one body. Everyone, even full demons, had some kind of whisper or tick, but this one… this one, didn't. She was in awe of whoever had this heart, so powerful and perfect. Could it be the one she sought?
It came from her right, from the north, right along the border to the western lands. Scanning eyes caught a glimpse of silver through the trees and her heart sped up. It was him!
The power was evident in the pulsing waves even through the hard wood of the tree; how would he feel through the precision of her silk? The very thought had her fingers inching to cover the area in webs just to feel him. Surely, once she had him on the other end of her finest lines she would find some kind of imperfection. Perhaps his heartbeat was like her father's, a mere whisper of an echo that could only be felt through direct contact or via the tightest of strands. To get that close, however, would require a well-laid strategy. To get near enough to touch him would mean risking death. She steeled herself, 'Time for close, close quarters combat.'
Crushing a pinecone in her hand and imbuing each segment with her power, she let the handful of power seeds float to the ground. If she were going to have a chance, she would need to be well prepared. Anchoring a silken line to the peak of the great tree, she let her body slip down its trunk. Gliding down with the utmost grace, like a melting shadow, Kiseki's feet met the soft earth. Presenting herself before the overwhelming demon lord had her heart in her throat; she worried that she would not be able to speak when he got within range. Flashes of white were seen through the trees as he continued towards her. His encroaching presence alone had her fighting the urge to hide. She was absolutely terrified; how had her parents ever managed to fight him?
Deep breaths mellowed the scent of her fear, but her rapid palpitations could not be stilled. He stopped. Standing not 10 feet from him, shivers shot up her spine with every mighty contraction of the muscle in his chest. He was dangerous, deadly in more ways than one; truly, the embodiment of perfection. It would be all too easy to lose herself in that rhythm if she didn't hold her focus tight.
"Lord Sesshomaru, if I'm not mistaken," she addressed with a slight bow, gauging his reaction carefully. Something was missing; something subtle that she was used to feeling. Looking at the passive look he wore, it dawned on her; he couldn't be read. Not just in regards to expressions, but she could not isolate his intentions. Did he not have any? Or was he that good at hiding them? It was interesting, but also worrisome.
"Name yourself," a perilously deep voice, like liquid sex, had Kiseki repressing a shiver.
'Alright, you are definitely going to have to stop talking now,' she decided. The rhythmic tremors shot through her, exciting her nerve endings and making her desire far more than just a battle from the powerful demon. It called to a primal part of her; that could be used to her advantage. Letting real arousal flood her scent would make for a very effective diversion. Time to play her part. "I am Princess Kiseki, heir to Okumo castle," she introduced herself while letting a mischievous glint filter into her abyssal eyes.
'A half-demon female as heir; must be a weak line,' he observed disdainfully, unimpressed by her station.
"Your prowess in battle travels far," she continued, keeping her eyes on him as she strolled around him with short steps, "speaking tales of grand scale and unquestionable prestige." Careful to avoid beams of sunlight that littered the forest floor, her fingers trailed along the trees, carefully laying silken lines in the shadows. Her perusal of his strengths and weaknesses revealed a blind spot over his right shoulder; the fur he wore blocked his line of sight. Also, only his right hand was positioned to thwart an attack, indicating it was his dominant side. This was not unexpected since his left arm had been absent in the past. She could use that.
Continuing to prattled on with idle conversation and fake praise, she was not the only one making observations. The first puzzle was the aching familiarity; he felt like he should know whom she was, and yet he could not remember. It was a downside to living as long as he had; he experienced far more than could possibly be recalled. Was it her scent? No. He never forgot a scent; this one was totally foreign. Her voice? How was it so confident?
She gave the image of being demure and harmless, but behaved far too confidently in his presence. She was dressed nicely, like the title she claimed, but walked barefoot, like a commoner. She exhibited proper manners, but spoke as his equal. Even at a glance, he could tell there was far more to her than met the eye.
Her mannerisms, the boldness in which she inspected him, had him pondering her ambition. It was not unusual to have females proposition him. Was that her aim? He inwardly scowled at the idea; she was only half demon. If she held anticipations of breeding with him, he would soon dash her hopes, "Speak your purpose."
She stalled for a moment longer, sending him appraising looks before coming full circle, stopping in the same spot he first saw her standing near the sturdy tree. Squaring her posture, "I have a simple request to make of you." His eyes narrowed dangerously, but she did not back down. Instead she gave a showy bow, and stated, "I have come here today, to request of you a duel, Lord Sesshomaru."
He blinked back his surprise. It was standard for a female to act as a lady, but be dressed as such out in the woods, and then issue a challenge… She did not even appear to be armed, but could easily be hiding her weapons. Her impudence reminded him of someone, but for the life of him, he couldn't place it. Something about this female rang false; he did not trust her declaration even for a second.
He was right to question her, but the statement had been completely true. The deception came from actions, not her words. Her banter was simply a distraction as she spun her web; with power anchored into strategic locations and his strengths and weaknesses sized up, she was now in a position to strike. She was not after his life, but could not guarantee the same for him; she needed to take precautions to make sure she would not get slain by the volatile demon. It seemed to have worked to lay the foundation for her victory; if he noticed her trap, he said nothing.
"A mere half-demon would never have enough power to withstand me," the scent of human was not so easily hidden. Little did he know, she could hide with illusions it if she wanted, but chose not to since it usually worked in her favor. She wanted him to underestimate her.
"Then it should be an easy victory for you, should it not?" she rebuked back, unfazed at the scathing title. She was a half-demon, so what? His calling her such was no more insulting than if she called him a dog demon; both were true and could not be changed.
He was not interested in fighting a weakling and did not even grant her a glance before walking past her. Looking right over her head, his body language spoke for him, "You are not worth my time."
"Hey!" she exclaimed, not expecting his dismissal. She had even made sure to be just disrespectful enough to make him want to fight her; make him want to "teach her a lesson." He did not pause from her outcry. She let out an audible sigh, 'Fine. I wanted to do this civilly, but mother was right, you are a jerk, and if I truly want to test myself…' The muscles in her legs coiled. She would get her fight, one way of another, "DEFEND YOURSELF!" Her verbal warning was followed by launching herself at his back with claws extended. As predicted, he evaded her strike with an elegant twirl, countering with his own claws; natural actions for a born hunter. She swiftly back-flipped out of the way and landed crouched on all fours.
There was no going back now. She had his attention, and not in a good way. To get out of this, she would need to fight. To survive, she would need to overcome. To get her answer, she would need to give it her all.
(A/N: Sesshomaru is probably the hardest personality to keep in character. I will do my best, but again, don't let my accuracy slip. Do keep in mind though, there are some things I have altered intentionally. It has been 278 years; even a demon could change in that long, especially with a painful past.
This focus on an OC is a test I am giving myself. If I can make you guys want more of Kiseki, then writing a novel will be a walk in the park. Because of this, I request you be very critical of her. Don't be mean and flame me, but don't spare my feelings either. I want to know what you feel is lacking, what is done well, and what you hope to see. I have put a lot of thought into developing her depth, and can't give it all away at once, but I want to know what you think of her in EVERY chapter. Please review.
Unrelated topic, what should Kiseki be called in regards to her being a half-demon but also holding holy powers? The closest term I can think of is Nephalem, but that is half angel and half demon. Does anyone know a better title?)
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Love\'s Consequences