Sword of Supreme Conquest

- Chapter One –

Look not mournfully into the Past. It comes not back again. Wisely improve the Present. It is thine. Go forth to meet the shadowy Future, without fear, and with a manly heart

- Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

oOo

The air inside the shrine was uncomfortably hot and thick, as it always was this time of year. The humidity settled on her skin like a film and made her clothes cling uncomfortably to her body. She glanced dubiously between the ladder in front of her and the mouth of the well far above and let out a defeated sigh.

She'd been standing at the bottom of the well for the better part of the last ten minutes trying to work up the energy to climb the many rungs to the top. Realizing that there was no way out unless she started to move, Kagome begrudgingly took hold of the ladder and began her climb.

A few moments later she was safely out of the well and exhausted from her efforts. Fanning herself but finding little relief from the heavy heat, she wearily lowered herself onto the wooden stairs to catch her breath.

It just keeps getting harder and harder, she remarked with a wry smile and placed a hand over her protruding stomach. She felt a small kick from within and her smile grew.

The palace's healer and Kaede had both warned her to take it easy, but she'd practically gone stir crazy sitting around the palace. After weeks of restless pacing she'd decided enough was enough and told Sesshomaru in no uncertain terms that she was heading home for a much needed vacation.

It didn't go over well. He hadn't accepted the news with alacrity and she remembered with a wry smile how he'd scowled and paced, fumed and ranted at her in the privacy of their bedroom for nearly three hours before finally conceding defeat. He'd put up a valiant fight, a true warrior by any definition, but there wasn't a force in the world that could have changed her mind.

The last few months had been tough. His overprotective tendencies had been endearing at first. He'd never been a man of many words, but his actions demonstrated his affection for her far better than any words ever could have and so she'd indulged him for a while. But enough was enough. Even she had her limit.

Constantly being on his short leash and surrounded by servants quickly made what had once been endearing, annoying. The palace had begun to feel more like a prison than a home and it was steadily taking a toll on their relationship.

Now safely home and staring up at the crumbling wooden beams of her family's shrine house, she realized how much she'd needed this time to herself to relax and re-energize her spirits. In a few days she'd be as good as new and very much looking forward to a reunion on the other side of the well.

"Alright little one," she said, with a gentle pat to her stomach, "Let's go!"

Bracing a hand against the wall for support, Kagome slid open the well house door and stared out into the empty yard. The bright sunlight beaming down upon her family's home gave it a warm and welcoming glow and her grumbles were instantly forgotten.

Everything was just as she remembered it. The clean linens were hanging on the line to dry, Sota's abandoned soccer ball meandered around the walkway, and the branches of the shrine's aged trees swayed back and forth in the gentle breeze.

The sakura blossoms had just begun to fall and coated the ground in a lush pink carpet of velvety soft petals. It was beautiful, to say the least, like looking at a postcard on the pages of a tourist's scrapbook.

Stepping carefully to avoid crushing the delicate petals at her feet, she made her way towards the main house. She'd barely reached the stoop when the side door flung open and revealed her mother beaming at her from the other side. After a quick, appraising glance to make certain she was still all in one piece, Mrs. Higurashi pulled her into a warm hug.

"Mom! Let me come inside at least!" Kagome pleaded with an awkward laugh.

"Oh yes, of course," her mother blushed, looking a little flustered. "Where are my manners? Come in!"

Mrs. Higurashi ushered her daughter inside and shut the door behind them.

"It's been so long since we've seen you! I can't believe how much your stomach has grown. Come, sit down. I'll make some tea," she prattled on over her shoulder while her hands set to task setting up the teapot on the stove.

Sota took the opportunity to bound down the stairs, sounding very much like a herd of elephants. He slid into the kitchen and she opened her arms to him for a hug. A much taller Sota pulled her in and held her tight.

"Wow Sis! You're huge!" he exclaimed as he pulled away, his eyes growing wide at the sight of her bulging stomach. Kagome put a hand on her belly and used the other to tousle his dark hair.

"I could say the same to you! When did you get so big? I haven't been gone that long, have I?"

The boy chuckled sheepishly and jammed his hands into his pockets, suddenly looking bashful and much younger than he had a moment before. When Kagome tried to tousle his hair again he ducked out of her reach, an embarrassed flush gracing his cheeks.

"Hey, where's Sesshomaru?" he asked suddenly. She caught the way he glanced over her shoulder in search of her mate.

Kagome gratefully accepted the cup of piping hot tea her mother offered her with a nod and took a slow sip before answering. Her entire world may have been turned upside down but her Mom still made the best cup of tea in all of Japan. Turning her attention back to Sota, she shook her head.

"No, he had to stay and take care of some things. Besides, I needed some time to myself."

Before he could say another word about it, a thought suddenly popped into her mind.

"Say," she interjected, setting her cup on the table with a dull clunk, "has Inuyasha been by lately?"

Sota's eyes immediately lit up and he grinned from ear to ear. Human or hanyou, Inuyasha would always be his hero. He nodded emphatically and quickly jumped into an elaborate explanation of all the fighting techniques he'd been taught, making sure to demonstrate each one for her in detail.

She half listened to his story while watching him move about, her mind drifting to the boy she hadn't seen since that day many months ago when she'd returned with Sesshomaru to the Western Lands.

Leaving him behind hadn't been easy. She'd consoled herself with the thought that perhaps he would come to visit her at the palace, but it'd been nearly a year and he'd yet to appear at her door. Whatever his reasons, Inuyasha had kept his distance. He may have loved her at one time, and maybe he still did, but not more than he hated his brother.

A part of her hoped that his absence meant he was moving on and starting a new life for himself. A different part of her, a more selfish part, desperately wanted her friend back; the one who wouldn't take her crap, would call her on her bullshit and absolutely refused to kiss her ass because she was the Lady of the West. She missed him.

Suddenly feeling starved for fresh air, she got up from the table and announced that she was going to head out for a short walk.

"Should I send Sota along with you?" her mother asked as she threw a knit cardigan over her shoulders to ward off the chilly night air.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Kagome reassured her with a gentle smile. "I'm just going to the park."

"Well, alright. Be careful," her mother warned. She nodded and stepped outside, snapping the door shut behind her.

Exhaling a quick sigh, Kagome tucked her hands into the pockets of her cardigan and began the slow trek to the park. Turning her face to the dying sun, she marvelled at how it set the sky ablaze in hues of gold and peach. Perhaps somewhere 500 years in the past, Sesshomaru was watching a similar one.

By the time she'd completed her stroll through the park and headed for home, the sun had set and the moon was rising full and heavy on the horizon. The instant she stepped foot outside the park's main gates an uneasy chill shivered up her spine. A demonic presence swept over her, igniting her subdued spiritual powers. Recognition flickered in her mind for barely an instant before it disappeared again, but it was enough to unsettle her.

Spinning around, she half expected to see a blood thirsty demon looming behind her. All that was there was a quiet suburban street, lit periodically by the bright halos of streetlights.

Get it together Kagome!, she chastised herself, shaking the trembles from her fingertips.

The presence, whatever it had been, was gone, but she couldn't shake the eerie sensation that she was being watched. Feeling on edge, she quickened her pace back to the shrine.

She panted as she walked, her heart ramming against her rib cage both out of fear and exhaustion. She wasn't used to exerting herself like this. Long gone were the days when she could tirelessly chase demons in search of Sacred Jewel shards.

Closing her eyes, she strained her ears the way Sesshomaru had taught her in a vain attempt to pick up any indication that she was in actual danger. Her human ears only heard the faint hum of traffic in the distance and she 'tsk'ed in annoyance.

The nagging, uneasy feeling refused to relent. With barely a moment to react her spiritual powers kicked in once more and she sensed it again – a demon was nearby and this time she was certain of it. Her body froze where she stood, the breath stuck in her throat as his aura barrelled down upon her.

A clawed hand clamped suddenly over her mouth, silencing the scream that'd been building in her throat. An arm followed, winding tightly around her waist. She suddenly found the strength to struggle and squirmed against him in an attempt to free herself.

Despite her best efforts, the demon's strength easily overpowered her own and she felt herself being helplessly dragged into a nearby alley and away from the prying eyes of the street. As he dragged her further and further out of sight, her mind raced with the numerous grizzly possibilities for how she'd meet her end.

What did this demon want with her? Who was he? Why would he attack a pregnant priestess? It didn't make any sense and yet the power in his hands as they held her left no mystery as to his intentions. Whatever he wanted with her it wasn't good.

Stopping about halfway down the alley, her attacker pulled her sharply against his chest and rested his chin atop her head to hold her still. Once her struggles lessened he bent his mouth to her ear.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he whispered, and she could feel his breath hot against her cheek.

"I just need you to listen."

Realizing that she really had no other option at the moment, she nodded her head complacently and let her body relax in his arms.

"If I let you go do you promise not to scream?"

His voice was almost pleading with her now so once more she nodded behind his hand and after a deliberate pause he finally released his hold on her.

Standing in silence she allowed her eyes to roam over his body and was disappointed to see that he kept himself intentionally hidden within the shadows. All she could make out were the crisp white linen trousers he wore and black leather shoes adorning his feet; everything else was swallowed by the inky shadows within the dark alleyway.

When he spoke next, she listened to the smooth melodic baritone of his voice noting that it sounded vaguely familiar and searched her mind for any hint of recognition.

"I'm sorry," he began apologetically. "I hope I didn't hurt you when I grabbed you just now, but I had to be sure you wouldn't cry out."

Kagome crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes at what she could see of him through the dark.

"You know, you could've just come up to talk to me like any normal person. You didn't have to drag me into some creepy alley!"

The demon in front of her went silent at her scolding.

"Yes…well…," he trailed off, sounding rather uncomfortable. "As I was saying, I have something very important to tell the Lady of the Western Lands. Are you her?"

Kagome's brows knit together in confusion. If this demon was from the modern era, how did he possibly know who she was?

"Who are you?" she demanded suspiciously, hugging her arms around her body to drive off the cold chill that shivered down her spine.

"That's not important. Are you the Lady of the Western Lands or not? The mate of Lord Sesshomaru?"

Still unsure how much information she should divulge about herself to a complete stranger, much less one that'd just tried to kidnap her, she nodded her head slowly.

"What is it you want with me exactly?"

An audible sigh of relief came from her abductor, which only confused her more.

"I will return tomorrow. Please don't leave before then."

She gaped at him speechless and he bowed to her briefly before leaping around her and out of the alleyway.

Kagome spun to catch a glimpse of him beneath the street lamps but all she saw was a flash of silver hair before he disappeared from view. The child within her belly, who'd been uncharacteristically quiet throughout the entire ordeal, now kicked restlessly at her stomach. With her eyes fixed on the spot where the demon had disappeared, she rubbed her stomach mystified.

"Don't worry, he's gone," she spoke softly to no one in particular.

Stepping cautiously out of the alley she glanced left then right, only to find the street once again deserted. With one last suspicious glance over her shoulder, she quickly jetted along the sidewalk and up the infinite number of stairs leading to her family's shrine.