Hello readers and reviewers! I'm back with another chapter of Duty To My Heart and I must say that I'm really happy with how this story is progressing. I'm still working out the plot however so it may take some time before I update again but I'm relying on you guys to send in your reviews ASAP. Thanks so much and hope you enjoy Chapter 16 of Duty to My Heart!
A light ray of sunlight streamed in through Kagome's bedchamber where she was nestled in the arms of her only love, the only one who held the key to her heart, the one and only Sesshomaru. Smiling, the young woman glanced at him softly stroking his demon markings while he stirred, still in sleep or possibly in the magical world where dreams are born. He looked so much at peace when he slumbered, different than the stoic serious and ambitious lord he portrayed but no, only Kagome could bring out emotion in him. She was the one who he loved with all of his heart and soul, his only weakness.
Needing an early morning walk in order to gather her thoughts, Kagome slowly so as not to awake her lover, unfastened his tight arms around her waist with great difficulty. He resisted of course and reached out for her with his eyes still closed but then fell back into his deep slumber completely oblivious of the princess's movements. Kagome stifled a giggle at her love's actions and quickly donned her light velvet blue cloak around her dressing gown carefully. Brushing her hair and leaving it flowing and delicate around her shoulders she crept silently out of the bedchamber. Usually Sesshomaru wouldn't have released her so easily but it looked like today was an exception though the young princess was glad to leave for her morning walk to greet the new day. The marble hall floors were cool as she walked upon them and it seemed as if the entire Castle had still not yet awoken yet. But alas, Kagome did not mind and proceeded towards the library where she could once again lose herself in a book. How she loved that feeling of being able to visit other worlds beyond her own and she was eager to feel that certain wonderful feeling once again.
Kagome……
Startled by hearing someone whisper her name, she ceased her walking and stared forebodingly behind her. She shivered clearly frightened and shook her head looking down the dim hallway for any passerby or servants of the Palace.
"Probably just my imagination" she said to herself and continued her journey towards the library but however the ice cold chill in her heart did not go away. Immediately she thought of last night when she felt a slight presence stirring quietly. This presence was dark and Kagome could not help thinking back to what it was.
"I must probably be reading too much of those frightening books" she thought, laughing to herself. "I am letting stories affect me too much."
Kagome….
A slight breeze blew through the curtains on the enormous windows of the library and Kagome once again heard the dark voice of someone calling her. It was like a cool whisper through the wind, a jostling of the curtains in the windows, almost too hard to believe it could be a voice.
"Inuyasha I am not in the mood for pranks at this very hour!" she called throughout the library expecting to see the playful half demon jump out at her, his face triumphant at frightening her, but alas no one answered her and she could see no sign of her lover's half brother. Shaking her head, she reached for a book and nestled herself in the comfy plump chairs by the fire. An hour went by and completely immersed in her story Kagome did not once again notice the dark presence that haunted the castle once again. Hearing footsteps she looked at the entrance but no one seemed to be coming or at least no one that the princess noticed.
"Who is there?" she called softly. "My lord? Inuyasha?" But every time she would speak no one would answer her. Putting down her book, her senses were immediately alert for any intruder, an ice cold chill running up her spine ever so slowly. She immediately felt someone's eyes upon her and turned to look behind her but was awarded with no one.
Did you really think that I would forget about you so easily, Kagome………..?
"Whose is that voice?" Kagome cried out in fright, her book falling to the floor with a small crash, its tumble echoing throughout the large library. "Who are you?!"
Why I must say I'm a little disappointed in you. Have you forgotten your mate so quickly…………….?
A sense of fear immediately shot its way through Kagome's body and she shivered in fright at whose voice it was. She could only recognize it, deep inside her soul although she was hoping to forget about him. Him. The one person whom she hated with a passion and who had tried to force himself upon her. The one who she had been forced to marry who had threatened her with the lives of her people and even her father! How could he speak to her? Was there not a barrier around the castle protecting her? Immediately she ran towards the grand double doors, running back to her room but they immediately closed themselves upon her, locking and bolting themselves. Kagome gasped, frighteningly at her failed escape. Summoning up all her courage that she contained she turned around as a breeze rustled the curtains and stirred itself close to her.
"What do you want, Naraku?" she shouted, trying to hide the tremble as she spoke, her voice echoing throughout the enormous library.
Oh Kagome, so innocent Kagome
He was mocking her, chuckling evilly.
I thought I had made that fact perfectly clear
He wanted her and yes he wanted her now. Too long had he been without her and he was not letting her go to this demon, this son of the man that he had hated for centuries. Inutashio would learn, learn that his perfect son could not get anything that his heart had desired and learn that not even him would take the one thing that belonged to him. She was all his and no one else's for only he could claim her. Their marriage binded her to him and so it would remain.
"I will never go back to you, you vile creature!"
Still resisting eh?
"Against you I will always," Kagome retorted. She was shaking with anger and fear. "You are not even present in the castle anyways, Naraku. You are just a spirit and would not dare lay a hand on me! You cannot gain entrance inside these walls!"
You shouldn't underestimate me, Kagome for you would be surprised at what I can do…..
Kagome started trembling and backed away slowly not knowing how to reply to that statement. How could she hear his voice inside her very head? She thought that she had left him behind when she had escaped to the Tashio Palace! Why did he still haunt her?
"What do you want from me, Naraku?!" she cried out slowly sinking to the floor determined to somehow block out his voice from her mind.
Shall I show you?
Naraku smirked as he looked through the mirror of Kanna at the image of Kagome. Her frightened face only amused him more and he turned to Kanna with an evil smirk.
"You know what to do"
"As always, my lord," Kanna replied with an emotionless tone. "But you have only twenty minutes for the barrier around Lord Inutashio's castle is a strong one and this spell can only fight against it for a short amount of time. Keep that in mind." Naraku glared and nodded with a slight "humph" and then quickly he walked towards Kanna's outstretched mirror and then to her amazement, walked right through it and materialized right in front of a shocked and frightened Kagome! He was the predator and she was the prey and in this game, Naraku always won. He would succeed and he would not fail.
"Surprised, Kagome?"
"Impossible!" Kagome burst out, her voice trying not to tremble. "H-how did you get in?" Naraku walked closer towards her and chuckled softly, brushing a finger across her soft pale cheek.
"Now, wouldn't you like to know?"
"Do not speak to me like that! I am not a toy that you can command at your will!"
"Why, of course not. You are my Queen, Kagome. Have you forgotten our union so quickly?"
"I was never your wife!" Kagome bit back. "You threatened me with the life of my Father!" At the mention of her father, the young princess held in tears. She had quite forgotten but it had been quite some time since she had last seen him. Had Naraku harmed him? No, of course not. It couldn't be.
"Ah, now that you bring up the subject, Kagome, would you like to see your Father again?" Naraku smirked, knowing that he was dangling her on a string and that she could not break free of. He raised his hand and immediately a mirror floated over right in front of them. Kagome looked inside and saw a vision of her Father in chains inside a prison cell, his clothes dirty and his arms filled with red hot scars. Angry tears erupted inside of the princess and she stared in horror at the fate of her father.
"He awaits execution in exactly fifteen days." Naraku's voice cut through her thoughts and Kagome turned around while the evil King slowly stepped towards her. He stroked her cheek, putting pressure on it, forcing her to step closer to him.
"Is this the fate that you want your Father to meet?" Kagome struggled but that only resulted in bringing herself closer to Naraku.
"Damn you," she whispered angrily. At that response, Naraku quickly cupped her cheek and pulled her towards him angrily. "Sesshomaru has changed you!" he hissed loudly. "He has turned you into his whore for the Kagome that I knew before would never lower herself to speak in that manner."
"I would rather die his whore than be your wife!" Naraku chuckled and then grabbed her chin.
"I would not speak about matters that you have no knowledge of, Kagome." The young woman who stood before Naraku trembled slightly for she knew the extents of his cruelty. She had been threatened, almost violated, almost had a special part that she was reserving for Sesshomaru taken away from her. What more could this evil lord do to her, her friends, to the people that she considered family, to the people she loved with all her heart? Who else would be harmed? Who else would die?
"I however have a gift for you, and only for you, my love." Naraku smiled evilly. "And too bad the legendary Sesshomaru will never know." He walked closer to Kagome and before she could stop him he muttered an incantation while pressing two of his fingers onto the side of her neck. Kagome looked at him confusedly at first but then all of a sudden a searing hot pain filled the spot where he had touched her and she winced in silent agony, holding back tears, her body paralyzed as Naraku held her in place as she tried to force him away from her. Once his work was finished he examined her neck and smirked at what he saw. On the side of Kagome's neck lay a small circle tattoo-like cut with a cross in the middle and Naraku was finally satisfied at his work.
"Do you now what this is, Kagome?" He laid his index and middle finger on the tattoo. Kagome shuddered and winced, a tear dropping down her face. Naraku pulled her face closer to his while Kagome silently suffered. "This is something special that I am giving to you, just a little something to remind you of who you belong to. Do you understand?" Kagome ignored him, turning her face so he wouldn't see her tears or her fear but Naraku would not have it. Swiftly, he grabbed her neck where her dark mark lay and Kagome closed her eyes giving a loud scream.
"Yes!" she cried. "I-I understand." At her words, Naraku loosened his hold slightly and smirked at her submission. Good. He had her under his power. She was his for the taking.
"Good, now I will explain how this is functioned. I will be able to speak to you through your mind or see into your dreams. I may ask you to do certain tasks for me and if you choose to disobey me, the pain will be severe. Tell your beloved Sesshomaru or anybody about this mark and the pain will increase. Do you understand?" For a minute, Kagome was in a daze and just stared ahead of her in horror until Naraku stroked her mark on her neck and Kagome was jolted by the sharp pain.
"I said do you understand?" he said, raising his voice. Kagome did not flinch at the sharpness of his tone but merely nodded, surrendering reluctantly to submission.
"I-I understand, my lord"
"Good for my Queen will have no doubts about whom she belongs to"
"Your statement may support itself, my lord, if I was actually your Queen." Kagome prepared herself for Naraku to burst into an angry rage but surprisingly he looked at her and laughed evilly.
"You amuse me, Kagome which is why my love of you still stands. But when you bear children, my heirs to be precise, you will know your place and Sesshomaru will be too late. You will be mine forever"
"You think to underestimate him?" Kagome fairly shouted. "He is more powerful than you will ever be and I'd rather die here at your feet then go back to the life that I had lived with you. That decision will never change, Naraku." Naraku's eyes glared at her and he grabbed her neck painfully.
"We shall see about that!" he hissed and just as quickly as he had come, he disappeared. Kagome gasped in shock and looked around.
Naraku was a dangerous man and she feared him with every core of her being. Slowly touching the mark on the side of her neck, she winced as it stung her skin. She would never be able to free herself now.
Sesshomaru who had sensed a wicked presence inside the palace, the moment it had entered stood up in alertness. He looked to the right side of him only to meet an empty space where his mate should have been sleeping. Growling lowly, he stood up quickly and slipped on a robe in search of his wife.
Opening the double doors that lead to his chambers, he walked into the hall nodding at the servants who wished him a good morning and returning bows to those who had given him one. Not finding his love anywhere, he sniffed out her scent, in a hurry to find her, his worry increasing. He could detect fear, sadness and tears and he hurried, his demon senses tingling.
Eventually after crossing many halls and corridors his keen nose lead him into the library where he saw his mate in a heartbroken state, sitting on the floor, her head in her knees. He could hear small sobs wracking her body and he immediately rushed to her to comfort and hold her, wanting to take all of her sadness away.
"Kagome," he whispered. "What ails you, love?"
Kagome, who had felt her mate's arms around her looked up and shook her head, her sobs returning back to her.
"Oh Sesshomaru," she sobbed and collapsed into the confused demon's arms.
"Who has caused you so much pain?"
"No one of any importance," the young princess lied, hoping that he wouldn't notice but she was wrong.
"Please do not lie to me, Kagome. I will punish whoever has grieved you." Kagome immediately began wiping away her tears from her face and managed to give him a sad smile but no answer.
The state that Kagome was in broke the proud demon's heart and as much as he prodded to figure out what was wrong with his princess she gave no answer. All she could do was weep.
Sorry for the long update once again readers and reviewers but the only thing I ask you to do now is to review! Thanks so much!
-lil gurly gurl