InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A New Twist ❯ Anxiety over tomorrow ( Chapter 25 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inu-Yasha or anything that has to do with Inu-Yasha. Maybe one day I'll have enough money to buy the rights, but I doubt it.

 

Chapter 25

 

Ether bit her lip nervously as she ran a hand over her swelling stomach as she looked into the mirror before her. She wasn't ready for the feast, banquet, whatever you wanted to call it. She just wasn't. Sure her Kimono was absolutely stunning, Sesshomaru had taught her exactly how to act and respond, all her favorite foods would be served, but she just couldn't bring herself to be around so many demons at once. She had only ever been around humans and only a few demons her entire life. What if she wasn't up to their standards? Would they deny the fact that she was Sesshomaru's mate? Not only that, but what if she angered one by accident? She just wasn't ready to face this kind of danger.

“Lady Ether, things will be alright,” Lilly said as she adjusted the kimono by tugging in a few places. “You look beautiful, stop worrying.”

Ether rolled her eyes. “What did I tell you about calling me Lady?” She asked, her hands on her hips. She wrinkled her nose in annoyance.

Lilly sighed and shook her head. “I must, you are mated to Lord Sesshomaru now. It is only befitting your rank Lady Ether.”

Ether shook her head. “We're friends Lilly, I don't want one of my friends to call me `Lady' anything. It's bad enough all the servants call me Lady Ether, I don't want you too as well,” Ether said beseechingly. “Please just call me Ether! Don't make me order you,” She said with a pout.

Lilly shook her head again but gave in. “But I am afraid while in the presence of others I must insist in calling you Lady Ether. To not do so would insult Lord Sesshomaru and his lands.”

Ether nodded, compromise was better then nothing. “Fine, I can agree to that,” She said as she looked back into the mirror. “I'm getting fat,” She said with another pout as she turned to the side.

Lilly giggled and guided Ether away from the mirror. “It is to be expected, you are pregnant after all,” she said as she helped Ether out of the kimono. The banquet wasn't until tomorrow, she just wanted to be sure the kimono would fit alright.

Ether moaned and shook her head. She knew it was just the pregnancy, but she still couldn't get over eating as much as she was and not exercising as much as she would like. It didn't help that Sesshomaru was constantly telling her to relax. Whenever she was doing something, if she got tired even a little he would be by her side instantly insisting she rest for awhile. “I'm not made of glass!” She said suddenly as her thoughts stayed focused on her anger towards Sesshomaru and how he handled her so carefully.

“But you might as well be while you are pregnant with Lord Sesshomaru's heir's,” Lilly said as she helped Ether into a loose everyday kimono. “You are lucky he isn't even more protective of you,” She said softly. “If he wanted, he could lock you in your rooms to force you to rest.”
“If he did that I would just tear apart my rooms,” Ether said as she and Lilly headed out of her rooms and towards her favorite garden. “I don't like being cooped up Lilly. I don't know why, I just start to feel really restless when I'm not doing anything.”

Lilly smiled patiently. Even though her friend had the body of an adult now, she still had a very innocent mind. “The nature of a dragon is to be free, to ride the wind and to go places others couldn't imagine,” Lilly stated as the scents of blooming flowers surrounded them. “I'm not surprised you don't like being cooped up. It's bad enough you've just learned how to fly and now you can't without risking injury.”

Ether sighed and nodded. She wouldn't be able to fly until after the pregnancy was done. Her wings were stronger, but with the added weight of the fetus's she couldn't hold herself in the air long. She wasn't an experienced flier after all, if she had waited a few years she might have been able to carry herself during her pregnancy, but that didn't matter now. “Sesshomaru won't let me fly,” she said softly.

Lilly smiled sympathetically and hugged Ether's shoulders the best she could. “He'll let you fly once the pregnancy is over,” she said soothingly.

Ether nodded. She knew her friend was right. “Hey Lilly, how old are you?” She asked suddenly. She had been wondering for some time now, Lilly just seemed older then she looked.

Lilly blushed and smiled. “What's with the sudden interest?” She asked as she continued to walk beside Ether, her arachnid legs moving silently.

Ether blushed and shook her head slightly. “It's not sudden, I just keep forgetting to ask.”

Lilly laughed. “I'm only eighty three.”

Ether did a double take and looked at Lilly in surprise. “ONLY eighty three? You're older then me by like…66 years!”

Lilly giggled and sighed. “You're circumstances are different though. Though you are 17, you have reached the physical maturity of a demon of a hundred years. I am still considered a teenager in comparison.”

Ether frowned and then sighed, shaking her head. “It's all confusing, how can you be physically younger then me if you're older then me?”

Lilly shook her head and looked up at the sky. “Age really doesn't matter to demons Ether. Sure the older a demon is the more powerful they typically become, but age doesn't always determine physical maturity. Dragons for example reach physical maturity at the age of 17, but they have very long life spans. Physical maturity depends on the type of demon. Inus for example reach physical maturity around 50 years, though most do not take mates until well into their hundreds,” Lilly said trying to explain.

Ether nodded slowly. It made sense; humans were all different so why wouldn't demons be different. “When do you think you'll take a mate Lilly?”

Lilly blushed lightly. “I haven't decided. I'm not really interested in anyone at the moment, and I haven't gone through my first mating season,” Lilly said as she looked at her younger friend out of the corner of her eye. “I'm actually very happy with the prospect of not reaching physical maturity for another twenty years. I'm not interested in taking a mate.”

Ether laughed. “Lilly, you sound so silly! I wasn't interested in taking a mate and look what happened to me!” she stuck out her tongue and she and Lilly laughed heartily as they continued their walk through the garden.

 

“Are the guest rooms prepared?” Sesshomaru asked Jaken as he read through some documents sent to him from a village near the border of his land.

“Yes my Lord, everything is prepared just as you have ordered,” Jaken said as he bowed low to his Lord. “The rooms have been made up and the food is being prepared for tomorrow.”

“Good. Send for my half-brother and Ether's sister if you will,” Sesshomaru said with a wave of dismissal.

Jaken stared at his Lord, his mouth dropping open as his order penetrated his thick skull. “M-my Lord? You wish to invite the filthy half-breed and a human?” Jaken stammered.

Sesshomaru growled softly. “That is an order Jaken. Go,” He didn't need to explain his actions to his retainer. `It is high time Inu-Yasha learns to be the noble he is,' Sesshomaru thought with a shiver of disgust. Over the years he had tested his brother, pushed him to his limits, in order to be sure his brother truly was strong enough to be a noble, or even a Lord of the West if by chance something ever happened. `If he had failed, I would have killed him,' Sesshomaru thought as he stood up and looked out his window. He had ignored his brother the majority of his life, thinking natural circumstances or another demon would finish him off. Sesshomaru shook his head slightly. He honestly did not like the idea of Inu-Yasha coming to his castle, but as Inu-Yasha was his only living relative it was imperative. He held back another shiver of disgust as he thought of his younger brother. He would rather prefer to kill him, but he had made a promise to his father long ago to not kill him.

As for inviting the human, she was his mate's sister, they were blood relatives. Tradition dictated that the relatives of the Lord and his mate be present when he announced their mating to the other Taiyoukia. `Even if she is human, I must follow tradition. Besides, I know Ether wishes her sister to be here.'

 

*Flash Back*

 

“Rin want lots of sisters and brothers! Lots and lots, then Rin will never get lonely!” Rin exclaimed as she threaded another flower into the braid just as Ether had shown her.

Ether paused and looked at Rin questioningly. “Rin…do you consider Sesshomaru and myself your parents?” She asked carefully and casually.

Rin nodded and smiled up at Ether. “Yup, though Rin knows to only call Sesshomaru Lord Sesshomaru,” Rin paused and looked at Ether with big pleading eyes. “Can I call you mommy?” She asked softly, almost to soft for Ether to hear.

Ether smiled lovingly, dropping the flowers she had been holding to give Rin a hug. “If you really want too, you can,” She said with a happy smile. She worried inside about what Sesshomaru would think. Rin was his ward, he might not like Rin calling her mommy. Then again, was she ready to be called mommy? `It would get me used to the idea,' she thought as she picked the flowers back up, chatting with Rin as they made flower wreaths together.

They continued to pick and weave flowers, gossiping the whole time. Soon though, Ether started to look sad as the flowers lay still in her lap.

“Mommy what's wrong?” Rin asked as she touched Ether's hand.

Ether blinked and pulled herself out of her nostalgia. “Hmm? Oh…I just miss my sister. I haven't seen her in over two months and well…it would be nice to see her again. She's probably worried sick about me.”

Rin wrinkled her nose. “If you miss her, why don't you go visit her?” She asked as she was pulled into Ether's lap.

“Because I shouldn't right now, at least not until the babies are born,” Ether said as she held Rin close, her head tilted up so she was looking at the drifting clouds.

“Maybe Sesshomaru will take you too her! All you have to do is ask!” Rin said as she looked up at the clouds as well.

“It's not that simple Rin. I…I have to stay here. Something in my heart tells me that I must stay here, no matter what,” it hurt her to admit it, considering she meant she felt she had to stay there for life. To never go back to her time though, how could she make a decision like that?

Sesshomaru listened closely, a slight frown creasing his brow as he turned and walked back to the castle. `She misses her sister…' he thought. His heart clenched as his youki demanded he make his mate happy. `I have neglected thinking about how she must feel being separated from her family,' he thought slowly. Humans were physical creatures, staying close to their kin as long as they could. Inus were the same way. `I must remedy this situation.'

 

*End Flash Back*

 

`This way tradition has been met and Ether gets to see her sister again,' Sesshomaru thought as he continued to stair out his window. The only problem now was the Lords. He had only informed them that he was going to introduce them to his mate, not that his mate was heavy with pup. It was possible that several of the Lords and Ladies would appose his mating with Ether, but there wasn't much they could do about it now. He smirked at the thought. A mating could be canceled when one of the mates took another. It was simply a matter of replacing the mating mark. A mating could not be canceled though when the female was heavy with pup. The bond between the two mates during the pregnancy was to powerful to allow either mate to leave the other. `The only way to end the mating is to kill either the male or female. And I won't let that happen,' he thought as he rested his hand on the window sill.

Yes, the only problem at the moment was entertaining the Lords as they arrived tomorrow. Some would stay after the banquet, others would leave after eating and excepting Ether as the new Lady of the Western Lands. `They will except her, they have no choice. She is a dragon, worthy of this Sesshomaru. Her aura is powerful and she carries my pups,' he thought as he turned and left his study, heading for his bedroom. It was getting late and Ether would need all her rest to be ready for tomorrow.

He opened the door, not really surprised to see that Ether was not there getting ready for the night. Sesshomaru sighed heavily and rubbed his temples. `Where could she have gone off too? The springs?' he thought as he turned on his heel and sniffed lightly at the scents around him. `Yes…she is at the hot springs…alone,' he thought. A slow and mischievous smirk spread across his features as he turned and headed towards the hot springs.

It didn't take him long to get to the springs. Sesshomaru lightly pushed open the door and looked inside to find his mate pulling on a sleeping yukata. “I was wondering where you had gotten off too,” Sesshomaru said as he walked over and pulled Ether into his embrace, something he would only be able to do in private while the visiting Lord's were around.

Ether eeped lightly and giggled softly. “It's not like I'd hide from you Sesshomaru. Besides, you always know exactly where I am,” Ether said lightly as she pulled away from Sesshomaru and started walking out of the hot springs. She gasped in surprise when she was lifted into the air by a surge of her mate's youki. “Sesshomaru put me down!” She exclaimed as his arms wrapped around her to hold her up.

“Now why would I do that? I am only thinking of your comfort,” he said with a calm expression and quirk of his brow.

Ether huffed softly and crossed her arms over her chest, a light blush spreading across her cheeks. `It is nice of him…my ankles have been hurting lately,' she thought calmly. She thought about everything he had been doing for her since she had found out she was pregnant. Whenever they were alone he would smile and let his emotions out from behind his mask, making her as comfortable as possible. When around others, he kept his mask up, but he let a little emotion slip through when he spoke to her. Not only that but he was always careful to make sure she was always happy. `It's like he believes that old saying the happier a mother is the healthier the baby will be,' she thought as cuddled into Sesshomaru's chest, slowly falling asleep.

Sesshomaru smiled tenderly at Ether sleeping in his arms. He nuzzled her head lightly and when he reached their bedroom, he settled her down as carefully and gently as he could. After watching her for a few minutes, he settled down next to her.

 

“Inu-Yasha just hear him out,” Kagome said as she attempted to sooth her ruffled mate, who was seething at the small toad demon. She placed a gentle hand on his arm and looked at him worriedly.

Jaken sneered and repeated himself. “You have been summoned by Lord Sesshomaru, you filthy half-breed. It is as simple as that. You will go to the Western Lord's castle immediately,” He folded his arms across his chest.

“Why I ought to smash you right into the ground, my stupid brother along with you,” Inu-Yasha said as he stuck his hands into the sleeves of his hitoe. “Why would he want me to show up anyway?” He muttered, his ears flat against his skull. He won't even start to consider going unless there was an especially good reason too.

Jaken huffed and looked away from Inu-Yasha and the group. “He is having a feast honoring his new mate. It is tradition that the next of kin arrive to show their support.”
Inu-Yasha rolled his eyes. “Again I ask, why should I show up? I don't care about who he takes for a mate.”
“Well she has to go,” He said as he pointed to Kagome. “As Lady Ether's only relative she is required to show and give her blessing.”

“Feh…fine…We'll show, but only because I have to protect my mate,” Inu-Yasha said as he aimed a kick at the toad. “Now go away!” He aimed another kick at the toad as he turned and headed back towards his two headed dragon. Jaken sprawled out onto the ground. He yelled curses as he stood and hurried back to Ah-Un.

“You didn't have to kick him Inu-Yasha,” Kagome muttered as she watched the dragon lift up into the air.

“Sure I did. That uptight toad needs to learn respect,” Inu-Yasha said angrily. His expression and posture relaxed as Kagome touched his shoulder again.

“You won't be able to do that during the feast,” She said carefully.

Inu-Yasha groaned and nodded. He knew how to act around higher ups. His mother had been a princess after all and she had taught him the basics on court behavior. He just hated it. “I know,” He said as he pulled Kagome into his arms. “We better go. Lord stick in his ass will probably want us there as fast as possible.”

Kagome nodded and picked Shippo up. “You ready to go Shippo?” She asked with a lovingly smile. Shippo nodded and Sango handed her the large yellow bag.

“We'll be back as soon as we can,” Kagome said as she pulled the bag onto her back and settled onto Inu-Yasha's back. Shippo settled between Kagome and Inu-Yasha.

When he was sure Kagome and Shippo were secure Inu-Yasha pushed off of the ground and started the head long run towards Sesshomaru's castle. He knew where it was though he had only ever been there once in his life. Only once.

 

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Alright, this chapter is done. The feast is tomorrow…don't really have much else to say then that. Hope you enjoyed it. Blerg.