InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Angel ❯ Sorrow ( Chapter 68 )

Chapter Sixty-Eight:

Sorrow

Grimacing, Kagome rubbed her lower back. The muscle there felt tight and painful, clenching and unclenching.

The pains had begun sometime last night and had steadily gotten worse since then.

Sesshomaru, instantly concerned, had asked if she needed Shusui, but she had declined, stating that she had probably been lying in a certain position for far too long and that had been causing the cramps. With him so distracted lately, he had not pressed.

Her mind drew away from the discomfort to drift to the demon Lord.

He had been unusually quiet and withdrawn since returning from his conversation with his father. She had asked him what was bothering him so much, but he had only looked at her with a strange look and said that there was nothing for her to worry about. That he would make sure she and their pups were provided for.

Kagome hadn't known what to say to that. She had only assured him that she knew he would provide for them before sitting back and once more watching the strange silence he indulged in.

It was beyond the normal for him to be so withdrawn and quiet, even for a reserved person such as Sesshomaru. And he was one of the most uncommunicative individuals she had ever met. But this, this was something different.

She was more than a little worried about him.

Kagome gasped as one of the pups gave her a rather vicious kick to the womb. It took a moment for her to catch her breath.

The pups were damn active this afternoon, that was sure.

Last night, she had figured they had just been a bit restless with all that had happened a few days ago, but now, now she was not so sure. She wasn't ready to say that something was wrong, her mind really didn't want to go there, but she could sense that they were not happy about something.

Placing a hand over her tummy, she turned on her back and looked up at the ceiling.

Speaking of everything that had gone on, Kagome was starting to get a bit frustrated.

Everyone she had spoken to about the strange behavior that had happened during the festival seemed determined to undermine the severity of their actions. Most seemed more than willing to write it all off as a celebration that had gotten a little out of control.

A little out of control?

Kagome snorted at the explanation. It was more than "a party getting a little out of control" as Elder Torao seemed to be determined to call it. Something had really happened to everyone.

She was convinced that someone had drugged the food or cast a spell or something of that nature. There was no other explanation. Unfortunately, with all the guests now gone, there was no way to question anyone to find out if one of them had been the culprits, or if they might have seen something suspicious.

And if she questioned the people that lived in the castle there was still no guarantee that they would get any leads.

If someone living here had been sneaky enough to do what they did without getting caught, then it was safe to assume the person was smart enough to cover their tracks afterwards. And with everyone ready to attribute their shameful behavior off to being "a little out of control", she doubted anyone would put much effort into finding a culprit that may or may not exist therefore bringing the festival's events back up to be scrutinized in front of everyone.

All in all, it was a lost cause.

But that didn't mean she was going to believe Elder Torao's explanation though.

She didn't know if whoever did it was just some overzealous guest that had thought it would be funny to forcibly lower the inhibitions of the guest for kicks, or if it was one of the people under this very castle, but she did know that she wasn't going to let her guard down.

Sesshomaru might not be worried, but she was.

Another sharp pain shot up her spine, dragging her thoughts back to more important matters. Turning on her side again, Kagome dug her fingers into her back, rubbing vigorously in an attempt to loosen the twisting knots.

Closing her eyes tightly, she hissed in pain as the uncomfortable sensation shot down her legs.

Barely able to draw breath, she clenched her teeth until she was afraid her teeth would shatter. Tears burned her eyes, threatening to fall.

Okay, now she could admit it.

Something was definitely wrong. And wouldn't you know things went wrong while Sesshomaru was out. Where he had gone, she had no idea. He had left before the sun rose, waking her with the soft sounds of him slipping on his clothing and armor.

Drowsy, she had not bothered to ask where he was off to.

How she regretted that now. She needed him here now. She was so afraid that she was in the middle of having a miscarriage.

Pushing the fear back, Kagome instead focused on how she was going to get help.

She had no idea if Sesshomaru had placed another soldier at her door or not. There had been one there yesterday, but she wasn't sure about today. Praying her mate had not left her unguarded, Kagome took a breath and called out, hoping for a response.

"Is anyone there? I need help!" she croaked as more pain, intense and gripping, washed over her entire body, leaving her gasping in its wake.

She nearly wept with joy as the door slid open and a fully uniformed soldier burst into the room, sword drawn, eyes sweeping the room for intruders.

"I think....I'm going into labor...I...need...Shusui....and my.....mate....now," she groaned out through clenched teeth, "Please....hurry,"

Paling slightly, the male guard stumbled down the hall, bellowing for Shusui and her mate as he ran.

Kagome cried aloud at the painful, intense contractions that seemed to spread throughout her entire body like an out of control fire. She turned, rubbed her legs and back, turned again, and still found no relief.

Tears leaked down her reddened cheeks as the pups moved tirelessly, adding pressure to her lower abdomen.

It felt as though something was trying to push them out of her.

By the time Shusui ran into the room, Kagome was screaming. The older woman was in an instant panic, bellowing orders to the servants that had gathered in the doorway at the sound of the screams, concerned and nosy.

"What happened?" Shusui questioned shrilly, "Good God you're going into labor!"

She turned to the doorway again.

"Hurry up with that hot water and towels! And bring me the scrolls regarding premature youkai birth! NOW! MOVE!"

The servants scrambled. Shusui turned back to the laboring female on the bed. She was worried.

Hell, more than worried, she was terrified! What happened between now and the last time she had examined the young woman?! There had certainly not been any chance of her having an early birthing! Shusui had attended numerous births in her life. There was no way in Hell she could have been wrong! There was no way!

"Am...I losing them....Shusui?" Kagome gasped, hand reaching out to clasp the other female's tightly.

She hated to lie, but she didn't think telling the young woman that she had no idea would be the right thing to say. For Kagome's sake, she had to be calm, had to keep her calm.

Distress would bring naught but more complications.

"No, Kagome," she said soothingly as she stroked the woman's sweat slick forehead, "No honey, you're not losing them, but I need you to sit back against the pillows and bend your knees. I'm going to examine you,"

Four large basins of steaming water arrived. Shusui washed her hands in one as Kagome slowly, painful shifted herself as Shusui instructed. Wincing as the older woman lifted her sleeping kimono high above her tummy, poking and probing her down below; Kagome felt another contraction ravage her body.

"Where's Sesshomaru?" she sobbed, fresh tears streaming.

"He'll be here soon," Shusui said, sending a look to the remaining servants.

More than one turned and ran down the hall to locate the young demon.

"I need him," she cried, claws gripping the bedspread beneath her, "Please....Sesshomaru!"

Shusui turned her attention back to the expectant mother. She was not sure what was causing the early labor. She was showing all the signs of a female more than ready to birth her babies, she was completely dilated, the contractions were coming quick and intensely and yet her water had not even broken as of yet.

She was either skipping several stages of labor or going through them so fast even Shusui couldn't keep up.

It was as if something was forcing the pups from her body. Literally.

A commotion in the hall gained her attention as another scream ripped from Kagome's throat and the scent of blood filled the room. Sesshomaru burst into the room, tossing servants out of his way as he moved, eyes lightly tinted with crimson.

Breathing a sigh of relief, Shusui turned back to Kagome, taking a wet cloth to clean the bloody liquid from between the woman's thighs.

"She's in labor," Shusui explained quickly, "I need you to keep her calm,"

He moved without a word, slipping behind his mate, cradling her between his thighs. Ignoring the stares of the servants he set about soothing his crying mate, brushing his lips over her forehead and cheek, whispering encouragement and endearments into her ears.

Kagome whimpered against his neck as Shusui probed again, her hands gripping Sesshomaru's in a bone crushing grip. As Shusui withdrew her fingers Kagome let out another scream as another contraction blazed through her body.

Her toes curled in agony as the pressure on her abdomen became unbearable. Water pooled beneath her bottom as her water broke.

"Oh God...." she gasped in a pained voice, "I can feel it...they're coming out..."

Her body clenched, tightening until even Sesshomaru feared she would snap in half. Shusui's hand once more reached beneath Kagome's kimono and into the clenching passage. Eyes widening as she felt a tuff of hair, she called for four servants, instructing two them to hold Kagome's feet and to close the door to the rest of the onlookers.

The remaining two she stationed near the hot water and towels.

When her orders were carried out, she knelt at the edge of the bed, eye level between the bloody thighs.

"Push," she commanded urgently, "They cannot live long in the womb long without fluid!"

Her mind was spinning. It was all happening too damn fast!

Sesshomaru supported her back as she bore down hard, face bursting with color as she pushed; screams and groans tearing from her throat. His smooth, baritone voice whispering words of encouragement, the only thing keeping her sane.

The servants gripped her legs tighter as she pushed against them.

Blood gushed and a little head became visible. Excitement bloomed in Shusui's heart as the little body made its way out.

Kagome's lungs burned and her breathing labored as she felt the pup slide from her body.

There was joy in her heart as she cried this time. Shusui scooped up the bloody, wailing child, handed it off to one of the servants near the basins of water and turned her attention back to the birthing. As a second, then a third pup made its way into the world, Shusui began to fear not only for the new additions to the Western lands, but for Kagome as well.

The bleeding was heavy and excessive and she was weakening. The pups were so tiny they barely filled her cupped palms.

Never had she seen newborns so tiny that had survived beyond a few hours.

The fourth and final pup slipped free with another gush of blood. Shusui worked fast, expelling the afterbirth and quickly repairing the young woman to the best of her ability. Her heart clenched tightly as Kagome's eyes began to drift closed, her face paling, her body weak.

Sesshomaru immediately sensed the change, and the fear in the young demon's eyes would always be something she remembered.

"Kagome," he called urgently, his grip tightening on her slumping shoulders, "Do not," he commanded through clenched teeth, "You will not die,"

His eyes tinted red, the fear rolling from his body in waves. Kagome opened her eyes a fraction before they closed.

"Would you leave me to bear this life alone?" he demanded, "Would you leave our pups without a mother? I'll not live this life without you,"

Her eyes opened again and she took in the grief shinning in his eyes and to his surprise, her lips curved in small smile.

"You are...noisy today, Sesshomaru," she commented tiredly, "I cannot concentrate...on healing myself with you carrying on so,"

The room was silent at those softly spoken words. The tiny wails of the pups the only sound filling the air. Sesshomaru pulled her closer, whispering some unheard words in her ear before his eyes turned soft with emotion.

"How many are there?" Kagome whispered after a moment.

"Four," Sesshomaru informed her, brushing her hair from her cooling face.

A bright smile graced her lips as she opened her eyes, straining to look over at the servants cleaning her babies. Even though that had to have been the worst experience of her entire life, even though her body was weak and thrumming with aftershocks of pain she did not regret a moment of it. She had yet to see her children and yet she loved them already.

"Can I...see them..." she croaked out.

Shusui, finished with Kagome, stood and walked over to the little pups cuddled against the servants chests, cleaned and wrapped up in little blankets.

They were so tiny.

Three boys and one little girl.

The eldest son had Sesshomaru's silky silver hair, a dark blue crescent moon upon his forehead, soft magenta strips adorning his cheeks, eyelids, wrists and waist. The second oldest son by two minutes had Kagome's blue-black hair, and the same markings as his brother upon his body. Next in line was their sister, who was graced with silky silver hair and markings identical to her brothers. Last but not least was another little boy, the smallest by far. His hair was the darkest shade of midnight, but his markings, inherited from his father, were again identical to his siblings.

Shusui carried each pup to their parents, taking extreme care with their little bodies.

Once the babies were arranged against Kagome's bosom Shusui turned her attention to the scrolls she had requested. She read the information regarding the proper care of premature pups while Sesshomaru and Kagome greeted their children.

Sesshomaru felt his chest tightened as he took in their frail bodies, and markings. He counted each small clawed finger and toe on each pup, searched for any imperfection and found them all perfect. The feeling in his chest intensified when he looked at their little faces and saw more than a trace of himself in their features.

Lowering his head to his mate's should he breathed deeply, inhaling the combined scent of his family as Kagome whispered to the pups, promising endless love and nurturing.

Nuzzling away the tears of joy on his female's cheeks he tightened his arms around her. In that moment, there was nothing that was not right in his world. The stripping of his lands and titles was pushed far from his mind for the first time in hours, replaced by the intense emotions gripping him. Emotions he welcomed as he stared down at the wiggling pups nestled on his mate's chest and belly.

Kagome's weight against his chest shifted, becoming slightly heavier. Glancing at her face, he noticed that she had fallen asleep.

He would not wake her.

She had more than deserved a rest.

Shusui walked over, scroll in hand. She looked at him with worried eyes.

"The pups will need special care, Sesshomaru," she began, looking over at their little bodies, "They are premature and weak, a lot weaker than a youkai pup can be and live,"

Sesshomaru resisted the urge to order her into silence. He didn't want to hear that his pups were weak, didn't want to face the reality that they may yet die. But of course he knew he had to hear her words. For the sake of his vulnerable pups he had to know what to do to ensure their survival. His eyes traveled over their little forms, their slight movements, and the frailness of their bodies.

Taking a breath he turned his attention to the older woman.

He hardened his resolve and listened as she spoke.

"They will need to be fed every hour without exception," she read, eyes on the scroll, "There is a recipe here for a special brew that the mother will have to consume everyday. I will produce a special drink for Lady Kagome that will modify her breast milk; it will make the milk more fattening which will greatly aid their development. Their lungs are frail so they will need to sleep in a room where there is clean air but not too much. Too much will bring forth illness. They will need to be kept warm at all times, and changed every hour. It is extremely important that hands are cleaned before touching them, else they will sicken. Most importantly, we must monitor their weight gain. If they stop gaining weight we must adjust the breast milk,"

Taking in the information and storing it for future reference, Sesshomaru looked down at his pups once more, inhaling the scent combined with their mother's, letting their essence calm him.

The faint sound of their rapid heart beats reached his ears, as well as their small whines.

Again his heart clenched.

"How long must we wait before we are sure they will live?" he questioned in a roughened voice.

"Between four to six months,"

"Make the preparations," he commanded.

Shusui nodded and swept from the room, herding the remaining servants out with her. When the room was emptied, Sesshomaru carefully removed himself from behind his mate, replacing his support with that of large fluffy pillows.

As she slept, he pulled aside the kimono covering her breasts and one by one, lifted his pups to her nipples to feed, praying to the Gods that they would not have difficulty.

He breathed a sigh of relief when each one latched on and fed until their little tummies rounded.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Elder Torao knelt over the cold body of the young woman, observing the paleness of her skin, the bruises that shone brightly on her skin, and the little stream of blood dried on her chin.

The air around her felt heated and charged.

It was done.

No doubt about it.

His good friend had been here and judging from the woman's ruined nails, scratch marks on the floors and walls and the horror on her face, he had really enjoyed himself this time around. He had known she was spirited and would put up a good fight as well as draw out the agony to his partner's satisfaction.

He wondered when he would receive his reward for this one.

Already his body hardened and his heart pounded as he thought of it.

Ahhh, how long had it been since he had been rewarded? Not long for certain but still he could already feel the stirring anticipation spread through his body.

Even after all these years he never tired of it, or the satisfaction of knowing he had gotten one over on the proud Inuyoukai family. That was nearly the best part of this entire arrangement when he thought of it. Looking at their faces day in and day out, all the while laughing at their stupidity in the privacy of his own mind.

Oh he was not at all worried about Toramaru's line of questioning.

The stupid fool had only just realized the amount of women meeting their end after all these years. It was plain as day that he would not be able to make the connection between him in their deaths.

He was not smart enough to figure it out.

As he thought back to the meeting, he was pretty sure he had handled the situation quite well, quelling any of Elder Kiji's suspicions, at least for the moment.

Though he doubted that he would be unmasked by that moron, he knew that the information that had been brought forth would make it harder for him to move about and conduct his business as freely as he had before.

Even now he was constantly on alert, reaching out with his sense to detect if anyone was following him.

So far Toramaru had not had him followed, but even he knew it was only but a matter of time before he took those steps.

He was not worried about a shadow, however.

He had not survived this long with his secret in tact to be discovered by some nosy soldier tracking him at Toramaru's request.

He turned his attention back to the seemingly dead woman.

It always unnerved him that these women lived years after their initial "death", despite the fact that their heart ceased to function and the blood in their veins halted but it was something that sick being liked to do to make things interesting for himself. The bodies neither rotted nor decayed. Even maggots, flies and other such insects did not disturb the remains.

He tempted the women with the very real possibility of escaping Hell and returning to world of the living in their own bodies. But since the beginning of his deal with the dark male, Torao had never seen any of the women successfully escape Hell and return to their own bodies.

And after a century or so, the body began the process of decomposition, thus ensuring the woman never escaped.

A thick, dark energy permeated the air, flowing over his skin and raising goose flesh along arms, neck and back. It chilled him, and despite experiencing the feeling more than once before, he felt a familiar dread creep up his spine.

From the corner of his eyes, a dark, thick cloud of darkness billowed up from the cracks of the ground, slowly clumping together in the shape of a very tall, very broad shouldered male. Torao stood as his feature became detailed, the darkness turning into flesh, piercing silver eyes staring back at him with an intensity that never ceased to put the Elder demon on edge.

Torao took in the new form the male had created for himself, this one as comely as the others.

He had taken the form of a tall, lean male with shoulder length blond hair pulled back at his nape and clear silver eyes. His clothing, a white kimono with a jagged red designed on one side and dark red hakama tight with a white obi, was new and free of dirt and wrinkles.

He was polished and femininely handsome, as pretty of face and form as any woman.

Torao had never seen that persona before and was quite impressed with it. His others were not as clean cut as this one, or as perfect.

As with each time he appeared before him wearing a different face, Torao wondered what his true face looked like, for he had never seen it, nor had the male seen fit to show him even when questioned about it.

"She will fit well in my harem," the perfect male commented, silver eyes looking over at the still form beneath the blanket on the ground.

Torao nodded.

"I am pleased that she meets your requirements,"

The male turned his eyes to the Elder. Torao instantly felt rooted to the spot as he was leveled with the assessing stare. God help him if he ever got used to the feeling of death watching him. To him, this male was the grim reaper searching for his next victim.

Knowing the other male's changing moods, Torao could only pray that their every encounter did not lead to his own death.

It was all he could do really.

Pray.

There was no backing out of their contract, ever. When he had signed that contract with his own blood, he basically signed over his very soul.

Though he wasn't complaining; what need did he have for a soul when he was rewarded as he was?

It was the constant fear of being the next in line to be dragged down to Hell with the rest of the bitches he had helped send down there. He was no coward, but even he knew the horrors that resided in that place. Only once had he traveled into their depths, and that was to sign the contract. He never wanted to view it again.

His mind shied away from that experience.

He could not and would not revisit that place, even in his thoughts. It would surely bring back the nightmares again.

"Have you something to say?" the male questioned calmly, bringing the demon's attention back to him.

Torao nodded, nervously swallowing before thinking about his words carefully. Any slight, big or small could set off the being standing before him and he damn well would not be fool enough to do so. But at the same time, he could not spend so much time weighing his words and keep the dark being waiting.

"I have been questioned regarding my investigations of the deaths of the females," he began, eyes searching for any displeasure on his countenance, seeing no changes, he plowed on, "I do not think they will uncover the truth of any of this any time soon, yet I am sure Toramaru will try,"

There was silence for a moment and Torao held his breath, hoping against hope that he would not end up in a world of pain.

But the being across from him did not look annoyed or angry.

He merely stood there, his body as still as a mountain and his aura as creepy as a graveyard, his gaze steady and intense.

"What importance does this have for me?"

Torao blinked.

"With attention drawn to us it will be hard to continue on as we have,"

Shimmering silver eyes lightened with amusement though the perfectly chiseled lips did not break into a smile.

"For you, mayhap, for myself these developments change naught," he informed the demon, "I have held up my part in this contract and I expect you to hold up your end no matter the danger it presents to yourself,"

Torao felt his heart slam against his heart at the words. How could he be so damn unaccommodating? Did he not realized that Torao stood to lose everything if he were discovered? Judging from the gleaming eyes, the male did not particularly care.

"You will continue to supply me with females or you will find yourself standing next to those you have damned," the male stated dispassionately, "That is all,"

And with that he turned and vanished.

Torao sighed. He had been afraid he would say something like that and still was not surprised by the outcome of their brief conversation. Bringing a hand to his suddenly pounding head, he took a breath, covered the "dead" woman's face with the blanket covering her body and stood.

As he stepped outside of the hut, the young villager waiting walked over to him.

The male was the young woman's newly wed husband; a short, dark haired, dark eyes human local farmer. The male took in the feigned sorrow on the Elder demon's face and lowered his eyes to ground, knowing there was naught to be done for his dead wife.

Torao gritted his teeth through the exchange of condolences and made haste from the poor village.

He was in no mood to deal with humans and their sorrow at the moment. All he wanted was to return to the castle and think about how he was to go about his work without being able to move as freely as he was used to.

No matter how hard it would prove to be he knew he could not afford to make even a tiny blunder.

If he failed, he had no doubt he would suffer greatly.

He sighed as he traveled swiftly towards his own home. It seemed so long since he had been home. With all the time he had spent at the Western castle it seemed as though it had been a century. Besides, he would rather receive his reward in the comfort of his own home.

Again, he reached out with his senses, searching his immediate area.

The faint touch of energy caressed his seeking energy, leaving no doubt in his mind now. He cursed softly.

He was being followed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Kagura sat nervous and sick.

Alone in the darkness of the forest a distance behind the castle, she heaved and gagged, physically unable to breathe.

The affects of the drug she had taken was beginning to wear off already. As explained to her by her gloating, laughing, smug "father", the effects wore off quicker once a person, who had already been exposed to it, took another dose of the green substance.

Even now, the feelings of self disgust and self hatred threatened to overwhelm her completely.

It had gotten so bad she had had to hide from her mate, unable and unwilling to look him in the eye after what she had done even if it had been for his sake that she had done so.

It still hurt; it still tore her soul in two to know that inside of her this....monster, willing to do anything to destroy innocent pups for the only sake of her wants lived inside of her. She had never before wished so hard or so frequently for death as she did now. She couldn't even look at herself in the mirror without wanting to kill the woman that stared back at her with dirty hands.

She trembled as this morning's meal greeted her once more, filling her mouth with a nasty, potent taste. Crawling on her hands and knees, too weak to even attempt to stand, she made her way over to the small river.

With shaking hands, she brought water to her mouth, rinsed it before splashing her face with its coolness. Her head pounded, and her heart clenched so tightly that pain shot through her body, her sorrow too much to bear.

She was losing her mind, shattering her soul.

She couldn't think straight, couldn't grasp the reality of what her actions had produced, what it would mean for the premature pups whose life and survival was in no way, shape or form certain.

And Kagome; good God her heart ached to think of the dark haired woman.

What she must be feeling now, what she must be suffering as she watched her children struggle to live and breathe.

Crawling away from the water, Kagura dragged herself over to a nearby tree where she collapsed in a fit of dry sobs of grief. Without the release of tears, it caused nothing more than pain and yet she could not stop, could not get a hold of herself, could not help but use the pain as a means of punishing herself for her great sins.

It felt as though the weight of the world was crushing her, smashing her into the dirt beneath her.

She welcomed it, hoping it was heavy enough to break every bone in her body, to stop her heart and wipe her from the plain of existence.

Minutes passed, and then hours and still, she could not quell the sobs.

Turning onto her back, she looked up at the darkening sky, taking at the gray, rain heavy clouds rolling in, blocking the sun's rays.

She felt so cold and desolate inside; as dark and gloomy as the clouds above.

She watched as the first few drops of rain began to plummet to the earth, showering her in cold water. She envied those clouds, able to do something as release tear shaped raindrops that she was denied to shed.

Laying there, her clothing soaking, the dirt beneath her body turning to mud, she let the sky cry for her.

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Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and continue to do so no matter what happens.

Laters!

~Sessakag