InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cornerstone ❯ Chapter 5: Lord of All ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Title: Cornerstone
Author: DeityOfDeath
Archive: Yes please...
Pairings: Inu Yasha/Sesshomaru,Inu Yasha / Kougamentions of Inu Yasha/Kagome and Inu Yasha/ Kikyo
Category: Drama, romance, slash, Mpreg,
rating: NC-17/R
Spoilers: Most likely.
Warnings: Yaoi, Lemon, Non-con, Mpreg, Incest, SPOILERS!
Disclaimers: I never have nor will I ever own Inu Yasha or its chars. They are property of Rumiko Takashi and major companies.

Note from Author: Thank You for reading and supporting fan fiction! Enjoy and please review!

The chapter titles are lyrics from the song "Cornerstone" by Day of Fire

Chapter 5: Lord of All

I stood and stretched, allowing my sleeping muscles to wake.

“You are safe from others, the conniving she wolf Amaya has told others of our bonding. Relax and recover Otouto.”

With that I walked towards the exit and left my brother to his thoughts.

********************************************************

I watched the sun come up and with it's rising I watched those in the wolf tribe set up a single stone alter and atop it a wooden one atop the highest ledge on their mountain territory.

It hadn't taken them long and in truth I hadn't expected it to. It took years for youkai and demons to mature and gain their majority and powers and most of the time it took less than a moment to end it all. I knew this all too well. I was young when Inu Yasha's and my father had died. He had died much too young in everyone's opinion.

And here I was once again witnessing another short lived demon life. The sad thing was I saw my father's death in Kouga's. A mate and father protecting those he loved and in a sense protecting his future. To mate was to pass on ones genes and to die protecting your mate was to protect your genes assuring their continuation. I doubt my father saw it that way and I doubt Kouga did either but either way they had done just that.

I wonder if the similarities had crossed Inu Yasha's mind, if the same thoughts had occurred to him and if they hadn't would they during his time of mourning?

When the sun had fully risen the wolf pack seemed to all wake and with them a sense of quiet and intense depression grew among their numbers and even the most jovial cubs seemed hollow eyed and quiet on the mourning of their fallen leader.

I found myself leaning against the far cave wall entrances watching as they filed out of their caves dressed in somber colors of deep browns and dark purples and the darkest color or mourning; black. I was joined by the Priestess Kagome and her friends who had known the wolf leader Kouga.

We watched as they all made a circle around the stone base of the wooden funeral pyre. They kept a large opening and it was then that a soft howling began from various places around the caves and mountains. Wolves; okami of all sizes, shapes, colors and ages on four paws had begun their song of loss and sorrow and all the tribe stood still while the howls grew in repetition and volume. I heard foot steps and turned to watch the old priestess Koname walk from the mouth of the cave the body of Kouga suspended on a wood and reed stretcher carried by four male pack members followed behind her.

They passed me and I saw Kouga's family following behind his body. His mother Amaya proud with her sorrow stood tall allowing quiet tears to fall from her eyes without acknowledging them as she walked. Her daughter and Kouga's younger sister Kourin followed arm in arm with a male who looked about the same age as Kouga had been but his sent gave no hint of shared blood. No, if anything I'd have to say this male was or would be the young Kourin's suitor if not mate. He held her to his side tightly as they walked as if afraid she would slip from his grasp to join her brother in the afterlife. Yes, they were definitely mates.

After them came my brother who looked deathly pale in the robes of deepest ebony that I had seen Koname carrying late last night. His pale hair hung limply over his shoulders and along his back and I shuddered to watch him. His eyes stared after Kouga's body as though he would crawl upon the funeral pyre and burn with his mate's body.

Someone had once said that to fall in love was to be swallowed by flames. When I was younger I thought it was horrible imagery but now, now I could see what they meant. To fall in love was to ignite a flame and the more your love grew the brighter and bigger the flame. If that love should end then just like a flame your heart flickers dangerously and its exquisite pain makes you wish to be doused by water or wind and even to burn til there is nothing left to burn.

Inu Yasha…that very thought was his being at this time. I feared for him and oddly enough my chest felt tight at the thought of him feeling that way. His pain made my chest hurt, the idea of him being in pain made my heart ache and my eyes hot and heavy.

I wanted to join him in his walk but it would be wrong. I was a replacement for the love he had lost. This would be his walk alone, one that I could not take with him. It would not be the first time but I felt guiltier about this one time than I had ever felt about the others.

That five minute walk had felt like eternity but it would be a weak person who looked away so I didn't and neither did the other onlookers.

I watched as fellow pack mates helped to lift onto an upraised stone that had been perfectly shaped just for that purpose for generations I would assume.

They priestess Koname stepped forward and raised her hands and all howling stopped and all eyes fell on her.

“It is a sad day. Today we lay to rest a young and proud leader of the wolf tribe. This is a first for many of you and for many of you like me this is but one of many times we have witnessed such sadness.”

Quietly heads nodded.

“I have seen the deaths of young Kouga, his father kousetsu, and his grandfather Genrou. It doesn't lessen the pain or sorrow of the loss but makes it even more painful and makes us all more resolute to protect the future and our ways. Kouga's death has left a big rift in our pack and within our hearts and some…our souls. His death has also left us with new life and with that new life new hope and a new generation.”

A few turned to glance at Inu Yasha whose hands wrapped protectively around his midsection, a rock on his turbulent emotional sea I suspect.

“So may we lay his soul to rest and help protect that which he gave his life protect!”

Howls erupted from the crowd and then calmed.

The priestess turned to face Kouga and lifted her hand to cup his unyielding cheek

Her words were soft but not soft enough that this Sesshomaru's ears could not hear her words.

“I worried about you Kouga but you have proven yourself again and again and this time I pray I live long enough to see your child grown and leading our people.”

She stepped back and Kouga's mother stepped up and touched his cheek tenderly before gently brushing his bangs from his forehead which now was covered in the absence of his headband.

“Your father would be proud Ko, but I bet you already know that. Your child shall grow up free and happy, I promise you this. I will bear witness to it. Rest in peace my darling son and may I meet with you in the future. Punch your father for me. I don't know what's wrong with the men in this family, always leaving their mates to do all the work.”

She gave a tearful smile and leaned down to kiss his forehead before turning to walk away. His sister walked up next supported by her mate.

“You bastard, didn't even get to tell you I was getting mated. I wanted you to give me away at the ceremony but I guess Inu Yasha will have to do. Bastard! Always had to do everything first, always had to be the brave one and the smart one…okay that's debatable but still. Oh, I'll miss you. Loud mouth….”

Her words became sobs and her mate held her tightly and then lead her over to her mothers waiting embrace before walking back over to Kouga's body.

“I won't forget the speech you gave me and if the need arises I'll do just as you did. I love her and I shall cherish her and every moment we have together. I wish you could have enjoyed your love longer Ko.”

He turned and walked to stand over by the other speakers leaving Inu Yasha by himself.

He looked ghostly as he walked towards Kouga's body and knelt beside it, tears falling from his eyes like crystalline waterfalls.

“I miss you Ko. The little one kicks all the time and it's hard because I don't have your touch to calm him. I miss you so…much…If it wasn't for your cub I would follow you and you knew that. I will do what I can and one day we'll meet again and when that happens I want you to be proud to have had me as a mate. I was proud to have had you; I have never felt happiness like ours before. I'm being mated with Sesshomaru for my sake. I pray that I not burden him. I will live on for you Ko, for you and our cub. Thank you, I'll make sure your sacrifice wasn't in vain.”

He leaned over and kissed the wolf prince on the lips and then lifted his head and looked over Kouga one last time before being helped out by Amaya. He stood and watched as the pack members who had helped carry out their leader now lifted him up and helped place him atop the wooden pyre. Once he was settled atop it they stepped back and the priestess lifted a lit torch and held it to the sky. It was then that I had noticed a pile of kindling under the pyre and watched as she lowered the torch and held it against the kindling.

It didn't take long for the twigs and dried leaves to light and soon the golden and copper flames dance upward and encompassed the body of the wolf pack leader until nothing was visible but flames. The pack slowly began dispersing as the acrid smell of burning flesh filled the air.

Inu Yasha looked ready to faint and yet he still stood there watching as the flames ate his beloved's body and the smell of his burning flesh filled his nostrils.

I walked behind him and placed my hand on his shoulder diverting his gaze from the billowing black smoke.

“Come, Inu Yasha. You need to rest; the stress will take its toll on your body.”

No sooner had I said it that his body sagged and fell against my chest and would have slid to the ground had I not caught him. I set one arm around his back and the other under the crook of his knees and lifted him bridal style into my arms and carried him towards the cave.

Others stepped back, allowing me room to carry him into the cave and into his own den area. I laid him on his fur covered bed and tucked fur and soft leather blankets around his delicate frame.

It was as if my endless hours of watching had finally descended on me and I looked at Inu Yasha a minute before kicking off my shoes and outer robe and lay along a thin strip of furs a few inches from Inu Yasha and grabbed a stray scrap of blanket to cover myself.

The warmth Inu Yasha who was only inches away and the fur lined blanket and the sound of Inu Yasha's soft breathing was all I needed to lull me into sleep.

To be continued…..

Wow. Well this chapter is done and all in one night. Sesshomaru's thoughts are fun because they are what's running through my own head should such things happen to me or someone I love.

I'm still watching anime. Naruto, Bleach, D. Gray-man, Tales of the Abyss, Kurotsuji, code geass and Saiunkoku Monogatari are among my faves.

Well I'm gonna get off of here.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE~!!!

Kat