InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dubious Relations ❯ Chapter 18 ( Chapter 19 )

Dubious Relations

 

Chapter 18

 

The silence was only disturbed by their soft breaths, like whispers in the morning - or, like a panting human after a marathon, in Inuyasha's case. Sesshomaru was lying as if glued to Inuyasha's right side, his only arm draped across the half-breed's chest as he attempted to work through this and that and got distracted by the who, what and why. Inuyasha made it all, that much harder as he shifted and snored.

 

The return of his supposedly deceased mother after four hundred and thirty-seven years was enough to make his head spin and pound as though it were being used as a drum. What was she doing here? Why had she returned now? It wasn't as though his father had been present for the last hundred or so years. Had she heard of his pregnancy? As much as Sesshomaru wished it weren't so, the gossip chain laid across his lands hazardously was long and merciless; had she found out through that? Did she want something? Why had she been exiled and why had he been told she was dead?

 

Sesshomaru came up with many answers, many situations and - but - how was he to be sure that she was telling the truth? Inuyasha's failure to hold the stone may have been planned; she seemed to know he had been there in advance to her visit. It was all very suspicious. He would need to question Chiyo in private before he thought anymore on the subject. There was a reason for her ignorance and there was a reason why his mother was not supposed to be near him. He would also interrogate that annoying flea his father had kept around and now followed Inuyasha like a fly does cattle, despite his utter distaste for such an action.

 

Inuyasha's breath hitched, deepening suddenly and causing Sesshomaru's head to snap up so his chin was rested on Inuyasha's right breast. The half breed looked pained, as though the skin slowly stretching itself back over the palm of his right hand were causing him to suffer. His thick eyebrows were furrowed, his mouth twisted with an ugly frown. Sesshomaru continued staring, until Inuyasha settled himself, it only took another moment. Sesshomaru relaxed too.

 

There was something odd about waking up whilst you lying beside the one you hated, despised and wanted to tear limb from disgraceful limb. Sesshomaru felt much calmer than he had the day before, it were as though he was where he was supposed to be, despite the dulled anger and confusion swirling like a storm in his chest. Perhaps it was the pup's doing? The demon Lord reasoned as he carefully catalogued the pup's every skip and jump inside his belly, as though it were attempting to bound from him to his father. Sesshomaru hoped it succeeded, despite his knowing that it wouldn't.

 

He shifted slightly, flicking several thin, silken strands of his hair over his shoulder before he placed his head back on Inuyasha's thinner one. The half breed had yet to wake up from his bout of unconsciousness and Sesshomaru was about ready to send for Chiyo and ask if Inuyasha was dieing. It would be a bright ray of sunshine amongst the shade if that were happening; Sesshomaru would just have to be sure it didn't happen in his bed; the stench of death remained for months and he would not be moving himself out.

 

A sharp pain jabbed at the bottom of Sesshomaru's abdomen, causing Sesshomaru to sigh slightly and shift so that the side of his bloating stomach was pressed against Inuyasha's. How did women do this? How did they cope with being stretched from the inside? Nine weeks had passed and now Sesshomaru's belly was truly visible; there was no way he could pass it off to an onlooker as their own eyes playing tricks on them. It was annoying, cumbersome and utterly maddening. Sesshomaru was simply happy that forever present morning sickness he'd forced himself to get used to was gone. Now he'd been blessed with headaches, a running nose, pains in his stomach - Chiyo assured him that they were normal and would increase in volume and occurrence as the pregnancy continued - and in another month he'd be waddling around. Sesshomaru was not pleased with the thought.

 

Still, there was something else troubling Sesshomaru, something that made him frown far more deeply than the pup currently barreling itself into his belly button was. How well he fit against Inuyasha irked him. Stranger still, from his position, Inuyasha's feet nearly reached his own. Sesshomaru may not have been able to remember their entire night together when they'd met in the cave, but he was sure that should he have laid beside Inuyasha like he was then and like he had done that night, That Inuyasha's toes should only be able to brush his shin.

 

Sesshomaru frowned. Had Inuyasha gone through a very quick and very large growth spurt? It was rare but happened; demons couldn't track their growth by just one standard; even if they were of the same species they still had a hundred different growth rates. He'd noticed it on their way down to the baths that morning, however he hadn't realized how significant the change was; they'd both been hunched over like elderly beings seeking support as they hobbled around.

 

Again, Inuyasha shifted, this time turning so that he was pressing Sesshomaru's face to his chest and so that his scrawny, left arm was curled around Sesshomaru's being. The demon Lord's molten gold eyes were wider, his frown deep as he relaxed and hooked his arm around Inuyasha. The half breed was teasing him now…

 

His mark pulsed and the pup leapt with something akin to joy as it was enveloped; Sesshomaru on one side, Inuyasha on the other and thrummed pleasantly, causing Sesshomaru's eyelids to grow heavier. Hopefully Inuyasha would wake very soon; he doubted he could stand much more of this confusion; Sesshomaru hated every single part of Inuyasha explosively, he couldn't take any more of the mating mark's annoying pushes and pats on the back; he didn't care. He simply wanted his own body to stop fighting him.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

The demon village standing below Sesshomaru's castle was made of sturdy, large houses, houses that were in better shape than the ones that Kagome was used to; the houses in tact, their positioning perfect, even and grid like. She'd admired and stared the afternoon away as she was taken on a tour around the village, taking in the many demon children that stared up at her as though she were a star attraction in a wandering circus, their bright eyes round, huge and piercing. It took a mere fifteen minutes to walk down its every street, to be seen or smelt - one demon with a large nose ring had had the gall to tell her she stank! - by each of the demons inhabiting it.

 

Then came her stop and she'd been greeted by a demoness that was slightly taller than her and possessed hair as dark as the deepest well's bottom. Her eyes were closed and had remained so, her smooth hands clasped over her swollen stomach as she waited. By her green clad legs, had stood a small girl, no taller than her mother's hip, her large eyes cobalt, like her father's and her hair as dark as her mothers. She'd seemed shy, until Kagome had knelt down and offered her name after the servant had introduced her. She was now stuck baby sitting her, the little girl clutching her waist as though a very large energy sucking leech.

 

Kagome watched as the child showed her how to catch a diverse range of bugs, from crawling critters to the slime covered ones that made Kagome's stomach roll uncomfortably. She shivered with their every showing, and after a few minutes of Etsu's speech, Kagome got the distinct impression that the family enjoyed them as a meal. They were a treat for young Etsu, a delicacy that “squirm in your mouth and then crunch with a yummy splatter”.

 

Izanami was a lovely demoness, Kagome had decided the night before. She was Kazuo's only mate; blind since birth, pregnant since four months ago and tended to talk to herself loudly. Perhaps the elegant demoness had sensed her gaze the night before as she went onto explain how both her and Kazuo were bat demons, only different types. She was one that was far more suited to never ending darkness, her eyes very sensitive to light, whilst Kazuo was more like a daytime, flighty bat. Izanami talked to find her way around; her hearing was fantastic.

 

Kagome watched as the demoness waddled around the small hut carrying a basket full of wet clothes she wouldn't let Kagome carry, babbling to herself about this and that and simply not caring if anyone heard her. Her attention was called back to what Etsu was doing a moment later and she nodded was shown a spider and thus screeched and careened through the house like a tornado did the country side. She hid in the small room she'd been given, only coming out a moment later, when she was sure Etsu hadn't followed her with the disgusting creature. Kagome found herself being laughed at as she forced herself to breathe calmly, her room behind her.

 

“Ah, Miss Kagome, I see you've met my family.” Kagome jumped, finding the long sleeve of the yellow kimono she was wearing getting caught on the edge of a cupboard. She stared as Kazuo chuckled again and tenderly helped her remove it before she ripped it.

 

Kagome flushed. She had been jumpy over the past two days. She feared that Inuyasha would want to talk to her and that the piercing pain she'd managed to dull would return with vengeance and that she wouldn't be able to talk to him like she wanted and that there wasn't a thing she could do to make Inuyasha come back to her; Inuyasha must care for Sesshomaru. She couldn't see any other reason for him doing the things he'd done.

 

Kagome smiled sweetly, albeit forcedly, “Thank you.” She said softly, “Erm, Izanami's out the back, I think she was hanging out the clothes and Etsu's finding,” She swallowed thickly, “Bugs for dinner.”

 

“Oh?” Kazuo blinked his oceanic eyes, then grinned shamelessly, “Nami must want to make something special to welcome you, Miss Kagome. Now, if you would excuse me.” Kazuo straightened his kimono comically, like the business men Kagome had seen in movies and ran his fingers through his hair as he strode through the house, Kagome's smaller steps keeping her following him until she was at the front door.

 

It made her heart throb achingly as she watched as Kazuo wrapped his arms around his mate, kissed her cheek and grinned only to have Izanami smile in return. They kissed properly as Etsu threw herself at her father's legs, only to be lifted into his strong, white clad arms a moment later.

 

That could have been her and Inuyasha, Kagome thought as she sighed wistfully. That had been what she'd expected of them. Subconsciously, if not meaning to. Inuyasha had been with her in this time since day one, he'd protected and saved her more times than she could remember. She couldn't remember the last time they hadn't spent time together when they'd both had the chance. They were like each other's shadows, or so she'd first thought.

 

“Kagome, are you alright?” Etsu's sweet voice interrupted her thoughts.

 

“Yes, I was just thinking. That's all.” Kagome smiled.

 

“Oh,” The little girl blinked and looked back, behind her. Kagome's gaze flickered there too; Kazuo and Izanami were enfolded in one another, arms wrapped around each other's waists, with Kazuo's large right hand covering her belly, “Mama and Papa think something's bothering you.” She said after a bit, her eyes blinking slowly, innocently, cutely.

 

They were right, Kagome realized, not that she'd worry Etsu with that information though. The little girl was so sugary; Kagome didn't want to put a downer on the small demon's mood.

 

Kagome blushed as she watched Kazuo and Izanami kiss again, and again, their mouths meshing far more than what was proper in front of a young child. Kagome shakily smiled, her face pink, “Come on, Etsu. I have a friend that would like to meet you. Would you like to meet him?”

 

The little girl smiled brightly, “Yeah!” She yelled, with a jump. She shouted at her parents, telling them that she was following Kagome, though the human girl wasn't sure they were paying all that much attention.

 

The girl smiled and extended her hand. The little girl stretched her smaller hand around Kagome's, smiling a little smile that made Kagome want to smile back. Etsu was so cute!

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Satori sighed as she submerged herself in the luxuries her bedroom provided. It was expansive, simple and yet, very elegant, just like she remembered it and just as she liked it. She especially liked the table she'd had custom made the day after she'd been mated to Inutaisho; it signified her perfectly with its beautiful floral framing and sophisticated with its dark mahogany colour, shine and overall shape. It was curvy, like a woman should be. Satori loved it.

 

She sat with her tea at that table. Her legs tucked beneath her as she sipped at the lovely, warm, bitter drink the servants had brought to her. Her step son was a wonder, she decided as her eyes focused on the cloudy sky outside her window. She had had every belief that the half breed would die from his handling of her beloved Meidoseki stone. Surprisingly, he was up and about; she'd heard his yelling from her place.

 

It seemed as though her son and Inuyasha did not get along in the slightest. She frowned as she took another sip of lemon scented tea. Inuyasha had been yelling about Sesshomaru's gall, about how he shouldn't have laid beside him so easily. She flicked a platinum white strand of hair from her face. Had the two been arranged to be mated, much like her and Inutaisho had been? If so, gaining Sesshomaru's trust would be much easier than she anticipated.

 

Sesshomaru…

 

Her pink lips quirked into a humorless smile; her son had been nothing like she'd expected. He looked so much more like her than she'd ever thought, held himself like she held herself, he also spoke and thought like her; Satori wasn't sure if she were pleased or annoyed at that. It was such a waste to kill off a demon that had brains, beauty and the attitude to succeed at his birthright. He was very much the son she'd always wished for. She had hoped that he would be more like Inutaisho, all smiles and `humans are good' in attitude and she'd hoped that he would have been just as annoying and unbearable.

 

He wasn't as tall as the monk had painted him; he was half a head shorter than the half breed, when the moronic man had told her he was half a head taller than Inuyasha. At least he'd told her some correct facts: His face did bear the markings her own did and she presumed his entire body did as well. His skin also like hers, pale and free of any blemishes. As Sesshomaru and herself had sat and talked, Satori was ashamed to admit, she couldn't help but stare at the lump he'd been attempting to hide from her, the lump that she presumed caused his hips to be as wide as they were.

 

She sighed and with a heavy tap, placed the small cup on the table. Sesshomaru was far from anything she'd expected; he didn't seem to have gained anything from either of his possible fathers. He didn't seem cocky or egotistical, like Ryuuga had been, nor did he seem overly friendly and stupid like Inutaisho. Sesshomaru had taken after her - except for the fact that he'd let that disgraceful, half-breed mate him; she wasn't stupid. Sesshomaru was glowing like a woman did! What in the world had possessed him to do such a shameful thing? - it was a waste.

 

“My Lady, may I talk to you?”

 

Satori's golden eyes flickered to the door, finding Chiyo standing behind the slightly opened shogi. She nodded and gestured to the opposite side of the table. As the older demoness scuttled to her place, Satoru watched her with a stony face; there was such a thing as over acting and where she wanted Sesshomaru's trust, Chiyo's was already lost.

 

The silence drowning them was oppressive. Satori hoped Chiyo was feeling it far more than her as she glared frigidly, waiting for the demoness to state what she was here for before she could remove her from the room. She had plans to concoct and then to put into action. Sesshomaru would know who she was and who he was in relation to her and his two possible fathers.

 

It took a moment more for Chiyo to sigh and close her eyes briefly before they opened to reveal bright emeralds that were keen on scrutinising her every fibre. Satori matched the gaze with one of a tiger's eye. Chiyo's voice was steely when she spoke, “Your intentions are not of a pure sort.”

 

Satori's aura held a feeling of intense smugness, “You're still very blunt. Have you not changed at all in 400 years? Does my son find you as tiresome as I do?”

 

“Do you feel guilty?” Chiyo countered, “As you can see, Sesshomaru is definitely Lord Inutaisho's son.”

 

Satori could have snorted. He looked nothing like his father! How was she able to tell? Inutaisho had nothing in common with Sesshomaru. If anything, his physical appearance proved that he was her son! She frowned, “How are you sure?”

 

“We conducted necessary tests.”

 

Satori's eyes narrowed, “What tests?”

 

Chiyo frowned at the table, her wrinkled face pinched as she remembered. Satori impatiently itched and kept herself still. The old bag had better start her explaining soon or she was going to be launched from Satori's window.

 

“After Sesshomaru was born, the demon Lords of Japan decided it would be best to test his legitimacy as soon as possible. The healers they called claimed that there was little risk in feeding Sesshomaru his father's blood should he really be Lord Inutaisho's son.” Chiyo sighed, “He looks so much like you, Lady Satori, it is impossible to see any of his possible fathers in him. I was honestly fearful for his demise. However, after three days he was still alive and increasingly healthy - he'd been a sickly pup; too small, too fragile, so quiet, we feared he was mute at one stage! - It was decided that he was definitely Inutaisho's son.”

 

Satori's eyes were bright, dangerous, promising peril like lantern of hunters searching for demons around their village in the dead of night. She had been put to death three days after Sesshomaru's birth! Forced to drink a poison that nullified her demonic healing and stabbed through the chest with her mate's claw as though nothing but prey for a predator. Her mate's eyes, he wouldn't look her in the eye. She scowled, the cup she'd been holding crumbling into sharp, heavy shards in her hand.

 

“And I was still put the death?” She hissed, “If you knew Sesshomaru was that moronic Inutaisho's son, why was I still killed?!”

 

Chiyo regarded her with a patient aura that made Satori wish to rip out her throat; she was no child! She'd born a child! She'd died once! Her `motherly' actions were disrespectful at best!

 

“You had still attempted to kill off your still growing son, behind Lord Inutaisho's back.” Chiyo said slowly, “You were punished for that indiscretion alone. Your trysts with Lord Ryuuga cannot be punished, they were done outside of your union with Lord Inutaisho. If you had told your mate of your suspicions, it would have been Sesshomaru that would have been killed, had he not been Inutaisho's son, whilst you would have been untouched.”

 

It took a few moments to sink in, a few moments to for Satori to fully understand what she'd been told. Her words didn't spill from her mouth easily. Rather they were spat, like rain water before a down pour, “I failed to kill him though! You saved him!” Satori was livid, her face flushed with rage, “I should have been exiled, not killed!”

 

The elderly demoness didn't reply, her gaze on Satori, like a pitiable puppy awaiting punishment. Or at least that was what it looked like on the outside. Chiyo, the manipulative, old bag, was not someone to be taken at face value. Satori knew what Chiyo said, looked like and thought were all entirely different things. It was very rare to find them in sync. She drew in a deep breath, calming herself.

 

“Your actions showed that you didn't trust your mate and that you were a threat to our Lord because of it. It was a hard decision to be made.”

 

Satori's voice was calm and icy again when she next spoke, “Why are you telling me this? Do you hope to save Sesshomaru?”

 

“I have grown quite fond of the boy.” Chiyo agreed.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Inuyasha had been as obnoxious as ever once he'd awakened. Not that Sesshomaru had thought he'd act any differently, however, he hadn't seen the point to the half-breed's yelling at him because he'd latched himself onto his side much like he'd found Inuyasha doing to him when he'd woken from his own wound induced sleep; it wasn't as though Sesshomaru had wanted to lay so close to the disgrace. He hadn't had much of a choice in the matter.

 

He'd been deep in thought when he'd heard her quiet steps creeping up behind him. The floors in the hallways made it impossible for anyone to sneak up on him, with its inability to not make noise and his awesome hearing. Sesshomaru slowly turned to look at the young human girl, now ignoring the wall he'd been staring at for the past half hour.

 

“U-Um, Sesshomaru, c-can we talk?”

 

Her voice was small, her stance showed she wished to disappear altogether, her eyes - everything was pitiable about the human girl he'd spent days with weeks ago and had learned to live with. Sesshomaru had had a very limited respect for her when she'd last left; she was stupid to speak to him so casually, to order him around, but he had found that somewhat amusing and irritating in equal amounts. But at that moment she was timid, quiet and absolutely unbearable. Chiyo had been stupid to have told her of Inuyasha and his coupling so bluntly. According to Kazuo she'd looked as though she'd taken an arrow to the heart.

 

Apart from the priestess' change in character, Inuyasha had also been barely bearable since she'd returned. Sesshomaru had found him brooding in the temperamental way he specialised in. He was still healing, the top and second layer of flesh had been stretching itself over the rest of the wound, but Sesshomaru found Inuyasha snapping at nothing, mumbling to himself, worrying in general, his ears flicking in that irritating way that made Sesshomaru's brows furrow…

 

It was to stop.

 

“We can.”

 

He led her into the expansive garden, surrounding them with tall, thick trees and a wide range of colourful flowers, like a painter's pallete growing from the ground. The human girl waited until he'd sat himself down, his attempt at a graceful sitting ruined as he fell the last few centimetres. This pup was getting more and more annoying, making it awkward for him to move, even walk. He felt foolishly relieved to have gotten off his feet.

 

“What do you wish to talk about, Priestess?”

 

Sesshomaru watched as her dark eyes remained on the ground - despite his name calling - they were soft in appearance, as though she would burst into tears even as she whispered, “Inuyasha.”

 

He inclined his head, keeping his voice level, “It was not Kazuo's place to tell you.”

 

She nodded, “I'm trying to understand why. I thought,” Her hands wrung around the silk she wore, the yellow kimono crumpling under her slender fingers' ministrations like paper, “I thought he cared about me.”

 

Sesshomaru remained silent for a moment, simply watching the human his brother was fond of. He didn't understand what could draw the half-breed to her. She was loud, ill-tempered, bossy, hadn't a single ounce of respect for those superior to her, she was pathetic, emotional, she was human… Sesshomaru couldn't see what was so attractive about her. Not the way Inuyasha obviously could. The demon Lord didn't understand humans. Their need to give and receive love was foolishly consuming. It also tended to make them blind to reason and made them unable to empathise.

 

“He does.”

 

The priestess' eyes widened and finally focused on, her head snapping up so fast Sesshomaru was sure she'd gained whiplash. For the first time since she'd left, the Priestess looked him dead in the eye, “B-But, he and you - you two - ah-”

 

The girl was naive. Were all human women so deluded? Didn't this mortal understand that sex was shared between two (or more) people that loved each other all the time? Sex was a means for pleasure, that was all. It didn't need love in order to work, simply willing participants. Sesshomaru stared stonily as he explained with his voice a deep drone, “Kazuo has told me that you `sat' Inuyasha before he could explain the circumstances. Should you have listened to him, you would understand that it was simply a kind act on his part and a way to stop my own weakness from consuming me. He has done nothing wrong.” Asides from marking him and not letting him terminate the child.

 

“Kind act?” She seemed perkier, more interested, her back straight as she leant forward and eagerly - angrily - said, “But he's your mate and you're carrying his pup.”

 

Sesshomaru leant back against a tree, his large hand taking its place on his swollen belly. He frowned, “Inuyasha's stubborn. He insists that once the pup is born you and he will raise it.”

 

The priestess seemed to be shocked by this, as though she'd been carved from stone with how still she was. She gaped and her eyes remained wide as she sat back, a petite hand to her mouth and she took to sighing thrice.

 

Sesshomaru watched her curiously. Had Inuyasha truly not given her any reason to think he'd mate her? The two were close and more often than not, whenever he and Inuyasha had clashed he could smell her all over the half-breed. They were close, Sesshomaru was certain of that and their feelings weren't invisible; he'd seen how they'd looked at each other and he'd heard them exchange words. Were humans that blind?

 

“But you two are mated, right?” She asked.

 

“From his side alone; I haven't marked him and I refuse to. Inuyasha is ignorant; he didn't know what he was doing. His mating me was a mistake.” He watched as she absorbed this. “I do not want this pup.”

 

That seemed to surprise the mortal as her doe brown eyes widened and she stared for a moment. She eventually let her hand fall from her lips and frowned, “It's innocent!”

 

“I do not want it.”

 

“But you can't kill it!”

 

“It is my body it is growing in.” A rustling bush and a mutter alerted Sesshomaru, causing him to sit up straighter as he glowered at the Priestess.

 

"Are you so heartless? It hasn't even lived yet!"

 

"I am a demon Lord, girl. Do not push your human sentiments on this Sesshomaru."

 

"Ooo! You-"

 

“Will you two shut up!?” Inuyasha's appearance didn't surprise Sesshomaru, however the human girl jumped spectacularly. Inuyasha crouched in front of him. Sesshomaru glared at the half-breed glaring heatedly at him, "What the hell do you think you're doing, you bastard?!"

 

"I was explaining the reason behind our mating to your desired mate, Inuyasha." He stated smoothly.

 

The half-breed flushed but continued his tirade, "I was going to explain everything to her and don't fucking talk as though you understand what I want! And you!" Inuyasha's fiery gaze turned on the priestess, his feet scratching and gathering dirt as he spun, "You know he's pregnant! Don't go fucking arguing with him! You might fuck up the pup!"

 

The girl had gone quiet and timid again, her shoulders hunched as she eye-balled the ground at Inuyasha's dirty feet. Sesshomaru was growing tired of this. This was expecially so as Inuyasha shushed himself and he stared at the ground in front of the girl. The demon Lord pulled himself to his feet, feeling like he'd done as a young pup, when he ate far too much and then attempted to train. Inuyasha was by his side a second after his moving himself. Sesshomaru frowned at the half-breed.

 

"Where are you going?" Inuyasha asked roughly.

 

"I have questions for my mother," Sesshomaru replied smoothly, "And you and the Priestess need to talk. I am not going to bear witness to your pitiful wallowing for a moment longer, little brother."

 

"I ain't wallowing!"

 

His movements were a blur as Sesshomaru made a quick swipe for Inuyasha's head, missing my mere millimetres as the taller - Sesshomaru needed to ask Chiyo about that, it was very off putting. He was the taller of the two of them and would always be so in the demon Lord's mind - man leapt away.

 

Inuyasha growled at him, Sesshomaru glared back and the Priestess looked on with wide eyes. Sesshomaru straightened as best he could and began his leisurely walk back into his castle "I will not speak again. Either fix this or I will."

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Woffy: Life is hectic. I apologise for the long wait. Hopefully I'll have another chapter done by Christmas and have a few present-fics finished by then too. But seriously, people! What's with all this Satori hating? The poor woman… I feel for her, I really do.

 

On another note, I just realized that we're at about the halfway mark with this story. Other than that being really, really scary, it also means I'll be bothering you all for reviews even more now. All I want you to do is review once.There are over 100 of you with this either on your favourite stories list or/and your story alert. Half of you have reviewed, the other half, you have (roughly) 18 more chapters to review. You can do it! -good guy pose-

 

Thank you to the awesome people that have reviewed/commented: sharkie and Snowfall. Many thanks, my dears! I appreciate your support.

 

Reviews make this authoress feel better and write quicker so continue doing so (and who knows, you might inspire her; she needs it)!