InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Fuyu no Shimekiri ❯ I Love You ( Chapter 14 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Chapter 14: I Love You

Sesshoumaru sat at his desk in his study, surrounded by his generals. He had already decided that they would move out in five days, headed for the south, and he wanted his soldiers fresh, and ready to go, because he had every intention of getting to the Southern Lords shiro and destroying him utterly before he even realized they were coming.

To that end, he'd sent several of his best scouts, to pick out the best and fastest route. He wanted the least defended section, so that he could strike fast and hard. He had no intention of getting caught in some long-drawn out war - he'd get in, challenge Hebikuro while their troops fought, kill him, then turn around and come home. Of course, if Kagome got the chance, she'd probably purify half the southern army herself, but... especially if it turned out that the assassin was sent by the south.

Privately, he didn't think that was the case. Hebikuro wouldn't be doing anything at this point to draw attention to himself, and assassinating the soon to be Lady of the West would be about the fastest way of getting his attention. It just didn't set right in his mind.

Turning his mind back to the matter at hand, he cut into the debate between two of his generals. "Enough. I have looked over both prospective routes into the southern lands. We will take the eastern path... it is relatively unprotected, and Lord Koga and his clans also know the areas around those borders fairly well - some of his wolves have even hunted there for generations. We will send them out as forerunners - they will be good to catch any that would attempt to sneak off and warn the Southern Lord."


Tilting his head down thoughtfully, he stared at his desk for a moment, then looked back up. "General Kanaye, you will take an advance group of my most skilled trackers, and head out tomorrow morning. You will meet up with Lord Koga's advance elements here," he pointed to a spot on the map with one deadly claw, "and take out that garrison stationed there. From our information, it only holds about forty soldiers... they will be easily beaten."

Kanaye nodded, and Sesshoumaru dismissed him to go begin preparations. Once the general was gone, he spoke again.

"The rest of you, I will expect to be ready five days from today to leave, and I warn you - it will be at speed, forced march. We will be at the redezvous in two days, rather than the three and a half days it would take at a regular march." Eyeing the concerned looks from his generals, he broke off when a knock came at the door.

Catching Kagome's scent, he called out, "Enter."

Kagome had heard his last statement, and knowing that the Generals would be concerned about the effectiveness in battle of troops that were overtired from the trip, spoke up. "Sesshoumaru, I can help with any fatigue that the soldiers might feel at the end of the forced march. Once we arrive at the border and meet up with Koga's clans, I can make sure that they recover after one nights sleep."

He listened to her, an eyebrow climbing into his bangs as she spoke, an noted the looks of astonishment from his generals.

"How is that possible, Kagome?"

"It's hard to explain it..." she trailed off, a frown crossing her face as she tried to figure out a way to make them understand, "I guess the best way to think of it is that it's kind of like a healing. You know I can heal, right? Well, this is basically healing everyone's bodies of exhaustion. All that will actually happen is that everyone will sleep a little... well - harder - sort of." She sighed in exasperation. "Just trust me, everyone will feel great the next morning, like they're fully rested. There won't be anyone falling out due to exhaustion."

Sesshoumaru eyed her uncertainly for a moment, then nodded, and turned to his men. "That will be all. You are dismissed to begin your preparations."

He waited quietly until they were alone, then turned and beckoned her to sit next to him.

"This will not harm you, will it, koi?"

She smiled at him lovingly. "No, Sesshoumaru, it won't. I'll sleep pretty deeply as well, and then I'll be fine in the morning as well."

"Hn." He nodded once, sharply. "Very well." He caught her gaze and held it. "Are you sure you wish to accompany us? This is war, Kagome... it will not be pretty."

She glared at him, suddenly irritated. "And why do you think I need you to tell me that, my Lord? Have you forgotten who I am? I'd see more battles at fifteen than some of your soldiers have in their several hundred years of life! Why would you ask me something like that?"

He sighed. "But you should not have to, now. You are my Lady, and as such, it is my pleasure to protect you from those things."

She softened and reached over to cup his cheek in her hand, gently running her thumb along his crest. "That's not how I see it, Maru-chan. I'm going to be your mate, your Lady, and my place is beside you - no matter where you are. In battle, in peace, it doesn't matter. I want to stay by your side, always." She took a deep breath, and said, "I love you, Sesshoumaru, Lord of the West, and I will never willingly leave you."

His eyes had darkened as she spoke, to an almost burnished gold, and the flare of joy that lit them from within as he caught the end of her sentence made her heart pound. She'd never seen a look so passionate on anyone's face, and as he leaned forwards, she moved to meet him halfway, eyes already closed.

Sesshoumaru had never heard any sweeter words, and everything he'd felt for this woman for almost a century and a half suddenly exploded within him, and he couldn't have fought his need even if he'd wanted to. Pulling her towards him, he tilted his head and caught her lips with his, and trembled when he realized that she'd already opened her lips in expectation of his kiss.

She moaned as he made love to her mouth, never had she felt anything like what he was doing to her at this moment. He licked, nibbled, suckled, and battled her tongue and lips, and that, interspersed with the passionate groans he was letting escape from deep in his chest, almost overwhelmed her. She never wanted to move... she could sit right here and let him kiss her forever.

However, forever isn't actually that long when you are a creature that needs to breathe, and eventually he pulled away, leaning his forehead against hers, panting as hard as she was. With a tortured moan, he told her, "I have waited to hear those words from you without hope for so many years... and it was worth every second of the wait, koishii, but please - do not make me wait that long to hear you say them again... I do not think I could bear it."

As tears welled in her eyes, he ran his hand down the side of her face, then traced her lips with his thumb. "I love you, too, my Kagome. I always will." His words had all the weight of a vow before the kami.

Kagome tilted her face forward and gently touched her lips to his again, just pulling his bottom lip into her mouth and lightly nipping it, then suckling on it softly for a moment, before pulling away, a soft, tender smile on her face.

"I will tell you that I love you every morning when we wake, and every evening before we sleep, koibito, I promise. You will not ever have to wait again."

He closed his eyes and sighed, pulling her into his lap and just holding her to him. She tucked her head under his chin and melted into him. After a few minutes passed in silence, she spoke.

"Maru-chan?"

He grunted softly in acknowledgement, and she continued.

"Do we have to wait? I mean... that I'm ready to be your mate. I - I want to be, with all my heart."

Sesshoumaru held her tighter, her words tearing a passionate growl from deep in his chest, and in that instant, he hated protocol, wars, assassins, and political intrigue more than he'd ever thought he would. Those were the things he lived for... until now. Now, they were just in the way of what he wanted.

"I want so much to take you and make you mine here and now, my saiai... but we do have to wait. Once we've destroyed Hebikuro, we will return home and I will take you - and then, the West will celebrate a new Lady, and victory over the snakes." He shifted her back a little so he could look into her face as he caught her disappointed whimper.

"I recieved word today from my Lady Mother, koi. She will attend our formal mating dinner... as will Lord Koga, and of course, your kit." He smiled down at her tenderly. "I swear to you, my Kagome, we will be mated within two weeks. I will not wait any longer than that. I can last that much longer for the proprieties... but no more. Is that acceptable to you?"

Kagome let out a disappointed groan, then sighed deeply, and winking at him, she said, "I think I can last that long... but if not, don't get angry if I pounce on you and just take you." She rolled her eyes as a thought occurred to her.

"After all, who else has had to deal with being a virgin for a hundred and sixty years?"

The servants in that part of the shiro were startled to hear the masculine laughter coming from their Lord's study.

Jaken, who had been heading in that direction to report to his master, fainted at the sound of it, positive that he was about to die.