InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ His Indeed ❯ Theirs Indeed ( Chapter 1 )

 

This is a really old plot I found on my flash drive, I tried to fix it up and have now posted it for your perusal. I don't own the characters….so enjoy my blatant manipulations of another's creation. Which really, is everything…but we'll ignore philosophy for now!

….ENJOY….

Sesshoumaru sighed; once again his mate was growing fearful. He ignored her call, as she was always seemed fearful. He had received a timid female for a mate, and the southern lands had given him the renowned beauty of their hime. In their land of tanned skin and sunlight hair, the treasured princess had skin of pale cream and hair of raven's ebony. She had been a part of the bond to seal their lands in treaty, and Sesshoumaru was rather pleased with the fact that she was a very obedient and quiet wife.

But she always feared, especially Inuyasha. The first time her fear had invaded his senses due to their bond, he had rushed to find her and ease her fear. He had only found Inuyasha there with her, talking to her and walking around her gardens as she looked up at him with unease and flinched whenever his hands gestured too close to her body.

The unease had been understandable, as the two demon brothers were considered the most powerful in their realm, and possibly amongst all the others. Sesshoumaru believed that she didn't fear him because she was his mate, and by default the pain she felt would be reflected to him. It would be in his best self-interest to never cause her anguish.

Sesshoumaru sighed as he shook his head and returned to his work; shaking himself out of the thoughts of his mate and brother and her fear. This happened many a time before…but today it became different.

The fear steadily grew, so much so that Sesshoumaru almost choked on the sheer terror he felt from his mate. The shame and loss followed by the pain, the pain.

Sesshoumaru was on his feet in a blur of white and gold, for once in a long time actually answering his mate's call. Her terror and pain led him through the winding halls of his manse and past the stunned servants and retainers. The library…that dammed vase… the indoor hot springs…finally he reached a shoji door and flung it open mercilessly.

He found himself in the inner sanctuary, his mate's garden, so dubbed by the servants as it was where she went whenever she wanted to gather her wits or get away from people. Which she did quite often.…

He cut his thoughts off as he rushed through the green foliage, tearing a path through her meticulously cared for plants. With a final crash of the giving greenery he found his mate.

She was crumpled down beneath another, silent tears upon her cheeks and a bruise forming on her fine jaw. The shoulder of her elaborate kimono was torn and Sesshoumaru could see the mating mark he had given her, one that had been received willingly, and he could see the garish red streaks of her blood pooling from the claw marks of another so very close to this symbol of acceptance.

A hand was pushing her good shoulder down, and another was tracing claws down her throat as the figure knelt between his mate's pinned legs.

Sesshoumaru felt his eyes bleed red, seeing the world around him streak slowly to the pulsing crimson that called out to his blood and his power. He needed to protect. His eyes went to her aggressor…his brother.

He snarled out, lashing with his claws at the same time and driving his brother away from his mate. His brother paled as he snarled; Inuyasha's previous ignorance of his arrival while he taunted his mate forgotten as he was shocked into dodging Sesshoumaru's sudden presence.

It was a brief scuffle, only lasting a few minutes before his brother fell. Then he noticed his brother's wounds, ones he didn't give him. He took a glance at his mate, seeing her struggling to stand. She noticed his stare, and her chin rose with a defiant look even as her left arm hung uselessly and her leg threatened to crumble under her. The blood dripping from her claws was not her own.

He glanced at the other struggling form, the graceless exertion of his half breed brother, and sneered before he barked for his guards to come and take away the filth. He was escorted away, pathetically shifting futilely against the bonds of his well-trained guards, and he turned to his mate.

Her kimono sagged off her form as he gently pulled it up with his hand to caress he hair off her shoulder and out of her face. She turned her face away, simultaneously hiding his mark and her wound.

His gaze turned confused, so only she could see, and he ceased her struggling by lifting her into his arms. She still kept her gaze away from him, but that was fine for now. He had just had his usually timid and shy mate injure his brother to the point where he was down in one minute.

If his theories were untrue in her strength, then the others may be as well. Sesshoumaru scowled. I don't know my mate as I should, he looked down at her, as it is my duty to know her and trust her.

“Do I anger you so?” Her soft voice spoke from the shadowed veil of her hair. He startled and realized that his feelings of anger to himself and his brother would translate along their bond to her, and she would directly interpret it as him being mad at her. This he knew about her at least.

“No, you do not.”

She nodded and let him carry her away. He banished etiquette from his mind, opening the shoji to their quarters with his foot as he would not place down his precious cargo. “I didn't believe you.” She said nothing. “Is it why you feared him so all this while?” Her nose twitched, a sure sign he had hit the mark. “You did not tell me.”

“You knew.” Sesshoumaru paused; yes that is true. I knew, but I thought it was one of her fears of larger youkai as she came alone to this strange land. He looked down at his petite mate as she continued. “It is weak.” He gave her a questioning glance. “I am a woman, therefore I should be able to protect myself from the most base of actions and,” she took a breath, “for him to be able to take something that was so completely my own to give is shameful to me. I would be looked down upon.”

“Not…”

“Yes, I would be weak if I could not protect myself. You would be looked down upon to have such a weak mate.” Her insistence was convicted, her head turning up slightly with her defiance and the truth she saw in the statement.

He placed her down on their futon, carefully examining her shoulder wound before running his hands down her leg to find her injury. She hissed only slightly when he found the location of the broken bone, and he was surprised to find the break in her ankle almost protruding her skin. He'd have to set it.

She nodded at him, knowing what he had to do. He winced when he cracked the bone into place, watching her bite her lip almost clean through in her pain—she didn't call out. “You fear him, yet not me.”

She gave him an odd look before blushing and looking to the floor. “They never told you?” More a statement than a question.

He tilted his head in response.

She sighed. “I do not like your brother, nor do I pretend to, but he is of higher station than me.” Sesshoumaru frowned. “It is highly dishonorable for a woman to tell her mate how to deal with his relations, political or familial.” That was something he would need to clear her head of. The western territories highly regarded their mates, always open to them as long as they refrained from making a public scene.

Sesshoumaru lifted her, carrying her to their opulent zabuton to set her down across his lap. “Why do you not fear me?” He actually asked the question, making it so she would know that he did want an answer.

She sighed. “I chose you, why should I fear you?”

“You…chose me?”

His mate nodded before her head came to rest on his shoulder, he winced as he noticed it stretched her wounds, causing blood to flow more freely and let him scent it on the air. “My father gave me a choice. Any child of the previous lord would have political power in the lands, and I could choose my mate.”

Sesshoumaru sat back heavily, if she means…

“Inuyasha was… frightening. He always needed to prove himself, prove his strength and courage. He lives to fight and kill, to show the realm that he is strong. You, you are a true leader. You know that fighting is not always the answer, and you have honour.” She sighed and looked away from his gaze, curling in on herself as she became more vulnerable. “I would know where I stood with you, the honourable son of Inutaisho; you wouldn't use me to enforce your status, and you would respect me at least as a woman.” She shivered, and Sesshoumaru knew that she knew of his brother's exploits. It would seem that the way he treated woman circulated even to the furthest lands.

“I didn't believe you.” She smiled wryly and said nothing. “I underestimated you.” She looked up at him in surprise before blushing and looking away. Sesshoumaru chuckled; this shy little woman had a fiery side that almost downed his brother.

“Everyone does.” Her soft whisper reached to his ears.

He tilted his head. “I am sorry.”

He saw her lashes rise as her eyes widened in surprise before she looked up. The stormy blue of her iris was shocking to see full on, as she never worked up the courage to look anyone directly in the face. “You'd be the first.” A little smile found itself on her lips and Sesshoumaru found himself smiling in response before tilting her face further so he could kiss said lips.

She flushed deeply when he pulled away and Sesshoumaru smiled as he lifted her up to stand on her feet, she should be healed enough by now. A sense of pride filled him as he watched her, proudly limping away to the doors to go to her sanctuary once again.

Then she surprised him again; she turned around just as she opened the shoji and she looked straight back to him. “Would you…want to join me in the gardens?” Her soft plea met his ears and he smiled. She never invited anyone into her gardens…

As he smiled and took her offer he mentally berated himself. All the signs were there; I should have realized that my brother was up to something. His mate shyly took his hand in hers as they walked, and he took the initiative to lace their fingers together. His brother never was one to talk too much, and he should have listened to his mate's instincts. For him not to was a blatant disregard for her opinion, a blatant disregard for her status as a living being. He should always be able to listen to his mate, even if it be over something as petty as a trinket. They were supposed to lean on each other in their years together, and they were supposed to know that the other would come to their rescue…

They entered the gardens, winding their way around the kamikaze path of Sesshoumaru's run from earlier, and towards the more water based edge of her sanctuary. He glanced at his mate in curiosity; he remembered the emotions through the bond before he answered. He cleared his throat. She looked up at him with trusting eyes, and he considered not asking the question for fear of those eyes clouding over with pain, yet he persisted. She was strong, and he was there to comfort her now.

In the privacy of her sanctuary he could use her name. “Kagome…what made you feel as I felt during my bother's… treachery?”

Her form slowed, her steps getting smaller as she gradually stopped to look up into his face, “Which ones…?” Her soft and silent plea almost made him stop, but he needed to know now.

“There was - loss - and shame. I,” he glanced at her, “I've never felt you shamed before.”

Her head turned down. “He told me. He told me that you wouldn't come to me, that you wouldn't heed our bonded call.” She glanced quickly up at him. “He said that you didn't believe I was important enough, that I was just a silly little woman who couldn't protect herself and therefore couldn't expect such a powerful lord to protect me.”

Sesshoumaru growled. His mate squeaked quietly before exposing her neck in submission. The wounds from his brother flashed mockingly as he glimpsed them from this action. He toned down his growl, almost to the sound of a cat's purr, before he took her into his arms and held her gently. “And did you…believe?” He was almost afraid of the answer.

“You weren't there.” Sesshoumaru drew in a regretful breath. “But I knew you'd come. My fear was too much for me and you would get more of a shock when it reached you. If it were nothing but curiosity something would bring you to me.”

They settled down on the grassy knoll of her gardens, overlooking the koi pond. “I would have come.”

She nodded. “Hai.”

He drew her into the shelter of his side letting her know that he was sorry. His hands found their way into her hair, and with practiced ease he took down her combs to let the tumbling mass free. His hands ran through it, marveling at the texture and length even as he thought more on his mate. That's right…mine.

Inuyasha be dammed. His brother approached him openly, curiosity shining in his eyes as he stood at his side. He waited for acknowledgment. He nodded. “So, your new mate is something else I hear.”

“You've seen her as well.”

He nodded looking around the room as to search for his mate. “Quite the rarity from where she's from they say. Have you even seen her eyes yet?”

His mate had taken to looking at the floor wherever she was, not bothering to look up even slightly unless she was surprised. She was an obedient woman and quiet. “Have you?” It was a direct barb. Inuyasha always frightened his mate away, and she made it a point to always be around someone else if he was near.

Inuyasha held in a snarl and he huffed before glaring out at the servant that had approached him. The maid scurried away, moving as fast as her kimono would allow. Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, scoffing at his brother.

Inuyasha strangely calmed, adopting a frivolous and smug air before he smirked to him. “I also hear that the two of you are rarely seen together. Is she proving to be a disappointment?”

Sesshoumaru growled; “My mate is fine. She just prefers to stay out of the public eye unlike some.” He cast a jaundiced eye to his brother, remembering the fool he had made of himself a few moons ago when he had tried to challenge the wolf king.

Inuyasha bristled. “Feh,” he once again glanced around the room, “I was hoping to see her.”

Sesshoumaru turned slightly to look at his brother; he wasn't usually one to seek someone out, unless it was to challenge their status. “She'll be here. I believe she was talking with the elderly healer before she graced us with her presence.”

Inuyasha snorted.

Before Sesshoumaru could reply the youkai guests parted, and his mate walked gracefully towards him. He watched her tense slightly as she took in his brother's presence, but she continued.

“My Lord.” She bowed elegantly and let him lift her hand to his arm so he could escort her around the room, as custom. He watched Inuyasha, as he watched his mate. She held her head high.

It was just as the gathering was coming to a close, and his mate was leaving, holding the hands of an elderly gentleman as she gave her goodbyes and good wishes. His brother came up beside him, and they both watched his mate walk out of the great hall.

“She is a fine woman.”

“Indeed.”

They were quiet after that; no comment needed to be made. Sesshoumaru understood that is mate was a beautiful docile woman with a caring heart and brilliant smile, he only needed to get it out of her to see it.

Now that he thought of it, his brother had never been one to talk of anything other than war boasts and bed boasts, and Sesshoumaru cringed as he realized that the conversation should have sent alarm bells ringing through his head if not his instincts. He briefly disparaged himself for being stupid enough to trust his half brother—they weren't the best of relations as it was. Inuyasha was always jealous of his status, hinting that Sesshoumaru didn't deserve much of what he had because he never worked for it.

Which was a blatant lie; Sesshoumaru guarded his territory and increased his trade revenue like no other lord in the allied lands, he worked hard to maintain his security…he'd even took pains to make a good impression on the South, and for that he'd ended up with his beautiful mate.

—A beautiful mate that needed more of his attention.

Inuyasha had always tried to undermine his work, but he'd never suspected him of something so barbaric…but he'd revealed the true side of his mate—cautious in her decisions but willing to follow her alpha. He'd never known a female who could fight off someone at the level Inuyasha was at (even with his half breed status) and he supposed he should thank her feisty nature, for he was certain that was what had led her to seeking lessons.

Perversely, he should thank Inuyasha too; for drawing his attention to his little spitfire.

He tilted his head down to regard her with a soft look as she settled more firmly into his embrace, her hair slipping over his hand as she smiled…and he smiled. That was his smile, his darling mate that liked to crinkle her gorgeous and rarely seen eyes at him before she laughed and snuggled into his bulk.

He stroked a hand down her hair as she sighed against his heart.

His indeed.

His to love and protect and shelter and encourage…

He would just have to show her more…that he was hers. He was hers to call to and hers to love…hers to be bonded with for eternity.

They were each others.

He sighed and nuzzled his face into her hair, feeling himself relax even as his youki howled with pleasure and anticipation—it was time to get to know his mate more fully.

.X.

Yes, finished. You can take the last comment either way, but I intended it for personality, as bonded they would have already had sex. X]p