InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ His Little Girl ❯ Ceremonies ( Chapter 20 )

AN: Ok minna here's the next installment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

It was dark and the stars were high in the moonless sky when Sesshoumaru awoke. Something seemed off, looking up into the tree and sky, he absently moved to rub his brother's puppy ears but found them gone. His attention snapped down to his brother, and he found himself looking at his brother in his human form. Suddenly his brother woke, tensed and buried his face in Sesshoumaru's haori while holding onto him with a death grip.

 

“Damn,” Inuyasha cursed his voice muffled by his brother's chest.

 

Sesshoumaru could smell his brother's fear and held him tighter to him. “It's alright Inuyasha, I'm here. I won't let harm befall you.”

 

He thought his words would comfort his brother, but they seemed to have the opposite effect as he soon felt Inuyasha begin to tremble in his arms and bury himself deeper into his chest. Inuyasha's breathing became shallow and labored and he began to panic.

 

“Inuyasha what is wrong?” Sesshoumaru asked with a great deal of worry.

 

“I-I can't…please, please down,” the hanyou panted out panicked as his eyes began to tear. He couldn't…too high.

 

“Alright, hold on tight,” Sesshoumaru comforted.

 

Once Inuyasha had shifted so that his arms were locked around his brother's neck and his legs around his waist, Sesshoumaru leapt from branch to branch until they reached the ground. Without relinquishing his hold on his brother, Sesshoumaru sat at the base of the tree and rocked slowly back and forth and stroked his brother's hair, petting the thick midnight tresses until he calmed. Finally Inuyasha's breathing and heartbeat calmed and grew slow and steady, he wasn't sleeping, but he was no longer panicked and afraid.

 

“What happened up there?” Sesshoumaru asked softly, concerned.

 

“I just…It happened on the first moonless night after mom died…I had fallen asleep up in a tree during the day and woke up when it was dark and I was human. I thought I'd be fine until morning if I just stayed still but then…a bird youkai came after me, I don't even remember what kind, just that it was white…I'd heard stories from one of the people in mamma's village. They said that when a white bird comes to you at night, that it's the spirit of a dead loved one come to comfort you…I thought the youkai was mamma's spirit so I reached out to it…It snapped it's beak at me and cut my arm, throwing me off balance and I fell from the tree…I was pretty high up…when I feel I broke my leg…a villager found me and took me in. They didn't know me…didn't know who I was or what I was…the man set my leg and put a splint on it. He offered me food and shelter for the night. But as soon as morning came…when he saw my white hair and ears…he threw me out of the hut, my leg was still broken even though I had reverted back to being a hanyou. It hurt so much when I he threw me out, not only my leg but…” Sesshoumaru could feel his brother's tears against his shoulder and hugged Inuyasha tighter, purring to him and stroking his hair. “I couldn't walk well for a week after that, my leg was useless. I would've been fine by nightfall had he not thrown me out, but…why did he do that?” Inuyasha asked brokenly, the tiny hurt pup inside of him begging for an explanation.

 

Sesshoumaru sighed and hugged his brother tighter, stroked his hair. “Because humans, most humans, are fickle and stupid and prejudiced. He didn't understand and he didn't care to. You are loved little brother, know that you are loved. You have a mate whom you will make publicly yours one the same night and at the same time that I make Kagome mine. Kagome and I both have pups that we are going to adopt in the youkai way after I mate her, but don't you dare tell those little scoundrels or I'll never hear the end of it from Rin. That girl is too hyperactive as it is, this would be like adding fuel to the fire to tell her before hand.” Both brothers laughed softly and then Inuyasha yawned tiredly. Sesshoumaru watched his brother with a tenderness no one would have believed, and leaned back against the tree in a position he took when enjoying small slumbers when traveling with Rin and Jaken. He purposefully kept his thoughts steered away from the damned toad and turned his attention back to his human brother. “Sleep Inuyasha, you are safe little brother.”

 

“You'll protect me Fluffymaru,” he said in a sleepy voice, a nickname nearly forgotten by Sesshoumaru until that moment.

 

Sesshoumaru hugged his brother tightly for a moment before loosening his grip enough so that his brother was comfortable enough to sleep, but still held securely in his embrace. Kissing Inuyasha's temple, he said, “Hai, puppy. I'll protect you.”

 

 

 

 

 

“Maika, Shinta, konnichiwa,” both Kagome and Sango greeted in turn.

 

“Hello Kagome-sama, Sango-sama,” Maika greeted.

 

“Oh no,” Kagome giggled and the inu warrior became confused. “No sama for me Maika, just Kagome, or if you happen to be Inuyasha it's wench,” she giggled. “Sango and I are on our way t the hot spring and thought you two might like to join us.”

 

“Kagome-sa-…Kagome,” Maika began uncertain. “Are you certain?”

 

“I wouldn't have asked if I wasn't. Besides Maika, you're going to be family soon and I want to get to know my sister.”

 

“As do I,” Sango said smiling at the woman that had Inuyasha so enchanted. “Perhaps later you would also be willing to spar with me and help me with my katana techniques. We haven't been shard hunting in a while or out of these lands in nearly a month and I've no desire to get rusty.”

 

“Of course, I would be honoured to Lady Sango.”

 

“As much of a compliment as it is Maika, I'm not much one for formalities either.”

 

The inuyoukai nodded and still seemed rather nervous around the two human females. That was until Kagome and Sango each grabbed one of her hands and proceeded to drag Maika to the bathing chambers, Shinta following behind giggling.

 

 

“What is that?” Maika asked Kagome, pointing to her bottles of shampoo and body wash.

 

“Oh these are soaps from my village. Here try some, it's for your hair,” Kagome offered the woman her bottle of water Lilly and sakura blossom shampoo.

 

The four women used the bucket provided and washed their hair and bodies before climbing into the hot spring. Shinta gave a soft moan of delight as she sunk into the steaming natural spring and smiled.

 

“Your arms look much better my dear,” she said to Kagome and the girl nodded.

 

“Yes, thank you. Your salves work wonders. Rin also is so much better. I think the challenge, seeing the ones who hurt her publicly proven guilty and killed by her father really helped her. She was so afraid that Sesshoumaru wouldn't love her anymore. I want to kill Jaken for what he did, but it's been told to me that you convinced Sessh to let you handle the toad Maika-neesan.”

 

“Neesan?”

 

“Of course sister silly, you're soon to be mated to my brother-in-law. You better take care of him too, he can be a handful.”

 

“Oh I know that already,” the inuyoukai chuckled. “As for the toad, yes, he's at my mercy. Although I'm having Shinta help me with that. There's something more going on that he hasn't yet revealed and for now I've made it seem as though I'm his friend so that he'll be more free with his words around me. Shinta,” she looked at the usagi youkai, “is concocting a special potion for me. One that I'll slip to that stupid toad, it'll make him unable to tell a lie.”

 

“A regular truth serum,” Kagome smiled at that. “How brilliant! Although I still don't understand what could make him want to hurt Rin. She's such a wonderful child. I don't think she's ever said a mean word about anyone - well except Naraku maybe.”

 

“Jaken's dislike of humans is quite well known around these lands, but none ever thought it was to such an extent. For a while he seemed docile around the girl, and I had begun to think that she was melting his heart as much as our lord's,” Shinta sighed, “it appears however that he was just laying in wait for a chance to attack.”

 

“Like a crocodile,” Sango mused.

 

“Much like,” Shinta said.

 

 

 

Two hours later found Sango and Maika inside the large indoor dojo, both posed for attack. Both held katanas and while the inu seemed to be enjoying the fight she could tell that Sango was holding back.

 

“Sango, you're a taijiya, I expect you to fight me like one. Don't hold back just because I'm a friend.”

 

Sango gave a tense nod of her head and launched her attack. Her katana raised high above her as she came to land near Maika, the warrior deflecting her blow with her own blade. Sango suddenly became still, the battle heat of the past hour's sparring seeming to drain out of her as she stared at nothing. Maika tried to see what it was that had caught the slayer's attention but there was nothing that she could see. That was the moment when she heard the whispered word escape Sango's lips.

 

“Kohaku?” Sango whispered. The taijiya took a few hesitant steps forward, her eyes widening at seeing her brother standing before her. “Kohaku!” he looked as he had before the attack on the village, so full of life and she ran forward to embrace him. Her arms met with empty air. She gave a whimpered moan of confusion and fell to her knees. “He was there.”

 

“Sango?” Maika approached the girl hesitantly. What the hell just happened? “Sango are you alright?...Sango?”

 

 

 

 

Inuyasha awoke with a wide yawn and rubbed the sleep out of his golden eyes. He nuzzled his face into the warm chest he was resting against and yawned again.

 

“Good morning little brother,” Sesshoumaru greeted affectionately.

 

“Maru-chan?” the waking hanyou yawned.

 

“Yes Inuyasha it is I,” his brother chuckled.

 

Inuyasha sat up and noticed he was straddling his brother's hips, trying to remember how they'd gotten into that position; he remembered the events of the night before and promptly slapped his neck. Sesshoumaru's brow arched in question as they heard the groan from the flea youkai.

 

“Myoga? What are you doing here?” Inuyasha asked his flea youkai retainer.

 

“I could ask you the same question Inuyasha-sama, since when do you and your brother get along well enough to be sleeping together?”

 

“We have settled our differences,” Sesshoumaru said stoically his emotionless mask back in place in the presence of the flea.

 

“Ah yes Sesshoumaru-sama...” Myoga trailed off as he looked at the taiyoukai's throbbing jugular vein.

 

“Try it flea and I will shred you.”

 

“A-ah y-yes S-sesshoumaru-sama.”

 

“Was there something you wanted Myoga?” Inuyasha asked as he and his brother stood up from their places on the ground, both brushing dust and dirt from their clothing.

 

“Hai Inuyasha-sama. It would seem that lord Kouga is on his way to the Western Lands to claim Kagome-sama. He has been trailing her scent since early this morning and should be here sometime before lunch.”

 

“Damn, that mangy wolf!” Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha for further explanation. “He's been after Kagome for nearly as long as she's been in here, claiming that she's his woman. Usually I fight him off, but I guess that's up to you now-”

 

“Kagome! How is my woman today?” the brothers could hear Kouga greet Kagome.

 

“Fuck!”

 

“Inuyasha such language is not becoming of a lord.”

 

“Who the hell said I was lord, seems to me you're the mutt in the charge of this castle.”

 

“Inuyasha,” his brother warned and then caught the playful anger in his brother's eyes and chuckled silently. Seems my dear little brother has gone too long without sparring or wrestling around. I should fix that today - but later, after the wolf is dealt with.

 

“Kouga-kun,” Kagome greeted as the brothers, Myoga on Inuyasha's shoulder, stepped out of the forest. “I'm glad you're here, I wanted to invite you.”

 

“Invite me to what my love?”

 

Kagome tried to pull back but the wolf had a fast hold on her hands. She looked away for a moment and her eyes caught with Sesshoumaru's and then Inuyasha's. Trouble.

 

“Well Kouga there is to be a formal mating ceremony tomorrow night and-”

 

“Of course I'll mate you in a formal ceremony if you want Kagome. You are my woman after all!”

 

“U-uh no! No Kouga, the ceremony-”

 

“Will be between this Sesshoumaru and Kagome. She is and will formally become Lady of the Western Lands. It is also a joint ceremony between my brother and his mate Maika.” Sesshoumaru said regally although a low growl could be heard rumbling just under his breath at the wolf youkai.

 

“Yeah so get your hands offa her you wimpy wolf!” Inuyasha snarled.

 

“No one asked you Dog breath! And since when do you get along with your brother?”

 

“For awhile now and can we please settle this without the fighting?!” Kagome asked frustration evident in her voice and body language.

 

“Not if I have anything to say about it!” Kouga growled.

 

“Do you plan to challenge me for her wolf?” Sesshoumaru asked his voice stony and cold.

 

“No! No he doesn't! Do you Kouga?” Kagome demanded sternly.

 

“Yes I do,” the wolf youkai stated plainly.

 

“WHAT?!” Kagome shrieked. “No! No! I won't allow this! Besides you have Ayame and Sesshoumaru damnit stop trying to shove me behind you; this is not going to happen! Do you hear me?” she growled at both her mate and her wolf friend. “I. Won't. Allow. IT!” Her aura was glowing a bright purple with her raging emotions and Sesshoumaru was hesitant to touch her, when he had previously he had been burned, though he knew it was not his mate's intention to do so, or at least he hoped not. The miko snarled furiously as the two youkai and one hanyou. “Kouga damnit you better behave or the next time I see Kaede I'm gonna ask her to string up some subjugation beads for you too!”

 

That threat stopped the wolf in his tracks, having seen how many times she had used the `sit' command with Inuyasha he had no wish for such an enchantment to be put upon himself. Kouga snorted and snarled once more, though it was at Kagome this time, and then bowed to her and left, the jewel shards in his legs carrying him with the speed of a tornado.

 

“Kagome.”

 

“Don't you `Kagome' me Sesshoumaru.”

 

“I understand that you are upset.”

 

“Oh no, I moved right past upset and straight on to PISSED OFF! How the hell could this happen?! It was a nice day and I was happy and damnit, you already dealt with a challenge did you really want to fight another one!”

 

“It would be worth it.” Sesshoumaru's voice was calm and cool a stark contrast to Kagome who was openly fuming. He gripped her shoulders firmly and held her facing him. “You are my mate Kagome, or do you no longer wish to be?”

 

“What?! I…” Kagome sighed heavily and leaned forward, resting her brow against his armor and wrapping her arms around his waist. Her love's scent was calming her and her anger slowly died away as she stood there with him wrapped in her embrace and her in his. Her breathing had calmed and so had her temper when she looked back up at her taiyoukai lover. “Of course I want to be your mate. I never want not to be…I just don't understand why he keeps insisting on pursuing me. I don't intentionally lead him on, I don't know if I do or not, but all I've ever wanted is to be friends. Why can't he just…why can't he just accept that?”

 

“Because he's a stubborn wimpy wolf.” Inuyasha groused beside the embracing pair. “You never lead him on Kagome; his pursuit isn't your fault. What happened with Hojou won't happen with Kouga, we'll make sure of it. But by youkai law, if he does truly want to challenge Sesshoumaru than they must fight.”

 

“But I don't want them to,” she pleaded to her best friend. “I don't want people to fight over me.”

 

“I know koi,” Sesshoumaru soothed his mate. “I know.”

 

The three of them walked inside the castle silently, Kagome's right hand joined with Sesshoumaru's left and her left hand joined with Inuyasha's right. Making their way down the halls towards the dining hall they stopped just outside the dojo that Sango and Maika were in when they heard and smelled Sango's frustrated tears. Entering the room the found Maika sitting on the floor, holding the taijiya in her arms and rocking slightly back and forth in an attempt to comfort the distraught girl.

 

Upon entering and seeing the pair, Kagome broke her hold on the two males at her sides and made her way quickly to the two females on the floor.

 

“What happened?” she asked Maika as she stroked Sango's hair away from her tearstained face.

 

“I'm not sure. We were sparring and she'd finally stopped holding back when she became still and focused on an empty part of the room and called out to someone named Kohaku. There was no one there, but she kept insisting that the person was there. Then she broke down.” Maika looked at a loss of how to comfort Sango when suddenly, upon noticing Kagome's presence, Sango flung herself into her friend's arms and cried.

 

“He was there Kagome, Kohaku was there, I could swear it.”

 

“Shhh…It's ok Sango. We'll figure this out, I promise.” Kagome dried Sango's tears on the sleeve of the kimono she wore and helped her friend to her feet, Maika standing beside them. “C'mon,” she said leading her friend out of the dojo, the other three following behind. “Let's go get some lunch ok.”

 

Sango nodded and soon they were all gathered in the dining hall and were soon joined by Rin, Shippou, Shinta and Miroku. Miroku saw the distress and subdued attitude easily in Sango and he looked to Kagome for an explanation, mouthing `later' to the monk, they all ate the meal put before them, before moving onto other things.

 

After lunch Shinta guided a tired Sango to the room she shared with Miroku and gave her a soothing sleep tonic and helped her lie back on her bed. Pulling the blankets over the sleepy taijiya, the usagi healer promised to either come herself or send Miroku to wake her for dinner.

 

Elsewhere in the castle, in the library to be exact, Miroku, Kagome, Maika, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru had gathered and were sharing the day's events of Kouga and Sango. After all had been told, the inevitable question was asked of the lecherous monk by Inuyasha no less.

 

“Alright you leach, when you are you going to marry Sango and make her your wife?”

 

“Actually I wanted to talk to you and Sesshoumaru-sama about that.”

 

“You no longer wish to wed her Miroku?” Sesshoumaru asked.

 

“Just the opposite actually,” Miroku said. “Both Sango and I wish to be mated, not wed.”

 

“Wait a minute,” Inuyasha broke in. “Mated? As in the youkai way of mating?”

 

“Yes. Although were not quite sure how to go about that since neither of us have fangs, nor youkai.”

 

“Actually that part is easy to rectify,” Sesshoumaru proclaimed and all eyes and ears turned to focus on the taiyoukai. “You and your mate have two options houshi-sama. You can both be adopted in the youkai way by two who are willing and become hanyou or youkai, the choice remains to the adoptee as to how much of the youkai is passed on, or…there are certain spells and enchantments that will make it possible for you both to acquire a youkai for the mating ceremony alone. The choice is yours.”

 

Miroku nodded and thought over the options. “I will need to talk this over with Lady Sango before a decision can be made.”

 

“I understand. Know this, should you choose to have the enchantment done upon you both, it is rather simple to do and either way you be invited to be part of the joint ceremony between my brother, myself and our mates.”

 

Miroku nodded and quietly left to talk to Sango. The walk back to the room he shared with her was a quiet one as he thought over what Sesshoumaru had told him. As he passed by a window he caught sight of Rin and Shippou playing a game of tag with a fully transformed Kirara and smiled softly. He wished for children of his own, not only because of his cursed hand, but also because of his love for young ones. He so longed to be a father, it was his most sacred dream; one he feared he may never come true. But it seemed closer now then ever before. He smiled again as he saw the children fall tiredly to the grass and watched as Kirara laid down next to them curling her big form around them and giving them the soft furred pillow of her body to rest against and blanketing the children with her two tails.

 

He quietly entered his room and shut the door silently. Looking upon Sango's sleeping form he smiled and made his way to sit on the bed beside her. He was still quite amazed at the comfort and easy restful sleep he gained upon the strange western style raised bed, and wondered if he would ever sleep on a futon or the cold hard ground the same way again.

 

Brushing aside a few fallen locks of raven hair, he tucked the thick silky locks behind her ear and smiled softly when she moaned and moved closer to him in her sleep. Lying down on the bed behind her, he tucked Sango into his arms and simply held her for awhile, enjoying her warmth and the simple pleasure of being able to hold her within his arms. Within moments he was asleep as well.

 

It was nearing sunset when the sleeping pair awakened, and the pair engaged in a string of sleep heavy kissing and cuddling before fully rising to greet to then darkened sky. As the walked down the long hallway to the dining room, Miroku talked over with Sango the options that Sesshoumaru had explained to him and both decided to have the spell performed instead of being adopted.

 

Entering the dining hall, they were greeted by Sesshoumaru and Kagome and let the loving pair know of their decision. Sesshoumaru smiled softly and nodded and asked a servant to send for Shinta to join them for the evening meal.

 

 

“This is what you both truly wish?” Shinta asked the monk and taijiya.

 

“Yes Shinta-sama it is,” Miroku said and Sango nodded.

 

“I will cast the spell tonight after dinner and you two will be inuyoukai come morning and until the consummation following the mating ceremony tomorrow afternoon. The lords and ladies of the neighboring lands as well as those who hold alliance with you Sesshoumaru-sama arrived earlier today and were given rooms and meals. They are resting now and will be in attendance of tomorrow's ceremony. It looks to be a grand one.”

 

“Yes, it does,” the taiyoukai agreed.

 

 

 

Two hours after dinner found Miroku and Sango in Shinta's room where she performed the delicate spell. The magicks used left all three tired and worn and soon after the castle was asleep, save Kagome, the children who were sleepy and Sesshoumaru.

 

Rin and Shippou had been sharing Rin's room for the past couple of nights and tonight they were about to make a very important decision.

 

“Mamma,” Shippou said seriously. “Rin and I talked while we were in the gardens and - and we don't want separate rooms.”

 

“We like being together,” Rin said quietly. “When I have nightmares…he makes them go away. He makes me feel safe again.”

 

Part of Sesshoumaru was jealous that Shippou was filling or at least partly filling a role that he held, but his mind caught and held on to one thing in particular. “You've had nightmares Rin?” his daughter nodded. “Why didn't you say anything?”

 

“I-I wanted to be brave…like you were,” Rin said her voice soft and hesitant. She wanted to be brave so badly but at night she would be so afraid to be alone.

 

“Oh princess,” Sesshoumaru lifted Rin to sit in his lap and held her close. “You are brave.”

 

“No I'm not,” she whispered and he almost didn't catch her softly spoken words. Tears began to form in the young girl's eyes and her voice became little more than a whimpered whisper. “During the day I'm ok…but at night…at night when I sleep…sometimes…it happens again. I can't wake up sometimes, but since Shippou's been here with me, he purrs until I wake up or-or he'll talk to me and hold me until I wake up. But he makes me feel safe. I - I just want to be brave again.”

 

Sesshoumaru sighed softly and held Rin close, her arms wrapping around his neck as she buried her face in his smooth creamy neck. Holding her close to him with one arm, he reached out the other to draw Shippou into his embrace.

 

“Thank you Shippou, for taking care of my little girl.”

 

The young fox smiled and said, “she's my sister, my pack, what else would I do?”

 

“Wise words my son, wise words.”

 

Shippou smiled at the compliment but also at being called `my son'. Sesshoumaru hadn't done that before and it felt good to hear it. Soon both children were tucked up tight, both wrapped around each other in a hugging embrace, and were sleeping peacefully. Kagome and Sesshoumaru moved back into their room, closing the shoji door that separated the room silently. Climbing into the large bed, the two lovers moved into each others arms and were soon wrapped up as tightly in one another as their children were in each other.

 

“Tomorrow's the big day,” Kagome mused softly a wistful smile playing at her lips.

 

“So it is.”

 

The oil lamp was turned out and soon both were asleep.

 

 

The morning brought excitement and chaos as all of the preparations were completed and breakfast was had. Shinta and her apprentice, who was in fact her teenage daughter, helped the three women and young children bathe and go through the ceremonial cleansings to prepare for the mating ceremony, the children still nonetheless wiser to the role that they would play today.

 

Once they were cleaned and wrapped into towels and bathing robes, the group moved into Shinta's room where all their clothing for the day was kept. As soon as they were all dressed, they sat in a brushing train on a line of tatami mats. Shinta began the line, sitting behind her daughter and brushing her hair dry as her daughter, Kyorai, sat behind Maika and brushed her hair as the inuyoukai brushed Sango's and Sango brushed Kagome's, Kagome then brushed Rin's and Rin brushed Shippou's the kit purring up a storm at the pleasurable brushing.

 

Elsewhere, in Sesshoumaru's private sitting room, the men were washed, dressed and sitting on large pillows - or at least Sesshoumaru and Miroku were. Inuyasha, however, was up and pacing restlessly about and growling under his breath.

 

“Inuyasha you should sit down,” Miroku said as he watched his friend nervously moving about.

 

“Shut up monk.”

 

“I grow tired of this brother,” Sesshoumaru sighed.

 

“Feh.”

 

“Inuyasha,” his brother warned.

 

*Growl*

 

*bark sharp snarl short bark*

 

*low snarl*

 

Miroku looked back and forth between the two - well - dogs. Suddenly Sesshoumaru launched himself at his brother and the two grappled around and rolled on the floor snarling and barking and growling at each other. Miroku sat wide-eyed unable to truly understand what was going on. All he could assume was that the growls and snarls and barks were language to them.

 

Standing carefully, still not fully comprehending all the changes the spell had made to him, Miroku made his way to the door and it surprised even himself when instead of calling out to the nearest inuyoukai passing by, he barked at the twice and gave a short whine.

 

“Of course what's the problem?” the female asked him.

 

“Uhhh…” Miroku blinked and then shook himself and pointed into the room showing the female where the two brothers were still wrestling and snarling.

 

“Oh dear.” The female left quickly and returned with two male guards, both inuyoukai, who swiftly pulled the grappling brothers apart and held them fast as claws and fangs reached out for the other. The brothers were still snarling at one another and soon the female returned with Kagome and Maika. If there was one thing most inuyoukai didn't want to deal with when tempered, it was their mates. Females, especially of the canine or feline youkai, tended to be far more vicious than the males.

 

“Let him go please,” Kagome said turning to the guard holding Inuyasha. “It's alright, trust me,” she said when the guard looked wary. As soon as he let the hanyou go, “Inuyasha sit boy!”

 

Inuyasha slammed into the ground and growled as he came back to his senses. The guards tried not to but began chuckling anyway and soon were in full laughter.

 

“And you,” she said rounding on Sesshoumaru who had finally calmed down and was once again coherent and reasonable. “You just be glad that I don't know how to make the subjugation beads myself or guess who else would be on the floor right now. Damnit you two we are getting mated in two hours what the hell is wrong with you?”

 

“I believe Lady,” the guard who had been holding Inuyasha said, “that humans call it getting `cold feet'.”

 

Kagome looked at him with a dry expression before breaking into a fit of giggles and nodding. The guards left at Sesshoumaru's dismissal and Kagome's giggles soon calmed. Walking over to the brothers, she hugged them each in turn.

 

“What do you two have to be so nervous about anyway? A few words and a bite, boom you're done. C'mon you two.”

 

She led the three back to Shinta's room and the males were calmed and content once they held their perspective mates in their arms.

 

 

Two hours later, in a room reserved for formal gatherings alone, sat all the gathered lords, ladies and other invited guests, including Kaede, Jinenji and his mother, Shiori and her mother, Kouga and his tribesmen and Ayame. Kagome and Sesshoumaru, Maika and Inuyasha, and Sango and Miroku, all stood around a ceremonial fire bowl, the flame bright and warm.

 

Sesshoumaru lifted a ceremonial dagger and made a small niche in his palm cupping his hand and the blood pooled, passing the dagger to Kagome who followed his lead, and she passed along the blade and it went full circle, all six bearing small cuts in the their left palms. When the blade once again came to Sesshoumaru, he set it down on the bowls edge and held his hand over the fire, one by one the others did the same.

 

“I Sesshoumaru, demon lord of the Western Lands pledge my heart, my life, and my love to this Higurashi Kagome, my mate of heart, body and soul. With this blood I shed, I pledge to her my honour, my lands, and my life. May we live forever in love and harmony. May our union bring strength, peace, and many healthy pups.”

 

“I Higurashi Kagome,” happy tears streamed down her cheeks as her eyes danced with joy, “miko of a faraway village, across time and space, pledge my heart, my life, and my love to this Sesshoumaru demon lord of the Western lands, he who is my mate of heart, body and soul. With this blood I shed,” she released a happy sob and sniffled back her tears even as more fell. “I pledge to him my honour, my miko powers, and my life. May we live forever in harmony. May our union bring strength, peace and many healthy pups.”

 

Sesshoumaru and Kagome pulled their hands away from the fire and joined their bloodied palms together and kissed, then using their joined hands, Sesshoumaru turned Kagome and held her in his arms, her back to his chest. With his right hand, their left hands still joined, he brushed her hair aside, baring the right side of her neck and licked and kissed and nipped at the spot where her neck met her shoulder. Once the scent of her arousal had reached a high point he bit down deeply, marking her as his mate.

 

Kagome reached her free hand behind his head and held him to her as she cried harder, her tears marking a happiness and feeling of blissful love she had never before known.

 

Maika and Inuyasha followed next, their actions the same and their words only changing for Inuyasha being second lord to the Western Lands, and Maika being a proud warrior pledging her strength instead of magicks. When it came to Sango and Miroku, the ritual was much the same though at the same time vastly different. All the motions and action were the very same as the two before but the words were changed.

 

“I Miroku, human monk raised, human still to be, pledge my life, my love, and my heart to you Lady Sango, human born, human still to be. My heart, my life, my soul are yours for as long as we may live. May our union bring peace and love and may we blessed with many strong children.”

 

Sango had her own tears of joy falling from her mocha eyes as she spoke her pledge. “I Sango, human taijiya raised, human still to be, pledge my life, my love, and my heart to you Lord Miroku, human born, human still to be. My heart, my life, my soul are yours for as long as we may live. May our union bring peace and love and may we be blessed with many strong children.”

 

Their bloodied joined upon a kiss and they stood facing each other, biting into each others necks and making marks upon each other. Once the marks were made and more kisses between each couple shared, Sango and her mate, and Maika and her mate sat down.

 

Rin and Shippou were called to stand before their adoptive parents and the two small children looked to each other for an explanation, both shrugged their shoulders in confusion and looked to Kagome and Sesshoumaru.

 

Sesshoumaru was the first to speak.

 

“Rin, for more than a year now, you have been my pup in heart. Today as we all are gathered here, I would like to make you my pup Rin, my daughter in blood.”

 

Rin stood there stock still, her eyes wide and for a moment Sesshoumaru was afraid she would reject his adoption. That was until she forgot all the formalities and leapt into his arms crying happily.

 

“Oh yes yes! Rin wants to be your pup yes!”

 

A few chuckles and `aww's were heard from the crowd and Kagome shed more tears at the sight before her of father and daughter embracing. Sesshoumaru kissed Rin and set her back on her feet before lifting the ceremonial blade to his hand once again. Making a small cut in his hand he made a twin cut in hers.

 

“Rin, my daughter, my pup, today on this day of joy and love, I make you mine in heart and blood. As you share my blood, so share you my life. Your humanity and my youkai combined my daughter you are.”

 

“Daddy, my Sesshoumaru-sama, my daddy, today on this day of joy and love, Rin makes you her daddy in heart and blood. As you share Rin's blood, so share you Rin's life. Your youkai and Rin's humanity combined Rin's daddy you are.”

 

Their bloodied hands joined and wisps of light and magic wrapped around them, Rin's eyes became a beautiful golden and black dog ears appeared on top of her head. They parted hands and Rin's ears twitched and her eyes snapped open wide as her clawed hands went to her head and felt the twin fuzzy triangles.

 

“Rin has puppy ears!” she squealed delightedly and launched herself into her father's arms with the same vigor she always used and nearly bowled Sesshoumaru over with her added strength and speed. Sesshoumaru chuckled and held her on his hip as Kagome and Shippou performed their adoption ceremony their words the same as his and Rin's.

 

When Shippou's and Kagome's bloodied hands joined, the same magick that wrapped around Rin wrapped around Shippou, but instead of gaining, or loosing, youkai the child felt a rush of miko powers and gasped. He looked to his mother with wide eyes and she nodded.

 

“Yes Shippou, you now have miko abilities too. Kaede and I will help you with them as much as we can.”

 

Shippou and Rin cheered and smiled happily as they embraced each other and ran ahead of their parents as the three mated couples and the two children retired to their own rooms for the after mating consummations and playtime. The children were watched by Shinta, her daughter and Kirara as they played in the gardens. And all was well within the castle walls.

 

The guests departed shortly after the dinner feast and as Sesshoumaru and Kagome lay awake in their bed that night after tucking their children into bed, they realized just how lucky they were.