InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ His Little Girl ❯ The Death of Jaken ( Chapter 42 )

 

 

Sesshoumaru's hand shot up into the sky above him in an automatic move to catch the object that was falling straight at him. He hadn't truly seen the tori youkai, or even seen what it was dropping so preoccupied was he in his thoughts, but he could sense that whatever it was carrying was now hurtling towards him. He caught something with an unbalanced weight that felt distinctly like a stick, or a - staff?

 

He quickly brought his hand down and looked at the bounty it held. It was the two headed staff - Jaken's Staff of Two Heads. So, that toad was still alive was he? More than that it appeared that he was caught by someone. His eyes watched in a strange combination of fascination and curiosity as the tori youkai landed perfectly and gracefully to perch on the top of the female head of the staff. The head of the bird took on humanoid features and it spoke, a voice that was neither distinctly female nor male, it just was.

 

“My mistress, Lady Kushini, Princess of the Lord and Lady of Eastern Neko Youkai tribe wishes an audience with you most honorable Lord Sesshoumaru InunoTaisho of the Western Inu Youkai tribe. In her possession doth she hold the one of crimes most dishonorable. A youkai who possessed this staff. Come to the Eastern Palace at dusk in one week's time. It is also requested that you bring your mate and the one he committed the crimes against.”

 

With that said the bird's head once again became a small rounded head with a beak and beady eyes. It flapped its wings and flew up into the sky without awaiting a response. The taiyoukai found himself somewhat stunned and gave an undetectable start when his mate placed a gentle hand on his arm. He turned and smiled when he saw her and placed his hand on her quickly growing belly. She was so round now, and positively glowing with the life inside of her.

 

Confusion, concentration and wonder lit his features as he leaned closer and listened carefully and sniffed. He pulled back and then slowly leaned closer, sniffing again. His nose and ears had not deceived him. There were two pups inside of her. One male and one female. A smile stole across his face and he had to stop himself from lifting her in his arms and spinning around with her as he wanted to do. He couldn't hold in his mirth though and laughed happily.

 

“What?” Kagome asked smiling up at her mate as he petted her growing stomach. Kagome shook her head, “I knew I shouldn't have worn this shade of blue. I look like a whale without it on, and with this stupid kimono I look like a blueberry. Kami I feel fat.”

 

“You're not fat, my mate, you're pregnant. And I laugh not at you, but in joy.” He kissed her as he ended his words.

 

“I've been pregnant for nearly five months now Sessh, what could you be laughing at now?” she asked as he stabbed the staff into the ground and replaced her hands on her back, taking up the chore of rubbing the sore muscles just above her pelvic bone.

 

Kagome rested her head against his chest as he rubbed her sore back and moaned as she closed her eyes. She was as large as a woman who was eight months pregnant, but her mate and Shinta had both explained to her that hanyou pregnancies lasted only six months and so her advanced size was quite normal. Her mother had been wonderful, helping her and guiding her with the experiences of her own pregnancies, though she refused to give too much detail about the actual birth itself and when Kagome had asked if there was much pain, her mother had just been rather vague.

 

Sesshoumaru huffed a soft chuckle when he noticed that his mate's breathing had changed to that of near sleep and swept the woman up into his arms. Kagome moaned softly and looked up at him through drowsy eyes. He smiled down at the woman in his arms and kissed her brow.

 

“Sleep now Kagome, I'll take care of you,” he whispered to her as he carried her inside and into their room.

 

Kagome gave a faint smile as she curled into his chest and drifted off to sleep in his arms. Sesshoumaru tucked her into their bed with nary a sound and watched her sleep for a few moments before his mind drifted back to the tori youkai that had brought the staff to him. So Kushini-hime had Jaken in her grasp and requested him and his pack to retrieve him. It could mean only one of two things: either this was a trap, or Kushini and her tribe wished for an alliance. Whichever it was he would not go alone with his mate and children.

 

Sesshoumaru gathered his brother into his study and told him of the current event, the staff of two heads leaning against the wall opposite the desk.

 

“So we wait a week and then go?” Inuyasha asked as he looked up from the inuyoukai pup on his lap. The little female had white hair like he did and golden eyes as well. She was nearly six months old and was having the time of her life playing with his hair, tying the ends of his hair in knotted braids as she put flowers in it. His brother chuckled at the sight, knowing the child well.

 

“How did you get stuck with Lady Kyina's pup?” Sesshoumaru asked as he chuckled at his brother.

 

“Is that who her mother is?” Inuyasha asked. “Hmf,” he snorted amused. “What I didn't know who she belonged to,” Inuyasha said to his brother's raised brows. “She's been following me around for a couple of days now; she's a cute little pup.”

 

“Yes and she's tying flowers in your hair.” Sesshoumaru's amusement was a clear as the blue sky outside.

 

“Yeah well she's little. Besides pup's gotta have some fun right?”

 

“Why brother have you gone soft?”

 

“Shuddup. Ow hey, what are you?” he looked down at the child and found her trying to eat his hair. “Hungry huh kid? Well, let's go find you some Raman then huh?”

 

“Is it your plan to introduce everyone to this Raman you love so much?” Sesshoumaru asked as his brother stood and walked around the desk toward him.

 

“Here kid eat his hair while I go find some Raman,” Inuyasha said and dropped the child into his brother's lap. “You want some too brother?” the hanyou asked as he walked to the door, his answer was an amused chuckle and a wave of his brother's hand - a very obvious yes to those who knew him well.

 

“Hello little one,” Sesshoumaru said to the small child in his arms.

 

The child looked up at him and smiled, showing the only four teeth she had - her top and bottom fangs. Sesshoumaru smiled back and let her play with his hand as he held her on his lap. The child traced his stripes and then sniffed and licked them. The taiyoukai laughed softly at the youthful curiosity. The young girl soon grew bored with her inspection of his hand and turned herself to face his desk and sniffed at the polished wood. It looked edible enough she decided and latched onto the edge of it with her fangs.

 

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at this and he tried to pull her off, telling the child that it wasn't a suitable teething toy. The young pup of course didn't understand him and thought it was a game, sinking her fangs in deeper as he tried to dislodge her. He heard the tinkling laughter of his mate's mother from the doorway and looked up at her.

 

“Need some help dear?” Kashu asked lightly. Sesshoumaru sighed in relief and nodded. “Alright little one, I've got something you might like better than that yucky wood,” Kashu said gaining the child's attention. The young pup looked up at her, lifting her fangs out of the deep rivulets she had left in the wood and snatched up the long fat carrot that the new woman offered her. “Oh you like that don't you?” she asked when the child snapped her fangs into the carrot and gnawed at it.

 

“Are you well mother?” Sesshoumaru asked as he noticed the slight green tinge that lit her face for a moment before fading away and leaving her skin paler than it had been previously.

 

“Oh I'm fine,” Kashu said with a wistful air to her voice, “it seems however that I seem to have contracted a slight case of morning sickness care of Tiyeko.”

 

“Morning…”Sesshoumaru's eyes turned wide with wonder and smiles as he looked upon a woman that had come to mean as much to him as his own mother had. “You carry?” he asked though he knew the answer.

 

She nodded and he stood, placing the inu pup in his chair. He turned and embraced Kashu holding her close and smiling into her neck as he buried his face in her hair. Kashu had learned long ago from Inuyasha and her own mate that the burying of the face into another's neck or hair in an embrace was a show of affection and pack. She hugged her son in law and buried her own face in his neck, the move served only to tighten his embrace and she felt hot tears fall upon her skin. Kashu pulled back and took his face in her hands as she kissed his brow and wiped at his still slowly flowing tears with her thumbs.

 

“Sweetheart what is it? Why are you crying?” she asked softly as one of her hands moved to stroke his hair.

 

“I don't - I don't know,” he said though he looked delightedly happy. “Lately I seem to be either crying because I am happy or I am sad and none of this makes any sense. Or I find myself sneaking into the kitchen to eat Raman with crushed berries and cheese. It looks truly disgusting but - why are you laughing?”

 

“Because my son, it would seem that you are pregnant.”

 

“What?” he asked giving her a truly bewildered expression. “I am not pregnant, Kagome is.”

 

“Yes but she is your mate, and the two of you are bound by the mark she wears on her neck and even human mates are often known to share symptoms of pregnancy. Don't worry dear; it's nothing to worry about. And if your brother teases you too much, well, you just send the boy to me and I'll take care of him,” she winked at him.

 

Sesshoumaru huffed a chuckle at her as he fully released her from their mutual embrace, not a full moment later Inuyasha returned with two heaping bowls of Raman and one smaller bowl of Raman for the pup. Kashu watched as the two brothers ate their instant noodles and laughed when Inuyasha alternated between eating his and feeding some to the child, one noodle at a time. She laughed softly and left the room, closing the door behind herself as she gave the brothers and the pup some privacy from any prying eyes that may be wandering around.

 

 

 

The path to the Eastern Palace was beautiful as snow had begun to fall and the tops of the trees were blanketed in white fluff. Kagome sat upon Ah-Un's back, Rin and Shippou nestled in each other's arms against her ever growing belly, and her wrapped in her mate's arms as they all rode the two headed dragon youkai to the Eastern Lands. Inuyasha rode behind his brother, his own mate back at home with Kashu and Tiyeko.

 

Maika had loved how protective and attentive her mate had become though she had to admit that sometimes just getting him to stay away while she took a lazy afternoon stroll through the palace gardens was murder. She had talked to her sister and Kagome had readily agreed to talk to Inuyasha about it. She couldn't promise anything, she had been sure to tell Maika, but she could talk to him.

 

Kagome shook herself from her wandering thoughts and giggled as fresh snowflakes played in the wind around her face and landed softly in her hair and on her eyelashes. She felt her mate move behind her and felt his mouth settle upon her mating mark. He was kissing and licking the mark, his kisses weren't always about sex, the larger she had become, the more his caresses of her mark had become about affirming that all of this was real. That she was real and that the pups inside her were real. For a long time he had been afraid that he would wake up one morning to discover that all of this was a dream and to find that his brother still hated him.

 

He shuddered at the thought and his arms wrapped more securely around his mate's distended womb and Kagome wrapped her arms overtop of his. She leaned her head back on his shoulder and kissed his striped cheek. She raised one arm up to wrap around his neck and pull him down for a real kiss.

 

“I'm not going anywhere,” she whispered softly to him against his lips. “I promise you my love; none of us are going anywhere. I promise, you we're all here to stay, even mamma. No joke koishii, I'll make a blood pact to it, I'm not joking about that,” she said looking deep in his golden eyes.

 

He matched her look and saw the truth and sincerity in her stormy blue depths. He kissed her rosy lips and pulled back. Brushing her hair out of her face he touched his forehead to hers.

 

“What did I ever do to deserve you?”

 

“Hmmm, well if you're asking for a serious answer...everything. Everything in your life led to this moment. Your protection and care of Inuyasha when he was a pup,” neither noticed the hanyou's fuzzy triangles twitching as he continued to listen to the whispered conversation. “Your protection of him when he was sealed to the Goshinkobu, your care and protection of Rin when she came into your life, your love for that little girl, and you having the courage to take her in even as she changed you. Everything Sesshoumaru, everything led to this, to us, to the large family you now have. Even our own personal trials and tribulations. We are where we are, and we are who we are, because of everything we've been through. This is us koi, this is real. It may be a dream, but it isn't one you'll ever wake from.”

 

The taiyoukai kissed his mat once more as Ah-Un set down on the ground in front of the Eastern Palace. The castle was beautiful and huge, made of stone and wood and brick and stained glass windows. Kagome and the children were awed at the splendor of the palace that few would know outside of a fairytale. The palace stood five stories high, and nearly as long as two football fields wide. As they all dismounted the dragon youkai, two neko youkai kits came bounding up to the newcomers.

 

“Hello mother,” they greeted Kagome and she smiled and greeted them with a warm smile. “May we play with your pups?” the small female with golden hair and blue green eyes the color of a summer rain.

 

“Shippou, Rin, would you like to play with them while we meet with the others and attend to our business?” Kagome asked.

 

The children nodded happily to her and then looked to Sesshoumaru for his ok as well, and he nodded his ascent. Rin's tiny black ears perked up at him as she hopped into his arms for a hug before she left. The tiny hanyou loved that she had the ability to leap into her father's arms now instead of having to simply hug him around his knees as she used to when she was human. Sesshoumaru chuckled and kissed her cheek before setting her on the ground to run after her brother and their two new playmates.

 

Sesshoumaru gave a barely discernable smile; it had been hard to regain his stony exterior after all the time spent being emotionally open to his family. He chuckled inwardly as he remembered coming upon his brother teaching his daughter how to jump into the trees and catching her when she didn't quite make it. Shippou, however, had been the little devil as he affectionately referred to the fox kit in his mind. Shippou had taught Rin, using Inuyasha, how to jump up and balance herself on someone's shoulder. Even with her being nearly twice his size standing, she had been able to accomplish this task simply, her changed dexterity in her limbs allowing her to perch in much the same way as Inuyasha did.

 

Inuyasha, Kagome and Sesshoumaru were met by Kushini herself and she bowed to them as they bowed to her. She led them inside and into a formal meeting room where Jaken was held, his beak tied shut, his hands behind his back and his feet chained together as he stood ion the corner guarded by two male neko warriors. Sesshoumaru's eyes lit upon the treacherous toad and he regarded him with a withering stare. His eyes speaking murder.

 

“Lord Sesshoumaru,” Kushini spoke, her parents present with her, though only for face value alone. “Taiyoukai of the Western Lands, leader of the clan of the white dogs, brother to the hanyou Inuyasha, and mated to the legendary miko Kagome, I welcome you, s I too welcome your companions.”

 

They all sat around the conference table and looked at each other, Kagome try as she might to hide it, could not find any comfortable position in the chair. Kushini and her mother smiled kindly at the miko and a servant brought a cushion for Kagome to sit on in the hardwood chair. The pregnant miko offered an embarrassed apology that was waved away by both women.

 

“We've both been there dear,” Kushini's mother Mikai said with a gentle smile. “Worry not.”

 

The meeting was short; the only true business to be done was the signing of an alliance between the Western Lands of the Inuyoukai and the Eastern Lands of the Nekoyoukai. Sesshoumaru, Kagome, Inuyasha and Kushini all signed the document and they exited the room shortly there after, the two warriors standing guard over Jaken, dragging him along behind the others. They all moved out into the courtyard where the children were highly engrossed in a game out tag.

 

Rin jumped up out of her hiding place the moment she saw her father and bounded on all four towards him, at the last moment leaping high to perch on his shoulder, the taiyoukai chuckling softly and moving her down to hold in his arms. Try as he might, once his daughter had found the ability to jump into his arms, feminine kimonos, though beautiful on the girl no longer were practical, and she no wore a light blue haori and hakama, the haori bearing the white dog, the family crest on the back. Her ears perked up happily and Kagome and Sesshoumaru both knew that if she had a tail it would be wagging as well.

 

“Hi!” she greeted the cats happily with a bright smile.

 

“Hello little one,” Kushini greeted the little hanyou girl. “And who might you be?”

 

“Rin!” she said just as happily, her energy high due to her excitement from the games played with her new friends.

 

“You are Rin?” Mikai asked a bit confused.

 

“Yes,” Rin nodded her eyes wide as she looked upon the neko youkai. Rin decided that she liked the woman and sniffed at her before reaching her arms out to the woman asking to be held. Mikai plucked the child from her father's arms and held her on her hip. “Hi.”

 

“Hi. Rin,” Mikai said gently with a soft smile, “I was under the impression that you were human.”

 

“I was but daddy adopted me and now I'm part him. Part puppy.”

 

“Ahh,” Jengin, Kushini's father said, his voice a purring deep timbre. “That explains it then.”

 

Rin's eyes widened as they fell upon Jaken. She didn't quite understand why he was bound but she did know that if it had not been for him that she would not have been hurt as she was. Rin looked up at Jengin an apprehensive but all the same guarded expression on her face.

 

“Could you untie his mouth please?” she asked politely and the Neko taiyoukai nodded to one of the guards who unwrapped the bindings from the toad's beak. Rin wiggled and was set on the ground. She moved carefully toward Jaken, but stayed far out of his reach. “Jaken…why did you hurt Rin?” she asked her eyes pleading for him to say that he had not meant for it to happen, though it would not be so.

 

“Stupid fool!” he lashed out and her eyes grew wider. “You have never been anything more than parasite, you brat. You never should have been allowed to live!”

 

Rin gasped and ran toward the nearest pair of arms that happened to belong to Jengin. The neko taiyoukai lifted her into his arms easily and handed her to her father. Sesshoumaru cuddled Rin against his chest and held her as she cried, unable to hold back the tears. It wasn't an accident she knew then, Jaken had truly meant to hurt her. She didn't understand why, what had she done wrong to make him want to hurt her like that?

 

Rin began to draw in on herself and as much as she wished she could, Kagome could no longer even really hold Shippou in her arms, let alone Rin. The pregnant woman settled for stroking the girl's hair, though it would do no good, Rin would not speak another word for the rest of the day. Sesshoumaru passed his pup to his brother and took the chains that were used as Jaken's lead and lifted him off the ground. In a move that was as silent as it was merciless, he turned his back to the young one's present, not wishing to sully them with the sight, and ripped Jaken's head off easily. He threw the head and the headless corpse to the ground and held his hands over the two pieces, letting his poison fill his claws and drip down onto the pieces that were once his retainer.

 

The poison smelled of sweet almond as it melted away the last remaining bits of Jaken. He turned back to see his daughter resting against Inuyasha's shoulder, her face turned toward him. She looked up at her father and Sesshoumaru leaned down to kiss her between her black puppy ears.

 

“It is over Rin. You will never be harmed again.”