InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ In Death, Trust Me, as You Didn't in Life ❯ Weddings and Meddlings By Kagome ( Chapter 74 )

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

Chapter 74:  Weddings and Meddling By Kagome

It had only been one week since the battle that had decided the future of all creation – and the goddess that had been the reason for it all, along with her mate, had demanded, in typical Kagome fashion, that all those who were promised to wed...

Do it.

And she was going to make sure it was done right, she let them all know, by marrying them all herself.

In one day.

Inuyasha thought to laugh at Miroku and Sango, being basically commanded to get on with it, thinking himself immune since he wasn't getting married, he'd be getting mated.

He flinched when an evilly grinning Kagome turned on him and said,  “Oh, don't bet on it, Inuyasha.  You, and Nyoko, and Kikyou and Kisho, will be getting married, as well.  You don't have any choice.  By the time I'm done, you will be so bound together, nothing but one of the kami will ever be able to pull you apart,”  she finished, rubbing her hands together with glee.

He stared at her with dismay.  “Aww, come on, Kagome!  What's a wedding, anyway, compared to a mating?  We'll already be unbreakably bound!”

“No... Nyoko will be bound to you, but you won't be quite so bound to her.  I'm going to take care of that little detail.”  She grabbed the hanyou by his ear, and dragged him over to Kisho and Miroku, who had been watching quietly, knowing better than to argue with the fiery little goddess.

“Take him.  Get him out of those dratted fire rats and into the clothing in the hut I've set aside for your use, and then get yourselves ready.  When I send Sesshoumaru for you, you'd better appear like good little boys-”  she narrowed her eyes dangerously,  “-or else.  Understood?”

To the tune of the snickers of every female around, the guys nodded silently and dragged the whimpering hanyou off, Sugimi following along behind to help whip his son into shape.  Izayoi, hiding a smile, shook her head and turned to head off with the ladies to the hut set aside for them to get ready in.

Pleased, Kagome nodded busily, and then met her mate's calm, yet amused gaze.  “Well, now I need to figure out what to wear.”  She looked down at her rather practical outfit and frowned, displeased.  “This certainly won't cut it.”

Sesshoumaru cocked a brow as he looked at her.  “Then choose something else.  It is not as though the capacity to change what you are wearing in an instant does not lie within you.  There is no need for dramatics.”

She glared at him, giving him the evil eye, and he decided it might be best to leave her to it; after a considering glance, he turned on his heel and followed along after his father and the other males.

Kagome nodded sharply as he left.  “That's right, run away with your tail tucked between your legs, Sesshoumaru,”  she muttered.

'Ah, but you like the tail between my legs, do you not, mate?  And with this day of  weddings and matings, I am sure it will inspire my amorous tendencies.  You should be as prepared as the new brides for a long night, little mate,'  he purred into her mind, and she blushed crimson.

'Sesshoumaru!'  she gasped, her knees weakening at that promise.  

'I see no reason to hide my desire for my mate, especially within the confines of our bond.  I want you, and I will have you... just be glad I am willing to wait for you to finish this... duty.'

Hands clasped to hot cheeks, it was Kagome's turn to decide that the better part of valor was discretion, and so she chose to leave that whole thing alone, instead focusing on what she wanted to wear.  

With a sigh, she disappeared into the ether as she tried to decide what she wished to look like.  With a little wicked smirk, she suddenly realized that she wasn't bound to Japanese clothing... she could pick out anything that ever existed, or she could create her own design.

After a moment, she grinned gleefully.

Sesshoumaru won't know what hit him!  

~oOo~

Two hours later, three men appeared, dressed to the nines in traditional clothing, and walked solemnly to the hut that their three ladies were waiting for them in.  Each one nearly swallowed their tongues as they caught sight of their women – not one of them had ever seen clothing so exquisite, and it was clear that Kagome had been meddling again.

As they escorted their ladies to the area that had been set aside for the weddings, the village all came out to follow the bridal procession, and it was with a huge escort that the group found themselves standing before a goddess that, oddly enough, looked downright frumpy compared to everyone else.

Every single person there blinked, wondering what the heck she was doing dressed like a plain little miko with no looks to speak of – including her very shocked mate.

She giggled to herself – just wait 'til the wedding was over... and then they'd all get a good look at what she was going to look like for the after-wedding celebrations.  After all, it wouldn't do for her to outshine the brides at their own wedding, ne?  She could wait to seduce her mate with her unearthly beauty until afterward.

Smoothing her features to reflect calm, she waited until the three couples were standing before her, then spoke.

“After everything that we all have been through to get to this point, it heals my heart to see the three couples here today, determined to bind their lives together.  And not just a human couple, but a demon-human couple, and a half-demon-human couple.  These three couples,”  she looked out at the silent crowd,  “represent the best of us all.  Never forget that it is in unity that we will find the best of each other.”

She looked at each one of those standing before her, holding each gaze for several seconds, then nodded.  “Inuyasha, Miroku, Kisho... do each of you promise to protect, defend, care for, and most importantly love, the three women here with you this day?”  she asked.  “To bind yourselves only to them, and to support them in all their endeavors?”

Inuyasha answered first, looking down to meet Nyoko's smiling eyes.  Without looking away from her, he nodded to Kagome.  “Keh.  Hell yeah.  From this day on, she's stuck with me.”

The two other males, as well as those amongst the crowd who'd heard his words chuckled, and both Kisho and Miroku nodded in agreement.

“What he said,”  Miroku agreed,  “though without the cursing.”

“Hai... I will always take care of you, Kikyou,”  Kisho echoed Kagome's statement, smiling at the miko's sweet pink blush.

“Good.  Ladies... do you agree to be protected, defended, and cared for by these males?  To stand by them, and support them in whatever they do?  To be bound to them, as much as they will be bound to you?”

Three simple yesses echoed each other, none of the ladies feeling the need to elaborate, and Kagome smiled.  “Excellent.  Then it's time to get to the binding.  Face your partner,”  she instructed.

Wondering what she had in mind, the three couples did as ordered...

And in an instant, their entire world-views changed, as Kagome did to them, what Amaterasu had done to her.

She combined them, moving them through each other.  It only lasted seconds, but once it was over, not one of them could ever argue that they were not completely bound together, and none of them would ever forget those few seconds that they were not two beings, but one.  

They actually lived within each other, and the youkai way of marking was almost redundant.  Oh, Inuyasha and Kisho would still mark their respective mates, but it wouldn't, it couldn't, bring them any closer than they already were.

Tears graced the faces of the women, while awe painted their male's expressions, and, with a huge smile and a voice that reached even the furthest parts of the crowd, Kagome announced,  “What I have blessed and joined, let no one tear asunder!”  

A huge cheer broke out in the meadow, and Kagome grinned at the embracing couples, before turning to walk over to her own mate.  He was watching her with a peculiar expression, and she knew just what he was asking with that look.

Her form blurred as she sauntered towards him, and when she was visible again, he almost choked – and the cheering crowd fell silent as her goddess glow and full aura burst into vivid life over the entire area.

“Is this more to your liking, Sesshoumaru?”  she asked archly, as he stared at her, unable to move or breathe for several long seconds.  

When he got his breath back, he growled heatedly at her, his own aura bursting into life around him as his body reacted to the vision before him.

He'd never seen clothes the like of what she was wearing, but by all the gods, it was the most provocative clothing to ever grace his sight.

She was wearing a sapphire blue gown edged with gold that totally molded to her figure as though made for her.  The sleeves were fitted at her upper arms, but flared outward from the elbows to end in a wide flare that trailed at the bottom almost to the ground.

The bodice of the gown fitted like a glove, with a just slightly daring neckline, then flared from the hips to flow around her and just touch the ground.  A gold belt was clasped loosely around her waist, then the ends trailed down the front of the gown.

The color exactly matched her eyes, and the gold matched his, and he couldn't drag his eyes off of her.  “What form of clothing is that?”  he asked, a husky note in his voice causing a shiver to trail down her spine.

“It's a style of gown from England, in Europe.  Do you like it?”  she asked, though the answer was obvious.  She wanted to hear it.

“It is... different.  But... very, very beautiful.  I believe I like this style of clothing, Kagome,”  he replied.  “And your hair?”

She smiled, pleased with what she'd done with it.  She'd twisted it up into an elegant updo, with sapphires and diamonds twined within it winking in the light.  It left her haloed in entire spectrums of color, and Sesshoumaru couldn't tear his eyes from his little mate.

“My own design.  I thought it would compliment the dress... and get a lovely response out of you, my dear, overly self-contained mate.”

“Minx,”  he breathed.  “You did this to torture me for my earlier words.  But this has only fueled my determination to have you, Kagome.  Later... oh, yes... later, we will disappear to a place no one will find us, and then...”  he trailed off, and Kagome smiled through a pleased blush.

She held his promise-laden gaze for a few more seconds, and then turned to face the still-quiet crowd with a huge smile.

“It's time to celebrate, for today is the beginning of a new world – a world we all fought hard for.  Eat, be merry, and enjoy this day of blessings for all of us!”

The crowd broke then, heading back towards the village, and the feast that Kagome and Sesshoumaru had provided.  It certainly came in handy at times, being a goddess, she mused.  Feeding several thousand hungry people would have been a nightmare back when she was still human.

Sesshoumaru held out his arm to his mate with courtly grace, and together, the two godly beings trailed along behind the newly joined couples, content to watch their family and friends celebrate and enjoy the lives they had fought so hard to gain.

It was much deserved happiness, as far as Kagome was concerned, and though he would never say it, she knew Sesshoumaru was also pleased with how it had all fallen into place.

~oOo~

There was good cheer in the village that day, as everyone celebrated the weddings, the win, and their chances at new lives.  Food and drink flowed freely, and music and dancing kept everyone occupied until deep into the night.

No one really noticed when the three newly wed couples disappeared, but that wasn't so surprising, when there were several thousand people moving in and out of the village confines.  

However, when Touran appeared just before sundown, looking for Sesshoumaru, the new god caught her presence immediately, and cornered her away from his father.  

“You have found a place?”  he asked, speaking before she could even blink.

She shook her head at his impatience.

“Why else do you think I'm here?  I don't enjoy your presence any more than you do mine, dog god,”  she taunted, obviously not impressed with his divinity.

Before he could use her to sharpen his claws, his mate appeared next to him with a disapproving expression on her face.

He decided it might be better to wait for another time to get the panther back.  “Hn.  Where is this dwelling?”  he demanded, instead.

“Not too far from the center of the Western Lands, actually.  Apparently, the clan that held it recently made a few bad decisions on who to ally themselves with, and as a result, lost everything.  The palace itself is in excellent condition, and was going to be taken by the clan that defeated them.”  She held up a clawed hand, and cracked her knuckles with a grin.  “I persuaded them to look elsewhere for another palace to steal.”

Getting the area the place was in from the picture in Touran's mind, Sesshoumaru simply moved them all there, shocking the panther demoness with the speed that he was now capable of traveling.  If you could really call it traveling, as he really didn't even move – he just blinked, and there they all were.

He looked the outside over with a critical eye, then invited himself in to tour the inside.  After a little while, he once more exited the building, tilting his head grudgingly at the demoness.  “It is... adequate.  Barely.”

Another frown from Kagome, and Sesshoumaru let it lie, simply taking them all back to the village.  

He turned to go hunt his father down, then paused, looking over his shoulder.  “Your debt is discharged – now there is no more reason to cross paths with you again.  You may go.”  And with that, he continued on his way, ignoring the glare he could feel crawling up his back.

Kagome huffed in disgust at his attitude, then smiled at Touran.  “Ignore him, he's not worth the trouble,”  she said, loud enough for him to hear.  “Thanks for your help.  You and yours are more than welcome to enjoy the feast.  I'm sure you are all hungry, and there's certainly plenty.”

Touran bowed, thanking her, then motioned for her people to follow, and meandered on down to the cooking pits, hungry, and ready to eat.  They were welcomed quite warmly, and soon they were all sitting around, eating and drinking quite contentedly with everyone else.

It was a picture that made Kagome very happy.

After watching for a few minutes with a small smile on her face, she went after her mate, determined to see what he was up to.  And to reprimand him for being so mean to Touran.

But when she found him, she decided to wait – he was speaking to his father, and she didn't want to interrupt, knowing what they were discussing.

While she waited, she turned her mind to the palace that Touran had found for Sugimi and his mate, and how they could get it cleaned up, and ready for occupancy.  Of course, there was an entire village of people that would probably be willing to help... but Kagome could take care of the cleanup herself – a sort of welcoming gift for the couple.

But with a palace, came the need for servants.  And that... she had an idea for.  After all, there were a lot of dispossessed villagers that were now living here, that had no jobs and no real prospects at this point.  They would probably be quite willing to do the jobs required, since this would give them a place to live, and a way to make a living.

With a glance at the two males that were still deep in discussion, Kagome smiled secretively, and disappeared, only to reappear at the new palace of the Western Lords.  With a mischievous smile, she eyed the palace, and then walked right inside, her goddess glow more than enough to light any room she pleased.  Not that she really needed it, because she'd already memorized the layout of the place, and she only needed a few moments to transform  it from a derelict palace, to a beautiful home ready to welcome its new occupants.

Now all she needed were the servants...

She could take care of that tomorrow.  Glancing around once more at the gorgeous furnishings that she had provided for her father-in-law and his mate, she decided to put a barrier around the place – she didn't want to have to go chase any stupid bandits down that decided to come steal the results of her efforts.

Within moments, the glow around the palace intensified, then faded, and the barrier was set.  Satisfied, Kagome headed back to the village with plans to be up early in the morning so she could find enough servants to at least get a good start on staffing the place.

Things were coming together quite well.  By tomorrow afternoon, the Western Lord would be able to move into his new home, and she and Sesshoumaru would then be able to get a start on setting up their lives.

Popping back into the same area he and his father had been speaking in, Kagome sighed when she realized they were still talking.  After a moment, she decided to take a quick jaunt to the den, and make it liveable, as well.  At least this way, they could all just head there on the morrow, and it would already be ready for them.

When she arrived and stepped into the entrance, she could feel the cave pulse at her entrance, welcoming her, and she smiled, enchanted.  It appeared that her bond with the land was strong, and it recognized her.

With a happy sparkle in her eyes, she began to furnish the place, starting with the alcoves off to the sides that they hadn't needed to use during their mating.  There were several of them, and choosing two that were side by side, she set them up for the children, one all male, and the other daintily female, like Rin.  Comfortable off-the-floor beds appeared, soft and cushy and far more comfortable than anything either child had ever slept on; Kagome couldn't wait for the kids to see them.

Pillows and blankets came next, and then all the necessary accoutrements that a child could enjoy – toys, colors and coloring books, and even books for reading, so she could begin teaching them how to do so.  She wouldn't, after all, neglect their education.

Then, satisfied, she moved into the much larger cavern that held the hot spring.  This room, she would take as theirs.  After all, the others could still have their baths in the room.  She set up screens for privacy, then moved over to the other side of the room.  With a wicked grin, she conjured a huge bed, then covered it all in black silks.  Her mate would look magnificent naked in that bed.

A couple of wardrobes later, and that room was done.

In the front part of the cave, she created a nice firepit as a centerpiece for the family to sit around on cold days, or in the evenings while dinner was cooking.  Low tables and pillows appeared around it, and even a few more regular chairs, up off the floor such as she was used to from her own era.

She hardened the floor, as well, determined to keep the dirt out, and then set about creating a barrier to cover over the huge opening to the cave.  It needed to keep out the cold, the heat, and wind and rain.  As well as the uninvited.  It sprang to life as it was imagined, glowing blue against the stone for several seconds, then fading to something that looked like nothing so much as glass.

It kept the beautiful view, while keeping the cave away from the effects of the weather – and nosy people.

Finally, blowing her bangs out of her face, she looked around, satisfied with what she had accomplished.  Just one more night, and they could come home.

Home...

It was such a nice word, and one she had almost given up in despair that they would ever be able to have such a thing.  Home... it denoted peace, and contentment, and happiness, and because they had had so many foes to vanquish, they hadn't been able to even think about such things until their opponents had been destroyed.

But all that was done, and now it was time to bring her family to settle in.

Tomorrow afternoon, and no later.  She'd waited long enough.

Sweeping her gown up into her hands so as to keep the flowing skirts out of any leftover dirt, she disappeared once more, heading back to her mate.

This time when she appeared, he was waiting, a quirked brow asking the question for him.

“Just wrapping up a few loose ends,”  she said cheerfully.  “I don't know about you,”  she yawned after a moment,  “but I'm ready to go to sleep.  Shall we adjourn to the well clearing and curl up together?”

Sesshoumaru, well aware that his mate wasn't about to answer him, simply nodded and took her hand to lead her back to that place where she had first entered his world.

Tomorrow, after all, would come early.

He had plans with his tired little mate, but they could wait... for a day or so.  But once he had her home...

She wouldn't be getting much sleep at all.

Good thing she was a goddess, and could pretty much go without sleep forever – if she chose to.  He was pretty certain he could convince her to lose at least a couple of days worth of sleep...

~oOo~

A/N:  This story is winding down, and will be done in a chapter or two, depending on how I choose to end it.

After a year and a half, almost two years actually, I'm quite glad to end it.  But the ride has been fun, and I'm proud and honored about all the awards that this story has won.  So far, it has ten awards, and even has been nominated for Best Action/Adventure at the IYFG.  That was truly an honor.  Thanks to all the readers and reviewers for their support!

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