InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Stronger ❯ Kurushimi ( Chapter 9 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Fairia13 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 01.29.2005 | Updated On: 01.29.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.5K | Visits: 580 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Romance / Drama / Action | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 01.29.2005 | Updated On: 01.29.2005 | Pages: 3 | Words: 6.5K | Visits: 580 | Status: Work In Progress
Chapter Nine - Kurushimi
Diamonds. Hundreds of thousands of diamonds, and easily as many gems and crystals… They sparkled and shimmered against the deep blue cloth that was the evening sky, scattered carelessly by some great cosmic hand, left to shine for mortals and near-immortals alike.
Humidity clogged the evening air, settling over him like a blanket, warm and comforting and reminiscent of home. Missing were the fresh, almost tropical fragrances, replaced by the cool, clean ones that permeated the lower western territories. Crickets chirruped and hummed, an occasional owl hooted mournfully and fireflies twinkled and shone, lighting the night air. A pale imitation of the gems above, but beautiful in their own way.
Raidon took a deep breath, inhaling as much oxygen as he could, hoping to cleanse his soul with it.
Had she really been gone five months?
After that singularly disastrous week, much had happened. And, it seemed, it had all happened at once. The revelation of the soul bond had caused quite a stir, to say the least. Soul bonds were sacred above and beyond all other bonds and alliances, and to attempt to sever one was punishable by death, even for nobility. Though, as it had been pointed out by Atoki, not even Sesshomaru had recognized the bond for what it was, so how could they punish Alina for it?
Even Sesshomaru, once he had calmed down, had seen the reasoning in that. While it was perfectly reasonable for an outsider to interfere with a bonding couple for the intent of taking one of the pair for their own, it was illegal to interfere with a bonded couple. Above all, it was illegal to interfere with a soul bond, especially considering the rarity of them. So while it had been agreed that Alina must be punished, it had also been agreed that death was an unreasonable option (even though Sesshomaru and Atoki had both thought otherwise).
Raidon himself had suggested the solution. Inuyoukai, like Kenji, were unfailingly faithful, aggressive, territorial and loyal in their bond. They could, and often did, take relationships prior to bonding, but once mated, they were steadfast, and often, if the mate died, they would refuse to take another. As a species, Inus were calm and friendly, intelligent and steadfast, and level-headed.
Nekoyoukai, like Alina, were notoriously temperamental, often jumping from one lover to another with little or no prior warning, and bonding only very rarely. They would form alliances for the intent of producing children or heirs, but otherwise very rarely stayed with one partner for very long.
What better solution than to put them together?
A week later the newly mated couple had been sent back to the Eastern Lands with the strictest instructions; Kenji was now her mate and Lord, and thus was her superior. However he was also responsible for her. If she put so much as a toe out of line, he would be punished as well, and Sesshomaru personally pledged that the punishment would be swift and brutal.
For months after that the search had contInued. Lord Kouga and Lady Ayame had departed a week after Alina and Kenji, but had sent some of their pack brothers, wolves renowned for their keen sense of smell, to aid them. A few weeks later, troops from the Eastern Lands had arrived to aid, a sign of good will from the new Lord and his mate.
Kouga’s troops had been able to lead them to a village North of here, but nobody there could a girl named Rin. A Few remembered a young huntress who had stopped through, and had bartered game for rice, but other than that, they knew nothing. No one saw her leave and no one knew which way she had gone. Atoki had traveled to the next Northern village and had inquired about a female huntress, but none had stopped through.
From there the hunt had contInued, with Atoki and Raidon becoming more and more frustrated, and Sesshomaru becoming more and more distracted and detached. Raidon knew that his mates missing scent was disconcerting to the demon lord, especially when he had kept it near for over a decade, as well as the effects of an over-strained soul bond were affecting him as well. When it had become apparent that Sesshomaru was becoming less and less focused as time went on, Hakashi had asked and Benjiro had slowly explained that, in the case of a soul bond, the mate was literally the other half of the soul, a physical embodiment of an essential piece of you that had to be kept near at all times. Since his mate had not died or been killed, Sesshomaru would not feel compelled to leave this world completely, but in time he would slowly lose his grip on reality.
“In most cases,” he had, very quietly, “when a soul mate is lost to the otherworld, the mate left behind would commit suicide and follow. It’s not a choice so much as a need,” He contInued. “a compulsion that one is hard-pressed to deny.” He laughed wryly. “The only reason I’m not dead is because my mate knew that it was essential that I remain and take care of our pup. So I remain, but…” he trailed off. “The call is still there.”
“What do you mean ‘call?’” Raidon had asked.
“It’s…” Benjiro had considered. “It’s a lot like a thread in the back of your mind. It connects you to your mate. Most don’t even realize that it’s there before they find their intended,”
“Or in Sesshomaru’s case, they refuse to acknowledge it once they’ve found them.” Hakashi had snorted, only to be silenced by a look from Benjiro.
“As I was saying,” Benjiro contInued, “The bond strengthens when their mate is found. In time, they cannot live without them. It’s a lot like…” He paused, searching for the right analogy,” Your heart or your lungs. You don’t often stop to think about the necessity of them, or how much work they really do, but if something happens to them…” He trailed off, but everyone had gotten his point.
“What Sesshomaru is experiencing is an overstrained soul bond. When Rin saw Kenji posing as Sesshomaru with Alina had the effect of slamming the door in his face, or throwing up a wall. She blocked him out, and tried to cut their connection. However…soul bonds cannot be severed, so all she did was weaken it.” Benjiro shrugged. “Undoubtedly, they’re both suffering because of it. Rin probably more so because at least Sesshomaru knows what happened, where as all Rin knows is that her mate abandoned the sanctity of their bond, then ridiculed her in front of the other female.”
Raidon sighed and lowered himself further into the hot spring, looking up into the heavens once more. He had taken to wandering the forests when the fortress had become too stifling; his raion nature demanded it. A side benefit of roaming the lands had been stumbling upon a hidden spring located some kilometers away from the fortress proper, and he had regularly been visiting it since. It was far enough away that it gave him a long, hard run, but close enough that he wasn’t too tired to run back afterwards. Stretching, he froze at the rustling in the bushes on the other side of the clearing.
Tentatively, he sniffed. His nose wasn’t nearly as strong as an Inus or ookami’s, and with the steam clogging his nostrils and the scents of night flowers and plant life swirling in the air, he couldn’t discern what – or who – was coming towards him.
Slowly he lowered his arms, confident in his ability to defeat any on-comers. He wasn’t a taiyoukai for nothing, and centuries or warfare had done nothing but hone his skills.
However, what he got wasn’t at all what he expected.
A horse. Or, more accurately, a centaur. Gently parting the foliage in front of her, she stepped into the clearing. Tall, she was definitely tall. Silvery hair flowed gently down her back in waves of silk, brushing her withers. Her face was wide and heart-shaped, silvery brows slashing like arrows over startlingly blue eyes. Translucent skin covered wide, high cheekbones and sweetly graced strawberry lips drawn in a perfect cupid’s bow.
Raidon continuedhis examination of her as she came to a halt across the clearing. Narrow shoulders sloped into full pale breasts, narrowed further into a tapered waist and flared gently into her lower, horse-like torso. Pale silver hair, dappled lightly with a darker silver-grey shone in the moonlight, illuminating the play and shift of powerful muscles beneath her hide.
“Who’s there?” She called, startling him out of his reverie. Belatedly he realized that despite the fact he could see her perfectly, her night vision was little better than a human’s. However, her sense of smell was superior to his, which was undoubtedly screaming, predator and aroused male to her.
“Raidon.” He called, discarding the title in hopes of calming her down. Company, though unexpected, was not unwelcome. However, to his dismay, she immediately inclined her torso towards him, keeping her eyes to the ground.
“Forgive me, my Lord. I didn’t know you were here. I’ll leave.”
“H-Hey wait!” He called as she turned to leave. At the amused glance she threw over her shoulder at his scrabbling, he immediately blushed. “I mean…it’s unnecessary for you to leave.” He said, trying to salvage what remain of his dignity after his lapse. “The hot spring is more than big enough for both of us to fit in here comfortably. Actually,” he rectified amusedly, “It could probably fit seven of us comfortably. No need to leave on my account.”
“As you wish.” She said calmly, turning and striding towards him. As she did, something akin to a snow-white fire flared around her ankles, engulfing her and receding to reveal a humanoid form much like her centurion one. His eyes briefly, of their own violation, roved her transformed form, taking in her long, pale legs and the silvery thatch of hair nestled between her thighs before bouncing back up to her face.
“I recognize you.” He stated, his eyebrows rising in surprise. “You’re a maid at the fortress. I’ve seen you several times.”
“My name is Shukumei.” She responded, and then raised an eyebrow in wry humor as she slipped into the spring. “No need to ask who you are, Lord Raidon.”
“Please, call me Raidon.” Raidon said, wrinkling his nose. “Lord is so stuffy.”
Shukumei merely stared at him, long enough to make him feel compelled to explain. “I am Lord because of my blood, and acknowledged as one because I lead my province and people. However, I feel no need to flaunt the title. So, for now, Raidon will so just
fine.”
“For now?” Shukumei repeated, raising an eyebrow, a patent look of disgust on her face.
“Sure,” He said, not noticing her ire. “Obviously, if we were to see one another at an official function, I would ask that you call me Lord, but only because propriety demands it. If it’s just the two of us, or a small group, Raidon will suffice.”
“And do you think we will be…’just the two of us’ much?” Shukumei asked carefully.
“Why not?” He asked, completely missing the innuendo. “We’re all searching for Rin, are we not? I’ll be here for another month or two at least; we’re sure to run into one another occasionally.”
Sparks flashing in her eyes, Shukumei rose. “Forgive me, my Lord,” She snarled, “but if you require company, I’m sure Mitsuki will be more than happy to accommodate you. I will not.”
Raidon’s eyes widened in shock. “You- you thought that I…? No! No, no, no, my lady. I didn’t mean it like that at all!”
Halfway out of the spring, Shukumei turned and glanced over her shoulder. “I was just trying to be friendly.” He said, sounding for the entire world like an offended child. “I wasn’t trying to proposition you. Not,” he added, grinning lecherously, “that I wouldn’t be willing, if you were so inclined. However, I prefer my bed partners to be fully willing. Please, have a seat.” He implored, “What brings you out this far anyway?”
“I felt like a run.” Shukumei said, reseating herself, sinking down until the water covered her, leaving only her upper chest, neck and head bare. “And this spring is good for a soak.”
“Yes.” Raidon agreed. “On both counts.” He added. “What type of youkai are you anyway?” He asked. “I’ve not seen a centaur since I was very small.”
“Uma.” She said succinctly. “And you haven’t seen one in a while because there aren’t many left.”
“Why a centurion form?” He asked.
“Best for fighting.” She replied. “I have a full horse form, but all one can do in that is run and kick. As a centaur, I can run just as fast, but I can also wield weapons, such as a bow and arrows, crossbow…even a sword.” She contInued. “Though trying it makes for interesting footwork.”
“Too many weak spots.” Raidon agreed.
“Centaurs would be best at distance fighting.” Shukumei agreed, nodding. “Bows and crossbows are ideal, but if you got to close to a sword or spear…”
Raidon shuddered in sympathy. Broken bones, severed tendons and sliced ligaments were just a few or the disasters that could befall anyone who couldn’t adequately guard their legs.
“Have you heard any more about Rin?” She asked, changing the subject.
“No.” Raidon replied. We traced her – or someone like her - for a while. We’re pretty sure it was just a nomadic hunter…they weren’t North for a while, then East, a little South, and eventually North once more. We lost them as they were heading into Lord Kouga’s territory, and he’s been having his pack keep an eye out, but so far, nothing has surfaced.”
“Sesshomaru…has been acting oddly.” Shukumei ventured hesitantly, then snickered. “Mitsuki has been brooding.”
Raidon raised an eyebrow. “Mitsuki…that’s the second time you’ve mentioned that name. Who is she?”
Shukumei paused. Lord Raidon didn’t know who…? “Mitsuki is the head maid.” She said cautiously, not wanting to be the one to trash Mitsuki’s reputation in front of the Southern Lord.
Raidon glanced at her. “Mitsuki has been brooding because Sesshomaru has been acting strangely.”
“Umm..” Shukumei tried for a laugh. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear me chatter about laundry room gossip.”
Raidon continuedto watch her for a moment. The heat of the pool had made her skin flushed, and water rippled around her as she laughed, breathed, talked, moved, causing that enticing swell of cleavage to appear and disappear. At some point when he was talking, she had casually pinned her hair up with a leather tie, gathering it into a bundle atop her head, and stray wisps were falling down around her face and neck, curling enticingly in the humidity. Not completely against his will, his body stirred with interest.
Shukumei watched Raidon as he gazed at her, his inquisitive gaze. As he watched her, his golden eyes darkened into something sensual and devious. “Unless you can think of something better to discuss.” He said, his voice turning into a low purr as he moved towards her, his muscles shifting sensuously under golden skin.
Shukumei shivered, an unwilling spike of heat shooting straight to her loins. “Um...well,” She stammered, “It’s just that before Rin and Sesshomaru bonded, Mitsuki was…” She trailed off, blushing.
Raidon, who had halted when she spoke, started moving again. “His what?” He murmured. Clawed hands positioned themselves on either side of her thighs as he leaned closer. Dark golden eyes, sky blue stripes and full sensual lips filled her vision.
“…his lover…” She murmured, right before his lips came crashing down on hers. All rational thought flew from her mind as his firm lips pressed against hers, his arms moving up her sides, over her ribcage, thumbs barely skimming the sides of her breasts, coming to rest gently on her cheeks as his tongue slid along the seam of her lips, lapping slightly, begging entry. One clawed hand slid around to gently cup the back oh her neck, claws scratching lightly. On a small groan, her lips parted, allowing his tongue to slide in and caress her fangs teasingly. She tried to return his kiss, but as she did, his mouth left hers, tongue tracing her inner lips and kissing the crease of her mouth. He trailed kisses along her jaw and up to her earlobe, alternately sucking and nibbling gently.
Bringing her own hands up, she wove her fingers in his hair, shoving the tawny strands aside so she could reach his earlobe, deliberately returning to him the same treatment she had just received. Almost unconsciously, he moved closer, and Shukumei started slightly as she felt something smooth brush against her thigh. He seemed not to notice as his lips feasted on her neck, nibbling and sucking until the heat she was feeling had little to do with the temperature of the water and everything to do with what he was doing to her. Lightly, she scratched her nails down his back, dragging them around his hips and down his thighs, being very careful not to touch the hardened member between them.
Raidon groaned, his lips and tongue trailing down her neck to nip at her shoulder, his hands tracing the path his lips had taken, veering off to softly caress her breasts. Cupping them, he tested the fullness of their weight, brushing his thumbs over her nipples then repeating the gesture with his palms, pleased when the pebbled under his touch, even more so when she gasped softly and arched into his palms. Bracing his hand on either side of her ribcage he lifted her up, using a knee to part her legs and bringing her down to straddle his thigh.
This accomplished two things; the first being that it lifted her luscious breasts out of the water and gave his mouth access to them, the second was that it brought her feminine core to rest directly against his skin, both of which pleased him immensely, and, if he was to judge by the amount of slickness down there, her as well.
Moaning softly he drew her into the circle of his arms, his hands leaving her ribcage, traveling over her back and up to cup the base of her skull so he could lean her back and taste her better.
Shukumei let him manipulate her, her body supine and lithe beneath his, her core on his leg molten with liquid heat. Straddling his thigh as she was, she couldn’t help her small, erratic movements, the friction of his skin rubbing so sensuously over her core. Her desire increased as she felt his erection brush against the outside of her thigh, but was distracted when he tilted her backwards, forcing her chest up and out, then bending to take on pebbled strawberry nipple in his mouth.
The feel of his lips against her breasts was divine, and she whimpered softly, arching into his touch, craving more as he laved her nipple with his tongue, licking and suckling softly. He hummed in pleasure, low and in the back of his throat and she arched further into him, her core nearly scalding him in her heat as she moved and her small, soft mewling like a symphony to his sensitive hearing.
As she arched further, he obligingly took more of her breast into his mouth, sucking harder on the nipple, only to inhale sharply through his nostrils as her fingertips brushed lightly at his straining erection. It was no more than a whisper of a touch, almost mistaken for the swirling of the water current against his manhood, but he felt it nonetheless. The next brush of her fingertips was a little for sure, a bit firmer, but still tentative. Softly she explored him, the feel and shape of him, nearly driving him mad, causing his inner demon to shudder in reaction, demanding unequivocally that this female was his, and he wanted her now. Ruthlessly he suppressed the raion, determined to go slowly and to not force anything on her.
But when she grasped him and firmly curled her fingers around him, all reasoning flew out the window. Leaving on arm supporting her head and back the other raced down her back and over her hip, teasing the skin of her inner thigh before moving on the to tiny bundle of nerves nestled safely between her feminine lips.
At his first stroke she groaned, rocking against his hand. In response she tightened her grip around him and stroked, pulling firmly at his length and brushing boldly over the tip of his erection with her thumb, lifting herself very slightly off of his thigh, allowing his hand access to her opening. His hand darted forward quickly, teasing her feminine lips briefly, earning another moan before darting to sink a digit into her warmth, reveling in the way her inner muscles grasped at his finger as he stroked her reverently.
His lips blazed a trail beck up her chest and over her neck even as he lifted her out of the springs and settled her on the soft grass, kissing her lovingly the whole time. He pulled his hand out of the warmth of her body and slid between her legs, positioning himself at her entrance. Her hands released his manhood to allow him to do so, and her arms snaked around his torso to grip his shoulders from behind. He groaned as his tip nudged the entrance to her womanhood, raising his eyes to meet hers.
Her hair was scattered in wild disarray around her, and her heavy black lashes fringed her eyes, which had darkened from a startling almost electric blue to a stormy blue-silver. “Are you sure?” He queried one last time, amazed at how ragged and rough his voice sounded. She blinked at him almost sleepily, and brought her legs up and around his hips in answer.
With a heartfelt moan that sounded suspiciously like a sob, even to his own ears, he captured her lips, thrusting into her simultaneously, catching her gasp and swallowing it as he rocked into her. Both of them froze for the space of a pair of heartbeats before resuming their rhythm, him rocking against her almost frantically, her returning his thrusts and then some, tearing her mouth from his and arching back, her mouth forming a trembling O of astonishment.
Grinning, he braced his forearms on the ground and grasped her shoulders from behind, driving into her, watching the expressions she made. He could feel his testicles slapping against her skin with the force of their thrusting, and he could feel her inner muscles clenching then releasing, causing a friction that would, very shortly, become orgasmic.
Her face was a sight to behold, he decided. Her lashes, long and thick and black as soot were clenched tightly over her eyes. Her lips were parted slightly and her breathing was erratic as she sought to drag enough oxygen into her lungs and meet their demand. Her throat swallowed convulsively and he could feel her womb tightening around him, coiling, poised for release.
‘Not soon enough.’ He though frantically as his own release pounded at him, and the raion roared, demanding satisfaction. On a growl, he removed one hand from her slender shoulders and sought the bundle between her legs even as his lips tugged firmly on her nipple once more.
She exploded. He could feel her release as her womb clamped down on him, her muscles convulsing, milking him as he stroked the nerves between her legs, allowing his mouth to leave her breast and look at her face to watch her release. Her neck arched in surrender, and her lips formed a trembling O as a low cry of satisfaction was torn from her throat.
Her release triggered his own and with a low, strangled growl, he emptied himself into
her, her spasming muscles milking him dry, leaving him breathless and panting as they
rode out the wave together. When it was finished, they collapsed against one another, chests heaving, straining for more oxygen as they’re exhausted bodies remained limp and supine. Raidon buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the smell of their combined essences and the heat of their joining.
“You are amazing.” He purred contentedly, cuddling her close as he drifted off to sleep.
Shukumei said nothing, curled in his embrace, staring at the night sky, her thought whirling chaotically in her head.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The next few days brooked little change in his routine. He still spent time with Sesshomaru and Atoki, the three of them trying to figure out where they lost Rin at. He still conducted practice and drills with his soldiers, and he still harassed Hakashi.
But he didn’t see Shukumei. Everywhere he went he was looking for her, and sometimes he could smell her scent lingering in a room or office, but he never seemed to catch up to her, and he had a few questions he wanted answered. He saw Mitsuki a couple of times, and the head maid did indeed seem to be sulking about something, but whenever he asked, Shukumei was out running an errand, or somewhere else and wouldn’t be back for a while.
Why had she left him alone at the spring, afterwards? He had woken up alone, with his clothing covering his prone form and Skumumei’s scent lingering on the air, still there, but old enough to tell him that he had been alone for quite some time. He had bathed quickly and dressed, then returned, knowing he was going to wind up missing breakfast. When he had returned, he had suffered much ribbing from Atoki and a few soft chuckles from Hakashi, but in the end, he had gotten some leftovers as well as some information.
Hakashi, he mused, was a veritable fountain of knowledge. People didn’t often consider that the quiet demon had ears that were several ri long. Hakashi head everything, and saw almost as much as he heard. He was quiet and contemplative, easy to talk to, and was always ready with a pot of tea and a honeycomb for whoever needed a few mInutes to get something off their chest. And he didn’t hold what he knew over your head, or spread gossip either. If you needed to know something, he would tell you, and if you wanted to know something, he demanded your reasons for wanting to know it. Being Inu he could smell deceit on people, so no one could try to say they had an important reason, them use it to hurt another either.
And because of all this, people trusted him. He was everyone’s advisor, and counselor. Which is how Raidon found out that Shukumei had been telling the truth when she had said that she was nearly the last of her kind. Certainly she was the last of her clan, her previous kin having been slaughtered some centuries ago, when she was very young.
However, apparently the marauders had no taste for killing innocent children, so she and the four other children were used as helpers in their convoy. The infants such as Shukumei were given to surrogate mothers, women who could have no children of their own, and raised as part of the family.
Until they decided to try and take the Western Lands.
Sesshomaru had unmercifully slaughtered the entire clan, all except for the very young and the very old. Shukumei, who had been among the very small, no older than thirteen, had been conscripted as a worker for the fortress, along with her clan brothers and clan sister. The rest of the children from the convoy, humans, all of them, were sent to the village and placed amongst the human families there.
Her clan kin, Raidon discovered, were scattered now, one brother and sister leaving when they reached maturity and going off, one to find another clan on a southern island, the other whose fate had never been determined, just that he had…left. Of the two that remained, Shukumei remained a laundress, and the other brother was a warrior in Sesshomaru’s army. From what Raidon could deduce, neither particularly cared about the other, choosing instead to remain friendly but distant.
Not that he cared, he reminded himself. It was just…convenient that she had no other lovers than himself.
Now why couldn’t he find her?
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Rin sighed. Since discovering that she was carrying, nothing had been the same. It had been Sango who had first alerted her to the signs – the fatigue, the nausea, the lack of her monthly cycle. Once it had been mentioned, Rin often wondered why she hadn’t thought of it before. True, growing up primarily around males and small children had prevented any sort of knowledge of pregnancy and its symptoms, but Hakashi’s wife had explained the monthly cycles and what they meant, and she knew more than she ought to about sex from growing up in a dojo.
But no one had ever told her signs of pregnancy before. She had assumed that her cycle didn’t come because of the stress and upset in her routine, and had secretly thanked whoever was listening for it, because leaving a blood trail – even one that wasn’t especially obvious – would have made her that much easier to track. The fatigue she had brushed off too, putting it to traveling so much and sleeping in trees, which were less than comfortable under the best of circumstances.
The nausea she hadn’t been able to brush off. It came mostly in the mornings, occasionally during lunch, and almost never in the evening. At first she thought she had an illness – she was feeling sick – but couldn’t for the life of her figure out why certain smells made her so ill. Sango had first approached her about it, asking her if anything was wrong, then asking her to describe the symptoms. When she had very gravely suggested the idea of carrying, Rin’s world had somehow bottomed out from under her, her head vehemently denying the possibility even if her heart screaming that it felt right.
For a single earth-shattering, heart-stopping mInute, Rin had been afraid that Sango would want her to leave the village. After all, it was dangerous enough housing her here, but a baby as well…? When she had tentatively voiced that idea, Sango had looked at her blankly before laughing.
“Why would we want you to leave? You’re a decent fighter, and even if you can’t fight, you’ll still be a decent, able-bodied person.” She had stopped and studied Rin critically for a second, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “How heartless do you think we are, that we would deny a pregnant woman our protection, and cast her out into uncertainty and inhospitable circumstances? Truly, we can protect you, and help you protect yourself, than any obscure little village will ever be capable of doing. Besides,” she had added wryly, “Inuyasha would surely have our heads for casting his sister and niece or nephew out.”
“But…”Rin choked over the words, pressing then unwillingly through her lips – they had to know the danger involved in keeping her here. “Sesshomaru…will surely come for me.”
Sango placed a hand on her shoulder, effectively halting her. “You’re safe here child.” She said with a firm finality. “And that’s that.”
And it was. When the fact that she was pregnant became public knowledge, no one cursed her, and she never heard anyone say that she was a burden. In fact, some of the older women, ones too old to have children or with grandchildren of their own already started helping her make small clothing and baby blankets, chattering excitedly about the birth and recalling the births of their own children and grandchildren.
Rin had expressed her amazement at the village’s unquestioning acceptance of her and her unborn hanyou child to Miroku, who had suddenly become very protective himself, and he had merely shrugged it off. “My Lady, you have to understand; the people gathered her, men and women, no matter what age they are or their stations in life are all warriors, or were warriors, and are dedicated to passing their knowledge on to a receptive audience. Most of them were outcasts from their home villages as well – women especially, since it’s not acceptable for a woman to do anything but cook, clean and provided sons.
“They were all outcasts, all rejects, all unaccepted and misunderstood. And because of their differences, they were able to band together when Sango and I started rebuilding the village. They are not without their petty differences and prejudices, but for the most part they are all good people.”
Rin ran her hands along the fort’s perimeter wall as she wondered on this phenomenon.
The wall, she noted, was high and well built, a testament to the renowned group of people’s will to survive and carry on. It had been made from trees, most of which had been downed in a storm, or had been growing in the area where the village had been built. They had been stripped of their branches and sharpened into points at the top, the planted into the earth and the cracks had been sealed with pitch and tar to keep the weather out. It was a very good wall, built to last for decades to come.
Rin’s musings were brought up short by a small kick in her middle. Reaching up with the hand that wasn’t touching the wall, she absently caressed her burgeoning stomach. “Shh. I know you’re getting cramped in there, but there’s no need for that. If you’re feeling a bit squished, you should hurry up and be old enough to come out, so I can finally see you.” She murmured as something constricted around her heart.
A baby. Three months later, she still couldn’t believe that she and Sesshomaru had created a child. What would he think if he knew?
‘He doesn’t need to. I was just a toy, remember? A whore. Good for nothing but his amusement.’
Still… ‘I guess I do have a reason to thank him though.’ After all, even if there was no father, or siblings, this baby would still be her family. A small, sad smile caressed Rin’s features at the thought.
“Oh, come on you two, you know who it is, open the bloody gates!”
Rin glanced up at the shouted statement, only to find that she had circled back around to the main gate, and glanced up at the guard house, located near the top of the wall, where two men stood grinning down at whoever was yelling.
Rin was puzzled. Miroku and Sango had gone on an extermination early this morning and Rin knew that the group wasn’t expected back until nearly dusk. The hunters had found the fall game to be particularly plentiful and had returned earlier. No one else should have been wandering around, but if a man was out there without an escort, he was well able to find the fort’s hidden location on his own.
Still chortling, the two men opened enough to allow the man to slip in. Immediately he turned around and started joking with the one who had climbed down to open the smaller door located on the lower portion of the large gate.
“Do you know where Sango’s at?” Rin heard him ask.
“I think she was with the group that went on an extermination this morning.” The guard said.
“She was.” Rin spoke up. The man turned to face her. Rin’s first impression of him was a deep sadness hidden by a gentle demeanor. Brow eyes shadowed by too much despair caught her own and held them, looking at her speculatively. Obsidian tresses casually caressed the tops of his shoulders, neither in a low tail nor a traditional top knot, a discreet defiance to society’s norms.
He was well built, in a lean sort of way, Rin noted. Broad powerful shoulders and a deep chest, which tapered down to a trim waist and hips, and the loose traveler’s pants couldn’t conceal that his legs were long and powerful. His whole demeanor was one of gentleness and patience, strength of character forged by too many sufferings and a will to survive despite the trials.
Rin cocked her head, studying the man again. Something in the small, shy smile he offered reminded her of someone. The spark of vulnerability in his eyes, however well-concealed, was also familiar.
Rin grinned.
“Hello Kohaku.”
Converting /tmp/phpl7sEcv to /dev/stdout
Diamonds. Hundreds of thousands of diamonds, and easily as many gems and crystals… They sparkled and shimmered against the deep blue cloth that was the evening sky, scattered carelessly by some great cosmic hand, left to shine for mortals and near-immortals alike.
Humidity clogged the evening air, settling over him like a blanket, warm and comforting and reminiscent of home. Missing were the fresh, almost tropical fragrances, replaced by the cool, clean ones that permeated the lower western territories. Crickets chirruped and hummed, an occasional owl hooted mournfully and fireflies twinkled and shone, lighting the night air. A pale imitation of the gems above, but beautiful in their own way.
Raidon took a deep breath, inhaling as much oxygen as he could, hoping to cleanse his soul with it.
Had she really been gone five months?
After that singularly disastrous week, much had happened. And, it seemed, it had all happened at once. The revelation of the soul bond had caused quite a stir, to say the least. Soul bonds were sacred above and beyond all other bonds and alliances, and to attempt to sever one was punishable by death, even for nobility. Though, as it had been pointed out by Atoki, not even Sesshomaru had recognized the bond for what it was, so how could they punish Alina for it?
Even Sesshomaru, once he had calmed down, had seen the reasoning in that. While it was perfectly reasonable for an outsider to interfere with a bonding couple for the intent of taking one of the pair for their own, it was illegal to interfere with a bonded couple. Above all, it was illegal to interfere with a soul bond, especially considering the rarity of them. So while it had been agreed that Alina must be punished, it had also been agreed that death was an unreasonable option (even though Sesshomaru and Atoki had both thought otherwise).
Raidon himself had suggested the solution. Inuyoukai, like Kenji, were unfailingly faithful, aggressive, territorial and loyal in their bond. They could, and often did, take relationships prior to bonding, but once mated, they were steadfast, and often, if the mate died, they would refuse to take another. As a species, Inus were calm and friendly, intelligent and steadfast, and level-headed.
Nekoyoukai, like Alina, were notoriously temperamental, often jumping from one lover to another with little or no prior warning, and bonding only very rarely. They would form alliances for the intent of producing children or heirs, but otherwise very rarely stayed with one partner for very long.
What better solution than to put them together?
A week later the newly mated couple had been sent back to the Eastern Lands with the strictest instructions; Kenji was now her mate and Lord, and thus was her superior. However he was also responsible for her. If she put so much as a toe out of line, he would be punished as well, and Sesshomaru personally pledged that the punishment would be swift and brutal.
For months after that the search had contInued. Lord Kouga and Lady Ayame had departed a week after Alina and Kenji, but had sent some of their pack brothers, wolves renowned for their keen sense of smell, to aid them. A few weeks later, troops from the Eastern Lands had arrived to aid, a sign of good will from the new Lord and his mate.
Kouga’s troops had been able to lead them to a village North of here, but nobody there could a girl named Rin. A Few remembered a young huntress who had stopped through, and had bartered game for rice, but other than that, they knew nothing. No one saw her leave and no one knew which way she had gone. Atoki had traveled to the next Northern village and had inquired about a female huntress, but none had stopped through.
From there the hunt had contInued, with Atoki and Raidon becoming more and more frustrated, and Sesshomaru becoming more and more distracted and detached. Raidon knew that his mates missing scent was disconcerting to the demon lord, especially when he had kept it near for over a decade, as well as the effects of an over-strained soul bond were affecting him as well. When it had become apparent that Sesshomaru was becoming less and less focused as time went on, Hakashi had asked and Benjiro had slowly explained that, in the case of a soul bond, the mate was literally the other half of the soul, a physical embodiment of an essential piece of you that had to be kept near at all times. Since his mate had not died or been killed, Sesshomaru would not feel compelled to leave this world completely, but in time he would slowly lose his grip on reality.
“In most cases,” he had, very quietly, “when a soul mate is lost to the otherworld, the mate left behind would commit suicide and follow. It’s not a choice so much as a need,” He contInued. “a compulsion that one is hard-pressed to deny.” He laughed wryly. “The only reason I’m not dead is because my mate knew that it was essential that I remain and take care of our pup. So I remain, but…” he trailed off. “The call is still there.”
“What do you mean ‘call?’” Raidon had asked.
“It’s…” Benjiro had considered. “It’s a lot like a thread in the back of your mind. It connects you to your mate. Most don’t even realize that it’s there before they find their intended,”
“Or in Sesshomaru’s case, they refuse to acknowledge it once they’ve found them.” Hakashi had snorted, only to be silenced by a look from Benjiro.
“As I was saying,” Benjiro contInued, “The bond strengthens when their mate is found. In time, they cannot live without them. It’s a lot like…” He paused, searching for the right analogy,” Your heart or your lungs. You don’t often stop to think about the necessity of them, or how much work they really do, but if something happens to them…” He trailed off, but everyone had gotten his point.
“What Sesshomaru is experiencing is an overstrained soul bond. When Rin saw Kenji posing as Sesshomaru with Alina had the effect of slamming the door in his face, or throwing up a wall. She blocked him out, and tried to cut their connection. However…soul bonds cannot be severed, so all she did was weaken it.” Benjiro shrugged. “Undoubtedly, they’re both suffering because of it. Rin probably more so because at least Sesshomaru knows what happened, where as all Rin knows is that her mate abandoned the sanctity of their bond, then ridiculed her in front of the other female.”
Raidon sighed and lowered himself further into the hot spring, looking up into the heavens once more. He had taken to wandering the forests when the fortress had become too stifling; his raion nature demanded it. A side benefit of roaming the lands had been stumbling upon a hidden spring located some kilometers away from the fortress proper, and he had regularly been visiting it since. It was far enough away that it gave him a long, hard run, but close enough that he wasn’t too tired to run back afterwards. Stretching, he froze at the rustling in the bushes on the other side of the clearing.
Tentatively, he sniffed. His nose wasn’t nearly as strong as an Inus or ookami’s, and with the steam clogging his nostrils and the scents of night flowers and plant life swirling in the air, he couldn’t discern what – or who – was coming towards him.
Slowly he lowered his arms, confident in his ability to defeat any on-comers. He wasn’t a taiyoukai for nothing, and centuries or warfare had done nothing but hone his skills.
However, what he got wasn’t at all what he expected.
A horse. Or, more accurately, a centaur. Gently parting the foliage in front of her, she stepped into the clearing. Tall, she was definitely tall. Silvery hair flowed gently down her back in waves of silk, brushing her withers. Her face was wide and heart-shaped, silvery brows slashing like arrows over startlingly blue eyes. Translucent skin covered wide, high cheekbones and sweetly graced strawberry lips drawn in a perfect cupid’s bow.
Raidon continuedhis examination of her as she came to a halt across the clearing. Narrow shoulders sloped into full pale breasts, narrowed further into a tapered waist and flared gently into her lower, horse-like torso. Pale silver hair, dappled lightly with a darker silver-grey shone in the moonlight, illuminating the play and shift of powerful muscles beneath her hide.
“Who’s there?” She called, startling him out of his reverie. Belatedly he realized that despite the fact he could see her perfectly, her night vision was little better than a human’s. However, her sense of smell was superior to his, which was undoubtedly screaming, predator and aroused male to her.
“Raidon.” He called, discarding the title in hopes of calming her down. Company, though unexpected, was not unwelcome. However, to his dismay, she immediately inclined her torso towards him, keeping her eyes to the ground.
“Forgive me, my Lord. I didn’t know you were here. I’ll leave.”
“H-Hey wait!” He called as she turned to leave. At the amused glance she threw over her shoulder at his scrabbling, he immediately blushed. “I mean…it’s unnecessary for you to leave.” He said, trying to salvage what remain of his dignity after his lapse. “The hot spring is more than big enough for both of us to fit in here comfortably. Actually,” he rectified amusedly, “It could probably fit seven of us comfortably. No need to leave on my account.”
“As you wish.” She said calmly, turning and striding towards him. As she did, something akin to a snow-white fire flared around her ankles, engulfing her and receding to reveal a humanoid form much like her centurion one. His eyes briefly, of their own violation, roved her transformed form, taking in her long, pale legs and the silvery thatch of hair nestled between her thighs before bouncing back up to her face.
“I recognize you.” He stated, his eyebrows rising in surprise. “You’re a maid at the fortress. I’ve seen you several times.”
“My name is Shukumei.” She responded, and then raised an eyebrow in wry humor as she slipped into the spring. “No need to ask who you are, Lord Raidon.”
“Please, call me Raidon.” Raidon said, wrinkling his nose. “Lord is so stuffy.”
Shukumei merely stared at him, long enough to make him feel compelled to explain. “I am Lord because of my blood, and acknowledged as one because I lead my province and people. However, I feel no need to flaunt the title. So, for now, Raidon will so just
fine.”
“For now?” Shukumei repeated, raising an eyebrow, a patent look of disgust on her face.
“Sure,” He said, not noticing her ire. “Obviously, if we were to see one another at an official function, I would ask that you call me Lord, but only because propriety demands it. If it’s just the two of us, or a small group, Raidon will suffice.”
“And do you think we will be…’just the two of us’ much?” Shukumei asked carefully.
“Why not?” He asked, completely missing the innuendo. “We’re all searching for Rin, are we not? I’ll be here for another month or two at least; we’re sure to run into one another occasionally.”
Sparks flashing in her eyes, Shukumei rose. “Forgive me, my Lord,” She snarled, “but if you require company, I’m sure Mitsuki will be more than happy to accommodate you. I will not.”
Raidon’s eyes widened in shock. “You- you thought that I…? No! No, no, no, my lady. I didn’t mean it like that at all!”
Halfway out of the spring, Shukumei turned and glanced over her shoulder. “I was just trying to be friendly.” He said, sounding for the entire world like an offended child. “I wasn’t trying to proposition you. Not,” he added, grinning lecherously, “that I wouldn’t be willing, if you were so inclined. However, I prefer my bed partners to be fully willing. Please, have a seat.” He implored, “What brings you out this far anyway?”
“I felt like a run.” Shukumei said, reseating herself, sinking down until the water covered her, leaving only her upper chest, neck and head bare. “And this spring is good for a soak.”
“Yes.” Raidon agreed. “On both counts.” He added. “What type of youkai are you anyway?” He asked. “I’ve not seen a centaur since I was very small.”
“Uma.” She said succinctly. “And you haven’t seen one in a while because there aren’t many left.”
“Why a centurion form?” He asked.
“Best for fighting.” She replied. “I have a full horse form, but all one can do in that is run and kick. As a centaur, I can run just as fast, but I can also wield weapons, such as a bow and arrows, crossbow…even a sword.” She contInued. “Though trying it makes for interesting footwork.”
“Too many weak spots.” Raidon agreed.
“Centaurs would be best at distance fighting.” Shukumei agreed, nodding. “Bows and crossbows are ideal, but if you got to close to a sword or spear…”
Raidon shuddered in sympathy. Broken bones, severed tendons and sliced ligaments were just a few or the disasters that could befall anyone who couldn’t adequately guard their legs.
“Have you heard any more about Rin?” She asked, changing the subject.
“No.” Raidon replied. We traced her – or someone like her - for a while. We’re pretty sure it was just a nomadic hunter…they weren’t North for a while, then East, a little South, and eventually North once more. We lost them as they were heading into Lord Kouga’s territory, and he’s been having his pack keep an eye out, but so far, nothing has surfaced.”
“Sesshomaru…has been acting oddly.” Shukumei ventured hesitantly, then snickered. “Mitsuki has been brooding.”
Raidon raised an eyebrow. “Mitsuki…that’s the second time you’ve mentioned that name. Who is she?”
Shukumei paused. Lord Raidon didn’t know who…? “Mitsuki is the head maid.” She said cautiously, not wanting to be the one to trash Mitsuki’s reputation in front of the Southern Lord.
Raidon glanced at her. “Mitsuki has been brooding because Sesshomaru has been acting strangely.”
“Umm..” Shukumei tried for a laugh. “I’m sure you don’t want to hear me chatter about laundry room gossip.”
Raidon continuedto watch her for a moment. The heat of the pool had made her skin flushed, and water rippled around her as she laughed, breathed, talked, moved, causing that enticing swell of cleavage to appear and disappear. At some point when he was talking, she had casually pinned her hair up with a leather tie, gathering it into a bundle atop her head, and stray wisps were falling down around her face and neck, curling enticingly in the humidity. Not completely against his will, his body stirred with interest.
Shukumei watched Raidon as he gazed at her, his inquisitive gaze. As he watched her, his golden eyes darkened into something sensual and devious. “Unless you can think of something better to discuss.” He said, his voice turning into a low purr as he moved towards her, his muscles shifting sensuously under golden skin.
Shukumei shivered, an unwilling spike of heat shooting straight to her loins. “Um...well,” She stammered, “It’s just that before Rin and Sesshomaru bonded, Mitsuki was…” She trailed off, blushing.
Raidon, who had halted when she spoke, started moving again. “His what?” He murmured. Clawed hands positioned themselves on either side of her thighs as he leaned closer. Dark golden eyes, sky blue stripes and full sensual lips filled her vision.
“…his lover…” She murmured, right before his lips came crashing down on hers. All rational thought flew from her mind as his firm lips pressed against hers, his arms moving up her sides, over her ribcage, thumbs barely skimming the sides of her breasts, coming to rest gently on her cheeks as his tongue slid along the seam of her lips, lapping slightly, begging entry. One clawed hand slid around to gently cup the back oh her neck, claws scratching lightly. On a small groan, her lips parted, allowing his tongue to slide in and caress her fangs teasingly. She tried to return his kiss, but as she did, his mouth left hers, tongue tracing her inner lips and kissing the crease of her mouth. He trailed kisses along her jaw and up to her earlobe, alternately sucking and nibbling gently.
Bringing her own hands up, she wove her fingers in his hair, shoving the tawny strands aside so she could reach his earlobe, deliberately returning to him the same treatment she had just received. Almost unconsciously, he moved closer, and Shukumei started slightly as she felt something smooth brush against her thigh. He seemed not to notice as his lips feasted on her neck, nibbling and sucking until the heat she was feeling had little to do with the temperature of the water and everything to do with what he was doing to her. Lightly, she scratched her nails down his back, dragging them around his hips and down his thighs, being very careful not to touch the hardened member between them.
Raidon groaned, his lips and tongue trailing down her neck to nip at her shoulder, his hands tracing the path his lips had taken, veering off to softly caress her breasts. Cupping them, he tested the fullness of their weight, brushing his thumbs over her nipples then repeating the gesture with his palms, pleased when the pebbled under his touch, even more so when she gasped softly and arched into his palms. Bracing his hand on either side of her ribcage he lifted her up, using a knee to part her legs and bringing her down to straddle his thigh.
This accomplished two things; the first being that it lifted her luscious breasts out of the water and gave his mouth access to them, the second was that it brought her feminine core to rest directly against his skin, both of which pleased him immensely, and, if he was to judge by the amount of slickness down there, her as well.
Moaning softly he drew her into the circle of his arms, his hands leaving her ribcage, traveling over her back and up to cup the base of her skull so he could lean her back and taste her better.
Shukumei let him manipulate her, her body supine and lithe beneath his, her core on his leg molten with liquid heat. Straddling his thigh as she was, she couldn’t help her small, erratic movements, the friction of his skin rubbing so sensuously over her core. Her desire increased as she felt his erection brush against the outside of her thigh, but was distracted when he tilted her backwards, forcing her chest up and out, then bending to take on pebbled strawberry nipple in his mouth.
The feel of his lips against her breasts was divine, and she whimpered softly, arching into his touch, craving more as he laved her nipple with his tongue, licking and suckling softly. He hummed in pleasure, low and in the back of his throat and she arched further into him, her core nearly scalding him in her heat as she moved and her small, soft mewling like a symphony to his sensitive hearing.
As she arched further, he obligingly took more of her breast into his mouth, sucking harder on the nipple, only to inhale sharply through his nostrils as her fingertips brushed lightly at his straining erection. It was no more than a whisper of a touch, almost mistaken for the swirling of the water current against his manhood, but he felt it nonetheless. The next brush of her fingertips was a little for sure, a bit firmer, but still tentative. Softly she explored him, the feel and shape of him, nearly driving him mad, causing his inner demon to shudder in reaction, demanding unequivocally that this female was his, and he wanted her now. Ruthlessly he suppressed the raion, determined to go slowly and to not force anything on her.
But when she grasped him and firmly curled her fingers around him, all reasoning flew out the window. Leaving on arm supporting her head and back the other raced down her back and over her hip, teasing the skin of her inner thigh before moving on the to tiny bundle of nerves nestled safely between her feminine lips.
At his first stroke she groaned, rocking against his hand. In response she tightened her grip around him and stroked, pulling firmly at his length and brushing boldly over the tip of his erection with her thumb, lifting herself very slightly off of his thigh, allowing his hand access to her opening. His hand darted forward quickly, teasing her feminine lips briefly, earning another moan before darting to sink a digit into her warmth, reveling in the way her inner muscles grasped at his finger as he stroked her reverently.
His lips blazed a trail beck up her chest and over her neck even as he lifted her out of the springs and settled her on the soft grass, kissing her lovingly the whole time. He pulled his hand out of the warmth of her body and slid between her legs, positioning himself at her entrance. Her hands released his manhood to allow him to do so, and her arms snaked around his torso to grip his shoulders from behind. He groaned as his tip nudged the entrance to her womanhood, raising his eyes to meet hers.
Her hair was scattered in wild disarray around her, and her heavy black lashes fringed her eyes, which had darkened from a startling almost electric blue to a stormy blue-silver. “Are you sure?” He queried one last time, amazed at how ragged and rough his voice sounded. She blinked at him almost sleepily, and brought her legs up and around his hips in answer.
With a heartfelt moan that sounded suspiciously like a sob, even to his own ears, he captured her lips, thrusting into her simultaneously, catching her gasp and swallowing it as he rocked into her. Both of them froze for the space of a pair of heartbeats before resuming their rhythm, him rocking against her almost frantically, her returning his thrusts and then some, tearing her mouth from his and arching back, her mouth forming a trembling O of astonishment.
Grinning, he braced his forearms on the ground and grasped her shoulders from behind, driving into her, watching the expressions she made. He could feel his testicles slapping against her skin with the force of their thrusting, and he could feel her inner muscles clenching then releasing, causing a friction that would, very shortly, become orgasmic.
Her face was a sight to behold, he decided. Her lashes, long and thick and black as soot were clenched tightly over her eyes. Her lips were parted slightly and her breathing was erratic as she sought to drag enough oxygen into her lungs and meet their demand. Her throat swallowed convulsively and he could feel her womb tightening around him, coiling, poised for release.
‘Not soon enough.’ He though frantically as his own release pounded at him, and the raion roared, demanding satisfaction. On a growl, he removed one hand from her slender shoulders and sought the bundle between her legs even as his lips tugged firmly on her nipple once more.
She exploded. He could feel her release as her womb clamped down on him, her muscles convulsing, milking him as he stroked the nerves between her legs, allowing his mouth to leave her breast and look at her face to watch her release. Her neck arched in surrender, and her lips formed a trembling O as a low cry of satisfaction was torn from her throat.
Her release triggered his own and with a low, strangled growl, he emptied himself into
her, her spasming muscles milking him dry, leaving him breathless and panting as they
rode out the wave together. When it was finished, they collapsed against one another, chests heaving, straining for more oxygen as they’re exhausted bodies remained limp and supine. Raidon buried his face in the crook of her neck, inhaling the smell of their combined essences and the heat of their joining.
“You are amazing.” He purred contentedly, cuddling her close as he drifted off to sleep.
Shukumei said nothing, curled in his embrace, staring at the night sky, her thought whirling chaotically in her head.
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=- =-=-=-=-=-=-=-
The next few days brooked little change in his routine. He still spent time with Sesshomaru and Atoki, the three of them trying to figure out where they lost Rin at. He still conducted practice and drills with his soldiers, and he still harassed Hakashi.
But he didn’t see Shukumei. Everywhere he went he was looking for her, and sometimes he could smell her scent lingering in a room or office, but he never seemed to catch up to her, and he had a few questions he wanted answered. He saw Mitsuki a couple of times, and the head maid did indeed seem to be sulking about something, but whenever he asked, Shukumei was out running an errand, or somewhere else and wouldn’t be back for a while.
Why had she left him alone at the spring, afterwards? He had woken up alone, with his clothing covering his prone form and Skumumei’s scent lingering on the air, still there, but old enough to tell him that he had been alone for quite some time. He had bathed quickly and dressed, then returned, knowing he was going to wind up missing breakfast. When he had returned, he had suffered much ribbing from Atoki and a few soft chuckles from Hakashi, but in the end, he had gotten some leftovers as well as some information.
Hakashi, he mused, was a veritable fountain of knowledge. People didn’t often consider that the quiet demon had ears that were several ri long. Hakashi head everything, and saw almost as much as he heard. He was quiet and contemplative, easy to talk to, and was always ready with a pot of tea and a honeycomb for whoever needed a few mInutes to get something off their chest. And he didn’t hold what he knew over your head, or spread gossip either. If you needed to know something, he would tell you, and if you wanted to know something, he demanded your reasons for wanting to know it. Being Inu he could smell deceit on people, so no one could try to say they had an important reason, them use it to hurt another either.
And because of all this, people trusted him. He was everyone’s advisor, and counselor. Which is how Raidon found out that Shukumei had been telling the truth when she had said that she was nearly the last of her kind. Certainly she was the last of her clan, her previous kin having been slaughtered some centuries ago, when she was very young.
However, apparently the marauders had no taste for killing innocent children, so she and the four other children were used as helpers in their convoy. The infants such as Shukumei were given to surrogate mothers, women who could have no children of their own, and raised as part of the family.
Until they decided to try and take the Western Lands.
Sesshomaru had unmercifully slaughtered the entire clan, all except for the very young and the very old. Shukumei, who had been among the very small, no older than thirteen, had been conscripted as a worker for the fortress, along with her clan brothers and clan sister. The rest of the children from the convoy, humans, all of them, were sent to the village and placed amongst the human families there.
Her clan kin, Raidon discovered, were scattered now, one brother and sister leaving when they reached maturity and going off, one to find another clan on a southern island, the other whose fate had never been determined, just that he had…left. Of the two that remained, Shukumei remained a laundress, and the other brother was a warrior in Sesshomaru’s army. From what Raidon could deduce, neither particularly cared about the other, choosing instead to remain friendly but distant.
Not that he cared, he reminded himself. It was just…convenient that she had no other lovers than himself.
Now why couldn’t he find her?
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-
Rin sighed. Since discovering that she was carrying, nothing had been the same. It had been Sango who had first alerted her to the signs – the fatigue, the nausea, the lack of her monthly cycle. Once it had been mentioned, Rin often wondered why she hadn’t thought of it before. True, growing up primarily around males and small children had prevented any sort of knowledge of pregnancy and its symptoms, but Hakashi’s wife had explained the monthly cycles and what they meant, and she knew more than she ought to about sex from growing up in a dojo.
But no one had ever told her signs of pregnancy before. She had assumed that her cycle didn’t come because of the stress and upset in her routine, and had secretly thanked whoever was listening for it, because leaving a blood trail – even one that wasn’t especially obvious – would have made her that much easier to track. The fatigue she had brushed off too, putting it to traveling so much and sleeping in trees, which were less than comfortable under the best of circumstances.
The nausea she hadn’t been able to brush off. It came mostly in the mornings, occasionally during lunch, and almost never in the evening. At first she thought she had an illness – she was feeling sick – but couldn’t for the life of her figure out why certain smells made her so ill. Sango had first approached her about it, asking her if anything was wrong, then asking her to describe the symptoms. When she had very gravely suggested the idea of carrying, Rin’s world had somehow bottomed out from under her, her head vehemently denying the possibility even if her heart screaming that it felt right.
For a single earth-shattering, heart-stopping mInute, Rin had been afraid that Sango would want her to leave the village. After all, it was dangerous enough housing her here, but a baby as well…? When she had tentatively voiced that idea, Sango had looked at her blankly before laughing.
“Why would we want you to leave? You’re a decent fighter, and even if you can’t fight, you’ll still be a decent, able-bodied person.” She had stopped and studied Rin critically for a second, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. “How heartless do you think we are, that we would deny a pregnant woman our protection, and cast her out into uncertainty and inhospitable circumstances? Truly, we can protect you, and help you protect yourself, than any obscure little village will ever be capable of doing. Besides,” she had added wryly, “Inuyasha would surely have our heads for casting his sister and niece or nephew out.”
“But…”Rin choked over the words, pressing then unwillingly through her lips – they had to know the danger involved in keeping her here. “Sesshomaru…will surely come for me.”
Sango placed a hand on her shoulder, effectively halting her. “You’re safe here child.” She said with a firm finality. “And that’s that.”
And it was. When the fact that she was pregnant became public knowledge, no one cursed her, and she never heard anyone say that she was a burden. In fact, some of the older women, ones too old to have children or with grandchildren of their own already started helping her make small clothing and baby blankets, chattering excitedly about the birth and recalling the births of their own children and grandchildren.
Rin had expressed her amazement at the village’s unquestioning acceptance of her and her unborn hanyou child to Miroku, who had suddenly become very protective himself, and he had merely shrugged it off. “My Lady, you have to understand; the people gathered her, men and women, no matter what age they are or their stations in life are all warriors, or were warriors, and are dedicated to passing their knowledge on to a receptive audience. Most of them were outcasts from their home villages as well – women especially, since it’s not acceptable for a woman to do anything but cook, clean and provided sons.
“They were all outcasts, all rejects, all unaccepted and misunderstood. And because of their differences, they were able to band together when Sango and I started rebuilding the village. They are not without their petty differences and prejudices, but for the most part they are all good people.”
Rin ran her hands along the fort’s perimeter wall as she wondered on this phenomenon.
The wall, she noted, was high and well built, a testament to the renowned group of people’s will to survive and carry on. It had been made from trees, most of which had been downed in a storm, or had been growing in the area where the village had been built. They had been stripped of their branches and sharpened into points at the top, the planted into the earth and the cracks had been sealed with pitch and tar to keep the weather out. It was a very good wall, built to last for decades to come.
Rin’s musings were brought up short by a small kick in her middle. Reaching up with the hand that wasn’t touching the wall, she absently caressed her burgeoning stomach. “Shh. I know you’re getting cramped in there, but there’s no need for that. If you’re feeling a bit squished, you should hurry up and be old enough to come out, so I can finally see you.” She murmured as something constricted around her heart.
A baby. Three months later, she still couldn’t believe that she and Sesshomaru had created a child. What would he think if he knew?
‘He doesn’t need to. I was just a toy, remember? A whore. Good for nothing but his amusement.’
Still… ‘I guess I do have a reason to thank him though.’ After all, even if there was no father, or siblings, this baby would still be her family. A small, sad smile caressed Rin’s features at the thought.
“Oh, come on you two, you know who it is, open the bloody gates!”
Rin glanced up at the shouted statement, only to find that she had circled back around to the main gate, and glanced up at the guard house, located near the top of the wall, where two men stood grinning down at whoever was yelling.
Rin was puzzled. Miroku and Sango had gone on an extermination early this morning and Rin knew that the group wasn’t expected back until nearly dusk. The hunters had found the fall game to be particularly plentiful and had returned earlier. No one else should have been wandering around, but if a man was out there without an escort, he was well able to find the fort’s hidden location on his own.
Still chortling, the two men opened enough to allow the man to slip in. Immediately he turned around and started joking with the one who had climbed down to open the smaller door located on the lower portion of the large gate.
“Do you know where Sango’s at?” Rin heard him ask.
“I think she was with the group that went on an extermination this morning.” The guard said.
“She was.” Rin spoke up. The man turned to face her. Rin’s first impression of him was a deep sadness hidden by a gentle demeanor. Brow eyes shadowed by too much despair caught her own and held them, looking at her speculatively. Obsidian tresses casually caressed the tops of his shoulders, neither in a low tail nor a traditional top knot, a discreet defiance to society’s norms.
He was well built, in a lean sort of way, Rin noted. Broad powerful shoulders and a deep chest, which tapered down to a trim waist and hips, and the loose traveler’s pants couldn’t conceal that his legs were long and powerful. His whole demeanor was one of gentleness and patience, strength of character forged by too many sufferings and a will to survive despite the trials.
Rin cocked her head, studying the man again. Something in the small, shy smile he offered reminded her of someone. The spark of vulnerability in his eyes, however well-concealed, was also familiar.
Rin grinned.
“Hello Kohaku.”
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