InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sunset Love ❯ War Within ( Chapter 30 )

A/N - Another chapter done, Finally!! It took me forever to get this the way I wanted it. And I'd like to thank everyone for all the kind words and encouragement you've all given me. Hopefully I wont have to take another hiatus like the last one for a good long while.

 

Disclaimer- Nope done own them, but I live to torment them. :)

 

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Chapter 30 - War Within

 

Tanaka pushed herself as far into the corner as her lithe body would allow her to go as the roar of pure rage rattled the stone walls of her master's keep. Dust fell from the rafters overhead to cover the quivering panther in a layer of fine silt but she was too afraid to move in order to brush it away. She could not remember a time when she had seen him as angry as he was at this moment and terror gripped her heart.

 

Sprawled halfway across the room was the unlucky fool who had brought the disastrous news. His body lay limp and lifeless against the support pillar that the Master had thrown him against with enough force to shatter every bone in the youkai's body and crack the ancient stones the fortress had been constructed from. The silken clothing, once lordly in design, lay in a shredded array around the body.

 

The sounds of rending flesh followed the swish of silk and Tanaka could only clench her eyes closed tightly and press her face against the wall as the Master feasted upon the cooling flesh of the messenger. It was not often that she was in attendance when the master fed but in his anger he had seemed to forget her entirely. A small whimper of fear threatened to escape and she was forced to press her hands against her mouth in order to suppress it.

 

Slow, antagonizing minutes ticked by while she listened with a mix of fear and morbid fascination to the snarling beast that was her beloved Master. In this state he was truly to be feared and she hoped that he would take no notice of her.

 

“Those fools!” his voice was no more then a deep guttural snarl when it came and Tanaka shivered in fear. She knew that when the messenger had brought word not only of the miko's return but the added men from the Southern Lord that her Master would be angry but she had never expected him to react like this. It was when the unlucky demon had made mention of Lord Kisho's mother that the Master had went into a boiling rage. She could not understand why this would upset his usually cold, calculating nature but she dare not venture to ask when he was like this. It would only mean her death would follow that of the messenger.

 

After a time, the noises ended and blessed silence descended on the room broken only by the sounds of his clothing as he paced. His anger still permeated the air around them as his powerful youki licked along her senses and she knew that he would not be appeased anytime soon.

 

When his footfalls stopped suddenly behind her, Tanaka did her best to shrink more into the corner then ever before. Her trembling body betraying the fear she felt and she knew that her scent reeked of it. But when the killing blow did not come she ventured to look up at her Master.

 

He stood there, a vision of death, with blood dripping from his chin. The once elegant black stripes that adored his cheeks were thick, jagged slashes and his eyes had bled crimson. His clothing was spattered with the gore from his feast yet there seemed to be an almost soothing calm about him that made the panther demon even more afraid.

 

“It is time I reminded them just who the dominant male is,” he snarled down at her, blood-flecked spittle settling against her fur and combining with the dust. “That woman has interfered with my plans for the last time. Take word to my generals, now is the time to march against the Western Lands.”

 

“Yes Master, as you command Master,” Tanaka cowered before him. Pressing her head to the floor in a show of utter submission. Another snarl sent her scurrying from the room as fast as she could crawl, anxious to be away from those deadly claws.

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It wasn't often that Sesshomaru could step into his private study with a light heart and an almost carefree feeling, but this morning was different. After having taken breakfast with his beautiful mate, he had excused himself in the call of duty. There were mounds of paperwork, letters, and maps that awaited his attention and he felt almost eager to be done with it in order to return to Kagome's side.

 

Alone, where no one could see him, Sesshomaru allowed a smile to grace his lips as he thought over the earlier morning. Kagome had come to him of her own free will and had asked him to teach her of things he had been certain that she would be fearful of. As always she had surprised him by neither showing fear nor harboring any resentment over his unintentional wrongdoings. When asked, she merely gave him that radiant smile and calmly told him that she'd had a month to come to terms with what had occurred. He wasn't certain if that was what kept the fear at bay or if it was his own willingness to show her his more gentle side.

 

Maybe it was a combination of things, things that really only Kagome could define. She was as always an enigma to him and while he was overjoyed that she was all his, Sesshomaru was certain that there would always be surprises in store for him where she was concerned. The guilt that had been eating away at him since the start of this whole mess was noticeably absent. He had her to thank for that.

 

Her loving nature and willingness to forgive almost every fault had won him over again and again. Now he just prayed that nothing would come between then and this newfound happiness that had eluded him all his life.

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Kagome sat in the beautiful rose alcove that Rin had so lovingly created. The last time she had been here was the night that Sesshomaru had unintentionally poisoned her yet she could not seem to find it in her to stay away. Here she felt at peace even though Shippo and Rin were with her. The two of them had become close in the time she had been unable to return through the Well, as close as brother and sister could be even though they were both from different races. Neither of them seemed to mind the drastic differences and it made her even happier to know that something of her must have rubbed off on them somewhere along the way.

 

She watched with amusement as Shippo created an illusion of himself as a child and sent it skipping around the leafy enclosure with ever bit as much enthusiasm as he held had when he was small. Rin's peals of laughter mixed easily with those of her bother when the illusionary kit stuck it's tongue out at her before making one of the scrunched up faces he always seemed to be making as a child. Another poof of magic joined with the first as Rin's younger self appeared next to the kit.

 

In a way, Kagome thought it was almost like watching a home movie as both illusionary children raced around the garden in a game of tag. It was something straight from her son's happier memories of those times when they use to chase after Naraku.

 

“I cannot believe I actually wore my hair up like that!” Rin laughed as she watched the ponytail she had worn as a child. It bobbed right along with the bouncing child as she tried desperately to tag her Kitsune brother.

 

“You?” Shippo laughed. “I didn't give up that bow until I was thirteen! No wonder Mama and Sango always said I looked so cute. I could have been mistaken for a girl!”

 

“You both were such a handful,” Kagome smiled as she looked lovingly at the two illusions. Sometimes she wished they were still that little, in a way she missed being able to tuck them into the bedroll the two had shared after Sesshomaru joined their group. It had taken forever to convince the stoic lord that no harm would come to the small girl before he had allowed it. He did not at first trust the Kit's intentions toward his ward but in time Kagome's persistence had once again won out with a little compromise on both ends.

 

Sesshomaru had allow Rin to share the sleeping back with Shippo only so long as Au-Un was allowed to close by. Kagome had only been too happy to allow the dragon youkai watch over her son as well as the little girl because she knew that he was a fierce protector. It was a decision she has never regretted and it also allowed the two to form some sort of sibling bond.

 

Now Kagome happily watched the two that had grown so close during those earlier times as they sat beside her and laughed at the antics of their illusionary selves. They had grown into strong young adults that would always have each other to rely on when no one else as around. She just wished she had been there to watch them grow up.

 

Her rebellious stomach rolled again and she tried to discreetly press one hand against it. Kagome had been feeling ill most of the day and even though she had had a healthy appetite at breakfast she'd later regretted it. Even now poor Jaken must be seeking a healer's thoughts on the matter as he had been the unfortunate witness once again to her using one of the expensive vases in the hallway to unload the vile contents of her stomach. He had wanted to send for his master immediately but knowing just how much work needed attending to, Kagome made the small toad promise not to disturb Sesshomaru. Of course her mate would probably be upset with her about not being informed but she wouldn't hear of it since he already knew that she was feeling these things.

 

Kagome had spent some time with her father after that, asking him various questions about Inuyoukai and their abilities. She wanted to know if he too had poison like Sesshomaru did or if he could transform into a large dog.

 

When Kisho had explained that, yes, he too could transform into the large dog and weld various poisons but nowhere near as strong as Sesshomaru's, she had smiled happily. Apparently, her mate was the only one to be able to use the acid whip or be able to form the light orb that she had had a chance to witness on one occasion back in her shard hunting days. Her father had said that most all Inuyoukai welded the poisonous saliva that she had seen melt through bone in the Inu no Taisho's tomb. He also explained that Sesshomaru did not sport a tail choosing instead to channel his youki to create the mokomoko whereas he preferred to channel the extra energy into his tail. Kisho had almost laughed when he told her it helped to keep him warmer at night with the silky fur wrapped around him instead of the plush pelt. They had talked about a great many of things during her visit.

 

When the war council had once again assembled Kagome had plead to not feeling so well and instead of going back into that stuffy hall with all the important people she had escaped to this spot instead with her children for company. Being there would have only made her feel worse with so many scents combined and she was thankful that they had let her out of it. Here the smell of roses and greenery seemed to sooth some of the sickness she had been experience though it did not completely alleviate it.

 

Her mind turned back to earlier that morning and Kagome couldn't help the small smile that touched her lips. She had not expected for that to happen, not yet anyhow. Everything she had experienced before had made her almost afraid of that moment but when she had woken up in Sesshomaru's arms everything just felt so right. There had been no fear like she had been expecting, no hint of hesitation or apprehension. Nothing she had expected to happen happened.

 

Instead, Kagome had never felt safer in her entire life. She felt loved and wanted, not for who she reminded someone of but for her own unique personality. Maybe it was the dream of the happy family she had had prior to waking up or maybe it was due to the increased longing of wanting to be held by Sesshomaru. Whatever it had been she was just thankful that she had not felt fear.

 

Kagome closed her eyes tightly as another wave of nausea rolled over her. A strange tightening in her stomach almost made it difficult but she finally managed to suppress the urge to rush for the concealment of the bushes. Her limbs felt almost as if they weighed a ton but she shrugged it of as being part of the illness she had been feeling lately. Maybe if she went inside and lay down for a while she would feel better. It was she was trying to decide whether or not she wanted to pursue this line of thought when she became aware of something else. Something dark hung in the air around her and she kept her eyes closed for a while as she tired to use her senses to determine its cause.

 

Suddenly, Kagome's eyes snapped open and she surged to her feet startling the two teens beside her. Just as Shippo was about to ask what was wrong she waved him to be quite. This was something he had not seen her do since their shard hunting days and it was almost as if she were somehow trying to detect the direction the shard was coming from.

 

Satisfied that what she was feeling was accurate she turned determined eyes toward her children. “Rin, as fast as you can, go to the meadow and gather Kohaku and the children. Tell Sango and Inuyasha to gather the others and prepare for battle, then take the children to your father's study and strengthen the barrier. Do not let anyone in besides anyone from our old shard hunting days. Kohaku must help you protect them.”

 

Kagome turned her eyes to Shippo then, “Go inform the generals in the barracks that we have a large surge of demonic power coming in quickly and they seemed to be cloaked in some kind of barrier to hide them from our sentinels. They will not see them in time to sound the alarms. Now go quickly.”

 

Even as her wide-eyed children scurried away to do what she had told them to do, Kagome steeled herself to do what she knew had to be done. There was no time to inform those shut up in the war council but she knew that someone had to send word to them. It was only as her restless eyes fell on Jaken as he berated one of the servants that she knew she was in luck.

 

“Jaken!” She called hurrying toward him as he turned fearful eyes upon his Lady. Quickly he was prostrate on the ground murmuring the many humble apologies and begging for forgiveness for any imagined wrong doing that he so often did to Sesshomaru that Kagome had a hard time suppressing the small quirk to her lips that the scene brought. But she had not time for such foolishness because every minute was needed in order to ensure the castle was prepared for the onslaught that was headed it's way. She had to get to the outside troops and prepare them for what was about to happen.

 

“Knock it off Jaken.” She glared down at him a moment before motioning him to follow her. Once she was certain he had fallen into step she continued with her instructions. “There is a large force of demons headed this way and something seems to be cloaking them. The outlaying guards may not notice them until it's too late to sound the alarm. I need you to get word to Sesshomaru and the others in the council. Our time is short, Jaken you have to hurry.”

 

“B…b...but my Lady, no one can interrupt the council,” Jaken stammered afraid that what she asked would bring down the wrath of his lord on his head.

 

“Jaken trust me, when Sesshomaru hears what's happening he'll only be too grateful to reward such a wonderfully loyal servant as yourself.” Kagome smiled down at the worried toad demon. “Besides, just think of how angry he'll be if the castle gets attacked and you said nothing to warn him.”

 

That got his attention and stammering he set off in the opposite direction to do exactly as she told him to do. Kagome knew he'd hurry with the threat of his lord's displeasure lingering over his head.

 

A tiny smile touched Kagome's lips as she hurried through the castle and out the interior doors. It took almost no time for her to reach the outer gate and she prepared herself to do a verbal battle with the gate guards. She might be the acknowledged Lady of the West but that did not mean they would shirk in their duty to protect what was Sesshomaru's.

 

Imagine Kagome surprise when she came face to face with the young bull youkai that she had first met in the dojo. Shuri leaned against the guardhouse, a bored expression on his youthful features. When he saw her, he smiled brightly but when the bull noticed the look on her face he groaned aloud. It was the very same determined look she had held when she had awoken from the poison's effects and left him with little choice but to carry her down to the council room. Though he was secretly grateful to her for forcing his hand he still knew that that determination boded ill for him.

 

“Shuri, open the gates for me. I must speak with the Southern Commanders,” Kagome barked out the order sharply making the bull demon do a double take. “Well just don't stand there, this is a matter of grave importance.”

 

Jumping into action the bull began pushing the gate open for her eager to please the Western Lady. Only her next words paused his actions and he snapped around to look at the lady in shock, the partially open gate forgotten.

 

“Once I'm outside I want you to shut the gate and make certain no one goes out or in until the time is just right. You need to spread the word throughout the guards that a great force of demonic energy is traveling our way at a fast speed. Gather the men together and prepare for battle. I'm going to prepare the Southern army for the press. Get the Western Troops ready to switch out the minute we fall back. Oh, and tell them not to sound the alarm, lets get the enemy a false sense of security.” Kagome told him as she stepped pasted the stunned demon toward the open gate. She looked back at him with sad eyes and gave him a gentle smile. “This is the real deal, Shuri. Make certain you don't get yourself killed. We still have a sparing date and I would hate to find out that you won't be up to it.”

 

Numbly, Shuri nodded and once she was outside he quickly sealed and locked the door. Calling to another guard to take his place, the bull demon quickly explained the situation and hurried off toward the barracks. His superiors would know how to better deal with this situation.

 

Outside the gate, Kagome quickly asked one of the passing soldiers where she could find Hayashi or Iyashii. Once she got the direction, she nodded her thanks with a quick word of warning. She told the soldier that he needed to spread the word that all were to be geared up and ready for whatever was coming their way. Leaving the soldier to do as told him, Kagome made her way to the commander's tent where Hayashi was currently going over a large map spread across one of the makeshift tables.

 

When he sensed her presence, Hayashi looked up from his work with a smile at the unexpected visit of the lady Miko. The look froze when he noticed the determined set to her features and her quick glances toward the outer lying ring of trees around the castle.

 

“Get your men ready, Hayashi. There's a large demonic force coming our way.” Kagome said quickly as she moved toward the table. Somehow she had gone from the fun loving miko to one whose very presence commanded attention. A hardened glint in her eyes told the demon that she was already to do battle.

 

“The alarm has not yet sounded, Lady Kagome. How can you be so certain of this?” Hayashi asked as he picked up the sword that was lying beside him.

 

“I sense the flow of the demonic energies and it's huge,” She replied quickly. There was a lot to do with little time to do it in and she wasn't exactly certain what was going to happen. “Something's blocking their auras, I doubt the alarm will sound until it's too late.”

 

Kagome went on to quickly explain that word was spreading inside the castle with the hope of them being ready. She also told him that those soldiers who were outside the gate would have to take the first wave when it hit and that if all went well they could fall back into the castle while the Western troops surged forward. Since the Southern Army was comprised of mostly humans and lower youkai it would be battle for their lives and with her not knowing exactly what was coming she couldn't give him more information.

 

Once the situation was explained they jumped into action, Hayashi sending out commands and explaining the situation to Iyashii once the Inuyoukai was emerged from one of the other tents.

 

Within the hour every soldier was prepared as best they could be, though to all outward appearances they seemed to be nothing more then soldiers milling about while they waited for someone to come bark commands at them. Many were being drilled in the outlaying areas around the camp though every man or demon was on high alert.

 

Inside the castle was much the same activity as demon and human alike scrambled to their stations in preparation for the inevitable to occur. Many of them were lined up just outside in the outer courtyards ready to spill forward the moment the command was issued.

 

Though everything was in readiness, Kagome was as nervous as she could get. One hand pressed tightly against her stomach as it rolled and buckled under the wave of nausea that filled her. It was not the time to be sick, she kept telling herself over and over again.

 

When the enemy first appeared it was far more then she expected. Youkai of every size, shape, and form came rushing toward them in what seemed to be nothing but a sheer wall of demonic bodies. The mass was even bigger then anything Naraku had sent at them all those years ago and Kagome feared for her friends.

 

Huge ogre-like Oni shook the ground with each step they took while writhing bodies, slithered their way along the ground and through the air around them. Kagome could see the bloodlust in the demons' eyes and she felt her stomach roll again. Gripping the bow that one of the soldiers had given her, she raised it and let fly a single arrow glowing with the purity of her aura.

 

The arrow, straight to its course, cut a path through the descending demons. Flesh burned away and ash reigned down as demons exploded in the arrows wake. But where they fell others were there to take their place and those on the outside were soon overcome. The sounds of swords rang sharply in the fading light as several were forced to take their true forms in order to battle against the larger demons.

 

Chaos erupted as the two sides sets upon each other and in the castle walls the alarms were sounded. As the Southern troops were being pushed back toward the walls, the Western troops were preparing.

 

On the battlements, Kikyo, Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, and Kisho watched in silence. Each one worried for their friend who had once again put herself in harms way. Sesshomaru was taken it the hardest as he worried for his mate. He should be out there fighting to protect her not waiting patiently on the battlements the Southern troops reeled the usurpers army toward the gate.

 

At first Sesshomaru had cursed her stupidity, but as he thought on her idea he began to see the brilliance of it. It would allow those who were injured or suffered from exhaustion to retreat while fresher soldiers would be allowed to surge to the front. He just wished she wouldn't have been one of those who caught the first wave. She had not been feeling very well lately and he worried that a moment of illness would leave her vulnerable.

 

As the enemy moved toward those outside the walls, many held their breath at the sheer force the enemy showed. Even those who could not see what they were up against felt the massive surge of auras that pulsed from the usurpers armies. This caused a nervous wave to fill the courtyard below as some of the untested soldiers shifted nervously in place.

 

Outside the battle was heating up, the soldiers outside were pressed back toward the wall and just when all seemed lost, the gates were flung open to allow those inside to surge out. Those who could no longer do battle fell back into the safety of the castle gate once an opening presented itself.

 

Kagome was doing her best to hold back the sheer force of her nausea in the face of the enemy but a pain growing in her stomach was beginning to make itself known each time the wave of sickness hit. Twice she stumbled when the wave hit and only the quick thinking of those surrounding her kept her from falling to the enemy's weapons. A small battalion of Southern soldiers had surrounded her trying to open a pathway toward the gates for her but soon they found themselves surrounded by the enemy.

 

“Oi, wench, what the hell are you doing out here.” Inuyasha's disapproving growl sounded almost like heaven to Kagome's ears as the pain almost doubled her over again.

 

Unable to answer, Kagome groaned as the pain swept through her bringing a strange tightening of her muscles in its wake. Her eyes clenched shut and she pressed a hand against her mouth to keep from throwing up in the midst of battle. Suddenly she felt a clawed hand wrap around her waist and draw her tightly to a well-muscled body.

 

Only the fact that years of being pressed to that same body during days of long hard travel stopped her from screaming in fright but when said body roughly pushed off the ground into the air she could no longer be quite. She screamed, not from fear but pain and buried her face into the comforting shoulder of her best friend. Tears gathered in her eyes, her body trembling violently from the stress of the change her body was going through.

 

Inuyasha could hardly believe what he had seen when he had jumped at a particularly nasty slug youkai when he noticed that Kagome was in a lot of trouble. Slashing through the youkai with little effort, he hurriedly switched direction and landed right in the middle of the soldiers that had surrounded his friend. He was just about to yell at her for her own stupidity when he caught sight of her pinched features and the sickly pallor of her skin. His words died on his lips and he pulled her to him tightly as he pushed off the ground.

 

High on the battlements, Kikyo was shooting her miko arrows in an attempt to keep the flying youkai from gaining access to the castle. Around her she could hear the twang of bowstrings as more arrows were released into the sky. A sudden flash of red caught her attention and quickly she took aim waiting until she could be certain if whatever made the flash was friend or foe. Seeing that it was her mate, she was about to turn back to the battle when she noticed that he was carrying Kagome.

 

Worry darkened her eyes as she turned to see him land just inside the courtyard, placing the struggling woman on her feet. Her eyes widen minutely when said woman hurried behind one of the wagons pushed off to the side and the sounds of retching reached her sensitive ears. A small frown touched her lips as she quickly jumped down from the wall and hurried over to where Inuyasha was standing. Amber eyes met chocolate orbs with silent concern before turning back to the woman who had finally emerged from behind the wagon.

 

“Kagome do you wish for me to summon the healer?” Kikyo asked softly as she neared the younger woman.

 

“No, I'll be alright in a minute,” Kagome tried to give her an encouraging smile but it wavered as she stumbled forward. Inuyasha was there instantly to grip her elbow. She gave him a grateful look before squeezing her eyes shut again.

 

“That settles it, your going to see someone whether you like it or not,” Inuyasha growled out and swept her up in his arms. Determinedly, he set off toward the castle ignoring the weak protests of his best friend.

 

Kikyo watched him go a small frown marring her beautiful face. Something seemed off about Kagome but she couldn't exactly put her finger on what it was. The younger miko's powers seemed to be fluctuating as if it were trying to burst free from the confines of control.

 

She was distracted from her musing when a strange acidic smell reached her nose and she was drawn in the direction of the wagon that Kagome had ducked behind when Inuyasha had let her down the first time. What she saw there made her eyes widen dramatically and she turn and ran after her mate.

 

“Inuyasha,” She yelled out to get his attention as she hurried to catch up to him. When he slowed his steps slightly she knew he had heard her. “We have to get her to the meadow, it'll be safer there!”

 

“But Kikyo…” he began but one glare of warning from her stopped the words in his throat. His mate knew something and from the looks of it explanations would only come after he had done what he was told to do.

 

“Listen to her Inuyasha,” Kagome pleaded weakly from the safety of his arms. She groaned again as the pain flowed from her stomach through her entire body and she knew that whatever was happening was only going to get worse in a matter of minutes. Hoping that Kikyo knew what was going to happen even if she didn't, she put her trust in the instincts of the demon Miko.

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A/N- I sooo live to torment Kagome! Hehehe… Ahh well.. Hopefully I'll get the next chapter out to you soon and wont keep you in suspense for too long. Love yas!!