InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Arigatou Project ❯ Nebride ( Chapter 6 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

A/N: Okay! Now for something a little... well, not really different. This is a classic love story, told over and over again throughout time and history. I have borrowed it and made it my own for the nefarious purpose of pleasing my beloved friend Nebride.

Two things:

1.) The wedding practices described in this are actually dated from about the fourteenth century, not the ninth BC when this story actually takes place. I couldn't find any reliable sources for the really really ancient practices, so made do with the earliest ones I could find. The one I chose, fourteenth century Shinto wedding, fit my purposes for this story best. So the historical discrepancy doesn't bother you history buffs, just pretend that demon practices are waaayyyy ahead of human ones. Their customs are different anyway, so it's not too much of a stretch. I hope.

2.) This is actually a side story to my larger Inuyasha epic, 'Once Upon an Inuyoukai.' The first italicized portion is actually an excerpt from Chapter 6 of that, and continues on from it. If you aren't following that story, then some of this won't make sense to you. For instance, Ryuunomei and his brother Ryuukotsusei are the main 'villains' of the other story. It's still readable, though, so don't let that put you off!

Without further ado, on with this tale of tragedy, woe, and romance. Yay. I hope you like this, Nebride! I love you!

OooooooooooooooooooO

Thank You # 6: Nebride

Show: Inuyasha

Pairing: Inupapa/Sessmom (Inutaisho/Mai)

Scenario: All she really said was that she wanted it to be romantic. :grins:

Lemon: No. I probably will eventually write some smut for them, but this is PG-13 for some violence.

Irony was a funny thing.

The situation went like this: just as he'd finally made up his mind to want her after all, the world turned right around and smirking, balked him again in the opposite direction.

He thought back to when they'd met, promised blindly to each other and resentful of their captivity to duty.

He smoldered in not-so-silent fury, glaring into his tall father's cold, narrowed eyes. "I was to choose! You promised I could choose my own mate, when the time came! Why have you broken your promise? And why her? You know I've never liked her, or her family. I don't understand!"
He was young, and volatile, and only just beginning to be allowed to make decisions for himself. That the privilege had been taken away so soon without explanation rankled more than a little.
"What about Umira? You know I only want her. I love her. She loves me. She'll be devastated if I'm forced to marry someone else."
His father's impassive face infuriated him.
"Answer me!"
The great golden eyes narrowed. "Do not be an idiot," the great demon lord bit out. "First, duty comes before love for the taiyoukai. If we are to avoid war with the Iruka clan, this match is desperately needed. Secondly, you do not 'love' your little half-breed toy. She is not pureblood inuyoukai, being tainted with wolfblood, therefore she is not suitable for you. You have had your fun. Now it is time to be a man." The tall silver form turned in the light from the open shoji. "Do not disappoint me with any more foolish rantings. You are my son. Do me proud."
Tears of frustration burned in Inutaisho's eyes, but he fiercely held them back as he watched his father leave and slide the shoji shut behind him. Then he let them flow, but only for a moment. Taiyoukai did not weep.
The shadow beyond the door paused.
"She is waiting in the courtyard. Do your duty."
Inutaisho angrily dashed the wetness off his cheeks and stood, muscles clenched. "Very well, Father. Your will be done."
The fury was still there in his voice, but controlled.
Inumaru lingered a moment longer, then moved off. A silent Inutaisho followed sullenly into the bright sunlight of the courtyard. He blinked a moment, and then his eyes focused and he saw her for the first time since they had both been children.
Gentle, honey coloured eyes regarded him calmly from beneath a thin veil.
Suddenly, all his ranting seemed childish and selfish. She stood with perfect grace, endless silver hair cloaking her shoulders, indistinguishable with the flowing white gown she wore. There were five freckles on her right cheek, but that was her only imperfection. If they could even be called imperfections, that was: even they seemed to contribute to the glory of the whole.
His eyes met hers... and Umira and his 'love' for her became distant, painless memories.
Had there ever been a time when he did not love this goddess? It was more that her physical perfection-- Umira had that too, all high-level youkai did. It was the golden light in her eyes, the tranquillity and warmth that flowed from them, and the deep pool of mischievous energy that lay behind the serenity. It was the way she stood, so sure of herself without being arrogant. It was the way she looked at him without the hatred that might rightfully have been there. It was the way she just was, without any falsity or deception.
"My lady Mai," he greeted her quietly. The expanse of courtyard between them had vanished, once upon a somewhen. He lifted her slim, unblemished hand and pressed his lips to it. "Have you been well?" Words. Stupid, meaningless, polite words.
She nodded and thanked him, but her voice was a silver rushing in his ears.

His goddess. His beautiful woman-child, his lady of corn.

A month.

That's how long the universe had allowed him to bask in the glory of his bright new future, before yanking it out from under his feet. Irony was a funny, cruel thing.

He lifted the scrolled missive and slowly read it again, disbelieving.

We write with the gravest news and heavy hearts.

Princess Mai's elder sister Mirei has recently passed away due to a lingering illness which finally overcame her. Certain circumstances surrounding her death require that her younger sister assume her duties in her stead. Unfortunately, this means that her engagement to your son Inutaisho must be broken. This is truly regrettable for both of us, however it must be done.

With deepest apologies,

Iruka Pobei,
Aide to Lord Iruka.

The translation of the verbose missive was this: Mirei had been promised in a crucial alliance with the Lord of the East, and her death meant that Mai had to go in her stead to marry the Eastlord. The great family of the West was powerful, but as close kin of theirs not so much of a threat as the East was, and maintaining peace with them took precendence beyond a doubt.

His lovely wife-to-be was now promised to another. He fought the urge to shred the missive into ragged shreds, find her, and steal her away to live in the mountains as a hermit with him. We'd have a garden, and whatever I could catch with my claws... and weave blankets of our shed fur for the winter... Stop. There is no point to this train of thought.

The only thing that stopped him was the knowledge of what would happen to her if he did so. If she refused to marry the Eastlord and absconded with him, she would be hunted down, shamed, and most likely either imprisoned or executed. Her rank lay across her slim shoulders like massive iron chains, threatening to break her if she did not move where they directed her.

Agonized, he chewed on his knuckles and stared sightlessly at the off-white scroll and its harsh black slashes of ink.

Over the past few weeks they'd spent a lot of time together, learning the contours of each other and planning a future together. A typical day involved them eating breakfast together, then wandering up to the shores of their favourite hidden mountain lake and talking the day away until the gathering darkness forced them to return. They would bring picnic lunches and dinners and eat whenever they felt hungry, content in each other's company.

The blazing shine of love-at-first-sight had faded, but been replaced with something much more satisfying. They knew now that they enjoyed each other's presence, and knew also that they would be able to live a life of several millennia together peacefully. It was a wonderful thing to understand.

Then, just when they had finally come to terms with everything their obligations had thrown at them, this had happened.

Behind him, he heard the shoji slide quietly open and powerful footsteps cross the floor. A strong hand descended onto his shoulder.

"Father," Inutaisho greeted flatly. Flat, flat, flat as missive written on a sheet of rice-paper.

"You will accept this," Inumaru said behind him in a deep, threatening voice. "You will do nothing. Do you understand me?"

"Perfectly."

"Then you will let this go?"

Inutaisho turned around and met his father's narrow eyes. He said nothing.

Inumaru growled. "If you do anything, anything at all, I will disown you."

Silence.

The warlord snarled and stalked out. Inutaisho listened to him go and didn't care. Even if he had wanted to do something, what could he possibly do that would not endanger Mai?

And yet, he could not bear the thought of losing her to the cold dragons of the East. She would wither there, like a rose in shadow, denied the sun. The East was not a place for such as her. Away from his side was no place for her, period.

She belongs with me.

All of a sudden, the four thin walls of his room were far too small to hold him. He catapulted from his chair into a dead run, slamming the shoji aside and fleeing the compound of his ancestral home without a backwards glance.

At first he did not know where he was going. His feet did, however, and he soon found himself on the shores of their lake, staring glassily at the unruffled surface of the water. I cannot let this pass unanswered. And yet, what can I do?

His father had already seemed to accept the slight of the broken engagement, perhaps out of fear of an attack against him from the East. In any case, Inutaisho knew he would receive no aid from that quarter. Not that he ever had before.

He could not stomach the thought of thousands of years of life spent with anyone else, and could bear even less the thought of her spending those thousands of years in the arms of another. He was viciously jealous and did not care what others might think of his possessiveness. She is mine! But... ah, but. There is always a 'but.'

Inutaisho sat down on the grassy bank and sank his head into his hands.

VvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvV

Earlier

OoooooooooooO

If father finds out, I am a dead woman, Mai thought fearfully. For the thousandth time that hour, she checked the glamour that concealed her features and made her look like a mere servant man, a messenger of no great importance. As it had been every other time, the lumpy, nondescript face was firm and unwavering. Nobody could possibly have seen that the ugly runner-servant was actually the beautiful Princess Mai.

The purpose of this elaborate disguise? Mai was going home to the arms of her love, and no such paltry thing as duty or laws or filial piety were going to stop her. They were destined for each other, and that was that. No arguments.

It never occurred to her that she was naive, or that her plan was sketchy and full of holes. It certainly never crossed her mind that any others might suffer because of her decision. Mai was a princess-- thinking of the wellbeing of others was not her strong point.

That was not to say she was a selfish person. She was in fact very giving and kind whenever the situation arose. She just did not know how to look ahead at the long term consequences. This shortcoming of hers would cause a great deal of misery, for herself and for everyone involved with her. At the moment, however, she was blissfully unaware of any of this.

Time to go.

Slinging her supply bag over her shoulder casually as she had seen the other mailmen do, she sauntered towards the castle gates. Please don't notice. Please just let me through.

The guard stopped her.

Mai thought she might drop dead of terror. "G'morning," she slurred, careful to disguise her cultured palace accent.

The guard peered at her face scrutinizingly. "Are you new? I've never seen your face before."

She nodded. "Hired special to carry this," she said, bumping the sack on her shoulder. "Seems it's important. Goin' to the West, it is."

"Ah, I think I know what that is," the guard said with a dark grin. "They're not going to be very happy about that at all, now are they."

Suddenly, she found herself fighting off the urge to either cry or slap him. The contents of the missive were well known to her, as the concerned her and had been written because of her sister's death. His callous attitude grated on her. However, she had a mission and would not allow his cruel attitude to ruin it before it even began.

She forced herself to laugh. "Yeah, they'll be spittin' splinters for the next decade. Poor bastards."

Laughing, the guard waved her through. "Go on, then. Far be it from me to delay that letter!"

Mai tipped her conical hat at the guard and ambled out. The gate closed behind her.

Elation filled her. I did it! I'm out!

The horizon stretched out before her, inviting. The walk to the castle of the dog demons was a long four days. She was a sheltered girl who had never walked further than a few miles at once. She could transform and travel much faster if she wanted to, but word of an enormous silver dog galloping through the fields would give her away in seconds. It was essential that she maintain her disguise.

That meant walking the many leagues. She would be a mass of blisters and sore muscles at the end, but it was a risk she was willing to take.

I'm coming, Inutaisho, she thought quietly. I hope this won't hurt you too badly. If it could be helped, I would, but it can't. You need to know.

OooooooooooO

She had met her second obstacle-- the guards at the dog palace. She was utterly exhausted and in sheer agony from her bleeding feet. "New boots," she murmured wanly as they stared suspiciously at her feet.

"For a messenger, you look pretty worn out. You new at this?"

"Yes, a little," she said truthfully. "I met some trouble on the road, too, and these bloody new boots are chewin' my feet off. You got a place where I can lay me down for a few?"

"What have you got in the bag?" the hard-eyed soldier asked.

"Message for the lord of this here castle. It's important."

Apparently she got the tone of the reply just right, because the guard seemed to hear an undertone to her voice that made him snap to attention. "Give it to me, then, and you go rest. The barracks are right over there."

I know, she resisted saying. I know every inch of this compound. I was here just last week. "Thanks," she muttered, shoved the scroll into the guard's hands, and stumbled off towards the barracks.

She had to give Inutaisho time to read the missive and run for the lake, so she had time to rest her body. Gratefully she sank onto the closest free pallet she could find and closed her eyes.

OooooooO

It was several hours later when she awoke, and the sun was sliding helplessly down the outside curve of the sky.

Panicked, she checked the glamour, and was relieved to find it still firmly in place. Setting her hat firmly back on her head, she raced on screaming feet for the forest outside the compound.

I won't marry Ryuunomei. I won't! He's so cold and impersonal... and I sense cruelty in him. I know it's a betrayal of my family, but I just can't! I want to be with Inutaisho. He's a good alliance too, and the one I was promised to in the very beginning anyway. He's supposed to have me. So why shouldn't he? Why should he get short-changed just because my father sees fit?

Deep down, she knew she was being selfish, but didn't really care. Selfishness was not always a negative thing-- she was a living being, and giving her entire life to a loveless marriage merely for political convenience was too great a sacrifice to ask in these peaceful times. There was little danger of a war anyways-- they did not really need such a strong bond between the lands. Another daughter of lesser rank would suffice.

Or so she told herself, repeating it over and over again in her mind to chase away her lingering doubts about the rightness of what she was doing.

Every step through the untamed forest of the foothills was tearing agony to her feet and ragged muscles. She stumbled every second step, barely conscious. The glamour, however, stayed firmly in place. Not until she was all the way there would she risk letting it down. Not until!

VvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvV

He was so lost in thought and deliberation, he did not even hear the person's approach until they-- he-- was nearly upon him.

"Inutaisho," he rasped exhaustedly.

He rocketed to his feet and stared at the swaying figure in consternation. It was a ragged messenger, obviously exhausted and in much pain. What was he doing up there? Inutaisho was fairly certain nobody but him knew of the location of the little lake. That, combined with the lack of an honorific, alerted him that something was up.

"Who are you?" he barked. "What do you want?"

The man stared at him blankly. "Inutaisho...?"

"And why do you call me so familiarly?" he snarled, hand falling on the hilt of his short dagger. He sensed no danger from the man, but felt better when he had a weapon in his hand regardless.

"Don't you... recognize me?" The man sounded desolate and confused.

Inutaisho was just as confused. "Recognize you? A messenger boy from a foreign castle? Why would I?"

Suddenly, light dawned on his face and the man launched into a shocking array of curses. "Bedamned! I forgot to take the glamour off!" He pulled the hat off and threw it to the ground, then formed a complex series of finger-symbols almost faster than Inutaisho could follow.

Magic? What? He drew the dagger and held it in front of him, fully on his guard.

The man's outline began to blur, and his scent changed dramatically... to one Inutaisho knew very, very well.

"Mai?" he asked incredulously.

And indeed, once the transformation was complete, it was his silver-haired maiden that stood before him decked in men's clothing and dirty-faced. "There," she said breathlessly. "I am sorry about that. Naturally, I could not travel all this way with my own face. I would not have made it past my own gate!"

He was astounded, and completely thrown off balance. Mere hours ago he had been reading the missive that said she was never to see him again and would be given to another. Now, here she was, tired but elated, smiling at him .

What's going on?

Heaving an enormous sigh of relief, Mai sank to the ground in a graceful slump. "I made it. I can hardly believe it."

"Mai..." he whispered, then catching himself, spoke more strongly. "Would you mind explaining what the hell is going on here?"

She blinked up at him owlishly, obviously deeply pleased with the success of her venture. "I disguised myself, replaced the messenger who was supposed to carry the missive, and came to you instead. I will not marry Ryuunomei. I will only marry you."

The sheer enormity and naivete of her words bowled him over, and he fell to his knees in pure shock. "You... what? What?"

She frowned prettily. "Did I explain it badly? I am sorry. "

"No, I think I understand what you did... my question is, why? Are you insane?"

His heart was at war with itself. On one side, he was deeply moved by what she'd done for him and what her act indicated-- she wanted to be with him, and was willing to go through suffering and fear to do it.

On the other, he saw that this would be seen as an act of rebellion by her family-- and that she would be in deep trouble for it-- and was very afraid of the outcome of the situation.

"Inutaisho?" she whispered, taken aback by the harsh tone of his voice.

"Do you realize what you are doing?" he snapped, his fear winning over his joy. "As soon as your family finds out about this, they'll hunt you down and you'll become a disgraced prisoner. You'll suffer, and then possibly die if they see the situation as unsalvageable. At the very least, you'll be disowned and exiled. At the worst, you'll die and the Eastlord will use the insult of your refusal as an excuse to start a war us in the West. You may have just..." He stopped.

She was crying, silently, hair curtaining her face.

"Mai? Oh, Mai, I am so sorry. I am just afraid for you, is all. You may have just caused your own death, and I cannot bear the thought of that. Ahh, you silly woman. Come here." He knelt and enveloped her in a deep embrace, pressing his lips to her hair and tangling his fingers in it.

She lunged and wrapped her arms tightly around him, sobbing into his chest. "I did not... did not think," she gasped. "I did not think about the possibility of war! I only thought... oh, Inutaisho, I am so sorry!"

"Hush," he murmured, heart breaking at what he knew he must do. Every cell in his body screamed at him to take her away and never let her go, but... He was a practical man "It is not too late. If you go back now, you can convince them that you merely wished to bid me farewell. Everything will continue as though nothing happened."

She stiffened beneath him, as he'd known she would. "What are you saying?" she sniffled, hurt. "You do not want to be with me?"

His breaking heart splintered and drove into the walls of his chest. "Oh, gods, Mai, that is not it at all! I have been thinking about this for the last several hours and I just do not see any way for us to be together in practicality."

"Really?" she gasped painfully, a hurtful chill in her voice: "Not even one way? I will do anything, Inutaisho, even leave the island if I must. I will leave behind my title and royal life without a second thought. Do you think I need everything to be perfect? I do not! All I want is to stay with you, wherever I can!"

His eyes burned and his lacerated chest constricted. "Mai... even so, they will hunt us down. We would never be safe. I cannot bear the thought of you living in fear for your life all your days. Please, my love..." he paused, gulping back the bile rising in his throat, "...go home, and go through with your family's wishes. It is best for everyone if you do."

"I cannot believe you are saying this," she wailed. "I came all this way, and you are going to turn around and send me back?"

He could hear her silent plea not to send her away, not to leave her alone. It tore him to shreds, but he could not give in. The stakes were too high. "Mai, I am sorry," he whispered.

She pulled away, shaking, eyes full of betrayal. "Then I will go," she said, voice suddenly remote and distant, "since you obviously do not want me to stay."

She turned and began walking back to the forest, fists clenched at her sides and shoulders hunched.

He wanted so badly to run to her, turn her around and kiss her until the stars rose above them. The impulse was so powerful that his skin was nearly tearing itself off his obstinate bones, but he knew that if he did so he would never have the strength to send her away. And send her away he must. For her own good, and that of their countries.

She paused and turned her head back. Silver trails of tears clawed their way down her reddened cheeks. "Fare thee well, Lord Inutaisho."

The honorific hit him like a hammer to the chest.

Mai kept walking, and did not look back.

VvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvV

Ins ultingly, they received the invitation to the wedding in the mail barely a week later.

To the Inu Family:

It is our great honour to invite you to attend the wedding of the Lord of the East, Ryuunomei the Strong, to the daughter of the esteemed lord from the West, Iruka Mai. The wedding will take place on the night of the first full moon of autumn, a most auspicious date, at the ancestral Dragon Palace. Gifts are welcome and appreciated.

We hope to see you there.

Ryuu Yema,
Secretary of State Affairs
Ryuu Family

Inutaisho read it once, then left it on the table and went to the lake.

I am not really considering going, am I? Am I mad?

I cannot believe they actually invited us. It is incredibly callous, considering the situation.

Could I handle watching her being given to him?

No.

A hundred, thousand times no.

And yet, if I do not go, they will see it as an insult and cause difficulty for us. What should I do?

He knew that by now the engagement ceremony would be complete, drinks and gifts exchanged and promises made. For all intents and purposes, the engagement was now unbreakable. It was too late to protest the union, now.

You're really going to let this go? a voice in his head said accusingly.

Hello, conscience, he replied wearily. I do not want to, but what else can I do?

Take her back.

And risk war?

Is she not worth that much at least?

I cannot be the cause of so much suffering. Not for my family, nor for hers, nor for all the people who would die in such a war.

If they start a war, then that is their choice. You could not blame yourself for their stupidity.

Inutaisho was at a loss. What his conscience said made sense, but everything he'd been raised to believe was throwing itself against what he wanted to believe.

Could this really work out well? I cannot help but believe that is could only end badly if I am selfish enough to...

It seems she has no problem with that. She is willing to risk everything-- how can you call yourself a man if you are not willing to do at least as much?

That is a low blow.

You do it to yourself.

Was it just him, or did his own inner self sound smug? This entire situation was driving him literally mad. He had to come to a conclusion, and soon, else....

VvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvV

Autumn
< br> OoooooooooooooooO

Mai was a ghost.

Her blood still rushed thinly through her veins, her muscles still moved when her mind ordered them to, but she was dead. She felt nothing, not the wind on her face or the taste of sake on her tongue.

It was much easier to be dead than to feel and suffer.

"Mai, child, it's time now," the maid coaxed. "Won't you help me even a little? This dress is unwieldy."

Woodenly she moved her limbs where the maid directed. She did not feel the fabric sliding over her skin, or see that it was white. Dead people did not understand colour.

The maid quickly, expertly draped her in her wedding gown, cinching it with a long obi of purest white. The she moved on to Mai's hair. It probably took hours, all the preparation, but Mai had forgotten how to tell time, so it did not seem like very long at all before the maid was leading her by her limp hand down the hallway towards the courtyard where the wedding would be held.

The farewell party from her family had already been held-- she remembered little of it but glowing lights and raucous voices raised in celebration.

Now all that was left was the ceremony itself-- a few sips of sake, a few words, and she would be condemned to centuries, millennia, of this same soul-dead existence. Since she was already dead, she did not care overmuch.

She walked out the door on stick legs, jerky as a puppet.

Ryuunomei was already present, kneeling before the Shinto priest in the white hakama pants that had been her family's gift to the wedding, as per tradition, and a long kimono overcoat, also white. His deep violet hair was properly restrained in a knot behind his head, and his green eyes were politely lowered. Colourful rice-paper lamps hung cheerfully about the courtyard.

She could see the three sake cups, already filled. They were all of different sizes, arranged smallest to largest, red lacquered on the inside and black on the outside. They looked hellish to her dim eyes, speaking of flame and shadow.

Mai hobbled up the towards the shrine, slumped as an old woman.

Then, unexpectedly, a brief flash of silver hair in the silent crowd.

She woke up and stopped dead in the center of the aisle. Her limbs, returning to life, felt the early autumn chill and she wrapped her arms around herself as she searched for that elusive hint of pale silk.

There!

Alas, it was only Inumaru, her beloved's father. But it had been enough to break her stupor.

What am I doing? she thought, suddenly horrified. Her legs began to move again, on their own, carrying her towards the thin, pale figure at the end of the aisle.

At the end, she knelt opposite him and bowed her ornament-laden head.

The priest intoned something to Ryuunomei that involved his commitment to her. He clearly spoke his assent, sounding insufferably bored.

Then the priest turned to her, face impassive and distant. Mai was lost in horror.

What do I do? I cannot say no! But neither, oh, neither can I say yes. What can I possibly do? It is far, far too late for this. What have I done? What am I doing?

The silence itched, and she realized that the priest was waiting expectantly for her reply. The polite, fabulously dressed crowd held their breaths and laced their fingers anxiously together.

Inutaisho! Help me! she thought desperately.

"Mai-hime?" the priest nudged uncomfortably. "Are you quite all right?"

"No," she said, and it was an answer to both questions.

"Excuse me?" the priest said, confused. "Is there something I can do to help you?"

"No," she said again, tasting the word. "No!"

"No what?" the priest whispered fiercely, highly unsetled by the turn of events.

"No, I will not. I refuse,." she cried clearly, loud enough for everyone to hear.

The crowd gasped, and Ryuunomei's sharp jeweled eyes narrowed furiously.

"Reconsider your words, my sweet," he murmured coldly. "If you continue on this path, you will lose everything. I swear it."

Good, she thought giddily, and smiled broadly. "No!" she sang. "I cannot, within my honour, agree to marry you, good Lord. Upon my engagement with the prince of the Dogs, I committed to that course and find it terribly dishonourable to commit to you without his dispensation. I was destined for marriage with him, and this hasty course correction rankles on my sensibilities."

"For gods' sakes, woman, why didn't you say something earlier than this?" the priest hissed.

"That is patently ridiculous," Ryuunomei said nearly on top of him.

"Nevertheless, it is my decision. I will not-- cannot-- marry you. You may do with me what you will, but I will not decide otherwise."

She stood on the edge of death, and had never been happier. Her conscience was crystal clear.

The dragon's face blackened, then snapped. "Then I shall kill you!" R yuunomei howled, utterly enraged. He drew back his arm, claws lengthening and gleaming in the lamplight.

She closed her eyes and smiled. Inutaisho... I love you. I am sorry I could not go through with this travesty, even for you.

The deathblow never came. Instead, somewhere above her head was a dull thud and the sounds of struggle. She cracked an eye and was astonished to find Inutaisho, brilliant hair drawn back into a tight battle queue and bedecked in full armour, wrestling with the furious and stunned Ryuunomei.

The world made a flying leap from darkness to brilliance and Mai shrieked with unbridled joy. Despite the ferocious battle taking place, she suddenly felt as though everything would work out perfectly. All her anxiety and fear and disgust dissolved into light and joy.

In the crowd, Inumaru saw his son descend like a glimmering comet and knew a moment of pure elation. His childhood had been shaped around stories like this. However, moments later, reality set back in and the rage hit him at his son's disobedience and foolhardy actions... but for just one, shining moment, he was more proud of his son than he had ever been.

"Let go of me, you little heathen!" the dragon lord snarled, full in the grips of true demonic fury.

"Do not ever lay a hand on her," Inutaisho bit back, voice low and lethal and golden eyes flashing.

"She is my wife! I will do as I please!"

"She is not, nor will she ever be. Did you not hear her refuse?" There was a deep resonance in his voice as he said that, and Mai shivered with pleasure.

There were very good reasons why she loved her dog lord, and this was one of them.

"Do you wish to start a war?" Ryuunomei thundered, scratching viciously at the dog prince's face with a hand he had finally worked free. Inutaisho did not budge as four bloody furrows carved their way across his cheek.

"You may start one if you wish. I will fight. I cannot, despite my best efforts, condemn her to an unhappy life with you. She deserves to be happy. If you are man enough, I challenge you to let this go gracefully and seek a wife who is more able to commit to you."

"As though I would ever let such an insult go! This will mean war, boy. Be warned."

"Inutaisho!" a powerful voice howled across the courtyard, and he cringed. "What is the meaning of this?"

His father.

"I cannot in clear conscience allow this to continue," he said calmly, though Mai knew he was shaking inside. She stood on quivering legs and gently separated the battling demons.

"Neither can I," she said softly, but clearly. "I cannot marry Lord Ryuunomei. He deserves a more faithful wife."

"Mai!" a woman cried, distraught.

Her mother.

"I am sorry, Mother," she said. "I know you are ashamed of me, but I simply cannot."

"I am sorry, Father," Inutaisho said. "I know I will be punished for this, but I could not allow it."

"How dare you!" Ryuunomei raged, and lashed out randomly, scoring bloody hits against both of them before they could stop him. His fury was an incandescent thing-- he was beyond reason, beyond thinking. In later times, such a person would be called a 'berserker'-- now, they did not yet have a name for it, but feared it nonetheless.

The time for action had come-- it was stay and die, or run and live for a while longer.

"Mai," Inutaisho said. "Are you coming with me?"

"Yes," she answered simply, and that was that.

VvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvV

After

OoooooooooooooooooooO

I suppose you're wondering what happens then, am I right, dear reader? Perhaps I shall tell you. Or perhaps not... this old exoskeleton of mine is tired. Do you have any idea how difficult it is to write letters big enough for humans to read when you're a flea? Do you? Hmm?

Hmph, I doubt it. I shall have a good sulk about it later, I think. Perhaps now?

Ah, well. I am not cruel enough to leave you in suspense. Thus, this is what happened after my lord's triumphant rescue of his swooning maiden-bride:

They returned to Inutaisho's home to await the judgement of their families. Personally, I think this was a very unwise decision but then again, I was not born yet to advise them better. What can you expect from a couple of hair-brained, tongue-lolling idiots? I loved them dearly, the both of them, don't get me wrong. They were just not the smartest of people. Anyway!

Their parents were understandably quite upset and they were severely punished. However, secretly, neither family had truly wanted to match to be broken off and were quietly glad that it had been... reinstated. By the way, those last two sentences contain a few stunning understatements. Can you guess where they are?

Ryuunomei, contrary to expectations, was quite ready to just forget the entire incident and go back to life as usual. His younger and decidedly more militant brother, however, was not so forgiving.

Ryuukotsusei, as his name was, convinced his reluctant brother to retaliate against the families of the West for their grave insult to their honour. I shed no tears for him when Inuyasha, Inutaisho's brash young son, recently did him in. Ryuukotsusei was an arrogant hotheaded whelp and caused a great deal of totally unnecessary pain for both sides. Harrumph. He sure got what was coming to him, yes he did!

Continuing...

Thus began a feud that would last for nearly two millennia, and its history came to be painted in blood-red and ash-black. Its end came in a final confrontation between West and East, once again over a woman, this one a human and as dark as Mai was fair. I tell that story elsewhere, at length.

Inutaisho and Mai united their clans and ruled the West after the demise of Inumaru-- shortly after the incident described in this story-- in a vicious border skirmish against the East. He died at Ryuunomei's hand, thus intensifying the feud yet further.

Mai bore one son and one son only, who she named Sesshoumaru with her dying breath. His story is also long and interesting... I will get around to it someday. Not here.

And lastly...

Five hundred years later, a certain Dog Lord met a certain black-haired human woman. What is it with him and stormy, difficult relationships? Why couldn't he just settle down with a nice, quiet woman and live his days out in peace? Ahh, I suppose that is not the sort of man my lord was. He needed a challenge to be happy. He snatched my lady Mai right from the jaws of despair, and Izayoi was no different.

He met her after a slaughter, appropriately, bathed in blood in true Lord-of-the-West style.

She didn't faint.

As they say (far too frequently, in this crotchety old flea's opinion)--

The rest is history.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

A/N: Well? I had fun writing it. I'm a romantic at heart and I just love a rescue scene. Star-cross'd lovers and whatnot turn my crank like whoa. Thus, I was squee'ing every few lines as I wrote this. Yay for classical romance!

I love you, Nebride!