InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Trust ❯ Chapter 6

Chapter 6

As the three women made their way up from the wine cellar, Nzinga decided it was as good a time as any to give Kagome some advice.

"Kagome, let me give you some advice about Kouga. He senses that your Bond is new and incomplete."

"What do you mean, incomplete?"

"You have not yet been physically intimate, so the Bond is not yet complete. Your minds and souls may be joined, but your bodies have not." The dark woman said matter of factly.

"Oh," was all Kagome said, feeling herself turn red. Sango also looked a little embarrassed.

"I don't mean to embarrass you, but you're not a child. There are things you need to know being Bonded to a shifter." Zi said more gently.

"You're right." Kagome took a deep breath. "OK, so what do I do about Kouga? It makes me uncomfortable, but it drives Inu Yasha insane."

"Well, first, we each need a drink," Nzinga handed each of her friends some wine. "Now, this may seem strange to you, and I know some of the behavior is not in your nature. But trust me, it will only help you…" Sango and Kagome's eyes widened as she began to explain.

Later that night, the women were still in the dining room that had formerly been used for family dinners back when Kagome was young. Since the death of her mother, and her brother's fostering at another fort, Kagome and her father had not found as much use for it.

However, this night, the night before their departure on a mission that could cost them their lives, the dining room rang with female laughter and screams of delight. Kagome had stuck to wine, Nzinga chose rum, and Sango found she had an amazing affinity for ale.

"We need more food!" Kagome pronounced. "I'm hungry again."

"Again?" Sango asked. "Did we eat today?"

"No, remember? I asked if you two wanted to go to dinner, but you had more questions. Come on, let's see what's left in the kitchens." Nzinga stood up and eyed the other two. "On second thought, you stay here, and I'll go to the kitchens."

"Yay!" the other two shouted in drunken glee. She laughed and shook her head.

As she carefully made her way to the door, it swung open suddenly to a disgruntled Inu Yasha and a grinning monk.

"Hello, Pup. Dirty monk," Nzinga inclined her head formally. The effect was ruined by the tipsy grin on her face.

Inu Yasha sighed. "I leave you with my mate and you get her drunk?"

Her eyebrows drew together. "You sound like I set her loose in a fucking brothel! She's in no danger here." Her eyes narrowed. "Does she look in danger to you, Pup?"

"N-no, Zi. I know you wouldn't let her get hurt." Inu Yasha cowered behind Miroku.

As quickly as they gathered, the storm clouds on Nzinga's brow cleared, and she resumed her tipsy grin. "We're hungry, so I'm going to get some food. You didn't bring any, did you?"

"I would be happy to escort you to the kitchens, Nzinga. That way you can bring back more." Miroku offered.

"And we're out of ale!" Sango slammed her empty mug on the table.

"And we're out of ale." Nzinga nodded.

Inu Yasha shared a look with his cousin. "Fine. I'll stay here till you all get back."

Shri, another Dog Clan member in Sesshomaru's group, ran up before they could leave. "Is this where you all have been? I found them," she called behind her. All of a sudden, the room was filled with people, all talking at once.

"What the hell?" Inu Yasha looked around him. "It's a little crowded all of a sudden."

"That's ok," Kagome bounced up, only to be caught by the hovering half-shifter. "Help me pull the curtains, and we can open the doors behind them…there are private gardens back there that we can use as well."

"But," he started, his ears flattened against his head from the sudden noise.

"If we open the doors, the noise won't bother you as much," she reasoned. He sighed, giving in.

Once the gathering had opened into the gardens, it was discovered that some of those present were musicians from the desert lands to the south. They struck up a lively tune, popular with those at the fort. Kagome grabbed Sango's hand and they joined in the group dance.

As Nzinga and Miroku returned with more supplies, the players began a song of their native desert lands. She let out a crow of delight, and after dropping off the food and drink, ran outside.

She found Sango and Kagome flushed from their earlier dance. "You're back!" Kagome cheered.

"I've never heard such music," Sango said. "I love it, though, it's so alluring."

"Mmm." Nzinga agreed. "The desert folk know how to enjoy themselves." And with that she leaped into the center clearing to join the group already dancing. Shouts of encouragement went up from the crowd. The woman's friendly manner and fighting prowess had already earned her the respect and regard of many of the fort's inhabitants, and they were happy to cheer her along as she raised her arms to the sky, shaking her hips in unison with the other female dancers.

Kagome and Sango watched in interest. They had never seen or heard anything like what the Southerners were displaying. Everyone knew of the desert nomads to the south, but this was the first time either of them had seen any of their practices up close. The dance looked enjoyable, if difficult.

"How do you suppose they do that?" Sango asked.

"I don't know…I want to learn, but I'd be too embarrassed to do it in public." Kagome said.

"Well, you have a mate now," her friend gave a very un-Sango-like giggle. "You can do it for him."

Kagome tried to control the rush of heat that flared in her face at the thought of dancing for Inu Yasha in private. "Sango! I can't believe you said that!"

"And maybe I can practice too…although he'd never want to see me like that…" Sango muttered. She clapped her hands over her mouth belatedly, realizing what she had said out loud.

"What are you talking about? Yes, he would. If you weren't trying so hard not to look at him, you would notice he's been watching you all night." Kagome said airily.

Sango's head whipped around to meet the warm violet gaze of the man in question, and as she looked, his smile grew wider. She quickly ducked her head, blushing and trying to ignore Kagome's knowing laughter.

The musicians then struck up some a song everyone knew, and the garden was again filled with dancing bodies.

Inu Yasha moved to stand behind Kagome when he saw her sway slightly, despite the wide smile on her face. Sango was in similar condition. He put an arm around her waist and pulled her to his chest, surprising her.

"What…what's wrong?" Kagome blinked up at him blearily.

"I think you've had enough excitement for tonight. I'm putting you to bed." He put his mouth next to her ear, smiling when she shivered. She was an open book tonight, in more ways than one, since her walls against her emotions in the Bond were non-existent.

"But I wanted Zi to teach us that dance she did." She turned big brown eyes on her mate. A vision of Kagome flashed in his mind. Hips shaking, she looked back at him over her shoulder, long dark waves brushing her waist as she gave him a knowing smile.

He shook his head, trying to dispel both the image and the heat it produced in his body. An answering fire shot towards him through their Bond, straining his control even further.

Kagome was stunned at the force and suddenness of her need. It cut through the alcohol-induced buzz in her brain, straight to her core. She felt herself get unsteady as his gold gaze intensified.

"You're going to b-sleep." Inu Yasha said in a near growl.

She knew better than to argue. Without a word to their friends, he began to make his way through the crowd, back inside the fort. He kept her hand firmly clasped in his. Just before they made it to the door, a voice called out, "Inu Yasha! You have to help me with Conn!"

He turned around, a disbelieving look on his face. "Do it yourself!"

His cousin gave him an incredulous look of his own. "Pick up Conn by myself? Have you lost your mind?"

The silver haired man sighed, and looked down at Kagome. "Stay here. I'll be right back." He looked at her more closely, and sat her in a chair. "I'll be done in a minute."

He ran across the open space to where Conn was happily snoring away on the ground. He and Miroku went about the task of laying Conn on a bench, grumbling the whole while.

Suddenly, brown and gray fur filled her vision. She had just enough time to register this when Kouga's hand clamped on her arm. She looked up at him blearily. He was quite handsome, if a bit wild-looking in his furs. She thought they could actually be friends if he would give up this asinine idea of her being his woman.

"Kagome, you need rest. Allow me to escort you to your room."

"No, no thank you," she gave him a strained smile. "Inu Yasha will be right back for me."

"I would never have left you if I were him." He leaned closer. "Too many would think to take advantage of a beautiful woman like yourself." His bright blue gaze grew intense.

She looked up in panic, trying to find a way out, when Nzinga's earlier advice come back to her.

"Kouga thinks like a wolf. Anything that is not active discouragement is encouragement to him. Physical rebuttals work best. Avoid any kind of submissiveness in your response."

She cringed internally. It certainly wasn't in her nature, but if it avoided bloodshed, she could do it.

She shot up from her chair, forcing him back a step or two. "Unhand me, wolf. I am not your woman. You dishonor us both by ignoring the Bond."

He blinked in surprise, then smiled. "Any incomplete Bond may be challenged. You're not truly his yet."

She gave a fairly good growl. "I am his. The Bond formed on first sight. You have no claim on me."

Kouga looked even more surprised. Bonds that formed on first sight were the strongest of them all. It was shocking that one had formed between a human and a half-human. There was definitely more to this girl than met the eye. He continued to regard her curiously.

His silent perusal was making Kagome nervous. Alcohol and panic combined to feed her next action. With a drunken battle cry, she lashed out with her fist. It caught him off guard, and landed on the side of his head. Her next attack was a sideways kick that was no match for the wolf shifter's superior speed.

Suddenly, streak of silver and red appeared and knocked Kouga on the ground. He regained his feet to see an irate Inu Yasha with blood lust in his eyes. Before Inu Yasha could attack again, Kagome grabbed his arm.

"I'm tired." She blurted out, eyes pleading for him to let it go. He searched her face, then nodded slightly and turned to Kouga with a smirk on his face.

"Keh! She doesn't want you, wolf. Run along to your den and spend the night picking fleas from your fur." His smile grew predatory. "As you won't be spending it with her."

With that, he picked her up and strode into the fort, leaving a silent group of people behind.

Nzinga finally spoke first. "I've seen piles of shit smarter than you, wolf. You better not pull that during the mission."

He smiled wryly. "I'm not that petty."

"I hope not." Looking around at the thinned out crowd, she yawned. "Appears this party has ended."

Sango sighed. "I guess you're right." She yawned as well.

Miroku approached her. "Please allow me to escort you to your room, Sango."

"I'll be fine," she muttered. She could only imagine what thoughts were running through his head when he made that offer.

"No, Sango, let him go with you," Nzinga called from the other side of the garden. "You don't drink often enough to be able to navigate those stairs alone in the dark."

Face flaming, Sango did not protest as the monk guided her gently back into the fort.

Zi made her way around the dining room righting chairs, relieved that nothing was broken.

She also grabbed a passing maid and requested blankets for those who had simply passed out in the garden. The girl giggled and ran off to fetch them as requested. Nzinga decided to go back out into the garden and make one last sweep to make sure everyone was accounted for.

"You still act like their mother." The deep voice came from the shadow of a pine tree. She walked over and looked down at Sesshomaru, reclining against the trunk.

"I don't know that too many mothers would have gotten drunk with everyone like I did." She grinned.

"Older sister, then," He smiled slightly.

She raised an eyebrow. "I'm still younger than you, old man." She knelt and seated herself next to him.

He drew his brows together, affronted. "I'm only three years older then you," he said mildly.

She laughed. "I know…I know you're not old." The laughter smoothed into a warm smile as they regarded each other.

"Are you…oh!" She gasped as he stood suddenly, pulling her with him. She braced her hands against his chest to keep some space between them. That didn't help as much as she had hoped. Now she couldn't help but wonder what the rest of him felt like.

Which was ridiculous. She didn't think of Sesshomaru that way. He was just Inu Yasha's brother…right?

"Their choice for first dance was interesting," he remarked, one hand stroking her side from shoulder to hip, "The Maiden's Dance…meant to present available young woman to society."

"That's not why I did it," she whispered, mind in disarray from his touch. "Wh-what are you doing?"

He lowered his face to hers, mouths almost touching. "I looked for you…when you were taken. I would not believe you left on your own. "

Eyes wide, she could think of no response.

He lowered his other arm to her waist and drew her into an embrace. She tentatively slid her hands from his chest around to his back. She was rewarded with a slight growl from him, so low she felt it against her hands, rather than heard it.

He found himself bending lower, drawn by her scent and the inviting expanse of throat exposed as she looked back up at him, eyes liquid. He indulged himself for a moment with a deep inhalation at the corner of her jaw, and didn't miss the shiver this produced.

Zi didn't know what the hell brought this on, but decided to think about it after the day's drinking session had ceased to affect her system. However, she couldn't resist sliding her hands back from his waist up to his chest, and hesitating before pushing away slightly. He raised his head, letting his nose just graze the side of her jaw, before releasing her and taking a step back.

"Good night," she told him, in a voice made husky from drink, and earlier shouting…not to mention the strain of preventing herself from acting on the urges he had suddenly aroused…with just a hug, no less!

"Sleep well," He watched her walk back into the dining room and retrieve the blankets left by the thoughtful maid. She spread them over the few left sleeping outside, then paused before the garden doors.

"You searched for me." She sent to him mentally.

"For months." He replied simply.

"Why? You rarely ever spoke to me. Why would you do such a thing?" She demanded, almost afraid of the answer.

A moment passed. Without turning to her, he responded vocally, "I saw you with my brother. Nothing would convince me that you had left him willingly."

Nzinga heard him…she heard him but the words did not sound right. She could not imagine him searching all that time just for his brother's playmate.

"It was you, wasn't it?" She asked slowly. "You were the one who would leave me lilacs."

He remained silent. It was not really a question, and so he felt no need to answer.

He felt her shock as she looked at him. He refrained from turning her way until he heard her leave the garden.

Nzinga ran through the castle, almost blindly. Her normal grace had been replaced with a distracted stumble. She managed to make it into her room before collapsing on her bed.

Over her years of training and wandering, she had managed to recover from the trauma of having been kidnapped. Or so she thought.

His words brought back a torrent of memories, both from the kidnapping and before. Being three years younger than him, she had always assumed she was beneath his notice. Tall and aloof, he was already a warrior by then, and spent no time with the younger children, with whom she was always associated in spite of her age. To the girl she had been, Sesshomaru, while not cruel, had seemed too distracted to notice her.

She spent the first years after the abduction receiving training, both for combat and to control her powers. She spent much of that time frightened that whoever wanted her gone might also come after her life. For that reason, she did not try to find her way back to Dog Clan lands. She didn't want to bring any misfortune upon those she loved.

She curled up on her bed, silent tears streaming down her cheeks. All this time she had thought that Inu Yasha was the only brother affected by her abduction.

"This is stupid." She muttered to herself. "Why am I crying? There's no reason to cry."

Lilac. Every flower has a meaning, for those versed in the language. Orange blossoms meant fertility; rosemary was for commitment...

Lilac was for first love.

It had taken all his will to release her. Seeing her again after all these years had managed to shake him, even as jaded as he was. Sesshomaru had spent months seeing his younger brother grieve, while wanting to grieve freely himself. His sense of duty was too ingrained to allow him to leave the area, especially since many people were of the opinion that she had left on her own. He had to limit his search to the nearby towns and ports.

Tonight had been the first time he had been able to spend any time alone with her. He had limited himself to that one embrace; even so, it had left him profoundly affected.

Sesshomaru decided to wait until Nzinga left before moving. If he had to walk past her in his condition…well, he didn't see the point in taking needless chances.