InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ What Fate Has Brought Us ❯ Chapter 18
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
By: Twilight dawn 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Comedy / Drama / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.09.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.5K | Visits: 302 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Action / Comedy / Drama / Romance | Type: Continuation | Uploaded On: 07.09.2010 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.5K | Visits: 302 | Status: Work In Progress
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or its characters. The honor belongs to Rumiko Takahashi.
I began to wonder where my mate was leading us to when we passed the war room and the East wing of the castle, where our bedchamber is located. The silver candelabras hung on the walls, were getting sparse and few. Even with my demon eyesight, I was having a hard time seeing in this barely lit hallway and I know Kouga is having the same problem, because I can hear the stumbling of his feet. Looks like the jewel shards in his legs aren’t helping him out. It’s a pity, though. It shows that the jewel isn’t invincible like we originally believed.
Luckily, I have my mate guiding me. How does he do it? I can barely see and he is walking forward with no trouble at all. It’s an effort trying to walk with these getas on, especially when you can’t see anything in front of you. Also, I have to worry about stepping on the hem if my kimono and falling down flat on my face or my behind. I don’t know which one would be worse. There both humiliating and landing on my face could possibly hurt the pup growing inside of me.
Sesshoumaru suddenly stopped and his voice echoed through the darkened hallway. “This is our destination.” He tapped the wall in five different places and then there was this rumbling sound. The wall shifted to the right, revealing a pitch black hole. “Stay here,” he ordered, removing my arm from his. Feeling the air move next to me, I realized my mate had stepped though the opening. A few moments later, a soft orange glow could be seen.
“It is safe to enter now,” my mate’s voice sounded from within the chamber.
I didn’t know what to expect and braced myself for the worse. I took small steps forward, with my getas clicking on the ground below me, and stopped in the entryway. Kouga cleared his throat and I moved to the side, allowing him to pass. I moved my eyes around the chamber and noticed that it resembles some what like a study. Unknowingly, I inched further into chamber to check things out.
Like most rooms in the castle, this one has a white marble fireplace in the built into the wall before me. My mate had already lit the logs, casting warmth and the soft orange glow. To the left of the fireplace, pushed back against the wall, stand four large dark oak bookcases with twelve shelves built into each one. Inside the bookcases are rolled up scrolls, gently stacked on top of one another. Adjacent to the fireplace is my mate’s dark oak desk.
“Be seated.” My mate said to Kouga, motioning for him to sit in the chair of his desk. Kouga did what he was told.
My mate turned around and stared at me with those golden colored eyes, once Kouga was situated. He beckoned me to come forth with his index finger, but I ignored him and started to back up towards the exit. Other than being his mate, I have no business here. It is best to have the two males talk amongst themselves.
“Where do you think you are going, mate?” Sesshoumaru called out to me. “This Sesshoumaru has not given his permission for you to leave.” I froze in my spot.
“My presence is not needed here. I will only be in your way.” I didn’t dare to walk back any further, because I knew my mate would just catch up to me. It would be pointless.
He didn’t lecture me like I thought he would. “For these types of proceedings a witness is needed to oversee the details of the contract and make sure that the terms are fair. Since you are the only one in attendance this Sesshoumaru has no other choice but to use you.”
He sure does know how to make a girl upset. I didn’t take his words to heart, though. It makes sense that he would use me, since everyone else is busy doing other things and he probably wants to get things over and done with. It would take too long to find someone else suitable to do the task.
Sesshoumaru sat down in his own chair behind the desk and motioned for me to stand behind him, once I had reached him and Kouga. He pulled out a piece of white parchment paper from one of the drawers and laid it out flat on the surface of the desk. He then took the white feathered quill and dipped it carefully into the jar of black ink. He lifted the quill up slowly, making sure not to spill a drop of the precious material. Even though my mate is wealthy, ink is still hard to come by and only a few individuals can afford it.
“Tell this Sesshoumaru your terms, wolf.” My mate suddenly spoke, getting straight to the point. “Then this Sesshoumaru will determine of they are acceptable or not.”
Kouga wasn’t taken back by my mate’s forwardness. It was almost as if he expected it. “I’ll be honest with you, Lord Sesshoumaru. I haven’t done an alliance before and I do not know what it entails.”
My mate gave a slight nod of his head. “This Sesshoumaru expected as much. Just tell this Sesshoumaru what your tribes needs and we will go from there.”
Kouga thought for a moment before leaning forward in his chair. “I am in need of more soldiers. I barely have any left to protect the tribe, let alone fight in battles.”
Sesshoumaru didn’t even have to think on it and quickly wrote it down on the piece of white paper in front of him. I leaned over to read what he had written and was surprised to learn that he had added terms of his own to it.
“This Sesshoumaru agrees with your proposal, wolf, and he will give you soldiers from his own army to replenish what was lost. He doesn’t have many wolf demons in his army, but what he does have are yours.”
Kouga’s mouth fell open in shock.
Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrow up at him. “Is there something wrong with that, wolf?”
Kouga shook his head. “Why would you offer me your own soldiers, Lord Sesshoumaru? It doesn’t make sense to me.” He said, after finding his voice. “I thought you would just let me recruit some villagers.”
“If you’re going to repopulate your tribe, you need experienced soldiers to protect the young and the females. Training the villagers will take too long.”
Kouga fell back against the chair. “I guess I didn’t think of it that way.”
Sesshoumaru shook the quill in his hand, realizing the ink had dried out. That is the only flaw to them. The sharp point writes beautifully, but you have to constantly keep ink on it. After dipping the quill back into the ink, my mate stared into the fireplace for a brief moment, almost as if he regretted what he was about to do.
He closed his eyes briefly before offering the next proposal. “This Sesshoumaru’s cousin is in need of a mate. She is older than most female demons, but she is still able to experience her heat stages. This Sesshoumaru suggests that you mate his cousin, wolf, thus securing the alliance between the Western Lands.”
“What?” Kouga shouted, jumping out of his seat.
“You should be thanking this Sesshoumaru, not questioning him. He does it for his own reasons. Leave it as that.”
I groaned at such an idea. This will not go well on either side. Kouga doesn’t want to be forced into a mating and Reina will feel the exact same way. “Maybe you should rethink this matter, mate. Reina will not take this news well and might do something rash.”
Sesshoumaru’s aura began to darken in anger. “She will do as this Sesshoumaru commands.” He growled out, crushing the quill with his hands. “I am her alpha as I am yours. I will be obeyed in this.”
I gripped the chair’s handle as I kneeled down onto the floor beside him. I had to give it one last shot. “Please, listen to me.” I pleaded, raising my head to stare at him. “You never gave me the choice of becoming your mate. You took that right away from me. Don’t take away hers. Give her the choice to take Kouga as her mate.”
My pleading had only caused Sesshoumaru to get angrier with me. At least, I had tried for Reina’s sake. I tilted my head to the side in submission and felt my mate’s aura calm down. His clawed hands reached out to me and gently touched the sides of my face. “This Sesshoumaru sees the wisdom of your words. He will offer his cousin a choice, but if she refuses, you will choose him one that will accept him.” I stayed down on my knees, while
my mate removed his hands away. I wanted to be near him.
I turned my attention back towards Kouga only to notice him staring strangely at us. “Watching the two of you interact makes me wish I had a mate of my own. I will accept your terms if your cousin agrees.”
“Is that all it took for you to change your mind?” I teased him.
Kouga grinned. “I can’t let Inuyasha best me, now can I?” We both laughed and I even noticed a smirk on my mate’s lips.
“Would you bring Reina here, mate?” Sesshoumaru asked me, turning his glaze back towards me. “We cannot continue the alliance without her presence.”
It sounded like my mate was asking if I would perform this task, but he really meant it as a command. I wanted to say that he could go to hell and do it his damn self, but instead I shifted my right knee forward and lifted myself up off the floor. I used my hands to grip the bottom half of my kimono and shook loose any debris that I had contracted from being on the floor.
I began to walk forward towards the exit, when it occurred to me that I don’t have the slightest idea where I am. I stopped a few feet away from the exit and shifted my body sideways to ask my mate a question. “How will I find my way back?” I inquired, staring right into his golden colored eyes with my own icy blue ones.
“You’re a demon,” he simply stated, like I should have known the answer to my own question. “Just use your nose and follow this Sesshoumaru’s scent.” I could feel my cheeks and the tips of my ears burn red. What kind of an answer was that?! Knowing that anything I say would just start another argument, I simply turned my body back around and walked back into the dimly lit hallway.
I was too pissed off at the moment to care about how I was supposed to get down the hallway. Earlier I had relied on my mate’s help, but that’s not going to work at this point. Holding out the palm of my hand, I summoned a small pink orb. The glow of the orb lit just a few feet in front of me, since it is just a small orb, but it was enough to lead me out of that hallway. I breathed a sigh of relief when I recognized the East wing. Now, the only thing I have to worry about is finding Reina and how to get back.
“Should have had that damn toad do it,” I mumbled angrily underneath my breath, just passing by the West wing, where Inuyasha and the rest of the gang are. The bad part is that the guest’s quarters are located in the North wing, which is located on the other side of the castle.
A scrapping sound could be heard behind me and I groaned. I knew what that sound meant. My mate’s lackey is coming to meet with his mistress, since he cannot find his master. “Milady, wait up,” he called out to me. I pretended not to hear him and continued towards my destination, but I did slow my steps.
“Milady, please.” He whined in that squeaky voice of his. I wanted to wrap my claws around his throat. His voice is causing a faint buzzing sound in my ears. “I may have information that may help you.”
This did get my attention and I stopped in the middle of the hallway. I might not know where Reina is currently at the moment, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know. He knows what goes on in the castle more than my mate and I do. “Do you know where I can find Reina?” I asked him, as soon as I felt his aura nearer to me.
Jaken nodded his head and peered up at me with those beady eyes of his. “Yes, Milady,” he spoke excitedly. “She is in the dojo, battling her skills with Lord Seiji.”
I frowned, trying to remember who he was. “Isn’t he her brother-in-law?”
“Milady?”
I forgot that Jaken didn’t know the meaning of that term, yet. “He’s Kukiko’s mate is he not?” Jaken once more nodded his head eagerly. He probably figures that I will be pleased with his services and reveal to him where my mate is. I grinned evilly, making Jaken cringe and step a few steps back from me.
Now if I remember correctly, the dojo is near the outskirts of the West side of the castle, so that means I have to turn around and go back. It would be easier if I could form a cloud underneath my feet like my mate does. It might come in handy later on in my pregnancy, when my feet swell to the size of grapefruits. I wouldn’t have to walk hardly anywhere in the castle. I wouldn’t feel the pain of walking with swollen feet and no one would be able to see me waddle.
“What is it, Jaken?” I asked, noticing his bulged out eyes and mouth wide open. “You look like you had just seen a ghost. Afraid that your ancestors are coming back to haunt you for being the wicked creature you are.”
He shook his head and pointed to my feet. He couldn’t even come up with the words to say, let alone speak them. I humored him and dropped my head down to look at my feet.
My eyes also bugled out of their sockets. Underneath my feet is my own blue cloud. I guess I formed it with my powers while I was thinking upon it. As if it sensed my thoughts, the cloud lifted itself up off the ground, and flew out of the nearest opened window. It slowly floated near the castle’s ground, almost as if it knew about my fear of heights.
Even though the distance from the ground is not that high up, I still refuse to look at the scenery below me. It’s embarrassing really. Here I am a demon, afraid of heights. I guess I haven’t lost all of my humanity just yet. My fear of heights will take some time to conquer, since I have lived with it my entire life. It can’t be cured overnight, though I wish it would.
“Can’t you move this cloud any faster?” Jaken squawked at me, clutching his staff tightly in his hands. “Master Sesshoumaru would have been there by now.” He had been right next to me when the cloud formed underneath my feet and when it expanded; it formed underneath his own as well.
He suddenly gulped nervously and his eyes bulged slightly, when he noticed the evil smirk upon my face. “And so shall you,” I replied, bending over to lift Jaken up by his brown kimono and tossed him over the side of the cloud. “I’ll meet you at the dojo.” I called out, waving at his falling form.
I couldn’t help but laugh at his pitiful screams. It’s not like he’s going to die or receive severe injuries, because we aren’t that high up. The only thing he will receive is a few bumps to the head, along with some pain. He should be used to that kind of treatment by now. My mate does it all the time and the little toad still serves him.
The dojo loomed ahead and I braced myself for the landing. I trusted the blue cloud to let me down gently and safely, but I still could lose my footing. Just as I had predicted the cloud descended down slowly, a few feet away from the structure. I stepped off and gave a slight nod to the cloud to show my appreciation. I couldn’t speak to the cloud for it wouldn’t understand. I do have a feeling the cloud is somehow connected to my beast, but I have no way to prove it, besides asking my beast outright. She probably won’t give me a straight answer, anyway. Perhaps it is part of my tail.
The blue cloud disappeared and I stared up at the structure before me. The dojo is built entirely of stone set with a cement type mixture. It could be mud for all I know. I believe it was made this way so the structure would not be destroyed easily with all the fighting going on within its walls. The length and width of the dojo is quite amazing. Two of Sesshoumaru’s castles combined still would not match its length. A whole squadron of soldiers could probably fit in there.
I walked up the stone path that leads up to the entrance of the dojo and slowly pushed open the wooden door. I have never been here before, so I don’t know what lies on the other side. There could be someone on the other side of the door fighting and I could end up getting hurt or worse. I glanced inside quickly and breathed a sigh of relief, when I didn’t spot anyone near.
The lighting within is very dim. It’s probably made that way to block one’s eyesight and learn how to use one’s senses. It does prove useful in battle or combat. Each of the walls is made into sections with rice paper lining them. A couple of the walls have weapon racks built into them, reaching from the ceiling down to the floor. Each one of these racks is filled with different types of weapons. Some I recognize, like the swords and the spears, but the rest are unknown to me. I noted to learn about those later. I still have a task to perform.
“Isn’t it great?” Jaken spoke, coming up behind me and moving forward until he stood next to me. He looked about the dojo with an awed look in his beady eyes and I knew he was going to tell me information that was probably useless, but I let him continue anyway. “Master Sesshoumaru designed this dojo and oversaw its construction himself. He wanted to practice his fighting abilities someplace far away from the castle.”
I continued to look around, mapping everything I saw to my memory. “He might have designed most of it, but he probably had someone else help him with the design. It’s too much even for one human, let alone a demon.” I know Jaken likes to boast about my mate’s accomplishments, but this time he was going too far.
“I tell you he did it himself!” Jaken yelled out, hopping up and down. “You can even ask him about it!”
I glared down at him. “I still don’t believe you and nothing is going to change my mind. I don’t know why were even arguing about this. It’s kind of pointless.”
Jaken struck his staff on the floor, disturbing the reeds beneath us. Fibers flew into the air and landed back from whence they came, once the fibers lost their momentum. “Watch it, toad.” I hissed at him. “You could cause the fighters to lose their concentration. I will not protect you, if they lose the fight because of your stupidity.”
I didn’t even acknowledge the nodding of his head, but I did catch the movement from the corner of my eye. My attention was focused on the two demons fighting in the center of the reed floor. One of them is obviously Reina, the demon I’m looking for. I know it’s by the way her golden colored eyes and the golden sun upon her forehead shine brightly in the dimly lighted room. I could also tell it was her by the sound of her voice, grunting and yelling at her opponent.
The other demon took me longer to recognize, but there is no doubt the demon fighting Reina is her sister, Kukiko. The only I could tell it was Kukiko was the way her pure white hair swung, when she was blocking or avoiding Reina’s attacks. She moved too fast for me to recognize the golden sun symbol upon her forehead and there is no way her gray colored eyes could be seen.
“Come on, Kukiko,” Reina yelled out to her sister, attacking her with a double bladed axe. “Stop hesitating and fight me. The enemy will not be as lenient as I am.”
Kukiko had her index finger and her middle finger grabbing the insides of her three bladed weapons. They fit easy in hands tiny hands, almost looking like artificial claws. “I know that already!” Kukiko shouted back, lashing out at her sister. That is the first time I had heard her shout. Usually she is very quiet. She must have surprised her sister as well, for Reina barely avoided her attack.
“Then fight me!” Reina repeated, striking back in retaliation. Kukiko used her weapons to block her sister’s attack. Sparks were seen from the metal of the weapons hitting each other. “Let’s see if you can draw my blood and end this fight!”
Kukiko jumped up into the air and landed behind her sister. It was already too late for Reina to turn around and fight back, for Kukiko already had one of her three bladed weapons against her sister’s throat. “Do it!” Reina hissed. “Show me you can kill the enemy with one strike!” Kukiko pressed her weapon further onto her sister’s throat and scrapped it across, drawing a thin red line.
She removed her weapon and stepped away from her sister. “Does it hurt that much?” She quietly asked in a soft spoken voice. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, but you forced me to do it.”
Reina laughed. “You’re not supposed to ask your enemy if they’re alright. What is wrong with you?”
“We’re not enemies, though.”
Reina studied her sister. “Raiden is our enemy, dear one. Remember that he won’t hesitate to kill you. You must strike first, before he does.”
Kukiko nodded her head and glance towards our way. “It seems that we attracted an audience, sister.”
Reina shifted her body around to look at what Kukiko was staring at. “What do you want? Can’t you see that we’re busy? It’s not a side show you know.”
I had to smile at that one. “I’m sorry that you feel that way, Reina, but I was sent here to fetch you.”
“By whom?” she asked, tilting her head curiously to the side.
Before I could answer, Jaken beat me to it. “Master Sesshoumaru, of course,” Jaken squawked. “Now, get going. You have wasted enough of his time as it is.”
Reina started to move towards us, but I held up my hand to stop her, once she stood a few feet away. I bent over to stare at Jaken and he gulped with fear. He knew what this meant. He knew what he was going to be punished for. I picked him up by his brown collared kimono and leveled him in front of my leg. I reared my leg back and kicked him like a football. He hit the weapons rack head first and the weapons fell on top of him.
I could hear him moaning in pain, so I knew he was still conscious. “Maybe you should learn to keep you mouth shut, toad.” I reprimanded him. “And clean this mess up. It will give you something useful to do.”
Reina couldn’t erase the smirk that came upon her face. It was just too amusing and I had to agree. She handed her weapon to Kukiko. “Take care of that for me will you. I have to go and see what fluffy wants.”
“Fluffy?”
The smirk grew wider. “It’s his childhood nickname. He hates to hear it.” I burst out laughing. “We should go now. I want to get this over and done with.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell her what it is about. Besides, it’s not my place to do so. She has to hear it from the lips of Sesshoumaru himself. I can already imagine the chaos that is going to ensue, but Sesshoumaru brought it upon himself and I’m not even sorry for him.
To be continued…
I began to wonder where my mate was leading us to when we passed the war room and the East wing of the castle, where our bedchamber is located. The silver candelabras hung on the walls, were getting sparse and few. Even with my demon eyesight, I was having a hard time seeing in this barely lit hallway and I know Kouga is having the same problem, because I can hear the stumbling of his feet. Looks like the jewel shards in his legs aren’t helping him out. It’s a pity, though. It shows that the jewel isn’t invincible like we originally believed.
Luckily, I have my mate guiding me. How does he do it? I can barely see and he is walking forward with no trouble at all. It’s an effort trying to walk with these getas on, especially when you can’t see anything in front of you. Also, I have to worry about stepping on the hem if my kimono and falling down flat on my face or my behind. I don’t know which one would be worse. There both humiliating and landing on my face could possibly hurt the pup growing inside of me.
Sesshoumaru suddenly stopped and his voice echoed through the darkened hallway. “This is our destination.” He tapped the wall in five different places and then there was this rumbling sound. The wall shifted to the right, revealing a pitch black hole. “Stay here,” he ordered, removing my arm from his. Feeling the air move next to me, I realized my mate had stepped though the opening. A few moments later, a soft orange glow could be seen.
“It is safe to enter now,” my mate’s voice sounded from within the chamber.
I didn’t know what to expect and braced myself for the worse. I took small steps forward, with my getas clicking on the ground below me, and stopped in the entryway. Kouga cleared his throat and I moved to the side, allowing him to pass. I moved my eyes around the chamber and noticed that it resembles some what like a study. Unknowingly, I inched further into chamber to check things out.
Like most rooms in the castle, this one has a white marble fireplace in the built into the wall before me. My mate had already lit the logs, casting warmth and the soft orange glow. To the left of the fireplace, pushed back against the wall, stand four large dark oak bookcases with twelve shelves built into each one. Inside the bookcases are rolled up scrolls, gently stacked on top of one another. Adjacent to the fireplace is my mate’s dark oak desk.
“Be seated.” My mate said to Kouga, motioning for him to sit in the chair of his desk. Kouga did what he was told.
My mate turned around and stared at me with those golden colored eyes, once Kouga was situated. He beckoned me to come forth with his index finger, but I ignored him and started to back up towards the exit. Other than being his mate, I have no business here. It is best to have the two males talk amongst themselves.
“Where do you think you are going, mate?” Sesshoumaru called out to me. “This Sesshoumaru has not given his permission for you to leave.” I froze in my spot.
“My presence is not needed here. I will only be in your way.” I didn’t dare to walk back any further, because I knew my mate would just catch up to me. It would be pointless.
He didn’t lecture me like I thought he would. “For these types of proceedings a witness is needed to oversee the details of the contract and make sure that the terms are fair. Since you are the only one in attendance this Sesshoumaru has no other choice but to use you.”
He sure does know how to make a girl upset. I didn’t take his words to heart, though. It makes sense that he would use me, since everyone else is busy doing other things and he probably wants to get things over and done with. It would take too long to find someone else suitable to do the task.
Sesshoumaru sat down in his own chair behind the desk and motioned for me to stand behind him, once I had reached him and Kouga. He pulled out a piece of white parchment paper from one of the drawers and laid it out flat on the surface of the desk. He then took the white feathered quill and dipped it carefully into the jar of black ink. He lifted the quill up slowly, making sure not to spill a drop of the precious material. Even though my mate is wealthy, ink is still hard to come by and only a few individuals can afford it.
“Tell this Sesshoumaru your terms, wolf.” My mate suddenly spoke, getting straight to the point. “Then this Sesshoumaru will determine of they are acceptable or not.”
Kouga wasn’t taken back by my mate’s forwardness. It was almost as if he expected it. “I’ll be honest with you, Lord Sesshoumaru. I haven’t done an alliance before and I do not know what it entails.”
My mate gave a slight nod of his head. “This Sesshoumaru expected as much. Just tell this Sesshoumaru what your tribes needs and we will go from there.”
Kouga thought for a moment before leaning forward in his chair. “I am in need of more soldiers. I barely have any left to protect the tribe, let alone fight in battles.”
Sesshoumaru didn’t even have to think on it and quickly wrote it down on the piece of white paper in front of him. I leaned over to read what he had written and was surprised to learn that he had added terms of his own to it.
“This Sesshoumaru agrees with your proposal, wolf, and he will give you soldiers from his own army to replenish what was lost. He doesn’t have many wolf demons in his army, but what he does have are yours.”
Kouga’s mouth fell open in shock.
Sesshoumaru raised his eyebrow up at him. “Is there something wrong with that, wolf?”
Kouga shook his head. “Why would you offer me your own soldiers, Lord Sesshoumaru? It doesn’t make sense to me.” He said, after finding his voice. “I thought you would just let me recruit some villagers.”
“If you’re going to repopulate your tribe, you need experienced soldiers to protect the young and the females. Training the villagers will take too long.”
Kouga fell back against the chair. “I guess I didn’t think of it that way.”
Sesshoumaru shook the quill in his hand, realizing the ink had dried out. That is the only flaw to them. The sharp point writes beautifully, but you have to constantly keep ink on it. After dipping the quill back into the ink, my mate stared into the fireplace for a brief moment, almost as if he regretted what he was about to do.
He closed his eyes briefly before offering the next proposal. “This Sesshoumaru’s cousin is in need of a mate. She is older than most female demons, but she is still able to experience her heat stages. This Sesshoumaru suggests that you mate his cousin, wolf, thus securing the alliance between the Western Lands.”
“What?” Kouga shouted, jumping out of his seat.
“You should be thanking this Sesshoumaru, not questioning him. He does it for his own reasons. Leave it as that.”
I groaned at such an idea. This will not go well on either side. Kouga doesn’t want to be forced into a mating and Reina will feel the exact same way. “Maybe you should rethink this matter, mate. Reina will not take this news well and might do something rash.”
Sesshoumaru’s aura began to darken in anger. “She will do as this Sesshoumaru commands.” He growled out, crushing the quill with his hands. “I am her alpha as I am yours. I will be obeyed in this.”
I gripped the chair’s handle as I kneeled down onto the floor beside him. I had to give it one last shot. “Please, listen to me.” I pleaded, raising my head to stare at him. “You never gave me the choice of becoming your mate. You took that right away from me. Don’t take away hers. Give her the choice to take Kouga as her mate.”
My pleading had only caused Sesshoumaru to get angrier with me. At least, I had tried for Reina’s sake. I tilted my head to the side in submission and felt my mate’s aura calm down. His clawed hands reached out to me and gently touched the sides of my face. “This Sesshoumaru sees the wisdom of your words. He will offer his cousin a choice, but if she refuses, you will choose him one that will accept him.” I stayed down on my knees, while
my mate removed his hands away. I wanted to be near him.
I turned my attention back towards Kouga only to notice him staring strangely at us. “Watching the two of you interact makes me wish I had a mate of my own. I will accept your terms if your cousin agrees.”
“Is that all it took for you to change your mind?” I teased him.
Kouga grinned. “I can’t let Inuyasha best me, now can I?” We both laughed and I even noticed a smirk on my mate’s lips.
“Would you bring Reina here, mate?” Sesshoumaru asked me, turning his glaze back towards me. “We cannot continue the alliance without her presence.”
It sounded like my mate was asking if I would perform this task, but he really meant it as a command. I wanted to say that he could go to hell and do it his damn self, but instead I shifted my right knee forward and lifted myself up off the floor. I used my hands to grip the bottom half of my kimono and shook loose any debris that I had contracted from being on the floor.
I began to walk forward towards the exit, when it occurred to me that I don’t have the slightest idea where I am. I stopped a few feet away from the exit and shifted my body sideways to ask my mate a question. “How will I find my way back?” I inquired, staring right into his golden colored eyes with my own icy blue ones.
“You’re a demon,” he simply stated, like I should have known the answer to my own question. “Just use your nose and follow this Sesshoumaru’s scent.” I could feel my cheeks and the tips of my ears burn red. What kind of an answer was that?! Knowing that anything I say would just start another argument, I simply turned my body back around and walked back into the dimly lit hallway.
I was too pissed off at the moment to care about how I was supposed to get down the hallway. Earlier I had relied on my mate’s help, but that’s not going to work at this point. Holding out the palm of my hand, I summoned a small pink orb. The glow of the orb lit just a few feet in front of me, since it is just a small orb, but it was enough to lead me out of that hallway. I breathed a sigh of relief when I recognized the East wing. Now, the only thing I have to worry about is finding Reina and how to get back.
“Should have had that damn toad do it,” I mumbled angrily underneath my breath, just passing by the West wing, where Inuyasha and the rest of the gang are. The bad part is that the guest’s quarters are located in the North wing, which is located on the other side of the castle.
A scrapping sound could be heard behind me and I groaned. I knew what that sound meant. My mate’s lackey is coming to meet with his mistress, since he cannot find his master. “Milady, wait up,” he called out to me. I pretended not to hear him and continued towards my destination, but I did slow my steps.
“Milady, please.” He whined in that squeaky voice of his. I wanted to wrap my claws around his throat. His voice is causing a faint buzzing sound in my ears. “I may have information that may help you.”
This did get my attention and I stopped in the middle of the hallway. I might not know where Reina is currently at the moment, but that doesn’t mean he doesn’t know. He knows what goes on in the castle more than my mate and I do. “Do you know where I can find Reina?” I asked him, as soon as I felt his aura nearer to me.
Jaken nodded his head and peered up at me with those beady eyes of his. “Yes, Milady,” he spoke excitedly. “She is in the dojo, battling her skills with Lord Seiji.”
I frowned, trying to remember who he was. “Isn’t he her brother-in-law?”
“Milady?”
I forgot that Jaken didn’t know the meaning of that term, yet. “He’s Kukiko’s mate is he not?” Jaken once more nodded his head eagerly. He probably figures that I will be pleased with his services and reveal to him where my mate is. I grinned evilly, making Jaken cringe and step a few steps back from me.
Now if I remember correctly, the dojo is near the outskirts of the West side of the castle, so that means I have to turn around and go back. It would be easier if I could form a cloud underneath my feet like my mate does. It might come in handy later on in my pregnancy, when my feet swell to the size of grapefruits. I wouldn’t have to walk hardly anywhere in the castle. I wouldn’t feel the pain of walking with swollen feet and no one would be able to see me waddle.
“What is it, Jaken?” I asked, noticing his bulged out eyes and mouth wide open. “You look like you had just seen a ghost. Afraid that your ancestors are coming back to haunt you for being the wicked creature you are.”
He shook his head and pointed to my feet. He couldn’t even come up with the words to say, let alone speak them. I humored him and dropped my head down to look at my feet.
My eyes also bugled out of their sockets. Underneath my feet is my own blue cloud. I guess I formed it with my powers while I was thinking upon it. As if it sensed my thoughts, the cloud lifted itself up off the ground, and flew out of the nearest opened window. It slowly floated near the castle’s ground, almost as if it knew about my fear of heights.
Even though the distance from the ground is not that high up, I still refuse to look at the scenery below me. It’s embarrassing really. Here I am a demon, afraid of heights. I guess I haven’t lost all of my humanity just yet. My fear of heights will take some time to conquer, since I have lived with it my entire life. It can’t be cured overnight, though I wish it would.
“Can’t you move this cloud any faster?” Jaken squawked at me, clutching his staff tightly in his hands. “Master Sesshoumaru would have been there by now.” He had been right next to me when the cloud formed underneath my feet and when it expanded; it formed underneath his own as well.
He suddenly gulped nervously and his eyes bulged slightly, when he noticed the evil smirk upon my face. “And so shall you,” I replied, bending over to lift Jaken up by his brown kimono and tossed him over the side of the cloud. “I’ll meet you at the dojo.” I called out, waving at his falling form.
I couldn’t help but laugh at his pitiful screams. It’s not like he’s going to die or receive severe injuries, because we aren’t that high up. The only thing he will receive is a few bumps to the head, along with some pain. He should be used to that kind of treatment by now. My mate does it all the time and the little toad still serves him.
The dojo loomed ahead and I braced myself for the landing. I trusted the blue cloud to let me down gently and safely, but I still could lose my footing. Just as I had predicted the cloud descended down slowly, a few feet away from the structure. I stepped off and gave a slight nod to the cloud to show my appreciation. I couldn’t speak to the cloud for it wouldn’t understand. I do have a feeling the cloud is somehow connected to my beast, but I have no way to prove it, besides asking my beast outright. She probably won’t give me a straight answer, anyway. Perhaps it is part of my tail.
The blue cloud disappeared and I stared up at the structure before me. The dojo is built entirely of stone set with a cement type mixture. It could be mud for all I know. I believe it was made this way so the structure would not be destroyed easily with all the fighting going on within its walls. The length and width of the dojo is quite amazing. Two of Sesshoumaru’s castles combined still would not match its length. A whole squadron of soldiers could probably fit in there.
I walked up the stone path that leads up to the entrance of the dojo and slowly pushed open the wooden door. I have never been here before, so I don’t know what lies on the other side. There could be someone on the other side of the door fighting and I could end up getting hurt or worse. I glanced inside quickly and breathed a sigh of relief, when I didn’t spot anyone near.
The lighting within is very dim. It’s probably made that way to block one’s eyesight and learn how to use one’s senses. It does prove useful in battle or combat. Each of the walls is made into sections with rice paper lining them. A couple of the walls have weapon racks built into them, reaching from the ceiling down to the floor. Each one of these racks is filled with different types of weapons. Some I recognize, like the swords and the spears, but the rest are unknown to me. I noted to learn about those later. I still have a task to perform.
“Isn’t it great?” Jaken spoke, coming up behind me and moving forward until he stood next to me. He looked about the dojo with an awed look in his beady eyes and I knew he was going to tell me information that was probably useless, but I let him continue anyway. “Master Sesshoumaru designed this dojo and oversaw its construction himself. He wanted to practice his fighting abilities someplace far away from the castle.”
I continued to look around, mapping everything I saw to my memory. “He might have designed most of it, but he probably had someone else help him with the design. It’s too much even for one human, let alone a demon.” I know Jaken likes to boast about my mate’s accomplishments, but this time he was going too far.
“I tell you he did it himself!” Jaken yelled out, hopping up and down. “You can even ask him about it!”
I glared down at him. “I still don’t believe you and nothing is going to change my mind. I don’t know why were even arguing about this. It’s kind of pointless.”
Jaken struck his staff on the floor, disturbing the reeds beneath us. Fibers flew into the air and landed back from whence they came, once the fibers lost their momentum. “Watch it, toad.” I hissed at him. “You could cause the fighters to lose their concentration. I will not protect you, if they lose the fight because of your stupidity.”
I didn’t even acknowledge the nodding of his head, but I did catch the movement from the corner of my eye. My attention was focused on the two demons fighting in the center of the reed floor. One of them is obviously Reina, the demon I’m looking for. I know it’s by the way her golden colored eyes and the golden sun upon her forehead shine brightly in the dimly lighted room. I could also tell it was her by the sound of her voice, grunting and yelling at her opponent.
The other demon took me longer to recognize, but there is no doubt the demon fighting Reina is her sister, Kukiko. The only I could tell it was Kukiko was the way her pure white hair swung, when she was blocking or avoiding Reina’s attacks. She moved too fast for me to recognize the golden sun symbol upon her forehead and there is no way her gray colored eyes could be seen.
“Come on, Kukiko,” Reina yelled out to her sister, attacking her with a double bladed axe. “Stop hesitating and fight me. The enemy will not be as lenient as I am.”
Kukiko had her index finger and her middle finger grabbing the insides of her three bladed weapons. They fit easy in hands tiny hands, almost looking like artificial claws. “I know that already!” Kukiko shouted back, lashing out at her sister. That is the first time I had heard her shout. Usually she is very quiet. She must have surprised her sister as well, for Reina barely avoided her attack.
“Then fight me!” Reina repeated, striking back in retaliation. Kukiko used her weapons to block her sister’s attack. Sparks were seen from the metal of the weapons hitting each other. “Let’s see if you can draw my blood and end this fight!”
Kukiko jumped up into the air and landed behind her sister. It was already too late for Reina to turn around and fight back, for Kukiko already had one of her three bladed weapons against her sister’s throat. “Do it!” Reina hissed. “Show me you can kill the enemy with one strike!” Kukiko pressed her weapon further onto her sister’s throat and scrapped it across, drawing a thin red line.
She removed her weapon and stepped away from her sister. “Does it hurt that much?” She quietly asked in a soft spoken voice. “I didn’t mean to hurt you, but you forced me to do it.”
Reina laughed. “You’re not supposed to ask your enemy if they’re alright. What is wrong with you?”
“We’re not enemies, though.”
Reina studied her sister. “Raiden is our enemy, dear one. Remember that he won’t hesitate to kill you. You must strike first, before he does.”
Kukiko nodded her head and glance towards our way. “It seems that we attracted an audience, sister.”
Reina shifted her body around to look at what Kukiko was staring at. “What do you want? Can’t you see that we’re busy? It’s not a side show you know.”
I had to smile at that one. “I’m sorry that you feel that way, Reina, but I was sent here to fetch you.”
“By whom?” she asked, tilting her head curiously to the side.
Before I could answer, Jaken beat me to it. “Master Sesshoumaru, of course,” Jaken squawked. “Now, get going. You have wasted enough of his time as it is.”
Reina started to move towards us, but I held up my hand to stop her, once she stood a few feet away. I bent over to stare at Jaken and he gulped with fear. He knew what this meant. He knew what he was going to be punished for. I picked him up by his brown collared kimono and leveled him in front of my leg. I reared my leg back and kicked him like a football. He hit the weapons rack head first and the weapons fell on top of him.
I could hear him moaning in pain, so I knew he was still conscious. “Maybe you should learn to keep you mouth shut, toad.” I reprimanded him. “And clean this mess up. It will give you something useful to do.”
Reina couldn’t erase the smirk that came upon her face. It was just too amusing and I had to agree. She handed her weapon to Kukiko. “Take care of that for me will you. I have to go and see what fluffy wants.”
“Fluffy?”
The smirk grew wider. “It’s his childhood nickname. He hates to hear it.” I burst out laughing. “We should go now. I want to get this over and done with.”
I didn’t have the heart to tell her what it is about. Besides, it’s not my place to do so. She has to hear it from the lips of Sesshoumaru himself. I can already imagine the chaos that is going to ensue, but Sesshoumaru brought it upon himself and I’m not even sorry for him.
To be continued…