InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Yellow Brick Road ❯ All That Glitters ( Chapter 19 )
[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: emmaren 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 07.29.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 313 | Status: Work In Progress
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst | Type: Divergence | Uploaded On: 07.29.2008 | Pages: 3 | Words: 4.6K | Visits: 313 | Status: Work In Progress
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN INUYASHA AND COMPANY, NOR DO I OWN WIZARD OF OZ.
AN: Thank you to Wiccan and Sugar0o for your help. Thank you to Fallen_Tenshi8 and ktshabatie for beta-ing.
**** Warning: the flashback is dark; it is not what any would really consider a lemon. You have been warned.****
Chapter 19: All That Glitters
Michi wondered why they bothered to go to the arrogant little human male if he was not even going to accompany them. It was weird, but she got the distinct impression that Kagome knew far more than she let on. Nevertheless, that was neither here nor there; right now Michi was wondering which soldier would push Sesshoumaru over the edge.
Kagome was correct when she explained that most humans do not have an innate ability to sense danger. For if they did these moronic soldiers would realize the deadly stupidity in insulting the Breeder of the West. The only reason that only one had died was … well she was not really sure how Kagome had managed to save them. Their importance must be great, though, considering what the Breeder had submitted to.
Michi knew her uncle never wished to do a demonstrative claiming, but his blood lust had been so great and uncontrollable after the young soldier had dared to touch the Breeder.
*Flash Back*
Sesshoumaru was in far closer proximity to the humans than he preferred, but it was necessary to discuss how Frois was going to be approached. His breeder was attending to serving him when a young soldier reached over and groped her.
Before Kagome understood what had happened there was a red-eyed tai-youkai growling viciously, while a severed hand lay next to her on the ground. Distantly, she heard screams of panic and a call to arms.
Without thought to the consequences of her actions she ripped the cloth away from her neck, and presented herself in submission to her alpha. She did not cry out in fear when the cloth protecting her virtue was torn from her body. She did not begrudge that he still wore his chest plate. No malice entered her mind as he entered her without preparation. No reaction that would have been present in the psyche of a modern day woman was forthcoming.
Kagome understood what this was. This was what Sesshoumaru had struggled to protect her from since she had been pupped. This was his inu, his instincts. While he would not hurt her greatly, this was not going to be a gentle affair.
This was a demonstrative claim. He was proving to the humans just whom she belonged to. Anything short of complete submission on her part, and this would not end well for her. Of course, this was not something that she had wished to have occurred; no, it was not pleasant. The alternative, however, was to allow him to sate his bloodlust on both the humans here and any neighboring villages that were in the vicinity. She, at least, was protected somewhat by his claiming her as pack and the pups she carried.
Fortunately, it was over quickly, and when reason finally reentered the inu’s mind, he knew exactly what he had done. He had burned his last chance at forgiveness.
The human General offered the offender to the youkai, and within a moment, said offender was nothing more than a puddle of goo. His breeder was wrapped securely in his pelt, which brought the wish … if only she had stayed at the Citadel.
*End Flash Back*
So here they sat, two inu youkai and one kit staring down thirty plus human soldiers. Some of the humans were still far too dazed by the demonstration that took place no more than moments before.
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
He had not been careful with his claws; her hips bore the evidence of that. She had not spoken to him since he had started tending to the wounds he inflicted on her. While the beast had reveled in the act, it now only knew remorse. To top it all off, there was one question that he could not answer: Why?
Why would she bare herself to him when he was in that state? She knew what the result would be. He had made sure that she knew those types of protocols. Never again did he want her to be ignorant of what her actions meant to him and his instincts. Michi had been enlightening her to inu culture, and he had taken the time to explain to her the night before they left the Citadel the consequences of bloodlust.
He could kill the whole lot of humans. She was his, and they all knew it. She was his, and yet one had dared to touch her. She was his, and they called her ‘whore.’ She was his, and their arrogance denied it.
Sesshoumaru now feared that while she was his, he had lost her. His control should have been better. He should have noticed the boy before he got too close. He should have … he should have done many things differently. Now … the question hung in his mind. It dragged him down into the abyss of despair.
“Why?” The whisper slipped from his lips.
She turned to look at him, “You are my alpha.”
The answer made no sense. “You are no dog.”
“Do I need to be, to have an alpha?”
“To truly understand what that was with no malice, yes you do.” He was not the great lord; he was a male who had wronged the one precious to him. If she hated him for the rest of her life, he would not be able to blame her.
“I understand more than you give me credit for. Too many hold you in respect, not fear, for you to truly be the monster you fear I see.” She reached across the chasm that he was so sure lay between them. Her fingertips traced one magenta stripe, “Rin told me that I could judge you on the standards of humanity, but it would serve no justice to your actions. Maybe in another five hundred years or so you will be able to understand the standards I was raised with.”
Sesshoumaru nuzzled into her hand, he still did not believe that she would touch him, “How can you forgive this?”
She looked deep within his tormented eyes, “How many beings have you asked anything of, much less forgiveness? It might sound petty, but in my heart I will always know that you were the one to bend first.”
She laughed softly at his growl to her proclamation. “All forgiveness takes time. I have time, but right now, I need you to help me defeat the one that can break me. Back there you needed my strength; ahead of us I will need yours.”
She was beyond what he ever could have hoped for, and she would be the mother of his pups. The question was: what would he be to her?
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
Tada shi had heard the whispers from the humans. After what she had just done for them, they still insisted on degrading her. This would not be allowed to stand.
Before Tadashi could make his move, another beat him to it.
Michi could not control her rage, she shot forth and pinned the most vocal offender to a tree. “You will not have a tongue to speak such filth again. Be thankful for the breath that fills your lungs,” without hesitation, she sliced the offending appendage from the man. She turned to address the rest of them, “There shall be no more comments about the former miko. She is the Breeder of the West, a position of the highest esteem. It was only her mercy that deemed the lot of you worthy of amnesty.
“What you saw was her selfless protection of those who would show her none. She bore the rage of her alpha so that you would not. She bore the bloodlust of her alpha that should have been sated on you. She submitted to kneel into the dirt, not because she is a youkai whore, but because she did not believe that all of you deserved to die for one’s stupidity.
“No more. There will be no more insult to the Breeder of the West. Any that test this decree will be met with swift punishment. Kagome-sama may show unknown amounts of patience and forgiveness, but we will not. She bore your punishment once, but never again.”
Michi walked to stand beside Tadashi and Yuichi. Though they were only three as opposed to the over thirty humans, they were youkai. This group of soldiers would not stand a chance against them. It was as the soldiers began to shift and regroup that the final card was laid on the table: Toto.
The shadow made her presence known with a hiss.
The General recovered first, “What kind of sorcery is this? Does the West now claim to control the shadows?”
Tadashi’s response began more as a growl than words. “There is no sorcery; this is the power of the Breeder. She is the one who ensured the success of the Second Banishing. She is the one you owe your gratitude to for removing the threat of shadows from these lands.”
The General had long since been unused to anyone speaking to him with such derision that he could not stop the reply, “And yet she failed to ensure that all remained in the Island of the Forbidden.”
“Apparently, stupidity is so ingrained into humanity that the two cannot be separated. You will never speak of things beyond your comprehension again. You know nothing beyond your petty squabbles, so if you do not wish to incur the wrath of the West do not test its patience.” The male inu fought the urge to take his true form to teach these fools a lesson.
Not willing to back down from the blatant insults flung in his direction the General pushed. “If we are so petty and useless, why appeal to us for help?”
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~ < br>
“Sesshoumaru, do you think that I would have been able to forgive myself if I had allowed you to kill all those men?” Kagome knew that he doubted her ability to understand.
“The bloodlust was for them to feel, not you.”
“That statement only shows how little you understand about me,” she looked deep into his being, and implored that he do the same so that he could trust her words. “You can never separate yourself from your instincts. They are more than just a part of you; they are a part of everything that is you. The same holds true for my forgiveness. I may chose to fight it at times, but it is a tiring battle that I will never win. Please accept that with time, I will forgive all transgressions against me, no matter how small or large they may be.
“Accept this as I have accepted your instincts and we might be able to move past the self made barriers. I am no dog. However, I claim you as my alpha. Everything that status entails I will give to you. All I ask is that you accept what I am.”
“Then, what are you?”
Her laugh was bitter, yet what stabbed the most at his heart was the hidden sadness. “I don’t know. No one has ever been able to really see me.”
The picture before him was not that of a proud, strong female. It was one that most honestly reflected his private turmoil. It was the picture of one who was being worn away by the pressures of duty. Duty that no one truly prepared them for, yet still they were expected to excel. It was a picture of disillusionment. The woman knelt before him; head bowed, hips still bleeding through the bandages, and scarcely enough cloth to cover her modesty.
Even on the eve of his brutal act, she could feel it. She was losing her heart to him. Maybe she had already lost it, but it did not matter because the only outcome of this love was heartbreak. She could never stand aside while he took another. The triangle with Inuyasha, Kikyou, and herself had proven how much she needed to mean the same to the one she loved as he did to her. Being cast off was one thing, sharing him was beyond her.
She whispered her request, “When this is through, you will have my heart. All I ask is that you do not break it in such a way that I cannot repair it.”
The silly little school girl no longer existed in Sengoku Japan. She knew enough of herself to know that absolute fidelity was a necessary part of her being. It was part of the reason she took to the wilderness. No male of this era would emasculate himself by refusing the vices that were male-rites.
Kagome could accept his instinctual needs now, but she would not allow him to break her.
His rage grew; this was not how things were. He would not destroy something as precious as her strength. The angered growl reverberated in his chest as he pulled her unresisting form into him.
“Kagome, do not ask the questions of a simpleton.”
“A simpleton does not ever realize that they are replaceable.”
Sesshoumaru leaned down and nipped her ear hard in reprimand. “Pack is never replaced.” He began to sooth the ear with his tongue.
“So I am to stand idly by while you take another as mate? I know that fidelity is not practiced among the males of this era, but I cannot be one of many. I would rather be nothing to anyone than nothing to the male in my bed.” No, she was far more than just her womb, more than the apex of her legs. It was last of her futuristic ideals and she would not let go. Her mother had ingrained in her what it meant to be a woman, and she would allow no male to turn her into to a fancily adorned whore.
The growl was not meant to show displeasure, rather it was the combination of frustration and … well he did not quite know what. “This Sesshoumaru will have no other.”
The look she gave him was one of total wonderment, “How can you know, Tin man? Is it not the heart that decides these things?”
“You accuse this Sesshoumaru of lying?” Yes, he knew it was absurd that he would swear his loyalty to an infuriating female. However, there was no malice in her actions, no conniving. She offered loyalty. She had all the qualities he would seek out in a female. True, she was not youkai, but their pups were not hanyou either.
“No, I would just never presume that the great Sesshoumaru-sama would be tied so strongly to a mere human.” She would not raise her eyes to meet his. She had already lost herself to his warmth. She had not realized how much he had become home. For a little while longer, she wanted to know this feeling, this belonging.
Clawed fingers stroked and caressed her face, encouraging her to look at her alpha. When their eyes connected, both felt the bond. How had they become so tied together? “There is nothing mere about you, Kagome.”
She smiled at him without the weight of responsibility on her shoulders. Nuzzling into him, she knew that their time here was almost at an end.
Not yet, though. She could stay here a moment longer wrapped in his warmth. This was where the yellow brick road failed to take her; this was where the ruby slippers decided she belonged when she clicked them together.
As she balled tighter into his chest and lap, one word left her lips. It was the word that both had longed for. After so long, it would have meaning again.
“Home.”
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_ ~_~_~_~_~_~
The General was quite pleased with the silence he had instilled upon the youkai, but that faded as the silver-haired male returned.
“It was an extension of a courtesy that was obviously wasted.” Sesshoumaru gave his back to the pitiful humans, “Michi, you will help the Breeder prepare. We depart as soon as she is ready.”
The youkai moved about to break camp. No more would they be slowed by these human soldiers. Or so they thought.
One soldier stepped forward, and then subjugated himself to the forest floor. “Please, Sesshoumaru-sama.”
The regal dog turned to look at the one who dared his further displeasure. “Hn.”
The man had no idea what that monosyllabic response was supposed to mean. Seeing how searing pain did not accompany it, it must be safe to proceed. “I request that I be allowed to accompany your party to Father Frois.”
“No. This Sesshoumaru is done dealing with the stupidity of humans.” Sesshoumaru turned to resume watching the others break camp, when again the same human spoke to him.
“No, you are not. In the near future, you will be dealing with humans that hold absolutely no respect for your kind. You will be forced to interact with them, despite their disrespect. I assume that it was never your intention to just abduct the Father, hence our presence.
“Please, great youkai lord, allow me to accompany you. I was christened by Father Frois.”
Tadashi moved forward to strike down the impudent fool, but his curiosity got the better of him. Without thought, he voiced the question that had been on so many of the minds present, “Why offer to help?”
Daiki turned to the brown-haired youkai as he spoke, “The devil and his minions are the same, no matter what name you call them by. If you say that the devil is hiding amongst the missionaries, and you know of a way to secure him, then why would I not help you?
“True, you could be deceiving us, but it seems like too much effort to deceive a few lowly humans. No, I do not believe deception has anything to do with this. And if she is truly the one responsible for the Second Banishing, then I owe her a debt.”
Sesshoumaru had his eyes locked with his Breeder throughout the entire conversation. He was sure that she saw the merit in allowing the human to travel with them; however, he would not be able to determine what she was thinking without holding an open discussion in front of the human swine.
“Enough. Any of those who follow, do so at their own risk. No further insults will be endured.”
The regal inu strode over and gathered his breeder. With her secured and the camp broken, the youkai party left the human soldiers behind.
Daiki quickly gathered his belongings and followed the youkai. He ignored the protests of his comrades. This was the right course of action.
~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~_~
< br> Sesshoumaru had been aware that the soldier persisted in following them for the past four days; in fact, he had slowed their pace so that the human could keep up. By the morning, they would be upon the missionaries.
“Tadashi, retrieve the human.”
The brown-haired inu darted off and within minutes had brought back a frightened soldier. Sesshoumaru studied the male, and determined that he was not overly stupid, just full of conviction.
“You have followed without approach. How is this conduct to be beneficial to any involved?” Sesshoumaru had no inflection when he spoke. The tone was slightly quieter than usual, because Kagome had fallen asleep a short while ago.
“You gave permission to follow, not to approach. I did not wish to anger you any further, but I do not believe that the missionaries will take kindly to ‘demons’ entering their parish.” Really, why had he followed?
“They may be fools, but the threat amongst them cannot be over-looked. This Sesshoumaru cannot be deterred by pious holy men.” His clawed fingers were gently combing through the raven tresses of his bitch’s hair.
Daiki watched the loving motion displayed by the stoic tai-youkai. This one was renowned for his viciousness, but how much of his reputation was nothing more than gossip? Daiki was not a fool, and therefore did not the doubt the lethal nature of this creature before him. What he wondered was how cruel and evil youkai truly were? All these youkai had displayed absolute loyalty and protection for the petite, slumbering miko. Was evil even capable of devotion?
“I do not question your power or control in any of this. I am not here to offer my loyalty or service to you,” the growling made him swallow hard, “I am here to help ensure, as much as I am capable of, the safety of the man who offered me salvation. My loyalty in this is to Father Frois.”
It had been a while since a human had impressed Sesshoumaru as much as this man. His words could easily grant his death, but he was intelligent enough to realize that any falsehood would be detected and dealt with appropriately.
“How were you planning to display this loyalty?”
He felt the sweat pour down his back. He prayed that at least they would carry his body to the priests for last rites. “I planned to push through tonight and speak with Father Frois before your party arrived.” There was nothing to do now but wait for the fatal blow.
The ‘fatal’ blow did not come; instead, there was a suspicious moan from the sleeping miko. Sesshoumaru was having a hard time concentrating on the conversation he was having with the human. His bitch was aroused, her body calling to him. His beast wanted nothing more than to comply with her body’s wishes, while his logical side fought to stay focused in the fog. His anger rose as he noticed the human’s focus shift to his bitch for a moment.
Sesshoumaru had the man pinned to a tree, claws digging into his neck while airways were slowly closed off. “You would dare covet what is this Sesshoumaru’s?!” The red eyes were all the warning needed.
“NO … no, I mean-nt-t n-no disres-p-pect.” The whispered plea was honest enough to allow the inu-youkai to loosen his grip on the human’s air-passage. Gasping for breath, the soldier again questioned his sanity for pursuing this endeavor.
Sesshoumaru registered what the fool had said prior to the fool’s examination of his bitch. “What did you plan to gain by reaching the missionaries first?” Sesshoumaru was once again the picture of stoicism.
Answering a question when one did not know the truth was near impossible. To aggravate matters, the inquisitor would be able to detect any deceit. “I don’t know.” The tightening of the clawed hand around his throat told him that he needed to pick his next words carefully if he had any wish that they not be his last. “I truly don’t know. What I do know is that your party descending down upon the missionaries without them being prepared is in no one’s best interest.”
“Explain.” He dropped the man in favor of returning to his bitch.
Daiki took a deep breath before he began, “The foreigners know nothing of nature’s spirits, only angel or demon. I mean no disrespect, but I believe that they would recognize you as the latter. If that turns to be the case, then nothing you do or say would convince them otherwise. Your Breeder would be labeled a witch, or mistress of Satan. They would fight to deliver her from you so that her soul could be saved. You speak of a great evil among them. Would not this evil being ensure that the events occur this way so that he might find the means of escape?
“I am a man of little rank and smaller family, but my faith is in great abundance. These missionaries are good men. Therefore, it is my obligation to ensure their safety as much as possible. If she is as you say, then I would also seek to protect her from their censure. She would be the one among us that deserves it the least.”
He was kneeling three yards from the tai-youkai, praying that his bladder and bowels had the fortitude to withstand this encounter.
Sesshoumaru took in the man before him. It was hard to be certain that there was no deceit from him because of the over-whelming stench of fear. Yes, he might prove useful with the foreigners, but his loyalty was already claimed to lay elsewhere.
“You will stay here within sight. In the morning the foreigners will be approached.” It was obvious that the man did not relish the idea of staying within the presence of youkai. “Your life depends on your diplomacy with those who showed you your faith.”
All within the camp felt the tension of the coming day, except one. That one snuggled further into her alpha’s warmth, wrapped by his scent and aura. Her dreams danced with all the colors of the rainbow.
Her hope and faith slowly radiated out to all those around her. Tomorrow may be hard, but the impossible had already been achieved many times over.
*+*+*+*+*+*+*
AN: Thanks for reading please review. I know that this took a kind of dark twist, but come on. Tell me you did not see this coming. For all those who like fluff, I am not that sort of author. For those of you who like smut, the scenes I have written are nothing I want to go into great detail with. I am working on my smut, I’ll call it citrus if it makes you feel better, but I want it to be a moment between the characters that is far more than the act itself. I am working to forge a strong bond between my two leads and I want the physical act to reflect the depth of their bond. There, I hope that makes people feel better.
If you are interested in email updates, let me know in the review or email at emma80ren@yahoo.com.
Emily
AN: Thank you to Wiccan and Sugar0o for your help. Thank you to Fallen_Tenshi8 and ktshabatie for beta-ing.
**** Warning: the flashback is dark; it is not what any would really consider a lemon. You have been warned.****
Michi wondered why they bothered to go to the arrogant little human male if he was not even going to accompany them. It was weird, but she got the distinct impression that Kagome knew far more than she let on. Nevertheless, that was neither here nor there; right now Michi was wondering which soldier would push Sesshoumaru over the edge.
Kagome was correct when she explained that most humans do not have an innate ability to sense danger. For if they did these moronic soldiers would realize the deadly stupidity in insulting the Breeder of the West. The only reason that only one had died was … well she was not really sure how Kagome had managed to save them. Their importance must be great, though, considering what the Breeder had submitted to.
Michi knew her uncle never wished to do a demonstrative claiming, but his blood lust had been so great and uncontrollable after the young soldier had dared to touch the Breeder.
Sesshoumaru was in far closer proximity to the humans than he preferred, but it was necessary to discuss how Frois was going to be approached. His breeder was attending to serving him when a young soldier reached over and groped her.
Before Kagome understood what had happened there was a red-eyed tai-youkai growling viciously, while a severed hand lay next to her on the ground. Distantly, she heard screams of panic and a call to arms.
Without thought to the consequences of her actions she ripped the cloth away from her neck, and presented herself in submission to her alpha. She did not cry out in fear when the cloth protecting her virtue was torn from her body. She did not begrudge that he still wore his chest plate. No malice entered her mind as he entered her without preparation. No reaction that would have been present in the psyche of a modern day woman was forthcoming.
Kagome understood what this was. This was what Sesshoumaru had struggled to protect her from since she had been pupped. This was his inu, his instincts. While he would not hurt her greatly, this was not going to be a gentle affair.
This was a demonstrative claim. He was proving to the humans just whom she belonged to. Anything short of complete submission on her part, and this would not end well for her. Of course, this was not something that she had wished to have occurred; no, it was not pleasant. The alternative, however, was to allow him to sate his bloodlust on both the humans here and any neighboring villages that were in the vicinity. She, at least, was protected somewhat by his claiming her as pack and the pups she carried.
Fortunately, it was over quickly, and when reason finally reentered the inu’s mind, he knew exactly what he had done. He had burned his last chance at forgiveness.
The human General offered the offender to the youkai, and within a moment, said offender was nothing more than a puddle of goo. His breeder was wrapped securely in his pelt, which brought the wish … if only she had stayed at the Citadel.
So here they sat, two inu youkai and one kit staring down thirty plus human soldiers. Some of the humans were still far too dazed by the demonstration that took place no more than moments before.
He had not been careful with his claws; her hips bore the evidence of that. She had not spoken to him since he had started tending to the wounds he inflicted on her. While the beast had reveled in the act, it now only knew remorse. To top it all off, there was one question that he could not answer: Why?
Why would she bare herself to him when he was in that state? She knew what the result would be. He had made sure that she knew those types of protocols. Never again did he want her to be ignorant of what her actions meant to him and his instincts. Michi had been enlightening her to inu culture, and he had taken the time to explain to her the night before they left the Citadel the consequences of bloodlust.
He could kill the whole lot of humans. She was his, and they all knew it. She was his, and yet one had dared to touch her. She was his, and they called her ‘whore.’ She was his, and their arrogance denied it.
Sesshoumaru now feared that while she was his, he had lost her. His control should have been better. He should have noticed the boy before he got too close. He should have … he should have done many things differently. Now … the question hung in his mind. It dragged him down into the abyss of despair.
“Why?” The whisper slipped from his lips.
She turned to look at him, “You are my alpha.”
The answer made no sense. “You are no dog.”
“Do I need to be, to have an alpha?”
“To truly understand what that was with no malice, yes you do.” He was not the great lord; he was a male who had wronged the one precious to him. If she hated him for the rest of her life, he would not be able to blame her.
“I understand more than you give me credit for. Too many hold you in respect, not fear, for you to truly be the monster you fear I see.” She reached across the chasm that he was so sure lay between them. Her fingertips traced one magenta stripe, “Rin told me that I could judge you on the standards of humanity, but it would serve no justice to your actions. Maybe in another five hundred years or so you will be able to understand the standards I was raised with.”
Sesshoumaru nuzzled into her hand, he still did not believe that she would touch him, “How can you forgive this?”
She looked deep within his tormented eyes, “How many beings have you asked anything of, much less forgiveness? It might sound petty, but in my heart I will always know that you were the one to bend first.”
She laughed softly at his growl to her proclamation. “All forgiveness takes time. I have time, but right now, I need you to help me defeat the one that can break me. Back there you needed my strength; ahead of us I will need yours.”
She was beyond what he ever could have hoped for, and she would be the mother of his pups. The question was: what would he be to her?
Tada shi had heard the whispers from the humans. After what she had just done for them, they still insisted on degrading her. This would not be allowed to stand.
Before Tadashi could make his move, another beat him to it.
Michi could not control her rage, she shot forth and pinned the most vocal offender to a tree. “You will not have a tongue to speak such filth again. Be thankful for the breath that fills your lungs,” without hesitation, she sliced the offending appendage from the man. She turned to address the rest of them, “There shall be no more comments about the former miko. She is the Breeder of the West, a position of the highest esteem. It was only her mercy that deemed the lot of you worthy of amnesty.
“What you saw was her selfless protection of those who would show her none. She bore the rage of her alpha so that you would not. She bore the bloodlust of her alpha that should have been sated on you. She submitted to kneel into the dirt, not because she is a youkai whore, but because she did not believe that all of you deserved to die for one’s stupidity.
“No more. There will be no more insult to the Breeder of the West. Any that test this decree will be met with swift punishment. Kagome-sama may show unknown amounts of patience and forgiveness, but we will not. She bore your punishment once, but never again.”
Michi walked to stand beside Tadashi and Yuichi. Though they were only three as opposed to the over thirty humans, they were youkai. This group of soldiers would not stand a chance against them. It was as the soldiers began to shift and regroup that the final card was laid on the table: Toto.
The shadow made her presence known with a hiss.
The General recovered first, “What kind of sorcery is this? Does the West now claim to control the shadows?”
Tadashi’s response began more as a growl than words. “There is no sorcery; this is the power of the Breeder. She is the one who ensured the success of the Second Banishing. She is the one you owe your gratitude to for removing the threat of shadows from these lands.”
The General had long since been unused to anyone speaking to him with such derision that he could not stop the reply, “And yet she failed to ensure that all remained in the Island of the Forbidden.”
“Apparently, stupidity is so ingrained into humanity that the two cannot be separated. You will never speak of things beyond your comprehension again. You know nothing beyond your petty squabbles, so if you do not wish to incur the wrath of the West do not test its patience.” The male inu fought the urge to take his true form to teach these fools a lesson.
Not willing to back down from the blatant insults flung in his direction the General pushed. “If we are so petty and useless, why appeal to us for help?”
“Sesshoumaru, do you think that I would have been able to forgive myself if I had allowed you to kill all those men?” Kagome knew that he doubted her ability to understand.
“The bloodlust was for them to feel, not you.”
“That statement only shows how little you understand about me,” she looked deep into his being, and implored that he do the same so that he could trust her words. “You can never separate yourself from your instincts. They are more than just a part of you; they are a part of everything that is you. The same holds true for my forgiveness. I may chose to fight it at times, but it is a tiring battle that I will never win. Please accept that with time, I will forgive all transgressions against me, no matter how small or large they may be.
“Accept this as I have accepted your instincts and we might be able to move past the self made barriers. I am no dog. However, I claim you as my alpha. Everything that status entails I will give to you. All I ask is that you accept what I am.”
“Then, what are you?”
Her laugh was bitter, yet what stabbed the most at his heart was the hidden sadness. “I don’t know. No one has ever been able to really see me.”
The picture before him was not that of a proud, strong female. It was one that most honestly reflected his private turmoil. It was the picture of one who was being worn away by the pressures of duty. Duty that no one truly prepared them for, yet still they were expected to excel. It was a picture of disillusionment. The woman knelt before him; head bowed, hips still bleeding through the bandages, and scarcely enough cloth to cover her modesty.
Even on the eve of his brutal act, she could feel it. She was losing her heart to him. Maybe she had already lost it, but it did not matter because the only outcome of this love was heartbreak. She could never stand aside while he took another. The triangle with Inuyasha, Kikyou, and herself had proven how much she needed to mean the same to the one she loved as he did to her. Being cast off was one thing, sharing him was beyond her.
She whispered her request, “When this is through, you will have my heart. All I ask is that you do not break it in such a way that I cannot repair it.”
The silly little school girl no longer existed in Sengoku Japan. She knew enough of herself to know that absolute fidelity was a necessary part of her being. It was part of the reason she took to the wilderness. No male of this era would emasculate himself by refusing the vices that were male-rites.
Kagome could accept his instinctual needs now, but she would not allow him to break her.
His rage grew; this was not how things were. He would not destroy something as precious as her strength. The angered growl reverberated in his chest as he pulled her unresisting form into him.
“Kagome, do not ask the questions of a simpleton.”
“A simpleton does not ever realize that they are replaceable.”
Sesshoumaru leaned down and nipped her ear hard in reprimand. “Pack is never replaced.” He began to sooth the ear with his tongue.
“So I am to stand idly by while you take another as mate? I know that fidelity is not practiced among the males of this era, but I cannot be one of many. I would rather be nothing to anyone than nothing to the male in my bed.” No, she was far more than just her womb, more than the apex of her legs. It was last of her futuristic ideals and she would not let go. Her mother had ingrained in her what it meant to be a woman, and she would allow no male to turn her into to a fancily adorned whore.
The growl was not meant to show displeasure, rather it was the combination of frustration and … well he did not quite know what. “This Sesshoumaru will have no other.”
The look she gave him was one of total wonderment, “How can you know, Tin man? Is it not the heart that decides these things?”
“You accuse this Sesshoumaru of lying?” Yes, he knew it was absurd that he would swear his loyalty to an infuriating female. However, there was no malice in her actions, no conniving. She offered loyalty. She had all the qualities he would seek out in a female. True, she was not youkai, but their pups were not hanyou either.
“No, I would just never presume that the great Sesshoumaru-sama would be tied so strongly to a mere human.” She would not raise her eyes to meet his. She had already lost herself to his warmth. She had not realized how much he had become home. For a little while longer, she wanted to know this feeling, this belonging.
Clawed fingers stroked and caressed her face, encouraging her to look at her alpha. When their eyes connected, both felt the bond. How had they become so tied together? “There is nothing mere about you, Kagome.”
She smiled at him without the weight of responsibility on her shoulders. Nuzzling into him, she knew that their time here was almost at an end.
Not yet, though. She could stay here a moment longer wrapped in his warmth. This was where the yellow brick road failed to take her; this was where the ruby slippers decided she belonged when she clicked them together.
As she balled tighter into his chest and lap, one word left her lips. It was the word that both had longed for. After so long, it would have meaning again.
“Home.”
The General was quite pleased with the silence he had instilled upon the youkai, but that faded as the silver-haired male returned.
“It was an extension of a courtesy that was obviously wasted.” Sesshoumaru gave his back to the pitiful humans, “Michi, you will help the Breeder prepare. We depart as soon as she is ready.”
The youkai moved about to break camp. No more would they be slowed by these human soldiers. Or so they thought.
One soldier stepped forward, and then subjugated himself to the forest floor. “Please, Sesshoumaru-sama.”
The regal dog turned to look at the one who dared his further displeasure. “Hn.”
The man had no idea what that monosyllabic response was supposed to mean. Seeing how searing pain did not accompany it, it must be safe to proceed. “I request that I be allowed to accompany your party to Father Frois.”
“No. This Sesshoumaru is done dealing with the stupidity of humans.” Sesshoumaru turned to resume watching the others break camp, when again the same human spoke to him.
“No, you are not. In the near future, you will be dealing with humans that hold absolutely no respect for your kind. You will be forced to interact with them, despite their disrespect. I assume that it was never your intention to just abduct the Father, hence our presence.
“Please, great youkai lord, allow me to accompany you. I was christened by Father Frois.”
Tadashi moved forward to strike down the impudent fool, but his curiosity got the better of him. Without thought, he voiced the question that had been on so many of the minds present, “Why offer to help?”
Daiki turned to the brown-haired youkai as he spoke, “The devil and his minions are the same, no matter what name you call them by. If you say that the devil is hiding amongst the missionaries, and you know of a way to secure him, then why would I not help you?
“True, you could be deceiving us, but it seems like too much effort to deceive a few lowly humans. No, I do not believe deception has anything to do with this. And if she is truly the one responsible for the Second Banishing, then I owe her a debt.”
Sesshoumaru had his eyes locked with his Breeder throughout the entire conversation. He was sure that she saw the merit in allowing the human to travel with them; however, he would not be able to determine what she was thinking without holding an open discussion in front of the human swine.
“Enough. Any of those who follow, do so at their own risk. No further insults will be endured.”
The regal inu strode over and gathered his breeder. With her secured and the camp broken, the youkai party left the human soldiers behind.
Daiki quickly gathered his belongings and followed the youkai. He ignored the protests of his comrades. This was the right course of action.
< br> Sesshoumaru had been aware that the soldier persisted in following them for the past four days; in fact, he had slowed their pace so that the human could keep up. By the morning, they would be upon the missionaries.
“Tadashi, retrieve the human.”
The brown-haired inu darted off and within minutes had brought back a frightened soldier. Sesshoumaru studied the male, and determined that he was not overly stupid, just full of conviction.
“You have followed without approach. How is this conduct to be beneficial to any involved?” Sesshoumaru had no inflection when he spoke. The tone was slightly quieter than usual, because Kagome had fallen asleep a short while ago.
“You gave permission to follow, not to approach. I did not wish to anger you any further, but I do not believe that the missionaries will take kindly to ‘demons’ entering their parish.” Really, why had he followed?
“They may be fools, but the threat amongst them cannot be over-looked. This Sesshoumaru cannot be deterred by pious holy men.” His clawed fingers were gently combing through the raven tresses of his bitch’s hair.
Daiki watched the loving motion displayed by the stoic tai-youkai. This one was renowned for his viciousness, but how much of his reputation was nothing more than gossip? Daiki was not a fool, and therefore did not the doubt the lethal nature of this creature before him. What he wondered was how cruel and evil youkai truly were? All these youkai had displayed absolute loyalty and protection for the petite, slumbering miko. Was evil even capable of devotion?
“I do not question your power or control in any of this. I am not here to offer my loyalty or service to you,” the growling made him swallow hard, “I am here to help ensure, as much as I am capable of, the safety of the man who offered me salvation. My loyalty in this is to Father Frois.”
It had been a while since a human had impressed Sesshoumaru as much as this man. His words could easily grant his death, but he was intelligent enough to realize that any falsehood would be detected and dealt with appropriately.
“How were you planning to display this loyalty?”
He felt the sweat pour down his back. He prayed that at least they would carry his body to the priests for last rites. “I planned to push through tonight and speak with Father Frois before your party arrived.” There was nothing to do now but wait for the fatal blow.
The ‘fatal’ blow did not come; instead, there was a suspicious moan from the sleeping miko. Sesshoumaru was having a hard time concentrating on the conversation he was having with the human. His bitch was aroused, her body calling to him. His beast wanted nothing more than to comply with her body’s wishes, while his logical side fought to stay focused in the fog. His anger rose as he noticed the human’s focus shift to his bitch for a moment.
Sesshoumaru had the man pinned to a tree, claws digging into his neck while airways were slowly closed off. “You would dare covet what is this Sesshoumaru’s?!” The red eyes were all the warning needed.
“NO … no, I mean-nt-t n-no disres-p-pect.” The whispered plea was honest enough to allow the inu-youkai to loosen his grip on the human’s air-passage. Gasping for breath, the soldier again questioned his sanity for pursuing this endeavor.
Sesshoumaru registered what the fool had said prior to the fool’s examination of his bitch. “What did you plan to gain by reaching the missionaries first?” Sesshoumaru was once again the picture of stoicism.
Answering a question when one did not know the truth was near impossible. To aggravate matters, the inquisitor would be able to detect any deceit. “I don’t know.” The tightening of the clawed hand around his throat told him that he needed to pick his next words carefully if he had any wish that they not be his last. “I truly don’t know. What I do know is that your party descending down upon the missionaries without them being prepared is in no one’s best interest.”
“Explain.” He dropped the man in favor of returning to his bitch.
Daiki took a deep breath before he began, “The foreigners know nothing of nature’s spirits, only angel or demon. I mean no disrespect, but I believe that they would recognize you as the latter. If that turns to be the case, then nothing you do or say would convince them otherwise. Your Breeder would be labeled a witch, or mistress of Satan. They would fight to deliver her from you so that her soul could be saved. You speak of a great evil among them. Would not this evil being ensure that the events occur this way so that he might find the means of escape?
“I am a man of little rank and smaller family, but my faith is in great abundance. These missionaries are good men. Therefore, it is my obligation to ensure their safety as much as possible. If she is as you say, then I would also seek to protect her from their censure. She would be the one among us that deserves it the least.”
He was kneeling three yards from the tai-youkai, praying that his bladder and bowels had the fortitude to withstand this encounter.
Sesshoumaru took in the man before him. It was hard to be certain that there was no deceit from him because of the over-whelming stench of fear. Yes, he might prove useful with the foreigners, but his loyalty was already claimed to lay elsewhere.
“You will stay here within sight. In the morning the foreigners will be approached.” It was obvious that the man did not relish the idea of staying within the presence of youkai. “Your life depends on your diplomacy with those who showed you your faith.”
All within the camp felt the tension of the coming day, except one. That one snuggled further into her alpha’s warmth, wrapped by his scent and aura. Her dreams danced with all the colors of the rainbow.
Her hope and faith slowly radiated out to all those around her. Tomorrow may be hard, but the impossible had already been achieved many times over.
AN: Thanks for reading please review. I know that this took a kind of dark twist, but come on. Tell me you did not see this coming. For all those who like fluff, I am not that sort of author. For those of you who like smut, the scenes I have written are nothing I want to go into great detail with. I am working on my smut, I’ll call it citrus if it makes you feel better, but I want it to be a moment between the characters that is far more than the act itself. I am working to forge a strong bond between my two leads and I want the physical act to reflect the depth of their bond. There, I hope that makes people feel better.
If you are interested in email updates, let me know in the review or email at emma80ren@yahoo.com.
Emily