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Moonlight

Scroll Twelve: Of death and dragons...

By kira

Author’s note: Once again I wish to thank Ith and Tir-chan for all their hard work on betaing this fic! Your help is very much appreciated! Without you both, this fic would be a very different animal! “winks”


“Doesn’t he sleep any more?” Sesshomaru grumbled to Tsuki as they sat on the low porch just outside her room, watching Inuyasha play. The two year old hanyou was busy chasing after the butterflies that flitted above the peonies that grew at the edge of the courtyard. He squealed with delight when he nearly caught the one that had landed on his head.

“Of course he sleeps, Maru-chan,” Tsuki said with a laugh. “He just doesn’t sleep because you want him to. Haven’t you figured that out yet?”

Sesshomaru sighed. “Hai...but I was hoping this time he’d doze off instead of waking up like he always does, as I really want to pillow with you. I’ve missed you terribly, Tsuki-chan.” Sesshomaru leaned over and kissed her. He gathered her into his embrace, letting his hand worm its way under her obi knot. He would have liked to have gone a bit lower instead, but he held back because he was never sure what Inuyasha would notice at any given moment. Just then he heard a familiar giggle.

Inuyasha laughed and made a little kissing sound. “Muuchn and Ukichn play num-num!” He laughed again.

Sesshomaru let out a heavy sigh as Tsuki laughed. “Come here, Inu-chan, and I’ll kiss you too,” she said as she turned to face him. Opening her arms, she gathered her foster son in her embrace and kissed him softly on the cheek. Inuyasha giggled and squirmed as she held him tight, so she let him go. “Silly pup! I thought you wanted to play.”

“Iie! Wanna play ball wiff Muuchn,” he said with all the seriousness a two-year-old could muster.

“Hai! I’d love to play ball with you too!” Sesshomaru beamed at Inuyasha, much to Tsuki’s surprise. He couldn’t believe his luck. Inuyasha had just provided him with the perfect opportunity to tire him out.

Sesshomaru had just arrived home from his first month long patrol and he had missed Tsuki more than he had thought possible. He had been annoyed with his father for summoning him to a stupid meeting with his counselors before he had a chance to greet her properly. The time he had spent going over his findings with father and the others was pure torture as he had not been able to concentrate on anything other than Tsuki. As he had sat there, it had often felt as though they were going over the same things more than once and he had longed to be dismissed. Plus his thoughts had kept coming back to working on getting another pup, and it had just added to his desire. The only thing stopping him now was a little annoyance known as Inuyasha. The two-year-old was supposed to be with his mother, but unfortunately Izayoi had fallen ill while Sesshomaru was away and she was too sick to watch the energetic hanyou by herself. When Inuyasha said he wanted to play ball, Sesshomaru had jumped at the opportunity because nothing tired his brother out faster than a good game of catch. Or in Inuyasha’s case, fetch, as he would stand there, watching Sesshomaru throw the ball, before he would race away to go get it and bring it back. “Go get your ball like a good little pup and we’ll play.”

Inuyasha’s face light up. “Hai!” Smiling from ear to ear, the two-year-old scrambled up the two stairs leading to the low porch and headed quickly for the room he shared with his foster parents. He disappeared inside, only to reappear minutes later, clutching his ball tightly to his chest. He walked up to brother and promptly dropped the ball in his lap. “Frowed it, Muuchn!” he commanded.

Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow at him and Inuyasha quickly added, “Pease, Muuchn.” He smiled sweetly at him.

“Of course he’ll throw the ball for you, Inu-chan,” Tsuki said with a smile. “Why wouldn’t he, when you asked him so nicely, ne?” She looked questioningly at her mate who sat there, just as anxiously waiting to begin the game as his younger brother, although he tried not to show it.

Sesshomaru, smiling inwardly, instead affected an air of boredom. “Ready?” he said as he picked up the ball.

“Hai!” Inuyasha cried. ““Frowed it, Muuchn!” He stood there, wriggling and clapping his hands.

“Hai...” Sesshomaru said as he threw the ball to the other side of the garden. “Go get it.”

“Hai!” Inuyasha ran over to the stairs, and turning around, he made his way down backwards on his stomach. Once his feet reached the soft grassy area, he took off squealing towards the far end of the courtyard where the ball came to rest under the peonies. Digging under their fat blooms, he found the ball, and hugging it tightly to his chest he turned and hurried back to where his brother sat, stealing kisses from Tsuki. “Num-num! Silly face!” he giggled. “Muuchn, you look funny!”

Sesshomaru quickly pulled away from his mate and frowned. “So do you, Whelp,” he said dryly as Tsuki glared at him. Feeling her cold hard stare, he turned to face her. “Nani?” he said as he shot her a puzzled look.

Tsuki sighed and hissed softly, “His name is Inuyasha, not Whelp! I can’t believe you’d call him that!”

“Hunh? Why not? That’s what Taka...” he trailed off when it hit him. “Gomen, Little Brother,” he murmured softly as Tsuki smiled at him. Leaning towards each other, their lips met for a kiss before Inuyasha interrupted them.

“Here! Frowed it again, Mucchn!” He grinned at his older brother as he held out the ball.

“Hai...” Sesshomaru took the ball from him, threw it and the pattern for afternoon was set. First Sesshomaru would throw the ball, and while Inuyasha went after it he would steal kisses from Tsuki until his brother’s return. After a while Inuyasha started taking longer and longer to return with the ball, until tired out, he dropped it. Standing in front of Sesshomaru, he held up his hands and said, “Up!”

“Are your hands clean?”

Inuyasha looked at his muddy hands. “Hai,” he said holding them out to his brother.

“Are you sure?” Sesshomaru prompted.

“Hai,” he whined as Tsuki hissed softly, “Just pick him up already! Who cares if you get dirty?”

Sesshomaru sighed softly and leaning forward, he gently lifted his little brother onto to lap. Inuyasha quickly snuggled into him; his thumb firmly planted in his mouth while his other hand clutched a handful of Sesshomaru’s fluff.

“Telled me a story,” Inuyasha murmured softly around his thumb. “Pease...”

Sesshomaru looked down at him, before casting a sidelong glance at Tsuki, who nodded. Taking a deep breath, Sesshomaru started, “Once upon a time there was a poor fisherman named Ama who lived in a tiny hovel on the beach.” He paused and made noises like the surf and the sea birds, before continuing, “One day, as he headed towards the sea to go fishing, he heard a great commotion and, dropping his nets, he ran towards it. ”Froomp-froomp-froomp!” he said as he tried imitating the sound of a person running on the beach in sandals. “There he found some village children beating an old turtle with driftwood and they threw rocks and shells at the poor beast. They were yelling and screaming like something terrible was happening! /Aaaah!!” Sesshomaru said rather loudly and Inuyasha, half asleep, jumped and giggled as his older brother smiled.

“Ama yelled at the children, ‘Stop it!’ and he threatened to beat them like they beat the old turtle so they ran away.”

“Froomd, froomd, froomd...” Inuyasha murmured sleepily and Sesshomaru laughed.

“/Froomp-froomp-froomp!/ When Ama was certain the children were gone, he dressed the poor turtle’s wounds. Rip! Fff, fff, fff!” Sesshomaru made tearing motions and Inuyasha smiled when he circled his right hand around his left as if he were bandaging the turtle. “Ama quickly finished, and picking the turtle up, he carried it to the sea. Then turtle-”

“What’s his name, Muuchn?”

“Ama. Now where was I?” Sesshomaru frowned.

“Not the fish man, the tuttle’s,” Inuyasha said sleepily. “What’s the tuttle’s name?”

“Kameko-hime, her name was Kameko-hime...”

“Oh...” Inuyasha yawned around his thumb.

“Hai,” Sesshomaru said as he looked down at his brother before continuing his story. “The turtle, whose name was Kameko-hime, was the wife of Ryuuou-sama the dragon king.”

Sesshomaru continued in a high pitched voice, “‘Domo arigatou, kind sir! Come, I’ll take you to my husband the dragon king. He’ll be very grateful to you for being so kind to me and saving me!’” he lowered it and continued, “And she took Ama to see her husband because she knew he would reward the man handsomely for his trouble.

“‘Kameko-chan! What happened?!’ the dragon roared when he saw his wife.

“‘Dear husband, some awful human children beat me and this kind human saved me!’

“‘He did? Then I must reward him! We’ll have a feat tonight in his honor!’ the dragon king said to his servants. They hurried to do his bidding and it wasn’t long before an ornate box was given to him.

“‘Hai!’ Ama said solemnly. He was frightened of the dragon king and even more frightened to be given such treasure.

“‘Take him and show him to his rooms! He needs to get ready and make sure you provide him with rich clothes as befitting a guest of mine!’

The dragon king treated Ama as if he was his long lost brother, and he held many banquets in Ama’s honor. After a while Ama grew tired of all the feasting for he was a simple man and unused to all the finery of Ryuuou-sama’s court.

“‘Kameko-hime, I am but a humble fisherman and I miss my home and my family. Can I please go back?’

“‘You poor thing! Let me go ask my husband if you can leave!’ she said as she hurried off”

“Tuttles can’t hurry, Muuchn...” Inuyasha said softly.

“Under the sea she looked like a princess, so she could and she did hurry.”

“Hai...”

“Where was I?” Sesshomaru said to himself. “Anyway, she hurried off and found her husband.

“‘Husband, the human is unhappy as he misses his home. He wants to go back.’

“‘Hai...I suppose so. I would miss you if we were parted for a long time,’ he said and kissed his wife,” Sesshomaru said softly, more to Tsuki than to his brother, and leaning forward he was about to kiss her when Inuyasha shifted in his lap.

“Anyway, Ryuu-sama held another banquet that night to say good-bye to Ama,” Sesshomaru paused and mouthed to Tsuki, Is he asleep yet?

Tsuki, smiling, gave her head a little shake. “So what happened when Ama returned home?” she said softly.

Sesshomaru sighed softly. “Before he left, Kameko-hime came to him and gave him a gift. It was a beautifully carved wooden box and she told him that inside was a small portion of the dragon king’s treasure.

“‘This is for you from my husband and I,’ Kameko-hime said as she handed him the box.

“‘Domo arigatou!’ Ama said as he bowed respectfully.

““Whatever you do-’”

“What inside, Muuchn?” Inuyasha said softly as he fought to keep awake.

“I’m coming to that part, Little Brother,” Sesshomaru said as he started rocking slowly back and forth. “As I was saying, when Kameko-hime gave Ama the box of treasure, she warned him not to open it under any circumstances and Ama agreed. The dragon king came and also said goodbye to him.

“‘Domo arigatou, Ryuu-sama! I appreciate your hospitality,’ Ama said humbly.

“And after making his goodbyes, he was brought to the surface by Ryuuou-sama himself. Ama walked up out of the sea and hurried home to his family, for he felt badly about being away for a few days. He was upset he had worried them by disappearing and he hoped the treasure would help make up for it. Anyway, Ama got the shock of his life, for the tiny fishing village was now a large and prosperous city by the sea. Hurrying home, he found his family had all died.”

Inuyasha made a tiny sound that Tsuki thought was sorrow as he drifted off to sleep.

“Maru-chan! Don’t tell him a sad story!” she hissed softly.

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes at her and quickly finished his story. “Anyway, Ama was so upset by the turn of events that he decided to open the box and use the dragon king’s treasure to buy his passageway to the nearest town. When he did, a puff of smoke came out of the box instantly turning him into an old man. For you see, many years had passed instead of days and the dragon king’s treasure was a spell that had kept him young. The end...” Sesshomaru looked over at her expectantly. “Well?” he said softly.

Tsuki leaned over and took a look at the little hanyou. “Inuyasha...?” she whispered and when she got no response she looked up at her mate and smiled. “He’s asleep.”

“Finally,” Sesshomaru sighed as he slid off the porch and stood up, carefully cradling his brother in his arms. “Go get his futon ready. Why don’t you put it on the other side of the screen so we can be alone,” he said softly.

“Hai,” Tsuki replied as she got up to comply, while Sesshomaru patted Inuyasha on the back as he sang softly to him. Listening to the soft patter of her footsteps, the youkai prince thought about all the things he had wanted to do to her when he had got home. Unfortunately, when he had arrived last night it was late and Tsuki was fast asleep unlike Inuyasha who woke up when Sesshomaru entered their room. While it was nice to be welcomed home, he would have preferred Tsuki welcoming him back rather than his little brother.

“Maru-chan...?” Tsuki’s soft voice penetrated his thoughts and he looked over at her. “Come, let’s get him settled.”

“Hai!”

888

“Here, drink this. Baba-chan said it’ll help your cold,” Inutaisho said. He knelt next to Izayoi, and after setting the cup of tea down, he helped her sit up.

“Arigatou, Koishii,” Izayoi said softly. She wasn’t sure if tea would really help her, but she was willing to try anything as she missed being with her son. So she took a little sip, and finding it to have a rather bland taste, she finished the cup which pleased Inutaisho greatly. “I feel better already.” Izayoi smiled weakly at him.

“See? I told you would.” Inutaisho could smell the lie, but he chose to ignore it as he found it preferable to believe her.

“Hai. How’s Inu-chan doing? I miss him so much...” she trailed off softly as she set the cup down.

“He’s fine. I understand Sesshomaru spent the afternoon playing with him, so I would say he’s probably napping if they’re lucky,” the dog general smirked.

“Koishii!” Izayoi cried. She started coughing and thick wet sound of it worried her mate more than he let on. She had come down with a human illness and Baba-chan was at a loss as to how to treat it since the usual methods she would use did not work this time around for Izayoi. So that was how the human had found herself with a tight burning chest as well as a slight sore throat. She was sick with worry over Inuyasha as well; since he had spent a lot of time with her while Sesshomaru was gone. Inutaisho, sensing her worry, gathered her in his arms and held her close. Sighing softly, Izayoi closed her eyes and settled back into his embrace. Minutes later she was sleeping peacefully.

888

Tsuki pulled the old kimono over Inuyasha, and patting his back, she sang softly to him when he stirred. Satisfied that he was going to remain sleeping, she stood up and faced her mate.

“Come,” he said softly, as he pulled her close.

“Hai...” Tsuki whispered into his chest. “I’ve missed you so much, Maru-chan. A month is too long to be parted from you.”

“Hai...But I’m here now, so let’s forget that I was gone.”

“Hai,” she said softly as she stepped away from him, and taking Sesshomaru’s hand, she led him to where they slept. He kissed her, before leaving her to go get their futon from the tansu where they kept it, and once he had it in hand, it was a simple matter to quickly unroll it.

“Here, let me help you,” Sesshomaru said when he noticed her fussing with her obi.

“Arigatou, my love,” Tsuki whispered as Sesshomaru closed the distance between them. He kissed her long and hard, groaning softly when she pressed her body close to his. Reluctantly pulling away, Sesshomaru moved quickly behind her, tugging on her obi knot.

“Damn it! It won’t fucking untie!” he swore softly to himself and Tsuki, who had heard him, giggled.

“Slowly, Maru-chan.” She giggled again as he tugged on it. “I had to tie it myself this morning and I know I didn’t do that good a job of it.”

“Hai...” he grumbled as he tired to calm himself. Taking a deep breath, Sesshomaru closed his eyes and mentally counted to ten before opening them. As he did so, he could feel himself relaxing, and after another deep breath, he was able to loosen the knot. “Good!” he exclaimed softly, and leaning forward he whispered in Tsuki’s ear. “I’ve got it. All you need to do is loosen it and let it fall.”

“Hai.” Tsuki gently pulled on the stiff brocade and with a bit of help from Sesshomaru, she had created enough slack in the heavily embroidered material for it to fall at her feet. Then it was a simple matter of stepping out of it, and turning around, she faced him as she moved to untie the date-jime. Minutes later he was fumbling with her underclothes, trying just as hard to open them as he did before with her obi and having about the same luck. “Patience, Maru-chan...” Tsuki whispered and placing her hands over his, she gently removed them. Without his interference, she was able to undo her hadajuban, and looking up at him shyly; she opened it, reveling her body to his hungry gaze.

“‘Patience?’ I have spent a month away from you and you expect me to be patient?” he said, quirking at eyebrow at her.

“Hai! I’ve also spent a month away from you and I want to savor every moment of being with you again,” she finished softly, reaching up to gently brush the hair from his eyes. “I know you are just as anxious to pillow as I am, but if we hurry it’ll all be over before we even get started and I don’t want that.” She smiled shyly at him, a delicate blush spilling across her cheeks.

Sesshomaru briefly frowned as he thought about it. “You are right, my love. From now on this Sesshomaru will be a paragon of patience,” he gently teased, although he took what she had said to heart. They stood there, awkwardly facing each other, testing the limits of their newfound patience. After waiting what felt like an eternity, Sesshomaru closed the distance between them. Leaning towards her, Sesshomaru kissed her deeply, his left hand cupping her right breast as he gently teased the nipple with his thumb. Moaning softly, Tsuki entwined her arms around his neck, molding her body to his as they sank slowly to the futon.

888

“Husband?” Inukouhi knocked softly the inner shoji leading to the dog general’s room.

“Inuki-chan?” Inutaisho said softly; as he did not want to disturb Izayoi. He had thought about letting her sleep on the futon, but seeing her rest comfortably and more importantly breathing easier, he held her the way one would hold a small child. “You may enter, my love.”

“Hai,” Inukouhi said with a smile. When she slid back the shoji and entered, she got a whiff of the human’s scent and any pleasure she might have derived from the visit was soon lost. A frown briefly creased her brow before she replaced it with a smile as she headed towards her husband’s sleeping area. “Husband, I was wondering if you had seen our son today? I saw him briefly this morning, but I haven’t seen him since and I was wondering how his first patrol went,” she said softly as she stood before him.

“Sessho-kun had arrived late last night and you probably saw him on his was back to his rooms. We had spent the morning going over his report despite his tiredness, he did well by the way, and since he was also anxious to greet Tsukikage-hime properly...”

“You let him go.” The dog queen sighed. Great! That’s where he was going! Now when I finally do get to see him, he’ll be reeking of her and I’ll have wasted half a day waiting for him. As much as she wanted to ignore Sesshomaru’s relationship with the girl or change things to suit herself, she could not. Nor did she wish to discuss the matter in front of the human even if she was sleeping. Pushing those annoying thoughts from her mind, she focused instead on Izayoi. “How’s she doing?” Inukouhi asked, tilting her head at the sleeping woman.

Inutaisho looked at his wife, studying her face for any hint that there was more to her inquiry than was apparent. Finding nothing more than idle curiosity coupled with an attempt at politeness, he smiled at his wife. “Her fever’s gone and Baba-chan says that whatever’s affecting her must be a human ailment as no one else has gotten sick.”

“I see,” she said and at his inquiring look, she added, “Baba-chan had told me earlier that Ningen-hime was suffering from a human sickness and not to worry about it spreading throughout the women’s quarters. She never mentioned the human,” she quickly amended, “Ningen-hime had a fever. Perhaps it was a wise decision after all to keep her away from your son. He seems to be doing well under the girl’s care.”

“Hai. Izayoi-hime told me Tsukikage-hime’s very good with him and that Inu-chan adores her as well. Perhaps we should reconsider our decision concerning Sesshomaru and the girl,” the dog general said.

Inukouhi sighed. Closing her eyes, she let all her loneliness, frustrations and irritation over that subject seep into her voice, “Husband, please...”

“Hai,” he said softly, before the silence started stretching between himself and his wife, when he realized why she had come. “Gomen nasai, my love, I promise you, I’ll make it up to you when she’s well,” Inutaisho said when the silence became too painful.

“It’s alright, I will send for Sesshomaru later. I find it hard to believe he’s nearly a man.”

Inutaisho laughed softly. “He already is a man, Inuki-chan.”

“That’s not what I meant,” she said tartly, although she softened it with a smile.

Reaching out and gently taking her hand, Inutaisho kissed his wife’s palm and she shook her head at him. “You’re a good woman, Inuki-chan.”

“Hai...too good it would seem,” she said softly as she gave him a slight bow.

The dog general nodded as he smiled sadly, and kneeling briefly before him, Inukouhi leaned over to kiss him goodbye before she rose and left with a soft rustle of silk.

888

Sesshomaru quickly added his hakama and underclothes to the pile of clothes tossed hastily to the side before he gathered his mate in his arms. They lay together on the futon, hands exploring places they only saw in their dreams while he was gone. Sesshomaru gently eased Tsuki onto her back as he blanketed her, shifting his weight up on his arms; he slid down her body, pausing to leave a trail of butterfly kisses along her collar bone. Moaning softly, Tsuki arched her back, pushing her hips up to meet his body as he continued lower. Sesshomaru breathed deeply, taking in the intoxicating scent of her arousal, before he nuzzled the plain of her chest between her breasts. Turning his head slightly to the right he licked along the soft fleshy orb as he sought the hard nub of her nipple. Taking her left breast in his mouth, he gently suckled it, flicking his tongue across her nipple as she moaned in pleasure, before turning his attentions to the right. When she started writhing under his attentions, he gave her chest one last nuzzle before heading lower. As he trailed a line of kisses down over the swell of her abdomen, Tsuki pushed her hips at him and Sesshomaru was eager to reach the dewy flower of her womanhood.

“Maru-chan...”she groaned softly.

“Hai...” he whispered softly between kisses.

“Hurry....please...”

“Hai...” Sesshomaru said softly as he reached the soft moist tangle of curls. Flicking his tongue briefly across her flower, and drinking the sweet tanginess of her nectar was too much for Tsuki and she moaned loudly causing Sesshomaru to immediately stop what he was doing. “Ssh...Tsuki!” he hissed, you’re going to wake him if you’re not quiet!”

“Gomen...” she said breathlessly. “I can’t help it; it feels....so good...”

Sesshomaru smiled. “Arigatou. I’m pleased you’re enjoying yourself, but if we wake him up...”

“Hai...” Tsuki sighed.

Sesshomaru, not wanting to destroy the moment, blanketed her again and as he did so he eased himself between her legs. As Tsuki opened herself up to him he rubbed his swollen manhood against her thighs as he sought to sheathe himself inside her. In a repeat of their time spent together before he had left, he took her in the human way, kissing her deeply as they developed their rhythm. They were so busy enjoying the moment of physical closeness that they never heard the sounds of Inuyasha stirring as he woke up from his nap.

888

The dog queen wandered the corridors of the palace, letting her feet guide her as her mind wandered. She was feeling lonely as her husband had neglected her in favor of his sick mate, and Sesshomaru, as he grew older, never seemed to have time for her any more. She meandered her way back to her room through the maze of passageways that separated the women’s quarters from the men’s. She was so lost in thought about what she would have liked to have done with her husband that she nearly collided with her friend Atsuimi-hime.

“Gomen nasai, Imi-chan, I didn’t see you there,” the dog queen said sheepishly.

“Don’t worry about it,” she reassured her.

The dog queen nodded. “Arigatou,” she said softly as she fell into step alongside the court’s chief geisha.

“What’s the matter? You don’t seem all that happy.”

“Hai...” she sighed. “The human is still ill, which means my husband’s still cloistered away with her as much as possible.” Inukouhi looked over at her friend. “She appears to be on the mend, but who knows how long it’ll take her to get over it? And I fail to see why he can’t leave her to spend time with me. It’s not like he doesn’t leave her side at all. He does spend his mornings in council as usual, so what’s an afternoon or two spent pillowing his wife”

“Hai...” Atsuimi-hime nodded as they walked along. “Well, he doesn’t visit the two of you in your rooms for a quick pillowing, my lady.”

“Hai...” the dog queen growled. “But-”

“But nothing. You, like the human, are summoned to his rooms, not the other way around. If he were to suddenly start such a thing, it would lead others to talk about things you should rather they not gossip about. This way when he calls for her, no one really knows exactly what they do together.” She held up a hand. “Yes, I know they now have some idea as hanyou aren’t conjured up out of thin air, but this way, it appears that was only the one time, rather than many.”

The dog queen quietly regarded her friend. “True enough, but this long absence from his bed-”

“Is tension forming?” Atsuimi-hime quirked an eyebrow at her and laughed. “Did I not tell you back when you were going to become his bride that things of this nature would happen? And that I would do all I could to help you? So,” she looked at her friend as a smile twitched her lips into a slight smirk, “you are here and full of tension and my rooms are close by...”

“Hai...lead on then, my friend,” Inukouhi said as she resigned herself to an afternoon spent being comforted by her friend. Although she knew her friend meant well, the courtesan was a poor substitute for her husband and they both knew it. Still, she went willingly for the dog queen found that in exchange for letting Atsuimi have her way with her, the courtesan would make it up to her by teaching her something that was sure to please her husband in bed.

“You make it sound like I was about to do something terrible to you,” Atsuimi said softly as if her feelings were hurt by her friend’s subtle rejection.

“Gomen nasai, I didn’t mean it to sound that way, it’s just that for once I wish I came first in his heart.”

“I know.”

“I also feel as though I’m taking advantage of out friendship by always coming to you like this,” the dog queen said sadly.

“It’s no trouble at all. Honestly, I rather enjoy out special time together. I just wish you did.”

“It’s not that I don’t...” Inukouhi nodded as the two of them walked the halls leading to the courtesan’s rooms.

“But I’m not him, ne?” Atsuimi asked and the dog queen sighed. “Don’t worry about it. It’s my pleasure...” she said seriously as she winked at her friend and the two of them burst out laughing.

888

Inuyasha woke up and looked around. He was in his futon, but it was not where it was supposed to be, nor did he remember how he got there. He yawned and stretched before looking around intently for the source of the noise in the room. The fact that he couldn’t see his foster parents did not worry him in the least, for he would often find them just outside the room, playing num-num as they amused themselves while he napped. But this noise was not only different; it was coming from the part of the room where they normally slept. As Inuyasha stood up he caught a glimpse what looked like his brother and Tsuki in the gap between the sleeping screen and the floor. Padding softly over towards it, he peered curiously underneath the screen before crawling under it and over to them.

888

Atsuimi-hime slid the shoji close behind her. “Would you like some tea?”

“Iie,” Inukouhi said as she sat on one the many floor cushions scattered about the geisha’s room. Atsuimi-hime walked over to her tansu, and opening it, she removed a couple of scrolls before coming back over to her friend.

“Here,” she said as she handed them to the dog queen, before she walked over to the far side of the room and picked up a couple of small lacquered tables. These she placed next to each other in front of her friend, then she kicked a cushion over to her.

“Do you need any help?” Inukouhi asked.

“Iie, I’m just feeling a wee bit lazy, not to mention this reminds me of the time we spent together the night before your wedding.”

“Hai! You’re right! This is very much like it! So are you going to explain to me again what I’m supposed to expect?” The dog queen giggled like a young girl as her friend sat next to her.

“Why? Have you forgotten so quickly what I’ve been telling you all along?” she teased.

“Hai...you must be very angry at me, ne?” Inukouhi said, playing along with her.

“Hai! Very angry! Now do you think you can stop worrying about tomorrow long enough to concentrate on what I’m going to tell you?” Atsuimi-hime said, and gently laying her hand on the dog queen’s thigh, she leaned into her. “What I have here is a pillow book. It belonged to one of your father’s concubines and she was the one who taught me everything I’m about to teach you...” Atsuimi-hime gently nuzzled the dog queen’s cheek and as she did so, Inukouhi turned her head and their lips briefly met. “Come, let me show you the pillow book,” she said softly. As she moved to unroll the scroll, Inukouhi leaned into her and together they perused its pages.

888

Although Izayoi slept briefly, when she woke up from her nap she felt better than she had felt since she became ill. “Gomen...” she whispered. “I didn’t mean to fall asleep on you like that.”

Inutaisho chuckled softly. “Who said I minded having a pretty girl asleep in my arms?”

“Hunh?” Izayoi furrowed her brow and as she cleared the last remnants of sleep from her head it hit her. Laughing, which pleased her mate greatly; she said softly, “That’s not what I meant, silly.”

Inutaisho made a little face at her, and she laughed again, her soft warbling erupting in a brief coughing fit. When it subsided, he gently tilted her face up at him and asked, “Are you alright?”

“Hai...” she said softly as she reached up to caress his cheek.

“Good, I’m glad,” he murmured as he leaned in to kiss her. Breaking it, he grinned mischievously at her. “It seems to me, somebody is now well enough for a visitor.”

“Really?”

Inutaisho gently eased his mate off his lap. “Hai! Now stay put and don’t go anywhere!” he said, playfully wagging his finger at her and when Izayoi opened her mouth to say something, he shook it again. “Ah uh ah! Behave or no visitors!” he teased, giving her a look of mock seriousness, softening it only when she coughed. “Are you sure you’re feeling better, Koishii?”

“Hai...” she said as he pulled over a kyousoku and helped her settle comfortably on the padded armrest.

“I’ll be right back,” he said, blowing a kiss her way before leaving.

888

“I know I’m a poor substitute for your husband,” Atsuimi said softly as she helped the dog queen out of the last of the many layers of gauzy silk she wore. “But-”

“That’s not true and you know it, Imi-chan,” Inukouhi interrupted.

“Oh yes it is and you know it, Inuki-chan,” Atsuimi, mimicking her friend, gently pointed out to her friend. “It’s only because of our friendship and the fact that you trust me completely and know this is a necessity that you-”

Inukouhi, shrugging out of her hadajuban and letting it fall to the floor, said tartly, “Ssh! You talk too much, Imi-chan!” Smiling at her friend, she took the geisha’s face in her hands and brought it close to her own, where she kissed her.

Atsuimi deepened the kiss as the two women moved into their embrace. Breaking the kiss, she let her hands wander over the silkiness of the dog queen’s skin, touching her in ways and in places that heightened Inukouhi’s desire as it increased her pleasure.

Moaning softly, Inukouhi fumbled with her friend’s obi-jimi knot, trying hard to undo it as they sank to the floor.

888

Sesshomaru, his eyes closed and brow furrowed, was inching his way closer and closer to spending his lust when he got the distinct impression he was being watched. He breathed deeply, discreetly trying to scent the air for the intruder. Finding nothing but the familiar scents of the room’s usual inhabitants, Sesshomaru dismissed it as he had better things to do than worry about a nonexistent voyeur. He continued to thrust into Tsuki, bringing them both to the moment of final release when he heard it; the soft sound of childish laughter. Snapping his eyes open, he saw his little brother crouching in front of him, an amused and curious look on his face.

Inuyasha had squatted down before them, watching intently as he tried to figure out what they doing. The more Sesshomaru panted and furrowed his brow as he sought to quietly contain his pleasure, the funnier he looked to the little hanyou until he could not take it any more. Laughing out loud, Inuyasha was pleased to see that he finally he had his brother’s attention. In that sweet innocent way of his, he said, “You look funny, Muuchn! Whatchya doin’ with Ukichn?” Hoping he would be invited to try playing this new game, the two year old was unprepared for his brother’s violent response.

Sesshomaru, who had been on the threshold of spending his lust, eyed his younger brother with murderous intent. “What the fuck are you doing here, you little shit?! Damn it! You’re supposed to be sleeping!! I’m going to kill you for this!!”

“Maru-chan, please you’re scaring him! He didn’t know!” Tsuki soothed when Inuyasha started to cry.

“Nani?! I’m going to kill the little bastard as soon as I get my hands on him!” Sesshomaru hissed as he pulled out of her, and scrambling to his feet, several things happened at once. Inuyasha, scrabbling backwards, knocked over the sleeping screen and tore the delicate silk panel in his haste to avoid his angry brother. Tsuki, rolling over onto her stomach, reached out and grabbed her mate by the ankle, toppling him over when he moved forward. Sesshomaru, landing hard on his hands and knees, unleashed a torrent of curses as Inuyasha backed away from him, scooting along the tatami mats on his behind. He was wailing just as loudly as Sesshomaru was cursing. By now Tsuki had managed move past her mate to scoop her foster son up in her arms, and she sat there, alternately rocking him and making soothing noises at him and arguing loudly with her mate.

Inutaisho who was about to knock on their shoji, heard the commotion through the thin panes of paper. Taking a deep breath to calm himself, he knocked several times, waiting patiently for a response before entering. “Excuse me,” he said sharply as he took in the scene before him.

“What the fuck do you want?” Sesshomaru shouted as he whirled to face the latest intruder. Paling, his glare softening into a furtive stare, Sesshomaru hastily added as he reached for his discarded kimono, “Gomen nasai, Chichi-ue. I...I...” Shrugging into it, he stood there at a loss for words.

“Your little brother. You asked me what I wanted and I’m telling you I want your little brother. I figured you would like some time alone and I had heard he had gone down for a nap, so I stopped by to see if you would wake him for me.”

“Hai...Ummm...he was sleeping and ummm...he’s awake now.” Sesshomaru grinned; hoping to diffuse his father’s anger over his outburst which he knew was boiling just under the surface. “Do you want to take him now?”

Inutaisho, looking not in the least amused, nodded. “Hai.”

“Tsuki...?”

“Hai...?”

“Give Inuyasha to my father.”

“Hai...Ready to go, Inu-chan? I bet your father is going to take you to your mother...”

“Don’t want to go wiff Tadji!! Want to stay wiff you and Muuchn!!”

Tsuki, who was just as upset as her mate, not to mention mortified over the scent of lust that permeated the room, quietly got up and walked over to the dog general. There was a tense moment when Inuyasha refused to let go of Tsuki, but the promise of some dango when he got there quickly changed the two year old’s mind into going with his father. The little hanyou loved the sweet dumplings and would do anything asked to get one.

As Inutaisho turned to go, his son happily chatting away about dango as he held him, Tsuki, blushing profusely, murmured, “Gomen nasai, I’m so sorry to cause you such trouble,” as she bowed deeply.

“Do not trouble yourself; just make him happy,” he said softly as he paused, looking back at her before continuing on his way. “Someone will be by later to fix the screen...”

“Hai...” Sesshomaru said.

888

“Tadji, Muuchn telled me a story. Want me to tell you?”

“Hai,” Inutaisho said as he carried his son through the palace corridors.

Inuyasha said seriously as he began the story, “The fish man sawed a tuttle on the beach and he putted her in the sea and the dragon king gived him a present. I liked that story, Tadji.” He smiled at his father. “I played ball wiff Muuchn too!”

“You did?”

“Hai! He frowed it and I catched it! And Muuchn frowed it in the bushes. I sawed bugs there. I wanted to bring some to Ukichn, but she don’t like them.”

“I see...”

“Tadji, me and Mucchn sawed a bunny in the garden yesterday. And Uki-a let me digged holes in the garden! He liked the bugs. He said worms eat the dirt and maked the flowers grow.”

“Really?”

“Hai! Tadji, want to go down.” Inuyasha squirmed in his father’s arms as they neared the kitchen. “Let’s get dango!!”

“Hai!” Inutaisho said as he set the two year old down. He chuckled softly when Inuyasha grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the kitchen.

888
Inukouhi sighed happily. She lay there entwined in her friend’s arms, thinking back to the night before her wedding. She was fifteen at the time, nervous and excited about marrying the man who had just conquered her father’s lands, and her friend Atsuimi had been trying her best to calm her down as well as explaining what to expect in the marriage bed. Just as they did now, they had looked over her toys and Atsuimi had patiently told her what they were used for. Inukouhi had to admit her curiosity was piqued but because she had to remain “untouched” they had never really went as far back then as they did in the ensuing years. As she gently caressed Atsuimi’s cheek, Inukouhi realized that she was the older sister she never had as well as a mother figure despite the fact that Atsuimi as a only a few years her senior.

“What are you thinking about...?” Atsuimi asked as she noticed her friend’s smile growing broader.

“Nothing...” Inukouhi teased.

“Nothing...? No one smiles like that over nothing,” she gently admonished.

Inukouhi laughed. “Well, if you really must know, I was just thinking back over all the times we’ve spent together like this. I’m really glad my husband took you into his household, even more so than when he took in my sister.”

It was Atsuimi’s turn to laugh. “That’s because you and I share a closeness you don’t have with your sister.” She ran her hand lightly over the curve of Inukouhi’s hip. “Who was the one who taught you the secrets of the willow world? Despite what you may believe, my dear, it’s what kept your husband for the most part in your bed.” She laughed at the look on her friend’s face. “Inuki-chan, I’ve been present at times when he’s been entertained by another woman, and let me tell you all he does is spend the time talking and after they leave, we always discuss who to marry them off to. And the ones that do remain and spend the night are all old enough to be our mothers like Asagao-chan and Kimiko-chan and Kisago-chan. And don’t give me that look.” She laughed. “So he pillows with them on occasion; they’re old it makes them feel young again. Honestly, the only ones he does spend time with are you and Ningen-hime. You, because I know he enjoys your time together,” she laughed and winked at her friend, “and the other one he spends time with because he can’t help himself. But I don’t want to talk about her and I don’t think you do either...” She kissed her friend deeply, letting her hand wander down across Inukouhi’s hip to worm its way between her thighs. Brushing her fingers lightly against the flower of Inukouhi’s sex, Atsuimi brought her friend to the height of pleasure.

888

Sesshomaru walked over to the broken screen and bending over, he quickly righted it. Surveying the damage to it, he saw that the framework along the top was cracked as well. He was still angry over being disturbed and he thought briefly about taking out his frustrations on the poor screen before dismissing the idea. He was also annoyed with his father for not coming by sooner for Inuyasha as he knew Sesshomaru was home and that he would want to be alone with Tsuki, having spent the morning meeting with him. Before he could work himself up any further, he looked over at where Tsuki sat forlornly. Her sad dejected posture quickly quenched his anger over the situation, and as he made his way to her side, he wondered briefly if this was just another sign of his parents’ displeasure over her and a subtle attempt at keeping them apart. It was no small coincidence that Sesshomaru’s first patrol coincided with Inuyasha finally being weaned. Now that he was home, instead of being given some free time alone to spend with her, he had spent the morning in boring meeting going over things that could have waited another day and the afternoon amusing Inuyasha. Shaking his head to rid himself of these thoughts, Sesshomaru knelt behind her. As he placed his arms around her, he heard her say softly, “Gomen nasai, Maru-chan, I didn’t mean to wake him...”

“Sssh...” he whispered in her ear. “I know that, Tsuki-chan.” He made a soft half laugh half bark as he said ruefully, “I’m sure it’s not the first time he’s woken up like that...”

“Hai...But that doesn’t change the fact I feel badly about it.” She hugged herself and as she did so, Tsuki ran her hand lightly over his arm, and leaning back, she settled into his embrace. “You know, if you’d like, we can always try again...”

“Hai...I know, but I’m too angry to.” Feeling her tense in his arms, Sesshomaru clarified, “I’m not angry with you, Tsuki-chan, I’m angry at everything. It’s just hard to explain. I mean what was so important that my father couldn’t come get Inuyasha before he fell asleep? Or why couldn’t he spend the day with his mother? I know she’s sick, but shouldn’t she be better by now? She’s never been sick that long before.”

“I know, but this time she got a cough that never seemed to get better. Maru-chan, there was a time when everyone thought she was going to die. Ningen-hime grew feverish and the coughing became worse and nothing Baba-chan did helped. I remember sending for your father; because she was burning up and all she did was complain about how cold she was...Your father in desperation took her to the bathhouse and took her into the hot spring to warm her up. It was a miracle, Maru-chan, because her fever broke and while she’s still weak and coughs, Ningen-hime said she feels better than she did. She wouldn’t lie to me, Maru-chan. And besides, if he’s bringing Inu-chan to see her, then she must be better. You know while you were gone, he wasn’t allowed to go near her.”

“Really?”

“Hai...Baba-chan was afraid he’d get sick too. Poor little pup was beside himself for days, because he missed her so much. It tore my heart to hear him crying in his sleep like that...” Tsuki shifted in his arms to look up at him.

Sighing, Sesshomaru bent and kissed her. “Look, you all survived, ne? And I made it home alright and I got to see my friend Nibori. He took a wife and she’s going to have a pup soon.” Sesshomaru chuckled. “Perhaps we should try again, ne? Although, as much as it pains me to tell you this, I think we should wait until later, as I would really hate it if my father somehow managed to arrange it so that they come now to fix the screen.”

“Hai...” Tsuki said softly, a touch of disappointment in her voice.

“Tsuki-chan, you do know, that with the way the gods have been conspiring to keep me from you lately, if that happened, I would throw you over my shoulder and carry you off to somewhere private where we can be alone for a few days, and everyone else be damned!” He growled softly.

She giggled which made him feel better about turning her down. “Hai... that would be something, although poor Inu-chan would miss us too terribly and I would feel badly about it.”

“Poor Inu-chan would get over it as I’m sure my father would stuff him full of dango. Speaking of which, I have a couple of dango I’d happily like to spend the afternoon munching on...” he said as he fondled her breasts.

“Maru-chan!” Tsuki laughed, playfully trying to push his hands away.

“Hai...?” Sesshomaru said, and as she squirmed under his touch, he abruptly let go, sending her sprawling facedown before him. “OOH...even bigger dango!” he teased as he grabbed her hips. Pulling her towards him, he sheathed himself inside her, surprising them both when he continued their love play.

888

“Kuro!” Inuyasha squealed with delight when he saw his mother. “Want to go down, Tadji! Want to see Kuro!”

“Kuro?” Izayoi teased. “I thought I was your Haha-ue!” She pushed herself up into a seated position and held her arms out for her son.

“IIE! You Kuro! And he’s Tadji!” Inuyasha giggled as he snuggled up in his mother’s arms. “Muuchan said you my kuro! Even Ukichn say that!” Grabbing the folds of her kimono, he happily breathed in her scent while sucking his thumb.

Izayoi held him close, silently mouthing her thanks to her mate. “I heard you were a good boy for Tsuki-chan while I was sick and I’m proud of you for that.”

Inuyasha stopped sucking his thumb briefly to smile at his mother’s praise. “Kuro, Muuchn got me a fluffy! Tadji!!” he whined. “I want my fluffy!”

“We’ll go get it after dinner, Inu-chan.” Inutaisho said, quirking an eyebrow at his son.

“I want it now, Tadji!!”

“Iie, now stop whining like a little pup as you’re upsetting your mother.”

Inuyasha pouted and the dog general, sighing, hoped he would not erupt into a full-blown tantrum.

“Inu-chan...?” Izayoi said softly.

“Hai?”

“What did you do today?”

“I played wiff Muuchn and Ukichan and Muuchn telled me a story! It was about a fish man who’s old like Taiji!” he giggled as he looked over at his father.

“Who said I was old?” Inutaisho growled playfully as Inuyasha laughed and both parents breathed a collective sigh of relief that the tantrum was averted.

“Muuchn!”

“Nani? He said what?!”

“You old!” Inuyasha laughed again and squirmed out of Izayoi’s arms. Seconds later he was happily wrestling on the floor with his father, all thoughts of his fluffy forgotten as he played.

888

Takahara made it to the rendezvous point as the late afternoon sun was busy trying to become dusk. He was hot and tired from doubling back and losing a day’s march, but he needed to meet up with Kurayami. They had continued meeting as they always had, and despite their failure at getting rid of both Izayoi and Tsuki two years ago, they still continued to plot and think up ways to throw the dog general’s household in disarray and steal his empire from him. Kurayami as usual detached himself from the surrounding shadows and headed towards him.

“Oi, Takahara!” the wolf called out.

“Kurayami, my friend,” Takahara replied. “How is everything back home?”

“Fine, your son is nearly a father, in another month or two we’ll be calling you Jii-san!” he laughed. “Well?”

Takahara laughed as well. “The bitch is still in favor which is good because I have plans for her...and the other one still hasn’t conceived again, and not from lack of trying, or so I’ve heard.”

Kurayami laughed. “I told you it was a powerful poison. So what are these mysterious plans of yours?”

They had been walking towards the mountains where the wolves lived as they talked. It would take two days to reach them and Takahara was looking forward to seeing the family he kept hidden there. Smiling wickedly, he started to explain to the wolf, “I was going to look for Ryukotsusei this time around. I figured now was the time to start stirring things up a bit. The old dog has grown fat and lazy having nothing more to do with his time than listen to ancient bureaucrats and fuck his women. I’ve noticed that the ladies like to spend time in the peony garden at the far end of the palace and then there’s the koi pond, which is also a favorite haunt of theirs. In fact Izayoi often goes in there alone, with only her bastard hanyou for company...”

“Hmmm...maybe we can get rid of it as well! I think Ryukotsusei would love to do it. You know he’s been busy raiding this human village for real. They keep sending him all these pretty women and the story goes he fucks them before eating them...”

“Hontoni? Who knew that story we made up what...two years ago, would turn out to be for real. How far away is that village from here?”

“About seventy, eighty odd ri from here,” Kurayami said. “You’re not thinking of going there, are you?”

Takahara grinned. “That’s exactly what I’m thinking.”

“You’re mad! I wouldn’t get within seven hundred ri of him and you’re going to march right up to him...” the wolf shook his head in disbelief.

“Hai...” Takahara grinned. “I was thinking how that Izayoi bitch would make a tasty morsel for him in more ways than one.” He winked.

Kurayami laughed. “From what you’ve told me, I suppose that’s true.”

“Hai...All I need to do now is find him and see if I can make a few suggestions.”

“Just don’t get yourself killed over it...”

Takahara laughed. “Don’t worry, my friend, I plan on living a long and happy life...”

“Hai!”

888

Since the summer weather was proving to be rather oppressive and to celebrate Takahara’s return, Inutaisho had decided to spend the morning at the beach. Inuyasha was now big enough to go and the dog general looked forward to watching his younger son play in the sand. He remembered the rare times he had taken Sesshomaru there when he was a young pup and how much he had enjoyed it. And now that he was older and had cemented his position as lord of the western lands, he had the time to spend getting to really know Inuyasha at that age.

Inutaisho picked Inuyasha up and set the two year old on his shoulders, and gathering everyone with a look, they headed out of the main courtyard of the palace and down towards the little hill path that led to the beach. All the while, Inuyasha chatted excitedly to his father about what it was going to be like when he got there.

“Hai! I wanna go, I wanna go!! Now, Tadji!!” Inuyasha cried as he bounced along on his father’s shoulders.

“Carefull, you’re going to fall.”

“Nuh-ah! I won’t fall down, Tadji. I be’d careful!” Inuyasha grabbed his father’s ponytail, and laying his head against the dog general’s, he happily sucked his thumb.

Izayoi and Tsuki, who had been following behind, looked at each other and smiled for they both thought the little hanyou was adorable. Sesshomaru, who had been trailing along behind them, took a quick glance back at his mother and her friend. He was surprised to see his foster mother, Toukasa-chan and her friend Sakura-chan, chatting along amiably with the two women as he was sure Takahara would have kept her close by his side, until another quick look back as they headed down the little hill path, revealed Takahara and a pretty serving girl. I wonder how long it’ll take him to drag her off to the dunes... Shaking his head, Sesshomaru let out a little snort of amusement.

Minutes later they emerged from the forest of pines onto the beach. There was a tense moment when Inutaisho set Inuyasha down and the two year decided he did not like the feel of the sand beneath his feet and he whined about being carried again. Surprisingly it was the dog queen who quickly put an end to his tantrum.

“Oi, Pup! Come here!” she commanded and Inuyasha stopped wailing briefly to look over at her. “I said, come here,” she repeated.

Atsuimi laughed. “I thought you didn’t care for the little hanyou...” she whispered a touch of amusement in her voice.

“I don’t and doubly don’t like all the fuss my husband makes over him as if he were really youkai, but I’m getting a headache from his nonsense,” she whispered to her friend. “Come here, Pup, I wish to show you something,” Inukouhi called out to Inuyasha.

The two year old shook his head and looked up at his mother and foster mother, who along with his father, were busy trying to convince him the sand was fun to walk on and nothing bad would happen to him if he did. Sesshomaru, also tired of his half brother’s nonsense and curious as to what his mother wanted with him, held out his hand to him. “Come, Little Brother, let’s go see what my mother wants. Maybe she found some pretty shells.”

“Hai...” he said through his tears as he took Sesshomaru’s hand. Thumb in mouth, Inuyasha gingerly walked alongside Sesshomaru.

“Good; you’ve stopped crying,” Inukouhi said when they stopped in front of her.

Inuyasha suddenly got shy and he turned and hid his face on his brother’s leg.

“Come, little one, let’s go look at the sea,” the dog queen said softly.

“Iie! Don’t wanna go!”

“Why not? The sea is fun; I know you’ll like it as Sesshomaru loved it when he was your age.”

“Muuchn liked the sea? Really?” Inuyasha peered out from where he was “hiding.”

“Hai, I do and I’ll come with you if you want...”

“Hai!” Inuyasha took his thumb out of his mouth and smiled. Then he surprised everyone by taking the dog queen’s hand as they walked the short distance to the ocean. Once there, Sesshomaru knelt and removed his brother’s short sleeved yukata, and straightening up, he handed it to his mother.

“Ready?” he asked his little brother, holding out his hand for him to take.

“I suggest you take yours off as well, my son, for if he’s anything like were, you’re going to get soaked,” Inukouhi advised.

Sesshomaru shrugged. “Hai... you’re probably right,” he said to his mother. “Sit and don’t move!” he said to Inuyasha, who seemed more comfortable on the damp sand. Sitting down, he watched as Sesshomaru removed his own yukata and handed it to his mother. He motioned for Inuyasha to stand up and taking his hand, they slowly walked towards the sea. Inuyasha shrieked with surprise as the cold water lapped against his toes and for a minute Sesshomaru thought the little hanyou was going to climb up his leg. Inuyasha squealed again when the water came back and growing braver in under his older brother’s seeming indifference to it, he walked a little farther out and it wasn’t long before he was standing waist deep in the ocean. He was having a grand time of it as Sesshomaru would lift him up out of the water whenever a wave would come their way. Meanwhile the others had assembled on the shore and after making themselves comfortable they watched as the brothers played in the surf. It was not long before Inutaisho had shed his yukata and was standing next to them, laughing along with them whenever Inuyasha was hauled up and over a passing wave.

“This is fun, Tadji, ne?” Inuyasha cried as Sesshomaru lifted him yet again over the waves.

“Hai! Would you like me to take you out a bit more?”

“I dunno, Tadji...Muuchn, you come too?”

Sesshomaru shrugged, “If you want me too...” he said as he handed his brother off to his father.

“Hai! Pease come wiff me, Muuchn,” Inuyasha said as he leaned over in his father’s arms to splash in the water.

“Careful!” Inutaisho warned when Inuyasha leaned to far forward. He smiled and shifted the two year old around, before rubbing his nose in Inuyasha’s chest, making the little hanyou laugh. “Why don’t you swim to your brother?”

“Dunno how, Tadji...”

“I’ll show you.”

“Hai!” Inuyasha said happily. He smiled and his father, holding him under his arms, turned Inuyasha to face Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru meanwhile had taken a deep breath and sank beneath the waves. Inuyasha leaned forward, looking for him, and when his hands touched the water, Inutaisho told him to move them up and down. Inuyasha “swam” towards the spot where Sesshomaru had gone under, calling his older brother and asking his father if he could play with the fish too, when Sesshomaru surfaced.

“Boo!” he said, momentarily startling Inuyasha, who shrieked with delight.

“Do it again, Muuchn!” Inuyasha laughed. “Do it again!” and Sesshomaru complied.

888

Takahara decided to go for a walk on the beach instead of sitting there with everyone else. After making his goodbyes he headed off in the direction away from the others and it was not long before the serving girl leisurely followed him. It was a rare treat to be able to accompany the dog general on an outing as the servants did not have much to do other than see to it lunch was served promptly and on time. Until then, they were pretty much on their own; something the girl took advantage of. She was tired of working in the kitchens and had hoped that time spent entertaining Takahara would be enough for him to consider making her a mistress. She knew the stories that had circulated about him and despite the fear she felt, she figured it would be better than spending a lifetime in the kitchens. So with a backwards glance over her shoulder to make sure she was not followed, she took off after him, casually pulling on her yukata, so that she showed a bit more of herself.

Takahara sensed he was being followed and when he realized who it was he slowed his pace enough for her to catch up to him. The walked down the beach, neither one saying anything to other, not even when he reached out and took her hand. They walked on in companionable silence until he stopped and turned to face her. “Would you like to go swimming?”

“Hai...” she replied and tugging on her obi, she quickly undid the knot. After removing it, the girl playfully draped it around Takahara’s neck, before opening her yukata and exposing herself to his hungry gaze. Smiling sweetly, she quickly shrugged out of it and dropped it on the sand. Just as he reached out for her she giggled and deftly moved away towards the surf. There she waded out into the sea just far enough for the waves to lap at the top of her thighs. She waited half a heartbeat before slowly turning around to face him, gasping in surprise when the cold water splashed against her buttocks.

Takahara leisurely watched her from the shore, chuckling to himself over her childish attempt at seducing him. He watched as she leaned over and cupped a handful of water, and standing, she let it cascade down across her breasts. He closed his eyes, and sighed. Opening them, he called her over to him and she slowly complied.

“Here, let me dry you off,” he said huskily.

“Please, I can do it myself, Takahara-sama.”

“I know you can. But please, allow me to do it.” Takahara reached over and grabbed her simple cotton obi. He took the soft cloth in his hand, and starting at her calf, he slowly made his way up her lag. As he gently brushed past her flower, he looked up and smiled at the delicate blush that spilled across her cheeks. Then he turned his attention to her other leg, repeating the process, and gently turning her away from him, he wiped the curve of her buttocks. Playfully slapping her behind, he said, “Turn around and kneel so I can finish drying you.”

“Hai...” she giggled as she complied.

“Hmmm...you look like you’re dry now, but I’d like to make sure,” he murmured as he reached out, briefly cupping her breasts and lightly running his thumbs across her nipples, before moving his hands around her torso, pulling her close. He let his wander down her back to grab the curves of her buttocks as he kissed her. The girl had thrown her arms around his neck as she wondered what was so bad about the dog general’s second in command. Dismissing the rumors and warnings as nonsense, she gave herself over to him completely. They sank to the ground, and lay there on sand as he explored her body with his hands. Despite the aching in his loins, he restrained himself from taking her quickly, and concentrated on teasing her body. He wanted her to want him enough to later seek him out when they were back at the palace.

888

Toukasa sadly watched her husband go. She had the feeling she knew what he was up to and it was not long before her suspicions proved to be true. Sighing softly, she watched the young serving girl look around before taking off in the same direction her husband had gone in. As she turned back to watch her foster son play in the surf with his younger brother and father, she debated whether or not she should go after them. Sighing softly, she got up and followed.

888

“Have you ever gone swimming in the sea before?” Izayoi asked Tsuki as they sat on the beach watching the dog general play in the surf with his sons.

“Iie. But I have gone swimming in this little stream near where I used to live...” Tsuki trailed off wistfully as memories of the time when she was a little girl washed over her. “It wasn’t a very big stream but it did widen out into a pond before trickling away. I remember I had a lot of fun there when I was little, playing with the other children of my village. Sometimes a couple of the human children from the nearby village would also be there, they didn’t come all that often though. Watch out, Maru-chan!” she cried as a large wave washed over him. “I wonder if he’s alright. Thankfully Inu-chan was with the dono-sama!” She stood up and looked out towards the ocean.

“Let’s go see what happened to him,” Izayoi said as she also stood along with the other women. They hurried down towards the surf, only to arrive as Sesshomaru surfaced, laughing as he held out a shell to Inuyasha.

“Sessho-kun, how dare you give me a fright like that!” The dog queen had waded out into the ocean up to her knees to yell at him and she beat a hasty retreat when she spotted another wave coming, much to Atsuimi’s amusement.

“Do you want to join them?” Atsuimi asked. “It looks like fun this morning. It’s not often we have so many waves.”

“Hai. Let’s go put our things back up there.” The two women walked back to where they had been sitting and after removing their yukata, they headed out into the surf. The dog queen paused briefly to speak with her son as he made his way towards his mate.

Sesshomaru stood in front of Tsuki and Izayoi. “Are you going to join us? The water’s not that cold at all, and don’t let the waves scare you. If you go out about chest high, it’s a lot calmer.” He looked back out over his shoulder at the ocean before looking back at the two women. “Look, if my mother’s in the water, then you know it’s warm and not as rough as it seems.”

“Hai...” Izayoi said softly. “I remember the time when you were little and we had that scare with your mother.” She looked over at Tsuki and explained, “It was shortly after I had arrived here, and we had spent the morning on the beach. It was the first time I had seen the ocean as well. Anyway, I don’t think we had gone in the water as the waves seemed really rough, but your mother and Atsuimi-hime did even though your father told them not to.”

Sesshomaru frowned. “I don’t remember that part, but I do remember my mother went in the sea and she got knocked over by a large wave and she nearly drowned.” He grew silent as the memories washed over him and he laughed, leaving to the two of them to wonder what was so funny. “My mother told me that the dragon king wanted her to come live with him as his new wife, but she couldn’t bear the thought of leaving me behind so she fought him off with all her strength and that was how she hurt herself. I remember too, I wouldn’t go near the water as I was afraid he’d take me so that she would come with him.” He laughed again. “Let’s just say, my father took me out and cured me of that nonsense.”

“I wish I had known you as a pup, Maru-chan,” Tsuki said softly, trying her best not to laugh and failing miserably when he grinned at her.

Sesshomaru grabbed her hand. “Just leave your things there and let’s go.”

“Are you coming too?” Tsuki asked Izayoi.

“Hai, but I’ll be there shortly.”

Tsuki slipped out of her yukata and folding it neatly she walked over to where everyone had left their things under the watchful eye of an old servant. Sesshomaru watched as she set down and hurried back to where he quietly waited with the human.

“Hai... I’ll go tell my father,” Sesshomaru said, finally answering Izayoi as he took his mate by the hand.

Izayoi smiled and watch them walk away. She did not like swimming in the ocean as she found the water to be way too cold for her liking. She saw Sesshomaru lean into her friend and she smiled as she knew Tsuki had wanted to have another pup as her friend had always talked about it. She watched as Tsuki pulled away and shook her head at him and her heart went out to the girl./ So that explains why she was crying in the garden the other day...She must not have conceived again, although from what Tsuki had said it wasn’t from lack of trying...Sweet Kami-sama and the merciful Buddha , please help them.../ she thought sadly, although she was glad at least to have given them some time alone together. She turned and walked back the where she was sitting, and removing her yukata, Izayoi turned and slowly followed them towards the sea.

888

Toukasa silently watched as her husband explored the girl’s body with his hands before moving on to using his mouth. She sadly shook her head, wishing for a brief moment that it was her, whom her husband was lying with before realizing that it was years since they had done anything like that. She thought it was sad that as the years went on, he had coupled with her less and less until the rare times that he did were either painfully brutal as he took out his frustrations on her, or blissfully sweet. It was during the sweet times that she could actually believe that he loved her and that everything else was just a bad dream. She knew in her heart, however, that it was not true and as she turned to go, she looked out over the ocean. As the waves lapped against the shore, an idea formed in her head. Toukasa tugged at obi, thinking that would be best if she made it appear that she had gone swimming with them when she disappeared until she realized that maybe it would be better after all to wear her yukata as the weight of the wet cotton would help pull her down into the dragon king’s kingdom. Casting one last look over her shoulder at her husband and the girl, Toukasa slowly walked into the sea.

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“Don’t cry, Tsuki-chan, we can always try again when we get back. Or if you want, maybe we can find a way to slip away unnoticed and have some fun in the dunes...” Sesshomaru said as they waded out into the surf. “It’s not too cold for you?” he asked when she made a soft gasping sound of surprise when a wave hit their legs.

“Iie...” she said softly. “Maru-chan, you realize it’s no use, no matter how many times we pillow, we’ll never make a pup.” She looked up at him sadly. “Baba-chan said she thinks the poison may have damaged me when Aisoku-chan died...”

“Tsuki-chan, don’t worry about it.” He leaned towards her and kissed her cheek, silencing her protests. “Who cares if we never make another pup? I love you and I would never leave you or put you aside for someone else.” They had walked farther out when he stopped, and turning towards her, he pulled her into his embrace as the waves crashed against them. “Don’t worry about what can’t be helped, Tsuki-chan, I really don’t like seeing you so upset like this.” He kissed her as he held her close. “Besides, all the fun is in the trying, and if nothing happens, then that’s a good enough reason for me to keep trying until it does, ne?”

“Hai...Gomen, forgive me for being so silly.”

“Hai... Now take a deep breath and hold it!”

Tsuki barely had time to comply when he pulled her down under the water before they stood up. Sputtering, she cried, “Maru-chan!”

“I saw a huge wave coming our way. I wonder if there’s a storm coming in...Let’s go swim towards the others as I want to ask my father what he thinks.”

“Hai...”

888

Toukasa shivered in the cold water and her resolve faltered for a moment before she squared her shoulders and walked further out in the sea. She had made it out as far as the top of her thighs and the waves roughly lapped against her. She could hear the sounds of her husband’s and the girl’s coupling as it carried on the wind. She swayed slightly with the movement of the sea, hoping the dragon king would find her a worthy consort when the sound of the girl’s climaxing urged her forward. Toukasa continued walking, although it became harder the farther out she was from the shore. She smiled, finally feeling accepted by the dragon king when a current of warm water flowed against her body, giving her the courage to continue walking rather than swimming. It wasn’t long before the waves washed gently over her head. The cold water made her feel sleepy so it was a simple matter to relax and breathe it deep into her lungs as she gave herself over to the ocean’s gentle embrace.

888

Izayoi had just made it over to the others when it started raining. Taking Inuyasha from her mate’s arms, she tried to comfort the two year old as he complained about leaving the sea. He cried loudly, refusing to get dressed as the rain started coming down heavily. Everyone scrambled to get dressed as the rain pelted them.

“Oi, Takahara, hurry!” Inutaisho called out.

“Hai!”

Takahara hurried the girl along. Soon they were standing there with everyone else, giving one last look around to see if anything of value was left behind before leaving. As they made their way back to the palace, Sakura looked around. She was worried as her friend Toukasa was not with them. Sighing softly, for Takahara seemed oblivious to anything other than his latest conquest, she made her way over to him.

Clearing her throat softly as she tried to get his attention, she gave one last look backwards over her shoulder, hoping to spot Toukasa hurrying along as she tried to catch up. When she did not see her, she gently laid her hand on Takahara’s arm. “Forgive my interruption, but do you know what happened to Toukasa-chan?” she asked, ignoring the dark looks he shot her way. “She took off after you and she never came back... You didn’t see her did you?”

“Iie. She never came after me. Maybe she started to and changed her mind. She’s always doing stupid things like that,” Takahara replied as he glared at her.

“Perhaps. Since you’re not worried about her, I guess I really shouldn’t be as well, ne?”

“Hai...” he left the “and now leave me alone” unsaid.

Sakura nodded, and hung back, allowing some distance to come between herself and the dog general’s second in command. Despite his assurance that her friend was probably back at the palace, she could not shake the feeling that they had somehow left her behind.

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Takahara arrived back his rooms, angry at the fuss his wife was creating and he took out his frustrations on the girl, beating her and then taking her roughly. She begged him to stop as she was frightened, but it only made him angrier. Takahara wanted his wife there, for she knew how to calm the rage that threatened to consume him, but he was stuck with the girl. Looking at her expression of fear, he knew she would never warm his bed again, not that it matter as there were plenty more like her. Still, despite his anger at the situation, he could not help but feel a little stab of fear that his wife was truly gone.

888

Several days later, Toukasa’s body had washed up on the shore where it spotted by Sesshomaru and Tsuki. They had been enjoying a quiet moment together without Inuyasha’s presence and Sesshomaru was doing his best to convince her that the rumors she had heard concerning him, were just that; rumors. “I don’t care what Fujiko-hime said! She doesn’t know shit and you know that!” He sighed angrily.

“But she’s very close to your mother-”

“But nothing! And besides, you know as well as I do, no one’s closer to my mother than Atsuimi-hime!” he bent and pick up a shell and threw it into the sea. He took her by the shoulders and gently pulled her close. “Tsuki-chan, I have told you more times than I care to remember, that there is not and never will be anyone for me aside from you. If I’m to die without an heir so be it! Shit!” He looked over her shoulder the movement of the birds catching his eye. “I wonder what washed up this time...” he said softly. “Come, let’s forget all that nonsense about me and my mother and you and let’s go see what’s over there. It looks too small to be a whale and too large to be a turtle. I wonder if some poor human fisherman washed up again.”

“Hunh?” Tsuki said as she moved out of his embrace, and turning around, she followed as he walked over to investigate the colorful mound on the shore.

As the came closer he swore. “Damn it! Tsuki, don’t look!” He grabbed her and spun her around. “Hurry back to the palace and get help. I know why that bastard’s been feeling sick lately...”

“Iie. Please tell me it’s not her...”

“Gomen nasai, Tsuki-chan...” He gave her a quick hug before he pulled away, and gripping her arms as he looked her in the eye, he commanded, “Now go!”

Tsuki nodded and hurried back along the beach the way they had come, while Sesshomaru hurried closer to the mound. Waving his arms, he shooed the birds away from her half-eaten remains. He knelt next to what was left of his foster mother, a stab of sorrow piercing his heart. He wondered if it was too late for his father to revive her with the Tensaiga. As he knelt there, keeping watch over his foster mother’s body while he waited for the others to return, Sesshomaru knew that if he were able to possess the Tetsusaiga for a day, he would hunt her killer down and destroy him. Sighing sadly, he realized too late, that he had paid his foster mother too little attention, only seeking her out when he his mother and Tsuki had become tiresome.

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Tsuki ran as if Toukasa’s life depended on it, even though she knew in her heart it was too late. As she made her way up the little hill path towards the palace she felt a shiver of fear wash over it as it reminded her of the bad dreams she had been having. In the nightmares she was running as if her own life depended on finding Sesshomaru and just when it seemed as though another few paces and she would find him, she tripped, falling flat on her face. She shuddered as fragments of the dream came to mind, for in one variation of it a shadowy figure loomed over her, ravishing her as she tried to fight back. The other version had her pursued by a pack of doglike figures and of the two she preferred that version for she often slept long enough to get to the part where she was reawakened by her love. Still, the eerie silence of the surrounding woods filled her with dread and it was a relief to finally see the palace looming ahead.

Breathless and somewhat panic-stricken, Tsuki stumbled up the palace gates setting off a flurry of activity. Minutes later Sesshomaru’s parents had arrived, grief stricken along with half the palace as everyone feared something terrible had happened to the waka-sama. As soon as she calmed down enough to speak coherently, Tsuki explained how they were walking along the beach when they had seen something colorful washed up on the shore. “The waka-sama thought it was a human fisherman who was killed out at sea during the storm we had the other day, but as we came closer, he realized...” she paused to choke back her tears, “He realized it was Toukasa-chan...” she started crying when she saw Sakura-chan in the crowd. “Gomen nasai...I’m so sorry, Sakura-chan...” Tsuki sobbed as she made her way over to her.

“Sssh...it’s alright, Tsuki-chan, I’m just glad you found her. Do you think you can...show us where she is? So we can bring her home?” Sakura-chan said softly as held Tsuki.

Tsuki swallowed. “Hai...” She turned and faced Sesshomaru’s parents. “Gomen nasai...forgive me....I didn’t mean to start crying and upset you like that...” She bowed.

Inutaisho placed a hand on his wife’s arm, silencing the dog queen with his touch. “All is forgiven. I’m sure it must have been a bit of shock, ne?”

“Hai...” Tsuki smiled nervously. She appreciated the dog general’s attempt at making her feel better. “Come, let me lead you there.” She started walking and the crowd parted before her.

With a nod, Inutaisho gathered some men together to come with and help bring Toukasa back. As he turned to leave, the dog queen asked softly, “Would you like me to get you the Tenseiga? It might be better for everyone if she’s able to come back alive...”

“Hai, I agree that it would, my love, but I have the feeling it’s too late.”

“I see. While you’re gone I’ll see to it the proper arrangements are made and ummm, someone has to go tell Takahara-san.”

Inutaisho nodded. “Hai, arigatou, my love, and don’t worry about Takahara, I’ll tell him myself.”

“Hai.”

Inutaisho leaned in and kissed her cheek before he hurried after Tsuki.

888

“Okugata-sama...? Is something wrong?” Izayoi asked. She was surprised to see the dog queen heading towards her as she sat in the peony garden watching Inuyasha play. She quickly stood up and walked over to her after making sure her son was quietly playing.

“Hai. It seems my son and the girl have found Toukasa-chan.”

“I see; how is she?” Izayoi asked and instantly regretted it as the dog queen briefly slumped only to pull herself together, to stand straight and tall. The human woman could clearly see she was fighting to contain her grief and her heart went out to her rival.

Inukouhi shook her head sadly. “She’s ...” she started, a frown creasing her brow as she tried to think of how to break the news to the human woman.

“Say no more. Do you wish me to help?”

“Hai.” The dog queen nodded. “The girl was very upset; perhaps you can help my son deal with her?”

“Hai...I’m sorry, I feel so helpless. She was your kinswoman, ne?”

“Hai...” Inukouhi said distractedly.

“Do you wish to talk about her?”

“Iie!” she said, closing her eyes, as they lapsed into silence. /What’s to say about her now, except she’s probably happier in the afterworld? I’ll miss her as she was fun to argue with. Oddly enough, I feel the most badly for Keiichi-kun. He’s going to be lost without her. /Inukouhi sighed and opened her eyes and looked away. The two women stood there feeling very awkward. Inukouhi had never once asked the human for help and both women were at a loss for words. Fortunately they were saved by a most opportune interruption.

“Kuro, is Gata-ma going to play wiff us?” Inuyasha smiled shyly at the dog queen. He walked over to her and held out his ball. “Frowd it for me! Pease? And I go ketch it!” he said.

“Hai...” She bent and took it from him, before throwing it. The ball landed a couple of feet away and Inuyasha happily ran after it. “He doesn’t catch very well, ne?” Inukouhi said as she turned to smile at the human. She shrugged slightly at Izayoi’s questioning look, silently pleading with her to drop the matter of Toukasa.

Izayoi, taking the hint, smiled. “Iie, he doesn’t, but he tries. You do know he’ll probably ask you to do this all afternoon,” she said somewhat apologetically.

The dog queen shrugged as she watched the little two year old hunt for the ball under the peonies where he had accidentally kicked it. “It doesn’t matter as it’s good to be around a pup at a time like this.”/ Even if it’s only a hanyou pup.../

“Hai.”/ I guess the waka-sama will have to manage on his own for now.../

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Sesshomaru looked up and watched as everyone hurried over to him. He briefly looked down at his foster mother and said softly, “Ofukuro, everyone’s here to bring home...” He stood at his father’s approach. “It’s too late, Chichi-ue, between the fish and the birds, there’s not much left of her.”

“Hai...” The dog general knelt and picked a few pieces of seaweed from Toukasa’s hair. Looking up at his son, he asked, “Are you alright, Sessho-kun?”

Sesshomaru nodded. “Hai...” he said softly and spotting Tsuki he made his way over to her. Holding her close, he let her cry herself out.

As he gave directions to the men, Inutaisho looked over at his son, worry clearly visible on his face. He knew Sesshomaru could be calm and indifferent when the situation required it, but his cold detachment from the scene bothered him more than he cared to admit. The only thing stopping him from going over to his son and taking him away, was his concern over the girl. Inutaisho watched as Sesshomaru calmly led her away without so much as a backwards glance.

“Are you ready, my lord?” one of the men asked, pulling the dog general away from his thoughts.

“Hai...”

888

Inutaisho sent for his wife the minute he had arrived back at the palace after seeing to it that Toukasa was properly taken care of. He traveled the halls of the palace on the way to his rooms somewhat quickly as he went over in his head what needed to be done. As he entered his rooms, he was pleased to find her there, waiting for him.

“Was it really her?” Inukouhi asked softly.

Inutaisho nodded solemnly. “And from the looks of her, it’s a wonder the girl wasn’t more upset than she was.” He looked over at his wife.

“Please don’t tell me our son chose well and that I should reconsider as that’s irrelevant.” She reached up and gently cupped his cheek. “Let’s speak of this another time, my love. What we need to do is tell Takahara and Keiichi and get her ready for burial. I know she loved the pine garden, perhaps we can bury her ashes there...”

Inutaisho shrugged. “While I have no problem with that, it’s not up to us.” He sighed. “First we need to go tell them...”

“Let’s go.”

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“Takahara-sama, the dono-sama and his wife are here to see you. I will go now if that is alright with you...?” Emiko-chan said. She was one of the few women in the palace who did not fear his temper as she had been specially trained by Atsuimi-hime to deal with it.

“Hai...send them in, but stay and do those things you women do in this situation...” he said, his words slightly slurred from the sake he had been drinking. “And you might as well send for my son...”

“As you wish, my lord,” she said as she hurried to do as she was bidden.

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“Come, let’s go get Inuyasha,” Sesshomaru said softly.
He had been sitting with Tsuki in the pine garden, watching the birds flit through the trees, holding close while she cried herself out. While Tsuki had been very upset about Toukasa, he found he had felt quiet the opposite. And as he sat there, he realized that he was happy she was gone, for now she no longer had to suffer Takahara’s cruelties. She was now as free as the birds she loved and that thought brought him happy memories of himself and his foster brother Keiichi, holding out their hands full of rice and grass seeds that they feed to the birds. He remembered Keiichi crying when he got bit by a bird who thought his little finger was a fat and juicy worm. He recalled Toukasa had told them a story, to cheer up his foster brother, about a foolish fairy named Yosei-chan who looked like a swallow and who really wanted to be one of the more powerful fairies that looked like cranes. The story said she lived near the beautiful lotus pool and that it was the best spot to be in Amida-Nyorai’s garden, but the foolish Yosei was not happy about it. He remembered the story going on to say that Yosei-chan angered Amida-sama by cleaning up the petals that the Buddha and his angels dropped in the pool and complaining loudly about it. She had angered him so much that she was turned into a frog. He also remembered Toukasa gently teasing him about being so quiet all the time, as if afraid of meeting the same fate. Sighing loudly, he caught Tsuki’s attention.
“Gomen, I can’t help it...” She sniffed back her tears. “I don’t mean to keep crying like that...”
“It’s alright to be upset, but crying isn’t going to change anything,” Sesshomaru said softly as he held her close. “Come, let’s go get Inuyasha,” he said again. “My foster mother used to say, that there’s nothing like being around a pup to ease the sorrow of someone’s passing. I never knew what she meant by that, but I guess it had a lot to do with my mother fussing over me every time she lost a pup...” he trailed off softly as Tsuki pulled away from him. Looking down at her, he continued, “My mother was most attentive after Katakuri-chan’s passing...” He sighed. “I don’t know about you, but I’m tired of talking about death. Let’s go get the lil runt as I’m sure he’s probably tired and needs a nap or something.”
Tsuki looked at him, unable to believe the words she heard him say, but appreciating his attempt at offering her the one thing that would bring her some small measure of comfort. She smiled sadly through her tears and stood up. “Come, let’s go...” She said as she offered him her hand. Taking it, he also stood up and kissed her fingers before leaving the garden.
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“You’ve finally found her, ne?” Takahara said as he looked up, bleary eyed. He felt sick to his stomach, like he had lost some vital part of himself and no amount of sake seemed to ease the pain. He vaguely remembered Toukasa telling him that if he did manage to outlive her that he would feel like joining her in death, but he recalled at the time he had dismissed it as nonsense. He also remembered he had acted insulted and had turned that to his advantage and had spent a rather pleasant evening with his new wife on their wedding night.
“Hai...Gomen nasai, old friend-” Inutaisho started to say.
“She’s gone, ne?” He grimaced, feeling a wave of pain and nausea wash over him. “And that’s why I feel like shit!” Damned bitch! Even in death she manages to fuck things up for me!
“Hai...I wish there was something I could do, but it was too late...” Inutaisho said quietly. He was torn between sending for Baba-chan so that she could take a look at his friend, and taking Takahara’s lead and ignoring the physical distress he was going through. Since the room reeked of sake, he decided to let the matter go and for now as it seemed his friend had found a way to deal with it. Looking away briefly, Inutaisho prayed his friend would not suffer for long.
“Don’t trouble yourself over what can’t be helped...” Takahara picked up the sake flask and poured. “Would you like some? Emiko-chan!”
Inutaisho held up his hand as the girl turned towards them. She had been standing there talking to the dog queen, and she would have rushed over to them, but Inukouhi held her back. “No thank you, I’m not thirsty.”
“But I am, and I told you to come here, bitch!” he roared as an uncomfortable silence descended on the room. Emiko whispered her apologies to the dog queen and hurried over.
“My lord?”
“Get me more sake!”
“Hai...” Emiko said, and bowing, she left.
“Since Toukasa-chan was my kinswoman, would you like me to make the arrangements?” Inukouhi softly inquired.
“Do whatever you want,” Takahara replied coldly and picking up his sake cup, he downed the contents in one gulp. “Does my idiot son know?”
The dog queen and her husband exchanged glances over his outburst. She was shocked that he would refer to his son that way, but she ignored it. “I don’t know, they say he was out riding this morning and he hasn’t returned, ne?” Inukouhi said, as she turned towards her husband.
“Hai, I left word for him to come see me when he gets back,” Inutaisho said. “I will tell him for you. Anyway, Emiko-chan is back and,” Inutaisho sighed before continuing, “you should get some rest, my friend.”
“Hai, my husband’s right, you should sleep.”
“Keh!”
After saying their good byes the dog general and his wife left.
888
“Sessho-kun!”
At the sound of his name, Sesshomaru and Tsuki paused and turned towards him. “Kei-kun.”
“They told me at the stables your father wanted to see me. Do you know what he wanted?” Keiichi asked, frowning slightly when Tsuki let out a little sound of sorrow.
“We found your mother...”
“Is she alright, Sessho-kun? Can I see her? Where was she?”
“Gomen nasai...” Sesshomaru said softly as Keiichi’s eyes welled up with tears.
“Iie...”
Sesshomaru nodded, “Gomen nasai,” he repeated softly, watching helplessly as his foster brother gave into his grief.
“Keiichi-san, why don’t you go with the waka-sama and talk to the dono-sama...?” Tsuki said softly as she handed him her handkerchief. She looked over at her mate and he nodded. She watched as the two of left, brushing away her own tears before she left as well.
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“I wonder if he’s going to be alright,” the dog queen said as she walked back with her husband to his rooms. “He really seems to have taken it hard. I had no idea he loved Toukasa that much. I hope he makes it through this in one piece.”
Inutaisho nodded. “I know. This has surprised me as well.” He sighed. “I hadn’t expected him to take it so stoically, but then I’ve seen him on the battlefield and as a soldier, we know death on a very intimate basis.”
“That is true, but still...” Inukouhi, at a loss for words, paused briefly. She sighed before continuing, “I don’t know, I guess I’m just upset, but I’m shocked at the way he referred to Keiichi-kun. The poor boy may not be the smartest person around here, but he’s not an idiot. Sweet Kami-sama, all I can say is I’m glad he’s let us be the ones to tell him. Poor Keiichi-kun was very devoted to his mother. You know Toukasa-chan mentioned she wanted to marry him off to one of Akemi-san’s kinswomen. She’s the one Akemi-san said was like a daughter to her. Perhaps when their period of morning has finished, you can bring it up with Takahara. I think having another woman in his life to look after him would be just the thing Keiichi-kun needs.”
“I will do this for you, my dear, perhaps I can also arrange it so that you can act as the go-between, if you’d like.”
“Hai, I would like that very much.” She smiled sadly. “Odd, but that’s exactly what Toukasa-chan had said...” Inukouhi wiped away her tears as her husband took her by the hand.
888
Keiichi surprised everyone by stoically keeping watch over his mother’s body during the night along with the dog queen. He had even managed to get a hold of himself long enough to see to the proper arrangements were made. He set the items on the low table perfectly; pleased with the fact he was able to find the most beautiful crape myrtle blossoms for her. He also saw to it his mother’s favorite wall scroll was hung in the alcove to make her passing easier. It was Keiichi who took his mother’s bones and saw to it they were buried in the far end of the pine garden. Her ashes, he and Sesshomaru returned to the sea as Keiichi told him, “My mother once told me she wanted to visit the dragon king’s palace after your father lent her his scroll. Perhaps the dragon king will be so taken with her, that’ll make her his consort...”
“Hai, I think she would like that very much,” Sesshomaru said.
When they returned, they were stripped and given a purifying bath in the main courtyard of the palace before being dressed in mourning, signaling the start of the fifty days of mourning.
Sesshomaru watched sadly as his foster brother headed towards the stables, to seek comfort from his favorite mare, feeling guilty that he had Tsuki to turn to as he mourned his foster mother’s passing.
888
Inuyasha had a hard time understanding why everyone was so subbed around the palace. In the first few days following Toukasa’s funeral, all his efforts to engage everyone in playing with him were met with entreaties to go play quietly by himself that he became moody and prone to tantrums. That in turn left everyone rather short tempered towards him which only made him act out more.
“Tsuki-chan, please do something to quiet him down already. Why don’t you give him some paper and piece of charcoal and let him color or take him outside and let him run around in the garden? I’m getting a headache from his wailing,” Sesshomaru said. He glared at his brother, who was crying and struggling while Tsuki held him and tried to comfort him.
“Gomen, Maru-chan, I was trying to get him to go take a nap, but he doesn’t want to,” she said as she went back to singing to the little hanyou. “Sssh, baby, sssh, and don’t give me that look either, Maru-chan. I’d happily take him outside but it’s pouring.”
Sesshomaru looked out the window and frowned as Tsuki was right about the rain. He turned towards them, watching her struggling to calm Inuyasha down, when he walked over to them and took the wailing hanyou from her. “Let’s go outside.” Sesshomaru walked towards the shoji leading outside as his brother, puzzled by Sesshomaru’s actions, finally stopped crying.
“We can’t go outside, Muuchn,” Inuyasha said as Sesshomaru slid back the shoji and stepped outside.
“Why not? We’re outside and nothing’s happened.”
“We get wet and dirty and Ukichn will yelled at us.”
“She won’t yell at us. I bet she’s probably happy you’ve stopped crying.”
“I wasn’t cwying!”
Sesshomaru quirked an eyebrow at him. “Iie? It sure sounded like crying to me.”
“I wasn’t cwying! I was mad nobody play wiff me.”
“Hontoni?”
“Hai! Will you play wiff me, Muuchn?”
“I will if you behave yourself and stop crying...”
“Hai!” Inuyasha said happily. He leaned into Sesshomaru as he sucked his thumb and gave him a one handed hug.
“What do you want to do?” Sesshomaru asked. Sesshomaru held him as they stood under the eaves of the porch, watching the rain fall.
“Dunno...” Inuyasha said sleepily around his thumb.
“How about we just watch the rain fall?”
“Hai...” the little hanyou said as he fought to keep his eyes open with little success.
Several long quiet minutes passed before Sesshomaru realized he was asleep. He waited a little longer before turning to go back inside. After settling Inuyasha down on his futon for a nap, Sesshomaru and Tsuki made their way outside and stood there, watching the rain fall. Leaning into him, Tsuki said softly, “Arigatou, Maru-chan.”
“Douitashimashite, Tsuki-chan.” He kissed her cheek and smiled. “You know, all he wanted was someone to play with him.”
“Really? But I had been trying to play with him all morning and so was Ningen-hime but all he did was throw a huge tantrum. He upset Ningen-hime when he wouldn’t stop crying and she left shortly before you came back. She went to go get Baba-chan to see if he was getting sick. I’m glad he’s not sick, although I hadn’t realized he was lonely all this time and looking for someone to play with. I feel awful about it.”
“I wouldn’t worry about it, his mother didn’t know either and I’m sure I’d never know if he didn’t tell me.” He smiled mischievously at her and she frowned. “If he hadn’t fallen asleep, we would be playing in the rain and getting wet and dirty.” His grin changed into a sad smile as a memory washed over him. “Toukasa used to yell at me and Keiichi about stuff like that too...”
Tsuki laughed. “So did my mother. Perhaps it’s something all mothers say...”
“Hai...”
888
The forty nine days of mourning had passed by slowly and the heavy summer rains did nothing to help make the time go more quickly. On the fiftieth day, when Toukasa’s soul was ready to go on to the gods, the sun finally broke through the clouds. To help make her passing on easier, everyone dressed in their finest and gathered outside her rooms. Sesshomaru brought with him a bamboo cage full of pigeons. He rolled his eyes at the thought of all the questions Inuyasha had asked concerning the pigeons and what Sesshomaru was going to do with them, and Keiichi shot him a questioning look, as he stood next to him, holding his mother’s favorite scroll.
“I had something in my eye, Keii-kun,” he lied.
“Hai...anyway, I wish my father would hurry up, I can’t imagine Haha-ue waiting around anymore...”
“Hai...”
Before Keiichi could say anything further, Takahara arrived bearing a tray of Toukasa’s favorite dish as an offering. He set it down in Toukasa’s favorite part of the garden so that her spirit would have the strength to move on, while Kenichi proceeded to burn the scroll.
Gathering the ashes in a neat pile, he blew them out over the garden as Sesshomaru released the birds. Everyone clapped and made noise so that they would take flight and guide Toukasa onwards towards the realm of the gods. Many prayers were said for her safe journey and also for her rebirth. Those that knew her stayed to celebrate her life, although Takahara wished they would all just leave him alone. While he missed her somewhat, he knew the best place to get over Toukasa was in the arms of Asagao, his yamainu wife and he could not wait until the period of mourning was finally over and he could head out to the mountains.
888
It was six months since Toukasa’s passing and Takahara longed to get out and see his other family, but the gods had seen fit to blanket the area in a thick layer of snow. He waited impatiently for the current storm to let up. Each time he paced past the window, the snow would swirl up in another flurry that was as blinding as it was beautiful. He paused and looked out at the falling snow, and he could have sworn that if he did not know any better, his wife was behind this current storm. With a pang of something akin to sorrow, he realized he probably would have spent the time alternately beating her and coupling with her as he took his mind off his frustrations. Clenching his fist, he drove his hand into the thick wooden beams that surrounded his window, not even flinching at the pain that shot through his hand.
“I know you’re tired of being inside, old friend, but no one in their right mind would go out on a day like this,” Inutaisho said from where he sat on the floor. “Come, I think the sake’s warm enough.” He reached over and took the bottle out of the pan of water that sat on top of the small tabletop brazier and poured two cups. “I’m sure the weather’ll be clear by tomorrow and then we can go out for a ride, but only if you come here and promise me you’ll stop trying to tear down the walls of my palace,” Inutaisho said dryly.
“Hunh?” Takahara turned to face him.
“It wasn’t important...” Inutaisho picked up his sake cup and drank. “Aah...”
Takahara, frowning, came over and sat down. Picking up his sake cup, he drained it in one gulp. Setting the cup down, he stared off into space.
“I was just thinking, we haven’t had a winter this bad since our sons were born. I wonder what it means...” The dog general picked up his cup and finished it.
“That’s not true; it snowed the day your little one was born.”
“Actually, I believe it had snowed the day before, but then again, I could be mistaken. So many things had happened that day...” Inutaisho refilled the cups.
“Hai...” Takahara picked up his cup and drank again. “You know, you don’t have to sit here and watch over me like that...”
Inutaisho shrugged. “I know, but one should never drink alone if one can help it. And don’t give me that look; Emiko-chan had nothing to do with my coming here.”
“Iie...?”
“Iie...” Inutaisho shook his head. “I came to ask you if you wouldn’t mind taking the first patrol.”
“What about Sesshomaru? I thought he was going.”
“He asked me if he could go next time. He told me he wanted to be around when his brother turned three...Although if you ask me, I think he doesn’t want to leave the girl. And since he’s been so good about Inu-chan, I told him he can go in the spring. Besides, I figured you’d want to get away from here and the memories.”
Takahara nodded. “Hai...Arigatou, my friend.”
“Douitashimashite. I’ll leave you to gather your belongings and you’re free to leave the day after the storm lets up.”
“Hai...”
888
Three days later Takahara rode out from the palace. It was slow going due to the snow and it took him a week to get to the mountains instead of the normal three days. As much as he wanted to spend the time alone with Asagao and his family, he forced himself to visit Kurayami. Afterwards, he was very happy he did so, as the wolf had told him Ryukotsusei was seen in the foothills a few hundred ri to the west of the yamainu stronghold. After sending out spies to make sure the old dragon stayed put, he spent the time getting reacquainted with his family before eventually moving on to see Ryukotsusei.
888
“Aniki-chan, why do I have to go the banquet? I’m tired,” Inuyasha whined as Sesshomaru handed him a kimono to put on. “I don’t want to wear that one! I want to wear the fuzzy red one Oyajii gave me!”
“Because we told you Chichi-ue wants you there, as it’s in your honor,” Sesshomaru said with a sigh. “Tsuki-chan and I told you before you can’t wear the red one as you have to dress up. I promise you, Inuyasha, you can wear the red one all day tomorrow if you like. In fact you can wear it the rest of your life for all I care as long as you put this one on now.”
“Hontoni, Aniki-chan?”
“Hai, now hurry as I still need to get dressed.”
“Hai... Aniki-chan? Why isn’t Tsuki-kuro going?”
“Because we told you it’s a banquet for men only, that’s why. Now be a good little pup and get dressed.”
“Aniki-chan, are you sure I can’t wear the red fuzzy one?”
“Hai, Inuyasha.” Sesshomaru sighed as he pulled out yet another kimono for Inuyasha to wear, while silently cursing the fact that Tsuki had gone off to dinner with the women, leaving him to the frustrating job of getting his younger brother to wear something other than the fire rat haori and hakama his father had made for him. “Here what about this one?” he asked holding out a blue and white kimono that complimented one their father liked to wear.
“Iie...I don’t like that one.” Inuyasha stood there hands folded across his chest as he pouted at his brother.
“Inuyasha, we’re going to be late if you don’t hurry.” Sesshomaru paused as a bit of inspiration hit. “Inu-chan, what if I wear my kimono with the red flowers on it? Would that make you happy? And I promise to teach you how to use your sword tomorrow as well.”
Inuyasha thought it over, “Ummm...alright. Is this one good to wear?” He held up a green one with dragonflies on it.
“It’s perfect!” Sesshomaru said as he helped him into it. “Now go get your black obi for me while I get dressed.”
“Hai!” Inuyasha scampered off to go look for it, leaving Sesshomaru to get dressed in peace. “Ummm...Aniki-chan, can I wear this one?” he asked, holding up a soft piece of red silk.
“Iie! That’s Tsuki-chan’s and if she catches you playing with it, there’s going to be trouble. Now put it away and get yours,” he said as he stepped into his hakama and pulled them up over his kimono before reaching for his obi. As he tied it around his waist, Sesshomaru watched as Inuyasha gently replaced his mate’s obi before looking for his own.
888
The banquet was uneventful and boring in Sesshomaru’s opinion and casting a quick look at his little brother, he suspected Inuyasha felt the same way, for the little hanyou was busy amusing himself with his chopsticks. He looked up in time to see Sesshomaru looking at him. In the brutally honest way that only a three year old could be, he said loudly, “Aniki-chan, I’m tired! I wanna go back to my room to see Ofukuro and Tsuki-kuro! Oyajii, this is boring without them. Can’t we go get them and Okugata-sama? Please?”
Ryukotsusei laughed as Sesshomaru ssshed his little brother. “The young one has a point. Can’t the girls come back and sing for us again? They have the most beautiful voices I’ve ever heard, my lord.”
Takahara laughed as well. “I for one wouldn’t mind if they came back as well.”
“Very well then,” Inutaisho said as he motioned for a servant. Minutes later, the girls returned and this time they danced as well as sang for the men. He watched as Takahara and the dragon drank sake, and talked quietly amongst themselves, while they in turn turned their attention to the girls who entertained them. Inutaisho thought they looked like kindred spirits and the thought disturbed him very much as he wondered if it had anything to do with Takahara wenching the minute his six months of mourning were up. When he had noticed that Inuyasha had crawled onto Sesshomaru’s lap and was nodding off, as he sucked his thumb, he dismissed his sons for the evening.
Sesshomaru briefly left his sleepy little brother with his father while he went to go make his goodbyes to the men. As he made his way around the banquet hall, he eyed Ryukotsusei surreptitiously as paused to briefly to speak with his father’s friends. There was something about the tall baby-faced man that Sesshomaru did not like and he was glad Inuyasha had refrained from making comments about him as that was the last thing their father needed. Why the dragon had chosen now of all times to come and ask for a treaty was something the dog general had spent the morning discussing with Sesshomaru and neither one had come up with anything close to a plausible reason. His territory lay far to the east near the wisteria mountain and unless he was thinking of expanding westwards towards the dog general’s empire, there was no need for it.
Sesshomaru had finally made his way over to the dragon and his foster father. He knelt beside them; admiring Yuriko’s dancing when Ryukotsusei pointed out how graceful she was. Sesshomaru eyed the dragon, trying to reconcile the image of the baby-faced young man whose spindly arms contrasted sharply with his massive belly, the way his air of innocence warred with the thinly veiled contempt he had for his surroundings. And as the man sat there, joking around with Takahara, he wondered which one harassed the maids more. He nearly laughed pout loud at the sharp intake of breath both men took when Yuriko dancer closer and flashed a quick glimpse of a tabi socked foot and ankle./ I wonder if both men will end up in her bed tonight as she just the one to take them both on at the same time. I wonder if this is Atsuimi-hime’s doing and if so, Chichi-ue should reward her handsomely for it as you can be sure Yuriko will be sure to let him know all the gory details of what went on and more importantly what was said. /
“Hunh? Gomen nasai, Ryokotsusei-sama, I was so entranced by Yuriko-chan’s dancing that I never heard what you said.”
“I merely pointed what an amazing woman she is. She’s very beautiful and so talented, ne?”
“Hai. Perhaps if you’re lucky she’ll give you a private performance. I’m sure Takahara-sama will arrange things for you, ne?”
Takahara laughed. “Excellent idea, waka-sama. If you’ll excuse me, I’ll see what I can do.” He nodded to them both before standing up and going over to where Atsuimi waited in the shadows.
“And if you’ll excuse me as well, I need to go. My little brother is tired and I can see my father’s trying to get my attention. I’ll see you tomorrow in council.” Sesshomaru bowed respectfully, before standing up to leave.
“Tomorrow then...” the dragon said distractedly as he gazed hungrily at the dancing girl and so engrossed was he in her dancing that he never saw Sesshomaru leave.
888
“Come, why don’t we go to my study and draw up the first draft of the treaty? This way I can have my ministers go over it in the morning and write it up properly for you,” Inutaisho said as he walked along the corridors of the palace with the dragon and his friend.
“Hai...that’ll work for me,” Ryukotsusei said. “What’s over there?”
“That’s my wife’s koi pond. Would you like to see it?”
“Hai...”
“Come...” Inutaisho said as he slid back the shoji leading outside. He let Takahara and Ryukotsusei precede him outdoors. He pointed out minor things of interest as they traveled along the mossy path to the pond. “It’s a pity I didn’t know you wanted to see or I would have brought something along to feed to the fish. They’re quite tame and my wife has this huge golden fish that will eat bits of onigiri from her hand. The funny thing is he’ll only do that with her.”
“The dono-sama is right; I’ve also seen it.” Takahara added.
“Interesting...but not as interesting as what we have here, ne?” Ryukotsusei said as gestured towards something on the far side of the pond.
“Hunh?” the dog general asked, following the dragon’s outstretched arm with his eyes. A moment later a lavender shadow detached itself from surrounding shadows and headed their way, where it neatly morphed into the figure of a woman. Plastering a smile on his face, Inutaisho hurried off to greet her. “What are you doing here, dear wife?” he asked, a hint of irritation in his voice. He had warned her to stay put in the women’s quarters along with the other women while the dragon was here and he was taken aback to find her alone in an area easily accessible by the dragon.
“I was sitting here watching my fish, and wondering if you would be by here. Forgive me, I had no idea you’d have company with you.” Inukouhi frowned, silently questioning him. She had briefly looked over at where Ryokotsusei and Takahara waited patiently. To her, the dragon seemed harmless enough but she could feel her husband’s agitation beneath his calm exterior and it puzzled her./ I hope you’ll explain yourself later, my love./
“Don’t worry about it.” He reached out and took her hand and lovingly kissed her fingers. “Come, you might as well meet him.” Pausing briefly before he turned and headed back to the waiting men with his wife, Inutaisho mouthed, “I’d like to know your opinion of him.”
“Hai...”
They walked slowly over to where the others were standing and talking quietly amongst themselves. Once again Inutaisho had the feeling they were up to something even though their manor suggested otherwise.
“If I may introduce....” He turned and motioned for the dog queen to come closer. “My wife, the Lady Inukouhi.” She bowed to them.
“Takahara-sama.” He smiled when she said his name and he gave her a slight bow. “And you must be...?” the dog queen asked as she turned towards the dragon.
“Ryukotsusei,” the dragon said smoothly as he bowed to her, his gaze slowly traveling up the length of her body as he straightened up. “My lady, may I compliment you on your two fine sons.”
The dog queen felt her cheeks heating up under the dragon’s scrutiny. Now I know why you wanted us kept apart from him. She quickly composed herself. “Arigatou, kind sir, but they are most useless and lazy, especially the elder. The younger is still a pup so there’s some measure of hope that he will turn out alright, ne?” She smiled and it broadened when she noted the look of surprise on Takahara’s face. I bet you didn’t see that one coming. As if I’d really acknowledge the hanyou brat as my own.
“Ah...perhaps, and it’s possible the elder may turn out to be exceedingly industrious when he gets a bit older.”
“Hai...one can only hope, ne?” /And one can only hope you’ll leave and quickly too! /The dog somehow managed to suppress a shudder as Ryukotsusei’s gaze traveled down the length of her again.
“Hai...and may you be blessed with bountiful hope, my lady,” the dragon said as he eyed the dog queen hungrily.
“Arigatou, Ryukotsusei-sama. Forgive me for being so forward, but do you and your wife have any children? I would really love to hear about them, as I’m sure they are most energetic and dynamic like you,” Inukouhi said, feigning an interest in him. She hated the way he looked at her and she wished her husband would either dismiss her, or leave with the men.
“Douitashimashite. Although, I’m sad to say I have neither a wife, nor children, but if I did, I’m sure she wouldn’t be half as beautiful and charming as yourself, nor would our children be as vigorous as yours.” Ryukotsusei licked his lips and smiled.
“Domo arigatou gozaimasu,” she said softly as a soft crimson glow spread across her cheeks. “Gomen nasai, I wish I could stay here forever and speak with you, but I’m sure you have more important things to discuss, ne?” Inukouhi unconsciously grabbed the folds of her kimono together as the dragon continued to stare at her. She tried catching her husband’s eye, but he was standing apart from them, as he talked quietly to Takahara. Feeling decidedly uncomfortable in his presence and longing to escape, she hoped the dragon would take the hint and allow her to leave.
“Hai, unfortunately, that is so, my lady. Perhaps we can meet another time, I would be ever so grateful, if you were to advise me on what to look for in a virtuous wife such as yourself.”
“Perhaps, we can if my husband will arrange it.” Hearing her refer to him, Inutaisho came over to them along with Takahara.
“Daijoubu?” he asked his wife. “Are you alright?” He was at her side in an instant.
“Hai, I’m just tired, my love. Konbanwa, gentlemen.” They bowed and the dog queen left in a rustle of silk, breathing a sigh of relief as she put some distance between herself and the other. Sweet Kami-sama, please see to it that my husband does all he can in his power to keep me from meeting up with that dragon again. I don’t know what it is about him, but I suddenly feel the need to go soak in the bathhouse again...
888
Inutaisho was loath to assign a guard to watch over the dragon as he wandered the palace grounds. While there were places he could not go, like the women’s quarters or the area of the men’s quarters where Inutaisho’s private rooms were, he was given the freedom to roam elsewhere. Ryukotsusei found he liked the tranquil feeling of the koi pond and if he was needed for anything that was generally where he could be found. The trouble with that was, the okugata-sama also liked to spend time there, feeding her fish or directing the servants in charge of maintaining the pond and its surrounding gardens. So she often saw the dragon there, thankful that the servants were there to act as a chaperone as she did not trust his intentions towards her.
One afternoon Inukouhi was about to enter the garden when she spotted Ryukotsusei standing over by the pond, feeding the remains of some onigiri to her fish. She looked around, hoping to spot a servant or two and seeing none, she turned on her heel and headed towards her husband’s rooms, fully intending to complain about the intrusion into her private domain. Unfortunately she missed seeing Izayoi, who happened to be looking for her.
The human woman had arrived at the garden from the opposite direction, and after stopping to admire the irises, she walked leisurely around the large willow and came face to face with the startled dragon. “Gomen nasai, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Izayoi said with a bow as she quickly regained her composure. “I came here looking for the okugata-sama; you haven’t seen her, have you?”
Ryukotsusei returned her bow, and straightening up, he stared at her for several minutes before he responded, “Iie, I’m sorry, I have not. I was hoping I did as I had wanted to ask her about the fish.”
“They’re very beautiful, ne? I like to come here and watch them swimming when I need a quiet moment to myself, although I usually make sure she isn’t here when I do.” She smiled at the baby-faced man and it deepened when he smiled back at her. As she studied his face, Izayoi saw a sweet young man who seemed little older than Sesshomaru and it brought back long buried memories of her childhood and the young men who had courted her older sisters. She thought he looked far too youthful and inexperienced to be an emissary and she wondered if he was a noble who was here to prove himself to his father as a worthy heir. Izayoi had a brief moment of discomfiture under his scrutiny, and she looked away from his intense stare only to be drawn back by his earnest smile which reminded her Keiichi. There was something about it that drew her in, despite the intensity of his gaze and she could not help smiling back at him. When she thought about it, his friendship with Takahara puzzled her until she realized Takahara had probably captivated him in much the same way he charmed the young girls around the palace until they got to know him better. She quickly dismissed his hungry look as awkwardness around women and saw instead an eagerness to form a friendship./ I wonder if the poor thing is simply trying to make friends with the dono-sama’s friends so that we’ll put in a good word for him. Hmmm... I bet that’s it! Perhaps I can help him and the dono-sama./
“Is that because you’re human?” he asked, shaking her from her reverie, and she frowned at what she took to be an insult, so he quickly added, “Forgive me if I’ve upset you. I honestly wasn’t aware that the dono-sama had humans living here so I was taken by surprise, although that doesn’t excuse my bad manners. I was aware that he does protect the humans in his realm. Tell me, my lady; are you the wife of an emissary?”
“Iie,” she said and before she could explain further he grabbed her and pulled her close. Izayoi gasped as she stared up at him, for he had taken her completely by surprise. She had managed to bring her hands to his chest and she grimaced as she tried pushing him away.
“Then tell me, my lady, are you a slave sent here for my pleasure?” he whispered huskily in her ear and Izayoi became afraid.
“Iie! Please let go of me!” She struggled and tried to pull away from him, but he held her tight.
Ignoring her pleas to release her, Ryukotsusei said, “You’re very beautiful for a human.”
“Please...” Izayoi started to cry as the dragon suddenly looked far more menacing than before. Never before had any one dared to treat her in such a manner let alone look at her like they were about to force their unwanted attentions on her. His cruel twisted smile frightened her and it added a measure of strength to her struggles.
“I like it when you struggle, it’s most alluring...” the dragon said, and licking his lips he leaned in and kissed her.
888
The dog queen got about halfway to her husband’s rooms when she was stopped by Tsuki who was carrying a sleepy Inuyasha. “Okugata-sama,” she said bowing from her shoulders. “Ningen-hime just left to go get you. The dono-sama wishes to discuss tonight’s banquet with you both.”
Inukouhi, quirking an eyebrow at her, said, “And you know this how?”
“I was there with Inu-chan. We had brought him over to see his father so that the dono-sama could tell him how pleased he was with his behavior last night. Since he’s tired and wanted a nap, I said I would bring him back to my room, so that she could go get you. Atsuimi-hime said you were heading towards your koi pond, so that’s where she is.”
“I see...very well, you may go,” the dog queen dismissed her. She debated whether or not she should get her husband, but a little voice in her head warned her to go to her garden and quickly. As much as she would have liked to have left Izayoi to her fate, the dog queen reasoned it was better to just go and prevent what would surely lead to war if the dragon was a bad as she feared.
888
Ryukotsusei pinned Izayoi to the ground and with one hand he held her arms above her head as she weakly struggled beneath him. His other hand was busy trying to remove her hakama, the sound of tearing silk bringing fresh tears to her eyes. He had finally succeeded in exposing her lower half and she whimpered in fear of the knowledge that he was going to rape her. Ryukotsusei straddled her hips before loosening his grip on her hands. “You’re going to lie there like a good little bitch so that I can get a look at you and if you so much as raise a little finger at me; I swear I’ll snap your pretty little neck. And don’t get any ideas about screaming either; because I’ll smash the mouth right off of your face. Understand?”
“Hai...” Izayoi whispered meekly, closing her eyes as she tried not to cry. Her fear made her go limp and she lay there passively beneath him, praying he only wanted to scare her and that would leave her alone if she stopped struggling.
“Good...I’m getting tired of you bitches always fighting back. You should be pleased I’m even bothering to lower myself to fuck you...” The dragon reached over and pulled her kimono open, and eyeing her hungrily, he fondled her breasts.
“Please... don’t...” Izayoi sobbed. Fear, hatred, and confusion warred in her mind as he suckled her breast. Izayoi wondered what she had done to get him to treat in so degrading a manner as all she did was simply smile at him and answer his question. Is this what youkai are really like? Sweet Kami-sama, are the tales I’ve heard growing up true? But the dono-sama isn’t like that! Or is he? When Izayoi realized that no matter what she did he was going to rape her, she struggled to get free.
“Didn’t I tell you to lie there quietly? Or are you too stupid to understand?” the dragon hissed at her. He increased the pressure on her wrists, laughing when she screamed as he broke the delicate bones in one of her wrists. “Now shut up before I give you something to scream about!” he said as he raised a hand to strike her.
“What are you doing?” Inukouhi asked icily.
“What does it look like I’m doing, you stupid bitch? I’m playing with my new pet...” Ryukotsusei said, looking back over his shoulder at her.
“I see, and the trouble is, that’s not a pet you should be playing with. That one belongs exclusively to my husband and he’s very loath to share her with anyone,” she said as she came closer.
“That’s not what she said.”
“Oh really? I find that hard to believe.” The dog queen laughed./Damn, the woman may be a human, but no one has ever shown my husband as much loyalty as she has. Inukouhi looked briefly at Izayoi, her eyes narrowing as she let out a little sigh. /You stupid foolish human, don’t you pay attention to the talk that goes around the women’s quarters? Or do you dismiss it too easily as idle gossip? And didn’t I tell you myself not to come here alone? Or did you think your relationship with my husband would protect you? The bastard’s going to have his way with you and no one’s going believe that he did nothing more than take what’s been offered to him in the hopes of cementing a treaty! And what if he’s not satisfied with just you? She shuddered involuntarily.
“But she did, in fact the bitch has been telling me how much she loves whoring it up under your husband’s nose. She couldn’t undress fast enough before she lay down and spread her legs for me. Shit, she wouldn’t stop begging me for it!” Ryukotsusei gently cupped Izayoi’s left breast in his free hand. Looking from one woman to the other, he ran his thumb lightly over her nipple, licking his lips and smiling at the dog queen as it hardened beneath his touch. He leaned over and kissed the human as she whimpered, letting go of her breast to lazily trail his hand down the length of her torso. Worming his hand between her thighs, he looked over at the dog queen and smirked. “Look at how she wriggles with delight under my touch!”
Idiot! She’s trying to get away from you as any woman in her right mind would. Gomen nasai, Ningen-hime, I wish I knew what to do. As much as this hurts you, it’s going to hurt my husband much more and I feel helpless to stop it. I wonder if I should try getting him angry... “And you being the gentleman that you are, happily obliged her,” the dog queen said sweetly, although there was no mistaking the sarcastic tone of her words. She cast a quick glance at the struggling human. Forgive me, Ningen-hime, for not being strong enough to pull him off you. Despite what you may think, I would do it if I could, for my husband’s sake and for yours as well. No woman should have to endure this.
Ryukotsusei eyed her darkly. “You know, you have a smart mouth for such a dumb bitch.”
“Arigatou...” And you probably have a small penis for such a large man.../she thought sarcastically. That seems to be working. Now if only I can get you angry enough to get off her and hopefully we can get away without incident...the last thing we need s a war on our hands because you’re too stupid to keep it in your hakama where it belongs.../ She opened her mouth to say something else to him when suddenly her world went black as the whole left side of her face exploded in mind-numbing pain.