A/N: I've always wanted to write a story with InuPapa and Kagome. So here it finally is. This is a AU…sort of. I changed characters relationships to one another around and their ages. Well…I hope you enjoy this.
Disclaimer: Let's just be honest If I owned InuYasha in any way, shape, or form I wouldn't be writing fan fics. So please don't sue me. I do own the OCs in here though.
A Promise Made
"I have twelve sons Taisho. And that's a small amount for a Lord." An exasperated voice said. "You have two sons and yet your territory is the largest of the four domains. How does that add up?" A regal looking man threw his arms in the air clearly exasperated. He was in a grand library clearly belonging to someone of great wealth and power. There were books and scrolls on every wall, desk and table. Huge windows let the light pour in and keep the room bright. Deep royal reds and blue colors were the room's paint colors. Carved into the center of the largest table was crescent moon. It was at the table that two men sat each with a cup of sake. The one doing the talking was very handsome in a classic looking way. Black hair, black eyes, and a warrior's build. However pointed ears, long claws, two dark blue strips on each cheek and fanged teeth made it clear that he was not human. "Do you want the Elders to pair you up with ANOTHER mate!?" He was practically shouting.
"Kori please calm down. I can hear you just fine." The other demon said rubbing his temple. "I know what the Elders will do if I do not find a mate within the year. They choose for me…again." He said. This demon had the same ears and the same powerful warrior build. But his hair was silver and tied in a ponytail, his eyes were a warm gold color, and he had only one crimson strip adorning his cheeks.
"Remember what happened with Hinata? The Elders pair you together because you waited too long to mate. And than what? She gives birth to your eldest son than leaves! Why? Because she thought your palace was too small and you did not provide her with enough kimonos, servants, and jewelry." Kori was now pacing around the room. "Then because you refuse to take another mate for almost twenty years those ancient idiots pair you with…with that Woman." He said trying very hard to control his anger. Kori Natsuge had been a close friend with InuTaisho since their puphood. When they were very young the two could often be found playing hide and seek or exploring the castle. As young men they would spare with one another always trying to best the other. It never mattered that he was a wolf demon and his friend a dog they're friendship ran deep. So after That Woman did what she did the wolf lord could not even stand to utter her name.
"Yes…what she did was wrong. It caused me a lot of pain as well as shame. However our union did provide me with another son and for that I am grateful." Taisho said softly.
"Yes, so you have two sons. What are you going to do Taisho? Have one son per mate? It does not work like that my friend." The wolf sighed and sat back down in his chair. "You need to find a mate for yourself. Surely you by know by now what happens when the Elders pick a mate for you. At this point she does not have to be of high class or even a demon. She just has to be able to give you more sons."
"And when exactly do I have time to find this mate? I run the largest of all the territories, you said so yourself. I am trying to raise the two sons I do have at the moment. Helping them learn how to be strong and wise leaders is not an easy task. And I have annoying friends popping up out of no where trying to escape their pregnant mates." He replied with a small smile.
"What do you expect? The mating season was a few months ago. The other lords and myself have to escape somewhere where there are no pregnant females around to nag us." Kori whispered the last part as if his mate could hear him. "I still to this day do not know how you get though the season without so much a concubine." The wolf said matter of factly before taking a long sip of sake. "Than again my you do have a woman. One you are not telling me about."
InuTaisho laughed lightly at this remark, "Kori we both know if that were true you would not be sitting here giving me a lecture. There are other ways to relive urges my friend." The dog chuckled softly before draining his sake cup and refilling it. "Anyway my point is that I have no time to find a new mate. Let the Elders try and give me a new mate. I will refuse. Why should I take another one anyway? I have two sons to carry on my line."
"Oh yes. Sesshoumaru the emotionless ice prince and InuYasha the hyper half-breed terror of the Western territory."
"What is that supposed to mean? My sons are just fine. Once they mature a little they will be fine leaders."
"They need a mother! Maybe than your oldest will learn to smile and have fun once in a while like any normal child should. That kid is only sixty years old and already I avoid his eyes. And the youngest? He needs someone to discipline him."
"Are you saying I do no know how to raise my own children?" The dog lord said the first hint of anger entering his voice.
Kori shook his head sadly, "I'm saying you need a mate to be here when you're out patrolling your lands, have meetings, or fighting battles. You cannot leave your pup's education and discipline in the hands of servants and tutors. They need a mother's influence."
InuTaisho stood and started to walk out of the room, " I simply do not want to go though another mating." He started to walk down the hall, "Stay as long as you would like my friend. But I would prefer if you left before your mate comes here wanting to drag you back home."
Taisho started to run and run and run at high speed until he was out of the palace and deep within it's surrounding forest. "So I need a mate?" He said to himself. He was starting to get really angry. "My sons need a mother?" He increased his speed as if trying to outrun the rage that was building up inside of him. He needed to take out on someone or something. It was at that moment he heard a loud scream echo in the forest.
He headed to the source the scream not caring who he had to save just wanting to relieve his anger. He came upon a large bear demon attacking what looked to be a young priestess.
The young woman's name was Kagome and she was desperately trying to crawl in order to reach for a bow and some arrows, but the bear was blocking her.
"It is time to avenge my family. Breath your last girl!" The bear lunged and the girl shut her eyes tightly. When she felt no claws and teeth dig into her flesh she dared to open her eyes a little. In front of her was the bear demon split perfectly in half and a large demon resheathing a sword. The girl looked the living demon in the eyes uncertain if she could trust him or not.
"Ummm…thank you for saving my life sir." She said quietly. The demon merely stood staring intensely at her. The silence between the two was deafening. Kagome was starting to question if had really been a good thing that her life had been saved.
Finally the demon spoke, "Why was that demon attacking you girl?" He asked not unkindly yet still demanding an answer. Kagome thought it would be a good idea to answer because she could sense that he was rather powerful. Plus she felt it only fair to tell him the reason he had to save her.
"Well you see I come from a village that protects innocent people from demons." She started to explain hesitantly. His eyebrow twitched at this first statement, so she quickly continued. "We only fight demons who are corrupt or who kill for fun. That's all, I swear. My family has been the priestesses and priests of the village for generations. A few weeks ago my grandmother, elder sisters, and mother killed a clan of bear demons who were killing anyone and everyone. Not for territory or food, but for pleasure. More demons and humans were dying than we could keep track of."
"And this demon was a survivor out for revenge?"
"Well he wanted to kill my sister, Kikyo." She swallowed hard. Her sister was always a sore subject. "But…we look alike. I think you can guess the rest." She added quietly.
He nodded looking her over once more, "You are uninjured?"
"I twisted my ankle before I was attacked. That's why I couldn't run away."
He knelt to inspect her injury though why he did it she didn't know. Carefully he put pressure on it until she finally winced in pain. "Well little one you will be happy to know that it is not broken. Rest for a little while longer before walking back to your village."
She nodded and felt herself being lifted up in very strong arms. "Hey! What are you doing?" She asked him not sure what he was doing.
"Wouldn't you rather rest in the shade. It is a hot day." He set her on a soft patch of grass under the shade of a huge tree. Then he retrieved her bow and quiver of arrows. Placing the weapons next to her and sat down next as if it was the most natural thing to do. She raised an eyebrow, "You are obviously need to some protection while you recover. And since you are currently in the Western lands it is my job to protect you." He stretched out and leaned against the tree.
Kagome giggled shaking her head, "You warriors are all alike. You think you have to protect women because we seem weak." The young priestess smiled, "Thank you for keeping me safe. My name is Kagome. May I ask the name of my most noble protector?"
InuTaisho smiled at the woman child. Normally he would have killed the bare and gone about his business, but there was something about her that had compelled him to stay near her. First of all there was huge amount of raw power he felt from her being. Never in all his centuries had he felt something like that. Then there was her scent. She smelled of freshly chopped wood, smoke, and spring water. It was relaxing him making all the anger, he had only a few moments ago, a thing of the past. Her voice was also compelling. It had a really beautiful musical tone to it. He could listen to that voice for hours.
"My name is InuTaisho."
She laughed again, "That's the Lord of the Western lands name. Are you trying to tell me you are my lord?" She asked playfully.
"Yes I am."
Kagome instantly stopped laughing, "What!" She looked at the demon man closely. His eyes were closed like he was simply enjoying the company of an old friend. Kagome raised a hand brushing the hair from his face. There were the crimson strips. The ones that marked him as royalty. "Oh…" She smiled and reclined against the tree with him. "This will a nice story to tell my children."
Taisho's ears perked up at this, "You are mated?" Her scent told him she was untouched, but perhaps she was betrothed.
She blushed deeply, "No. Far from it. But in the future when I do have a husband and children I can tell them 'I was saved by our lord when I was young. He was strong and handsome. And he liked to rest in the shade.' That's what I'll tell them."
"I am not resting. I am protecting you." He opened his eyes and looked down at her. She was looking right back at him. She was treating him like an equal and that was puzzling. Most either cowered in fear or treated him like some kind of god. "Why are you not afraid of me?" He asked her.
"Should I be?"
"Yes you should. I could kill you in the blink of an eye."
"But you won't."
"How can you be so sure?"
"Because you would have done it already." Kagome told him matter-of-factly. "Besides I do have spirital powers. I can tell when somebody is truly evil and capable of doing such a thing." The great lord was silent for a long time, so the pair simply enjoyed the soft music of the forest. Finally Kagome could stay quiet no more. "Why are you out here anyway? Shouldn't you be at your palace doing important lord work?"
When she received no answer she asked again, "Well? Why are you out here?"
Taisho sighed and answered reluctantly, "If you must know I was running away."
She looked mystified by this information, "What could you possibly have to run away from?" She asked him.
"My best friend." He said wanting to leave it at that, but she was quiet and looked like she wanted more of an answer. "He thinks I should I should find a new mate before the Council of Elders finds another one for me." He sighed deeply, "But I feel I do not need another one since my previous two each gave me a son. I have heirs to pass my legacy, so why do I need a new mate?" He asked more to himself than Kagome.
She thought about it for a long while before answering, "Well…I know that lords need more than one son to secure their lands in the future. Our local lord has six from his first wife and four from his second wife. Not to mention the children he has from his concubines." She said. Than after studying him a little more she spoke quietly. "However I don't think your friend wants you to have a wife…or mate…simply because he wants you to have more children. I bet, since he's your friend, he sees how lonely you are."
Taisho looked at her sharply, "What would make you think I am lonely? I am surrounded by servants, lords, ladies, my sons, and subjects everyday. How could I be lonely?" He asked her.
"You don't seem to have anyone to confide in. Someone you can come to at the end of the day and just spill you frustrations and feelings to."
"You do not know what you are talking about human!" He snapped at her.
Kagome smiled gently, "Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, but you've been sitting all this time talking to a human you've never met before." Silence again surrounded them.
Taisho was in deep thought. How could this little girl see straight into his heart? She was right he did not have anyone to whom he could truly confide in. It would do him good to have someone like that. Someone who he could talk to easily like he was doing now. "I do need a mate." He finally admited, "However I do not want to Elders to pick one for me. Not again. But that is what they will do if I fail to find a mate within the new year."
She nodded in semi-understanding. Elders always thought they knew what was best for you, but more often than not they ended up making this worse. Suddenly a crazy idea popped into her head, "Okay. Than you have to find a mate before these Elders of yours find one. Give yourself a year to do it. Just make time somehow. Throw parties, visit other lords with daughters, and umm…I don't know. Meet women?"
Taisho looked at her as if she had grown a second head, "A year? And what do I do if I do not find a mate by then?" He asked her.
"Than I'll be your mate!"
"You?"
"Yes, me. You saved my life and I want to return the favor. And until the year is done you can come and visit me. That way you have someone to talk to from time to time."
"How do I know you will not betray my trust? After all we've only just met."
She thought carefully about it. Quickly she took out on her arrows and sliced her hand. She held out her hand to the demon, "We can make a blood promise. Should I betray your trust in any way you hold the right to take my life." She said with great seriousness. He looked down at his own hand then sliced it with his sword. Taking her hand in his mixing their blood together. Then he lifted her hand to his lips and he began to lick the cut. Her blood was thick and sweet unlike anything he had ever tasted. He continued to lick the wound until all that was left was a paper-thin scar.
She smiled again then stood stretching out her arms and legs to remove the stiffness she felt. Kagome put some weight on her ankle to make sure it no longer hurt. "I had better get back home. Mama will worry about me." He stood as well knowing he had to get back to patrolling his lands. She picked up her weapons and started to walk away until he called to her, "Kagome! Maybe…our next meeting could be at the next full moon?"
The young woman looked back at the demon lord and nodded, "I'll tell my family I'm collecting herbs and be here waiting." She told him and headed back to her village.
InuTaisho shook his head not really sure what he had just done, but was glad he did it. There was no more anger only a light calmness. He started running again patrolling his lands, but after he was done he would go home and talk to his sons about their ideas for a future mother.