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"Keep your eyes wide open before marriage, and half shut afterwards." –Benjamin Franklin
Chapter Seven: The Heart That Calls Us
Days passed and Kagome recovered rapidly, much to Tobiume's relief. Sesshoumaru was even more pleased to see her recovering so nicely; it meant that she would go traveling again soon, and when she did, he would go with her. Winter was finally letting up, giving way to more mild weather and the onset of spring, which would likely arrive within a few weeks.
After all, there were several things he needed to take care of. Such as, he needed to attend the council in the Central Courts that he had summoned together, and that meant bringing Shippo with him. There was also the matter of Prince Ulquiorra having been found using Shards of the Jewel, and that probably wouldn't end well.
Spring had started to rear its head and wake up the slumbering world. To make matters for the Lord of the Western lands worse, the world had found out about Kagome as his sister and offers had come for her by young princes and lords looking for matches for their sons.
Sesshoumaru had been able to filter many of the letters before they reached her, in a vain attempt to keep her from panicking, but eventually, a personal dignitary of the Northern Lands had arrived. They were of the Panther tribe, and had quickly bypassed Sesshoumaru himself, they had gone straight to Kagome standing further behind him. She had been drawn to his side by the agitated fluctuations of his spiritual pressure, and now the panther Youkai crouched in front of her, his black hair hung in a queue down his back. With something akin to fear, he offered her the scroll sealed with green wax.
Perplexed, Kagome accepted it while throwing an askance look Sesshoumaru's way as he glared down at the Youkai at her feet and at the scroll as if it were a viper.
Kagome opened the letter and Sesshoumaru's eyes locked onto her face to read her reaction. Her eyes scanned the first few lines then darted to the bottom to read the signature. Abruptly fear, anger, and dislike flashed across her face so fast Sesshoumaru almost believed he hadn't seen it.
"I refuse." She said, looking at the crouching panther and handing the scroll back. Sesshoumaru felt relief wash over him, she had handled that well. He relaxed then.
"Milady, he did not realize at the time that you were the princess of the Western Lands! Please reconsider!"
"Bullshit! He was fully aware of my identity. It was never in question!"
"Milady, please!" The Youkai was groveling now, his hands clutching the scroll with fervor.
"Well, that's his problem now isn't it?" She replied icily.
"Leave." She said in a tone that could rival that of Sesshoumaru at his coldest.
The panther hesitated, but in the presence of so many other Inu Youkai, along with both the Lord of the Western Lands and his sister, he turned and hurriedly left.
In the sudden silent solitude, Sesshoumaru turned to Kagome.
"More will come, I am sorry for that. I tried to keep you out of the palace before the dignitaries of the other Cardinal Lords arrived. I had tried to keep them from you, I did not think you were ready for this side of your responsibility as a Princess of the Western Lands. I did want to keep you from the other Cardinal Lords, forgive this Sesshoumaru, I have been jealous of your presence."
"This was not your fault, it was bound to happen eventually. Sesshoumaru, don't worry. I have no interest in them." She said, tiredly after her anger faded. Something struck him on the way she worded that. "I have no interest in them."
"I also wanted to keep you away from them for personal reasons, you have become someone precious to me, and I will not stand to give you up." With that, he turned away and left down the hall in his measured gait.
Kagome stared at his retreating back, she had always kind of known he was fond of her, he was always protecting her, and taking such good care of her and taking great pains to see she didn't come to harm. But he had just declared she was someone precious to him, that he was jealous of the other lords learning about her. But it still knocked her breath away to hear him actually say that.
He had left her then, and retreated to his office to work on some more reports.
It struck her as someone who was shy. She tilted her head to the side in thought.
He finished writing out his report and sealed it, tucking it away safely into his kimono.
Kagome had warned him that her old companions would be joining her at the edge of the plains, his own sources told him they had arrived just a few days ago and had settled into Miro's Cliff way station, he grudgingly accepted their presence as traveling companions; it would improve Kagome's spirits even more and she had been significantly more emotional than before.
He withdrew a studied number of marks as an allowance for the journey to the Central Courts. It was a court of law as well as a central place of trade and exchange. It was a meeting place on neutral grounds for all the Cardinal Lords to be able to attend. There would be Youkai from all over Japan, as well as some foreigners from the mainland.
That finished, he entered the old armory store room just off the dojo he and Kagome frequented and found a suit of armor similar to his own. After Kagome's recent fiasco, he could not let her go about with just that fire-rat haori any longer. She would wear a proper set of armor now.
She was too precious to him.
The armor was enameled a deep forest-green, it had leather shoulders layered with steel rings, mail, leather, and dyed dark-green. The torso would be protected by black steel mesh strong enough to turn any blade, and a massive Youkai-bone breast-plate to help shield her against projectiles.
Sesshoumaru thought it would look quite fetching on her. It would match her eyes nicely. Though that was not his original intent, his only concern was making sure she wore the best form of protection he could offer her. This was definitely adequate, made from the same steel and bone fragments as his own armor. Mostly the same style, too.
He took the Youkai-silk sash off the hook next to it, and carried the armor out of the room to Kagome's room. He knocked once, and at her muffled "Come in," he entered the room. She was getting ready, tying off the last tie of her red fire-rat robe.
"Leave that, and put this on, instead. Such armor is no longer adequate for you." He said, laying out the armor on her futon.
"Oh, but it's still quite cold outside, can't I wear the armor over it?" She said, frowning and looking down at her outfit appraisingly.
"No, this Youkai-silk undergarment will keep you plenty warm. Do you need help?" She huffed, but relented and dropped out of the fire-rat robe without any more of a fuss. She stood in her under-kimono of heavy Youkai-silk weave.
"Hm, yes. I've never put something like that on before…"
Sesshoumaru picked up the first article, and turned to her. "Alright, this first."
Kagome took the heavy black mesh mail from him and grunted at the unexpected lightness of the metal; sure it was heavy but it wasn't as heavy as she expected. "Are you sure this is effective? Your armor always seemed so heavy…"
"Put it on, Kagome, this is Youkai-forged. Our metals are always pure and effective." He sighed.
She shrugged it on, and tugged it into place, Sesshoumaru stepped forward, and helped adjust the sleeves on her arms, and relieved the tension in other places. Next, Sesshoumaru handed her a sleeveless outer fighting-kimono dyed a dark-green. Kagome quickly belted that on, and pulled on the hakamas that went with it. Neither made any mention of the fact that his hand seemed to linger just a fraction longer than necessary.
Sesshoumaru then settled the bone breastplate over her shoulders and buckled it on securely. Kagome after a short period of time, just stood still and allowed him to work. He idly wondered what her friends would think of her now, as she looked every part the weapon that she was becoming.
After he settled on the enameled shoulders into place and finished the ensemble, he taught her to loop and tie it all into place the proper way, and made Kagome repeat the process three more times until she could execute the movement perfectly.
Kagome was entranced by the sash, it was dark green with wavy golden patterns along the ends.
Kagome moved forward and was surprised to feel only slightly weighed down by the weight of the armor. She whistled softly, "Thank you, Sesshoumaru! This is amazing!" She said, bubbling with excitement.
She knew she would be traveling with him this time, and so it was obvious to her that he was not going to expose her, or leave her alone again. She was grateful for the company. Even if it meant she could no longer move at her own pace, and have the freedom of being truly wild across the lands.
She was determined to make the best of it, though. She would not be annoyed with it, would try not to be anyways. This time, he was taking her to the Central Courts, and he was bringing Shippo, as well. For some strange reason. It probably had to do with the leaf mark she noticed on his forehead, though the child had tried to hide it behind some skin-toned dye when he had come to visit her when she was recovering. It had been hastily prepared and applied.
Sesshoumaru nodded his head, and he led her to the dojo. Though they were to leave tomorrow, it was better to get her dressed now, because he would be training her all day today in the dojo so that she would get used to the weight and feel of the armor. It would not do to have her become clumsy with inexperience during a battle.
They trained in full battle regalia for several hours, and when Kagome lay panting and defeated on the floor of the dojo, Sesshoumaru standing over her, something snapped in Kagome's eyes. Her form surged upwards, as she rolled over into a crouch. She shifted into her true Inu-Youkai form and growled her defiance. The dojo had plenty of room for the two of them in their true forms, and Sesshoumaru did not hesitate to shift also.
She was slightly smaller than he was, he was pleased to see. But she definitely looked more wolf-like in her appearance, her ears were triangular and erect on her head, and her eyes were slanted like so many large wolves. She looked wondrous to behold. Goodness, his own mother didn't appear that wolf-like. He wondered how she could possibly have an appearance like that. But no matter, she lunged at him, and her jaws aimed for his throat.
He dodged, spinning on one foot as he turned and prepared a forward strike with the other foreleg. It felt good having his arm back, he was once again complete, and whole. By unspoken agreement, they kept their claws sheathed. Only striking with the paw, but it still did damage and left bruises. Tiring them out as their bodies drew on more of their energy to heal rapidly during combat.
After Kagome was again defeated for the last time, she shifted back to her humanoid shape, and Sesshoumaru followed suit. It had been a close victory, and they were both lying on the floor. Sesshoumaru still had his arm outstretched across her neck, and he rested his head on the mats that covered the floor, his gaze never leaving Kagome's eyes as she stared back at him just as steadily while she panted breathlessly.
He was also winded, and worked to get his own breathing under control. She was catching up to him so quickly. He had had centuries to develop his own skill, with his mother teaching him, and Kagome was mastering her training far more quickly than he ever could have. She was watching his movements, and mimicking them to an eerie exactness that stunned him, and then adapting every movement for use with her glaive. It took all of his brilliance and tactical knowledge to develop his own strategies to counter her relentless assaults.
Her work with the kata techniques were also improving, as earlier that day, he had been drilling her in its use. She was more compliant, as she knew she needed to master both of her weapons now.
His forehead and hers were almost touching, as they gathered their breath back. Their eyes met once again and focused. Sesshoumaru didn't know the exact time when their eyes had met, it had been some seconds after they both fell over, and shifted to their human forms. Their eyes had never fallen away from each other.
"Do not put your life in jeopardy like that again. I will not tolerate it should you fail to protect yourself."
Kagome smiled, he was worried. He had been genuinely worried for her sake, some part of her always knew it, but to hear him actually say the words in his eyes that she always saw, it felt nice.
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama."
His eyes cut into her, catching her humor hidden in her words. She was smiling at him with her eyes, her once dark steel-gray hair had pulled free from its braid, and now hung about her shoulders and down her back in wavy strands that glinted like a river in the dim light of the dojo. He sat up and studied the walls around them, Kagome followed suit and sat up as well. It seemed he wanted to speak to her.
"We have a future to discuss."
"Indeed?"
He narrowed his eyes, "Yes."
She nodded her head, meanwhile gears were turning in her mind. "I see. What future are you thinking of? I have heard there are endless possibilities."
His thoughts turned back to the final battle, when he had witnessed Inuyasha's death.
"When your pup is born, the mark will fade. It will force your body into heat within a week afterwards."
Kagome swallowed carefully, her eyes downcast. "Yeah, the cost and drawback to this body in my position. How do we sort that out? What do we do?"
He cleared his throat.
"If presented with a choice, who would you want to catch you on that flight? Who would you rather have fight you for the honor of claiming you?"
His heart lurched, and his hand clenched before flaring out his fingers once more as he anticipated her answer.
She was silent, staring at the ground with apprehension. "I... dont know." She looked up at him, her eyes betraying how lost she felt. "I wish I didn't have to mate again so soon as this. Even though it has already been a year and even though it will happen next year, I don't feel like I am truly in love with anyone else right now. I mean, I'm wanting to devote my time after my pup is here to just being his mom."
His heart gave another small lurch. She just wanted to be a mother to the pup she had, she would make an excellent breeder indeed. Truly, such a perfect specimen.
The battle had turned badly after that, Rin had been attacked in those precious moments during the battle, and he had to rescue her from the Construct's clutches. He had taken her all the way to where Jaken was standing with Ah Un, and he had ordered Jaken to take Rin away.
"It is soon. Most Youkai will court for years before moving forward with closer proximity during the heat."
Whatever he had with her could hardly be called anything to do with courting. He looked down at the mats on the ground speculatively. Perhaps a change might be in order. What kinds of things would she desire? He studied her from under his lashes covertly. She was also looking at the mats, lightly frowning as her brows furrowed.
"Closer proximity? You mean that there is a way to contain someone going through the heat? Until it passes, then she can go about her life until it occurs again?"
Sesshoumaru looked into her eyes, "Possibly. If captured in time they can be brought down and subjugated until the heat passes. Until then, only other females can keep her under control, if a male draws too close he will catch the scent and then he will respond to the heat. It is incredibly difficult because the female going through the heat will be incredibly dangerous and will attempt to kill anyone around her." Kagome frowned harder as he spoke. She would become like Inuyasha when he lost control of himself, but would be even more dangerous because of the difference in their strengths now.
Sesshoumaru continued, "That is the theory anyways, no female has been able to be kept under control long enough for the heat to actually pass. Either a male gets drawn to her or she escapes and finds a male. It's usually useless and I wasn't going to bother trying to put you through that."
She felt stumped, and the bloom of hope started to die. She sighed, and the thought rose that she wouldn't be dealing with this choice if she had just declined the Adoption and stayed human. She also wouldn't be this close to finishing the Jewel, her pup would have already been born and she would have been incredibly strapped on time to get out to find Shards. It would be no life for the child. Plus, some of the creatures she killed likely would have killed her as a human, with or without Priestess powers.
Then he had turned around and saw all hell had come loose in those seconds it had taken him to bring Rin to safety, he had seen Inuyasha take the brunt of an attack meant for Kagome as she fought to break past the barrier to Naraku's heart, where the Shikon Jewel hovered invitingly. He had seen how dangerous the wound had been, and saw a bit of the life leave Inuyasha's eyes. But the look he had as he gazed down at Kagome, even as Inuyasha turned and fell was enough to make his breath catch.
Such devotion, such sorrow, as Inuyasha knew this wound would take him from Kagome, he was still glad that it was he who died, and not her.
As Sesshoumaru gazed upon Kagome now, he knew now how Inuyasha, his idiotic half-brother, could hold affections for the girl. This woman was so thoughtful, so loving and pure. Even as a human, she had been such a remarkable woman. She was such a wonder. Surely even the son of his half-brother would be precious beyond measure, with her as his mother.
"Sesshoumaru…there's been something I've been meaning to ask you."
"Hai. What is it?"
"How come the Ritual of Youkai Adoption was able to work for me? How come you couldn't use it on Inuyasha, and allow him to become fully Youkai, like he wanted?"
"Your blood has to be completely pure in order to survive it. You must have no traces of Youkai blood in your veins in order to become fully Youkai and as a side effect, adopt the characteristics of the one who adopts you. For some whose spirits are especially strong, certain characteristics carry over from their human life."
"Really… So I'm spiritually strong?" she couldn't resist asking as she thought about her gold-flecked green eyes, and her steel-gray hair that should have been white, had she been an empty slate.
He looked over his shoulder at her dryly, "yes, of course. You are the Shikon Miko."
She grinned up at him, "Cool"
"What?" It was not cold in here. What now?
"Well, it just means something like 'interesting' not that it's actually chilly."
"This Sesshoumaru has always viewed you as something greater than how you appear. Even as a human, from the first time I met you."
Kagome froze, her eyes going wide at Sesshoumaru's words. Sesshoumaru also seemed to realize what he had just said, for he was looking at Kagome with a very calm face.
"Oh…" She replied meekly.
"This Sesshoumaru is only stating the truth, I saw your power before you ever dreamed it. I always knew you were something not to be trifled with, or tarnished, after... the regrettable incident in my father's grave." Where I tried to kill you. "With Megasuhei's death, the beginnings of your true power began to unfold. Let me tell you this, you were truly never meant to be human."
"Nice try, but I was born human."
"Your name is Kagome, correct? Kagome Higurashi."
"Yes, that is my name. That is my human name." Her brow rose.
"Kagome. A bird in a cage. Your human body was but a vessel for your power sleeping within. Also, it housed a power that would only answer and awaken at the hands of a certain house. Your surname gave me that answer. Higurashi. Sunset, as the sun sets in the West, it was clearly telling me that you shall always return to me, and to the lands of the Western Lord. The Western Lands is where you belong, Kagome."
Kagome sat up straighter, and looked down at her hands. "This…actually makes sense."
She looked back up at him, "so you're telling me I was meant to receive the Ritual of Adoption, and become an Inu-Youkai, as your sister?"
"That is correct, you are the one I have searched for. You and I were fated to meet, and it is with this admission that I ask you formally to allow me to claim the honor of binding your life with my own."
Kagome's eyes went wide at his words, and a deep blush rose up on her face as his words sunk in. She broke eye contact and looked down at her hands. How could he want her? Was it just because she was Youkai now? Was it just about power, or that she would give him full blooded pups?
"Why?" She croaked.
Sesshoumaru stopped himself, what was she asking? What answer did she want? A single word posed as a question, Why her?
"Why not? What answer would satisfy you?"
He struggled internally, and his eyes flashed as she answered. "Well, why me? What makes you want me?"
"I have stated several admirable aspects of you, tell me which one is not sufficient, and I can meet your expectations."
Kagome wrung her hands and Sesshoumaru found it... fascinating watching her hands move and her claws flash minutely. "Well, I need affection. I require love. If I am going to mate again, I don't want to be stuck in a relationship and a responsibility to someone who will not and cannot love me."
She climbed to her feet, and paced around. Sesshoumaru continued to watch her carefully. "I mean like... I was barely mated to Inuyasha and he just came up and did that to me. I... I am not sure I would have allowed him to if I had been thinking clearly. It...it was really rushed now that I know better. I don't want to be rushed again."
Sesshoumaru considered her words as she paced around the room. Her mating to the hanyou was regrettable, and it was indeed rushed and one sided and Sesshoumaru strongly suspected that Inuyasha did it as a means to control her as it was becoming apparent at that point that Kagome was stronger than the hanyou. She was afraid, afraid of what it would do to her.
He knew she remembered the feelings it woke in her, foreign and strong. The unshakable loyalty and love for Inuyasha was unnatural and she recognized that.
"Would you allow me to show you how it is meant to be?" Kagome froze in her worried pacing and turned to him. "Huh?" She replied, unintelligibly.
Sesshoumaru didn't repeat himself often, but for this moment he would make an exception.
"Would you allow me to show you how a Youkai courts someone he finds worthy?"
Her eyes flickered with a longing that caused a small pang in his heart. She swallowed thickly.
"Sesshoumaru-sama… Do Inu Youkai mate for life?" Her voice was sad.
"That is correct."
"Well, if we as youkai mate for life, we should genuinely care for the person, right?"
"That has always been my thought on the matter. My father took my mother for a mate, but they could hardly stand each other. I resolved to never take a mate, unless I was ready to devote myself to them, and do it genuinely."
She thought back on the Shikon Jewel: there were eight shards left, and she was running out of places in which to look.
Totosai was overdue for a visit from her. She couldn't depend on just her own skill anymore, she needed a weapon that could match her as well.
She took a deep breath and released it slowly, "Sesshoumaru-sama..." She began, still feeling unsure. He looked at her and his eyes burned. But definitely felt sure that she wanted to experience something like this. "I accept your courtship, if you're still interested that is."
His grin flashed in the darkness, of the training rooms, and Kagome felt a shiver of anticipation rise up her spine.
Her body ached, the armor felt heavy after a time wearing it. It would take time before it felt like a second skin.
"What happened to your mother? Did she die?"
"No, she left back to the sky palace soon after my father died and my grandmother came to stay."
Kagome looked puzzled. "Does she live in the sky? Or is it just an outpost I haven't heard of yet?"
"Hai, she has a portal in the sky only she can open. It leads to her domain there. She cares for humans even less than I do."
"Wow, sounds like a real social princess. Is she nice? Was she nice to you at least?"
"She saved Rin's life after she died the second time, and Tensaiga was unable to save her."
"But I thought you said she hated humans…why did she save Rin?"
Sesshoumaru went silent for a time, thinking about his mother, and after awhile, Kagome thought he might have drifted off in thought.
"She still cares for me, in her own way." He said at length.
"Ah, that's good."
"Yes, I suppose it is."
Sesshoumaru stood up after a time, and turned to face Kagome, offering her his hand which she accepted. Their armor chinked as they moved.
"We leave tomorrow."
Kagome's eyes glimmered with excitement, though her body plainly wanted to rest.
Her found her in the stables the next morning, where he predicted she'd run to, she was shy. Probably because of the gift he had left at the foot of her bed before dawn. Standing in the stall of the tall blood-bay stallion she had picked up in her travels. Personally, he had never seen a horse so big as to rival the height of a Youkai such as he. If he hadn't smelled the stallion himself, he would have thought the horse was a Youkai.
Kagome had just finished tightening the girth of the saddle one last time and patted his glossy neck. Sesshoumaru hadn't seen what Kagome had found in that horse when he had just arrived at the palace looking starved and sickly. But towards the end of winter, and now early spring, Rukaze had filled out; his ribs disappeared under the thick and soft winter coat and the ever-thickening layer of fat and muscle from consistent feedings of high quality grains. Now the stallion looked like a son of the horse god, Poseidon himself, from Greek mythology. His conformation was perfect and his balance impeccable.
Kagome had surely found quite a jewel in her travels, both figuratively and literally.
As her green-eyed gaze turned toward him, showing surprise at his being there, Sesshoumaru blinked and tried to push away how regal and natural Kagome looked there, standing by the large red stallion in her heavy dark-green armor, her steel-gray hair falling down to her lower-back. The sun's rays made her seem to glow with radiant light.
"Are you ready?"
"Yes, Rukaze is coming with me; he's healthier now and is fit for travel." She said with a light smile. She was excited about meeting with Sango and Miroku again after such a difficult winter spent recovering from her encounter with Ulquiorra.
"We could travel just as swiftly on foot."
"Yet you still have Ah-Un ready." she retorted. Sesshoumaru resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It was true, the dragoon was waiting patiently outside in the courtyard.
"Fine, if he can keep up; I will allow him to stay with us."
She grinned at her victory over him for a moment, then turned and hugged Rukaze. Suddenly, her body twisted and her foot caught the stallion's back; hooking over the cantle of the saddle, she quickly eased herself into the saddle.
He didn't see her hands move, not even a twitch, but the horse turned his great head and walked out of the stall as if obeying her by her will alone.
Sesshoumaru walked with him, Kagome's ankle temptingly close to his elbow, he resisted the urge to grasp her leg, just to feel the smoothness of her skin. Yet he did not; he needed to maintain his air of indifference, of control of himself. Never mind that in the days since she had been back at the palace, all that could be smelled on her was his scent, and to a smaller degree Shippo, or rather, Hikaru-sama.
She was perfectly healthy now, her body having finished recovering from her injuries and her brief dalliance with death.
Shippo waited at the entrance to the stables, he was watching Sesshoumaru speculatively. As Kagome passed on Rukaze, the impish young fox vaulted up behind her, and placed an easy hand on her shoulder, as he crouched on the back of the saddle.
Sesshoumaru said nothing of the arrangement, it kept the kit out of his hair. He collected Ah-Un at the courtyard and they set off, Rin saw them safely on the road from the protective confines of one of the Inu-Youkai, the knots on his left shoulder denoted him a First Sergeant, Sesshoumaru recalled his name to be Malik. He was a respectable Inu-Youkai, never unduly cruel, and he took his job very seriously, no matter what his task was.
Rin would be plenty safe in his care, the young lad had been in Sesshoumaru's employ for close to fifty years. He was very big for a Inu Youkai, quite muscular and very tall, with a thick barrel chest, and a thick black coat of fur growing over his body. Malik had interested Sesshoumaru long ago, as a young Inu-Youkai, he had an uncanny ability to bend the elements to his will. Able to call forth energy spikes to fling at his enemies, while he fought without any incantation needed.
It was peculiar.
It was not Youkai-magic, where the words left a thick taste in the mouth, and a sulfuric smell to the air. It was elemental magic. Malik might have once been from a family line of noble lords, minor ones at least, because he was also able to maintain a true form as a massive black Inu. His thick and shaggy coat providing a dense armor.
The elemental magic really caught Sesshoumaru's attention, because of the scent of its origins. It seemed to come from the Earth itself, as if the very world gifted Malik with its powers. Despite being a caster, Malik was also an excellent melee master; able to use maces, daggers, and many varieties of fist weapons to maximum and deadly effect.
Sesshoumaru had trained with that one himself, having met him overseas in a far away island on the far side of the great mainland. Now Malik trained recruits and conscripts, and did minor body-guarding jobs.
Unlike many other Inu Youkai, Malik carried a pair of pointed dog ears on the top of his head, despite being full blooded and powerfully built, too. His mane was brindled and reached just past his shoulder blades, and his eyes were a light yellow-brown. He bore a single pair of black stripes that branched across his cheeks and into his hairline.
Watching Malik fight was somewhat beautiful and mesmerizing in and of itself; he could move fluidly across the dueling ring, weapons flashing, his body moving like a wisp of smoke. Then stranger still, he would follow up that final deadly stab with an energy shock of fire, followed by another energy lash of magma that formed in his fistful of dirt, and fed off of the surrounding energy.
Sesshoumaru nodded to Malik, and Malik replied with a deep bow and a light smile, then placing a protective hand on Rin's shoulder. The girl was not afraid, she turned her head and smiled up at the ferocious-looking Inu-Youkai. The Youkai's eyes softened as he looked down at the girl, and Kilala stood with her tails curled around Rin's leg. Yes, she was in safe hands indeed.
There you have it. The end of Chapter Seven. I take pride in this fiction, it's become my favorite. I enjoy reading it myself as much as I enjoy writing it, and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I do.
Edited and Revised 8/17/17.
I'm getting there, guys. Much love to all of you.
