"Sesshomaru! Jin!" Inu no Taisho's voice echoed into our room as the door flew open. Sesshomaru and I were sitting up with wide eyes when our father marched across the room towards us. "What have you two done? I smell the semen so don't you dare lie to me! You've ruined the mating ceremony! How could you be so reckless?"
"Father." Sesshomaru tried to interject. "Father!"
"What?"
"We have done no such thing. Yes, your nose does not deceive you, but we did not do what you think we did. He is untouched in such ways, check for yourself if you wish."
My face turned bright red. "Please don't. That would be way too embarrassing." I coughed, "However, we did not go that far, father. So please, don't worry…"
Inu no Taisho sighed, "Fine, I believe you, but you better erase the scent from this place before the other lords arrive, or worse, your mother."
"We shall." Sesshomaru agreed as Inu no Taisho left the room and I started to laugh. "It's not funny." Sesshomaru playful glared at me and I shook my head.
"No, no. It really is." My laughter filled the room until he kissed me and halted it. I looked at him as he pulled away and got out of bed.
"Be grateful your laugh is pleasant." I smiled as he waved me to follow him to the bath and I did so. My clothes were still in a pile on the floor and pieces of his were beside them. I must have clawed him more than I realized. We stepped under the shower and he began to run his hands along me to wipe away the reminders of our earlier passions. I shivered and pulled his hands off of me.
"It's too much. I'll lose it again." I whispered shyly and he nodded.
"I understand, the first heat is the most intense, and yours has come on quite quickly. I think you will be fully in heat by this evening."
"Good." I told him and smirked. I couldn't wait to do more with him. After last night I was dying to feel him completely envelope me.
We finished cleaning each other and the area around the baths before heading inside. Soon the servants were stopping by every few minutes to tell us another guest had arrived. Then Sesshomaru was taken to a different room to get ready for the ceremony and Niku stood behind me, brushing out my hair as she helped me get ready for the ceremony.
"You're going to look wonder, Lord Jin." She smiled and I played with my hands.
"You think so?"
"I know so."
There was a knock at the door. "Who is it?" I asked.
"Your father." Came the reply. "May I come in?"
"Yes." I said and he stepped inside holding a box.
He smiled as Niku brushing out my hair, "I have a gift for you." He walked to the bed and placed the box on it. I stood, giving Niku a break from my hair before going to look at the box as he slid off the top. Inside was a set of armor that was stunning. "It should fit you perfectly, I had it sized for you."
"They're amazing." I said as I admired the intricate silver pattern that was laid over black metal on the chest plate. There was another plate that was purple and covered the shoulders but left the neck, and my mating spot, accessible. There were two hand and forearm pieces that matched the black part of the chest plate and two leg pieces that were purple like the shoulder piece for my feet and shins. Under the armor there was a white kimono that only went down to mid-thigh, but would look perfect with the armor. "Thank you so much."
He smiled and nodded. "I'm just glad you like them."
"Now that you have a wonderful outfit, let's finish your hair, my lord." Niku chimed in with a grin, she seemed just as excited as I did.
"Yes, I will let you finish getting ready. The ceremony will be beginning before we know it."
I nodded and sat down for Niku to finish my hair. She left my bangs out in front, framing my face, and pulled the top half of my hair into my ponytail, leaving the bottom section free and long around me. It looked really nice and suddenly I was very excited and nervous for Sesshomaru to see me. Just thinking of him made my body ache and remember the electrifying night we had shared. Niku giggled at me as I clearly lost myself in thought.
"My lord, you must finish getting ready."
"Of course." I blushed and picked up the kimono as she left the room to give me some privacy.
"Call me if you need anything, my lord."
"Okay, thank you, Niku," I said as I slipped into the kimono. I had gotten much more used to putting them on and this one was rather simple. The white kimono hugged me softly and I couldn't wait to put on my own armor. I had been wearing hand down and random armor that was in the palace, which never bothered me, but it was nice to have my own armor. I slipped into it and looked into the mirror. I was surprised at how different, yet good, I looked. I still looked like me, but a new and different version. I was no longer just a little farm boy, I was the mate of a Demon Lord, well, almost. I would be though. I couldn't wait to start a new chapter of life with Sesshomaru. I knew it wouldn't be perfect or always easy, but I felt like it would all be worth it with him.
"I still can't believe you are doing this!" I suddenly heard out in the hallway and frowned when I recognized it was Sesshomaru's mother.
"It is not your decision, mother." Sesshomaru replied.
"He isn't worthy of you. My son deserves someone with pure blood."
Sesshomaru paused before replying, I assumed he was probably shaking his head before saying, "No, I deserve someone with a pure heart, and Jin has that." That shut his mother up as she stormed down the hall.
"Whatever. I will be here to tell you I told you so when you come to your senses."
I scoffed. She was persistent, I could give her that. Then a knock came at my door. "Jin?"
"Yes, Sesshomaru?" I answered.
"Are you ready?"
I gave one last look in the mirror and smiled, "Yes, I am."
"Then I am heading to the altar." He paused before saying, "I'll be waiting for you, my mate."
I grinned, "I'll be there." And with that he left. I waited a few minutes before I heard music and Niku came to the door, opening it and grinning.
"Your mate is waiting for you, my lord."
"I know." My face was in pain from the smile that I couldn't get off of it. I walked towards the main hall and stood at the door before they opened. Sesshomaru looked surprised and amazed as he looked at me and the armor I was wearing. The room stood and I don't think I noticed a single one of them. My eyes were transfixed to Sesshomaru's as I headed down the center of the room to him. He reached for my hands and I gladly gave them.
"The armor?" He questioned and I looked to our father who was seated in the first row. Sesshomaru gave a small smile before turning, still holding one of my hands, to the room. "Hello everyone." He began. "Thank you all for coming to Jin and I's mating ceremony."
"We are honored to have you all with us on this joyous occasion." I said before we turned back to face each other. I paused and looked deeply into Sesshomaru's eyes and I truly knew this was who I wanted to spend forever with. There was no one else. He was a complicated mess sometimes, his past isn't perfect, and I still had a lot to learn about him, but I knew that he was the one for me. There were no doubts. "Sesshomaru, I, Jin, swear to be your mate. I will be with you through all that we face and I will always be here to care for you. I will treat you with kindness and love. I know that we have not known each other all that long, in fact, not too long ago we were at one another's throat, but now I know you are the one. You are my mate and there is no other for me. The fate of deals made in our past, long before I was even walking have tied us together in this strange turn of fate, and I'm glad. Despite the pain of losing my mother, there has been much happiness since that time and I only wish she was here to see it as well." Tears formed at the edges of my mind as I talked of my late mother, "However, I know she is watching over us and I can't wait to show her the rest of the beautiful future we shall create together. So, Sesshomaru, will you take me as your mate?"
"Yes, I will. Jin, I, Sesshomaru, swear to be your mate as well. I too shall always be with you, no matter the troubles we face. I shall protect you and any children we shall bare. I will honor you with respect and treat you with kindness so long as I live and I will make sure your mother is proud of the life we share together."
Sesshomaru pulled the rings from his pocket and slipped mine onto my finger before handing me his. I grinned and slid it onto his finger as well. They fit perfect and I was so happy with how they looked. Everything was perfect. This day, these rings, this man. Everything. I was bubbling with joy. We then leaned into each other's neck. His breath tickled along my neck before he bite into my neck and I did the same. At this time our father stood.
"And with this mark the two of you are bound together as mates." The room cheered as I fought back a moan from the mark imprinting onto the left side of my neck. I pulled back from Sesshomaru to see a purple crescent moon over the right side of his neck. He smiled down at me after releasing my neck before pulling me into a kiss. I would've loved to see his mother's face in this moment, but I was too lost in the kiss to care.
When we broke it Sesshomaru was suddenly pushed away from me by Rin cutting in between us and hugging him tightly. "I'm so happy for you, Sesshomaru-Sama!" He pet her hair gently.
"Thank you, Rin."
She turned to me and hugged me too. I laughed at the affectionate and excited teen as I hugged her back. "You two better be so happy together, got it?" She grinned and I nodded.
"We will."
