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"So… you two really did it, then?" Karan asked walking beside Tōran. Sesshōmaru inclined his head to the left to see whether he was being addressed. The younger sister of summer fire was melting the snow around her as she exuded heat. Shunran walked behind them with her brother. Shunran's defiance towards Tōran had improved Sesshōmaru's estimation of the dainty demoness of spring breezes. Sesshōmaru waited for Tōran to do something to her insubordinate siblings when an old lesson from his mother about the art of governing.
"Dissent is not disloyalty. Do not confuse the two." Sesshōmaru had ignored it for the most part since he had never intended to be bound by titles and governorship. Nor had he really understood its meaning. Vassals should obey their lord. Anything else was not acceptable. And yet, as he thought it, Sesshōmaru had accepted Tsukiyo's dissent and borderline disobedience regarding Tōran. So, there was nothing truly wrong with Tōran's own family finding fault with their mating.
"Did what?" Tōran asked, an innocent smile showing on her face. Sesshōmaru saw the danger signs on the sly Panther's countenance. She was being coy with her own sister. His mate really was incorrigible.
Karan flushed and did not want to elaborate. "You know what I mean!" she shot back. Tōran continued to smile back. "We agreed to mate for a mutual heir. Was there something more you wanted?" Sesshōmaru waited for Karan to blurt something out.
"Be that way!" Karan huffed. Tōran patted her younger sister on the shoulder.
"I will," Tōran laughed. "We must be nice to Sesshōmaru's sensitivities." She had been right. Her sisters would want to know the details and were not going to be very shy about it unless he was around as well.
Suddenly, it was his turn to be interrogated. "Were you nice to her? Or did you try to force her do all sorts of obscene things?" Karan demanded before turning back to her sister. "He didn't hurt you, right?"
Tōran continued laughing, harder this time. "Your sister's gaiety should be answer enough," Sesshōmaru sneered. He felt uneasy, awkward, and defensive being surrounded by Panthers who were, nominally at least, his new subjects. Tōran had hidden any such emotions at his clan's castle. How could he respond in the same self-assured way she had presented and prevent any more violence?
"My dear Sesshōmaru is all that I had hoped for and more!" Tōran wrapped herself around Sesshōmaru's right arm. "You know how close we've always been. Every battlefield was our playground as kids."
The group reached the largest structure and were seated around a large fire. A single roof served as ventilation, but the smokiness made the room feel much closer than it was. Each demon was served by one of the Panther Tribe's servants, who brought food and drink. Sesshōmaru found the meat very rare and somewhat salty but made no comment. Tōran had not complained about the food at his clan's castle so he determined to be just as good as her. The conversation mainly revolved between the three sisters about what had happened since her departure. Sesshōmaru listened to glean information from their talk but much of it seemed to be about local politics, which he knew nothing about. However, the reactions from his mate did not assure Sesshōmaru that everything was going as well as she claimed. Shuran spent most of the time listening or glaring at Sesshōmaru with ill-disguised contempt. The large Panther spent the rest of it devouring platters of food served to him, which led Sesshōmaru to conclude that his strike had not affected the Panther princeling's appetite.
The evening wound down and the talk eventually fell to the upcoming war. "We're really going to help him." The statement from Shunran was full of resignation. "Then I want to know what we gain from it. Not we, as in us," she gestured to the other Panther Daevas, "but for our tribe. Many will die or come back with grievous wounds. What reward will the survivors and the rest of our tribe get for these sacrifices?"
"Beyond the obvious safety of our own lands, that falls to Sesshōmaru to answer," Tōran said, looking to him.
Sesshōmaru frowned, realizing he didn't know the state of his clan's coffers. His war aim was simply to repel the invasion. If he had to provide gifts and payments to every part of his army, then it must come from the Trolls. "Our natural goal would be to repel the invasion and, if we are strong enough, to occupy their lands. Plunder can be had there. If we can only force a stalemate, I will find some other way to recompense your tribe for its contribution. That's all I can promise at this time."
"At least he's not trying to pay us with males from his clan," Karan laughed. "I doubt any of them could satisfy me."
"If the demonesses of his clan are anything to go by, Karan, I think you might be underestimating the demons," Tōran commented. "Though none can compare to mine." She flopped into his lap and reached up to stroke his face. "He's so pretty and strong and all mine." Sesshōmaru could smell the alcohol in her breath and realized that Tōran was drunk. But how much had she drunk? Sesshōmaru thought he had been matching her drink for drink but there was only some buzzing in his head. And then he remembered his immunity to poison. So was Tōran sloshed or just a lightweight? Sesshōmaru looked at her siblings and saw that they were all fairly sober like him.
"She can't hold her alcohol very well. But she thinks she can," Shunran explained levelly.
"Sesshoooomaru, show them how serious we are! Kiss me!" Tōran demanded. And like that, all talk about the upcoming war ceased just as abruptly as it had begun. "Or take me to bed!" That was enough for Sesshōmaru to sense an opening to escape for the night. He scooped up the drunken Tōran and looked at the Panther Daevas.
"We will continue in the morning." And then, carrying Tōran, who was giggling maniacally in his arms, he strode off as a Panther hurried to show him into the private chambers reserved for their Queen and her new consort.
Author's Notes: I realize the gap between chapters is increasing and that the length is shortening. At the moment, there is little I can do. However, as summer is rapidly approaching, I hope to devote more time to writing. As always, feedback is appreciated as we have really gone beyond what the show gives us about the characters and are in the realm of theoretical interactions. Like drunken Toran. I was quite amused by the idea of making a lightweight. That was part of the problem I had in getting something written - deciding what would be in-character for each one. Now that I have a clearer plan for myself and summer ahead, I hope to increase the pace of writing. I plan to make another chapter of similar length to be released this month as well. In addition, I have another M-rated night story in the works but that will have some spoilers in it so don't read it if you don't want the end spoiled.