Fingers ran lightly up and down my spine sending shivers through me, as I lay pressed up against the solid warmth that had become so safe to me.
"Kaori…" My husband murmured his mouth near my ear so that his sweet breathe ruffled the hair that crossed over it to cover my face.
"Mmm…?" I answered as I stirred a little, only to snuggle closer to his warmth.
"Kaori, my little bird, you need to wake up…?"
I opened my eyes slowly, taking in the handsome face of the man that I was pressed up against. "What…?" I mumbled, still groggy.
He smiled, that beautiful smile that was only for me. "It's time to wake up…"
I shook my head and burrowed back into the crook of his arm, nestling my face against his chest. "I don't want to…" I whined.
He laughed causing his chest to vibrate against my cheek and ear. "I know you don't want to, I don't want to either, but they're coming and if we're not up and dressed they're going to see the marks I've left you."
I blushed. "They're going to see one anyway…" I grumbled as I remembered all the places his mouth had been the night before.
"They may not, if you cover yourself correctly." He whispered into my ear; I shuddered.
"Stop that…" I whimpered as I pushed myself away from him before he could cause any more damage to my already very frail control.
He laughed again as he sat up. "That's what I thought…"
I stuck my tongue out at him as I tried to get my brain into working mode.
Something flashed through his eyes as I stuck my tongue out at him. "Do that again and it's not going to be in your mouth…" He threatened.
I blushed and stuck my tongue out at him again. He smirked and bit my tongue gently.
"I warned you…" He growled lightly, still holding onto my tongue. Quickly he pulled my tongue into his mouth, pressing his lips against mine hard. His fingers twisted into my hair as his tongue massaged mine. After pulling me into his lap he fell back onto the bed, causing me to fall on top; I squealed as I fell, gripping his arms tightly. The hand that wasn't tangled deeply into my hair ran up and down over my body; from the top of my shoulders and down over the curve of my ass, then back up again.
Just as I was about to run one of my hands down the front of his body to grasp…him… in my fist he forced me, gently, off of him.
"What was that for…?" I whined as I gasped for breath.
"They're coming and you've decided to make it extremely hard to cover myself." He smirked.
I laughed at him and rolled over. "That's not my fault." I teased as I reached for the first article of clothing I could find, the bloody nagajugan.
I watched as my husband rose swiftly to his feet and dress himself; I was still ogling his body when he finally looked at me.
"What…?" He questioned; I blushed.
"I can't get over the fact that you look prefect without clothing on…" I mumbled.
He laughed and knelt in front of me. "Your body is perfect without clothing on…" He kissed my forehead just as the women slid open the door.
"Good morning Lord Sesshoumaru and Lady Kaori. I hope that you have slept well this night." One of the older women spoke first.
I bit the inside of my lip as I caught her double meaning in what she said.
Sesshoumaru was better than me at making it seem nothing was awry. "Yes, thank you, we did." He answered as he stood.
"I am very happy to hear that." The woman answered. "If you wished to step out of the room for a few moments we would prepare your wife for you, my lord."
I sighed quietly, but I knew Sesshoumaru had heard it.
"I think I will…" He turned back to me, kneeling on one knee. "I shall see you later my lady." He murmured as he kissed my hand; I blushed.
Once he had left the older women converged on me.
"I know you do not want to Kaori-dono, but we must check." One said as they sat around me.
I sighed as I twitched my head slightly; my hair fell across my left shoulder. "It does not seem I have much of a choice…" I muttered darkly.
None of the women had yet noticed the pale mark on my left breast, I had been very good about covering it with my hair whenever they undressed me, but I was starting to worry about the new one…
They slid my legs apart and I relaxed when I saw the nagajugan fall over my thighs, covering anything on them from view.
One woman gasped as she saw the now dark brown blood stain on the bottom of my nagajugan. "Oh my…" She whispered causing me to turn beet red.
"Is that bad…?" I questioned nervously.
Mai came up to my left and patted my arm. "That's not bad, Kaori-dono. We're just shocked at how much blood is on there."
"Oh…" I whispered feebly.
When one of the older woman's hand slid up to the bend in my thigh that would lead her to the more sensitive areas of me I flinched.
"Sorry…" I muttered as I bit into my tongue, I couldn't let them know about the bruises I had from our first round. Once I felt the tip of her finger feel around inside me I cringed away; her finger came back with pieces of dried blood along with some fresh blood.
She nodded at the other women, who all seemed a little skeptical.
"I think we should try something else as well…" One of them muttered.
Suddenly they had me lying on the floor, I could feel my eyes widening in horror; what were they going to do?
Mai bit her lip nervously. "Don't worry…" She reassured me. "They're not going to do anything scary."
I noted that she didn't say they wouldn't hurt me. I felt one of them place their hand on my abdomen and I knew I really didn't want them to do whatever they were about to do.
Without any warning the hand pressed down on my abdomen, I cried out in pain; the women nodded.
"What's going on in there?!" One of the guards shouted from the door.
"Nothing, nothing! Lady Kaori is fine." Mai called back, staring down at me with apologetic eyes.
"If you're done get out…" I rasped at the women as I pulled myself free from their restraining hands.
"But Lady Kaori, we need to dress you." Mai said pleaded.
I shook my head. "I have managed to dress myself for years, you do not have to dress me everyday." I snapped. "Besides, Lord Sesshoumaru has seen me in clothing fit for a villager, if he can handle that and still marry me then he can handle me dressing myself."
The women flittered about my room, looking undecided.
"OUT!" I shouted at them; they left.
Slowly I stood and stripped myself of the dirty nagajugan and pulled on a clean then went to look at what kimono's I could actually wear. I picked up a powdery blue kimono and had just barely pulled it on when there was a knock at my door.
"Yes…?"
"Lady Kaori, Seiko-sama would like to have a word with you."
I blinked, Seiko never had to ask permission before to come in my room, he knew that. "He knows he is always welcome in my room, he does not have to be so formal about it…" I sighed. "Send him in." The door slid open and in walked Seiko, looking extremely gloomy.
"Seiko-san…?" I questioned as I looked at him. "What's the matter…?"
"C…Could we go somewhere other than here to talk…?" He asked; he hadn't looked me in the face yet.
"Well of course Seiko-san, you know that." I beckoned him back out the door. "I am going on a walk with my brother." I told the guard at my door. "You do not need to follow me, I can take care of myself in my own village." I told him as he began to follow me, as proof I gestured to the sword strapped to my side.
We walked in silence until we had made it all the way to the small lake beside the palace. I stole glances out of the corner of my eye at Seiko every so often until we finally came to a stop.
"What was it you wanted to talk to me about Seiko-san…?" I asked as I perched on one of the boulders. Seiko paced back and forth in front of me; I watched him in silence, waiting until he was ready to speak to me.
"Why didn't you marry Matsu-sama?" He finally blurted out, still averting his eyes.
I stared at him in shock my eyes wide open. "What…?" I gasped out.
"Why didn't you marry Matsu-sama?" He asked again, getting angry.
"Well…" I started, trying to comprehend what he was thinking. "Matsu-san and I… we didn't love each other…" I answered slowly.
"But that doesn't mean you weren't good for each other!" He snapped.
"Well…" I murmured, confused. "It does mean we weren't good for each other Seiko-san… If we can't love each other then there isn't much point for a marriage… And besides… We were too far apart in age… We would not have been happy together as a couple… It was not a good match for us…"
"But he was HUMAN!" Seiko seethed.
I was abashed, where did all this animosity come from? I thought he liked Sesshoumaru; could I have really been so blind…?
"Seiko-san…" I started slowly, trying to not upset him. "What is this really about…?"
"How can you marry him?!" He screeched. "How can you marry someone that's not even human?!"
I blinked. "This village is full of demons… Humans here marry them all the time…"
"But YOU are their leader! You're not SUPPOSE to marry anyone that's NOT human!" He had begun pacing again.
I stared at him in shock. "I thought you liked Sesshoumaru…" I whispered.
"I do… did! But you weren't suppose to MARRY him!!"
I felt tears prickle in my eyes. "Sesshoumaru is a good leader… he'll protect this village with his life… The people like him… they look up to him… He loves me… He makes me happy…" I whispered, afraid that I would start crying if I spoke any louder.
Seiko seethed at me. "How come you couldn't marry a human…?"
I choked back a sob. "Seiko… I'm not human… How can you ask me to marry a human when I myself am not even human…?"
Seiko glared at me then stormed off, leaving me clutching my sides as if to keep me from falling apart…