Nova noticed six soldiers positioned around the edges of the garden she was in but could each clearly. She was sitting against the base of a Sakura tree on a pelt to not dirty her Lehenga Choli with a book in her lap. A week had passed since her episode and had been relieved when she watched as the southern panther left the same day he arrived. Touran had left a couple days later, their inquiry of feline seals answered to the best of her ability.
Comfortable with the soldiers assigned to her when Cayto was still there, she kept them for when she with Sesshomaru. Neither he or his beast had made a move towards her and was respectful of her space during the night. Though she always woke up to his Mokomoko wrapped around her.
"Lady Nova?" She looked up to see Jaken walking towards her, a cloaked figure surrounded by six soldiers that were not of the castle standing at the edge of the garden waiting. "A guest arrived and wished to meet you."
"Who are they?"
"I do not know. Lord Sesshomaru had another send for them," he spoke.
"Very well," she frowned as she got to her feet and straightened the purple fabric of her skirt.
She stayed where she was as the cloaked figure and foreign soldiers started walking towards her. Jaken moved to stand just behind her, acknowledging his place below her as she was the future lady of the castle. The group stopped a few feet away and the cloaked figure stepped out from the circle of guards.
"Welcome to the Western Lands," Nova greeted, giving a slight bow of her head. "I am Nova, future mate to the Western Lord."
"You have done well for yourself so far away from home, young one," the person spoke and Nova felt her heart falter as she recognized the voice.
"Lord Dimitri...?" Nova faltered as she brought her hands to cover her mouth as she felt her knees threaten to buckle as he removed his cloak.
"Yes, but that is not the name you know me by, is it?" The man spoke, no emotion giving her any sign of his thoughts.
His black hair was braided over his shoulder as he wore a Dhoti Kurta, the pants a dark red while the tunic was black with gold embroidery. A dark blue scarf with red embroidery on the edges around his neck. A blue rhombus sat on his brow, blue lines went across each eyelid and silver strips adorned his cheeks.
"No..." she whispered weakly.
"Jaken, perhaps you could show my men where they can clean up from our long travel and have someone send some rose tea out," the northern Indian lord spoke. "Young one, perhaps you should sit before you faint."
"Y...yeah..." she moved to sit back on the pelt she had been on as the world threatened to spin. "I don't..."
"I received a scroll from your mate-to-be, explaining all that was known about your background. About where you are from, memories accessed, and the markings along your hairline. It must be hard for you to see even this version of myself," he spoke as he sat beside her on the pet.
"I'm sorry..." she whimpered as she felt several tears fall and attempted to wipe them away. "There's more happiness than anything, Baba... I promise..."
"What is your mother's name?"
"Amelia Hase. She was from these lands and traveled to India where she had run into you," Nova whispered as she glanced up at the sky. "It was her favorite story to tell. She had been there for her studies and literally ran into you. You caught her before she could hit her head when she lost her balance."
"Then I will keep my eye out for her. Seeing you, she must have been quite beautiful as well," he mused as Mikasuki came out with a tray with a teapot two cups and some cut fruit. "Thank you Neko."
"Yes, sir," she bowed low as she placed the tray before them then quickly left.
"Do you have family? A mate or heir?" Nova asked as he poured the tea and handed her a cup.
"No. It may not seem like it but I am actually younger than Sesshomaru," he mused. "My twin brother acts as my advisor and his mate is expecting so the council is not currently pressing me to find a mate."
"Twin brother?" Nova frowned as she looked at the man beside her.
"You did not know?" He frowned.
"Is he identical?"
"Minus the silver stripes on the cheeks, yes."
"I can't remember much of the past few months but I know that daemons concealed themselves so maybe I just never recognized him?"
"It is possible, young one," Dimitri spoke softly as he wrapped his arm around her and pulled her against his side.
"Can I ask you something that no one seems to have asked?"
"You can ask me anything."
"When I first received that letter with the Lehenga Choli, to see your signature was relieving but brought a lot of questions. I had thought that maybe I had been adopted but seeing you now, there is no denying the fact that I am from your bloodline..."
"But you're human," he finished as she trailed off and she nodded. "The only explanation plausible is that you're not. You bear a feline seal. They never give any indication if one holds daemon blood. It's because for most of the daemon world, the creation of these seals are unknown outside their respective tribes. People could pass by you and you would never know by looking at them, even if you saw the mass of scars. Only to the eyes of a feline elder would the scars seem more than that, but until you manage to overcome the conditions set, we will not know for certain."
"Lady Nova!" Nova looked up to see Rin running towards them. "I've been looking all over for you!"
"I've been here, Rin," Nova smiled as the child stopped running and stood at the edge of the pelt. "Baba, this is Sesshomaru's ward, Rin. Rin, this is Lord Dimitri of Northern India."
"It is a pleasure to meet you sir, but why are you holding Lady Nova so?" Rin frowned.
"Because I am her sire, dear one," Dimitri mused.
"Oh... so you are a princess, Lady Nova! Why did you say otherwise?"
"I didn't know as it had been ten years since I've seen him," Nova mused.
"That makes sense... Lord Sesshomaru!" She exclaimed suddenly and dashed off.
"She's quite energetic," Dimitri chuckled and Nova nodded as he got to his feet and helped her up as they saw the Western Lord walking their way. "Lord Sesshomaru, thank you for the invitation to your lands."
"Lord Dimitri," Sesshomaru greeted.
"A wagon should arrive tomorrow from the port, led by several of my soldiers and servants," Dimitri spoke as Nova held onto his arm as they headed inside.
"How long are you staying?" Nova asked when they reached the study and Sesshomaru immediately sat behind his desk and started to read over a document.
"Until after the gathering of your courting. After all, can't be absent for my pup's engagement," Dimitri spoke. "However, I do have my concerns. It's common knowledge that Japan's Western Lord is known to be cruel, yet you continue a courting that was started in our future and a child in your care. I understand the honor of continuing the courting as your beast accepted it with a fight, but do you plan to finalize it and mate her?"
"Baba..." Nova frowned.
"You are my child, Nova. There is no doubt about that and I have to know what is in your future. If he plans to kill you rather than moving forward with this courting, there will be problems."
"His beast won't let him," Nova answered as she glanced at Sesshomaru as he remained silent, handing her a document to look over before looking at the next.
"There's no point hiding what his beast has done either, Nova. He had written everything in the scroll sent to me. Yes, you're being taught politics, but there has been no confirmation that he plans to finalize this."
"You're not mad that his beast has constantly taken me forcefully over and over?" Nova frowned as she looked at her father.
"Believe me, I am, but when Sesshomaru is in control, he shows respect despite the thought that you may truly be human. He teaches you more than most Lords would allow for their mates to learn."
"This Sesshomaru teaches her so that if there is a time I must be away from the castle, she knows how to run everything," Sesshomaru finally spoke.
"Exactly. You're teaching her as if she will rule beside you equally, but refuse to confirm or deny furthering this courting."
"Because he does not know, Baba," Nova spoke quietly as she started writing on a blank scroll. "For now, I am able to serve him like I have since I first met him back home. While the beast continues to want me, he cannot kill me, but he has not hidden the fact of the two possible outcomes."
"If you do not mate her, Sesshomaru, then I ask that she return with me if she still is unable to return to her era."
"As long as she holds this one's energy, she will be cared for," Sesshomaru responded. "If it fades and she still cannot pass through the well, she will be sent to you."
"Thank you. After all, while she remains here, I have to do my best to protect my pup and heir."
"My lord, the Lady Mother approaches!" Jaken burst into the room and Nova frowned at the panting imp.
"I'm pretty sure I once called Satori a true bitch," Nova frowned as she watched the panicking imp.
"It would be warranted. She has been told to many times to send notice ahead of her arrival," Sesshomaru spoke coldly and she chuckled as she walked over to the balcony.
"Is that her?" Nova frowned seeing a large white dog flying high in the air.
"Ah, to witness the true form of the Silver Inus," Dimitri mused as he stood beside her. "Have you not seen the true form of daemons who can take a humanoid form?"
"No. She always was for dramatic entrances, wasn't she? Glad to know that she hasn't changed one bit," Nova chuckled.
"Satori never was one to change."
"What do we do, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken squawked.
"Have you not prepared her rooms and the staff to receive her?" Nova questioned.
"Oh... I am so dead!" Jaken screeched before running out of the study.
"How he survives another five centuries, I have no idea," Nova sighed.
The Inu suddenly plummet from the sky but managed to land softly in the courtyard. Light surrounded the Inu before the orb shrunk, revealing a woman with molten orbs and silver hair pulled back into piggy tails. Her pelt was attached to her kimono robe, pulled over both shoulders. As soon as she had transformed, many of the females that currently stayed in the castle swarmed out to greet her.
"Let me guess, the swarms of whores staying here was her idea," Nova frowned as she walked back to the desk.
"Her way of thinking I will chose a female of her liking."
"Must be why I called her a bitch."
"Hn," Sesshomaru smirked as he handed her another document.
"You should have a desk built for her when you both are in here," Dimitri spoke as he moved back to sit in front of the desk.
"It's not practical," Nova mused before the study doors burst open and Satori entered the room.
"This one has told you to notify the castle before you travel, Satori," Sesshomaru growled low.
"A pup does not get to order their mother like a servant. Why is it that an energy tracker with a scroll announcing a courtship in the Moon Castle arrived for Lord Kishi, but not myself pup?"
"Of course he didn't send one to his mother," Nova whispered in Hindu and saw a smile grace her father's face as she went back to the document she had been given.
"Not only that, but allow a human female in your study..."
"Lady Satori, I do hope you are not trying to insult my pup," Dimitri spoke coldly and Nova glanced up as her father stood to face the woman. "After all, she will soon be your daughter."
"A human will not be mated to my pup!" Satori hissed.
"Then you will have Northern India at your steps..."
"Baba, we are not starting a war just because the Lady Mother continues to be a bitch," Nova spoke calmly as she sat on the armrest of Sesshomaru's chair and his arm came around her waist as he propped his head in his hand on the other armrest, watching his mother. "Besides, she has no say when a daemon's inner beast is the one to chose their mate."
"What did you call me, whore?!"Satori hissed and Nova could imagine smoke coming from the woman's pointed ears.
"A bitch, a malicious, spiteful, and unpleasant woman. Did you honestly think that by placing whores in the Moon Castle that he'd chose one of them? Because he wouldn't be able to turn them away as they claim to be guests of the Lady Mother? You cannot control him, no one can," Nova mused as she was pulled off the armrest and into Sesshomaru's lap, her legs still over the arm of the chair. "Surely you've learned this by now?"
"And what would a human know?!"
"More than you as I know you were never allowed to know the politics of the land until you wiggled your way onto the council. Even then, you have to learn most from the southern lord who remain in the loop as you are an honorary council member," she spoke as she held her hand out a little and slowly counted down from five.
"You... conniving... whore...!" Satori's face went red when she reached zero in her countdown.
"The proper term is bitch, lady mother, as my sire is inu. I have never once thrown myself at a male for release nor do I get paid to do so, get your facts straight."
"You are human!"
"And your future grandchildren will be hanyou, deal with it," Nova spoke calmly before Satori let out a banshee screech before storming out.
"Hn," she heard Sesshomaru snort in amusement as she felt his face press against her neck.
"You held your own, I'm surprised," Dimitri spoke. "What was with the finger counting?"
"She has a very short fuse," Nova shrugged.
"One that you've lit many times by the looks of it. I think I will excuse myself for now," Dimitri spoke as he headed towards the door.
"I'll see you at the evening meal, Baba."