By the time the young Lord Setsuna found them, Toga had resorted to unwinding his mokomoko and letting the girls play with it as he and Gou relaxed in the garden. The girl's tutor had been thoroughly routed, much to the amusement of the guard accompanying them—and of course to the children who were giggling and pulling and playing on and with the fur.
Neither youkai Lord deigned to stand as the human approached, and Setsuna was gracious enough, or accepting enough, of his own much lower rank not to question. He simple sank down on the ground next to them and was promptly converged on by three little girls.
"Papa! Papa!" Izayoi crowed, and was the first to crawl into his lap—beating her sisters by a good two steps even though she'd been the furthest away.
Etsuko, the eldest, pretended like she didn't care if Izayoi got there first since she was the baby anyway but Kotori, only a year younger than Etsuko, pouted and complained. "I want to sit in Papa's lap too!" she whined, her pert little nose up in the air as her eyes welled with tears on command.
"Kotori," Lord Setsuna said, clearly unfazed, "What did your mother always say about tears?"
Kotori fidgeted, putting her weight on one foot and then the other as she fiddled with the pretty bell attached to her obi. "That tears shouldn't be used as a weapon…"
"Very good. Now, come. There is room in my lap for both of you." He glanced at Etsuko, the eldest of the three currently in the garden with him, and smiled. Of all six of his daughters she was the calmest, requiring the least attention. Finally, he turned his attention to the two youkai. "Though I am honored to be graced with the presence of not just one Daiyoukai, but two, I am curious what brings the Inu no Tashio so far from home to my own humble lands."
Toga eyed the youngest girl in his lap and since he had already discussed with Gou the best way to begin was with the truth, he sighed and explained everything to the human. He was quickly growing tired of repeating himself though. Perhaps he should have brought Jaken, that new kappa imp child, to repeat everything for him.
Lord Setsuna listened with great care, understanding easily the things that were left unsaid—like just how much he cared for this child called Kagome. Finally, he motioned the guard who had been quietly keeping watch forward. "Kenta, take the children back inside to their nursemaid." Only when the children were gone did he let his shoulders slump. "Though I do not know of any tool or weapon you might use to open the underworld, there is something that may help you."
He looked away from the youkai Lords to study his wife's gardens and his carefully maintained, but still failing lands, beyond them. "When we discovered my Lady was pregnant again, we were surprised. We already had five daughters, and I did not want to put her through another birth just for a son that might never be. But she persevered, as she always had. The healer saw to all her needs, as the pregnancy was particularly difficult for her." He paused and cleared his throat, the tips of his ears tinting red; it was beyond uncomfortable to speak of such feminine matters to other men. "The birthing was more challenging. Izayoi's birth was delayed by three weeks until finally the healer gave my Mao some herbs to make the baby came."
Setsuna stopped again and had to look away to compose himself.
Gou frowned and set a warm hand on his friend's shoulder and continued the story. "Setsuna sent his fastest rider to my Citadel to plea for help and a youkai healer. His wife was losing too much blood and they weren't sure if mother or child were going to survive." Letting go of his friend, he slipped his hands back into the sleeves of his haori. "As you know, the East has been plagued with sickness and disease for many years. I'd brought in healers from all over the world to try and determine what the cause is. Setsuna was the first and only real human regal willing to except my position in the East as the Eastern Lord and we have become fast friends over the past decade. So I came with my healers.
Unfortunately, there was not much that could be done. Mao had already lost too much blood and the cub's lungs weren't working properly. The cub died first, and Mao shortly after. We'd been about to gather the bodies for cleansing and burning when the child began to stir. One of my healers is a telepath, and he peered into the child's short memorie to discern how it was possible."
At this point, Setsuna sighed. "Izayoi's memories showed her mother making a deal with the Guardians Gozu and Mezu at the gateway to the afterlife in the Realm of Fire. Only one life needed to be taken that day and Mao gave hers for Izayoi."
Toga considered all that had been said. It would not be a simple matter to just approach the gates—no living being could enter, after all. But was Izayoi an exception? Her soul had already entered the afterlife and returned, and though he hadn't been able to place the odd aura the girl gave off he understood now. "I believe Izayoi might hold command over life and death—not that she can bring my ward back to life, but with her at my side the guardians will open the gates."
The kuma Lord sighed. He had thought as much, too. "Will you allow us to take Izayoi with us to open the gates. There are no greater warriors than the Inu no Tashio and myself in these lands. She will come to no harm."
Setsuna's first instinct was to deny them. He'd already almost lost his daughter once, and at the cost of his wife. The idea of letting her return there was most unwelcome—it didn't matter that he had a veritable bevy of daughters. Izayoi was special. But mayhap…."If you wish to put my daughter through such harm, then I wish to request a boon in return. Izayoi is my youngest daughter—there is not much I can grant her in terms of a dowry or social standing even if I managed to marry her off."
The inu frowned and tried to swallow his distaste. "I am already mated, Setsuna, as you no doubt are aware."
The human Lord grinned, though the idea of his youngest with the Inu no Tashio was certainly compelling. No enemies of the House Setsuna would dare attack and risk offending. "Of course. It is not my intention to marry the child off; she's only seven years old, after all. I merely request that you take her to your courts, along with her personal bodyguard, and teach her in the youkai way. My hope for her is to one day be a diplomat between human and youkai courts, you see. I have no doubt if she is raised in the Kingdom of the House of the Moon, she will be a veritable asset to any court she might in future reside in."
"Hn." Toga considered the child with the lovely dark eyes and his mate's reaction. How many pups could he bring the female before she banned him from his own castle. And how would his court react to having a human hime scurrying about in the family wing of said castle. They would all bear it, he decided. He would make them. "Very well. I will raise her with my pups. Be aware, however, that she will grow much faster than mine own. She will be of marriageable age within several years while my own pups still struggle through puberty."
"Of course," said Setsuna, finally relaxing. "Then we have a deal. I will summon Izayoi."
o.O.o
Word Count - 1343