The morning sickness had come in full force and multiple times each day that Touran had to seal Mikasuki to silence. The neko was understanding and willing received the same seal as Kaya. Time wise, she was now six weeks but the pups development were guesstimated around 10 weeks and she had a visible bump but thankfully her Lehenga Choli were still comfortable. Now, pain was radiating through her body from the mating mark as she found herself with her head in a bucket yet again as Touran and Kaya entered the bedroom, the sky still dark as Khendon slept at the bottom of the bed.
"Lady Nova? I'm starting to worry that our lord has not come to feed his energy into the pups," Kaya spoke once the doors were closed.
"I am, too. It has been too long and the mark is radiating pain," Nova whispered as she put the bucket to the side as Touran handed her a tall glass of a Lavender Ginger Lemonade mix that seemed to help lessen the sickness. "With the bond silenced though, I don't know how much change he will notice or if he needs mine as often..."
"I suggest that we take go to him. One of my pack mates reported in last night that he has made camp near the north border," Touran spoke. "With Rin traveling with him, we can assume that he would not move until she has eaten and if I use my energy, we could reach him fairly quick. He will understand that it is for their sake."
"Yeah," Nova whispered and let Touran help pull her to her feet. "Khen, I'll be back."
Kaya helped her dress quickly and pulled on a sleeved cloak rather than a veil and sealed her daemon characteristics that would lessen her scent. Touran stood on the balcony, energy swirling around her feet. She gave Kaya a silent nod before allowing Touran to wrap her arms around her shoulders.
A light blue energy wrapped around them and Nova felt lightheaded as she could feel the world rushing past despite her eyes being closed. As the world stopped once more, she felt her knees buckle and saw a stream inches from her hands. She gave herself props for not puking but took a few sips of the cool water to wash any bile before looking around at the forest around them. Touran was using a claw to mark several trees and Nova felt a barrier erect around them.
"He responded to my energy. He is coming," Touran spoke and she nodded.
"Good," she muttered before moving to sit against a tree. "It's too early and too much pain."
"Perhaps today you should rest, oh there he is," Touran smiled seeing Sesshomaru look around with a frown outside the barrier. Reaching her arm through, she grabbed his arm and pulled him into the barrier before jumping away as his sword was drawn. "Easy there."
"What is the meaning of this?" He frowned, sheathing his blade.
"Your energy is required," Touran spoke before stepping aside from where she had been easily blocking Nova from sight.
"Mate." He was at her side in seconds and pulled her into his lap as he took her place against the tree.
"Hi," she groaned at the sudden moment.
Wrapping her arms around his neck, she pulled herself up and bit into his neck over his mating mark. The aches left her body instantly as soon as he bit into her own. All nausea seemed to fade completely and she sighed quietly as she pulled back and cleaned up any blood.
"Three weeks seem to be my limit," she sighed as she felt more awake and lifted her head up to look at him.
"How are our pups?" He inquired pressing his brow to hers.
"Growing too fast. Touran?"
"I knew you would want to when I created the barrier," Touran spoke and when Nova looked over at her, she was sitting against a tree.
Using Sesshomaru's shoulders, Nova got to her feet. Moving so she was still standing between his legs, she let her cloak slide off her shoulders and removed the piercing from her naval to reveal the prominent small bump as well as her daemon characteristics since they had been sealed. Hearing Sesshomaru inhale sharply, she smiled as his nose was instantly pressed against her swollen abdomen as his hands gripped her hips gently.
"They're strong," he murmured, his voice muffled against her skin.
"Apprentice healer Kaya has a seal of silence and she has mentioned that on many occasions. Mikasuki also has one. No others have been told or have suspected. We have done our best to keep these pups secret," Touran spoke.
"Hn."
"Greedy things, aren't they? They're taking more than Lady Nova required," Touran chuckled.
"How is the hunt for the halfbreed?" Nova asked.
"There has been some success weakening him. This Sesshomaru hopes that the final battle will end before you require more energy," he spoke before she felt pressure on her hips as he pulled her down to her knees which fell outside his legs while her feet were still between and pressed his lips to hers.
"This barrier will fall if I leave it Lord Sesshomaru and I would rather not be around for that," Touran muttered and Nova growled but pulled back, cupping Sesshomaru's face.
"I should return before those who felt my departure worry," Nova whispered, pressing her lips to the crescent moon on his brow.
"Send a soldier if this Sesshomaru does not return before you need our energy," he spoke before pushing her back to her feet and stood.
"Now that I know what to look for, it will be easier to recognize the signs," she spoke as she put the piercing back into her naval.
"You won't be able to wear that much longer as your belly grows," Touran commented as Sesshomaru picked up her cloak and placed it on her shoulders. "I'll start looking for a suitable replacement that won't be dislodged so easily that will do the same tasks as that one."
"Sesshomaru?" Nova looked over at her mate as he had turned to walk towards the edge of the barrier and turned as she jumped at him and wrapped her arms and legs around him. His arms came to her thighs and held her up as she kissed him deeply. "The castle is a lonely place without your presence. Try not to take too long?"
"This Sesshomaru will try," he murmured against her lips before making sure she was stable on her feet before leaving the barrier.
"Sure you don't love him?" Touran asked and as she looked over at the Panther, she was grinning.
"I'm carrying his pups, I have no say of my hormones or actions," she spoke coolly, sealing her characteristics as Touran scratched out the barrier marks.
"Sure, sure," she mused before wrapping her arms around her shoulders and wrapped her energy around them both to return them back to the castle.
It was early afternoon and Nova was in the study, having just finished reading over several documents about issues in several villages to the north. Kaya was kneeling beside her while Khendon slept under the desk, doing the daily check on the pups so the temporary solution that Touran had come up with, a jeweled chain that wrapped around her ribs several times just above the baby bump, was off. Hearing a knock on the door, Kaya quickly wrapped the chain around her ribs and fastened it as the door suddenly opened.
"I'm sorry, Lady Nova, I tried to stop them," Mikasuki entered after two familiar lords.
"You're dismissed, Kaya. Mikasuki, bring some refreshments," Nova ordered and the two women quickly left and she moved the documents before her to the side. "Lord Ryze, Lord Kishi, what do I owe this pleasure as neither of you sent notice of your arrival beforehand."
"Where is Lord Sesshomaru?" Kishi frowned as they both sat before her.
"Currently away to hopefully end the halfbreed that had caused much havoc to the land and its people."
"And left you behind?"
"As his mate, it is my duty to keep the West in order until his return," she spoke coolly, grabbing her glass of lavender ginger lemonade and took a sip.
"You sure it has nothing to do with the drink in your hand?" Ryze asked.
"I have no idea what you are talking about, Lord Ryze. It happens to be one of my favorite drinks and has been for awhile," Nova frowned. "Why have you come without notice?"
"We have had reports of trouble near where our borders connect and came to inquire if it has been happening to the West as well."
"There has been some increased conflict," she frowned as she stood and walked over to where the map of Japan was laid out on a table and the two lords joined her as Khendon stirred and moved out from under the desk. Pins were scattered across the west but increased around where Inuyasha's forest was located. "Hey Khen...Sesshomaru had mentioned several weeks ago that they had managed to weaken the halfbreed some and hoped to succeed in killing him before much longer."
"What is so special about that human village in Edo?" Kishi frowned as both lords started adding pins within their respective areas on the map.
"You don't know the halfbreed's background?" Nova frowned.
"We only know that he was once a human that let a host of daemons feed on him, granting him his wish to become a daemon."
"He was first found by the former Shikon Miko, Kikyo, his body crippled and covered in severe burns and she nursed his wounds daily. During that time, he soon desired her and the jewel she held but with his broken body, he couldn't even move. After being reborn as Naraku, he pursued her but she had fallen for the younger half-brother of Sesshomaru. So he worked to turn them on each other and it ended with Kikyo dying and burning the jewel with her. That messed with his plan and over the last fifty years, he worked to become stronger until rumor of her incarnation with the jewel had appeared. All of this began just outside Edo," Nova spoke, moving to sit back on the fur covered chair, Khendon sitting up beside her chair as Mikasuki entered and they mirrored her.
"You think the final battle will be there?" Ryze asked as Mikasuki handed both lords a full cup of tea before leaving.
"The evidence from the increasing conflict the past several weeks makes that very possible. I have sent aide to the villages at the border of the western lands as they have spoke of much loss from the increased daemon sightings and soldiers to help eliminate the threat of them. Due to that, there has been decreased reports though the ones at the border still struggle."
"We had done the same before making our way here."
"What of the Northern Lord?"
"The old wolf's health had been failing for some time and his heir has not been located, the male wolf who had come to your courting gathering," Kishi answered.
"He is a friend of the current Shikon miko and is helping in the hunt of the halfbreed. I will send a couple representative north to aide where they can until this battle ends," Nova spoke as she grabbed a blank scroll and started writing.
"Then we should do the same. We all are allies when it comes to this fight."
"If we all come together when they finally corner him, we will sure to succeed."
"We'll see you on the battlefield?" Ryze inquired, but she frowned seeing the look in his eyes as they wandered to the illusion of her flat stomach.
"You wouldn't bring your mate to the battlefield, would you Lord Ryze?"
"My mate just had triplets."
"Even if she had been at her best with no pups to care for?"
"Nita was one of the best fighters I had the experience sparring against."
"How about instead avoiding answering, Lady Nova, how about you remove that chain around your ribs? I can see the seal shimmer around it," Kishi frowned and she tensed as Khendon let out a low growl. "To have the need to keep a feline knowledgeable in seals nearby and constantly adjusting it to hide your condition. Is it because of what had happened with my brother?"
"Shush, Khen. You're more knowledgeable on seals than you give credit for," Nova sighed as she unhooked the chain and unwrapped it from her, revealing her swollen abdomen that now looked to be 16 weeks while she was only 8 weeks along. "Do I need to seal your tongues as well?"
"My dear, Lady Nova, are you threatening us?" Ryze mused.
"Until my mate announces them, no one is supposed to know or forced to have a silencing seal. It's no threat, Lord Ryze, it is a fact."
"And how many have you had to seal?"
"Only two. I've done well to hide them as only three within the castle knew before you."
"Two Inu pups, that must be difficult with Sesshomaru away."
"We have managed," she muttered before putting the chain back into place as there was another knock on the door. Once the illusion was back in place, she flared her energy and Touran entered the room. "Report."
"He asks you to hold out a while longer. The battles are increasing. He cannot come and denies you leave to go to him," Touran frowned as her eyes went to the two lords. "Lord Kishi...?"
"Touran," Kishi mused. "Your seals need a little work to prevent others with the feline seal knowledge from spotting them."
"What?" Touran's eyes immediately went to Nova, wide.
"They know," she confirmed, "but I have yet to trust that they will not utter a word."
"We are in a delicate alliance with the west and if we were to give him a reason not to trust our honor, that would be a problem for the South and East," Ryze spoke. "Besides, I mention this to my mate and she will drop the triplets off on me to come see you."
"I guess fear would be a decent motivator to keep someone silent," Nova frowned. "I don't know much longer I'll last Touran. The aching has already begun and nausea is returning."
"The soldier told him that," Touran frowned and she sighed.
"Why don't you go to him now then? Rather than wait until the pain comes?" Ryze inquired and she looked at him. "Obviously the final battle has not begun yet so it would be safer for you to go now rather than wait until your in pain and have there be a chance that it has."
"Because last time I went to him, he said to send a solider first."
"It is obvious that you did that, but with the way conflicts are going at each border, you cannot guarantee that it will be safe to go if you wait," Kishi frowned.
"How about we take you to him on our way back to our lands?" Ryze suggested.
"Because... never mind," she frowned. "You actually have a good point and with my own guard and the guard that came with you both..."
"Touran?"
"I will go grab the items you need if we are going near edo," Touran spoke before quickly leaving the room.
Khendon placed a paw on her lap and whined.
"You are coming with this time as it is not going to be like the last," Nova smiled as she pressed her nose to his wet nose.