A/N: wow! We've finally made it to a fairly major milestone: chapter 40! I can hardly believe I've managed to write a novel with the support of a few loyal readers!
To kagomelove2, I like to give the occasional enemy a chance to have redemption, if they aren't too evil. And I'm glad the pacing is working well for you! *smile*
And for guest reviewer Mayouu, the longer this fic runs, the more impressed I become at anyone who can devote the time and energy to read it in a single day! You go, you!
And thank you to my other reviewers (at time of writing) Happytello98, AthenaKnightstar and mystlight! You are all awesome! And many thanks to all my readers for being willing to put up with me, haha. Anyway, on now with our story.
Rin was fidgeting with the front of her kimono and her thin, soft mokomoko, terribly nervous. A pair of small and gentle hands closed over hers, stilling her anxious actions. Rin looked up to see the Lady Mother offer a tiny smile of reassurance and she sighed. The captain arrived as the deep gong echoed through the palace again, signaling noon, when the ceremony was to begin. Gobodō-sama, Rin's mother-in-law, patted her hands and stepped away for a few moments to see her son.
Sesshomaru turned at a light step behind him, seeing his mother admiring him once more in his formal dress. Seeming to consider something, she reached up and untied his hair from the high ponytail he had placed it in, braiding it loosely down his back instead before retying the end. "there, that suits you much better," she hummed thoughtfully.
"always so indecisive," he hummed in amusement as she patted the hair tie flat before letting it fall to his calves. He turned to face her and offered a small, genuine smile. "thank you, mother. For all of this."
She sighed and reached to pat his cheek as she had before. "you don't seem to realize just how long I've been waiting for this day. Now go on," she gave a chuckle and turned him about to face the entrance to the throne room, "they're all waiting for you. Go and make your entrance."
When he stepped into the large throne room, he saw that much had been done between the rehearsal of last night and the ceremony proper. A layer of delicate paper had been laid in a path up to the dais on which the throne itself sat, and dozens of curious faces—the seven Daimyō and their assorted minor nobles—sat on either side of the pathway, watching as he strode with confident grace up to the platform, turning about once he stood atop it. "I am Sesshomaru, Lord of the west, that is to say, Daimyō of the Tsuki clan and steward of the Nami lands, and Heir of all lands and the title of Taishōgun, as my mother and grandfather before me have ruled." No one spoke or moved, as his statement of heirship was a key part of the ceremony. He raised his right hand, palm up and arm outstretched as if to take the hand of another. "and now, my Lords and Ladies, I wish to present the grand jewel of this day, my one true mate, the Lady Rin, of the Yume Clan."
There were gasps and shocked murmurs from every side at his words, and more whispers and murmurs as Gobodō-sama appeared, one gentle hand at Rin's elbow to guide her. Rin kept her eyes firmly fixed on her mate, certain if she tried to look around she would simply bolt in terror at all the eyes on her in that moment. She reached the dais and Gobodō-sama boosted her up to stand beside Sesshomaru, pulling the girl's hands from her sleeves and placing one in his still outstretched palm. She couldn't help but smile as she felt his warm fingers close over hers, and he even offered the briefest of reassuring smiles to her before turning to look at the crowd expectantly. They should be cheering, crying blessings upon his mate and future heir, as the servants had last night. That was tradition. Instead, there were still low, confused, and shocked murmurs spreading among them. Someone from the back could keep their peace no longer.
"A trick! A trick! The Yume clan are extinct!"
Several people on the front line stood so they could turn to see who had spoken, and within seconds every yōkai in the room was on their feet, the murmuring growing louder. A second voice agreed with the first. "of course they are! Every child knows the histories! She is not even a yōkai, I bet, with her black hair and brown eyes like a human!"
"If she is an InuYōkai, then let her prove it!" called a third man through the ever-increasing volume of the crowd. All three of the hecklers were northerners, the first two from the Dō clan and the third from the Shiro-Yama. Sesshomaru clenched his teeth, fighting to keep a growl inside his chest at the insubordination displayed before him. His mother seemed completely unruffled, though properly it was her right or duty to quiet the clans. She wanted to see how her son would handle the situation, as he was likely to face many such once he assumed the throne.
He allowed a small growl to slip out to help quiet the crowd, then stated, "for Daimyō and respected Lords and Ladies, I expected you to follow tradition. Which, in this case, is silence and remaining seated."
"proof!" cried the first man. "we must have proof!" added the third. Others began to take up the chant. "proof! Proof! Show us she is who you say!" Rin, already on edge before this even began, had enough.
"SILENCE!"
Everyone froze and every eye turned to the small dark-haired young woman standing by the side of the Heir. For a few seconds no one even dared breathe, terrified of the natural authority she had just displayed. A few of the minor nobles even had weak knees, wanting nothing more than to roll over and bare their bellies and their throats to a woman who clearly possessed more power than they could ever dream of. Both Sesshomaru and his mother gave identical tiny smirks, proud of her. "you should be ashamed of yourselves," Rin continued in a low voice barely above a growl. "you can see with your own eyes I am a yōkai. What proof could you possibly need?"
Everyone turned about to look at the small Shiro-Yama lord as he replied in a mild tone. "a form such as this is easily faked with magic. Any kitsune pup could do it. But a true form cannot be falsified. Show us that, and I believe we shall all be satisfied." There were some nods and murmurs of agreement, and Rin turned to Sesshomaru for guidance. What should she do?
Sesshomaru glanced to the side, measuring the dais with a few quick glances. He then, still grasping her hand, positioned her in the middle of the platform and stepped back, nodding that she should change, as they wished her to. Rin closed her eyes and bowed her head, and within a few moments she towered over them all, her head mere feet from the ceiling of the room. She lolled her tongue out proudly and stood tall, her long, fluffy tail swishing once. Everyone seemed awed at the sight of her. Only two or three in the room were old enough to remember the appearance of the Yume, and they knew she truly was one, however impossible it seemed to be.
Suddenly, a lesser noble—it was the same one who had spoken out first—began to laugh loudly. Both Rin and Sesshomaru turned sharply to look at him as he continued to guffaw in a very unpleasant way. "see," he told the other nobles, pointing at Rin on the dais, "See our Heir, who presumes to rule us—" he paused to laugh a little harder— "yet cannot find it in himself to bed his own woman!" Rin growled again, both offended by the insinuation and the base language the man was using. It was utterly vulgar in such a setting, not that it was ever much better no matter where you were. His pointing finger and his words drew the eyes of the others to Rin's stomach, which now appeared flat, as the layers and padding of her clothing had simply become extra-fluffy fur. Several of the others began to laugh, while others seemed confused and even outraged. Why had they travelled all this way to attend an unnecessary ceremony?
"excuse me?" Sesshomaru chose to step down from the dais and step through the crowd, which parted before him until he stood before the heckler. The light-brown-haired man straightened to his full height, a few centimeters shorter than Sesshomaru was. "you could have been honest with us, Sesshomaru-sama. There is certainly no shame in missing the season." The man smirked once more and added, "though perhaps someone should have reminded you that you are not to present your mate to the court until she is carrying an heir…"
It took every ounce of Sesshomaru's intense willpower not to send the man flying through the nearest wall at minimum. He could not hold back an offended growl. "She is carrying an heir, else none of you would be here."
"my eyes deceive me, then, as well as my nose," he quipped, still seeming amused at the situation. Everyone turned as Rin set one massive paw down from the dais and shifted back to her human form, striding effortlessly through the crowd until she was standing before the man. With her outrage and roiling emotions, her scent was shockingly strong, and the scent of pregnancy was clear to everyone within almost 4 meters of her. "can you scent me now?" she asked him in a soft, icy tone, looking down her nose at the man, though he was taller.
The man looked frightened of her and bowed deeply in apology, stammering out that yes, he could indeed scent her and should not have doubted. She gave a sharp nod and took Sesshomaru's hand, returning to their original position on the dais. The moment they did, cheers erupted and cries of blessing could be heard from nearly every throat. Sesshomaru held Rin close to his side, looking satisfied at the deference of his subjects.
Now that the ceremony could be considered over, it was time for the feast, which would be in the dining hall. The Lords and Ladies all stood aside to let the couple, led by Gobodō-sama, pass first. Rin tugged at his hand eagerly, wanting to go as fast as she could. She was starving, as breakfast had been light and lunch delayed by her standards. When they settled at the table, Sesshomaru had to set a hand on her thigh to stop her from bouncing impatiently at the thought of the food she could smell from the nearby kitchens. Before the food could be served, each daimyō, beginning with the Nami and ending with the Kin-Yama, followed by each's lords and ladies, had to personally come and bow, pledging that they would be present at the ascension and would confirm Sesshomaru as Taishōgun and his child, male or female, as the next heir. Rin, by the time the last Kin-Yama noble bowed and intoned the same damn thing over again, was fighting very hard not to growl loudly in impatience. She was fairly certain something slipped out, though, judging by the woman's slightly frightened face as she scurried away.
Rin ate voraciously once the food arrived and many of the women at the long banquet table looked at her indulgently. It was a very good thing to see the mother of the future heir so healthy and having such an appetite, they knew. When everyone was finished, many of the nobles left, though a few came to give more personal congratulations to the couple. Once they were gone, a familiar face appeared, and Rin smiled widely and warmly. "Chieko! How are you?"
The Nami midwife returned the warm smile, arm in arm with a very happy Ka man, both dressed in their best. "I'm doing very well, milady, and I can see you are as well. This is my mate," she said, nodding to the happy man who was actually shorter than she was, "and this is my replacement." Another Ka, this one a rather serious-faced woman, appeared from behind the happy couple. She had no cheek stripes of any kind, only a black teardrop shape on her forehead and bright orange hair, tied back at the nape of her neck.
The new woman bowed deeply to them. "I am Aki, the royal midwife. As my mother delivered Sesshomaru-sama, it is my duty to deliver your heir."