Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The original characters and plot are the property of Chiaztolite, who is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.
The Way to Elysium
Chapter 32: Onwards to the Blue
Gone were the cloudless blue sky, the frothy waves, the scents of the salt and brine and the sounds of the seagulls cawing to greet the dawn. All those were replaced by the familiar surroundings Kagome began to recognize as home. Still cradled in Sesshōmaru's arms, she landed inside their cave, enveloped by its shadowed interior and the earthy scents of soil and burnt wood from the hearth.
The weight of Sesshōmaru's yōki pressed against her, demanding her attention. Her mate was conscious, just enough to carry her over to their sleeping area. A moment later, when the beast reigned and pushed her down onto her hands and knees on the soft bedding, Kagome knew to lower her head and submit.
There was a new sense of awareness, a prickling along her back, an introduction to Sesshōmaru's beast in its primal state. She felt his lips on the apple of her shoulder, gliding over sweat-slicked skin to the juncture of her neck. The tip of his tongue burned a path along her jugular, suckling on her vein.
Whimpering, she reached back and caressed his cheek, accepting his beast. He turned his head to plant open-mouthed kisses on her palm. The tip of his tongue traced a vein he found there.
Kagome let out a strangled gasp when the beast breached her in one hard thrust, choking around the girth that cleaved her open. He was larger, just on the cusp of transforming. Not quite ready, the uncomfortable stretch and sting of his entry made her eyes water, but his fingers pinching the bundle of nerves at the apex of her sex quickly soothed the burn and made her wet. Soon, the noises of their bodies slapping in a rapid, relentless rhythm echoed within the cave. The squelching of her tunnel surrendering, taking him in.
Each of his hands gripped her thighs to keep them open, angling her perfectly to take his pounding. She tried to support her upper body on her elbows, but each one of his thrusts jarred her bones, and soon all she could do was take the entirety of him.
Sesshōmaru had never been this rough with her before. One particular hard thrust made her teeth rattle and gasp in awe. It was a brutal claiming, but she never doubted she was safe in his arms, whether Sesshōmaru or his beast held the reins.
Her womb ached for his seed, and she conveyed it with each movement of her hips as she silently urged the beast to take more. Finally, when he clamped his jaws around her nape, she climaxed in huge, wracking sobs, shivering all over, and he snarled with approval around the mouthful of flesh. Through it all, his hips never stopped pumping, slamming against her soft rear in a relentless rhythm that no human male could possibly sustain.
She felt his yōki enveloping her. The crackling of energy made the soft hairs on her skin rise to attention. Her own reiryoku surged, meeting his aura in teasing swipes and slides, which he answered so readily. The link between their souls thrummed to life, stronger than ever. He was licking her neck, pawing at her breasts, pressing his hand on her soft belly before those fingers reached down to strum between her nether lips.
She was so wet now, juices dripping down her inner thighs and drenching his pelvis. He had moulded her to his shape, and he bottomed out easily. When he crashed hard against her cervix, she cried out, nearly blacking out from the sharp, jagged bolt of pleasure that tore her asunder from inside out. Emboldened by her cries of pleasure, he continued the onslaught, raising her to even greater heights until she sobbed and pleaded.
And the beast knew she could take more, and wanted more. He grabbed her outstretched arms and pulled them towards him, arching her back into a taut bow. He took complete control of her body as he relentlessly pumped into her.
Tears streamed down her face from the intensity of the taking. Like a rag-doll, she was helpless in his hold. She was an instrument for his pleasure, a vessel for his desires, and by being such, she found her own bliss.
When the beast renewed the bite mark, Kagome's eyes flew wide open just for a touch before the unexpected flood of pleasure careened her into oblivion. Then, distantly, as she descended into the loving arms of darkness, she heard him snarling against the nape of her neck, and felt the spurts of his release deep inside her.
When Kagome returned to her senses, she realized Sesshōmaru had laid her on her side. He was behind her, still deep inside her. He pressed himself tight against her back, his lips spreading kisses on her nape and shoulder.
"You clamped around me when the beast bit your neck," he said. His velvety tongue brushed across her new bite mark. "Did you like it?"
Kagome blushed and hid her face in the crook of his arm. Her core tightened around him when she recalled the rush of pleasure that accompanied the sting of the bite. She never thought a hint of pain would sweeten the release, or amplify it to much greater height.
"Yeah…"
Her throat felt tender, and her voice was hoarse, most probably from crying out and screaming for… well, for however long their rutting lasted.
Kagome could feel him smiling against her skin, followed by the nudge of his pelvis against her bottom. He still filled her body to its breaking point. She quaked and whimpered softly when he repeated the movements of his hips. His beast appeased, it seemed the other half wanted a turn.
"I shall remember your preferences, my mate," he said, and pressed a tender kiss on the neck wound that had begun to heal. "And all these details that give you more pleasure."
Chuckling shyly, Kagome turned her head to press her lips upon her mate's, sighing when he took her mouth without hesitation. He lifted her leg and hooked it over his hips, opening her up. His hand reached around to knead her breasts as he started rolling his pelvis in another round of lovemaking.
And so it began again.
Southern Isle Army Base Camp
King Zetsubōmaru was not pleased, and no one quite knew why.
He did not visit the base camp often, and usually trusted his eldest son's lead over the army, preferring to hold all the reins from the Southern Isles palace.
But this morning, he had arrived at the camp at the edge of the Eastern lands in a flurry of silver and white, and demanded to see the female whom he had gifted for the Crown Prince to enjoy upon his triumph over the sword of Sesshōmaru, the usurper. When he discovered the female was not in the Prince's tent but inside one far away, untouched, he raged further.
The force of his yōki shook the ground and made the sands shift in a slide. The entire camp fell into a deathly silence at the display of such raw, vehement power.
The soldier who had been tasked to deliver the gift was called. With shaky legs, he kneeled before his monarch to beg for forgiveness. But, before he was punished, another stepped in his defence.
"No, please, my King," Rikio, the Prince's personal servant, pleaded. "It was not his fault. It was mine. I was the one who instructed the Private to move her away from the Prince's tent."
The King fixed his cold golden glare onto the servant.
"You, who are too low to even seen fit to serve at the royal palace, dared to eclipse the order from the King?"
Rikio blanched. Now that the King had pointed it out, it did seem awfully presumptuous of him, a lowly servant — not even fit to serve at the palace — to override a royal command.
Thus, he could only prostrate himself before the King and beg for forgiveness.
Perhaps, concerned with the succession of his progeny, the King seemed to have taken a particular interest in why the Prince was disinterested in the female — or any females — proffered to him. But Rikio could not possibly reveal how Prince Hakuryū had spurned each of the King's gifts that arrived in the form of a female. If King Zetsubōmaru discovered it, he would be enraged even more, and what kind of punishment he would dole out then?
And so, the servant bowed as low as he could under the gaze of those chilling, inscrutable eyes. For a brief time, he thought they would all be suspended in that moment of tense silence forever until the acrid, sulphuric scent of the King's whip reached his nostrils.
The acid ribbon glowed green and menacing from the King's fingertips, and he wielded it up high, ready to strike down upon the ones who had failed to carry his orders.
Flinching, Rikio covered his face with his arms, readying himself for the burn and the pain that was sure to follow.
But suddenly, unexpectedly, the Prince was there, shielding both the servant and the soldier. His forearm took the brunt of the lashing. In the end, the King's whip was wrapped around his metal gauntlet.
A little taken aback, Zetsubōmaru arched a brow. He retracted his whip and, eyes squinted, regarded his son in sombre silence.
Crown Prince Hakuryū lowered himself to his knees and bowed to his father.
"Your Majesty," he said. "These are my subordinates, and I am their General. Their doings reflect upon me — their success, and also their failings." He looked up, his green eyes meeting the gold of his father's. "If they have failed Your Majesty, do not punish them. Punish me."
Heavy silence ensued as Zetsubōmaru gazed down upon his kneeling firstborn. It was difficult to ascertain the King's thoughts, as he had retreated behind a façade of stony impassiveness. Time passed as the wind blew; bits of dust and sand scattered and swirled around them.
"Very well," the King finally said, lips quirking into a frosty smile. "As you wish, General."
The entire camp held their breath as Zetsubōmaru swung his whip. The swishing of the lash and the spray of the blood were as loud as a thunderclap in the utter silence. The King took a chunk out of Hakuryū's cheek, though the latter did not even flinch. Broken flesh sizzled, smelling like meat on fire. The blood dried instantly upon the surface, forming a black crust on the gouged-out face.
"Do not ever repeat such foolishness," the King said.
He turned and transformed into his beast: a colossal white dog with three tails, and flew away in the direction of the Southern Isles. The whole camp deflated in a sigh of relief when the King finally disappeared from view.
Then, the camp's attention was riveted to the Prince, still kneeling on the ground.
"My Prince—" The soldier stammered, aghast when he saw the Prince's visage. The tears he shed fell onto the sand in meaningless rivulets. "My Prince. Your face…"
Silently, Prince Hakuryū rose to his feet. His face slowly regenerated as the broken flesh began to stitch together and mend.
He patted the soldier on the shoulder and walked away as though it was nothing.
And, in the grand scheme of things, it was nothing.
The Plains of Musashi
News of Sesshōmaru's latest achievement spread through the western lands like wildfire. As Queen Shirayuki had said, it was a marked occasion, and yōkai from all corners of the territory came in droves to congratulate him, pay tribute, and plead their allegiance to the most powerful daiyōkai in the lands.
Sesshōmaru took to the role naturally, as though he was born to do just this. He welcomed them graciously, with dignity befitting a King, sparing a few words to warn them that a great war loomed on the horizon, and that each and every one of them needed to be prepared.
The panther clan arrived that afternoon to pay their respects, led by Tōran, the eldest of the panther siblings. The delegation was received promptly, and all seemed well, until the female panther decided to execute an idea of her own.
When she overstepped by thinking she could seduce the 'newly improved' Sesshōmaru-sama — the future King of the yōkai, he set her straight publicly once and for all. She had dared to place her hand on his chest, going down so far as to lean obnoxiously close to his person until her breasts were wantonly pressed against his metal cuirass.
And Sesshōmaru seethed. His claws lengthened, ready to tear apart the hand that had offended him so. Kagome, vigilantly observing from the sideline, reached out to him through their bond, soothing him and his beast, who were both enraged at the touch of another.
Sensing his mate, Sesshōmaru calmed and stepped back, away from the brazen female.
"Tōran. Are your senses so impaired by disuse that you have not realized this Sesshōmaru has been claimed?" He asked archly. "How can I trust you with any noble quests when your eyes and nose do not seem to function?"
His bright golden eyes narrowed at the feline, who was struck dumb by the rebuke. "Or perhaps— did you presume this Sesshōmaru would be so dishonourable a male to besmirch his mate in such a way?"
The weight of his incensed gaze alone was enough to make any daiyōkai quake in their boots. Tōran was far from immune.
"You are forgiven today only because it pleases this one's mate that you are spared," he continued. "Tread carefully, and do not repeat this lapse in the future."
The female panther could only sputter her apology — to both of them — for being so misguided in her conduct. Kagome watched it all from the sideline with amusement more than jealousy. Anyone who had been through the yōkai mating ritual must know: the exchanging of the souls was a highly intimate, irrevocable, irreversible act. It was not a bond that could be easily defeated by paltry seduction or jealousy.
Inuyasha sidled up to take his place beside Kagome, grinning and whistling when he caught the end of the public set down.
"I can't believe he was fighting with only a portion of his power," Inuyasha grumbled. "I suppose it's like fighting with one hand…" He stopped when he realized what he was saying.
"Oh wait, he's done that as well, that cheeky bastard." The grin on his face belied the crudeness of his words. Any animosity that would have been there before they mend their fences had now been replaced with a sense of fondness.
Kōga and Ayame, along with the representatives of his clan also came. Kagome tensed a bit, knowing there had been bad blood between the two because Rin had been mauled to death by wolves. She exhaled a breath of relief when it looked like the two males were able to be civil with each other. The fact Kōga and his clan had been repentant of their past sins of pillaging and marauding, including their attack on Sesshōmaru's ward, was a significant step in the right direction.
Furthermore, this was a joyous occasion after all. No fighting and backbiting should besmirch this day, and Kagome was intent to make it so. If anyone else decided to step out of line, she would personally deliver the sharpest tongue lashing anyone had ever seen in Sengoku Jidai.
Ayame was pregnant — heavily so, and with two young cubs at home. Kagome was quite impressed that the she-wolf had managed to get her mate to agree to let her tag along. Fatherhood seemed to have tempered Kōga's fiery temperaments quite a bit, and now the concerns he had at the forefront were for the survival of his clan's young. If the western lands were to be attacked, it only made sense that they all chipped in to protect their home.
Witnessing Ayame's pregnancy and knowing the couple already had two children made Kagome wonder: would she and Sesshōmaru have kids one day too?
That night, as Kagome and Sesshōmaru retired into their cave after a long day of receiving dignitaries, they dined on foraged mushrooms roasted over the open fire, sliced pears freshly plucked from the tree, and Jaken's jerky. The last item was only for her, as Sesshōmaru had returned to his meatless diet for the month, except on the night of the full moon.
She was tempted to persuade him to eat some meat, considering how far his physique had been pushed as of late. Yet, she knew how important the aspect of this diet was for the inuyōkai culture, and in the end, she let him be.
"Your father questions the validity of this cave as our home," she said as she sliced them another portion of pear. "Rather ridiculous of him, I think."
He looked at her askance.
"My mate," he slowly said. "Surely— you do not think we will live here?"
She looked back at him, surprised that his opinion was the same as his father's. "Well… why not?"
"Firstly, it is a cave, not a home. It is perfectly adequate for temporary refuge, a shelter from the storm, or a place to hide from the world while we enjoy some private time for rest and relaxation. Not for a permanent abode."
She looked around before fixating her eyes back on him and shrugged. "I would be fine living here permanently."
He stared at her in silence at first.
"Winter is near," he warned. "And it will be mightily drafty here."
"Then, you will hold me and wrap your furs around me to keep me warm," Kagome replied saucily.
The smile that appeared on his lips was spontaneous. As the tail end of his fur reached out and wrapped around her waist to pull her tight against him, he arched a brow and brought up a new concern.
"There are bears in the area," he said.
Kagome snorted, playfully swatting at his chest. "There are no bears here," she said with the confidence only a native of the time and place should possess.
"Oh?" The corners of his lips quirked into a smirk. "Had you many bears where you came from that you are so familiar with their migrating habits?"
A grimace slowly bloomed on her face. "Err… No. In fact, there were no bears around my home, or in my err… town. Except for the ones inside the zoo."
He frowned. "Zoo?"
Kagome paused. The answer was at the tip of her tongue. However, a crash course on how humans would capture animals and place them inside cages for the entertainment of the masses at the price of a ticket would not be a good topic for their last dinner together.
"Uhhh… never mind," she said, smiling brightly. "I don't think we need to worry about bears here."
Slowly, he inched his face closer to hers.
"Kagome. How do you think I obtained this cave in the first place?"
She grimaced. "Uhh… from a family of… bears, I suppose?"
"They were very fierce," he told her. "I fought them tooth and nails for this cave."
She lifted her hands in surrender. "Alright, I believe you. There are bears in the area."
Pleased to make his point, Sesshōmaru leaned back and gazed at her sideways.
"Surely, the obvious answer is to commission a home at the location of our choosing," he said. "You and I will go on a search for the perfect site in the near future."
"But— building a house from scratch… How long will that take?"
"If we commissioned yōkai builders," he said. "A week at the most."
"A week?" Kagome gaped. "To build a custom house? From start to finish?"
He nodded. "It is very plausible. Perhaps faster. They might be able to complete it in three days if we offered more coins."
"It seems overly extravagant," Kagome pointed out. "Especially considering we have a perfectly good home in this cave."
He sighed. "My mate. The bears aside, this cave, come winter, will not be a place fit for us to live in. Freezing winds and snow will enter from the entrance's wide mouth and skylights above the subterranean lake below. The pool will freeze over, making the entire cave even colder."
She laid her head on his shoulder, feeling strangely melancholy. Finally, after the numerous explanations, she began to understand his reasoning, yet it did not make the thought of abandoning this cave any easier. This was the place where Sesshōmaru had built and made into his home with his own hands. This was where they first came together, made love for the first time, and became a mated pair.
"But… this is such a special place," She whispered.
"It will remain as ours, even if we have another home — more secure and sound than this one," he consoled her. "We will return to this place as often as you'd like, weather permitting, and spend time here. I promise."
For a moment, they were content merely to be in each other's arms, watching the dancing flames and the firewood crackling merrily inside their hearth.
"And also, what about—" Sesshōmaru hesitated. "What about when we have our young? This cave will not be suitable for rearing our younglings."
Kagome's heart nearly stuttered to a stop. She had planned to bring up the subject at one point, though she never expected him to be the one to broach it first. Inside her chest, she felt Sesshōmaru's soul pulsing with a concoction of complex emotions. There was excitement, but anxiety and trepidation also existed in equal measures.
She placed her hand upon his, squeezing his fingers. "Why does the thought trouble you, my love?"
He looked up at her, eyes brightened by the flickering flames of their hearth. His other hand paused on its way to adjust a log of firewood with an iron poker.
"There is nothing else I'd like to see more—" he said, placing the poker down on the ground. "— than the sight of you ripe with our pups. You holding them, loving them the way all children deserve to be loved. And you will be a wonderful mother to them. To all of them."
Then, he paused, and she smiled encouragingly.
"But—" She continued softly. "This is wartime, and perhaps not the best time to be bringing offspring into this world?"
He looked pained as he gazed at her again.
"This war may last for decades, or even centuries. Through it all, any children born from our union will be targets, constantly in danger." He smiled ruefully at her. "Is that the kind of life we want for them?"
Her heart clenched at the mere thought of their children being hunted down like animals. No, it was certainly not the kind of life any parents would want for their children.
"We will protect them," she told him vehemently. "Send them to a safe place if need be. Even if they cannot be with us, as long as they are safe and sound, and far from harm's way—"
He cut in. "— The way my parents left me in Southern Isles for two hundred and fifty years while they conquered the Western Lands?"
A bludgeon to her memory, the reminder of Sesshōmaru's own neglected childhood rendered her mute.
"No. I will not have our children be separated from us," he told her, shaking his head. "I will not have them live elsewhere, constantly wondering if their parents love them, questioning the value of their own existence."
"Then we wait," she told him, caressing his face. "We will wait until we have made this world as safe as possible before bringing them into the world." Then, after a plaintive silence, she asked: "We have time, don't we?"
Sesshōmaru nodded as he pulled her tight against him and kissed her forehead. "Now that our life forces are melded together, your lifespan is tied to mine. We do have time."
Her fingers brushed away a strand of silver hair that fell over his cheek.
"Sesshōmaru," she said. "You will prevail and become the greatest King the yōkai had ever seen. And I am thrilled for the moment you will finally bring peace to these lands."
When Sesshōmaru urged Kagome to lay her head back on his shoulder, she nestled into her mate's fur and thought about the time of peace, whenever that would be, when she and Sesshōmaru could simply live their lives together, watching their children grow.
The following morning, Sesshōmaru waited at the border of the village while Kagome went into her old hut to gather her things, this time for real, as she would be spending an indeterminate amount of time at his mother's dwelling. When she returned only with a bundle of belongings, and no bow or arrows, a frown appeared on his forehead. Surely, his mate did not plan to leave her cherished weapons behind.
"Kagome. Are you not bringing your bow and arrow?" Sesshōmaru asked.
She thought about it for a moment, then shook her head. "I want to find my true self," she said. "And I am not sure my true self uses a bow and an arrow. I think, if I have them with me, I will just gravitate towards them because of comfort and familiarity."
He studied her quietly. He understood the struggle of identity in himself — the noble and the base halves of him, the refugee Prince and the wandering daiyōkai. And, later on, a King with thousands of subjects, or merely the leader of his own small pack?
In her, having been born supposedly as Kikyō's reincarnations, the struggle was bound to be even more complex.
"I understand the need to be acknowledged for your true strength," Sesshōmaru told her. "But, know that even if you chose the bow and arrow, I see you as yourself. Not as a replica of someone else who happens to wield the same instruments."
The open, beaming smile that broke upon her lips pleased him more than any word she could ever say.
Or so he had thought, until she spoke: "I know."
He deliberately took his time transporting them to his mother's palace, knowing it would be a while – especially for him – before he had his mate so close to him again. He relished her weight in his arms, her curves pressed against him, and her scent teasing his nose as they flew through the clouds and against the wind towards the palace in the sky.
Alas, all journeys had their ending, and this one was no exception. He sighed inwardly as soon as the roof outline of his mother's ostentatious dwelling came into view and prepared to descend.
Sensing his inner sigh, Kagome chuckled against the side of his neck. The warmth of her breath teased his skin, and he adjusted her position so that she was pressed tighter against him.
"That was too short of a ride by any standard," his mate commented, and he was pleased that she felt the need and desire to be with him longer.
"Shall we circle around the palace complex three times before landing?" He asked.
She shook as though she was holding back laughter. Then, when she looked up, her velvety brown eyes found his, and he saw twinkling mirth in those depths.
"I would've said yes," Kagome said. "But your mother is already waiting on the terrace."
Sesshōmaru looked down upon the terrace and, just as she said, the figure of the Lady Mother was seen perched on her throne. From the way he saw her long fingers drumming upon the cushioned arm of her seat, he could tell she was impatient for their arrival.
This time, he let out a long exhale, and swooped down to the terrace.
As soon as they landed, Princess Yōhime rose to her feet and approached to greet them. There was a poignant moment as the female daiyōkai gazed upon her son, studying him, soaking up his sight in silence.
"Your father filled me in on what occurred yesterday," the Princess said. Kagome thought she saw his mother's eyes glittering with unshed tears. It disappeared in a flash, and whether it had been a mirage, an imagination, or the truth, Kagome knew Sesshōmaru's mother was proud of him.
No words needed to be said.
It made her smile inside. Even though the Lady Mother tried to be opaque most of the time, there were moments when the efforts slipped, and her genuine emotions rose to the surface.
"The hardest part is yet to come," Sesshōmaru said.
"True," his mother replied. "But help might come from the unlikeliest sources."
"Father had supposedly also said something similar," Sesshōmaru said. His eyes narrowed. "What are you truly planning, Mother?"
She scoffed, turning away as though offended. "Really. Your father should have been the soul of discretion, and yet he spread rumours."
"It is unlike me to defend Father," Sesshōmaru said, looking at his mother with an arched brow. "But I believe he meant to help. Whereas you…" He let his words trail off into a shrug.
Princess Yōhime whirled around in a swirl of white fur and silken silver tresses.
"Sesshōmaru. When the time comes, I will tell you. There are words I am bound to not say, no matter how much I wish to."
"These cryptic words do not allay my concerns," he told her. "But, since you insist, I will trust you. For now."
With her sharp golden eyes, she alternated between staring at her son and the miko.
"Now, have your last words and farewell," Princess Yōhime told them both. "So that we can finally begin."
Kagome and Sesshōmaru walked to the edge of the terrace, hand in hand.
"I have an idea for your training," she told him as they neared the railing. "Please consider this."
When he looked at her questioningly, she asked: "Do you remember when we spoke about the athlete's training—"
"The hypoxic training? Yes."
"Say, if you trained in the mountains in your grandmother's Elysium, you might be able to reap double the rewards than if you trained in your grandfather's. In addition to being in the realm of the dead, your grandmother's Elysium emulates the real conditions of the Northern Lands. The air was noticeably thinner there," Kagome explained. "I believe it will work."
"Then I will do as you suggest," he said.
Knowing he would have to leave her soon, he sheltered them both with his pelt, letting the new fullness of his fur surround them and provide them with the privacy they needed before they were parted from each other.
His mouth sought hers, and she reached up to caress his jaw, returning each kiss with an ardent one of her own. Because of the time difference between the two realms, their separation would be much harder for him. It might be months before he saw her again.
He gorged himself on her touch, her flavour, the feel of her body plastered so close to him that he could sense her body heat through his armour.
"Even though I am away," she whispered against his lips. "I am always with you." Her hand descended to touch that part of his chest that hosted her soul. Her reiryoku emanated from her palm, and that piece of her inside him roused in response, suffusing his chest with warmth. Her limpid, velvety brown eyes stared up at him. Inside them, he saw her love shining for him.
"Never forget." Her words were pleading, but how could she think he would ever forget?
It was difficult to let her go. Since when did his arms begin to ache when she was not in it? Since when did his heart begin to feel empty when he knew she would not be near?
"Kagome. You are the reason I breathe," he murmured against her hair. "Never doubt it."
When the Lady Mother deemed their embrace had gone on for too long, she approached them, clucking her tongue.
"My son, be assured," Princess Yōhime said. "Nothing will befall your mate while she is under my watch." A teasing smile curled upon her painted lips. "In fact, if you behaved, I might allow some conjugal visits."
Sesshōmaru finally released Kagome so he could fasten a wry look on his mother.
"Please do not use the word 'conjugal' in my presence again," he told her.
She snickered softly behind her sleeve and shifted her attention to Kagome, extending her hand to invite the miko to move to her side.
"Come, Daughter," she said. "This farewell has lasted long enough, but we must get on if we want this training to begin. You will see him again later."
At least the Lady Mother allowed her to watch her mate fly into the distance and wait until he disappeared from their views.
Kagome swallowed the trepidation she felt inside, for being separated and away from her mate, for the unknown training with her mother-in-law that was about to ensue. She sighed inwardly.
Come on, Kagome. You wanted this, remember? You know you need this.
Resolve renewed, she turned to face the Lady Mother.
"Okay, I'm ready," Kagome said, her voice regaining its optimism. "Should I unpack first?"
"Do not bother. We will depart straightaway," Princess Yōhime said. She pointed at Kagome's small bundle of things. "Take your meagre belongings with you."
It was the first time since she arrived that Kagome realized: Princess Yōhime was not in her formal clothing of mauve kimono. Instead, she was in her fighting attire of kosode and fitted pants, as though she was getting ready for a battle.
Kagome's smile fell. "Depart… to where?"
The smirk the female daiyōkai gave her made the soft hairs on her nape stand to attention.
"To our training ground."
Author's Note:
I am amazed that I still managed to post this chapter, despite my toddler being sick, then my husband also fell sick, and finally I also got sick. Just starting to recover now, so… my apologies if updates for my other stories are slightly delayed.
Hopefully, you enjoyed it! Thanks so much for sticking with this story. It has been long, and it will be even longer. Your comments are very much appreciated, so please let me know what you think!
Until next time!