{The Road Between Souls}

{chapter 10 - to the ends of the earth}

Standard disclaimers, blah-de-blah-de-dah.

~~~

Kagome slammed the door to Inuyasha's room open, then stomped over to where he was dozing against the wall. She reared back, and slapped him as hard as she could.

He woke with a start. "Ah! What the fuck was that for!?"

"Why did you leave for three days without even telling me!?" Inuyasha scowled. "Fine, don't tell me. I already have a good guess. It was "that time of the month" wasn't it? For real, this time. I can't believe you couldn't even tell me!" She spun around, tears springing to her eyes.

Inuyasha looked mortified. "Ack! D-don't cry!" he yelped, unsure of what to do.

"I'm not crying, you idiot!" Kagome turned around again. "Tell me when you're going to leave!"

"I will." Inuyasha wrapped his arms around her, and she stopped crying and settled down for a few minutes of cuddling. "Did that wolf bastard ever formally mate you?" he asked softly.

"Shortly after he took me away. I didn't understand what was going on; I was still in shock. Why?"

"Because I love you. And I want you to be my mate. For life." Inuyasha stroked her hair. "I'm guessing that he didn't do it correctly if he didn't explain it to you."

Kagome shrugged. "Now you get to explain it to me."

Suddenly, Inuyasha lashed out and smacked his neck. "Myouga-jiji. I should've known."

"Inuyasha-sama!" the tiny flea youkai cried out as he fluttered to the floor. "I approve of your choice for a mate! I would be honored to witness the union!" Kagome lifted an eyebrow.

"And this is...?"

"Myouga-jiji. A retainer of mine - more like useless bloodsucking coward who pretends to be useful to me." Kagome giggled.

"Well, tell me how this mating thing worked."

"The first step," Myouga squeaked out, "is finding a suitable witness. You have that; me. The witness must have youkai blood, or it invalidates the claim. There must be a witness for both the man and the woman. I'll be Inuyasha-sama's, but I don't know who will stand for your witness. Oh, yes, the witness must be at least fifteen years old. I don't suppose that you would approve of Sesshoumaru as being a witness?"

"Hell no!" Inuyasha snarled. "I don't want him involved with Kagome in any way, shape, or form."

Myouga sighed. "Then we'll have to use your chichi-gimi. Or Tsuraiuta."

"Okay, moving right along," Kagome said, snuggling closer to Inuyasha.

"The second step is the witnesses recognizing the union. After that, the two betrothed share a meal. The final step is for the witnesses to stand guard outside of a cave or something like that and the betrothed mate."

"That's more or less what Kouga did," Kagome said. "Only I had no say in it, and I had no clue what was going on."

Myouga tsk-tsked at her. "That's no way to mate."

Inuyasha shrugged. "Well, I'm going to go get Tsuraiuta as Kagome's witness. You can be mine," he said carelessly. "Kagome, come with me." Kagome rolled her eyes.

"Yes, master," she said mockingly.

"Well, technically that's true," Myouga commented.

More eye-rolling.

~~~

Houjou crept quietly into his father's study. There he found a book labeled 'Journal'. Perfect.

Hurrying, lest the former village head returned and caught Houjou snooping, he flipped hurriedly through the pages, looking for a date from about three years ago - the date when Kagome was taken.

He stumbled upon the correct day, then settled down to read.

---Today we were attacked by the youkai wolf tribe. Kagome managed to fend them off, but not without capturing the leader's attention. He returned later at night, saying he wanted to make a deal with me.

For the right to have Kagome as his "woman", he said that he would not attack the village, and even defend it.

As I read my words, they seem cold. I am saying that the life and safety of my eldest daughter is less than my own safety.

I think it is, really. Kagome is a priestess that has little true use to the world; holy arrow spells are the most she can do. And the role of females in society is to be married off, to bear children.

Yes, while I regret losing something to bargain with - some of the other tribes have put up offers for her many times - it makes more sense to give her to the youkai wolf prince Kouga.

This way, Kagome is protecting the Shikon no Tama as well, because as long as she stays with the wolf prince, his tribes will protect us and therefore the jewel.

Truly, from the bottom of my heart, I feel fine in just letting Kagome go. She was becoming to headstrong for her own good; women need to be more submissive. ---

Houjou closed his eyes. So that was why Kagome hadn't simply tried to sneak back. The wolf leader must have threatened to hurt the village.

He felt hatred - hatred for his father grow in his chest. "Oyaji, you coward." he muttered. Normally, Houjou was very respectful towards his father, addressing him as chichi-ue - but now, all respect he had held vanished. The man had sold his daughter to demons - Houjou was sure that the youkai wolf tribe was worse, even, than the average youkai - to save himself.

He knew as well as any other idiot that the village didn't need protection. He was just a coward, more concerned with his personal safety than the safety of his daughter.

And also, because of him, Kagome's reputation was tainted. The women in the village referred to her as "the Demon's Bride" and it made Houjou's blood boil. His father had shrugged it off, saying that they did not understand and that it was easier to let fools be fools.

Now Houjou knew the truth. And he knew what to do with it.

~~~

That night, Inuyasha held Kagome's hand tightly as Tsuraiuta and Myouga explained their union to his parents.

"I accept the bonding," Shuuraishi said formally.

"As do I," added Shirobou.

Inuyasha, Kagome, Myouga, and Tsuraiuta all bowed, then walked toward a cave used only for this purpose.

"I recognize Kagome and Inuyasha to be mated forever, heart, soul, and mind," Tsuraiuta said softly, placing both her hands over Kagome's.

"I recognize Inuyasha and Kagome to be mated forever, heart, soul, and mind," Myouga muttered, placing all his hands on Inuyasha's. Together, Tsuraiuta and Myouga placed Inuyasha's hand over Kagome's.

"I claim Kagome as my mate forever," Inuyasha said lovingly.

"I realize that Inuyasha has claimed me as his mate forever," Kagome whispered back. Tsuraiuta bowed, then set out a tray of food and a pair of chopsticks. Inuyasha and Kagome shared the meal, feeding each other.

Tsuraiuta and Myouga bowed again, then left, pushing the silk door over the mouth of the cave to give the newlyweds some...privacy.

Inuyasha smiled, walking to Kagome, then reaching for the sash on her wedding kimono. Too many layers on the damned thing. He growled, and began undressing her.

"Inuyasha," Kagome murmured.

"Hn?" he stopped yanking on the silks, and turned his face to hers. "What is it?"

"I don't get one thing - the ritual words say that I am your mate "forever, heart, soul, and mind". But, when Kouga mated me, he said the same thing."

Inuyasha paused. "I think it's because of two things: firstly, you really didn't understand what was going on. You didn't want to be Kouga's mate, and you didn't know how to convince yourself otherwise. I don't think the ritual works if you haven't at least convinced yourself that you love who you're mating with. And secondly...I don't know. This feels right, somehow, and I know it does for you, too. We had time. You, with that wolf bastard, didn't. He just said he wanted you and the next thing you knew, you were bonded."

"The bond wasn't really strong," Kagome said quietly. "Sometimes I thought it was all sex. And it was, really. There wasn't one night he just held me, like you do. And...you're gentle, but to a point. Kouga-kun treated me like I was made of pure glass, and if he didn't keep me tightly in his grip, I would break. He treated me like I couldn't do anything." Kagome felt tears forming in her eyes. Inuyasha brushed them away.

"Don't think about him now," Inuyasha advised. "I'm here now, and if he ever comes for you, I'll kick his ass from here to hell and back."

Kagome smiled. "Violent, aren't we?"

Inuyasha growled again, playfully this time, then reached for her kimono to finish what he had begun.

~~~

Two days later, during dinner at the Nishi Oukyuu

~~~

Kagome snuggled up to Inuyasha, feeling the jealous glares from all of the youkai women. They were angry that she had "stolen" Inuyasha from them. Well, their loss and her gain.

Sesshoumaru rolled his eyes. "That's so adorable it's disgusting," he commented to nobody in particular.

"Rin wants to know what disgusting means." Rin said in a determined tone.

"When you're older," Sesshoumaru said absentmindedly.

"Now that's something that's so cute it's disgusting," Inuyasha said with a devilish smirk. "The great and mighty Sesshoumaru with a cute little human girl on his lap."

"Shut up."

"Why don't you?" The conversation continued much in the same manner until Shuuraishi told his sons to shut the hell up.

The door burst open, and a tall wolf youkai stormed in. "Shuuraishi-sama!" he roared. "The slaver bastard Konton-ko sold a human girl to you that belonged to me! She was my mate!" Shuuraishi motioned for Kouga to come closer.

"I request that you give her back." Kouga continued, in a calmer tone.

"Like hell!" Inuyasha spat out, standing up and glaring at Kouga. "Kagome is mine now, bastard. You had your chance, and you fucked up big time."

Kouga smirked. "I have something to bargain with, unlike you."

Kagome's eyes widened. Oh, please, gods no...

"See, her family's safety relies on me. All I have to do is tell my wolves that her village is fair game, and they're dead as they stand." he looked to Shuuraishi. "So may I have my mate back?"

Shuuraishi closed his eyes. "That is up to Kagome. Completely and totally." Inuyasha felt his confidence growing. There was no way she would chose this wimpy wolf over him.

"I'll go with you, Kouga-kun," she said quietly. Inuyasha's jaw dropped. Kagome looked sadly at him. "He'll kill my family if I don't...my brother, my sister, my parents, all my friends from three years ago. That was how he got me all from my father. He said he wouldn't attack us if otousan would sell me to him."

"Tarimee da!" Kouga said proudly. "Of course you picked me, Kagome. Thank you, Shuuraishi-sama." With that, Kouga picked up Kagome and sped out of there like a bat out of hell.

"FUCK YOU!" Inuyasha hollered after him. "BASTARD!" He ran out as well, but instead went to the garden, where he proceeded to destroy everything in sight. He spun around, smelling Sesshoumaru. "What do you want, bastard?" he snarled out. "Come to laugh at the worthless hanyou that can't even protect his mate?"

"No," Sesshoumaru said calmly. "I'm here to knock some sense into you. Remember, the laws say you can fight that Kouga bastard over Kagome. I suggest you leave soon. He's a fast runner." Sesshoumaru tossed Tetsusaiga at his little brother.

"Remember what Tetsusaiga was created for: to protect chichi-ue's human mate. That's what he gave it to you for."

And with that, Sesshoumaru walked away.

Inuyasha felt the deepest form of hatred building in him. "I will hunt you down to the ends of the earth if I have to. And I will get Kagome back."

~~~

There we are. Hope you enjoyed that...by the way, 'tarimee da' means something along the lines of 'of course!'. It's a way of saying 'positively' like a punk Japanese teenage boy ^^

-Katra Winner