He moved through the shadows relieved that he was able to make it passed
that damned guard dog, Yukana. Then again he was no more then a shadow
anyway. No scent. His mission was simple enough; go in kidnap the lord's
mate and their three year old pup. His twin had the harder work.,
kidnapping the hanyou's mate and three children. He looked into the window
of the master bedroom to find the woman known as Rin sitting up in bed, as
he had previously observed. Now all he had to do was wait.
She had often done this as of late and she was getting better at not waking up Sesshoumaru. The dread continued to pool in the pit of her stomach, until she felt the need to rush to the bathroom and throw up. Sesshoumaru had already confirmed that she was indeed with pup again. She smiled as she made her way to the kitchen to get a drink of water to fight down the nausea. She pulled the robe tighter around her not even taking notice of the shadow that followed silently behind her.
On the way back to the room she went to check on little Inutaisho. Just as she opened the door to check on him she felt a cold arm reach out and snake around her waist and a hand clamped over her mouth muffling her scream. Just before darkness overtook her she saw a pair of floating red eyes. Her last thought was, that's not my mate.
When Rin came to again she was in a small room with a very concerned Kagome leaning over her. She moved her head to look around. Kioshi, Yarinko, Kaze and Inutaisho were all huddled together and doing what looked like a hand game of some kind.
"Here, Rin, let me take a look at you." Kagome said helping Rin to sit up. Rin's wide eyes took in the small room they were in. There were no windows and only a few lanterns to light the room; a large futon took up most of the space on the floor and what looked like a water bowl sat in the corner. Kagome checked her over for any injuries, her hand finally coming to rest on Rin's stomach. "How do you feel?"
"A little sick but I think that will pass soon." Rin's eyes turned back to the children. "How are they doing?"
"Kioshi can tell that this is not a good situation and is keeping them busy." Kagome said glancing at the children before getting up and feeling along the walls for a way out.
"Do you know who kidnapped us?" Rin asked getting up as well.
"I can only guess and I have a feeling that I would probably be right." Kagome's eyes darkened. "This would not be the first time he had tried something."
"Who?"
"The lord of the south."
Sesshoumaru woke suddenly to the fact that something felt wrong, very wrong. Reaching out for his mate he was met with a cold space. Fully awake now he sat up looking around.
"Rin." He called quietly. He slid off the futon and walked to the open door to the hall. Rin only left the door open when she went to the bathroom or to check on Inutaisho. "Rin." He called again, louder this time. Still no answer. Walking quickly he made his way to Inutaisho's room looking in he found the bed empty. Now he knew that something wasn't right. Rin would not just up and leave without telling him. For a passing moment, before he crushed the thought, he thought that maybe she had left him of her own free will, however, he knew that was impossible. Rin would never leave him.
"Yukana!" He roared finished with trying to be quiet. The dread was starting to pool in his stomach as worry took over his rational thoughts. A moment later a tired eyed Yukana appeared still dressed in her sleeping yukata but with her swords in hand.
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?" She asked drowsily.
"Have you seen or heard anything tonight?"
"Iie, there has been nothing to my knowledge that has dared to enter these grounds."
"Then is Rin and Inutaisho sleeping with you?" He knew that sometimes Inutaisho and Rin would sleep with Yukana doing what his half brother's mate called 'camping', whatever that was. But they seemed to like it and Sesshoumaru had allowed it since they were with Yukana.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, you're starting to scare me. Rin and Inutaisho were sleeping in the house. They have not come to me at all tonight." Yukana was utterly shocked as a look of pure torment overcame his face which usually held no emotions expect to Rin.
"I cannot find them, Yukana. I cannot smell them. Their scents stop where the doors leading outside stop." Sesshoumaru turned to look fully at Yukana and was surprised by what he saw there. Her face was pale and she looked as if she was going to be sick.
Yukana suddenly snapped out of her daze and reported, "Inuyasha-san coming this way."
Sesshoumaru was in such a state that he had missed that damned half breed's scent approaching his home. He rushed to the door almost knocking it off its hinges as he flung it open. There in the small courtyard stood his brother, panting, a look of mixed anger and horror on his face.
"Are they here?!" He yelled unable to make his voice take on any other level. Yukana appeared next to her master looking around him at Inuyasha.
"Who?" Yukana asked when Sesshoumaru didn't reply.
"Who else? Kagome, my pups! ARE THEY HERE!?" The anxiety rolled of him in waves, crashing into the two standing in the doorway.
"They aren't here. Why the hell would you come here just to check?" Sesshoumaru asked coldly.
"Because I found this and there was no scent to follow. It's like they just disappeared." Inuyasha threw the note he had found at his brother who deftly caught it. Sesshoumaru read it making sure that Yukana was able to read it.
"What the hell?"
Kagome paced the length of the room easily as she thought about how she could get them out of there. Suddenly the door opened and a woman carrying a tray and a child before the door was promptly swung shut. Kagome move so that she was between the new comers and Rin and the children.
"Who are you?" She demanded watching as the woman set down the tray of food and began to fix plates for them.
"I am Hiroka. I'm sorry my mate did this to you and if I was not so sick and had to worry about Mizuko then I would help you out of here." She sighed handing a bowl out to Rin. "You smell as if you need this the most." She smiled reassuringly as Rin took the bowl and took the first bite.
"Arigato." Rin replied between mouthfuls. Hiroka went about passing out bowls of food to everyone.
"Why don't you just leave your mate?" Kagome asked.
"Why do you think he had to wait till now before he was able to do anything?" Hiroka raised her eyebrows refilling Rin's bowl in the process. Her eyes then drifted to Mizuko who was talking with the other children, taking special interest in Inutaisho. She was leaning against the hanyou while she ate with the help of young Yarinko. Yarinko was helping both Inutaisho and Mizuko eat while Kioshi helped his little sister eat.
Kagome watched the children for a while before turning back to Hiroka. "I can feel that your aura is weak. How long do you think you will live?"
Rin looked started but stayed quiet while Hiroka answered, "I think I'll live till she's about ten or twelve. Hopefully by then I will have taught her enough that she will be free of her father. Until then I can do nothing. I am sorry." The three women fell quiet again. "Your mates will be here soon. I'm not sure how my husband will react to it. With any luck they will kill him." She got a sad smile on her face as she began to clean up the mess made by the dinner.
"What will happen after all this? Will your mate stop fighting with Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin asked hopefully, but her hopes went out the door when Hiroka turned her saddened face toward her.
"I'm afraid that most likely I will die soon, Mizuko will get away, and my mate will still be trying to take over the western lands." She smiled then and winked at the two. "If my husband was really smart he would have gotten a betrothal between our children."
Rin and Kagome blinked several times before finding the irony in the whole thing. The two were only a year apart and it looked as if they got along already. As of that moment Inutaisho was pulling Mizuko close to him and the two children fell instantly asleep. Hiroka watched them for a few moments; watching as the other children gathered up and fell asleep. She then turned back to the two women.
"They have the right idea. It's late and you should really get some sleep." She gathered up the tray and slid it out the door with instructions for it to be returned to the kitchen then came back for her sleeping child, who seemed to not want to let go of Inutaisho.
Kagome turned to Rin when the two had left the room. "She's right. Get some sleep. Sesshoumaru-san and Inuyasha will be here in the morning."
Sesshoumaru waited impatiently for his half breed brother to come back from scouting around the other side of the oversized castle. His fury was so great that all he wanted to do was race in and save his mate and murder the man responsible. However, his brother had insisted that they checked things out and try to get their mates out as quietly as possible. Sesshoumaru knew that his brother was on the verge of turning full youkai at the sudden and almost violent loss of his mate.
"They scents are coming from the southeast side of the castle, where there are no windows. However, I did find some ventilation holes drilled into the side of the castle wall." Inuyasha said from beside his brother as he reappeared from his scouting.
"Are they hurt?" Sesshoumaru asked coldly.
"From what I can smell and hear they are fine and asleep."
Sesshoumaru looked over the castle again. Perhaps he could kill the lord's mate and child, but somehow he could not bring himself to do it and he knew it. Inuyasha lead him around the back, surprised at how demon-like his brother acted. He would have to think differently about him from now on. If this night played out like Inuyasha intended then he, Sesshoumaru, would deem him worthy of his respect.
When they reached the place where Inuyasha had smelt their mates there was already a woman waiting there with a small child in her arms asleep. Instantly the two brothers reached for their swords.
"There is no need to raise your sword against me. I am here to help you." She whispered looking around as if to make sure no one was around. Sesshoumaru was surprised at the amount of sickness coming from the woman and glancing over to his brother knew he knew as well.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Inuyasha hissed, only relaxing slightly.
"I am Hiroka, and I'm going to help you get your mates and pups back.." She said her voice cool, but still low. She reached out and touched the wall with two of her fingers and thumb. The wall turned red as it melted under her touch. Soon there was a hole large enough for even Sesshoumaru to bend through comfortably. She then turned and looked at the two men.
"There you go." She stepped to the side and let them pass. Inuyasha was the first one through the hole rushing to his wife to wake her and gather their children. Sesshoumaru went straight for his pregnant mate slowly waking her. Rin blinked open her eyes and focused on Sesshoumaru.
"Sesshoumaru-sama?" She asked hopefully. When he nodded she threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, Sesshoumaru-sama, I was so scared." She leaned back far enough so that he could see the unshed tears in her eyes. "But Kagome was here."
"Let's get Inutaisho and get out of here before he notices you're gone." He helped her to stand then went to his child, seeing as Inuyasha and Kagome had already retrieved theirs, and picked up the sleeping pup. They exited through the hole in the wall. Inuyasha and his mate already waiting.
Sesshoumaru stopped next to Hiroka and whispered so that only she could hear, "Is there anything that I can do in return for your help?"
Hiroka looked at him for a moment then smiled softly. "I can ask of nothing now, but you will know the time when you can return the favor to me or my daughter."
Sesshoumaru knew from the look in her eyes that the favor would be to her daughter and not to her. Nodding he scooped up his mate and bounded off after Inuyasha. It didn't take them that long to return to the safety of Sesshoumaru's mansion. Yukana ran up to Rin pulling her into a tight hug.
"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin asked timidly looking to her mate. He glanced down at her to let her know that he was listening. "Could they stay the night here, they really need the rest and they can start out in the morning."
Sesshoumaru turned fully now to look at her, surprised at her request. He looked to his brother and his mate. The children were still sleeping and Kagome looked as if she was about to faint. He nodded, giving his silent permission. Yukana picked up Kaze and Yurinko and led the way down the corridor to where they could spend the night. Inuyasha was thoroughly surprised at his brother. He had never let him linger this long in his home let alone stay the night.
"Arigato, Sesshoumaru. I know Kagome could really use a rest." He sighed combing a hand through his silvery hair. "And to think they were only gone for a day." He sighed and started to follow his mate to the room when he was stopped by Sesshoumaru's soft but firm voice.
"No, thank you, Inuyasha. You have earned my respect." With that he turned on heel and walked in the opposite direction. Smiling Inuyasha continued on to his mate.
Yukana took Inutaisho from his mother as Rin returned to the rooms she shared with her mate, surprised to see that it was already dark again as she passed by the windows. She entered the room to be instantly taken up into a fierce embrace by her mate.
"How the hell did they get away?!" Lord South, for he was known by no other name, shouted at the nearest guard. He then rounded on his mate. "You had better not of had anything to do with this, wench, or you're going to die sooner then you hoped." With that he stormed off. Hiroka looked down at her small child, who was wide away but had no tears in her eyes.
"Soon everything will be fine. Soon these lands will be yours my love." Hiroka whispered, with a small sad smile.
When dawn came the next morning there was a loud wail. One of anguish and loss as Inutaisho woke to not be able to find or smell the child from the night before. The only being there that had been able to comfort his scared mind. Although no other person in the house could understand the crying he suffered for the next three weeks.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Yes, I know it's not to my usual standard and that its kind of jumpy at the end, but look its like two in the morning and I really wanted to finish this before I had to leave for home. You know the dreaded place that has no decent computer. I also realized that Rin could have used her mind abilities to escape, but look at it this way she was in stress, she's pregnant, and tired. I just hope it's long enough to make up for the lack of updates due to studying. I hope not to let this happen again. I think that's all I really have to say. Oh, yes I'm thinking about moving some of my more.potent lemons to AFF.NET and any others that I'm.working.on to there so as not to upset anyone. Ja Ne..and R and R. I just love that.
She had often done this as of late and she was getting better at not waking up Sesshoumaru. The dread continued to pool in the pit of her stomach, until she felt the need to rush to the bathroom and throw up. Sesshoumaru had already confirmed that she was indeed with pup again. She smiled as she made her way to the kitchen to get a drink of water to fight down the nausea. She pulled the robe tighter around her not even taking notice of the shadow that followed silently behind her.
On the way back to the room she went to check on little Inutaisho. Just as she opened the door to check on him she felt a cold arm reach out and snake around her waist and a hand clamped over her mouth muffling her scream. Just before darkness overtook her she saw a pair of floating red eyes. Her last thought was, that's not my mate.
When Rin came to again she was in a small room with a very concerned Kagome leaning over her. She moved her head to look around. Kioshi, Yarinko, Kaze and Inutaisho were all huddled together and doing what looked like a hand game of some kind.
"Here, Rin, let me take a look at you." Kagome said helping Rin to sit up. Rin's wide eyes took in the small room they were in. There were no windows and only a few lanterns to light the room; a large futon took up most of the space on the floor and what looked like a water bowl sat in the corner. Kagome checked her over for any injuries, her hand finally coming to rest on Rin's stomach. "How do you feel?"
"A little sick but I think that will pass soon." Rin's eyes turned back to the children. "How are they doing?"
"Kioshi can tell that this is not a good situation and is keeping them busy." Kagome said glancing at the children before getting up and feeling along the walls for a way out.
"Do you know who kidnapped us?" Rin asked getting up as well.
"I can only guess and I have a feeling that I would probably be right." Kagome's eyes darkened. "This would not be the first time he had tried something."
"Who?"
"The lord of the south."
Sesshoumaru woke suddenly to the fact that something felt wrong, very wrong. Reaching out for his mate he was met with a cold space. Fully awake now he sat up looking around.
"Rin." He called quietly. He slid off the futon and walked to the open door to the hall. Rin only left the door open when she went to the bathroom or to check on Inutaisho. "Rin." He called again, louder this time. Still no answer. Walking quickly he made his way to Inutaisho's room looking in he found the bed empty. Now he knew that something wasn't right. Rin would not just up and leave without telling him. For a passing moment, before he crushed the thought, he thought that maybe she had left him of her own free will, however, he knew that was impossible. Rin would never leave him.
"Yukana!" He roared finished with trying to be quiet. The dread was starting to pool in his stomach as worry took over his rational thoughts. A moment later a tired eyed Yukana appeared still dressed in her sleeping yukata but with her swords in hand.
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama?" She asked drowsily.
"Have you seen or heard anything tonight?"
"Iie, there has been nothing to my knowledge that has dared to enter these grounds."
"Then is Rin and Inutaisho sleeping with you?" He knew that sometimes Inutaisho and Rin would sleep with Yukana doing what his half brother's mate called 'camping', whatever that was. But they seemed to like it and Sesshoumaru had allowed it since they were with Yukana.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, you're starting to scare me. Rin and Inutaisho were sleeping in the house. They have not come to me at all tonight." Yukana was utterly shocked as a look of pure torment overcame his face which usually held no emotions expect to Rin.
"I cannot find them, Yukana. I cannot smell them. Their scents stop where the doors leading outside stop." Sesshoumaru turned to look fully at Yukana and was surprised by what he saw there. Her face was pale and she looked as if she was going to be sick.
Yukana suddenly snapped out of her daze and reported, "Inuyasha-san coming this way."
Sesshoumaru was in such a state that he had missed that damned half breed's scent approaching his home. He rushed to the door almost knocking it off its hinges as he flung it open. There in the small courtyard stood his brother, panting, a look of mixed anger and horror on his face.
"Are they here?!" He yelled unable to make his voice take on any other level. Yukana appeared next to her master looking around him at Inuyasha.
"Who?" Yukana asked when Sesshoumaru didn't reply.
"Who else? Kagome, my pups! ARE THEY HERE!?" The anxiety rolled of him in waves, crashing into the two standing in the doorway.
"They aren't here. Why the hell would you come here just to check?" Sesshoumaru asked coldly.
"Because I found this and there was no scent to follow. It's like they just disappeared." Inuyasha threw the note he had found at his brother who deftly caught it. Sesshoumaru read it making sure that Yukana was able to read it.
"What the hell?"
Kagome paced the length of the room easily as she thought about how she could get them out of there. Suddenly the door opened and a woman carrying a tray and a child before the door was promptly swung shut. Kagome move so that she was between the new comers and Rin and the children.
"Who are you?" She demanded watching as the woman set down the tray of food and began to fix plates for them.
"I am Hiroka. I'm sorry my mate did this to you and if I was not so sick and had to worry about Mizuko then I would help you out of here." She sighed handing a bowl out to Rin. "You smell as if you need this the most." She smiled reassuringly as Rin took the bowl and took the first bite.
"Arigato." Rin replied between mouthfuls. Hiroka went about passing out bowls of food to everyone.
"Why don't you just leave your mate?" Kagome asked.
"Why do you think he had to wait till now before he was able to do anything?" Hiroka raised her eyebrows refilling Rin's bowl in the process. Her eyes then drifted to Mizuko who was talking with the other children, taking special interest in Inutaisho. She was leaning against the hanyou while she ate with the help of young Yarinko. Yarinko was helping both Inutaisho and Mizuko eat while Kioshi helped his little sister eat.
Kagome watched the children for a while before turning back to Hiroka. "I can feel that your aura is weak. How long do you think you will live?"
Rin looked started but stayed quiet while Hiroka answered, "I think I'll live till she's about ten or twelve. Hopefully by then I will have taught her enough that she will be free of her father. Until then I can do nothing. I am sorry." The three women fell quiet again. "Your mates will be here soon. I'm not sure how my husband will react to it. With any luck they will kill him." She got a sad smile on her face as she began to clean up the mess made by the dinner.
"What will happen after all this? Will your mate stop fighting with Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin asked hopefully, but her hopes went out the door when Hiroka turned her saddened face toward her.
"I'm afraid that most likely I will die soon, Mizuko will get away, and my mate will still be trying to take over the western lands." She smiled then and winked at the two. "If my husband was really smart he would have gotten a betrothal between our children."
Rin and Kagome blinked several times before finding the irony in the whole thing. The two were only a year apart and it looked as if they got along already. As of that moment Inutaisho was pulling Mizuko close to him and the two children fell instantly asleep. Hiroka watched them for a few moments; watching as the other children gathered up and fell asleep. She then turned back to the two women.
"They have the right idea. It's late and you should really get some sleep." She gathered up the tray and slid it out the door with instructions for it to be returned to the kitchen then came back for her sleeping child, who seemed to not want to let go of Inutaisho.
Kagome turned to Rin when the two had left the room. "She's right. Get some sleep. Sesshoumaru-san and Inuyasha will be here in the morning."
Sesshoumaru waited impatiently for his half breed brother to come back from scouting around the other side of the oversized castle. His fury was so great that all he wanted to do was race in and save his mate and murder the man responsible. However, his brother had insisted that they checked things out and try to get their mates out as quietly as possible. Sesshoumaru knew that his brother was on the verge of turning full youkai at the sudden and almost violent loss of his mate.
"They scents are coming from the southeast side of the castle, where there are no windows. However, I did find some ventilation holes drilled into the side of the castle wall." Inuyasha said from beside his brother as he reappeared from his scouting.
"Are they hurt?" Sesshoumaru asked coldly.
"From what I can smell and hear they are fine and asleep."
Sesshoumaru looked over the castle again. Perhaps he could kill the lord's mate and child, but somehow he could not bring himself to do it and he knew it. Inuyasha lead him around the back, surprised at how demon-like his brother acted. He would have to think differently about him from now on. If this night played out like Inuyasha intended then he, Sesshoumaru, would deem him worthy of his respect.
When they reached the place where Inuyasha had smelt their mates there was already a woman waiting there with a small child in her arms asleep. Instantly the two brothers reached for their swords.
"There is no need to raise your sword against me. I am here to help you." She whispered looking around as if to make sure no one was around. Sesshoumaru was surprised at the amount of sickness coming from the woman and glancing over to his brother knew he knew as well.
"Who are you and why are you here?" Inuyasha hissed, only relaxing slightly.
"I am Hiroka, and I'm going to help you get your mates and pups back.." She said her voice cool, but still low. She reached out and touched the wall with two of her fingers and thumb. The wall turned red as it melted under her touch. Soon there was a hole large enough for even Sesshoumaru to bend through comfortably. She then turned and looked at the two men.
"There you go." She stepped to the side and let them pass. Inuyasha was the first one through the hole rushing to his wife to wake her and gather their children. Sesshoumaru went straight for his pregnant mate slowly waking her. Rin blinked open her eyes and focused on Sesshoumaru.
"Sesshoumaru-sama?" She asked hopefully. When he nodded she threw her arms around his neck. "Oh, Sesshoumaru-sama, I was so scared." She leaned back far enough so that he could see the unshed tears in her eyes. "But Kagome was here."
"Let's get Inutaisho and get out of here before he notices you're gone." He helped her to stand then went to his child, seeing as Inuyasha and Kagome had already retrieved theirs, and picked up the sleeping pup. They exited through the hole in the wall. Inuyasha and his mate already waiting.
Sesshoumaru stopped next to Hiroka and whispered so that only she could hear, "Is there anything that I can do in return for your help?"
Hiroka looked at him for a moment then smiled softly. "I can ask of nothing now, but you will know the time when you can return the favor to me or my daughter."
Sesshoumaru knew from the look in her eyes that the favor would be to her daughter and not to her. Nodding he scooped up his mate and bounded off after Inuyasha. It didn't take them that long to return to the safety of Sesshoumaru's mansion. Yukana ran up to Rin pulling her into a tight hug.
"Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin asked timidly looking to her mate. He glanced down at her to let her know that he was listening. "Could they stay the night here, they really need the rest and they can start out in the morning."
Sesshoumaru turned fully now to look at her, surprised at her request. He looked to his brother and his mate. The children were still sleeping and Kagome looked as if she was about to faint. He nodded, giving his silent permission. Yukana picked up Kaze and Yurinko and led the way down the corridor to where they could spend the night. Inuyasha was thoroughly surprised at his brother. He had never let him linger this long in his home let alone stay the night.
"Arigato, Sesshoumaru. I know Kagome could really use a rest." He sighed combing a hand through his silvery hair. "And to think they were only gone for a day." He sighed and started to follow his mate to the room when he was stopped by Sesshoumaru's soft but firm voice.
"No, thank you, Inuyasha. You have earned my respect." With that he turned on heel and walked in the opposite direction. Smiling Inuyasha continued on to his mate.
Yukana took Inutaisho from his mother as Rin returned to the rooms she shared with her mate, surprised to see that it was already dark again as she passed by the windows. She entered the room to be instantly taken up into a fierce embrace by her mate.
"How the hell did they get away?!" Lord South, for he was known by no other name, shouted at the nearest guard. He then rounded on his mate. "You had better not of had anything to do with this, wench, or you're going to die sooner then you hoped." With that he stormed off. Hiroka looked down at her small child, who was wide away but had no tears in her eyes.
"Soon everything will be fine. Soon these lands will be yours my love." Hiroka whispered, with a small sad smile.
When dawn came the next morning there was a loud wail. One of anguish and loss as Inutaisho woke to not be able to find or smell the child from the night before. The only being there that had been able to comfort his scared mind. Although no other person in the house could understand the crying he suffered for the next three weeks.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Yes, I know it's not to my usual standard and that its kind of jumpy at the end, but look its like two in the morning and I really wanted to finish this before I had to leave for home. You know the dreaded place that has no decent computer. I also realized that Rin could have used her mind abilities to escape, but look at it this way she was in stress, she's pregnant, and tired. I just hope it's long enough to make up for the lack of updates due to studying. I hope not to let this happen again. I think that's all I really have to say. Oh, yes I'm thinking about moving some of my more.potent lemons to AFF.NET and any others that I'm.working.on to there so as not to upset anyone. Ja Ne..and R and R. I just love that.