Chapter 2

At the enterance to the tomb, Sesshoumaru stood for a moment thinking to himself. Did he want to know the truth? What would his father say concerning his human wife.

Fury rose up in him as his hand tightened around Katame's arm. 'Damn her. she will die slowly for this.' He threw her into the tomb and walked in behind her followed by the now grovelling servant.

The tomb was deep and horrible. The great imposing skelletal remains of Sugumi-sama, the father of Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha stood leering down at them. All about him were the skulls of long dead enemies of the great lord.

Sesshoumaru drew his long sword and struck the remains of the great demon. The entire tomb began to shake as the skulls of the lord's ancient enemies fell away from the paws of the great demon lord. Slowly the emmence figure began to rise and stand up, his terrible frame towering over Katame and Sesshoumaru.

"Who dares enter my tomb to wake me from my long sleep!" Thundered a voice that seemed to come from all around.

"I do, father, it is I, Sesshoumaru your son."

"Son?...Why does my son wake me from my rest, what is it you want?" The huge mussle of the lord came within mere inches of Sesshoumaru's face.

Suddenly a sent reached the great demon and he thundered, "Human! You have brought a human into my tomb!"

For the first time Katame thought she saw Sesshoumaru tremble. 'He is afraid of his father, what have I done! If lord Sesshoumaru fears him, what will become of me?' She thought to herself. 'I must act fast.'

"This woman has offered her life to me if She lies to me. But what she has said only you can tell the truth of the matter."

Katame ran forward to address the great dog demon, Sugumi-sama. "Forgive me my lord, but you had once taken for yourself a human wife and produced a son by her." The great head turned slightly toward her.

"Silence," Sesshoumaru said, raising his hand to stike her, but defiantly she shook her finger at him shouting.

"You can't do that yet. You don't know whether or not I have lied to you."

Suddenly a great howl of laughter rang though the tomb, both Sesshoumaru and Katame looked up in suprise to see the lord shaking with mirth.

"Who is this you have brought to me my son?"

"The wench is called K..."

"Katame." She interupted, "And I have said to your son, Sesshoumaru, that it is possible for one as great as you to make up your own mind about who you will take to wife. And that it is not for him to pass judgement on you or the son of your love."

"Katame..." lord Sesshoumaru said in a dangerously low voice.

"You still can't kill me, not until your father answers."
The great dog demon turned to walk away. "Come my son, and I will speak with you concerning this matter. Katame!" Lord Sugumi-sama spoke harshly. "You will stay here... and await your lord's pleasure."

Katame trembled as she bowed her head in acknowlegement of the command. 'Await my lord's pleasure what did he mean? Who's pleasure?' She thought for a moment and then began to shake visibly at what 'pleasure' might mean.

And so she waited. It seemed as though time itself had streched out forever when finally the demon and his son returned.

If it were possible Sesshoumaru looked even more beautiful and terrible than when she first layed eyes on him. Lord Sugumi-sama approached and looked down at the frightened Katame. He seemed to smile as he spoke which frightened Katame all the more.

"Katame! You have promised your life to my son have you not?" Katame could only nod. "Go now, to my son and kneel before him." Came his firm command.

Katame's heart sank into the very pits of her being. The great dog demon would give her to Sesshoumaru to kill. Slowly she stood, went to Sesshoumaru and knelt at the feet of the fierce lord. She bowed her head, awaiting the pleasure she was sure to feel at lord Sesshoumaru's hand.

The great lord Sugumi-sama spoke to her again, "Kagome, you have not lied to my son concerning me. However you have been entirely too bold. You must learn to keep your place girl. This is my command concerning you. My son is to take you to wife and you must bear him sons. He will teach you to behave yourself. Although, I am forbiding him to kill you, and he is to protect your life from those who would harm you. But you will be his to the end of your days."

Katame could not beleive her ears, why had the great lord condemmed her to such a terrible fate? She looked up at her husband's face, his eyes were blazing red with fury at his father's command not to kill her.

He glared down at her with a cruel smile playing accross his lips.

"NO! .....no you can't do that to me my lord.... Please, sire, your son hates me, he will torment me terribly! Please, lord, kill me yourself now, do not comdemn me to such a horrible fate." She cried pleading with her face to the ground.

But, the great lord Sugumi-sama would hear nothing of it.

"Katame! I have spoken. My son will obey my voice, AS WILL YOU !" Boomed the loud voice. "Now both of you go. Leave me to my rest."

Lord Sesshoumaru was furious not only could he not kill the insufferable wench, but now he was ordered to mate with her.

Well then, if he was also commanded to teach her to behave then he would do so as painfully as possible. Starting with the bed!

He reached down and grabbed Katame by the hair and dragged Katame to her feet. "Come, wife." He growled showing his fangs.

They left the tomb and flew off into the night.

The rain was pouring down as they arrived at the palace. Everything was dark and forboding. The servants all scattered as they saw the look on their master's face. For he was well known to kill anyone who got in his way when he was angry. And he was very angry indeed.

The lord Sesshoumaru stormed into the palace and into his inner chamber dragging his terrified wife. He tossed her to the floor and descending down upon her, his eyes blazing red, he wispered into her ear "Now, Katame, for your lord's pleasure."

Katame screamed.

Sesshoumaru's wrath was terrible he had taken Katame as hard as he dared. Her blood flowed from between her legs but he would show her no compassion. He reached down and filling his hands with her blood he smeared her face and breasts with it. Still his anger blazed hot against her.

Sesshoumaru studied his trembling wife. 'If only I could punish her properly.' He thought to himself. She was too small, if he beat her she would not survive, damn his father's decree! Then a thought came to him. 'She acts like an insolent pup let her suffer as one.' Taking her in his hands he turned her face down and beat her soundly apout the bottom and tops of her legs.

Katame cried hard apologising and begging for mercy, but mercy would not come, not yet.

"Be silent!" came the order. "You will have no mercy from me woman, not untill I am satified you have been punished properly for your offences." He let her go and she curled into a ball weeping as quietly as she could.

He stood looking down at her in his anger. This would have to do, for now. He could not risk killing her. There would be another day. He left her to her pain.

So it would go with her. For several weeks Sesshoumaru would be excessively harsh with her. Even the tiniest hint of disobedience was met with several hard smacks.

She tried her best to appease the angry demon as best she could. But, Sesshoumaru would not accept it. She would cook for him but he would stubournly refuse to try it. Siting that with his demon heritage he didn't need or want human food, even if it did smell delisious.

She resigned herself to his hand. Staying out of sight for most of the time. Enduring as quietly as she could, his cruelty in the night.