Kaze no Kizu= wound of the wind
New Characters Introduced:
Derten
Race: Bear youkai Occupation: Lord of the north-west
Lord of the North-western lands. His lands boarder Sesshomaru's. As of right now he isn't important, just some lord who shows up to talk to Sesshomaru.
Chapter 5
Training
She was not even halfway done putting her things away when a familiar girl came flying into her room in a whirl wind off joy and laughter.
"Kagome-sama. Can I help too?" Rin asked with big, wide, brown eyes sparkling in joy.
She forced a smile on her face as she faced the happy child. Some how Rin made her feel better, just like Shippo tended to.
"Of course Rin-chan." She answered with a smile and a hug.
Her anger dissipated as the two of them worked together, setting Sekira at ease as her purifying powers dropped.
"Human's are very strange creatures." Sekira thought to herself.
No self respecting youkai noble would put her own stuff away or decorate her own room. That was what servants were for. The things Kagome pulled out of that strange bag were very strange indeed.
Clothes she had never seen before. Figurines of various things, some she recognized, others she did not. A few dolls and stuffed animal, which Rin squealed over. Kagome smiled at the girl and gave her a small, black, dog plushy.
It was the last items that confused the Kitsune. They looked like extremely realistic paintings of various people, most wearing strange clothes. Kagome was in most of them and the backgrounds were very strange, even more so then the clothing. Those in frames she set on various surfaces, others were kept in books or boxes.
Kagome sighed wistfully as she looked through one of her books of pictures, Feudal Era writing on the side of it. Rin sat next to her, looking at the pictures.
"I remember him!" Rin exclaimed as they looked at a picture with Inuyasha in. "He helped rescue me when Kagura took me."
"That is Inuyasha. He's Sesshomaru-sama's younger, half brother." Kagome explained as she went through the book and pointed out pictures to Rin and explained who the people in them were.
Rin got really excited when she learned Kohaku had an older sister and wanted to learn every thing there was to know about her. Kagome sighed as the two of them sat across from each other at the small table.
Both talked animatedly as Kagome told Rin all about Sango and the girl returned the favour by taking about Kohaku. Some how the subject turn to reading and writing, and Kagome was surprised Rin didn't know how.
Determination in her eyes, she sent Sekira to find paper, brush and ink. The Kitsune bowed her way out and returned sometime later. It was almost noon by this point and Kagome sent Sekira to get them some food to eat and than gave the Kitsune permission to go on a brake until supper unless if an emergency came up.
Paper, ink, and brush in hand, Kagome started with the things every child loved, how to spell their own name and the names of their loved ones. Rin hummed away happily, writing her name all over a piece of ink splattered paper. Kagome made a mental note to grab some of those summer help book for kids in the earlier grades that covered basic math and reading, as well as some of Souta's old childhood books.
She felt someone watching them and only then realized she felt the youki of a strong youkai near by. She looked up to see Sesshomaru standing at the door, watching them silently.
Kagome excused herself from a distracted Rin and walked up to meet him.
"My lord?" She bowed her head respectfully, all too aware of the little, hero-worshiping girl behind her who continued to write her name sloppily on the paper provided, unaware of the two of them talking behind her.
"You are teaching her to write?" It was more of a statement then a question.
"Yes. I would like to go back to my time and get some school books and other learning material for children her age. My younger brother doesn't need them anymore and I would like to buy some of the books for children her age. I could also retrieve more of my possessions. I left a lot of stuff behind. It's all I have left of home."
"This is your home and your old life is obsolete." He said coldly.
"Obsolete?" She growled angrily.
Her anger rose dangerously. He had pushed another wrong button with her. He quickly averted her anger before she could do something to hurt him or scare Rin, or both.
"I will take you to your mothers home after our mating ceremony if it is completed to my satisfaction. Agreed?"
"Agreed." She agreed.
"Rin." He called, silently dismissing her.
She held back her huff of anger at having been pushed aside so rudely.
"Sesshomaru-sama. Look what Kagome-sama showed me to do." The girl cried excitedly as she ran up to him, proudly waving the paper with everyone's names sloppily written on it, spilling ink as she went.
"I'll buy some pencils, pens, crayons, paper and other stationary too." She mumbled to herself. "As a matter of fact, I had better get a shopping list going."
"Rin, your warder has been looking for you." He said simply.
"Okay. Bye Kagome-sama. Can we pick flowers tomorrow afternoon?"
"Of course Rin-chan. A few flowers would certainly liven my room up." Kagome smiled down at her, ignoring the cold blooded inuyoukai beside her. "Don't forget your doll." She reminded.
"Oh, right."
Rin bolted back to where she had been sitting and grabbed her little, black, doggie doll before running out of the room with a cheerful "bye, Kagome-sama."
"She is such a wonderful child. I find it amazing someone as emotionally cold as you are could raise such a high spirited child." She commented as she watched Rin skip down the hallway, humming to herself.
"I am not without emotion." He said simply.
"Could have fooled me. Other then anger, I haven't seen any others." Kagome thought, but kept it to herself. "Did you need me for something my lord?" She asked instead.
"It is late afternoon." Was his answer.
"Tea time." She noted. "Please allow me to change into something more appropriate."
He simple turned and left, walking quietly and gracefully away.
"Jerk." She thought as she retreated back into her bedroom, changing into one of the many kimono's Sesshomaru had provided for her. She was just trying to tie the obi when Sekira came in and helped her.
"Arigato." Kagome mumbled. "I hate these damn things."
Sekira didn't respond, though she did smile, as she led her to the tea room.
"This damn place is a flipping maze." Kagome grumbled silently to herself, wondering if she was ever going to figure this place out.
Sesshomaru and another lord were already seated when she walked in.
"Oh great, company." She thought despairingly as she tried to remember all of the etiquette Sekira and her history teacher had tried to hammer into her. "My Lords." She bowed respectfully before taking a seat to Sesshomaru's right.
"Kagome-sama." The visiting lord acknowledged before turning his attention back to Sesshomaru.
Kagome began, remembering to serve the visiting lord first before her mate, then herself. If the lord had brought a mate with him, she would have served the woman before herself.
"Male guest of lord or other such high rank, male family of lordship or higher, their mates after them, guest first of course, then the other visiting males before the house males, then all other females, visitor first." She mentally recited as she set the pot down after pouring her own.
She waited for the males to sip theirs first before taking a sip from her own. She sat quietly, a small smile forced on her face as the two lords talked in a language she didn't know. She stopped her own sipping to refill their tea the moment they were empty, guest first of course.
A servant replaced the tea pot the moment the tea got half warm. She got board quickly and entertained herself by thinking of Rin's schedule, trying to remember her own schooling.
She almost didn't notice when the two men had finished talking. She stood as they did and moved to stand next to Sesshomaru as he bid the other lord goodbye.
Kagome offered a bow of her own, which the strange lord acknowledged with an inclining of his head before turning and following a servant out. She waited several seconds before relaxing.
"Well done." He commented to her.
"Thank you. A warning would have been appreciated."
He didn't respond and she held back an exasperated sigh.
"Who was that?" She asked.
"Lord Derten. He rules the North-western mountain ranges."
"That means he borders your kingdom. Right?"
"Indeed. Come. Tonight is dinner lessons."
She followed him out of the room and into the dinning hall where dinner was already laid out. She sat to his right, always to his right, as he directed her in proper dinner etiquette. The proper way to sit, the proper way to bring the food to her mouth, and other such things.
"Amazing how so much formality goes into something so simple as eating." She thought slightly annoyed and amused at the same time.
She managed to make it through without too much mishap. It was just a matter of practice more then anything. That wouldn't be too hard. They retired for the evening after dinner, going their separate ways, Kagome to her room and Sesshomaru to his study.
She folded her clothes and put them away. She put on one of the evening gowns her mother had bought for her eighteenth birthday, the jade silk soft against her skin and whisked as she moved.
She finished putting things where she wanted them, the room feeling a little more like home with her pictures up and some of her figurines set up. She had so much other stuff she wished she could bring back with her. The more she brought with her, the more at home she felt, despite the fact that she was living with Inuyasha's brother and was, for all intents and purposes, mated to him.
She shuddered, suddenly cold. She rubbed her arms, feeling goose bumps. The memories of their first mating coming back to her full fledged. She whimpered, and tried to chase the memories away with work.
She sat down at her table and, using the ink, pen, and paper that Rin had been using, wrote out a shopping list of things she wanted to pick up and bring back with her. She divided the list in half. Things she owned and things she needed to buy.
It helped, but only for so long. It didn't take long for the list to be finished. She sighed, shuddering again as she tried not to think about it, but it came back full force. She whimpered and hugged her knees as she remembered the pain and fear of her first time.
"It wasn't suppose to be like that." She whimpered to herself. "It was suppose to be a romantic moment with someone I loved. It wasn't suppose to hurt so much."
She cried silently and rocked back and forth as the memory replayed in vivid detail. The pain. The fear. The helplessness. It circled around in her mind, not letting her go.
(POV)
He retired to his chambers, a little annoyed that Kagome was not in them to fulfill her duty as his mate and prepare him for bed. He would have been angry, but his sharp sense of hearing picked out the sound of her sobs.
He opened the door to her room and saw her curled up next to the table, tears streaming down her face as she cried, her scent racked with salt, fear, pain and sorrow. This could not be good for her if she was with child, which he was beginning to suspect. Her scent had changed again indicating she had skipped her cycle, a sure sign, though he wanted to be positive. It was not unheard of for women to miss a cycle, especially during times of strong duress.
He walked up to her, debating on what course of action to take. If he moved wrongly she could become angry and potentially cause a fair amount of damage. He decided on a course of action and moved in. He kneeled down next to her and picked her up, feeling her body stiffen in shock.
He carried her to their bed and casually placed her in it before stripping and joining her. She curled up and tried to move away from him. He caught her and pulled her into his embrace.
"Let me go." She snarled. "I hate you."
Her anger was once again rising dangerously.
"You are mine and will perform your duties." He ordered in a dead pan voice.
"I will never be yours." She snarled, thrashing against him in blind panic, her mind caught in two places. "I hate you, you raping bastard." She snarled at him, her powers starting to rise dangerously. "I hate you. Let me go."
Her power burned him, but he held on anyway. The pain was slight and easily ignored.
"You are delirious."
"If I am it's your fault. Everything is your fault. It was suppose to be Inuyasha, not you. For someone claiming to be smarter than him, better than him, I find it surprising that you didn't follow his example and lock yourself up on such a dangerous night. I hate you. Let me go. Damn it, let me go."
He snarled as he forced her under him, pinning her to the bed, his eyes flashing red in anger. Her power cackled against his own youki and a lesser youkai would already have been purified to death. His hair stood on end and his power called for her submission or death.
"My doing wench?" He snarled. "I have NEVER lost control, full moon or otherwise. What were you doing alone and unguarded I wonder? Was this all part of your plan to get me mated to a pathetic human to ruin my reputation?" He demanded. "An attempt to steal my power?"
"What do I care about your reputation or power?" She snarled back at him, her power crackling between them.
She wasn't scared. She was furious and almost to the brink of losing control. He was right behind her. She was being disobedient and his blood demanded he subdue her. Had they not been mated it would have demanded nothing short of either her total submission or death.
He snarled at her, closing his eyes in an attempt to regain control before he lost it and did something he would regret later.
"Get off of me." She commanded.
He slipped a little more, surprised he was having a hard time not to obey her.
"I said get off of me you raping bastard." She snarled, and gave him a good blast of her purifying energy.
He snarled as it burned him. His control slipped a lot and the desire to obey her grew stronger, which only angered him more.
"Disobedient wench. That was inexcusable." He snarled, his eyes all but red by this point as he blood demanded her complete submission through punishment.
"Than get off of me and let me go." She shouted back, blasting him with a more powerful burst that burned, nearly throwing him off of her.
He raised his hand, ready to strike her. Her eyes widened in shock as she realized he was about to hit her, that she had pushed him past his control. Her anger slipped, fear starting to replace it. He regained a little more control as he picked up the scent of her fear and the urge to obey her completely disappeared.
"My blood demands your obedience human, and if you do not give it, I will be forced to ensure it. Trust me when I say you do not want that to happen." He said calmly, his own eyes closed as he fought to regain control, his hand still raised and ready to strike her.
She averted her eyes, her anger all but dissipating to be replaced by fear and hopelessness. He regained almost all of his control, but damn he still hurt from where she had zapped him. She was not going to get away with that.
He tried to think of a punishment that would not harm her physically. While he was in complete right to beat her by this point, he knew that would not be wise. Only lowly, lesser youkai had to beat their mates into submission, not to mention her fear might turn to anger again in self defence.
If he could not physically harm her, he would make it something she feared, and add to her training as well.
"Take that thing off." He commanded.
"What?" She asked, turning to met his gaze again, eyes wide in shock and horror.
"You heard me woman." He snarled, rolling off of her so she could comply with the order. "This will be your punishment. Take it off and you shall never wear clothes to this bed again until after you have born me my first child."
Her face went from fear to horror, as did her scent. He could tell her mind was racing, trying to think how long that might take, not to mention what would be required, for such a thing to happen. He suspected she was already with child, but he wasn't going to tell her that yet.
Let her sweat a little. Besides, they still needed to mate during the mating ceremonies and now she would have a reason to do it. Of course, by then she just may have gotten use to sleeping without clothes on. Either way he won.
Trembling, she did as ordered, slowly taking the night slip off and tossing it off her side of the bed before crawling under the covers again, moving away from him until she was on the edge of the bed. She curled up with her back facing him and pulled the blankets tight around her.
"Amusing." He thought, slightly amused by her continued acts of modesty around him after she had already seen and experienced the touch of his naked body. "Your continued acts of innocents are amusing." He said.
She blushed slightly, unable to cover it.
"Just stay on your side of the bed or I'll purify your ass to hell where you belong." She said, a bit of a bite to her voice, although there was very little anger to it.
"Are you desiring more punishment?" He asked calmly.
She stiffened.
"No, my lord." She answered, her voice quivering slightly in fear at what she figured that punishment would be.
"I thought not. Good night."
She didn't answer. He turned his back to her and listen to her breathing. It took a very long time for sleep to claim her. He could smell her tears and hear her near silent sobs. Her scent went from fear, to pain, to loss, to anger, and back all over again before sleep finally claimed her several hours later.
Satisfied he wouldn't have to worry about her going into a fit of rage and attacking him, he finally allowed sleep to claim him as well.
(brake)
"Inuyasha, stop it. This is not the best course of action in this scenario." Miroku said, sighing as the hanyou ignored him yet again.
Inuyasha, with a slightly crazed look in his eyes, launched himself at a snarling Kouga, Tetsusaiga leading the way.
"Kagome's alright though, right?" Shippo asked, tears still in his eyes from crying earlier when Kouga said he had seen Kagome with Sesshomaru.
Sango tried to calm him down, but right now she was having a hard time controlling her own temper. The only other youkai she had ever wanted to exterminate this bad was Naraku. The worse part was she knew she stood no chance against Sesshomaru. The Taiyoukai would kill her before she even saw him move.
"I can't believe you just left her you with him you pathetic ookami." Inuyasha shouted, launching another Kaze no Kizu at Kouga, who barely managed to dodge the attack.
The back lashing winds and dust caused the onlookers to cover their faces and hold back another sigh of exasperation.
"Left her? You're the one that let her fall into his hands to begin with dog face." Kouga shouted back, leaping off of the rock he had landed on after dodging the Kaze no Kizu, foot leading the way.
"Inuyasha, Kouga, please stop this pointless violence. It doesn't get Kagome-sama back to us any sooner." Miroku tried again, his voice as calm as always.
"Don't you get it Houshi? There is no getting her back. The only way to brake the bonding is if one of them dies." Kouga snarled as he landed, Inuyasha having jumped back from the kick.
Inuyasha retaliated with a swing of Tetsusaiga, which Kouga barely managed to dodged.
"Than why didn't Sesshomaru-sama just kill her?" Miroku asked confused. "Giving our past, and his hatred for humans, I am sure he would not hold back from slaying her."
"It is dishonourable to kill your mate." Inuyasha answered, stopping his fight with Kouga, although he still watched the ookamiyoukai warily. "Sesshomaru would never do anything to ruin his reputation with the other lords." He spat out.
"But he could always revive her with Tenseiga, right?" Shippo pointed out, having stopped crying.
"Exactly. Why did he just not kill Kagome-sama then bring her back? That way he would have broken the mating bond and Kagome-sama would still be alive." Miroku said.
The others started at him, blinking stupidly, all thought of fight gone.
"Unless, of course, if she is with child. Would Tenseiga revive an unborn child as well as the mother?" Miroku asked in a contemplating voice.
Sango and Shippo sighed, wondering how someone so seemingly intelligent could say something so stupid in front of the last two men you would want to hear it. Kouga and Inuyasha reached an all new level of fury. Sango quickly tried to play it down.
"There is no way Sesshomaru would know if Kagome-chan was with child yet." Sango pointed out.
"Exactly. Thus, he would keep her with him until he was sure." Miroku finished.
"Why would he care if she was?" Shippo asked confused. "He hates hanyou's as much as he despises humans, and that's what the child would be. I wonder if it will have dog ears like Inuyasha." Shippo wondered aloud before eeping and running from a furious Inuyasha.
"We don't know anything, and that is the problem." Sango sighed. "One of us should try and see her. Right now she could probably use a friend. She doesn't know anything of Youkai society."
"An excellent idea Sango. Now, who to send and how to get them there?" Miroku pondered.
"The mating ceremony." Sango said, than turned to Kouga. "Kouga, being a realm lord, were you invited?"
"Huh?" Kouga finally dropped his fighting stance and folded his arms. "I haven't gone home yet, but I can go check. After our meeting though, I doubt he would invite me."
"Keh, I wouldn't." Inuyasha snorted, having giving up chasing Shippo, who had decided to hide behind Sango.
"Can you check? If so, I would like to send Sango with you." Miroku asked.
"Why Sango?" Shippo asked.
"Because Sango is like a sister to Kagome-sama, and that is what she needs right now. Sango also knows about youkai society. Inuyasha would not be welcomed by his brother, and seeing him might hurt Kagome-sama. She must feel guilty and bad enough as it is. I would be tempted to lay hands where they are not welcomed and you, Shippo, are just too young." Miroku stated.
"All right. Be careful Sango. A human like you would be seen as dinner by half of the guest." Inuyasha conceded without a fight, knowing the houshi was right and not liking it in the least.
"How am I suppose to get in?" Sango asked.
"By accompanying Kouga of course. You don't need to be mated or anything like that. Just pretend you're a present interest." Miroku pointed out.
"Alright. Kirara." Sango called.
The nekoyoukai walked forward and transformed in a burst of flame. Sango jumped onto her back and followed Kouga as they raced back to Kouga's home to 'check the mail.'
"Good luck." Inuyasha wished quietly as he pulled out the picture Kouga had giving him before they had started fighting.
A deep feeling of loss and worry over Kagome's fate ambushed him from behind and refused to let him go. Was she okay? Did Sesshomaru hurt her in any way. If he did, Inuyasha vowed he would not rest until he made his brother pay for harming her.