Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.
Chapter 16: War
"So?"
"So what?" Sesshoumaru asked slightly irritated.
Saphira raised her eyebrows at him. "Are you cranky?"
"No." More irritation.
"I think you are."
"I'm not!"
"So?"
"So what!" Sesshoumaru blew up.
Saphira laughed at him. "What were you doing with Inuyasha before I came along?"
Sesshoumaru blinked at the sudden subject change. "Building an empire. And you?"
"Getting into trouble," Saphira smiled. "Are we going to continue to build an empire?"
"What makes you think that is still my desire?" Sesshoumaru huffed.
"Why would you give up on something that your heart was set on?" Saphira asked. "You already have control of the East, West and South. All that's left is the North."
"Which will be the hardest to conquer," he growled. "Humans are all over the place!"
"In my time I learned about a man named Alexander the Great," Saphira said getting Sesshoumaru's attention. "He conquered almost the entire modern civilization for his time. He won battles with only a quarter of what his enemy had."
"What was this youkai's name?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"He was a man," Saphira said almost proudly.
"Impossible!" Sesshoumaru declared.
"Ask Mom if you don't believe me," Saphira said shrugging and leaving the room.
Sesshoumaru growled as Saphira's tail flickered out of sight. "A human would be incapable of subduing an entire nation."
Saphira sighed as she made her way out of the castle.
"Is something wrong, my Lady?" Rin asked coming around the corner with a young girl in tow.
Saphira looked up at her husband's adopted daughter. "Nothing, is that your daughter?"
The young girl blushed at Saphira's attention. "Yes, I am her daughter, my name is Hana."
"That's a pretty name," Saphira said lighting the girl's face up.
"Go on to the kitchen, Hana," Rin said dismissing her daughter. "Now will you tell me what is troubling you?"
Saphira smiled. "I want to conquer the Northern lands."
Rin smiled at Saphira. "Let me introduce you to the general of my Lord's troops."
With Saphira in two Rin lead the way to the battlements of the castle. There, a tall dark figure was watching the lands that stretched out before the castle.
"My Lady Saphira," Rin said bowing to the older youkai, she winked at Saphira and left.
"My lady," the general nodded.
"I want to conquer the Northern lands," Saphira said without preamble.
The general looked at her dumbstruck.
"You will give me twenty thousand soldiers," Saphira continued. "Archers, swordsmen, horses, the works."
"But, my Lady!" The general protested.
Saphira pierced his gaze blue cold blue eyes. "I don't care what it takes. Do it and do it now. And make sure that Lord Sesshoumaru doesn't know of my requests until after I have left."
Saphira walked away feeling very confident. She had studied history in detail. She knew how to win battles. She would conquer the Northern lands for her mate.
It took several weeks for the general to fulfill Saphira's demands. It was even harder to do it behind Sesshoumaru's back. But, Saphira had castles full of armor and equipment in her castles to the east. Finding the manpower was proving difficult.
But, he did accomplish the task and Saphira was marching her troops out within six weeks. Her mother and step father had bid her farewell the night before she left. Sesshoumaru noticed her absence from their bed, but she often rose earlier then him.
"Where is she?" Sesshoumaru demanded in a quiet, controlled voice.
"She left for the Northern Lands this morning before sun rise," the general answered.
"Why didn't you inform me of her plans?"
"She ordered me not to," the general said simply.
Sesshoumaru growled at the general's response. He should have known that something was up. They had made love all night and it had completely exhausted him. Now he knew why she had been so insistent and demanding.
"She needs this," came a voice from the doorway.
Sesshoumaru didn't even look at his human mother in law.
"She was always restless when we lived in the future, always on th move," Kagome said walking into the room. "You can't keep her couped up here forever."
"I wasn't couping her up!" Sesshoumaru barked. "She was free to come and go as she pleased!"
"It's not the same and you know that as well as I do," Kagome said. "Let her have a taste of war, and by the time she comes back she will be ready to settle down."
Sesshoumaru only growled. He would eventually have to go out and find her. He couldn't be away from her for too long.
Saphira took a deep breath, breathing in the crisp air of spring. She looked down at the messenger from the castle her troops were camped outside of.
"Tell your lord that he has until morning to send word of his surrender," Saphira said. "If he surrenders I will allow him to maintain the castle and village for me. He only has to pledge loyalty and troops to me."
"What if he doesn't, my Lady?" The young boy gulped.
"If he doesn't, I will scatter his bones across these lands," Saphira smiled. "Get your family away from here while you can, boy. Now, go."
This same scene occurred at any settlement Saphira came across. She always gave the people time to surrender and pledge loyalty and whatever else she needed to her. If the leaders didn't surrender willfully, they were usually killed and the people were given opportunity to pledge themselves to Saphira's service.
Months went by filled with battles and surrenders until they reached the ocean. Standing on the shore Saphira could see an island city surrounded by a wall. She was denied entrance to the island city and all her ships were set on fire before they could reach the island.
"Begin building a bridge," Saphira said with her eyes full of determination. Her command was followed immediately. Her army, which had grown from twenty thousand to a hundred thousand, followed her commands without question, and had come to respect her greatly.
"I see you have set your sights on Tyree," came a baritone voice from behind her.
"I was denied entrance to their homely city," growled Saphira. "I will not tolerant it."
Sesshoumaru smiled at his mate, who become a great general. "Why are you doing all this anyway?"
"Our empire is not complete without that island city," Saphira said simply.
"You know as well as I do that this empire won't last long," Sesshoumaru said. "Your mother already told me the history of this era."
"Things tend to unfold as they should," Saphira said. "I'm just going with the flow."
"You know that there will be invaders from the mainland," Sesshoumaru sighed.
"Well, enjoy your empire while you have it," she said simply. "When is Mom due to have that pup?"
"A month maybe two," he said.
"I will be on that island before he is born," she said with fierce determination.
And so she was.
Kagome screamed making Inuyasha flatten his ears against his skull. Sesshoumaru sighed with displeasure and hoped that his mate wouldn't screech when she was giving birth to his pups.
"Maybe you should leave," Saphira said looking at both of them.
"Okay," Sesshoumaru said easily persuaded.
"I'm staying," Inuyasha said stubbornly.
Saphira and Sesshoumaru looked at him with surprise.
"You...don't...have...to," Kagome panted. Her face was red and splotchy and drenched in sweat.
"Mom, concentrate on popping that baby out," Saphira said. "Don't worry about him. If he wants to stay and let his ears bleed then let him."
Kagome only nodded as another contraction overtook her.
"Maybe we should take you back," Saphira said uneasily. "At least you could get an epidural."
"No," Kagome gasped. "I have no way to know if I will be able to get back."
"Well, at least let Sesshoumaru fetch Kaede," Saphira said reasonably.
Kagome nodded and Sesshoumaru thanked whoever was looking out for him up there and left.
"Hey Mom, does that breathing thing really work?" Saphira asked noticing her mother was doing the technique.
"Hell no, just a bunch of rubbish," Kagome said then tensed up for another contraction.
"Their coming closer together," Saphira said taking a peek at Kagome's crotch. "You're almost at ten centimeters, Mom."
"What's that mean?" Inuyasha asked clueless.
"It means that it's almost time for the baby to come out," Saphira said. "Mom, during the next contraction push, okay?"
Kagome only nodded. Saphira settled herself down to play catcher.
"Okay, Mom," Saphira said as she felt her tense up.
Kagome squeezed the daylights out of Inuyasha hand as she bared down as hard as she could.
"The head has crowned, Mom, just a few more," Saphira called.
Kagome pushed again at the next contraction.
"One more!" Saphira called taking hold of the infant's shoulders.
Kagome hollered as she pushed the rest of the infant out.
"A boy!" Saphira smiled. "Hurry, cut the cord, Inuyasha!"
With a quick swipe the cord was cut and the infant bundled up.
"Alright, Mom, the afterbirth and you're finished," Saphira said placing the infant on Kagome's stomach.
With one last push the afterbirth was out. Saphira wrapped it up in cloth for one of servants to bury.
"So, what's my baby brother's name? Kumar? Harold?" Saphira grinned looking at her exhausted mother.
"He's name is Inumaru," Kagome smiled weakly at Saphira's look of surprise.
"Oh, Mom," Saphira said softly looking at the infant in her arms.