Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
My corner: Thanks to all that reviewed! About the concubine thingy, i'm basing it on historical facts at the time... the feudal era was during the heian period of Japan. But have patience .. i'm going somewhere with this concubine thingy...
After you read please review! tenks!
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Kagome stared up past the tall canopy of the trees that framed the sky overhead.
"Your thoughts linger on him again ne?"
Kagome smiled. "How can they not. It's been six long years since I saw him last. It had been on an autumn day like this one." Flower scented breeze lifted her now ankle length hair. She had matured over the five years in hiding from her Lord mate. "Bokusenou, it seems I too will end up like Lady Airen. Our lives have much similarities. Once with child we were cast aside."
"You do not know that. I know for a fact Yurimaru-dono deeply cared for Airen-sama. I believe as much as your Lord mate does for you and your children." The old magnolia tree's eyes shifted to the two five year olds currently tumbling around in the fallen leaves. Kagome smiled contently. She had borne Sesshoumaru two strong and powerful pups.
Twins, the elder one, her son Akihito was silver haired and electric blue eyed, with a royal blue crescent moon on his forehead and a pair of sky-blue stripes on each cheek. The other, her daughter Nadeshiko, was ebony haired with golden eyes, had a golden crescent moon and a pair of amber stripes on each of her cheeks. They are beautiful and deadly to behold even at their young age.
Both were Inu youkai, yet by some will of nature, exhibited similar powers to that of Kagome. However, where Kagome could not control her powers let alone understand it fully. Both seems to instinctualy know how to handle their powers.
"It is time to return to your friends. Do you not miss them? Or wondered what has become of them?"
"You wish for us to go?" asked Kagome sadly.
"It grieves me to part with you and the young ones, but their place is not here. Your son is the true heir of the west."
"He has his heirs with 'her' already, he has no need for another." she pouted.
Bokusenou chortled merrily. "I see the fire that is in your spirit still has not been put out in the very least. Regardless, you all cannot stay here for ever, you as well as they need companionship. Not just an aging tree for a friend."
Kagome sighed in defeat. "Fine we'll go visit Kaede's village tomorrow."
"Now."
"Huh? But it's so sudden. We've got to.."
"You tarry here and you will find more reasons so as not to go. Heed my advice. Visit your friends now."
Kagome looked at him with tears in her eyes. "I'll never forget all that you have done for me and the pups." she bowed gratefully then hugged the rough bark, encircling her arms around the stout trunk as much as she could.
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Sesshoumaru observed the fragile bundle currently being held by Akemi. The scent of death enshrouded the pup. It was a son. The blue crescent moon, symbol of the western heir glowed dimly, flickering weakly. Akemi sobs uncontrollably. Her maids rub her back to comfort her, but pushes them away not wanting to be solaced. She was lamenting bitterly, this pup, would die too. All her pups did, all four did. For every year of happiness that she shared with her lord master. And now this newly birthed pup would join that tally.
Sesshoumaru took the pup from her shaking form and held it tenderly to his chest. The pup was weak, and as the laws of nature dictate. The strong survive while the weak die. The only question that remained was what to do now? He turned his molten gaze back to his concubine. After Kagome's disappearance, he was besought with grief and anger, he thought himself nearly going into madness. Akemi was the only one that saved his sanity. Gradually she rekindled the warmth that he had reserved only for Kagome, and he eventually came to terms with Kagome not coming back. He cursed his own foolish pride as her main reason for running away.
Akemi was a good concubine, she was always soft spoken and polite. She never complained when at night during his sleep he would call out Kagome's name. The western lord shook his head. Though he came to care for her, she was not Kagome. No one could ever hold his heart like Kagome has. He attempted to mark Akemi as mate after her first miss-carriage nearly a year after Kagome disappeared, but the mating mark never stayed. Which led him to believe that she was still alive somewhere. He hoped every day for her return but was met with disappointment each day of every year, as each year he would bury one pup's ashes. He sighed. Many had believed that the reason Akemi's pups was dying prematurely was the absence of the Lord's mating mark, while other still gossiped that Akemi herself was cursed not hold a living child.
His son struggled weakly in his hold. Then exhaled a long breath even as his little body stiffened a fraction, signaling the end of his short life.
Akemi's form slumped forward crying uncontrollably.
Sesshoumaru lifted his eyes toward the midday sun. A lone tear escapes his eyes.
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"Ya stupid f'ck! What the hell do you think you're doing?" bellowed an irate hanyou.
Fish spilled everwhere.
"You're the brainless idiot who walked in my path!" screamed an equally angry Shippo. He was as tall as an 8year old human boy now. But his green eyes still reflected a hint of mischief.
"I ought to gut you and use your innards to make a line for my fishing pole ya little runt!"
"Yea? Well I bet I can sell your dumb ass to farmer Toyo as a guard dog! Your feral face can sure scare away any potential burglars! And it's sure as ugly as a Shih tzu!"
"I'll show you a feral face!"
"Osuwari!"
Splat.
Shippo dropped the basket of fish he was holding on Inuyasha's head. "Kkagome?... Kaasan?"
"Why did that kitsune call you his kaasan, hahaue?"asked Nadeshiko softly.
Shippo ran to Kagome. Akihito appeared infront of his mother and sister in a blink of an eye and touched the ground with his right palm. A golden circle with inscriptions and diagrams appeared beneath him. Two katanas came up out of the ground one blade black the other white. Following his lead, Nadeshiko's eyes glazed over silver as a steel blade shaped like the crescent moon appeared along with a glowing metallic orb that pulsed in power. Akihito pulled the blades from the earth's grasp and was about to attack the stunned kitsune when Kagome told him to stop.
"He is your aniki. My adopted son." explained Kagome. Nadeshiko's eyes returned to it's normal color and the crescent blade and orb disappeared. She giggled.
Akihito re-sheathed the twin swords, he bowed politely then stood next to his sister and mother. Kagome smiled warmly and stretched out her arms to Shippo. They hugged and Shippo cried in her embrace.
Inuyasha meanwhile had recovered from the sit command and was presently gaping at the sudden re-appearance of his Kagome. She had changed slightly. Gone was the girly awkwardness of her posture and form. Her once teenaged heart-shaped face was now sophisticatedly oval. Blue-black hair contrasted her perfect flawless skin. She looked ethereal, untouchable from him. However, it was her soft spoken voice that was the greatest change. It had a melodious lilt to it, a wind chime like quality, making her voice almost magical. Words dried at his throat. No thought registered in his mind all he could hear was the loud thumping of his heart.
Kagome refrained from her teary re-union with Shippo and ran towards Inuyasha. Upon reaching him she wrapped her arms around his waste and sobbed on his chest. Meanwhile Shippo talked to his new-found siblings.
"Kkagome?"
"I'm sorry for leaving you Inuyasha, I just had so much on my mind and so many things were happening.. I couldn't.."
Inuyasha looked over her shoulder to the two pairs of eyes now looking straight at him.
"Hahaue. Is he Chichiue?" asked Nadeshiko innocently, while Akihito studied Inuyasha closely.
"Ask another time ko-chan." remarked Akihito taking note of the uncomfortable look that Kagome exhibited.
"They are..." Inuyasha began.
Kagome noded at Inuyasha then continued to cry. He smelled her exhaustion. "Shippo we can all get to know each other better once in Kaede's hut. Call Miroku and Sango, I'll take them to Kaede.
Kagome waited until her pups were asleep. Then she and the inutachi spoke to one another after six years of silence. After a couple of stories and a few reminiscences later...
"You're my hero Kagome-chan!" sobbed a sniffing Sango.
"Ne.. that's just the pregnancy hormones acting up." replied Kagome.
"Iie, I agree with Sango. You are very strong to have survived like that Kagome, even with Bokusenou's aid." affirmed Miroku.
Kagome beheld them both. They are now married with Sango only recently conceiving. She was seven moons onto her pregnancy. She herself looked like the moon, being heavily pregnant. Her face shone with love and happiness that can only come from a true and fulfilling relationship. Kagome smiled warmly. She was truly happy for her sister and friend.
Inuyasha remained silent throughout the whole discussion. His eyes never leaving Kagome. Feeling his intent gaze at her, Kagome looks at Inuyasha, their eyes met briefly but it was he that broke off their eye contact. He sighed heavily then stood up and left.
"Um.. Shippo, could you watch over the twins for me? I'll be back soon."
"Sure kaasan, they are my siblings after all!"
Miroku and Sango exchanged looks but said nothing. Kagome followed Inuyasha's scent towards the Goshinbuku tree.
"You hardly said a word back there... that is sooo unlike the Inuyasha I know." she began. Inuyasha remained seated high up in the lower branches of the tall tree. Kagome sighed.
"Osuwari!"
Splat.
"F'ckin hell wench what was that for?"
"You god damn jerk! You if hate me just say so and be done with it. I would prefer your crude remarks instead of the silent treatment you're doing at present!"
Getting up from his Inuyasha shaped crater. "Kusoooo Kagome! What do you want me to say? That I wish I was in that cold hearted bastard place, and that I wish it had been me that fathered those beautiful pups?"
"Yyou're not mad at me your mad at him?" concluded Kagome
"I could never be mad at you... not for long anyway." his voice softened to a whisper. "My dumb ass half brother never fully showed you the love you needed, but if you let me. I would like very much to ..."
"Inuyasha, I'm sorry I can't. Not now anyway, things are still complicated."
"I understand." he replied sadly.
"But the pups do need a father figure... would you..."
Kagome never got a chance to finish her sentence as Inuyasha swept her up in his arms and hugged her tightly. "I will! I'll care and protect them as though they were my own."
Kagome smiled. For once the heavy burden on her chest seem to lift little, making her breathe a much longed for breath of relief.
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A month has passed since Kagome and the twins first set foot in the village. Inuyasha, with the help of Miroku and Shippo constructed a three room house next to Miroku's and Sango's hut. Kagome, Shippo and pups occupied one room, Inuyasha stayed in the other, the third became their all purpose family room where they dined, talked, and at times slept in.
Kagome regained her previous happy-go-lucky self, and the twins won the hearts of everyone in the village young and old. Inuyasha, much to Shippo's astonishment matured considerably. Although at certain times his childish temper gets the better of him.
One afternoon a group of inu youkai marched on the outer perimeter of the village. The leader stopped dead in his tracks. Why was a inu pup playing amongst the ningen children of this particular village.
"Nadeshiko! Chotto matte! (Wait a minute!) I'm not as fast as you!" huffed a cherub faced girl in a brown kimono. About twelve children were running in circles in a game of tag.
"Nadeshiko?" His ears picked up the faint conversation. Observing the two, he noticed a third joining them.
"Mou, Ko-chan! Hahaue has been calling ten times now. She wants you to get cleaned up before dinner."
Okachira's eyes widened in this belief. Frozen in his spot, Sesshoumaru's best spy and scout sees the crescent moon on one of the inu pups forehead as they accompany the ningen child.
'The royal mark of the West? Impossible! How can this be? Who is this pup that she carry the heirs mark?' Then, as the taller male inu pup turns around, Okachira notices that both pups infact share the western heir's mark. Gathering his thoughts quickly he called his squadron of twenty spies to order. They moved out in the fastest pace possible.
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"My Lord, I would not have believed it if I had not seen it with my own eyes. I would have gutted the youkai would tell me such a report. Seeing that you and the lady have recently lost a pup. But what I speak is the truth."
Sesshoumaru, seated in an elevated dais barked out. "Ready yourselves we move out now!" He spared a glance at his concubine seated at his left. The cushion on his right had remained empty since Kagome left. It was the seat of the Lady of the Western Lands. 'What could this mean?' he pondered.
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"Kagome, daijoubu ka?" asked Sango worriedly.
"I don't know, but I felt a pull at my soul for some reason."
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"Nadeshiko-chan, am I clean enough?"
"Hai Maiyu-chan!"
GRRRRRRRRRRRRRR.
Both girls startled at the growl turned around in time to see five lizard youkais flicking their forked tongues in the air. "Ddddeelicioussssss... a ningen child and inu pup! What luck indeed." said one.
"Don't come any closer or I'll kill you where you stand!" shouted Nadeshiko, cracking her fingers. "Maiyu get behind me and close your eyes!" the chubby ningen child hid behind Nadeshiko obediently and did as she was told.
The lizard youkai wasted no time in attacking simultaneously from all sides. Nadeshiko's eyes glazed over and her face become stoicly cold, as she summoned her crescent moon blade and sphere to cut the lizard youkai in pieces. The sphere circled around them both in a furious pace creating a moving shield while the crescent moon blade struck with precision and speed that it was almost invisible until it stopped in front of Nadeshiko after all the enemy have been vanquished. Her eyes returned to normal, as did her happy sunlit smile.
Sesshoumaru and his band alighted near the two. He had been observing the entire fight from the sky. He had seen the calculatingly cold way the pup disposed of the lizard youkai easily. He smirked impressed at the skill of one so young.
"Ahhh.. Nadeshiko-chan more youkai!" screamed Maiyu.
Nadeshiko turned around abruptly her golden eyes meeting Sesshoumaru's in a widened amazement.
"Pup do you who I am?" The western lord asked. He was looking intently at her forehead.
"No, but you must be related to me and my aniki and Inuyasha toosan (dad). You have smell like us."
"Inuyasha? I was not aware that the hanyou had finally mated. And how is that you are full blooded youkai? Perchance your mother is youkai too?"
"Hai, Hahaue, is youkai like me and aniki,.. what is a hanyou?"
"Half demon." replied Sesshoumaru curtly. "Inuyasha your toosan is my half brother."
Nadeshiko's eyes widened. "Honto ni (Really)? Demo (but) Inuyasha isn't my true Chichiue,...but if he's your brother, then you must be my uncle too!" she squealed hugging his legs.
"Uncle too?" Too shocked to remove the pup from his legs, Sesshoumaru stood observing her.
"Imouto-chan! (Little sister)!" Another inu pup burst through the clearing. "Let her go now!" he growled.
Nadeshiko pried herself off Sesshoumaru and stood between them both with arms spread out wide. "Aniki, it's ok, he's part of our pack! He's Inuyasha-toosan's brother!" she chirped.
"Half-brother!" cut-in Inuyasha's gruff voice. Appearing through the bushes.
Sesshoumaru shifted his gaze to Inuyasha.
"What are you doing here Sesshoumaru?"
"Dispelling rumor that an unknown full blooded inu pup carries the western heir's mark, however not only did I find it to be true, but also discovered that there are two of them. Tell me, why do they call you toosan when the female pup clearly indicated to me that you are her uncle. I am not currently aware of any other full blooded youkai half brothers. Which leads me back to my initial question. Who are their parents? Why do they have the western heir's mark?"
Inuyasha hardened his glare aimed at his brother.
"That's because they are 'your' pups." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at his half brother. "their mother is Kagome."