Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters.
A/N: Warning for sensitive topics. The next couple of chapters will be dealing with miscarriage and what comes afterwards. Do not read if you feel like it may make you uncomfortable.
Any medical-related stuff was written after doing some research on the internet. I'm not a doctor myself nor have I any direct experience with the main subject of this chapter.
Chapter Fifty-Three: Stained
Blood.
The typical metallic smell he associated with blood woke him up that late spring night.
Blood and soft moans.
He opened his eyes wide and sniffed better. Too much blood, the air was saturated with it. The moans and whimpers increased, and he found the source in his mate's figure laying next to him. Both the blood and cries were coming from her.
The moans grew louder, and he laid immobile next to her unable to do anything. He froze and couldn't move a single limb; his super-developed senses had stopped functioning the moment the smell of his mate's blood had invaded his nose and mind.
He knew he had to move, wake her up and look for help. His mate was in danger; what was he doing? It wasn't the first time he smelled the iron in the air, not the first time he faced a difficult situation, and although he would never state it, it was not the first time he felt fear – for her.
He needed to get out of his daze and find out what was the problem. At that moment, it was like his long and slow life flashed in front of his eyes, and then just a single bright image remained. That was the instant it took him to really wake up, unlock the paralysis and act quickly and urgently.
Sesshomaru put a hand on his mate's shoulder and shook her gently to wake her up, then called the guards behind their doors. He instructed them to call a healer and his mother; they had to be in his room in the next few minutes.
Rin continued to flail in pain, but she still wouldn't wake up, and he was too afraid to shake her harder or wake her up abruptly. With immense terror, he located the source of the strong smell between her legs, slightly open and covered in red, like her nightgown and the sheets on which her body was resting.
It wasn't a small stain like that first time they had joined, nor the smell the typical one of women during their monthly bleeding. The pungent odour in the air was not only defined by the large amounts of the reddish and slimy substance, but also by a more putrid hint that he would never want to come from that delicate and fragile body. It was an odour he had always associated with illness and imminent death.
His heart stopped for a moment. She couldn't die, nothing would bring her back to him, nor he could survive her absence.
He shouldn't have panicked.
The dog demon sniffed again - even though he hated the scent the room was now coated in and made his nose somehow less efficient - but he needed to verify that everything else was fine.
Finally, after what for Sesshomaru seemed hours – even if it had been less than a minute – Rin opened her eyes and gasped, then panted, trying to catch some air. She was heavily sweating by now, and her aura radiated discomfort and pain. She brought her hand to her abdomen and grimaced; her face scrunched, and she gritted her teeth. Her other hand searched his instinctively, and she squeezed it.
"Rin, what are you feeling?" He asked, still in panic. The only other time he had felt like this was when he had entered the meido and risked losing her. He couldn't do anything; he felt at a loss and useless. No demon to annihilate, no human to scare off, he was of no use for his mate. He could only wait for the healer, who, by now, should have already been there.
"It hurts," Rin hissed, her hand still pressed on the lower abdomen where the pain was mainly located. It was so bad that she didn't even notice the wet, sticky substance between her legs. She wanted to curl up on herself and stay like that until that awful sensation disappeared. She couldn't even formulate a coherent thought; she bit her lips to avoid screaming while copious tears stained her pale face.
Next to her, Sesshomaru was also afraid to touch her. Instead, he let her cling to his arm tightly; she appeared like a doll that would have broken if he even laid a finger on her, let alone move her.
A few seconds later, his mother appeared on the threshold, a dismayed expression on her face, probably due to the strong smell of blood and the condition Rin was in. It was also probably the first time Kimi expressed so many emotions. Behind her, the healer appeared ready to examine the young woman.
He didn't give his mother time to question him, he didn't move his gaze from the suffering figure that was his mate, he only said two words: "The miko."
A second later, Kimi was gone in a ball of light.
His hands were rough and warm on her skin. They were caressing her belly, teasing her breast, pinching her nipples.
Her breath was coming out in small puffs while she tried to swallow louder cries and moans, her legs clenched tightly around his waist. The movement made him penetrate her deeper. Another strong thrust, then another one. He caught her lips, and his tongue invaded her mouth while he felt her constrict him.
She hissed and encouraged him again, nudging him with a foot on his lower back, her hands tangled in his hair. She rolled back her misty eyes when he hit her magic spot, sending her on the verge of her climax.
He sensed it and quickened his thrusts, at the same time keeping her steady, his hands shifting to hold her hips. Again, he caught her lips in a frantic and desperate kiss and swallowed other cries. The pups were becoming damn good at perceiving every noise in the house, and he didn't want them to catch him handling their mother so roughly but oh, so good.
They both felt it, and he swore one more push and her hot walls would choke him as he filled her. He pulled back, ready to thrust again and enjoy their simultaneous orgasms.
But the moment never arrived.
Suddenly, a strong aura purposefully nudged them, alarmingly reached for them, snickered almost like it was making a fool out of them and then retreated.
Inuyasha let out a string of curses that would have made proud his older self.
Quickly and reluctantly, he left her warm sheath; he grumbled and cursed again while looking for something to wear before he went to welcome the unexpected and bothering guest.
"Damn it! What is she doing here?"
Kagome sighed. So much for relieving some stress.
She was still checking the boys hadn't woken up after their father's proud show of profanities when Inuyasha reached the dog demoness waiting for them outside their house. He wore a fierce scowl, his arms were crossed and had a defiant posture; his chest was bare, and the scent of their union, left uncompleted, coated him. His aura clearly said I'm pissed.
Overall, it was a very nice picture. Not that Kimi cared at that moment and didn't even have the time to tease him.
"Do you find it funny to ruin my life even when I'm in my village? What are you doing here? Have you ever put a foot in a human village before?" he hissed.
"Come on now, pup, you two are worse than rabbits demons. I cannot understand how you manage to copulate with your mate so much with two children in tow. When your brother was still young, your father and I certainly didn't have the time. Now, if you'll please me, go call her," she said cooly and unfazed by the greenish colour Inuyasha had assumed once she had mentioned his father having sex.
He sputtered and was about to answer back when another demon joined the party.
"Oi! Shut your trap, you two! If you wake them up, you'll be the one putting them to bed again!" a very cranky kitsune said while rubbing his eyes full of sleep. He received two almost identical death glares in response. Not even a couple of seconds later, Kagome reached them.
"Kimi? What happened? Why are you here in the middle of the night?" she turned to Shippo, "and you shouldn't be speaking like that. I swear sometimes it's like you're being Inuyasha's clone!" She was wearing a light night yukata and had brought Inuyasha his robe.
"Me? You're kidding? He's just a spoiled runt; you should have cuddled him less," Inuyasha huffed.
"No way I'm like this mutt," Shippo shot back, pointing at the half-demon next to him.
By now, Kimi was losing her patience, and her aura raised threateningly; they turned their heads sharply back to her.
"Have you finished with your childish behaviour? We have more pressing matters to deal with right now." She scowled at them then addressed Kagome, who was equally displeased by their display. "Kagome, dear, I am afraid we require your help at the castle. It concerns young Rin."
The moment she uttered that name, Kagome's pulse quickened frighteningly, and her body began to shake violently. Her mouth opened to form a small 'o' and her pupils dilated considerably.
The air grew colder, and silence fell over them; even Shippo and Inuyasha stopped their innocent brawl immediately. For both Kagome and Inuyasha, those few words meant more than what they let on.
It took Kagome great fortitude to regain control and snap out of her daze. She could already know the outcome of that unluckily night, but certainly, it didn't mean she had to stay in idleness. Rin was currently in pain, and she had to prepare everything for their sudden journey to the West.
"Shippo, go fetch my bag. I'm going to wear my robes meanwhile," she said before going back inside.
At the same time, Inuyasha decided it was a good idea to go fetch Kaede and bring her there to stay with Shippo and the pups while they headed West. They couldn't bring children with them, and he couldn't take them to Miroku and Sango's because it was never a good idea to wake them up in the middle of the night. That was an experience he surely wasn't interested in repeating.
Kimi was left outside their dwelling, watching three panicked persons fretting over what could have happened to the young girl.
Not even five minutes later, Inuyasha came back with an old woman in his arms. She was trying to weasel out of his grip and was hitting him at the same time, but he kept walking undaunted and with a resigned expression on his face. As if he was the one who had been startled and carried on a half-demon's shoulders like a sack of rice in the middle of the night.
By then, both Kagome and Shippo had reached the dog demoness outside and were watching agape the display the two were offering.
"Inuyasha!" Kagome hissed. "What are you doing? Put Kaede-obaa-chan down. Now!"
"We need someone else to watch the pups other than the runt while we are away," he explained when he finally put Kaede down, who fixed him with a death glare and adjusted her now wrinkled night yukata. It wasn't certainly the garments she wanted to be seen in it. She turned her head and was even less pleased to see that someone else – a demoness who could only be Sesshomaru's mother – was there watching them with a raised brow.
The old priestess schooled her features, as if a dai-youkai hadn't just seen her being handled that way, nor noticed the ill-fitting robe she was wearing, then addressed Kagome. "Care to explain to me why your husband saw fit to wake me up at an ungodly hour and bring me over as if I was a rice barrel?"
"I'm sorry, Obaa-chan, this is Sesshomaru's mother," the younger woman explained, waving her hand to Kimi. "We have to go to West as soon as possible because Rin needs our help."
Kaede bowed slightly to the white-haired demoness. "I figured as much. Ye need me here to explain it to your children when they wake up and don't find ye?"
"That would be perfect, Obaa-chan."
"I want you to bring the pups to Miroku's as soon as they wake up, or all the beatings I gave you when you were younger will be nothing compared to what I'll do to you if I find out you didn't," Inuyasha threatened Shippo at the same time.
"Geez, one would think he somehow grew up during all these years," the fox demon complained. "Okay, okay, don't worry, I'll be guarding the boys and Kaede-obaa-chan." He puffed out his chest, and then, with a pop, he transformed into a perfect replica of Kagome sans fluffy tail and waved to them from his spot in front of the house while the three of them headed West in a rush.
"Come on, Shippo, avoid all these noises and go back to sleep. I'd prefer those two rascals didn't wake up before the time," Kaede said before entering the house, sighing out loudly. From the worried frown Kagome was sporting as she explained to her the situation, Kaede imagined well what could be possible the outcome of this unlucky night.
Before she settled again for the night in a futon Shippo had specifically laid out for her in the boys' room, the old priestess prayed for someone up there to protect both the women she considered as her granddaughters.
Kimi brought both Inuyasha and Kagome through her unconventional mean of transport that consisted of a bright and fast ball of white light – Kagome remembered Sesshomaru using the same some other times – and the group was at the palace in no time at all.
It had been a peculiar experience that left the young priestess unstable on her feet as soon as the dog demoness released them. Inuyasha grabbed her by the waist and helped her steady herself while her head spun for a few more seconds. It was like being a kid again when she used to do a little too much spinning and she ended up falling on her ass unceremoniously. At least this time, her mate was there to catch her before she made a fool out of herself.
As soon as she regained control of her swaying body, they headed towards the royal wing, where a healer was already checking on Rin. Kimi informed them that, when she had reached the room, it was already saturated in blood's scent, and Sesshomaru was holding on a sweating and grimacing Rin, who couldn't even speak or move without feeling pain.
Another frown marred Kagome's face when Kimi recounted that. If that was the case, if Rin had lost so much blood and was experiencing pain in her lower abdomen, then there was a good chance she had already lost the baby. But she didn't say anything and let the demoness lead them.
When they arrived, Inuyasha stopped outside, the stench hitting him like a ton of bricks. He remained next to the guards while the women went inside.
The scene that presented itself to the priestess' eyes was not the best.
Sesshomaru seemed to be on the verge of killing the healer just because every movement she made to check on the girl caused her pain or because she had not yet managed to relieve Rin's pain. His growls covered his mate's moans.
The sheets were irremediably stained, and in a corner of the room, Kagome could also see another nightgown that seemed to have met the same fate. Luckily, the flow seemed to have stopped because the yukata they had changed Rin into was still clean even if drenched in her sweat. The fact that she could also smell the iron in the air almost as clear as the other demons was another sign that the situation was dire indeed.
She quickly opened her bag and retrieved some herbs; then, she ordered the healer to prepare a tea with it – it was a concoction that had always proven effective with the kind of pain and spasms Rin was experiencing. That was the first thing to worry about; the girl had already suffered enough. The second was to make sure that no infection occurred. Warm water and sterile gauze galore were already present, but they also needed specific herbs she was already looking for in her bag.
Next, she approached Rin; another low growl reached her ears, but Sesshomaru let her come closer anyway.
Now to the most difficult part.
She needed some tranquillity and space to examine Rin, and none of that was possible with a guarding and enraged dog next to her. His aura was clouding her senses and intimidating her even though Kagome was well accustomed to his ways. However, knowing him, he would be reluctant to leave his mate's side in these conditions. His instinct was probably telling him to strike at anything or anyone he perceived as a threat, and the fact that, at the moment, there was nothing he could do wasn't helping.
Kagome shot Kimi a pleading look, and she understood without a word.
"Son, I think you should leave Kagome to do her job; you were the one to call for her any-"
"I am not leaving this room," he growled back.
"Sesshomaru, I am being patient right now because I can imagine what is going on in your mind, but if you care for your mate, you will leave me alone. With your overbearing presence, I cannot do anything; we are running out of time. It's not good for her to remain in this state for longer," Kagome retorted sternly.
"If you think you can intimidate me, miko, you are mistaken. Do your job and do it fast. What kind of priestess are you if you cannot even focus on your task?"
Kagome narrowed her eyes, her mood wasn't better than his, and she would do without his insolent attitude. At that very moment, the healer arrived with the tea for Rin, and Kagome forgot for a second his quarrel with Sesshomaru to give it to her. It wouldn't take long for it to take effect. Maybe once Rin stopped crying in pain, Sesshomaru would be more inclined to leave the room.
It had required time and much persuasion, but in the end, Kagome had managed to remain alone with Rin and the castle's healer.
Rin was now breathing normally, her features were more relaxed, and she had even been able to talk to explain how it all started, whether she had had any alarms during the day or before she fell asleep. She said that she had, in fact, felt some twinges in her lower abdomen but that it hadn't worried her too much; she thought it was fleeting and didn't want to say something anyone in vain. It was just a pity that the cramps had been many more than what could be considered normal.
After a complete check-up, Rin fell asleep again. Only then, Kagome dared to check more carefully on the faint aura she had always been able to sense coming from a woman's womb in the early stage of pregnancy.
It was gone. She looked at the healer, asking for confirmation; she shook her head. "Sesshomaru-sama probably already knows it," the demoness offered.
Not for the first time, Kagome cursed the lack of advanced technology. It would have helped her understand what had caused the miscarriage. Without it, she could only speculate. Sure, miscarriages were very common, even in her time, but it was easy to understand the cause or even act on it if there was a problem at the base. Normally, such a case would not have given her so much concern. It had already happened to other women in the village, and she had always tried to reassure them, explaining how the phenomenon was more common than people thought, that it was often a single case that tended not to repeat. It did not deprive them of the possibility of trying again following a period of caution.
However, Rin's situation was different; Kagome already knew what happened wouldn't be a single occurrence. It made her feel damn guilty she couldn't understand why Rin's body was acting that way and what had caused the discharge of the fetus.
But what worried her more was the toll the situation would take on Rin's mind, something that wouldn't help with future pregnancies either. In their era, no one had yet studied the mind, thus, there was no space for mental illnesses. There were crazy people – or what the majority considered crazy – but it was a category into which one easily fell for the smallest of quirks precisely because of ignorance.
If Kagome wanted to make sure that Rin didn't enter a lethal spiral, she had to reassure Rin and make her understand that none of what had happened was her fault. Guilt was another very common thing in these cases, especially when a woman grew up believing that everything that went wrong during pregnancy was her fault. Kagome needed to explain this to Sesshomaru and his mother too.
It would be anything but easy, and she certainly wasn't a psychologist; she could only hope that Rin's trust in her would help the process. Sesshomaru's stubbornness, on the other hand, would not.
Kagome sighed. "I worry about her," she told Shun, the healer. Kagome had specifically chosen her among the others to help her follow Rin's health when she wasn't at the castle. She was already acquainted with her, and they had learned a lot from each other in those last years. Shun had been the first to not act sceptical of her when she had first arrived at the castle and had trusted her advice. Back then, the majority had looked at her with distrust. What could a human know about a demon's body, after all? Why did an allegedly Lady want to get her hands dirty?
However, Kagome wasn't a lady; she was first and foremost a priestess, and as such, her job was to help others. Not to mention that she had studied things that were still unknown in the Sengoku – not that anyone knew it, of course.
Besides, the very fact that she had always been the only one to take care of Inuyasha and his wounds had given her time to learn how the body of a demon worked, which still needed care.
"Can you tell why she lost the pup?" For a demoness was very rare to have a miscarriage, and for that to happen, she had to be wounded somehow. Their body was stronger and could protect the baby in their womb better, to the point where it wasn't even uncommon for someone to fight in those conditions as long as they could.
"Unfortunately, no, I cannot. Miscarriage is common among human women, and the causes can be many. But we do not have the instruments to understand what triggered it," Kagome replied before sighing again. She headed towards the door; she figured there was no further reason to separate Sesshomaru from his mate, and she also needed her rest. The long night and the negative emotions she was currently feeling had taken a toll on her, too.
The picture she gave away once outside the room wasn't the best: her shoulders were slumped, she sported a dejected expression, and her aura radiated sadness and hurt. Inuyasha immediately pulled her in his arms to support her because she also appeared dead on her feet. He stopped his brother before he could question her; he didn't think now was the right time for questions.
The half-demon brought her to their room and let her doze off, soothed by the warmth of his embrace while Shun remained behind to explain the situation in the best way she could.
Any other question Sesshomaru and Kimi had would have to wait.
The following day Kagome woke up around midday still a little groggy and exhausted. For a moment, she felt displaced, not recognizing immediately the place where she was. Weren't they in the village the night before? What was she doing at the palace?
Then all the events of that night came back to her mind, and a sob escaped her. Inuyasha, who had been checking on her sleep, planted a kiss on the top of her head and started rubbing her back in a soothing way, whispering sweet nothings and assuring himself she was at least physical okay.
"What time is it?"
"Around midday."
"What? Why didn't you wake me up? I have to check on Rin." She tried to weasel out of Inuyasha's arms, but he only tightened his grip and kissed her some more.
"Relax, koi, the healer already checked on her more than once; she smelled better than yesterday night according to Shun. There was no need to wake you up; you were equally exhausted. It wasn't an easy night for you too."
"I am her healer. I need to assure myself everything is okay, and I have to be there to explain everything. She might need my comfort and-" she blabbed on, but Inuyasha stopped her with a third kiss. He pressed his lips firmly on hers, then stroked her bottom one, coercing her to part them, and he thrust his tongue inside. The distraction seemed to work because, after a moment, she kissed him back, the stress waning.
When Inuyasha broke the kiss, her eyes were a little bit glossy, but she was calmer. He pulled her flush against him and started again with the massage. "You only need to calm down right now. Sesshomaru is with her; he is the one who has to explain everything. It was their pup, and they have to grieve for the loss together."
"Sesshomaru doesn't understand anything about the human body. He won't know what to say when Rin will blame herself or start thinking her body is broken or that she is less woman because she cannot carry on a pregnancy," Kagome cried.
"I promise that as soon as you feel better, I'll bring you to Rin myself, but right now, I'd guess you cannot even stand up; you didn't see yourself yesterday when I brought you here. Besides, I still think they need time for themselves, and you shouldn't interfere with it," Inuyasha reasoned, showing more maturity than his usual self. "Sesshomaru might be an asshole most of the time, but don't underestimate him when it comes to Rin." It didn't happen a lot that Inuyasha was the voice of reason between the two, not because he was stupid or didn't understand things, but simply because Kagome was the less reckless. "Besides, he still wants to question you about everything, and you'll have the time to speak freely with Rin. Could she really start to think about those things?" he asked then, worried.
Kagome nodded. "It's very common to feel something like that after a miscarriage but in this era... I think it is even worse, much worse when you are the Lady of the West and expected to give your mate an heir as soon as possible; the blame is left on the woman. Besides, how do you think the court will react when time passes, and Rin still hasn't given him a child? Don't you use those cute little ears of yours? Don't you hear the rumours spreading in the village as soon as a woman doesn't get pregnant right after marriage or years go by? She is declared barren, or even worse, they start talking about curses or similar nonsense! We were lucky I insisted the pregnancy remained secret until the end of the first trimester. Think about what they would have said only a month after she arrived at the palace. All this bullshit only aggravate a woman's sense of guilt. I do not want Rin to feel this way, and if I cannot protect her from evil lies or rumours, then it's my duty to make sure she understands none of this is her fault, despite what the others say."
"Sesshomaru will likely kill the first one who dares to spread such bullshit," Inuyasha scoffed.
"He cannot defend her from everything, and Rin must not think she can always rely on him; she has to stand up for herself because something will always reach her ears. Otherwise, what will she do when someone like Keiko taunts her directly? No, Sesshomaru has the right to comfort her as his mate, but he cannot understand certain things, and I must do it for him."
"Good thing little Rin has you, then."
"She has you, too."
"Yeah, yeah," Inuyasha waved his currently free hand. "I'm only her overbearing big brother who used to chase unwanted suitors off. She doesn't need me anymore."
"That's not true, and you know it. She will need all of our support, and she'll use yours too, especially when you're being a dummy and clueless. You do offer good entertainment," she giggled.
"Oi, what are you implying?" Inuyasha growled. He tried to appear as menacingly as he could but to no avail. Marriage had indeed turned him into a softie, or more accurately, Kagome and his sons had brought to the surface his tender side.
"Just that you can be very funny when you are so clueless and a softie too," she repeated.
"Take it back!" he said while starting to tickle her, knowing too well that his mate was ticklish; she was laughing and fidgeting in his lap after just a couple of seconds. It didn't matter if that position and her movements had woken up something else that made him very uncomfortable, he only cared for the sound of her crystalline laughter reverberating through their chambers. He was glad he had managed to distract her before they had to come back to more delicate matters.
In the end, Sesshomaru trapped Kagome before she even had the chance to speak with Rin, and maybe it was for the best. Besides, even if she knew how much he loved Rin, she was also afraid he himself thought that it was Rin's fault or worse. Kagome didn't know how a dai-youkai's mind worked, nor had she made any progress in recent years in contact with Sesshomaru.
It was late afternoon, and just as Inuyasha had suggested, she had left Rin and Sesshomaru on their own until the latter had sought her himself. Kagome had already spoken with Shun, and the healer had assured her she had everything she needed and more tea to prepare if Rin suffered from more cramps.
They were now in Sesshomaru's private office.
"Speak, miko," he ordered.
It was clear that his mood hadn't improved in the last hours, not that she had expected so. She could only imagine how he was suffering too, but he didn't give it away because, as usual, he had chosen an impenetrable mask to wear. He had reverted to his bossy self.
"Well..." Kagome started, "I think it's safe to say that none of what happened yesterday was Rin's fault, and my main interest now is to make sure she is aware of that."
"Of course, it's not, Kagome," Kimi interjected, "we don't believe she is at fault."
Kagome glanced at Sesshomaru, but he still had an unreadable expression. Besides, he wasn't helping her find the right words and was making her antsy.
"Ok, then, we'll go back to this topic once I explain what happened. You already know she lost the baby and, Kimi, I had already explained to you that is more common than you think. Unfortunately, we cannot determine the cause because, in this first stage of pregnancy, the baby is not yet formed thus, still weak. The reasons could be many, even one's mood or stress; sometimes it happens without blood and pains, so the woman doesn't even realize at the beginning." She stopped and waited for Sesshomaru's bark that promptly arrived a moment later.
"You are the healer and the priestess; find the way."
She narrowed her eyes. "The only way for me to find out the reason why would be to open her and study her organs. Do you want me to do it? I cannot assure she will survive the check-up, though."
"Do not kid with me, miko."
"I am not kidding! You said yourself, I'm the healer; I know what I am saying. What do you know about a woman's body apart from the hole you insert your thing in, uh? Don't act all bossy with me when I am here patiently explaining to you what must be done to help Rin overcome the experience. You might be enraged now, but remember that it is her body that went through all, and your attitude will only make things worse for her! So shut up and listen to me if you want her to recover soon."
Inuyasha eyed his brother worriedly as soon as he noticed his aura darkening; he would do without any attempt on his mate. At the same time, he understood her point of view, but he didn't think Kagome was using the right approach either.
"As I was saying," Kagome resumed her speech. "I do not have the instruments to understand why her body rejected the baby, but we can take some precautions to decrease the risk next time."
"Next time?" Sesshomaru was letting his posed mask slip, by now.
"Yes, I said next time. There is always the possibility it may happen again; it happens less, but it does. I just need you to understand that," Kagome continued unfazed. If she avoided his gaze and ignored his blazing aura, she could get through this meeting sooner.
It was essential Sesshomaru understood there was the possibility because she knew it would happen again, and she could not make them believe next time they would be safe just because they took some precautions. Not to mention that Sesshomaru would kill her for real in that case. No, the precautions were merely for Rin's sake. To give them false hope wasn't.
"What are these precautions?" Kimi inquired. She was more collected than his son, and her calm aura was relaxing Kagome.
"Of course, bed rest and no stress, both now and when she'll be expecting again. I know she is the Lady and so on, but we cannot risk her health, can we? Tea with nosy demonesses can wait. Obviously, bed rest doesn't mean she will have to be confined in her room forever," she specified, knowing very well what the words bed rest could cause in a dog demon's mind.
Inuyasha had kept her in bed for three days when Kaede had once said those magic words, much to her dismay.
Kimi nodded, and Kagome didn't check on Sesshomaru before she started speaking again. "However, the most important thing is that Rin has peace of mind. She can't face an upcoming pregnancy with fear; it could trigger a series of irreversible processes in her mind."
She was doing her best to explain things as easily as she could, but it was hard since she also had to avoid certain terms. Like, for example, how could she explain that the psyche was also important if they didn't even know what it was?
"Certain thoughts can also underlie the loss of a baby and, worse, can even forestall a pregnancy. Her body may use the fear as a reason to stop functioning – to put it simply – and thus, not provide the preconditions."
"How is that even possible?" Kimi asked her, befuddled.
"Call it a defence mechanism. If she convinces herself she is at fault, or that her body doesn't work properly, she could shut herself and develop fears and inadequacy. We must prevent this. This is why I will have my talk with her to explain everything. I can be very delicate, and she trusts me because I am her healer; she will have fewer problems accepting the truth from me than from someone else. Of course, you all will have to offer her comfort, especially Sesshomaru." She turned her gaze to him, "I want you to erase any unhealthy ideas from her mind. She'll probably want to apologize to you or put the blame on herself. This is up to you, and I know you won't have any problems since it's her health we're talking about." She let the silence fall on them for a moment before saying the last thing, knowing Sesshomaru would not take it well. He was already one step away from biting her head off.
"Lastly, I have to ask you to put any sexual intercourse aside for the next few weeks; you have to give her body time to heal. Above all, it would be better for you to wait a few months before you get her pregnant again, just enough time to make sure she is in the right frame of mind to face another pregnancy. If she does not overcome the pain of this loss, she cannot be asked to proceed with another one. I will provide some tea to prevent her-"
"Are you trying to control my life now, miko?" Sesshomaru interrupted her menacingly. "Do you know what are you even asking?"
He tried to get closer to her, enough to scare her a bit, not hurt her. However, Inuyasha intercepted his movements and blocked his arm. "What the fuck?"
"Move, Inuyasha."
"No way. Are you going to pick on her now? Do I need to remind you who took care of Rin and knows what she's talking about? Are you so disgusted with the idea of waiting a few months for an heir that you're willing to hit my mate and put yours at risk? You've lasted centuries without one, and now you're in such a hurry? I didn't think you were so irresponsible and uncaring."
He hadn't said anything until now, he had let it go on with this bully attitude of his because he knew Kagome was able to stand up for herself, but he didn't intend to stand still and watch while his brother tried to roughly handle or even hurt her just because he didn't like the news she had given him.
"Remember it's her body, Sesshomaru," Kagome said from behind Inuyasha, her tone hard and serious. "A woman is not a machine made to pop out children at your convenience. I do not care if you are his mate or the Emperor of Japan; I won't let you put her health at risk." That said, she turned her back and left the room with her mate in tow, who followed her after one last death glare directed to Sesshomaru.
Alone with his mother now, Sesshomaru was shaking with rage and wanted to shred something or, even better, someone.
The events of the last day had been far too many even for him, from being awakened by Rin's blood to the loss of the pup and the priestess daring to tell him what to do with his personal life.
After what he had been through with those damned demons at his court, the attack on the valley and the pressure caused by his choice to take a human as his mate, he also had to follow the orders of another insolent human. She might have bossed his brother around like a real dog, but that wasn't his case.
Kimi noticed his stiff posture and the way his aura was only darkening. She knew he was losing the point of the situation, otherwise, he wouldn't even have dared to oppose the priestess.
"Sesshomaru," she stared with caution but kept a stern tone. She had never been intimidated by her son, nor had she never feared to point out something to him, no matter how painful. "You should stop acting like a spoiled child and think about your mate's healthy. Kagome is only looking after her; she is in no way trying to control your private life."
Oh, Kimi knew very well what wheels were spinning in his mind. He was just like her; he liked to take matters into his hands, and certainly, he didn't want someone to tell him what to do, especially since he considered almost everyone inferior to him. The whole situation was affecting him since he even hadn't the power to do much apart from being next to Rin.
"The miko cannot even tell why Rin lost the pup; why should I believe her? We have overrated her. I do not care who she is or if she is Inuyasha's mate; I do not intend to follow her orders."
"Are you willing to put your own mate's life at risk? Why should Kagome tell you something wrong if she cares about Rin as much as you do?"
Sesshomaru snorted; as if the miko could understand anything of what he felt for Rin. "Again, mother, it is clear that not everything that comes from her mouth is trustworthy. Humans may be happy with her as a healer, but I do not trust her, not after she showed me she cannot do her task properly. I will have other healers check on Rin and listen to their opinions. Someone older than what we could classify as basically a human pup would surely know better."
Kimi looked at him with a stunning look that promptly changed in disgust. She would have gladly slapped him because he was the one being immature. "I thought you were smarter than this, Sesshomaru, but your older age doesn't ensure your maturity. Are you willing to put Rin through this long procession of healers? Then what? Do you think none of them will spread the voice? That these people won't' start speaking behind her back making the situation more difficult? I thought you loved her, but evidently, I was wrong; you only want an heir. At this point, if your only interest was to continue your bloodline, you could have chosen a demoness to assure full-fledged demon children," she taunted him.
"I love her, mother, do not believe you can speak of something you do not understand," he snarled.
"Then show us what does that mean! You're being an immature pup that doesn't want to follow his parents' orders. Did you forget who Kagome is, Sesshomaru? Where she is from? She may be still young, but she will always know more than anyone else. You can search all over Japan, but you won't ever find someone more prepared than her because you cannot travel in time. It's clear she understands even more than both of us, and she loves your mate dearly. I do think you should heed her words and, as your brother easily put it, you went on without an heir for centuries; what's difference will a few more months make? It's not like you need one right now. Think about your mate first."
Kimi's words still echoed in his ears even after she had left the room for a while.
A/N:
I think it will be safe to say that Sesshomaru is half OOC and half not here. Even Kagome was slightly out of character, but it's mostly due to the anger they're feeling right now.
Besides, Sesshomaru doesn't like it if someone tells him what to do because he's used to commanding others or living his life how he prefers, so I thought that he wouldn't take well Kagome trying to tell him what to do in his private chambers with his mate.
At the same time I do not see him putting Rin's life at stake just because he cannot wait a few more months for an heir so let's say that the events of the day had affected his usual logical mind. Everything will make more sense in the following chapters.
Thanks for reading; leave some love behind if you can.