A/N: It's set after Tessaiga was made, but before Tenseiga was made.
Pairing: Touga and Izayoi
Beta; Cstorm86

Unspoken Love

It was a full moon tonight. She knew it was, so she wasn't surprised when her maids started whispering among themselves. She knew who came to the estate and drank with her father. She sighed inwardly, keeping her face perfectly serene. More than once she saw pity in the eyes of the ladies taking care of her, the prized daughter of the lord, that no longer had wealth to keep a big army to protect his lands. Her father was no longer the same great feudal lord, after one too many battles his spirit had been weakened and sake didn't help much.

Yet, no one dared to attack their land, not with the shadow of the West looming over them.

She knew what was in the maids' eyes, the sadness and sympathy of ladies that felt bad for her, but wouldn't ever suggest taking her place. Her hand never shook when she arranged flowers in a big vase. Her gaze never lifted at the sound of shuffling feet, rustling silks and voices around her. She sat there, perfectly calm, clad in ornate robes, fair like the garden that could be seen through the opened window. It looked like she couldn't hear them.

"Our poor princess, so terrible fate..."

"Lord father is so cruel, selling her off like this," one breathed out.

"She is the finest lady of the land, could've been married off, but now... No one will take a woman tainted by a youkai..." the other lamented .

"I heard her cries last time he came to her... It haunted me for days, how she obviously tried to keep quiet," one braver girl whispered. "I dared not to come any closer to see... but... I think... Our princess limped the day after..."

A shiver ran down her spine, when she remembered that particular encounter. Yes, she had been limping the next day after his last visit, because he had taken her in a true youkai fashion on all fours, with her face pressed to the pillow.

Yes, her father had given her as a payment for the West's protection, a low, desperate decision that would have made any woman in the land sick with terror and sorrow. Izayoi never spoke of what she felt about this choice of her father, showing a perfectly serene face, no ounce of anger and misery in her dark eyes. She never once complained, patiently accepting his declaration. She was praised for her obedience and acceptance of her fate. She was pitied as the poor princess that would so bravely offer her body to a beast to keep the whole land safe.

No one knew that it was all what she had wanted, what she had planned, along with Touga, her spouse of three moons. No one saw the unspoken love between them, so she discarded their opinions. They were fools if they couldn't see what she saw in his golden eyes.

She was staying at her house - to make sure the youkai kept his word and to protect her from other youkai. And once in a while, especially during full moon nights, her lord husband came to pay her a visit that lasted till dawn.

And today was the full moon. Her general was drinking sake, entertaining himself with her foolish father. But he was bound to get bored soon and come to her. She felt her body long to greet him properly. Merely thinking about his caresses and husky voice made her grow hot.

"Princess Izayoi..." one of the maids approached her. "Your lord husband came to see you. Shall we draw you a bath while he's paying respects to your lord, father?"

"It's not necessary, Youko," the princess gracefully put the last flower in the arrangement and looked at the bunch of women huddled together behind the one who dared to speak. All of them had wide eyes and pale faces, as if they feared the inu youkai could harm them as well. "This princess shall retire to her bedchamber. You all are relieved to leave the pavilion. Do not attempt to come near, for I have no power over my lord husband's ire, if he chooses to punish you for impertinence."

Her voice was soft and serene, gentle as she warned her maids. Her gaze rested on the one who had dared to overhear them the last time, if she disobeyed again Izayoi would have to send her to work in a different part of the estate. Only she herself could witness the glorious man and their private nights. No other woman would witness that. No one would have a chance to overhear them slip up and use it against them. The maids bowed, frightened of the youkai, and left the room. Izayoi sighed and went to close the shoji that led to the garden. Then she went to the room, where her futon waited for her.

As she walked, her fingers worked the ties of her robes, carelessly tugging the bow of her obi and shedding layers of pink and pearly silks across the tatami mats. In the light of the moon filtered through the thin paper screen, she stood in her pure white undergarment, running her fingers through the waterfall of her hair. A small smile played on her lips as she looked at the futon, remembering how, before their wedding, he had used to 'kidnap' her from her bedding to carry her into the night and teach her about her own passion.

Not a long time passed, before a soft noise from behind her caused her to turn around.

"My lord!" she gasped at the sight of the tall man standing in the doorway. A smirk curled up the corners of his mouth. Golden eyes glowered in the dim light. His white robe was covered by armor, twin tails of fur adorning his shoulders and falling down his back.

"I came here from a battle with a clan of oni," he informed her. "Your lord father was positively elated to hear that I defeated them before they could destroy the village at the border of your lands."

"Oh," she walked to him, not shuffled like a proper princess should. She didn't bow either, but instead reached her hands to cup his face. "You are unharmed?"

He barked a short laugh and bent his head to press a kiss to her lips, wrapping one arm around her waist. She felt her body heat up in the strong, secure embrace and she allowed herself to enjoy the firm press of his lips against hers, a kiss that promised this night to be full of pleasure.

"There is no oni that could harm an inu, dearest," he assured her and ran his free hand through her hair. "Were you asleep or is the state of undress the result of me shredding your kimono the last time?"

"Husband!" the human princess glared at the daiyoukai. No other human would dare to look at him so boldly, but Touga knew beyond the shadow of a doubt that his lady wife was a fierce little thing. Still, she added in a meek tone, as if startled by her own outburst. "I liked that kimono!"

"Ah, I liked to claw it off of you too," he chuckled and nuzzled her cheek in apology. "I shall repent for the demise of your robe. How can this Touga repay his lady wife?"

"For the payment I wish to get, you are grossly overdressed, lord husband," she pointed out in a whisper only he could hear, tugging at his kimono collar. Her gaze never left his face, admiring how his golden eyes darkened at her words. "And you walked in with your atrocious armor on! I swear, if you tracked blood on my tatami or my robes..."

"You mean the colorful trail that led me from the other room right to you?" he cut in, whispering just like her and smirking when he saw her pout. "I promise, there was no speck of blood on me, beloved. But I must agree, the armor is a bit of a hindrance, especially if I want to appease you."

Izayoi shook her head, smiling and reaching to the ties of his armor, helping him untie and remove every piece of it. A princess such as herself shouldn't have the knowledge to assist a warrior in such a way, but she was a princess of many talents and cunning. Her father now was a poor lord, but years ago he had been a general. Izayoi had his fierceness, that now was long gone in the aged man. His only daughter was fierce enough to challenge and tame a daiyoukai, cunning enough to fool everyone around her.

When Touga removed his two swords and put them away with the respect powerful blades needed, she snatched the furry tails from his shoulders and snuggled her face into them. She gasped when he turned his head her way, a predatory glint in his eye. She didn't understand how exactly it worked, but the fur was somehow attached to his senses. She squeezed it gently, pressing it to her front and watching his desire rising for a few seconds.

"Oh!" she squeezed the fur even closer to her chest and attempted to flee, but she had nowhere to run in the closed room, in an empty pavilion. There was no doubt in her mind no one would come to save her even if she screamed for help.

And scream she did, but not in fright, when the daiyoukai leaped after her, tackling her to the futon and making a quick work of her undergarments. His hands were everywhere as he pushed her into the softness of the bedding with his weight over her. His lips slammed against hers in a passionate kiss, his clawed fingers gripping and stroking her sides and shoulders, the fur tickling and rubbing against her breasts when he moved over her. It was like an assault, an attack of an army that took no prisoners, who sought conquest and her submission, commanded by a general who knew very well how to ambush and overtake her senses. Her husband never did things halfway, and she appreciated that he was not a mellow, boring man, especially when he came to her after a battle, adrenaline singing in his blood. Her own blood responded to him with the same passion and desire, her heart pounding in her chest.

To this general, and him alone, the proud, stubborn Izayoi was going to surrender, but not without a fight, not without a challenge, not without a battle that would sate them both and make her sore and limping for the next couple of days. She was a daughter of a samurai clan after all, defeat would never be a result of one sword stab into her flesh.

She parted her lips, pretending hesitance, but as soon as he thrust his tongue inside her mouth, she stroked it with hers, drawing a groan from the man that hovered over her in the shadowy room. One hand rubbing her side, his other hand tangled in her hair and tilted her head, the daiyoukai taking control over their kiss and making her world spin.

Her hands frantically tugged on his kimono, pulling it aside and roaming his body. She hummed in the kiss, appreciating the hard muscles flexing under her touch. Her core clenched at the thought that soon that masculine chest was going to rub against her in the most delicious way.

A soft moan fell from her lips when her husband traced a path of kisses and gentle nips down her jawline and then neck, licking her behind her ear in a canine gesture of affection. Her husband looked human enough to those who dared not to look twice upon him. But she, she knew that he was more than that; he was an inu youkai. And, unlike any other human woman, she found his canine habits quite enjoyable and desirable.

She doubted any other man could make her ignite so fast. She was ruined, forever, for there was no doubt in her mind that no other man could compare to the daiyoukai leaning over her and pushing the remains of her underrobe and his fur aside, his hot breath scorching the skin of her throat and chest. She scratched his shoulders, feeling him tense when her nails traced lines in his flesh, not strong enough to do him any harm. His kimono layers hung open, but she couldn't watch his magnificent frame. His head dipped down to her chest and his hot, skilled tongue was doing wicked things to her nipples.

"Touga...!" she gasped louder, her back arching when he sucked at her breast. A part of her wondered if any of the maids could hear her and if they would think she was begging for mercy. In a way she did, but she doubted any of her maids could understand her and her desires. Nor did she want them to know and understand that she was never a victim of her husband's lust and her father's weakness. No, other people's opinions were of little consequence. She wouldn't be influenced by what they thought about her. She was the princess that was not an obedient, meek wife. She was a warrior, even if her weapons weren't swords.

She found the knot of his obi and worked to untie it, her hands shaking from the hot, rough tongue licking at her breast and a calloused hand massaging her other one. Heat pooled within her and she knew he felt the same. The knot went loose and Izayoi groaned when her husband immediately left her. She opened her eyes and glared at him, just to see him shedding his robes in a flurry of motion. The sight made her smile, and she allowed her gaze to roam the body of a man that seemed to glow in the dim light. There was no ounce of unnecessary fat on him, there was no flaw in him and she felt her heart skip a beat as her eyes swept across the broad shoulders, the sculpted torso, the narrow hips and his throbbing arousal. She licked her lips, yet again wondering how that inhuman girth was going to fit in her little entrance, that pulsed with the need for him.

He dropped the last of his clothing and smirked at her, a fanged grin that she adored so much. He made a show of inhaling deeply and she squirmed, knowing that he could easily smell the honey that coated her one heated glance of these golden eyes she was aflame and in dire need. She reached her hands to her breasts, lifting and fondling them as she looked back at him, biting her bottom lip not to moan at her own touch.

She wanted him back on top of her, but he stubbornly stood there, watching her and denying them both. His hand went to his length and wrapped around it, his gaze never leaving her as she touched herself.

"Husband, please..." she moaned and reached for his fur, tangled with the ribbons of the fabric that had been her underrobe. She dragged it across her sensitive breasts and then down to her flat belly, humming at the tickling sensation of the soft pelt against her skin. The look of pure lust on his face only urged her forward. Squeezing one of the tails in a rhythmic manner, she allowed her other hand to dip between her legs, where she ached for him. She threw her head back at the touch of her fingertips against her womanhood, hot and slick for him.

She had touched herself many a time in the nights when he couldn't be with her, thinking of him and finding completion. She would do the same now, if it would seduce him to do his duty as her husband. He had taken her first blood all these months ago, he had given her untold pleasure, he had made her a woman and then his wife. Now, she couldn't find real satisfaction without him. She needed him, just like he needed her.

A low growl was her only warning. Suddenly her wrists were bound with his fur tails, high above her head. She gasped when he knelt between her legs, pressing his chest to hers, his lips stealing the gasp that left her at the sudden sensation of his hot, hard flesh against her. She was no virgin anymore, She knew the spark in his eyes as he looked down at her. There would be no gentle lovemaking tonight.

"Are you begging for mercy, wife?" he asked, his voice thick with lust. It sent shivers down her spine and to the liquid fire that pooled within her. This was not the voice of a soft courtier, it was the voice of a general, the one that made her want to do all sorts of unladylike things.

"I am your wife, my lord. I am yours to use as you see fit," she answered, lifting her hips from the sheets just enough to rub herself against the raging manhood that drummed against his abs. They both gasped at the touch of flesh against flesh and Izayoi knew by the glint in his eyes that tonight's battle would be fought with the most exhilarating virility and power.

With an animalistic growl, her youkai husband pressed his hips against her, smirking when she gasped and tossed her head back, showing him her throat in a way she knew he liked.

"You will do well to obey my will, wife," he panted in her ear and pulsed his hips against her in a slow, torturous manner, drawing a moan from her.

There was little possibility of someone overhearing them and somehow using that against them, but they tried to make sure no one suspected that they had been lovers long before Izayoi had sggested her father seek the protection of the West, long before Touga had demanded her as his wife in return. The unspoken words of affection and love were converey by the loving looks and gentle kisses, the feather-like caresses of their hands.

Izayoi freed a hand from the fur coils and stroked the cheek marking of her dearest husband. Then she pulled him closer to kiss his lips, making him rock against her in anticipation.

Always after a battle, her husband came to sate the other need for dominance, for conquest with her. He was firm and demanding during these nights, and she found much enjoyment in that. He made her feel alive, and she gave herself to him with no reservations.

"I won't dishonor myself by disobeying my husband, even if he wishes to take me in the way of his noble ancestors," she assured him. And that was the last full sentence she spoke that night.

His hand delved between their bodies and his fingers slid inside her wetness, stretching her and she hid her head on his shoulder to muffle the moans that fell from her when his skilled fingers prepared her for him.

His tongue traced patterns on the skin of her throat and shoulder and she clung to him, her hips rocking against his fingers.. She panted and gasped, and when she was almost at her peak, the hand was taken away. She glared at the man that denied her release, just to see him smirking at her.

"I will have you in any way I wish, Izayoi," he declared arrogantly. "I will come to you often and when you're in heat, I will sire a pup that you will bear for me. And it won't be just one pup. And, as long as long as I live, no one will dare to harm you."

She looked up at him, her hands wandering his back and sides, scratching his skin and slowly moving downwards. He was a warrior, a general that knew no defeat. He was no courtier, no fat merchant, no cowardly weakling. She was far from being was not an idle-minded cow that would allow her father to sell her to the highest bidder. She knew her worth and submitted to the one who was worthy of being her husband. Their children would be formidable and beautiful. They'd prove to the world that hanyou were what was best in both races, not what was worst.

But these children were in the future. Now it was just him and her, his golden eyes watching her intently as he moved to press his length inside her, her doing her best to keep her eyes open, hissing in pleasure. Her husband's face was centimeters from hers, the expression painted on it one of her favorite ones. His pupils were big and his mouth parted as he groaned her name.

She wanted to tell him how dear he was to her, how much she adored and appreciated him, but right now the time for talking was over. She moaned as her youkai husband started to thrust in her at a slow pace; her legs coming up around him, her muscles tensing in pleasure. His claws scratched her flawless skin as he held her close to himself, his mouth descended on her own, on her throat and chest, his kisses and licks leaving her skin burning.

"My general..." she moaned and arched her back for him. She was drunk, breathless and deliciously full. Her magnificent inu youkai growled and pressed his face against her collar while picking up the pace of his thrusts and making her want to cry her pleasure to the heavens. The divine pressure coiled in her with each move of her lover and soon she joined him, pushing up against his member, panting and gasping in his ear, relishing in the tight hold of his arms and scratching his back. Her legs wrapped around him, both to urge him to move faster and to keep her anchored when her world spun around her. Touga, the passionate man she adored, growled and groaned, showing her no mercy.

"Ah! I can't take it!" she yowled when her great general pounded into her. Her hips bucked, and she shook with the force of his thrusts. A rough tongue ran over her oversensitive skin up from a nipple to an ear.

"Then... yield to me... come for me..." he groaned, and she yowled when her release swept over her. She clamped around her mate's manhood and dug her nails in his shoulders as he doubled his efforts to join her in her climax. Hot liquid filled her, and she collapsed on the wrinkled bedding, the heavy weight of her husband pressing her down, reassuring her that it all had been real, that such passion and completion could and were a part of her life.

They didn't speak, basking in the afterglow, but he did move to lay beside her, wrapping his arms around her and draping his fur tails over her trembling body. She turned her head to look at him, love and contentment shining in her gaze. He leaned in and kissed her forehead.

"You welcomed your husband home admirably, Izayoi," he finally said, his gaze so much softer than the almost formal words. "Rest now. This lord shall wake you when his need for you is too much to hold back."

"It better be soon," she whispered so softly only he could hear her head coming to rest against his chest. "This princess has missed her general greatly."

A hand ran down her spine, pulling her closer to his warm body.