I Do Not Own InuYasha


Aienkien

合縁奇縁

A couple strangely but happily united;

Uncanny relationship formed by a quirk of Fate;

The mysteries of attraction and relationships or bonds between people


II: 22


Year 1308...

Somewhere in Kyoto, Japan...

Sesshōmaru watched his mate as she roasted some fish she had caught, she was humming to herself, it was a sweet melody. Against his shoulder was Bakusaiga and A-Un was resting on the other side of Rin. He was longing to ask her what she had spoken to Naohi about, because she seemed different now, more like the her he was so accustomed to, but different, there was still this innocence about her. He also wanted to kiss her again, he liked the bewildered expression she would have when he moved away from her, also she tasted sweet. Very sweet, he relished the flavor. There was a natural sweetness to his mate, whether it was in her blood, or her skin, or her life's essence, he didn't know, but there was a sweetness he found addicting.

"Sesshōmaru?" her voice had him looking from her lips to her eyes.

He liked her eyes a lot too, so wild and determined, not even the wildest of kitsune could match her look in wildness.

"Why do you keep… you know?" she blushed a bit.

He tilted his head and arched a brow.

"Kissing me," she mumbled. "I thought… you don't like humans," she said as she picked her fish away from the fire.

"I do not like or dislike humans," he informed her. "A human life is a heartbeat in mine, it is hard to care about what petty mortal problems they will uncover to continue their struggles."

"Mm, so you kiss me why?" she asked.

"Because you are mine," he informed her. Rin frowned and he used his speed to come looming over her as he moved her hair and collar of her clothes aside. "This, is mine, I put it here, you're mine, forever," he murmured.

"I've always had that," she said softly. "You… you asked me, when I was young."

"You accepted," he murmured. "You are mine," he whispered.

"But I thought you hated humans."

"I do not care about humans," he clarified.

"So this mark…?"

"It's a mating mark," he replied. His claws traced it reverently and she gasped, he scented her arousal and smiled to himself as he sat.

"We've never… you… I was a child, pup!"

"Marks are binding of life, not of a mating nature until older," he said. "I'd wait for you, for an eternity." He admitted softly by her ear, he watched her turn red but not shy as she glanced at him through her lashes. Smiling slightly, he traced her mark.

One day, when the time was right, his inner beast would submit to her, and as for her mark, but the time had never been right. He just awaited the time it was, because then they would belong together for an eternity, her life would beat in sync with his and they would never live without the other. Until then though, he would relish in knowing that she was the only one who was his equal, the only one to love him. She was the only one his inner beast found to be worthy of his attentions, affections and time, she was everything to him already, she was the only one to ever create such emotions and instincts within him. He would submit to her one day, when that happened, life would never be the same.

"Until I save my lord it will have to wait, but I'm yours, forever," she promised.

He nodded slightly at her words.

"I have a duty to him, but I am yours, forever," she promised, and her hand hesitantly came to his face. He shuddered when her fingers traced his marks. His yōkai markings, the natural marks which dictated his rank, abilities, and purpose were sensitive to touch and something only a mate could touch. The shiver which raced through his body as she traced them had him tilting his head a bit to give her better access. "What do these mean, I've always wondered."

"Me," he murmured.

"You?"

"Hai, me," he nodded let her fingers explore the markings.

Slowly she withdrew her fingers and nibbled on her dinner. His claws tangled in her hair, he had always loved playing with her hair as a pup and now, it was a wonderful sensation to feel the silky strands in his grasp.

"I will rest now, I have to return to Setsuna," she yawned as she finished her meal. He let her lean on him and listened to her settle.

"You do not have to return to Setsuna," he murmured.

"Oh, but I must, I promised Izayoi-sama I would be there in time for her wedding," Rin admitted.

"Hn," he rolled his eyes.

"The price of having friends is repaying kindness, my lord," she lectured.

He frowned. "You should not call her 'sama'."

"It is a mark of respect, my lord, I do not give that respect to many, as I am equal to none, but I will be respect them for I represent my lord," she said. "I am the representation of his will, his court, his manners, and him, and I will not shame him in anyway."

"That is…honorable," he murmured. He could not fault her for representing her lord with dignity or honor, he hadn't seen a human have that dignified or posed in her position.

"Besides, my lord's mother would rap my knuckles for being anything less than a perfect representation of our people," she yawned. Sesshōmaru thought of his own mother and shuddered if he misrepresented her and their clan. Even his mother's father would return from retirement in the land of spirits to come rake his claws over Sesshōmaru for misrepresenting their clan.

"Oh, don't look at me like that, I learned much, and I am proud to represent my lord and his people."

"I know," he said softly.

"Good," she smiled as she settled more firmly against his side with mokomoko wrapping around her. He liked holding her like this, he kissed her mark as she settled.

"You have got to stop doing that!" she mumbled. "The human needs sleep."


Setsuna Castle...

Izayoi was making her remedies in peace, Takemaru was training the men today and she was alone, undisturbed and alone. Her sleep was getting to be more and more restless; she wasn't liking this reoccurring dream. She didn't like the way that inuyōkai was invading her dreams. Peace would be nice, peace would be a good reprieve from these dreams she was possessing, and she yearned for it. Standing she looked around her as she wiped her hands on her apron. This wasn't normal, these dreams, they were killing her energy, and it was impossible for her to walk the forest without jumping every few trees thinking it was him lounging there, watching her. She didn't like it.

Sighing she closed her eyes, she could work until she was exhausted, but she still had so many dreams. Even now she could see his gold eyes, which terrified her from her peaceful mind. Looking up she saw Takemaru walking towards her.

"Takemaru!" she smiled as he approached her.

"How are you today?" he asked. "You are looking more and more tired," he murmured as he examined her more closely. "You should rest," he warned.

"I have tried," she admitted tiredly as she rubbed her temple. "I worry."

"Try not to worry, rest," he said as he continued past her, and left her be. Izayoi sighed, she would have to wait for Rin to return to speak to her about these dreams which were plaguing her, she didn't know if she could handle them much longer. She did not think they could continue either, for they were exhausting. And that yōkai possessing her was driving her mad.

"Have you seen Rin today?" a voice on the roof asked, she glared up at him. His furs were poofing up, making him look larger and more intimidating than he was.

"Does it look like she is here?" she snapped folding her arms. "And why in kami's name do you wear that ridiculous fur?"

"It's my mokomoko," he answered as if it were obvious. "When will Rin return?"

"I don't know, I am not her Master," Izayoi muttered sourly. She wished she was because then she would command Rin to stay with her, she would not be alone. But run was so unlike any of them, there was this depth to the girl which couldn't be described or understood. At least not by Izayoi. Rin was too wild to belong to her, but her lord must appreciate that wildness for he had let Rin hold herself in high esteem.

"Has she told you anything about her lord?"

"No," she answered.

"When she returns, ring this bell," he said tossing down a set of small suzu. She was stunned catching them.

"Why? What are you going to do to her?" Izayoi asked.

"I have questions for her," he stated. "And questions about her lord."

"Are you going to harm her again?"

"I have no wish to harm her," he dismissed as he disappeared in a ball of light. Why was something so evil and cruel so beautiful, she wondered.


Year 1581...

Edo, Japan...

Sesshōmaru sat in a tree alone, his wounds felt heavy, but they were also healing. He could feel them healing, though they were starting to itch and annoy him. Not that it mattered as he stared at the mysterious image of his mate. This was strange, this imagery.

He stared at the image long and hard, she looked beautiful.

He was slightly annoyed when there was a pulse of a blue flame, which had him looking over as a silver kitsune appeared, his nine tails wrapping around the branch.

"My, my, it has been some time," the fox chuckled as he hid his face behind a fan.

"Fǔ Yáng," he acknowledged his grandfather's former fox. It had been several centuries since they had encountered each other.

"I have a new name," he chuckled.

Sesshōmaru glared balefully.

"But enough pleasantries, Mikadzuki-sama has sent me, and your grandfather is coming."

"He's dead," he said swiftly.

"Not the King of the West, the former Inu no Taishō, Shikoku-sama has arrived to speak to Kimi-sama and you, Sesshōmaru-sama."

"I thought grandfather was resting in the yōkai world," he said. There were the many worlds between the mortal realm, the heavens and netherworld.

"I see," he murmured. "And when will Shikoku arrive?" he asked.

"I'd say right about now," the fox said as the storm parted and a massive white inu daiyōkai came through. Sesshōmaru said nothing, he had not seen his grandfather, either of them, since his puphood when Rin had helped rescue him from the East.

Shikoku was perhaps the only being Sesshōmaru had ever met who was more powerful than his own father. Shikoku was tens of thousands of years old, no one truly knew his age, or if he was kami or yōkai, his powers, is energy was so pure no one had ever been able to purify him. Shikoku's true form was a white inu about the size of the mountains, on his brow was a waning crescent moon. Unlike Kimi and himself, Shikoku was not venomous or poisonous, but his powers so great that he did not need them. Sesshōmaru slowly pulled himself out of the tree and landed on the ground, slipping his fangs into place as he hid the pain of Magatsuhi's mark and walked towards the clearing his grandfather was. Sesshōmaru was surprised to see his grandfather in a humanoid form, but did not let it show or be revealed.

Shikoku was tall, about Sesshōmaru's height, long white hair carefully pulled back. He did not wear armor, but he was still armed, his fangs of choice were secure on his waist. Shikoku, despite his old age was still lean, and muscled, his beard was the only true mark of age. His eyes though, those were different, they were a startling sightless silver they had always been. The same silver of the moon.

"Sesshōmaru," his grandfather said stiffly.

"Who the fuck is this!?" InuYasha snarled.

"Grandfather," he acknowledged.


Year 1308...

Somewhere in Kyoto, Japan...

Rin woke at dawn, wrapped up warmly in mokomoko and she moaned lowly as she moved, arching her back and rolling her stiff joints. She couldn't react though when she was pinned beneath a warm body and staring into gold eyes.

"Sesshōmaru!" she squeaked.

"We should go, humans are near," he murmured softly. She was stunned as she slowly nodded. His lips brushed hers lightly. "Later," he murmured; more to himself than her.

Rin didn't understand this side of her lord, not fully, though she was trying. She was still trying to comprehend that she was his mate, that that was the mark he had given her. She had never thought to question it, she had never wondered or pondered what the mark could be, so she hadn't questioned it, merely accepting it bound her to Sesshōmaru somehow.

Mate was not a title she was expecting.

Mate in yōkai worlds was sacred, it was a mark of equality, and it would elevate status. Reciprocated marks were the highest honor, and she had never marked Sesshōmaru. Still, this mark, it meant the world to her, but it would also change her relationship with her lord. Then again, she had always known she would never marry anyone, but then again she had always known she would be whatever Sesshōmaru would need her to be. Friend, confidant, general, healer; she had never thought lover, wife, or mate would be on her lord's needs. But she supposed it would happen, she wanted him in every way, and anyway she could be with him satisfied her needs. Rin was ridiculously pleased to know she was his entirely and he was hers, as a child she had thought he was hers, now to have it reaffirmed through this mark made her want to sing and dance in glee. Her lord was all hers, it made her happy to know that.

She was on A-Un and they took the skies.

They were running through the clouds when he appeared beside her, and plucked her off the dragon.

"Sesshōmaru!" she gasped.

"A-Un will go to my mother's shiro, I will return you to Setsuna," he said as he dropped from the skies.

"Stop that!" she gasped, feeling her stomach drop as they landed on a branch. "I don't like falling," she admitted. "I know you would never actually let me fall, but I don't like the feeling of falling."

He said nothing, but she sensed his acceptance of this even as they raced through the forest. She gasped as they landed in another tree, just outside of Setsuna. Sesshōmaru carefully lowered her to the ground and handed her Bakusaiga back again.

"I'll see you soon, Sesshōmaru," she promised with a wave before walking for Setsuna. Her lord growled lightly, she stiffened when he appeared before her with his claws on her chin tilting it back.

"Rin," he nodded before he kissed her lightly again and was gone. This new change to their relationship had her smiling, it was sweet, and her cheeks warmed at the sensation of this change. It felt right to have this change coming about.

Walking for Setsuna she saw the guards coming for her, and she sighed.

She would have to look into asking how to co about collecting souls from a monk or… or she could ask Tōga. He was old enough he would probably know, and once she had that information she would be free to go about fixing this. Once she had Sesshōmaru's four souls she would be able to save him. Kami, she wished Miroku was here to ask about this matter, but that wouldn't aid her.

"Hault!"

"Kato, how is Daisuke?" she asked as she walked past them.

"I…"

"Izayoi-sama is expecting me, I will go find her," she said as she entered the compound. She left behind a baffled Kato and a different guard she hadn't seen before. Walking through the compound she headed for Izayoi's gardens for that's where she was accustomed to finding Izayoi. Sure enough, Izayoi was there, working over one of her plant beds, weeding them.

"Good morning my lady," Rin greeted as she walked into the gardens.

"You…!" Izayoi spun around and her jaw dropped. "You're alive!"

"Of course I am, should I not be?" Rin asked checking over her person for a wound she might know about.

Rin had, much to the disbelief of Miroku and Sango, always healed up swiftly and thoroughly, she had thought it normal. She had broken her leg once and it had taken her a few weeks to heal, Kohaku had broken his arm at the same time and he had been stuck healing for three moon cycles.

"You were so uncertain about if you'd return or not," Izayoi said.

"No, I was certain I would be back," she shrugged. "Just in time to help you finish preparations for your wedding and to collect some information from an unruly inu I know before being on my way."

"Mmm, you seek Tōga?" Izayoi demanded. "After what he did to you?"

"I've had worse," Rin said. "And besides, he hasn't done any real damage to me."

"You should not…" she started.

"I need to speak with him, it is my duty to put aside personal grievances to do what is best for my in service to my lord," she said levelly.

"Why? He's a brute, and no better than a beast," Izayoi snapped in frustration.

"He's an inu daiyōkai, not a monster or a beast, he has thought, ideals, emotions; and he is living, is he kind and good all the time; no, but no being is, and I have to accept that he and I need to work together to save my lord. Whatever he has done to me is not as important as my need to save my lord, besides, I think I could beat him in an unfair fight," Rin chuckled.

"He was looking for you, he told me to ring this bell," Izayoi said and produced it to hand to Rin.

"Mmm, do with it what you wish, now what herbs are we collecting for who and what battles have I missed?" Rin asked walking forward.