A/N: Three more chapters left! :D Gonna be sad and glad when it's done.
The Other Side
Chapter 50
Repercussions to the First Born
A small healer walked into the room with the males and the two women with a gentle smile of her face. Sesshomaru sharply looked up to her, eyes flickering between her and the wall. The healer said, "Congratulations milord, you have a healthy male pup."
"Yes!" Inuyasha exclaimed as Kenichi rolled his eyes.
Sesshomaru let out a relieved sigh. "And of my mate?"
"She is very tired. Your mother is taking care of the pup while your mate rests," she explained lightly. "I suggest letting her rest before you show yourself, milord."
Inuyasha narrowed his eyes while his half-brother looked surprised that this slip of a healer would even suggest such a thing. "You are telling the lord to stay away from his mate?" Everyone turned to the angered half-demon; looks of awe were aimed at him. "Are you out of your blasted mind? He's already stayed away from her for most of the day. Hell! Even I can feel that she's calling to him."
"Damn, Inuyasha," Kenichi simpered as Miroku coughed under his breath. It sounded more like a laugh than anything.
"I was merely saying that he should allow her some rest," the healer tried to reason but Inuyasha glared at her.
"Oh yeah, sure; like Sesshomaru couldn't lay with her as she sleeps," he countered.
The woman huffed, "I do not take orders from you nor do I listen to you, half-breed."
Sango's eye twitched as she breathed in and out before her own anger got the better of her. "You insufferable demon," she began as the woman gaped at her. "This is supposed to be a joyous moment; not a moment where you talk down upon us."
"Sango's right, you have no right to talk to us like that," Miroku agreed as Sango smirked.
"You are nothing but filthy humans, I am a royal demoness. I should kill you on the spot." Miroku and Sango fell silent. "Yes, be good little humans, and shut up." A door flew open, eyes all turned to see Kagome, who was narrowing her eyes on the healer. "Milady!" she shouted. "You shouldn't be out of bed!"
Kagome raised her hand up and over her head, wisps of red swirled around her hand. "How dare you talk to my friends like that you bitch," she snarled as she looked to Sesshomaru. "Permission to mane her?"
Inuyasha starting cheering in the background. "Permission granted," Sesshomaru answered and was almost sure that more than one voice answered with him. The healer's eyes widened as Kagome's hand aimed at her. There was a short scream that sounded like it was suddenly cut off then nothing. The woman simply vanished. "Where'd you put her?"
"Gave her to Ilosia. Perhaps he and Zhou-Mao can do something about that horrible woman," she said, flicking her hand as the wisps disappeared. Her other hand, held a small child as she turned to him and nuzzled him. "Sesshomaru, come meet your son."
He slowly walked over to her and when he was in front of her, looked down to the small pup in her arms. The pup was wrapped up in a white blanket, leaving only his head out. A small set of black hair was on top of his head, his eyes were closed—pity, he wanted to see what color his eyes were. He had really puffy cheeks but he was cute. Sesshomaru glanced to Kagome and asked, "How are you feeling?"
She stared up at him and smiled brightly. "Like I've been run over by a truck, backed up, and run over again," she replied as Inuyasha let out a snort. "Shut up Inuyasha!" He howled in chuckles. Kagome sighed and shook her head as she turned her attention to her friend. "Come meet your nephew."
Inuyasha froze. "Oh my god! Kagome, you're my family! Holy crap!" He watched as Kagome bumped her head against Sesshomaru's chest and sighed deeply, causing the rest in the room to laugh softly.
"Inuyasha, what am I going to do with you?" she asked.
"Drop him off a cliff?" Sesshomaru offered.
"No!"
"Drown him in a lake?"
"No to that too!"
"Disown him?"
"Sesshomaru!" He smirked at her as she tried to cross her arms over her chest then realized there was a child in her arms. She settled for pouting as Inuyasha came over to the two of them.
Inuyasha placed a clawed hand on the kid's head and rubbed softly. The only other kid he was around was Shippo and he didn't know how to be around smaller kids than Shippo. "It's Akira, right?" he questioned as the child opened his eyes—they rivaled Kagome's. Both Sesshomaru's and Inuyasha's faces softened when Akira made small noises. "Okay, kid, I gotta say it; you are adorable."
Kenichi, Miroku, and Sango itched to go over and see but waited until it was their turn. Instead, Kagome walked over to them before placing Akira in Sango's arms. The pup looked up to Sango's shocked expression as she looked down to him. He was quiet as the three of them fussed over him.
She walked back over to Sesshomaru, wrapping her arms around him. "Wanna go for another kid?" His reaction was so worth asking that question. He nervously laughed at her. Kagome grinned up at him. "Aw, what not?"
"You just had a pup."
"I know, I want more. How does hundreds of kids running around the castle sound?"
He paled at the thought. "That—is not funny."
"Your face sure was funny, so it was totally worth it," she said as she turned her head to the others. Akira was watching them all with wide eyes. "Inuyasha sure looks happy."
"Hn."
"Oh come on, be happy for your brother. He finally gets a family, right?" They watched as Sango passed Akira to Inuyasha, who protested until the kid was in his arms, then he cooed at the pup. Inuyasha walked over to Shiori to show Akira and she squealed at him. "And perhaps with the way things are going with Shiori... perhaps Inuyasha will become a father as well."
"In other words, as you push Inuyasha in the direction of Shiori?"
"Of course, duh!" He shook his head at his mate as his mother strolled into the room. "InuKimi! You finally joined in on the party!" She smiled at the woman.
She stared at her and said, "You should be resting."
"I'm leaning on Sesshomaru, I'm fine!" She waved her hand in a dismissive manner as InuKimi giggled. She watched as her mother-in-law handed something to her mate. "What's that?"
Sesshomaru unfolded the scroll, read it, then gazed to his mother. "What is the meaning of this?"
"The elders want to meet her."
"They choose now to bring this upon me?"
She nodded. "Yes, you have an heir now. You can't say no to them, you know that. Someone told them about Inuyasha and the two humans as well as the fact that your mate was one of the people that came with your brother's pack."
"That's not good then right?" Kagome questioned as she tightened her hold on Sesshomaru's waist.
InuKimi shook her head. "Exactly. The elders have the ability to deny you if they think that you're not the right candidate for Sesshomaru."
"Which means what?" She was afraid of the answer.
Sesshomaru interjected, "It means that if they don't like you, our mark will have to be destroyed."
"Won't that kill us though?"
"Yes but mother would be able to bring me back to life whereas you, the elders would immediately say no."
"Those sons of bitches! Like hell I'm going to submit to that! I'm going to fight for you!" Sesshomaru and his mother shared a look. "And myself," she added. "And our son," she added again with a glare.
InuKimi smiled at her. "One of the reasons why I like you Kagome. You fight for what you believe in and for that, I expect you to do that to the elders. Fuck them," she said as Sesshomaru openly gaped at her.
"Mother!"
"What?! Kagome is the best damn thing that has ever happened to you and I for one will not allow the elders to fuck with that! I do not approve of their interference!"
"The elders are finally having their say?" Inuyasha asked suddenly as they turned to them. They noticed that the others had gotten quiet as they had talked. "So when do we get back at them?" InuKimi smirked.
Sesshomaru glanced down to Kagome, whose eyes held a sudden fire in them. "The elders want all of us to be in the conference room in an hour." The others nodded, ready for whatever the elders were to throw at them. "Are you all right for that, Kagome?"
Kagome bit her lip in worry. "Saiyu has already healed me from giving birth; I'm just really tired but I figured a tired me is an angry me, then why not go against them?" Sesshomaru smirked down at her. "Plus I have you by my side, what do I have to fear?"
"Ew, Kagome! You've gotten sappy!" Inuyasha yelled softly since Akira had fallen asleep in his arms.
"Damn Inuyasha, you've hung out with me too much! You're using my quotes against me!"
"I know! I'm creeped out!" They both laughed before settling for grinned at each other.
XXX
An hour later found the group in the conference room. Sesshomaru was at the head of the table with Kagome to his left, who was holding onto their son in her arms. InuKimi was to his right with Inuyasha to her right and Shiori on his right. Sango was to Kagome's left and Miroku to her left. Kenichi was to the right of Shiori and on the other side of the table where the elders.
There were five of them, each elder looked no older than a couple of hundreds of years and was glaring at their group with a passion. They all also happened looked the same! Or so thought Kagome. They were all dog demons; silver long hair, golden eyes, all in the same white haori and black hakamas. If anything, Kagome was a little creeped out.
"Elders," Sesshomaru welcomed with a nod.
"Pup, do you not know that it is rude to not introduce us to your group?" said the elder that was closest to Kenichi on his right.
"It is just as rude to not introduce yourselves to my pack?" the lord countered as Inuyasha resisted the urge to laugh out loud.
"Fine… I am Elder Iwasaki," he introduced; he was the one that was at the head of the table on the other side or directly in front of Sesshomaru.
"I am Elder Gou," he said, clearly not happy about any of this. He was to the right of Iwasaki.
"I am Elder Hijitaka." He was across from Gou.
"Elder Ichiyama," he nodded to them. He was soft-spoken and to the left of Gou.
"Like it means anything to any of you but I am Elder Karasumaru," he snarled.
Sesshomaru inclined his head to all of them as he responded, "As you all know, I am the lord of this castle, Sesshomaru, next to myself is my mate Kagome," he gestured to her. "In her arms, is my heir and our son Akira."
The elders minus Ichiyama, glared at the child in the arms of the that woman. Sesshomaru did not approve of the looks.
"I am Inuyasha, Lord Sesshomaru's half-brother." Their glares turned to him as Inuyasha smirked and waved knowingly. "And this is Shiori," he introduced her as she looked to her lap, only briefly nodding in their direction. She felt rather out of place in the room.
Kagome spoke up, "I am Kagome, mate to Lord Sesshomaru. Next to myself are my two good friends, Sango and Miroku." She smiled gently to them then to the elders, whose gazes were on the humans.
"I am the lord of the Eastern lands, Kenichi or Sesshomaru's best friend." Kenichi grinned.
"And if you don't know who I am, I am Sesshomaru's mother, InuKimi. Now down to business," she told as everyone nodded now that introductions were out of the way. "Why has this meeting come to be now? Why not earlier?"
Elder Karasumaru growled at her tone and replied, "Simple. We have been watching every single one of you and as of now, we have come to the conclusion that Lord Sesshomaru has softened and does not care anymore to what happens to his lands."
"It also appears that our lord's mate gets into a lot of danger and for that, we do not approve of her," Elder Gou pointed out as if it explained everything.
Kagome felt her heart drop at hearing that.
"It also has come to our attention that the pup has gone behind our backs to mate with a woman that we did not agree upon," Elder Hijitaka added.
Inuyasha felt his ears flatten against his head; none of what these men were saying were anything good. If anything though, it sounded more like they were leaning to destroy Sesshomaru's and Kagome's mating mark. He glanced to InuKimi and it seemed that she came to the same thought he did. She was a little pale.
Miroku's eyes were widened as Sango's jaw was dropped a little. This was not good.
Sesshomaru resisted his instincts—the ones that were telling him that his mate was in danger while being in front of the elders. He looked to her and felt the bond flare; he felt everything in that moment. She was fearful of her life, her child, and him. She felt useless as if her will to fight against them was suddenly gone.
Elder Ichiyama sighed. "Lady Kagome," he started, bringing her attention to him. He saw the fear in her eyes and the sorrow. He furrowed his eyes before coming to a decision. "I am for you but it is one against five, which means that my word does not help. Gou, Hijitaka, Karasumaru, and Iwasaki have all explain their concerns and I understand them for the most part.
"I understand their concerns of having a lady of the West be in danger—it threatens the West in ways that makes it harder for us to protect you. Since before Lord Touga, a rule that the current lord must tell the elders of his chosen when it comes to mating. Sesshomaru did not do this and for that, it is not in his favor—but at the same, I am glad he chose out of his own free will, someone like you," he finished as Kagome had tears in her eyes. For the first time in years, he feared for her.
Sesshomaru was amazed that at least one elder was on his side but like Ichiyama said, his word didn't mean anything. He closed his eyes; his fear of losing Kagome was a lot closer than he thought.
Kagome breathed in and out slowly. She turned her attention to the other four elders and then narrowed her eyes. "Thank you Elder Ichiyama," she said with a smile to her face at him. He blinked in awe at her as her smile vanished and a snarl reappeared in its place. "Let me tell you all something; something that might actually change your mind." Some of the words were growled out.
"I do not believe that you have anything that would change our minds," Elder Karasumaru retorted as Kagome smirked. Elder Gou tried not to stare at the petite woman in front of him. She was practically glowing! He and Iwasaki shared a look; perhaps they thought wrongly of her?
Inuyasha and InuKimi gaped at her. The spark in her eyes was back! Her friends and family silently cheered her on. Sesshomaru's fears disappeared as he slowly smirked.
"I am the heart of the West, the intended for the current lord. If you so much as think that you plan on destroying the mating mark with us; I will sick every single one of my elements on you," she promised with a hiss.
"The heart of the West?" the elders said together. "That's impossible!"
"If you have been following me like you say you have been, then you all know that I have the markings before I was even mated. If you so much as tempt fate—" She let out a harsh laugh. "I will sit back and watch you suffer."
Iwasaki looked to his lap then said, "I see, then I shall join Ichiyama in his words." Everyone that wasn't Kagome, gaped at him. He gave a weak smile to her as she nodded. It was the closest to an apology.
"I too shall join Ichiyama in his words." Gou nodded. They gaped at him next.
Hijitaka smiled at this. "You have a way with words, Lady Kagome." He shook his head with a soft laugh. Kagome watched him like a hawk. "I too will agree with the words of Ichiyama. The West has been in darkness for one too many years. It is time for someone like you to bring light."
"Are you four insane? This woman will destroy the West!" Karasumaru yelled but no one said anything to respond; all except Kagome that is.
Faster than anyone could blink or move, Karasumaru's head rolled. Kagome watched the head and smirked. "It's people like you that destroy the West," she gibed.
"Remind me not to get on your bad side," Kenichi joked as Inuyasha snickered. Slowly the group started to chuckle as Kagome turned her attention to Kenichi. "I mean, seriously, if that's how it's going to be when people disagree with you. I'm a bit scared for Sesshomaru."
Akira woke up and giggled as all eyes went to him. "Wow, he slept through all of that. He sleeps more than Kagome." Inuyasha nodded to himself.
"Shut up Inuyasha," Kagome replied.
"Seriously though, how are you going to know if something happens during the night? You two seem to sleep through anything."
"Perhaps that's a good thing."
"Or bad. I mean, if he's anything like you, he's gonna get kidnapped throughout his life." Kagome handed Akira over to Sesshomaru, who took him without a fight. She stood up and walked around everyone to get to Inuyasha, who finally took notice that he annoyed his friend and ran for his life. "No! Kagome! I love you! Let's be friends!" She went after him with just as much speed.
"Looks like you have your hands full, Lord Sesshomaru," Ichiyama said with a chuckle.
"That is a big understatement," he responded with a shake of his head.
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