Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Inuyasha.
Edit: September 20, 2018. Another heavily revised chapter. I truly hope 10 years make a difference. There are descriptions! And they are not repetitive... For the most part, anyway :P I present to you the new (the revision was so heavy we can say it's new) and improved chapter. Enjoy, lovelies :)
"The most dangerous lies are the ones you tell yourself."
- Chapter 5 - Wedding Made of Lies –
Rin stood in her room, staring at the open box that held her outer wedding gown; Itsuki's gift. It was a traditional silk uchikake. The base color was a deep red. Starting high in the back and ending at the bottom was a painting of a gold massive dog demon, its hind legs touching the hem of the kimono. The obi was white, and was meant to be tied on the inner kimono she would wear. Reluctantly, she had to admit that it was a captivating work of art, hypnotizing in its beauty. Rin allowed herself one moment of pure fantasy, seeing her lord on the kimono instead of the stranger she was ordered to marry. Only a moment, and then her eyes opened again and she took a deep breath. She could not afford to sink into dreams. Reality had to be acknowledged.
The knock on her door was dreaded but expected. It was the morn of her wedding day, and preparations had to be made. "Yes?" she asked dejectedly. "We are here to prepare you for your wedding, Rin-sama."
She looked at the still closed door, knowing that opening it will signal the beginning of the end. The end of her time with Sesshōmaru-sama, the end of her happiness. She sighed again, ruefully shaking her head. Her lord chose her future, and she was forever in his debt for saving her and giving her a life worth living. She could not refuse. "You may enter," she said finally, smiling at the familiar faces of her two handmaidens. Suzume and Sawako had been assigned to her from the moment she set foot in the castle. They will also be accompanying her to her new… Place of residence. 'Home is where my lord is,' she thought sadly. "We can begin," she told the two, knowing that they were waiting for her permission.
She was taken to the hot springs within the castle, reserved only for Sesshōmaru and her, in order to be cleansed. She was instructed to bathe thoroughly, scrubbing every inch of skin. When she stepped out of the water, she was dried with a soft cloth. She was then instructed to sit on a nearby rock formation while Suzume combed her hair into a shining waterfall of black perfection. Meanwhile, Sawako rubbed a lightly scented oil into her skin, making it softer and sparkly. They helped her wear the innermost layer of her wedding regalia, a simple white yukata. They led her back to her room, knowing that the corridors they will use would be emptied in advance.
Rin sat down on a low stool, and Suzume stood behind her. She had a talent for turning hair into a work of art, and she outdid herself for her beloved lady's wedding. She twisted two-quarters of Rin's hair into a simple bun high on her head, and then twisted the remaining locks in a complicated pattern around the bun. Suzume then took a large hair ornament, shaped like dangling deep red flowers, and pinned it into the center of the bun, the flowers dancing down the side of Rin's head. While Suzume arranged her hair, Sawako put on her makeup. She knew that Rin did not like too much of it, and so she settled for lining her eyes with black and tinting her lips red.
Once her hairdo and makeup were complete, Rin stood back up and lifted her hands to her sides. Both Suzume and Sawako took a brilliantly white silk kimono, patterned with tiny golden dogs, and helped Rin wear it. She was surprised for a moment, she had not seen the inner kimono when she looked at Itsuki's present. 'It must have been in the second box that I had not opened,' she concluded. She only opened the top most box, seeing the great dog demon has been enough and she didn't want to open anymore of the boxes after that. Rin was instructed to sit down again, and Sawako slipped on the white tabi socks and then the gold zori sandals. She stood up again and stared at nothing in particular as Sawako tucked and tied the white obi. Last came the uchikake, and both maidservants helped her put it on. It was meant to remain open, like a robe, and the edges were neatly stretched on the floor behind her.
Meanwhile, in another room across the hall, a dog demon was walking back and forth, thinking about shared moments with Rin. He thought of the upcoming mating ceremony; how today he would be forfeiting all rights to her. No epic battle, no blood shed, only a simple wedding. His demon roared within the confines of his mind, demoing they stopped this madness, demanding, ironically, he saw reason. Unfortunately for Sesshōmaru's beast, the reason his rational side saw was not the reason he demanded he see. 'Rin must marry. Too much is at stake. There is no going back on my word,' he thought at his beast, continuing to pace the length of the room. He needed to release some of the pent up energy within him. His thoughts continued to circle the subject until a knock was heard, and a gentle tone requested his presence in the inner courtyard. Rin enjoyed nature, and the season allowed for an outdoor ceremony decorated by the trees and flowers Rin so adored.
Itsuki and Rin faced each other on a white carpet. The deep red and gold of her uchikake complemented the traditional black and grey of his haori and hakama. The ceremony was attended by Itsuki's father and general, Sesshōmaru and his court of lords and their ladies, as well as a large bear youkai who officiated it.
When asked, the couple turned to face the officiator, both accepting the first out of four sake cups; one for life, second for children, third for happiness, and forth for each other. After accepting each cup they turned to face each other and look into the other's eyes while drinking, an act meant to symbolize the sharing of experiences to come. Pools of chocolate met rich green, and Rin noticed something flashing within their depts. She was usually a very good judge of eye-expressions, having lived with Sesshōmaru for so many seasons, but she was beginning to feel dazed from the alcohol, and the interpretation eluded her.
"I, Itsuki, son to Hayate-sama, lord in Sesshōmaru-sama's court, take Rin as my mate; to protect, provide for, and bare pups with."
"I, Rin, ward to Sesshōmaru-sama, Lord of the Western Lands, take Itsuki as my mate; to honor, be faithful and bare pups to."
"Very well. You may mark her," the bear youkai said. Itsuki got closer to her, his mouth now an inch from her tender, virginal neck. She felt his hot breath and shuddered. His mouth opened, revealing pearly fangs. He gave a small lick to the length of her neck and bit down. The bite hurt. 'Was it supposed to?' She wondered as she waited for him to end the bite and step away.
The officiator cleared his throat with a small smirk. "Leave it to your bedchambers, please," he said cheerfully. Itsuki smiled proudly, not at all embarrassed. Rin blinked owlishly and blushed, embarrassed. Her eyes searched for Sesshōmaru-sama, wishing to see his reaction, hoping beyond hope that he will do something to free her from his command.
At the far side of the garden, a specific dog demon was fighting hard for control over his own body, binding his inner demon in place, reminding himself of the purpose of this event. It was done; His Rin was no longer his. He caught her eye across the length of the garden, caught the hopeful desperation in her gaze. He inclined his head slightly in recognition of her mating, and saw her hope crumple and wither in her eyes. 'She looks as if I ripped out her heart and stomped on it,' he mused. 'When did I learn to recognize the feeling?' He wondered to himself. 'And relate to it?' He added after a small pause. She will leave at dawn, he knew, leave to her new home and her new life. He considered visiting, just to make sure she was settled and content, but then decided against it. He did not want to see her content with her life. He wished for her happiness, but did not want to witness her being happy without him. 'At least the mating itself will not happen here,' he thought with relief. The thought of listening to the low-life touch his Rin and take her innocence would be more than he would be able to bear. Had the mating occurred here, Itsuki would not live long enough to experience his release. The thought of the bastard's release triggered another bout of howling from his beast, and Sesshōmaru emptied his mind in order to calm down. When he looked up, everyone had been escorted back inside to attend the feast, and the servants arrived to organize and clean the garden. Sesshōmaru turned on his heel and reluctantly left to join the meal.
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