Shikuro: A Caribbean Fairy Tale

by Inuma Asahi De

Inuyasha was as bad as pirates came, according to his legend. Kagome was a woman of propriety, destined to marry for her family's honor when all she wanted was to live on the sea. What happens when their eyes meet by chance or perhaps by daring fate?

92. Unity

Blanket Disclaimer: The writer does not own any characters created by Rumiko Takahashi but like everyone else wishes she did. All original characters or concepts are the author Inuma Asahi De's (with the exception of historical figures).

This chapter contains a lemon (hanky-panky) if you wish not to read this material simply stop reading the chapter after Sango and Miroku's conversation. I do recommend you read the last four paragraphs regardless though. I hope you enjoy.

Chapter Ninety-Two

Unity

The morning light was beautiful as Inuyasha woke, his eyes barely discerning the room around him as they were blinded by sunshine. He honestly couldn't remember falling asleep, he couldn't even remember how he had gotten into bed. Reaching a hand up to his face he rubbed it slightly as he yawned and attempted to sit up only to realize there was something holding him down. Surprised, his eyes finally opened wide as he came fully into wakefulness and looked down at the warmth which was holding him to the bed.

Instantly, his heart skipped a beat as he took in the sight of Kagome's gorgeous sleeping face. Long lashes touched reddened cheeks, and soft lips parted barely as she inhaled one little breath after the other. The soft curls of her hair felt soft against his skin as she snuggled a little more firmly against his bare chest. Inuyasha felt a lopsided smile form on his face as he watched her press herself closer to him, the feel of her fingers as they brushed against his abs tantalizing.

"I have got to be dreaming." He thought vaguely as he noticed her bare shoulder peeking out from under the blanket. "And what a dream it is." The dog demon mumbled as he reached for the edge of the blanket something telling him she had to be naked underneath and the prospect of that was just too much to ignore.

As he lifted the sheet however, dying to get a glimpse of what rested underneath his ears twitched. The curtains around the opened window were blowing, the sound of their fluttering in the morning breeze for some reason catching his attention. Then again, it was far more likely the sound of people talking outside in Italian must have caught his attention.

"We're in port." He concluded as the sound of laughter and crates being moved filled his ears. "But if we're in port—then," He looked down at the sleeping girl his mind trying to keep up with his instincts. "This is—real?"

Inuyasha gasped, suddenly back in reality in that moment. His whole body froze as he looked down at Kagome's sleeping face, his hands beginning to shake. She mumbled something softly and Inuyasha got the strange impression that he was going to die. Holding perfectly still he watched as her eyebrows furrowed for a moment before she settled back into sleep. Sighing thankfully he tried to process everything he was seeing at the moment.

"Did we?" He asked the room and the walls but neither of them answered as he looked down at his bare chest, the blanket just barely covering his trim waist. "And I don't even remember it!" He fought back the urge to snarl and thrash his head around but with the slight movements of his anger he noticed something. "Wait." He moved his hip slightly, noticing the way the hidden fabric moved against his body. "I'm wearing pants."

The words echoed throughout the room as he shifted awkwardly in the bed, looking at Kagome in strange abject wonder. Carefully, he cleared his throat and reached for the sheet that covered everything accept her one bare shoulder. His clawed fingers grabbed the edge of the sheet and nearly shaking pulled it up just enough to peek underneath it. Instantly, the sight of a brown oversized shirt met his vision and he opened his mouth to protest with solid disappointment.

Forcefully, he kept the words from emerging however and finally did what he knew he should have done in the first place, he smelt the air. His senses were instantly bombarded by the distant smell of Sango, her pregnant body still giving off the delightful scent of motherhood but none of the tell tale smells of anything else even reached his nose. "Thank god." He mumbled although he was only partially relieved by the information. Truthfully, it would have been much easier to just get the action over with, after all, he had never in his life slept with a virgin or better yet, slept with Kagome.

A wave of nervousness jumped up in his throat and he shifted just a little more awkwardly as she snuggled against him. The sensation dropped to his stomach as her young innocent fingers brushed over his abs making the muscles tingle with delight that raced straight to his groin. The dog demon nearly whimpered as he felt the powerful sensation make his skin go hot.

"I have to get up." He said quickly but quietly not wanting Kagome to wake up at a time like this.

Hastily, he moved the sheet off of himself grabbing her hand with the upmost care. The girl didn't even make a single sound of protest as he shifted her away from him, setting her hand gently down on the mattress. Her fingers jumped to grab for the fabric pulling it tight in her sleep, the sight awakening an even greater urge within him as he imagined those fingers grabbing him with the same force. Shaking his head quickly, he moved the covers up and over her covering her body carefully so as not to wake her.

Slowly, he moved to the edge of the bed, tossing his feet over the side. The cool ground made him wince slightly and he grabbed for his boots realizing that if his pants were on he had no reason to stand up without them. He tied the laces hastily, his hands nearly shaking as his groin hardened as he thought of the way Kagome's hand had clutched the covers in her sleep. He could just see her reaching for him, those same fingers grabbing his clothes in the exact same way or, better yet, grabbing something else entirely.

Inuyasha nearly choked on the thought and with barely coherent fingers managed to tie his shoes finally. Standing, he forced himself to calm down as he crossed his cabin grabbing his shirt and throwing it over his head within seconds. Breathing in sharply, he grabbed for a pouch that had been thrown upon his desk sometime either last night or the day before. The jingling of coins filled the air but he ignored the sound in favor of glancing towards the chair, eyeing it for his jacket. Sure enough, the red fabric was thrown over the edge of the chair. He grasped it in his hand immediately after and started for the door knowing he could walk and put such a thing on at the same time. Nearly tripping over his own two feet he quickly raced to the door grabbing for the handle with only one second thought.

With his fingers just barely touching the door knob, he turned and looked over his shoulder his eyes taking in the shape of Kagome under the bed sheet. The curve of her hip, the outline of one breast, the line of her cheek, and the part between her lips were all striking. He felt his lust fade for just a second as she smiled at something unknown in her sleep, the look giving her an ethereal quality as the light hit her features making her glow.

"I'm gonna marry her today." He thought as he watched her turn slightly in her sleep, until she was on her back. The sheets conformed to her body creating a hallowed space between her breasts that lead straight down to her flat stomach. His mouth went dry from the sight and he inhaled sharply as another thought entered his head. "I'm gonna—tonight—we." He took in a shaky breath as the nervous feeling ran within him again.

Even though it was something he had done many, many times before, for some reason in that moment it felt just like the first. He was excited and a bit paranoid all at once as he watched her chest rise and fall with each breath she took. He almost felt as if even touching her might take away something from them, something he couldn't explain, maybe even damage the bond they had created together. His hands shook and he gritted his teeth in response as he allowed the fear to push against the back of his mind for just a moment before he shot it back down.

"No," He told himself and sighed as he closed his eyes against the sight of her. "That won't happen." He opened them again and took in her still form with love flowing into his heart. "It won't." He nodded sharply and turned out of the door without another thought. Now was not the time to hesitate anyway. The proposal had been made, first by her and then by him so, it was set in stone, all he had to do was put everything together.

Walking out into the morning light, Inuyasha saw that his ship had indeed been tied down in port sometime in the night or, more likely, early morning. The deck of the vessel was almost completely abandoned with the exception of a few crew members standing watch by the already lowered gangplank.

"Must of been Myoga and Totosai." He told himself as he started across the deck, noting one of the old men as he sat on a nearby barrel munching on what looked like pieta bread. "Myoga!" He called and the old flea demon looked up from his breakfast to smile at the half demon.

"Inuyasha-sama." He nodded his head once before motioning out towards the ship. "Shikuro arrived-u just a bit-to ago." He explained without having to be asked.

Inuyasha nodded his head in response and glanced up into the sky. "So sometime this morning." He clicked his tongue and looked at the direction of the sun. The slope of the giant circle showed that it had to be already close to ten in the morning. "I wonder when I went to bed?" He thought to himself with a shrug before he looked down at the little demon. "Where's Kouga's ship?"

Myoga pointed easily at a dock only a few hundred yards away from them down the port. "Kouga-sama went-to straight home-e." He told Inuyasha before he put another piece of flat bread into his mouth, breaking it off with a slight crunch. "Said for Inuyasha-sama," The flea demon continued on talking around the food in his mouth. "To go to Shiro when awake." He pointed towards the large castle, the Japanese word not throwing Inuyasha off in the least.

"I guess I better go then." He nodded once to himself before sending Myoga an appreciative look. "Thank you—."

The old man merely smiled in return as he leaned back on the barrel. "Do not-to worry-y Inuyasha-sama." He looked up at the younger man with fondness in his old eyes. "Myoga wa do anything-u for yuu."

Inuyasha sent him a smile back in return and started down the gangplank without another thought. His boots were loud on the slanted wood and the uncovered ears on his head seemed to dance in response to the sound. Briefly he thought to go back to his cabin and grab a hat to cover his ears but decided against the idea. It wasn't that he was afraid to go back up to his cabin, it was just that he didn't see the point.

"Everyone in this town knows who I am." He told himself as his feet landed on the cobblestone street and he paused for a moment looking down the street in either direction. He knew exactly what he needed at the moment but there was a chance no one would be selling them at this time of year. "Even if we're so close to spring." He crossed his arms over his chest as he followed the movements of a young man carrying a sack over his shoulder. "A cabin boy."

The boy, no more than thirteen and completely demon, looked over at the Captain slowly, his bright blue eyes distinctly uncomfortable. "Buongiorno." The boy nodded not seeming to know what else to say as he turned quickly away from Inuyasha.

The dog demon sighed heavily but ignored the obvious fear that had run throughout the boy's scent. "Buongiorno." He called back to the child and watched as the boy flinched having hoped Inuyasha wouldn't say anything. "C'è qualcuno che vende fiori," He spoke quickly asking the boy for directions as the child turned and looked at him, his small shoulders tense. "In questo periodo dell'anno?"

The child furrowed his brows and gave Inuyasha a look that seemed to say, 'you're crazy' before he nodded once. "In fondo alla strada," He managed to point with one of his fingers down the street. "La signora Annabella."

"Grazie." Inuyasha mumbled and turned away from the boy pausing only long enough to reach into his pocket for the pouch of money. He looked towards the child over his shoulder, noting that the boy was still looking at him carefully. "Garzone?" He called the word for apprentice as he tossed a gold piece towards the boy easily.

The child's eyes turned wide and his mouth practically fell opened as he nearly jumped for the money. "Grazie!" He called quickly even as he looked up to find Inuyasha had already started to walk away. "Grazie, Signore!"

"Di niente." Inuyasha sadi you're welcome over his shoulder as he started down the long boardwalk. His trained eyes watched the already bustling port with curiosity. There were demons everywhere but the primary breed that seemed to be about on the dock was wolf. He could smell them all over everything and he could see them as they loaded and unloaded ships. "It's almost uncomfortable." He thought as he continued to walk at a leisurely pace.

A row of women briefly caught his eye, one of the girls smiling at him as she hitched her skirt up a little and nodded towards him. He sent her a cool smile but didn't bother to look down at the prospective thigh she had exposed. The nervousness that had encompassed him earlier came back once more and he frowned. It seemed like only yesterday he would have approached that girl and easily persuaded her for a free ride. It would have been easy, beyond easy but now—.

Inuyasha stopped walking as the scent of flowers reached his nose, the boy having directed him to the flower shop expertly. "Well his directions were good." He brought a hand up and rubbed the back of his head before he turned and headed towards the shop. The door chime ringed as he opened the door and the dog demon was instantly assaulted with the smell of hundreds of flowers of all types, shapes, colors, and breeds. "Dear lord." He groaned nearly fainting from the sheer intensity of the smell.

"Coprire naso!" A woman's voice hit the air and suddenly Inuyasha found a handkerchief over his nose.

He jumped as he felt it tied around his face and whipped his head around in time to see a small demon standing no taller than his waist. How the tiny woman had put the handkerchief around his head he would never know. She smiled up at him and her tiny green eyes sparkled as her matching green hair seemed to move as if it were alive. The smell of flowers that clung to her was nowhere near as strong with the silky fabric over his nose but he could still tell the scent had not simply rubbed off onto her but was a part of her.

His eyebrows immediately raised into his hairline as he realized exactly what he was looking at: a demon with the gift of fertility, a plant demon, the rarest kind of demon in the world that he knew of. Demons with the gift of fertility were exceeding rare and exceptionally hard to find even when one knew exactly where to look. This was all due to their natural camouflage. They were literally plants just like the woman standing before him with her leaf like hair and her almost greenish skin. A plant that could walk and talk when so inclined.

"Non avete mai visto un demone come me?" She asked as she raised her fingers up to brush her hair back, they were green as well with thorny nails instead of claws.

"Never seen a demon like me?" The words translated in his head and he nodded in response to the question knowing that he had never to date met a demon such as this one, he had only heard of them and the infamy that came with them. "No." He told her glad that the English word for no and the Italian word for no were the same.

The woman nodded and turned away from him walking further into the shop Inuyasha had yet to really see. There were plants everywhere, vines and ivies and flowers and even trees that all seemed to sway as she walked by, following her as if she were magical, which she was. Taking a step forward after her, Inuyasha carefully entered the shop fully, the plants turned towards him, seeming to bristle as he walked towards their master.

"I feel like they could kill me." He thought as he watched a partially thorny looking bush sway back and forth beside him.

"They probably could." The woman responded in front of him and Inuyasha nearly jumped five feet in the air.

"You speak English?"

"I speak everything." The woman replied back and turned to him with a dangerous smile on her lips. "After all, I have plants from all over the world here." The woman reached out her hand, a small plant coming towards her in response. "And plants unlike other creatures have a tendency to listen," She petted the plant as if it were a cat and then released it. "And when you listen you learn." She smiled at him once again but this time the look was not malicious in anyway.

"I can understand that." Inuyasha told her with a nod as he felt his body begin to relax just a little in the store.

"So how can I help you?" She asked as she leaned against what appeared to be a wall but by the texture of its wood Inuyasha wouldn't be surprised if it was actually alive somehow.

"I'm getting married today." He explained easily knowing that the woman would understand exactly what he meant.

She tilted her head to the side and smiled at him gently. "Really?" She didn't wait for a response before she turned her back on him and glanced at something he could not see. "What is she like?"

Inuyasha raised an eyebrow at the strange question having not expected a simple flower lady to care about the woman he was marrying. "What?"

"Tell me what she's like." The woman repeated firmly as she turned back towards him, her eyes seeming to glow slightly for a moment.

The look in her eyes made Inuyasha feel just a little bit lightheaded but he ignored the sensation as if compelled to. "Um," The dog demon paused, the right words not coming to him just yet but he could feel them as they tried to push their way to the surface. "She's—sweet and kind and gentle." He said finally not sure exactly what this creature was getting at, closing his eyes against the sight of her, he tried to think. "And," He furrowed his brow, images of Kagome jumping to the forefront of his mind, playing on the back of his eyelids. "She's strong." He continued on, licking his lips a little uncomfortably. "She's probably the strongest person I've ever met."

The plant demon nodded her head to herself and flicked her wrist unnoticeably towards the back of the shop. "Go on." She told him with a nod of her chin and waited patiently as Inuyasha grew lost in his own thoughts.

"Ano," The Nihon-go word didn't upset her for even a second as he continued on. "She—she's smart," Inuyasha felt the word jump from him, the truth behind it making him laugh. "Smarter than me I think." He chuckled this time and sent the shop keeper an awkward smile even with his eyes closed. "She's always—thinking of everyone else before herself too—that's kind of dumb but that's her."

The woman smiled satisfied with his words. For a moment she glanced away from him into the darkness and shook her head before turning back to him. "What does she smell like?" The question hung in the air for a moment, reaching Inuyasha's ears slowly but the answer only took seconds

"Home." He said, not able to deny the words for even a moment as his eyes suddenly opened. "She smells like home," He looked straight into the demon's eyes wanting her to understand exactly what he meant. "And Irish lilies and the sea."

The woman dropped her hands as he spoke, her eyes seeming to go over him as if expecting something to have gone wrong. Everything looked to be working properly, however, the spell washing over him completely. Frowning slightly she brought a hand up waving it only once before she continued on. "What does she like?"

"Books," Inuyasha answered quickly not needing to think for a second about that one. "Especially the Iliad but she can't read Greek—I translated it for her." He added off handedly as he looked away from her towards a deceivingly pretty flower that seemed to be dancing off to his right. "She also loves the violin." He continued on feeling hypnotized by the bobbing orchid as he spoke. "I taught her—I'm still teaching her how to play.

The woman blinked a few times in surprise but didn't say a word on the admission as she flicked her hand again towards the darkness. "What does she," She paused for just a second as she sent the dancing flower a slight glare. It stopped moving immediately and quickly disappeared from sight from the chastisement. "Pesky things." She shook her head and looked at Inuyasha once more. "What does she want from her life?"

Shaking his head, feeling somehow liberated now that the little flower had left, Inuyasha turned to her and frowned. It took him a moment to process what she had said but when he finally did, he knew the answer instantaneously. "To travel the world." He told her a fondness brimming in his eyes as he imagined the glow of her skin when she spoke about the sea, admitting to him her love of it. "She wants to see every part of it no matter what."

"And you're okay with that?" The demon asked as she finally allowed her hands to drop for just a second waiting for him to speak.

The dog demon didn't move, his golden eyes seeming focused on something she could not see. "I want," He began softly as his face grew undeniably gentle and his eyes turned to a particular shade of honey that made the demon shiver. "To be the one who takes her there."

The plant demon froze for a second at his words looking at him with a strange sort of respect forming in her heart. She flicked a few fingers in the direction of the darkness, a smile on her face. "What does she look like?" She posed the question, the question which showed most mens true reasons for picking their particular brides.

"Enchanting." He answered simply and closed his eyes as the image began to flow throughout him. "Her hair's short and this strange blackish brown, red color." He waved his own hands in front of himself trying to find words to describe the little wisp of colors. "It kind of changes in the sun and—moonlight too." He bit his lower lip slightly as he felt his stomach flutter. "She has these little curls that—." He inhaled sharply as he saw them in his mind, flowing around her. "It's like they dance all the time even when there's no wind."

The woman smiled, her eyes affectionate as she began to picture this girl inside Inuyasha's head. "What's your favorite thing about her?"

"Her eyes." Inuyasha opened his own and for a moment felt as if he was standing right in front of Kagome. "They're the most beautiful grey." He whispered the words as the image of her in front of him smiled. "I get lost in them sometimes." He admitted watching as her eyes shimmered and sparkled, captivating him completely. "It's almost like, when I look into them I can see all the wisdom that she shouldn't have so young," The image began to fade as he started to come back to himself. "And all the feelings that consume her."

"They say eyes are the gateway to the soul." The plant demon informed him watching as he shook his head in response.

"For Kagome," Inuyasha explained as he finally looked at her once more the image of Kagome completely gone. "They're more than that."

"Hm?"

"They're the gateway to the world." The words seemed to flow from his mouth into the opened air, truthful and blunt. "I look at Kagome, I look into those eyes," He sighed, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. "And I see the world."

She dropped her hands looking at him with complete amazement. It had been years since someone walked in her door that was actually truly in love with someone else or, at the very least, this deeply. A soft smile formed on her impish features and she clicked her tongue, the sound seeming to make Inuyasha wince and come back to himself a little. "I'm finished."

"What?" The dog demon asked confused as he looked around the shop not quite sure what had just happened to him. Everything felt a little fuzzy and somehow not real as if he was waking up into a dream and not reality. "Um." He looked at the shop keeper who was giving him a worried look.

"Are you alright, my dear?" She asked as she smiled softly at him looking for all pretenses as if she had nothing to hide.

Inuyasha sent her a strange look but felt compelled not to comment. "A—you're done?" He spoke softly, carefully as he watched her closely not sure of himself at all at the moment. "I didn't tell you what I wanted."

"You didn't have to." The woman explained as she turned away from him and reached into the darkness. Instantly, plant like fingers darted out from the black, rushing towards her with two wreaths clutched tightly within their strange almost human hands.

Inuyasha blinked in surprise and took the wreathes into his hands, his eyes unable to fathom the beauty of them.

They were both identical, woven from some sort of deep emerald colored vine that he could barely see through the flowers that surrounded it. Unfathomable blue honeywort flowers lined the top, the mixture of cobalt, indigo, and violet petals seeming to drip over the sides of the wreath like tiny yet powerful waterfalls. One of the indigo petals brushed the top of a honeysuckle that rested underneath, the flower seeming to quiver in response. Inuyasha inhaled the fragrance of honey through the handkerchief on his face and nearly sighed. The pure white of the sweet smelling flowers seemed to match Kagome's very soul and the long tendrils of yellow that rested in their centers seemed to match her very heart.

Flowing strands of green fell from the back of the wreaths, the cords that would tie them both together. Inuyasha's fingers hesitated only a moment as he reached for them, the silky feeling of the plant like ribbon taking his breath away. Somehow, and he would never be able to explain how, those ribbons felt just like Kagome's hair, soft and silky and perfect in every way. "They're," He tried to speak as he watched the long green strands curl and uncurl for just a second as if they were alive. "Beautiful—perfect."

The woman approached him slowly, one last flower in her hand. "She sounds even more beautiful." She whispered as she presented him with the flower, a beautiful Irish lily tear-drop shaped and white. "Both inside and out." She finished as Inuyasha watched her weave the flower into one of the wreaths, the lily seeming to connect with the other flowers as if it were meant to be amongst them.

"Irish lily." He whispered and looked at the woman in amazement unable to fathom how she had known about Kagome's scent. Vaguely, he registered that he had told her but the whole ordeal seemed too much like a day dream for him to believe it had actually happened. "It felt like—I just drifted off while I was waiting." He told himself but the truth in that statement felt dim.

"In some ancient cultures," She began ignoring his thoughts as she pulled her hand away looking at the wreath with loving eyes. "Lily's represent unity." She looked up at him and waited just a second before speaking once more. "What do they represent to you?"

"Kagome." He spoke softly as he looked down at the two wreaths, the lily on Kagome's looking somehow just like her.

"She's a lucky girl." The woman whispered as she brushed her hand over the little lily, the flower seeming to become an even brighter white from her touch. "Because you truly love her." She looked up at Inuyasha watching as the man stared into the wreaths seeing them with complete understanding. "Don't you?"

"I do." Inuyasha nodded as he pulled the two wreaths closer to himself. "How much do I owe you?"

"Five gold and a silver." She spoke sharply as if she were afraid he might argue with her over the price.

Inuyasha frowned, for what the woman had done that didn't seem like much. Reaching into the pouch he pulled out a handful of coins and dropped them into her outstretched hand. "How many's that?"

The woman looked down with wide eyes as she mentally tallied the amount. "Fifteen."

"Sounds good to me." Inuyasha bowed slightly to her and sent her a smile the wreathes held firmly in his hand. "Thanks for your time Mrs—Annabella right?"

"Yes, Annabella." She nodded and looked up at Inuyasha slightly dazed as the gold coins brushed against her fingers.

"Well, thanks again." He bowed his head as the wreaths brushed against his skin. He would have to be careful with them so as not to bruise the flowers and yet, somehow he knew, flowers grown by this woman would not bruise easily. "Annabella."

"You're welcome." The woman smiled at him as he turned and began to walk away. "Inuyasha."

He froze not sure how the woman knew his name but didn't comment. After all, if she could read his mind, she had to know his name.

-break-

Inuyasha carried the wreaths protectively against his body, not wanting to damage them from his movements. Sneaking down the stone wall, he scented the air and underneath the nearly debilitating scent of flowers he could smell the exact person he was looking for. Nodding to himself firmly, he looked up at the wall one of his ears swiveling on his head in order to hear in the opposite direction as the guards walked down the small foot path that he himself was currently standing on.

Shrugging his shoulders, amused that he hadn't been noticed yet at all, Inuyasha bent his knees and in one great leap found himself on the wall. He crouched low so as not to be immediately seen and licked his lips as his eyes scanned over the large courtyard before him. It was almost ostentatious to look at, with trees and flowers and a maze in the shape of a cross and shield in the distance. The dog demon pulled a face when he noticed the giant chest table and groaned at the extravagance of it.

"Kouga you sick bastard." He mumbled to himself as he pulled the flowers away from his body slightly so as not to bruise them, and jumped from the wall.

The grand immensity of the extravagant garden nearly took his breath away once he was standing on the ground. He felt somehow surrounded by the plants and even more so, that the plants were happy to be surrounding him. An odd suspicion built within him as he sent one of the plants a glare, the leaves actually seeming to curl from the look.

"I bet Mrs. Annabella upkeeps this garden." He thought to himself as he began to walk down the little path, keeping a close eye on the greenery, almost afraid it might somehow attack at any moment. "Anything's possible." He told himself as he walked, the area feeling more like a forest than an actual courtyard garden.

For several seconds he walked down the tight path, his eyes wandering towards the little vines that seemed to move only when he wasn't looking. It was as if the forest/garden was enchanted, watching his every move. Unnerved slightly by the thought, Inuyasha growled some of the vines seeming to duck out of sight from the noise. Pleased, he continued down the path, the sun barely peaking through the thick branches above his head. It felt nice when he did step into the light however and he sighed against the sensation of the warmness.

Finally, he stepped out of the forest arriving on a wider path that lead off in the direction of the palace and also away from it as well. Pausing, he lifted his head and scented the air once more, searching the area with his nose absently. It was easy to pick up Kouga's scent, the stink of the wolf permeating throughout the forest. It wasn't easy however to pick up the distinct scent of his current presence. He knew Kouga had to be someone on the grounds but it was hard to discern a direction when the wolf scent came at him from every angle.

Sighing, he brought his free hand up to his neck and rubbed absently before deciding to go in the opposite direction of the palace. "It's probably better to start this way." He told himself as the gravel and sand underneath his feet crunched. "At least away from the damn palace I'll be able to tell if his scent gets stronger or not."

He continued down the path for only a few brief minutes before the scent became truly stronger telling him he was going in the correct direction. It wasn't long before he found himself coming towards a small clearing with a small white table and two occupants, a man and a woman, both sipping on breakfast tea from the smell of it.

Inuyasha recognized Kouga instantly but it took him just the briefest of seconds to recognize the man's wife. Ayame, cleaned up and in her proper dress and attire, looked like a wholly different woman. She was beyond gorgeous with her red hair curly and let down about the bare shoulders of her morning gown, the woman having not yet changed for company. She turned towards him, her bright green eyes and olive skin making Inuyasha feel a natural attraction to her. She smiled at the sight of him, her fanged grin as wicked as her sparkling green eyes.

"Buongiorno." She called to him as she brought her tea to her lips and took a sip. "Inuyasha."

"Buongiorno." Inuyasha nodded to her as he drew closer to the two.

The bright green eyes fluttered as she took in the wreaths he held protectively towards herself and she turned and looked at Kouga with a feathery smile. "Vedete?" She asked him and the man nodded in return towards his wife before looking at Inuyasha.

"Matrimonio?" He motioned with his chin at the wreaths and Inuyasha nodded once in conformation. "How you say—matrimony-y?"

"Pretty much." Inuyasha nodded as Ayame motioned for him to take a seat at the table. The dog demon didn't say a word but did move towards the chair sitting in it comfortable. Carefully, he placed the two wreaths on the table Ayame eyeing them carefully.

"Annabella." She spoke the name clearly and sent Inuyasha a sweet smile. "De best," She struggled to say in English, her green eyes looking proud for having tried. "No?"

"Yes," Inuyasha agreed unable to help himself when he returned the smile with one of his own. "She was very good."

Ayame nodded in agreement, understanding the simple words. "Tè?" She motioned towards the pot on the table and the extra teacup next to it.

"Grazie." Inuyasha acknowledged and reached for the tea cup only somewhat suspicious. "It's like they knew I would be coming this morning." He thought to himself as he poured himself a cup of the tea, the smell of it warm and comforting. "Myoga did say Kouga asked for me though."

As if ignoring the conversation thus far, Kougas leaned back in his chair and sat his tea down on the table. "Do you-a need a funerale per de boy, meticcio?" The wolf demon spoke without preamble, his wife sending him a strange look unable to keep up with the conversation.

Completely taken aback by his cousins words Inuyasha lowered his own tea cup. The china hit the expensive metal making a clinging noise that bothered the demons ears. "No." He answered as he watched Kouga take another sip from the tea cup looking almost bored. "He's going to live."

"Really?" Kouga leaned back in his chair actually surprised by the information. "How?" He asked even as Ayame looked between the two men confused. "How was the boy saved?" He asked again as Ayame sent him an angry look, rolling his eyes he quickly translated the words but didn't bother to turn the conversation into Italian. "English," He commanded Inuyasha not bothering to look at his wife. "She needs practice."

Understanding but not quite agreeing, Inuyasha continued on. "Kagome saved him." He explained vaguely as he finally picked up the tea cup again and looked at Ayame apologetically. "She's—good at healing."

Kouga nodded, his whole expression contemplative for a moment as he took a sip of the tea his face expressionless. "Strega." He suddenly said and sent Inuyasha a long hard look that made the dog demon growl.

"No," He said bluntly as he returned the hard look with a glare of his own. "Sacerdotessa." He corrected using the word for priestess over the word for witch, Kagome was not a witch.

"Sacredotessa." Kouga repeated the word and frowned for all of a second before he simply smiled. "Either-a way," He looked straight at Inuyasha, his blue eyes calm and collected. "Kagome—she is amazing."

Inuyasha stared at the man in front of himself no sure what to say. "Either way, she's amazing." He repeated Kouga's words, his whole body tilting forward as he placed his hands on his knees. "Yes." He agreed and nodded his head as affection for her made a smile appear on his face once more. "She is amazing."

Only understanding about half of the conversation Ayame frowned. "Kagome?" She asked her husband who sent her a nod. "Kagome de one sa—save—moi?"

Kouga smiled at her, pride showing on his face as she attempted to speak in English only slightly hindered by her Spanish and Italian. "Oh, Meticcio, I thought voi might-a want to know," He began slowly as he crossed his legs and leaned back more fully in the chair. "I told de umano dey could stay in moi kingdom if dey liked or go casa."

Inuyasha nearly dropped his glass as confusion swept his brain. "But—you hate humans?"

"Hate is-a potent-e word." Kouga leaned back and looked up at the sky his blue eyes searching for words or maybe for something else entirely. "I never met your papa." He said abruptly making Inuyasha raise an eyebrow even further perplexed by the strange actions of the man in front of him. "Ma, I did meet your Mama," He lowered his head and finally looked at Inuyasha. "I told you about dat."

"Yeah." The Captain answered the unasked question as he finally gave up holding his drink and sat it on the table before him. "Where are you going with this?"

"Umano girl covered in Eion's scent." Kouga didn't bother answering the questions as he clicked his tongue as if amused. "I remember—thinkin' how petite she was," His eyes became distant as he spoke looking as if he was no longer standing in the room but was somewhere far away. "Just-a tiny little ding."

Something in Inuyasha's chest seemed to convulse from Kouga's words. The love for his mother making his heart clench as he realized that she had been near this man. "What did he do?" He wondered to himself as he watched Kouga shift in his spot. "He's been acting so weird lately." He thought as he remembered Kouga's shift in behavior when he asked the man to help him at the prison.

"She should-a been," Kouga continued talking not aware of Inuyasha's thoughts in the least. "Scared of moi—." His voice faltered for a second and he lowered his eyes as a soft smile formed on his face. Inuyasha could honestly say he had never seen a look quite like that on Kouga before. It was fond and sweet and surprisingly gentle as if he were thinking of a child who was his own. "Ma she just-a smile and told moi," He lifted his head and looked straight into Inuyasha's golden eyes. "She like-a blu eyes" He laughed and shook his head as if it was the funniest thing she could have said. "I had never seen anyone look at moi and smile and speak-a so easily." He tilted his head down to look at Inuyasha and imprint the idea on him. "Never."

"Kouga." His wife spoke gently having understood the majority of his words or perhaps having already known what he was going to tell Inuyasha.

"I played wit-a her," Kouga spoke softly as he reached for his wife, taking her hand into his gently. "Umano games while moi Papa argued wit-a his brother." He looked up at Inuyasha and gave the man a half hearted smile from the memory. "Eion watched us and she laughed," The smile grew a bit and he laughed as well. "She make-a flower rings, put 'em in his hair."

Inuyasha couldn't help but laugh as well as he imagined his grandfather with flowers in his hair to entertain the little girl.

"Your Mama was-a darin' girl," Kouga leaned back in the chair his shoulder's slumping as he allowed Ayame's hand to fall out of his grasp. "She must-a been an amazin' woman, not scared of anydin' or anyone." He sighed heavily and turned his head towards the ground staring at it for some time before he raised it up and nodded once firmly. "Le ho rispettato."

This made Inuyasha's head shoot up, his eyes wide. He had never thought in a million years to have ever heard such words come out of Kouga's mouth. "I respected her." He replayed the words in his head in complete disbelief even as he watched Ayame nod her head as if she had always known.

"Even when she-a marriy-y some demone and bore you." He was blunt as he spoke, his blue eyes looking now right into Inuyasha's own. "Le ho rispettato."

The dog demon frowned and smiled all at once knowing that the words were an insult but not for his mother.

"I don't-a know why she had you." Kouga explained his prejudice still on his lips but somehow lessoning. "Ma—," He sighed once the fond expression on his face coming back. "Knowing her, she-a not have regretted a ding."

Inuyasha furrowed his brows trying to process what Kouga was saying.

"She—she-a would be proud." Kouga stopped himself and growled slightly as if the very words he had spoken had pissed him off. "I guess recently, I was-a remind of her." He continued on no longer sending a single compliment Inuyasha's way. "And I realized I was-a behaving like moi Papa." He bit out the word, true hatred edging in on his voice in that moment. "I never want-a be dat bastardo."

The dog demon shook his head, he couldn't say he understood the logic but he knew what Kouga was saying. "So," He interjected carefully as he watched the other man eye him strangely. "You've changed your opinions about humans."

"No," Kouga shook his head adamantly and took a sip of his tea once more until there was nothing left in the cup. "I have-a simply," He brought the tea cup down to the table, sitting it on the surface gingerly. "Found moi opinion again," He smirked and sent his wife a soft look as she reached for the kettle to pour some more tea. "Meticcio."

Inuyasha nodded once accepting the words, still not really understanding them. "As long as he's changed who cares why he did." He told himself as he grabbed his tea cup from the table again and sipped on it.

Noticing the way the conversation had closed Ayame smiled and finally motioned towards the wreaths once more, bringing back the previous conversation. "Pretty." She said simply in English as she looked at the blue, white, yellow flowers that intertwined with the emerald green vine. "Per who?"

Inuyasha caught the look out of the corner of his eye and sighed as he sat the teacup down once more. "Kagome." He acknowledged and Ayame's eyes seemed to light up as if she highly approved of such a thing. Feeling comforted by her approval Inuyasha cleared his throat and turned towards Kouga finally prepared to talk to him about the real reason he had come to the castle this morning. "I have one more favor to ask."

"I am-a tired of your favors." The demon rolled his eyes but nodded his chin immediately after.

"I want to marry Kagome." Inuyasha ignored Kouga's words, watching as the wolf demon looked at him with no surprise on his face what so ever. "And you're the only person in a thousand leagues that I know can force someone to perform the ceremony."

Kouga narrowed his eyes in surprise and looked over at his wife who hadn't followed the conversation. She gave him a strange look but he didn't bother to translate, instead he turned back to Inuyasha giving him a stern look. "Why—why you need-a ceremonia?"

"Because she's," Inuyasha hesitated not sure how to explain his reasoning to Kouga at all. "Well maybe not proper but," He sighed heavily and brought a hand up to his neck rubbing at it as it knotted. "I want to be truly married to her." He lifted his head and gave Kouga a critical look. "I love her Kouga and she deserves to have me as a husband," He paused for just a moment letting his words sink into Kouga. "Not just some man that shares a bed with her."

Kouga nodded his head and shifted his weight forward as he glanced at his wife who was still confused. "Lui vuole che io sposassi loro." He explained simply telling her about what Inuyasha wanted from them, that he needed someone to perform the ceremony.

The woman frowned at the information knowing that a priest in their country or any country in Europe would never agree to this particular union. Inuyasha, after all, was a half demon, a creature that was generally scorned and not allowed marriage. To top it all off, he wanted to marry a human for love and not just political or social bonds. That was a dangerous thing to the demons of the world as people in love tend to express their love physically and thus often allow the physical manifestation of children, mixed race children. No demon would ever wed the two if such a thing were possible.

The wolf queen bit her lip and looked towards him apologetically. "I no one know to do." She expressed the thoughts as well as she could her words a bit confusing. "No priest will."

"I know." Inuyasha lowered his head and rubbed his face tiredly. "I mean—I just want the ceremony it doesn't have to be legal in the eyes of the church." He explained slowly as he lifted his head watching as Ayame nodded having understood his slow speech. "I just want her—to feel—I don't know."

"Like it-a real." Ayame spoke softly as she looked towards her husband, her green eyes turning darker. "Kouga can do." She looked at Inuyasha promptly as if waiting for him to argue.

The dog demon opened his mouth to protest but snapped it shut before the words left his mouth. It wasn't that bad of an idea having Kouga perform the ceremony. Kouga was technically allowed to unite two people if he so deemed them worthy. He was the king of the country, after all. "Um—that could work." He lifted his head and looked towards Kouga who was glaring at both of them with a look that could kill.

"Kouga you do-a." She commanded her husband simply and bluntly, the matter of factness of her tone making Inuyasha laugh.

Kouga glared at his wife but didn't respond right away with his answer. Instead he sighed and sent the younger man a withering look. He opened his mouth as if he were about to speak but snapped it shut almost immediately after.

"Kouga." Ayame drew out his name as if it were a curse and the wolf demon growled at her. She growled back immediately, the sound of a female wolf demon growling a lot more intimidating than any male could have sounded.

Kouga whined ever so slightly, almost indiscernibly, before turning back to Inuyasha. He stared at the man for just a second before finally speaking. "De first time I met Kagome," He began cryptically, Inuyasha sending him a strange look. "She-a look moi in de eyes." Kouga smirked as he spoke, remembering the meeting fondly. "She was-a scared unlike Mama but dat same determination was dere, burning in each grey-y iris." He cleared his throat and looked at Inuyasha. "And because-a her, I'll bite moi tongue and marry you both."

"Thank you." Inuyasha managed to say as the shock of the statements grabbed at his tongue preventing him from speaking.

Kouga smirked but didn't send Inuyasha a sarcastic remark. "When do you want-a de cerimonia?"

"Tonight," Inuyasha answered immediately watching as Ayame nodded, understanding this part of the conversation. "Sunset."

"Who will be de uniters?" Kouga pressed further waiting just long enough for Inuyasha to say, Sango and Miroku. "And how much-a will you pay moi per dis?"

Inuyasha snorted feeling the catch in the conversation. Crossing his arms over his chest he glared at Kouga roughly. "How much do you want?"

"A promise only." Kouga spoke firmly waiting for Inuyasha to nod his head to go on before he continued speaking. "Next time I tell meticcio never come-a here again you promise listen."

"I could say the same to you." Inuyasha grumbled but knew already that the promise was not really real but more of a keeping up appearances moment.

Kouga growled slightly and crossed his arms over his chest with defiance. "I am-a de king, I can do whatever I want."

"Well I'm a pirate," Inuyasha fired back as he sent the man a hard glare. "And we chose to do whatever we want." He held onto the word chose for just a moment too long listening to Ayame's loud sigh as she got up from the table and walked away without words.

Kouga turned and glared at him but the look actually seemed playful. "Look what you did." He pointed towards his wife who knew just enough English to respond back in Inuyasha's place.

"Pathetic!"

-break-

Sango stood behind Kagome in the small room Kouga had given them to dress in. Her hands were practically shaking as she finished buttoning the back of Kagome's skirt smoothing the fabric as she did so. The blue material was silky and soft and layered so that the blue was actually intertwined with a hundred other colors from the same spectrum: Whites and violets and sapphires and indigos lining the bottom of the dress. The bodice, although made from the same shimmering fabric, was more white than blue and lined with little white flowers that Kagome was almost positive were made from pearls or other precious stones.

The very top of the dress was trimmed with antique lace spun in a mystical pattern that looked for all pretences like waves flowing about her shoulders. And, unlike any dress Kagome had over owned, it was cut low, her neck actually exposed but, luckily for her modesty, not her shoulders. "I wouldn't want anyone to see the mark anyway." She thought to herself as she stared into the mirror her eyes staring at the spot the mark Inuyasha had given her rested, hidden by the fabric of the bodice.

"It's so beautiful." Sango moved away from Kagome as she finally got the back of the dress situated to her satisfaction. "I just can't believe Ayame let you wear it."

"I guess," Kagome spoke slowly as she looked at herself in the mirror, the fabric changing color with every little move she made. "When you save someone's life they'll—." She froze unable to finish the sentence as she looked at the bodice of the dress studying the little pearls and diamonds there. "I can't believe she let me borrow it."

"Neither can I." Sango agreed as she looked over Kagome's shoulder into the mirror. The two women made eye contact for the briefest of moments before Sango pursed her lips and moved back to the dressing table. "The veils next."

"Is it okay to look in the mirror?" Kagome asked suddenly as she stared at herself unable to move her eyes from the beautiful dress.

"Yeah—that's just a demon's tale." Sango mumbled as she grabbed the veil from the table, it was a simple one compared to the dress, pure, clean, white and only covered with a few sparse gems all of them blue to match the gown. "She spared no expense for you." Sango whispered as she felt the fabric, it wasn't soft like the dress, the material much rougher in order to keep evil spirits away from Kagome in these last few moments. "Although, I think the evil spirits would be in for some bad luck if they tried to touch Kagome." She chuckled slightly and turned towards the girl again.

Kagome was staring at herself in the mirror, no longer looking at the dress but instead at her already painted face. She had insisted that the paint be as minimal as possible (truthfully she had not wanted any) and that it only was applied to her lips and cheeks instead of all over. It had been a good choice, the girl's natural beauty seeming to come out from just the redness of her lips and the slight tint on her cheeks. The color even seemed to make her eyes brighter, the grey appearing more white than black at the moment.

Approaching the girl slowly, Sango grabbed a pin from the bag at her waist and prepared to set the veil in Kagome's hair. "Um—I wanted to ask you something before—the wedding." She began carefully as she placed the veil on Kagome's head, maneuvering the first pin gently in her hair.

"Okay." Kagome replied as she held as still as possible not wanting to be pricked by the needles.

"Do you know," Sango paused for just a moment as she inserted another pin. "What to—you know—expect?"

Kagome felt the color drain in her face as fear immediately jumped into her stomach. "Um," She started to laugh, to push the thought away so Sango wouldn't bring it up again but she knew better. "Kind of." She offered softly as her face went from pale to red in only a few seconds.

"Do you have," Sango paused for just a moment as she placed another pin in Kagome's hair, stepping back to look it over critically for a moment. "Questions, anything?"

"No." Kagome said quickly as she brought her hands up around herself feeling the anxiety beginning to mount within her.

"Okay." Sango cleared her throat as if she didn't believe the other woman and truthfully she didn't. "Well, just, I have to say one thing." She dropped her hands, the last of the pins between her fingers. "He's a good man."

Kagome flushed as she looked down at the ground not wanting to hear what Sango was saying and wanting to all at the same time.

"He's kind and gentle even if he doesn't act like it all the time," She continued on fidgeting as she looked over Kagome's shoulder, seeing only the top of the girl's head in the mirror. "And he will—you know he'll be nice to you."

Kagome looked up suddenly and turned towards Sango, looking the other woman straight in the eye. She felt the words forming on her lips instantly and unable to contain them blurted them out. "I'm so nervous."

Sango nodded in response knowing exactly what Kagome was feeling in that moment. "I was nervous," She paused and pushed away any thoughts of Costa that might come to her mind. "With Miroku."

"You were?" Kagome felt just a little wave of reassurance enter her or better yet solidarity.

"I think everyone is, even," She stopped for just a second before his name left her lips for the first time. "Inuyasha."

Kagome blinked once, surprised not only by the fact that Sango had never to her knowledge called Inuyasha by his name but also because of her words. "He's—you think he's—nervous?"

"Why wouldn't he be?" Sango whispered, watching as Kagome fell into thought, her mind focused only on the information Sango had presented to her. Realizing that the girl would not be able to talk just yet, Sango stepped back forward and grabbed another pin. "It'll only take two or three more." She thought to herself as she gently moved Kagome's hair to the side before placing one of the pins on her temple.

Kagome stared at herself in the mirror watching as Sango placed the next pin so as to hold the veil in place. Her mind washed with Sango's words, the idea that Inuyasha could possibly be nervous making her feel just a little bit calmer if not a little bit confused. "Why would he be nervous?" She asked herself as she looked into the mirror, Sango's steady hands keeping her focused. "He knows what to do, he's done it before." She reasoned as her stomach flipped flopped from the very thought. "It's not like it's new to him or anything." She gulped as a little voice in the back of her head interjected.

"But it is."

Her heartbeat picked up in her chest as she had to inhale deeply in order to catch her breath. "Why would it be different?" She wondered as she raised her head up and looked at herself in the mirror. "Why is it different?" She searched her own eyes as if they would somehow give her the answer and much to her own surprise, they did. "Is it because of me?"

Sango froze, the last pin already positioned and ready to be pushed in. "What?"

"Me." She spoke softly as she looked towards Sango in the mirror. "Is it because it's me?"

Sango pushed the last pin in quickly and opened her mouth to speak but a knocking on the door stopped her before she could say a word. "Yes?" She called, her voice coming across as almost breathless.

"It's time." Miroku called from the other side of the door, both women instantly freezing from the words. "Are you two ready?"

Sango glanced down at her red gown and then into the mirror at her already fixed hair and make-up before looking at Kagome. The girl's gown was perfect and the veil was placed just so behind her head, ready to be moved to the front until Inuyasha moved it back. Physically she looked ready but mentally was an entirely different thing. "Are you ready?" Sango asked watching as Kagome's eyes flickered slightly opened and closed, her thoughts showing plainly on her face.

"Am I ready?" She whispered as she watched her reflection in mirror, her nerves fluttering in her stomach. "I'm so nervous." She told herself but her earlier thoughts jumped into her head, calming her. "And he has to be too." She nodded as she looked herself in the eye telling herself over and over again that he was nervous to, nervous because of her, just as she was nervous because of him.

Slowly, Kagome reached up as she watched herself in the mirror and took the veil from behind her head into her grasp. The fabric was rough against her fingers but she appreciated the feel of it as her heart hammered in her chest. These were her last few moments left as an unmarried woman and that seemed downright impossible to her. She could almost see her mother chastising her, she could almost hear her voice echoing in her head and the sound made her miss her. The pins pulled ever so slightly but not in a painful way and she inhaled deeply as she brought the fabric to the front of her face. She could just see herself in the mirror, the fabric just transparent enough that it allowed her to still look at her eyes.

"This is it," She thought to herself as she stared into that mirror. "The girl who had only one marriage offer by the age of seventeen is getting married." The nervousness suddenly began to fade as a smile floated onto her lips. "And she's the one who made the offer." She giggled slightly and turned towards Sango. She could just see the other woman through the veil. "Do I look like a bride?" She asked wanting suddenly to know if such a thing was possible for a girl like her.

Sango felt her lip tremble with emotions as she reached out and adjusted the veil carefully. "Kagome," She paused as her hands dropped from the fabric to Kagome's hands, grabbing the already gloved appendages carefully. "You look happy." Sango chuckled as the outline of Kagome's eyebrows raising showed her the other woman's surprise. "And that's," She continued on as she felt little tears form in the corner of her eyes. "More important than looking like just a bride."

-break-

The chapel was a small speck in Kouga's courtyard, no larger than Inuyasha's cabin on the Shikuro and, even more likely, a bit smaller. Despite its size, however, it held the look of a structure more ancient than even antiquity. Vines covered its large stone walls and trees neatly rested against the roof seeming to both support it and destroy it all at once. Expensive stained windows depicting wolf demons in epic battles allowed soft multicolored shadows to come inside the inner sanctum, highlighting the room in pinks and yellows and oranges and blues.

The soft light created a strange hue of colorations on the six small chairs that barely fit within the room. Originally, the chairs appeared to be a simple brown, made from a dense and thick wood that smelled like cherry or maybe oak; with the colored lights, however, they looked like rainbows, stained a million different colors. Sitting within only two of them were Totosai and Myoga, both men appearing truly humbled to have been invited to witness the events that would take place within these walls.

In front of the two demons, in front of the other four unoccupied chairs, a small alter designed for just the speaker to stand upon seemed to hover. It was higher than the floor and made of what appeared to be a luxurious marble of black and white. The stain glass hitting the marble tainted its normally straight forward beauty though, making the flush of colors far more festive than simple black and white. And standing on the platform, dressed in his most regal and gallant clothes, was Kouga, Inuyasha in a more simple outfit at his side. The wolf demon was currently holding the two wreaths that Mrs. Annabella had made, his eyes studying the flowers with knowledgeable appreciation.

"Annabella did a lovely-y job." He commented as he turned the wreaths over in his hands, looking down at Inuyasha who was standing just to his right, his foot tapping on the ground.

The dog demon glanced towards him, acknowledging him with only a slight shrug. "Yeah." He agreed but his mind wasn't really on the flowers. It wasn't that he didn't think she hadn't done amazing work, she had in fact done the most amazing work he had ever seen on wedding wreaths; however, flowers were nowhere near as important as other things right now.

Raising his head, the dog demon looked down at the chapel's door, it was opened allowing the gentle breeze from Kouga's extensive garden to flow into the room. The smell of distant flowers and guards and Ayame reached his nose and he shifted awkwardly. There was only one smell right now he really wished to experience and the only evidence of it was coming from one of the wreaths Kouga was holding.

"I can't stand the waiting." He thought to himself as he caught a glimpse of the hem of Ayame's dress. The woman was waiting just outside in probably the most modest gown she owned. It was a simple yellow, which matched her hair quite nicely, and it had almost no lace or ruffles on it. "I guess she wanted to—let Kagome be the star today." He told himself, knowing without even having to think the words that Kagome would have been the star anyway, even if Ayame wore the most beautiful dress she owned.

The dog demon inhaled slowly as he tried to calm himself, he was growing impatient with every second that passed. The light outside was beginning to fade a little, darkness about to come upon the world in a little less than an hour or so. His foot tapped against the stone and he caught sight of Totosai sending him an amused smile. He growled in response but that only seemed to make the old man even more entertained. Before he could chastise the man, however, the scent of his son hit his nose and he jumped, not from fear but from anticipation.

Within seconds, Miroku appeared in the doorway dressed in a simple wool suit that had to be hot even in the current weather. The man adjusted the coat as he walked into the chapel, his smart and polished boots gleaming in the light of the stained glass. It took him only a few steps to make it to his father, a smile on his face. "You look nervous." He whispered, knowing that the demons in the room would hear him anyway but not really caring.

"I'm not nervous." Inuyasha quickly told the boy as he shifted uncomfortably in his suit.

Miroku chuckled slightly to himself as he stepped up onto the platform reaching for his father's bow tie. Grabbing the edges of the white silk he carefully straightened the bow until it was properly aligned. "I've never seen you in a suit this nice." He commented as he stepped away, looking down at the man's fine silk clothes, they (just like Kagome's dress) had to be costly.

"I don't think," Inuyasha looked down at himself before glancing at Kouga snidely. "I've ever worn anything this ridiculously expensive."

"Dat's obvious." Kouga fired back automatically without even looking at Inuyasha once.

The dog demon growled but refrained from commenting as a scent he loved more than anything reached his nose. Instantly his entire body perked up, his ears going straight up on his head as he took in the distant sound of heels stepping over gravel and Sango whispering words of reassurance. His heart caught in his throat and he had to resist the urge to be physically sick as his nerves absolutely consumed him. "She's coming." He whispered to himself, the others only hearing the words because they had been so close.

"Deep-a Meticcio," Kouga said from his left and Inuyasha nodded slowly in understanding.

He would have to breathe deeply if he wanted to stay standing in that moment. His ears twitched almost violently as he heard Ayame's sweet Italian call towards Sango. The woman immediately answered in her own version of the unused language, her grammar having suffered from not speaking it for so long. What they were saying, Inuyasha did not know, all he knew was that Kagome's scent was coming closer and his hands were becoming wetter from sweat. He gulped as her footsteps neared the opened door, the lump in his throat growing and growing with each moment.

He heard the footsteps halt and he took a step forward stumbling straight off the platform and nearly falling flat on his face. He heard Miroku call his name and he felt the man reach for him while Kouga laughed in the background but he ignored them both. All he had eyes for and ears for at the moment was Kagome, she was the only thing he wanted to hear and the only thing he wanted to see.

Suddenly, her laugh permeated the air and Inuyasha felt his heart stop as he saw her step into the doorway, Sango and Ayame both behind her. His eyes were filled with the sight of her, the blue shimmering dress and the bodice of gems that sparkled as the stained light hit them filling his eyes. He felt the lump in his throat grow just a little bit as she took her first step into the chapel, the movement slow as she tried to make herself look elegant without knowing she didn't need to try.

His eyes grew dry as he refused to blink, staring at her as she took her steps towards him, the veil covering her face just enough that he could only see the outline smile. Her perfect smile, dazzling and blissful and a million other things he could not name no matter how many languages he knew. Still, underneath everything—underneath the sparkling fabric, the gemstones, the veil—she was still so much more than simply dazzling.

He finally let himself blink, taking just a moment to inhale her and he was rewarded by the smell of life. The smell of lilies; the smell of salt; the smell of a home he had been looking for since he was just fifteen—all of it was the smell of Kagome.

Kagome watched as Inuyasha blinked slowly, the expression on his face matching her own hidden by the veil. His bright gold eyes were wide and deep, swimming with feelings she instantly recognized: adoration, amazement, longing, happiness, gratitude, pleasure, nervousness, anxiety and above all else love. His whole face was made of love.

It was in his eyes, the molten gold overflowing with it. It was in the curve of his smile and the reddish color of his lips. It was in the little fang that was peeking out from between them as he tried to stop himself from smiling far too wide; from looking too eager. It was in the glow of his cheeks and the slight blush that touched just the brim of his nose. It was in the way his ears tilted forward listening to her every footstep and probably even her heart's every beat. It was in the way he leaned, his body coming to her like a flower that tilts to catch the rays of the sun. It was in the way his fingers twitched as if they were dying to reach for her. It was in the way his feet shuffled forward ever so slightly as she came to stand before him. It was in every fiber of his being, in every movement, in every thought, in every solid aspect of his life.

Standing right across from one another, the two stared neither quite believing that the moment was possible. It seemed completely surreal, impossible, improbable, and quite frantically unreal. It seemed like only moments before they had been two strangers born worlds apart. Yet now, they stood in front of one another prepared to connect themselves permanently in this world. And somehow, despite the pure strangeness of such a possibility, the thought was comforting.

Nearly holding her breath, Kagome bowed her head as she had seen so many of her friends do before her: the sign of giving oneself away to a man, of accepting him to take care of her always. It felt somehow unnatural for her but she continued to duck her head none the less waiting for Inuyasha to speak to her, to tell her to rise, the first command a husband ever gave his wife. After several long seconds, however, the command had not come and worried Kagome raised her head just in time to see the twitch of Inuyasha's ears as he bowed openly to her.

She felt the shock of Kouga and Ayame as they both questioned such a strange break from tradition but in her heart she understood the symbolism completely. They raised up at the same time, Inuyasha smiling down at her as if she were the entire world in front of him. Carefully, he reached up and took the edges of the veil into his hands, the action making her eyes widen. Traditionally, the veil wasn't touched until the man took the woman to the marriage chamber where he would look upon her face in complete privacy. To touch the veil before hand was simply—disobeying all matters of propriety and decency.

Clawed fingers moved the fabric gently, exposing the blush that had washed over her face as he placed the veil behind her head. "Inu—?" She started to say but he simply smiled at her and bent forward, placing a soft kiss upon her painted lips.

Kagome gasped from the contact but didn't back away. The kiss only lasted a few short moments before he pulled back, his golden eyes meeting her own grey ones one last time before he turned around and looked Kouga straight in the eyes.

"I wish to be united to this woman." He told the man before looking towards Kagome, giving her a bashful glance she didn't quite understand. "And I believe she wishes to be united to me as well," The words were those not spoken at a wedding, a girl never had an opinion. "Right?"

Kagome blinked rapidly, amazed that he had even bothered to ask. Clearing her throat feeling just a little bit exposed, she nodded before speaking softly. "Yes," She spoke quietly and looked up at him wanting to see the reassurance in his eyes. It took her only a moment to find it, the sight of it making her smile. "Yes." She spoke a bit louder, the confidence within her growing.

Inuyasha turned towards Kouga at her words, staring at the confused blue eyes of the wolf demon. "Would you unite us?" He asked and Kouga looked at him completely baffled but nodded anyway as he held the wreaths in his hands.

"Kneel." Kouga said simply, skipping over most of the ceremony completely. Somehow it just didn't seem necessary in that moment to tell these two people about the wonders of marriage and of falling in love with your bride, a woman you normally did not know. For these two, it just wasn't necessary if anything it was them who should lecture on love.

Both Inuyasha and Kagome stepped forward towards Kouga, kneeling down before him their heads tilted down. The wolf demon cleared his throat and held up both wreaths before the crowd. At first, he found himself unable to speak, not because he had forgotten the words but because suddenly, for the first time, he understood them. It was strange sensation looking down at the tops of their heads, a half demon and a human who truly loved each other. Even though he had performed at least a hundred marriages in his life as king he had never once performed one such as this. Even when he married his own wife, he had not loved her, he had not even known her. Love had been something that had grown through strict nurturing over a hundred years but for these two it was something that had taken root within them and blossomed.

Holding the wreaths above their heads, Kouga looked out at the two old men, his wife, Inuyasha's son and daughter-in-law sitting in the chairs and he saw that same understanding on their faces. "Corona," He spoke in Italian first as he held the wreaths up to the crowd. "Wreaths," He switched to English as he lowered them and touched the edge to Inuyasha's head and then Kagome's before bringing them back to himself. "De symbol-o of unity." He spoke softly and in English for the benefit of the small group gathered. "A never endin' circle rapresent-a of life." He looked into the flowers, staring at them as they seemed to shake against his fingers. "Let-a dese wreaths also be a symbol-o of you both." He whispered the words as he separated the two wreaths finally one going in his left hand and one in his right. "A symbol-o of de connection you make today."

He held the first wreath above Inuyasha's head, not touching it to his crown, merely allowing it to hover there. He paused for just a second looking down at the two ears that marked the younger man as a half demon. Inhaling deeply, he let out a sigh, forcing himself to ignore them as he continued on.

"Dis wreath unites you." He spoke carefully, his eyes staying on the top of Inuyasha's head watching as the ears tilted to take in the words. "It represent-a your life, your seed, your potential, your abilità, your protect-tiona, and de gifts you bring to dis woman's life with every petal of every flower dat is intertwined upon it." He finished, placing the crown on Inuyasha's head carefully.

Inuyasha glanced over at Kagome the wreath on his head making his ears twitch slightly. She shifted her eyes at the exact same time, turning to look at him with a small smile on her face, ready.

"Dis wreath unites you." Kouga began again as the two looked at each other neither able to look away. "It represent-a your life, your womb, your gentilezza, your purità, and the gifts you bring to dis man's life with every petal of every flower dat is intertwined upon it." Kouga gently smoothed the wreath before placing it on Kagome's head, the lily facing towards him delicate and white.

With just his eyes, he motioned for Sango and Miroku to stand, the two knowing already what was expected of them. The chairs scrapped slightly against the wooden floor as the two moved across the short distance to stand behind the couple. With one hand, Kouga motioned once more for Kagome and Inuyasha to rise, the two moving in unison as they looked at the wreaths, in each other's hair, the symbol of unification between two souls.

The wolf demon shook his head at their distractedness and continued on unhindered. "Who are you to dis man?" He directed the question toward Miroku who stood directly behind his father.

The young man felt his throat go dry as he looked towards Kouga and his father at the same time, the enormity of this moment not wasted on him in the least. "I stand before you as his son."

The king nodded and looked towards Inuyasha, managing only briefly to catch his eye. "Do you give-a your son de right to unite you?" He modified the words as was necessary when a true parent was not present to unify a couple.

"I do." Inuyasha nodded once firmly and tried to keep his face as straight as possible but he couldn't stop the smile that was overtaking it.

"Den let it be so." Kouga bowed his head towards Miroku, the unspoken sign that it was the boy's turn to act.

"Although, I am not his father," Miroku took a deep breath as he spoke, feeling the irony in the words. "He has given me the right to unite him to this woman." He reached for the strings that hung down from Inuyasha's wreath holding them between his fingers, they were silky. "And with that right, I will unite you."

Kouga nodded once and turned his eyes towards Sango. "Who are you to dis woman?"

"I stand before you as her loyal friend." Sango spoke clearly and without any hesitation as her heart swelled with all the love she felt for both Inuyasha and Kagome.

"Do you," He turned towards Kagome, the woman looking at him already, waiting. "Give-a your loyal friend de right to unite you?"

"I would ask for no one else." Kagome spoke the words knowing they weren't proper but realizing they were far more powerful than the simplicity of the words 'I do.'

Sango held up the little silky strand without prompting, not giving Kouga time to say anything. "Although, I am not her mother," She spoke the words, Kagome feeling her heart ache in her chest for just a moment at the thought. "She has given me the right to unite her to this man." She held the strings firmly in her hands as she looked at the back of Kagome's head, the connection they had built over the past nine months so strong it made her heart burn. "And with that right, I will unite you."

"As you hold-a dese strands of unity infuse your love into dem." Kouga continued on as he watched Sango and Miroku both close their eyes, actually listen and obeying his words as no one else really ever had before. "Let your love for dem, de first love dey have ever known, be de foundation-a for dis new love to grow." He licked his lips slowly feeling as if the words lacked importance at this ceremony somehow. "And with it unite dem both in heart, mind and soul."

Together Sango and Miroku took the strands, pulling them together in the space that rested between Kagome and Inuyasha's bodies. The strings connected and although there was no moment of sparkling lights or dazzling displays of their new connection both Inuyasha and Kagome felt suddenly much closer. Carefully, Sango and Miroku tied the strings together before dropping their hands away both of their eyes washing with tears.

"Let dis be a simbolo of your unity." Kouga continued as he looked at the spot where the two strings now became one. "But remember it is fragile." He lifted his head and looked at them both with truth behind his eyes. "String-a can easily be frayed and worn until dey are no more." He spoke clearly and slowly watching as two sets of eyes looked directly into his own taking the words to heart. "So, nurture dem and preserve dem and cherish-a dem until you both no longer know dis world."

Kagome frowned having never before heard the ceremony end in such a way and yet it seemed so beautiful to her. "Until we both no longer know this world." She felt her heart race in her chest at the possibility of what that meant. "This love—will never die as long as one of us," She looked towards her husband as he looked down at her, all the love he had for her clear in his eyes. "Is alive."

-break-

Miroku stretched as he walked down the hallway towards his and Sango's room. "I'm so full." He muttered as he glanced at his wife beside him, her face drawn into thought. "How was your food?"

"Pretty good." Sango whispered as she paused in front of her and Miroku's room for the night.

Miroku nodded at her words as he reached for the handle and turned it carefully. "It was nice of Kouga to prepare the marriage banquet and these rooms." He spoke carefully as he watched her distracted face a little worriedly.

She nodded in return as her brown eyes looked around the luxurious room they had stayed in the first time. "It was—," She paused as she crossed the threshold imagining Kagome stepping over that same threshold in her mind. "Nice of him."

"He said we can even have a bath again if we want." Miroku commented offhandedly as he shut the door behind himself and latched it with a soft click. "Otou-san will like that."

Sango nodded at his words but didn't comment just yet as she crossed the room towards the vanity. "I wonder how they are?" She thought to herself as she eyed the bed in their own room, the soft mattress looking appealing. "At least, Kagome will be comfortable here with clean water and a bath already prepared—that will be nice for afterwards." She thought even as an uneasy feeling grabbed at her heart. "Still," She glanced at her husband who had already undone his tie and was now starting on his shirt. "Do you think she'll be okay?"

Startled by the words, Miroku turned towards Sango and raised an eyebrow. Finally, he released a chuckle and waved a hand as if to brush off Sango's words. "I doubt by now she's all that inexperienced." He told his wife but the woman frowned in response.

"According to her she is inexperienced." Sango spoke calmly to her husband watching as the man began to unbutton his jacket prepared to throw it aside.

"Really?" He spoke, actually surprised by the words, carefully he moved his hands off the buttons of his jacket. "She told you?"

"Every time I've ever asked her she's said they've done nothing." Sango walked across the room feeling probably more nervous for Kagome than Kagome actually did herself. "Once she even told me I was the only person on this ship to see her naked." She tried to joke off the feeling but it didn't do all that much good.

"Sango." Miroku shook his head and followed her across the room. "Let me help you with your bodice." He distracted skillfully, the woman turning around to look at him surprised.

"Okay." She nodded her head and waited for the feel of his hands as he began to undo each button. They slipped away from her back one at a time, exposing her shoulder's to Miroku.

"Don't worry about Kagome." He told her softly as his own nervous began to grow, knowing that there was something he had to tell her tonight. "There are bigger things you should worry about." He thought but did not say as the dress began to come off, her stay keeping her covered from his eyes for now. "Otou-san—."

"I know." Sango interrupted him as she felt the last button at her waist come undone. "I know, Miroku more than anyone probably," She turned towards her husband giving him a half hearted smile. "How gentle and kind your father is."

The man nodded his head slightly and stepped back as she allowed the bodice to fall forward, the stay underneath covering her still pretty well. He couldn't see it yet, her stomach was smooth and flat but if Inuyasha said she was pregnant then she was, his father was never wrong. Despite even that though, Miroku knew that Inuyasha wouldn't have told him if there was any doubt in his mind. "I have to tell her." He thought as he watched her turn away from him as she undid the skirt of the dress her mind completely elsewhere still. "I just have to say it." He coached himself even as his stomach flip flopped. Finally, he closed his eyes and took one long deep breath. "Sango there's something I need to tell you." The words rushed out of him, the sound making Sango turn and frown.

"What?"

"Um." He looked anywhere but at her unable to make eye contact at all. "It's—um—Otou-san's pretty sure," He dropped the name hoping it would ease the words somehow. "You're pregnant." He looked up at her and watched in complete surprise as she sighed and looked away.

For several long moments they stood in silence, Sango looking off somewhere to her right without turning back to him. Finally, her shoulders slumped and she walked away from him, towards the bed, her half naked body barely moving as she lowered herself down onto the soft mattress and placed her head in her hands. "I thought so."

Miroku's eyes went to the size of saucers and he felt his heart stop dead in his chest. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out, a fact she noticed right away.

"I've," She began to explain her voice becoming a bit apologetic. "Well—I keep track of things Miroku and last time," She leaned slightly forward as if to tell him exactly what she was trying to imply. "I knew might be a bad time I just—I got caught up in the moment." She dropped her head in her hands suddenly a wave of grief hitting her. "What am I gonna do?"

The sight of his wife bent over and the sound of her voice breaking as she spoke made him immediately come back to himself. "Hey, it's okay." He dropped down in front of her, placing his hands gently on her knees. "We'll do whatever we have to." Miroku comforted his wife softly as he tried to get a look at her face but it was hard.

"But a ship and pregnancy—a baby?" She mumbled into her hands, the sound hard to make out but he heard her anyway. "Maybe I can just go with Kohaku to Kagome's mother." She raised her head looking straight at her husband, even if she loved her brother she didn't want to leave. "But—." She tried to expression the thoughts, watching her husband with pleading eyes. This was her home: she had found love here and acceptance and friendship, and she had found herself, her real self, here. To leave a place that had given her so much seemed downright impossible.

"You're coming with us." Miroku spoke firmly before she could voice a single concern. "There's no other option."

She opened her mouth to argue but he didn't let her say a word.

"We'll just stop at every port between here and wherever." He grabbed her hands tightly, pulling himself upwards towards her until he could put his arms around her.

"But I'll only be hindering it." She tried to argue as the warmth of his grip made her lip quiver.

"Sango," He pulled back and looked into her eyes, his expression so firm no other arguments could ever possibly be made. "We are not leaving you behind."

Sango felt her whole expression tighten as she tried to hold back the tears but it was too late they were already coming. She returned his grip instantly as she began to sob into his shoulder, the two tangled together as their future formed in front of them. It would be difficult and dangerous and scary but somehow they both knew that together and with the people that surrounded them helping, they would be able to make it and their child would grow up wholly and completely loved.

-break-

The newly married couple stood in front of the door to their room in silence as the servant bowed and excused himself. Inuyasha stared at the unfamiliar door carefully as he waited for the servant to disappear down the hall. He had requested, when Kouga approached him with the offer to stay the night, that he and Kagome were allowed strict privacy. Kouga in return had given him time to pick their honeymoon room earlier in the day. It was located in a private wing with its own servants quarters (where only one servant would be staying in case they needed anything) and was far enough away from the rest of the occupied rooms to denote privacy no matter what happened.

Kouga had then assured Inuyasha that he would see to it that no one entered the wing that night except the one servant, a fact that had put the dog demon at ease only somewhat.

Glancing over at Kagome now, the servants footsteps disappearing up a flight of hidden stairs, Inuyasha wondered if the knowledge of privacy made her feel better or worse. Part of him thought she might prefer to know at least Sango was nearby but another part of him realized that she would only be embarrassed knowing that the other woman might be somehow too close. Looking down at her, however, watching her straight back and slightly trembling shoulders, he realized that it was probably best they were as far away from others as possible. The last thing he needed was for Kagome to become more nervous because of the possibility that people could hear them or walk in on them. It was enough for her to be nervous simply because of what was about to happen.

Breathing in deeply, he reached for the handle of the door turning it with slow precision as he watched Kagome flinch slightly. Wincing himself he pushed the door opened, he could already see into the room a series of different candle opera's keeping the room lit with a soft, ethereal glow. He licked his lips and raised a hand up to his neck, rubbing at it worriedly. He motioned with his hand towards the threshold. "I'm supposed to—."

"I know." Kagome nodded and sent him a slightly worrisome smile as she turned towards him allowing him to reach for her.

Carefully, he wrapped his arms around her waist and back, carrying her across the threshold for good luck. Immediately, as they stepped into the room he sat her down, not wanting her nervousness to grow by taking her all the way to the bed as was customary.

Her nervousness growing, Kagome looked across the room taking in everything slowly. There was a wash basin with water steaming in it already in case they wanted to freshen up and there was a fire already burning in the little fireplace to keep them warm. The curtains were drawn and night clothes were laid out on the chair beside the vanity, fresh and clean. Finally, her eyes fell onto the large bed, the nervousness washing over her even greater as she looked at the soft sheets already turned down, prepared for them.

She glanced over at Inuyasha quickly to see his face, noting the slight blush that crossed the bridge of his nose as he stared at the bed as well. "He looks nervous too." She thought as he sent her a gentle smile, catching her look out of the corner of his eye.

He waited as she sent a smile back, nervousness he hadn't felt since the very first time he had ever laid with a woman cumulating in his stomach. He opened his mouth to say something, the wedding wreath on his head the only thing he could actually think to talk about. "They're nice flowers, huh?" He pointed at the wreath, watching as her eyes fluttered towards him nervously and she nodded.

"Yes," She bit her lip and the sight of her teeth dragging over the plump redness made him blush. "Thank you for them—that's usually the brides job."

"I know." He offered up quickly as he reached up and pulled off his wreath, looking it over briefly before he sat it on a nearby dresser. "I just—you can't speak Italian and it was—um," He stuttered and brought a hand up to the back of his head rubbing at it once more the action making her purse her lips. "Just easier?" It came out as more of a question than a statement.

She smiled looking a little bit awkward as she did so and then squirmed looking away from him. "Why am I so nervous?" She asked herself but she already knew, there were a million reasons for her nerves. She was nervous because she felt vulnerable, she was nervous because her dress was too tight and there had to be a hundred buttons and she knew she had to be naked, and she was nervous because of the nakedness as well. She was nervous because he was so handsome and she was just herself. She felt everything begin to tighten inside her and her stomach begin to flutter with the sensation of butterflies spinning within. Bringing a hand up to her stomach she pushed against it firmly hoping that would ease the feelings but it didn't.

Watching her as she looked away, her eyes darting over the carpet being careful to look everywhere but at him, Inuyasha licked his lips. He felt the nervousness as it washed off of her, he could even smell it and it only made his own nervousness grow stronger. Gulping, he dropped his hand from his neck and said the only thing he could think to say. "I'm nervous." It came out in an awkward and shallow whisper as if he hated to admit to such a thing.

Kagome's eyes instantly went wide and her head jumped upwards so her eyes could look at him. "Why?" She wondered even as her earlier conversation with Sango came back to her. "Is it—really because of me?"

"Because," He hesitated not sure how to word what he was about to say without getting beaten up by his wife. "I've never—um," He paused and looked away from her for a second not able to look her in the eye while he spoke. "I," He stopped himself from saying what came to mind first, that he had been with a lot of women and she was different. That would only get him killed. Instead, he turned fully so that he was facing her head on, his whole expression firm and focused. "I love you."

Kagome felt her breath hitch at the words, even though she had heard them before and had felt them for months they still took her breath away. "You're nervous because of me." She whispered and he sent her a strange look before he nodded.

The room grew quiet then, neither one of them knowing quite how to start or just what to say. Usually words were easy for both of them to find when they were together. They could talk about anything, say anything, or do anything but at that moment neither could think of a single thing to say. There was way too much anticipation in the air for either of them to think of anything else but what was about to happen, the inevitable.

Inuyasha felt the lump form in his throat once more and with a sigh he lowered his head. He had to think of some way to break the tension in the air, to reassure her and himself all at the same time but it felt impossible. "I just—I have to say something." He raised his head and looked towards her. She was standing looking out the window away from him, her eyes reflected in the glass pane because of the candle light. "What do I say." He growled and lowered his head again the sound making her jump.

"Um," She turned towards him flushing slightly as she looked at his bowing head fear gripping her heart. "Are you okay?"

Instantly, Inuyasha raised his head and smiled at her apologetically. "Yeah, I'm fine." He reassured as he shifted from foot to foot. "I just—I'm sorry."

"Why?" Kagome stepped forward worry mounting in her heart as she watched him.

"I just don't know," He looked away from her towards a tapestry on the nearby wall, the woven picture of a hunting expedition it seemed. "I don't know what to say."

She frowned and looked down at the Persian rug underneath her feet. "Neither do I." She bit the inside of her cheek as she forced herself to be braver than she had ever felt. "But I—I trust you, whether you know the right words or not." She looked away as he stared at her, his eyes focused as she spoke. "I know you're a good man—you told me so that first day on Shikuro." She brought her arms around herself, holding onto her elbows tightly. "That you would never do anything that I—I didn't—."

The words trailed off but Inuyasha's mind was already flashing to the memory of Kagome's very first day aboard the ship. He could see her in his cabin, her face streaked with tears as she yelled at him, as both their hearts broke without either of them being aware of the other's pain. He remembered the moment he had asked her the question, the question he asked everyone he came across.

"Do you have something to live for, Miss Dresmont."

He could hear his own voice in his head but even louder than it was the sound of her reply.

"Do you?"

"Do you remember," He began slowly as he took a step towards her, her heart beating faster as he grew nearer. "It's been so long now but—I asked you once," He stopped only a few feet away from her as if afraid to step any closer. "If you had something to live for?"

Kagome felt perplexed as she looked at him not sure where he was going with his words. "Yes."

"Your answer then," He looked away from her towards the ground and his ears went back a little on his head. "Threw me through a loop—you asked if I had something to live for." He chuckled slightly and looked towards her watching as she remembered as well smiling from the memory. "I didn't have an answer then," He paused and reached out for her, taking her still gloved hands into his own. Carefully he pulled one glove off until her hand was exposed to him, both of their bodies quivering from the sensation of skin on skin. "I do now." He continued without looking at her, his eyes focused solely on her naked hand as he brought them both up and gently placed a kiss to the tips of her bare knuckles.

Kagome felt her whole body heat up, her face going red and her stomach tying itself into knots as a strange stirring sensation began in a part of her body she didn't quite know.

Pulling his lips away from her, the scent of her own arousal already in his nose, Inuyasha barely breathed the words. "You." He felt her hand shake in his grip as she began to tremble. "I live for you."

Kagome felt her breath stop as she looked right into his eyes seeing him naked and bear even with clothes on.

"I love you." He said the words bluntly and for the first time Kagome felt compelled to respond.

Stepping closer to him, her hands falling from his own as she reached up and grabbed his lapels, she whispered back, "I love you, too."

Inuyasha inhaled sharply as the words rang in his head, the first and only time she had ever said them making him nearly stop breathing. "Really?" He whispered almost not believing her and she smiled looking instantly calmer and more herself.

"Really." She nodded her head as her grip on his jacket tightened and the blush that had overtaken her cheeks began to subside.

She watched as his eyes turned to a shade of gold she had never seen, so bright and vibrant that it warmed her very soul. It was as if he was looking down at her in awe, his mind not comprehending her words or better yet not believing them. Realizing this, all of Kagome's nerves left her and her vulnerability began to fade realizing that he was vulnerable too and to a certain degree more vulnerable than she.

"I," She whispered and watched as he gulped, his Adam's apple dancing in his throat. "Love you more than anyone or anything." She felt her fingers begin to shake as his hands, which had been dangling at his sides, came up to her waist, touching the fabric there. "I adore you." She finished with a breathy whisper as his grip on her waist tightened, pulling her closer to himself, needing to feel her.

She could feel his breath on her face as he leaned closer and her fingers dragged against the fabric of his suit in response. A soft hiss entered the air as the fabric reacted to the strain but neither of them heard it as their eyes began to drift closed. Lips connected in the barely lit room and Kagome's hands released him only long enough to wrap around his neck. The silky strands of his long hair tangled in her knuckles as his hands wrapped more firmly around her, her feet nearly off the ground as he lifted her against himself.

His tongue brushed against her lips and she couldn't stop the soft gasp that opened her mouth to him. Immediately he practically whimpered, his tongue brushing over her lips once before it darted into her mouth finding her own. Her fingers in his hair tightened and she pulled on the strands for just a second Inuyasha growling in response as he pressed his tongue against her own. She moaned as the sensation rocketed through her running all the way from her throat to a place just below her stomach.

Suddenly, he pulled away and she panted as her eyes opened once more looking into his own. She could see a certain haziness that was already overtaking him, as if a part of himself he often pushed down was abruptly being allowed to surface. His hands gripped at her waist a little more and a slight wash of insecurity mounted in his eyes. "Say it again." He whispered to her and his voice was raspy in her ears.

Breathing in slowly, unable to look away from him, her body tingling as he looked down at her with those honeysuckle eyes she spoke once more. "I love you." The words seemed to dance about them in the room, wrapping around them both as their heartbeats began to pick up. "I—," She brought her hand up away from his lapel, reaching for his chin, the tips of her fingers brushing against the skin there. "Love everything about you."

Inuyasha felt the lump that had been in his throat earlier grow and he inhaled sharply as he was warmed by the feel of her fingers on his chin. Slowly, he lowered his head resting it against her own for the briefest of moments. His body was already reacting to their closeness and her words. So much so, that the demon inside of him growled with anticipation. He could already feel the strain of that more animalistic part of him, the creature wanting nothing more than to claim the woman before him but he resisted.

"Damn it." He closed his eyes tightly as he felt her press a little closer, her fear of the unknown ebbing with each passing moment. "Kagome." He whined softly not realizing he had spoken until he felt her hand drop from his cheek, landing on the crook of his elbow. Opening his eyes, he looked down at that hand, watching as it grabbed the fabric of his jacket as if it could protect her.

"I," She whispered, doing her best to smile even as she looked away from him at her own hand as well. "Please don't worry." She closed her eyes against her own words and turned her face up towards him without opening them. "I'm not scared just—I know what to expect."

He tilted his head to the side as he looked down at her closed eyed face, something inside of him able to hear the words she had not spoken. "Are you sure you know?"

Her eyes snapped opened with surprise and she found herself looking right into his handsome face. She shifted uncomfortably for a moment as a little smile overtook his features, one that made her whole world feel upside down for a moment. Carefully, unable to take her eyes away from that smile, she nodded and he frowned for just the barest of seconds before the smile came back.

"Tell me."

Quickly, she shook her head and nearly pulled away from him looking horrified at the prospect. "I—I couldn't!"

He held onto her tightly not letting her run away as he focused only on the scent of fear that underlined everything else within her. "Kagome." He said her name almost forcibly, the sound of it making her go decidedly weak for a second. "They tell you it hurts, right?" He whispered the words, years of having ears far too good on his head having overheard such talk. "And that its unpleasant for the girl."

Kagome blushed bright red but she couldn't deny the truth behind his words. Except for Sango she had been told only that it hurt and that it was unpleasant and it was nearly impossible for her to believe anything else.

"Some of that might be true." Inuyasha whispered and he felt Kagome tense, freezing against his words. "But I can guarantee," He actually blushed as he forced the words to leave his mouth. "That it will be none of those things for you."

The blush didn't leave her face from his words but she did feel a strange sense of relief from his words. "Are—," She tried to speak as a wave of fear mounted in her heart for just a second. "Are you sure?"

Inuyasha didn't respond right away not knowing what to say to reassure her any further. For several seconds they stood in silence before the dog demon gulped once and took the biggest risk he could think of in those moments. Dipping his head forward, he pressed a gentle, tender kiss to her forehead, he felt her jump from the contact but the action didn't detour him in the least. Pulling away from her only momentarily, he dipped his head lower and pressed a quick kiss to her lips. She gasped slightly but he ignored the sound and the opened invitation as he continued to move.

His lips found the edge of her chin, pressing a slow kiss to her already hot skin. She whimpered against the sensation and the fingers that were holding onto his arms immediately tightened their grip. "Good." He thought to himself as he trailed little kisses along her jaw, moving further down until he found her ear. Feather-lightly, he pressed a kiss to her earlobe and was rewarded with the distinct feel of her shudder against him.

"Inuyasha." She whispered and her voice sounded a little less worried now and more distracted as the sensation she had never known overtook her.

Pleased with himself, he continued on, wanting her to feel more of what was to come; a truth she had never really known about the possibilities of love. Licking his lips, he opened his mouth, allowing his tongue to brush against the spot just behind her ear, running it down away from the sensitive lobe until he found the hallow of her throat. Her head tilted back and she moaned as she felt his tongue lick a trail along her pulse point.

The symbol on her shoulder, put there by him long ago, seemed to pulsate underneath the fabric becoming hotter with every little kiss he pressed against her throat. Her mind felt as if it were swimming and desperately, she lifted her hands from his elbows up, grasping for the material at his chest once more. "It feels so," She thought to herself as his lips suddenly sucked at her throat sending a jolt of electricity down her spine. "Oh god." Her mind went blank and she grabbed the fabric of his jacket harder as the pleasure mounting in her stomach grew.

Encouraged by the feeling of her grasping hands, Inuyasha dropped his lips down lower following the curve of her neck until he met the fabric of her clothes. Gently, he ran his tongue along the crease of cloth, his mind already moving towards the neck stage of the inevitable journey. "Slowly." He told himself, wanting nothing more than to grab for the buttons behind her back and rip them off. Lips still on her neck, he reached around her carefully, his fingers already searching for the tiny pieces of pearl that closed her dress.

She gasped and froze as his fingers touched the first of the buttons, the sudden stiffness making him freeze as well. The sound of their breathing echoed all around them as they both stood perfectly still, his hands on one button, head buried against her neck.

He pulled his lips away from her throat slowly but his hands didn't move. "Kagome?" He whispered, her name sounding shaky as he pronounced each syllable slowly.

She felt his breath on her skin and shivered as the sensation between her legs grew almost ten-fold instantly. A blush formed on her cheeks and she shook from the effort it took not to panic from his touch. She knew exactly what had to come eventually and the thought both terrified her and intrigued her now. "You," She spoke so softly he shouldn't have been able to hear her but he did easily. "You'll be gentle?"

The dog demon felt the animal inside of him pacing, growling, whining for the chance to throw her down onto the bed but he ignored it expertly. "Not today—one day—but not today." He told the demon within him but it didn't quite seem pleased. "I would never hurt you, Kagome." Inuyasha whispered to her as he controlled his already somewhat erratic breathing.

Kagome nodded and her hands shook a little as she took his words for truth. "Okay," She paused as the ability to speak ran away from her momentarily. The fingers on his jacket, shaking as they were, moved up his body, grasping for his shoulders instead. It was almost as if she were giving him better access to her back, which she was. "I'm ready." She nodded as she looked up at him, the fear in her eyes dimming against the pleasure he had already allowed her to experience.

"Are you sure?" He managed to ask even as his fingers twitched begging him to undo that first button.

She didn't respond right away as her grip on his shoulders loosened and her hands pulled away from him. For a moment, he felt panicked as he watched her expecting her to turn and run but she didn't move away. Instead, she reached behind herself, her fingers moving his own aside as she touched the first button of the bodice. A blush crept to her cheeks but she didn't stop her fingers from undoing the first button and then the second.

His eyes widened as his hands dropped to her skirt, holding onto the fabric as he listened to each and every button come undone. The soft slip of the silky material as it was freed from the pearl orb made his whole body grow hot. One by one, each button came free and little by little the bodice grew looser and looser until it slipped forward exposing her collar bone and the tops of both shoulders. His mark seemed to glow in the dim light and instincts he had forgotten he had welled up inside him.

"Not yet." He told himself even as he brought his hands up, pulling the bodice forward. His breath picked up as he saw the top of her breast confined in the stay and before he could stop himself he pulled the bodice off tossing it to the side.

Kagome blushed brightly and her hands jumped up as if she were having second thoughts. Desperately, she covered herself and closed her eyes against the sight of him.

With shaking hands, Inuyasha reached forward towards her, fingers encircling her wrist slowly. "Don't." He told her, watching as her eyes snapped opened, the pupils dilated from her embarrassment. "You're perfect." He mumbled even as his mind began to shut down, clouded by the image of the tops of her breasts as they pressed against the stay barely contained.

She blushed from the words but didn't move her hands just yet, unable to. "Inu—." She shifted a bit uncomfortably for all of a second before she felt his hand pull against her wrist.

She didn't even think to resist as her head snapped towards him, watching as he stared downwards at the very tops of the still somewhat covered peaks. Before she even realized what he was doing, he dipped his head forward and his lips found the edge of her collar bone. Her eyes instantly rolled to the back of her head and she released a small moan that made Inuyasha's mind go completely numb. Her fingers grabbed his jacket again as his lips dropped lower his tongue leaving a blazing trail from her collar to swell of her left breast. She gasped and her eyes went wide, her pupils dilating as her chest began to heave.

Every instinct inside of Inuyasha screamed as the smell of her undeniable arousal filled his nose but he held back every urge that scent provoked within him. "Not about me." He managed to tell himself as his grip on her waist tightened. "Her—only her."

Kagome's skin felt like it was on fire underneath his tongue and her mind felt as if it had gone completely numb with every little flick of it against her flesh. She had never in her life really known that anything could feel quite this good. Down low, between her knees, a sensation she barely understood continued to build and she did her best not to scream from the feel of it. Instinctively, she knew that something more could come from the sensation, something she couldn't comprehend no matter how hard she tried to.

Her fingers unconsciously grabbed the jacket a little tighter, as a strange urge began to build within her. She wanted nothing more than to feel him against her, to feel his skin underneath her fingertips. It was an urge she couldn't quite explain but it was culminating in her stomach, begging her to obey it. Embarrassment making way for that one need, Kagome dropped her hands from his shoulders to the first buttons of his jacket.

Inuyasha's lips froze as he felt her small shaking fingers undo the first button, his mind barely comprehending what she was doing. "Is she—?" He pulled back just enough to watch as the second button came undone, Kagome's eyes rising to meet his as her fingers stilled against the black material.

For a moment, their eyes connected, the two of them unable to look away from each other as the enormity of what was about to happen seemed to finally hit them. After all this time of knowing each other, of being hopelessly attracted to each other, of laughing, of stealing glances and kisses and quick touches; after all this time of gradually falling in love, they would finally know exactly where that lead. They would finally feel it, something they had both anticipated from the very start. And all that was stopping them from experiencing that was his jacket.

Kagome's heart pounded in her chest and she her breathing grow more rapid as she looked away from his fiery to the deceiving material. All she had to do was continue unbuttoning it and everything would fall in place. Her fingers shook and the temptation overwhelmed her until she felt herself move without any prompting on her part. The button made a soft scraping sound as it came free from the silk of the suit and Inuyasha's heart actually thudded against her hands as she moved to the next one.

"His heart's pounding." She realized as the second to last button came undone in her hands. Her fingers paused as she reached the last one and she fumbled for a second as she began to undo the little ivory piece. Finally it slipped opened, almost on its own, and Kagome gulped as the white shirt underneath stared back at her. It wasn't like he was naked, far from it, but there was something about the sight of that shirt that made her stomach flip flop.

Not bothering to wait, Inuyasha shrugged the jacket off his shoulders and it fell behind him onto the ground in a heap of muffled sound.

Kagome jumped only slightly and her eyes snapped shut in anticipation of what was going to come next.

Standing in front of her, the weight of the jacket off his shoulders, Inuyasha allowed himself a moment of contemplation. Golden eyes stared at the woman in front of him, watching as she shifted uncomfortably, worriedly. She was scared and unsure and the sight of that lack of confidence ate away at him. Slowly, he reached forward with one clawed hand, the tips of his fingers brushing against her elbow.

She jumped from the feel and in took a sharp breath as her eyes snapped opened to look at him. "Inuyasha?" She whispered softly as she looked at him, her body trembling with a combination of fear and excitement.

"Kagome." He said her name carefully as he moved a little closer to her, the slight fear in her eyes making him move slowly.

He thought to whisper comforting words to her, to tell her that he would be gentle and that she would be pleasured and worshipped until she didn't know what to do with herself but another part of him resisted, after all: words were meaningless and easily turned to lies, feelings on the other hand were hard to fake or deny.

Without hesitating, he reached for her waist, his fingers going towards the buttons of her shirt. Shaky fingers found and undid three pearl buttons within seconds, the three of them enough to allow the skirt to fall. The hoop underneath fell with it (apparently the kind that connected to the dress) and Kagome whimpered as the cold air of the room touched her barely clothed skin.

Fear gripped her but he didn't allow Kagome to close her eyes and hide from him. As quickly as his fingers had removed the skirt, they had found her face and cupped it in his hands. The feel of his warm fingers on her skin made her eyes stay open and she blinked quickly as she looked straight into his face. She could see all the love he had for her in those striking eyes as they stared down at her. Every single contour of his face was covered with the evidence of his love, from the softness of his smile to the barely noticeable blush on his cheeks.

He opened his mouth as if he was going to say something but his lips closed before words could come from them. Truthfully, they both knew there really was nothing left to say that hadn't already been said. Grasping her hips, the sensation of his fingers pressing into her skin making her shiver with anticipation, Inuyasha slid one hand around her waist and lifted her upwards away from the skirt.

Her feet fell out of her shoes as he lifted her and her whole body flushed as he held her up neither one moving for several seconds as they stared at one another. His strong arms held her up in the air and slightly away from him allowing her one moment to look down at him instead of upwards. The candle light reflected in his bright eyes and danced over his tan skin in such a way that she nearly stopped breathing. Muscles rippled underneath his shirt and his lips parted as they took in slow deliberate breaths.

Slowly, he lowered her back down but her feet never touched the ground even once. She felt the brush of clawed fingers on the fabric that covered her thigh, her whole body shuddering from the feel of those fingertips as he coaxed her leg up around his hip. Instantly, her other leg followed until both were wrapped around his waist, his hands moving from her hips to her back to as to hold her up.

She felt something hard press against her almost completely exposed core and her stomach knotted tightly, a sensation she couldn't explain overtaking her. Her mind went fuzzy from the sheer pleasure of it and unable to stop herself she pressed a little closer, actually rubbing against him. Instantly, both of them gasped and their minds went blank from a pleasure only one of them had ever felt.

Dazed, Inuyasha forced himself to keep his grip on her as his knees went weak and his groan twitched wanting nothing better than to sink inside of her. "Concentrate." He told himself as he forced his eyes to turn away from her pleasure stricken face towards the bed. Kicking the hoop and skirt out of his way, he stumbled across the room as her arms came up and grabbed his shoulders. With every step he felt her rub against him a little harder and his body reacted almost against his will.

"I—I—oh." She whispered into the air, her voice sounding embarrassed and her breath coming out in pants.

The sound of it in his ears made even his face turn red as his knees hit the bed. Unable to resist he pressed his lips into the flesh of her neck, holding her against himself just a little longer. Wanting to hear her embarrassed moan again he pressed himself against her, the sensation nearly torturous for his deprived body. What had once been soft loving kisses began to turn frantic as he licked and nipped the curve of her neck, his ears twitching as he felt her breath rush over them.

"Oh," She moaned, the sound going straight into his ear, her breath tickling the fine fur. "Inu—oh—ya."

The sound of his name being moaned from her lips made his knees go out from underneath him and they both fell forward onto the bed. The wreath that had still crowned her head became dislodged falling onto the sheets as her hands let go of him. Inuyasha felt all the breath in his lungs leave him as he looked down at her flushed skin, heaving breast, opened lips, and sprawled hands, his mind barely comprehending the implications of their new position.

Kagome's eyes snapped opened the second she realized what the soft fabric was underneath her back and she blushed the color of his red jacket as she realized he was positioned just above her. She honestly didn't remember them coming towards the bed and she really didn't remember opening her legs to him. Yet, here she lay with him on top of her, her legs wide and his manhood pressed against her still covered center.

He was staring down into her eyes, his whole face flushed and his lips opened allowing short breathes to come in and out of his mouth. "You're—," He paused, sounding as if he had to catch his breath. "By god you're beautiful." He panted unable to take his eyes off of his wife.

She felt the heat rise up her cheeks from the look in his eyes and she tried to look away but he wouldn't let her. His head dipped down and he pressed his lips directly to hers before she could turn. His hands fell to the side of her head, his already sweaty skin brushing against her arms. She inhaled sharply, for a moment becoming anxious once more but the thought left her as his she felt the deliberate softness of his lips against her own. Deep down she knew he had to be holding back as he pressed soft kiss after soft kiss against her own plump lips.

Allowing her fear to ebb, she moved her limp hands to grab his arms, the muscles underneath her fingers straining as they held his body up above her. And, in an act just as daring, she pressed her lips back against his own, applying more pressure. She heard the whine in the back of his throat and she felt the natural reaction his body undertook from her boldness. A flush touched her skin and the scent of their arousal became strong enough that even she could smell it in the air.

Panting, Inuyasha pulled away from her, looking at her only briefly before he dropped his mouth to her neck once more. She arched against him, her breast pushing against his chest making him growl. Pulling back away from her, his eyes hazy with a combination of lust and love, the dog demon stared at the heaving stay that kept her breast confined. Unable to stop himself, he pulled one arm off the bed balancing himself above her with the other as he glared at the white material. "I want to see." He thought vaguely to himself and with a swift motion of his claws sliced the side of her stay wide opened.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome yelped out his name as the cold air hit her skin.

"Sorry." He mumbled, the sound only somewhat sincere as he stared at the two peaks of flesh with admiration in his eyes. The demon inside of him was growling with pleasure, wanting nothing better than to go ahead and finish what he had started. In his mind's eye, the demon unleashed a thousand different thoughts as to what to do to her and he had to hold his breath in order to calm himself. "Control." He told himself, repeating the word over and over again as he looked down at her succulent breast.

Flushing brightly, Kagome did her best not to cover herself from the sight, having to bit her lip to do so. "I can't—that look," She looked away from him, away from the look of yearning in his heated eyes. "Why is he looking at me like that?" A brand new wave of twisting pleasure rushed through her and it took her only a moment to realize, she was pleased by the look in his eyes.

Above her, Inuyasha licked his lips as he gained just enough control to trust himself with her again. Without taking his eyes off her, he lowered his head, watching as the blush on her cheeks amplified the closer he came to her sensitive flesh. She bit her lip, drawing her teeth over the sweet redness and the dog demon felt his control waver for just a second.

"Focus." He told himself as he pushed the demon inside of him down as far as he could into his subconscious. With all the control he had left in his body, he lowered his head towards her right best, encircling the taunt nipple with his hot mouth.

Kagome didn't have even one second to feel embarrassed as her whole body reacted to the completely new sensation. Her head dropped back on the bed and her one free hand grasped the sheets tightly as pleasure ran throughout her. "Oh dear lord." She thought as he sucked at her flesh tenderly his mouth showing her exactly what pleasures he was going to bring to her.

The scent of her arousal made Inuyasha's mind swim as he allowed himself to nip at her flesh softly. She moaned in response and her back arched against his probing tongue as he lapped at each little redness he created lovingly. With careful precision, he ran his tongue over her right nipple one last time, swirling it gently, before he moved towards the valley that rested between the two round orbs.

Kagome couldn't find any words to say as she grasped the sheets with her other hand and moaned, arching against the bedspread as his tongue ran against her skin tasting the salt of her sweat. It was a sensation, the likes of which, she had never known was even humanly possible. She had never known that you could feel this hot and cold and dizzy and pleasured all at once, it seemed completely impossible and yet undeniable.

She nearly screamed when his tongue came back up, stopping to lick the space underneath her left breast before he pulled away from her completely once more. Confused, her eyes fluttered open and embarrassment encompassed her as she noticed him staring down at her, his eyes a reflection of her own pleasure. She whimpered slightly up at him and turned her head away exposing the area of her shoulder where his mark lay.

The demon in Inuyasha immediately growled, the sound jumping from his throat and into the air. She shivered uncontrollably from the noise, even as a shockwave of pleasure ran down her spine. Bending his head down towards the mark, Inuyasha couldn't resist kissing it softly as he brought his hands up to her waist. Kagome's fingers twisted in the sheets the second his lips made contact with the spot where his own name rested. Undeniable pleasure coursed throughout her and she moaned as she was swallowed by it, nearly drowning in it.

She panted underneath him and her hips bucked upwards, pressing against him in the most delicious of ways. The dog demon had to swallow back a snarl of desire as he squeezed his eyes shut and mumbled incoherent words into her ear.

Unable to stop herself, Kagome released the sheets and reached for him. Her fingers came in contact with his white shirt, grasping at it with hasty fingers. "Please!" She whimpered out the words as the feeling became almost too much for her to bear. She knew there was something unimaginable just on the other side of that feeling but she had no idea how to reach it. "Please." She whimpered again and Inuyasha couldn't deny her any longer.

Without a second thought, he brought his claws down to her hips and with a flick of his wrist cut the last barrier that rested between him and her flesh.

Kagome gasped as the sound filled the room as her naked frame graced the candle light around them. "Don't look." She commanded even though she couldn't make him stop.

Gold eyes stared down at her, completely amazed by the sight of her still light skin that had been hidden from him underneath her clothes. It was smooth and scarred in certain places, little childhood injuries he knew he would ask about later staring back at him. "I can't look away." He whispered the words as his eyes moved from her arms to her uncovered stomach, roaming over her body helplessly.

"But—." Kagome started to protest, her hands moving upwards as if to cover herself. Before they could even move an inch however, he reached for her.

His fingers brushed against her arms, stopping them from closing herself off to him. "Just let me," He paused as he looked down at her, his heart swelling with all the love he felt for her in it. "I just want to remember this." His voice sounded almost lost as the words left his lips and she blinked as she looked into his wonderstruck eyes. His breathing had slowed and his eyes were that same strange molten gold she had seen when he first lifted her veil. It was as if he was captivated by her; completely enamored. "My wife," He whispered the words for the first time, his voice laced with all the love in his heart. "My beautiful, amazing wife."

She shivered deliciously even as the embarrassment his words caused made her turn red. "How can you—?" She bit her lip in a way she didn't know made him crazy and she heard him groan slightly above her.

"God you're sexy." The words came out in a rushed moan and she felt the spot between her legs began to ache uncontrollably.

She whimpered from the sensation and tried to draw her knees together once more. The cool air of the room hit her fully exposed core and she panted from the sensation. There was something building within her that she couldn't explain and it was making her teeter on the brink of something extraordinary. Her mind went hazy and not knowing what else to do, she breathed out his name in hopelessness. "Inuyasha."

Still only somewhat dazed, the dog demon smiled down at her, realizing exactly what her body wanted in that moment. The demon within him growled in anticipation, even it having the unquestionable urge to bring its mate pleasure. Moving on instinct, Inuyasha grabbed for Kagome's hips pulling her towards the edge of the bed without her realizing and spread her legs a little wider. He slipped off the edge even as his groin strained against his pants begging him to set himself free and mount her, take her, make love to her. He ignored the sensation admirably as he knelt beside the bed, pulling her legs over the edge so that they rested on his shoulders.

Coming back to herself Kagome's eyes went huge and she tried to pull away as her whole body turned bright red but he stopped her. Large hands grabbed her waist, holding her hips down on the bed with a firm and tantalizing grip. Her heart hammered in her chest and her whole face twisted into a look of horror as he bent forward and pressed his nose against her coarse curls. "What are you—you—you can't." She rasped out the words and he glanced up at her taking in the sight of her pushing herself up onto her elbows.

Her plump breast moved against her skin as she spoke and her flat stomach seemed to tremble with anticipation. The smell of her arousal filled him and he nearly lost himself for just a second as the sight of her and the smell of her made the demon in him practically howl.

"Inu—!" She started to protest once more pulling herself away from him slightly. Before she could finish her words however, he bent his head forward and ran his tongue straight down the fold between her legs. Kagome's breath stopped in her throat and her eyes widened as she saw literal sparks in front of her vision. "A—." The sound barely left her lips before he licked her again, his tongue going just a little deeper, touching something she had never known was there. "Oh—aa."

She fell back on the bed, as her hands grasped the sheets and her body ached and ached. Knowing she was lost to the sensation, Inuyasha allowed his tongue to lick her again, taking his time to brush over the little numb he knew was there. Instantly, she groaned and her hands, fisted in the sheets, yanked at them until he heard the fabric begin to rip. His hands on her hips held her down on the bed the best he could as he ran his tongue over that sweet spot again and again, listening to her as she grew louder, moaning, hissing and arching as the sweet sensation of pleasure shot through her body.

The taste of her on his lips was like the honey from the flowers on her wedding wreath, sweet and alluring, making him harder than a rock. The sound of her as she cried out into the room, her body reacting to him in ways she had never reacted to anything before only made the sensation worse. Finally, after no more than thirty seconds, she released a tormenting almost painful scream, her thighs pushing together and her hands grabbing for his head, yanking on his hair begging him to stop as the pleasure became too much for her to handle.

He could smell the peak of her arousal scent and he could hear her moaning as she grabbed for him but he couldn't stop licking her, loving the way she withered and moaned underneath his every ministration. "Please." She finally managed to get out and he pulled himself away from her as she threw her thighs together and continued to rock with the pleasure. Grabbing for the bed sheets, he wiped his mouth as he watched her rub her thighs together and turn to her side, still moaning and whimpering from her first orgasm.

If it was at all possible, he was turned on even more from the sight yet he still held back. "Patience." He mumbled as he watched her twist slightly on the bed, her breath still coming out in pants. "But—," He licked his lips as his mind processed her movements. "If I did it now—it might not hurt as much."

Not needing a moment to actually debate his thought, Inuyasha reached for his shirt as he shoved his boots from his feet. Shaking fingers undid the buttons of the shirt until he became impatient and simply ripped the last few off and threw the material over his shoulder. His pants and undergarments followed shortly after and unable to deny himself a second longer he pulled himself up onto the bed.

He watched as she wrapped her arms around herself and arched slightly on her side. The sight made his heart flutter, the knowledge that he had given her that first taste of pleasure primitively enticing. Anticipation overwhelming him, he bent forward and pressed a soft kiss to her hip. She mumbled something from the feather light touch and he strained his ears to catch the sound but in his current state was nowhere near focused enough to hear anything let alone her breathy words. Gently, he reached for her, grasping her knees with gentle fingers. Ducking his head down he planted a kiss to her kneecap as he tenderly spread her thighs. Not seconds later he followed the kiss with another to her hip followed by another to her stomach as he moved himself between her legs slowly.

Not completely aware of what he was doing, Kagome allowed him to move her, her whole mind swimming with a pleasure she had never known. She felt small kisses brush against her hips and move across her ribs and stomach to her breast. She whimpered as an aftershock of pleasure rushed through her from the touch and tried to close her legs against the resulting sensation but found herself unable.

Eyes fluttering opened, Kagome found herself face to face with Inuyasha, his eyes looking down at her with both worry and lust. She felt something distinctly hot brush against her thigh and realization flooded her as she took in his shirtless upper body. She blinked from the sensation as his hands came up and brushed against her cheeks knowing if he waited for her to come back to herself, her nerves and worry would make it harder and all the more painful.

"Wh—?" She spoke but his lips covered her question as he instinctively lined himself up with her.

Kagome felt the tip of him at an entrance she had always somehow ignored, even when her blood time had come when she was thirteen. Her heart raced and her mind ran to all the times she had heard other girls talk about the pain and horrors of a man's body entering your own. She squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, forcing his kiss away from her as fear assaulted her.

Nearly lost against the wave of heat that seemed to flow from her body into his own, he spoke. "Kagome." His voice was barely comprehensible as he whispered her name, his tip positioned against her hot wetness. "Kagome look at me." He commanded and watched as her bright grey eyes snapped opened from his words.

Time seemed to freeze as the two looked at each other, gold and grey meeting as they had a hundred million times. Their breathing slowed until their chest practically moved at the same time, each and every breath taken in perfect tandem. Carefully, he brought one hand up to her cheek, touching the softness of her skin with just the tips of his fingers. She closed her eyes against the sensation as his scent filled her. The smell of a forest, salt, and a heady masculinity that both exhilarated and calmed all at once. Her heart slowed in her chest and she opened her eyes once more as her fears finally began to ebb, replaced only by a far more powerful feeling of love.

Her scent wrapped around him, the warmth of the only true home he had ever known making his heartbeat slow as well. Looking into her eyes, smelling that scent, he knew that now was the right time. "I love you."

She gasped as the words filled her and so did he. Her muscles still relaxed from the orgasm ached only momentarily as he filled every part of her. She cried out and he chin tilted back as his lips found her neck, sucking and licking as he moaned and whispered words of apology all at once.

"I'm sorry." He mumbled against her flesh as he refused to move, his body staying as still as possible even as her heat made his stomach knot with pleasure. "I'm so sorry." He repeated again and again as he kissed and licked at her neck trying to give her some source of pleasure in return for his own.

Underneath him, her eyes wide and her expression filled with disbelief Kagome opened her mouth in surprise. The pain she had thought would be there nearly none existent, replaced only but a slight ache that was almost more pleasure than real pain. And although it was nowhere near as pleasurable as anything she had experienced so far, she couldn't help but feel the overwhelming potential in it. It would only take movement, just a little movement. With a will of their own, her hips bucked upwards and instantly she was rewarded with the sound of Inuyasha's throaty groan.

"Fuck." He cursed as his fingers reached for her silky strands, needing something to hold onto as he reflexively bucked within her.

Kagome gasped as he moved, unable to even fathom the sensation that ran through her body in response.

Unable to stop himself, Inuyasha thrust into her again but quickly stopped himself from moving further. "Damn." He mumbled and whimpered as he licked and sucked the flesh behind her ear. "Kagome—I—," He whined into her ear and squeezed his eyes shut. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't." Kagome responded back instantly as she felt her walls surrounding him begin to ache, not with pain but with something else. "Move." She commanded and the sound of it made Inuyasha nearly lose his head.

Unhindered, he thrust into her, both of them gasping as he buried himself even deeper inside of her. The fingers in her hair pulled softly but with true reason and she whimpered underneath him as the sensation she had felt before began to build but nowhere near as strong as it had been the first time.

With as much control as he could muster, Inuyasha moved within her attempting to keep himself in control as well as he could. With every movement however, he felt his control slip away, consumed only by the feel of how wet she was and how hot she was and how deliciously tight she was. Instinct over taking him, he pushed in and out of her a bit faster unable to deny himself the pleasure of a quicker pace.

Underneath him, Kagome moaned loudly in appreciation, the quicker movement making him go a bit deeper within her, the sensation a completely different one from anything she had felt so far. The mark on her shoulder began to grow hot and she felt a cooling sweat break out on her forehead but it did nothing to make the mark actually cool down. Instead, with every movement he made it grew hotter and hotter, responding to him in a way she, as a human, couldn't understand.

The demon within him snarled as he thrust faster and faster his body unable to stop now that he had found a pace that pleased her endlessly. He could hear her every moan and whimper and he could feel her as she tried to rise up to meet him. He felt the heat of her radiating off her body and panting opened his eyes on instinct knowing that the mark was generating the heat at her shoulder.

Sure enough, he was greeted with the sight of it glowing red and hot in the faint light, the symbol for his name and the picture of his breed overwhelming his vision as he forced himself to keep control. Underneath him she cried out and her hands grabbed at his back as he legs rose up and wrapped around his waist. He nearly saw white as he squeezed his eyes shut against the feeling of those perfect thighs against his hips. Bucking forward he knew he wouldn't be able to stop himself as his stomach twisted and his member practically quivered within the hot moistness that was her sex.

"Fuck." He cursed as the pleasure exploded within him and he quickly moved to her shoulder. His fangs caught her skin and she bucked against him instantly as they sank in.

The pain in her shoulder only lasted one brief second before Kagome felt the tremendous rush of the sensation that had consumed her only moments before overtake her again. A scream ripped from her throat and she arched against him as he pulled his fangs out of her skin and thrust into her one more time with a loud moan of true harmonious pleasure.

Underneath him, unable to even think, Kagome arched into him as wave after wave of gratification raced deep within her. Her inner muscles clenched from it dancing around him as he groaned and bucked into her again against his will. She hissed as he pressed deeply within her, still somewhat hard even after his release. Her fingers brushed against the skin of his back, the sweat that had accumulated their feeling somehow beautiful against her fingertips even as she let them slid off him. Her hands fell to her sides and she focused only on her breathing and on his own. Together they took in every breath, their hearts even seeming to match beats as they both trembled and quivered as the sensations began to mellow within them.

Still panting in the candle light, Inuyasha felt himself begin to shrink within her and he flushed a bit embarrassed himself as he simply slipped out of her, the sudden sensation making both of them hiss. "Sorry." He mumbled as her face widened from the strange sensation, not quite understanding what had actually happened.

"Don't—," She clearrf her throat unable to think of anything to say to his words and stayed perfectly still, not willing to move just yet. The nerves that had settled in her were gone, replaced by little tingles that ran from her spine to her toes. That didn't mean she wasn't still self-conscious, however. No man had ever seen her body uncovered or touched more than her hand, so to have someone suck and lick and fill you all in the course of less than an hour was intimidating.

Somehow aware of her thoughts, Inuyasha pushed himself up away from her shoulder and looked down at her. She was still bright red both from their passionate love making and from embarrassment and that made him uneasy. "Are you ok—?" He started to say and she shook her head against the words.

"I'm fine." She paused slightly still not able to look him in the face. "It's just—new."

He nodded his head and licked his lips slowly. "Did I," He frowned, his fuzzy mind not able to remember much about anything that had happened after he entered her, except the incredible pleasure that is. "Hurt you?"

She quickly shook her head no, out of all the sensations that had hit her body pain had not really been one of them. There had been some discomfort and his fangs in her shoulder hadn't been pleasant at first but the type of pain she had feared was nonexistent much to her confusion. "No."

Inuyasha frowned but didn't bother to worry about a lack of pain. He had heard that sometimes women felt no pain for various reasons, the main one being they were simply active. Apparently, active women were less likely to feel pain the first time and Kagome was a highly active woman so that made sense. "Good." He whispered as he looked down at her shoulder, his instincts surging within him as he noticed the slightly darker more prominent mark.

A perfect blush coated Kagome's cheeks and she glanced over at her shoulder following his line of sight. The mark didn't look any different but somehow it felt completely changed, as if it had grown more important somehow. "We're—," She whispered as he looked down at her waiting. "Are we?" She glanced back at him this time waiting for him to speak.

"Yes." He nodded as he bent forward and pressed his lips to hers. "We're married." He paused and kissed her again. "We're mated." He kissed her one last time before pushing himself off of her so that he was laying beside her on the bed. "We're in love." He finished and she stared at him with wide eyes for a moment before she smiled faintly.

The embarrassment of her nudity left her and smiling softly, she leaned forward kissing his lips softly. "We're in love." She repeated and his face beamed with a happiness she couldn't even explain.

"Yes we are." He agreed as he reached for the bed sheet and brought it up over both of them.

Thankful, Kagome grabbed the covers and covered the body he had already seen in every possible way. It would probably take years before she wasn't embarrassed. "Thank you." She whispered softly and he nodded as he reached for her, pulling her towards him.

Their bare skin touched underneath the blanket and she blushed in response as he looked down at her with a soft smile. "There's one more thing."

"Huh?" She quickly turned towards him, watching him with that blush still hovering on the bridge of her nose.

"I have a last name, you know?" He pulled her a little closer to himself as he spoke. "O'loinsigh," He continued, watching as her whole face looked back at him in shock. "It's yours if you want it."

"O'loinsigh," She repeated the words and clutching the blanket to her front pulled herself away from him. Sitting up in the bed, she looked down at him almost sternly as if she was debating something. "Kagome O'loinsigh." She spoke the name firmly, the curve of her naked back tantalizing in the candle light. "I like the sound of that." She finally told him with a smile that he returned instantly.

Looking up into her face, into the little smile that graced her lips, he felt his heart beat quicken in his chest. "So do I." He whispered and the smile she sent him made his stomach flip flop. "Mrs. Kagome O'loinsigh." He reached for her as he spoke, pulling her into his arms. She squeaked slightly but didn't resist as she was pulled down on the bed once more.

Her naked back felt cool against the sheets and she flushed as the cover that had protected her from his knowing eyes fell away. Before, she could stop him, he was on top of her, her legs spread wide so he could rest between them. "Inuyasha?" She protested with a distinct blush on her cheeks as she looked away.

"Look at me." He told her and her mind froze from the words. The last time he had said them, he had claimed her, really claimed her. "Kagome—please?"

Fear left her as his tone changed, the softness of it making her whole body relax. Moving just her eyes but not her head she looked at him, watching as his face was highlighted in the semi-darkness by the candles all around them.

"Mrs. O'loinsigh." He whispered out the name as he stared down at her taking in the way her hair laid against the blanket and the little love bites that rested all along her neck, collar, shoulders, and breast. "Mr. and Mrs. O'loinsigh."

She smiled as the words reached her and the blush on her face began to ebb just slightly. "I like that even more." She told him and he nodded in agreement as he listened to her heart beat pick up in her chest.

For just the briefest of moments his thoughts turned to tomorrow. In the morning, they would wake and see Kohaku off on his journey to France where Kagome's mother would undoubtedly take him in. By then Sango would know of her pregnancy and that she would not be left behind. They would have to tell Kagome of course and they would have to begin preparing for the journey to cross two oceans and reach a place few westerners ever traveled to. But all of that could wait for tomorrow.

For now, however, he simply lowered himself down, his lips connecting to those of the woman he loved, his very reason for life.

End of Chapter

Please Review

A/N: And so ends the last two chapters and this particular saga of Shikuro all together as well as launch us into the last saga. In other words, we are nearing the end of the story. I can't tell you how many more chapters it will be. I know how it ends and I know what needs to be resolves but I find when I write it everything becomes a lot more complex…of course I don't think anyone has too many complaints about that except maybe the whole it took 92 chapters for them to get married. But hey, it will be worth it!

So the next chapter will start with a pretty big time skip, we're talking months will have passed since we last saw our heroes. I hope everybody is ready for the long wait to be over as we finally meet Sesshoumaru and his mysterious/unknown wife!

Bonus Point:

Which was the first scene written for this fanfiction?

A. The proposal on the hillside.

B. When Inuyasha and Kagome see each other for the first time.

C. A scene that has not yet arrived involving Sesshoumaru.

D. Inuyasha finding the orphaned Miroku in England.

Next Chapter:

Four Centuries Ago

See you then!

UNEDITED

POSTED

12/23/2013