Disclaimer: I don't any of the InuYasha characters, but I do own Ayami and her family.
Protecting Love
Chapter 2
The woman had been unconscious since before he had found her. They couldn't move her for fear of hurting her more, but they also couldn't just leave her. Sesshomaru had not gotten much sleep so when he woke up, he didn't bother trying to get back to sleep.
Sesshomaru had decided when he woke up, that they would stay with the demon until she was well enough to move. Suddenly, the demon stirred. She was thrashing in her sleep. After a couple of minutes, she woke up, glaring around the camp.
"You're awake." Sesshomaru said emotionlessly, pointing out the obvious.
"No. I thought I was dead and just coming back to haunt you. Of course I'm awake." She answered sarcastically.
"What is your name?" Sesshomaru asked, not bothering to be courteous.
"My name is Lady Ayami. What's YOUR name? You asked me and didn't bother to give your name." She answered giving him a suspicious glance when he half glared back at her.
"I am Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands. Am I not permitted to ask the name of the person I saved from losing blood and dying of her wounds?" Sesshomaru shot back. He was angry at her arrogance.
"Oh. So I finally got to meet the great and powerful Lord of the Western Lands. You know, my father speaks very highly of you. Even though you are younger than him, he almost, mind you ALMOST, puts you in the same category of himself." Lady Ayami said faking being impressed and easily hiding her anger at herself.
Ayami was pissed that she had let herself fall unconscious without protecting herself. Obviously, the weak barrier she had managed to put up before total darkness had dissipated later in the night.
"Who are your companions?" Ayami asked, pointing to the others, still asleep.
"The dragon is Ah-un. The toad demon is my vessel, Jaken. The human girl is Rin. After I saved her, she had been following me ever since. She dressed your wounds last night. Now, who is your father? I must admit, I'm curious." Sesshomaru introduced.
"Oh. Sorry. You have met him before. You also met the rest of my family. I was in my room. I don't particularly like social events. I'll go if I am farced of I feel like it. My father is Lord Kotarou of the Southern Lands. My mother is Lady Tifa. I also have four sisters and two brothers." Ayami explained.
"Lord Kotarou is your father?" Sesshomaru asked in disbelief.
"Yes. Is there something wrong with him being my father?" Ayami asked with a hint of venom in her voice.
"No. I just didn't think the Great Lord of the South let his daughter wonder around and get so badly hurt." Sesshomaru answered with indifference.
"Of course he doesn't. He sends my out to get rid of the pests in our lands. Out of all the children, I take after father the most. I'm the strongest and I can outwit most of my foes." Ayami sighed. Her weakness was catching up to her.
"Well then, we had better leave, no matter what you say, I have heard that Lord Kotarou is protective over his daughters. When you're well enough……" He didn't get to finish.
"Arrrrgh! I'm sick of it. Men always think I can't take care of myself." Ayami tried to get up but fell back down.
"Fine, I'll just wake the others and we'll be off to my castle." Sesshomaru answered with a smirk.
"Oh forget it. I know I'm too weak. Just let them sleep. When I wake up again, we can leave to go to your castle." Ayami said through gritted teeth.
'I hate admitting I'm too weak. In front of him is even worse because he works closely with father sometimes.' Ayami thought bitterly.
"'We'?"
"Yes, 'we'. I'm coming with you. Don't try to stop me either." Ayami spat.
"Why?"
"If you must know, my father and I were in an argument before I left. He's trying to mate me to the Lord of the North's, Lord Remei's, eldest son, Lord Dimor. That man is absolutely vile. He is full of himself and there is no way in hell I would mate with him." She said huffily.
"Alright." Sesshomaru said interested.
Ayami fell asleep a short time later while Sesshomaru watched over everyone.
'She sure has a temper and she speaks her own mind. I wouldn't be a bad thing for me to have a mate like that.' Sesshomaru thought.
"Lord Sesshomaru, did that woman wake up yet?" Jaken asked groggily.
"Yes."
"Did she tell you who she was?" Jaken asked.
"Yes."
"Did she say anything else?" Jaken tried again while rapidly losing his patience.
"Yes." was the same answer.
"Well, what did she say?" he asked holding in his angry response, remembering this was Lord Sesshomaru.
"I do not have to tell you, Master Jaken." Sesshomaru answered curtly.
"Yes, milord." Jaken bowed his head.
"Silence."
2 hours later
Yawn
"That was a nice nap and it came after I finished off Gafe. Father will be pleased. Maybe he'll stop trying to mate me." Ayami said yawning.
Jaken was just returning from getting a drink and all he heard was 'I finished off Gafe'. He was stunned and couldn't help blurting out,
"You defeated Gafe the giant Ogre?"
"As a matter of fact I did. Is there a problem with that, Master Jaken?" Ayami said eyeing Jaken with ice cold eyes.
Jaken stepped back and gulped. He didn't know how she knew his name. This female demon scared him. Jaken was trembling when Sesshomaru stepped in.
"No. He was just surprised." He said, eyeing Jaken.
"Ok. Fine. Whatever. Just leave me alone." Ayami replied, sending an icy glare Jaken's way.
With all of the commotion, Rin woke up. Usually, Rin was quiet when she woke up, but today, she was curious. She saw an important thing. Sesshomaru was staring at the woman whom he had rescued.
"Good morning Lord Sesshomaru. Do you like her?" Rin asked with innocent eyes.
"……" was Sesshomaru's answer.
"……" was Ayami's very confused answer.
Jaken got the -.- look and said nothing though he was very annoyed.
Ayami recovered the quickest and introduced herself to the little girl.
"I'm glad you are finally awake, miss." Rin said.
"Sure…um…how about this, you can call me Ayami. And your name is 'Rin', correct? Ayami asked politely.
"Yes it is, Ayami-chan. I'm glad you're feeling better." Rin smiled.
"Right, are we ready to go, Sesshomaru?" Ayami turned.
"You have no right to be so informal with Lord Sesshomaru." Jaken said before Sesshomaru could answer.
"You have no right to speak to her that way. She is Lord Kotarou's daughter." Sesshomaru corrected.
"Lord Kotarou? You're his daughter? Forgive me, Lady Ayami!" Jaken said terrified. He then started bowing over and over to Ayami to her displeasure.
"Oh stop it. I am not the one to bow to, my mother, father, and brother, Meeco, are the ones to bow to." She said annoyed.
"Whatever you say, milady." Jaken said with a last bow.
Ayami was plainly annoyed with Jaken. Most of the people who knew her knew what she wanted and what she didn't. She also let them know if they were annoying her. And most people knew about her fiery temper.
"So will we be off then?" Ayami repeated.
Everyone sweat dropped at her sudden change of mood. They knew that getting used to her would take a while.
"We will head toward my castle now that you are feeling better. You seemed to have recovered well." Sesshomaru answered.
"Nothing can keep me down for long." Ayami yelled.