Me: Wow! Sorry about the delay!
Edo: She still doesn't own anything really.
Me: Thank you to those waiting around for the next update!
Jun: Pssht, it's mainly drabbles, but maybe she'll actually have something next time.
Sesshomaru: It actually furthers the plot, silence.
There was a very light splash when Edo dropped the sword into the water. The soft sound was enough to alert the second taiyouki in the room, who turned with an exasperated smile.
"Why do I persist in handing you things you can't hold?"
"Sorry."
"It isn't your fault. Can you bring it up to me?"
"Should I polish it?"
"Would you like to?"
"….Yes?"
Sesshomaru smiled indulgently when his intended slipped beneath the clear water and carefully balanced the Tensaiga on its blade to rub his skin and scales against it, effectively buffing it and making it shine. Inutaisho used to toss in coins and gems for his adopted son, for he enjoyed buffing and shining them as only a ningyo could. Rarely had he placed blades in the water. Sesshomaru had no such qualms. The sweet ningyo loved knives and blades and happily polished or even sharpened anything Sesshomaru could hand him.
"Got it!"
The ningyo's long arms and claws presented the sword back to its master. Balanced precariously in the long talons the sword gleamed like moonbeams, still nothing compared to the creature who offered it.
"Thank you. I apologize for always handing you things you cannot hold." Sesshomaru often forgot that Edo could hold daggers, but ningyo arms were made for clenching, scratching and other such things. They possessed inhuman strength, but the weight and shape of a sword made it neigh impossible for a ningyo to hold it, it simply slipped from their grip.
"It's okay, maybe I'll get used to the shape someday!" Edo chirped. "I can hold Fathers dagger now, so maybe I'll advance. There isn't much point though…"
"Not much point?"
Edo rolled azure eyes. His intended was a smart man. But he thought about land-creature things, not water-creature things. What point was there in having a full length sword in a river? They were cumbersome, long, easy to hurt yourself with, heavy, and were difficult to swing underwater. Ningyo used long daggers, sure you could cut yourself on them, but rather than weapons they served to remove obstacles or hunt. "When's the last time you successfully fought off a land opponent half submerged, or beat up a giant fish underwater, with a sword?"
"I'll grant you your point." Sesshomaru chuckled, something the outwardly cold Lord only did around Edo, much like their joking banter.
"Do I get a prize?" Edo's tone carried through loud and clear, heavy with implication.
Sesshomaru sighed, completing his dressing, and slipping the Tensaiga carefully into place. "I need to go to court, the demons are riled up. I forgot to mention it last night before bed." He glanced wistfully at the comfortable looking mat next to Edo's pool, he'd prefer to be there staring at what was his, than dealing with inconsequential beings who did nothing but take from his goodwill, with no word of gratitude.
"You cannot kiss me, because demons are upset? Gods I'd hate to see what happens when you finally reveal you in fact will not be taking a demoness for a mate and are instead mating a nobody ningyo."
Sesshomaru cringed slightly. He needed to get around to that, Edo was the only one who could make him guilty like this. A relationship of over fifty years and he was still keeping his intended secret. Some knew, of course, though most thought it was a passing thing. It would need to be rectified. "You're right, as usual. I'll call a meeting later this week to present you. It won't go over well, they'll still want an heir."
"Find an abandoned demon child. Or human, we'll work with that. You know what will happen should you decide to bed a demoness, political duty or not. I'll be gone."
Sesshomaru winced again, Edo didn't have many rules, but the ones he did he held tightly. It was unfair to him of course, that Sesshomaru had ever considered bedding a demoness to beget an heir. He had even planned a try once, he was to select from several eligible demoness's. He had made the mistake, or perhaps been fortuitous to mention it. Edo had screeched at him, one delicate hand tipped with lethal talons had cut deep into his face and side, drenching the floor and water with blood. Edo had not surfaced for a full two weeks. He refused to look at Sesshomaru, he refused to eat more than a bite or two a day. Any attempt to apologize by entering the water was met with fury, and the haunting screams of a scorned ningyo.
After assurances that it wouldn't happen, and many apologies, their relationship had returned to some semblance of normal. Though the ningyo proved he wouldn't forget the slight. Ever. Sesshomaru fully intended to spend his life making the one thoughtless action up to him. Ningyo were fiercely devoted to their partner or partners. So much so that adultery simply did not happen in the ningyo world, even if they were discontent. Any thought of it usually resulted in the school of the offended party tearing the guilty one limb from limb. And a rape usually ended in the death of the affected ningyo and its mates. Akimitsu's knowledge of the ningyo word had proved invaluable to Edo discerning his reactions, instincts and powers.
"I'll be back in an hour or three, some of the demons bring fruit. Shall I bring it for you?" Usually Sesshomaru gave it away, but after learning about Edo's intense love of the foods, he had been trying to find more exotic types for him. Gifts were common during courting, and the way Sesshomaru doted on Edo was shown in the vast amount of them received.
Edo smiled slightly, showing one pearly side fang. "If you would?"
"Very well, and your reward." Sesshomaru purred leaning down to thread usually noxious claws, now benign and gentle, through his lovers' hair pulling the beautiful creature to him. Pressing their lips together he inhaled deeply. The flavor and scent of his intended never ceased to amaze him, pulling away regretfully. "Kuso. If I never needed to leave this room, I'd be lucky." He hissed. Mood lightened by the beaming smile afforded to him by his now deliriously happy intended. He felt the slight pang of guilt that he tried to brush this creature off sometimes, for his duties, when all the being that seemed to be made of spun moonlight needed was a kiss, or an embrace, or a kind word. Someday they would leave this, live somewhere in the wild together. Never would Sesshomaru have thought that he would feel trapped in the duty he had wanted since birth, it seemed. Yet, he couldn't give it up easily, as a favor to his Father. He may not be able to understand the man, or even remember him too fondly, but he had brought him Edo. And for that he would worship the man.
His thoughts continued in this vein as he left the room. Schooling his features into an impassive mask and touching a reverent finger to his lips for one last smile before he descended into the chaos of his court.
Jun stopped for another break. He seemed to be taking many of them. His speed of several weeks ago forgotten. He was fast, impossibly so. But his stamina wasn't the best. Bolting miles at a time wasn't possible all of the time. Especially overheating (He seemed to be less affable to heat lately, unusual because he could manipulate it, he had been relegated to poison, a skill which had improved, oddly.) and starving. He was wandering through a tiny little village, the women and children ducking into their weak little homes. The men clutched pitchforks and other farming supplies and hid, waiting for the demon to do something. The livestock was abandoned. It all made little difference, Jun wasn't interested in these little ningen.
Hours later he was in another little rat spit village, skirting around the outside. So hungry.
In another hour he scented a sweet darkness, a noxious delightful scent. He knew he had to ignore it. Consuming the blood of an evil being altered his own personality until it passed from his system. That didn't mean he couldn't kill it though. So he did.
He meandered among the rocks of the mountain, a well-known demoness lived here, Urasue, or something like that. He'd avoid her. He'd come across a pack of wolf demons, calming some of the actual wolves to take a sip from each had replenished him. He wouldn't use his speed again for a while. His hearing however, was now, and always had been as fantastic as his eyesight. An abnormality in viper demons, whose sense of smell was wonderful, but whose sight usually did not progress past slightly inhuman. His sharp ears though, were what tipped him off. Running and screaming a ways off. He'd follow it and see where it led.
It led to a girl. He hadn't used his speed to its fullest, but he would still need to recharge. The girl wore the strangest things. It looked like one of the silk dresses so favored in his old dwelling of the south. It was cut short like some of the serpent demoness's wore. But, the woman was obviously a ningen. Was she a prostitute? Why was she running? The short green skirt and a ridiculous white shirt with something around her neck whipped around her body as she ran, the skirt too short, the top to big. Jun appreciated that the Madam of the whore house she must live in covered her merchandise, though he decided her style was a total loss. Perhaps this was a northern thing? He was rapidly losing interest in the girls plight. She was running, she was almost to a priestess, as he turned to leave, he sensed a new scent. Something very interesting.
Several years to him, a lifetime to a mortal, a scandal had wracked the demons world. All from lords or peasants to humans in demonic employ. It seems the half-breed runt of Inutaisho's had fallen for a priestess, and been betrayed, then sealed to a tree. It seemed like common sense to Jun. If you are a mouse, don't try to couple with a cat. Unless you're both demons, then you might stand a chance.
Looking at the suspended body pinned to a tree he was unimpressed. Rough human features in place of aquiline taiyouki, subdued power pulses as opposed to ones that made his knees weak. The furry ears were cute though. But rather than a youki's lethal grace, this man would lumber about like an injured monkey, or a human. It was unfortunate, as his elder brother was said to be one of the most beautiful and eligible demons alive at present. Jun shook his head, leave it to him to be thinking of sex right now, the one commonality with viper shifters. They were sensual, often taking multiple mates, he didn't understand limiting oneself to a single person yet, but conceded he had never met any he would lower himself to be with. Perhaps he was lonely. A fully matured viper who had yet to feel the rush of a coupling was usually a shame. He'd made up for it by ruthlessly eviscerating any who spoke against him. But the thought, the mere thought of winding around a willing mate, or two, or three. And feeling the strength pulse from deep inside their being, to be restrained pleasurably, movements hindered in trust? It made his knees all but give out. Power was attractive, he usually felt stirrings of lust around taiyouki with the power pulsing from them….Yet once they opened their mouths they were just like any creature beneath his notice.
He had never met this man's brother, but from a distance, he watched as the little prostitute pulled the arrow from his heart. He felt the demon reawaken, and he wondered if his brother possessed the same raw power, the same fire. It was useless thinking on though. Turning his back on the unfolding drama he headed north to Kikyo Pass. Perhaps he could rest there. The water and shade sounded so soothing. He stopped short, since when did he enjoy water? Rolling silver eyes he sighed and continued on, as he always had.
