13. A Wedding in Ruins
It was fairly early in the morning when the group decided to leave. The sun hadn't risen jet and the village would sleep for a hour more before tending to their crops. The night before Inuyasha, Sango, Kagome, Miroku, and Shippo all came to the decision to travel with Yori to the Western Lands where they would all attend the wedding. Lady Kiesu had not reappeared that night and Yori concluded, with a small of regret, that she'd returned to the Sacred Lands.
The group gave Kaede their thanks and wished her well, and set off to the Western Lands. Sesshomaru told then that it would take a week to get to the Western Lands if they walked, three days if they flew. They would fly, though not yet. It was clear that with Naraku most likely out for vengeance, it was not safe to fly in the dark hours of the day. So they would walk for now.
The group was mainly split amongst itself; the girls huddled in the front and the guys, in the back. Two separate conversations were taking place, each one was a different aspect of the same thing; Yori's and Sesshomaru's decision to get married.
"So, how did he ask you?" Sango started.
"Was it sweet or did he just throw it at you?" Kagome added and Yori blushed. She twiddled her fingers as she spoke.
"Well, the night after we returned to camp he told me he wanted to speak with me. There was a hot spring nearby and he asked me to meet him there. So when I went, he started talking about how he felt when I'd left for the Sacred Lands. And I listened and my heart was beating crazily in my chest, y'know? So then he told me that I was his human like all humans and—"
"What's that?" Kagome asked.
"Well, he explained to me that when his and Inuyasha's father fell in love with Izayoi, Sesshomaru's mother called her the human like all humans. It was meant as a negative comment but Sesshomaru said that Izayoi had made his father stronger." Kagome made that 'awwww' face. "But then he said that he wanted me to be more than that. He asked me to be his mate." Sango clapped her hands together, her eyes sparkling. But Kagome looked confused. Sango smiled at her.
"Humans refer to their partners as husband or wife. But demons refer to them as mates. It's sort of the same principle with animals though; when a demon mates, he mates for life. It's this very odd bond that humans do not have." Kagome grabbed her friend and hugged her tightly.
"I'm so happy for you!" She let her go and jumped up and down for a moment. "Now, let's talk wedding. Decorations? Wait, wait, wait, before that; bride's maids?" Yori laughed.
"You know it's gonna be you and Sango."
"But you need three!" Yori shook her head slowly.
"But who—" And then the thought struck her. She smiled a wide smile as she stopped walking and reached into her shirt. She pulled out the small silver whistle and blew it with all her might, calling forth the uncontrollable wind. Yori smiled even wider when she felt the unnatural wind pick up around her. She widened her stance and looked in front of her.
"Hey, kid. What's up?" Kagura stood, tall and beautiful in her state of freedom. There was a grin painted on her face and it grew as she looked behind Yori to Sesshomaru.
"I've got something to tell you." Kagura nodded her head and the women continued to walk. "You were right. Almost as soon as you left a couple days ago Sesshomaru appeared. He told me that he loved me and he missed me. And now—"
"And now they're getting married!" Kagome shouted. Yori looked at her, annoyed. But Kagura squealed in excitement, something that Yori never expected from her, and she hugged the woman whom she'd come to know as a sister.
"Oh, I'm so happy for you."
"Thanks, and we were discussing the wedding. Inuyasha and Kagome and the rest of the group decided to come back to the Western Lands with us to attend. Would you like to come and be my third bride's maid?" Kagura's face turned pink and she stuttered a little.
"Uh, sure. That's very kind of you to consider me, but uh, I'm not too sure I should the leave the person I'm staying with now." Yori blinked.
"Who are you staying with?" Kagura blushed a mad shade of red.
"Oh, no one important." Kagome smiled evilly.
"It's a guy, I can tell." She pulled on Kagura's sleeve playfully. "So what's his name, what does he look like, how'd you meet him?" Kagura looked to Yori, her eyes screaming help me!. Yori grinned and shook her head; she also wanted to know who Kagura had been staying with. Kagura swallowed, visibly uncomfortable.
"Well, after I took you to the Sacred Lands, I ran into Naraku. He was fighting with someone and I decided to intervene. The two of us fought Naraku together."
"Who?"
"I'm not too sure you've heard of him. He's the young leader of the wolf demon tribe." Kagome and Sango nearly passed out.
"Koga?" And right on cue, a whirlwind seemed the pass through the group and stop next to Kagura. Then, in the blink of an eye, there was a boy clad in a fashionable brown standing with his arm wrapped around her waist.
"Hey beautiful. Why'd you run off?" Kagura blushed and he placed a tender kiss on her lips.
"What the hell is going on?" Inuyasha screamed coming towards the couple. The boy, Koga, turned his blue eyes on him and then smiled.
"What? You got a problem mutt?"
"Ya, it popped up just as I caught your filthy stench in the air." The two were practically nose to nose already and Inyasha's hand was gripping the handle of his blade. Yori could feel Kagome stand straight.
"Inuyasha sit." Inuyasha gave a small cry as the beads around his neck pulled him to the ground. Koga turned his nose up and scoffed.
"Serves you right." The he walked back over to Kagura and grabbed her by her hips, kissing her full on the mouth. Yori's eyes widened, realizing that the two were in love, or at least, almost in love. She knew that for certain because Kagura seemed to melt in Koga's arms, something that Yori would have thought impossible. It amazed Yori, the way she held onto him as if he were life itself. The two parted as Inuyasha finally was able to pull himself off of the ground.
"What kind of twisted world do we live in! Kagura and Koga!" Kagome let a small growl escape her throat and Inuyasha drew back as Sesshomaru and Miroku walked forward.
"Love abounds in ways untold." the monk said. Koga smiled slyly and Kagura went even redder.
"We fought Naraku together. I saved her life and in return she got me my jewel shards back. So, I invited her to my place and—" Kagura cleared her throat and Koga looked down to her.
"Yori asked me to be one of her bride's maids during her and Sesshomaru's wedding." Koga's eyes popped a little. He turned to Sesshomaru and then turned to Yori and back to Sesshomaru again. And then he nodded his approval.
"Actually," Yori said stepping forward. "We would greatly appreciate it if you would attend also." Koga smiled and nodded his head yes. And after a meaningful moment of silence, the whole group continued walking. The girls discussed, excitedly, everything about the wedding. There would be a beautiful buttermilk cake that would stand three feet tall and be decorated with blue icing and butterfly designs. They would have a winter themed wedding in celebration of the upcoming season. The bride's maids would wear long, blue silk gowns with shawls of an off-white color that would attach to their necks like chokers and could be fashioned around the wearer's body. The men would wear light gray suits with silver ties and Yori's dress would be a brilliant white, the color of the snow that was bound to fall the day they'd planned to have the ceremony. She would have rhinestone flowers of crystal decorating her dress and the veil that would cover her face. The flowers she walked down the aisle with would be freshly picked Snow Ladies (rare flowers that only bloomed the first night of winter, named for their slender and appealing shape) and Rin would litter the floor with rose petals as Shippo carried the rings behind her to the altar.
In the five days the group traveled, the weather changed drastically. Each couple bundled together in the night, trying their hardest to stay warm. The days, though the wind was brutal, were not as bad. Yori treasured every moment of the trip; the bickering, the smiling, the laughing, the Inuyasha sitting, the cuddling, the just being with friends. She treasured every moment of every moment. But her heart nearly exploded late one evening in relief as the sight of a magnificent gate came into view.
"Are we here?" she asked aloud and Sesshomaru nodded and continued to approach the gate as the rest of the group stopped. He touched the gate lightly with his hands. It seemed to glow a brilliant silver and then, a black hooded figure appeared. It spoke lowly, in a language alien to Yori's ears. Sesshomaru responded back and the figure went to its knees as the gate opened.
"Come." he said and they all followed him through the gate. And Yori almost passed out at the sight of the castle. It was huge, wonderful, brilliant, and any other great word she could think of. It stood easily at seven floors and it was surrounded by a garden and smaller living quarters that were about two feet high. She jumped a little as Shessomaru grabbed her hand and smiled. She smiled back and the whole group stopped as a drawbridge was let down so they could pass. The grand doors opened and servants were bowing as soon as the floor came into Yori's sight. They were servants off all different types of human-like demons.
" Master Sesshomaru, you have returned." one said and Yori could guess he was the head of the servants. Sesshomaru merely looked stared passed him at the castle and spoke firmly.
"These people are here as guests, you are not to harass them by any means. For now, take their bags to the rooms of their choice. And do not wished to be disturbed for the remainder of the night."
"Yes, Master Sesshomaru." And the group split up into different direction, their basically sleepless travel finally taking a toll on their bodies. Sesshomaru lead Yori up the grand staircase and into a huge room. The bed could easily hold ten people, and when Yori sat on it, it was the perfect cross between soft and firm. Sesshomaru peered at her from the corner of his eyes and stepped into the bathroom. Yori took advantage of the opportunity and went to the closet in search of some clothes. There she found splendid colors and materials for woman to wear. And as she went further into the closet, she realized that these clothes had once belonged to his mother. Shrugging, she grabbed a black cotton gown and slipped it on after folding her other clothes. Sesshomaru came out of the bathroom, now dressed in a simply white shirt and boxers. Yori blushed and crawled into the bed. He was besides her in a second.
"So, how do you like your new home?" Yori smiled.
"It's wonderful. I can't really wrap my mind around the fact that I will wake up to this every day." Sesshomaru smiled softly at Yori and then grabbed her hand.
"Well, you are going to be the Lady of these lands. You'll have plenty of time to get used to it." And as the words left his mouth, he was sliding a ring on her finger. The ring was a sophisticated silver, with a diamond at the top, and two small engravings of a crescent moon, identical to the one on his forehead, on each side. She gasped at the feeling of the ring on her finger and smiled when she noticed his. It was identical, save there was a larger engraving on the top of his. Sesshomaru reached to his side and darkness enveloped the room as he shut the lights off. She smiled as he slid his arms around her waist and she snuggled close to him and breathed in his familiar scent. His kissed her on the top of her head.
"I love you Yori."
"I love you too." Her muscles relaxed as she dissolved in the feeling of Sesshomaru's arms around her and his promise of love forever fitting perfectly around her finger.
A week later, everything was set. The castle was rejoicing at the fact its master had finally found a mate and everyone attended the wedding. Everything was going as planned as Sango, Kagome, and Kagura were getting Yori ready. She stood on top of a stool as Kagome finished curling her hair and Kagura zipped up the dress. Sango handed her flowers to her and Yori nodded her thanks. They'd decided to have the wedding in the night because they would see the First Snow. The wedding itself would take place in the ballroom, and the cutting of the cake and gift giving would take place in the gardens. Yori breathed in a shaky breath.
"Hey, don't worry Yori. You look beautiful. Sesshomaru will just drop dead." Kagome said and Yori smiled and hugged her three friends.
"Thanks guys. Now go, or you'll miss your time to walk." They all smiled and left the room. Yori straightened the tiara that held her veil in place and stood straight to evaluate herself in the mirror.
"You look beautiful." came a squeaky voice. Yori looked to her shoulder and smiled.
"Hello Mister Myoga." Despite his size, Myoga was the one who everyone thought should give Yori away. She smiled confidently as the music made its way to her ears. She placed the veil over her face and held her flowers close to her stomach. The, she pushed the door open and made her way down to the black carpet that awaited her. Rin walked slowly a little ways ahead and Yori's feet stepped over the red rose petals and crushed them, filling the room with their beautiful smell. She looked up as gasps rang about the room. The bride's maids and their pairs were on both sides of Sesshomaru and the "priest". Sesshomaru's eyes widened as Yori came closer and Kagome leaned over to him.
"Are you dropping dead?" He nodded his head and whispered back.
"Yes, I believe I am." Yori looked so beautiful, regardless of the fact that he couldn't see her face. Her gown flowed behind her and she looked like an angel in a room full of demons. She reached the altar and he took her hands in his. Time passed quickly in Yori's eyes for all she could really hear was the sound of her own heart beating inside her chest, filling her with love and happiness. Sesshomaru's eyes seemed to peer into her very soul and welcome her to his. Finally, the words were spoken; the words that all had waited to hear.
"You may now kiss the bride." Sesshomaru gently raised her veil and revealed her wondrous face. He knew that she could not be a creature of this world, it was not possible. The silver swirls around her eyes, the soft shimmer of white making her skin glow, her eyes brimmed with tears, no. He knew and he bent down and placed his lifts to her and grabbed her in a passionate embrace that she was a gift sent just for him. And he would treasure her to the end of his days.
The room burst into cheers and Yori smiled a huge smile. She was so happy, it seemed unreal. She turned around and threw the bouquet over her shoulders and looked to see who'd caught it. Sango was holding the beautiful flowers, her face the color of a cherry as Miroku whispered something in her ear. Yori giggled and then let out a yelp as Sesshomaru swept her off her feet and walked with her to the gardens. Everyone followed and music started to play as they got there.
"Alright! Cut the cake!" Kagome yelled and Sesshomaru set Yori down and walked towards the cake. He was bending over to read the inscription in icing that Yori knew read: Let Love Remain Strong Throughout The Happiness Of Forever. Yori had a wild idea as she tangled her fingers in Sesshomaru's hair. And before he could look at her, she pushed his face into the cake. Inuyasha feel on the floor laughing as Sesshomaru looked at Yori, his eyes hidden in butter cream icing. But just below the surface, she could see a smile. She turned to Kagome and gave her and thumbs up, and when she turned back around, she was mildly surprised to find a handful of cake smeared across her face. She wiped it from her eyes and looked at Sesshomaru who was actually laughing. And the next thing you know, the wedding cake was flying everywhere. People were screaming and laughing and having a grand time. Sesshomaru leaned over and licked a bit of icing off of Yori's cheek. In response, she turned to him and pushed him to the ground, the two disappearing behind the table. She handed him a napkin and they both wiped their faces off. Yori kissed Sesshomaru and he wrapped his arms around her waist. Some one cleared their throat.
Yori turned and looked up to find their group of friends staring down at them.
"What are you two doing?" Inuyasha asked. Miroku smiled knowingly.
"I would think it wiser to wait until the honeymoon." he said, winking at them. Yori blushed madly and helped Sesshomaru off the ground.
"Look!" Kagome cried and everyone's eyes turned to the sky. Small specks of white were floating slowly to the earth. Yori was amazed at the First Snow, and Sesshomaru pulled her close to him. And as the snow finally reached the ground, oddly, so did glass.
The unmistakable sound of a window shattering grabbed the attention of everyone and they all turned their heads towards the ballroom. Yori grabbed Sesshomaru's hand and held it tight, fear spreading through her body. What is that? Then he questions were answered. Barely, she could see flashed of black dance in and out of her vision and it was apparent that someone was crashing the wedding. Someone let out a scream and all of a sudden, smoke rose from the ground, engulfing everything around it. And within seconds, Yori felt Sesshomaru's hand slip from hers.
"Sesshomaru?" she cried in the darkness. The smoke, she knew this kind of smoke. It erupted from small pills that the monks and priests used in the Sacred…
"Kiesu!" she shouted and someone grabbed her and placed their hand over her mouth. She elbowed the unseen person in their stomach and ran forward, beginning to cough violently. She caught sight of silver hair and she knew Sesshomaru was fighting.
"Yori!" he called. But she didn't have the strength to answer back. Someone grabbed her again, but his time they were successful in dragging her away. She fought with what little strength she had left and reached out her hand, trying to get his attention, to grab a hold of him once more. Sesshomaru. But it was futile, and she lost consciousness with his name echoing through her head.
Okay guys, With the Wind is over but Shadows in the Snow will soon begin. Please, continue to read and review. And thanks so much to those of you who posted your comments. I promise i won't let you down. ;)