-Tying Up Loose Ends-
Mio groans moving through the long winding halls that made up Sesshomaru's castle, she folds her arms looking around.
"Where is she?" Mio whispers looking around.
She hadn't seen Aya all night or all morning, how could she disappear when Mio and Lana needed her so. Mio begins to run now; Lana couldn't wait too much longer.
"Aya," she calls, "Aya where are you?"
Mio screeches to a halt when she sees Lady Inukimi coming down the hall, Mio looks around before rushing over to her, Inukimi raises a brow when Mio bends down panting something about the size of the castle before wiping her brow and standing.
"Have you seen Aya," Mio gasps, "I've looked everywhere for her."
Inukimi folds her arms nodding.
"I believe that she is still in bed but I don't think that you should bother her at the moment." Inukimi mutters looking aside, Mio groans.
"B-but…oh never mind!" Mio screams running past her, Inukimi sighs beginning to walk down the hall again.
Mio runs past Sesshomaru's study but as she goes toward the stairs she hears Aya laughing, Mio skids to halt before turning and running back to the study, she grimaces when we sees Aya on Sesshomaru's lap kissing his jaw.
"Come on…no more work," she whispers moving closer to him, "let's go to bed."
Mio turns away covering her eyes while making a retching noise, Sesshomaru grips Aya's lower back shaking his head, he nods to Mio. Aya turns sighing when she sees the girl, she stands wrapping her robe tighter around her body.
"What is it Mio." She asks walking over to her.
Mio peeks at Aya over her shoulder making Aya smile, Mio turns her face twisted in disgust.
Aya bends down before her nodding to her as if telling her to speak. Mio looks over Aya's shoulder at Sesshomaru before looking at her again, she gasps seeing a large red mark on Aya's neck. Aya flinches when Mio touches it.
"Ay, what happened?" She mutters looking Aya in the eyes, Aya smiles grabbing her hand.
"I made a mistake with my fans," she mutters bringing Mio's hand down, "now what's wrong. Mio squints her eyes, through the red and she could see a tattoo one like the one on Sesshomaru's forehead, Mio looks at Sesshomaru who watched with a bored expression.
"Uh…oh!" Mio shouts making Aya jump.
"You're needed in the kitchen." Mio whispers urgently.
Aya raises a brow, needed in the kitchen?
Why would I be needed in the kitchen?
She shakes her head.
"What am I needed for?" She asks cocking her head; Mio clenches her fists looking at Sesshomaru again.
"Ay…we really need you…I can't explain it here." Mio whispers leaning toward her, Aya glances back at Sesshomaru who cocks a brow, she stands.
"Uh I'll be back. Sesshomaru," Aya mutters placing her hand on Mio's shoulder, "come Mio."
Mio looks over her shoulder at Sesshomaru as Aya leads her out of the room, Mio lets out the breath she'd been holding when they step into the hallway.
"Ay it was horrible!" Mio screeches.
Aya raises a brow looking down at Mio.
"Don't say anything yet," she murmurs looking over her shoulder, Mio nods looking ahead.
Aya pulls Mio down the stairs before folding her arms turning to the girl.
"What did you do?" She asks leaning toward her, Mio shakes her head furiously.
"I didn't do anything," she shouts, "it was all Lana's fault."
Aya sighs, whatever they'd done Mio didn't want Sesshomaru to know about.
"What did Lana do then?" Aya asks shaking her head.
"Oh Ay it was horrible," Mio cries again grabbing her face, "we were trying to make you breakfast-.
Aya holds up her hand making Mio come to an abrupt halt.
"You were trying to make breakfast in a castle….with cooks who do that sort of thing?" Aya asks in confusion.
Mio sighs.
"Ay, you're not listening to me," she moans, " we were trying to make breakfast for you and Lord Sesshomaru because Mikado told us that you would probably be tired…and hungry seeing as how no one saw you all day. Aya quirks a brow turning her head to side eye Mio in a disbelieving way.
Mio is the manipulative type; she could just be saying that to soften the blow of her punishment.
Mio nods.
"And well as we were doing it…I…I mean Lana bumped in the China cupboard," she pauses for affect watching Aya for a reaction, " and everything came spilling out onto the floor…Lana's trying to clean it up but there's so much!"
Aya groans and Mio nods.
"Horrible isn't it?" She mutters.
Aya grabs Mio's wrist pulling her to the kitchen, Aya pushes the door open to find Lana standing beside the largest pile of glass Aya had ever seen, Aya gasps.
My first day mated…and this is what happens.
Almost immediately Lana and Mio turn on each other.
"It was all her not fault!"
"Oh, you're gonna blame me for this…how dirty!"
Aya holds her hands up making them come to a halt.
"What the hell are we supposed to do with all of this glass?" She asks as calmly as possible, Mio shrugs and Lana slaps her forehead.
Aya folds her arms quizzing over the pile, it had to be every dish in the entire castle.
Damn damn damn.
She jumps when the door opens behind them, Aya gasps when Mio and Lana rush past her dropping at Sesshomaru's feet.
"We're sorry, so very sorry." They chant.
Sesshomaru looks over the mess with calm eyes, Aya sighs bringing her hand to her forehead. Jaken suddenly steps in, he gasps.
"What have you done you stupid woman!?" He screams up at Aya who just sighs again, Sesshomru growls.
"B-but…I…." Jaken pleads backing away as Sesshomaru moves forward; he grabs Aya around the waist.
"I came for you," he whispers against her ear, "I do not care about these dishes."
Aya laughs and Mio gags.
Sesshomaru pulls Aya past a shocked Lana and Jaken, he pauses at the door glaring down at Jaken.
"Clean up this mess." He hisses walking away, Jaken gasps.
"But…Mi'lord," he moans slouching over, "I…I can't do this alone….
Mio sighs looking up at Lana, they nod to one another before walking around him and out of the kitchen.
"Stupid girls!" He cries shaking his fist.
The next morning, Aya awakens in Sesshomaru's arms, she sighs snuggling closer to him.
It's been an amazing two days…sadly…we have to go now….
I like this new life, good food, friends, and family…sex. What more could I ask for?
But still, even though I know Uryen is not Kize and that girl isn't my Mio…I can't help but feel that their my responsibility.
She raises a brow looking around at the room, Sesshomaru's room was truly a male demon's room, everything was white with hints of red or black and armor covered the walls; things with spikes and edges.
Not the place for clumsy Mio.
And not really a place for me, the whole old torture chamber thing was kinky at first…now it's just garish.
Time to make some changes…he won't like that.
Aya smiles looking at him, she goes to close her eyes but suddenly Sesshomaru grabs her by the hip, she kisses the side of his mouth gently.
"Good morning." She whispers laying her head on his shoulder, Sesshomaru opens his eyes looking at the ceiling.
"How do you feel?" He asks looking at her, she quirks a brow.
"Good…why?"
He brings a hand to her neck where he'd bitten her, she shudders when a chill runs through her body; she gently pulls his hand closer.
"Feels better," she mutters, " how about you, feeling better?"
Sesshomaru frowns and she laughs, things had gotten a little rough between them, Aya wasn't the only one who got bit.
Sesshomaru pulls her down placing his lips against her neck, she sighs when he kisses her there, Aya pushes closer to him closing her eyes. They now shared markings, she grabs his hand lightly massaging it in her own, she runs her hand over the black waved mark on the outside of his hand. That was an unusual occurrence because though Dog Demons were known to bite and scratch during sex, females rarely marked their mates, and since they were two separate types of Dog Demon it made Sesshomaru's marking even stranger.
"Mi'lord!" Mikado screams bursting into the room, Sesshomaru growls and Aya sighs, Mikado bows furiously.
"I am sorry Mi'lord…Mi'lady but there is a messenger here from the Musashi Province." She mutters lowering her head. Aya looks at Sesshomaru who immediately hops out of the bed moving past Mikado and out of the room, Aya winks at Mikado.
"That body," she whispers laying on her back, " and why are you calling me Mi'lady makes me feel old.
Mikado smiles.
"You are the lady of the castle now," she says nodding, "and Lord Sesshomaru would not like it if I called you anything else it is not proper."
Aya sits up wearing a mischievous grin.
"There's nothing proper about this room," she whispers.
Mikado sighs looking aside, Aya giggles rolling over onto her back.
"You never get tired of using innuendo," Mikado says bringing a hand to her head, Aya shakes her smiling up at the ceiling.
Mikado sighs looking away, Aya turns back onto her stomach propping herself onto her hands.
"I have not asked him about your visiting your family yet," she says cocking her head, "but don't worry if push comes to shove I'll send you off by the end of the week."
"But Lady Ay I do not want to cause trouble between you and The Lord." Mikado whispers her face falling, Aya holds up her hand.
"Say no more Mikado, you are going home…for at least a week."
Mikado ducks her head but Aya could almost feel her mounting excitement, suddenly Sesshomaru bursts into the room his eyes flashing.
"What is wrong?" Aya asks sitting up.
"Kaede, she was attacked," he mutters, "get dressed we're going."
Attacked?
Aya crawls out of bed walking over to the closet grabbing clothes before rushing into the bathroom.
"Mikado, the children are staying here this time," Sesshomaru mutters walking around her, "make sure that they do just that."
Mikado nods, neither one of them wanted a repeat of Rin's earlier actions.
Aya comes out of the bathroom brushing her hair over her shoulder; she looks at Sesshomaru with a frown.
"How is she doing?" Aya asks turning away as she places her hair back in a golden clip.
"The boy did not say," Sesshomaru sighs, Aya nods pulling on her shoes; she stands straight before spinning once.
"All done!" She says smiling at Sesshomaru, he nods as she rushes past him and out of the room.
Sesshomaru looks over the room before moving toward the door but a call from Mikado brings him to a halt.
"Mi'lord…do you think that this has anything to do with Lady Ay's problems?" Mikado asks clasping her hands together, Sesshomaru nods before following Aya down stairs.
Aya turns to him when he makes it down the stairs.
"I think their all still asleep, perfect time to make a getaway." She mutters folding her arms. Just as Sesshomaru goes to nod, Jaken comes rushing down the stairs.
"Mi'lord, where are you going!" Jaken wails skidding to a halt before them; Sesshomaru narrows his eyes at Jaken, Jaken grimaces taking a step back.
"The Musashi Province." Sesshomaru mutters monotonously walking over to the door, Jaken rushes over to him again.
"Please Mi'lord, may I go?" Jaken cries dropping to his knees, Aya cocks her head.
Why is it so important that he go everywhere with Sesshomaru, what a strange little demon.
"I do not need you slowing me down." Sesshomaru growls at the demon, Jaken shrinks away almost immediately beginning to shudder, Aya covers a smirk.
This is always amusing.
But I'm pretty sure staying here will be torture for him, what with the children not liking him.
"Perhaps he should go, he terrorizes everyone around him," Aya mutters nodding her head, "this way you can keep an eye on him."
"Shut up y," Jaken's tirade is interrupted by Sesshomaru's hand around Jaken's throat.
"Mi—Lord," he wheezes grabbing as Sesshomaru's fingers, Aya pokes her tongue at him and he lets a loud wheeze of what could have been protest, Sesshomaru glares at him.
"You will respect her," Sesshomaru utters in a silent deadly voice, "I will no longer tolerate your insolence."
Aya shakes her head.
It's a wonder what two days of Aya can do for a man, The Aya Special…it always works.
Jaken wags his head as best he can but it still is not enough for Sesshomaru, Aya grabs Sesshomaru's arm laying her head against it, she smiles when her eyes meet Jaken's bulging ones.
"Sesshomaru, let him go, he is ignorant and not worth your time." She mutters shaking her head at Jaken. She grimaces when Jaken's eyes begin to bulge even more as Sesshomaru squeezes harder, Aya gasps when he tosses Jaken away and onto the floor, Jaken gasps for air while writhing on the floor.
"Next time I won't be so lenient." Sesshomaru growls turning away, Aya rubs her neck as she imagines the pain that Jaken could have been in.
Now that…that has to be painful.
She walks over to Jaken before bending down before him; Sesshomaru walks over to the door watching as she pats Jaken on the head.
"Aw, poor Toad." She coos, Jaken moans lowering his head, she grins; he was just dying to insult her.
She stands walking over to Sesshomaru who opens the door allowing her to walk through; she turns to him placing her hands on her hips.
"What?" He mutters closing the door as Jaken moves toward it, Aya walks around him opening the door for Jaken who mournfully walks through.
"You're being so…weird almost…where was this nobleman in the beginning. " She asks closing the door, he raises a brow.
"You were not my mate."
"So, I was and still am a lady." She says leaning toward him.
"It is as I told you when you were in heat, certain things were not my job, it is not until we mated that you became a part of me." He mutters looking at her.
"Yes, you did say something like that…hm…so if I went into heat right now…."
He turns away.
"Stupid question."
She smiles walking behind him, Jaken teeters past them his eyes on the ground; Aya looks up at Sesshomaru who ignores Jaken.
Aya smiles looking at the road ahead of them.
The Musashi Province is not far, we should get there by nightfall.
Above their heads and in the trees, Uryen skulked in the shadows with Mio sitting on a higher branch.
He takes a deep breath holding it before letting it go, almost immediately after the exhale his lip curls into a snarl.
"She stinks of him." He whispers harshly, Mio sniggers in her hands. Uryen turns on her his eyes flashing.
"What is so funny?" He asks glaring at her, she shakes her head clapping her hands over her mouth to withhold even more laughter.
"I suggest you stop laughing before I rip you to shreds." Uryen hisses, Mio turns away on the branch.
"Sorry Master Uryen," she whispers smiling to herself, he nods turning back the group below him.
"I should have already gotten rid of you…you failed me…again."
Mio turns to him shaking her head.
"That Miko is gonna die…I made sure of it!" Mio says nodding.
"I wanted her dead! Uryen growls and Mio waves her hand at him before turning away again.
He crouches on his branch as Aya and her group begins to move out of his line of sight.
"They're going there now," he mutters smirking, "time to have some fun with my dear Ay."
Mio stands turning to him again.
"But Master Uryen, what of this plan to bring her to you?" She asks shrugging, Uryen nods.
"This is all a part of that plan." He says standing again.
Upon entering Kaede's village Aya is attacked by a familiar smell, the smell of rotted fruit and blood.
"Mio's been here," she mutters rubbing her arms.
The night had turned cold and snow flurries had begun to fall from the sky, Aya shudders; an ominous feeling filled the village.
"Sesshomaru…what is that," Aya asks looking around, "it feels so oppressive here."
Sesshomaru shakes his head grabbing her wrist and pulling her toward Kaede's home, Jaken trails behind looking over his shoulders at the shadowy entrance of the village, he jumps when he sees a blackened shadow scurry past the village's entrance.
"Mi'lord…." He utters, he looks ahead as Aya and Sesshomaru step into Kaede's house, Jaken looks back again and this time reddened eyes stared back at him, he screams running into the house.
Aya looks down at Jaken who slips and falls onto the floor, Sesshomaru glares down at him clearly about to tear into him but sound of a door sliding open brings his attention back to the home.
"Brother…Aya…., you came," Kagome mutters, "she was asking for you….."
Aya raises a brow looking Kagome over, she'd lost some of the baby weight and a lot of the pregnancy glow, and she now looked tired and miserable.
Aya nods when Kagome leads her into the next room, Inuyasha sat in the floor next to Kaede who lay on a pile of sheets and cushions, in Inuyasha's arms was lain the baby.
Aya drops down next to him looking at the baby, he had a small tuft of black hair and in that little patch of fuss sat two little dog ears, Aya smiles.
"He's a cutie," she whispers lightly touching his fist. Inuyasha nods smiling lightly at her. She looks at Kaede who wore a grimace as if she were in pain and the rise and fall of her chest denoted her struggle.
"Kaede, it's me… Aya." Aya whispers moving closer to her, Kaede lets out a heavy breath before bringing her hand to Aya's.
"Uryen…he lives."
Aya nods.
"I know we've run into him a couple of times." Aya whispers looking down. Kagome and Sesshomaru now move into the room, Aya looks back at Sesshomaru who stared at Kaede with a deadened expression, she turns back to Kaede.
"He wants…the-," she coughs and Kagome rushes to her side bringing a napkin to her mouth as blood spills from her lips, Kagome pushes away tears with her fists.
"Her liver was damaged…torn…all I could do was staunch the bleeding from the outside but inside…." Kagome whispers looking down.
"He wants the Hikari…No…Ishi…do not…don't give it to him!" Kaede rasps.
Aya gasps, the Hikari No Ishi….
I've never heard of that….
"Kaede, what is the Hikari No Ishi?" Aya asks gripping her hand tighter.
"It's the stone of light, I've read about in Kaede's old books except they say it was destroyed long ago." Kagome mutters shaking her head.
Destroyed….
"Why would Uryen want that and why would he want it from me, I don't even know what that is!" Aya says shaking her head.
"Hiro…Hiro….." Kaede whispers before coughing up more of her blood.
Aya leans closer now.
"Go to…Kiyoza…he will explain…it…all."
"Kiyoza?" Aya whispers looking down.
Now, I'm more confused than ever.
I don't understand.
"Kiyoza is an old Dog Demon…he lives in the mountains to the North." Sesshomaru mutters.
Aya turns to him and he moves closer to Kaede.
"She will be going soon." He mutters looking at Kagome, Aya looks at her and Kagome nods.
"I know." She whispers ducking her head.
Aya stands looking at him, Sesshomaru kept his eyes on Kaede, not once did he address Inuyasha nor acknowledge his baby nephew. Aya grabs his wrist jerking her head toward Inuyasha but Sesshomaru does not shift his gaze.
Aya sighs.
"I almost feel like we shouldn't leave." Aya mutters looking at Kagome, Kagome shakes her head.
"You have to go and see this Kiyoza, Kaede was attacked by some…shadow…if this Kiyoza can't explain all of this then you need to go as soon as possible."
"I would go if it weren't for the fact that I have Kagome and the baby to look out for." Inuyasha mutters.
"We will be back…with Rin." Aya whispers looking down, Kagome's eyes begin to brim with tears.
"She's going to be so hurt," Kagome whispers, " this is so…horrible."
Aya looks up at Sesshomaru, he showed no emotion but surely he had to feel something, Aya pulls away shaking her head.
Too much is happening all at once.
"I…I have to go," Aya utters turning and leaving the room.
Inside the castle life was easy; those two days…were wonderful. Those wall kept me happy and kept the evil out. For the last few years I've been playing a game with something far more evil than I could have imagined.
Aya steps outside covering her face with her hands, she fights to keep her tears in. All these years, and still more fighting, still more tears and pain.
Tomorrow, we go in search of Kiyoza. Feeling our ways through the shadows in search of the light.
Aya turns when the door opens behind her, Sesshomaru steps out his eyes narrowed.
"Why are you crying?" He asks dragging her close, Aya shakes her head.
I'm scared…
Sesshomaru hugs her closer and she lays her head on his chest, she stares into the darkness that surrounded them.
I'm terrified.
That game we played… no the game I played is coming to a close. No longer is this just a game of cat and mouse. This is life or death; the walls are closing in on me. And now, no one is safe.
Next Chapter: Father Knows Best