Author's Note: I am so sorry that I was gone for so long T-T ! This summer was a little busier than I thought! Grr. But, nonetheless, I tried to fit some writing in. This is a pretty long chapter! :) Enjoy! Weee~
Summary: Forced into a marriage to bind the races, Princess Kikyo Higurashi and Prince Inuyasha Takahashi are to conceive a half-demon pup. But once they realize that Kikyo is unable to carry a child, their only choice is to find a surrogate. When Kagome is asked to be the surrogate, will this secret drive the two sisters' relationship into chaos? Will Inuyasha find out the truth?
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
Surrogate
Chapter 2-Compromise
Kikyo sat on the rim of the bed, fiddling with her pink bow that tied her attire together. She was nervous. It had been almost a month and no sign of pregnancy. No matter how many times Inuyasha and her had tried, it seemed hopeless. Was there a possibility that she wasn't able to have children at all?
No, no. Don't say that. You will have children. Kikyo tried to wave that thought out of her mind. Ever since she was a little girl, she had wanted a perfect family.
A perfect husband and three perfect little kids.
It was her life's dream. The gods couldn't take that away from her, right? Or maybe it was because she didn't have the perfect husband to generate three perfect children. Kikyo grimaced at the thought of her husband. His attitude towards her had not changed at all. Kikyo had thought that those consecutive sex filled nights would alter the stance of their relationship, but as always, she was wrong.
"Lady Kikyo, you look lovely as always. I feel that it's your lucky day today," a man with slick gray hair trotted towards Kikyo's bedside. The old doctor always had a cheery smile stuck on his aging face with his ageless eyes that seemingly contrasted his ancient features. Kaori, dressed in an elaborate green kimono, walked behind the doctor with the word "nervous" written across her forehead.
"Thank you, Hikaru. Please, sit down," Kikyo motioned for the old man to sit beside her on the bed. Hikaru, a family friend and doctor as well as Kagome's herbal instructor, had known Kikyo ever since she was born to know that the young woman was indeed nervous apart from her courageous mask. With deep connections, Hikaru was the only doctor the Higurashi's trusted.
The old doctor grunted as he placed his shabby, wooden medicine kit alongside the bed and sat down beside the princess. Automatically, the doctor gently grabbed onto Kikyo's right hand to check her pulse. Both mother and daughter looked anxiously at the doctor's facial expression,
A minute flew by and the doctor glanced at the two women with his expressionless face. He cleared his throat and looked into Kikyo's dark brown orbs as if he was trying to look through her.
"What is it, Hikaru?" Kaori asked first, unable to withstand the tension.
"I'm sorry to say that, Lady Kikyo is not pregnant. Have you been giving her the herbs that I sent you a few days ago?"
"Yes, once at dawn and another time at dusk," Kaori whispered coldly. It was Hikaru's ninth time visiting, as well as his ninth time claiming that Kikyo was not pregnant. Since Inuyasha was part demon and if Kikyo was impregnated, it would be able to be detected in less than two days. Hence, whenever Kikyo and Inuyasha had sex, the couple would wait two days to call in the doctor to see if their attempt had been successful.
So far, it hasn't.
"Well, my only conclusion would be to tell you that, Lady Kikyo may be barren. I apologize to tell you this horrendous news, but after so many attempts-you and Lord Inuyasha have been attempting often, have you not?"
"Y-yes," Kikyo managed to choke out, trying her hardest to swallow the lump from her throat.
Barren. Could it be? Could it be that I am childless for the rest of my pitiful life? Not only am I stuck with a man I don't love, but now I am physically unable to bear a child. Kikyo felt a warm, stubborn tear cascade down her pale face, uncertain how to react to such grave news.
"Then, I am sorry, Lady Kikyo. My apologies, Empress Kaori," Hikaru slowly got up and grabbed his medicine kit as he headed for the door. Kaori watched her daughter sit motionless in the same position as tear after tear cascaded down her lonely brown orbs. She sat beside Kikyo and grabbed onto her pale, slender hands.
"Kikyo, dear, please don't cry. Mother doesn't like seeing you like this. I will find a doctor to cure you. You will have children, dear! I will find the greatest doctor in Southern Japan!" Kaori exclaimed. It was heartbreaking watching her daughter suffer like this.
"Hikaru was the best," Kikyo whispered lifelessly as tears continued to pour down her face and her lifeless brown eyes stared into the air.
"Certainly he couldn't be, there's so much more, dear. Don't worry, Mother will-"
"Mother, stop. I am barren. Infertile. Childless. Nobody can help me. Why? Why couldn't you have gotten Kagome to marry Inuyasha? Why me? Why couldn't have I spent my life devoted to be a miko? Why, Mother, why?" Kikyo directed her brown orbs to a pained yet confused Kaori. The latter woman could do nothing but continue to pat her daughter's pale hands, as if trying to warm her cold flesh.
"I'm sorry, Kikyo! I'm sorry! Mother didn't know. Please, don't cry. It hurts me to watch you like this," Kaori begged her daughter as she watched her cry relentlessly.
"What am I going to do now? I'm a disgrace to you. I'm a disgrace to the family. I'm a disgrace to Inuyasha. I'm a disgrace to our empire and our people! I failed to do the only thing I was made to do!"
"Kikyo, dear-"
"No, Mother! Don't cry for me. I'm a disgrace. Now, we can never successfully merge the two empires. We can never start on our new generation," Kikyo gently wiped the surging tears from her eyes and face.
Kaori had almost forgotten about the merger that came along with the wedding. Blinded by the excitement and happiness that her middle daughter was finally married, Kaori had thrown the idea of creating their sub-empire out the window.
It was ten years ago when the two families- the Takahashis of the East and the Higurashis of the South -had signed a treaty to end their war by merging their families by marriage. Back then, the demons of the East and the humans of the South had the biggest feud, however, as time passed by and the signing of the treaty came, the relationship between the two races had gotten a lot better in the decade. However, to successfully ensure the collaboration and peace of the two, both empires have planned to create a sub-empire known as the Southeastern for both races to live in.
The treaty initially was signed for both of the eldest child of the two families to wed, however, plans have changed from then. Kaede Higurashi, the eldest daughter, had decided to devote her life to the practice of medicine and spend an eternity as a miko. Kaori had known that her eldest daughter and no interest in leading an empire and was too kind and careful to be a successful empress. Thus, this allowed Kikyo to be the first and only choice to complete this merger since Kagome was too young and was already being saved to be the Empress of the South after Kaori was to pass away.
On the other hand, although Sesshomaru was the eldest Takahashi, he had found a mate and was then destined to become the Lord of the East. Although his wife, Rin Sato, was a human, Inutaisho Takahashi had long signed the treaty promising that the future rulers of the sub-empire would be a Higurashi and Takahashi. Thus, he was force to give his oldest son his own empire which gave Inuyasha the sub-empire.
"Mother, I think it's best that I have some time alone. I need to think everything out," Kikyo suggested as she watched her mother zone out. Kaori looked back at her daughter apologetically and gave her a gauche smile.
"Alright then. Don't worry. Mother will figure something out," Kaori smiled at Kikyo again and tucked a loose strand of hair before leaving.
Kikyo watched as her mother slowly closed the door, leaving her in absolute peace and quiet. The distraught maiden patted her flat abdomen before covering herself in her sheets and crying herself into a deep slumber.
Inuyasha was never a fan of starting a new family with a new wife; but he had to admit- he was pretty stoked about recruiting this new army of his for his new empire. The hanyou had strategically planned it all. He would recruit both humans and demons; humans for intellect and demons for strength. His goal was to make the Southeastern army the best in Japan.
Or at least better than his half-brother's army.
Nonetheless, after a hard day of work, the half-demon looked forward to nothing more than a nice bath in the hot spring and a good night's sleep. Although he found it odd that he wasn't already living in his new empire already, Inuyasha knew exactly why. He had to wait for his damn wife to have their pup already.
Truthfully, Inuyasha couldn't for his wife to be pregnant already. That way, they wouldn't have to repeat many nights of bland sex. Inuyasha would have six whole months of going around and sleeping with other women. Not only would that come to a bonus, but Inuyasha was ready to start his army training. He had planned that while Kikyo was pregnant, he would go and train his army for their new empire.
So, when Inuyasha got home to the Southern empire and heard that his wife was indeed not pregnant-again-he couldn't have been any angrier.
What the hell is wrong with this woman? Not only is having sex with her like having sex with a piece of wood, but she decides to be the hardest woman to impregnate.
The half-demon grunted and headed off his room to complain to his wife. At first, Inuyasha had thought the first few attempts were only failures because he had been constantly faked an orgasm, however, he knew the latter attempts were not. He had been imagining hot and wild sex with his favorite female sex friend, Yura, the whole time! How could it have been a failure?
"Inuyasha," the dog demon turned to find where the voice came from and saw his mother-in-law standing in the middle of the garden. Lazily, the hanyou walked over to the woman and was surprised when a wave of salt hit his nose.
"Is everything alright? Why have you been crying?" Inuyasha tried to sound concerned.
"Is it obvious? I'm sorry, dear. It's just that the doctor," Kaori shook her head lightly and looked away from Inuyasha's eyes, "he told Kikyo and me that she is barren. It broke Kikyo's heart hearing this. She had always wanted to be a mother and it's just-"
"Wait, Kikyo's infertile?" Inuyasha asked, fully concerned about his wife's condition. He may not have ever liked her, but hearing this had almost broken his heart. Kikyo was a good and pure woman, how could this have happened to her?
Kaori nodded her head in silent defeat and whispered to Inuyasha that he should go and comfort his wife. Although Inuyasha was not an ideal comforter, he knew that he was the only one that could talk Kikyo out of her misery.
Inuyasha walked into his room to find his wife curled up under the sheets of their bed with the room clearly smelling of salt. Kikyo had been crying nonstop, so it seemed. Inuyasha sauntered towards the bed and sat beside his wife, uncovering the sheets to find her in light slumber. Automatically, as a response to the lack of warmth, Kikyo opened her eyes to find Inuyasha's warm honey orbs on her.
If Inuyasha had ever pitied anyone as much in his life, it would be Kikyo. Her battered expression and lifeless eyes were heartbreaking. Immediately and involuntarily, Inuyasha wrapped his arms around the pale maiden and clutched her tightly as if she was a little girl.
"Don't cry anymore. I don't like coming home to see my wife like this. You're a beautiful woman, Kikyo. Don't let the smallest things crush you like that," Inuyasha whispered softly into Kikyo's hair. Kikyo was shocked; she had never received such direct affection from Inuyasha. His words and actions had almost washed away all the pain and misery she had witness today.
"Who cares if you can't have kids? When there's a problem, there's always a solution. Honestly, Kikyo, I'd rather you not have children and be my perfect wife forever," Inuyasha was surprised at all the stuff he was saying. Was it true? Was this is deepest desire? Or was he only saying this to make Kikyo smile again?
No. This was all a ploy. He could care less if Kikyo smiled or cried. Truthfully, he could care less if she was able to have children or not. It was his weak human emotions that got the best of him this time. He may have been raised to act like a demon by his father, but he was also raised to feel like a human by his mother.
"Inuyasha, you really don't mind?" Kikyo finally said, after Inuyasha had let go of her from his tight embrace. Oddly, Kikyo was beginning to have feelings for the hanyou simply from what he had just stated. It was so unlike his character, but she liked it. He was so human at this moment; she felt her heart swell as she replayed his lines over her head.
"Feh, of course not. We're too young anyways. We can't take care of no damn pup!" Kikyo grimaced at his statement. The stupid, jerk Inuyasha was back.
"Well, what about our empire? We need an heir for our empire," Kikyo reminded the half-demon. Inuyasha had momentarily forgotten about the merger.
"We'll figure it out soon. But for now, I want you to not worry about anything. For all you know miracles happen. We can keep trying if you want," Inuyasha winked at Kikyo, causing her to blush. Just to top off the moment, Inuyasha laid a chaste kiss on Kikyo's forehead and Kikyo giggled lightly. It was Inuyasha's first time hearing her laugh. And he decided that he liked it.
As if on cue, a knock came at their door, Inuyasha grunted and allowed the servant to come in.
"Lord Inuyasha and Lady Kikyo, Empress Kaori wishes to see you right now," the young servant girl bowed down and got up to wait for the couple to follow her to Kaori's room.
The couple looked at each other and Inuyasha got up before helping Kikyo get up. As the couple walked with their arms linked, Inuyasha couldn't help but wonder if he was falling for his wife. Inexperienced when it came to the topic of love, Inuyasha felt that it might be a possibility with her. After all, there's a first time for anything.
Kaori paced across the room as she waited for her daughter and son-in-law to come in. She had been plotting for a while now, and she felt that what she thought up was excellent.
It wasn't long before Inuyasha and Kikyo walked into her room. Kaori asked the couple to sit down and poured a cup of tea for each of her visitors. She noticed Kikyo's mood had drastically improved from earlier and she couldn't help but smile herself. She had always hated seeing one of her daughters upset.
"Kikyo. Inuyasha. I have devised a plan to fool the rest of the empire on thinking that you both have produced a child," Kaori stated lightly, looking back and forth from the couple to see their reaction.
"Continue, Mother," Kikyo whispered hoarsely. Upon hearing her horrendous voice that had become a symptom of her nonstop crying, Kikyo softly cleared her throat.
"I say we get a surrogate mother. That way, we can provide an heir and establish the Southeastern kingdom. What do you all say?" Her audience again gave her a blank expression.
"A surrogate mother? As in a woman that would bear Inuyasha and my child? Mother, how are we going to do that?"
"I figured it out, dear. We will find a woman for Inuyasha to bed. We will pay her for her services and to keep her mouth shut," Kaori finished with a bright smile on her face.
"Mother! That is so immoral. I would not want a child that was produced from some whore! Furthermore, I feel that forcing Inuyasha into that situation is just plain wrong. Not only that, but, we're a family of high morale. How can we let the first heir of the Southeastern Empire be born from a peasant, or worse-a prostitute?" Kikyo argued, frustrated now.
"Kikyo, calm down. Look, I have no problem with this arrangement. I mean, if it bugs you, I guess we'd have to change some stuff. Higuarashi-sama, maybe you should reconsider some points. Our pup must have royal blood," Inuyasha claimed as he patted Kikyo's shoulder softly in order to calm her down.
"Well, I guess we have no choice except to ask one of our relatives. But, sadly, most of our female relatives are either married or too old to bear young. Unless we ask-" Kaori was stopped by Kikyo's sudden scream of pain.
"Oh! My chest suddenly hurts. Inuyasha, can you please help me get some herbs from the doctor? He should know what I need," Kikyo brushed him away slyly. Inuyasha, clueless of Kikyo's sudden motives, quietly agreed to walk over to the herbalist to get Kikyo's ointment.
Once Inuyasha's footsteps were nowhere to be heard, Kikyo gave her mother a death glare. "Mother, I know who you were about to say. Kagome, right?"
"What has gotten into you? Why did you force Inuyasha away like that?"
"I was asking you a question, Mother. Was it Kagome you wanted to be the surrogate?"
"Well, she's our only option. She should be coming back today. It's perfect timing, dear. She could do this well, she's a very strong girl," Kaori added, watching Kikyo look away into the distance. Kaori knew why Kikyo had made Inuyasha go away. She was falling for him, and feared that once he had sex with her younger sister, everything would change. Kaori had always known that Kikyo was jealous of Kagome.
"Fine, on one condition," Kikyo sighed, "somehow, we can't let Inuyasha know it's her. I can't risk it, Mother."
"You're falling for him, aren't you, dear?" Kaori smiled innocently, tucking a loose strand of hair behind Kikyo's ear. Kikyo didn't know how to respond except lightly nod and smile.
"I've always known you guys had a connection. Since the day of the wedding! No worries, I'll talk to Kagome about it and Inuyasha will never find out that it's her. Kagome will understand," the empress patted her daughter lightly on her thigh.
Kikyo knew she had no feelings for Inuyasha yet. But even if she had no feelings toward Inuyasha, she didn't want Kagome to have what was hers. Granted, they were sisters. But being sister didn't mean she had to share everything.
Kagome was exhausted from the horse ride back to the Southern Empire. She had woken up early in the morning to travel all her way back from the eastern mountains. All she wanted to do was take a hot bath and sleep for a week. The young miko had scheduled to be back two weeks ago, but due to a tragic catastrophe, Kagome volunteered to stay for another week to treat the wounded.
She wasn't going to complain. She enjoyed running around Japan and providing help to the sick and poor. She was really going to miss it when the time comes for her to rule Southern Japan.
"Kagome, you're back! What took you so long?" her favorite demon slayer came and gave her a long embrace.
"Sango! I'm sorry! I got caught up in working my butt off! There was a huge earthquake when I was there so I stayed to help some villages. I should have written to you, I'm sorry!" Kagome cried, hugging her friend tighter.
"Kagome, Kagome. Always too willing to help. Where have all the kind souls like you gone?" Sango smiled after releasing the miko.
"I've always thought I was a kind soul," a velvety, masculine voice entered the scene. Both girls turned around to see Miroku standing in the corner with his dark monk robes and signature grin. He walked over and embraced Kagome before swinging his arms around his demon slayer wife.
"Kind soul my ass," Sango murmured, giving Miroku an irritated glare.
"Sango, dear, don't be like this. You married me for a reason, didn't you?"
"Well, that reason doesn't seem so appealing to me anymore," the demon slayer teased, brushing his arm off her shoulders. Kagome couldn't help but laugh at the immature couple. Although both of them were in their late 20s, they continued to act like they were young children in love.
"Well, I'm going to take a nice bath. I'll meet up with you later," Kagome smiled, not wanting to get in the way of the couple's time together.
"Alright Kagome, see you later!" they both chirped.
Kagome smiled softly as she started to daydream about her love life. She couldn't help but envy the love Miroku and Sango had for each other. The way Miroku looked at Sango was the way she wanted her future husband to look at her.
So endearing.
So intrigued.
So-
"Kagome! Dear! You're finally home! Mother missed you so much!" Kagome felt her mother's arms wrap around her as she interrupted her wondrous thoughts of her future husband.
"I missed you too, Mother! Kami, I'm so tired! I'll talk to you and Kikyo about my adventure as soon as I go and take a nice warm bath, Mother."
"Hold on, dear. Mother has extremely important things to talk to you about. Please, your bath can wait."
"Important things? Oh, Mother! That can wait! I am extremely-"
"No, darling. It can't wait, it's waited far too long. It's about your sister, Kikyo. Now come with me."
"Kikyo? What is it, Mother? Can't you just tell me now?" Kagome asked anxiously as her mother took her by her arm and frantically dragged her along. The two women blurred into Kaori's room as Kaori sat Kagome down and locked the doors.
"Now, listen to me, Kagome. You are not allowed to tell anyone this information, you understand? I will banish you if this information is released to the public. The gods know how fast rumors spread around here," Kaori looked at Kagome square in the eye as she grasped her youngest daughter's warm slender hands.
"What is it, Mother? Yes, yes I will tell no one of this. Just tell me! Is it Kikyo? What happened to Kikyo, Mother? Is it her husband?"
"Hush, dear! I will tell you. Well, here it goes, it seems that after many attempts of trying to conceive a child, Kikyo and Inuyasha failed. Today, Hikaru came announce that Kikyo is-" Kaori stopped to swallow the lump in her throat and recollect her thoughts while Kagome patiently waited and patted her mother's hand to urge her to continue.
"Infertile." Kaori spat the words out of her mouth as if it were coated with poison.
The word sent chills down Kagome's spine and her beautiful cerulean blues automatically overflowed with tears. She knew that her sister's only dream was to have children. She knew that her sister had always dreamt of having the perfect family and raising her kids to be successful at what they wanted. She had always told Kagome that she wanted her children to be happy and safe.
"No. Mother, please. You're lying."
"No, Kagome. Mother would never lie about something like this."
"I must see Kikyo. I must! Who knows what that girl would be thinking about right now! We can't-"
"No, Kagome! Stop! Kikyo's fine. Inuyasha comforted her and she's fine now. But the kingdom isn't. And that's what we're all worried about. In order for us to establish the kingdom, Inuyasha and Kikyo must produce a child. And we can't possibly tell the kingdom that Kikyo is infertile. So, we devised an arrangement, Kagome, to save the kingdom."
"What is it, Mother?" the raven-haired beauty questioned, wiping the tears away and concentrating on her mother's plan.
"For you to be the surrogate."
Whelp, that's it. I'm so sorry for the cliffhanger. It's all going to drive ya'll mad right? Hehe. Review, review, and review! I will update as soon as I can :D
Toodles. I love you all and your support! :3
Oh, and I was lazy to put translations. LOL. So, if you have questions, feel free to PM me. :)