Light of My Life

Light of My Life

Title: Light of My Life

Author: kazeko

Series: Inuyasha

Rating: R

Archive: Sesshoumaru/Kagome

Characters: Sesshoumaru/Kagome, Inuyasha/Koyama, Sango/Miroku

Summary: A powerful prophecy brings mortal enemies together, but prejudice may well tear them apart and spell the end of all inuyoukai.

Disclaimer: No ownership.

- hr -

Chapter 17: To Start a family

- hr -

Inuyasha growled as he paced back and forth in front of the door to the birthing room. Sesshoumaru sat on the other side of the room from him, ears twitching at each screech of pain from Koyama. A servant knocked on the door to the main room, entering and handing the lord a cup of tea before leaving again. The door between the two rooms opened and the midwife stuck her head out. Inuyasha moved to enter, but the old neko growled at him to stay where he was. "Sesshoumaru-sama, could you please send for more blankets? Your Beta Female will have a large little."

Sesshoumaru nodded and called for a servant, issuing the order as he sipped his tea. "How large a litter is she having?"

"I can feel six bulges, and there are probably more behind them. It seems that she may have as many as nine living pups." Inuyasha's ears flicked forward and he tried to peek around the neko and look at his mate. The smell of blood assaulted his nostrils as she began to grunt, nearly ready to push out her first pup. The neko disappeared into the room again, closing the door.

Koyama looked up at the midwife, eyes red as her beast began to take over. She had stayed in her human form long enough for the midwife to determine her litter size, but now her instincts insisted that she change. With a roar, she shifted into her true form, easily stretching out in the large nest. The room was one of the few in the castle that was large enough for an inu youkai in true form to stretch out comfortably. The neko, an old friend of the family, changed as well, leaning against Koyama's form and purring to ease her labor. The inu relaxed, eyes widening as she began to push her first pup into the world. The midwife's helpers gathered together, waiting to catch the little one.

Koyama howled as her first pup, a female, fell into waiting hands, squirming. The first helper broke the amniotic sac and cleared her nostrils, cleaning her and encouraging her to breathe. The pup squealed, and a crashing sound brought her father through the door. Growling at the midwife and her helpers, Inuyasha took the pup, amazed at how small she was. Though she had human ancestry, the pup was born in her inu form. She was powerful, even so young, and Inuyasha buried his nose in her silver fur. He absorbed her scent, memorizing it, and his growl of happiness filled the room. The pup raised her nose and quieted down, knowing that he was her father, her protector, and she curled into a ball, utterly content. The midwife's helper took the pup, cleaning her and placing her beside Koyama in the nest. The midwife returned to her human form and joined her helpers, knowing that Koyama was calm enough to finish giving birth.

"I think you need to leave. Most females prefer to give birth away from their mates."

"I'll stay and watch, I think."

The midwife rolled her eyes as Koyama began to deliver her second pup. Over the next three hours, she delivered ten pups, including three more females and six males. As she was delivering the afterbirth, Inuyasha picked up each pup and cuddled them, amazed at their power, memorizing their scents, ears flattening against his head as Sesshoumaru entered. He glanced at his Beta Female, heading for his brother and their pups. Inuyasha flattened his ears even further, whining, minimizing his youki to become as unthreatening as possible. Though Sesshoumaru had blessed the pregnancy, it was still possible that he would find the pups weak, or no longer approve, and he could easily kill them. As the Alpha Male, he had the right to kill any pup he did not think was worthy of the pack.

Sesshoumaru stopped beside Koyama and sniffed the pups, carefully probing each one, and he lifted one out of the group for closer inspection. Inuyasha began to whine louder, begging him to approve, begging him not to kill the girl. The little silver pup squirmed and yipped, nose turning up toward Sesshoumaru. Something in the inu lord seemed to soften as he remembered his own pups when they were newborn. Gracing the pup with a rare smile, he replaced her in the nest, turned, and left.

Inuyasha grinned as Koyama closed her eyes, resting after her long labor. He had his family at last.

- hr -

Koyama grinned as she watched the pups squirming around in their nest, too tired from nursing them to move. Inuyasha was sitting to the side, playing with the little silver pup, his golden eyes soft. She was the only one colored in Crescent Moon silver, and it was clear that she was the most powerful of the litter, despite being only three days old. Soon they would change into their human forms for the first time, declaring pack status, and Koyama was certain that the silver female would change first.

She stared off into space for a moment, thinking back to her own tumultuous childhood and the siblings she lost. She missed them all, even her sister, but she wished that she could go back some time, see her family. Maybe not her sister, but certainly her cousins. She felt a tear slip down her cheek at the memory. A gentle hand wiped the moisture away, and she looked up into her mate's kind eyes.

"Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking about my pack a little."

They both looked up as Sesshoumaru entered the room, Kaori and Akihiko in tow. He looked around, counting heads, before coming to a stop in front of Koyama. "The search for a nursemaid has not gone well. Perhaps one of your relatives would agree to come and help."

"I had not thought of that. It might be worth asking, I suppose."

The silver pup squeaked as she began to thrash in Inuyasha's arms, tail waving furiously. Her parents and pack members watched avidly as her fur began to recede, changing into pale skin, her front legs changing into arms as her ears flattened against her skull and reappeared further down. She slowly changed into a tiny human baby, long fluffy tail wrapped around her body. Inuyasha quickly reached for one of the blankets left in the room and wrapped the girl up, staring at her in amazement. She was so tiny, with her pure silver hair and crimson stripes. Sesshoumaru inhaled sharply in shock as a mark appeared on the baby's forehead. It was a flame, brilliant orange, covered by three crimson stripes. "Fire Stripe," he whispered.

"And from the human an Alpha is born," Kaori proclaimed, her voice ringing with the words of a prophecy. "She is the next Alpha of Fire Stripe Pack."

"That's not possible, Kaori! My sister is the Alpha and her pup will rule."

"You're twins," Inuyasha whispered, staring at his daughter. Next ruler of the Fire Stripe Pack. "Kagome taught me this once. She said that identical twins are born in the same sac, like you and your sister. You are from the same egg, you are the same person in two bodies. Our daughter and Kosame's pups are half-siblings because you are both the same person. You were both born with the mark but you let your sister rule. If our daughter is to be Alpha some day . . ."

"Then I must reclaim my pack," Koyama whispered. She looked up at her Alpha, eyes full of indecision. "Sesshoumaru-sama, what should I do? I am a member of your pack, but if what your daughter is right?"

Sesshoumaru nodded slowly, reaching down to pat Kaori's head. "She is rarely wrong. I suggest that you wait until your pups are weaned to try something so dangerous. If you have to worry about them, you will not be effective. As soon as they are weaned, I and my children will watch them while you challenge your sister. If you lose, I will train your daughter how to fight so that she might avenge your death and take her place in the Fire Stripe Pack one day."

Koyama nodded. "Then I suppose I must fight. Inuyasha, you must visit Kagome and tell her of this. I imagine it is part of the same prophecy that Kaori has been speaking all along. I will be fine here, with the pups, until you return."

Inuyasha looked at his mate, then up at his brother and the two pups standing by his side. He swallowed and nodded. "I will leave in the morning."

Sesshoumaru inclined his head in assent, leading his children out of his Beta's suite. Only his daughter noticed the glint of moisture in his eyes at the mention of his former lover's name.

Sesshoumaru returned to his study, where his other four pups were eating the meal he had caught for them earlier that day. They were on the opposite end of the study from his desk and books, and a line of cushions marked the boundary between their space and their father's space. They knew better than to leave their area before they finished eating, as Sesshoumaru did not want his books covered in blood. Soon the fast-growing pups would be old enough to start patrolling his lands with him, as long as there were plenty of guards to protect them. After that, when they grew larger and faster, they would each be assigned their own guard and be allowed to patrol and wander alone. Sesshoumaru wished that his pack was larger so that Crescent Moon youkai could follow and protect the pups, but the guards would have to do. And when they were about five years old and their survival was more certain, his tutors would teach them to read and write.

The pups looked up and whined a greeting as Kaori and Akihiko joined them. They had already eaten a little, but his daughter had insisted on following him to check on the Beta pups and interrupted her meal. After watching the change, he understood why.

Sesshoumaru sat on a cushion near his pups, watching them eat. He was truly happy to have them, but thinking about them made him think about Kagome, and tears filled his eyes. Angrily, he wiped them away with his left hand, staring at it as he thought about the woman who had returned it to him. Everything in his life, everything in his castle, the slightest flowery scent, reminded him of Kagome. All he wanted was to see her again, though he knew how impossible a wish that was. He hoped that seeing Inuyasha would bring her a little joy.

A tiny hand on his leg brought the lord back to reality. Kaori stared up at him, tears in her own eyes, as she whined. "Don't be sad, Father," she whispered. "Just go get her. Bring her back to us. Then we will all be happy."

"I cannot, Kaori. If I bring her here, you will all suffer. I told you the prophecy of the miko that the coyotes found. We have no reason to believe it was false."

Kaori wrinkled her nose in consternation. "No, we do not. I believe the miko curse, Father, but there is another prophecy to break the Crescent Moon free of darkness, and I believe that this curse is that darkness. I cannot ever remember the entire prophecy, though. Uncle Inuyasha's pup was one part of it, though. And from the human an Alpha is born. I know that it's important. But there is another part, about breaking free of human bonds, that I do not understand and cannot remember."

"Why is my brother's pup important? What will she do? Is Koyama supposed to win leadership of her pack? Is that why the pup is important?"

"No! More than that! She will . . . renew bonds . . . reveal truths . . . bring the light . . . I cannot remember!" Kaori howled in frustration, holding her head with her hands, and her brothers began to whine in confusion. Sesshoumaru lifted the pup and held her to his chest, purring in an attempt to soothe her. Slowly, the Alpha Pup calmed down, tiny claws buried in her father's haori. At home, with his pups, he never wore his armor.

"You do not have to remember, Kaori. I do not understand the prophecy you speak of. All I know is that I will keep you all safe, no matter the cost. I care for Kagome a great deal, and I want to be with her more than anything, but pack comes first. I must protect you, even if that means never seeing her again. I did not make that choice; she did. My beast . . . howls in pain every night, but I will not endanger any of you."

"I just . . . I know that you are meant to be with her, Father. I know that it is your fate."

"And can you see your own fate? You can see the future of Inuyasha's daughter, but you cannot see your own. I do not know if the curse would kill you and destroy this pack. I will not risk that unless I know for sure."

"Nothing is certain," Akihiko whispered. "Not even your prophecy, sister. It can mean so many things. Renewing bonds, revealing truths, and bringing light are all very vague terms. They can mean anything, and you cannot know the truth of the words until the events are already upon you."

"But I miss her."

"I know, sister. We all do."

- hr -

Kagome hummed to herself as she tended the herb garden, Rin planting flowers nearby. After seeing the girl's love of flowers, Kaede gave her small bags of seeds and taught her how to plant them, care for them, and watch them grow. The girl had taken to gardening quickly, pleased to do anything outside. In the time since Kagome and Rin had come to live in Kaede's village, more than three months, the girl had slowly opened up and began to trust people again. Every night, she whispered a prayer to the kami, asking them to watch after her beloved Sesshoumaru-sama, and Kagome had often prayed with her, tears in her eyes.

The coyote band had made quite an impact on the village. At first, the humans were wary of them, but the sisters had a charm about them that even the elders could not resist, and the youkai had become an integral part of village life. Their first three huts, one for each family, they built themselves, but when they decided to build more, the villagers were there to help. With the coyotes around, there had not been another youkai or oni attack, and the villagers had begun to relax. Over time, Kagome knew that the bond between the humans and youkai would strengthen.

Rin squealed in delight as a familiar red blur exploded out of the forest, coming to a stop at the edge of the garden. Kagome smiled as she stood and wiped the dirt off her hands, watching Inuyasha greet the human child with a huge hug. Grinning, he looked up at Kagome, and darkness clouded his features. She walked over to stand beside him, her smile wavering for a moment. "Hello, Inuyasha. I imagine Koyama has given birth by now. How many pups did you have?"

Inuyasha's grin returned. "Ten! Four girls and six boys. It's a really big first litter, and Koyama thinks that they might not all live, but I think they will. All of them were born in true youkai form."

"And? There's something else, I can tell."

"My first pup, a girl with silver hair and red stripes, has declared herself Alpha."

"Crescent Moon already has an Alpha Pup."

"Not of Crescent Moon. Of Fire Stripe."

Kagome's eyes widened. "Koyama was born with the mark. She and Kosame were both Alpha Pup. And now her daughter . . . is she going to fight for her pack? Is she going to challenge her sister at last?"

"Yes. As soon as the pups are weaned. She wanted me to come tell you. I think she knows that she never should have let her sister rule, but she's glad that she joined our pack, if only for a little while. I don't know . . . I don't know what I'll do if she loses. When inu youkai fight, they fight to the death."

Kagome nodded and reached inside her bag, pulling out a small vial. "This is something I have learned how to make recently. It is a healing potion, charged with youkai blood. Whatever happens, if she wins or loses, give her this potion and it may save her life. As long as she is not dead, this potion can help. Give her this, with my blessing."

Inuyasha nodded gratefully and took the potion, freezing as he caught Kagome's scent. His eyes widened as he grabbed her wrist with his free hand, pulling it toward his nose. "What . . . your scent . . . has changed."

Kagome bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah, it has."

"Have you mated? Did you take a human already?"

"No, Inuyasha. I have no mate."

"It's something . . ."

"Just don't tell Sesshoumaru, okay?"

Inuyasha's ears twitched back and forth, and Kagome watched the wheels in his mind turning as he tried desperately to decide what was going on. Then it clicked and he took a step back, golden eyes wide as he shook his head in disbelief. "It can't be! That's not possible! Bottom of your fertility cycle . . . you're a miko! This can't have happened!"

"Do you think I wanted to be pregnant when my baby's father will never meet him? I know how miserable you were as a child, and how you longed for your father, and I know that my child will, as well. And there's nothing I can do about it. I'm trying to change this village so that my child will be happy, but I can only do so much. I never wanted this, Inuyasha."

The hanyou shook his head, running clawed fingers through his hair. "I don't know what to say. I can't tell him . . . but Koyama and I will be here for you. I'll visit as often as I can, and we won't let your pup grow up without knowing some of his father's pack. I wish you could tell my brother."

"I can't go back. You heard the curse. You told me how to reject the pack. I can't do anything about it. Please, Inuyasha; don't tell him."

Inuyasha nodded. "I won't. Thanks for the potion. You know . . . you know that he'll look like his father, right? Everyone knew that my father was the Western Lord. These are the same villagers, maybe a generation difference, but they'll figure it out, too. What will you do when rumors get back to my brother about a hanyou child in Edo?"

"There won't be any rumors. The coyote sisters have already begun to circulate stories about different hanyou being born across the country, claiming that it's proof humans and youkai can live and work together. They're saying that a hanyou pup is a gift of the kami, not a curse. Many high-ranking youkai lords have picked up the rumors and spread them. With kitsune hanyou in the West, ookami hanyou in the North, and neko hanyou in the South, who will notice an inu hanyou in the East?"

"The villagers will notice."

"I won't tell them who the father is. I'll tell them that my child is certainly a blessing, child of a miko and youkai, no matter who fathered him. At some point, they'll stop asking questions."

"I hope not. How long do humans carry their pups?"

"Usually nine months. Senritsu says that I have passed the second rejection point, which marks the first third of pregnancy, so I am a little farther along than a human would be. I'll find a way to send word to you when I give birth."

Inuyasha nodded, reaching out to hug the miko. "Good luck."

"You, too."