Anika
Chapter 28
"You like the gardens as well?" Sesshomaru tried to make small talk.
"Yes, they are my favorite part of the castle." Izayoi replied trying to be polite.
"I never properly apologized to you for being rude to you on your first day here, I'm sorry for my rudeness." Sesshomaru bowed his head at her.
"It's okay I understand. I think I would have acted the same if I were in your place." Izayoi knew how hard it was for him to apologize and confess his wrong doings.
"Are you satisfied here?" Sesshomaru was genuinely curious.
"Yes I am very pleased with my new lodgings." Izayoi stared at the koi fish that swam in circles in the pond.
"Does your family know of your new situation or are they not speaking to you ever again?" Sesshomaru was beginning to get comfortable around the lady.
"Umm, they passed away long ago so they have no idea." Izayoi played with the sleeve of her kimono.
"Sorry it was not my place to ask such a personal question." Sesshomaru could see how uncomfortable Izayoi was with the question.
"It is fine it is only natural for you to be curious about your new guest." Izayoi smiled at Sesshomaru.
"There you are Sesshomaru! I've been looking for you all over the castle come Anika has woken and she asked to see you." Touga came strolling into the gardens. Sesshomaru bowed at Izayoi before he swiftly got up and followed after his father to the healer's wing.
"Anika how are you feeling?" Sesshomaru pushed some of Anika's hair out of her face gently as he knelt at her side.
"I am fine all thanks to you guys. How are you two doing?" Anika looked sleepy.
"I can't complain." Sesshomaru lowered his voice as not to disturb the calm atmosphere of the healer's wing.
"Papa where is Saber?" Anika looked around the room trying to find her.
"She is out hunting. She'll be back soon." Touga answered his pup.
"Is Izayoi okay? I hope I didn't scare her with your sudden departure to my aid." Anika looked worried.
"No pup she understands why I had to leave." Touga smiled at his pup.
"May I speak to her in private please?" Anika asked her father.
"Sure I'll go get her." Touga left promptly.
"Are you getting along with her?" Anika looked at her brother.
"Yeah, I am trying to accept her." Sesshomaru took a deep breath.
"Thank you Sessh." Anika gave her brother a weak smile. Sesshomaru placed a kiss on his sister's brow before he left the room just as Izayoi entered.
"Hello Lady Izayoi how are you doing?" Anika smiled at the lady.
"I am doing fine thank you for asking." Izayoi was unsure why the pup wanted to speak to her privately.
"I want you to know that you are always welcomed here and so is your pup. I know that not everyone will be as accepting as me but I just wanted to tell you that if you need some safe heaven or just time to be alone you can always hang out in my room." Anika tried to sit up slowly.
"Easy there Anika not so fast." Izayoi helped Anika sit up.
"I Anika, princess of the West formally accept you and your pup into my pack and to my home." Anika bowed her head low at Izayoi.
"I don't know what to say thank you, you are too kind." Izayoi truly felt that Anika and she would become very good friends with time.
"I think my father made a good choice with you Izayoi, I just can feel it." Anika smiled warmly at Izayoi.
"I am glad to be a part of your family." Izayoi bowed her head at Anika.
Anika then produced a thrumming hum deep in her chest and Saber came bounding into the room.
"Oh I'm sorry am I keeping you from your rest?" Izayoi was startled by the big feline.
"No, not at all. I have the rest of the day to lie bored in this bed. I would like you to meet Saber and know that if you ever need something and I am not around you can just ask Saber here and she will help you even if it is just playing with your new pup if you need a break." Anika stroked Saber fondly.
"Saber can you agree to this one thing for me please?" Anika looked deep into Saber's amber eyes.
"Yes little one as long as it is not putting your life in danger." Saber purred lovingly at Anika.
"No, those requests I save for my father you should know I would never ask that from you." Anika teased Saber as she gently shoved her in a playful gesture. Saber snarled playfully and licked Anika across her face. Giggling Anika wiped her face and planted a kiss on Saber's nose. Izayoi couldn't help but smile at the strong bond that the two shared and how they openly showed it.
"Do you think the pup is a boy or girl?" Anika asked as she looked at Izayoi somewhat plump stomach.
"I really have no idea but I will love it just the same." Izayoi rubbed her stomach protectively as her eyes shined with maternal love.
"I am looking forward to this new pup. I really am." Anika was beginning to get tired again. Laying back down on her bed Anika said goodbye to Izayoi before she dozed off again with Saber laying at her side.
"She is one of a kind don't ever let her die." Izayoi told her mate when she was finally in their bed chambers later that night.
"What did she tell you?" Touga was curious about the girl's private meeting.
"She formally welcomed me and my pup into her pack and home and she told me that she is truly looking forward to the birth of this new pup. I think we will be very good friends." Izayoi smiled just thinking about the meeting all over again.
"Sometimes I wonder where she gets all her infinite wisdom from and if she really is five." Touga hugged his mate nuzzling her neck.
"I don't know but I know that you have a very rare gem here." Izayoi hugged her mate back.
"Has Sesshomaru been civil to you?" Touga murmured to his mate.
"He has been more than civil. I think he is truly trying to be accepting and is genuinely warming up to me. I know he will never see me as his mother nor, do I wish for him to but I would like to be seen as a very close friend at some point in time." Izayoi let her mate lead her into their bed.
"Like I said he will need his space he is like a new pet in that sense he needs to warm up to you on his terms you cannot force it or else he will snap at you." Touga pulled his mate close to him as he breathed in her calming scent. Pretty soon Izayoi was fast asleep in her mate's arms and Touga was not far behind.
The next day Anika was itching to get out of bed but her father would not permit it.
"You still need to fully heal pup and you still have open wounds so no you cannot get out of bed yet." Touga was sitting next to Anika's bed.
"But papa you don't stay in bed when you are injured you don't even rest." Anika pouted up at her father.
"And how much older am I from you pup?" Touga gave Anika a knowing look.
"I don't think it is fair but I will abide by your rules. Can you get Sessh for me and tell him to bring a big book with him an interesting book." Anika slumped back into her bed in defeat.
"Yes pup I can do that for you." Touga chuckled at his pup as he ruffled her hair.
"Hey Anika how are you feeling?" Sesshomaru asked his sister as he entered the room.
"I'd be better if a certain someone would let me get out of this fluffy prison." Anika playfully glared at her father's amused expression.
"Sorry to hear that. Do you want me to read to you to make your stay more enjoyable?" Sesshomaru knew how his sister felt because his father did the same thing to him when he had gotten injured during a battle.
"Yes please." Anika snuggled down into the bed trying to get comfortable for her stay. Draping his mokomoko over his sister Sesshomaru began to read to her. For a couple of consecutive hours Sesshomaru read to Anika before the steady staccato of his heart and the gentle tones of his voice lulled her to sleep. Closing the book Sesshomaru looked down at his sister and was reminded that she truly was still a pup even if she spoke so maturely. Tucking a loose hair behind her ear Sesshomaru stood up to leave but was unable to because Anika had a tight grip on his mokomoko. Sighing in defeat Sesshomaru sat back down and watched his sister sleep. Soon Sesshomaru found that his eyes were drooping close and that he was leaning slightly forward. Shaking himself awake Sesshomaru decided to take the other side of the bed since Saber was currently out hunting and he soon fell asleep next to his sister just like he used to do when she was just a days old pup. Touga walked past the room and had to stop to take the scene in. Smiling lovingly Touga silently walked away as not to disturb them as he continued on his way to his office.