Zenith
Rin disappeared to her birthing chambers late that night. The castle was completely abuzz with excitement, eager to meet the new young Lords or Ladies. Therefore, it was no surprise that the spies nearby also heard news of this development. To them, it was divine providence. Not only did they outnumber their foe, but now the object of their disdain was in a compromised state. And they delivered this news with its due delight. However, though he was pleased, Lord Daiyami was no fool.
"Even still," he told them, "be on your guard. We will win this day, but that does not mean we can afford any mistakes."
"Yes, my Lord," the two said in unison.
"Back to your posts."
This did bode well for their cause, but Daiyami did not believe in strokes of good luck, much less in coincidence. With that in mind, he went to ready his troops for the march on the Western Lands.
As they waited, all of those who came to protect the Western lands sparred lightly with one another. They hoped to get warmed up for what was to come as well as to work off their anxiety. With Lady Rin in labor, they knew the battle would not be long in coming.
Kitani had positioned her men according to Souten's recommendation and given Micah his final orders. Since their ranks were split, she had also appointed someone who would lead the other side in the proper formation. Once everything was in place, she said her final words to Micah and went to position herself for her own personal battle. It was not long after she slipped away that she saw the opposing forces making their way onto the plateau and the battle beginning.
She made her way around the castle, listening and looking through windows until she came to the one containing Rin. She waited beneath the window, listening to the conversation coming from within. From what she could hear, there were two people inside.
"It is starting?" Rin asked. She wrung her hands.
Kagome grabbed her by the shoulders and shook her gently. "It is alright. Everything has been taken care of. You do your job and we will do our part. Now, do what we rehearsed.
Soon after, the Jaguar Queen heard the sounds of a difficult labor coming from inside the room. And then she understood.
"The time for retribution is fast approaching, Raziel. Are you ready?"
She heard shuffling in the next cell over, then a muffled, "Yes. I am ready."
"Good. The guards will come to feed us soon. When they do, act naturally. I will take care of everything."
They sat in companionable silence for quite a while until they heard the main door open.
"Breakfast time," came the usual call.
Raziel wondered if it was really morning. There was no way of knowing by the sun because there was none where they were. And the food told them nothing either. It was the same food at every meal. After a couple of days, he had lost his sense of time. His thoughts were cut short as a bowl was shoved through the bottom flap of the door. The guard's footsteps continued on down the corridor.
The Silkworm Queen smiled as the guard opened her cell door.
"Good to see you again," she greeted him. The guard stared at her pointedly and put her bowl at the end of a pole, then lifted it to her mouth, so she could eat despite the way she was shackled. She supped at it for a few seconds before purposefully, however subtly, knocking the bowl out of its cradle. She groaned convincingly enough.
"Mightn't you bring me some more? I barely got to eat any."
"Maybe next time you will be more careful," he threw back at her. The bowl had landed near her feet. When the guard bent down to retrieve it, the Queen slipped her wrists out of their manacles and drove her claws into the back of the guard's neck. If her puncturing his trachea didn't kill him quickly enough, the venom would liquefy his central nervous system.
She pulled her claws out and wiped them on his clothes before undoing the manacles on her legs. She rubbed her ankles and frowned at the bruises. They would surely pay for treating a Queen this way.
"My Queen?" the little cretin piped up. She did not answer. She simply took the keys from the guard's waist, walked next door, and unlocked it for him. Until then they had not seen each other's faces. Raziel tried to temper his response to her even though he found her facial features wholly revolting.
"Oh, please. Try not to be too surprised. I never pretended to be a beauty."
"No, my queen—"
"Please don't slow us down with your meaningless platitudes. Come."
By this time, they could hear the sounds of battle from above with their heightened sense of hearing. Lord Daiyami's timing could not have been more perfect. They had planned the attack for early in the morning. She would make her way above to the Lady's chamber as would Daiyami. Whoever reached her first would have the honor of killing her and her pups. Then, if her mate had not been dispatched, the other would take care of that.
As they came up the stairs and rounded the corner coming out of the dungeon, there were two more guards posted. However, their attention was riveted on the halls in case the skirmish beyond the walls spilled inside. She dispatched the two quickly. They never had time to see it coming.
"Am I to be responsible for taking care of everything?" The Queen asked, whirling on Raziel. "I'm starting to question my willingness to bring you along."
"I don't have my weapons."
"Then use your claws. Or at the very least, pull a sword from one of these corpses. Am I to do the thinking for you as well?"
"No, my Queen," he grumbled, kneeling to pull a sword and dagger from the fallen guard's sheaths. He rushed after her, for she had already begun to leave him behind.
Daiyami led his forces onto the Western plateau. Clearly they had been alerted to his imminent arrival. However, by minimal forces they were able to accrue, Daiyami wondered why they had not chosen to flee instead. They were outnumbered by five to one at least. He laughed aloud, his confidence buoyed by what he knew would be a much easier victory than he had expected.
"Windscar!" a cry rent the air, quickly followed by a thick bolt of yellow lightning tearing through the earth and the margins of his forces. Daiyami grit his teeth.
'So they were intent on this path to their extinction? So be it.'
Lord Daiyami sent up his own war cry, urging his troops forward at a brisk run. They met with a clashing of steel and fury. But, Daiyami was quick to fall back into the safety of his men, away from the seam of battle. If anyone thought it was strange, they knew better than to give him a sideways glance. But most of them were too battle hungry to care. Besides, he had more important matters to deal with. Let them die for their sensibilities. He would succeed in his endeavors.
Daiyami's Shade soldiers held back as well, shielding him as he departed. But it served a dual purpose. As they slipped further back in the ranks, the other demons were forced to take the brunt of their enemy's attack.
Sango and Shippo both leapt upon Kirara's back and took to the skies. Souten did the same with Korryu so they could form a concerted effort to protect the others from an aerial attack. The Silkworm Demons were trying to fly over the forces of the Western Lands and attack from behind. They had to resist this strategy or none of them would last very long.
Korryu came up next to Kirara.
"Be careful," Souten warned them. "Their claws have venom."
They nodded at her and she smiled, the point of one fang gleaming in the sunlight.
"Well, weakling," Souten taunted, readjusting her armor, "Bet you can't take as many out as I can."
"Hiraikotsu!" she cried, flinging her demon bone boomerang in a perfect arc. It cut a wide swath through the Silkworm Demons before returning to her outstretched arm. She moved with the weapon as she caught it, slowing its momentum.
"I'd say that puts me at a distinct advantage. Wonder if you guys can pull your weight."
The three of them smiled at each other ruefully even as their opponents regrouped and headed for them with a new fervor. Souten pulled away from the others, Korryu turning into a long, fine mist, obscuring them both. Together, they release a lightning storm while Shippo used what sly tricks he knew to keep them from scattering.
The rest of them fought clamorously below and if they had glance below, they would be able to see arrows flying in the shadows below.
aKagome heard someone approaching the room. She patted Rin's shoulder, encouraging her to keep it up, before pressing her back against the wall with the doorway. The Silkworm Demon ran through the doorway, never suspecting that purified arrows were arranged around the jamb. She screamed as the holy energy electrified her.
Rin, half-demon that she was, turned her face from the crackling energy. She could almost feel it trying to lick over her skin. Kagome pulled another arrow from her quiver and notched it on her bow in case the arrows did not do their job. Before her eyes, a deep brown hue saturated the Silkworm Queen's hair from root to tip. Her claws and fangs receded. When the Queen fell to the floor in a smoking heap, she looked frighteningly human.
"Is she dead?" Rin asked.
Kagome put her finger to her lips and nudged the body with her foot. There was no movement so Kagome knelt to flip her over and check for breathing. When she did so, Rin saw another demon appear in the doorway. Before she could warn Kagome, the cat demon had picked her up by the back of her neck. His claws were dangerously close to piercing her jugular.
"No, don't!" Rin begged.
"She is your friend?"
"Yes. Please don't hurt her!"
Raziel hesitated. He did not have the stomach for killing unborn babes. His Queen was supposed to take care of her own political agenda. He only ever meant to be an extra sword. Still, he knew that Daiyami would come and deal with Rin since the Silkworm Queen had fallen. For him, the time had come for a statistical retreat.
Kitani crouched outside of the window, waiting for him to make a move on Rin. She could care precious little about the miko. The Lady of the Western Lands would need her when Lord Daiyami came. Since her nephew had not been incapacitated by the same trap that had taken down the Silkworm Queen, she knew that Rin was a sitting duck, wide open to any frontal attack.
"I won't hurt her. She and I are going to take a walk. If anyone comes after me, she dies. If you leave this room, she dies. Come on!" he urged, wrenching Kagome out of the room ahead of him.
"Kagome!"
"Lady Rin. Calm down. I am here."
"Who's there?"
Kitani announced herself before rising. "I will help you. I'm going to climb through the window now."
"Wait! Kagome put arrows around the window too."
"Then get rid of them."
"I can't. It will purify the children."
Kitani cursed. "What about the next rooms over?"
Rin shook her head vehemently. "There wasn't enough time."
"Alright. Stay calm. I will be there in a minute. Keep an eye on her. We don't know if she's dead."
"Hurry, please."
Kitani ran to the nearest window and broke it, climbing inside. She rolled when she hit the floor, pulling her dagger. She did not smell anyone, but it was better to err on the side of caution. There was nothing and no one in the hall when she peeked out of the room she was in. She stopped outside of the birthing room.
"Lady Rin. Are you still ok?"
"I'm fine."
"I'm coming in now."
"Ok."
Kitani came through the door and saw Lady Rin lying there, looking somewhat relieved. The Jaguar Demon Queen nodded at Rin then when to check the Silkworm Queen. She was astounded at the transformation that had occurred. She put a finger under her nose and felt no breath. Then she pressed two fingers to her throat. There was no pulse.
Rin's breathing became noticeably labored.
"She's dead. And there's no need for that. I won't be able to hear if someone comes with all that huffing and puffing."
Kitani's head jerked up as Rin groaned in pain, gripping her stomach. "I'm not acting."
Raziel tried to pull the miko forward with him, but she was trying her hardest to thwart their progress. He yanked her against him.
"If you do not hurry up, I will kill you."
"You could have killed me before. You could have killed Rin. Why didn't you?"
Raziel whipped the dagger from its sheath and pressed it against her throat before she could blink. To make evident the degree of his seriousness, he drew a thin line of blood.
"One more word out of you and I will sever your head from your body. Nod if you understand."
Conscious of the knife, she made a shaky, short nod.
"Good." He murmured. This time when he led her along, she went willingly along with him. When he asked her the easiest way to get out of the castle, she did not try to engage in any kind of trickery. She knew if she tried to pull any other stunts that he would kill her. When Raziel held the knife to her throat, she had seen the desperation written all over his face. And, perhaps, she had seen a measure of reluctance to do what he was doing.
But his fear made him reckless and she could not afford to gamble on the life of the child within her.
"Which way?"
"Take a left here. That will bring you out to the gardens. They line the southern border."
"Are there any guards?"
"No. We couldn't spare any."
When they turned the corner, the Prince saw that she spoke true. Still, he pushed her ahead of him. If anyone came upon them, he would be able to use her as a shield. But, halfway through the sparring field, he smelled her tears.
"Stop that."
"I can't," she sobbed, the shock wearing off. Kagome knew that if she left the castle with him that she might never come back. This was her last chance to get away alive. That was all she could think of.
"Stop it right now!"
"Please! I am pregnant too."
Raziel growled and let go of her. The miko sank to her knees without the support of his arm. It was just as well. He was close enough to escape and he didn't need her getting away to lead anyone back to him. He glared at her, clenching his paws into fists to keep his claws retracted. Though he wanted to strike her, children were his weakness and unlike the Silkworm Queen, he could never directly injure one. He let her cower but eventually made tracks away from the castle and the battle that ensued there.
Kitani scrambled over to Rin. She could be of no use to the Lady, for the birthing of babies was not something she had ever made her business. The Warrior Queen had had but one son and that was many, many years ago.
"Try to say calm, Lady Rin. You must breathe evenly," she instructed, pulling on what scraps of information she remembered.
Rin nodded, but she noticed the familiar quickening in her blood. She tried to blink away the red that was starting to cloud her vision.
"Kitani…" she groaned. "If I turn…you must knock me out! I don't want…to hurt you."
"What do you…" Kitani trailed off as jagged purple markings slashed their way across Rin's cheeks. If she didn't know better, she would swear she was manifesting into a full demon. But just as quickly, the symptoms started to disappear.
"The pain…"
"I know, I know. It will pass. But I must tell you something. I will die here today. It has been foretold. When I fall, you must go for the kill. It may be the only chance that you have."
"What? How could you…know that?" Rin asked between breaths.
"Don't concern yourself with that. Just do as I say."
Sounds carried to the room from down the hallway. Kitani pressed a finger to her lips, urging Rin to be as quiet as physically possible in her condition. She pulled her sword, stepping between Rin and the doorway.
"My Lady! May I come in?"
"Hitomi?" Rin asked, waving at the Jaguar Queen to stand down. "Yes, come in."
The young demon appeared in the doorway carrying a tray with tea and a few sandwiches.
"What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here."
"Oh, My Lady. You didn't think Cook would let you starve here, did you?"
"Stop, " Kitani ordered as Hitomi approached Rin. "Set the tray on the windowsill."
Hitomi looked to Rin for confirmation and she gave a short nod. When she passed out of their line of sight, Kitani gave the Lady a pointed look. "Now, leave," she told the servant girl.
Rin groaned again with labor pains, coming close to turning again. Kitani knelt by her for moral support. With it, Rin was able to come back to herself, but she panted from the exertion of her will over the demon blood inside her.
"My Lady is in pain. I will at least pour her some tea."
"You will not—"
"Tea would be…much appreciated," Rin interjected.
Kitani turned on Rin to glare at her. Soon after, she heard a loud roar, closely followed by the sound of fine china shattering on the floor. She looked up to find the façade of the servant girl give way to a dark shadow with black flaming eyes. While reaching for the poisoned tea, Lord Daiyami's hand had come up against the spiritual barrier of the window. It was not enough to purify him, but it was enough to weaken him from keeping up an appearance not his own.
His disguise gone, he immediately struck to kill Rin. Kitani brought her sword up, deflecting the death blow.
"Move, Rin!"
Rin did not need to be told more than once. She was able to make her way to her knees and move towards the door, but the pain made standing impossible.
Daiyami snarled and redirected his focus towards Kitani. "All you have to do is step aside and I will forgive this lapse in your judgement."
Kitani smiled. "I have had time to come to terms with my fate. This is but a stepping stone on the way to eternity. Come. Let's end this."
He cracked his neck in preparation for the fight. Daiyami lunged at her and she fell to the floor, kicking the sword out of his hand, effectively disarming him. He tried to land a punch to her chest but she rolled out of the way and pushed herself to her feet. Rin continued to crawl towards the door with Hinotsume in hand. However, the movement made the pain more acute and she had to stall every so often to catch her breath. Even still, she was able to cross the threshold and start down the hallway.
The Jaguar Queen wasted no time in advancing on her foe, slashing strategically and forcing him backwards. He was able to dodge her blows, letting her push him against the wall. He tried to look suitably fearful as she raised her blade to end him, waiting until she brought it down to feint to the right. The sword lodged deep in the wall where his neck had been.
Daiyami was already on his way to his sword, but Kitani wasted no time abandoning hers to the wood. She was faster than him, overcoming him when he was within inches of the hilt. She kicked it out of reach.
"We don't need blades. I prefer hand to hand-to-hand combat," Kitani taunted him. As they began to circle each other, she knew he had accepted her challenge. She took her eyes off him for a moment and was elated to find that Rin, for the moment, was out of harm's way. To give the Lady a fighting chance, Kitani would have to draw this encounter out as long as possible.
He came at her first and she could not help thinking 'it will not be long now'.
The tide of battle was turning and it was not in their favor. Even Sesshoumaru, who would never admit it, could see that. Though they had been doing well, the Shades had made an appearance in the battle. Already wearing on exhausted from having taken down so many, the Shades were proving to be an insurmountable obstacle. Their opponent's ability to imitate their own allies made it difficult to discern who was friend and who was foe. Many of the soldiers were not sure if they could trust the man at their side. Without an order, many were slowly being pushed back, retreating towards the castle of the Western Lands.
"It's not looking good," Takachi dared to utter. Sesshoumaru pierced him with an icy glare.
"You focus can't be on fighting when your mouth is moving," he shot back. Then he went into overdrive, leaving the safety of the numbers around him. He attacked everything in his path, regardless of whose side they were on. They needed to move forward. And he would die before he let anyone get to Rin and his children.
Author's Note: Oh no! What happens? Do they succumb to the power of Daiyami's forces? Does Daiyami capture Rin or does she get away? What happens to the puppies? Everything will be revealed in the next installment of My Devotion.