XXXIV.

Matters of Honor

In the general aftermath of the confrontation between Kouga and Kagome, Sesshomaru managed to pull his mate away from the others and held her still in front of him, piercing her with bright and suspicious eyes. Knowing the feelings that had already been, between his Kagome and his brother - he did not want to be thinking the thoughts he was thinking. He had been careful to keep his worry to himself, even in the beginning – before violence had painted Kagome's hands with red. He had been more careful still since that day, wondering in private moments if it might not have been a better solution to ignore Inuyasha entirely...so that she might forget him more easily.

This, however, was a different situation entirely. The suspicion that Kagome's feelings held him second to his brother was something he teetered on the edge of admitting, even to himself; it did not matter as much now that Inuyasha was dead. Even a hint that Kouga might hold such a place, though...that was too much! How many males were there with an eye on his mate?

He felt a surge of anger, hot as lightning, and Kagome shivered uneasily beneath the weight of his gaze.

"You did not tell me that the Wolf lord was someone of your acquaintance, mate."

Kagome did her best to shrug, half-exasperated and half-amused.

"You didn't ask. And I didn't know he was important enough to mention; Kouga's got a big mouth, and even he never told me he was part of a Council, or lord of anything but Ginta and Hakkaku."

Sesshomaru's gaze remained intent despite her blitheness.

"And you do not think there is anything else I need to know?"

Kagome was suddenly uneasy. She had learned a great deal about youkai custom – some of it by watching, and some through her reading, and some with blundering, indelicate questions that had made both Kinawai and Sesshomaru laugh at her, more often than not. In this instance, however, she found herself at a loss.

"Kouga...Kouga was my friend, Sesshomaru, and – and that is all."

She tried to speak lightly, but it was difficult while he was staring at her, probing at her concealed distress.

"He...he used to call me his woman, but it was just stupid – something more for him and Inuyasha to fight over, not anything serious. He kidnapped me once, you see; when he found out I could sense shikon shards, he kept me as a prisoner, and said I would be his woman. I said no."

She was pleased to see, finally, a break in Sesshomaru's serious expression, something like amusement.

"No matter what he said, Kagome – you denied him? Always?"

Startled, a little irritated, she nodded.

"Of course! He's a good friend, and we've fought together, but anything more than that – he should know better. And so should you!"

Easily, he silenced her protests with a lasting kiss. She blinked at him in surprise, but Sesshomaru detected anger simmering behind him, the presence of the Wolf.

How interesting.

Perhaps Kouga would be a source for some amusement, and not an annoyance, after all...since he had no claim that Kagome would support. He did not admit even to himself how much better he felt hearing her denials.

"Sesshomaru, I -"

Again, he bent over, kissed her – but this time she allowed him only a moment and then pushed back against his chest, drew a deep breath.

"Don't do that! I needed to tell - "

"I wish to hear no more about the Wolf, Kagome."

"No – no, it was something else. Since – we are alone now..."

He sensed reluctance in her, far greater than anything Kouga had instigated, and was immediately on the alert.

"Speak."

Kagome's voice was hesitant.

"I couldn't tell you which ones – perhaps Rin could, or your mother – but some of the females that came with your mother don't...they don't approve of Rin. I'm not sure about their intentions, and since I won't be with her the whole -"

"Females who do not approve of Rin?"

Kagome was surprised by the tone of his voice, the sudden shift in it, the sharpness.

"Disapproval – that is violence against her."

His fingers twitched in agitation. This was exactly what he had hoped to prevent by Marking the girl – did they think he had done it as a joke? His response would have to be swift and lethal.

Without another word to Kagome, without even pausing to hear the details of the incident, Sesshomaru turned on his heel and strode with hard, quick steps through his guests and up to the Curtained Rooms. Dressed in new clothes, quiet and still, Rin was sitting on the floor in front of his mother. She came to him as soon as he entered and he reached down to place a hand on her shoulder.

"Rin. Which ones are they – the ones who have harmed you?"

The girl looked startled for only a moment, and then turned with a serious face, some of her earlier anger returning to her expression and along with it a tiny and spreading glee.

The guilty ones would be punished!

Sesshomaru did not need her pointing finger to tell him which females to focus his wrath on; as soon as he spoke their own scents betrayed them, fearful and angry – their movements, shying away from him, their guilty expressions. He stepped forward, and females scattered right and left. Only five remained behind, and his mother, still seated.

"Mother – they are yours?"

From her chair, Kimitsukiko shook her head.

"No. I warned them what they were bringing on themselves. I give them to you, Sesshomaru."

The barely perceptible flicker of hope that had been hiding in the eyes of the five offenders was immediately quenched. There was trembling, as Sesshomaru stalked around them; finally, he stopped short and looked back at his daughter.

"Rin, it is to you that the lives of these five rightly belong. It is you they have insulted."

Quizzically, she looked at him.

"Otou-sama, I cannot kill them yet; not until I am older."

Gasps broke out among the watching females at the very idea of this small, human girl killing any one of them, at any time. Only Sesshomaru's presence prevented laughter.

"It is true that you are small, and as yet untrained."

He stood marginally straighter.

"I will enact it, whatever you decide, but you must decide: what happens to them?"

Sesshomaru's gesture at the waiting five was one of dismissal and disgust. Rin peered thoughtfully for a long minute, and then folded her arms. She was an Empress in miniature, adorable in her imperiousness.

"They must be punished, but I do not want Otou-sama to be bothered. They belong to me, Otou-sama?"

Sesshomaru nodded once.

"Then I will keep them, until I can kill them myself! Unless they very much want you to kill them, Otou-sama..."

Expectantly, she turned to face the condemned, awaiting their answer.

Sesshomaru smiled, a smile of gleaming teeth; he couldn't help himself. He was proud of her, his daughter; she had put these fools in an impossible position, one they had created for themselves. They could choose death at his hands, and he would be pleased to give it to them. Or they could choose subservience to Rin, the human they had ridiculed, in order to gain a few more years of life – and by so doing, broadcast their cringing, sniveling natures to the world.

Either way, he would be pleased, but it was obvious from the moment Rin made her decision which way they would choose. Like many others in the room, they did not seem to believe she would be able to harm them...ever.

He would make sure they were wrong, of course.

"Lord, we will –"

"We will -"

"We will -"

There was another moment while they looked amongst each other, and then only one spoke.

"We will wait for your d-daughter, Lord."

He surveyed them for only a moment longer, and then turned his back to them.

"You will not wait not long."

I will make sure of it.

As quickly as he had left her, Sesshomaru returned to Kagome, who had not yet moved, not daring to mingle amongst these stranger-youkai without him there to serve as buffer and guardian. He thought it wise of her; he had done what he could to educate her quickly, but there was still too much chance that she might commit some unforgivable blunder through ignorance.

On his arm, she was relatively comfortable, though somewhat distressed by the speed with which he had taken care of the problem. Still, there was neither sight nor scent of blood on him, so whatever he had inflicted couldn't have been too terrible.

If she only knew.

With that out of the way, however, there was nothing to distract her from her imminent Marking; soon, Eldest would come out with Kimitsukiko and the children; she didn't know exactly what would happen after that, but after having seen the blood added to Rin's Ink, the flickering, silver needle-knife in Kimitsukiko's hand, she had some idea of what to expect.

She was inevitably distracted through Sesshomaru's introductions; names flowed into her head and out again, replaced by the next set, and the next, and the next. There were Dragons who called her Hime-sama, and others who called her Kagome-dono, and a few – very few, under Sesshomaru's eyes – who said nothing, and turned their heads aside and sneered as she passed by. But Sesshomaru ignored them, for now, so she did, too. Otherwise, she was not sure what the appropriate response would be – and did she really want to start trouble?

Kagome found it easiest to nod and smile behind her veil, allowing these youkai, lords and ladies, to glean what they could from the crinkles at the corners of her eyes. Finally, when Sesshomaru had run out of names, she joined him at one of the long tables and drank tiny glasses of sake that smelled like flowers. He beckoned to her, and shared with her a bowl of something he called bloodwine. It tasted like the scent of orchards in summer, fruit ripe and fruit in blossom, and seemed to run straight into her veins; by her third sip, the darkness beyond the lamps had gained a shimmer like oiled glass, and she sensed him laughing at her, though he did not make a sound.

"Not so fast, mate."

He lifted the bowl from her hands and sipped himself. His eyes had grown smoky with wine and the night, and he brought her with him to one of many scattered fires, sat and then pulled her down onto his cushion and settled her beside him.

Kagome peered through the flames and recognized Akira, pale Aoi, and a few other faces, but most of them were strangers to her – curious, staring strangers. She tried to suppress her nervousness, and spoke up brightly, surprising many who knew Sesshomaru's temperament and had expected his mate to echo it.

"I heard music while we were walking this way – does one of you play? Please, don't stop because of us; I was happy to listen."

Akira turned toward Sesshomaru with a questioning expression, and Sesshomaru nodded – so the other Inu turned towards the circle of youkai sitting behind him and called out.

"Histaru! Hime-sama wants to hear you play!"

Almost immediately, there came the sound of strings. Akira smiled at Kagome's pleased expression, and gestured at the young Inu who was playing.

"My son, Hime-sama. He insisted on bringing his koto; I was unsure it would be needed, and now I am glad I listened to him. Do you often enjoy music?"

Happy that someone was talking to her, Kagome nodded.

"When I can. I spent a great deal of time traveling the past few years, so I didn't have much opportunity, but I've always loved music."

She smiled a bit.

"I used to sing when I was small, but not for a long time, except..."

She frowned suddenly, and then shook her head a little, smiled.

"Anyway, he's very skilled – your son. Do you have other children, Akira?"

"Yes. Histaru is my only son, but my mate has given me four daughters. The eldest has pups of her own now..."

His voice trailed off, and Kagome looked at him questioningly and then turned, following his distracted gaze. A cold, hard lump settled in her belly: Eldest had come out into the night, her hands tight on a bowl that steamed in the cool night air, her features serious. Kimitsukiko stood just behind her and to one side, staring down at the assembled youkai.

Not only Akira had fallen silent; by twos and threes, as they noticed the presence of the ancient Dragon behind them, the various guests grew quiet and turned to face this unexpected female. Rumors had passed outward from the Inu who had come the night before, word passing in the night and the early morning: Eldest is come to the Inu's mate! Eldest is among us!

Very few of those who had listened had believed, and now they were forced to it; her presence, her power, could belong to no one else. When all eyes were on her and the muttering had died down, Eldest took three steps forward and halted at the edge of the stairs leading down from the Hall.

"Kinawai, attend me."

She spoke quietly, but her voice still carried. Kinawai approached her with interest, and not argument, but there was something in his face that showed he was not amused at being summoned in such a way.

"Eldest - "

"My sister-daughter, the daughter of our House; her time is come, now. The moon rises full of darkness and the Rite will be completed. Bring her to me!"

Again, there were whispers. Most of the youkai present had been introduced to Kagome, had heard from one or another of Sesshomaru's kin the story of the previous evening's events. A few had managed to accumulate what they thought was the whole story – Kinawai's negotiation of the match, the meeting of a few that had ended in miko fire, Kimitsukiko's failed Challenge, Eldest's arrival and approbation – and were passing it among the others. The air was fragrant with distress and disbelief held at bay only by Eldest herself, her physical presence.

Kinawai descended the stairs and made his way to the corner of the courtyard where Sesshomaru had brought Kagome; he reached out a hand for her, but Sesshomaru stood instead and pulled her up with him, his fingers cool and tight against her palms.

"Sesshomaru?"

Kinawai's voice was questioning, almost confused; surely, Sesshomaru had heard Eldest's request.

"She stays with me."

Kinawai hesitated; then his lips curved into a smile that contained a shrug. He did not back away, but stood instead on Kagome's left side. He accompanied the two Inu through the burgeoning crowd; his senses detected sharp shifts of feeling in his companions - Kagome nervous and determined, Sesshomaru placid, calm on the surface...but long familiarity told Kinawai that just beneath that surface were turbulent waters, rage and concern and a flutter of darkness.

As they walked, Kagome was distracted by the conversations they passed, some of them so dim that she could gather only a few words, others – obviously misjudging the sensitivity of certain ears – coming to her hushed but clear:

"Didn't you hear her talking to Kinawai? Sister-daughter, she said..."

"Yes – I wonder where she has been hidden for all this time?"

"And you wondered why he would have none of your daughters, Akihito!"

"Quiet all of you, fools! You think he cannot hear you?"

For a moment, obviously listening to the same things Kagome was, Sesshomaru paused. He turned toward one of the youkai nearer them and allowed his mouth to form a smile that held glittering death at bay.

"You are wiser than your kin, Akihito. Silence them."

Kagome shivered, a twitch of her spine, and then continued walking with him. At any other time – in any other place – she would have reprimanded him for acting so presumptively on her behalf. Now, though...here - She sensed waiting violence in every eye, felt a pressure of youki on her other senses that had rarely before been so obvious to her. Sesshomaru's aura was powerful, but compared to the combined force of what she felt now...

And any one of them...any one of these females might Challenge me -

She found herself searching the eyes of the females she passed, feeling their strength press on her more fully as she attended to them.

The necessary corollary – that her power, too, was evident to those around them, that she made visible in those moments a well of miko responses – did not occur to her. So she did not understand when those same females shied away from her, turning down their eyes, turning aside their heads.

They made it to the stairs, and up them without incident. A rumble of noise accompanied four cushions that drifted in invisible hands and then were set down across the space in front of the door to the Hall. This done, the door closed with a resounding thud. Kagome exerted a great deal of effort not to jump as the door slammed.

Sesshomaru sat in the center, with Kagome at his left and his mother at his right. Eldest ignored the chair that had been brought out for her, and instead stood tall and held out the bowl in her hands, calling all eyes to herself.

"You, the Lords of Council, have come here to bear witness that one joins your number. By the oldest Rite, a Rite older than I am by far, Sesshomaru, Lord of the House of Blades, has taken my sister-daughter to him, taken her from the home that bred and bore her, the hands that raised and trained her. Now she will be Marked by the burning Ink; in this moment, she is mine for the last time."

Eldest turned and beckoned to Kagome with one crooked finger, and Kagome stood unassisted, with no small difficulty. Light as they were, the layers of robes she was wearing weren't easy to move in, and she had very little experience with garments like these. Her footsteps were careful and slow, but she did not hesitate, sure that any sign of such would be seen as weakness.

When she was only two paces away, Eldest held out the bowl and motioned for her to take it. Careful not to spill a drop, Kagome held it cupped in the palm of her hands. Without being told, she knew what she had to do, and put the steaming Ink to her lips.

"Drink it, sister-daughter. Drink it all."

Kagome took one breath, and then drank. It had the texture of thick, smooth wine; she tasted heat and some dark essence, moist loam on the back of her tongue, the scent of silt and a biting, delicate coolness that opened her throat and rose behind her eyes. She felt it burn down her throat and into her belly, but that same coolness followed almost immediately and with it a strange sensation, as if she was floating free of her body. She swayed, didn't notice her hands dropping, the empty bowl loose in her grasp.

Things were moving in her, powers set totally free for the first time. Her eyes gained a golden glow, crimson at the corners; her hair moved in a nowhere wind. Smiling a pleased smile, Eldest took the bowl from Kagome's slack fingers, and then helped her back toward her chair. Kagome's thoughts drifted for a moment, and then she felt the effects of the Ink subside, at least for a moment.

She took a deep breath, and sat slowly, and then mustered a smile for Sesshomaru. Her teeth felt sharp against her lips and she ran her tongue over them quickly, tasting the Ink again. When she was settled, Eldest turned back to the gathered, silent crowd, and held out her hands as if in benediction.

"She has tasted the black flower – she who was Kagome, daughter of the House of Fire, is now Kagome, Lady over the -"

"But someone is missing!"

The voice came from the safety of the crowd, pitched so carefully that Sesshomaru could not pick out its source – not even when it spoke a second time.

"Sesshomaru! Shouldn't your brother have come? Where is the half-breed Inuyasha?"

Whispers followed on the tail end of those words, even laughter that was quickly hushed. Sesshomaru sat very still. Once, such words would have been enough to move him to violence. Now...now, he almost smiled, remembering, but refrained for Kagome's sake.

"The dead do not attend festivities. My mate ended his life in Challenge; he has paid for the trouble he caused. I expect to hear no more of it."

The voice fell silent; muttering began again and he saw many eyes lingering on Kagome now with renewed interest.

Sesshomaru had spoken only the truth, though there had been no formal Challenge, no laying of terms. Both of them, his brother and his mate, had been out for blood. At his side, he felt Kagome shift as a long shudder ran through her body.

She was no longer in tears every night from the death she had dealt; she was no longer held in thrall by nightmares when she dared to sleep, and if he agreed to go with her to bed she would almost stay as long as she needed too.

But he knew, even sleeping, when her dreams were causing her distress. At first he had been dismayed at this continuing evidence of their tightening bond. He had been more distressed still when he realized that, beneath it all, he was pleased that he could know her in such an intimate way – that she was open to him in such a way.

Now, he felt her feelings shifting unexpectedly; not to grief, but to anger. There were congratulations coming from the crowd below them, and impressed and interested looks on many faces. Inuyasha had been a half-breed, only hanyou, but he had made trouble in many places on his long quest. Some of those standing before him were the sons or brothers or more distant kin still of lords who, a very few years ago, had been masters of good territories in their prime.

He filed away in his mind the thought that it was very good none of those individuals knew of Kagome's connection to the dead hanyou, or the quest that had brought about the completion of the jewel that was always suspended around her neck. Still, as he watched her out of the corner of his eye, he knew he had to end this conversation.

If I let her sit here and endure this, she will break. She will do something – not good.

"Enough. Is there a reason we are bothered by such insolence? Is that the purpose of the rite?"

"No! But I know something that is."

The voice came from an unexpected and previously silent quarter; Kagome knew it well, and became very, very pale. Though the Ink burned in her veins, urging the Inu into wakefulness, she felt cold all over. Quickly, as Kouga forced himself from the furthest corner of the gathering to the front, she began to repeat a short mantra over and over in her head.

Don't let him do anything stupid – don't let him do anything stupid – don't let him do anything stupid – don't let him do -

"Kagome was mine, Sesshomaru! What you have you done to her, making her a dog like you, to make her the Lady of your House? Who do you think you are, to take my chosen wo-"

"Kouga!"

Kagome spoke out desperately, hoping at all costs to prevent the word she knew he had been about to speak. If once, just once, he called her woman, all hell would break loose.

"I was never yours, Kouga; only one person besides Sesshomaru could ever have tried to make a claim on me, and you know it! That one is dead! Don't do -"

"Sesshomaru – silence your mate!"

It was Kinawai's voice. Amazed, furious, Kagome turned to look at him and pressed herself into her chair. If she had been standing, she would have taken a step back. He was wearing an expression she had never seen on him before, utterly serious, flint-eyed, mouth poised to shape dangerous words. Sesshomaru stepped forward and took her arm, drew her back and looked at her with warning, but it was unnecessary. Her heart was sinking in her chest; all the lightheaded feelings that had come with the draught of Ink were intensifying, badly. She had seen the cold determination that was now on Kouga's face many times before.

And every single time, it would have gotten him killed, except – we saved him. Sango, and Miroku, and Inuyasha and I. Kouga, this time – this time, I cannot save you -

Sesshomaru stepped forward, his features set, and looked down at the Wolf. He was not averse to the thought of battle; he wondered if perhaps, this was the fight he had been waiting for.

It might settle his nerves.

He was amused, too, because he had worried so much about Kagome being forced to fight for him...and yet he had never considered that someone might Challenge for her. Kouga was someone from her past, but Kagome denied his claim; that was more than enough for him.

"I am the one who will speak for the House of Blades, yet Kagome speaks truth. She is my mate. She will be no one else's. Is it that you wish to die, Wolf? There are easier ways you could have chosen."

Kouga snarled in answer. The entourage that had come with him backed away, leaving him alone to this fate he was making for himself.

"Words, that's all you want to give me, Sesshomaru? It's not enough! If you will not give me my w- my Kagome, then I will kill you and take her!"

Kinawai held out a hand to silence Sesshomaru's retort, and spoke in clear, clipped tones.

"Is it Challenge, Kouga?"

"Yes!"

From her chair, Kagome let out one long, broken breath. Kinawai ignored her completely; Sesshomaru turned a sharp glance in her direction. No one else heard. Kouga's Yes! had set in motion an irretrievable series of events. The whole gathering was moving, and Kagome knew where they were going. The Challenge ground was in that direction – nothing else.

Seeing that no one else was paying attention, that no one could hear, Kagome seized her chance and reached out for Sesshomaru's sleeve, slipped her hands into his grasp.

"Sesshomaru, I know – that he – I know Kouga's an idiot, mate, a complete moron – but he's still my friend. We've fought together; he's saved my life more than once. I don't know why he's doing this, I can't believe...but - "

Sesshomaru stood slowly and let out a long breath. Kagome waited meekly to see what he would say, and almost leapt out of her seat at his question.

"Kagome – do you want this Wolf, Kouga?"

"No! Weren't you listening? No! You are – I want – that is..."

She had silenced herself quite well. Sesshomaru smiled thinly.

"Then what do you think I can do? He initiated this Challenge; he is the one who thinks he has a chance of winning you from me. When I am through with him no one will ever think that thought again!"

His claws tightened in the air. There was a raw moment in which Kagome saw red, red overtaking – but it passed as quickly as it had come and she shook her head a little.

"Sesshomaru...I...you will do what you must. You always have. But please – remember that he is my friend."

He stared at her in silence for a long moment, then turned away.

"I make no promises."

Sesshomaru joined the long flow of youkai moving toward the Challenge ground. His mother followed behind him, and then other Inu, wrapping around his silent figure and ushering him onward. Kagome followed him with her eyes. After what seemed like forever, but was only really a very few minutes, Eldest and Kinawai came to her and each took an arm.

As she stood, Kagome felt consciousness once again flying away from her, felt the Ink turning all her focus inward, inward...inward toward the reaching Inu and the threads of power whipping loose all around her.

A/N: Yay! A Chapter, a chapter! This would've been up last night, but my laptop overheated and scared me. Thank you oh mighty and wonderful reviewers!

Last Laugh: Thanks for your awesome review! If you love me lots, you can vote for Bloodlust on Dokuga; I got nominated! Woo! Nominated! :D