Chapter 2: Under the Full Moon
Ayame looked at the sunrise and sighed softly. "Ayame?" A female pack memeber spoke as she approached the cliff where Ayame stood. "Yes, sister?" She replied as she turned to the brunett wolf behind her. "Ayame, would you like for me to put the trunk in the wagon with the other items saved from your home?" Her hazel eyes held concern and sorrow. "Yes, sister. Please do." Ayame smiled as she tucked the key into a pocket on her left hip.
Ayame jogged over to the stables and began to brush a silvery gray large dire wolf female. "Kaida, it is going to be a bit of a ride. We are having to cross the Southern river and head to Wolf Cavern. This is where I will have to marry Koga. Normally marriages are held under the full moon. There is suppose to be a full moon in the next couple of days. I wonder if he will be kind to me. Do you think thyat he will bbe kind and maybve even love me?" Ayame asked as she cleaned out the brush. Kaida licked her face happily in her way of saying "of course." Ayame laughed lightly. "I hope so, Kaida. He is so beautiful." She sighed resting her head against Kaida's silvery gray coat. "Ayame, we are ready to leave." The woman from before spoke as she entered the stables. "Oh. Good. Let's go then, Kamiko." Ayame said as she lead the large dire wolf out of the stables. Taking her time she mounted Kaida and prepared for the journey ahead.
"Alright brothers and sisters! We are going to cross the Southern River. Depending on the amount of light left we may have to camp their for the night and then move on to Wolf Cavern." Ayame said loudly from the center of the villiage in front of all her pack members. The pack nodded in agreement. With the leadership that her family had she shot her hand up and pointed forward.
The White Wolf Demon pack of the Northern Mountains made good time as they crossed the river just before midday. Inb hopes of making it to the Cavern before nightfall she kept the pack moving forward.
"Hey! Who are you?!" A male brown wolf demon asked firmly
at the enterence to the main area of the Wolf Cavern. Ayame demounted Kaida and stared the demon in the face. "You tell your Lord Koga that Lady Ayame is here." She said firmly and feircly. "U-uh. Yes, ma'am." The demon managed to get out before running up the rocky hill to the threshold of the pack's leader, Koga. "Koga! Koga!" The demon called as he entered the meeting building with a stumble. "What?!" A tall brown wolf demon said standing up. His skin kissed by the sun and his black hair falling behind him. "Koga, there is a rahter large group down the hill. A woman with red hair and green eyes demanded that I tell you she is here." The wolf said falling to his knees before his leader. "Ayame. Here? Why didn't you bring her in you fool?!" Koga demanded as he kicked his fellow pack member before stomping past him.
Ayame stood with her back to the enterence of Wolf Cavern. Her patience wearing thin. She turned to face the hill and began to walk up the path, leaving her pack at the entrence. Her heart raced as her feet pounded into the hard stone. Ayame, not paying attention ran right into Koga. "Just the demon I-." Ayame managed before she was cut off by his firm chiseled lips againt her soft full lips. Partially in shock and rage she raised her fist halfway as if to knock him into next week.
Ayame stepped back, breaking the kiss. "Don't think that for one minute that the kiss will get you out of trouble. You let me sit there waiting for your lacky to allow my entrence. You kept me waiting, Koga." She spoke trying to keep from jumping his bones. "My lacky has been delt with. What can I do to put me back in your favor?" Koga replied as he kissed each of her knuckles on her left hand.
"Well, you can marry me beneath the full moon tomorrow night." Ayame smiled. "Your grandfather and I planned to have us wed beneath the full moon in four months." He replied in partial shock. Ayame yanked her hand free and stared at him. "Things change, Koga." She spoke as she fought back tears. "Ayame, what happened?" His voice filled with concern for his future mate. "Koga, my grandfather. He left something for you. Please, read it. Then make you choice." She said as she wiped a stray tear from her cheek as she handed Koga a folded note from her grandfather. At the sight of the tear Koga opened the letter. It read:
"Koga,
I know that it was agreed that the wedding be under the full moon in four months, but if you are reading this then I have departed from this world. Love, cherish, and protect my little Ayame. I will also need you to explain what will be going on in four months. I wish you both the very best.
-Yorozoku"
"Ayame, I am so sorry for your loss." He spoke as his heart seemed to break. Ayame nodded solemly. "Tomorrow beneath the full moon I will wed you. If there are any that you wish to be here for the ceremony you best send someone to tell them." Koga said softly. Ayame nodded once again as he wrapped his arms around her. "Thank you, Koga." Ayame smiled as she broke the embrace to walk back down the hill to bring the pack and their large dire wolves to the encampment.
Ayame took a piece of parchment and wrote a quick wedding invitation to one of her very close friends, they always acted like siblings. She wrapped a ribbon the color of irises thightly around the invitation then slipped the invitation into a leather pouch on the leg of a hawk,. "Go. Rin is your destination." Ayame spoke before she pushed her wrist up to send the hawk on it's way.
As the bride and groom waited for a reply they began building home and preparing for their wedding the next evening. "Ayame?" A young boy spoke softly with a dark brown hawk on his shoulder. "Yes, young hawk handler?" She replied as she knelt next to him. "There is a message, m'lady." He smiled handing her the message. "Thank you. Take these coins as payment." She smiled as she handed him four gold coins. "Bless you, m'lady." The boy said before he ran off.
Ayame as she watched the young boy run back to the fellow hawk handlers with the money he made. She turned the parchment in her hands. Looking at the wax seal, she knew who sent it. "It only took her half a day." She thought to herself as she gently opened the letter. Ayame moved her lips as she read:
"Ayame,
There is much to be said and in so little time. My fiance and I would love to say yes we will come and congrats on the settling down. Next, I would like to know what Grandfather Yorozoku said about the fiance and the last minute invitations. That you'll have to tell me when I get there. I hope this one is good to you and good for you. The last one was a monster.
See you tomorrow
With love,
Your darling sister, Rin"
"Wonderful." Ayame smiled as she walked to her new home. As Ayame entered her home the moon had risen to it's highest peak in the sky. Sitting in her chair before her mirror, she began to brush out her hair. It had been so long since she had time to relax, sit back and enjoy her time to herself. "Ayame?" His voice seemed almost gently as he wrapped his arms around her waist. "Koga, what are you doing here?" she turned to face her future husband and mate. "I wanted to spend some time with you, Ayame." He spoke softly against her ear. "Koga, you seem so sweet." She smiled as she turned to face him. "Thank you." He grinned as he leaned forward. "Your uh your welcome." Ayame smiled before he pressed his firm lips to her soft ones.
The passion of the kiss set their bodes on fire. "M'lady? We-" The young hawk handler said as he poked his head into Ayame's home. Her face flushed with color as she slid out of his lap. "What can I do for you, young boy?" Ayame smiled as she knelt near him. "M'lady you have a visitor." He spoke shyly. "My dear boy it is near midnight. Who would be here for me?" Atame asked as a tall woman with waist length black hair and honey brown eyes walked into the house. "Rin?!" Ayame spoke happily and filled to the brim of exitment as she stood to hug the woman before her. "Hello, Ayame." The woman known as Rin smiled as she hugged Ayame back.
"Rin, I have missed you so muchg." Ayame said as she and Rin took a seat in two of the chairs in her home. "I have missed you too, Ayame. How is Grandfather Yorozoku?" Rin asked pushing her hair behind her ears. "Rin, Grandfather Yorozoku has passed on. I should have written and told you sooner. we just lost him yesterday. It's still hard on me." Ayame sniffled quietly. "Ayame, I am going to head home. I'll see you tomorrow." Koga spoke before leaving. "Ayame, I am so sorry to hear about Grandfather Yorozoku. You guys are like family to me." Rin said as she hugged her friend. "Maybe we should get some sleep. By the way where us your fiance, Rin?" Ayame said as she wiped tears from her green eyes. Thinking about her grandfather was still very hard for her.
"Oh. Sesshomaru will be here in the morning. I told him I was leaving to have time with you. To meet this man. This fiance of yours."Rin said with a smile on her face and a wink. "Really now? Haha. Koga seems to be a very good man. He respects me." Ayame blushed lightly at the thought of her future mate. "Awe. How cute Ayame. Did you pick him?" Rin asked curiously. "Oh um. No. Grandfather Yorozoku and Koga planned this." Ayame began "I got to meet him before it was set in stone of course." Rin smiled. "Well, seems Grandfather had pretty good taste in the end." Both girls giggled happily.
For another hour the girls went on and on about their fiances and laughing all the while. "Ayame, we should sleep now. One of us will be needing our beauty sleep." Rin chuckled playfully. "Oh, Rin." Ayame laughed happily at her friend. "To bed we go." She spoke with a large smile on as she showed Rin the guest room. "Thanks, Ayame. I'll see you in the morning. Rin smiled. "Good night." Ayame waved as she walked down the hall to her own room.
The two girls woke that day at noon and spent the afternoon in preperation and giggles. Later that evening Sesshomaru, Rin's fiance made his appearence. "Rin? Rin?!" Sesshormaru called as he walked through what was becoming a wolf demon village. "Sesshomaru, she is with my fiance. They will be meeting us tonight." Koga said with a smile. "Koga, old friend. How are you?" Sesshomaru said with a smirk as he flipped his silver hair over his shoulder. "Over all, pretty good. Premarriage gitters though." Koga said with a sigh as they entered his home. "You afraid that you aren't good enough for her?" Sesshomaru said taking a seat in one of the many chairs in Koga's home. "I guess." Koga said as he flopped half heartedly in to the other chair.
The two men sat and talked for hours when a knock came at Koga's door. "Yes?" Koga asked as he opened the door to his rather masculine home. "M'lord, the ceremony will begin within an hour." A man in rather religious attire said softly. "Of course. Thank you for coming by and making sure I was aware of the time." Koga smiled as he patted the older gentleman on the shoulder.
Time seemed to have flown by as the older man had stopped by Ayame's home as well. Ayame shut her door and leaned against it. Fear ate at her gut. "Ayame, lets get you ready." Rin said hoping to ease some of her friend's fears. "Okay." Ayame smiled as she took a deep breath and walked towards her room. Ayame and Rin stood by the large chest with Ayame's family crest on it. Her grandfather, Yorozoku had left for her. The two women opened the chest and pulled out a long animal hide gown. The hide was the color of a pure white dire wolf. The veil was made of thin netted material outlined in more of the dire wolf hide. "This is lovely, Ayame." Rin said running her hands over the hide material gown. "It was my mother's" She replied as she began to undress. "The sword your father's?" Rin asked curiously as Ayame gently pulled the white wolf hide gown over her head. "Yes." She smiled as she took the sheath and sword in her hands and tied the belt around her waist to keep the sword with her at all times. "Okay, Rin. It's about time." Ayame said quietly as Rin had finished braiding her hair with a few irises braided into her hair before covering her face with the veil. Her boquet was made of irises, baby's breath and white roses.
Both girls began the walk towards the lake where the entire village was waiting. Ayame's heart pounded as she walked down the red rose petal path to where her mate was standing. There were benches and benches on both sides on the red rose petal path as she got closer to the large water fall and the lake. Koga wore a black dire wolf pelt suit with his dark hair neatly put into a pony tail. A small white rose and blue iris sat in the chest pocket on his coat. "Gods! He is gorgeous!" She thought as she stopped before him as the full moon reached it's peake. "Ladies and Gentlemen today we gather together to join two young lovers in the bonds of matrimony. Tonight we have before us Koga the leader of the Brown Wolf Demon tribe and Ayame, granddaughter of Yorozoku; and leader of the White Wolf Demon tribe." The preacher began with a smile. "Before we go further is there anyone who has any reason these two should not be joined in matrimony?" He asked looking over the large crown of people that had gathered to see the ceremony.
Everyone looked around and saw no one that had any objections about the marriage. "Koga, Ayame; face each other." He spoke to where everyone could him. The two faced each other. With a smile on his face Koga lifted the veil from her face and letting it fall down her back. "Koga, repeat after me. I, Koga of the Brown Wolf Demon tribe." The preacher said looking at the many many people before him as Koga repeated the words. "Promise to love and cherish you for better or worse. In sickness and in health. For richer or poorer. Till death do us part." The preacher smiled as Sesshomaru stepped forward with Koga's ring for Ayame while Koga repeated the words. The ring was a gold bang with small emeralds all the way around. "Have you the ring?" He asked even though he knew they did. Koga nodded as he took the ring from Sesshomaru. "With this ring I thee wed." Koga smiled as he slid the ring on her left ring finger. "Ayame, repeat after me. I, Ayame of the White Wolf Demon tribe" He began as he looked towards her. Ayame took a deep breath and repeated the words. "Promise to love and cherish you for better or worse. In sickness and in health. For richer or poorer. Till death do us part." The preacher began as Rin came to stand near Ayame as she repeated the vows. "Have you the ring?" He asked as Ayame nodded and turned to get Koga's ring from Rin. "With this ring I thee wed." Ayame smiled as she slid the ring on his left ring finer. "Beneath the full moon and before all these people, with the power the gods gave me I pronounce you man and wife." The preacher smiled happily. "You may kiss the bride."
With that Koga pulled her into his strong arms and kissed her. All the fire and passion came over them as the people began to cheer for the now happy and married pair. Near the lake, closer than Koga, Ayame and the preacher were; men set off fireworks to celebrate the occasion.