TRIGGER WARNING: Miscarriage

Sesshoumaru managed to teleport himself and Kagome just outside the rat demon lair. However, the sukuchi method of travel couldn't sustain prolonged teleportation. Thus, the dog demon would have to proceed by foot. Adjusting Kagome's position in his arm, he hoisted her unconscious body over his shoulder and bolted through the woods with immense speed. He darted and swerved between the sporadically spaced trees. Having put a considerable distance between them and the demon lair, he slowed down as they approached the human village. Gently pulling the limp figure down his shoulders, he examined Kagome's condition.

A trail of crimson stained her forehead; the crusted blood crackled and flaked under the touch of Sesshoumaru's hand as he brushed through her silken hair. She was in dire need of urgent care, he concluded. Although he possessed an extensive understanding of many things, his knowledge of human physiology was limited. He was acutely aware that humans could not endure the same level of punishment as demons. Even a blow that left no visible mark could result in lethal internal damage. Kagome's condition required immediate medical attention, and Sesshoumaru was not a healer.

While he harbored no affection for his half-brother, Inuyasha, he knew he couldn't leave Kagome unattended at the village outskirts. Sesshoumaru practically kicked down the door to Inuyasha's and Kagome's hut, his missing arm making it difficult to maneuver the door while carrying an unconscious woman. It took him mere seconds to notice the absence of Inuyasha's scent. Kagome's scent lingered freshly throughout the dwelling, but traces of Inuyasha's were fading. This indicated that he hadn't been home for at least several days.

Cursing internally, the older demon pivoted on his heels. Inuyasha had an uncanny knack for causing inconvenience, even if unintentionally. As misty droplets began to descend from the dusky sky, Sesshoumaru broke into a sprint, darting away from the village.

"Jaken!" A rain-soaked demon lord roared from the entrance of his castle. His pristine white cloaks were stained a diluted red where the bleeding woman had been draped over his shoulder. The drizzle that had begun during their journey had turned into a downpour just as they reached the castle.

"YES, MILORD!" Jaken, the small toad-like creature, screeched as he floundered down the hall. He appeared to hit an invisible wall and nearly backpedaled when he recognized the figure on Sesshoumaru's shoulder.

"Milord, what is—" Sesshoumaru impatiently cut his servant off, briskly brushing past him. "Get the healer. Now."

Jaken's mouth hung open mid-question, but he quickly regained his senses and bolted for the exit.

Visibly frustrated and thoroughly soaked, Sesshoumaru moved swiftly through the castle corridors. Where should he place the woman? Given the rarity of guests, his castle didn't boast "guest rooms." There was a room preserved for Rin's use, but he didn't want this woman, a bloody mess, on Rin's treasured linens, the ones the young girl had spent countless hours embroidering. Taking her to the servants' quarters seemed equally unattractive for a myriad of reasons.

Sighing irritably, the demon lord made his way to his own bedroom. He slid open the shoji with his foot and gently placed Kagome on his futon. Her blood-soaked, waterlogged clothes quickly stained his bedding. The dog demon grunted, shedding the outer layers of his sodden cloak and brushing his tousled, wet hair from his face.

He glanced impatiently from the woman sprawled on his bed to the hallway visible from his doorway.

Her current attire was likely highly uncomfortable. He glanced at the hallway once more. Her lips had turned a worrying hue of blue, and she was shaking.

'Fuck'

Sesshoumaru knelt beside the bed and carefully manipulated Kagome's body just enough to loosen her obi. With a swift motion, he cast the sash aside and grasped her collar, working the kimono off her shoulders. His nimble, pale fingers stilled as he sensed the auras of two approaching demons.

"Lord Sesshoumaru! The healer is here!" Jaken announced, barging into his master's quarters, an older woman trailing behind him. Her blue hair shone in the dim light, her piercing green eyes sporting dark, slitted pupils, and her skin resembled marbled scales. The healer was clad in a night yukata, clearly summoned from her rest. Her gaze landed on the human woman on the bed, and her pupils contracted into nearly invisible slits.

"Leave us," the healer commanded in a whispery voice. Sesshoumaru responded with a terse nod. His tense demeanor was enough to usher Jaken out of the room as well, the shoji closing quietly behind them. With Jaken dispatched, Sesshoumaru was spared a barrage of inane questions. He ordered his servant to awaken the rest of the staff and be prepared to supply the healer with anything she might need—hot water, cloths, or any other necessities.

For a time, all Sesshoumaru could hear was the soft rustling coming from his room. He would have liked to retire for the night himself, but his castle's lack of guest rooms complicated matters. Once a grand edifice bustling with staff and lively parties during his mother's time, the castle had become largely deserted under Sesshoumaru's stewardship. The rooms had been sealed, and most of the staff had been dismissed. The dog demon preferred to travel most of the time and considered maintaining a castle and large staff to be a needless extravagance. He had never truly seen the fortress as home. As he rubbed his damp neck, he considered spending the night in the scroll room to review some inventory.

Just as he was recalling the location of his latest inventory lists, a pained groan from inside the room startled him. What began as a soft whimper quickly escalated into a loud howl that eventually turned into a thin whine.

The door slid open, and the healer, sleeves rolled up and hands stained dark red, stepped toward Sesshoumaru.

She had an apologetic look in her serpentesque eyes that had softened, the pupils now dilated and appearing more human-like. "A woman's womb is the cradle of life." She worded, treading carefully on the tragic news that had to be delivered. "Now it has been filled with death and she needs to expel it." She looked at Sesshoumaru emphatically. The child was dead and threatening the mother's life. Soft whimpering escaped from the door chink behind them.

"What do you need?" Sesshoumaru asked, opting for a straightforward approach.

"I've administered a pain-relief concoction," she began, "but the process will be painful nonetheless." The healer then turned and walked back into the room, Sesshoumaru trailing behind her.

Kagome was curled up on the bed, writhing in clear discomfort. Her breaths were ragged and strained.

Digging through a pouch filled with powders and creams, the healer continued, "I gave her a mixture of willow bark, ginger, and mitsuba. But I'll need yarrow to control her bleeding. Once the expelling begins, there will be a lot of blood."

Sesshoumaru was somewhat perplexed by what was required of him, but the healer soon clarified her instructions.

"I need you to stay with her and ensure she remains awake. If she falls asleep in her current state, she won't awaken."

With that, the healer left, leaving Sesshoumaru alone in the bedroom now saturated with the heavy scent of blood, so potent that the demon lord could taste the bitter tang of iron on his tongue.

Kagome groaned, a layer of sweat glistening on her brow, her limbs twisting and contorting as if she were a serpent wounded to the quick.

"It... hurts..." she whimpered in a voice barely above a whisper, her face buried in his finest satin sheets—those he had imported from China, one of the few luxuries he had allowed himself.

She was helpless like a nursling, flailing her weak arms and kicking her legs aimlessly. The fire inside burned like a molten lava and slowly ran on the silken linens until the mattress itself was soaked in red.

To call Sesshoumaru a philanthropist would be a gross overstatement, but he wasn't heartless. He felt a pang of pity for the human woman.

A/N:

The stuff I google for these fanfics has definitely put me on a list… So, yeah. Petroselinum hortense, better known as parsley, can be used to induce abortion. I don't know about the amounts or which part of the plant exactly, but according to my sources, it CAN cause miscarriage and has historically been used for this purpose. Japanese parsley is called "mitsuba", but I don't know if it has the same medicinal properties. Give me some poetic license here.

"Why didn't Sesshoumaru just use Tenseiga?" Well, it won't work on an embryo because the "soul" is not developed enough. But I don't want to get into a theological argument about the issue any deeper. In my mind, Sesshoumaru knew that the revival could possibly go horribly wrong when trying to bring back a soul that is metaphysically intertwined with another that is not fully developed. He would have used Tenseiga if there was no other option, but he didn't want to risk it when there was a possibility that Kagome could pull through with just the help of the healer.