Note: NotOften! Yay, you're back! I missed you and your reviews :)
Sorry this chapter took so long, but I decided to smoosh a couple chapters together to get things moving faster, and while I was doing that I suddenly decided to at some point introduce characters I wasn't going to write in and then I was rewriting almost EVERYTHING, so yeah, that took some time. Add to that I got it into my head to graduate a semester early and spend a semester abroad so I have to get prepped for that and then there were some parties and evil thieving roommates and other real life junk and TESTS/PAPERS and it was delayed. BUT I ALWAYS COME BACK, Y'ALL. YOU CAN'T SHAKE ME.
CANNOT
BE
SHOOKENED
But please, always review. Sometimes I kinda forget how long it's been and a review will make me go OH HOLY SHIT and pump out a chapter. Reviews/PMs have led to sequels and faster updates and stuff, so don't be shy.
Four: Sand in the Hourglass
Once again, Inuyasha and Sango were in the Higurashi forest searching for the runaway royal women. Inuyasha grit his teeth in rage, pushing down the growl in his chest. Why had he thought capturing these women would be easier than capturing their kingdom? They were freaks of nature. It was going to take more time and effort before he won, and he would certainly win. He was a prince of Inu and represented the empire to the conquered; failure was not an option.
His shadow walked beside him, her steps as soft and silent as his own. They were both trained to hunt and he was even better than the trackers who had been bred for that very purpose. With them and all the others working together, they should find the girls within the next week. Inuyasha grinned to himself and it had a somewhat sadistic emphasis to it. Those bitches would rue the day they chose to ruin and run rather than face him and gain any amount of respect possible. Now they were prey. He'd treat them worse than any prisoner and ask his father as a reward for a successful conquest to make them his servants, where he'd debase them at every opportunity. Normally, he wasn't such a cruel man, but the things he'd been experiencing in Higurashi had changed him for the worse. People throwing themselves in front of his soldiers just to make their day that much more gruesome, his own soldiers being incinerated and him helpless to save them…
Every time he closed his eyes, he saw their faces. Heard their screams. The queen would pay.
A sharp tug on his ear made him yelp and he glared at Sango. Instead of the teasing expression he'd been expecting to see on her face, her eyes were wide and she was staring at something near his shoulder. Turning to see what it was, he saw a little monkey with a giant smile hanging from a tree, reaching out to tug on his ear again.
Inuyasha slapped the fucker right to the ground. Just as he was about to stomp it to death, Sango put her hand on his arm, stopping him.
"Wait! They might know something."
Rolling his eyes, he snatched the monkey up before it could scramble away. "Have you seen anyone come through these woods? Two women traveling together, probably with some guards and servants?"
The monkey stared at him blankly, eyes on his ears, mouth open with drool beginning to collect on the bottom lip.
"Are you a dog or a human?"
"He's a dogman! Bark, Dogman!"
"Don't upset him or he'll pee on us!"
"That's just how they say hello. We should probably pee on him first."
"Sniffing butts is how they say hello, stupid."
"Ew! You're sick, Dogman!"
Two other monkeys in the tree looked down on the scene and Inuyasha's eye began to twitch. The only thing holding him back was that they hadn't run into anyone else in the forest since their fight with the soldiers, so if anyone could possibly have seen the fleeing royal women, it was these little monsters.
"Have you two seen anyone coming through here recently?" Sango asked, her voice pleasant. In that moment, he hated her for being so amused.
In unison, they nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah! Dogman and you, sir."
Inuyasha laughed at the polite mask melting off her face. A trickle of something wet splashed on his arm and his nose twitched. Was that piss?
The monkey grinned even wider. "Just trying to make you feel welcome, Dogman."
The growl he'd been suppressing escaped and he flung the monkey he was holding to the ground, where it promptly scurried out of the range of his feet.
"My father is the emperor! I will have your fucking heads and mount them on my wall, you goddamn psychopaths!"
The monkey he'd been holding finally broke his silence. "Wow! He's just as mean and ugly as that lying princess thief!"
Thankfully, Sango took notice of what he'd said and was able to hold Inuyasha back from jumping into the boughs of the tree and strangling the little sprites.
"When did you meet this thief?"
One of the monkeys picked its nose and shrugged. "Iunno."
"Do you know what she looked like?" Inuyasha asked, eyes blazing.
"Already told ya. She was as ugly as you! A bloodless freak with a white butt!"
The two of them gaped. What the hell had gone on that these monkeys had seen the princess' backside?
"Well, do you know where she went?"
One of the monkeys leaned close to Inuyasha as if to whisper something. Gesturing, he signed for Inuyasha to hold out his hand. Confused, the half-demon did so, desperate for any sort of information. Hell, if they got something substantial, maybe they'd even find one or both of the women by the end of the day! The sprite dropped a rock into his palm.
His brows came together in annoyance. "What the fuck? The fuck does a rock have to do with—"
The rock grew so rapidly eyes could not track it, crushing him under its suddenly oppressive weight.
Sango gasped in dismay, barely registering the giggles of the monkey sprites as they disappeared somewhere further in the forest. Try as she might, she could not lift the rock—now a boulder—and free her prince. Just when it occurred to her to go back to the camp for reinforcements, the rock shrank until it was just a tiny pebble once again. The now dirty Inuyasha shakily got to his feet, pushing her helping hands away. He grumbled something about burning the entire forest to the ground. It appeared as though his pride had been crushed by the rock more than his body.
"I fear I must apologize for my sprites, prince."
Materializing out of thin air, a deity addressed him, floating an inch or so above the ground. Even so, Inuyasha had been through too much shit that day to be impressed.
"Where are the queen and her sister?" he asked.
Sango recognized the tone as one he took on just before he was about to kill. It made her shudder and she wished she was capable of stopping him, but he'd been pushed to his limits since arriving in Higurashi and it had worn him out.
"That I cannot tell you. I will not. They are of my protected people." Just when Inuyasha was about to either break and attempt deicide, he continued, "But I can tell you this, prince. They did pass this way a short time ago. I would tell you exactly, but time is different in our forest. Their presence is no longer here, but that does not mean they are far or that they will not return."
Upset, Inuyasha replied, "Is there nothing else you can give me, then? You're a god, aren't you?"
"Hold out your palm."
"I ain't falling for that—"
"I'm a god, not a sprite. Hold out your palm."
Reluctantly, he did so. The deity's hands felt like a brush of a bedewed leaf but there was no visible moisture.
"Your taste for sweat will turn to a taste for sweet. Your cruelty will protect your enemies from your cruelty. And you'll get a real, real bad headache."
"You're a senile old idiot." Snatching back his hand and glaring, he realized he was now holding a tiny ring made for a tiny finger. The god vanished into the ether before he could question him about it. It was a delicate ring, white gold and sparkling with diamonds and amethysts. A woman's ring. The queen's? Her sister's?
"At least we know the women are alive," Sango said, attempting to be consoling.
Inuyasha sighed, suddenly melancholy. Pocketing the ring, he figured he could maybe give that to his mother later, though she had hundreds like it already. It certainly wasn't a good enough gift. His anger at the thought of the destroyed statues brought him back out of the uncharacteristic sadness. Fucking bitch queen. He'd make her wish she'd never been born.
The walk back to camp was silent. Neither of them felt much like talking. Inuyasha dwelled on where the women could have fled to. Hekigan? One of the other lands under human rule? But it would take months to get to Hekigan, and there were many demon kingdoms and lands under Inu rule or influence in between, and there were people looking everywhere for them. He'd honestly been expecting them to hide out in the forest setting up camp with whatever guards and servants they'd taken along with them. He regretted not asking the sprites and the god more questions now that his mind wasn't buzzing with anger.
"My lord!" One of the messengers from the main palace was running up to them. He was either new or the message was particularly urgent if he wasn't lazing about, waiting to be announced.
"What?" he said gruffly. Inuyasha wondered if the bad headache the god had told him about was already starting, because he was beginning to feel that telltale pressure just at the sight of the man.
"Your lord brother, the Crown Prince Sesshomaru, has sent me to summon you back to the main palace."
"What!?" he said again, this time angry and ready to go to the palace just to kick Sesshomaru's lazy ass.
Before the half-demon could continue, the messenger said, "It is a direct order from the emperor. Higurashi will be left to the army and will continue to be occupied. Reinforcements will be sent to help with clean-up and reconstruction. Dragons have been sent and the carriages are waiting. You are to leave at once."
A direct order from the emperor. Did his father think him a failure? He doubted even the old man would have been able to do a better job when it came to attempting to turn a violent war into a peaceful coexistence. Toga had forbidden consumption of humans after he mated Izayoi, but he bet even he would have lost his temper and transformed into his true form, gobbling up any stupid peasant that dared oppose him. Never before had Inuyasha wished so much to be a full demon as he had in the midst of this war, even though his human blood had been the only thing keeping him safe from the purification of the priestesses. In his mind, if he could only do what his father and brother could and leave behind his tiny human-like form, he would be unstoppable.
"My lord, is that…urine on your tunic?"
The rage and disappointment of the day overwhelmed him and he abruptly left the messenger, walking in the opposite direction of the camp. Sango followed him, worried and internally panicking. Most of the soldiers were eating their meager supper and looked up when Inuyasha entered the tent. Instead of going up and eating with them, he simply stood there, staring at each and every one of them.
"You've performed better than any soldiers Inu has ever seen," he began. "And so I reward you before your work is done. Have any woman from the prison that you want. There aren't enough for all of you, so it's gonna be first come, first serve. Don't fight over them enough to draw blood. Remember you can share."
His shadow was appalled. Usually, there was a careful process of allotting slaves to soldiers. There were approvals and record paperwork and contracts, but he was just going to let them loose on those unsuspecting women. Women who had sons and fathers and brothers who had killed their sons and fathers and brothers and friends. And many of the women had been fighting, too. There was no way they'd be treated like normal slaves. The fight had gone on too long for them to be merciful. Wounds were still fresh. It would be a nightmare.
But she trusted Inuyasha knew what he was doing. It was killing him to leave the conquered land before the work was done. Never one for special treatment, he was now called away to be a prince once again when here he had been a warrior. A warrior of exalted status and importance, but a warrior all the same, his status given because of nepotism, but his respect earned by merit. Now he had to go back to the place that suffocated him, abandoning his men in the hellhole he alone was able to escape. Before he left, he was making sure his men were more or less pacified.
The girl Inuyasha had claimed entered the mess tent, either drawn by the whoops and shouts of the soldiers or searching for her master. The talk buzzed all around them and the men were literally salivating, listing all the things they were going to do to the women. Some of them even eyed the girl. Sango shivered when she saw how they looked at her. It was more than lust. It was violence. Face drained of color, Ayumi ran from the mess hall down the path that led to the barn where the female prisoners were being kept.
Before she even got more than a few steps towards her destination, Inuyasha grabbed her by the arm and kept her from moving beyond her wild struggles. Face blank, he pulled her away from where the soldiers were racing toward the barn.
"No! Please! I have to warn them, have to help them—"
Ayumi fell face down on the dirt, unable to keep up with her master's strides. Unconcerned, Inuyasha dragged her to where the carriages were waiting. Opening the door of the one filled with his things, he tossed her inside, slamming the door after her.
"You get in there, too. I need to ride alone."
Though deeply wounded at the significance of being placed in the carriage with his possessions, Sango knew better than to disobey him or put up a fight at the moment. Whenever something like this happened with the emperor, he acted like a child and hurt everyone who cared for him. It was the same on his human nights. Sighing, she sat down on the leather seat, thinking of the other carriage with its silk and satin and gold and, most precious of all, her prince.
"Why is he so awful?" Ayumi sobbed. "Some of the women there aren't even of an age to have relations with men!"
Sango didn't know how to console her. She didn't feel like defending Inuyasha either, but that was her job, after all.
"It's different in Inu and most of the rest of the world. When the body is developed, men and women are permitted to know each other physically."
Ayumi continued to cry as the dragons took to the air. "But what of the mind and soul?"
The shadow sighed and leaned back, thinking of the first time she and her prince had been intimate. All the magic he'd shown her. He had been her first and she was his.
They had both been fifteen when the emperor had decided it was time for Inuyasha to have a shadow. All her fellow taijiya were buzzing with the news since her father, the chief, had announced it. The crown prince had rejected taking a taijiya on as a shadow, defying tradition, and rebelled against having a shadow altogether until his father forced him to pick one, at which point he chose another demon. Shadows were always close in age to the one they guarded, trained from birth to be a ruthless killer who cared only for their master, even over their own family.
For a long time, Sango had been an only child. It was thought that her mother had been cursed by the gods and the elder recommended her father set her aside and take a new wife, but he didn't do so. Though he was the emperor's own shadow and a harsh man, the only softness that could be found in him belonged solely to his wife, and he extended a similar kindness to her even though she was only a daughter, a firstborn as well, which would have been reason enough to set his wife aside. She had been raised as any other taijiya was, but he'd gone harder on her than most fathers were on their daughters, recognizing her potential. Privately, she'd realized he'd been raising her like a son, putting all his hopes in her, and while it was a lot to handle, she was capable of meeting his expectations and surpassing them, no matter how hard.
Then Kohaku had been born.
All through her mother's difficult pregnancy, she'd been at her side. Everyone she knew had at least two siblings and it was her first time experiencing something so amazing. Finally, she wouldn't be alone anymore. Sango had turned twelve on the day her little brother was brought into the world before his time. The midwife had managed to save the baby boy, but nothing could be done for her mother. Her father had been so distraught that he'd even been given leave by the emperor, something unheard of for any shadow. Kohaku had lived in the midwife's house until he was weaned. She'd gone to visit him every day, staring at him in awe, scared to touch him since he was so tiny and precious and her hands knew only how to bring pain. All she'd ever known was how to fight, and now that she wanted to, she could not be gentle. But she tried. It took a year before she was able to hold him without being overwhelmed by the fear she'd hurt him.
Her father hadn't visited him once.
When he was brought back to their house, it was Sango's job to take care of him. She was the woman, after all. It was her duty. It was also her delight. When she had to leave him with the married women to go train, he would cry, and she would laughingly scold him, but once she turned her back she would cry as well. They were one another's daily companions until the prince came to the village in disguise, observed the young taijiya training, and chosen her.
She remembered the day clearly since it was so close to her heart. The taijiya in her skill class had been training in their usual place, a large clearing in the middle of their forest. One of the only females present and the youngest of all, she'd wielded her Hiraikotsu with ease. The way she dodged blow after blow from her fellow trainees seemed effortless, but that was only due to the frightening amount of practice she'd had coupled with a natural talent.
Perhaps she'd become too confident in her abilities. Or maybe the guys went harder on her because she was the daughter of the chief or because she was unusually strong. Whatever the case, she suddenly became the sole target of all twenty male taijiya. The other women were nowhere to be found. With a start, she realized they were ganging up on her, and they weren't playing around, either. Blow after blow rained down on her and it was all she could do to dodge the various bone weapons of her comrades. When the sweat began to drip in her eyes and obscure her vision, she thought to run and bring the attack to a stop, but the sound of a sharp blade leaving its sheath made her come to a full stop in her shock and disbelief. A bone club caught her shoulder and she fell to her knees.
"Do you yield?" one of the men asked, face obscured by his mask.
A snarl twisted her features. In lieu of a reply, she stabbed his foot into the soft earth with the blade she kept hidden in her sleeve.
His cry of pain coincided with a blow to her head and then she was completely on the ground, fighting the urge to spill her stomach. A heavy boot held her struggling form down.
A low chuckle sounded above her. "Had we been enemies, you'd be dead now, daughter."
Sango groaned. "Father, was this a test?"
He helped her to her feet, keeping an arm around her shoulders when she swayed. "Every day of this life is a test."
Heart rate quickly returning back to normal now that she knew she was safe, they went back to the village, talking and laughing together. A boy she'd never seen before dressed in fine clothes had somehow joined the group. He was a demon and looked to be about her age, but his bearing made him seem much older. With long silver hair and golden eyes, she guessed him to be related to the emperor. Just before she left to go see Kohaku, he grabbed her wrist and turned to her father.
"Her. I'll take her."
Her father's face was a blank mask, betraying no pleasure or displeasure. "Are you quite certain, my prince? Her training is not yet complete."
Prince? This was the prince!? Sango's face erupted in a blush and she wished she was more presentable. Gods, to his sensitive nose she must be smelling like old laundry. Oh, if only her father had told her that the prince would be choosing a shadow today!
He grinned and his eyes ran over her, making her shiver. "I'm sure. We can train together."
A brief pause and then the chief nodded. "Very well. Your father will be glad you made a choice so quickly. There will be a feast before you go."
She had been chosen. Out of everyone, the prince had chosen her. Sango felt like she was walking on air, all the bruises and strained muscles melting away to nothing. The prince continued to stare at her and she realized she hadn't stopped blushing.
"Um, if you please, my prince, why did you choose me? I lost." The fact that he had seen her overwhelmed was a great shame to her and her people.
The prince laughed, a short sound that made her heart skip a beat. "You didn't give up. Had your father not put a stop to it, I bet you would have died taking out every single one of your attackers. How many knives do you have on you, anyway?"
That her rather excessive reaction had been remarked upon made her want to cover her burning face in her hands.
"I-I swear, for now and for all time, that my life will forever come before yours, my prince."
He nodded once. "I believe you."
The honor was so great that they feasted her for a week straight. The prince attended the feasts as well, never taking his eyes off of her. Every time he took a sip of wine, he licked his bottom lip, smearing it with red and making her choke on whatever food she happened to be picking at. At the time, she hadn't recognized his desire and knew only that it made her body respond in strange ways she'd never felt before. All she knew was that he was handsome and she already was yearning to serve him.
The only thing that saddened her was leaving Kohaku behind. He was too young to understand that she would be gone for longer than ever before. Sitting the three-year-old on her lap, she snuggled him close on her last night in the village.
"I'll be going away, Kohaku." Her voice was always different when she spoke to him and there was no way she could control its playfulness, even at such a difficult moment. "I'll be gone like Father."
His eyes were big and uncomprehending. "O-tay."
"The palace is just above the village most times. I won't be very far, and I'll come back all the time, so don't you dare cry and be a bad boy."
"No bad boy." He shook his head, eyes solemn with his promise.
Smiling, she fought back tears. "That's right. You'll be good for everyone so I can be proud of you whenever I come back."
Kohaku found trying to bite his toes more interesting than her goodbye, and she left him to it, kissing him on the head. She left with the sunrise, and by the next sunrise she belonged to the prince body and soul.
Present day Sango smiled to herself. It would be nice to see him again. Never before had it been this long between visits. Had he been keeping up with his training? Her younger brother was her opposite in many ways. A part of her wished they could switch sexes, if only to please her father. At least women could give up battle after marriage. Men had no other option. Kohaku enjoyed cooking and caring for animals, his pure soul hesitant to inflict harm on any being. Maybe it was because he had been left with the women of the village too much growing up, their father's status as shadow keeping him away more often than not. But she believed he was just naturally that way, as sweet as the day he was born.
"Gods… I think I'm going to be sick…"
The shadow barely had time to react before Ayumi began to retch, filling the cramped carriage with a foul scent. As fond as she'd been of Inuyasha in her memories, a part of Sango honestly hated him now.
O\o/O
Though the dragons made carriage travel smoother and flying through the air was much quicker than using roads, Inuyasha was still impatient and bored out of his mind. He probably shouldn't have forced Sango to go in the other carriage, but he was just so pissed off and he knew she was going to do her preachy thing and he just couldn't deal with it right now. Fuck, though, she was going to give him shit when they got back. The elegant carriage was now filled with the scent of monkey piss and it just made him angrier. Why was it that just when he seemed to catch a break, everything fell apart even more?
After a few fitful attempts at sleep, he reached the palace many hours later just ahead of Sango. Night and morning had come and gone and now it was near noon. His stomach rumbled and he thought of all the foods he hadn't been able to have when out in the field. For once, he was glad to be back. Unfortunately, he could only eat after first answering the summons.
The magic-supported clouds held his weight easily and he walked to the palace without care for the flowers he trod upon or the way the stained glass cast beautiful colored patterns on the fluffy white floor. Blind to all the beauty that surrounded him, he strode right into the palace, ignoring the greetings of the guards and the appalled looks of the nobility who called the palace home during the season of socialization.
The summons had said to come right to Sesshomaru without delay, and for the first time he'd follow the order to the letter, his one pleasure that the more sensitive nose of his half-brother would be disturbed, maybe even to the point of briefly losing his composure, a feat he'd only managed a few times in his life, one being when he'd sliced off his left arm. That had been a good war. After that, the crown prince disappeared in a sulk for a week or so and reappeared with a new addition to his small group of misfit adorers.
Inuyasha flung open the doors to Sesshomaru's office, the pure gold handles as cold and hard as the demon himself. To his surprise, his half-brother was not there to bitch at him about how he used too much force and the doors had hit the wall. Instead, he was met with the creepy little toad guy whose name he still couldn't remember despite having known him for well over a decade.
"Where's the crown princess?" Inuyasha asked, glaring at what he was mentally calling it.
It glared back. "The Crown Prince Lord Sesshomaru is in his garden. It is his pet's quiet time, so you must proceed silently."
Inuyasha rolled his eyes but complied, not wanting to get into it yet again with the walking and talking booger. His brother's gardens were vast, but he knew just where he'd be without even following his scent. As always during his time with his pet, Sesshomaru was in the portion of the garden that was a flower meadow, walled off by tall flowering trees, their branches twisted together in bright bursts of color, a peaceful section of never ending Spring. Petals floated and spun down on the expressionless dog demon. His elegant robes almost concealed the form on his lap.
Though he thought the relationship Sesshomaru shared with his pet was more than a little strange, he knew enough not to say anything. At least right now. Rin was a sweet thing and he bore her no ill will. For some incomprehensible reason, she was completely and totally attached to Sesshomaru—and he to her. The strangest part of it all was how he kept her around ever since she was a little girl and it seemed like he had no intention of fucking her. Rin had blossomed into a woman several years ago, with lovely glowing eyes and a fine figure, and still he hadn't laid a hand on her. That somehow made it even creepier than if he had.
But he couldn't.
The law of Inu forbade few sexual things, but the ones it did carried heavy sentences should a person give in to those desires. Parent-child incest and bestiality were two of the big ones, and Rin fell somewhere between lapdog and adopted daughter. Since Sesshomaru had refused to clarify her status from the very beginning, they began to refer to her as his pet. If he had not kept her so close to him and instead handed her off to be raised as any other girl, then perhaps he could have groomed her to be a mistress or lesser wife. Personally, Inuyasha thought his brother was a creepy bastard, and creepy bastards got off to creepy shit. There was not yet evidence that he had defiled his pet, but the half-demon thought it was only a matter of time.
"The fuck did you call me all the way back here for, bastard?"
Sesshomaru didn't even glance at him, intense gaze on Rin's still face. "Kagura and I have not managed to produce an heir in our years of marriage. Father has decided that you are to be married as soon as a suitable bride is approved."
Inuyasha opened his mouth to yell, but the sight of Sesshomaru's acid whip glowing suddenly inches in front of his face made him pause.
"If you produce a sound greater than the murmur of a butterfly's wings, half-breed, I will cut you into strips."
Stuffing away his anger for his next scheduled meeting with his father, he responded, unaware he had lowered his voice. "Have they chosen candidates yet? Will I even get a say!?"
Sesshomaru shook his head. "Father is generously allowing you to choose." His voice was tight. In his view, it was a definite sign of favoritism. Sesshomaru had only been told the identity of his wife scant days before the wedding ceremony. "They will hold dances and courtship meetings." A delicate snort escaped him. "I cannot think of going to such trouble for a mere half-breed. Is this bloodline's miscegenation not bad enough? Disgusting. An insult to our empire."
The half-demon attempted to stifle a growl. "With all the shit you give humans, you seem pretty obsessed with their women." A pointed glance at Rin's sleeping form cradled in the demon's lap was enough to drive his point home, but he continued, a grin splitting his features. "Just like your mother."
Dodging the whip, he went back inside the palace, knowing Sango would be pissed he hadn't waited for her. She was his best friend and all, but sometimes it felt good giving his shadow the slip. His chest tightened at the thought of what he was to be forced into. More than anything, he wished to be on the battlefield, taking out these new frustrations on some moron barbarians or lesser demons. At most, he had about a year before he'd be forced into marriage with some airhead royal. Hadn't he done enough for the empire!?
Knowing it was futile, he began to jog to his rooms, where he knew his shadow would be. Better prepare for one last hurrah, and this one was going to eclipse all the others.
As he had thought, Sango was standing in the anteroom to his chambers, fury in her eyes.
"My lord!" she hissed. "What were you thinking! My title is not merely to inspire fear, I am truly to always be at your side—"
His humorless half-smile cut her off. "I just talked to Sesshomaru. The emperor has decided I'm to be married."
Sango swallowed a shocked cry. Always. She'd always known he would take a wife and she would lose him. Sure, she could continue as his shadow and pursue her unrequited love, taking what stolen moments she could, but she was not that much a masochist. They'd agreed long ago: when he married, so would she. And that would be the end of it.
But oh, her heart was breaking.
"Soon?" she croaked.
Inuyasha patted her shoulder, trying to comfort her even though one look at him told her he was the one who needed comforting.
"We have time. I bet I can drag it out for at least a year. Enough to give you time to find a partner, too."
He continued into his bedroom and took a sniff, relieved to know the maids had aired it out properly before his return so it wasn't stuffy. Used to life out in the open, he liked as much fresh air as possible. Forcing himself to calm down, he attempted to accept what his future was to be. He had the perfect place in mind to enrich his last year as a bachelor.
The doors were thrown open and Inuyasha started, so caught up in his thoughts that he hadn't heard anyone approaching. To his relief, it was just Izayoi.
His mother, the queen, was dressed in many layers of differently hued purple robes, each one transparent. Layered over each other, the filmy cloths obscured the most intimate details of her body but still draped and fell in such a way that she might as well have gone about wearing nothing. But Izayoi knew things about men not even they did, and this was her usual casual dress. In one of her tiny, soft hands she held a black leather leash. Attached to the other end was one of the court's highest courtiers, naked but for a ball gag and a cock cage, crawling on hands and knees. Despite the humiliating predicament, there was a look of joy in his eyes as he stared at the hem of Izayoi's robes. Had the noble dog demon a tail, it would be wagging.
"Inuyasha, my little puppy!" Izayoi squealed, throwing her arms around him. "You're finally home."
Inuyasha kissed her cheek, trying his best to ignore the normally dignified demon with the painful erection and reddened ass.
O\o/O
The saga of Izayoi was a very popular one, with different versions sung by bards all throughout Inu territory and beyond. Izayoi had once been a princess from a kingdom that was entirely human but still openly traded with demons and allowed them into their land for that sole purpose. Unfortunately, her father had attempted to wage war against the Inu and hold their demon merchants hostage as a bargaining chip. His poorly thought out plans were thwarted by Toga and the kingdom was absorbed into Inu within a fortnight. Most of the royal family had been killed, resistant as they were to being ruled by another, especially a demon. The surviving members had offered Izayoi, the only child of the king, to Toga as a peace offering, even though he already had an empress reigning beside him and seemed quite satisfied.
Toga didn't touch Izayoi.
It was a blow to her pride. For the first time since she'd reached womanhood, a man didn't make obvious his want for her. He hardly even looked at her after their initial introduction, her bowing before his throne, making sure he had a good look at the sliver of cleavage that was only just too much to be appropriate. The demon, resplendent with glory none could come close to, simply gave her a distracted smile and handed her off to some assistants to get her settled in a room of her own. Never did he call on her. After weeks of him ignoring her, the offended and beautiful Izayoi and set her mind to scheming.
In her homeland, women of rank were kept as virgins until marriage but trained in the art of sex, learning secrets passed down from mother to daughter through the centuries. As the princess, she had the best education of all, knowing every secret of seduction and tricks that were classified as secrets of the kingdom, carefully guarded for generations upon generations. Izayoi knew well how to make a man squirm in pleasure and beg and plead with tears in his eyes for a brush of her hand on him or a puff of air in the right place. Add to that she was a uniquely beautiful woman that made all who saw her stop and stare and forget everything but her, and you had a formidable combination. In her own right, she was a warrior, and a damn good one.
This was to be her revenge. The demon who had personally killed her father and ordered the deaths of her brothers and cousins and uncles and husband-to-be would fall at her feet. For the first time in her life, she had thanked the gods her mother had died the year before, grateful the gentle woman had been spared the cruelty that befell the rest of her family. Since Izayoi was the last true royal left, it was up to her to avenge her family, and the only weapon she had was what her mother and the gods had blessed her with.
The emperor was odd for an Inu. That she realized right away. Toga did not indulge in the sex games that frequently took place at every opportunity within the palace. He didn't even attend the banquets that were but flimsy excuses for orgies. Instead, he preferred his books, and when he wanted to be active, he fenced with a partner, enjoying the swordplay and not the beating of his opponent. When Izayoi found this out, spying on him with several giggling maids through a sliding door cracked open just the slightest bit, it made her heart beat like it never had before.
In her homeland, the men were like peacocks, strutting and showing off, always bragging and boasting. But this demon was humble. He hid it well, but she had the kind of eyes that saw it. Even for a simple fisherman, among her people he would be considered humble. Nothing like her departed fiancé, a man she had cared for because she was supposed to. The feelings that afflicted her when she watched the emperor made her want to cry, certain she knew what was beginning to happen inside her.
However, his empress did partake. InuKimi was at every banquet and frequently was the person who organized them. Izayoi watched her as carefully as she watched Toga, maybe even more. The empress seemed the complete opposite of her husband. Never with less than two partners, she was familiar with every member of the court, men and women alike. The demoness never seemed to tire, sometimes taking turns with every attendee at the banquet and then the servants and then taking several back to her rooms for more.
It was the easiest thing in the world to seduce InuKimi.
When she felt she'd learned enough and was making the right choice, Izayoi made her move. A woman whose favorite hobby was sex was the straightest path to the man she wanted, the man that had made up his mind to see no one and nothing other than his books and to feel nothing other than the thrill of sparring.
Izayoi had been invited to every banquet, as much because she was a highly-prized gift to the emperor as she was a beautiful curiosity no one had yet sampled. For the first time, she put on the traditional dress of her people, the dress she was to have worn for her wedding. Her heart was beating almost as fast as it did when she spied on Toga. Once all the many thin straps were in place, she threw the sheer white shift on top, still revealing all she had to offer, obscuring only the most desired of places. Her headdress was heavily bejeweled and she was glad she had practiced walking with it from almost the beginning of her time in the palace.
By now she knew the patterns of each guest, when they tended to arrive, what they tended to wear, what was considered fashionably late and what was considered rude. Izayoi waited until just before it would have been considered an insult to the hosts and then walked in, the sway of her hips helped by the elaborately carved six-inch wooden sandals she wore. All conversation ceased. Head held high, she boldly made eye contact with the empress herself. Not even InuKimi could stop herself from beckoning the woman with the amethyst eyes forward, pushing her current favorite to a seat further down the table and making a place for Izayoi at her right hand. As though she belonged there, Izayoi gracefully lowered herself down to sit, gesturing to a servant for a new plate and glass.
The empress did nothing but stare at her for a few moments, animal eyes drinking her in, almost glaring at her with their unusual intensity. She was a very beautiful, elegant woman, but in moments like this she seemed more like a warrior than her gentle husband. Izayoi decided it would be best to be straightforward with someone like her, just as her mother had taught her. This woman had no patience and wouldn't enjoy the dance. Toga, however, would, which was why she was going through this in a roundabout way.
The act of turning her head was made difficult by the towering headdress, but she managed, forcing her eyes not to be as cold as her heart was the day she saw her father beheaded by the man she'd been made a present to.
"Most honored empress, if it would please you, I pray you would listen to my abrupt request. Someone of my station has no right, but I simply must…" She allowed herself to trail off and glance away, biting her full lower lip.
The hand on hers told her she was doing it right. "Be as bold as you like with me, little chick," she responded huskily, "for tonight I am in a good mood. The crown prince has been weaned at last and his armor-fitting begins tomorrow."
"Your glorious husband, the emperor who liberated," the word almost stuck in her throat, "my people from tyranny, has not called upon me once." The pout she wore was not manufactured. "I can see why, with a woman as beautiful as you by his side. But it hurts me deeply to think that I do not please him. It is my duty to please the crown, and if he won't have me, then is there any other way I can fulfill my purpose here?" The hand she'd kept under the table transferred from her own knee to the thigh of the empress, her touch softer than the silk that caressed InuKimi's form in her tight dress.
The demoness' smile was all fang. "Come with me. I'll have the next few courses brought up to my rooms. After we've finished, of course."
Izayoi held back a chuckle. InuKimi was used to being a predator and had no idea what trap she'd just walked into. Now the guard dog had fallen through her rabbit hole and there was no going back.
By the end of that night, she was InuKimi's chief lady-in-waiting, a high honor before given only to Inu nobility. The empress' obsession with her brought Izayoi into contact with Toga more and more, allowing her to attend private dinners and even participate in conversations. Most important of all, it helped her continue the dance.
Izayoi was careful to never speak directly to the emperor in these instances and never let him see her studying him. This one liked the dance, she had to remind herself. The waiting would make it sweeter. For the both of them.
One night, when InuKimi had dismissed all her other ladies, Izayoi pulled out the most expensive imported bottle of oil the empress had. The sensual tones of a lute and accompanied flute sounded from behind a wooden screen, played expertly by two blind eunuchs who were well-trained enough to act deaf and mute as well. Feeling generous, she smiled at InuKimi and gestured for her to lay down on the towels already laid upon the bed. Squirting a small portion out, she rubbed her hands together, fancying to herself that she could hear the demoness' heart racing.
The tension the empress carried in her shoulders melted the moment Izayoi touched her.
"Do you think the emperor would enjoy keeping us company one of these nights?" she murmured, trying to keep her frustrations to herself. What was the point of all this if in all these months the emperor hadn't even once visited his wife's private chambers?
InuKimi whimpered when Izayoi's hands moved lower. "Toga hasn't taken me to his bed since I became pregnant with Sesshomaru," she whispered, almost too quiet for her to hear.
"Then take him to yours." With a hard slap to her bottom, InuKimi yelped and jumped to her feet. Smiling sweetly, Izayoi held up the bottle. "My turn!"
The invitation was sent to him that night, inviting him to a private dinner the following week. Izayoi wrote the note herself, dictating it to InuKimi.
The empress gnawed on her claw tips with worry. "But what if he doesn't come? We've hardly spoken. Ever. All our lives—"
Izayoi just smiled and smoothed the fretting woman's hair. "I told you to tell him I'd be there, didn't I? He'll come. At the very least, he's going to be curious."
They didn't receive a reply, but Izayoi didn't let that bother her. He did like the dance, after all. Little did he know she was the one choosing the music.
When the night arrived, InuKimi could barely compose herself enough to get dressed. She kept buttoning buttons in the wrong place, hands trembling, hair falling in her face. It was quite a shock to see the demoness so frazzled. For the first time, Izayoi actually had to act as a lady-in-waiting. Finally, they got her ready, and not a minute too soon since the emperor chose to arrive five minutes early, which was even worse than arriving a half hour late.
Beginning to see some of what was going on between the two, Izayoi meekly walked behind InuKimi as she was supposed to do, waiting until the two were seated until she sat down herself. Both of them sat stiffly, their expressions blank, not saying a word or giving any indication they ever would. Holding in an impatient sigh, she realized this would be up to her. A discreet flick of her finger had the servants rushing to pour their wine (which she'd ordered strengthened) and bring forth the serving carts. They too knew who to obey by now.
After a discreet nudge from Izayoi, InuKimi gave Toga a trembling smile that showed no teeth.
"I almost thought you would not accept my invitation, Lord Emperor."
Toga stared at her impassively, as though waiting for her to continue speaking. It was enough to make even Izayoi feel uncomfortable. Finally, he sipped some wine.
"I nearly didn't. Ambassador Naraku was just sent to Higurashi. I had planned to dine with him and discuss his duties concerning the barbarians, but his enthusiasm for this 'project' of his made him so unbearable that I preferred even your company."
His tone was light and neutral, but his words visibly pierced InuKimi. Her large eyes glanced at her lady-in-waiting, begging her for help. It was obvious enough that Toga turned his attention to her as well. Everything was so close to being ruined…
Eyes on the blood red wine in front of her, Izayoi reminded herself that she was the last soldier loyal to her family. Too much effort had gone into this to stop now. Meekly, she played her part and served first the emperor and then the empress, leaving the last, smallest, least-desirable portions for herself. InuKimi seemed tapped dry as far as conversation was concerned. The adrenaline buzzed off of her and radiated, filling the room. Screeching golden knives on porcelain plates grated against her ears. But this was all part of the dance. How long now had she bided her time, making her outfits subtly more revealing, giving the emperor smiles so quick he could have imagined them, laying the groundwork? Too long. She was but a novice, but after tonight, that would all change.
Though she didn't say a word, Toga eyed her as though she did speak, his attention on her completely. This was the closest they'd ever been to each other. They were almost alone. Once she realized that, her heart began to beat a little faster. Izayoi wondered if they could hear it.
"Sesshomaru is doing well," InuKimi said simply to fill the silence. "He was just weaned."
Toga nodded politely, as though she were a stranger telling him about some child he'd never met and didn't care to meet.
"This late? Is he not well over a year old now?"
The empress' hands shook. "The crown prince is three months old." Turning to Izayoi, she explained, "Humans do things differently, don't they? In Inu, we wean them as soon as the fangs come in."
"I don't know much about child-rearing," Izayoi said demurely. "I have yet to even lay with a man. Thoughts of children seem so far."
If at all possible, Toga's attention was even more focused on her.
"And so they should remain. I would hate to think of anything so taxing spoiling your figure," the empress said, a spark back in her eye.
"Well, she is a human," Toga chimed in. "Life will do it to her whether she ever conceives or not."
InuKimi gaped at him, glancing back at Izayoi, looking like she wanted to say something and defend her but the mere presence of her husband made it impossible.
Izayoi just smiled and drained the last of her wine. "And you as well, Your Majesty. Your decay won't come as swiftly as mine, but it will come all the same."
Toga turned away from her. "Can the boy walk yet? I get reports from his nurses, but they've piled up unread. There are more important things to consider."
The trembling of InuKimi's mouth returned. "In a few months more." Her voice was hard and she threw her fine linen napkin down on her dirty, still full plate, not considering that someone would have to clean it. "Forgive me, but I am tired and would like to bathe. Izayoi, will you attend me?"
With a single wave of her hand, Izayoi dismissed the empress, violet eyes focused on Toga.
Meekly, InuKimi left her dining chamber, probably to cry and break priceless things before taking someone to her bed and passing out.
Toga stared at her, somewhere between shock and amusement. "I've never seen her so docile before. It almost makes her interesting."
As she stood, the screech of the chair across the wood floor made the emperor flinch. Boldly, she walked over to him, shoving the small circular table and not caring when it flipped over. Too stunned to react, Izayoi took advantage of his stillness and brought one silk slipper up to his crotch, pressing it in as hard as she dared.
"On your knees."
A fire ignited in his eyes. "What the hell do you—"
Izayoi slapped him as hard as she could. "On. Your. Knees," she hissed.
The emperor knelt at the feet of the former princess. Allowing herself a moment to soak in the sight, she lifted up her skirts and grabbed him by the tail he wore his hair in, forcing his hot mouth onto her wet slit. Like a starving man, he drove his inhumanly large tongue into her, seeking out all she had to offer. When he moaned, she knew he had discovered that she spoke the truth and had never before been with a man. Right when her legs began to tremble and she feared she would fall, she yanked him away, slapping him with one hand and holding him back with the other when he tried to seek out her pussy again.
"Stay," she said firmly, feeling amused when his face darkened at the dog command. "If you turn around, I'll punish you worse."
A seemingly innocuous wooden cabinet was one of many in InuKimi's private dining room. If it came to anyone's notice, they would have most likely assumed it to be filled with plates and glasses, normal things. It was a new addition to the room, something Izayoi had installed on her first day of service. She pulled out the key and her eyes lit up at the tools of her trade. Scanning the items within, she finally decided on the one whip she had yet to use. Normally, such things were used to tease and play, but tonight Izayoi was not playing. This particular whip had many tails, half of them ending in sharp bits of shell. From that first time she'd seen the emperor, she'd known he was the one for this. People like him were special. Many didn't even know what they needed.
But she did.
Without a warning, she turned around and brought the whip down with all her strength. Since he was much stronger than any human or ordinary demon, he did little more than flinch, and then only because she'd caught him by surprise. Again and again she brought the whip down, tearing the air with the whistling sound of the blows, ripping his clothing to shreds. The first bit of blood she drew had her smiling. Almost there. Small trickles of blood ran down and dripped onto the floor. Deciding she was finished with that side, she went to his front.
Silent up until this point, he released the smallest of whimpers when the whip met the hard muscles of his chest. It was a sound more precious to her than any impassioned scream she'd evoked during her training. She couldn't wait anymore.
"On your back," she panted.
He obeyed, wincing when his torn flesh met the carpet. Bunching her skirts up around her hips, she slowly lowered herself onto his pulsing hard cock. Mercilessly, she rode him, allowing him the honor of taking her virgin blood in return for his. Her mother had warned her it would hurt, but Izayoi felt no pain through the rush of power. Again, she brought down the whip on his chest. Each time she struck him, his cock twitched and throbbed inside of her. It was a race now. Faster and faster she rode him, until finally her orgasm blinded her, making her scream and collapse on his wounded chest.
When she got her breathing back, she rose to her feet. "I'm going to join the empress in the bath. Have a good evening, Your Majesty." With a small smirk, she eyed his weeping cock, softly closing the door on his confused expression.
By the end of the week, she was the queen, the second of Toga's wives and the only one in more than name only. By the end of the month, she was his mate. By the end of the year, their son was born.
Nobody had ever thought to dominate the emperor. Not a single person would have had the courage had it even occurred to them. And Toga being Toga had been too proud to reveal what he wanted. But Izayoi always knew what a man wanted. Pleasure or pain or both, she had been trained in it all. And, as much as the Inu didn't acknowledge it, they were canine. Dogs craved a master, or, in this case, a mistress. Fortunately, no one thought any less of their emperor for his preferences. Toga's preferences also included seeing her dominate and humiliate other powerful men, and so she did it whenever he wanted. All the court fell over themselves to be her toy. While most Inu were wary of humans at the very least, they'd come to accept Izayoi with open arms. She was more Inu than the best of them and could probably teach the empire's whores new tricks.
All the songs of her ended with the same kind of line:
While the throne is the empress' seated place
Izayoi's is on the emperor's face
O\o/O
Inuyasha sighed. Whenever he'd had a problem growing up with some of the more rigid members of the court not accepting him, Izayoi had set them straight. Usually with her vagina. It had certainly made life easier as a kid, but it was still weird having everyone be nice to him just because they'd boned his mom or hoped to do so. Like he tended to do, he pushed those unpleasant thoughts away and focused on what was currently pissing him off.
"I'd be happier to see you if you all hadn't dragged me back here just to marry me off to some idiot I've never even met!"
Izayoi glared. "You're being so selfish! Of course I got a son who doesn't even think about my feelings. You have to get married!"
He barely held back a growl. "How is my not wanting to be forced into marriage selfish?"
Crossing her arms, she intensified her glare. Had he been a few years younger, he'd be begging for forgiveness by now.
"Because! Toga says I can't have another child until you are wed. It's the Inu way and he's not budging. Believe me, I've tried everything." She sighed, some of the tension melting from her. "I want to have a girl. I must pass down the lessons of my people or they will die out."
Inuyasha knew how important that was for her. Groaning internally, he asked, "How long do I have?"
"A year and a day. We'll throw all sorts of balls and comb the world over for a suitable princess."
"Human or demon?"
"Both, though I know your preferences." Izayoi not-so-slyly glanced at Sango, who was trying her best to appear like she wasn't eavesdropping.
Inuyasha hoped his mother was just teasing him. A nervous laugh left his lips. "Uh, I have to check in with father and then there's some other business I've got to see to."
Izayoi nodded. "Your father's in his war room." Tugging on the leash, she turned and waved before leaving.
Feeling his tension mount, Inuyasha wordlessly walked the familiar path to the war room, knowing without looking that Sango would catch up. She always did, since it was her greatest desire to be by his side. Suddenly, she seemed more valuable to him than ever. With this sudden marriage, he wouldn't just be losing his shadow, his bodyguard, he would be losing his best friend, someone he'd come to rely on almost as much as he relied on himself. Just like the loss of a limb, their separation would be beyond painful. But he'd get through it. He had to, for the empire.
Unlike most other rooms in the main palace, the war room was not crammed full of finery to the point of assaulting the eyes. Rather, it was understated, the power radiating subtly from the clean lines in the old dark wood that lined the walls. There were currently maps hung all around, some placed on the center table where Toga and Naraku, one of his closest advisors, sat, their murmuring of tactics silenced once he arrived.
"I hope your journey went well," Naraku said with a nod. "Any news on how things fare in Higurashi?"
Inuyasha bristled at being addressed by the greasy man first. To him, it was just another slight from the emperor. "Nothing more than what I've communicated in my missives."
The advisor sighed, eyes flashing with anger before it disappeared and a careful blankness took its place. He turned to the emperor. "I suppose that is all we can expect from your youngest. I will travel to Higurashi and see how things go for myself, sire, if I have your leave."
Toga nodded, eyes on Inuyasha as they had been the entire time. "Have you spoken to your mother yet? She was so happy to hear you'd be coming home."
"Yes," the word was dragged from him reluctantly. Inuyasha wanted nothing more than to throw the table out the window and run away through the broken shards, going back to lead his men in Higurashi where there was tangible evil to fight. "The queen and the crown prince have told me everything, so there's no need for me to linger here."
One brow raised. "It's been almost a year since I've seen you, son. I'd like to hear about more than just supplies and battles."
"Again, I have nothing to report other than what was in my missives." A stiff bow was his goodbye, and then he was free of the oppressive war room. Finally, he could breathe again.
Sango gaped at him. "You can't just talk to the emperor like that!" she hissed. "I haven't seen you disrespect him so brazenly since—since—well, ever!"
"I can talk to the old man like that and I just did!" he snapped. "At least you should be on my side!"
Her eyes softened. Reaching out to touch him, she stopped just short of his shoulder. That said enough.
"Do you want to break one last one in before all the balls and courting begin?" he asked, trying his best to appear at least somewhat enthusiastic.
Sango grinned, tears in her eyes that she would not let fall. "Anything for you, my prince."
O\o/O
Kikyo came awake in stages.
At first, she could only hear. A drop of water fell again and again into an ever-increasing puddle. Then she smelled mold and mildew. Were they in a cave? They were somewhere in the mountains… Her body no longer felt fuzzy but instead heavy and pained. That shocked her enough that the adrenaline woke her completely.
The room they were in was most likely a cellar, judging by the damp and the rickety wooden stairs she could barely make out. The thin ray of light from under the door at the top of the stairs lit the room just enough so that when her panicking eyes adjusted, she could see the bonds that held her against the slimy rock wall. They were thick, multiple strands of something that seemed familiar but frightening in their familiarity. Horse hair? Or human…
And then came the moment of complete, crushing terror.
Across the room, hanging from the wall in a way much like she herself was, was Kagome.
The girl was still unconscious and Kikyo wished she could be glad for so small a blessing. It wasn't until she realized Kagome was nude that she realized she was nude as well. That brought the entire situation some clarity.
They were slaves now.
Most likely, they were somewhere in enemy territory, the Inu empire. All that running, all the sweat and blood and tears, all for nothing. She'd failed Kagome. Even worse, she'd failed Suikotsu. The life he'd given for her was all for nothing. All for nothing. Now she would spend the rest of her days being defiled and raped by a man that was not him, not her good doctor, not the one she loved. All for nothing. It was all for nothing.
Something inside her, something vital that had come to life with Suikotsu, died and went to rest with him.