Chapter 9

It was obvious that she had never left her home kingdom. She marveled at the littlest things we flew past. The trees, a mountain, the ocean. The further away we'd gotten from the kingdom, the more relaxed she became. Her hair in the wind. The occasional smile on her lips. She was behaving more and more like her mother with each passing moment. I noticed her eyes closing slowly. I moved closer to her and let her lean on me. She was asleep in a matter of minutes. I watched her as she slept. I ran a clawed hand through her hair. She has not changed in these three years. No, she was on guard more than ever.

I could see the palace off in the distance. I turned slightly and slid her into my lap trying not to wake her. In a matter of minutes, we'd reached our destination. I lowered us to the ground. I cradled her to my chest stepping off. The grounds of the palace were quiet. I noticed the guards taking glances at the sleeping woman in my arms, but they said nothing. However, the servants in the palace whispered among themselves. Their whispering did nothing. I could hear their questions. They all wondered who she was and what she was doing here. I carried her up to our room, laying her on the bed. Jaken came bursting in.

"Milord, I heard you were back!"

I glared at him. "Quiet."

"My apologies, Milord. Is this her? The woman who wrote the letter you left behind?" he said quietly.

"I don't recall giving you permission to read the letter Jaken."

"M-my apolo-"

"Leave us Jaken."

"Yes Milord," he said, scurrying off sliding the door closed behind him.

I turned my attention back to her. I ran my thumb across her bottom lip. She slept as if she did not have a care in the world. People would be shocked at the sight of her sleeping so comfortably in the presence of a man that she had just met. I smiled down at her.

How strange.

I stretched my limbs feeling around me. I couldn't recall the last time I had felt so at peace. I opened my eyes, nearly jumping out of my skin.

"It is not normal to watch people sleep!"

He smiled. "I did not mean to frighten you. This is something you will become used to. It is time for your bath."

"That is something I will never become used to. My bath?"

He nodded pointing to a separate door. I slid off of the bed, stepping out of my shoes. I went over to the door sliding it open. It was a small bathing area. I could hear a sound coming from another door. I went over to it, sliding it open. It was much more than I expected. It was quite the site. I'd only heard of them in books. Bathhouses. They're built around a natural spring. I turned back to him, embarrassed about what I was about to say.

"Is something wrong, Himiko?

I cleared my throat. "I need your help.

He came over to me. His tall frame towered over me.

"With?" he asked.

"My dress," I said, not looking him in the eyes.

"Is that so?"

I did not need to see his face to know that he was smiling. I could hear it in his voice. I turned my back to him. I could feel him unclasping the buttons of my dress.

"This is not funny."

"I did not laugh."

"You did not need to."

I could feel his claws light grazing against my skin. It made me shiver. I pulled my arms out of the dress letting it fall to the floor.

"Next the corset."

"You will never have to wear such things again," he said.

Part of me was glad about that. He finished the last lace, pulling it off me and tossing it to the side. I was standing in nothing but my chemise. I went to take a step, but he picked me up walking me into the spring. I jumped out of his arms, backing away. I covered my breasts, seeing that my chemise was soaked and wet.

"What do you think you are doing Sesshomaru?"

"I am glad to see we moved past the title of Your Majesty."

"You didn't answer my question."

"Have I done something wrong?"

"You are in the bath with me!"

"Is this not a normal occurrence where you are from?" he asked with a smirk.

"No, I bathe alone!"

He smiled, going closer to the edge and taking a seat.

"Now would be the best time to get our questions out of the way."

At least he was still clothed... well halfway. I sighed going over to him. Sitting a good distance away from him. So the water covered my breasts.

"Ask your questions first," I told him.

"Why did you have me kidnap your father for that short time?"

"His disappearance served as a much-needed distraction. It rattled them."

"Do you fully understand the grasp of what it means to be my wife... my mate?"

"I have done my research. I understand its importance. and just how deep it goes. In terms of that it is lifelong."

"So then you understand what will happen in the coming days?" he asked.

I nodded. There was a look in his eyes, but I couldn't quite tell what it meant.

"My last question. Do you remember three years ago at the nation's meeting?"

"Yes, it was the Kiyano Kingdom's turn to host the meeting. I made a brief appearance. What of it?"

"Hn. It was nothing. Continue, ask your questions."

"How will I learn about your customs and culture?"

"You will have a teacher assigned to you. To teach you our ways and the ways of others. You need to know how to conduct yourself in front of other demon-kind."

"I know I said I understood how deep it goes. I understand that the bond is for life, but how is the bond created? That part was not included in any of the books in our library."

"We demons have purposely kept that a secret. Since you will experience it soon, I will explain it to you." he moved closer to me, placing one arm behind me. "In the next day or so, you will be prepared for me. When the sun rises, you will be bathed, and styled in traditional garb. You will be brought to me. I will be waiting for you in this very bedroom. Then, once the sun sets. " he placed a claw under my chin, making me look at him. " I will undress you." he dropped his hand to my thigh. "I will touch you until you feel an unbearable sensation between your thighs..." he said trailing off.

I did not realize that I had been hanging on his every word. Many men have tried to swoon me but they have all failed. Why was it that this man was so tempting? Had I grown soft over the years? Perhaps finally running away from home has made me drop my guard somewhat.

"Do you need me to explain the rest to you, Himiko?"

I nodded. It was as if my head moved on its own. He smirked, leaning over and placing his lips beside my ear.

"I will slip into you, pumping in and out of you. Kissing, sucking, and teasing parts of your body. Until you reach your peak of pleasure that will hit you in waves and make you want to scream and tighten around me. I will cum inside you while I bite your neck combining my life force with yours."

He pulled away, but only slightly. Leaving barely any space between us. He peered down at me with those piercing eyes. I felt a slight tingle between my legs. A feeling that I had not yet experienced, especially not because of a man.

"Your face is flush. Is it too warm for you? Or perhaps is it something else?"

He took a lock of my hair and kissed it. Not breaking eye contact with me. There was a dark look in his eyes.

"I can smell it on you Himiko. Your arousal... careful."

I pressed my thighs together tightly. I knew a demon's sense of smell was strong, but I did not know they could pick up things like this.

"Men must have sought after you," he said quietly.

"They did," I said. My voice was barely a whisper.

"Have you never wanted them?"

"No." I said matter of fact.

The tingle between my legs worsened. I watched him take a deep inhale. That was right, he could smell it, and I could not hide it. His eyes darkened even more. I was not an easy woman. I have never spared a man a second glance.

"You are making it incredibly hard to hold onto my self-control."

"Why are you so taken with me? You barely know me."

"It was three years ago. I had never attended a nation's meeting. I chose to go to this one out of curiosity. I wanted to see what had come of the child Zarina had left behind. The moment I saw you it was instantaneous."

I swallowed hard. "What was?"

"My beast chose you."

I recalled what I had read in the books. A beast's choosing meant that was its chosen mate. A demon would sooner die than risk losing its mate. I did not know what to say to him.

" I would have come for you sooner, had I known how desperately you wanted to be free of that place. I had planned to wait until you had become queen."

He seemed to be searching my eyes for something.

"You must be wondering why?"

"Why?" I asked.

"The reason as to why you feel differently towards me. You do not strike me as someone who makes mistakes from what I have heard, as well as seen. You are an excellent judge of character. You have had to be that way for your entire life. It is how you have survived. You know when someone is and is not to be trusted. You have realized that I am possibly the only person that you can fully trust. That is a new feeling for you and you do not know what to do. Let the wall down, or reinforce it because it has kept you safe for so long, among other reasons."

Among other reasons?

He moved closer. "You do not have to worry any longer, Himiko. You are not alone. I will never let anything happen to you. You can trust me. I will be your sword and your shield. A friend... a lover. It does not matter what you need or want. I will always take care of you."

"I did not ask you to take care of me," I said, trying to put some distance between us.

"You do not need to ask. You are mine. I protect what is mine."

"I am not a possessions. I belong to no one."

"That is where you are wrong Himiko. In a matter of days you will be mine, and I will be yours... I am already yours."

Between my legs was throbbing now. I felt his hand on my thigh, he gave it a light squeeze. It made sense now. He was giving me the one no one had given me before, reassurance, safety... someone to trust. It was all foreign to me. It was clouding my judgment. My body was falling for it and it made me feel weak.

"Is there something you need right now Himiko?"

I knew it was not the water making her skin red. Her cheeks were red from listening to the things I wanted to do to her; that I would do to her. Eyes lidded, her lips parted taking shallow breaths. I could hear her heart pounding in her chest. The crotch of my pants became tight. It was becoming difficult to hold onto my self-control with each passing second. The clothes she wore clung to her skin. stray hairs clinging to her face. I wanted to do this the right way, the traditional way. I did not know if I was going to make it for the next two days. I set my hand on her thigh gently squeezing it.

"Is there something you need right now Himiko?"

I could see her mulling it over. Was she really considering it? I leaned in, hovering my lips above hers. I pulled away at the last second.

"Come, you should sleep."

She took a deep breath slowly standing. I pried my eyes away from her. My self-control was already slipping. If I saw that this clothing clinging to her. I would surely lose myself. I took her hand helping her step out of the spring.

"Wait here a moment."

I left returning with a towel and a haori. I turned my back to her. I could hear her wet clothing hitting the floor. I took a deep breath waiting for her to finish.

"I am finished," she said quietly.

I turned to her, taking the towel and drying her hair.

"You can go to bed, I will join you shortly."

I watched her walk away in my oversized clothes. It was a sight I enjoyed. I stripped myself drying off. I grabbed a spare hakama off the wall. I willed my erection to go away before stepping foot into the bedroom. I could feel her eyes on me as I climbed into bed.

"How did you know you could trust me? What made you so sure that you could write to me and I would come to you?"

She turned to me. "My father kept all of my mother's things after she died. Her bedroom was a shrine. In the east wing of the castle. He loved my mother more than anything. I'm sure when she died, all the good in him went with her. His mistress, her children, and the servants were allowed to go there. No one paid attention to me so I often snuck away there. She is my mother, but I knew nothing of her. It was there that I saw her for the first time. It was a portrait of him and my mother. I had never seen him smile before then. It was there I found her journals. She had written a lot about you. From what she wrote she seemed to have a lot of respect for you. In some way more than her father it seemed. That is how I knew I could ask you for help. If she trusted you then it was a worthwhile risk. Part of me worried if you would pull through, but clearly, I was worried for nothing... since here we are..." she said trailing off.

"Hn."

I brushed the hair out of her face. She had already fallen asleep. I smiled.

This will be interesting.