A/N: chapter bomb part 2 of 3! I hope you guys loved the last chapter, seeing Rin in a completely different form like that and having some mostly carefree fun. Things are soon going to get pretty heavy, so… *rubs hands together evilly*
A bright beam of winter sun woke Rin the next morning, and she let out a soft groan and tried to roll over into the comfortable darkness of her futon. She heard a soft chuckle and felt Sesshomaru's gentle hand smoothing her hair. "Ohayoo, Rin."
"…No." Rin grabbed the quilt and tugged it over her head, trying to burrow further into the warmth as he chuckled again. After a few moments, she decided to give up and wriggle back out from under the blanket. "Do we really have to go to your mother's palace today?" she grumbled, trying and failing not to whine.
Sesshomaru gave her a gentle kiss on the moon on her forehead as Rin sat up. "I am afraid so. This is a very important ceremony that has been tradition among us since before memory." He ran his long fingers through Rin's long raven hair, gently getting a tangle out. "I promise, once it is over, we will be able to return here and not be bothered again until you are ready to whelp, come summer." He was glad to see Rin's soft smile show after a few seconds. Her nose wriggled slightly as she caught scent of breakfast coming up the stairs for them, as he'd requested.
While they ate, Rin thought about the coming trip and the ceremony she knew almost nothing about. "how will we get there?" she asked, remembering he'd said something about it yesterday morning.
"We will travel there in true form, as I said." He took another bite of his food as she frowned at that, considering. "it will be fine. You settled naturally into your new legs, from what I saw yesterday."
"But—" she frowned deeper. "but…I can't do that! Aren't the clans supposed to already be there, watching us arrive? What if I trip or stumble? I could make a fool of myself in front of everyone!" she realized something else and added, "I can't fly, either—and isn't the palace usually in the clouds or something like that?"
Sesshomaru sighed softly. He was also concerned about that. While Rin did have a natural affinity for her massive canine form, she was brand-new to it. No one sane would expect a young pup to run with grace and poise on only their second ever transformation. Not only that, but he was worried about their child. Her stomach was, if possible, even more vulnerable to injury or attack in that form than as a human, and they were not without potential enemies, to say nothing of natural dangers. He would certainly never forgive himself if she or their pup came to any harm when he could have prevented it. Add flying—which took years to master at best—to the mix, and it was far too dangerous for his liking. He nodded slightly to himself as she watched, waiting for his reply.
"you are right. Perhaps it would be best if I carried you, as I did before, at least to the courtyard, and you can transform there if needed." He relaxed as he saw Rin let out a loud sigh of relief and let her stiff shoulders loosen. He nodded, seeing her finish the last of her breakfast. "for now, go and bathe, my love. I shall send a handmaiden to help you dress and put up your hair for you."
She smiled at the prospect of a bath, but her face fell at the mention of a maidservant. "Surely I can dress myself to your satisfaction!" she insisted. "I won't need help." He shook his head, and she continued, "I'm not going to wear some ridiculous mountain of fancy clothing because your mother or some stuffy tradition demands it, either—"
He placed a finger on her lips to silence her gently. "Rin. It is not my choice. It is all about appearances and tradition. And I promise it won't be as bad as you think." He allowed himself a tiny smirk. "if it makes you feel any better, I must dress up as well, which is something I care for just as little as you do." Her shoulders slumped in defeat and he stood, offering his hand to pull her to her feet and send her on the way to the bath house. He had chosen to bathe last night, and simply went to the wardrobe, starting to set out his new robes with a determined sigh.
When Rin returned to their bedroom, she smiled broadly at the sight of her mate. She had never thought he could look better than he normally did in his white everyday traveling robes. She could scarcely believe how wrong she had been. He had two collars visible at his throat, the undermost red and the top one white. His white sashinuki pants were replaced with slightly simpler but more formal black 8-panel hakama, and his feet were clad in split-toe tabi socks rather than his preferred boots. Over his kosode he wore a black haori coat adorned with the red hexagon and flower pattern Rin had long suspected was some sort of clan crest. It was embroidered in white thread on five different points on the haori—both sides of his chest, and three places on his back. The haori was tied shut with a large and fancy tasseled knot. Rin knew it was not as formal as it was possible for him to dress, but it was likely the fanciest thing he owned here at the manor.
Sesshomaru offered a small smile in return as he beheld his mate. Her favorite deep green jacket was still draped over her slight form in a way that made it trail gracefully behind her. She, too, had two underlayers, with the bottom-most being red and the upper one white. Over top she wore a deep black and very formal kimono which had less decoration than she was used to. What little there was happened to be very brightly colored to make up for there being less of it. Her obi was also a bright color and very broad and fancy, covering her between the bottom of her breasts and her navel. There was also an extra layer of fabric peeking from behind her obi on top and a cord tied in a fancy knot over the top of the colorful band to add layers of formality to her garments. Her small feet were also covered in tabi, he could see. She blushed lightly as he looked up to see they had reddened her lips pleasantly and pinned up her hair in an elaborate bun to expose the nape of her neck, as was fashionable. He preferred her raven hair down and flowing free, just as she did, but he had to admit the look was very good on her.
Sesshomaru stepped forward and took Rin's hand gently, leading her downstairs to wait a few moments more while he put on his armor and gathered his blades. He grabbed her dagger as well, passing it to her before heading out to the garden. Rin found a place to tie it to her obijime where it wouldn't be in the way. When she looked up again, he was standing by the koi pond, all five meters or so of him. Something within Rin stirred and she immediately shut her eyes and covered her ears, trying to hold her form together. Her instincts demanded she join her mate in his form, as she should, and she shivered, fighting the urge. She heard a soft, concerned whine and felt him nudge her as gently as he could. He pulled away from her quickly as her eyes snapped open, glowing red, and she changed within seconds, looking ashamed of her lack of self-control.
"it's all right, Rin. We can make some of the trip like this. Just stay right next to me, understood?" Rin looked away and heaved a sigh. "okay…" she mumbled, looking up as he jumped over the garden wall and hurrying to follow him.
After traveling for quite a distance, they reached a fair-sized river that was too big for Rin to confidently leap over it. She stopped for a drink and shook her head with a sharp sneeze as water got up her nose. "it's freezing! I'm not walking through that!" she thought as she let out a yelp. He made a scoffing sound.
"would you prefer we fly the rest of the way, then?" he suggested, looking at her with a bit of amusement. Cold water had never bothered her before that he could remember. There were sheets of ice on the water, of course, but what should that matter? Cold paws had never bothered him any. She nodded quickly and he sighed. "very well, then return to your human form and I shall carry you." She blinked at him and managed to mumble that she didn't know how without him being in human form too. He took his time shifting back, exasperated, and she was able to change. "now then, are you ready to go?"
"can you still fly in this form?" she asked, not remembering whether he could or not, or whether he could while carrying something or someone. He simply sighed and scooped her up, holding her to his chest and bounding into the air. They didn't have time to waste if they wanted any slim chance of reaching the palace before too many prying eyes were there.
Rin was shocked awake by her mother-in-law's voice snarling at them. Sesshomaru gently placed his mate on her feet in the throne room. Luckily no one had been expecting them, so no one had seen them arrive. Well, almost no one. "What. Are. You. Doing?!" Sesshomaru's mother demanded of them, almost irate. "what were you thinking, coming here in human form? What if one of the daimyō had seen you? Or even a servant? Have you any thought in that empty head of yours, my son?!"
"Mother," he spoke in a barely concealed growl, "Rin has only been able to transform for a single day. She has barely gotten her paws straight, and you expect her to be able to fly here?" the woman looked offended that she apparently had not thought much about it. It was simply protocol to have them both fly in, just as she had done centuries ago with her own mate, making a grand entrance and proving their strength and poise. She looked at the girl now, noting she cleaned up very well, though she had gotten many things wrong, as had her son. This was not some simple tea ceremony, but the second most important and formal occasion in their lives. She reached forward and gently but firmly took the girl by the wrist, meaning to lead her away. "you simply won't do."
With a sharp and obvious growl of warning, Sesshomaru's large hand closed over his mother's wrist, squeezing with a little more force than strictly necessary to break her grip on her daughter-in-law. When the slight white-haired woman looked up sharply at her son, he spoke. "Mother. You must remember the pup that grows within her. You must be gentle and—"
"Sesshomaru!" she barked, cutting him off angrily. "do you forget so easily that I myself carried and birthed you? I know just how delicate a woman with child is—and it is not as delicate as you seem to believe." She pulled her wrist free of his grip and snapped, "you will not do either. You look as if you have forgotten every lesson on etiquette I ever gave you. Change your clothing, polish your armor, put away two of your blades, and tie up your hair. You are neither a pup nor a bachelor any longer."
Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes slightly in distrust at his mother, then turned his back sharply, striding swiftly for his room within the palace. His mother hummed in satisfaction at his retreating back, then gently took Rin's wrist again, gently patting her hand with a small chuckle. "he's so charming when he's being protective, isn't he? So like his father sometimes. And don't worry, girl, you have done a fine job, but special care is needed in this case." Rin let out a sigh of relief as she trailed after her mother-in-law to a room with all manner of clothing.
When Rin returned in time for a late dinner, her clothing had changed once more, as had his. Sesshomaru was just putting his sword, bakusaiga, into his sash of rank, which was now tied around the biggest and thickest black coat Rin had ever laid eyes on. It bore a passing resemblance in shape to InuYasha's red jacket, except it went past his knees and had a rather small round collar instead of the usual one. There were now about 4 collars visible under the coat, rather than just two, and his pants had also changed. Rin looked back up at his face, half expecting one of those hats like jaken wore, but instead found his white hair bound in a high ponytail that flowed down his back. His mokomoko, soft, creamy white, and freshly cleaned and brushed, looped over his right shoulder and spilled down his strong back and onto the floor for several feet, like a train.
"Are you done staring?" he asked teasingly of his young mate after several seconds. She quickly blinked and shut her mouth, blushing lightly and looking away. He stepped over to her, looking her over with a critical eye. His mother had always had good taste and a perfect touch when it came to fashion, and he could see that held true with his beloved now. Despite the fair amount of white still on him, both with two of his under layers and his hakama, there didn't seem to be a speck of it on Rin anywhere. As she was supposed to be carrying new life, this didn't really surprise him. A poor choice it would be to wear the color of death to such a ceremony. Her outermost kosode was still black, but a little more subdued, covered with his crest symbols, and two more jackets had been added under her deep green one, one with chrysanthemum and another with what looked like a crane, both symbols of long life. He was slightly surprised his mother had allowed her to keep the deep green jacket with its sakura branches and flowing river near the hem, as it would be months before the trees bloomed again. But then, perhaps she had no choice. It was Rin's most favorite item of clothing, and she refused to take it off for anything.
Out of all this, it was Rin's stomach and her obi that caught his attention the most. The obi was soft and thin, with no obiage or obijime this time, and tied just under her breasts, making her belly seem to stick out slightly. He suspected his mother may even have stuffed the lining of the winter kosode to make her belly the size it should be by this time of year, to save them an explanation. There was a knock at the door and he stepped away to answer it, finding a servant with a tray of food and tea. "Gobodō-sama will be coming later to speak with you, Sesshomaru-sama. For now, please rest and eat. The tea is for milady, and the midwife said you aren't to drink it."
"why not?" he asked with instant suspicion, taking the tray and placing it on a table.
"It is an herbal blend for women with child, and would be wasted on you." Rin opened the teapot and sniffed lightly, starting to smile. "it's just stinging nettle and a few other things. It wouldn't do anything to you, but you probably shouldn't drink it."
"stinging nettle?" he repeated. He did not want stinging anything near Rin, no matter who said it was good for her. But she just laughed at his reaction. "that's just what it's called, because the leaves have little hairs that will sting you if you pick them wrong. But it's very good for you." She poured herself a cup and admired the scent as he settled cross-legged beside her and served their food.
When they were finished and Rin was growing sleepy, Sesshomaru's mother swept suddenly into the room in a much more formal garb than she normally sported as well. "the packs will be here tomorrow. At noon, you will present your mate to them." She eyed him with satisfaction as he had jumped to his feet at her sudden appearance. She stepped forward, momentarily seeing her former mate, the young Nami man who had become the Taishō upon the birth of their son, taking the title from her father. She had begun to despair this day ever coming, as her only son was content to wander the countryside after his father's death, lusting for nothing but power. But now, at last, it had come. She patted his cheek with a gentle hand. "you have grown well, my son." She stepped back to address both of them. "tonight, we shall have a practice before the palace servants, to ensure there will be no trouble or missteps come tomorrow."
A/N: sorry this took so long to get out, I wanted to get the clothing and herbs right and that involved a little more research than I really intended. you can't necessarily trust the first page google brings up, especially with japanese traditional clothing!