The Winter That Brought A Stray.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha; all credit goes to Rumiko Takahashi.
Note: This story will start rather slow, and chapters will be short. However, please be patient and respect the adventure that is to come.
-Snow-
The snowflakes glittered in the air as the sun, in all its glory, blazed across the palace landscape.
A soft wash of golden light filled the expanse of the sky. The contrasting tones of the painted heavens above worked against the various shades of blues, whites, and grays over the snowy landscape of The Western Lands.
In the expansive gardens of the Palace of The Tsuki no Inu, a white rabbit with long pink ears feasted on the bright ruby berries of a snow-dusted Nanakamado bush. Nearby, a red fox hunted the rabbit, creeping along the tan dormant blades of frosted Hakone grasses.
The winter air sang with a rich chill that strummed tree branches, creating a beautiful natural song. Gnarled garden sakura trees donned thick jackets of fluffy white puff. At the heart of this snowy garden lay a frozen pond.
A handsome koi drifts beneath the entrapped flowers and leaves of the icy pond's surface. From his bedroom, the famed Lord of The West gazes absently out the window of his pavilion. Golden eyes roam over the snowy landscape below.
So extraordinary was this handsome lord that on the eve of his birth, the spirit of winter, Kuraokami, came down from the heavens and blessed him with eternal fortune. However, it was the god of war, Hachiman-shin, who gave him the name Sesshomaru.
This morning, Lord Sesshomaru's long snow-kissed hair lay unbound and untamed down his broad back. Silver strands hung down the sides of his temples, brushing his cheeks. He tapped his pristine, manicured claws across the surface of the desk that he occupied, which was engraved with a dragon design.
Blinking his eyes, Sesshomaru could still see the remnents of his dream. Warm, melting visions of himself floating languidly through the clouds with a nameless woman in his arms haunted him still.
Try as he might, he could not prevent the wintry morning sky from spiraling away his mind. Oh, how he longed to glide along the contours of the pillowy vapors. Sadly, he could only watch them shuffle on by in the golden river of the heavenly dawn above.
Traces of slumber showed in his gilded eyes as he turned his attention to the gardens below. In his private moment, a smile graced Sesshomaru's thin, conch shell-pink lips at the sheets of ice coating the weeping cherry blossom trees in the courtyard.
His mental voyage came to an end as the powerful aura arrived, and his smile faded. The aura clashed with his inner strength, triggering the beast lying beneath his skin. His beautiful black diamond-like pupils narrowed into frightening slits.
He stood from his chair and adjusted the longer layers of his gray decorative sleeping robes. Clasping his hands behind his back, he turned on the heels of his peony-blue sleeping slippers toward the grand pair of oak doors leading to the causeway of his chambers.
His signature mask of indifference replaced the sleepy expression on his face, and he mentally braced himself for the woman coming down the hall with an entourage behind her.
The Lady Mother.
A lady of supreme birth entered the pavilion of the Western Castle's lord. The grinning crescent on her forehead and the solitary jagged stripes on each of her high cheekbones stood out against her pale skin. The burnt orange sewn floral patterns of her dark maroon regal morning wear clashed with the brighter tones of the hall.
Lady Kimitsu was impeccably distinguished by her late husband's council as one of the wisest advisors to the West. Through the years, the lady became the backbone of the aging Tsuki no Inu Empire. All who served her both feared and loved her. Lady Mother continued some of her late husband's traditions while enforcing laws of her own that her advisors deemed beneficial to the country's growth.
The group passed by the handcrafted rainbow glass chrysanthemum lanterns strategically placed along the golden walls and oriental spiraling blue-green glass inu-demons making up the pillars of Sesshomaru's pavilion.
As Lady Kimitsu approached the doors, two Shadowcat servants dutifully bent at the waist acknowledging their lady, and their matching black ponytails fell over their shoulders in sequence. They raised after seeing the lady motion with the end of her black fan for them to stand. The guards bowed their heads respectfully and pulled open the massive oak doors for her.
From the gold-painted corner of her eye, Lady Kimitsu saw movement in the distance and paused. Turning her head to the side, the party behind her followed suit. At the opposite end of the hall, a small kappa came bustling down the floral patterned carpet, running as fast as his short legs would allow. The imp finally stopped in front of the lady, panting with his webbed hands on his knees.
Kimitsu released a puff of air through her nose and curled her magenta lips into the beginning of a snarl. However, she caught herself and merely rolled her eyes at the ugly demon's antics. Jaken glared at her before turning to inform his lord of the woman's arrival.
The Lady Mother didn't wait for the little fiend masquerading as her son's advisor to announce her. She shook out her sleeves and tossed her head up as she entered the room, and she did so with her head held proudly.
As the imp opened his mouth to speak, the end of the lady's sleeve smacked the kappa across the face as she passed him. The demon glared at the back of her head, massaging his sore beak with his hands, grumbling. He ignored the laughter and derogatory comments from all eighteen of her cohorts, and the two extras that shuffled in behind her.
The lord addressed her coolly as, "Mother."
Lady Kimitsu was visibly pleased, seeing that she'd left him no time to make himself decent. Her golden eyes smiled at him in return, and she bowed her head, causing some of her many dazzling jade hair ornaments to clink against each other. Her entourage performed the same action.
Ah, my son, it is a joy to see you. I do hope the morning frost has been kind to you," she responded sweetly. Sesshomaru eyed her skeptically, unsure of her intentions.
Hm, you as well," the inu said, addressing her with a stern expression. "Tell me, mother, what brings you to my presence with such a large audience so early in the morning?"
Kimitsu knew at that moment that she was not welcome. The faint tinge of annoyance in her son's biting words was proof enough. She saw the little bastard, Jaken, grinning at her from the corner of her eye. She swallowed down her ire for the kappa and proceeded with her plan.
"Forgive my punctuality. I rise before the sun, so matters of the Western House can be completed dutifully in your honor. The time has come, Lord Sesshomaru. The West shall no longer go without a lady. Come forward, Miyabi hime-sama." Kimitsu called as she held her hand out toward the crowd of her advisors. A young demoness stepped forward and took the lady's hand.
"I take pleasure in introducing your bride, Miyabi Hime, Princess of the Wetlands!" Kimi declared. She trained her eyes on her son, watching his expression change as he gazed upon the beautiful, buxom teal-haired demoness she had guided next to her. Jaken's mouth dropped open; the kappa couldn't believe Lady Kimi was foolish enough to attempt such a bold move against his lord.
Sesshomaru tilted his chin up sharply as he silently scrutinized the princess. Some of the closest male advisers cast lingering gazes over the princess's erotic shape.
The soft mint and teal tones of the wetlands-styled jūnihitoe Miyabi wore over her curvaceous form contrasted beautifully with her golden scales, and her dark skin. Sesshomaru found the aqua symbols of her yokai heritage and sun-kissed skin ugly.
Miyabi's eyes were an enchanting emerald green color. Her soft cheeks, round chin, and puffy pink lips made her face seem childlike. Miyabi's bright blue hair was tied back in tight, intricate knots, and decorated with priceless gems from the Riverlands.
While this demonstrated Miyabi's martial prowess and mating allure, he didn't fancy this new bride at all. She was a fish and not suited for the title of Lady of The West at all! Displeasure blazed in his golden eyes as he made eye contact with the Wetland princess, and he narrowed them at her. Miyabi stared back amorously at her future husband.
Even dressed as he was, in simple sleeping attire, the famed dog lord was more handsome than she had heard him described to be. With hair as pure as snow, attractive features blessed truly by the moon, and penetrating eyes as yellow as gold, Sesshomaru unintentionally stole the maiden's heart. His image left her with quickening palpitations of the heart, sweaty palms, and flushed cheeks.
The princess's arousal flooded the room loudly, taking the lord and Jaken by surprise. The odor of river scum, marsh mud, acrid knotweed flowers, and decaying reeds offended Sesshomaru's nose. Many of the males in the room enjoyed the refreshing aroma, except Jaken. He covered his beak with his sleeve, cringing at the stench.
"My father Youten sends his regards. It is an honor to become your mate, my lord! I shall bare you many healthy offspring!" Promised the fish-bride as she hid her blushing face shyly behind her teal sleeve.
"You overzealous sea cow!" Jaken began to crow at the princess, but a surprise smack from Kimi's fan stunned him into silence.
"You would do well to hold your tongue, you loathsome creature!" Lady Kimi hissed under her breath as she fanned herself. Sesshomaru's hard eyes flickered between the princess and his mother. The Lord of The West had an itch to fry some fish before his mother and her court.
Lady Kimi comically waved her violet fan faster in the air to dissipate the heat that was radiating off an infuriated Sesshomaru, trying to keep her makeup from melting off. The temperature in the room rose six degrees due to the lord's boiling rage, and everyone in the room suddenly grew uncomfortable. Miyabi and Jaken suddenly grew thirsty.
Kimi's lips pulled down at the sight of her son's narrowing eyes and his top lip curling back in the commencement of a snarl. Not giving him the chance to reject the young princess, Kimi quickly interrupted him.
My Lord-Son, please remember the Court of Lords' demands. You are to introduce a mate to them at the Ball of The Four Kingdoms. I beg you, you must accept Miyabi for the future of our lands, and for your own future.
"Leave us, Jaken! Send that fish wench right back to the pond she crawled out of!" Lord Sesshomaru dismissed. He turned his back to them and folded his arms over his chest. His angry golden eyes stared out of the window in deep thought about the precarious situation his mother had placed him in. Kimi's nervous fanning ceased instantly, and the simple flick of her wrist snapped it shut.
"Yes, my lord!" The imp replied.
He had to hold back a chuckle as he watched The Lady Mother's plan fall apart before her very eyes. Princess Miyabi's expression fell at her betrothed's words, as did her handmaiden's. Lady Kimi's beautiful face was now marred by dark lines, as she glared at Jaken in disgust while he signaled for the guards to remove the sobbing fish-bride and her handmaiden.
Kimi's eyes burned with betrayal as she watched the backs of her advisors leaving the room. The party had shuffled out until Sesshomaru and herself were the only ones left. Kimi released a loud nasally sigh, pinching the bridge of her nose with her long bejeweled opal nails. She knew her weighted words wouldn't pass through the thickness of her son's pride, but she didn't expect him to insult the princess too.
"Much time has passed since your father's death, son. The royal family's rules have changed over time. Being an honorable ruler today means next to nothing. It now takes money to buy other lords' advisors, generals, and armies."
As your mother, I have to ensure a proper lady replaces me. You must apologize to Miyabi. She is a beautiful demoness who possesses a hefty dowry," Kimi explained as she rested her hand on his shoulder.
"I'm trying to help you, Sesshomaru-sama! A match between us and the Wetlands will give us a monetary advantage over those who seek to destroy us." She paused, taking a deep breath before continuing. "Should you fail to present a mate to the Court of Lords, you will forfeit your claim to the Western throne, and your cousin, Ryusaki, will replace you!" Sesshomaru turned to her with a look of disgust.
"I've excused your blatant disregard of my position many times, mother. But this time, you've overstepped your place! This one will choose a mate of his own liking! Should you interfere in my personal affairs ever again, you will suffer!" He snarled at her and slapped her hand away from him. Kimi instantly bristled from the action.
"How disrespectful! I am the very wind beneath your wings, child! Do not forget how much of this empire I have built! I have exhausted many of my resources to keep you on the throne! I will not allow all that I have worked so tirelessly for to fall into my sister's clutches because of your incompetence, Sesshomaru!" She snapped at him, and her delicate fan nearly broke in two under the pressure of her clenched fist.
"You wronged me first by attempting to marry me to a fish, and having me play pawn to that obese fish-lord, Youten! Well, mother, where you have your resources, I have mine! I do not fear the Court of Lords nor Setsuko or her son. I'll kill those who oppose me, lords, aunts, cousins and all!" he swore.
Kimi blinked her teary eyes and shook her head with a small smile.
"That is where you will fail, my son, just as your father did."
He growled at her, "Get out."
Kimi turned her back to her son, desiring not to show him how much he hurt her. She hurried toward the door so he wouldn't see her cry, but he had already sensed it. As she reached the door, she paused, choked back a sob, and then continued onward. Her mother's voice echoed in her mind, 'A lady never cries.' The sound of her own heartbeat pounded loudly in her ears. Some of the ornaments and jewels in her hair swayed as she walked.
"The future of the Tsuki no Inu Dynasty is in your hands. You must make a choice soon, my son." His mother warned gravely with a silvery tear trickling down her pale cheek. Then, as quickly as Kimi had come, she left, and Sesshomaru was alone again.
The Great Inu sank down into his chair with a sigh. He knew his mother's heart was in the right place, but her underhanded methods and lack of faith in his father's values were off-putting. The young lord lived by his late father's examples and would not buy the loyalty of others. Even so, he knew the future of his father's legacy rested on him making a choice.
If only there was a way to make his fated woman appear out of thin air. Sesshomaru smiled wistfully to himself. Was it too much to ask the kami for a pure maiden to fall from the sky and melt his icy heart?
He had no idea that such a thing was entirely possible.
Quite possibly, indeed.
End.
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Until next time, GR!