Love through the ages

Taijina paced the small confines of her room, she was dressed in a borrowed slayer uniform from Sango. Her massive golden hair was braided and fell to her feet. Even though her room was empty and seemingly big and open, it seemed too small to her. In fact everything was stifling as she was worried about the upcoming battle, even the clothes she wore. Today she would either be Lady of West or banished from the Western Lands. Too much was riding on her, and she wasn’t sure what she was going to do, after all Fu told her yesterday he was supporting Sesshomaru.

If your own brother didn’t support you, the young brother who always looked up to you, was it worth it? Was this really worth it? Should she just submit and forget the whole thing? Would she be able to pretend to be happy as Lady of the West? This was just all too much pressure for one person.

“You’re wearing a hole in the floor,” Ash stated from the bed, causing Taijina to jump.

“Where did you come from,” she gasped, as she tried to catch her breath.

“I’m in some place called Salem in the New World,” Ash replied as she reclined on the bed. “This is just an astral form, after all I can here your cries from all the way over here. So what’s wrong this time?”

“Where do I begin,” Taijina huffed as she sat on the bed. “I’m being forced to mate Sesshomaru, and I’m unsure how he feels about me, so I challenged his claim. Now I’m waiting to go outside and fight him for dominancy and me and my Youki side are in disagreement how the outcome should be. I want to fight for my freedom, and my Youki wishes to submit to Sesshomaru. Sounds fun, no?”

“How do you always get yourself into this situations,” Ash laughed, and Taijina growled at the girl. Sobering from her laughing spell, Ash stared Taijina down. “If you wish to beat him do it in your Youkai Beast form. Four legs are better then three, and we both know he can best you at weapons. Get him off balance. Understand?”

“I’m glad someone supports me in this,” Taijina sighed. “Fu, my own flesh and blood sides with Sesshomaru.”

“Maybe Fu sees something you are missing?” Ash smiled, then quickly frowned. “Damn, someone is knocking. I’ll be back when the sun rises here. Meet me in the hot springs at the time tomorrow and let me know what happened.”

“Ash! ASH!” Taijina growled as Ash disappeared. “Terrific, I think I’m more confused then I was before. Thanks for nothing, stupid witch.”

“Maybe you re thinking too hard about this,” came Ash’s laughing voice from thin air.

“Oh do shut up!” Taijina sighed, as she crossed her arms. She wasn’t sure what she was going to do, she just knew she was going to do it when the time came. Frustrated she let out a growl as she flung herself onto the bed. There was a knocking at her door.

“My Lady it’s time,” called the voice behind the door.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

“Are you going to kill her?” InuYasha asked as he voiced his worries to a meditating Sesshomaru. Opening his left eye he shot InuYasha a glare, before closing it once more. “This whole thing is stupid. Can’t you just forget the claim and move on with life?”

“It is the principle behind the matter, brother,” Sesshomaru replied. “She is challenging my dominancy and I will not have it. To drop my claim is to show weakness, and it would make it seem like I am scared of a female. All know this Sesshomaru is afraid of no one. I will not have my authority questioned because Taijina is being moody about her station in life.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to hurt her!” InuYasha growled, causing both his brother’s eyes to fall upon him. Realizing he was challenging dominancy again, he quickly moved his eyes to the floor, to show he submitted to his Alpha.

“Little brother you barely know what demon society demands upon it’s Alpha males,” Sesshomaru replied bored as a knocking was heard. “What is it?”

“It’s time my Lord,” replied the voice.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Koga was seated waiting for the claiming battle to begin, he had spaced himself from the other lords, and lady. Tugging at the collar of his formal blue kimono, he let out a small growl when InuYasha sat next to him.

“You know there are other seats mutt face,” Koga growled.

“Yeah, so?” InuYasha snorted, as he readjusted his own red formal kimono. “Do you ever get use to these things?!”

“Now you know why I just run around in fur and amour,” Koga laughed, causing InuYasha to laugh as well.

“Do the participants normally die in these things?” InuYasha asked quietly and seriously. He needed to know if there was a chance he could lose his sister. Koga sat In thought for a moment before he answered.

“I’ve been to two other claiming battles before,” Koga replied, as he looked towards the field before them. They were seated in a raised stand over looking an empty field about 10 miles long. “The last one the female killed the male. He was way out matched. But I heard of other, the male only ever dies. A male making a claim on a female would not kill a female he claimed, it would show he had no respect for his claim. Plus females are the only one who can bring a pup into the world, to kill one you are trying to claim is disrespectful to the entire pack. If you are fearful for the wench you have no worries.”

Silence fell throughout the crowed as Linh, Cho, and Fu walked forward. Standing before the crowed in their black robes, Linh spoke for the advisors.

“Today we are here for a claiming battle,” Linh spoken loudly, irritation in her voice. After all Taijina had found a way to question her authority, and no one did that to her. “By the end of this battle either a new Lady of the West shall be claimed, or a new Lord of the West shall be named. We all know what is at stake. Now bring them out!”

Sesshomaru and Taijina walked onto the field from opposite ends, meeting at where the advisors stood. The advisors bowed to Sesshomaru the Taijina before leaving the field. Bowing to each other, Taijina and Sesshomaru mentally prepared themselves for the fight. A gong was hit, and they started circling each other.

Neither was prepared to make the first move. Ash’s words were running through her head, if she wanted to win she was going to have to tired Sesshomaru out. Dodging to the left, as Sesshomaru came at her with his claws. Deciding to stay on the defensive for now, she continued to dodge his claws.

Weapons were pushed to the side as this was an ancient right, submission would be caused by their own unassisted power. Sesshomaru refused to use his poison whip, unless need be, after all he remember what happened last time Taijina had a taste of his poison. He wasn’t in this to harm her, just make her submit to him.

“Stop running and fight,” he growled as she dodge more attacks. Frustrated by her constant defense, he was waiting for her retaliation so he could get this over with. “Come at me!”

“I’ll do this my way,” she replied as she slowly moved them from the stands. Ash was right, she had to use their beast forms if she was to win. “I’ll win my own way!”

“You aren’t going to win,” he replied as he grabbed her by the neck and held her mid air. “You will submit to me and only ME!”

“No,” she replied struggling, digging her nails into his flesh, and kicking him.

Fighting for consciousness, if she let herself fall into unconsciousness it would be a sign of submission. This fight had only begun, Taijina wasn’t ready to give up. Kicking him in between the legs causing Sesshomaru to let up his grip for a second. It was the second she needed to break free. Dropping to the ground and rolling away from him, Taijina quickly stood, preparing for the next attack.

“Low blow,” Sesshomaru growled, as he flew at her again. Leaping into the air, Taijina transformed into her beast form, a giant golden dog, who was slightly smaller the Sesshomaru in his beast form. Her dark purple star was still on her forehead as she ready to pounce on and untransformed Sesshomaru. “So you want to play with the big dogs huh? Well let’s play!”

A/N: Thank you again KooKoo for the reviews! And if you want to beat me up good for it, but be forwarn I might like it! LOL. Reviews keep the story going and inspire me to keep writting!
I have the next chapter written, however I'm going to be slightly mean and wait till I get another review before I post it. Sorry but I'm slightly discourage by the few reviews I have been getting. I know people are reading because the hitnumber is going up.