As Death Gives Life

Chapter 21 – Introducing The Northern Family

Kagome stood next to Rin, Kat and Shippo. Each one held their mouth slightly agape as they watched the progression of the Northern Lord and his family moving through the front hall. She had never been witness to such a strange sight. Her voyage through the feudal era had taken her far and wide and she had seen many strange and unusual things, but never once had she seen youkai of this breed.

Lord Buhito Teriyaki was beautiful, in a fowl sort of way. He strutted through Lord Sesshomaru’s home as if he owned the place. Even in human form it was clear that he was a rooster. His dark red crown stood up over his head of mahogany hair. He was tall and broad, wearing a black patch over one eye. As he passed by her she caught sight of his colorful plume of tail feathers floating gracefully with his movements. ‘A rooster youkai? How amazing!’

His wife scurried in behind him, her own coloring matching that of her husband. She was rather squat and plump and extremely talkative. Her own tail feathers were not visible in her humanoid form and Kagome wondered if Lord Buhito chose to show off his multicolored plum? Lady Chika Teriyaki was chatting non-stop, and Kagome had to stifle a giggle at the look on Lord Sesshomaru’s face. It was apparent that her incessant chatter pained him, but she took no notice at all. The Lady of the North was as busy as a hen filling Sesshomaru on the details of their trip. Her husband paid her no mind at all, and Kagome figured that he was well practiced at tuning her out. Hopefully Sesshomaru would learn that trick soon enough or the poor hen may end up being served for supper.

Just when she thought things couldn’t get worse a flurry of fast moving bodies filed into the room. It was three little boys who looked exactly alike! Triplets no more than eight years old. At first she thought they were the cutest things she had ever seen, but the mischievous looks running across their features put a halt on that train of thought. They whispered to one another as they peered around and Kagome knew all to well that they were going to be a handful.

“Lord Buhito, if you please, I would like to introduce you to my wards, Rin and Kagome, as well as their friend Kat, who should be leaving shortly.” Sesshomaru said with narrowed eyes.

Kat caught the hint, and smirked at the taiyoukai. She may just stay a few extra days just for that comment.

Lord Buhito nodded elegantly, his voice came out as a bit of a shock. It was powerful and commanding as if he demanded your attention. “Greetings.” He glanced to Sesshomaru and smirked. “Why Sesshomaru, I had no idea you were hiding pretty women here.”

“Oh shut up Buhito,” Lady Chika chastised. She looked to Kagome and the others. “Just ignore him. He likes to think that he’s a ladies man, but he knows I’m the only hen for his house.”

The girls giggled at the lady’s comment and Lord Buhito looked rather put off. He then sighed and said, “Yes dear.” Lady Chika then released a hearty cackle of laughter that echoed loudly through the room. Kagome noticed Sesshomaru wince and narrow his eyes further.

He needed to get these imbeciles settled so that he could escape their presence. He stepped up and said, “Meet Lady Chika, and their three chicks, Bunka. Bungo, and Bunmei. Not necessarily in that order.” His voice had grown as cold as ice as he introduced the Northern family to his wards. Rin looked at him with alarmed warning in her eyes. Apparently she recognized that he was uncomfortably close to losing his mind. He shot her a look to which she did not flinch. Infuriating child. The miko looked ready to flee. She too, could see the deadly ire rising over his stoic features. Apparently he was losing his touch. These two human women could read him entirely too well.

Unfortunately Lord Buhito and Lady Chika were unaware of how close to death they were at the moment for the Lady continued her incessant chatter and her three obnoxious chicks had left her side finding it much more interesting to climb the stone hearth of the ancient fireplace. Completely unacceptable behavior. It took no more than a moment for the Lady to become aware of her chick’s shenanigans, for which she turned on them with hollow threats of dire punishment.

Through it all Lord Buhito remained unmoved by his family’s loud unpolished display. He simply stood regally by watching his wife with unveiled disinterest. He looked away and back to the women standing in awe of the spectacle. He eased closer and whispered, “She grows on you after awhile.”

“Uh-huh...” Was all that Kagome could manage to say as she watched the lady chase after her giggling children all the while fussing with each breath. It was quite the sight to see.

Sesshomaru had taken all he could take. He turned to the rooster. “Buhito, after you are settled in, I wish for your attendance in my study.” Sesshomaru glanced down looking for his retainer. “Jaken.... Jaken...”

“Y-yes my lord,” Jaken stuttered as he scurried up to bow before his lord.

Sesshomaru sighed and continued, “Jaken, you will show Lord Buhito and his family to their chambers, and then escort Buhito to my study.” He looked up to Buhito. “I wish to further discuss the attempt made upon your life.”

“Yes, I agree. This threat must be put to rest,” Buhito replied with frustration. He turned to his wife and chicks. “Wife.” The single word brought the fussing hen to attention. She quickly joined her husband and the triplets fell in behind her.

Kagome watched as the family faded around the corner on their way to their rooms. She turned to Sesshomaru who glared at her in warning. She cut off the list of questions that threatened to pour out of her mouth. It would probably not be wise to push him further. He made no sound of dismissal, but only turned and walked silently away.

Rin squeezed Kagome’s hand and whispered, “Can you believe that?!”

Kagome shook her head acknowledging her disbelief. Kat and Shippo too looked ready to burst. Rin pointed up, and they all took off at a run for the stairs. There they would have the privacy to talk as they wanted to.

They ran to Rin’s room and fell laughing to the futon. Kagome sat up and said, “Good grief I thought I had seen it all!”

Kat nodded in agreement. “I have heard tell of the rooster lord, but nothing prepared me for the real thing! He was very handsome.”

Shippo mumbled something under his breath and rolled his eyes. “Reminded me too much of Miroku.”

Kat and Kagome laughed and agreed. Kagome said, “Yeah, a little like Miroku, but I think it’s just a front. He acts like he’s very full of himself. Did you see his feathers?”

Rin joined in. “They were beautiful weren’t they! I wonder if he would donate one to me?” Her voice drifted into a dreamy plotting quality.

Kagome looked at her with wide eyes. “Rin you wouldn’t!? Would you?”

Rin giggled. “Wouldn’t a couple of those long feathers look great over my bed?”

The others wore equal looks of disbelief and then broke down in a fit of laughter. She just shrugged and said, “I’ll ask Lord Sesshomaru to pluck them for me.”

Another round of hysterical laughter poured forth. Kagome finally caught her breath. She turned the conversation away from Buhito’s plumage. “So what did you all think about his children?”

Rin spoke right up. “I think that we are in for a load of trouble from those three.”

Shippo joined and said, “Take it from a true prankster. Those three are big trouble waiting to happen. Lord Sesshomaru is going to have his hands full with them.”

Kagome harrumphed. “If they live that long. Sesshomaru didn’t look very pleased.”

Rin agreed, “Oh you are right about that Kagome. My Lord was very unhappy with the Northern family. I wouldn’t doubt it if he didn’t volunteer to go after the assassin personally just so that he can get away from them!”

Kagome giggled and nodded her head knowingly. “I was afraid he would lop off the lady’s head at any moment!”

They giggled, and Rin said, “He was thinking about it! I saw the look in his eyes!” They all found this unbearably funny and fell back upon the futon laughing uncontrollably.

After things calmed down a bit Kat announced her decision to leave the castle, to which Kagome and Rin begged her to stay. She happily refused stating that she wished to make sure the hanyou was not finding trouble. Kagome covered her mouth with one hand and pointed at Kat knowingly. “You miss him don’t you.” Of course Kat adamantly denied Kagome’s assumption, but it was pretty obvious.

Shippo asked if he could stay, and Kagome and Rin told him that he could. Kagome felt a little less alone having him around. Besides with the triplets here Shippo could help them steer clear of any sneaky business they might attempt to pull.

Sesshomaru sat in his study staring at the wall. His life had suddenly taken a turn for the greater worse. The Northern family was even more vile than he remembered. The children had grown into nerve pinching spawns from hell. The lady, if one could call her that, was lacking in the most basic mannerisms for one bred to the ways of court. It was rather disheartening to think that he had sworn to uphold an allegiance with such riffraff.

At least Lord Buhito carried himself with some semblance of dignity. The rooster just lacked to drive to control his own family. In battle he was a fierce warrior. An enemy to be reckoned with, but his domestic skills were sorely lacking.

It was clear that he needed to put forth all of his resources into finding and squashing the assailant upon the Northern Lord. He had already sent out a team of spies earlier that morning to find out as much as possible, but from what he had been told he doubted that they would uncover any leads. Whoever had orchestrated the attack would have done so with the utmost care and planning. This was no amateur attempt. The assassin had almost achieved his goal, and then slipped out of sight in the blink of an eye.

He sent his best men to the Northern castle just after the spies were sent out. Two of them were renowned for their tracking skills. If there were a scent or trail they would find it. By his calculations they should reach the Northern palace by tomorrow afternoon. With any luck they would have the assassin in their grasp by tomorrow evening.

The assassin was not the true target, however. It was the one who had sent the assassin to take Buhito’s life that he was after. His alliance demanded his best efforts. Just then a light knock announced the arrival of Lord Buhito and Jaken. “Enter,” Sesshomaru stated.

Jaken slid the door back and waited patiently for the Northern lord to enter his master’s study and then closed it securely behind him before scurrying away.

“Buhito, tell me what your men are doing to track the assassin.” Sesshomaru said with his usual mildly disinterested tone.

Buhito sighed and propped his right ankle over his left knee. He leaned back a little and said, “As you know Sesshomaru my men lack the olfactory senses of an inu. They have been rather inept at gaining any leads. My general, Tsuneharu, has men scouring the palace as well as the surrounding fields and forests. He has sent a group of five to the nearby mountains to search there, but without a scent trail it has become much of a lost cause.”

“Hn.” Sesshomaru commented knowingly. “I have dispatched trackers this morning. If there is a trail they will uncover it. Have you any idea of who would make this attempt upon your life?”

Buhito huffed and thrust his hand out in a frustrated manner. “Who knows? I have made many enemies through the centuries, as have you. There is no end to the list of suspects.” He shifted about his seat and ran his hand lightly over his thick red comb atop his head. “Had it not been for Chika and the children I would have stayed and hunted the bastard down myself. I’ve never ran from a fight in my life.”

Sesshomaru nodded in agreement. “Sometimes the best line of attack is one unsuspected. Whoever sent the assassin will not be expecting my intervention. The alliance between our fathers is not well known.”

“I’m counting on that Sesshomaru.” Buhito replied in agreement.

“Let us retire, for the moment. I will send word to you at the first report.” Sesshomaru nodded in return to Lord Buhito and watched the rooster exit his study. Once alone he began to ponder the inner workings of the one behind the assassination attempt. It would have to be someone with something to gain from Buhito’s death. His children were too young to defend his lands, and he had no doubt they would be slain as well as lady Chika. It was the way of things.

Who would gain? His mind ran through the possibilities. The lands bordering the North were his own and those of the Southern Lord. Besides the ookami prince had no interest in things of this nature. He was too brash to send an assassin to do his dirty work. Kouga was not a suspect. So that left Lord Fuskae of the South. Of course there could be another. Perhaps a lower level lord wishing to raise his standing? He would need to go through his recent spy reports and look for anything suspicious.

Sesshomaru pulled out his many fine printed reports and began scouring over them carefully.

After a long, loud and somewhat disturbing evening meal, Kagome decided to seek the hot springs. Rin was busy with a beautiful hand stitched design on a new obi for Sesshomaru, so Kagome didn’t want to bother her. Shippo was fast asleep as well as Kat who was going to leave for Kaede’s village at first light.

Kagome gathered her things and headed down the spiraling staircase. She followed the winding corridors hoping that she remembered the way correctly. She would probably starve to death before she found her way out of the identical passageways. ‘Right turn then down a little and take a left... Ah ha! The exit. Thank Kami for a good memory!’ Kagome stepped out of the doorway and into the warm night air. She stopped for a moment breathing in the freshness and listening to the night creatures singing their songs.

She smiled to herself and headed in the direction where the soothing waters awaited her. It took only moments to arrive at the rocky pools. Trickling running streams of steamy water were everywhere. Level upon level of rocky outcrops housed various pools of multiple sizes and shapes. Torches burned around the area, giving off a little light, and Kagome carefully picked her way closer.

He sensed her presence long before he actually picked up her scent in the breeze. The miko had defied him and wondered about his castle unattended. It angered him that she would be so careless with her own safety, and he moved through the hot bubbling water to tell her such. When he caught sight of her a short distance away, he hesitated. She was there to bathe, and was in the process of removing her clothing.

Rin had always insisted on privacy during her baths. Human women, it seemed, were somewhat shy about their undressed bodies. Out of the same respect he was about to turn away, but when she slipped out of the kimono that she wore, he found himself unable to do so. The cloth pooled at her feet, and her long ebony hair fell about her shoulders, just covering the tips of her breasts from his sight. She was slender and shapely beneath that bulky kimono. Everything that he thought she would be.

He shook his head in mild shock at his own train of thoughts. Since when did he lower himself to watch a human female undress? He blinked as if to wash the image away from his minds eye. He would not allow his body to long for that woman. He had no use for her at all, and as soon as she was gone the better off he would be.

The wench did need to learn that she was not to take his word so lightly. Her disregard for his orders earned him the right to reprimand her for her disobedience. Sesshomaru stepped up out of the swirling pool of water and soundlessly made his way down the rocks to the pool where the miko lay.

Her head was back and eyes closed while she enjoyed the steamy waters caress. Sesshomaru slipped into her pool undetected amongst the natural sounds. He pushed closer to her and watched in strange fascination as her buoyant breasts floated in the water just low enough as to hide the dark nipples from his sight. She made a rather erotic picture lying there unsuspecting of the predator stalking her. It sent a rush of heat through his blood.

With the stealth of a jungle cat Sesshomaru was gliding through the water one second and sliding up along her body the next. Her eyes flew open to meet his narrowed gaze only inches from her face. His body pressed against her own, and he could do nothing to contain his body’s excited reaction to the feminine softness pressed so closely against him. Her eyes grew huge under the realization of what was happening.

“Eek!” She squealed, and tried in vain to back away. “Sesshomaru! What are you doing?!” She hissed in broken breath.

Sesshomaru raised one elegant dark brow in response. “Miko, did I not warn you against walking about my castle alone?” His deep smooth voice asked.

Kagome was freaking out. One minute she was having a nice relaxing bath and the next Sesshomaru was practically in her lap! What was he doing?! What was that thing rubbing against her stomach?! His long hair was whirling about in the water like a white veil. The silk strands of it tickled and caressed her bare skin. Her breath caught in her throat and she stuttered. “I... uh... well...”

“Hn.” You have no excuse Kagome,” Sesshomaru stated with little room for disagreement. He was so close to her that his manhood was lightly brushing her soft skin. It was a feeling that would be his undoing, because despite his best efforts he felt the arousal building.

Maddening! How could he let this happen?! Without a word Sesshomaru pushed away from her, turned and gracefully stepped out of the pool.

Kagome was torn between relief and watching his muscular body move with fluid grace as he stepped up and out of the springs. His body was the perfect specimen, and she cursed his long hair that kept a great deal of his backside hidden from her view. ‘Ack! Since when have I become such a wanton slut?! Kami!’ She chastised herself for being turned on by Sesshomaru! What was she thinking?!

Anbuis had barely been gone two days and she was getting hot and bothered by Sesshomaru! Kagome shook her head in utter amazement at her lack of honor. How could she think such things while carrying another man’s child? ‘Shame on me. Shame shame!’ She tried to push the image out of her mind and return to her soothing bath, but the calm mood was forever broken. Kagome gave up, and quickly finished her bathing routine before heading back to her room.

~~~***~~~

He had been on edge since the disturbing vision of Kagome sitting with the taiyoukai, and Anubis told himself for the one-hundredth time that it was ridiculous to feel so... strange... over something so simple. The feeling would simply not let go of him, and he found himself distracted even during the course of his duties. He decided that the best way to be done with the ridiculous edgy flutter in his stomach was to prove that there was nothing between the miko and the taiyoukai. It was just coincidence that they were together the last time and he would see that in the mirror now.

A wave of his hand sent the colors dancing only to dim to the darkened hue of night. There he found Kagome, but it was not at all the vision that he wanted to see. Where he had hoped to see his lovely chosen female carrying his unborn pup with her feminine grace, he found a horrible picture indeed. There again was the taiyoukai swimming only a breath away from Kagome. She looked somewhat surprised and frightened at his closeness. The taiyoukai, however appeared to be enjoying the closeness entirely too much for his liking.

What was that dog thinking? What was he doing accosting his woman in such a way? Did he not know with whom he was dealing? A GOD! Anger welled up in the chest of Anubis before he had time to study his feelings. It was raw and powerful and deeply disturbing. What caused such untamed emotion to burst forth? He was the epitome of control! How could a mere mortal girl force such strong feelings from him?

The mirror swam with life and suddenly the inuyoukai withdrew and stepped out of the pool. Anubis could feel the threads of anger fade from his body. This could become a dangerous situation in the future, and he decided that it would require deep though in order to keep the correct frame of mind.

Perhaps he should return to Japan and speak to Lord Sesshomaru of his disrespect? He would think on it a bit. Tomorrow he would look again into the mirror and see how the inu behaves.

~~~***~~~

A/N: This Chapter is dedicated to my husband for telling me that I looked like a chicken when I was bent over pulling some weeds the other day. Thus my idea for a rooster youkai hatched. He and I then spent the better part of an hour coming up with great ideas for the Lord and Lady of the Northern Lands. So I say ‘thanks’ to him! You are so much of my inspiration!