Chronicles of the West

Chapter Twenty Six

The journey back was blessedly uneventful, unless you count Silvana belting Ryu for insisting he carry her after she had healed. She was weaker than usual true, but she could carry her own weight and meant to. After much tussling which wore her out and gifted him a split lip, it was settled. He'd carry her.

Arriving back in the wood was a relief. During the movement back, they learned more of their strange new human companion. He'd only wanted to learn more and further his studies. He'd fallen in love with Alastair and those dreams had come crashing down like a tsunami. Washing away all good intent. What was left was a battered heart and broken soul.

Silvana sighed heavily against Ryu's back as her fortress came into view. "You that eager to be away from me?" he teased. She sighed into his ear on purpose, "A hot bath or a hot hanyou.. Hmmm lets see….. Oh wait that's easy! Bath.". He grunted, "Keh. Women"

Toga was more than eager to arrive. He wanted to see for certain that his efforts had not been in vain. He'd pondered what to do and what to say. She'd be angry that he hadn't told her, he expected that. But she would also be so pleased to see again that she'd quickly forgive him. Of that he was certain.

---------------------------~

"She won't see you" Kaisin said firmly, once they'd gathered in the halls. All were quite shocked by this new development. "We nearly died getting her sight back" Ryu pointed out. The fox while sympathetic, was unmovable. Toga growled, "I am her lord. She doesn't get to make such a choice".

Kaisin, shrugged, "It's not as simple as you think Lord Toga. When her sight came it was very painful for her. While she has forgiven that, she has not used her eyes since that first night". Kurama blinked, "Not used them?". Kaisin shook his head, "She wanted the first thing she saw to be Toga". Shippo's brow furrowed in confusion, "Then why won't she see him?". The others nodded in agreement. This was an outrage. Toga moved past him but the fox caught his arm. In a flash Kaisin was pressed hard against the stone, dangling from Toga's grip like a pup. "As I said" he growled, "I am her lord. There is nothing above that".

Toga snarled angrily as he stalked down the hall, trying with little luck to contain his anger. He had expected her to there, waiting for him. He paused before her door and sniffed, knowing at once she was not there. Her scent was further ahead.

Toga stared at the heavy wood of his door, unblinking. "My lord forgive me, but she was inconsolable at night, I thought your scent might ease her" Kaisin said from a distance away. Toga growled at him, still irritated by the male. "What Kaisin? So protective of my ward?". The fox would not be baited, bowing low and leaving the hall.

Toga didn’t bother to knock, he walked right in. It was his room after all. And it smelled completely of her. Like sunlight and spring blossoms. He paused to inhale it deeply, letting the taste of it linger on his palate. "You've come back" a soft voice stated and he turned to see her near the window.

Her eyes were covered with soft bandages and her hair hung free. "How did you know it was me?" he asked. A faint smile teased the corners of her mouth. "Only you have ever had the audacity to growl at me" she informed him. He sighed, "Why did you try and bar me from your rooms?".

Aislin lifted her hands in a gesture of question, "Why didn't you tell me?". He growled softly, kicking the door shut behind him, "It was not your concern. I am the lord here and I need not explain myself to you". She stiffened, "And I have mattered so little to you".

Golden eyes shot to her and widened, "So little?" he demanded, "What the hell do you think I have been doing these many weeks?". Her full lips thinned in irritation and hurt, "Fulfilling your own wishes and desires no doubt" she snapped at him. He strode across the room, and shoved her against the wall, pinning her with his body.

"My wishes?" he asked in an angry whisper, "I nearly lost Silvana and Ryu, not to mention taking fair injuries myself for my own wishes?". She trembled against him, "Did you not desire my sight?" she asked him and he paused, "Didn't you?". She smiled, "I didn't desire it so much as to risk another. Toga I have learned to live with blindness" she told him.

His clawed fingers traced her face, "I wanted you to see. To see me, the world and have your freedom in it" he told her. A tear slipped from beneath the bandage, "I was terrified that you weren't coming back" she whispered. Toga blinked down at her, "I said I would". She shook her head, her hands sliding to caress his face, "Then that left me only the worst to imagine. I wish you had told me".

Her fingertips traced his lips as he spoke again, "It would not have changed my intent". His hands touched the bandages. "Kaisin said you were in pain". She nodded, "The first few days were nearly unbearable" she told him, "Kaisin said I would have clawed my own eyes out without restraints". He pressed his nose against her hair, letting her soft voice and scent soothe him.

"And you've seen nothing since then?" he asked. She shook her head, "They have made the bandages lighter each day so that the light no longer hurts badly. I have had no desire to look upon anything". Toga pulled away from her, "And now?" he asked softly, "Will you look upon me?". She smiled gently, "I will, but away from the window please".

Toga's hands shook slightly as he unwound the bandages. What if she feared him on sight? What if she was not pleased by what she saw? What if she failed to comprehend why he'd done this thing. "Aislin, are you angry with me?" he asked . She took a breath, "Very much so my lord" she told him, "I expect that you will make it up to me and not leave me behind again?". He almost smiled, "We'll see woman".

"Toga?" she asked as the final layers began to loosen. Engrossed in his task, he uttered "Hn". Aislin licked her lips and he caught her scent spike slightly, "You haven't kissed me today" she blurted out. He chuckled, "After Aislin" he told her. "After?" she asked as he let the bandages drop.

Her brilliant eyes opened slowly, so slowly he thought he might kill something. Then they focused on him and widened. Aislin had long since fallen in love with her guardian, for his good heart, his soft voice and his clever wit. Now she found herself falling in love with elegantly angelic face before her.

Toga caught her body's reaction to him and smirked, leaning forward he drew her attention, "After" he said. His lips were a breath away from hers and Aislin closed the distance, her arms sliding around his neck. "Thank you" she whispered against his lips as he fused them in a kiss. He drank from her like a parched man, her sweetness filling his senses and he growled against her. His longing pouring into the one kiss.

Long, lusty minutes later, he withdrew from her. "I wanted your freedom Aislin. You need not be bound to me. I will remain your guardian, but should you wish something else, someone else, I will provide you the means to have it" he promised her. She would never understand how hard those words had been to say. His inu clamored in indignation. Aislin wanted badly to tell him that she wanted him, but she couldn't. He'd already given her so much. Surely he deserved his own happiness.

-----------------------~

The meal that night was light and the lights were low for Aislin's sensitive eyes. Toga remained near his ward throughout the evening. Kaisin noted that she smiled again and was more lively in his presence. It was clear, despite her words, she'd missed him. Baths and a fine meal did much for the spirits of the returned travelers and they sipped their golden wine slowly by the firelight.

Winter storms were moving in, they could smell them, feel them. Toga had hoped to beat the weather and begin the trek to Japan. He supposed he could wait the winter out here. Again. As if reading his thoughts, Silvana spoke. "You will remain here until after the snows won't you? To travel in this weather is foolish". Her eyes were directed at Aislin when she spoke. Demons did well in cold most of the time, but not humans.

Toga nodded, setting his drink aside, "I suppose we will. With the first signs of thaw I intend to leave for Japan". The other's agreed, Kurama and his merry group were intent on returning to the shores of China. Their cousin Satoru resided there, studying the secrets of the world. They now knew that he carried the scent of ozone. "You know Victor, if you have no other plans you should accompany us" Kurama told him.

The human blinked at him in question. Ryu leaned back in his seat, "Yeah, Satoru studies alchemy and the like too. You guys would have a lot in common". Kurama smirked into his drink, he wondered if Ryu had any idea just how much they had in common. Victor smiled and nodded, "It would be nice to be around other scholars again". Shippo finished his drink and stood, "I would imagine, and ones that don't lust after world domination at that" he joked. The others laughed lightly.

Weariness filled the hall, and the adventurers made their way to their respective beds. Kurama caught the stares of two comely maidservants in the hall and smirked, even as tired as he was…well he had energy for that. He was after all the great Youko Kurama. With a motion of his head and wicked smile, he beckoned them to follow him. Which they did, in a flurry of spiked arousal and feminine giggles.

-------------------------------------~

Silvana was brushing her hair before her silver mirror when there was a light knock on her door. She caught Ryu's scent on the other side. "Enter!" she called imperiously, not bothering to turn around and look at him. Ryu closed the door behind him and stared at the female that ruled his thoughts.

"Was there something you wanted Ryu?" she asked softly. Slowly, she turned to face him. He looked so handsome, rather feral standing just inside her door. His golden eyes lit by the dancing flames of her candles and lamps. She stood as he crossed the room, setting her brush aside as he caught her to his chest.

"Ryu?" she asked, looking into his eyes. While uncertain why he was in her room, she did not protest. He seemed to belong here. Like herself. He growled softly as he sniffed her hair. She smelled of earth spices and pear blossoms. The scent of travel no longer lingered on her person.

He held her against his chest, feeling her beartbeat stready and stong. Very much alive and well. Silvana allowed her hands to slide upwards and twine around his neck, "Thank you Ryu" she whispered from beneath his chin. He stiffened slightly, "I could hear you when you tended my wounds. I owe you so much".

Ryu held her at arm's length, "You owe me nothing, you owe him nothing" he snapped at her. Willing her to understand. She looked at the floor and then her blue eyes flickered upwards again, "Thank you just the same". He gave a small smirk which promptly fell from his face as she pressed her soft pink lips to his.

He let her play against his lips for a few moments, before taking control of the kiss and taking it higher, deeper into the world of passion. She moaned softly as his tongue slid along her lower lip, asking her to let him in. Silvana parted her lips and let herself revel in his intoxicating caresses.

With monumental effort he pulled away from her. He ran his clawed thumb over her swollen lower lip and then he lightly liked the tender flesh between chin and lower lip. "This place is mine" he told her, his eyes blazing. Then he turned and walked to the door. "Ryu?" she asked in confusion, her fingertips coming to her lips. He didn't look at her, "I can't Silvana" he whispered, "Not yet".

-----------------------------~

Kurama grinned at the females above him. One was currently using her very talented tongue on his length. The other was writhing against his face. Kurama would never let is be said that females left his bed unsatisfied. It had been a while since he'd taken two females, at least a year.

The smaller female stiffened above him as he curled his tongue over her pearl. Her head fell back and she cried out as her juices met his lips. With a growl of male satisfaction, he sat up, clutching the little one to his chest. She licked his chin and lips, drinking her own essence from his heavenly mouth.

He felt himself tighten as the determined female between his thighs kept her pace. He growled with pleasure as he felt the hot wave of release move through him. Setting the first female aside, he caught the other and flipped her around so that he could attack her core with fingers and tongue as she pumped her head against him. Mere moments later, she mewled her release around his length, as his own spattered across her flesh.

Long hours later, two exhausted females barely managed to hobble from the room, with soft smiles. Kurama had made certain they stripped his bed and remade it with fresh linens. There was nothing more difficult for him to sleep through than the scent of a female. He made his way to the bathing chamber after tossing his window open. When he finally fell into bed, he knew he'd sleep soundly.