Across the Ages

Chapter Twenty Seven


Two days flew by far too quickly and they found themselves embroiled in the clash of swords and rain of arrows. The war would not last long, the panthers unorganized and still recovering from the loss of one of their own. Ayeka, sweaty and covered in blood and gore fought proudly. Her men bringing honor to her and their demon lord.

By nightfall, the panthers had suffered greatly. Their numbers dwindling rapidly. Inutaisho raised his massive muzzle to the sky and barked in rapid succession. Far off, over the growing sea of death and destruction, a bark rang back to him. Sesshoumaru had also cleared his ground.

The panthers that could flee, did and those that could not were quickly dispatched. The dead were piled high, much higher than she had expected. Ayeka looked over the valley from the gentle snow covered slope of the hill she stood on. So much carnage. The dog soldiers had taken but a few casualties this day.

She watched as the large fires were lit along the edge of the valley. These would be the funeral pyres of the dead. Inutaisho had offered the fleeing cats the chance to take back the dead. They had refused, leaving fallen friend and family among the rocks and weeds. They would be burned here tonight.

She carefully cleaned her sword before resheathing it. She'd taken a few injuries herself today. She'd been cut and scratched, knocked aside. But she was alive and she wouldn't complain. To her right a movement caught her eye. A scout, rushing toward her. "General Ayeka!" he called, "You must come at once!". She turned to face him, he was dirtied and haggard.

"What is it?" she asked, bracing a steadying hand on the tired man. He gazed down at her, "It is your Captain, Sashimoto," he panted out seeing her stricken features, "Sashimoto, my lady, he is dying." Ayeka felt the world grow terribly cold and the next moment she was running. Running as fast as she could to reach the healer's tent. Her captain, her friend, her best damn man!

The healer's tent was somber, the only sounds were the faint groans of the dying and wounded. She pulled the flap up, plastering her bravest face on. Her eyes scanned the room, finding the large inu youkai easily. His long black hair flowing over his meager pillow. She stepped to his side, those steel gray eyes of his locking on her.

"Sashimoto," she whispered, kneeling beside him. He turned his head to her, "My...general does not ...kneel for me." he rasped. She brushed his dark bangs from his brow, shaking her head, "No, your friend does." she assured him. A hint of a smile teased the corners of his mouth. "Forgive me Ayeka, I have failed you this day." he went on. She pressed her fingers to his lips, and shook her head. "No, no you have not. You are my greatest warrior Sashimoto."

The inu youkai breathed, a shaky, gurgling breath. "Your best warrior has been brough down Ayeka." he told her. The healer stepped forward to pull the blankets back for her to see. Yes, he had been brought down. Nearly gutted and yet he lived... not for much longer. Had she been youkai she would have caught the scent of death seeping into him.

She didn't need to. Her human eyes knew death when she saw it. She stared at the horrific wound, her eyes filling. A large hand at her cheek drew her attention and she looked back at the dying demon. He pressed his palm to her cool face. His thumb brushed the moisture from her lashes.

"Do you cry for me?" he asked. She bit her lip and nodded, "I will miss you so much." Her little hands wrapped around his wrist tightly as though that one action could prevent him from dying, from leaving her. Across the room, two pairs of golden eyes took in the exchange.

"Ayeka?" Sashimoto asked softly and she leaned closer so that she could hear him. "May I ask you for a small favor?". She looked down at him, and nodded,"You may ask for anything." He closed his eyes against his pain for a moment, then opened them again.

"I would ask....." he panted as pain wracked him, "For...a..kiss." Her eyes widened, "A kiss?" she asked. He nodded slowly, "One kiss.". He had loved her, cared not that she was human and he was not. "I have loved you Ayeka..... from the first day you came." he told her. She hadn't known.

"Sashimoto...I" she began, her eyes filling anew. He shook his head, "You were not for me Ayeka. I know that. I only want.....a ...kiss." he told her. The softly spoken words easily reaching the ears of those who watched. Golden eyes narrowed slightly at the inu's words.

Ayeka smiled at him, a beautifully heartbreaking smile, and nodded. "You may have your kiss Sashimoto. For you are dear to my heart." she whispered. The inu felt death tugging at him. Ayeka closed her eyes and sealed her lips to his. Across the room, a hand tightened into a fist and then released.

Sashimoto felt her warm soft lips against his for a mere moment, but it was enough. He let himself go and died. Ayeka kept her lips on his even as she felt that last shuddering breath. Her eyes opened as she slowly released him, her tears falling on his tanned face.

A little sob escaped her when she saw him, his expression peaceful. He was gone. Her friend and fellow soldier dead. Gone from her forever. She covered her mouth to prevent her sounds from being heard. Her other hand, shaking as it was crept up to close his eyes.

Suddenly, she didn't care what anyone else thought. Her heart was near to breaking. She flung herself across the big youkai's still chest and buried her face against him. She cried, cried for him, cried for herself, cried for everyone who had died. Cried because Sesshoumaru would never be as warm as Sashimoto had been.

Sesshoumaru had seen enough. She was sobbing against the body of a dead demon. One of her men, true. She'd gifted the dying youkai with her kiss and now she clung to him as if he had been so vastly important to her. Had he been? Sesshoumaru had never asked, never thought about it. He did now.

He crossed the tent to where she was, but his father stepped in his path. A stern shake of his head should have warned him off, but Sesshoumaru glared at him. Inutaisho turned and went to the woman. Sesshoumaru spun and departed the tent.

Ayeka felt strong hands on her waist lift her up. "Leave me alone Sesshoumaru, I think you've done enough." she snapped, not bothering to look up. Inutaisho lifted her up higher and away from the dead man. "I have no doubt that he has, but you must let Sashimoto go." he said softly.

Ayeka looked back to see that Inutaisho held her. She let herself sink into a kneeling position, "F-forgive me my lord... I w-was just trying to say ...good-b-bye." she whispered. The demon lord nodded, then lifted her against him. "I never...knew." she mumbled. Inutaisho understood her dilemma.

Standing tall, he moved to the bed farthest from the dead youkai. A nod from him signalled the healers to cover him and remove him from the tent. "He knew that Ayeka, do not punish yourself for it." he told her quietly. He could smell blood on her. She was not unharmed from the fighting.

He sat her down and then motioned a healer to come to him. "She is wounded, see to it." he ordered. He remained in front of her, his large body blocking the sight of Sashimoto being carried away. The healer stripped her armor and removed her shirt. She tried to cross her arms to cover herself but the demon would have none of it. "Be still and let them carry out my orders."

She held still as stone, as they cleaned and bandaged her. Her injuries were not serious, but infection could be. At least now it was not an issue. She was silent as the healers worked. Her thoughts on her friend. She steeled herself against her tears. Composed at last she turned tear reddened eyes to her master.

Forgive me my lord, my outbust was uncalled for." she said softly. Inutaisho smiled softly, "You have nothing to be sorry for Ayeka. You care about your men, that is a good thing. That you regret the loss of them is also a good thing, but remember.. one man fell today from your care. Hundreds remain and they feel that loss as well. They need the strength of their leader to guide them.". His words were gently given, truthfully spoken.

She nodded, lifting her shirt over her shoulders. "Yes my lord you are right." she agreed. He watched as she put her own pain behind her, and re-dressed herself. Then she walked outside, her back straight, her eyes clear and sought out her men.

Sashimoto would be greatly missed. She traded stories of his goodness and bravery with the others. It was the way of things. When a soldier fell, his fellows honored him by recalling the better times and warming the hearts of those left behind.

By the time she was allowed to slip away to bathe and retire she was exhausted. She made her way to the little forzen over stream and broke through the ice with her boot. She gathered enough water to allow her have a somewhat decent bath and returned to her tent.

She set the water over the brazier to heat, although it would not be a hot bath, it wouldn't be terribly cold either. She went and got more water when she saw how dirty she was. Blood all over her, sweat and grime. Gods but war was a filthy business.

Three large buckets of water later and she began to undress. She washed the majority off with the first, cleaning her hair first. The second and third buckets ensured her cleanliness. She hated to be dirty and living with inu youkai for so long, she had adapted quite the sensitive nose herself.

She lathered the scented soap and spread it over her hair and body, rinsing. Her teeth chattered and she grumbled. It would be heaven to be back at the palace, with it's large steaming bathing chambers. She'd soak for hours when they returned.

She wrapped herself in a long sheet to dry and began toweling her hair. The tent flap raised and fell, she sat upright, grabbing her katana. Sesshoumaru stood just inside her tent. Who the hell did he think he was to just barge in?

His eyes adjusted at once to the dim firelight of her tent. She was crouched near the brazier, blade in hand. Her wet hair hung down her mostly bare back. She had apparently just bathed. The clean scent of herbs met his nose. Her eyes were like green fire gazing up at him.

"Have you no manner?" she asked, her annoyance clear in her voice. He looked at her and blinked, "Is that any way to greet your lord?" he asked in turn. She slowly rose from her position, "You do realize that is the second time in as many days that you have just entered my tent unannounced and uninvited?" she demanded.

So it was. He raised his brow at her in question. "Keeping count?". She turned her back on him with a disgusted sigh. She looked around for her clean robes. Her eyes fell on them as the same time Sesshoumaru noticed them. Beside him. "Would you give me my clothing please?" she asked.

He lifted them from the trunk, keeping his eyes on her, "And now you ask me for favors." he admonished slightly. She felt her cheeks heat. "I did say please." she told him. Her voice was not steady and she could have kicked herself for it.

She watched as he lifted her clothing to his nose and sniffed delicately. She blushed redder than fire and stepped toward him. With a swift move she grabbed her clothing and pulled it from him. He let her have it. She muttered something about damn rude dogs and assumed she meant him. He sighed heavily, calling on all his patience.

"What was Sashimoto to you?" he asked suddenly. She turned to stare at him. The question seemed obscene considering he had so recently died. She stiffened her spine, "That is none of your damn business." she snapped. Her emotions running too high, her nerves frazzled. No small part of her shameful condition being his fault.

Sesshoumaru glared at her coldly. "You are my servant and therefore it is." he bit out. She laughed at him. "Is that so?". He took a step toward her but she stepped behind the brazier, the fire now firmly between them. "Get out." she told him. He shook his head slowly, "You answer my question."

She shook her head at him, "I will not." He growled, "I will not ask again woman and it would be in your best interest not to press me further." She made a crude motion with her hand, "Oh yes," she mocked, "Because I am so very fightened of you."

Engrossed in her mutterings she stepped from the brazier and into the open. What an ass he was sometimes. He moved so fast that she didn't know what had happened at first. One minute she had been standing in the room, listening to her inner monologue berate the cold lord in her presence. The next she found herself flat on her back, pinned to her bed by his long body.

Her eyes went wide at the realization. Green eyes flew to orbs that she was certain would be blood red. Golden depths stared back at her. She pushed at his chest. "Get off of me Sesshoumaru, get off and get the hell out!" she snapped. He growled low in his throat, his clawed hand ran over her throat, her head falling to the side.

His eyes were not red, they were gold! He was in full control of himself! What did he want? What was he doing? She closed her eyes when she felt his claws trace of her the thin flesh covering her jugular. Her pulse fast and furious. She took a small ragged breath as he drew closer. His nose lightly touching her jaw, moving down to her throat. His growl a steady sound.

Had she pushed him too far? Would be kill her now? "Sesshoumaru?" she asked in a breaking whisper. He buried his nose against her neck. "Do you fear that I will harm you?" he asked. His lips moving against her as he spoke. Her heart was pounding, loud in his ears. She WAS afraid, he knew, but her scent was rising.

She trembled beneath him, the fragility to his strength, softness to his hardness and he was definitately hard now. Innocent though she was, he knew she could tell without a doubt. "Wh..what do you want?" she whispered. His tongue moved out to rove over her throat. She struggled anew and then stilled when she felt the press of fangs against her.

"Sashimoto," he said again, a dangerously seductive voice, "What was he to you?". She sucked in a breath, her eyes growing moist. "He...he was my friend, my best man," she said softly. Sesshoumaru growled again, "You kissed him, I saw you." She pushed at him again, but the big demon didn't budge.

"He...said that he loved me," she told him, "If you saw then you must have heard." He had. He wanted to hear it from her. Did you love him?" he asked. Slowly, she nodded,"I did." His growling increased but she kept talking, "But not the way he loved me."

Sesshoumaru lifted his face to stare at her. Her eyes huge, luminous in the firelight. "Is that what you came for?" she asked. He nodded slowly, staring at her. He looked smug and she saw red. Jerking a hand free she slapped him hard across the face. "Get off of me." she told him. Her voice like lethal ice.

Two things occured to Sesshoumaru at that moment. One that he'd been struck in the face. That was a first. Two, that he had no idea how to handle that. Had it been anyone else, he would have killed them at once. He could not kill her. How would he explain that?

She glared up at him, not daring to show a moment's regret for her actions. Already a livid red hand print graced the porcelain perfection of his cheek. His eyes were tinged pink now. His lower lip curled back slightly, baring the tip of one fang.

"You dare to strike this Sesshoumaru?" he growled at her, "You would raise a hand against your lord?". She stared up at him silently. He pressed his nose against hers, "You WILL answer woman." She nodded, "It's nothing that you haven't earned tonight." she told him calmly. Far more calmly than she felt.

"I.Am. Not. Your. Toy." she gritted up at him. Sesshoumaru braced his hand beside her head, "You wench are only what I say you are." he whispered. She opened her mouth to let loose a series of unfavorable opinions of him. He cut her off with his own mouth. His tongue sweeping inside to take control.

She whimpered and pushed at him, but he was like stone. He pulled back for a moment, "You will not love them." he commanded. She caught her breath, "I will not be ordered like this." she spat. He adjusted his weight so that he settled fully between her legs, "You are mine to command.".

She had no warning when his lips clashed against hers once more, his clawed hand slid along her throat. His thumb moving in small circles over her pulse point. His kiss gentled when he felt her lips soften beneath his. His hand slid down between them, parting her robe.

She arched upwards when his hand moved over her bared breast. The nipple hardened beneath his palm. He growled at her response to him. His fingertips trailed lightly over that pert peak, and she moaned beneath him. Her scent became intoxicating, filling his mind with erotic visions of the many ways he could take her, the many ways he could wring her cries of pleasure from her.

Ayeka wasn't sure exactly how she'd come to this point. She had wanted him to leave her tent. But now, this, she wasn't sure she wanted him to stop either. His hands were gentle, firm and all too knowing. She felt his claws move in unnamed patterns across her pale stomach, the muscles there contracting at his touch,

Sesshoumaru wanted her, badly. Perhaps more than any other female he'd encountered. She fought him, spoke her mind, not the docile creatures most were. There was no pretense to her. She didn't want his title, his power or his wealth. Most days he was certain she wanted nothing of him at all. His mouth moved to her throat, nipping and lapping. His lethal fangs and talons now weapons of seduction and he weilded them well.

Sesshoumaru let his hand graze across her thigh, feeling her body rise again. With deft fingers he crept higher. She tensed when his hand went too high, nearly touching her core. Sesshoumaru sucked deeply at her shoulder, her head arching back against the furs of her bed.

He could feel the heat of her against his hand and pressed onward. He cupped her flower boldly. Proclaiming it his territory, seeming to brand himself there. She cried out at his thumb found the little bud hidden and stroked her to every higher heights of pleasure.

He had to stop. He knew that. He wanted only to erase the thoughts of others from her. He slowly pushed one finger into her and she mewled helplessly as her orgasm took her. The first from a male, her scent sweet and deep, imprinted itself in his mind.

He was painfully hard wanting to much to tear his clothing off and take her. His demon demanded that he do so. She was a servant, his to take if he wanted, a human, nothing more. And it was this thought that snapped him back to reality. She was human. She was his fighting servant. His own words came back to him like a slap in the face. 'She is not a concubine'.

Ayeka lay trembling beneath him, panting for the breath that he had robbed her of. She slowly opened her eyes to meet his gaze. His expression was unreadable but she sensed the tension in him. He rose from her, that look, the look he had when he'd last kissed her, that look she hated now. It was there, on his face. Hardly a look at all.

He straightened his clothing, not looking at her. She rose, more slowly than he and pulled her robes tight around her. "Is THIS what you came for Sesshoumaru?" she asked, her voice little more than a heated whisper. He met her eyes, saw the hurt confusion there. He took the blame completely. She was an innocent, he was not.

"No", he told her bluntly, "I have no intention of bedding a human." The last word was spat from his lips like a vile taste. She paled, then narrowed her eyes. "Leave this tent at once, and if you return to it, I shall take you to task for it... my lord." her tone was icy, cruel. Reflecting his treatment of her.

He should explain himself, he knew. He would not. He hadn't intended to take these actions with her. She was below him. Yet, he could not deny the pure desire that still howled inside of him. He'd had his fill of youkai bitches and they had never garnered his interest as this woman did. She was dangerous. He had to stay away from her.

He turned in silence and stepped from the tent and into the snowy night. Ayeka sat on the edge of the cot. What the hell was the matter with her? They had a definite attraction between them. But attraction was not caring. He was dangerous. She'd have to stay away from him.

Minds made up, they passed the rest of the night in their respective tents. She with the ache of desire in her loins, he with the same pain. She wondering why he had done what he had, and he wondering why she had let him. The question foremost in both minds was the curiosity of what the other was thinking of at that same moment.