Chronicles of the West

Chapter Thirty One

Aislin stretched her sleep stiff limbs. How long had she been sleeping? She tried to roll over only to be dragged more firmly against a bare chest of heated steel. Her eyes went wide. She slowly started to turn around, but a growl and a flurry of movement, found herself flat on her back. Toga pressed over her.

"Where are you trying to go?" he asked, noting the heavy blush staining her cheeks. She blinked and smiled shyly, "I forgot" she whispered. He arched a brow before brushing her hair from her face, "You forgot where you were going?". She shook her head, leaning into his gentle touch, "I forgot about you".

Toga lifted himself up to stare at her, "You forgot about me?". She nodded, noted his growl and hurried to explain, "I forgot I was sleeping with you". His expression softened and he brushed his nose against hers, "Need a reminder I see" he murmured against her lips. She giggled and he liked the sound so much that he made her do it again.

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Ryu didn't want to knock on that door. He absolutely did not want to knock on Silvana's door. He turned to walk back down the steps before the sickening feeling in his stomach reminded him why he was here at the crack of dawn anyway. "God damn sea!" he hissed angrily.

Silvana's door opened, it's female occupant taking in the baleful stare of the male before her. "Ryu?" she asked. He blinked over at her. "Morning" he said, feeling about as clever as a shoe. She cocked her head at him, taking in his pale expression and smiled, "You look terrible" she said lightly.

Ryu frowned, damnable woman, enjoying his discomfort. Silvana eyed him thoughtfully before speaking. Her voice was like honey, "I was thinking of going to find something to eat. Maybe something raw and runny or maybe fried in grease. Want to come?"

Ryu tried, he did, but his stomach rebelled and her words sent him hanging over the railing, looking like the pitiful pup. Silvana blinked at the rising sun, listening to the wretching coming from the male before her. Between gags and growls, he managed to mutter an endless stream of curses in her general direction.

Silvana sighed and moved back into her cabin, catching a clean bit of linen and dipping it in the fresh basin of lavender water. Wringing it out, she made her way back to his side. "Ryu" she called softly. His clawed hand waved her away in abject misery and humiliation.

The demoness sighed and pulled him upright, slapping the cloth his brow. He scowled at her and then the deck. With gentle hands, she smoothed the calming liquid over his face. He breathed deeply of the clean scent. With a small smile, she took his hand and led him inside to her bed.

He didn't protest much when she motioned for him to lie down. He grumbled something unintelligible. She poured a small amount of herbs into fresh water, swirling it around as she eyed him guiltily. "I'm sorry" she said softly offering the cup to him. He grunted and turned his head from her.

She sighed and moved to sit beside him. "I didn't know that you were sick" she tried again. Ryu turned his head to look at her suspiciously, he finally took the cup and drank it in a single gulp. She set the empty cup aside and smiled at him, a small wiggling smile that told him that she was still amused at his predicament.

"You are an evil woman" he rasped at her, looking at the far wall. Silvana sat staring at his silken braid and his drooping ears. Reaching out she ran her fingertip alone the area where soft white fur met pink flesh. His ear flickered and his eyed locked on hers. "What the hell are you doing?" he demanded gruffly, but made no move.

She smiled at him, "Petting you" she replied, "Now shut up and enjoy the soothing". Ryu grunted, "It's not comfortable" he told her, her hand stilled. Ryu smirked and tugged her down to lay near him, "Now". She rolled her eyes but smiled anyway as she began to stoke his ears once more.

It was strange to be held so close against him, listening to his breathing even out as sleep took him. Curled around her, hugging her to him and she smiled against the top of his head. "Rest Ryu" she whispered. In response he tucked his face against her nape and inhaled deeply.

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"So what is this for again?" Shippo asked, eyeing the contraption which Victor had assembled onboard the ship. The human laughed at the slightly apprehensive look on his friend's face. "It purifies the seawater" he explained. Shippo wasn't sure how that worked but as a demon he didn't care to stand to close to anything that could purify, unless they were related.

"Look" Victor said as he poured seawater into the opening. The was a slight gurgling sound, and then he took a tin cup and let the water run into it. Holding it out to Shippo, he smiled, "Taste". The kitsune wrinkled his nose, "No thanks, never was one for salt water" he hedged.

Victor chuckled, "There is no salt" he promised. Shippo wasn't convinced, "You do know what lives in that water don't you?" he asked, "Kurama once told me why the sea is salty and as a red blooded male, I do not partake of that".

Victor shook his head, "Shippo, don’t be a dolt, smell it and then taste it". Shippo could tell that his companion was not going to let this go. With a grim expression he took the cup, sniffing lightly. Green eyes went wide, "It smells like fresh water". Victor nodded, "It probably won't taste as good as mountain spring water, but it is free from salt and the byproducts of those things that live in the water".

Shippo was still uncertain but he touched his tongue to the clear liquid. Rather than feel the pickling brine he'd expected, it was sweet and smooth, a tad stale but fresh. Victor took in the stunned expression and laughed, "Want to know how it works?" he asked.

The kitsune nodded and listened as Victor explained the many layers that he had devised to filter and clean the water. The human was intelligent, very intelligent. Shippo would be glad when they reached the mainland. Satoru was just as clever and he knew they'd get along well. "Satoru would love to get his hands on this" he quipped.

"What's going on here?" Kurama asked, coming around the corner to eye the two youngsters bending over some mass of wood and copper piping. Shippo grinned up at him, "Victor here has made a water cleaner. It makes sea water fresh, no salt" he told him. Kurama sniffed at the thing and turned a wide grin to the burgundy haired man, "Great! I can wash my hair properly and take a bath. Gods I hate the sea" he muttered as he strode away. Victor and Shippo watched him go and chuckled. Legendary fighter and thief and oh so picky about his bathing habits.

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Golden eyes blinked at the sight before him. Laying on his pillow, as innocent as could be, were beads. Beads normally didn't bother one as powerful as himself, however, it was the nature and source of these beads that gave him pause.

A rosary, nearly identical to Inuyasha's sat glaring back at him. He looked from the beads to his precocious wife, "What, pray tell are those?" he asked, reigning in his temper. She reached out a delicate hand and caressed the beads. "They are a gift" she purred, "You do not like them? Won't you try them on?".

Sesshoumaru growled at Ayeka's handling of the beads. "You spend too much time with Kagome" he commented. Green eyes danced with mirth, "We live in the same palace my love" she pointed out. He responded with a non-committal 'Hn'.

Ayeka watched his face closely, he betrayed little of his thoughts, other than his irritation. She moved to his side and leaned up to press a kiss to his chin. "Open your hand Sesshoumaru" she commanded in a soft voice.

He frowned at her, "I will not touch those vile things" he snapped, "You would subdue me?". She blinked up at him, at the hurt in his voice. "Sesshoumaru, I love you" she told him, suddenly wondering if this little joke was all that funny anymore.

He blinked at her, "You love me… and you brought me beads". She nodded, "Will you just put them on, once?" she asked him. He straightened, putting his head well out of her reach. "Please?" she coaxed, "You love me don't you?". He growled, "I do, but I sure as hell will not be like him".

Her eyes glittered up at him, and she held the beads aloft. Lord and lady faced off over a gleaming strand of beads. Sesshoumaru would give his wife anything, his very life, surely she knew that. After so many years together how could she not?

"You do not trust me?" he asked, feeling anger and dread trickle down his spine. She nodded, "I do. Without question. I suppose I am asking if you trust me" she told him. Curious to see now, just how far his trust went. Sesshoumaru growled softly, uneasy.

Ayeka's eyes widened, as her Taiyoukai slowly bent his head, "If this is what you need to know my trust for you…. Then so be it". His voice was strained and she felt tears prick her eyes for a moment. He loved her enough to be shackled by a holy rosary.

The beads clicked softly as she placed them over his head. She placed a soft kiss on his lips, his eyes were closed and she imagined that he was hurting from this new event inside. "Sesshoumaru?" she asked. He slowly opened his eyes and locked them with her own.

He was stiff as though worried about those beads that lay unfamiliarly around his neck. She stepped back from him. A wicked gleam touched her eyes, "Now I'll show you how much I trust you". He cocked his head at her, his eyes widening when she uttered one feared word. "Sit".

He braced for impact, his anger spiking. Nothing happened. He blinked at her, his hands moving to the beads, lifting them. They did not resist him and he paused. "What is this?" he asked. She smiled, "A joke for bored wives" she replied, her expression going softer, "But it became something else".

He stared at her, waiting. "I had no idea that you would do such a thing for me, if I wanted it" she whispered, coming to stand close to him again, "Sesshoumaru…". She broke off as he turned from her and walked toward the tall window.

"Sesshoumaru, would you have lived under the yoke of that rosary if it has been real?" she asked. He wouldn't answer, he didn't have to, his actions had spoken for him. She pressed herself against his back, "That is why I love you" she whispered to him, "Because my happiness is important to you"

He didn't know what to say to her, his heart had nearly stopped when she'd settled the rosary on him. "Ayeka, tell me truly, why did you bring the rosary here?" he asked, almost fearful that she would want one. As he grew older, he grew more powerful after all. She shook her head against his back, "I thought since you were looking so smug in the courtyard that you deserved to know how he feels" she told him.

He looked over his shoulder at her, feeling the oppressive weight fall from him. "I am not the one who got lose from such a thing and asked for it back" he pointed out. She held his eyes as she moved to stand before him, "No, but he wears it out of love for her. And now perhaps you understand that better".

He blinked down at her, had his little human wife taught him a lesson. "What were you thinking when I put it on you?" she asked him. He kept her eyes prisoner as he spoke, "I thought my heart might break. I thought that you had lost trust in me, faith in me to resort to that. I thought I wanted to yell at you until your ears bled" he said, his hand moving up to trace the curve of her cheek, "And then I thought….. There is nothing that I would not do, would not give, to keep you content. That I loved you enough to be what you wanted"

She blinked back tears, "Oh Sesshoumaru". He grinned then, "I also hoped that you'd not actually go through with it and that my very noble actions would be reciprocated. Alas women are heartless creatures" he told her.

She blinked at him, and he brought his nose down to hers, "There is no holy power in these beads" he pointed out. She glared at him, "You knew?". He laughed, "Not at first, I was too shocked by your actions to realize it. You. Wench. Will be punished for making light of this Sesshoumaru's feelings".

She glared at him for a moment and then touched his hand, "Lift me up?" she asked him. He gently hoisted her against his body until they were face to face. She kept her eyes on his as she reached over his head to lift the beads from him. The very thought of them, what they might have meant, making her feel ill.

As they cleared his head, she tossed them aside, only to be caught in his hand. She blinked in confusion. Sesshoumaru smirked, "These will be fun to use around Inuyasha" he told her. She asked him why, but he only kissed her before setting her down, "He seems to think that if I did have a rosary that I would be on the receiving end of sits as well" he explained.

She stared after him as he crossed the room, "Huh?". He set the beads on corner chest, "I think my brother and I will have to make a small wager" he announced. She blinked, "You would cheat?" she asked. He looked highly affronted, "I do not cheat, this Sesshoumaru is far above such things".

She waited and he laughed, "I am not above laughing at my brother's expense, however". She smiled at him, "You aren't angry?" she asked. He smirked, "As if some little beads would hold me" he replied, "As if my wife would bind me". She smiled then, "Well your expression was most gratifying when I said 'sit', however, I do have a gift for you".

Sesshoumaru glanced at her, "Is that so? I hope that you remember that you still have that little joke to make up to me". She nodded and held out a small pink box with a black ribbon. He stared at it, "The well is closed" he stated. She nodded. "The mirror gone" he went on. She nodded again. He sighed as he took it, "You've been holding out on me AND hiding things".

Ayeka nodded again and smiled, "Guilty on both counts". Sesshoumaru lifted the lid and stared down at the racy creation, "Bitch" he whispered affectionately. "Dog" she threw back. Sesshoumaru pounced on his wife, drawing her into his lap on the bed.

He kissed her soundly, before eyeing the fake rosary, "You know the idea of that rosary has merit" he announced. She blinked at him, "What do you mean?". Sesshoumaru turned his demon's grin on her, that blatantly seductive smile, "I can think of a great many things I could use it for…. I am very creative". She purred against him as he kissed her again, "A rosary, a command word and a mouth like yours….. Hmmmmm"