Across the Ages

I never thought this story would get so long....wow. Thanks for the reviews. Has anyone gone and talked to my Sessh-bot? He's fun.


Chapter Forty-TWo

The peaceful interludes at the castle did not last. Within a week, the scouts began returning with news. Apparently, Naraku had rallied many lesser demons and a large amount of humans. They were starting to move. Ayeka let her eyes move to Sesshoumaru. He gave no clue as to what he was thinking. Ayeka still didn't want to kill people, he could have easily pressed them into service.

She took no issue with the report in public. She knew that it was best to approach this subject privately. Sesshoumaru dismissed the scouts to find food and rest. He glanced at Inuyasha from the corner of his eye. "Something on your mind?" he asked.

The hanyou shook his head, what was there to say? This was a war and there was no sense balking about morality issues. He'd fought Naraku too many times to entertain thoughts of mercy for those he would face. He did have sympathy for them, however. He would make it as quick as possible for them.

Sesshoumaru made the necessary adjustments to his maps and looked them over. His brow furrowed in concentration. It would appear that Naraku had chosen a plateau on which to assemble forces. Risky, as it was ringed by high cliffs. One misstep and one could plummet to the bottom. so be it.

"Ayeka," he said softly, and she moved to stand beside him, her eyes scanning the documents before her. "He is giving them no choice" she said then, her finger tracing the cliffy area, "They can fight or be driven over". Her tone was hard, methodical, every bit the glorious general that she was.

"I think it wise to mobilize the first and second battalions, to this area" he told her, claw tapping the parchment. Ayeka studied his positioning. Then traced her finger slightly north, "I would say here, it will allow them better views of approaching forces". He almost smiled, "I had intended the seventh and fifth scout regiments to set up there" he told her. She nodded.

Inuyasha and Kagome watched the exchanges in a quiet fascination. They were fluid, and obviously comfortable with battle planning. "This area must be where his castle is hidden" Sesshoumaru told them all, pointing to a smaller valley just east of the area. "He would have a full scope of vision of the fight and be close enough to control his minions".

They spent the rest of the day planning and making adjustments. Inuyasha was forced to admit, although grudgingly that Sesshoumaru took care to give his men the best possible positioning, not only to fight but ti increase their odds of survival.

It was close to midnight when Sesshoumaru finally pulled himself from his study and made his way to his wife. Ayeka was not asleep, she stood at the window, staring at nothing. He knew that his domain did not lie within her mind's eye. No, like him she envisioned blood soaked grass and the whimpers the dying.

He moved behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pressing a kiss to her shoulder, "Tell me Koi" he said softly. She shrugged, "This will be a terrible battle". He nodded, "It's equal has never been seen here, nor do I think it will be again" he agreed. Her small hands slid inside his sleeves to caress him. "I do not like war" she finally told him.

Sesshoumaru had known that. Slowly, he turned her in his arms. With his fingertips beneath her chin he lifted her eyes to his. "When this war is over it is my intention to retire you" he told her. Emotions flashed across her features, sadness, anger, relief. How many times had she secretly yearned for that?

She did not feel she was a coward for it, no. She'd fought for so long, she merely wanted her life to be driven by more than the sword. "Why?" she asked him, her voice whisper soft and unsteady. he kissed her brow, "You are my wife, my wife does not need to fight. She can if she wants to. I would give you what you want" he told her.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her face to his chest. He held her in his arms for a long long while, until the soft cries subsided and she accepted her impending freedom. Now all she had to do was survive the battle to enjoy it. The thought made her smile, until a slight chill swept through her.

Sesshoumaru felt her shiver and took her hand leading her back to the bed. That night she slept fitfully, clinging to her husband and whimpering softly. Sesshoumaru soothed her as best he could, rubbing circles on her back, stroking her hair, rumbling lightly behind her.

The next dawn saw men outfitted for travel. They had their orders and within the hour they had taken to the air and headed for their commanded position. Ayeka knew that the other units would be deployed soon. Her own included. It had been the custom of Sesshoumaru's army to arrive first and her's just behind. Pushing enmass was a gamble that could not be taken.

She had informed her captains that their departure would be short coming. She'd allowed them men time with their families. sesshoumaru watched her move among the men, some things never changed he supposed. He had also informed his men of the plans and given them personal time.

Unlike Ayeka, however, he held no extra sympathy for them. He was after all, a married man himself. He could lose Ayeka in the battle, not that he'd allow that to happen but the fear was there hidden deeply. So he did what any self respecting demon would, he growled out orders and buried himself in tasks. He would take no chances now that he had won her once more.

It was decided that Inuyasha's group would travel with her. Sesshoumaru would depart in two day's time and she would leave a day after him. Ayeka set aside an hour later that afternoon to show then men how to use the c-4 and det cord.

She'd warned them all back a safe distance. Sesshoumaru refused and stood beside her as she deftly rigged the explosives. "Okay, we need to move" she told him. He wrapped an arm around her waist and jumped backwards, his speed and strength propelling them to safety.

Ayeka giggled like a child when she looked down that the switch in her hand. "Ready men?" she called. They rumbled their assent. She looked at where she'd just been standing, beside a large oak tree. She flipped the switch and pressed the trigger pad.

It seemed for a moment that all the air was sucked from around them, and the world seemed like a quiet vaccume. Then the explosion hit, a sound so deep and loud that it jolted the earth. Sesshoumaru baced them both as the dust flew high into the air and the wave of heat washed over them. More powerful than anything he'd seen.

The dust cleared a short time later revealing no tree at all. Just a large jagged crater. Nothing could survive that. Not even that damn half breed Naraku. Perhaps this wasn't such a bad idea. Ayeka caught his intent look and smiled, "I was thinking that if we managed to get some inside the castle...." her words fell away as he caught her meaning.

"That would be most difficult for us" he told her. She nodded. The plan however remained in her mind, silently spinning and working itself out. It could be done, there was always a way. She just had to find it. Of course Sesshoumaru would not even discuss it with her until she had more details. She'd work on that.

That night, she sat brushing her long hair, her mind on many things. She barely heard the door open until the patter of little feet raced across the room. She turned to see Rin rushing towards her. She opened her arms and let the child land against her chest. "Hello Rin" she laughed.

The girl smiled up at her, "Mama, are you going to fight too?" she asked, suddenly growing somber. Ayeka stroked her fingers through the girl's hair. The child was scared, she'd seen that face far too many times on far too many faces. "Rin, I have to" she told her.

Rin nodded slowly, "But you'll come back, you and Sesshoumaru-sama won't leave me?". Ayeka shook her head, "We won't leave you. Sesshoumaru will always come back to you" she assured the child. She didn't want to swear that she'd be back in case the worst happened.

Rin didn't seem to notice this but the words soothed her. Sesshoumaru walked in a few minutes later to a sight that made his heart nearly stop in wonder. His wife and his ward, hugging tightly. This was the woman Ayeka wanted to be. The one to hold her children and love them. This is who he would allow her the freedom to be.

He stood in the doorway unnoticed as she crooned soft songs to the girl, and Rin toyed with the silver tag that hung from Ayeka's throat. He'd asked her to wear it a while longer. He imagined silver haired sons and daughters surrounding her to hear stories.

Beautiful children who would look like her one day or night out the month. He imagined daughters with red hair and golden eyes, silver haired sons with eyes of sharp green. How lovely they would be. And suddenly he wanted the war to be over, wanted to be looming over his tiny wife, planting his pups within her.

He wanted to see her grow heavy with his children, watch her waddle around his fortress. Wanted to see her smile on her pups for the first time. "Sesshoumaru?" her soft voice intruded on his thoughts. He looked up to see two sets of eyes on him.

He said nothing merely moved to where they were and knelt before them. He stoked their cheeks and let his eyes, soft and warm move over them. Ayeka wanted to weep at the emotion that he finally was showing, little Rin traced the stripes on his cheeks.

He pressed a kiss to her little forehead, "Rin, do not worry I would never leave you alone" he told her, "I could never leave my child". He crushed them to his chest, rumbling comfortingly to them and he made a silent promise that no matter what, his family would come first after this.