Chronicles of the West

Chapter Forty Two

Toga stood at the window of the inn, watching Aislin brush her long hair. "Are you certain she will be ok?" she asked for the hundredth time since the whirlwind wedding. Toga sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose, "Yes Aislin. Stop worrying about her. She's better off this way" he said firmly.

She shrugged and kept brushing, inside she wondered if she and Toga would marry in that strange ritual and if so..when? She slept beside him every night, and despite being a virgin, she wasn't exactly innocent anymore. Now, they were journeying to the house of his father and mother. Her stomach clenched.

Scenting her growing anxiety, Toga turned to her. "What is it?" he asked. She shook her head, "Nothing. Foolish thoughts" she replied quickly, too quickly. Toga strode across the room to the futon that she was settled on. How he hated futons, he much preferred the western style beds of his house and his father's.

He settled behind her, wrapping his arms around her middle. "You are a terrible liar" he remarked. She sighed, "Nerves I guess" she admitted. There were so many things she wanted to say but didn't want to appear pushy.

Toga rumbled to her softly, and she leaned back against him. He sensed her hesitation but waited patiently, until at last she spoke. "Toga? Wha…what are we?" she asked softly. He blinked over the top of her head. "We are living things" he answered smartly, "And we care about one another".

She nodded slowly. Cared, he'd said, not loved. He said he was giving her time to know what she wanted, but she wanted him. Why couldn’t he see that? She still knew little about demon culture, but she understood enough to know that what they had was not the norm. "You father will smell you on me…won't he?" she asked softly. Toga nodded, "From a mile away" he teased. Apparently, that was the wrong thing to say because she stiffened in his arms.

"Aislin, tell me what is bothering you" he commanded her. She shook her head, "I am just…trying to find out where my place is, in this world of yours". Toga pressed a kiss to her shoulder as his hands stroked her upper arms, "Aislin, your place is with me. Always, unless you wish for someone else" he told her. She nodded her head and snuggled against him.

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Daishi stood near the window, staring out into the night. She was a wife now. Her green eyes narrowed, the wife of an overbearing fox! While she was grateful that she was not bound to Ronuro, she was angry at Shippo for using such high handed methods.

Not only had he forced her to marry him, he'd made himself absent since then. She'd ridden to the inn with Kurama. Her husband nowhere in sight. It irked her to no end. "I should have stayed at the academy" she snapped to herself, "But NO, I had to be the good daughter. Ha!".

She turned as Shippo's scent reached her, moving down the hall apparently and coming closer to her room. Their room. She tensed and waited, slapping a calm expression on her face. He knocked once and then the door opened to reveal him.

He said nothing as he closed the door. She was angry, he could feel it. Why the hell was she mad now? He'd saved her from that… thing her parent's had chosen for her. Her freedom was secured, well to a point. He turned his eyes to her and she glared at him. He frowned and her chin went up a notch.

Her spirit did please him though. "Are you ok?" he asked her. The gentle inquiry taking the wind from the sails of her argument….momentarily. "Of course I am" she said smoothly, "I have been forced into marriage. It was the inevitable result of this day". He inwardly flinched at her choice of words.

He folded his arms across his chest and stared her down, with a sweep of her arm, she gathered the flowing silks around her and marched to stand toe to toe with him. "Why?" she demanded hotly, "What could you have been thinking to do such a thing?".

Shippo bristled, he did not have to explain himself to her. It should be obvious, after all, he'd told her before that he meant to have her and now he did. Green eyes locked with greener in a silent battle of wills. "You've ruined your life!" she spat at him.

Red brows rose and his tail twitched in irritation, "I think I can be the judge of that". She snorted inelegantly, "The noble Shippo to the rescue" she said mirthlessly. She turned back to the window, "I want to return to Satoru" she said softly. Shippo sighed, "In time" he told her.

She blinked at him over her shoulder. "You were always my friend Shippo…." She said sadly, "Now I've dragged you into this mess. No. You dragged you into this mess". He growled softly as he stalked towards her. She backed up against the wall and he did not relent, not even when the scent of her growing fear reached him.

She'd learn one way or another that he was not some monster and he'd not harm her. He pressed his body against hers, pinning her to the unforgiving wall. "I am your friend" he bit out, "And your husband". He lightly traced a claw over her bottom lip, "And one day…soon… I will be your lover as well". She sucked in a breath at his words. He nodded at her look and continued speaking, "What was I to do? Leave you to the mercies of those idiots? I think not. I told you that I would have you, not because you needed saving but because you needed wanting and I want you".

He reached into his sleeve and withdrew a small pouch, "This is for you" he said to her, "It has become something of a tradition in my family. When we take a mate, we give this gift as well". He pressed the soft material into her hand.

She frowned in puzzlement and looked down, before loosening the drawstrings. As the material parted, a thin circle of gold fell into her palm. A deep emerald twinkled up at her. It was the exact shade of his eyes. "I… I don't understand" she whispered.

Shippo plucked it from her hand, "It is more of a human custom from my mother's land" he said gently, "When you marry, you wear a ring on this hand to show the world". He slid the ring onto the appropriate finger, "You seem to prefer green" he said of the stone.

He held up his hand to show a larger, more masculine version of the ring. "You are not an act of selfless sacrifice" he told her, "You are an act of impeccable taste". She blinked at the ring and at him. She opened her mouth to speak but he claimed her lips, her eyes going wide and locking with his.

He held her gaze as he lapped at her bottom lips, his hand moving to her waist, his thumb brushing at the last rib. Her eyes fluttered closed and Shippo allowed his own to drift shut as he deepened the kiss. She gasped at the brush of his tongue against hers.

She struggled slightly not sure what was happening to her, but he merely shifted his weight and subdued her. He kept the kiss very intimate but did not ravage her as he so desperately wanted to. His inner beast thrummed with happiness when her own tongue shyly slid against his.

He growled softly, the rumbling of his broad chest, making her relax further into his arms. At last, her hands crept upward to twine around his neck, and she pressed herself against him. Shippo wound his arms around her then, letting her feel the shelter of his arms fully.

He made slow love to her mouth, listening to her thundering heartbeat. Her scent was warming now. He pressed his tongue against the roof of her mouth before tracing the sensitive gum line around her fangs. His own fangs brushed over her bottom lip and he suckled it lightly before drawing back from her.

She panted for breath, still clinging to him. He was pleased that she hadn't drawn away from him. "What….was….th- that?" she breathed into the solid expanse of his chest. He lifted her chin with gentle fingers so that he held her gaze. "That was a kiss for my wife" he whispered.

A kiss for his wife. That was what she was now, and that was the most amazing thing she'd ever felt. She pressed her fingertips to her swollen lips. Shippo released her, watching the bemused expression cover her lovely features.

She watched as he slowly, purposefully, removed his haori. Her eyes fixed on him and then the futon and widened. He caught the returning scent of fear. "What… what are you doing?" she asked, her voice wavered and Shippo almost growled at her.

"I am getting ready for bed" he told her patiently. She swallowed hard, her breath labored now for a very different reason. "Bed?" she asked. Shippo sighed as he let his hair down, and flexed his bare chest at her. "Yes bed" he said in a hard voice, "To sleep beside my wife". She shivered, "Sleep?" she squeaked. He growled and nodded, "Yes, sleep. I'm tired".

He settled himself under the covers and she gasped when his pants were tossed to the rest of his clothing. He caught her look. "What? I sleep naked" he told her. She looked ready to jump out the window now. With a sigh he laid back and folded his hands behind his head.

"I know everything you went through" he said then, in a casual tone, "I do not expect you to accept my touch tonight. I do however expect you to sleep beside me. In my arms, so that my scent is on you. The rest…well that can come later. When you are ready".

Daishi stared at him as though he'd grown a second head. He glared at her, "Now what?". She relaxed her death grip on her clothing, "You would wait for me?" she asked. He growled at her, "I just said I would damn it" he snapped.

She glared at him, "Don't you get testy with my Shippo" she snapped right back, "You are the one who is to blame for all of this". He listened to her rant, she was easier to deal with when she was angry. He would take a pissed off Daishi over a frightened one any day. Especially when it came to sleeping arrangements.

Waiting for her to be ready was going to kill him, he was certain but he'd given his word and he meant to keep it. Meant to show her that he cared enough to wait, that she was worth it. And when she came around, he'd make sure she wanted him as much as he wanted her.

As she stomped around muttering unfavorable opinions of him and his brash tactics, she was peeling away layers of her wedding silks. He wondered if she was even aware of that fact. She was in her under robe when she paused her pacing near the side of the futon.

He swept his gaze around their room, bright silks were scattered across the floor, as though the wardrobe had exploded. She was glaring down at him, worrying her lips between her teeth. He reached up and grasped her hand tugging her down.

With a soft 'oof' she landed against his chest and he rolled them to the side. She was stiff in his arms and he sighed against her ear. "How long do you think it will take before you aren't afraid of me?" he asked softly. She sighed, a defeated sound, "I am not afraid of you Shippo. I am worried about what I know you want. I know that it's your right and if you want.." She said but his hand crept over her mouth.

"I said that I would wait until you want it like I do" he whispered to her. His words soothing her. His hand slid over her back, rubbing away the tension of the day. He was skilled at finding those knotted muscles and he pressed firmly as he rubbed. Easing them away. He focused on soothing her and keeping his body from reacting to her. It was a painful effort.

She sighed softly against his chest. "Are you sorry?" she asked him. Shippo kissed the top of her head, "Not at all" he replied. They fell silent as he continued to stroke her back, and rumble quietly to her. A long while later, her breathing evened out and she slipped into the comforting embrace of sleep.

Shippo nuzzled her hair and sighed, shifting his leg slightly to ease the slight ache of his groin, it was a wedding night he wouldn't forget.

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"Ryu this is stupid" Silvana griped and the hanyou. His ears twitched her looked over at her. "Now what?" he asked in an impatient tone. She smiled at him, "We want each other and you won't do anything about it" she said bluntly.

He desired her, whenever they were in sniffing distance she caught his arousal. "It's not like I've not had lovers" she reminded him. He growled softly at her, "I know that, thanks" he snapped. She threw her hands in the air, "And?"

Ryu sighed and ran his hand through his bangs, "Because if I take you, I'll want all of you and I won't be satisfied until my fangs are in your throat and you are completely mine" he told her. Silvana rose and went to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and resting her cheek against his shoulder. "I would give you all of me" she whispered.

He covered her hand with his own as he slinked his other arms behind him to hold her, "I know that" he said softly, "But I won't subject you to the whispers of the court. Your powers are just that.. Your own and I won't take you until they are firmly tied to you". Silvana sighed, "But Ryu….".

He shut his eyes, his ears going back, "Damn it Silvana. I have to do this the right way. You deserve that much" he said quietly, but firmly. Silvana nodded against him and stepped back from him, "So we wait on Victor's answers before we become lovers" she said sadly. Ryu spun to face her, "Lovers?" he asked, "Not likely woman".

Silvana blinked at him, her heart thudding hard in her chest. They slept beside each other damn near every night now and he'd not so much as tried. "It's because of Toga isn't it?" she asked, her voice a pained whisper. His golden eyes went wide. In a way it was because of Toga. Because he wanted to be seen in a very different light than his elder brother.

"It is" he said softly. Her eyes glittered with unshed tears. Before Ryu could stop her, she was out of his arms. Not wanting to hear the rest, as it would no doubt hurt more than this small admission. He felt her hurt wash over him like scalding water. "Wait Silvana, that's not what I meant" he said quickly.

She held up her hand for silence, "I don't need to hear Ryu" she said firmly, "I had thought that we were past that point that you understood the way I feel. I guess I was wrong". He shook his head and growled at her, "Damn it that's not..". But she was gone. She'd fled from him and Ryu sank back against the wall. How had the conversation gone so terribly wrong?

He only wanted to tell her that Toga had seen her as a bed partner and that because of that, he wanted to show that his desires were vastly different. That because of Toga, he would do thing differently. And now, because of Toga, he had erred on the side of caution and hurt the heart he sought to protect.

She wouldn't listen to him, not now. He would have to show her, make her see. See that she was everything in the world he wanted and that having her so close and not being able to make her his, was killing him…slowly. He'd try again tomorrow, try and talk to her. Ask her for patience to see what he wanted to achieve. He only hoped she'd listen.