Across the Ages

So do we still think that Sessh is a complete bastard? Happy Birthday to Anon's cat, boy some people just look for reasons LoL. The next few chapters will be bloody :)

Chapter Forty-Seven

Sesshoumaru returned to his tents with a painful erection, wanting nothing more than to go back and take Ayeka. He would not allow himself to do that, and he would not allow himself any comfort from his current state. He'd done this to her and he'd suffer no less. Ayeka had been strong enough not to relieve her own ache, her shadowed eyes had told him that.

He understood what Inuyasha had said, well mostly. It was his nature to take and to dominate and Ayeka accepted that. Until he'd given her a reason to question her trust of him. There so many things that she didn't understand, things that she would have come to learn in time, but fate had not given them that chance and they'd remained apart.

He splashed water on his face, but her scent remained, imbedded in his skin, a small torment to his fevered senses. With a growl, he prowled to his large cot and flopped gracefully onto it. His eyes strayed to the other pillow. Her pillow. Her place. There beside him.

With a groan he stared up at the ceiling, watching the material sway slightly with the breeze. He knew it would be a very long night for him. At least he'd been able to give her some form of comfort before her heat came on her. Now he just had to stay the hell away from her until it passed. He wasn't sure if he could however.

Ayeka slept heavily, just as he left her. Her dreams became memories taking her back centuries before. She stood before her cousin, blushing and smiling. "Married?" her cousin asked, "You are to marry a demon?". Ayeka nodded, feeling her heart might burst from her happiness. "Yes, he was here with me last time" she told her only remaining family.

She had thought that her cousin would share her joy, however the cold look at creapt across the other's features gave her pause. "What is it?" she had asked. Her cousin tossed her head, "He isn't like you Ayeka. He isn't even human!" came the ranting.

Ayeka didn't understand, her time within the house of the Taisho blurring the lines between peoples. "Of course he is a demon," she said then, "But that doesn't matter. He is a good man, you'd see that if you'd only try!". Sesshoumaru stood in the treeline. He'd not approved of her coming here. He'd doubted the villagers would embrace this union. He'd been right.

He wanted to go and removed Ayeka from the stares of the people there. "I told you she was the whore for the demon dogs of that castle" came the hissed voices. She turned to glare at the offender. "I am no one's whore" she said hotly. Her cousin shook her head, "You are dead to me. How can you betray your own kind like this. Will you bear it's children?" she asked.

Ayeka growled at her, "Yes I will bear HIS children, as many as he wants". Sesshoumaru smiled softly at that, before narrowing his eyes on the villagers again. "Abominations, half breeds, hanyous! Spawn of hell!" they muttered. He'd heard enough and leapt into the air.

Ayeka flinched away at her cousin's sharp slap. She lunged for the other woman on instinct but a large flash of white impeded her attack. Sesshoumaru stood between the villagers and his bride to be. His youkai swirling around them both, lifting their hair to snap in the wind.

Ayeka lifted her eyes to him, but he was staring at the humans before him. "You will watch your tongues if you value your lives" he warned them, enraged that they should speak to her so, that her own blood would strike out at her. Her cousin cringed under the deadly cold golden gaze.

She made to speak but his snarls silenced her. The movement of the air was the only sound. He reached his hand behind him towards Ayeka. "Come" he said quietly. Ayeka slipped her hand into his and stepped to his said. His gaze slid sidelong over her. The bright handprint was the only physical damage she had sustained.

He tucked her against his side. "She is my mate and Lady of the West. She rules you. You would do well to remember that. Any slights against her will not be met with mercy in the future" he growled viciously. He drew himself to his full, intimidating height. "I may be a dog, but you are lower than the pebbles beneath her feet".

He tensed to leap and Ayeka clung to him. "Ayeka!" her cousin yelled to her, "Don't do this!" If she said anything else it was lost in the whipping of the wind as he rose higher into the air with her. She buried her face against his armor covered chest to keep the sting of the wind from her eyes. It didn't matter though, the tears were already there.

His arms wrapped more tightly around her as he propelled them to the depths of the forest. He touched down lightly, keeping her close to him. His senses flared, but there was no danger to them here. Any youkai in the area had fled before the ferocity of his angry aura.

She sniffed lightly and he turned his full attention to her. Ayeka didn't want him to see her tears. Didn't want to show him the weakness of her human heart. Clawed fingertips slid beneath her chin to lift her head. She bit back her tears but they remained standing in her eyes.

Sesshoumaru detested her tears. He feared nothing, was all powerful, except when she wept. He was powerless against her tears. He'd once ordered her not to cry. she'd flipped him off and stalked away from him. Anger was always better than tears he'd found.

His eyes moved over the livid red flesh of her cheek. He gently brushed the backs of his fingers over the hot curve. She grimaced slightly at it and he growled softly. Her eyes widened when he leaned forward and gently licked the sting away. She threw herself against him, burying her head in his chest.

"Why?" she asked him, "Why do they hate us?". He breathed in her sweet, clean scent. His hand stroked her hair, "Because they do not understand" he told her, "They see us as two different types of beings, and we are Ayeka. I am a demon, you are a human and our children would be hanyous. Half breeds in the world".

She shook her head at his words "No. They'd be ours, Sesshoumaru. Yours and mine" she told him softly, "It wouldn't matter, the rest of it. Just that we loved them". Her innocence touched his heart and he nuzzled in her hair. "I don't want you visiting the village on your own" he told her then. She nodded, having no wish to feel that way again.

They arrived back at the castle and Sesshoumaru gave her over the multitude of maids that would create the gown she'd wear. He should not have followed her to the village, but now she was glad that he had. She knew that the villagers would have thought nothing of attacking her.

The seamstresses were laying out bolts of fine fabrics for her to look at. She had to choose for her wedding finery and for her new wardrobe. She hated fittings. She ran her hand over a glistening bolt of cream colored silk. White had never looked good on her, she was too pale.

"That comliments your color nicely" the demoness told her, lifting her red hair aside to better see. Ayeka nodded, "This one then". She spent the remainder of the day with the women, huddled among the fabrics as she was draped and pinned and marked.

By nightfall she was exhausted. She ate only a small amount at dinner and the Taisho looked her over with a critical eye. "Are you ill?" he asked. She looked up at him and shook her head, "No, my lord" she said softly, "I am just tired. Might I return to my rooms?" He nodded with a small smile, Sesshoumaru had told him of the occurences of the day.

She thanked him and bid the other's good night. She went to her room and sat at her wood desk and made a list of the thing she needed to get done. List making had always calmed her. Kurama had once laughed at her stating that a human life was too short to be so organized.

The events of the day unfolded in her mind and she became fretful. She wanted Sesshoumaru, to feel his warmth and strength. To know that come what may, he'd always be there with her. Tomika knocked lightly a while later, "I came to see how you are" she said softly to her friend and mistress.

Ayeka smiled wanly, "Tired I suppose. Tense". Tomika nodded, she well understood that feeling. She being a woman and a demon knew what would ease her mind. "I will be right back" she told Ayeka. Ayeka watched as she went to the adjoining door and knocked lightly. Sesshoumaru's gruff answer floated through the door.

Tomika vanished into this chambers and the door swung closed. Sesshoumaru knew that Ayeka would not break the traditions by coming to him, although he found himself wishing she would. He looked up to see Tomika before him. He arched a brow, "What is it?" he asked.

Tomika bowed to him, "Your lady is feeling distress over the events in the village" she said simply, "She misses your presence". Sesshoumaru nodded and Tomika moved to his closet. She would take one of his haori's to Ayeka. His scent would soothe her.

"No" he told her and she looked back at him, "Take this one, it is warm". She averted her gaze as he shrugged out of his haori and undershirt. Tomika held another out to him. She bundled the worn clothing and nodded. He watched as she slipped back through the doors to Ayeka.

She handed Ayeka the garments. "I am sure you will find it easier to sleep now" she said and then bowed and let herself out of the room. Ayeka looked down at the silk in her hands. They were warm still, she lifted the clothing to her nose, inhaling the clean, fresh masculine scent of her soon to be mate.

Ayeka shrugged out of her robes and wrapped herself in his much larger shirts. Tomika was correct, the scent and warmth were soothing to her and she found herself climbing into her bed and snuggling into his clothing. Sleep claimed her a short time later.

Her dreams were far from peaceful. The pale lord so close to her, yet so far wreaked havoc on her in the night. Her mind conjuring the hot, restless dreams of lusty desires and her body reacted to them. Sesshoumaru discovered this fact the following day when the maids returned his clothing, the scent of her arousal lingered in the folds. He suspected Tomika had done it on purpose.

The routine continued over the following nights, Tomika would appear and he would give her his clothing to soothe Ayeka. Only to be tormented himself when her sweet scent washed through the door and lingered in his clothing. On the sixth night he gave his fur to the handmaiden.

Ayeka had apparently had some definite ideas on what to do with it, for the next morning found him burying his face in the silken fluff and inhaling deeply. She'd slept on it nude and she'd found release on it as well. He'd spent over an hour in the bathing chamber taking his frustrations out on his body.

He'd found his own release three times from her scent alone and he refused to let anyone else near that pelt. He washed it himself, growing painfully hard as he completed the task. If she was restless tonight, he'd be giving her the fur once more. She seemed to like it more.


The sounds of the men working outside her tent, woke Ayeka. She stretched langurously, and sat up. The events of the night before flooded back to her. Sesshoumaru working his magic on her. Then he'd left. Without thinking of himself, he'd left her blissfully sated.

She rolled over and went to the basin of now cold water. She washed herself and dressed for the day. She felt she could conquer the world. First things first, she'd go see Sesshoumaru and give him a run down on the reports from yesterday.

Sesshoumaru caught her scent approaching and sat behind his desk. Ayeka lifted the flap and stepped inside. "Morning" she chirped. He growled. She smiled and walked to stand before his desk, she laid the reports before him. "I took these last night since you were patrolling" she told him.

He grunted flipping through them. "I was not patrolling" he told her. She felt his barrier rise around them. She turned her eyes from the shimmering ball of light around them to the lord before her. "You weren't patrolling" she said, "Where did you go?"

"I met with the wind witch Kagura" he told her. Her eyes widened at his words. "The incarnation of Naraku? Why? How could you?" she asked. He looked at her steadily, "Because she is the one who will betray him to us" he said simply. She propped her hip on the corner of the desk, arms folded and waiting.

In short words he told her all that had transpired between Kagura and himself. Ayeka listened intently, "How can you be sure that she will not betray you?" she asked him. Sesshoumaru pierced her with his gaze, "Because she wishes to be free and he will never give that to her. She will do anything to flee from him. Surely you understand her position". His words were soft, given without malice and in that moment she saw that she did understand his belief in her help. She nodded and turned to go.

A thought stopped her and she paused at the doorway, looking back at him. "Sesshoumaru I understand her need to be free. I want you to know that I have found my own. With you". Then she left him with her words, her promise to ease his heart.

Sesshoumaru doubled the number of sentries posted, the pregnant miko was not his only concern. It was the night of the new moon and Inuyasha would be rendered mortal until the dawn. He made his way to the tent and was surprised when Kagome met him with a smile.

Once more he tended to his brother's wounds. "I have doubled the guard" he said. Inuyasha's ears twitched. Sesshoumaru looked over at Kagome, "Perhaps it would be wise to bring the slayer and the monk in. There is much that must be said, but I must use my barrier" he told her. She nodded.

The others arrived a few minutes later, giving him time to finish with Inuyasha. Once they were assembled, he erected his barrier and told them of the meeting with Kagura. They had a few questions and he answered as best he could. Once all were satisfied with the probable outcome they parted. The barrier fell.

Inuyasha dreaded becoming human. Now that Kagome was pregnant, kami only knew what he would feel. Sesshoumaru seemed to sense his unease and growled softly, "I am sure that the miko will embrace knowing how your human side feels about this. I also have a favor to ask of you".

Inuyasha turned to face his brother, "What's that?" he asked. Sesshoumaru sighed, "Ayeka is coming into her heat. You know that already. If I lose control and pup her, I want your word that you will have me punished for it". Inuyasha was fairly certain that it wouldn't be needed. Sesshoumaru had incredible control. "I won't do that" he said softly.

Sesshoumaru looked over at him in surprise, "Whyever not?" he asked. Inuyasha smirked, "I just don't see that pups between two people who love on another is something to warrant punishment. I'll have to be more careful now true, but Kagome is my mate and I am prepared to do what I have to. I think you'd feel the same way". Sesshoumaru growled at his sibling, "You will give me your word Inuyasha that you will see it done!" he demanded.

"Why?" Kagome asked then. He turned to look at her, "Because no one must be above the law" he said simply. His eyes begged Inuyasha to understand. The hanyou did, sadly enough. With great reluctance he gave his promise.