By the Swing of the Sword

Chapter 6.
Just Shy of Hopeless

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She scrambled ungracefully unto the bed. Too late she saw the steps than might have allowed her a more dignified ascension to the elevated sleep platform. But then, she was currently being treated like a whore, by a man who had just casually murdered one of his whores, and left her body in the hall for the servants to find and take care of. A little lost dignity did not seem too important in the scheme of things.

She shivered as the cool sheets came in contact with her skin, and then pushed herself up, on her knees and waited. The bed sunk with his weight as he approached her from behind, and patted her on the rump.

“Very nice…except for one thing,” he plunged his thumb into her without warning, and splayed his fingers across her bottom, gripping her in his hand and flipping her over onto her back. He stared down at her as she squirmed uncomfortably beneath his hand. “You’re not my bitch. I’m going to fuck you, not mate with you.”

“I did not realize the significance that position heEllllld”.. He removed his thumb from her and unceremoniously as he had inserted it. He did not need to feel for her barrier, her face had told him that nothing had ever been down there before. He rubbed his thumb and his fingers together.

“I suggest you do everything in your power to become aroused in the next few minutes, Princess, or this will be very painful for you. More so than it has to be, anyway.” He noticed her shudder, and smiled inwardly. Poor sheltered little princess. Of lovemaking she may know nothing, but she had surely heard horror stories of the bloody and painful process of losing her virginity. Isn’t that what dutiful nursemaids told all the proper young ladies of good family, to preserve their so-called honor? The Princess Carine may not be afraid of him, but she would naturally dread sex, particularly since he had given no sign that he would be a gentle and considerate lover.

No, tonight he would take her as he pleased, until he was satisfied. This proud little princess would learn to submit.

He pressed himself down along her length, fitting his body to hers. He nipped at her ears and neck, pulling back to watch her eyes regard him fiercely. She lay open to him, vulnerable, and she hated it. But she was wise enough, or perhaps proud enough, not to fight him. He trailed his claws lightly over her breasts, watching the dusky flesh of her nipples pucker, and knowing without having to look, that her cheeks burned crimson at her body’s betrayal.

He bit one fleshy peak, and heard the breath rush from her throat, but she did not cry out. She would not cry out. Not when he brushed against her opening, not when first entered her, roughly stretching the tender passage with his considerable girth, not when he plunged through her maiden-head like one would plunge their sword into an enemy’s gullet, and not after, when his forceful strokes were smoothed by her blood and his pleasure.

He came relatively quickly, thrusting into her tightness as far as he could go, until he could feel his balls pressed against the softness of her flesh. He had lied earlier, he had been aroused since he saw her in the baths, and he had wanted her badly despite his protestations of disinterest. Her unwillingness, while attractive to the warrior in him that wanted to defeat her utterly, had eliminated the need to prolong the encounter for her pleasure. Besides, he had a fortnight in which to savor her slowly.

Sesshoumaru rose and separated himself from her. He stretched languorously and leered at her, before making his way to his washbasin to cleanse himself of her blood. Upon his return to the bed, he donned his loose pants and tossed her under kimono at her. “Do not take this as a sign of dismissal. I am far from done with you.”

She rolled to her side and pushed herself up, her first movement since he had so abruptly departed. Her whole body was sore and felt oddly sensitized. There was a trembly feeling in her stomach and a tingle in her lower back whose cause she could not quite define. She could feel his eyes on her as she slipped into her undergarment, and did not feel any less naked once clothed. She saw that he was lying on his back, and she mimicked his position, though careful to leave a wide gulf between them.

Silence spread through the room, heavy but laced with a hope that perhaps Sesshoumaru intended only to sleep for now, and had lost immediate interest in her. Just as she had begun to relax, felt sleep tempt her after her long day, he spoke. “Explain to me what you meant earlier about your sister being my offering.”

She was surprised by the question, and slightly wary. “There is little to explain my Lord. Kagome was to be the peace offering, but it was decided that she wasn’t enough, so I was sent as well.”

“Who suggested that I might have been pleased with a second-born princess?”

“Third-born, my Lord.” Carine corrected quietly.

He turned on his side to face her at that, but she continued to gaze at the ceiling. “I would almost swear that the Eastern Queen died in her second pregnancy.”

“I was not aware that you paid such attention to my family’ affairs.” He did not respond and she felt the silence stretch between them again. “You are correct. Kagome is the youngest of twins.”

“Both girls?”

“I would not be the heir if it were otherwise.”

“Pity I do not have a second brother then.”

At that she spun to face him. “What? Do you hate us so that you would have our line wiped from the earth? I understand that you war with my father but my sisters deserve none of your hatred!”

“They were born of my enemy, is that not guilt enough?” He met her gaze steadily, but she could she the anger glinting in his eyes. “And what of you? Have you done something that should incur my wrath besides sharing a bloodline with that beast of a king?”

She looked away at that. “No. I would far rather you hate me unjustly that my sisters, that is all.”

Sesshoumaru stared at her intently for several long moments. “ You volunteered to come here” he said slowly. It was not a question so much as a statement.

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“I thought perhaps father would spare Kagome if I went in her place.”

“Fool.”

“For desiring to save my sister? Would you have done differently if it was your brother at stake?”

“You are a fool for coming here of your own free will, because you should have known you would not survive.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“My pack does not sacrifice their own.”

“I do not either.” She met his eyes coolly and he stared back.

“’Tis indeed a pity your father lives and you were not crowned. Under you, your kingdom might have stood a chance.”


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A/N: Chapter 6 done! Whoo-hoo. More to come. Hopefully soon. Thank you for the reviews. Next time: Naruku threatens Kikyo with marriage, Inu and Kag grow closer, and Ses and Car? Wait and see…