Across the Ages

Well since we lost some chapters, I guess I'll finish it off with the ceremony for Inuyasha and Kagome and the cheese will not be present now. I'll make the childbrirth less graphic this time ;).

Chapter Sixty

Two days later, Sesshoumaru shook his sleepy mate awake. "Wake woman" he growled at her. She slapped her hand at him, snuggling back into the covers, "No...sleepy" she muttered. He smiled, yes, he supposed she was. Two days of near constant coupling had followed their bonding. At long last, Ayeka carried the scent of pups. He'd conquered her womb, and what a pleasant campaign it had been.

"If you remain in bed, you'll miss the bonding of Inuyasha and Kagome" he pointed out to her. She pushed herself up on her elbows, red hair in mad disarray around her shoulder. He smiled gently at her disgruntled expression.

She growled and grumbled as she cross the room on aching legs. "Mothers don't grumble and growl" he called after her. Her middle finger rose into the air and he chuckled. Ayeka finally felt human as she emerged from the steaming water. Her legs were still stiff and she would have been only too happy to crawl back into bed.

Sesshoumaru led her down to the bonding hall. Inuyasha stood where Sesshoumaru had a mere two days prior. He was dressed in the austere black of his brother, shot with the red he seemed to prefer. His long hair was pulled up in the same high pontytail and more than a few demons whispered that the Taisho himself had returned. Ayeka was amazed, just how much he did look like his father. The guests were assembled and Sesshoumaru pulled Ayeka against his side as Kagome appeared at the end of the walkway.

Kagome's empire waisted gown almost hid the bulge of her belly. Her sheer overcoat shot with red flowers. White and red, the colors of the miko. She gazed serenely at Inuyasha as Miroku led her to him. Inuyasha looked down at her with barely disguised happiness. After today she would be his by both demon and human standards.

The rough voice of the fire demon droned on, the ceremony a mirror image of Sesshoumaru's and Ayeka. As Inuyasha pulled her against him within the circle, she smiled up at him. "Don't be scared" he whispered and she pressed herself to him, "Never".

His lips closed over hers as the light rose up around them. Ayeka could see the hazy outline of the two beyond the light. The power crackled and sizzled around the hall and Ayeka had to admit that it felt most impressive.

Inuyasha exposed her throat and bit down, her blood welling up, making his eyes flash red. His claw passed over his own throat, drawing blood. Kagome touched her tongue to his flesh, embracing eternity fully. Her pup flipflopped in her stomach, feeling it's father's power rise around them.

In the end, the light faded and Kagome hissed as she traced her fingers over her tender forehead. The shimmering pink sphere lay there. The mark of the jewel and inside the kanji of Inuyasha's feelings for her. Mine. He traced his claw lightly over the mark before pressing his lips to it.

The applause was deafening and Kagome was only too glad when the celebratory feast began. She leaned against Inuyasha as she ate the delicacies placed before her. Kagome's preference of meat had grown with the child. It was inu and desired such. It made Inuyasha smile, watching her eat so properly.

Hours passed and Kagome grew tired, no one said a word as Inuyasha helped her up and led her away. The little miko was hiding yawns behind her hand as she nodded her good nights. It was not long after that Ayeka and Sesshoumaru led young Rin away to bed.

Being the lord, he was required to return to the guests but Ayeka was allowed to crawl into bed and wait for him. She woke slightly when he slid in behind her several hours later, his arm creeping beneath her head as she snuggled against him.

In the opposite hall, Inuyasha and Kagome were slipping into sleep, being intimate at her stage of pregnancy would have been uncomfortable to both of them, but they lavished pleasure on one another in various ways. Inuyasha pressed a kiss to her stomach on his way back up her body. "Go to sleep wench".

The following day, they assembled in the garden. Kagome sniffed as she watched Kirara and Sango and Miroku were preparing to leave. Inuyasha would go the village with them. He'd be gone for a few days, he imagined it wouldn't take him any time to at least get the huts put back together.

Yes, he'd get that done and return to have his pup born. Plan in mind, he raced from the walls. The teary goodbye that were taking place held no interest for him. Sesshoumaru could take care of a house of weepy women, it'd be good for him.

Three days later, he'd returned. The huts all by complete. Ayeka and Kagome were walking in the gardens. The young miko refusing to be confined in her final says. They chatted happily until Kagome grasped Ayeka's hand and sank to her knees. Her arm banded around her stomach.

Ayeka knew what this meant. Turning her head to the sky, "Sesshoumaru! Inuyasha!" she shouted. The blurs of silver appearing mere moments later, driven by the panic in her voice. Inuyasha scooped Kagome up and bounded into the palace. The scent of her pup heavy around her.

Koga and Kurama sat in the antechamber with Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha. Hours had passed and still the soft cries of the woman drifted through the door. Inuyasha paced almost frantically. Kurama lounged against the far wall. His senses telling him that the miko was in no danger.

Sesshoumaru sifted through reports, trying his best to feign boredom. The cries did nothing to ease him though. He watched Inuyasha pace past him. "She's dying" he announced to the room in general, "It's all my fault". Koga scratched at his ear with one claw, a bored expression on his face, "Yup" he agreed.

Sesshoumaru glanced at the wolf in mild irritation, not that it was noticed. Inuyasha clenched his fists, "She's too little for this" he muttered. Koga agreed once more, "Yup". Inuyasha stiffened when another cry rent the air and bounded for the door, only to be caught by Kurama.

"Lemme go you mangy fox" he snarled, "I gotta get in there". Kurama snapped his wrist in the opposite direction. Koga met Inuyasha's worried amber gaze, "Trust me dog crap, you don't wanna go in there. Females can get pretty mean at times like this and they usually go after the one they blame".

Inuyasha growled but Koga kept talking, "I mean come on puppy, are you gonna act like this everytime she's breeding?" Inuyasha grumbled at him. Koga sighed, "Look on the brightside, at least it's one pup. It's harder on the woman with several".

An inkwell sailed through the air to bounce off the stubborn wolf's head. "Ow! Hey what the hell?" he demanded. Sesshoumaru eyed him coolly, "Tread lightly wolf". He didn't care to hear anything along these lines, since they were aware that Ayeka carried twins. His full demon heirs.

He'd bravely tried to ignore that he was imaging the cries of Kagome being those of Ayeka. When her time came, he wasn't sure how he'd handle it. He hoped with a little more dignity than Inuyasha, who looked like he was going to be sick.

Another cry and he was at the door, growling softly while Kurama and Koga held him back. His sounds were soothing to the pup and it's mother but even that had failed to work about an hour ago. The scent of sweat, tears, fear and blood assailed the tender noses of the demon males.

Suddenly a guttural groan tore through the air, followed by eerie silence and then a soft howling cry. Inuyasha stared at the door in open mouthed silence. That was his child, a little female from the scent of things. Koga's head snapped up at the sound and even the ever stoic Sesshoumaru and Kurama waited with baited breath for the door to open.

Ayeka was snapping orders like the general she had been and Tomika was driving the maids to strip the bed, wash Kagome, and gather the tattered cloths as she carefully bathed the babe in her hands. The little girl had golden eyes and her father's silver hair. It stood on end in shining tufts now that it was clean.

She had the same mark of her mother on her brow, all but the kanji. It read 'gift'. Tomika smiled down at the tiny, pale body. "You are lovely little hime" she whispered to the child. Then she wrapped the girl in soft silken blankets and handed her to the exhausted but cleaned woman in the bed.

Ayeka met Kagome's gaze as they counted the little fingers and toes. Each tipped with tiny little claws. Ayeka could hear the growls coming from the other side of the door and sighed, Koga and Inuyasha were at it again. Tomika took one last look around the room and nodded.

Ayeka opened the door slowly, but Inuyasha nearly bolled her over in his haste to reach his family. She smiled after him, tears gathering on her lashes. His eyes were filled with such a grand volumn of love. He had finally found his place in the world. Inuyasha was home and she saw it, as he finally realized that.

Inuyasha looked at Kagome's tired face. Then his eyes fell to the pup, nuzzling against her. His eyes widened at how very small she was. Tiny and fragile like her mother. He was in awe of her as she turned wide golden eyes on him.

Instinct acted from his inner beast. The inu knew this was his, he had made this little creature. He growled softly to her. Her little eyes went wider and locked on him. Her gaze intent, unwavering. He reached a clawed finger to stroke against the pink softness of her cheek.

"She's perfect" he breathed and Kagome felt her chest tighten. He pressed a kiss to Kagome's brow and then bestowed one on his daughter. "What to call you" he mused. Kagome caught his gaze and smiled, shyly, "I was thinking... maybe Kagura". Inuyasha was silent for a moment and nodded, "That is perfect too".

Koga was pushing way to the bed,"Come on, lemme see her" he said impatiently. Inuyasha glared at him as he watched Kagome lift the baby to the wolf. No one was prepared for how gently he held the child, cradling her against his chest. Blue eyes colored with affection.

"Well aren't you just the prettiest little lady in all the world. Yes you are" he cooed to her and little Kagura tipped her chin up to stare. Her tiny button nose wrinkled and he laughed, "No honey I don't smell like your dad. Your uncle Koga is a wolf and that's way better" he assured her with a smile. The baby grunted and Inuyasha smirked.

Koga handed the child to Sesshoumaru and turned back to Kagome, "You did real good Kagome" he told her and pressed a kiss to hand. "I gotta go tell everyone". Then he was gone. Sesshoumaru stared down at little Kagura and she stared up at him.

The stoic demon felt lost, he wasn't prepared for the amount of feeling that rushed over him. A lock of silver hair fell foward and Kagura grasped it. Sesshoumaru looked at those tiny fingers and smiled, a soft rumble emanting from him to the infant.

Kagura nuzzled against him, taking in his scent and Kagome smiled. Sesshoumaru looked utterly spellbound, "Some one likes her uncle Sessh" she commented. He lifted his eyes to hers slowly, as though it was hard to look away from the child. "Really?" he asked.

Ayeka sniffed and leaned against his side, watching him. And that was when it happened, the great and cold Taiyoukai came crashing down from his lofty heights and he fell in love with a little bundle of fluff and pink flesh in his arms. "She's so beautiful" he murmured and Ayeka nodded.

Hours later, Kagome slept and Inuyasha watched as Ayeka cuddled his daugher to sleep. She certainly knew her way around kids. She looked tired though and with a sigh he rose and strode over to her. Sesshoumaru was staring at, a strange softness lighting his features.

"Ayeka?" he called softly and she tore her eyes from the sleeping child, "You look beat. Why don't you go to bed?" he asked. She nodded, feeling very tired now that he'd spoken. She lifted Kagura to him and he tucked the child against his chest.

Ayeka stood and stretched, smiling at Sesshoumaru, "You coming?" she asked. He nodded, "In a moment, I need to finish the adjustments to the patrol schedule. I won't be sending Inuyasha out for a while" he told her. She nodded as she passed him, pausing to lean up and kiss Inuyasha on his cheek and then she dropped a kiss to Sesshoumaru's silver head. "Night" she whispered.

Sesshoumaru waited until he knew she was gone before he turned his gaze on his younger sibling. "It changes you...inside..doesn't it?" he asked. Inuyasha was nuzzling his daughter, "Being a dad? Oh yeah" he admitted with a smile, "But in a few months you'll feel it too. Night Sessh".

With that he turned and went back into the sleeping chamber where Kagome was sleeping. Yes, everything was different now. Shiny and new, and wonderful.