Chronicles of the West

Back to business as usual. Enjoy everyone! Rawben, the pre-op was for my back. Lucky me, army days done broke me! LoL Anywho, there is boy smut, among others in thses chappies, so you've been warned. For those of you who like this kind of thing I made that chapter a little longer after the wrongness of Alastair's demise. Enjoy!

Chapter Sixty Nine

Sesshoumaru caught the scent of his son drawing close to his chambers and rose to meet him. Ayeka was still curled in a ball. To keep her warm he covered her with his large fluff of fur, smirking as she nuzzled into it. He knew all too well how much she enjoyed that fur.

Ryu hadn't even had the chance to knock when the door opened to reveal his stately father. Sesshoumaru closed the door behind him and stared at Ryu. "It must be something urgent for you to wake me" he said. Ryu Keh'd, "Not like you were sleeping" he retorted. Sesshoumaru grunted, "What is it then?".

"I want to see Taima" Ryu said. Sesshoumaru pinched the bridge of his nose, "She is likely sleeping Ryu" he pointed out. Ryu's ears flicked, "I don't care," he bit out, "I must speak with her as soon as possible". Ryu's body was tense.

Sesshoumaru nodded and began to walk in the required direction, "What is so important?" he asked. Ryu sighed, "Silvana is distressed" he said, "And we quarreled". The last of his words were little more than an unhappy grumble.

Sesshoumaru lifted one fine brow, "And you wish Taima to resolve it?" he asked. Ryu shook his head, "She said something to Silvana. Something that worried her enough to make her deny the sealing of her powers". The taller demon paused. Well this was news.

"I had believed this was no longer an issue between you" he stated. Ryu grunted, "You and me both. Whatever Taima said was enough to make her change her mind". Sesshoumaru considered the elemental, she was far from flighty. He wondered what words she had imparted that struck the demoness so.

With careful hands he opened the enchanted door that led to her darker domain. Her lamps flared brightly and the soft shushing sound of pages being turned indicated she was yet awake. "Uncle Sesshoumaru, Ryu" came her soft voice, "The hour is late for social calls don't you think?".

Her smile told them she didn't mind at all. "Forgive me for coming" Ryu told her, "I have to ask you something". Her golden gaze fixed on him with unwavering intensity, "Your turmoil and unhappiness are strong this evening" she told him, pressing a pale hand to her brow.

She sank into her chair and motioned them to sit as well, "Your emotions are too high". Ryu pushed them down in an effort to ease her discomfort. She latched onto Sesshoumaru's hand and sought solace from his ever calm person.

"They have quarreled" he told her, "And he wishes to know what information you imparted to her". She nodded, "Ryu, you must not deny her birthright" she whispered. Ryu's ears twitched, "I would never do such a thing" he stated.

Taima shook her head, "But you are" she insisted, "An elemental is not meant to hold their powers alone. You have seen it, have you not? Her exhaustion after even brief displays?". Ryu nodded. Sesshoumaru understood better than he did. "Mating is the catalyst for the elemental" he said. Taima nodded. "A mate channels and controls the overflow of such powers".

Ryu pondered that, "The overflow? Not the entirety?" he asked. Taima smiled at him then, "Correct. However a mate with a corrupt heart can bind the powers wholly to him for his use alone. This is what you seek to avoid is it not?".

Sesshoumaru looked back at Taima, "What did you say to her, what did you see?" he asked, returning to the original reason for the late night visit. Taima sighed, "That she must not bind her powers from Ryu. You cannot win if you do so".

Ryu wanted to kick himself. She'd called after him, had tried to explain, but he, in his stubbornness would not hear her. Why hadn't she said so in the first place? This whole argument might have been avoided.

Taima turned those unfathomable eyes to him, "Perhaps because she knew it would do little good". Ryu's eyes slid to her and then away, "Don't do that!" he admonished. Taima merely smiled, "I don't have to get in your head to figure that out" she reminded him, "But I fear that you have caused a great deal of hurt in her".

Sesshoumaru watched his son with passive eyes. It was so like the early years between he and Ayeka. Pride and misunderstandings, oh he knew the damage they could cause. They cut deeper than any blade, burned sharper than poison, and ached for lifetimes, never relenting.

"Taima what else can you tell us?" he asked her. She shook her head, her ghostly hair catching the light. "Nothing yet" she replied, "There are many clouds that veil the future and they have yet to part for me". Sesshoumaru nodded, "I know that it is not easy for you Taima" he told her, and pressed a kiss to her pale brow.

He and Ryu left her in peace a few minutes later. Sesshoumaru said nothing to Ryu as they traipsed up the steps and into the halls. There was nothing to say, that the hanyou didn't already know. It was up to him to try and resolve this. Knowing all the pieces did little to ease the tension of his shoulders. The choice was still unmade, but Ryu didn't want to tread that path. He would not let the wagging tongues get the better of them.

Sesshoumaru left him to his thoughts to return to the side of his mate. Ryu, took to the forest, racing through the trees. He half hoped something would appear and challenge him, but it was not to be and so he ran, hoping to replace that ache in his chest with something, anything.

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Daishi rolled over and perched atop her mate, staring down into deep green eyes with a small smile on her face. Shippo rubbed her back and sighed, "What is going on in that devious mind of yours wife?" he asked, kissing her lightly.

She dropped her head to rest on his chest, and stretched. Shippo's hands steadied her to prevent her from toppling from him. "I was thinking" she whispered shyly, "That I would very much like to find and defeat this enemy".

Shippo nodded, "I believe we all want that Daishi" he pointed out. She smiled against his flesh as his large hands stroked her back. "I have my own plans and that fiend is interfering with them" she told him. A red brow arched, and he rolled his wife beneath him. "What plans might those be?" he asked as he nuzzled her neck.

She trailed her fingers through his bright hair and rumbled with contentment, "That I would like to be a mother before I turn one hundred and two" she whispered to him. Shippo felt her words go straight to his groin and growled softly.

"So you want pups" he said. She tweaked his ear lightly, "Your pups" she clarified, "And I cannot conceive when a threat is looming over me". Shippo smiled, if she wanted his pups then she was happy with her life, with him. It made him smile to imagine kits bounding about.

He locked eyes with his diminutive mate and growled low in his throat, the sound washing over her and setting her senses afire. "Then I will of course make it so" he promised her. She smiled widely up at him, "You'll make a wonderful father Shippo" she told him. He kissed her jaw, "Hn. Let me show you what a good husband I am first".