Love and Politics in Feudal Japan

Two hours prior to the ceremony found Kagome, Sango, and Tai trying on yukatas of all styles and colors. Female servants were running in and out of the room at a frantic pace trying to keep the women happy. Inuyasha, Miroku, Derenti, Rasha, and Sesshoumaru were already in their kimonos and were sitting on the bed in Tai's room watching the women fuss over every little thing with amused expressions on their faces. They watched as Tai, who'd just changed into her yukata, froze suddenly and had a shocked expression on her face. Sesshoumaru was at her side in the blink of an eye, "Rosy? What's the matter, love?"
Everyone in the room turned to look at them with concern and Tai giggled, "It's the pup, Fluffy-sama. He's moving around and it feels really funny." She placed a hand on her slightly rounded tummy and started laughing, "It really feels funny. Feels like the bubbles in a hot spring. Here." Tai placed Sesshoumaru, Rin, and Matsu's hands on her tummy, "Feel that?" Rin started giggling, Matsu smiled, and Sesshoumaru looked shocked, but smiled while his eyes softened slightly.
"Me next!” echoed through the room as Kagome, Sango, Shippo, Kohaku, and Miroku ran up to feel the pup. Tai smiled and stood still for them while Sesshoumaru visibly tensed and shot Miroku a glare that read 'Those hands wander, you die.' Miroku smiled sheepishly and touched Tai's tummy trying his best to stay in Sesshoumaru's good graces. The four of them smiled as the pup shifted under their hands and Kagome sighed wistfully, "I can't wait till mine starts moving." Sango nodded in agreement as Inuyasha came up behind Kagome and hugged her. "Don't worry, love. The pup will start moving before you know it," Inuyasha kissed the side of her head and let her go as a servant came in to do the girls hair.



An hour later, the couples were ready and sitting in the room making small talk when Rin came running up to Tai with tears streaming down her face. "What's the matter, Rin?" Tai asked in a motherly voice and picked her up. "Jaken-sama called Rin a worthless ningen wench and knocked Rin upside the head with his staff," Rin wailed and buried her face in Tai's chest. Inutaishi's eyes started to brim with red as she stood and roared, "JAKEN!!!!! GET IN HERE NOW!!"
Jaken immediately ran into the room and bowed at Tai's feet, "What does Inutaishi-sama require from this lowly Jaken?" Tai handed Rin to Sesshoumaru and grabbed Jaken by the scruff of his neck pulling him up so he was face to face with her. "If you ever hit my daughter again, I'll rip your goddamn head off. Got it?" she growled menacingly causing Jaken to nod his head. "Good," Tai walked to the balcony and drop kicked Jaken off, sending him plummeting to the ground four stories below. She turned around and walked into the room to find the rest of the group laughing so hard that Rin, Sesshoumaru, Shippo, Kohaku, and Matsu fell off the bed. "Get up you five, you're gonna get dirty," Tai smiled as she knelt down and kissed Sesshoumaru's forehead, "You look good when you laugh, love. You should do it more often." Sesshoumaru smiled at her as she sat on the bed. Rin got up and ran to Tai saying, "Arigato, Okaasan," she hugged Tai's leg and smiled at her before turning and running from the room with Shippo, Kohaku, and Matsu scampering after her.
Mai came in after that and looked at her daughter, "Tai, you look so beautiful. I just wish your father were here to see this." She looked at the yukata Tai had picked. It was made of silk and was silver colored with rose embroidering on the collar and bottom. She'd chosen a black/red obi and a silver necklace with a taiyoukai pendant to accent the outfit. Her hair had been done in a loose braid and had a silver ribbon wove into it. Kagome's yukata was also silk, but was red with cherry blossom embroidering and she wore a black/silver obi and the shikon no tama around her neck to accent the yukata. Her hair was done in a loose bun at the base of her neck and had a red ribbon woven into it. Sango's yukata was also silk, but was black with red rose embroidering and a red/ black obi around the middle. She wore a silver necklace with a crescent moon pendant that she borrowed from Tai and her hair was also braided with a black ribbon woven into it. "You three look positively breathtaking," Mitsuki said as she walked into the room, "The ceremony will begin in twenty minutes, so you may want to head down now, gentlemen."

The courtyard of Saikou Akuroporisu was decorated in red, silver, and black. Streamers were hung from the trees. Roses in all three colors lined the walkways. A fountain half the size of Sonotaku no Youkai stood in the middle of the grounds. The fountain was adorned with statues of the first lords of Japan: Shinto-the kitsune lord of the North, Myoko-the inu lord of the West, Kei-the inu lord of the East, and Chiaki-the wolf lord of the South.
The cherry blossoms fell from the trees as the women made their way to the center of the courtyard. Most of the members of the aristocracy and even some that weren't part of the nobility were seated around the area. As the women approached Derenti, the attendants stood and bowed to the three. Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha and Miroku turned to look at the three of them as they stopped in front of Derenti and bowed before him.



Derenti smiled before speaking to the crowd, "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here in the sight of Kami-sama, and the presence of this company, to unite Sesshoumaru-sama, Taiyoukai of the West and Inutaishi-sama, Taiyoukai of the East in holy matrimony. We are also gathered to unite Inuyasha-sama and Kagome-sama in holy matrimony. As well as Miroku-sama and Sango-sama in holy matrimony. Marriage is not to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly; but reverently, soberly, and in the fear of Kami-sama. It is fitting that we should on this occasion; begin by asking Kami's blessing on these marriage services." He looked to the three women. Mai stood beside Tai as Derenti asked," Who gives this woman to marry this man?" Mai smiled and replied, "Her deceased father and I do." Derenti nodded and turned to Kagome's mother who had somehow made it to the wedding, "Who gives this woman to marry this man?" Kagome's mother smiled, “I do." Derenti turned to Kaede, "Who gives this woman to marry this man?" Kaede replied, “I do." Derenti nodded and turned to the crowd as Inutaishi, Kagome, and Sango approached their soon to be husbands.
He smiled at the crowd," Marriage is a joyous occasion. It is connected in our thoughts with the magic charm of home, and with all that is pleasant and attractive as being one of the most important events in our lives. Its sacredness and unity is like the mystical relation between Kami and the Deities and is therefore the most significant and binding covenant known in human and youkai relations. Let us hear the words of Kami from the ancient scriptures, the writings of Shinto-sama, "Live life with a due sense of responsibility, not as man or youkai who do not know the meaning and purpose of life but as those who do. Make the best of your time, despite all the difficulties of these days. Don't be vague but firmly grasp what you know to be the will of Kami. Thank Kami at all times for everything, in the name of Kami-sama. And 'fit in' with each other, because of your common reverence for Kami." He paused for a moment, "You wives must remember to adapt yourselves to your husbands, as you submit yourselves to Kami, for the husband is the 'head' of the wife in the same way that Kami is the head of the Gods but remember, this means that the husband must give his wife the same sort of love that Kami gave to Hitome when he sacrificed himself for her. In practice, what I have said amounts to this: Let every one of you who is a husband, love his wife as he loves himself, and let the wife honor and love her husband."
Derenti looked at the couples, "It is your duty, gentlemen, to be to your woman, a considerate, tender, faithful, loving husband: to support, guide and cherish her in prosperity and trouble; to thoughtfully and carefully enlarge the place she holds in your life; to constantly show to her the tokens of your affection, to shelter her from danger, and to cherish for her a manly and unalterable affection, it being the command of Kami, that husbands love their wives, even as he loved Hitome and gave his own life for her." He paused for a moment before continuing, "It is your duty, ladies to be to your man, a considerate, tender, faithful, loving wife; to counsel, comfort, and cherish him in prosperity and trouble; to give to him the unfailing evidences of your affection; to study, as time passes to make the place he holds in your heart, broader and deeper; to reverence and obey him, and to put on the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is, in Kami's sight, an ornament of great price. His word commanding that wives be subject unto their husbands and forsaking all others to cling to him with a love which fails not as long as you both shall live.


Let me charge all of you to remember, that your future happiness is to be found in mutual consideration, patience, kindness, confidence, and affection. It is the duty of each of you to find the greatest joy in the company of your significant other; to remember that in interest as in affection you are henceforth one and undivided." He paused briefly, "If you are ready to assume the obligations and duties before Kami, as I have defined them, you will unite your hands and pledge your love and your lives to your significant other."
"Beginning with Sesshoumaru, Do you Sesshoumaru-sama of the West, standing in the presence of Kami and these witnesses, solemnly pledge your faith to Inutaishi-sama of the East. Do you promise to live with her according to Kami's ordinance in the holy estate of matrimony; do you promise to love her, comfort her, honor, and keep her, in sickness and in health, and forsaking all others, keep yourself unto her, and through Kami's grace promise to be to her a faithful and devoted husband as long as you both shall live?"
Sesshoumaru looked at Tai as he responded, "I do." "Inutaishi, the same to you. Do you promise to be a faithful and devoted wife as long as you both shall live?" Derenti asked. Tai looked at Sesshoumaru as she replied, "I do." "Inuyasha?" Derenti questioned. "I do," Inuyasha replied. "Kagome?" Derenti asked. "I do," Kagome replied. "Miroku?" "I do." "Sango?" "I do." "Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Miroku, do you have a token of your love for Inutaishi, Kagome, and Sango?" Derenti questioned. Shippo approached Derenti and handed him three rings. Derenti handed a diamond ring to Sesshoumaru, an emerald to Inuyasha, and a ruby to Miroku. "Inutaishi, Kagome, Sango, do you receive this ring in pledge of the same on your part?" Derenti questioned. "I do," the three chimed at once. Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, and Miroku slid the rings on their bride’s fingers. "Do the three women have tokens of your love for the men?" Derenti asked. Rin ran up and handed three wedding bands to Derenti. He handed a silver band to Inutaishi, a gold band to Kagome, and a gold band to Sango. "Sesshoumaru, Inuyasha, Miroku, do you receive this ring in pledge of the same on your part?" Derenti inquired. "I do," the three replied. "Let the ring, a fit token of that which is unending, continue to be a symbol of the value, purity, and constancy of true wedded love, and the seal of the vows in which you have pledged your most honored and sacred honor," Derenti smiled, “Now, by the authority committed unto me as The Taiyoukai of the North, I declare that Sesshoumaru-sama of the West and Inutaishi-sama of the East, Inuyasha and Kagome, Miroku and Sango are now husbands and wives, according to the ordinance of Kami and the law of the Council of Youkai." The crowd cheered as the couples kissed and made they’re way back to Sonotaku no Youkai to begin the new stage of their lives.