Chronicles of the West

Sorry it's been a while, I hate being sick. Back to work and school tomorrow so you can expect another chapter up by tomorrow night when I get off. Please review, hope you like.


Chapter Seven

Aislin didn't sleep well that night and Toga was well aware of it. His gaze had hardly lifted his flinty gaze from her during the night. His thoughts a maddening whirlwind inside his head. The soft scent of sadness crept from her small form and her confusion was nearly tangible.

Toga could have kicked himself. He was her guardian and yet he'd just violated that sacred trust. He'd been close to mauling her on the banks. He'd wanted to, his inu had wanted to. Even now the sweetness of her lingered in his mouth and her thundering heart seemed overloud in the stillness.

He wanted her. That was a dangerous thing, all things considered. She was under his protection but at the moment he wanted her to be under far more than that. However, that was not fair to any of them. She was with him because she had precious few options.

She was fond of him, time and experience had granted him that. She deserved to live her life as she wanted to, not according to his whims. His mother had taken great care to instill the precious respect of free will in all of her children.

As he was, Toga would be able to offer her a better life, but Aislin was not whole. She remained a half creature, slighted and imperfect by nature. It was not her fault, but he refused to take advantage of that human weakness. He would not let her feel obligated to him in any way beyond lord. It was the honorable thing to do. The only thing he would do.

Days later, they approached the borders of the northern steppes and he was that much closer to home. The tribe of snow foxes that lived in this harsh place were well known to him. The old lord had known his father and Toga felt almost at ease here.

It was not the lord that greeted them however, but his daughter. Silvana. Silvana was perhaps the most beautiful demoness that he had encountered in all of his travels. She was tall, nearly as tall as him, with flowing white curls that fell to her knees. Her milky flesh was kissed the softest pink and her eyes were a deep and haunting blue.

"Welcome Lord Toga" she said softly in her throaty voice. That voice that did things to him. He bowed slightly to her, "Silvana, it is always a pleasure" he returned. She looked past him to the girl at his shoulder. "You have a new travel companion I see". She stepped forward and despite his instinctive protective stance, she reached the young human woman.


"I am Silvana" she said softly, reaching to take the pale hand from Toga's arm. Looping her own through it, she slowly led the woman away. She sensed that Aislin was blind, she knew things like that. Toga watched them go, his former lover and his ward. Silvana, was a tender hearted thing by nature and she seemed to take a liking to Aislin.

The fox paused and looked coyly over her shoulder, "I will speak with you later my lord" she told him softly. He smirked, he was certain she would. Aislin was in good hands and he rolled his shoulders before following the maidservant to what would be his quarters for the duration of their stay. He was not surprised to find his rooms adjoined Silvana's.

He didn't mind. After all she knew everything that he liked, he'd taught her. Her father might not have approved but his daughter was willing and Toga was far too powerful to stand against. A short time later, Toga was reclining in his steaming bath. Eyes closed, he sighed. If they pushed the oni mount hard, they could be home in a matter of months. He was not one to abuse the faithful mount however.

Ippiku fluttered about for a few minutes in obvious agitation before settling on the edge of the tub. "Toga-sama we need to talk" he announced. The dog growled low in his throat, he didn't want to talk. He didn't want to think, he wanted to enjoy his bath and nothing more. Not until later at any rate.

He ripped the damp cloth from his eyes and glared at the ice imp. "Well" he demanded, "Out with it". Ippiku refused to cower, "I want to talk to you about Aislin". Toga rumbled slightly louder, "She is my responsibility Ippiku. Not yours". The imp nodded, "And a better protector she could not ask for.. Under normal conditions"

Golden eyes locked with aqua in a heated but silent exchange. Ippiku loved her, that was clear. In what manner Toga was as yet unclear but that mattered very little. "Are you challenging me?" he asked, his tone dead and cold. The imp shook his head, "No lord, I think that you are challenging yourself. Your heat is coming and your beast desires her. You are the greatest defender of her, but also her greatest danger"

Toga flung the cloth across the room, "Think I haven't noticed?" he all but roared. "Yes, I want her, but I can't have her. I am well aware of that Ippiku. She's safe enough. We are here and Silvana no doubt senses my impending heat. She will suffice until it passes. Have you finished your inquisition?"

Ippiku blinked at the demon. The demon that should never have been. Born to a Taiyoukai and human, he should have been a hanyou, like his brothers and sisters. Yet he was not. Nor was Taisha. They were feared throughout the demon world. Far too powerful for ones as young as they. Capable of utter devastation should they desire it.

Ippiku knew better. Oh, Toga was dangerous, a formidable foe to be certain. But he had rescued Ippiku from certain death t the hands of the fire sprites and then ended the war between their clans. Thus saving Ippiku's people. He'd had no reason to take such actions, and had asked nothing in return. Completing the task and turning to walk away into the fading sun.

Ippiku had raced after him, begging to serve him in payment for the many spared lives. Toga had grunted, "I need no servant" he had said, the first words he had spoken. Ippiku threw himself to the ground at the Taiyoukai's feet. "My lord please! Tell me at least why" Toga regarded the tiny creature for long minutes before stepping over him. "Fighting for no cause other than race is futile and pointless".

Ippiku had flown home with those wise words and said his farewells. The great son of the great dog demon was an enigma and he wished to follow him. So he had. In time, he began to chip away at the cold walls of the dog and found the true creature beneath.

Toga was not bitter as most demons with powerful parents were. He did not seek his father's place. Quite the opposite, he sought his own. A place with people that saw him as neither lord, nor Taiyoukai. He wanted them to see him as first Toga and then those weightier things.

Ippiku found himself lost in the mystery of the demon. Powerful enough to kill without regard, wise enough not to. Ippiku had seen the sword callused hands of a fighter, pluck abducted children from danger and soothe them with a caring that only years of practice could bring.

He'd seen Toga save entire villages from certain death only to be met with the fearful stares of those residing there. Toga might have lashed out at those people, he hadn't. When questioned, he would often laugh. "Father said the hands and hearts of monsters were of protection and power. Mother said the hands and hearts of humans were of nurturing and forgiveness. So I suppose I am lost in the middle".

He rarely let others see those softer parts of himself. Like his father he wrapped himself in a wintry mantle and dared others to see past it. Few ever did, ever would. Ippiku had, and Silvana and then there was Aislin. Silvana was an odd demon to be sure. Like Toga she was born of myth. Her father had been a great fox demon and her mother… well not much was known of her.

It was said that her mother was an elemental. A creature born of nothing more than air and that she had gifted Silvana to the fox demon, making her more heavenly being than demon. Silvana had long been acquainted with Toga. Silvana had been the only being to ever fight Toga… and survive. In fact, she'd nearly won.

Demon law stated quite clearly that Toga could demand anything from her, even her life. She'd looked at him with those strange blue eyes of her and Ippiku knew that she expected him to demand her life. Toga had demanded something quite different. He demanded her loyalty. She'd given it and not long after, he'd discovered the nature of her true powers.

Silvana read the minds and souls of those around her. She soothed hurt when she found it, fought darkness where it grew. She knew things, understood things and her counsel was what the dog demon had ultimately been after. Of all the demons in the world that did not share Toga's blood, only she held no fear of him.

His darkness was great, she'd seen that at once, but his light was also great and they didn’t war within him. They merged and enhanced each other. He was a creature of balance like herself. Silvana also knew that only great love could produce such a thing. His parents had done well indeed. Why then was he so haunted? And by what?

Ippiku broke from his reverie as Toga rose from the water, the steaming liquid splashing up to drench him. He muttered as he fluttered wildly, shaking droplets from himself. "Do you love her?" he asked then. Toga paused in his drying and glared at the imp. "Do you think someone like me can feel that? That's beneath me" he said in hard voice and then strode back into the sleeping area.

Dinner was a quiet affair. Silvana spoke quietly with Aislin. Her findings on the young human were rather surprising and she fully intended to share them with her wayward friend. There were advantages of being close to Toga as she was. It meant she could speak to him in an unguarded fashion.

Toga seemed to ignore his ward for the most part. He had inquired as to her comfort of course and once she told him that she was well settled he'd let it alone. He listened to the gossip from the surrounding regions with half interest. Ippiku was currently engaged in flirtations with a spunky little fire sprite. Silvana was used to Toga's quietness, in fact she enjoyed it. However she had not missed the glances he stole of his ward.
She sipped her wine in contentment. It seemed that she had the dog had a great many things to discuss. He had been correct. She did feel his heat, it was good that he had come to her. While she found little interest in bed play this was a different circumstance and he was not an ordinary partner. The next week promised to be… most gratifying.

Toga led Aislin back to her rooms that night. She had been quiet, not silent to him. He knew that she felt confused by him and he was in no position to help her out. He felt it himself. He told himself to stay away from her and swore to himself that he'd follow that command. Why then was he staring down at her lovely face?

They stood in silence for long minutes and Toga mentally snapped at himself to walk away. 'Just walk the hell away'. His inu chuckled in his cage, 'Why?' he asked. Toga slammed the door on him. Aislin lifted her hand to his face, gentle fingers tracing over his brow.

"Something is on your mind" she whispered to him and he locked eyes with her. Not that she knew. "Why do you say that?" he asked, his voice dark and deep. The baritone that soothed and inflamed. She smiled as her hands journeyed to the fine eyebrows. "Your expression tells me so" she told him.

He blinked, "You know Aislin, for being a blind woman you see a hell of a lot" he remarked. She blushed and stepped backwards at his teasing tone. She hadn't heard it in a while. She disliked his brooding, not that he wasn't very good at it. She knew that he tried so hard to be one thing when her heart told her quite clearly that he was another altogether. "I have missed that" she told him in a shy voice, her eyes seemed slightly moist but no scent of sadness clung to her.

He lifted his clawed fingers to brush against her cheek, "What's that?" he asked. Aislin blushed a deeper shade of rose and he chuckled warmly at it. "That" she replied, smiling at the sound. "Your teasing, your laughs. You have hidden them away from me". He stared at her in wonder, feeling naked before her.

Toga leaned forward, silently arguing with himself that this was folly, sheer madness. Then his lips touched hers ever so softly and he forgot about all the reasons of why. Aislin felt his lips settle on hers, soft and warm. She loved that feeling, despite the odd flutterings it sent through her body.

She felt his tongue tease against her bottom lip, even as his arms came around her. She gasped and he slanted his mouth over hers. Determined to have a true kiss from her. His tongue slipped between the dewy softness of her full lips and flickered against her tongue.

The girl nearly leapt out of her skin at the same time her arms slid along his body to twine around his neck. Toga growled softly when she pressed herself against him. His hands caging her there, delighting in the softness of her curves, the smallness of her body. Her fragility in his hands, that same fragility that he'd tear the world apart to keep safe.

Aislin's head swam with his intoxicating kisses and she whimpered against his lips. Toga growled at the soft sound, the taste of her flowing in his mouth like rare wine, her scent dancing around him. He wanted more, wanted it now. With a massive effort he released her. Her pants echoing in the stillness of the hall.

"Good night Aislin" he said in a gruff voice, before pressing a chaste kiss to her brow and pulling her door closed. He took a deep shuddering breath as his inu clamored at him in anger. His female wanted him, her scent said as much and he dared to leave her in that state. With a groan he strode down the halls to where he knew Silvana was waiting for him. Her and her healing touch.