Chronicles of the West

Chapter Ninety Five

Sesshoumaru was not pleased to say the least. He stared at Satoru with that unreadable expression, the one that Satoru often used himself when he was highly agitated. "Why would you attempt such a thing?" he demanded.

Satoru held his gaze, "I was seeking a means to his end" he stated calmly. Sesshoumaru grunted, while it made sense it was also a foolhardy action. "One would think that if you were going to try such interaction that you would shield yourself".

Satoru wanted to growl but Sesshoumaru was right. He had been guarded but in a moment of weakness he'd revealed the secret. He almost wished at this point that his father had not shared it with him. Taima rose from her seat and slowly approached her uncle.

Her steps weren't quite steady and Sesshoumaru reached out a steadying arm to her. "Not his fault" she whispered, "It would have been discovered soon enough". Inuyasha arched his brow, "How's that?" he asked. Taima leaned against Sesshoumaru's side, "The flower emits power, and while at the present time it is hardly noticeable. It will peak soon"

Sesshoumaru had believed they had more time. "You will not be able to hide it then" she ended. Inuyasha growled, his feelings rising and Taima clutched Sesshoumaru's arm. "Inuyasha calm yourself" he snapped. Inuyasha forced his riling emotions and thoughts down, casting an apologetic glance at his frail daughter.

Satoru met their gazes fully then, "What then shall we do?" he asked. Sesshoumaru gave Taima over to Daishi who helped her towards her bed. "We put it in the open" he replied placidly. Inuyasha turned questioning eyes to him. "In the open? Are you nuts?".

Sesshoumaru reached out with practiced ease and slapped him upside his head, "Be not a fool Inuyasha" he admonished, "We need to draw them into the open to engage and destroy them. They will attack in force and numbers if they believe they can capture the bloom".

Inuyasha perked up at the plan, "And we crush them then" he said. Satoru shook his head, "They will no doubt send creations at you, even you will grow tired under such an onslought" he pointed out. Inuyasha waved it away, "Like that hasn't been tried before" he muttered. Sesshoumaru quite agreed, "Takemaru once employed such measures against us. Rallying an army of thousands of undead to fight against the seven"

Satoru blinked, "The seven?". Inuyasha nodded, "Yeah, the seven original fighters. Kagome, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, Shippo, me and him" he replied pointing to Sesshoumaru. Sesshoumaru gave a single nod, barely noticeable.

Seven, seven against thousands and they'd defeated him. He recalled hearing the tale of Takemaru when he had been a pup. It was an incredible story, more so because humans had taken part and survived. He very nearly wished for the monk and slayer then.

"There can be no room for error" Sesshoumaru said then, drawing all attention back to himself. Inuyasha nodded, slapping his palm with his fist. Sesshoumaru looked back to Satoru. "You will contact him again" he said, "And leave clues as to where the bloom will be kept".

Satoru nodded his understanding. Taima watched her father and uncle leave, Daishi stood on the steps waiting for Satoru to leave his sister in peace. "Satoru" she whispered softly. Satoru gazed down at his pale sibling, "What is it Taima?" he asked. His voice soft and tender to the more fragile youkai.

"No forged weapon can kill Josin now" she went on, clutching the silk of his sleeve, "He has taken blood from the elemental and a portion of her power moves within him now". Satoru's jaw tightened, but she went on in that whisper soft voice, "When the time comes, you will understand what is needed and you will understand why I have done what I have done".

Satoru narrowed his eyes on her upturned face, searching for a hint of what had occurred while he slept and healed. She betrayed nothing. Only the odd tug within his heart made him question the magnitude of what she had done.

Pressing a kiss to her brow, he settled her against the linens. "Rest Taima" he urged her. She nodded tiredly and he joined Daishi at the stone steps that led up in that world of light, the world that was no longer her own. Turning her head into the softness of her pillow she prayed fervently that her brother would forgive her.

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Shippo pulled himself from the wall as Daishi and Satoru stepped from the shadows. "Toga and Taisha will be leaving in a few minutes" he told them. Satoru nodded and made his way to the courtyard. Daishi, having said her good byes turned to her mate. "Shippo, something is on your mind".

He curled his large, warm hand over her own and tugged her with him towards their chambers. She blinked up at him in surprise as he pulled the door closed behind them. He leaned against the heavy door, and she leaned against him.

He lowered his face until their noses nearly touched, "The last time we took on such a foe, it was terrible" he confided to her. She touched her fingertips to his cheek, she supposed it had been terrifying to the young fox. He pressed a kiss to her palm and sighed, "We were very lucky" he told her, "Lucky that we didn't die, that the core group survived".

Pale green eyes locked with deeper hues, "You don't believe fate will favor us a second time" she breathed. He looked away, unwilling to admit his fears outright. Not to her, not to himself. "The west has never suffered a defeat" he told her, "But that doesn't make us infallible".

She shook her head, cupping his face, "Have faith Shippo. If you don't then you are embracing defeat somewhere in your heart". His clawed hand moved to trace the soft curve of her cheek, "I couldn't bear it if I lost you" he whispered.

Daishi leaned back and studied him, befor pressing herself fully against him. "You won't" she promised, "Not ever". Then she tilted her head and fused the moist softness of her lips to his. Shippo's arms banded around her lifting her against him tightly as he took control of the kiss.

"When this is over" he murmured against her parted lips, "I plan on pupping you. I will give you many pups". She smiled then, "Don't you mean kits?" she asked. He blinked and pulled back slightly, then chuckled, "I really have lived around dogs too long. No matter Inuyasha will insist on calling them pups even so".

Daishi sighed into his mouth as his tongue teased against her own, "Pups, kits, I don't care what you call them as long as you give them to me".

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Aislin stood just inside the great hall, staring at her stoic guardian. Those nobles in residence watched as he led the pretty human into their midst. The choice had been made, and now would be announced to all. Which suitor had the young lady picked?

Daisuke was surrounded by his peers and they crowed and laughed out loud that surely he was the one. All the hours spent with the woman had no doubt garnered her favor. He hoped so, although he was no so swift to dismiss the scent of that mongel dog on her.

Sesshoumaru held his hand up and the hall fell silent. He wished that Toga had delayed in his departure to the announcement, however understood the need for haste. "My ward has selected her mate" he said without preamble.

Aislin felt herself blush under the intense scrutiny of the assembled demons. She noticed that Daisuke had stepped forward from his group, as though he already knew her answer. She supposed he would be most surprised.

"She will become the mate of my son and heir, Toga" Sesshoumaru said. As one, the company bowed to her and she returned the gesture keeping her head above theirs. Sesshoumaru nodded and called for a maid to come and lead the blushing woman away.

"And where is your bridegroom?" came a male voice, one that she was quite familiar with. She turned and saw that Daisuke had stepped toward her. "It is traditional that intended mates stand together for the announcement". There were several nods among the crowd.

Sesshoumaru stared at the thoughtless horse, "He is away but shall return in handful of days, the bonding will take place after the enemy is dealt with. You are no longer a suitor Daisuke and stand in danger of irritating me". The younger demon stepped back, properly subdued.

Aislin was half way across the room now and a sudden intake of breath made her turn. One of Daisuke's companions was wide eyed. A swift lash of Sesshoumaru's whip snapped before his face, lavender locks drifting downward to the polished floor. She looked at her guardian but he was focused on the other demon. His visage cold and emotionless, "That is a warning, and the only one you will get. Hold your tongue foal or I will remove it from your mouth".

Aislin wondered briefly what had been said that her human ears had not captured. Somehow she believed that it must have been unfavorable indeed to spark such retaliation from her reserved host. The maid tugged her along and she decided that she would have to wait to find the truth.

Sesshoumaru let his cold gaze dance across the court and they, like so many moths, were trapped and mesmerized by the flicker golden flame of his eyes. His glacial stare was all encompassing and invited others to speak out. Speak out and meet his anger, which was cold that it burned.

Slowly, the great and feared lord of the west turned and moved in fluid grace to join his bight wife. A handsome pair, the court whispered. Fire and ice, darkness and light. So tuned to the other that even Ayeka's ageless face bore the disdain currently written on her mate's face.

With an elegant turn of her head she dismissed the court, the light reflecting on her upswept hair. She would go and speak with Aislin. It was the perfect opportunity to dismiss herself early. Sesshoumaru watched with no small measure of pride as she seemed to float across the room, the bright silks adorning her trailing around her.

He watched her vanish behind the doors and almost wished he could follow. How he hated court. Ayeka, had no sympathies for him however. Once out of sight she'd glanced at Aislin and tugged the ornate sticks loose from her hair.

The elaborate creation falling past her bottom and she sighed with relief, scratching her scalp in rapture. She smiled at Aislin then, "Well lets go and get out of these heavy clothes shall we?". Aislin could not agree more. "Will I always have to wear these?" she asked.

Ayeka laughed, "Hardly. Sesshoumaru once believed that I was like a little doll to be dressed up. He soon learned the inconvenience of such trappings. Fear not, Toga will most likely allow you to dress as you wish. But remember Aislin, inu are fiercely territorial and protective. They are jealous and do not like others seeing what they deem as only theirs".