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Sweet Surrender	By : inumom Category: InuYasha > Het - Male/Female > InuYasha/Kagome Views: 7748 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Chapter List
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Disclaimer: Still not mine. Damn.

10. The Gathering

The day chosen for the ceremony began slightly overcast, with little of the oppressive humidity common even in early summer. We had time for no more than a brief, passionate embrace before my lover was whisked away to begin the preparations for the ceremony that was to take place in only a few hours. By prior arrangement, I bathed first, as I had a lot more preparation to do than anybody else involved.
Eri arrived just as I was finishing my bath, and was sent to await me in my old room. I came in, rubbing at my wet hair, and she squealed in happiness. Since we had a few minutes before we had to start getting ready in earnest, we just sat and talked for a little while. Though she had never much liked the �rude, violent, jealous, two-timing, badass delinquent� I had described on a couple of occasions (usually when we had just had a fight), once she met him she instantly recognized the devotion we each felt for the other. After that, she was my staunchest supporter as well as my oldest friend.
Since the ceremony as planned was going to be a bizarre mix of a number of different traditions, including a few that we invented just for this occasion, we were pretty much free to do as we wished in the course of the preparations. That was fine with me, as I had never much liked the great deal of cosmetics worn by most brides in my country. Since my future mate was extremely sensitive to such things, that gave me an excuse to forego that part of the process. Although I had considered a number of hairstyles, I decided to begin with my hair up, held in place by the carved jade rods that had belonged to his mother. I also wore the silvery choker with the jade bead he had given me for my last birthday and a pair of nearly white jade earrings that belonged to my mother.
Eri helped me dress, noting with approval the special undergarments Mama had helped me choose. At my request, Eri took the herbal wreath I would be wearing down to the altar to place it next to the rings that had been delivered last week. I was glad that I had sent her, as she had gotten a peek at my future husband and told me that he looked--in her words--�seriously hot.�
By the time we reached the living room, the photographer had already done the individual pictures of the male half of the group, and it was our turn. I glanced out the window towards the Goshinboku, but could see nothing except the gradually filling seats where the guests who had started to arrive were sitting.
Although my mind wasn�t on what we were doing, we concluded the photographic session quickly. Too nervous to even think about eating, I paced across the kitchen in a rustle of satin. Since Mama wouldn�t allow us to see each other until we met under the Goshinboku, we had to have a small change of plan--instead of going through the well before the ceremony, we would do so immediately after, while the courtyard was being set up for the meal and dancing. With any luck at all, nobody would ever notice that we had left.
Finally, Mama came for us. �It�s time,� was all she had to say.
I watched from just inside the door as Eri made her way slowly between the two banks of chairs that had been set up for the spectators. Suddenly I was seized by an impulse to run, to escape the press of people that would soon be surrounding me, but I glanced down the long aisle formed by the chairs and saw him waiting there, looking tall and powerful and perfect, and settled immediately. At the light touch of my mother�s hand on my elbow I began the short, endless walk toward my future.
As I reached the altar I noticed the peculiar expression on my hanyou�s beautiful features. As we had arranged in advance, Uncle Nori conducted the usual Shinto sake ceremony, passing the three cups to us and my family in turn. Although we were now technically married by the Shinto rite, we had added a few little wrinkles of our own. My new husband removed the jade rods from my hair, allowing it to flow down around my shoulders. After a brief moment spent with his hands resting on my shoulders, he picked up the wreath of rosemary and roses and placed it carefully on my hair.
Lifting the smaller of the silver bands from its resting place on the altar, he said, �Accept this ring as a symbol of my unending devotion and my pledge to protect you, to provide for you, and to cherish you for all eternity.� With a soft smile he placed the ring on my finger.
I took the other ring and said, �Accept this ring as the symbol of my unending devotion and my pledge to live with you, to care for you, and to cherish you for all eternity.� I slid the ring onto his finger, then watched in surprise as he drew the chipped, rusted sword from the sheath at his side.
As always, the sword transformed instantly into a massive blade. Holding it carefully in his right hand, he placed our two left hands on opposite sides of the blade, then drew it quickly out from between our palms, leaving short, almost painless cuts on our hands. Pressing our hands firmly together, he said, �By the joining of our blood, so is the joining of our souls. Should either of us be taken by death, we will find each other again, bound together for all time.�
I repeated what sounded very much like a ritual expression. �By the joining of our blood, so is the joining of our souls.� I thought for a few seconds, then added, �Together forever, hearts and minds, bodies and souls.�
Separating our hands, he lifted my palm to his face for a soft kiss, a gesture which I repeated gladly, surprised to note that both wounds were already closing. He laid the Tetsusaiga on the ground before us, then lifted me easily in his arms before stepping carefully over the sword that was his father�s legacy. Placing me carefully back on my feet, he turned toward my uncle, who said, �By the authority granted me by this assembly, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may,� he said with something suspiciously like a smirk, �Kiss the bride.�
My mate responded with enthusiasm, leaving me slightly breathless and entirely deaf to the cheers rising from the crowd watching. In the confusion as the site was emptied of guests so that the restaurant staff could set up the dinner and the band could set up the small stage to one side of the holy tree, we allowed the photographer to get a few quick pictures before slipping away into the well house.

*

After what felt like only a second or two, we found ourselves at the bottom of the well, looking up at the clear sky of the Sengoku Jidai. As we�d hoped, our friends were waiting there for us. Miroku and Sango simply stared in disbelief, Kirara twined herself around our ankles, purring madly, poor Shippou was wiggling, unable to sit still but not willing to leap on us and maybe get dirt on the amazing clothes we were wearing, and Kaede simply nodded in something like satisfaction.
She had always thought that we belonged together, even from the start, and was glad to see that her intuition had once again proven correct.
Even though we could only stay for a short time, we told them that we�d be coming back within a week, and that we�d bring some things from the celebration for them when we did.
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- 11
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Sweet Surrender