Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

Bitter Blood
By : theMaven
Category: InuYasha > General
Views: 6016 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.
Chapter List
- 22
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                                                              Bitter Blood
                                                                            Chapter 23            "My lord!" Jakken burst through the front doors of the castle. "We're under siege!"

            Rin remained curled up in a ball on the nursery floor. It felt as if Dokumi's blood was
eating away at her own. She gasped and wheezed, cringing at the pain of it. Her body was on
fire, her heart slamming against her ribcage, every muscle tense from the strain of it. Tears
streamed down her face as sweat dampened her body.
            Dokumi simply sat and stared down at her. “There is no help for it,” she said. “If you
are strong enough, you will survive. If not . . .” she let her sentence trail off.
            Rin pushed down the sudden surge of panic and drew in a deep breath, then pushed it out.
She was strong. She’d survived the birth of Daichi when everything else said she should have
died. Her lord had rejected her, abused her, betrayed her, yet she found the compassion to
continue to care for their son. She was not so weak as to give into the ways of violence. She
was not so frail as to be devastated by his single blow across the face. She was not so cowardly
as to run off at the first sign of trouble when others avidly encouraged her to do so. And she
was not so fickle as to abandon her husband, her home, and everything she knew and loved,
simply because things once familiar had become foreign and strange.
            She was a fighter, and she would fight this the way she had fought for everything else in
her life–with her heart.
            Dokumi suddenly turned her attention elsewhere. There was something happening in the
castle. Yelling and shouting could be heard from the other side of the screen, the sound of
trampling footsteps, clattering metal, and the clanging of a bell.
            “What’s happening?” Rin whispered.
            Sesshomaru appeared in the nursery door, in full armor, his two swords at his hip. "We
are besieged," he said simply. "You will not leave this room." He looked down at Daichi then at
Rin. "Rin?”
            "Dokumi's cure," she said, answering his implied question.
            He nodded his understanding, giving the bog demon a critical glare from the corner of his
eyes.
            "My lord! My lord! They're at the gates!"
            He looked at them one last time. "You will stay here," he slammed the screen shut.
            "Dokumi . . ."
            "My lady?"
            "Go with them," she said. "I . . . would not see him harmed. If any . . . if any of our men
falls, I ask . . . that you pick them up. Help my lord as best you can."
            She seemed to hesitate, then stood and nodded. "As you wish." She picked up her bag
and walked over to the door.
            "Dokumi?"
            "What is it?"
            "How many times . . . have you done this for someone?" she asked. Her vision was
growing dim. Though her heart still raced, muscles that had formerly tensed, now relaxed. She
was still much too warm. The air in the nursery seemed stifling, suffocating.
            "In all my years," she said, "I've only stumbled across three women with your condition.
And out of those three, I only helped two. The third refused to trust me," she said. "She died,
eventually, of some minor wound. And the other two lived."
            "Only women?" she asked.
            "It is not cross-gender compatible," she said. "The infusion process. A female must have
the blood of a female, and the male must have a male. Otherwise you run the risk of rejection
and the breakdown of the body.”
            "Hmm?"
            Dokumi smiled a smile born of smugness. "There are certain healing properties that only
female bog demons carry. Unfortunately for human males, some of the female's properties are
harmful to them, and their body begins to break down from the inside out. And the same is true
if a male bog demon would try to infuse the blood of a human female–his blood would eat away
at hers. They confuse healthy tissue of the opposite sex as disease."
            "I see," Rin nodded. "I thank you, Dokumi."
            She shook her head. "It isn't necessary."
            "It makes the world a better place . . . when we all say please and thank you."
            She gave her a somewhat odd look, then departed.
            As soon as she had gone, Rin pushed herself up to her knees and crawled over to the
screen. She then took a warding from her sleeve and pasted it on the door. "Now, don't go near
the door, dearest . . . It'll give you a big . . . ouchie," she said.
            "Ouchie," Daichi repeated.
            "Yes," she doubled over again. "Ouchie."
            She passed out in front of the door.
                                                                  8 8 8 8 8
            "My lord," Jakken said, "there seems to be some type of warding on the other side of the
screen."
            "Rin," he called out to her. "If you can hear me, remove the parchment scroll."
            "Mama," Daichi crawled on top of her. "Mama, Dada."
            She slowly began to stir.
            "Rin, open the door."
            She forced herself upright and pushed her hair back from her face. How long had she
been out? Were they still fighting outside? Had their side won?
            "Rin!" her lord called. "If you don't remove the scroll . . ."
            She peeled the parchment loose and slid the screen open. "My lord," she said, "you are
well."
            He entered the nursery. "You are peaked."
            She drew in a couple of deep breaths. "It's her blood," she said. "At first I was on fire,
and now I'm freezing."
            He sat down in the chair in the corner of the room. "Come," he extended his hand to her.
            She wandered over to the chair and took his hand.
            "Sit," he said.
            She smiled weakly and took a seat. Once settled, he wrapped the fur of his pelt around
her and held her close. She rested her head against his chest and closed her eyes. "How went
the battle, my lord? Were our forces victorious?"
            "There was no battle," he said.
            "No battle?" she said. "Jakken said they were at the gates; we were under siege."
            "They were at the gates," he said. "But they did not come to battle with us."
            "Then why did they come?" she asked. "Lord Kita, Lord Minamiyori and Lord
Touganzoini?"
            "How do you know their names?" he asked.
            "Dokumi told me," she said. "They were her co-conspirators."
            "Yes," he stroked the top of her head.
            "Where is Dokumi, my lord?"
            He was slow to answer. "She is not with us."
            She stared up at him. "What do you mean, 'She's not with us?'"
            "They weren't interested in us," he said. "They only wanted her. She'd cost them much
in the way of men, property and expenses."
            Her heart pounded loudly in her eardrums. "I don't understand," she said.
            "It was much like with my mother. She'd promised the Chinese an easy victory over all
our territories . . . After their defeat, they made several attempts on her life before the other lords
decided it was best if they took care of her themselves--especially after all she'd cost them . . .
There are few things worse than a traitorous woman," he said.
            She squeezed her eyes shut. "What are you saying? You just let them TAKE her? The
other lords TOOK Dokumi?"
            "She went with them willingly," he said.
            "And you let her go?"
            "Not at first," he said. "I informed her that I could not allow anyone under my roof to
come to harm."
            "And what did she say?"
            "'Would you really risk your mate and child for my sake, and my sake alone? Is my
service worth that much to you?'"
            She sniffed back tears.
            "She said she would go willingly for your sake. And for Daichi's sake. She said she
didn't wish for either of you to come to harm."
            She gripped at his stole, fighting back the tears.
            "If you need to weep, you may," he said.
            "I . . . I . . ."
            He pulled her head to his chest. "This was the way she wanted things," he said.
            "But things were going to be okay," she cried. "We were all going to be okay . . . She
made everything be okay."
            He stroked the back of her head.
            "Will they kill her?" she asked.
            "I do not know."
            "They killed your mother, though."
            "The war with China, though a victory, was a great loss to many of us. And the Lords of
the North, South, East and West do not like to lose."
            She drew in a deep breath and pushed it out. "I suppose it's pointless crying over her,"
she said. "She brought it upon herself, after all."
            "Indeed," he said.
            "She . . . serviced you,” she bit out, “and she tried to run me off. Then she tried to kill
me and take our son . . . And she plotted against you with the other lords. You were nearly
killed . . ."
            "Yes," he said.
            "But she didn't kill me," she said. "And she took perfect care of Daichi. And then she
saved you, and cured me . . . And it was really silly of me to be so harsh with her for being with
you. I mean, it wasn't HER idea, after all . . . All the aristocrats have mistresses," she said.
            Sesshomaru declined to respond.
            "Some of them have dozens," she added. "And some care for their mistresses more than
they ever cared for their mates."
            "That it is not the case with me," he said.
            She reached up and stroked the side of his face. "I know it's not," she said. "She said
you called her by my name."
            He let a wry grin cross his normally passive visage. "Force of habit," he said simply.
            She pressed her head to his chest.
            "Are you well?" he asked. "Did her treatment take?"
            "It's still working," she said. "I can feel it working its way through my veins."
            He seemed to pull her closer, hold her more tightly. "All will be well, then."
            "Is that why you really brought her here, instead of her father?" she asked. "Did you
know about blood infusions?"
            He nodded. "Yes," he said. "My mother was a bog demon, after all. I should know
something of their ways."
            "Did you really hate her?" she asked. "Dokumi?"
            "She was nothing," he said. "A means to an end. I have no feelings towards her one way
or the other."
            She looked up at him. "She bore your father a son," she said. "Surely, that must mean
something to you?"
            He looked down at her. "What would you have me do?" he asked. "Cry for him?"
            She held his gaze, then laughed uneasily to herself. "No," she said. "I would not like to
see tears in my lord's eyes."
            "We should make a proper marker for him, though. That much would be appropriate."
            "But we don't even know his name," she said.
            "Toshi," he said. "She said his name was Toshi."
                                                                  8 8 8 8 8
            They were all gathered together in the Great Hall again. InuYasha, Kisho and Masa,
sitting on one side of the room on the velvet settee; Sesshomaru and Jakken positioned on the
other side. Sesshomaru was in his throne and Jakken stood by his side, the Staff of Heads firmly
in hand. Daichi toddled around the room.
            "So," InuYasha said, "no more trouble with the other lords?"
            "No," Sesshomaru said. "Everything between us has been settled."
            "Good," he said. "Bored as I am, I'd hate to have war on our front doorstep." He patted
the top of Kisho's head and bounced Masa on his knee.
            "How old are they now?" Sesshomaru asked. "Your pups?"
            InuYasha looked utterly shocked.
            "I'm seven!" Kisho said. "Wanna make somethin' out of it?"
            Sesshomaru hid a grin. "And the younger one?" he asked. "What's his name again?"
            "Masa," InuYasha said. "Kagome named him."
            "'Good and straightforward,'" he mused. "You should put him down and let him play
with Daichi. He doesn't often have the chance to interact with other children."
            His half-brother gave him an odd look, then put Masa down on the floor. The two boys
immediately gravitated towards each other. "Well, whatta you know about that?" InuYasha said.
            "And how old is he?" he asked.
            "Nineteen months," he replied.
            "A strong boy," he said. "Daichi just turned one not long ago."
            "He's fourteen months," Jakken said.
            Sesshomaru glanced down at him.
            "I beg your pardon, my lord."
            He chuckled dryly to himself. "Yes, I suppose he is fourteen months."
            InuYasha's eyes narrowed. "What's gotten into you, Sesshomaru? Why so buddy/buddy
all of a sudden?"
            He smiled thoughtfully. "I have my reasons, and let's simply leave it at that."
            A loud cry ripped through the Great Hall.
            "Mama," Daichi cried.
            Sesshomaru stood and scooped up his son. "Mama is fine," he said.
            InuYasha snickered. "'Mama?'"
            "What?" he said. "What do your pups call your mate?"
            "She is my mommy," Kisho said. "Wanna make somethin' out of it?"
            This time the lord could not repress his laughter. It was loud, it was deep, and it was
genuinely happy.
            "My lord . . ." Jakken gasped.
            InuYasha eyed him closely then sniffed the air in front of him. "Have you been drinking,
Sesshomaru?"
            He journeyed back to his throne, sitting Daichi down on his lap. "Not at all," he said.
            "Daddy!" Daichi squealed.
            "Yes," he said. "I am."
            Jakken and InuYasha exchanged glances.
            Rin screamed again.
            "Mama," Daichi whined.
            Sesshomaru stroked the top of his head. "Mama is fine," he said. "Trust Daddy."
            "Daddy!" he squealed again. "Daddy fun." He blew a barrage of spit bubbles.
            Sesshomaru chuckled.
            "I can do that, too," Kisho said. He began blowing spit bubbles.
            "Kisho," InuYasha scolded, "you're too old for that."
            He stopped immediately.
            Masa blew a few bubbles and toddled toward's Sesshomaru's throne. InuYasha sighed.
"Kagome's gonna kill me."
            Daichi reached down and slapped Masa's head, laughing.
            "Owww!" Masa whined.
            InuYasha stood. "Stop lettin' your kid beat up on my kid."
            "InuYasha," he scoffed, "they're children. Let them play." He put Daichi on the floor
again. "Besides, Daichi is at an obvious disadvantage. He's smaller and he's younger. How
could he possibly compare against your Masa?” He raised an expectant eyebrow at his brother
silently wondering if the half-wit was intelligent enough to realize the parallel he’d just drawn
between them and their two sons.
            Daichi hit Masa on the hit again and laughed.
            Masa ran crying to InuYasha. "Daddy!"
            "Dammit, Sesshomaru, put a leash on your kid!" He scooped Masa into his lap and
comforted him.
            Sesshomaru laughed to himself. "Good boy, Daichi."
            Daichi blew more bubbles. "Masa!" he toddled over to InuYasha's side of the room.
            "Leave my brother alone," Kisho said. "Nobody picks on him but me!"
            Sesshomaru sat back in his throne and smiled thoughtfully. Wasn't that how InuYasha
had behaved when they were younger?
            "Get away from him," Kisho pushed Daichi over.
            "Don't do that," his father warned. "He's smaller than you."
            "He's messing with Masa," he said. "He shouldn't mess with Masa. Masa's my little
brother. You said big brothers are supposed to look after their little brothers, didn't you, Dad?
Isn't that what you said?"
            InuYasha pretended not to hear him.
            "Is that so?" Sesshomaru asked. "Big brothers are supposed to look after their little
brothers?"
            "Shut up," he said.
            The demon lord chuckled inwardly, training his outward appearance to betray only a
slight smirk.
            Rin cried out for the third time.
            "Mama," Daichi scampered to Sesshomaru's side.
            "Mama is fine," he insisted.
            Another cry issued, louder than the first.
            Daichi began to cry. Sesshomaru stooped over and picked him up. "Why do you weep,
small one? Have I not told you all is well?"
            Rin cried out for the fifth and final time. A baby's cry was heard immediately afterward.
            Sesshomaru smiled. "You are a brother, Daichi."
            "Congratulations," InuYasha muttered.
            "Yeah, congratulations," Kisho said. "You wanna make somethin' out of it?"
            "No," he smiled. "I do not wish to’ make something out of it.’"
            Kagome came downstairs. Sesshomaru stood.
            "Well," she sighed, "I must say I'm impressed with her previous nursemaid. Whatever
she did, cured her problem completely."
            He nodded.
            "She's perfectly fine," she said. "There were no complications, no excessive bleeding.
Everything went exactly as it should."
            "Good . . . Is it a boy, or is it a girl?" he asked.
            Kagome smiled. "It's a girl," she said.
            "You have a sister, Daichi. You must be especially watchful over her."
            "Girl," he said.
            "Yes," his father agreed.
            "You can go up and see her, now," Kagome said. "There wasn't so big of a mess this
time."
            He nodded his regards and started upstairs. He stopped as he reached the bottom of the
staircase. "Will you be leaving right away?" he asked.
            InuYasha and Kagome exchanged glances, then looked over at him. "We really should
be getting back," Kagome said. "I do have other responsibilities.”
            "Very well," he nodded. "Perhaps another time." He disappeared upstairs with Daichi.
            The three remaining adults regarded each other. "Did he just say, 'Perhaps another
time?'"
            Sesshomaru pushed the screen open to his chamber. The smell of blood and birthing
fluids hung in the air, but not unpleasantly so. Rin seemed to be settled quite comfortably on a
large stack of pillows on the right side of their bed. Her face was flushed, and her eyes were a
little puffy, but aside from that . . . she looked perfectly fine. The baby was bundled up snuggly
in her arms.
            "How is my lady?" he sat down with Daichi on the edge of the bed.
            "Grateful," she smiled.
            He sat Daichi down on the mattress and reached for his new daughter. "Is this our
Mame?" he asked. She had his hair and his eyes, but the face surely belonged to Rin.
            "No," she said. "She is our Nozomi."
            He looked down at her. "'Hope?'" he said.
            She nodded. "I think we could all use a little hope," she said. "To wash away all this
bitter blood between us."
            He held Nozomi above his head. "Yes," he said. "It is a fitting name."
            "I'd like Kagome to come around more often," she said. "Our children should play
together... They are related, after all."
            He nodded his assent. "Nozomi," he repeated.
            "NoNo," Daichi said.
            To Rin, "NoNo" sounded suspiciously like "DoDo."
            Her mate took immediate notice of her. "Why do you weep?" he asked.
            "I weep for those without hope," she said simply.
            He smiled down at her. "Will you show such a sour face to our daughter?" He handed
Nozomi back to her.
            She took her and forced a smile. "Not for all the world," Rin said.
            Daichi crawled up the bed and stared down at the new addition. "NoNo," he said.
            "Yes," Rin nodded. "NoNo is your little sister."
            "Sis . . . Sis . . ." He seemed unable to make the "ter" sound.
            "Sister," Rin repeated.
            "NoNo," he beamed.
            Sesshomaru knelt by her bedside and took her hand.
            "What're you doing?" she asked.
            He pulled her hand to his mouth and kissed it.
            "You're in an odd mood," she said. "What do you think you're doing?"
            He bowed his head and closed his eyes, pressing her hand to his forehead.
            "My lord? Sesshomaru?"
            "I am giving thanks," he said simply. "I am giving thanks that you are well, and you are
with me."
            She smiled to herself. "Silly."
            He kissed her hand again.
            "Stop that," she giggled.
            He stood, then sat down by her. "Are you well?"
            "You already asked me that," she said. "Is my lord well?"
            "If you are well, then all is well."
            "Then all is well," she said.
            They smiled at each other then at their two children.
            All is truly well that ends well, Rin thought.
            "Are you tired?" he asked. "Shall I leave you to rest?"
            "No," she yawned and let her eyes drift closed. "Do not leave."
            He smiled to himself, then stood and walked over to the chair in the corner. He picked it
up and set it down by her bedside. "Very well," he said. "I shall watch over you as you sleep."
            "Mama sleepy," Daichi said.
            "Yes," his father said.
            "Pretty," he smiled at his mother.
            "Very," his father said.
            "NoNo," he poked at her forehead.
            "No," he scooped him up. "We mustn't poke our sister on the forehead. Big brothers are
supposed to look after their little sisters."
            "Look," Daichi said.
            "Yes, look," he said. "We must look after one another from now on."
            "Now," he giggled.
            "Yes, now," he said. "We must all look after each other, so no one gets left behind."
            "NoNo!"
            "That's right. You must look after Nozomi. Mama must look after you. And I must look
after you all."
            Daichi stared at him. "Daddy sad . . ."
            "No," he said. "Your father is quite pleased. He just . . . doesn't always know how to
show it."
            "Smile," Daichi said.
            "Yes, I do try to smile more," he said. "It's hard not to with you two around . . . And now
there's another one."
            He smiled wide, bearing his fangs.
            "That is terrible," his father said. "You'll scare people."
            He laughed and grabbed his cheeks.
            "What do you think you are doing, my young lord?"
            Daichi kissed the tip of his nose. "Love you," he smiled.
            Sesshomaru took a moment and blinked at him, then he put his son down on the floor and
walked to the back of the room to stare out the windows. Daichi followed and stared up at him.
            "Daddy sad," the pup pouted.
            He crouched down beside him. "Shhh," he said. "Daddy is not sad. Sometimes people...
weep when they are happy," he whispered.
            Daichi smiled again.
            He smiled in return. "My son . . ." he ruffled his silver hair. "My beloved Daichi."
            "Daddy silly . . ."

THE END
But you may want to look at the Author’s Notes in the next chapter ^ ^
- 22
- 23
- 24
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Bitter Blood	By : theMaven Category: InuYasha > General Views: 6016 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Bitter Blood