Adult-FanFiction.org : Inuyasha / Yashahime

In a Different Light	By : theMaven Category: InuYasha > General Views: 12680 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Chapter List
- 4
- 5
- 6
Author’s Note: I’d like to thank everybody who posted a review for Chapter 4. I apologize if
some of you thought it was kind of “dull.” But I needed that chapter and this chapter to set up
some things that will happen later on in the story. Last chapter was essentially about Rin’s
struggle for balance, and her desire to be a “mountain.” I’m a big fan of metaphors and
symbolism, so I like to use them when I can and when I feel they’re appropriate. For Rin, the
mountain symbolizes four things: Master Sumida, Lord Sesshomaru, inner strength and inner
calm. These are her sources of internal and external conflict, and she’ll be dealing with them
throughout the rest of the story . . . As for this chapter, it’s about Sesshomaru and my made up
history of demon courtship. After this chapter, Rin and Sesshomaru won’t be spending much
time apart hehe ;) And I hope you like this chapter better than the last one :D

                                                        In a Different Light
                                                      Chapter 5: Ritual pt 2
            From the upper branches of a nearby oak, the Lord of the Western Lands kept close
watch over his intended. His eyes focused, his ears alert, and his nose constantly checking the
changing winds for the rise of an unfamiliar scent. He was serious, as always, and he kept his
mind focused on the task at hand. But after a few moments of quiet observation, he found
himself feeling somewhat . . . uncomfortable watching Rin as she worked her way through her
morning routine. He realized that these poses were just that–poses, exercises, postures. Part of
her yoga training that he, himself, had insisted she take as an outlet for some of her more
destructive outbursts. Yet . . . some of these “poses” were quite stimulating. Especially the ones
where she was on all fours, or she was arching her back, pressing her pelvis to the ground,
glancing upwards at the sky.
            What he wouldn’t have given to be a patch of grass in that clearing . . .
            He growled to himself and cleared all such thoughts from his mind. He wasn’t there to
ogle his intended. He was there to watch over her, as part of the courtship ritual–a ritual he once
swore to never take part in.
            It was an archaic tradition from a dark period in demon history when females were few
and far in between, and males were little better than savage beasts . . . That was, in fact, why
there were so few females. It used to be that when a male desired a female, he simply took her,
whether she wanted him or not. If the female was willing, all progressed as it should have. If
she was unwilling, there was a fight for dominance. The two would battle each other until either
a) the female gave in and submitted to the male or b) the female was dead. And more often than
not, the female would die before submitting herself to an “unworthy” male.
            Sesshomaru once again turned his attention to the young woman, battling phantom
opponents in the field below. Previously, he’d paid little attention to her training in the internal
arts. He left her instruction in the capable hands of Master Sumida, only requesting the
occasional progress report. But after Rin had shown such an aptitude in her yoga studies, Master
Sumida suggested hiring Master Li to train her in the ways of Tai Chi Chuan–yet another
internal art. But this one was a martial art characterized by soft, slow, flowing movements that
emphasized force, rather than brute strength. “The girl should learn to defend herself,” Master
Sumida had said. “These are dangerous times we live in. Especially for women.”
            And at first, he’d refused her outright. Rin never left the castle gates unless he was with
her. And as long as she had him, she was always protected . . . But as she grew, so did her desire
for independence. She wanted to venture out and explore without him, without his constant
supervision and ever-watchful eyes.
            So, in her fifteenth year, not wanting to keep her “caged in,” as she claimed, he hired
Master Li to train her in self-defense. If Rin was to travel away from him, he wanted to know
that she was capable of protecting herself . . . Protection was a pressing issue for females of all
species.
            As demon history goes, after witnessing countless numbers of unwilling females
brutalized and slaughtered by “overzealous” males, the remaining unclaimed females decided
that there would be “safety in numbers.” The females from every order of demon began to
organize themselves into packs and colonies, establishing the first demon civilizations of note.
Each female had her own rank, duties and responsibilities within the colony. The older females
assumed leadership positions, and the younger ones took to more tedious tasks–hunting and
building, providing for the colony.
            The males at this time were still very much loners. Their only goals in life were survival,
assuring the continuation of their line on the face of the earth, and domination, procuring as
much territory as they could for themselves and their future offspring. These two things being
their primary objectives, mating was of great importance. If they were to survive, and if they
were to maintain their territories, they needed the females, if only to continue their bloodlines.
            The first male to encounter one of these female demon colonies took heed of neither their
numbers nor their level of organization. He saw a suitable female and attempted to take
her–against her will. When the battle for dominance began, her fellow colony members
intervened and made quick work of the male, slicing him to ribbons and dining off his entrails.
Some colonies even went so far as to post their heads on a stake as warning to other males . . .
And, thus, many males met their end this way.
            It seemed a hopeless situation. The males, instinctively, could not give up on the
females, and the females refused to willingly give themselves to an “unworthy” male. But as
time passed, a century or two, if the history scrolls were correct, males began to realize that they
could no longer threaten or coerce a female into mating with them. The end result would always
be his death or her death, thus steadily decreasing the demon population, paving the way to
extinction for the entire species.
            So the males finally grouped together and decided upon a different plan of “attack.”
Instead of forcibly taking the females from their colonies, they would lure them away. Males
were allowed within the female colonies, as long as they behaved according to the females’
rules. In addition, the males also developed their own unique code of conduct regarding females
and the procurement of mates.
            Once a male discovered a desirable female, he must profess his intentions towards her.
From that point on, all other males were to steer clear of her, till she decided whether to accept
him or reject him. To make sure the other males stuck to this agreement, the solicitous male
followed his intended everywhere, fending off other potential suitors and protecting her from
unwanted advances. This became Stage One of the courtship ritual.
            If the female allowed you to keep company with her, you could advance to Stage Two.
In Stage Two, the male must demonstrate his dependability and his ability to provide for his
intended mate and any future offspring. He did this by hunting every morning and bringing the
female his fresh kill. If she accepted the food and his continued companionship, the male would
initiate Stage Three of the ritual–grooming.
            Grooming was designed to foster intimacy between the intended mates. True, it also
served hygienic purposes–picking off parasites, smoothing the hair, sharpening the claws,
cleansing the flesh. But it was also done to build trust and a sense of familiarity between the
two. And, as it was the final stage before actual mating, it was something that couldn’t be
rushed. If the female ever felt ill at ease, she could call upon the other females, or even her other
potential suitors to do away with the overzealous male, usually resulting in his death and
dismemberment.
            So everything started off slowly . . . It began with a simple touch–brushing against the
female’s upper arm, outer thigh or lower back–to indicate his interest in forming a more physical
relationship with her. He would stroke her gently, but intentionally, and then attempt to gauge
her response to him.
            If she seemed receptive to his advances–smiling, laughing, sly/shy glances in his
direction–he was to acknowledge her acceptance with a smile of his own. If she refused at any
moment, vocally or physically, the male was to immediately withdraw and try again at a later
date, while continuing with actions set forth in Stage Two.
            When she accepted the more casual contact with him, the male was to attempt more
intimate encounters–combing his fingers through her hair, picking her free of parasites,
sharpening her claws. If the female was agreeable to this treatment, that was good. If she
wished to reciprocate, that was even better.
            Sesshomaru found himself smiling inwardly at that thought. To have Rin’s hands in his
hair again . . . Not making those annoying little braids, but tending to it properly–massaging his
scalp, running her fingers through the silvery strands, then brushing it properly into place . . .
She took such good care of her own hair, now, he was certain she’d do the same for his.
            And once they were comfortable grooming each other’s hair and nails, they could move
on to the flesh. The face and neck, the shoulders and back, the arms and legs. Then the stomach
and chest, the posterior, and the so-called “private parts.” First they used only claws and hands,
to become accustomed to each other’s touch, and then they graduated to teeth and tongues to
become familiar with each other’s unique taste.
            Having successfully completed the grooming stage, and pleasing the female with his
performance, the male could now lure her away from her female companions and convince her
to become his mate. Once she accepted his proposal, he would take her to live with him in his
lands, and he would be responsible for her care and well-being for the rest of his life . . . An
awesome [A/N meaning overwhelming], but welcome responsibility, considering the
alternatives... A life lived alone or a quick, but painful death at the hands of your intended’s
friends and potential suitors . . .
            Of course, as time passed and demon society evolved, certain aspects of the ritual were
altered. Female-only packs and colonies disappeared and made way for more “traditional”
families. As it was the male’s responsibility to protect and provide for his family, he kept close
watch over his daughters, guarding them from unwanted suitors and other overzealous males.
When a male desired one of his daughters, he approached the head of the household and
expressed his intentions to court his daughter. Instead of luring the female away from her
colony, he now had to lure her away from her family.
            Stage One remained the same, but Stage Two changed somewhat. Instead of only
providing food for his intended, proving his worth as a provider, he also had to show proof of his
holdings and status in demon society. He wooed her not only with fresh meat, but with fine
jewelry and silks, spices and pottery, and, if she liked, weaponry and armament. The more gifts
he could bestow, the less his chance for rejection.
            And Stage Three became more of a formality than the last tentative step to joining with
your intended. Procuring a mate was no longer a matter of life or death, after all. It was done to
acquire wealth, power and position. Males often went as far as they could as soon as they could,
as long as the female was agreeable to it. And if she refused him one time too many, he usually
lost interest and moved on to “easier” prospects . . . Some couples skipped Stage Three,
altogether, and moved right on to mating.
            Sesshomaru, for his part, had thought courtship was one of the most worthless and
pointless traditions carried over from the ancient times. It was completely outdated. It had its
use in the past when the sexes were clearly on unequal footing and their species was on the brink
of extinction, but now, it was just plain insulting.
            Why should he, the Lord of the Western Lands, be forced to grovel and fawn at the feet
of any female?
            He shouldn’t be.
            And why should he, one of the most well-respected demons in Japan, be forced to prove
his worth to some lawless lady or prima donna princess?
            Again, he shouldn’t be. And he hadn’t.
            His lands were the most beautiful and most expansive property in all of Japan. His castle
rivaled that of the emperor. His battle skills easily surpassed those of generals and daimyos and
the entire Imperial Army. His name was known far and wide, as it inspired lust in the hearts of
women and fear in the hearts of man. And . . . why was he comparing himself to lowly humans?
            Because . . .
            He noticed a faint white glow beginning to form around Rin’s lithe frame. Apparently,
Master Li had taught her to tap into her chi, her life force energy, and she was currently
manipulating that energy and channeling it into a right punch. Sesshomaru had heard it said that
a master of Tai Chi Chuan was capable of moving a mountain with a mere gesture of his hands...
Which wasn’t very impressive by demon standards, but if a mortal could do it, it might be
worthy of some note.
            Rin’s Master Li was a human monk, well past his prime in Sesshomaru’s opinion. But
Master Sumida had insisted that this Master Li was the only one who could properly instruct Rin
in the internal martial art. “And you do want what’s best for her, don’t you?” Master Sumida
had asked.
            He didn’t answer; he simply had the monk sent for and made arrangements for him
outside the castle gates . . . A human monk staying at the estate of the Lord of the Western Lands
would be scandalous to say the least. An ordinary human, could be tolerated for Rin’s sake, but
a monk . . . with his binding scrolls and his sutras and his exorcisms . . . Not that he feared the
monk, no matter how great his proclaimed powers . . . it simply wasn’t done. Demons
consorting with monks.
            Yet, he had done it. And he could clearly see the results as he watched his intended
pantomime blow after blow, striking pose after pose–lunging, punching, blocking. She was . . .
impressive.
            He never thought her capable of such things. She was always so gentle and good-natured
and kind. Not a warrior at all . . . But she was courageous, straight-forward, hard-working and
loyal. He could sense the strength, power and confidence rolling off of her. And seeing her
display her skills as she was now, he had no doubt she could protect herself should the need
arise. Any man fool enough to force his attentions on her would be severely crippled.
            That being the case, he was forced to wonder why she had been so . . . uncertain of
herself yesterday. Why was she so wary and weepy? Did she really doubt herself, or did her
doubt truly lie in him?
            He thought on it for a few moments, a slight frown working its way between his brows,
then decided the answer was irrelevant. He had decided to court her, after all. Not so much to
prove his worth to her–which she was already well aware of–but to ease her into the idea of
mating with him. She clearly had the desire, as demonstrated by last night. But he didn’t want
her for just one night. He wanted it so that the thought of leaving him never crossed her mind.
He wanted her to stay with him for the rest of her life and never have a day where she regretted
the decision. He wanted her to be happy.
            He’d always assumed that she was happy staying with him. But last night had obliterated
that assumption . . . She was lonely and fearful and awkward. She was tired and confused and
hopeless. And she was ashamed of her body’s natural reaction to him. She’d said that he made
her feel “dirty.”
            His mouth drew into a thin line, the edges pulling, almost unnoticeably, downward. He
had to do better than that. He couldn’t have his mate running around feeling anything less than
happy, anything less than wanted, anything less than . . . loved.
            Yes, he would have to get used to using that word.
            He was almost certain she’d want to hear it at one point or another. And as certain as he
was that he felt it, he wasn’t as sure he’d ever be able to say it . . . Admitting weakness simply
wasn’t one of his strong points.
            He clenched and relaxed his right hand.
            But that didn’t have to come now. He didn’t have to say it now. That could come
sometime during Stage Three. And he was still, quite firmly, in Stage One right now.
            The weights on the edges of his mouth lifted, and he smiled inwardly.
            Yes. Stage One. It would be nice spending time with Rin again.
- 4
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- 6
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In a Different Light