The Birth of an Empress by luminaera

Prologue

A/N: There will be torture and rape in this story, fair warning.

Prologue:

Kagome couldn’t be any happier with that final choice she had made, she missed home and family, but she couldn’t bear to just leave Inuyasha behind and without love. She smiled softly, sitting up in their futon and looking down at his face, a peaceful expression greeted her tired eyes and it warmed her heart. While Naraku was alive and they had been so unsure of their own relationship, she never thought she’d see such a peaceful look upon his normally scowling face so freely. Fingers idly plucked at a few strands of silver hair sticking to soft lips, cobalt eyes drawn instantly to the light that bounced off those silky strands in the soft sunlight of their room. Her heartbeat increased rapidly as she lost herself in her memories of the past five years with him in the span of seconds.

               A hand gripped her wrist lightly, knocking her from her reverie with a startled gasp as she flicked her gaze to his face and smiled with all her heart at the smoldering look he was now giving her. Blinking a little, she licked her lips, inching closer to his face with hers and her fingers curled to find his under the blankets.

“Morning.” She whispered softly, kissing him tenderly with petal soft lips and a pleasured rumble from him sent a thrill through her body and pooling into her belly. The kiss deepened quickly as his other clawed hand found and buried into her dark tresses against her neck, tugging her closer to him with a strained growl.

“Kagome…” He murmured softly, torn with two very strong needs, to take her now or later? He was hungry for breakfast, but Kagome sounded just as good and sweet as real food. She pulled away, panting and flushed, laughter tinkling in the air like sweet music to his alert ears. He stifled a groan as he knew that laugh was a polite rejection and the soft rumble of her stomach sealed that debate in his head for right now.

“Sorry…” She murmured, knowing he would hear her soft apology, before standing up from their futon. “I have to check on Tatsu today remember? I need to eat and make sure his fever broke…” Her back was to him as she dressed, golden eyes watching as her shapely curves slipped back into the light underclothes before donning her miko garb. Inuyasha felt a pained memory stir in his heart as that outfit on Kagome still brought back the memories of Kikiyo for a split second before Kagome’s scent and voice caressed and pulled him back out of the sea of memories. Silent, he stood and yawned theatrically, stretching out some sore limbs and turning to comb his claws through her hair.

“I remember. Should we meet back up at midday for a meal?” He asked, gently untangling her wild hair and tying it with a crimson ribbon of silk he bought as his wedding gift to her. Done, he buried his nose into her neck, inhaling her calming scent as though it were a sip of water after a stint in the desert. Strong arms wrapped around her, holding her close as he caught the faint undertone hidden there. He sensed her sadness bubble to the surface, knowing that she was already aware of what her body was exhibiting to him and his heart ached.

Her shoulders shook as she fought back the tears she felt welling in her eyes for a number of reasons. From the way Inuyasha started to turn her around in his arms she knew that he found the source of one of her aches already just by smell. “I started again…” She murmured, trembling with effort to stay strong, eyes squeezing shut when he caressed her cheek gently in one clawed hand. A few tears slipped past the physical barrier she tried to make as a grief consumed her.

“Sh… don’t cry. You know I dislike seeing you cry.” He felt his heart breaking and his ears drooping as she finally broke in his arms and let the tears finally fall. “There will be more chances, but…” He trailed off as she pressed fingers to his lips and shook her head, his golden eyes shining with the tears he also wanted to shed. The sleeves of her haori pressed into her cheeks as she wiped away her tears and it made his heart ache even more, leaning in close to lick a few drops away.

“I know… I shouldn’t get my hopes up after what Sesshomaru…” Inuyasha growled softly, but she heard him and knew she had stirred up a bitter moment for the both of them. “That’s not the only reason… Kaede…” She inhaled a deep breath, eyes looking back into his as she managed to divert her mind to another source of her pain and as a means to drop the subject. The unspoken words still hung between them, “His blood being what it is… I doubt you will ever have a child,” a bitter truth Sesshomaru had revealed to them still stung. The words were harsh and sharp as a blade, but they both knew they were said in a twisted sense of familial compassion on his half-brother’s part.

“I miss that old bat…” He responded, letting her direct them away from the topic of children and instead to the third-year anniversary of Kaede’s passing. They all missed her kindness, compassion, and wisdom that she used to impart to them, but were also thankful that she went peacefully to join her sister in Heaven. The old miko was struggling the year before her death just to move within her own home, forcing Kagome into taking over many of her duties.

The room was silent around them for a moment before Kagome kissed his cheek lovingly and then on light feet dashed into their small kitchen area. It took a long time under Kaede’s guidance to learn how to cook in Feudal era, but she was now so used to it that any meal she made was amazingly tasty. Her recent hurdle had only been increasing her portions from meals for three to four as with Kaede’s death and at his brother’s request, they took Rin into their home. Two growing children consumed a lot of food, pushing Inuyasha to take more dangerous missions and requests in demon slaying lately so she just tried to make a little extra since everyone was so busy.

Kagome smiled softly as she worked, thinking about how even if they weren’t of her blood or his, Shippo and Rin were like her own flesh and blood. She saw them more like siblings before Naraku was defeated, but as she grew and matured she realized she felt a more matronly instinct take hold of her towards them. That thought sparked a sudden compulsion to cook more food pushed at her and she cracked a few more eggs into the skillet she had forged.

Inuyasha noted this and grinned wickedly as he knew it meant Shippo was returning home today. His ears twitched excitedly as he started to view the kit as his own son a few years ago and started treating him with more kindness. While Kagome cooked breakfast he headed to the side of their house where Rin slept and knocked on the door frame. He built this house himself, inspired by Kagome’s home in the future and usefulness it presented to him. With this style he could easily keep her all to himself at night without the fear of waking their children.

 “Rin. Time to wake up. My bastard brother will be here today!” He teased and hearing her bolt up from her futon with a loud gasp. Hearing her move about he turned to put their futon away in their room and finished just as Rin entered the kitchen area of their tiny home.

“Inuyasha-oji-san? Is that true?” Rin murmured sleepily as the initial excitement wore off now that she was technically presentable for the rest of the world and feeling hunger stir in belly. Except for her own wild mass of hair that looked to be in dire need of a comb, Rin had grown well and healthily over the past five years. Kagome and the village made sure to feed their charge hearty meals to put a healthy weight back on her since it seemed she had been left to forage for her own food for a while. She was on the cusp of woman hood and thankfully hadn’t started her cycle, a day Inuyasha was starting to dread mentally as he didn’t want to explain human cycles to his half-brother.

“Yes. He said something about a gift for Kaede.” He shook his head at that, a little bewildered still that his brother had even recalled the date that the old miko had passed away. The young girl before him lowered her gaze as she took her seat at the small table Inuyasha had managed to build just for his odd family and from he recalled seeing in Kagome’s house. Silent, he stood behind her to comb out her tangles and snarls with his clawed hands, but instead of a ribbon he swept her hair halfway up into an elegant style before pinning into place with a pin Sesshomaru gave her last year. He’d gotten good at these kinds of things as Kagome was sometimes too busy to style Rin’s hair for her and he secretly hoped to do this for their own daughter someday.

“Oh…” Rin sighed heavily, turning to smile at her adopted Uncle when he finished helping her with her hair. “Thank you, Oji-san.” She missed the old woman herself as Kaede’s house used to be her own home until she had passed away. At first, she hoped that Sesshomaru-sama would come to take her back with him, but he asked her stay here still for a few more years. Sullen, she agreed to his wishes for her, but it she missed him more than Kaede-sama and had rebelled for the first two months against Kagome and Inuyasha. However, she noticed the sadness and loneliness Kagome and Inuyasha carried and put two and two together after catching a private moment between them. After that she calmed down and understood at least part of why Sesshomaru had wanted her to stay behind still.

Kagome came over with a tray of bowls of rice and grilled fish, setting them down on all sides of the table before sitting down herself. The fifth was a small and silent offering for Kaede’s spirit and the fourth was for Shippo when he would arrive. The air of the tiny house was somber and respectful as the three tucked into the meal, only looking up with sad eyes as Shippo came in through the front entrance, green eyes full of unshed tears. Wordlessly the awkward family all ate their meal before parting their separate ways until lunch time.

~*~

“Thank you, Kagome.” Sango sighed heavily as she tucked the blanket over Tastu’s sleeping form. The fever had broken and Kagome had changed the bandages on his arm after checking to make sure the wound was clean. The poor boy accidentally spooked a bakaneko and it had attacked him more out of instinct than malice. Miroku was hovering by the door, their two daughters clinging to his hakama in worry as they peeped into the room with curious eyes.

Kagome shook her head, smiling softly up at Sango and squeezing her hand. “He’ll be fine. With my knowledge from the future and the training from Kaede, you have nothing to fear.” She didn’t add that it was mostly due to the fever finally breaking. She hummed soothingly while gathering her healing supplies into a basket and shuffled out of the room for the sisters to check on their sibling and seek comfort from a calming touch given by their mother.

Miroku sighed with relief, kissing Sango when she sought some comfort from him and placed a hand firmly against her backside with a wicked gleam in his eyes. Her eyes softened slightly before gently placing his hand up onto her hip instead. “Thank you again Kagome. With Tatsu ill… we won’t…”

“I know.” She cut in and smiled softly, wincing as she felt it came off a little rudely. “You can’t make it to the service today. Besides… you’ll be busy with building my future home.” She laughed lightly as she recalled the monk’s announcement to build a proper shrine site near the well since it held such a significant place in all of their hearts. She’d also always had a feeling her friends were somehow tied to her… future? Her past?

The couple looked sad at his, but nodded their heads. A purr caught Sango’s attention and she laughed before shooing the nekomata kitten into the room to be with Tatsu as he recovered. “I take that as a sign he is well… and also that Kirara is on her way with Kohaku.” Her eyes twinkled in delight as she still couldn’t believe her luck in having her brother alive and with them still. Her younger brother taking up the mantle as a demon hunter as Sango settled into the family life.

“Ah. That means no herb gathering today then.” Kagome muttered thoughtfully to herself as she tapped a finger to her lips and sighed. This meant she would be having another late night with Inuyasha, picking herbs and potentially getting distracted with… other things. Blushing softly, he bowed to her friends before saying good bye and dashing out of their home.

Happily, she laughed and waved up at Kohaku, passing him and Kirara as she took off down the path to her home. They turned, watching her with amusement as Kagome seemed to never change. Shaking their heads, Kohaku started unpacking his supplies from Kirara’s back so that should could revert to her smaller form. He fingered a package he had set aside for Rin, a nice gift given to him for taking out a seal demon on the coast further South. With his heart flipping about with turbulent emotions, he entered his sister’s home with a bright smile.

~*~

Sesshomaru repressed a sigh as he trudged along the dirt path towards his half-brother’s village. He glanced out of the corner of his eye back to Jaken and A-un and the package he had brought for Kaede’s grave site. The breeze caressed his face gently, causing his eyes to close and emotions stir within his chest as bitter memories washed over him. That demoness Kagura had wormed a little of herself into his mind and heart and the slightest breeze would make him think of her, if only for a moment. His claws itched, amber eyes flicked to look at his left hand and willed that desire to clutch at his chest to go away, to keep his cold mask in place.

“Jaken. Hurry up.” He spoke in his cold and usual voice, earning a panicked rambling from the imp as he spurred A-un to walk a little faster behind their lord. The small group walked in silence, still aching for the bright smiles and laughter of Rin when she was still traveling with them, but a village was safest for her right now. Step. Step. Step. He fought another sigh again as his mind kept wandering to the past and distracting him from getting to their destination. He missed his young charge, but he ust couldn’t risk her staying with him. He couldn’t risk losing her a third time.

He had landed this far outside the village for a reason however, scanning the landscape and letting low waves of his energy spread across the land to mark the territory as claimed and as a warning. Sesshomaru knew Inuyasha and his friends couldn’t sense this low-level pulse at all, except for that miko Inuyasha had married. She sensed it every time he came and used it as a way to prep Rin or signal her to his pending arrival. For that he was grateful, having had the misfortune of suffering her and Rin’s outrage when he found them bathing in a hot spring last year. His ears still rang slightly with their screams of outrage and death threats. Screams that only increased in volume and pitch when every male of their group came rushing to rescue them, fearing the two had been attacked despite Kagome’s fighting abilities finally being refined.

A small smirk twitched his lips as he felt a responding pulse of pure energy from Kagome, sending the message on where they were, gathered and waiting for his arrival already. She was one of the few humans that had ever sparked an interest from him, mostly because of her bull-headed ferocity in a battle. She didn’t let being human stop her, but off the battlefield she showed a great tendency for kindness. He still hadn’t properly thanked her for those moments in which she helped his ward… no… daughter. Rin was more than his duty or charge. Subtly he repaid the unspoken debts by saving Kagome in kind for his half-brother a few times.

Wordlessly he turned, leading A-un and his retainer down the lesser worn path to the Goshinboku and that odd well Kagome had come through for a final time five years ago. He found them clustered some paces away from the tree and the well, Kagome silently pulling at the makeshift grave marker to free it from the soil while Inuyasha cleaned up the area from weeds. Rin was waiting with the incense to burn and Shippo standing next to her with his teary eyes and the small offerings of food. He noted that the fox kit was growing well despite being raised by a human and a half-breed, eyes following the twitch of a second bushy tail as the young kit stood taller and with pride when he had sensed Sesshomaru’s arrival and eyes on him.

“Rin.” He spoke one word, looking at his human daughter, noting the changes her body had undergone in the time he was away. Her scent was changing and suspected it was only a matter of time before Kohaku would be asking his permission to marry Rin. He watched those warm earthy eyes shimmer in greeting and love towards him before she moved over to him. Small fingers clasped his right hand, twitching in the expectation of a small rebuff, but he allowed the contact to remain.

“Sesshomaru-sama. It’s so good to see you again.” Her face broke into a sad grin, showing her perfect teeth that she had Kagome to thank for. He felt a twitching desire in his arms to hug this young girl to his chest, to express how deep his emotions ran for her, but he suppressed it for another time.

“Ah. Sesshomaru.” His ears burned in silent appreciation for Kagome’s boldness at not using the title most everyone addressed him with. Cobalt blue eyes sparkled with unshed tears as she came over to A-un and looked at the package strapped to the dragon’s back. “We’re ready.”

He nodded, glancing at Inuyasha as soundless words were said between them and together they lifted the covering over the gravestone he had made for the old miko. They set it into place, Kagome splashed water on the surface, murmured a soft prayer, and let Rin and Shippo set the offerings. The group stared at the marker in silence, memories of the adventure that ended five years ago washing over them in their own way. Minor, majojr, and small moments of Kaede reminding them just how much she had impacted their lives, making sense of their young, wild, and strong emotions.

~*~

Kagome frowned, tongue sticking out of her lips in concentration as she put the finishing touch on the small feast she cooked up for everyone. They were at Sango’s house to allow the couple to share in this part with them at least today. Rin was at her side, making Kagome’s heart flutter a little in pride and love as they brought the trays of food to the makeshift table. She refrained from the slight shock at seeing Sesshomaru had decided to stay for this part, thinking that the lordly demon would have left back to his wanderings once the ceremony completed.

They ate as a group, Rin and Kohaku flirted across the table while Kagome and Sesshomaru watched with knowing glints in their eyes. Inuyasha and Miroku were in their cups, teasing Shippo about the vixen that had caught his eye at his training camp last year. Sango was cuddling Kirara since it had been a while since her friend stayed long enough for them to bond again while keeping an eye on her daughters as they played with A-un and Jaken. The night passed in a mix of emotions and just as they were breaking it up, a messenger arrived.

The relaxed and muted celebration tensed quickly as unease swept through everyone present, eyeing the panting messenger with worry in everyone’s eyes. In Sesshomaru’s case he was more curious about this sudden intrusion than worried or uneasy. “Inuyasha… we need in you in Awa. A demon has been troubling our crops and if it isn’t stopped we’ll starve in the winter.” The messenger was fighting back tears and a gasp came from Kagome as she watched blood seep through a sleeve of his kosode.

Wordlessly, Inuyasha looked to Kagome, watched her nod her head before leaping away and towards their hut to gather the few things he would need. Kagome tore her haori’s sleeves to quickly bind the messenger’s wounds with a pinch of worry spiking through her whole body. The injuries weren’t enough to kill, but what made them was strong and powerful. Sesshomaru could smell it the heady scent of blood, but he could also smell the scent of the thing that had attacked the man. Silently he was walking past her, glancing at A-un and Jaken to follow him as it was time to leave for these events didn’t involve nor concern him. Little did they know; their hardships were not yet over and that this should have concerned everyone.

~*~

A month passed, only a month. He was supposed to have been back by now as Awa wasn’t that far from the village and he had traveled mostly unhindered. Her worry increased day by day, but the needs of Rin and Shippo kept Kagome a little distracted so that the pain and fear wouldn’t swallow her whole just yet. She missed him and started to fear the worse and nightmares would plague her. Everyone else was beginning to worry as well as Kagome was losing weight and not looking healthy as her nerves kept her from properly caring for herself.

Rin slowly started to have to do more work and take over some of Kagome’s duties as she started to slip on doing them properly. The young girl was also worried for Sesshomaru as he hadn’t stopped to visit since then either, which was unlike him. She was looking a little worn thin as the concern ate at her in a slightly different manner than from Kagome. She stared at the fire with Kagome, trying to cook food and getting the miko to eat something tonight at least.

Kagome was lost in her mind, not noticing when Rin stirred and looked up to someone. She heard them talking and frowned slightly as the second voice was unfamiliar to her and forced herself to actually listen. Only to wish she hadn’t. The man spoke lies. There was no way… yet there was the proof in his hands. Red filled her vision and the tattered looking sheath of Tessaiga lay on top of a folded bundle of such pretty red. Her heart cracked, brain trying to buffer against the words the man spoke, listened to the cracks spread rapidly and a pressure building in her chest. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t see, and who was screaming? There was nothing but a dull roar in her head, the lies, the scream, more lies, soft words… why did her chest burn so? A hot wetness ran down her cheeks as she struggled to take a breath, to turn those words into lies as the coppery tang of blood filled her mouth. Blood? Her mind snapped and she realized the screaming came from her, tore at her throat, and then her world went black.