A Smell So Sweet by BelovedStranger

In Times of War

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Hello everyone! This times prompt is 'pepperment' and it's another canon. Of course, a spicy description is at the end of the story if you're curious about it's history. I used this prompt in name and the plot was based off of the spice's history.

I want to once again thank my wonderful beta Stella Mira for her wonderful edits. And remember, this lemony oneshot collection woudn't exist without her! So many MANY thanks are in order for her inspiration ^^

Enjoy!

The only woman in the small gathering was short in stature and thin of frame, yet generously endowed with a curvy chest and rounded hips, wearing the traditional white and red garments of her calling, a priestess. However, her long, black hair was in a high pony tail instead of fashioned in the usual style all shrine maidens favored. One of her station was not an altogether uncommon sight during this time period, but here, surrounded by powerful demons, generals in the Western Lord’s army, congregating in their lord’s war tent, would undoubtedly raise a few questions. However, no one dared voice sensor and demand her absence while they discussed strategy for the last, final battle between their enemy, who was bent on overthrowing Lord Sesshomaru and taking over the West on the morrow, for she was their Lady of the West, their lord’s human mate.

Though there were still a few who disagreed with Lord Sesshomaru’s choice of mate, none could doubt her skill, knowledge, and above all, her power, for she was rumored to be the most powerful priestess to walk the lands. Any demon foolish enough to attempt to murder her had failed.

When she had first become a resident of Lord Sesshomaru’s castle three years previously, all knew that their lord had taken an interest in her abilities after the defeat of the half-breed Naraku and the Sacred Jewel’s destruction. He had taken it upon himself to tutor this young, human, woman-child in the arts of hand-to-hand combat and wielding of a sword, claiming she would be an asset for the West.

After three years of training in the art of battle, along with even more training concerning her spiritual powers, one day Lord Sesshomaru had held a mass meeting in his great hall, surprising everyone who attended, and there were many, lords and ladies, soldiers and generals, even the servants were present, when he took the human by the hand before all and declared his intention to make her the new Lady of the West.

An uproar had ensured, declaring the human an unfit mate. Lord Sesshomaru had forced everyone to silence with an oppressive flare of his demonic energy, demanding silence by sheer force of will and grand display of power. The hall was quiet, save for their lord’s cool voice daring any who thought his intended lacking to step forward, and the strongest of the displeased demons were given the chance to defeat the priestess in battle. If she should fall after battling the three candidates in one-on-one combat, then he would recant his betrothal.

It was decreed that she would fight one contender per day, and if she stood victorious on the third day after defeating all three adversaries, then her right to stand by their lord’s side would go unquestioned from that day forward. Any who dared voice continual objection should she win, would be banished from ever stepping foot on the Western Lord’s castle grounds, for Lord Sesshomaru would have only those loyal to him and his mate stand present in or near his home.

The three day battle commenced the following day, and one by one, the priestess’ fell. Two of her adversaries died, one in the heat of battle, and the other who refused to submit when he had been beaten. The third, one of Lord Sesshomaru’s generals, had accepted his defeat, and at the end of their battle, he had accepted the priestess wholeheartedly, saying he had been mistaken in believing that she was an unfit mate for his lord. He had not been unhappy to have been proven wrong.

However, there had been a few who still refused her right to be Lord Sesshomaru’s mate. One amongst them was Kenji, a high ranking general in Lord Sesshomaru’s army and trusted advisor. He had always served his lord faithfully until now. Thinking his lord weak for his choice in mate, he recruited those displeased with Lord Sesshomaru’s decision, and raised an army to overthrow ‘a lord unfit to rule’.

A few months after Lord Sesshomaru’s mating ceremony to his human mate, Kenji, now known as Lord Kenji to his followers, declared war, and the West rallied their forces to meet the coming threat. For a week, skirmishes and small battles commenced between the two armies, testing each other’s strengths and weaknesses, until finally, tomorrow, the real battle was to begin, the battle that would determine who would rule over the West.

All through this bloody massacre, the Lady of the West stood by her mate and his soldiers, fighting valiantly alongside her new people, a decision that raised the spirits of the men, and made the Western Lord proud, who had done nothing to discourage her desire to join him in battle.

Now, close to midnight, the moon high in the star lit sky, Kagome, the Lady of the West, rested her hip against the corner of Sesshomaru’s impressive desk at her mate’s right side silently, as he gave final orders for the day to come.

She listened quietly, missing nothing, even as she unwrapped her small, round, peppermint candy, and popped it into her mouth. She hated violence, disliked the smell of death which was a mixture of blood, urine, and shit. No matter what she ate or drank, it seemed as if the acrid smell invaded her food so that all she could taste was death.

Unable to brush her teeth, she took to sucking on the small mint candy she procured from her time, five hundred years in the future, in an effort to dispel the stomach rolling taste of decay. She recalled the first time she had popped one in her mouth in a desperate attempt for relief from the nauseating odor that seemed to settle permanently upon her tongue. Sesshomaru had been curious about the small candy, so she had unwrapped another and instructed him to open his mouth. Trustingly, he didn’t hesitate, and while he sucked on the peppermint sweet, she told him what it was and why she sucked on them now. After that, Sesshomaru had taken to the sweets, going into her stash freely.

Kagome almost sighed when she bent to throw away her wrapper, knowing her stash had almost run out. But hopefully she wouldn’t be needing anymore come morning after defeating the enemy. Kagome refused to think for even a second that she or Sesshomaru wouldn’t survive. Sesshomaru wasn’t going to die, and neither was she, for a life on this Earth or in the afterlife, would be a desolate place without the other.

Kagome clenched her fist on her thigh as Sesshomaru dismissed his men, her anger rising within her, for it would be a cruel twist of fate should all of her and Sesshomaru’s efforts these last three years to prepare her as a suitable mate in his peoples’ eyes be for naught. They had done so much, sacrificed for so long…it couldn’t all be stolen away so easily! She wouldn’t allow it.

“Kagome.”

She blinked, realizing she stared at Sesshomaru’s chest, bare of his spiked breastplate, to reveal the beautiful white and red sakura blossom designed kimono that so matched her own priestess robes. So lost in thought, she hadn’t realized that everyone else had departed, leaving the two of them alone together, or even noticed when Sesshomaru moved to stand before her.

Before she could tilt her head back to meet his gaze, a long, clawed finger, pressed beneath her chin, raising her chocolate brown eyes to meet familiar honeyed hues. They were gazing at her with such worry and compassion so unlike their normal cool, unfeeling expression, that Kagome was once again filled with such wonder and love that this demon could love her as much as she loved him.

They had been through so much together; all those long years of training, knowing how they felt for one another, was a torture all its own, for they could not, as of yet, act on their desire.

“What is it? I can feel your anguish from our mating mark,” Sesshomaru asked in his deep, baritone voice that always caused shivers of delight to dance along her nerve endings. His large, calloused hand moved to her fluttering heartbeat.

Suddenly she had a raging desire to shed both of their clothes and come together in a violent mating of flesh, to feel him hard, thick, and deep inside her warm, wet depths. Her lust was a combination of the man who stood before her and the horrible thought that one of them might not make it in the battle to come.

She lowered her eyes in an attempt to shield her desire; now was not the time to engage in such activities as they were surrounded by Sesshomaru’s army. Surely many would hear, smell, sense, what they were doing should she act on her impulse and demand he take her right then and there. A blush tinted her cheeks at the thought.

“It’s nothing, Sesshomaru, really,” Kagome tried to deny, not wanting to admit to this fearless warrior her fears. She had to be strong, not just for herself, but for him and his men. She couldn’t let her womanly worries interfere with war. Such high emotions could get not just her, but others, killed.

Sesshomaru watched his mate with an eagle eye, wondering at her strange mood this evening. He was more than proud by her resolve and courage to fight alongside him and his men as she had proven herself a worthy asset to their cause, but he worried for his little priestess. He knew she did not like bloodshed, disliked violence, but she had willingly set aside her qualms--for him. He had no doubt that she was hurting inside, hiding the pain of taking another’s life—no, dozens upon dozens of lives.

He did not view this as a weakness, for such a description could never be appliedto one such as she. She was beauty and purity incarnate, valuing another’s life as something precious and to be preserved, but she also knew that sometimes killing was an inevitability, a necessity of life when the actions of others threaten to disrupt peaceful harmony. She took action when necessary, never hesitating to do what was needed. He couldn’t ask for a more perfect mate.

However, she was not accustomed to war as he was. He did not fault her if she wished to pull out now. It was his job to protect her, to look out for her wellbeing, mentally, physically, and emotionally, so he said, without any ill feelings towards her, “If you do not wish to participate in the coming battle—“

Her head jerked back to meet his gaze so fast, her pony tail whipped behind her with a sharp swishing sound, her eyes wide and desperate as they latched onto his own. Her hands rose to lay flat on his chest as she leaned into him earnestly. “No, that’s not it! Please, don’t remove me from your side, Sesshomaru. My place is, and will always be, by your side, no matter where you go.”

Sesshomaru was immensely pleased by her proclamation, felt his heart swell with an emotion he never believed existed until he met this small woman. But there was still the matter of her despondent mood, and he would have an answer, not subterfuge.

Sesshomaru wrapped an arm of steel around Kagome’s waist, while he hooked his palm around the back of her neck, offering the shelter of his arms, but also making it perfectly clear that he would not be dissuaded by her evasions to his questions.

“Nothing will take you from me. If it is your wish to remain, then you shall. However, I know that you aren’t telling me everything. Speak. There should be no secrets between us, my mate.”

Kagome flushed with pleasure at his words, her love for this demon flooded her heart with warmth. However, her breasts ached, and a familiar trembling in her womb grew stronger by his physical proximity. She could feel the hard contours of his muscular frame through their clothing, causing her woman’s body to grow softer and damper still.

Fearing her gaze would reflect her desire, she again broke his gaze to stare at his chest, all the while sucking on her peppermint in growing agitation, caused by her body’s demands.

“It’s just that…I don’t want to lose you,” she murmured, admitting to her fear of losing him to death, whether it be hers or his.

Sesshomaru’s hand tightened on the back of her neck, forcing her to meet his gaze once more, and leaned down until his breath brushed over her lips, creating an instant response from her.

“I will always be by your side,” he vowed, his voice low, but filled with conviction.

“Because you decree it?” she asked with a half-smile.

An answering twinkle entered his golden hues. “None dare come between me and what is mine.”

Somehow, his words rebuilt her confidence that they both would survive the coming day and one day build a family together. Her heart in her eyes, she watched as Sesshomaru slowly bent those last few inches to meld their lips together in an unhurried, but no less, scorching kiss.

She had almost forgotten about the halfway dissolved candy in her mouth when his tongue swooped in and curled around the sweet, and stole it from her mouth. Kagome giggled when she heard Sesshomaru bite into the peppermint, swallowing the treat.

“You know, if you wanted one that badly, there are a few left in the bag,” Kagome commented with a real smile, amused at his actions.

He bent to nuzzle his nose against her left temple, and she closed her eyes at his loving gesture. Then his mouth was brushing hers as he spoke, “But none of the others have your unique flavor.”

She nipped at his bottom lip, her blunt teeth scraping against his flesh, and he growled low in answer, crowding her against his desk. “You have an addicting flavor of your own,” she returned in a husky voice. 

Sesshomaru’s lips took possession of hers after her provocative words, which Kagome returned with fervor, her hands moving to clutch the fabric of his clothes at his shoulders. Her body thrummed with rising passion, but she forced herself to keep her hands from wondering over his sculpted chest, recalling from memory how perfect his alabaster skin stretched out, hairless, across his wide, muscular chest, leading down to a trim waist with mouthwatering, defined abs that made her want to scratch and bite them.

Though his heated kiss threatened to steal her sanity, her embarrassment at the thought of every demon near the tent being able to sense what they were up to, made it slightly easier to control her raging hormones.

Pressing closer to him, she dueled with his tongue, and he allowed her to explore his mouth with her questing appendage, but when she nicked her tongue on a fang, she gasped lightly at the small sting. Instantly, Sesshomaru wrapped his lips around her tongue, gently caging it with his teeth, and sucked strongly, drinking in the small bead of blood, growling against her mouth at her heady taste. 

He became more aggressive, dominating her, forcing her to submit to his more powerful frame, as he moved his legs between hers, forcing her into a wider stance, his pelvic rubbing against her flat abdomen. She could clearly feel the hard evidence of his desire as he thrust against her, his arms around her waist lowering to encircle her hips, forcing her tighter against his shaft.

Kagome moaned at his blatant actions, her folds softening in welcome, a delicious ache blooming fiercer in her core, the need to be filled to capacity by his thick flesh paramount in her mind, drowning out sense as she followed his movements, grinding against him.

His chest lowered, forcing her to arch her back over his arm, his other hand holding the back of her neck captive as he drove her wild with every deep stroke of his tongue. His positioning forced her breasts to press tightly against his chest, the generous globes squished between their straining bodies.

She was barely aware of his hand moving from the back of her nape to part her haori, causing the fabric to gap, exposing her white, lacy, bra clad chest, too immersed in pleasurable sensation. It wasn’t until she felt her bra give, and cool air brush against her painfully erect nipples. When he leaned back further, putting space between their upper bodies, she looked down in befuddlement. Seeing her creamy flesh exposed, it took her a moment to regain some of her wits.

“Sesshomaru!” she gasped, half in exasperation, half in ire, realizing what he had done. Her bra clasped in the back, but the jerk had used his sharp claws to cut the small band in front holding the skimpy cloth together. “You ruined another bra! How many times do I—“

Sesshomaru released her, and Kagome automatically moved to rest her elbows back on the desk to support her back. However, Sesshomaru didn’t step away from her and kept her hips pinned with his own.

“I will see it replaced,” he told her carelessly, interrupting her tirade.

Kagome glared up at him, intending to give him a lengthy lecture, when her breath caught. Sesshomaru was shrugging out of his inner haori, having already discarded the outer garment, his muscles flexing as the cloth effortlessly glided down his arms, to drop to the floor in a forgotten heap at his feet.

Her mouth went dry, heart pounding madly inside her chest, as her eyes devoured his half-nude body, never tiring of the awe-inspiring sight. It still came as a shock knowing that he was all hers, that he wanted and desired her.

Sesshomaru felt his masculine pride rise several notches at his mate’s appreciative gaze, but then his eyes lowered to her breasts and he reached for her, wrapping his arms around her back, forcing her up, to press her silken breasts against the hard muscles of his chest. He groaned into her hair, feeling her shiver in response as their heated skin made contact.

Sesshomaru shifted, rubbed his chest against her plumb breasts in a heady friction, hearing her small gasps, feeling her sharp expulsions of breath on his shoulder, and when her blunt nails dug into his back, his hips surged against her powerfully, grinding his painfully erect shaft against her flat stomach, silently cursing the clothes that kept him from feeling her smooth skin rub against his heated flesh.

Keeping one hand splayed on her lower spine, holding her in place, he anchored his hips far enough away from her so he could reach the ties that held her hakama up. He jerked at the tie when she licked her tongue along his rapidly beating pulse at his throat, needing to be closer to her.

In her semi-reclined position, her hakama glided down her thighs, the baggy material halting at her knees, and her haori fell completely open. She jerked when he slid his palm up her bare thigh, then sucked in her breath sharply when he cupped her intimately.

“Sesshomaru,” she warned softly, breathless with anticipation. “You can’t. We can’t.”

She tried to shift her hips away from the heat of his palm against her wet panties, but there was nowhere for her to go, trapped against his desk.

“I assure you, we can,” he assured her in a husky timbre, moving his fingers beneath the minuscule cloth, his fingers encountering the small, black hairs hiding her intimate flesh.

“I…oh, my God, they will know,” Kagome said desperately, her forehead pressed hard against his shoulder as he curved over her much smaller frame, his nose buried against her temple. Her hips lurched when she felt his fingers find her wet folds, becoming drenched in her moist heat in seconds.

“Yes, my men will know that I am satisfying my mate. Don’t think about other men while I am here with you like this. There’s only you and me, no one would dare interrupt,” Sesshomaru murmured in her ear, before circling the rounded shell of her ear with his tongue. He felt her tremble in response.

He could never get enough of his little vixen, her honest enjoyment of his touch a heady aphrodisiac. Needing to hear her whimpering cries, his thumb slick with her juices, rubbed small circles around the sensitive nub of her sex.

Her hips surged against his hand in uncontrollable response, her keening cries smothered against his shoulder, music to his ears. His lower extremities were clamoring for attention, but he ignored the insistent ache by grinding his shaft against her hip, while his fingers continued to drive his mate wild.

Kagome was tense, shaking with strain as her body clamored for ultimate release, almost sobbing in the need to orgasm, as Sesshomaru mastered her body effortlessly. She was barely aware of how she moved restlessly against his broad chest, her hips jerking as the heat spread through her blood like wild fire, igniting her flushed, straining body into a blazing inferno of need.

He pinched her sex, and she sobbed out a cry, the need to orgasm bordering on pain as the pleasure seemed to build without end, making her believe that she would break before she reached her peak.

“Now, Kagome,” she heard him say gruffly in her ear, as he thrust two long digits into her weeping depths roughly, thrusting them repeatedly inside her. It only took two strokes to send her over the edge with a high pitched, keening wail, her nails scoring his back.

Sesshomaru groaned when he felt her inner walls pulse rhythmically around his pumping fingers, imagining her wrapped tightly around his girth, and he knew he couldn’t wait, needing her too badly. He pulled his fingers from her clenching walls, forgoing any more foreplay, and yanked at the ties to his hakama, not even bothering to remove his boots as his pants fell down his long, muscular legs.

He grasped the head of his shaft and aligned the large tip to her weeping, pulsating core, grabbed her hips in both hands, and thrust deeply through her quivering core, burying himself to the hilt; though, he had to fight for entry. She was so tight, squeezing his flesh in liquid heat.

Kagome gaped in surprise, lost her breath at his swift, forceful entrance. His thick girth forced her core to accept him, even as he stretched her to the point of pain. She felt sure she would be unable to take anymore of him, but he only continued to surge forward until she felt him collide with her womb, then further still. She found her voice, crying out as yet another powerful orgasm erupted inside her. Her quivering core did nothing to impede his powerful thrusts as he pumped strongly through her pulsing core.

He groaned and clenched his teeth as he pounded fiercely between her widely spread thighs, pistoned inside her repeatedly even as her body gripped him, tried to force him to remain bedded still deep inside her.

He kept her immobile, propped on his desk, ignoring the sheets of paper and scrolls that fell to the floor as his strong lunges rocked them off the flat surface.

His fierce gaze locked on her bouncing breasts, watched in lustful fascination, before his eyes journeyed upwards towards her face, witnessed how her lips parted as she gasped for each breath, her cheeks flushed in arousal. She didn’t meet his gaze, her eyes focused downwards. He followed her gaze, and his abdomen clenched as he realized she was watching him join with her repeatedly.

Though she had just orgasmedtwice, Sesshomaru’s brutal penetrations kept her on the edge, the pleasure and pain mixed together to create a hyperawareness that was almost terrifying in its intensity. Her nails bit into his spine when he again hit her womb. She whimpered at the electric shock it sent through her blood.

Sesshomaru grabbed under her left thigh, raised her leg, and forced her to fall flat on her back on the desk, his other hand shredding the tie that bound her hair so the beautiful, black tresses pooled around her white skin. He leaned over her, rested his forearm next to her head, and thrust deeper at the new angle, hearing her high pitched cry in answer.

Even as he caught her eyes, holding her gaze as he continued to piston between her thighs, he knew in the back of his mind that he may be pushing her too hard, possessing her too fiercely, but from the glazed, passion filled eyes that met his stare, he saw only wild acceptance, and a need as strong as his own.

He didn’t slow down, and when he thrust inside again, jarring her whole body, she rippled around his shaft in another orgasm, and he kissed her, tasting her high wails, capturing them in his mouth. He buried himself sharply inside her, and ground his hips in small circles, his pelvic rubbing against her clit, prolonging her release. Her back arched, pressing her hard tipped breasts against his chest.

He had to grit his teeth and hold still, unmoving, as she tried to milk him of his seed, but he had no intention of ending this pleasurable interlude just yet. He had gone too long without her, a miserable week without the pleasure of embracing her in his arms during the long hours of the night.

Kagome lay panting on the desk, spent, but when the man above her shifted slightly, she felt that he was still hard and pulsing inside her. She blinked owlishly up at him, and his answering smirk had her blushing to the roots of her hair.

Trying to speak as delicately as she could, she asked in a low, hoarse voice, “Why didn’t you…”

He chuckled wickedly. “I am far from finished with you, little priestess.”

Then he was hauling her up, an arm around her back, a hand clasping her lush rump, and stood with her impaled on his stiff rod. He moved his hand down her thigh, encouraging her to wrap her leg around his waist, her hakama having long since fallen to the floor, and she easily enfolded his lean hips with her thighs, clasping him tightly to her, even as she protested.

Sinking her nails into his muscled shoulders, she gasped, “Sesshomaru, this is madness…”

He was already pumping his shaft roughly inside her tender folds, his hands clasping her rump in a tight hold to lift her insubstantial weight, only to force her back down as he thrust his hips upwards, ramming inside her, his flanks flexing as he filled her.

“Then let us be consumed by it,” he replied roughly, before leaning down to suckle one of her breasts, opening his mouth wide to take more than just the erect nipple inside his hot mouth.

Kagome didn’t think it was possible, but her traitorous body responded to Sesshomaru’s rough pounding, as if her body refused to acknowledge its fatigue and soreness, remaining in perpetual ecstasy. 

Wild with her raging lust that seemed insatiable, she clawed at Sesshomaru, straining closer to him when he thrust deep, held still, and rocked her pelvic against his, stimulating her clit unbearably.

“Oh, God…Sesshomaru,” she moaned in pleasurable agony, but he did not relent, only angled her slightly so that when he started ramming into her again, every thrust had his pelvic hitting her sensitive nub.

Unbelievably another explosive orgasm ignited inside her, sizzling every nerve ending in her body, branching out from where they were intimately connected. A scream built up in her throat, begging to be released, but instead, she bit Sesshomaru where his neck met his shoulder hard enough that her blunt teeth broke the skin, the taste of iron coating her tongue.

Sesshomaru grunted as her silken walls once again strangled his shaft, trying to deny his body’s demands for relief, wanting to last a while longer, but when she sank her teeth into his flesh, he snarled, growling annalistically at the electric shock of pleasure it caused him.

He embedded himself deeply with one last jarring thrust, yanking her against him, impaling her, just before his seed shot out of him to coat her womb with its warmth. Jet after jet of hot, sticky semen streamed out of his pulsing shaft in a seemingly never ending release that nearly brought him to his knees.

Kagome gazed up at her mate, watching in avid fascination, seeing how his head was thrown back, his neck muscles corded with strain, fangs bared in pleasurable agony as he continued to spend his seed inside her.

She had never seen him like this in the many times they had joined together since their mating ceremony, lost in exquisite torment. She was trembling herself after so many mind blowing orgasms, her body speaking loudly of its desire to curl up and sleep for a good long while; however, instead, she tightened her core around him, and ground her pelvic against his, hearing his rough expulsion of air, the closest she would ever get to hearing him sob as his pleasure heightened, his powerful frame shuddering against her.

Surprisingly, he cracked his eyes open, the gold of his irises peeking through his eye lids, and when he saw her watching him lost in ecstasy, he groaned, the sound reverberating from his chest, and shuddered harder.

His obvious rapture, the knowledge that she had brought him such pleasure, triggered another climax, and her sore muscles once again contracted around his still pulsating shaft, ringing the last of his seed from him.

Sesshomaru fell heavily to his knees when they both finally came down from their pleasurable high, the impact jarring his flaccid length inside her, triggering tiny aftershocks that had both of them moaning, clinging tightly together.

Kagome fell asleep to the sound of Sesshomaru’s labored breathing, a small satisfied smile gracing her kiss swollen lips before darkness overtook her consciousness.

The next morning had Kagome grimacing in discomfort as Sesshomaru helped her mount the two-headed dragon, Ah-Un, while shooting a dirty look in his direction, silently cursing his smug expression he dared answer her sour expression with. It was wholly his fault that her unmentionable parts were clamoring at her unhappily after straddling the large beast.

She hissed at him playfully when he stroked her hip in consolation, his answering small chuckle warming her heart. She leaned over and kissed him right there in front of all his men, intending to keep it quick and chaste, but Sesshomaru obviously had other ideas as he palmed the back of her head, and forced her mouth open under the demanding persuasion of his lips and tongue.

She jerked against his hold when a familiar round shape was forced into her mouth, the taste of peppermint invading her taste buds.

“I believe I owe you a peppermint, priestess,” he whispered huskily against her parted lips.

She blushed as she was reminded about last night—as if she could forget! He kissed her again, harder, before releasing her and called for his men to take up battle positions. Kagome checked to make sure her quiver was secure on her back, the second strapped securely to the saddle by her calf, arrows filled to bursting in both, and clenched her fist around her bow, tensing in readiness for the last battle to begin. Then her gaze shot down to her sword sheathed at her left hip to make sure she was prepared.

The time had come to fight for her future. She would not fail.

A short time later found Kagome high in the air, Ah-Un flying them over the battle field as Kagome used her arrows to target both those that flew, and the enemy battling on the ground.  

As she drew back once more on her bow, she felt her raw flesh protest against the taught bow string. Though her hands were calloused from years of wielding both bow and sword, she had always applied the best name brand lotion from her time to rub into her palms, a small, vain part of her wanting to keep them as silken smooth as possible—for Sesshomaru.

She knew he wouldn’t care if her hands were worn from practice, but she did, fiercely. Not only was she to prove herself as a capable warrior to stand by Sesshomaru’s side as his mate, but she was to be a lady as well, and having dry, cracked, callous hands were not the hands of such a high station.

For the last three years, everything she had done was aimed towards one goal—to be with Sesshomaru, to be accepted and acknowledged as his mate, for she loved him fiercely.

Now she fought to secure her hard won position, angered that anyone would dare try to steal her happiness.

After her first quiver was emptied, Kagome decided to save the second for later, and unsheathed her sword, infusing the blade with her spiritual powers. A brute of a demon charged her from the sky with a battle cry, and she returned the war shout, engaging him without hesitation, fearlessly.

Ah-Un crashed into the demon’s chest, pushing him back, while she swung her sword, aiming for his jugular. However, he was fast, the impact from the two-headed dragon may have startled him, but battle experience took control, and he met her blade, deflecting it, if barely.

His desperate swing flung his sword arm wide, leaving him open for a quick, lethal jab of her blade, impaling him dead center in the chest. Ruthlessly, she twisted the blade before yanking it out. Her opponent fell. She ignored the plummeting body as another charged to engage her.

Meanwhile, Sesshomaru fought on the ground, striking down any fool who dared challenge him. All around him, he heard the cries, shouts, and yells, from those attacking, from the wounded and dying. The smell of death was heavy in the air, so powerful, his sense of smell was bombarded, disorienting, but he didn’t allow the inconvenience to deter him.

Just then, multiple enemies rushed him. His golden eyes narrowed at their spineless tactic to try and overwhelm him with numbers. Holding Bakusaiga before him, offering his attackers that second of warning, he took an aggressive step forward and swung his sword back, then high up in the hair, building energy in his powerful blade, before swinging downwards towards his enemies. An explosive blast sprung forth from his demonic blade at impossible speeds in a green, destructive blast that obliterated the advancing demons on contact.

When the smoke cleared from his release of demonic energy, Kenji stood tall and proud, his armor blood stained, as did the blade he held confidently before him, silently challenging Sesshomaru to engage him.

“At last we meet on the battle field, Lord Sesshomaru. I have been searching for you. It comes as no surprise to me that you yet live,” Kenji greeted him with formal courtesy.

“Kenji,” Sesshomaru acknowledged, raising his sword in preparation.

Sesshomaru’s amber gaze focused on his ex-general intently. Their eyes locked, both watchful for any predicting signs that would give away the other’s intentions. Each were doubtful the other would make such a rookie mistake, but the eyes were always windows to gauge an opponent’s moves if they were not skilled enough to mask their intent. 

A look akin to regret entered Kenji’s sea blue-green, eyes. “I have always admired you, Lord Sesshomaru, and it pains me to cross swords with you in this manner.”

“It is by your actions that we face each other now,” Sesshomaru replied without malice, his tone almost bored, disinterested.

Sesshomaru did not hold a grudge against his long time ex-general and advisor. He knew that a few would never acknowledge his choice of mate, accepted it. He may regret the loss of an honorable male such as Kenji, but he was an obstacle Sesshomaru had to eliminate, for Kenji threatened that which was most important to him—his kingdom and his mate.

Disappointment and anger flared in Kenji’s eyes for a brief moment, and Sesshomaru knew that his ex-general was allowing him to see through to his emotions; otherwise, Kenji was capable of hiding his innermostthoughts. It spoke much of his feelings towards this whole situation, but Sesshomaru refused to be moved.

“That is where you are wrong, milord. If you had not lost your senses in mating a human priestess…” Kenji’s teeth clenched. “She is unworthy of the position you have granted her. I can no longer follow a lord I view as weak.”

Sesshomaru didn’t deign to refute his words or defend his choice. Kagome had already proven herself before all. There was nothing left to say on the matter.

“Enough talk,” Sesshomaru said, and tensed before leaping towards Kenji.

Their swords met with a loud clang of steel against steel, sparks erupting from their connected blades. Both had identical fierce expressions as they pressed for advantage.

Back with Kagome, claws dug painful gouges into her left side. She could feel those dagger-like claws scrape against bone, threatening to rip apart rib cage. Her cry was lost in the clamor around her as she pressed her left hand firmly against her attacker’s chest and charged his body with a powerful blast of her spiritual powers, exploding his heart instantly.

As she slumped over Ah-Un momentarily, trying to breathe past the pain, the two-headed dragon roared fiercely in anger that their mistress was harmed, opening their mouths to blast the oncoming threats with their lightning, who lunged for the human woman in her moment of weakness.

“Thank you, Ah-Un.”

Kagome forced herself to sit up straight, though her wound screamed in protest.

She pointed her sword at a winged beast who flew at her from the right, intending to knock her off her mount, and charged her sword, sending a concentrated beam of purifying light that pierced his skull, ending that threat. But there were many more.

She eyed them grimly, but before she could strike, Ah-Un banked sharply, forcing her to hold on tightly to their flying hair to remain seated as they dodged an oncoming aerial assault. As they dipped, Kagome narrowed her eyes when she saw a Western soldier be surrounded by the enemy.

She directed the two-headed dragon downwards, charging with sword outstretched. She circled the wounded soldier, sending powerful blasts right and left, incinerating the enemy.

But more came at her.

Ah-Un lunged at them, blasting as many as he could while Kagome slashed at the ones who were able to get past the dragon’s guard.

They ran on the blood soaked, body ridden ground, working as a team.

Then they were in the air again, Ah-Uh roaring ferociously.

A series of clashing steel echoed in Sesshomaru’s sensitive ears as he deflected Kenji’s blade and attacked in kind. Once Kenji had scored a direct hit, slashing a deep gash into his left shoulder, shattering part of his armor, but Kenji was not unscathed either. Kenji’s chest bled heavily. Sesshomaru’s blade had easily cut through what remained of his armor, and sliced open his chest.

“You are no longer meant to rule this land,” Kenji hissed, lunging at him, bent on tackling Sesshomaru to the ground in a surprise attack, but Sesshomaru was ready. He fell purposefully back, allowing Kenji to believe he had the advantage, his sword lifted for the death blow.

Sesshomaru’s back hit the ground, and he planted his feet firmly on Kenji’s chest, digging his soles into the other’s wound, and pushed strongly, catapulting Kenji over his head.

Sesshomaru gained his feet first, and he flashed to his opponent, intending to finish this, but another stepped in his path. Forced to engage the newcomer, Sesshomaru slit his throat, the kill taking mere seconds, but was long enough for Kenji to regain his bearing.

But instead of coming at him, Kenji looked behind Sesshomaru and yelled, “No!”

Kagome was almost surprised when she saw Sesshomaru up ahead and below her. Then she sucked in her breath sharply.

Not long ago, Kagome’s sword had fallen from her grasp in an altercation. Now she once again wielded her bow.

Acting without thinking, ignoring the threat that closed in on her from the air, she aimed and fired her last arrow, effectively killing the demon who tried to come up behind Sesshomaru with sword raised.

In the exact same moment, Sesshomaru flashed towards Kenji, effortlessly moving away from the sword at his back, unaware of Kagome’s intervention, and plunged his blade deep into Kenji’s heart when Kenji had lowered his guard.

Sesshomaru didn’t have time to do more than glance at the blood dripping from Kenji’s wordlessly moving lips, or notice how his eyes dimmed in death, as he felt spiritual energy from behind at the same moment he had sheathed his blade in Kenji’s chest.

He turned to regard the demon who had tried to kill him when his back was turned, to see an arrow sticking out of the fallen demon’s right eye. He turned, gazing upwards in time to see her fall.

A strong body plowed into her small frame, unseating Kagome from Ah-Un. She felt weightless for one long second, before gravity pulled her down. Before her attacker could blink, the two-headed dragon blasted him with his lightning, before racing towards her.

Kagome reached out her hand for Ah-Un, but the dragon was hit from the side. Ah-Un was forced to defend himself, unable to get to his mistress as she continued to fall.

She had just whispered a good bye to her love when another body struck her, stealing her breath from her lungs, aggravating her injuries. But strong arms encircled her, and she caught a glimpse of silver hair, before she looked up, wide brown eyes colliding with Sesshomaru’s.

“You are not going anywhere, Kagome. There is no good bye,” murmured Sesshomaru, holding onto her as if she were precious. And she was—to him.

With a happy cry, Kagome flung her arms around his neck and buried her face in his neck, ignoring the blood that covered them both. All that mattered was that they were there together.

Soon, word got around that Kenji had been slain. Those in Kenji’s army who yet lived were either killed or fled. A roar from Sesshomaru’s men, their swords raised in jubilation, dispelled the cries of the wounded and dying.

Sesshomaru floated on his mystical cloud with his mate standing beside him, held firmly against him as they stood proudly under their soldiers’ praise. Then, before all, Sesshomaru cupped the back of Kagome’s dark head and leaned down to kiss her passionately. Another roar answered their lord’s actions.

Ignoring them, Kagome broke the kiss and cupped her beloved’s face, tears in her eyes.

“I thought I had lost you,” she whispered hoarsely.

“Nothing and no one will ever remove me from your side,” Sesshomaru answered, his heart in his amber eyes.

He drew her to him for a harder kiss, glorifying in their victory. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

Peppermint

The name peppermint comes from Greek mythology in the form of a love triangle. As in all Greek mythologies, there are many versions of the story. The most popular one states that Hades seduced the nymph, Minthe, and his wife, Persephone, became enraged with jealousy and turned Minthe into a plant that people would constantly walk on. Outraged by his wife's interference, Hades imbued the plant with peppermint, so whenever the plant was crushed underneath footfalls, it would release a wonderful aroma. Hades hoped that by doing this, people would remember Minthe and recall how beautiful and full of life she had been. Persephone was furious over her husband's tampering, because Minthe's presence would forever linger in the air as a constant reminder of her presence. In another version, Persephone turned Minthe into peppermint (other versions state mint) as a way to save her from Hades's seduction.

The Roman natural philosopher Pliny wrote of mint and of peppermint in particular that it stimulated the appetite stirring "the mind and appetite to a greedy desire of food." He also wrote that mint should be bound into a crown around the head in order to stimulate the mind and the soul. Pliny, Hippocrates, and Aristotle all considered mint to be a discouragement to procreation, saying that it discouraged sexual intercourse. However, the Greeks said that mint encouraged sexual behavior and forbade its consumption by soldiers in order to maintain control. The Romans grew mint and peppermint in their gardens for its medicinal purposes, especially as a digestive aid. They also used mint and peppermint as a ground cover, especially between stepping stone pathways. They enjoyed the pleasing aroma the plants produced that greeted guests as they entered a home or a courtyard.

Mint was so valued in Egypt that it was used as a form of currency. Peppermint was eventually introduced to Europe where it also became a popular culinary and medicinal herb. It was mentioned in the Icelandic Pharmacopoeias as early as 1240 AD as an herbal remedy, and gained in popularity over the next two centuries. Monks in the Middle Ages were known to use peppermint as a tooth polisher and during the same period, cheese makers learned that the strong smell of peppermint would keep rats and mice out of the storeroom. Peppermint appeared as a distinct species in the London Pharmacopoeia in 1721 and was listed as a remedy for treating all manner of ailments from sores, venereal disease, colds and headaches.