Author’s musings: I managed to hit all the prompts with this one, enjoy!
Timeline: Canon, Feudal Era, Post-Canon
Prompt: Green, Nature, Fertility, Youth
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Leafy Lark
“We request a meeting with the esteemed Lord of the West.”
Kagome looked up from her book, raising an eyebrow at the pair standing in front of her. “His lordship is very busy.”
The pair bowed deeply. “We are aware but request a moment of his time as we feel our presence has been neglected since the proceedings of the peace treaty began.”
She considered the pair. Usually, these types of requests weren’t requests at all; they were demands, spewed out by haughty, self-entitled lords who felt their time was more important than anyone else’s. However, their tone was soft and their bow respectful, causing a slight smile to tug at her lips.
“Point taken.” She closed her book and got to her feet, brushing off the front of her kimono though she’d been sitting in the library since that morning and not a speck of dust was present.
“We will be waiting in the garden.”
“As you wish.”
Not bothering to wait for their departure, Kagome left the comfortable bench she’d been sitting on, tucking her book under her arm. She should’ve been reading a scroll, especially considering books hadn’t been invented yet, but romance novels hadn’t been invented yet either, and sometimes she needed a steamy distraction.
Especially when her mate had been working non-stop for over a week.
She sighed, pushing a wayward lock of hair behind her ear. She knew his work was important—she would even help him with it regularly—but this current peace treaty was complex and the lords—both youkai and human alike—had a list of demands a mile long.
Everyone wanted a deal that benefited themselves and it was up to Sesshoumaru to create one that benefited everyone. Even if it meant doing all the work himself. Between the gatherings, the arguments, and new demands that seemed to materialize every day, he’d barely left his study, only catching a few hours of sleep a night.
Kagome wished there was more she could do to help besides keeping everyone calm and redirecting their ire when someone on the other side made a snide comment.
“Pompous bastards.” Each lord thought he was at the top of the food chain, and for once she wasn’t above letting her mate gnash his jaws to keep them in line. She wished he’d bitten off a few heads in the process, but she supposed that would be counterproductive.
She didn’t bother to knock when she arrived at his study door, instead silently slipping into the room before returning the door to its original state. She leaned back against the sturdy wood as she took him in, various missives scattered over his desk, a frown marring his usually smooth features, creasing the moon on his forehead.
Walking up behind him, she moved a curtain of silver hair off one shoulder, replacing it with her chin as she looked at the scroll currently in his hand.
“Any luck?”
He made a few notes, moving a few scraps around before leaning back in his chair, her body now pressed against his back. “I will not be able to please everyone.”
“Everyone is going to feel slighted, no matter what you decide.”
“Hnn.”
Her heart went out to him, and she brushed her lips against the stripes on his cheek before sliding her hands into the collar of his kimono. Her fingers travelled over the tautness of his shoulders, finding a particularly nasty knot and pressing her thumbs hard into his skin to release the pressure.
Golden eyes fluttered closed as he set the missives down, melting into her touch as she continued her ministrations.
“I half expected you to tell me to leave.”
“And endure the wrath of the Lady of the West? Never.”
She grinned and leaned forward, nipping at the tip of his ear before moving onto the next knot. “Clever youkai.”
One eye opened to look at her. “I am never anything but.”
“Which is why everyone trusts you to come to the best solution.” Her arms slid around his neck, holding him tightly as she pressed their cheeks together. “Regardless of all their stupid arguments and childish comments, they have very high expectations of you.”
A sigh escaped his lips. “I am aware.” Placing a hand over hers, he gave her a quick squeeze, then sat back up again, pulling out of her embrace. “Which is why I must finish this.”
“Or you could take a break and come back tomorrow with a fresh set of eyes.”
“Any delays in negotiations will result in increased agitation at the next gathering.”
“You’ve been staring at the same group of demands for the last hour, haven’t you?”
He didn’t answer and she knew she had him. Grabbing his face with both hands, she forced him to look at her.
“It is at the behest of the Lady of the West, that the Lord of the West conclude his work for the day.” She held his gaze, unblinking as she dared him to argue.
Instead, he chuckled softly, kissing the inside of her palm before dragging his fangs across her skin. “And what does her ladyship have in mind for this ‘break’?”
She squared her shoulders, trying to hide the shiver that tickled her spine and the blush that tinted her cheeks. Even after all these years, he still had that effect on her.
Stupid good looks. Stupid sexy fangs.
“Actually, your presence is required in the gardens.”
A silver eyebrow raised, completing his incredulous look. “You are forcing me to stop in order to meet with other delegates?”
“I am. These delegates are very important though.”
He growled as she yanked him out of his chair and started shoving him towards the door. “Mate, you cannot show favour to one group over another. It causes unrest.”
“I can with this group! Besides, if you were really against it, I wouldn’t have been able to drag you away from your desk in the first place.” She laughed at the glare he shot her over his shoulder, then continued to push him towards the back of the stronghold.
Spring had come early to the Western Lands and emerald leaves swayed in the breeze, teasing the falling flower petals with safe passage as they fluttered to the ground. Plum blossom trees lined the main path, turning the grass beneath them from green to pink, the foliage blushing with each bloom that touched it.
Thankful that there were no doors between the veranda and this area of the grounds, Kagome shoved her mate through the archway, grinning when he stumbled slightly.
“There!” She wiped her hands together a few times, before placing them on her hips. “You’re not allowed back inside until our guests have been properly entertained.”
“Mate…”
“No arguments, Sesshoumaru! These delegates are of the highest caliber, and we won’t hear the end of it if you ignore them.”
A particular scent wafted by, causing his ears to perk up, his golden gaze searching for the owner. “This is—”
“I told you, very important delegates. Have fun!” She paused a moment in the doorway, blue eyes glinting as a predatory gleam entered his golden ones, his fangs elongating as he sped away. Grinning to herself, she darted up a few sets of stairs before entering another room, not bothering to silence herself this time.
Two pairs of startled eyes whipped around, one a pale grey, the other identical to her own.
“My Lady! We were not expecting you today. We have not finished—”
“Your services are no longer needed today, Azumi,” she said, waving the dark kitsune off, “You’re free for the rest of the day. Take a break, go for a swim with your mate.” Kagome waggled her eyebrows at her, causing the fox-youkai to sputter.
“M-My L-Lady?”
“Mizuki and I have some very important business to attend to. The peace treaty and all.”
“As you wish.” Azumi bowed, then collected her things and exited in the room, Kagome smiling at the look of anticipation on the teacher’s face.
“Mama?”
Kagome grinned and spun on her daughter, grabbing her arm and pulling her out of her seat. “Come on! Before she changes her mind and remembers how highly your father regards your education.”
The young youkai grinned back at her, both of them stifling their laughter as they ran from the room, linking arms after rounding a few corners. Normally the heir of the Western Lands was as serious as her father, but, like her father, was prone to mischief when prodded by her mother.
“Will Papa be angry that I am neglecting my studies today?”
“Of course not! Actually, he’s the reason that I came to get you. I want to show you something.” Kagome led her daughter into an empty room, causing the girl to frown before she was dragged to the open balcony. The wind ruffled Mizuki’s pale hair, a few curls coming loose of the braid that hung over her shoulder, and they gazed at the gardens below.
Kagome’s heart warmed as she watched the scene unfold; a large inuyoukai was silently creeping through the foliage, the leaves barely rustling with each purposeful movement of his legs. He lowered his head, the powerful muscles along his back poised for attack as he waited. Watched. A soft snarl rumbled through the air before he pounced, his prey shrieking in distress.
Before erupting into a fit of giggles.
The twin hanyou boys scrambled out from under him, grasping at his fur as they climbed on his back, their toy swords clasped firmly in their hands as their short, dark hair whipped around their equally dark dog ears.
“I claim the head, Sora!”
“No fair, Riku! You cheated!” Sora thrust his sword into his brother’s side, trying to dethrone him, and Sesshoumaru used the distraction to roll them both off his neck and pin them against the ground.
“I think they could use some help, don’t you?”
Sapphire eyes blinked, then turned to Kagome, hope and guilt mingling together in her daughter’s gaze.
“But my studies—”
Kagome gave her a knowing smirk, leaning over the edge of the balcony. “We feel our presence has been neglected since the proceedings of the peace treaty began.”
A faint blush spilled over Mizuki’s cheeks, making the crescent moon on her forehead stand out even more against her pale skin. Her hands curled into fists as she looked at her feet.
“You’ve been teaching your brothers some new vocabulary I see.”
“Maybe…”
Kagome’s laughter was carried off by the wind, dissolving into the treetops. “Your father will be proud of you.”
The hope returned to her eyes and Mizuki looked down at the gardens again, watching as her brothers tried to gnaw on Sesshoumaru’s paws, still trying to free themselves. Kagome nudged her from behind, her daughter flashing her a feral grin before leaping off the balcony. Youki exploded around her as she transformed mid-flight, and a smaller inuyoukai crashed into the larger one’s back, the twins yelling in victory as they clambered after her.
Mizuki managed to sink her canines into Sesshoumaru’s ear, rolling away as he swatted at her. His tail swung around and knocked the boys off their feet, sending them tumbling in another fit of giggles as their sister lowered her head in a playful pose.
Sesshoumaru’s golden gaze swung up to the balcony and Kagome felt his aura pulse, waves of gratitude brushing her arms as the wind swirled through the plum blossoms. A tornado of petals coated the ground before picking up again, teasing the lush grass as the rose-coloured whirlwind followed the footsteps of their children.
Kagome waved at her mate, then blew him a kiss. Perhaps she’d tell him I told you so later, but for now, she was content to just watch, to enjoy the image of him playing with their children before the weight of responsibility hung on his shoulders once more.
There would be time for that tomorrow.