InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Flower Girl ❯ I Am Worthy of You ( Chapter 68 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters of Inuyasha.

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Ryozen quirked a brow at the group of people standing around him, staring at him as though he were some sort of odd object, and at Sesshoumaru - who was staring at him as though he'd as soon take his head off.

Knowing Sesshoumaru, that's probably the case, he thought with amusement.

"You seek to... test this one - to see if I am... worthy of my miko?" he asked, almost carefully.

The dragon chuckled at the reactions from the group to his anouncement, but before he could speak, Kagome herself burst out into silvery peals of laughter.

"Th-that's the craziest thing I've ever heard! Sesshoumaru... not worthy... of me?" She almost doubled over, and the youkai lord turned his gaze from the dragon to her, brow raised. "I think you've been alive too long, Ryozen-sama, if you could even say that - and with a straight face!"

"And why is that such a funny idea, miko-sama? You are worth far more than you think, young one."

"Huh," she huffed, almost beginning to be offended on Sesshoumaru's behalf. How could anyone think that he wouldn't be worthy of her? It was absurd...

Sesshoumaru considered his miko for a moment as she rolled her eyes at the mere thought, and then turned his gaze back to the youkai standing calmly before him.

"In what way do you intend to test this one, Ryozen?" he asked, curiosity, his besetting sin, suddenly kicking in.

"First things first, Sesshoumaru-sama. There is a time and place for these things. I have a gift to offer you - but it involves a choice... and a bit of privacy. Will you honor this one with your presence as we walk?"

"Very well." He turned to Inuyasha. "Rest here for a time. I will return shortly." When Inuyasha nodded without saying a word, he turned back to Ryozen. "Come, then."

Kagome stared after the two with a frown. I don't know if I really like this...

Sesshoumaru walked along, seemingly calm, but within, he waited, almost uneasily, for Ryozen to speak. The dragon wasn't one to just give a gift... there was something else here.

Ryozen, on the other hand, was simply amused. The youkai Lord before him had already made his decision some time ago, and had indeed indirectly spoken of it to the lovely young miko. But he hadn't really thought about it, nor permitted the knowledge of what his decision would mean for him to come into the forefront of his mind - and it was now time that he do so.

That was what this whole thing was about.

"You know that I am a sorcerer, Sesshoumaru-sama, and that I have practiced my arts for over a thousand years." He glanced sideways at the Lord, who nodded. "With that, there are things that I can do, that would never be believed, if it were generally known."

Brow quirked, Sesshoumaru asked, "Is there a point to telling me things that I am already aware of, Ryozen?"

Without answering that query, the dragon youkai continued on. "One of these things that I have learned to do..." he came to a stop, and caught Sesshoumaru's gaze, holding it steadily for several long moments. "I can help you maintain the purity of your father's blood. I can remove the mother's ningen blood while she carries, from any children you have - leaving only your own youkai blood."

He looked away from Sesshoumaru, and stared out at the horizon, gaze neutral.

"Your young would be full youkai. This is what I would gift you with should you choose to accept."

Sesshoumaru was, frankly, stunned.

Full... youkai? How is that possible? The daiyoukai looked down, sucked suddenly into his thoughts, he completely forgot his audience.

My heirs, they would not be half-bloods, they would carry only my... blood.

That thought echoed through his mind, over and over. It was the one thing he'd always hated the thought of - his blood, tainted, with ningen.

No... he shook his head, I cannot see it as 'tainted' any longer... nothing that carried Kagome's blood would be tainted - but diluted, yes. That is a better term. And he could gift me with the opportunity to negate that dilution...

Closing his eyes, he tilted his head up, feeling the sun warm his skin, he let all thoughts drop away from his mind, and just let himself be... for a single moment in time, he was not Lord, he was only Sesshoumaru...

And Sesshoumaru didn't want to accept anything that would take Kagome's blood away from their offspring. Because the bottom line was, if he took that so-called 'gift', he would be merely creating little copies of himself - and he did not want that.

He wanted children that were a combination of both of them - half-blood status notwithstanding...

And as he let himself go back to his surroundings, he looked up at Ryozen, and shook his head, decision made - and more importantly, acknowledged.

"This one has no need of such a thing, Ryozen. The miko will carry this Lord's heirs - and they will be born of both our blood, hers and mine - combined."

Ryozen stared hard at him, eyes suddenly piercing, for several long moments - and then he smiled.

"That is as it should be, Sesshoumaru-sama." He bowed, then, deeply, respectfully, and Sesshoumaru tilted his head questioningly.

"Never before have you given this one such a sign of respect, Ryozen - why now?"

"Because now, Sesshoumaru-sama, you have finally taken up the mantle your father left behind - you have truly become the General."

"Hn." Eyeing the dragon carefully, he asked, "Now that that is done, then, tell me, what of this so-called 'test'?"

Ryozen chuckled merrily. "You have passed it with flying colors, Sesshoumaru-sama." With another courtly bow, he passed the youkai Lord a white rose, and his brow rose as he took it.

"This is for...?" he questioned.

"That... is for your lady, Sesshoumaru-sama. It stands for 'I Am Worthy of You'... and you are worthy of her - as she is of you. Your father would be most pleased."

Sesshoumaru stared at the rose, and his thoughts took him to his brother.

Father... I can no longer condemn you for what I myself have chosen... nor can I condemn my brother for sharing the status of my own future offspring.

Nodding absently in the dragon's direction, he turned and made his way back to the group, and as he approached Kagome, she looked up in surprise at the flower he held out to her.

Tilting her head back to look at him, her brow furrowed in confusion, and she hesitantly reached out to take it.

"What...?"

"We are worthy of each other, miko," he said, and then he turned his head and looked at his brother, "and you, Inuyasha - are also worthy to be this one's brother - and to carry the blood of our father."

As surprised murmuring broke out amongst the group, a smiling youkai stood at the edges and looked on, pleased with what had happened. With a glance skyward, he smiled even wider.

Well, my old friend, I hope that this one lived up to your expectations - that you are pleased with the outcome.

He was not surprised when he caught the faintest hint of an echo...

I am, my old friend. I most definitely am.

This Inu no Taisho thanks you.

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A/N: I felt that this needed to be dealt with for Sesshoumaru - even though he'd known, peripherally, what marrying Kagome would mean for his children, he hadn't really thought about it fully - and he needed to.

Amber