Chapter 26: Time After Time

The wind suddenly picked up in the clearing where Asami lay bleeding one limb short on the ground. Her face painted in horror as she looked up to her own husband in disbelief and heartbroken. His eyes were a pair of fierce golden orbs staring down at her.

"Sesshomaru!" she gasped, trying her best to ignore the superficial ache her body was giving off. "How could you?"

"I have not once lied to you," his voice sent shiver down everyone's spine. It was deep and serious. "This Sesshomaru is not to blame, I am only protecting what is mine,"

"What about me?! Do I not belong to you? I am your wife!" the pain she felt seeing her own limb unattached to her body is nothing to the pain she felt inside. All she wanted was Sesshomaru to feel the same way, from the very beginning that's all she had ever wanted.

"Not once have I considered you mine," Sesshomaru flicked his long hair away from his face. "I only speak of the truth... do not waste your time chasing after something you can never have,"

The wind witch gathered her son in her arms as she watched the interaction between the two inu-youkai. Sesshomaru's words were harsh but he spoke the truth. It was almost as if he has no intention of ending Asami's life, and by him being cold was his way of setting Asami free.

"I loved you..." Asami's voice was frail as she let the warm tears stream across her face. She uttered the words without looking at Sesshomaru.

"You didn't," Sesshomaru unsheathed the beating tenseiga. "You deluded yourself into thinking that you have such feelings for me, when infact you know nothing about me,"

Asami was astonished as to how Sesshomaru's words rang accuracy. Ever since she was a little girl, she had been alone and felt the need of a companion. Her father was an ambitious yokai who wanted nothing more than power. He made the daughter of the Southern realm's Lord his mate in order to invade the south, he successfully done so when Asami was born and had his own mate killed. The idea of someone taking her as his wife gave her hope that one day she will not be alone.

Sesshomaru revived Asami's limb and tossed the limb back to her.

"Live long," he cast one last glance down at her before turning his back and walking over to where his son and Kagura stayed. The image was blur in Asami's eyes but in that moment she'd seen Sesshomaru kneel down to Kagura's level to assess how she was doing, she once again felt her heart broke into pieces despite what Sesshomaru told her.

"You may be right, Sesshomaru." Asami stood with her left hand supporting the limbless part of her anatomy. She took one last glance at the threesome before deciding that this was the end of her foolishness. "But I probably won't live long knowing that,"

The reigning Lord of the West stood in all his glory; basking in the sight of his thriving territory. He had conquered the invading Eastern clan a few years back and things were finally going back to normal. All of the ruins had been washed away by the annual rains; the grass that were once dry was once again thriving in color, as to the sky now unpolluted from the stench of death from the many demons that had perished from the long war between the feuding clans.

The battle ultimately began when the sole princess of the East took her life. Deep down Sesshomaru knew her story was tragic but she had been a fool and therefore there was no one to blame but herself. Asami drove herself crazy to the point that she would rather die than to see Sesshomaru with another woman. It was never Sesshomaru's intention to hurt Asami, he had made it clear- and not once did he lie about his feelings for the witch; it might've taken him a long while to realize it but once he declared it, he was not one to hide it. In reality, Asami's death angered him, she could've lived a long life had she not been tainted by her father's political ambitions and her foolish idea of love. He knew that stupid human emotion was nothing but trouble.

"Father," his son's familiar voice resonated through his deep thoughts. He turned around and saw a reflection. Ichimaru stood almost as tall as he, his hair was gathered in a tight hair tie, and his clothing blew with the wind he unleashed. Sesshomaru's usual greeting was an intense stare. Gold meets gold.

"You've arrived," he returned his gaze back across the edge of the western realm.

Ichimaru nodded. "I've cleared the northern route,"

"Your mother wishes to see you,"

"I've only come to inform father of the progress, I will see mother when I can,"

Sesshomaru smirked. His son is the perfect image of who he was, hungry for power. He couldn't be any more proud of what Ichimaru was turning out to be, however, he was sure Kagura would disagree. She emphasized that Ichimaru was becoming more like him by day and that wasn't something she'd hope for her son.

Tch. As if! "As you wish, I will make sure to inform her," he nodded to his direction and watched his only heir off to find his destiny.

Lady Matsuhime came into room with a bright smile plastered on her face. Her steps were light and her face full animation. Her happy aura was in contrast to the dark hall she had just entered, the only light source was the few fire torches that threw huge uneven shadows on the high arched ceiling. The wind witch sat in the corner of the room overseeing the vast open land, that was her husband's realm.

"Today is a happy day, I don't see why you hang your head so low, of all people," Matsuhime sang as soon as she entered the room. "He returns home today!"

"I fail to see why today is a happy day, all Sesshomaru does is give me a headache, he is so reckless!" Kagura spat, her crimson eyes blazed on in the dark. She knew no matter how fierce her glare was, Matsuhime would just laugh and she did. The older inu-youkai sat gracefully next to her, before sighing audibly.

"Where is my Ichimaru?"

"I recall, he hates it when you choose to endear him," Kagura smirked.

"I do not care, I am still his grandmother. I see that he has been travelling a lot lately,"

"He's so much like his father," Kagura sighed. "He's still young, I'd rather he stay here..."

Matsuhime smiled. "You said it yourself, he is like his father. Sesshomaru left home as soon as he got bored ordering the servants around. It doesn't matter, my new grand-baby will soon occupy your mind, you need not worry about that son of yours and Sesshomaru!"

The memory came back to Kagura little by little throughout the years. While it had not been her plan to bear Sesshomaru another heir, she was more than ready to rid of the child growing in her. She scarcely remembered how it had been carrying Ichimaru in her womb and thought that back then it was harder as she was alone and didn't know what to do.

"I suppose," Kagura smiled looking down at her growing belly.

"Now, where is that Sesshomaru? He's been gone all day!"Matsuhime gibbered on. "I notice he leaves whenever he learns of my presence! My feelings are hurt! Spiteful son he is!"

Kagura looked at the older woman and wondered if she had ever fallen in love. While it is true that yokai rarely fall in love, it made her wonder if the former mistress of the west had felt such emotions for the late dog general.

"You know... I should thank you," Kagura began.

Matsuhime looked at her ward with a suspicious face. Kagura's personality reminded her too much of herself, and giving gratitude was a rare occasion.

"What for?" she sang in her velvety voice.

"Well for starters... giving me back my freedom,"

Matsuhime smiled. "Darling, Sesshomaru was the one who set you free. You were dying... and I watched his reaction... he ran you know?"

"He what?" Kagura made a face not sure what Matsuhime was implying.

"You were dying and he ran to see you," Matsuhime recalled the moment she'd seen her only son showed feelings for another. "And that moment I knew,"

"Knew what?"

"That you were the one." Matsuhime reached for Kagura and gave her a kiss on the forehead. "He is my only son you know, and as spiteful as he is... I only want the best for my only son...so I did what any mother would do: give him a chance,"

Kagura shook her head. "Although for the record you are the only mother I know who has the power to bring the dead back to life,"

"You know what I meant," Matsuhime laughed with her. "He needed a chance to do what he needed to do,"

"We've had more than one chance..." Kagura looked to the ocean thinking back to Asami who had lost her life and to all the things that had happened before they got to where they are now.

"But in the end you are here, you see, when it's meant to be it will happen, and I knew you were meant for each other,"

Kagura smiled and felt the breeze in the room. She felt the movement of her son and thought that even he couldn't wait until Sesshomaru gets home...

10 years ago...

"I love you,"

Sesshomaru felt the sand between his boots heavy. The water slapped against the rocks just below them as the wind blew their direction. His hair was in a tangled mess but he ignored it, instead he watched the smiling face of Kagura turned into a frown as she realized the last thing he said. Her crimson eyes blazed in a mix of confusion and fury as the words really sunk in.

"Wh..what?" she scowled. She didn't expect the mighty lord to declare his feelings so loud and freely. "Why would you say that?"

They both glared at each other. His ego hurt and she, waiting for an explanation.

She sighed before shaking off her glare. "Look, don't hurt yourself trying to explain. I know-"

"I will say it only this once so listen carefully," he cut her off, grabbing her and looking her straight in the eye. His touch shocked her and she stood there staring at his eyes motionless.

"I say it because it's true." Finally, he let go of her and looked back to the ocean.

She watched as the setting sun brought a pinkish hue on his pale face. The thought of Sesshomaru blushing sent Kagura in a laughter fit, but she quickly stopped herself and waited for his declaration. When the silence grew, she punched his arm, he could've quickly dodged it but didn't.

"I'm waiting for it you know," she huffed, crossing her arms.

"Waiting?" he echoed, not really sure what made the witch so upset.

"Stop acting stupid, you said you loved me. I'm waiting for you to say it!"

He looked at her with a blank face, then shrugged. "This Sesshomaru said he will only say it once. It is not this Sesshomaru's fault that you chose not to listen the first time,"

"That's not entirely true..." she crossed her arm. "You said it to me the night of your wedding to Asami..."

Sesshomaru thought back to that night, it is true he had expressed his feelings more than one way that faithful night, but he didn't think she'd remember it. "You remembered."

"It's still all a blur, but I believe something like that happened," now it was her turn to blush.

"What else do you remember, witch?"

"That is none of your business!" she snapped her fan closed, as she was reaching for her feather to avoid his all seeing eyes, she felt him tug on her wrist as he pulled her closer for a deep kiss.

This sensation she remembers for sure. "I love you, too"

The End

A/N: Finally I've updated! I'm so sorry for the longest delay! Almost three months I think? But in my defense my laptop totally crashed and I lost everything, and after losing everything I had the worst writer's block! I wrote this in place of studying for a Biology midterm tomorrow, I really hope it's worth it.

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a hui hou!