Chapter 1 - Bindings

 
Aara lay there in the dark, her head on Vash's shoulder. She was worried, very worried. "Vash…" she whispered, not wishing to wake him if he was asleep, but wanting to talk to him.
 

"Ummm," came the reply. His green eyes opened and he kissed the top of her head.

"They were fighting again."
 

"They always fight."

"And always about the same thing. Ashara believes that she has less powerful males and she is jealous of Vara."

"This had been happening now for 16 years. Let Ashara bind a couple of powerful Demons and she'll get over it."

"It's not just that. The way she treats them! Bankotsu has been having nightmares again and she never comforts him. And Tasuki -- he went into heat last week and she was so cruel to him; she acted like it was a bother for her to take care of his needs. And Sesshomaru is never in the Castle any more; he has gotten cold and distant again."

Vash looked at her, his eyes sincere, "When I mated with you, I expected to share you with six other males. Take their bindings back. I don't mind. I mean it."

Aara smiled at her mate, "This is why I love you so much, Vash. But I didn't give them up -- they were transferred -- and I have no idea how to take them back. Thank the gods that Vara is loving and caring with her males. If Hiei or InuYasha were treated like Ashara treats hers, my heart would break."

"You miss them, don't you?"

"I miss caring for them. Tucking them in at night, making sure they are alright in the morning. I was expecting more from my children, I guess, but instead they grew up so fast; they were only children for a little more than a year. So I guess my males were more my children than I realized and now I see them being mistreated." Aara stopped, deep in thought.  After a minute she continued, "I do miss Hiei. He was so special to me. I miss holding him. And InuYasha. He was so young when I took him. And Kurama. He had been with me for so many years, nearly my entire lifetime. Oh, yes, I miss them! And I wish they were still mine to care for, to love." Unbidden tears filled her eyes and she wept on Vash's shoulder.

He held her tightly as she wept. "Try to take them back. Let the twins get their own males."

She shook her head, "No, it would not be right. Vara is good to her males, and Ashara would never forgive me. And I would not try to take Sesshomaru; I never meant to take him in the first place and he should be free."

She again grew quiet with her thoughts and then asked, "Vash, was your brother jealous of you?"

"Yes. He was jealous of Rem, the woman that cared for us."

"My sisters are cold like Ashara is to their males. I am beginning to think that our race is a flawed race, that we are the rarity and they are the norm. And I fear that Ashara is like your brother. Even more flawed."

"Knives crashed our spaceships on a desolate planet when he was only a year old chronologically and seven years physically. He killed thousands of people and wanted to wipe out the entire race. Only Rem's sacrifice prevented that. Ashara is cold, but she is not a homicidal maniac. Believe me, she is nothing like Knives."
"But there is something very wrong with her. Perhaps she isn't like Knives -- or perhaps she just hasn't had the opportunity. I fear for her. And I fear more for her males. She is different -- I know you sense it too. It's like she is full of anger at the whole world."

"Yes, I sense it," Vash admitted, "Knives had that feeling to him also. He hated everyone except me. And then when I refused to follow his path of destruction, he hated me more than anyone. We'll keep an eye on Ashara, but I refuse to believe that she is like Knives."

Vara followed her mother's example and checked on her three males every night and each morning. She left Kurama's side, the fox Demon sleeping peacefully, and walked to see Hiei. The little fire Demon was sleeping, but already getting tangled in the sheets. She struggled to pull the covers free without waking him. How did her mother manage this nightly without waking him? She always woke Hiei up! Finally, she got him freed and tucked the covers around him. She gently kissed his cheek and started to go to InuYasha.

As she went into the hall, she heard Bankotsu muttering in his sleep. Another nightmare! And Ashara would never go to him. She walked into his room and held him until he quieted into a peaceful sleep. How could her sister not go to him? What was wrong with her?

When she was sure that Bankotsu was sleeping quietly, Vara went to InuYasha. She slipped into his bed and into his arms, and he curled around her body. She always spent the night with one of them, never going to her own room. She did not like being with her sister. And her sister was always in their room. Ashara never slept with any of her males, just took care of their needs and left immediately. She gave them no warmth or comfort. No love! She felt sorry for them. Tasuki was so lost -- all the love and warmth that he had received from her mother was gone. And Bankotsu was having nightmares every night now. Sesshomaru was never around. He had returned to his habit of walking his own lands. Ashara could call him to her side whenever she wanted to, but she never did. It seemed as through she hated them.

Ashara could sense Bankotsu's nightmare. Not again! She burrowed deeper in the covers. She wished she could cut off her senses from them and not have to feel them. She had found the way to cut off her feelings from them -- they could not sense her emotions as strongly anymore -- but she could not stop feeling their emotions. The bindings should just be one-way -- the males forced to obey - you shouldn't be forced to feel what they were feeling. What a bother! Useless males! The two weakest were the most trouble! Suddenly, Bankotsu stopped dreaming. Her sister had comforted him. Good! Now she could get some sleep.

One day she would find powerful males and bind them. But even then she would still have two useless males bound to her. It wasn't fair that her sister had three good males while she only had Sesshomaru and he was never around any more.

She felt Tasuki whimper in his sleep as if he understood her thoughts. Disgusted, she pulled the covers over her head and went to sleep. Damn useless males!!

Several months ago, a little Demon servant was cleaning Ashara's room. Ashara ignored him as she did all the servants. This day, she was angry over her mother's latest criticism. Her mother was always complaining that she did not take care of her males properly! She was not going to fawn over them like her mother had. She had spoiled them rotten!

"They don't treat you right."

"What?" Ashara turned but the only other person in the room was the servant. "Did you say something to me?"

The servant turned, a small Demon about two feet high with orange skin, and bowed down before her. "I beg your forgiveness, but I can't help notice how they treat you. As if you didn't know what to do."

And so it began. The little servant, named Rana, seemed to be assigned to her rooms and over time she began to tell him her woes: how mistreated and misunderstood she was, how worthless two of her males were, and Rana always listened and always agreed. Months passed and Ashara now depended on Rana's friendship. He was the only one who did not argue with her or tell her she was wrong. He understood! If only he would tall and handsome, not just a low class Demon.

One day she expressed that very thought and he smiled. "I have a secret, but you must swear never to tell anyone. I would not survive the telling."

Ashara promised faithfully never to divulge their secret. "I am only a part of a powerful Demon, a beautiful Demon. And if you have patience, my true self will come to you and we will be together."

"How can I believe that? More lies! Everyone tells me lies!" Ashara lamented.

To her surprise, Rana removed his shirt and turned his back to her. Across his back was a scar shaped like a spider. Then he put his shirt back on. "Ask Lord Shido is he has ever seen a scar like this one before, but do not say that you have seen such a scar. Make the question vague. When you have his answer, I will come to you again."

Ashara watched the small Demon leave and then at the very next opportunity, she asked Shido if he knew anyone that had a terrible scar on his back. His answer surprised her and she sent for Rana.

"I received an answer from Shido."

"Yes, my Lady, and did it satisfy you?"

"You are a part of Naraku? Is that what you are? Lord Shido says that the only one with a large scar on his back is Naraku and it is shaped like a spider."

"Yes, I am only an extension of him. All his parts have the same scar."

"So there are others?"

"Yes, many."

She sat there pondering this information. Naraku was possibly the most powerful Demon alive. And his beauty was well known. With him at her side, she would be so powerful no one would ever tell her what to do again!

"Can you get free from Shido."

"I am free already. I was just waiting."

"For what?"

"For you, My Princess, for you."

   
Hiei was going through the gardens when Aara saw him and beckoned him closer. He went near to where she sat and stood there with his head down, not meeting her eyes. "Hiei, I never see you anymore. Are you avoiding me?"

The fire Demon blushed. "Princess…I…I.." he didn't know what to tell her. He belonged to another now and he could not tell her how he felt. She reached for him and pulled him close.

"Hiei, I still care for you, don't you realize that?"

He stared at her, as if surprised by her words, then suddenly wrapped his arms around her and put his head on her shoulder. Tears began to fall.

"Oh, My Sweetness!" Aara asked and Hiei sobbed louder when he heard her nickname for him -- it had been so long! "Tell me, Love, what is wrong?"

Hiei brushed the tears from his eyes, but didn't raise his head from her shoulder. "I miss you so much. Even though I am bound to Vara, my feelings for you have never changed. I love you."

She pulled him from her shoulder to look deep into his eyes. "How can you still love me? Have you felt this way for 16 years?"

"Not at the beginning, when you were pregnant and then after the twins were born, my feelings were muted. Being near you was enough. But as time passed, you no longer felt maternal and my feelings returned. Forgive me, Princess, I didn't mean to say anything."

"You should have said something long ago." Vara said as she walked to them.

Hiei turned to Vara and went to his knees before her, "Forgive me, Princess."

She pulled him up and gently pushed him into her mother's arms. "This is where you belong. Mother, I think they all belong with you. Take back their bindings. I have been thinking about this very thing lately and I have decided that I want to bind males of my own."

Aara looked at Hiei. "How can I take back the binding?"

"I think that if he desires it and I give him freely, you can bind him to yourself again. Try and see what happens." Vara offered.

"But Vash…"

"I said I would understand and I meant it," Vash said as he approached the group. "They need you and you need them. If the binding works with Hiei, then take InuYasha and Kurama. But I'm not sure that Ashara will give her males freely. Even though she doesn't really want them, I don't think she wants you to have them either."

Aara looked at her mate, loving him more than ever at this very moment. "Thank you, Vash." she said aloud, and thought to him, "I love you so much. I am always grateful that you are part of my life."

 

She then looked into Hiei's eyes, "Give yourself to me." He nodded and she used her power. The bindings she once had suddenly flared and renewed and the bindings to Vara fell away. In a moment's time Hiei was hers once more. It was so easy because all of those involved wanted it so much.

"I will talk to Kurama and InuYasha and then send them to you." Vara said, turning to leave.

"It must be their choice, Vara." Aara called after her. She was still holding Hiei tightly, his head contently resting on her shoulder. It felt so right! Perhaps this is the way it was supposed to be, the transference only temporary while the twins were young and vulnerable, then the bindings would revert back to Aara and the girls would take their own males. But since that had never occurred to anyone, Aara never even tried to take the bindings back.

InuYasha suddenly bounded into the garden, happiness written all over his face. He knelt at her side and pressed against her, "Thank you! Thank you for wanting me back." She realized with a pang of guilt that it had been a long time since she had seen him this happy. Hiei moved out of her arms voluntarily, letting InuYasha take his turn. The rebinding was just as easy with him.
Kurama was the last and he walked slowly to her, his face unreadable. "Princess."

"Kurama, this has to be your choice. You were taken by force and never had a choice, but you have one now. I might be able to break the binding and set you free. I will try if you wish me to. Or you can stay with Vara." Aara said to her first male.

"This is my home and I have no desire to be free of it. And we have been together for over a century and a half. Bind me to you once again. It is what I want."

And with that, her first three males came back to her. She opened her arms to them all, feeling more content than she had in a long time. She looked into Vash's eyes and he smiled. He too could feel her happiness and it gave him pleasure. He never had a problem with sharing his mate with her males.

Rana snuck into Ashara's room and told her the news. When Ashara heard that her mother had taken Vara's three males for herself, she went ashen. Her mother could take her males at a whim and leave her with nothing! "Does Naraku hear my words through you"?

"Yes, Princess. And my voice is his."

"What shall I do?"

"The time for planning is at an end. I will leave my captors tonight, and you must do the same. Are your males here with you in the Castle?"

"Only Tasuki is here. Bankotsu is about two days away and Sesshomaru is in his own lands."

"Leave now and take Tasuki with you. He is an important key in my plan for us. Call Bankotsu and Sesshomaru to you. Travel north and take Rana with you. I will meet you on the way. Do not tell your males anything about me."

"I will leave immediately. Go tell Tasuki to come to me and then have three horses saddled." She began to throw clothes into a travel case. A few minutes later Tasuki appeared.

"We need to go immediately to Suzaku. I will explain on the way." She put on her cloak and handed the case to Tasuki. They dashed down the stairs and out to where Rana stood with the horses. They were gone before anyone realized it.

 

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