A/N: I do not own InuYasha. I only own Saeka and whomever else you don't recognize.
Doubts and Limitations
Dusk had settled in the clearing that Sesshomaru had selected for the night. Rin was curled up by the fire sound asleep and Jaken had fallen asleep beside Ah-Un. Saeka was seated nest to the fire, poking it absently with a stick to keep it burning. Sesshomaru had wandered off. He hadn't told her where he was going, but she had decided to wait up until he got back. She wasn't tired anyway, despite all that had happened in the past few weeks. She'd healed a demon of a deadly illness, let her diseased alter ego, Kazuna take control of her, nearly killing her, almost been killed by her own father and saved by Sesshomaru. After all that, she couldn't help but like him more. He wasn't as annoying as he had been when she'd first met him. But then again, he wasn't able to speak or even move when she first met him. He'd been in comatose. Once he believed himself well enough to leave, he tried to kill her by cutting her through with his sword. But a water replica had managed to save her before his blow struck. Not long after that, he'd appeared at her cave, demanding the medicine she used. Since she couldn't give it to him, she decided to ignore him. He had spent the next three hours or so watching her go about her business until she finally caved in. She explained the situation to him and he then forced her to come with him. Then, she hated him. But now, she wasn't sure and she preferred not to muse on it.
A sudden twig cracking signaled his return and she turned around. He was just entering the clearing and looked down at her. " Saeka. I trust you've been well." He said quietly.
" Yes. Rin and master Jaken went to sleep soon after you left. Where did you go?" she asked.
" Nowhere." He said. She suppressed a smile. He always did this. The week before, he'd gone off by himself and when he got back, Jaken had asked the same question. Sesshomaru's reply had been, 'Nowhere'. Jaken had been persistent. The sudden flinging of a rock on Sesshomaru's part shut him up rather quickly.
Saeka shook her head and poked the flames again. Sesshomaru sat down opposite of her. " Have you picked up any sign of Naraku?" he asked. This surprised her slightly, since he knew that now since Kazuna was gone, she could no longer sense demonic auras as well as she used to. She'd proved that very well yesterday when some of this Naraku's demons attacked them. Of course, Sesshomaru's quick reflexes prevented her and Rin from being carried away, but it wasn't until she realized that Kazuna was really the one who sensed them, and she was dead now, that she stopped puzzling over why she didn't sense them coming. She looked at him. " No. Lord Sesshomaru, you know as well as I do that I can no longer sense demonic auras. Kazuna always did that and I have yet to start working on it."
Sesshomaru stared down into the fire. Saeka had a strange feeling that he'd just been attempting to talk. She continued to stoke the fire. " Um, so why aren't you interested in the jewel shards that InuYasha and his friends are searching for?" she asked.
" I have no interest for power gained through false means." He replied. Saeka blinked and continued to gaze at the flames. " You want to know something?" she said. He looked up.
" Lord Sesshomaru, to be quite honest, I'm surprised InuYasha didn't try to kill me when we were still at the clearing, or even when you were sick."
" Why are you surprised he didn't? Did you want him to?"
" No. I have a sacred jewel shard. A very tiny fragment I came across on the way back from healing an old woman of Rheumatism. I didn't know what it was, but I thought it looked pretty so I kept it. I have it stored away inside some sutra spells I received from the continent."
" You've been to the continent?"
" Yes. I went there for a special healing. The only fee I required was travel costs, like renting a boat and that sort of thing. I decided to get some sutras there and I wrapped the shard in them. I forgot I had packed it in a container holding the cure for a strain on Influenza. I found it not too long after you made me accompany you."
" What will you do with it?"
" I don't know. I suppose InuYasha and his friends can have it. But, they think I'm dead. So I guess I'll just have to get rid of it. It's of no use to me. I have all the power I care for. And, I'm happy with my new life." She said, smiling. He could see that her eyes appeared sad and distant, though they possessed exuberance at the same time. He got to his feet. " Wake up Rin, Jaken and Ah-Un. We'll be leaving in a couple of hours." He said. Saeka nodded.
" Yes." She answered. She stood up and went over to where Rin, Jaken and the dragon lay asleep. Sesshomaru stopped at the edge of the clearing and looked back. She had woken Rin and both of them were working to wake Jaken.
What is going on? He wondered. Why do I feel so different? This half-demon shouldn't mean anything to me, and yet she seems to mean more than even what I desire most. I don't understand.
Saeka finally succeeded in awakening them all and Rin was climbing slowly onto Ah-Un's back. The dragonheads took turn yawning.
Saeka took hold of his reins as Jaken sleepily climbed on too.
" It's far too early to start out, my lord." He muttered, rubbing his eyes.
" We have a long way to go." Sesshomaru said simply. Saeka closed her eyes for a moment and gently tugged at Ah-Un's reins. The dragon grumbled low and followed behind. By now, Rin was fully awake and studying her friends.
Hmm. He shows sign about whether he's truly going to get rid of her.
Earlier in the week, she and Jaken had had an argument. She had developed a theory that suggested that Sesshomaru loved Saeka. But Jaken had dismissed it violently and yelled that Sesshomaru was a loner and would always remain so with honor. Jaken said that Sesshomaru would never have any such feelings for a pathetic half-demon such as Saeka. Rin wasn't sure, even to this day, but she thought she saw a glimmer of white in the trees as Jaken said this.
Sesshomaru led the way through a small beaten path in the forest. It was a very dense ground. Ferns and conifers stretched as far as the eye could see. Well, the normal human eye anyway. Saeka stared around her, avoiding ferns and gopher holes and such as she trekked along the dirt path.
" Lord Sesshomaru," she called. " Exactly where are we going?"
His head turned slightly. " Come over here." He said. Saeka glanced at Rin, who shrugged. She handed Rin the reins and hurried to catch up with him. Though he walked at a slow and calm pace, he seemed as though he was in hurry, and getting nowhere fast. Little did Saeka know, that that was exactly what was happening within his complex mind.
" Lord Sesshomaru?" she said.
" Where are going back to Mt. Hakurei." He announced quietly. Saeka's eyes widened. " But, why?" she inquired. " Why are we returning to Mt. Hakurei?"
He stopped for a moment and looked at her. She thought she detected a trace of regret, or remorse in his eyes, but it vanished as soon as it appeared.
" Why are we returning to Mt. Hakurei?" she repeated. Sesshomaru sighed and looked away.
" I'm taking you home."
A/N: Here you go, the first chapter of the third book! Now, mind you, Sesshy goes through a few changes here. I tried to make them as believable as I could, so don't flame me too hard if you don't like them. Rest assured, I'm going to do MUCH worse in the upcoming stories. R&R!!!