Blanket Disclaimer: The writer does not own any characters created by Rumiko Takahashi but like everyone else wishes she did. All original characters or concepts are the author's Inuma Asahi De's.
Chance Meetings
A light breeze fluttered through a field of flowers, sending the small colorful petals and blades of tall grass into a hurried frenzy of motion. Gentle pinks, purples, blues, reds, and yellows all waltzed to the music of birds and the rustle of the forest. Two men walked beside that field on an ancient human footpath that had been worn by countless feet and carts, neither seeming to care for the natural splendor that surrounded them.
The sun shone down through the trees, golden rays of light highlighting the transcendental color of both men's brilliant silver hair. The breeze that mused the flowers caught the hair as well, making it sparkle in the sun. Despite this similarity in color, however, the two men upon second glance couldn't have looked more different. The first man, the older of the two as it were, stood nearly a foot taller than the younger man who trailed behind him. He was bulkier too, more muscular as it were. And his hair, held in a high pony-tall that fell endless feet down his back, was far choppier than the other man's. The younger man's hair, in fact, was like silk, an endless steam of which hung loosely around his shoulders.
Distinctly similar, yet different, markings ran across both men's cheeks, denoting their common linage. Yet, it was obvious that those markings also created a juxtaposition between the two. The taller, older man bore markings that were dark-blue and jagged, rough; whereas, the younger bore markings that were somehow delicate. They almost looked as if they had been painted on with one sweet brush stroke.
Truthfully, the only thing that was identical between the two men were their eyes. Both men possessed the most delicious gold eyes to have ever existed. They were striking in color, a dazzling gold that reflected light like a mirror reflects a face. They were even shaped the same, curving ovals, wide opened.
But, even if the color was the same, even if the shape of the eyes were identical, the emotions in them were very, very different. Where the taller man's eyes were warm, almost gentle in a sense, the younger man's were narrowed, appearing bored and indifferent but also swollen with hidden resentment. The emotions in those eyes created a strange contradiction. The gentleness of the taller man's eyes was a stark contrast to his rough, jagged appearance. And the harshness of the younger man's eyes didn't match his nearly feminine features at all.
Truly, they were opposite in almost every way except their coloring. And, if it were not for that, then no one, demon or human, would have realized they were father and son.
The younger of the two men sighed. His golden eyes narrowed as he watched his father walk ahead of him. He had no desire to be here at the moment. If it was up to him, he wouldn't have been. Pursing his lips, he allowed emotions to twinge underneath his skin, but refused to display them on his face. Anger, frustration, confusion lodged in his throat as he kept a well trained eye on his father's taunt shoulders, studying him intently. The man's battle armor glistened in the sun, smooth with a few spikes to make him harder to grab. Resting against his hip, two swords clanged lightly against one another as he walked, and a third, strapped to his back, bounced against his shoulder blades.
Attempting to keep his face stony, the younger man stared at those swords, identifying them one by one. "Tetsusaiga," He thought as he looked at the bigger of the two sword on his father's left hip, studying the scabbard with intense eyes. It was worn and looked entirely overused even though it couldn't have been more than fifty years old. "The power to kill a hundred demons with a single swing." He turned his eyes to the second sword that was positioned against his father's side. It looked delicate by comparison, neat and tidy, unused. "Tenseiga, it's mate, with the power to bring back a hundred lives." He silently snorted, not caring for the power. He was far more interested in the power of the last sword. The one that rested between the man's shoulder blades and back. "So'unga." The boy thought as he licked his lips. "The power of hell."
His eyes stayed glued to that sword, his palms itching with interest, with want and desire.
"When will you let me wield them, Chichiue?" He gritted his teeth and deliberately looked away from the swords, opting instead to glare at the back of his father's head. He knew better than to ask the question out loud. His father had already made it known that he was in fact still far too young to wield such overwhelming power.
Narrowing his eyes in annoyance, the boy held in an undignified snort. He was over two hundred years old and, thus, had every right to wield those swords now! He was old enough. He knew how to fight. He had been trained by the best, by his father and mother's own hands. Yet, his father still said no. He called him arrogant, and young, and demanding, and disrespectful. Holding back a childish whine, he growled low enough that his father couldn't hear him as he continued down the path.
"This is no light matter, Sesshoumaru. These weapons are the most powerful of their kind. Before you can wield them, you must respect them, which obviously you don't. Wait a few more hundreds years, my son, and then you will be ready. Be patient and learn the lessons only time can teach."
Sesshoumaru involuntarily flinched at the memory. He had been humiliated by his father's words, absolutely humiliated, not humbled as his father had secretly wished. Grumbling to himself slightly, the young teenager clutched a fist at his side to hold in his anger at the male casually walking before him. This miserable fool knew nothing! He didn't understand how strong Sesshoumaru was, how willing he was to learn. If only the old man would open his eyes and take the time to teach, then Sesshoumaru would learn and make his father proud. But no. His father couldn't be bothered to take time out of his busy schedule.
Rolling his eyes, Sesshoumaru barely audibly snorted. Some busy schedule. They had been wandering aimlessly for a month. They were patrolling, that was what his father had said. It was an important mission that involved walking the entire edge of his father's expansive territory, inspecting land that had never once been invaded in over one thousand years of his father's rule.
It was pointless.
Sesshoumaru signed, huffed really, and growled. The sound drawling his father's unwanted attention. Sesshoumaru didn't miss the tensing of his father's shoulders in front of him.
"Sesshoumaru," His father pronounced his name with precision. "Is there something wrong?" He asked without turning around.
He glared at the man hating the way he drew out his name, stressing each syllable as if mocking it. "This is pointless." He muttered snidely although the pitch of his voice hardly changed. "No one's invaded your territory since you took over the clan." He looked away from his father, out into the field, pretending it was far more interesting than anything his father had to say.
The older man in front of him sighed and rolled his eyes, but kept walking none-the-less. "There's a reason for that, Sesshoumaru," He still didn't bother to turn around to look at his son. "When one keeps a close eye on his kingdom, the risk of invasion greatly lowers." He kept his voice as even as possible, a hard task since his voice was regularly quite gruff. "By patrolling my territory, I tell the other clans and the humans that I am watching, so they are less likely to think they can get away with an attack."
Sesshoumaru clicked his tongue in annoyance. "Can't one of your generals do that?" He questioned hotly.
Although his voice still did not change from his normal bored tone, the ears of his father could make out the clear annoyance hidden in the humdrum sound. Squaring his shoulders, the demon lord continued to walk ahead, albeit with annoyance in his steps. "One day you will be the lord of these lands, on that day you will have to know how to take care of them." He began his voice firm but calm. "We do not know how much longer I might live—,"
"Chichiue!" Sesshoumaru interrupted. His voice changed for the first time, sounding patronizing. "Don't talk as if you're going to die. You've got thousands of years left in you." The boy told him before whispering darkly under his breath. "And you would never do me the courtesy of dying young." It was debatable if he meant his words or not.
Inutaisho stopped walking. His strong posture dimmed as he turned, looking at his son with tired eyes. "I know you're angry Sesshoumaru, but that's no reason—."
"Angry?" Sesshoumaru interrupted, wanting to cross his arms over his chest in defiance but equally unwilling to give the older man the satisfaction. "I'm not angry."
His father's lips formed a dry line as he studied his pup, nothing the subtle indications that there was something wrong. To the untrained eye, the boy merely looked bored, perhaps a bit defiant, but not troubled. To the father's eyes, however, the boy looked downright furious. There was a tension in his shoulders and a coldness in his golden eyes that spoke volumes. Not to mention the way he was clutching his fist at his sides and pressing his thin lips together.
Feeling positively tired and a bit defeated, Inutaisho looked away from the boy. A cold sensation went up his spine. He hated when the child looked like this. It reminded him too much of the boy's mother, "Not angry?" He questioned, the sound barely above a murmur. "You could've fooled me."
Sesshoumaru turned up his nose in distaste. His face contorted into a barely noticeable young and arrogant frown, and his gold eyes grew darker with his own revulsion to his father's words.
"Son," His father started again his expression almost pleading. "This is about your Okaa-sama, isn't it?"
And the truth came out.
"Don't talk about Hahaoya." Sesshoumaru snapped using the much ruder term as his eyes flashed with true animosity, unbidden and blunt. "You have no right!"
"I have every right," His father fired back, but there was little to no vigor in the sound. He had had this conversation many times before, too many. "I was mated to the woman, after all."
"Well, you aren't anymore are you?" Sesshoumaru growled, temper flaring. His insecurities and hurt were impossible to hide from the man before him. He had often tried, but he never seemed to succeed. His father, like any good father, could read him like a book.
Inutaisho groaned at the words, counting in his head to keep his calm. "Remember the boy is young and hurting," He told himself as he popped his neck, eyeing the tense teenager with a deep frown. Even though the boy had reached his adult stature, he still was just barely coming out of adolescence. It was a fact that showed. It showed when he spoke. It showed in his facial expressions, in his tone, and in his very spirit.
"Sesshoumaru," Inutaisho started, again, a bit more patient. "I've explained this before. Your Okaa-sama and I just," The right words were overused at this point, but the demon lord forced himself to repeat them. "We didn't want to be mated anymore."
Sesshoumaru glared, hating the argument with a passion. "You were the one that didn't want to be mated anymore, Chichiue." He finished, spitting out the parental title harshly.
Inutaisho cringed, only Sesshoumaru could make Chichiue sound like a curse word. "Believe me, Sesshoumaru, Inukimi didn't either." He pressed losing some of his calm as he growled slightly in the back of his throat, commanding submission from his pup.
Other than an awkward shifting of Sesshoumaru's feet, it appeared the boy chose to ignore the demonic command. Instead, he bared his fangs at his own father, a pure act of defiance.
Biting the inside of his cheek in order to keep himself from beating the shit out of his child, Inutaisho narrowed his eyes dangerously. Every demonic instinct within him howled. The demon inside of him wanted nothing more than to slam the child to the ground, grab his throat, and demand the respect that was due to him as a father. The fatherly instincts within him, though, preventedhim from executing such a barbaric act. They, luckily, were unwilling to hurt the pup. Instead, he took deep breaths, decreasing his growl to a gentle suggestion that seemed to make Sesshoumaru even more defiant.
The teenage boy growled back testing, pushing boundaries. Ears burning, Inutaisho barked once, using a term in their native tongue that he had never had to resort to with Sesshoumaru before. It was a blunt command that was only used when order had to be maintained. Roughly translated, it meant: obey or be beaten. The term caught Sesshoumaru off guard. He wasn't used to his father threatening him. In fact, in two hundred years, he could count on one hand how many times his father had resorted to such a thing. Whining instinctively, he dropped his eyes, flashed his throat, and inhaled sharply through his nose.
Relieved by the blunt submissive behavior, Inutaisho relaxed some.
"Look, Sesshoumaru," He watched as the boy tensed but didn't let up. "The mate-ship was a contract. You know that." He tried to keep his voice gentle, but it was still gruff like normal. "We completed the terms of it, so we annulled it."
Sesshoumaru didn't look at him. In fact, it appeared that the child was outright refusing to. Still, he spoke. "I thought our clan mated for life?"
"We do mate for life," Inutaisho told him as he ran a hand though his hair slowly. "But only when we find our true mate. Inukimi was not my true mate and I was not hers," His eyes darted back and forth, from Sesshoumaru to the field of wildflowers to the trees. "We were a contract, nothing more. That happens in our clan sometimes. Two people mate for the better of the clan. And when the clan is bettered, the contract is completed, and both are allowed to go their separate ways."
Sesshoumaru appeared to take this information in. This information was old hat to him. He knew his parents had been mated due to a contract of sorts. Mating contracts weren't unheard of. Generally, they were done for one of two reasons: first, to form an alliance, and second to fulfill a need that the clan possessed. What Sesshoumaru didn't know, at least not with one hundred percent certainty, was the terms of his parents own.
"What were the terms?"
Inutaisho felt his throat tighten. He had always known this day would come. He had always known that this question would one day leave Sesshoumaru's lips. He had always hoped that Sesshoumaru would be far older before they did, "Sesshoumaru, I—."
"Don't patronize me," Sesshoumaru cut him off quickly. Raising his eyes up to look into his father's matching ones, he glared. "Just tell me the truth. What were the terms of your contract with my mother?"
Looking into his son's pain-filled eyes, Inutaisho thought not to say anything. The truth might be too much for the boy. Another hundred years and he would be emotionally mature enough to handle it. Right now, he was far too young and in far too much pain. He couldn't possibly understand the intricacies of politics and war and peace. Yet, as Inutaisho looked at his son's suffering eyes, he found that he couldn't hide the truth from the boy any longer.
"We had to produce a male child and raise him to adulthood." He whispered the words. Somewhere off to their right a bird whistled a tune. "When you were old enough, the mate-ship could be annulled."
Sesshoumaru felt a certain amount of confusion surface. It was an emotion that no doubt jumped onto his face because his father immediately began to explain in more detail the truth.
"We were powerful, Sesshoumaru. My father knew it. Inukimi's father knew it." He looked directly at Sesshoumaru. "They knew that we would produce a powerful child, produce you. That was the terms," The look that crossed the pup's face made him babel on. "Produce and raise the strongest demon lord to ever be born."
Sesshoumaru blinked a few times as if surprised by his father's words. His mouth dropped opened, hurt formed on his face that actually surprised Inutaisho. But the emotion didn't last. It fell from his lips, his nose, his eyes, and his forehead, slipping away as a far different emotion took over: rage. "Your mating was just to produce a child of power." He snarled, hurt and anger coming off of him in waves. Sesshoumaru smirked but his face looked more pained than conceded. "I'm nothing more than a powerful heir to you."
His father looked down away from him bringing a hand to his face rubbing his temples. "Sesshoumaru you know that's not true."
"Look me in the eyes and tell me that!" Sesshoumaru roared, something that he had honestly never done.
It even caused the Inu no Taisho to listen and look up at his son. What he saw disturbed him. His son looked downright panicked. The boy who was always calm even during the moment of his birth, the boy who was collected even during his first battle, the boy who was as stone cold as his mother, the boy who never yelled, never got angry, never was really anything other than indifferent, was looking at him like he was about to fall apart.
The stone cold rock that was Sesshoumaru was cracking because he knew the truth.
Sesshoumaru was a child of convenience. He was born out of necessity. He had been engineered to a degree, truly bred to be the most powerful leader that the Western Lands would ever seen. Forced upon parents who would otherwise never have given each other the time of day. But despite all that, Sesshoumaru was loved. His parents had loved him more than the boy would ever know. Yes, he was forced upon them, but that didn't mean that they—he—didn't love his son because he did, more than anything. Sesshoumaru was his whole world, but how do you explain that to a boy so young and vulnerable? How do you tell him that even if he was unwanted, he was loved?
"What do I say?" The man told himself as he stared at his son, trying to find the words. "Sesshoumaru," He started searching for words but was cut off before he could even try.
"Save it." Sesshoumaru mumbled before he rolled his shoulders, squaring them, and started down the path once more. Brushing passed his father, he made sure to appear calm if not a little agitated. His father knew better. "I don't want to hear your lies anyway."
Inutaisho closed his eyes wishing there was something he could do to ease the boys pain, to make Sesshoumaru understand that he was loved and wanted, but dealing with a teenage pup was not exactly easy. Sesshoumaru had made up his mind, and it was impossible for Inutaisho to make him think otherwise. Sighing, he started to follow the boy. And, unable to look at him fully, Inutaisho choose to stare out at the opened field instead of at his son's back.
It really was a beautiful field, covered with flowers of every color he could imagine. The breeze, light and airy, was cool on his hot face. He smelled the air. The smell of flowers choked any other smells he might have been able to take in, but he didn't mind. It was nice to smell something that was sweet and whimsical instead of blood and death or the smell of anger coming from his son.
His ears twitched on the side of his head, an abnormal sound catching him off guard. Crying, soft and faint, carried on the breeze from who only knew how far away. Startled, he stopped moving, his ears straining to hear where the almost silent sound was coming from. Confused, he stepped into the field, moving among the brightly colored flowers as if it was the most natural thing in the world.
Up ahead of him, Sesshoumaru turned and looked back at his father. His eyebrows knitted together perplexed by the man's sudden departure from the path. "Chichiue?" He called for his father, but the man only waved him off as he tilted his head to the side, closing his eyes, listening.
After a moment, he opened them and, pursing his lips, glanced over at his son. "Sesshoumaru, do you hear that?"
"Hear what?"
"Crying." Inutaisho told him as he turned his attention back on the field. "It sounds like a little pup."
Sesshoumaru raised one eyebrow, as if to say 'why should I care' before he sighed heavily and complied with the unvoiced command. Tilting his head towards his father, he frowned deeply as his ears picked up the soft cry as well. It didn't sound like an infant pup. In fact, it sounded more like a pup that was at least nine or ten summer's old. An adolescent as it were. Stepping off the path just as his father had, Sesshoumaru entered the field. His movement disturbed a few birds that were roosting there among the wildflowers.
They squawked and panicked, taking to the air in a rush of feathers and shit causing both men to lose focus as they ducked to stay out of the way of the impromptu flight.
"Couldn't have checked first could you?" Inutaisho mumbled more to himself than anything, but Sesshoumaru unfortunately heard.
"It's not like I can smell them, Chichiue." He shot back snidely as he watched the birds finally move out of sight, now hidden by the trees of the nearby forest.
Inutaisho resisted the urge to say something back, knowing it was useless to argue with the boy. He sighed heavily before turning away from his son, looking out at the field instead. His ears, although human like, turned slightly on the side of his head, trying to find the sound once more. Unfortunately, he heard nothing. "Can you hear it, Sesshoumaru?"
"I don't hear anything." Sesshoumaru told his father as his sharp eyes studied the landscape, looking for any sign of a pup or even a disturbance in the grass. He saw none.
"Neither do I." His father agreed as his own sharp eyes reviewed the landscape. Tilting his head backwards, he sniffed the air slightly in an attempt to locate a scent. "Damn," He cursed underneath his breath before he let out a long low sigh. The flower's smell was just too strong. "It's useless. I can't smell a thing over the smell of fucking flowers."
Sesshoumaru shrugged but didn't disagree as he looked around one last time before turning and walking back to the path. "Let's go, Chichiue. This is pointless."
Inutaisho looked around one more time. His eyes took in every flower petal, every tree, every leaf, every shadow, nothing alerted him to a presence nearby. "Poor pup." He whispered his heart reaching out to the mysterious cry.
He turned around intending to walk back towards the path, only to stop when he felt something grab his hakama leg. Unafraid or perhaps to bold to jump from the slight brush, Inutaisho looked over his shoulder and then down at the source of the tug. Instantly, he froze when he was met with the sight of giant watery chestnut brown eyes framed by jet black flowing hair, two turfs of which were cut short just in front of little human ears.
His eyes fixated on the child before him. She was only a bit higher than his waist. Her little hand was holding onto his pants legs with milky-white delicate, fingers that just barely peeked out from the edge of her elegant kimono, the kimono of a mini-noblewoman. It was white with pink sakura blossoms that rested on light brown branches. Each branch intertwined together as they ran up her arms and small frame. It was almost as if the tree was growing up her body.
The kimono was far too beautiful for a child, yet she looked absolutely adorable in it. Like a small princess, the tiniest, most charming, sweetest looking princess he had ever laid eyes on. He opened his mouth to speak but no words came out, an action that actually surprised him.
"Um," She squeaked her voice sounding like a wind chime as she brought her hand away from him. She held it out in front of herself, her other hand coming to meet it. The fingers of both hands worried together as more tears formed in those deep chocolate brown eyes.
Inutaisho smiled despite himself. Deep down, he was quite the softy, and the sight of a tiny child, so helpless and lost, made his more gentle instinct emerge. Slowly, he knelt down in front of her, going to one knee so he could look her in the eye. "Hello." He said simply as he gave her his gentlest smile. "My name is Inutaisho. What's yours?"
The little girl blinked rapidly. The tears in her eyes overflowed from the action causing him to smile even wider as he reached out and wiped the tears from her pale cheek.
"It's okay." He told her soothingly. Her eyes widened in disbelief. "I won't hurt you."
She nodded bringing her own hand to her face to wipe at the tears. Her skin was blotchy from the salt hitting her fair facade. "I'm—Izayoi." She told him, faintly.
"Izayoi-dono." He repeated, adding the respectful endearment for her benefit.
The little girl's eyes lit up at the kind address. Her whole face brightened with the smile that soon graced it. Inutaisho smiled in return. She was a sweet little thing.
Behind him, Sesshoumaru stepped into the field once again, his eyes gazing at his father's hunched form with curiosity. "Chichiue, who are you talking to?" He inquired, his voice actually sounding interested, a far cry from his normally bored demeanor.
Inutaisho turned looking over his shoulder at his son. His golden eyes reflected the light of the sun. "Why I'm talking to Izayoi-dono." He told his son gingerly as he looked back at the little girl, trying to give her a smile he hoped was reassuring. "She was just about to tell me why she's crying."
"Oro?" The little girl blinked at him rapidly, her large eyes confused. "No I wasn't." She told him with no fear as she tilted her head to the side. Her black hair shifted with her movements like water in a sea.
Inutaisho felt his mouth open slightly if only for a minute as he took in the girls words. "Well—," He started to speak but stopped when nothing came to him quickly. "Feisty thing."
Sesshoumaru, amazed that a child had said such a thing to his father moved closer coming to stand just close enough that he could see the child over his father's head. "She's human!" He exclaimed as he took in the dark hair and dark eyes, traits that were typical of humans. "Chichiue, we don't have time to waste on a human runt."
"Hush Sesshoumaru." His father reprimanded as he stood to his full height. "This is part of patrolling your lands," he motioned to the small girl, "Helping out defenseless children."
"Demon children, perhaps," Sesshoumaru pressed as he raised one hand up to flick at the child in distaste. "But not humans. Leave it. It will either be found by its kind or become food for one of ours."
The little girl gasped at the words. The scent of tears amazingly overwhelmed the flowers as she started to bawl.
"Now look what you did!" Inutaisho groaned as he knelt back down beside the girl rubbing her head gently. "Don't worry Izayoi-dono," He told her quietly, "I won't let that happen. I promise."
He chose to ignore Sesshoumaru's long sigh from behind him.
"Do you mean it?" The little girl asked between hiccups. Her large teary eyes looked up at him as if he was the only person in the world she could rely on.
Inutaisho gave her a small sincere smile and nodded his head. "Yes, I do."
"Chichiue," Sesshoumaru called from behind him sounding frustrated to his father's ears, to the little girl the tone of his voice had not changed. "This is absurd."
Frowning, Inutaisho stood, turning to look at his son with harsh and reprimanding eyes. "What's absurd is that you'd leave a little pup to die instead of helping her!" He growled low in his throat.
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "I'd help a demon pup any day but this whelp," He motioned to the small girl. "Is just another vermin."
"She's a child, Sesshoumaru." Inutaisho said exasperated with his son.
"She is a human spawn." Sesshoumaru corrected his expression almost mocking. "And I'll have no part in helping it."
"You're just like your Okaa-sama." Inutaisho shot back.
"I may get my looks from you Chichiue, but thank Kami-sama I got her brain!" He snapped, his face full of contempt.
Inutaisho didn't count this time. He didn't even bother to think as he full out snarled at his son, an angry solid command that actually made Sesshoumaru back away from him. Behind them, the little girl continued to cry. Scared, her legs unable to move, she sank to the ground on her knees, big crocodile tears swimming from her eyes.
Inutaisho felt his heart strings pull at the noise, wanting to comfort the little one badly but unable to as he stared at his son before him. He couldn't back down, not now, not when he was fighting to maintain his dominance over the boy. The two stared into each other's eyes knowing the first to look away was submitting. Inching forward, Inutaisho allowed his demon blood to take a tiny ounce of control. His eyes twinged red and he bared his fangs, knowing that his actions were completely necessary. Sesshoumaru had defied him one too many times today and as such he had to reinstate his father as the official alpha. Sesshoumaru had to show that he knew his place.
It didn't take as long as Inutaisho thought it would to take back control. After only a minute or two, Sesshoumaru looked away, baring his throat for his father to see.
Relaxing, the older man allowed his blood to settle once more. "I'm going to help this girl." He told the boy bluntly. "If you don't want to, then go. I'll find you when she's safe."
Sesshoumaru's demeanor seemed to change then, his submission turning into contempt once again. "Fine!" He told his father with a huff before he turned around storming out of the field in the direction of the road, yelling one last thing over his shoulder. "Don't bother coming to find me when you're done."
"Sesshoumaru!"
Sesshoumaru didn't reply. He didn't even glance in his father's direction. Instead, he just left, turning into a wave of light that his clan was known for. It was a form of travel that took most demons at least five hundred years to master. Sesshoumaru, gifted as he was, had learned the technique in only two.
Inutaisho let out a deep breath as he lowered himself down to the ground, choosing to simply sit instead of knelling. The little girl was sniffling from her spot. Her eyes were covered by her small hands as she knelt on her knees clearly frightened and upset.
"It's okay." He told her gently as he reached forward. His clawed hand gently touched her cheek. "He's didn't really mean it. He's just—," He inhaled deeply. "Upset right now."
"Really?" The small child dropped one of the hands that was covering her face.
Looking around with one chestnut eye for the scary man, she gulped visibly before lowering the other hand. Still sniffling, she turned and looked back at Inutaisho. Her dark eyes blinked as she adjusted her position until she was sitting properly on her knees. Those irises never left the demon before her, staring at his own upturned knees as if she was too scared to look at his face.
Glancing up at him, a slight flush appeared on her cheeks before she looked back down at the ground. "Um," She started to speak but appeared to chicken out as she drew her lips into a thin line and clutched her kimono with tiny fingers.
"Yes," Inutaisho pressed as he lowered his head further attempting to look at the small girl's face. "What is it?"
"That man," She said with a gulp. Her eyes darted upwards to look at Inutaisho for only a moment before darting back down to his knee. "Was he your son?"
Inutaisho smiled despite himself and nodded. "Yes, he was."
The girl took this information in slowly. Her eyes darted this way and that, landing on various non consequential things on the ground. "He's a demon?"
"I am too." Inutaisho told her honestly. A small yet sad smile formed on his face as he thought of his son. "Are you scared of me?"
"No," She told him equally as honest as she dared to actually look him in the eye. "Should I be?"
"No." He told her firmly, shaking his head back and forth.
"Okay," She nodded as she spoke as if reaffirming her words. "Why—um—was he so mad?"
The Lord of the Western Lands didn't answer her right away as he looked down at his own knees. Studying his pants legs closely, he took in the white hakama with the red trim. They were the same exact pattern that Sesshoumaru wore. The clothes worn by the ruling family so as to distinguish them from all other dog demons. "He was mad because—," He paused bringing a hand to his forehead, rubbing it as a headache settled above his temple. "Well, he's mad because his mother and I are—no longer together and that makes him upset."
The little girl tilted her head to the side, not understanding what he had just said in the least. "Did she die?"
His head shot up, his eyes widening, thinking the child meant he had killed her. "No!"
"Oh?" The little girl mumbled as she leaned her head downwards in thought. "Did she leave?"
Inutaisho took a deep breath. Dropping lower on the ground, he crossed his legs as his heart sank strangely. "Kind of." He told the little girl as images of his mate came to him.
She had been beautiful, absolutely stunning really. She was tall and thin with shapely hips and breast. Her eyes had a sultry look about them all the time that screamed of a million delicious things she could do with that body. Her hair was fine and soft. It felt like silk when you touched it, and it dripped through your hands like liquid gold. Any normal man would have considered himself lucky to simply talk with her, let alone bed her, but he never had.
He had never really wanted to touch her or bed her. He had liked her, of course. She was his friend. They had known each other since childhood. They had played together, grown up together. They had a multitude of things in common. He really did enjoy their time together, but none of it was romantic at all. And there inlaid the problem.
Closing his eyes, his mind turned towards his own father for the first time in years. Long ago, before Inukimi and himself had mated, his father had told him a simple truth about their clan. It was truth he had told Sesshoumaru, although perhaps too early.
"When you meet your true mate, you will know within seconds, my son. You will know by the scent. It will envelop you, and you will be helpless to it. You will want to tell them everything, and know everything about them in return. They will become your whole world within seconds."
He had known as Inukimi had, before the contract was even made, that they were not true mates. They did not love each other, and they never would. They would like each other, be friends with each other, mate with each other, and produce a child with each other, but they would never love each other. Both of them knew that to be true.
Cringing at his own thoughts, Inutaisho sighed. He highly doubted he would ever know love. After all, love had nothing to do with mating in the end. Love was something else entirely. Something only a privileged few ever truly felt. It was an emotion that Inukimi and himself both deserved to feel. But, alas, she had been happy in their relationship. She hadn't cared to have another child, but she had been happy as his mate. She could have lived with it, would have lived with it for a thousand more years but—he couldn't do that to her. He couldn't force her to stay by his side when neither of them really wanted to be together.
"I guess," He started up again as his thoughts drifted away. "I really was the one to leave—," He looked the little girl in the face. "No," He stopped himself as he processed what he had been thinking more clearly. Even if he had been the one to leave, the one who truly wanted out, he knew for a fact that she had been relieved when he had told her he was leaving her. She had wanted it too, even if she was willing to live without it. "We left each other."
The girl looked at him. Her brown eyes narrowed with confusion. "So you both left and your son went with you?" She continued to question as she pointed towards the spot Sesshoumaru had been standing.
Inutaisho followed her finger, looking at the place Sesshoumaru had been. His heart ached for the son he had so badly hurt, the son that wouldn't listen, that didn't understand. "Yeah."
The young girl glanced at him. Her eyes were wise with understanding beyond her few seasons. "It seems like he wanted to go with her instead."
"Sometimes I wonder." He spoke softly, not registering that he was spilling the secrets of the royal family to the little girl in front of him. The thought really never crossed his mind.
"If he wanted to be with her instead," Izayoi continued mumbling slightly confused. Her head tilted sweetly to the side again. "Then why did he come with you and not stay with her?"
"Um," This time it was his turn to mumble. "Well, she—she didn't want him." He finally admitted to the small child, the truth hitting him hard. If Sesshoumaru knew the truth, that he had gone with his father because his mother wanted nothing more to do with a pup, then he would be devastated. Even if Sesshoumaru never showed how pained he was, it would kill him if he knew. In the end, Sesshoumaru was just like any other pup who wanted to be loved, who wanted to be wanted.
"Why would his Okaa-sama not want her baby?" The little girl inquired.
"I don't know." He told her truthfully as he shook his head side to side slowly, looking at her with widening eyes. "Why am I telling her any of this?" He questioned himself as he looked into those deep, tree-bark eyes. They were timid but inquisitive, questioning but respectful, innocent but knowledgeable. "Why can I talk to you pup, tell you everything, trust you, when I don't even know you?" He found himself frowning, but the look was not deep, not angry nor confused, it was simply a frown. He glanced at her appearance again. Her eyes, brown and simple but brooding were captivating in a way. Her long hair looked soft and her exquisite kimono showed taste. "You're going to be a heart breaker when you grow up." He smiled before directing the conversation elsewhere. "Tell me, why are you out here all alone?"
"I'm lost." The girl told him as she looked around her at the field. "I was with Harahi-san and Koaru-san. They were talking and talking." She moved her hands in a big huff showing how displeased she had been. "It was boring, but then I saw the field."
"And you stopped to pick flowers?" He inferred. His eyes warmed from her innocent story.
"Yes!" She exclaimed. A smile formed on her face that soon turned into a soft frown. "I made a flower ring for Hahaoya," She reached into her kimono sleeve producing the flower ring and showing it to him.
"That's very nice." He told her, voice kind.
"Hahaoya will like it but—," she looked around confused. "I can't find Harahi-san anywhere, and I don't know the way home alone." She continued to make a show of looking around standing on her tip toes, trying to look over the tall grass. "The grass is so high. I can't even see the road."
Inutaisho nodded trying not to laugh. It was true, the grass and the flowers both were so tall they stood way above her small head. "Do you live in a village near here?"
"Um hm!" She told him excitedly, head bobbing up and down with enthusiasm.
"Very well, I'll take you there." He told her as he stood back to his feet.
The smile disappeared from her face. She blinked several times. "How? I don't know which way it is and you've never been there."
He tapped his nose, a smirk forming on his lips as he started to walk out of the field. The young girl followed him in her tiny kimono, moving slowly because its length prevented her legs from moving any faster.
"Once we're away from those damn flowers, I'll be able to follow your scent back to where you came from." He told her as he emerged from the field stepping back onto the path. His sense of smell was still muddled by the thousands of flowers but much better none the less.
Izayoi stepped from the field as well. Her small frame was so hindered by the heavy kimono that she was breathing heavily by the time she came to stand next to him. Inutaisho narrowed his eyes from the sound of her heavy intakes and slowly bent down so he was eye level with her. Reaching a clawed hand out, he placed it on her little chin bringing her eyes to look at him.
"Izayoi-dono." He spoke gently. The girl's eyes widened as she took in the sound of his soft caring voice. "Are you alright?"
She nodded unable to do anything else as she looked into his golden eyes. Her heart picked up in her chest as her face flushed, not from heat or her lack of breath, but from a feeling she was too young to understand. "I'm fine Inutaisho-sama." She told him. "I just have trouble breathing sometimes."
An odd feeling clutched at the demon lord's heart, a sense of wrongness mixing with worry. Still, he nodded and stood straight back up. Inhaling the air around him, he tried to distinguish the scents that hit his nose. The first was easy: the smell of flowers. The second was a smell he had known since its inception: the smell of Sesshoumaru that still clung to the wind. But, the third scent he smelt, was different and not just because it was human.
It was the smell of a pond filled with the freshest water he could ever recall smelling. It so clean and crisp that it made his mouth dry, begging to have its thirst quenched by the water that pond contained. His eyes shut against his will and a strange sense of security filled him. He could just picture that little pond in a forest clearing. He could smell the blooming lilies that graced its surface and the willow tree that hung over it. The branches dipping into the water, causing ripples to appear like tiny waves.
His heart accelerated, and he opened his eyes hastily. He felt a bit dizzy and lightheaded all at once. Shaking himself, he liked his lips and inhaled again. The smell wasn't as powerful this time, but it was still there. And its source was unnerving. Turning his head, his eyes landed on the girl. His nose twitched from the smell of her.
It was all he could smell now, and that disturbed him to no end. She was just a little girl. Her smell should not be that overpowering yet. Shaking his head, he turned away deciding it best to ignore the strange way the scent seemed to permeate the air.
Focusing, he scented the world around him, looking to see if she had been on this road before. She had. He could tell instantly. The scent was dominating the air in front of him, not just behind him. "Come along, Izayoi-dono," He told her as he looked back over his shoulder. "I know which way to go."
She nodded and took a step forward only to lose her balance as the long kimono caught on her small foot. He quickly moved, rushing to her before she could fall to the ground ruining the beautiful silk. Pulling her upwards into his arms, he cradled her gently against his chest."Are you okay, Izayoi-dono?"
"Yes," She whispered softly, embarrassed that she had tripped. "My clothes are just mean to me."
He smiled a bit. "Why do you wear such elaborate clothes?" He mumbled as he started to walk not releasing her from his hold.
The slight blush of embarrassment left her face, and she looked up at him a sweet frown on her lips. "I have too."
"Why?"
"Chichiue says," She told him as she pouted. "It's because a hime-sama has to wear these kinds of clothes."
"Hime-sama?" He repeated surprised. She took it as a legitimate question.
"Yes, yes," The girl confirmed. "Izayoi is hime-sama of Musashi."
The Lord's mouth opened in shock. She was the princess of all of Musashi, a rather large region that rested in his domain. He knew her father. He had met her mother. He had been at war with them, locked in a constant power struggle for years. He gulped. This was bad. This was more than bad. It was downright horrible. He couldn't take her home. He would cause so much political damage if he came into the palace of the Lord of Musashi with his young daughter in clawed hands. No one, human or demon alike, would believe that his intentions had been innocent.
"What do I do?" He looked down at her as he walked, his eyes unfocused yet still able to make out her every small feature as he tried to think of a solution. "I could drop her close to the palace." He shook his head not liking the idea. What if no one found her and she wandered off only to get lost again? What if a demon followed them and took her as soon as he left her alone? "I could watch from a distance and make sure she goes the right way." He reasoned but shook the thought off, he wouldn't be able to adequately protect her from a distance and besides what if something happened with another human nearby? That could be even worse. "What to do?"
He looked away from her into the distance. He could see the castle sitting high on a nearby hillside, looming no more than three hours away if he walked slow. It was only five minutes if he moved fast, but she was far too small and fragile to move at such speeds. He would have to move her slowly, maybe not over the course of three hours but at a pace that would surely have them there sometime just before dusk.
He blinked. "If I wait till its dark, I could sneak her in." And he could, he could sneak her in under the cover of darkness, put her directly in the palace walls and no one would be the wiser. No one would see him at all. Smirking, he glanced at the little girl prepared to tell her everything so she wouldn't slip up and reveal who had brought her home.
He stopped dead in his tracks at the sight that met his golden eyes, however. "She's asleep!" He spoke in a hushed whisper then frowned.
She really was asleep. Her breathing was even. Her large eyes were closed. Her hand was hanging limp while the other rested on her stomach. His face went completely soft as he took her in.
"Sweet girl, you must have worn yourself out with worry." He whispered before starting to walk again each step slow and steady so as to let her sleep.
-break-
Izayoi yawned slightly, her eyes feeling heavy as she reached a hand up to rub them tiredly.
"I see you're awake."
Her eyes snapped opened quickly at the sound of the strange voice, and she blinked rapidly trying to help her sleep worn eyes focus. She was met with the sight of a gentle masculine face with a strong firm chin and bright golden eyes. For a moment, she found herself mesmerized, hypnotized as it were by his handsome features. She blinked a few more times, the realization that that face was attached to a body and that body had arms which were currently attached to her, causing her cheeks to light up a bright red.
Flushed and warmed, she looked away from the man quickly. "Ano?"
"You were asleep for a while, Izayoi-hime." Inutaisho told her trying to make his voice as soft as possible.
"Inutaisho-sama?" She whispered as the memories of the field, this man, and his son came back to her. Quickly, she looked around herself her eyes taking in the changed scenery. They were no longer near the large flower field but were instead on a forest path, one she recognized. "We're almost home?"
"Yes," Inutaisho continued to walk down the dirt path. He had carried her sleeping form for the better part of almost two hours. It was a duty he hadn't really minded in the long run. She had merely slept quietly as he walked, giving him time to think leisurely, something he rarely found time to.
"It's getting dark." The little girl noticed as she pressed herself more firmly against him. Hher young eyes filled with fear as she studied the twilight world of the setting sun. It was a beautiful terror, the sight of the sun setting in a haze of rosy, pinkish, orange hues and the knowledge that when it set the world would change. "We should get home quick." She told him fearfully as she imagined the monsters from the stories, the demons that ate child who stayed up passed their bedtimes.
"Don't worry." Inutaisho told her with a slight chuckle, already well aware of her current state of fear. It didn't take a genius to know that humans feared the night when the lower level demons came out to feed. "No demons will dare come near me."
She turned her big brown eyes towards him. The watery tears that had started collecting out of fright dissipated as she contemplated his words. "Are they scared of you?"
He raised an eyebrow at her words. "That's one way to put it." He thought about it for a second, then shrugged. "Yeah, they're scared."
"Why are they scared of you?" She asked as she looked up at him with pure curiosity.
He glanced down at her and shrugged, the action causing her to grab hold of him tightly for fear of falling. "Sorry." He mumbled as he adjusted his hold on her, making sure she felt secure. It had been a long time since he had carried a child. Thinking back on it now, he had probably only really carried Sesshoumaru once or twice as a small pup, the boy had been too independent for anything else. He frowned at the memory but shook his head otherwise,
"I wish Sesshoumaru had been a girl, girls seem so much easier." He grumbled internally before he continued. "They're scared of me because—," He thought for a moment. "I'm stronger than they are."
She pouted her lips in thought. "So they're afraid you'll kill them?" She concluded as she looked up at him waiting for an answer.
He nodded, his attention fading from her to a few odd noises he could hear in the woods.
"Inutaisho-sama?" She whispered when she noticed he had gone still.
His eyes were searching the landscape around him without moving his head. "Shh." He shushed her softly as he edged away from the forest path. Silently, he ducked behind a rather large bush that stood at the side of the road. "Try not to make a sound." He whispered into her ear as he held her close to his body, pressing her head into his chest, shielding her carefully while being mindful of his armor. His ears twitched on the sides of his head slightly, picking up on the sound of footsteps. "They're close." He realized as he pushed himself farther back into the woods, his nose sniffing the air absently. "Human?"
"We be'er find a 'lace for the 'ight!" Came the sound of a man's voice, nearly completely unintelligible.
"O' yeah," Another voice also male sounded with a hiccup. "We 'hould build a 'ire too, you know, it's ki'd a—chilly."
Inutaisho frowned darkly and took a deep breath, the frown deepening as he did, "Sake." He realized with a snort. The men were drunk, extremely drunk. "How come human's can't hold their liquor?" He groused as he watched the two men from the shadows. They were stumbling down the road slowly, laughing and hollering, hanging onto each other so they wouldn't fall.
Izayoi made a squeaking sound, pulling her head away from his chest so she could look through the brush to see the people walking down the path in the direction they had just come from. "They're guards." She whispered before looking back at Inutaisho, her eyes seemingly pleading. "Chichiue's guards."
Inutaisho frowned as he took in her expression, trying to read it but finding it rather difficult. She looked to be somewhere between panicked and scared. "Izayoi-hime." He whispered faintly.
She bit her lip before whispering again. "I don't want to go with them."
He blinked and tried very hard not to laugh. "Why would I make you go with them?"
Her head snapped up and her brown eyes grew larger. "They're Chichiue's guards. They'd be able to take me back."
"Izayoi-hime," He clicked his tongue. "I would never make you go with those bumbling drunk asses."
She gasped at his choice of words and brought two small hands to her face to hold in her laughter causing the sound to be tiny and moose-like. "Inutaisho-sama, that's not a nice thing to say."
He grinned, part of him feeling pride that he had made her laugh. "I'm not a nice person."
She frowned, the look on her face one of silent contemplation. "You seem nice." She said softly. "If you were mean," She looked away, the two small locks of black hair that framed her face swishing prettily against her rose colored cheeks. "I wouldn't be alive right now, would I?"
Inutaisho didn't say anything, but he knew exactly what she was implying. Had he been a mean demon, a Sesshoumaru demon, he would have left her for dead or better yet been the one to kill her. But that wasn't him. Yes, humans annoyed him. They were arrogant and stupid creatures that often got themselves into trouble with their weakness, but they were still alive. They had demon qualities, intelligent demon qualities. They could think and feel, reason and love. They were capable of great things and held great potential for both good and evil; their every quality and potential was easily transferable to the demon condition. The human race had possibilities. This he could not deny. He would never hurt one unless provoked, and he knew for a fact he would never hurt their offspring, especially this small innocent looking girl.
He gazed at her openly, not afraid to show that he was watching her, studying her features. She was so sweet looking, an innocent child who knew nothing of pain nor loss. She was just pure, the essence of good—the firmest example of human potential. He couldn't hurt her, not even if he tried.
"I guess," He finally whispered to Izayoi who had waited patiently in his arms for him to speak. "I am a little nice," He wanted to rub the back of his head but couldn't. "But only to you." He added hoping to make her smile once again.
And she did smile at his words, her face lighting up with her youth and virtue. "I guess I'm special." She reasoned playfully causing him to frown.
"Special?" He thought briefly but shook off the feeling before he could let it enter his psyche. Glancing back to the path, he scented the air momentarily, determining by sight, smell, and sound that the drunks had stumbled much farther down the road, a good safe distance away. "We're not too far from the compound now Izayoi-hime." He said as he started back towards the road.
"Oh?" The little girl whispered as she looked around herself, taking in her current whereabouts. She knew the road well. It was often used when her family traveled to the villages in the nearby regions. And, from their current position, they were no more twenty minutes walking distance from her father's castle compound. "I'm almost home."
"Yes." Inutaisho agreed with a nod. "Your scent's getting much stronger now."
Glancing up at the tall demon she nodded. Her beautiful eyes blinking slowly as she took in his broad chin. "That's how you knew where to go, right?"
He nodded his head as he looked ahead. His sharp eyes were able to make out the sight of her father's fortress as it were. He had been there many times in the course of his life although its ruler had always been different. He sighed. He had met Izayoi's father a few times when the man was a boy and when he had reached adulthood. Never once had the man liked him because of his heritage and also his claim to the land. Technically, although human's ignored the issue, all of this land belonged to him. His territory extended far and wide. The whole of the western half of Japan along with some of the eastern territories surrounding the Edo region were under his charge. Unfortunately, humans didn't seem to understand demon claims. They believed that their territories were the true ones and denounced the demon ones entirely.
Inutaisho practically snorted from the idea. Humans could certainly be foolish creatures. The thought did catch him off guard when he heard the little girl in his arms start to hum slightly. He recognized the melody vaguely, having remembered hearing it somewhere once before, "Sakura Sakura?" He thought to himself but let the thought pass as her small voice drifted to his ears actually making them twitch. Keeping his eyes on her, he watched as she continued to hum.
Nervously, her eyes shifting this way and that as she looked for any sign of danger as she probably had been taught to do since birth. After all, humans were fragile creatures. Clearing his throat, he adjusted her slightly so she was more firmly protected against his chest, an attempt to make her feel more at ease and opened his mouth to speak to her once again. "Izayoi-hime, we're almost there—um—," He actually stuttered when she stopped humming and looked up at him. Her big bold eyes focused on him, making him fell edgy. "I think its best that the people of the palace aren't aware of—my presence."
"Why not?" She asked. Of course she would ask.
He sighed and looked ahead towards the castle that was getting closer by the minute. "Your father and myself don't exactly—well—he doesn't like me very much and it might be bad if he knew I had his daughter."
"But you're bringing me back," She pointed out smartly. "I would have been lost without you."
A sense of smugness built in his heart at her words and he actually allowed himself a moment of conceited pride. "I know that Izayoi-hime as do you," He gave her a reassuring smile. "But I highly doubt your father would agree."
She pursed her lips and furrowed her brows. "But—."
"No buts," He cut her off with an apologetic look on his face. "This is all politics Izayoi-hime, so there's nothing I can do to change it."
"Politics." The young girl repeated slowly, a slight dawning of understanding in her saddened voice. "I see, so—," She looked off in the distance towards her home, her eyes dark and almost lonely. "I guess I won't see you again then."
"Probably not," He answered without pause, knowing that he shouldn't think about her words or the far off pained look in her young eyes. He knew those eyes all too well anyway. "The look of a Hime." He told himself with a large frown. "The look of a woman who will never know happiness." He shook his head.
This was something he had seen a million times. A girl destined to do what was right for her people over what was right for her heart and her own happiness. What was even sadder was that this young child wasn't even aware of the thought or the reality just yet, but she was already aware of the loneliness that would encompass her entire life. He pitied her for that, but at the same time, he understood it as well. To marry for your country, for your people, for your kingdom. To stand before the world and say you love someone even though both you and that someone knows it is a lie—he understood that pain well.
"I'm sorry." He whispered without preamble as he came to a stop at the forest's edge. It was way past dusk now. The area was almost blackened except for the torches of the villagers as they surrounded what looked to be a general on a horse, waiting for orders. No doubt they were forming a search party to look for the girl he was holding.
"Don't be." She replied, her words not the words of a child. "A hime-sama." She told him as she watched the search party begin to spread out, departing towards the woods. "Is born a hime-sama, and she cannot change that." Her young voice sounded melancholic. "She lives the life she was born to live, and she lives not for herself but for her people."
his heart tightened in his chest, instincts even he didn't understand making him ache. "Who told you that?"
"Okaa-sama."
Gulping from a combination of his words and the pain in her own chest, Inutaisho whispered. "Izayoi-hi—," His voice froze and he suddenly found the honorific no longer honorable. "Izayoi-dono."
She made a cute squeaking noise and looked up at him in surprise. "-dono?"
"Yes." He told her firmly as he suddenly set her down back on her own two feet before kneeling once again, like he had in the field so many miles away. "Remember," He whispered faintly as he glanced up towards the human's that were so very close to where he stood. "To me, you are just a normal little girl, you don't have to be a hime-sama."
Her eyes glistened and she smiled faintly. "I can't change it."
"No," He agreed softly. "It can't be changed but you can for a moment escape it. If you ever need to escape it, think of me Izayoi-dono." And with that he jumped into a nearby tree, startling the poor girl as she looked around trying to find him, but her human eyes were not quick enough to have seen his fast motion.
"Izayoi-hime!" Someone yelled behind her and she turned once again startled.
"Yes?" She called, and there was a loud cry of relief from the woman running towards her in a cheap kimono, an old one, a servant's one.
"Oh, thank kami." The woman dropped to her knees, throwing her arms around the small girl, holding onto her tightly as she buried her face in the girl's hair. "We were so worried, Izayoi-hime, when we couldn't find you."
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to worry you."
"No no—child—," The woman started to stroke the little girl's hair only to freeze and pull her hand away, becoming formal and proper almost instantly. "I mean—Izayoi-hime. It is not your fault but my own carelessness." The woman bowed her head as she knelt on the ground. "Please forgive me."
"Harahi-san—."
"You're Okaa-sama and Otou-sama have been so worried." The woman continued on as she stood and picked the young princess up. She held her tightly as if afraid she might slip out of sight once again. "Oh—I'm so relieved, however did you find your way back?"
From the trees, still watching closely Inutaisho frowned and waited for the young girl to respond, hoping she had taken his words to heart.
At first, she actually didn't. She looked around from the woman's arms into the dark woods, her eyes searching him out but blind to finding him. "I don't know." She finally said in a small voice. "Perhaps kami-sama wanted me to come and showed me the way."
"Praise them," The woman said and nodded, accepting the lie easily. "All kami-sama's should know how grateful I am—how grateful everyone will be."
Izayoi nodded but said nothing as the woman started off towards the castle, "I found her!" She yelled loudly and there was an explosion of talking and calling and questions from the people who were currently rushing towards her amazed the princess had been found so quickly.
Inutaisho nodded at the sight and quietly leapt away into the night. His nose picked up the scent of Sesshoumaru within seconds. Really, he had known the scent was there for a while. The boy had never gone far, probably having realized that even he was better off close to his father after he had cooled off. Even though Sesshoumaru was amazingly skilled for his age, he was still only two hundred years old. And although stubborn, he was not dumb.
Within moments, the father reached the son, his eyes landing on the boy as he relaxed against a tree, refusing to even acknowledge that his father had entered the clearing he had been waiting in.
"Sesshoumaru?" He spoke gently, with fatherly understanding. "Let's go."
Without a word, the young boy walked to his father, coming to stand at his side.
Inutaisho shrugged before he turned to exit the clearing, preparing to once again start their patrol.
"Chichiue?" Sesshoumaru suddenly spoke his voice bored as always.
Inutaisho stopped and turned, his eyes lighting on his only child and blinking slowly. "Yes?" He pressed gently as he watched the boy stare at the ground, his posture oddly hunched. "Sesshoumaru?"
"I—um—the gir," He stopped and mumbled something under his breath that his father actually didn't pick up before shrugging and rolling back his shoulders. His normal arrogant look came back to his face. "I wish you wouldn't have taken so long. I'm sick of this. I just want to get it over with so we can get home."
His father merely smiled, his expression soft as he looked at his young son, knowing what he was trying to say without being able to. "I understand," He told Sesshoumaru before continuing. "We'll move at a faster pace and be home in a month or so."
Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, the only sign of his disdain. "A month?"
"That's sooner than I originally anticipated." His father told him bluntly as he started to walk.
His pup followed close behind, moody and very young. Briefly, wondered if he had given his own father this much trouble. He highly suspected he had. Smirking, he took a deep breath, the traces of the girls scent wafting over his nose, tickling his senses.
"She was a sweet pup." He thought with a frown. "I hope—I hope she grows up to find some happiness." The thought trailed off, and he glanced back at his son who was following begrudgingly. "I got the girl back alright." He mentioned abruptly, as if just now remembering his son's almost asked question.
"I don't care." The boy told him firmly in response, one long arm resting on his practice sword, the only one he was allowed to wear.
Inutaisho shook his head softly at the blatant lie. He knew without having to question that Sesshoumaru did in fact care but was too stubborn to mention it. Still, he wouldn't push the boy more than he had to. He wasn't in the mood to deal with another fight for dominance between father and son. "I know," He replied with a well placed grunt. "I was just making conversation."
Sesshoumaru mumbled something obscene in reply but his father simply shrugged it off as they continued down the path: the older in front of the younger.
-End-
**Sesshoumaru will seem OOC because I am portraying him as a younger man (teenager more or less) prior to his father's death. As such, he will not necessarily be the cold Sesshoumaru we are used to because I think Sesshoumaru probably wasn't always that way but was made to be that way. This is evidenced by the way Rin is able to bring that characteristic out of him.