Authors note: Sooo… this is my first Inuyasha fic and I am really excited about it! I know what you are thinking, my reader, "Another OCC story?!". Have no fears Sesshy fans! I promise this will be different and I intend on making this certain lady have a solid depth and a character that can fit easily into the Inuyasha and Sesshomaru (of course) world. I am going to try to make their future relationship not break Sesshy out of character. I know it's nearly impossible, but I am up to the challenge! Therefore, I apologize for any out of characterness (yes, I made a word up) on Sesshomaru's or anyone's part. So, without further ado, here is Of a Lord and Lady.
Inspiration music: Overture (Hero soundtrack): Tan Dun The fire scene and coming of (Memoirs of a Geisha soundtrack): John Williams Sadness of the Heart: Yanni, and many many others!
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Sesshomaru, or any other hot anime characters or awesome shows (weeps softly in corner). If I did, I would not have to write this for my own self-fulfillment. Wait…that sucks! Well, the upside is that I do own Hamada Sayuri and any other little person that pops into my demented mind that I feel the urge to force read to you. Hahaha…there is always an upside.
Of a Lord and Lady
Chapter One: Ever Existing Hope
What is it that kept her going each day? Was it the pitiful strings of remaining hope that reminded her of a future too far to reach? Was it the underling feeling of destiny that never quelled within her tired body? Perhaps, just pure demonic nature forced her to value her life in a second form of greediness that she could not suppress despite numerous efforts. Not even the girl herself understood the conflicting feelings she was faced with on the topic of her persistent resilience.
She had never completely wanted to die, even though her entire pack and family were gone. She had wanted to keep on living even though her reason for living had been obliterated. Did that make her bad in any sense of the word? A normal yokai with pack and family instincts would have been crushed to the point of self-deprecation and death in the situation she was faced with.
There was no doubt that she was utterly tormented with the loss and loneliness of having absolutely nothing left. But, she had not been so stricken as to take her own life and join her awaiting family and peers in the after world. This fact caused large amounts of guilt and pain to build upon her small and weary shoulders through out the years. 20 years to be exact. Normally a blink in a demon's existence had been prolonged sluggishly in the wake of her sadness.
Every day seemed like the same day she awoke to realize everything in her life had disappeared. And yet, she still carried on in a mask of beautiful tranquility and happiness; the shadow of everything she had been before the fall of her people. She portrayed what she could remember of herself on what she considered a blank canvas. She had no reason to not become bitter and spiteful at the world and yet she knew that the world was allowing her to stay in it and that she should follow in due respect because she was alive on its good graces.
She had tried to strive on revenge alone, but it was tearing at her soul. Revenge was coming in good time, but if she relied on the feeling for too long she would have nothing to live for when the feeling was no longer needed.
So, the only thing left for the girl was hope. Hope for a future, a purpose, a friendship, or an unlikely love. It was slightly funny; she had always lived with her head firmly drifting in the clouds…she supposed now was no different.
The seemingly teenage girl turned her large grey eyes to the sky and moved on in her journey that had no purpose. Perhaps, the purpose of her journey was to come across a purpose in the first place.
She emitted a small laugh constructed of musical bells at the absurd workings of her mind and continued walking down the well-beaten path. Yes, Hamada Sayuri would stay close to the cusp of life, if only at the chance of finding the things she was missing.
Small feet skipped along a strip of lustrous grass in a quiet meadow lined with wild flowers of multiple colors and fragrances. The small feet stopped every so often so that the girl attached to them, could bend down and pick a few buds of her liking to add to the massive bouquet growing in the circle of her small arms.
Two stubby legs hobbled obediently along with the help of a wooden staff and an eagerness to please…well maybe not the small girl. The green face attached to the stubby legs scoffed in clear distain for the human child's actions as he made a pause to rest in his trekking.
Molten golden eyes of the coldest caliber swept straight forward in unabashed disinterest and serene contemplation. The owner of the placid eyes glided forward easily with the calm and smooth motions of a powerful man. He turned his chilly iris's upon that of his care free ward, who took no notice of his gaze, and then looked forward again without the expressionless mask dropping from his handsome features.
"Master Jaken!" at his named being called, the green imp stole a glare from his resting place on the ground and let out a gruff "What is it now Rin?" The small girl, Rin, repositioned the flowers in her grasp and ran past her caretaker to stand before the mandatory imp with a large white smile.
"Come now Master Jaken. If you do not hurry Sesshomaru-sama and Ah-Un will leave you behind!" She said cheerily with a gesture to the moving forms of the Lord and his two headed dragon companion. At seeing that his Lord was leaving them without hesitation the imp jumped up while quipping a "Hurry you foolish girl!" and ran jerkily to catch up. Rin, finding the entire situation amusing for some odd reason, giggled and jogged behind the toad demon with a tight hold on her bouquet.
"You're silly Master Jaken! Wait up for us Sesshomaru-sama!" At hearing the laughter-laden request, the great demon lord of the Western Lands slowed his movements so slightly, that the strangely perceptive girl could be the only being to notice the act.
When the black haired child finally reached his side, she let out the rest of her giggle fit and looked up at her Lord with a rosy-cheeked smile. The tall impassive demon glanced down at her content demeanor momentarily, before his emotion void pupils returned ahead and alert, though a miniscule of softness could be seen before it was washed out entirely from his golden stare.
Jaken, being as small as he was, finally caught up with the group after several seconds and cursed the sun and it's after noon rays as he sweat dropped. At seeing the brown clad imp in distress, the thoughtful girl came up with an idea to cheer up her smallest companion.
Being very coordinated, she continued to walk forward while turning her attention to searching the array of flowers resting against her body. After finding what she considered the prettiest flower in the bunch, she pulled out a white lily with light pink stains at the tip of its delicate petals and pushed it out into the smallest demon's peripheral.
Jaken stared at the flower critically and tugged at his bark colored collar in an attempt to cool himself down. "If the sun bothers you so badly Master Jaken, then take this flower to keep your mind off of it." Rin said while pushing the flower closer to his face with her tiny hand.
The imp scoffed for a second time that day and pushed the hand away while asking indignantly "How on Earth will a simple flower take my mind from this blistering heat you fool?!"
Rin frowned at his words and attempted to salvage her attempts. "You could look at the nice petals or smell it if you liked. It smells really nice Jaken! Here, see for yourself." She urged while placing the bud closer to his beak/nose.
Jaken slapped her hand away while yelling in contempt "Only you would come up with such a ridiculous idea! Stupid human!" Rin looked dejectedly down at her prized flower with glassy brown eyes while she unconsciously slowed her pace.
Sesshomaru had listened to the backdrop of conversation the entire time, but had not felt the need to intervene until the generally happy go lucky girl's feeling were clearly hurt by the imp's unkind words.
"You will take the flower Jaken." Boomed a deep and smooth voice filled with general insouciance, but with an underlying lilt of threat that the toad demon easily caught.
The imp faltered slightly, then screeched out a jittery "Of course my Lord! Please forgive my actions!" He snatched the flower from Rin's embrace and continued on in complete silence. It wasn't every day that the lord of the Western Lands vocalized his thoughts and when he did, Jaken knew to never ever ask questions, lest he stir the wrath he was not willing to endure.
Rin, being ecstatic that Jaken took the offered gift, brightened almost instantly and flashed her caretaker a brilliant smile. Sesshomaru resumed his slow stride onwards as if the entire situation hadn't even occurred.
Rin was happy despite the fact and began her search for an even more beautiful flower for her collection while humming an old folk song she picked up under her breath. Sesshomaru mused about a proper place to stop and feed his ward and servant while absently listening to the quiet tune. Jaken followed silently while inspecting the planes of the flower intently.
He had to admit, it truly was a beautiful little lily.
They had stopped an hour ago, and although Sesshomaru was known to not waste time unnecessarily, the group had not left their miniature campsite yet.
Rin had caught a fish after some struggle in the brook across the small opening in the meadow, and it was cleaned and set upon a fire by Sesshomaru's skilled hand. After Rin and Jaken had consumed the fish and Ah-Un had his fill of grass, they remained in their peaceful resting spot, unaffected by the outside world.
Sesshomaru sat silently against the trunk of a shady tree with his one arm rested gracefully upon his bent up knee. He gazed at one spot in the crackling fire light the entire time and never gave way as to what his reflection might be behind his cold façade.
Jaken rested in between two large willow trees with his staff of two heads set firmly in front of him. His bulged yellow eyes remained tightly closed as if he was contemplating an important decision that Rin assumed involved large amounts of napping.
Rin lied on her stomach with her feet dangling merrily in the air next to Ah-Un, who took the time to nap himself. She busied herself in making dozens of crowns and garlands with her flower collection and had token it upon herself to dress the sleeping dragon with the colorful creations.
She was currently weaving a purple hydrangea with a red tsubaki while singing a little number about a Bon festival and dancing girls with blue ribbons in their hair.
Sesshomaru took time out of his thoughts and looked across the fire at the picture that the strange couple created. The shaded overpass of tree branches made dabbles here and there of light across the green-carpeted floor that highlighted certain places while leaving others in shadow that hopped noiselessly at the beacon of the windblown limbs.
The corners of her mouth were pointed sky ward and the half ponytail at the top of her raven head swayed with her slightest movements. Her small ankles and calves were bare for all the world to take notice and she swung them carelessly to the beat of her little song.
The usually ferocious dragon demon (rightfully named Ah-Un by none other than Rin) was curled up quite comfortably next to Rin with little dashes of color illuminating his coarse black mane. Carefully crafted wreathes were placed about each of the demon's neck and the whole outlook made Ah-Un look very much not ferocious.
Sesshomaru would have found the whole situation humorous if he wasn't in fact so…well, him. He let his momentary distraction slip back into the recesses of his mind and gazed on to the small glistening brook beyond the group.
Sesshomaru wasn't sure what to think about his new found "family", if it could even be called such a thing. Then again, it was preposterous to think that he needed one in the first place.
No, they were his wards, even his servants and that could never be considered as family, even with the daiyokai pack instincts constantly nagging him. The idea needn't even be indulged in the slightest. He had token the last advice his father had ever really given him and he still was not satisfied with the results.
The words of his father would persist to ring in his mind whenever he thought of the human girl and the misfit group that traveled with him. 'You must find someone to protect.' Hn.
He gave the group a once over with his indifferent scrutiny. His eyes stopped on Rin's small slouching form as she let sleepiness over take her. Her large brown eyes so full of innocence began to shudder faintly until they drifted close in defeat.
Whenever he wondered why he let the girl trail behind him, all he had to do was look at her and he didn't care for the reason anymore. All that mattered was that she was properly taken care of and he felt that no one could see to her well being better than himself. Any other would not have the ability to protect her.
She was small and followed what she was told. One more body could not possibly slow down the great Lord Sesshomaru. What difference did it make if she was here or not? Yet, what if she weren't here?
All of his musings went unknown to the rest of the group. Partially because he kept the same stoic expression upon his face and partially because they were all falling fast asleep. The sun was past mid point and it would not be long before they would have to find another camp for Rin to rest for the night.
Sesshomaru, being the ever-constant rationalist, decided that it might be best to stay where they were. 'It is fruitless to continue on without a lead as to where Naraku might be hiding. There is no point to traveling when we must recamp in a matter of hours.' The picturesque demon thought to himself inertly.
It would never be known if the motives of the Western Lord where that of his over critical thinking, or of a deeper unrecognized need to see that his young ward receive a proper and undisturbed sleep.
Either way, the young lord remained in his position and resumed his placid musings, his eyes embellished by the crackling of dieing firelight.
Two large and bulging red eyes took on the scene before him with a rampant greediness, glowing from it's spoiled depths. It was well past dark and he was following a trail of humans back to their village for his evening meal, when the most intoxicating scent lead him to his current position. He was lurking behind a row of tall bushes, his hunger lost to the sea of his uncouth lust at the sight before him.
Beyond the row of bushes lied a pool of cool water that reflected a crescent moon perfectly upon it's murky stillness, as if the surface were stone. The only tiny ripples that the deep blue water dare emit, were being caused by delicate pale ankles that were the main focus of his sinful attention.
There, displayed in all the wonder that a demon could ever hope to find, was the most beautiful and bewitching creature he had ever beheld, wadding mutely in the shallow depths.
Her skin shown as unmarred alabaster and glistened it's natural aura against the darkness surrounding her. Her thin form was displayed gracefully in the tight fitting kimono of white and pink silk that she had pulled up past her knees with her lithe fingers, for easy admittance into the inky pool.
Long hair, the palest of blonde, spilled over her shoulders and down to the small of her back. The moonlight illuminated the thin locks with illusions of grey and deep blue that made each strand shine with it's own natural radiance.
Her eyes though, those are what he knew would plague him if he could not possess her. A dusky grey, piercing with a brightness that could reciprocate any color that shone upon the watery orbs, peeked behind a flurry of thick black lashes and curtain of near white bangs.
While taking her in hungrily with his eyes, her sweet scent became too much to handle and he knew that he must have her.
When he was assured that her concentration was elsewhere and that she had no pack members or weapons near by, he slowly crawled out of the bushes. She was small and seemed young for a demoness, so he was assured that her conquest would be an easy but pleasurable one.
She could have heard the labored panting if it were a mile away. She did not move from her wadding spot though, taking advice of a long lost instructor. 'Let the faulty make the first move.'
Apparently, the fool had not noticed the long rokushakubo tucked into her black obi and hanging down her left side, skimming the dark water.
She played along with his games despite his negative motives. She might as well let him feel an iota of happiness or superiority before he died. She continued to wade in the water enjoying how the sand felt beneath her bare toes when she caught the brunt force of the warthog demon's stench.
She tried not to curl her nose up at the assaulting smell, but it was to no avail. 'Perhaps if he had better grooming habits, he would not have to force himself onto others for affection.' She thought absently while cupping a small amount of liquid and letting it trickle through her fingertips.
She was hoping that the demon would move on and she would not have to terminate his life, but she knew that he was looking to feed before he had come upon her. 'It just would not be suitable for him to devour the little ones in that village.' Knowing that she had no other choice, she waited patiently for his first move.
As he stood up to his full height, shadowing her small form completely, he decided to give her an ultimatum of sorts.
"Girl!" he yelled out gruffly with a slurring most likely caused from the giant tusks sticking out of his mouth that curved almost completely around his thick head. She took that time to acknowledge his presence and turned around to face the beast.
He was at least 6'8'' and was packed with full and foreboding muscles. His skin consisted of a sickly dark brown covered in course dark hair from his hoof to his animal like ears.
Luckily (for the sake of her eyes), he was clad in a dark green armor made of some type of scale, which covered his grown desire and most likely marked him as someone important to the tribe he belonged to.
Someone was not going to be happy when he was killed.
She looked up curiously at his large red pupils, without fear or shock in her honest eyes and it confused him to see the missing components in his sexual prey.
"I will allow you a choice my beauty." He bellowed while taking a few strides forward, his hoofs sinking slightly into the mud bank. Something she took careful note of without breaking eye contact.
"What choice would that be?" she asked quietly. The sound of her achingly sweet voice made him want her more. He smiled sinisterly before saying "You can either willingly become my mate or…" he stepped forward after his first admission and let his grubby finger slide underneath her pointed little chin. "Or, I can take you by force and leave you to die."
At this point, she had a full view of his unattractive yellow teeth and although his arm reach was long, he was standing a bit too close for comfort.
When she just blinked up at him, he became mildly angry and demanded her answer while stepping inches closer. "But, I don't even know your name." She let the words run pleasantly from her lips even though the situation was anything but.
The beast felt satisfied that he was getting somewhere with his endeavor and let out a sly grin while roaring out "I am Yamaro of the Southern Hog Clan, Yomashi."
She let her chin slip out of his greasy palm and backed away while dropping the pink hem of her kimono, which fell gracefully just past her knees without being dampened by the water.
"Well, Yamaro, of the Southern Yomashis'…" Her grey eyes flashed as she moved easily into a simple fighting stance, the water barely rippling by her timid movements, and pulled out a long metal bo from it's mandatory resting place tucked at her side.
She swung the silver staff around her head once, it's rune engravings catching the light, and then let the smooth object slide through her hands to rest diagonally from her stance.
"I'm afraid I'm going to have to decline your offer."
At hearing her polite words mixed with the large weapon she easily concealed and the glowing intelligence and power that suddenly radiated from her light pupils, Yamaro was enraged. He stomped forward at full speed and splashed wildly in the once calm pond.
She kept her stance without moving and waited for the opportune moment. While he clamored onward, his hooves became more and more muddled in the sand beneath his massive weight.
When he was just a foot away, she gripped her rokushakubo tighter and her large eyes sparked a dark green before returning to their normal color. Though confused by the sudden change in his prey, Yamaro pursued on, his anger feeding his lust.
It became all too clear when his legs could no longer move in the shallow waters. He was trapped up to the thigh in a cocoon of hardened mud. He tried to break free as he became bewildered and slashed the air separating him from the girl he thought would be an easy conquest.
His anger multiplied as she placed one end of her staff on the ground with a little splash, the other end towering above her head a few inches.
He understood then, taking in her immeasurable beauty with her unique demonic features and that bo she held so calmly with a hand whose wrist had a vine marking. He became even angrier then, for he knew he had made the last mistake of his life.
"You're an Earth elementalist!" he hollered out at her while trying to break his mud bindings.
The girl's soft pillow of light pink lips turned up into a strange smile at his words. "In some ways, yes." She said softly while bringing her hand up above her head.
Her long white sleeve slipped from her arm revealing the smooth expanse of her wrist, which was riddled by the twisting green lines of vines and small yellow tribal suns as blooms. Yamaro's brow furrowed deeply in blind confusion and he screamed out at her with all the fury he could muster in one breath. "What the hell are you?!"
The girl let her ashy grey gaze drop to the dark reflection of herself in the still waters. Her vine markings lit up to a vibrant green shine as the deep runes in her rokushakubo illuminated in a similar fashion. Her eyes mirrored the forest color once more as her long pale hair lifted in thin air to swim in spirals around her heart shaped face.
"That is an excellent question." She whispered sadly, as multiple whips of thorny branches shot out of the water itself and wrapped their slender bristles about the hog's neck, limbs, and torso.
Yamaro stood shocked from the stealthy aura that the girl produced and struggled for breath as the stinging branches tore the skin of his neck. Blood had started to trickle down his arms and legs and stopped to mingle with the pond's watery swirls. The braches were becoming tighter and tighter and the beast knew that she could make them rip right through him.
"You deceived me you bitch!" He screamed out while trying to fight off the death grip of her Bara Fuujikomu (meaning in a more loose term, thorn to entrap or thorns of entrapment).
She kept her eyes downcast and murmured "Yes, and I am sorry." With a swift swoop, she swung her rokushakubo in a full circle, the end whipping up a little wave of water, until it rested in both her hands again. The move seemed meaningless to the demon for she had not come close to touching him with the staff as of yet, but as the branches bit painfully into his dense skin, he once again came into full realization.
She let the dimming green of her eyes meet the bewildered red of the hog's and looked upon the last expression the demon would make alive. To see a creature, any creature, die no matter what their sins against others might have been, was a painful thing for her to watch. But, she had been taught that the only way to honorably kill was to look upon the face of her victim before they left the world.
'Only when reality streams across your vision, can you escape the risk of living a life of lies. Only then, can you completely come to terms with your own sins so that your future ones are not overly destructive and have a righteous purpose.'
So, she looked on as pain twisted in his dark face and he screamed out loudly until, in one quick instant, the branches pushed completely through his rough exterior and ripped his body into multiple masses. Blood sprayed outward from the open gashes and what remained of his body fell thickly to the lake floor until all that resumed was as eerie silence.
She hated when it ended like that. When there was nothing to reassure that a presence had been alive, but their mangled corpse and a mocking silence.
She had managed to slay him far enough away, that blood did not stain her treasured kimono, but as her aura returned to normal and her hair fell around her shoulders, she couldn't help but notice that the lake she had intended to wade peacefully in was slowly being consumed with scarlet red. The slow churn of blood spinning around her bare calves mocked her as well. She disliked irony quite a bit.
She peered down with a numb expression in her silvery eyes and whispered inaudibly "I'm sorry that you could not find love in your life Yamaro, of the Southern Yomashis'."
She lifted up her hem once more and started to move around the corpse, intending to leave the body for the natural process of the earth or to be consumed by a lesser demon in hopes it would avoid finding food in a village, when a smooth baritone voice met her sensitive elfin ears.
"Why should you feel remorse?"
Crazy girl glossary:
Sayuri: Her name actually means little lily. Hence, the semi importance of Jaken and Rin's little spout about the flower.
Rokushakubo: it is a full bo, usually ranging from 5 to 6 feet high, depending on the user. If I mention bo or staff, it all means the same thing. I just don't feel like beating the word to death.
Bara Fuujikomu: I actually had to really look this one up. It means loosely: thorn to entrap: Bara meaning thorn and Fuujikomu meaning to entrap. Since dubbers get to screw with the Japanese language to see them fit, so I thought that I could interpret it as Thorns of Entrapment. I just think it sounds cooler.
Pretty please review! Not that I'm desperate or anything like that. Inner me: Yea right, you loser! You want lots and lots of acceptance and you know it! Shut up inner me! Geesh, I'm so rude! Anyway, comments and constructed criticism welcome (less of the latter more than welcome) and flames happily ignored. See ya on the flip side g! Told ya she was a loser.