The Juniper Tree
In the late of the night I look at the moon up there
And I cherish the memory, though I pretend I don't care
And everything she left there out for me
Her fading shadow under the Juniper tree
Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN Inu-Yasha!…Still I have the right to dream I tug his ears!- :)
FlEsH AnD BoNeZ: Hello everyone! Sorry I haven't written for awhile, I feel I'm somehow losing it for some reason (Except the poem)…Well, never mind me. This is my second Inu-FIC!
Rating and Genre: Had some trouble to rate this, still I hope the rating won't go up. If you think it should, though, please complain about it in your review. The Genre is ANGST as always. I'm here for this, you know.
Summary: The unthinkable. The unreasonable. The fatal mistake, the thing he has sworn he would never fall for. And though almost everything can be granted a temporal forgiveness, this time, however...One shot, SesshomaruXRin.
The Juniper Tree
A gentle warm breeze traveled among the leaves on the branches, stirring the stalks of the full-blooming flowers. It looked like invisible hand was caressing the petals, putting them into the air in colorful rain of violet and red. Rain of petals. Heaven of smells. Last sunrays of the brightest day in the season. It was late spring.
The warm wind started somewhere up the hill, down with the brook and into the hot spring in the middle of the valley. It washed over every fruit, twirling around the perfect shapes, causing some of them to fall down on the almost dried earth with small thuds, only to be picked up by a pair of little gentle hands. The wind splashed water tears up to land on her heated skin, it played the song of the forest in the hollow sugar canes, which were the perfect accompaniment to her outstanding voice. And she sang like there were no tomorrow, as she ran down the valley to dip her hands in the warm waters of the spring, and laughed as she followed its twisting way down to the meadow.
She never noticed the shadow that was following her down the ore path.
There, on a pillow of deep green velvet grass stood the beautiful tree. It was higher than any other tree in the area, its branches thick and strong, carrying thousands of leaves and white-violet beautiful flowers on them. The fruits were showing up already, black-grey rounded balls, hiding in the smooth rough green on the branches, embraced tenderly by the petals. The Juniper Tree.
Rin ran to the lonely tree, her most favorite place all over her Lord's large grounds. It was far enough from the castle, and that meant Jaken wasn't there to hiss lectures on her nerves, and it was in a beautiful valley, near the hot spring, surrounded by million different colorful flowers, just like the big old tree was a king, and the flowers were his servants. The flowers were as beautiful as you can imagine, yet the tree was the most breathtaking sight you could ever meet.
Rin spent most of her time touring the lands near her Lord's castle. She wasn't allowed to go any farther. She knew every flower and every bird, and when she sang, her amazing voice echoing through the clearing, she could even hypnotize the squirrels. They got out of their hiding spots, listening closely to the purest music of the nature.
He breathed the heavy smell of the flowers, trying to intoxicate his senses, closing his marvelous eyes to try and fight the feelings that were now burning in his soul /It is a mistake. It's not meant to be…I have to…I have to go away…/ his body was pacing slowly behind the young lady who never paid attention, singing to herself.
She stepped carefully on the blanket of flowers, trying not to stomp on them and end their short blooming youth. Her heart was jumping inside her chest when she felt another warm breeze of evening playing the rustle of the leaves above her head, causing her kimono belt to loosen. She tied it again, smoothing the pale orange material. Then she touched the tree.
The good old trunk seemed to greet her, the breeze was stronger than ever on that moment. The branches moved and knocked each other, just like the tree was clapping for her, encouraging her to sing for him.
And when her voice breathed in the wind, causing every single flower in the meadow to open its petals and rise from the ground to absorb every sound, the Hell that was planted and raging inside his soul just burst.
He almost fell down to his knees, angry with this weakness, enraged he couldn't find a way to erase her image from his mind, to shut up her voice, to suffocate her scent. That scent was driving him insane for ages now. The sweet mixture of wild flowers and pure water, smooth like pearl, exotic and innocent.
/No…I mustn't…I can't…I…/ but he was already out of his mind. The little ningen girl cast her mystical spells on him without even knowing. The thoughts in his head were no longer his own…The demon had awakened…
Rin sent her hand to touch a flower on a lower branch. She took it away, bringing it closer to her face, inhaling the soft sweet scent of eternity. She was utterly calm and joyous. Only one image was in her mind. The vivid memory of her Lord. And with all her heart, she closed her eyes to sing for him.
His growing claws sank into his skin in his attempts to restrain himself. He let out an inaudible gasp of fury and helplessness. He never felt this way before. Yet the spring was never so intense before, her smell was never so intense before, his demon was never to determine before to break his oath. /I can't…Lose…Can't do this…/
And then she sang for him. Her voice was the fire in his red eyes, the blood that rushed in his body, the most ancient call. And the demon within his mind toed the line without hesitation. His shadow stretched on the grass when the flowers that were on his way turned into dust.
/Run…Please run, Rin! Just…RUN!.../
She heard the footsteps somewhere near her. Slowly her head rose to look at the road of demolition spreading on the grass, the flowers withering just like they were drowned in acid, her amber eyes still calm and deep, her body leaning gently on the Juniper tree, the white flower in her hand.
Her heart widened within her chest when she recognized her beloved Lord. The white robes around his body waving in the warm breeze of the afternoon, he made his way towards her.
She never saw his eyes.
Her lips widened in a soft smile she had there only for him, when she voiced the fatal phrase.
"Sesshomaru-Sama?"
He looked at her. She expected to see the golden calm orbs of her protector.
…
She lost her breath. She stepped aback to press herself to the tree, her hand desperately holding into the truck /What…What happened?.../
The scent of her fear reached the demon's longing lungs. The breeze wasn't warm anymore, but icy cold. She trembled on her place. The beast was awakened all at once, and it loped the distance between them in the speed of a lightening.
His clawed hand went forward.
She screamed, her voice breaking through the forest.
The flowers withered in seconds, falling dead smashed dried stalks of straw. The Juniper tree wilted, its flowers blackening and his petals fallen, snow of hurt. They hovered in the air with shards of pale orange silky material…
She woke up in the snow, her body sore, shaking wildly and alone. Her soul froze just like the frost on the branches of her now winter covered Juniper. She cried.
But he was her Lord. He was the one she loved. Soon new fire burned in her broken heart.
And though the scars were too deep to heal that fast, she felt something was beating inside her soul, reviving her, mending her trust in life and her Lord. Long ago she had sworn she would be with him forever. Long ago she had promised to trust him, no matter what happened. She never broke a promise.
She picked up her pale numb body from the snow she was lying in. She gazed at the starZ up above and asked them to lead her back to her home, to her Lord.
But to her surprise, she found no voice to form the words. She tried to speak, to sing, to scream, but no sound left her swollen lips. The bleeding bites on her neck were the most painful reminder of what had happened.
Shades of mute screams gleamed within the frozen petals on the ground.
breathing. Just breathing again.
Month had passed, and the snow melted away, filling the springs and the rivers with sweet bubbling.
Second month – and the grass grew up again, dancing with all the shades of green on what once was futile ground.
Third month – and flowers put down weak roots again, digging gently into the virgin ground just like asking for mute permission to live again, slowly they spread leaves and buds, filling the valley and the forest with soft tendrils.
Forth month – and the leaves on the branches of the trees in the forest bloomed like there were no tomorrow. Rin went to breathe the fresh air of the rain once again. She caressed every unborn flower, mutely praying for it to grow up in peace.
She still couldn't utter a word, even when close to the Juniper tree. It sent lazy arms to the pale rays of sun up above.
Fifth month – and birds sang again among the trees and the bushes. The leaves rustled and the crickets chirped at night near the lagoon. The lilies filled the waters with faint smell of up coming spring, and the Juniper stood proud than ever, covered by white-violet foliage.
Sixth month – and the smell was sweeter and sweeter. Flowers opened their petals in her hands, still Rin had some trouble to walk too far away from the castle. Seaweeds made the floor of the hot spring little too smooth for her, still she came to purify her soul in the sacred waters. Little rainbows were gleaming in the brook.
Seventh month – and the smell of the Juniper tree overwhelmed her, and she was going to die from the sudden relief and the joy she felt. She opened her mouth to thank the tree with a song, and discovered she was mute once more.
Sesshomaru-sama went to return her to the castle. His handsome features were softened when he looked at her, and his hand gently entangled itself in her silky black hair. She smiled when the tiredness and the fear clouded her eyes to fall into his arms.
/If I fade away…Please bury me under the Juniper tree…/
Eighth month – and Rin carefully stood on her tip toes to feel the fruits hiding within the flowers. She traced the smooth surface of the petiole, and sighed when she felt gentle spring wind on her face, playing with her long black silky hair. She sat down, and fell asleep under the tree.
She woke up when she felt her body moving. It was him, it was Sesshomaru-sama, and he carried her so gently to place her on a silky soft bed. When she closed her eyes he placed light kiss on her forehead, and went away, never saying a word.
She didn't answer.
Ninth month – and the meadow was wearing its late spring kimono. The flowers were blooming in crazy colors, so intense it could blind. The grass was green and the birds sang without bothering to even breathe. The fruits were full and rounded again, and so heavy that branches broke under their weight. Rin could hardly move now, still she crossed the fields and came to her beloved tree.
The smell in the air was of heavy perfume and caramel. The squirrels picked acorns for her, and placed them near the silent girl. She sat near the trunk of her tree and closed her eyes, letting her sore body and swollen legs rest a little.
Warm breeze kissed her cheeks. It was so vivid now, the memory of what had happened, the scars on her broken heart were bleeding once again.
The pain was intense, moving, coursing her body. She lost her breath.
And the pain overwhelmed her again, her blood rushed back into her head, she closed her eyes, holding into the tree.
It was over her now.
The scream crossed the lands of her Lord in desperate keen.
Jaken hurried to get the old Miko from the village near the castle. The old lady came immediately when she heard that a ningen girl needed help.
Walking past her powerful demon Lord, she glanced at the body of the young girl lying on the bed. "Hot water, clean clothes, now!" she said, taking the pale limp hand of the girl into her own "Please hold on, my little dear, please hold on…"
Jaken found Sesshomaru standing near the window. The demon Lord looked on a certain tree, far in the golden horizon of everlasting sunset. Sesshomaru never felt the need to ask for a divine help. But this time, however…
It was his fault. It was only his fault.
He broke his sacred oath.
He closed his eyes to hear her slow heart beatings.
Her smell was gradually sinking into the abyss. It was overtaken by the smell of blood. A choked voice yelped somewhere behind the wall, then it cried. And it wasn't her voice.
The old Miko had something lying safely in her arms coated in white when she went out of the room. She went closer to Sesshomaru, handing him the blanket.
"I'm very sorry, oh my great Lord, but he is the only one who I could save…"
Sesshomaru gently moved the white silk to look down at the baby. He was warm and quite, his golden eyes sadly gleaming in the light under a pale crescent on his little forehead.
Warm breeze jumped on the sugar canes. His little fingers grasped little pebbles and threw them through the rainbows into the hot spring. He stretched his arm to let a bird sit on his palm, careful not to wound it with his claws. And the bird told him a story about old ancient tree.
Little legs skipped over the ore path. The boy tried to get his long silver hair out of his face. The little ears on his head twitched when he followed the whispers of long lost voice he never heard. His nose was filled with the smell of ripe fruits and wild flowers.
It was late spring.
His white kimono waved in the warmth, as he touched the trunk of the highest tree in the valley. Its petals almost drowned him in their softness. Rain of love.
He put his legs in a little crack in the wood, and jumped to the first branch. He made his way up till he was sitting carefully on the treetop.
The last sunrays of golden light painted her image on his soul.
FAB: I know – I know…I'm horrible, yet I tried. I hope this story was fine. Now I have one sincere request: if you have a minute now, PLEASE REVIEW! I know I have to get better, and bless those who are willing to help.
Ja-Ne!