"The Veil"
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha characters nor do I profit from them. This story is posted only for the enjoyment of the reader. All Inuyasha characters in this story are the copyright of Rumiko Takahashi.
Summary: All he wanted was to touch her, to let her know what he could not say. Yet, there was just one problem.
*Notes: Hello everyone! Did you miss me? Don't answer that! ^o^ This is something that just came as I sat and wrote. I needed a break from writing the remaining chapters of "Innocent Enough" Don't worry people! I have not forgotten. I don't like slow updates myself so please forgive me. Please, please with cherries on top and some sprinkles. ;) Well, maybe not sprinkles. I don't even like sprinkles. Why am I talking so much? Review and tell me why? x] Enjoy! J
'Rin…Rin…Rin…Rin…!' quietly echoed Sesshoumaru's conscience as he sat in silence underneath the orange-green tentacles of a weeping willow. Somewhere within the dark chasm of his mind, the image of her lovely visage kept spewing up before him like the waves of the sea; though, it had been over ten years since they parted. He sighed, knowing he would never be rid of his need for her. 'Was this his father's way of exacting revenge?' he wondered. If so, it was cruel and vengeful indeed. Again, he sought the solace of total silence, desperately needing to keep the sharp sword of his memories at bay. Yet, no sooner had he obtained his desired goal when a peaceful wind gently breezed through the valley in which he sat, momentarily disturbing the long vines which softly caressed his pallid cheeks. For what seemed like the span of a teardrop, he could almost fancy the slim, delicate fingers which used to shyly touch his face then draw back in uncertainty.
'Foolish dog!' He thought to himself. Still, the thought of her lingered in his mind like a haunting dream he could not forget.
Daily, she came to him beckoning him with her eyes; taunting him with her smile and daily she would disappear back beyond the veil which separated them.
Reluctantly, he opened his golden orbs at the sudden sound of voices-voices he must have heard a thousand times before-voices he knew by name without beholding their faces. They would come to the river to catch fish, to bathe, to play and not once give thought to the figure crouching beneath the lowly tree…the lowly tree which stood near the river's bank, save for one.
There, they would remain all day until the evening bell rang, signifying the setting of the sun and the hour of the cock when all the families gathered into their homes from the prying eyes of night, save for one.
Now, they were washing their garments, bubbling over with laughter and he could hear the children playing just outside the village. There was one in particular whom he imagined stood head and shoulders above the rest in almost every way. Stronger, faster, wiser he imagined this one to be though he had yet to lay eyes on him.
"Hn!" he snorted. Why should that concern him, now? Still, somehow, it made his heart swell with joy and clench with sadness for he would never enjoy the seed of his loins with the one he wished. He would never watch the pup grow into the proud son of a taiyoukai and rule over the western lands as the Inu No Taisho.
Again, he closed his eyes, wanting to shake the very notion from his mind and sat quietly listening to the sounds of the village.
"Rin! Where are you going!" called a concerned female voice. Immediately, he sat up supposing it was just his imagination.
"To rest for a while," answered a vibrant yet shy voice. "It's such a nice day, I thought I'd relax under my favorite tree."
"Of course, just don't stay as long as you did the other day, will ya? I get worried about you, you know?" replied the woman.
"I'm sorry. I won't be long," answered the shy, small voice.
Sesshoumaru paused, not even daring to breathe.
'Rin!' he silently called out.
Again, a soft wind blew quietly through the valley, parting the curtains of the weeping willow as if to invite the young woman to tea. Dark, wavy locks rustled cheerfully among the long spindly vines and settled abruptly as they closed in all around her.
Sesshoumaru sat still, not wanting the image to vanish yet refusing to hold out for a hope.
She sat down beside him and leaned against the old tree. Looking up into its canopy, she sighed longingly.
From amidst silver bangs, he slowly gazed upon the young woman.
She was beautiful…just like he had always envisioned. Carefully, he made a mental note of every curve of her face, the way her lashes rested sweetly upon her eyelids, the way her cheeks blushed with emotion and her lips parted with wonder.
He could not deny. It was hard to look away. So hard, in fact, that he gave up rather than try to fight it.
There was a long silence as he searched for a way to touch her. Her eyelids began to flutter with sleep. Then, slowly, he leaned in for one, gentle kiss.
She did not blink. She did not respond but instead drifted quietly into slumber.
He sighed inwardly, endeavoring not to be disappointed. After all, he had done this so many times before. Why should this moment be any different? 'At least he could still hold her,' he thought. Though feeling was gone and smell had ceased ages ago, he could still relish in the warmth of her embrace and delight in the fragrance of her love. At least that's what he told himself. Tenderly, he took her in his arms and watched over her while she slept.
"Rin!" he whispered. Perhaps she would hear him in her dreams. Yet, still she remained unmoved.
As he sat there, he remembered the many times she would come to the river in the joyful procession of the crowd. Soon after, she would steal away beneath the willow tree and there she would sit all day.
On occasion, she would bring flowers, too. He noted.
It seems she never outgrew her love of them, he thought as a slight smirk briefly passed across his placid features.
He sighed softly.
What he wouldn't give to hold her, touch her once more, he mused.
"Mother!...Mother!" called the voice of a young boy.
Immediately, the young woman awoke and stood up. Dusting herself off, she reached to open the orange-green curtain but a pair of youthful hands parted it for her.
"Mother, are you visiting father again?" said the young boy as he looked up into the woman's big brown eyes.
"Yes my love," she crooned happily.
"I thought so," he said smugly as he fully entered the hanging vines. "I brought some incense so we can light a candle for father tonight." He remarked eagerly. "That's great!" the young woman replied.
"Where did you get all of these?" she asked, puzzled, as he showed her an impressive array of the aromatic sticks.
"I took them from old man Yoniguni."
"What!" exclaimed the young woman.
"He didn't need them and I required them so I took them," explained the boy nonchalantly.
"I can only assume that is your father speaking," said the woman.
Unconsciously, Sesshoumaru smiled. Filled with a completeness and a yearning he had not felt in a long time, he sat there amazed at the young boy before him.
There was no question.
From the silver of his head, to the fiery gold of his eyes, down to the magenta stripes on his cheeks, without a doubt, he was the full-blooded son of a taiyoukai.
Swelling with pride, for the first time, Sesshoumaru looked upon his seed and felt a bursting of bonds.
As he watched the young woman light the incense, he realized there was only one thing holding him back…
Solemnly, the young boy laid the flowers near the small shrine at the base of the tree and walked quietly back through the long, swaying vines.
He had to.
He just had to touch her one last time.
As she sadly turned to walk back through the veil forever, he didn't know why but suddenly he called out.
"Rin!"
The woman stood still and looked back towards the tree.
There was nothing and no one there.
Still, she stood and stared…..waiting…waiting for someone to call her name.
It was the hour of the cock and the sun began to set.
Suddenly and slowly, she raised a small, delicate hand and waved goodbye for whatever reason, silently uttering, "I love you."
A peaceful wind gently breezed through the valley, momentarily disturbing the long vines which softly hung down all around them. No longer did she beckon him with her eyes or taunt him with her smile nor would her name echo in the deep chasm of his mind.
He had finally touched her and with one last glance, he too disappeared back beyond the veil.