Holding the slender body of Kaena close to his chest, memories flooded his mind.
Gazing at her sleeping form in the early morning light, the subtle rise and fall of her chest under the covers. How her curled fingers would twitch ever so slightly every now and then.
Breath escaping past those lovely lips of luscious, healthy pink her eyelids suddenly gave a flutter and opened as she yawned slightly. Focusing her perfect black pools on his amber for a second before closing them and letting those long eyelashes brush the smooth texture of her skin.
Abruptly the serenity was ripped apart as her once peaceful face was covered in the sight of blood and marred with an expression of pain and sadness. Breath leaving her for the last time.
His body convulsed as he smothered the immense sorrow building within him, he could do nothing but hold her tighter, nearly crushing her. Why could the Tenseiga not save her? Why only her?
Q_Q_
"Say, Totosai?" asked Inuyasha watching the scene unfold before him with with a heavy heart. "You said this would happen. . ."
He had no need for finishing his sentence as the old man Totosai sighed "It is time I finish the story then."
Everyone turned their attention to the man still sitting in his three eyed cow. As he drew a breath it was as if the heavens himself waited to shed their tears in anticipation.
"Five hundred years ago, I met the Kaena that is this ones incarnation. Well to be more precise, your father met her first. . . "
A young woman was walking amongst the sakura trees an autumn when a demon, high in both pride and power emerged in her line of sight.
"Step aside, filth." He had said and gotten in reply: "I am not in any need to step aside since it isn't your earth I am standing on. Lord"
That exchange turned to many over time as it seemed she frequented that grove of sakura often.
Just as often did the Lord wonder why he hadn't killed her on sight and still wouldn't.
"Wait a minute!" came the surprised voice of Kagome "you aren't suggesting that. . ."
"I am. The reason for Taishos love for humans, his meeting Izayoi-sama and ultimately having you, Inuyasha, were all Kaena. She was the very first human he ever talked to."
All was silent as everyone processed the information "so what happened then?" Sango pitched in.
"Well obviously she died" snorted Inuyasha in his usual blunt way though in his mind he too wondered how. Among other things such as the relationship between her and his mother and if he had loved Kaena more.
"Yes, she died, your honored father killed her."
Everyone stared in shock at the old wrinkly man "why?" this time it was Inuyashas voice that broke through, small and cracked with disbelief that wasn't befitting of him at all. Though no one could blame him, clearly his father had loved the woman, yet killed her all the same. Had he truly ever held love for any human? It didn't make sense.
"It was all a terrible accident, a trick of fate if you may and it left him devastated." they were all on edge as they continued listening.
A few years had passed and the Lord held what was the early beginnings of Tessaiga in his hands, though not with the abilities that it now possesses.
Watching it proudly as it glimmered in the sun, brand new as it was in its unturned form he sheathed it and went to see the cause of the smile on his face.
Sadly what met him at the sakura trees wasn't at all the girl he had hoped for but another demon who had found out about their connection.
He cut down the demon with his newly forged sword, only to find it was an illusion. The dead body before him was Kaena and the demon that had possessed her was killed with her.
The sword sucked up her blood, trembling with guilt for what he had done it changed and became Tenseiga, the healing sword.
"That same night he came to me and asked to make it so that the sword could hurt no human, making sure that he would never repeat his mistake. He also vowed to protect the next one he loved with his life and I trust you all know the rest."
"Why couldn't the Tenseiga heal her then?" Kagome asked, and everyone nodded in agreement, they all wanted to know the answer.
"It cannot resurrect that which no longer has a soul" Seeing the questioning faces he thought that maybe a little elaboration was needed. "The Tenseiga is a sword which stops the underlings from the netherworld to take the soul away from the body, subsequently saving them from death but if the subject in question does not have a soul, it cannot happen. Which is why you can't do so twice neither resurrect one that has been dead for very long."
"Yeah I get that and all, but it still doesn't explain why she couldn't be saved!" Inuyasha barked.
"Wait!" Sango gasped "the demon that possessed her. . ." everyone turned to look at the demon slayer, Totosai nodded. "How cruel."
"What!" came the unison question from the group. The old man answered "when a demon as powerful as the one that possessed Kaena comes along, it latches on to the very soul and simply killing it with it's host. . . results in the demon pulling the soul with it as it dies."
"Kaena could not be saved, because that demon had made sure of it." Sango said.
The conversation died out as everyone fell into silence. A mild autumn breeze shook the grass and brought the smell of impending rain with it. All the world was gray.
To think that his father had once loved the incarnation of the woman that his brother now held onto for dear life was mind boggling and slightly disturbing. It only showed to prove though, that a reincarnation of a person was not in any way the same as the previous one. Wait, not the same. . . a reincarnation isn't the same, it isn't the same!
"Why can't he resurrect her now then?" his voice cut through the silence "her soul is here and there is no demon possession thingy goin' on!"
"Because" came the clipped answer from the sword smith "the connection between the sword and her is strong and it hinders the ability due to your fathers guilt. Only the ultimate technique can have a chance at surpassing that and Sessomaru can't perform it."
They all turned their heads to watch the scene at the field beneath the hill once more.
TnT
He hadn't meant to but Sessomaru had heard every word up till the point where the wind had changed after the slayer woman had stated she couldn't be saved. Not that he cared much for what was said after that, it didn't matter if Kaenas life was impossible to retrieve anyway.
Slowly he laid her down on the grass again and examined her face even closer as if there was some answer to be found there. Once again he unsheathed the blade and found that there was nothing surrounding her for him to cut.
Nothing left to do but bury her then, he thought and placed the useless object in her limp hands.
Maybe this was the punishment he got for allowing himself to house feelings for a human. She would have died anyways wouldn't she, eventually.
The cruel voice that was his more animal side appeared.
Maybe, but admit it. You still missed out. It would have been a while until she went and kicked it and by then we might have had pups to remember her by. Tell me, idiot, did she know how much we wanted her?
When it got no answer it continued No, she didn't did she? And whose fault is that hn? Yeah this is punishment, punishment for being a stubborn ass! If it was me I would've marked her long ago and she would have been ours! It's too late for any of that now and no one is to blame for that but you.
He hadn't asked for any of this, nor wanted it. He couldn't even muster up anger towards the youki beating down on him.
Looking at her face he didn't care. He didn't care about what he hadn't told her and what he might have had with her, the truth was that she hadn't deserved to die and all possibility for her to have those things, he'd taken away from her.
Thinking about it like that made it seem like he had killed her himself and he felt from the bottom of his heart how painful it was. A lost life had never hurt so much before.
Letting the blade fall to the ground he brought her up to embrace her again and as a single teardrop fell he whispered ever so softly "I'm sorry"
To the surprise of the spectators Tenseiga suddenly started to glow and the light only grew larger by the second.
The figure beside it didn't seem to notice as a pillar of light rose and expanded until it washed over them with a gentle warmth.
As if it had never happened the light disappeared leaving everyone within the radius of where it had been feeling like summer had yet ended. The grass was a smidgen greener and stopped abruptly to make for a comical sight. Even the clouds had cleared from the sky leaving an odd blue circle in the middle of the gray.
Refocusing on the figures in the field all thoughts vanished from their minds at once. There sat, unlike a minute ago two figures.
XD
Kaena opened her eyes as the light flowed around them and Sessomaru felt a warm breath on his neck, he was almost afraid to look should it be an illusion. Almost but any thought of fear were far from his mind as he turned to face her bafflement. Clearly hearing the steady beat of her heart under the blue kimono.
Even as the light died out they didn't tear their eyes from each other. One pair a shocked stare, the other a warm gaze filled with joy he could not express in any other way.
On the top of the hill the others were witnessing the scene with very much the same expression as Kaena now held, mouths open. Totosai laughed, loudly. "The great Sessomaru has finally learned true compassion!" he gasped out and then continued where he left off.
"Someday I really will die" she said quietly as you would a word that should not be said.
"Yes, but not yet"
The sun shone through the newly made hole as the clouds finally let the droplets go, plunging them to the ground. She would die, far too soon for his liking she really would. But for the time being, she was here, with him and he was going to make every minute of that time count.