Underneath the Crescent Moon

AUTHOR: Angelhart
GENRE: romance/hurt/comfort
STORY: continuation
RATING: M
CHARACTERS: Izayoi and Inu no Taisō, Sesshōmaru's mother, Takemaru, Sesshōmaru.
DISCLAIMER: InuYasha ©2000 Rumiko Takahashi/Shogakukan - Yomiuri TV - Sunrise
All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. No money is being made from this work. No copyright infringement is intended.

This story is for all you Izayoi and Inu no Taishō fans out there!

My perspective on the tragic love story of Inyasha's parents.

Please mind the rating. As the story progresses mature content will be in this fic. If you are uncomfortable with that, please don't read.

Chapter 1

Maybe she was still dreaming. Falling leaves from the trees around her. As orange and red as the curtains of the litter she was being carried in. The autumn breeze almost unable to reach her. Only when she did hold the curtain fabric aside to take a peek at her new surroundings, the cool wind was able to make contact to her skin. Her hand, her face. The thick layers of kimono protecting her from the brutal nature of this season. Secretly, she loved fall. The world decorated with a different pattern of colors, so unlike spring. Before it would turn into the deep winter slumber, the world would cover all seeds, tug them in underneath a blanket of colorful patterns, to protect them from the danger to come.

She let the curtain fall in its place again as she withdrew her hand. Like her. The outer layer of her jūnihitoe the same color pattern of the season. The carriage, the curtains. And even the red harness of the men carrying it. Like a blanket, but not to protect her, although it was their intend. It felt more like they were smothering her.

And if she would look back she knew she would be able to see the same orange and red color in the sky. Flames consuming her previous life as she was traveling to her new one.

They stopped and she peeked again. Turning around and opening the curtain. It was already becoming dark and despite her expectation there were no flames. If she focused real hard she was able to see smoke. A disturbance of grey in the deep dark blue in the far distance. The curtain fell in place again as she turned her body to the sound of coughs in front of her. The rustle and voices of men as they rushed to her father's side. A dying man on horse back heading to his final destination.

An invitation of the Setsuna family. One of few who supported the house of her father, still after it had been bestowed on so much misfortune that it was now even called 'cursed'. Illness and death. A curse bestowed by his enemies, he suspected. One that could only be broken by more death. And so he had fought those that opposed him, all in revenge of misfortune. Hand in hand with the previous lord of Setsuna who met his end in the process. And now the House of Setsuna was ruled by that lord's only son.

She had met him when he had delivered the head of the man who had called out to the gods to bring her father's house down. She had peeked from her location as her father had approached the gold-plated box. Already befallen by the mysterious illness he had pushed himself up from his decorative throne as the new lord of Setsuna opened it. And she had not dared to move closer, her father waving her to stay put, but she had raised herself onto her toes to catch a glimpse of their enemy.

But his death did not undo whatever curse had been placed upon her father. His health still decreasing. And even the best of doctors could not find the cure. And so one evening he had called out to her from his bed. Hardly the recognizable figure of the proud man who had once watched his young daughter dance underneath the falling Sakura blossoms with a smile on his face. Their house was poisoned and doomed to fall. And without sons, her mother having died at child birth, it could not be revived again. And even though their family had been befallen by a curse, the lord of the House of Setsuna still kept the alliance and showed interest in their blood line. And to honor the gift of the slaughter of their enemy, her father would pay respect to that alliance by giving away his only daughter.

And so they had left their cursed home. Burned it to the ground and she was on her way to her new life. To become a wife after her father's death and after her mourning. And that dreadful cough she could hear announced that death was following her father closely.

He had insisted to ride on horseback. The carriage in front of hers, empty. A proud man who would slay unseen monsters for her. Fend off her nightmares whenever she couldn't sleep as a child. Shadow casting stories upon the walls that had made her giggle and feel loved and protected. But those childish games were not part of a young woman's live. Worry was part of her life now.

Would she not disgrace her family? What if she couldn't give the new lord of Setsuna a son? What if the mysterious illness that had killed so many servants, warriors and was now tormenting her father, had made her barren? What if their family was still cursed. Would ruin befall on the House of Setsuna now that they had invited them in?

She had asked the man bluntly. A straight forwardness that had made her maidens gasp but the man had turned his horse around and had looked down upon her. "I do not believe in curses. Only in things I can see and kill."

And she had watched him and his men ride off. Her eyes drawn to the rotting head on the stake near the gate.

They were moving again. The slow climb of the steep of the mountain. With very step of the men carrying her, with every rocking motion of the litter, her heart seemed to beat slightly faster. And at the sudden sound of thunder over the mountains she flinched and grasped her chest.

The young lord bowed respectfully before her and she returned his respect. There was no smile on his face. Nothing that drew her in immediately and it left her sad. She thanked him for his hospitality and watched him leave with her father. Two powerful men dressed in ceremonial armor.

Love… A feeling that her maidens described as something so powerful it would be able to break down any curse. Something she feared and longed for. It wasn't there yet, for she was told it would have made her heart dance and do all kinds of things to her body, that her maidens had described to her in detail. Secret information shared in between giggles. She wasn't feeling all those things at all. Would she ever?

"Lady Izayoi." An older woman bowed before her and guided her to her accommodation. Her kimono's were feeling heavy and she found herself hardly moving forward at all. There was only one of her maidens left and she was grateful for at least one familiar face. The young woman smiled reassuringly.

Lanterns were lit and behind soft curtains they stripped her of the kimono layers. Each layer a burden falling of her body. And she was reminded of her delicate figure as the old woman removed the last layer and she was now left in a mere simple yukata.

"My lady, your are so thin." The worry in the woman's voice made her turn slightly and stare at her reflection in the large mirror. A wooden frame decorated with the carving of birds and flowers. Almost similar to the one she had back home.

But before she was able to witness the result of the hardship her family's house had dealt with in the last few years two new kimono's were already covering her yukata. The outer kimono a black with soft yellow and red. A beautiful flower pattern in expensive silk.

"A gift of my lord. You like, my lady?"

She nodded, her hands feeling the soft fabric and she voiced a soft thank you. They rearranged her long hair and she closed her eyes at the soft brushes. She was tired after the long trip, but this new place had made her too nervous to give in to sleep just yet. And as they took their distance she walked around and eyed to what was to be her new home.

Things looking familiar, even the setting, but not quite. Like in a dream world.

"Our lord had it made to be similar to your previous residence, my lady. So, you would feel at home. If there is anything missing, please inform me. I will be your main servant."

Another thank you, one of many more to be sure to follow. A little jump of her heart and she smiled at the feeling. Love would break any curse…

Voices and she looked at the closed door. Her own maiden was talking to someone. Then the young woman turned around. "It is lord Setsuna, my lady. He is here to escort you to your father."

She gestured for the door to be opened and this time as he looked at her, he did smile. "My lady." He bowed his head. "I hope my gifts please you."

"Yes, my lord. Very much so. Thank you."

"Good. Your father awaits you."

She followed him on the enagawa to the wooden hallway path that lead to another building. Staring over the garden she could see the stars in the distance of the night's sky. The serene sound of flowing water of the small manmade creek beneath her. The roof of the hallway above her head hiding her from the rumbling thunder.

Her father was waiting for her on the engawa of his own new residence. Dressed in a black yukata as if the vail of death was surrounding him already.

"My lord. My lady." Lord Setsuna bowed twice then took his leave. Her maidens, her new and the one she brought with her, were waiting for her at the start of the engawa, bowing deeply as lord Setsuna passed them.

She could hear her father's heavy breathing before he spoke. "Are you happy, Izayoi?"

She didn't know how to answer that question. She was happy that they were welcomed into a new home, but she wasn't happy with the knowledge of her father's upcoming death. Her silence made him look at her.

"You look so much like your mother." He smiled. "That new kimono fits you beautifully, my daughter. Lord Setsuna has a fine taste. He will take good care of you."

"Yes, father." She lowered her head.

The starlight was reflected in his silver grey grey hair that was bound in a top knot. A thin moustache and a thin grey goat like beard added to the powerful frame on his face. Wrinkles in tanned skin, a result of the burning sun during so many battles to protect his house, his family.

There was thunder over the mountains. The bright flash that immediately followed was casting shadows on the thoughtful expression of his face.

"Thunder without rain. The gods are restless tonight." A smile was on his lips to comfort her. "Fear not, my daughter. Gods have no business in the world of men. They will not come for me tonight. Not yet."

But still she shivered. The coldness of the night able to reach her through the three layers covering her.

And even as she was lying in her new, strange bed she couldn't sleep. Listing to the rolling thunder outside her room, the cold breeze finding its way inside to cracks in wood and stone, announcing winter would be coming soon.

And in the darkness, behind the shutters, she could still see the bright light of the crescent moon.

A/N: The start of this continuation is long overdue. I started the main set up for this fic three years ago. One reason of the delay was the special promo footer for my blog that wasn't finished yet. And another reason was that I wasn't pleased about the version of chapter 1 at that time. So, I rewrote this chapter.

This story will be updated every month, unless mentioned otherwise. For information about the exact update schedule, please check my 'Work in Progress' page on my tumblr blog. You can find me on tumblr as Angelhart79.