Author`s Note: I apologise for forgetting to attach the following disclaimer in the previous chapter.

Disclaimer: "Inuyasha : A Feudal Fairy Tale" is the sole property of Rumiko Takahashi. I own no part in it nor wish to gain anything but mental pleasure of a fan fiction writer from this piece of writing concerned with "Inuyasha". This writing is completely fictional and any similarity between this story and any occurrences or any person or group of people; dead or alive, is purely coincidental and unintentional.


Keep Your Promise


Inuyasha watched his brother interacting with the human child named Rin. He wondered why his brother, who seemed to despise all other humans, kept her around.

No. He corrected himself with a frown. He does not just tolerate her, but cares for her well being.

Not that he cared but it bothered him somewhat that a human child with no ties with the western lord, in his knowledge at least, was being looked after his brother who hated him for having human blood.

Keh. He gave himself a shake. Listen to me, getting all sappy.

It had been months since they had defeated Naraku. Miroku and Sango were married. They had been staying at Edo permanently. Seshomaru had revived Kohaku and he has come along with his sister. Miroku helped Kaede in purifying duties and Sango and Kohaku helped him in keeping enemy yokai at bay.

Not that they had much to do. Very few yokai were stupid enough to stumble in the village, now that Seshomaru came to visit Rin, who was under Kaede`s care, every month.

Seshomaru had become … less enemy like. He thought. His half brother even used his power to ensure that Kagome could continue passing through the times.

Once the jewel had been completed, Kagome had vanished to her own era and had been unable to return. Inuyasha had fell in a deep depression and started living down in the well. That month, when Seshomaru arrived, Rin told him about the hanyou`s condition and Seshomaru had demanded to be informed of the well`s mechanism. After learning of its power from Kaede, He had jumped in the well, threw his brother out and put a barrier around to stop him from jumping in again. Then he spent an entire night working in the well, using spells and enchantment known only to him. Inuyasha had felt the rise in his yokai and had been tense the entire night. The following morning he had emerged along with Kagome.

The well shall allow only her and none else to pass through.

He had told him and all others gathered before the well.

"He came in our house and told me that the well was working once more." Kagome had told them. "I don't know how he did it."


Talking about Kagome, Inuyasha turned to the girl from future. There she was, speaking with Sango and picking herbs for the villagers.

A week ago, a plague of some type had attacked the village. It was not too severe but the children and the elderly folk suffered much. The ailed ones suffered from rashes on their palm and underside of feet and had high fever. Even though there were no casualties yet, the plague was worrisome as Kagome had not been able to find a cure as of yet. Seshomaru had supplied Kaede with some herbs that lessened the fever but has not been able to do anything about the rashes.

Wonder what he will do if Rin falls sick as well?

Inuyasha gave himself a shake, scowling at himself." Why the hell am I thinking about them so much?" He ranted at himself. "They are irritating, really. I won't be surprised if that kid grows up to be a copy of him and I suppose Jaken is that mad only cause he have to suffer from a complete Seshomaru and a half … no… quarterly Seshomaru. In fact…"

Ow! Ow! Ow!

He jumped a feet and glared at the girl who had the audacity of pulling his ears and looking angry, actually angry at him. Him, when he did nothing.

Inuyasha was about to give her a piece of mind when he noticed Kaede with her. Usually that won't dissuade him but Kaede looked exceptionally grave and held a letter of some sort in her hand.

"What is this?" Inuyasha asked gruffly.

The question was meant for Kaede but Kagome was the one to answer him. "The letter is from a priestess from northern regions." She explained. "There had been several mysterious attacks on her village, all resulting in one or two women being kidnapped, all in the age range of fourteen to nineteen."

"All right," Inuyasha snorted impatiently. "But how is that important to us?"

Kaede was the one to answer him this time. "She had asked for help from me. She was a friend of mine in youth till she was sent to be trained in the north."

"Let me guess." Inuyasha spoke before Kaede could continue. "You want me to help her."

"Well Inuyasha, Lady Kaede is hardly fit for such a long journey and I can't leave the village in such a time." Kagome huffed. "So I thought perhaps I could ask for your help."

Inuyasha gave an internal sigh. I can't deny her when she is being this nice and eager to help others or, he frowned, even when she is not being nice and eager to help others.

So he grumbled assertively.

Seshomaru watched as his brother agreed to the miko of future and frowned in displeasure.

He gives her, a mortal, too much importance in his heart. Should she fall, he shall be devastated.

He had watched his brother for the last two hundred and fifty years as the young pup grew from infancy to childhood and then to present adolescence. He had ensured that the hanyou lived. He had crafted the ordeals surrounding his brother to the extent where he would be hated by the young hanyou.

He had seen his brother being hurt by mortality of the ones he loved, again and again.

Despite his mixed heritage, his life span is that of a pure demon. He shall suffer for deaths of any ningen he cares to get close to.

I cannot remedy his feelings. He reminded himself. I do not want to. It is what makes him himself.

But I cannot allow his feelings for her interfere in his health either. Seshomaru decided. I need to let him know that he has a family to return to, a family whom he shall not outlive, now that the council is dead.

And not hope for his cooperative participation. He added to his earlier thoughts as he watched Inuyasha grumble about the miko`s inconsideration.


Inuyasha was really pissed when he was awakened so very unceremoniously by Shipo.

I really am gonna punch that runt`s face off. He snarled to himself. One of these days Shipo, you just wait.

His wrath must have shown on his face `cause the kit had squealed and ran off at that snarl. He felt rather delighted at the terror and ignored the tiny shard of guilt at the back of his mind.

Doesn't matter if he woke me up only cause that wench asked him to. He scowled. That runt was the one who decided to do it by squeezing a mango, a fucking mango, in my ear.

Yes, Inuyasha was terribly pissed.

He had been woken up in such a horrifying manner, my poor ears, when he was resting after a day of doing charity, a very long day of helping humans in their chores, what a waste of time, and for what?

There were not even human attacks on the village, much less a demon attack.

No, it was just the wench and her stupid ideas." Inuyasha go and hunt some bucks. You need to give it to priestess Kamiko when you visit her as a gift."

Honestly, what the hell? He was going to help that woman because she needed it so why on the earth would he need to give her gifts?

And when he told that to Kagome all he got were sits.

Which left him dirty with mango juice and soil.

Really, no one appreciated his presence.

So now, thanks to the miko and the runt, he was here, in the river with only his head floating above water.

It is refreshing. He had to agree. The day had been long and hot and the water was cool. Not icy to numb his skin but still cool enough to sooth his body from the wound of all those sits he received.

The rosary always tore his muscles during its action. And he could not breathe when his nose was pressed to the ground. It was a terrifying experience for him, the feeling of being caged. The rosary also weakened what little youki he had endangered his physical and sometime his mental health.

Not that he would ever inform Kagome of that. He was certain that it would make her cry and that`s one thing he didn't want.

Not like I can't bear it. No points in making her feel guilty.

Inuyasha knew that Kagome would not use the incantation ever again if she knew of his wounds. Feh, she would take the kotodama off.

There were times when Inuyasha wished for that but those were rare. He knew that the kotodama played a big role in keeping his inner beast locked.

It works when Tetsusaiga would not.

He didn't want his freedom so bad that he would endanger the lives of his friends.

I am alright. He told himself. The rosary is not really a shackle. I don't mind staying here, in Edo. I have people who care for me here. Kagome loves me and I can be happy with her even though I don't return her exact feelings.

And there, at that point, he always faltered.

Inuyasha chose to ignore that train of thought for the present moment. It was the one that gave him the biggest headache and he really wanted to enjoy the bath.

So he was floating, with the cool water, and there was silence in wood and a nice and exotic scent. Scent of ocean and tsunamis mingled with the scent of a moon lit forest where sakura flowers blossomed. And over it all the scent of wild freedom and thunder storms with only a touch of gentle meadows. A scent that he knew well. It came from the yokai standing before him, on the shore, a yokai with purple markings on his cheeks. A yokai who looked at him with amused amber eyes and he was floating…

Yaikes!

"WHAT THE FUCKING HELL?" Inuyasha flew out of the water and came nose to nose with his brother who was leaning lazily against a tree on the river shore. "Why did you sneak up on me, bastard?"

"I was completely legitimate." Seshomaru drawled." And I see that you have decided to return the fire rat robe to its right full owner at last."

That reminded Inuyasha of his current nakedness.

Growling under his breath, he jumped back in the water and tried to hide the blush that was working its way up in his neck and cheeks. "The robe is mine" he snarled." And keep your eyes to yourself."

"There is no reason for me to do so." Seshomaru scoffed." There is nothing that I haven't seen before."

-"Well it's my body."

-"And I have seen that body bare before."

"What?" Inuyasha frowned, now completely dressed and sat down on a rock adjacent to his brother`s tree.

"When you were born", Seshomaru answered him.

Inuyasha was rather surprised." How did you see me when I was born?"

"A long story Inuyasha." Seshomaru stood up straight." One I do not feel like revealing."

"Well, what do you want?" Inuyasha sent a glare to his brother." Why are you here?"

"I was taking a stroll to amuse myself when your barbaric behavior drew my attention", Seshomaru pointed out.

"You, you…" Inuyasha was all but spluttering. Then he gave a smirk." You just wanted to ogle me, right?"

Seshomaru snorted. "Do keep your fantasy to yourself, half breed."

And Inuyasha was flying at him with a snarl.

He attempted to land a punch on his brother`s face and nearly fell over at being dodged. He tried again only to feel a fist in his stomach that sent him crashing against the nearest tree. He jumped right back, attempting to head butt his stupid stripy brother, who was as calm as ever while he was panting. But Inuyasha was dodged yet again and he attempted to turn in mid air and hit Seshomaru.

But he had judged the distance wrongly. And Inuyasha could feel himself propelling towards his brother`s armor. The momentum was too great and he was going to get skewered against those spikes on that heavy armor of his brother and he could do nothing…

Inuyasha felt himself crashing against his brother`s chest. But instead of cold steel of the armor, he felt a warm, soft blanket pressed against his face. He could feel hands around his waist and back to keep him standing. He pulled back a little, to find a wall of white before his eyes.

He used his fur to protect me!

Inuyasha looked up and saw Seshomaru looking down at him with a strange expression. There was longing and sorrow in his eyes and curve of his lips and something else that Inuyasha refused to recognize. Instead he tried to move back only to fail. Seshomaru was still holding him flush against his own body and his arms kept Inuyasha captive.

"Er… ", Inuyasha coughed a little." You can let go now."

He watched Seshomaru blink and move back, releasing him almost unwillingly.

He seems so wistful.

"Attempt not to suicide again." Seshomaru spoke in a monotone and turned away.

"Hey", Inuyasha started to yell." That was an accident."

But Seshomaru had already gone and Inuyasha was left to ignore the feeling of loneliness needling his heart.


It took less than half of an hour for Inuyasha to finish his hunting. He could barely enjoy the wind while he jumped from tree to tree. His brother's eyes, moments before he let go, kept on coming back to him.

He looked so tired and sad.

Inuyasha did not really wish to think about that though. He was well aware that wondering about it would only make him hope for a life that never could be. He would start hoping for his brother`s acceptance and that…

No point hoping for the impossible.

Inuyasha gave a faint smile to himself. No matter how much cordial Seshomaru became, He would never accept Inuyasha, a hanyou as pack. He had always made it clear that he despised Inuyasha`s mixed blood and the said hanyou was certain that the only reason behind Seshomaru`s cordiality was…

And there was the catch. Inuyasha knew next to nothing about his pure yokai half brother.

Every action he takes are polar opposite to each other.

May be it is because of that brat. Inuyahsa wondered. Rin has grown increasingly fond of him during her stay at Edo. She insisted upon spending as much time as possible with the white haired hanyou. Seshomaru would certainly be nice to me if Rin asked him to.

It felt really ironic to Inuyasha that his brother would despise him for having only half human blood and would accept a human child without any connection to him at all. He wondered if it was because in him his father`s blood mingled with a human`s, that of his mother`s. Not like I had a choice in being born.

Inuyasha shook away the unwanted thoughts that would do nothing but depress him. I have known all my life that he hates me. Just because he changed his behavior towards me a little bit, doesn't mean I should get my hopes up. It is about time that I accept the fact that he won't think of me as family ever.

He moved swiftly towards the village, trying to forget all the memories that had resurfaced.


It took little time for him to skin the buck. Masako and Mitsuko, the twin sisters who were the best cook of the village, prepared the meat and packed it up in four boxes for ease of carrying the food. Mean while, the skin was tanned by Asahi, a village tanner. Before the sun has set the meat and the skin was ready and Inuyasha set off.

I should be there by dawn. Inuyasha thought as he flitted though the forest, the food and the skin tied to his back. He enjoyed the night air that whipped against him. It is the closest I would come to flying.

He wondered how he would be welcomed in the village he was approaching. Kitaku was the name of the village. Even though the letter asked for help, Inuyasha had no reason to believe that the villagers would welcome a half demon as their savior. Feh. He scoffed to himself. What do I care? I am only doing this as a favor to Kagome.


When Inuyasha reached the village, the sun had already risen. Thanks to a sneak demon, it took him more time to arrive. Doesn't seem like they are bothered. Inuyasha looked around. They are still sleeping. And he noted, they aren't so worried that they left guards or barrier.

He could see the shrine that rose above the village. Must be where the priestess stays. He ran up the stairs.

The shrine seemed well cared for. But he still could not find anyone. So he walked up to the bell that hung against a tree and rang it.

The whole village will be awakened. He shrugged to himself. Well I am not going to wait forever.

True to its size, which was enormous, the bell rang with a loud sound. Inuyasha could already hear yells from inside the shrine and cries of children from the village. They probably think that they are attacked. He felt a little guilty. But only a little, not much. They wanted the help. He turned as he sensed a human approaching him.

The woman who came could not be more that nineteen. She had dark hair that she wore down to her waist. Her eyes though, seemed foreign to Inuyasha. They were crystal blue, heavy with dark lashes and grief. And when she spoke, her voice was like a tinkling bell. Inuyasha took a sniff. Ah, so that's why she is different than others.

"Hail, visitor, state your reason of causing this ruckus." She spoke softly but firmly." Should you be a friend, welcome. But if are not, then be gone for we shall not allow you to harm our own."

"Cut all those courtesy of yours and take me to your priestess." Inuyasha snapped," I come from Edo at your priestess's request for help from the priestess Kaede."

The frown on the woman`s face relaxed. "Then you are indeed a friend and I, Reika, a sworn priestess of the Aputsiuq, the lady of snow, welcome you to the shrine of Kitaku."

"Just get me to your priestess". Inuyasha grumbled.

Reika did take him to the priestess right away. She was as old as Kaede. "Welcome Inuyasha", She spoke quietly." And thank you for your gift. I do wish that I could welcome you under a better circumstance, but alas, for that is not to be. "

"Well that is fine and everything", Inuyasha snorted," But why don't you get to the point and tell me about these mysterious attacks of yours."

"They started two weeks earlier". She answered." A maiden of seventeen was found to be missing. She had gone to the forest in east to pick some herbs and fruits. When the time for evening gathering came, she was not found anywhere. Our warriors went in the forest as well but there was no trace. And two days later, another child of fourteen was taken. And next day another two of nineteen. This had been continuing for the last two weeks."

"Say", Inuyasha asked," Were all of them taken from the forest?"

"No", Kamiko shook her head. "They were taken from the river, their bed or when they had gone in the market. It is as if the moment, no one is watching, the girls are taken."

- "I noticed a lot of girls here. "

- "Aye. Their family has sent them here, hoping that they would be safe."

"But", Inuyasha prompted.

Kamiko bowed his head. "Only yester day a child of thirteen was taken from her bed."

Inuyasha stayed quiet for a moment.

"When I entered your village", Inuyasha spoke slowly, frowning, as he tried to process all the information, "I found no barrier or guards to keep an imposter from attacking. Now why is that?"

Kamiko smiled tiredly. "My powers aren't what they used to be", she answered" And since the start f this attacks, the barriers, no matter how well erected, vanishes within hours. As for guards, the villagers have chosen to remain at home to watch over their families and I agreed. After all the attacks always occur when the victim is unwatched."

Inuyasha nodded before launching in his next question. "That girl said she worshipped a deity named Aputsiuq. Is there no special ability she can use?"

Kamiko shook her head sadly. "Aputsiuq is the goddess of healing, peace and innocence. She cannot help against such an attacker."

Inuyasha nodded. "Well I will like to visit the room of that child who was abducted from here. Maybe I can find some lingering trace of the criminal."

Kamiko nodded in assertion. "Reika will take you to her."

Reika came and asked Inuyasha to follow her. But before he could do so Kamiko called him back. "I hear that you are the one who destroyed the despicable villain Naraku." She asked softly" Is it so?"

"Yeah", Inuyasha answered nonchalantly." I killed him. So what?"

"Is it also true", she asked again, " That the western lord fought by your side?"

"Yeah", Inuyasha nodded.

"Then ", she asked hopefully," do you do know if he will be returning to his throne soon?"

"Huh?" Inuyasha stared at her blankly. "He is the lord so what do you mean by' returning'?"

"Do you not know Inuyasha?" Kamiko looked surprised. " Ever since his father the late Inu no Taisho has fallen, he have nor returned to the castle neither taken his place as the rightful ruler of the west. That is the reason why so many lower class demons have dared to attack. When his father was still alive, there were no such occurrences." Kamiko`s voice seemed to become dreamlike." it was a golden era. He loved all his subjects, demon and human dearly. And under his rule all were safe and prospered."

"Oh." Inuyasha sollowed." I didn't know. Say why didn't he return to his castle to take his right full place as the western emperor?"

"No one knows the real reason." Kamiko shook his head. "But there are many speculations. Some believe that it is his way of grieving for his father. Some says that he is grieving for his half-brother who was banished due to his hanyou blood. Still others say that he tours the land so as to watch over the people with a closer eye. But did he never speak to you of his own life?"

"Nah." Inuyasha shrugged." He doesn't speak much. And he does not like hanyous either so we weren't exactly best friends."

- "Perhaps he behaved coldly with you because you are an inu-hanyou and reminded him of his brother whom he was forced to banish. Perhaps your presence grieved him."

"Forced to banish, huh?" Inuyasha chuckled. "How do you know that he didn't do it willingly?"

"That attitude of yours must be a result of all those rumors spread that says he despise all those of human blood." Kamiko answered forcefully. "He is the son of one who loved all creatures equally. And I have met lord Seshomaru in my youth. He saved my life. He truly is his father`s son." She took a breath." I am telling you, he was forced to send his brother in exile. And he must be grieving for him still."

"All right, all right." Inuyasha held up his hands. "I didn't know him that well so I can't tell you if he is going home or not."

Kamiko nodded. "You better get going." She told him.


Inuyasha took in his surrounding as he walked down a corridor with wooden floor and blue rice paper wrapping. It kept him from thinking about what he heard about his brother. I won't think about the impossible. He told himself. And he studied the women who led him on ward.

Along with Reika, four other women flanked him. They were dressed in similar clothes. Their black hair was tied up with a gold cord and pinned with steel needles. They garbed themselves in white kimonos with green obi. A single insignia of a white sakura adorned it.

"They are guards." Inuyasha was startled by Reika`s voice." The while kimono signifies peace and innocence and the green obi signifies healing. The sakura on the obi is a mark of respect towards the priestess Sakura and the kimono shows their regard for the goddess Aputsiuq."

"And you?" Inuyasha enquired "What does your attire refer to?"

Reika was dressed in a navy blue kimono with many adorning designs in black. Her obi was white and contained a pink sakura. The only difference in her attire from the morning when Inuyasha first led his eyes upon her that she had tied her hair up in a simple hair do that was kept in place by a gold sakura.

"This is the attire that the priestesses of Apatsiuq wears while grieving." She answered. "The kimono shows sorrow and the obi is of innocence and the sakura is, of course, an offering to the great lady Sakura."

"What`s this big deal about this Aputsiuq?"Inuyasha asked.

"She is my ancestor", Reika answered.

"She is not of Japan", She explained to his disbelieving looks." Myth has it that she was kidnapped by a sea monster as she was frolicking in the ocean. She fought and rescued herself but was terribly wounded in the process. She swam to the shores of our country but could not rest as her blood attracted many demons. Then she ran for three days and two nights and at the third evening, she stumbled upon this shrine and laid bleeding at the feet of Princess Natsuko, a princess of a neighboring clan. The princess healed her and befriended her and in return the goddess chose to help her out of the troubles that ailed her. The princess had great spiritual power, nearly as great as Priestess Sakura, the reigning priestess of the shrine at that time. She wished to practice her power to help others but her father was adamant about marrying her off to a nobleman. The goddess, upon learning of her distress, devised a plan. When the time came for the princess to return, the goddess went in Natsuko`s guise and the princess stayed behind. Her black hair was white and her dark eyes were green by the goddess's blessing and none could recognize her. The goddess was married to the nobleman and she bore him a daughter and left under the guise of death. When the child grew to adolescence, she returned to this shrine to be trained as a priestess of Aputsiuq under Natsuko, the high priestess of Aputsiuq and Sakura, whom she called Mother. In time she got married and bore daughters of her own who followed in their mother's path. After Natsuko died, the most powerful priestess became the next high priestess and continued training new priestesses who were her descendants. And each priestess of Buddhism, who came in Sakura`s place was termed as Mother by the priestesses of Aputsiuq."

- "So you are a priestess of Aputsiuq because you are her descendant?"

- "Aye."

"Whom did you lose?" Inuyasha asked as they came to a stop before a door.

Reika regarded him for a moment. Her crystal blue eyes were etched with sorrow and heavy with grief."My sister", she answered at length." The child who was taken from this very room before which we stand presently."

Inuyasha didn't bother with apologies. Instead he got to work. He could already see that the room was neat. No one would guess that an abduction had occurred here. He looked around and sniffed. What the! His eyes widened." Alright", he turned to the females behind him. "Take me to the places where you think the other abduction took place."

She took him to a market area, two homes of peasants, river side. There`s no scent in each of this places!

"Alright".He turned to face them after the last spot, the forest area." I need one night. "

"You are welcome to stay at the shrine, Warrior", Reika said.

"No". He shook his head." I am going to sit on some tree. That way I can work better."

"As you wish". They left him be.

Inuyasha jumped up the first tree he found and took a big whiff of the forest air. Soon the sun would set. He had refused to take any food the priestesses offered. You never know who your enemy is.

The only link he found in all the abduction is the missing scent. Each place where the abduction took place was devoid of any scent as if the very area is nonexistent. So all I have to do as to find a trail without any scent at all.

He stayed tense throughout the evening and kept an eye, or rather, a nose on the village. And right when the moon was over head, he sensed it.

All of a sudden the eastern most hut of the village had gone out of his range of scent. He rushed to the spot, crashing through trees and foliages and jumped down the roof of the hut, only to stagger back at the sight.

The creature that bent over the unconscious girl on the mattress was barely human. It was a skeleton with the face and the ribcage full of flesh. It had several legs, all joined to the same pelvic bones that erected a fleshy penis. The creature was in the process of picking the girl up when Inuyasha crashed down with Tetsusaiga. The creature screeched and attempted to claw him but his sword had already thrown it out of the hut and the creature flew to the forest.

Inuyasha was mildly aware of screams behind him. He was also aware that Reika was running by his side, her faery blood that he smelled earlier giving her the strength of keeping pace with him. But he cared not as he rushed in the forest and at last, away from the meddling buildings, let loose the wind scar with a cry.

It struck the creature grinding him to pieces. But before Inuyasha`s wide eyes, the pieces came together reforming the grotesque body. Reika ran forth from his side and swung down a scythe at inhuman speed.

Inuyasha could see the fire ball emerging in the skeleton`s rib. There was no time for warnings. He grabbed the girl and threw her back, ignoring her outraged protests and swung down wind-scar yet again.

The resulting explosion tore around him. He knew the moment the creature ceased to be as his sense of smell returned. He could feel himself rising up in the air and feel the furious wind tear in his skin, bloodying his back. He could feel a numbing pain and vertigo as he fell under gravity.

He felt the arms around him before he saw him. His vision was too blurry but he could make out a pair of amber eyes with… he squinted, worry? For me?

He didn't get a chance to ask as the world darkened around him and all he heard before losing consciousness sounded like ," I thought I told you not to suicide?"

Inuyasha descended in a welcomed darkness the next moment.


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