Chapter 4- Something To Protect
Their wanderings through Asia did not end that year or the next. By the time the girl could walk, Sesshomaru had slain fifty enemies. Tsukichikara, the child Rin had given birth to, displayed characteristics much like her mother's. Rin spoiled the young girl with love and attention. Sesshomaru kept watch over her, but used a firm hand.
Sesshomaru heard of a dragon demon with unrivaled power traveling through China. The Daiyoukai set out to search for this demon in hopes of a true battle.
…
Four year old Tsukichikara picked the flower she had spotted near camp. She ran to her mother to show her the pretty blossom.
"That's wonderful, Tsuki," Rin smiled.
"You shouldn't waste so much time on frivolous things," Jaken said crossly.
Tsukichikara stuck her tongue out at Jaken.
"That's enough," Rin said, "It's time for your lesson."
"Alright, Mama," Tsukichikara replied.
"Now, as I was saying yesterday," Jaken said, "Your grandfather defeated the demon Hyuga over nine hundred years ago, gaining another village's loyalty in his empire."
"What happened to the empire when Granpa died?" Tsukichikara asked.
"It is being overseen by Lady Inukimi, Lord Sesshomaru's mother. When Lord Sesshomaru chooses to return, he will assume control of all the western lands your grandfather conquered. And of course there will be more added. All of Japan will bow to Lord Sesshomaru, even the human emperor."
"Hmmm. But why?" Tsukichikara asked.
"Because it is Lord Sesshomaru's will!" Jaken said.
"But why does Father want it?" Tsukichikara asked.
"My path is the path of conquest," Sesshomaru replied, walking towards them.
"You're back," Rin smiled.
"I don't understand," Tsukichikara said.
"There is no greater power in this world than myself. It is my right."
"That's sounds... uh... what's that word?" Tsukichikara asked Rin.
"What are you trying to say?" Rin asked.
"Um... prideful... um... oh arrogant! It's arrogant!" Tsukichikara said.
"You little brat! How dare you say such a thing!" Jaken said.
"Jaken," Sesshomaru warned.
"Ah... sorry, my lord."
"Arrogance is not the same as pride," Sesshomaru said, "The pride of a demon is in the blood. That is something only a demon could understand."
Tsukichikara looked at him blankly.
"You will understand when you are older," Sesshomaru sat down.
"After the defeat of Hyuga, the Dog General battled numerous human clans for control of the province. Of course, they all fell. The Dog General built his castle at the top of the hill overlooking the village of Yamabiro, that very castle where your father was born. Your grandfather ruled the land in peace for over three hundred years. During that time, Lord Sesshomaru began his training to defeat the great dog general."
"Why?"
"Because it was how he could prove that he was more powerful than Inu no Taisho," Jaken snapped, "Stop asking all these questions and let me continue the story!"
"Enough," Sesshomaru said, "Tsukichikara, come with me."
Rin watched the girl disappear into the woods with Sesshomaru.
"If only that girl showed me more respect," Jaken moped.
"Come on, Jaken. Let's find dinner," Rin said.
…
Sesshomaru lead the young girl through the woods, away from Jaken. He turned to look at Tsukichikara.
"I began the road of conquest for power," Sesshomaru said, "So I could defeat my enemies. So I could rule."
His daughter only stared at him.
"I did not know the meaning of true strength," Sesshomaru said, "My father asked me a question a long time ago. He asked if I had something to protect. I did not understand for 200 years why it mattered."
"Something to protect?" Tsukichikara asked.
Sesshomaru looked at his daughter.
"I have two things to protect," he said.
"What?" she asked.
"Do you have something to protect?" he asked.
"Mother," Tsukichikara replied right away.
"And what happens when she dies?" Sesshomaru asked.
"Huh?"
"She will not live as long as us, Tsukichikara. What will you protect when she is gone?"
Tsukichikara looked up at her father.
"Ah-Un," she said.
Sesshomaru's eyebrows creased. Tsukichikara looked taken aback.
"Well..." she said meekly, "You don't need me to protect you, Father."
That never stopped her mother from trying, Sesshomaru thought.
"That is why you will train," Sesshomaru said, "To protect the precious things."
"Protect the precious things?"
"Listen carefully to Jaken's story. And know that my father was strongest after he met a human woman," Sesshomaru turned around.
…
Rin took aim at the rabbit in the bush. She let the arrow go, striking the animal in the head. Rin gathered up the animal and brought it back to camp.
Sesshomaru stood over Tsukichikara, watching the girl swipe her claws at a tree. Jaken slept against Ah-Un.
Rin lit the firewood already in place. She started to skin the rabbit as Tsukichikara repeated the move over and over.
"Keep your elbows bent precisely," Sesshomaru told her.
Tsukichikara nodded, repeating the movement again.
Rin smiled as Sesshomaru's lesson continued. He seemed to enjoy teaching their daughter, even when she made mistakes. For her, he seemed to have an endless pool of patience.
"Is that rabbit?" Jaken asked, waking up from his nap.
"It's almost done," Rin said.
Sesshomaru took his eyes off Tsukichikara and looked towards the woods behind them. Rin's ears perked up. Instinctively, she grabbed her bow and started to draw a poisoned arrow. Her husband put his hand on the hilt of his sword.
Rustling came from the bushes. Then a demon with black hair and fair skin appeared. He wore solid black clothing from the west. As he approached, he bowed to Sesshomaru as a sign of respect. Sesshomaru withdrew his hand from Bakusaiga.
"Ryuu, what business do you have with me?" Sesshomaru asked.
"My father seeks to do battle with you, Lord Sesshomaru," Ryuu replied, "He is waiting in the mountain range east of here."
"I will meet Dracon when I see fit," Sesshomaru replied.
"Very well, my lord," Ryuu replied.
The demon looked at Tsukichikara with mild interest.
"A half demon?" Ryuu asked.
Sesshomaru made no reply.
Ryuu bowed once again. Out of his back grew two vast reptilian wings. He flew into the air towards the east.
"Tsukichikara, resume your exercises," Sesshomaru ordered.
"Yes, Father," she replied.
…
Sesshomaru watched Tsukichikara sleep under the afternoon sun. Rin stayed busy washing Tsukichikara's clothes in the river. The scent of dragon demon blew from the east. Dracon was very close.
Inwardly, Sesshomaru itched to feel that demon's blood on his hands. After what the dragon had done to Rin, his death would be slow and painful indeed.
Rin laid Tsukichikara's hakuma and kosode on the grass to dry by the sun's light. Jaken slept under the shade of the trees near Tsukichikara. Ah-Un slumbered on the sweet grasses with the other two.
"Tsukichikara's grown more. She'll need a new kosode soon," Rin said.
"I will acquire the cloth," Sesshomaru replied.
For a brief moment, Rin looked at him with her bright brown eyes. Sesshomaru approached her, taking her hand into his own. He lead her a short distance from camp into a field of flowers. They sat on the ground, and Rin embraced him. Her kiss came quickly and hotly. Sesshomaru pushed her under him, undoing her obi.
Rin laid naked under him, surrounded by flowers. His mouth explored the soft flesh of her neck. He breathed in her sweet human scent. Every touch of hers was filled with human passion while he embraced her with gentleness. She was a fragile creature, much like the flowers she loved. Small, fragile, and short lived.
Had five years passed in an instant already? Was his first child truly in her fourth year of life? Rin was near her thirties. Her life was almost half over.
Rin's hand caressed his cheek. Her warmth flooded into his skin. And for a moment, he cursed his own immortality. When she died, nothing would be the same. Life without Rin would not be worth much. Never before had he truly felt as fulfilled as he did with her. Not by defeating enemies, not by obtaining power, and not by conquering. In that moment, he understood his own wanderlust. For over 800 years, he had been searching for something to live for. A reason to live. And all along, it had been this human.
Is this how you felt when you met that woman, Father? Sesshomaru asked.
Sesshomaru, do you have something to protect?
When she is gone... I will have no more- he thought.
Tsukichikara's face popped into his mind. The black hair and brown eyes that mirrored Rin's in her human form. The innocent smile that she wore when she was happy. Rin's child...
Do you have something to protect?
Sesshomaru closed his eyes and breathed in Rin's scent. The flower would bloom for a short time. But its seeds would grow and bloom after it. So it was with Rin's bloodline.
"I love you," Rin smiled.
Sesshomaru leaned down and took her lips.
…
When they returned to camp, Tsukichikara was poking fun at Jaken for some thing or another. Rin gathered Tsukichikara in her arms, embracing the little half demon closely. She absolutely loved the silver hair Tsukichikara had inherited from her father and the two deep eyes that shimmered gold.
"Mother?" Tsukichikara asked as Rin squeezed her.
"You let me fall asleep in the middle of your lesson!" Jaken lectured, "There are several hundred more years of demon history you must learn and recite!"
"I don't want to," Tsukichikara said.
"It is your responsibility to be well versed in demon lore and tradition! How else do you expect to live up to Lord Sesshomaru's blood?!"
"Why?"
"Because it is your duty."
"But I don't want to conquer lands and fight enemies," Tsukichikara said.
"That doesn't matter!" Jaken said, "Your duty is to follow Lord-"
"Enough, Jaken," Sesshomaru said.
"Yes, my lord," Jaken said meekly.
"Tsukichikara, you will do your lessons without complaint," Sesshomaru said.
Tsukichikara groaned.
"Tsuki, it's important," Rin said.
"If I have to," she pouted.
Rin privately admitted that Tsukichikara was adorable, even when she pouted.
Jaken continued the story of Ongya, a water beast from the north. One of the many demons Jaken seemed knowledgeable about.
Rin lead Ah-Un into the river and started to clean the dragon demon. The two headed demon roared gratefully as she rubbed the dirt and grime off his skin.
Suddenly, the right head of the dragon demon became stiff and looked towards the path. Rin watched the road carefully as a figure riding in a cart appeared in the distance. From his pointed ears, Rin saw that he was a demon. However, Sesshomaru made no move for his sword.
"Relax," Rin told Ah-Un sweetly.
The dragon trusted Rin, and the right head dipped its mouth into the river to drink.
"Hail," the demon said in Chinese.
Sesshomaru stared at the traveling demon as Jaken spoke to him.
"My Lord, this is a traveling merchant," Jaken said.
"You are not from this land, are you?" the merchant asked, "You are from the island, are you not?"
"That we are," Jaken said, "You are in the presence of Lord Sesshomaru, Lord of the Western Lands. We travel seeking worthy opponents to test my lord's strength."
"Who is the human?"
"That is Lady Rin," Jaken said, "His wife."
Rin nodded to the demon. He looked at her in shock, but said nothing.
"Can I assume that the little one is your lord's child?"
"That is Tsukichikara-Hime," Jaken said, "The Princess of the West."
"That one is a girl?" the merchant asked.
Tsukichikara frowned at the demon.
"How unusual to see a girl in male garments."
"Mind your own affairs," Jaken lectured.
"I meant no disrespect. Perhaps there is something in my stock you require? I would be willing to give you a discount as an apology."
"We will consider it," Jaken replied.
Rin came out of the river to inspect the goods with Jaken.
"That's unusual," Rin said, looking at a cage containing a young white wolf pup.
"That wolf is from the north," the merchant said, "I expect one of the demons south of here to pay a good price for it."
Rin looked at the pup. It was laying in the cage, looking at her with two fierce eyes and bared teeth. She stepped back unconsciously and avoided its gaze. Wolves still sent shivers down her spine.
"Cover it up," Jaken said, "My lady is not fond of wolves."
The merchant hid the pup under a cloth. Rin inspected the bolts of cloth he had and found one solid white length that would make a good garment for Tsukichikara. She also selected some thread and a new needle since she would have to make Tsukichikara's clothing herself. There simply were no kimonos in China.
As Rin set the cloth aside, Tsukichikara looked up at the cart.
"What is it?" Jaken asked.
"Can I see the pup?" she asked.
Jaken sighed and ordered the merchant to uncover the cage. Tsukichikara looked at the little thing with curiosity.
"If you ask me, it won't make it to the south," Jaken said, "You'll be lucky to sell its pelt, it's so small."
"Perhaps you are right," the merchant said, "It refuses to eat anything I give it, no matter how fresh."
"Will it die?" Tsukichikara asked.
Rin looked at Tsukichikara in amazement. For her to be concerned about a little life like that...
Rin looked at Sesshomaru. He raised his eyebrows at her slightly. Then he reluctantly nodded.
"We'll take it," Rin said.
"Huh?!" Jaken asked, "We will? But..."
"Tsukichikara will be responsible for its well being," Sesshomaru said.
"What about your dislike of wolves, my lady?" Jaken asked feebly.
"I'll be fine," Rin said, "It's so small, I don't think its a danger to me."
The merchant named a price. Jaken spent many minutes haggling the merchant down. Then the imp placed the cage before Tsukichikara.
"If it dies, it's your own fault," Jaken said.
Tsukichikara opened the cage door. The wolf snapped. It bit Tsukichikara's hand and swiped its claws at her.
"That hurts," Tsukichikara said crossly.
The wolf growled at her. Tsukichikara picked the wolf up by the scruff of the neck and placed it in the river. She held the wolf firmly with one hand and started to rub its fur down. The wolf flailed and yelped.
"Tsuki, that might not be a good idea," Rin said.
"Leave her be, Rin," Sesshomaru said.
"But if it bites-"
"It will not harm Tsukichikara," Sesshomaru replied.
Rin frowned. She resumed washing Ah-Un while Tsukichikara bathed the wolf.
"There, now you don't stink so much," she said.
Tsukichikara put the wolf back in its cage. Then she wandered off into the woods. When she came back, she held a freshly killed rabbit in her hands. She tore the carcass apart and put the meat a few centimeters away from the cage. Then she lifted the cage door once more. The wolf pup tried to run, but Tsukichikara caught it by the neck.
"No food for you until you stop scratching me," Tsukichikara said, holding the wolf down.
The wolf continued to writhe. Rin watched it wriggle and fight against Tsukichikara's brute strength. Then, to Rin's amazement, the wolf pup stopped biting. It started to tremble under Tsukichikara's hold. But it made no move to bite or scratch her.
Tsukichikara tore a bit of meat off the rabbit and held it before the pup. The pup gobbled the meat up. Then it took more and more. Tsukichikara let it go and the wolf went to eat the rest of the rabbit.
"That's amazing," Rin said.
"Tsukichikara simply asserted her dominance, something a human could never do," Sesshomaru said.
The wolf ate to its heart content. Then it laid on the ground near Tsukichikara.
"How did you know how to tame the wolf?" Jaken asked.
"You told me the story of the demon wolf tamer."
"You remember?!" Jaken asked in shock.
"Yes," Tsukichikara replied.
"You do pay attention!" Jaken exclaimed in joy, "And I thought all this time that you held no value for my tutoring!"
"No! Your stories are boring," Tsukichikara turned pink.
"You little brat!"
"Shut up, you'll wake the pup," Tsukichikara replied.
…
The next day, Tsukichikara ran over the fields with the pup playing at her heels. It nipped at her fingers, which had healed from the bites and scratches. She laughed as the pup leapt and ran behind her. Tsukichikara climbed in a tree and the wolf stayed below, wagging its tail and whining at her.
"I never thought I'd see something like that," Rin said.
Sesshomaru grunted and closed his eyes as he leaned against the tree. He had been hunting and resting an awful lot over the last week. As if he were building up his strength.
"Are you preparing to fight Dracon?" Rin asked.
"Yes," he replied, "Once I have defeated him, we will return to Japan."
"Really?" Rin asked brightly.
"I have no more need to seek adversaries," Sesshomaru said.
"I can't wait to see Kagome again," Rin said, "Akito must be all grown up now."
"Who's Akito?" Tsukichikara asked.
"He's your cousin," Rin said, "He's Inuyasha's son."
"Who's Inuyasha?"
"Your father's little brother," Rin replied.
"You have a brother, Father?"
"Didn't we ever tell you?" Rin asked, "Jaken?"
"I didn't see how it was important," Jaken said.
"Inuyasha is a half demon, like you," Rin said, "He's very strong. But he's a little thickheaded and dense. He and Kagome fight all the time. I bet he hasn't changed one bit over the last five years."
"My uncle's a half demon?" Tsukichikara asked excitedly, "Jaken! Why didn't you tell me?!"
"I was getting to that part of your family's history," Jaken said, "Inuyasha is the mongrel son of your grandfather. He is the wielder of your grandfather's strongest sword, Tessaiga. Although it is not as strong as Bakusaiga, your father's sword."
"Is it like Yuguresaiga?"
"No. Tessaiga is far stronger."
"How do you know? I haven't even used it yet."
"Inuyasha spent many months increasing the strength of his sword. Yours is a child's toy in comparison. And it took centuries for Lord Sesshomaru to discover Bakusaiga's true power. You will not be able to exceed either sword. You are only a half demon, after all."
"I'm stronger than you."
"Don't mock me, you little whelp!"
The wolf pup started to whine.
"What is it Yuki?" Tsukichikara asked the pup.
"It's time for lunch," Rin said.
"Hey, don't ignore me!" Jaken cried.
"Mother, can we have fish today?"
"If we can catch some," Rin replied.
"Are you listening to me?!" Jaken asked.
"You'll need to get Yuki some meat as well," Rin added.
"Why do they act like I don't exist?" Jaken asked.
"Jaken," Sesshomaru said.
"Yes, my lord?"
"Be silent."
Jaken moped.