Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, Sesshomaru or any of the other original characters of the Anime/Manga series (sigh). They are the sole property of Rumiko Takahashi and I envy her their creation. This story is for entertainment purposes only and will not be used for profit or any other type of financial gain.
Summary/Warning: This chapter includes some implication of rape of a minor, though that scene is not shown. I will say that the inclusion of such incidents are for dramatic purposes only and not because I get any kind of sick thrill from them. I loathe such things and do not condone or approve of them in any way. Anyway, if things like that bother you, do not read on. Remember, I rated this M, so if you are below 15, get out of here! This is not for you. Okay, on with the story.
Chapter Three: An Invitation Accepted
Jakan, prime adviser and confidant to the mighty Lord Sesshomaru, at least in his mind, looked with suspicion at the unconscious woman who lay near the fire. Not only had the great Lord Sesshomaru wrapped her in his own royal mantle, but he had given up his own bedroll, not that he really used it much, and gathered and laid the soft, springing saplings that kept its occupant safely off the dirt and insects, with his own hands. That was strange enough, but Jakan found it even stranger that the last remaining princess of the great Neko No Yonshi family would have pledged her protection and care to the great Lord's filthy Half-breed brother, and the lowly Human scum that he travelled with, cursed or not. The whole thing seemed very fishy to Jakan, and not in the good Sashimi way either. She could have en-spelled Lord Sesshomaru to make him act so solicitously towards her, or disguised herself through enchantment to appear as the long-lost princess. She was probably still the lowly little Two-Tail that travelled with the Hanyo's disgusting little band, or even an agent of Naraku himself, who had killed the insignificant Demi-Youkai and replaced her with this impostor.
As if his own disturbing thoughts were not enough, now another annoying factor entered the picture. The little pest of a Human child, Rin skipped up to the sleeping visitor with a fist full of flowers, stopped and stared solemnly down at her. "Who is she, Jakan?" She asked. "She's very beautiful, isn't she?"
Jakan sniffed indifferently. " I suppose so; if you care for that type."
Rin laughed, the innocent sound grating annoyingly in his ears. "Of course you do. She's just like Lord Sesshomaru and I know you like him."
For some reason, the childish words caused a strange embarrassment to rush through Jakan's diminutive body. "What do you mean by that comment, Girl?" He demanded, his voice sounding much shriller than he intended and his face burning hotly.
The child was oblivious. "Lord Sesshomaru is very handsome." She replied, "And she looks just like him, except she's a girl, so if you like how Lord Sesshomaru looks, you like how she looks too."
"Of course Lord Sesshomaru is handsome!" Jakan exclaimed angrily, wondering what on Nippon was compelling him to defend himself. "He is a noble-born Daiyoukai; they are the peak in physical and mental perfection! Now cease your foolish prattle, Girl and come have your breakfast."
But Rin had crouched down to look more closely at the sleeping Demon. "She isn't exactly the same. Her markings are different colors and she has a pretty diamond star on her forehead. I like the black streaks in her hair too. I think pink flowers would look really beautiful in her hair, don't you?"
"Not now, Rin." The calm, familiar voice caused Jakan to give a strangely guilty start as his Lord glided gracefully into the clearing. "The Princess Kirara is very tired; you must allow her to rest."
"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin replied joyfully, skipping up to him. "Then I can give these to you!" And she handed him the pretty bouquet of flowers that she held, which lately, Jakan noticed did not wilt in her young hands. They did not wilt when Sesshomaru took them either, but his powerful Youki was the energy of life itself, so Jakan was not in the least bit surprised.
"Thank you, Rin." Sesshomaru spoke with uncharacteristic warmth in his voice and tucked the flowers expertly into his Hakama. Rin smiled in the innocent way children do, when their whole face seems to shine, and impulsively hugged him before skipping away again. Sesshomaru turned back to his small, green-skinned cohort. "Has Rin eaten yet?"
"My Lord, I was trying to get her to sit down, but she was too busy hovering around the sleeping wench over there!"
"Jakan, how often must you fail in the simple endeavor of caring for a child? She will have to eat a trail bar on the road then. We are returning to the palace."
"The Palace, Mi-lord?"
"Yes, Jakan, the Palace."
"But we just left there three days ago. You said that we were making another journey."
He turned on his bulge-eyed minion with a sudden fury that would have taken off the creature's head had it been an attack. Instead Jakan just stumbled desperately back with a shriek, and landed on his obsequious rear in a nearby mud wallow. "This Sesshomaru does not need to explain himself to you, Toad!" The Lord spoke with deadly quiet emphasis. "Pack up the camp and ask me no more idiotic questions."
Jakan scrambled to his feet and rushed about, almost falling over the hem of his robes in his desperation to wipe out his Lord's disapproval. Within moments the camp was packed, the fire was doused and the land repaired of it's brief occupation. Rin was aback Ah-Uhn with an entire new armful of flowers and munched happily on a bean-jam-filled trail bar in preparation for the road. The Lord himself held the unconscious stranger carefully in his arms, bridal style.
"One more thing, Jakan."
"Yes, Mi-lord?"
"If I ever hear you referring to the Lady Kirara by the disrespectful term "wench" again, I will personally demonstrate Tenseiga's new-found abilities on your worthless neck. Is that understood?"
"Ahhh!" Jakan felt his entire body shake with that calm, deadly threat. "Understood, Lord Sesshomaru!" But as the group moved on, the little toad demon could not help casting a surreptitious, and resentful look at the young woman draped so gracefully in his mighty Lord's arms, while the Daiyoukai held her close and secure, as if knowing that she belonged there.
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"I can't believe you're doing this!" Inuyasha growled. "I say we throw his filthy money back in his face and go back to our hunt for Naraku."
" I don't trust him anymore than you do, Inuyasha." Sango spoke, "But he has Kilala. We have to find out what happened to her."
"Of course we do, Sango." Kagome agreed, "But this is the first time, Sesshomaru has ever invited us to his Palace. He's not one to do that without a real good reason. Besides, I want to find out what that Lady Kirara deal was."
"I agree with you both." Miroku spoke, in his usual appeasing way. "We must learn Kilala's fate and possibly rescue her, but I too am curious about this invitation. Besides, common decency demands that we reciprocate."
"You just want to stuff yourself with food and look for pretty girls!" Shippo piped up.
Miroku gave him a sad, stern look. "Really, Shippo. You are listening far too much to Inuyasha if you can so grievously misinterpret my motivations, and I do not believe that you have forgotten who travels with Lord Sesshomaru. She will undoubtedly be at his palace." Everyone was a bit surprised when they saw Shippo turn bright red and stop his taunts altogether.
"You guys are really serious about this?" Inuyasha demanded. The determined row of faces that looked back at him, gave him all the answer that he needed. "Feh!" He growled turning away with another unconscious and totally graceful flick of his long, silver hair over one shoulder. "Well, if that Bastard ends up killing you all, don't come cryin' to me!"
"Sango," Miroku suddenly asked. "Do you know anything about the other name we heard Lord Sesshomaru use: The Neko No Yonshi?"
For a moment, Sango frowned in concentration, then she bit her lip thoughtfully. "It's just a fairytale, really."
Miroku was immediately interested. "Many such tales have a basis in truth. What do you recall?"
"The Neko No Yonshi are said to have been a family of Daiyoukai cat demons, who unlike many others of their kind, took a great interest in the welfare of the Humans they shared the world with. Every prince or princess born of this family would always be required to take a long pilgrimage through the world to help and protect Humans in all walks of life. Tales claim that all great men or woman of this or any other time, have at one point in their life, met and travelled with a Neko No Yonshi Regent in some form. For many generations they lived and helped people, then about 45 years ago they all but disappeared. Some tales say that they were destroyed by a powerful and evil demon clan that had sworn revenge a long time ago; other tales claim that the last princess of the house died before finding a mate. Yet others say that she still exists somewhere, a captive or prisoner and the one brave soul that discovers and rescues her will bring their white magic back into the world. The funny thing is, that I believe that they took Two-Tails as companions and mascots."
Now Inuyasha was paying full attention. "Are you serious, Sango? Two-Tails?"
Sango nodded. " Kilala is a Two-Tail. It seems too much of a coincidence that she would be involved after Lord Sesshomaru mentioned the Neko No Yonshi family."
"You're right." Inuyasha spoke. "I may not know much about what my asshole brother does; I don't really care a damn about politics, but I do know that if any members of an extinct Daiyoukai family like the Neko No Yonshi came back; it would be a big deal. The other damn Youkai nobles are gonna be all over Onii-Sama, investigating. That's why he needs to throw that shin-dig, and no matter how much I hate his guts, he's gonna need me there." Kagome was staring at Inuyasha in astonishment. In fact all of his friends were staring at him. Shippo had even landed right on his tail in the dirt, he was so surprised. Inuyasha scowled at them in confusion. "What the Hell? What are you all starin' for?"
"Inuyasha," Kagome said softly. "I think that's the first time I've ever heard you call your brother Onii-sama, ever."
"Or showed any concern or interest in helping him with anything." Miroku agreed.
"Do you really believe that Sesshomaru came to invite us, because he needed your help?" Sango asked, pointing out another surprising element to the whole situation.
"Feh." Inuyasha growled crossing his arms with another enticing flip of his long hair over his shoulders. "That asshole would never lower himself to ask me anything right out; I mean I'm a filthy, lowly Hanyo, right? It's just like him to blame it on someone else, but come on, Kilala's a Two-Tail. She couldn't actually ask anything; I mean not in words anyway."
"Wow," Kagome spoke, thoughtfully "I guess the relationship between you and Sesshomaru is a lot more complicated than we thought."
Inuyasha's eyes turned towards her, and there was annoyance in their lovely golden depths. "Complicated? There ain't nothing complicated about it. I hate his guts and he hates mine, and one day I'm gonna kill him!"
To Inuyasha's further annoyance, his friends only smiled at his angry outburst, but it was Miroku who put the final sardonic cap on their amusement. "Indeed Inuyasha, and become the new Lord of the Western Lands, with all those 'damn politics,' as you so expressly put it?"
For a moment the Hanyo's eyes widened involuntarily and his ears deflated against his scalp with distress, then the moment was gone and his angry expression came back. "Are you gonna buy those stupid rags or not? The asshole gave us four days, do you think we can just take a vacation or something? I'll be here when you're done." Then he leaped up to the branch of a nearby tree and settled down against the trunk, arms crossed tightly over his chest. His friends smiled fondly one last time, then turned their steps towards the nearby wall and the town's grand, Foo-Lion guarded gates.
Interlude:Control by Cruelty
He left the boy in his chamber, as he always did, hearing his heart-rending sobs through the Shojii into the hall. But children are resilient, and the young Tajiyo was strong; he would fall asleep soon enough, once again accepting the inevitability of his life, his purpose. The master had also used the power of the boy's agony to renew his influence on the shard in his back. It annoyed him that he had to keep doing this. One would think that after all the unforgivable and horrific acts the child had been forced to commit under his puppet-master's control, that he would be corrupted beyond all bounds of light, but there was no doubt that there were advantages to doing things this way. He smiled languidly and touched himself in that place where his joy still glowed strong. Oh yes, advantages indeed.
He entered his chambers and headed directly for his private bath. His demon servants had done their job well, and it was full and hot, fragrant with the sweet-scented herbs that he prized. He had been soaking in the sweet, thick water for almost an hour when he felt the familiar presence enter the room. He did not even turn around. This one would always be true.
"So, checked on Kohaku, Kanna my sweet?" He asked almost lazily. "And how is he?" He felt the brief, barely audible surge of anger in the seemingly emotionless void and it made him smile. Perhaps some day it could cause some difficulties for him, but for now it was adding to his amusement. She was unfamiliar with emotions, this first daughter of his, and yet after his fiery and defiant Kagura had left him, he had missed them. She didn't realize it, how he had changed her: just a little bit; infinitesimal step by infinitesimal step, and she was starting to experience some very uncomfortable things. It was interesting to him that the boy had become the object of those things, but it would be very amusing to exploit the situation soon enough.
"He is sleeping." The answer whispered, with just a slightly more musical tone to the once emotionless rasp; the timbre of feeling. "I have tended the hurts. He will be healthy again tomorrow as always."
"And this is what you came to tell me?"
"No, Master." He turned on her then, lashing a powerful lance of painful energy directly at her still form. It missed her, as he intended it to, but the almost imperceptible widening of her dark eyes as she started away and the tiny tremor of confused fear he picked up from her, were delicious to him.
His voice when he spoke did not betray any of the supposed volatile anger that his actions seemed to express. "Father, Kanna. How many times have I told you to call me Father." Relief replaced the fear, and a tantalizing tendril of comfort; not as satisfying as the fear, but from her virginal soul, it was still fresh and delectable. Pink, he decided, just a touch of softest pink in her cheeks, and the lightest streaks of violet in those pure white tresses. Oh yes, she would be a beauty when he was done with his new adjustments.
"Forgive me, Father." She whispered averting those soft, dark eyes appropriately.
His posture relaxed. "Now tell me, My Flower. What is your news?"
"The guest you have been waiting for has arrived. He approaches, even now from the East." Dark joy surged through him, and the image in the mirror confirmed his hopes. He knew his eyes were shifting from Hitomi's dark hazel to his more familiar red, but he had no concern for that.
"Excellent, Kanna! Go make sure that he finds his way to us, and open the barrier. I must go prepare myself to properly greet him." He did not even wait for her to bow to him and reply "Yes, Father."before he surged out of the water and wrapped a black and white Yukate about his still moist skin. He had waited long for this, watched and waited, and though this arrival was not the ultimate conclusion of his plans, he would help the Kumo complete the rest. Smiling with a renewed and evil pleasure, Naraku went to find the appropriate clothes. There was much to do.
Ooooo, a bit of a cliffie there. Who do you think Naraku's new guest is? Hope this helps whet some appetites. So let me know what you think. Thanks again.
DoS