Hey everyone! I know it hasn't really been that long since I last updated this, but like I said, this is now on the top of my to do list. :3 Thank you so much to those who have read and reviewed so far, honestly you guys make me so happy. –hugs you all—Please enjoy this chapter. :D
Alone
The world seemed so distant now… so empty. Other demons seemed to cower at the mere sight of him. The thought made him proud; that he had become stronger with his time alone in the forest.
Something moved through the trees, grabbing his attention almost immediately. His right arm struck out sideways, causing his poison whip to strike out against whatever was there. His eyes narrowed at the cry of pain that followed the strike. The scent was familiar – very familiar – which caused his brows to furrow slightly.
Footsteps surrounded him and he was met with four guards from the castle. His expression was stoic upon seeing them as they all stared back with slight disbelief. What had they been searching for?
"Master Sesshoumaru, would you please return to the castle?" one guard asked, almost pleading, "The lady has done nothing but demand to see you for the past two months."
His expression became cold at the mention of his mother. She was the last person he wanted to speak with or hear about.
It was nearly spring; the weather becoming warmer than the cold winter air. Maybe it was time that he returned to the castle.
"We have been ordered to escort you back master Sesshoumaru," said another guard.
"I will escort myself back," he stated emotionlessly, "You may leave."
The guards paused at his words before nodding. They left to return back to the castle.
With a quick movement of his arm, he used his whip to cut down a near by tree. His mother… why would she wish to see him, to lock him away again? To rub it in his face that she could kill his small friend with a simple order?
Blue light surrounded him before he took off toward the castle. He would return, but he would not see his mother. She was someone that he would never forgive.
It started to rain that night; pouring outside the castle walls. He couldn't sleep that night, less than usual. Now that it was warm, he knew that Nin would come looking for him again. The last thing he wanted was to see her upset face… to be the one to crush future dreams.
- - - -
I close both locks below the window.
I close both blinds and turn away.
Sometimes solutions aren't so simple.
Sometimes goodbye's the only way.
And the sun will set for you,
The sun will set for you.
And the shadow of the day,
Will embrace the world in grey,
And the sun will set for you.
- - - -
Their promise to see the ocean together would mean nothing now. As soon as he brought it up… What would he do if she never forgave him? What if she could never find it in her heart to ever speak to him again? What would he do? How would he be able to live with that?
His claws clenched at his pant leg at the thought. Even after two months of spending time alone in the forest, he couldn't find a content feeling with living without her beside him. Even now he didn't want to bring himself to say the words that could destroy the future he wanted. He never thought that he would have to be as cold as he never wanted to be.
"I guess that no one can predict the future…" he murmured quietly to himself.
No one knew what would happen tomorrow… he didn't know if he would ever even see Nina again. There was no guarantee that she would come to visit. In the back of his mind, he felt the hope that she wouldn't come; that he would never actually have to say it to her.
Anguish filled him on the inside as he finally tried to fall asleep. In his half sleep state, he had a dream.
He went out to meet her in the rain filled meadow. His golden orbs were wide at seeing her broken, unmoving body. Her blue eyes were dull and her small body was covered in blood. His body tensed and he grew angry.
He could feel himself changing before a knock on his chamber door broke him out of his dream. His fists were clenched on his mattress, ripping the fabric apart.
His heart was pounding rapidly in his chest at his hatred.
"Master Sesshoumaru is everything alright?" a male voice asked from outside his chamber door.
He tried to force his anger away, realizing that it had been just a dream.
"You were groaning in your sleep," the night guard continued, "I come to make sure that you were okay."
"I'm fine," he grunted, "Go about your duties."
"As you wish, master Sesshoumaru."
When he knew that the night guard was gone, he cursed under his breath. It kept plaguing his mind; not letting him rest at all. It made it hard for him to keep his anger at bay… to keep things the way they should have been.
"I wish that this was all just a dream," he muttered, "that all this would just go away…"
He knew what needed to be done; Nina's life was more important than anything else. He couldn't let her die for his own selfishness. Even if she hated him, he knew that he couldn't let her die… he needed her to stay alive, even if he didn't get to be with her.
Morning came rather quickly; sunlight shining through his window. The light made him mutter tiredly. He didn't want to get up or even movie. He felt so… empty on the inside. There was nothing he wanted to do more than stare at the ceiling with cold eyes.
A knock on the door made his brows knit together. Why couldn't people just go away? He wanted nothing to do with them.
"Master Sesshoumaru, your father would like to see you," a maid stated nervously from outside his chamber door.
"Is there a specific reason as to why?" he questioned coldly.
"I-I'm not sure," she stammered.
"Tell him I wish to see no one," he ordered, rolling onto his side.
"Yes master Sesshoumaru."
The maid's footsteps hurried away before he got to his feet. He paused for a few moments, not sure on what to do. His mind fell blank – dull – to the things around him. The world felt empty and he knew that this was how every day would pass soon.
"What a sad thing to look forward to," he muttered, slowly moving toward the window.
- - - -
Pink cards and flowers on your window,
Your friends all plead for you to stay.
Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple.
Sometimes goodbye's the only way.
- - - -
Resting his elbows on the windowsill, he rested his head as he looked outside. His golden orbs looked around the gate, finding no sign of his small friend. She must have thought that it was still too cold outside to come for a visit. He smiled rather dryly at the idea.
He assumed that it was a good thing. To prolong what was to come was best he believed. The later he had to tell her… the more time she had to be happy.
With a sigh, he closed his eyes and felt the cool breeze against his face. He missed her so much. He wanted to see her face and her smile… but at the same time he didn't want to see her. How were they going to be able to live with this? How could their friendship last with time after this? She would never be able to forgive him. He could feel his stomach and heart turn at the thought.
Would she ever be able to forgive him after?
The next morning was just as bad, though it was raining rather hard outside. He forced himself to get out of bed that morning. This day felt wrong and filled him with a kind of anguish.
As he looked out the window, he could see something resting in the bushes; moving its head back and forth in curiosity. He sighed and clenched his fists tightly as he realized that it was Nina. How long had she been waiting there?
He winced at the feeling that was eating him away on the inside. Anguish and guilt… they were things that he didn't like much like. They were uncomfortable on their own, but it was even worse when they were being mixed together. His head hung slightly with shame toward himself. He would have to bring out his cold demeanor and aim it at the last person that he wanted to.
He dressed rather slowly, preparing himself as best he could. His orbs hardened on his chamber door. Once he stepped through that door… there was no turning back. This needed to be done; she needed to stay alive for as long as she could.
Opening the door, he stepped out into the hall before sliding the door shut. Maids and servants said their good mornings, only to go unheard by his keen ears. He didn't say a word to them or give them any acknowledgement at all that he had heard them. His mind was focused as he walked quickly down the hallways.
His expression became all the more cold when the doors to outside came into sight. This was it… no turning back… Once he stepped outside, he could feel the pouring rain against his skin. It was cool and slightly chilly; proof that it was early spring.
"Morning master Sesshoumaru," the gate guard greeted, "Going out again now that the weather has improved?"
"It hasn't improved. It's raining," he stated emotionlessly.
"That is true," the guard laughed rather sheepishly; embarrassed.
The gate opened slowly and he walked through without another word. He needed to get to her before a guard would see her waiting. There she was, not paying attention in a near by bush. She was probably too busy thinking to herself he assumed with an inward smile.
He went over to her, her back to the castle.
"You should not be waiting in the rain," he said rather emotionlessly.
He caught her jerk slightly with surprise before she turned to look at him.
"H-how did you-"
He placed two fingers on her lips to cur her off. If they were heard then her life would surely be at risk.
"There are guards near," he stated stoically, his expression nearly blank, "You should not be here."
- - - -
Pink cards and flowers on your window,
Your friends all plead for you to stay.
Sometimes beginnings aren't so simple.
Sometimes goodbye's the only way.
- - - -
He saw her open her mouth to say something, but he quickly took hold of her wrist and started to run. They needed to get as far away from the castle as possible. He wanted nothing to happen to her afterward. She could barely keep up with him; he could hear her feet stumble occasionally behind him.
After a few moments of running deeper into the forest, he stopped to release her wrist. She looked so confused by his actions. He couldn't really blame her.
"What's going on?" she asked with a cocked brow.
With a deep breath, he looked coldly into her blue eyes… the eyes that he would miss greatly.
"We can't be friends anymore."
He caught her expression drop; could imagine her young heart breaking in her chest. Her expression caused him to wince slightly. He could tell that she wasn't going to forgive him for a long time.
"You're a young girl, Nina… My parents have become suspicious as to where I go from time to time," he explained, trying to make is as clear as possible, "We can't be friends anymore."
Tears welled up in her eyes at his words. Her eyebrows were knitted together tightly at the pain. Watching made him want to apologize and take it all back; to comfort her. It seemed like a bad joke to him; like someone was making this happen just for fun.
He couldn't apologize though. He knew he couldn't; knew he couldn't take it all back now. He needed for it to hurt so she would stay away. To make the pain worse, he turned without a word to leave.
"Please don't go," she pleaded quietly – sounding like a whimper – as she fought through the tears.
He paused for a moment with a solemn expression toward the ground. This wasn't just hurting her… it was killing him on the inside. He was ripping out his own heart.
"Please Sesshoumaru…" she continued, "I'll behave more. I won't hit you with snowballs anymore!"
That was another deep strike to his heart. She was perfect the way she was. There was no need for her to change. The only problem was his damned mother. If his mother knew nothing or was dead, then they could have stayed friends as they had planned.
"I won't hit you with snowballs anymore," she bawled from behind him.
Clenching his fists, he forced himself to walk away from her.
He left her there on her own; alone in the middle of the forest. To her it must have felt like he was asking her to go die. Alone in the forest where pure blooded demons could kill her easily… He wouldn't blame her if she had actually believed that was his meaning; if that was what she thought he wanted.
"I hope I suffer for eternity for this," he muttered to himself.
He stopped within a hearing range of Nina. He could hear her whimpering and her mumbling to herself. He wouldn't just leave her there all alone. He would stay close by to make sure that she made it back home. Even it – to her – it seemed like her wanted her to die, he wasn't going to let it happen. He knew that he couldn't do that no matter how hard he tried.
Golden orbs shot open as a sound stirred in his ears. He had fallen asleep listening to the small girl's tears. Maybe that was why this new sound had woken him so suddenly – because it was so different.
Getting to his feet, his brows furrowed as he listened. He believed that he knew this sound… he had heard it many times before. The only problem was; he didn't know from where.
It wasn't a sound of nature, like the birds or crow demons squawking at the sight of a dead corpse. It was not the thudding of branches falling off of their trees, not the wind howling violently. It was not even the sound of the rain falling around him.
This sound was something only demons and humans could make… the sound of flesh hitting flesh.
- - - -
And the sun will set for you,
The sun will set for you.
And the shadow of the day,
Will embrace the world in grey,
And the sun will set for you.
- - - -
His eyes widened at the realization before his feet took off in the direction it was coming from.
"You're pathetic to even try half breed," a deep voice mused as he drew closer, "No one would come to your aid even if you did scream."
Upon coming to the scene, he felt his heart fill with hatred. A filthy run away wolf hound had run away from its pack. The demon had its hand over Nina's mouth, holding her off the ground. Her arms and cheeks were bruised already; her hoari torn and covered in mud.
He clenched his claws tightly. There was no possibly way that this wolf mutt would escape with his life.
"Don't you believe me? You might as well stop struggling and accept your death already," the demon mused with a slight smirk.
Nina's claws dug at the wolf's, trying to pull it off her face. After a moment, the wolf cried out with pain as Nina dug her fangs into the meat of its hand.
The wolf flung her to the side; throwing her into a tree trunk. His feet took to action then, intervening with the wolf. As the demon swung its claw at the unconscious girl, the claw was stopped halfway through.
"I suggest that you go back to your pack, wolf," he growled threateningly, digging his claws deep into the wolf's forearm.
"Why would I want to do that, mutt?" the wolf asked, sounding amused.
"You might be amused, but I am not," he hissed before pulling the wolf's arm and swinging a free claw.
A cry of pain filled the rainy area.
The wolf's arm was thrown away before his claw crossed to go in the direction if came from. Blood splattered around him, covering his white hoari and face.
Cold amber eyes watched as the wolf mutt's head rolled across the mud covered ground.
"Are you amused now?" he asked the head hatefully before crushing it with his whip.
With the demon being destroyed, he turned to his unconscious once friend.
"No matter what I say," he murmured as he turned to her, "You'll always be the greatest friend that I ever had… and the one that will ever be able to steal my heart."
He picked the younger girl into his arms and began walking toward the poor village. She didn't deserve to be treated like she was. Because of the form she was born into, many people shunned her; hated her. He found that it was a cruel way to treat something only because it was half of both demon and human.
"One day all the people that treated you poorly will be put to shame. They'll all see just how great you truly are," he whispered assuringly, "Just as I have."
- - - -
And the shadow of the day,
Will embrace the world in grey,
And the sun will set for you.
And the shadow of the day,
Will embrace the world in grey,
And the sun will set for you
- - - -
The village came into sight and he inwardly sighed. This would be the last he would see of her face to face for a long time… His expression became solemn as he went to her family hut.
No one was there, just as he suspected. He wondered what it must feel like to live with uncaring parents. To him the thought sounded rather pleasing; to do just as he so chose. Then he believed that she would think caring parents to be appealing.
Placing her small frame onto the mattress, he smiled softly to himself. She really would be interesting when she got older.
"Goodbye Nina…" he murmured, turning to leave.
As he was going through the door, he moved the screen out of the way.
"Sesshoumaru…" she murmured from behind him.
He paused for a moment at the sound of his name.
"We… had fun… didn't we?" she asked weakly.
"… Too much fun," he whispered before pushing his feet to keep walking through the door.
No matter how much they wanted it differently… they had to say goodbye. He just wished that he could have explained it to her; to let her have the chance to understand. They didn't have the chance though… things had somehow changed too suddenly.
Now that he had spoken his words… both of them would have to live with goodbye…
End of Chapter 6
So… how was it? o.O Please god no one kill me! I'm sorry that that's the end of the chapter but I swear that it's not the end of the story! I'm not gunna end it that way! ---runs away from angry fans--- I'm sorry if it seemed really short. When I was writing it, it seemed a lot longer on the paper. I don't know. I'm sorry if it seemed short though.
Thank you so much for reading. Please R&R and I'll try to update this again soon. :D