After quick goodbyes and directions, Isolde had left the village with a fiery determination. This is her destiny, she must keep the wheels in motion, as her grandmother has said. She could wait for no one. After a day of getting acquainted with her steed and a feel for the land, Isolde actually began to enjoy herself. She was never one to need much company. She had been alone most of her life, having no siblings and few friends, so she was accustomed to it. Solitude was nice. Though having people around you makes you feel apart of things. It was on-going battle inside of her that had been waging for years.
The first night alone was particularly eerie. She had never camped growing up but she had brought a lighter with her back from the modern era so she didn't need to know how to start a fire. She had brought along some of the ramen that Kagome kept in stock for Inuyasha. Thanks for sharing! Isolde thought, almost giggling to herself knowing he would have had a fit if he knew.
The second day of travel she was more at ease. She was actually riding her horse, not schlepping along at a snail's pace. Maybe she would reach the village sooner than Kaede thought. That renewed her resolve. She would try to make it there tomorrow. Kaede had shown her an herb that was pretty close to what caffeine does for you in modern times. She said workers chewed on it throughout the day while working to keep pace. She would ride through the night and maybe make it to the village by tomorrow afternoon. She could sleep then.
I'm sure they'll welcome me with open arms if they know who I am. Either that or chase me out with torches and pitchforks.
She giggles a bit at that last part. The sun is setting and she can sense her steed needs some food and water. She stops near a particularly beautiful lake with a large tree near, it's branches hanging so low they dip into the water. She walks to the lake and smiles as the fireflies started to peek out. She has always loved fireflies. When she was younger, during the summer, she would keep 3 or 4 of them in a jar as her personal nightlight. They brought her peace.
Suddenly, she feels a tightness forming in her chest. Almost something like dread. She looks to her steed who chortles and stomps his hoof. He feels something, too. Something not friendly. Quickly, she reaches her steed and takes hold of the sword Inuyasha had scrounged up from the village. She knew some stances and techniques, and also had watched plenty of movies, so hopefully she could fill in the blanks. Turning, she sees an ominous cloud hanging low over the lake. The water starts to ripple and push upwards, something pushing to the surface.
It breeches the water, coming out hissing. It looks like a water snake...on steroids. Isolde feels her breath catch in her throat and she steps back, colliding with her horse. He stands his ground, probably having faced many battles with Lady Kaede. She needs to do this. She needs to prove to everyone that she belongs here. Because she's supposed to be here, this is her home. Not the modern era. She never felt like she fit in, could barely make any friends. Her heart seemed far away. She can do this.
Feeling her determination stoke the embers of faith in herself, she steps to the edge of the lake, sword drawn in an offensive stance. The water snake stares down at her, hissing, then suddenly laughing. Isolde glares, craning her neck to stare up at it, watching carefully.
"Fool! You dare trespass onto my land? I shall show you my wrath!" It screeches, quite obnoxiously.
The snake barrels down towards her, like a steam engine, Isolde quite ungracefully dodging its' attack.
This should be fun.
She is not here. I do not sense her. Did that half-breed come back to take her?
Sesshomaru ponders this as he passes near that old priestess's village. He was merely passing by on his way to negotiate treaties with neighboring Lords. Since the end of his hunt for Naraku, he returned to his father's home to tend to the western lands that were his now by birthright. He never gave much thought to it, leaving some general in charge of things. After he and the others had defeated Naraku, he needed purpose, and this seemed to fill the time. Rin had come back with him and spent most of her time with her teacher at the castle. He had offered a post at the fortress for his ungrateful half-brother who naturally declined. He had allied with him at the time to defeat Naraku and had grown accustomed to having him around. He almost felt...responsible for him. He huffs slightly, considering this. He has no one to feel responsible for. He answers to himself. No one else.
Curious, he lands gently outside the old priestess's hut. Sensing him, she comes outside, the little fox demon that follows Inuyasha around behind her.
"Isolde is not here."
He doesn't respond. He already knows this.
"She left on the eve you were here with her."
"Interesting." Sesshomaru says, immediately regretting coming here.
"Alone." The old priestess states, crossing her arms.
Sesshomaru can't hold back the flash of shock that crosses his face.
Alone? She can not fend for herself. She is a foreigner to these lands. There is no purpose in considering this. She is not my ward. This is uninteresting.
"Why." He demands.
Just...curious.
"She didn't want to wait for Inuyasha to come back. She became irritated and pushy once you left and and packed her things. I lent her my steed and she departed quickly."
"Hn." Sesshomaru says, turns on his heel, and is gone.
"Hopefully that will light a fire under him." Kaede says, smiling down at Shippo, who nods eagerly.
Sesshomaru picked up her scent after leaving the village. It was easy enough to determine she was at least heading in the right direction. She was moving slowly at first...but seemed to pick up speed. Obviously becoming more confident.
Foolish. What could that woman hope to accomplish on her own. She is untrained, ungraceful, and stubborn. She surely has found trouble.
Sesshomaru huffs softly to himself. This is of no concern to him. There is so need to chase after her. She chooses her own path, though it may be a foolhardy one. He decides to make a slight course correction, heading towards the Lord he is to meet to discuss boundary lines.
Just then, he catches a scent. He knows it belongs to that woman. He stops dead in his tracks.
Blood.
The serpent laughs down at her, glaring at her. This was bad. She's getting tired. They'd been battling for the past 30 minutes. She'd managed to slice him on his belly, but her state of being was far worse. He had bitten her on her waist, picking her up in the air and throwing her like a rag doll and colliding with the earth. She was bleeding profusely out of the wounds and it caused her vision to blur. Still, she stood her ground, sword firmly in hand. She would not give up and run away. She would defend her honor and slaughter this creature. New determination shone in her eyes and aura.
As if sensing this, the snake lets forth a loud hiss and charges her. She slices upwards, exuding the last bit of strength she has stored in her body, toward her attacker, catching him under the chin with her sword. He roars in anger, slithering backwards, then comes at her again. She isn't prepared at all. The strength she had was used in her last attack. She was hoping it would've been enough.
Letting out a sigh of defeat, dropping her sword, she simply closes her eyes and accepts the inevitable. She feels her body leaving the ground. Her death must have been so quick and painless. But then she feels the wind hitting her face and silky hair flicking her cheeks. Her eyes flicker open and see's nothing but silver. Confused, her eyes search, finding Lord Sesshomaru's unconcerned face. Is this the last image her mind produces? Why would I see Sesshomaru before I die? She thinks to herself before succumbing to unconciousness.
If I arrived a moment later...
Sesshomaru lays the woman on the ground. He turns and stares at the steed, jerking his head gently. The steed turns and trots back towards his home. He looks back at her, laying on the ground. Her dark hair spread out like a fan, a few strands laying over her face. She's pale from losing blood. She looks...peaceful. He stops breathing for a moment and listens to make sure her heart is still beating before turning back to this pathetic water snake.
"Who do you think you are, interfering with my battle?! You shall not be spared!" The pathetic demon roars out.
The demon barrels down towards his new opponent, ignoring his intense aura. Sesshomaru sighs softly and grabs the snake by his neck, turning and snapping it as if he were holding a twig in his hands, and throws it on the ground. Squatting down to inspect its' corpse, he sees the girl was able to do some damage. Though it had not shown it, the attack that cut hit chin and neck was nearly fatal.
How has a woman with barely any training able to do even the slightest damage, let alone almost deliver a killing blow?
He turns to find the woman where he left her. He picks her up and heads to the nearest village. Luckily, the townspeople saw him slay the water demon who had been plaguing their town, so they viewed him as their "savior". Ridiculous. That snake was simply in his way. They tried presenting him with gifts but realized he had no desire to respond to them. His one request was a room at the inn for the girl. Still they praised him. He had only come because he smelled her blood.
But then...why did that even matter?
Pushing that thought aside, he tended to the girl's wounds, undressing her and bandaging her.
Because the smell was quite annoying. That's why. I needed to stop it. It was assaulting my sense of smell.
He wasn't sure if that lowly demon carried any venom in his bite. The girl has been out for a full day. Probably due to exhaustion. He should probably just leave her to heal. He sits, staring at her face, inspecting her with an intense stare.
I should leave. But then...I can't...What is it that binds me to her?
Her mouth parts and she groans softly.
"Sesshomaru..." She mumbles, incoherently.
...Why does she say my name?
"Sessho...maru..." She says again, turning slightly.
...Why does the sound of this make my heart pound?
He sees her eyes start to twitch and leaps gracefully to the window, sitting on the ledge and staring out at the moonless night sky.
Isolde was dreaming, she was sure of it. She remembers fighting the snake demon, the wounds she received, and knowing death was certain. Then, his face. His beautiful, stoic, determined face. Determined why? To save a pathetic human's life? She had to have dreamed it.
As she awoke, she sat up in bed, half expecting to be in Lady Kaede's hut, with all of this being one long-winded dream. But she's not. She's in a bed in a small, charming room. She allows a few moments for her eyes to get used to the dark and peers around the room. She sees him, sitting as a perfectly carved statue on the ledge of the window.
"Sesshomaru?" She hears herself ask, even though it's silly because she knows who it is.
He doesn't respond, just inclines his head slightly so she knows he heard her. Slowly she gets up and groggily walks over to where he is perched. She doesn't realize it at first, not until a breeze hits here. Looking down, she realizes she is only in her panties and bra. Rage streams into her veins. Sesshomaru notices and his eyes move slightly to her.
"What is with you and trying to see me naked, huh?!" She blurts out, angrily.
He merely lets his eyes drop to her side where she is bandaged and she stares at them.
He...bandaged me? She ponders, suddenly feeling embarrassed for her outrage. He had allowed her the privacy of keeping her undergarments on.
"S-Sorry." She mumbles.
She turns hastily out of embarrassment and feels the world tilt underneath her. She reaches out to find purchase on something solid and feels a tight grip on her wrist and elbow. She drowsily looks down to see Sesshomaru holding onto her with his left arm.
"Mmm...thought you lost that arm to Inuyasha."
"My body heals differently than a human's." He says, huffing at hearing his half-brother's name.
"Oh. That's nice." She sighs out, blinking a few times.
"You should sleep more. You will open your wounds by walking around." Sesshomaru states nonchalantly.
He takes that moment to inspect his handiwork with the bandages. He has never needed them himself. When we was allied with his brother he took much interest in the care the Priestess took to bandage that half-breed. He pulls the bandage up gently to peer at her wounds and raises an eyebrow. Noticing, Isolde twists slightly to look as well. Sesshomaru shifts his gave to her face.
...They're almost already completely healed...what don't I know about this woman?
Author's Note: Soooo PLEEASSE Review, I think I'm staying pretty much as in character for Sessh as possible...I'm thinking of 2 directions to go in for this whole wound healing tid bit at the end. I'm pretty sure I know which way I want to go. Let me know what you guys think after the next update!
