Kikyou looked on at the demon with loathing. Kagome was shaking in her arms from the assault she had just endured. The demon was seething mad, and she had little idea as to why any of this had just happened. "Did you not hear me... I need to go to her." he repeated and Kikyou turned her eyes to her sister who panted, her lip still beading profusely. She shook her head.
Sesshomaru could not believe what was happening. As he scented the retreat of the inu male he tried harder to scent for the lie that he had just been told. His mother could not be there, she could not have been given to him after everything. he recalled the careless tactics and aggressive behavior of the chief of the dark inu tribe and was astounded at the demotion in status his mother had undertaken.$$$$$
"Demon, we have a child to protect. We cannot leave here to go between demons." Kikyou said and began to drag Kagome back to the hut. Kagome felt violated, hurt from the rough treatment and she could not think for the pounding in her head. Kikyou dragged her away and with speed faster than either of them could have thought possible Sesshomaru appeared in front of them.
" I need to go. Give me the woman... now." he snarled and reached to grab Kagome from her sister. Kikyou reached out and burned him with a zap of spiritual magic, making him snatch his hand back in pain. She was getting stronger, he would know ,he often tested her defenses... she was easily riled to violence, and He found it amusing.
"Don't you dare touch her. Don't you realize this is your fault, she's hurt... again. You are so selfish! She has put herself out there for you and all you ever think about is yourself. Your grudge. Your vengeance. You have no thought for how your actions affect other people." Kikyou began ripping him apart and Kagome could only stand there and watch as her usually composed sister reverted to someone she hadn't seen in a long time.
" Kikyou."
"No Kagome... demon, you honestly think that I would allow you to take my twin away into your world of war? you constantly rage at her and tell her how much you want her to die. She is my only family!.I would not allow you to take her if the entire world were at stake." she balled her fist and punched him in the chest trying with her might to even make him step back. He didn't down at the place that the woman had struck him, he could still smell the scent of Kagome's blood and he felt the honesty in her actions. he stepped aside.
Kikyou looked at him for only a second and strode past him with Kagome behind.
The night drug on in irritation, and self loathing for hated his father, it was the abuse and torture that drove him to all of this. the rage at his father's betrayal, sacrificing his life for this half breed, all sent him over the edge and pushed him to this point. now his mother was being punished for his neglect of tribal duties.
he couldnt stand the thought of the only person he truly loved being taken from him and placed in someone else's care, and a rival for that matter. He had to escape this binding. Perhaps, he wondered, he could persuade her to take the thing off, would she? Could she? They didn't trust him. He didn't trust them. How was he going to get to his mother? What if it was all a lie, and Takada had sought him out to see where he was and what project had diverted his attention from the one sided rivalry.
He hadn't been home in eight months, and he had been hunting for a month before that and so his mother was truly at the mercy of the tribe leader, who dealt with the inu with a cold calculated manner. He was efficient, a blood heir to their last leader, trained to oversee the warring and status of the inu to ensure the most efficient system. Now that Sesshomaru's father was gone, the leader was down a fine general, and the man to replace him was bound to a priestess who would hinder his ascent into the inu ranks. he cursed the decision to even come here in the first place
Kikyou cursed the demon as she mended the tears in Kagome's robe. She looked on at her sister's bare back and saw the purplish marks from the demons claws, she glowered. " we should have purified him," she said for the hundredth time. Kagome was silent.
"It is our fault that his mother is in danger. He is unable to leave, with the binding spell still active. He is trapped here while his world goes on without him. The other demon was apart of his tribe, they knew each other. I think he was serious about sess-the demons mother being in danger."
"Yeah well he's trying to kill his brother, so how much does it mean to be family to a demon." she snapped and Kagome was taken back.
"You know what father would say, Kikyou. Don't pretend that you've forgotten everything we went through because the last few years have been easy!" kagome said back trying to get her twin to wake up and snap out of her self righteous tirade.
" I didn't forget anything, that the demon, he almost killed you, that he's tried to kill you so many times. Kagome, you can't walk to your death for the demon. Father wouldn't have wanted that either!" Kikyou threw her hands up.
Kagome thought, she recalled the incident where he had spared Inuyasha's' life, then when he spared Hojo's life. He was beginning to change, but was she safe with him? Could she tell her sister that she would come home if she went with him. Actually, going with him would probably mean never coming home, and dying somewhere along the way for the pure reason to be rid of her binding.
Ten years ago.
Twin girls, walked slowly with a man who was weak from sickness. He was tall and dark haired like
.6the two, and it was obvious that his now paled face was once bright with energy and laughter. Kagome, the more sullen of the two held on to her father as a lifeline. She rushed to intercept things so he wouldn't have to bend over and watched the embarrassment play across er father's features.
" I just want to help." she cried when he would turn annoyed eyes on her. He would rescind and reach out for her and embrace her in his ever weakening arms.
" kagome, you are helping. By being with me and holding me through this difficult time. Please don't take away my ability to be a man by doing everything for me. I can't stand you two doing everything for me, when I should be taking care of you."he said and was interrupted by Kikyou.
" father, don't be silly-" Kikyou tried but she was silenced with her father's next words.
" Kikyou, Let a man, be a man. I want to do as much as I can before I can no longer." he rasped with the weakness of his body. Kagome was near tears and she nodded. He was getting worse, every day they searched for a cure to his illness but they traveled in vain, for the thing that was taking their father was of something they could not fight. "after the dishonor I've put you through and the mother you've lost I must protect you still, please never forget that a man's pride is in his care for those he protects."
"Yes father." the twins answered together.
Presently.
It was midnight and Kagome could not sleep still. She turned to where Inuyasha was and reached her hand out to gently rub his back without disturbing him from sleep. She watched for his eyes to flutter and when he remained resting she sat up, and went to the door of the hut to peer out. The door creaked and she knew that she had disturbed Kikyou but the woman turned over and threatened her not to go any where. Kagome agreed.
Out in the forest, Kagome looked out a the damage done by the fight that had happened hours ago. She felt the raging aura of the demon and went to the place at the barrier that she could see him. He was sitting on a branch, high into the tree and staring out toward the east. She felt his dread like a wave.
"have you have come here to release me from my binding?" he asked not in the mood to talk about anything else.
"no, i don't think i can." she called and he snorted. Sesshomaru dropped to the ground and looked down on her with intimidating yes.
"It is of grave importance that I return home." he barked earning a distrusting look, she took a step back from his rage.
" I heard the demon, he could have been lying.." she said and he growled.
"That is precisely why I need to get home." he yelled and she shushed him.
"please be quiet, it's taken forever for inuyasha to settle down." she said irritated.
Sesshomaru looked on at the woman with barely contained rage. He felt swallowed up in the dread of his mother's fate. The leader had offered her to the other chief? Why? Was it his fault for bringing the dragons wrath down on their tribe? He had to get to her. " Kagome I need to go to her. Let us leave. Now" he said and reached forward to grab her. kagome shied away from his outstretched hands and he paused, smelling the fear she had of him still. " i'm not going to hurt you." he tried
" I wish i could believe that ." she said and he turned on her.
" I cannot leave this place without you, do not stand in the way of my familial duties." he said loathing to admit that he needed her.
" Sesshomaru, i have lost people too, I only have one family member left, my sister, who I have lived with from the womb-I cannot leave her without the assurance that I would be safe. I don't trust you not to let me die just because you're tired of dealing with me." She said recalling the siege he had laid on them for the first few weeks he had been bound to her.
Sesshomaru had to slow his breathing down, His head was feeling fuzzy and he felt like he was going to drop. " I have to get to her...will you take the cursed thing off?" he pressed and she shook her head. " I demand that you remove this thing at once" he tried and she looked at him with the same tinge of fear in her eyes. .
Sesshomaru was going to level the entire forest when he realized that he had been acting like his old self again from the moment that his rival had reappeared into his life. He took a few calming breaths and she physically watched him calm from rage and subdue it altogether.
" Kagome, I must get to my mother. She is in danger as a slave to a political rival within my race. There is only one thing that I can do." he swallowed his pride and plead with the woman.
Kagome stared on with wide eyes. He had asked her gently, tried to persuade her with the emotions that were swirling around inside of him-Things that weren't fear or hatred. "Promise me that you will protect me," she said and he turned amber eyes on her and was silent.
Sesshomaru looked after the woman with wonder.
Inside the hut Kagome looked to where Inuyasha was and saw that he was awake. Looking at her and realizing that she too saw him, Inuyasha rolled over onto his belly and lifted himself to a crawl, moving to her. "Mom." he said and raised his arms to be lifted into her lap. She grabbed him and cuddled him into her chest while he made small growling noises.
Kagome was never too tired to hold Inuyasha, his closeness and affection were as much apart of her now as her sister who had shared everything with her from birth. Looking on her sisters sleeping face she saw the worry etched into her dark brows. even in sleep, and knew it was fear that she would leave her sister on a mission of compassion, to be killed.
Well I don't want to die yet. I haven't even heard Inuyasha say he loves me. I want to see him grow up. I want... to live."she said and turned her back to the demon outside. It would be morning soon and she would be faced with another day of his raging temper and the threats that he would only too happily carry out if he were not bound. I wish I could trust you, but I can't, she thought.
Sesshomaru brooded. He knew that his raging temper was not going to get him anywhere with these women. He saw the distrust in their eyes and knew that it was well earned. He did not trust them. He didn't trust anyone. He could not rely on the whim of that soft hearted wench to pursue more vengeance. The one who had taken his mother would pay dearly for this. Protect her? I want to kill her. He thought and then remembered the knot of nausea he had felt when Takada was holding her life in his hands, and when he tried to lay claim on her-It had enraged him to see his rival pawing at her, like she was his to grab. Rage was a constant in his life...so why did this rage feel so much more personal.
"Because she is mine to kill..."he said aloud trying to justify the rage and fear that he had felt. She had been near death. If kikyou hadn't have been there she would have died. Because he could not, would not, protect her from his rivals hands.
She would never trust him.
Why should she?
" I need her to trust me. I have to go to my mother... to know that she is safe." he said to himself and fought the idea of playing nice with these women, well kagome at least. he turned to the hut that housed the twin women he had tried to-wanted to, hurt and thought of raging blue eyes.
Kagome.
It was dawn when he dropped from his place in the branches of his nose used resting place and stood at the barrier. jr beckoned kagome to him with a scent to establish his place as the protector of the group, he had never bothered to hone the use of this scent and so he tried to suppress as much of his normal anger as he could to draw her near. minuted passed before he heard her draw in the scent and react to him with sluggish movements, not even consciously aware that he was calling her and yet awoke and as he had wanted, was drawn to him.
Within the hut kagome stirred from the light slumber she had fallen into. Inuyasha was curled in her lap with his arms sprawled and snoring softly. She lifted him out of her lap and laid him in the nest of covers that had been coiled up in her tossing and turning during the night.
Kagome stood and stretched. She would go out to him now. stepping onto the cool boards of the porch she was greeted with the crisp morning air and smiled feeling refreshed and ready to deal with anything the demon had to throw at her today. "Kagome," she heard him address her through the camouflage of the trees. Stopping in shock, she looked for him, felt for his rage, and found none.
"Sesshomaru? Are you okay, where are you? She asked and he appeared out of the shadow, stepping forward and letting the early morning light dapple his cloths and face as he came into view. His demeanor had changed, she noticed. His eyes were calm when he looked at her and she saw that he was trying to work through something enough to continue speaking to her. " I need to go... I must insist on a...compromise."
" What?" she asked not sure if she had heard correctly. she was unsure of what just happened, it was a rarity to even hear him say anything remotely neutral, to offer a compromise was the closest thing to a miracle she had ever witnessed.
" I will make a blood oath... to protect you." he breathed through the words as though it were physically painful for him to say such things out loud.
"How can I believe you?" she said and he fought the urge to growl. He took another breath and willed himself to take a step forward. he stepped closer to her and watched her crane her neck to look up at him. she wanted to step back from him, afraid that he would take hold of her and throw her from a cliff, but she stayed in place trying to give him a chance to convince her.
" I will make a truce." he said with more conviction. She found herself looking up into eyes filled with conviction, she blushed with the rush of butterflied she felt as she realized he was very serious.. She took him seriously, He was not threatening her. He was not trying to force her into doing his will.
"What truce?" she asked feeling her heart thump against chest. he noticed the spike in her scent and began to react to it himself before he could stop himself. reaching for her he took her arms in his hands and pulled her closer to him. scenting her quickly before she started to struggle and the scent was once again laced in fear. he felt annoyed by her reaction, but pushed it aside in favor of something more important.
taking a breath, he thought of something that" I will wait until Inuyasha is strong enough to fight me before I kill him." he said and met an unamused look from kagome. " get me the pup... I will prove this to you now."
"What if I give him to you and you kill him?" she asked and he nodded.
"I will not kill him until he can stare this one in the eyes as a man." he said and kagome gasped feeling the tides of fate turning.
" if you let me down Sesshomaru I will never forgive you." she said and then called for her sister to bring Inuyasha out.
Kikyou peered out of the hut and eyed the two wearily.
" Bring me the pup." he said an Kikyou snorted.
"For the hundredth time... NO!" she yelled an Inuyasha woke crying. Kagome looked at her sister pleading with her to come." why should I!" She said to her sister, though kagome hadn't voiced her desire yet.
"He has offered a truce... not to kill Inuyasha until he is strong enough to fight him." she said and Kikyou looked bewildered.
" ...and you believe that load of crap?" she scoffed and earned two unamused stares.
"Kikyou... I will not kill the child. Also I swear to...protect kagome. Give me the child and I will show you that I mean what I say." he said and kagome saw her sister's features soften. She looked at her sister and urged her to show her a sign of doubt.
" I believe him." Kagome answered and Kikyou slowly stepped forward.
At once Inuyasha stopped crying, he stilled and realized that his guardian was going toward the man that had both interested and terrified him for as long as he could remember, he looked wide eyed, not sure weather he was afraid or not. Amber eyes locked and every person held their breath through the next moment.
He was within reach. Sesshomaru knew he had the means to exact his revenge. The priestesses were beginning to trust him, had delivered the pup into his hands. He fought down the blood lust and glanced into coal eyes that held him with both loathing and wonder. They mirrored his emotions as he looked down at the pup.
Inuyasha began to feel more secure as time dragged on and he still hadn't been injured. He sniffed and scented the tension in the air and tried to calm them with the natural scent he used to show them that he had bonded with them, that they were his now to protect when he was able, Mother, he thought.
But, looking up at ht demon he did not feel the affection he felt towards the women and so he whimpered when the demon reached out to him.
Looking at razor claws he tried to get back from them but Kikyou and Kagome cooed to him and tried to soothe his worries. He eyed the striped wrists and then looked up at a face that has hard chiseled with no signs of mercy in his eyes. Sesshomaru knew the boy didn't trust him. He felt the resentment and the scent he used to make the priestesses pander to his cries.
Sesshomaru reached out to the pup with his scent, the scent was to solidify the bond of pack, and as alpha he used this to ensure both loyalty and protection until the moment the boy challenge his role as alpha. It was bestial in nature, but within his society crucial to the formation of hierarchy among the inu.
The boy stopped his struggling and leaned forward to sniff him. He drew in the scent and instinctively he submitted to the more powerful inu. Inuyasha was intrigued at the scent of the older inu, it promised of security and threatened him of danger at once. He looked from one guardian to the other and they stared at him with such interest he began to wonder why they didn't also respond to this scent. Could they detect it? Feeling the naturalness of the bond, he reached out to the inu and was received with hesitant care. Instinctively he began his investigation of the inu. Rummaging through the garments he searched for signs of blood and food, his scent was powerful and he could scent the blood lust like a shield around him instead of at him-They were pack now.
The twins watched in horror and wonder as Inuyasha pawed at the demon and sniffed him putting his nose against his chest and neck and scenting his hair. They did not realize that the base instinct of inu played out before them as a sign of a covenant. Sesshomaru fought the urge to throw the child from him and stop the infiltration of his privacy. The boy was gathering information. He was ripping him apart and dissecting his character to ensure he was a fit alpha. It was a natural inu trait that he had been surprised that the boy even possessed.
This had better be worth it... father. This son you've died for had better get strong enough to make up for your death. For you had the nerve to die before I could kill you and in your place there is only this pup. I will wait, he thought, for now,
the priestesses looked on at him with new eyes and he nearly felt his heart leap from his chest.
It was working.
Kagome could not deny what she was seeing. Inuyasha reacted to the demon with trust and so when he stared unflinchingly at them and demanded that they reconsider they refusal. They looked at each other. Sesshomaru set the boy on his feet and made no show of going after him when he began wandering around and playing as if there were nothing different in his life aside from one more person to pander to his wants.
"...You promise to protect kagome?" Kikyou asked. She felt her heart race and she looked at the demon and wondered if he truly was capable of compassion. He had never reached out to either of them before, he had only ever threatened and made them afraid, and yet he stood now, ready to put his vengeance off, perhaps for centuries, just so that he might go to his mother and see if the other demon lied about her enslavement... but if the demon wasn't lying, he would go after her and take kagome with him. Part of her wanted to refuse still. But part of her saw that he was sincere at least in his determination and she sighed.
" Kikyou, can we truly go through with this?" kagome asked her sister. kagome felt the same things that she saw swirling around in her sister's eyes. doubt, and fear. kikyou looked her in the eyes and communicated more than her words could.
When she did speak kagome was almost afraid to hear her. "You reminded me that we were taught a different set of values then a lot of women our age, i honestly don't want you to go, but, as you said, we can't stand in the way of what he has to do."
Sesshomaru looked at the usually unreasonable woman with disbelief, but covered it when they lookeda back at him. kagome nodded, tears brimming her eyes, " Then i will go." she said taking a breath to steady her.
