Here is the chapter 8. I found some time to write a little, I hope it turned out well - at least I hope it's not too bad. Well I dare say there is one positive element and this is... this is... yeah our Sesshomaru is present in that chapter ! (didn't you wait long enough? :p )
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Hope you'll enjoy your reading!
Chapter 8 Suspicions
As the meeting went by, Goro's eyes didn't leave his Lord. He attentively watched every move, every feeling crossing his features. He wouldn't miss any. In his opinion, Sesshomaru was far from being worth of the position he held, Lord of the Western Clan, which requested diplomacy and restrain. When you held such a position, you couldn't allow yourself to give in all your whims, the others' interests had to be put before yours, the others' representing the clan, the Lord only being the voice of the clan, not its head, not its opinion.
As much as he had respected Sesshomaru's father, Goro couldn't quite understand why such a powerful being had left his throne to one of his sons, both so unworthy of the honour. The first was a feisty one, only listening to himself, only caring about himself, and the second, Goro felt ashamed for his former Lord, the second was a half-breed who willingly chose to mate with a human, like father like son. In its misfortune, the clan had been lucky enough not to inherit Inuyasha, no doubt he would have been its downfall. However, it didn't make Sesshomaru worthier of the title.
Goro held back a sigh, frustrated by the vain attempt of a younger counsellor to convince their Lord about – well, about what he couldn't tell, he had long stopped paying attention to their futile requests.
The council too, if you asked him, deserved to be changed. It was a pity he was now the eldest and the last of those who had given its glory to the clan during the reign of Sesshomaru's father. His old comrades were dead, killed by their thirst of power, or because of their loyalty, actually both were stupid reasons really. Goro was devoted to the clan, but not to the point of giving his life away. 'Neither are they ready to do it,' he thought while briefly glancing around. The new generation was made up of power-thirsty sly cowards, led by a Lord way too proud for his own well. The fate of the Western Clan was definitely unsure, even more if a war were to be started between them and the Northern Clan. 'Oh right, that's the subject of the meeting.'
"But my Lord!" was crying a pitiful-looking counsellor on his right. "We can't let them believe they are stronger, since they have already made a move we should do the same! No! Better! We should attack! It will discourage them to brag further."
'Alas they don't brag.' Goro was appalled by the very stupidity of the words. True, the bear demons had sent reinforcements near the border of their two territories, but the move didn't seem to be destined to them, how could they decently assure it was intimidation? If they attacked now, there would be a war, and it would do no good to either of them. The Western clan, as weak as its leaders were, wouldn't be easily defeated - he had to admit Sesshomaru was quite skilled in the art of war - however the Northern clan wasn't one to play with. In fact, their strengths matched each other, a war would be catastrophic for both of them.
"I agree! They are making it very clear they want to start a war!"
He nearly slapped the demon beside him. What a naïve fool! They were bringing reinforcements up to the border because they had been attacked a lot in that region recently. They were attacked, they strengthened their defences, logical. The fact that it had happened near their border shouldn't matter so much. It was evident the whole situation was just a misunderstanding.
"We need to reinforce ours too! They've been taunting us for far too long!"
Maybe not for everybody. From the dark gaze – darker than usual – of his Lord, Goro could tell the situation was truly pissing him off.
The bear and the dog demons had never been friendly neighbours, feuds and fights regularly happening, but they had never been of a great importance, never big enough to start a war, not even to rouse the idea of one in the leaders' minds.
Why was this move taking such proportions? Goro could foresee a trap. Would their leader be able to avoid it? He swiftly glanced at Sesshomaru. Surprisingly enough, he hadn't ordered them to shut up yet, contenting himself with straightly staring at the door opposing his seat. Several times Goro had thought he was about to rip one of the fools apart, but he had held himself back, or rather something had held him back. It bothered Goro not to be able to know what thoughts were keeping his Lord to act as usual.
Perhaps it was something the hideous imp called Jaken had said earlier, something about humans working with bear demons, he thought he remembered the toad had even given them a name. The name of a young woman who seemed to hold a high rank in the army, at least high enough to order the lowest soldiers around. How had he called her, oh yeah Rin, that was the name. It hadn't immediately rung a bell, but now that he thought again, he was certain he had already heard it in the past recent years.
If he could remember when and where – obviously in the castle since he hadn't left it for the last century – then maybe he would be able to understand his Lord's sudden diplomacy towards the stupidities flying around the room.
"You've heard what the toad said! There are humans among them! Humans!" the youngest counsellor put a lot of emphasis on the last word. "I bet they've been corrupted!"
Demons corrupted by humans? Goro made a huge effort not to burst into laughter. That was definitely the more ridiculous thing he had heard in the past thirty minutes. Albeit he was amused, he had to speak if he wanted to stick to his usual self.
"Think a little more before speaking Kiyosuke!" he suddenly exclaimed, perfectly playing his role of an old-fashioned counsellor, only preoccupied by his seat among the council and his dull life. "You mean humans could be controlling a whole clan of demon? Or at least the leaders of the clan? Do you think the bear demons are so weak? Whatever they are, they remain demons. They can't have fallen so low!"
Satisfied by the look of utter shame in Kiyosuke's eyes, Goro leant back in his chair. It pleased him to still be able to rouse such feelings with the sole use of his voice. He wasn't ready to be thrown out yet. Sesshomaru didn't seem to even notice his intervention though, still pondering over whatever was in his mind. The more he thought about it, the more he was certain his passivity was somehow linked with the mention of that human. Maybe if he pushed things a little further...
"I don't understand either why they are daring to mix themselves with such low beings! Humans as soldiers! I admit it's really a shame, but there has to be something behind that! Demons can't possibly accept to work willingly with humans," he vehemently spat.
With all the emphasis he had put on humans and demons, he was sure to get some reaction from his Lord, even the slightest twitch of the bow would satisfy him, and it did. Sesshomaru's features darkened a bit more, a so small change that nobody remarked it, except him, after all he had been looking for it, Goro didn't miss the new expression, from which he deduced the relationship between humans and demons was what was keeping their Lord's attention away from their insignificant chattering.
The next mystery to solve was why he was so drawn by that. 'Rin,' he thought again. That name did ring a bell, if only his memory wasn't so full of different, useless, names. Some belonged to persons he would never meet again, some belonged to dead people, some to foes he had killed a long time ago, some didn't mean anything, not having a face to be linked to any more. However that name, he was sure it belonged to the recent memories, he had heard it in the past ten years, not much, it wouldn't stand out so much if it was. If he had surely not pronounced it himself, he had talked about that person, he had minded her enough for her name to bother him years later. Something big had happened and that name had been related to it. He had to remember.
'A human, it shouldn't be so difficult to remember a matter involving a human and the Lord.' He frowned. Why did not he think about it earlier? A human involved with the Lord, there had been such a scandal years ago, ten to be exact. The affair had brought the council to think their Lord had lost his head. Yeah, he remembered now. Ten years ago, Lord Sesshomaru had returned from his trip accompanied by his two usual companions and a weak creature, a new burden, a human child. He had dared force them to tolerate her presence. The child were to stay with them, inside the castle, and not as a servant, but as a permanent guest, becoming Lord Sesshomaru's ward.
'The biggest and most entertaining scandal involving the Lord himself we have had since the beginning of his reign,' a flash of amusement passed through Goro's eyes, fortunately nobody was paying him attention enough to notice. Of course, he hadn't supported their Lord in his foolishness. He had stood up against him with the council, watching him struggling with the rules fixed by tradition and his own will.
The match had been a tough one, and Lord Sesshomaru might have won it if his opponents hadn't been so serious about getting rid of the undesirable. After an umpteenth murder attempt on the girl, their Lord had left with her and when he had come back, it had been alone. For once the mighty and proud Sesshomaru hadn't successfully imposed his will.
Goro held back a smirk, so the child was actually coming back. He glanced at Sesshomaru who caught his move. They intently stared at each other. The old counsellor wasn't deceived by his Lord's passivity, the latter wasn't fooled by his supposed subordinate's silence. Both demons knew more than they were letting appear.
If Goro's decision was to passively watch how the things would go, Sesshomaru couldn't help but swear to keep an eye on the counsellor. Never trusting anyone, he wasn't about to start now, let-alone the cunning old male.
Usually, Sesshomaru was able to read people surrounding him pretty well, but the old demon never stopped to surprise him. He knew he wasn't content with him taking the throne after his father, Goro had hoped the council would govern alone, however he had never openly contested his authority, nor had he ever criticized him. During the meetings, he would often remain silent, only talking to defend the superiority of the demons, of the dog demons, over the other living beings. Goro was a conservative, always had been, always would be, in spite of the changes he had sometimes supported.
To be honest, Sesshomaru didn't understand the demon's behaviour at all. He had the power to set the whole council against him, but never did it. That being was a mystery in himself, a threatening one, and now that Rin's name had been mentioned again, the threat seemed to have grown bigger.
When the name had left Jaken's lips, Sesshomaru hadn't been immediately alarmed. Rin was a common name among humans, it didn't necessarily mean it was her. However, the more he had heard about the woman, the more it had become obvious they were the same person, that soldier and the precious memory he kept in his mind. The physical appearance fit the projection of her as an adult he had so often imagined. The tormented look on Jaken's face had only confirmed his thoughts. His annoying companion had been near the border on his behalf, it was obvious he had seen the woman in question.
Sesshomaru remembered the behaviour Jaken had had after his return, hesitant, nervous, he hadn't stopped pacing up and down in front of his door without never daring to get in the office. Not knowing how he would take the news, Jaken had wasted a precious time, and there was now the great Lord Sesshomaru, struggling to keep paying attention – usually weak but not to such a point – to what was being said between the council members, struggling to keep his face as emotionless as ever, struggling to remain calm. And if Sesshomaru hated one thing, it really was struggling.
He could have declared the meeting over, postponed it, or left the room without giving a damn about the counsellors, it would have suited him, but not his purpose. He had sent Rin away to ensure her safety, as stupid as the council was, he wouldn't take the risk to draw their attention on her. If he had gone after having heard her name, it would have roused suspicions, they would have searched for the cause of such a behaviour, some might have found, and then... No, it was a risk he wouldn't take. Then, he took it upon him to remain as emotionless as ever, not letting anything betray what his thoughts were, but, from the look the old Goro was now giving him, his plan might not have worked so well.
'Will ask Jaken to keep an eye on him.' As weak as the toad seemed to be – and as annoying as he was, he was the only being Sesshomaru trusted, well not totally, but as far as his trust could go, it would be right to say that in his opinion Jaken was now more of a companion than of a servant.
Sesshomaru knew Jaken was entirely devoted to him, not only to his causes, but to his very person. In the world where the great demon was evolving Jaken was the only one who would never try to stab him – let-alone succeed. Besides, it could not be denied that the little imp was still fond of Rin, he would do his best to protect her.
Sesshomaru turned his gaze away from Goro's, not caring if the old demon took it as a victory. The infamous Lord Sesshomaru didn't have anything to prove to anybody, that kind of childish contest couldn't hurt his pride, nor his self-confidence.
"I... I suggest we nonetheless send troops to the border. We need to show we're not afraid, whoever is the foe," Kiyosuke's voice, at first hesitant, became firmer by the end of his intervention.
Albeit he had been publicly humiliated by Goro earlier, he wouldn't let go of his idea. They needed to settle that matter whoever they would have to face to do it, as long as the consequences weren't bad for his clan, he didn't care which they were.
Goro raised an eyebrow at him, he wouldn't have thought the moron had the guts to speak after the lecture he had given him. His lips stretched into a tiny smirk, the fresh meat would perhaps be more interesting than he had previously thought.
Sesshomaru held back an exasperated sigh. Jaken would have to look after Goro once he would have sent a message to the Lady of the Northern Clan. It was obvious he wouldn't get away from the meeting without having agreed to reinforce the border, but such a move could be misinterpreted by their neighbours, after all, they hadn't been victim of attacks, they didn't have any reason to put more soldiers there. The bear demons' move wasn't necessarily a threat, but if they, the dog demons, did make the same move, it wouldn't have any other explanation than the one of being a preparation to war. He needed to contact Lady Natsuko, as discreetly as possible, to figure the things out before they went out of control.
Besides, if Rin was among the bear demons, if she was a soldier, he swore to hell he wouldn't ever let a war happen between the two clans. Actually, he was sure it wouldn't be the sole thing her presence would make him swear to do.
His little, no, she wasn't a child any more. 'And she isn't yours,' a teasing – annoying – voice said in his mind. Well, if Rin was living among demons, could that mean he could plan to-
"My Lord, we're waiting for you," Goro's voice tore him away from his thoughts. "Are we sending troops to the North?"
"You may," he coldly answered.
"Then, I dare declare the meeting over," Goro continued, enjoying the visibly pissed look on his Lord's face. A look he was certainly the only one able to detect, but, after all, he had known their Lord since the demon was a new-born baby, hadn't he? It was obvious the demon had things to prepare, to ponder over. Goro was eager to see what would happen in the near future.
"An explanation, or a war, whatever will be the outcome, we shall all swear to remain faithful to our Clan!" All the counsellors stood up and, imitating Goro's behaviour, turned towards Sesshomaru. "And, of course, to our Lord," Goro's tone held an amusement Sesshomaru, contrary to the others, didn't miss.
TBC
