Chapter 12

Of all the times that Soledad had been in silence, this was definitely the worst. The only sounds that she could hear were the soft snores and breathes of the other demons, the crickets in the forest all around them, and the crackling of the fire which was the only light they had that night. She tried looking up at the sky to ease her anxiousness, but it did no good; it was one of those rare nights when no star was in sight. She sighed impatiently at Shinto's silence, feeling like the seconds were taking hours.

Soledad only agreed to go with Shinto for his safety. Knowing Sesshomaru, he would have gone into a rage if Shinto came back empty handed because of her own doing. But she simply pretended that she was absolutely exhausted about fifty miles into their journey so then if she wanted to or needed to, she could silently escape late at night when the rest were asleep. It was difficult leaving her second mother at the village, but she knew her new life wouldn't last long. And just now, late at night when no one else could be able to hear the two of them speaking, Soledad revealed everything about her past, especially her past with Sesshomaru, feeling a weight slowly lifting off her shoulders with every word that she had spoken to the general. And now, with the silence around the two it felt like the burden was dumped back on.

"Well, aren't you going to say anything?" she whispered softly to him. She gradually got herself to look up at him rather than down on the persimmon colored fire in front of them. She had told him everything he wanted to know. Soledad knew that this 'secret' between Sesshomaru and herself wouldn't last; even when she had 'told' Sol what her life was about she had consciously left out the part of them being lovers. And now that Shinto knew the story, she was worried about how their relationship as friends would change.

I wouldn't be surprised if he was upset. Soledad thought to herself. He was completely honest with me, and yet I wasn't honest with him at all...

"Hmph." Shinto said, chuckling nervously. Soledad knew he was calculating his words carefully as he always did. She gently brought his chin up to face him. She looked down and took a deep breath before meeting his eyes.

"I know, this was a lot of information to deal with; yet I need you to say something, anything." she sighed before continuing. "I need you to say it how you feel, and how you truly feel about this situation that unfortunately Sesshomaru and I put on you." Shinto frowned slightly, breaking their gaze to look out into the forest for a few seconds.

"Well, now it makes sense that Lord Sesshomaru would be so angry that you had left and how he vehemently demanded for me to find you, whether it took me searching throughout the world." He slumped over and put his hand through his long hair. "Yet, I don't understand why I couldn't have been told of this before." Soledad bit her lip, feeling guilty for what she had done to him.

"I know." she said softly. "You should have been told, for you and Sol were the only ones somewhat left out in the dark about the whole situation. But the only reason why I didn't was because I was afraid." Shinto raised a eyebrow at her comment.

"Afraid of what? Why would telling me about you and Sesshomaru being former lovers scare you?" Soledad looked down again, shifting her hands over her forest green kimono.

"...I was afraid of saying that I had loved him out loud because then maybe the words would've been true." she laughed lightly at herself. "I know it sounds stupid, but it's the truth. Ever since I had re entered the castle, I have felt as if I could simply bury my feelings for him, and that after the wedding I could go and move on. Start a new life." she explained, feeling the familiar pressure in her throat when she knew she was about to tear up. Shinto shifted around on the grass to face her completely, and took her hands from her lap into his own.

"Soledad, you must stop this. You're only going to hurt yourself." she wiped a tear off her cheek, made at letting herself get emotional again.

"I had to, Shinto. For the sake of the marriage between Sesshomaru and Kagura, for the sake of our reputations, for the-"

"Enough." he said roughly, causing Soledad to tense up slightly. Shinto shook his head. "From what you have told me, all your life you have had to start anew. To find your way again to make someone else happy, whether it hurt you emotionally or not. Everyone in that damn castle knows that their marriage was a failure from the beginning, and the elder servants and workers knew it was because they didn't have the love that you two had." He was silent again, trying to find the words to say again. Soledad was miserable at this point. She was happy that they were speaking; but not about her life and problems.

"Soledad, I know you will never care for me the way I do for you, but if I can leave you with anything it would be this: I would feel complete and utter sorrow for you if your last thought in this life was that you could never be happy because you had to let someone else have it. And if you don't go back to Sesshomaru, I promise that this will be your last thought."

-0-0-0-

"They're here! They're here, father!" Sol squealed as she looked out towards the front gates. A large dragon much like Ah Un was flying towards them, yet this one was one of a metallic gray hue, and had the colors of black and a plum purple adorning him, representing the colors of the Northern Lands of Japan. Once the dragon had landed suprisingly softly on the ground for one of its size, a tall young man looking about only twenty years of human age stepped out. He was about 6 and a half feet tall, with striking and lively silver eyes, which stood out against his long dark violet hair. He wore similar clothes to Sesshomaru himself, being a lord like him, yet his clothes were of the colors of his land. Sol raced towards him and shrieking in delight as she collided with him.

"Oh, Daiki, I missed you so much while you were gone." she said, holding his waist tightly. Kagura shook her head and walked over to the couple.

"Sol, don't make yourself seem like a child. Act with some dignity." Kagura scolded. Daiki smiled softly at Kagura.

"It's fine, Lady Kagura, for only Kami knows how much I have missed her as well." he said, looking down at Sol and softly stroking her hair. Daiku after a few seconds let go of

Sol to bow at Kagura and Sesshomaru to pay his respects.

"Thank you both for allowing me into your home and allowing for our marriage to be on these lands. I am sure it will be a joyous celebration for our two regions." Daiku assured. Kagura smiled politely at him, while Sesshomaru remained cold as ever.

Sesshomaru stood silently, watching the group. He wasn't particularly fond of Daiku from the beginning, not only because he wasn't a dog demon, but in Sesshomaru's eyes, he wouldn't be the strong leader his father was. Yes, Daiku was a just man to his people and was a strong fighter, but could he lead an army? Watch his soldiers die in war without allowing so much as an ounce of weakness show through his face? Or even deal with the pressures of being almost a diety to the people of your land and holding the expectations of them?

Sesshomaru only sighed. Sol had fallen in love with him many years ago, and there was nothing he could do to stop it. He had to let them marry. The one thing he knew about Daiku that he was somewhat satisfied with was that we would probably be a wonderful husband to her.

"Where are your parents, Daiku?" Sol asked him curiously, looking around for the rest of the group.

"They are to be here in a few days. They said they plan on arriving two days before the ceremony, so they should have halfway through their traveling now." he told her, smiling widely at her. Another difference between the two lords was that one would show a whole range of emotions and feelings, while the other remained stoic at all times, not allowing anyone read their thoughts.

Sol smiled again at Daiku and tugged at his sleeve. "You must see the room that we have for you now! I had helped decorate the room with the servants, and its only a few doors away from mine!" Sol exclaimed. Daiku followed Sol into the hallway, blabbering on excitedly about the room and the ceremony until Kagura and Sesshomaru were out of earshot.

Kagura and Sesshomaru, now alone, simply glanced at eachother as if they were complete strangers, a silence between the two. After a few seconds of this, Sesshomaru, a little impatient and annoyed with the non existent connection between the two, swiftly turned around towards the eastern corrider. "I will be in my study. Do not bother to annoy me today." he said simply before leaving the room.

-0-0-0-

"What do you mean she is gone?" Kawari hissed. She had pinned a man down onto a tree from the village where supposedly Soledad was at. The man whimpered in fear, his limps wildly flailing around at a pathetic attempt to escape the shape shifting demon.

"I-I don't -know! She left yesterday afternoon with a group of demons! I didn't even know who she really was!" the man wailed. He grabbed onto the arm Kawari was using to hold him up and tried to break her grip. "Please, please, let me go! This is all the information I know! I have only heard town gossip. I'm not even sure of who she was, I swear!" Growing impatient, Kawari tightened her grip on the man's neck, and transformed into Soledad.

"Do you know who this is now? Tell me before I slit your throat right here!" she demanded. The man yelped, and Kawari looked down in disgust over the fact that the man had soiled himself in fear. "Damn it, you will be of no use, disgusting human." she snarled, slicing his throat with her free hand and dropping his limp form to the ground.

She had been traveling for over a week, trying to find any trace of the woman, and when she had heard through travelers that an dark skinned demon was residing with a village nearby in the Western Lands, she was expecting to find her. But with just her luck, she had managed to find a few weak humans and half demons who could give her only minimal information. She returned into her natural form, finding amusement in the cowering faces of the villagers as she left and headed north like some of the others claimed Soledad had done.

I must find this Soledad before she reaches Sesshomaru's castle. I need this to have my own freedom, even if it costs another one's theirs. she thought. As she was about to leave, she heard an elderly woman advancing towards her.

"What do you want, human?" The elderly woman continued moving towards her and Kawari turned around and looked down at her. What could this weak elder provide her?

"I have heard that you are looking for Soledad." Aneko stated calmly. Kawari smirked.

"And what would you know about her, old lady?" Aneko placed her hands on her hips and glared at Kawari.

"Old lady or not, I still shall demand respect from you, demon." Aneko warned. Kawari rolled her eyes.

"Well, I suppose you're out of luck on that part, because I don't care what you want. I could kill you right here if I wanted to." Kawari stated defiantly.

"Demon, you must leave our village. Soledad does not reside with us anymore. She left yesterday.

"Don't you think I've already learned that?"

"Yes, but she is with a group of the demon Lord Sesshomaru's best men, and unless you are a fool, you will not dare go near her or the group." Aneko told her. Kawari stepped closer to the woman, looking down at her.

"I am pretty sure I can take care of myself, don't you worry." Kawari squatted down to meet the gaze of Aneko. "How about you just tell me where they headed rather than being a mom, okay?" Aneko shook her head.

"They headed up north to return Soledad to the castle." Aneko said. "But I warn you again, demon, unless you want a death sentence on your life, you will not follow them." Aneko called out while Kawari strode away from her. Kawari didn't answer, but she knew that this death sentence she was headed to would be better than returning to Naraku any day.