I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters. This is purely a fan-made story. Enjoy!
As I soaked in the hot water, I mentally criticized myself. I was so caught up thinking about Lord Sesshomaru, that I didn't even realize it when he caught me staring. He must've thought I was an idiot. I made a mental note to look at the floor when I think about him around him.
I rubbed the scented oils over my body. I flinched as they stung my scratches. The faint scratches were the only wounds left from the Netherworld. The dead souls' screaming filled my head and sent chills down my spine. I hoped that I never had to return to that place.
The soft vanilla fragrances filled my senses. It made me reflect on myself. As a child, I was taught grace and etiquette. As a young lady, I was trained how to defend and fight for myself and others. As a young woman, I learned how the world worked and politics. It was common for royal families to grow up as I did. I did as I was told by my parents. I hoped that made my parents proud. It probably didn't make up for the ghastly things I did.
After my parents first died, I went on a killing spree. I did not kill the innocent or the elderly. I killed the bandits, thieves, rapists, and murderers. I suppose it wasn't bad that I killed them. What made it bad was that I enjoyed it a little too much. I would drink their blood and revel in the glory of the kill. I began teasing and toying with my prey. It became an addicting game. I could barely control myself. I had developed a bloodlust and it had almost consumed me. Realization occurred when I began moving my sights from not only the wicked but to the saints as well.
Inuyasha had then appeared and helped me break those dangerous addictions. He had turned my life around and I had been grateful. That is another reason as to why the betrayal hurt so badly.
I finished my bath and decided to get dressed. I braided my wet hair as I looked in Sesshomaru's mother's wardrobe. She had many assortments of clothing. All were made with the finest silk. I decided to wear her black kimono with intricate yellow patterns. I never wore anything with yellow before, and I wanted to try something new.
I sat down behind the small vanity and unbraided my hair once it was dry. My mother used to love the way my hair would curl and wave when she did this. It had been a while since I had done anything new. I wondered how Lord Sesshomaru would take to this change. It wasn't permanent but it was just to shake things up. It was time to make new changes so I thought it best to do so with my appearance. It would be the first step.
A soft knock on my door startled me, and I stood up immediately. A servant girl opened the door cautiously and bowed. "My lady, dinner is ready. Do you need assistance to the dining area?" the girl asked meekly. I gave her a warm smile. "Thank you, but I've been here many times before." I replied gently. The girl nodded and began to retreat when I called her back. She looked surprised and fearful. I grabbed a small silk sack that my father had bought for me. I walked up to the girl, and she flinched. I pulled out a few gold coins and gave them to her. It made me smile to see the surprise and awe in her face. "Thank you so much!" she cried. "You're welcome" I sighed and left the room.
Rin, Jaken, and Akito were already in the dining room. The silk pillows were large and looked soft. I sat down beside Rin on a silky black pillow. We all sat in awkward silence for a few minutes.
"Where is Lord Sesshomaru?" I asked, not being able to take the awkwardness. "He will be here any minute. He's always the last one to the table." Rin sighed. "Lord Sesshomaru doesn't need to rush, stupid girl! We are lucky he even decided to eat with us!" Jaken shouted squeakily. I frowned at Jaken for shouting at the girl, but she continued to look cheerful.
The doors opened and grabbed our attention. Lord Sesshomaru walked in wearing a black kimono with crimson tribal designs and trim. He didn't have his armor on for once. Sesshomaru was still breathtaking. The black made his hair and eyes look brighter. The kimono alone left hints of his slim but muscular figure. The crimson was a good color on him for representation of his power and passion for what he did. I felt slightly hot from looking at him even though the temperature had not changed.
Lord Sesshomaru sat down at the head of the table on a giant emerald pillow. Servants began to walk in bringing huge trays of food with them. Once they sat the food down, they immediately retreated to the kitchens. Once more, I noticed how all of them were young. I decided to wait on that subject again. Rin probably wouldn't like the topic very much.
"You look very superior this evening." I commented. "Thank you." Sesshomaru replied with a raised eyebrow. "So how was Akito? Was he a good boy?" I asked Rin. She smiled and began telling an elaborate tale on what they did in the gardens. I laughed as she told me how Akito fell in the fountain. They smelled flowers and explored the long mazes. Akito had even taken her for a small ride. "Sounds like you both had a very adventurous day." I smiled. Akito meowed and continued to eat his fish. Lord Sesshomaru never said a lot but he did observe.
"Akina, I wish to see you in my study after we've finished eating." Sesshomaru stated briefly. It intrigued my curiosity. "Yes, my lord." I answered. Dinner seemed to drag on for eternity. The servants kept bringing out food. It was a banquet it seemed. After everyone was full, the servants cleared the table and we all departed.
I travelled the familiar path to Sesshomaru's study. Sesshomaru and I made our way down the hall. We stopped as we approached the picture of our fathers. Sesshomaru and I stared at this picture. My eyes traced every line of my father's features. The artist had done every single feature perfectly. He was probably too scared to make a mistake. Finally, after spending what seemed an eternity there, Lord Sesshomaru and I walked into the study.
He sat behind his desk as usual. I wondered why he had asked me to come in there. A scent caught my nose and I smiled slightly. Lord Sesshomaru bent below the desk and pulled out two glasses and a bottle of wine. Wine was always used for a number of occasions. This signified that this was merely a pleasurable occasion. I wondered what we would be discussing tonight.
"This takes me back a few years." I laughed as I sipped the delicate wine. "It has been a while. The first time I did this, you thought your father was going to kill you." he smirked. "And he walked in and joined us!" I smiled reliving the memory. "I told you to trust me." he chuckled. "And I have since then." I smiled. Sesshomaru nodded and took a big swig of wine. "I wanted to just try to remember some of the days from our past. If we think about it, we will cherish and remember it. I try to remember the good times so that I may have more. I remember the bad times so that I do not forget the lesson and repeat the mistake." Lord Sesshomaru stated wisely. I nodded in agreement.
"Tonight I wanted to remember us, when we met and made good memories together, in hopes that we make more good memories." Sesshomaru sighed before taking another drink. "To making new memories?" I suggested while lifting my glass. "To making new memories." he confirmed.
Author's Note: Please don't kill me for stopping here. I promise to make the next chapter very entertaining and I'll give you a slight spoiler. The next chapter will mostly revolve around their past together and them remembering it. Once again I am so sorry I had to stop here. =(