Chapter: Like Father, Like Son
That morning at the palace, Kagura awoke to the beaming sun that shone through the cracked curtains covering the window. She sat up somewhat startled; she was shocked that she could have somehow fallen asleep. Rising from bed she walked to the window to observe the damage that had occurred the night before in the light. When she looked outside the window down at the garden she saw that the fountain in the garden's center was split completely into two. However, she noticed something else that she was not expecting in the least; guards and plenty of them surrounded the entire palace. Wondering what their purpose could be she left the bedroom to find Setomaru, the master of the palace in Sesshomaru's absence.
Reaching the bottom of the staircase, she found Setomaru bowing to a man dressed entirely in white. This was no ordinary bow either. The dog yokai was kneeling to the ground on one knee, allowing the man in white to stand several feet above Setomaru's head. Not wanting to be detected before she could figure out who this mysterious man was, Kagura hid behind a wall and listened in on their conversation.
"Great Lord, please allow me to assure you that Sesshomaru will answer all your questions as soon as he returns. I fear that it is not my place to tell the story for I know only fragments and pieces. It hardly makes any since to me either." Setomaru said this still kneeling before the Great Lord.
Kagura peeked to get a better look at this Great Lord. Judging from his appearance, he didn't seem like anyone special and he hardly appeared to be a threat. He was extremely old and quite short with deep wrinkles, long silver hair and a walking stick. 'Could this be Sesshomaru's grandfather?' She thought.
The old man, still with his eyes closed, finally spoke softly and weakly, "Setmomaru, a place to sit…"
"Oh yes! Forgive me Great Lord!" He said bowing again. The he turned to the wall Kagura hid behind, "Kagura, prepare a place to sit, quickly!"
She gasped and jumped, "What, me?" she exclaimed emerging from her hiding place. 'How did he know I was here?' She thought. 'I'm so stupid,' she told herself as she prepared a seat for the Great Lord, 'Of course dog yokais can sense everything!' Kagura moved aside allowing the Great Lord to rest upon the padded mats she had set in place. Instantly, when the lord sat, she kneeled and bowed.
As soon as Kagura kneeled before the lord, he looked to her and reached for her face, "Child?" the great Lord whispered weakly. Kagura looked up at him as he rested his hand on her cheek. Then the Great Lord lifted his dreary eyelids, revealing his dulled Amber eyes, "My vision and mind are weak; I don't recall your face. Tell me, have we net before?" She shook her head. "Who are you?"
"My—my name is Kagura. I'm a guest here."
"They say the Lord Sesshomaru has chosen a bride; a woman with chrisom eyes. Are you that bride?"
Kagura felt her heart in her throat. She trembled and struggled to speak, "I.." she hesitated.
"I've heard that you were with child as well. Is that so?" Kagura didn't say anything. "Hear me well," he commanded as he removed his withered hand on her cheek, "I am old but my age does not hinder me as you may think. I am the oldest dog yokai so naturally I have the most experience. Sesshomaru is only a pup. He rules the west because I allow him to. One fact prevents me from killing him now. It is the same fact that prevented me from killing his father when I learned of his adultery. I require an heir. The cloud of death hovers above me but before I die I am determined to unite the lands. Sesshomaru has a bride; she is my grandaugter and she is perfectly capable of baring a legitimate heir. You and your bastard child would be wise to not interfere.
"Great Lord—" Setmomaru started in Kagura's defense.
"I believe that's Sesshomaru's choice." Kagura said starring the demon lord directly in the eyes. She no longer trembled when she said this. Somehow, a great sense of bravery overtook her and she spoke with the same confidence and eloquence as Sesshomaru would. "You see, Sesshomaru isn't the type of man to take orders. He's the kind of man that chooses to make his own decisions rather than let others or even fate decide for him. I tell you this not to be rude but because I honestly doubt you know your grandson very well. And as for the child, it's too late for you to interfere. What's done is done and when the baby is born, he or she will be here to stay."
"Kagura," Setomaru called to her worriedly, "I believe you've said enough."
"Setomaru, this woman brings the unsettling memory of your brother to mind." The Great Lord turned to Setomaru.
Setomaru for the first time appeared to show an emotion rather than contentment, "I agree if that memory involves my late brother's sense of honesty and courage."
"Honesty?" the lord said chuckling and nearly coughing at the same time, "InuTaisho was a lecherous disgrace to the royal linage. The traits I am referring to are arrogance and foolishness"
Setomaru stood, "If you intend to insult my brother, I'll have to ask you to leave."
"What courage you seem to have when you speak of your brother. I admire your loyalty. It's more that I can say about InuTaisho." The Great Lord did not even budge to leave.
"My brother was the greatest leader of this era and a loving father as well. Even you saw this. That is why you begged him to take your daughter's hand."
"Begged!" the lord exclaimed. "It simply isn't possible for a leader of my stature to beg!"
Setomaru continued, "Oh I remember it well. Everyone saw InuTaisho's potential. The demons of the west admired my brother with such intensity they would lay down heir lives with no hesitation. He was easily the most powerful yokai who ever lived. Even you wouldn't say anything to upset him in his presence. So now I will not allow you to speak ill of him simply because he is not here anymore. Now leave!"
"You and your family lack the class to be great leaders!" The Great Lord rose on his cane.
"You lack the courage to insult my family with the head present. I doubt you would be willing to say such thing if my nephew had not been away."
"That brute poses me no threat!"
Kagura who was biting her tongue rose hastily in Sesshomaru's defense, "Brute?!" she started but Setomaru cut her off.
"Let him be Kagura."
"I admit you have grown wise with age, Setomaru. A few hundred years ago, you would have challenged me to another dual. I suppose after one to many losses you have learned your lesson well."
Setomaru stated plainly, "I'm not a child anymore. I choose not to challenge you simply because it isn't my place. Heed my word though, a dual with a man of my age and experience is nothing like a dual with a hotheaded young boy."
"I'd like to see you prove that someday. Hopefully before I die." The lord then gathered his guards and soldiers, "Give Sesshomaru this message that I was here. However, let him know that next time he will have to travel to my palace. I am too old to make such journeys in vain. On that note, the Great Lord, Sesshomaru's grandfather, left the palace.
Author's Note: Please forgive any errors. I wanted to post new chapters as soon as possible. I'll make corrections later.