Chapter Twenty-Eight: A Son and a Shard
"OH MOTHER AND EVERYTHING THAT IS HOLY!!" I screamed, while attempting to claw the eyes out of a villager who had gotten within feet of my body, thrashing in agonizing pain. "I...Just...Want...To...Punch...Something!"
Months had indeed gone by with little reports of the outside world as I was basically quarantined from anywhere beyond the village. Yet, life, as I expected, had gone on just the same even when I was in a new location. There weren't as many differences in this village as I had originally concluded, but I was still harassed by the priestesses. Subtly, but their words still stung. Before my child had even been fully developed, I had picked up as a field worker alongside the other women that didn't belong to the elite protégés of elder mikos. The work was backbreaking, creating massive amounts of tension in the lower back, especially for me as I was continuously growing and being weighed down by the bulk. But, rather than become bitter with resentment towards the priestesses, I gave them the benefit of the doubt that they were good for us. Sooner or later, the majority of them would leave into the world as this village was mostly a training center for the younger ones. And if they would eventually leave, I knew that my time would come as well.
The villagers, however, welcomed me warmly to their workforce, probably unaware that I was something more than what I appeared. Perhaps the priestesses were protecting them from that knowledge for a reason, but I hadn't time to think that one over. I had more cumbersome things on my mind, including but definitely not limited to the return of a certain demon who had planned a visit that winter. And I knew that when he planned, it was usually a scheme to his advantage. Kumiko and Kiyoshi turned out to be the biggest help in my time of need. Since I was absent from Rin's side most of the day, they entertained her and kept her happy until I would return, sore, but always baring fresh food and a warm smile. I knew that it was Rin that kept me going through this hardship of virtual isolation. She always was so strong, even for a little girl. Her spirit wouldn't waver for a second and her confidence in me always remained. I don't know how to express enough what that meant to me.
Throughout the days, weeks, and months I had waited in that village, Sesshomaru showed only once. I was prepared to meet him with great excitement when he finally decided the grace us with his presence, but I was ashamed about how I felt. I was tired all the time and my appearance was waning as I couldn't bathe but once a week when the priestesses would accompany me down to the river. That was the only time I was allowed out. Sesshomaru had come from the descending shadows one autumn evening as I returned to the shack, very far from the village, that I shared with Kiyoshi, Kumiko, and Rin. He looked basically the same, everything was in place and he didn't look worse off. I admit when I first caught sight of him I became a younger girl again. I swiftly tried to comb the knots out of my hair with my fingers and brush off the dirt from the clothes donated to me by the villagers. After the quick sprucing, I emerged to meet him with a general waving of my hand. Smooth...
"Lin," he voiced his greeting as he usually did.
"It is always good to see you Lord Sesshomaru!" I said a little too enthusiastically, but recovered quickly. "Have you brought news of Naraku's whereabouts?"
"No, he still remains." He moved his head to the side and looked at our humble hovel before addressing me again. "I trust there have been no complications?"
"Not to my knowledge, milord, but there are several more months," I had said, glancing away from the embarrassment that sentence had given me. I studied Sesshomaru's features, perfectly aware that I wouldn't be seeing him for awhile after this. I don't know how I knew this, but the fact that Naraku was still at large gave away that Sesshomaru wouldn't be quick to forfeit the hunt. Yet, this surprise visit did produce a rather interesting question. If Naraku had not been slain and I was still with child, then why had Sesshomaru chosen this time to stopover? Surely he had some motive, but what that was exactly, I couldn't say. I took a deep breath after the moments of silence and decided to investigate this matter further. "Why, then, did you come if Naraku had not been slain?"
I understood the forwardness of this statement, the way it could be construed as offensive, but I was tired of his games some times. Though unintentionally played, he had a way of getting on my nerves when he wouldn't just come out and say something that was so blatantly obvious. He would never just give in and say: just checking up on things. It was a simple as that. It didn't need to go anywhere, but, as I had anticipated, his eyes tapered at the edges and he scoffed at my question.
"I merely was in pursuit of a demon affiliated with Naraku that had been disposed of when his information was of no use to me," he said defensively, face passive as always. I mentally shook my head in disbelief. There was always an excuse and sometimes I found it hard to believe that he was being truthful, but I humored him nonetheless.
"Yes and I thank you." I smiled calmly up at him, challenging that straight face. If in fact possible, I could tell that he was aware of my skepticism. Just as I thought
"You are to remain here with Rin until the child is born. Do you understand me?"
"And I am to have no say in this?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at him to exact my point.
"You do not. So long as Naraku lives, you would do nothing but encumber me in your state. You WILL remain here with Rin until otherwise informed." And with those words he turned to leave. I had acted rather rash to him as, I surmised, he had come here for an entirely different purpose than to enlighten me about an 'insignificant' encounter with a demon. That was never his style when going about things through his life. Yet, I had pushed down the majority of doubt that had accumulated over time. Sesshomaru had visited for a purpose relating to Rin and me. Rest assured, I had become attuned to his blatant attempts to stay apathetic. I sighed at his diminishing form as he left the compound. He left Rin and I here again, likely to return, but I couldn't help but feel the sting of abandonment I knew all too well.
As stated before, that was the only encounter I had with Sesshomaru. And, as I was lying in excruciating pain, I blamed myself for being so impertinent with him. Poor Rin couldn't see him because of me, but there were more pressing matters at hand. So, as in the beginning, I was in childbirth, surrounded by the villagers that had learned that I was a good person after all. But, I regret to say that the birthing process is a long a tedious effort with a grand amount of discomfort that also is rather personal. In light of this, I must deny you the details and regroup several hours later.
I was silently resting in a heavily shadowed room, looking out the window at the star sewn sky that had emerged. For some reason my child thought it proper to be born at night, but it didn't matter. I was too preoccupied with my mind that was continuously reverting back to the one night I had dreamt of this. What would the child be? What would he look like? And how would I react to him, regardless of appearance? He was, after all, the child of Naraku's as well. But how would that make me act towards him? The villagers or should I say a nice couple that used to work alongside me in the fields, had taken him to get cleaned off. I had not seen him due to the night setting in so fast. I was locked in a never-ending tangle of apprehension that would not cease until I could see for myself.
After the long stretch of time worrying my body to pieces, a different village woman from before came in, bundle in hand. She's smiling! That's a good sign! Indeed, she was smiling and looking happily down at me as she handed the bundle down into my expecting arms. The blanket did not cover its face and as I looked down, I was overcome by warmth at seeing not a monster, but a darling little boy. My son. His eyes were staring widely up at me, a light green-grey color. At least they're not red I let my hand run over his very fine, black hairs, longer than I've ever seen on a child, but he was still sweet and Naraku would never lay a finger on him. If no one believed in love at first sight, they didn't know how much I loved my son. Even after the manner he came in the world, even after all the torture I endured for his conception, I still loved him with all my heart and vowed to protect him. He would know love for all his life and would survive away from Naraku as long as I could help it.
I placed Ji, as I called him, next to me, making sure to securely wrap my arm around him as we both drifted to sleep. Dreamless and peaceful.
With Ji with me, the happiness came back full force. Rin and I were closer than ever as she became more or less my daughter and Ji became her brother. Kumiko and Kiyoshi were delighted that I had recovered from the delivery and wasn't out of it for too long. Even the priestesses let us frequently leave the walled in area to walk about the woods as long as we were accompanied, that is.
"Rin! Don't wander to far off," I called to her on one of our usual walks through the forest. The priestesses were watching from a distance as always, trying not to disturb our outing. They said it gave them outside experience with demons that might pop up, but I was sure that they secretly felt sorry for me.
"Yes! I will!" she said, darting back towards Kumiko who playfully messed her hair up. I rolled my eyes as Kiyoshi stood up at my side.
"Would you like me to take Ji for you, my Lady?" he asked, opening his arms.
I looked down at Ji, his tiny head resting against my arm. He had grown so much since the months ago when he had come into this world. He was definitely a smart child, able to coo incoherent little sentences, but I declined Kiyoshi's offer. I was still too protective of him to let him go. Naraku could be anywhere.
The sun was beating down on us as there were no leaves on the trees, just bare limbs in the middle of winter, but it had been a fairly tame winter this year. There was no snow to be had nor was their biting wind. It was simply a mild day to take a walk, but as we were heading back there came a rustle from across the way. It took merely seconds for me to realize that it hadn't been a priestess or a member of my little group that had made the noise. I clutched Ji closer, images of Naraku's horrid face flashed in my mind, as a large, lizard-like demon emerged from the brush.
"Do you go by the name of Lin?" it asked, eyes glowing red and emotionless.
"Rin, Kumiko, Kiyoshi! Stand back!" I screamed as I backed them into opposite thick. Ji began to softly weep at my harsh words, but I was protecting them. I wasn't about to let them die or carried away by some easily beaten demon. Yet, Naraku had sought to it that I would almost be defenseless with my multiple companions. How can I reach my sword with Ji in my arms?
The lizard made a lunge towards us and I instinctively reached for my sword, but before I could complete the progression to my sword an arrow cut throw the brittle branches. It pierced the lizard's heart as it gave a gargled gasp and fell to the ground, clutching its side as it dissolved into nothingness.
How pathetic of Naraku I thought, turning to usher everyone to safety when something caught my eye.
"What is it, Lin" Rin asked, following my gaze to a glinting object among the leaves. She quickly grasped what I was looking at and walked cautiously over to it; smiling back to reassure me that it was not harmful whatsoever. "It's a jewel!" she cried, holding up a shard of the Shikon no Tama.
"He must have used it to possess that lizard." But that doesn't make sense! Naraku think up better plans than that! What was he gaining from this? Kiyoshi regarded my words with awe and walked over to retrieve the shard from Rin, rolling it around in his fingers before holding it out for me.
"You will protect it, Lady Lin," he said as he let the fragment fall into my open palm. Immediately, as if by magic, the shard pulsed with an odd energy and quickly darkened to black at the touch of my skin.
"What happened?" Kumiko squealed at the look of utter distress on my face.
"It...it was corrupted," I whispered, staring at the tainted shard as Ji moved one little hand along the jewel as well. It remained as it was, still black and full of malevolent energy. Naraku somehow was toying with me. He couldn't have possibly thought the demon would be able to take us down, but perhaps this shard was to serve as a reminder. A reminder that he still had use for me and that I, as well as all I loved, were still in danger.
I quickly hid the shard in my kimono, knowing full well what would happen if the priestesses knew what I could do.
"Let's go," I said, making the rest of the journey to the village in disorientation. I was confused as to why I was thinking the way I was, but after realizing what had just happened, I desperately wanted to see Sesshomaru. My heart ached suddenly at the thought of his name, but I pressed Ji closer to me and it went away. Oh! Siren why won't you let my soul live in peace? I questioned in my mind, fully aware that nothing was going to answer. I simply had to find a way to free myself from its evil and purge my soul of all 'her' remnants.
5
