The General
Chapter Thirty Six
Pour salt into the open wound.
"Why, pray tell, are we not chasing after him!" Kuma yelled. He hissed when Kagome pulled his bandage a bit too tight.
"Shut up," she said calmly, though tears hung threateningly from her lashes. She finished tying and moved on to the next person. She kept the corner of her eye trained on a stoic Sesshomaru. The only thing keeping her together was the sight of his hand, clenching and unclenching. It was a very blatant hint to Sesshomaru's inner disposition even as his face stayed aloof. She'd never seen him resort to constant movement to keep control. Frequently, her miko senses tingled from a wave of youki energy and if she had demonic hearing, she would also have the sound of constant rumbling in the back of Sesshomaru's throat as another tell. The clenching was continuous. She was glad for it.
The next person she patched up was Nagaharu. His silent weeping had ended and bloodshot eyes stared forlornly at the cave entrance where he'd seen Ukyou leap up to the dragon back without any trouble, chuckling in sadistic mirth. Leaving after he waved his fingers and loudly said, "Thanks again, Haru. Couldn't have done it without your help!"
Nagaharu hung his head. My fault… A cool hand on his cheek startled him. Kagome forced him to meet her own reddened eyes. "It would have happened either way," she whispered wisely. "We couldn't have stayed here forever. We were only biding time."
He looked at Inuyasha's chosen, knowing that hearing that from her with those honest eyes did help. He slowly nodded and sighed. Kagome softly smiled. She moved on to the long line of injured, also helping to clean up the soldiers who had been brought back to life by Tenseiga. After angrily dumping Shirabaku's cronies' bodies over the edge, Sesshomaru had swiped his sword and turned away to fall into an impenetrable silence, body still glowing red from recently returning from his full form. He ignored the yawns of new life and any sort of attempt at speaking with him. He even ignored Rin, though he had spent a second overlooking her for injuries. She was fine. Everyone was fine. Everyone lived.
But how long would Inuyasha?
Sesshomaru stared at the crack he'd made in the walls from his full form. His thumb discreetly ran over his other fingertips, still feeling the residual heat of Inuyasha's hand. This was all so ridiculous. This whole thing was like a crash-course trial, starting at a human village and leading on to the end at his father's bequeathed lands. He almost wanted to muse about the irony. But no time.
Before the New Moon…
That left only twelve days. He looked up at the moon, pale from an afternoon sun that was too bright for his mood. He mentally calculated, as he was meticulously taught to do so since he was a child, and determined when the last New Moon was. His memory expectedly clouded as he thought back. Sesshomaru was no genius but his well-educated mind, trained to notice details from his time as Inu-no-Taisho, knew that the significance of the New Moon coincided with Inuyasha's brief disappearance. He wasn't completely certain. His mind had been overtaken then by the plague and those few days were confusing and blurred. But he gave that little thought and decided to go with his initial feeling. If he accepted that the New Moon day was important enough to cause Inuyasha to risk his wrath by escaping, then it made sense why Inuyasha's eyes had glowed so desperately before he was taken.
Sesshomaru clenched his hand.
"What is the New Moon's importance?" his question was stated as a demand. The cold cut of his voice stalled any quiet conversations behind him. Sesshomaru slowly turned and looked squarely at his brother's pack-mates, one by one. They knew the answer. He could tell by their surprised faces and wary glances at each other.
"How did you—" the Taijiya tried to say.
He interrupted her. Only Sesshomaru had heard Inuyasha's plea after all.
"Why did Inuyasha request of me to find him before the New Moon?"
The question stunned the humans and kitsune. The monk scowled, Tetsusaiga cradled in his arms like he thought to protect it. "Inuyasha entrusted us with that secret. We will not disclose it willingly."
Another wave of youki flared up and Sesshomaru struggled once more to keep his Inner Youkai calm, the beast that still paced and snarled for retribution for having the pup stolen from him. It yearned to chase and capture, to rescue. Sesshomaru's higher mind tamped down on it. He could not crash in like Inuyasha was prone to. It would end in blood-soaked failure. Sesshomaru could defeat Shirabaku in a one-on-one but he would not be able to take down the Royal Board. He needed a plan. He needed more power.
He looked at the crack in the wall again, completely dismissing his brother's friends. He had no time to argue. If they refused to tell, so be it. He would just get Inuyasha back before the moon disappeared. But first…
His eyes flickered over the caves. Yes.
He needed allies.
"Kasuhama."
"Yes," Kasuhama stood.
"Pack up. We are leaving."
Kasuhama quickly bowed. Sesshomaru showed no one his thoughts at the show of respect. He took back his role as leader, and Kasuhama gave it back, with tremendous ease. Sesshomaru was too focused on his plan-of-action to consider the words he had yelled so passionately to the sky: Survive, Inuyasha! I will find you! I will save you, little brother! The sheer emotion that shook him in the in-between of his transformation had seized his heart and broken down his typical remoteness. But it was truly the odd sight of Inuyasha's warm smile that had ripped the words out of him. And it hadn't been enough. Sesshomaru, usually so silent even in his head, had wanted to scream so much more when he watched helplessly as his brother's eyes rolled up into his skull and his head fell forward like he was already dead. He didn't know what those words would have been but the yearning had been great and he was left bereft when they remained unsaid.
The words he had shed had changed so much more than he was able to contemplate at the moment. The demons and humans who stared at him now had begrudgingly felt their opinions of the lord soften. At least for Kasuhama and the other soldiers, it was enough to make them willing to follow him again. The sixteen Inu-Youkai gathered up their meager supplies and belongings in seconds.
Sango pushed around the bustling dog-demons, Hiraikotsu on her shoulder. "We are going after him?" she asked to Sesshomaru's back.
The answer was curt and cutting.
"No."
Everyone immediately went still. Befuddled soldiers dropped their bag-laden arms.
"Bu—then…you're just going to let them kill him? But you said—!"
A staff with two heads wagged in front of Sango's face and cut her off. Her eyes momentarily went cross-eyed before she scowled down at the rude little imp.
"Do not question, my lord, human! You are nothing compared to him! Why, his intelligence is beyond the capabilities of your measly—"
"Silence, Jakken."
Jakken obeyed, spluttering and bowing deeply. He warily glanced at his lord—the source of all his confusion. But while Jakken's little mind was swamped with unanswered questions, he unlike others refused to have confusion dictate how he treated his master. There were numerous times in the past when Jakken hadn't understood Sesshomaru's motivation or reasoning. The resurrection of a human girl was one such instance! If Lord Sesshomaru wished to defend that hanyou's life from the Royal Board, or now wished to leave the whelp in their old clutches, so be it. Though he was still stuck on his desire—a desire he had adopted because it had been his master's desire—to just let the hanyou die. It would make things so much less complicated. And too, Jakken greatly wanted to know what Inuyasha had done to put such a strange expression on his lord's face these past days and to render him tense at the cave entrance, eyes trained on the piece of sky Inuyasha had last inhabited…
But no! Jakken quickly shook himself. He would follow Lord Sesshomaru no matter what! And prevent any insolence from these pesky humans!
Sango refused herself the satisfaction of punching something, like that ugly toad, and spoke again. "If you're not going to bring him back, then tell us where he is. We'll do it ourselves!"
"You will fail."
Sango's face flushed red from the coolly dictated words. "You bast—!" Stone-like fingers gripped her wrist before she could swing her weapon. She blinked madly at a strict-looking Kasuhama, all the more when a tiny Kirara mewled comfortingly around her ankle. Kasuhama shook his head at her.
"You will return to your village," Sesshomaru said. He slowly turned around as Kasuhama let go of the Taijiya. He regarded her and the rest of his brother's pack-mates behind her. "Shirabaku has discovered its whereabouts. It may be in danger."
That mismatched little pack took in this news with shock. They couldn't justify this Sesshomaru, so crystalline and short in speaking, to the one just an hour ago who had howled at the sky. Miroku fingered Inuyasha's sword, too human to feel the thrumming of its steel, and thought wryly, It seems only Inuyasha can get that sort of emotion from him. Still, it is odd that he is warning us about the village. He'd figure Sesshomaru wouldn't care at all about a small human settlement and its survival. Unless, Miroku realized, he is trying to get rid of us. Miroku continued to watch for now as Sango took on the argument for all of them.
"Then what are we supposed to do! You say one thing…and then another! What about Inuyasha?"
"Sango," Kasuhama admonished in a clear voice. She quieted again and looked at the soldier's face. "Lord Sesshomaru is not one to change his mind easily. We will bring Inuyasha back, I assure you."
It was easy, really, Kasuhama mused; almost scarily easy how completely he believed that. Of course, having been Sesshomaru's second-in-command for so long Kasuhama had become skilled at reading the Inu-no-Taisho. It wasn't complete, for surely he couldn't tell you what went on behind those cold, amber eyes. However, Kasuhama recognized the look in them. Sesshomaru was self-assured with a plan already developed. With that in regards to the promise Sesshomaru had screamed to the sky, Kasuhama believed with a frightening strength that Inuyasha would be returned safely. Sesshomaru would simply not accept anything less.
"But…"
"Where are you going, Sesshomaru?" Miroku suddenly said. He walked closer to the lord. Only Sesshomaru noticed Tetsusaiga's minute vibrations; it was answered by the sword at his side. "Where are you going to that we cannot come along?"
Sesshomaru eyed the man thoughtfully. It was pleasant, if not disquieting, to meet a human with such foresight. He answered in a nonplussed tone, turning his back to them again:
"Wolf country."
"Ah," a small voice quipped through the thoughtful silence. "A marvelous idea."
"Myouga?" Kagome said down to her shoulder. "You're still here?"
The flea demon bristled and mumbled despondently, "Yes. Why the look? You'd think I wasn't wanted…"
"You left again, you coward!" Shippo suddenly shouted and took his place on Kagome's other shoulder. He had a Totoro bandage on his bruised temple but was otherwise unharmed. "Some help you are. Do you even know what happened here?"
"Now listen here!"
"Quiet, you two, this isn't helping." Kagome commanded. The two demons obeyed. The miko ignored the heated glares shooting across her collarbones.
"Yes, well," Myouga coughed into his little hand. "As I said, that is a commendable idea, Lord Sesshomaru. The Wolves have not been called upon by the Western Kingdom in many years. Although…all's hoping they still are not sore about being left out of the fight with the Dragon Leader, Ryuukotsusei."
Sesshomaru did not reply.
"Wolf country?" Sango asked.
"Yes," Yasuo hummed, rising to his feet. He eyed the pack-mates strangely. "Don't you know? You had a prince from the Wolf Kingdom amongst you a few weeks ago…"
"Kouga!" Kagome said. She rolled her eyes. "Oh, duh."
"Will Kouga be willing to help?" Miroku asked Myouga.
Myouga rubbed his chin. "It's not so much Prince Kouga, but his uncle. The Ookami Leader can be a strange fellow but he is extremely loyal. The Wolves are the only kingdom who remained allies with Lord Touga after the news of Lady Izayaoi and her pregnancy was announced. Wolves care more about actions as proof of character rather than blood or social rank. They claimed Lord Touga had proven himself enough and were also impressed with Lady Izayaoi upon meeting her."
"Makes sense," Miroku mused with a small smirk. "Kouga was never bothered that Kagome was human or that their children would be half-breeds like Inuyasha."
He chuckled quietly when Kagome turned beet-red.
He continued more seriously, "And even though he and Inuyasha fight constantly and insult each other's heritage, Kouga has never been exceptionally cruel to Inuyasha like how some demons treat hanyous."
Sesshomaru, again, did not reply. He waited patiently for the explanation to be done with so that there was no struggle when the demons and humans went separate ways. He couldn't have Inuyasha's "friends" moronically follow them. There was a low chance that the human village would be sucked into the war since Inuyasha was already captured. It would better if they stayed on human lands. Sesshomaru seriously doubted Inuyasha would appreciate his friends' deaths after his rescue if they chased after their own demise into Youkai country.
"Can't we come? We could be some help…and we know Kouga." Kagome tried.
Myouga answered, "No, Lord Sesshomaru is correct. No human has crossed royal Youkai borders and lived to tell the tale. You…you will have to trust him…and wait…"
Miroku, Sango, Kagome, and Shippo shared a morose look. It was so frustrating. Through this whole ordeal between the brothers, they had either been ignored, refused, or helpless to do anything at all. But it was something they had to accept. This plight between Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, between the brothers and their father's kingdom, began long before either of them had been born. It would need to end without their influence as well.
Sesshomaru took the silence as their answer. He turned again. "Rin will go with you," he stated, acknowledging with a glance when Rin tottered closer to them. There was no argument. Kagome grabbed the little girl's hand and nodded. Sesshomaru then did a surprising thing—he looked Kagome square in the eye and nodded back. He turned to Miroku next; the man was stunned by the sudden attention. Sesshomaru held out his hand.
"Give me Tetsusaiga."
Inuyasha's pack-mates immediately stiffened and readied for confrontation. Miroku glared. He opened his mouth to speak but his air flittered out in surprise when Sesshomaru's fingers slowly curled around Tetsusaiga's handle. Miroku could see the sword pulse in warning. But there was no sparking. No burning. He was too much in shock to stop it when Sesshomaru took Tetsusaiga out of his grasp. Tetsusaiga was slid in next to Tenseiga, to both swords' delight. Sesshomaru ignored their song and examined his palm. He had felt an uncomfortable burn when handling his brother's sword and indeed, his skin was slightly red. Sesshomaru was sure that the pain and damage would worsen exponentially if he tried to use it in battle. No need, he desired for it but would not unsheathe it. Tetsusaiga was informed of this by its brother and lessened the heat it poured into Sesshomaru's hip.
"I will return it to him," he said simply to Miroku's slack-jawed face. He turned. "Come. We do not have much time."
All of his soldiers nodded. Quietly and quickly, they jumped out of the caves and down the mountainside. Nagaharu suddenly was on his feet and he ran in front of Sesshomaru. He made a deep, awkward-looking bow.
"Let us come!" he shouted to his feet. "Please! It is my fault this all happened. Please…"
Gengo, Fumina, and Jinsei calmly joined their leader's side and bowed as well. Upside down, Fumina could see tears dripping down his face again.
A few seconds passed and Sesshomaru answered coldly, but not cruelly, "I did not tell you to stay. It is your fault. You will come and resolve your mistake."
"Yes!" Nagaharu wiped his face, smiling broadly, and he and his gang gathered their things. They ran after the soldiers.
Sesshomaru was at the rocky ledge, Jakken near his feet, when one last voice stopped him.
"Come back safely, Lord Sesshomaru," Rin said brightly. Sniffles shook her voice slightly. "Bring Inuyasha back safely! Don't let him get hurt anymore!"
Kagome squeezed the girl's hand and stared hard at Sesshomaru's straight shoulders. "Better do, Sesshomaru. O-or you'll regret it."
"Right!"
"He better be in one piece!"
"We will not accept anything less."
Sesshomaru did not look back. But they could see his nod and they could see his fingertips caress each other again before gliding softly over Tetsusaiga.
Then he was gone with the blurring speed of his nature.
Inuyasha woke up pissed. He squeezed his eyes tight against the blaring ache of his skull, kicked his leg frustratingly from the too-tight bandages around his calf, and wriggled against his restraints and because of a growing pressure in his lower abdomen.
Oh yes, Inuyasha was pissed and he needed to piss!
"Damn it," he growled. Inuyasha tried to focus on his surroundings. It took a little longer than usual because of the damage to his head. He froze upon the sight he woke up to. The ground.
A chuckle to his right made him stiffen. "Good thing you stopped moving," Shirabaku said. "It would have been a long fall."
They were still up in the air on the dragon's back. They had traveled far while he was unconscious. The ground below him was unfamiliar and he had traveled across the land many times over the years. Of course, it had been mainly human lands. The terrain below was peeking through melted snow and although flush with green grasses, sprawled out trees, and decorative stone formations, the place seemed desolate and empty. It seemed abandoned, like the lands of a farmer would look when he is forced to leave it. No longer touched by loving hands, the patting of running feet, the land looked empty of life and yearning for the attention of proud ownership.
"Welcome to the Western Kingdom," Shirabaku said, almost sadly. "Isn't it beautiful?"
"Feh," Inuyasha answered. He was distracted by the tightening of his chest and the itching in the soles of his feet.
There was something in the air here—something in the grass, in the dirt, in the very smell that filled his nostrils. Inuyasha was never taught about the use of blood magic by the Inu-Youkai. How they marked their territory in a more thorough manner than normal dogs do, through the very essence of their bodies and the auras of their wild spirits. The life of the Inu-Youkai flowed through the land and the life of the land flowed through the dog-people. They were connected intimately to each other. Special humans could feel their own connections at times to the nature around them, those who consciously searched out for it or were sensitive enough to the heartbeat beneath the soil and under bark. But Youkai were different than humans. They were nature, not just stewards of it. Inuyasha had too much human blood to hear the whispers on the wind or the way the grass crooned at the feel of his aura. The land celebrated in its quiet way the return of one who had the strongest blood of them all—the blood of the Inu-no-Taisho. Inuyasha couldn't hear the old language but he could feel it. He had lived closely amongst nature, its beauties and dangers, ever since he was forced to it when he was a child. His mother too had been one of the sensitive humans and had often taken him on long, peaceful walks through trees and wildflowers. She would sit him on her lap and they would listen together to the birdsong, the flutter of leaves, and the distant keening of wolves.
Inuyasha felt a peace drift over him and a tell-tale prickling behind his eyes. Any peace he had felt in human-owned forests was dull compared to this, and was too often overshadowed by the mind-numbing terror his young self felt being all alone and unprotected.
Inuyasha's demon blood instinctively acknowledged the call of the land and purple stripes slowly knitted down from his temples. He swallowed against a building lump of desire to call out to the lonely land below. He would run through it, the demon half of his soul assured the earth, if only he could.
"Where is everyone?" Inuyasha didn't realize he had spoken aloud, in a demonically gruff voice, until Shirabaku answered.
"The people are lost. They've abandoned the land because they are convinced it is cursed." Shirabaku didn't say it but the unvoiced 'because of you' could still be detected. "They hole themselves up in disgusting human huts and refuse to leave. They live in fear and disrespect. If the Royal Elders decide to announce that you live, they will probably call out for your blood, thinking it will appease the homeland's wrath. But they are fools. We brought this upon ourselves long before your father took a human woman. We do not do the rituals anymore. The children are rarely sent out on their first hunt. We have grown accustomed to trade, human tools instead of our own claws. I don't think the people even hear the songs of the night anymore…"
Strange, Inuyasha thought. The land seemed lonely and sad, not wrathful.
He then regarded Shirabaku from the corner of his eye. The general wore human-looking armor and had human-styled weapons at his side. He wondered if Shirabaku knew about his hypocrisy.
But Shirabaku noticed his stare, looked down at himself, and sighed. "It is a difficult position, Inuyasha. I yearn for the days of old so much…but I have to resort to human weaponry for an edge in the war. The humans are surprisingly clever, if not crude and unappreciative of the world around them. Think what you will of me, Inuyasha, but I will bring our people back to the old ways and I will punish your brother for leaving us to squander in the dark. He should have been here to lead us. Your father may have had an unhealthy affection for humans but he was a great leader. Sesshomaru learned under him. He should not have abandoned us but taken up his father's mantle! Lord Touga would never have ordered his own kin slaughtered! Sesshomaru should have looked for a cure! He should have pleaded to the homeland for special fruit, herbs, meat, anything to quell the disease. But no, he killed and terrorized our people! Leadership is not all about the sword, Inuyasha, no matter what your brother thinks. War is necessary at times, as I have accepted, but when I defeat Sesshomaru, the sword will be sheathed and I will lower my claws. I will vanquish the fear of our people with a gentle hand."
Inuyasha listened, enraptured by Shirabaku's continual slip of saying "our people" to a hanyou. The supposed cause of all this mess. "You want to be Inu-no-Taisho?" he murmured suspiciously.
Shirabaku tensed and slowly sighed again. "I could never be Inu-no-Taisho, Inuyasha. I do not have the blood for it…as you do. Unless the homeland accepts my blood, it could never be. But I will help in any way I can to bring stability back to this kingdom."
Kasuhama and Yasuo had once explained the war underneath a tree, seemingly years ago. Yasuo had said, 'For Sesshomaru…it it to unify the territory again.' And Kasuhama added later, 'Soon, large quantities of our people, uninfected, gathered together and vowed to leave the land and its curse. The leader, the one Sesshomaru supposedly killed during the peace negotiation, and many others who followed him, including General Shirabaku, announced that they found Sesshomaru unfit to rule the lands. They broke off from the homeland, despite Sesshomaru and the Royal Court's attempts to have them stay.' Inuyasha had listened well then, as he did now. He was fascinated by anything to do with his family and his father's kingdom, all of the people who had denied him and wished to kill him. He couldn't help it, like he couldn't help how his veins hummed in pleasure from being so close to his father's lands. It was strange hearing this. Shirabaku wanted to bring stability to the nation he had helped fracture apart.
"About the guy you think Sesshomaru killed…your leader, I guess…" Inuyasha left his question hanging. He wasn't sure what to ask really. It was just part of the explanation about the war and the plague, about the broken kingdom he was undeniably connected to, that was never fully answered.
Surprisingly, Shirabaku chuckled. "No, Inuyasha. I did not go into this war just because he died. I actually do not believe Sesshomaru killed him. It was just a good excuse." He hummed thoughtfully. The dead leader was left unnamed. Inuyasha didn't mind. The guy was out of the picture now and was perhaps never really that important. Shirabaku's next words confirmed Inuyasha's suspicions that this general had always been the one leading the rebellion, at one time even behind the scenes of a political landscape before he'd stepped forward in war. "He was a fool too. Too full of flowery words and silly promises. But he only cared about gaining power. It wasn't about the people or the homeland for him. I was relieved that he died. We argued too much and it was easier to handle everything after he was gone."
Inuyasha looked down at the ground once more, head buzzing from Shirabaku's speech. It sounded like something the demon-man had wanted to say for a long while. He watched as the terrain below became dark, patches of thick blackness mottling the landscape like scars. Inuyasha didn't know it but those scars were where so many diseased, and mistakenly diseased, bodies had burned. The scent of the land dissipated into that of smoke and all-around dirtiness. And then there were scattered houses slowly growing thicker, looking similar to human cities like Shirabaku had mentioned. The streets were empty. Nobody looked up at the sky to see the visitors coming forth. Inuyasha's eyes followed a broken stoned path leading up to a large, elaborate, and closed-off estate. The gates were huge, close enough for him to touch if he could get his wrists untied. The estate too seemed influenced by human tastes, constructed out of polished red wood and crafted gold. Pathways curled around into beautiful gardens and open, roofed hallways. The only difference was the murals that decorated every flat wall and the statues of ferocious Inu-Youkai guarding either side of the gate. Inuyasha couldn't see the murals well from his viewpoint but guessed correctly that they depicted Inu-Youkai as well. His father's home. His brother's home. While riveting, it was disappointing at the same time, like he had built it up too much in his youthful imagination.
Or maybe his view was tainted by the tightening of his gut when the dragon lowered.
They touched ground on the hugely wide stoned path coming up the steps and through the gate, leading to the front porch. Inuyasha craned his head and saw five of the oldest demons he had ever seen standing there. One grinned wickedly at him. Another, the one in the middle, with a long beard, stepped forward and regarded him with cold brownish eyes.
"Hello, hanyou Inuyasha," he said in a surprisingly clear and firm voice. "Welcome to the Kingdom of the Inu-Youkai."
Inuyasha wrinkled his nose. "Yo," he said rudely, beginning his defiance.
"Where can I piss around here?"
They traveled quickly, following a silently irate and impatient Sesshomaru with great difficulty. It would take a day and a half to get even close to the borders of wolf land and they needed to hurry. Jakken rode on Ah-Un, the animal having been summoned when the toad couldn't keep up. The group swept through landscapes too fast for it to be appreciated. They tore through fields, leaving human farmers nearly concussed from the wind, and through forests and swamps and over hills of rock. Nobody complained about the speed. They ignored any old wounds they had and drank or ate on the run if needed.
Tomi, Kuma, and Yasuo watched Kasuhama sprint next to Sesshomaru; they couldn't hear the conversation if there was one. Only Tomi among the three had ever traveled to the Land of the Wolves before, but it was hundreds of years ago before any of this had started. Tomi breathlessly told them his memories but seriously doubted the kingdom was like he recalled.
"I just hope it is still as beautiful as I remember," Tomi said.
The three stopped their talking when Kasuhama backtracked to them. Nagaharu, Gengo, Fumina, and Jinsei moved up as well.
"So," Jinsei hissed. "What is the plan?"
Sesshomaru had explained it in simple, elegant terms. Kasuhama reiterated it bluntly, to the barest truth of what the plan really was.
"Well…we get in, get on our damn knees and beg, or threaten them if they disagree. However the conversation with the Wolf Boss goes."
Tomi chuckled. Kuma groaned and asked sarcastically, "He does realize that that's pretty much begging for slaughter, right?"
Kasuhama smirked. "Oh yes, of course."
"Well, alright then. How much farther?"
Sesshomaru slowed down before Kasuhama could answer. The soldiers looked at each other quizzically and sniffed the air. There was no scent of wolf. In fact, for a forest, the smells were amazingly simple and few. They instinctively huddled closer together, eyeing the large canopy of branches with wariness. There was something odd here. The forest always felt alive to them but in here, in the humid dark and cramped vines, the place seemed ready to either speak or swallow them whole.
It did the former.
"Young lord," said a breezily deep voice. The soldiers flinched and readied for an attack. Branches continued to creak but no wind blew. "Your sword's voice is so much stronger."
"Bokusenou," Sesshomaru stated simply. "You speak far from your forest."
Bokusenou's face did not emerge from any trunk. His voice continued to speak in a muffled, quiet manner, since he was conversing from a long distance through the vines and roots of the trees. "I wished to do so. I felt the pulse of your homeland quicken for a royal's return but I felt your presence here. I was…curious."
Sesshomaru's hand clenched and then forcefully relaxed and caressed the hilts of two swords at his waist. Tetsusaiga's and Tenseiga's scabbards quivered from the proximity to their creator's spirit.
Bokusenou filled the sudden silence. "Your brother was taken," he said knowingly. "You search for help from the wolves." Sesshomaru did not answer and did not question how the tree knew. His father's acquaintance always somehow found out things. Roots traveled far, he guessed.
"Change has come over you, young lord. Tenseiga sings sweetly and Tetsusaiga rests patiently in your presence. If there were time, I would ask you of your thoughts on all that has transpired. But time waits for no one. I have stretched myself far in order to help you. These trees trust me and have agreed to shorten your way, if you will allow it."
Sesshomaru looked around at the forest and his followers behind him. He wondered how but refused to ask. "Very well," he said imperially.
A chuckle made the leaves shiver. A soldier gasped when a vine suddenly snaked around his ankle. More and more slithered out, trapping the feet of everyone.
"Agh," Kuma growled, "what's going on!"
Sesshomaru was calm as the vines traveled up his chest. "Be still," he commanded.
It was hard to obey when trees suddenly began to shake and the ground dipped from beneath them.
"We-we're sinking!"
The soldier who shouted quickly disappeared, pulled under into the soil like it was quicksand. Screams were covered by green lines and more soldiers were pulled down into the earth.
"Well," Nagaharu said with a nervous giggle. "This will certainly be a story to te-E-AH!"
Sesshomaru was the last one. He allowed the vines to come around his head and encase him in a kind of shell. Bokusenou whispered in his ear, "I am too far to release your brother. I will leave the rescuing to you. But rest assured, young Lord Sesshomaru, I will do what I can to help the little pup as he waits for you."
Sesshomaru wondered what sorts of things Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga told Bokusenou through the wooden scabbards when things went dark and the smell of wet soil invaded his nose.
Inuyasha sat, bladder empty (one kindness, at least), and was damn confused.
The Elders had all introduced themselves, like he cared, and Inuyasha had waited for all hell to break loose. Instead, the politeness had continued. The binds around his wrists had stayed and he was pulled roughly by some burly guard. Ukyou, who had been kicked off the dragon right away and complained loudly the whole trip, considerably brightened at the harsh treatment. But so far, the chafing on his wrists was the only inflicted pain. For now. Inside, Inuyasha had been momentarily distracted by the elegant décor of the inner palace. Paper screens with ink pictures illustrating history he'd never learned traveled down the longest hallways he'd ever seen. There, he had been separated from everyone else. The soldiers were offered housing at the barracks, assured of no ill treatment from the Western soldiers inhabiting them; Shirabaku and Ukyou were shuffled away by nervous servants to get cleaned up.
Inuyasha was stunned when he got a set of his own, even more nervous, servants. A girl and a boy, younger looking than him. They bowed deeply. "If…if you will follow us, L…Lord Inuyasha, we are to get you refreshed for supper."
"Supper?" Inuyasha barked incredulously. "I didn't have my ass kidnapped and dragged over half of the country to have supper."
The servants looked at each other, surprised by the hanyou's crude way of speaking. Not to mention the fact that they were so close to a legend—a spoken of curse—the embodiment of a time in history that was spoken of only in whispers. They flinched when Yogo addressed Inuyasha.
"It would be in your best interests if you conceded to this treatment for now. I am sure it will be…an enlightening experience for someone like you."
Inuyasha bristled from the elegant insult. There was at least that to remind Inuyasha that hell was due for him soon. The Elders, like this Yogo-Bastard, treated him politely but in a cruel and cold manner that reminded him of the Sesshomaru of his youth before the Daiyoukai's punished him. They were biding time. They probably wanted to get something out of him before they struck. Inuyasha had no idea what. He figured it was just the satisfaction of messing with his head. Luckily, he had dealt with Sesshomaru for over a hundred years. He wasn't one to fall into a false sense of security just because of a bath and a hot meal. Yogo blinked in surprise when he lifted his nose and smirked.
"Tch. The pleasure's all yours."
Inuyasha snickered to himself and followed the wide-eyed servants. He hated being even this little bit obedient but was smart enough to know that he was in way over his head here. The auras rippling from these Elders were…terrifying. Especially that Ketsueki-guy. And the one who looked like he could sharpen a stone with his nose. The only one he wasn't sure about was that Oomuranishi, the oldest one who had the strongest aura despite looking so feeble. He had looked at Inuyasha with calm, slightly foggy eyes…and a corner of his mouth had gently quirked up. Not enough to be a smile or an evil leer; it might have been an old twitch, like the one Shinuguchi had under his left eye. Now that blob of lard was worrisome (hell, they all were). He hoped the fat-ass didn't sit on him as part of their soon-to-come torture.
Inuyasha flexed his bound fingers when a rush of helplessness quivered his nerves. He didn't even have Tetsusaiga. Shit, he thought. Sesshomaru better hurry up.
Sesshomaru's promise—I will save you, little brother!—strengthened Inuyasha as it echoed within him, overpowering the small amount of doubt he had that Sesshomaru would come in time…or come at all.
Now, here he was, sitting in a bathing room that was bigger than the hut his mother and he had shared. Inuyasha stared down at his toes whose dirty skin stood out in contrast to the pale polished floor. The servants floundered about in a jerky fashion, filling up the tub with buckets and buckets of warm water he didn't give a shit about where they got from. His nose tingled from a calming scent of sandalwood. They were preparing to give him a royal treatment, a captured and dirt/blood-encrusted half-breed with his hands tied behind his back. He snorted. It was kind of funny that they had agreed to go this far. Inuyasha waited for these servants to run off in stupid terror, insultingly refuse to touch him, or maybe even hold his head underwater and get it over with before the Elders got a piece of him. This timid act was getting annoying.
His ears flicked when he heard whispering. The two servants stood outside the door and probably figured his weaker half-demon senses couldn't detect them. It would be typical.
"What should we do? Should…should we just ask?"
"Uh, maybe we should just do it ourselves."
"Really! But… what if he decides to, I don't know, go on a rampage or something?"
"They want him clean and we could always tie him back up later."
"But he's…he's alive, you know! He survived all these years. And, can't you feel it? He's strong. Human blood or not. We wouldn't stand a chance!"
Inuyasha lifted his head curiously. The conversation wasn't really going the way he expected. On a whim, he decided to have a little fun before being sent off to slaughter. "Oi," he said firmly, "I can hear you, you know."
The servants squeaked and sheepishly came through the door. He blinked in surprise when they bowed. The girl spoke, "I-I apologize. That…that was rude of us."
"Please forgive us, Lord Inuyasha."
Inuyasha grunted in disgust. "Stop," he barked at their warily raised heads and wide eyes, "you don't need to pretend."
"What-"
"What do you mean?"
"Feh! Just stop the sniveling act. You're not fooling anyone."
The girl and boy, Inuyasha could tell they were siblings from his nose, looked at each other again. "Um, we're not sure…"
"We're just following orders."
"Have we displeased you?"
"Displeased me…" Inuyasha scoffed. He slowly leaned forward, suddenly feeling like he was talking to an annoying combo of Rin and Nagaharu. "Look. You don't need to treat me this way. You don't need to call me 'lord'. Hell, you don't even need to follow that Yogo-bastard's orders. It's not like he really gives a shit whether I'm clean or not. Like I said, I'm not here for supper. I'll bet that as soon as you take me to them, I'm going to get my ass handed to me and be thrown in a pit somewhere or something. You don't need to treat me like I'm sort of royal, 'cuz I'm not. I know what this place thinks of me. I was supposed to be dead this whole time, you know. Those Elders of yours are frickin' pissed. This ain't going to be some happy picnic in the yard."
The servants absorbed his speech in silence. After another moment passed, the boy slowly sat down. The girl was surprised by his free choice and rocked her weight unsurely from foot to foot.
"Ko…" she whispered.
Ko looked at Inuyasha as boldly as he was comfortable doing; he pondered over hanyou ears and a suikan his trained eyes could tell was tailored for regal use. He leaned forward a bit and asked in hushed tones, "You're really him? The Great Lord Touga's second son?" Inuyasha nodded. Ko grew flustered with excitement. "And did Lord Sesshomaru…did he really know…?"
"Ko!" his sister reprimanded.
"Kane…!"
"You can't just ask such a thing!"
"But Kane, don't you want to know?"
Inuyasha smirked and interrupted the little spat. "Yeah, Sesshomaru knew. Kept me his little secret, I guess."
The twins fell silent with awe. Then they pretty much exploded with long, held-back curiosity. Who would pass up the chance of talking to a nation's greatest intrigue and shame!
"Why?"
"Did he visit you often?"
"Is your mother still alive?"
"Why would she still be alive, Ko, you idiot! Humans don't live that long!"
"Well, how long will you live? Do hanyous live as long as demons?"
"Can you transform at all?"
"Are your ears stuck like that?"
"They look so soft!"
"Is that fire-rat?"
"Is it true that you're the same hanyou who's hunting Naraku and the Jewel of Four Souls?"
"Hey!" Kane's shout quieted the room down. She looked at Inuyasha and asked softly, "Does Lord Sesshomaru know you're here?"
Inuyasha shook himself out of his stunned stupor from the barrage of questions. He grew somber and flexed his fingers again. "Yeah," he said softly.
Something in his expression softened Kane's own. She smiled gently. "He's a good brother then?"
A breathy chortle escaped Inuyasha. He swallowed back more laughter and slowly shook his head in wonderment. The twins were confused by his sudden laugh-attack.
"Sure…" he answered. "Heh. We'll see."
GASP!
"HA! Oh shit!"
Cough. Cough.
"Ah, ah! Get off, get off! You're not pulling me down again, you-you tree suckers!"
"Calm down. Don't piss them off!"
Wheeze.
Giggles.
"Wow. Heh. Say, Gengo, wouldn't it be great if we could always travel like that? Sure'd be nice in winter."
"Shut up, Haru."
"Ah, Fumina. Come now! That was an experience!"
"Some experience," Kuma grumbled. He pulled himself up from the crater his vine-bubble had caused, having traveled under the ground at alarming speeds and broken through the topsoil. He didn't even want to think about how deep they'd been. He dusted himself off and pulled at random bits of vine still sticking to him. "Ah hell," he grumbled. "I have a new respect for nature now…I'm never going to piss on a tree again."
At his side, the earth started to rumble and sink inward. He screamed when it suddenly exploded up and out, flinging earth everywhere; another vine bubble popped up out of the debris and unraveled like weakened tentacles. Sesshomaru stepped out with barely even any dirt on him. He showed no signs of being shaken at how rapidly the demon-enhanced vines had pulled them.
The Daiyoukai looked around. Kasuhama walked up to his side. "We have been taken past the barrier," he informed his lord. The barrier he spoke of was similar to the one around the Western Kingdom; it kept the area hidden from the eyes of lesser demons and humans. Bokusenou had saved them from plenty of travel.
Sesshomaru nodded and walked forward towards a medium-sized mountainside. They had popped up right at its bottom. The soldiers watched him go and surveyed their surroundings. The forest behind them stopped ten feet before the mountain's slope began. If it could be called a slope; the mountain, devoid of any foliage at all, raised more like a stone barricade. The Inu-Youkai felt their veins thrum from the hidden power of the area, power hidden behind this girth of rock. They shuffled in agitation. Their Inu spirits didn't like standing still here.
Kuma leaned over to Kasuhama and Tomi, who watched as Sesshomaru's outline slowly started to fizzle and line with red. "So…what are we doing?"
"Shh," Kasuhama answered. His stare was riveted on his lord.
Tomi looked at the disgruntled Kuma with twinkling eyes. "We are at the gate to the Land of the Wolves," he whispered.
Kuma looked around at the barren looking "gate". "Is that so? And we get in…how?"
Tomi grinned.
"Lord Sesshomaru's going to have to sing."
Kuma blinked.
And blinked again.
"Uh…wait…Did you say sing?"
Kasuhama groaned. Really, did Kuma have to talk at every turn!
Tomi snickered, which frankly freaked Kuma out a little bit, and dragged the other soldier back. He whispered in his ear. Kuma noticed that the whole lot of them had gone silent, even the grave-robbing gang. The air seemed to shiver in anticipation.
"The Wolf Kingdom is much more traditional than we are. The wolves care more about song than about blood, as we do. I have heard it told that the Ookami clan was the ones who taught our Old Ones how to sing in the very beginning."
"Oookay…and Lord Sesshomaru has to do what now?"
"The only way we can get in is if he sings the ancient melody that ties us together as allies. Just watch and learn something, whelp."
Kuma frowned but did as he was told by his superior.
Sesshomaru became completely engulfed with his youki. It fluctuated around him and gave away the condition of his Inner Youkai—sparking in impatience, wildly spinning around with concern, pulsing with the desire to get out and get back who was his responsibility! His body showed his control. He calmly raised his head, ignoring the way his hair billowed around like an invisible wind tousled it. No one saw his face as his eyes closed, his lips parted, and the rippling notes of a canine song rumbled from his throat.
It filtered down into a low gravely roar, singing about dark days of war between two species who used to be kin. He sang the history about long battles, sad funerals, lost pups and parents, broken friendships.
Kuma lifted a surprised hand to the lump caught in his throat.
Sesshomaru's transformed voice was clear and strong in the wordless song. The tone slowly rose and hesitated slightly in a warbling note. The beginnings of negotiation between the Ookami and Inu. The nervous beginnings of peace long hoped for. It soon gained strength, grew higher in a steady rising. More talks. Some suspicion. The fighting is done for now. But the questioning lingers down below in the way Sesshomaru's throat quivers slightly. Will peace come? Or will they be forever denied the kinship these two clans had once shared?
The song suddenly exploded in joy without preamble. Sesshomaru's hand raised a small amount and his head fell back as he keened in a more wolfish-like howl about the acceptance of peace, of joyous homecoming, embraces from missed friends. It told of promises and strong declarations of loyalty. No more! The differences between them will not tear apart their bond again. The Ookami and Inu live under the same moon they both love.
The last note echoed long after Sesshomaru's tired throat ceased vibrating. He closed his dry lips.
They waited and watched as the invisible musical tone floated up the mountainside. As though it possessed a body, it caressed the rock and the rock creaked, shifted, and bulged. Thin lines cracked down and joined together in crisscross patterns like breaking ice. The cracks formed a rectangular door hundreds of feet high. The cracks glowed with a blue-tinted light until the entire area was engulfed, shining around Sesshomaru like it was about to claim him for the next life. He stood immobile and unafraid. The light hummed. And then abruptly, the light blinked out. It revealed a door-like hole, elaborate carvings of wolves poking out of the stone, as though real wolves had been captured in the rock for all time. Sesshomaru started to walk through.
It took half a minute before the soldiers and grave-robbing gang jumped out of their daze and ran after him.
Inuyasha fingered his hair bewilderedly. This couldn't even compete to the shower in Kagome's time. He was so damn…clean.
Ko and Kane had been surprisingly amiable and pleasant to talk to after their initial meeting. They still treated him politely but there was an ease to the conversation that flowed from then on as they timidly untied his hands and asked for him to undress. Inuyasha spoke adamantly against it and was surprised again by their insistence. Reluctantly, (very reluctantly and with plenty of huffing and complaining and demands to keep their eyes closed) Inuyasha had gotten into the steamed and murky water. They were nice enough to allow him to clean his own body but were firm that they would care for his hair. He had appreciated that they hadn't touched his ears. They were clean anyway. Inuyasha was pretty picky about keeping his ears clean since any sort of dirt on them was irritating. Soon a gross film of earth and dried blood (from his closed-up injuries and Sesshomaru's face-blood under his nails) covered the water. He was glad to get out and again refused their help to dry off.
Really, how did Sesshomaru stand all these hands touching him!
Inuyasha made one more refusal against the expensive-looking and flowery garb Kane brought in. The twins were concerned that the Elders wouldn't be too keen about him wearing his regular clothes. His suikan was in need of a good washing and his hadagi still had a hole in it from when Sesshomaru had impaled him. After pulling them back from the twins' small attempts at cleaning and fixing the fabric, Inuyasha tucked into his clothes and snorted, reminding them again that he wasn't really a guest here. He would rather not be tortured or killed in some girly baby-blue fabric, thank you very much.
Ko and Kane then brushed and styled his hair until it shone. They went through extra lengths with it since Inuyasha said 'no' to the kimono. It was trimmed neatly and then pulled up into a high ponytail. The feeling was strange and slightly unpleasant in how it tugged at the base of his ears but Inuyasha half-heartedly ignored it. The pampering was kind of nice. Being treated to this daily was no doubt why rich people were such snobs, though Inuyasha had a hard time imagining Sesshomaru sighing away in a bubble bath.
"Alright, you're all through." Ko patted his shoulder.
Inuyasha stood up and turned around to face them. The twins' mouths dropped.
"What?" Inuyasha touched his hair again and grumbled. "Whatever it is, it's your fault! I told you all this stuff didn't matter." Inuyasha felt the uncomfortable experience of a blush when Ko and Kane made small sounds of approval and started to eye him from several angles.
"No, no, Lord Inuyasha."
"You look wonderful!"
"In fact, you look remarkable, especially after I got that stain out of your sleeve." Ko chuckled and allowed Inuyasha to lightly bop him on the head.
Kane dusted some imaginary dust from his chest and then sincerely looked up at him. They were brave enough to do that now. "Truly, Lord Inuyasha…" she said softly, "you look so much like the paintings of the Great Lord Touga. You really are his son."
Inuyasha flushed and quickly ducked his head. He rubbed his nape, desperately trying to will back the blood from his face and keep from stuttering something stupid.
Like my old man…huh?
Kane and Ko smiled at each other. The twins had accepted the hanyou quickly. It wasn't hard really. At first, their acceptance had stemmed from years of training and instinctual commands to accept the royalty in his blood, in the gold of his eyes and the white of his hair. The rest had come from his oddly endearing demeanor. No one had ever spoken to them so candidly or even right at them before. Pushed by their insane curiosity to know more about Lord Touga's famous hanyou (alive! Actually alive!) and to understand how he fit into all this palace gossip about the plague, Ko and Kane had persistently pulled Inuyasha into conversation and soon sweetly and innocently came to enjoy his uncouth presence. It was nice to be acknowledged and treated as more than just docile servants, even if the prince was rude and gruff. The twins ate up the bizarre treatment.
They really would like it to continue.
Which was why their smiles wilted from worry as they mumbled together, "We will lead you to the dining hall now."
Their newly born affection grew when Inuyasha showed no signs of fear or even hesitation as he straightened his shoulders and nodded. Ko and Kane struggled against the want to prostrate themselves under the look of such dignity and strength that shone from the face so similar to the current Inu-no-Taisho and the one most loved in history.
The Elders were a terrifying lot—terribly strong and often times nasty beneath those politically correct smiles and strict manners. The twins yearned to remain around Inuyasha longer, suddenly afraid of the certainty Inuyasha had that if he walked into the dining hall…he wasn't coming back out. Ko and Kane were not completely foolish. They understood how their kingdom would want him dead. Perhaps the twins' hearts had shared that sentiment, since it was spoon-fed to them to despise the hanyou that born such hatred and betrayal in the eyes of the elderly whenever mentioned. But any such beliefs had quaked and been dutifully broken at the sight of Inuyasha alive, at the sound of his real voice, and the feel of his royally-pale locks in their fingers. He was more than a story or a rumor.
He was so real.
And so unlike what anyone would have assumed, if any thought was spared to the 'what If': What if the half-breed child had lived and grown?
They would be surprised, the twins thought as one.
The smell of the prince's human blood did not even detract from the effect. Instead, it heightened the astounding intrigue and awe. Hanyous were spoken of as disgusting, bloodthirsty, and malformed creatures. The perfect villains for many bed times stories and didactic fables to keep Inu-Youkai children in their homes and away from humans. To see Lord Inuyasha so normal, so completely… normal!-it was just amazing. The twins were nearly riveted by the way Inuyasha's scent flowed in their canine noses—stable and complete, the two different halves coiling around each other like a dancing couple.
Not disgusting at all. Not even close.
Just…different.
Ko and Kane led Inuyasha down the hall with shuffling feet, keeping their thoughts to themselves. They often spared Inuyasha a glance, silently loving the way a despised half-breed could walk with his head so high. According to demon talk, they should be feeling above Lord Inuyasha since they were full-demons, regardless of their rank as servants. It nearly made them want to giggle how they were simply unable to do it. Anyone who could sneer at the Elders—who were never very nice to Ko and Kane, hardly even gave them a fleeting look—and could talk to the twins without any care about what they thought of him, or what they could do to him in the Elders' case, was someone who deserved respect and admiration. Inuyasha spoke to everyone the same and didn't attempt to change or hide who he was…
And it was so very refreshing.
Ko and Kane arrived at where supper would be held. Kane got to her knees on one side of the paper screen. Before Ko joined on the other side, he quickly whispered very quietly into Inuyasha's ear.
"Do not worry, Lord Inuyasha. We will check the food for poison."
Inuyasha raised a brow. He was a little taken back by the twins' treatment of him. When the hell had he gotten so good at making friends? "Uh…thanks…"
After a blinding smile, Ko took his position. The twins bowed as one and announced Inuyasha's presence in the most superfluous way, practically enunciating the honorific of lordship attached to his name. It made Inuyasha flush again. He didn't need to be treated this way. He almost felt like…he shouldn't be…
Yogo's voice broke through the paper screen and made him stiffen.
"Come in…Prince Inuyasha."
Well, he was sure he was going to be treated how he was accustomed to in short order. The twins opened the paper screen doors and Inuyasha ignored whatever propriety was expected of him—what? Was he supposed to bow or something? It wasn't like he'd ever been taught any manners after his mother died—and simply stomped in, arms crossed into his sleeves, nose up.
He hoped no one noticed his nervous swallow.
"Please, Prince Inuyasha, sit and join us. I'm afraid the tea has already been served while we waited for you."
Inuyasha sneered at the small tone of sarcasm chiming in the way Yogo said his name. He contemplated keeping up some rebellion but the auras of these Elders made his hackles rise and he wasn't privy to bringing hell down upon him too soon. He needed to survive. If that meant sitting down on some pillow and drinking green tea, well…alright then.
He just won't drink the tea. Ha!
Inuyasha sat immediately in a cross-legged position, smug in how the tick in Fat-Ass's eye grew more pronounced by his small show of continued rudeness. He discreetly looked around the room. All five of the Royal Board members were present, including Shirabaku and the Ukyou-Brat who fiddled with the collar of his newly acquired kimono with glee. He heard the screens shut and the soft patter of Ko's and Kane's feet echoing away. Inuyasha inhaled the aroma of muggy tea-leaves when he felt the keen prickling of eyes on his person. No doubt he was being stared at—not every day did a person you thought was dead suddenly walk into a room. He was compelled to find the source of the strongest gaze. Four of the Elders actually busied themselves with sipping their tea, either glancing up periodically or refusing to see him; Shirabaku sat rigidly like the soldier he was and Ukyou kept admiring the prissily styled fabric he wore. The only person who kept their eyes riveted on him was Oomuranishi.
Inuyasha met the gaze boldly. A thick eyebrow rose and the tired-looking eyes sparkled with a humor that wasn't shown in any other part of his face. It was this demon who finally broke the silence.
"You…look so much…like your father…" Inuyasha blinked curiously from the warm tone. Many of the Elders tensed and there was the small sound of china cracking. Oomuranishi continued on unhurriedly. "You have…the same fire…in your eyes…Though you possess your mother's…sweet mouth…"
The words were spoken softly, without any derision or coldness. In fact, if Inuyasha had any experience to compare it to, he'd notice it was the kind of tone a proud grandparent would use.
Inuyasha remembered Sesshomaru's surprising confession from just that morning. His mother had actually stayed here once. He regarded his surroundings with new interest, suddenly wondering if she had ever sat in this room with these Elders like he did now. "You knew my mother?"
"Yes…" the oldest dog nodded slowly. His skin was so thin-looking that Inuyasha foolishly feared it would rip from the movement. "We had a few…pleasant chats…such a soft, soft creature…"
Inuyasha's gruff expression softened a bit as he thought about those words, gaining a kind of appearance that reminded Oomuranishi of the very woman he spoke of.
Another harsh clink of china broke the rather congenial moment. Inuyasha's face hardened and he turned to Yogo. The demon let go of his cup and stroked his long beard with agitated pulls. Everything about his body was smelted out of harsh stone, though his voice almost sounded welcoming. "Yes, Prince Inuyasha, I too will have to admit to your likeness to the late Inu-no-Taisho, may his soul be at rest in the earth."
Actually, he'd be at rest in my eye. But Inuyasha held his tongue.
"I'd say such a look suits you. It was a hairstyle your father wore regularly." Yogo's eyes flickered to the top of Inuyasha's head. "Though he neglected to have such…accessories…"
Inuyasha bristled and said ears rotated around in agitation. He crossed his arms tighter, keeping his mouth closed for now. He wasn't nearly as comfortable shooting out a battle cry and tearing up the place without Tetsusaiga at his side. And truthfully, Inuyasha wanted to keep his wits about him and not risk the possibility of succumbing to his demon blood. He knew he was in danger, his blood burbled with heat, though the situation was tame enough to keep him calm. It looked like he was just being called in for a "chat", for lack of a better word. He would ride it out for as long as he could; maybe wait and see if an opportunity arose to gain a weapon or, pride willing, escape and run the hell out.
Yogo continued. "We are glad you were able to join us," he ignored Inuyasha's snort. "Forgive us for the timing. We became aware of your…existence, so to speak, nary a short time ago. It was a shock for us to learn Lord Touga had another pup roaming the world. If we had only known…we would have met long ago."
"Yeah well, life's a bitch sometimes, neh?" Inuyasha grinned wickedly.
"Hmm."
Hisagawa placed down his cup and interlaced his long, dagger-like fingers, placing them against his wiry mouth. "Tell us…" he glanced at Yogo, "Prince Inuyasha, how was it that you lived for so long without the kingdom knowing? We have had a hard time gaining straight answers from your brother, Lord Sesshomaru."
Inuyasha raised a brow. So the polite act was over (ah, so soon?) and now they were cutting through to the nitty-gritty. Inuyasha couldn't say he was sorry for the change of pace. The little amount of forced pleasantries out of Yogo's mouth had made him nauseous. Besides, he needed to get some information too.
Like why he was here. What they were planning to do with him.
Inuyasha slowly smirked. "Feh. Not like Sesshomaru's much of a talker."
"True," Shinuguchi conceded through plump lips. He rubbed a hand over his rounded belly.
Hisagawa waited for more to the answer. Inuyasha crossed his arms tighter and shrugged a shoulder, his smirk growing. A tense and awkward silence reigned before Yogo broke it.
"It is of little consequence, by and by," he said as he slowly came to his feet. "The past is in the past and as old demons, we often forget that. Time moves long and slowly for us and sometimes our minds do not keep up. But we must remember the present now. Tell me…Prince Inuyasha, what do you know about the condition of your father's kingdom today?"
Inuyasha's lips tightened, wilting his disobedient smirk. Why did they want to know that? Would it be considered an insult if he, a hanyou, did know what was going on? Yogo and all the other board members stared him down and Inuyasha did all he could not to have his hackles rise, or fidget, or snap to get some personal space back. With impressive calm, Inuyasha hooded his features and straightened his back.
"I've heard," he said lowly.
Yogo nodded and turned slightly so that he would slowly pace around the table, in front of Inuyasha. The hanyou prince kept a steady eye on him.
"It is a sad state," Yogo whispered, walking behind Shirabaku and Ukyou like he was preparing for a strange game of Duck, Duck, Goose. "This kingdom was once prosperous and lively. It lived under many good kings and a long peace with its neighbors. The people were strong with the ways of the moon and every full moon night would be filled with song and dance. The land was happy and content. But things soon changed, as they always do. Unfortunately, none for the better."
Yogo looked pointedly at Inuyasha then and Inuyasha glared. The demon-bastard continued on unhitched. "I believe it began long before you were born. Perhaps our downfall began its descent all those years and years ago when our ancestors first agreed to alliance with a human family. Your mother's, I do believe. We were all very young then. I remember much controversy until the humans started a very queer tradition of leaving gifts and offerings to our people. Offerings that begged for our protection, treating us as though we were gods. We foolishly relished in it and became much too close to the human world. Soon we mastered their language, adopted their habits, bought their silly little trinkets, and moved out of the forest and into human abodes. We fell and became more and more entangled. We could not see how living up to our dedication to gentleness and loyalty would undermine our traditions, our very heritage."
Yogo continued walking, coming closer and closer to Inuyasha.
"We should have seen how our natural born loyalty could turn against us. An Inu-Youkai falling in love with a human woman? It seemed impossible but looking back on it now…we should have foreseen it. Loyalty is oftentimes the needed fuel for love to grow. At first, I thought for sure it was merely lust. Your mother was a darling creature…like a china doll, a pretty little plaything." A snarl rumbled dangerously in Inuyasha's throat. Yogo smiled wickedly. "But no, Lord Touga treated her nearly as an equal, as though she herself had Inu-Youkai blood in her veins. We argued for months and demanded her to be returned to her people, for our alliance to be broken, to even eradicate the human court which was undermining our very existence as Youkai! But LOVE was what he claimed! He loved the girl and he loved the child in her belly! You."
Yogo was on Inuyasha's side of the table, a few steps away. Inuyasha could barely debate with himself on whether he should stand and meet the demon's threatening posture; he was strangely enthralled by the speech. Something akin to fear trickled down his spine. There was something being unsaid, some warning and accusation in Yogo's eyes. The other board members were tense and silent, as though they already knew the unspoken information. Which they surely did. Youki swirled lazily with pent up aggression.
"He protected you and your mother dearly," Yogo whispered. Inuyasha stiffened when Yogo bent down to one knee and, with lightening speed, fingered Inuyasha's haori sleeve. "Such as this. He did many things to ensure your lives would be safe from his angry subjects. He kept many, many secrets from us. We came to find them out slowly. It was your brother who informed us of Tenseiga and Tetsusaiga, powerful spiritual swords Lord Touga furnished without our consent or our knowledge."
The old demon paused then and looked at the hanyou curiously, dangerously. "We believed once Lord Touga had perished that the secrets would end. We adored Lord Sesshomaru—a young Inu-no-Taisho who yearned to rule differently than his father. He cared so much about tradition and the rules of the land. We had such high hopes. He was a ruler driven by conquest and power and thus…he could be manipulated so very easily. It was a wonderful time when the young lord traveled the lands and left us to govern in peace. We had no worries of him being undermined by frilly weaknesses like love and affection. He thought for the nation, unlike your father who cared about equal footing with the humans. But it seems we were wrong…he is very much like his father. You, my dear half-pup, are a very dangerous and volatile secret. Sesshomaru was controllable…until it came to you. He refused us the right to kill you. He hid you. What else? What other secrets does he hide? Does he too possess a young human girl who holds his heart in her hands—a heart meant only for the kingdom!"
Inuyasha kept his expression schooled. Rin. He couldn't let that ironic little bit of information slip.
The hanyou uncurled his fists and bared his claws when Yogo leaned forward. He thought frantically about how to protect himself while still being captured by Yogo's words. There was something else. Something more was coming.
"It makes me wonder…Prince Inuyasha. Why would your brother allow you to live? Tell me…did he not want to share your affection with others? Are you loyal to each other? Or was he simply honoring the memory of his father so expressive in your face and your eyes? Do you know? Do you know why we cannot understand why he allowed you to live?"
Unbidden, Inuyasha's tongue answered slowly. "Because I'm half-human. You're afraid that you'll lose control if everyone found out. Sesshomaru should…care about that."
He should still hate me.
But he doesn't anymore.
Right?
Yogo seemed impressed by the coolly spoken answer. The demon could tell that the young pup was nervous yet Inuyasha controlled himself spectacularly. The bearded mouth curled up into a sneer, nearly sympathetic looking.
"Oh no, Prince Inuyasha. It is so much more than that. Why, we wonder, would Lord Sesshomaru allow such a threat to his throne…to live? That is what we cannot understand."
Quicker than his words, Yogo's hand seared through the air and grabbed Inuyasha's hair at the base of his ponytail. Inuyasha shouted and tried to get out of the hold but suddenly a pain blossomed wickedly across his forehead and his vision darkened and then lightened into a swimming haze. He blinked through a deluge of blood trickling into his eyes and saw a nasty crack through the table in front of him. He grunted when the fingers tightened, pulling the hair taunt out of his scalp.
"Do you understand the importance of your looks, Prince Inuyasha? The color of your hair. The color of your eyes. The smell of your blood even. You should be a disgusting monster incapable of intelligence. You should not be what your father so vehemently claimed as he argued for your life. An heir to the throne! An INU-NO-TAISHO! TELL ME! Did your brother tell you of that dirty little secret!"
Once more, Yogo slammed Inuyasha's face into the table. He grew more enraged when he felt impressed again that the half-child did not whimper or plead. Instead, the little brat glared at him through a blood-stained face.
"I…I don't know what you're…talking about," Inuyasha slurred. "I don't want…to be t-taisho…"
Yogo relished in how that face, too much like that blasted love-struck Lord Touga's, twisted in pain and then barefaced shock when Yogo violently clawed through his long locks and severed the sign of his lineage right off his skull. The separated ponytail fell to the floor with a little thud. Jagged chunks of hair fell around Inuyasha's face. It did not even touch his shoulders anymore. Unbelievably, Inuyasha touched the back of his head and looked over at Yogo. The demon smirked at the gross dishevelment of Inuyasha's hair. He immediately looked younger and more waif-like. Unfortunately, claws would have to rake through the child's face to get rid of the powerful resemblance to those great leaders. Yogo dismissed the great desire with difficulty when Inuyasha glared again. The damn hanyou had to live…for just a little bit longer.
"You sick bastard…what the hell? I told you that I don't want to be heir! Sesshomaru can have the damn throne!"
Yogo clicked his tongue. "Well now, that's just the thing, dear prince. It's not his throne.
It's yours."
Inuyasha stiffened in place. For many painful seconds, his fierce expression systematically broke down into one of wary confusion. His imperial attitude cracked and revealed the youth hidden beneath. "Wh….what?"
Inuyasha flinched when Yogo chuckled.
"Would you like to know the truth, half-breed?" he said coldly. "About what Lord Touga did to his oldest son? Your father did a terrible thing before you were born. He marked your mother. But he did not mark Lord Sesshomaru's mother, which made that human wretch his one and only true mate. Do you know what that makes you, half-breed? The heir. The true heir to the throne. Do you understand now why you should die? It is so much more than your disgusting blood scent. No one must know that the current Inu-no-Taisho is a bastard and that the cursed hanyou is more of a prince than he'll ever be."
Inuyasha stopped breathing as his mind stuttered and tried to comprehend those words. "B-but…but I'm not the firstborn…"
Yogo shook his head disappointedly. "You think in the ways of humans. For our homeland, the mark is most important. You have not been properly accepted into the royal family. No one has claimed you as part of the pack, if you will. But the mark on your mother is enough to cast doubt and turmoil in our nation. This must not happen! The kingdom would fall completely. That secret, more dangerous than any before, would completely destroy all trust and respect the people have for us!"
If Yogo said anything more in his rant, Inuyasha didn't hear it. He touched fingertips to his aching skull, brutally cut hair caressing the backs of his knuckles, and wallowed deeper and deeper into a terrible feeling. Oh gawd…he whispered in his mind, that's why. That's why Sesshomaru hated…hates me. No. No. Oh no! Shit! What does this mean? Was it all a trick then? He couldn't have just changed his mind about me! Not after that—not after what our old man did to him! No! No! No! Why did he let me live then? Was he trying to get revenge? No! Why would he do that? Why would the old man do such a thing to him! It's no wonder he hates my guts. No…no…
Is he really going to come for me?
Why would he?
Hard fingers gripped his chin and wrenched Inuyasha away from his thoughts. He was too stuck in shock and that terrible, terrible feeling of doubt and guilt to free himself. He swam uncertainly within his own injured head and could barely understand Yogo's final words.
"Luckily for us," Yogo said in a sweet manner, "no one will to need know of this dirty secret. And you, dear hanyou heir, will still serve your kingdom. You will make up for your family's mistakes. The people pleaded with the land for a cure and it was given to us in the most surprising of packages. I should thank you now…before you are too incapacitated to understand, half-pup, so…thank you. Now…
I'm afraid that our little tea party will have to be cut short."
One final whack to the table and Inuyasha slumped into unconsciousness, his heart still gripped with a powerful grieving guilt.