Chapter Thirty-seven

The sky was overcast as Morinoko sat under one of the garden's many trees, staring at the grass with boredom. She mindlessly picked at the plant, pulling up clumps at a time. Around her, the palace was in a frenzy. Naraku was drawing closer.

"Mori-chan!"

Morinoko's head snapped up away from the grass to see Ayame running towards her, looking a bit breathless. Ayame came up next to Morinoko, panting slightly.

"I have been looking all over for you and I finally found you," Ayame breathed. "Your father is in the study and he wishes to speak to you."

Morinoko stood up, brushing the grass from her clothes. "And why is that?"

Ayame avoided her eyes. "Eh, I have no idea; you should ask him. I have to go now!" And with that, Ayame was gone, running back into the confines of the palace. Morinoko only blinked, suspicious of Ayame's behavior. She shrugged it off though, heading towards her father's study.

She reached the large doors in a matter of minute and she slid them open without so much as permission. In the room was her father, sitting at his desk. Mitsuhime, along with Kikyo, sat by the wall on a small bench.

"Father," Morinoko began, "You asked to see me?"

Sesshomaru nodded, looking up from his work. "There is something I must discuss with you."

Morinoko sat down beside Kikyo. She rested her hands in her lap, her suspicions growing.

"Naraku's arrival draws near," Sesshomaru stated.

"Tell us something we do not know," Mitsuhime muttered. Sesshomaru ignored her.

"That means that within the next few days, this place will be a battlefield. And we cannot afford to have anyone around who might otherwise cause distractions from the matter at hand," Sesshomaru explained.

Morinoko took a second to digest her father's rather confusing words. She knew what he was saying was important, but it seemed like he danced around the matter, instead of going head-on.

"You are not saying what I think you are, are you?" Mitsuhime asked in a low voice, her hands clenched tightly in her lap. "Are you suggesting that I am a possible weakness, something the enemy could exploit?"

"That is one way to put it, yes," Sesshomaru replied cautiously.

"You are suggesting that I am nothing but a dead weight on you!" Mitsuhime hissed, standing up. "You are asking me to vacate the premises? So what, you do not have to watch me? I can take care of myself!"

"In your state, I hardly can agree with you," Sesshomaru responded, somehow still capable of keeping his voice level. It had to be due to years of spending time with Mitsuhime and then Morinoko.

"I am not going to be treated like some sickly child Sesshomaru!" Mitsuhime shouted, her appearance contrasting greatly with Sesshomaru's calm stance. Morinoko herself was furious, but allowed her anger to channel through Mitsuhime. Mitsuhime could fight for the both of them, Morinoko knew it.

"It is for the best," Sesshomaru sighed. "As of now, in your weakened state, fighting would be difficult for you a-"

"That is not it," Mitsuhime interrupted. "It is because I cannot see, thus I cannot be useful. Is that not right?" When Sesshomaru did not respond, Mitsuhime continued on. She turned to face Sesshomaru, her expression hard and far from the mask of fury she had worn earlier. "Need I remind you who took down you armies, Sesshomaru? Need I remind you who led Naraku to victory?" Mitsuhime's voice was cold.

"I have not forgotten," Sesshomaru answered calmly.

"And yet, you sit here, trying to tell me that I am useless, because of my inability? I scoff at that, Sesshomaru. I am more powerful than you seem to realize, maybe even more powerful than you." Mitsuhime sound almost scornful and condescending. She sounded like Naraku.

"I agree," Kikyo butted in, trying to relieve tension by pulling the conversation away from just Mitsuhime and Sesshomaru. "I feel that for your sake Mitsuhime—as well as your daughter's and your husband's—that you should leave with the rest of us."

Mitsuhime gaped. "I cannot believe this," she hissed. "I cannot believe you have come up with this."

"It had been the plan all along," Morinoko sneered, standing beside her mother. "You have always been trying to get rid of us!"

"It is for the best!" Sesshomaru's voice was rising now, along with his anger. "I do not do this to spite you, I do this for your own safety."

"Kikyo, Morinoko, leave," Mitsuhime commanded, walking to stand in front of Sesshomaru. "I need to talk to him alone."

Morinoko stood up, glaring at Kikyo before striding out of the room. Morinoko was seething. Here, she had thought that maybe after all she had done for his father, he would let her stay. No, instead, he wanted to continue on with the evacuation.

"Do you think this is only your battle?" Mitsuhime shouted. "It is my fight as well, or do I have to remind you that it was Naraku that kept me trapped for years?"

"And that is why you must leave," Sesshomaru argued.

"I am not going to sit in another city, patiently waiting for the day I can return!" Mitsuhime yelled. "I am as much as a fighter as you are, Sesshomaru, and I want to Naraku to pay for what he did to me, what he forced me to do!"

Sesshomaru placed his hands on her shoulders, pulling her into a hug. She stood stiffly, her arms hanging by her side.

"I would rather not see you hurt," Sesshomaru said in a low, rough voice.

Mitsuhime snorted. "And who is to say that I would get in less trouble wherever you send me?" Her voice softened and she hugged Sesshomaru back, hoping to win him over with affection. "I want to help, Sesshomaru. I know I can."

"Once Naraku knows you are not with him, he will know where you are," Sesshomaru warned.

Mitsuhime nodded. "I know he will. He might already know now, but I cannot sit in anticipation, waiting for news. I want to redeem myself for all I have done."

"No one blames you," Sesshomaru murmured in her ear.

"Not up front, no, but they know what I did. They blame me secretly, where they do not feel embarrassed by thinking so," Mitsuhime mumbled into his chest. "Just let me repay my debts, whether or not you think I owe them."

Sesshomaru sighed. "You would stay behind, even if you had to sneak your way back in?"

Mitsuhime nodded her head. "I would find a way to stay," Mitsuhime confirmed. "I cannot just go. I was raised to fight and I will not dishonor my upbringing by running like some coward."

Sesshomaru pushed Mitsuhime back to look at her, still keeping his hands on her shoulders. She stood still, her head tilted toward the floor.

"It was not like you could get rid of Morinoko easily either," Mitsuhime added. "One of us would be staying behind. She takes after me quite strongly, I noticed."

Sesshomaru sighed. "Yes, I have come to realize that in her actions. She is brash and hotheaded, like you. I realize it was a weak try to get you two to go, but I was hoping that for once you would see it my way."

Mitsuhime snorted. "When have I ever done anything to make you think that?" Mitsuhime looked up, grinning. She wrapped her arms around him, still grinning. He smiled slightly, resting his chin on her head.