"I don't know if it be a peculiarity in me, but I am seldom otherwise than happy while watching in the chamber of death, should no frenzied or despairing mourner share the duty with me. I see a repose that neither earth nor hell can break; and I feel an assurance of the endless and shadow less hereafter - the Eternity they have entered - where life is boundless in its duration, and love in its sympathy, and joy in its fullness."
-Emily Bronte
Forty-Four: Falling From Grace
Rows of soldiers were settled in place along the area of the palace where the funeral honors had been placed - not coincidentally one of the only areas that survived the massive battles that had occurred recently. Though the fact that they were in the building normally reserved for training of the troops somehow fit the solemn event dedicated to the former captain of the guard.
Kagome was dressed in an expensive deep blue kimono with silver marks matching the cherry blossom pattern of Sesshomaru's house. She was doing her best not to shed the tears threatening in her eyes and instead was watching silently, she had never seen the demon equivalent of a funeral and didn't wish to do or say anything that would be thought of as inappropriate. Her hair was pulled up and flowers had been put into it with Rin's help earlier in the morning. The young girl had been a refreshing company after recent events but she wasn't at the ceremony now.
There was a flute playing that seemed slightly distant but she could only guess was for the ceremony, a pyre had been raised and while the ghastly shape his body had been left in was covered, it was within a simple coffin instead.
Saiya had replaced her old kimono with a darker one and a veil, The back of it trailing through the middle of the path of solders at attention. It was as if Sesshomaru's hold army had come to pay homage to the passing of Rimida.
Saiya wasn't standing with Sesshomaru or Kagome, instead walking toward the pyre with the torch that would light it, perhaps her duty as the closest family that still survived him. Her steps slow but steady and the music seeming to grow louder the closer the childlike demoness approached.
Though her face was covered Kagome couldn't imagine that she was failing to cry - why else to wear a veil in mourning than to cover tears. The progression was different compared to what Kagome was used to - wondering if Rimida would have a shrine built to him or if demons all ended as Inuyasha and Sesshomaru's father…only remembered by name or deed…eventually lost to time. That was what had happened to almost all the good and bad demons of this era.
Once Saiya had reached the pyre and settled the torch down Kagome couldn't will herself not to cry anymore, turning to press her face against Sesshomaru's kimono, doing her best instead to sob quietly when he settled an arm over her. Breaking down in that instant that all people seem to have at such a sad affair…
She heard the flames growing behind her and turned her face a little at the warmth, the fire had grown so quickly it was hard to take in at first the grand flames and the smoke curling into the air not more than fifty feet from her. It was a sort of release, as if the smoke was some sort of vessel to transfer his soul to the world beyond.
Though the flames somehow didn't completely fit his lost snowy countenance…it was hard for Kagome to believe he had actually been lost to them…how rarely had she honestly lost a close friend even in her previous ventures to the feudal era?
Sesshomaru meanwhile seemed unchanged…as impossible to read as always and his face stony as he continued to look on the fire, it reflecting brightly in his golden gaze and drawing Kagome's own eyes back. It did make her feel somehow better having come to watch, even if it wasn't a talkative time it was a simple honor for a friend she could never replace.
Switch Scene
After the ceremony there was a small gathering more for moral of the troops than for an honor of Rimida, Kagome had left a while before and was watching the forests from the view that was given from the new guest room she'd been moved into. Considering just what she would do now that the threat of Trion had passed and she was left without much reason to be here…
There was that moment of warmth though when she pressed her tears into Sesshomaru's shoulder…that brief memory of his fingers pressing reassuringly against her back.
"Do I want to leave behind possibilities for a modern world that hasn't been mine sense I pulled the arrow out of Inuyasha's chest years ago?" She thought to herself with a deep breath, the air and feel - the very magic and essence of this time enthralled her…as much as the conveniences of the modern world were nice nothing quite matched up to how she had grown up here.
"You probably shouldn't wander off." Sesshomaru's voice reached her and she smiled softly, turning to look at him. "It still might not be safe if there are still those that were working with Trion about."
"I'm sorry." She offered with a shake of her head. "I just didn't feel like eating much or being about, I don't really know many others here."
"Seems unlike you to avoid remedying that." Sesshomaru observed in his usual cool manner, moving up next to her where she was standing at the railing. "Are you feeling unwell."
She shook her head in the negative manner. "Not anymore than you might expect in the circumstances. I just…wanted to be alone for a while…I like the view here…it's very pretty."
"Still pretty cool out, aren't you cold?"
"A little…but it's all right." She smiled a little again, closing her eyes at a small gust of wind that blew by. "I like the feel of the forest here, it's nothing like the city."
"You are welcome to stay here whenever you'd like." He commented, settling a blanket over her shoulders and making her blink and look toward him. Blushing a little when she realized he was looking after her in his own cool manner. Even now her brain sending her mixed signals.
"That's good to know." She finally managed with an awkward smile. "…thank you for everything…you've really done a lot for me. I just…"
"You are planning to return to your family?" He asked seriously then, still watching his new ward, unsure himself as to his feelings about her possibly leaving.
"Maybe…for a while…" She shrugged lightly. "…you'll be busy anyway won't you for a while? I'd think you need to oversee rebuilding and the like instead of taking time to teach me. I wouldn't want to be an interruption and I doubt there's much I could do to help. If I stay here people will just start more rumors and I'll cause you more trouble."
The reasoning was good, it was a pity that she had to have good reasoning now of all times. Sesshomaru nodded slightly. "I suppose so…I can arrange for you to get an escort back to the well of yours. Though it will probably be at least a week before I'll be able to spare the troops if you don't mind waiting."
"I can't really argue." She offered a slightly warmer smile, tugging the blanket closer around her shoulders. "I think I can wait that long…maybe I'll find a way to make myself useful in the meantime."
"Something can be found for you." He agreed, still watching her as she watched the forest.
"Am I turning into my father then?" Sesshomaru thought to himself at his treacherous concerns for the mortal standing near him. He was not a creature completely unaware of emotion - however he would pretend otherwise many times. There was a certain spark of memory he still had when he found her being ravaged by Rimida on that rooftop, there was a streak of green that had trailed across his consciousness then and a moment of regretful joy that any competition had been removed from him upon his captain's death. It was a horrible thing but those small shifts in emotion wouldn't be uncommon for a demon being possessive. "Why is it I am so irreversibly drawn to this colorful mortal girl? Is this what he felt for Inuyasha's mother when he fell from grace?"
He could have easily spared some troops to escort her sooner than a week, but the white lie was something that bought him more time to come to terms with his own sparing uncertainties. "I should head back to the gathering, there is much that needs to be discussed but I will speak with you tomorrow. No reason to waste the time we have while you are here in allowing you to be lax in your studies."
She nodded a little, a bit surprised. "If you want to, I figured you'd be to busy."
"It is my estate for a reason." Sesshomaru replied expressionlessly, though his voice seemed vaguely amused. "I will task Jaken to deal with more mundane matters when I am working with you."
"Guess that makes sense." She commented, having to a point been trying to avoid such sessions by going home.
"Am I going to keep running?" She thought to herself with an internal sigh. "I can't keep trying to escape from my problems…"
She shook her head then, she'd shed all the tears she had for Rimida and while she was still torn she knew she had to learn something from the time she had with him. If she wanted something she had to make it be. She caught Sesshomaru's hand as he had dismissed himself and turned to leave, the flicker of him starting to grasp his fingers around hers all the push she needed to turn herself around and lean her lips up toward his…
End Chapter
Yes, another shorter chapter, but I had to end it there. I figure I'll be yelled at for the cliffy of sorts… I am quite tired and this chapter I will hopefully go back over at a future date. I should get myself a reader someday I suppose…bad Aura, bad. Off to bed for me.
-Aura
P.S. I am sorry again for the death of Rimida. I am still pondering how I might toss him into another fiction. Thanks for sticking with me readers in my long down times.
