THE MOST PERFECT LEGACY
A/N: Dear readers, I could not let SessKagura week go by without participating. I cannot promise a daily update for the rest of the week, but despite the slow going I hope you will still enjoy this story, which takes place before the events of Yashahime.
Part 1: Red, passion
Green grass crunched under Sesshoumaru's boots. He usually preferred flying as a means of transport, but walking afforded him time to collect his thoughts, and many he had on that particular morning.
His parents had named him Sesshoumaru, the killing perfection thus choosing the path of perfection for him to walk on from birth. He had done his best to not only live up to these expectations but exceed them. To prove himself, surpassing his father had become his life's goal. His one true passion and motivation, his reason for being. To best the illustrious Inu no Taishou in battle Sesshoumaru had spent centuries mastering the art of swordsmanship and acquiring the most powerful weapon. Despite his efforts he had been too late. He had not managed to prove that he could defeat his father while his sire was still alive. One of Sesshoumaru's two biggest regrets. The other involved a woman covered in red blood in a field of flowers. He refused to dwell on this particular failure, preferring to focus on his complicated relationship with the Inu no Taishou.
After his father passed, the Western lands had fallen into disarray. The Lady Mother had no need nor interest in land. She was more than happy observing events unfold from the skies and seeking different forms of entertainment. While Sesshoumaru had undergone his quest for power, then sought his revenge against the offending Naraku, he had had no time to tame the restless youkai who had sought to overtake the Inu no Tashio's dominion.
It was only after the defeat of Naraku that Sesshoumaru had turned his attentions to restoring his birthright. It had taken him years, to his annoyance, but in the end, he had cut down every single youkai foolish enough to try to lay claim to what was his. He could now say that he was fully deserving of the title of great Lord of the Western Lands. He exerted control over an area which boundaries extended well beyond the frontiers of the Inu no Taishou's former lands. In fact, the Western Lands now stretched from coast to coast and went on to encompass a large part of Musahi, the region where a small village was situated. A village where resided the other son of the Dog General. This, Sesshoumaru liked to remind himself was a mere coincidence. He had just sought to extend the boundaries of his territory and it just so happened that Inuyasha's village was in the correct radius.
Yes, Sesshoumaru knew that in many regards he was now better, stronger, and more powerful than the famous Inu no Taishou. He had even acquired a mighty sword born from his own youki. The Bakusaiga was more fearsome than the Tessaiga. One had no need of a wind scar when with a simple shallow cut, one could inflict a wound that would spread out and consume one's enemy.
As satisfied as he was, Sesshoumaru was still plagued by an unhappy thought. There was still an area where his sire still bested him: carrying on a legacy. Decades after the Inu no Taishou's death, his name still rang throughout the land through his sons. Through their successes the long-deceased warrior still lived. Friends and foes still referred to Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha as the sons of the warlord. Sesshoumaru had enough pride to be confident that all his many accomplishments would ensure his guaranteed respect and renown long after his death, but he still found himself curious to test himself against his father one last time. Could he too sire and raise an heir mightier than his father had? Takemaru no Setsuna and Ryukotsusei had robbed him of the chance to undergo the ultimate test of strength by defeating his father in battle, but what if there was another way to show himself to be once again superior? To do so all he had to do was raise a son that would indeed embody perfection and be even greater than himself. How difficult could that be?
Had he been completely honest with himself, Sesshoumaru would admit that his sudden curiosity about fatherhood was not solely due to his wish to cement a worthy legacy.
Many moons ago, during one of his visits to Rin, he had spied his younger half-brother sparring with the kitsune he had been looking after for years while carrying his newborn daughter strapped to his back. By all means, Inuyasha should have looked like a fool, but the juxtaposition of him training his son while looking after his daughter somehow made him look more fearsome. In that moment, with the two children with him, Sesshoumaru knew that had a threat walked upon them, his brother would have fought to the death to protect them. It brought him back to that ludicrous question their father had once asked him decades ago about building strength by having someone to protect. At the time he had thought his father's question to be utter foolishness, but now he wondered if when faced with the prospect of his own mortality, his father had not wanted to impart to him the importance of legacy.
He still recalled shortly after the infuriating miko had given birth she had of course insisted on him having a look at his new 'niece'. Seeing the Inu no Taishou's golden amber eyes staring at him from Moroha's face had been an unsettling sight. Following that encounter, Sesshoumaru had spent many months thinking about it and struggling to accept that Inuyasha could be the one to carry on their father's bloodline and legacy. That he had decided then was simply unacceptable.
Remedying to this issue was the reason why Sesshoumaru now found himself traveling towards the place now commonly referred to as Inuyasha's village; yet another proof that his brother was building a lasting legacy. The hanyou was now famous as the wielder of the Tessaiga, as a core member of the group responsible for defeating the evil Naraku, as the protector of his village, as the husband of the strongest miko and as the father of the only hanyou possessing spiritual energy. All formidable feats in their own rights, but Sesshoumaru was determined to outdo them.
The dense forest flashing around the inu youkai started giving way to tall grass. He was getting closer to the village where he hoped to find the one person he was coming to see.
Once he had decided to father a child, he had immediately started thinking about finding the most fitting woman to bear his heir.
His father had chosen a fellow inu youkai to birth his first child, an acceptable choice, but a human for the second, useless. Procreating with a human had never even crossed Sesshoumaru's mind. Their blood was weak, so there was not much to be gained by choosing a human woman as a vessel for his child. Inuyasha may be the living proof that a hanyou could surpass the limitations of his blood, but he was a remarkable exception. Speaking of his brother, even Sessoumaru could grudgingly admit that the hanyou's choice of the miko to be the mother of his child was to be commended. The reincarnation of Midoriko had proved to be an interesting addition to the gene pool and Moroha was a formidable mix of human blood, youki and miko energy. Her uncle was quite sure that she too one day would be cited as an example of an extraordinary hanyou.
Who would then be the most perfect choice? The woman most likely to give Sesshoumaru the perfect heir he so wished? When pondering the question, an unbidden image had come to his mind.
He had not been witness to Kagura's surprise reappearance over a decade ago. He had been busy teaching a lesson to a troublesome oni on the western border of his territory; however, Rin had been all too happy to tell him in excruciating detail how a sudden tornado had materialized in the middle of the village's main road before taking on the shape of a woman. From what he had been able to piece together, Kagura was the wind. That fateful day in the field of flowers, she had not died. She had temporarily become one with her element as her body and soul mended following Naraku's attack. By the time he had made it to Inuyasha's village the woman had been long gone, claiming a desire to continue to travel the lands with only her element as companion. It had been years, but their paths had yet to cross.
From what he had seen and heard about her, Kagura would be a most fitting choice to bear his child. More than a mere youkai she was an element. Closer to the all-powerful beings humans enjoyed worshipping and calling deities. Sesshoumaru could already imagine how strong a child born of their combined blood would be. Stronger than the offspring of a hanyou and a miko, maybe even stronger than himself. Kagura would indeed be the one to bear him the most perfect heir.
His steps faltered. Could the wind even bear a child? Now that he was closer to his destination, he was plagued with a sudden interrogation on Kagura's ability to conceive.
"Lord Sesshoumaru, why have we stopped?"
Even if the kappa would never dare voice it, he was eager to hasten his Lord so as to get to see Rin. Their former travel companion had been a nice respite from the monotonous days of travel. One could never be bored with Rin around, and the little kappa missed having his former charge around.
Sesshoumaru ignored Jaken's usual useless chatter. He was busy trying to figure out how to get out of this conundrum. Ah, he now recalled Rin telling him about a crass comment she had once overheard Inuyasha fling at Kagura. Something about asking her if she was especially 'bitchy' because of her cycle. Luckily for the idiot, Kagome had 'sit' him, the miko's timing always impeccable as her command allowed the hanyou to evade the wind blade Kagura was aiming at his throat. This had prompted him to request the miko answer Rin's following questions about women's cycles.
His mind put to rest, now all Sesshoumaru had to do was figure out how to convince Kagura to bear his child. They might not have seen each other since her reappearance a decade ago, but once upon a time the woman had an interest with him, so he imagined getting her to agree would not be a hardship.
"Jaken, let us go."
Sesshoumaru had planned a visit to his ward soon, with luck Kagura would be around and he would be able to put his plan into motion.
The kappa dared grumble about masters who should make their minds about walking or stopping, earning himself a pebble thrown to his head. With a few strides the master left his hurt retainer behind.
The inu youkai found the wind sorceress in a meadow close to the village.
She was dressed in a stunning red kimono, the sleeve undone to offer her right arm a greater range of motion allowed him a peek at her blue underlayer and the inviting column of her neck.
It was the first time he laid eyes on her since he had seen her body dissolve in a field of flowers while he stood by uselessly. The woman gracefully fluttering mere meters away was indeed Kagura.
He was suddenly hit with an unexpected reaction. In that moment, he realized he wanted to get closer to her and rub his nose against her throat to take in more of her scent. Without the undertones of Naraku's youki, her natural scent was now discernable, and it was heady. The flow of unbridled passion suddenly pumping through his veins shocked him. He had occasionally indulged in pleasures of the flesh, but his last such encounter was decades ago. Unlike his father he had sworn to himself never to let his feelings for a woman bring him down. No matter how tantalizing the woman was. This would have to hold even more true with regards to the witch. This woman was Kagura. She was merely a womb to carry his heir. He needed to remember that.
Kagura twirled, opening her fan wider, ready for her next attack. Sesshoumaru had come upon her as she sparred with Kohaku. By their positions, they seemed to be going over close quarters combat. An intriguing choice as she was more comfortable with long range attacks. He realized then that she must care for the boy to make herself so vulnerable. Calling Kohaku a boy was inaccurate. In the past decade he had grown into a young man with wide shoulders, strong arms and a deep voice. Long gone was the gangly youth he had once taken in to be a part of his travelling party. Just as Rin, he too was growing and blossoming in a fine young man.
Spying the newcomer, the young human dropped his defense stance, Kagura took advantage of it to smack him on the side of the face with her closed fan.
"Pay attention."
"But Sesshoumaru-sama…" Kohaku rubbed at his fiery red cheek. As always even if they were sparring, the woman did not go easy with her attacks. This would leave a painful bruise.
"Your dear Sesshoumaru-sama won't help you if I smack you again."
She was right, the boy should not so easily let himself be distracted. When instead of taking a defensive stance, Kohaku glanced towards Sesshoumaru once more, Kagura heaved a heavy sigh.
"Yo, can you tell us what you want already so Kohaku can focus!"
Disrespectful wench, he had forgotten how outspoken she was. Fine, Sesshoumaru decided he would wait then. He sat under a nearby tree and crossed his arms, his eyes trained on the two fighters.
"Alright then." The words had barely left her red painted lips that Kagura launched an attack at the unsuspecting youth.
Kohaku reacted quickly by raising his staff to parry the incoming blow. He had made much progress. That this pleased him surprised Sesshoumaru. Clearly other than her blood and her strength, Kagura would indeed be most fitting to raise a child of his. He would be the one in charge of their child's training, of course, but clearly she would have something positive to contribute.
This time Kohaku was the one mounting an offense. He launched his weapon and tried to hit the fan out of Kagura's hand, but only encountered empty air. In the blink of an eye she had evaporated, her body dissolving in the wind before reappearing behind the young man. With a flick of her wrist she smacked him on the back of the head.
"Dead again." She flicked her fan closed and hid it inside her sleeve before setting her clothes to rights. "Enough for today. The sun will set soon, go see what his esteemed Lordship wants with you and go home. I promised your sister you'd be back before dark."
Kohaku rolled his eyes. He adored his sister, but after living without supervision for so long, submitting himself to such check-ins was annoying.
Sesshoumaru came to his feet and walked towards the one he had come to meet. "Wind sorceress Kagura. This one has come to speak with you."
"Me? How intriguing." She arched an eyebrow in surprise. "Go home Kohaku, I'll see you tomorrow at the same time."
"Kagura-sama, you'll still be here?"
"You know I keep my promises. I told you I'd stay until you manage to land a blow with your new staff. You can't use just your kusarigama."
The man's wide smile betrayed his youthful spirit despite his tall stature. "Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow." He bowed before both his teacher and his former guardian before running towards the village.
Seshoumaru had no doubt that Kohaku would let Rin know of his presence, if he was not in the village within the hour the girl would skip dinner and brave the creeping darkness to come look for him. That would not do. He had to expedite his business with the wind witch so that he could go see his former ward.
"So, what did you want?"
Her arm crossed over her chest, she was using her trusted fan to hide the bottom half of her face. Unlike him she had not mastered the art of closing one's facial expressions and had to resort to using silk to mask her emotions. That served his purpose, she would not be able to hide how she felt once he revealed the reason for his unexpected visit.
"This Sesshoumaru has come to ask you to bear my heir."
To be continued…