This is an AU in which all of the characters are human: there's no yōkai, no hanyō, no spiritual powers, etc. It's pseudo-historical fiction.
WARNING: This chapter does mention a sexual act, but nothing explicit/worthy of an M rating. This will be the last scene of this nature for a while. In later chapters, this story will contain darker themes like gore, war, abuse, and trauma.
EDIT (03/29/21): AO3 tags are super useful for giving readers the gist of a stories contents without sacrificing the brevity of the synopsis, so I'm pasting them here as well:
· Genre: Slow Burn, Romance, Drama, Hurt/Comfort, Politics, War
· Warnings: Implied/Referenced Underage Prostitution, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Reference Rape/Non-con, Implied/Referenced Sexual Harassment
· Other tidbits: Father-Son Relationship, Father-Daughter Relationship, Enemies to Friends to Lovers
EDIT (01/11/21): Grammar, flow, and consistency with later plot details.
EDIT (09/30/18): Minor grammar errors.
DISCLAIMER: I don't own the Inuyasha franchise. This is purely for fun and practice!
SONG OF THE WEST
an Inuyasha fanfic
i.
Rin adored the summer festival. She loved the tumult of the little village, the way that everybody – the old and the young, the merchant and farmer – seemed to work together to make sure the week-long grand gala remained the charming, prosperous event it had been for centuries. Seeing travelers from throughout the land flock to the city to barter their wares brought back fond memories of she and her elder brother walking hand-in-hand, with grand hopes and dreams after a season of sorrow. Nothing but children, they had no money for food, much less the expensive fabrics and jewels on display. They merely enjoyed strolling along the bustling city streets of Yobetsu, listening to traveling singers chant the ballads of great heroes and their conquests and romances, pretending that the were the wealthy children of some nobleman instead of beggarly orphans. Baubles twinkled and tickled about them; honied candies set in their molds; and people laughed and played. Even though she had been forced to watch the festival from afar more often than not, Rin never forgot their sights and sounds.
"Hurry up," an impatient voice said, disturbing her daydreams. At the mouth of the small alleyway, a dark-haired boy stood with his back to her, watching out for any potential witnesses. "My father will be looking for me soon!"
Rin whined in discomfort as his friend gave his last few thrusts, the music from the festival across the river in Yobetsu serving as her only solace. The ground was hot and hard, and the boy smelled of something nauseating. Relief washed over her when she felt him pull away, his foul breath a ghost on her neck and shoulders. Quickly, he pushed her from him, and groaned as he stood.
"Congratulations, Gōjō," the dark-haired boy mocked. "You've finally had your first fuck. With a whore, but a fuck nonetheless. How do you feel?"
Rin put one small hand on the wooden wall beside her to pull herself off the ground. After adjusting her threadbare, patchy yukata, she turned to face them, her dark doe-eyes inspecting both boys in want.
"Be quiet," Gōjō said to his friend. He fumbled with his robes, wanting to avoid Rin's gaze at all cost. When his friend had brought her to him, he had been less bashful. She had easily recognized him as the youngest son of a farmer in the village, a boy only a few years older than her. He had been left behind while his father and elder brothers attended the festival to sell what was left of their late-spring harvest.
Rin had caught him staring at her with a daunting fervency for the past few days. As much as she didn't want him to come, she desperately needed the money for food. Though the excitement of the festival was typically the best time to simply steal what she needed, the locals were now keen to her tricks. It was why Gōjō's father had left him behind. She had been caught and punished too many times already; she didn't need any missing fingers.
The dark-haired boy laughed. Gōjō, finally finished with his yukata, looked up at Rin with anxious eyes.
"Give her the money, Kahei," he said.
There was something sinister in Kahei's eyes as he walked over with a small burlap sack in his hands. "For your hard work," he sneered, holding out the sack for her to take.
As Rin reached forward, he snatched it back. Laughing, Kahei emptied some of the coins onto the dusty earth. Rin could hear the other half clinking together in the bag.
"I'll return with the rest later," he said, taking the time to let his dark-eyes linger on the space between Rin's neck and shoulder that her loose-fitting yukata had left undraped in a way that made Rin shiver, before turning to exit the alley. With a shy nod towards her, Gōjō followed behind him with no words to spare.
Rin waited for a few seconds to make sure they were far off before crouching to inspect her wages. By now, she was all too familiar with these quick exits. It'd be dishonorable to be seen with her. The money would be enough to buy a small meal, she deduced. In one swift movement, she gathered the coins and stood.
The afternoon sun bathed her face in warm gold as she emerged from the alleyway and onto the main road of the village. If any of the townspeople saw her, they paid her no mind. Rin liked it this way. Many of them were too busy watching the train of wealthy festivalgoers and merchants pass through with their elaborate wagons and prized horses to throw any dirty looks at a village whore.
To get to Yobetsu, the city tucked between two mountains where the festivities would occur, one had to travel by the main road that led to the bridge over the river and divided the little village into two neat halves. This allowed the villagers to see all sorts of exotic people and objects from all different areas of the country. Though Rin had a desire to stop and observe the passing cavalcade, her stomach demanded most of her attention. She nimbly began to make her way through the throng and over to a small food vendor nearby. The owners of the shop had sharp tongues and charged her more than they should for such a small amount of food, but they were the only people in the village who would accept her pelf. The shopkeeper didn't allow her to come around when there were other customers out of fear that the community would shun them for catering to the village whore. It was typically busy around that time of day, but the excitement of the festival had drawn all of its usual customers elsewhere, which meant Rin would perhaps be able to purchase a meal with ease.
As Rin drew near, she saw the shopkeeper's daughter, a stout pregnant girl her age with a plain face and thinning hair, was speaking to another woman. This woman donned garb much finer than what was usually seen in the little village. Rin wondered if she was the wife of one of the passing merchants.
Both women noticed Rin simultaneously. The dark eyes of the finely dressed woman fell on her with an awkward sort of scrutiny, as if appraising her. Clearly, Rin failed to pass her test, for she immediately knit her dark brows together and turned back to the shopkeeper's daughter. Rin felt her face heat up. She probably smelled like intercourse and whatever strange aroma the farmer's boy had bore. Meanwhile, the shopkeeper's daughter's eyes flitted back and forth between Rin and the merchant's wife, her thick hands rubbing her stomach nervously.
"Take your business elsewhere, whore!" she spat suddenly. "We have no need for the likes of you."
Rin's stomach growled violently in response. She pursed her lips but tried to remain amicable. "I have the money…"
The wealthy woman's eyes narrowed, and the shopkeeper's daughter grew flustered. "How dare you talk back to me! The Lady and I were clearly in the middle of a discussion, unless you're as blind and deaf as you are dumb. Begone!"
If she stayed to argue with the woman, to defend whatever shreds of delicacy she had left, there was a chance she would never be able to get food in the village ever again. As she turned away, the pregnant woman resumed her conversation with the wealthy woman.
"She's some cheap wench, ma'am. A thief, too! She and some boy arrived here several years ago. I guess their folks died from that plague in the East a while back…"
"And she's been leeching off you good village folk ever since?" The merchant's wife deduced.
The shopkeeper's daughter hummed her approval. "She's probably fucked most of the boys in this village by now. I wouldn't be surprised if she single-handedly spread another disease. Anyone who leads such a life must be cursed."
The villagers always spoke ill of Rin, so the woman's words came as no surprise. Even still, she could feel shame and anger replacing the hunger inside of her.
The wealthy woman made a small sound of agreement. Then, suddenly, upon turning to watch the travelers, she gasped.
"It's the Inu no Taishō!"
The two women froze. At the same instant, an imperceptible fog fell over the villagers, sending them into a quiet state of reverence and astonishment.
A remarkably handsome man sat bestride a massive black horse riding at a relaxed pace. Though his frightful golden eyes gazed forward at the path and the people before him, his mouth moved as if he were speaking to someone closer. Even from her position far behind the crowd, Rin could not miss the large sword at his hip or the larger blade attached to his back, albeit hidden behind his long, silvery hair.
"I've heard he and his clan are direct descendants of the moon goddess Tsukuyomi-no-Mikoto," the shopkeeper's daughter said, running her hands over her stomach out of awe-inspired nerve.
"I've heard that said about the Young Lord and the Princess," the merchant's wife countered. "As for the Inu no Taishō, I was told that his ancestors were trained by the goddess' brother Susanoo-no-Mikoto."
The person beside the Inu no Taishō looked like someone out of a dream, one of the imagined princes from her youth. His hair and eyes bore the same hues as those of the Inu no Taishō's; thus, it was easy to intuit that the two were related. Though the Inu no Taishō seemed to be in his late thirties or early forties, the man who rode beside him was noticeably younger, perhaps in his early twenties. For a moment, he seemed only to be concerned with the hushed words of the Inu no Taishō, paying the crowd no attention. Then, for some inexplicable reason, he turned and met Rin's gaze for a fraction of a second, before turning up his nose in absolute disgust.
Rin's face turned a bright red. Somehow aware of his son's sudden indignation, the Inu no Taishō turned to face Rin, his brow raised. But before he could get a better look at her, Rin disappeared into the small alleyway.
The shopkeeper's daughter, also noticing Rin's suddenly flight, began to snicker. "See! It seems as if her charms do not work on every man."
Thus, Rin's day went as it usually did: much discomfort with very little pleasure in return. And she was still hungry.
Today had been one of the better days, though. Despite the rejection at the shop, she had managed to earn money for food. Other days had not been so kind to her. Every day she went without facing too much of the villagers' wraths was a blessing. Verbal abuse was something she could handle. She didn't know how much more physical damage her delicate frame could take.
Exhausted and sore, she slowly trekked through the village's various alleys and back towards her makeshift home, a neglected hut on the outskirts of the village. Save for a blanket, an old tatami mat, and a small box at the foot of it, Rin's hut was pitifully empty. All she had left to remember her family by was the wooden comb her brother had left behind.
With pain in her eyes, Rin clutched the comb to her chest. It had once belonged to a grandmother many generations back, who had passed it down to her daughters until it ended up in the hands of Rin's mother. Though it brought back many painful ones as well – the loss of her father, mother, and brother to the plague; the sight of dead, bloated bodies, with crust around their eyes and mouths, piled together in her old village, awaiting mass cremation. But it was the stench, perhaps, that was the most vivid, the sickly sweetness that had clung to her and her brother's clothing, signaling to others that they were bad luck. They were walking imperilments, bearers of death, and treated as such wherever they went.
Somehow her older brother Tarō, the only other survivor from their small, once-happy family, had managed to convince a few people to transport them in exchange for their family belongings. That was how they survived back then, by trading what little their family had owned for shelter and food and transportation. She could vaguely remember the long cart rides as they bounced from village to village. That was how they ended up in the rotten place she was now trapped in. The comb, the last symbol of their old life and family, was the only thing her brother could not bear to pawn. The villagers treated them poorly, especially when they were forced to steal in order to survive. But, at least they had each other, and their mother's comb.
But then, Tarō simply…disappeared. It had been 10 years since her brother told her he was going to Yobetsu to find work, only to never return. She had gone looking for him when it became clear that something was wrong. With bare feet and shaking hands, she asked around for brother's whereabouts, but no one could tell her where he was. Some people were truthful about their ignorance, while most simply did not want to be bothered by a dirty, sickly orphan girl.
Rin gently placed the wooden comb back into its box next to the tatami mat before lying down. She released a heavy breath before willing herself to rest.
When the sun finally started to disappear behind the rolling hills on the horizon and she could no longer bear her aching stomach, Rin decided to take another chance at the food shop. The storefront was now barren; the only people there were the shopkeeper's daughter and wife, both cleaning dishes in silence.
The daughter clicked her teeth as Rin approached and placed one hand on her swollen stomach.
"Mother, look who's back! I had to send her away when she interrupted my conversation with the merchant's wife," she explained, smirking and rubbing her belly. "Now she's back to waste more of our time."
The shopkeeper's wife was a much older woman, with fading black hair, a stern wrinkled face, and unpleasant dark eyes. She was one of the many people who treated Rin and her brother with contempt the moment they set foot in the village.
She huffed and turned to look at Rin. "Did you make any coin today, girl? My husband isn't around for you to tempt for food."
Rin nodded and laid her coins on the counter. She watched nervously as the older woman scrutinized her wages with hellish eyes.
Then, the old woman laughed rudely. "This is nowhere near enough!"
Rin's shoulders dropped. She might not have had an education, but she wasn't stupid. "This is the same amount I gave a few days ago..."
The older woman crossed her arms. "We've since raised our price."
"Do you take us for fools?" The shopkeeper's daughter growled suddenly. "You steal one of our bowls and now you're arguing with us about the price?"
Rin's stomach growled in response. The young girl was growing desperate – if she didn't eat soon, she'd certainly pass out. Her gaze snapped towards the shopkeeper's daughter and the random accusation.
"I never stole your bowl," Rin raised her voice slightly, pushing the coins towards them. "Please. I just need a little bit of–"
The shopkeeper's daughter grabbed Rin's wrists and yanked them towards her, causing Rin to stop and wince.
"You're the only one who would do something like this!" She hissed. "Do you realize we could have these pretty little hands cut off right here for your thievery? And then have you flogged on top of that!"
"Now, that seems to be too barbaric a punishment for being short of coin, doesn't it?" A deep voice said, out of Rin's view.
Rin saw the mother's face turn completely white. She yanked her daughter away from Rin before bowing deeply. "Good afternoon, Inu no Taishō-sama!"
The legendary figure had managed to sneak up on the trio in the midst of the mayhem. He was just as tall and handsome as he had appeared from far away, his long silver hair blowing gently in the afternoon breeze. Despite his fearsome appearance, Rin noticed a bit of warmth in his fierce, golden eyes.
"We're terribly sorry we didn't have time to prepare anything for you, Your Excellency!" The daughter said. "We weren't expecting you!"
The Inu no Taishō turned his sharp gaze towards the accused. Rin bowed her head in reverence and shame.
"So," he started, "did you steal one of their bowls, girl?"
Rin shook her head. "I have no idea what they're talking about."
"Don't listen to her. She's a known liar," the crone snapped, forgetting herself. At a simple raise of his thick brow, however, she backed down.
"We have proof, too! We count the bowls each night. She came around earlier trying to get free food, so I sent her away. She left only after making a scene," the daughter lied.
"And you both are certain she is the only one in this village that could've taken it?" The handsome man asked slowly, as if testing them.
The wife hesitated. "…Well, yes. That girl has been stealing and whoring since she first stepped foot in this village. She's probably stolen from everyone by now."
Too tired and ashamed to argue, Rin kept her eyes on the ground in silence. She could feel a hard lump of despair rising within her throat.
The Inu no Taishō paused for a moment, his gaze flickering back and forth between Rin and the two women. Finally, he brought his hands from behind his back to reveal two halves of a broken bowl.
Eyes wide, the shopkeeper's wife began to stutter. "H-how did you-"
"I saw some children playing with it on the way here. Quite dangerous," he said, glancing at a surprised Rin. His bright eyes seemed to twinkle with amusement.
"It seems as if we were wrong," the shopkeeper's wife bowed again, embarrassed. "We're sorry for wasting your time, my Lord." She then turned to face her daughter, who hung her head in shame. "Prepare some food for him girl! Hurry!"
The pregnant woman nodded and quickly began to prepare a plate.
"If anyone deserves a meal, it's the accused. She looks as if she's ready to swoon," the Inu no Taisho said. Then, reaching into his sleeve, he pulled out a large silver coin and placed it on the counter-top next to the bowl. "Will this be enough?"
The wife's eyes nearly bulged from their sockets when they fell upon the large coin. "This is more than enough!"
With a wolfish grin on her face, the shopkeeper's daughter slid Rin a plate of meat, rice, and vegetables, a massive improvement from her typical meal of pottage. The sight of it nearly brought her to tears.
The Inu no Taisho gave her a warm smile before turning to leave. "Enjoy the festival."
Then, he was gone.
A/N:Gosh, I don't know how this chapter ended up being 3000+ words! The draft for the first half of this has been collecting dust in iCloud for almost a year. I don't know if I'm going to be able to update this regularly, but I'll try! I already have an outline for the second chapter, so it should take too long.
I'm still not entirely sure how I feel about the title Songof the West, so if it changes between now and the next update, don't be surprised.
I was a bit nervous to post this since I haven't written in such a long time. Be sure to let me know how you liked this chapter/the story concepts/the characterizations so far! I'm willing to accept any constructive criticism :)
