Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters in this fan fiction are the property of Rumiko Takahashi. The original characters and plot are the property of Chiaztolite, who is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

Summary of Previous Chapter: Sesshōmaru visited Ryoshin's camp to ensure Shouri's safety. Shouri learned that perhaps her relationship with her brother was not as hopeless as she thought it was.

Rulers of Four Directions

Chapter 28: A Joyous Day

The early calls of morning birds and the changing colours of the sky signaled the breaking of dawn. The Forest of No Return was densely populated with old, massive trees, but the purple and magenta sky was visible between the thick canopy of leaves.

As Shouri peered up at the sky and inhaled the scent of fresh morning dew, she knew it was high time that she started making her way back to the palace.

"Thank you for your insights, Ryoshin-sama," she said, giving him a slight bow. "And for your hospitality. I hope I did not cause too much awkwardness between you and my brother. If I did, please forgive me. I will do everything I can to smooth things over."

"There were some precarious moments," Ryoshin said. His words were sombre but there was a hint of humour in his voice. "It could have been catastrophic but worry not, there was no harm done." He stood and brushed a few stems of grass clinging to his breeches and cocked his head towards the direction of her home. "Shall we?"

She realized he meant to escort her himself. "No need," she said, raising his palm as if to keep him in his spot. "I've troubled you enough. I know these woods as well as the back of my hand. I can find my own way back home."

"I don't doubt it, Princess," he said patiently. "But I did give my word to your brother that I will escort you back to the palace at dawn. I would like to keep that promise."

She would not rob him of the chance to keep his honour intact especially after the troubles she had caused him, so she followed him out of the barrier. They trekked the woods in silence and she watched him as he walked ahead of her. He strode with such a purpose, like he had been living in these lands all his life. Like a lord. Yes, his bearing was the bearing of a lord. She could not stop herself from admiring his shoulders. What broad shoulders he had, stretching his white linen-like shirt, the material was thin enough that she could see the play of light and shadow on his back. The dips and valleys of muscles like steel encased in skin.

He startled her when he suddenly stopped and turned around. She looked at him straight in the eye, hoping he had not noticed her admiring stare.

"Let me carry you on my back," he said. It was not until then that she realized they had stepped out of the woods and reached the meadow at the foot of the mountains surrounding the Eastern palace. But his words made her frown.

"There is no need…" Her protests died when she saw him transformed. It happened within one blink of an eye, with light gusts of wind blowing and marking the transformation. It was no longer the beautiful male who stood in front of her, but a magnificent beast crouching on all fours. She was mesmerized. Her eyes widened as she appraised him. Yes, she had seen him in this form yesterday, when he had disrupted the match between Yuusou and Zoichi, yet the sight still took her breath away. Bigger than a tiger, and less than an inu fully transformed, about the size of a mature stallion. He was beautiful. Majestic, regal. His silver, almost white fur looked soft to the touch and with tips so fine that they were almost transparent, lending him an ethereal glow. The wing-tip markings on his cheeks were black as ink, perfectly symmetrical. His large, intelligent eyes glowed amber.

He raised his long, graceful muzzle and jerked his head toward his back, silently urging her to hop on. She followed his instruction, moving to stand next to his flank. Getting up on his back posed a slight challenge, considering her constricting kimono was not designed for such activity, but he lowered himself to the ground to make it easier for her. Seated on top of him, she weaved her fingers through his pelt, finding hard sinew quilted over strong bones under the downy blanket. He lifted his head to look at her from the corner of his eye. Though there were no words spoken, she understood him completely, and wrapped her arms around his thick neck to comply.

He rose onto four strong legs, and her grip tightened in response. He leaped onto the side of the mountain and scaled its steeped height effortlessly, as though the extra weight posed no difference whatsoever. She pressed her cheek against his nape, her palms smoothing the fur on his neck as she watched the ground receding beneath her. The soft silky fur beckoned her touch, so she stroked him wistfully as though floating in dreams. And perhaps it really was a dream. Such a wonderful dream of flying on the back of this beautiful beast just as the golden of the sun climbed up the indigo of the night, chasing the moon and the stars away with its light. She looked up to the horizon, admiring the purple and orange of the skyline, feeling the warmth of the sun at dawn caressing her face. How beautiful it was.

Alas, just like any beautiful dream, it was over too soon.

Shouri felt the sturdy body of the inuyokai quivered gently as if he was chuckling. Leaning her body over to one side, she craned her neck to see what had amused the Northern lord. A flash of white and red told her all she needed to know: Lord Sesshōmaru was waiting for their arrival at the gate.

When they landed just a few paces from where Sesshōmaru stood, Ryoshin lowered himself to the ground to let her hop off his back, just like before. Within the blink of an eye, he returned to his humanoid form. He stood facing her, staring sombrely at her with unreadable amber eyes. She did not dare hope the ride had affected him just as much as it did her, but his eyes seemed to be filled with unspoken words and emotions. For a moment, neither of them spoke, both were content to gaze at each other on the vast white dunes of the Eastern lands. The light breeze made the fine grains of white sand swirling gently around them.

"Here you are, Princess," he finally murmured. "Safely home."

"Thank you, my lord," she said. Unsure of what to do, she busied herself with tucking an unruly lock of hair behind her ear. His answer was a mute nod, so slight it was barely perceptible.

Lord Sesshōmaru was silent, but he certainly made his presence palpable. His gaze alone carried such weight that she felt the pressure on her back like a tangible thing. There were many things she wanted to say to the Lord of the Northern Lands, but none of them the kind she could utter with such a watchful audience behind her.

For a moment, Lord Ryoshin too, looked like he wanted to say something. Perhaps it was just a passing fancy, or her mind had conjured tricks that made her see things that were not real. In the end, he pursed his lips, gave her brother a quick nod, and turned to leave. Within seconds, she was staring at that beautiful silver beast leaping across the sands and up the side of the mountain before it disappeared beyond the peak.

Sesshōmaru watched their interactions in silence. He had no interest in the foolishness of romance involving himself, let alone others, but his keen and observant nature captured hints and details that he found somewhat… interesting. Shouri wore her feelings on her sleeve; her emotions were not a mystery but more of a half-open book. Even as demure as she was, her interest in the Northern inu was unmistakable. Ryoshin, more reserved and more opaque than she was, concealed his true feelings behind easy-going chivalry.

Yet… just now he had let Shouri rode on his back in his transformed state.

It was out of the ordinary, to say the least, Sesshōmaru thought. Just the mere idea of letting another ride him while he was in beast form was nearly enough to make him shudder in utter distaste. It was simply unthinkable. A male yokai, most of all an alpha daiyokai, simply would not let anyone put him in such compromising and submissive position, especially while transformed. Not unless…

Not unless the rider was his one and true mate.

Hnn, he scoffed inwardly as he turned to walk away. Undoubtedly, he would be forced to witness this romance unfold before too long.

"Sesshōmaru-sama." Her soft voice stopped him on his way back to the palace gate. He looked over his shoulder and saw her face just briefly before she lowered her head and bowed. It was just enough time for him to catch the deep rose shade that stained her cheeks, her regret and embarrassment were written all over her face.

"My foolishness has caused you concern and inconvenience," she said. "Forgive me. I will not be so careless in the future."

He turned fully so he could face her, though he could no longer see her face because of her lowered posture. "Did you learn anything from what happened last night, Shouri?"

"Yes, Sesshōmaru-sama," she replied, keeping her head lowered and waited.

And waited. She had expected him to launch into a lecture about how a noble female inuyokai should conduct herself, but he stayed silent, though she could still feel the weight of his gaze on her. A slight shuffling and the sounds of footsteps on the sand prompted her to lift her head, only to see him walking away – again – towards the direction of the palace gate.

"Sesshōmaru-sama?"

At her call, he paused, but this time he did not turn around to look at her. Perhaps this was better, she thought, as the things she wished to say would be even more difficult to express under his impervious gaze.

"Ryoshin-sama also told me you offered to vouch for my innocence should there be questions about impropriety." She waited for confirmation or denial, but none came. "I want to… thank you. I know trust needs to be earned and I have not done much to earn yours, but knowing that you trust me nevertheless … well, at least enough to vouch for me…" She knew her speech was unraveling, but she needed to get this out now before she lost all the courage she could muster. "Well… that makes me very… happy."

He did not scoff at her this time – perhaps this was progress, although he did not comment either. She knew he was not someone who said much at all, though when he spoke, his words carried weight and impact. And so she was surprised when he spoke next.

"Take a chaperon to accompany you on any subsequent visits to his camp," he told her before he resumed his trek to the gate.

Her eyebrows must have arched nearly to her hairline. "That's it?!" No lecture, no admonishment, no recriminations, of any kind?

Again, he stopped. He turned slightly to give her another glance over his shoulder. "You've learned your lesson, have you not?" He asked.

"Yes, but… Truth be told, I had prepared myself for a lecture from you, Sesshōmaru-Sama."

"Hnn," His soft scoff reached her ears as he continued to walk away. "It is not in my nature to beat a beaten dog. As long as you are unharmed and will not repeat your previous foolishness, this matter is settled."

Biting her lower lip, she watched his retreating form: the white and red kimono sleeves with the plum blossom crest and the rich fur blowing in the cool breeze of daybreak, his proud and regal bearing. She put a hand to her chest, where her heart had expanded until her rib cage hurt. There were no tender words shared, no intimate gestures, not yet at least. But at that moment—

As long as you are unharmed…

She felt like his little sister.

The sun was up now, and the whole white dunes around the Eastern palace was bathed in golden light. She felt the warmth on her cheek, though she knew it was not the sunlight that warmed her, but the glow that slowly spread through her body from within.

She ran after him. "Sesshōmaru-sama!"

He stiffened, but once again he paused. She could see his shoulders rising and falling in an exhale. "What is it, Shouri?" His voice was calm, but she knew she was wearing out his last thread of patience.

"The last time we spoke about us being siblings, I was impertinent," she said. "I told you I did not want to be your sister. I am sorry. I did not realize I was pushing you to give me something you were not prepared to give. I want to say that I understand your reservation. I only wish that one day, no matter how long it takes, we will become true brother and sister."

Still, he did not speak. Her confidence faltered, but she tightened her resolve to wait a little longer for him to reciprocate. Just a little longer…

Then, the palace gate opened. Jaken and Rin emerged, no doubt looking for their master, since they had not seen him all night long. They started to make their way towards his direction, but as they took one look at him, they froze in their spot. When Shouri's saw how horrified they were, her courage dimmed further. What kind of expression did the lord have on his face to petrify his wards so?

She was risking his ire, but she mustered just a tiny bit more courage to speak up: "Many hurtful words have been spoken between us. If you would allow it, could we start fresh, without those words holding us back? I wish to call you Nii-sama, if you find it acceptable—"

"No."

Like a candle snuffed, his curt voice destroyed the remnants of hope she had for their reconciliation. Lowering her head, she closed her eyes, willing herself not to cry even as she felt the heat of tears welling up beyond her lashes.

"You already refer to Yuusou as such," he said, and her eyes flew open as his words reached her ears. Two teardrops hit the sand, forming two dark spots beneath her. Slowly she raised her head; her gaze once again collided with the sight of his back: his hair and garb flowing in the wind, his posture as proud as ever, the sights that were becoming so familiar to her.

"However," he continued, after what felt like hours. "You may call me Ani-ue."

She did not believe her ears at first. Then, the wave of joy that washed over her nearly knocked her off her feet. She had to clench her fists together because the feelings that swelled up in her chest were too difficult to contain.

"Yes… Ani-ue."

The words came out of her in a whisper, but she knew he heard them. Her cheeks were so hot all her blood must have rushed to her face and made her red as ripe cherries. He must have seen this, because he scoffed again before he went on his way while she remained rooted to her spot. Catching her breath, calming her thudding heartbeats, or merely just to process that yes… Yes, finally, they were getting somewhere.

Light footsteps reached her ears. A little hand tugged on the sleeve of her kimono. A cheerful voice called her name: "Shouri-sama."

Shouri looked back at those big eyes on a bright smiling face looking up at her. "Yes, Rin?"

"Just now, Sesshōmaru-sama looks so incredibly happy. Right, Jaken-sama?"

Jaken's large, toad-like eyes looked suspiciously glassy as he hugged his staff to his chest and wistfully watched his master walking away, all the while muttering to himself: "For Sesshōmaru-sama to have finally found a family member he does not want to slay… 'Tis truly a joyous day!"

She watched her Ani-ue until he disappeared beyond the gate, marvelling at how Jaken and Rin could tell his emotions merely from his stoic expression and stride. She hoped one day she would be just as astute. But…

If he felt even one tenth of her happiness right now…

She closed her eyes and smiled.

A joyous day indeed.

To be Continued

Author's Notes:

Nii-sama vs Ani-ue

They both basically mean the same thing: "older brother", but in a very respectful way. 'Nii-sama' is considered most polite, but 'Ani-ue' is the more formal of the two.

Since Shouri was raised as Yuusou's younger sister, she had been calling him "Nii-sama", which really should have been "O-nii-sama" to show greater respect and esteem for an older brother figure. However, the suffix 'sama' already expresses those things, and in my opinion the very slightly more casual "nii-sama" gives the impression of their close relationship rather than the super correct version of "o-nii-sama".

Knowing Shouri had been calling Yuusou "nii-sama" all her life, Sesshōmaru informed her she may call him "Ani-ue". I did not think he would play second fiddle to anyone, so it is important that Shouri referred to him in a different way. "Ani-ue" also means "honourable older brother", but in a very formal way. This is very fitting, considering Sesshōmaru called his father "jiji-ue" (honoured father). I had to look up the beginning of the third movie to confirm LOL. He most likely called his mother "haha-ue" (honoured mother), though I had no opportunity to check the episode where she first makes an appearance to confirm this. It makes perfect sense that his sister should call him "ani-ue".

I had thought long and hard about how I should end this scene. The first version in my head had an extra bit where he turned and saw her face, red as beet (because she was feeling so happy and bashful at the same time), and he said "Control yourself, you are blushing profusely." before turning away and leaving, though all the while he felt the same joy she felt inside. However, I like the way I ended it. I think with Sesshōmaru, the less said the better. He told her she may call him "ani-ue". That was his way of telling her he did want them to become brother and sister, no extra fluff required. I also like that Jaken and Rin were present so they could reassure Shouri that yessss, Sesshōmaru-sama was very happy indeed!

Aaaaanyway, I hope you liked it. Let me know what you think! Was it a good ending, or could use more fluff? Thank you for reading and I will see you in the next chapter!