Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.
Constellation of Blood: Let Me Tell You A Story…
Death itself had seemed to take up residence over the rural landscape that surrounded the two demons. But the icy barrier between the couple seemed to outdo the severe blanket of cold. She carried a tragic smile with her wherever she went and he carried the stoic nature that grew inside of him since their last departure. Both thought they would never see the other again. And both secretly wished it could've stayed that way.
Pain is always an odd thing to deal with. Sometimes, one is in denial, and the hurt is buried somewhere inside their mind, nestled quietly with other forgotten memories. And other times, it's as evident as daylight. The pain seems to scream from the person's lips and bleed from their body. Either way, when it erupts, it's as destructive as the cruelest elements of nature and it breaks down those around them. For Sesshomaru, the despair buried inside created a blank canvas that was intended to never be painted upon. He was devoid of any emotion. But Mab was a different story. With the slightest care she prepared another fire inside the cave to warm her weary body up. When small flames began to sputter, she cuddled within the wolf skin she took with her on her travels.
Amidst the various shadows and lights, the demon lord could make out the dark circles under her eyes and the shallow breathes emitting from her body. Good, she had suffered in his absence. Served the wench right for all he cared. A small pang of guilt flashed through his mind. He had cared at one point in time, and it was probably because of him that her health was failing. He could smell a sickness around her aura and he was surprised to know that she had been traveling in such a condition.
"I'm usually in better spirits but today has been particularly gloomy, don't you think?" She lifted her sky blue eyes from the fire and rested them upon the dog demon. When he didn't answer, she continued on. She had ventured too far looking for him to quit the conversation now. "I know you're still bitter about the past. And I don't blame you. But for what it's worth, you still haunt my mind every night." That single statement had caught the demon's attention. It wasn't much, just a slight twitch of his ear but it was enough to provoke Mab to keep talking. "I want to tell you a story, Sesshomaru, if you'll let me. It's got a lot of what you like – power, war, and death. And a little bit of fact with it as well. Will you let me tell it?" For a split second, the familiar blush was sweeping her cheeks, specks of green sparkled against her blue eyes, and the ethereal glow had embellished her once again. She was the Mab from the picture he had destroyed and the woman he once protected with his life.
"Do as you wish." She settled down a bit, the color remaining with her.
"It's about a Western demoness who was brought here by her father to learn a new culture. And I learned a lot, just nothing about Japan. The first family my father ever introduced me to was yours. You walked out of the castle, looking regal and princely, and I knew at that exact moment that I wanted you to be my own. And imagine my surprise when you asked to talk to me alone!" She looked up in hopes that the story was triggering something inside Sesshomaru, but his face was blank and his eyes would not meet her own. "Everyday I would see you and everyday something would change. You seemed to be more distant but you spoke as if we had never been any closer. You talked of love and marriage and growing old together…and…and power. You struck a nerve that day, Sesshomaru. I had no idea of the power struggle between you and your father. But I remained yours and yours only. My eyes never wandered off. I just wanted to make that clear. Then came the day that you left to defeat your father. He died that night but not by your hand. In all honesty, I think you didn't really want to. Your father was on an infinite pedestal with you. You didn't know this but I followed you and masked my scent with humans so that you could believe that it was just Inuyasha's mother's scent so thick among you and your father. He asked you a question that day, do you remember that question, Sesshomaru?" Again, there was silence.
"He asked you if you had anyone to protect. The romantic in me leapt for joy. That was your chance! Tell him how you feel, how we feel…but you did not. In fact, you claimed that you had no one to protect. And every hope inside of me dimmed a bit. So I fled. Nigi kept me informed of your well being and what you did day to day. I think he pitied me. He told me that each day you grew a bit colder. And I thought that maybe, just maybe, if I wedged myself back in, you would return to the old you. The one I had fallen in love with." Out of the corner of his eye, Sesshomaru could see the color draining from her cheeks as she kept on. He knew this part of the story. It began with an act of betrayal and ended with what sat before them – a weary traveler who was once filled with a certain fire and spirit, and a stoic prince who took no pity on her. Pale fingers ran through her long tresses as she combed out the damp tangles from her long journey.
"One day, I decided to visit Nigi, unexpectedly, mind you. I thought it would be nice to see old faces and laugh with old friends. It had been so long, you know. I was going to surprise him, in his lavish garden. But just as I began to sneak up on him, he turned on me. I don't exactly know what possessed him to kiss me, but he did. I struggled out of his grip but it was too late, I had already felt your presence the moment my lips met Nigi's. And that was the end of it. You walked out of the palace with a vow to never look upon me again. Later, Nigi told me that you two, much like you and your father, were in a power struggle for the western lands. Although they rightfully belonged to you, Nigi felt like you had left them behind."
The demon lord's golden orbs ignited with a newfound hate. All of this pain, and for what? A piece of land that had been ravaged by war. Sesshomaru could feel a small growl emerge from his throat. Damn his half brother. They had shared the same father but that would not be enough to save the bastard's throat when Sesshomaru got a hold of it.
"So the rumors are true. You have mated with the wind demon." Mab's soft voice was almost inaudible – even to the prince's sensitive hearing. He watched as a tiny dimple etched itself into the flawless cheek. The smile was sad, but in some odd way, glad. "I can't say I'm happy for you, for sooner or later, I will succumb to envy. But I am relieved. Whether or not you realize this, this woman, this…wind demon, has somehow managed to turn that little spark between you two into a blazing flame. It is up to you to decide whether or not you should keep the flame burning." The once enchanting demoness gathered up her things and began walking into the snow. "It was nice to see you again, Sesshomaru. And for what it's worth, Nigi could never take your place." He stared at her retreating outline until she was just another scent on the cold white blanket.
Mab batted away a single tear that graced her cheek. She would not cry. Not this time. She had cried all her tears until she was dry when Sesshomaru had caught her with his brother. The cave would be their last meeting. And she didn't care. He had moved on to someone else, as she should have done years ago. But the sickness had gotten a grip on her soul and she found herself being grateful for their encounter.
Years of disease had eaten away at Mab's eyesight but she could clearly see the outline of an arm underneath the packed ice. She scurried towards the death like appendage, checking for evidence of a pulse. Life was a precious thing, and Mab strove to save it when she could. There was no faint beating of a heart and no slight whisper of a breath. The fire demon bowed her head to silently mourn. She could at least give the poor soul a proper burial. She began to shovel away the layers that accumulated over the hours, only to reveal a bruised, but still beautiful face and raven colored locks. It all seemed too real. Mab looked her over and over again to make sure but it was all there – the spider shaped scar, the feather charms, and most recently Sesshomaru's mark. The corpse before her was the wind sorceress herself – Kagura.
"LET ME OUT! You son of a jackal! You wait until Lord Sesshomaru and Lady Kagura find us! Then you'll be sorry!" Rin's screeching voice grew to a quiet whelp as Naraku bellowed with laughter. He knelt down in front of the orphan's shaken form and wrapped a snake like finger around a chunk of her hair.
"My young Rin, if all goes according to plan, then I PRAY both Sesshomaru and Kagura will be led here." Rin gasped in surprise. A trap! But her lord Sesshomaru was the most powerful man in the world! What on earth could be able to defeat him? As if on cue, the sound of footsteps echoed throughout the building and soon a figure emerged from the darkness. He held the same aristocratic stature as her master but instead of pure silver hair, there was jet black streaked with silver, as if mocking the ancient family bloodline. His eyes held the golden hue but were no where near as beautiful as her master's. The child bit her lip in anxiety. By the gods! Someone tell her that Master Nigi was not involved with Naraku!
The regal demon stepped up to the once known bandit and bent into submission. Naraku was his master and commander from then on out. He demanded respect. He carefully pulled out a long box from behind him and graciously bestowed it upon the spider ogre.
"Is this it?" Nigi nodded in obedience as Naraku slowly opened the wooden box and removed a well-crafted sword.
"The rumors have been started long ago that the sword can hold the creation and destruction of the world. Only you and I, and of course my father know the truth behind that exact statement. The power within this blade is nothing more than a few lightning strikes and bone crushing thrusts of wind. I was jibbed." Naraku's eyes thinned into slits of evil.
"But will it lure the dog demon?" Nigi nodded.
"And from what went down at my palace, the wind sorceress will follow. You get to kill two birds with one stone." Rin yelped in surprised and crawled towards the still unconscious Jaken. She gently shook him until there was a small moan.
"Master Jaken, please wake up. I fear that Lord Sesshomaru is in trouble!" Tears rolled down her cheeks unwillingly. When the toad rolled over, Rin sighed and rubbed away the gritty tears. She could only pray that Kagura had not died in her efforts to save them. "Please Lady Kagura…please."