The Ties That Bind Us
By: Joist
Regular disclaimers apply…
A/N- Weird fic idea… We all know Sesshoumaru is the Lord of the Western Lands, but what if the Lord of the Eastern Land claimed him to be unworthy of the land? And what if that Lord was his sister?!
Someone probably has this idea already, so please tell me if they do! =)
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"Sesshoumaru-sama!" cried Jaken. "A youkai demands your presence! A youkai woman! She demands your presence!" The little green, yellow-eyed, demon advisor was running throughout the halls, looking for his master.
Just as he was about to turn a corner, Sesshoumaru stepped in front of Jaken. "Where is she?" he demanded.
"In the main entrance room!" Jaken said. "She demands to see you, and she threatens your Jaken and Rin if you do not!"
Rin…? Sesshoumaru thought. He snarled inwardly. That was something he could not stand for. Jaken…eh…his importance and use around Sesshoumaru was so-so. It didn't really matter whether he survived the lengths of all his days to Sesshoumaru. But Rin had filled his days with happiness and love that only a child could give. Sesshoumaru would keep Rin with him for as long as her time allowed.
Sesshoumaru lengthened his strides and his speed greatened, and he sped to the main entrance room.
He almost gasped when he saw who was there.
"Ayamara…" he murmured.
"Well brother," the youkai woman said, standing from the chair and letting Rin's arm go so the child could run behind Sesshoumaru. "I see that you are doing well…" She smirked. "And I see you also found yourself some…company…" The youkai woman's striking gray-blue eyes roamed the room, and her dog-like ears that poked through her waist long, silvery-white hair twitched for any noise. The ears were long, about three or four inches, and they had small, lead, hoop baubles along the ridge. And they also forked at the tips. She heard nothing, nor saw anything else that would incline that someone else was there – hiding from her malicious eyes.
"But no female…no mate!" she chirped, clapping her hands together and entwining her fingers. "So the rumors are facts! You have not found a female to rut with. Oh dear brother…what ill-fate has befallen on you!"
"What is your business here in the Western Lands, Ayamara?" Sesshoumaru snarled. His hands were clenched in fists at his sides, and Rin could see the beginnings of a yellow-green glow in the almost-hidden palms.
"I have come to visit you, Sesshoumaru," she said. "And to make some changes in the way the Western Lands are run."
"You have your *own* land to rule, Ayamara," said Sesshoumaru. "Your father made that very clear to you."
"Ah, but not clear enough, apparently, to you!" she said, standing on her tip-toes, then falling back to her heels. "For it seems to the other Lands, their Lords, their People, and I, that you," she pointed at him, "have not been very worthy in keeping the West in its rightful place and order."
"The episode with the wolves was not created by me," said Sesshoumaru. He smirked. "Those wolves did not even belong to my Land. As a matter of fact… They looked incredibly like *your* wolves!"
Ayamara stopped her movement, and looked at him in awe. "You are as sharp as the incisors brother, I give you that," she said. Her blue-gray eyes flashed. "But you have no proof that they were *my* intimates."
Sesshoumaru didn't like the way the conversation was going. "As the Lord of the Western Lands, I ask you to leave, Ayamara," he said lowly, dangerously. "And never return unless I am notified first."
"No! I will not leave!" said Ayamara defiantly. "You are not the Western Land's rightful owner! You are not deserving! Your father made an awful mistake in choosing his oldest son to rule in his place! But I wouldn't put the whole blame on his shoulders," she said, laughing, "for he couldn't help that his youkai was a stupid species – and still are!"
"BE QUIET!!!" Sesshoumaru roared, his eyes starting to turn a tinge of red.
"Why brother?" asked Ayamara. "Because you are scared of the truth, and that I speak it?" She smirked. "You've lived a sheltered life compared to me, Sesshoumaru – so be grateful I'm even letting you see tonight's sunset." She finished her declaration with a snarl, and her own eyes were dancing with maliciousness.
"I am not scared of the truth, Ayamara," Sesshoumaru said lowly. "I can handle the truth – it is you that cannot and has the facts wrong. So I bid you good-day. Leave my sight, and never return unless I allow you."
Ayamara didn't move. "I come bearing other news, brother," she said. "Wandering through the Forest Still, I could not help but notice that there seems to be a heavy aura around it and the surrounding mountains, villages, and landforms. It is fairly possible that there is yet another Shikon no Tama…or another fatal sword." She shrugged. "But that's just me, and as we both well know, our bloodlines are almost parallel."
Ayamara began walking to the entrance. "I will not leave the Western Lands for long, Sesshoumaru. I only plan on going back to the Forest Still to investigate on the matter once more, and then see how well our filthy hanyou kin is doing. But as I can clearly see, Inuyasha apparently isn't the only one that inherited father's imprudent love for the soiled beings of humans – seeing as this one" she pointed at Rin, "follows you like your own pup already."
Sesshoumaru growled, his lips curling. "It is a possibility, Ayamara. But the child is not dependent of me. She chooses to stay."
Ayamara laughed coldly, the sound ringing through the virtually empty castle to bounce off the walls and reverberate in their chests. It chilled the three other occupants to the bone. "That was a good one, Sesshoumaru. But I'm serious. Does she do any other tricks? Like maybe fetch? Or play dead? Because I can easily teach her the last trick…" She unsheathed a sword whose blade seemed rusted over, and on the verge of crumbling to ashes and dust. But as soon as her fingers clasped around the handle, the rust disappeared, and was replaced by a large, shining, silver blade.
Sesshoumaru stared in awe and disbelief. It looked like the Tetsusaiga…but he knew Inuyasha had not given it away…not yet anyway.
Ayamara smirked at his emotions. "Heh. It's the sword father presented to me. The soul calling sword: Tesataiga. It has the ability to call the souls of humans, youkai, hanyou – virtually anything – so they can be under my command. I can make them kill fifty youkai with just one order and a swing of the blade. While the Tenseiga can bring many human souls back to the world of the living, and the Tetsusaiga can rid many demon souls to the world of the shadows, this can do both – and more."
Ayamara raised Tesataiga, and pointed it at Rin. She gave a shriek of pure and utter terror, and tried to make herself disappear within Sesshoumaru's robes. "Rin is scared, Sesshoumaru-sama," she said meekly. "Rin is scared…"
"STOP IT!!!" Sesshoumaru yelled. "Ayamara, I order you to leave the castle right now! You may be my sister, but my father never said I couldn't kill you!"
"Oh but if you did kill me, Sesshoumaru," said Ayamara, "it'd be like killing our mother – considering the fact that I look so much like her…"
Sesshoumaru looked at her through silver-white bangs, and all was silent for a moment.
"Get out. Now."
"Heh. Fine aniki! I'll leave! I'll be sure to say hello to Inuyasha for you…" She started cackling again, and left the castle.
"Sesshoumaru-sama?" asked Jaken. The youkai turned numbly, his golden eyes still pulsing with anger and awesome hatred. "I-if my master does not mind…wh-who was that youkai-woman?"
"That youkai-woman was the foulest creature to ever grace the presence of the earth," said Sesshoumaru. "Even more so than the hanyou Inuyasha." He was silent for a few moments, then said, "That filthy creature is my sister. Ayamara."
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A/N- Hope you guys liked it! Please read and review!! ^-^