Hi everybody! Thanks to those who reviewed; response is at the bottom. Um, the beginning of this chapter takes two weeks after the first and half way through, I think, it jumps forward several hundred years to when Celebwen is grown up. Ah…yeah…hope that isn't too confusing. I added a character list for each chapter.
Sango – Wife to Miroku; village tajiya (demon hunter).
Miroku – Low-level monk; husband to Sango
Shippo – Fox youkai or Kitsune
Kagome – Young priestess; wife to Inu-Yasha
Inu-Yasha – Half dog youkai, half human. Village protector.
Sessho-maru – Lord of the Western Lands; whole dog youkai.
Meinu – Female dog youkai; wife to Sessho-maru
Rin – Adopted human daughter of Sessho-maru
Celebwen – Orphaned Elf maid taken in first by Miroku and Sango, then by Sessho-maru and Meinu.
Haruko – Sessho and Meinu's son.
Miki – Sessho and Meinu's daughter
Ryoukinshin – A noble wolf youkai who works as a sort of mercenary/assassin. Friend to Celebwen.
Calensen – Friend of Shippo's and that's all I'm saying for now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
"Sango!" Shippo called running in. "Somebody is here."
The brunette looked up from dough she was kneading and stood, dusting her hands off on her green apron. Walking to the door way, she turned to Shippo.
"Go get Kagome and the others." She directed.
"Yes ma'am!" Shippo called. Sango turned back to the doorway to see Sessho-maru walking up.
"Is my brother here?" he said.
"He will be soon." Sango answered. "Do you wish to come in?"
Sessho-maru nodded and entered the small house. Sango went back to her kneading. A few minutes passed by before Inu-Yasha, Kagome, and Miroku entered. Miroku held Celebwen in his arms. He put her down.
"Sessho-maru." He said, nodding.
"He is here to see Inu-Yasha." Sango said.
"Actually, I need to see all of you. It is about the child." Sessho-maru said.
"Oh?" Miroku asked neutrally.
"Meinu would like to…have a playmate of sorts for Rin." The demon lord went on. "When I told her about the child, she thought it might be best if we could keep her."
There was a strained silence. Miroku looked at the child, then back at Sessho-maru.
"I see." Was all that he said. The others looked at each other.
"I suppose you can take her." Kagome said slowly. "I mean, none of us really have a claim on her."
Sango looked at Miroku. His face was impassive. She looked down again.
"Very well." Sesshomaru said, standing. "Then if there are no objections, I will come for the child tomorrow." Without waiting for an answer, he left.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Miroku sighed as he tethered the horse to a cart. He and Celebwen would travel in that behind Sessho-maru. Ordinarily, they would have walked, but the demon lord was anxious to get home.
Celebwen was dressed in her old clothes, now washed and somewhat mended. Shippo was standing by her, his paw clutching her white hand tightly.
Miroku looked at the pair of them and considered for a moment taking Shippo with him. The little kitsune had grown attached to the little girl.
"Here." Sango handed him a basket and he placed it in the cart.
"I will miss her." He said suddenly.
"I know." Sango handed him a bag with some clothes. "But our own children will come soon enough."
Miroku smiled and kissed her on the forehead. "I hope so." He turned to Shippo. "Time to say good-bye."
Shippo nodded sadly, as Sango and Miroku went back to the house. He looked at Celebwen.
"I'll miss you." He said.
"Miss you too." Celebwen answered hesitantly, trying to say good bye in her own way. "Namarie."
Shippo smiled slightly, then let go of her hand. Miroku picked her up and Kagome and Sango both hugged the girl good-bye. Inu-Yasha handed the child a pair of daggers.
"They were probably your parents'." he said gruffly, as Celebwen solemnly examined them. "Take care of yourself, girl."
Miroku put her on the cart's seat and then sat next to her. "Well, we're off. I should be back in a few days."
"And if you are not, then we will know that you have gotten into trouble." Inu-Yasah growled. "Again."
"Not at all, Inu-Yasha." Miroku said innocently. "Trouble is your department." Smirking, he slapped the reins across the horse's back and they began to move away. The others stayed put, waving until the cart disappeared from sight.
"I hate it when he goes off by himself." Sango sighed. "Every time he does, he does get into trouble somehow."
"Not all the time." Kagome said. "Maybe it will be one of those times."
Inu-Yasha snorted. "I would not hope too much."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rin had been sitting by the window for a full ten minutes without moving. Meinu was astounded. The normally hyperactive girl was perfectly still. Yesterday, she had excitedly helped Meinu pick out and furnish a room, and watched as Meinu carefully mended some of Rin's less worn out kimonos that she had grown out of. Meinu only hoped that they would fit the girl Sessho-maru was bringing home.
"There he is! Father!" Rin yelled. Meinu put down the pale blue kimono she had been fitting and walked to the doorway. Her husband ascended the steps, Miroku behind him. Sessho-maru greeted his wife with a nod and a touch on her arm. He picked up Rin, who gave him a kiss on the cheek, then struggled to be put down again. Miroku came and bowed to Meinu.
"My lady." He said, standing. "It has been too long."
"Indeed." Meinu agreed. "I wish the others could have come."
"They would have if they could." Miroku said. "I would like for you to meet Celebwen." Gently, the monk prodded a tiny figure from out behind his back. Meinu looked at the little girl, slightly taller than Rin, with vivid blue eyes and a head of hair that was the color of gold. She was very slender, to the point of being thin and very pretty. She was the prettiest creature Meinu had ever seen. The girl stared up at her and Sessho-maru, then said, "Ohayo."
"She knows our language?" Meinu asked.
"Not much." Miroku admitted. "You should hear hers; it is beautiful."
"I am sure it is." Meinu said, then offered her hand to the girl. "Come with me, child."
Celebwen looked at her hand and stared, then hesitantly took it.
"Home?" she asked hopefully. Meinu smiled and nodded.
"Home." She answered gently.
*******************************************
(Several centuries later)
Celebwen bit her lip as she carefully wrote some kanji on a scroll. She sat in her father's library. It was rather dark, only one window was in the entire room. It was not a very large room, but it was stuffed to the brim with scrolls and tablets, even a few things she recognized as books.
Finishing the line, she straightened to admire her work. Taking a smaller brush, she carefully began painting a red flower in the corner.
"Wasting your time again I see."
It took all of her self control not to jump. "You are early today, Ryoukinshin." She said calmly, putting the brush away. "And I am not wasting my time. I am writing a poem for my mother."
Ryoukinshin eased himself off the window sill with a grace that she envied. He stood above her, arms crossed and smirking.
"Ready for another lesson?" he asked, a glint in his eyes. Celebwen looked up and matched his expression with her own .
"I am always ready." She smiled.
***************************************************
Celebwen slashed the katana through the air. Her hair was in disarray and her clothing wrinkled and muddy. She usually got like that when training with Ryoukinshin. He had the bad habit of not holding back and invariably ended up knocking her down.
"Ready for more?"
Celebwen looked up, sighed and then nodded. "I am not much good with katanas."
"Which is why you need practice-" Ryoukinshin straightened and sniffed the air. "Your father approaches. I believe I will take my leave."
"Coward."
Ryoukinshin only smirked again and disappeared in the surrounding forest. A few moments later, Sessho-maru appeared, looking pale and cold as usual. He looked at his daughter with a slightly raised eyebrow.
"I thought I told you he was forbidden to come here." He said quietly. Celebwen bit her tongue. She should have known the demon lord would have smelt Ryoukinshin's wolf scent. Sessho-maru shook his head.
"Never mind. Walk with me a little, child. I have something I must tell you."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Shippo hummed to himself as he bounded through the forest. Below, his companion galloped on a horse. Shippo raced ahead and then landed in a plain where the forest ended. A river was nearby and a village could be seen just ahead. The horse came up behind him and the rider called out, "Is that it?"
Shippo turned and nodded. "Yes." He looked back at the village. "This is my home."
No longer a Kitsune cub, Shippo had gotten tall. His eyes were still rather large, but not nearly as enormous as they had been when he was young. His red hair was long, and he had claws now. His skin was still a warm golden tone and he still had fangs, but his bush of a tail had smoothed out and grown longer.
The rider of the horse dismounted and walked up to him. "You were right. It is small." He looked at Shippo. "But I must admit I am curious to meet all of those you have told me about."
Shippo grinned. "You will, Calensen. You will."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Father, no!" Celebwen stopped walking and looked at her father.
"I did not say it was permanent." He said calmly, like he always did. "Just that it was a possibility."
Celebwen turned away. They began to walk again.
"You are coming of an age where you should have your own household." Sessho-maru continued. "If you are so adverse to a suitor, I will not make you marry, but you must make a choice."
"What if I do not wish to marry?" she said softly. There was a short silence. They were approaching her father's palace again.
"What is it that you wish?" Sessho-maru asked. Celebwen looked behind them, towards the mountains.
"I wish to travel. I want to see what is beyond there." She looked at her father. "I want to find others like me."
Sessho-maru looked back at her, the calm mask he always wore in place. He looked back at the mountains. "I see." Was all that he said. He put a hand on her shoulder, then turned and walked away. Celebwen watched him go, then turned back to the mountains.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
"Celebwen!" the young dog demon shouted that evening, going around the fields that surrounded the stables. "Celebwen!"
He stopped and sighed. Haruko had been hunting his older adopted sister for an hour now. He resembled his mother, Meinu, with soft features, large eyes and caramel colored hair. He had his father's height, golden eyes and stripe marks.
"Haruko! Wait for me!" Miki, his little sister ran up. She was tiny and cheerful like their mother, with wide blue eyes and long, soft white hair.
"Miki, you should be back in the house with Mother." Haruko frowned. He was almost a full adult. He shouldn't have to look after little girls.
"But I wanted to come with you." She said breathlessly as she reached him. The doll she held under one arm slipped and fell to the ground. Miki gasped softly and picked it up, carefully dusting off its clothes and hair. Haruko rolled his eyes, then looked up as his sharp ears heard hoof beats. He sniffed the air and grinned as he smelt Celebwen's scent. A few minutes later, she was in view, riding a black mare. The horse slowed and then halted as she approached.
"Riding bareback again, I see." Haruko called as he walked up. Celebwen grinned and slipped off.
"Is there really any other way to ride?" she said in a breathless voice, as she patted the mare's neck. Haruko smiled, noting her bright eyes and red cheeks.
"Oh dear." Celebwen said as the last of her hair pins gave way and her golden hair came down in a tangled mess. She stared ruefully at her muddy skirt and torn top, as well as the katana tucked into her belt. She looked at her brother. "You don't think Mother will notice, do you?"
"Not if you sneak in the back." Haruko grinned.
"You smell funny." Miki said, her face close to her sister's skirt.
"I do not." Celebwen waved her away.
"Do too!"
"She's right." Haruko frowned. "You do smell different…" he trailed off and then a low growl sounded in his throat. "It is that wolf assassin again."
Celebwen sighed mentally, then began walking towards the fence. Haruko followed, practically dragging Miki.
"You talk as if he were trying to kill me." Celebwen stated, climbing over the fence and inadvertently ripping the hem of her skirt.
"He is." Haruko leapt over the fence, putting Miki on his back. "I do not trust him."
"Why? Simply because he is of the wolf clan?" Celebwen demanded, then began to walk away. Haruko grabbed her wrist.
"No, because he is dangerous." He said forcefully. Celebwen tore her arm out of her brother's grasp.
"He is teaching me to defend myself." She stated huffily, walking quickly.
"You think I give a damn?" He hissed. When she didn't answer, his hand reached out and grabbed her arm again. "Answer me!"
"Let go of me." Celebwen said in a hard voice.
"Not until you promise to not see him again." Haruko growled.
"Stop!" Miki cried from her perch on Haruko's back. "Please stop fighting!"
Slowly, the tension ebbed away. Haruko released Celebwen's wrist. She turned away and walked quickly towards the house, face flushed.
Entering, she stalked to a large, empty chamber her father used for parties. Closing the doors behind her, she took out the katana and began to go through some of the movements. Concentrating on her movements, admiring the way the blade sliced through the air and how the light caught it, caused her to calm down inside. Spinning quickly, she raised the sword and brought it down as if she were fighting an enemy, when the blade was stopped by another.
"Ryoukinshin!" Celebwen hissed. The wolf demon smiled wryly and slipped his knife back up his sleeve.
"What are you doing here?" she asked.
"Heard you are soon to be betrothed." He said.
"And who told you that?" Celebwen turned away, putting the katana back in the scabbard that was tucked into her wide belt. She walked up to one of the beautiful tapestries that hung on the walls.
"A crow." Ryoukinshin commented.
"News travels fast." She said wryly.
Ryoukinshin came up behind her. "Is it true?"
"Maybe." Celebwen murmured. "My father thinks it is high time for me to be married, with a house of my own." There was a silence.
"Perhaps he is right." Ryoukinshin said. "You would have never made a warrior."
"What?" Celebwen whirled, coming face to face with him. Ryoukinshin grinned.
"Always so easy to get a reaction out of you." He said. Celebwen swallowed a little as she realized her back was against the wall. The room was dark, there were few windows letting the moon light in.
"They will miss me if I am gone long." She said softly. Ryoukinshin stepped back and a sword appeared in his hand.
"Let us see if you have improved since this morning." He said. "I promise to go easy on you."
"You always say that and never do." Celebwen stated with humor as she drew her katana. They circled each other then Celebwen charged. Ryoukinshin dodged, then dodged again as she brought her katana around. Flipping over her head, he landed gracefully on one knee and brought up the sword to block her blade. Forcing her back, he rose.
"You need to put more strength behind it." He stated a steely look in his dark eyes. "You give in too easily."
Celebwen frowned, but pushed against him. Ryoukinshin twisted the blade, causing her katana to snap downwards. At the same time, he brought his fist towards her now vulnerable body. She sidestepped in time and pulled her katana free of his grasp, then brought it up again, ready for another bout. A small smile was on her face as Ryoukinshin grinned at her and they began to trade blows. It seemed as if the rest of the world faded away; she concentrated on her katana and on him, trying to strategize, to second-guess what he would do.
Ryoukinshin hit her blade hard with his, but she blocked it downward. He stepped so that he was beside her and she moved to be opposite him again. They circled for a few more minutes, then Ryoukinshin forced his blade upwards. Celebwen stumbled back a bit, but caught her balance, just before his foot knocked the katana out of her hand. She bent down to grab it, only to have the point of his sword rest itself under her chin. Celebwen slowly stood. He removed the sword and it disappeared.
"You learn very quickly." He said with some admiration. Celebwen flushed at the compliment; he rarely gave them out.
"You look a mess, however." Ryoukinshin critically eyed her wild appearance.
"That is not entirely my fault." She said coolly. Ryoukinshin smiled. Walking to the window, he inclined his head slightly.
"Good night, m'lady." He said, then was gone. Celebwen walked to the window, wondering how he seemed to be able to melt into the shadows.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`
Well, hopefully that list will help you guys. ^__^
Iris – Yup! I did! Yes! Shippo's very cute! Especially the grown up version! I want to give him a hug. ^__^
Amberliz – lol, yeah. I'm glad you liked it, since it was your idea. A very good one too! ^__^
Jodancingtree – Thank you for reviewing. I'm very honored. Yes, the ones with Japanese-sounding names are from a series called "Inu-yasha: A Feudal Fairy Tale". The series was similar to LotR, I thought. It involved a seemingly small thing (a jewel) that had the power to cause a whole lot of destruction. A girl, named Kagome, was charged to find the shards of this jewel and keep them from getting into the wrong hands. Inu-yasha was charged to protect her. Along the way, they meet Shippo, Miroku and Sango and eventually team up with Sessho-maru. It's a very interesting series and I love it a lot. Okay, yeah, I thought that might be a problem, so I've invented a character list! ^__^ I'm really glad you enjoyed it; this is hard work. I can't wait for more from your hobbit story!