Chapter 25

As Shura slowly drifted back to full consciousness she became aware of a gentle stroking sensation on the edge of her left ear. It was a familiar greeting, one her father had used to wake her as a child… The demoness forced her eyes open. It was as she had suspected. She was back in her room and beside her, cradling her head in his lap, was Sesshomaru. Shura tried to move, but her body wouldn't cooperate.

"So you're finally awake," the demoness heard her father remark, "How are your injuries?" Shura ignored him. Physically speaking her wounds were manageable. Some more numbing herbs and a few days rest would see her recovery. But emotionally, that was another matter.

"Do you ever plan on speaking to me?" Sesshomaru asked, his voice a note softer. Shura kept her eyes forward. Her father may have seemed concerned now, but that would not erase his past misdeeds. Nor would it sway the bitterness that still burned in her heart. When Shura finally did decide to answer, her reply was accompanied with the deep resentment of her childhood.

"Why did you do it?" The demoness felt her father's muscles tense beneath her head. During the silence that followed Shura heard Sesshomaru let out a sad sigh.

"I'm afraid I can't offer you a suitable answer." Shura fixed her one good eye on the striped face looming above her and glared in annoyance.

"Then how about the truth?" she snapped, "After twenty years of neglect I deserve that at least!" another silence, this one even longer then the last.

"I did it so you might realize your true potential as a demon." Sesshomaru's answer filled Shura with a terrible anger.

"That's it!" she cried "that's the reason you left me alone!"

"And not a day has gone by since when I didn't regret it," came Sesshomaru's soft reply. Shura lowered her gaze angrily. As a naïve toddler she might have given credit to her fathers statement, but the passing of time had since made her far less trusting.

"And what reason do I have to believe you…" she asked resentfully. Shura was surprised when her father's familiar clawed hand came to rest tenderly on her forehead.

"I understand your distrust Shura, and I do not blame you for it," the demon lord reassured her "but I do hope that some day you can find it in yourself to pardon a foolish demon for his most ignorant and shameful act." Shura didn't move, only continued to stare at the floor in front of her. It was the first time she could remember her father ever admitting he was wrong. Considering his pride, it was no doubt a great effort for him. Perhaps he was genuine in his desire for reconnection. If that was the case, then she was being equally cruel hearted by refusing to at least give him a chance to redeem himself. Shura let out a heavy sigh. It seemed she had inherited more of Sesshomaru then she was prepared for.

"Very well then father," Shura at last relented "If you have the strength to apologize sincerely…then I will find the strength to forgive."

"Thank you." Sesshomaru answered with a note of happiness. The demoness let out a little laugh.

"Do not be so quick to celebrate. My trust is not an easy thing to earn, and you still have a ways to go…" Shura winced suddenly as her throat closed around the final word and she was driven into a painful fit of coughing. With each movement aggravating her wounds, Sesshomaru tried to ease Shura's discomfort by pulling her into a sitting position but it was no use. By the time the coughing finally stopped, Shura was covered in blood from head to toe.

"Damit!" Shura swore as she spit out a mouth of blood "what a mess." Sesshomaru got to his feet as Shura beckoned him to help her up.

"Don't overstrain yourself," the demon lord scolded. Shura snorted as she gripped his shoulder for support.

"Hurting or not I need to get cleaned up. I'll heal faster that way" Sesshomaru, though reluctant, finally agreed and helped her to the bathing area. As the pair of demons approached the doorway, both their noses tingled when the scent of healing herbs and a familiar little girl drifted across them. Sesshomaru acknowledged the youngster's presence with little more then a side-glance. Shura on the other hand stopped mid stride, both shocked and disbelieving of what her senses were telling her. Then a voice sounded, confirming the impossible.

"You shouldn't be moving ya know," came Soma's instruction, though it was tinged with the note of playfulness so consistent with her character. Shura turned slowly, half frightened, half hopeful, in her addressers direction. Standing not five feet away, a basket of herbs tucked securely under one arm was her young apprentice, unharmed and alive! Stricken with disbelief the demoness lost all sensation in her body. She didn't even feel the ache of her injuries as she released her grip on Sesshomaru's shoulder and sank to her knees.

"Soma!" she finally managed to squeak out "Buh…buh….but…you were dead!" A broad smile crept across the young child's face as she set down her basket of herbs and approached Shura happily.

"Not any more silly, thanks to your revival spell," Shura blinked in bewilderment. Had she missed something?

"Revival spell?" she questioned. Soma gave a little nod.

"The whole town is talking about it…they say you forfeited the last of your strength to bring me back from the dead." Shura continued her stare of confusion. She didn't even know such a spell existed; let alone how to perform one.

"But I…" a firm clawed grip on the shoulder interrupted her protest.

"Sometimes the efforts of battle affect the mind as well as the body." Shura shifted her gaze upward to meet that of her father. "Perhaps that is why you cannot remember performing the spell." The demoness rubbed a hand gently on her forehead. Maybe her father was right… maybe she had managed to cast a spell and just didn't recall it. She knew for a fact that some sorcery could be activated by instinct or will, had that been the case here also?

"Maybe…" she finally admitted. Though Shura still found the entire situation to be a bit surreal, there was also no way she could entirely disprove her involvement.

Sesshomaru nodded in approval and gave her a gentle pat on the back. Though he didn't like deceiving his child, especially considering their rocky history, in this case it couldn't be helped. If his lie about Soma's revival was going to work and insure his daughter's safety in the village, then Shura herself would have to believe it also. In any case, a little confidence boost never hurt anyone, and after suffering what was obviously a very devastating hit to her demon pride thanks to Naraku, Shura was in no doubt in need of one.

"There's one thing I found odd though," Soma once again spoke attracting the both demons' attention.

"What's that?" Shura asked as she flicked an ear in curiosity.

"Well, after I died, I remember the soul piper wouldn't let me follow him...something about a dragon aura binding me to earth."

"A dragon aura…" Shura remarked in both wonder and bewilderment as her eyes trailed to the dagger on her young charges belt. The weapon was still, its power dormant, but Shura could almost smell the faint traces of protection energy that lingered in the air around it.

"Yeah weird huh," she continued with a surprising note of casualty, "Anyways, I'm just glad this noble demon was there to help guide me home. I was really shaken when I first came to." Soma paused, momentarily embarrassed that she had spoken of her demon protector in his very presence. Rapidly diverting her attention to make up for poor etiquette, Soma bowed submissively in Sesshomaru's direction. "To you, great ruler, I again offer my deepest gratitude," she crooned fluently before adding "and if I may humbly ask for your name, demon lord, I promise that from this moment onward my family and its decedents will forever honor you and your relations." Much to Soma's dismay, Sesshomaru didn't show much reaction. It was clear he didn't really care if humans favored him or not. Even so, the demon couldn't deny that the child's respect was a refreshing change. For that reason, and the fact Shura that was poking an insistent claw into his foot, he decided to humor the girl just this once.

"I am Sesshomaru, ruler of the west. And before you sits my only kin worth mentioning, for she is my blood born heiress," the demon lord at last replied. Soma shifted a widened gaze upon her friend, to which Shura offered a weak smile in return, though it was tinged with uncertainty over a certain portion of her father's sentence.

"Wow Shura!" Soma cooed as her smile turned to an elated grin "You're a princess! Guess I'll have to call you 'your majesty' from now on." The demoness blushed slightly at her young charge's enthusiasm and slowly worked her way back to her feet. All the commotion that had numbed her injuries before was beginning to lose its effects, and she had started to feel the results.

"Well I don't know about that…" Shura started to reply between winces, when her demon ears picked up on an unmistakable voice coming from outside. "Speaking of name calling…I believe yours is being requested." Soma let out a little sigh and shook her head lightly

"Yeah I know. I should probably get going anyway, I just wanted to stay long enough to see how you were doing," the little girl informed the pair of demons as she traveled over to her herb basket and picked it up again.

"Seeing you alive has made me feel worlds better already," Shura replied with a happy smile. Soma returned the gesture.

"I'm glad," she said as she started to back down the hall that would lead to the exit "Now you try and rest up, and make sure you call me if you need any help." Shura nodded and Soma gave a little wave as she disappeared around a corner.

Once again the demoness started towards the bathing room, but just as she reached for the door Soma's voice once again sounded in the air.

"Oh by the way," the little girl called as she peeked her head back around the corner "I figured you'd want a bath, so I drew one for you…" there was a pause, and a Soma flashed a mischievous grin as she playfully teased "Your highness!"

"Soma you little brat!" Shura tried to yell, but her retort came to late. Soma had already gone out of earshot. Shaking her head lightly Shura waved off her charges teasing and refocused to the task at hand. Poking her head into the bathing chambers the demoness sniffed deeply when the pleasant aroma of rose scented bath salts greeted her nose. Then she turned back around and addressed Sesshomaru who was still waiting patiently. "I think I can handle things from here. You're welcome to stay at the inn, Inuyasha and his friends are here as well if you want to join them," an unpleasant look from Sesshomaru made Shura pause momentarily "well anyway, I leave the decision to you. Just don't pester my mother."

"I would be more worried of the opposite," the demon lord remarked forcing Shura to try and restrain a giggle as she stepped inside the room and closed the door behind her.