Sesshoumaru paced the length of his study, his mind racing. A growl escaped
his pressed lips as his agitation grew. Flexing his fingers, Sesshoumaru's
claws grew and retracted with each movement. His icy demeanor was, for
once, gone, rage and passion burning in his eyes. The amber of his irises
began to disappear as red leaked in. Taking a deep breath, Sesshoumaru
closed his eyes to calm himself.
'A hanyou,' Sesshoumaru snarled mentally. 'Has he not shamed this family enough? Not only has he mated a human woman, he has now tainted the blood of this house. My mother must be turning in her grave. The other three cardinal lords will not be pleased.' Shaking his head in resignation, his thoughts continued. 'I will never accept a hanyou. Inu Taisho stands in the danger of starting a war, one where my loyalties would lie elsewhere.'
Becoming angry again, he cursed Yoshiro for leaving. Yoshiro had been Sesshoumaru's sole companion since they were both mere pups. While Sesshoumaru was cold and impassive, Yoshiro was warm and lively. The only time Yoshiro acted as Sesshoumaru did was when he was in the company of Inu Taisho. The Western Lord did not approve of Yoshiro's lively nature and had often rebuked the young demon for it. Notwithstanding his cheery manner, however, Yoshiro was one of the most powerful fighters in the lands. He was one of the few who could hold his own against Sesshoumaru.
Yoshiro's incorporation in the Western Lord's household was not a pleasant one. The day he had been taken to the Western Palace, he was timid and quiet, his grey eyes wide and alarmed. For some strange reason, he then latched himself to Sesshoumaru, the least sociable of those that resided in the palace. The reason was that when Yoshiro was still a pup by youkai standards, his mother took a lover. Prohibited by youkai law, the punishment of such an act was death and so she was executed.
Scoffing at the memory, Sesshoumaru mentally smiled at the irony of such an action. While Inu Taisho had never officially "employed" another woman while Sesshoumaru's mother was still alive, it was painfully obvious to all that he had taken many different women to bed. The knowledge had eaten away at his mother's mind, slowly killing her. Despite the fact that all the members of the Youkai Council knew, no action had been taken. Smiling bitterly, Sesshoumaru thought, 'The powerful really do have the ability to do as they wish.'
Stopping his pacing, Sesshoumaru sank into his chair, the thoughts of his soon-to-be brother still churning in his head. 'The hanyou may be the downfall of the all-might Inu Taisho,' he pondered. 'No matter how power he is, my father could not stand against the entire Council and they will, without a doubt, be outraged at my father's actions.'
Closing his eyes, Sesshoumaru tried to shake the thoughts from his mind. Rising, he decided to sleep. It seemed that this was his only escape from the nagging thoughts of the predicament that his father had placed the Western family in. Walking swiftly to his chambers, Sesshoumaru lay down on the bed, white strands spreading out below him. Slowly, he fell into a dreamless sleep.
Kagome look up in awe as the demon descended from the clouds. Shouldering her weapons, which in her haste she had grabbed without thought, she looked on.
The villagers around her were panicking and scrambling for safety, the confusion of the moment affecting everyone. The young miko, however, paid no notice, her attention focused on the demon that was now standing before her. He was a veritable image of perfection. For some unknown reason, she compared his likeness to that of Sesshoumaru, both exuding confidence and power. Having closed her senses to the outside world, she did not notice Eriko come up behind her.
Whispering not so quietly, Eriko informed Kagome, "Close your mouth child, before any flies decide to visit. If I had known that Hikaru's brother would allow you to concentrate so well, then I would have asked him to come earlier."
Waking up from her reverie, Kagome's face flashed red. Turning around to Eriko, Kagome said in a low undertone, "Not so loud, Eriko. He might hear you. Besides, I wasn't staring. Much."
"Actually, Lady, I believe you were on the verge of drooling when I arrived. And Lady Eriko, all you need to do is ask and I shall be here." The gorgeous youkai had apparently padded silently behind the two mikos as they were talking.
Kagome jumped at the sound of his voice so close to her and hearing what he had to say, the colour of her face could shame a tomato. Eriko chuckled softly, replying, "You should see her at practice, my lord. She can't keep focused for more than a minute. I believe that was the longest I've seen her think."
Huffing good-naturedly, Kagome retorted, "That's not true!" With a wink, she added, "I can concentrate on my food for longer than that."
Both Eriko and the demon chuckled, his voice with a deeper timbre as he spoke this time. "It is wonderful to meet a woman who can laugh at herself, Lady." Turning to Eriko, he chastised playfully, "And Lady Eriko, how often have I asked that you use my name. I would prefer it to my title."
Smiling, Eriko's eyes suddenly widened. Realizing that she had not introduced the two, she began. "Forgive me, you two. I'm getting forgetful." Nodding towards her charge, Eriko said, "This is Kagome. I've taken her as an apprentice of sorts until she can fully use her miko abilities."
Bringing Kagome's small hand to his lips, the demon murmured, "A pleasure, I'm sure, Lady Kagome. I am—"
"Yoshiro!" A slightly panting Hikaru ran up to the trio. The newly introduced Yoshiro extended his hand which was then clasped by Hikaru. The two shared an intense gaze, seemingly speaking without words.
"Brother, how have you been? Forgive me for not coming earlier." Yoshiro's face had softened considerably, his hand still gripping that of his brother's.
Waving his apology off, Hikaru replied, "Don't worry about it. Nothing much has happened anyway." Turning to Kagome and Eriko, he said, "Would you like to join us for today? I believe Kagome-san has had enough of your slave- driving for today."
"Yes!" an overly-exuberant Kagome cried, only to realize how she sounded. Cheeks tinted pink yet again, Kagome stuttered, "That is... I mean... Uh..."
Chuckling at the girl's predicament, Yoshiro intercepted Kagome's doomed explanation. "I believe what Lady Kagome is trying to say, Lady Eriko, is that because the both of you have had such a grueling day, it would be best if you had some rest. After some relaxation, you will have more energy to go about your activities." Turning to a still-red Kagome, he winked. "Isn't that correct, Lady?" Nodding her head vigorously, Kagome hastily agreed with Yoshiro.
Eriko laughed softly at the young miko's antics. "You three go on ahead. I have some things that need to be taken care of. This will give me some time to run a few errands." With that, Eriko walked down the road towards her home, leaving the three to their own devices.
Hikaru was the first to speak. "Let's go by my home. Sakura is dying to see her uncle. She's been jumping up and down all day."
Quirking an eyebrow, Yoshiro replied, "Reminds me of someone else I know."
Chuckling, Kagome noticed Hikaru blatantly ignoring his brother. During her brief stay in the village, Kagome had learned a great deal about the seemingly quiet Hikaru. The girl Hikaru had been tending to when Kagome arrived at the village had not been his child. Sakura, the small energetic girl, was the daughter of a blind woman named Aki. Hikaru had helped Aki take care of Sakura since she was born and the young girl had always considered him as her father. While he had no emotional ties to Aki other than friendship, Hikaru had eagerly accepted the role. In Kagome's mind, this spoke volumes about the kind of person Hikaru was.
The three walked slowly towards Aki's hut, chatting amicably. While Kagome still thought Yoshiro was too gorgeous for his own good, she had gotten over her initial awe and no longer felt the twinge of pink on her cheeks when she looked at him.
After five minutes of talking and walking, the trio suddenly froze. All could feel the aura of something terrible right outside the village.
Hikaru broke out into a dead sprint, followed closely by Kagome and Yoshiro. "Sakura's playing over there with Aki," he shouted at them. "We have to find her!"
Sensing the urgency of the moment, they picked up their pace and raced towards the evil presence. The sight that met their eyes was something that all of them had feared seeing. Sakura was badly wounded, but still alive. Aki, however, was dead. It was painfully obvious to see that. Her neck was twisted at such an odd angle that it was impossible for her to be alive.
Sakura was lying close to her now deceased mother, whimpering softly. At a menacing growl, all eyes turned to a hideous boar demon. Grotesque horns protruded from its mouth, saliva dribbling down its malformed chin. Eyes red with bloodlust, it prepared to charge again at the young girl, paying no heed to the three newcomers.
Kagome's heart broke at the pitiful sounds that Sakura was emitting. Paying no heed to the two angry demons beside her, she slid her bow from her shoulder and with delicate precision, notched the arrow. The world faded from around Kagome, all she could think about was the loss that Sakura had suffered and her own rage at the blood-covered demon. Pulling back, Kagome let the arrow fly, aiming for the swine's heart.
Eyes still glazed over, Kagome never saw how the boar writhed in pain from her purifying powers, nor did she see the two brothers look at her with awe in their eyes. Her trance was only broken by a mewling sound that the broken girl made.
Kagome's eyes became alive again, and she ran to Sakura. Gently picking her delicate body up, Kagome walked back to Hikaru and Yoshiro. "If you don't mind, Hikaru, I'd like to take her to Eriko. She might know something that will heal Sakura."
While Hikaru was hard-pressed to allow Sakura out of his sight now, he gave his consent. "Yes, it would be best. Yoshiro and I will bury Aki."
Nodding, Kagome said, "Which of one you killed the demon? What happened to its body?"
Exchanging a look, Yoshiro replied, "I'm afraid neither of us killed him, Lady. You did. Don't you remember?"
"No. All I remember was being angry and then nothing." Shrugging, and looking slightly bewildered, Kagome said, "I should get Sakura to Eriko. I'll visit you later, Hikaru, and let you know how she's doing. Yoshiro, it was a pleasure meeting you." With that, Kagome hastily retreated in the direction of Eriko's hut.
Yoshiro looked after her, thinking about what a strange human this was. She was a miko, but was tolerant, even polite, to the youkai she met. She was a woman unrelated to Sakura in any way, but was so upset by Sakura's injuries that she was able to destroy quite a powerful demon.
Shaking his head, Yoshiro turned back to his brother. Grimacing at the sight before him, Yoshiro dreaded the task ahead. Together with Hikaru, they buried Aki in the fading evening light.
'A hanyou,' Sesshoumaru snarled mentally. 'Has he not shamed this family enough? Not only has he mated a human woman, he has now tainted the blood of this house. My mother must be turning in her grave. The other three cardinal lords will not be pleased.' Shaking his head in resignation, his thoughts continued. 'I will never accept a hanyou. Inu Taisho stands in the danger of starting a war, one where my loyalties would lie elsewhere.'
Becoming angry again, he cursed Yoshiro for leaving. Yoshiro had been Sesshoumaru's sole companion since they were both mere pups. While Sesshoumaru was cold and impassive, Yoshiro was warm and lively. The only time Yoshiro acted as Sesshoumaru did was when he was in the company of Inu Taisho. The Western Lord did not approve of Yoshiro's lively nature and had often rebuked the young demon for it. Notwithstanding his cheery manner, however, Yoshiro was one of the most powerful fighters in the lands. He was one of the few who could hold his own against Sesshoumaru.
Yoshiro's incorporation in the Western Lord's household was not a pleasant one. The day he had been taken to the Western Palace, he was timid and quiet, his grey eyes wide and alarmed. For some strange reason, he then latched himself to Sesshoumaru, the least sociable of those that resided in the palace. The reason was that when Yoshiro was still a pup by youkai standards, his mother took a lover. Prohibited by youkai law, the punishment of such an act was death and so she was executed.
Scoffing at the memory, Sesshoumaru mentally smiled at the irony of such an action. While Inu Taisho had never officially "employed" another woman while Sesshoumaru's mother was still alive, it was painfully obvious to all that he had taken many different women to bed. The knowledge had eaten away at his mother's mind, slowly killing her. Despite the fact that all the members of the Youkai Council knew, no action had been taken. Smiling bitterly, Sesshoumaru thought, 'The powerful really do have the ability to do as they wish.'
Stopping his pacing, Sesshoumaru sank into his chair, the thoughts of his soon-to-be brother still churning in his head. 'The hanyou may be the downfall of the all-might Inu Taisho,' he pondered. 'No matter how power he is, my father could not stand against the entire Council and they will, without a doubt, be outraged at my father's actions.'
Closing his eyes, Sesshoumaru tried to shake the thoughts from his mind. Rising, he decided to sleep. It seemed that this was his only escape from the nagging thoughts of the predicament that his father had placed the Western family in. Walking swiftly to his chambers, Sesshoumaru lay down on the bed, white strands spreading out below him. Slowly, he fell into a dreamless sleep.
Kagome look up in awe as the demon descended from the clouds. Shouldering her weapons, which in her haste she had grabbed without thought, she looked on.
The villagers around her were panicking and scrambling for safety, the confusion of the moment affecting everyone. The young miko, however, paid no notice, her attention focused on the demon that was now standing before her. He was a veritable image of perfection. For some unknown reason, she compared his likeness to that of Sesshoumaru, both exuding confidence and power. Having closed her senses to the outside world, she did not notice Eriko come up behind her.
Whispering not so quietly, Eriko informed Kagome, "Close your mouth child, before any flies decide to visit. If I had known that Hikaru's brother would allow you to concentrate so well, then I would have asked him to come earlier."
Waking up from her reverie, Kagome's face flashed red. Turning around to Eriko, Kagome said in a low undertone, "Not so loud, Eriko. He might hear you. Besides, I wasn't staring. Much."
"Actually, Lady, I believe you were on the verge of drooling when I arrived. And Lady Eriko, all you need to do is ask and I shall be here." The gorgeous youkai had apparently padded silently behind the two mikos as they were talking.
Kagome jumped at the sound of his voice so close to her and hearing what he had to say, the colour of her face could shame a tomato. Eriko chuckled softly, replying, "You should see her at practice, my lord. She can't keep focused for more than a minute. I believe that was the longest I've seen her think."
Huffing good-naturedly, Kagome retorted, "That's not true!" With a wink, she added, "I can concentrate on my food for longer than that."
Both Eriko and the demon chuckled, his voice with a deeper timbre as he spoke this time. "It is wonderful to meet a woman who can laugh at herself, Lady." Turning to Eriko, he chastised playfully, "And Lady Eriko, how often have I asked that you use my name. I would prefer it to my title."
Smiling, Eriko's eyes suddenly widened. Realizing that she had not introduced the two, she began. "Forgive me, you two. I'm getting forgetful." Nodding towards her charge, Eriko said, "This is Kagome. I've taken her as an apprentice of sorts until she can fully use her miko abilities."
Bringing Kagome's small hand to his lips, the demon murmured, "A pleasure, I'm sure, Lady Kagome. I am—"
"Yoshiro!" A slightly panting Hikaru ran up to the trio. The newly introduced Yoshiro extended his hand which was then clasped by Hikaru. The two shared an intense gaze, seemingly speaking without words.
"Brother, how have you been? Forgive me for not coming earlier." Yoshiro's face had softened considerably, his hand still gripping that of his brother's.
Waving his apology off, Hikaru replied, "Don't worry about it. Nothing much has happened anyway." Turning to Kagome and Eriko, he said, "Would you like to join us for today? I believe Kagome-san has had enough of your slave- driving for today."
"Yes!" an overly-exuberant Kagome cried, only to realize how she sounded. Cheeks tinted pink yet again, Kagome stuttered, "That is... I mean... Uh..."
Chuckling at the girl's predicament, Yoshiro intercepted Kagome's doomed explanation. "I believe what Lady Kagome is trying to say, Lady Eriko, is that because the both of you have had such a grueling day, it would be best if you had some rest. After some relaxation, you will have more energy to go about your activities." Turning to a still-red Kagome, he winked. "Isn't that correct, Lady?" Nodding her head vigorously, Kagome hastily agreed with Yoshiro.
Eriko laughed softly at the young miko's antics. "You three go on ahead. I have some things that need to be taken care of. This will give me some time to run a few errands." With that, Eriko walked down the road towards her home, leaving the three to their own devices.
Hikaru was the first to speak. "Let's go by my home. Sakura is dying to see her uncle. She's been jumping up and down all day."
Quirking an eyebrow, Yoshiro replied, "Reminds me of someone else I know."
Chuckling, Kagome noticed Hikaru blatantly ignoring his brother. During her brief stay in the village, Kagome had learned a great deal about the seemingly quiet Hikaru. The girl Hikaru had been tending to when Kagome arrived at the village had not been his child. Sakura, the small energetic girl, was the daughter of a blind woman named Aki. Hikaru had helped Aki take care of Sakura since she was born and the young girl had always considered him as her father. While he had no emotional ties to Aki other than friendship, Hikaru had eagerly accepted the role. In Kagome's mind, this spoke volumes about the kind of person Hikaru was.
The three walked slowly towards Aki's hut, chatting amicably. While Kagome still thought Yoshiro was too gorgeous for his own good, she had gotten over her initial awe and no longer felt the twinge of pink on her cheeks when she looked at him.
After five minutes of talking and walking, the trio suddenly froze. All could feel the aura of something terrible right outside the village.
Hikaru broke out into a dead sprint, followed closely by Kagome and Yoshiro. "Sakura's playing over there with Aki," he shouted at them. "We have to find her!"
Sensing the urgency of the moment, they picked up their pace and raced towards the evil presence. The sight that met their eyes was something that all of them had feared seeing. Sakura was badly wounded, but still alive. Aki, however, was dead. It was painfully obvious to see that. Her neck was twisted at such an odd angle that it was impossible for her to be alive.
Sakura was lying close to her now deceased mother, whimpering softly. At a menacing growl, all eyes turned to a hideous boar demon. Grotesque horns protruded from its mouth, saliva dribbling down its malformed chin. Eyes red with bloodlust, it prepared to charge again at the young girl, paying no heed to the three newcomers.
Kagome's heart broke at the pitiful sounds that Sakura was emitting. Paying no heed to the two angry demons beside her, she slid her bow from her shoulder and with delicate precision, notched the arrow. The world faded from around Kagome, all she could think about was the loss that Sakura had suffered and her own rage at the blood-covered demon. Pulling back, Kagome let the arrow fly, aiming for the swine's heart.
Eyes still glazed over, Kagome never saw how the boar writhed in pain from her purifying powers, nor did she see the two brothers look at her with awe in their eyes. Her trance was only broken by a mewling sound that the broken girl made.
Kagome's eyes became alive again, and she ran to Sakura. Gently picking her delicate body up, Kagome walked back to Hikaru and Yoshiro. "If you don't mind, Hikaru, I'd like to take her to Eriko. She might know something that will heal Sakura."
While Hikaru was hard-pressed to allow Sakura out of his sight now, he gave his consent. "Yes, it would be best. Yoshiro and I will bury Aki."
Nodding, Kagome said, "Which of one you killed the demon? What happened to its body?"
Exchanging a look, Yoshiro replied, "I'm afraid neither of us killed him, Lady. You did. Don't you remember?"
"No. All I remember was being angry and then nothing." Shrugging, and looking slightly bewildered, Kagome said, "I should get Sakura to Eriko. I'll visit you later, Hikaru, and let you know how she's doing. Yoshiro, it was a pleasure meeting you." With that, Kagome hastily retreated in the direction of Eriko's hut.
Yoshiro looked after her, thinking about what a strange human this was. She was a miko, but was tolerant, even polite, to the youkai she met. She was a woman unrelated to Sakura in any way, but was so upset by Sakura's injuries that she was able to destroy quite a powerful demon.
Shaking his head, Yoshiro turned back to his brother. Grimacing at the sight before him, Yoshiro dreaded the task ahead. Together with Hikaru, they buried Aki in the fading evening light.