IMMORTALITY

Chapter 13

Family

Giggles and laughers could be heard from inside the living quarter as Sesshoumaru stood in front of the two grave stones under the huge tree. His long silver hair swayed in the wind when the gentle breeze brushed against him, as if it was caressing him, talking to him. He closed his golden eyes to enjoy the whisper of the wind, and smiled faintly when he heard a familiar voice.

Father…

He knew the voice. It belonged to his daughter who had passed away many years ago, and she was still here. He did not know why she did not do to the afterworld to enjoy her life there, but he knew it was good to have her here with him, with his family.

"Is he well taken care?" Sesshoumaru said softly and laid his hand on the smaller gravestone beside his daughter's one. This gravestone belonged to his youngest son, Shima who was born in the same condition as his daughter Sakuya; well-formed but with tainted blood. He had though his mate, Rin would break down again, but was glad when she did not grieve for a very long time before she resumed to her normal self. Yes, he was glad.

Little Shima is fine, Father…

"…and I trust you, pup." With that, he turned to walk away from the scene and into the living quarter. Sakuya and Shima both would be alright without him because they were after all, his flesh and blood. He picked up the scent of his mate, Rin and headed straight to where she was, but not before he looked at the small child who was tugging on his pants leg.

"…Why are you doing here, Ryuya?" He asked and carried the three-year-old boy up into his arm as if he weighted like a feather. This boy, Ryuya was his youngest son and also the twin brother of Shima. He had blue strips on his cheek bones and wrists, slightly pointed ears, innocent golden eyes and a head of silver hair like him, except that there were black streaks among the silvers. And by the way, he was a half-breed like his brother, although not that evident.

"Mama wants Ryuya to take bath, Ryuya runs away." The little boy said and grabbed onto his father loose hair. His wide innocent eyes stared into his father's serious golden eyes before he turned to look else where again.

Sesshoumaru shook his head slightly, and was always amused by his son's act. Ryuya had a habit of not daring to look into one's eyes when he was doing something 'bad', and running away from his mother was something bad.

"AH! That brat is here!"

Both Sesshoumaru and Ryuya turned to look at the direction where the voice was coming. It was Shura, his eldest son who was the only full-blooded demon among all his children, and of course, he was the heir of the Western Land. Sesshoumaru watched as the twelve-year-old Shura walked towards them. Like himself, Shura was the exact replica of him, with the same silver hair, purple stripes on cheek bones and wrists, dark blue crescent moon on his forehead, and a pair of piercing golden eyes. He looked very much like Sakuya as well, and he though that perhaps the young boy had inherited Sakuya's power, and that was why he was a full demon.

"Father, mother is looking for Ryuya and she needs him right now." Shura said, and even his voice was similar to Sesshoumaru's; icy cold.

"NO! NO! NO! NO!NO…!" Ryuya screamed, and both Sesshoumaru and Shura winced at the high pitch sound he was making. Sesshoumaru swore he was going to be deaf soon, and though perhaps it was not a good thing for him to inherit his mother's vocal.

"I'm telling Mother!" Shura said out loud enough for Sesshoumaru to hear, and ran away to avoid being stroked to "deaf". The only person who could stop his little brother's "rampage" was their mother.

Quickening him pace to reach where his mate was, Sesshoumaru ignored the looks his servants gave him along the walk and the screaming child in his arms. He felt like squashing Jaken because he was absented when he was needed the most, and he made a mental note to remember that. Stupid Jaken, you are dead meat!

"ME NO BATH! NO BATH!"

"…..Why is the bathing chamber so damn far away?"

"Father is cursing."

Sesshoumaru stopped dead on his track and looked at his daughters, Aya and Maya who appeared out from no where. The two seven-year-old girls were identical twins and so far only Rin, Shura, Ryuya and he himself were able to know who is who. The girls looked very much like Sakuya as well, except that they did not have stripes. He noticed the wetness on their silver hair; apparently, they had just taken a bath from their mother.

"Mother is waiting for little brother to bath, and Father shouldn't be cursing in front of innocent children." Both Aya and Maya said together in their merry voice, but Sesshoumaru knew better than anyone else that how "evil" this twins could be. The two girls had not only inherited his ability, but also his father, InuTaisho's ability to foresee the future although they were only half-breeds.

"Then you girls are not supposed to walk around the castle soaking wet." Sesshoumaru said, staring at the wet trails along the corridor. He watched as the girls gave him a bright smile before they ran away, and he wondered what they were up to.

Continuing his way to the bathing chamber, Sesshoumaru easily held the struggling Ryuya down so he would not escape again. He could smell that his mate was near and his son Shura was with her. When he reached the chamber, he used his free hand to slide the door open and caught his breath when he saw her mate.

"My lord, thank you for bringing Ryuya here for me." Rin said, raising herself from the warm water and walked towards her lord with nothing but a wet towel wrapping around her body. She was almost thirty years old, but she did not feel that way due to the mermaid flesh she had consumed many years ago. Her raven hair was tied up in a messy bun atop her head to avoid touching the water, her amber eyes shone with happiness when she stared at her lord husband, and her ruby red lips were always curve into a smile.

"NO! NO! NO…!"

"Calm down, Ryuya. I'm sure you do not wish the monster to take you away from us, now do you?" Rin spoke, taking her youngest son from her lord Sesshoumaru and holding him gently in her arms. When Ryuya suddenly quiet down, and buried his face against her bosom, Rin could not help but giggled.

"Will you join us, my lord?" Rin asked, smiling at her lord husband while she expertly disrobed her son. She looked behind her lord, and watched as her eldest son Shura slipped from the chamber. He was a gentle caring son, and Rin remembered when she had lost her child a second time, he was there with her, holding her hands and saying that how much he, his sisters and her lord needed her. Rin was proud and happy to have him as her son.

"Ahh, I will join you."

OUTSIDE THE CASTLE

The girls, Aya and Maya were sitting atop the Cherry Blossom tree where they knew their siblings were buried. It was their favorite place because from there, they could actually talk to their siblings, which they had seen they father did so many times. A gust of gentle wind carrying the petals breezed passed them and they smiled.

"Father and Mother are still as loving as ever."

Ahh…they are…

"Perhaps we might have another brother or sister soon. What do you think?"

That would be great…

"Where is Shima? He hasn't been talking to us for a long time."

He is with Grandfather and Grandmother…

"Why do you not follow him?"

I like it here. I like to watch my family…

"Heh…? You are weird and I though only Father and Shura are the weird one."

Thanks for the compliment…

IN THE LIVING QUARTER

Shura was watching the whole scene with his golden eyes, and smiled when he heard what his sisters had said. They though he was weird, but he though they were weird. He had heard a lot about his elder sister Sakuya, but he was unable to see or talk to her, he could only feel her present. Unlike his other siblings, he was a full demon which was rare because his mother was a human, and his father was a demon. His father had told him that perhaps he had inherited his sister's power and blood so he could become a full blood.

He stared at his sisters who were still talking to the spirit. His other siblings were half-breed, and would always be mocked by the other demons and humans whenever they are out journeying. But of course, whoever said that had regretted his words because not only his father had taught them a lesson, but he himself had took the matters into his own hands and annihilated those foolish creatures.

"Let us do our best to protect this family." He said softly, and a gust of gentle wind was his reply.

IN THE BATHING CHAMBER

Laying his back against the wooden bath tube, Sesshoumaru sighed softly and enjoyed the little peaceful time he was having. It had been some time since he was able to relax in this way, and although it was for a moment, he wanted to forget all the issues discussed in the conference.

"My lord, are you ill?" Rin asked in a worried tone when she heard her lord sighed. She held her son in her arms so he would not sink into the bath water and slowly swam towards her lord. When she reached her lord's side, she placed Ryuya on lord Sesshoumaru's bare chest and placed her hands on his cheeks.

"What troubles you?" She asked again.

Placing a hand beneath his son's bare bottom so he would not slid down his body, Sesshoumaru pulled Rin against him with his free arm and buried his nose within her hair.

"It was nothing, my dear. This Sesshoumaru is merely…relaxing." He answered and felt his skin tingled with excitement when her skin brushed against his. Knowing that he could not resist that temptation, Sesshoumaru placed kisses along her cheek to her neck, but frowned when she pushed him away.

"No matter how much I love that, my lord, our son is watching us." Rin said, blushing furiously when she stared into her son's innocent eyes. Her blush deepened when she heard his lord's deep chuckles.

"Ahh…, then this Sesshoumaru will wait until our children are sleeping tonight." He teased, and could not resist himself to place a kiss on her pouting lips. Oh, how he loved his mate and her smiles, and how much he enjoyed being loved back. In the past before he met Rin, he did not believe in love and think that as a weakness, a foolish feeling but now……

I love you…and only you…

"Ewwwwwww! Mama and Papa are at that again! EWWWWW!"

THE END.

A/N: Aww….finally this story is completed. (Sob…sob…) Thanks for all the reviews and ideas you all have provided, I would not be able to finish this story if not for you guys. Once again, thank you for supporting me and this story, love you all.