Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha charaters.
Chapter 4When Shesta got comfortable she nodded to Jaken to resume his story.
"Now where was I?" Jaken muttered to himself.
"You had just stopped when I apparently lost consciousness."
"Oh…O right." Jaken cleared his throat and began.
"Father are you alright? Sesshoumaru asked concerned at the way his father was swaying. The light that seemed to have surrounded his father was slowly fading.
Sesshoumaru quickly walked to his father's side. He gently took his elbow so as to help steady his father. It took a few minutes for the glazed look to leave his father's eyes. Inutaishou blinked a couple of times before taking a step away from his son so that he could stand on his own.
"I will never do that again!" He finally stated, his gaze turning to the strange human now lying on the ground.
"Father, what happened?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"I noticed the girl and her shield were connected. I thought that if I could drain enough of her energy she would be forced to drop her shield. But I underestimated the amount of energy she held. I had to do it quickly before she could notice what I was doing. I guess I sucked too much." At this Inutaishou chuckled and shook his head.
"What do you mean by too much?" Sesshoumaru asked his curiosity perked.
"Didn't you feel it? The planet couldn't handle all the energy I was drawing from her. For that matter neither could I." The great lord added looking a tad bit puzzled.
As soon as his father mentioned it, Sesshoumaru could indeed feel it. The planet seemed to be groaning with excess energy.
"When I knew that the planet couldn't hold anymore, I had to use myself as a vessel." His father continued explaining.
Sesshoumaru glanced down at the girl. "She is too dangerous. She must die."
Inutaishou chuckled "You were always such a serious boy. Yes, she is dangerous, but I don't think she is a murderer. If she were, she would have blown this planet up as soon as she got here. But she didn't."
Sesshoumaru thought about that for a moment. "Father, what are you going to do to her?"
"I will treat her like a prisoner of war just like I told her."
Sesshoumaru's father motioned to one of the few remaining soldiers still on the field. The soldier trotted over to the demon lord and knelt down in front of him waiting, his orders.
"Pick up the girl and take her to the dungeon." Inutaishou commanded.
"Yes my lord." The soldier stood up and went to do as his lord had commanded him.
"Sesshoumaru, Jaken, come with me. I must think of a fitting punishment for your refusal to obey my orders."
Lord Inutaishou turned and started back to the castle knowing full well that his orders would be followed. He hadn't taken more then a couple of steps before a yelp was heard from behind him. Thinking that perhaps some of the enemy had come back he turned around sharply. His eyes widened in surprise to find his soldier sitting on the ground, his arms out stretched behind him, as though to catch his fall. His eyes were wide with terror.
"What happened?" He demanded. He could not help the growl that accompanied with his demand. This was the second time today someone disobeyed him.
"Th..There's a b..b.barrier." The demon managed to stutter out. He paled even whiter when he heard the threatening growl.
Lord Inutaishou narrowed his eyes. " There shouldn't be… I drained her."
He walked over to the girl expecting to come into contact with another one of her shields. When He finally reached her with no indication of one he looked over at the soldier who was now standing watching to see what his lord was going to do.
Turning his attention back to the girl he lowered himself onto his hunches and reached out his hand to touch her arm. Instead of coming into contact with her skin, his fingers brushed against a barrier. He tried sinking his claws through it but found it impossible. 'She still managed to put up some kind of defense even though she was drained and unconscious. Remarkable.' He thought. This was no ordinary human.
Seeing that the shield was not harming him, he ordered the soldier to resume his task. Inutaishou with his arms crossed watching the soldier picked the girl up and slung her over his shoulder and headed toward the castle at a brisk pace.
"Father?" Sesshoumaru broke the silence that had been hanging around the battlefield.
The demon lord looked at his son. "I have many questions for that girl when she awakens. Come." Inutaishou once again resumed his walk home, his son by his side
with Jaken bring up the rear as usual. Jaken had to run to keep up with the two demons.
"Wait for me." He squawked.
The trio past a large bolder that when the sun hit it just right the shadows made it look like a large stone dog guarding the trail. Signaled that they were nearly home.
"Jaken you are in charge of the prisoner. You are to notify me as soon as she awakes. Inutaisou's voice rang through the air startling the birds into silence.
"Hmm, what, oh, Yes my lord." Jaken said stopping so that he could properly bow. When he looked up he noticed that the two demons had kept walking leaving him behind once again. "Wait for me my lords." Jaken cried out as he once again had to run to catch up.
A tall woman dressed in a dark green kimono meet them at the front gate, her arms crossed over her round belly. As soon as Sesshoumaru saw his mother he fell behind his father with his head bent trying to make himself invisible.
As they got closer Jaken noticed that Lady Yudoku was tapping her foot and she had a scowl darkening her finely chiseled face. Sesshoumaru was going to get it. Jaken allowed a small smirk to sneak onto his face.
"Young man, I have been looking for you!" her voice deadly calm.
Sesshoumaru shrank even more.
"Where have you been?"
"Yudoku he has been on the field watching the battle." Inutaishou answered for his son.
"On the battle field! You skipped your lessons to go watch a stupid battle!" Her normal emerald eyes were now the color of a storm-tossed sea.
"Yes ma'm." Sesshoumaru muttered, almost too quietly for his mother to hear him.
"You will march to your room this instant and stay there. You will not get any dinner tonight." His mother commanded.
"But…." Sesshoumaru stammered. He had skipped lunch to go watch his father and he was now famished. He would starve to death before morning.
"No buts about it. Go Now!" Yudoku unfurled her arms and pointed toward the door with a long graceful finger.
Jaken saw the crestfallen look on the young lord's face.
"But mother," Sesshoumaru whined. Which turned out to be a big mistake. Quick as a snake strike she had Sesshoumaru's ear in between her fingers and was dragging him into the castle, no doubt to his room.
"For that extra 'but' you are to write…" Jaken never did find out what Sesshoumaru had to write as Yudoku and her son quickly passed beyond his hearing.
"Jaken," Inutaishou said looking down at the green toad demon, "You know what you're supposed to be doing," he added with a wry smile, "and I hope I don't have to drag you by the ears."
"No my lord" Jaken answered quickly. His eyes widened as he grasped what he had just said. "I mean yes my lord." Jaken bowed and scurried off to do as he had been told. Later he found out that Lord Inutaishou had Sesshoumaru look after his seven younger cousins. Jaken was only too glad to have escaped that particular punishment. The twins alone were enough to drive anyone insane. Meanwhile his charge remained in a coma.
It had been two full moons from the day they had acquired the strange girl. She was still lying in her cell unconscious. She hadn't moved an inch. Lord Inutaishou had even commented that she might never wake up. Jaken sighed as he watched over his charge. Lady Yudoku had not been herself for the past week. She seemed listless and pale. It could not be the baby as she still had several months to go. Lord Inutaishio was worried enough to have sent for a renowned demon healer. She should be here by the time the sun set. Jaken glanced at his charge only to find what he had expected she had not moved.
"Lord Jaken! Lord Jaken!" someone called down.
"What do you want?" Jaken yelled back.
"The healer is here. You said you wanted to know." The same voice yelled back.
"I'll be right there." Jaken said. He glanced at the girl one last time and then shrugged. "She hasn't woken up in two months what are the odds that she would wake now?" he mused.
He really wanted to hear what the healer found out about lady Yudoku. He scurried over to the ladder and just before he climbed up he glanced back at the prisoner only to see her lying peacefully on the small cot. Shrugging he scurried up the ladder only to be greeted by one of the servant girls.
"Jaken aren't you suppose to be watching the prisoner?" she asked innocently, but her sly smile betrayed her, it was always fun to tease the small youki.
"Shut up. She hasn't stirred in two months she isn't going to wake up now." Jaken pushed his way passed the grinning girl and ran all the way to the Lady's room. He stopped at the door and wheezed as he tried to catch he breath. The healer was looking into Lady Yudoku's eyes; the small frown that graced the old youki's face grew deeper. She beckoned to Inutaishou and together they left and went to another room. Jaken looked nervously around the room to see if anyone knew of what was happening but everyone else seemed just as worried and curious.
"Poison!" roared Inutaishou. He stormed out into the hall. His eyes were blood red and his feature's were more dog-like then human. "I want who ever did this brought to me alive!" He thundered.
Everyone in the room scrambled to do as he commanded. Everyone except his son who came over to stand by his seething father and Jaken who wisely stayed were he was.
"Poison, father? Who would do such a thing?" Sesshoumaru asked. He glanced worriedly at his mother. His mother was lying on her bed, a thick blanket draped over her shivering form. Sweat covered her pale face.
"Yes. A poison only humans have been known to use." His father narrowed his red eyes, a sign that he was very mad. Without speaking to either his son or his lackey he spun on his heel and headed toward the door.
"Father, where are you going?' Asked Sesshoumaru as he ran to catch up to his father.
"I am going to kill me a human." Inutaishou growled.
He pushed the doors open and stormed over to the holding cell. He didn't bother climbing down the ladder. He landed with a deadly grace and stormed over to the cell that had held the sleeping human girl. Had was the operative word as there was no longer any girl, sleeping or otherwise.
"Jaken!" He roared. A very frightened youki scurried down the ladder and threw himself at his lord's feet. Jaken didn't bother to look up at his lord. He could literally feel the anger radiating off him. He gulped. "Y-Yes my lord." He squawked, his small body trembling.
"I thought I told you to watch the girl. Now tell me where she is?" Inutaishou bellowed. Jaken looked up from his position just enough to look into the cell. Sure enough the cell was empty with the door still firmly locked shut.
"She was there just five minutes ago." Jaken whined his face once again buried into the ground. "Let this servant go out and look for her."
Jaken added quickly, hoping that it would be enough to let him live.
Lord Inutaishou glared down at the luckless youki trembling at his feet. "Bring her to me by sunset if you want to live."
He didn't wait for Jaken to answer. There was no need too. Instead he walked over to the ladder and climbed up. But not before satisfying some of his anger by stepping on the small youki lying conveniently at his feet.
Sesshoumaru was waiting for Jaken when he finally emerged from the dungeon. Sesshoumaru took in Jaken's trembling form, and the way he kept looking around with his large yellow eyes. When he started to wring his hands Sesshoumaru decided to stop his whining and simpering before it started.
"Jaken stop." Sesshoumaru commanded.
Jaken looked up at him as though just noticing him. "Lord Sesshoumaru, what am I going to do. I am not a tracker, there is no way for me to find the human and your father is going to kill me." Jaken whined his already high-pitched voice sent even higher in his panic.
Sesshoumaru winced, the tone hurting his delicate hearing. Sesshoumaru decided to take pity on the small demon before him. Besides he was most curious how the strange girl had gotten out of the cell.
"Jaken stop that pitiful whimpering, I will help with the search for the human." He stated. He lifted his nose into the air and tried to pick up the scent of the strange human. There it was. It was faint and heading toward the large lake at the eastern part of the estate.
"This way." He said as he calmly walked toward the lake. Jaken eyes lit up. He wasn't going to die. And the young lord was helping him. He decided that he was going to follow Lord Sesshoumaru wherever he went. He noticed that once again he was being left behind and hurried to catch up.
They made their way to the lake in silence. Sesshoumaru did not want the human to know they were coming.
The forest ended at the edge of the lake. The scent seemed to fade out of existence as soon as they reached the water edge. The high noon sun beat down on the lake making it dance with brilliant color and easy to see if there was anyone swimming in it. They were disappointed to find the lake empty except for a very large and tall boulder jaunting high out of the water.
"Do you see her?" Jaken asked. His voice once again raising in panic.
"No Jaken I don't. The scent ends here." His eyes narrowed as he thought he saw something on top of the boulder.
"She's here." He stated calmly, his gaze fixed on to the top of the boulder.
"Where? I don't see her?" Jaken asked as he looked out across the water.
"Jaken look up on the boulder and tell me what me what you see."
Jaken squinted his eyes as he attempted to see what his lord had spotted. He could barely make out a patch of black against the dull grey of the rock.
"How did a mere human get up that high?" Jaken thought out loud.
Sesshoumaru didn't comment as that same thought crossed his mind. The boulder was easily a few hundred feet high and rose straight up out of the water. It had very little handholds to grab onto and was nearly impossible to climb. The older youki kids would challenge each other to climb it and he had yet to hear of one succeeding.
"Awk." Jaken squawked. He put his hand up to feel the small bump that was growing from where a rock had hit him.
Sesshoumaru lazily plucked the stone out of the air that had been aimed at him. He glanced around trying to spot the culprit.
"You perverts." A woman's voice yelled out from his right. "Can't a gal have a bath in private. I've been in a coma for…" Here the voice stopped.
"Just how long have I been lying there?" She finally asked.
"Two full moons" Sesshoumaru answered readily. He was still trying to find the woman. She sounded very close.
"Two months. I've been in that stinking dank dark cell for two months!"
Sesshoumaru and Jaken immediately recognized that voice. It belonged to the missing human.
When Sesshoumaru thought he had her pinpointed he threw the rock that he had in his hand in the direction that the voice was coming from. The rock flew through the air before suddenly stopping in mid air and fell into the lake with a gentle plop. As soon as the rock hit the water Sesshoumaru made a grab for the invisible human. What he got instead was a hand full of air and a sopping wet kamano.
"What are you doing trying to grab me like that. Don't you know I'm naked." The woman's voice was now coming from the center of the lake. "Why are you in such a hurry? Can't a lady bathe in private." They heard her mumble.
"You're no lady!" Jaken sneered.
"What!"
" I said you're not a lady." Jaken snapped back.
"Are too" Shesta yelled back.
"Are not"
" Are too"
"Not"
"Are"
Sesshoumaru found himself standing at the sidelines of a rather childish argument. He was sorely tempted to sit back and watch the small toad youki having an argument with an invisible human. But he decided that he would be wasting time he did not have to waste. He didn't want to leave his mother for too long.
"If you two are done, I would like to get back to my mother before she dies." Sesshoumaru interrupted.
"Your mother's dying?" Shesta asked concerned. "How?"
Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "My mother is dying from a poison that only humans have been known to use. And you are the only human inside the castle walls."
"You think I poisoned your mother. Are you insane? I have been in a coma for two months. Where do you think I could have gotten it from? I am not even from here, how was I supposed to have poisoned her?" Shesta said angrily. The two demons could feel the raw energy coming from her, as the water in front of them started to boil.
"Do Not move." She commanded. A flash of light blinded the two momentarily. When they could see again the water had settled back down into its mirror like state.
Sesshoumaru glanced up to where he could see the black clothes on top of the boulder. It was unnerving to watch as the clothes slowly lifted into the air and became the form of the woman his father had taken from the battlefield he continued to watch to see how she would climb down. He was looking directly at her when she seemed to dissolve into a shimmering light. He jumped when she appeared next to him. Her long black dripping hair was leaving wet spots on her black clothes. By the paleness of her face she didn't look like she was up to the task of walking home. His suspensions were confirmed when she started to sway. She abruptly sat down on the ground with her head cradled in her hands.
"O My head. I don't think I should do that again for awhile." She groaned.
Sesshoumaru waited until it seemed long enough for the woman to compose herself.
"Come. We need to get back before my father kills someone he doesn't mean to."
"Alright." Shesta agreed. She slowly stood up hoping that her headache would go away.
She winced when the pain increase ten fold for a split second and then returned to its original throbbing.
"Alright lets go." She repeated more to herself then to the two demons watching her.
She started walking toward the direction of the castle.
"Stupid human, you're going the wrong way." Jaken sneered.
"I knew that I was just testing you guys." Shesta said. She turned around and walked past the two demons. "Last one there is a rotten egg." She called out as she past them. She sped her pace up to a slow run.
The two demons watched as she ran toward her doom.
"Come Jaken, we don't want to be rotten eggs." Sesshoumaru said before he disappeared into the forest leaving Jaken behind.
"Wait my lord. I don't want to be a rotten egg." Jaken cried out as he ran to catch up with the young lord."
"So where is your mom? I might be able to help her." Shesta said as she glanced at castle. It was an old fashioned Japanese castle, with paper walls and bamboo supports. The castle was spread over an immaculate ground. She knew from past experiences that there would be a huge garden inside where the lords and ladies could spend the day away from their troubles and the trouble of others.
As they neared the gate one of the two guards approached Sesshoumaru. Bowing he delivered his grievous news.
"My Lord Sesshoumaru, the Lady has gotten worse and the healers say she will not live to see the sunrise. Your lord father is out hunting for the one who did this. And has yet to hear the news."
"I will find father and tell him. Jaken keep an eye on the girl."
"My Lord, what girl? There's just the two of you." The guard said, a bit puzzled. The young lord was usually of very sound mind.
"My lord, she's disappeared again." Jaken said casting his gaze around hopping to spot her.
"Jaken go find her. She cannot have gone far. I will find my father." Sesshoumaru commanded before leaving.
Jaken soon found himself alone. "Where could she have gone?" Jaken thought out load.
He began to pace in front of the gates. The two guards glanced at each other before smirking. The imp was always amusing to watch.
"I know!" He exclaimed suddenly and rushed past two very confused guards and into the castle.
Jaken immediately headed toward Lady Yudoku's room. A strange sight greeted him when he got through the door way. The two helpers that the healer had brought with her were cowering in the left corner. They both seemed to be in shock. One of them kept murmuring, "ghost" while the other hid her face in her friend's kimono.
The healer was busy working over the sick lady and seemed to be talking to a floating scroll.
"I have never seen anything like this" a very familiar woman's voice said. "A poison that only reacts to demons."
The healer nodded her head sadly. "Yes. And it has almost no effect on humans. The worst that ever happens is they get sick for a couple of days. With demons, it seems to drain their will to live right out of them. The weaker the demon the faster they die. But they all die. I have yet to hear of any surviving this."
"I can't do anything for her. I don't even know where to start." Shesta said her voice betraying how frustrated she was. "I wish Max was here." She added under her breath.
"Show yourself, human wrench." Jaken demanded.
"Wench! I am no wench. How dare you."
"Jaken watched in horror as the scroll rolled up and came closer. He ducked but not soon enough as the scroll came down and connected with the top of his head. Jaken squawked and clutched the top of his head where a small bump was already forming.
"Where is Sesshoumaru?" She asked not bothering to wait for Jaken to stop whimpering.
"That's Lord Sesshoumaru, w.. human." Jaken answered his hand still touching his tender head.
"Where is he? I thought he would be right behind you." Shesta said. The scroll now floating toward the bed where Lady Yuduka lay.
"He went to get his father. Lord Inutaishou is out hunting for you." Jaken sneered. His eyes shown with delight at the thought of his lord killing the human wench.
"Out hunting for me? He should be out hunting the one who did this." Shesta said her voice showing traces of anger.
"Who ever did this is going to pay." She added angrily. Her voice now deadly calm and dangerous. The scroll was flung to the floor and something brushed passed him.
"Where do you think your going?" Jaken asked as he ran out into the hall.
"Some where I can be destructive with out harming anything." Shesta called back, her voice coming from the right and heading toward the gate.
The gate was thrown open and a very angry demon lord walked in followed by his son. He saw Jaken and headed toward him, murder reflecting in his eyes. He didn't get two steps from the door before he collided with nothing. Something fell to the ground with an "omf".
"Show yourself." He demanded. His sensitive ears picking up heavy breathing.
"I can't" came the voice. It took him a matter of seconds to recognize the voice.
"You will show yourself or I will kill you." He demanded once again.
"I told you I can't, baka" Shesta said. "I don't have the energy. Energy you sucked out of me."
Lord Inutaishou eyes narrowed and in a flash he had grabbed the rude human. He hoped he had the insolence girl by the neck and started to squeeze. Instead of the desired effect of her gasping for air she remained silent. He squeezed harder, intent on distinguishing this impossible rude human. But it was like squeezing a rock. A very solid rock.
"Are you done trying to kill me?" Shesta said with a sigh. "Your mate is lying in her room dying from poison and the baby will never know what it feels like to live. Go; be with your mate. I give you my promise that I will stay here and you can resume to waste your time trying to killing me or catching the real coward."
Inutaishou stared at his clutched hand and finally nodded his consent. He let go and was satisfied to hear a thump as once again the girl met the harsh, unyielding floor.
He motioned to his son and they both headed to his mate's room closing the door behind them leaving Jaken alone with the invisible human.
It looked like Jaken was going to protest to being left behind again until he realized why. His shoulders sagged.
"Come on little demon, lets leave them alone." A voice startled him out of his moment of depression.
"You stupid human, telling Lord Inutaishou he was an idiot. You could have been killed." Jaken said covering up his moment of weakness.
"I am not that easy to kill" Shesta shot back. She grabbed the imp by the back of his kamino and dragged him protesting out the gate and past two very confused guards.
They were sitting by the pond tossing small pebbles into the water when they heard a mournful howl, which was quickly followed by a second.
They sat in silence for a long while. Jaken mourning the loss of a great lady while Shesta mourning the loss of someone she would never know.
"Jaken" Shesta asked when Jaken had stopped telling the story. Tears glistened in his eyes as he remembered that awful day.
"Did they ever find who did it?"
Jaken shook his head no. "No they never found the culprit. Even with your help. Lord Inutaishou took his wrath out on a near by village." Jaken answered mournfully.
"Oh" Shesta muttered letting the silence hang heavy in the air, as she thought about all she learned in the past hour.