Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, he belongs to Rumiko Takahashi©, Viz© and The Sun ©
Author's note: I am very sorry for the delay but I can explain. My primary personal computer was once again having problems and acting way to slow so my brother had to erase absolutely everything in my computer including my documents, so I lost my original chapter thirteen and the first chapter to my fan fiction I'm wanting to post prior to the completion of 'Sweetness of the Past' which is going to be a long time at the rate I'm going lol. Please forgive me for the delay
Here are your responses:
Killua: Thank-you for your review! Hope you enjoy this chapter!
Laku: Sesshoumaru hating Izayoi… Keep reading and you'll see where I am going with this
OrangeInuyasha: talkingreallyfastwithoutspaceshuh? Lmao wonder how that happened? Who is abusing Sachi-chan? You'll see lol
Catqueen13: thank-you! I'm starting to enjoy writing this way too lol. Thank you for your review!
Cassie1: I am so sorry for not updating for your birthday! But this chapter is utterly for you! Happy belated birthday!
Katie12321(nsi): wow! I'm feeling really honored because of that review now! Lol. Hope your grounding wasn't too horrible!
Via-choco: lol! Dude update your fanfic! I'm dying to know what happens! lol . Thanks so much for the compliments! I really want to go to Japan some day!
Chibineko192: thankies! Yea, the coral hair ornament is going to be a big factor later on so remember! I am absolutely in love with kimono, I really want one to put on my wall but they are so expensive!
Japanese Dictionary:
Kariginu: a short robe, this is what InuYasha wears
ChiChi-ue: formal word for father
Naginata: spear weapon used by female Samurai
It was minutes before daybreak and here I was, dressed in my sleeping kimono covered with a light blue Kariginu in the wide sand Zen garden of the Temple. Miaka obaa-chan stood dutifully besides me dressed in similar attire and Sachi-chan remained in her bedroom where we almost had to force her to say.
Now, When Lord InuTaisho told me that the young Lord Sesshoumaru was to train me in weaponry at dawn… I didn't actually think he was serious! Usually, dawn for me was from a half-hour to an hour at most after day-break, to allow the servants their chance to tidy and go about before I actually had to rise. One of the Lord's guards came and rapped loudly on the wall next to the screen door and told me that Lord Sesshoumaru requested immediate audience with me, so of course I rose rather sleepily, threw on a Kariginu resting on a sitting mat with assistance from Miaka obaa-chan and walked to where he requested my audience.
"I am glad you decided not to dress overly for this my lady" came the silken voice that was Lord Sesshoumaru. He himself was dressed in none other than a plain white Kimono with long flowing sleeves that barely grazed the sand, and a single piece of chest armor for protection.
"Forgive my appearance my lord for I did not know your high father was rather serious when he said dawn" I bowed from the waist up.
Lord Sesshoumaru gave me an odd type of smirk to which I couldn't help but smirk back too.
He then turned from me and spoke to my nanny "you are dismissed from here, might better for you to not be here,"
Miaka obaa-chan automatically went into a low bow and responded "I might protest my lord?"
"You are dismissed to get a change of kimono and you may come back or not, It is your decision and this Sesshoumaru will not hold that sway over you"
I was rather surprised at that….for Sesshoumaru who had such a s tiff exterior to act a little kind and resolving to a servant of mine was indeed interesting and was the part where I saw his father in him…..
That and when I saw his eyes…those accursed eyes that reminded me of his dear Lord father's….his father's that held such wisdom and experience as well as a simple personality and that of a fair Lord……
I gave myself a little shake to keep myself from slipping into a daze right here in the sand garden. I could hear the light sifting of the sand and Miaka obaa-chan backed up three steps, gave a bow and then turned to make her way back to our quarters to get herself and young Sachi-chan ready for the day.
I now turned to Lord Sesshoumaru and saw him approach while holding out a beckoning hand to his left, guessing signaling the one to bring the weapons out.
"Now my lady, My ChiChi-ue has told me that you have never held a weapon in your life? Even a bow and arrow?"
I felt my cheeks redden for some odd reason "He is correct Sesshoumaru-sama"
"Then you have the opportunity of a choice, my lady, to be trained in either the Katana, the Naginata, or the bow and arrow" the man Lord Sesshoumaru called forth gently placed a crate filled with the various weapons that he told me of. I saw the jumble of the Katana blades in their plain lacquered sheaths and the bows gently outlining the quivers of arrows, but what caught my eye was the Long spear of the Naginata.
Lord Sesshoumaru made a swift and elegant dip into the crate and pulled a Katana our for himself and nodded for me to make my choice, the mask of his face now unreadable.
I couldn't help myself but look over the Naginata. Surprisingly there was only one in the crate of weapons but it was a thing of simple beauty. The spear handle made out of a rich wood and the tips of the three-bladed spear gleamed in the rising sun.
"The Naginata then," Lord Sesshoumaru picked up the crate with one hand and tossed with gently with ease into the long, luscious grass. "Hold it with on hand in the exact center of the staff and your other at the end; this gives you distance with your opponent" Lord Sesshoumaru instructed slipping the Katana into his obi and using his clawed hand to gently shift my hands into the right position.
I couldn't help but glance at his face and saw that he still wore and expressionless mask, if one thing I learned about him from silence was that he was utterly serious when it came to his sword play.
"Now, dear lady, I want to you try and strike me" his monotone rang out in the spacious garden.
"To strike you my Lord?"
"If you fear that this Sesshoumaru will get injured, that is highly unlikely dear lady" Lord Sesshoumaru smirk through his mask but went t back to serious as he placed a hand on the sheath of his Katana and flicked a long sliver of his claw against the hilt of his blade and drew it with a large arch with his free hand.
I bit my lip and stared unsure, but before I could convince myself to attack, the young Lord commenced the initiative and slammed his bladed against the wood of my staff which surprisingly did not split.
I felt my grip gently shake against wood but tried to parry it the best I could.
"Rule one Lady Isami, never hesitate with resolve"
I nodded the best I could under the shaking weapon. I saw Lord Sesshoumaru continued pressing on and I had to get him off of me before he split my weapon and I was at mercy of his weapon. I finally concentrated at the area his blade rested on my staff, right in between my shaking hands. I shifted my left hand a little bit, just a little bit mind you, towards the head of my spear and put all of my weight towards that upper end. I forced my left arm downwards and the young lord stumbled a bit at my push off.
"Very good my lady, seems you have a quick mind"
I couldn't help but feel the pride well up in my chest and gave a little bow to show my respect for my opponent.
I spent all of my morning in that Zen garden with Sesshoumaru-sama; he repeatingly coming at me with his katana raised and me with my Naginata throwing him off every time he came at me. After the repeating thrusts of his katana, my rebounds started coming to me naturally and I actually had the young lord sweating, and smiling.
He slipped the blade into his lacquered sheath and gave me an appreciative nod to which I bowed back to.
"I must admit Lady Isami, this Sesshoumaru is impressed on how you have picked up on you Naginata"
"I thank you my lord" I bowed again, "for teaching me this day"
"Father will be pleased at this, he wants you prepped for the ceremony approaching"
My ears automatically perked at the mention of the ceremony. I couldn't help but straighten and tilt my head before asking, "This ceremony I am suppose to conduct in six months time, what is it about exactly?"
Lord Sesshoumaru gave me an elegantly arched eyebrow before saying, "It is my coming of age ceremony, this is the age at which I am declared the first time heir to my father's lands and when all Inu-Youkai must take on their legacy as a leading male"
I nodded and bit my lip before laying my Naginata across the crate.
"If you please Lord Sesshoumaru, I would like to take my rest now if you are finished with me" I spoke softly, bowing once more.
He nodded to me, taking his sheathed katana from his obi and laying it next to my weapon.
"So, This ceremony ye are to conduct is a coming of age party for thee young lord?" Miaka obaa-chan pondered as she sat behind me, brushing my long hair threw to relax me with Sachi-chan next to me, peering in wonder.
"Hai, it is to signify his heir-ship of his father's land and pronounce him a leading male in the Inu-Youkai" I responded, letting the sleeves of my kimono fall around the crook of my elbow and leaning my chin upon my palms.
"Sounds to this old woman like a teeth-blackening ceremony for a to-be-bride if I do say so myself"
I suddenly burst out into laughter; Miaka obaa-chan gave me an odd look but I couldn't help it! Trying to imagine Sesshoumaru-sama with black teeth….well it was just hilarious.
"I-I'm sure they won't have to blacken his teeth Miaka obaa-chan" I quieted my laughter, still a wide smile showed on my pale complexion.
"Blacken his teeth? The young lord?" Sachi-chan squeaked from beside me. I turned to look at her and saw her bewildered look, and I would have started laughing again…if she wasn't serious I mean.
"You don't know of that custom Sachi-chan?" I asked her gently.
She shook her head no, her pretty cheeks blooming red as she looked down to the tatami floor.
"Ah, don't ye worry your pretty head Sachi-chan, 'tis a ceremony for human brides, yonder brides have their teeth blacked with a coal by a close family member of said bride before she is married" Miaka obaa-chan explained while running a warm wax through my hair to keep it straight.
"Oh…" Sachi-chan murmured to herself.
I gave Sachi-chan another sincere smile; she was such an innocent child, no wonder she was a Miko. All I hope for was that her future would be bright…
"So then, my son, Lady Isami did alright then?" Lord InuTaisho inquired picking up a shell glass of sake and taking a small sip.
"Yes father, she has taken to the Naginata" Sesshoumaru replied taking his own sip of sake.
"Hmm" Lord InuTaisho smiled to himself, letting his amber eyes close in relaxation, "Maybe I shall have a training session with her one of these days"
Sesshoumaru looked up to his father, question in his eyes. "Father, shouldn't we ease her into her weapon?"
InuTaisho gave his son a smirk and shook his head, "With what she is going to be dealing with in the future…Sesshoumaru, think of it this way, she's a target ultimately within this clan. If the idiocities of either that Lord Takemaru's or the dragon clan, she would be a target of assassination."
"That doesn't make sense father" Sesshoumaru placed his cup on the mats below him and rested his clawed hands on his knees, "Why would a human Miko be a target if we were to go to war?"
InuTaisho took a long look at his son, his eyes glazing over in thought and a strange burden.
"My son….It has been a long time since you have known of a Miko of our clan….you've actually never seen one……That is because the last Miko of the Dog Demon's…was your own mother….."
InuTaisho saw his son's features twitch a bit at the mention of his mother, but hopefully he wouldn't have to explain to his son what was obvious. It was custom and tradition that the Miko of the Dog Demon's was in fact the mate of the high lord….the fact that Lady Isami was the Miko of the Dog Demon's now wasn't because he had intentions…but because it was the mother's duty to perform the ceremony of the MokoMoko-sama blessing and they needed a substitute until Sesshoumaru could replace Lady Isami with his own mate.
It was confusing and it was a crime against traditions, but what else could the Lord InuTaisho do?
Or maybe it should be asked why the Lord InuTaisho chose this Lady Isami with the responsibility that she didn't even know of?
Author's note: I'm sorry about the delay of this chapter, I was suffering writers block in the middle. Now that summer has arrived I hope that my updates will be consistent, but I do warn that the first three weeks in July I am volunteering and a local day camp so there may be some delay.