Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha, nor do I own its characters. I do own the ideas of this story and the characters I have created for this story (i.e. Saphira). Please respect patent laws. Comments and reviews are appreciated.
Chapter 19: Unforgivable
Saphira looked at her mate, who was currently a green orb, with apprehension. The bad feeling in her gut had intensified over night and was making her physically sick. Of course, her pregnancy could be the source of her nausea, but she highly doubted it.
She looked down at the treetops to see flashes of red and white. Inuyasha had insisted on coming with them. Although Sesshoumaru had been slightly annoyed, Saphira was grateful.
She looked forward towards the castle they were nearing. She could smell the unwashed bodies, and the blood. The smell made her nausea worse, but she continued flying.
As they neared the main compound, Saphira let out a roar of warning. She could see the soldiers tensing up, but they did nothing to stop their progress. A smaller red orb appeared beside them, Inuyasha had finally decided to test out his abilities.
To her surprise, Sesshoumaru began to descend into the the center of the enemy stronghold, she was nervous about his actions but followed his lead.
She transformed as she touched down.
"Welcome, your Majesties," a short toad of a man croaked.
"You are invading our lands and welcoming us?" Sesshoumaru asked dispassionately.
Shuhan smiled wickedly. "I wouldn't want you to think me a bad host. We have come to offer you a compromise, Lord Sesshoumaru."
The tension in the air was thick enough to cut with a knife. Saphira put her hand on the hilt of her katana.
"It is us that should be giving you the compromise," Sesshoumaru said lazily.
Shuhan only grinned increasing Saphira's anxiety.
"Oh, but please hear us out," came a voice from the shadows of the building. Saphira growled, and if she had been in her dragon form would have raised her hackles.
Faster than Saphira could blink they were covered in a cloud of dust, but Sesshoumaru had received the force of the blow. Sesshoumaru fell over, but before Saphira could reach him, he was pulling himself up.
Saphira, terrified, noticed that his eyes had become blood red.
"Sesshoumaru?" Inuyasha asked approaching his brother.
Sesshoumaru only growled, baring his canine teeth.
"What have you done to him?" Saphira demanded pulling her katana out of its sheath with sing of metal.
"We've only bent him to our will," Shuhan smiled innocently.
"Now, go and kill!" Screeched the voice from the shadows.
Sesshoumaru quickly changed into his orb and flew off in the direction of the western lands.
"Inuyasha, kill them," Saphira commanded. Inuyasha nodded and pulled a sword from the sheath at his side.
Saphira transformed and went after Sesshoumaru praying she wouldn't be too late. She quickly reached their castle and only had to follow the trail of blood and bodies to locate her mate.
She found Sesshoumaru in the nursery with Kagome holding the body of her dead son.
"No!" Saphira cried running to her mother's side.
"Oh, God, why?" Kagome cried clinging to the body of her child.
But Sesshoumaru was looming over them raising Toukijin into the air.
"No! Stop this Sesshoumaru! Snap out of it!" Saphira screamed tackling him, but not before he managed to kill Kagome with his poison whip.
"Oh, God!" Saphira screamed, but was blinded by a bright light. Everything stood still, except for her.
"There is little time, Mother," came a voice from inside her head. Saphira blinked back her tears, trying to find the source of the childlike voice.
She then turned to her mother and brother's bodies and saw the creatures from hell wrapping their bodies with chains.
"Do you see them?" The voice asked.
"Yes," Saphira choked.
"Take Father's sword."
Saphira looked down at her mate's motionless body with the look at hatred on his face. She reached out to take Tessaiga, but hesitated.
"Take the sword, Mother," the voice urged. "There isn't much time!"
Saphira grabbed the sword and turned back to the dead bodies.
"We can only lend you enough strength to bring back one of them," the voice said.
"But, I can't possibly choose," Saphira sobbed.
"You have to be strong, Mother! Choose one quickly!" The voice urged.
Saphira continued to cry as she lifted the sword over her brother's body. The sword began to pulse as time picked up again. She swung it through the creatures that were trying to take Inumaru to hell.
She heard Sesshoumaru's growl from behind her, but quickly picked Inumaru up and leaped out of the nursery window.
She managed to out fly the green orb chasing her to the well. The well that she thought she would never enter again. She leaped into the well, pregnant and carrying her baby brother.
The last thing she heard was Sesshoumaru's growl of frustration and then a blue light engulfing her.
Souta looked at the sleeping form of his niece sadly. He pulled her bloody, battered body from the well only a few days before. She had only murmured the name of the child that was with her before falling into an exhausted sleep.
The toddler had been in remarkably good shape besides the blood stains on his clothes. Inumaru was the child's name, but Souta didn't think that the child was Saphira's. He was almost positive that the half demon was his sister's child.
But where was his sister?
"Come on, Souta, let her rest," called his mother. He sighed softly and left his niece.
"What do you think happened to her Mother?" Souta asked as they made their way down the stairs.
"I don't know, dear, but I'm sure she'll tell us when she wakes up," his mother said patting his arm.
"Should I seal the well?" Souta asked, after Kagome had left he had moved back in and taken over the shrine.
His mother frowned at his question. "Well, I don't see why not. After all you can always unseal it, right?"
"Yes," Souta said and hurried out to seal the well up. Whatever had beaten up his precious niece he didn't want to come through and kill them all.
"Poor girl," his mother murmured as she entered the kitchen.
"Are you talking about Saphira?" Asked Souta's wife, Karen, who was making dinner.
"Yes," answered the older woman. "Something terrible must have happened. I hope Kagome's okay."
"I hear her crying in her sleep," Karen said sadly. "The baby seems to be doing well."
"Yes, Inumaru reminds me so much of Inuyasha," she said.
Saphira woke up with the last rays of the daylight shining in her face. She smiled, momentarily forgetting where she was and why, but soon the unfamiliar scents of her old home flooded into her nose.
She bolted out of the bed only bothering to throw on a robe. She stopped at the window, seeing her brother playing with two older children in the yard. Suddenly, the memories of her last day in the feudal era flooded her mind.
Her mother was gone, murdered by her mate. Her brother too, but a quick glance out the window eased her nerves.
There was a tap on her door and then it opened quietly, revealing her grandmother carrying a tray of food.
Her grandmother set the tray down on the bed table, then walked to her and hugged her. She then wiped her tear stained cheeks.
"I know that something bad has happened," said her grandmother in an even voice. "But you don't have to talk about it until you're ready."
Saphira swallowed her tears. "I'm pregnant."
"I know," her grandmother winked. "I have a good eye for pregnant women."
"I'm...I'm not going back," Saphira said, her voice shaking.
"You don't have too," her grandmother said. "We'll be downstairs if you need us."
With that Saphira was left alone. Alone with her thoughts. Alone with her sadness. Alone with her grief.
Okay everyone, that's it for Back to The Past. There might be a sequel, but I haven't decided yet. So, R&R. Thanks for all the reviews! Je ne. Fireflycross