1Legacy - Rise and Fall of the Western Land

The Pride of Sou'unga & Courting for the Kingdom

I

Questi la caccerà per ogne villa, fin che l'avrà rimessa ne lo 'nferno, là onde 'nvidia prima dipartilla

Through every city shall he hunt her down, until he shall have driven her back to Hell, there from whence envy first did let her loose

It was hours before Urasue was returned to the castle along with Sou'unga. She kneeled before Inutaisho with a look of spite.

"I have the right to slice your head off and the strength to do so, Urasue. Give me a reason not to," he began. He sat on a large cushion with golden tassels at the corners made from his own silk worms.

"I saved your young, pitiful life from the Panther Devas. If you kill me, Inu no Taisho, Ryuukossei will kill you, for I am one of his right hand adversaries. You need me," she stood on her feet and crossed the room to where he sat.

"Ryuukossei may have the power to kill me, but he has yet to show himself to me. What did Sou'unga have anything to do with you?"

"Sou'unga calls to me," her eyes became small and she bit at her fingernails, which had been cleansed.

"Calls? And you answer to its whims of freedom and power?"

"What more do you want me to say? Your fate lies with me. Trust me. Pride had corrupted you after the assassination of Oyakata of the East. For if Sou'unga had stayed, it would have possessed you and whomever else cheered alongside you. You would be dead if it wert for me, Inu no Taisho. Go, celebrate with your comrades and peasants throughout the castle. Sou'unga is asleep."

Inutaisho leant against the wall and looked up at the ceiling in his weakness. He then looked at Urasue. She still wore the same tattered kimono covered with dirt. She was undesirable in all aspects and caused Inutaisho to look away. He slowly stood and swept his white hair back from his forehead and walked out of the room without another word.

It was another day before people from all regions came to Inutaisho's castle. Celebrations reigned throughout and praises of Inutaisho could be heard everywhere you went. Large bonfires were lit and villagers danced around them. Sake was passed around the castle guards and feasts were largely prepared with traditional dishes. The young youkai children were rampant around the kingdom with games and cheers.

Women walked with their most colorful kimono and men displayed their strength in battles with other men. Myouga told the story around a table to those who would listen and never get a part wrong. He spoke with pride towards Inutaisho's actions and boasted on his strength in which Inutaisho never would.

Inutaisho became distraught at all the women whom had come to wed him. There were demons, nymphs, and even humans flocking to become one with him. He cast the humans away along with the nymphs, focusing on the demons who stood outside his quarters. All forms of demons from reptilian, feline, canine, flying, and undersea stood awaiting his judgment. He rid of the demons whom had not the physical features in which he searched for. Urasue stood beside him, telling tales she had heard of some. One of the dragon youkai was a philanderer and stole the money of her husbands and left them for dead.

This went throughout the night and left no solace for a bride. He cast them all away and went into his chambers. His sleep was heavy as he was still weak from the battle and he realized how alone he was. His father had died not long ago, he had never met his mother, and had no siblings or allies. His body hurt; the pain in his arms and jaw was unbearable. He lay down on his back which had deep gashes throughout, just missing his spine. Blood had seeped through his kimono throughout the morning and afternoon whilst the celebrations reigned.

Myouga climbed upon Inutaisho's chin and began to draw out his blood. Inutaisho became angry and smacked his own face. "How dare you, Myouga! I am mortally exhausted. I barely have the strength move my limbs let alone find a substantial looking wife."

"Did you not like the youkai my apprentice scribes had found for you?" he asked, sitting on Inutaisho's shoulder.

Inutaisho, with his last strength, laughed as hard as he could. "Please, it hurts, Myouga! To even think that I would want one of those females. Even my father had more taste."

"Not really. Look at the product, sire," Myouga spoke with seriousness.

Inutaisho and he were silent for a long moment then began to laugh so hard. The laughter filled the room and traveled throughout the castle surroundings.

II

ed una lupa, che di tutte brame sembiava carca ne la sua magrezza, e molte genti fé già viver grame

And a she-wolf, that with all hungerings seemed to be laden in her meagerness, and many folk has caused to live forlorn

Seven days later, Inutaisho had fully healed and went to patrol the West before he was to return to prepare for another rigorous day of females. He patrolled alone, letting the breeze of the ocean waves blow sand and salt into his hair. He wore no armor and decked himself in a simple kimono and a large ring on his finger with an obsidian rock in the center. His hair hung down past his elbows and blew in the breeze. The air was warm and the sky was clear as the sun shone over the hot sand of the beach. He sat on a large mound and began to draw in the sand. The characters were nothing important. The forest lay behind him along with his kingdom in which the celebrations had ceased yet the love for his strength and wisdom lived on.

A rustle was heard in the forest and, through instinct, Inutaisho immediately turned to see what it was. A young woman, with long silver hair and golden eyes was behind him Her skin was dark from the sun and her clothing was but mere animal fur and leather wrapped around her ending mid-thigh. It was dyed to a blue tint around the edges, blending into a white and brought out her eyes. As she walked up to him, she stepped with a slyness and grace. She was a fox demon, he noticed from her scent, but she was not of the West and this caused him to be wary of her.

"Are you Inu no Taisho of the West?" she asked, her voice was like that of silk, soft and quiet.

"Who asks?"

"Are you?"

"Yes; I am the Leader of the Dogs."

She immediately flicked her left hand and caused a green line to whip through the air. Inutaisho caught the whip somehow. The whip caused his hand to throb and he let go. He looked at his hand and saw that it had left a mark and made his hand pulsate. Inutaisho had not even stood yet. Inutaisho raised himself and charged at the woman. Her speed was quick, but not quick enough. He immediately caught the fox and drove her to the ground. He raised his claw to her, all of the sudden she began to laugh.

"You tempt me, Inu no Taisho."

"To do what, bitch?"

Her gaze became cold and she lifted her foot and kicked him in the stomach, which flung him over. She lay on top of him and held his arms above his head. She leaned her face closer to his. She closed her eyes and opened her mouth, baring her canines.

She whispered with her soft voice into his ear, "To kill you, Inu no Taisho."

"Princess! Kagera-sama!" Voices rang out. The voices were nasally and hostile. They were searching for someone.

She lifted her head. "Shit! They've caught up to me. Another time, Inu no Taisho. I shall like to finish this."

He sat and crossed his legs, "Next time, I shall not be so naked as without my armor."

"Nor I."

She immediately ran in the opposite directions of the voices and ran through the forest. He hurried to his kingdom.

III

ond'io per lo tuo me' penso e discerno che tu mi segui, e io sarò tua guida, e trarrotti di qui per loco etterno

Therefore, I think and judge it for thy best. Thou follow me, and I will be thy guide, and lead thee hence through the eternal place

He ran throughout the kingdom looking for the flea. He searched the geisha houses and went through ever room of his castle to which he was more accustomed to being. He called out his name countless times before the old flea came to him.

"Myouga, I have –"

"My liege," Myouga intervened, "you were to be here a long time ago. I cannot make these good people wait any longer. Go put some more appropriate clothes on for a king and come down here with your hair combed back, or I shall personally have someone cut them off."

Two maids hurriedly pushed him to his room. Once they reached the room, filled with his strung about armor and unsophisticated clothing and novelties, they gathered his more appropriate clothing for the evening. As one woman readied his bath, another had begun to fix his hair. She tied it back as tightly as she could and went to work on his nails, to clean and primp them.

"Woman, you needn't do that. No woman should really care what my nails look like."

She stayed quiet for a moment, then in a hesitant voice, "Your kingdom does, Master. There are people in this country who would like to see you as a simpleton, I guess."

"Who?"

The other maid gave her a look of disgust and shook her head while again lighting the fire near the center of the room under the tub. The other began again on his nails, "It's not my place."

He left it at that. The maids left and he stepped into his bath and relaxed slightly.

When he got out of the bath, he realized that his right hand begun to throb again from that strange woman's whip. He grabbed one of his white kimonos and ripped off a strip to wrap around his hand. He dressed himself into what the maids had laid out and walked towards the center building.

When he entered, a line of youkai awaited his judgment. Under Myouga's advice, he was not to look at them until he came face to face.

"You must also understand that you will have a son or daughter to the heir and would want them beautiful. Think wisely," he had told Inutaisho in a conversation when Inutaisho had laid indisposed.

He sat down and asked quietly to one of his adversaries for some sake. "It's going to be a long night, might as well have some consolation prize."

When he returned, the maidens of his kingdom and surrounding bombarded him with wishes and traits they had to offer. Some were beautiful to him, yet others could be questioned if they were women at all. Inutaisho could not let go of the image of the strange woman who had assaulted him earlier. She was beautiful, yet mysterious. A heat rose from his stomach and made his face red.

"Lord, I apologize, I did not mean to offend you with –" the wolf youkai apologized.

Suddenly, a clamor ran throughout the kingdom as a wagon pulled towards the front gates of the castle. Inutaisho rose to his feet as a guard addressed him.

"Lord," the guard genuflected to him, "men from the East require that you look upon their princess. They say it is imperative that you make haste."

Inutaisho apologized as politely as he could to the maiden and was then led to the front gates by six guards.

Author's Note:

I just want to say thanks to those who have reviewed this story and those whom have added this to their favorites list. It makes me feel special on the inside. I also want to say sorry for the cut off at the end. I was afraid that you all would get sick of reading it and, then again I wanted to extend this section of the fanfiction. Sorry also for the long wait of this chapter, it's spring break and I went to Chicago and also to a friend's house.

Continue to review and leave me nice comments, but tell me when I do something stupid too!