Chapter 3:
It was getting much darker. The sun was almost invisible now. Rin was getting tired; Jaken was still trying to kill me with his eyes. Where could he be? Why has he been gone so long?
"Lord Sesshomaru should be back soon," Rin yawned.
"Is he always this late?"
"Sometimes."
"Oh." He should be back soon. I wonder how the meeting will go. Is he going to turn me away? Does he even remember mother? Will he think I am an imposter? My questions shall be answered soon although the suspense is becoming too much to bare. Will I back out at the last second? No. That is not the kind of demon I am. I have traveled all this way just to meet him; I am not going to run away. Besides, what will he think of me if I do? Not very much, I can say that for sure. Rin's yawns are becoming closer together.
"I think I need to go to sleep," she says.
"Yes. You should rest."
"Are you crazy!" Jaken yells. "I cannot allow Rin to sleep while in the presence of an enemy! Do you have any idea what Lord Sesshomaru will do to me if anything happened to Rin!"
"Probably nothing as bad as what I'm going to do to you if you keep this up," I say resting my hand on the handle of my sword. Jaken's already large eyes widen in terror. "It's okay, Rin. Go to sleep."
"You won't run away?" she asks.
"And leave to the care of this pathetic imp? Not likely."
Rin smiles and curls up next to Ah-Un. She's asleep before long. I watch her sleep. She's such a nice kid.
The moon is out now and the sun has disappeared behind the horizon. I sit in wait for the Lord of the Western Lands; my father. A light breeze blows by me. A demonic scent is in the air. This scent is one I've smelt before. It is very familiar…it is the scent of father. Breathing deeply, I muster up all of my courage. My heart is pounding hard and fast and I could swear that, if I was human, it would break right through my chest. I look over to Rin, she is sleeping soundly. Jaken, despite his efforts, had fallen asleep on his rock long ago. This is good. It leaves me and Lord Sesshomaru to talk in private. All that is said will stay between us.
Far off in the distance a figure is moving towards me. It's moving fast. Father. He's not running, he's flying. When he is closer I can see the anger and menace in his eyes. I gasp. He must think I hurt the girl! He reaches the site where Rin and Jaken are sleeping, his hand ready to unsheathe his sword at any given moment. He stops and looks at his sleeping companions. He frowns and looks at me. My mouth dries up.
"If you mean to harm them, you might want to change your plans," he says sharply.
"N-no, sir. I do not mean them any harm. I have been here all day and I have not hurt them. I was waiting for you, actually."
"Hmm, you're looking for a fight?"
"No," I say and bow respectfully to the Lord. I see slight confusion in his eyes. "Lord Sesshomaru…you don't know me, and you probably don't trust me, but I wish to speak to you about an extremely important matter."
"And what would that matter be?"
"Do you remember, almost two hundred years ago? When you left your mate in search of your father's sword, Tetsusaiga?"
He nods slowly, "What of it?"
"Were aware that at that time your mate was with child?"
"Yes. What are you getting at!" he snarls.
"Lord Sesshomaru…I am that child. You, sir, are my father."
I'm at the stream, bathing. It has been a long time since I had a proper bath. It has been thirteen nights since I introduced myself to father. I replay that night in my head every day. I remember everything that happened as though it only happened today.
"Lord Sesshomaru…I am that child. You, sir, are my father."
"You…you are my child? Impossible. Kinsoyu was only two months pregnant. My child would have no idea what I look like."
So mothers name was Kinsoyu. "Indeed. I did not know what you looked like. I did not even know you were alive. Three months ago I saw an interesting painting. The village people that raised me told me that it was a painting that mother had done of you before I was born. I decided to go in search of you. Totosai had visited me before I left. He told me that my search would not be in vain, for you still lived on. I found you five nights ago, and I have been following you ever since."
"I thought I saw someone behind that tree this morning."
"Yes. That was me. I had not realized that the wind changed direction overnight until I saw you sniffing the air. Then I moved behind the tree."
"You, claim to be my child?"
"I don't claim to be. I have no need to claim it since I already know that I belong to you. I have many questions I wish for you to answer and things for you to teach me. Totosai said that only you could help me master my demonic powers." He did not respond. "If you refuse to believe that I am your child, then I will leave you. I will return to the village of humans that served as my family, generation after generation."
"You do not need to leave. Your scent is familiar, though we have never met. Your scent is close to your mothers, as are your looks. You may travel with me for now and I will answer as many questions and teach you as much as I can, but if there is even the slightest bit of proof that you are an imposter, you shall leave straight away."
"Yes, Lord. I understand."
I smile to myself. I never thought that it would go so well. I didn't know it would be so easy.
I walk out of the water and dress. As I walk back to father and the others, I notice something moving behind a shrub. I knew I should have told father but I was overcome by curiosity. I walk over to the shrub, pull out my sword and run around it. Two demons look up at me with evil eyes. Why were they spying on me? I demanded an answer from them with a simple glare. They grin evilly. The one closest to me lunges, his claws outstretched. I dodge him and pull out my sword. He continues trying to slice me open. I keep dodging as best as I can, but pick up a few nicks here and there. I wait for my opening. The second demon stands up and runs. Not at me, but away from the battle. The first demon looks over his shoulder at his retreating friend and I bring my sword around in a wide arch, embedding it in his gut. His eyes grow wide as he falls to the ground. He shudders, then lies still; dead. I look up to where the second one ran to; he's gone, out of sight. Damn. I sheath my sword and run to tell father.
Upon coming into view, Rin stands up and shouts, "Lord Sesshomaru!"
He looks over at me and waits for an explanation. Why did I go for a bath and come back bleeding? I presume.
"There were a couple demons over there. When I got out of the water I saw something behind a bush and went to check it out. I got one of them but the other got away."
"What kind of demons?" he asks.
"I'm not sure. They had small slits for eyes, and forked tongues. Their feet were…kind of like Ah-Un's." I said, trying my best to remember what they looked like.
"Snake-demons," father grumbled. "They're miserable cretins."
"Are you going to go after it Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin asks.
"No. If it decides to make itself present again, than I shall kill it, otherwise unnecessary conflicts don't interest me. In the mean time, Shika, go wash off the blood."
"Yes, sir."
A couple nights later, when Rin and Jaken are sleeping, and Lord Sesshomaru has returned from wherever it is that he goes, I decide to ask some questions.
"Lord Sesshomaru," I say. He looks at me. "Who is it that you search for across these lands?"
"Does it matter?" he says coldly. I suppress a shudder.
"Well, I thought that in return for you helping me master my demonic powers and all, I could help you search for your enemy."
"I do not need or want your help." Now, that is fatherly affection! I cast my eyes downward to the ground, obviously rejected by my own father. "In any case," he continues, "the one I search for is known as Naraku." That's it. He says no more. Do I dare press on? No. Maybe he will tell me later, when and if he trusts me more.
"I don't suppose you would tell me how you lost your arm." It was more of a question than a statement.
"No."
"Why not?"
"Why would I?"
"Because you're my father! You should tell me these things! How am I supposed to trust you if I do not know you?" He stares at me coldly. Did I just raise my voice to Lord Sesshomaru? What is wrong with me? "I'm sorry," I apologize straight away in hopes that he will forgive me. He keeps staring at me. I suppose I owe him an explanation. "It's just that, I traveled a long, hard trek to find you and you don't even treat me as though I am your daughter. I don't know why, but I feel you are trying to chase me away. It is as though you never even thought about me or mother since you left. I only wanted to know my father, but instead I follow around a complete stranger."
A long awkward silence follows my explanation. Father doesn't take his eyes off me the whole time. I can't bring myself to look him in the eye. "Goodnight, Lord Sesshomaru," I say as I stand up to find myself a tree to sleep in.
"Sit down, Shika," he says. He sounds passed the point of mad. I obey his command for I have no choice. "I am the Lord of the Western Lands, and I am your father. I do not owe you an explanation of any sort. I do not jump at your every command, and I do not need to answer any questions you ask me. However, you must for me. I know you are curious as I am the only family you ever knew, but I, too, have questions. Why have you sought me out, Shika?"
"I need you to te-,"
"That is not why. There is more that you are not telling me. Why did you decide to search for me? Why did you wait so long?" he asks.
"You mean until after I saw the painting?"
"Yes. I know it is not because you didn't know what I looked like or if I was still alive. What was it about the painting? What urged you forward?"
I sigh. "The painting was a painting that mother had done of you; but it was not just a simple painting. There were words as well. On the bottom, underneath your figure. It read, 'Unsought is unfound. Unfound is lost forever. Find him and you will find yourself. Find him and peace will rest upon you both.' Nobody in the village knew what it meant…but I did."
Father waits for me to continue. When I don't, he asks, "What did it mean?"
"It was a message to me, from mother. It meant that I would not truly know who I am until I found you. That I would not be home until I was with you and that when and if I found you, both our souls would be at peace; and if I didn't find you, I would never know who I am, and both our souls would remain trapped in this world, as spirits…forever. I would remain because I could not forgive myself for not trying to find you, but I do not know why you would remain. Only you know that, for only you know what your regrets are."
Lord Sesshomaru brooded in silence for awhile. I waited patiently to be dismissed. I had not expected what was coming net. "My regrets are of plenty. My first, was not setting a proper example for my little brother. I should have taken care of him. He had no father figure in his life and I would have been best suited as his brother."
"I have an uncle?"
"Yes. His name is Inuyasha. He is the one that claimed my arm. May I continue?" he says irritated.
"Yes. Sorry,"
"My second regret, is not returning to your mother when I failed my quest. My third is not being present for your birth. Many other regrets follow those three, but they are not as large of regrets. I do not wish to speak anymore on the subject right now. You may leave. Go sleep."
I nod as I stand to leave. After finding the perfect tree, I look over my shoulder at father. "Thank you, father," I say and jump up onto a branch, where I make myself comfortable. Father seems to be so cold and emotionless, but he cannot hide from me any longer. I know his true feelings now. A life, yet to be fulfilled. That is all. When he has completed his tasks in life, he will no longer be this way. He will be happy.
I think about father's first regret. Not setting a proper example for his brother; my uncle. I hope to meet this Inuyasha someday. I think about meeting Inuyasha until my eyelids grow to heavy for me to hold them open. As they close for the last time, the last image see is Lord Sesshomaru. I don't know if it is real, or if my eyes are playing tricks on me, but father smiles at me. A gentle smile. One that I had not seen him wear until now. Just in case it is real, I smile back at him. A loving smile, between father and daughter.