XIII: The Chrysanthemum Remembered

Author: Nefertili

Fandom: Inuyasha

Rating: PG13

Pairing(s): Sesshoumaru/Kikyou

Genre(s): Romance, Angst, AU, Action

Warning(s): More battle scenes, some violence, fluff... What more can I say?

Disclaimer: None of the characters, except perhaps some, are mine. They are owned by Rumiko Takahashi.

Summary: Two years after IMotC, Sess is challenged to surpass an enemy in recovering a mysterious relic left behind by his mother. But can he protect Kikyou, who now carries his child, at the same time?

A/N: Oh dear, my muses were practically dying the past days. I can hardly write anything because I found out I was diagnosed with...something. Never mind. It can be cured anyway (whew, but the medication will last for about six months O.O). I mustn't let illness halt my fanfic writing, ne?

...o0o...

Kikyou felt as though her heart was breaking. Long she stood there as though her voice had died in her throat, hoping to catch a final glimpse of him. But Sesshoumaru had gone, and she was never sure if she will see him again.

"Come," came a cold voice, laced with unmasked contempt. Kikyou looked up, and it turns out the speaker was that demoness Asagao, who was the lady-in-waiting of Isamu's mate. "I will take you to the Lady."

Flinching slightly at the unfriendly tone, Kikyou motioned Rin to stick to her side. The little girl obediently followed the former priestess, clutching on to her hand as a daughter would. Once they were fully inside the fortress, Asagao ordered them to halt momentarily so she can pull back the bridge to the castle as Isamu had ordered her to do.

Kikyou thoughtfully observed the female deer youkai as she pulled at a certain lever beside the gate. With that gesture, the chains which served as the bridge's support creaked as they were rolled back. Soon, the gate was closed and there was no way out of the courtyard. Unlike the gardens outside, which were more or less allowed to grow in the natural wilderness, the plants of the courtyard were carefully molded into perfect symmetry and there wasn't a stem or a leaf that was touched by wilt. Even the moss which grew at the roots was free of any dirt or debris that could mar its pristine beauty.

Once she was sure that the bridge was secure, Asagao continued to walk within the palace itself, not even bothering to look back to see if the two humans were following her.

As they walked through the many corridors, an instinctive dislike began to well up in Kikyou for the snobbish lady-in-waiting. She made it clear that she thought of her and Rin as a pain in the neck, and Kikyou hoped that the Queen was a better company than this annoying demoness.

"How much longer are we going to walk, Kikyou-sama?" Rin queried of Kikyou. The young girl was also rather wary of Asagao, and had chosen to ask Kikyou herself instead of their guide. The demoness had on a severe look, as though she would devour them if she had the chance.

"The Lady's quarters are at the fifth level, the crown of the fortress," Asagao said quickly, not even bothering to hide her distaste. "We are only in the second level, and you're tired already?"

"How can you not be tired if you were riding since morning?" Kikyou found herself retorting.

"Humans," Asagao spat. "I really wonder how the Lord Sesshoumaru - or even his father, for that matter - can stand to be among you."

Kikyou's hand automatically formed a fist, but her face was as neutral as ever. How dare this she-youkai... How can she survive the war in one piece if she were to spend her time in hiding with this insolent fool?

"How long were you in service to the Lady?" Kikyou asked in spite of her dislike, in a half-hearted attempt to somehow make Asagao warm up to them.

"I have been with the Royal family since the time of Lord Hisano and Lady Azami," Asagao replied coldly, but there was pride clear in her tone. "You must know something about the Lady Kikumo, their daughter, and I was in her service."

After these words, Asagao was silent. Kikyou didn't bother to try to converse with her any longer. She instead took the time to observe the intricate artistry decorating the passageways of the fortress. By now, she was beginning to see that the fortress itself was an open book of the history of the shikayoukai. Because their guide refused to give them any information about the stories of the fortress, Kikyou had to make a personal interpretation of them.

The corridors of the first level spoke of the formation of the land. According to the Deer Demons, the land of their abode was once within the realm of the sea. Paintings of the sea, calm and in turmoil, in clear sky and in rain, dominated the first few passageways. But later, by some reason she couldn't interpret, the sea receded, leaving behind the tall cliffs and hills of the Borderlands.

The rest of the first level discussed the evolution of the land in intricate detail, of the changes small and great that had come upon them. Kikyou could not help but admire the shikayoukai's reverence of the land they dwelt upon, a reverence which extended to a careful study of the earth.

The deer demons themselves began to emerge at the second level, and the many scrolls that hung upon the walls told their story of the ancestors of the present shikayoukai arriving in the land. There were pictures that spoke of battles, which Kikyou thought of as territorial, and there was a good number of them before the scene changed. It appeared that the deer youkai fought other demons to claim their land, and once their victory was secure they began to establish their control.

The third level discussed the birth of the Royal family of the Deer Demons. If Kikyou interpreted the story behind the art the correct way, the steady increase of the Deer youkai prompted much infighting between rival families, and there was much turmoil within their clan. Finally, order was attained when a prominent deer youkai, Kikyou was unsure who, settled the unrest by vanquishing or banishing the rivals out of the land and establishing a monarchy.

On closer look, Kikyou was startled to see that this anonymous unifier was female. There was no doubt in the deer form that it bore no antlers, and in human form the obvious feminine curves and lovely long hair. The rest of the histories discussed the descendants of this demoness, who then was widely recognized as the first Queen of the Shikayoukai.

But when they reached the fourth level, Kikyou felt as though her heart missed several beats. The first picture that greeted them was painted directly on to a large wooden panel. It depicted a large inuyoukai in its true form. The dog demon was howling up at a crescent moon, and there was no mistake about the prominent plumes of fur flowing from its shoulders. It was the Inu no Taishou, Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha's father.

Asagao appeared to read Kikyou's reaction, and for the first time, she explained the background of the painted history.

"The fourth level commemorates the alliance of Inuyoukai and Shikayoukai, under the Inu no Taishou and the Lord Hisano," she said, looking at another panel. It had a large deer painted on it, looking proud and majestic with the hill of the Shiroitaki in the backdrop. Kikyou was positive that it was Kikumo's father in his true form.

As they walked the corridors, the history of the War of the Western Lands began to unfold. The members of the Cat clan, enemies of the Inutaishou, were depicted invading the West, and at the same time endangering the Borderlands. It spoke of the Lord of the Shikayoukai at that time seeking out the Inu Taiyoukai, and a pact was made. The final passageways were adorned with the scenes of war, and finally victory. But the last painting probably struck Kikyou the most...so much that she stopped in her tracks.

The beautiful mural depicted a beautiful garden with trees growing in perfect symmetry. At the heart of the garden were the Inu no Taishou and Hisano exchanging final words of thanks. Beside their respective fathers were Sesshoumaru and Kikumo, who looked incredibly beautiful in layered robes and her long hair spilling freely down her back. Kikyou raised her hand and with trembling fingers touched the painted figure of the Demon Princess, the shadow of her hand falling over the slightly smiling face.

Asagao's face became dark. Her features knotted into an expression of pure hatred.

"Your husband was a fool," she said to Kikyou, her true abhorrence unleashed. Kikyou shifted her line of vision at once to the demoness, and she was taken aback at the hateful words and fearful expression.

"Sesshoumaru was a fool," Asagao repeated, walking in deliberate steps towards Kikyou. Rin gasped and sought refuge behind her foster mother, who looked back unflinchingly at the she-youkai. Soon, Kikyou stood face-to-face with Asagao, who had neared her face so close to hers that the former priestess can feel her angry breath. "That scene never happened in real life, Kikyou; it is merely symbolic. But who is to deny that the Kikumo-hime was a wonderful person?

I was her friend, and I know of her feelings for your mate...the same feelings that inspired her to help him in her father's stead. And what had he done to repay her? Abandoned... rejected... for a low-class human Priestess that is you!"

Asagao broke off, but the ferocity in her eyes was still present. Rin was crying softly, but Kikyou looked back coldly at the demoness without a trace of fright.

"Asagao, I am displeased at the way you treat our guests," a soft but commanding female voice floated into the corridor, making them all look in its direction. Rin immediately stopped crying upon seeing the kind-looking, sympathetic emerald orbs looking her way. It must be the Queen, Isamu's wife.

Kikyou found herself looking back at the painting of Kikumo then at the regal woman standing at the end of the corridor with a sleeping baby wrapped up in her arms. The Demon Lady's hair was a wavy auburn, and her face was slightly rounder than Kikumo's. But those emerald pools...they had the same eyes.

"Lady Umegae," Asagao muttered, stepping aside and bowing deeply to the other youkai.

Umegae glanced at her lady-in-waiting with a disappointed expression, but she smiled congenially at Kikyou and Rin whilst bowing her head slightly in their direction.

"I apologize for my lady-in-waiting's behavior," she said, "I never wanted you to be treated that way. Asagao, you can leave us for now. I shall call on you when I need you." Asagao mumbled a slightly incoherent reply, but she bowed once more to acknowledge the order and turned to walk away.

Once Asagao was out of sight, Umegae sighed sadly but her eyes were bright and friendly when she beheld her human guests.

"Let's not stay here, Lady Kikyou," she said, smiling. "Come with me; your weariness will be eased soon."

...o0o...

"Asagao birthed me and my sister," the young Queen explained. By now they were in the topmost level of the fortress. This floor, they learned, was ever-changing unlike the previous ones. It had undergone many changes depending on the taste of the Royal family's generation. At present, the level was like a gallery of medicinal plants, both painted and real with descriptions on their virtues written in ink and paper beside them.

The royal quarters themselves were spacious and elegant, adorned with many fresh flowers and other live plants that gave the room a lovely fragrance. A balcony offered a breathtaking view of the Borderlands, and for the time being they sat there and enjoyed the cool day. "She's not normally that way. I honestly don't see why she chose to spite you so."

"Let the matter rest, Lady Umegae," Kikyou said, rather embarrassed. Umegae was probably going through so much trouble on her behalf. "I know the memory of the Princess Kikumo will forever haunt your people..."

At the mention of Kikumo, a mysterious smile appeared on Umegae's face.

"She's my older sister," Umegae said softly.

Kikyou's eyes flitted to the demon lady's face, trying to find a comparison, but she was careful not to stare too much to the point of being rude. No wonder she thought those deep green eyes looked so familiar...

"I am sorry for..." Kikyou whispered.

"Oh Lady Kikyou, whatever are you asking forgiveness for?" Umegae said, breaking her off, a curious look in her emerald eyes. "You have done no wrong to Oneesama. She is no longer in these lands...I doubt you have even met her."

Kikyou then realized that the tidings of her sister's death had not yet reached the Shikayoukai Queen's ears, and it grieved her that she had to be the one to do so...for she had been with Kikumo in her final moments.

"You must have heard about the Shikon no Tama..." Kikyou said.

"Indeed I have," Umegae replied. "It caused quite a stir among us, but its popularity in the West is but brief." After a while of silence, she looked at Kikyou knowingly. "You must be the Priestess..."

"Indeed I was," Kikyou answered. She proceeded to tell the story of Naraku and his treacheries, how he managed to kill her...of the breaking of the Shikon jewel and the gathering of its shards...how she was resurrected thanks to sorcery...how she crossed paths with Sesshoumaru and Kikumo.

"Sesshoumaru and I came across her outside the West," she explained, choosing her words carefully. "She helped us vanquish our common enemy, but she died doing so..."

This latest news had a great effect on Umegae. A depressed expression spread over her face, and she looked inside the room where Rin was playing with her little daughter. Full youkai children, as Kikyou and Rin were to learn, had a faster rate of development than human babies. For a baby born the night before, little Yanagi, as Umegae and Isamu had named her, was already very active. Though she couldn't crawl or sit up yet, her eyes (which were as green as Kikumo's and Umegae's) were fully open and her small arms energetically reached out to Rin when she tickled her.

"Kikumo-oneesama was like a mother to me," Umegae said softly, returning her gaze back to Kikyou. She ran her long-fingered hands over the fabric of her robes. She wore layered robes much like what human princesses of those days wore, complete with a shawl of a rich shell-and-wave brocade pattern. But Kikyou was to learn later that Umegae preferred simpler kimonos with only a few layers to those elaborate robes.

Kikyou was surprised at this. She recalled Mizutori's vision, and if her memory had not failed her, Hisano's wife and the mother of his two daughters, Azami, was still alive even after the Lady Hanazuki died.

"My sister was far older than I," Umegae continued. "She was already in her late adolescent years by the time I was born, which was a couple of years before the War of Revenge against the Cat Clan, that which your Lord Sesshoumaru won. Our father, for some reason, fell into some kind of sickness. It is rare for youkai to succumb to disease, and not even our extensive knowledge of herbs can cure him. He died, but not without cutting off his antlers at deathbed and having the Hiroko Kama made out of them."

The Hiroko Kama was Kikumo's main weapon. It had the ability to transform into a koto and back to its live blade naginata form upon her command. It was with its amazing and mysterious powers that she managed to restore Sesshoumaru's missing left limb.

"The Hiroko Kama was probably the most marvelous weapon of our craft," her voice wafted over Kikyou's musings, "that which has been lost to us since my sister left. It was made for Oneesama specifically. Father clearly knew of her skill with the naginata and the koto."

"Do you share her interest in those fields?" Kikyou asked her.

Umegae let out a pleasant laugh. "Ah, Lady Kikyou, we differ in that aspect. I have a kind of fear for the blade, and my fingers were not quite able to take the strain of koto strings. I prefer the samisen, in fact. But back to the story, my mother was devastated with his death. She was pregnant with me when Father died, and I heard she never got over the depression. She died in childbirth, leaving Oneesama to care for me alone."

A thoughtful silence followed. The baby in her womb began to kick from within, and Kikyou gently patted her belly slightly. That must be hard for Umegae...growing up without her parents...

"Oh, you are to have a child!" Umegae said brightly, observing Kikyou's actions. Kikyou looked surprised but she nodded. She hadn't come across a person aside from Hanazuki who was able to notice her pregnancy at first glance. Umegae happened to read her thoughts, for she said, "I am skilled as a healer, and even before I had Yanagi I seldom made a mistake in spotting a pregnancy." She chuckled. "But to experience it is some other matter, right?"

"How right you are!" Kikyou found herself finding someone she can relate with in her condition. "But it is joyful at the same time...somehow."

Umegae nodded in agreement, once more looking at her baby. Rin was gently patting the soft fawn strands of Yanagi's hair, and the baby's deer ears twitched as she cooed her pleasure.

"Kikumo-oneesama was very kind to me," she said, sighing. "She should have been our Queen, but she postponed her taking of the throne as long as she can, so she can be a good sister, mother and father to me. But there came the war renewed..."

"And she marched alongside Sesshoumaru in battle," Kikyou muttered with understanding.

"Yes. And after that, things changed. She left the West without even telling me a word about her whereabouts. Not that I will understand them, anyway...I was still a child then."

"You must have heard Asagao earlier..." Kikyou said, uncertain on how to phrase her thoughts.

Umegae looked at Kikyou with an unreadable expression in her emerald eyes. "I must admit, Lady Kikyou, that what I heard did not fail to baffle me. I never knew my sister loved Sesshoumaru-sama."

"It's a complicated story," Kikyou answered. "But the reason why Kikumo left the West was because Sesshoumaru broke her heart. Later, it turned out that he did love her back...but our enemy manipulated them to hate each other. My heart turned to Sesshoumaru at that time, and his to mine. Oh please, Lady Umegae, I didn't mean to steal her happiness..."

"Lady Kikyou, don't blame yourself for my sister's demise," Umegae said in such a comforting and understanding tone that undid Kikyou completely. "Although there is so much that I don't understand, the mere fact that Oneesama allowed you two to be together already spoke much. If there is indeed such a thing as destiny, it just so happens that Kikumo-oneesama was never really Sesshoumaru-sama's destiny."

"I wish it was as simple as that," Kikyou whispered dejectedly.

"Someday, I would like to hear the story in full," Umegae said, aware that her companion was extremely upset at the thought that she stood between the son of the inuyoukai and the daughter of the shikayoukai. "But now is not that time. We left off at the time after Kikumo-oneesama left these lands. Our clan was left without a true ruler. There was no choice for me but to be Queen, for I was the only surviving member of the Royal family. And so I took the crown, but one of my father's advisers ruled the kingdom for me until I was old enough."

"It is a good thing you live in a peaceful society," Kikyou said. "It must not be that hard to maintain order among your people."

At this statement, Umegae let out a sigh. She ran her hand over her rich auburn locks, adjusting the circlet which served as her crown, the same one which many generations of Shikayoukai Queens have worn. In truth, the circlet was of the sort that hugs the head at the sides rather than a ring fully encircling the crown of the head. Attached to this circlet was a lightweight structure that looked like the ribs of an open fan, and viewed from the front the wearer looked as though she had a radiating halo at the back of her head.

"Is that how the beings of the outside world view us deer youkai?" she said. "Although I am pleased that you think of us as nonviolent, nothing could be further from the truth. We seldom fight with rival youkai clans indeed, choosing diplomacy instead of war. But within our own clan...ah, you have no idea how ruthless our society can get."

"Ruthless?"

"Lady Kikyou, the most common problem I face as their ruler is regarding rivalries among shikayoukai families. One wants to dominate another in every way possible. Even the Royal family is not spared, though from our elevated shelf we are granted some respite. When I was old enough to be mated, a fierce fight broke out among my potential suitors. You see, some of them are just pawns to the families they belonged to."

"And Isamu was the victorious one, isn't he?"

Umegae let out a chuckle, but her smile was rather sad. "In a way. But actually, I chose him. You may think that is a perfectly fine way to end the dispute, but to the Deer youkai, my action was rather unacceptable. Normally, there is no 'choice.' The males would have to fight each other unto death, and the one left standing gets the right to mate. But I loved Isamu, so I went ahead and told them my intentions."

Kikyou smiled at her companion's bold action. "It must have been a shock to them."

"You have no idea. Isamu was my childhood friend, but as the over-all Lord of the Shikayoukai he had to work very hard to earn acceptance. Many of his jealous rivals tried to overthrow him even after we were mated, and much to his dislike our advisers made him take the usual action of previous shikayoukai lords when faced with such matters..."

"And that is...?"

"Total annihilation."

A stunned silence fell over Kikyou. She was perplexed to find out that Sesshoumaru's opinion was strongly accepted within the ranks of the shikayoukai. To him, diplomacy was painstaking and impractical compared to the swifter yet bloodier alternative of total annihilation. Sesshoumaru believed that victory was only when the enemy was vanquished through and through, and even if he took Kikyou as his mate he never wavered in that belief of his.

"Somehow, I don't believe that is the right thing to do," Umegae said. "He is a gentle man, and so is my sister. A part of me is quite happy that she never became Queen. She wouldn't have survived something like this..." She sighed.

Kikyou sighed as well. Kikumo had tried to be hateful to Sesshoumaru by allying herself to Naraku, but in the end her true nature prevailed. She was truly a kind yet fragile person. And a person like that would find life in such society unbearable.

Unconsciously, she reached within her sleeve and fished out the jade hair stick which Kikumo had given to her moments before her death. Umegae appeared to recognize the hair stick at once, for she gasped, "That's Oneesama's!"

"She gave it to me before she died," Kikyou said softly. Fingering the slender jade carefully, she held it out to Umegae, saying, "But I think it would be better returned to you, Lady Umegae. You are, after all, her sister..."

But Umegae smiled and gently pushed Kikyou's hand which held the hair stick away. "Although I am sorry that the Hiroko Kama is lost forever, I suggest that you keep my sister's relic," said she.

"But..."

"She gave it to you, Lady Kikyou. She meant you to have it."

Seeing that Umegae was sincere in her wish that she should keep the hair stick, Kikyou returned the object back to her sleeve with a slight smile on her lips. She looked at Umegae, and the demoness' smile widened as she nodded. She was so alike her sister, yet so different...

"Please don't address me as a lady," Kikyou said. "I am only a human..."

"You are Lord Sesshoumaru's mate," Umegae replied. "It doesn't matter if you're a human. You don't even have to address me as a Queen for that matter."

After thinking for some time and watching Rin and Yanagi playing nearby, Kikyou finally had an idea.

"Maybe we can call each other as friends," she said.

Umegae appeared pleased. "I would like that, indeed."

She held out her hand, and Kikyou shook it. And so began the friendship of the Queen of the Deer Demons and the former Priestess, the first of its kind in many a long time.

...o0o...

'Foolish talk,' Asagao thought to herself. She can clearly hear the conversation of her mistress with her human guest on the balcony from her quarters in the fourth level, which was built that way primarily so she can immediately cater to the needs of the Queen if she called.

Deciding that Umegae probably won't summon her in a while, Asagao stood up and walked out of her chambers. Traversing the intricate passages, she broke free of the fortress and out to the open courtyard beyond.

A barely discernible shadow passed among the plants, and she stopped to listen. She knew they were there. They were around. Could the Queen or the former miko sense them by now? Hopefully not.

Taking in a deep breath, Asagao went back in and fetched a blank scroll of paper. She ground some ink on water until she thought she had the right consistency. Now that she had what she needed, she dipped a brush in ink began to write.

Since the rain had started falling, the water within the moat had swelled. To get rid of this excess water, one has to...

...o0o...

What do you think Asagao is doing? ;P Find out in Chapter 14! Please pray that I won't be too ill to finish this fic! T.T

Cold Kikyo: Poor Kiky indeed. At least Umegae and Rin somehow make her feel at home, ne? ;P

Gossamer Wind: You reading my mind? ;P Well, that is not exactly how it will go, but you're getting the hang of it...

The East Wind Melts the Ice: The war will end soon, but there will bea lot of action, I tell you!

blackwater-fever: Hanazuki and Kikumo are my favorites among my invented characters. :)

fullmoon590: Indeed. A little Sesshy playing with his mommy is POLES away from the Sesshoumaru wielding Toukijin... o.o

xXx: Aaaw, thanks so much!

Water Faerie: I hope you liked Umegae!