I Do Not Own InuYasha


Aienkien

合縁奇縁

A couple strangely but happily united;

Uncanny relationship formed by a quirk of Fate;

The mysteries of attraction and relationships or bonds between people


II: 12


Year 1308...

Somewhere in Kyoto, Japan...

Rin had her hair braided, and the early morning light was peaking out when she was intercepted by Izayoi.

"The men have gone out for a bit, we should gather supplies before they return," Izayoi informed her softly.

"Supplies?"

"I have been unable to cultivate a proper herb garden and there are many herbs that grow wild," Izayoi chuckled.

"Ah, I know that well," Rin chuckled as they walked softly through the compound.

"Yes, well, we will be going out with Daisuke," she said.

"Very well," she nodded.

"Perhaps today you may teach me that salve for inuyōkai claws," Izayoi said brightly.

"I might," she agreed as they walked. Rin didn't know if she could or should teach that to Izayoi, for there were many reasons not to, but she could admit there was an appeal. She would need information on the Taijiya village before heading out and she knew to get that she would have to become comfortable amongst these humans, which was hard to do, Takemaru's mere presence unsettled her. Rin had always had nightmares of Takemaru, especially after seeing the dead human attempting to cleave her head from her body, she had never seen a human filled with such hatred.

"It will be nice to leave the compound for a little while," Izayoi said.

"Yes," Rin smiled in agreement.

It was when the rain wasn't quite so heavy that they were finally able to leave. It took a short ride to get to where Izayoi wanted to go, which was surprisingly near the river; or what she had termed, the border. Rin slid off her horse as she left Izayoi talking to Daisuke. The young man was very kind, even handsome for a human, he was very enthusiastic too, which was a different mindset than what Rin was accustomed to from humans. Then again, at Kimi's shiro there'd always been eager attendants who enjoyed Rin's company, human or not.

Crouching by the river Rin examined a few of the herbs that Izayoi wanted when she heard it. A small twig snap which had her spinning around just in time to block the sword. She had Bakusaiga out which had her staring at him again, he snarled as he used his weight and height to throw her back, his mokomoko knocking the wind from her lungs as she hit the tree. Gasping she clawed at the wrist pinning her as he leveled Sō'unga to her nose.

"RIN!" Izayoi shouted, and Rin watched just in time as Tōga released her to turn to cut the other's down, exposing his mokomoko to her. He slashed down Daisuke before the human could make a move, he gasped as he lay there gurgling in his blood; not dead but missing his sword arm. Tōga had turned now, focusing his attentions on Izayoi who was trying to back away, Rin knew he didn't know about his True Mate and knew he'd do something he'd regret if she didn't stop him right now! Rin had the kaiken in her hand and she slammed it into his upper shoulder blade; through his mokomoko too, the mokomoko convulsed as he cried out, dropping her, which had her gasping violently for air as she grabbed Bakusaiga and spun between him and Izayoi.

"You think you can hurt me, human?" he snarled.

"I just did, back up," she ordered kicking Sō'unga from the ground and into the river. Tōga's left hand twitched and Rin would guess she had hit a sever bundle of nerves as his arm hung there limply. "My lady, come take Daisuke, return to Setsuna; now!" she ordered.

"Rin…" Izayoi started.

"Go now!" Rin ordered. "You move I will skewer you, Inu no Taishō," Rin warned lowly as she stood ready to attack. Izayoi got Daisuke on his horse and was running off when Rin relaxed a little.

"You cannot stand against me human," he sneered.

"I am, right this minute," she warned.

"And what makes you think you will remain standing, after I kill you I will destroy the woman!" he snarled lowly.

"Why are you like this!?" she snapped standing up. "WHY! What did I ever do to you!? I'm only here to save your son; you ignorant lout!" she shrieked.

"What?" he snarled lowly, his amber eyes narrowing. Stalking forward her temper running hot she yanked her kaiken from his back, which had him roaring before she kicked his knee.

"I am here to save my lord, your son, you idiot!" she hissed.

"You're human, you cannot save anyone," he sneered.

Growling she grabbed his pointy ear, twisting as she yanked him down to her level. "Listen well Tōga, I do not have time for your alpha male bullshit, I do not serve you, I do not cower should you strike at me, and I will not waver, I am here to save your son before he ceases to exist!"

"What?"

"My Sesshōmaru-sama was cursed by Magatsuhi! Do You Understand What That Means!?" she growled icily.

Now Tōga flinched as he pulled away from her. She huffed as she stalked away from him, she would return to Setsuna, find a map, get to the Shikon no Tama before she killed Tōga by accident. The lout was infuriating in the short time she had had to deal with him.

"That's not possible," Tōga said.

"Not yet," she replied as she spun on the massive Inu Daiyōkai. "It has not happened yet, but it will, and if I don't figure out how to undo it, he's not dead, he ceases to be!"

"Why you?"

"You tell me!" she snapped pulling out the accursed pearl she hadn't been able to remove from her throat since pulling it on. "You gave this to me! It dragged me into Honekui no Ido! It's Why I'm Here! So Tell Me Why You Did This!"

Tōga moved towards her, which had her lifting the kaiken threateningly, but he held his hands up nonthreateningly as he moved towards her, carefully lifting the pearl to be examined.


Tōga finally assessed the female before him, she was glaring, not submitting or lowering her kaiken; which she kept poised to strike. His shoulder and mokomoko could still feel the effects of her strike, and it hurt, his arm was useless as it healed. Reaching out he carefully took the pearl in his claws and let it rest on his palm. He was a bit stunned the human wasn't cowering in fear, but then he had always known this particular little human was peculiar. The girl's eyes were defiant and her fury at him was almost tangible.

"This is a kuroshinju," he said.

"I'm aware," she replied blandly.

"You said I gave this to you?"

"You left it for me, though why I do not know!" she hissed grabbing it back and stepping away, her kaiken never now; she was on defense.

Tōga stared at the human, the woman he had always sought to destroy. Since his time in his father's palace he remembered the fate to be bestowed upon his bloodline and he despised it. It was why he had sought to eliminate his son's human mate. Not only that, it was an insult to him that his son should be bound to those who wanted to eliminate their kind, and yet, this human.

He had seen her a handful of times over the past centuries, and she had never wavered. She had never bowed, never submitted, even when he had made her, she had merely looked at him with this sad, defiant, knowing look which had infuriated him. But this look, the look she was giving him right this minute, it was different, it was determination, it was fury, it was passion and faith; she had faith for whatever reason.

"I would never leave something so valuable to a human," he sneered.

"Well you did! Why!? What is this thing! And Why Did It Bring Me Here!" she demanded. "WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME!" she screamed.

"I want you to release your hold on my son and never return!" he seethed. "I want your death!"

"My lord has never told me to leave and he would destroy all if I perished without permission. He'd be gravely insulted," she snapped as she folded her arms and gave him a vicious glare rather reminiscent of his son.

"If what you say is true, and he has indeed been marked by Magatsuhi then it is too late," Tōga muttered. He knew of the evil within that accursed jewel everyone so desired, he knew the power within it too; though it meant little to someone of his callibur.

"It isn't too late, I was told to speak to Naohi," she snapped furiously.

"The evil within that jewel is all consuming, it is the power to devour a daiyōkai, to drain them of all their power," he snapped.

"I am aware!" she countered. "I know all about that accursed gem, it is the cause of much misery from my era," she stated.

"You truly…?"

"I am not from now," she stated firmly. "I am most certainly not from now," she snapped.

"How do you know?" he sneered. The concept of time was so minuscule in a human life and he frowned at the idea of one actually travelling through it. There were a few rare yōkai who could, they loved to create little spots where time would trap a human; and slowly devour the soul of a human. Occasionally they would trap a yōkai or daiyōkai, usually the time loop they created was inescapable.

"Because you are here," she stated. "When I am from you son is my lord and he is the Inu no Tashio of my era, he is the greatest Inu no Taishō to ever lead," she growled lowly.

"You know this?" he whispered.

"I know this," she agreed.

"What else do you know?" he asked.

"A great many things but I am not here to indulge you, I am here to save my lord," she snapped furiously. He felt like he was being chided by Kimi herself, the woman looked so disdainful and regal, yet not overbearing. Tōga turned his thoughts over carefully.

Tōga had always loved Sesshōmaru, Sesshōmaru was his pride, his joy, even if he could not indulge the pup. The pup was a warrior, a leader, a conqueror which was something to be proud of. And even now Sesshōmaru's own growing power outclassed Tōga's, he could feel that, and he could feel his son's restless desire to challenge him for the position of Inu no Tashio, but hadn't. Why Sesshōmaru hadn't challenged was something Tōga couldn't figure out.

Looking at this human though he was pretty certain he knew what was driving his son.

Over the centuries he had scorned the mere idea that a human was his son's True Mate, he had scoffed at the idea of his progeny being the child cursed in a cycle of reincarnation and doomed to love a human. Tōga had taken it upon himself to teach the boy that humans were nothing, they were mere insects of life, they did not mean anything. Tōga would not let his progeny be bound to the prophecy of that human miko, Midoriko was not all knowing.

"I will aid you," he said carefully.

"But?" the girl snarled lowly, her brow arching in a most Sesshōmaru like manner.

"But I want to know everything," he said firmly.

The girl mulled this over, she held up her kaiken when he moved towards her to inspect her fang. He had seen the fang over the centuries, he wanted to truly examine it! Such power, a human shouldn't wield it. However, the kaiken at his throat had him not moving to examine the fang.

"Very well, but if you betray me I will damn destiny and fate and kill you myself," she snarled.

"He is my son," he said.

She snorted. "That never seemed to mean much to you," she sneered stalking off after her lady. "I will meet you here in the morning," she said dismissively.

He growled wanting to run after her and remind her who the alpha was.


Tsuzuki Castle, Shikoku InuYōkai Pack Territory, Japan...

Sesshōmaru slipped from the endless court proceedings, he was still apologizing for running from a diplomatic mission, and Tsukuyomaru took great pleasure in Sesshōmaru's discomfort about the situation he found himself in. Now he and Tsukuyomaru were walking the shiro's gardens. Sesshōmaru's mother had the most impressive gardens of any daiyōkai, she was truly the envy of the land. He had heard rumors of his grandmother's envy of his mother's gardens. The Yuan Empire though had never seen his mother's gardens before these past few years, which was decades after their initial invasion, so he didn't know if there was much truth in their words.

Personally, Sesshōmaru had always found life in the court and shiro stifling, it was a match of wits and words, for which he found tedious. In a place where no one ever said what they meant or meant what they said he had decided silence was his best tool. Being silent took little effort, and it made it all the more crippling when he said what he needed to say. It was a boring. He longed for the days of battle, where there was always a need to be alive, to do something, or he longed for the days he traveled with Rin and every day was an adventure simply because the human did not know how to live life with stillness. He loved that about his mate, she was such a wild, lively, loving woman; more so than any human or yōkai he had ever encountered. She was a creature that loved life, and after having run around with her and having fought side by side with her, he found the life in court stifling and boring. Not to mention his father's endless parade of possible 'mates' or 'courtesans'; Sesshōmaru understood the need to make these alliances but he didn't understand how him having a bedmate made them happen; especially because he already had a True Mate. He wanted none other than his Rin.

He especially did not wish to deal with the Yuan Princess his grandfather and grandmother had sent to his mother's court!

So, he was a bit relieved to be walking out in the gardens now, rather than rehashing the victory he had helped with over the Mongol forces which attempted to invade decades ago. The only good thing about the Mongol Invasion was meeting another Daiyōkai Heir who understood what was expected of them.

Tsukuyomaru was perhaps, other than Rin or A-Un, the closest thing to a friend Sesshōmaru had.

"She's returned," Tsukuyomaru chuckled.

Sesshōmaru said nothing. Tsukuyomaru had always despised humans for their weakness, but he had never been so set in his mind that he held Sesshōmaru's mate's race against her. Rin had bested Tsukuyomaru repeatedly at igo, since then Rin had kept Tsukuyomaru's respect.

"You should go see her," Tsukuyomaru said.

Sesshōmaru didn't reveal a thing though.

"It is good she's returned, I demand a rematch, and possibly a practice, she is a formidable human, very impressive, you've chosen well," Tsukuyomaru said. "I will distract the other ladies who are awaiting to shower you with praises for your valor in the war," he chuckled.

"You could just say you wanted the females," Sesshōmaru said.

"Yes, but with you around I could never get them," the bat cackled.

Sesshōmaru refrained from rolling his eyes but quickly took to the skies, darting through them as he tracked down Rin's scent. She was heading for that human compound which had him snatching her up when she had almost reached the humans she was staying with right then. He perched them in a tree, he had her cradled against his chest, and she looked startled as she clung to his heavy armor.

"Sesshōmaru!" she squeaked.

"Rin," he greeted.

"What are you doing!? I need to get back!" she hissed.

He chuckled as he traced his nose along her cheekbone, reveling in her familiar scent. She still smelt innocent, which was new, and enticing, her scent was so pure and clean, none of him clinging to her yet.

"You are being most strange my lord," she hissed.


Year 1581...

Edo, Japan...

Sesshōmaru stared balefully at Tōtōsai and Myōga, waiting for the old fools to speak. He remembered that his infinite patience was needed when handling them. Rin had been the one to tell him that he would never achieve anything if he did not have patience and hold his temper. Right now, though the desire to let his light whip and poison fly loose to destroy all them was too tempting; especially right at this moment. Rin was in danger, Rin was missing, Rin was injured, his temper was running thin right now as he glared at them.

There were times that he needed to have patience; this would be one of those times; he could sense that.

"And what do you have to tell me?" he asked icily. He was tempted to tear them apart, though he knew that would not answer anything to happen in his mate.

"The final will of Tōga," Tōtōsai said sitting as he produced an ancient scroll.

"To My Eldest Son,

"I bequeath you nothing for you have far surpassed whatever I could give to you, but impart you with a small comfort for the coming centuries…"

Sesshōmaru's eyes narrowed then. Centuries!?

Rin did not have centuries! She didn't have tomorrow if she didn't come through that well soon! He could still scent her pain and her blood and it was driving him insane waiting for her.

"There are no words to convey the depths of my regrets, my son, for from before the time you were sired I had fought to keep a fate befalling you that was not mine to stop. And it was never mine to control, so I plead, and beg for your forgiveness…"