Those nights that never end
Whatever Kagome heard about Lord Sesshomaru whether at home or during her journey was definitely an understatement.
He stood at the middle of his council: Tall, Regal. He instantly inspired reverence and respect in people who meet him. The man didn't demand attention, it spontaneously flew to him.
Despite that, he had a bit of hardness to him, a darkness even though well reigned could be unleashed anytime.
There was a difference, a stark difference between him and Inuyasha that was evident when they stood in proximity.
The hairline, the ears , almost their entire faces looked similar.
It was all in the eyes though.
Sesshomaru inherited his mother's eyes .. sharp, confident and resolute, hawkish but Inuyasha had his mother's soft eyes, pigeon eyes you could call them.
'His arm' Kagome's eyes widened as she realised, Lord Sesshomaru has lost an arm.
Their introduction was curt, He welcomed his guests and that is it. Soon enough they left.
The one thing Kagome couldn't shake off that evening was the smug look on Inuyasha's face as she knealt in Sesshomaru's presence.
"His arm? what happened to his arm?" Kagome asked Kaede as soon as they were dismissed.
"It had to be cut off, after a particularly nasty injury"
"During his battles with Naraku."
"No ... Long before. In fact, Lord Sesshomaru was on good terms with Naraku before he attacked Taijiya"
"That is why he is reluctant to start a war with him, to retrieve Kikyo and Kohaku?"
"In part … he wants to negotiate first "
"I thought Lord Sesshomaru was quite an inept fighter"
"Inept. That is an understatement." Sango now interjected "Even with a single arm, he is a formidable opponent. He has tactic and discipline .. masterclass warrior"
"His father conquered the east, he conquered the western lands. He used to fight and fight, conquest after another" Kaede continued "Infact he used to be insatiable but something in his heart changed"
"After his injury?"
"No, long after. When His father died, then his wife. He became more ... more lenient you could say, more patient. He still fights and he still wants to conquer the entire land but he now knows it needs more than just the brutality of the sword to win."
"And Inuyasha?" Kagome tried to sound casual, infact she really found it weird why her mind incessantly returned back to the idiot.
"A mighty warrior as well, stubborn and fierce but he lacks his brother's insight"
"They are so dissimilar, aren't they?"
"You can say that" Sango said "Until it comes to pride and arrogance, they are definitely more than similar in that category"
"Agreed" Kaede nodded.
"But they never clash together, do they?"
"Clash?!" Both Sango and Kaede laughed "Put them alone together in a room for more than ten minutes and they will tear each other apart"
"I thought they loved each other, after all they work together & the future of this kingdom depends on it"
"We don't know if they love each other or not. They are always antagonistic due to a lot of factors .. the rivalry between them, between both their mothers. It is complicated to say the least. But We trust them; they are good rulers. Besides, their mothers and themselves respect Lord Inutaisho's legacy. We all do so we doubt they would do anything stupid to destroy this legacy. They all know better than this."
"I hope so, Kaede. I hope they do."
It is the pale young Kanna who brings her the meals. This Kanna, Kikyo notes is younger than her, younger than Kaede even, yet there was something old in her gaze, something borderline cruel as though she witnessed more terror than one her age should do.
Naraku has stopped coming to see her and it was quite the relief. This girl is quiet .. suspicious and creepy yet anybody, absolutely anybody is better than him.
"I brought you your meal"
"Thank you."
The girl set the tray on the table, staring sharply at her.
"Do you know who am I, Lady Kikyo?"
"I know that your name is Kanna, that is as much as you told me"
The girl smiled at her .. a smile she couldn't decipher. Was it genuine? Was she mocking her?
"He has sisters you know, One captive and I am the other one."
Kikyo didn't know what to say.
"Riddle me this Kikyo, Why do you think he urged me to bring you your meals instead of himself? Why doesn't he let any maid or any guard deliver them in his stead, our stead?
You have a long time to figure out the answer. Meanwhile, You previously asked about your companion, the boy KohaKu. He is fine. I will try to see if a reunion between the both of you could be arranged perhaps"
"What brings you here, Lord Sesshomaru?" Her Voice is amused, straddling the line between a purr and a laugh.
Stoic.
Kagura rises from her chair, facing him, looking him eye to eye. Sesshomaru intrigues her. He is stone, as sturdy as a mountain but her eyes are fire and she is the wind, unpredictable, one moment gentle , the other a destructive force but all in all, the mountain challenges her and she must try to shake him with her might.
She is a head shorter than him, her hair is uncharacteristically short, shorter than any of the women in the Harem. There is a certain measure of slyness in her features, the sleekiness of a feline in how she moves.
Internally, Sesshomaru finds it both amusing and disturbing.
"Your brother gave no response, yet. He received our messenger, sent him back alive."
"And what do I have to do with this?"
"You know your brother best. What do you think he means?"
"He means well" she replied non-chalantly.
"Fine"
Sesshomaru doesn't press for answers. She figures out this is how he functions, very little words, no gestures at all.
And, she wasn't used to that.
Kagura prided herself in her ability to get a rise out of anyone. But upto this point, Sesshomaru gives no impressions at all.
She tries to take a step towards him, extend her hands a little, crane her neck .. her gaze softens a considerable deal.
He takes a step back, his expression as unreadable as ever.
He turns to the door
"What was she like? Your late wife."
He doesn't stop. he keeps walking, steadily towards the door.
"He will never give back,Kikyo" She speaks.
He turns his head to her, the corners of his mouth almost tilts and she doesn't know if it is victory, amusement or gloat., but he stops anyway and she considers this a small victory.
"Kohaku, maybe. but Kikyo. I don't know. It is complicated. It would be easier to let him forsake his soul, his own heart rather than Kikyo. In fact, he might just Kill her if he senses he will lose her to you or Inuyasha"
He murmurs something that sounds like "Petty or Pity" she can't make it out.
"Not even for you" he resumes.
"Naraku isn't very fond of me"
"I see"
He now keeps walking towards the door.
"you haven't answered my question yet"
He doesn't stop this time, not until he is out ofthe prisoner's room
'Sara Asano was nothing like you'
Kagome wakes up to the sound of clashing swords and the sounds of a shouting man shaking the walls of the entire Harem around.
She rushes outside to the main Hall, it is a commotion out there. Kaede & Sango stare at her pointedly from across. Miroku tries to disband the staring women . It is Inuyasha who is shouting at Lord Sesshomaru. He is shaking and tumbling around unsteadily, sword in Hand.
His other hand was bleeding.
Kagome doesn't know if he is inebriated or merely angry.
"Hear me, Sesshomaru. We will mobillise our troops to fetch Kikyo whether you like it or not"
Lord sesshomaru doesn't answer him. he smiles instead wrily at him.
"You listen to me, Pompous fool. These negotiations you are going through, these fool's play, shove them down your throat. I will take no more of them"
"That is why you are a disappointment, Inuyasha. You let your heart get the best of you in all the wrong ways"
"At least, I have a heart. Do i need to remind you of all the arocities you have done before you decided to wear the sheep's skin, Sesshomaru? Do I? Your father in law's kingdom? Drop the pacifist act and the 'unnecessary bloodshed speech'. I know better than that."
Miroku decided it is time to to step between both brothers before it escalates furthermore. Sesshomaru was already starting to entertain Inuyasha and speak back and that isn't a good sign.
"Or perhaps, you are starting to like the prisoner. I hear you take quite the nightly excursions to her room."
"Enough" Lady Inutaisho entered. The scene before her was a mess, and anger was evident in her eyes.
"Sesshomaru, Follow me, now"
Lord Sesshomaru's eyes travelled between his mother and Inuyasha.
"Please, sir" Miroku pleaded ..
He was starting to move at last behind his mother
"Follow your mother like the lost puppy you .." and before he could finish, Lady Izaiyou's hand struck him across his face.
The woman was panting whether it was fraility or anger, one couldn't know and momentarily all the anger in Inuyasha's eyes morphed to shock then realisation.
"Apologise, now"
"I ..."
"And put down this sword. You don't deserve to hold it."
"Mother"
"You father ordered this sword be forged to you to protect this house , those lands.. everybody in them. Me, Lady Inutaisho and your brother not to use it against us"
The woman was now coughing. It was obvious that she needed to go back to her room.
"I am sorry, Mother. I truly am"
"Lady Izaiyou should return to her Chamber" Lady Inutaisho instructed "Miroku .. See to that"
"Sango, a hand please" He smiled innocently
There was no escape.
"And you, go clean your wounds" she sniggered towards Inuyasha.
Lord Sesshomaru tried to flee the entire scene now that it seemed sorted but he couldn't.
"Follow me, I said"
'So, Inuyasha is in love with Kikyo' Kagome mused.
Kagome could hear a slew of expletives as she & Kaede followed Inuyasha outside.
"You shouldn't have done that" Kaede admonished
"Shut up, Kaede"
"Your hand is bleeding, let me see" Kagome offered up her hand to him
His eyes widened and a myriad of feelings flew across his face: Anger, annoyment then curiosity
"I don'.."
Kaede yanked his hand as he yelled "Ouch.."
"It will need stitching" Kagome and Kaede agreed.
"How could it be that you got involved in a fight with that idiot? And here of all places, at midnight of all time" Lady Inutaisho fumed "What are you, children?!"
"He was the one who crossed my way. I only came here to see you and Rin"
"Crossed your way?! Sesshomaru, you weren't even close to my chambers or Rin's. In fact, you were coming out of the prisoner's room, weren't you? Is it true?! is it true what the idiot said? Huh"
"Mother .."
"Listen to me. You are a grown up man, I understand. I tried to pair you up with lady Kikyo but both of you weren't interested. That's fine. but don't get yourself involved with the prisoner. It is deep trouble. "
"I can't believe you have given Inuyasha's words any weight"
"I haven't. but I know you well as I knew your father well."
He kept eyeing her warily the entire time as she and Kaede stitched his wounds
"I resemble her too much?"
"Hardly"
Kaede made sure to press a little bit more on his palm.
He hissed.
"So, he managed to wound you even with a single arm." Kaede teased
"It wasn't him"
"This isn't bringing her Back, Inuyasha"
"Kaede .."
"Inuyasha, Fighting among ourselves will not bring her back. Sesshomaru is trying, you know"
"And he is failing."
"You can't assume that just yet."
"What if he hurts her, Kaede? what if he does?"
"And what if he do? What if he do once he hears we are moving against him? you never considered that, did you?"
"We have a hostage"
"Inuyasha, whomever we have .. it is something bigger and much more complicated than mere hostages. That aside, your mother, you made her sad"
Inuyasha averted his eyes, one of the few things that could put him in place was his mother
"I will talk to her, later."
"No, you should talk to her tonight. she won't be able to sleep otherwise. and you should thank Kagome, you know" Kaede instructed
"I didn't ask for her help"
"You are such a jerk" Kagome haughtily responded
He simply laughed at her as she narrowed her eyes.
"We have to need to make sure Sango is fine."
"You left her with Miroku, he must have bitten her ear off" He incredulously said
Nobody could go to sleep afterwards.
Sango was deep in thought, Kagome was trying to make sense of all that is been going around her and Kaede was simply sad.
"So, he is in love with Kikyo. isn't he?" Kagome started
"It is a very weird relationship between them, but you can say that" Kaede replied
"And ..."
"And ..."
"I am sick of all this" Sango said in deceptive calm, Kagome could sense an outburst coming "I am sick of sitting there doing nothing at all and just waiting .. I ... Maybe Inuyasha was right"
"Sango, don't you trust Sesshomaru?" Kagome asked her
"It isn't about trust Kagome, although Inuyasha is more candid than Sesshomaru, at least to me. It is about worry and sadness and fear. This monster, what is he doing to them? I feel like I am dying every moment of the day. I am suffocated"
She closed her eyes in resignation
"And worst, I am scared, scared of getting used to this, to him being away. I am scared a day would drag a day, a month would drag another, years would pass by and then we become strangers. I am scared he would think I have given up on him."
"It won't come to this, hopefully it won't" Kagome tried to console, she might have lost her home but at least she had her family.
Kaede was silent, thinking about what Sango saud, how true it was. But She knew better. She carried the weight of the entire story so She knew it is much worse than simple political ploys. They were dealing with a madman, one they should approach in caution, otherwise, disaster might fall upon them all.
There is a heavy door between them, after all he is leaning on one of its sides.
'How strange what has become of this heart
I don't wait for my beloved, nor does she wait for me
Longing above longing that heaves and hopeless nights that linger
Dawn, Hasten up .. Day don't go
I don't want another night to wear me off'
He hums, to himself ...and if he was courageous enough, he would say, his old self is secretly singing to her. Ever since the night they clashed, he forbade himself from seeing her, but she still plagued him, the feel of her hand in his, her scent, it lingered within his soul ...
Her eyes, staring at him with all the anger, all the disappointment in the world.
He could see his lifetime reflected in her eyes.
He shakes his head as to rid himself of those thoughts, of her.
"One day, Kikyo .. I will be free of you and the worst part is: I never want this day to come. The kindness you showed me, was the first gesture of clemency someone had shown me in a very long time. I am sorry you had to show it to such a dead man. Years before, I might have been better, more suitable to claim you fair and clean. But now, I don't even know what I am doing with you, to you or to myself" he finally sighed
He gets up, after all the night wears him down and he wears the night ... it is another sleepless night for him and unbeknowst to him, sleepless for a whole lot of other people whom he hurt, who seek to hurt him back.
It is another sleepless night for the girl listening on the opposite side of the door.