Chapter 8
Face of an angel, heart of a beast
The woman was out of her mind and full of herself planning and commanding the reconstruction of the castle. By offering three months of free taxes for any and each pair of capable arms provided by the households residing in her lands, she managed to gather an entire army of masons at her disposal and the reconstruction was prospering at full speed. Every single detail, every brick, every paint or piece of paper - nothing would find its place inside the new building without her prior and thorough evaluation. She would spend the following days ordering and pointing her finger around, selecting the most exquisite furniture, suggesting plants for the new garden, surrounded by maids, seamstresses and all kinds of flatterers and workers striving to satisfy her most strict orders as the proud woman gave her best to recreate an even more gorgeous and stunning palace than it was before. Every piece of silk would be touched, felt, turned over and smelled at least three times while the tailors would hold their breaths waiting for either a satisfied nod or a grimace. She was paying high, spending a fair fraction of her family's fortune in that reconstruction, and expecting no less in return.
"We must not give them opportunity to prey on our moment of vulnerability. We must think of it as an opportunity to show them all the resources and power we have. Let them know how fast, how elegantly and fiercely we recover from our wounds and rebuild," he heard her telling her officers. From the context of the conversation, she was referring not only to her currently most hated enemy but also to the other clan lords dwelling on neighboring provinces that were denying her aid in war.
She was clearly stressed to the point of doing something reckless, he didn't intend to be disturbed by her noisy pawns nor to attract the attention of the enemy spies that were certainly dwelling in the castle. There were dozens of humans currently frequenting the castle's grounds during the day and identifying those who were leaking vital information to the outside was an impossible task even for him and his powerful senses. Hence, he decided to approach her tonight, when things would be quieter for him to corner her outside other's vision.
That is, until that afternoon, when he was spotted wandering in the castle's vicinities by Sohma. The little half breed was accompanying and watching a few samurai training in the large waterfall in the forest. He looked up at the exact right moment to capture the image of the daiyokai secretly watching them from the top of the waterfall. When no reaction came from the aloof demon, Sohma silently gave him a faint smile and a discreet wave, wisely keeping the men oblivious to the silver haired demon's presence. The naive boy seemed to have developed a slight trust for him, probably due to his recent actions, although no movement of his had the direct purpose of securing the half breed's mother or aiding her against her enemy. He was merciful because he needed her alive for the time being in order to fulfill his goals. And by hunting Nogitsune, he hoped to find more information regarding the man who stole his artifact.
But against all odds, the boy had proven to be way more attentive and smarter than his young and angelic appearance would tell about him. Somehow, he deciphered the daiyokai's intentions and seemed to seize that opportunity to accomplish something. By the sunset, a messenger was secretly sent from the castle to find and meet the regal demon in the woods.
"Milord, it is a message from that half breed," Jaken informed after plucking the small piece of paper from the messenger's trembling hands. The peasant bowed to them and immediately ran away before the famous dog daiyokai and its terrible ward decided that it was time for a tasty human snack.
Sesshomaru took the note and silently read its unsigned but obviously recognizable content.
"I have convinced Mother to organize the treasure room tonight. She is usually alone there."
...
"You are doing it again."
The male and stern voice invited the faceless female and horrendous figure to stop singing.
"What…?" she asked softly, still slowly moving her pointy and white fingers in circles in the dark waters, watching the swirls forming on the surface, distorting the faint reflections of the moon and stars.
"Planning on your own," he took a step forward, further approaching the lake and the ghostly figure kneeling at its bank, her back facing him. "acting behind my back."
"...I thought you would be happy… to know that I am trying to help you…."
He finally stood at a dangerous finger distance from her, covering her with his long shadow. The ghostess stood on its legs, her beautiful silver kimono automatically adjusting to her thin body, her very long black hair flying with the night breeze. His arms went forward...
...and eagerly circled around her torso, firmly embracing her, pulling her back against his strong chest into a prison of devotion and passion.
"You know that everything I do, I do for us…" Arashi muttered painfully and softly next to her ear, his chin resting above her naked and cold skin of her shoulder. "You should tell me your plans before acting. Do you not trust me?"
"Ah, my dearest…" She kept still inside that possessive hug whose warmth she could not feel. Her empty face was directed towards the water surface and the faint image that was discreetly forming among the swirls. The image of the most beautiful silver-haired, golden eyed and stoic demon in human form alive in the Earth. "...Let me have my fun…"
...
The treasure room was located somewhere inside the basement of that single tower that did not give in to Nogitsune's attack. As the night covered the skies, Sesshomaru gracefully landed with Jaken on the top of the palace's renewed walls at the right time to see its lady entering the tower, bringing a bucket and some cleaning tools with her as her fosterling promised. The tower was guarded by two samurai on each side of its door. They saluted their lady and allowed her to pass, then returned to their restless vigilance.
The daiyokai intended to quickly render them unconscious and follow her, however...
"Excuse me!" Sohma suddenly came running from the yard, seemingly in distress. Sesshomaru initially thought that he had been spotted and betrayed, but it was the guards at the door that the half breed actually approached. "I think I saw a pack of wolves walking near the east walls. There are servants working there and I am concerned with them. Can you guys help me get rid of them?"
"Certainly, milord!" The guards saluted their little soon-to-be daimyo and promptly ran with him to the eastern wing, leaving the tower unprotected.
"Is he actually helping us?" Jaken muttered in confusion. "What is that brat up to?"
Unable to answer that question, Sesshomaru watched emotionlessly the hanyo leave the yard with his men and then proceeded to enter the tower without any predicaments.
A few stairs ahead, he saw the woman lighting the torches on the large corridors. He let his shadow grow on her, but it was Jaken's loud sneeze due to dust that allowed her first to spot them at the doors.
"You are early," she commented while blowing off the candle.
"You were expecting me," he stated after realizing her lack of surprise.
"I am not as foolish as my little son thinks. 'Clean the treasure room tonight and alone'? And then he comes and distracts my guards." She offered him a mild and smart smile. "Sohma usually warms up easily to others, but he seems to have developed quite a fondness and trust for you. I ask myself why..."
"I have no use for the admiration of a half breed," he said solemnly, imposing his superiority whilst evading the hidden question, and then approached her, watching emotionlessly her smile fading into a frown. "You owe me answers."
They heard footsteps and male voices beyond the entrance door, probably from the guards returning to their duty. She nodded and waved at the demon, silently inviting it and its ward to follow her further inside. They entered a large and exquisite room and she closed the doors behind them, and they were finally free to talk without anyone hearing them or eavesdropping on them.
Sesshomaru raised his head, gazing at the tall mannequin resting amidst a variety of weapons and relics in the center of the opposite wall, by far the most striking detail inside the treasure room. It was completely dressed in an elegant, heavy and blue samurai armor that the son of Toga took some time to recognize.
"Sojiro's armor," he said, his golden eyes still analyzing the garment as his mind recalled distant memories of his Father's faithful human retainer.
"The enchanted armor worn by the heads of the Sakagama family," she complemented.
"I do not recall you wearing it."
"It is too big for me."
"Well you should eat more, woman, it is even healthier." Jaken crossed a rough and equally naive comment that made her smirk.
What she really meant was that the armor wasn't originally made to fit a woman. Sesshomaru gazed silently at the daimyo with the corner of his eyes as she approached the table and left the bucket and the tools on top of it, for the first time asking himself what kind of schemes and predicaments that woman had woven and faced in order to seize her father's titles. In human families, it was law that only the male children would be eligible to inherit their family's fortunes, lands and titles.
Humans were lowly beings and women were especially paltry for allowing their counterpart to dominate and subjugate them so. And they would stoop even lower by being faithful, serving and loving their very enslavers.
"So, regarding your relic..."
...
After their truce, sparing her life and his actions towards Nogitsune that indirectly ended up benefiting her castle, Sakuya also seemed to be comfortable in the daiyokai's presence, or proud enough not to show any awe while explaining to him what happened. At the very least, she seemed anxious to finish that troublesome matter with him as soon as she could.
According to her, the relic was one of the many valuable items that were kept on the Sakagama's treasure ever since his Father entrusted it to them. And it was kept safe and purified for all those centuries until Arashi, one of the family's servants, decided to rebel and tried to steal the gem in order to use it for his own ambitions. Lord Sogetsu, Sakuya's father, gave his life in battle protecting his castle, his family and the relic from the horse tamer's wrath. However, years later and several months ago, Arashi suddenly reappeared with an even bigger and deadlier army of monsters and humans behind him. He and Sakuya clashed and, in the middle of their struggle, the relic ended up shattered in two, and Arashi managed to escape with half of it.
"I am keeping the other half safe and well hidden in a place where no one, not even Arashi or even a daiyokai such as yourself, can reach as long as I live. And even if I die, it is bound to fade in my wake. Only I know where it is, and I would like to keep it that way for the time being for a couple of reasons. Spies sneaking and spreading like rats through this province is one of them." She explained while patiently polishing the precious armor. She seemed jealous and careful enough with it not to allow any servant to touch it or enter the treasure room. "When one of us manages to retrieve the other half from that cursed traitor's grasp, I promise you I will immediately unite both parts and hand it over to you. Simple as that. My only condition is that, for the time being, you trust me and refrain yourself from trying to find where the half in my possession is. You shall have Meidenkai when it is complete, after all."
"You expect Lord Sesshomaru to trust you after all your attempts to deceive him and your foolish choices? It seems my noble lord's wit has been underestimated!" Jaken spat.
"No lies this time." The daimyo put the cleaning cloth aside and turned to the demons, approaching them and assuming a solemn and respectful stance. She summoned her long blade, Sojiro's sword, whose strong and blazing brilliance quickly spread over the room's interior and lighted their faces. She put the blade vertically between their chests and stared directly at the daiyokai's golden eyes with hers visible on each side of the blade. "I swear before my very great-grandfather's armor and sword. May it reject me and my spirit be dishonored if I do not stay true to my word."
"It is not that simple!" the imp insisted, further angered.
"Enough, Jaken." He silenced his faithful ward. "Do fulfill your promise, daimyo, for I shall not be merciful for a second time."
She smiled and respectfully curtseyed the dog demon for the first time since they met, sealing and reinforcing their delicate pact and truce. Not having that fearsome dog demon on her trail while trying to find and eradicate Arashi for the time being was certainly a relieving evolution of events for her.
However, things in those troubled lands have already proved not to be so simple nor easy.
And the pain he thought had disappeared started to sting inside his regenerated chest again.
"While you are here, hear this. I have received quite a disturbing report from Old Hokumaru today… "
The woman turned around in order to focus her attention on the cleaning again, and Sesshomaru found himself unable to discern what she was talking about. His senses became numb. A strange and painful feeling suddenly bitten his chest, and a female and ghostly voice sprouted and filled his mind.
"Kill her."
"What is this...?" He widened his eyes, realizing that his entire body was absolutely paralyzed and his words silent. He could remember it. That voice. That somber and beastly feeling. That pain and rage slowly arising and burning within his veins...
"Milord?" Jaken noticed his master's sudden lack of reaction and the strange purple glow in his wide open eyes glaring intently at the feudal lord's back.
"Kill her, and destroy that armor."
Just as in his nightmare, his body was completely deaf to his will. The shadow that once embraced him and robbed him of his movements and reason was now dwelling inside his mind, and he could feel its monstrous fingers deeply penetrating and making roots inside his flesh and soul.
Anger, violence and intent to kill was returning to his core.
How was that possible?
How could there be any creature in the world capable of manipulating his body and mind like that? Not even the most imperius and powerful beings that crossed his path survived long enough to even dare try something like that.
Who was it, then? That ghost, that shadow?
Where was it? How did it capture him?
Was it through his last injury? Was this unknown entity the true owner of that monstrous energy that took a hold of Nogitsune's body and used it to wound him?
"...Are you listening, milord?" Sakuya asked whilst distractedly polishing the armor's gauntlets.
"Kill her, pup!"
That killer instinct took the best of him for only a small, yet enough and disastrous fraction of second. Sharp claws advanced towards its prey, penetrating and violently rending clothes and soft skin.
Warm human blood spurted, staining walls and floor.