Chapter 10

Nest of snakes

Two days later, the daimyo's wounds were apparently under control and she was allowed by the physician to leave her chambers for the first time and for a limited amount of time. Surrounded by her court ladies and with the aid of a niece supporting her weight, the woman went to the gardens for a quick stroll under the fresh air and mild morning sunlight, which would provide her essential vitamins to assist in her recovery.

Returning from a morning patrol, as he turned a bucket of cold water over himself to get rid of the sweat and dirt that had gathered in his long hair and armor, General Yamato stumbled upon the soothing image of his Lady seemingly happy and recovering well on the other side of the garden. She was dressed in her best and prettier fabrics, with loose hair and make-up masking her pale and tired features, slowly walking and talking to her entourage amidst flowers, fountains and grass. His naturally stern eyes softened on their own as his thoughts traveled far away.

His old and silent love for the woman was widely known among the commoners living in the castle's vicinities. Although honor, discipline and submission kept his hands down, his lips silent and his actions discreet, people still liked to gossip, and the impossible love story of a brave general for his Lady was a juicy topic that kept tongues busy. Takashi smiled when he spotted the armored general standing alone in the garden's borders, watching the lord intently from a distance as if she was a very goddess, and discreetly approached him.

"I heard she has a deep cut crossing her entire back, multiple fractures in her chest and a burning mark in her shoulder that will leave a ghastly and permanent scar," the counselor said softly, resting his hands elegantly behind his back as he watched the elegant woman himself. "Yet there she is, complaining about the quality of the food and ordering people around like an old and stubborn mare that will not be pushed sideways. Our lady is really strong willed and a hard worker by nature."

"That she is," he grunted simply.

"I fear for her. For us. Our enemies grow numerous and clearly fate is being generous with the obstacles it sends…"

"You speak of him." Severity immediately returned to the general's eyes and features, both sullied by a strong contempt. "The demon."

"So it seems we share similar visions…" Upon hearing from him and seeing the man's gaze and tone suddenly changing, the counselor realized that yielding the expected fruits would be easier than it seemed. Takashi frowned his own features, expressing his fakest and deepest concern. "I do not trust this Sesshomaru. In fact, I fear him and I think things only got direr ever since he arrived. But the Lady seems oblivious to the threat he represents and I am failing to properly guide her. I am relieved that I am not the only one worried. "

"He aided us when the castle was attacked. Many of the men and several innocent civilians are alive today because of his interference. He is the son of the noble daiyokai which once protected and guided our ancestors. Because of that, and because I am faithful to our lord, I do not see him as an enemy." Yamato explained, his deep voice and bold attitude living up to his strong and intimidating complexion. "But I do not like his demeanor. He walks with his chin raised and looks indifferently and arrogantly at our people like a king. He lacks humility and respect."

"Speaking of fathers and sons, did you know that Sesshomaru has a brother?" Takashi cast the bait and fished a curious cross-eye from the large and stern samurai. "Half brother, actually. A half demon, born from a forbidden relationship of his almighty father with a human noblewoman. And according to my spies, this brother has just recently married, also to a human girl."

Yamato frowned, listening to him in utter silence. Takashi coughed and continued.

"Thinking about it now, I wonder if it is some kind of curse, some kind of fate that chains the male dog demons…" He noticed the samurai's fists clenching in reconnaissance to his words. A life of battles and wars made Yamato a fast learner and attentive to words and the subtles meanings hidden between the lines, which greatly simplified Takashi's life in that moment. "To fall in love with humans, that is. Sesshomaru is an imposing and powerful creature and the Lady is obviously defensive about what happened in the woods. Perhaps…"

"Enough!" The general abruptly let loose a disgusted shout and Takashi solemnly gazed at him with the corner of his eyes, watching fury completely soaking the man's features. Yamato snarled and his entire structure shook as he assimilated that new perspective shown by the trusted and capable counselor. That would explain it all. Her terrible wounds. Her dirty and shocked state when she arrived and her utter avoidance for that subject. It could be fear. It could be diplomacy. It could be shame. "Lady Sakuya… Dishonored by that demon?!"

"...Go rest, my friend." After a few seconds of silence, the counselor smiled worriedly and placed his hand on top of the general's shoulder pad before quietly leaving him alone with his poisoned and swirling thoughts. "You are thinking nonsense."

...

When the night was at its height and the people had already met their beds and dreams, leaving only a profound quietude over the province, a hooded soldier secretly left the castle from its backdoors, heading alone to the forest. As only tall woods, singing crickets and icy breezes surrounded him, he finally allowed himself to safely lit his torch. He rested his hand on top of his sword's hilt in case wild threats approached him and then proceeded on his journey to the lake, where an old woman was already waiting for him.

"Officer Tatsuya," she greeted him respectfully.

"Forgive me for my hurry. I believe this is the poison that was found in the lady's breakfast a couple of days ago," the officer whispered, as if he knew that the very woods around them had dangerous ears, and then he handed a small bottle to the old woman. "Where could one obtain it?"

"Not around here, I am most sure." She removed the wooden cork and carefully sniffed the transparent powder inside the bottle, analyzing its scent and then feeling its texture in her fingers. "This is a very special kind of poison produced by the most specialized assassins in Zhongguo territory[1]. It is rare and quite expensive, designed not to leave any conventional trails. Whoever acquired this had proper resources and contacts outside the country. I am afraid the Lady has enemies inside her very inner circle. Rich enemies."

"I see." Disappointed, he took the container back and tucked it inside his armor again, then handing a small bag of coins to the woman. "Thank you for your continued services."

"You are welcome. Who is the traitor this time?"

"We do not know yet."

"I will keep my eyes and ears open and inform you should I find anything useful. Send my best regards to the Lady."

After finishing their quick and obviously secret meeting, the officer bowed to the woman and then made his way back to the castle as fast and hidden as he came, oblivious to the pair of golden eyes serenely watching him from the shadows of the forest.

Ever since his battle and forced assassination attempt against the feudal lord, the dog demon lord tiredlessly scouted the area around the castle and its villages, trying to determine and ultimately meet the source of that dreary energy that took control so easily and powerfully over his body. Whoever dared and actually had the power to do that was a remarkable and commendable being like none he met before, and therefore deserved a slow, painful and terrible death by his noble hands. His demon and warrior pride demanded that.

Hence, no single soul roamed that area outside his knowledge. Patrols, merchants, travelers and even the small children escaping their parents to go play in the woods. His eyes secretly met and thoroughly examined them all, his senses open and ready to receive any information from them that he could use.

"Milord?" Jaken asked shyly after the couple departed in separated ways and only the two demons remained by the lake's vicinities.

"What is it?" He answered with his golden and serene gaze still aimed at the direction taken by the hooded man.

"I have been thinking about it for some time now," the imp explained solemnly, "the woman obviously has many enemies. Some of them are extremely powerful to the point of using a daiyokai such as my lord in order to try to get rid of her. The weak ones are seemingly trying to poison her and gods know whatever else is surrounding her. I think it is safe to assume that she will not be living much longer. It is but a matter of time until someone manages to assassinate her."

"So?"

"W-well, she said that milord's relic is bound to fade with her in case she dies. Therefore, should we not acquire her half before that happens?" His suggestion attracted a serene sideways glance from his master and he proceeded. "Meidenkai's fragment will be much more safe in my lord's possession than it currently is in hers."

The absence of answer and scowls from his master revealed that he agreed with Jaken to some extent. The dog demon himself thought about that a few times in the recent past, and although leaving the fragment of the relic under the lord's care had its uses and she apparently had strong reasons not to share its location, maybe it was time to finally retrieve it.

After some time thinking, the silver haired demon turned around to make his way to the castle and Jaken, proud to be useful, faithfully rushed to his side, always following his so admired master from up close. But before they could complete five steps, Sesshomaru suddenly stopped and the small imp bumped on his heels.

"Lord Sesshomaru? What happened?" The ward raised his head in order to face his master and noticed the serious scowl in his face as he stared at a specific point beyond the trees with the corner of his eyes. "Lord Sesshomaru?"

"Now! To me!" A deep male voice shouted and immediately several ropes and stakes fell from the treetops upon the daiyokai, forming a wide net and cage around him and his ward. "Surround and imprison him! Do not let him escape!"

Arrows were shot with the other ends of those ropes and then they suddenly squeezed, locking and compressing the dog demon and his small servant inside the improvised prison. Several armored soldiers and monks revealed themselves as they leapt from the bushes and shadows to surround the seemingly captured demons. The monks immediately surrounded the cage and planted their staves on the ground, forming a spiritual cord, and threw what seemed to be spiritual seals and charms against the cage, granting it a new layer of protection.

Or so they believed.

The armored soldiers unsheathed their swords and slowly and carefully approached the cage, narrowing the siege, and Sesshomaru slid his golden and aloof gaze to the man whose voice shouted the order and whose garments were the heaviest and distinct from the others. He remembered that man. General Yamato, Sakuya's commander, who he defeated and used to make the daimyo surrender.

"You lowly humans! How dare you commit such offense to Lord Sesshomaru? Have you no love for your life?!" Jaken complained while squeezed against his master's right heel.

"Wolves! She told us it was wolves! When actually it was a whole different and lower kind of canine." The general valiantly approached the front of the cage with strong steps, staring deeply and fiercely at Sesshomaru's serene eyes. He pointed his sword to the demon's face in a clear defiance. "It was you, you disgusting fiend! You attacked and maimed our Lady!"

Unsurprised, the dog demon lord expressed no movements or words. It was fairly predictable that eventually someone in the castle would discover what happened to their Lady and would come to avenge her wounds. Humans were fools and impetuous, especially when dealing with the ones they admired and desired. Yet, the revelation that she tried to disguise his actions and blame wolves instead intrigued him. And the fact that they managed to build that trap and patiently wait for him to fall on it was quite commendable.

"Don't you have anything to say in your defense? Very well, monster." Yamato turned his sword around his fist in order to hold it two-handedly and then flexed his legs with the blade pointed to his caged enemy, assuming a visible offensive stance. "I will you end your filthy existence and our Lady's honor shall be avenged and cleaned once and for all!"

Honor? Ah, so that was the cause. Apparently, they did not dig the real truth as they thought.

Yamato took a step forward and launched a quick thrust with his blade against the creature, only to watch it end on the demon's grasp millimeters away from hitting its neck. The general gritted his teeth, snarled and tried to force the blade forward, but it simply wouldn't budge inside the demon's fingers nor would the arrogant demon itself move.

"What is wrong with you, fiend? You only fight women? Show me what you are made of!" The general uttered in fury.

"General, look what we have here!" A soldier approached the cage from behind and poked Jaken with his sword. "A snack for the dogs, don't ye think?"

"Yes, general! We can save a tooth or two from him as a memento." Another soldier suggested and laughed scornfully.

"Come here, imp!" A third soldier recklessly plunged his arm inside the cage and grabbed Jaken by his clothes.

"Take your hand off me, you filthy humans! Lord Sesshomaru!" The imp cried for help, unable to move his staff inside the small prison and punish the enemies with fire.

At the imp's cry, a sharp glow flashed in the dog demon's eyes. An almost imperceptible move of his other arm severed the soldier's arm, leaving his lifeless hand still clung to Jaken's clothes. The man fell backwards on his rear, screaming in pain and terror as he stared at his handless wrist spurting blood. Yamato roared and tried to violently pull his blade back from the demon's grasp, and Sesshomaru took advantage of this move to change the weapon's direction slightly upwards, making the general hit and break his own nose against the sword's hilt.

Amidst cries of wrath and defiance, the small troop readied their swords and advanced as one against the cage, willing to shred and obliterate the dog demon locked inside it. The monks reinforced their mantras and their power conveyed to the seals, and they gasped and widened their eyes in dismay when a single cut from the demon's green whip completely tore the cage apart from inside along with the charms glued in it. The soldiers and monks immediately formed a circle around the cloud of dust that rose up and from which the daiyokai slowly emerged.

Indifferent to the spears and blades pointed aggressively to him, Sesshomaru intended to simply walk and leave them be. They were but insignificant beings, obviously acting behind their liege's bak and unworthy of his time and claws. The circle of men walked with him, keeping him at the center of the siege. Jaken swallowed dry and kept his composure and anger, walking under the protection of his masters legs. Yamato stood up, with his face and mouth covered in his own blood, and suddenly charged against the demon, trampling his own men in his path. Sesshomaru caught him by his neck and hurled him at another samurai who tried to flank him from the other side, knocking them both down.

"You are weak." He stopped and stated emotionlessly to the other men surrounding him, those clearly hesitant to imitate their general and attack him. "This is why she is wounded. This is why your lands are threatened. Your lord lacks proper defenders and warriors. You are but silly children, playing lord and soldiers in a war against demons."

"You!" Yamato snarled loudly as he stumblingly stood back on his feet. "I will tear your damn soul apart!"

"ENOUGH!"

A young and male voice shouted from beyond the trees and the angry soldiers and Sesshomaru himself turned their gaze to watch the newcomers. Another detachment of men wearing the Sakagama's colors and banners poured from the woods, this time with the young green-haired hanyo himself leading them. Yamato widened his eyes and gritted his teeth while his men dropped their weapons and staves and immediately fell on their knees, touching their heads on the ground, bowing respectfully and submissively to their lord.

"What the hell are you doing, Master Yamato!?" Sohma snarled, jumping from his horse and approaching the wounded general. "These are our men and that is not our enemy!"

"He beaten and dishonored our lord! Your very mother! He must pay with blood! He must die!" Yamato retorted soundly.

"Do you have any proof?" the little lord inquired. "Did you see him harming Mother? Did Mother or Master Hokumaru tell you it was him?" The general swallowed dry and painfully, clenching his fist around his sword's hilt, unable to positively answer the hanyo's severe inquiries. Sohma gritted his teeth in clear anger and then shouted. "Then it is all wrong!"

Yamato's entire body trembled under rage and frustration, glaring as a beast at the noble child's eyes. When every feature of his signaled that he would not bend to his lord, give in to wrath and probably defy him, he suddenly sheathed his sword, turned around and left the area, snarling and dragging his hand on top of his jaw in order to get rid of the excess of blood accumulated in there.

"Everyone, fall back, now!" Sohma thundered the order and Yamato's men and monks hurriedly followed him. The hanyo then turned to the daiyokai, bowing respectfully to him. "Lord Sesshomaru, I ask your forgiveness on the daimyo's behalf. General Yamato received no order from the palace to commit such offense against you."

"Hmpf." He huffed, frowned and turned to the side, making his way towards the dirty path. The handless soldier still spread on the floor screamed when the daiyokai walked by him and suddenly stood up on his feet, running away to the castle's direction.

As Sesshomaru slowly disappeared amidst the trees and darkness, seemingly indifferent to the trap and just slightly annoyed by the inconvenience he just faced, Sohma erected himself again and seriously watched the daiyokai's back.

The general was right. Sesshomaru did indeed attack the daimyo, he knew it. And he felt fairly guilty for it, since it was through his aid that the dog demon lord swiftly went to meet the daimyo in a most private place. But his Mother herself insisted on not accusing the demon of anything. In a matter of fact, she did not even mention his name in a while.

He swallowed dry, confused, but decided to trust in time and in his liege and keep his guard high. He jumped on his horse's back with the aid of a soldier and then led the troop back to the palace.

[1]: China, as it was known during Japan's Sengoku period (need confirmation).

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