Chapter 3 – In Development
Sesshomaru was escorted into a room in the far east corner of the temple. It was a small room with a bed, a small table, and a smaller window. It was more like a closet they empted for him to stay in. As this room was nowhere near the other living quarters he suspected it was a closet, though he appreciated the solitude and distance from their annoying scent and noises. He removed the Tensaiga from his belt and placed it on the table under the window. "Useless." He would have thrown it out the window but it must have some value if his father kept it. As he heard the temple settle down for the night he sat cross legged on the bed and tugged his arms into the opposite sleeve crossing them over his torso. He had not slept in days and it finally caught up to him. As much as he despised Senwahei for her cocky attitude, thinking she could defeat him without a struggle, he felt he could relax. He wasn't threatened here.
As the sun rose outside the temple, everyone began to stir. Sesshomaru had said he would stay but did not promise to help like her slave soldiers. He heard movement outside but stayed put. He would come out when he was ready.
He used his sensitive hearing to take in the different noises outside and could tell someone was approaching his broom closet. He didn't look up as the door slid open. One of the main guards stood there, in full gear looking as if they had never gone to sleep. He dropped a pile of clothes on the floor in the entryway, blocking his door.
"Senwahei wants to see you." The man turned to leave without saying another world.
Sesshomaru would not jump when she barked orders. He put his arms behind his head as he lay on the bed and waited to see how long it would take for her servant to come back. He was there all day. No one came back or bothered him any further.
Hmmm. Did they forget me? He knew it was unlikely anyone would forget him.
The next morning, at the same time, the same soldier came back. He was carrying an identical stack of the temple garb and dropped it on top of yesterday's pile.
"Senwahei wants to see you." He turned and left as before. Sesshomaru watched him with his peripheral vision without moving, listening as he walked away. A few hours went by and still no one came back. He rose from his position and stretched his legs walking the short length of the room, a mere 4 steps. He leered over the clothes on the floor at his door looking at the pattern visible through the fold. He didn't touch them, he just walked past them out into hall. The temple had gone silent for the second night. He walked down the hall to the toilet he had been pointed to and relieved himself for the first time in two days. Since he hadn't eaten in several days it wasn't much.
Even though the air was silent, he noticed the armed guards pacing along the turrets. He took stock on who was where and went back to his room to sit back in the same spot, in the same position.
On the third morning, the routine repeated. The clothes on the floor had tipped over as they piled up. He never left his room, just sat on his bed as usual, continuing to make an impression in the mattress. Three days in, it seemed to take longer for night to fall. After his room went dark he didn't bother lighting a candle. His eyes were able to utilize the mere moonlight in his room to continue to see plenty of details. But mostly he sat with his eyes closed, concentrating on listening to the sounds of the temple as he had done all day. When you cannot see, listen.
Sesshomaru heard a clunk near the door and opened his eyes to see a cup sitting next to the pile of clothes. A nutty floral scent mixed with blood lingered in the air. It was faint enough to make him think it was his imagination. He rose from his position and stepped out into the hall calmly. It was empty. Looked back at the cup; the water sparkled inside. He picked it up and sniffed it suspiciously, noticing his mouth felt like sandpaper. Reluctantly Sesshomaru took a sip as thirst outweighed his will power. Even a demon needed water once every few days.
He examined the small bamboo container as he walked back into the room. A smell lingered, the oils from her fingers remained on the outside of the cup wafting into the air. Placing it on the table next to the Tensaiga after finishing the last drop, he sat back down on the bed. Why would she bring him water? What benefit did she get from keeping him hydrated?
Sesshomaru smirked to himself figuring it out. She wants me healthy. She needs me healthy. She needs me.
The sun rose on day four and the same guard appeared with a stack of clothes.
"Senwahei wants-"
"To see me. Yes." He stood up this time. The guard didn't react any differently than usual though. He dropped a fresh uniform on top of the rest and turned to leave. Sesshomaru followed without touching the garments. It was making it harder to exit the room with a mountain of clothes blocking the way.
They journeyed down the hall not necessarily together, more near each other. It seemed they were taking the long way around the outskirts of the temple. As a rectangular shape, some of the edges were mere barriers from the outside sky, while others had deep pockets of chambers and various rooms. The center was the courtyard and several larger auditoriums. They turned the corner at the end of the corridor and passed a mess hall that was bustling with the morning rush. Next to that was an empty sanctuary. The guard turned down a private hall that lead to the corner of the temple. Sesshomaru was now at the opposite side of the temple from where he started.
The guard stopped at a set of beautiful double doors flanked by marble columns, then turned and stood in front of one of the doors. He planted his feet shoulder width apart, slipped his arms behind his back, and clasped his hands together to rest on his tailbone, standing at ease. Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow annoyed that this guy wasn't being more helpful.
They stood at a stalemate for a full minute until one of the doors opened. It was an older woman with grey hair pulled into a bun. "Sesshomaru. Please come in." She stepped out of the way holding the door.
Sesshomaru eyeballed the guard as he headed inside the unknown chamber. The guard just stood at ease staring out into the hall not paying any mind to the yokai.
The room was nothing like the rest of the temple. In the center was a garden lit by an open sky light with a babbling stream splitting the middle. White poppies mixed with red camellias created beds of flowers that lined the small river. There was a small bridge arched over the creek with stones walking through the garden to allow passage from corner to corner.
Around the room were pockets of light-hued luxurious furniture, all strewn with blankets, fluffy pillows, and fur rugs to bring comfort to the marble and stone walls and floors. To the right was a desk, sleek and elegant, that only held a box, one quill and ink set, and a vase with white poppies plucked from the garden. Behind the desk was a large opaque glass wall. Glass at this time was uncommon in any house let alone a whole wall of it. The wall let in enough natural sun to flood the room in light for most of the day.
Tucked away in a back corner, far from the glass, curtains hung from the ceiling. They blocked the light and kept the dressing area and bed hidden. The hangings were thick fabrics woven with red fading into black, like a sunset. Stitched into the curtains like a mural were gold animals battling for territory. On the left drape you had a lion, with its pride, fighting alongside a bear and her cubs, a lone tiger, and a brilliant bird of prey. On the other panel was a bull elephant, a moose with large antlers, a whole herd of buffalo, and a troop of monkeys swinging from the trees.
"Sesshomaru." His name hissed out of Senwahei's mouth like snake. She appeared from behind the curtain in opulent clothing. There were at least 6 layers, all of which dragged on the floor behind her, each one a different color and each one just as rich and detailed as the one underneath. The weight alone had to give her some struggle, but she did not show it.
"How long did you plan to summon me?" He was always right to the point. This show of riches was not impressive to him. He grew up watching his mother perform the poise dance his whole life. This actually felt comfortable.
"Well, we have hundreds of uniforms so….a while. By the way, it wouldn't hurt you to put one of those on. That outfit is starting to smell." She wiggled her finger up and down at him as she crossed the room.
Sesshomaru looked down at his clothes for a brief second then back at Senwahei. She had stopped in front of a mirror where some of her staff waited with accessories. One laced her obi into her hair as they braided it down her back. Another draped an ornate outstretched headpiece across the crown of her head, leaving the sides to hang down her cheeks.
"Why did you summon me?" Watching her primp and preen was like watching his mother get ready for the day. All she was missing was lipstick.
"I want you to start your training."
"I don't need to train."
Senwahei didn't show any signs of irritation from his outright disrespect. "In order for you to learn the skills necessary to wield the powers of any weapon, there are necessary tasks you must perform." She specifically avoided mentioning Tensaiga or Tessaiga.
"I don't need to train."
"You will." She spun on the spot, effortless even in her current outfit and with her assistants fumbling with her adornments. "It is not an option. You chose to stay here, and that includes doing as I say." Another stalemate, except this one was much more intense. Senwahei's elegance and opulence did not mitigate her authority.
Sesshomaru stood tall staring at her. He raised his chin higher and pursed his lips. Senwahei crossed her arms tucking them into the sleeves of her robes and waited patiently. While Sesshomaru seemed harsh and stern in appearance, Senwahei looked composed and collected. Finally, Sesshomaru relaxed his shoulders and turned his head away in defeat.
"Good." Senwahei turned back to the mirror to let her ladies in waiting finish. "Sergeant Kilwin will show you around and give you your schedule. Listen to him. Listen to all of your instructors. Don't expect any of them to go easy on you. I will be keeping a watch."
This left more questions than answers. What kind of classes? I will not be doing servant work. I am not some school girl who will follow your orders blindly. What could this Sergeant Kilwin know that I don't?
"You're dismissed." Senwahei interrupted his train of thought.
He narrowed his eyes at her but swept out of the room back into the bland and cold hallway.
"Yokai." Came a voice from across the hall.
"Sesshomaru." He corrected him.
"I'm Sergeant Kilwin." His outfit gave that away. He wore the white and purple hakama and hanjaban like the others, except he wore armor over the top with gold markings on the shoulder to signify his rank. One stripe - Sergeant. "Follow me."
Damn all of these people giving ME orders. He took in a deep breath and growled letting it out but followed. Just following people would be a lesson in and of itself for him.
"You need to change." Kilwin said as they walked through the halls. "You stink yokai."
"Sesshomaru."
Kilwin stopped outside of a bathroom. "You'll find everything you need inside."
As much as he wanted to argue, cleaning himself did sound pleasant right now. His eagerness to have standoffs with everyone today was showing through again, even though he had not won any of today's battles.
Kilwin watched as Sesshomaru just stood there. He was wasting time, yet it had to be done. "I got nothing else to do today." Kilwin leaned against the wall and pulled out a small knife to clean his nails.
Sesshomaru mumbled to himself as he breathed out and walked into the bathroom anyways. This washroom was much larger than the one near his room. Besides multiple toilets, there was a large pool of water, being fed by a projected waterfall. Sesshomaru looked around at everything this place offered. A stack of towels sat in the corner, soap rested in bamboo dishes around the pool. There was even more of the uniforms Sesshomaru was stockpiling in his doorway, stacked in cupboards along another wall.
He peeled off the clothes of his family and neatly folded them near the pool. Removing his mokomoko as well, circling it around his dirty garments before tying his hair in a chonmage. He did not have time to wash his hair, that would have to be done one night when the temple was sleeping. He envisioned the waterfall would make washing his hair actually pleasant instead of a chore.
Naked, with the chill of the air on his skin, he stepped into the pool expecting it to be cold, instead it was surprisingly warm. Without further hesitation, Sesshomaru dropped down in the water up to his neck, stroking his arm and neck. He could feel the oils and dead skin crusted to his body. After scraping his nails over his firm white shell, he inspected the grime he collected and sighed. He was filthy.
The soap was scented like the garden in Senwahei's room. Floral scents usually seemed contrite to him, but he sucked in the smell in a full breath. A thought crossed his mind that it was her scent, but something was missing. He couldn't quite put his finger on what was missing, though he knew this was incomplete. As he rested against the wall of the pool he scrubbed his body, contemplating his future here. So far today he had failed at getting his way, and he knew the day was only going to extend that failure.
He took that moment to decide he would not dwell on this failure; instead he could shift what he wanted. He already wanted to use this opportunity to better himself without having to hunt for it. However he did not want to be told how and when he would use this opportunity. That didn't seem to an option.
Rising out of the pool, speckles and glistening from the water, he toweled down his svelte frame before claiming one of the orderly sets of the temples uniform. Purple hakama on the bottom and a simple white hanjaban for his shirt. The fabric was cheap and stiff and he could tell it would make his skin itch. He would put his armor on over it, except without the extra layer of a kimono the armor would dig into his skin. Begrudgingly he left off his armor but put his mokomoko back over his shoulder.
Sesshomaru looked down at himself, trying to adjust the rough edges and stitch lines to keep from scratching his fresh skin. Design free, plain, and rigid it was a perfect amount of bland and boring. He would look like every other crony and slave.
Damn this whole place.
