Chapter 7
I'm stuck on this story for the moment, but I need to work on the others as well. Any who on with the show.
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and story belongs to Rumiko Takahashi, this is just a fan fic.
Camp broke up the following day and Elish spent an hour practicing with the staff with Miroku and short, hand-to-hand combat with Sango. After a quick breakfast and wash-up, the group continued on the trek to the eastern lands. Elish had given Rin her ten liter daypack to hold her personal items and Mr. Bun-Bun. For some reason the fact that Rin had a backpack like Kagome and Elish had the little girl positively glowing. She spent much of the morning explaining to Jaken all the pockets that the bag contained and what various herbs and dried flowers she could now carry with her. Jaken seemed to be half listening and it wasn't until Elish started asking him questions that he really paid attention to the girls.
"Jaken, do you have any family?" asked Elish, as she watched Rin glance at Jaken with a curious expression on her face. Apparently Rin wanted to know this information as well.
"I was ruler of a powerful tribe, but we were attacked by a powerful demon. Had it not been for Lord Sesshoumaru, we would have all perished. My Lord destroyed the demon with one blow; and in turn I pledged my oath of servitude. I have been traveling with Lord Sesshoumaru for over two centuries. Lord Sesshoumaru has appointed me as his Chief Minister."
Elish stared in disbelief. Two centuries. She quickly searched for the swaying white hair of the demon lord up ahead and then returned her eyes to Jaken.
"Two centuries? Excuse me Jaken, but how old is Lord Sesshoumaru?"
Jaken thought for a moment and calculated in his head.
"Lord Sesshoumaru is just shy of his three hundredth year."
Three hundred years. Elish gulped and turned her emerald gaze back to the daiyokai. She was like a baby in demon years; he would never take her seriously. This thought was quite disheartening, but it served its purpose of reminding Elish that this was not her world. She turned back to Jaken and noticed that he looked quite at peace. She smiled at him and his eyes widen as if he had a thought and he mumbled his excuses and hurried over to his lord. Elish followed his form until he was slightly abreast with Sesshoumaru and she returned her gaze to Rin.
"So how do you like Mr. Bun-Bun," Elish asked the bright child, who at that very moment had settled a flower wreath on the bunny's head that complemented the color of his fur.
Jaken had escaped from the warm pools of green that the human witch was casting his way after she had asked about the age of his lord. For some reason in a flash of sunlight that set her eyes afire, he had glimpse a sort of star burst shimmering between her eyes. It had made him want to bow to her in reverence and pledge his life and loyalty. He had not felt this way since the day Lord Sesshoumaru had saved him from the crazed demon that almost had killed his clan. He had felt the urgency to report his findings to Lord Sesshoumaru post haste.
"Lord Sesshoumaru I feel that the witch woman is trying to cast a spell of your servant. I felt a violent urge to pledge my fidelity to her only moments ago."
Sesshoumaru glanced at his loyal retainer and then returned his eyes to the road.
"What made you feel this way? Did she say something?"
"No my Lord, I, I just thought I saw her eyes or maybe it was her face glowing like stardust and I felt hypnotized."
"Hn. This Sesshoumaru wishes that you stay close to the human and watch her and if she does anything that seems suspicious report back."
"Hai Lord Sesshouamru, your faithful servant will catch the witch in the act."
Jaken hurried back to Rin and Elish and made like nothing had transpired as he listened with an increased awareness to anything that passed the lips of the fair-headed maiden.
Sesshoumaru sighed. He was glad that the imp had seemed eager to be her watchdog. He had not yet determined how he would breach the subject of his claim over the human. The fact that Jaken was noticing things about Elish more than anyone else in the group gave Sesshoumaru food for thought. Perhaps she was a hanyou with a water demon's blood running through her veins and it was many times diluted. It would explain Jaken's fascination with the girl, but it didn't explain how she had diluted his poison. Only a powerful daiyokai could dilute a poison born of his lineage and breeding, or maybe a god. But this girl was no god. No, she was a mere mortal; so how?
What she had in her was ancient and very few youkai in existence would know of what she was. Aside from his half-brother's miko there was no other being that he could think of that was very powerful but didn't know how to use their power, or weren't aware that they even had power. Perhaps he could force her youkai to come out if he tested her. Sesshoumaru stopped and turned to the group. Almost immediately the group became aware that Sesshoumaru wasn't moving anymore and everyone halted staring at the demon lord for direction. Sesshoumaru trained his eyes on Elish and watched as it dawned on her that she was now the center of attention.
Elish scanned the clearing and watched as everyone's eyes flicked back-and-forth between her and the daiyokai. She grew nervous and her palms began to sweat. She was slightly panicking because she felt like he must have read her mind and saw how Elish was reliving the hot springs scenario with very different results. Results that ended up with a very, tall demon lord kissing the blessing out of her. Elish blushed and then paled as she saw that the group was moving back as Sesshoumaru continued to stare at her. Rin was the only one not moving and she slowly was moving to take Elish's hand, but at the slight narrowing of Sesshoumaru's eye and a slight nod, she let her hand fall away.
"Rin move away from Elish."
The little girl began to protest, but Elish stopped her and bade her go to Jaken as she stared back at Sesshoumaru with wide eyes. She was becoming afraid and she didn't know why she was on the wrong end of the daiyokai's displeasure.
"Yeah what's going on? Why are you targeting her?" Kagome shouted as she made a move to stand with Elish and stare Sesshoumaru down.
"Half-breed restrain your wench if you do not wish for her to be hurt."
Elish's eyes went wide and she looked from Inuyasha to Kagome and finally back to Sesshoumaru. What in the world had gotten into him?
"Look I don't know what I did to offend you, Lord Sesshoumaru, but I'm sorry," Elish pleaded with her palms turned to the sky.
"You have not offended this Sesshoumaru I am merely testing a theory and the others need not interfere," Sesshoumaru stated.
"A theory? About me?"
"Yes. Will you permit the test?"
"Ah, I guess so," Elish stuttered as she realized that maybe he had been thinking of a way to send her home.
Without a thought to spare Sesshoumaru was in front of her snaking his arm around her middle and forming a cloud under his feet. Just as she grasped the idea that she was flushed against his rock-chiseled chest, he leapt into the air and her heart was flying into her throat. Kagome cried out after the two and Inuyasha held up a hand to restrain her.
"Calm down Kags; the Bastard is going to hurt her. He asked for her permission first, remember?"
"But what was that all about? Why is he taking her off like this?"
Miroku stepped up beside Kagome and Inuyasha and looked to where the two in question had disappeared.
"Well it seems like Lord Sesshoumaru was taken by Elish's beauty and has carried her off for some theory testing."
"You lecherous monk!" Sango screamed as she slapped Miroku upside the back of his head. "Get you mind out of the gutter."
Inuyasha snorted. "Well it certainly isn't that! We all know Sesshoumaru wouldn't be caught dead putting the moves, or claims on a human female."
Inuyasha and Miroku snickered and laugh, but Sango and Kagome traded a knowing glance. He had laid a claim on her just the other night; and while it has been funny at the time, it didn't seem so funny now.
Inuyasha moved along to the front of the party and started walking. Kagome looked at him and then to the clouds.
"Where are you going? We have to wait until Sesshoumaru and Elish get back. We can't leave them!"
"Keh, that bastard knows what direction we are heading in, and he can catch up with us in no time. Let's go."
Kagome stared in disbelief as Inuyasha headed on without the slightest worry for their new friend. Sango gave her a little nudge and shook her head.
"Come on Kagome, Inuyasha is right. Lord Sesshoumaru is probably talking to Elish and he is too honorable to harm her. We should just keep moving until they return."
Kagome nodded and continued to chew her lip. She glanced back one more time before she began to walk towards the east. Rin was the only one still staring at the spot where her Lord and Elish had disappeared. Lord Sesshoumaru didn't look angry when he had left; he probably just wanted to talk to Elish away from everyone else. Maybe he liked Elish, and wanted to tell her alone? Rin had seen her Lord watching the woman an awful lot in the last few days. And he was the one that had saved her from the demon the other day. Rin smiled; maybe Lord Sesshoumaru would ask Elish to stay with their pack after the quest was done and Rin could have a mother like Shippo.
Elish pressed her head against the cool metal of Sesshoumaru's breastplate. Thankfully she was just short enough that the spikes were above her head. She had her hands fisted into his haori and she was sagging slightly against his body. He was moving incredibly fast and she had to keep her eyes closed to keep the tears out of her eyes. Finally he descended and set her down in a meadow. He released her and stepped back hastily as if he had burned himself and stared at her for a minute. Elish had just regained her bearings when he spoke.
"You are not human."
"Say what?" Elish stammered and her eyes batted a few times to blink away some wind swept tears. "What do you mean I'm not human?! Of course I'm!"
"You are not; however, this Sesshoumaru did not bring you here to discuss this point."
Sesshoumaru flicked his sleeve back and bared his arm to Elish.
"Grab ahold of my arm around my markings."
Elish pause for a moment and watched Sesshoumaru. She was confused and didn't know why had had to make a big fuss about bringing her out here just to hold hands. She creased her brow; and what did he mean she wasn't human? She looked at his out stretched arm and saw that he was waiting on her to proceed. She sighed and reached out to grab his arm.
At first contact, she marveled at how soft and smooth his skin felt and looked at his face to see if he had other instructions, or intentions. Sesshoumaru felt nothing like he had the night before when his hands had tingled, but he waited. After a few minutes, he felt that maybe he had imagined the sensation. He looked at Elish who was looking at him with a strange expression on her face and a light blush on her cheeks. She looked enchanting standing there under the warm sunny day with her hair gently blowing in the breeze. He had a momentary thought of wanting to kiss her again, but he held back. There was a purpose to this. Slowly he glanced down at his arm and was amazed to fine that the stripes on his arm had disappeared. Elish followed his eyes to said arm as she saw a tiny flicker of amazement pass across Sesshoumaru's eyes. She saw his pale, creamy skin under her light tan fingers and she marveled at how blemish free and strong his arms looked; and then her eyes widen at the lost of his stripes.
Elish quickly snatched her hand away and cradled it on her chest and stared at the daiyokai. He was staring at her with the same intense scrutiny that she analyzed him with and his eyes narrowed and then his expression softened. She did not just happen to fall down the well. She was here for a purpose and he needed to figure it out before Naraku or some other demon did.
"What happened to your stripes?" Elish asked incredulously.
"It would seem that you can dilute my poison, which is rare, thus you are not a mere mortal. Look."
Elish stared at amazement as slowly the markings on the demon slowly started to fade back into existence.
"Wow! How is that possible?"
"There are none in existence that can dilute this Sesshoumaru's poison, not even poison-master, snake youkai. You are rare and therefore could be used against me."
"What do you mean used against you? I don't even know how I did that."
"All the same, while you travel in this era you will stay close to this Sesshoumaru lest you be used as a weapon, or your true existence be discovered."
"Stay close? But I already travel with you guys and I'm always with the group."
Sesshoumaru took a step closer and stared in the green depths of cool water; and if he were a lesser demon, he would have drowned in those mossy pools and not even cared.
"You will be this Sesshoumaru's to protect. You shall be as Rin, a ward of the Western Lands."
Elish stared in amazement and was about to voice somewhat of an opinion about her thanks for the offer, when Sesshoumaru grabbed her by the waist an took to the skies. What ever pleasantries Elish was going to offer died in her throat as she suppressed the urge to hurl all over Sesshoumaru's haori.
Author's Note: Spring Break!
