Part 7: Awakening
Whether human or youkai, children are children. Tell them not to do something and they are compelled to do it anyway, if only out of curiosity. Children want to understand the 'why' of things. For example, Chieko wanted to know why her father forbade her to go near the boy in red who was pinned to an ancient tree. Of course she promised to obey his command...to his face. However, the young youkai soon took the opportunity to test her skills inherited from her mother. Wind youkai were infamous for their ability to alter and manipulate their scent.
Chieko was aware that her father was involved in regaining control of the Western Lands. This was the main reason she was often left under Jaken's supervision. She would often feign cooperation with the diminutive demon so she could get away from him and explore a bit. To her delight she managed to escape Jaken's watchful eye and head over to the tree. She stared up at the odd looking boy in red with striking silver locks very much like her father's. Occasionally the breeze would take hold of the blazing red fabric causing it to make a flapping sound Chieko thought was oddly pleasant. As she gazed upon his still form she wondered if he was dead or just sleeping.
The demon-child looked around to see if anyone was observing her. She heard Jaken calling out to her in the distance so she knew she had to act fast before her guardian found her. She slipped off her geta and climbed on top of the root base of the ancient tree until she was practically face to face with the dog-eared boy. She gently brushed some of his silvery-white locks from his face and got a good look at him.
'Jaken said that this boy is otou-sama's half-brother. His looks so different from otou-sama though. For instance...these ears are not like otou-sama's at all...' the curious young youkai thought to herself as she reach up to touch the delicate looking ears. While admiring how soft his ears felt the sleeve of her kimono had fallen back a bit exposing her pale skin. Within moments she found her self jerking back in pain and falling down from the tree. From the mark on her arm she concluded that she had brushed against something made to harm youkai. When she looked back at the boy she noticed the arrow piercing the boy's chest. Scratching her head for a moment she wondered why she hadn't noticed it before. Chieko got up, brushed herself off, then slowly reached for the arrow. When she touched it she drew her hand back in pain once again. Before she could investigate any further she heard Jaken calling her name once again. He sounded closer than before, but Chieko didn't want to be found just yet. Before leaving she looked back at the boy once more. She gasped a bit when she thought she saw his eyes flutter. By now she could tell that Jaken was very close so she fled from the tree.
Jaken was a nervous wreck. He couldn't find his young charge anywhere and he knew he would most likely face Sesshoumaru-sama's wrath if Chieko got into trouble.
"Oh, how I wish Sesshoumaru-sama had taken me with him. This child will be the death of me!" the diminutive demon muttered to himself as he continued his search. Unfortunately Chieko didn't consider the hardship she was causing her father's loyal servant. She paused for a moment by a small bog. She dipped a hand into the murky water then sniffed her hand. As her face bore a disgusted expression she turned at the sound of Jaken's voice once again. This time she decided to answer him. She didn't want him to go completely crazy with worry. Besides, she had gotten bored. When she opened her mouth to answer her words caught in her throat as she felt as if her breath was taken from her. She had felt a blow to her back and her chest and stomach felt oddly numb. When she looked down at her belly she was shocked to se her own entrails spilling forth from her body. The numbness spread throughout her body as she felt her life slipping away. The last thing she saw was Jaken running towards her. After that she saw, heard, and felt nothing.
Back at the fortress Aori prepared for Sesshoumaru's return when an oddly sick feeling overwhelmed her. She felt cold and nauseated. Those were sensations that were foreign to her. She frowned as bile burned her throat. As she went to get some water to help settle her stomach she heard a noise coming from the main entrance. Before she opened the door she demanded the person identify himself. She immediately recognized Jaken's voice and opened the entrance. What she saw on the other side seared itself into her memory forever.
She beheld the faithful Jaken panting while leaning against his staff. His clothing was tattered as if he had been in some sort of struggle. There was also a strong scent of smoke and blood coming from him. At his feet lay her child, whose body appeared to have been ravaged. There was a large hole in Chieko's abdomen, and it appeared Jaken had tried his best to cover it up but it was too large. Aori stared down at her daughter sensing no signs of life coming from her. The wind youkai leaned down and put a hand on her beloved child's pale, cold skin. She looked up at Jaken, her eyes screaming for an explanation.
"It attacked so quickly, Aori-dono. I tried to save her but the beast was too strong. I will not beg you to spare me punishment. If you see fit to put me to death for my failure then so be it..."
These were the last words Jaken croaked before collapsing next to Chieko's body. Aori quietly picked up Jaken and laid him in his quarters. She would ask him for more details after he regained consciousness. Until then she would prepare her child for burial.
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Days later when Sesshoumaru returned he came upon an eerily quiet fortress. Normally he considered that a good thing since to him that was a sign that all was well. His nose however was telling him something was amiss.
"Incense..." he muttered to himself as he headed within the courtyard. He thought it was odd that his mate and offspring were not there to greet him. He merely glanced down at a miserable looking Jaken who was leaning against a gate post. The small demon said nothing as he acknowledged his master's presence with a forlorn countenance. Sesshoumaru reciprocated the silence as he headed towards the smell of incense. Once he got to the rear of the house he found Aori kneeling beside what appeared to be a fairly fresh grave burning incense looking as if she had been drained of her very soul. It didn't take long for the inu-youkai to figure out why his mate and child were not at the entrance to greet him.
Sesshoumaru knelt behind the broken female to peer over her shoulder. They were in Chieko's favorite section of the garden she helped maintain with her mother. The young camellia tree was just producing buds. Chieko had been looking forward to seeing the tree she loved bloom once again.
Aori had just become aware the presence of her mate. Her sorrow had dulled her senses so she hadn't noticed him kneel behind her. Neither of them spoke a word to each other. Seshhoumaru didn't inquire about what happened and Aori declined to explain. All that would come later as each of them grieved in their own way. Aori felt Sesshoumaru's hand press against her shoulder as she clenched a small orange and white kimono to her bosom.
"I finished her summer kimono today. I'm sure she would have loved it," Aori mumbled to seemingly no one in particular. Those were the only words spoken until the last of the incense vapors rose to the heavens.
