Cursed Love
Chapter 2 – Note from the afterlife

Sesshoumaru had just returned from a patrol on his lands and he decided his travelling companions could also use a little break from the neverending journey, while seeking Naraku. And simply, it calmed him down to be home again; even if it was for only a short amount of time.

True, it was nice to be there, but it was far from relaxation. Even he had to admit the last two days he spent at home exhausted him. Though he would never show any sign of that. He insisted on reading all the important papers which had been made during his absence, although his mother was experienced in such things, he still couldn't let the matters slide out of his hands. So, his stubbornness earned him another few hours full of work – again.

He suppressed a sigh, leaning back a little. The long kneeling on his pillow behind his low desk made even him sore. Rubbing his temples, he came to the conclusion that fresh air and stretching out his numb limbs could be of use. With that in mind, he got up and slid the fusuma open. The sweet, early summer evening's air rushed inside the study as he stepped out on the veranda and slipped on a pair of zori which was prepeared for him. He never wore his boots in the castle, only for a short time whenever he arrived.

A little path led through the gardens and into the forest which was mostly calm and quiet. He was grateful that he was alone, though his silent moment just had to end sometime as he heard the approach of light footsteps. He secretly sniffed the air and calmed down a little as he sensed it was his mother. She quietly caught up with him, both enjoying the silence for awhile, until she spoke:

'You know, Sesshoumaru, I was surprised' he glanced at her mother from the corner of his eyes. A light breeze picked up and blew her silky hair which had the same shade as her son's. Amber gazes met each other, until the younger one of the demons looked ahead, not sparing a glance for his mother's wavy magenta strips on her cheek or the crescent moon on her forehead which was similar to his. 'You came back after decades and you brought a little human child with you... and it doesn't seem to me like you would plan on eating her...'

'Ridiculous' he stated curtly, though her mother's words had seemed unexpectedly harsh for his ear. How could she even think about eating Rin? The thought had never crossed his mind.

'Anyway, since you're here again, I think it is time for you to see this' she held out a piece of paper and stopped.

'Haha-ue, what is this?' Sesshoumaru asked, while taking the note.

'Your father gave it to me, I don't know.'

Her son nodded, then unfolded the paper. There were only one word on it: 'Protect'. Strangely, this little word immediately brought back his last memories about Inutaishou. But before he could've lost in his own thoughts, he silently shook his head, concentrating on the present. He cocked his head a little and turned to her mother, slightly raising an eyebrow asking her about the note.

'I told you I don't know what it is about...' she sighed. Sesshoumaru gave her the paper and she quickly read it. 'I still don't know...' she shook her head. 'He probably tried to remind you of something... a conversation between you two maybe...'

Sesshoumaru nodded, taking back the piece of paper and turning back on the path to the castle. Her mother joined on his side; the walk was silent back to the building. However, Sesshoumaru couldn't help but wonder about what her mother had said. True, it has stirred long forgotten memories in his mind, but he was sure his father didn't mean their last conversation. It was impossible. „He went to the human and Inuyasha right after that... he simply couldn't have time to stop by and drop it at mother's place..."

After they parted, Sesshoumaru didn't continue his work, instead went to his chamber, hoping for a nice hot bath. He had to take his thoughts away from the note. However, during the cleaning process the word 'protect' echoed through his mind. He washed away the suds, along with his thoughts, then sunk into the water.

It seemed there he found some peace, but it didn't last longer. Once, he could feel his muscles relaxing, but at the same time aching – it was a silent cry against the unhealthy position he spent behind his low desk. He sighed, wishing for a massage, but another thought ruined its illusion the moment it appeared. 'Protect.'

He let out a low growl in frustration as his eyes snapped open. This time it seemed the word itself suddenly brought back an earlier memory...


'What?' he asked, suprise raising his voice.

'I'm moving out, Sesshoumaru.'

'But... why?' the young inuyoukai just couldn't understand his father's reasons.

'I've already told you, son' Inutaishou finally turned back to him from the study's window. 'I have to protect her.'

'And what about mother?' Sesshoumaru asked, hiding his hurt.

'She can take care of herself. But Izayoi... she is human. I must protect her' Inutaishou replied, seeking the eyes of his son, but he could barely find his feelings there.

'Wakarimashita' the young prince of the West nodded, although his gaze betrayed his anger, as well as his following words after awhile: 'You think you can throw away haha-ue like an old kimono after you was bored with her, ne?' silence filled the study for a few more moments, until he spoke up again, muttering.

'I thought more of you, father' he spat, but the barely finished his monologue when Inutaishou slapped him in his fury which he could no longer keep in total controll. Sesshoumaru stood stunned for a second before collecting himself together and turned back to his father who began speaking.

'I have duties, my son! As a ruler, as a mate, as a father...' the older inuyoukai sighed, closing his eyes for a second to calm his rage down. 'And you must understand, Izayoi need me. That's why I'm moving out. And' he raised his voice a little when he saw Sesshoumaru opened his mouth to say something 'my duty as the father of her child to protect her and the baby.'

'What?!' Sesshoumaru couldn't contain himself longer.

'You heard me... you're going to be a big brother' Inutaishou said. He knew this wasn't probably the best way to inform Sesshoumaru about such things, but since their conversation turned out as it did, he had to bring it up. Taking advantage of his son's dumbfounded silence, he continued: 'Sesshoumaru, let's talk about this as two adult men would. I love Izayoi and I'm going to protect her, that's why I need to stay with her.'

While the young youkai was still stunned with the thought he was going to have a hanyou sibling, he snapped his attention back immediately.

'It's ridiculous' he stated, disgusted. 'Demons do not and cannot love. They only have lust.'

'See, that is ridiculous' Inutaishou replied. 'I love my family.'

'In that case the question is: which is your family? The hanyou with the human woman or mother and I' Sesshoumaru glared at him, then turned around, never waiting for his answer.

Inutaishou looked almost sadly at his son's retreating form, suppressing a sigh. After Sesshoumaru's footsteps faded into nothing, he finally gave his answer for the listening furniture:

'I love my both family... I can't make a difference between them...' he bitterly whispered to himself, knowing his son would never understand it, although silently hoping he was somehow wrong. He'd love to see the day Sesshoumaru seeing the meaning of his words...


What is it that chichi-ue wanted to tell me?" the lord of the western lands questioned in his mind, but again, he came up without an explanation. „Maybe this is his way saying I have to find a mate... after all, we'd been talking about it when I was young" he sighed, getting out of the water and drying himself. „And I just know he'd bring it up in the near future if he was alive..."

Pushing these troublesome thoughts aside, he put on his sleeping hakama and laid down on his large and comfortable futon. He closed his eyes in a vain attempt to sleep, however the land of oblivion didn't come to him that night. „Another sleepless night..." he thought, a frown appearing on his handsome features. Of course, as a youkai he didn't need that much sleep, but still, it bothered him that he could not have a moment of peace.

Sighing, he made his way to the veranda, while picking up his haori and slipped on his zori again, deciding beside a walk in the fresh night air, hoping it would calm him down and bring him the wished sleep. However, it seemed unmei had another task for him. As he made his way through the garden, his pointed ears picked up a noise outside the gate. He would've ignored it if it wasn't for the fact that the strange noise seemed to get closer with every passing minute.

He immediately turned sharply and began for the entrance. Meanwhile sniffing the air if he could recognize anything alone from its scent. „A yasha... and an oni..." he growled low. He despised oni, more then hanyou if it was even possible. It was true they were at least demons, but most half-breeds could easily kill them without too much effort. „It is probably chasing the woman... why doesn't she kill it?" he asked in his mind, raising an elegant eyebrown in question.

Anyhow, when he arrived at the gates, he pulled a wing open to have a good look at the scene. His nose didn't betray him: a youkai woman rushed down on the hill which was rising over the castle's entrance, but in an unfortunate second she slipped and immediately began her way rolling down with a few more squeals and 'ow's.

Behind her a roar gave signal of a huge bear demon which came slowly but surely, and Sesshoumaru growled warningly at it: he wanted peace for only one night. Why was that hard it to happen?! He silently cursed when the oni continued its way for the woman who were now only a few feet away from the gates and the inuyoukai could also hear Jaken running to his side.

Perfect. Just what I needed now..." he stated sarcarstically to himself. Suppressing another sigh, he watched as the feminine figure came into a stop before him and the bear demon didn't gave up. Sesshoumaru made up his mind in a second, skipping into the air, his fingertips covered in an eerie greenish and gold light. A moment later an energy whip appeared which cut the bear oni clean in half with a flick of his wrist.

He landed gracefully on the ground where he had been watching the whole scene: beside the gates. Hearing the youkai woman panting heavily, he glanced down at her with an indifferent expression on his face, waiting the circumstances to sink in her mind. A moment later Jaken arrived next to him when the yasha finally caught her breath. He watched as she slowly lifted up her face...


ˇˇˇ

zori: japanese slippers, usually worn with kimono
haha(-ue): mother (one's own) and 'ue' is a word which express repect, however it was used in the middle age, not nowadays
inu: dog
ne?: right? (when 'ne' is at the end of the sentence)
hanyou: half-demon
chichi(-ue): father (one's own); Sesshoumaru used 'chichi-ue' to address his father (movie 3)
hakama: the baggy pants Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha wear
haori: the top part of their cloths (for Sesshoumaru it is the white with red honeycomb patterns on it and for Inuyasha it is the red one. Not the thing they wear under it, the simple cloth)
unmei: fate, destiny
yasha: female demon
oni: the best you can describe it, it's something like an ogre
wakarimashita: 'I understood' with respective form
And a little grammar: japanese does not have plural form for the nouns, nor articles. That's why it could be confusing sometimes...

Thank you for the reviews, I dedicate this chapter for Tokia, Roni-chan and joyrid3! Your opinions helped me to write the second chapter:) Hope you enjoyed it and I'd also love to hear about others who read my story:D

Oh, and I forgot a japanese expression at the end of the last chapter, but I fixed it now! xD Sorry for that... TT