A/N: So here we are again. The previous chapter was more of an informative chapter. Sorry, if it was boring.
Italics thoughts
Bold italics Memories/flashbacks
Disclaimer: I used to think that if I prayed hard enough, I would eventually get what I was praying for: Ownership of Inu Yasha. Since that got me nowhere my plan is to kidnap Rumiko Takahashi sensei and threaten her with her life until she signs over everything relating to Inu Yasha to…well shucks, me.
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Naoko woke to a strange sight.
It wasn't often that one would catch the Daiyoukai Lord Sesshomaru with his eyes closed in a deep sleep. It was even rarer to catch him even blinking. So what was he doing with his hand on hers and his head resting against her arm? Unable to come up with a plausible reason, she gently withdrew her hand from his grasp and left her father's bed. She stretched her sore limbs and finger-combed the tangles from her hair.
Was it him who came to my aid at the last moment? It had to have been. The last thing she had seen was silver. It couldn't have been his brother; otherwise she would have seen red. Okay, that was partially true. The only red she did see was her own blood.
Jeez, negative much?
She walked into her mother's closet and quickly changed into a simple cream kimono with a pastel green obi. She left her father's Wing knowing that Sesshomaru was practically dead to the world.
As she descended down the staircase to the main entrance hall, a blur of orange tackled her to the ground. The crown of the blur was sliver ending in brown and Naoko couldn't help but laugh.
"Ohayoo, Rin-chan. Did you miss me?"
The inu-kodomo nodded vigorously, "Hai! Kora-baachan said you were hurt very badly! I was very worried." Although Naoko appreciated Rin's affection, she couldn't help but laugh. Too bad that action only put the kodomo into a full panic: "Kora-baachan also said that you might have hit your head! Are you sure you're alright, Naoko-san?"
The older youkai's laughter died down to a soft chuckle. "Hai, I am fine. You simply reminded me of well…me. Kora-san hated me for so long when I called her baa-chan. I used to call her that just to annoy her."
"Oh," Rin's eyes grew wide with understanding and she laughed as well. "Well I want to be just like you, Naoko-san! Kagome-chan said that you fought a big tiger youkai all by yourself and you won!" In her eyes, Naoko was as great a youkai as Lord Sesshomaru.
"Why, thank you Rin. But if you want to be just like me, then you have to help make breakfast."
It was a well-known fact throughout the manor that Naoko occasionally cooked breakfast for herself and the servants. It was how she showed her appreciation of their love and loyalty.
"Really? But I've never ever made any kind of food before. Except simple food like fish." Rin didn't want to disappoint Naoko, but she was telling the truth. She wasn't very skilled at anything.
Naoko patted Rin on the head and took the child by the hand. "It is alright. I was just in the mood for some miso soup. It is very simple and we can make enough for the whole manor."
She led the nervous child to the kitchens, a wave of nostalgia overwhelming her senses. This was something that her mother, Lady Nakimi, did when she was just a small child.
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Naoko sat in her mother's garden, her back pressed against the bough of one of the many Japanese maple trees. Rin sat on her lap, the little youkai napping from the meal they just had. They had made enough soup to feed the entire Western Lands, and it seemed the kodomo ate the majority of it.
Although the child was already asleep, the youkai heiress found herself singing a lullaby her mother taught her.
"Nen nen kororiyo okororiyo
Boyawa yoikoda nenneshina Boyano komoriwa dokoe it ta
Anoyama koete satoe it ta Sato no miyage ni nani morata
Denden taikoni sho no fue
Sho no fue."
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A/N: It's an Edo Lullaby. The translation is:
Sleep, sleep,
little one, sleep.
You're a good baby,
now go to sleep.Do you know
where your nurse has gone?
Gone to her village
she won't be long. What will she bring baby
when she does come?
A flute so lovely
and a thunderous drum.
And a thunderous drum.
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Her mother only sang the lullaby when her father was away on a campaign or involved in a war, which was quite often when the Inu no Taicho was still alive. But when her mother had passed, she was thoroughly surprised when her father would sometimes sing it to her. Mind you, her father had a mediocre singing voice, but to her, it was the thought that counted.
The child on her lap turned onto her side and snuggled into Naoko's warmth. "Kaa-san…" she whispered and Naoko felt tears spring to her eyes. Rin was a dead-on reminder of her past.
Leaning forward, she wrapped her arms around the girl and kissed her temple. "Hai, akachan. Kaa-san is here for you." She looked up at one of the many balconies of her manor and quickly spotted Sesshomaru on one. She gave a small smile and whispered into Rin's ear. She was far enough and her voice was low enough that even he could not hear what she had to say.
"Although, akachan, your too-san needs to learn that you're there for him as well."
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Sesshomaru didn't know what to make of it. He woke up alone, but he usually woke up alone so how was this any different? It was her scent. He hadn't noticed when her scent left the room, or the entire North Wing for that matter. What was wrong with him?
Again, it was her.
When he caught sight of her and Rin down in the garden, an alien feeling crept into his heart and took root. He valiantly tried to ignore it and merely considered it to be a temporary affliction. Perhaps it was some leftover emotion.
Not that Lord Sesshomaru ever showed emotion.
That is half-true of course. He felt emotion when Rin became a youkai, and when he saw Naoko in a puddle of her own blood. Ooh, and let's not forget when he woke up alone. So what was this feeling? Was he…envious?
Of what, I wonder. He hadn't felt envy since Inu Yasha was chosen as Tetsusaiga's master. Of course he never called it envy, oh no. He preferred to call it deep and utter loathing and some serious disappoint aimed at his father. But this was different. He felt no loathing towards Naoko, yet he couldn't deny the deep feeling towards her.
What was wrong with him?
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A/N: Hehe…Now I'm making him feel—dare I say it? Hm…I believe it starts with an L and ends with O-V-E. But it could also end with U-S-T. Well, we won't know until the end, now will we?
Review please!