A/N: There is still about 3 weeks left till the 60th day at this point in the story, so there is still time – in case any of you were wondering.
For this chapter, there will be a lot of small scenes so you can imagine it like a movie zooming it on various moments as the characters battle on to survive. There are no lemons here but warning still for minor violence.
/
During her stay in Kaede's village, Rin was aware of the human Lord who reigned over the southern lands. As the only child of a long line of single-heir kings, Lord Adam Tsara had taken many wives in his bid to break that pattern.
Alas, neither bore him an offspring. Was that why the hyenas wanted to attack the humans? To gain control over a territory upon the death of its human Lord?
"Have you met him before Miria?"
The Daiyoukai shook her head; patting A-Un's neck as a signal for him to return home on his own. The dragon now sporting a single head gave a low moan, as though crying in sadness.
"We'll see each other again A-Un," said Rin gently, releasing the reins around his neck. She was going to miss him truly. He had been her only companion during those times Lord Sesshoumaru had left her alone while he ventured into unknown territories.
With a heavy sigh, she watched as the beast took off into the clouds, standing still until she could no longer see his shadow in the sky.
"Come my Lady. We do not have much time," ushered Miria, guiding her by the arm into the castle grounds. The moment they were inside, Rin couldn't help but look up at the ceiling in wonder for every inch was covered with elaborate paintings of angels, each with real gold for wings.
Unlike the cold, almost impassive interior of the Western Castle, here the walls were draped in bright gold and red and decorated with an assortment of plush chairs and ornate sculptures.
"My Lady, how would you like to be announced?"
Rin lifted her head at the gruff voice of the guard before her. Beyond the heavy golden doors at his rear was probably the private chamber of Lord Adam. But before she could reply, Miria stepped forward and made the introductions.
"The Lady of the West requests to be by his majesty's side," she said, ignoring the murderous look Rin was trying to give her.
But it did the trick. Once the door swung open, Rin was allowed inside; Miria closing the door behind them.
"I will remain here," she said, standing by the doors. "The scent of impeding death particularly affects me…"
Rin made no comment on that. It must be frightening to have such senses to detect the end of someone's life, watching them leave right before your eyes. Perhaps that was why humans fight so hard to live meaningful lives, she thought – even if it means fighting right till the end.
Moving closer to the bed, she noted that the elderly king had his upper torso wrapped in bandages. By the looks of it, Rin could tell that it was merely a flesh wound but at his age, healing even that would take a tremendous toll on his body.
"My Lord, my name is –"
"Izayoi? You came…" he lifted a trembling hand towards her. Rin had to resist the urge to turn around for she knew there was no one else in the room and moved closer towards him.
"I am Rin my Lord," she whispered gently, allowing the elderly king to hold her hand in his. "Lord Sesshoumaru sent me."
Lord Adam forced himself into a sitting position; cloudy eyes narrowing as though to study her face. He even managed a small laugh before coughing heavily into his hands.
"Ah, Taisho you bastard. Why do you always get the beautiful ones?" he wheezed, prompting Rin to look around for a glass of water to soothe his throat.
"I hear you haven't been eating well my Lord," she said, taking the empty glass from him. "Would you like me to brew something for you? I studied medicine with a Priestess before –"
"Izayoi you're too kind. What would InuTaisho say?" Another cough before he leaned backwards onto the bedrest.
Izayoi… so that's her name – the woman in the photo. She could understand why he had mistaken her as Izayoi for they had the same long black hair and dark eyes. But apart from that, they looked nothing much alike.
However, at that moment, Lord Adam seemed to think she was the mate of the former Western Lord –oh the irony –and so, Rin would play along for now, if it helped him feel better.
"He sent me here my Lord. I don't think he would complain." She covered her hand over his.
He gave another cough and looked away; turning his head to face the wall. "I have grown old while you… you've remained young and beautiful Izayoi. You break my heart."
Rin hated pretending but having helped Kaede for years in the infirmary, she knew how important it was for the patient to believe she was their sister, mother, wife… for it gave them that extra push to survive a bit longer, to heal.
"I only wished you had found your love too my Lord," she whispered, feeling the drops of tears slowly escaping the corner of her eyes. Was this how her final days would be like? Alone and pining for the love of someone who belonged to someone else?
"Do not cry for me Izayoi…" He turned to look at her. "If I feel better tomorrow, will you have breakfast with me?"
"Certainly my Lord."
"Good…" He closed his eyes slowly; his breathing deep and slow.
Rin remained by his side; her hands in his until she was sure that he was fast asleep. Only then did she gently remove her hands and pulled up the blankets to cover him to the shoulders.
/
A-Un had joined him two days after, as they journeyed southwards along the coast from the Western tip. By the end of the week, Sesshoumaru had led the group of demons to the mouth of the long mountain pass.
What he thought was initially human blood turned out to be hyenas'. Getting off his dragon, he ordered the squadron to rest, keeping alert and within formation while he scouted.
So much death here…
Contrary to human's belief that Inuyoukais were soulless beings; his race were in fact the most sensitive to death -being able to sense it even from a distance. That was how he knew his father had died - the sudden great change in balance of the life forces around him.
But beyond that, Daiyoukais in particular had the uncanny ability to see the scale of one's mortality; pinpoint the exact moment in a person's life to determine the years lived and the years left.
It had taken a lot of self-control not to look at Rin with this ability. Her coming into his life had been like a monsoon after a long, harsh drought, making him pay attention to things he used to find useless and boring -flowers, music, laughter… love. How could someone so young and tiny have learnt the compassion and patience that he, after all the time spent in this world, had not?
For that alone, he would rather not know when she would take her last breath…
Pushing thoughts of Rin to the corner of his mind, Sesshoumaru continued studying the ground, reaching down to rub his fingers over the crimson-soaked soil. Whatever carnage that had taken place was cleared out quickly and efficiently. Hyenas were not known to clean up after a kill –then who?
Following his sense of smell, Sesshoumaru tracked down what appeared to be the site of a struggle between a hyena and a human –or perhaps not. Someone had forgotten to wipe clean the prints here. Unable to retract their claws, hyenas often left deep grooved markings but here, claw marks, padded footprints and human prints trampled each other.
Another Youkai then.
Moving back towards his soldiers, Sesshoumaru mounted A-Un; his command whispered at a low frequency only meant for their ears.
"Look up as you pass but not a sound."
The horses moved silently in the darkness, their eyes closed by flaps. It was for the best, seeing that some of the younger soldiers were panicking soundlessly at the sight of hyena Youkais –in their various transformative forms –skewered through the branches of the trees high above.
It continued as such deeper into the mountains as they went until finally the stench of hyenas cleared as they reached a small water hole. This had to be done recently. By the looks of it, a trench had been dug deep enough to drown whoever tried to pass.
Sesshoumaru was almost tempted to pin it on pumas but a more familiar –and equally revolting scent caught his attention.
"Wolves."
The ice blue of their eyes peered down on him; a cluster of wolves hanging by the branches. Seeing that they made no move to attack, Sesshoumaru continued, stopping only when the water lapped at A-Un's feet.
"It would be a shame to leave the horses my Lord," said Jaken, coming up from behind. "And… I think these wolves are simply waiting to watch us drown."
Indeed. Sesshoumaru looked up to see one particular wolf strutting on a branch; her sleek body at attention as though anticipating a show. Well, he'll give her one then.
Drawing Bakusaiga, Sesshoumaru leaped off A-Un; flying straight at the rocky edges of the mountains; sword slashing down against the hard surfaces.
At first nothing happened –but then the mountains started to grumble; the ground shaking as a gigantic portion of the slopes broke off and crashed down, shattering as it hit the middle of the water hole.
Landing amongst the rubble, Sesshoumaru brought his gaze up to the trees – golden eyes meeting blue.
He recognised this one in particular.
"Aren't you so far from home, princess?" It was a strange hierarchy these wolves. All of Ulrich's concubines were addressed as Lady while his own heirs addressed as prince and princess, though the identities of their mothers were a mystery. There was never a Queen of the East.
The wolf looked at him arrogantly, leaping off the branch as she shifted mid-air, her white pelt melting away to pale blonde hair, long and wavy as they cleverly covered up the bronzed flesh of her breasts.
"Lord Sesshoumaru." She bowed slightly; her actions serving as a stand down for all the other wolves prowling on the trees.
"Emiko." He noted how some had leaped off to stand protectively close behind their princess. Again, another wolf quirk. He would have scoffed at the thought of a lesser trying to protect him.
"I must say that was quite… impressive, my Lord," she tilted her head to the rocky path he had created. "Though now you've completely ruined the trap."
Sesshoumaru frowned at her words. "I thought the message you left behind was quite clear." There was no mistaking the unspoken threat from the hyena massacre on display.
She didn't take the bait.
"If you're thinking of heading up to An, forget it. There is nothing left but death and decay." The anger was ripe in her voice.
"Wolves?" When she nodded, he was genuinely surprised. Wolf Youkai rarely ventured this far south from the comfort of the central mountains. What more, to live so close to a human village. "I am tracking the hyenas. They went this way."
Emiko tilted her head back and howled a laugh. "Hyenas aren't clever enough to dig through the mountains! The only way out of An is through here and I promise you, none managed to come out alive this way."
No, there was one more way –by sea. It was a longer and more dangerous route, seeing that the rocks, extending from the mountain faults made the seas treacherous. But a very skilled navigator could easily circumvent the obstacle.
"So then where are your kin now if there is nothing at the end of this pass?"
Eyes of blue hardened as Emiko looked towards the empty darkness. "Gone."
Wolves! Instead of hunting down the scent, it was so like them to set traps – a waste of time. Fools!
"Do as you please." Sesshoumaru turned to Jaken and motioned for his soldiers to follow suit. The sooner they tracked down the migrating hyenas, the faster he would be able to return to Rin.
/
Rin had instructed the royal physician to see to it that a special salve made of seaweed be applied to Lord Adam's wound regularly. This close to the sea, the seaweed of which Kaede used for her patients were abundant here.
"He's doing much better," said Miria when she came into the breakfast room that morning. "Whatever it is you're doing, keep at it. That impeding scent of death I sensed a few days ago has lightened considerably."
Rin looked up from her porridge, her heart filling with some hope. Lord Adam hadn't made it to breakfast with her as he wanted to for a few days now. Perhaps today would be different.
Jumping out of her chair, Rin headed straight for his chambers, knocking twice before peeping in.
"My Lord? I was wondering, if you'd like to join me for breakfast?"
She heard slow shuffling footsteps and banging of a walking stick on the floor.
"Damn rickety legs. Give me a second, love. I'm coming."
Rin couldn't believe how much better he sounded. All those evenings spent talking and reading to him –it was as if he pushed himself to live, for another day with Izayoi.
She must be a captivating woman if she managed to melt the will of two Lords. How had she died? From old age as well?
If so, then at least she had lived a fulfilling life with Sesshoumaru's father –until her final breath. Rin only wished she had a chance at that too.
"Izayoi… oh!" Lord Adam opened the door fully; his frame slightly bent but Rin could see the slight glow of pink on his cheeks. He was indeed better.
"Who are you my lovely?" he asked, not with suspicion but a slight hint of disappointment.
It seemed his eyesight had also returned to normal.
"I am Rin my Lord. Lord Sesshoumaru sent me here to take care of you." She curled an arm under the crook of his elbow.
"Why that cheeky little…" Lord Adam turned to her. "I hope I have not been a burden to you my dear. Court physicians can be so impersonal sometimes…"
Rin patted his arm gently. There was no need to apologise –not to her.
"I used to live in a village not far from here; running an infirmary together with Priestess Kaede. So, I'm used to taking care of others."
"But you said Lord Sesshoumaru sent you here. Was that where he found you, Rin?"
Oh where should she start…
"Let's get some solid food into you first and I'll tell my story," she said instead, ushering him towards the breakfast room. But first, she was going to have to explain why there was another Daiyoukai standing watch over her, instead of the Lord of the West himself.
/
Sesshoumaru was right.
Though the human footprints were indistinguishable, Sesshoumaru could see that some made a deeper impression on the muddy sand than others –arguably, since Youkais were heavier and larger in stature than most humans.
"The Southern Lord held them off here," he said to the Youkai and wolves, following the tracks to the crashing waves off the rocks before them. It was indeed unimaginable how Adam managed to evacuate the villagers in this condition. No boat could have survived those waves. Most of them had to have drowned before even reaching the mother ship.
"But… where have they gone?" asked Jaken, coming to the same conclusion as him. "Just look at those waves! There had to be children and elderly –"
"The wolves…" whispered Emiko from behind.
Sesshoumaru followed her line of sight to the glimmer of rocks barely visible under the onslaught of the ocean. But she was right –where the waves crashed, there had to be rocks and who would know these coasts better than the wolves and humans who lived there?
Testing her theory, he leaped to the nearest rock; steadying his feet as a wave came crashing onto him.
"Master!" shrieked Jaken from afar. "We will find another way!"
"Quiet imp. Do you forget your Lord can fly?" hissed Emiko, even as she folded her arms. "Fool!"
Sesshoumaru shot her a sideward glance –her last comment was meant for him, he knew. Focusing on the next bed of rocks, he leaped, continuing to search for the next steadiest base to land on.
Already on his own, he found it hard not to slip with every oncoming wave –to think that a red wolf much smaller than their cousins had carried a human one by one across this tempest was beyond impressive.
It was sacrificial.
Landing on the last rock he could find, Sesshoumaru turned back to look at how far he had managed from the mainland. From here on, there was only one way to reach the calmer waters.
They had to swim.
Flexing his back muscles, Sesshoumaru prepared to jump and fly back when he heard Jaken's shout –
"Master! Watch out!"
Too late. The oncoming wave crashed from above; sending him under in a tumultuous pirouette –swallowing salt, sand and sea as the powerful current drove him deeper underwater.
/
"The Lord of the West sends his chief of army here – why?" asked Adam, his spoon trembling in his frail hands.
"My Lord, we received news of the demise of An and we are here to help," replied Miria.
"I do not need your help! Am I not capable of protecting my own lands?" Colour returning to his cheeks as he stood up; hands pressed on the edge of the table. He may be feeling better but if he made any more unnecessary moves, Rin was sure his wounds would reopen.
"My Lord," said Rin; a hand gently soothing him back to his seat. "Miria is here not in her position as an army commander, but she is here to watch over me."
Lord Adam wasn't expecting that. Slumping in his seat, he turned to Rin, a look of worry on his face. "Does he feel it not safe for you to be here without a guard, Rin?"
She shook her head. "There have been attempts on my life, several times my Lord. In fact, Lord Sesshoumaru sent me here because his castle is no longer safe without his presence."
"Lord Sesshoumaru has a theory that the hyenas are somehow pawns used by someone to try and eliminate the reigning Lords. They've tried to trap him once but failed." Miria.
"So they're moving on to the easiest first…" said Lord Adam, finishing her sentence. Looking then at Rin, he shook his head as though making sense of things he didn't before. "The Taisho men have such good taste… but so often costly. He warned me that this would happen."
"Who, my Lord?" asked Rin.
"Inu no Jiro –his uncle." With his elbows on the table, Lord Adam covered his face with his hands, as though trying to step an impending headache.
"What? That sneaky bastard –" Miria gave a quick apologetic look at Rin. "I mean, Youkai! What did he say to you?"
Rin had to throw her a warning look. Lord Adam was in no position to hold a confrontation. "Miria, would you be so kind to let us finish our breakfast? I will find you in a while."
She could tell from the arrogant tilt of her chin that the demoness was hesitant but after another warning stare, Miria bowed and left them alone.
"Do you wish to grow old and be alone like me Rin?" said the elderly Lord once he was certain Miria was no longer in sight. "Pining for something you can never have?"
Rin wanted to deny whatever he was insinuating but she understood there was no reason to lie for he saw everything clearly in her eyes.
"Yes my Lord," she replied in a soft whisper. "If that is the only way to keep his lands and the loyalty of his people."
The corners of his mouth tilted slightly but his blue eyes remained expressionless as he looked at her. "You have an enormous heart Rin. I hope Sesshoumaru realises that before it's too late."
Rin could only smile back.
"Tell me about him – I barely know the son as I had known the father. Sesshoumaru was not the… talking type, which I'm sure you know. In fact, I can't be more surprised to know he has kept you by his side all these years! It's common knowledge that he hates humans."
"He is much kinder than he lets on my Lord. For years, I have travelled with him after he saved me from the Eastern forests – my village was burnt and pillaged you see."
"But you said you stayed in a village with a Priestess?" The elderly man's eyes shone with interest as he leaned back in his seat. This was probably exciting for him –to learn the secrets of a Daiyoukai that had never been told before.
"Yes, he decided it would be best to let me resume a human life until I was ready to make my own decision about travelling with him."
A great sadness passed across Lord Adam's eyes. "So like me, you have no other family then."
Rin nodded slowly. "Lord Sesshoumaru is my only family now. But at the start of the next full moon… well, I suppose not anymore."
The human lord looked at her sadly; understanding passing before his eyes. Rin didn't doubt that he knew better than her the customs of the other two Lords when it came to inheritance and land.
"Has he chosen a mate?" When she nodded, Rin felt him patting her hand gently. "Why don't you stay here Rin and keep this old man company? God knows my days are limited. I'd hate to spend them with my physicians."
Rin didn't want him feeling sorry for her. This was after all, the man who had dismissed all his wives when they could no longer bear him any children. As much as she appreciated his offer, Rin already had a plan to move to Cove Viridian. "I'll think about it."
"You do that."
Rin was about to reply when Miria stormed in.
"Apologies my Lord; Lady. But a group of human villagers from the Western Lands are here to see you." Looking at Rin, she nodded. "Titus from Eilean."
Titus? What was he doing so far south?
"My Lord, will you be well enough for an audience?" asked Rin.
"I will see him in the main hall."
When Miria left, he turned to her; one hand reaching for his walking stick. "Come Rin, it seems you are familiar with this Titus? Then you will be my ears and my voice then."
/
Underwater, all was calm –nothing of the powerful forces above. As his eyes gleamed in the darkness, Sesshoumaru finally saw the bodies.
Some rested on the rocky seabed while some floated past him; their faces frozen in time by the sudden death that claimed them.
Pawns, all of them – from the hyenas to the red wolves and the humans. Whoever did this, wanted to lure Adam into a corner, not expecting that the human Lord was capable of escape. All these innocent lives taken, for what gain? Even the hyenas who died were simply soldiers following orders and the wolves? They had no part in this war and yet they had sacrificed their lives for the humans.
Sesshoumaru had enough. This had to end now.
Against the current, he swam upwards; his hands pushing down hard like oars propelling him towards the surface. He could feel the tightness in his chest; the ringing in his ears as his body gave that final push…
Would be a shame to die without a final kiss…
One final surge of power and Sesshoumaru leaped high into the welcome embrace of air filling his lungs once more.
"Master Sesshoumaru! I thought you were dead!" wailed Jaken when he landed on the rocky beach a moment later.
Sesshoumaru gave him a slanted look.
"We ride to the Southern castle." Turning to Emiko, he softened his gaze slightly. "Whatever you were waiting for here have been long gone. What is left will be in Seurri."
"Then we will journey together my Lord," she replied, eyes of blue hardening as she kept in step.
Sesshoumaru didn't stop her; gathering his own men for the final three days south towards Seurri, where Rin would be waiting for him.
/
"My Lady! I… I was not expecting you here!" Titus exclaimed the moment he stepped into the great hall.
"State your purpose Titus of Eilean," warned Lord Adam, motioning for him to come closer. "And make haste."
"My Lord, me and my men passed the village of An only to find destruction. The Inu Youkai soldier I had with me said you survived but barely. We were waiting for your orders at the border my Lord – why didn't you call for us?"
Before Lord Adam could answer, Rin laid a hand on his and stood up. "Titus, did you meet with reinforcements from the West? Lord Sesshoumaru has set out personally to meet with you."
"Reinforcements?" He blinked; brows furrowed in confusion. "There was nothing left of An. Not a trace of humans or of hyenas. Why would I…" His eyes suddenly flicked upwards towards her. "Rin!"
No! Someone had wanted Sesshoumaru out of the castle –why? Somehow they knew she would be here… and that he would come for her. An was merely a distraction, to buy time…
"My Lord, please, we must fortify the city at once!" demanded Rin. "They are coming."
"That is impossible!" said Lord Adam, forcing himself to an upright position. "We slayed all the hyenas at An –those who dared to follow us drowned. We burned the village to the ground leaving none behind."
"You don't understand my Lord… Sesshoumaru thinks he was called to save An. There are only a hundred soldiers with him – it is not enough to defend this city! Haven't you expanded most of your forces to protect the neighbouring villages? Who then is left here to protect you?"
The colour drained from his face; the old man struggling to his feet.
"Young Titus, head down to the infirmary and tell them to call for arms." Turning to Rin, he whispered, "We fight with what we have. Rin, I will need you to help me evacuate everyone – beneath these castle grounds are tunnels leading towards the mountains up north."
She knew then just what he planned to do.
"No! I will stay here. You will leave with your people to safety my Lord. You cannot fight like this!"
A wide smile crept at the side of his mouth. "Will you stop me then?"
"Yes."
She may not have Wind Eternal with her but Rin was always prepared – two daggers sheathed at the ankles of her boots.
When she launched at him, Rin was surprised to feel the strength of his block –his hand holding her off at the wrist. Another swab down and he had kicked her hand, sending one dagger flying to the end of the room.
Narrowing her eyes, Rin realised how much she had underestimated the old man. There was still much spirit in him despite the apparent loss of physical strength.
"My Lord, I do not wish to fight you – it will reopen your wounds," she cried desperately.
"Give it your best shot Rin. It seems, you do after all, have the upper hand. I am unarmed."
Not holding back this time, Rin came at him with all her strength; her dagger aimed for his throat. Anticipating her move, he crouched low, sliding his leg into a low kick, tripping her face forward.
"Stop trying not to fight me and fight me!" he ordered, pulling her back to her feet by the collar of her neck.
That was when she hit him; turning the dagger towards her, she smashed the rear against his temple, sending him staggering backwards.
"Very good Rin…" he whispered. "More."
Was he trying to kill himself? All that unnecessary jumping about had caused his bandages to spot smears of red – his wounds no doubt reopening again.
Rin would rather he bleed this way than to have him in the open field. This time when she came at him, she launched sideways, ramming her left elbow into his jaw. Lord Adam had been focusing solely on the weapon in her right hand that the hit had him tilting backwards in pain.
"My Lord!" Had she dislocated his jaw? Rushing to his side, Rin was caught off guard when a palm came straight to her face, knocking her backwards onto the floor.
She was back on her feet without seconds but Lord Adam was heaving heavily on the other side, still in a sitting position.
"Sesshoumaru trained you well but the battlefield is not a place for a lady, Rin. You will do as I order you to."
Tucking her dagger back into her boots, Rin knelt down beside him. "I am tired of people around me dying… it seems, like I am a bringer of bad luck."
"Then so be it. But you will not be dying before me, Rin. The world is need of your kindness and your light."
/
A/N: Hope you're enjoying the story so far! It's getting more exciting and we're not even at the end yet!