-Coming Apart At the Seams-
"B-but please…Lord Sesshomaru let me go!"
Rin gripped the front of Sesshomaru's pants looking up at him pleadingly, he peers down at her with annoyance in his eyes, he gently removes her hands saying: no, she places her hands together saying: pretty please!
You wanna trade places?
Aya sat at a table behind them watching the frosted windows; she glances at Rin and Sesshomaru with bored eyes. Rin now places her hands at her hips, she gains a motherly look as she glares up at Sesshomaru.
"You know the Southern Lands are as dangerous…not too many people live there…and the people who are there are humans," Aya mutters looking at Sesshomaru from the corner of her eyes, Sesshomaru glares at her now as Rin begins nodding her head furiously.
"Lord Sesshomaru!"
About to try his chin eh?
Aya sniggers and Sesshomaru's eyes widen, Rin closes her eyes letting out a heavy breath before dropping to her knees.
"Please Lord Sesshomaru let me go please, what if I have bad dreams and can't sleep…you always say we humans need to sleep or we'll get even weaker than we already are. What if something breaks into the castle and attacks me who will protect me…Master Jaken can't!"
Just as she says this Jaken enters the room humming, he pauses looking at Rin.
"Huh?"
She ignores him saying: please-please-please!
Sesshomaru holds up his hand saying: get Ah-un ready you may come.
"Yay!"
She stands running out of the room, Aya smiles saying: she wore you down huh, Sesshomaru shakes his head saying: no she's safer with me, he closes his eyes now, Aya frowns saying: mm ok.
"Mi'lord?"
Sesshomaru turns to Jaken who stared down at the floor wringing his hands; Sesshomaru raises a brow glaring down at him.
"I…would…like to accompany you my lord," Jaken sputters now holding his head, Sesshomaru sneers and Jaken begins to shake, Aya folds her arms saying: come on Sesshomaru what's a trip without the great Jaken, Sesshomaru turns to her saying: then you protect him when he surely gets himself into trouble. Aya stands saying: no problem…right Jaken, Jaken looks up at Sesshomaru saying: please…Mi'lord I won't get into trouble and if I should I would prefer you protect me…the lady demon is rather annoy-. He shuts his mouth when Aya drops down to his level grinning at him, he runs around Sesshomaru's leg saying: Lord Sesshomaru get her, Aya grins saying: I rather like Toad's legs, Jaken screams as Aya begins crawling toward him menacingly. Aya sniffs the air saying: smells and taste like chicken, she sniggers when he goes to Sesshomaru's other leg, Aya jumps at him and he nearly faints.
"Aya," Sesshomaru says frowning down at her, she looks up at him. He looked annoyed but with a mix of mild of amusement, Aya pushes herself back until she falls on her bottom.
"Come on Sesshomaru stick with the pack…it's in our blood…let's eat!"
Sesshomaru steps over her saying: something tells me Jaken would be disgusting, Aya laughs standing to her feet, now Jaken looked downright depressed she shrugs following Sesshomaru out of the castle.
Rin ran around on the grounds chasing Ah-un with it's harness, Aya steps past Sesshomaru out of the castle, she shudders saying: Sesshomaru why travel at night and this cold…, he frowns saying: less people, she nods saying: more danger. He looks at her saying: are you afraid, she puts her hands on her hips saying: never.
Aya turns back to the darkening sky, the air was so cold it went straight to her bones. She grabs the ends of her hair looking at them with disappointment.
"Ugh this weather is going to destroy my locks!"
Sesshomaru lets out a sound of disdain as he eyes his lands, Aya turns to him saying: oh please Sesshomaru don't pretend that you don't care about my looks. She turns away with a grin and her eyes closed, she brings her hand to her chest saying: why if I ever lost me looks…you'd lose your mind…what else would you have stare at on those long boring walks. She bursts into triumphant laughter putting her hands on her hips, Sesshomaru walks past her without giving her a passing glance.
"I find the ground more interesting to look at."
Aya's laughter comes to an abrupt halt, she nods saying: yeah if that was true you would have trying to hump the ground that day instead of me, Sesshomaru turns to her saying: you will never let that go, she shakes her head saying: I'm traumatized, he watches her with narrowed eyes before saying: that was then and this is now.
"And you want it now," he mutters walking over to Ah-un to put on the harness, Aya gasps.
What kind of a man says something like that!
Aya smirks deciding to play this one cool.
"You're right but trust me I'm not looking for it from you; I need a man not a puppy."
Sesshomaru ignores her setting Rin on Ah-un's back.
Jaken comes out of the castle holding the leather bound book labeled: The Northern Lands, he holds the book up to Aya saying: didn't you need this, she smiles saying: thank you Jaken at least some men know how to treat a lady, Sesshomaru glances at her before taking Ah-un by the reigns and pulling him along. Aya sighs putting the book under her arm, Jaken runs to catch up with Sesshomaru. Aya lets out a large sigh before following him herself, once she catches up to him she looks up at the side of his face but he doesn't even both to look her way.
"Why don't you ever smile Sesshomaru?"
He doesn't answer her; she frowns looking ahead at Rin and Ah-un who wasn't even paying the rest of the group attention. Aya picks up her pace to catch up with them.
Who wants to walk with…those two?
She glances back at Jaken and Sesshomaru; they both stared back at her with slight annoyance.
Yup, they deserve each other.
~Borders of Western & Southern Lands~
"The A-Altar of U-Uryen the final resting place of…Uryen…an an-ancient Demon…who was causing…h-h-h-havoc on the…surround…surrounding lands…it's protector…Hiro Yuta…hey I've heard that name before!"
Aya pats Rin on the head saying: good girl that was pretty good, she takes the book now saying: and that's all they wrote…hm…so my father was the protector of this altar, she sighs.
He never told me of this altar…maybe he did…but…I didn't listen…I never listened….
"Aya what was your daddy like?"
Aya looks down at Rin saying: my father, she holds the book close to her chest now saying: my father…was a hardworking man…always looking to please us…always working to make the world a better place for us…he…he was the sweetest man I've ever met. Aya pulls the book away now fingering its rough outer covering with care.
"He took great care of me, my mother, and my sister…."
He gave so much of himself for our happiness.
"Looking back…I realize just how grateful I should have been to have him in my life…but when you're a kid…you forget things…you don't see things through clear eyes…I should have been a better daughter…a better sister too."
I should have been there….
Aya sighs saying: but what's done is done, Rin frowns at Sesshomaru who now watched Aya from the corner of his eyes, Aya looks at Sesshomaru saying: what about you.
"What about me?"
"What about your mother…I know of your father."
Sesshomaru looks upward saying: in the sky, Aya grimaces saying: oh…I'm sorry, Sesshomaru glares at her saying: she's not dead.
"Oh," Aya says laughing a bit, she shakes her head shrugging.
"That's how some people say it."
"Ignorant humans."
"Hey," Rin says indignantly, Sesshomaru looks ahead saying nothing to make the girl feel better, Aya nudges him with her elbow saying: not you Rin you're smart you read better than some demons, Rin beams saying: can I read more, Aya hands her the book now looking at Sesshomaru.
At least pretend to be nice.
"My mother lives in a castle in the sky."
Aya smiles saying: well I must meet her one day, Sesshomaru looks at her saying: and why, she shrugs saying: I have to meet the woman who brought such a man into this world, he glares at her saying: what does that mean. Aya laughs shaking her head again, Sesshomaru looks away his expression sour, Aya raises a brow grabbing his arm saying: oh come on Sesshomaru…it's not that serious. He shrugs his arm away walking ahead of her, Aya folds her arms saying: what a sensitive man.
The group doesn't make it to the Southern Lands until near nightfall the next day, Rin and Jaken lay atop Ah-un sleeping while Aya and Sesshomaru walked next to each other through the woods. Sesshomaru looks at Aya; in all the time they had spent together he'd never seen her this withdrawn. She walked with her head hanging and her hands clenched, they had to be close.
It's been seven years since I'd come here.
I never planned to come back….
Once was enough.
Aya shudders remembering that day seven years ago.
Mother…Father…I've…what….
I'd been away for the day…with…friends.
Mio!
I'd found her last.
Mio…Mio no….
Aya wraps her arms her body shaking her head.
She was in my room by the bed…she must have gone there to wait for me…to hide until I could return and save her. She probably begged and cried…maybe even fought back…but none of it mattered because he cornered her and…stuck a sword right…through…her….
When I entered I could smell death in the air…I just assumed it was something that Mio had forgotten to get rid of, she often caught small animals to eat and forgot to clean up her mess.
The smell of blood…it was sickening.
Aya looks up saying: Sesshomaru, he turns to her and she points at an overgrown thicket of vegetation.
"It's…through there."
Sesshomaru draws his sword approaching the aged branches and vines.
It haunted me for a long time…the thought of Mio…running and hiding from Kize…only for him to corner her in a bedroom and end her life…like some sort of…animal…like she meant nothing.
I wish I could have been there, to hold her and comfort her. To bare the pain with her…I never even got to say goodbye.
How could Kize take that away from me, how could he destroy us that way.
Sesshomaru finishes cutting through the branches just as Rin and Jaken begin to rise, he looks at them saying: stay here Ah-un…make sure that they stay, Ah-un raises it's head. Sesshomaru turns to the opening saying: Aya come, he walks through the opening while Aya backs away into Ah-un, Ah-un sighs lending her a head for comfort, she smiles saying: sweet Ah-un.
"Aya!"
Aya takes a deep breath following Sesshomaru through the bushes; the large house sat atop a long stone staircase, every thing about the house was beautiful, even after hell it sat majestically on its stone throne, Sesshomaru walks up the stairs and to the front door, Aya stood behind him quivering.
Father…he asked that I stay in that day….
Sesshomaru pulls the sliding door open to show a beautiful inside, a façade of the horror's that lie inside, he glances back at her before stepping in, Aya enters the house deciding that being close to him was better than being alone, Sesshomaru looks about slightly impressed. Antique furniture filled every hall and room, jewels and gold adjourned almost everything.
"Where is your father's room?"
Aya points to the end of a darkened hall to their right, she looks down saying: last door on the right, Sesshomaru nods walking down the hall, he could still smell death here and it put him on edge. Aya stumbles over to the hallway sliding down the wall.
My place…where I…should have been.
Why did I run…I should have stayed here with them…and…I wouldn't be here suffering.
What kept me going that day?
Fear…anger…confusion...hurt, I was scared to die and so I ran away…away from…my family.
Away from Mio whose blood had already turned cold by the time I got here, away from my mother who taught me almost everything I know, away from my father who protected and cared for me.
I'm weak.
She wipes away tears.
I wish I would have died that day as well….
Kize, why did you let me get away with this…gash…why not finish the job…come and finish it now I won't fight you.
"Aya come here," Sesshomaru mutters from down the hall, Aya cranes her neck to look at him but she turns away from him not answering his call, Sesshomaru growls walking down the hall to get her, he grabs her by the arm saying: the quicker you do this the quicker we can get out. Aya allows him to pull her down the hall until they reach her fathers door.
My room is upstairs….
Right above our heads….
Aya looks up at the ceiling expected to see a darkened spot but nothing, Sesshomaru points to the door saying: how do I open it, she glances at the door, on it's surface there were three wooden levers in a row, she sighs saying: can't you kick it down, he frowns saying: I was trying have respect for your home, she shrugs saying: I don't care anymore Sesshomaru.
He glares at her and she turns to the door saying: I'll see if I can remember, Sesshomaru nods looking around now, he could smell Aya's blood in this house…he could smell it on the outside as well, he looks at her now. She looked perfect, skin smooth and pale…neither cuts nor scratches. Aya leans over saying: Ay, she pulls down the middle lever, she goes to the next one saying: Kize, she lets it down halfway, finally she goes to the last one saying: and Mio. She pulls down the last lever and the house fills with a mechanical clicking noise before everything settles again, Aya moves away saying: done.
"What was that," Sesshomaru asks eyeing the ceiling apprehensively, Aya sighs saying: my father insisted that the house be rigged with booby traps…when you put that code in the house disarms. Sesshomaru nods to the door saying: open it, Aya shakes her head saying: no I'm not going in there, Sesshomaru grabs her arms saying: listen to me, Aya yanks away and into the door. She screams when it flies open in a cloud of dust and spider webs, Sesshomaru's eyes widen.
Two skeletons lay on the bed, one decapitated and the other with it's bony arms wrapped around the other, Aya whimpers scooting away from the bodies and to the wall, she turns away covering her eyes. Sesshomaru looks at her saying: Aya, she shakes her head saying: don't talk to me, he sighs turning back to the skeletal lovers. He drops down next to the bed looking at the bodies, he frowns noticing something stuffed in the lower skeletons hand, he looks back at Aya saying: cover your ears, she turns to him saying: what, he looks back at the couple saying: cover your ears, Aya gasps when he begins reaching for her fathers hand. She turns away covering her ears, Sesshomaru grabs the hand crushing it in his fists, Aya whimpers at the noise, he looks at her before looking down at what he'd gotten. A piece of paper, he unfolds it gently, it was hard to read the rotted paper but he got the gist of it.
She…safe…trusting…as long as with you.
-Kaede.
"So he knew Kaede," Sesshomaru whispers standing, Sesshomaru places the paper in his pocket if anyone knew anything about that altar and what Hiro protected it was Kaede. He turns to Aya saying: let's go, she stands running past him and out of the house. However she pauses at the door her eyes wide.
The same reaction, the same fear, the same girl.
Sesshomaru grabs her arm saying: Aya, she yanks her arm away saying: don't touch me, she walks down the stone steps and this time it felt like she was leaving the place where she belonged, she turns to look up at her bedroom window, it felt as though she'd left without saying goodbye…like she'd hurt Mio all over again. She shakes her head turning and running down the stairs, Sesshomaru sighs.
"Lady Ay!" Rin says happily when Aya makes it back to the group, she looks at Rin who hops off Ah-un saying: are you ok you look like you've seen a ghost, Aya shakes her head saying: no Rin…I'm not ok, Sesshomaru enters the clearing his eyes on Aya. Rin frowns saying: what's wrong Lady Ay, Aya stands saying: I have to get away from here…now, she bows to Sesshomaru saying: it's been nice really, she turns moving swiftly through the trees. Sesshomaru looks at Ah-un saying: follow in an hour, Ah-un nods and Sesshomaru follows Aya through the trees.
Damn why won't he just leave me alone!
I'm done…I'm…really done.
She begins to run now but he stayed on her tail, Aya covers her eyes when she makes it to the end of the road, she now stood at the edge of a large chasm, she sighs dropping to her knees.
I should have known, this is my home after all.
She covers her eyes with her hands; her body shook as she tried to hold in her tears for herself and for the demon that slowly approached her. She turns to Sesshomaru saying: what do you want from me…really what do you want; Sesshomaru stares down at her solemnly. She stands saying: why don't you ever answer my questions!
"I don't have to."
Aya holds up her hands saying: did you follow me just to start a fight, she turns away saying: I just want to be left alone what don't you understand about that.
"I don't need your sympathy or your…"care"…I just want to be alone."
Sesshomaru walks over to the closest tree sitting against it, Aya falls back to her knees saying: Sesshomaru…please…tell me…what do you want. She looks at her hands saying: you've taken this whole thing on as if it's your family…as if you have some reason to want Kize dead. She falters more into the ground.
"You must think I'm weak, or stupid. Why oh why would a demon have these feelings…why do you cry…why!?"
She wipes away her tears saying: I don't want them…I wish I could be like you and just say…nothing…feel nothing.
"I wish I could look away and never turn back…but…it hurts so badly."
Aya grips her head saying: many a time I've wanted to end it…in fact…when you met me…I had just come back from a demon slayer village…you know how they are…no demon's allowed…I wanted someone to…to finally get the job done.
"But then the fear set in…the hate…I can't die not until I know…but that's so human of me."
She looks at him saying: I'm sure if you just wanted to end it one day you could…just like that…you have no attachments and nothing to fear. Aya drops her arms saying: if I could only…you know…some women when they lose their honor they cut their hair and bite their tongue's to kill themselves, she laughs.
"Well I cut my hair but I could never get the tongue biting part down…ha…just ended up with a lot of pain."
She laughs again saying: don't think I truly wanted to, she stands saying: so I travel the world until I can walk no more…trying to find that place where I belong a place where I am needed…a place to die in peace.
"It's not all about Kize anymore…I've figured out that I'm too weak to finish the job…he's…my big brother…," she trails off weakly, she sighs saying: and I don't hate him…I hate what he did…but that doesn't mean he shouldn't get punished…he felt it right that they died…and I feel it right that he get a taste of that himself. I guess what I really want…I want to know why he did it…he had everything he could ever want…father treated him with so much respect…why would he throw our lives away." Aya frowns saying: at times I feel like I can-, she smashes one fist into the other, she smiles saying: crush him like a bug…but other times I just want my brother back…I want my normal back. Aya sighs saying: I miss my father's nagging.
"You keep dating humans and no demon will come near you! Aya put up something more modest like what your mother's wearing! Set a better example for your sister! What of that Daiyoukai in the North…dogs and wolves go well together! Aya-Aya-Aya!"
She growls saying: he just wouldn't let me be…he was always worried about me, she smiles saying: and I despised him for it. She sighs saying: oh he would be so happy to see us, she turns to him saying: he'd think I'd finally met my match, she laughs saying: someone to tame the un-tameable…to ground the un-groundable.
"My mother she was just as annoying at times but she was more playful than my father, she had played with her fair share of human men. I admired her, she was always the prettiest, the most well dressed, the best spoken. My father treated her like a queen. It used to disgust me that they were so affectionate…but now that I think back on it I'm happy they were…they loved each other."
Aya sighs saying: and Mio…the light of my life…really, she rocks gently back and forth.
"My little sister…she was only 14…but you know in our years…that's pretty much a baby…that is a baby. She was the sweetest thing…so loving and so into me. She made me feel like I was number 1 every time we spoke. Even when they would get down on me she always said. Don't listen to them Ay…you're beautiful…I want to be just like you!"
Aya frowns saying: that's part of the reason I cling to Rin the way I do…Mio was just like her in looks and personality.
Aya turns to Sesshomaru saying: am I boring you, he shakes his head, she sighs crawling over to him.
"So I've spilled everything to you now…how do you feel about that…wanna share with me now," she whispers leaning against the tree, he shakes his head and she sighs saying: well ok. She stands saying: I should have known, he stands as well. Aya sighs saying: you want to go back already; Sesshomaru walks over to where she sat before dropping himself there.
"You have more than you realize."
Aya leans over saying: hn, she runs over to him saying: what was that, he looks up at her saying: Rin adores you…you cannot just give up now…she has…hopes for you. Aya nods saying: yeah…and I…I love her too, she drops down next to him saying: you're right…I have to suck it up and do what must be done. She smiles mischievously getting to her knees.
"What about you Sesshomaru," she asks close to his ear, he snorts looking away, she grins straddling his legs. Sesshomaru lowers his head when she wraps her arms around his neck, Aya lowers her eyes before burying her face in the crook of his neck, she begins stroking his tail gently.
"This is the safest I've felt in years," she whispers closing her eyes. She moves away saying: you must think I'm silly, Sesshomaru frowns saying: I want to know why you're on me, Aya sighs rolling her eyes.
"Most men would like a pretty girl on their laps every now and then," she mutters about to move away but Sesshomaru grabs her arm saying: wait, Aya frowns when he pushes her hair back his eyes inspecting her face and neck, she frowns saying: what's wrong. He pushes her off his lap saying: none of your business, she sighs saying: ok Sesshomaru.
"Lady Ay…Lord Sesshomaru!"
Aya looks up smiling when Rin comes running toward them, she falls into Aya's arms saying: why were you sad before, Aya smiles saying: Sesshomaru told me that he found someone else…oh the pain, Rin gasps saying: but Lord Sesshomaru you can't, Sesshomaru looks away saying: Rin…. Rin crawls away from Aya saying: but…Lord Sesshomaru…we can be a family, Aya's widen.
A family…but….
She grabs Rin saying: Rin that is about as likely as…as…Jaken defeating Sesshomaru in battle, Jaken glares at her from his place next to Ah-un. Rin gasps saying: but that's impossible…no one can defeat Lord Sesshomaru, Aya nods saying: such a great and powerful man, Sesshomaru glares at her and Rin nods. Sesshomaru frowns saying: don't push it Aya, she sighs saying: see Rin, Rin pouts saying: but Lord Sesshomaru Lady Ay really likes you…she talks about you all the time, Aya gasps saying: what! Rin nods saying: and Lord Sesshomaru likes you Lady Ay…he's always talking about you as well, Aya laughs saying: nice try Rin but he barely speaks TO me. Rin shrugs saying: it's true, she pauses to stifle a yawn before saying: come on…let's be together forever. Aya stands now.
"Rin you're tired…time to sleep," she pulls Rin to her feet, Rin sighs saying: can't I stay with you two, Aya shakes her head saying: I'm leaving as well, she prods Rin along before ducking behind Sesshomaru, she wraps her arms around him.
"I've never been mated to anyone if that's what you were checking," she whispers into his ear before standing and grabbing Rin's hand, Jaken shakes his head muttering: using her womanly wiles to get into mi'lords castle.
"G-goodnight Lord Sesshomaru don't let the toad demons bite," Rin says through a yawn, Aya sniggers into her hand when Jaken glares at them, Sesshomaru nods to her going back to watching the sky.
To be honest a family doesn't sound so bad, maybe not a real family. Like husband, wife, and child. But…two people who are nice to each other taking care of a child…I mean…what else do I have to hold onto.