Hello everyone. Sorry about the lateness with this update but I just got my laptop and I have been absorbed in it. Anyway so like always I want to thank my reviewers. Thanks PassionIsLove for your review. That verse is one everybody knows but I like the two that follow it better. "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. He who believes is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:17-18. Also want to thank Kaihaku No Iroke for their review and I hope that they can start reading again soon. Still wondering what happened to byakugan-master93, but the show must go on. Alright so I seriously do want to start The First Family Affair soon, and hopefully I will have it typed by the time I finish this chapter. By the way, I changed my bio, and added a lot more information to it. This chapter will be a "fill in" leading up to an important event in the storyline which will be the next chapter, I think. Still I like these chapters since they help readers to draw everything together, and make the story seem more realistic. Let me know what you think of it. REVIEW!!!
Chapter XLI
A MOMENT TO REFLECT
Healo's POV
The wind swept gently through the Northern Lord's ebony hair as he gazed with admiration upon the scene that lay below him. The setting sun was shining from the demon's left but its rays fell with a majestic beauty onto a small village near the base of the Ellios Mountains. However, this village was not made by human hands, as was obvious, but by a large group of skilled Kitsune. Apparently some of the clever foxes had managed to remain by using enchantments to hide their village from the panther demons that oppressed them.
The hostility between the panther demons and the Kitsune, and most other demons, was known by most demons, but many people chose not to take a stand between one side or the other. Healo had his own ideas on the dispute; everyone knew that the fox demons had the better claim and that they were a far more peaceful people then the panthers, but some were still willing to do business with them in order to gain military support. The Eastern Lands, and Bianen in particular, were perfect examples of this; which is ironic because if the Eastern Lord had his way there would be neither fox nor panther demons, and if they were allowed to exist it certainly would be in some remote wasteland.
Healo shook his head as the memories of war and battle came to haunt him again. He had been here once before; he had helped Sesshomaru to put down the panther demons attempt at rebellion. The Northern Lord still remembered the atrocities that were committed by both sides, but the massacre of a Kitsune village, similar to this one, stuck out most painfully. With painful clarity he remembered how he had arrived just hours too late to save the innocent people from the panther demons. The panther tribe was known for using desperate measures if pushed but the young lord had not expected them to kill innocent foxes just because he defeated them in a battle.
It had been a painful lesson, and one which Healo refused to ever allow himself to forget. The Western Lord had summed it up best when he had said ", You may be constrained by such ideals, but you cannot expect others to be." Sesshomaru had been right; the Northern Lord should have been on his guard against such tactics. He should not have expected his enemies to behave the same way he would have. With a jolt the demon realized that he had allowed it to happen again; Sulam had been right. Healo was once again allowing his and his past in general to cloud the present and even the future. This was his greatest weakness, but how does one throw off years of regrets? Especially when you can never truly forget anything…
Kagome's POV
She was watching her friend with obvious concern on her face. Healo had been standing there for over an hour just watching the sun set. However, even without seeing the demon lord's face the miko knew that he was not basking within the serenity of the moment. His long hair swayed slightly in the breeze, but the stillness and tension were obvious to even a human like her. Kagome sat up slightly from the comfort of her sleeping bag as she started to say something to the Northern Lord. However, before she could speak a neutral voice said quietly ", Do not bother," when the miko glanced at Sesshomaru he continued ", he is already beyond hearing you."
Kagome looked back towards her friend and realized what the Western Lord was saying. 'He must be dwelling on the past again,' the young woman thought as she watched the demon lord with pity in her eyes. Sesshomaru's voice cut through the miko's thoughts as he said coldly ", My brother knows what he is doing. You should not waste your pity on him since his life has not been as difficult as others would believe by his attitute towards his past." The young woman felt a flash of annoyance at the comment, but when she replied her voice was calm ", How can you say that? He lost his mate, his lands, and now he doesn't even know for sure who he is."
Sesshomaru's gold eyes shone with a bright light for a moment but then he said with disdain ", The Northern Lord would not have had any of things if I had not allowed him to." Kagome sighed in frustration and asked ", You two may have been allied, but that doesn't mean that you gave him anything." The Western Lord surprised her by laughing, but it was cold and hard. His eyes were hard as he replied ", You do not understand. My brother may have spoken to you in vague terms about his past but I doubt that you know everything. I was there, and, on more than one occasion, was the victim of his errors and miscalculations."
The lord paused for a moment before continuing acidly ", He cost me more than you can possibly know. Healo tried to steal my inheritance, but instead he learns that not only is he the Northern Lord but the heir to the Empire. Throughout his reign, my brother sought only to increase his own reputation and power, but he cared nothing for my affairs. He does not care for the troubles of others if they do not serve his own purposes." Kagome was about to respond but the Western Lord had already moved away from the miko…
Sesshomaru's POV
The Western Lord was surprised at his lack of control. The time wasn't right just yet; it would be a little while longer before he could reveal the truth for optimum effect. To play his hand too early would allow the Northern Lord to attempt some desperate maneuver. No. Sesshomaru would have to try to gain some control of himself or the whole plan would be spoiled. Once Kagome learned the whole truth about Healo's past and the real reason for the two brother's estrangement she would agree to become Lady of the Western Lands. It was inevitable…
Riath's POV
A peaceful calm pervaded the sleepy corridors of the Western Palace. Only a few servants, and a certain three mischievous children, were moving around the area. The young captain had been awake for several hours; actually Riath believed that he probably had not slept during the night. Doubts and fears plagued the demon's mind as he gazed out over the palace's extensive gardens. The greatest barrier to having peace over his master's plan was the knowledge that this would be the most potent of betrayals. Before this the captain could always say that no one had been hurt, but after tonight that would no longer be possible.
As if his own doubts had summoned him, the Northern Lord's son suddenly darted into the patch of garden that was visible from Sesshomaru's study. Riath felt another pang of grief as he noticed the young child; who was obviously playing some game with his friends. Sulam was graced with the beauty of his mother and the strength of his father; his bright golden hair and clear sky blue eyes were matched with the Northern Lord's dark blue stripes and facial features.
Still in one thing the young heir was different from both of his parents; his eyes. Lady Avia had been a true descendant of Tilen the Fair; her eyes had always been bright with joy and mirth. Even as a young child, Healo's eyes had always been filled with a strange sadness, despair, or grim resignation. This obviously came from the fact that the demon lord expected so much from others but when he looked into their hearts, including his own, what he found there seemed to sadden him. Apparantely this did not happen when the Northern Lord had peered into the recesses of Lady Avia's secrets, but perhaps this was also true of the miko.
However, Sulam's eyes had always held something even stranger. The young demon was known for being a careful and polite child, but his eyes always reflected an expectance or hope. He seemed to expect the best of other's, like his father, but unlike Healo he never seemed to be discouraged when other's failed him, but neither did he expect other's to fail; as the Western Lord does. Somehow Sulam had been able to hold on to innocence and hope despite the weakness and evil within others. It seemed a pity that Riath's betrayal could possibly be the failure that would finally put out that light…
Healo's POV
Night had quickly overtaken the small party, but still the Northern Lord had not left the sight of the small village. However, his thoughts for the moment dwelt not on the past, but on the young miko from the future. Healo knew all about what the Western Lord had nearly revealed, but he had been afraid that Sesshomaru might yet do so. It was strange for the demon lord to have to deal with someone whose intentions he could not read. His brother had learned how to block out the Northern Lord a long time ago, but Healo could not remember a time when he wanted more to know the thoughts of his half-brother.
Of course, if he had been in Sesshomaru's position he would have considered doing the same thing, but the Western Lord still needed to learn how to let go of the past. Healo nearly laughed as he realized the irony of the situation; his half brother was always speaking of the Northern Lord's inability to let go of the past, but now he was making the same mistake he claimed to detest so. How much would it take before the Western Lord realized that they needed to stop scheming against each other?
Despite what Sesshomaru may think, Healo was not trying to keep him from taking a mate. The Western Lord had this insane idea that he was trying to prevent him from having an heir because if something happened to his half-brother Healo could claim the Western Lands. Of course this was foolish, but Sesshomaru had long ago convinced himself that that was his brother's true motive for wanting Avia to become his mate. Still, the Northern Lord had found it impossible to persuade his brother that he had no designs on his lands. Perhaps he would never find a way to do so…
Yay! Another chapter. So what did you all think? How is everything going to turn out? Well, it is still far to early for you all to tell what is going to end up happening, and there is still a LOT of story left. The prequel won't be too hard because I already know most of the storyline for it, but I will probably be spending a lot of my free time between updating trying to sort out all of the details for the sequel. So much to do and so little time since I start college on the 16th, and will be even busier after that. Still, I refuse to stop as long as at least a few people are reading. Let me know how I did with this chapter and please read the first chapter of The First Family Affair which I am beginning to type right now. Hope to get it up tomorrow. Next chapter will either be Thursday or Friday depending on reviews and how busy I am. Please review!!!