Waiting

For the next four days, the healers worked round the clock to stabilize Inu no Taishou, and for all that time his mate stood with him and his human girl also was tireless. Izayoi took naps or fed her son while the healers worked, then she re-made her barrier which they said seemed to help stave off infections by keeping the air cleaner around her Lord.

The Lady was grateful and impressed with the girl and as she herself could do nothing further to help as such, she made sure that Izayoi had the best food and drink to nourish her and a comfortable futon for her naps. At least one good thing had come from the use of Tenseiga; Izayoi was fully healed from the ordeal of childbirth and was strong and healthy; enabling her to better stand the time without proper sleep.

Meantime if the new pup was not feeding he was cared for by Sesshoumaru; the youth would not allow anyone else access. Inuyasha was a tangible part of his father, the only thing he could touch at the moment and with a vaguely recognisable scent, and thereby a source of comfort; besides the young Lord didn't trust anyone else with the baby yet. Both boys' mothers were too occupied with the Lord of the West to give much attention to their sons.

The effect of this was that Inuyasha soon picked up on his brother's moods, scent and look; the Inu-pup was imprinting Sesshoumaru as his caregiver alongside his mother for food. Sesshoumaru took charge with the pup's sleeping, bathing and even cleaning after his own mother had just told him to deal with it, when Inuyasha fussed to be changed.

Being so young the small hanyou absorbed the strained and tense emotional atmosphere, and clung with his tiny claws to his brother who offered by now, familiar safety. When Sesshoumaru was trying to be strong, Inuyasha sensed his brother's turmoil and whined for him, when he was awake he watched his brother's face, learning his expressions. When there was too much tooing and froing and noise, the baby snuggled his head into his brother's chest with his ears pressed close to his head.

Sesshoumaru too gained much comfort from his little brother; he was a needy distraction, something that the Taiyoukai could cope with and when everything was at overwhelming point, he could pet the tiny ears, which was calming. And there was definite need for him to be calm, because no matter the state of the Lord of the West, the country didn't run itself or stop.

Advisors and Ambassadors still needed an audience and that job fell on the heir to the West who was at the moment Regent. Sesshoumaru had to leave the hospital area several times to hold audience with various officials whose business couldn't wait and to his credit, the Regent was able to give his undivided attention to the matters at hand.

He may have looked confident and every inch the Lord, but inside Sesshoumaru was far from certain, as he looked at the mountain of work on his father's desk and wondered how on earth he would ever be able to be ready to start to tackle all of this. He had spent his life in the highest education anyone could be given, and yet he felt as if he'd not scratched the surface when he pulled down a book on treaties and diplomacy from amongst all the scrolls that lined his father's study. He knew nothing of any of these.

How did his father keep up with all the latest laws and know who was in violation of such at any given time? It was all too much for his poor befuddled brain at the time and he leaned his head down on the desk and wept, sure that he would let his father down and prove himself ignorant. Inuyasha, who had been curled up asleep for most of the meeting, held securely in his brother's tail, whined in sympathetic distress and nuzzled his head under Sesshoumaru's chin. The scent of the older boy's tears drawing out the baby's own.

It was how his mother found them later, as they both slept exhausted after their misery; she gently woke Sesshoumaru and beckoned him out of the study. They didn't speak until they reached the hospital room and for the first time, as there were only a few people here, the amount of quiet was unnerving to Sesshoumaru. Why had everyone gone and left, where were the healers? Then the answer came swiftly, his father was dead and no longer needed anybody.

Inu no Taishou lay on the upraised bed as he would on the pyre; a sheet covered his body and the beloved face was relaxed in death, free of pain. Even now some of the injuries were visible, but they could not mar the noble look of Sesshoumaru's father. The barrier was down and Izayoi lay collapsed on the futon covered with a fur blanket, her face pale and drawn and utterly exhausted. Sesshoumaru dropped his head to his chest, unable to prevent his tears from falling once again, and once again the tiny sibling, almost forgotten by everyone else, joined him.

But before he could throw his head back to start his mourning howl, his mother stopped him, by pulling him to her and hiding him from sight with her long sleeves, giving the Prince some much needed sanctuary. The Lady rubbed his back gently and growled to him in Inu, the language of their youkai and told him to hush, enough tears had been shed for Inu no Taishou by his sons.

"I'm not ready Mother...Father's study, all those books on laws...I've never seen, let alone read or know what is required to be Lord. I will fail My Lord Father..."

"I said no more tears Sesshoumaru, you will never fail your father; has he not placed advisors should you be named Regent, do you not think he will have safeguards put in place should you need to be named Lord? Trust him to be better prepared than to leave you alone with such great responsibilities." She waited until he had gained more control. "Besides which, your father is not ready to give up his Lordship quite yet."

Sesshoumaru looked at his mother, his intense gaze searching out the truth of her meaning before tearing himself away and going to the bed. His father certainly looked dead, but then Sesshoumaru could see the slight rise of the sheet covered chest and ever so gently he brushed his hand over his father's brow. He also noticed that his hand shook and that was unacceptable, so with a concerted effort he took a deep breath, wiped his face and reached in deep to his inner strength to firm himself.

This time when he touched his father, there was no tremor and when he finally looked at his mother his eyes were quite dry and soon he would show no signs of grief. Unlike the pup he still carried who was a blotchy, soggy mess. Sesshoumaru felt superior to the little hanyou, whose humanity would not allow such quick recovery from the ravages of prolonged crying.

"The healers assure me your father is in no more danger for his life and indeed, our Mate Bond is stronger again. But I shall take him to my Palace until he is completely healed, as he will require time and rest. You will not be able to follow us there Sesshoumaru; your duty is to the West still and also to that pup and his mother, this will be their home at least until My Lord is recovered. You understand My Son?"

"Yes, Mother; it shall be as you say, I will await your return eagerly."

"I know child, say goodbye to your father for now." She watched as Sesshoumaru went over and said goodbye, he also held the pup to his father's face so that Inu no Taishou could learn the scent of his pup even if he were unconscious, some part of his brain would remember. Inuyasha too wriggled his tiny nose learning his father's scent, his tiny ears pricked forward as he listened to his father's now greatly eased breathing.

The two brothers watched solemnly as the Lady of the West transported her still recumbent mate by power of her own youki away from the Palace. There was despondency in the air until a great wail went up and the pup decided he was hungry and nothing was more important than reaching for his mother and food.

IYQ September 2009 Week 2

Hardly education

All them books I didn't read
They just sat there on my shelf
Looking much smarter than me
-Modest Mouse, Education