Back to Sesshomaru...

Chapter 4

Moments after starting his journey back to his castle, the massive white-washed estate appears over the acres of gardens his mother had cared for during his childhood. He stared at the sleeping demon in his arms. A small smile pulled at the corners of his lips.

"I can't wait to walk through these gardens with you by my side again." Sano whispered lovingly.

At the gate were two youkai guards, both of reptilian descent. Upon seeing their lord in a hurry, they quickly signaled for the gate to be opened. Giving a quick nod, Sano sped through the gate but not before the guards got a good look at what their lord was carrying. Realizing it was the lord of the Western Lands, and from the stench of blood and death coming off of him, it seemed their lord had a reason to be in such a rush. It was not their place to question why he had the enemy in his grasp and rushing off to the safety of the palace to be healed. They were in the mist of impending war. If their lord trusted the diayoukai to take him into his house, it was their duty to protect him and their unexpected guest.

Once inside the solid walls of the gate that protected the estate, Sano leaped up to his hidden balcony on the east side of the castle, and through the doors he left though earlier that day. Past the glass-paned doors gave view to a large room painted in the tranquil colors of deep blue and soft green. Taking great care, Sano laid Sesshomaru's prone body on a large futon fitted in soft sheets that rested in the middle of the room and promptly called the castle healer. Moments later, a fox demon entered his bedchamber followed closely by servants carrying bowls of water and medicinal herbs. His soft kind black eyes looked to Sano in acknowledgment then fell to the injured Inu in his bed. Onyx eyes widen as the fox took in the brunt of the damage and the Inu's face.

"Sesshomaru" the whispered word fell from full pale lips of their own accord.

"Yes, my friend. This is Sesshomaru, your Sesshomaru." Sano walked closer to the stunned fox, his gaze fixed on the suffering demon lying before him. "But right now his wounds are very severe and I cannot heal him. He needs you, Tsune."

With that Tsune was shaken from his trance and realized he hadn't moved more than a few feet from the door upon entering the room, while his servants had already begun undressing Sesshomaru. He looked to Sanoske and gave a grateful nod then rushed forward to his dying son. With his clothes off, the extent of the damage was far worse than originally thought. Many hours passed as Tsune worked diligently to save Sesshomaru: cleaning his wounds, removing burning flesh and tissue, and the most daunting task, stopping the bleeding. Even with Sesshomaru's demonic powers, his body would not heal and continued to bleed through his bandages. Tsune's resolve began to crumble. In demon society, if a demon continues to bleed through his wounds without signs of healing, it is said that demon has lost the will to live and will continue to bleed until claimed by death.

"Sesshomaru, please. Don't give up on me." Tsune whispered hoarsely, his voice small and tight in his throat as his eyes blurred with unshed tears. "Please, I can't lose you again." He sobbed quietly into Sesshomaru's bandaged chest. His dignity left behind in the wake of his son's impending death.

By now Sano had ushered out the servants, deeming the situation had become too personal and feared Tsune would lose face with his servants if they witnessed his breakdown. Sano settled into a dark corner on the far side of the room. He couldn't bring himself to leave Sesshomaru's side but knew it was not his place to interrupt this moment between mother and child.

Yes, Tsune is Sesshomaru's mother or his birthing father. Tsune had given birth to him as the illegitimate heir to the Western Lands. He had an affair with the former Western lord during a time of peace between the two lands while he was mated to the Ice princess, Izayio. Upon discovering the pregnancy, Sangestu, Sanosuke's father, took advantage of the opportunity to issue a covenant bond between the future rulers of the Western and Eastern Lands. Since Tsune was under the power of Sangestu's rule and part of his household, the child would be forced to join the Eastern Lands, combining to the two Lands into one united front. Sesshomaru would lose his right to the throne and the Inu's royal pureblooded line would cease to exist. Inutaisho would be forced to step down from the throne and become advisor to Sangestu and Izayio would be his consort.

Rightfully so, Inutaisho was enraged and refused to concede. He ordered the child to be taken from the Eastern Lands to be raised as his heir as soon as it was weaned.

Tsune still remembered the day Sesshomaru was taken from him; watching his child, no more than a few months old, being ripped from his breast and his life for fifty years.

"I will not lose you again to your father and his wretched bitch of a mate. They will not have you in death while I suffer your loss in this life once again." Tsune cried once again into Sesshomaru's chest, giving way to unbidden sobs.

Sano, long since forgotten by Tsune, shrouded himself in the shadows of his chambers, hiding from the pair as his own despair of the impending doom grew. He never thought Sesshomaru would die or would give in to death. What could have happened to have broken the demon's spirit for him to give up on life? What loss did he suffer that was so great?

No, Sesshomaru. You can't give up on life. Don't give up on us Sesshomaru. We've waited so long for you to return. Please don't leave us so soon. Sano pleaded to the wounded demon and to any deity that would hear him.

As if an answer to his prayers, the furry appendage usually seen wrapped around Sesshomaru's shoulder, his tail, the only physical trait evident of his fox demon blood besides the poison in his claws, started to twitch. Hanging limply off the side of the futon, it twitched again, its movements slow and weak as it raised and wrapped around Tsune's thigh. Momentarily Tsune's cries lessened as he stared at the warm tail wrapped around his leg, trying to figure out how it had gotten there. Glancing to the injured youkai's chest, he noticed the bandages, though bloodied and damp with medicinal herbs, weren't leaking through anymore. The bleeding had finally stopped. His heart pounded rapidly as he watched his hands on Sesshomaru's chest rise and fall with slow and steady breaths.

Are you awake? Have you come back to me? Tsune pleaded desperately.

Tsune dared to glance at his face and witnessed his skin flush with blood returned to his body and his eyes fluttered open weakly, half hidden by long white lashes. Bright golden amber eyes gazed tiredly up at Tsune. The warmth on his leg left and was replaced on Tsune's cheek as soft fur caressed the smooth skin, wiping away the dampness from his tears.

"Don't cry, mother." Sesshomaru's smooth and small voice carried through parted lips almost thunderously throughout the now quiet chambers.

Despite himself, Tsune burst into renowned tears. Sighing in relief, he buried his face into the side of Sesshomaru's neck and cried till he fell asleep. Following his mother's example, Sesshomaru soon drifted back into the world of dreams, tail wrapped tightly around his mother's waist. After both demons fell asleep, Sano quietly departed, attending to his duties till later in the day, his heart lightened and a smile on his face.