a/n: An update in one week? I feel like so far that's been unheard of for this fic, lmao. Consider this my way of making up for that previous three-week stretch we had (though I'm also trying to get to the good stuff—I've read all of your comments and trust me, the slow-burn is as painful for me as it is for y'all!)
Once again, thanks for all of the feedback!
DISCLAIMER: Wheeeeeeeee.
SONG OF THE WEST
an Inuyasha fanfic
xvi.
At that large meeting between the nobles and the villagers, it had been decided that Seiten would stay behind and watch over the village while Lord Tōga handled the threat of the Northern tribesmen head-on at the border and Lord Sesshōmaru used his steely bravado to convince Lord Yasutoki and Lord Naozane to send reinforcements (or, rather, frighten them into doing so with his cool, cruel way). For Seiten, this meant examining the village men's current combat skills and weapons supply, giving more adequate training where necessary, and setting up patrol and scouting units to surround the village and the wider periphery, so that the village could avoid being ambushed like their more unfortunate neighbors. With his prior military experience and years of strategic training that growing up in a clan known for its warriors imparted to him, this task was quite the breeze, and the village men had been organized into a sufficient citizen militia prepared to take on just about any threat.
Rin's role within the village had been left undefined since Lord Tōga expected her to join Lord Sesshōmaru on his journey; thus, it took a little bit more time for her to find her footing. She could cook, yes, but her abilities in no way compared to those of the village housewives who had been trained in that domestic art since youth, so she was not much needed in that regard. She went to Grandma Sen and offered to help out in the rice fields where many of the women worked to sow crops during the late growing season whenever they weren't handling domiciliary duties, but the old woman refused to hear of it.
"How could we allow the maidservant of an Imperial Lord to ruin her hands by toiling in the fields on a hot summer's day?" She said, fully serious. "You have initiative, but I certainly won't ask you to lower yourself and do such a thing."
But Rin, thinking of the promise she made to Lord Tōga to be useful during her stay and not wanting to be resigned to the guest hut while everyone did their part to keep the village operational, approached Grandma Sen once again later in the day and managed to secure for herself the duty of watching over the children of the village so the adults and older children could focus on their fieldwork and other chores without worrying about the possibility of their child or younger sibling running off into the woods and being stolen or butchered behind their back.
In this effort, she also received the help of Yosomi, who taught her the names and ages of the village children and the games and songs they were found of. The role was much simpler than Rin thought it would be. The children were innocent and lovely with their large eyes and round, chubby faces, and exceedingly kind to her in the magical way that children were kind to most of the people they met. It was certainly a new experience for Rin—the last time she had been around so many children at once was when she was a child herself. The people of her old village naturally kept their young sons and daughters away from her, fearing that the mere sight of her would be enough to taint their virtuousness and forever harm their pristine souls. But here she'd play with the children and learn from them songs and games she'd never heard of before, and each day they'd return to their parents as unscathed as the day they had first tumbled out of their mothers' wombs.
If anything, they were beginning to alter her. With them and Yosomi and Kei, Rin felt bit by bit some aura of frolicsomeness return to her, or something else indescribably light that she had had. Not felt since her mother and younger brother had first fallen ill so long ago. Dealing with them sent her back to the guest hut at the end of the day feeling exhausted—not in the drained way of her past life, but as if her cup was beginning to overflow and she needed to be emptied to get another fill. Then she'd get an excellent, quiet night's sleep and wake up ready to face the day once more. Her first week in the village flew by in this way, like a bout of summer rain. Finally, the one day arrived that the village adults did not have to work in the rice paddies, allowing Rin to take a frankly unneeded break from her childcare duties.
Evidently, her perceived usefulness extended past her ability to manage children. After a long week of hard work, hot sun, and soiled clothing, the women were growing irritated with the lack of freedom the patrol units had caused, namely the inability to wash garments and swaddling clothes, or even bathe, in the nearby river. A group of disgruntled women had approached Grandma Sen with their complaints, only to be quelled and sent away with wise, pithy words regarding sacrifice in times of danger. But Ino, one of the most vocal of the disgruntled women, turned to Rin for assistance.
"I've got a bunch of dirty children's yukatas to clean, and Chiyo is nearly out of swaddling clothes for baby Cho," Ino explained to Rin as she brought the young woman and her master their breakfast one morning. "Isn't there something you could say to Master Seiten to make him loosen his grip a little?"
Lord Tōga words rang in Rin's ears: Don't try this on Seiten, because it won't work. But if the village women were growing so desperate, she should at least give it a shot, right?
Rin hesitated. "I can try."
So when Seiten arrived at the hut for early morning patrols to have his meal, Rin gingerly broached the subject.
Seiten, who was still dressed in his armor, shook his head. "His Excellency hasn't yet sent word from the border, and the young Lord still hasn't returned with reinforcements. It's too dangerous."
"When will Lord Sesshōmaru be back?" Rin inquired gently before shoveling another clump of rice and cabbage into her mouth.
"Any day now, if not any hour. He usually makes quick work of things."
She didn't think that would be a satisfying answer for the eager village women. Rin sat her bowl and eating utensils down to focus directly on the older man across the table from her.
"Isn't there some solution to this?" Rin asked, lips pursed and voice lilting and light. "Everyone is really desperate, and I'm sure they won't take too long if given the opportunity."
Seiten raised a thick black brow in amusement. "So, this is how you got Lord Tōga to let you stay?"
Rin continued to stare at him.
"I could spare some many to accompany a small group to the river," Seiten thought aloud. "But that would defeat the purpose of going, wouldn't it?"
The young woman perked up. "They'd still be able to wash clothes, thought."
It wasn't exactly what the women were hoping for, but it was something, and it was sensible. Seiten explained circumstances to Grandma Sen and a few hours later, Rin and a small group of women and children, led by a few men on patrol duty, departed the village to take the short walk to the nearby waterway.
Rin heard their destination before she could see it. From the pine trees and the shrubbery a clearing emerged, in which sat a crystal-clear river shrouded in mist from a low cascade that roared with each drop of water that broke on the warm rocks below. The area itself was cool and shady on account of the wet cliffs and forest canopy that encompassed it, but that did not prevent some sunlight from pouring in and dispersing upon the water, casting colorful glints about the milieu.
No wonder they were so eager to come, Rin thought, her eyes wide as she took in the beautiful scenery.
Under the watchful gazes of a handful of village men, the women soon got to work with their chores as their children played or waited patiently to be washed. The group was small, but since many of the women had decided to take on the wash duties of their neighbors and friends in addition to their own, the small group still had much work to do.
"So much for taking a bath," Ino said, eying their male guardians who waited just on the other side of the tree line. "But this is better than sitting in that crowded village all day." She turned to Rin and grinned. "Nice work."
Rin smiled happily in return.
Shizu scoffed. "I'm going downstream to bathe, if you still want to. If the men want to shame themselves and peek, that's on them."
Inu huffed. "Now, you know that's just talk. But I'll come with you since you're going."
Chiyo, meanwhile, started on her chores.
"Miss Rin, Yosomi," Chiyo called out. "Could you two keep an eye on Cho while I wash these clothes?"
Baby Cho was one of the few children she hadn't spent much time with. He was only a few months old and still nursing; thus, he typically stayed in that little basket attached to his mother's back, following her wherever she went. Despite this, like the other children, he wasn't too hard to care for. He simply rolled around on the spread blanket laid atop the summer grass, giggling and babbling as Yosomi fanned him and Rin waved various plucked flowers above his face.
"You're really good with kids, you know," Yosomi exclaimed a few minutes into their play.
Rin glanced up at her, still smiling at the amazed baby below. "Really? You think so?"
"Yeah, you're a real natural!" Yosomi sighed. "Dealing with children seems so easy when I watch you do it."
"I couldn't have done this without you, though," Rin reasoned. "And the kids seem to like you well enough."
"They like me, but they actually listen to you. There's a difference."
Rin was sure the children only 'listened' because of her affiliation with the Inu no Taisho, whom they asked nonstop questions about, but She didn't mention that.
"Anywho, I'm gonna need all the practice I can get," Yosomi said casually, turning her grey eyes back to Cho.
Rin's eyes widened slightly at that cryptic statement. Either Yosomi was pregnant—which was unlikely, since she doubted Yosomi would reveal such a scandalous secret like that to her—or…
"Yosomi," Rin tilted her head quizzically, "are you getting married soon?"
Yosomi smiled and glanced around nervously to make sure no one was too close to them. "Don't tell anyone—not even my Grandma Sen knows yet. He's at the border city right now working as a guard, but once all this is over, he'll return and officially ask for my hand."
That all seemed incredibly daunting, but Yosomi seemed so giddy that Rin couldn't help but reflect her joy with a few girlish grins and giggles of her own.
"What about you?" Yosomi asked. "I heard maidservants always got married off well by their lords and ladies. Don't you have anyone in mind yet?"
"Not really," Rin responded awkwardly, shifting her attention back to the baby, who was now staring at both young women with a perplexed look on his small face.
First, since she wasn't actually the Inu no Taisho's maid, she doubted she would be introduced to any men she could be "married well" to. Second, she really had no desire to marry at all. She didn't feel like having to carry the burden of concealing her salacious past from a spouse for the rest of her life, nor could she imagine mothering children of her own. All she truly desired was to find her brother and perhaps settle down in the Western capital when everything was over.
A more worrying thought entered her head, causing her to set down the flowers in her hand. What if her brother had moved on with his life, wherever he was? By now, he'd be around Lord Sesshōmaru's age, certainly old enough to at least have married, if not have a young baby of his own. Could she so easily intrude on his potential domestic bliss when she found him? Would they even be able to recognize each other?
"What are you two whispering about?"
Yosomi grimaced and looked up to find her brother. "Why do you have to be so nosy? And why are you here, anyway?"
"I came with Haru and Itsuki," Kei smirked, referring to his two friends, who were skipping rocks nearby. "Why should you get to come out and have fun while I'm stuck in the village?"
"This wasn't a pleasure trip, dummy. We're doing chores!"
"Doesn't seem like it from where I'm standing!"
Rin watched as the two began their customary squabbling routine, the perfect antidote to her sudden bout of displeasure. Likewise, Cho giggled and clapped, thoroughly entertained by the discordant siblings.
"I cannot wait to tell grandmother about how you snuck—"
Yosomi stopped short. Rin froze. Kei, meanwhile, sniffed the air and quickly clamped his hand over his nose and mouth, eyes wide.
"Is that all coming from Cho?!" He cried out, an equal mix of surprised and disgusted.
"Hey, Yosomi—" Rin started, her voice sweet.
Yosomi looked horrified. "Oh, no way!"
"You said you needed the practice!"
"I've changed my mind!" Yosomi stood from the grass and straightened her kosode. "Chiyo! Cho just shit all over the place!"
She should have known by now that the most peaceful moments don't often last.
With the chores now completed, the small group was led through the pine forest and back to the village. Rin, Yosomi, and Kei followed closely behind the rest of the group. Yosomi and Kei weren't bickering much anymore, only calmly discussing what Yosomi and Rin would prepare for supper and whether or not Kei would stay to eat with them in lieu of running off to one of his friends' huts when Yosomi stopped walking altogether.
"Oh," she said. "I forgot to pick up Cho's blanket before we left."
"It's just one blanket. We'll just get it next time we're out," Chiyo said from nearby.
"Isn't that Cho's favorite, though? The river isn't that far back—I can just go and get it now."
Rin frowned. "By yourself?"
"I'll go with her!" Kei volunteered proudly.
Yosomi rolled her eyes. "I'll just ask one of the men to go back with us. It won't take too long to catch up with you all again."
And that was that. Escorted by a patrol guard, Yosomi and Kei walked back to the river to retrieve the lost blanket, while Rin, Chiyo, and the rest of the group continued towards the village.
Again, Rin managed to make herself useful. Garments had to be delivered to the huts of the various women who were left out of the small group—a green mo-bakama to the young woman who lived on the northeast side of the village, a blue and white furoshiki to the old woman close to the rice paddies, a hadajuban to the mother right next to the guest hut. By the time Rin was finished with that monumental task, the sun had begun its decline, and she'd traveled over to Grandma Sen's hut to find Yosomi and start on supper. To her surprise, Shizu appeared inside the hut instead, her hair still slightly damp from the quick bath she'd taken earlier.
"I came to see if she had Cho's blanket for Chiyo, but Sen hasn't seen her yet," Shizu said, her arms crossed edgily. "She most likely came back and got held up by Kei and his friend's antics, but…"
She trailed off as if she were thinking of a more ominous explanation for Yosomi's continued absence.
The river wasn't far. It shouldn't have taken that long for three people to retrieve an item and seeing as Yosomi was so adamant to retrieve it, Rin doubted she'd voluntarily leave Chiyo waiting. But if something bad had happened and the Northern tribesmen were near the village now, the scouting units would've caught them. Or, at least, they should have.
"I won't start a fuss—that's certainly the last thing any of the people here need right now. Still, be on the lookout for her, will you?" Shizu said. "We've got to keep an eye on each other, especially now."
"I will," Rin said, nodding.
Shizu was right. There was no use in causing a potential scandal when Yosomi may have just been sidetracked from her main goal. Still, Rin couldn't stop the feeling of dread from rising in her throat like hot bile. In an attempt to quell her alarmist thoughts, Rin walked about the village once more, going up and down each dirt pathway in search of Yosomi or Kei or both, until she had asked many people and glanced into as many huts as she could and had nothing more to do but gaze anxiously at the edge of the woodland. The imposing, high trees she'd grown used to seemed sinister now, with their warped boles and gnarled roots. The canopy formed dark faces with dark expressions. The forest contained all: the beautiful glades and dells where she'd play with the dogs and laid under the stars with the Inu no Taisho, the glistening rivers and waterfalls, the sweet berries she used to pick with her brother. But it also contained poison and wolves. Dead bodies that dangled from trees or hid amongst the shrubs. It was a habitat which ensnared and devoured, much like the seas or the cities and villages. The whole world felt restricted to the flip of a coin at times. At whim it gave and take, leaving its folk forever exposed to its changeable disposition.
Rin didn't know precisely what it was that made her enter the woods again. She knew she had reasoned aloud that the river wasn't too far of a walk to make on her own, and that with the navigational training she'd begun with Lord Tōga a few weeks ago, she'd know her way there and back in pitch darkness. She slipped past the patrol with the same finesse she and her brother used to steal food in her younger days, and a short while later she was standing before the waterfall and the river with the high grass tickling her calves and feet. The area was as the group had left it, pristine save for Cho's crumbled blanket and some other flattened areas in the grass where people set their baskets of clothes or placed their feet as they walked. There was also a larger flattened spot, almost human-shaped as if someone had decided to take a moment's rest.
Rin walked closer. Lying there was the men who had went back with Yosomi and Kei to retrieve the blanket. The expression on his face was contorted with agony on account of the long arrow in his neck that had entered through one side and now stuck firmly through the other. It was still wet and glistening with blood. Yosomi and Kei were conspicuously missing.
The young woman stifled a gag. The arrow was much like the one Yua had brought to her in the woods: bone tip, dark wooden shaft, white and black feather at the end. A surefire sign of one of the tribesmen.
I need to go get help, Rin thought, backing away from the body. But if more tribesmen were nearby, Seiten and the men of the village would have their hands too full with protecting the larger community to spare the forces to search for two lost people. And the longer it took to get help, the further Yosomi and Kei could be, and the more dangerous things got for them.
Rin suppressed another retch as she slowly knelt beside the lifeless body. The man had been killed from a distance—his attacker either did not see the blade still tucked into his sash or simply did not care enough to loot it. It slid from the man's sheath with little resistance and glinted in the faltering sunlight. It was somewhat dull, but it would enough to defend herself.
Images of the woman and man she had stumbled across in the wood flashed before her eyes. She shook them away. The trees were daunting, but she'd face them. Slowly she stood and walked deeper into the woods.
a/n: So….yeah that's that. Next chapter will be dramatic as hell. The next update might take a little longer because my goal is to publish chapters 17 and 18 at the same time (they've both been outlined for months and are ready to be typed up!) I'll see what I can do in the midst of finals.
Until next time!