Chapter 7
Sesshomaru could scent another entity behind the closed doors leading to his ward's room. The warm fragrance of honey dancing with orange blossoms came pouring from Rin's room and lured his senses forward. Everyone scrambled out of the way from the formidable Lord's sudden arrival into the main interior of his palace. His aura far reaching and filled with rage. Hushed whispers and low bows filled the long high ceiling like hallways as he and his close familial guards rushed through the terrace onto the second floor of his private wing. The foreign yet familiar scent enticed him, coaxing the intrigue and burning rage of audacity displayed in his home. A vision without a face flashed in his minds eye. A dream that lay in his mind's eye just a fortnight ago.
Anger simmered within his veins and yet something oddly solid sat in his chest at the idea that his ward was vulnerable with a stranger in her room during an attack. It enraged him. Rin's retainer Lady Yuma, stood outside of the double doors in a perfect bow already providing answers he didn't care to hear just yet. Her cobalt blue, white furisode with red iris patterns stood out amongst the sea of plain white and blue belted stylings of the ladies behind her. The strange scent that intermingled with Rin's grew stronger upon his approach. He was fuming to see that his guards stood still at their post outside of her door, clearly having not scented the perpetrator's break-in. Lady Yuma had sent out the SOS after Rin was attacked during her writing lessons. An attack that will not bear to be repeated.
In a display of raw power, Sesshomaru released a small bit of his youkai that was felt beyond the palace walls indicating his increase in strength. The whispers behind the closed doors of his ward's room suddenly grew silent. The force of his energy collided against the doors of Rin's room and threw them open and off their hinges. Shocked, his guards moved out of the way behind him along with Lady Yuma. Her ladies in waiting scrambled out of the way behind her and further down the hall out of harm's way. Their gasps and armor echoed in the hallway attracting a few onlookers and more guards rushed to the scene to aid their master. The cries of his men surrounding the area was heard as they all prepared for the worst. Sesshomaru strolled forward with his hand resting on the hilt of Bakusaiga as he entered the room. Claws bared on one hand while his sword lifted from his sheath in the other. His rubicund gaze fell on the two sitting in the middle of the room. A growl ripped from his throat before he attacked.
"My Lord!" Rin screamed as she turned to see the woman stumble back from Sesshomaru's swipe of his blade.
Sesshomaru pulled his blade fully from its sheath and used the edge to release a shockwave of power focused on the woman. The woman held her hands up to block and was simply pushed back a few inches. "What is your deal!" The woman yelled back, a little frightened of this version of Sesshomaru.
"My Lord!" His ward stood up and rushed to stand before the woman. She put her arms out defensively. Arms wide like a starfish. "My Lord, she saved me!"
A menacing growl ripped from behind sharp teeth. His gaze searched is ward for damages. Seeing just her orange kimono covered in ink and powder of some kind. But no marks marred her flesh nor blood stained her sleeves. Lord Sesshomaru leaned forward and sniffed the air. His eyes looked to the woman. Her dark brown locs danced around her face as she crouched down ready to defend herself. Golden highlights danced around the tight coils of hair like fine gold. Her hand came out to rest gently against Rin's shoulder in a protective manner. He watched as the woman slowly stood up in front of him. Her dark skin shined under the gentle lights of the lanterns flickering in Rin's receiving room. The lights bounced off the soft cotton of the dressed wrapped around her. A loc slowly fell from behind her ear and hung in her face. Bright brown eyes looked to him and those standing behind him ready to defend Lady Rin and their master. Lady Yuma pushed through and looked around the room with the guards on her heels.
"Is this true?" He asked, ready to scent a lie should one be found. His hand rested tightly on the fabric wrapped around the hilt of his blade as he held it out pointed directly behind Rin. The woman stood up proudly and moved Rin to stand behind her defensively. As if she was the defender and he be the villain. Everyone gazed around the room but could not see who Sesshomaru was speaking to.
"Yes. Your little one here was being attacked by that demon in the robe." She explained as best as she could. Patois flowed from her lips but understanding reflected across his features. Curiously tickled her senses at the circumstances but the threat in front of her quickly diminished any fleeting thoughts. Before her was a dangerous entity. A far cry from the sick beaten dog that lay at her feet back in the hut on the hills of her small island. This dog stood regal and…predatory. Substantial power and deadly intent poured from his aura and flushed against her, almost pushing her to her knees. But she stood strong and stared into his stoic features. The red in his gaze subsiding as she gave her answer.
Silence passed through the room leaving it oddly stifling. Nobody moved nor broke the silence. Until there was but a commanding voice that cut the air. "Leave us!" Sesshomaru rumbled, his eyes cutting to the ppl on his sides.
Oshun watched as he sheathed his weapon. The men and women that came with him quickly left the room. Some more hesitant than others. Lady Yuma bowed her head and backed away too albeit looking confusedly to see who or what had captured her Lords attention. The doors closed leaving the trio in the room.
"Rin." He simply stated as he stood to his full height. His eyes never leaving Oshun's as he spoke to Rin. "What precisely happened?"
Rin rushed forward and grabbed a hold of Sesshomaru's leg. Her face flushed against his white hakamas as she told her story. "I had writing lessons today. I ran out of ink and so I went to the stock room to get more when one of the scribes…" She swallowed thickly removing her face from his pants. Her wide eyes looked up at her protector. "- attacked me. He said I didn't belong here." She mumbled the last part as she looked away. "The same as the other man from last week."
"Rin…" He paused. "You belong wherever you want to be." He finished before stepping away from the little girl to turn. "I will send Lady Yuma in to assist you. You are to ask for help when you need something. This does not interfere with your daily activities, Rin. When you are finished with your writing lesson, you can go into the gardens with the others."
"Yes, my Lord!" Rin bowed excitedly as if nothing had happened. As if the near-death experience she just experienced was simply a bump in the day.
Oshun was flabbergasted to say the least. First that this was the most she had ever heard from the dog demon speaking. Also, how he just set a leisure precedence for the little girl's life to live. One in which she should not be fearful or cautious of the evil that no doubt still lurks to target her. She watched as he stopped at the door and then turned his head slightly. His eyes glaring at her again. His golden gaze cut across her like a thousand knives.
"Whatever you are…ghost or spirit. You should leave before I erase you permanently." He threatened before stepping away. "Or do you need help to be laid to rest?" He asked as his other hand went to the weapon she had not seen before. The one hidden slightly below the other.
"Wait!" Oshun yelled holding her hands up defensively. "I'm no spirit or apparition." She huffed and put both of her hands on her hips confrontationally. "Well… not in a dead sense. But I-."
Suddenly a sword was going right through her. She looked down at herself and gasped. The demon had moved and put his blade right through her heart. Precisely where an instant kill would have landed had she not been in this state. A gasp left her lips, but she felt nothing. A slight tingle from her chest but nothing else. Sesshomaru pulled his blade up through her and yanked it free. Immediately, he jumped back and stood up tall. The Tenseiga having done nothing to the apparition. The same one he recognized from his dreams. No doubt there to curse him or do something else.
"My Lord!" Rin's voice muttered unsure of how to take the new development.
Oshun backed away and looked down at herself as the strike that would have surely killed her was nowhere in sight. Her hands flew to the point of contact erratically. Fear in her gaze at what that would have done. But nothing was there. She was healed. Nothing…not even her dress was torn. "I'm still here!" She muttered as she looked at Sesshomaru in the face. "Ha!" She yelled triumphantly.
"Hn." Sesshomaru replied before sheathing his sword and turning his back. "I'll deal with you another way." With that he moved forward and opened the shoji door.
"Wait a damn minute!" Oshun yelled again and chased after him. "You can't just leave her here alone! And you should say sorry for trying to kill me!" Oshun yelled moving forward and bumping into one of the people outside. The demon she bumped grunted from the force and looked around confusedly before staring at his Lord who just walked away. Oshun rushed by and bumped more people out of the way including his guards.
"A spirit!" One of the guards yelled pointing at where she just came from.
"No just a mad as hell woman with a bone to pick with rude dogs!" She yelled as she moved to stand in front of Sesshomaru. He stopped as her hands pressed against him. "Who the hell do you think you are! Is this the reason you're suffering now!" She yelled as she pushed him back. His eyes narrowed before reaching out and grabbing her. His hands gripped her wrist. A gasp flew from her lips. "But…hhow?" She muttered as he looked at her with a small lift of his eyebrows. He pulled her so she stood on her tippy toes in front of him. His face came close to hers as he sized her up. Her hands began to glow violet and her locs began to dance around her shoulders. Violet slowly enraptured her irises as her power grew.
"Son, that Amadlozi is here to protect Rin. Leave her be."
Both looked ahead to see a regal woman walking with her hands tucked into her long sleeves. A beautiful multi layered violet kimono with a sheer gold embroidery covered the outer karaginu layer. The train dragging behind her as she took silent steps. Her long silvery hair was placed in an intricate styling on her head. Silvery bangs framed her angular face. Her delicate features were lightly highlighted with makeup with lips glossed in a plum color. Oshun thought she was looking at some life-sized doll of another world. Her words replayed back in her mind. "Son?" she muttered as she stared at the beautiful demoness resembling that of the dog that held her in his clutches. His grip tightening around her neck. Her hand pressing against his chest.
"Amadlozi…what is your name?" The demoness asked. The onlookers in the hallway gazed at them looking about confusedly. "A spirit is protecting Rin. How fortunate we are." She spoke loudly for any onlookers to hear. Already the rumor mill began to turn.
"Amadlozi?" Oshun repeated breathlessly. The word familiar in the spell she had muttered to get here. "My name is Oshun." She managed while moving to claw at Sesshomaru's tight grip around her throat. A spell muttered from her lips and her skin grew hot. It began to sizzle Sesshomaru's flesh and he immediately dropped her.
"Oshun…" The demoness repeated, growing familiar with the name on her lips. Her eyes looked her over before tilting her head slightly. "My son, leave her be at once." Her eyes cut into Sesshomaru, watching as he released the young woman. The demoness watch the strange entity land gracefully as she swept her locs to the side out of her face. "If she's here to protect Rin, then something powerful is brewing against our house. Tell me, spirit. What has sent you. Is someone planning to use Rin to destroy us? Or take her since you saved her?"
Oshun rubbed her throat before cutting her eyes at the young Lord. "It's not Rin that's in danger. Its…your son."
