Chapter 24 - Sakura
It did not take Sesshomaru long to put two and two together, and deduce who precisely this woman was. She had given him plenty of hints. Her beauty was unearthly, her ability to see beyond exceeded that even of Sesshomaru himself. There was no doubt in his mind of her identity. He clutched the pitcher tightly in his right hand.
"You're Sakuya-hime. The goddess of Mount Fuji."
Her dark eyes sparkled with mischief, lips still smiling. "My name is not important."
"Why do you offer this so freely?"
"For her. For your human." Sakuya lifted her hand, and above them, the snow began to fall from the Sakura trees. "Consider it my gift to her." Blossoms began to sprout on the branches. "I would give you a gift too, Lord demon. But you already have a gift so precious, all I could give would pale in comparison."
Gift? What gift did he possess? Was she referring to the Tenseiga? Sesshomaru hardly considered that sword to be a gift.
Sakuya's soft tinkling laughter broke into his thoughts. "I refer to nothing so trivial as a sword, or physical might. I wish we had more time to speak… but your human needs you. Guard her well. Being bonded to a human with Kizuna, is a powerful force in this world. Be safe, young Lord." With another sound of laughter, she vanished into thin air. Simultaneously the Sakura blossoms above burst into full bloom.
Sesshomaru observed the blossoms, then dropped his gaze to the small silver pitcher in his hand.
A sound —- no not a sound. A feeling that could have been as strong as a sound echoed in his mind.
Lord Sesshomaru!
He knew that voice. In an instant, where he stood was vacant, all that remained were sparkling flurries of pure white snow. Flight was too slow. His body absorbed into a ball of light. It would cost him energy, but it didn't matter.
Sesshomaru burst into being above the trees beside the river, wind accompanied him, swaying the tops of the trees and causing water to overflow against the far bank.
"Ahh! My Lord!" Jaken cried, dancing below him on the ground. "Rin has been crying out in delirium! I fear she will not last much longer. Did you get the cure?!"
Sesshomaru's face remained stoic, calm even, belaying the inner torrent of emotion that he was presently battling. She had called for him. It could not be too late.
Landing, the silver haired lord took the two steps to cross to where Rin lay beneath the tree. She was covered in a sheen of sweat, whimpering and thrashing. Her eyes were squeezed shut. Sesshomaru could feel the burning temperature of her skin from even this distance. He handed the small pitcher to Jaken, who held it in both his clawed hands.
"Open the lid."
Carefully Sesshomaru knelt down beside her, and slid his hand under the back of her neck, pulling her gently into a slightly inclined position. Sesshomaru's eyes lifted to Jaken, the unspoken order passing between them.
Trembling with stress, Jaken hurried forward, and put the pitcher to Rin's lips, then tipped it up. It spilled, splashing across her closed lips.
"Rin. Drink." Sesshomaru commanded, his voice gentle but stern. "Open your mouth."
As if hearing his voice from wherever her consciousness resided presently, Rin parted her lips. Jaken lifted the pitcher to her mouth again, tipping it ever so slightly. This time the water dribbled into her mouth. Jaken pulled it away, both demons watching intently to see if she swallowed. After a moment her lips closed and they saw her swallow. The imp released a shaky sigh.
"Human children are such trouble!" He complained as he raised the small pitcher to her mouth again. "Great demons such as us have far better things to do than to coddle children."
Sesshomarun ignored the imp's complaints, they were pointless noise. Slowly, a few drops at a time, Rin consumed the water in the pitcher until there was nothing left. As soon as the last drop touched her lips, the pitcher vanished into thin air.
"Wuaaaa!" Jaken yelped and jumped back. "It has disappeared!"
Carefully, Sesshomaru lay Rin's back on the soft grass. His gaze was intent on her face. It felt like an eternity until her breathing finally evened out, and her clenched muscles loosened. Slowly, the depth of the flush receded from her cheeks.
"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin breathed, her eyes cracking open, as if the daylight was painful. Sesshomaru shifted, so that his shadow blocked the brightness.
"You're here…" she breathed with relief. "I dreamed that I was on fire." She took a long breath. "I was afraid… so I called."
Sesshomaru was silent for a moment, internal tumult preventing speech. "I heard you."
A hint of the Rin he knew sparkled through, as the faintest hint of a smile touched her lips.
"Sleep, Rin." His gentle command was pointless, since her eyes had already drifted closed as she finally slipped into a peaceful rest.
Hesitantly, Sesshomaru withdrew from her side. He stood and moved toward the river. The torrent of feelings in his chest had eased from their former intensity, but something else remained. Something that he didn't have enough experience to put words to.
"My Lord?" Jaken stood by his foot, peering up in silent question. There were several moments of silence, only the sound of the water lapping at the shore filling the air. At length, Jaken sighed mournfully and flopped to sit by the water.
"Stay with Rin." Sesshomaru said finally, then turned and began walking toward the woods.
He needed time. To be alone with his thoughts. To try and understand Sakuya's cryptic words, and to process the strangeness of the feelings he had to struggle to keep under tight control. If Jaken had a complaint or snide remark, he didn't hear it, so loud were the roar of his own thoughts in his ears.
For a time Sesshomaru just walked. Unthinking. Unfocused on anything around him. His thoughts whirled inside of him like a torrential wind. Static. Frustration. Angst.
Why? Why now? He was on the cusp of greatness. Achieving his goals of being the most powerful demon. Why must he now be afflicted with the curse of emotions? When he had lived so many centuries reveling in the emotionlessness of his lone wolf lifestyle.
It was entirely the fault of Tenseiga. Anger swept over him. Stopping, he reached down and pulled out Tenseiga in its sheath, and held it aloft before his face.
"You. You are the source of this change."
Sesshomaru challenged the blade, narrowing his eyes at the sword in his hand.
"YOU changed me. I gave no consent to this."
Though he received no response, images filled his mind of his battle with InuYasha. When his body began to burn from the energy of the Tetsusaiga. Sesshomaru snarled and dropped the blade to the ground. It hit the grass with a metallic clatter.
But the images didn't stop. The dark place where Tenseiga had protected him filled his mind, quickly followed by Rin's smile, when she had brought him food. The message was clear. Had Tenseiga not saved him, Sesshomaru would have died that day. Because Tenseiga saved him, Rin came into his life, shifting the foundation of his very soul. It was fate's vicious cycle. One could not have happened without the other. They were inextricable.
"Damn you." Sesshomaru snarled, the sound reverberated deep in his chest. "I cannot live like this." His gold eyes narrowed at the blade. It lay in the grass, silent. For a long time, Sesshomaru was silent too.