Chapter 21:
Seshomaru woke before the sun rose, quietly not to disturb the sleeping woman in his bed. Rin turned and rolled into the spot he previously occupied. Gray hair falling in her face with her lips parted slightly. The sheets rested down by her hips and Sesshomaru lightly brushed the hair from her face. She whined before settling back into a soundless sleep.
Sesshomaru hoped to be back before she woke but he knew there was a small chance of that, so he dressed quickly and headed down into the dungeons.
When he made it down to the coldest part in the back of the dungeons; he sent the guards away and walked into the cell.
Tokin laid on his stomach in a ball on the ground with his only remaining arm under his chin. His face was hardly recognizable after the damage Sesshomaru had already done. Yet, he refused to speak on how he came into this realm or where his kind came from.
When Sesshomaru first questioned him, the mutated man spit at his face. In reply Sesshomaru cut off his ears and popped out one of his eyeballs slowly with a pointed claw. Although visibly shaken, he still refused to speak anything but curses toward this realm and all demons in kind. The only reason Sesshomaru allowed him to keep his tongue was because he needed it to speak, much to the demon Lords contempt. It had been a long time since the West had a full frontal attack such as what Tokin was able to accomplish.
Today was judgment day, he would speak to him or Sesshomaru would tear it from his mind. Witches are uncommon and witchcraft is outlawed in the West by humans and demons alike, even more scarce in the other regions. They're humans with different abilities that make them outcasts among their own kind.
However, in Sesshomaru earlier years he had stumbled upon a lone witch when traveling. Being an Inu, he could sense something was off, the woman had the audacity to think she could outrun him. It wasn't often that Sesshomaru had to go search for knowledge. Witches were secretive and it was hard to detect a witch, so nothing was ever written in ink about them.
When the woman realized, he wasn't going to kill her, they came to an agreement. He would give her safe passage through the West and in exchange he learned about the elder woman's craft. Sesshomaru didn't think that demons had an affinity for magic, nor did she but the more he learned of it the more his curiosity got to him.
In a moment of impulse, he channeled his energy and was able to levitate items. Then he was able to transfer his energy into an item and once he even tried on a person. This resulted in the human going mad but in those moments of madness every secret the man had was revealed as if it was his own. Sesshomaru then realized exactly why it was outlawed in the first place several generations ago.
He was able to memorize all of her teaching over those weeks but none of it mentioned energy magic to the extent he was able to use it. To Sesshomaru knowledge no other demon has attempted witchcraft, much less could sense the difference in a witch or normal human like the dog demon clan could.
Sesshomaru rarely used it himself, rarely had a need to use it but he was willing to make an exception.
With a steel tipped boot, Sesshomaru delivered a hard kick to Tokins side. Tokin screamed on impact, already in severe pain from earlier and crawled back far from Sesshomaru's form.
"Get out!" he shrieked in fear.
"This is your last chance. You will speak." Sesshomaru stated.
"You'll kill me anyway." Tokin said, looking at the ground with his one eye.
Sesshomaru squatted down, his eyes cold as he looked down at the broken man without any emotion.
"No, I will keep you alive here because I like to hear you scream. Torturing you to the point of madness, starving you to the point that you will eat shit just to have something in your stomach. I'll even keep you alive as I cut you open and see how you differ from my kind until I know all of your secrets. Killing you would be a mercy and I am not known to be merciful." came his icy reply.
Tokin knew the Lord meant these words but refused to meet his gaze, remaining silent.
"What are you?" Sesshomaru asked.
Silence.
"Are there more of your kind." he tried again.
Sesshomaru noticed him flinching, and Sesshomaru grabbed his throat roughly.
Tokin's fearful eyes looked up at him, "No!" he moaned, "I'm the last of my kind! Why do you think I've been turning demons into Igami?!"
Sesshomaru didn't hesitate, "Why demons?"
Although Tokin was terrified of him, he still looked determined. Tears poured from his one eye as he opened his mouth to speak.
"Because." He seethed, "Demons killed my people! My family!"
"How did you turn them," Sesshomaru continued.
Tokin chose silence and looked away from him.
Sesshomaru's hand tightened around his neck as his claws grew green emitting traces of poison.
"How?" he growled.
Tokin rasped, "V-Venom, my venom."
Sesshomaru loosened his hold but his grip remained as he waited for him to continue.
"My venom changed their bodies when fused with them and mutated their blood, so I could alter their DNA. It was the only way to build an army and avenge my family." Tokin said quietly in defense.
"You are a fool." Replied Sesshomaru as he dropped the man to the ground.
Tokin fell like a rag doll and groaned in pain. Sesshomaru paid no mind to him as he walked towards the exit of the cell.
Sesshomaru beckoned the two guards forward, the both bowed lowly.
"Pull out all his teeth and take them to the lab, be wary of the venom there." he ordered before walking back up the stony steps.
Tokin saw this and panicked. Trying desperately with one hand to go after him.
"Wait! Please! Kill me please!" he cried out.
Sesshomaru never looked back.
Rin opened her eyes as the sun rose in the morning, she sat up slowly and winced at the slight pain between her legs. When she looked down she saw evidence of her long night together with Sesshomaru. Rin fell back onto the pillows, letting her hair fan out around her in astonishment at her boldness.
The nightmare she had would plague her for a long while, she'll never forget the sight of his dead body out of her mind. When she'd snapped out of it and reached for him, it was instinctive. Many of her nightmares were from her time in the other realm but this one felt so alive and real.
Fear, true fear gripped her like a vise at the horrid images her mind conjured up in those times of unawareness. Pushing all thoughts aside, she looked around and saw she was alone. Torn clothing spread out all over the room and several spots of blood. Rin blushed, it was as if they had a fight instead of a night of passion together.
Rin didn't regret it but it made her stomach feel odd as she recounted the things they had done last night. Rin rose from the bed, naked as the day she was born. Treading over to the dressers that held her clothes.
Today was the day the demon Lords held court, she was nervous for Inuyasha sake and anxious about appearing before a court of demon nobility. Rin dressed in all black and placed the silver necklace Sesshomaru gifted her on. Rin fastened her red dagger to the left of her waist belt and pulled her long hair up into a high ponytail.
Once done, she headed to the balcony and placed both arms on the railing. Looking at the palace grounds clearly for the first time. It was green and paths of stone lead out in several directions like a maze with thick shrubs. Bright red spider lilies surrounded a pond that had a statue of a crescent moon in the middle of it.
It was peaceful to stand there for a moment and bask in the sun, she understood why her Lord came out so often. He could see this without the aid of the sun, Rin was jealous of this ability. In the dark her eyes worked better than a humans but far less than a demon's sharp sight.
Rin saw two arms come onto each side of her, bracketing her against the railing. Seshomaru's clawed fingers curled around the thin metal bar. Rin leaned back into him and smiled softly as she kept her gaze out towards the courtyard. A sound of contentment rumbled from this chest and Rin turned her gaze to his, almost tipping head back all the way with his towering height.
"Good morning." she said softly.
"Is it?" he questioned.
Rin turned back towards the courtyard, "For now." she replied.
"Is there anything I should be aware of? Court customs?" she asked anxiously.
"No." he said clearly.
Rin sighed and turned in his arms to look up at him.
"What am I to expect? Can you tell me about this court?" Rin asked.
Sesshomaru nodded and guided her to the sitting area.
"The demon court is composed of clan leaders. The dog clan, the snake clan, and so on. They vote on how things are conducted."
Rin nodded, "Ahh so you will be on the court then for the dog clan."
"No." he said, "I don't lead the dog clan. My mother does."
Rin opened her mouth to question this but Sesshomaru shook his head.
"My title is General of the West. It's not my job to keep the clans happy, only to protect the West. I lead over the court and I can veto anything I deem a threat. My mother's father, Byukaya led the dog clan before her, just as my father was the previous General." he explained.
"Would you not be both?" Rin questioned in confusion, "Your mother is only a filler in a way."
Sesshomaru scowled lightly, Rin noticed he didn't appear to want to answer her question.
"In a way," he said, detached.
Rin's brows furrowed, "In a way?"
Sesshomaru leaned back in his chair, "I do not like the dog demon clan."
Rin blinked at him.
'How could he not like the dog demon clan? It's his clan.' Thought Rin.
After a while of silence Rin said, "You do not have to tell me why… but I am curious as to why a dog demon doesn't like his own clan. Especially one he's 'in a way' the leader of."
Sesshomaru turned his gaze out towards the courtyard and muttered, begrudgingly, "You will see why."
"They fought beside you too, at the battle." Rin added.
Sesshomaru scoffed, "Some yes. Others only because I ordered them to. My mother keeps them pampered, most had never seen war of any kind until a few days ago. They choose to believe that they are above it because a dog demon rules the West. They are old and arrogant, much like my mother."
Rin was shocked, his disdain for them was obvious and Rin wondered what trouble would await them at court. Rin decided to drop it. She believed Lord Sesshomaru when he told her she'd see why.
"What am I expected to do at this court then?" she asked.
"Show face, that's all. Juuki will be speaking on your behalf." he stated calmly.
Rin blanched, "My Lord I beat him half to death."
Sesshomaru's humorous gaze turned toward her, "Yes and you gained his respect by doing so. Juuki is…political. Good with words."
Rin nodded again, "Alright well. What of Inuyasha? Why does he have to fight?"
"Inuyasha is part dog demon and my lieutenants will speak for him but words will not be enough. The stigma on half demons is difficult to change." Sesshomaru replied.
Rin narrowed her eyes, "Because he has dog blood mixed with drops of human blood he must be tested? But because the blue bloods aren't human we get a pass?"
Sesshomaru shrugged, "The dog demon clan is difficult."
"The dog demon clan sets the standard for the other clans then?" Rin argued.
Sesshomaru rolled his eyes, "Politics Rin."
"Damn politics!" Rin growled.
Sesshomaru smiled, "I don't get involved in it."
Rin groaned at his lack of response which only amused him. Her Lord seemed to enjoy riling her up.