All Inuyasha characters are ©Rumiko Takahashi, Viz Communications, Inc., Shonen Sunday, Sunrise, Yomiuri TV and Nihon TV. Characters are used without the express prior permission of the aforementioned. Story concept, other characters and original situations are ©L-desu; this fanfic is written for entertainment purposes only.
Chapter 01: Salt
He stepped into the clearing at the base of the Tree of Ages, already knowing what he would find there. She sat crumpled amongst the giant weaving roots, face turned towards the ancient trunk, but he didn’t need to see her face to know that she had been crying. The air hung heavy with the sharp scent of salt.
Glossy black locks fell in disheveled waves about her form, and her white and red priestess uniform was just as unkempt, but that did nothing to dissuade from her beauty as she turned towards him as soon as he stepped out from the forest canopy. Large liquid brown eyes rimmed red, cheeks flushed and wet from hot tears, she attempted to sniffle back her despair as he looked down upon her.
“You fought again,” Sesshoumaru stated more than asked. Not that he had even needed to do that.
Kagome’s eyes slid shut as a fresh wave of tears overwhelmed her small frame. Covering her mouth with one hand, she turned back into the tree trunk and sobbed brokenly.
Understanding her unspoken wish for privacy, Sesshoumaru continued on towards Edo village and to see his young ward.
Chapter 02: Melody
Sesshoumaru laid back against the stout trunk of Goshinboku, left arm perched over raised knee, while his right leg splayed out before him between the moss-covered roots. Half-lidded golden eyes watched as the miko wandered around the clearing, teaching his ward and the young kitsune about the different plants that grew there. Rin, most especially, wore a fierce look of concentration while the miko spoke, and recited the various names back to her mentor.
Since the miko Kagome had returned to Edo village after being mysteriously absent for three years, Rin had taken a keen interest in the workings of the woman, and had taken to following her nearly everywhere that she could. The miko immediately took his ward under her tutelage, and the young girl seemed to flourish under her care, which pleased him greatly.
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and rested his head back against the tree, letting his senses wander. There were no dangers nearby, so he let the melodic voice of the miko surround him with its soothing notes. Her lectures always seemed to lull him into a state of relaxation, so he took advantage of the situation to bask in the sunlight that filtered down through the tree’s canopy. A rare moment of tranquility for him.
Chapter 03: Sparks
Sesshoumaru hummed in low appreciative tones as he watched his ward twirl before him, showing off the new yukata he had brought her for the coming summer months. The lavender and white silks had been a gift from his mother, which mimicked her own ornate kimono.
As Jaken continued to chirrup approvingly to the young girl, sputtering some nonsense or another, the winds shifted, bringing the sharp scent of salt and electricity to the daiyoukai’s nose. Golden eyes lifted towards the hill that bordered the western edge of the village, his curiosity peaked. Instructing Jaken to keep watch over Rin, Sesshoumaru let his nose lead him towards what the villagers still called Inuyasha’s Forest.
He was suddenly forced to stop at the edge of Goshinboku’s clearing when an arrow embedded itself into the tree next to him, showers of pink sparks flying. Sesshoumaru eyed the miko, whom already had another arrow nocked and pointed at him. A fine eyebrow lifted in question. Now that he was here, he found himself hard pressed not to breathe through his mouth as the stench of her anger choked the air around them.
Chapter 04: Marksmanship
“Sesshoumaru,” she greeted, her voice terse as she lowered her bow. He still found it odd how familiar she was with his personage; but then, she had always been odd to begin with.
“Miko,” he acknowledged.
Hesitating only for a moment, the miko brushed stray tears from her flushed cheeks and inclined her head towards him, then went to recover her arrows from the unfortunate tree across the clearing she had been using as her practice target. Sesshoumaru noted that they all marked the trunk within a hand’s breadth of each other, one actually splitting another’s shaft neatly down the middle.
“Your archery skills have improved,” he observed. Indeed, her aim had drastically improved since her return, as well as her control over her immense powers. She was becoming more formidable as she matured. Dislodging the arrow that had been meant as a warning for him, he walked over to her and dropped it into her waiting hands.
Chapter 05: Blush
As expected, the miko blushed, even through her anger, and bowed her head. “Thank you,” she murmured, “That means a lot coming from you.”
Depositing her arrows back into the quiver, she took a deep calming breath and looked up at him. “What brings you to the village today? Visiting Rin?”
“Hnn,” Sesshoumaru replied in the affirmative. “Mother sent her a gift for the summer.”
The miko gave him a strained smile, but said nothing further, instead pulling an arrow from her quiver and taking aim at the poor tree once again. He watched as the arrow embedded itself into the old wood exactly in one of the previous marks. There were no sparks this time, so he assumed she was not practicing with her reiki.
“You are angry,” he stated, hoping to elicit something from her.
“You could say something like that,” she replied in an evasive manner, already nocking another arrow.
Chapter 06: Sizzle
Sesshoumaru watched as the arrow flew across the clearing. This time, bright pink sparks flew from the tree when the arrow landed next to the first. The sharp tang of electricity saturated the air as the glow around the miko dissipated. Had he been incorrect about her training with reiki? Although, if she was, why hadn’t the previous shot also commanded her powers? What a confusing creature, the miko was.
Turbulent brown eyes slanted daggers his way, a frown creasing her forehead, as though she had heard his thoughts. His breath caught. Had he spoken aloud without realizing? But instead of questioning him as he was expecting her to, she simply picked up another arrow and took aim again.
Eyes narrowed at the gnarled tree ahead, and he smelled her anger spike. Without warning, the miko was enveloped in a bright pink light, so blinding it was almost white in colour, and he could feel his youki sizzle where it brushed up against her aura. He was very nearly tempted to push on her aura to see what would happen, but then the miko let the arrow fly.
Chapter 07: Castings
There was a strange warping of the air right before the arrow connected with the tree, then it suddenly disappeared. Sesshoumaru’s eyes widened, and he instinctively took a step towards the tree to investigate when the arrow abruptly reappeared behind the tree and embedded itself into the next with a loud resounding crack. Bright sparks exploded from the glowing arrow to wrap around the trunk, much like the casting of a holy net.
Intrigued, Seshoumaru moved closer to the first tree to inspect the miko’s feat. He recalled seeing this stunt of hers only once before, when she had shot an arrow through the Shikon no Tama and successfully ended Naruku. Unfortunately, he had been on the ground by the ancient well like everyone else when she had performed her miracle, so he had not been able to properly analyze what had happened. And then she had disappeared into the meidou.
He walked the circumference of the first tree, inspecting the gashed trunk. Just as he had expected, there were no holes through the thick trunk. The arrow had well and truly passed through the tree without a trace. Turning, he attempted to make his way to the second tree when he encountered an invisible barrier. A strong one. Looking over his shoulder towards the miko, he raised another eyebrow at her.
The miko merely shrugged, walking over to retrieve the arrow. The barrier did not block her as it had him, but he had not expected it to since she was its creator. The moment she pulled the arrow from the trunk, the barrier dissipated in a soft sprinkling of fading sparks around the tree.
Chapter 08: Warstomp
“Finally!” the miko groused as she shouldered her bow. The bow was an intricately carved piece from the bones of a dragon demon, a gift from the taijiya siblings once she had returned for good from wherever she had gone after being pulled into the meidou.
Sesshoumaru merely turned to face her fully and raised his eyebrow once more, silently willing her to elaborate. Again, the miko shrugged.
“That’s the first time I was able to make a proper seal,” she explained, waving a hand in the general direction of the second tree. “I guess being pissed off was the key.” She barked a crass laugh at herself.
“You were upset again,” Sesshoumaru repeated, remembering why he had come up the hill to begin with.
“UGH!” the miko suddenly screamed aloud, throwing both arms in the air as she stomped back to her quiver. Shoving the arrow back in whilst muttering vehemently under her breath about “men”, she shouldered the leather piece and stormed down the hillside back towards the village.
Golden eyes blinked very slowly after her retreating form, confusion and curiosity spiking within him. Had he said something wrong? Shrugging one shoulder to himself, Sesshoumaru followed in her wake.
Chapter 09: Sweat
Sesshoumaru stood at the base of Goshinboku, staring blankly up at the ancient tree as his mind wandered lazily. The days had grown warmer, nearing the height of summer; and with the heat came the eventual humidity. While he didn’t usually notice the subtle changes in the seasons, his heavy silks and armour still became oppressive during times such as these. Luckily the clearing kept most of the stifling heat at bay.
Footsteps along the beaten path that led towards the Bone Eater’s well heralded his visitor, but long before then, her scent had carried to him on the slight breeze, reminiscent of dewdrops on a crisp spring morning, just as the sun crested the horizon.
“I thought I’d felt you nearby,” her voice called out to him. He turned slightly as the miko stepped up to his side, golden eyes meeting with brown brimming with mirth. He nodded to her in greeting, glad to see she was in good spirits this day.
His gaze lingered on her figure as she turned to look upwards towards the God Tree, taking in her profile. Her hair was piled atop her head in a long tail, though a few tendrils seemed to have escaped and lay plastered to her sweaty face. He watched, transfixed, as a bead of sweat trailed from her temple, down her jawline and throat, and disappeared beneath the collar of her yukata. It was then that he noticed how the heat had made parts of the thin material cling to her lithe body.
Wrenching his eyes away, he looked back up to Goshinboku’s boughs, trying desperately to erase the images from his mind’s eye. What on earth was he thinking? About his half-brother’s woman, no less.
Chapter 10: Beguile
Sesshoumaru was slowly becoming bored. He had followed the miko up to the clearing on the pretense of watching her practice her archery, self-admittedly eager to witness her prowess once more. Yet instead of practicing as she had initially declared, she had collapsed rather ungracefully onto the ground upon their arrival. She hadn’t moved since.
He had taken a seat against the Goshinboku while he waited, eyes lazily scanning the surrounding forest. But soon enough, he had begun counting the number of petals on the tiny white flowers that crowned her dark head in an attempt to keep himself from dozing off.
He was up to a count of one-hundred-sixty-seven when the miko suddenly opened her eyes and flopped over onto her belly, making him frown in consternation as he lost his count.
“Rin wants to marry,” she sighed off-handedly, idly plucking at the very same flowers he had been struggling to count.
Making a determined effort to not be upset at the loss of the subject of his counting, he replied, “This One is aware.”
The miko looked up at him, a curious expression on her comely face. And he would admit she was comely, if only to himself.
“You aren’t worried about it?” she asked
Sesshoumaru gave a half-hearted shrug of one shoulder. “She may do as she pleases.”
The miko frowned, clearly not impressed with his answer.
“She’s still so young,” she countered, “Surely she’s too young to be married?”
“The girl is nearly six and ten,” he replied, again in an unconcerned manner. “Is this not an acceptable age for humans to marry?”
His answer seemed to upset her even further, as her frown creased even more and she threw the broken petals in his direction. “She’s a teenager!” she huffed at him.
Now he was confused. What was a ‘teenager’? “Is Rin not the same age as you were when we first met?”
The miko sputtered in indignation at that, and he found himself reveling in the slight fluctuations of her power around them. “It’s not the same!” she insisted, “Inuyasha and I weren’t dating then.”
Sesshoumaru’s head cocked to the side, unknowingly resembling a very curious dog as he did so. “What is ‘dating’?”
An intriguing flush suddenly rose on her cheekbones. “You know…,” she replied, dropping her gaze and plucking at the tiny flowers again, “When a guy and girl go out together…” She trailed off, the rosy colour intensifying on her cheeks.
Her innocence was beguiling. “We are, as you say, ‘out together’, miko,” he pointed out. “Are we ‘dating’?”
Chapter 11: Hide-And-Go-Seek
The miko appeared to be avoiding him.
Over his last two visits to Edo village, Sesshoumaru had yet to see hide nor hair of her, despite being able to scent her nearby, and he was intrigued as to why. As he recalled, their last encounter, whilst filled with delightful blustering and intense flushes by the miko, had been entirely innocent and congenial. Had he said something to upset her, then? He could not seem to recall.
Very well, then; he was always the most accomplished of hunters.
Following her most recent trail with his youki pulled tightly around him in stealth, his nose led him past the Bone Eater’s Well and towards what he had begun to refer to as ‘their’ clearing, if only to himself. Now, when he had begun this fanciful moniker, he could also not seem to recall.
He found her once again haphazardly sprawled over the lush and verdant ground, idly picking petals off the tiny white flowers and muttering incoherently to herself. Sesshoumaru paused just beyond the clearing’s edge to study the scene before him, hidden by the forest’s foliage and standing in a patch of shadows created by the dense canopy above.
Though his canine hearing was exceedingly impeccable for even those of his own species, he could still not quite make out what she was saying, but it sounded fairly repetitive, almost like a chant or a prayer of some kind. And whatever she said, she would pluck a petal in time with her words.
Golden eyes raked over her prone form, taking in the way she lay on her belly, legs idly kicking in the air behind her, hakama indecently pooling down her toned calves. Something about seeing her in this way made her seem almost innocent and childlike in this moment, and he couldn’t help but wonder when the last time that he, himself, had indulged himself in such a manner. Centuries past, no doubt.
Allowing his youki loose at last to explode into the clearing, he stepped forward into the dappled sunlight created beneath Goshinboku’s boughs.
Chapter 12: Scream
Though the scream that ripped from the miko’s throat from his sudden attack may have been dampened by the dense foliage that surrounded the clearing, it was no less piercing to his overly-sensitive ears. Flying instantly to her feet, she spun to face him, tawny-coloured eyes wide with fright.
When she saw it was himself, however, she quickly recovered, temper flaring spectacularly as she stomped her foot into the grass and threw the mangled flower at him. “Don’t do that to me, Sesshoumaru! Gods, you almost gave me a heart attack!”
He paused an arm’s length from her in the clearing, head tilting slightly as he listened to her rapid heartbeat. Perhaps he should have released his youki more slowly than he had, but he had not wanted to give her any warnings that would cause her to flee from him again. Besides, her anger always gave him little trills down his spine. She was most delightful when angry, he had long since decided, watching her pant heavily after screaming at him. One small hand came up to drape over her heaving bosom, and he felt a slight twinge of envy for it.
Chapter 13: Panic
Sesshoumaru just stood there, looking down at her expressive face while she re-composed herself. Slowly, the enticing blush receded from her face and neck as her heart rate calmed once more, and he found that he suddenly missed it.
“Your absence has been noted.”
Predictably, the miko dared to glare at him, spine stiffening, and the angry flush that had previously bloomed beneath her porcelain skin returned. “I’ve been busy,” she groused, turning away from him to gather her belongings. Was she leaving him again? Sesshoumaru’s eyes narrowed, determined to not let her get away this time.
“Hn, busy mutilating tiny flowers, it would seem,” he observed, running a hand through his long hair as he continued to taunt her.
“Is there something you actually wanted, Sesshoumaru?,” she prompted with heat in her voice, turning back to glare at him once more, her basket in hand. “Because I have work to do.”
A sharp pain suddenly registered in his chest, a sensation that he was entirely unfamiliar with, and therefore could not put a name to, let alone assuage. He knew that didn’t want her to leave yet, not so soon after he’d finally tracked her down. But what could he say–do–that wouldn’t come across as defeatist? The power this small human had over him was quickly becoming devastating, and she wasn’t even aware of his turmoil.
Chapter 14: Regret
Sesshoumaru was so hyper-focused on formulating an adequate excuse that he almost failed to notice the approach of his brother before the hanyou came crashing through the canopy, clearly agitated and shouting the miko’s name at the top of his lungs.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Kagome?” Inuyasha exclaimed as he landed next to them, warily glancing at his brother, assessing the daiyoukai’s intent with his betrothed. Despite the brothers’ reconciliation years ago, neither was yet completely comfortable in the other’s presence.
“I was just taking a break,” Kagome huffed, her indignation melting before the hanyou like snow on a bright spring day. He noted that she did not look at the hanyou, instead electing to stare at the forest floor.
Interesting… Sesshoumaru thought as he watched their exchange. The miko seemed more reticent than usual, and he wondered if they were at odds again. An odd sensation to defend the woman suddenly bubbled up within his chest, but he quickly suppressed it.
“Yeah, well, Kaede needs those things you picked,” the hanyou replied, waving in the general vicinity of the basket she held. “Besides, it’s almost time for dinner. I’m hungry.”
The miko released a heavy sigh. “Fine,” she conceded. Eyes seemingly filled with regret lifted to seek his own. “See you later, Sesshoumaru.”
Sesshoumaru watched as she shuffled somberly after the hanyou back towards the village, glancing once back towards him before the foliage hid her from view. He wondered at their silent exchange, the notion that he had missed something in her non-verbal communication bothering him greatly.
But what?
Chapter 15: Wanting
For weeks after, Sesshoumaru pondered the baffling demeanor of the miko, a nagging feeling continuing to plague him that something wasn’t quite right in Edo village. But the answer continued to elude him.
The miko had ceased to avoid him after their last encounter by the Tree of Ages, much to his delight; but she also seemed to cease venturing towards their secluded clearing, much to his growing vexation. He found that he could not simply approach her whilst in the village proper, and it became increasingly obvious that she was no longer allowed to roam outside of the village borders without a chaperone, as either the slayer, the monk, the old miko, or his brother would constantly be in her company otherwise. He would have found no obstacles had it been one or both of the children that accompanied her.
The miko was ever cordial with him whenever they crossed paths, soft smiles and superfluous conversations offered after asking after each other’s health. But each time, her attention had been almost immediately pulled away by one urgent matter or other, ultimately leaving him wanting for more.
Chapter 16: Shakedown
Sesshoumaru sat perched atop a fence post next to the old miko’s hut, one foot braced on an upper slat, as he silently watched the miko several plots away while she worked in her small garden pulling weeds and murmuring nonsensically to her plants. Each time that day whenever he had attempted to approach her, he had been diverted by someone or something requiring his attention, eventually leaving him to stop trying altogether. Ironically, the interruptions had also magically ceased.
He suddenly felt the fine hairs on the back of his neck stand on end, and his gaze diverted from the miko to the surrounding village. There, he spotted his brother just on the other side of the nearest tanbo, arms crossed as he glared back, eyes intense and suspicious.
Never one to back down from any challenge, Sesshoumau met his brother dead-on, arching an eyebrow after a moment when the hanyou refused to back down. Two–three–heartbeats passed before the hanyou’s ears finally twitched and he averted his gaze with a loud huff. Without another look back, his brother strode off towards the monk and slayer’s hut.
Chapter 17: Impasse
Sesshoumaru stayed away from Edo village longer than normal this time, burying himself in his estate and court duties as he pondered ways to breach the impasse with his brother. Surely there was some way he could be allowed to spend more than mere moments with the miko without rousing further suspicions. What that solution was, however, continued to elude him.
He wandered unseeing and uncaring down long hallways and out into the central courtyard, his obligatory retinue of vassals and courtesans following in his wake. His steps eventually led him under the boughs of a sapling of Bokusenou, its place of honour on a grassy knoll in the exact center of the shiro.
Lifting his gaze towards the high lofty boughs, Sesshoumaru considered seeking the ancient youkai’s wisdom. Surely he would know of a way that would not incite war, not that he particularly cared for his brother’s feelings, but he knew that the miko would not be pleased should they resume their fighting once more.
“Jaken,” Sesshoumaru called, turning to head back into the shiro proper.
“Y- yes, my lord?” the imp squawked as he scrambled after him, nearly tripping over his own robes in his haste to keep up.
“We are leaving,” he supplied, knowing that his retainer would follow wherever he went without question. The gaggle of courtesans gasped in dismay, each female calling out after him to beg him to stay. Sesshoumaru chose to ignore them, as he always did, finding their company as taxing as ever. His thoughts strayed once more to the miko, comparing her virtues to them and finding them all wanting.
Chapter 18: Cream
Sesshoumaru landed just outside the border of the forest that Bokusenou called home, always choosing to enter the sanctuary on foot out of respect for his father’s venerable ally. One did not just waltz into Bokusenou’s home without reverence; his roots ran deep, and consequences were often far reaching.
The forest wherein Bokusenou resided was nearly as old as the hounokiyoukai himself. The canopy was tall but dense, casting dark shadows as lord and retainer journeyed ever deeper through the woods into the heart of it.
Strolling at his signature measured pace, Sesshoumaru allowed his mind to wander. What would he ask of Bokusenou? What advice could the elderly youkai possibly provide in his circumstance? He knew that he wished to spend more time with the miko, but to what end? Clearly, he had been curious about her since her first appearance at his brother’s side; but was there more to it than that? Did he wish for more than just her occasional companionship? And if he did, what would he do with regards to his brother and his obvious claim to the female?
Recalling his last visit to Edo village, he knew that Inuyasha was already suspicious of his intentions towards his betrothed. Why they hadn’t mated yet, Sesshoumaru could only speculate. It had been nearly two years since her reappearance, yet they still had not consummated anything. It was not as though either of them were too young. He, himself, could smell the miko’s fertility whenever he was near.
An image suddenly flashed across Sesshoumaru’s mind’s eye–the miko splayed across dark silk, creamy skin bared, dewy-eyed and pleading–causing the great and terrible Killing Perfection to uncharacteristically stumble into a tree.
Chapter 19: Frenzy
Jaken’s abominable screech pierced the tranquility of the forest, sending wildlife scattering and birds fleeing in a terrorized frenzy.
Recovering quickly, Sesshoumaru turned a murderous glare on his retainer, daring him to mention his misstep. The imp predictably gulped rather loudly, opting instead to cower before the daiyoukai, body properly crumpled before him.
Turning back to the path. Sesshoumaru managed only a single step before a deep, booming laugh reverberated around the pair. Eyes narrowed dangerously, Sesshoumaru chose to ignore the insult and quickened his pace until he stood before the great tree himself.
“Ah, Sesshoumaru,” the same booming voice echoed through the glade. “What brings you to visit this Old One?”
“Bokusenou,” Sesshoumaru intoned, then waited until the wizened face of his father’s oldest ally emerged from the massive trunk before continuing, “Are you familiar with my brother’s betrothed?”
Chapter 20: Questions
The wind whistled between them as the question hung in the air, and all humour left Bokusenou’s face. Leaves floated past in a lackadaisical pattern as the silence stretched on. A woody eyebrow finally raised as sharp eyes narrowed in suspicion, and he looked the great demon over before answering. “What business have you with the Shikon Miko, Sesshoumaru?” the ancient youkai asked in a somber voice. “Surely you have not been bested by this human in some contest.”
It was not a question, but Sesshoumaru decided to answer regardless. “As if this One could be bested by anyone,” he scoffed matter-of-factly, running a clawed hand through his long silken locks. “I wish to know how this One must proceed to engage the miko without inciting a war with my brother?”
The tree’s eyes widened in shock, as if he hadn’t heard him correctly. Surely he could still hear despite his old age.
“You wish to… ‘engage’… with the priestess?” Bokesenou repeated.
Clearly the ancient youkai needed to clear the sap from his non-existent ears. As he was never one to repeat himself, Sesshoumaru remained silent, choosing instead to stare back at the hounokiyoukai, willing him to answer favourably.
Though perhaps he had not clarified enough, for the tree asked again, “In what manner do you wish to ‘engage’ with a betrothed woman, pup?”
Chapter 21: Insinuations
The sound of popping knuckles echoed loudly amidst the foliage, and Jaken chose wisely to cower behind him in fear of retribution. Sesshoumaru took a deep breath in, attempting to quell his growing annoyance, if only because his father’s ally deserved his utmost respect.
“You would do well not to suggest that this One is dishonourable,” Sesshoumau warned, emphasizing his words with another stern glare and crack of his knuckles, though he did not allow his poison to pool in his hand just yet. Bokusenou was still a great ally to him and his clan, and he had not crossed him yet. But a reminder always seemed to work wonders for most retainers in his employ. “As of late, the hanyou has managed to either interfere or arrange distractions whenever I approach the miko during my visits to Edo. I wish to know if there is a way to mitigate his influence over the woman.”
The wizened youkai looked him over once more, weighing his words carefully, gaze penetrating. “And what would you do with the Shikon Miko, Sesshoumaru, should there be a way? Have you actually come to regard the little human as something more than insignificant?”
Jaken immediately began squawking atrociously at the ancient youkai’s insinuation that his great and terrible lord could possibly be interested in a mere human. The imp likely would have derailed into even further irritating condemnations had Sesshoumaru not planted a back kick to his face.
“I have not yet decided,” he answered, as Jaken very noisily pulled himself out of a bush at the other end of the clearing. That the bush also sported a generous amount of thorns did not go unappreciated by the daiyoukai.
Bokusenou blinked once, very slowly. “Then I cannot help you,” the old youkai said, and began to retract back into himself.
Panic swelled within the daiyoukai. He needed the tree’s counsel; he was not skilled in the arts of negotiation or supplication. More than anything, in order to reach his end goal, he excelled at the martial arts of ultimate evisceration or elimination of his opponent. However, in this case, his opponent was his own brother, and he knew that he could not take arms against the hanyou if he wished to stay in good standing with the miko.
So it was out of sheer desperation that he blurted out, “Wait!”
Chapter 22: Quandary
Sesshoumaru found himself in a conundrum. What was the miko to him? Did he truly want anything more from her, or was she simply a passing fancy? To what value would more of her company be to him, beyond idle amusement during his visits to Rin? Would she also wish to spend more time with him, if given the chance? Why did he even care so much?
Bokusenou had paused at his uncharacteristic outburst, scrutinizing him again, wooden brow pinched. After a long moment, the tree demon seemed to come to some sort of decision, his expression leveling out once more.
“One should not seek to interfere until One can be certain that the other seeks the same in return,” Bokesenou intoned, his voice grave, seeking to drive his point home. “The Shikon Miko is not of our world, Sesshoumaru. You cannot approach her as you would another female of your court. The hanyou is protective, but he may be persuaded if One will only accede to his own brethen.”
With that, the hounokiyoukai finally disappeared back into himself, leaving Sesshoumaru more confused than before he arrived. Time passed as he continued to stare blankly at the spot where his father’s ally had been.
“Hnn,” he finally scoffed at the tree, then turned to leave the forest, Jaken plodding docilely behind.
Chapter 23: Bitter
Fall had given way to an early winter by the time Sesshoumaru finally walked back into Edo village, but this chilly morning was perhaps the bitterest Sesshoumaru had ever experienced in his long life.
As usual, Rin ran right over to him as soon as he was spotted on the outskirts of the growing village, taking great care to not touch him in her exuberance, as he preferred. His hand settled over her fur-capped head whilst she began reporting to him of all of the village’s goings-on since his last visit–which was quite a long while ago, might she add–but his attention was pulled elsewhere.
His nose quivered in the frosty air as he inhaled deeply. To his chagrin, he could not find a trace of the miko, which was odd. The miko touched everything and everyone in the village as she went about her duties; there was always a lingering trace of her, no matter how stale. There should never be an absence of her scent.
Chapter 24: Home
Ah, Panic–his newest and most-hated companion. Panic burrowed deep within him, finding cracks and crevices that he had long-since denied existed. Panic thumped ruthlessly at his chest from the inside out, threatening to burst through his defenses to proclaim to the entire world that he was not the cold, calculating, and formidable daiyoukai that he perceived himself to be. In the span of seconds, the unknown fate of a mere mortal woman was nearly enough to bring him to his knees.
Words drifted into his ears, filtering heedlessly through his brain, as his ward spoke of village life during his long absence, until mention of the miko brought him out of his self-induced torment.
“…and then Kagome-sama went home,” Rin finished, rather succinctly. She watched him carefully with her hands clasped behind her back, features extraordinarily neutral as soulful brown eyes searched his face whilst he continued to emulate a statue.
Home. What was “home” to the miko? Was Edo village not her home? From where did she hail from, then? How far away was it? It was certainly far enough that he could not pick up her scent on the winds. Could that have been where she had gone those years after Naraku’s demise?
His mind wandered introspectively, reaching backwards to recall the time she had been sucked into the meidou, his brother following in after her. He recalled his brother returning to them a few days later, simply stating that she was safe, but never elaborating. Sesshoumaru, at the time, had not sought to inquire further, as the miko was simply another member of his brother’s pack; if she was safe, that was all that had mattered.
Now, he wasn’t so sure.
Chapter 25: Time
Sesshoumaru pulled his gaze from the surrounding village to study his young ward. Though Rin had grown much in the past several years, she was still considered short for her age, the top of her head barely reaching his breastplate. She had since stopped pulling her hair back into that ridiculous lopsided tail of her youth, but her long ebony locks still tumbled about her small frame in wild waves, perhaps harkening back to the days when she had readily followed him all across Japan.
“Home?” he inquired, silently willing Rin to explain her mysterious statement.
Almost as though she had been waiting for him to ask, Rin gleefully launched into a whole story about the miko’s origins, that she was a creature of another world, one far away from the one in which they lived in.
His heart clenched in his chest at the revelation. He knew that there was no reason for his ward to lie to him; but the very idea of the miko being from the future–five-hundred years, no less–was simply fantastical. He could not discredit the probability, however, given his mother’s clan divine mission to protect Akuru and the Windmill of Time.
But he needed to check with one other person to confirm this tale; not that he didn’t truly believe his ward. He just needed to be certain, that was all.
“Rin,’ Sesshoumaru finally said, garnering her full attention as she stood straight as a pole, youthful eyes trained upon him. “Where is Inuyasha?”
Did he imagine it, or did something flicker in Rin’s gaze? Her childish features broke out into a wide grin, and he subconsciously missed the gap-toothed smile of her adolescence.
Rin simply raised one arm, pointing up towards the old Bone Eater’s Well, and–his traitorous heart skipped a beat–their clearing.
Sesshoumaru began walking towards the direction of the well and Goshinboku, not even bothering to bid his ward farewell.
Chapter 26: Despair
Sesshoumaru smelled him before he was even near the glade, but his feet propelled him forward regardless.
Breaking the treeline, he finally stopped, taking in the sight of his brother’s wretched form, slumped dejectedly against the Bone Eater’s well. It was clear by the revolting smell that his brother had not deigned to wash himself in days, perhaps even weeks. Even the fur of the Fire Rat–normally self-regenerative–appeared lacklustre. Inuyasha’s hair was matted and tangled; extremely unbecoming of one of his brethren.
Sesshoumaru did something that he was never prone to do–he hesitated.
It was clearer now, the fading scent of the miko, as though this was the very last place she had touched before disappearing once more. And, if he was given to believing the fanciful tale that his ward had spun, perhaps it was the truth–that the miko’s home truly did lie beyond the well, in another world, in another time. And his brother was the gatekeeper.
The disheveled form of his brother shifted, and the hanyou lifted his head from the weather-worn wood, blood-shot eyes pinning him across the glade.
“Sesshoumaru,” Inuyasha spoke, voice roughened with apparent misuse. “What do you want?”
Sesshoumaru let a couple moments pass before walking towards his brother, careful to school his features.
“Where is the miko?”
Chapter 27: Denial
Inuyasha flinched at the mention of the miko, and he crumpled back down against the ancient well, vacant eyes returning to stare into its dark depths.
“What the fuck do you care?”
Sesshoumaru didn’t bother answering, continuing until he reached the well’s edge, sparing a glance into the bowels of the dilapidated structure, opposite the hanyou. His brother didn’t bother looking back up at him; he simply stared down into the well’s depths, as though searching for something. His ward’s words came back to haunt him.
“…Kagome-sama went home.”
–Home–
Something caustic gripped Sesshoumaru’s heart, something which he didn’t want to quantify; something which seemed to bring him true pain. Whatever it was, it hurt. Whatever this feeling was, this emotion–it stifled his breathing, giving him tunnel vision.
“Inuyasha,” he growled, his patience nearly at its end, and he noted that his brother flinched again at his tone. “Where is the miko?”
Seconds ticked by, bleeding into minutes, as he futilely waited for his useless brother to respond. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, Inuyasha reached out one clawed hand, finger pointing downwards into the well.
“There,” the hanyou relayed in a gruff and desolate tone. “She’s there.”
Moments ticked by as Sesshoumaru waited for….something. His brother, perhaps, jumping up and declaring that everything was a joke on his behalf. The miko rushing out of the surrounding foliage–somehow able to mask her scent from him–laughing at his expense for being so utterly fooled.
Something.
But time ticked by, and only silence reigned in the glade.
Chapter 28: Disgust
In his nearly five centuries of existence, Sesshoumaru believed himself to be unfazed by most things, existential crises amongst them. What he wasn’t prepared for, however, was the spectacle of his own brother tumbling headfirst over the side of an ancient dry well and into the darkness beyond, completely uncaring if he hurt himself in the process. Surely the hanyou valued his life above all else; but watching as he plummeted into the rank depths below, Sesshoumaru finally conceded to the possibility that perhaps his brother didn’t.
Sesshoumaru waited for his brother to emerge from the old well, even going so far as to lean over the rickety edge to peer down into its dark depths. What he saw astonished him, even baffled him. So much so, that he, himself, deigned to jump into the dry well to ascertain his own answers.
Inuyasha lay ungainly sprawled over the rancid dirt and bits of rotting flesh and bone that littered the well’s floor. Coagulated blood of a dozen random species of lesser youkai seeped into the packed dirt, staining the hanyou’s firerat’s robes. The stench of decay within the narrow confines was overwhelming, and he wondered how his brother was even able to stomach it.
But Inuyasha clearly cared not for his own well-being and cleanliness. He watched as his brother clawed futilely at the floor of the well with what seemed to be the desperate hopes of digging something up, or perhaps digging his own grave. There didn’t seem to be much of a difference.
Sesshoumaru would have left the pitiful shell of what was once his younger brother to rot with the carcasses, but he had questions that needed answering. And here, in the bottom of a disgusting old well, he wasn’t receiving any.
Chapter 29: Brutality
Resigning himself to getting dirty, Sesshoumaru grabbed the back of his brother’s filthy robes and vaulted them both out of the well, carelessly dumping the hanyou onto the freezing ground next to it.
Inuyasha retaliated with a deadly snarl, dirt-caked and bloodied claws swiping in his direction before the hanyou attempted to jump back into the well. But Sesshoumaru was already there, backhanding him across the clearing and into a large tree trunk, hearing with dark satisfaction the sickening crunch of a rib or two.
With lightning speed, he streaked across the clearing before his brother could try to get up, pinning him down with one knee on the back of his neck.
“Get the fuck off me, Sesshoumaru!” Inuyasha screamed out, his raspy voice laced with pain and desperation.
“Where is she?!” Sesshoumaru snarled in his face, demanding the truth from his brother for the last time. He lifted one hand, cracking his knuckles as he allowed his poison to begin pooling at the tips of his fingers.
“She ain’t fucking here!” the hanyou cried out, struggling to get back up. “She fucking left me! She went back to her world and I can’t follow her!” An awful wailing sound ripped itself from Inuyasha’s throat.
Chapter 30: Curiosity
So it is true, Sesshoumaru thought, desperation beginning to claw its way through his chest. Slamming his poison-tipped hand into the ground in front of Inuyasha’s angst-stricken face, he stood back up and turned back towards the well–a silent sentinel to the miko’s world. With heavy feet, he walked back towards it while his brother struggled up into a sitting position.
“You can’t go after her either, asshole” Inuyasha called out after him in a highly disrespectful tone.
“As you cannot,” Sesshoumaru said, reminding his brother of his earlier words. He peered down into its dark depths. “How does this portal work?”
“Fuck if I know,” Inuyasha replied with a resigned breath, wincing in pain as he moved to lean back against the tree that had broken his ribs. “I just was able to, from the beginning. Now it won’t let me through anymore.”
Sesshoumaru pondered this new revelation, dissecting his brother’s words for any hidden truths. It was obvious that the portal was connected to the miko somehow; but how had it been connected to Inuyasha before, and what had caused it to cease working for the hanyou now?
‘From the beginning…’ Inuyasha’s words echoed in his mind, triggering memories of when he had first encountered the miko with his brother, recalling his surprise to see the hanyou with a female of debaucherous nature with her odd and indecently short kimono. Even the low-born wenches in the pleasure district of his citadel did not dress themselves in such a scandalous manner.
But now, knowing that the miko originated from another world–another time–he made enlightened allowances for her penchant for highly revealing garments as a possibility that it was commonplace where she came from.
Pure curiosity prompted him to step off the lip of the well to fall slowly into its dark embrace. Now that he was paying attention, he could feel a residual power pulsing within the old well as he touched down onto the bottom–a power that manifested itself in an almost inaudible resonating frequency. The pattern was oddly not unlike the sound created by Akuru’s pinwheel when he would randomly appear to his family.
Satisfied that he had gained another clue as to the miko’s whereabouts, Sesshoumaru jumped back out of the well. Pausing for just a second, he walked back over to where his brother was nursing his wounds.
“Why did she leave?”
Chapter 31: Acceptance
The question seemed rather innocuous at first, but Inuyasha’s ears, torn and bloodied, swiveled backwards before flattening to the top of his head, belying his guilt.
“Why the fuck should I tell you?” he gruffed, eyes narrowed and wary.
Sesshoumaru was reluctant to answer; he owed his brother nothing. But then images of his ward’s face drifted across his mind’s eye, and he realized that he at least owed Rin’s protection to the hanyou while he was away. It had been, after all, the sole reason he had been willing to leave her in the village to begin with; the old miko’s advice be damned. Against all other arguments to the contrary, he had simply trusted his brother to protect his ward.
Bokusenou’s parting words echoed through his mind, giving him further pause. He suddenly realized the full wisdom of the hounokiyoukai’s cryptic parting words. If he needed to concede to his brother to find his answers and the miko, then so be it.
Kneeling down next to Inuyasha’s hunched form, he at last swallowed his pride. He saw his brother flinch at his sudden proximity, but nothing else mattered anymore; nothing mattered more than locating the miko once again.
Chapter 32: Entreaty
Sesshoumaru scrutinized golden eyes so much like his own, yet an exact copy of their sire’s. So many emotions reflected back at him from his brother’s eyes–wariness, skepticism, distrust. But not fear. Indeed, Inuyasha had not feared him for many years now, not since the miko first appeared by his side.
What would it feel like to possess that level of trust from another being? He knew that it was entirely different from the reverence he was showered with by Jaken, and Rin’s unwavering blind faith in his decisions and actions. Could he, himself, ever hope to harness the kind of power his brother wielded if he found the miko again? Would she give it to him, even if he did?
Taking a deep breath, Sesshoumaru finally entreated, “A way to reopen the portal may be ascertained, but only if the truth is known.” Against all of his other screaming instincts in regards to involving his uncouth little brother, he decided at last to bury their past quarrels in order to move forward.
Chapter 33: Contemplations
Inuyasha was never adept at concealing his inner thoughts and emotions, likely due to his human half, and Sesshoumaru watched as suspicion warred with anger and loathing on his brother’s dirt and blood caked face. Eventually, they morphed into guilt, and finally to resignation.
Inuyasha shifted his gaze down and away, ears pulled back into submission as he at last admitted defeat. “What do you want with Kagome, anyway?” he mumbled aloud, wincing again when he tried to find a more comfortable position against the tree. “It ain’t like you gave a shit about her before.”
Rocking back on his heel, Sesshoumaru allowed himself a moment to ponder the question that was eerily similar to that which Bokusenou had posed. Disturbing thoughts and emotions swirled chaotically through him, a phenomenon that was entirely foreign. He had always prided himself on his ability to maintain his composure, to emulate his sire’s superior strategic abilities. Yet when it came to the miko, it seemed he was as clueless as a newborn pup. Such power the tiny woman seemed to hold over him without his consent.
Sesshoumaru took so long to answer that Inuyasha snuck a look back up at him, surprise evident in his eyes. But he wasn’t brash and spontaneous like the hanyou; he was known far and wide for being level-headed, cold and calculating. Every decision made was like a stone on a Go board, much as his father had taught him well before he had begun his physical training in the martial arts. Chichi-ue had been adamant that physical prowess was only secondary to that of a cunning mind.
And so Sesshoumaru knelt there next to his brother and contemplated the miko’s sudden importance to himself. He would not lie to his brother, let alone himself, if he was to move forward in this. He thought he could hear the sounds of Chichi-ue and Bokusenou laughing at his expense.
Chapter 34: Tea
The sun eventually began its descent towards the western horizon when Inuyasha finally gave up on waiting for his reply, which is how Sesshoumaru currently found himself sitting across the hearth from the houshi and taijiya in their modest home not far from the well. The old miko and Rin were also present on the far side of the room, where they tended to his brother’s wounds as he complained exceedingly loudly at their treatments. Combined with three overly energetic children and Jaken, the normally spacious home felt overly cramped and stifling.
The shrill scream of the kettle forced his attention back to the situation at hand, and he watched as the taijiya expertly added tea leaves and the boiled water to a smaller ceramic teapot, then filled five delicate porcelain cups with a finesse that perhaps hinted at some formal training in the arts of tea ceremony.
The woman bowed as she handed him a steaming cup of what smelled to be a pleasant floral tea. As etiquette demanded, Sesshoumaru bowed his head in return to his hosts, then took an unhurried sip of his piping hot tea before placing it on the small lacquered table in front of him. Light floral notes burst onto his palette with his sip, immediately followed by a subtle sweetened flavour that was not at all unpleasing, and he nodded his thanks to the taijiya, who bowed again to him.
Only after his approval did the taijiya proceed to present a cup to her husband, then the old miko and Jaken, who accepted with as much dignity as a formal royal imp could muster, before finally returning to her husband’s side. Without a doubt, the woman possessed some courtly training that belied her and Kohaku’s seemingly humble origins. Why had he not noticed before?
Chapter 35: Scathing
The clearing of a throat brought his focus onto the houshi, golden eyes at once piercing and intimidating, and Sesshoumaru heard the other male swallow before offering him a hesitant grin.
“Please forgive our forwardness, Sesshoumaru-sama,” Miroku began diplomatically as he placed his own cup on a tray between himself and his wife, “Kagome-sama is a dear friend and sister to my wife. I hope you can understand that we are most protective of her, especially now.” That last remark was punctuated with a rather scathing look at the hanyou huddled in the corner.
He watched, interest piqued, as shame washed over his brother’s face before he glowered sullenly back at the human male, but neither took measures to elaborate on the cause. Now, more than ever, he wanted to know what had occurred with the miko and his undeserving brother.
Chapter 36: Rebuke
Sesshoumaru deigned to take another sip of his tea while he collected his thoughts. It was clear now that his idiot brother was fully to blame for the miko’s disappearance, and he would extract the reason behind it if he had to break more of Inuyasha’s bones to get what he wanted.
Then there was the matter of not only where–but when–the miko’s home was. The latter was the most important, if he was to petition Akuru to open the Windmill to allow him passage. ‘Five hundred years’ was not a specific-enough time reference for the demi-god.
“Why are you concerned about Kagome-sama’s whereabouts, Sesshoumaru-sama?” Miroku asked, violet eyes suddenly sharp and probing. Sesshoumaru met the houshi’s gaze head-on as he calmly returned his cup to the tray, but his brother spoke up before he could formulate his reply.
“Yer wastin’ your breath, houshi,” Inuyasha groused from his corner. “Asshole ain’t never gonna confess to us.”
“‘Will not ever’,” Sesshoumaru mildly rebuked, the automatic correction of the hanyou’s lack of proper linguistics startling more than just the two of them.
Recovering from his shock, Inuyasha leaned back against the wall, unclothed torso bandaged profusely and reeking of human medicines. “Keh, whatever,” he muttered sullenly under his breath.
Sesshoumaru took a moment to study the other male, who glared moodily back at him before averting his gaze once again. He had surprised himself with his words, harkening back to the times in his brother’s infancy when he had attempted to educate and train his father’s illegitimate son in his sire’s absence. Though only half-blooded, he had still been the progeny of a legendary daiyoukai and a refined human princess, and growing up uncouth had not been an option. Their family’s dignity had been more important than their father’s inability to keep himself in his trousers.
Chapter 37: Faults
“I first wish to know why the miko left,” Sesshoumaru finally stated without preamble, his gaze still fixated on his brother, whose ears suddenly lay plastered to the top of his head. Was the tinge of red dusting the hanyou’s cheeks and inner ears due to shame or guilt?
He heard the houshi inhale sharply, likely in response for being blatantly ignored, but he would get his way. He glanced back at the human male, but it was the wife who stopped the houshi from speaking further, her hand on her husband’s arm. But her gaze was fixed on the hanyou, fury barely contained.
“Go on, tell him, Inuyasha,” the taijiya spoke, voice sharp like a demonic blade, and the hanyou flinched beneath her wrath. “Tell us all why she left.”
Silence reigned heavy in the overly crowded hut. Even the children had stilled, sensing the anger emanating from their mother, as their little heads swiveled between the adults in the room. Inuyasha hunched in on himself, attempting to shrink into the wall behind him, refusing to meet anyone’s gaze.
Finally, Sesshoumaru could take no more and growled an ultimatum. The reaction was immediate and explosive.
“She was spending too much time around you!” Inuyasha shouted as he jumped to his feet, jabbing a finger as he glared venomously back at him. “I could feel her starting to slip away from me, and it’s all your goddamned fault!”
Chapter 38: Revelation
“Enough!”
The houshi’s voice rang clearly through the room as he stood, his expression as pliable as a granite rock. “This is my home, and you will remain civil,” he commanded, voice stern and brooking no argument, violet eyes flashing.
To Sesshoumaru’s astonishment, Inuyasha immediately cowed in front of the other male, dropping back into a slouch against the back corner of the hut.
Quietly observing the exchange, more questions bubbled to the surface of Sesshoumaru’s mind. On all accounts, this was his brother’s pack, not the houshi’s or taijiya’s, which begged the question as to why the pack alpha would suddenly defer to a beta? Was his brother’s transgressions so severe that he had dropped in rank since his last visit to the village? Or perchance this was some human custom, of which he was entirely unfamiliar.
The houshi clicked his tongue in reprimand, displeasure rolling off of him in waves. The sharp sound made Inuyasha flinch and his ears laid back.
“Even after all of these months, you still refuse to see the err in your actions,” the human chided as he resumed his seat next to his wife.
Sesshoumaru’s eyes widened at the revelation, briefly flicking over to the human before narrowing in on his brother again.
“Months?” The question left his lips in a low but dangerous growl, and his youki swirled around the hanyou, pinning him down where he sat.
Chapter 39: Challenge
Despite the overwhelming pressure of his youki, Inuyasha still managed to raise his head to glare menacingly back at him, eyes tinged red at the edges. Sesshoumaru felt his fangs and claws elongate at the blatant challenge, but he held himself in check. He needed answers, and a fight now would delay that. Still, he couldn’t help the low growl of warning that rose up in the back of his throat.
“When?,” he barked out at his brother, channeling all of his authority as Clan Alpha into the command.
Seconds ticked by as he stared his brother down. Just when he was ready to physically assert his dominance over the pathetic excuse for dog flesh, his brother finally averted his insolent gaze and deflated.
“A fortnight after you left.”
Sesshoumaru’s mind whirled as he did the math. It had been the height of summer when he had last stepped foot in Edo village… Four months. The miko had been gone for four months!
His hand clenched in his lap, almost hard enough to draw blood. Guilt and self-loathing crashed through him. He should not have stayed away as long as he had, but he had taken for granted that the miko would always be here. What a fool he had been.
Chapter 40: Control
Sesshoumaru’s eyes cut back to his brother, irises flashing red as he wrestled with his growing anger. “Explain!” The words were little more than a distorted growl as his beast began to rise to the surface, his youki now a howling torrent in the cramped hut, whipping everyone’s hair about.
The sharp sound of shakujou rang loud and clear in the hut as his blood-red eyes swiveled to the houshi, who stood once more, staff in one hand while the other held a sutra between two raised fingers, blue aura pulsing around the man like some holy warrior god.
The threat was clear, and Sesshoumaru dug his claws into his palm, the brief flare of pain enough of a distraction for him to push his beast back down. It wasn’t that the houshi could truly do a daiyoukai of his caliber much harm, but propriety dictated that he not disrespect his hosts in their own home. The winds died down as the blood lust receded from his eyes. Only then did the houshi finally lower his arms.
The monk turned and gave his wife a long searching look. Though the taijiya had remained seated across the hearth, their children were crouched behind her protective form. Two–three–heartbeats passed during their silent exchange, then the woman nodded, hands deftly slipping a sharp dagger back into the sleeves of her thick kimono.
The taijiya turned back towards him. Though now a mother of three, the woman was still as sharp and deadly as ever as her honey-brown eyes bore straight into his own with a fierceness that warranted his respect.
“We will help you, Sesshoumaru-sama,” the taijiya said at last, inclining her head towards him.
A loud crash from the back corner was quickly followed by choked sputtering as his brother leapt to his feet once more.
“What the fuck?!” Inuyasha screeched. “Y- You’re gonna help him? Just like that?!”
The taijiya turned her attention to the hanyou, eyes narrowing once more in fury.
“Osuwari!”
Chapter 41: Faith
To say that Sesshoumaru was disappointed when the beads that still hung around his brother’s neck didn’t suddenly flare to life with holy magic would have possibly been the greatest understatement of the century. He was amused nonetheless when the hanyou still violently reacted to the dreaded word, his ears completely disappearing into the disheveled mop on his head as he curled in on himself.
“The fuck, Sango!” Inuyasha groused when he crumpled back down in his designated corner. “That shit ain’t funny!”
“No one is laughing, Inuyasha,” the taijiya deadpanned as she returned her attention back to replenishing everyone’s tea.
Nodding his gratitude, Sesshoumaru took a sip of his tea while arranging his thoughts, focusing on the taijiya for answers this time. His brother was less than useless.
“I will ask again. Why did the miko choose to leave?”
The woman sent another scathing glare at the hanyou before letting out a heavy sigh. “The short answer is that Inuyasha accused her of infidelity. She called off the wedding and was somehow able to return home.”
Inuyasha spluttered indignantly in his corner. “No I didn’t!”
“Yes, you did!” the taijiya bit back, clearly ready to launch into another tirade when a different voice suddenly cried out.
“Stop it!” Rin shouted, clearly upset with the adults arguing in circles. Her soulful brown eyes reflected back at them with anger and frustration, tears beginning to well at the corners. “Can’t you understand that Sesshoumaru-sama cares for Kagome-sama? He can fix this, I know he can! He can help bring Kagome-sama back!”
Sesshoumaru’s breath hitched in his chest, a different kind of pain rising to the surface. While he was proud of his ward’s belief and absolute faith in his abilities, he truly wasn’t sure if his plan would even work. Doubt lurked behind every corner of his mind.
Chapter 42: Jealousy
An agonized howl ripped from Inuyasha’s throat at his ward’s statement, his hand automatically reaching for his sword’s hilt. “You fucking bastard! I knew I was right! You had eyes on her from the beginning!”
In the blink of an eye, a glowing sutra flew across the room, blue sparks flying as it embedded itself onto the hanyou’s chest, rendering him immobile.
“There will be no violence in my home,” Miroku thundered, hand poised with another sutra at the ready. “You will cease this at once, Inuyasha, or the gods help me–”
“There is no need,” Sesshoumaru stated calmly as he stood. “Inuyasha has divulged enough.”
Chapter 43: Deception
Sesshoumaru had barely stepped outside when he was quickly joined by the houshi and taijiya. The frantic yowls of his brother followed them as they walked away from the hut, until the loud sound of something heavy hitting the floor abruptly heralded silence. Whether it had been Jaken, the old miko, or even Rin who had acted, he could not guess; but his sensitive ears were more than grateful for it.
After a few more steps, the taijiya stopped, inhaling deeply before turning to bow to him. Sesshoumaru also stopped, his curiosity peaked. This woman was not known for her subservience.
“I want to apologize, Sesshoumaru-sama,” she said as she straightened again, her tawny eyes locking onto his, her expression serious. A terrible sadness and perhaps a little remorse reflected in her large eyes, belying her usual guarded self; but beneath it all, steel as sharp as a razor deigned to pierce him to his core. “If we had realized how much you cared for my sister, we would not have interfered. As it was, we truly hadn’t known Inuyasha’s motives whenever he asked us to keep her company.”
Pieces started falling into place as Sesshoumaru recalled the times before his long absence where he would always find the miko in mixed company. So, his brother had deceived them all in his attempts to control the woman.
Sesshoumaru waved one hand in a dismissive gesture. “It is nothing. My brother’s honour has always been misplaced concerning the miko.”
The houshi coughed politely into his hand, redirecting his attention to the man. “Forgive my bluntness, Sesshoumaru-sama, but we need to be certain as to your regard for Kagome-sama. Do you truly care for her?”
Chapter 44: Memories
Dead withered leaves crunched like dry brittle bones under his boots as Sesshoumaru stepped into the clearing–their clearing. The houshi and taijiya should have returned to their hut by now after he had walked away without answering. He wouldn’t call what he was feeling “guilt”; more like a natural disinclination to assuage another’s curiosity. However, if he was being truthful to just himself, he hadn’t precisely known how to answer the houshi’s question, and he had always considered professing falsities to be beneath him.
Stepping beneath Goshinboku’s boughs, Sesshoumaru stared up through its winter canopy. Despite the frosty chill in the air, snow had yet to fall in the vicinity. The bleak, overcast afternoon sky seemed to reflect his mood perfectly.
His mind felt like a chaotic mess as he continued to ponder the houshi’s question. Flashes of images–no, memories–ran rampant across his mind’s eye, dragging him under its spell…
…Extracting herself from the sizzling mound of melted bone inside his father’s tomb…
…Hunched over the unconscious form of his disgrace of a brother, tears streaming down her face…
…Heavily drugged and clothes torn, sprawled beneath the filthy hands of a walking corpse…
…Staring valiantly and unafraid as she released her holy arrow at him…
…Temple bleeding and unconscious as hordes of lesser demons crowded in on her…
…Radiant and exuding unfathomable power as she perfected her sealing spell…
…Robes too tight and damp as a sweat drop taunted him mercilessly, heat pooling low in his center…
Did he truly care for the miko?