InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Sesshomaru Story ❯ Chapter 4 ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter 4

Sesshomaru once again found himself watching the Woman as she worked in the garden outside her hut. For the past two days he had found any number of reasons to be here observing her. When he didn't give in to this unexplainable pull to be near her, she filled his thoughts a frustrating puzzle to be solved. He could think of nothing else.

Yet for all his efforts thus far he still knew nothing about her. Jaken had been no help! Still, one could hardly blame him. Neither of them had ever had much to do with humans. They'd always been mere nuisances to be avoided, ignored or gotten rid of.

That was until he had met Rin.

She too was a mystery to him but not nearly as frustrating. After all if he wanted to know something, she would just tell him. If he wanted her to do something, she did it. There was no doubt in their relationship, she was the servant, he the master.

But this Woman! Bowing to him like that! The insolence! True, she spoke correctly. Said the right words. But her attitude! It was as if she imagined she was his equal! Didn't she know he could kill her in a heartbeat? A normal human would be groveling before him! Not that he wanted her to grovel. He wanted...what? It was all very confusing.

Rin was quite taken with her. Rin. He took out the drawing of her he had rolled up. It looked so real - it captured the look of joy on her face that he loved so much. It was a beautiful picture. So unlike anything he'd seen before. Like the Woman herself. He lifted the drawing delicately to his nose. The Woman's scent was still on the paper though it had faded. Smelling her brought her closer as he looked down at her.

She stood and stretched, looking up at him. Looking at him with those beautiful green eyes.

He closed his own for a moment, trying to shake off the feeling. There wasn't any way she could know he was there. What was he thinking?

He should go - this was madness.

He wondered if this was how his father's downfall had begun. Is that what was happening to him?

He should go - but not yet.

~~~~~~~~~~

Alexandra looked up at the forest as she stood and stretched. Once again she had the feeling that she was being watched. It could be her imagination but she had learned to trust her instincts. Her instincts said Sesshomaru.

She only met him twice now. He certainly never said much, just look at her with those intent yellow eyes. The eyes of a predator. Definitely. They reminded her of a wolf. Not that she was afraid of him. She could look after herself, her father had seen to that early in her life. She carried a knife and knew how to use it, but more importantly she knew how to stay out of bad situations.

Outwardly Sesshomaru appeared cool and controlled but he also radiated an aura of power and passion. He would be dangerous if not treated with respect. He had a fierce wildness about him and so she supposed like other wild things he would be very curious.

She'd come up with an idea to test her theory.

Alexandra went into the cottage and changed her clothes. She put on a man's shirt, pants and some practical shoes. It was so much more comfortable, reminding her of her old life. She got her backpack and went outside. She took a direct path into the forest. She was casual about it so as not to arouse Sesshomaru's suspicions if he was watching her.

Alexandra walked along until she found a game trail. She bent down and set a snare. She hadn't done this for quite a while but it would be good to catch some fresh meat. She so tired of eating fish. A bit further down she set another. Gradually she made her way down to the river to where the bank of the river was steeply inclined. There was some dense undergrowth. She quietly ducked into it and made her way to a tree. She quickly climbed the tree and hid in the branches. She waited.

Her patience was rewarded. Before too long she saw a flash of white underneath her perch. It was Sesshomaru. He stopped at the edge of the river, the breeze toying with the loose tresses of his long white hair. He raised his head giving Alexandra a perfect view of his flawless features and sniffed the air. Alexandra was dumbstruck - she hadn't thought of him being able to smell her. He looked down the river. She thought about saying something to him but in the next instant he was gone. His speed was amazing.

Alexandra decided to climb down out of the tree. Her intention was to double-back down the path, checking her snares on the way home. She wondered how long Sesshomaru would look for her letting go of the last branch. As she dropped to the ground she realized that she was too close to the bank of the river. She started slipping, grabbing at the plants growing on the bank but it was too steep and slick.

The shock of the cold made her gasp before her head disappeared silently under the water. The current immediately seized her and sent her spinning. She struggled against it, lungs burning, to kick herself to the surface again but the weight of her clothes dragged her downwards.

Suddenly she felt herself pulled to the surface by the back of her shirt. Alexandra was dropped roughly on the bank on her hands and knees. She coughed out the river water she'd inhaled greedily gulping air in between. She pushed the wet hair plastered to her face out of her eyes and rolled over on her back to see Sesshomaru looking impassively down at her. She wondered how he had fished her out of the river - he didn't even look wet. She started to laugh and then stood up.

"Lord Sesshomaru,” she said bowing politely but still smirking a bit.

He said nothing merely looked at her, her sopping clothes clinging to her female figure. The thin fabric left little to the imagination. The Woman herself seemed oblivious to the fact. She spread out her hands as if in defeat. "Alright," she said. "You win."

She turned and started walking back down the river bank.

Sesshomaru watched her go, confused. He'd won? Did she think they were competing? He had been expecting her to cower or perhaps thank him. Instead she just acted like being fished out of a river by a demon lord was an everyday occurrence. What was wrong with this Woman?

She turned back and looked at him expectantly, "Coming?"

She had piqued his curiosity, so he followed. They walked along the bank of the river to near the place he'd lost her scent. Then she headed back into the sun-dappled forest along the same path she'd come. When they came to a place he seen her bend along the path, he was surprised to see a rabbit caught in a snare. She took out a knife and killed it humanely, then skillfully dressed it. The smell of blood and entrails whet his appetite. His stomach growled and he realized that he hadn't eaten since yesterday.

When they got to the hut Sesshomaru followed Alexandra inside. He sat down cross-legged while she started a fire and started roasting the rabbit. She got out two settings for the meal. He thought about telling her that he didn't eat human food but he was hungry and it was starting to smell appetizing as the juices dripped on the coals, so he said nothing.

"I suppose I should thank you for rescuing me," she said seasoning the meat. "But it was your fault that I fell in after all."

Sesshomaru just raised one eyebrow.

"Why were you following me?" she asked, looking at him with those luminous green eyes.

Sesshomaru felt trapped. How had she known? Could she really see into his heart? Was she a sorceress of some kind? He didn't see anything around the cottage that suggested the practice of magic. He wanted to leave but it might seem he was running away.

"Curiosity," he answered simply showing no sign of his discomfort.

She turned the roasting rabbit. The fire sizzled. She smiled at him. "What is it you'd like to know?" She asked.

And so while the meal cooked and they ate it, he began to ask her questions. She answered him quite simply and candidly. Her story was a fantastic one - to have traveled across the world and through time itself. Yet as unbelievable as the tale seemed he didn't doubt her. Then in turn he answered her questions for it seemed she was just as curious about him. She didn't pry or get personal just accepted his answers. She seemed to know intuitively when a subject was one he felt was too personal to discuss, as when she asked how he lost his arm and he merely answered in battle. That was enough for her.

She was very intelligent and quick to catch on to things. She had a dry sense of humor and he found himself smiling over more than one comment she made in spite of himself. He found as they talked, his guard dropped and he was quite enjoyed himself. She was so easy to talk to and had no expectations of him. He wasn't a demon or a lord. He was himself. Before either of them realized it, it was late. He regretted that the time had gone by so fast.

As Sesshomaru got up to leave, Alexandra was once again impressed by his height and his physique. She stood up and walked with him over to the door.

"It too bad that there wasn't another rabbit or that I couldn't have made us hamburgers," she said.

"Hamburgers?" he asked.

"They're meat patties - beef - all chopped up," she said opening the door. "But around here a bit hard to come by."

He regarded her for a moment. "For a human you eat a lot of meat," he observed.

"Well, where I grew up - in Canada - we ate meat at most meals. I think a lot of people around here are vegetarians. They certainly eat a lot of seafood. It is an island after all," Alexandra smiled. "I still crave a bit of red meat now and then."

He seemed to ponder this as he walked outside, his fluffy boa brushed Alexandra as he passed.

"Sesshomaru..." she began.

"Yes," he said turning, and finding himself standing directly in front of her. He could feel the warmth that radiated from her skin. Her scent washed over him.

She looked up blushing slightly. "I could...ah...” she said searching for words. "Thanks for pulling me out of the river today and thanks for...well, it's nice to have company...tonight and the other day with Jaken and Rin...Thank you."

He looked at her. "You're welcome," he replied.

She looked up at him. He was captivated by the beauty of her eyes. Up this close it was like he was under a spell unable to look away or move. She licked her lips and parted them as if to say something else and then seemed to change her mind.

"Good night," she said as she slowly shut the door.

"Good night," he answered and then turned to face the night wondering what she had almost said.


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