InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Sesshomaru Story ❯ Chapter10 ( Chapter 10 )

 

Chapter 10

 

The morning was sunny but cool as they traveled up the mountainside to the little temple. Once the group of them had left and were on their way, Inu Yasha's mood improved considerably. His company was for the most part tolerable. Miroku too was pleasant enough as they chatted to her about Inu Yasha and Sesshomaru's relationship.

 

The two of them had the same father with different mothers. Apparently Inu Yasha and his friends thought Sesshomaru hated him because he was half-human though Alexandra thought privately it might be due to his annoying personality.

 

The bad blood was compounded supposedly because Sesshomaru wanted the sword their father had left Inu Yasha, called the Tetsusaiga. Alexandra didn't know that much about swords but to her it looked more like a walking stick then a weapon. Politely she said nothing. She knew Sesshomaru already had two swords so why he would want this one was a mystery to her. Yet it didn't seem like Miroku was lying - maybe it was of some kind of sentimental value she thought doubtfully. She wondered what Sesshomaru's side of the story was.

 

She found herself thinking about him. It had only been a day since she'd last seen him but it seemed longer. She wondered if he would come by and see her bags packed. After all he didn't seem exactly shy about walking into her house. She still wasn't sure what she thought of that.

 

When they got to the temple Alexandra introduced everyone to the old monk, who'd greeted her fondly. Once the formalities were done Miroku took over, explaining why they were there. The two monks discussed the Heavenly Chest, its powers and the relics that it had produced. Over time everything that had come out of the box had been hidden deep in a cave up the mountain and protective barriers set up. Miroku smoothly convinced the monk to trust them with the location. It was made easier because the old monk even in this isolated temple had heard of Naraku and his growing power.

 

By the time the group said their good-byes it was early afternoon and becoming overcast. It took the better part of the afternoon to get up to the cave and when they got there Miroku had some trouble breaking through. When he did rain was beginning to fall and they were all glad to get inside before they were soaked.

 

They entered a rather spacious area containing lamps already trimmed and filled with oil, ready for use. They took a few and made their way through a long convoluted tunnel. At the end they came to a large open cavern. At the far end were stacks upon stacks of boxes filled with various items and scrolls. It looked like it would take them a while to go through it all.

 

Inu Yasha made no secret of his displeasure. “Feh!” he snorted. “This is going to take forever! Why are we wasting our time?”

 

“Now, Inu Yasha, we have no idea what we might find here. I say the sooner we start the sooner we'll be finished,” advised Miroku.

 

The others had already resigned themselves to the task at hand and were getting comfortable among the boxes. It was slow going because many of the scrolls were old and fragile. They had to be carefully returned to their original place as Miroku had promised the old monk to keep all of the relics organized.

 

A few hours later they had gotten about three-quarters of the way through the collection. Inu Yasha stood up to stretch his legs. Everyone was immersed in their work. Inu Yasha heard a faint noise from the direction of the tunnel. He turned and saw Sesshomaru in the doorway. Whether it was the surprise or simply wanting some action Inu Yasha drew the Tetsusaiga. It immediately transformed.

 

“Sesshomaru!” he exclaimed hotly.

 

Alexandra looked up, her eyes adjusting to the dim figure in the far reaches of the cavern. It was him. He hadn't brought a lamp but even at this distance theirs glinted off his armour and made his eyes glow.

 

Without warning Inu Yasha cried, “Wind Scar!” A burst of energy left his sword and spread in a fan pattern, spanning the width of the cavern.

 

Unable to avoid it Sesshomaru walked directly into it. He let the brilliant wave wash over and around him seemingly unaffected. His shoulder armour cracked to pieces and was swept away in the wake of the attack.

 

The blast hit the side of the cavern cracking the walls and ceiling. The entrance to the tunnel leading back outside collapsed in on itself and part of the roof came crashing down in front of it, filling the entire place with dust and debris.

 

As it settled Kagome's voice could be heard yelling “Inu Yasha! Sit!” The fury was evident in her voice. Inu Yasha immediately did a face plant.

 

The rest of the group came forward coughing and hacking through the billowing clouds of dust.

 

“What just happened?” Alexandra asked in awe as she made her way over to where Inu Yasha was getting off of the floor of the cave.

 

“I believe Inu Yasha tried to use the Wind Scar on Sesshomaru,” Miroku answered.

 

“No, not that” Alexandra said coughing. “What happened to Inu Yasha?”

 

“You mean Inu Yasha's prayer beads!” exclaimed Sango as Inu Yasha climbed to his feet and retrieved his sword. “They react to the word “Sit” whenever Kag…”

 

“Inu Yasha! Sit!” Alexandra yelled in perfect imitation of Kagome.

 

“It only works for Kagome,” Shippo said sadly.

 

Inu Yasha gave the two of them dirty looks then turned his attention back to Sesshomaru. He gripped the now rather large and impressive Tetsusaiga. Looking at him in his fighting stance in the settling dust Alexandra could now understand the sword's appeal. “Sesshomaru, what are you doing here?” he demanded.

 

“Pfft!” Sesshomaru scoffed walking arrogantly past him flicking some of the rubbish off his pelt. “What are you going to do? Your pathetic attacks will kill you and your friends before they hurt me in the slightest.”

 

“He has a point,” agreed Sango.

 

“Inu Yasha, put your sword away before you hurt somebody!” ordered Kagome. Inu Yasha reluctantly sheathed his sword.

 

Sesshomaru walked around inspecting the odd assortment of items lying strewn about. He nodded toward them. “What is all of this?”

 

Inu Yasha put himself between his brother and the relics. “That's none of your business!” he growled defensively.

 

“I'll decide what my business is, brother,” Sesshomaru said going around him.

 

“Besides which,” began Miroku making his way through the debris to the tunnel entrance that had itself become a large pile of rubble. “We have a more pressing problem.”

 

Sango and Shippo followed the monk. Kagome walked over to Inu Yasha and grabbed him by one ear. “I'm sure we're going to need your help” she said pulling him in the direction of the tunnel.

 

Alexandra shook her head watching the two of them walking away. She then picked her way through the debris to come and stand next to Sesshomaru. “Sesshomaru,” she said reproachfully. “You were rather hard on Inu Yasha.”

 

Sesshomaru regarded her with a raised eyebrow. “Really?” he asked dryly.

 

“Yes” she stated. “Taking all the looks and the brains. That was really very selfish of you.”

 

A ghost of a smile passed over his face and he gave his long silver hair a shake. It rippled down his back. Even with his cracked and broken armour and covered in dust Sesshomaru looked as regal as ever. She wondered if anything ever fazed him.

 

“So why are you here?” she asked him trying to sound casual. It was difficult though. Her heartbeat had quickened and seemed to her to be abnormally loud. She hoped if he heard it he would attribute it to having almost being killed and not because she was so close to him.

 

Sesshomaru looked down at her. Alexandra was slightly flushed and seemed to glow through the fine layer of dust coating her. He could feel her warmth and breathed her in. “Curiosity,” he answered. He returned to looking at the boxes of relics.

 

“We're here to see if any of this could be used as a weapon against a demon named Naraku,” she explained. She noticed an imperceptible change in him. “Have you heard of him?”

 

“We've have a few encounters,” Sesshomaru said regarding her darkly.

 

“Is he as bad as they say?” Alexandra asked, surprised at the strong reaction to the name.

 

“Worse. Don't imagine Inu Yasha will be able to protect you!” he said. He remembered on more than one occasion his brother had failed the dead priestess he cared for. He imagined Alexandra in Naraku's clutches. Disturbing images went through his mind and the bile rose in his throat.

 

“Inu Yasha? Protect me? I don't need anyone's protection!” she scoffed, her emerald eyes flashing making her even more beautiful. “I may not have mutant super powers like the rest of you but I'm not as helpless as everyone seems to think.”

 

“Do not under-estimate Naraku,” he warned. True he had been angry when Naraku had kidnapped Rin in order to manipulate him but then he had been a mere annoyance. The possibility of Naraku touching Alexandra with those foul tentacles awakened a feral fury in him like he had never felt. He, Sesshomaru would not let that happen.

 

“Are you worried about me?” she asked watching the shadows of the black thoughts cross his features.

 

The question took Sesshomaru by surprise. He looked at Alexandra. She was so different from anyone he had ever met. She surprised him constantly. Everything about her was a mystery and yet she understood who he really was. He felt he could tell her anything. She was so beautiful standing there in the lamp light covered in dirt from head to toe. She was as unlikely a consort for the Lord of the Western Lands as there ever was. But after these few short weeks Sesshomaru now came to the conclusion he would have no other.

 

When he didn't answer her question Alexandra went back to looking at the collection. “Well if you're going to worry. Worry about Inu Yasha killing me. It's a lot more likely.”

 

They were distracted by a loud roaring noise as Miroku attempted to unblock the passage with the wind tunnel in his hand. Rock fragments and rubble were swept into it. At first it looked like the idea might actually work but then another large section of the ceiling starting breaking loose. Miroku was forced to wrap the beads back around his hand and run with the rest of the group to safety. They ran to the center of the cavern as a shower of rocks and pebbles came showering down. Alexandra and Sesshomaru's view of them was temporarily blocked of them by the swirling clouds of dust.

 

“Of course that's assuming I live through this,” she smiled at him coughing.

 

Sesshomaru faced her. “No harm will befall you while I draw breath,” he said meaningfully watching for her reaction to the declaration of his love.

 

Alexandra patted him on the arm with on hand. The other she covered her face as she coughed. “Yes, well I suppose we'd better make sure everyone's OK” she said and walked away leaving a very stunned Sesshomaru behind her.