InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Captive Soul ❯ chapter 38 ( Chapter 38 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters

A/N: There will be switching of views placed at different times throughout the chapter. Some views will be overlaping scenes, remember and keep in mind.

Ras. ^_^

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chapter 38: To kneel

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Rin turned to Kagome who was crouching and taking items out of a large leather bag. "We are ready, Sis. Tell us what to do."

Kagome glanced up from her crouched position. "Sesshomaru will have to kneel. You will have to stand in front of him."

Rin looked up to Sesshomaru, finding his amber gaze centered only on her. The wind had died down to a gentle breeze. Now it only played with his silvery bangs, brushing them across the blue crescent moon on his temple.

Thunder echoed in the distance.

Slowly, ever so slowly, the inu youkai lowered to one knee then the other, never averting his eyes from hers. As he knelt on the cobblestones, his dark amber gaze embraced her, holding her to him, a turmoil of emotion within their depths that did not reach the expressionless mask of his features.

This one lone action bothered Rin. For Sesshomaru to kneel like this pulled at her heart. He was such a proud creature, one that had been broken and made to serve. Now, the chains that held his spirit were broken and he was being made to kneel once more, but this time he was falling to his knees in the presence of his brother, the one person he never wanted....to see him... like this.

Rin stepped forward until she was directly in front of him. They were almost eye level, his slightly lower. She gave him a little smile, hoping it would soften the situation as well as calm the slight nervous feeling rising in her stomach. "Okay, Kagome."

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He knew Rin was worried about him but he needed to be alone for awhile.

To think and....to feel.

This...Love...Rin had for him. The human emotion. When he was younger, his father had told him demons did not feel the same as humans. Ties to mates were equally as strong, but humans possessed an emotion for their mate that was almost unattainable for a demon. His father had spoken earnestly, saying that humans, in a way, were stronger than demons in that respect. At the time, he had scoffed at his father's insight. The thought of humans being stronger than demons in any aspect was most absurd.

But now, as he stood amidst the swirling wind and swaying flowers, he held on to this incredible feeling. The more he embraced it, the more it strengthened his spirit. He never wanted to let it go and somehow, deep down inside, he knew its presence would never leave him.

If this presence, this...emotion... for Rin...was Love...then his father had been right.

It was powerful...

...and eternal.

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His senses suddenly honed.

His brother was here.

His brother.

Sesshomaru could not stop the pull in his chest.

So his brother was here.

His brother...knew.

He had suspected that Inuyasha might have been informed of his subjugation, but the blatant reality of actually realizing that fact was still a shock.

His brother knew, and he did not want to see that knowledge in his brother's eyes.

He did not want his brother to see him...this way.

But as he was, still a servant, still a slave, he could not do anything about it.

As he was...

he was helpless.

A silent sigh escaped him. He had to face this...shame. With this new strength he could do it. With Rin's love, he could stand up against it. This...presence...would give him...courage.

Rin and Kagome were coming.

It was coming, he could feel it. His freedom.

Sesshomaru waited. Rin appeared with Kagome and Inuyasha following. The ancient smell of fire rat fur laced the drafts of restless wind. His half-brother was wearing his fire rat garment. Unbelievable. The hanyou had kept it all these years.

Rin stopped beside him. "Sess, it's time."

Sesshomaru could not help the irritation at seeing his brother. This irritation prompted a harsh response. "What is he doing here?"

Almost immediately, he regretted the sharpness of the question directed at his future mate for she peered up at him with deep brown pools, silently asking him not to be too angry while relating the reason for Inuyasha's presence.

Kagome had agreed.

Sesshomaru allowed a spurt of annoyance. "Very well."

He switched his attention from the darkening clouds, lowering his gaze to Rin.

His beautiful Rin smiled softly. "Are you ready?"

"Yes."

Rin drew in a deep breath. "We are ready, Sis, tell us what to do."

Kagome, who was taking items out of a leather satchel and placing them on the brown cobblestones, glanced up at Rin. "Sesshomaru will have to kneel. You will have to stand in front of him."

Sesshomaru went rigid. He would have to...kneel..in front of...Inuyasha.

Battling the humiliation, he consciously locked his eyes with Rin's brown ones. there, he held on. There, he found the strength. Slowly, he lowered to one knee then the other. This would be his last act of subjugation, the last time he would kneel before his master.

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Inuyasha followed Rin and Kagome through the house. Rin pushed the sliding glass door back then stepped out. Kagome trailed behind. He brought up the rear, stepping outside, closing the glass patio door in the process.

A sudden gust of warm wind took them by surprise. Inuyasha saw Rin pause for a moment before continuing down the cobblestone pathway.

Wind whistled through the trembling flowers and rustled the leaves in a large oak creaking in the distance. They came upon the tall regal stance of his half-brother. Sesshomaru was silently standing, gazing upward to the chaos of the approaching storm. He did not acknowledge their arrival but did talk to Rin: one sentence said it all. Yep, he had been right. Sesshomaru did not want him there.

Rin gazed up at his half-brother apologetically, informing Sesshomaru why he was there.

Sesshomaru had yet to look at him. Knowing how his brother was, he would probably not even glance his way unless there was a warranted reason.

Kagome crouched and began pulling items out of the large leather satchel she had brought. On the rounded stones the miko placed a large wooden bowl, a clear glass vial containing what appeared to be water, and several small leather pouches. His sense of smell informed him the small pouches contained herbs. One item in particular caught his attention: a small wooden box, big enough to fit in the palm of his hand and covered with a demon seal.

Rin asked her sister what they needed to do and Kagome replied by instructing Rin that Sesshomaru should kneel and that Rin needed to stand in front of him.

Inuyasha tried to smell what Sesshomaru was feeling but the sporadic gusts of wind only gave him a hint. That one hint bore the whisper of shame coupled with determination, hope..and...

another...emotion.

This emotion? From Sesshomaru?Unless his sense of smell was deceiving him, this emotion could only be....love.

Then, Inuyasha saw the one sight he thought he would never see in his entire life:

Sesshomaru, the future Lord of the Westerlands,

slowly lowering to his knees.

His brother was kneeling before a weak human girl.

Again, Kagome's movements caught his eye. He looked down at the miko crouching a few feet in front of him. She was now holding that small box. He focused intently as Kagome tore off the demon seal and opened it. Immediately, he felt the power: a wave of pure spiritual energy bursting forth, a thunderous ripple spreading outward, rushing over his spirit, tempting his demon instincts almost over the edge of reason.

Inuyasha gulped, amazed at the feeling while Kagome picked up a pink jeweled ball. As she pulled it out, a long gold chain came with it, sparkling with bright bluish clear diamond shards. Every muscle in his body tensed when his demon side screamed to be heard. That demon part of him really wanted that ball, that pinkish jewel pulsing with eternal power, power that could make him a full demon.

He closed his eyes and steadied himself, centering everything on his human side, knowing he could not let his demon half rise at a time like this. When he opened his eyes, Kagome was standing behind Rin, placing the Shikon no Tama around her sister's neck.

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Kag ome straightened from her crouched position then stepped over to Rin who was standing in front of Sesshomaru. Delicately, she placed the Jewel of Four Souls around her sister's neck. "Rin, I will recite the protection prayer now. When I place my hands on your shoulders, I want you to think of something you love dearly. Hold on to that image and feeling."

"Okay, Kagome."

Kagome smiled and grasped Rin's warm shoulders. Strong words of power fell from her lips in a whispered chant. With every word, the Shikon no Tama glowed with power of purity. The glow brightened in intensity until it flashed a blinding blink of light. Kagome finished the prayer spell and backed up from Rin.

Squatting, Kagome took each small leather pouch and, one by one, poured the powdered herbs in the large wooden bowl. Next, she picked up the glass vial of holy water and poured it over the crushed powdery green mixture. A woodsy fragrance, something akin to the scent of forest pine, sweetened the air. Kagome picked up a wooden spoon and stirred the ingredients until it was the consistency of watery pea soup. When she was sure the herbs were properly blended, Kagome walked over to Rin and Sesshomaru. Their eyes were locked on to each other in an unwavering gaze.

Kagome cleared her throat. "Rin."

Rin blinked, slowly switching her attention to her. "Yes, Kagome?"

She smiled at her younger sister. "We need your blood now. Sesshomaru must brandish his claws so you can run your palms across them. After you do this, place your hands in the herbal mixture. Blend your blood in it with your fingers."

Kagome addressed the kneeling dog demon. "Sesshomaru."

The inu youkai's golden gaze remained fixed on Rin. "Yes."

"If the collar chooses to punish you for Rin's wounds, you must try your best to remain upright so Rin can place her hands on the restraint. I know it might be hard, but you must try."

Sesshomaru blinked once. "I understand."

Giving a brief nod, Kagome backed up until she was about ten feet behind Rin. Inuyasha's steps moved closer in, not too far behind. After a long soul-centering breath, Kagome began. Ancient words floated on the wind. They came with ease. Each word left her lips saturated with power, power that came from the deepest and brightest part of her soul.

In the middle of the ancient chant, Kagome called Rin's name.

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Rin swallowed heavily as Kagome walked behind her. She lowered her gaze, her attention falling on Sesshomaru's....claws.....Her eyes widened. They looked so...sharp. No longer did his fingernails appear as normal human blunt nails, but were now elongated to extremely pointed deadly tips. She raised her hands up, placing them directly under the lethal talons. While looking back at Sesshomaru, she heard Kagome begin.

The words were foreign but somehow Rin knew their meaning in her heart.

As Kagome continued the chant, the wind diminished and the thunder ebbed to a mere mumble among the slowing clouds. The air became alive with the faintest of glows, resembling the luminance from the full moon. The phosphorescent tint seemed to settle on everything around them, a ghostly blanket of magical snow. This blanket sprinkled whispery stars of light on Sesshomaru's hair, highlighting the bluish gray strands to a brilliant pearly silver. The twinkling sparkles bounced gently, reflecting in his amber depths before falling silently to the ground.

Rin blinked out from the iridescent wonder just in time to hear Kagome call her name.

Still locked within Sesshomaru's dark honeyed gaze, Rin sucked in a breath and braced herself.

In one swift motion, she raked her palms across the sharp claws.

Rin hissed and looked down.

Bright red gashes, oozing blood, lined her palms.

Gritting her teeth, Rin quickly kneeled and placed her hands in the herbal mixture. Instantly, the pain vanished.

Immediately, she looked up to Sesshomaru.

A few small drops of blood dripped from the tips of his claws, plopping to the stones by his knees, staining the white material he wore with tiny dots of scarlet.

Darkening amber pools observed with guarded concern.

He seemed not to be in any pain.

Relief washed over her and she relaxed. Suddenly, Rin realized one of the reasons she had been so nervous. She had been scared the collar would hurt him.

Utterly relieved, Rin began concentrating on the task at hand. The watery balm squished between her fingers as she blended her red blood into the dark green mix, creating a murky brownish gel which clung to the skin, coating her hands. The potent fragrance of forest herbs wafted up, filling her sense of smell. Kagome's chant rushed like the sound of the sea, amplifying in her mind, almost drowning out all other thought.

Determined, Rin stood.

Slowly, she reached out, focusing on the black metal restraint around Sesshomaru's neck. Just as her fingers nearly touched the shiny black metal, a strange feeling welled up inside, a protective light of sensation, giving her...strength.

In one single instant, Rin grasped the restraint with both hands. The metal was cold and the feel, slippery. Her hands slid over the smooth surface as she struggled to acquire a secure hold.

Rin fretted, the slickness hindering her efforts. She let out a whimper while trying harder, willing her fingers to find a solid grip. Finally, her hands molded around the choker: fingers in the space between his warm neck and the flat inner lining, palms against the outside surface, thumbs hooking the top edge.

Now confident, Rin waited.

Kagome had told her to wait for a vibration. Once it started, she was to pull outward as hard as she could with the intention to break it.

Somewhat entranced by Kagome's rhythmic chanting, Rin slid her attention back up to the dark amber eyes and unreadable features mere inches from her nose.

She gave a small smile, speaking without words, 'Don't worry, Love. I've got it.'

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