InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cursed Blood ❯ Cursed Blood: Prologue ( Prologue )

A little boy was sitting by the biggest window in his small home. His mother was cooking behind him humming her sweet lullabies. The boy's ears twitched at her melody. He loved his mothers' lullabies almost as much as he loved his mother. He looked away from the window to gaze at her. Although he was young, he knew that his mother was beautiful. It was not because of the looks she got while she passed, nor because of the men that often called upon her asking for her hand. The boy did not yet understand such things very well, thinking that it wasn't unusual for single mothers to have a line of suitors behind her, in truth it was the opposite. He hardly noticed the smooth lines of her pale face, nor the perfect slope of her almond eyes, nor the slender body that she moved so gracefully. No, the boy knew his mother was beautiful because he could see the warmth and love that almost emanated from her being.

The Lady Izayoi was the kindest woman most had ever met. Her son knew that she was special, more so than what other people realized. Maybe he was able to see her unfailing kindness so easily because hatred was often spewed at him from the other people in his village. He still didn't really understand why they hated him so much, although he knew that it had something to do with his father. The villagers sometimes sent sad, pitying looks to his mother and disgusted, hateful eyes at him. He had once over heard a group of men talking about his mother and him after they had passed.

“Poor Lady Izayoi,” one of the men had thought aloud.

“Huh?” said another man, “Why? What's wrong with her? She looks beautiful to me, it doesn't matter that she has a whelp at her heels.” The man laughed. The first man shook his head knowingly to the second man.

“You know nothing, then. The Lady's honor was taken from her by a demon. Disgraced and shamed she left our village for a long time. When she finally came back, that whelp as you so call him was with her. We forgive her for she is beautiful and who could help but want her? But that child of hers,” the man leaned to the other man's ear and whispered, “a hanyou!” The boy turned around to see the first man giving the second man a knowing look while the other man's eyes grew wide with fright.

The boy drew away from his memory and looked back out the window contemplating the word he had heard that day. `Hanyou.' the man had said it almost like a curse but it still meant nothing to the boy. He was afraid to ask his mother because he knew she would get upset. Her eyes always took on that sorrowful look if he asked her about the names he was called or asked why the villagers hated him so. He knew just what she would do. She would look at him with those sad, sad eyes and whisper to him, “Oh, my dear little Inuyasha!” Ever since the one day when he had come home beaten and bloody, when his mother had seen him and broke down in tears hugging him tight enough without hurting him more, he had swore to never hurt her like that again with his lack of understanding toward the other villagers. He hated to see his mother cry and would do anything to prevent it.

He had once thought that maybe if he looked more like them they would stop hating him so much. He had covered his very unnatural ears and hair with a more natural black wig. He had asked his mother once why he looked so different from everyone else. Why did he not have ears like her? And why was his hair white? His mother had smiled warmly and said that they were gifts from his father and he should never be ashamed of them nor of any other differences he might have of other people.

His ear, the one that looked so much like a dog's ear, twitched at the top of his head as he heard his mother walk up behind him. She draped her arms around his shoulders enveloping him in her scent. Inuyasha closed his eyes and breathed in the warm smell he could only describe as summer. It was warm and sweet but not overbearingly so, reminding him of a meadow he used to play in before they came back to his mother's village. Inuyasha sighed and leaned back against his mother. The Lady Izayoi kissed the top of his head in between his ears.

“What are you staring at, love?” she asked quietly, her thick, dreamy voice sliding over him. This was a game they often played. His mother's eyes were much poorer in the dark than the eyes his father had given him. Inuyasha smiled and looked out the window. His home was on the edge of the village and the biggest window faced away from the village out across the wide clearing that came before the forest that surrounded most of the village. Inuyasha could see things moving in the dark.

“There's a mother doe and her fawn. They're grazing at the edge of the village. They seem relaxed and calm. A fox keeps jumping in and out of the berry bushes looking for someone to play with,” he smiled brighter as he felt more than heard his mothers laughter, “There's some rabbits a few feet out and they keep eyeing the fox, but the fox doesn't seem interested in them,” Inuyasha frowned, “The deer are on guard, something's scared them. I think they might have heard us because they're staring right in this direction. Oh,” he looked up at his mother, “they've all gone.” Inuyasha wondered at his mother's concentrated look. She hardly ever looked serious. “Mother?” Lady Izayoi looked down at him distractedly and smiled though it never reached her eyes.

“It's nothing, love, I'm sure everything's fine.” She patted his shoulder and turned back to her cooking. Inuyasha sniffed the air. He could smell her anxiety, but said nothing. `Wait a minute,' Inuyasha sniffed again. There was something else beyond the delicious aroma of his mother's cooking. Something that smelled dangerous, and familiar. And it was at the door.

“Mom?” She looked at him then creased her brow in worry and looked where her son was looking. A pounding came from the door that made Lady Izayoi jump. She brought a shaky hand to her throat. She began walking to the door as the pounding came again.

“W… Who is it?” She called, trying to keep the fear from her voice. `No, it couldn't be…'

“Heh, who do you think?” came the reply. Inuyasha's mother paled as she heard the grated voice smirk at her through the door. Inuyasha's bristles went up as he smelled his mother's increasing fear.

“What do you want, Nikorai?” Lady Izayoi yelled, keeping the terror that she felt from sneaking into her voice. She knew he wouldn't be fooled, but at least his men wouldn't have the honor of knowing she was afraid. And she knew he had men following him, he never went to see anyone he was going to humiliate without an entourage that could witness strength and cruelty.

“Heh, heh, well I want you, of course, my beautiful Izayoi.” Izayoi felt bile run up her throat as she heard his and his men's muffled laughter through the door. She looked to her son. His dog ears were flattened against his head and his pupils were pinpricks as they darted from the door to his mother. He didn't know what was going on; he just knew she was afraid.

“Go away, Nikorai. I gave you my answer before and it has yet to change. Now leave!” She knew her face was a sickly pale color and that her hands were sweating, but her repressed anger grew inside her. The anger towards the mistreatment of her son, the anger towards those impossible suitor's who would marry her if she only left her `deformed' son behind her, and the deep rage at the impudence of the villagers she had once thought of as friends thinking her beloved Taisho had taken her in a dishonorable manner to bed her. To think of them taking down to the greatest inu-youkai lord ever to walk these lands. Her pale face began to regain color as her fury kicked in. She hadn't noticed the foreboding silence that came from the other side of the door. She turned to Inuyasha as he growled then gasped as splinters exploded into the room as her door was knocked down. Lady Izayoi turned to the evil man who had been on the other side of the door. The rage she had worked up suddenly melted from her very bones replaced by an almost primal fear as she saw what was before her. Nikorai stared at her with eyes as cold as ice. When she shuddered he smiled a wicked smile that sent a wave of panic through her. She needed to run! To escape! But she couldn't. She couldn't do anything but stand there, hardly breathing and stare into the eyes of death itself.

The man took a step toward her grinning wider at the automatic tensing of her body. As he took another step she prayed that her fear would break just enough for her to move. On the third step she felt movement to her right and watched as Nikorai's smile faded and he looked down at her son. Her son! She couldn't lose it! She had to protect Inuyasha! She looked down at the small boy that stood between his mother and evil and felt a strange surge of pride. Her son had his ears back and his teeth bared, he was growling a deep vibration low in his throat. She looked up at Nikorai just as he looked back up at her. He had a cold and careless scowl on his face.

“Tame your mutt before I have to teach it a lesson.” Inuyasha growled louder and tensed as if to pounce when he felt his mother's hand on his shoulder. Inuyasha looked up to his beautiful mother and felt awe for the first time. His mother had lost her potent smell of fear and now stared ahead at Nikorai with disdain and a strange confidence.

“You shall never refer to my son like that again,” she said calmly. No one would guess how angry and terrified she truly felt. She moved Inuyasha behind her then looked at the man before her, “do you understand me, Nikorai?” She saw his look of disgust that he shot at her son and rage overpowered her fear. “You will respect my son, Nikorai. He is the son of the greatest Inu no Taisho to ever live!” Nikorai had the audacity to laugh at her.

“That is a son of the Inu no Taisho? He doesn't look like a lord to me! He looks more like a half-breed bastard son of a mongrel!” he snickered, “and you're the mongrel's bitch.” Izayoi hadn't thought about it, she hadn't even realized she was on the verge of doing it, but once she saw her hand backslap that son of a bitches face so hard he stumbled a bit she couldn't help but smile.

“My son has more nobility in him than you could ever dream to pretend to have. You are scum Nikorai, you hear me? Even if I was a mongrel's bitch, I wouldn't be your woman more than I would be the woman of the shit on your shoes.” She didn't know where this was all coming from. Never before had been blinded by so much rage that she let the foul mouthed language of the drunks she used to scoff at leave her lips. For once she forgot about being a proper woman, a proper lady and allowed herself the freedom of just being a woman, and, more importantly, a mother.

Inuyasha stared up at his mother's face. She was smiling strangely, an odd glint in her eye. He looked at the man who was still turned away from them, a bright red mark plastered across his face. His mother had enjoyed hitting this man! He could smell a change in her. Something was different. Instead of the calming sensation he usually got from her scent, he felt agitated and angry. The scent his mother was giving off made him feel like there was a storm in full swing inside him. If he hadn't been so shocked he might have seen it coming, but once he realized what was happening it was too late. The evil man had moved so fast, slamming his fist into his mother's face sending her crashing to the ground.

“YOU BITCH!” He screamed. “How DARE you fucking refuse me and say that half-breed is better than me! ME! ARG!” Inuyasha took a moment to get over the shock then had leapt at the man's throat. Nikorai ripped the biting half-demon from his throat and threw him against the wall. Inuyasha slammed his head against the wall first, stars bursting across his vision. He felt himself drop to the floor and lay there trying to get the world to stop darting around him. He heard a cry and new his mother had seen.

“Oh Kami, Nikorai! He's just a boy!” Inuyasha heard another cry and smelled his mother's blood. `Damnit, why can't I move?' Inuyasha struggled with all his might and forced himself to rise. He heard Nikorai's evil laughter behind him.

“So little pup, trying to fight for your mother's honor?” he laughed along with his men, “Don't you know your mother is a demon's whore?” Rage filled Inuyasha and he leapt at the man again, though this time, Nikorai was expecting it. Nikorai caught Inuyasha by the throat and tossed the small half-demon to his men. “Hold onto that little fuck while I take what's mine.” Nikorai laughed again and stared down at the woman he held to the kitchen table. She stared up into his eyes, a different kind of darkness filling them. `Oh Kami…' was all she could think as Nikorai crushed his lips upon hers. Disgust filled her and bile rose in her throat as he slobbered all over her lips and face. Tears threatened as thoughts raced through her mind. `STOP! I have to stop him!' Her hands raced over the table trying to find some sort of weapon. She could hear her son snarling across the room and Nikorai's men yelling at him trying to get him under control. She prayed they would be distracted enough for her to find a nearby weapon, a pot, a fork, a spoon, anything! Then her hand grasped onto something and her eyes widened. Nikorai continued slobbering down her neck and groping her over her clothing. She held tight to the object she had found and prayed for Kami to forgive her. Then she raised her hand as high as she could and then plunged it downward in a swift and angry movement. Nikorai screamed in agony and shot off of her. He reached behind him and pulled a nine inch cutting blade from his back. His eyes narrowed at her.

“That was very unwise, Izayoi.” Inuyasha watched in slow motion as Nikorai raised the blade. He watched his mother's eyes widen in fear as the blade was thrust into her chest. She didn't even scream just looked in surprise at the blade in her chest, then at Inuyasha. She tried to ask for forgiveness with her eyes, tried to relay all the love she felt for him and sorrow she felt for her actions. All Inuyasha could really see were the tears falling down her blood stained cheeks. He watched in shocked horror as Nikorai pulled the blade from her chest and brought it down once more into her throat. The once beautiful Izayoi tried to cry out but could manage only a strange gurgle as blood filled her mouth.

Inuyasha watched as his beloved mother's eyes dimmed and her body went limp. Inuyasha went very, very still. `Momma?' she didn't move, `Momma?!' Nikorai took the blade from her throat causing some of it to splatter all over him. Inuyasha could smell nothing but his mother's life blood. `She's dead?' Inuyasha looked up at Nikorai with wide, confused eyes. `Why?' The man who killed his mother walked over to him slowly, trying to hide the pain from his own wound. He smiled cruelly at the now orphaned boy.

“Your whore of a mother is dead, dog. Guess we have to put you down.” Nikorai looked at one of the men who stood behind Inuyasha and held his shoulders. Nikorai grabbed Inuyasha by the throat and brought the blade back. Inuyasha didn't even think as he moved out of the way, wrenching is neck from Nikorai's grasp, forcing Nikorai to stab the man who had been behind Inuyasha. Nikorai grunted in disapproval then ripped his blade from his comrade's stomach then turned to see the puny half-demon leaping towards him. He hadn't had enough time to avoid and was knocked down by the pup. Inuyasha's baby fangs sank into Nikorai's throat. Despite their childishness, Nikorai cried out in pain. Nikorai punched the half-demon in the face repeatedly trying to get him to release. Finally one of his men came and kicked Inuyasha in the side forcing an `Oof' from him and throwing him against the other wall.

Inuyasha opened up his eyes with difficulty. He knew he was probably in trouble, but it didn't matter, his mother was dead, what was the point of living? He ignored the pain in his body and tried to get up. He cried out in pain when he put weight on his right arm and fell back to the floor. Great, his arm was broken. He ignored his blurry vision and watched the shadow across the room stand up with help from his men. Inuyasha looked down; the height difference hurt his head. That's when he saw something shiny. He sniffed the air to see what it was and smelled his mothers' murder weapon. He looked up to see Nikorai approaching slowly. Inuyasha blinked some of the blurriness away. `For mother,' was all he thought as he moved his protesting, broken body across the floor and towards his mothers' killer. Inuyasha dodged Nikorai's arm and stabbed the man in the throat. The man clutched his hands as his eyes bugged out and he fell to the floor. Blood spurted from his mouth as he tried to speak and blood poured from the wound. Inuyasha raged inside as the light in his eyes dimmed.

“You died too easily,” he thought allowed. It was a mistake. One of Nikorai's men came up behind Inuyasha and punched him in the stomach. Another came and kicked him in the face. Suddenly all around him there was nothing but pain. Slowly darkness crept around his senses. `I'm sorry mother,' was all he could think as he died, `I'm sorry I wasn't strong enough for you.' and then his world went dark.