InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Cursed ❯ Keeping the Peace ( Chapter 35 )

Chapter Thirty Five - Keeping the Peace

 

Tomo perused the youkai-made blades with a critical eye. It was going to need to be perfect. Anything less would not do. One dagger that was the right size was beautifully encrusted with a variety of jewels but it was out of the question. She'd think it was gaudy, the stones making it impractical for any real use other than decoration. He needed something that defined her, which she would love and that would get him out of the proverbial dog house.

 

How was he supposed to know that she'd developed such a liking for Sesshoumaru's human? Just because their lord and her brother had gone a little strange, it didn't mean that she to follow his example. Perhaps the proclivity ran in the family. Their father had it, their hanyou brother had it and now... Hell, if he and Yuti weren't officially mated, he might just be worried that she'd go off and find her own human.

 

Dismissing the thought as pure foolishness he looked at a short sword briefly but quickly dismissed it when he noted its curvature. She'd think it was too straight. He huffed again, his thoughts returning to his current predicament. He certainly didn't think what he'd said had been all that bad.

 

Perhaps a set of throwing knives might be nice. She'd mentioned once that she might like to gain proficiency with them. Tomo walked over to the selves that contained a large variety of knives suited to just that purpose. Quickly scanning them, he finally saw something that might suit his needs and her tastes; a set of five well balanced, green tinged blades. He studied them for some time, looking for any sign of defect or any reason she wouldn't like them, all the while wishing that she was the type of woman who liked jewelry or fine fabrics. Life might be a little more simple is she were and he probably wouldn't be in this mess now. He smiled to himself at the thought and found, even after all of this foolish behavior of late, he would never regret his choice of. If she had been like all the other females, he probably never would have pursued her in the first place.

 

Once more his thoughts turned to the cause of his current quest. He hadn't intended on being rude, Yuti just took it that way. When it was all said and done, he really didn't have any problem with the human. He personally didn't understand the proclivity but that didn't mean he disliked her. He just didn't see what the big deal was with wearing kimono. If Sesshoumaru wanted her to wear one, why shouldn't she and in essence that's all he'd said to his mate. He shuddered at the memory of the look she'd given him. Then she'd said something utterly ridiculous, something about making him wear one for a month and seeing how much he liked it. He sighed again. These knives would have to do and he said as much to the vendor who proceeded to package them while they argued about the price. Once both men were satisfied, he paid and left. He was still so absorbed in his own thoughts about difficult females that he didn't even notice Lord Yaruko entering the shop he'd just left.

 

“General Tomo!” A hearty voice called out to him. “Too busy to talk to an old friend?”

 

Tomo snapped out of his little world and focused his attention on the voice he recognized all too well.

 

“Lord Yaruko,” he laughed, “of course I'm not.” Yaruko spied the package that Tomo carried and grinned. “It's just like you to buy yourself a new weapon and be able to focus on nothing else.”

 

Tomo smiled. Though Yaruko was wrong on this occasion, it hadn't been a bad guess. Yaruko was a fairly old youkai, at least 500 years his senior and one of the most respected under lords in the Western Lands. He too had once been in the military and had actually been the general commanding Tomo when he'd been little more than a pup. He'd served under him for nearly a century before Yaruko begrudgingly retired. The two remained close however, Tomo filling him in on current military business and Yaruko retelling old war stories that never seemed to get old.

 

“If only that were the case, it's actually something for my mate.” Tomo corrected the misjudgment.

 

Yaruko's smile only broadened. “It would be you to find the rare female that enjoys such things. How is Lord Sesshoumaru's sister?” He asked.

 

“Hopefully better once I give her these.” Tomo grumbled more to himself than to the old lord.

 

“What! You've been mated less that a year.” He chided. “What foolish thing did you do to have to buy back her affections my boy?”

 

“Honestly, I have no idea.” He answered only half honestly.

 

“A word of advice from a man mated longer that the two of you pups have been alive combined.” He leaned in conspiratorially. “She right. It doesn't matter what it is or if you think it's the most ridiculous thing in the world. She's always right. If you don't learn that, soon you'll have supplied young mate with an armory to rival the armies of all four lands.” The old youkai slapped Tomo on the shoulder. Tomo just rolled his eyes. “Here, I'll walk with you. I can finish my shopping another time.”

 

“I'd be a pleasure.” And Tomo meant it. They walked together casually in a comfortable silence for a few moments before Yaruko finally spoke, having waited to get out of the thicker crowds of the bustling trade district.”

 

“I was also wondering if I might off you some other... more official advice.” Tomo immediately noticed the change in the older youkai's tone. It was no longer the jovial sounding man who'd experienced the same female problems in the past but rather the youkai lord who'd had too much experience in most things important over the years to be taken lightly.

 

“Your council is always welcomed Lord Yaruko. What else is it that I can learn from you today?”

 

The youkai took a moment to compose his thoughts before continuing, a clear sign that this was indeed important. “It is concerning our young lord.” Yaruko began. “There seems to be some rumors floating around pertaining to the human female he brought back with him upon his return.”

 

Tomo nodded. He'd wondered when her presence would begin to stir up problems. He'd been amazed it had taken this long. He waited for Yaruko to continue.

 

“There have been many circulating since she arrived but until lately they have been of the, oh shall we say, the more harmless variety.” He paused a moment as they continued on. “More recently however, they have taken on a more sinister quality.”

 

“How so?” Tomo asked, knowing full well that Yaruko would explain it to him anyway.

 

“It seems that some believe Lord Sesshoumaru intends to take her as... well, as something more than the last one.” The old let the words sink in. He wanted to see how Tomo would react to his words but like the loyal general and advisor he was, whatever he might be thinking did not make itself know in his countenance. The old youkai was duly proud of his more it. “You well know the complications that such an action could cause. Many blame the Traitor's War on the somewhat similar actions of his father. While I disagree with that assessment, it is not my personal opinion that matters but the perceptions of the majority.”

 

“The Inu No Taisho died because of Ryukotsusei, not because of his human female's jealous human suitor.” Talk of this always angered Tomo. It was idiotic to think that a mere human had brought down the great lord. Why anyone lent it credence was beyond him.

 

“I agree General Tomo, but it is not our opinions that must be considered here.”

 

Tomo nodded. He knew that Yaruko was right. Most did blame the human hime for the great dog general's demise, as ridiculous as the notion was to Tomo. The mob does not always wish to see the truth for what it is.

 

“Some worry that history is repeating itself.” The two walked in silence for a few moments before he continued.

 

“There is one other rumor that bothers me and one that I don't fully understand. It's not so much the rumor itself that gives me cause to consider it but more why it persists.” He looked down at his aging, clawed hands when he spoke next; it was in a voice that was quieter than before. “It is being said that the child she carries...is that of our lord's.”

 

“That's ridiculous!” Tomo barked out a little too loudly before lowering his voice to continue. “Everyone saw her at the fall festival, including you. We purposely placed her where everyone could determine for themselves that her condition was the result of a purely human mating.” Tomo was angry. How could people be so stupid? When did seeing with one's own eyes start being trumped by sake-room rumors? It was beyond ridiculous, it was insane!

 

“That is precisely why it bothers me Tomo.” Yaruko continued in the same manner as before, unphased by the younger youkai's uncharacteristic outburst. “Normally, outrageous rumors such as this die quickly, but this one has been persisting, growing in strength even. Why? I can't even begin to fathom but I have a feeling that its long life may be of greater concern than the rumor itself.”

 

Tomo frowned while considering the implications of why that rumor would last. Yaruko was right, there had to be more to it than what they were seeing. “Who's spreading that rumor?” Tomo finally asked.

 

“Judging by the fact that I've heard it from at least five people already, my guess...” Tomo cut him off, the look of death in his eyes.

 

“Loki.” He growled.

 

“He has always been quite proficient at causing problems of this nature but as always he's the master of the rumor mill. There's no way you'll be able to trace it back to him. He's too good at covering his tracks in matters such as this. If it's even him. It's a shame really, if he'd ever directed his talents into more constructive pursuits instead of his constant mischief, he might not have been a half bad youkai when it was all said and done.”

 

Tomo just growled. He had always harbored a severe dislike for the lowly lord. Though nothing had actually happened while Sesshoumaru was away, he'd been the ringleader in stirring up discontent. Some had actually begun to speak openly about leadership change. Of course it was all said in a way that could not be considered treasonous, such as expressing concern over the lack of an heir apparent.

 

Such talk, if Sesshoumaru had remained absent for much longer, could have become dangerous for the remaining family members of the Western Lord. Namely, Yuti. She and Sesshoumaru were the last surviving members of the great family. Well, full-blooded members anyway. The hanyou rarely made an appearance these days. He used to stop by from time to time to check in on Sesshoumaru's first human but after she died, his appearances had become few and far between.

 

The dangerousness of the situation had actually been the reason for his and Yuti's last minute mating. If the grumblings of a few had become the consensus of the many, her life would have been in jeopardy. Reason being, power changes of this rank, historically, required the extermination of the remaining family. A new lord would not want the possibility of the threat of the next generation trying to regain control. Put simply, you wipe out those that would have legitimate claim to the position. But since Yuti mated him, a youkai from a respectable but far lower ranking family, she was no longer in danger. Any of her offspring would carry his family name, not hers. She gave up a great deal through the match: title, position and her offspring's inherited rights. Had Sesshoumaru been there, he never would have allowed the match despite his personal like of Tomo. However, as acting lord, Yuti was able to claim the authority to make the decision on her own.

 

Through the two were quite happy to finally be together, neither liked the underhanded was it was gained. However, Yuti never would have agreed to it had it not been for the tenuous and worsening situation.

 

The strangest part of it all had taken place after Sesshoumaru returned with his human. He'd barely expressed any disapproval over their joining at all, even before Tomo had explained. But the truly remarkable act had been when he's actually given the couple his belated blessings. To say that he and Yuti had been shocked, would have been an understatement. Giving his blessings was tantamount to saying he would have approved the unlikely match even if he'd been there.

 

Yuti had been so touched by the gesture that she had thrown herself into her job of watching over the human, never once begrudging that it took her away from her hard fought for and unusual position as a general.

 

Tomo smiled to himself. Maybe that was why she'd become upset with him. Any slight on the human, no matter how small, was a direct blow to her decision to place the human at such a high priority in her life. And in a smaller sense, it was a blow to the graciousness of her brother's unusual but graciously received pronouncement.

 

As Tomo thought about this, he and Yaruko had reached the edge of the merchant district. The two had walked silently together, Yaruko seeing his friend's need for reflection.

 

“Lord Yaruko.” Tomo finally spoke again. “I would very much appreciate it if we spoke about these matters again in the future.”

 

“Of course my boy, I'd be more than happy to.” He understood the humble reqest for him to keep his eye out and ears out for any other strange happenings. He paused a moment but continued again with a sly grin spreading across his face. “But you'd better get going with that gift of yours. Best to fix that which close to you before attempting to overcome what we don't yet understand.”

 

Tomo couldn't help but smile, all the more grateful for this particular friendship. “With that, I agree completely my friend.”

 

The two bowed lightly to each other before heading off on their respective paths. Tomo headed back to the shiro at a quick pace, eager to give his gift but filled with apprehension at sharing the strange news with his lord.

 

AN: Well, I'm back again after a little vacation and with a fairly long chapter (for me anyway). Hope you liked it even though it has been a while since the main pair have made an appearance. I promise you'll get your Sess fix next chap and it should be out fairly soon at that. Well...I guess it's on to reviewer responses.

 

The Scarlet Rose: I'm terrible the way I make you wait but what can I say, I'm lazy and busy sometimes. I'm glad you like his character transformation, it has been one of my goals in writing this little fic...a realistic Sess/human romance pairing. Thanks for the review.

angelsfalltearfully: I think I sounded a little pissy in my last AN and it was not my intention at all! I was just responding to some general appraisals, hope it wasn't taken that way. I'm so sorry I've kept him away for soooo long but no worries, he'll be here next chappie!

SnowFlakeAlchemist: Ah the hanyou. I've left it open to the possibility. We'll see what happens on that front. Baby stuff...well, you'll just have to be patient...though that thought did give me a bit of a giggle too. Happy reading!