InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dangerous Temptation ❯ Two Swords ( Chapter 4 )

Two Swords

She ignored the hushed tones and whispers of the people as she walked through the village. They were all the same, every village. They had all heard of her, the woman who had once been the ward of the most powerful youkai Lord. Now she was the woman who had been cast out of the demon's land and his life. Many of the villagers feared her, some even hated her. For two years she had been wandering this land, forced into a nomadic existence, traveling from village to village. She didn't have a place in this world; he had taken it from her. He had taken everything.

She had sat in that glorious field for what seemed like eternity, patiently waiting for her beloved Lord to return. But as the hours passed into days the doubt grew until she finally realized with heart wrenching clarity that he was never coming hack. Her heart had shattered that day, when she had finally opened her innocent and naïve eyes to the painful reality that was the truth. She had lost her heart that day and she had vowed that she would never love again.

She was stronger now. He had always insisted that she learn to defend herself. But now, as she crossed the vast land alone and unprotected, she had been forced to fight more often. With each battle her strength grew, each crimson drop of blood the reflection of the sorrow she could not bring herself to express. The forest was her home, her sanctuary, as it had always been. Necessities such as clothing and soap brought her into the villages she despised. But she had money, money she had earned on her own.

Fighting had become her profession. Much like the demon exterminators, she was often hired to kill the inferior youkai who lurked around many of the villages. She had taken to carrying a sword. She practiced every day against an unseen enemy, one who haunted her. She had spent the better part of her life watching him, studying his every move. She had spent countless mornings in the dojo, watching him train. She knew what she was doing and now she was just as skilled as him. The only thing she lacked was his inhuman speed. However, luckily for her the demons she was commissioned to fight did not possess any skill or intelligence, let alone speed.

Loneliness and bloodshed. This was her life now. It was a far cry from life at the castle picking flowers.

The warmth of her spirit had chilled over the time. She no longer smiled, no longer laughed. Her ability and desire to do so had died the day he left her. He had been her reason for living and as the months passed, he had become her reason for dying. Countless times she found herself standing at the edge of a cliff, a mere step away from ending the pain and finding peace. But she could never bring herself to take the final step because every time she was on the brink of doing so his face would come to her mind. Unbidden and unwanted, his image was burned into her memory.

He had banished her to a life worse than death. She was cold and alone, a hollow version of her former self. Despite the pain and the sorrow he still lingered there, intensifying her agony, never letting her forget. She was cursed, she knew she would never escape him, never escape her love for him, her Sesshoumaru-sama.

~~~

Not much had changed in two years. He was still the most powerful demon Lord, the most feared. If anything his power was only growing, his territory expanding daily. He never thought of that day, he had nearly forgotten the girl who had been such a big part of his life. She had become a distant memory. At least that is what he told himself.

Jaken never questioned the absence of the human, indeed he was probably overjoyed that his master had finally come to his senses and disposed of the lowly girl who was not worthy of his presence. His life had settled into a familiar routine, devoid of the emotional temptations that the girl presented. That was what he wanted.

But somewhere inside of him he knew he had not forgotten her, would never forget her; her quiet and unwavering loyalty, her bright cheerfulness, and her incredible warmth. But over the years her image had dimmed, her scent had faded, and her voice had been silenced. Memories of her were fleeting and infrequent, he had moved on.

Now here he was, patrolling the boundaries of his territory, ready to slay any unwelcome trespasser, human or youkai. Then he heard it, the scream of some beast's terrified prey. He could smell the stench of an inferior youkai and the putrid odor of human flesh. They were not within his borders, the youkai and the human did not concern him. He was about to continue on and leave the savage and its prey alone until a new scent wafted through the air and reached his nose. It was the scent that had his feet moving, of their own accord, towards the screams of the helpless human; this new smell that drew him in, the scent of blood and lavenders.

~~~

Rin heard the piercing scream fill the air. Rushing in the direction the scream had come from, she found a small helpless child, furiously trying to run away from a vicious snake youkai. Feeling anticipation hum through her blood at the thought of battle, Rin rushed into the clearing and put herself between the young girl and the demon.

"RUN!!" she screamed to the child behind her. Keeping her eyes on the furious youkai, Rin circled her opponent until the child's footsteps could no longer be heard.

"You would attack a defenseless human child? "She questioned "You are pathetic" she finished calmly, satisfied when the bright streak of fury blazed in the creature's eyes. The snake lunged for her, aiming for her head. But she was smarter, and she was faster. She dropped to one knee, letting the youkai sail above her. She unsheathed her sword she lifted it up and stabbed it into the heart of the demon above her. Its tail came swinging around as it fell to the ground, smashing into her body, and throwing her across the field. As the dust settled and the youkai stopped moving, Rin stood up and wiped the blood off of her kimono. She almost smiled, she had saved that young girl's life and she was glad. But just as she about to re-sheathe her sword she felt a dark and omnipotent presence behind her. The adrenaline in her blood sped up once more; she was in the mood for a good fight. Gripping the hilt of her sword with both hands, she spun around quickly, brining the steel down in a dangerous arc, ready to slice the demon she knew stood behind her. But she was not fast enough. She felt the harsh and jarring impact as the swing of her sword was stopped by the steel of her attacker's.

Glaring over the crossed blades she found herself staring into a pair of golden eyes she wish she could have forgotten.

A/N:

gothichoratu: Thank you for being the first to review my story!!! I'm glad you like it!!! This is Sesshoumaru we are talking about here…he's cold hearted…he had to leave her! (: