InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Demon of Another Color ❯ A Beginning ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

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Words could not describe the look of joy that lighted up the child's already beaming eyes. She loved being with Sesshoumaru but she did sometimes long for someone to play with, though she kept it to herself because it seemed ungrateful. But though this demoness was much older, an adult, she was beyond mirth. "My name is Rin and Rin likes Sesshoumaru's pretty lady!" With that she flung her arms around a very startled Astarte in a bear hug. Astarte jumped to her full height with the girl still attached to her neck, looking at Sesshoumaru with a 'what the hell am I suppose to do' look.

She could have sworn she saw a smirk on his lips


Chapter 5: A Beginning


Rin finally detached herself from Asarte's neck and started babbling about everything they would do to the demoness.

Sesshoumaru turned and walked to his study, "Jaken, show Astarte to the guest room next to Rin's. That will be hers from now on." Astarte tilted her head, watching the blasé inu-youkai walk away 'My room?' She was unable to ask her question aloud before the ever active Rin grabbed her wrist and pulled her towards the room Jaken was suppose to show her.

Astarte was somewhat indifferent to the child liberties of touch; on one hand she was offended, and on the other she was given a sense of friendship. She decided this girl was much to adorable to be offended by and didn't seem to mean any harm whatsoever.

It was a very beautiful room, the uma-youkai gasped as she stepped in. There was a futon of black, red, and gold resting near an elegant wall, pilled with matching down pillows. Flowing, transparent black curtains framed the doorway to a balcony outside. Resting near the corner was a polished silver mirror. Drawers of dark mahogany red were there as well, items of scented soaps and such setted on them. She walked around it, fascinated by everything before looking back at Rin.

"This is all very beautiful, but what's the purpose of this room?"

Rin giggled, "You never had your own room? No? Well, this is like your own private area. You sleep change here." Astarte opened her mouth to protest about nothing being wrong with sleeping outside, especially with such nice weather, but Rin grabbed her hand excitedly and half dragged her across the hall, "Rin's room is over here!"

They sat on Rin's orange and gold futon, also piled with soft cushions. This room was similar in layout to Astarte's, but much more personalized with girl's trinkets. She was a child of no more than eleven or twelve, and though ornaments of young adolescence dotted the drawers and shelves, lingering childhood dolls and dried flowers also gave the room character. After talking and laughing with one another for a good while, Astarte decided she liked this human girl, and if Sesshoumaru had been the one who had raised her, he must not have been as cold and heartless as she first thought.

Two servants knocked and enter the room with a bow, both demoness the tai-youkai had hired for kitchen duties but were now to serve as handmaids to the females, "We are to prepare you for dinner."

Rin was a little puzzled, she had always prepared herself and having help was strange, but if this was her lord's wish then so be it. Asarte skeptically followed her kitsune servant back to her room.


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Sesshoumaru sat noiselessly at the table with Rin settled to his left. He rarely actually ate, but he found an inner enjoyment to Rin's company at this time of day. They had been waiting for Astarte for some time. The tai-youkai's ears caught sounds of squeals and heavy banging.

"My lady! You must make yourself presentable before the lord!" The servant's voice was gentle but hurried.

"There's gonna be a snowball in hell before I put that on!" Astarted errupted into the room, shattering the formar peace, bot her and Rin's kitsunes struggling to place clothing on her. She was little better than her straps and cloth. The red sash that would have covered the belly of a kimono was wrapped around her chest. Besides that, she only had a black and red kimono folded in half and tied around her waist. Her tail pulled the back of the 'skirt' down and was flicking side to side. The servants had managed to pull her hair up and decorate her crown, neck and wrists with jewelry. In her playful resistance, the light caught the jewelry and and beamed against her copper skin. Sesshoumaru smirked inwardly and thought, 'A wild beauty' before kicking himself mentally.

"We're sorry, my lord, but my lady seems to-"

"That will be all."

The two bowed and left the room. Asarte took a seat where the last pillow was, to the tai-youkai's right, and stared oddly at the food before her.

"Why didn't you wear the kimono I provided?" Sesshoumaru's stoic eyes feel on the uma-youkai. A lady in court was expected to cloth properly, and in his court he expected the finest to be worn.

Astare looked down on her clothing, "I am wearing it."

"Not appropriately."

She shrugged and took a sip of tea, "I don't see how you can wear that much dress. I wouldn't be able to move in it. Hey what's this?" She found a way to veer off the subject to poke at some odd smelling food.

"Chicken," Rin smiled at her.

Astarte's eyes went wide, "You killed a chicken? To eat it?" She pushed the plate away from her.

Rin gave a small giggle and handed her an apple. The uma-youkai lit up and happily accepted it, "I love these!"

'Of coarse' pondered Sesshoumaru 'horse demon, horse diet...'


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Leter that evening, Sesshoumaru pulled on a robe after a bath and paced in his room. The demoness...Astarte... what was the real reason her had brought her here? Rin didn't need a handmaid, he had taught her in the five years she had lived with him how to take care of herself. It was a good excuse at the time, but this Sesshoumaru did NOT make excuses and the fact that he had angered him.

After some deliberation, he came to the conclusion that he was simply curious about where she had come from and why she was so different. He would learn more about her, his curiousity would be satisfied, he could send he away and life would return to normal. But what if learning more about her...no, Sesshoumaru brushed the thought away.

His stone chiseled face broke momentarily as he gave a sigh and walked out onto his balcony that overlooked his private garden. The moon was nearly full and cast down a soft, silvery light. Astarte's scent was in the air, his amber eyes looked down to fins her resting in the garden. She layed on her side, one arm holding up her torso and the other hold a small flower to her nose. She wore the same thing she wore to dinner, but her hair had fallen and returned to its careless flow to one side. Her tail splayed around her, and in the silver curtain she looked like a goddess among the foliage. Sesshoumaru watched her for a moment.

Astarte's ears twitched as the mute sound of feet touching the earth came to her and she immediately sat up with her legs tucked neatly besdie her. The inu-youkai took note that she didn't start and stand, meaning she was at least a little comfortable with his presence.

"This is my private gardern," His eyes never flickered as they gaze down on her, "What are you doing here?"

Astarte layed the flower down, "It's very beautiful and peaceful here. It reminds me a lot of home. I didn't know that..." She was taken by surprise as he sat beside her- awkwardly since it seemed he was missing an arm under his kimono.

"Tell me of your home."

She opened her mouth, hesitated, close it, and loowed away with a flick of her tail which ended up more like dragging along the ground. To her shock, a firm but gentle hand took her chin and pulled her face to his, her silvery grey eyes locking with his molten gold ones. Sesshoumaru noticed how is proximity and touch could unnerve the little uma youkai and he planned to use that to his advantage.

"Tell me of you home." He would not repeat himself again.

This time her hesitation was defeated by a small sigh, "I...I come from the south. I was born to the First Harem of the Valley. Out of Fenris and sired by Taro." She paused to see if these names had any affect on him. She thought even if they did, she wouldn't have been able to read his expression. "We... the uma-youkai.. hid ourselves long ago."

"Yes, everyone believes you disappeared or died off. What happened?"

She faltered, unsure if she could tell her secrets to one she knew so little of. His hand touched hers, pressing her to continue, but it caused her heart to skip a beat and her cheeks tinged pink. 'What just happened?'

"The horse demons grew tired tired of all the fighting. We are a peaceful race dosn't care about other's affairs. Demons fighting demons, humans fighting humans, demons fighting humans... we were sick of it and wanted nothing more than graze and bask and carry on life," She composed herself, "You have to understand, we're not lazy. We just don't like to fight unless necessary. So we moved to the south where it was warmer and the grass was more abundent, harem broke off and we each set up a barrier around our lands.

Sesshoumaru's emotionless face continued to look at her, "If there was a barrier, someone would have noticed after so many centuries.

"Not if they don't know there's a barrier. One can walk right in actually, but they will not see or smell or sense us. They only sense strong discomfort and that discomfort usually makes them want to leave," She beamed a little, "Our monks and priestesses train their whole lives to maintain it."

Clever, thought Sesshoumaru.

"Life is comfortable but challenging-" She froze as she felt his hand squeeze hers and looked up to see him looking into the distance.

Sesshoumaru had sensed something trying to break into his barrier. It alone had no chance, but more and more power was added until he could feel hundreds od demons hacking at his barrier. About that time, a very strong scent of uma youkai hit him like a brick wall. Astarte noticed the scent as well and he could hear her heart literally skip a few beats.

He stood pulling her up with him, "Come, I think someone has come looking for you."
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