InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Dog and Dragon ❯ The Darkness in Their Hearts ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Izayoi stood looking down the path that led to the palace she called home. The battling demons had left a wave of destruction, felling all of her father's prized fruit trees and destroying her mother's adored flowers. The ground was cracked and stained with blood, though all of the bodies had been removed. The palace was in good shape considering what it had been through, though there was now a gaping hole in the roof. All the damage would take months, possibly even a year, to repair.

Since the army of inuyoukai and ryuuyoukai had driven the boars from their land, Izayoi's father had been on edge. He damned all youkai every chance he got, swore revenge, and snapped mercilessly at his servants. Izayoi thought his anger was misplaced. The boars had imposed on their village for nearly a month, robbing them of much-needed food, using the village women in whatever manner they pleased, and causing all sorts of general havoc. Every attempt of her father's army to rid them of the youkai plague had failed and ended in the deaths of human soldiers. The inuyoukai and ryuuyoukai had liberated their village. The property damage they inflicted was meaningless compared to the burden they lifted from the village. At least Izayoi thought so.

Izayoi was unaware of her Lord father’s approach until he put a hand on her shoulder.

"Those youkai will pay for what they have done to our village," he said, and Izayoi looked at him.

"One of the inuyoukai saved my life, father," she said, and he looked down at her with his brow furrowed. It was the first he had heard of it. "I hid in the far corner of the palace like you told me, but a boar found me. The inuyoukai slew him before he could touch me. Then a ryuuyoukai called him away."

The Lord looked toward his ruined palace and frowned.

"There is darkness in the heart of all youkai," he said. "The dog would have killed you without thought, given the chance."

Izayoi clearly remembered the demon that had saved her. His long, silver ponytail, the blue stripe that ran across each cheek, his strong jaw and golden eyes. And his name, spoken in the deep growl of the dragon. Touga.

Izayoi held her tongue and nodded to her father, though in her heart she knew he was mistaken.