InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Falling Away ❯ Observations and Discoveries ( Chapter 8 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]
By: Lynx212
The fact I have not yet relieved that toad of his life almost amazes me, but despite his trying of my patience and his lack of courage, he is loyal and has his uses.

Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Angst / Romance / Action | Type: Yaoi | Uploaded On: 08.19.2006 | Pages: 2 | Words: 2.8K | Visits: 2.5K | Status: Work In Progress

Chapter 8
The great Demon Lord entered the main hall of the Inu Dai-Youkai palace, tilted his head back and let out a roar that caused every servant within the palace walls to come scrambling, bowing down before the Youkai Lord waiting for some sort of command. Without further ado the Demon Lord began dispensing instructions to various members of the awaiting staff. Preparations for a feast to the kitchen staff, for the place to be spotless and the in-house hot springs drained and refilled to most of the cleaning staff, the garden and grounds to be trimmed, pruned and arranged to an immaculate state to the grounds keepers, and for the remaining cleaning staff and his retainer, the Toad Demon Jaken, the east wing is to be rearranged, cleaned, stocked, and prepared to be suitable for one demon and the possibility of two human guests.
“My Lord might your humble servant ask of you what is the occasion?”
“You dare question me toad?”
“Your lowly servant only asks this information of his Lord in hopes to serve him better.”
“A suitable enough lie for me to grant you an answer and still leave you alive.” the youkai said as he turned in the direction of his own personal chambers, “My brother is coming home.”
At that information the Toad Demon fainted.
(Sesshomaru's POV)
The fact I have not yet relieved that toad of his life almost amazes me, but despite his trying of my patience and his lack of courage, he is loyal and has his uses. He looks after Rin and keeps the Palace in line in my absence, so for that he will live. I have to admit I anticipated his curiosity over what I ordered to be done, and his fainting actually amused me to some degree.
Though I would never admit this to another demon soul, I actually enjoyed fighting alongside my Hanyou brother, he has proven that he is indeed a force to be reckoned with regardless of his half-breed status. He has come to wield the Tetsusaiga with an ease I thought would ever be beyond him and over the years his brash demeanor has given way to a, thankfully, quieter and more calculating approach to things. I suppose in a way I am proud of him and if I let the truth be know, even if it is only to myself, I am … impressed.
Even if I first felt abhorrent to the fact my wayward brother had allied himself with a pack of humans, my thoughts on the matter changed after fighting alongside them, I realized he had chosen his allies well and they all were strong willed and formidable fighters in their own right. The monk: with his Kazanna, shakujo, ofuda, and in-born powers, The Demon Slayer: with her Hiraikotsu, katana, battle skills, that demon cat of hers and strength and stamina that greatly defies her timid appearance and small frame. Even that reprehensible Miko had her points and purposes, I have not had my last incident with her, but that is something that I will deal with when Inuyasha's attachment to her ceases to make him the idiot she plays him for. Yes me and that human wench have not yet finished our dealings by far.
Before I could continue that line of thought I smelled the toad approaching, I let him beckon for entrance and granted it.
“What is it Jaken?”
“Rin wishes to see you my Lord; she overheard the servants speaking of your return.”
“Let her come to me, I have much to tell her.”
“You are to…”
I send him a sidelong glare that turns him an even paler shade of green.
“As you wish my Lord.” was his only reply as he scurried out of my chambers.
It was not long before the hall outside my chambers was filled with the clamor of the little wooden shoes the girl was so fond of wearing, much to the chagrin of my sensitive hearing. A soft knock was soon heard at the door and once I let her enter that was the end of any semblance of formality or fragments of peace.
“SESSHOUMARU-SAMA! YOU'RE HOME!” she wailed as she ran headlong across the room and flung herself into my lap.
“Yes Rin, I am.”
“Is it true Lord Sesshomaru, is it true?”
“Is what true Rin?”
“That uncle Inuyasha is coming to stay with us?”
Uncle? That reference was a little surprising, but I should have expected it, she regards me like a surrogate father so in her world Inuyasha would be her uncle.
“Yes, that is true.”
“Is it so you can watch him better?”
“Whatever do you mean Rin?”
“I mean so you don't have to follow him around in the woods anymore to keep him safe.”
Maybe she is brighter than I gave her and her niigen blood credit for, that is something not even Jaken had put together.
“In a sense I suppose so.”
“Don't worry Lord Sesshomaru I won't tell anyone, it'll be our secret.”
Now she even had my curiosity piqued, and that was a most difficult thing to do.
“Why do you think all of this Rin?”
“I have seen you when you are REALLY mad at someone and they usually don't live very long, and if they have something you want you just take it, but no matter what you always let him live and you would sometimes get rid of the big nasties in his way.”
“Very observant.”
“Is that the same as nosey?”
“Close.” I said as a smile came to my lips despite myself, after all that clever observation she then comes out with a question so child like. She once again reminds me that in some ways and for a few reasons Tenseiga is not as worthless as I once felt it to be. Not caring for that line of thought I sat Rin back on her feet and suggested she go play in the gardens, reminding her to keep out of the way. She is quite a bit more than meets the eye.
(The following day)
I stood on a terrace for the longest time just watching my servant's carry-out their appointed tasks in the garden when the strangest thought occurred to me.
“JAKEN!” the toad was never far.
“Yes my Lord.”
“Send word to Miyaka.”
“The tailor my Lord?” I bared my fangs at his insolence. His questioning of everything tells me he must place little value in his own life.
“Yes my Lord what do you wish to tell her?” he said as he took a few steps back, visibly shaken.
“Tell her I request her presence in six days time.”
“Yes Sesshomaru-sama, right away my Lord.”
“Send for Diago as well.”
“I cannot my Lord.”
“You dare defy me toad.”
“No my Lord this humble servant wishes only to serve you, but it is beyond my abilities to contact the dead.”
How could I have forgotten, I killed that bumbling sorcerer for his last failed attempt at an incantation, the fool couldn`t erect a barrier stable enough to hold Rin nonetheless anything that would have been useful to suit my means. I guess my lack of fondness for him to begin with made his death even less memorable than his life, if that was even possible.
“Very well, does this mean you have let this position in my court go unfilled for eight moons?”
My anger was growing, and rapidly.
“No my Lord it's just…just...”
“Out with it Jaken.”
“Once word spread of what came to pass of the last sorcerer, I am pained to report none have sought to take his place.”
Inwardly I sighed, perhaps beheading him in front of the entire court was a bit harsh, even for me, and the fool had no understanding of the fact that there is no room for such idiocy and lack of competence in my defenses.
“That is all.”
The toad bowed and wasted no time in removing himself from my presence.
Later that evening I was out in the southern wing of the palace near what was once my fathers private chambers when the strangest feeling came over my being. I felt an almost overwhelming urge to go through the huge double doors that led to his sleeping chamber. I thought that like he is still alive. I suppose in some strange way this will always be my fathers' chambers. I have only been in this room a handful of times since his death, and considering it has been almost a hundred years that is not many times at all.
When I entered the room I had no Idea what I was searching for but I knew I was looking something. I wandered about aimlessly, which only served to wear on my patience, a while before my eyes settled on a small cabinet. Moving, with what felt like something other than my own volition, I open the doors and within lays a scroll. The parchment is definitely one of my father's because it bears his seal, there is something about it that makes me hesitate, shrugging off the feeling because it is not something that this Tai-Youkai Lord will ever do. The moment I touch the scroll the seal breaks, Tenseiga throbs and my stomach knots.