InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Into the East ❯ Fool Me Twice ( Chapter 13 )

A/N: I really tried to get this chapter out before leaving for a week-long trip to Georgia… Well, that didn't happen. I didn't write much while on the road and even if I had, internet wasn't so hot where we were staying.

 

This chapter so did not want to be written. I was paid an extended visit by “Writer's Block.” For example:

 

Writer's Block: Puny writer, cower before me!

Me: Yeah hi… who are you?

WB: Do you not know? I am the destroyer of ideas, killer of muses, exterminator of inspiration. I strike terror in the hearts of writers everywhere! Muahaha!

Me: …

WB: Ah-ha! There! You see? I have succeeded in rendering you speechless, pathetic scribe.

Me: You've rendered me… something. Mind leaving now? I'm trying to get a chapter out.

WB: I will not. I would not be fulfilling my destiny, were I to allow you to so easily cast me aside.

Me: Riiiight...

 

Did I seriously just write that? Someone please put me out of my misery. I find myself getting annoyed when I see stuff like that, but… It's oddly satisfying, you know… letting the rest of the world in on the madness that is my mind. The point I was trying to make in there somewhere is that ever since I started my second story (Relics… whose prologue will be getting a slight - or major - revision in the near future) - or third if you count that little one-shot I did not too long ago (Saying Good-bye… haven't decided if I'll continue that one or not), inspiration for both of them seems to have fled my mind. It was a full week after I wrote the last sentence in either of them before I could put something worthwhile down on this chapter…

 

Another random note… bear with me please, I was watching Inuyasha on Adult Swim the other night (actually, 2 weeks ago now) and it was ep #156 “Final Battle at the Graveside! Sesshomaru vs. Inuyasha.” There wasn't much of a battle between them, but when Sesshoumaru entered the tomb and ignored Kagome and the gang, ignored Hosenki, even ignored Naraku and landed right next to Inuyasha only to deck him and walk away… I just about fell out of my chair laughing. (I still laugh to think about it) Now, don't get me wrong, I love Inuyasha. I think he's great (Sesshoumaru is way cooler, but Inuyasha is still great) but I was so not expecting that. It made my night. Thought I'd share.

 

In other news: on with the show. Please forgive the lengthy A/N. I hope to redeem myself by offering you, my patient readers, what I hope to be a sufficiently exciting chapter.

 

 

Into the East

Chapter thirteen: Fool Me Twice

Posted: 8 August 2006

Characters/Plot originally appearing in the anime/manga Inuyasha © Rumiko Takahashi

Everything else © me

 

 

 

 

It had been almost two months since Bryce last saw his fiancée, and he was on his way to her parents' house to see if there was anything he could do for them. He had given up hovering around the phone after the first month and decided that the only way to take his mind off his worries was to dive back into his work, and the law firm he worked for had several major cases that could make or break his career. It had distracted him from Vanessa, but now that he was nearing her parents' home for his weekly visit, he couldn't help but to think of her. Bryce knew that she hadn't been happy with him for a while before that party and he knew that it had a lot to do with how little time they had spent together of late. She didn't seem to understand that if he didn't show that he was committed to the firm, there was no way for him to move up. To his thinking, a few missed holidays was nothing compared to the reputation he was building for himself. He was doing it to prove that he could support her, that he was worthy of her. He couldn't have known that his actions would drive her away, but did she really feel so strongly about it that she would leave and tell no one where she was going? No… that didn't seem like Vanessa at all. She loved her family and friends too much. She loved him too much, or so he assumed. So what happened to her? If someone took her, why wasn't there a ransom? He shuddered to think about it, but if someone had killed her, then why wasn't there a body? The police had scoured the surrounding forests with their dogs, but her trail had come up short on the trail leading from the garden behind the main house. It was as though she just disappeared. She could have doubled back, but then… why hadn't anyone seen her? So many unanswered questions…

 

Bryce pulled his sedan up to the gate surrounding the Cartwright home and hit the intercom. Security quickly verified his identity and allowed him through. When he reached his usual parking place, he noticed a strange car on the drive. William and Melinda must have a visitor. Then, as though summoned by Bryce's curiosity, a tall Asian man exited the front door of the manse and turned to wave to the couple before continuing to his car - the one that Bryce had noticed. As they passed one another, Bryce received only a curt nod and a cold look in response to his greeting. Pompous, arrogant… “Who was that?” he asked the older couple when he reached the front door.

“That delightful young man is a friend of Vanessa's,” Melinda responded.

“He is?” Bryce turned to stare after the vehicle.

“Oh yes. Well, he says so anyway. He said that they traveled together once, quite some time ago and when he heard of her disappearance, he came right over to offer us any assistance that we might need. Mr. Yoshida has the most astounding connections. He's stopped by a few times to check up on us.”

“Has he now…” Something didn't quite add up, but he pushed the matter from his mind and turned to give his parents away from his parents a proper greeting: a warm hug for Melinda and a firm handshake for William. Then they all went inside for some coffee.

“I'm sure you're famished after that drive, I'll have some snacks brought up for you, Bryce.” Melinda was always making sure he was taken care of, as though he were her own son. It was one thing he had always loved about her. “The girls took a few friends up to the cottage on the shore for the weekend,” she continued as they walked inside, “so the house has been emptier than usual.”

 

Once they were all sitting around the table with a small, but delicious looking spread of cakes and pastries to go with their coffee, Bryce decided to broach the subject that he had fought with through the entire ride out there. “How long can we keep going on like this?”

“What do you mean, son?” William asked him, frowning.

“I mean there's nothing out there to say where Nessa went. How can we know she's even coming back?”

“Bryce! How can you say such a thing? My daughter will come back. We have to have faith in her. It's only been two months, after all.” Melinda shook her head, fully intent on denying the possibility that her daughter might not come home.

“All I'm saying is that sooner or later the time will come when we will need to move on. We can't be surprised when that happens. I'm not giving up on her, not yet, but I have to be honest with myself. It's entirely possible that she will not come back.” Silence reigned over the trio as Bryce's words sank in. No one wanted to believe that his words could be true, but now that they were out in the open, they could no longer be denied. How much longer could they wait for their beloved daughter and fiancée?

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Vanessa felt slightly uneasy at first, being alone with Mitsue. She remembered what Sesshoumaru had said when she first came to the palace: “Some may not hesitate to threaten you because you are human.” But Sesshoumaru didn't appear concerned and after the first several hours of friendly conversation, she forgot all of her earlier fears. It was clear that neither was quite certain what was appropriate conversation between species, but gradually the females grew more comfortable with one another and Vanessa was a little surprised at how much they had in common. Mitsue came from a much larger family than Vanessa did, but she was the second child and oldest daughter, just as Vanessa was. They laughed together at the over-protectiveness of older brothers and the hero worship of younger sisters. They shared stories of times when their older brothers “protected” them from other boys and of how certain younger sisters tried to imitate them to the point of being a nuisance. Of course, Vanessa had to tell her stories carefully so as not to let slip any information that would give away the fact that she was not from this era. Some of it could be counted as cultural differences, but something like a car or a movie… First of all, there wasn't a word at that point in the Japanese language and second, to try and explain it would involve telling about principles that had not yet been discovered or invented… It was just better to steer clear of dangerous topics.

 

During the first week of Mitsue's stay, Vanessa had spent a few hours each day with the demoness. Despite their differences and the occasional awkward moment, it was nice to have an adult female to talk to. With the help of Rin and Sesshoumaru, Vanessa's Japanese continued to improve and with her ever-increasing vocabulary, and she was able to teach them both more about her own language. Rin always had so many questions that Vanessa rarely had to think about what topics to broach in her lessons. Sesshoumaru's only concern on the matter was that she learn Vanessa's language and anything else that will help her find a place for herself when she was grown. Even at her young age, Rin seemed to be showing an interest in being a healer. She never said why exactly, but she did say that she wanted to help save lives. Still, even though Rin was rather mature for her age, and when Sesshoumaru chose to indulge her in conversation, he was always a good source for intriguing discussion, but there was just something about good old-fashioned girl talk that couldn't be found anywhere else. Vanessa soon discovered that even highborn youkai females felt the urge to giggle from time and again. She and Mitsue had been getting along really well until Mitsue dropped a bomb that Vanessa wasn't entirely sure she was prepared to handle.

 

Rin was somewhere in the palace learning her characters and Vanessa and Mitsue had taken a small picnic out to the gardens where they were currently enjoying the sunshine, talking about nothing in particular when Mitsue turned to Vanessa. “Nessa-chan,” she began, using the familiar name she had adopted soon after her arrival, “I have a question for you.”

“Alright. What's on your mind?” Vanessa responded, setting down the piece of fruit she had been nibbling.

“I'd like to get to know Sesshoumaru-sama, do you have any suggestions?”

“Well… he's not much of a talker, so small talk really wouldn't get you anywhere. I suppose you could start by getting to know Rin.”

“The child?” Vanessa had noticed that Mitsue never seemed very thrilled to be in the presence of the girl. Or maybe she was simply indifferent?

“Yeah, she's a wonderful little girl. Why do you ask? I thought you were just sort of passing through here.”

“Yes, well, I suppose you could say I've had my eye on Sesshoumaru-sama for a while now and there hasn't been any occasion to present myself to him before now.”

“I see.” Vanessa figured it might be something like that, but Sesshoumaru hadn't made any comment on it. In fact, he really hadn't said anything about Mitsue since she arrived.

“He doesn't… have an intended mate, does he?” Mitsue asked, suddenly uncertain. “Unless… Is it you?”

“I don't…” Vanessa started to say, but then her companion's words sank in. “What!? Oh no. No, no, no it's nothing like that.” For some reason her cheeks felt unusually warm and an evil smile developed on her companion's face.

“My dear Nessa-chan, I do believe you are blushing.”

“I am not. It's just… warm out. Whew… don't you think so?” she asked, fanning herself while Mitsue laughed softly.

“I do find it curious,” the demoness continued, “that powerful, eligible bachelor such as our Sesshoumaru-sama would take in an attractive female, even if she is human, for no other reason than to care for his human child.”

“He's not like that, and besides, I have a fiancée back home. Sesshoumaru-sama knows that. This whole situation isn't what you think. It's absurd to think so, really. Even if I had my sights set on him - which I don't - he wouldn't have me. I am human, after all.” Why on earth was she getting so flustered? There wasn't anything there. There couldn't be. She was engaged to be married and she was happy with her husband-to-be, wasn't she?

“If that's what you think… So, Sesshoumaru-sama is still unattached.” Vanessa nodded warily. “Do you happen to know what he likes in a female?”

“I don't… think I'm the best person to answer that.” Suddenly, she was feeling very uncomfortable with the conversation and began to pack up her things. “I should probably go and check on Rin.”

“Of course. Forgive me if I've been too forward,” Mitsue said, also rising.

“No, it's alright. I just think it's time for me to go back in. Why don't you just try talking to Sesshoumaru-sama? He seems like a fairly straightforward person to me.”

“Perhaps I will. I wish you a good evening, Nessa-chan.”

 

After they parted ways, Vanessa hurried - while trying not to look like she was hurrying - back to the shelter of her room. What had just happened? The youkai here didn't seriously think she was just some sort of… plaything for Sesshoumaru… did they? Once inside her shared apartment, she moved quickly to her bedroom and after sliding the door securely shut, she sagged against the frame. How embarrassing… To think, Sesshoumaru taking her as his mate… it was crazy! Surely he would want some powerful, influential female to have his children - pups - and not some lost, homeless human girl from the future. It would never work anyway; she was human and he was youkai. They were from two entirely different worlds. Then again… Inuyasha's mother was human, but then, look at Sesshoumaru's utter loathing for anything to do with his half-brother. And why was she even thinking about it? Soon she would be home, leading a normal life with her normal family and her normal fiancée, and Sesshoumaru would forget she ever existed. Why did that thought cause an acute pain in her soul?

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Sesshoumaru returned to his quarters after the evening meal. During the past week, Vanessa had made it a point to accompany Mitsue to the dining hall. She seemed to be doing everything within her power to befriend the demoness and make her feel welcome, but tonight she had been absent from dinner. In fact, he hadn't seen her since early that morning and it was unusual that they hadn't crossed paths at all during the day. Perhaps he should check on her. He crossed the threshold separating their suites and walked quietly down the narrow hall to her room only to find her door closed. Was she sleeping already? Maybe she had fallen ill again. Sesshoumaru rapped lightly on the doorframe and waited a long moment before receiving a response from within. “Come in,” Vanessa called softly; she sounded distracted. He slid the door open and found her seated on her bed staring out the window with her back to him.

“Are you well?” he asked, approaching quietly “You missed dinner.” Vanessa turned to face him.

“Did I?” She looked genuinely surprised. “I didn't realize. Yes, I'm fine. I was just thinking.”

“I see.” Sesshoumaru turned to leave her with her thoughts, now that he was satisfied that the woman hadn't fallen ill again.

“You don't have to go,” she said softly, halting him in his tracks. “Actually, I found out something interesting today and it involves you.” That piqued his interest, so he re-entered the room and sat down on the edge of her bed beside her.

“What is this new information you have found?” he asked, curious.

“Well, I spent the afternoon with Mitsue and everything was going really well at first, and then she started asking if you had anyone in mind to claim as a mate.” Sesshoumaru felt his eyes widen slightly. He had thought, among other things, that this might have been her goal, but she had not sought him out at all since the night she arrived. He was surprised that she had revealed as much to Vanessa as she had. “Then she said something really crazy.”

 

Sesshoumaru turned his attention back to her when he heard her small nervous laugh. What could Mitsue have possibly said to cause this sort of reaction? “She suggested that you intended to mate me.” He stared at her. How was he to respond to that? Of course the notion was… absurd, he decided, although, even in his own mind it sounded hollow, somehow superficial, and that thought was one more unsettling than he wished to deal with at the moment. “But it's crazy, right? Anyway, I told her that my being here was completely innocent.” He nodded and without another word, he rose from his seat to retire to his own room when Vanessa stopped him again.

“Sesshoumaru?”

“Yes.”

“You can probably expect Mitsue to come looking for you sometime in the next few days. She wanted to know what you liked in a female and I sort of told her that if she wanted to get to know you and earn your favor, she should just try talking to you, but I did warn her that mindless small talk wouldn't get her anywhere.”

“Indeed. Then when my mind goes numb for lack of stimulating conversation, the blame may be laid at your feet?” Vanessa laughed.

“Oh she's not that bad, but if it comes to that, sure. Blame me, but it makes me wonder…” she said, cocking her head, “Does this mean that you find my conversation `stimulating'?”

“Hn. It hasn't killed me yet.”

“I'll take that as a compliment,” she said with a grin. “Just one more thing…”

“What is it?”

“It's just something I was thinking about earlier… I was wondering… You won't forget about me, will you? I mean, whether I find a way home or end up staying in this era to grow old and die… will you remember the time we've spent being friends?” How could he ever forget this strange creature? The fact that she was unlike anything he ever had or ever would happen across was cause enough for her to be remembered, but besides that she was the first in a great many years to be called his friend. Yes, she would be remembered.

He snorted. “A foolish mortal sentiment,” and much to his surprise, she laughed at him.

“I thought you'd say something like that. Don't ever change, Sesshoumaru… Sure, you could smile and laugh a little more, but other than that, don't change a thing.” Sesshoumaru gave the woman a perplexed look and left, finally able to do so without interruption.

 

So, Mitsue seeks a proposal, he thought as he dressed for bed. She would have to make a far better impression on him than she had so far if she wanted more than a second thought. Then his thoughts turned once again, however unbidden, toward the human woman in the next set of rooms. This happened far more often of late than he would have liked and, though it disturbed him, they were not entirely unpleasant thoughts… Perhaps if he were - and he shuddered to think it - human, he might not have hesitated to challenge the claim laid on her, but that was simply not possible. First, he was most assuredly not human, and second, the man he might have challenged currently resided a half century in the future.

 

The blood of youkai and human were simply never meant to mingle; both sides knew this and with the rare exception, both sides shunned the byproducts of such a pairing. Sesshoumaru abruptly cut off that line of thought before he trod further into treacherous territory than he already had. How far had he fallen that he should have to convince himself that his arguments against mating a human were sound? How far had he fallen that he should, for however brief an instant, entertain the notion of courting a certain human - a charismatic, intelligent and decidedly beautiful human, but a human nonetheless? The simple truth of it was that his world had turned upside down the moment she had stumbled into his life and it was growing increasingly more difficult to determine up from down, right from left, north from south… difficult, yes, but by no means impossible. Not yet. He simply had to keep his wits about him - at least until Vanessa returned to her own time and his world righted itself. Despite that fact that he felt not the least bit drawn to the demoness who wore the face of his Atsuko, perhaps she would indeed prove to be the distraction necessary to keep his thoughts from turning traitorous. It had been far too long since he had spent any amount of time with a female outside of business; simple conversation wouldn't hurt anything, would it? Vanessa was right after all - he would never learn Mitsue's true purpose without speaking with her. Sesshoumaru heaved a resigned sigh as he settled himself on his soft mattress; he hoped that the demoness wasn't as frivolous as the countless other females who sought a proposal from him.

 

True to Vanessa's word, the next morning at breakfast, Mitsue requested Sesshoumaru's company on a walk through the gardens. A discreet, albeit unnecessary, nudge under the table, countered by a silent glare - he truly allowed that woman far too many liberties with his person - later, Sesshoumaru consented on the condition that they return before midday, as he had several treaties to review and come to a decision on before day's end. Mitsue seemed thrilled at the prospect and Vanessa wore a smug little smirk; he would have to speak with her later about offering her unwanted opinions. He was entirely capable of making his own decisions and had, in fact, previously decided to hear Mitsue out.

 

After breakfast, Mitsue went to her room to retrieve a parasol to shield her from the sun and then met Sesshoumaru on the stone path leading through the main garden. Let's get this over with, the taiyoukai thought with an internal sigh. “Sesshoumaru-sama! I'm so pleased you agreed to walk with me.” She smiled pleasantly up at him and he returned it with a nod, motioning for her to start down the path.

“It would not do for you to think this Sesshoumaru remiss in duties befitting a host.” Her smile faltered for an instant at his persistent formality, but he felt it was beneath his concern and so spared it only a passing thought, though he supposed he might be a bit more receptive to conversation.

“I really do admire your gardens, Sesshoumaru-sama. I find them soothing.”

“On occasion, I myself seek the quiet solitude of certain private gardens,” he admitted, causing Mitsue to nod enthusiastically.

“I steal away to a special room back home when I need to be alone. It is a comfort to have a place that I can call my own away from my chambers.” She paused, twirling her parasol, Sesshoumaru halted as well and turned to her. “I was beginning to think we had nothing in common.” He stared at her for a moment before continuing down the path as it curved around a large clay pot overflowing with red flowers. Mitsue had to walk quickly to catch up and when she did, Sesshoumaru regarded her with a sidelong glance.

“What is the true purpose for your visit to my home, Mitsue-san?” he asked, deciding to get directly to the point. He was amused to find the demoness falter in her steps and fall behind. Yes, he was in perfect control of the situation.

“I… what I mean is… well, you see…” she stammered.

“A lady of the East should choose her words carefully before responding, else she appear less intelligent than she truly is,” Sesshoumaru responded casually, resulting in a horrified expression gracing Mitsue's face.

“Forgive me, Sesshoumaru-sama. The truth is, it is widely known that you have not taken a mate and have no heir. I had thought to present myself to you, but I admit that once I met you, I was rather intimidated. I apologize for not making my intentions known.”

 

Sesshoumaru was silent for a moment, pondering the best way to diplomatically refuse. “I have no tolerance for games of intrigue, especially within my own home. However, if it is common knowledge that I have neither a mate nor an heir, you must also know that I do not require the political gain of a consort, nor do I seek a mate. As for an heir… technically the lands would go to my younger half-brother,” he said with a small frown.

“But you hate the hanyou!” Mitsue blurted and Sesshoumaru glared at her.

“That may be so, however I do not plan on perishing anytime soon.”

“Surely my lord knows that accidents can happen. The Inu no Taisho was a great warrior and he was brought down by a burning human dwelling.” Sesshoumaru whirled on her, forcing her back.

“That was no accident,” he growled. “That was the result of his own foolish mistakes.” He would not make the same mistakes as his father, and that included mating a human. Nothing good could come from it.

“H-hai, my lord. My apologies.” He growled once more and turned down the path again.

“Come,” he commanded and Mitsue hurried to comply.

 

They continued on in uneasy silence until they reached the midpoint in the trail, signifying the beginning of the return trip ffto the front of the garden. There, Sesshoumaru came to a halt and waited for Mitsue to draw up to his side. He knew that he had spoken brashly and was failing miserably in his task of “getting to know” Mitsue. Silence reigned for a few more moments before it seemed that the demoness could no longer tolerate it. “Sesshoumaru-sama? Is something wrong?” she prompted. He turned to her, noting her downcast eyes.

“I have been advised that it would not be unwise to `get to know you,' as it were.” She looked up at him and blinked; he fought the urge to roll his eyes. “I do not often find conversation enjoyable; however, for the duration of your stay, I will make an effort to be more tolerant.” Mitsue stared up at him with wide eyes; clearly she had not been expecting such a concession.

“You would do that for me, Sesshoumaru-sama?” she asked in awe.

“Hn. I would do that to preserve my current good relations with the lord of the East.”

“I see… I would appreciate the effort. Who knows, maybe you'll change your mind.” Doubtful, he thought, but he refrained from voicing it; after all, he did say he would be more tolerant.

“We should return,” he said instead. “I have work to attend to.”

The return journey was passed in a much more companionable silence, with Mitsue offering the occasional comment on the scenery.

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Two days after Vanessa missed dinner, Mitsue came to see her. Thus far, the only others to come to the suite she shared with Rin were Sesshoumaru and Jaken, and of course Miu and Saika, so she was a little surprised when a knock sounded on the hall door and she wasn't expecting any of those people. She poked her head out of her bedroom door. “Yes?” she called, thinking it was Jaken or one of the human women.

“Nessa-chan, may I come in?” came a somewhat muffled response.

“Oh!” She hurried to the door and swung it open to reveal Mitsue. “Konichiwa, Mitsue-san,” she greeted. “Actually, you can't come in here.”

“Why not? I had hoped to speak with you, but if you'd rather I didn't…”

“Oh, no! It's nothing like that,” Vanessa assured the demoness, stepping into the hall and closing the door behind her. “It's just that youkai are not allowed in these quarters. Sesshoumaru-sama's orders.” She wasn't sure who knew of the barrier, and especially since Mitsue was a visitor of questionable origins, she thought it would be best to keep that bit of information to herself. “Why don't we go out into the garden instead?” she suggested.

 

Once outside and seated on a shaded bench, Vanessa turned to Mitsue. “So, what did you want to talk to me about?”

“I wanted to make sure that I had not offended you the other day, and I wanted to tell you that I took you up on your advice.”

“My advice?” Vanessa asked, puzzled.

“Yes, you said to talk to Sesshoumaru-sama.”

“Oh, right. How did it go?” Sesshoumaru never mentioned what happened on the walk he had taken with Mitsue or any following meetings, for that matter.

The demoness took a breath. “Well, at first I was afraid I had offended him and he would send me home outright. My tongue has a tendency of getting away from me.”

“Seeing as you're still here, everything must have turned out alright in the end.”

“In a way, yes. Sesshoumaru-sama is most difficult to speak with… he has a rather formidable presence.”

“That he does,” Vanessa agreed with a small shake of her head.

“And you were right,” Mitsue continued. “Sesshoumaru-sama is very straight forward. He asked me right out what my purpose here is, and what could I do besides tell him that I had hoped to present myself as a potential mate, or at the very least a consort. There are many successful unions that never forged a mating bond, but he immediately refused on both accounts. I do not understand. He is young, powerful, lord of an entire territory, and yet he seems to have no desire to produce a true heir. As it is, his younger half-brother stands to inherit the lands should anything happen to Sesshoumaru-sama, and from what I understand, the hanyou is brash, rude and unrefined - entirely unfit to rule.”

 

“I have met Inuyasha…” Vanessa began, not entirely certain how to defend the half-demon she hardly knew. “Of course, at the time, I did not speak your language, but from what his friends have told me, it's true, there is no love wasted between the brothers; however, the one thing they share is a strong sense of honor. I couldn't honestly say whether Inuyasha would make a good ruler in Sesshoumaru-sama's stead, but I wouldn't underestimate him. As for Sesshoumaru-sama's refusal, well, there may be more to that than you can see.”

“What do you mean?”

“It isn't my tale to tell, but I will say that he was betrothed once, long ago.”

“Oh… I didn't realize.” Vanessa gave her a calculating stare, something she had picked up from Sesshoumaru, most likely. How could Mitsue know nothing of Sesshoumaru's long-dead love when she looked nearly identical to her?

“I wouldn't bring it up though,” she warned. “Sesshoumaru-sama doesn't seem to like to speak about his past.” Well… that's not exactly true - just certain parts of his past. Besides, talk of Atsuko coming from her look-alike would more than likely cause Sesshoumaru some amount of distress, though just as likely, he wouldn't display any of it outwardly. Just the same, Vanessa would rather that he weren't put in the situation. “Do you have plans to meet again?” she asked, trying to redirect the flow of the conversation.

“Yes!” Mitsue said excitedly, “We will take another walk in the garden tomorrow. Perhaps I will be able to change his mind about a proposal after all?”

“Maybe,” though Vanessa wasn't overly fond of the idea of Sesshoumaru settling down with this particular demoness. She liked her well enough, but there was something about her that haunted the back of Vanessa's mind like a dark cloud. “It's getting late, Mitsue-san. I think that dinner will be starting soon.”

“I believe you are right. Will you be attending this evening?” Vanessa shook her head.

“No, I'm afraid not. I told Rin that I would have dinner with her upstairs tonight. The dining hall is a bit much for a little girl to deal with every night and I'm amazed she isn't bored to tears with no other children to sit with.”

“Well, I suppose I will see you tomorrow then?”

Vanessa nodded, “Definitely.”

 

After the females parted ways, Vanessa made a trip to the kitchens to request that a meal be sent up for her and Rin. That task competed, she returned to her room to find Rin sitting at the small table practicing her characters. She looked up at once when the older girl entered and smiled broadly as she lifted up the bit of parchment for her to see her handiwork. Although Vanessa didn't know what the symbols represented, she could see that the girl had made a great effort in making them as neat as can be. “That's great, Rin! I can tell you practice is paying off.”

“Thank you, Nessa-neesan! Sesshoumaru-sama says that I have to learn to read and write, but sometimes it's hard.” Vanessa sat down beside her and sifted through the parchment.

“I think that everyone should learn,” she said, selecting a page with several characters repeated in neat columns. “Can you tell me what these say?” Rin nodded and rose up onto her knees, pointing proudly to each character as she said what it meant.

“This one means `bear,' and this one is `river,' and that one means `happy.'”

“At this rate, you'll be a regular scribe in no time!”

“There's still so much that I don't know,” the child admitted with a rueful sigh.

“But that is why Sesshoumaru has none but the best teachers to help you. With his help, soon you'll be reading books filled with stories beyond your wildest imagination. He has a library full of books and scrolls, you know. I'm sure you could find information on just about anything in there.” Vanessa glanced down at the scattered parchment again. Maybe Sesshoumaru could track down some writing utensils that didn't involve brush and ink. She had been thinking for quite some time about keeping some sort of a journal, recording the events of her stay in feudal Japan; she didn't want to ever forget.

 

Just as Rin finished packing up her supplies, their food came: roasted chicken with rice and vegetables. The girl came back into the room and sat down again, eagerly waiting for Vanessa to fill their bowls. Vanessa smiled at her; it seemed like the smallest things excited her and she wondered again how she came to be in Sesshoumaru's company. Sure, he had said that he saved her from a pack of wolves, but what was she doing so alone that she needed saving anyway? She was so young - probably no more than seven years. Didn't she have parents who missed her? That thought gave her pause though… what if the wolves had killed her parents? The poor girl! Vanessa had the sudden urge to give her a hug and never let go, but knowing Rin, that would only lead to questions. How could she dredge up memories that would surely bring her pain when she seemed so content here?

 

Vanessa ate almost mechanically as she watched Rin and half-listened to her chatter, but her mind was everywhere at once. Sesshoumaru obviously cared for the girl in his own way, but he was no mother. The sudden image of the stoic lord trying to explain “the birds and the bees” to a teenage Rin almost made her choke on her rice, causing said child to look up at her in concern. “Are you alright, Nessa-neesan?”

“Of course Rin, I was just thinking.”

“What were you thinking about?” Vanessa blanched.

“Um… well, maybe when you're older,” she stuttered, but Rin just shrugged it off and began picking the last bits of food from her bowl. Maybe she would be there to tell Rin when she was older. Sometimes it seemed like she would never get home and she felt a little torn on the matter. She really wanted to go back, if only to let everyone know she was ok, but she had also made so many friends in this era and many of them probably wouldn't be around when she returned to her time. She'd never get to see Rin again, let alone see her grow up, that is - if she ever made it home. It was unsettling.

 

Setting aside what she thought were groundless worries at the moment, Vanessa decided to teach Rin a game. There were still a few more hours before the girl was supposed to go to bed, so she told her to go back to her room and get some scraps of parchment and something to write with. No child, she thought, should go through life without learning to play tic-tac-toe. It was a simple enough game and food for countless hours of mindless entertainment if the need arose, and one didn't even need paper to play: a patch of dirt and a stick would do nicely as well. It didn't take long at all for Rin to learn and soon they each had a collection of wins, but also an ever-growing number of “cat's games” or ties. Rin had just won her tenth game (against Vanessa's eight) when Sesshoumaru came in. “Sesshoumaru-sama!” Rin exclaimed gleefully, “Look! Nessa-neesan has taught me a game! And I'm winning!”

“Is that so.” By all appearances, he seemed uninterested, but Vanessa could see the hint of amusement in his eyes. “What sort of game is this?” he asked finally.

“It's just something kids play to pass the time where I'm from. Each player takes turns placing their mark in one of nine spaces on a grid and the first to make three in a row wins.”

“And you find this activity… amusing?”

“Oh yes,” Vanessa replied, as though it were the most obvious thing in the world. “It can get very competitive. Would you like to play?” He seemed to consider it, but then his pride won out.

“Perhaps another time.”

“Rin, sweetie, why don't you go get ready for bed?” Vanessa suggested.

“Hai!”

 

She watched Rin scamper off to her room before smiling sweetly up at Sesshoumaru. “So… how's Mitsue?” He glared at her and Vanessa had to smother a giggle. He was too fun to tease; she just had to remember that, unlike all of her other friends, he could easily tear her in two if he so chose.

“She is not a complete prattling fool, if that is what you mean,” he said, “though she would do well to control her tongue, and she is still most insistent in her desire to be my consort.”

“Won't take `no' for an answer, hm? Well, you're lord of these lands, she'll just have to listen to what you say. It is your choice who you ask to spend the rest of your life with, after all.” He then gave her a look as if to say that it wasn't so simple, but a verbal response was halted before it began by Rin bounding into the room, dressed and ready for bed.

“Nessa-neesan, would you and Sesshoumaru-sama come to tuck me in tonight?” she pleaded.

“You want us both to come? Don't you think Sesshoumaru would like to say good night to you by himself?” He was always the one to put Rin to bed and only on rare occasions was he caught up too late in meetings to do so. Ever since that first night, Vanessa had felt that she was trespassing on something special between the two when she tucked the little girl in.

“No. I want you both there when I fall asleep. Please?” It was too much - Rin was just too cute, and Vanessa quickly found herself caving in to the girl's wishes, but before going along with her, she cast a glance at Sesshoumaru only to find him staring at her. His face revealed nothing but neither did he say anything in the negative, so she came to the conclusion that he wasn't entirely opposed to the idea.

“Okay, Rin, but just tonight.” The girl grinned and dashed off into her room, leaving the two adults to stare after her. “What do you suppose that was about?” Vanessa asked the taiyoukai, but he didn't respond. Instead, he walked past her and followed Rin into her room. Vanessa quickly followed.

 

Once inside the room, the pair found Rin lying under her blanket, grinning like a Cheshire cat. Now what is she up to? Sesshoumaru knelt beside her futon as he always did and Vanessa stood several steps away, feeling a bit awkward until Rin patted the mattress beside her and quickly retracted her hand within the cover of her blankets. Her Sesshoumaru-sama then pulled the blankets under her chin. He had yet to say a word and so Vanessa approached, likewise in silence and sat on Rin's futon beside her. “Rin, is everything all right? Why did you want both of us here to tuck you in?” she asked finally.

“Yes. Everything is fine. I just wanted to see my two favorite people at the same time, together, before I fell asleep.” Vanessa saw Sesshoumaru's eyes widen slightly at her admission, but all he said was, “Sleep, Rin,” before rising and leaving. She leaned forward and gave the girl a kiss on her forehead before removing herself from the room as well, but when she returned to the sitting room, Sesshoumaru was nowhere to be found. Shrugging it off, Vanessa went to her own room to turn in early; it didn't seem like this would be a “talkative” night for Sesshoumaru.

 

The next several days passed rather uneventfully and Rin didn't again make her strange request that both Sesshoumaru and Vanessa tuck her in together. Nighttime conversation with Sesshoumaru returned to normal, though Mitsue continued to chase after him during the day. Vanessa was laying on her balcony, watching the stars come out while she waited for Sesshoumaru to get finished with some meeting, when she heard someone, or something, hiss from the ground below her. She froze and waited, unsure if it was friendly or not, or even if it was directed at her, but then a hushed voice called up to her from the shadows: “Nessa-chan! I need to speak with you.”

“Mitsue?” she called, feeling compelled to hush her own voice as well. “Is that you?”
“Of course it is. Who else would I be? I really wish to speak with you. Would you meet me downstairs?”

“Um… sure. I'll be right down.” Vanessa hadn't ever really left her room after dark - except when she was with Sesshoumaru, but Mitsue was her friend and apparently needed to speak with her, so what could it hurt? A part of her wondered what might be so urgent that it couldn't wait until morning, but her curiosity got the better of her. Maybe she'd meet Sesshoumaru on the way out and tell him what she was doing, but if not, Mitsue wouldn't let anything happen to her.

 

Vanessa wrapped her white sleeping robe more tightly around her and slipped her feet into a pair of soft slippers before leaving her suite and going down to the main floor of the building she currently called “home.” She was somewhat surprised to find the great doors closed, but it only made sense - they had been closed the night she arrived too, but she wasn't going to that entrance. Mitsue awaited her in the gardens to the rear of the building. She didn't have to wonder how the demoness had gotten past the heavy doors either, since she too was staying within the walls they guarded.

 

The moon was just rising above the trees and illuminated the rock garden enough for Vanessa to find Mitsue sitting on one of their favorite benches. Even so, she stumbled occasionally on the path and thought belatedly that it might have been a good idea to bring a lamp with her. Finally she reached her youkai companion and sat down beside her. “Mitsue,” she said. “What's wrong? Why have you called me out here in the middle of the night?” The demoness was silent for a while, but finally, she sighed.

“Nessa-chan, It's about Sesshoumaru-sama. I'm afraid things aren't going as I'd hoped.”

There was a pregnant pause as Vanessa tried to choose the right words to console, as well as deter, her friend. “I… don't see how I could make any difference. If he's made up his mind, then I doubt anything I could say would sway him.”

“Perhaps you could talk to him?” Mitsue asked hopefully, but then grew thoughtful. “Actually… I think I'll need you to scream for him.” Vanessa stared at her for a moment before her brain finally caught up with her ears.

“Wha-” but the surprised question was abruptly cut off by Mitsue's slender, deceptively strong hands encircling Vanessa's throat as she was hauled off of the bench and half-dragged back to Sesshoumaru's mansion.

 

Stunned and surprised at this turn of events, Vanessa's brain almost didn't register the fact that she wasn't being brought upstairs to “speak” with Sesshoumaru, but rather she was being pulled past the staircase to the great wooden doors. They were going out into the main courtyard, but why? Wouldn't they be more visible there? Wouldn't someone see that she was in trouble and come to help? What if no one cared what happened to her? She was, after all, Sesshoumaru's latest cling-on human, and she had been foolish enough to leave the safety of the barrier around her rooms. Would Sesshoumaru even think her worthy of saving? Sudden panic caused Vanessa to claw at the thick youkai skin of the hands choking her and applying painful pressure to her windpipe, but she only succeeded in leaving pink trails, barely breaking the skin with her dull, weak human fingernails. The moment her feet hit dirt and grass, she dug her heels in, trying desperately to throw her attacker off balance, but this only resulted in a painful tug against her throat. She couldn't get anything but a strangled gurgle past the vice grip on her neck - how was she supposed to let anyone know that she was in trouble? Now what do I do? Sesshoumaru!

 

~*~*~*~*~*~

 

Sesshoumaru left his office long after he had dismissed Saburo; he had hoped that a few moments of solitude would help clear his mind, but they didn't and so he resumed reading and responding to various correspondences from the minor lords of his territory as well as those from some of the other great lords of the other three realms. Before he knew it, the sun had set and he looked out his window and was surprised to find the glitter of stars in the night sky. Most definitely time to retire for the evening. He retreated to his room and placed his swords on their racks on his wall. He had just removed his armor to dress for bed when a sudden spike of fear that was not his own permeated his senses. But that could only mean… Vanessa! Wherever she was, something had frightened her a great deal. Sparing not even a moment to retie his armor, Sesshoumaru let his breastplate fall to the floor with a dull thud and a clank before hurrying to her room. On his way, he spared a brief glance to check on Rin, but she was sleeping soundly. Satisfied, he continued down the hall to Vanessa's room only to find it empty. By her lingering scent, it had been some time since she had been in the room, but… the balcony. That was where she liked to pass the early hours of night, so he returned to the main room and found a fresher scent, one that had been left just minutes before. Had he passed her on the stairs? He couldn't remember seeing her. Sesshoumaru could feel her fear rising and, for reasons unknown to him his heart began to race, apprehension flooding through him. Why had she left the safety of the barrier without him? Who or what had slipped into his palace and caused her such fear? Perhaps it was that she was injured. A million such thoughts and questions fought for precedence over Sesshoumaru's mind in the short time it took to descend to the first level. There he found her trail leading in two directions, both fresh. Which way was the correct path? He paused only a moment to examine both scent trails. The first, leading back to the gardens, was older, but not by much. Where could she be going? Sesshoumaru turned toward the front door and knew beyond a doubt that it was the right way. It was as though something were tugging at him, urging him to move faster. He slipped through the front door without so much as a creak in the old wood, hoping that he wouldn't seem the fool for sneaking through his own house because Vanessa had been frightened by something as trivial as a spider. Somehow he knew that wouldn't be the case, however; her panic had risen to an alarming level and he was now catching the scent of her fear on the wind.

 

No lamps were lit in the courtyard, so Sesshoumaru had only the moon to light his way. It was actually better for him that way - lamps cast strange shadows. With just the moon as a light source, there were only so many places to hide. He crept along the outer wall of the building, knowing that his pale features and white clothing would conceal him, his sturdy but soft boots making no sound on the wooden planks, and scanned the dark courtyard. That was where Vanessa's scent led, but if she were in danger, he wanted to absorb anything that he could from his surroundings before rushing headlong into what very well could be a trap. Suddenly he heard a sound from the far side of the courtyard and snapped his focus in that direction. It wasn't much, but it was a sound that did not belong on the night air, sort of a strangled whimper. His blood began to boil, rage coursing through his veins. There were no words, barely even a voice associated with that small sound, but he knew. No one touched his Vanessa without later regretting doing so, but if that person went so far as to hurt her, well… they would wish they had never learned the name of Sesshoumaru, then they would wish for the death, which Sesshoumaru's name implied- and then their wish would be granted.

 

Never registering the implications of that thought, Sesshoumaru's eyes locked onto a vague form in the opposite corner of the courtyard. His night vision was not nearly as keen as when the sun shone in the sky, but it was good enough. Now he had a target. Darting between the shadows cast by the moon, confident that he could not be seen, Sesshoumaru quickly made his way to where his nose told him Vanessa was. Her fear was so thick in the air, he could practically taste it. No one under his protection should be so frightened, especially behind his own walls! When he was a scant few dozen yards away, he drew up short and straightened. “What is the meaning of this?” he demanded. There stood Mitsue, holding Vanessa against the rough stone wall, tightly gripping her neck. With the strength advantage she had over the woman, she could easily snap it in two - he would have to tread carefully and quickly take control of the situation if he wanted the human to live.

“Why, Sesshoumaru-sama, how kind of you to join us.” Mitsue spoke in a false sweet tone that grated on Sesshoumaru's already taut nerves. “Vanessa and I were just having a little chat about you, weren't we dear?” Vanessa struggled against the hand at her throat, twisting and clawing with her dull fingernails and whimpering in frustration at her futile effort, her legs rendered useless against her attacker by the length of Mitsue's arm. “Although… Nessa-chan hasn't been very cooperative.”

 

Finally Vanessa stilled and Sesshoumaru though that the demoness might have succeeded in cutting off her air, but then she twisted her head to turn pleading eyes on him. He assumed that she wanted him to save her, but then she mouthed something. No sound came to her lips so she swallowed past the iron grip at her throat and tried again. This time, he heard her labored words: “Sess…maru… Go… T-” but before she could finish, Mitsue pulled her away from the wall and spun her so that Vanessa's back was to her chest, then she removed her hand from her throat. However, instead of releasing her, she clamped her hand firmly over Vanessa's mouth, effectively cutting off her speech. Go… Of course not - not when she is in such danger. Has she no faith in my skill? Sesshoumaru was brought out of his thoughts by Mitsue's voice.

“Now, now, we talked about this. I decided I don't want you to talk to him - I want you to scream. You want to, don't you? You're frightened, I can smell it, and humans scream when they are afraid. You're just waiting for me to let go so that you can scream and run away, aren't you?”

 

Sesshoumaru watched the exchange, wanting nothing more than to tear the demoness to shreds, but couldn't due to Vanessa's proximity to her. So he watched as Vanessa's eyes flashed and took on a steely hardness that might have been a match for his own, and then she shook her head firmly once. Foolish, stubborn human… she wouldn't do what Mitsue wanted, even if it might spare her injury or even her life. Of course, Sesshoumaru wouldn't submit in the same situation, as he was more than a match for the demoness, but that was irrelevant. All that mattered was that he remove Vanessa from the situation alive and properly dispose of this being that looked so much like his dead Atsuko. He might have been crushed at the prospect of destroying her once again, but she threatened what was his. She betrayed the trust that he laid on her in allowing her to spend time alone with Vanessa, and she would not live to see the next sunrise - that much was certain. “Release her,” he commanded. “Release her this instant,” he repeated, “or I will see to it personally that you do not see another sunrise. She is nothing to you.” The fact that he intended to eliminate her whether or not she obeyed was beside the point, but it would be so much easier to complete the task if Vanessa were safely out of the way. Mitsue shrugged and, if anything, tightened her hold on Vanessa.

“Perhaps not,” she said, “but the real issue is… how much does she matter to you?”

“I care not for the human,” Sesshoumaru responded, perhaps a bit too quickly, and the moment the words left his tongue he felt Vanessa's hurt. By those few words he had just betrayed everything that she had tried to build between them and he saw the spark dim in her eyes for a moment before she sagged in Mitsue's hold slightly. He stoutly refused to look her in the eye and prove his lie false to the demoness, but from the edge of his vision he saw as she narrowed her eyes and stared at him, puzzled. Good, she still has her wits about her.

“You contradict yourself, dear Sesshoumaru. If you care nothing for her, then you wouldn't mind my taking her off your hands for you… one less mouth to feed, as it were.”

“The human is Rin's caretaker, and as such has the protection of this House.”

“I don't understand why you keep them around anyway, what purpose could they possibly serve besides that of a servant?”

“That is none of your concern. If you value your life, you will release her.” He was tired of `playing nice.' He'd warned her, given her chances, but she refused to obey his commands. It would seem that more forceful measures would be in order, but before he could act on that particularly pleasant thought, she spoke again.

“I think perhaps you take advantage of what only a female can give, but really… a child?” she sneered, tilting her head to the side. “Or are you waiting until Rin grows up a bit?” This time Sesshoumaru saw red. He was admittedly a ruthless fighter and a brutal killer, and proud of it, but how could she even suggest that he would perform such a vile, revolting, shameful act, as to do that to his sweet little Rin, or even to take a grown female - human or not - against her will. This ends now.

“Enough,” he growled, advancing several yards toward Mitsue's position in the corner, his claws glowing a deadly green. He had left Tokijin in his room in his haste to find Vanessa, but he hardly needed it. “I will stand for no more of this nonsense. You have threatened a guest of this House and insulted my honor. Prepare yourself to enter the next life.”

 

Sesshoumaru felt the approach of other youkai behind him, but paid them no heed. His focus was entirely set on the pair in front of him. He had to strike quickly and accurately, but he was confident. Vanessa would be bloodied, but if all went according to his plan, none of it would be hers. Then, just as he was about to act, he was interrupted - again. This time Vanessa's eyes went wide as she wrenched her arm free and brought her elbow back with surprising force directly into Mitsue's mid-section. The distraction was just enough for the demoness to uncover the woman's mouth and double over, though she still held a struggling Vanessa around her waist. “Behind you!” she screamed while Mitsue recovered enough to strengthen her grip on the human. By this time, Vanessa knew most, if not all of the resident youkai of the palace and she was fairly well liked, or at least tolerated, by all, so for her to react that way to whoever was approaching… well, it gave Sesshoumaru a reason to turn around. Behind him, forming a loose circle, were several large and formidable youkai, brandishing sharp weapons - formidable if he were anyone other than Sesshoumaru, that is. However, he was rather disappointed to find some of his own subjects included with Mitsue's entourage. No matter… Their betrayal will only earn them death. He turned back to Mitsue, ignoring the supposed threat behind him.

 

“You have two options, Sesshoumaru,” Mitsue told him, completely disregarding the honorific - not a good idea when one wants to engage in negotiations with the taiyoukai. He raised an eyebrow at her. “Come with me peacefully and I let her go. Refuse and she dies.” Sesshoumaru casually glanced down at his hand and flexed his claws, knuckles cracking in the process. Poison clouded around his claws and dripped onto the grass at his feet, an acidic hiss splitting the night air with each drop. When he looked back up at Mitsue, he wore an expression that few lived to see again: he smiled.

“I find your terms unacceptable. Now, you die.”

 

Mitsue signaled to the youkai behind Sesshoumaru and they moved in. He had expected this and waited, listening to the sounds of heavy footfall and the clank of weapons. One of them even carried some sort of chain, by the sound of it. He was amazed that they thought they could subdue him to the point of binding him. Still, he waited. When his attackers came within range and he heard them lift their weapons to strike, he ducked and whirled out of the way. He turned again and darted for the one with the chain. His attacker barely had time to react before he found his former lord's claws buried deep within his chest and poison began to quickly spread through his veins. With that one satisfactorily out of commission, Sesshoumaru turned back to the rest of them. They had frozen in shock or horror - he didn't care which - at seeing their comrade so quickly dispatched, but as he stared at them, they turned to one another and charged, yelling to one another that they would be the first to bring him down and earn “the lady's” favor. Unlikely, was the only thought he deemed worthy of their display. They came at him, recklessly swinging their weapons and it made him wonder if anyone had actually trained them. If so, their master should be put out of his misery for this disgraceful show of swordsmanship. In a way, they reminded him of Inuyasha in the early days of his ownership of Tetsusaiga, but he had to admit that the half-breed had improved - even if he would never be a match for the elder's skill.

 

The fools couldn't touch him; their attacks were slow and sloppy, and despite their greater bulk, Sesshoumaru quickly finished them with nothing more than his speed and the claws of his right-hand. He turned once more to Mitsue's corner with a small smile still playing on his lips. This was more action than he had seen since returning to the palace. As he approached, he could see that she was anxious, searching for some method of escape, but she had literally backed herself into a corner. Perhaps she would accept her fate and die, or, if he felt particularly merciful, she would live out the rest of her many days in his dank dungeons. “You should study your opponent more carefully before attacking - especially in his own home. If you had, you might have known that your threats would have had no effect on this Sesshoumaru other than to ensure your death.” He was yards away from them now and continued in his slow, steady, confident gait, reveling in the stench of Mitsue's fear. The scent of Vanessa's fear had long since dissipated. Apparently, now that he was there, she had no doubt that she would be saved. Impudent human, but the thought was laced with a sort of fondness for her confidence in him. So much like Rin. Now he was mere feet away and he returned the flow of venom to his claws.

 

“Don't take another step!” Mitsue cried desperately. She resumed her grip on Vanessa's throat and, as though to assure him of her intent, gave a painful squeeze, which elicited a small whimper from her captive. Vanessa closed her eyes tight, waiting for whatever would happen. Sesshoumaru was close to losing control. In the months since she came into his world, the human had worked herself deep under his skin and into his heart. He hadn't thought it possible for him to ever care for a human woman, not after what had happened to his father. True, Izayoi never did anything but love him, but she was still his father's weakness and led him to his ultimately death. Red-tinged gold never left the pair before him and he waited for the opportune moment, the moment when he could strike, killing one but not the other. “I wouldn't have had to take these measures if you had been a sensible male and proposed to me.” Sesshoumaru paused and stared at her. Is that what this was all about? He was not amused.

“What was it that you thought to gain in this? This Sesshoumaru would not for an instant tolerate a treacherous consort.”

“I stand to gain nothing. I am only doing as I was ordered.” `Ordered…?' Interesting. He might just keep her alive a bit longer, just to find out who this master was.

“And if you were to become lady of the West, what then?”

“Then I would take you to him. You were supposed to act like any other male, and you were supposed to act especially like the heirless lord that you are. You were supposed to be intrigued by the mysterious female coming out of the storm.”

“You caused that storm?” That was what started this whole mess. He had thought that something was wrong with that storm and to top it off, Vanessa was ill because of it.

“Not exactly… I had some help with that, but the fact that I look like your lost love should have had some impact…” She knew… All along she has been toying with me.

 

While Mitsue talked, she had loosened her hold, somewhat on, Vanessa so Sesshoumaru took that opportunity to attack. He knew he could strike and bypass her human shield, but when she saw him move, she seemed to panic and all but threw Vanessa at him. It caught him off guard since he expected her to use Vanessa to block any of his attacks and he had to quickly pull back his attack to catch her so she didn't send them both to the ground. It was just the opening Mitsue needed and she darted forward, driving her own claws into Sesshoumaru's side. The taiyoukai roared in rage and surprise. Normally such an attack would have been deflected by his armor, but he had left it in his bedroom, and now he was wounded. Sesshoumaru vaguely heard Vanessa say that she was fine, but leapt with her to the opposite wall of the courtyard. After, briefly assuring himself that she was as yet uninjured, he wheeled on his enemy, ignoring the pain and the blood from the slash in his side and in an instant stood in front of Mitsue again. “You will pay,” Sesshoumaru ground out, his voice strangely ragged, his youkai beast desperate to be unleashed. Mitsue smirked, but Sesshoumaru would not be taken down so easily.

 

Now that there was no chance of injuring Vanessa by attacking the other youkai, Sesshoumaru advanced once more. In a flash he was behind her, his single clawed hand wrapped around his enemy's throat, mimicking the position Vanessa had been in. “I killed Atsuko once, wench. I have no problem doing so again,” he hissed in Mitsue's ear so that only she could hear. He couldn't see her eyes widen in fear, but he did feel her body tense. She was holding her breath, waiting for him to finish her. The taiyoukai dug in his claws, allowing a small amount of poison to seep into the blood stream. “Why are you here?” he demanded, releasing just enough pressure to allow for speech.

“You,” Mitsue choked out.

“That much is clear. Why target the human?”

“He said that she would be your weakness.”

“You mentioned this master of yours before. Who is he?”

“It doesn't matter.” Sesshoumaru released a bit more venom into her veins, just to let her know how much it should matter to her.

“I can kill you slowly, or I can kill you quickly. You answers alone will determine how long it will take for you to die and with what amount of pain, but know this: you will die. Now, who is your master?”

“I don't know!” she whined. “I woke up one morning and there was this voice in my head. Nothing you do to me could be worse than the images he showed me of what would happen if I disobeyed.”

“What do you know of him? What does he want with me?” He could tell that his poison was beginning to affect her; her body was beginning to go limp in his grasp. Soon she would breathe her last.

“He knows…” she whispered. “He's always watching.” Sesshoumaru stared across the courtyard where Vanessa was waiting for him. Perhaps he was straining his eyes too much, trying to focus on someone so far away in the dark, but his vision grew fuzzy for a moment and he shook his head once, clearing it and returned his focus to the dying youkai in his claws. I let you see the saimyoushou so that you would know I am always watching. I will always know what you are doing and when you are at your weakest. The words swam in his mind and he glanced down at Mitsue as she breathed her last shuddering breaths. He lowered her to the ground and her face became still. Then, as if in response to her death, the strange marking on her forehead seemed to crystallize and split in half, releasing the faint odor of Naraku's miasma and the scent of a youkai he did not recognize, as well as removing the concealment charm. This demoness was most certainly not Atsuko. Naraku. Naraku had warned him, but he had been so confident in his defenses that he hadn't thought the hanyou could reach him within his palace walls. He would deal with him later. Now he had to see to Vanessa.

 

Sesshoumaru had taken no more than two steps across the courtyard before he stumbled. Catching himself, he paused. Sesshoumaru simply did not stumble. He straightened and took another step, this time falling to his knees. What…? Only trying to wield Tetsusaiga had ever brought him to his knees. Perhaps he lost more blood than he had originally thought? He touched his clawed fingers to the pain in his side and found that he was still bleeding - could he really be so seriously injured? The gash was long and rather deep, but he could feel that it was already healing. He had survived losing an arm and being hit by the Wind Scar. This was nothing more than a flesh wound. He pushed the matter from his mind and looked back to Vanessa, preparing to rise again. It was about that moment when he noticed the tingling sensation that had earlier been hidden by the pain. It spread through his veins like wildfire, increasing in intensity until it felt as though his very flesh was on fire. And then his vision began to fade again. Sesshoumaru held her with his eyes like a lifeline, trying to stay focused, but he was fast failing.

 

Hazy golden eyes watched as Vanessa's expression turned from apprehension to one of horror, but only for a moment. In the next instant she was sprinting across the yard to his side. Sesshoumaru felt her arm wrap around his shoulders, trying to support him, but he sagged against her. He simply couldn't find the strength to hold himself upright any longer and found himself half reclined in Vanessa's lap as she lowered herself to her knees and him with her. Confusion clouded his thoughts and hid everything from his mind but the woman holding him. What was happening to him? He had never felt this way before. It couldn't be Naraku's miasma; it never affected him before, but if it had, it wouldn't have caused this sort of reaction. Something else had gotten into his system, but what? Something on Mitsue's claws - that had to be it. All he knew about it though, was that it was quickly paralyzing him. The taiyoukai felt something strike his cheek. He focused his fuzzy vision on her face in time to see another teardrop slide down her cheek and off of her chin. Her arms tightened around his shoulders and he could feel himself being rocked gently. He couldn't keep himself from staring up at her - she was shedding tears… for him? Do not cry, he tried to say, but he couldn't seem to make his voice work. Instead, he slowly raised his hand and brushed her tears from her cheek, but could hardly hold his arm up. It felt so very heavy, but Vanessa closed her own smaller fingers around his, holding his hand in place. He saw her lips move and squinted up at her. Why couldn't he hear? He could still feel, but he couldn't hear, could barely move, and his vision was quickly fading. It became a struggle even to keep his eyes open. This is not how it was supposed to end. It was a battle, true, but in my own home? Sesshoumaru's eyes closed against his will, but he fluttered them open again, trying to keep Vanessa in his focus. Why was it so hard? His was by no means a mortal wound, so how had he allowed himself to be taken down this way - by a cheap underhanded trick?

 

Finally, Sesshoumaru could fight the darkness no longer. He felt his hand slide through Vanessa's and fall to his side. He felt her shake him, slap his cheeks trying to wake him. He felt her pull him to her chest, imagined her begging him to wake up. He rarely denied her the few things she requested, but in this, no matter how much he wanted to, he simply could not do as she asked. The last thought that entered into his mind was one that surprised him; it wasn't rage or indignation at the whole situation. It wasn't even fear or confusion in the face of the great unknown. Sesshoumaru's final thought as he plunged into oblivion fell somewhere along the lines of: My someone… to… protect?

 

 

 

 

A/N: My first real cliffhanger, isn't it? Was it okay? Did it leave you desperate to find out if everything will turn out all right in the end? Unfortunately for you, I am getting to the very busy part of my summer - seeing friends one last time before preparing for my year-long trip to Germany… I'll try try TRY to get the next chapter out before the end of the month, but no promises. I WILL update while in Europe, but it may be a few weeks between chapters. I mean, come on! How often does a person get to spend a year abroad? I'm sure I'll be pretty busy. The ideas have been swimming around in my head since I first imagined the final scene in this chapter, so it's only a matter of putting them into words and modifying the bits I already have written.

 

On a side note: in a spurt of inspiration as I struggled with this chapter, I wrote a large chunk of the final chapter, or maybe the epilogue to this story, but fear not! The end is still a long way in coming. I'd say this story is somewhere one-half finished. I just wanted to let you all know that while I might not always be writing, I'm still writing… make sense?

Well, keep on doing what you do!

 

Cochrann: I hope this answers your question…