InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Lady Orange Blossom ❯ Lady Orange Blossom Part 2 ( Chapter 2 )

Lady Orange Blossom: Part 2

Inu-Yasha Fanfiction

By Kittyonnails

The indigo waves crashed fiercely on the beach. Sesshomaru watched his father's blood soaking into the sand. "Do you have to go?" He asked, hating his father for making him feel so desperate. His father was injured, probably dying, and still he insisted on going to her. Izayoi, the human he had become infatuated with. "At least leave me the swords then, Tetsusaiga and Sho'unga." His father's most powerful weapons. Perhaps speaking of them would remind Inutaisho that this was his son and heir standing behind him on the beach. His father denied him, asking "Will you kill me then, your own father? Are you so hungry for power?" Of course he wasn't going to kill his father. He was still young, too young to challenge his father like that. That Inutaisho even thought it a possibility spoke volumes. Surely his father would die tonight, and all for love of a human woman.

That memory. It was the thing keeping him hostage. Sesshomaru sat in his office, smelling her scent on Sano. His human and his guard had been together again. Sano was here to report to him, but the smell of her was too distracting. Sesshomaru waived his hand, dismissing Sano. He had yet to actually listen to the man's reports. Four yeas ago, when he had left Rin near the large human town, he had begun sending Sano to check on her and make sure she was alright.

In hindsight, that may have been a mistake. Sesshomaru had chosen Sano because he had a reputation for being extremely tolerant of humans. Most youkai would have caused trouble in a human city, even he himself would have been unable to put up with them for long. Sano's unusual patience seemed to make him the logical choice. Now, it seemed his taste for humans ran deeper than anyone had guessed. Sesshomaru didn't like it. At first, he had thought it a passing thing. She had been a bit young for marriage when he had left her. It had been some time though, and humans aged quickly. Surely she had her own family by now. Why did Sano always bed her when he visited?

Sesshomaru knew why. Rin was one of the loveliest human creatures he had ever seen. She had been a pleasant child, but as her body began to mature she became so much more than pleasant. That was why he hadn't just kept her with him. It wasn't that uncommon for a youkai to keep a human for a pet, and even if it were, no one would question him. Sesshomaru's hereditary social position gave him unquestioning authority from all other inu-youkai.

Inutaisho had brought the clans together in a series of bloody wars. Sesshomaru had watched as his father used the power of his swords first to unite the inu-youkai clans, then to dominate other youkai. But Inutaisho had died too soon. Sesshomaru shouldn't have taken his place until he was strong enough to kill his father. Instead, Inutaisho had been killed by his love for a human woman.

Sesshomaru was not going to let that happen to him. He knew he was not as strong as his father. That weakness was the only thing he feared. It would have been too easy to keep Rin at his side and be tempted by her, just as Sano had been. Despite this logic, Sesshomaru always felt unable to confront Sano about it. Rin was, in his mind, still his human. Sano should know better than to touch her. Perhaps Sano knew that Rin was his lord's weakness. A spike of fear shot through Sesshomaru. Could Sano realize what Rin was to him? Maybe it was time he heard Sano's report.

***

Sano rubbed his palms together and smiled to himself. Another job well done, and what a job it was. He had to admit, checking up on that pet of Sesshomaru's was the best assignment he'd ever had. She was the most lovely and charming human he'd ever been around, and on top of that a prostitute. That meant he could bed her with an easy conscience. He wasn't hurting her, and that meant he wasn't disobeying his lord's orders. He turned a corner into the barracks and stretched out on his bunk. It only made it easier that Sesshomaru never bothered to listen to his reports on the girl. Yep, life was certainly good to Sano Shutaro.

"Yo, Sano!" Another one of the guards called from the doorway. Sano looked up and waved to him. "Lord Sesshomaru wants to see you. He's ready for your report now." Sano's jaw dropped. Hadn't his lord just waived him away?

"Now, idiot!" His comrade knocked him on the head. Sano dutifully headed back to the east wing, where Lord Sesshomaru's office was located. So much for a good day. He could only hope that his lord would be in a good mood.

At the door to Sesshomaru's offices, only a small toady imp stood guard. The imps were servants to the inu-youkai clans, weak but loyal. The imp would give his lord no protection from danger, but Lord Sesshomaru needed none. The imp would simply serve the polite function of announcing and escorting guests in and out of his lord's rooms.

"Ah, welcome back Sano." the imp bowed and slid the door open. "This way" he beckoned, "You are expected."

Sano followed nervously. Sudden changes in his lord's behavior like this were unsettling. The last thing he wanted to do was lose his head over his assignment. It was just a little fun after all. That couldn't be it anyway. Sano's mind raced, trying to decipher what he had done differently. What could have caused this change in his lord? What had he done to ruin such a good thing?

"Enter." Sesshomaru's deep voice beckoned from behind a shoji. The imp slid it aside and Sano stepped into his lord's offices.

"Greetings, Lord Sesshomaru." Sano bowed deeply.

"Your report, I have time for it now." Sesshomaru looked at him disinterestedly.

"Yes my lord." Sano took a breath, trying to ignore the knot growing in the pit of his stomach. He, like any intelligent inu-youkai, was more than a little afraid of Sesshomaru. "I found the human woman in her usual residence. It is a place called The House Of Flowers. There she lives and works under the name of Lady Orange Blossom. As I have often done, I paid her a visit in the guise of a human client. After careful examination, I found her to be most healthy and unharmed by life in the human settlement." Fear crawled up Sano's spine and as he watched his lord's eyes darken.

"Aren't you forgetting something?" Sesshomaru asked coolly. "My nose is much more sensitive than yours, even after your bath, I can smell her on you."

"But, my lord, it is her profession, and a handy way to see she is unharmed!" Sano protested, not sure why his lusty dealings with a human would bother lord Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru was disgusted. He had known that humans sold their bodies like animals in heat, but he had never expected it of Rin. Sano was a fool to bed her still. He had no idea the wrath that would have befallen him had he hurt Rin in a fit of lust. Youkai were not always gentle bedmates.

"She is a whore then?" he asked, forcing himself into stoicism. Sano had seen too much of his interest in Rin as it was.

"Bound to it in Yoshiwara. Of a high class though, she isn't starved or mistreated like lowlier girls."

Sano was trying to ease the sound of it. That enraged him. How dare he presume to slant the information he presented! Still, he sensed no malice from the guard. Sano had truly not known that his actions would be of consequence to his lord. That, at least, pleased him.

"Get her out of there. I don't care what you do with her, but let it be better than allowing her to whore herself out like a bitch in heat." he stared at Sano coolly, "Now."

Sano bowed hastily and sped out of the room. Sesshomaru watched him leave, smelling her scent on his was making him behave strangely. Why should he care if Rin had opted to become a whore? He wasn't responsible for what she had become, but he couldn't shake the feeling of responsibility for the human as a whole. His father had hinted, on the night of his death, that there was power in wanting to protect. Sesshomaru hadn't seen it then, and he still did not. That human had made a fool of Inutaisho. Wanting to protect her had been his weakness. Sesshomaru wondered if this desire to protect Rin would be his own.

Would he, too, die trying to protect this human woman he could not forget? Like his father would he leave a son too young for the seat as daimyo. He thought of his young son, even younger than himself when his father died. The thought made him even more determined not to follow in his father's wake. He could protect Rin without succumbing the way his father had. He would live to see the day when his son challenged him for rule.

***

Rin rubbed the sleep from her eyes as she accepted her breakfast from the maid. She had slept late, and was lucky to have woken when the maid knocked. She would be hungry indeed if she missed breakfast. It was always bad to be hungry, it would get you in trouble. She smiled to herself as she sipped the soup. It was cold outside, she could tell by the frost that was creeping under her door. On this side of her room, the hallway warmed her. Most girls didn't have their own rooms, and the mass of human habitation warmed the building at it's heart. When her customers had left her, Rin had only a brazier burning charcoal for heat. It was enough though, especially with the warm breakfast. She pressed her hands to the bowl, soaking up the heat as she watched the steam curl up off of her rice. Was this all she had to hope for? It had been four long years since she had last seen her lord. She knew somewhere deep in her soul that she belonged to him, and it was that feeling that kept her from leaving.

When she had entered the brothel, she had been given an account. A record of all her meals, purchases, and expenses was started. Most girls remained because of debt. Rin had no debt. She was one of few girls to become independent without a danna. It wasn't that no one had ever offered, only that she didn't feel she could give even such a small piece of herself to anyone but her lord. Of course, Sesshomaru would not want to become her danna. But if she couldn't allow herself a danna, how could she allow herself freedom from the House of Flowers? Such freedom would be short-lived without a husband. Hers was one of few professions open to a human woman.

Rin smiled. That was something she enjoyed about herself. Unlike any of the other women in Yoshiwara, she knew of a world beyond her own. She was not bound to think that all that is good in the world was human. She had seen the greatest kindnesses of her life given from a youkai prince. She was not foolish, Rin was aware of the dark nature of her lord. She was also aware that humans could be even more cruel. It didn't matter what Sesshomaru was, she loved him just the same.

Rin set her empty breakfast dishes on the tray and stepped into the hall. It was time to become Lady Orange Blossom. She slipped out of her robes and joined several other women in the bathroom. All of them scrubbing last night's passions away with cold, soapy water. Rin was careful to remove her makeup and rinse all the soap. With so many people sharing a tub, it was important to try and keep things as clean as possible. Rin sank into the hot water gratefully. She couldn't stretch out though, the tub was too crowded. He memory took her back to her lord's home. In that mountain refuge she had soaked away all her cares. She smiled, remembering the perfume of the water.

"Feels nice." Another girl commented, slipping in beside her. Rin nodded, even though she didn't necessarily agree. She didn't mind company in the bath, but there was always too much company here. Even in her own room, privacy was only an illusion. The walls were mostly paper and even those that were solid were thin. Just another reason she preferred living among youkai. She climbed out of the over-crowded bath and toweled off. Some commotion down the hall was getting everyone's attention, and she couldn't get to her yukata. As she pushed her way over to the shelf where her garment lay she heard a familiar voice. Shutaro was in the office, shouting at someone. Rin grabbed her Yukata and flew out the door, no longer worrying about who she was shoving out of the way. Why was Shutaro here? He'd been with her only the night before, leaving her at sunrise when the Yoshiwara gates were unlocked. Could he be back for another appointment already? But he always sent notice through a messenger. Rin began combing her hair furiously, in an effort to prepare for his possible call. Why had she slept so late?

By the time the knock came, she had managed to finish her hair and makeup. Lady Rose did not wait for her to answer before walking in on her. Silently, she helped Rin into her kimono, and then tied the obi elaborately - in the back. Rin stared at her, puzzled. Women of her profession did not tie their obi behind them. The bow in front was a symbol of their station.

"Lady Rose, why?" she asked, sliding her hand across the small decorative knot on the front of the sash.

"Lord Sano Shutaro is waiting for you." she said simply, leading the way. Rin followed, watched by many eyes. She heard their tittering and knew they were just as curious as she. Could it be that Shutaro meant to take her out of this place? Rin quailed inwardly at the idea. This was not something she could accept. She belonged only to lord Sesshomaru, but how could she explain that to this human man who had treated her so kindly?

Lady Rose slid the door aside and waited for Rin to enter, following her into the room and closing the door. Lord Sano stood up and bowed to them formally. It was just as she feared, Rin started at the pair of sake cups sitting on the table. She had no choice, she sat beside him. Lady Rose seated herself on his other side.

"Lord Sano has asked that you become his concubine at his home in the west." Lady Rose informed her, as if she hadn't guessed as much. Rin's sharp mind caught on the sentence though, and she addressed her suitor directly.

"The west? But my lord, you told me you came from the southern territories." He smiled at her, and she returned his smile. Her matron frowned at the comment.

"I do, but the place I wish to take you is in the west." His eyes were sparkling. He was trying to tell her something, but Rin couldn't guess what. The only time she had been west of here was during her travels with Sesshomaru.

"I do enjoy the mountains." said, deciding suddenly that even if she had to become his, it was worth it to be taken that much closer to Sesshomaru. It was a sudden decision, but just the thought of being even inches closer to her love made her agree. Also, it wouldn't pain her to spend more time with this lovely man and less time crowded in with her fellow women.

Lady Rose smiled at the two of them, pouring the sake skillfully. "Then let's drink to your new life together."

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