InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Love after Death ❯ Visit From an Old Friend ( Chapter 8 )

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

“What?! That's black mail!! You can't give in to him!” Rin yelled. “I have no choice, if I don't, he'll tell everyone about us…” Fawks sighed. Mimirou lay asleep in her bed, Fawks pulled the blanket up over her.

“So you're going to give up, the lady Fawks, mate of lord Sessho-maru of the western lands?!” Rin began.

“…Former mate…” Fawks corrected.

“But mate none the less! A woman strong enough to capture the attentions of lord Sessho-maru himself, a great and powerful demon…”

“You know not of what you speak…” Fawks said in a hushed voice. “Sessh-kun became interested in me for my weaknesses, not my strength”

Rin lowered her head. “That may be so…but what truly interested lord Sessho-maru…was how a female such as yourself could find strength from those weaknesses. That is the woman he fell in love with…”

The two women looked up with shocked expressions at the man who had just spoken. The new lord of the western lands, lord Kazoku, stood in the door way. He gazed down at the two woman, then at the girl sleeping in her bed. Fawks stood up in front of her.

Lord Kazoku smiled softly. “It's been quite a while, my lady, I have come by for a visit”

Gazing at his smiling face, all the hostility drained out of her. It told Fawks that he wouldn't hurt or try to take her daughter, she returned his smile. “It is good to see you again, Lord Kazoku…”

“So the headman is giving you trouble is he?” Kazoku said as he and Fawks walked in the forest so he would not be seen. Fawks nodded sadly.

“Why not just kill him?”

“Lord Shoji is well loved, everyone would know it was I…” Fawks sighed. “I could take care of him for you…” he began. “That still wouldn't work…Shoji said that if anything were to happen to him…then our secret would get out. He's told someone else…”

“I could slaughter the whole village…”

“Now you're being blood thirsty” Fawks giggled. Kazoku smiled, “It is good to see you smile, my lady…”

Fawks frowned slightly turning to look at him. “Why do you call me that? Sessho-maru is dead, I am no longer the lady of the western lands…”

Kazoku smiled softly, “No matter what you will always be the lady of the western lands to me”

He took her face in his hands, “My lady, I want you to know…I was lord Sessho-maru's most trusted friend and…before he asked you to be his mate…he boasted to me about you. Saying how you were the most beautiful woman in all of Japan. I was happy, I had never seen my friend in love before…but then I saw you. Lady Fawks…from the moment I saw you…I lost my heart to you as well…”

Fawks gazed at him in astonishment. Kazoku smiled sadly, “…For once in our very long lives I was jealous of Sessho-maru, for having captured the attentions of such a beautiful and capable young female. I am sorry to say, that when he died…my heart felt lighter…as if I could now take his grieving mate…for that I am extremely sorry…I knew you pregnant when I saw you again at the funeral…”

Fawks gave him another look of surprise. “You told me you want to leave and live in peace with your lord's remains close to you…I knew if anyone were to find out you were carrying lord Sessho-maru's only heir, that would not be possible. They would force you to stay or wait out your pregnancy an try to take the baby from you…”

Fawks nodded softly, “Thank you, Kazoku-sama…If I ever fell in love again…I would have hoped it to be you…” She then sighed pulling away. “…But…I fear that can never be…”

Hot tears began to roll down her face, she smiled sadly, “At times like these…when everything seems so utterly hopeless…I wish…I wish Sessho-maru were still alive…”

Kazoku gazed at her forlornly, wishing deeply from his heart of hearts there was something he could do to help her. “There's the headman's carriage…” Fawks whispered absently. Kazoku came up beside her, indeed there was a carriage in front of her home. “I must go tell him my decision…goodbye…Kazoku-sama…” With that she started back to her home.