InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Peace Treaty ❯ Sesshoumaru ( Chapter 5 )

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

The members of the Four Houses of Taiyoukai sat at the round table in the meeting room of the Council of Great Families, growing impatient. They had been told negotiations would begin shortly, but had been seated for nearly an hour.

“Remind me again why I'm here,” a stoic-looking Taiyoukai said to the female seated next to him.

“Sesshoumaru, son, nothing less than the survival of our species,” she answered, squeezing his hand proudly.

He, of course, needed no reminding. It was only a month and a half ago, a blink of an eye for a Youkai, that he had been approached by his father. He had been leading an expedition in the lands of the House of the North and had just returned to his family's main stronghold in order to get the latest intelligence report and his troops some needed rest.

“Father,” he said as he saw the older Taiyoukai striding toward him.

“Son, it's good to have you back. We were expecting you some weeks ago. Give me a brief report as you walk with me to meet your mother. She wants to see you, and we have much to discuss.”

“As you know,” began Sesshourmaru, as they made their way toward the wing of the manor house occupied by the Lady of the West, “we were in the Northern lands at the request of Lord Byakko for help dealing with Ningen land encroachment. Their insatiable appetite for farm land is leading Ningen to destroy vast tracts of forest in all Youkai territory, but the Northern lands have been particularly damaged. They had torched an entire colony of tree Youkai and were threatening a second. We pushed them back into Ningen territory and crossed the border only to find a settlement, the inhabitants on the brink of starvation. Apparently their latest harvest is failing. Why they thought clearing land that doesn't belong to them right before winter would ameliorate the situation is anyone's guess, but the sheer idiocy of human actions is nothing new. I was tempted to put them out of their misery, but I am aware the Four Houses have been working on a treaty proposal and wanted to do nothing to jeopardize it. We left a show of force on the border and returned to the West.”

“Very good,” General Inutaisho said. “Sesshoumaru, the treaty proposal is actually the subject your mother and I wish to discuss with you. Ah, here we are. First, greet you long-suffering mother,” he said as they entered the well-appointed quarters of Lady Seiobo.

“Sesshoumaru,” his mother said smiling, rising to her feet. “I'm so relieved to have you home.”

“Mother, it's good to be back,” he said bowing. She softly kissed both sides of his face.

“My son, I know you've only just returned, but we've matters of some urgency to address.”

“So I've been told.”

“Let us sit. Hannya,” Seiobo said to her handmaiden, “will you bring us some tea?”

“Sesshoumaru, as you know,” General Inutaisho said, “the Four Houses have been meeting frequently for the past two years to discuss our common population problems. Not only have our birth rates been falling, but this war's death toll on the Four Houses has made the situation particularly critical.” He paused and looked at his mate. She nodded for him to continue. “I realize this is not new information, but something, in fact, has changed. Since early summer we have been receiving troubling reports from our spies. They talk of a new weapon being developed by Ningen. It is called kayaku.”

“Kayaku?” Sesshoumaru said, his eyes narrowing.

“If the intelligence is true, and we have little reason to doubt its veracity, this weapon has the potential to be so deadly that all Youkai society, not just Taiyoukai, could be staring extinction in the face.”

Sesshoumaru knew his father was not given to exaggeration. “What is the nature of this weapon?”

“The spies' reports have not been specific yet. What they have said is that it would put something akin to a miko's destructive power in the hands of every Ningen.”

“How near are they to using this kayaku in battle?”

“We aren't certain, not too near as yet, perhaps just beyond preliminary planning. We do know it is being developed in secrecy by two generals, Kurono and Akagawa. They don't trust and are not trusted by the Council, though they are both members of it. Which brings me to the treaty proposal. Our informants tell us three generals on the Council are arguing for the resumption of treaty talks. Ningen society has not fared much better than Youkai during the last decade of this war. Destruction of settlements has led to a substantial refugee problem. The last three years have seen poor yields at harvest time, and much of the salvageable crop goes to feed the army. Ningen have cleared so much of their forest land, it is impossible hunting will make up the lack of food. They are on the brink of mass death. Which is why I believe if we make a proposal to these generals before, and this is crucial, before Kurono and Akagawa can finish this Kayaku and take it to the Council, they will be very receptive to peace treaty discussions. A laying down of arms would benefit both sides. Ningen can focus on feeding and housing their people. We can slow our death rate, but importantly it would buy us time to learn more about kayaku, and learn how to defend against it, or, better yet, sabotage and prevent it from ever being actualized.”

“And what is being offered in exchange for the laying down of arms?” Sesshoumaru asked.

General and Lady Inutaisho looked at each other, communicating silently. Neither wanted to be the one to answer their son's query.

“Ah! Our tea is here,” said Lady Seiobo with relief. “Hannya, thank you. I will serve. You may leave.”

Sesshoumaru noticed with suspicion his mother, who prided herself on perfect grace while serving tea, and her slightly trembling hands. “Mother, thus far Father has been doing most of the talking. If I know you at all, and I think know you quite well,” he said, “you have had a prominent part in all this. What is being offered?”

General Inutaisho looked away casually. Lady Seiobo gazed at her son and her mate with annoyance. She took a deep breath. “A Taiyoukai male will take a Ningen for a mate,” she said simply.

“I don't like where this is going.”

“We didn't imagine you would.”

“Then why?”

“First I believe something this personal, with such great risks at stake, neither side would have an interest in indiscriminately breaking treaty. Also intermating has never been attempted at a treaty level, and certainly not with Taiyoukai; the sheer audacity of the idea will at least gain their attention.”

“And their revulsion,” Sesshoumaru said.

“Certainly among some, but hanyou are not unheard of-”

“Mother, hanyou barely rise in status above animals in Ningen society.”

“I know,” said Seiobo, rubbing her temples. “Hanyou would be a topic addressed at treaty negotiations.”

“And why me?”

“To begin with, the West made the proposal; it would be dishonorable to expect one of the other Houses to offer one of their own. But my real reason-”

“So this was your idea, Mother?”

“Of course. You don't think your father could have come up with something this creative,” she said looking at her mate playfully. “As I was saying, the real reason has more to do with our declining fertility. Taiyoukai females are not experiencing estrus as frequently as in the past. My great-grandmother had seven offspring; I had two. It is the same in the other Houses. We are barely replacing ourselves. Any loss from the result of war is devastating. Which brings me to intermating. If you were to take a Ningen bride, she could give you five, maybe seven children in her lifetime.”

“Hanyou children,” Sesshoumaru muttered.

“Yes they would be hanyou,” Seiobo admitted, “and that brings me to answer your question `Why me?'” She paused. “As you know I have a fondness for developing orchid cultivars. When I am crossing two strains and wish to retain more characteristics of one, I select the best, strongest, most perfect representative I can obtain. You, my son, are the most perfect Taiyoukai in centuries, if not millennia. You surpassed your father, the most powerful leader ever seen by the House of the West, when you were barely out of adolescence. You surpassed how your father was at his prime not long after that. I think any hanyou born to you would have many more Youkai traits than Ningen ones.”

“Simply put, Sesshoumaru, your mother's attempt to change history is nothing more than the wish of an old lady to be a grandmother.”

“One hundred sixty two hardly qualifies as old,” Seiobo smiled.

“Son, we will not force this on you. You are free to refuse. I know you have preferred to stay unmated and devote your energies to hostilities against Ningen and securing the West for our family against my would-be usurping cousin, but your sister's death-”

“Slaughter,” Sesshoumaru interrupted.

“The loss of your sister changed things. You are the end of the Inutaisho line. What your mother said makes a lot of sense.”

“Wouldn't this proposed mating validate the claim dear cousin Okuri has against the West? You complain about the war with Ningen; those killed during infighting are just as dead.”

Seiobo spoke up, “Sesshoumaru, we have raised the possibility when meeting with the other three Houses. They have sworn to uphold your position as heir to the West and support you with arms. I don't think Okuri would press his claim in the face of those odds.”

“How long until you need an answer?”

“Time is precious. We must get an emissary to ask for talks with those generals as soon as possible. So long as kayaku is a threat, time is not on our side. If you gave us your answer by sundown, we could have couriers to the other three Houses by midday tomorrow,” General Inutaisho said.

Sesshoumaru rose, bowed, and left his parents. He looked for his second-in-command, Kouga, and found him striding across the grounds. “Have the troops had their needs attended to?”

“Yes. I don't think I've ever seen a group of Youkai more happy to have a hot meal than that lot,” Kouga replied.

“And you? Have you seen Ayame?”

Kouga grinned broadly. “She's as big as a house.” He sobered immediately. “Don't tell her I said that. She hit me when I asked her how much she weighs,” he said, rubbing his jaw. “Damn, but she's beautiful. It's going to kill me to leave her again to go on patrol.”

“There may be a change in plans so far as that goes. I'll tell you tonight,” said Sesshoumaru. “I imagine my mother is giddy about the prospect of having a pup around the manor soon.”

“Yeah, Ayame says Seiobo comes every other day with suggestions for names.”

Sesshoumaru slapped Kouga on the back. “I'll find you tonight. Go to your mate. And watch your mouth.”

He crossed the common grounds to the cemetery and walked solemnly past the gravestones of ancestors to the small hill situated at the far end. He climbed the hill and, on reaching the top, knelt on one knee. There three familiar tombstones stood, two larger on either side of a smaller stone. Two wisteria had been planted, one near each of the larger stones, and a sturdy wooden lattice erected to support the twining vines as they grew. This spring had been the first year the wisteria produced flowers, great hanging clusters of fragrant purple blossoms. He noticed in their place were long, brown, velvety seed pods. Another reminder that, in the midst of the chaos of war, some things do keep the cycle of life moving.

He sat down, cross-legged, in the shade made by the crown of the wisteria and indulged in a memory of his sister. They were both very young, she a mere four years older than he. “Let's play house. I'm the Mama and you're the pup.” Then she made him to sit, went behind him, and began to brush his then shoulder-length hair. “Ow Sumiko! That pulls!” “Well if you weren't such a naughty puppy, climbing trees with your hair unbraided, then it wouldn't get so tangled.”

Sesshoumaru smiled to himself. She had inherited the forceful personality of his mother, but at the time, had not yet gained the maturity and experience to soften it. She grew to be a beautiful Youkai, kind and quick to laugh. The murder of her and her newborn pup by marauding Ningen hit them all hard.

Ningen. Could he actually do what was being asked of him? They were pathetic. Weak and ugly. Most had no honor. Their greed knew no bounds, caring only for immediate needs, with no thought to the future. The future. He wondered, could there be a future with no Youkai? The land populated solely by Ningen? The idea left him disturbed and melancholy.

The sun neared the horizon line, tinging the undersides of the few clouds in the evening sky violet and pink. Seiobo appeared next to him and sat down. “I thought I'd find you here. What a lovely sight,” she said, turning to the west and the lowering sun. “Sesshoumaru, the mating of your father and I was arranged by our families, but we came to love each other by the end of our first night together. Your sister was in a love match. I had hoped for the same for you. I truly would not ask this of you, did I not believe it for the best. Whoever the Ningen girl is, I'm certain with time you would at least have respect, perhaps affection, for her, because she is your mate.”

“Perhaps,” he replied.

“Are you giving your consent?”

“I suppose I am.”

Seiobo hugged him tightly. “Always the dutiful son. I'll go tell your father.”

“Mother, why the soft spot for Ningen? Most Youkai would be repulsed by the idea of one joining the family.”

“When I was young, barely older than a pup, I was playing near the river that ran through my aunt and uncle's land. We were visiting at the time. It had just rained and the river was very fast. I fell in and was taken quite a distance. My family feared me dead. A Ningen woman and her hanyou son found me, near drowned, hungry, and bedraggled. They cared for me while I recuperated, then helped me reunite with my kin. It was incredibly brave of her. Sesshoumaru, I need you to know they are not all like the ones you fight, like the ones who killed your sister. Some of them are capable of great compassion and kindness.”

Sesshoumaru was interrupted from his reminiscence by the entrance of four members of the Council of Great Families.

General Furuki cleared his throat and began. “Thank you all for your patience in waiting. Our lookout has just reported that General Miyamoto and Lady Tokuhoshi have been spotted on the road. They will bring the girl shortly.”

“Perhaps we have a reluctant bride,” Lady Seiobo said gently. “I suppose that is not unexpected. Who is she?”