InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pride (In the Name of Love) ❯ Chapter 35

Pride (In the Name of Love) 35 / ??
Written by Jezz-Ra
Warnings - Not all warnings apply to all chapters. Yaoi, Het, Rape, Lemon, Violence, Language, Torture, Angst, Incest, Dark (at times). It's a massive story, folks, it's got a little bit of everything.
Disclaimer - I don't own Inuyasha, don't make money off it. Wish I did.

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// blah // indicates thoughts.

A/N - To answer someone's question - I'd be rather surprised if you already knew who the cloaked figure was. It will be revealed in due time.
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The dark cloaked figure slowly looked up at the eager messenger demon before him. "Well?" he snapped.

"It is done, my lord. The letter has been delivered to every demon of rank on the list, as per your request."

"Good. Now we wait."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Sesshoumaru was up at dawn. In truth, he had been up before then, but he didn't bother getting up until the sun had risen. He didn't bother dressing, just remained in his loose-fitting white silk sleeping pants and, of course, his mokomoko. Silently he padded down the hallways. The servants were asleep, and what few guards were posted stiffened and saluted, but he ignored them.

Sesshoumaru headed into his study and closed the door behind him, breathing a sigh of almost-relief. He had not wanted to be seen, just wanted to be by himself. He was full of a strange, if mild, sense of dread and nervousness, and it was upsetting his stomach. He had been in a state of low-key paranoia ever since he had escaped. He had thought Tsetsukosei's death would cure that, and while it HAD helped, it hadn't erased the unpleasant sensation, nor had it removed the nightmares that still plagued him.

He settled into the thick, overstuffed leather chair behind the huge, polished desk with a slight smile. This seemed so ordinary, so normal and...boring...that it helped to calm his jittery nerves. He even afforded himself a small chuckle at his own expense, thinking it absurd that he was actually looking forward to something so mundane as paperwork.

Sesshoumaru tackled the first pile. After looking through his files and doing a bit of review, he had to admit that he was grudgingly impressed with how well Miroku had handled things. Despite his faults, he obviously had a pretty good head on his shoulders. However, Sesshoumaru was far better at this game due to more hours of practice than he cared to think about, and he was able to chew through the pile faster than Miroku would have been able. He scowled a bit at having to use the royal seal instead of signing his name - he rather enjoyed signing his name, there was something satisfying about it - but it was a small matter. It wouldn't do to let the other demons know he was back just yet.

Soon his gaze turned to the newest scrolls, envelopes, and documents. Sesshoumaru frowned. It seemed an absolutely absurd amount of missives had come in since the previous day. Usually, the only time so many documents came at once was when invitations of some sort had been sent out. No demon lord would dare slight the House of Inu no Taisho by not responding immediately. However, there were no social events that Sesshoumaru knew of upcoming, not even any close. Further, he couldn't imagine his brother setting up a ball or such thing, or even having the idea come to him.

Curious, the taiyoukai plucked an overly elaborate scroll with a familiar seal from the pile. He knew automatically that it was from the Eastern Lord, Kanjiro - they'd exchanged a disgusting amount of carefully veiled threats, letters, grudging treaties and the like over the years.

Snapping the seal, he opened it and began to read. At first, it made no sense to him. As he read further, Sesshoumaru's skin began to pale and his hands began to shake. Tears stung the corner of his eyes and a low whine echoed in his throat. The letter was short, but it didn't need to be longer.

Quivering, he tore into another letter from the pile...and another...another...another...the damning words flowed before his eyes.

Most of the missives were expressing sympathy, condolences, or regret - but none of them surprise - at the way he, Sesshoumaru, had brought great shame to the House of Inu no Taisho. It took a few letters to piece together, but somehow, word had gotten out that he had been taken as a mate to a dragon youkai - and had the very obvious mark to prove of his submission - and had killed his staff and abandoned his lands to run off with his mate, leaving the rebuilding and the rule to his younger brother.

However, his mate had summararily discarded him as a whore and a traitor. Several of the missives offered to help hunt him down to attempt to avenge some of the shame brought to the House. There were too many insults to count - how they had expected it of him, he was too young, too pretty, too stuck up, too prideful...

Sesshoumaru finally dropped the letter he was currently holding, unable to contain his shaking. No matter the lack of truth of the rumors now - his House was shamed, and it was because of him. His father's memory was shamed because of him.

If he stayed, it would be a massive political blow to Inuyasha. His brother daring grant him 'sanctuary' after what he had allegedly done would be viewed in a highly unfavorable light. Practically the entire youkai world now thought of him as nothing more than a dragon's whore and a traitor.

He couldn't leave, either...where would he go? It wasn't as if his appearance was common. The entire youkai population would be out to kill him, to hunt him down like an animal. Sesshoumaru was strong but he wasn't invincible.

This was disastrous...ruinous and disastrous. The sudden thought of having to face his father after this made him moan in anguish. He could not...he WOULD not!...

Sesshoumaru scrambled to his feet and tore out of the room. He nearly knocked down a maid bearing an armload of fresh sheets, but he ignored her and kept going, his destination suddenly clear in his mind.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"Y'know, m'lord...it vould have been a lot more conziderate and convenient for me if you had died in your humanoid form. How am I supposed to vork vith dis?" Sairex muttered, staring at Toga's absolutely massive skeleton. Toga chuckled and patted the raven on the back.

"Oh, I know you can handle it. Although next time I decide to die I'll be sure to take your needs more heavily into consideration."

"Vell, it certainly complicates tings. You're too damn big."

Miroku snickered. "I think he's just cranky, not an early bird."

Toga snorted and then burst out laughing. "Indeed!"Sairex scowled. "Har, har...very funny...mock da bird just cause I'm not used to vaking up early because I lived in a vorld vhere it vas almost ALVAYS dark..."

"I enjoy mocking birds." Miroku bit his lip hard, trying not to laugh. Toga made no such effort and simply roared. Sairex rolled his eyes.

"Oye...dat vas...lame. Even for you. Now ztop vith da abuse and help me." Sairex thrust a bowl full of brightly colored but incredibly foul smelling powder into Miroku's hands.

Miroku poked at it hesitantly and wrinkled his nose. "What is this for?"

"Vatch." Sairex hopped nimbly over to one of the nearest bones, his wings spreading slightly for balance. He dipped his claw into a similar bowl of powder and drew a simple half-moon shape on the bone. "See dis? Have to draw it on all da bones, include dem in da spell. I'll...get da more difficult ones."

"Interesting." Toga blinked as the raven thrust a bowl in his hands too. "I'm no monk..""Dey be your bones, you're zolid enough, you can help. Dis vould have taken only a couple minutes if you had da decency to be a normal zize..." Sairex winked and took off, half-leaping and half-flying further up the mound.

It took a long while - and a couple fresh batches of powder - but eventually they had everything marked to Sairex's satisfaction. The raven squatted down and rummaged in the pack he had brought, fishing out several heavy vials. He then began stripping. Miroku blinked and stared. "Much as I like the show...er..."

"I have a loincloth, no need to get jealous. Bezides, dogs really aren't my ztyle..."

Toga smirked. "Ah, but you've never had one such as I.""And hopefully he never will, no offense," Miroku said with a grin. Toga chuckled and nodded.

"No worries, monk."

Miroku blinked as he took a good look at what Sairex was doing. He had a bowlful of what looked like..."Is that blood?""Yes. Zome of Inuyazha's, zome of Zezzhoumaru's. Best I could do, considering da big guy here has none. But dat's ok, I know a trick." So saying, he pulled out another couple vials, squinting at the contents before discarding them, finally lighting up when he found the one he sought. "Here ve go..." He poured the dark green, crystalline powder in his hand. Murmuring softly he cast it into the bowl of blood.

There was a bright flash of viridian smoke, and Sairex crowed in triumph. The blood in the bowl was now hovering in three separate segments - one large and two smaller, although nothing visible was holding it apart. Carefully, the raven deposited each third into individual bowls. The two smaller bowls he carefully bottled and stored away. The rest he left with a grin. "Dis here, purely your blood, m'lord."

"You're just full of tricks, aren't you." Toga's gaze slid to the raven's pack. "And then the rest...?""Your mates. I vill zave it for you, in case it is...necessary at zome point. You never can tell."

Toga's eyes lingered for a long moment before he turned away. "Indeed."

"I have blood and bone. I can draw flesh from dese, but you vill be veak and need to rest for a few veeks, and vork out and eat a good deal to regain your full ztrength."

"A minor inconvenience compared to being dead. Sairex, you are a genius.""Mrr...no...just remember a lot of old magic better left forgotten, in most cases...dere vere good reasons dat my clan vas killed.""Your people were killed?...I'm so sorry..." Miroku frowned. Sairex shrugged slightly.

"I vouldn't be...dey vere largely necromancers and almost exclusively evil. I know many vays to raise da dead and bind dem, I know vays to zteal zouls, possess people...I know many vicked tings from dem. If I hadn't left, maybe I vould have ended up like da rest of dem. At least now I have da chance to do zometing good."

Miroku nodded. "Right. So..er...is there any way I can help you?"Sairex looked up from where he was busily drawing intricate figures on his skin with Toga's blood. "Mmm...you vill soon. I vill be taking your energy for dis...you vill be veak.""That's fine, I trust you.""I know. Take Tenzeiga and hold it. No matter vhat happens, try to ztay in contact vith da sword. As if you vere becoming one vith it. Can you do dat?""Sure. I brought him here, didn't I?"Toga chuckled, and Sairex nodded. Miroku picked up Tenseiga and then sat down comfortably, resting the blade across his lap. Sairex finally decided he had done enough drawing. He took the bowl with the remaining blood and bounced up, upending it over the top of Toga's skull. He then flew back down, chanting softly and drawing intricate symbols in the air. As each was completed, it flared into visibility, a startling bright, purple shock before vanishing.

Miroku felt a tremendous pull on his energy, as if someone had suddenly pulled the plug and it was going down the drain. He concentrated hard on the warmth of Tenseiga's energy, although he almost lost it when he felt its energy flare too.

Sairex continued to draw and he traced runes. He finally pulled them all together and gave Toga one long look. Toga nodded, and Sairex traced one final symbol. There was a loud shattering noise and a blinding purple-gold flash. When the light vanished and Miroku could see again, he saw that Toga was gone, but nothing else appeared to have happened.

"Did...did it not work?""Vatch..." Sairex murmured softly as he sank down to the ground to sit, exhaustion evident in his eyes. Miroku leaned against him, feeling equally drained. The ground began to rumble, and Sairex's grin widened triumphantly.

Slowly, as if being moved by some giant hand, the bones of the Inu no Taisho began to drag themselves together. They lashed together as tendons and joints began to grow. The skeleton rose slowly to its feet as it neared completion, lifting its head. Brilliant golden sparks exploded into its eyes. Slowly the skeletal beast clacked its jaw, testing it. Even as the two onlookers watched, flesh began to grow out of the bones in thick ribbons, twisting with veins and sinew. The whole process was very grisly to watch, but morbidly fascinating at the same time.

The skin came next, and then the surface seemed to slither as tufts of silver white hair burst free of the surface. Toga threw back his head with a gleeful howl as his rebirth was completed. He was far too skinny and was exhausted, but he was ALIVE!

Slowly the beast shrank back to his humanoid form, smiling warmly at Sairex and Miroku. He seemed much more solid than he had when he was a ghost - understandably so - even if he had a lot of weight and muscle mass to put back on to retain his former glory. "Ah, Sairex and Miroku, thank you..."

"Nn...you owe me. I'll be recovering for veeks and I used up zome tings I don't tink I can replace. I couldn't have done it vithout Tenzeiga. I basically modified vhat it usually does and added to it vith my knowledge of necromancy and vhatnot..."

"I owe you. Now I wish to go home...it will be good to actually feel the wind in my face and the grass beneath my feet...and shortly thereafter, a bed beneath my back."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

The exhausted but triumphant trio returned back to the western castle. Miroku and Sairex stumbled off together to take a very long nap. Toga, though tired, was enjoying stretching his limbs too much - indeed, simply having them was wonderful again!

He peered into Sesshoumaru's room when his knock received no answer and saw that his son was already up and out of the room. His bed was made pristinely and the room was in perfect order - as always. Toga smirked a bit and paused, wondering where his eldest pup had gone.

// If not in his room, he must be either reading in the library, working in the study, or practicing swordplay. I doubt that he's changed his habits THAT much. // When the library proved empty, Toga made his way into the study.

Something was wrong. He knew it the moment he entered. Scrolls and documents had been ripped open haphazardly and strewn everywhere. He snatched up a handful and his eyes widened in shock as he scanned through them briefly. "A shame to my house...! Oh, DAMN it...!"

With an angry growl he pitched down the parchment and tore out of the room, finding strength in the sudden surge of adrenaline. Any servant that he passed he snagged roughly, demanding they tell him where Sesshoumaru was or if they had seen him. Most of them knew nothing, but one timid and somewhat terrified maid said she had seen him headed for the private springs.

Toga cursed lividly every step of the way. Servants and guards alike scrambled to get out of his way. After what seemed like far too long he burst out the side door and down the path through the gardens that led to the private springs. They were a small ways from the castle, a short ways from the wall and hidden by lush vegetation. Toga burst into the clearing, his lungs heaving. He had a stray thought that such a minor thing shouldn't have ever tired him out in the slightest, but it was promptly forgotten as his heart skipped a beat and his blood froze in his veins.

The spring was eerily still and serene. Had it been a windy day, he may not have been able to see much in water. However, it was sunny, and the water was as still and smooth as glass. His view was unhindered enough to catch a muted flash of silver below the surface.

Without a second thought Toga bounded into the spring and dove under. Drifting lightly against the smooth stony bed of the spring lay Sesshoumaru, his hair floating around him gently. The weight of his drenched clothing and mokomoko had been enough to hold him under.

With a defiant growl that would have been a roar if it hadn't threatened to earn him a double lungful of water, Toga grabbed his son and hauled him free of the spring. Sesshoumaru's lips were blue and he wasn't breathing. Toga felt for a heartbeat frantically and found nothing.

"NO, DAMN IT!" With a roar that shook the very ground, he hammered his fist on Sesshoumaru's chest. The younger taiyoukai's body jolted and he abruptly spluttered, his lungs expelling some of the water he had swallowed. Tears of relief stung Toga's eyes as he rolled Sesshoumaru to his side to make it easier for him to get the water out.

// They will pay. They will all pay. No one will ever consider a pup of mine a disgrace without due cause. Especially not my Sesshoumaru. How DARE they bring him to THIS... //

Thoughts of angry vengeance and violence dominated his mind, along with relief and a deep and fierce love for his puppy. Toga wearily scooped up his soaked and bedraggled pup, carrying him back to the castle. He spoke to no one, merely staggered his way into his chambers. He noted idly that they were precisely how he had left them, although Sesshoumaru's scent was present.

// He has been in my chambers since my death...fairly often, it would seem. Oh, my dear Sesshoumaru...//

Mindless of the fact they were both soaked, he set Sesshoumaru on his bed and then curled him into his arms, falling into an exhausted sleep almost instantly.