InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Pride ❯ Chapter 3

 

 

Sesshoumaru traveled to the village that had once held Izayoi only to find that the entirety of it had been destroyed by war and fire. Father's work no doubt, he thought with a momentary tilt of single brow. Walking further through, he found tracks, old though they were; they led him to a nearby village, very newly built.

 

Hiding himself with a few well chosen words, he moved easily through the village without being seen by the humans. The animals however were a different story entirely, the village dogs stepped aside, watching him with interest and respect, the chickens flittered quickly away screeching as they moved. Nearby voices drew his attention, more from the topic of conversation then the voices themselves.

 

“Please, my son-”

 

“That monster will never be anything! You were a princess once, now you're nothing but a whore!” a man yelled at the woman.

 

“I loved him!” she yelled back and as Sesshoumaru drew closer he discovered her to be Izayoi. “And he loved me! Inuyasha-”

 

“Is nothing but a filthy beast!” the man was older than her by many years. Humans aged so visibly and most without grace.

 

“He is your grandson!” she cried outraged.

 

This man was her father? A youkai grandfather would most likely be outraged to find themselves the blood kin to a hanyou, but to belittle their own children? That was unheard of. He watched as the man reared back and struck Izayoi down, her lip and cheek cut by his ring. Still hidden by the magic barrier he had cast about himself, Sesshoumaru stood still, his face impassive as he watched on silently.

 

A flash of white caught his eye and he heard the man scream as he was brought to ground. Barbaric though he found the act to be, Sesshoumaru found that he felt pride in the hanyou he shared blood with. Inuyasha had flown through the air to attack the man who had harmed his mother.

 

“Inuyasha no!” Izayoi cried out alarmed and afraid.

 

Raising one hand, Sesshoumaru easily caught the hanyou as he was thrown violently through the air. The pup had no teeth yet, his eyes hadn't been open for more than a few days, but he had already let his inu instincts take over in defense of his mother. The barrier that kept him hidden fell as the eldest son of the slain inu taiyoukai fell and Sesshoumaru was revealed.

 

“Who the hell are you?!” Izayoi's father snarled madly. “That bastard she laid with was killed! Or do you youkai rise from your graves like hell beasts?” the man asked snidely.

 

His face showed no emotion, but quicker than the eye could discern Izayoi's father had a red and burning line across his chest from the youkai's poison whip.

 

“You would do well to watch what you say about my father human,” Sesshoumaru said evenly though there was a darkness coloring the final words. “Woman,” Sesshoumaru said as he handed the hanyou pup back to Izayoi, “do well to teach him the truth of his father. The inu no taisho was fair and just.”

 

“Are you…Sesshoumaru?” Izayoi asked as she studied the youkai before her. She smiled softly at his nod, “Toga spoke very highly of you. He often wished - ”

 

“Do not speak to me of his wishes,” Sesshoumaru said with barely controlled rage. “You brought about his death.”

 

“I…w-what?” she stammered as her pup began to cry due to her upset. “He was protecting me!”

 

“We will not speak in such a free forum,” Sesshoumaru growled before snatching her up and leaping far away from the other humans and into the middle of the burned out remains of the woman's village.

 

Setting her down, he moved swiftly away.

 

“My father was not healed from his previous battle when he came out to your aid, for your pup's birth. Had you come to the castle as I'm certain he commanded,” Sesshoumaru took in a silent calming breath.”

 

“I would've been killed, or he would have,” Izayoi said softly, her voice sad and tired. “Toga, your father, he told me of the dangers of a hanyou birth. But I loved him so much, I couldn't just…Inuyasha is all I have left of him. Sesshoumaru…” she waited until the youkai looked at her. “I know that now you must fill his place as lord of the inu clan. I'm not asking you for anything, I haven't the right. I'm not your mother, I could never be or replace her.”

 

“You know nothing of my mother,” he growled his emotional wounds, though hidden, were still far too raw from the truth he'd learned about his mother.

 

“You father told me that she was a good woman, that she loved you as best she could.”

 

Why lie to her father? You had no reason to cast a good light on the woman who tried to kill me.

 

“I know that it may not mean anything to you Sesshoumaru, but please, accept my condolences for her death. It's not easy to lose someone you love.”

 

“That is a human emotion.”

 

“Your father loved. He loved you, me and I'm sure he loved Inuyasha. Sesshoumaru should anything happen to me…please make sure that Inuyasha is safe and learns what he needs to.”

 

“You fear for his safety?” he asked her disinterestedly.

 

“I fear for his,” her eyes filled with tears though she let none fall.

 

Sesshoumaru could smell her fear and grief though she was careful to let none of it show. This woman was proud, beautiful by human standards and unprejudiced; to her youkai were not monsters. Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed imperceptibly as he stepped closer to Izayoi.

 

“You are wounded, I speak not of your face,” he clarified as she lifted a hand to her cheek.

 

“Yes,” Izayoi bowed her head. “It'll heal.”

 

“I don't recall asking as to the condition of the injury. I do however demand to know the circumstance.”

 

He thought she wasn't going to answer him until he realized that she was trying to put Inuyasha to sleep.

 

“Give him to me,” he commanded when the hanyou refused to be comforted.

 

Taking Inuyasha into his arms, Sesshoumaru held him close, growling low in soothing tones. Within seconds the pup was deeply asleep.

 

“Thank you,” she said. “He understands more than most think. I don't how much of actual language he understands, but I know he can speak with the village dogs, I've seen him do it.”

 

“The inu language is instinctive. It is known from birth.”

 

Izayoi nodded, watching as Sesshoumaru continued to hold the infant.

 

“You have yet to answer my question,” he pointed out.

 

Nodding Izayoi turned away from him, refusing to let him see her cry though she knew he would be able to smell the tears, Toga always had.

 

“I was…whipped…two days ago.”

 

“Why?”

 

“Because I could not stop Inuyasha from crying…he was frightened by the storm and I couldn't get him to sleep.”

 

She was not safe here, Sesshoumaru knew that and also knew that if she wasn't safe than neither was her pup.

 

“I will return but I will not announce myself when I do.”

 

Handing the sleeping pup back to the woman, he turned and began to walk away. Stopping after a few steps, his back still turned to her, he spoke.

 

“There is an outcropping of caves not too far from here. Perhaps a day's walk. You will be safe there, so will your pup. The river is heavy with fish, the bushes and trees full with fruits.”

 

Saying nothing more and not waiting for a response Sesshoumaru continued walking until he was out of sight. He wasn't sure what to make of the meeting, nor what he had learned. If he did return, it would not be soon. He needed to think over what he had learned, both of his mother and his half brother's mother. It would be a miracle if he got any sleep this night.