InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Seven Feudal Fairy Tales ❯ The Weight of Words ( Chapter 11 )

Disclaimer: These characters belong to Rumiko Takahashi and other associated companies.

 

 

Chapter Eleven: The Weight of Words

 

 

“How could he say that?” Kagome said vehemently as the travelers once more made their way through the long corridors of the castle, escorted gently by the soldier. “I'm irresponsible when he allows so many to suffer at his idle hands. With one, single order, he could save so many people, but instead he sits in his garden and trims trees.”

 

His legs crossed gracefully in front of him, Sesshoumaru sat quietly on the shoulder armor of the guard, his eyes closed and ears tuning out the flurry of words pouring from the human woman below him. Gradually her voice faded into the background, like the rumbling of waves breaking on the beach. The smooth curves of his face relaxed as he centered his mind and focused once more on his training. The rushing of blood steadily flowing through the giant man's body, spurred forth by the loud thumping of his heart greeted the tai youkai's ears as he sought the rhythms of life around him. He soon found himself anticipating each sound with a growing ease, their meanings ingraining themselves in his mind and into his instincts.

 

His pleasure at his progress began to ebb as his thoughts drifted him from his focus, rippling his peaceful countenance. The final, whispered words of the emperor bore into his concentration, their possible significance acting like chisels, fracturing his resolve until he opened his golden eyes in frustration.

 

`Another human is trapped. His bloodline fascinates me more every time,' Sesshoumaru thought, repeating the final remark of the human lord in his mind. Whether or not the emperor believed anyone present could hear those hushed words only enticed the demon's curiosity further. It was more than the passing wonder he held occasionally regarding the purpose of the scroll or why his father had kept such a powerful treasure and passed it down to him without so much as a word of caution. Such hadn't concerned him too greatly. He was a powerful tai youkai and none of the threats the illusionary world had presented could rival his strength or take his life.

 

Sesshoumaru's cool gaze gravitated down to the wild gesturing and rambling of the woman beneath him. Another human is trapped. What did humans have to do with an heirloom belonging to a tai youkai? Sesshoumaru's brow furrowed slightly, his mind working behind his even expression. Had he been thinking about this wrong from the beginning? There was more than the single scroll left to him. Two scrolls, as there had been two fangs. One scroll bequeathed to him by his father and one bequeathed to Inuyasha by the hanyou's mother. If he or his half-brother had read one of the scrolls while the other possessed the second one, then he would have been trapped with Inuyasha and not the miko. Was that the intent?

 

`If I had been told that…,' the tai youkai thought as mild disgust formed on his face, mixing with the anger of being manipulated yet again by his family. The revulsion quickly passed and a faint smile hinted in its place. It was somewhat pleasing that this little, life lesson of his father's had been upset by the bumbling actions of the foolish woman. A human was snared instead of the hanyou, but from the cryptic words of the emperor, she was not the only one of her kind to stumble into the trap.

 

“Sesshoumaru-sama,” a voice called out, drawing the tai youkai from his contemplations. “Sesshoumaru-sama, are you listening to me?”

 

“No,” he replied finally, his distant eyes focusing on the worried frown of the woman, watching it gradually fade into one of annoyance.

 

“I thought you were supposed to be getting better at listening,” she spoke with an edge, crossing her arms and letting out an indignant huff.

 

“Being able to ignore unnecessary noise is an essential skill in listening, miko,” the tai youkai said mildly, now watching her newly formed frown of annoyance change once more to that of shock. “And if you have nothing of relevant importance to say then leave me to my training.”

 

“I-I want to talk about what the emperor said,” she stuttered before finding her voice. She wasn't unnecessary noise, was she? Maybe she wasn't a strong fighter, but at least she was smart. If anything, she knew the stories, the kanji and perhaps one other thing the wise, old demon hadn't thought of yet.

 

“This Sesshoumaru has no interest in discussing matters regarding the rice farmers further.”

 

“I know that,” Kagome said softly, rubbing her hands together nervously, “I was angry before and just wanted to let it out. The emperor was just so stubborn and so cruel.” The tai youkai arched a brow at her reply, but continued to eye her in quiet expectation. “What I really wanted to talk about was what he said after that.”

 

“The sun and the moon are not alone as their skies and their blood are shared with one other,” he said, repeating the emperor's words.

 

“Yeah, those words,” she said with a knowing smile. “I think I know what they mean.”

 

“Hn,” he grunted with a nod, “Proceed.”

 

“I started to think about what's in the sky aside from the sun and the moon. About things like stars, birds, rainbows and clouds, but when I thought about what any of that had to do with blood, it didn't make any sense. But apart from the emperor, the sun and the moon have been mentioned before.”

 

“In the poem.”

 

“Exactly,” Kagome said with a grin. “Hidden from the sky. Brave through storm sun and moon. Seeking the before. I guess maybe it's because I grew up in a shrine, but Amaterasu, the goddess of the sun and Tsukuyomi, the god of the moon were what I thought of when I remembered the lines again. I also thought about the rooms in the building we showed up in when we were trapped. I awoke in the room of the sun and you the same in the room of the moon. Although, I am in no way presuming you were unconscious or vulnerable or anything,” she added quickly.

 

“Hn.”

 

“Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi are not the only ones who have representations in the sky. There's one more.”

 

“Susanou,” Sesshoumaru replied after a pensive moment, furrowing his brow slightly at his own words.

 

“Yes,” the school girl said softly, the warmth of her pride at solving the emperor's clue dispersing at the name. “The evil God of Storms.”

 

“If he is indeed responsible for this realm,” the tai youkai said at length, “Then the power of this scroll is greater than this Sesshoumaru thought.”

 

“Susanou hated Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi for banishing him from heaven. Even when he was allowed to return, there's no guarantee that he didn't still harbor anger towards his sister and his brother.”

 

“Indeed,” the youkai lord spoke, his tone more serious than usual, “But we do not know the purpose of this scroll or its intent in naming us as the sun and moon. We are not gods and we can only act on what we know.” Silence gripped the castle hallway save for the heavy, echoing footfalls of the oblivious soldier. Kagome looked up at the demon, who had since receded into his usual meditative state.

 

“I'm not unnecessary noise,” she spoke, her voice low, but firm. The tai youkai's amber eyes blinked open at her whispered words and he stared down at her inquisitively. The woman looked away from his puzzled gaze, furthering his intrigue. Her arms were crossed again, her dull nails digging into her flesh and her lips bent into a pout. “I know I'm not powerful and I'm not wise. That sometimes I'm naïve and that I don't pay attention to what's going on around me, but I'm not unnecessary,” she said with finality and looked up into his eyes, “I am important.”

 

Sesshoumaru continued to stare at the school girl, their eyes locked as he sorted through her words. After a few moments, he closed his eyes once more and Kagome gulped at the hard lump of frustration sitting in her throat.

 

“Miko, how much do you know of this Sesshoumaru?” he said after a space of time, carefully pouring over his words before they left his mouth.

 

“I-I don't know,” she said, startled by his question. “That you're the five hundred year old lord of the Western Lands. Your father left you that territory and despite what he did prior to his end, you respected his warrior's death. In your land, you have a modest fortress and that you saved Rin with the Tenseiga more out of curiosity than compassion.”

 

“I have told you more than I have told any other human except for the occasional, innocent query from my ward.”

 

“Why?”

 

“I have asked myself the same,” Sesshoumaru replied, his tone reflective. “The only answer I have found is that you asked.”

 

“What does that mean?” Kagome said, furrowing her brow in confusion.

 

“There are many who stand up to me, miko. Of those, there are a rare number who respect my station,” he said, his voice firm, “Among those even fewer are intelligent enough to earn my respect in return. Think of this the next time you draw this Sesshoumaru into another conversation, as most would never receive the honor of my response.”

 

The school girl remained speechless, staring up at the motionless tai youkai settling back into his quiet training. Did he just compliment her, by complimenting himself? A smile grew on her face. Indirect or not, she'd take it.

 

“We have arrived at the hime's quarters, Issunboshi,” the soldier spoke softly as he came to a stop in front of a large, wooden door with a delicate, sakura pattern engraved on its dark surface. “I must announce myself to the princess and should she answer the door, I must bow like before.”

 

“I shall be grateful if I may sit upon your shoulder then, Hakkaku,” Kagome replied, grimacing slightly at the memory of nearly being crushed by the guard's quick and enthusiastic bow before the emperor.

 

“My thoughts exactly, sir.” With a swift, but gentle motion, the soldier placed the tiny school girl upon his shoulder. His clumsy hand nearly struck the youkai lord whose only movement was the fluttering of his bangs in the sudden flow of air. Kagome stepped off the rough, calloused palm and stood shakily next to the tai youkai.

 

“Thank you,” the school girl said with a bow towards the face of the giant man, “You have guided me well. The goddess will shine fortune down upon you and your family.” The guard smiled beneath his long mustache, bowing slightly in return as to not throw his honorable guest from the safety of his shoulder. Turning his body towards the door, he called out.

 

“Hime, your new protector has arrived to grant you his service,” the guard yelled. Through the thick panels of wood, Kagome could hear the rustling of hurried movement and soft curses of a young woman. With a swift movement and a resounding thud, the door slid open, revealing a beautiful princess draped in fine, embroidered silk. Delicate, pink, sakura blooms graced the smooth fabric that trailed down to the floor. Dangling tortoiseshell hairpins bound her thick, ebony locks in gentle loops and highlighted her fair complexion and the mild surprise hinting on her elegant face.

 

The soldier blinked several times before he realized his place and fell to the ground in a low bow. His sudden movement caught the school girl off guard and she grasped onto the sturdy armor of the youkai lord to keep from losing her footing.

 

“Miko, it would be in your best interest to bow as well,” Sesshoumaru said after the guard had settled into his position, slightly annoyed at the constant interruptions marring his concentration. Letting go of the polished metal armor of the demon, Kagome knelt down, bowing to the princess as well.

 

“Are you my protector?” the hime asked the soldier, confused more by his words than by his actions.

 

“No, no, hime,” he replied hurriedly and moved his hand to gesture to his shoulder plate. “Your protector kneels there.” She leaned in close, examining the hardened leather armor, wondering what pain would be appropriate for a guard who sought to deceive her with such a silly trick.

 

“There is a little boy,” she exclaimed, holding her hands up to her mouth in delight and wonder. The school girl looked up from her position into the almond eyes of the giant princess.

 

“I am Issunboshi, great hime,” Kagome said, her voice beaming with pride, “And I was sent as a gift from the goddess Amaterasu to protect you.”

 

“Rise then, little soldier,” she replied with a smile, “And join me in my chambers.” Daintily, she held out her soft hand in front of the school girl. Kagome stepped off the plate and onto the offered palm. Before she settled down, she looked up to find the tai youkai already seated upon the narrow shoulder of the princess.

 

“I blink and I miss the only movement you make in hours,” she said under her breath.

 

Stepping back into her room, oblivious to the sound of the door sliding shut behind her and the departing steps of the relieved soldier, the hime held the tiny person up to her face again, marveling at his size. Kagome shifted uncomfortably under the steady stare, her mind desperately seeking something to break the princess' awkward attention.

 

“So, hime, where are all of your attendants,” she said after a moment, noting the strange lack of handmaidens that normally accompanied princesses.

 

“They bored me with their constant fussing, so I dismissed them.”

 

“Oh.”

 

“I am so pleased though to have a protector, little Issunboshi”, the princess said with a happy sigh. “Tell me of your adventures.”

 

“My adventures?”

 

“Of course,” the hime replied with a slight frown, “I want to know of your travels and how you came to be my personal guard.”

 

“Well,” Kagome said pensively, pressing her finger against her lips in thought. “I arrived in a blanket, the blessed son of my proud parents who honored Amaterasu. When I grew up, they gave me a needle and a rice bowl to travel up the river to the capital and to my destiny as your guard.”

 

“You rowed up the river in a rice bowl?”

 

“Mostly,” the school girl said with an uncomfortable laugh, glancing up at the meditating tai youkai, whose disinterest in the conversation couldn't be more obvious.

 

“What else? What did you do when you came to the city?”

 

“I-I,” Kagome stuttered as she thought back, her mind pooling on the image of the destitute woman and her young son, begging for food. A smile hinted at her face as she came to a realization. Perhaps the emperor is unwilling to listen to her, but the princess might be able to persuade him, if she could persuade her first. “Hime, there is something that you should know about the state of the great nation which your father governs.”