InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Sunset Love ❯ The Aftermath ( Chapter 23 )
[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]
A/N - I know I've made you wait for every for this next chappie but believe me when I say that no matter how long it takes to update I WILL finish this fic…no worries there. I am just been under a lot of stress the last few months and unfortunately, stress is the biggest killer of inspiration I know…*heavy sigh*. Anyhow the past few days has been slightly better and I was able to get this chapter underway and now I present it to you guys…*jumps for joy at having been able to write something.*
Also I now have a BLOG where I am going to be placing teasers to upcoming chapters, bits and pieces of other things I am working on, and hopefully be able to answer any of the questions you guys post in yer reviews. I am doing this because a lot of the sites where I post my stories only allow author notes but not answers to specific questions. So if you've asked a question that I can answer without giving away plot line, then you'll probably find it here as soon as I have time to post them. You'll also be able to leave me messages on this on yer thoughts and feelings about the stories. This blog will not just be for my fanfics but any of the stories/poems I feel brave enough to publish. The URL is:
http://360.yahoo.com/aurora_nyte
I am also working on a website where everything I've written and placed online will be at. This is slow going but I hope to have it up in the next few days…(or at least a week as time permits). After these things are up and running properly, my AN's will be kept to a bare minimum if added at all.
Disclaimer - Sadly, I do not now nor will I ever own Inuyasha, but I am thankful that their creator supplied us with such wonderful, memorable characters that spurred my imagination into various situations.
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Chapter 23 - The Aftermath
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Chapter 23 - The Aftermath
Those damnable golden eyes hovered through out the nightmares that seemed to never end. Those same loving, caring, and emotional filled orbs that had always seemed to sooth her tormented soul now only seemed to mock her. The protective embrace turned cold and harsh, almost making her feel as if it were there to hold her captive in the nightmare that erupted around them.
In Kagome's dream the battle with Naraku played itself out just as it had really occurred but at the end instead of her friends standing around her, she saw their broken bodies strewn about the blood soaked battlefield. The evil hanyou's ashes drifted away into the darkening evening and she knew that it had not been him who had slaughtered her friends needlessly.
Her back stiffened even more as his breath caressed her ear admitting to her of his crime yet as she struggled to free herself from the one who had always protected her, Kagome only found herself caught in arms like steel bands. No matter how hard she struggled or used her miko powers she could not escape the demon that held her fast.
Around them the scene changed so many times, replaying various events in her lifetime but all seemed to end in bloodshed. The pain of her friends torment etched forever within their gruesome masks of death.
Just as Kagome thought she could take no more of the torment being shown to her, those once gentle arms twisted her around and her tear brightened eyes looked up into those twin frozen suns ringed with the color of spilled blood. Lust and torment glowed in those eyes, eyes that had once comforted her.
For once she could see who it was and she wished that she never had for his thin lips pulled up at one corner with a sneer that made her heart break even more. His pale features were highlighted by the thickening magenta stripes on each check and deep blue moon symbol that peeked between parted silver bangs.
“Don't, please Sesshomaru, let me help you just don't do this.” Her voice was a harsh whisper, deepened by the sobs that racked her slender frame yet her pleas feel on deaf ears.
He sneered down at her even more, his eyes mocking her tears and words. “This Sesshomaru needs nothing from a worthless human.”
Yet his words belied the harsh way he gripped her tightly, lethal claws digging deeply into her tender flesh drawing blood. He bent toward her then and she felt the searing pain of his sharp canines burying deep within her shoulder before he took what he wanted and her screams echoed throughout the void of white that swallowed everything but the two of them.
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The healer concluded her work quickly, making certain that both Kagome and Sesshomaru were well tended before returning to the other soldiers that had been brought in earlier. No sounds other then the shallow breathing of the young miko or the pain filled groans of the wounded and the healer as she moved from one bed to the next tending her patients.
Three silent figures stood close beside Kagome's cot, two looked to be without emotion while the third shielded his eyes behind long silver bangs as he struggled to control the rage he felt. The girl on the cot was completely unaware of them or anything around her as she struggled with some unknown foe deep within her unconscious state.
The stately looking youkai stood for a long while just staring down at her as though their will alone would bring her out of the state she had fallen into. Each dealt with a deep running guilt at what had been done, each angry with themselves for allowing it to happen to someone so gentle, and each with the hope that like always she would come back to them.
Kisho was the first to dare break the silence that had settled over them, his darkened golden eyes trained on the pendant that he had made the healer place back around her neck.
“Her will is strong, my daughter will return to us,” his satiny voice rolled over them with such conviction and hope that it at first startled those nearest to him.
“What? Wait did you say your daughter?” Inuyasha blurted out as both brothers stared in disbelieve at the Northern Lord. His eyes were wide and his face clearly portrayed the shock he felt.
Though his elder brother refused to show what he was feeling at the time, the ex-hanyou had no trouble making his feelings known and he strode forward to grip Kisho's arm tightly wanting answers. “How do you know she's your kid?”
One slender black eyebrow lifted elegantly as Kisho turned his gaze on Inuyasha. “Kid?” He inquired wondering why Inuyasha would refer to Kagome as if she was a baby goat.
“Yeah, you know,” Inuyasha's frustration was becoming evident as his fist balled tightly at his side. “Kid, I mean daughter.”
“Interesting terminology.” Kisho's eyes returned to the miko as he thought over his next words. He did not know exactly how much the brothers knew of where Kagome had been raised but he suspected that from her earlier journeys into the Feudal Era, Inuyasha at least knew her origins. “The pendant she wears is the same that I gave to my love before she returned to her own time.”
“What?” Inuyasha's eyes widened and he took a step back. He looked down at his long time best friend in disbelief and a little hurt. If she had known that she was a hanyou would have told him, wouldn't she have? It perplexed him to know that she may have held such a deep secret but at the same time it might explain why she had easily accepted him for who he had been. But all that time he had spent with her on their journey to find the shards he had never suspected her of being a hanyou, never even thought it possible.
Her body had always been frail just like any other humans, yes he would agree that her powers were stronger then he thought they should be and there had been many a time Kagome had surprised him with her tenacity at doing things he did not want her to, but this, this was impossible. Wasn't it?
“No way, she's just like any other human. There's no way she could be a hanyou like I was.” Inuyasha shook his head trying to figure it all out but wasn't having much success. There was just too many things he could not explain even back when they were seeking out Naraku.
“It is true.” Kisho replied easily. “She is my daughter, but I do not yet know if she is hanyou, human, or demon. Since her mother possessed the powers of a miko it is impossible to tell just how those powers affected her.”
“Huh?” Inuyasha blinked feeling as if he had just hit a brick wall. “What are you talking about?”
“What he means, little brother,” Sesshomaru replied as he watched his brother's expression turn from that of surprise to one of frustration. “When a demon and miko mate it is extremely rare for the miko to carry a pup to full term. Unlike with normal human women, a miko's powers usually purify the pup before it even has a chance to grow within her.”
“But Kikyo had no problem baring my son,” Inuyasha huffed still feeling as if he was missing something.
“That is because when Kagome returned her life to her, she also made certain that your mate was capable of giving you the pups you desired. By making her demon as well, it would be impossible for her miko powers to purify something that she herself was.” Sesshomaru was also having a bit of difficulty understanding just how it was possible for Kagome to have any sort of demon blood within her yet he had not known at all.
“Ok, so why would she be human or demon then?” Inuyasha demanded his voice rising as his irritation rose.
“Because with those few births that have occurred the children had the chance of being one of the three. Depending on how the miko's powers react to the pup. It was possible to burn away part or all of the demon blood. But a dark miko once bore a pure blood due to her powers of hatred burning away the human blood.” Kisho explained patiently to Inuyasha though all he felt like doing was holding his daughter to him and willing her back to health. If her mother had been here, she would know what to do but the well had long ago denied her access.
“Keh!” Inuyasha huffed again. Slowly understanding seeped into his worried mind and as he crossed his arms over his chest he looked down sadly at his best friend. She looked so small and fragile in the cot that his heart felt as if it were shattering into a million pieces.
She had always been there for him, had always been the one to sooth away his fears and irritate him into doing what was right. Her smile had brightened his life from the moment he had met her and her laughter was something he longed to hear. He wished she would just open her eyes and tell him it would be alright just like she had always done, then and only then would he know for certain that she would pull through. She had always kept her promises when she could with the only times she had broken her word was when things were beyond her control.
With a deep sigh, his shoulders slumped forward and he sat cross-legged on the ground at Kagome's feet, settling in to watch over her as he had always done.
Sesshomaru glanced at his brother, his eyes barely narrowing with slight irritation at the fact that his brother was well prepared to stay and watch over Kagome. Kagome was his responsibility to care for not anyone else's. How dare his brother presume to do such a thing? It was inconceivable to him as well as angering.
Surprised at his train of thought, the Western Lord turned his gaze back to the struggling miko. It had taken him by surprise to find his protective instincts rising up so strongly against his half-brother when it was Inuyasha who had first become her guardian and closest friend. It was only appropriate that he would wish to make certain the woman was well cared for. He would expect no less from anyone who had drawn so close to the woman in their shard hunting days.
Silence once more settled over them as each struggled with his thoughts even Kagome halted her struggling as the herbal potion finally began to take effect. It was a peace that was short lived as a warning cry spread throughout the army camp. The usurper's army was attacking in hopes of taking advantage of the situations.
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Iyashii struggled to sit up in bed as his eyes locked with that of the beautiful demoness that stood so calmly before him. It took some effort with the sluggish feeling of his body and the pain he felt in his head as he moved but he finally managed to lean back against the wall.
It was only as he lay breathing heavy from the strain of trying to move that he noticed a small child peek from behind the stately figure. She was a tiny thing, almost completely hidden within the older female's hair, her own short golden locks standing out against the silky black strands. Her soft golden eyes widened when she noticed that he had seen her and with a tiny “eep” she hid herself once more behind the woman.
The antics of the child brought a smile to the beautiful porcelain features of the demoness and as Iyashii dared to glance up at the woman he noticed it held no malicious intent. There was a deep caring about the woman that spoke of such tenderness that he felt his body relaxing of it's own accord.
His eyes were drawn back to the spot where the child hid, her head poking around once in a while to look at him with all the curiousness that one of her age would possess. From what he could tell she was not more then five or six summers old, her pale golden bangs hanging into her sparkling eyes that peeked out at him. Her soft giggling brought a genuine smile to his lips even though the motion pained him and he found he could not look away.
“I welcome you to my home, Iyashii. I believe you will find the effects of the sleeping smoke will wear of soon.” The demoness' musical voice started him into looking up at her, his smile fading away as the gravity of his situation set in.
“Who are you?” He managed to croak out; too weary to worry overly much about what would happen if he did not show this woman the proper respect.
“You may call me Lady Kana.” The woman smiled down at him once more calming his nerves.
“Why have you brought me here, Lady Kana?” He asked softly as his eyes went back to the child behind her.
“To return something that was lost to you.” Kana said softly as the child finally stepped out from behind her.
Iyashii looked up at the demoness curiously but when she rested one hand gently on the child's head and smiled he slowly began to understand. His widened eyes returned to the grinning girl at that stood rocking on her feet as she fought to contain her excitement.
“Could it be?” Iyashii whispered as he studied the child closer now that she had decided to come out of hiding. It was then that he saw it; hidden deep within the childish features he saw a reflection of his beloved. The child he had so long believed to be out of his reach was finally standing before him, free of his master's grip and yet he found himself speechless. He could barely believe it yet as his arms opened the tiny child lunged herself into his arms and hugged him tightly as if she had been waiting to do it all her short life.
“Iyashii I present to you, Mitsuko, your daughter.” Lady Kana's voice held an edge of emotion to it that made Iyashii want to cry from the joy that swelled his heart. The unknown demoness had granted his only true wish yet he had no idea why. He could not even understand how she knew his name.
“How? How did you get her away from the master?” His disbelieving eyes turned to look up at the demoness even as he hugged the child to him.
The lady folded her hands in front of her and smiled gently down at the pair. “It was not hard once I found her location.”
“But why would you help me, how do you even know me?” Iyashii finally managed to get out.
“I know many things, Iyashii.” The lady replied softly. “We will speak again when you are feeling better. For now, enjoy her company. She is a most charming, helpful child.” With that the lady turned and moved soundlessly from the room. Behind her the door closed, leaving the two alone.
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The usurper's army swept toward the Western encampment with such speed that many were caught unaware as the first wave hit. At first it seemed that all would be lost due to the grief that had encompassed them but then the lords took to the field to do battle, turning the tide of war.
Angry waves rolled off them, infecting their men and spurring them onward. A call for revenge in Kagome's name was cried from the lips of many soldiers that day as the invading forces found themselves coming up against an almost immovable wall of pure hatred.
Ozeki and a handful of soldiers had remained circling the healers tent in an effort to protect the wounded inside. Together they cut down anyone who dared to approach, their blades becoming soaked with the blood of many.
Kisho and Sesshomaru fought long and hard, their hidden emotions displayed within the way they fought. They sliced their way through any who dared stand against them. Around them Inuyasha, Tatsu and the others did the same. Those closest to the miko took out their frustrations on the unwitting enemy soldiers.
By the time the enemy sounded the retreat, more then a fourth of their forces lay dead or dying.
Though they had won the day once again, few in the Western army felt like celebrating. Ground had been gained, but still the war was far from over. There seemed to still be a long road ahead of them, one that was proving to be a harsh one.
The healer's tents were swelled with wounded and the guard tents held quite a few captives that had been gleaned alive from among the dead. Those that could handle it were being interrogated and healers were attending to those who could not in the hopes of keeping them alive long enough to get information from them.
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Tanaka was careful to keep herself well out of the way of the warring forces. Her eyes glittering with dark intent as the scent of spilled blood permeated the air heavily for miles. It had only been her stealth that had aided her into stealing into the Western camp. Her bloodstained outfit depicted her as one of the assistant healers yet in all the commotion no one bothered to stop her and demand to know what she was doing.
Carefully she edged her way toward the spot she believed that the Miko was being housed. Her master had charged her with getting a first hand look at this supposable powerful human. Being in the outfit of a healer was the only way the panther demon knew of to gain entrance to the camp but still she was being really careful not to get too close to anyone in the army.
Her right ear twitched with nervousness as she glanced around the edge of a large canvas tent. Across from her several hundred feet was the old healer's tent, a large group of soldiers surrounded it and they didn't look like the kind she wanted to tangle with at the moment. Glancing up at the sky to judge the hour, Tanaka decided keep to the shadows until such a time as she could gain entrance into the tent. It was important that she keep herself secreted away but still remain close enough to get in once the opportunity arrived.
It might take some time, but Tanaka was prepared to wait, after all her master trusted her to do as he had instructed her. She would never let her master down if she could help it. He meant everything to her, he had always taken great care of her and now she was happy to be able to do something to return his kindness. Somehow she would figure out a way to get into the tent and look at this miko first hand. Then she would report her findings to her master as soon as she could even if it took days. It was worth the way she thought as a smile at what his reward to her might be once she returned to tell him what she had seen.
The only thing the panther could not understand was why he had made her swear not to harm the miko if she did get close enough. She was just to get a close look then report back to him and nothing else. If the opportunity presented itself to kill her master's enemy arose she would have gladly given her life in the attempt to do just that but she would not go against her Master no matter how much she wanted to do otherwise.
Slinking quietly back into the darkening shadows, Tanaka prepared herself for what lay ahead.
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As night blanketed the lands and stars begin to show in the heavens above the tired army, Kagome's eyes struggled open to focus on the hazy figure of the old healer hovering above her. The woman was so intent on changing the bandages that seemed to cover the miko's body that at first she did not know she was being watched. It was several minutes later that the woman turned from her work to be surprised as deep midnight eyes dull with pain watched her every move.
Secretly, the old healer was glad that none of the males were present when the miko first awoke. They were off cleansing themselves of the blood that had been spilled and if they had been here in her condition there was no telling what the girl's reaction would be to the blood.
Reaching to sooth the girl's hair the old one scowled as Kagome flinched away from the light touch. The mating had been especially hard on this girl and the healer feared for her sanity. The harsher the mating the worse it was on the female. Too many times she had witnessed a female driven insane by a male's overzealous attentions. Though what had happened to the young miko was harsh, she had seen worse. A few of them had been ripped in two, dying instantly.
All she could do was watch as Kagome looked at her surroundings, never once uttering a word or sound. In a way it was a bit eerie to see the normally vibrate and talkative girl remain so silent and lost looking.
The healer watched as understanding dawned in the girl's drawn features and the tears began to form in the eyes that returned to look up her almost pleadingly.
“Shhh, everything will be alright child,” there was an edge to her voice as she tried to sooth the girl's fears, her gnarled hand once more reaching out to lay on the girl's head. At first she thought Kagome would shy away again but instead the girl continued to stare up at her.
As the girl chose to remain silent, the healer began to wonder if the mating had indeed driven the girl over the brink of sanity. Usually they work up screaming and crying and only those who slipped inside of themselves remained as quite as this one was doing now.
The noise of the tent flap opening drew the healer's attention away from the silent girl and to whoever had just entered. She was not surprised to find that Lord Sesshomaru had returned before any of the others had.
A soft scowl pulled at the old one's lips as he slowly approached the cot where Kagome lay. The healer did not believe that his presence was best for the girl. In fact, she believed it would only complicate matters more then they were now.
Just as she was about to open her mouth to tell him such things, a strangled cry came from Kagome and she felt the girl's fear hit her with enough force that it caused the old woman to stagger a bit.
Sesshomaru halted his approach the moment he saw Kagome's reaction to him, his eyes narrowing ever so slightly at the torment he still seemed to be causing her. Anger at himself welled up inside though outwardly he just managed to keep his stoic mask in place as he watched the injured miko press herself into the healer's arms as if seeking the old one's protection.
Her reaction to him hurt deeply for some unknown reason but as his gaze shifted from the terrified woman to the healer he understood without being told that he had to leave. Inclining his head to the healer, Sesshomaru turned and quickly left the tent. He knew in that instant that things might never be the same.
It took the healer quite a while to calm the terrified girl enough to drink a small amount of the herbal tea. In it the old woman had mixed herbs to help the girl to sleep and though it took a while to work, finally the miko was resting peacefully.
Once she was certain that Kagome was resting comfortably, the healer made her way outside to speak with the waiting lord. By this time, the others had returned worry clearly evident in their eyes over what they had heard. Sesshomaru had not allowed them to enter, commanding them to remain outside while the healer tended to her. In a sense he was afraid that if any male came to close to her at the moment it would just set her off again.
The healer took in the anxious look some of their faces and the darkened eyes of those who refused to show their emotions as she gathered her courage to say what she knew she would have to.
Bowing as best she could, the old healer took a deep breath to steady her nerves before speaking. “M'lord, the Lady Miko's reaction to you is most common after such things. In a sense she is still caught up in whatever nightmares had plagued her and it may take several days for her to distinguish reality from these dreams. During this transition, I will have to plead with you to remain from her sight as seeing you might very well set her back in the healing process. I beg your forgiveness in my harsh words, M'lord but it is what I believe to be best for the child.”
“Very well,” Sesshomaru replied coldly his eyes narrowed in the frustration he was feeling. “You will keep me informed.”
“Yes M'lord,” The healer replied softly before her eyes moved to the others. “I believe it would be best if Lord Inuyasha also remained away for a few days. The resemblance between you may be just enough to do the same damage. I will also ask that the others be kept away from her, all males that is. As her sire, only Lord Kisho maybe allowed close to her and that will be stopped if she shows any signs of it distressing her.”
“What!” Inuyasha growled but he knew it to be true. Since becoming a full demon he had known his blood was evident but he never dreamed that it would be used against him.
A dark glance from Sesshomaru put an end to Inuyasha's protests. It would be hard on both brothers to remain away from Kagome when she needed her friends the most but if it was something that would help her to heal then they would follow the healer's words no matter how much it troubled them to do so.
Determined, the healer allowed none of them to enter that night, she wanted her patient to sleep without worrying about anything. She knew that they would respect her words and once she got their permission to leave she returned to the wounded waiting on her inside.
Only tomorrow would she know for certain what would happen to the young miko. Her reaction on waking would go far in giving the old woman an insight to how long it would take the girl to recover. Leaving the males to guard the tent might not have been the wisest decision she had made but it at least kept their temperaments in check and made certain that no one would disturb them.
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It seems that a wall has risen up once again between our two lovebirds… Will Kagome keep her fear over what had occurred, will she ever be able to come close to him again without having to relive what had happened? Only time will tell.
Until next we meet, I bid you all fare thee well.
Much love to you all
DJ aka AuroraNyte/l3lackroze
DJ aka AuroraNyte/l3lackroze