InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Daimyo's Son ❯ Chapter 11 ( Chapter 11 )

A/N: Just in case anyone is still going `eww' over the last chappy….In my warped and twisted reality, most of the inuyoukai are related by blood. This is a complex social structure that places a high degree of importance on bonds of blood and kinship. I agree the whole `kissin cousins' business is a little rank in our time, but it was a very common practice for the time period this story is set in. Inuyoukai are a rather closed society, much like Japan itself was back in feudal times. Everyone is related in some way, especially those who consider themselves to be of pure blood. Chinatsu is Sesshomaru's second cousin, his mother Seshiko was the niece of Chinatsu's mother. For that matter, Ari and Izitaki are actually cousins down the line from Inutaisho, related through his father's side. I'll get more into that in the next Daimyo story. (Yes, there will be a third!) Hope that clears a few things up. Not just trying to make folks queasy, sorry VespaWoman, just keeping it in perspective of the era and the relationship and Chinatsu's actions are a central part of the plot. Thanks for reading, I love all your reviews…now on with the drama!

*****

Jano whistled happily to himself as he crossed the courtyard. He was heading for the stables, to his delight he'd drawn grooming for his afternoon duties. He liked animals in general, horses, demi-dragons, even the big slow brutes that pulled supply wains. Besides, it gave him a chance to get outside, brushing silky coats in the late afternoon sunlight. It had been far too damn boring around the fortress with the Daimyo gone off to battle. For the most part, Jano was enjoying the respite from the frantic pace of a few weeks ago. The entire household had geared up for the purpose of sending the army out, now everyone was content to kick back and relax. He missed his father, of course, and his uncle was also out with the Daimyo, but Jano found ways to occupy his time and never considered the possibility that someday either of them wouldn't return.

He entered the main stable and nodded to the staff who gave him a friendly wave in return. His first assignment today was Misi, a slightly older demi-dragon, one-headed of course, and known for her docile temperament. She was one of the older breeding dragons and long since past her egg-laying prime. She gave the young demon a mild look when he took her from her stall, taking her to stand in the warm sun so he could use a stiff-bristled brush to polish her scaly hide. Misi's eyes closed in draconic bliss while her caretaker rubbed all the itchy spots into oblivion. Jano continued whistling tunelessly to himself as he worked, enjoying the clean scent of the well kept yard and the faint, spicy aroma of warm animals.

Once he'd finished polishing Misi, he led her back to her stall and contemplated his next mission. One of the horses or one of the other demi-dragons? There wasn't exactly a lot of choice since so many had gone off to march with the army. He planted his hands on his hips while he considered asking Juriko if there were any additional duties that needed done. He had just decided to start sweeping out Misi's stall and laying down some fresh bedding when a small voice peeped to him from the rafters high above him. "Hi Jano-kun."

"Naota?" He craned his head up to look for the hanyou. "What the hell are you doing up there?"

The boy's dark and tousled head appeared and Jano watched at the young man swung himself to the ground. He had straw in his hair and a welt on the side of his face. Jano folded his arms and smirked. "Ran away again, huh?"

"Nah, Tsing Pao threw me out of the practice hall. I just wanted someplace to be alone for a bit. Stable seemed as good a place for a nap as anywhere."

Jano picked up the broom to start absently swishing straw around on the floor. "Did he give you that mark on your face?"

Naota grinned. "Nope. I did this to myself, tripped in the middle of a kick and landed face first. It didn't hurt so much but Tsing Pao started cursing me out about my clumsiness. Then he told me to get out of his sight because he wanted to crawl into a sake jar and meditate on what he had done to deserve a pupil like me." The young hanyou scratched at his unruly hair and flashed a bright smile. "I think he's starting to like me, Jano!"

His cousin snorted darkly. "I bet. You tend to grow on people, Ta-kun. Kinda like a fungus."

The hanyou shook with laughter, his eyes watering. "Good one, I'll have to remember that for when Sho-kun comes back. Hey, do you have to be here right now?"

Jano glanced around. "Not really, there's not much for me to do. Juriko-san will let me go if I ask him."

"So ask him, I want someone to practice with me." Jano blinked at him. "Are you serious?"

Naota grinned. "Of course I'm serious. I need to practice if I'm ever going to learn this martial arts stuff. And I seriously need to spar with someone if I'm going to whup Sho-kun's tail someday."

Laughing, he slapped the hanyou on the shoulder. "Never gonna happen, my friend. Sessh would peel himself raw with a rusty sword before he'd let himself lose to you. I'm looking forward to seeing you try all the same."

*****

"Sesshomaru?" Inutaisho glared around him, wondering where the damn kid had run off to this time. He told him, more than once, he was expected to stay alert and stay by his side. The battle had been going well, actually the army was just mopping up at this point, executing the wounded invaders. It was a good way for his troops to celebrate their victory and burn off any remaining bloodlust. Oh, he understood the concept of mercy, quite well in fact. He just didn't extend it to a slavering horde of lower demons that had tried to invade his land. They had secured the territory, taken few losses, and for the most part he was satisfied with the conduct and the performance of those under his command. With one, single, notable, white-haired exception. "SESSHOMARU!"

Panting, his son rushed up to him, sweat and dirt on the young demon's face. "My lord Daimyo?"

Inutaisho scowled at him. "Where the hell have you been, I've been bellowing your name for a quarter hour!" Sessh flushed. "You sent me down to give that message to Ari, I just got back."

His father's face darkened. "It took you that long to find him? You've got to be kidding. Ever since we left the fortress you've been acting like you've got your head up your ass. The first time I take you into battle with me and this is how you act. I wanted you on your toes, not wandering around like a little lost puppy who doesn't know his way home!"

Sesshomaru scowled. "Sorry."

"Sorry isn't fucking good enough," Inutaisho exploded. He grabbed his son roughly by the shoulder and spun him around with a shove. "Get your ass back to camp, sit your worthless butt on the ground and you'd better be exactly where I want you when I get there or I'm going to have you trussed and dragged back home like a fucking battle trophy. You got that?"

"Yes, my lord Daimyo." Sessh didn't trust himself to say another word and stormed back to where his father had set up his command camp. The worst part of it was that the Daimyo wasn't exactly wrong. He'd been in a daze for the better part of the last two weeks and he knew he'd let Inutaisho down with his lack of attention. Sessh kicked a rock out of his way and flinched when someone shouted. He hurried on before whoever had received his unintended missile could figure out the cause.

He just couldn't stop thinking about it, about her. About Chinatsu. Every time he let his attention wander he saw her face and felt the blood rush in his body. Was this what it was like to be in love? He wondered about it, wondering about what she'd say when he told her how he felt. He was just hoping she was missing him the way he was missing her. Sessh knew he'd let his father down by acting like a dazed fool instead of paying attention to the battle and jumping every time the Daimyo called for him. But damn it, he wasn't doing any of the fighting, he wasn't even allowed to engage in combat. A stupid fool could carry messages back and forth, relay instructions to the battalion commanders. There was at least a dozen men within spitting range who wanted the chance to do just that, anything to bring them to his father's notice. He didn't need it to be Sesshomaru who did the running.

Pissed, he went to his designated spot and flopped angrily onto the ground. Son of bitch just likes to yell, he thought sullenly. Likes to order me around like I'm one of the servants or camp followers. It was really beneath him, as the Daimyo's son and heir to have to do the running. Sessh reached down to work a rock out of his armor, digging under the stiff leather and steel to pry out the sharp edged pebble.

"Gods above, what the hell did you do this time?" He looked up to see Izitaki staring down at him, a look of disgust on his face as he regarded the young lord. Sessh didn't flinch away from the glare, returning it with one of his own. "Near as I can tell, I didn't run fast enough when he told me to."

"Fucking idiot," Izitaki said under his breath. "Are you trying to piss him off? I thought even you had sense enough not to cross him when he's in the middle of a battle."

"I didn't cross him," Sesshomaru replied hotly. Izitaki gave the irritable young youkai a sour look and squatted down on his heels to be at eye level with Sesshomaru. "Damn it, Sessh, your mind's been a million leagues away ever since we left. What's eating at you? As distracted as you've been, I'd swear it was Naota wearing your clothes and pretending to be you."

"I'm not distracted," he said sullenly, looking away from Izitaki's prying gaze. "I've just got a lot on my mind."

The bodyguard tilted his head to the side. "Hai, not a lot going on in that mind from the way you've been acting. What's the problem? Don't have a taste for battle?"

"It's not that. It's just…" Sessh flushed and couldn't finish. He really didn't think it was appropriate to tell Izitaki what had happened and he knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that his father would find out. He knew Izitaki wouldn't keep information like that from the Daimyo and Sessh wouldn't ask his father's bodyguard to lie to him and say he wouldn't tell.

The older demon looked him over, noting the flush and the strong sudden shift of hormones in the air. A faint grin appeared on Izitaki's face. "It's not about a girl, is it?"

The boy's face pinked again and he looked away. Izitaki grinned, knowing he'd struck to the heart of the matter. "Okay, kid. Who is she?"

"None of your business," Sesshomaru muttered.

"Not one to kiss and tell?" Izitaki smirked and was rewarded by a deepening flush on the young demon's face. "Keep your secrets then, I won't pry. I will, however, offer you a word or two of advice."

Sessh looked up when Izitaki grasped his shoulder with a hard hand. "Keep your mind focused on what you're doing. There'll be plenty of time to play later, plenty of time to act like a lovestruck pup. When the Daimyo returns, I'd suggest you apologize, sincerely too, for your lack of attention and your attitude."

"My attitude?" the young demon muttered bitterly. Izitaki scowled and went to so far as to slap the back of Sesshomaru's head. Hard. "Yes, you stupid little brat. This isn't about you and your father having another damn fight over something. Like it or not, you're officially attached to this command and if you were under me I'd have you brought up for both neglecting your duty and insubordinate behavior. You're lucky the Daimyo hasn't ordered you thrashed within an inch of your life. Believe me, his father wouldn't have hesitated."

It looked like his words weren't sinking in. The young lord just scowled again, looked at his claws. "That's what he wants to do anyway, I can't see why he doesn't just get it over with."

The selfish and self pitying tone of Sesshomaru's voice made him furious and for once his dark eyes lost their usual glint of humor and amusement. Sesshomaru was startled at Izitaki's low, angry growl. The bodyguard moved so fast he was a blur and Sessh found himself yanked upright and nearly dangling from Izitaki's hand by the scruff of his neck. It hurt. "What are you doing?" he managed to gasp out.

"My job," Izitaki hissed. The bodyguard's claws dug deeper into the skin of his neck and Sesshomaru hissed when he smelled his own blood trickling from the wounds. Izitaki dragged him off, making him stumble and fight to keep his feet under him as they took a direct route right through the center of the command camp. Sessh was too proud to allow himself to cry out in pain or beg Izitaki to let him go. He wasn't too proud to wrap both hands around the bodyguard's arm and try to alleviate the pain as he found himself being unceremoniously hauled down a hill.

Izitaki threw the boy on the ground, aware of the stares and shocked whispering around them. "Look around," he commanded. Sessh raised himself up on his knees and stared, feeling a distinct chill. Corpses were neatly arranged around him and he stared up at Izitaki with a dawning fear.

"Yes, my young lord," the bodyguard said, his voice still wrathful. "These are the bodies of your father's men who were slain in battle. As you know, it is our custom to honor our dead on the field they died upon. After that honor has been given, their personal effects will be gathered and their bodies burned before the army marches home. This care for the dead is now your duty, lord Sesshomaru."

"What?" he breathed, his eyes wide and shocked. Izitaki smiled nastily. He leaned over and ripped the cover off the nearest corpse, grabbed the dead man's hair in his claws and held his head up. "See him? This is Nushiro, he fell during the first clash as did most of the other poor bastards here. While you had your head full thinking of some bitch's rosy little ass, this man was throwing his life down to defend your father's territory, YOUR territory!"

Izitaki gently let the head rest against the ground and covered the dead man's face respectfully before turning back to his lord's stunned heir. "The only reason you don't see that many bodies around you now is because your father knows what he's doing when it comes to battle and combat. He knows how to lead and he knows how to keep his men alive so they can fight for him. That's what he's been trying to teach you by making you watch what he does if you'd just pay attention. This isn't a fucking game to him, Sessh, nor is it to me. Some of these dead men are my friends. The least you can do is honor their sacrifice by not behaving like a spoiled and selfish child when you are supposed to be learning to be a Tai-Youkai lord."

Disgusted, Izitaki stalked away having said what he'd set out to say. Sesshomaru stared after him, too stunned and horrified with himself to answer Izitaki's anger. Grimly, he picked himself up and went about the sad business of seeing to his dead.

*****

Jano was breathing hard, sweat slipping down his neck and plastering his hair to his face. "Damn Naota! When did you get so fast? I can't hardly lay a claw on you!"

Ta-kun's face was radiant with exertion and pride. "I don't know, I think maybe that old geezer might know what he's talking about." He'd successfully beaten his taller, stronger cousin two falls out of five and felt justifiably proud of his accomplishment. He knew that Jano wouldn't use his claws to fight, but he was gratified when he realized the young demon wasn't pulling punches either. He'd hit Naota as hard as he would have hit Sho-kun or anyone else while sparring and the blows had winded the hanyou at first, but they didn't knock him off his feet or send him flying into the walls. Naota grinned to himself, he was faster, that much was obvious, but his body was getting tougher too and there wasn't a trace of boyish clumsiness in his movements.

Jano wiped the sweat off his face with his sleeve and laughed when Naota took up a stance once again. He shook his head laughingly as the hanyou gestured at him to attack. "No way, Ta-kun, I'm tired. Show me one of those flying kick things again if you still have the energy." Pleased with the attention, Naota did as requested, performing a graceful training kata complete with a flying, elegant kick and finishing with a move all his own, a floating handstand on one palm and dropped into a ready crouch.

A slow clapping sound startled them both. Jano and Naota turned to see Tsing Pao watching from the doorway. "Well done pupil. It seems you aren't as hopeless as you pretend to be."

"Sensei," Naota breathed and immediately bowed. Jano was tempted to do the same, the old man's regal bearing was impressive, but managed to keep himself from bowing to a human and simply slid his hands behind his back to stand at attention. Tsing Pao was actually smiling and Naota was quite surprised at the change it made in the human. "For first time I can believe you've been paying attention to my teaching. It pleases me that I will be able to tell your uncle of some improvement."

"Thank you, sensei," Naota said quietly. Jano was frankly amazed at the transformation in the hanyou. Quietly respectful? Graceful and deft? Who the hell was this guy that he'd managed to take the most hopeless case of the fortress and turn him into something resembling a young warrior? Nibbling at this bottom lip, Jano threw youkai propriety to the wind and bowed as deeply as Naota had. Considering his accomplishments, the human was worthy of more than just respect.

Tsing Pao's eyes twinkled merrily at the display of youkai politeness. "I take it you also approve of your cousin's skills, young demon."

"Yes, Tsing Pao-sensei, I am very impressed." Jano hesitated, he wasn't sure how his request would be received. "Would you also be willing to teach me? I'd like to learn those kicks."

The old man leaned on his bamboo rod and regarded the youkai youth seriously. "A demon wishes to learn from a human? How very strange. Why would a youkai want to study human fighting skills?"

Jano smiled and glanced at Naota before answering. "I am interested in learning all I can. As the Daimyo himself respects your expertise enough to bring you here for Naota's training, I am no one to argue with his judgment."

Tsing Pao laughed. "Well said, youngling. I will teach you also. If for no other reason than having a partner to practice with seems to inspire my pupil." Naota looked extremely pleased and immediately bowed again. "Thank you sensei!"

Very happy with this turn of events, Naota and Jano decided to take a quick walk to the kitchen for something sweet. It was, after all, a good day to celebrate. "You just want to learn because I threw you on the floor," Naota taunted, unable to restrain himself.

"No, I just want to make sure you get the chance to drop Sho-kun," Jano answered, grinning wickedly. "I figure if I'm there you'll practice harder and maybe even get to touch him when he wipes the floor with you."

"You're all heart," Naota smirked. The boy's eyes flicked to the end of the corridor and his expression darkened noticeably. They both stopped and watched as Chinatsu crossed the courtyard. The girl was alone, reading a scroll that was opened in her hands and didn't notice that she was being observed when she turned into a passage. Jano frowned slightly at the funny look on his cousin's face. "What's your problem?"

Naota's eyes narrowed and Jano had never seen the hanyou look so serious or so menacing. "I can't stand her."

"Chi?" Jano asked. "Since when don't you like her?" Naota blinked and came back to himself with the same goofy, slightly ridiculous smile on his lips. "It's nothing. She's just not a nice person. Just because Sessh likes her doesn't mean I do."

Jano scratched his head. "Out with it, what happened?"

Naota shook his head. "Nothing. It's just a feeling I get when I look at her. Everyone was saying how nice she is and I thought that she'd be good for Sho-kun. But Namichi is right, the nice is just an act. I don't like people who pretend to be something they aren't."

"Everyone pretends a little bit," Jano said, reflecting on the idea. "Did she do something to you?"

His cousin nodded. "Yeah, she hit me." Jano stared at him. "What? When the hell did that happen and why didn't you tell me before?"

The hanyou shrugged. "Wasn't important. I saw her the morning the army left and she looked kind of sad about something. So I walked up and said "Hello Chi-chan," and she turned right around and hit me so hard I saw double. Then she called me a dirty half-blood filth and said if I ever `presumed' to speak to her again she'd have me strung up and skinned." The boy blinked and his smile faded slightly. "I believed her too, Jano-kun."

Jano was scowling, his fingers drumming angrily on his elbows. It figured that Chi would turn out to be one of the many youkai who hated hanyou. He knew the Daimyo discouraged such opinion but otherwise couldn't do much about it. Still, even Chinatsu didn't have the right to treat the Daimyo's own nephew like that. Even Sessh would have agreed with that. "So, she really is a nasty bitch," he muttered under his breath. "I wonder what else she's been lying about." Jano didn't like the idea of the cold hearted little fluff to be playing with Sho-kun's affections. From what he could tell, his cousin genuinely liked the girl. "Hey Ta-kun, remember when I told you to stop spying on Sessh when he was with her? Consider the request cancelled. If she's up to something, no matter how silly, we're gonna find out. And I'll tell Namichi the same thing too. Nobody is going to mess with our Sessh and get away with it."