InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Dark Side of the Sun ❯ Chapter Two: The Uncovered, Undeniable Truth ( Chapter 4 )

"Get out of my sight!" An arm swung out and connected with the small child's cheek. He staggered to the side from the blow and fell to his knees, dropping the small bundle of flowers he had picked just for her. Footsteps, loud and heavy, ran into the room.

"My Lady, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she replied. Her gaze turned towards him and hardened. "My son can't seem get it through his thick head to stay away from me. Do you see what he brought me?" His mother reached down and grabbed a tiny bundle of the flowers. "Weeds! He brought me weeds!" She threw them violently to the ground then began to sob.

"Oh, my Lady," the servant murmured sympathetically, embracing the distraught woman gently. "Do not worry. I shall take care of him for you."

He had watched the entire exchange silently, each word and action stabbing him in the heart. She was his mother! How could she not see how much he loved her? He had picked the flowers to show her how much he loved her! His grandfather had already made it painfully clear - at the very least, a broken arm, a bloody nose, and sprained ankle clear - that no one wanted to hear what he had to say. The old man had pounded it, literally, into him to not make a single sound, not even a whimper, so he couldn't tell his mother that he loved her. That left him with finding other ways to show her. Kisses and hugs had failed, despite repeated attempts. They had only earned him severe and sound beatings each time. Then he had seen another child running up to his mother, a fistful of flowers in hand, and it had given him an idea. An idea that had now backfired in his face.

The servant released his mother then snatched him by his hair, yanking him to his feet and dragging him out of the room. He knew where they were going, where everyone always took him whenever they believed he needed to be punished: It was the only underground pantry in the palace . . . and his room for the most part. Along the way, his small form smashed and slammed into whatever hard surface the servant could find. They passed other servants as well, all of them taking the opportunity to spit on him or beat him. Nearly everyday of his life had been like this: Constant ridicule and humiliation, constant degradation . . . and constant pain. The only times they eased up were when his father came to visit.

"I'm going to enjoy this, half-breed," the servant snarled, dropping him into the cellar. "Especially now since your father is gone! Now you can't fight back! But then . . . you never were able to before."

He barely had the time to curl up to protect himself when the servant landed next to him and began to rain a variety of punches and kicks on him. Blood started to fill his mouth and gush from his nose. Skin tore. His head spun around in circles as the assault continued, but no sound came from him. Crying had never spared him the agony of the beatings, and it had never conveyed the message to his father that he wanted to go with him. His head slammed into a stone wall at that moment, nearly knocking him out. Hope had become too big of a word for his small soul to hold on to.

`I'd be better off dead,' he thought as darkness consumed him.

* * *

InuTaisho let out a small puff of air as he stared at the crescent moon. Three weeks had passed since he had seen his youngest son, Inuyasha, and something troubled him about the youth. From what he had been able to observe, Inuyasha barely ate, never spoke, and he had clung to him as if his life had depended on it. Izayoi had explained nearly everything away as best she could, wearing the sweetest of smiles as she did so. He was a growing boy prone to periods when he wasn't that hungry, he hardly ever saw his father so he was bound to cling to him . . . but she hadn't been able to sufficiently explain why he wouldn't take or make a single noise. It didn't make any sense to the demon lord and it bothered him to no end. He'd wanted to bring Inuyasha back with him, to stay, so he could meet his brother and other members of his demon family, but Izayoi kept refusing him. Inuyasha still needed her, she kept stating, and she had to keep him close to her, to keep him safe from harm. If he pressed the issue, Izayoi ended the conversation, often with a threat. It happened every time he visited his child, each visit adding to his already growing concern.

`He grows paler and thinner each time I see him,' he thought, `and he acts like he wants to tell me something. But he's afraid. His actions, his behaviour . . . his eyes . . . I need to bring him here . . . He'll do better here, I'm sure of it. I'm not going to take no for an answer the next time I'm there. If she wants to make threats, so can I.'

"Father?"

Slowly, he turned around to face his oldest son. Amber eyes gazed back at him, a small amount of concern reflecting in them.

"Yes, Sesshomaru?"

"Is there something wrong, Father?"

"You could say that," InuTaisho sighed. He moved away from the window he'd been staring out. Sesshomaru tilted his head slightly.

"Would it have anything to do with my little brother, this trouble that bothers you so?"

InuTaisho raised a questioning eyebrow at him. Sesshomaru merely shrugged. "You're always brooding after you see him, Father. After your battle with Ryukotsusei, your visits with him have become less and less . . . And I know that you've been attacked by many demons because of Inuyasha. More so than usual, that is."

"I see," he murmured. He knew what other demons said about him - his father had gone through the same thing after Hiroshi had been born - and it didn't surprise him that Sesshomaru would `hear' things that others would not dare to say to his face. Demons seeking political sway often targeted the full-blooded offspring, usually in hopes of bringing down the targeted parent.

"Father, if you're that worried about Inuyasha, go see him," his son stated. "Put your mind at ease."

"I would," he confessed, "but I'd have to send word to Izayoi first then wait for her to reply back. I can't show up unannounced anymore."

"Why? Why would you have to send word first, Father? He's your son as much as he is hers. You should be able to see him anytime you wish."

"Because . . . because Izayoi made me promise that I would. That's why I cannot show up whenever I feel like it."

"That's not right, Father . . ."

"You think that I don't know that?!" he exploded. "But she threatened to send him away, to make sure that I'd never see him again if I didn't give my word. And I didn't want to take that chance." InuTaisho paused to regain his composure. When he was certain that he had done so, he continued. "I'm not happy with this arrangement, Sesshomaru. And I'm not satisfied with just visiting him for a few days then leaving again. I want him here, where I can see him and make sure he's protected." His voice lowered. "There is something wrong with that child, Sesshomaru, terribly wrong. I see it every time I'm there. He barely eats, doesn't even speak to me or make the slightest of sounds, and he holds on to me as if his very life depends on it. There's something he wants to tell me . . . but he's afraid of something . . . I can see it on his face and in his eyes . . . I just want him here . . ."

"I take it you've asked Lady Izayoi about Inuyasha coming here to live but she refuses to let it happen."

"Every time, Sesshomaru. Every time. But the next visit will be different. Your brother will come here to live, I swear it." InuTaisho placed his hands on his son's shoulders. "When he does, Sesshomaru, I want you to take him under your wing and teach him, look after him. Protect him when I'm not here. He is the only sibling you'll ever have. You must cherish him. Promise me that you'll do this."

"Father . . ."

"Promise me!"

"Hai, Father," he sighed softly. "I promise I will look after Inuyasha."

"Thank you," InuTaisho smiled gently. "I feel more at ease now. Thank you."

He released the younger demon then turned back to his window. Sesshomaru's promise had eased some of his worries and he felt he could rest easier. The only problem that remained was getting Inuyasha there. And he would bring his son back, even if it meant he had to sneak him out of Tatsu's castle to do so.

`Tomorrow . . . I'll start composing the letter to Izayoi tomorrow and send it out as soon as possible . . . I'm not going to wait any longer. Don't worry, my son . . . I am coming for you. I swear it.'

* * *

The entire palace had been shrouded in darkness as the luminescent figure glided towards the main door. He'd already told the guards that he was leaving, enabling him to leave unchallenged. A mount waited outside for him. He required stealth for his self-imposed mission and the stable hand had assured him that he would have the swiftest and quietest mount available. Even so, he wouldn't reach his destination until mid-morning. Depending on how long it took, he hoped to be back by nightfall with a child in tow.

`But it has to be done. If Father is right and there is something wrong with Inuyasha, then it's up to me to find out. I can't leave it up to him. Not anymore.'

Sesshomaru stepped out into the cool night air, and paused for a moment. He had to be careful. One slip of the tongue by anyone and everything could end disastrously, not only for him, but for his father and his brother as well.

`But Izayoi never said that I had to send word to visit my little brother,' he told himself as he climbed onto the two-headed dragonet's back. `And it's time that I met Inuyasha. Whether Izayoi likes it or not.'

He rode off into the night.

* * *

Izayoi hummed softly as her feet slid gracefully across the floor. Her son was nowhere in sight but she had an idea as to where he was.

`Where he needs to be,' she thought bitterly. `The filthy, little half-breed. If it weren't for him, InuTaisho would be dead. But I will have my revenge on him. Inuyasha will pay the price for his father. I swear it. And to think that that stupid child adores me. How pathetic.'

She passed over a trapdoor and paused. The sound of a whip cracking floated up to her ears. A few lashings would be enough to cause the small boy to whimper involuntarily, something the servants aimed for every time. Any noise he made allowed for more punishment. Inuyasha knew the rules, and he always, always obeyed them. However, his obedience never spared him from the daily beatings. She and her father had seen to it.

"You can't see her!" came the cry of a female servant.

Izayoi furrowed her brow at the sudden sound of shouting. Someone was trying to see her and unexpectedly at that. She hated it when nobles, especially allies of InuTaisho, came to visit her unannounced. They always wanted to see Inuyasha, constantly asking about the boy's whereabouts and his health. Coming up with excuses had becoming increasingly difficult, having found out the hard way once that hanyou children couldn't contract the same illnesses as human children.

`No matter, though,' she told herself, steeling herself for what promised to be a harrowing encounter. The shouting had not abated at all, indicating that whoever had "dropped by" was extremely determined to see her. `I can always use my charms to get rid of whoever it is.'

"I still wish to see her," a cold voice intoned. A male voice. She shivered slightly.

`This is going to a little harder than usual. No matter. I shall still have my way with this fool,' she thought.

"I told you she's . . ." the servant began to repeat. They rounded the corner right in front of her and she felt her blood chilling. The one whom her servant argued with had long silver hair, golden-amber eyes, elongated ears, a crescent moon in the center of his forehead, and two smooth stripes on each of his cheeks and arms. Her heart sank to her knees when she saw him. A demon. An inu demon at that. Her chances of deterring him had become almost non-existent. She had learned from experience with InuTaisho that inu demons were a stubborn race with a keen intellect, eyesight, and sense of smell. And there was something oddly familiar about this demon, though she couldn't quite place her finger on what it was.

"Indisposed?" One eyebrow raised itself. "She looks fine to me."

"I'm sorry, milady," the servant apologized, ignoring the demon next to her. "He just barged in. I couldn't stop him . . ."

"It's quite all right," Izayoi stated. "Leave us."

"Yes, milady." The girl quickly bowed then scurried off. Izayoi watched her go before turning her attention back to the demon who had come to visit her.

`Here goes nothing.' She silently crossed her fingers and prayed her ploy would work.

"Greetings, my lord. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

* * *

"Greetings, my lord. To what do I owe the honor of this visit?"

Sesshomaru had to refrain from attacking the woman in front of him. From the moment he had landed, a strong sense of . . . something had overwhelmed him. The scent of blood - a hanyou's blood - had assaulted him as he strode through the halls, and he'd had to demand to see Izayoi. Fortunately for him, no one had asked him his name and he had not given it. Unfortunately for them, their lack of respect for him would cost Tatsu dearly. He idly relished in the thought of telling them who he was after he had Inuyasha in his arms and watching them cringe in horror but that was something he could not do. To do so would be to jeopardize his mission and his brother's life. He focused his gaze on the princess of the palace.

`It'll be better this way, them not realizing who I am.'

"I wish to see the hanyou," he stated simply. "Now."

"I-Inuyasha? You wish to see I-Inuyasha?" she stammered.

"I do. Bring him to me. Now."

"But my lord . . . he is in his room . . . Sleeping."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes at the woman before him. The words she had just spoken had been a lie. He knew his brother's scent - his father always brought something back that smelled of the hanyou, often having the child's scent over him as well - and his brother was close. Very close, the scent of his blood had become strong.

"Do not toy with me, Izayoi," he said in a low tone. "I am not like the human nobles you're used to dealing with. The hanyou is close. I can smell him."

She flinched at his tone and paled. Her heart had begun to beat faster. He could hear it and smell hints of fear radiating from her.

"Bring me the hanyou, Izayoi," he commanded, "and I shall let you live. I'll even overlook the disrespectfulness of your servants and not kill them for their transgressions. Do I make myself clear?"

"Y-yes, my lord . . ."

Izayoi slowly turned around and took six steps before kneeling down to shove aside a brightly coloured rug. He kept his anger in check as she lifted up a trapdoor then looked up at him. The smell of blood, damp earth, urine, fecal matter, and something else he couldn't quite identify yet wafted up to greet his nose. His brother's scent had begun to interlace with that of death. He couldn't deny it, even if he had wanted to. Sesshomaru growled, his eyes narrowing to slits.

"Bring. Him. To. Me. Now."

"Y-y-yes, m-my l-lord!"

If his tone before hadn't scared her, it had now. She scrambled down the ladder, hushed whoever was down there with his brother - some human males; their voices were too deep to be that of a child's - then carefully made her way back up. He watched her guardedly as she approached him, a tiny form in her arms. Timidly, she lay the child at his feet then backed away, her head lowered in submission. Keeping his senses in full alert, Sesshomaru knelt down, picked his brother up, and left.

* * *

"Father!"

InuTaisho raised his head at Sesshomaru's voice. He'd been in the middle of composing a formal letter to Izayoi and would have ignored his oldest had he not detected a hint of urgency in his son's call. Since earlier that morning, no one had been able to tell him where his heir had disappeared to, not even his own retainer, Jaken. The sun had already begun to set when Sesshomaru made his presence known.

`Now I'll find out where he went to,' InuTaisho thought idly as he got to his feet. `It isn't like him to just take off like that. At least not without telling me or Jaken where he's going.'

He had stepped into the main hall when Sesshomaru appeared before him, holding a small bundle wrapped in his white kimono in his arms. The younger demon's lithe form shook slightly, as if he fought to keep some hidden anger in check. InuTaisho opened his mouth to inquire what had happened and where he had been when he stopped. The bundle in Sesshomaru's arms had twitched slightly and a barely audible whimper escaped from it. That, however, had not been what had truly caught his attention.

`Blood. There is blood on him. Inuyasha's blood. He . . . he has Inuyasha?'

His arms trembled and shook as Sesshomaru thrust the bundle towards him and he took it. He barely even noticed as his oldest ran off once more. Instead, his attention focused on the child he held in his arms, one hand brushing back the fabric that hid the boy. InuTaisho's jaw dropped at what he saw.

Both of Inuyasha's eyes appeared to be swollen shut. His lips were also swollen and caked with blood. His hair, from what he could tell, had become matted with dirt, more blood, and something so foul that it made his nose cringe. Bruises marred the child's pale face and his ears had been scratched to the point where they almost had no fur. This was not the same child he had seen three weeks ago.

"My Lord . . ."

InuTaisho blinked and looked up to see another inu demon in front of him. He barely recognized the singular silver stripe on the male's right cheek that marked him as the tribal healer. Behind the male stood Sesshomaru, a mournful expression on his face.

"Shinsei . . ." he whispered. The other nodded.

"Hai, my Lord . . . Sesshomaru told me that your youngest was here and required my help."

Shinsei moved as if to take the child from him. He reacted instantly, instinctually, his arms wrapping tighter around the small boy and growling.

"My Lord," he sighed. "I pose no threat to the child. You know this. And Sesshomaru has told me of his injuries. He needs my help. Please . . . do not fight me on this. Not with his life hanging in the balance."

The healer was right. He knew it. But InuTaisho still felt reluctant to hand Inuyasha over. His child needed him and he didn't want him to feel like he'd been abandoned.

`But Shinsei still needs to save him,' InuTaisho thought, his feet beginning to move of their own accord. Shinsei and Sesshomaru fell into step behind him. He knew where Shinsei's home was, having given it to the healer when he first came into his inheritance. `He's right about that. I just hope it isn't too late to save him.'

* * *

`Sleep . . . I just want to sleep.' The ache in his body, however, kept him from falling completely into sweet, dark blissfulness. `Please, Kami . . . don't let me hurt anymore . . . I don't want to hurt anymore.'

He felt his head being lifted and a cup pressed to his lips. A warm liquid snaked its way down his throat. Despite the pain in his mouth and throat, he swallowed eagerly, greedily. It didn't have too foul of a taste to it and he recognized it for what it was. It had been a while since he'd had anything good to drink. And if he was being given something to drink, especially medicine . . .

`Father's coming.'

That thought alone gave him enough strength to hold on . . . and to endure the pain that his body was in.

* * *

InuTaisho ran his fingers through his silvery hair as he and Sesshomaru waited in silence outside Shinsei's home. The healer had insisted that there was nothing more for the demon lord to do except wait. He'd let him know when he'd be able to see his son.

As they had waited, Sesshomaru had quietly filled him in on the reason why he had disappeared and what he had found when he got Tatsu's palace. Then the silence had overtaken them and a thousand thoughts had flooded his mind. Out of all of the servants in the palace, who could have beaten his son to the point of death? How long had it been going on? Why would they want to beat his child so cruelly and severely? Why hadn't Inuyasha spoken of this? Was this why his child always looked so pale and fragile? Why hadn't he picked up on it sooner? Those were only a few of the many questions that had begun to plague him. Mostly, however, he blamed himself for allowing Izayoi to deceive him. As soon as he'd seen Inuyasha and had heard what Sesshomaru had to say, everything began to fall into place. Inuyasha's fearful and shy mannerisms around Tatsu's servants, how he would always wrap himself around him and not let go, how he'd cry whenever he had to leave . . . and Izayoi's request to inform her before he came for his visit.

`She knew what was going on and did nothing to prevent it . . . She wanted to hide it . . . If I only I had persisted more in brining him here . . . He wouldn't be fighting for his life right now. Why, Izayoi? Why would you allow this to happen to your own son?'

He had a feeling he already knew the answer to that last question. The door of Shinsei's home slid open at that moment, breaking his concentration and filling him anew with worry. As he looked up, he felt his breath catching in his throat, especially at the sight of blood on the healer's robes and his grim expression.

"Shinsei . . ."

The healer waved his hand rather dismissively. "He's fine, my Lord. He's fine. I've made him comfortable and he's resting."

"What happened to him?" Sesshomaru inquired quietly. "Just how badly was he injured?" To that, Shinsei sighed.

"It's rather hard to tell at this point exactly everything that's happened to that child. I can say that, on this occasion, he's been whipped. There are many lacerations along his right side, his arm, and back. I'm not entirely sure how or with what, but his right arm is also broken, along with several of his ribs. I've managed to set them but he's going to have some trouble breathing for a few days. But that's only the beginning of it, my Lord."

"Only the beginning?" InuTaisho echoed, his eyes blinking. The healer's head nodded sadly as he lowered himself to the ground.

"They . . ." Shinsei paused, as if feeling out for the right words. "They urinated over him, my Lord, as well as threw their own bowel defecation on top of him . . . and pleasured themselves as well . . . That was the unnameable smell in his hair. Fortunately for him, they didn't violate him. He has bruises from his head to his feet, and infected sores in his mouth. I'm guessing they were feeding him rotten meat. My Lord, I'm surprised he's still alive after everything he's been through."

InuTaisho closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, all of his anxiety washing out of his system. His son would live. Despite the condition he had arrived in, Inuyasha would live and, for that, he'd be eternally grateful. However, his anxiety turned into anger at Tatsu, Izayoi, and the servants in the palace. They would pay and pay dearly for this outrage.

`Calm down,' he told himself. `Calm down. Inuyasha needs me. I can't do anything to them. Not yet.' His eyes opened slowly to gaze at Shinsei.

"I wish to see him."

The wizened healer merely nodded then scooted to the side to allow him passage. As he started to walk by, Shinsei grabbed his arm.

"My Lord, somehow he is aware. He's unconscious but still aware. I thought I'd have a hard time giving him some broth and the healing potions, considering everything he's gone through. But he drank them, like he knew what they were. Quite eagerly, I might add. He knows something is going on, and he's now determined to survive," he murmured.

"How can you tell?"

"His aura, my Lord." A faint smile crept onto his face. "It changed the moment I gave him the first healing potion. I daresay he is your son."

Shinsei released his arm, allowing him to enter his home. Scanning the room, he found Inuyasha in a corner, propped against the wall with pillows cushioning his head and back. His right arm had been bandaged tightly then placed carefully in a sling so it rested snugly against his body. The youth's eyes were closed, a testament to the healer's words about him resting. InuTaisho knelt next to his son. As lightly and gently as he could, he stroked the boy's cheek and smiled wanely.

`My child . . . Oh, my sweet child . . . No one's going to hurt you like this ever again. And those who have harmed you like this shall pay. One way or another, they shall pay. As your father, I swear it.'