InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Dark Side of the Sun ❯ Chapter Six ( Chapter 12 )

“He'll be all right, my Lord,” Shinsei murmured. “Just shaken up.”

 

“But he curled around himself,” InuTaisho frowned.

 

“Ghost pains and instinct, my Lord,” the healer stated. “It's only been a year since he came here to live. He hasn't fully healed from the experience. He may never heal from it.”

 

InuTaisho's frown deepened as he gazed at the sleeping child. Then he nodded.

 

“Understandable . . . can I take him to his room?”

 

“Hai. Before you do, my Lord, there is something I need to discuss with you . . . in private.”

 

His frown deepened as the healer led him away from his son, noting Shinsei had a concerned expression on his face. When they were in a more secluded part of the male's home, they both paused.

 

“What is it, Shinsei?”

 

“To be honest with you, my Lord? I'm worried. Very worried.”

 

“About?”

 

“Inuyasha,” he replied. “I didn't want to say anything with him being in earshot but . . . well . . . as I said, he hasn't fully healed from his experience of living with his mother . . .”

 

“Right,” InuTaisho nodded. “You said he may never heal from it. That was why he curled in on himself when I brought him in from the gardens.”

 

“Hai,” the healer agreed. “I said that . . . but it has me worried nonetheless. It . . . it is as if the abuse ran deeper than Izayoi and the servants just beating him. I've watched him, my Lord. When he doesn't think anyone is watching him, he eats as if he's still starved. He still doesn't do anything that might get him into trouble. He's . . . he's still quite a timid child. Are his nursemaids treating him well?”

 

“They are,” he confirmed. “He fears them, though. I . . . I heard him this morning . . . when he didn't think there was anyone there to hear him. They remind him of his mother. I have the youkai nursemaid from Kenmaru's court coming in to help put him at ease. Is there anything else, Shinsei?”

 

“Actually, my Lord, there is. Have you ever been by the gardens when the children are playing?”

 

“No. I can't say that I have. Why?”

 

“He . . .” the healer paused for a moment then drew a deep breath. “He doesn't play with the other children. He doesn't go anywhere near them.”

 

“He doesn't?”

 

“Iie. He doesn't.”

 

“Why?”

 

“The children . . . they seem to think that he is a spoiled and pampered prince, my Lord. Why, I don't know but I've heard the whispers. And I've watched him whenever I could after the other children came here to live. He's . . . given up on trying to be friends with anyone. The children do not want him near them.”

 

“How did it go when he did approach them?”

 

“Not good,” the healer sighed. “He isn't assertive . . . he doesn't want to be seen as being demanding so he keeps to himself.”

 

“And in keeping to himself, he's still appearing to be spoiled,” InuTaisho shook his head. “Was there anything else, Shinsei?”

 

“Nothing that I can quite put my finger on, my Lord.”

 

“I see . . . Arigato, Shinsei.”

 

“You are most welcome, my Lord.”

 

InuTaisho left the room and headed back to where his youngest son rested. He quietly approached Inuyasha then lifted the child into his arms. As he did so, he reflected on the day's events to that point and wasn't liking what he'd seen and heard, especially at the sight of his son on the ground . . . and the scroll.

 

Taking Inuyasha out of the garden had been the only way he could think of to keep his anger from taking control. He'd recognized the shredded scroll that lay next to his son, and it had upset him to see his family's history, and Inuyasha, treated so callously.

 

`How did Inuyasha get the scroll, though?' he asked himself as he headed into the castle proper. `I thought I had locked away. Inuyasha isn't old enough to read it just yet.'

 

“My Lord?” a quiet voice inquired. InuTaisho snapped out of his thoughts. TsukuYouMaru was cautiously approaching him, his expression furrowed. Several other advisors were right behind the bat youkai. Each wore the same expression as well.

 

“What is it, TsukuYouMaru?”

 

“We questioned the children as to what happened in the garden . . .”

“I expect the ones who punched my son and who tore that scroll to be punished appropriately,” InuTaisho interjected, his tone irritated. He really didn't want to hear excuses right now, and his newer advisors seemed to have plenty of them. Especially when it came to their own children. “There is no excuse for what transpired today. No excuse at all.”

 

“My Lord, please. They're not the only ones . . .”

 

“Do you know what was on that scroll?” he inquired quietly.

 

“My Lord?” The advisors all blinked at the sudden change of subject.

 

“Do you know what was on that scroll?” InuTaisho repeated.

 

“No, my Lord,” TsukuYouMaru shook his head. “I don't know what was on that scroll.”

 

“Do you know valuable that scroll is?”

 

“No,” TsukuYouMaru shook his head once more. “I don't know how valuable it is, though I daresay that it must be rather valuable if you're bringing it up.”

 

“I thought as much . . . and you are correct. It is very valuable . . . the scroll itself is one of many that contains my family's long and proud history, going as far back to when my father was still a pup and had yet to take over these lands. It was the first scroll that began my family's history and the only scroll. That is what was on that scroll.”

 

“Then how did Inuyasha get a hold of it?” the bat youkai frowned.

 

“That is my concern,” InuTaisho stated coldly. “Just as the unruly and disrespectful behaviour of the children . . . your children are your concern. I expect those who are responsible will be punished appropriately by their parents. And, since the other children did not seem to be inclined to stop the two, all mid-morning play is at an end. It is studies from this day forward until they can prove themselves worthy of having some play time.”

 

“My Lord, that is extremely harsh!” one advisor protested. The rest of them nodded their agreement.

 

“He's right,” another chimed in. “The children need to go outside. They need to play. The are children, after all.”

 

InuTaisho merely shrugged.

 

“That may be but my decision stands,” InuTaisho said, his tone firm and still cold. “But children though they are, they still need to show each other respect.”

 

“They do show each other respect . . .”

 

“But they don't show it to my son,” the daiyoukai interjected. “They never have. Just as you never have. Now, if you'll excuse me, my son needs to rest.”

 

Without another word, InuTaisho stalked past them, his form trembling with anger. He had to get away from them . . . before he lashed out and killed one of them. Something he had ever yet to do and something he never wanted to do.

 

`I am not that kind of a lord. I am not.'

 

InuTaisho glanced at the child he held in his arms and let out a sigh.

 

`Oh, child. What exactly happened out there? And what am I going to do with you if things don't get any better?

 

He had heard Inuyasha's voice ringing out. For the first time ever. He had ideas as to what had happened but no real answers to his questions. They'd have to wait until his son woke up.

 

`And I can wait . . . I can wait.'

 

* * *

 

TsukuYouMaru growled softly as he stormed back to his living quarters. He knew that inuyoukai were fiercely loyal to their pups and that they could be obstinately stubborn but this was going beyond ridiculous. If only InuTaisho would listen!

 

`There has to be a way to get through to him! There just has to!'

 

As he neared his home, TsukuYouMaru drew a deep breath and let it out. For as frustrated as he was, he didn't need his mate and his daughter witnessing it. Still, his lord's blindness to his youngest son's behaviour ate away at him. It felt like the inuyoukai was being willfully ignorant of his son's personality.

 

`I mustn't worry about it. Not right now. I have to see how Kira and Shiori are doing.'

 

“TsukuYouMaru . . .” At hearing his name being whispered, the bat youkai frowned then glanced around.

 

For a moment, he saw no one. The hallway before him was empty and the hallway behind him was empty. It wasn't until he started to resume his walk back to his quarters that he saw one of his fellow advisors standing in a darkened corridor leading to another part of the palace. The male motioned for him to come over. Frowning, TsukuYouMaru did as beckoned. When he was in the darkened area, his eyes met the bright yellow of the serpent youkai.

 

“Yes, Akari?” he murmured. “What is it?”

 

“Several of us are having our own little meeting in the gardens,” Akari stated quietly.

“About?”

 

“About Prince Inuyasha,” the hebi replied.

 

“I really do not wish to discuss that child,” TsukuYouMaru said stiffly. “He gets away with far too much as far as I'm concerned.”

 

“I figured as much,” came the slight smirk. “None of us really wish to discuss that child anymore than what is necessary. However, I think that you shall enjoy this conversation. In fact . . . I guarantee it will be of great interest. What do you say, TsukuYouMaru? Are you going to come?”

 

He hesitated for a moment. For some reason, the thought of holding a meeting over a child didn't sit right with him. That didn't mean to say that TsukuYouMaru liked Inuyasha but the prince was still a child. This meeting didn't bode well.

 

`Nonsense! You're making something out of nothing,' he told himself. TsukuYouMaru forced himself to smile at the serpent.

 

“Hai. I shall. Let's go.”

 

* * *

 

Sesshomaru ran as fast as he could through the palace hallways. He'd just heard a rumour that his brother had been involved in a fight of some kind and that their father the boy had been taken to see Shinsei. He had to see if the boy was all right.

 

`Please, Kami, let him be all right.'

 

As he approached Inuyasha's chambers, he noticed Kira at the boy's door, her daughter at his side. The young girl didn't appear to be happy to be outside his brother's door, if her body posture was any indication. Sesshomaru slowed his pace down. It wouldn't do for the intended heir to appear hassled and it didn't matter for what. With all the regal air that he could muster, and he could muster quite a bit, Sesshomaru breezed by the woman and her child, entering his brother's room. The sight he saw broke his heart.

 

Inuyasha lay curled up under a blanket, his father sitting lotus-style next to the boy. His brother's expression, though he appeared to be sleeping, was pained, and he had tearstains across his nose and down his cheeks. He let out a whimper as Sesshomaru approached. InuTaisho glanced up at him, his eyes tired and filled with worry. He gave his father a questioning glance.

 

“Shinsei gave him something so that he'd sleep,” came the quiet explanation. “He wouldn't calm down otherwise.”

 

“So someone did hit him,” Sesshomaru stated coldly. “Why?”

“I don't know,” InuTaisho shook his head. “And I don't really care right at this moment. Your brother is my only concern. Him and the scroll . . .”

 

“The scroll?” he echoed, an icy knot of dread forming in his stomach.

 

“Hai. The family scroll. I don't know how Inuyasha got a hold of it but it was shredded by one of the children while they were outside today.”

 

Sesshomaru heaved a ragged sigh, sitting across from his father. One hand strayed over to one of Inuyasha's puppy ears and idly began to pet it.

 

“It must be tearing him up inside, the scroll being destroyed like that,” he murmured, lowering his head.

 

“What was that, Sesshomaru?”

 

“I gave him the scroll, Father,” Sesshomaru replied, keeping his eyes downcast. “I went in to your private reading chamber and retrieved it. I thought it would cheer him up from whatever was making him so sad . . . and I made him promise to take very good care of it. He must have taken it outside to read while the children played.”

 

“Sesshomaru, he's too young to be reading our family's history,” the daiyoukai stated in a hushed tone. “It is a very violent and bloody history. He . . .”

 

“Wouldn't understand it?” Sesshomaru finished, finally meeting his father's gaze. “That's where I think you're wrong, Father. He's a smart child. He's already surpassed me when I was learning things at his age. I know he has.”

 

“I'm well aware of his learning abilities,” came the clipped reply. “He is still too young to be reading our family's history. It's too violent . . .”

 

“No more than what he's already lived through, Father. No more than what he's already lived through.”

 

A soft moan interrupted anything further that they might have had to say to each other. Both males glanced at the small boy laying next to them as he started to stir a little. A dry, violent cough escaped the child, causing his tiny, lithe form to tremble. Sesshomaru's stomach lurched as his brother's skin started to glisten in the fading afternoon sunlight and as the scent of a fever greeted his nostrils. Before he knew it, he was on his feet and running through the palace once more, only this time he was running for Shinsei, vaguely aware of the strange sense of deja vu that had washed over him.

 

* * *

 

A cool hand brushed against his cheek as he tried to bury himself underneath his blankets. He felt hot. Very hot. Like someone had set him on fire. Yet he knew that if he kicked the blankets off, he'd get chilled and quickly. Bitter experience had taught him as much. Just as bitter experience had taught him that no one was going to care for him while he was sick. He had to get his own water . . . if he could get to his feet. His legs felt like mush and he doubted very much his ability to remain on his feet if he chose to stand up.

 

For a moment, he just lay there and trying to work up the courage and willpower to get to his feet. As he did so, his stomach rumbled at him once . . . before it started to hurt. It felt like someone had kicked him, sending pain shooting throughout his entire body. Nausea rolled over him like the current of a river, and he let out a choked mewling sound. The hand stroking his cheek left only to be replaced by a set of strong arms lifting him up. Fear seized him and he did the only thing he could think of. He called out for his father.

 

* * *

 

“Father . . . please . . .”

 

InuTaisho cradled his youngest close to him as the boy whimpered his name out in his sleep. Sesshomaru had taken off to find Shinsei. His oldest son wouldn't trust anyone else with such an important task.

 

`Not that I had a chance to tell Kira to get the healer,' the daiyoukai thought. He would have chuckled to himself if it had not been for the severity of the situation. Inuyasha's fever had hit him hard and sudden, and was causing the small child no certain amount of pain. Footsteps approaching him and his son snapped him out of his thoughts and he glanced up to see Kira and her daughter drawing closer.

 

“My Lord . . . is there anything I can do? Shall I go fetch the healer?” the nursemaid inquired. InuTaisho shook his head.

 

“No . . . Sesshomaru is retrieving Shinsei now.”

 

“He is?” the woman frowned, her expression dubious.

 

“Hai. He is. He's quite protective of Inuyasha. Has been since he brought Inuyasha here nearly a year ago.”

 

“He brought Inuyasha here?” Kira echoed, her eyes wide. InuTaisho nodded.

 

“Oh yes. Took Inuyasha's mother quite by surprise, I'm sure. Definitely put some fear into her heart, though I daresay she didn't know who he was at the time. Probably still doesn't.” He returned his gaze back to the child he held in his arms.

 

“Does she even know he's here?”

 

“If she does, she hasn't come here to try and take him back,” InuTaisho replied. “She hasn't even written to inform me that he's no longer in her care.” He adjusted Inuyasha in his arms so that his son's head rested against his shoulder. As he did so, the hanyou buried his face into the silken fabric of his kimono, letting out another choked whimper. InuTaisho rubbed his back reassuringly. He had no doubts that the boy's stomach was still bothering him.

 

“Are you sure there isn't anything I can do, my Lord?” Kira inquired, crouching in front of them.

 

“There is something you can do, Kira,” he murmured.

 

“Hai, my Lord?”

 

“Fetch some cold water and some fresh linens. And fetch one of the servant girls. We're going to need some broths and teas for him. It's going to be a long night with this one.”