InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Duty Of Blood ❯ The Joy of Children ( Chapter 7 )

6/1/04 10:40 am Eastern Standard time : REPLACED the annoying Naruke mistake with Naraku. Sorry about that. It's in my spellcheck. ^_^ Blame some really bad subtitling, k? Anywho, also fixed the really big error in the scene with Sango and Miroku. Wrote that scene in 2 different sittings late at night, and didn't realize that I started it in Kaede's hut and ended it on the trail with no one actually going anywhere!

~Caliko

The Duty of Blood - Chapter 7

By Caliko

Sesshoumaru woke the next morning still tired from his dreamland excursions. Stoically, he would go about his normal morning routine as if he had not spent the entire night walking the realm of the dead. Throwing the covers from his nude body, he stood and reached for the clean silk trousers that was set on the chair next to his bed. Then, moving slowly, stumbling only slightly with fatigue, he crossed the room and entered into his private sanctuary.

The walls were a cool blue, but bare. The only adornments being the swords crossed on the wall opposite the door. His bare feet slapped lightly over the polished wooden floor as he approached the mat that lay centered in the room. Then, sinking gracefully to the floor, he crossed his legs underneath him and began his meditations.

This was the time of morning he cherished. The peace of the room washed over his tired spirit, welcoming it into it's gentle arms. Due to an old spell laid by his grandfather, the early morning bustle of the castle was muted so that only the barest hints leaked into the meditation sanctuary. The only sound was the slow, controlled breath that escaped his lungs as he breathed deeply in and out.

He stayed that way for a long time, simply grounding himself so that he could meet the day with his emotions calmed and impenetrable. Slowly, he pushed his awareness out, his mind touching upon the life energy that poured from the inhabitants of the castle. It was peaceful this time of day - no petty machinations from his nobles, no shouts of excitement. The nobles in his court still slept deeply in the predawn hours of the morning, and the servants worked silently on tasks that were done with the precision of repetition.

Gradually, a slight disturbance began to creep it's way to his mind. It wasn't evil, nor did it have any ill feelings for him. Still, it was annoying. He could feel the tentative curiosity in the intruders mind, as well as taste the impatience that was beginning to leak through the childish consciousness. It was close, in the room when the servants knew that he was not to be disturbed while he was here. He could feel no other creature awake in his fortress but himself and the interloper.

Sesshoumaru forced himself to keep his eyes closed, determined to let the newcomer speak first. Only, she never did. Minutes passed, trying even his infinite patience. It waited quietly, watching his every move even while he could sense hundreds of questions in the girls scent. Finally, his peace definitely disturbed, he opened his eyes, frowning.

If he hadn't already been in the child's mind, he would have been surprised. She was the last creature he would have expected to brave his displeasure. The last few days, the little hanyou had stayed far away from him, as if she knew that the sight of a child gave him pain. Aika sat in front of him, alone for once without her sister, copying his posture perfectly. Her brown eyes were wide, interested. Yet, she spoke not a word. He could read her questions in her eyes, and wondered if he would answer them.

"Niece." He acknowledged quietly, his own interest pricked. "Shouldn't you be in bed yet?"

"Tai was growling in her sleep. She's loud." Was her reply. Then, "What are you doing?"

His lips quirked, and he remembered another child's curiosity about his morning meditations. "I am thinking quietly. What are you doing?"

She looked surprised, as if she didn't expect him to ask that. It was obvious, wasn't it? "Watching you." Her head tilted to the side, considering. "Why are you sitting like that? Doesn't it hurt to sit so long like that?"

"It is how I was taught."

"You were taught to think?" She sounded as if it was the most outrageous fact in the world. After all, didn't everyone know how to think without being taught? :::Maybe he's stupid?::: She wondered.

Sesshoumaru stifled smile, reading her thoughts once more. Her mind was an open book to him, due to the blood bond they shared. "It is called meditation. Sometimes, I think too much. This helps me sort through my thoughts so that I can concentrate on the more important problems without worrying about those I can't change."

"OH!" Aika smiled, understanding. Sometimes she thought too much, too. "I think too much, too. I get so many ideas that I can't sit still. My mind goes to quick. I want to do everything. Mama laughs, though. Says I should settle down and pick one thing instead of wanting to do everything at once."

"Your mother is right. Pick one thing, then master it. Then you can do something else."

"What does master mean?" She asked, distracted.

"It means to become good at what you do."

"Ohhhh! But, how can I pick what to do?"

"You have to think about it carefully." The youkai replied, blinking slowly. He could feel his lips twitching, wanting to smile.

"Can you teach me how?" She blinked at him, a hopeful look on his face.

Sesshoumaru was left speechless, although he should have expected it. The child, was nothing like Rin physically, nor was she as bubbly innocent as hid ward had been, but her thought processes was very similar to hers. Finally, he nodded. "Come here after lunch today. But first, go back to your room so that Nari can give you your breakfast and bath."

Aika grinned, then jumped up. Impulsively, she hugged her cold uncle, then kissed his cheek. "Thank you, Uncle! I will master this medtion! I promise!"

"Meditation." He corrected, wondering why he had agreed. But the girl was already racing out of his sanctuary and did not hear.

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Sango deftly stepped to the side, brushing lightly against a tree as she avoided the Monks perverted hand. After years of traveling with the man, and the last few months calling him her husband, his habits were predictable. Normally, she wouldn't really mind anymore. Miroku will be Miroku, and she was only content that he no longer asked strange women to bare him a child. However, at that moment, she was busy remembering the earlier discussion with Kaede.

The old woman had not been shocked about the wind tunnels continued presence. Though the taint of the Naraku was only slight, she had already thought that the hanyou may have escaped Inu Yasha's wrath when Yasha himself did. Her main concern was in mediating the trio's continued arguments on whether they should actually worry Kagome with their news. After an hour of debate, the three travelers had gone to sleep, disgusted with their companions hard headedness. The next morning, they set out, still discussing their options, with neither Houshi nor Slayer backing down. Tired of the bickering, Shippo excused himself to scout ahead, leaving the two to their arguments.

Though Miroku agreed that they should go to Kagome to check on her, he didn't want to worry the young miko about the possibility of their enemy escaping he mate's blade. He felt that it was better to speak to Sesshoumaru in private, and allow him to judge whether his sister in law could deal with their news.

"Spoken like a true man, Houshi! Do you think that she's too fragile to hear that our enemy still lives? She senses Yasha's life force, don't you think that she may also sense Naraku's? She would feel better knowing for sure, not continuously wondering if he was really dead. Also, she should be warned that he will still come after our share of the jewel."

"Yes, my love, but in this case, I truly believe I am correct. She is living in Sesshoumaru's castle, and she and her daughters are his wards. He is not going to let us simply walk in and talk to her directly. For that matter, he may not even allow us to come in. In this matter, I believe that it would be better to follow the correct protocol of the youkai nobility. We should approach the master of the castle first, and allow him to make the next move.

The slayer thought for a moment, then was forced to agree. Kagome may be an independent woman from the future, but she was now living in a very restricted time. Sesshoumaru would never allow them to even speak to the Miko without his permission, anyway.

"Alright, Houshi. This time, we'll do it your way. Just don't think that it's always going to be this easy!"

Miroku smiled, then tried, unsuccessfully, to look subservient. "Of course, dear Mistress. My only purpose is to serve you, after all!"

Sango snorted, then called out, "Shippo, hurry. We have to get back on the trail!"

"I'm coming, Sango!" The Kitsune called out, popping out of the bushes to their right. "The Castle should be this way." He pointed, "We should come to the first of Sesshoumaru's human villages tomorrow night, then another the night after. The closer we get to the Castle, though, the fewer human villages we'll find. In four days, they should all be filled with Youkai."

"Shippo, how do you know this?" Miroku asked, curious.

"Because my family used to live in one of Sesshoumaru's youkai villages. They were killed when they left to visit family in the south. The southern lord doesn't protect his people as well as the western lord."

"So they would still be alive if they didn't leave?" Sango was horrified. "Oh, Shippo! I'm so sorry!"

"It's alright, Sango. On the fourth night, we can stay with my grandparents. My Uncle Yoshika should be able to send word to Sesshoumaru that we are coming."

"Shippo, I didn't know you had family living! Why do you stay with Kagome and Inu Yasha?"

The kitsune grinned, growling. "I'm the baby in that family! They never let me do anything! At least with Inu Yasha and Kagome as my parents, I'm learning to take care of myself! Now, let's get going! I can't wait to see Kagome again!"

Miroku and Sango sweat dropped, not knowing what to say. He hadn't seen his family in a long time, yet he was more excited to be getting closer to his adopted mother. Shrugging, they picked up their packs and followed after the young youkai. They could always ask about Shippo's family later when they rested.

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Kagome giggled as she watched Nari wrestle the twins into the tub. Somehow, they had managed to outwit the older woman's watchful eyes long enough to find a mud hole in the very back of their nursery. According to Nari, it was where Lord Se, (as she called Sesshoumaru), was planning on having a new tree planted in the children's garden.

It should have been finished by dinner, but the kids found the hole before the gardeners could plant the sapling. The unfortunate gardeners were forced to watch as the young Princesses filled the hole with water and played as the sapling started to wilt in the heat.

"Hmph!" Nari snorted, "And don't you two think that your Uncle isn't going to hear about this one! You two troublemakers are worse than your father was at your age! And let me tell you, that boy gave me more gray hairs than any of my other charges! I am afraid to find out if you two will start making my hair fall out!"

The girls only giggled at the old youkai. Over the past few days, this had became a familiar cant to them.

"Nari, if you have them, I'm going to go look in the library. It's time the girls continued their studies, but I had to leave their books home."

"Go, My Lady. I'll not let these two troublemakers win again!"

Smiling, the Miko shook her head and left, listening as Tai and Aika's giggles and shouts became muted as she moved further down the hallway.

"Are the children occupied?" Sesshoumaru's voice brought her up short.

"Yes. Nari is giving them their bath."

The Taiyoukai smirked, having heard the helpless shouts of his gardeners. "I have news about Inu Yasha that you should know."

Kagome nodded, startled, then followed him into his quarters. "What about Inu Yasha? Who sent you word? Is he coming back?"

Sesshoumaru leaned against the wall and held his hand up, demanding silence. "I've seen him myself. Since Rin and Jaken died, I have been traveling to the other world in my sleep. Last night, I met with the Lord of the dead, and he sent me to where my father and Inu Yasha were. It seems that you were right, Miko. He isn't fully dead. Neither is my father, for that matter. Father has a plan for bringing them both back, but Inu Yasha must learn to harness his demon skills first. It may take awhile." His voice was wry, leaving no doubt about what he thought about Inu Yasha's intelligence. "He's no longer a hanyou, however. Father brought him over through the sword when his body was destroyed. Since the sword is youkai, it gave him a youkai body. He needs to learn to call matter to himself, much like we do when we transform into our dog forms. Unfortunately, he had never needed to learn that skill before, and it's instinct for the rest of us, so the problem now lies in having to describe how to do it when we, ourselves, aren't quite sure how we do it."

The young Miko blanched, understanding at once. "It's going to take awhile, isn't it?"

"Hmmm.. Yes. It will. More than likely, I'll be going back to check on them tonight. Is there anything you wish for me to tell him?"

Blushing, she nodded. "Just give him my love… and.. Um…" She blushed harder. "Tell him that.. Er.."

"Tell him that your breeding?" The Taiyoukai rolled his eyes. It never ceased to amaze him how embarrassed these humans where when talking about something so natural as pregnancy.

"Heheheh.. Er.. How did you know?" She seemed to grow smaller in front of him.

"My nose, Sister. I can smell it." Then, thinking back to what she had said about her previous pregnancy, "Don't take the shards off until you give birth. If your child takes after his father, then your powers are it's enemy. The Shikon should protect him, as it protected your daughters."

Kagome nodded. She had already thought of that, but it never hurt to have a second opinion. "Your right, Sesshoumaru. Now, if you'll excuse me? I need to go to the library to find something to teach the girls with."

He nodded, then straightened to lead her out. Stopping at his doorway, he pointed back the way they came. "There is a children's library next to their rooms. Male pups are usually only taught mathematics, reading, and the warrior arts. However, female pups are taught all of that, as well as the female arts. I will send a female warrior to begin teaching them this afternoon." Then, as an afterthought, "Aika will be learning meditation with me in the mornings. She asked me today, before you were awake. Have Nari send her to me at sunrise tomorrow."

Kagome was shocked. Aika rarely spoke to anyone other than herself, Inu Yasha, and Shippo. Now, she not only began to speak to Nari, but Sesshoumaru as well. What surprised her more was that the Taiyoukai was humoring the child. Quickly, she nodded, then left to find the children's library.

:::There are more sides to Sesshoumaru than he would have others know.:::

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TBC

A lright.. Here's more. This is, as usual, un beta'd. I had originally intended it to be part of chapter 6, but I ran into some writers block. ^_^ I'm a little better, now. Anyway, enjoy! Next chapter, Inu Yasha contemplates possessing his brothers body while he's visiting their father. Unfortunately, that would leave Fluffy trapped with the old man until he got back. Oh well, he just found out that he was going to be a father! He needed some alone time with his mate!

Does Yasha do it anyway, or is he smart enough to realize what Sesshoumaru will do to him once he gets back?

'How dare you use my body to mate with a human! You VILE, unrefined idiot of a dog youkai!' …er.. Well, you get the idea….

See ya all next time!

~Caliko