InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Mark of Brotherhood ❯ Part Six ( Chapter 6 )

The walk to Edo had been relatively uneventful. Around noon, Inuyasha and his companions had awoken and prepared a light meal. The miko fussed over his half-brother when his lack of appetite had become apparent. Sesshomaru had to reassure her that, in time, he'd be back to his normal behaviour. For the most part, at least.

Once they were ready, they set out, no one speaking really speaking. Some idle chitchat but nothing more beyond that. Inuyasha stayed behind the group, cuddling the neko as he walked, while Sango and the houshi barely made eye contact. The miko kept glancing worriedly at his half-brother. As for the kitsune . . . he and Rin talked quietly as they rode on Uhn and Ah's back with Jaken. For being small children, they understood the severity of the situation at hand. Both children glanced constantly at their guardians - the miko and Inuyasha, and himself - and whispered amongst themselves. He caught bits and pieces of the conversation . . . From what he gathered, the kitsune had been orphaned before meeting up with his brother.

'Like Rin had been before she met me,' he mused, his eyes trailing from the children to his half-brother then back again. 'They'll have time to get to know each other . . . and I'll have time to talk with Inuyasha. Find out how Madame Yagu got a hold of him.'

That still bothered him, the fact that the demoness had gotten a hold of his brother. Though they'd never really been close, he had always claimed Inuyasha to be his brother. It may not have made him proud in the past to do so but there was something about the boy that he could not deny. Inuyasha had always had a strong fighting spirit, much like their father had possessed, and that was something the daiyoukai had always been proud of. The hanyou, despite the lack of formal training, had become a very proficient fighter and could hold his own in any fight, despite the number of injuries that he often sustained. Given all of that, there was no reason for Madame Yagu to have grabbed Inuyasha and taken him from his friends. For some reason, it felt as if Inuyasha had been set up by someone but the youkai lord couldn't think of who. The only youkai relatives that they had left didn't even know about his brother's existence. His father had wanted it that way, after all.

 

Sesshomaru slowed his pace, falling into step with his brother. Every now and then he glanced at the hanyou, trying to gauge his thoughts. The hanyou's face had become expressionless since the ritual last night but his eyes . . . his eyes had a haunted look to them.

“Inuyasha . . .”

“Yes, Sesshomaru?” came the quiet reply.

He touched a hand to Inuyasha's shoulder, slowing his pace even more. The others glanced back but continued on at his nod.

“What happened, Inuyasha? How did Madame Yagu capture you?”

Inuyasha's body trembled slightly at the mention of the female youkai's name. He squeezed the younger one's shoulder gently, reassuringly.

“I hate to ask,” he murmured softly, “but I need to know.”

“Why?”

“Because . . .” he paused for a moment, “if I know how she managed to capture you, I can determine if someone informed her of your whereabouts and be able to seek revenge. The bonding ritual can only do so much. Also,” he added on a softer note, “it'll help you heal, Inuyasha. You need it now more than you ever have.”

Inuyasha's eyes shimmered. The subject itself was a sensitive one. Everyone involved knew it.

“I'm not entirely sure how she found me,” he whispered. “I just know that it was the night of the new moon . . . She came upon me just before I had become mortal . . . I was seeking Myouga out because my back had been bothering me . . . I thought it was strange that it was doing so, especially since the pain had started days before she caught me . . .”

 

“So that's how she was able to capture you. You were vulnerable, and in more ways than one.”

“Hai,” came the nod. “It took one hit to my back and I was out. When I came to . . .” Inuyasha swallowed and hesitated, his face contorted in pain. The memories were too fresh but he was talking. And sooner than expected, he knew. “When I'd come to, I found that I'd been stripped of everything . . . and I wasn't alone . . . I was hurting . . . and . . .”

Inuyasha stopped. Tears flowed freely down his cheeks and he trembled. He stopped walking to try and regain some sense of control.

“I'm going to be sick . . .”

Sesshomaru wrapped an arm around his brother's shoulder. It took him a few moments but he calmed some.

“I didn't even know what was going on when I first came to . . . until I felt that creep's movements on top of me. I tried to stop him . . . I tried everything I could think of . . . but I couldn't. I was held in place . . . and I was beaten if I moved . . . but I never submitted.” Inuyasha's eyes met his. “I wanted death but I swear I never submitted.”

“I know, Inuyasha,” he smiled softly. “I know. You were never one to submit to anyone. Not even me. I'm proud to have you as my brother for that reason alone.”

Inuyasha smiled back, his expression grateful.

 

“Thank you, Sesshomaru . . .”

“I know, little brother. I know.”

* * *

Sesshomaru let out a soft sigh as he finally set his quill down for the night, his eyes aching from the dim light of the candles. There had been much to do, now that Inuyasha was back in his care. The first thing he'd done had been to annul the boy's promise to the undead miko. Inuyasha's entire life had been hell. He didn't need to be sent to the very place itself.

 

After that, it simply had been a matter of getting all of his affairs in order and preparing for the birth of his child. He'd also sent out spies and informants to see if he could find out who had sent Madame Yagu after Inuyasha and why.

 

Granted, Inuyasha didn't know about much of his activities. In Sesshomaru's mind, the less his brother knew, the better. He still had nightmares about what had happened and often woke up in the middle of the night, sweating and in a state of absolute panic. Sesshomaru knew that he couldn't keep everything from Inuyasha but he'd be damned if he didn't at least try.

 

`Besides,' he thought, turning his gaze to his half-brother as the boy slept contentedly, for the moment, on the floor next to him, `it'll be worth it. He deserves a little taste of heaven. And he shall get it. This Sesshomaru swears it.'