InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Wilted ❯ Arrangements ( Prologue )

Wilted
Prologue: Arrangements

----------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------------------

"Akio-dono?" the small kitsune poked her head in, blinking as she gazed upon the brooding Taiyoukai. She hardly saw her Master in such a state and rarely(if ever) saw him looking that gloomy, it was a shock to her nonetheless, and she raised her brow in question.

"Mmm, ah yes, Koppu?"

"You've just received a fax from Ketsueki-dono, requesting a meeting with you... what shall I tell him?"

Akio frowned and lifted his head, his nails digging into the fine finish on his desk. If anything, he knew exactly what Ketsueki wanted-- a chance at power, if only for the boasting privileges, he wanted to betrothed that horrid son of his, Teiku, to one of his daughters. Even in this day and age, it was becoming more and more common.

Akio hadn't many wishes in life. Although, he had more than his fair share and his company was prospering-- the only thing he truly wanted was his children's happiness. His son, Naito, was well on his way of taking over the family reign-- two of his three daughters, Tsuki and Kyohaku, were married and Tsuki was expecting twins. Yet, typically, it was his youngest that was causing problems with his ploy-- his problem child, his dearest daughter, Anei. Anei was his youngest child, and the only one given to him by his second late-mate, Kurai. Kurai had been Akio's childhood sweet-heart, yet due to a betrothing between him and his first mate, Rikka, their happiness had been delayed... until the divorce, of course. Anyways, after giving birth to Anei, the midwife noticed Kurai wasn't with them anymore-- she had suffered a majority of complications, besides the fact that Anei had been premature, it caused a great despair to settle over the family; Akio took to drinking massively, ignoring his duties to both his company and his children, until that fateful day Kurai sent him a reminder.

He still remembered that horrible feeling when he was notified a then three-year-old Anei had went missing. He had everyone on the search for the missing toddler, even going as far as to peer into cracks in the wall-- but to no avail. Anei appeared to have disappeared from existence, a ghost that had been taken by the wind; it wasn't until the next night he heard whimpering at his study door, and low and behold, there sat the little yasha, curled up in a ball at his feet. Safe, except for the tell-tale dirt smeared on both cheeks, suggesting she'd been hiding in the gardens behind the enormous house all along, her scent hidden by the thick smell of flowers...

He couldn't bear to see her be placed under the tyranny of the Daimu house, and so, with a twinge of guilt in his heart, he replied curtly. "Tell him I'd be delighted... and by the way, Koppu, send Anei and Kaze up here, would you?"

"Hai!"


--------------------------------------- -----------------------------------------

"Oh, for Kami's sake! Would you please straighten up, you're a heiress!"

"And as such, I think I am allowed to reserve the right to sit on my ass in a posture however I feel comfortable." The inu yasha yawned widely, folding her hands behind her head as she smiled ever so pleasantly at Akio, who sat stiffly in his chair across the desk. "Why were you so urgent, Father?"

"Yes, what's all the fuss about?" his friend questioned, being the nosey taka youkai he was, he was oddly curious even for his kind-- but his blunt attitude only came naturally, and Akio accepted it without offense.

"Well, Anei, I am sure it's come to your attention that you're... well... grown, now," he couldn't exactly find a word for her 'feminine' developement, afterall, how was he supposed to explain this to his daughter without feeling like a complete ass? "And I am sure it has come to your attention that... well..."

"I don't want to hear this, la, la, la..." she covered her ears for emphasis, "I already had that talk with Tsuki-- and that was tragic enough without Kaze there, thank you very much, Father."

"Hey! If this is what this is all about, Akio, then I'm leaving r--"

"No, no!" Akio waved those thoughts away reassuringly, and he proceeded to massage his left temple broodingly. "Ketsueki has requested another meeting, and I am sure you both realize what it is for?"

Anei's eyes widened an inch, her mouth falling open incredulously. "I'd rather slit my own throat!" she shot up from her chair in a hurry, a loud 'clinking' of the many chains attached to her pants echoing against the walls of the large study, and her lips curled back into a quiet snarl at the mere reminder of Teiki, "I can only hope you'll refuse his offers..." she trailed off and a look of hopelessness gripped the majority of her usually expressionless face. "Please..."

"Anei, I never had any intention of such a thing. Which is why I brought Kaze here, I want you to go live with him and his family in Tokyo, you have friends there... don't you?" Akio raised a brow, watching a fidgety Kaze out of the corner of his eye for any sign of objection.

Anei stared at him from behind a curtain of black bangs, long and hard, before she even answered, "yeah... I mean yes, I do. But why can't I go live with Tsuki, or Kyohaku?"

"I thought of that, but I'm afraid it would be too obvious-- Kaze will do well to hide you, in the meantime, I am guessing I could come up with a little lie to tell Ketsueki... spin him a tale?" Akio shrugged.

"Fine, when do I leave?"

With no outburst from Kaze, Akio answered her offhandedly with a lax smile. "Tommorow..."

Little did Anei know, this conversation would lead to much bigger things...