Yu Yu Hakusho Fan Fiction ❯ Wind Knoll's Curse ❯ Chapter 30

Author's Notes: Holy mother above! My new computer is finally up and running! I got everything transferred over and working as it should. I just need to install a few IM programs and I am all set! I feel like I should take my old one and bunt it out the door for all the hard times it gave me, but then looking back on how long it held on, I shouldn't. =P

 

What I am also glad about is that I no longer have that horrible, awful Microsoft Word I used to always use! It had too much going on in the damn panels. X-x It took me forever to figure out how to work the thing, and even then, it sucked out a lot of memory from my computer when it ran. Just give me good, old Microsoft 2000—I don't need anything fancy. XX

 

Enjoy the chapter.

 

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Scarlet stared up at her ceiling mostly in shock over the experience she had previously. Her gray-green eyes were wide and filled with terror as she watched the candlelight play tricks with the shadows it illuminated on the ceiling and walls. Her teeth chattered from mostly the cold that overwhelmed her but the fear having a hand in her trembling as well. Going stiff a moment, Scarlet turned her head slightly to the left as she could have sworn she heard someone calling her name softly and quickly across the room. When it came again, she turned her body slowly in return only to gaze out across her room into nothing but darkness.

 

“Who is there…?” Scarlet hesitantly asked as she shifted her eyes nervously about the room.

 

Scarlet! The mysterious voice whispered once more only quickly this time.

 

Thinking she heard it closer to her ear this time, Scarlet quickly turned her head to find nothing there. She began to hear several whispers hissing across her room. The very sound of it all hurting her head, she covered her ears with her pillow with a whimper. “Stop! Make it stop!”

 

Her body being shaken by someone, Scarlet blocked out whoever it was that was calling her until the pillow was pulled from her head. “Scarlet!” Yelled Touya as he tried to snap her back to reality.

 

Even though Scarlet knew who it was, she buried her face into her bed's covers in attempts to hide her tears. “Why is this happening to me…?” She mumbled incoherently.

 

“It happens to everyone,” Touya confessed with a sigh at her disposition, placing his palm upon her back. “It especially attacks those sensitive to it.” Feeling her move, the ice master removed his hand from where it was resting. “The dying call out to the world of the dead and to the spiritually aware. You were wasting your body away and putting it through so much stress that you were hardly even alive. Your dying soul was calling out to the world of the damned some years after your mother passed on. You just ignored the signs and sensations, because you refused to believe in what was there.”

 

Scarlet wiped her tears with the back of her sleeve. “But, I am getting better now…I am not sick anymore.”

 

Touya looked down at her with his brow creased in worry though said nothing at that moment. He turned to the priestess he asked to help him with the food he was going to bring to Scarlet, beckoning her over. “Give it to me,” he insisted between the two of them as he opened his hands to accept the tray. With the tray handed over, Touya nodded for her to take her leave of the bedroom. When the door closed, the ice master turned back to Scarlet. “Here, you should eat something.”

 

The young woman looked down at the tray to find it had chicken soup, steamed vegetables, and a piece of grilled chicken. He was obviously keeping up to tabs with her health. Her shaky hands grabbed onto the utensils she would need to eat. “But, Touya, you didn't answer me.”

 

“I don't recall you asking me a question,” he chuckled to himself as he watched her eat at the very least.

 

Scarlet rolled her eyes at his attitude as she took a bite from one of the vegetables. “If I am not sick anymore, how is it I am still calling out to the world of the damned?”

 

Touya's light smile turned into a serious frown upon her question. “I don't want to answer that as it will seem I am placing blame on someone.” His narrow eyes shifted slightly away from Scarlet.

 

“Please, Touya,” Scarlet begged as she reached over to place her hand upon his shoulder. “Please, can you at least answer me? I am tired of suffering like this and not knowing why.”

 

The ice demon turned his attention back to Scarlet with a defeated sigh. Blowing his bangs out of his face, before grabbing onto the woman's wrist to remove her hand from where it was. “Alright, fine but you have to promise—.”

 

“You're not cold,” Scarlet interjected as she felt his hand upon her skin. “I thought you were always very cold.”

 

“I am just-tired,” Touya remarked as an excuse. “My energy is not as powerful as I am trying to relax after having to put up that barrier for so long before.” He waved his hand slightly as if to ignore that conversation for the moment. “Anyways, as I was saying, you have to promise me you won't go off on what I am about to tell you.”

 

Scarlet hesitantly nodded at his comment. “I promise.”

 

“Scarlet, when you were baptized under me at my temple, a part of you was always open to the world of the damned,” Touya confessed as he motioned slightly with his hands. “When I was going to baptize you, I told your mother what this would entail. I warned her in her dreams that you would be a bit more open to things you may not want to be open to.” He sighed as he shifted slightly upon the bed. “This was back when she viewed me as a holy God and saw nothing demonic about the studies. She had no idea what she was getting herself or you into.”

 

Scarlet's fingers tensed up slightly around the silver fork she held, feeling a bit upset that her mother would do this to her. She curled her lips back as if to prevent herself from saying anything much further while continuing to listen to Touya.

 

“And your umbilical cord still, to this day, rests in my temple walls. That connection is still there between the two of you, and what she sees in the damned world, you will be connected to it as well,” Touya confessed. “When you were wasting away with depression, you only made the visions stronger and persist. Every time you cut at yourself, you made those on the other side think you were ready to pass on.” He paused for a second and pointed at her with a raise of his brow. “You told me that one time you were mauled by one of the guardian dogs of Makai, right?” Seeing her nod, Touya sighed slightly with a shrug. “Well, like Jin told you, it was because your soul was singing out to them. They thought you were ready to die. So in other words, while you were playing around with death, your spirit allowed you to see what healthy people could not—you got to see the world of the dead.”

 

“But I am getting better! I shouldn't still be seeing these things—right?” Scarlet wondered in fear as she placed her hand on her chest. “I shouldn't keep seeing these demented, tortured souls!”

 

“Scarlet,” Touya began with a shake of his head, “even if you do get hundred percent back to full health and strong spirit, you're going to see and experience what you don't want to. It may not be as frequent but you will still endure them.”

 

“So I am stuck like this…” Scarlet whispered, as she felt a bit defeated. Putting the fork back down on the tray, she rested her back against the headboard of her bed.

 

“You're not the only one, so try not to indulge in too much self-pity,” Touya said almost callously as he pushed himself up from the bed. “In times like these, it is best to help those as they have helped you. Everyone is suffering through this—not just you, my dear.”

 

Looking away from the ice demon, Scarlet knew he was right as she sighed heavily. “Sorry,” she whispered apologetically.

 

“Now, eat your dinner,” he insisted as he headed for the door. “You will be alright. I created a barrier outside your doorway, so as long as you're in this room, you should be safe.” Accepting her brief smile as thanks, the ice master departed from her bedroom and headed down to the infirmary where Jin was waiting for news on the injured Rinku. The wind master was resting with his fingers through his hair and his head lowered. “You didn't sense the demons that had snuck inside? What is wrong, Jin?”

 

Jin moved his fingers slowly from where they were within his red tresses with a heavy exhale. “I just couldn't focus on them…I was trying to relax after I ate my food, and then Justin came running in to warn me of the attack. I am…sorry.” He shifted his baby blue eyes over to the closed door to the infirmary with a sorrowful look upon them.

 

“How is he doing?” Touya asked as he crossed his arms over his chest.

 

“Well, he was badly injured,” said Jin thinking about the situation the young demon was within. “Of course, demon bodies are more resilient to human magic, so it is taking a few of my nurses to care to his body.” He slapped his hands down on his thighs for a moment, the demon pushed himself up off of the chair he was sitting upon. “Anyways, I wanted you to come here so I could talk to you about Scarlet's training under you.”

 

Touya raised his brows briefly. “I hope you don't mind me training her as my high priestess.”

 

“Do you think it is going to be too much for her?” Jin wondered as he rested his back against the wall. “She does have a lot going on at the moment.”

 

“Just keep training her as you have,” the ice demon said as he placed his hand upon Jin's shoulder. “Within time, she will be able to handle as much as we expect of her. I will train her under me whenever you want me to. I wouldn't want to take away your only servant, Jin. You know that, right?”

 

“I know. Hopefully somewhere down the line I'll have more. I am expecting a few births this months, so we'll see what happens,” Jin admitted. “If it were spring I would be expecting a bit more.” It was a well-known fact amongst the worshippers of the wind master that most of those under him conceived in the early winter and birthed mostly in the spring as they dubbed spring Jin's time to mainly shine.

 

“That's why I am glad it is winter,” Touya said with a pleased grin. “It is when most of my births take place. I am expecting 30 from this month alone.” Turning around to make his leave of the Wind Temple, he paused for a moment. “Oh, and Jin?” When he heard the redhead `hmm' in response, he continued. “It is wise not to wait till the last second to tell your worshippers what is going on. I did, and it nearly killed me last time.”

 

It was obvious that Touya wasn't an idiot to what Jin was going through. He couldn't help but dwell upon the ice demon's words for a little bit before deciding his partner was right. The door to the infirmary catching his attention, he stood upright to see one of the nurses coming forwards. “How is he?”

 

“It took a lot of energy to heal his injuries, but he should be fine, my Lord,” the hooded nurse responded softly between the two of them. “It was a very powerful beast that got him. How did you not sense that energy spike?”

 

Jin was quiet, as he didn't want to worry anyone just yet. Sighing heavily, he turned his sights from the nurse. “Summon my high priests and priestesses. I need to speak with them…”

 

In due time, some of the high priests and priestesses made their way to Jin's bed chambers. The fifteen of them gathered around and sat down to listen to what the wind demon had to say about the very recent attack on the temple. “Is everyone here?” Jin asked Justin as he was in his private room for a moment that was enclosed off to anyone but him. He could hear the high priest just beyond the white curtains, which were tied together to keep anyone from seeing what was in that room of his.

 

“Yes, my Lord. They are all here. But why are we all here?” Justin wondered, as he was a bit worried as to why a meeting was called. They had never had a meeting such as this in some time.

 

Jin pushed himself up from the chair he was sitting in within the darkness to make his way to the curtains, which hid him from the worshippers to make himself known. “Alright, quiet down,” he demanded seriously—his serious nature enough to put a worried frown on anybody's face, as they knew he was usually cheery and carefree. “I am saddened to inform you that the demons have switched their attack from Touya and Kurama and focused upon me.”

 

Unaware of the situation, the higher worshippers all gasped and felt fear overtake their bodies. “My Lord,” one of the young priestesses said as she got to her feet. “Why did you not tell us this earlier! We are always willing to help you!”

 

With everyone agreeing with her, Jin couldn't help but feel a bit ganged up on. He refused to let his childlike temper get the best of him at this moment, as he needed their help, so he tried to keep his tongue in check. “That's enough, Melody,” Jin grumbled lightly as he looked over at her with an apologetic expression. “I need all of your support right now—not your lectures of how disappointed in me you are.”

 

Rachael was in the group and couldn't help but frown herself at what Jin had to say to all of this. She felt he didn't get enough disapproving comments but kept herself in line for the time being.

 

“With the coming attacks, I have been very weak and my energy has been drained a great deal,” Jin admitted almost breathlessly to express how tired he was from exerting how much he was. “I am trying everything I can to keep them at bay, but I need your help. I need you to keep the barriers up around the temple when I am unable to. My energy is really low right now, and I need to get it back up somehow. Most of you are recuperating from the recent blows to the temple, and I cannot ask anymore of your energy.”

 

Justin listened carefully to what Jin had to say from the corner of the room. He twisted his mouth to the side and hesitated only a few seconds before speaking up. “I will help you, Jin.” Everyone paused at his sudden comment wondering what he meant. Justin lowered his hand, which he had raised previously rather slowly. “If you need someone's energy to feed off of, I will let you do it to me while everyone else is recovering from the attacks.”

 

Jin knew that it was an uncomfortable stance for the high priest to be in, as he didn't necessarily like to be drained from by a man. “Justin, that is a kind offer but you don't have to do that.”

 

“Jin, I will be fine! I promise!” Justin insisted though his body was shaking a bit from the very thought of it. “I can do this.”

 

The wind master sighed as he rubbed his upper arms. “Alright, but if you feel the slightest discomfort, you let me know, and I will stop.” He turned his attention back to the others with a slight nod. “But that is the situation we face. I need everyone to be on alert. If I don't catch something going on right away, alert me at once. I probably just don't have the energy to focus on what is all going on.” He waved away the crowd slightly as he headed over to his bed.

 

Taking in a deep breath, Rachael made her way over to Jin with her fists at her side. Knowing Justin wasn't going to leave the room just yet, she didn't mind her outburst being in front of one person. Standing in front of the wind master, she couldn't restrain herself from slapping him clear across the face. The smack was quite loud and even startled Justin. The wind demon himself was in a bit of shock but recollected his surprised composure to just shrug his shoulders back like it was nothing. “How could you be so selfish!” Rachael hissed angrily.

 

“Rachael!” Justin scolded as he tried to pull the priestess away only to have her resist.

 

“Let me go! I am not finished!” She demanded, pulling her arm away from the priest. “You could have gotten yourself killed! How could you put yourself through this—how could you even possibly think of putting me through this!”

 

Jin looked up at the priestess with a rather impartial look. He watched her shake with anger while tears lined her brown eyes. “I didn't want to burden you,” He mumbled, looking down at the tile floor. “I am sorry, Rachael. I didn't mean to hurt you or anyone else.” Getting to his feet for a moment, he reached for the priestess to pull her close to him for a remorseful hug.

 

Feeling secure in his embrace, Rachael allowed her tears to pour down her face as she held onto his body tightly. “You're so damn pigheaded,” she hiccupped through her tears.

 

 

 

 

 

The fog settling over Wind Knoll once more upon the steady rising of the full moon that night, the town grew quiet as always upon the stroke of the seventh hour. The temples were falling to the same silence gradually as most were heading to their bedrooms to worship or do their own actives that they took interest in. Scarlet remained in her bedroom where she knew she was mostly safe. Her knees to her chest and the covers held tight about her, she listened contently to the coming and goings of those few that passed down her hallway.

 

Touya was just outside the temple, listening on the small amount of worshippers that were double baptized to him from the Wind Temple with a slight frown on his face catching the mind waves belonging to Scarlet revolving around her doubt about the situation she found herself in. Sighing softly to himself, Touya jumped down from the building top he was upon to make his way inside of the temple to Scarlet's room.

 

Scarlet rested her body against the wall with several heavy sighs to keep her company and fill up the room, which was void of sound and company. Feeling the chilly aura brought on by Touya, she shivered slightly and kept the covers about her as the door to her room opened.

 

“Scarlet,” he called from where he was standing. The darkness of the temple mostly hid him from view though some of his features could be made in the dim lighting. “I want you to come with me.”

 

“T-Touya…?” She wondered as she couldn't make out much of the ice demon. “It is you, isn't it?”

 

The ice master made his way over towards Scarlet's bed. He pulled the faux fur coat off of the chair near the vanity to hand over to the young woman. “Get dressed. I want you to come to my temple real fast.”

 

“What-what for?” Scarlet wondered as she took the coat that Touya had tossed to her. “It-it is dark out and the fog is everywhere, Touya. I am too scared to go out there at this hour.”

 

Touya frowned almost irritably at her as he shook his head at her doubt. “Do you not trust me?” He wondered as he leaned upon her bed to place his hand upon her cheek. His frosty touch only slightly chilled her, as he was still weak from the demonic attacks. “You must learn to trust me first as well as all of those around you. Don't let the demons win in making you paranoid.”

 

Hesitantly Scarlet reached for the ice master to have him help her get to her feet. She held her coat close to her shaky body whilst watching the ice demon head back for her doorway from whence he came. “I don't understand…”

 

“I will be waiting for you outside, Scarlet. When you're dressed and ready, come and see me,” was the last thing that Touya said to her as he made it back down the hall from whence he came.

 

Scarlet stood there and stared at her coat before looking over at her clothes she usually just threw off to the side whenever she dressed for the night occasion. I should trust him. I shouldn't let the evil, demonic presence win, she thought as she grabbed up a few of her warm, winter clothes.

 

The cold was quite a sting upon Scarlet's fair skin as she made her way outside of the temple to be graced by it as well as a few snow flurries. Her coat and a few layered clothing wrapped tightly about her, she stepped out into the snow layered town to find Touya there sure enough passing his time by making some sculptures from the demonic ice he could control. Her foot crunching the snow beneath her caught the demon's attention.

 

Touya snapped his focus to Scarlet with a serious frown at first before relaxing into a gentle smile. “Are you ready?” Seeing her act hesitantly, he relaxed himself as he placed his hand back upon her shoulder. “With Christmas coming up, I guess I should give you an early gift myself. Now, come with me.”

 

Without another word, Scarlet followed behind the ice demon to the Ice Temple. Feeling so incredibly cold and a bit tired, she leaned in close to Touya's chest to try and have some support as she made it back to the old area of her neighborhood. The snow had covered a good bit of the Ice Temple, making it almost seem a bit homier. Scarlet blew on her hands, which were covered in her mittens. “How can you even stand being this way 24-7?”

 

“You tend to get used to it.” The demon responded seriously as he escorted the woman inside. Their breath still upon the air, he headed to his bedroom with Scarlet close behind him. He never bothered to keep the temple too warm. If his worshippers wanted it to be warmer, he knew they could find their own means to do so. Touya gazed over his shoulder to catch the worried look upon Scarlet. Twisting his mouth to the side, he thought on what to say as his bedroom door was eventually coming within sight. “Do you remember what I told you about the mirror that shows every detail about each and every worshipper that used to be here?”

 

“Yes,” Scarlet answered with a bit of wonder in her expression.

 

Touya opened the door to his bedroom to allow Scarlet on inside. Closing and locking the door behind him, he kept his hand to her back to escort her to a room he had closed off by curtains tied together. His fingers working away at the tied knot, to let the fabrics, colored in soft, blue hues to fall off to the side in a graceful sway. “I am going to show you something,” said Touya as he motioned for her to follow him. “Careful now. It is dark in here.”

 

Scarlet held onto the back of Touya's shirt, as she couldn't see a thing in the room. Everything was pitch black, making her feel rather uncomfortable. Suddenly, a single light turned on thanks to the ice master stepping upon a circular platform, which only rested a few inches off of the ground. The light was coming from an oval shaped mirror on the wall. It seemed to beam down on the demon rather brightly. “Is this…the mirror?”

 

The narrow eyes of the demon didn't falter from where they rested—straight ahead at the mirror in front of them. “Yes, the Mirror of Memories. There were far too many centuries and too many worshippers for each of us to remember. In case we forgot something important or someone we wanted to remember, we have this mirror to reflect that moment in time.” He knew he was just repeating what he said earlier, but he inhaled and exhaled heavily knowing he was going to go back on his promise by giving Scarlet what she wanted sooner. “As a gift to you, I will show you something.” Touya closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them. “Mirror, show me Cynthia Leanne Baker's birth of her daughter, Scarlet Anne Baker.”

 

The mirror flashed suddenly before seeming to rewind through a bunch of memories and thoughts the ice master had within his mind. It was like watching someone rewind a home movie though none of the people Scarlet knew—until it stopped on an image of her mother. Her heart halted at seeing her mother seeming so young and vibrant at that moment in her life. She turned around towards the mirror almost slowly in Scarlet's vision before gracing the two with a bright smile.

 

“I am fine,” Cynthia responded with a light chuckle. “Tell Touya he worries way too much about me.” She was obviously talking to one of the high priestesses with Touya standing off to the side with his arms cross. Back then, Cynthia was just as light blinded as the rest of them and couldn't see the ice demon.

 

“Understand, he does so because he cares about you and your baby, Cynthia,” the young priestess responded. She had black hair, which was obviously dyed as the roots were showing through as blond. “The summer has been horrible this year, and it isn't good you're out in this heat with you in this condition. You need to go lie down; especially if you're having slight pains.”

 

Sensing Cynthia was about to refuse, Touya shifted his eyes back and forth between the two of them with a worried expression. “Tell her I demand it,” he said to the open priestess. “I don't want to lose her or the child.”

 

The priestess nodded at the ice master before turning back to Cynthia who was intend to stay outside and help with a bit of the gardening. “Cynthia, he demands it of you. You wouldn't want to upset the Ice Lord, would you?”

 

Blowing some of her wavy hair out of her face, Cynthia sighed. “No, I wouldn't want to do that—!” Feeling a rather sharp pain rake through her body, she hitched in breath and lowered herself to her knees while holding onto her round belly. “Ooh, it hurts…!”

 

Seeing Cynthia fall to the ground like that, Touya clenched his teeth whilst hissing at the sight of her obvious pain. His reflex was to reach for her to make sure she was okay, but just as his hands were about to touch her body, he stopped and curled his fingers back into a fist of irritation remembering he couldn't touch someone who was blind to what he was. “Dammit…!”

 

“Cynthia!” The priestess gasped as she hurried to her side. “Your labor pains are becoming more intensive! The baby is coming. We need to get you inside!”

 

Scarlet watched as the mirror hurried through the images a bit more as if Touya was trying to get the images to speed up to her birth. The mirror halting once more on the part of Cynthia giving birth to the best of her ability. Touya was watching closely as well from where he stood several feet from the Mirror of Memories.

 

“I don't know if she's going to make it, my Lord,” one of the doctors commented to Touya. “She is having a hard time delivering this child.”

 

Touya shifted his eyes about worryingly trying to think of a decision. “She was dead set on not wanting to have a C-section, so I cannot go against her wishes,” he grumbled as he curled his fingers into tight fists. “Just keep trying. If this persists, then we'll have no other choice but to do the C-section.”

 

“But, my Lord…”

 

“Do as I say!” The ice demon demanded angrily, making those who could see him flinch in fright. “If I lose either one of them, it is on your heads!”

 

With the hours of labor continuing, it eventually got the point where Scarlet was almost able to make her way out of her mother. The nurses and doctors, however, were worried about her state, as she was getting very tired and drenched with sweat. Touya made it over to Cynthia's side, holding onto the iron side of the bed tightly to watch as the woman tried her best to birth her daughter.

 

“She is too weak, my Lord,” one of the nurses commented to the ice master. “All she needs is one last push and we can possibly get it out, but she is just too tired.”

 

Sucking in his lower lip, Touya moved his hand down to Cynthia's, even though it was considered a rule amongst the demons never to touch mortals that couldn't see them. He watched as the woman opened her eyes slightly and inhaled sharply at his touch. The chill was obviously something she needed to her heated body. “What are you waiting for? Get that baby out of her now!” He grumbled with his lips slightly sucked inwards after his comment. Hearing Cynthia moan, Touya shifted his attention back to her. “Push one more time,” he whispered to her, knowing a part of her could probably hear him now. “You're not ready for me to take your spirit yet.”

 

Cynthia closed her eyes tightly and squeezed Touya's hand, which she could feel there. Biting her lower lip, she managed to give one last hard push to get Scarlet out of her. The doctors and everyone celebrated the new little girl into the temple. The mother could only express a weary smile before rolling her head back, closing her eyes. Once Touya caught her actions, he began to panic a bit.

 

“She's looking pale,” he remarked as his eyes shifted over to her vital signs. “Why is she pale!” He yelled angrily, demanding an answer.

 

“S-Sir, she is losing too much blood!” One of the nurses responded nervously. “We have to stop the bleeding!”

 

Having to rewatch that scene, Touya couldn't bare to continue it much further as he closed his eyes and stopped the images from progressing. “Your mother nearly died that day, but the doctors and nurses were able to use their knowledge in the field to try and heal her with their medical procedures while I used my energy. I didn't want her to carry onward into Makai. It just wasn't ready for her yet.”

 

Scarlet was quiet as she fought the tears that threatened to come. “Jin told me of a time where you all ruled rather ruthlessly. He even gave me a diary that has all of it detailed to read if I ever desired to.” Touya looked slightly over his shoulder at her with a raise of his brow. “He told me that he holds Yusuke responsible for his change as well as the light.”

 

Touya was quiet, as if trying to understand how he should phrase his words. “That is partially why.” He turned to look back at the mirror. “But, when you live for centuries and watch the worshippers around you grow and have children of their own that you too have to raise with them, it changes your view on things as well. Like those before her, Cynthia was a daughter to me—every one baptized under me is essentially my child. I've watched some take their first step only to fall down and need me to be there for them. Even as they grew up in life, they continued to fall, and I would guide them. I watched your mother be born here as well only to have her mother befall to drugs and alcohol upon the sacrifice of her husband. Your mother was abandoned at infancy no less.”

 

As he was thinking about it, the mirror began to flicker and rewind further back in time at the moment he was thinking of. It was storming the night he found Paula's body, lifeless in her bedroom with the baby Cynthia crying out for her mother. The priestesses and priests rushed to her body as Touya made his way over to the crib. Reaching into the baby bed, he pulled her into his arms, making sure she was wrapped up tight so the chill of his body wouldn't harm her.

 

“My Lord, what do we do now?” One of the men asked involving the baby.

 

“I will take care of the child. My servants will help me,” Touya answered as he soothed the child back into sleeping.

 

“From that moment onward, I watched as she grew up under my care though oblivious to who really raised her as your mother was blind to me,” Touya sighed softly having to admit that aloud. “She was my child, and I didn't want to lose her. I feel the same way about every man and woman under my care. Just as Jin does about his, and Kurama his, and Shishi, and Hiei as well though those two will refuse to admit it.”

 

Scarlet was quiet. Unable to think of what to say though her mother's death soon came to mind. “What about…my mother's death…? What did you want to show me there?”

 

Touya smiled for a moment as he gazed over at the curious woman. “Do you really want to see?”