InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ A Simple Legacy (II) ❯ Chapter 8 ( Chapter 8 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

Disclaimer: Inuyasha and its characters are created by Rumiko Takahashi, not me, but the new plots are mine. This fanfiction had been written for entertainment purposes only and without intention of infringing upon any copyright.

A/N: Thank you for reading and reviewing the last chapter. Hope you will enjoy this one!

A Simple Legacy II by elle6778 - Chapter 8

The sun rose high in the sky and then swooped down behind them as they flew over the treetops, passing many villages on their way. The miko had detected no shards in their journey so far but to Sesshoumaru's surprise, she had lasted until sunset without a word of complaint.

Considering that she had not slept at all last night, she seemed to be faring remarkably well even by youkai standards. He had wondered if it had anything to do with the strange youki tainting her miko aura. Completely disregarding his earlier warnings, she had chattered continuously for the entire duration of the journey. Her spirits had been high and her anticipation was so infectious that he had to forcibly clamp down on his urge to smile. Not for the first time, he had cursed the connection between them.

Sesshoumaru had not failed to notice that things had been strained between them for the past few days. Her emotions had spilled over to him, confusing him with its intensity. Between Inuyasha's accusations, the promise she had made to him and her protest at his treatment of the forest youkai, he supposed that he could understand why she had been so edgy of late.

Fortunately, her mood had switched soon after they had departed for their journey. Sesshoumaru did not think that he could survive her erratic emotional swings on a prolonged basis without killing something. Namely, her.

All it had taken was for Inuyasha to submit. Sesshoumaru's lips quirked. The idiotic half-brother of his did not even realize how much power he held over the miko. If Inuyasha was more ambitious, he could have taken advantage of the miko's affections.

Inuyasha's capitulation had been a well thought out gamble on his part. It had been something that Sesshoumaru had wanted to test ever since Tetsusaiga accepted his youki and his fang. All it had taken was for him to exert a conscious thought to calm the katana's strength. Sesshoumaru doubted that in his fury, Inuyasha had even noticed that when he had tried to attack for the second time, the Tetsusaiga had remained untransformed. Seeing how closely-related Tetsusaiga was to Inuyasha's blood, it had been a simple matter to influence, or rather, calm the hanyou in the same manner.

A soft snuffle drew his attention to the miko. She had done well to travel this far, but it seemed that now the strain had finally caught up with her. The moment they had found an abandoned hut, she had crawled in a promptly fell asleep on the dusty straw mat.

For the first time in days, Sesshoumaru relaxed. Glancing at the sleeping miko at the end of the hut, he realized that she had done the same. The tight lines between her brows had eased in her sleep and her breathing was even.

Expanding his senses, he reached out to find if there were any threats nearby. Sensing nothing, Sesshoumaru erected a barrier around the hut and let himself rest.

……………………̷ 0;…………….

A blue light surrounded her.

The Bone-Eaters' well, the vague thought crossed her mind. She had fallen into the Bone-Eaters' well. But what was the blue light? It held a great power, something much greater than anything she had seen or experienced before.

And she was in pain. Her body felt like it was on fire. Then suddenly, she landed on a hard surface. Breathing hard, she looked up to find a dimly lit shaft over her.

Her first and foremost thought was that she had to get away as far as possible from the one who had injured her. She could not let him have the Shikon jewel. The jewel had to be placed somewhere safe. Somewhere where he or those like him could not get their hands on it.

But she was running out of time. She knew deep inside that she would not make it. Her injuries were too severe and there was no one around to help her. After all no one would dare incur the wrath of her mate.

With that thought, she muttered a spell to seal the area around her.

Slowly, wincing at the pain, she began to crawl and climb upwards. Progress was slow, but she persevered, knowing that she did not have a choice. The climb seemed to have taken forever but finally, she managed to hoist herself over the top. Landing in a heap beside the well, she curled into a ball, trying to even out her ragged breath as she bit her lips against the pain coursing through her body.

Where was she? Looking around, all she could see was four sides of wooden wall and a roof over. The entire place felt different. Muttering another spell under her breath, she waited for the response to her question. When a soft warm feeling reached her, she knew that although there were living beings around her, there was no immediate danger or evil.

Crawling slowly to the door, dragging her broken leg behind her, she pried it open a crack. Sunlight shone right into her eyes, making her blink at its intensity. The waft of air which reached her was pungent, filled with unfamiliar elements. A feeling of dread grew within her. She was in a strange place and she was injured badly.

Glancing back at the well, she wondered if she should jump back into the well. But she knew that on the other side, a certain death awaited her. At least here, she sensed no malevolent beings.

She had also sensed no youkais. How was that even possible? There should be at least some hint of them. Youkais were everywhere.

Too tired to think, she pushed the door shut and leaned back against the wall. Sleep claimed her, throwing her into the realm of unconsciousness.

She did not know how long she had slept but when she woke up, the sun was high in the sky. The sound of joyous laughter filtered through the wall, making her smile. Someone out there was very happy.

Curious, she cracked open the door just a slit and peeked out.

A pregnant woman was waddling over to an old man, her eyes shining with joy. To her surprise, she sensed a hint of miko power in the woman. And the old man appeared to possess the aura of a priest. However, it seemed that those powers were dormant.

How strange. Why would such power be dormant?

“My baby will choose what she wants to do,” the woman told the old man.

The old man snorted, his white moustache and beard twitching. “She'll learn the old ways. Too many youngsters nowadays lack history. It's important to learn this.”

“I'm sure,” the woman said with a laugh, obviously humoring the old man.

A kindly looking man stepped out of the house. “How's the mother-to-be?” he asked gently. It appeared that this man was the husband of the pregnant woman.

“Excited. I think it's going to be soon. I can feel it.”

The man placed a gentle hand over her rounded stomach. “I can't wait for our first child to arrive.”

As they continued to talk, she withdrew back into the well-house, closing the door quietly. The family was obviously happy as they awaited the arrival of their newest member.

She blinked back her tears, remembering her own child. Once, her small family had also been happy. And then, disaster had occurred.

She should have kept the information to herself. Her powers and her unusual bond to her child had told her of the Shikon no Tama's presence in her daughter's small body, just under her ribs. Both she and her mate had been surprised. However, soon after that, her mate's surprise had turned into speculation.

Then the speculation had changed to a certain power-hungry gleam in his eyes. She remembered how her arms had tightened around little Sachi as he stalked towards them, the lust for power overriding his love for his family.

Her mate had slaughtered their own daughter without mercy, just because he wanted the jewel embedded in the child's body. Just because her daughter had been born to be the protector of the jewel.

How could he? Sachi had barely reached half a year in age, just a kitten. A little demoness with bright green eyes and powder soft skin. How could he forsake the life of his own blood just for a jewel that promised power? How could he simply discard his mating bond and his promise to protect her and their children?

Tears spilled down her pale cheeks as she remembered the bloody gash in her baby's midsection. Sachi's little rosebud lips had been parted in a silent scream when her life had been ripped away. Her heart constricted painfully. The pain then had been worse than any physical pain she had ever experienced. It had felt like his very claws were tearing her apart.

Her tears continued to spill unchecked as she mourned her daughter.

……………………̷ 0;………..

Sesshoumaru's eyes snapped open as a whimper reached him. It was soft and fleeting but the anguish it contained did not escape him.

It was from the miko. He turned to find her tossing around restlessly on the straw mat.

Curious, Sesshoumaru unfolded his long legs and walked towards her. As he got closer, he was hit by a wave of misery so strong that he froze on the spot. His brow furrowed slightly. What could have happened to cause her so much emotional pain?

Forcing himself to ignore the waves of despair, he closed the gap between them until her face came into view. Her cheeks were damp with tracks of tears and her forehead was marred with a frown. The usual peach scent which surrounded her was contaminated with the salty, pungent scent of tears and anguish. He could only guess that she was dreaming about something very disturbing. Perhaps it would be prudent to wake her. She might accidentally harm herself.

“Miko,” he called out.

His attempt did not have the desired effect of waking her. She continued to toss, her hair sticking to her damp cheeks as another heart-wrenching whimper escaped her lips.

He knelt down beside her. “Miko! Wake up,” he urged, placing a hand on her shoulder. It felt odd to be touching her outside of their training and traveling, he noted absently.

When she did not respond, he shook lightly. Although her eyes remained shut, her movements stilled a little. Sesshoumaru could feel her despair ebb slightly but it was still present. Tightening his fingers on her shoulders, he shook firmly.

Another whimper escaped her lips, following by a strangled sob. The scent and sight of her tears unsettled him more than it should. But what vexed him the most was the anguish which made him feel as if he was being torn apart from inside.

“You will wake up this instance!” he insisted, his tone uncompromising.

To his relief, her eyes peeled open. Those eyes immediately flitted around them in panic. Shooting up into a sitting position, she whispered brokenly, “No…” Then she began to trash frantically.

He grabbed wrists using one hand to still her movements. Dimly it registered at the back of his mind that the appendage he held felt very fragile. Noticing that her eyes were still unfocussed, Sesshoumaru shook her again. “Kagome. Get a hold on yourself.”

Her panicked eyes landed on him. Then her fear slowly abated, leaving two confused brown orbs. Grateful for the reprieve from her uncomfortable emotions, Sesshoumaru let out the breath he did not realize he had been holding.

“Sesshoumaru,” she sighed, closing her eyes in apparent relief.

“You had a nightmare,” he pointed out blandly as he released her wrists.

She rubbed her eyes. Then she stared down at her damp hand. “Oh,” she exclaimed in a small voice. Blinking rapidly, she mumbled, “It seemed so real.”

Curious of what had been such a bad nightmare that she ended up crying, he asked, “What was it?”

The miko frowned slightly as she began haltingly, “The dream…or something. It was me… but it wasn't. Like I was seeing through someone else's eyes.”

“Perhaps it was you.”

She shook her head. “It can't be possible. I saw my parents when they were young. Mom is pregnant, I think with me. So it can't be me.”

Confused, but careful not to show it, he prompted, “So who was it?”

“I don't know. I just remember this person falling into the well and coming up to the well-house in my home. She was thinking about her baby, a little girl murdered by her mate for the Shikon jewel. It was really strange. I could feel everything and I could even see how her mate dug his claws into the baby.”

“Hn.” Her nightmare was odd indeed. However, it seemed more like a memory than a nightmare to him.

“It kind of reminds me of something Moriko told me before we left,” she added, looking puzzled.

He waited for her to elaborate.

“She said that a sorceress fell down the Bone-Eater's well about the time I was born. She was gravely injured from fighting with a neko youkai while trying to keep the Shikon jewel from him. I think the woman in my dream and the sorceress is the same person. But why would I be dreaming of her? Is this somehow connected to the jewel?”

Sitting on the floor beside her, he pondered her question. “There are similarities between the two. It is possible that you might have seen the sorceress' memories,” he said thoughtfully. Something else nudged at him, but for the moment, he simply could not think of what it might be.

The miko frowned. “It's strange though. It makes me wonder if she was the one who brought the jewel over to my time.”

“Perhaps she was the one who had gifted you with the jewel,” Sesshoumaru suggested. And perhaps something else, he added inwardly.

“I guess that would make sense. But the whole thing was so sad,” she whispered. “How could her mate kill their own baby like that? It was horrifying.”

“The evil in the Shikon is able to corrupt the mind, it seems.”

“But she was just a baby. That's just wrong.”

He eyed her curiously. She had spoken as if she was surprised. “Miko, you've surely come across worse things,” he remarked levelly.

“Not someone killing their own kid,” the miko exclaimed heatedly.

He could understand her fury at the situation, however, she needed to understand that to some youkais, power was more important that the life of a child. Not that he actually agreed with those principles. Only the weak could succumb to such a thing.

“Agreed.”

She gave him a look of surprise. Then he felt a distinct wave of approval coming from her direction. What irked him, however, was his involuntary response.

He was…pleased.

Sesshoumaru glowered inwardly. The miko's opinion hardly mattered to him. He had always and would always do what pleased and benefited him the most, irregardless of what others thought. Why should he feel pleased that she approved of his opinions?

Unable to shake his feeling of unease at the thought, he finally said flatly, “Sleep, Miko. We will resume this discussion some other time.”

She blinked at him owlishly, and then a small smile flitted past her lips. “Goodnight, Sesshoumaru.”

“Hn.”

……………………̷ 0;…………..

She would have constantly thought about the dream if it were not for the frantic pace Sesshoumaru had set them.

She had woken up the next morning feeling refreshed and ready for anything. Flying high in the sky to increase their vantage point, Kagome had spotted their first shard. She had been surprised that she had managed to sense the shards at such a great distance and finally, she simply chalked it up to her improved miko powers.

The lone weasel youkai had been an easy opponent. At least it seemed that way considering that it had only taken a few lashes of Sesshoumaru's whips to bring the weasel down. It had not even been necessary for her to lift a finger to help. Vaguely, she had wondered if she would ever get a chance to use her battle skills while she traveled with Sesshoumaru.

Come to think of it, she really should practice her version of the whips. Although she could control it a little better now, it still paled compared to Sesshoumaru's attack. She pulled a face. Well, what did she expect anyway? Sesshoumaru had centuries to perfect his technique.

Sighing, she scanned the terrain under them as Sesshoumaru guided his clouds over some mountains. She could even see the bluish green hue of the sea not too far from them.

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru dipped lower, making her squeak in alarm as she grabbed his armor tighter, pressing herself closer to him in reflex. As she steadied herself, she noticed how tense he was. Realizing how tightly she was hanging on to him, she immediately loosened her hold.

“Sorry,” she muttered. “But do you mind giving me some warning next time before you do that?”

“Hn.”

Glancing around, she realized that they were flying very low, practically touching the ground.

“Um…Sesshoumaru?” she ventured. “Why are we flying so low?”

“We will visit the Southern Lord,” he replied, not taking his eyes away from something in the distance.

Kagome squinted in the direction he was looking at. Then she managed to make out the outline of a castle, surprising herself as she did so. The air in the southern land must be clearer than the rest of the place she had been to.

“Why are we going there?” she asked curiously.

“To inform the lord of our arrival.”

“Are you planning to stay at the castle with the lord as we hunt for the shards? Or are we going there for something else?”

He glanced down at her. “Miko, surely you do not expect to roam the Southern Lands freely without informing the lord who owns it.”

Her eyes widened in understanding. “Oh.” Then she continued, “So, are you friends with him or what?”

“Friends?”

Kagome gave him a dry look. “Yeah. Friends. You do have some friends, don't you?”

“This Sesshoumaru has allies,” he replied flatly.

He could not be serious. Exasperated, she repeated, “Friend, Sesshoumaru. Friends. I'm not asking about allies.”

He glanced down to give her a stony look. “You ask far too many questions, Miko.”

She rolled her eyes at him. “Well, I might as well get to know you better since we're stuck together for a while, right?”

“That would be unnecessary.”

Her eyes narrowed. Was this Sesshoumaru's way of telling her to back off? “Unnecessary? Hah! I bet you're just scared to let someone close.”

He tossed a glare at her. “This Sesshoumaru does not fear anything.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Really?” she taunted mischievously. What could she do to prove him wrong? What could he possibly fear, being the greatest taiyoukai around?

“Yes. And you shall not attempt any foolishness to prove otherwise,” he warned her in a hard tone.

“Of course not!” She laughed weakly, hiding her surprise. How did he figure out what she was thinking?

“Good.”

Kagome sulked.

……………………̷ 0;………….

They stood before the castle gates, waiting as one of the Southern Lord's guards went in to announce their arrival. Soon, the guard returned and invited them in. Sesshoumaru did not miss the suspicious look given to the miko by the bear youkai as they passed the gate.

Sesshoumaru gave the guard a look of warning, only satisfied when the burly youkai stood back and lowered his gaze. Human or not, the miko was his ally and hence, should be treated with respect by others in his presence. Disrespecting her was tantamount to disrespecting him.

The guard led them to a large reception room. Sesshoumaru did not have to look around to know what the place looked like. He had been there often enough when Inu-no-Taishou had brought him along while visiting his old ally. Unlike his home, the previous Southern Lords had built their castle almost entirely in stone and decorated the place lavishly with fur. Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to wrinkle his nose at the scent of the skins which hung in the air.

Fortunately, he did not have to wait long. Lord Takeo preceded his appearance by a loud chuckle. Then the wooden door opposite them was flung open to reveal a large bear youkai.

“Sesshoumaru!” the Southern Lord boomed. “Welcome to the Southern Lands.”

“Takeo,” Sesshoumaru greeted levelly, resisting the urge to rub his ears.

“It has been…” Takeo frowned in thought before he continued, “…a century?” His brows arched in surprise, and then he continued in a more serious tone. “You're welcomed here, even without your father, you know? My father would skin me alive if he thought that I didn't welcome his dear friend's heir.”

Feeling uncomfortable at the familiarity the other lord was showing him, Sesshoumaru simply nodded. Although Takeo was the offspring of Inu-no-Taishou's old ally, Sesshoumaru had always felt a little annoyed by his overzealous manners. But Sesshoumaru also knew that in spite of his mannerism, Takeo had inherited his father's strength and intelligence.

“Is everything in order in the Western Lands?” Takeo asked as his gaze landed on the miko.

“Yes. All is well,” Sesshoumaru replied, noticing that the other lord's attention had shifted to the miko. “Takeo, this miko is an ally.”

The miko bowed awkwardly. “Please to meet you, Lord Takeo,” she greeted. “I'm Kagome,” she said, emphasizing on her name as she tossed a pointed look in his direction. Sesshoumaru chose to ignore her.

Takeo's brows rose. Turning his gaze back to Sesshoumaru, he said, “A miko, huh? A powerful one as well. Not someone I expected to see at your side, Sesshoumaru, despite your father's preferences.”

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. Takeo should know better than to imply such a thing. “She is simply an ally, Takeo. There is nothing more.”

Takeo's brow rose higher. “I see,” he said thoughtfully as he turned to the miko. “And Kagome?”

She gave him a polite but questioning look.

“Do you not fear for your reputation, seeing that you're traveling without chaperone in the company of this unmated male?” Takeo asked silkily. “Do you not fear being alone with this taiyoukai?

Sesshoumaru tensed. A quick glance at the miko told him that she was just as annoyed. Before he could say anything, the miko stepped forward.

“Lord Takeo.” Her voice was firm. “Sesshoumaru treats me with nothing but respect. I just hope that you will do the same.”

Sesshoumaru quirked a brow, feeling oddly pleased at her response. He watched with interest as Takeo's eyes widened in surprise. Then he a hearty laugh exploded from his lips. “So I will, Kagome. So I will.”

The miko inclined her head. “Thank you,” she replied graciously.

Takeo eyed the miko speculatively before he turned. “Sesshoumaru. The Southern Lands need a strong miko. Perhaps Kagome would like to stay-”

“No.” That one word had escaped Sesshoumaru's lips before he even thought about it.

On hindsight, perhaps he should have let the miko answer for herself. After all, once Naraku was destroyed, she would be free to do whatever she wished. He quickly rectified, “Not now. But once the miko had concluded her business with this Sesshoumaru, she may do as she wishes.”

Sesshoumaru kept his eyes on Takeo, but he did not miss the wave of annoyance mixed with something else directed towards him.

Takeo inclined his head. Smiling at Kagome, he said, “Well, the offer is open. If you would like a change, you're welcomed to join the Southern Lands.”

“Thank you for your offer, Lord Takeo, but I have other responsibilities,” the miko replied sincerely.

“Takeo,” Sesshoumaru began, wanting to get the reason for his visit over with as soon as he could. “The miko is the guardian of the Shikon no Tama.”

Takeo gave her a look of interest. “Oh? I thought the jewel shattered.”

The miko nodded. “That's right. I'm trying to collect all the shards so that I can put them back together.”

“We would appreciate your consent to search your lands for the remaining shards,” Sesshoumaru added.

“Ah, so that's why you're here,” Takeo exclaimed. Waving a hand absently around him, he continued, “You can search to your heart's content, Sesshoumaru. I won't stand in your way. The jewel brings nothing but trouble anyway.”

Giving Takeo a nod of acknowledgement, Sesshoumaru said, “Then we will depart now.”

The bear youkai looked surprised. “So soon? At least have some food and rest before you go.” Then he added subtly, “Your companion must be tired after all the traveling.”

Sesshoumaru's lips thinned. It was obvious that Takeo wanted them to stay for a while. What did the devious youkai have in mind?

Knowing that he had no other option, at least not without insulting the Southern Lord, Sesshoumaru finally said, “Very well. We will rest for a short while. Then we will depart.”

……………………̷ 0;………….

Their short visit to the Southern Lord had ended up with them staying over the night. The rain had pelted down mercilessly just before Sesshoumaru had wanted to leave, so Takeo had extended his offer for them to remain.

Not that Kagome had complained. Sleeping in a nice, warm room on a comfortable futon had been way better than roughing it out in the wild while it was pouring down with rain.

To her amusement, as the night went on, Takeo had gotten increasingly inebriated and his voice had grown progressively louder. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, had grown less and less amused. Kagome giggled at the thought. It was obvious that Sesshoumaru had been completely sober while the other lord had been drunk. Or maybe Takeo had just been pretending. She would not put it past him. So she had gone to sleep, leaving Sesshoumaru and Takeo by themselves in the reception room, drinking sake.

They had left the following morning and continued their hunt for shards. It had taken them an entire day, but they finally found a shard. Again, the retrieval of the shard had been fairly painless. They had then found shelter in a small cave.

Now, complete with two new shards, she found herself flying high above the trees again. Fresh from a good dip in the hotsprings Sesshoumaru had found earlier, she felt energized. Sesshoumaru was his usual reticent self, eyeing their surroundings warily as he guided his cloud forward at a breakneck speed. She had this feeling that he was trying to make up for lost time. She glanced down around them, trying to spot the shards. It was hard to do with her hair whipping all over her face.

Then she thought she saw something as they passed a mountain in the distance. Gripping his armor, she turned to look over his shoulders. Her eyes widened as she saw a familiar glow reaching her from one of the mountains.

She let out a squeal of triumph. “Slow down! I think I just saw a shard,” she yelled. Her feet slipped in her excitement and to her alarm, she lunged to one side precariously.

His arm clamped around her waist like a vise, squeezing the air from her lungs. “Miko. You will refrain from raising your voice,” he gritted out. After a short pause, he added, “And perhaps you should attempt to remember that we are flying far above land.”

“I know,” she squeaked. “Sesshoumaru, I can't breathe.”

To her relief, his grip loosened slightly as he turned them around. Surprisingly, his arm remained around her waist. It was no simple task with her bow and arrow strapped to her back and her kodachis belted at her waist. She had to admit that she felt safer knowing that if she accidentally let go of his armor, she would not plummet down to an ugly death.

“Where?”

She squinted into the distance. “Just go straight. It's quite far away. See that mountain?”

“Hn.”

Then his arm went around her waist, holding her tight. Her eyes widened as she found herself surrounded by his youki. Then everything went white as they jolted forward. With a muffled squeal, she squeezed her eyes shut. She thought they were going fast before, but it was nothing compared to the speed she felt now as Sesshoumaru morphed together with her into his ball of energy.

In no time at all, they slowed and Kagome began feel her limbs returning to life. Cautiously, she opened her eyes to find them floating towards the now much closer mountain.

“Do you sense the shard, Miko?”

Pointing at a cave set in high the face of the mountain, she said with confidence, “In there.”

With a curt nod, he flew them there.

……………………̷ 0;………….

t.b.c.

A/N: More tidbits of information in this chapter and there are more to come in the next few, but I think you can guess what happened to the jewel, right? The clue is in Chapter 1 of Part 1. LOL, I know, that seems so long ago! Anyway, please review and tell me what you think. Thanks!