InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Forbidden Love ❯ Chapter X ( Chapter 10 )
[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]
By: rockthedragon7 
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.27.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.7K | Visits: 272 | Status: Completed
Anime/Manga: InuYasha Fan Fiction | Genre(s): Drama / Romance | Type: Other | Uploaded On: 02.27.2005 | Pages: 1 | Words: 1.7K | Visits: 272 | Status: Completed
Chapter X
“Izayoi,” her father called from the veranda, seeing the dreary look on her face as she turned to face him. “What’s wrong, my girl?” She shook her head, and he squinted toward the forest, shading his eyes with one hand. “What were you looking for?” When she glanced at him as she stood at the foot of the steps, he could clearly see the ardor behind the sadness in her eyes. “Was someone here? Did they hurt you?” Again, she shook her head. “You don’t have to protect them, Izayoi. If they have made you unhappy in any way, I’ll give them a good word or two!”
His daughter smiled. “It’s alright, Father…”
He trotted down the stairs, his glare on the woods. “Well, someone has obviously upset you. Look at you. My goodness, your face is wet with tears. I’ll have a talk with them. Don’t you fret about it, my girl. Don‘t you worry.”
“Father,” Izayoi interrupted. “It’s alright. He has done no wrong.”
Her father nodded. “Of course, my dear…” He paused, glancing at her with confusion. “You said he?” He chuckled loudly. “You are lovesick! Didn’t I tell you that you were lovesick?”
Izayoi looped her arm through his and started back for the veranda. “You did.”
“Who is the lad, then?” he asked, his eyes bright with curiosity. “Who’s the lucky boy? Minamoto…”
“He is not from the village, Father.”
“Oh. He’s not, is he.” He put a hand to his chin. “Not from the village. He’s not a roving beggar boy, is he? Don’t tell me that you’ve fallen in love with a hobo.”
Izayoi could not help but laugh at the irony. “No, Father. He is humble, but he is not a poor man. He is quite wealthy, with a castle high in the mountains, and a good deal of land under his rule.”
Her father gasped, his eyes wide. “A lord then! How wonderful, my girl! How grand! I am curious to know how you caught the eye of such a well-to-do man!”
“Well, I may have not yet caught his eye, but he has certainly caught mine.” Izayoi stared dreamily into emptiness. “It has not yet been a month since he…” She thought about using ‘rescued’ but quickly decided against it. “…accompanied me on a walk through the forest where we met. Oh, he is awfully kind, Father, and so very respectful and charming. You would like him, I think.”
“If you enjoy his company, my dear, then I am sure that I would as well.” They climbed the steps to the veranda. “Now, what did you say the lad’s name was?”
She did not realize that she had not told him. She did not realize her mistake until it was too late. “Sugimi Inu no Taishou…” She slapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes going frightfully open.
Her father slowly staggered back, and pulled away, bumping against the railing of the veranda as he stared at her with terrified eyes. “…Demon?” he whispered, dread in his voice.
Izayoi reached out to him. “It is not what you think…”
“But why, my girl?” he asked quietly, confused, afraid, heartbroken. “He is a demon. He is a…a monster.”
Izayoi shook her head fiercely. “No, Father. He may be a demon, but he is no monster. He is gentle and caring, and he would never ever hurt me.”
He seemed so lost as he looked to the shadows forest. “I told you that there were demons in those woods. I told you. Why didn’t you listen to me?”
“Father, he saved me,” Izayoi tried to explain desperately.
“He is a demon. He is a monster.”
Izayoi grasped his shoulders, forcing him to look at her. “Father, please hear me!” He looked so terrified, so old as he stared back at her. “He is not like other demons. Sugimi rescued me from a death at the fangs of another. You would have seen your daughter dead the next morning had it not been for him,” she justified softly. “And for that, Father, I owe him my life. I love him, Father!”
There was a long moment of silence until her father spoke, his voice shaking. “I’m sorry, my girl. I cannot let you…I cannot allow you to see him any longer.” Izayoi could almost feel her heart cease to beat.
“No. Father, please,” she begged quietly, sinking to her knees before him, tears welling in her eyes. “Please, don’t do this.”
He hung his head, as if ashamed by his words. “I forbid it. You will never see him again so long as you draw breath, and to dare utter his name in my house…I would have a daughter no longer.”
“No!” Izayoi shrieked. “No, you cannot! You don’t understand…”
“I understand well enough!” her father shouted with sudden anger, and she fell back, frightened. “The beast is baiting you! He cares nothing about you! Do you hear me, you silly girl? He has your heart in the palm of his hand, and he will crush it the moment he grows bored with you!”
“NO!” Izayoi screamed, leaping to her feet. “I HAVE HIS WORD OF HONOR!” With that, she gathered up the hems of her kimono, vaulting down the steps, racing toward the shelter of the forest with all the speed that her body could rally.
Her father suddenly comprehended his mistake, but his daughter was already gone, disappeared into the woods. “Izayoi! Izayoi, come back, my girl!” he shouted as he dashed down the stairs as fast as he old legs could carry him. “Izayoi! Please!” He sunk to his knees, tears falling down his pale face, one hand reaching out to a girl that he knew he had abandoned.
Her feet pounded against the dirt, her heart hammered in her head, and tears of anger streamed from her eyes. ‘How could he be so cruel!? Why would he want to hurt me so!? Why, Father!? Why!?’ Her legs were aching, her chest throbbed, yet still she ran on. “Sugimi!” she cried, her voice cracking as her breath came harsh and ragged. “Sugimi, help me!” And he was there in an instant, leaves and dirt kicked up as he sped to her as though the devil was at his heels. He caught her, held her up, fear for her pumping though his blood. She buried her face into his chest, sobbing and sobbing, her trembling hands grasping the back of his kariginu.
“Izayoi,” the demon lord whispered, gently lifting her chin to look into her watery eyes. “Izayoi, tell me what is wrong.”
“I made a mistake,” she whimpered. “I told him your name. Oh, I didn’t mean to! My father has forbidden me to ever see you. But I’ll not listen! I’ll not listen to him!”
Sugimi looked at her, confused. “Izayoi, he is your father…”
Izayoi shook her head. “No! Please, don’t make me go back! I never want to see his face again! Not so long as I live! Let me stay with you, I beg you, Sugimi! Let me stay with you!” The demon lord didn’t know what to do. The entire purpose of his leaving her was to protect her, and it ended up that she needed his sheltering arms, not his promises. What had her father done? Why had he broken such a fragile heart? Sugimi growled at the thought. She would not go back there. The demon lord would not allow it. He would not see her hurt. With careful ease, he lifted her into his arms, and called upon the blue cloud to carry them away to his mountain fortress.
Exhausted and miserable, Izayoi had fallen asleep, cradled with her head on the demon lord’s shoulder. When Sugimi had reappeared at his castle, the human woman in his arms, his son was the first to greet him. “I do not believe what I am seeing,” Sesshomaru hissed, anger woven into his calm voice.
The demon lord shot a glare at the younger demon that cut just as successfully as his claws could have. “Her father has disowned her. I offer her safe haven, and if you so disagree, then you may take your oppressive words and be gone from my castle.” He shoved past his son.
Sesshomaru didn’t understand what this woman doing to his father. “There will be dishonor upon your name, Father.”
Sugimi spun on him. “Then let it be! There is already hatred looming in the minds of demons from the farthest corners of my lands, and let them hate me! There will be shame on my title, but hear me when I say that there will be no shame upon my heart!” He gave a warning growl, and departed the room, striding down a hall. Vassals shuffled out of their powerful master’s way, bowing low and muttering their deepest apologies, keeping their protesting thoughts wisely to themselves.
The demon lord pulled back the luxuriant scarlet comforters, and gently, carefully set the unconscious woman upon the soft bed. The poor girl had passed out only moments after he had carried her away, fallen into oblivion right there in his arms. She must have been dreadfully strained by whatever hardhearted words that her father had forced upon her ears. Sugimi’s eyes softened with pity. The poor girl, brokenhearted, let down by her own father. What man would do such a thing to such a beautiful creature? The demon lord thought of Sesshomaru, feeling guilt in his mind. What man, indeed. He quietly brought the satin blankets up to her shoulders, brushed a strand of her ebony hair from her fair face, and silently slipped from the room, closing the fusuma soundlessly behind him.
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“Izayoi,” her father called from the veranda, seeing the dreary look on her face as she turned to face him. “What’s wrong, my girl?” She shook her head, and he squinted toward the forest, shading his eyes with one hand. “What were you looking for?” When she glanced at him as she stood at the foot of the steps, he could clearly see the ardor behind the sadness in her eyes. “Was someone here? Did they hurt you?” Again, she shook her head. “You don’t have to protect them, Izayoi. If they have made you unhappy in any way, I’ll give them a good word or two!”
His daughter smiled. “It’s alright, Father…”
He trotted down the stairs, his glare on the woods. “Well, someone has obviously upset you. Look at you. My goodness, your face is wet with tears. I’ll have a talk with them. Don’t you fret about it, my girl. Don‘t you worry.”
“Father,” Izayoi interrupted. “It’s alright. He has done no wrong.”
Her father nodded. “Of course, my dear…” He paused, glancing at her with confusion. “You said he?” He chuckled loudly. “You are lovesick! Didn’t I tell you that you were lovesick?”
Izayoi looped her arm through his and started back for the veranda. “You did.”
“Who is the lad, then?” he asked, his eyes bright with curiosity. “Who’s the lucky boy? Minamoto…”
“He is not from the village, Father.”
“Oh. He’s not, is he.” He put a hand to his chin. “Not from the village. He’s not a roving beggar boy, is he? Don’t tell me that you’ve fallen in love with a hobo.”
Izayoi could not help but laugh at the irony. “No, Father. He is humble, but he is not a poor man. He is quite wealthy, with a castle high in the mountains, and a good deal of land under his rule.”
Her father gasped, his eyes wide. “A lord then! How wonderful, my girl! How grand! I am curious to know how you caught the eye of such a well-to-do man!”
“Well, I may have not yet caught his eye, but he has certainly caught mine.” Izayoi stared dreamily into emptiness. “It has not yet been a month since he…” She thought about using ‘rescued’ but quickly decided against it. “…accompanied me on a walk through the forest where we met. Oh, he is awfully kind, Father, and so very respectful and charming. You would like him, I think.”
“If you enjoy his company, my dear, then I am sure that I would as well.” They climbed the steps to the veranda. “Now, what did you say the lad’s name was?”
She did not realize that she had not told him. She did not realize her mistake until it was too late. “Sugimi Inu no Taishou…” She slapped a hand over her mouth, her eyes going frightfully open.
Her father slowly staggered back, and pulled away, bumping against the railing of the veranda as he stared at her with terrified eyes. “…Demon?” he whispered, dread in his voice.
Izayoi reached out to him. “It is not what you think…”
“But why, my girl?” he asked quietly, confused, afraid, heartbroken. “He is a demon. He is a…a monster.”
Izayoi shook her head fiercely. “No, Father. He may be a demon, but he is no monster. He is gentle and caring, and he would never ever hurt me.”
He seemed so lost as he looked to the shadows forest. “I told you that there were demons in those woods. I told you. Why didn’t you listen to me?”
“Father, he saved me,” Izayoi tried to explain desperately.
“He is a demon. He is a monster.”
Izayoi grasped his shoulders, forcing him to look at her. “Father, please hear me!” He looked so terrified, so old as he stared back at her. “He is not like other demons. Sugimi rescued me from a death at the fangs of another. You would have seen your daughter dead the next morning had it not been for him,” she justified softly. “And for that, Father, I owe him my life. I love him, Father!”
There was a long moment of silence until her father spoke, his voice shaking. “I’m sorry, my girl. I cannot let you…I cannot allow you to see him any longer.” Izayoi could almost feel her heart cease to beat.
“No. Father, please,” she begged quietly, sinking to her knees before him, tears welling in her eyes. “Please, don’t do this.”
He hung his head, as if ashamed by his words. “I forbid it. You will never see him again so long as you draw breath, and to dare utter his name in my house…I would have a daughter no longer.”
“No!” Izayoi shrieked. “No, you cannot! You don’t understand…”
“I understand well enough!” her father shouted with sudden anger, and she fell back, frightened. “The beast is baiting you! He cares nothing about you! Do you hear me, you silly girl? He has your heart in the palm of his hand, and he will crush it the moment he grows bored with you!”
“NO!” Izayoi screamed, leaping to her feet. “I HAVE HIS WORD OF HONOR!” With that, she gathered up the hems of her kimono, vaulting down the steps, racing toward the shelter of the forest with all the speed that her body could rally.
Her father suddenly comprehended his mistake, but his daughter was already gone, disappeared into the woods. “Izayoi! Izayoi, come back, my girl!” he shouted as he dashed down the stairs as fast as he old legs could carry him. “Izayoi! Please!” He sunk to his knees, tears falling down his pale face, one hand reaching out to a girl that he knew he had abandoned.
Her feet pounded against the dirt, her heart hammered in her head, and tears of anger streamed from her eyes. ‘How could he be so cruel!? Why would he want to hurt me so!? Why, Father!? Why!?’ Her legs were aching, her chest throbbed, yet still she ran on. “Sugimi!” she cried, her voice cracking as her breath came harsh and ragged. “Sugimi, help me!” And he was there in an instant, leaves and dirt kicked up as he sped to her as though the devil was at his heels. He caught her, held her up, fear for her pumping though his blood. She buried her face into his chest, sobbing and sobbing, her trembling hands grasping the back of his kariginu.
“Izayoi,” the demon lord whispered, gently lifting her chin to look into her watery eyes. “Izayoi, tell me what is wrong.”
“I made a mistake,” she whimpered. “I told him your name. Oh, I didn’t mean to! My father has forbidden me to ever see you. But I’ll not listen! I’ll not listen to him!”
Sugimi looked at her, confused. “Izayoi, he is your father…”
Izayoi shook her head. “No! Please, don’t make me go back! I never want to see his face again! Not so long as I live! Let me stay with you, I beg you, Sugimi! Let me stay with you!” The demon lord didn’t know what to do. The entire purpose of his leaving her was to protect her, and it ended up that she needed his sheltering arms, not his promises. What had her father done? Why had he broken such a fragile heart? Sugimi growled at the thought. She would not go back there. The demon lord would not allow it. He would not see her hurt. With careful ease, he lifted her into his arms, and called upon the blue cloud to carry them away to his mountain fortress.
Exhausted and miserable, Izayoi had fallen asleep, cradled with her head on the demon lord’s shoulder. When Sugimi had reappeared at his castle, the human woman in his arms, his son was the first to greet him. “I do not believe what I am seeing,” Sesshomaru hissed, anger woven into his calm voice.
The demon lord shot a glare at the younger demon that cut just as successfully as his claws could have. “Her father has disowned her. I offer her safe haven, and if you so disagree, then you may take your oppressive words and be gone from my castle.” He shoved past his son.
Sesshomaru didn’t understand what this woman doing to his father. “There will be dishonor upon your name, Father.”
Sugimi spun on him. “Then let it be! There is already hatred looming in the minds of demons from the farthest corners of my lands, and let them hate me! There will be shame on my title, but hear me when I say that there will be no shame upon my heart!” He gave a warning growl, and departed the room, striding down a hall. Vassals shuffled out of their powerful master’s way, bowing low and muttering their deepest apologies, keeping their protesting thoughts wisely to themselves.
The demon lord pulled back the luxuriant scarlet comforters, and gently, carefully set the unconscious woman upon the soft bed. The poor girl had passed out only moments after he had carried her away, fallen into oblivion right there in his arms. She must have been dreadfully strained by whatever hardhearted words that her father had forced upon her ears. Sugimi’s eyes softened with pity. The poor girl, brokenhearted, let down by her own father. What man would do such a thing to such a beautiful creature? The demon lord thought of Sesshomaru, feeling guilt in his mind. What man, indeed. He quietly brought the satin blankets up to her shoulders, brushed a strand of her ebony hair from her fair face, and silently slipped from the room, closing the fusuma soundlessly behind him.
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