InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ My Devotion ❯ Diversion ( Chapter 21 )

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

This chapter is kind of dramatic, I should make a fight scene for the next chapter but, to be honest, i just didn't feel like it for this one. Sorry guys...and for the wait...so...Read and Review. '--' means rin's insight and italics means the voice.

Diversion

The Lady Rin's appearance was happily received by her guests. The faintest bulge in her kimono was noticeable if one was looking for signs of her pregnancy. She looked over the assembled party to find that it wasn't larger than what she had anticipated, but she didn't quite expect certain persons to attend. But she was pleased nonetheless. Besides, the blush on Souten's face made it difficult to keep a smile off of her face. She was overly fond of that kitsune and Rin could deduce that her friend wasn't expecting him to be there either.

“Rin! We're so glad to see you again. You look wonderful.” Kagome ran up to her and immediately caught her in a fond embrace.

“Thank you. It's good to see you as well, Kagome-chan. Might i ask about Sango and Miroku?”

Kagome chuckled. “Their youngest is a little troublemaker. When we left looking for the shard, he tortured his sitters to no end.”

Rin laughed. “I'll have to get to know that one.” She gently pulled away from the hug to address her other guests. “Thank you all for coming to celebrate with me.” She turned to introduce her guards. “This is Meiyo and Shinrai. They will show you to your rooms. When you are finished there, they will bring you to the kitchens. I just need to make sure a few other things are in order.”

The guards stepped forward and motioned towards one end of the hall while Rin headed the other way, towards the kitchens. The servants were just putting the finishing touches on the meal when she entered.

“Thank you Kerai. Could you serve us the tea? I wanted to picnic someplace special, but secret.”

Kerai was a motherly looking member of the kitchen servants. One of the wiser cooks, she could be trusted and was on the few who acted tolerant to Rin, if not kindly, before she was Lady. And since she had become Sesshoumaru's mate, Kerai had been happy to welcome Rin as one of the household. They were like equals in the sense that there was no tension between them, like old friends. She was slightly stout with warm eyes. She wiped her hands on her apron. “Of course, my lady. I'd be happy to. How many guests do you have?”

“Just four.”

“Would you mind getting the water while I get the tea?” Kerai didn't feel guilty about asking her Lady to help in tasks like simple cooking or cleaning. She knew Rin rather enjoyed it, keeping her hands busy and helping people. It was one of the things that made her so likeable, what she guessed her Lord had seen enough of to make him fall in love with her.

“Not at all.”

She filled a teapot with water to measure it out and then poured it into a kettle and set it over the fire to boil. Then she went to set up the rest of the set on a silver platter. Kerai opened a cabinet with a wide assortment of herbs, spices, and tea leaves. She pulled out the jar marked Sencha or green tea. She scooped a sizeable amount into a coarse cloth and tied the ends together. She set the bag in the teapot and sat across from Rin at the counter while they waited for the water to boil.

“Tell me about this secret place.”

“It's a garden. Sesshoumaru and I sometimes go there when we want to be alone.”

“And why trust me with so great a secret, m'Lady?”

“Well, if something were to happen while I was alone and no one else knew where I was…”

“Ah, yes I see.” The high-pitched whistle shrieked from the kettle over the fire. “I'll get it.” She pushed the pot from directly over the fire, but left it to cool near it before pouring it. If the water was too hot, it would make the tea taste more bitter than it should be. Too cold and not enough of the tea would get into the water.

They talked for a bit more about other things going on in the household. Though neither Rin nor Kerai were gossips, they discussed laundry room and kitchen gossip. Such was usually the result of tensions between servants that could potentially worsen. They hadn't been talking for long when they heard footsteps approaching.

“Perfect timing. We were just finishing up. Kerai, if you would please follow me. Meiyo. Shinrai. Find some other duties to attend to for the day.”

“But m'Lady—”

“We'll be fine. We're not leaving the Western Lands and if something does happen, my friends are capable enough to get me out of trouble safely.” And for added measure… “Both of you, other duties. That is an order.” It was almost funny when Rin gave orders. It sounded unnatural when she made demands. There was no dangerous edge in her voice, despite her being Lady. Even so, all demands were met. The two bowed and left.

Kerai pulled the tea and poured it into the teapot for later. She picked up the tray and Rin led them out through the kitchen door and around to the main gardens. Instead of turning into them, she kept walking straight along the outside, her hand brushing the plants covering the wall. Two or three minutes later, her hand pushed through the vines and revealed a much smaller, private garden. It was about the size of a small room in the castle and fit Rin and her guests comfortably but wouldn't have fit many more. Everything about the place gave off an air of secrecy and Kerai felt almost out of place to be let in.

Rin set out the picnic basket on a small table in the center of the garden and motioned Kerai to do the same with the tea. Everyone sat, but seemed to be in awe of the private garden.

“So, Kagome?”

“Oh, yes?”

She leaned onto the table intently and smiled her playful smile. “Tell me about this little troublemaker.”

They all laughed at her mischievous nature, but Kagome told a story while Kerai served them all the tea. She bowed and left the garden while the conversation branched off onto other subjects. They ate and relaxed into each other's company as old friends do. Then it was time for presents. Souten was asked for hers first.

She handed over a loose parcel, wrapped in burlap and tied shut with twine. “Before you open it, I drew the design.”

Rin smiled. “Thank you Souten, I'm sure it looks great.” She untied the twine apart and pulled apart the burlap covering to gasp. The silk was new, the design beautiful and constructed onto the silk with a master hand. It was a very valuable gift indeed. She traced the figure of the crescent moon with her finger and smiled.

'Sesshoumaru.'

She ran her finger to the bottom of the blanket and then back up to the symbol in the middle. Some would say the beauty of the splendor of moonlight surpassed that of a field of flowers. Others would prefer the perfume of a flower to the beauty of the moon. But the sun is responsible for the beauty of both. “It's almost poetic. I love it. Thank you.”

A smile slowly spread across Souten's face. “You're welcome.”

Next was a gift from the rest of them. The box was quite large and wrapped in very colorful paper. She tore it off to reveal a box with pictures on it. She opened the box and found some metal and cloth contraption.

“Thank you, Kagome.”

“It's a stroller. You can put the baby in there instead of carrying it and walk through the castle or the gardens.”

The look on her face said she had a grasp on the use of the strange new contraption, but no idea how the tiny thing would serve much of that purpose. Everyone laughed, even Kagome.

“Don't worry, I'll show you how to use it later.”

Something is coming.

Rin put down the “stroller” even before the full demons around her caught wind of the thick scent of danger clogging the air.

“Guys?”

InuYasha growled. “Yeah, we smell it. It smells god awful! What is it?”

Souten blanched. She knew the smell and could guess why they were coming. “Silkworm demons. A lot of them.” All eyes turned on her. “I'm sorry Rin. I never meant for this to happen. I swear, it just came out.”

“Slow down. What are you talking about?”

“I was there about your gift and I spoke with the Queen about you. I think they're here for you. And I don't think that they're here to celebrate.”

“Oh, you just do the smartest things, don't you?” InuYasha barked. “First the Jewel and now this?”

“InuYasha, that's enough! One more word! Our main concern should be Rin right now.”

Rin could barely hear their inappropriately timed bickering. That voice. It had warned her even before any danger was evident. Her blood hummed dangerously, pounded in her ears, and filled her with a strong sense of foreboding.

Danger! Protect! Kill them!

“No.” Rin whispered to herself.

Kerai came back, panting. “M'lady?”

“We know, Kerai.” Sesshoumaru had told her to stay safe, but for some reason, she felt like she needed to fight. But if something happened to her...she couldn't do that to Sesshoumaru. He would never admit it, but he was worried sick already. “Please, take me to my room. Kagome?”

“Hmm?”

“I'm sorry about this, all of you. Don't feel like you need to, you know, fight them for me.”

“Keh, doesn't matter to me. I could use the action.” The others nodded in agreement.

“Thank you. I'll send the guards. Just hold them off for as long as you can. The others can take over from there.”

“Lady Rin...”

Rin nodded and let herself be led away to her room. She lied down on the bed and covered her head with a pillow, trying to block out the sound of the voice in her head. Her blood still hummed and the desire to fight was still there. Her nails dug into the pillow as she ground her teeth against the coming transformation.

Kill them! Kill them! Kill them!

Sesshoumaru stepped to the mouth of the cave and called inside. “Besammit.”

A giggle rang out from the depths of the cave. “No need to be so loud, my Lord, I saw you coming.” The youthful-looking, ancient witch stepped into the light. She was dressed in pure silver that fit to her shapely form like armor. Her hair was a pale green and her eyes, completely white. She was a blind witch of the second sight, forfeiting her mortal eyes for those she used now. “Please, come in.”

He followed the witch into the dark depths of her cave where she practiced her craft. The tunnel led to a square room at the back of the cave, lit only by a small fire. The far wall was covered in vials of blood and glittered like a waterfall of rubies glinting in the dim light.

“So you are here about your mate, hmm?”

“Rin transformed.”

She chuckled to herself. “No, I suppose, even your nose wouldn't pick up on dormant blood. Allow me to explain. You are unaware of key aspects concerning your mate because even she fails to fully realize herself. She is a priestess of the highest order. Her kind was long since lost, or so it seemed. Midoriko was supposed to have been the last but she expelled her soul in the Jewel and Rin. Their existences were tied. So, I assume, if the Jewel was destroyed and she is still living, then her life was broken from that of the Jewel and gave her a life span bordering on immortality.

“However, half of her blood was demon due to the extent of her first transformation. When she accepted her heritage as a priestess, the blood lay dormant, not purified. And I take it she has yet to purify it because she is yet aware of its presence. Even if she was, she wouldn't know how.

“Finally, you take her as your mate. Had you not, things would not be so complicated right now. But you did, and now she has a child growing in her womb. It is neither demon, nor human, nor hanyou. You should know, Lord Sesshoumaru, how unpredictable and feral expectant demon mothers are.”

“Rin is human.”

Besammit laughed. “Not so. She is just like InuYasha. And just like any hanyou, those demon instincts can take over if proven necessary. However, because Rin is expecting, the most prominent instinct is her maternal one. She will transform and kill anything that is too great a threat for her to handle in her human form.”

Throughout her incessant rant, the witch had brewed a type of potion. It gave off the scent to of incense and dulled Sesshoumaru's senses. She poured it onto a plate with a lip to keep the liquid inside. It was so large that she had to carry it with both hands.

“Tell me, Lord Sesshoumaru,” she said, walking towards him with the plate, “Are you familiar with the Demon-Priest prophecy?” Silence spanned for but a moment before she continued. Besammit turned the plate to face Sesshoumaru and touched the liquid, not one drop ever spilling as her eyes glowed the same color as her hair. “It is an uncommon tale; less known than others. I will tell it to you in the original telling:

Daughter of Jewel

Dead to Rise by Sword of Life

Half-Blooded by Moon Full

Holder of the Demon's Heart

Goddess of the Flaming Birds

Maiden of Blood Silk

-To heir a child of demon or jewel.”

“The final piece?”

Besammit smiled, her eyes turning silver as she began to view the future, also making it visible on the plate. It was Rin, except her features were demonic. Blood dripped from her claws and fangs. She was covered in it and her fine kimono seemed a blood red. However, there were those few small patches where it became evident how pure a white the garment had been before…a battle?

The liquid fell to the floor with a hiss, but gave way to Besammit's maniacal laughter. “Consider your reading a belated wedding gift. If you can reach your mate in time, you might be able to stop the last of the prophecy from coming true. But, consider this: time waits for no one and once it has been wasted, it is gone, my Lord.”

The witch's eyes turned back their pale white before she stepped into the hole the liquid had been wearing away in the cold rock of the cave and was consumed by it. Sesshoumaru made a note to kill that witch for her meddling. If time was of the essence, she could have cut the theatrics short. However, Besammit's death wasn't as important as Rin's life. Sesshoumaru wasted no time in transforming into a ball of light, going back the way he came with twice the speed, twice the urgency, as time flew by regardless. To the Demon Lord that time could never have touched, he finally felt its effect. It was a wretched thing. The tide of time always changed to work against those that needed its grace.