InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Reunion ❯ Chapter Four: History ( Chapter 4 )

Chapter Four

A/N: I don't own Inuyasha and I can't find anyone who will rent him out. One explanation. In the prologue, I wrote of a father's temper. It was the Lady Mariko's father to whom I was refering, not Inuyasha's father. Just clarifying for PJ. Now, I have some fun things in store for our favorite hanyou 'grins evilly', so I had best get started on his adventure.

"What?!" bellowed Inuyasha.

Before Daremo could answer, Kaede interupted. "Inuyasha. I believe that this man has many things that ye need to hear. Let's go into the hut for some privacy. I don't think that ye want everyone to hear these things." Kaede looked around for emphasis.

Inuyasha looked around and noticed a crowd had gathered. Scowling, he turned to Kaede. "For once you're right, old woman. I don't want everyone knowing my business, so let's go inside." He motioned for Daremo to enter the hut before him. Kagome followed Inuyasha through the door, carrying Shippou. Then came Miroku and Sango, with Kaede bringing up the rear. Inuyasha scowled at the monk and the exterminator and started to tell them that this was none of their business as well, but he stopped. 'They might as well know.' he thought with a sigh. 'They are part of my pack.' He waited until everyone was comfortable and then looked at Daremo. "Alright. Now, explain why my aunt would associate with the son of the man who was responsible for her father's death." Inuyasha ignored the gasps of surprise from his friends. "And how could he be her son, as well? I know she wouldn't have married the old Lord Tanaka, not willingly." That brought a terrible thought to the hanyou's mind, what if the former lord had forced her to marry him and then had forced her to bear a child! A growl escaped his lips, "Well, Daremo? You wanted a chance to explain, do so!"

"Thank you, Lord Inuyasha!" Daremo looked reflective for a moment. "Perhaps it would be best for me to begin with the last time you were with your aunt and grandfather."

"Is that really necessary?" complained Inuyasha. "That is a part of my life that I don't want people to know about."

"It would help me clarify some things for you." explained Daremo.

Grrr..."Very well. I guess they might as well know." Inuyasha glared at his companions. "What you hear, stays here. I don't want anyone else knowing my life story!"

Miroku held up his hands in a pacifying gesture. "We have never revealed any of your secrets, Inuyasha. It would be foolish to start now."

Sango nodded. "You have always kept our trusts. We could do no less for you."

Inuyasha looked at Kaede. "Well, old woman. What about you?"

Kaede looked at him with mild disgust in her eye. "Since when have I been a gossip, ye impertinant pup! The secrets that ye have are for you to reveal or not." Kaede grew thoughtful. "I notice that ye don't require this from Kagome or Shippou."

"Kagome is my mate and will keep my secrets. Shippou ... " he paused, "Shippou is my pup now and I trust him to keep my secrets." He looked at Shippou. Shippou gulped and thought about what was just said. He resolved that he wouldn't tell anybody what was said in the hut.

"Alright, Daremo." Inuyasha sank to the floor with his legs crossed and his arms folded across his chest. " Start talking."

"As you wish, my Lord." Daremo grew thoughtful. "I was not present at the time of these things, I just know what I have been told."

"Just get on with it! If you make any mistakes that I know of, I'll let you know." growled Inuyasha.

"Then let us begin with your arrival at the court of your grandfather, General Yamata."

That was as far as Daremo got when all present gasped, except for Inuyasha, Myoga, and Shippou. For Inuyasha and Myoga, this was old news. Shippou was too young and had never heard the name before.

"General Yamata!" exclaimed Miroku.

"Surely not General Fuji Yamata!" said a startled Sango.

"I knew that ye had noble blood, Inuyasha. But I never dreamed it was his!" stated an astounded Kaede.

"You told me that your grandfather was a general in service to a lord, but you didn't tell me who! Inuyasha, they teach about this man in my time! He could have been Shogun!"

Grrr... "This is why I didn't want anyone to know my lineage. Yes, my grandfather was THE General Fuji Yamata. And, yes, he could have been Shogun. He chose to honor his vow to his lord and serve him and the people of his province." He stood and began to pace. "It didn't do him any good when he fell into disfavor with his lord, the Lord Tanaka."

"If I may continue?" asked an impatient Daremo. "Now, as I was saying. After the death of your father, you came to the court of your grandfather with your mother, his daughter. You stayed there for about a year, when the lord took it into his head that you were a threat to his title. This was because of the pact made between your father and General Yamata."

"What was this pact?" inquired Inuyasha. "I have heard a little about it but I don't know the particulars."

"Allow me, Daremo." interrupted Myoga. "I was present at the time of the pact and I know what it is all about."

"With pleasure, Myoga. I don't know that much of the pact except for hearsay." defered Daremo.

"This pact that has been spoken of was between the General Yamata and the Demon Lord of the Western Lands. The pact was one of mutual defense. An alliance between the humans of the western lands and the inu-youkai that was sealed by the marriage of your father and mother. Now, let me hasten to explain that your father and mother loved each other deeply and that the alliance was part of the arrangement to allow the marriage. Then, when you were born, you were the more physical proof of the alliance. The alliance was one of nonagression from demons toward humans and humans toward demons. It also provided for assistance in case of attack from an outside force. And, as far as I know, it is still in effect, since you are still alive."

"Your kidding! Sesshomoru will never honor that pact!" exclaimed Inuyasha.

"Actually, I have a letter for him from the Lord Tanaka." stated Daremo.

"Good luck delivering it! He won't even see you." scoffed Inuyasha.

"I was hoping that you would deliver it, since he is your brother." said Daremo.

"He and I don't have the best relationship. We have a truce for now, but I don't know how long that will last."

"Well, we can try. Anyway, the Lord Tanaka got it into his mind that this pact was for support in an attempt to take his seat of power. At first, he accepted your grandfather's assurances that this was not true, but after the death of your father the thought surfaced that the general would want to secure a title for you in the human realm since your brother held the title in the demon realm. Enemies of your grandfather who were jealous of the influence that he held with the lord and the people whispered words of deception into the lord's ear. His petty fears grew to the point that he ordered your grandfather to prove his loyalty to him by publicly executing you." At this point, Daremo was again interrupted.

"Monstrous!" spat Miroku. "To order the death of an innocent to prove one's loyalty. He did not deserve the title of lord!" Sango could only nod in shocked agreement.

"It was a vile act!" exclaimed Kaede. "And it explains some of thy feelings toward nobles, Inuyasha."

"To continue," said Daremo with a glare at the interruption, "the general obviously did not carry out that order. Instead, he sent his older daughter and her son into hiding. Then, because he had disobeyed his lord, he felt he had to redeem his honor. He committed sepaku. They say he died bravely."

"He did." said Inuyasha, quietly. "I know. I watched."

His friends looked at him in horror. "I didn't understand why we were being sent away. My grandfather had tried to explain that it was for my safety. That someone wanted to hurt me and that he couldn't protect me from this person, but I couldn't see anyone being able to defeat Grandfather. I had watched him in the dojo and he was still a fierce warrior even at his age. I went back to talk to him and see if we could fight this person together. When I got to the compound, I saw him on his knees surrounded by strange warriors. My grandfather had taught me not to rush into things so I hid in the bushes to see what was going on. I heard him tell one of the soldiers to take a letter back to Lord Tanaka and to tell him that he regreted not being able to carry out his order but that he was not going to kill his grandson. He told them that since his honor was forfeit, he would do the only honorable thing left for him. The leader of the soldiers protested but my grandfather simply held up his hand for silence and motioned for his most trusted retainer to come forward. I saw him take out his katana and give it to his retainer and say, "You know what must be done." He then took his short sword and commited sepaku." Inuyasha paused, a tear ran down is face, "I watched him make all the cuts necesary to complete the ritual and then he bowed his head for his retainer to remove it. As he bowed his head, I started to come out of the bushes. He saw me and shook his head. He mouthed the word, "Run." and then he was gone. And I ran." Kagome came up to him and he gathered her into his arms. He felt her sob against him and he knew it was for the pain that he had went through. He held her and buried his face in her hair. Finally, he looked up. "It was then that I decided that I would never run from a fight again, no matter what the odds."

"I grieve with you, Lord Inuyasha. And it was a great injustice that woke the lord to his mistake, but it was too late for your grandfather. The Lord Tanaka decided that he needed to make amends to the surviving daughter and her son, your aunt and cousin, so he adopted your cousin and made him his heir."

"So your telling me that my cousin, Genki, is the current Lord Tanaka!" said Inuyasha, in disbelief.

"The very same, my Lord. Now, will you read his letter?"

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this. There is much more that I have in mind and I am having a lot of fun getting there, so bear with me.