InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ Yokai No Kokoro (Heart of A Demon) ❯ Veridical Adulation ( Chapter 17 )

Chapter 17: Veridical Adulation

Sesshoumaru had been sitting under the hot afternoon sun for several hours when the tanuki finally came out of the mansion. The creature wiped sweat from its forehead as it gazed over at Sesshoumaru. "Why-you're the taiyokai of the Western Lands… Sesshoumaru…" The tanuki cleared her throat to introduce herself as she bowed lightly. "I am Azuka, the tanuki Kyoko chose to take care of this mansion when she left it."

Sesshoumaru nodded solemnly as he stood. "How is Kyoko?"

"She's still asleep now, but she's short for this life."

Fear gripped Sesshoumaru. "WHAT?"

"I'm kidding, just kidding." The tanuki chuckled. "She'll be fine as long as she gets enough rest." Azuka looked at her hands, which were covered in Kyoko's blood from when she was tending to various wounds. "What happened to her, and what does it have to do with that second sword she has on her belt?"

"Sword? I didn't notice that she had another sword."

"It was a gift she had given to… someone, and would not have it unless something had gone terribly wrong."

"I have no idea whether or not what happened had to do with that sword, but I do know that she was attacked by dozens of human samurai."

"That's odd." [She would typically never do anything that would provoke humans to show so much… interest in her that they would attack her like that.] Azuka noticed Sesshoumaru's lack of interest in the sword and that the entire time, he had been staring inside, watching Kyoko, lying still on the bedding on the floor. Azuka's years of wisdom told her the reason why he would not care about Satoru's sword and more about Kyoko at the time. "She'll probably wake up soon, so why don't you just watch over her while I'm gone?"

"Of course I will." Sesshoumaru watched as Azuka led Jaken into the forest to gather food.

As soon as Sesshoumaru was sure that the two were out of sight, he moved directly beside Kyoko, with only inches between the two. He stroked her hair a few times, lost in thought, thinking aloud to Kyoko's still form. When he spoke, his voice was soft and gentle. "How could anyone do this to you? Why? I know you're strong, did you hold back because they were human? I… I thought that I was going to lose you. You're the only person since Naoko to ever look at me without fear or anger in your eyes, and that's why it is that I respect you."

He chuckled to himself. [She's asleep; it's not as if she can hear me.] He looked her over, seeing that she was completely covered in bandages, nearly every inch of her delicate form was cut in some way.

It was only moments later that Kyoko opened her eyes, seeing an all too familiar ceiling and Sesshoumaru leaning over her. "Sesshoumaru?" She rasped. Her voice was weak, however, just like the rest of her, and was barely audible.

"Yes?"

"Are you okay?"

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened slightly at Kyoko's question. "I'm perfectly fine, Kyoko. I wasn't the one who was attacked. Perhaps it is I who should ask of your condition."

Kyoko chuckled, but her eyes glazed over for a moment in silent pain. "I've seen better days." Kyoko turned her head and looked about the room, seeing that only she and Sesshoumaru were in it. She tried to find the scent of others, but was only able to smell her own blood. She sighed, annoyed that she could do very little to take care of herself. "Where's Azuka?"

"She took Jaken to fetch food."

"I see."

Sesshoumaru shifted uncomfortably as he eyed the second sword that Kyoko had been carrying in the corner next to the one he had given to her. "Why did those people attack you, Kyoko?"

Kyoko started to answer, but was stopped when she heard Azuka and Jaken enter the room.

Azuka ran to Kyoko's side as soon as she had thrust the food that they had gathered into Jaken's scrawny arms. "Kyoko-san, why is it that you were attacked?"

Kyoko rolled her eyes as she turned her head away from the three. "They were Satoru's comrades. They just wanted to avenge his death… I tried to explain, but they wouldn't listen."

Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. He had not yet heard Satoru's name mentioned by Kyoko-he wanted to know who this man was. "Who is Satoru?"

Azuka's reaction was quite different, however. "You killed Satoru-chan? Why Kyoko-san? I thought that you two lo-"

"Shut up, dammit!"

"Gomen, Kyoko-san…" Azuka bowed her head as she took the foods from Jaken and drug them into the kitchen.

"Who's Satoru?" Sesshoumaru demanded.

"I'll explain it to you later." Kyoko bit her lip as she felt a tear roll over her cheek.

[Who is this Satoru? Why is she so upset about this? Why did she not tell me about him while she was telling me everything else about herself? Is that why she cried before? Is that why she is crying now? His comrades attacked her-they were human… She has said nothing of him to me…] "This man, Satoru, he was human, wasn't he?"

Kyoko gritted her teeth and looked away from Sesshoumaru. "What makes you think that?"

"You never mentioned him before, and if his comrades were human, it makes sense that he too, would be human. I'm right, aren't I?"

"He's dead, what does it matter?"

"He was dead yesterday, too, but those men still tracked you down to get revenge. You nearly died, of course it matters." Sesshoumaru paused, noticing Kyoko's somber expression. "You loved him, didn't you? That's why you never talked about him, isn't it? Yes, that explains it well enough…"

Kyoko's expression turned angry as she snapped as Sesshoumaru, "I did! So what? Are you happy, you've got the confession! And, on top of the fact that I loved him, he betrayed me! He never even loved me in the first place, he used me! I dared to love a human and I was betrayed and nearly lost my life! So there, you were right all along about humans! They're worthless, low, filthy trash! I almost died twice! I was stupid to be fooled like that-fooled by a human! I was so stupid that I too wanted to be human, just as your brother had with that woman Kikyo! But, hey, guess what! We were both wrong! Both times was nothing but betrayal! He was pinned to a tree fifty years, and I've been stabbed with the sword I gave to Satoru! So, yes, you are right, it is only a waste of time and feelings to even be around human-kind!"

"Kyoko, I -"

"Now what? You gonna tell me that it was okay to be stupid?"

"No, I'm sorry. If I would have known that this was such a personal matter, I would never have asked about it."

[Sorry? He said 'sorry'? Why? All this mess happened because of my own stupidity…] "Sesshoumaru, it… it was my fault, I was the one yelling. I should be the one who is sorry." Kyoko winced as she pushed herself to sit upright.

Sesshoumaru moved nearer to Kyoko, ready to catch her should she fall. "Are you sure you should be sitting upright like that?"

"I'll be fine."

As the blanket fell away from Kyoko, Sesshoumaru saw that she was indeed covered in bandages. Dozens of them were crimson-stained, showing the places where she had been cut. She had lost a lot of blood, just since she had the bandages put on, he noticed, not to mention all that she lost in battle and on the way to the house. Sesshoumaru was surprised that she was so injured, yet still alive. He remembered scenes from his childhood-his father, nearly dead, crawling back home to apologize to that woman (Inu Yasha's mother) for not having been strong enough. When his father died, Sesshoumaru mourned for weeks. His father was the only person he was close to as a child. He hated his father at times, for loving that new woman, but he hated the woman and her son even more. After that, when he decided to set out on his own, determined never to sense that feeling of loss and loneliness again. It was this that helped to make him the way he was-indifferent to the world.

"You know, I haven't asked lately…"

Kyoko's voice had broken Sesshoumaru's train of thought. "Yes?"

"How's your arm been? Does it bother you at all anymore?"

"No… Not really." [What is with this woman? She's the one who is nearly dead due to injury, and she's asking me about my arm? Does she not realize that she could still die due to complications? Why does she worry about me so much? After all, I am an adult; I can take care of myself.]

"I know, this must seem odd to you, me worrying about you, when I am in fact the one who is nearly dying; it's my way of keeping my mind off of myself. You understand that, right?"

"I suppose so."

"A while back, when I thought that I was alone in the world, when Satoru disappeared, by the gods I was so stupid then, I wished that I was dead. I was reckless with my life, but for some reason I never got hurt. I couldn't stand the possibility of living a hollow life, with no one else around me, but, I guess things are different now. I have realized that all of the life that I wanted was a lie, and that the life I had was something great, I just never knew it. Now, that I am standing at the edge of life, so close to death, I want to live more than anything. I want to live, and continue on in this world with the people I care about, and to forget the past, the lies, the pain." Kyoko smiled to herself a little, and then looked up at Sesshoumaru. "I'm scared. I know how silly, stupid, and immature that must be, but I'm scared. I don't wanna die, not yet."

"No-I understand." Sesshoumaru answered solemnly. [I… I should tell her… Maybe that would make her feel better; maybe she'll be a little less hard on herself about this…]

"Huh?"

"You see, it is very ironic that you are in this particular mansion… I once knew of the family that lived here. The man was the lord of the village that had once been at the base of this mountain. I happened upon these people when I met the daughter of the lord… She was everything that I could hope to want when I met her-pretty, smart, humorous-everything. There were things about her that I couldn't even begin to describe that caused me to allow her anything she wanted. I felt so different when I was around her-I know I couldn't have acted normally… But when I finally gathered my courage and asked her father if could have her hand in marriage-he refused. He believed that he was a kind man, however, and allowed her a choice. She could marry me, become disowned by her family and renounce any right she had to her father's lands and possessions or she could marry the son of a neighboring lord to unite their lands and keep her place in her family. She chose the human man for a husband over myself."

"Sesshoumaru, I never knew…"

"It's okay, Kyoko…" Sesshoumaru gazed deeply down into her sky-blue eyes, seeing all of the sadness and pain that was hidden within them. He leaned closer to her, as if trying to break through the pain and discontent. He reached out, placed his hand on hers. Their foreheads touched and Sesshoumaru whispered gently to Kyoko, "Don't worry; you'll be fine. I'll make sure that -"

"The food is - eh - am I interrupting?" Azuka stood just inside the room, seeing that Kyoko and Sesshoumaru seemed to be in the middle of a 'romantic' moment; she saw that Sesshoumaru was leaning over Kyoko, both with very serious expressions on they're faces, so one could only draw, certain conclusions. Azuka chuckled as she saw Sesshoumaru freeze and Kyoko flush red. "I'll take that as a 'yes'," She drawled, a smile still spread over her face. "I'll bring your food into you, Kyoko-san. Lord Sesshoumaru, I trust that you'll either serve yourself, or tell Ugly to get your food for you."

"Eh…" Sesshoumaru, still stunned by what he knew the scene had looked like to Azuka, was short on words. "Ugl- I mean, Jaken may fetch me my food. I believe that it is better that I stay here."

"Aye. Hey, Ugly, get your master his food like he requested!"

The hoarse voice snapped from the other room. "Why you! You should show me more respect! I am not your personal handmaiden!"

"Shuddup and do as he said."

Jaken stormed in the room with the Jintojou staff in hand. "Why, just for saying that, I should make you learn to respe-"

Sesshoumaru shot a glare to Jaken. "Jaken! Be quiet and do as you have been told."

"Y-Yessir!" Jaken immediately dashed into the kitchen area. He hurriedly dished out a serving for Sesshoumaru, then ran back into the room with Sesshoumaru's food. As soon as the food was in Sesshoumaru's hand, he ran out of the room before he could be scolded.

Azuka kneeled over and handed Kyoko her meal. "Do you need any help, Kyoko-san?"

Kyoko took her food and shook her head. "I'll manage."

"Are you sure, Kyoko-san?"

"Yes, I'll be fine. Why don't you go eat your own meal, Azuka, you couldn't have had any to eat since I've arrived and you must be hungry."

"Yes'm." Azuka walked out of the room, smiling to herself. [She's found her happiness, I suppose I should let her be.]

Kyoko slowly ate her food. Sesshoumaru watched as she did this, wondering for every second if she was going to be alright. "Kyoko, are you sure you don't need help?"

Kyoko glanced up at Sesshoumaru blushing. [Since when was he so… caring?] "I'll … I'll be fine, I just need to be able to care for myself. I'll not have everyone doting on me."

Urgency and fear were together in Sesshoumaru's voice. "Kyoko, you almost died this afternoon, are you sure that you'll be-"

Kyoko smiled in such a way that she was able to quell his fear for her health. "Perfectly fine."