Chronicles of the West

The night stretched into morning. The velvet darkness giving way to the garish light of day. Taisha had sat awake beside her window watching it all, seeing nothing. Perhaps she had been wrong, she thought. Males were dominant, they always had been. Kurama had certainly done no more than others might have. In their court in was acceptable, expected even.

Therefore the problem must lie within herself. She, like her mother had not ever been one to bow down to anyone. Mate or not. Her father, the most dominant Taiyoukai of all, had no doubt had fits when his tiny mortal female refused to bend to back down from him. Of course, it was that fire that kept her father deeply in love with her mother over the centuries.

She had been raised by two strong parents and refused to be seen as anything less than equal in any situation. In all her conversations and time spent with him, she had thought Kurama understood that better than anyone. Maybe he did and instinct was simply too strong. She had underestimated him, as so many other did.

Kurama appeared soft spoken and indifferent, but in reality he was very much like her father. She could reason it but somehow had lost sight of that. Now he was leaving, and she had only herself to blame. Part of her wanted to berate him for giving up so easily, but in truth he hadn’t. He’d tried time and again to speak to her and she’d been the one to refuse. This was her fault.

She could go after him, ask him to talk to her, but what if he denied her? She’d be the laughingstock of the court. Not that it should matter, but it did, sadly it did. Being a Taiyoukai herself and a female one at that meant that every facet of her behavior was dicated by those lower than she. Damn them anyway.

A soft rap at her door drew her from her thoughts. Beyond the door, Ryu’s scent lingered. Taisha wondered what the often abrasive but always adorable halfing wished of her. “Enter Ryu” she called out. She met her brother’s solemn golden gaze with one of deep green. “Up early aren’t you?” she asked him softly.

Ryu stepped through the door and closed it firmly behind him. “What are you doing?” he asked her. She lifted one finely shaped silver brow, “Perhaps you could elaborate on your question” she said. His golden eyes narrowed, “I am surprised and you Taisha” he said, “And ashamed”. Her green eyes snapped wide at his harsh words.

She rose from her seat, eyes narrowing dangerously, “What is the meaning of this?” she demanded frostily. Her tone cold enough to make a lesser man cower, but that was not Ryu, had never been. “Is this what you do when things don’t go your way?” he asked again, “Sit in your room a sulk?”. She growled at him but he ignored her, “The great Taiyoukai Taisha hiding from her heartache”.

She lunged at him but he neatly side stepped her, “I wouldn’t give up so easily if I were you” he mocked. Taisha’s eyes glittered with anger and unshed tears, “You know nothing about it!” she ranted at him. Ryu let her hit him and grabbed hold of her tightly, “Wrong!” he snarled at her, “I know him and I sure as hell know you. You love each other and you are too stubborn to give even an inch. Love isn’t about who wins Taisha, it’s about accepting one another, flaws and all”.

She sniffled against his chest, burying her nose in the soft silks covering his chest, “I don’t know what to do Ryu” she whispered. Ryu sighed, “I don’t know what to tell you Taisha” he admitted, “All I know is that he is leaving and you will miss your chance. If you can stop him you can keep him here”. Taisha pushed away from him, “I can’t” she said sadly, “I can’t chase him”.

Ryu sighed in resignation, “Then you will let your love die”. With that said, he turned and left her rooms, unwilling to see his sister suffer in a hell of her own making. Kurama would be leaving about now, he briefly contemplated going to him, asking him to try once more, but no. In the battle between two hearts only those two could truly resolve things.

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Kurama adjusted the strap of the saddle and tied his satchel in place. Part of him wanted to stay, but the better part of him told him to get moving. Legendary thieves didn’t settle down and make families. No, they took the world by storm and forged private empires, revelled in the reputation they built. Yes, that was exactly what they did.

Still, the handsome thief could not prevent his pale golden eyes from moving over the palace one last time. Perhaps he hoped to see her there, watching him. Perhaps it would be the excuse he needed to send the mount back to the stable. Alas, she was not. No one moved upon the balconies at this early hour.

Kurama had never felt before as he did now, his heart heavy like molten lead in his chest. Burning and weighted, giving no reprieve. There had been a time when women had meant little to him, save for passing pleasure. Until eyes as green as sunlight through leaves had marked him. Until elegant hands, pale and slim had touched him, and the burning fire of her soul had claimed him, as he had been unable to do her.

Perhaps he had mistaken and she'd not truly cared at all. Another female taken with the idea of a dangerous male, a beautiful one. It had happened before, of course none of them had been wise enough to avoid the burning of the flame. Now it was he who bore the marks of it, having lost himself.

Kurama faced the truth. He had lost, despite himself. He had been beaten at his own game of seduction. And by an innocent. She was not his, would never be...ah... but he was hers and that was the rub of it. Pulling himself into the saddle he motioned for the sentries to open the gates and set him free.

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Taisha winced when she heard the gates part. She knew he was going and she longed to run to the balcony and call him back, beg him for forgiveness, beg him to stay. But she didn't. He had commanded her and such a thing would not be borne. If only he had known that better. If only she could let it go.

She looked out the window, but the mount had taken to the air. He was gone. Lost to her. A broken sound bubbled up from her throat, clawing it's way past tightly pressed lips. Strength left her legs and she crumpled to the floor, her beautiful silks puddling around her, her silver hair fanning out over the polished wood and she wept. Her heart breaking with such force that she thought she might die from it, hoped she would, if it would end the ache.

For the remainder of the week she remained closeted in her rooms, refusing food, refusing drink. Allowing no one to enter her domain. She merely sat near the window watching the sky for a sign that would not come. She did not train, she did not speak. She withdrew inside of herself and her mourning went on.

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A week stretched into two and then three and her family grew ever more concerned. "Sesshoumaru! You have got to do something, she is your child" Ayeka exclaimed as they walked in the gardens together. Her mate was troubled by the changes in his beloved daughter, her lack of spirit appalling to him, crushing. "Sessh have you heard a word I've said?".

He looked down into the sea green eyes of his wife and growled, "I have" he replied, "I am at a loss however, she has never been this way. What could I say to her to make any of this different?". Ayeka shrugged, toed the ground, "You could dispatch men" she offered, "Find him, drag him back". The Taiyoukai grunted, "And do you suppose that would help them? To parade this affair before the court, to treat him as a commoner?" he demanded.

Ayeka shook her head, her long red curls brushing over her silken gowns, "No" she whispered sadly, "But like you I don't know what else to do. But you know what they say Sesshoumaru, a dog that won't eat is dying". He blinked at her, well she had a point, Taisha was a dog, at least partly. With a comforting kiss to his mate's brow, he spun and stalked inside the palace.

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It was unheard of. That the lord of the west be ignored by anyone. Yet there he stood, before his daughter's door on the third week pounding at the heavy wood and demanding entrance. There was no reply, "Taisha" he boomed, "Open this door to your father at once!". Nothing. He growled in growing irritation and not a little fear, "You have shirked your patrols and other duties. Come out now". Still nothing.

A thought stuck him then. Who the hell cared if he broke the door down? It was his palace. So he tensed to spring. "What the hell are you doin?" Inuyasha barked, rounding the corner. Sesshoumaru glowered at him, "Trying to gain access to my daughter's rooms obviously" he gritted out. Inuyasha folded his arms over his chest and waited.

Sesshoumaru lunged forward, hitting the door with horrific strength. The thick wood cracked and splintered into the dimness of her room. Sesshoumaru stood in the wreckage, brushing wooden bits from himself. He turned to find himself staring at his daughter.Taisha was pale and wan, her eyes haunted. "You've broken my door father" she murmured, then turned and resumed her seat near the window. Sesshoumaru barked orders to have the door repaired and trode in to stand over her. "You've not come out in nearly a month, everyone has been worried about you" he scolded. Inuyasha peered past him, "Taisha" he said bluntly, "You look like shit".

Sesshoumaru rapped his smartly atop his head, making the once hanyou scowl, "What? She does" he defended. Taisha gave him a watery smile, "I feel like it" she assured him. Inuyasha sank into the seat opposite her, "This is all about that thief right?" he asked. She looked away, ashamed to seem so weak, "I didn't want anyone to see me this way, I supposed if I stayed here long enough I would find some way to deal with the fact that he is gone" she admitted.

Sesshoumaru sighed, "Taisha" he asked, "Do you love him?". She slowly nodded, fangs catching her lower lip. Inuyasha smacked the table, "Then get off your ass and go after him, sitting here won't bring him back" he snapped impatiently. Sesshoumaru was about to hit him again when he paused, "Tell me everything" he commanded and so she did.

In the end Sesshoumaru shook his head, "You are both too hard headed for your own good" he told her, "Let me ask you this... what is more important to you? Having his love or having your pride?". she was silent for a long while and so he spoke again, "Let me help you then. Pride won't dry your tears with gentle hands, pride will not hold you against the cold. But it will keep you above everything and everyone. Is that what you wish?".

She shook her head, shining tears trickling from her eyes, "No!". Inuyasha stood and snorted, "Then I'd say you better hurry. You gave him a pretty good head start". With that he tugged his tall sibling from the room. "What are you doing Inuyasha?" Sesshoumaru demanded indignantly. Inuyasha feh'd, "Teaching her to be just like you" he replied, "She wants him, she's gotta go get him and you need to keep that aristocratic nose out of it".

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Taisha considered his words for a long while. He was right. She slowly rose to her feet and collected her energies, forcing strength to return. Who knew how far he'd gotten? She peeked from the remnants of her door, "Saddle Ah-Un for me at once!" she barked imperiously. Servants scattered to see her will carried out.

She turned around and stalked back into her rooms, throwing open a tall wardrobe and choosing her garments carefully. She had to make certain that she did this the right way. Pulling out loose hakamas of blackest silk and a deep green, nearly black top, she stalked to the bathing chamber.

She was set to ride within an hour, no court finery, just herself and her weapons. Ayeka hugged her and kissed her cheek but her daughter was not to be cuddled at the moment. She sprang atop her mount and ordered Ah-Un to the air. "Find him for me and quickly" she commanded. The beast bellowed his agreement and sped through the air.

"Think she'll find him?" Toga asked from the courtyard, his arm wrapped around his human wife. Aislin smiled a wide, knowing smile, "I know she will" she told him, "She is your sister and victory is in your blood".

A/N: Sorry for any typos. Also am looking for someone to proof read my manuscript before I send it out. If you are interested let me know your contact info. Thanks bunches