Servant Boy

Chapter 2: Wrongly Accused

The Chosen, as the servants had dubbed the one the young master had chosen as his playmate, was called Sesshomaru, a young dog demon who had yet to begin his training into servitude in the Western Domain’s main House.

The boy himself was rather small for his age of ten years, looking more around Inuyasha’s age, with white hair that hung softly to his shoulders, majestic strips of magenta caressing either cheek with a cordial crescent moon adorning the center of his forehead and eyes that mirrored the sun’s radiance. He was most assuredly the most beautiful out of the servants’ children (or any child born into the Court aside from Inuyasha himself).

However, regardless of such a trivial thing, everyone was delighted that the prince found someone whose company he enjoyed. Indeed, while less maids fled the areas the boys would wander into (though there were definitely a few left flying about), there was still no getting around the childish glee it seemed to give them when they were mischievous and in to all sorts of trouble.

Most supposed it was their way of bonding, for no other child in the castle, born into servitude or otherwise, would dare to be so cunning as to cause the Court turmoil in the middle of a gathering, or the mysterious flooding of the gardens which sent all of the flower tamers into a spree of colorful phrases. Perhaps the minor fact that Sesshomaru let the little prince wreck havoc upon the castle, and even joined in, was what made Inuyasha choose the older boy as his playmate and best friend.

Though none knew what the future would bring... None knew the fierce passion both would have to hide from the world, and, more importantly, from each other.

- - -

It was hard to believe, but five years had already past since Inuyasha had chosen his little friend. Five years was how long Izayoi had to listen to the whispers that floated throughout the palace walls. Not just from the noblemen and women, but the servants as well were joining in on the rumors and assumptions. The hushed voices spoke of an odd relationship between her son and that ‘playmate’ of his... it was almost as if they were a little girl and boy in what was dubbed as puppy love.

Inuyasha was almost eleven, coming close to the majority period for human children, where they would finally prepare themselves for the world of adulthood. It was a time where Inuyasha would be taught the ways of a Lord, to one day take his place next to his mother as the sole heir to her throne. It was a time where he would be prepared to find a wife, whom he could settle down alongside one day and have many children with. Though... as things stood, she wasn’t sure if that were possible. Not with him in the way.

Inuyasha had been adamant that he and his friend, Sesshomaru, would never part, would always be at each others side, even going as far as letting the whole Court (in the middle of an important meeting) that he would “one day be Sesshomaru’s bride!”

Needless to say, at the time the hanyou was only seven years of age, but that didn’t help dissolve the alarmed, disgusted looks the Elders of the Court shot Inuyasha and his friend, nor Izayoi’s immense embarrassment and anger at such an outburst.

Her child? With another boy? A filthy demon no less?! The thought alone enraged her for many reasons, none of which, had she really thought about it, had anything to do with her son or his friend, nor the Court of Elders or what others thought...

In her anger, however, Izayoi’s heart felt heavy at the thought of her son’s smiling face turning completely stoic. She knew that if she took his friend away from him that his spirit would crumble, she knew this... And despite her distaste, she bit her tongue at the subject, allowing Inuyasha’s happiness to be her main concern.

However, a month later was when it happened. A month later was when she came to her horrible decision, regardless of the pain it might cause all parties...

A month later was when she had been searching for Inuyasha, wondering why he hadn’t shown up for dinner, when she found him in the more secluded part of the gardens that he had always loved to visit... laying on his back, eyes closed, with Sesshomaru hovering over him, the demon’s small, fifteen year old claw slowly worrying Inuyasha’s haori off a small shoulder.

Izayoi had screamed, the guards had come rushing to her assistance and had all but slammed Sesshomaru away from the young prince and into the ground nearby, a chocking cry sounding from his throat in surprise.

Without thinking, Izayoi had ordered his immediate termination, exiling him to the dungeons until she decided upon the best course of action. Once he was gone her fury left her and her concern came to the forefront. Rushing to Inuyasha’s side, she quickly looked to the healer that had shown up only moments before.

“My Lady, he’s unconscious and wounded,” the old healer informed her calmly.

That little beast! He’d done something to her son! He would pay dearly for this, if not with his blood then a lifetime of humiliation would have to do!

Sadly, only later, after she had had Sesshomaru whipped twenty times and imprisoned in the dungeons until she decided upon his fate, did she find out from the healer that there had been a witness to her son’s incident.

From his post, one of the guards had seen what had happened between the boys. Both the young prince and the servant had been playing in a tree when Inuyasha had fallen off one of the higher branches, plummeting to the earth and upon his impact, had lost consciousness.

The guard had run over to the scene, approaching the pair cautiously, worried himself for the young prince’s safety. The servant, Sesshomaru, had panicked when his friend fell, jumping down and kneeling next to him, not allowing the guard too close, saying he’d only allow the Lady near Inuyasha as he continued to hold up a defensive claw toward the man should he not heed the young demon’s warning.

The hanyou had then moaned in his unconsciousness, capturing the attention of both the guard and his friend, as his hand moved up his chest, trying to claw at his right shoulder, pushing at it until red seeped through. Sesshomaru’s eyes had widened before yelling that they needed a healer.

The guard had taken off as Sesshomaru tried rousing the hanyou with soft, worried words, asking what was wrong as he removed one side of his friend’s haori, finding the blunt edge of a loose root stabbing through his right shoulder. The young youkai then did the only thing he could think of to stop the bleeding, and leaned over, licking the wound as he would his own.

That was when the Lady had screamed from behind and guards had come flying out of nowhere, throwing Sesshomaru a few feet away from his friend, startling him.

Having been told this... did not change anything in Izayoi’s mind. She felt immense regret for assuming, yet her foolish human pride would not allow her to forgive herself and apologize to the little demon. He was a threat after all... and a threat that she couldn’t simply put to death, for it would hurt Inuyasha even more if he ever found out...

The conclusion in the end was to start the demon’s training into servitude. It was high time he learned his place. And that was beneath the Royal family, not apart of it.

Little did Izayoi predict that one day, years from now, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru would be reunited and feelings that were not there in the beginning would bloom, and all because of her foolish mistake.

Only then would she regret not sentencing the youkai to death the first time around.


~ * ~


Chapter end.