SURVIVE

 

Hi Hi Hi.. Im back on track with Survive. Sorry for the long break bt I wanted to finish the main body of Strength. I have read through and corrected some of the more glaring writing mistakes in the early chapters and that delayed this update a bit. Hehhe I had to reread my self to remember all the nuances.

 

Anyway thank you all for the patience, and for the support

 

Read, Review and ENJOY!

 

Chapter 21 : Grandsire

 The grandfather cried, but the young one’s tears refused to flow. After the initial fierce hug, stemming from instinct and pure emotion, old learnings re-emerged.  



Jinenji and Sesshoumaru could not take their eyes off Inuyasha's hooded face. The mixed breed clenched tight at GrandFather's tunic, but he did not, or more precisely, could not, bring himself to hold someone close. His brows were drawn together tight, his breathing was erratic, and his muscles were rock solid. His eyes, swirling with deep emotion, remained dry. Not a sound escaped his clenched teeth. It was as if there was no external valve for his emotions. As they watched, the initial flush of emotions faded, his face became calmer, or at least, achieved a veneer off calm. Inuyasha, as yet, was still unable to express and appreciate the emotional freedom he now possessed.





To survive he had to internalize everything, and even now, those dark lessons ruled much of how Inuyasha dealt with reality.



Sesshoumaru and Jinenji were both saddened by the young one's recalcitrance. There was some comfort in the fact that a step had been taken on his road to recovery... but the road would be a long one. The two vowed silently that they would one day hear him laugh and enjoy himself; free of the past that sought to coil around Inuyasha and chain him in its barbed and weighted embrace.





Miroku finally noticed that his Grandson had pulled back a little. Inuyasha's eyes were downcast, but the Cupid could read the young one's aura like a book. He tightened his hold on his blood kin as bile rose in his throat, hot and sharp. Miroku wanted to scream, he wanted to howl. A rage like he never experienced before burned through his being. Pain, there was so much pain in his Grandson's aura, so much sorrow. Layers upon crushing layers seemed to lay on the slim shoulders of the young one in his arms. Miroku could not have borne even a quarter of it.



How dared they hurt his blood, HOW DARED THEY!! Teeth and claws elongated, his blood boiled. He would crush those who had hurt his Graindchild, grind their bones and bury their ashes. How dared they!!! He would slaughter them!! His demon blood rose. In his entire life time, it had only happened once before, when his twin had passed away. Miroku was losing control of his Youkai.





Inuyasha, feeling the change in energy, tensed further. Gentle hands had turned into claws that dug into Inuyasha's back. His Grandfather was angry. Disappointed? With the euphoria gone was he now to be rejected? Automatically, he braced himself to be hit, expecting nothing else.





The Cupid roared, as Inuyasha was suddenly yanked from his embrace, and another pair of arms caught and held Miroku, pinning his arms to his sides. No, they could not take his blood from him. They could not take his blood from him. He would kill them! Miroku, struggled to break the hold on him, but Kouga held him tight.



The Seraphim had seen this happen when his niece had died. Miroku had gone mad, and destroyed half the wing of the palace. Only the unique and powerful healing abilities of the Seraphim had kept the mortality rate to Zero.. More Seraphim than Kouga cared to count had ended up in the healers bay in that episode. The Seraphim did not intend to allow it to happen again.





Kouga unfurled and spread his golden wings. Almost delicately, he enclosed his nephew in his wings and vibrated a calming aura. Shri Suijin and Shri Kaguya unfurled and spread their wings wide as they stood on either side of Kouga. The two Shri's began to hum a strange and complex melody, the vibrations enhancing Kouga's aura, as the three, working together, slowly brought Miroku back to himself. The growling of the Cupid, grew less and less, and his demonic aura gradually faded. When the Seraphim finally drew their wings back into their bodies, Miroku was slumped against his uncle, sobbing wretchedly.



Sesshoumaru stood with Inuyasha securely in his arms. From the time he had snatched his young one from his maddened GrandSire's embrace, the DaiYoukai had stood by quietly. He watched and waited, absently stroking Inuyasha's neck with his thumb. He would not interfere, he was confident that Prince Kouga could handle his nephew, and Sesshoumaru was relieved when his trust was rewarded.



A part of Sesshoumaru's mind was categorizing and evaluating the event. Inuyasha had different versions of himself. Similarly, the Cupid's rising Youki had made him change almost completely into a rogue demon. Inuyasha's Demon form, Yasha, had a wild energy about him, but he was controlled. Perhaps the Cupid's personality change was a crude form of what Inuyasha had achieved. The rising of Inuyasha’s various blood, and what the boy had been through to survive, had refined him into something extraordinary.



Very interesting indeed.



Sesshoumaru, unable to suppress the feeling of pleased possessiveness at his increasingly amazing Beta, dropped a kiss between Inuyasha's ears. The Hanyou blinked at him with his huge golden eyes, and the DaiYoukai silently cursed his need to go slow in order to protect the young one. Then he noticed the blankness in Inuyasha’s eyes, the further withdrawal, and Sesshoumaru understood.



“Inuyasha, it is not you with whom he is angry. It is himself. He is angry at his failure to protect you.”



“How can he be angry about that?” Inuyasha asked his voice confused, “I mean, he did not even know I was alive? What is there to be angry about? He didn’t know, so its not his responsibility.”  His voice was earnest and firm.



Sesshoumaru’s response was a dry and infinitely sad laugh. “Inuyasha, I did not know either, but at times I want to ram my fist through a wall when I think of what you had to live through in that stupid city. Of my failure to save you.” Inuyasha was about to protest, but a gentle claw to Inuyasha’s lips silenced him. “Little Beta, you have to understand, I am your Alpha and he is your Grandfather. Our knowledge or lack here of is not the issue. Our blood rebukes us, regardless of logic or rationality, We SHOULD HAVE KNOWN! It is as simple as that.”



Inuyasha, who had never been protected, never been cared for, did not understand. Still, warmth bloomed in his heart, and the icy fear of being rejected faded. The ice disappeared all together when Miroku, back in control of his Youki, reached out desperately to touch his grandson.



:) :D :0 :( :P



“Your scent is on him,” Miroku coldly stated to Sesshoumaru. The young one had gone off to bathe before dinner, and the Cupid had deliberately sought the DaiYoukai out for a private word. “What are your intentions?”



A mobile eyebrow raised, this was not a conversation Sesshoumaru had ever expected to have. It was strangely amusing. “My scent on Inuyuhsa, speaks of my intentions clearly, but if you require verbal confirmation, as his blood elder, I will respect that.” The Daiyoukai regally gave a shallow bow and continued. “Seraphim Miroku, let it be known that your grandson, Inuyasha, has accepted me as his Alpha, and he has been claimed as a member of my pack. None will be allowed to take him from this pack.” There was a distinct warning tone to Sesshoumaru’s voice as he made that last statement. “Further, I am formally courting Inuyasha, with the intention of claiming him as my mate.”



Miroku’s jaw dropped, he had not expected such a blatant claim from the usually silent and reserved DaiYoukai. “You are serious?”



“Deadly so.” The two whispered words cut though the air, the clarity of purpose deadlier than the DaiYoukai’s poisoned whip. The words caused an involuntary shiver to run up Miroku’s spine. He was caught between rejoicing that Inuyasha had found a pure and powerful protector and despair that he would never have the boy to himself.  



“But, you are royalty, third from the throne. Do you not have a responsibility to have a legitimate heir?” Miroku risked a great deal by pressing the issue. Warnings be damned, if Sesshoumaru was misleading his blood, Miroku would take his pup away.



Sesshoumaru’s smile was strange on his face, it was a considering amused smile. “Hmn, perhaps fate controls more than we realize.” He cast a sideways look at Miroku. “The true heir is my twin sister. Any legitimate child of mine would be a direct contender to the Throne. My sister is mated to my Mother’s second son, Kenshin.” Sesshoumaru noticed the inquiring look on Miroku’s face and decided it was more expedient to explain and build a good relationship with his soon to be in-law.  



“My parents had a proper, respectful political mating. After my sister and I were born, they mutually went their own way. Fifty years after we were born, my mother fell in Love with my Father’s best friend, a General in our army. On my father’s urging they had a child, Kenshin. He is a quiet but determined Demon. Kah, my half brother, informed my Sister that she would mate him when he was five years old. Initially, she was amused, but he meant it and never swayed in his loyalty. When they finally mated and had their first child, I vowed never to allow my blood to split the strength of the Shiro-Inus. Therefore, mating Inuyasha is not only my pleasure, it is perhaps my destiny.”  There was a quiet satisfaction in Sesshoumaru’s voice. Quoting ‘destiny’ made it all the more difficult for any to challenge his claim on Inuyasha, and when it suited his purpose, he would happily play that card.



Miroku nodded, “Half-sibiling matings among Youkai and Seraphim tend to give powerful pups. You parents are wise.” Miroku bowed respectfully.



The doors of the room opened to allow Jeninji and Inuyahsa to enter. Both Sesshoumaru and Miroku simultaneously moved towards the Hanyou. Miroku hesitated and fell back a step. Sesshoumaru wrapped a possessive hand around Inuyasha’s arm. The Cupid smiled, and simply touched Inuyasha’s wrist. The Alpha relationship trumped his, and he would respect that.



A mischievous smile crossed the Cupid’s lips. It was not to say that he was going to let the DaiYoukai totally have his way.



The group moved to join the rest in the dining hall.



:) :P :( :0



They kept the dinner discussion light, Miroku and Kouga both entertained the group with tales of the Seraphim lands. Inuyasha hardly spoke during the meal, his oscillating ears where the only indicator of how fascinated the whole conversation was to him.



Having begun weapons training with BakusenO, Inuyasha was beginning to appreciate how advanced the Demons were in terms of ability and strength as compared to humans. While he was still on alert, the sense of not being totally responsible for the safety of those around him, was slowing allowing the young one to relax and enjoy what was going on around him. He was not the strongest there, and Inuyasha found that truth to be comforting.



Inuyasha just observed the conversation, he did not ask questions, Bankotsu did most of the probing on Inuyasha’s behalf. When the meal ended, most stood up in preparation to leave for the night. A quiet question had all of them freezing.



“Do you know anything about my Grandmother?” The words left his tongue, before his training could assert itself. Inuyasha’s face flushed bright red, he stared at his clenched fists. He had shocked himself as the question tumbled out. He did not intend to ask, he did not want to impose, but his mouth moved before he could stop it.  Unvoiced, consciously unacknowledged, Inuyasha had not realised how much he needed to know.



The pin drop silence that filled the dining area, in response to Inuyasha actually initiating a conversation was intimidating. Inuyasha swallowed saliva, his nerves were screaming, he found himself almost wishing for the emptiness of non-being, instead of the extreme tension he now felt.  As no one answered it seemed to him that his spine was twisting and would snap in two,. The room was so silent, he had spoiled the cordial atmosphere. Obviously he had broken a social taboo. He did not know how to fit into these situations, he should just have focused on watch-dogging and kept his silence.



The bangs of his hair brushed the table  as he bowed low from his seated position. His voice went raw, and said softly, “Mo…umm.. Inuyasha apologizes for interrupting, I..I.. meant no offense..Please carry on to your rooms.” His ears flat on his head, he could only hope they would accept the apology.



This time Miroku who was standing, beat Sesshoumaru to his Grandchild. The Seraphim knelt down beside Inuyasha’s chair and only placed a hand on the boy’s knee. The young one’s aura was tight and contained. Miroku did not hug the boy as he wanted to, because it was clear to him, that Inuyasha was utterly overwhelmed. The reins on his emotions were tightly drawn, and Miroku feared that the rigid form would shatter from any added pressure.



“Inuyasha hearing you ask me a question, made me so happy, I was unable to think for a few moments, let alone respond. Please ask as many questions as you like, you are blood of my blood, the child of my heart. There is nothing more important to me then you. Everything else is an interruption, you are the most important.” Miroku’s voice was firm and comforting. The Cupid had been deeply concerned with his Grandson’s continued silence, for one of his blood to be able to sit silent for more than five minutes, was amazing.



The muscles under the hand resting on his knee, slowly began to loosen and relax. Miroku began humming softly, generating a gentle vibration to help calm Inuyahsa. A single low growl just behind Miroku, was warning from Sesshoumaru that the ‘calming’ was skirting the edge of accepted behaviour. That much intimacy was only being allowed because of the blood tie between the two. Any further action to modify Inuyasha’s mood would be seen by Sesshoumaru as infringing on his duty as Alpha.



Inuyasha, his focus on trying to maintain himself, missed the growl. He inhaled deeply. He  lifted his head and faced Miroku straight on. “Alright, please tell me of my GrandMother?” He said simply.



Miroku nodded, heeding the warning he stood and took a seat beside Inuyahsa. The hand moved from the knee to rest of Inuyasha’s shoulder.



“As my direct descendant, I can see a great deal more from your aura, than Kouga and the others. So, yes recognized the part of your aura that is your GrandMother, she was an amazing woman, and I suspect that it was her intervention rather than my potency, that led to your father being born.” Miroku brushed strands of loose hair away from his face as he spoke, his eyes were nostalgic.”



“It was during the period when our peoples were still at war. I fought for the Seraphim, but I hated it, hated the spilling of blood, Sometimes it felt as if I was being torn apart, and I had to leave and hide for awhile.” Miroku leaned back in the chair his eyes glazed at the horrors he had witnessed. His sigh was silent as he continued. “I ran to human lands to hide, to get away from Demons and Seraphim alike. There are some human lands which are very accepting of outsiders.” Inundated with memories Miroku paused.



“So, we were right in our assumption that you had a child with a human female.” Bankotsu cut in when Miroku was silent for a mite too long.



That snapped Miroku out of his thoughts, he gave a dry chuckle, “Good guess, but no, Inuyasha’a Grandmother was not a human.”



“The there is a chance she is alive?” Jinenji asked hopefully.



Again Miroku sighed, and he gripped Inuyasha’s shoulder in comfort, “No, Im pretty sure tat by now she has died of old age. Her half-sister however had a big family and the surviving family members  would probably have some information on Inuyasha’s parents. We will need to contact them to get the whole story.” Inuyasha’s ears perked in interest.



“Inuyasha is not going near human lands.” Sesshoumaru snapped.



“Why ever would you need to go to human lands? Kitara’s sister was a pure blooded Shiro Inu Youkai.” Miroku said casually, his grin was evil as the jaws dropped around the table. “Oh you mean I didn’t tell you? The one whom I know is Inuyahsa’s Grandmother was a Cupid like myself. The only other Shiro Inu Cupid I met.”



The stunned silence was followed by a flurry of protests, mainly because they had investigated and there were no other known Shiro Inu Cupids. Miroku raised a hand and everyone went silent. He crossed his fingers and leaned on the table.



“The reason you do not know her was because, she was an ancient. When I met her she was old, a fulll Shri and her power was impressive. I would not have sought to couple with her, it was she that came searching for me. She and her sister. “ Miroku smiled a little cheeky smile at the memory of how the older Cupid had swept him utterly off his feet. “The time we had together was precious to me. Inuyasha,” Miroku said squeezing the shoulder once again. “I was not IN love with your GrandMother, but I did love her. She was an amazing women, but she was driven, focused on something that at the time I could not even understand. We had an amazing month together, and then one morning she said she had to leave, hugged me, and walked out of my life.” His voice catching at the twinge of regret that pierced him, Miroku paused again.



“Did you find out what was driving her?” Shri Kaguya asked wanting the details.



“Oh yes, I finally figured it out.” Miroplu said sardonically, “I found out today when I met my Grandson, she was driven by the need to have a child, she must have found a way to achieve that, and really did not care to share.” There was a slight bitterness in the Cupid’s voice, If only he had known.  



“How is it the royal family is not aware of this?” Kouga suddenly demanded, “She was half Seraphim, a Shri, how is it we have no knowledge of her existence?”



Miroku shrughed, “I did not say anything because she asked me not to. She is unknown to the Seraphim, because her mother  was expelled from her family on the pain of death, when it was found that she was consorting with a “sub-race”. Her mother, you see. was the rebellious daughter of the Seraphim's Dark One. We both laughed at the fact that her grandfather would be turning in his grave to know his Granddaughter was making out with a direct descendant of the Seraphim responsible for his demise. Her parents went into hiding for many years n the human lands. Kitara was their only child. Her mother died rather young, and though they lived in human lands, her father met and mated a wondering Shiro inu. she lived a happy life with her half siblings in the human lands.. When I visited the area after the war, I had learned that a month after the war ended the whole family had returned to the Shiro Inu capital. I have very little contact with them. I do not know the family’s name but Im sure if you search for a family that migrated to Shiro Inu from the Koumani human lands after the war, you will find them.”



Even as he finished the tale, BakusenO was already pulling out a mirror to get his people to identify the family.



“Hmn.” Sesshoumaru huffed. “So Inuyasha’s father was a product of two cupids, no wonder Inuyahsa’s blood is strong. His mother therefore must have provided the human blood.” Sesshoumaru stated. “You are indeed an interesting being Inuyasha, wholly unique..” The DaiYukai stated as he looked warmly and approvingly at his Hanyou.



Inuyasha felt a strange stirring inside him at the warmth in the golden eyes.



Sesshoumaru stood up, nodding at the audience. “Come, it is late.” The DaiYoukai said simply. Immediately, Inuyasha was on his feet and moving towards Sesshoumaru. The Daiyoukai was smugly pleased that Inuyasha had not even nodded or said good bye to his Grandfather, he had moved to follow Sesshoumaru’s instructions as soon as they were given.



It was all about the timing.



Miroku watchedd as Sesshoumaru’s tail wrapped securely around Inuyasha, just as they were about to leave, the Cupid called out. “Lord Sesshoumaru, I am welcome to spend time to get to know my GrandChild am I not?”



It was all about timing.



Sesshoumaru paused for a millisecond, his smile was patently false as he turned to Miroku and said, “You are Inuyasha’s GrandSire of course you are welcome.”



“Excellent. I have checked with Commander Kagura. I have been given leave to transform the South West Tower where my Grandson almost met his demise into a home worthy of a Cupid of my status. I wont impose on your coffers too much to make the place warm and welcoming, after all we can’t have Inuyasha uncomfortable in any part of my New SECOND home can we?” Miroku’s voice fairly bubbled with satisfaction.  “Inuyasha, it would honor me, if you could spend some time with me each day and allow me to teach you to harness your Seraphic blood. I'm not sure if you realise it but, like me, you have a great potential to heal.”



Sesshoumaru did no growl, it would have destroyed Inuyasha’s joy. The Hanyou had a smile on his face, his eyes were bright with the prospect of having his Grandfather close, and maybe learning how to heal. Instead of drop kicking Miroku back to the Seraphim lands, Sesshoumaru gritted his teeth and glared impotently at his smugly grinning soon to be  in-law. The Cupid was going to be a pain.



Miroku’s grin widened, he always had great timing.

Tbc-  

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