Chronicles of the West

Chapter Fifty Eight

Silvana watched the preparations from her walls. They were leaving. Tomorrow. By dawn they would no longer walk in her halls, by nightfall their scents would have faded. His scent. When had it become so familiar to her? When had she begun to see that scent as part of her home?

Kaisin stood several feet away, watching the progress below. In the silence he was certain that he could hear her heart cracking under the weight of her feelings. With a sigh he spoke out, "So this is it? The way this journey ends?" he asked. She didn't look at him, "Was there every any other ending?" she asked softly. Kaisin folded his arms over his chest, "There was. There is" he insisted.

She shook her head, meeting his eyes at last. "This is all there can be. This is the culmination of every choice made" she told him. He growled at her, daring to challenge his leader for the sake his friendship to her. "You are giving up!". She glared at him, "I am respecting the wishes of another" she snapped at him.

Kaisin shook his head, "No you aren't Silvana. You're just hiding from them". With that, he turned and left her alone. Silvana remained where she was, mulling her plan of action over. How dare he accuse her of being afraid, of hiding? Pompous ass, she'd show him.

Her steps clipped against the floor as she made her way to the hall where Toga and the others were talking. She flung the door open, causing all eyes to snap to her. Surveying them all like queen with her domain, she spoke, "I'm going". Then she turned and stalked away.

Ryu looked over at Kurama, "What do you think that was about?" he asked. Kurama shrugged as Toga went after her. "No idea" he said, but that wasn't entirely true. He had a pretty good idea what caused her change of mind. More like a change of heart.

"Silvana" he barked, but she kept walking. Toga reached out a clawed hand and caught her wrist, "Damn it woman, you will stop!". He spun her back to face him, searching her eyes. She'd been far too quiet of late, her aura swirling around her like a cloud of instability.

She looked up at him, daring him to tell her no. "Why?" he asked. She shrugged. That wasn't good enough for him, "You owe nothing to anyone, you do not have to journey with us" he told her. She slipped from his grasp, "You don't want me to come?" she asked, her voice slightly hurt.

Toga growled, "It isn't that at all. Of course you are welcome but it's not expected" he explained. She sighed, relieved that he'd not forbidden her to go. She nodded and smiled slightly at him, "Good. I know that you aren't asking it of me but I want to come. At least until we reach the Mandarin border".

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Dawn saw the farewell of heroes. Kaisin would see to the woodland realm in the absence of it's lady. Ryu had been quite shocked that she would once again be traveling in his company. Aislin was bundled and perched atop the one horse of Toga's. The others walked nearby, talking softly.

Silvana had agreed to shorten the voyage. She had booked passage on a ship. The ship would bring them into the Mandarin harbors in only a few weeks. The journey to the port would take nine days. Toga had used ships before and was more than willing to do so again. Ryu, however detested boats of any kind. He grumbled over this new development but was persuaded to go along without too much fuss.

Shippo teased him about childhood adventures on rafts off the coast of Japan. He'd been sick the entire day. Shippo could empathize, he'd suffered sea-sickness when he'd been much smaller. It was only after Kurama pointed out which herbs helped that he became more comfortable. He'd keep the tea on hand for the poor hanyou.

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"Ryu, how are you feeling?" Toga asked. They'd been at sail for three days now. Ryu seemed most content, clinging to the side of the ship. "Like hell" he rasped. Toga patted his back and offered him a cup of tea. The scent of the tea was enough to set his stomach roiling. "Don't want no tea" he growled, hunching over the side.

Toga sighed, wrinkling his nose, "Silvana sent it. It will help" he insisted. Ryu turned bleary eyes to him, "Oh really?". Toga lifted a brow and offered the warm cup again. Ryu glared at him and then the cup, before swiping it from him. He tossed back the contents, eyes watering as he tried to keep it down.

Toga chuckled and left him on the deck. Ryu panted against the railing for a few minutes more before feeling the effects of the tea. It was as if his stomach had gone numb, he was no longer dizzy and whimpering like a pathetic pup and the slightest swell.

Shippo's herbs hadn't helped much, he vaguely wondered what Silvana used. For the first time since leaving port, he stood straight and took in a deep breath. The sailors on the rigging above him smiled and waved. He had no doubt been the source of many jokes and much amusement to them. Wiping the sweat from his brow on his sleeve, he went in search of the vixen. He owed her at least a thank you.

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Silvana took a deep breath, catching the taste of salt on the wind. The sea was an endless aching blue. The solace of waves and swells moving through her. She caught another scent then, one she'd not had the pleasure of on this voyage. Turning she saw him. Ryu.

Ryu stood against the side of the piling, he looked tired and out of sorts. He thought she looked beautiful. The ivory of her cheeks buffed to peach by the brisk air, her long white curls dancing around her shoulders. "Ryu" she breathed. He drank in the sight of her. He was well enough that he'd finally managed to clean himself up. "I came to… thank you" he said.

She nodded, "I have more prepared for you so that your remaining time at sea will not be so difficult on you. You owe me no thanks. It's the least I could do". Ryu sighed, "Look, I don't know what to say to you" he said at last. She blinked at him, before looking back at the passing water.

Ryu's ears pressed backwards, "I don't understand what has happened" he tried again. She smiled, a hint of the true thing, "You made it clear Ryu, that my past presents a problem for you". He stared at her before folding his arms across his chest, "I never said that".

She stared at the sinking sun, thinking that the gold on the water was much like his eyes. "You didn't deny it either. You only said that you can't". He had said that, and she'd taken it the wrong way. Taking a deep breath, he stared over the water, as though the succession of evil swells and tormenting crests held the answers.

"You are not like me" he managed to say, "You are like Toga, and my father. I am a hanyou, a half blood". He left it at that, as though that explained it all. She quirked a pale brow, "These things I know Ryu". Her voice was whisper soft, "Does it bother you?".

He met her gaze and then looked away, it did. "Of course it does" he snapped at her, his voice more forceful than he intended. She looked on him with sad eyes. "I know that whoever you are bound to will also bind your strength" he told her. She cocked her head at him, "Is that what you want from me?"

Ryu snarled as he met her gaze, "Hell no! But that's what they'd all think of me. And that you had given it to me, a half breed". She reached a hand out to him, but he stepped back, "Don't. Don't do that". She didn't know what to say to him. "Ryu? Who are they?" she asked at length.

He flung his arm wide, "Only the whole damn world Silvana". She felt anger raise it's head in her heart. "I don't believe you" she whispered, "If you do not care for me, then only tell me Ryu. Don't pretend to care what the world thinks". He blinked at her, "I do care Silvana! I give a damn about them calling my feelings and intentions into question and that is exactly what they'll do".

She scoffed, "If you cared at all about their opinions, you would have remained in the west as the prince you are rather than becoming a thief of some notoriety" she reasoned. Ryu slammed his hands on the wood on either side of her head, pressing her to the wall. "Damn logical female" he snapped at her, fangs flashing so close to her, "Think you have it all figured out".

She shoved him away from her, baring her own fangs at him in irritation, "I have Ryu" she spat him, "I know that you blame the world, my powers, anything but your own cowardice. Just tell the truth!". He rounded on her, eyes flashing. "Fine." he bit out, "I don't want your powers or anything to do with them".

She looked crestfallen at his words, that he would deny this integral part of her. "What I want Silvana" he continued, stalking closer to her again, "Is for you to writhe beneath me in my bed at night, smile at me in the morning, stand with me, and belong wholly to me". She gasped at his words.

"But I can't have that" he growled, "Not when everyone whispers that I only want it because it will make me stronger, more than I am. No matter how much you think you care, years of hearing things like that will make you start to believe. I know. So until I can show you and them that YOU are the only thing I want….. I can't have you"

She reached for him, but he shrugged away and went below deck again. Silvana felt the clear droplets on her lashes and though they carried the tang of salt, they were not from the sea.

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Aislin sat brushing her hair and marveling at the greatness of the sea. Such things, she'd never beheld before, and while they were wonderful and amazing, she was also frightened of them. Kurama had told her that many things would cause her to feel so, but that it would pass with time.

The door to her cabin opened softly and she turned to look at Toga. "Hello" she said shyly. He grunted and cross the creaking wooden floor to take the brush from her. Motioning for her to turn, he dragged the brush through her thick hair.

"Tell me of Japan?" she asked. Toga paused his actions and sighed, "There are forests greener than Shippo's eyes, and blue lakes and great gray mountains capped with snow. Near my father's palace is large forest of bamboo. It's a tall leafy plant, like reeds. It is always shadowed and green and smells of sweet, fresh growing things. I shall take you there".

She nodded, "And I shall be kept with your possessions". He nodded before catching himself, "What do you mean?" he asked her. She reached behind her and took the brush back, pulling it through her curls. He stilled her hand and captured her chin, forcing her look at him. "Aislin?".

"I know" she whispered, "I know that the marks you leave on me say you own me". He blinked at her, he'd not explained them to her. He'd enjoyed making them and she'd enjoyed receiving them. "Who has told you this?" he wanted to know. She shook her head, far too clever to play that route, "Is it true?".

Toga sat against the wall and pulled her against him. His arms coming around her, his nose going to her hair. "They are… marks of ownership" he admitted, feeling her stiffen slightly, "They tell males that I am your master and lord and that you are not to be touched or taken". She nodded, "I suppose that there are many such as me in your house".

He grinned against her hair, was that a hint of jealousy? "No Aislin, there are none like you there. You are, the first female to bear my mark, temporary or no". She blinked and peered over her shoulder at him, "Or no?" she asked. Damn quick woman, catching his verbal slip up.

Toga settled himself more comfortably and began to explain to her, "Demons mark those that they feel belong to them. Pack members, those under their or protection. Markings can be placed in several places depending on the relationship between the two.

Members of family may be marked by blood, like mine. Concubines are generally marked on the back of the shoulder, mates are marked, here, on the place of meeting" he told her, tracing his fingers over the darker flesh on her body. "Temporary marks can indicate intent to have a female, they can also tell others that she can have no suitors until her master deems it"

Her fingers crept up to stroke her own mark. "And what am I?" she asked, almost fearing to know. Toga pressed a kiss to her brow, "You Aislin? You are free to choose" he told her. She blinked up at him, the dying light of the sun casting golden motes in her eyes. "I do not understand" she told him.

Toga caught her fidgeting hand in his own. "It was why I fought for your sight. You must look at who you want, not who you depend on. Do you understand?" he asked. She nodded slowly, "You wish me to find love?". He nodded, "Yes I do". With me, he silently added.

There was crushing silence for a very long time. And then she spoke, "And you think I needed my eyes to know what that feels like?". He shook his head, "It would give you freedom in your choice". She sighed, leaning back against him, his nose dropped to the junction of her shoulder and she felt him lap at the flesh there.

"Please do not mark me" she whispered. He brought his head up to stare at her. She was denying him? Golden eyes shuttered over, showing no emotion. "You deny my mark?" he asked. She nodded her confirmation and he wondered at the sharp pain that lanced through his heart.

Aislin waited patiently. Toga blinked, "Has someone taken your heart then?" he asked. Was it that damn fox? He'd skin him. She nodded and he gritted his teeth. "Who is it?" he asked, his voice just above a whisper. Aislin smiled dreamily and he felt his stomach lurch. "Do you think that being blind meant I could not draw my own opinions?" she asked him. He nodded, "I believe that having to depend on Ippiku and myself interferes clear thinking"

Aislin stood and moved to the door, "I'd like to be alone now my lord" she said politely. He blinked, she was kicking him out? "My heart is not so frivolous as what you think. I loved a voice and heart before they had a face. I am sorry if that displeases you. I cannot wear your mark until you understand my words".

Toga had risen and stood outside of her cabin, her words whirling in his head. She took his silence as a bad thing and sighed. "Forgive me lord Toga, I have spoken out of turn. It was not my intention to burden you with my feelings. You have already given me so much. Good night".

Toga blinked up at her as she shut the door. Did she mean she loved him? Already? That couldn't be. She might think she did and he might be willing to let her entertain the notion but in the end he needed true thought, real feeling. He sighed and made his way to visit Kurama.

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"Damn confusing women!" came the disgruntled voice on the other side of the door. Apparently Ryu had the same idea. Toga didn't bother to knock and opened the door. Kurama looked up at him with amused bewilderment, "Lovely. The more the merrier. Woman problems by chance?" he asked. Toga nodded and sank against the wall.

Ryu eyed him for a moment, "Well, lets here it" he grumbled, "I am eager to see if I am being beaten out of my crown today". Toga sighed, "I think I might have you there. The crown of idiocy might look better on your Ryu but I have a feeling that my name is etched on it somewhere".