I Promise You

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Chapter 3: The Life You Stole.

Masami helped Sesshoumaru slip out of his white yukata. After rebandaging his wounds, she helped him into a black kimono with crimson sakura blossoms dotting along the sleeves, and tied his matching hakama securely around his waist. She then slipped him into a hooded cloak which shielded his face and a majority of his body from view. This would make him inscrutable from her other subjects whom she asked be dressed similarly.

“I’ve instructed your mother to meet us later. Do you wish for a little time to compose yourself as you may never return here?”

She took his stoic silence to mean no. They exited the somber room heading to the east end of the castle which was the safest exit for the duo even if it would take them through Inutaisho and his consorts rooms. The wanderers stilled as they neared the demon lords room. Fast, even breathing erupted in Sesshoumaru’s ears.

He resisted the urge to growl as his red clad nemesis’s voice sounded cheerfully, “Goodnight, Okaason.”

“Sleep well, Inuyasha.” Izayoi’s voice was somber, her grey-green eyes dark and sad as she stared at her sleeping son.

“Why can’t I protect you, Inuyasha?” she asked quietly to the darkness before shutting the shoji behind her.

Masami stood still watching Inuyasha’s chest rise and fall. The moonlight filtered through the open window striking Inuyasha’s features and making them glow. Sesshoumaru could hear slow deep breaths from Inuyasha. Masami made up her mind, if she couldn’t save Inuyasha, at least she could help him.

“Masami, what are you doing?” Sesshoumaru asked as she led them closer to the open window. She slipped through the window silently and turned to lift Sesshoumaru through. Stepping to the side of the sleeping child, she set a salve next to his bed. Sesshoumaru stood by her side quietly, lulled by the sound of Inuyasha’s breathing. Masami smoothed a hand across Inuyasha’s face. She pushed his bangs back from his forehead. Inuyasha groaned, then opened his eyes slowly.

“Masami-san,” he said groggily.

“I’m going to put a salve on your injuries, Inuyasha,” she said calmly as he sat up.

She pushed back the comforter and braced herself as she removed his yukata. She tried to keep the sadness from her eyes as she smoothed the salve over his skin. There were many groans of pain as she touched a particularly sore bruise. She took a furtive glance at Sesshoumaru. His hands were clenched rigidly at his sides. Inuyasha bit back what would have been a loud groan when she touched bruises on his ribs, Sesshoumaru’s hands clenched tighter. She wrapped his wounds in bandages and herbs.

“Thank you, Masami-san,” Inuyasha said after slipping back into his yukata as she pulled the covers over him.

“Is Sesshoumaru going to get better, Masami-san?”

“I don’t know Inuyasha. His physical wounds may heal, but I assure you, his eyesight will never return.”

Inuyasha’s eye clouded, but he didn’t say any more. She waited until he was peacefully sleeping to leave through the window.

“You are content with my plan, aren’t you?” Masami said after they were far enough away from the castle, “Remember Sesshoumaru once this is done, you can’t have second thoughts.”

“I am prepared for what will happen to me, Masami-san.”

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Two weeks had passed and the western lands were still buzzing with the disappearance of the youkai prince. Envoys sent by Inutaisho came back with no news on the missing prince; it was as if he had just vanished. Inutaisho, who was still bemoaning the pain he caused his son, couldn’t know that his pain was about to get worse.

“Shinsen says that your studies are going well, Inuyasha. I hope you will continue to work hard.

“Hai, Otoosan,” he said cheerily.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, my lord, but Amarante is here and she…”

“You,” Amarante spat the word as she barged into the room, “If you never existed, none of this would have happened.”

She gripped Inuyasha’s shoulders and shook him hard, “Give me back my son.”

Her hair was disheveled and hung in clumps, her eyes were red and puffy, “Give him back.”

Inutaisho ran to Amarante’s side, and pried her off of Inuyasha.

“What’s the matter with you?” he exclaimed, “Stop this.”

“You are to blame, too.” She said looking at his drunkenly, he voice almost in hysterics, “You hurt him and now he’s gone.”

“Amarante,” he cried his voice conveying alarm, “What is it? Why are you here?”

“Sesshoumaru’s dead,” she said with a sob.

“No,” Inutaisho choked out, “He can’t be…”

She sank to the floor, and peeked up between her bangs, pain was etched in every corner of Inutaisho’s face. She smiled to herself as his face hardened to a blank slate, devoid of any feeling. His concern turned to the boy at his side. Inuyasha was trembling, his eyes wide in disbelief. He pulled Inuyasha into his arms. Amarante stared at the young child’s trembling back as he sobbed. She was surprised. Why should he care if Sesshoumaru’s dead? For all she knew, they had never met.

“Don’t give me your fake tears, you half human stain.” she sputtered, “You’re the reason he’s gone. You got what you wanted, didn’t you?”

She froze in shock as golden tear stained eyes trained their gaze on her. Tears continued to slide down his alabaster skin. He hung his head letting the downy colored hair shield the face that had her mesmerized.

“I’m sorry,” he muttered, his voice breaking Inutaisho slid him into a hug as his body trembled violently. Amarante could hear muffled sobs as he hid his face in Inutaisho chest.

“Explain what happened, Amarante,” he said calmly.

She couldn’t help appreciating the stoic professionalism when he spoke. The great demon of the western lands couldn’t afford to be weak, weakness could be used against him.

“Sesshoumaru had seemed well enough to travel outside, we walked around the grounds for only a short time, then we returned to Masami’s home.” Amarante said her voice soft and strained, “Sesshoumaru was weak, but she didn’t seem concerned. She said he needed to rest. He developed a fever during the night. By morning, he was shaking uncontrollably. Masami did everything she could think of, but it wasn’t any use, by the time the sun had dipped, he was gone.”

She glanced up, her eyes running over the trembling boy in Inutaisho’s arms.

“You killed my son.” She said, “By all rights, I should slaughter that child in your arms.”

Inutaisho tightened his grip on the young child.

“Make no mistake, Inutaisho, if you ever take one step in my lands, I will kill all you hold dear. You should be pleased, dear husband. You have destroyed all that bound me to you. You are free to cavort with that human whore and her child.”

She rose from the floor, her head held high, her hands sweeping her sides in a delicate manner, and her eyes focused. Her eyes softened on the still trembling child, then that slight weakness disappeared to be replaced with a look of contempt. She glared at Inutaisho before retreating from the room. That was the last time Inutaisho saw his ‘wife,’ and the last time Inuyasha would ever allow himself to cry.

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“Amarante,” Masami called, “Were you successful?”

“Would I have returned otherwise?” She said with a glare. She stared at her son who stood stoically. Her mind flashed back to Inutaisho’s rigid posture. His eyes were pointed to the shoji behind her. She stared at the now hauntingly blank golden irises.

“Are you acquainted with that despicable hanyou, Sesshoumaru?”

“What reason do you have to ask me that, Mother?”

“Answer my question, Sesshoumaru,” she exclaimed sternly.

“I am also curious as to why you would ask such a question,” Masami said butting into the conversation.

“The child cried for you.” Amarante said, “It struck me as odd that a child would cry for someone he had never met.”

“We had met before mother.” Sesshoumaru said, “He came to visit me after I returned to the castle.”

Sesshoumaru didn’t think it important to tell her of their first meeting, and he had no desire to make her angry.

“That child will never be strong enough to rule the western lands.” She said, “He is ruled too much by his human emotions. The council will never accept him.”

“Come Sesshoumaru,” Masami said not giving him time to respond.

“You intent to leave now,” Amarante said.

“Sesshoumaru is weak how he is now.” she said, “Only my training can help him. He cannot stay in your company, Amarante. He is believed dead. I plan to keep it that way. This is the safest solution I can offer at the moment.”

Amarante’s violet eyes shined with a genuine look of sadness.

“You needn’t worry, Amarante. I will make your son strong.”

I think I’ll end there. I know its short, but it’s really the only place that I can stop that makes sense. So, tell me what you think. Is this a good chapter or do I need to change some things?