Never Hatred

Chapter 6: Innocent Youth

Note: Five years have passed.

Everyone had gotten used to the noble Lady Ame running through the palace as if the devil was at her heels. No one paid it a mind as her usually pristine kimono was in disarray and her hair flying wildly behind as she searched for her young charge.

“Inuyasha!”

She turned a corner of the halls just as a tail of a red silk and white hair disappeared from sight. She doubled her efforts when she heard delightful laughter echo through the halls towards her.

“Stop this instant pup! Inuyasha!”

She turned the corner where she saw him last only to almost collide into her target. Before she could scold the child, he threw himself at her and hugged her waist. The irritated look that marred her face disappeared as she glanced down at the head that was trying to bury itself against her abdomen.

She opened her mouth to speak when he tilted his head up to meet her eyes. Golden mirth reflected back at her as well as a little anxiety. The five-year-old face was soft with youth and happiness. Ignorant happiness.

In the presence of such harmless manipulative innocence, Ame could not hold on to her irritation. She caressed the soft white hair as she smiled fondly down at the child.

“What am I to do with you little one?”

Inuyasha grinned his little toothy smile at her before grabbing her arm and tugging. “Come Mimi…I want to go to the gardens. Please, I’ll finish my lesson after this break! Oh please Mimi.”

Ame sighed softly but did not protest as the child’s small hand entwined with her own. Together they went to greet the morning in the only place that Inuyasha found sanctuary in a house full of youkai.

As they walked briskly, the Lady Ame could not help but smile as Inuyasha carried on a one sided conversation with her. She did not have to speak as he rattled on endlessly. Distantly she heard him pointing out various things as he calls her by that silly nickname Mimi. When Inuyasha was first learning to speak, he would try to call Ame, but with his limited vocabulary, her name became a fond Mimi.

At the end of the many corridors they came upon a large archway leading into the royal gardens. There Inuyasha pulled away from his foster mother and with innocent delight started towards the sakura trees.

Ame silently followed. She sat quietly amongst a bed of field flowers and watched her beautiful little one.

No one ever ventured into the gardens anymore. Ame and Inuyasha over the years saw these as a place to hide from the outside world that was cruel to such an innocent life. They planted flowers and trees, amused themselves at the flowing stream that ran through the glorious gardens. Everything here was beautiful, calm…..peaceful.

Ame’s thoughts were interrupted when sounds of giggling delight flowed through the clearing.

She smiled, her heart’s sadness easing when the sight that greeted her. Her young pup /for he was hers in everything but blood/ was trying to pounce on a blue jay that seemed to find the pup’s hair a nice place to land.

At the tender age of five, Inuyasha was full of mischief and happy ignorance. His innocent smiles and laughter filled the castle, anyone whoever met the young prince were enamored by such grace and wisdom in his golden gaze.

Even with his hair in disarray, his red silk kimono rumpled he still looked completed…

“Yasha. What are you doing?”

Inuyasha turned to her with a silly look upon his face. In his cupped hands was the captured blue jay.

“Mimi, we have a new friend today. He likes my hair.”

He grinned at her before he ran over and collapsed upon her lap.

“I want to introduce you to Piho.”

She held him close to her chest as she watched him open his hands to introduce her to the singing bird. She was not surprised that the bird calmly perched in the small-cupped hand. Earlier in Inuyasha youth, Ame realized that many sorts of animals seemed drawn to the pup. Once, one early morning she heard laughter in Inuyasha’s nursery. She opened the doors quietly to only witness her pup giggling as a beautiful eagle softly pecked his hair while he perched in the pup’s shoulder.

Her alarm grew when she took Inuyasha walking once and a bear cub jumped through the bushes and started growling at them. Before she could destroy the bear, Inuyasha clapped his hands in delight before running to embrace the cub. To her surprise, the cub only licked Inuyasha’s chubby face.

So many more incidents of those natures made Ame confirm how Inuyasha’s spirit was so much more then they realized.
A truly remarkable being, and yet underestimated by many; even his own family. Inuyasha’s stepmother as well as his half brother will see someday.

Ame smiled.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Piho.”

She kissed the top of the snowy white head before inhaling the pure scent that was her pup. //Innocence…love//

//One day Yasha, you will be great. And I Ame, of the house of Xu-Fa am proud to call you the son of my heart. I love you so. Never forget that. Never forget my love for you.//

“Never forget, little one.”

She knew her silent whisper was heard when the furry white ear twitched.

“Never Mimi.” Came the soft reply.

They secret promise to each other.

They sat in silence for a while, before a familiar scent greeted them upon the winds. Followed by an amused voice.

“I thought I might find you both here.”

TBC_______________


Sorry it took so long...school and the holidays are always hectic.

Hope you like it. Reviews are always welcome.