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Bitter Blood
By : theMaven
Category: InuYasha > General
Views: 6016 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.
Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
                                                              Bitter Blood
                                                                Chapter 16
            This was a nightmare. There was a war with the lords of the East, North and South.
Sesshomaru was so injured from the battle that he couldn't move. He knew about all the
questions she'd been asking Jakken about his past. He'd confessed to having an affair with
Dokumi. And now he'd just told her their fathers had arranged for them--he and Dokumi--to be
mated!
            "I don't understand," she said. "Demons mate for life, you said. Yet, she is alive, and
you are alive, but I am your mate."
            "We never mated," he said. "I rejected her."
            "Why?" she asked.
            "It was arranged by our fathers," he said. "They both felt we would benefit from the
union. She would gain prestige, and I would gain connections to the human world. My father
supported the idea whole-heartedly."
        "Then why did you go against him?" she asked.
        "I did not go against him," he said. "I only went against his wishes . . . He was killed before
things were finalized between Dokumi and myself. My mother didn't approve of the match, so I
rejected her."
        "Why?" she asked.
        “Why what?”.
        "Why didn't your mother approve? Why did you reject her? Dokumi is a bog demon; your
mother was a bog demon. What's to disapprove of? It's not as if she was human."
        He was slow to answer. "My mother hated everyone and everything–humans and bog
demons, especially. She saw them as the weakest of the weak, the scum the rest of the world
tries to scrape off its boots."
        "But SHE was a bog demon," she said.
        "Self-loathing is a powerful motivator," he said. "And after she mated with my father, she
was no longer a mere bog demon; she was the Lady of the Western Lands."
        "That's ridiculous," Rin said. "Gaining a title doesn't change what you are. I'm still human;
she was still a bog demon."
        "Perhaps," he said solemnly. "But in her eyes she was something much greater. No longer
forced to crawl through the muck and the mire serving humanity, curing demon ails, she now
graced the greatest estates of the most respected lords and ladies of the aristocracy. She thought
very highly of herself." There was something in his voice that begged her attention. Yes, there
was a hint of sarcasm, but there was something else--something deeper, just below the surface.
        She glanced down at him. "What did you think of her?" she asked.
        “What should a son think of his mother?” he replied.
            Rin shook her head. “I don’t know. I suppose he should . . . love her, cherish her,
respect her and her opinions? But . . I suppose that depends on how she treats him.”
            The room fell silent.
            “How did she treat you?”
            He gave no reply.
            “Sesshoumaru?” She raised her right hand, intending to lay it on his shoulder, but she
stopped short when he spoke.
            “It is . . . unimportant,” he finally said.
            “It’s important to me. I’d like to know.”
            When he seemed inclined not to answer, she added, “As your mate is that not my right?
My responsibility? To know my mate as best as I can?”
            He looked up at her, dark shadows falling over his amber eyes. “You know all you need
to of this Sesshomaru.”
            “But what about what I want to know?”
            “It is of no consequence.”
            “My feelings are of ‘no consequence?’”
            He did not answer.
            “Sesshomaru!”
            He seemed to flinch at the sound of her voice.
            Rin sighed, her face drawn. “If you will not talk to me about this, I will take our son, I
will leave, and Kagome and InuYasha will make certain you never see us again. I will not live
in a house of lies. If you can’t trust me, who can you trust?”
            Her lord remained silent, and she prepared to leave, turning her face from his prone form
stretched out on their bed.
            Her hands contracted and relaxed. This just isn’t fair! She mentally screamed. He’s
supposed to love me. He’s supposed to trust me. He’s supposed to favor me above all others,
yet . . .
            A sudden rush of ire filled her from the top of her head to the tips of her toes, and she
turned to glare at him. She’d wasted enough time here. She’d given him long enough to make
his choice. She was through begging, and she wouldn’t beg any more!
            Let him keep his . . . precious secrets. Let him have his whore of a nursemaid. Let
someone else mother his heirs and warm his bed. She. Was. Through!
            Angry tears welled up in her eyes, and when they fell, she made no move to wipe them
away. “You’re hopeless,” she whispered hoarsely. “Why won’t you–!” No, she cut herself off
short. I will not beg. I am not the one who has done wrong here.
            She gave him one last look, then stomped to the front of the room, around the foot of the
bed and towards the door of their chamber. As her hand made contact with the screen, he spoke.
            "I feared her," he said more to himself than out loud.
            The hand on the screen stilled, and she glanced over her shoulder at him.
            "She was . . . not kind to me and took great joy in terrorizing those around her. She was
vicious, cruel and killed indiscriminately. She . . .. "
            She turned to face him at the pause in communication. Was that a . . . crack in that stone-cold facade?
            "The servants were . . . naturally, her favorite target . . . but when they hid from her, I . . .
I was her next choice. She . . ."
        “She what?” she asked quietly, maintaining her stance by the door.
        Was he trembling? What was that look in his eye?
        She edged a little closer to him, a large lump settling in her throat. "What would she do to
you?"
        "Whatever she liked," he finally said. "Kick me, strike me, whip me, cut me. It . . . did not
matter. As long as it caused me pain, it pleased her. As long as I . . . cried out . . . she
continued.”
            “My lord . . .”
            “She . . . liked to hear me cry, I realized. And the longer I cried, the longer the beating
lasted. But if I did not cry, she soon lost interest in me and went off to torture another . . . It...
was not a pleasant thing.”
            The room fell silent.
            So many thoughts filled her head, so many emotions swam through her heart. She was
shocked, horrified . . . disgusted and, perhaps, most of all, ashamed.
            “I’m sorry,” she finally said. She knew it wasn’t enough. She knew it was utterly
ineffectual. But what else could she say? What did one say in situations like this?
            When she’d been beaten by the villagers, it was enough that someone had noticed that
something was wrong, but with her lord . . .
            “I’m so sorry,” she added.
            Sesshomaru grunted, turning his head slightly away from her. “It does not matter. It was
long ago.”
            She took the final steps to the left side of the bed and sat down. “But you still think
about it.”
            Her lord scoffed. “Youkai have impeccable memories. We do not forget.”
            She felt her eyes water again, but not out of anger.
            “It is a small matter, however. Some lessons are hard learned. You must never show
weakness in the face of an enemy."
        Rin swallowed hard. Enemy. To have to regard your own mother as an enemy. To fear
her. To hide from her. To have her haunt you even after death . . .
            She squeezed her eyes shut, trying to block out the unpleasant images. To IMAGINE
what had happened to her lord was hard enough . . . but to hear from his own mouth that they
were, in fact, REAL events and HAD happened--at the hands of his own mother . . . It . . . it . . .
        "What are you doing?"
        She crawled to his side of the bed and rested her head on his chest, wrapping her hands
about his waist. "I wish to offer comfort to my lord," she said. "My lord has suffered, and I
wasn't there to stop it."
        "You weren't even born," he replied.
            "I still would've liked to stop it," she said. "My lord was but a child. He did nothing to
deserve such cruelty."
            He stared down at her. "Do you weep for me even now?" he asked. "Though I've
betrayed you and broken your heart?"
            Rin frowned. Gradually coming back to herself, she pushed herself away from him and
rolled off of him to again stand by his right side. “I’d forgotten.” She wiped the tears away and
smoothed out the wrinkles in her robes. "Now, what of Dokumi? Why did you reject her?"
        "I did not care for her one way or the other," he said evenly. "My father thought it was a
good idea, and I did not object. He . . . was one of the few things that kept my mother from her--'entertainment.'” He seemed to take a minute to gather himself. “But when he died, it was just
mother and myself. When the subject of Dokumi arose again, she said no, and I mirrored her
rejection."
        "Out of fear," she said.
        "She would have just as soon killed me as look at me . . . As I was young and hadn't fully
come into my powers, I did what was necessary . . . to survive."
            "I see,” she nodded solemnly. “And what of Dokumi's doll, during your first meeting?
Did you ever think about that in contemplating your refusal of her?"
        "No," he said. "It was a random act of . . . violence brought on by a particularly rough
morning with my mother . . . I was looking for something to hurt, and she just happened to be
there. It was either her or the doll, and I chose the doll. Her reaction was inconsequential."
        She sighed. "So that's why she really hates you. She was in love with you, and you
rejected her."
        "No," he said. "She was infatuated with my father, and would have done much to be near
him. Her father made the proposal to my father, who said it was impractical; he had no desire to
take a second mate, especially one so young. He then suggested me in his stead."
        "By the gods you people are sick." She squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed her temples.
"This is giving me a headache."
        He remained silent.
        "Everything is so complicated . . . This person knows that person. And because you did
that for him, he has to do this for you. And I don't like her, and she doesn't like me, but I'll use
her because it's convenient . . . The way your demon minds work . . ."
        He seemed to give her a moment to herself, then he spoke. "What will you do?" he asked.
        "Do?" she repeated.
        "I . . . cannot move," he said. "I commanded Jakken to continue patrolling our borders. If
you do not look after me, given enough time, I will die."
            “Will you not heal on your own? In time?”
            “I have been poisoned,” he said. “It eats at my blood and prevents me from healing the
way I should.”
            She eyed him closely. His wounds had yet to close, and his blood was staining the
sheets, seeping into the mattress. Even the front of her kimono had been bloodied during their
brief embrace. “You are immune to poison.”
            “Most. But not all. I require nourishment–pure blood to dilute that which was tainted.”
            “And if I refuse?” she asked. “If I think you deserve to die a slow, painful death for all
the damage you’ve done today? And yesterday? The day before that? And the week before
that? Months before that?”
            He showed no emotion. “It is your right,” he said simply. “I cannot force you.”
        Rin sighed. “I don’t want to,” she said. "I can barely stand to look at you right now. But...
what can I do? I'll look after you."
        He gave a slight nod. "As you wish."
        A thought occurred to her. And since he was being honest with her . . . "Is this a test?" she
asked.
        “Test?" he repeated.
        "You tested me before," she said. "Before we were mated."
        He stared at her, as if not quite comprehending what she said. "I have never tested you," he
said.
        "You weren't testing my character, my commitment, my desire to be with you?"
        The confusion seemed to clear from his vision, but his face remained still as stone. "Why
should I test those things?" he asked. "I know who you are."
        She was momentarily stunned. "But you tossed me out into the cold," she said. "Left me to
wander the Western Lands. I fought, I struggled, I suffered . . ."
        "Was that not what you wanted? A normal life?"
        She squeezed her eyes shut and sighed. "I think you play with my mind."
        "I do not play," he said. "It is beneath me to toy with people in such a manner. I face my
opponents directly."
        She shook her head. "I’m leaving."
        His eyes narrowed.
        “I need to think, and I need to be alone.” She again walked around the bed and headed for
the door. "I'll be back," she said. "But I can’t say for certain when. There is . . . much I need to
think on."
        "I have no intention of casting you aside," he added. “You are still my mate.”
        She kept her back to him. "I don't think that’s just for you to decide, any more," she said.
"I don't want to leave you . . . but maybe I should . . . All things considered, perhaps that's the
best course of action."
        "And Daichi?" he asked. "Will you . . . take him from me?"
        She drew in a deep breath and pushed it out. She knew she didn't imagine it. That was a
tremor she heard--a tremor in her lord's voice.
        "Will you not answer?" he asked.
        She shut the door behind her.
        "My lady," Dokumi stood before her.
        She quickly covered her shock and glowered at the blue-haired youkai. "What're you doing
back inside? I thought you were tending to the injured."
        "I did," she smiled. "I've finished. Healing is second nature to me."
        "So is poison," Rin replied evenly.
        "Yes," she nodded. "How is Lord Sesshomaru?"
        She glanced at the door behind her, then threw her nursemaid an icy glare, her voice equally
as cool. "He is no longer your concern."
        The female gave an uneasy laugh. "My lady? I d--"
        "He told me everything," she cut her off. "You've been . . .” She bit her tongue, refusing to
descend into vulgarity and profanity. Despite Dokumi’s “relationship” with her lord, she was
still the Lady of the Western Lands, the mother of the heir, and the primary mate of Lord
Sesshomaru.
            The Lady of the Western Lands held her head high at all times. The Lady of the Western
Lands did not cry. And the Lady of the Western Lands did not, under any circumstances, curse
out loud.
            She cleared her throat, her brown eyes hardening. “Warming his bed,” she stated cooly.
        "So, he did tell you."
        "He did," she nodded.
        She cocked her head to one side, resting her weight on her left hip. "Did he also tell you of
our engagement?"
        "Yes," she said stiffly. "He did."
        "And did he tell you how he rejected me? How no other male would touch me because I
stunk of failure? It is the disgrace of the demon world to be rejected by a potential mate."
        "That's not my concern," Rin said.
        She scoffed. "All you aristocrats stick together, don't you?"
        She thought back to what her lord had said--the other lords wanting his territory. "No, we
don't," she said. "I'm not even an aristocrat."
        "You’re mated to one," she said.
        "And he's suffered greatly because of it."
        "He should suffer."
        Rin slapped her.
            The demon smirked. “Should that have hurt?”
            Rin remained unfazed. No, she didn’t really expect to hurt her by striking her across the
face. That was simply a reflex.
            She reached into her sleeve, lightly fingering one of the thin slips of paper she kept stored
there. "Do not forget your place, Dokumi. I am the lady of the castle, and you are just the
nursemaid. You will show me AND my lord the proper respect." She pulled one of the
wardings free and pasted it to the door frame.
        Dokumi edged slightly backwards, her silver eyes growing wide. "What is that?" she
asked.
        "It's a warding." Rin watched with great interest as the paper glimmered and sparked,
setting a barrier of pale blue to seal the room. Doubtless the female bog demon could feel it
reacting to her presence. "No demon may enter or leave this chamber.” She turned to face her
fully. “As Lord Sesshomaru is not well enough to move about, and Jakken is not here, I am the
only one who needs access to his quarters."
        She laughed to herself. "Think you to keep me from him? From seeing to my duty?"
        Rin folded her arms. "I don't have to keep you from him; that's what the warding's for. Get
too close, and it'll fry you."
        She eyed the screen carefully, noting the odd, blue illumination, then took a measured step
backwards.
        Rin smiled a secret smile–one dipped in venom and laced with spite. Her lord had warned
her about the dangers of revealing your weaknesses, and she intended to put that information
to the test . . . with Dokumi.
            “Why do you back away?” Rin asked. “Why don’t you see to your ‘duty?’”
            The demon gave an uneasy chuckle. “It is not a good time. He is injured. I sincerely
doubt he has need of me.”
            “But you’re a healer,” Rin countered. “Go heal him.”
            Dokumi didn’t move.
            “Why do you not obey me?” Rin asked. “I gave you a command.”
            She didn’t respond.
            “You can’t tell me you’re . . . troubled by this silly, little light?”
            The demon swallowed hard.
            “Why do you look so pale?" Rin asked. “Why do you not obey? Why do you not ‘see
to your duty,’ and ‘heal’ my lord as you doubtless have on several occasions these past few
months?”
            “I am not to blame,” she replied, a little too self-righteously for Rin’s tastes.
            “No?” she asked. “You are poison, Dokumi. You tried to poison my mind against my
lord. Taint my heart with malice and doubt."
        "But you made it so easy," she smiled. "The young are so naive."
        Rin laughed, slowly approaching her. "Do not take my gentleness for weakness, Dokumi."
She reached into her sleeve.
        "What're you doing?" she backed away from her.
        "I intend to teach who the true Lady of the Western Lands is. And what it means to cross
her."
        She laughed uneasily. The paper in Rin’s hand burned a steady blue, reacting to her
demonic life force. It sizzled and crackled, seeming almost alive in its desire to take her life.
"My lady..."
        "Yes, I am your lady, and you should bow to show your respect."
            Dokumi dipped her head, lowering her eyes to the ground. "I beg your pardon, my lady."
        "On your knees."
        She knelt down. "I beg your pardon, my lady."
        "Lick the floor."
        She put her forehead to the floorboards. "I beg your pardon, my lady!"
        Rin laughed, now satisfied, and tucked the warding back in her sleeve. "Get up," she said.
"Tend to your OTHER duty and see to my son."
        She bowed again. "Yes, my lady."
        "And if I catch you anywhere near this door, or if there's one hair out of place on Daichi's
head . . ."
        "I will not cross you again, my lady."
        Rin scowled. "You had better not. For while my lord does not wish to disgrace you any
further, I would just as soon kill you as look at you." She waved her away. "Now, go about your
business."
        She bowed and scampered down the hall.
        Rin grinned, watching the retreating form of the female bog demon. Perhaps her lord's
mother had the right idea about certain things, after all. She would have to watch Dokumi very
carefully from now on. And even more so after her lord was back on his feet . . .
- 15
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- 17
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Bitter Blood	By : theMaven Category: InuYasha > General Views: 6016 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own InuYasha, nor make money from this story.

Bitter Blood