Captured Soul

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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters

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Chapter 6: New Home

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The deed had been done.

As he turned in the direction of the river, Sesshomaru carried the
lifeless body in one hand. It dangled in his tigrip.rip.
It's bushy tail wisped over the
dirt, creating an almost unnoticable trail in the sand.


He could almost feel
the eyes of the miko on him as he left the clearing.


The dog demon walked slowly, taking his time.

She had not ordered him to hurry.
And unless he was directly ordered into an
action, he would defy the wench in every possible way.


Dead leaves crunched underfoot. Soon, a small pathway emerged in the
thickening grass stalks as he approached the source of water.

The wild rush of the untamed river grew louder.

It wouldn't be long now. He would dump the kitsune's carcass in the depths
of the raging waters then return to his owner. At least this little one
had escaped through death. The fox child's soul would not be held or bound for
eternity by that wit



The possibility that he could break free in that respect did
not elude him. A small part of him considered the act.

With great affirmation his features darkened.

No, he would not give the woman the satisfacion of seeing him resort to such drastic measures.
He was a survivor. He would not run from this fate by taking his own life.

The inu youkai prince made the decision in that very instant.


The miko would not win.


She would never claim him completely.

The will to fight for his spirit evolved into a clear, fierce vow.

NO.

Even if the tide of her magic overcame
him, he would never completely surrender his soul to that witch.

He held to his inner promise, branding it into memory.


Tenseiga pulsed.

He slowed.

The river remained only a few feet away.

The weapon's vibration grew, demanding his immediate attention.

Sesshomaru looked down at his sword.

It was speaking to him, telling him to use his father's gift.

But for what purpose?

A light dawned in the prince's gray world.

Death to life.

As his feet carried him at a slower pace, he withdrew Tenseiga from it's sheath.

It pulsed again, louder, compelling him to listen to it's urgent cry.

Methodically, he raised the body of the kitsune, holding it's limp form
out in front of him.

Then, the youkai saw them, the creatures of the underworld. They were alighting near
the kitsune, hovering over the dead fox child, preparing the soul for the journey
to the next world.

Sesshomaru raised Tenseiga.

He slashed at the green shaded ghosts, effectively ending their morbid task.

As he observed in adept fascination, the child's broken neck mended.

The kitsune's eyes opened in a groggy motion.

When the kit twisted around to face him, the young fox froze.


Pure, untainted fear rose up in the little one's features.

The cool mist of spraying river water floated all around.


He had reached his destination.

Sesshomaru let loose his grip on the kit fox who landed on the bank of the river.
The child stared up at him with wide eyes full of disorientation and confusion.
"You......you hurt me....I remember.....I...died.."

The dog demon gave a snort of indifference. "Cross the river. You should be safe
on the other side. It is my father's lands. If you happen to come upon the Great Lord Inu Youkai
of the West.......tell him...his son...Sesshomaru....is dead."


With that, he retreated back into the shadows of the forest.

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When he returned to the clearing, Sesshomaru found the miko looking off into
the afternoon sky.

Without turning to him, she scolded in a flat tone. "I see you try my
patience, youkai, making me wait."

Sesshomaru stopped near her and waited, silently.

The woman smiled faintly and began walking away. "Clever one, you are.
I see you may need a little push in the right direction.
I will see to it...personally. Now, come. We have several days travel ahead of us."


Days passed and never once did they stop to rest, not that he needed to.
But oddly enough, the woman didn't lag or seem to tire. Her pace remained steady throughout the day as well as the night.

As the sun began to set on the fourth day, they moved between thick trees
covered with heavy moss and choking vines.

The miko halted in her stride for only a moment and raised her hand.

At once, a bright shimmering circle opened up in mid air and she passed through.

After he stepped across the threshold of the magic barrier, it closed behind him.

The air became lighter and easier to breath.
A space opened up from the dense treeline.

His feet tread on lush, green grass.

Soon, they came upon a dwelling built of old gray stone. A neat stable, more
than likely made for horses, stood beside it.

Sesshomaru guessed the abode's size to be bigger than most homes of the rich, but somewhat
smaller than his father's estate.

A stone pathway edged with red spider lillies led them to the entrance.

The woman opened the heavy wooden door and waved her hand once without looking back.
"Come."


The spacious front room was furnished with simple wooden chairs and a small table.
On the far side, a fur rug covered the stone floor in front of a large blackened
fireplace.

His senses picked up the presense of another being nearby, a human.

A young human female hurried from a side room and greeted them.
Her clothes were the plain and simple dress of a servant.
The inu youkai noticed that she did not smell like other humans he had encountered.
Her clean fragance was a mixture of different scents: sun, hay, and wild flowers,
with the hint of kichen spices. The human girl's straight brown hair brushed the
floor when she bowed at the miko's feet.

As the miko pulled her hood back, she spoke to her female servant.
"Liana, escort my new guest to his bedchamber and the bath. Bathe him, then
prepare a meal for him as well. Send me word when you have finished your task."

The young girl straightened at her lady's command then looked up at him, patiently
waiting.

The miko addressed him. "She will show you to your room. Go with her, bathe, then
wait for me in your chambers."

He glared at the back of the witch woman's head before giving a nod to the human girl.

As the young female led him down a long hallway, he glanced at the gray walls.
Archaic paintings displaying images of humans dressed in long flowing robes hung from
them. The scenes were ancient and timeless.

The human pushed on a wooden door.

When the dog demon entered the bedroom, he assessed his new sleeping quarters.
Shadows danced throughout the room from the only source of light, the fireplace.
An antique chair faced the hearth.There was one curtained window.
Not too far from the window lay a large futon covered with lavish quilts.
Beside the bed was a small night table.
A wooden wardrobe stood near the entrance.

The small human female opened the wardrobe and proceeded to place garments on the futon.
After doing this, she waved her hand at him in a 'come hither' motion.
She walked back down the hall to another door and opened it.

He followed her into a room which smelled of steam and jasmine.
Several candles provided enough light to chase away the darkness.
A large bathing tub filled with hot water set deeply in the floor.
The water circulated with a current, most likely fed by a hot spring.

The young girl lay a drying cloth down on a bench near the tub.

She turned to face him.

For a moment she hesitated but then reached out to his breast plate.

He growled in warning at the girl.

The girl froze then looked up at him.

Herk grk green eyes betd hed her fear.

Again, she moved to his armor. This time, he grabbed her small hands, almost
crushing them.

The young girl gave a small yelp and tried to break free from his grip.

But the dog demon held fast and stared in disgust at the human.

While leaning towards the struggling female, he snarled.on'on't. Touch. Me."

He released the girl who antlantly collapsed before him.

She whispered in a small timid voice. "Forgive me. I was only doing what
my lady bid me to do. Will you allow me to help you bathe?"

Sesshomaru looked down at the cowering human and replied
coldly. "I need no assistance.....leave."

While keeping her head slightly bowed,
the girl rose then backed away.

After being left alone, he removed his armor, weapons and clothes.

The hot water washed away the blood and filth from his body.

When he had finished, he dried o
S
Sesshomaru gathered his belongings and returned to his room.

As he placed the soiled garments on the floor, next to the bed, his nose caught
the smell of food.


The aroma of stewed pork drifted from a covered tray on the nightable.

Sesshomaru looked at his new bed where the girl had placed a set of clothes earlier.

He picked up the garments and inspected them closely.

They were of the same style that he usuaworewore but not as decorative.

And the quality did not befit royalty.

He sighed and began to dress.

It didn't matter. His status had been lowered. If anything, he could now be
considered less than a servant. At least a servant had compensation and some
freedom.


After dressing, he sat down in the antique chair near the fireplace.

He gazed at the flickering flames.

She would come for soonsoon.

What the miko had planned for him remained uncertain.

The vthouthought of the wench made his demon blood boil.

Without thinking, he gripped the armrest until the crack of wood brought him
back to reality.


A dull creaking caught his attention and he turned to see the miko standing
in the doorway.

No longer cloaked, he beheld her stunning beauty.

Raven locks spilled over bare shoulders.

The sheer, silky fabric of her dress left nothing to the imagination, showing much of her alabaster
skin.
Eyes alight with carnel need and raw power studied him.

With one hand delicately placed on the
curve of her hip and one finger lightly grazing the
red line of her bottom lip, she smiled devilishly.


She purred in a deep tone, ripe with lucid desire. "Come, my pet. I have
need of you tonight."

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Thanks for reading! Strawberries. ^_^