Disclaimer: I do not own Rumiko Takahashi's brain and I wouldn't know what to do with it if I did. Inuyasha and all of its characters belong to her and her only.
Rating: M, for violence and a bit of gore
Warnings: Sesshomaru and Inuyasha are slightly Out-Of-Canon. Deal with it.
1. Inu no Taisho
The wind was howling, its quiet lament sculpting the night sea. The waves, dark ink under darker skies, collapsed on the sand, retreating and advancing again, as if to devour the earth. The pure snow reflected the slight crescent moon's light, the silvery hue enshrouding the coast in a glimmering spell of silence.
A man stood at the top of a small hill, his tall silhouette rising at the edge of the world, paleness a stark contrast against the black sea. White fur and whiter hair flapped in the wind. His armor battered, his clothes torn and shredded, the Inu no Taisho was standing tall against the darkness.
Deep scarlet dripped on the cold snow.
Blood.
Ѻ
The earth had shaken under the violence of the battle and, even miles away, Sesshomaru had felt the ground tremble when the titans had collided.
The wind had carried the scent of blood to his nostrils and, even though he knew defeat was impossible, he had followed the trail of his father's scent, nearing the sea.
The snow glowed, pure whiteness holding back the black waves, and he saw the silhouette of his father facing the ocean.
Sesshomaru advanced.
Deep scarlet dripped on the cold snow.
Blood.
Ѻ
Pain in his limbs, in his body. Pain in his wounds, pain in his pride.
Pain everywhere, but the Inu no Taisho stood tall.
Ryuukotsusei's defeat had been at a cost. He would have been foolish to expect the dragon-demon to be brought down without a price. And the price was blood, and it was steep. He had paid it gladly, however, for the monster was no longer a threat to his kin.
So, he endured his wounds and looked longingly at the sea.
Something ached in his heart and he knew she too was in pain.
Her suffering felt strangely sweet to him. At this very moment, the woman he loved was about to give birth, and the thought filled him with delight.
The scent of his son reached his nostrils, but he did not turn to greet him. A slow smile crept on his lips when he realized that, from now on, he would have to refer to Sesshomaru as his eldest child.
Yes, despite the pain, this was definitely a time for happiness.
But his thoughts soon turned back to Izayoi, the soft pain of her labor diluted through their bond, compelling him to go.
He had to go, no matter his wounds, he had to go and be by her side, as he had done decades ago for Sesshomaru's birth. His mate of the time had been proud and dignified, balancing his brazenness with cool serenity and a glint of steel. He had loved her, and even though it had been sometimes hard to see under her cold demeanor, she had loved him just as fiercely.
But time has a way of changing people and their love had dimmed from the pyre it once was to a flickering flame in the wind. By the time they grew apart, it was naught but scattered embers and cold ashes.
All was not lost however, and the last spring had seeded new beginnings. He had found beauty in the imperfections of a mortal face, strength in her resolve and, yes, he had found love again where he would have never expected it.
And he had never been one to deny himself what he loved.
He needed her more than she needed him. More than his life, more than his heart, more than anything, he needed her presence.
No one would stop him.
Ѻ
Sesshomaru stood silently behind the man he called father. The smell of blood was overwhelming, and he eyed the cost of Ryuukotsusei's defeat. The wounds on his father's back were numerous and deep. Red gouges, still fresh, still oozing blood. Even from afar, Sesshomaru could hear the labored breathing and see the way his father's shoulders slumped slightly in exhaustion. But even though he was wounded and weakened by his fight, the Inu no Taisho would survive.
Sesshomaru knew it.
His father could not, would not, let what remained of their family be torn apart more than it already was. So why, he wondered, why, when he asked his question, why was there a trace of fear in his heart?
Ѻ
"Do you insist on going, Father?"
His son's voice was aloof and emotionless. The scent that reached his nostrils betrayed neither fear, nor concern, only determination. He wondered what that resolve was and realized he knew.
"Are you going to stop me, Sesshomaru?" he asked his son without turning to him, seemingly addressing his question to the dark sea.
Cold as ice, was his son's voice when he replied with the negative; cold as ice, and just as unyielding. The wind howled in the night and Izayoi's pain ached once again in his chest.
"However," his son spoke again "before you leave, I request that the fangs, So'unga and Tessaiga, are handed to me."
Uncaring, uncompromising. Cold as ice, cold as death. A low growl rumbled in his chest. Had he taught his son to encase his heart in frost and repel any emotions and attachments? Had he failed his child?
"If I say no," he asked slowly, "will you kill your own father?"
Only the wind answered, its insatiable howl stirring the seas, leading them to crash against the shores.
The Inu no Taisho winced at the dark waves, anger, disgust and concern colliding in his heart. Anger at his son's greed, disgust at himself for his failure and concern… concern for the woman he loved, the woman who was lying in pain and enduring it all for him.
Ѻ
The words struck him hard, but he did not show it. Sesshomaru had not even considered the possibility of using brute force to take what he wanted. But now, the Inu no Taisho was weakened by his last fight. And despite the shamefulness of the method, Sesshomaru knew that, were he to attack, he would win effortlessly. He mused over the thought, envisioning the likely outcome of such a confrontation.
Kill his father.
Claim the swords.
Walk the path of conquest, unhindered and undefeated. Destroy anyone and anything that would dare stand in his path. Conquer any land that he pleased; unite any nation that would oppose him. Become the most powerful being in all creation.
Kill his father.
And betray everything he was.
Sesshomaru glared at the silent taiyoukai that had yet to turn and greet him. The wind's howling had become more insistent and he narrowed his eyes. Had his father so little esteem for him? Did the Inu no Taisho truly believe that he, Sesshomaru, would commit a parricide? That he would step on his values, his own honor, so easily? And for what? Swords that he would inherit in the end anyway.
"Do you desire power that much?" came the voice of the great dog general, rumbling with uncontested supremacy.
Sesshomaru looked at his father. Of course, he desired power. Power was his identity, his reason to be and walk the earth proudly.
But did he desire power to the point of betraying himself?
How could his father not know the answer?
Ѻ
The Inu no Taisho stared at the sea. The rising waves and the howling winds reflected his dawning anger at his son's silence.
"Why do you seek power?" he asked, unable to look away from the black waves crushing against the shores.
He did not dare turn to face his son. He was afraid of what he would find in his eyes if he did.
"I must travel the path of conquest," Sesshomaru answered in a cold detached tone "Power is necessary to walk that path."
The Inu no Taisho lowered his head.
"Conquest, huh?" he whispered more to himself than to his son, though he knew Sesshomaru's ears were keen enough to hear him.
What was the point of conquest if you had no one to turn to? What was the point of power if there was no one to help and protect with it?
For a brief instant, he foresaw his son's future and it was a bleak one. A future littered with corpses, filled with violence and, above all, solitude, until his son had lost his heart and forgotten himself.
His fists clenched, almost by their own will. He could not allow this. Even now, even as weakened as he was, he could not allow his son to destroy himself like this. Anger burning strong in his heart, he raised his voice and asked:
"Sesshomaru, do you have something to protect?"
The wind howled in the night, running between the father and the son, standing a few feet apart from each other.
Worlds apart.
"Something to protect?" Sesshomaru replied with slight disbelief underlying his tone.
The waves crashed against the shore. Cold and dark was the sea, but not as much as his son's heart in this instant.
"I, Sesshomaru, have no need for that."
Ѻ
Izayoi was in pain.
The birth of her first child was proving to be harder than what she had been led to believe by the castle's midwife, and she was beginning to suspect that she might end up losing her life in the process. It did not frighten her, though, and she had no idea why. Perhaps because all her attention was focused on heeding the midwife's orders and doing her best to still her trembling body and pushing her child out when she was told to.
Through the haze of pain engulfing her mind, she could sense her beloved approaching. She smiled at the comforting prospect. Soon, he would be there, holding her against all the pain in the world, and she would feel strong enough to face everything.
The midwife suddenly rose, asking her to lay low and wait for her return, and Izayoi heard muffled voices through the door, as if someone was told to stay outside.
Then, there was a muted scream and footsteps that stopped right next of the curtains of her bed.
"Who is there?" she asked weakly, breathing heavily from the pain in her womb.
"Setsuna no Takemaru" a familiar voice answered and Izayoi relaxed.
She knew Takemaru and he had always behaved like an honorable, if a bit rigid, person.
Also, her beloved was approaching rapidly, which brought her warmth inside. In fact, she could sense his wild emotions through what he had called their "bond", though he had never elaborated much on what she considered to be some kind of youkai magic.
She could feel great anger emanating from him and a ping of fear came to her heart.
"Takemaru?" she repeated slowly to confirm it was really him.
He did not answer, which proved to her it was her taciturn favorite samurai, and she asked him between her labored breaths to take everyone out of the castle. She could feel the rage and the possessiveness seething from her beloved's heart and she knew better than to let anyone get between them when he was in this state.
He would not forgive anyone for being here.
Takemaru did not move and his voice rose in the silence:
"Izayoi-sama. I have always been fond of you…"
For a few seconds, she was speechless. Was Takemaru confessing his love to her? Why? How did he expect her to answer when she was giving birth to the child of another, whom she loved more than anything?
An incomprehensible worry bloomed in her heart, amplified when Takemaru completed his sentence, in a bitter tone:
"…Even if your heart has been stolen by a mononoke."
As she heard the anger growing in his voice, she saw from the corner of her eye, the shadow of his raised arm painted black on the curtain.
"No," she thought, unable to speak because a new flash of pain clenched her belly and she pushed away the suffering.
The spear tore through the curtain and sank in her flesh. The pain between her ribs was unbearable and she opened her mouth to scream, but only a faint whisper came out.
Her vision blurred and tears flooded her face as she heard the footsteps of Takemaru draw away in the night. She raised a hand, reaching desperately in the direction she could feel her beloved approaching, murmuring his name.
"Please…" she thought.
She did not want to die now, not without seeing him one last time.
Izayoi was in pain.
The pain faded to darkness.
Ѻ
Fear and pain cracked through the bond and he roared in fury when he deciphered the confused flashes of emotions and realized that someone had hurt his Izayoi.
His eyes bled red and he regained his true form, leaving his son's presence in a hurricane of demonic energy.
Running madly along the coast, he discarded the terrified pleas of his cowardly attendant. No matter how Myoga wanted him to flee, he could not abandon his love.
…Or let live the bastard that had dared lay a hand on her.
His arrival at the castle cause a small earthquake, and he had barely reverted to human form that Tessaiga was in his hands, unsheathed and deadly. He did not care for the small army waiting for him both outside and inside the fort. Neither did he care for the sharp arrows that embedded themselves in his arms and torso. Seething with fury, he unleashed the Wind Scar, and it tore through stone walls, searing everything in its path. He ran over the bloodied corpses that had stood between him and his mate.
No one would stop him.
Ѻ
And here it is! The newly corrected and revised first chapter of Cold Heart! (as of the 30th of september 2019)
I hope you enjoy it, and never hesitate to leave review : it's always greatly appreciated.
Sincerely,
Claywind