Chapter 7 - Izaiyoi

Chapter 7

Izaiyoi



It was a fine, warm summer morning and Sesshomaru was restless. He wanted to travel west. It was time to take care of the western lands. Yesterday he had kissed Catherine, he didn't know whether to be happy or mad. Ever since he had pulled Catherine from the sea his life had felt unbalanced and a little out of control. Last night Jaken had fixed Catherine's hair up and off her neck. The graceful curve of the back of her neck was driving him a little crazy.

Between the trees he could see Rin and Catherine sitting together on a grassy slope. Rin was wearing the white underrobe and stitching on one of the cloth scraps. Catherine was sewing the yamuri. /watching them brought back a feeling he remembered from long ago. Another grassy slope, another beautiful lady, another warm summer day. It had been so long ago yet he could remember each detail as if it had happened yesterday.

His father Touga had to eventually admit there were no more dog demons left. When he finally admitted that there would be no she demons of a related clan for he or Sesshomaru to marry, he began to womanize. He was not above chasing “human tail”, as he put it, usually some hapless country girl that he could easily seduce. Sesshomaru was disgusted by his father's behavior His father had always taught him humans were beneath them. It was worse the day his father saw Izaiyoi. He brought Sesshomaru to see her before he made his move. Sesshomaaru remembered her breathtaking beauty and grace the first time he saw her. He and his father stood hidden in a high tree overlooking the garden.

“Is she not exquisite?” his father had said.

Sesshomaru was troubled, he had a bad feeling, “Don't do it father,” he had said, “she is a noble, a princess, not some farmer's daughter. You will cause her disgrace and death!”

His father always did as he willed. Sesshomaru hoped Izaiyou would run from Touga, reject him. Women never rejected his father, though, and she fell to his seduction. Something else happened, something unexpected. Izaiyoi seduced Touga. She was not only beautiful but a woman of intelligence, character and warmth, Touga was soon hopelessly in love with her. He told Sesshomaru that she had restored his life.

“I was like a man lost in the ocean,” he said, “She has become my salvation!”

Sesshomaru could see the positive change in his father. He could see how happy he was but he was troubled.

“Take care Father.” He would say, “union between demons and humans are unpredictable. Take care not to get her with child!”

Touga always did as he willed, always! Soon came the night he announced to Sesshomaru that he and Izaiyoi were expecting a child. Sesshomaru lost control of his temper that night. He hit his father a mighty blow with his fist.

“You pollute our blood!” he had yelled. “Human and Demon blood do not mix!! The child will be a monster or worse!”

“The child will be loved and cared for no matter what!” his father had replied.

“What will happen to Izaiyoi when it is seen she has birthed a half demon child out of wedlock?!! Have you even considered that?” yelled Sesshomaru.

“What is done, is done,” said his father. “The child will be born, discussion is futile. You will swear to me that you will cause no harm to this child or Izaiyoi!”

Sesshomaru bowed his head, “I swear father, they will come to no harm by my hand.”

He then turned to leave for he felt he could no longer stand to be in his father's presence.

“And Sesshomaru,” added his father, “don't think you can strike me again.”

Sesshomaru had left angry. Up until that point he had looked very much like his father. He wore similar body armor and wore his hair tied up like his father. He removed and discarded the body armor, he would find something different as soon as he could. He took a knife and grabbing his long tail of hair made to cut it off. A male Demon's hair was a sign of his strength and virility. He lowered the knife. Instead he removed the strap that held his hair up and let his hair fall down free. It was a feeling he liked very much.

When his father saw him he said “how will you fight with your hair like that?”

“Very well, thank you,” Sesshomaru replied.

Before he died, his father, perhaps foreseeing his death, made a provision for Isauyoi and their child. He gave it to Sesshomaru to carry out his wishes.

“You will count out a gross of gold and bring it to her at the first full moon of each season. Ask her if she needs anything, if she does, give it to her. Tell her you bring a gift from her husband. This is the only way she will accept the gold. See to it that she and the child are safe!”

Sesshomaru was a dutiful son. After his father's death despite his anger over his father's swords he dutifully carried out his father's wishes. He would meet Izaiyoi at a spot of her choosing, a grassy slope by a stream near her house. Each season he would meet her and ask if she needed anything. She always said no, she had all she needed.

He would then say “I bring a gift from your husband.”

Then he would walk her to her house stopping in the cover of trees watching as she walked the rest of the way to her house. Season after season, year after year they would meet.

Slowly they began to take a little time to talk, slowly he got to know Izaiyoi. She was a woman of courage and intelligence. She had gone into her relationship with her eyes open accepting the risks. When she became pregnant she took precautions. She sent her maid to prepare a small house owned by her family not far from a neighboring village. As her time came near, she sent away her servants so that all who were left the night a former suitor attacked with his army to kill her, her newborn and her Demon lover were she, the midwife and a few soldiers. It was a good thing she did because that night she was left barefoot in the snow with her new born and a crater where her palace had been.

Once, a few years after they had begun meeting Izaiyoi had confessed to Sesshomaru that he resembled his father and seeing him gave her comfort. It was several years after his father's death on a warm summer afternoon. She was setting on the slope sewing as she usually did when she waited for him. On seeing her his heart had swelled and he realized he had fallen in love with her. He never spoke this to her. He just continued meeting her until their meetings became the part of each year he most looked forward to.

Once Jaken had said, “why don't you marry her my Lord? She is beautiful and there is no blood between you. You can care for her and your brother.”

Seasshomaru had throttled Jaken well for that. Each time they met Izaiyou had asked him to visit his brother.

“You should visit Inuyasha, “ she would say, “he needs you, he needs a man of his kind to guide him.”

N But despite everything he could not bring imself to it. Inuhasha was an attractive child, human in face and form. As Sesshomaru had feared, though, he lived in a state of partial transformation manifesting in dog ears on top of his head and a few other smaller characteristics. So he would visit Izaiyoi. She would smile at ;him and he would pretend it was really him that she smiled at.

So it went on and on until a day in early fall many years since his father's death. This time when he met Izaiyoi she was visibly weak. He ran to her in alarm. She was ill but she smiled at him.

“It is good to see you Sesshomaru,” she said.

“You are ill,” said Sesshomaru, “You should not have come, I could have sent to gold another way.”

“I would not miss out meeting ,” she said and rose to meet him but her legs gave way.

Sesshomaru caught her and held her in his arms for the first time. He could feel her life slipping away like sand between his fingers. He held her close.

“I will protect you.” He said. “We can find the best Demon Physicians, they can cure all ills and you will be well again. I- I can use the Tetseigan to cure you.” He held her close and kissed her, “marry me Izaiyoi, I love you, I will care for you and my brother, I promise.”

Izaiyoi kissed him again lightly and smiled. “No, my Sesshomaru, you deserve a woman who looks at you and sees only you, not a ghost. A woman who kisses you, not a ghost. You deserve better. I was saved by the Tetseigan many years ago. I have lived on borrowed time and that time is now up.”

Sesshomaru carried her throught woods to the edge of the trees where she bid him put her down. She walked weakly towards her home. Sesshomaru watched helplessly as Inuyasha ran from the house to help his mother. Not long after he heard Izaiyoi had died.

Soon after Izaiyoi's death he learned that his brother had fallen in love with a Shikon Priestess and was planning to use the Jewel of Souls to become human and marry her. Sesshomaru thought this was a good thing. The Priestess would care for Inuyasha and perhaps he would find some happiness.

Of course it had all gone bad. It always did. Inuyasha couldn't protect his Priestess. She died cursing him, he (for all practical purposes) was dead pinned to a tree by her hand. His father had not been able to protect Sesshomaru's mother or his clan or Izaiyou or his half breed son. He, Sesshomaru had not been able to protect his father or Izaiyoi or his brother. Shibala's curse was strong, it's effects for reaching.

New ehre he was again watching a beautiful woman sewing on a grassy slope. His heart swelled, he was falling in love. He wanted to take her in his arms, kiss her, love her.

“That could get her killed,” he mumbled to himself.

What to do about Catherine and Rin? It was not a good thing for a little girl to follow a Demon. She had been in grave peril more than once. He couldn't just abandon them, that would not be right. He decided he would set them up in a fine house, maybe a palace. He would set them up as two Noble Ladies. He did not need gold, they could have it all. He would find a manor house, near a village and set them up with servants and teachers for Rin. Catherine would run things, she seemed smart and capable. He would go back to his old life wandering free, battling and running the Western Lands. Maybe he would even add to his domain. Of course, he would visit on occasion to be sure they were safe and all was running well. Yes, this was the perfect answer. He would leave immediately to find the right house.

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