June 2008
Title:How It Could Have Been; ch 67, Custody
Author:petalears
Universe:A/U
Rating:PG
Summary:Trouble and misunderstandings.
Quote:Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers, and I linger on
the shore,
And the individual withers, and the world is more and
more. - Alfred Lloyd Tennyson, "Locksley Hall"
Custody
As Inuyasha tidied his mess up with Sesshoumaru’s help, he did have time to think on what else he had to do. He would have to apologise to his father and The Tiger and his classmates for disrupting the lesson. Inuyasha didn’t want to do this but knew it was expected of a Prince and that he would feel better once it was done. This he did as soon as possible, with Sesshoumaru accompanying him to and from school; it was still too early in his tutor’s opinion for the boy to return, but the apology was accepted and nothing more would be said.
However if everyone thought that that was the end of Inuyasha’s problems, they were mistaken. The pup had too much free time to think and brood now that he wasn’t in school for a while and everyone else was busy. The trouble was once his youkai had tasted the freedom and excitement of being influential, it didn’t want to let go, Inuyasha had enjoyed the shock on the faces of his family when he swore, he liked the attention he was getting and the immunity his grief gave him. But he never challenged his Alpha’s again and just got underfoot at the most awkward times.
Inuyasha was not truly conscious of his actions for attention; he just didn’t want to be left alone for too long to think his dark thoughts. And there would have been no real problem with him except for a growing and continued antipathy he started to show towards The Lady. At first it was just that he would ignore her, but soon he would have to be told quite sharply that he must answer if she asked a question and then he started to be curt and abrupt when speaking to her, often with a sneer in his voice.
Sometimes Inuyasha would even be downright rude and everyone was unsure of what the solution would be. He made the others argue among themselves as they were all fed up with his way of treating their mother, and Michiko had pushed Inuyasha, shoving him into a garden wall, using all of her strength which was easily comparable to his own. The hanyou had cracked his ribs that time and his sister had been punished and now was not talking to him because she felt it was his own fault. That time not even Shu had been sympathetic and Inuyasha felt very alone, although he knew he was in the wrong.
Things escalated, going from bad to worse and one day nearly two months after Izayoi died, Yori and Kaoru were at home in the early evening, when Inu no Taishou knocked on the door. Chouko who was staying with her brother while her husband was away for a few days, opened the door, surprised to see the General at that time of day. She was even more surprised when after they were all seated, Inu no Taishou dropped his naked son in her lap. Not only was Inuyasha unclothed, but his hair was dripping and his skin was still damp from his bath; it seemed that his father had plucked him straight from the water and brought him to his human family.
The boy was warm however from being completely wrapped in his father’s tail and Chouko saw with appreciation that Kaoru had put a small short kosode by the fire to warm. Meanwhile his sister covered the boy with her long sleeves as she held him securely on her lap, noticing that although Inuyasha was not chilled, he was trembling and anger filled her because of his fear. Before she could ask however what had caused her brother’s tremors, Inu no Taishou spoke, his voice angry but controlled.
"Yori, will you be willing to let Inuyasha stay with you; he is not welcome at the Palace at the moment?"
"Of course Sire; May I enquire as to what has happened?" Yori said seriously, instantly knowing that Inuyasha’s situation was grave. Chouko tightened her grip on Inuyasha, who had whimpered at his father’s words.
"Inuyasha has had difficulty in adjusting since Izayoi died, but his rudeness to My Mate has caused upset in our pack and this I won’t tolerate. Tonight she was helping in the bath and as I arrived she ran out with his claw marks on her face and in tears; it was the final straw. Do with him as you see fit Yori, he will not come back until he learns to mind his manners." Inu no Taishou’s voice was very stern but his face showed his sadness at having to say this, he didn’t want to leave Inuyasha but the rest of the family needed to be considered too.
Chouko went to see the General off while Inuyasha was dressed in the fire warmed kosode by Kaoru who also went to make the boy a hot drink. Yori called Inuyasha to come to him and rebuked the child for his shameful conduct towards his aunt, reminding him of times in the past when he had lost control and the consequences he’d endured. He took Inuyasha to a small room in the hut picking up a light bamboo cane as he passed it and ignored the pitiful look the small boy gave him, just as he ignored the pained cry as the first and second hard blows landed across the child’s backside.
Before the third could fall however, Inuyasha was pulled away from his brother by his sister who glared angrily at Yori as she once more sheltered the boy with her sleeves. Chouko refused point blank to hand Inuyasha back to Yori so that he could finish the punishment, and reminded her brother that he wasn’t her lord, her husband wouldn’t be back until the next day. All the while she patted Inuyasha’s back soothingly and knelt down to wipe his tears, then she carried him out to sit once more by the fire with her brother in her lap.
"You think he should get away with how he’s been behaving recently Cho?" Yori asked reasonably.
"Did you ask him to explain himself before you hit him Yori? You couldn’t have done in the time you had."
"What needs to be said, you heard his father...or are you saying that Inu no Taishou is lying?"
"No of course not, but Inuyasha should have his say before you beat him."
"Very well...Inuyasha, is your father mistaken, did someone else hurt and upset your aunt?" Yori’s question was very blunt and Inuyasha looked at him dolefully as he shook his head. "Is that no, you didn’t hurt her or no, someone else didn’t?"
"I did, but I didn’t mean to scratch her, she was just too close...I said I hated her." Inuyasha whispered petulantly and Yori looked over his head to Cho who still wouldn’t let her brother take the boy.
"You surprise me Cho; none of your own children would have been allowed to behave like this without their father taking them to task, why do you feel Inuyasha is any different to our own children, or indeed how we were brought up?" Yori said, trying to make his sister see sense. Chouko sighed but continued to pet her little but older brother, trying to sooth the boy who was still feeling the effects of the two stripes he’d received and was nervous of any more to come. It was Yori’s turn to sigh, but he knelt down in front of Inuyasha who flinched away from him; this action hurt Yori to the heart and he threw the cane away from him and bade the child look at him.
"I have never caused your tears before Inuyasha; it makes me unhappy to have done so this time, but...you have shamed our mother by your behaviour and you have sacrificed your own honour in striking at your aunt in word and deed. Your own father has been too lenient with you and now pays the price and doesn’t want you in the home. If you want that to change you will apologise to your aunt and make sure that no one can fault your future behaviour." Yori then put his arms round Inuyasha to hug him, the child’s bitter tears telling him that his words had hit home. He was a bit dismayed that his brother didn’t return the hug, but he could see that Inuyasha was distracted.
Chouko once more claimed him and this time she held him closely to her and pressed his face to her neck gently. Her scent was instantly calming and familiar and soon Inuyasha had cried himself to sleep, while his sister rocked him and stroked his hair. Kaoru came over and offered to take Inuyasha to his room, but Chouko shook her head and said he could stay with her that night and he might rest properly.
"Inuyasha has told me before that my scent is very similar to Mama’s, more so than either of the boys’ because I am female. I don’t know Kaoru, but I am sure something else is wrong, something is really bothering Inuyasha." Chouko said sadly and Kaoru agreed with her, saying that Inuyasha was not normally such a disruptive child. That night, Chouko was proved correct, Inuyasha slept curled up next to her with his nose against the pulse in her neck where her scent was strong and he didn’t move till morning.
When he did awaken which was earlier than everyone else, he studied Chouko’s face and more tears rained down his cheeks. Then he sniffed the air in surprise and crept out and went to the huge white dog that was waiting in the garden and buried his face in the thick fur. The dog just growled softly at him and nuzzled him, the crescent moon on the forehead glinting in the sunrise.
"I’m sorry Auntie; I didn’t mean to hurt you...I..." Inuyasha wept and the dog once again growled comfortingly at him letting him know that she understood. The Lady didn’t transform back to humanoid shape however, knowing that Inuyasha would immediately draw away again if she did, whereas pups of all species responded well to the warmth of fur. She had been outside all night guarding her pup and she would wait until he was ready to accept her for as long as it took. By the time Chouko had come in search of her brother, he was fast asleep again under the bitch’s chin.
Chouko was quick on the uptake; although unable to tell if the dog was male or female from where she stood, she spotted the crescent moon, and the fact that the eyes of the dog watching her were far older and wiser than the young prince, she deduced that this was the Lady. She asked if the lady wished to come inside and a slow shake of the head was her answer, it would have meant becoming much smaller, and once again Inuyasha would have shied away.
Inuyasha soon awoke as his senses recognised his sister’s presence and he unconsciously wiped his face on the furry leg he was resting on before going over to her. But the signs of his distress were only too clear, which was upsetting for Chouko in turn and as she welcomed him to her, a few tears of her own fell. Suddenly as Yori came out to find them, the huge bitch grumbled and growled; knowing that the man had caused hurt to her pup, but she settled back down when he bowed to her.
The Lady was once again invited in for breakfast, but she declined, although she was concerned with Inuyasha’s depression; he had not perked up as he would normally do after a misdemeanour was forgiven. After they had eaten, Inuyasha had crawled back onto Chouko’s lap and rested his nose once more on her neck pulse. The child was too quiet, too solemn and too still and Chouko could feel that her neck was damp with yet more tears and she stroked his head trying to comfort him.
Later in the morning Sora came as by then he’d heard of Inuyasha’s trouble; he was the quietest of the siblings and was kind and gentle besides being soft and spare with words. After speaking with his Yori and Kaoru out of Inuyasha’s earshot, Sora came over to his twin and knelt down, taking Inuyasha’s face in his hands and wiping the silent tears away with his thumbs.
"It is not like you to be so unhappy Inuyasha; can’t you tell us what is upsetting you Little One?" Sora asked, not liking the serious, sad look the boy had. Inuyasha just stared at his younger brother before he put his own little hands around Sora’s face; his brother allowed the scrutiny, watching Inuyasha and noticing the child’s eyes were not the same as his grandchildren’s. Inuyasha’s were older and more knowing; even though the boy was so young relatively speaking, he had lived longer and had more experience than a human child of seemingly similar age.
"Little One...I remember you being born Sora...I remember all of you being born; I held you all and we played do you remember? Yori, do you remember when you played with me at the Palace, when Shu would play too sometimes?" Inuyasha was pleased when Yori nodded. "I remember, I remember when I would carry you on my back and we would jump over the fences on the farm and Cho you had pretty ribbons in your hair and it was long and you were the only one to squeal in my ears...you called me puppy brother and once you were not well and I let you play with my hair and Yori and Sora laughed at me do you remember?" Inuyasha didn’t take a breath and his voice was sad.
"I remember Inuyasha; we had a lot of fun didn’t we?" Chouko said eventually, as neither of her brothers seemed able to talk. Inuyasha picked up a lock of Chouko’s hair and studied it for a while, noting with misery the grey hair peppering the black, and the others waited to hear what else he had to say, knowing that this was probably what Inuyasha had been brooding over ever since their Mama had died.
"You’ve all grown big and had children and grandchildren and I am still little. When I was littler I thought that Mama was turning Inu like me, her hair was going white; it made me feel happy, but not anymore. Now I know it means she was going to go away; once she had a face like mine and so did you, all smooth, I didn’t see it any different until she’d left me, but then I did and I can see it in you, you are all going to leave me. You are all going to leave me like she did. I understand what she said about the different lifetimes, but...but...it hurts me a lot."
So it had happened, Inuyasha had learned the truth about their mortality; there seemed to be no end to his silent tears and Chouko could only hold him close and let him take what comfort he could from her scent. Neither of their brothers had said a word yet, but both were dismayed and felt inadequate; there was nothing they could say or do to refute their brother’s knowledge. The silence was suddenly shattered by a deep rumble and the house seemed to shake a little and the family inside rushed outside fearing an earthquake was happening.
But they found not an earthquake, but the momentarily forgotten Lady, towering above her mate in his humanoid form. She was growling, her mouth twisted in a toothy snarl and the poisonous fumes of Dokkasou showing a pale green wrapped around her teeth and muzzle. Of course she was no match for him in strength, should he choose to transform; but she was very fast and would make it most unpleasant should he choose to challenge her. Inu no Taishou looked up at his mate, proud of her beauty and ferocity, but not understanding what she was doing here.
The night before she had been angry but not forthcoming with the reason for said anger, and she had left his side refusing him her bed. This had happened before when she was angered and he thought it had something to do with her upset over Inuyasha this time. He had stayed in his own suite that night and it was only when he couldn’t find her the next day and he tracked her to the farm that he realised she had left the Palace.
Before he could ask her why she was here and so obviously on guard, Inu no Taishou noticed his son standing behind Chouko, and he called to Inuyasha to come to him. But Inuyasha hid behind his sister and a wave of nervous tension not far short of fear reached the father. He was puzzled and called to the pup once more, but this time in a more peremptory manner; it was the perfect opportunity he thought for Inuyasha to apologise to his aunt. The General certainly didn’t understand the small whimper he heard as the hanyou once again refused to budge from behind his protective sister.
Inu no Taishou didn’t realise that the last memory Inuyasha had of him, was being dragged from his bath by the hair, buffeted by his growling father’s angry youki, before being smothered in his tail and dismissed by him to his brother. The youkai had been angry at the scent of his mate’s blood and tears and not really considered his swift actions. Inuyasha had not been hurt, even when quickly pulled by his hair supported in his father’s tail, but the child had been frightened and disoriented, apart from feeling his own guilt at what he’d done.
The whimper had been heard not only by his father but by the huge bitch dog too, and she growled even louder and put her head right down to Inu no Taishou’s level and snarled. There was no mistaking her intention and her mate just nodded and turned to leave. But before he did so, he called to Inuyasha that Sesshoumaru was worried about him and wanted to know if he could see him; there was no reply. Inuyasha had already run inside and was now sitting, rocking on the floor with his head to his bent knees and hidden behind his hair.
"Inuyasha, come to me." The voice was Makoto who habitually now sat in a corner by the fire, no longer taking much of an active role in the family. He was content to leave decisions to Yori and just sit and think. But he watched with concerned eyes what was happening with his stepson and sighed, the solution was obvious, but the child was still so young to absorb the truths. Inuyasha went to his stepfather as the others walked back in and sat down waiting for their father to speak.
"Inuyasha, you must go back to your youkai family; you cannot stay here for long anymore. Your Mother wished for you to be looked after by them and even now The Lady guards you. You may visit as you did before, but only to your siblings now; the villages around here have changed, there are many new families who do not know our history and will not have our understanding of hanyou. For the sake of our younger generations for marriage and trade, your home must be at the Palace where you also will be safe."
Makoto was aware that he had added further to Inuyasha’s heavy heart but the boy had to know sooner rather than later. He moved the boy’s fringe gently and stroked his hair, but the bleak despair on Inuyasha’s face intensified.
"I’m not wanted at the Palace, Papa gave me to Yori."
"You’ve misunderstood child, if you are on your best behaviour you will be welcome, and no more rudeness, especially towards your aunt. You were not raised to be objectionable Inuyasha; your Mama would have been most displeased."
"Aunty isn’t my Mama...I can’t call her Mama...what am I going to do...everyone is going to leave me." His voice tapered off in horror and he went again to sit in the corner, curled into a small ball and rocking backwards and forwards. Chouko rushed forwards in annoyance, her father’s words to her brother while true, sounded harsh, and she thought he should have waited. She sat in her chair and Yori picked Inuyasha up under his arms and brought him to her, where he immediately nuzzled at her neck. She stroked his hair and back and hummed one of their mother’s songs to him while she glared at her father.
"It’s no use giving me the evil eye Cho, how soon before even your scent fades away; Inuyasha must be settled long before that."
"I will take him home with me now and I promise you that no harm will come to him." The Lady said, and they turned to see that she had come in and was standing by the door, unnoticed until now. Cho tightened her grip on the boy, she could feel his panicked heart beat and hear his whimpers and wasn’t about to let him go. The Lady though came over and looked with understanding at the human female and held out her arms, her steady gaze was reassuring and when Inuyasha passed out from the stress she took him from his sister.
"Do not worry, he will be back for visits as normal and he will be fine, but your father is right, Inuyasha must make his home at the Palace. I shall make sure no hurt befalls my pup." She smiled once more at the family and left, sorry for the tears she had caused in Chouko, but aware there was no choice left for Inuyasha. Finally her lost pup would return to her fold, she had waited patiently for him since his birth and now nobody would dare to try to separate the mother from her pup, least of all any foolish male.
Author:petalears
Universe:A/U
Rating:PG
Summary:Trouble and misunderstandings.
Quote:Knowledge comes, but wisdom lingers, and I linger on
the shore,
And the individual withers, and the world is more and
more. - Alfred Lloyd Tennyson, "Locksley Hall"
Custody
As Inuyasha tidied his mess up with Sesshoumaru’s help, he did have time to think on what else he had to do. He would have to apologise to his father and The Tiger and his classmates for disrupting the lesson. Inuyasha didn’t want to do this but knew it was expected of a Prince and that he would feel better once it was done. This he did as soon as possible, with Sesshoumaru accompanying him to and from school; it was still too early in his tutor’s opinion for the boy to return, but the apology was accepted and nothing more would be said.
However if everyone thought that that was the end of Inuyasha’s problems, they were mistaken. The pup had too much free time to think and brood now that he wasn’t in school for a while and everyone else was busy. The trouble was once his youkai had tasted the freedom and excitement of being influential, it didn’t want to let go, Inuyasha had enjoyed the shock on the faces of his family when he swore, he liked the attention he was getting and the immunity his grief gave him. But he never challenged his Alpha’s again and just got underfoot at the most awkward times.
Inuyasha was not truly conscious of his actions for attention; he just didn’t want to be left alone for too long to think his dark thoughts. And there would have been no real problem with him except for a growing and continued antipathy he started to show towards The Lady. At first it was just that he would ignore her, but soon he would have to be told quite sharply that he must answer if she asked a question and then he started to be curt and abrupt when speaking to her, often with a sneer in his voice.
Sometimes Inuyasha would even be downright rude and everyone was unsure of what the solution would be. He made the others argue among themselves as they were all fed up with his way of treating their mother, and Michiko had pushed Inuyasha, shoving him into a garden wall, using all of her strength which was easily comparable to his own. The hanyou had cracked his ribs that time and his sister had been punished and now was not talking to him because she felt it was his own fault. That time not even Shu had been sympathetic and Inuyasha felt very alone, although he knew he was in the wrong.
Things escalated, going from bad to worse and one day nearly two months after Izayoi died, Yori and Kaoru were at home in the early evening, when Inu no Taishou knocked on the door. Chouko who was staying with her brother while her husband was away for a few days, opened the door, surprised to see the General at that time of day. She was even more surprised when after they were all seated, Inu no Taishou dropped his naked son in her lap. Not only was Inuyasha unclothed, but his hair was dripping and his skin was still damp from his bath; it seemed that his father had plucked him straight from the water and brought him to his human family.
The boy was warm however from being completely wrapped in his father’s tail and Chouko saw with appreciation that Kaoru had put a small short kosode by the fire to warm. Meanwhile his sister covered the boy with her long sleeves as she held him securely on her lap, noticing that although Inuyasha was not chilled, he was trembling and anger filled her because of his fear. Before she could ask however what had caused her brother’s tremors, Inu no Taishou spoke, his voice angry but controlled.
"Yori, will you be willing to let Inuyasha stay with you; he is not welcome at the Palace at the moment?"
"Of course Sire; May I enquire as to what has happened?" Yori said seriously, instantly knowing that Inuyasha’s situation was grave. Chouko tightened her grip on Inuyasha, who had whimpered at his father’s words.
"Inuyasha has had difficulty in adjusting since Izayoi died, but his rudeness to My Mate has caused upset in our pack and this I won’t tolerate. Tonight she was helping in the bath and as I arrived she ran out with his claw marks on her face and in tears; it was the final straw. Do with him as you see fit Yori, he will not come back until he learns to mind his manners." Inu no Taishou’s voice was very stern but his face showed his sadness at having to say this, he didn’t want to leave Inuyasha but the rest of the family needed to be considered too.
Chouko went to see the General off while Inuyasha was dressed in the fire warmed kosode by Kaoru who also went to make the boy a hot drink. Yori called Inuyasha to come to him and rebuked the child for his shameful conduct towards his aunt, reminding him of times in the past when he had lost control and the consequences he’d endured. He took Inuyasha to a small room in the hut picking up a light bamboo cane as he passed it and ignored the pitiful look the small boy gave him, just as he ignored the pained cry as the first and second hard blows landed across the child’s backside.
Before the third could fall however, Inuyasha was pulled away from his brother by his sister who glared angrily at Yori as she once more sheltered the boy with her sleeves. Chouko refused point blank to hand Inuyasha back to Yori so that he could finish the punishment, and reminded her brother that he wasn’t her lord, her husband wouldn’t be back until the next day. All the while she patted Inuyasha’s back soothingly and knelt down to wipe his tears, then she carried him out to sit once more by the fire with her brother in her lap.
"You think he should get away with how he’s been behaving recently Cho?" Yori asked reasonably.
"Did you ask him to explain himself before you hit him Yori? You couldn’t have done in the time you had."
"What needs to be said, you heard his father...or are you saying that Inu no Taishou is lying?"
"No of course not, but Inuyasha should have his say before you beat him."
"Very well...Inuyasha, is your father mistaken, did someone else hurt and upset your aunt?" Yori’s question was very blunt and Inuyasha looked at him dolefully as he shook his head. "Is that no, you didn’t hurt her or no, someone else didn’t?"
"I did, but I didn’t mean to scratch her, she was just too close...I said I hated her." Inuyasha whispered petulantly and Yori looked over his head to Cho who still wouldn’t let her brother take the boy.
"You surprise me Cho; none of your own children would have been allowed to behave like this without their father taking them to task, why do you feel Inuyasha is any different to our own children, or indeed how we were brought up?" Yori said, trying to make his sister see sense. Chouko sighed but continued to pet her little but older brother, trying to sooth the boy who was still feeling the effects of the two stripes he’d received and was nervous of any more to come. It was Yori’s turn to sigh, but he knelt down in front of Inuyasha who flinched away from him; this action hurt Yori to the heart and he threw the cane away from him and bade the child look at him.
"I have never caused your tears before Inuyasha; it makes me unhappy to have done so this time, but...you have shamed our mother by your behaviour and you have sacrificed your own honour in striking at your aunt in word and deed. Your own father has been too lenient with you and now pays the price and doesn’t want you in the home. If you want that to change you will apologise to your aunt and make sure that no one can fault your future behaviour." Yori then put his arms round Inuyasha to hug him, the child’s bitter tears telling him that his words had hit home. He was a bit dismayed that his brother didn’t return the hug, but he could see that Inuyasha was distracted.
Chouko once more claimed him and this time she held him closely to her and pressed his face to her neck gently. Her scent was instantly calming and familiar and soon Inuyasha had cried himself to sleep, while his sister rocked him and stroked his hair. Kaoru came over and offered to take Inuyasha to his room, but Chouko shook her head and said he could stay with her that night and he might rest properly.
"Inuyasha has told me before that my scent is very similar to Mama’s, more so than either of the boys’ because I am female. I don’t know Kaoru, but I am sure something else is wrong, something is really bothering Inuyasha." Chouko said sadly and Kaoru agreed with her, saying that Inuyasha was not normally such a disruptive child. That night, Chouko was proved correct, Inuyasha slept curled up next to her with his nose against the pulse in her neck where her scent was strong and he didn’t move till morning.
When he did awaken which was earlier than everyone else, he studied Chouko’s face and more tears rained down his cheeks. Then he sniffed the air in surprise and crept out and went to the huge white dog that was waiting in the garden and buried his face in the thick fur. The dog just growled softly at him and nuzzled him, the crescent moon on the forehead glinting in the sunrise.
"I’m sorry Auntie; I didn’t mean to hurt you...I..." Inuyasha wept and the dog once again growled comfortingly at him letting him know that she understood. The Lady didn’t transform back to humanoid shape however, knowing that Inuyasha would immediately draw away again if she did, whereas pups of all species responded well to the warmth of fur. She had been outside all night guarding her pup and she would wait until he was ready to accept her for as long as it took. By the time Chouko had come in search of her brother, he was fast asleep again under the bitch’s chin.
Chouko was quick on the uptake; although unable to tell if the dog was male or female from where she stood, she spotted the crescent moon, and the fact that the eyes of the dog watching her were far older and wiser than the young prince, she deduced that this was the Lady. She asked if the lady wished to come inside and a slow shake of the head was her answer, it would have meant becoming much smaller, and once again Inuyasha would have shied away.
Inuyasha soon awoke as his senses recognised his sister’s presence and he unconsciously wiped his face on the furry leg he was resting on before going over to her. But the signs of his distress were only too clear, which was upsetting for Chouko in turn and as she welcomed him to her, a few tears of her own fell. Suddenly as Yori came out to find them, the huge bitch grumbled and growled; knowing that the man had caused hurt to her pup, but she settled back down when he bowed to her.
The Lady was once again invited in for breakfast, but she declined, although she was concerned with Inuyasha’s depression; he had not perked up as he would normally do after a misdemeanour was forgiven. After they had eaten, Inuyasha had crawled back onto Chouko’s lap and rested his nose once more on her neck pulse. The child was too quiet, too solemn and too still and Chouko could feel that her neck was damp with yet more tears and she stroked his head trying to comfort him.
Later in the morning Sora came as by then he’d heard of Inuyasha’s trouble; he was the quietest of the siblings and was kind and gentle besides being soft and spare with words. After speaking with his Yori and Kaoru out of Inuyasha’s earshot, Sora came over to his twin and knelt down, taking Inuyasha’s face in his hands and wiping the silent tears away with his thumbs.
"It is not like you to be so unhappy Inuyasha; can’t you tell us what is upsetting you Little One?" Sora asked, not liking the serious, sad look the boy had. Inuyasha just stared at his younger brother before he put his own little hands around Sora’s face; his brother allowed the scrutiny, watching Inuyasha and noticing the child’s eyes were not the same as his grandchildren’s. Inuyasha’s were older and more knowing; even though the boy was so young relatively speaking, he had lived longer and had more experience than a human child of seemingly similar age.
"Little One...I remember you being born Sora...I remember all of you being born; I held you all and we played do you remember? Yori, do you remember when you played with me at the Palace, when Shu would play too sometimes?" Inuyasha was pleased when Yori nodded. "I remember, I remember when I would carry you on my back and we would jump over the fences on the farm and Cho you had pretty ribbons in your hair and it was long and you were the only one to squeal in my ears...you called me puppy brother and once you were not well and I let you play with my hair and Yori and Sora laughed at me do you remember?" Inuyasha didn’t take a breath and his voice was sad.
"I remember Inuyasha; we had a lot of fun didn’t we?" Chouko said eventually, as neither of her brothers seemed able to talk. Inuyasha picked up a lock of Chouko’s hair and studied it for a while, noting with misery the grey hair peppering the black, and the others waited to hear what else he had to say, knowing that this was probably what Inuyasha had been brooding over ever since their Mama had died.
"You’ve all grown big and had children and grandchildren and I am still little. When I was littler I thought that Mama was turning Inu like me, her hair was going white; it made me feel happy, but not anymore. Now I know it means she was going to go away; once she had a face like mine and so did you, all smooth, I didn’t see it any different until she’d left me, but then I did and I can see it in you, you are all going to leave me. You are all going to leave me like she did. I understand what she said about the different lifetimes, but...but...it hurts me a lot."
So it had happened, Inuyasha had learned the truth about their mortality; there seemed to be no end to his silent tears and Chouko could only hold him close and let him take what comfort he could from her scent. Neither of their brothers had said a word yet, but both were dismayed and felt inadequate; there was nothing they could say or do to refute their brother’s knowledge. The silence was suddenly shattered by a deep rumble and the house seemed to shake a little and the family inside rushed outside fearing an earthquake was happening.
But they found not an earthquake, but the momentarily forgotten Lady, towering above her mate in his humanoid form. She was growling, her mouth twisted in a toothy snarl and the poisonous fumes of Dokkasou showing a pale green wrapped around her teeth and muzzle. Of course she was no match for him in strength, should he choose to transform; but she was very fast and would make it most unpleasant should he choose to challenge her. Inu no Taishou looked up at his mate, proud of her beauty and ferocity, but not understanding what she was doing here.
The night before she had been angry but not forthcoming with the reason for said anger, and she had left his side refusing him her bed. This had happened before when she was angered and he thought it had something to do with her upset over Inuyasha this time. He had stayed in his own suite that night and it was only when he couldn’t find her the next day and he tracked her to the farm that he realised she had left the Palace.
Before he could ask her why she was here and so obviously on guard, Inu no Taishou noticed his son standing behind Chouko, and he called to Inuyasha to come to him. But Inuyasha hid behind his sister and a wave of nervous tension not far short of fear reached the father. He was puzzled and called to the pup once more, but this time in a more peremptory manner; it was the perfect opportunity he thought for Inuyasha to apologise to his aunt. The General certainly didn’t understand the small whimper he heard as the hanyou once again refused to budge from behind his protective sister.
Inu no Taishou didn’t realise that the last memory Inuyasha had of him, was being dragged from his bath by the hair, buffeted by his growling father’s angry youki, before being smothered in his tail and dismissed by him to his brother. The youkai had been angry at the scent of his mate’s blood and tears and not really considered his swift actions. Inuyasha had not been hurt, even when quickly pulled by his hair supported in his father’s tail, but the child had been frightened and disoriented, apart from feeling his own guilt at what he’d done.
The whimper had been heard not only by his father but by the huge bitch dog too, and she growled even louder and put her head right down to Inu no Taishou’s level and snarled. There was no mistaking her intention and her mate just nodded and turned to leave. But before he did so, he called to Inuyasha that Sesshoumaru was worried about him and wanted to know if he could see him; there was no reply. Inuyasha had already run inside and was now sitting, rocking on the floor with his head to his bent knees and hidden behind his hair.
"Inuyasha, come to me." The voice was Makoto who habitually now sat in a corner by the fire, no longer taking much of an active role in the family. He was content to leave decisions to Yori and just sit and think. But he watched with concerned eyes what was happening with his stepson and sighed, the solution was obvious, but the child was still so young to absorb the truths. Inuyasha went to his stepfather as the others walked back in and sat down waiting for their father to speak.
"Inuyasha, you must go back to your youkai family; you cannot stay here for long anymore. Your Mother wished for you to be looked after by them and even now The Lady guards you. You may visit as you did before, but only to your siblings now; the villages around here have changed, there are many new families who do not know our history and will not have our understanding of hanyou. For the sake of our younger generations for marriage and trade, your home must be at the Palace where you also will be safe."
Makoto was aware that he had added further to Inuyasha’s heavy heart but the boy had to know sooner rather than later. He moved the boy’s fringe gently and stroked his hair, but the bleak despair on Inuyasha’s face intensified.
"I’m not wanted at the Palace, Papa gave me to Yori."
"You’ve misunderstood child, if you are on your best behaviour you will be welcome, and no more rudeness, especially towards your aunt. You were not raised to be objectionable Inuyasha; your Mama would have been most displeased."
"Aunty isn’t my Mama...I can’t call her Mama...what am I going to do...everyone is going to leave me." His voice tapered off in horror and he went again to sit in the corner, curled into a small ball and rocking backwards and forwards. Chouko rushed forwards in annoyance, her father’s words to her brother while true, sounded harsh, and she thought he should have waited. She sat in her chair and Yori picked Inuyasha up under his arms and brought him to her, where he immediately nuzzled at her neck. She stroked his hair and back and hummed one of their mother’s songs to him while she glared at her father.
"It’s no use giving me the evil eye Cho, how soon before even your scent fades away; Inuyasha must be settled long before that."
"I will take him home with me now and I promise you that no harm will come to him." The Lady said, and they turned to see that she had come in and was standing by the door, unnoticed until now. Cho tightened her grip on the boy, she could feel his panicked heart beat and hear his whimpers and wasn’t about to let him go. The Lady though came over and looked with understanding at the human female and held out her arms, her steady gaze was reassuring and when Inuyasha passed out from the stress she took him from his sister.
"Do not worry, he will be back for visits as normal and he will be fine, but your father is right, Inuyasha must make his home at the Palace. I shall make sure no hurt befalls my pup." She smiled once more at the family and left, sorry for the tears she had caused in Chouko, but aware there was no choice left for Inuyasha. Finally her lost pup would return to her fold, she had waited patiently for him since his birth and now nobody would dare to try to separate the mother from her pup, least of all any foolish male.