Inuyasha: Inuyasha/Rin (# 22 I Hate Myself
Title Family History
Author landofthekwt
Rating T
Prompt 22 I hate myself (un love you)
Word Count 6331
Fandom Inuyasha
Pairing Inuyasha/Rin
Warning none
Summary Inuyasha runs to some relatives when Rin is kidnaped
Chapter 15 Left_Behind
Inuyasha watched hidden from his perch as the horse men galloped down the road. The patrols were more common these days. The banners carrying the three black triangles surrounding a white triangle in the center billowed proudly in the breeze proclaiming to everyone that these were the samurai of the Hojo.
Why had he never noticed them before? They had meant so much to him once when he lived in Kamakura. His mother had been trying to reach them when she fled the burning city. She had died trying. He had always been left with a dream of reaching his cousins in the Kanto, but he lost his way and found himself in Musashi
Kagome had once told him that it was about seventy minute by rapid train. He had ridden on top of one when he followed Kagome to her testing site, but there were none here. He did not have a fire cat, horse dragon or cloud to ride. If he wanted to get anywhere he had to run. He had proved himself faster than any train in her era when he overtook the express while trying to find Kagome’s bag. Chasing trains was an experience from her era he did not miss.
With the expectation of Kagome’s second child, Sesshoumaru had left the vicinity. Kohaku was chasing after demons on behalf of Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha was left with patrol duty especially with Jaken being called away by Sesshoumaru. He did not like the village being undefended. The men who had come from Edo were mainly.builders not warriors. Miroku and Sango had children to protect with another on the way.
It was up to him to defend the village One way or another he was going to have to deal with the Hojo. He had never been a diplomat. Miroku had handled all the negotiations for the group. He had been the strong right arm cutting up the enemy when talk failed. The problem was Tessaiga. The sword was a defender of humanity and refused to be drawn to defend humans. If he had to fight, he would do so in the old style with stealth and claw. Throwing the Blades of the Blade and Soul Shattering Iron Claw from ambush.
It occurred to him that he did have an ally among the Hojo. Akitoki Hojo. Unfortunately, he had returned home after depositing the Celestial Robe into the volcano. He could not afford to take off after his wayward and somewhat clumsy summit. The boy had been helpful in dealing with the Naginata of Kenkon. Hopefully, the boy did not have any more family heirlooms. The last two had almost destroyed the world.
The boy had been besotted with Kagome. He would assume that Inuyasha was still with her. Inuyasha sighed. Love was something he never had control over. Love had killed himself and Kikyou. Love had brought Kagome back to him. Love had taken her away from him. Hopefully, Hojo had better luck with women than he did, but given the way the boy had fumbled around Kagome, he doubted it.
He needed to get back to the village. Surely, Miroku, the head man, Kaede and even Kaede might know what the political situation was. The youkai that attacked the village were no coincidence. They were nothing but newly formed spirits created by the malice of a great battle.What battle. Who was involved? How could it be prevented from happening in the future? More questions no answers
Arriving back at the village, he found Hana in a heated discussion with Rin and Kaede. Hana was arguing again that Rin should go back with her to her temple to be trained. Kaede was vehement that as long as Rin was entrusted to her by Lord Sesshoumaru she would stay in the village.
Kaede stated that Hana was welcome to stay even though she was well enough to take over the duties entrusted to Hana. She was even willing to let her teach Rin within the village just as she had been trained after Kikyou died, but under no circumstances was she to take Rin with her when she returned to her temple.
Hana yelled “ This is not finished “ and walked away fuming.
Inuyasha walked up to Rin and Kaede “ What was that about?”
Kaede replied “ Hana was getting ready to leave and ask me to allow her to take Rin with her to the temple”
Inuyasha looked at the two women.” I thought that this was settled when she arrived.”
“Apparently not “ replied Kaede When Inuyasha continued to stare at her. She asked “ Was there something else, Inuyasha?”
Inuyasha looked flustered, but finally found his tongue. “ While I was out on patrol, I ran into Hojo samurai. I did not recall them being so far from Edo Castle before. I wondered what had happened that might bring them here and whether or not we needed to talk to the head man or bring in Akitoki Hojo to negotiate with whoever is in charge of these samurai.”
Kaede simply stared “The Hojo took Edo castle from the Uesugi while you were sleeping, but they have never bothered us here. We were too small for them to notice and we would like to keep it that way.”
Inuyasha nodded. Kaede had been handling affairs with the Hojo since they took over Edo castle He still had one question “ Was there some event which might have brought the Hojo into this area recently. I have been here eight years, but I never noticed this level of activity before.”
Kaede nodded. “Maybe you should ask Hana”
“Do you think she would talk to a hanyou?”
“ I will ask her.”
“ How about the headman. Would he know?”
“It is his business to know.”
Kaede found Hana in their hut talking to Rin. Rin was subdued after the conversation which had swirled around. She was drawn to Hana because she wanted to be more than a helpless victim, but Hana almost seemed willing to kidnap her in order to accompli her goals.
“Could I speak to you a minute?”
“ I thought that you and I had said all that needed to be said.:”
Kaede raised her hand “ This is not about Rin. Inuyasha mentioned the increase in Hojo patrols in this area.You come from Edo. Do you know anything about them?”
Hana smiled Now she was needed. “ Last year the great warrior, Kenshin of the Uesugi besieged the Hojo capital of Odawara, but his supplies ran low and he had to withdraw. It is said that the Hojo have allied with the Takeda who have been fighting with Kenshin for the past eight years
It is only now that Kenshin has invaded Musashi to reassert the claims of the Uesugi that the Hojo need an ally. They feel it necessary to reassert themselves throughout Musashi because they were locked up in Odawara for two months last year. They are clearing the area of all enemies. They asked our temple for help in dealing with the youkai who were created by the wars between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin. As you know from personal experience the youkai became particularly virulent in past year when Kenshin attempted to conquer the Kanto Just before the New Year, Kenshin tried to take Matsuyama Castle”
Kaede was stunned. They were so parochial and isolated in her village that they never paid attention to the events going on around them. Hana seemed well informed compared to her. It was no wonder that.she was here seeking allies. She wondered why she had not approached Inuyasha instead of Rin. Perhaps she was unaware of the powers that Inuyasha commanded or his Hojo heritage which he had shared with Kikyou. Should she reveal what she knew to Hana or would that put all of them in danger? She decided to keep her own counsel and talk to Inuyasha in private.
Kaede found Inuyasha in Goshinboku “ Inuyasha, can I have a word with you?”
When Inuyasha had descended from the tree, Kaede began “ Have you noticed anything strange
about Hana?”
“What do you mean?”
“She seems more informed than you might expect from a miko at a temple in the mountains.”
“For instance.?’
“She knew all the news about the War over the Kanto between the Uesagi, the Takeda, the Satomi and the Hojo. I think she bears watching. She might be a Hojo spy. We had always been beneath their notice before. Our wariness about strangers caught Kagome in its net. When you arrived our guard went down. Now we have no men to patrol. ”
:” That is why I patrol now..Sesshoumaru is too busy right now with Kagome to watch Rin so all we get is Jaken and the dragon. I will keep an eye on her. I would think that you and Rin are suited to such a task since she is staying with you and seems set on turning Rin into a miko against her will”
“Rin has been more interested lately Apparently, the power that Hana possesses is an attractive lure for a young girl who has been protected all her life”
“If she is that dangerous, maybe we should just be rid of her.”
“She does help. I am getting too old to carry out many of the miko duties. It was not my place to teach Rin these things. Until Rin is fully qualified to carry out my duties, it is necessary to have her here.”
“I guess we will just have to be wary.”
“Do you still want to meet with the headman?”
“I think it would be advisable. I need to know what we should do about the Hojo. I assume you understand that my relationship with the Hojo needs to be kept secret.”
“Of course.”
That night Inuyasha stood before the headman and the council. They were all new to the village having been part of the building crew which had recreated the village. The village of the Sunset lived again. Its shrine was active again. Visitors flocked to the former grave of the Miko Kikyou The idea that she had been a jewel guardian and had ascended brought many new followers to pray at her shrine. Hana had been a big part of the revival of the shrine traditions which Kaede had imparted to her.
Kohaku just happened to be in the village at this time. Inuyasha talked to him about contacting Akitoki Hojo. Kohaku agreed to the plan set off to find the distant cousin who had aided them on more than one occasion. Inuyasha hoped that it would not be necessary to use Akitoki He had a tendency to get himself into trouble with a regularity that rivaled only Kagome
Inuyasha began by telling about the patrols she had seen. Kaede did her part by telling the council what Hana had told her about the war currently going on in the Kanto. Many of the builders being from Edo Castle and its environ were already aware of these facts. Hana listened intently from the back.to what Inuyasha had to say. She had been trying for some time to convince Rin to come with her. The Hojo might be just the aid she needed.
When the council was finished, they decided that it was too dangerous to approach the Hojo patrols. Inuyasha should continue to monitor their movements, but he was to do nothing overt that might make them aware of the village. The builders were sensitive to their position. They had just rebuilt. No one wanted to bring it to the attention of any of the warring parties. If they did get noticed, they would all suffer no matter who won.
Hana had other ideas. Under the cover of darkness, she followed Inuyasha looking for the patrols.
While Inuyasha was trying to stay out of sight. Hana was trying to make contact with the patrols.
Her plan was to contact the patrols. Once accomplished she would arrange a rendevous with the patrols. Her only problem would be luring Rin out to place where the patrols could take them both away from the village.
The problem was contacting the patrol without Inuyasha noticing her. She really wanted Rin in the hands of her temple not in the hands of the Hojo. The miko’s role lay not in allying with one human lord or another, but in fighting those youkai would could be purified with the weapons at the miko’s disposal. To this end, Hana endeavored to make Inuyasha think that she was turning the girl over to the patrol. Her actual objective was to take Rin for herself to her own temple.
The contact was thus made in broad daylight while Inuyasha was observing. She was counting on him to follow the Hojo patrol while she took the girl. Inuyasha was on edge watching Hana day and night. He failed to notice that Kaede taking Rin with her into the forest to gather herbs, but Hana had not. It was on just such forays that they ran into Hojo ninja who had been told when or where to go. Kaede was found unharmed the next morning but gagged and bound and Hana was missing.
The alarm was raised. Inuyasha trailed the ninja toward Edo castle. He noticed that at some point Hana had intercepted the patrol. By the time Inuyasha reached the castle, the raiding party was all safely behind the walls of the castle. Inuyasha puzzled over what to do next. Sesshoumaru would have his head if he learned that Rin was missing. He could use Tessaiga against the stone walls, but not against the samurai ensconced behind its wall. What would he do if Rin became a hostage? Rin’s life could not be risked under any circumstances.
He mulled over his options. Besieging the castle would take too long A direct assault risked killing Rin. If Akitoki was here, they could negotiate for Rin’s release. He decided to bluff. Raising his sword, the winds began to form around his sword. He sent the five furrows of flame crashing toward the castle. Control was everything. He had enough to send the flames so that they stopped just short of the walls of the castle.
Warriors rushed to the battlements to see what foe stood before them. Instead of an army of samurai, they found a lone half demon in red standing outside the walls, sword upraised and fingerlings of flame still burning from the sword to the castle. The archers shot at the boy, but he was easily able to dodge or deflect the volleys. When they finally ceased their attacks, Inuyasha finally spoke. “Release Rin.”
When Rin finally awoke, she found herself slung over a saddle of a samurai warrior. She had been kidnaped before so she knew better than to struggle. The difference was that in the past it had been Lord Sesshoumaru who had saved her. No matter how bad things got, she knew that eventually the demon lord would show up. Her heart sank. He wasn’t coming for her now. Kagome was his life now and it was time for her lying-in before delivering her second child. It was his place now by Kagome’s side and not Rin.
She really did not understand why she had been taken until Hana joined their party. The kidnaping happened so fast that she did not have time to think. One minute she was gathering herbs with Kaede. The next she was being attacked by armed men who rendered her unconscious.She could only hope that Kaede was not hurt. The old woman had just recovered from the demon attack. Now to be attacked by armed men.She would have told them that Lord Sesshoumaru would have their heads for this if she were not gagged.
She had been infuriated when Hana smirked at her and told her that she would become a miko whether she liked it or not. It should be her decision. That was why Lord Sesshoumaru had left her behind in the village. Everyone was trying to tell her what to do. Interfering with her choices.
Now Hana had taken it the extreme by kidnaping her.
She thought when Naraku died she was done with that. Life in the village had been so calm until she went away and the demons Hana had been bothering since she arrived about becoming a miko and training in the temple. She thought Hana understood that she was willing to train in the village, but she did not want to become a miko if it meant giving up here chance of marriage and family. She had no devotion to the kami only to Lord Sesshoumaru.
Instead, she had to listen to Hana rattle on about she had saved her from the evil youkai so that she could serve the kami. At the moment she was bound and gagged. Every bone in her body ached. All she wanted to do was strangle Hana. The woman was the reason she had rejected humanity in the first place. The youkai she had met were preferable to the humans she had met.
None of the youkai had ever treated her as bad as the humans.
Hana was angry. She had gone to all the trouble to arrange the kidnaping of Rin, yet now her prize was being denied to her. The patrol leader who was supposed to conduct her to the temple with Rin had instead taken Rin to the keeper of Edo Castle. When Hana protested she was confined and told not to cause any trouble. The head of her temple was summoned to take charge of her. She tried to convince the master of the rightness of his cause. He just shook his head and told her that she should have known better than to involve the Temple in the affairs of state.
She had overestimated her value to Odawara. As Hojo she had rank and status. As a spy she had been useful to the powers that be. As a miko she could sway others with her power and religious authority. It was this status that had enabled her to summon the warriors who assisted her in the abduction of Rin. To have her prize taken from her was too much. For all her trouble she was now just as much a prisoner as Rin. She had overplayed her hand. Now all she could look forward to was banishment back to the temple and confinement there.
Inuyasha’s retort did have an effect. Those words were repeated from soldier to soldier until finally it reached the ears of the castellan. The keeper began inquiries about the identity of Rin and sent a courier to ask Inuyasha who he was and why he was assaulting the castle.
Inuyasha stood facing the castle gate and declared “I am Inuyasha the son of the Inu no Taisho, the Lord of the West and Princess Izayoi Shimazu. Conqueror oI Naraku. I was appointed Protector of Rin by Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the West. Lord Sesshoumaru is Rin’s guardian.and she is his ward. Rin’s trail led to this castle. She had been abducted by Hojo ninjas, assisted by Hojo samurai and is being held against her will in this castle. I demand that you release Rin to me and that you turn over the miko Hana who masterminded this abduction to me for punishment. If you fail to turn her over to me by sundown, I will destroy your castle. If you harm Rin in any way. I will tell Sesshoumaru. I will be sure to tell him that it was the Hojo who harmed her. After he finishes beating up to failing to protect Rin, he will kill every last Hojo. If I survive, I will be the last of the Hojo and I will spit on your graves. Take that back to your castellan“
The keeper of the castle took counsel with the city commissioners. It was hard to gauge the threat
The names were only vague memories and rumors to those in Edo. The Inu no Taisho was a myth. Izayoi a name associated with the fall of Kamakura and the destruction of the Shikken and the Hojo family. A curse on the entire family. Some said that she had brought the destruction down on them by defying the kami and rutting with a youkai. The Hojo had been punished by giving her shelter. The names Inuyasha and Naraku were linked to more recent times yet the tales were unbelievable. Still, the boy was clearly hanyou and his sword clearly a demon blade. They must tread cautiously. Sesshoumaru was known only as a lord of Kyushu. His threat was unknown.
The ninja and the samurai involved were questioned. They all pointed to Hana as the instigator of the plot which brought the girl to them. The keeper sent for the girl and the miko..Perhaps they could shed light on the situation so that they could see their way clearly out of this mess in which the miko had involved them. Both of them were cleaned up and provided with new kimonos. Hana was dressed in traditional miko’s garb.while Rin was dressed in splendor befitting her perceived rank. Hana appeared adamant and unrepentant while Rin appeared dazed and not yet recovered from her kidnaping and the mad dash to the castle.
“Miko Why have you brought her here and endangered us all.”
Hana stood proudly and proclaimed “ I am under orders from the daimyo himself to find mikos powerful enough to defeat the youkai produced by the battles he fights. This one has the potential to be a powerful miko if she was just given the training. When she refused to go with me, I did what was necessary to secure her services on behalf of the daimyo. I have done nothing wrong. I demand that you release her to me and escort me to my temple for training”
The castellan raised his hand. No one spoke to him like that in his own castle. “ Girl. There is one outside who calls himself Inuyasha, who threatens this castle if we do not release you. Worse he threatens the daimyo and all Hojo if your lord learns of this little misadventure. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Rin at last found her tongue. She would get Hana if it was the last thing that she did. “Lord Inuyasha knows that if my Lord Sesshoumaru ever learned of your treachery he would kill Lord Inuyasha and all of you. I would advise you to release me before this goes any further. Give me Lady Hana as a present to appease Lord Sesshoumaru. It would be a good will gesture which would let him know that she was the instigator of this plot which you had not part in.”
The castellan took in all that they said to him. The miko had endangered the clan. She must be dealt with harshly. If the only way to save the castle and the clan from the wrath of the youkai they were well rid of her. The question was how they could save themselves from that wrath once the girl was released. Ordinarily hostages were exchanged to guarantee the good will of each party to the alliance. Unfortunately, the only available hostage was Rin, the very person who could destroy everything. He came up with a plan.
“Girl. It appears that we need a hostage to guarantee the peace. Yet if we keep you the castle and our clan will be destroyed. As an expression of our good faith we will release you to this Inuyasha together with the miko. In exchange the three of you must return on every New Year’s Day and offer service to the clan for that day. That is condition of your parole.Do you accept?”
Hana was furious “ You would release her to youkai. They are our enemy. I have risked my life to free her from them so that she may serve the kami and the Hojo in freeing the world of them.”
The castellan slapped her so hard that she landed on the floor “ Quiet, witch. She is only reason that I have not killed you yet. You risked everyone’s lives just to carry out your little plan. Your life is in her hands. If she wishes, I will kill you now instead of turning you over to them. As it is, I have made them responsible for keeping you alive as condition of your parole. It is not up to you.It is her decision. You will be quiet and abide by it.”
Hana grumbled but was silent. Rin was stunned. They were actually going to release her on the condition that she,Inuyasha and Hana all return on New Years Day and give one day’s service to the lord. A small price to pay for freedom. Despite what Hana had done to her, she did not actually hate her. She certainly did not want Hana’s blood on her hands. The castellan looked at her expectantly. If she was what the miko said she was,she was a bright girl and would see the opportunity that she had been given. She nodded. The castellan sighed. Now they just needed to obtain the agreement of the hanyou. Threatening the castle.
Inuyasha was surprised when he saw Kirara flying toward him. He had asked Kohaku to find Akitoki Hojo, but he never thought the boy would follow him here. The cat landed and shrank as Kohaku walked toward Inuyasha with Akitoki tagging along behind him. Despite his history with Akitoki the boy might be useful in negotiating with the Hojo in the castle. He couldn’t be in any worse position than he was now.
“Thank you for bringing him, Kohaku.”
“No problem. When we arrived at the village, Miroku brought me up to speed on the situation. I assume Hana and Rin are in the castle.”
“Yes. I demanded Rins’s return after they attacked me, but I have not seen them in some time. I did give them till sundown to return her.” Inuyasha did not mention that he had no idea what he would do if the sundown deadline
Akitoki looked at them “ Perhaps I can be of some assistance. The castellan is a relation. Surely, he and I can come to some agreement that will satisfy everyone.”
Inuyasha looked at Kohaku. He had seen Kohaku in battle and knew that he could count on the kid now that he was free of Naraku. The same could not be said of Akitoki. He had saved the boy’s life more times than he could count. Still, if he could solve the situation without killing himself or anyone else and obtain Rin’s release perhaps they could yet salvage the day Sesshoumaru need never know what occurred here. As he was about to speak, the gate opened and a samurai hurtled pell-mell toward them. Inuyasha raised his sword, but Akitoki stayed his hand.
“He is a courier with a banner of truce”
“Truce?” Inuyasha could not imagine giving anyone a truce in the midst of battle. The courier dismounted and stared at the three men. A barefoot hanyou with an oversize sword clad in a red kimono. A taijiya holding a two-tailed cat. A samurai wearing Hojo colors. Naturally, the courier handed the scroll to Hojo who flushed with embarrassment. He read the name on the scroll and handed it to Inuyasha.
“Can you read?”
“My mother taught up to the age of seven.”
“I would be happy to read it for you.”
Inuyasha brushed him. When he finished the reading the scroll he handed it to Hojo to peruse. The courier shifted uneasily “ I was to wait for a reply.”
“Why can’t he just send Rin out and be done with it.?”
The courier shrugged “ I just deliver the messages. I am not privy to what is in them. Do you have a reply.”
Inuyasha looked at Hojo and then at Kohaku “ What do you think? Should we just follow them into the castle? I would rather wait out here where I can see what is coming at me. What about them I am not going anywhere without them. I assume that the castellan would not object to a Hojo samurai and a taijiya
The courier looked at the newcomers. His orders said nothing about them “ You will give up your sword.”
Inuyasha waved Tessaiga. The winds began to form around him. “Where I go. Tessaiga goes. We are one.”
Hojo put his hand on the courier shoulder “ I have fought side by side with Inuyasha against great and powerful foes who sought to destroy the world. I will vouch for him on my honor as a samurai pledged to the daimyo. Tell the castellan that Akitoki Hojo is here and demands an audience.”
And so they waited. While they waited Inuyasha caught up with Akitoki. They were both surprised at what had happened to each other. Akitoki caught Inuyasha off guard when he told him that he and Kagome had three children. Of course, it was not Inuyasha’s Kagome, but a girl that he had renamed Kagome after his first love. He was now a respected samurai having faced Kenshin in last year’s siege Odawara. The tales he could tell.
Akitoki was equally surprised that Inuyasha was not with Kagome.He left them alone only because he saw how much they loved each other. It never occurred to him that Kagome might leave Inuyasha for someone else. Kohaku had to explain that the someone else was not just anyone but the Lord of the West, Sesshoumaru. Still, it gave Akitoki pause and left Inuyasha with the pain in his heart that he always felt when he thought about Kagome.
At last the gate opened and a troop of cavalry emerged. Inuyasha touched Tessaiga, but Hojo shook his head. He recognized the banners. The troop was merely here to escort them to the castellan. They were not there to fight. The three walked through the gate not knowing what lay ahead. Akitoki’s confidence as always buoyed their spirits. Inuyasha wished that he could be optomisitic. Unfortunately, fate continually bit him in the butt.
The guards brought them to the court. To their surprise Rin and Hana were seated on each side of the castellan on a raised platform about the rest of the supplicants. Inuyasha and Kohaku stopped to gawk at them, but the guards were everywhere who were everywhere moved them along. The room was crowded as the residents of the castle had come out Inuyasha and Kohaku were clearly awed by the sight while Akitoki took it in stride. Kokahu dutifully handed their weapons to the guards while Inuyasha stubbornly held onto Tessaiga. At last they were seated in front of the dais
The castellan finally spoke to Akitoki “ Welcome to Edo Castle,cousin. What brings you here?”
Cousin?”
“I have come to negotiate the release of Rin on behalf of Inuyasha, who has been my comrade in arms on numerous occasions. . I know that the Hojo are good and honorable and would never kidnap innocent girls.”
“ The hanyou made many claims and many threats when he challenged us. The Hojo do not want to appear weak.”
Inuyasha started to speak,but Akitoki jumped in “ He is rash in defense of what he thinks is right.
What claims and threats do you refer to?”
“The boy claims to be descended from Princess Izayoi who died at the same time the Shikken. That name has always been linked to the disaster. Indeed it is still said that allowing Princess Izayoi into Kamakura is inviting disaster. He claims to be the girl’s protector and threatened the castle if we did not release the girl. He further stated that if the girl’s guardian learned of this the Hojo would vanish from the face of the earth.:”
Akitoki paled when he heard this and looked at Inuyasha. “ I am sure that Inuyasha was just upset
about Rin. I am sure that we can come to some accommodation.”
“I would feel better if that demon sword had not been brought into my presence. Perhaps if he were willing to offer it in the service of the Hojo, I would be more willing to release the girl.”
“What!!” yelled Inuyasha. “They are holding Rin. How will giving Tessaiga to them get her back?”
Hojo held him “ I am sure that the castellan does mean to keep Tessaiga. I am sure that he is referring your claim to be descended from the Hojo of Kamakura in which case you would owe clan service to the daimyo. He would certainly return the sword so long as you were willing to offer some service to him and never fight him on behalf of his enemies or allies.”
“The price of release in fact is small. We would return. Rin and the miko Hana to you. You would be required to bring them to court at Edo castle on New Year’s day. You would be required to ensure that this Lord Sesshoumaru never harms the Hojo. We would hold you and yours personally responsible. You would show your good faith by handing me your sword. I would return it to you on behalf of the daimyo as lord and vassal. Accept and you can leave with Rin now.”
Inuyasha was stunned. Akitoki, Kohaku and Rin were all staring at him. They were expecting him to turn over Tessaiga to this man. To become the man of the Hojo daimyo. To defend them against Sesshoumaru All he wanted was to get Rin back before Sesshoumaru found out she was missing. Now he had to show up every New Year’s Day to show obeisance to the daimyo. Sesshoumaru considered him his man. He had used that to make his claim to Rin, although he no longer recognized Sesshoumaru as his Lord. Maybe he could pretend to the Hojo’s man when he was here and ignore them the other 364 days. In Inuyasha’s mind,he thought it might work.
“Whatever.” he said bowing and offering the sword to the castellan. There was an audible sigh from everyone as the tension level in the room dropped considerably. The castellan offered the sword back to Inuyasha
“Do you swear fealty to daimyo as lord and promise to protect him against Lord Sesshoumaru should the need arise If so say I will”
Akitoki prompted Inuyasha “ I will” he blurted out as last, just glad to have Tessaiga back in his hands. He felt naked without it. The castellan siganalled for Rin and Hana to be released. Rin ran to Inuyasha embarrassing him by hugging him while Hana had to be shoved to a waiting Kohaku who took her in tow.
“ You are welcome to stay here and enjoy the hospitality of the castle.” said the castellan
Rin replied “ I think we need to go home”
When they finally reached a stopping point in woods outside the castle. Rin turned to Hana and hit her first in the stomach. “ That is for Grandma Kaede.” And then in the face “ That is for me.If I ever see you again. I will kill you.”
Hana whined “ She broke my nose.”
Inuyasha retorted “ The rest of us would like to tear you limb from limb, but the deal we made prevents us from doing that. The question is what to do with you. We cannot let you go and we can’t trust you.”
Kohaku spoke up “ I need a miko to help against the youkai that Lord Sesshoumaru has me tracking. If she really wants to fight youkai, this is her chance.”
They all looked at her. Hana knew that she was not getting out of this one. She would have to swallow her pride and go with Kohaku At least with a taijiya she would be killing youkai, not spying and kidnaping mikos for the Hojo. She readily agreed when faced with no choice.
Kohaku stared at the group. “ I cannot take everyone. Three adults is the limit for Kirara.”
Inuyasha bent over and offered his back to Rin “ I got this one. Like I would let Rin out of my sight after this. Climb on Rin. You are about to get the ride of your life.”
Rin looked doubtful, but climbed on. She was used to riding Ah-Un, but the place on Inuyasha’s back had always been Kagome’s. It almost felt like she was intruding, but they were all waiting for her so she clambered on. Kohaku waved to her as they flew out of sight.
Inuyasha took off down the road Rin felt the wind in her face as she clung to his neck. His hands supported her knees to prevent her from slipping. He had always held Kagome by her thighs but that was another time and Rin was not Kagome. Rin whispered in his ear “ Can’t you go faster? I want to fly” Inuyasha just grinned and touched the sky.
When they arrived back at Kaede’s village they discovered that a miko had been dispatched from the temple where Kikyou and Kaede trained to take care of Kaede and perform her duties until she was well enough to do so. As they were settling in, Ah-Un flew into the area between the river and Kaede’s hut. As they watched, Jaken dismounted yelling “ Rin, you need to come quick. Lady Kagome’s baby is coming.”
Author landofthekwt
Rating T
Prompt 22 I hate myself (un love you)
Word Count 6331
Fandom Inuyasha
Pairing Inuyasha/Rin
Warning none
Summary Inuyasha runs to some relatives when Rin is kidnaped
Chapter 15 Left_Behind
Inuyasha watched hidden from his perch as the horse men galloped down the road. The patrols were more common these days. The banners carrying the three black triangles surrounding a white triangle in the center billowed proudly in the breeze proclaiming to everyone that these were the samurai of the Hojo.
Why had he never noticed them before? They had meant so much to him once when he lived in Kamakura. His mother had been trying to reach them when she fled the burning city. She had died trying. He had always been left with a dream of reaching his cousins in the Kanto, but he lost his way and found himself in Musashi
Kagome had once told him that it was about seventy minute by rapid train. He had ridden on top of one when he followed Kagome to her testing site, but there were none here. He did not have a fire cat, horse dragon or cloud to ride. If he wanted to get anywhere he had to run. He had proved himself faster than any train in her era when he overtook the express while trying to find Kagome’s bag. Chasing trains was an experience from her era he did not miss.
With the expectation of Kagome’s second child, Sesshoumaru had left the vicinity. Kohaku was chasing after demons on behalf of Sesshoumaru. Inuyasha was left with patrol duty especially with Jaken being called away by Sesshoumaru. He did not like the village being undefended. The men who had come from Edo were mainly.builders not warriors. Miroku and Sango had children to protect with another on the way.
It was up to him to defend the village One way or another he was going to have to deal with the Hojo. He had never been a diplomat. Miroku had handled all the negotiations for the group. He had been the strong right arm cutting up the enemy when talk failed. The problem was Tessaiga. The sword was a defender of humanity and refused to be drawn to defend humans. If he had to fight, he would do so in the old style with stealth and claw. Throwing the Blades of the Blade and Soul Shattering Iron Claw from ambush.
It occurred to him that he did have an ally among the Hojo. Akitoki Hojo. Unfortunately, he had returned home after depositing the Celestial Robe into the volcano. He could not afford to take off after his wayward and somewhat clumsy summit. The boy had been helpful in dealing with the Naginata of Kenkon. Hopefully, the boy did not have any more family heirlooms. The last two had almost destroyed the world.
The boy had been besotted with Kagome. He would assume that Inuyasha was still with her. Inuyasha sighed. Love was something he never had control over. Love had killed himself and Kikyou. Love had brought Kagome back to him. Love had taken her away from him. Hopefully, Hojo had better luck with women than he did, but given the way the boy had fumbled around Kagome, he doubted it.
He needed to get back to the village. Surely, Miroku, the head man, Kaede and even Kaede might know what the political situation was. The youkai that attacked the village were no coincidence. They were nothing but newly formed spirits created by the malice of a great battle.What battle. Who was involved? How could it be prevented from happening in the future? More questions no answers
Arriving back at the village, he found Hana in a heated discussion with Rin and Kaede. Hana was arguing again that Rin should go back with her to her temple to be trained. Kaede was vehement that as long as Rin was entrusted to her by Lord Sesshoumaru she would stay in the village.
Kaede stated that Hana was welcome to stay even though she was well enough to take over the duties entrusted to Hana. She was even willing to let her teach Rin within the village just as she had been trained after Kikyou died, but under no circumstances was she to take Rin with her when she returned to her temple.
Hana yelled “ This is not finished “ and walked away fuming.
Inuyasha walked up to Rin and Kaede “ What was that about?”
Kaede replied “ Hana was getting ready to leave and ask me to allow her to take Rin with her to the temple”
Inuyasha looked at the two women.” I thought that this was settled when she arrived.”
“Apparently not “ replied Kaede When Inuyasha continued to stare at her. She asked “ Was there something else, Inuyasha?”
Inuyasha looked flustered, but finally found his tongue. “ While I was out on patrol, I ran into Hojo samurai. I did not recall them being so far from Edo Castle before. I wondered what had happened that might bring them here and whether or not we needed to talk to the head man or bring in Akitoki Hojo to negotiate with whoever is in charge of these samurai.”
Kaede simply stared “The Hojo took Edo castle from the Uesugi while you were sleeping, but they have never bothered us here. We were too small for them to notice and we would like to keep it that way.”
Inuyasha nodded. Kaede had been handling affairs with the Hojo since they took over Edo castle He still had one question “ Was there some event which might have brought the Hojo into this area recently. I have been here eight years, but I never noticed this level of activity before.”
Kaede nodded. “Maybe you should ask Hana”
“Do you think she would talk to a hanyou?”
“ I will ask her.”
“ How about the headman. Would he know?”
“It is his business to know.”
Kaede found Hana in their hut talking to Rin. Rin was subdued after the conversation which had swirled around. She was drawn to Hana because she wanted to be more than a helpless victim, but Hana almost seemed willing to kidnap her in order to accompli her goals.
“Could I speak to you a minute?”
“ I thought that you and I had said all that needed to be said.:”
Kaede raised her hand “ This is not about Rin. Inuyasha mentioned the increase in Hojo patrols in this area.You come from Edo. Do you know anything about them?”
Hana smiled Now she was needed. “ Last year the great warrior, Kenshin of the Uesugi besieged the Hojo capital of Odawara, but his supplies ran low and he had to withdraw. It is said that the Hojo have allied with the Takeda who have been fighting with Kenshin for the past eight years
It is only now that Kenshin has invaded Musashi to reassert the claims of the Uesugi that the Hojo need an ally. They feel it necessary to reassert themselves throughout Musashi because they were locked up in Odawara for two months last year. They are clearing the area of all enemies. They asked our temple for help in dealing with the youkai who were created by the wars between Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin. As you know from personal experience the youkai became particularly virulent in past year when Kenshin attempted to conquer the Kanto Just before the New Year, Kenshin tried to take Matsuyama Castle”
Kaede was stunned. They were so parochial and isolated in her village that they never paid attention to the events going on around them. Hana seemed well informed compared to her. It was no wonder that.she was here seeking allies. She wondered why she had not approached Inuyasha instead of Rin. Perhaps she was unaware of the powers that Inuyasha commanded or his Hojo heritage which he had shared with Kikyou. Should she reveal what she knew to Hana or would that put all of them in danger? She decided to keep her own counsel and talk to Inuyasha in private.
Kaede found Inuyasha in Goshinboku “ Inuyasha, can I have a word with you?”
When Inuyasha had descended from the tree, Kaede began “ Have you noticed anything strange
about Hana?”
“What do you mean?”
“She seems more informed than you might expect from a miko at a temple in the mountains.”
“For instance.?’
“She knew all the news about the War over the Kanto between the Uesagi, the Takeda, the Satomi and the Hojo. I think she bears watching. She might be a Hojo spy. We had always been beneath their notice before. Our wariness about strangers caught Kagome in its net. When you arrived our guard went down. Now we have no men to patrol. ”
:” That is why I patrol now..Sesshoumaru is too busy right now with Kagome to watch Rin so all we get is Jaken and the dragon. I will keep an eye on her. I would think that you and Rin are suited to such a task since she is staying with you and seems set on turning Rin into a miko against her will”
“Rin has been more interested lately Apparently, the power that Hana possesses is an attractive lure for a young girl who has been protected all her life”
“If she is that dangerous, maybe we should just be rid of her.”
“She does help. I am getting too old to carry out many of the miko duties. It was not my place to teach Rin these things. Until Rin is fully qualified to carry out my duties, it is necessary to have her here.”
“I guess we will just have to be wary.”
“Do you still want to meet with the headman?”
“I think it would be advisable. I need to know what we should do about the Hojo. I assume you understand that my relationship with the Hojo needs to be kept secret.”
“Of course.”
That night Inuyasha stood before the headman and the council. They were all new to the village having been part of the building crew which had recreated the village. The village of the Sunset lived again. Its shrine was active again. Visitors flocked to the former grave of the Miko Kikyou The idea that she had been a jewel guardian and had ascended brought many new followers to pray at her shrine. Hana had been a big part of the revival of the shrine traditions which Kaede had imparted to her.
Kohaku just happened to be in the village at this time. Inuyasha talked to him about contacting Akitoki Hojo. Kohaku agreed to the plan set off to find the distant cousin who had aided them on more than one occasion. Inuyasha hoped that it would not be necessary to use Akitoki He had a tendency to get himself into trouble with a regularity that rivaled only Kagome
Inuyasha began by telling about the patrols she had seen. Kaede did her part by telling the council what Hana had told her about the war currently going on in the Kanto. Many of the builders being from Edo Castle and its environ were already aware of these facts. Hana listened intently from the back.to what Inuyasha had to say. She had been trying for some time to convince Rin to come with her. The Hojo might be just the aid she needed.
When the council was finished, they decided that it was too dangerous to approach the Hojo patrols. Inuyasha should continue to monitor their movements, but he was to do nothing overt that might make them aware of the village. The builders were sensitive to their position. They had just rebuilt. No one wanted to bring it to the attention of any of the warring parties. If they did get noticed, they would all suffer no matter who won.
Hana had other ideas. Under the cover of darkness, she followed Inuyasha looking for the patrols.
While Inuyasha was trying to stay out of sight. Hana was trying to make contact with the patrols.
Her plan was to contact the patrols. Once accomplished she would arrange a rendevous with the patrols. Her only problem would be luring Rin out to place where the patrols could take them both away from the village.
The problem was contacting the patrol without Inuyasha noticing her. She really wanted Rin in the hands of her temple not in the hands of the Hojo. The miko’s role lay not in allying with one human lord or another, but in fighting those youkai would could be purified with the weapons at the miko’s disposal. To this end, Hana endeavored to make Inuyasha think that she was turning the girl over to the patrol. Her actual objective was to take Rin for herself to her own temple.
The contact was thus made in broad daylight while Inuyasha was observing. She was counting on him to follow the Hojo patrol while she took the girl. Inuyasha was on edge watching Hana day and night. He failed to notice that Kaede taking Rin with her into the forest to gather herbs, but Hana had not. It was on just such forays that they ran into Hojo ninja who had been told when or where to go. Kaede was found unharmed the next morning but gagged and bound and Hana was missing.
The alarm was raised. Inuyasha trailed the ninja toward Edo castle. He noticed that at some point Hana had intercepted the patrol. By the time Inuyasha reached the castle, the raiding party was all safely behind the walls of the castle. Inuyasha puzzled over what to do next. Sesshoumaru would have his head if he learned that Rin was missing. He could use Tessaiga against the stone walls, but not against the samurai ensconced behind its wall. What would he do if Rin became a hostage? Rin’s life could not be risked under any circumstances.
He mulled over his options. Besieging the castle would take too long A direct assault risked killing Rin. If Akitoki was here, they could negotiate for Rin’s release. He decided to bluff. Raising his sword, the winds began to form around his sword. He sent the five furrows of flame crashing toward the castle. Control was everything. He had enough to send the flames so that they stopped just short of the walls of the castle.
Warriors rushed to the battlements to see what foe stood before them. Instead of an army of samurai, they found a lone half demon in red standing outside the walls, sword upraised and fingerlings of flame still burning from the sword to the castle. The archers shot at the boy, but he was easily able to dodge or deflect the volleys. When they finally ceased their attacks, Inuyasha finally spoke. “Release Rin.”
When Rin finally awoke, she found herself slung over a saddle of a samurai warrior. She had been kidnaped before so she knew better than to struggle. The difference was that in the past it had been Lord Sesshoumaru who had saved her. No matter how bad things got, she knew that eventually the demon lord would show up. Her heart sank. He wasn’t coming for her now. Kagome was his life now and it was time for her lying-in before delivering her second child. It was his place now by Kagome’s side and not Rin.
She really did not understand why she had been taken until Hana joined their party. The kidnaping happened so fast that she did not have time to think. One minute she was gathering herbs with Kaede. The next she was being attacked by armed men who rendered her unconscious.She could only hope that Kaede was not hurt. The old woman had just recovered from the demon attack. Now to be attacked by armed men.She would have told them that Lord Sesshoumaru would have their heads for this if she were not gagged.
She had been infuriated when Hana smirked at her and told her that she would become a miko whether she liked it or not. It should be her decision. That was why Lord Sesshoumaru had left her behind in the village. Everyone was trying to tell her what to do. Interfering with her choices.
Now Hana had taken it the extreme by kidnaping her.
She thought when Naraku died she was done with that. Life in the village had been so calm until she went away and the demons Hana had been bothering since she arrived about becoming a miko and training in the temple. She thought Hana understood that she was willing to train in the village, but she did not want to become a miko if it meant giving up here chance of marriage and family. She had no devotion to the kami only to Lord Sesshoumaru.
Instead, she had to listen to Hana rattle on about she had saved her from the evil youkai so that she could serve the kami. At the moment she was bound and gagged. Every bone in her body ached. All she wanted to do was strangle Hana. The woman was the reason she had rejected humanity in the first place. The youkai she had met were preferable to the humans she had met.
None of the youkai had ever treated her as bad as the humans.
Hana was angry. She had gone to all the trouble to arrange the kidnaping of Rin, yet now her prize was being denied to her. The patrol leader who was supposed to conduct her to the temple with Rin had instead taken Rin to the keeper of Edo Castle. When Hana protested she was confined and told not to cause any trouble. The head of her temple was summoned to take charge of her. She tried to convince the master of the rightness of his cause. He just shook his head and told her that she should have known better than to involve the Temple in the affairs of state.
She had overestimated her value to Odawara. As Hojo she had rank and status. As a spy she had been useful to the powers that be. As a miko she could sway others with her power and religious authority. It was this status that had enabled her to summon the warriors who assisted her in the abduction of Rin. To have her prize taken from her was too much. For all her trouble she was now just as much a prisoner as Rin. She had overplayed her hand. Now all she could look forward to was banishment back to the temple and confinement there.
Inuyasha’s retort did have an effect. Those words were repeated from soldier to soldier until finally it reached the ears of the castellan. The keeper began inquiries about the identity of Rin and sent a courier to ask Inuyasha who he was and why he was assaulting the castle.
Inuyasha stood facing the castle gate and declared “I am Inuyasha the son of the Inu no Taisho, the Lord of the West and Princess Izayoi Shimazu. Conqueror oI Naraku. I was appointed Protector of Rin by Sesshoumaru, the Lord of the West. Lord Sesshoumaru is Rin’s guardian.and she is his ward. Rin’s trail led to this castle. She had been abducted by Hojo ninjas, assisted by Hojo samurai and is being held against her will in this castle. I demand that you release Rin to me and that you turn over the miko Hana who masterminded this abduction to me for punishment. If you fail to turn her over to me by sundown, I will destroy your castle. If you harm Rin in any way. I will tell Sesshoumaru. I will be sure to tell him that it was the Hojo who harmed her. After he finishes beating up to failing to protect Rin, he will kill every last Hojo. If I survive, I will be the last of the Hojo and I will spit on your graves. Take that back to your castellan“
The keeper of the castle took counsel with the city commissioners. It was hard to gauge the threat
The names were only vague memories and rumors to those in Edo. The Inu no Taisho was a myth. Izayoi a name associated with the fall of Kamakura and the destruction of the Shikken and the Hojo family. A curse on the entire family. Some said that she had brought the destruction down on them by defying the kami and rutting with a youkai. The Hojo had been punished by giving her shelter. The names Inuyasha and Naraku were linked to more recent times yet the tales were unbelievable. Still, the boy was clearly hanyou and his sword clearly a demon blade. They must tread cautiously. Sesshoumaru was known only as a lord of Kyushu. His threat was unknown.
The ninja and the samurai involved were questioned. They all pointed to Hana as the instigator of the plot which brought the girl to them. The keeper sent for the girl and the miko..Perhaps they could shed light on the situation so that they could see their way clearly out of this mess in which the miko had involved them. Both of them were cleaned up and provided with new kimonos. Hana was dressed in traditional miko’s garb.while Rin was dressed in splendor befitting her perceived rank. Hana appeared adamant and unrepentant while Rin appeared dazed and not yet recovered from her kidnaping and the mad dash to the castle.
“Miko Why have you brought her here and endangered us all.”
Hana stood proudly and proclaimed “ I am under orders from the daimyo himself to find mikos powerful enough to defeat the youkai produced by the battles he fights. This one has the potential to be a powerful miko if she was just given the training. When she refused to go with me, I did what was necessary to secure her services on behalf of the daimyo. I have done nothing wrong. I demand that you release her to me and escort me to my temple for training”
The castellan raised his hand. No one spoke to him like that in his own castle. “ Girl. There is one outside who calls himself Inuyasha, who threatens this castle if we do not release you. Worse he threatens the daimyo and all Hojo if your lord learns of this little misadventure. What do you have to say for yourself?”
Rin at last found her tongue. She would get Hana if it was the last thing that she did. “Lord Inuyasha knows that if my Lord Sesshoumaru ever learned of your treachery he would kill Lord Inuyasha and all of you. I would advise you to release me before this goes any further. Give me Lady Hana as a present to appease Lord Sesshoumaru. It would be a good will gesture which would let him know that she was the instigator of this plot which you had not part in.”
The castellan took in all that they said to him. The miko had endangered the clan. She must be dealt with harshly. If the only way to save the castle and the clan from the wrath of the youkai they were well rid of her. The question was how they could save themselves from that wrath once the girl was released. Ordinarily hostages were exchanged to guarantee the good will of each party to the alliance. Unfortunately, the only available hostage was Rin, the very person who could destroy everything. He came up with a plan.
“Girl. It appears that we need a hostage to guarantee the peace. Yet if we keep you the castle and our clan will be destroyed. As an expression of our good faith we will release you to this Inuyasha together with the miko. In exchange the three of you must return on every New Year’s Day and offer service to the clan for that day. That is condition of your parole.Do you accept?”
Hana was furious “ You would release her to youkai. They are our enemy. I have risked my life to free her from them so that she may serve the kami and the Hojo in freeing the world of them.”
The castellan slapped her so hard that she landed on the floor “ Quiet, witch. She is only reason that I have not killed you yet. You risked everyone’s lives just to carry out your little plan. Your life is in her hands. If she wishes, I will kill you now instead of turning you over to them. As it is, I have made them responsible for keeping you alive as condition of your parole. It is not up to you.It is her decision. You will be quiet and abide by it.”
Hana grumbled but was silent. Rin was stunned. They were actually going to release her on the condition that she,Inuyasha and Hana all return on New Years Day and give one day’s service to the lord. A small price to pay for freedom. Despite what Hana had done to her, she did not actually hate her. She certainly did not want Hana’s blood on her hands. The castellan looked at her expectantly. If she was what the miko said she was,she was a bright girl and would see the opportunity that she had been given. She nodded. The castellan sighed. Now they just needed to obtain the agreement of the hanyou. Threatening the castle.
Inuyasha was surprised when he saw Kirara flying toward him. He had asked Kohaku to find Akitoki Hojo, but he never thought the boy would follow him here. The cat landed and shrank as Kohaku walked toward Inuyasha with Akitoki tagging along behind him. Despite his history with Akitoki the boy might be useful in negotiating with the Hojo in the castle. He couldn’t be in any worse position than he was now.
“Thank you for bringing him, Kohaku.”
“No problem. When we arrived at the village, Miroku brought me up to speed on the situation. I assume Hana and Rin are in the castle.”
“Yes. I demanded Rins’s return after they attacked me, but I have not seen them in some time. I did give them till sundown to return her.” Inuyasha did not mention that he had no idea what he would do if the sundown deadline
Akitoki looked at them “ Perhaps I can be of some assistance. The castellan is a relation. Surely, he and I can come to some agreement that will satisfy everyone.”
Inuyasha looked at Kohaku. He had seen Kohaku in battle and knew that he could count on the kid now that he was free of Naraku. The same could not be said of Akitoki. He had saved the boy’s life more times than he could count. Still, if he could solve the situation without killing himself or anyone else and obtain Rin’s release perhaps they could yet salvage the day Sesshoumaru need never know what occurred here. As he was about to speak, the gate opened and a samurai hurtled pell-mell toward them. Inuyasha raised his sword, but Akitoki stayed his hand.
“He is a courier with a banner of truce”
“Truce?” Inuyasha could not imagine giving anyone a truce in the midst of battle. The courier dismounted and stared at the three men. A barefoot hanyou with an oversize sword clad in a red kimono. A taijiya holding a two-tailed cat. A samurai wearing Hojo colors. Naturally, the courier handed the scroll to Hojo who flushed with embarrassment. He read the name on the scroll and handed it to Inuyasha.
“Can you read?”
“My mother taught up to the age of seven.”
“I would be happy to read it for you.”
Inuyasha brushed him. When he finished the reading the scroll he handed it to Hojo to peruse. The courier shifted uneasily “ I was to wait for a reply.”
“Why can’t he just send Rin out and be done with it.?”
The courier shrugged “ I just deliver the messages. I am not privy to what is in them. Do you have a reply.”
Inuyasha looked at Hojo and then at Kohaku “ What do you think? Should we just follow them into the castle? I would rather wait out here where I can see what is coming at me. What about them I am not going anywhere without them. I assume that the castellan would not object to a Hojo samurai and a taijiya
The courier looked at the newcomers. His orders said nothing about them “ You will give up your sword.”
Inuyasha waved Tessaiga. The winds began to form around him. “Where I go. Tessaiga goes. We are one.”
Hojo put his hand on the courier shoulder “ I have fought side by side with Inuyasha against great and powerful foes who sought to destroy the world. I will vouch for him on my honor as a samurai pledged to the daimyo. Tell the castellan that Akitoki Hojo is here and demands an audience.”
And so they waited. While they waited Inuyasha caught up with Akitoki. They were both surprised at what had happened to each other. Akitoki caught Inuyasha off guard when he told him that he and Kagome had three children. Of course, it was not Inuyasha’s Kagome, but a girl that he had renamed Kagome after his first love. He was now a respected samurai having faced Kenshin in last year’s siege Odawara. The tales he could tell.
Akitoki was equally surprised that Inuyasha was not with Kagome.He left them alone only because he saw how much they loved each other. It never occurred to him that Kagome might leave Inuyasha for someone else. Kohaku had to explain that the someone else was not just anyone but the Lord of the West, Sesshoumaru. Still, it gave Akitoki pause and left Inuyasha with the pain in his heart that he always felt when he thought about Kagome.
At last the gate opened and a troop of cavalry emerged. Inuyasha touched Tessaiga, but Hojo shook his head. He recognized the banners. The troop was merely here to escort them to the castellan. They were not there to fight. The three walked through the gate not knowing what lay ahead. Akitoki’s confidence as always buoyed their spirits. Inuyasha wished that he could be optomisitic. Unfortunately, fate continually bit him in the butt.
The guards brought them to the court. To their surprise Rin and Hana were seated on each side of the castellan on a raised platform about the rest of the supplicants. Inuyasha and Kohaku stopped to gawk at them, but the guards were everywhere who were everywhere moved them along. The room was crowded as the residents of the castle had come out Inuyasha and Kohaku were clearly awed by the sight while Akitoki took it in stride. Kokahu dutifully handed their weapons to the guards while Inuyasha stubbornly held onto Tessaiga. At last they were seated in front of the dais
The castellan finally spoke to Akitoki “ Welcome to Edo Castle,cousin. What brings you here?”
Cousin?”
“I have come to negotiate the release of Rin on behalf of Inuyasha, who has been my comrade in arms on numerous occasions. . I know that the Hojo are good and honorable and would never kidnap innocent girls.”
“ The hanyou made many claims and many threats when he challenged us. The Hojo do not want to appear weak.”
Inuyasha started to speak,but Akitoki jumped in “ He is rash in defense of what he thinks is right.
What claims and threats do you refer to?”
“The boy claims to be descended from Princess Izayoi who died at the same time the Shikken. That name has always been linked to the disaster. Indeed it is still said that allowing Princess Izayoi into Kamakura is inviting disaster. He claims to be the girl’s protector and threatened the castle if we did not release the girl. He further stated that if the girl’s guardian learned of this the Hojo would vanish from the face of the earth.:”
Akitoki paled when he heard this and looked at Inuyasha. “ I am sure that Inuyasha was just upset
about Rin. I am sure that we can come to some accommodation.”
“I would feel better if that demon sword had not been brought into my presence. Perhaps if he were willing to offer it in the service of the Hojo, I would be more willing to release the girl.”
“What!!” yelled Inuyasha. “They are holding Rin. How will giving Tessaiga to them get her back?”
Hojo held him “ I am sure that the castellan does mean to keep Tessaiga. I am sure that he is referring your claim to be descended from the Hojo of Kamakura in which case you would owe clan service to the daimyo. He would certainly return the sword so long as you were willing to offer some service to him and never fight him on behalf of his enemies or allies.”
“The price of release in fact is small. We would return. Rin and the miko Hana to you. You would be required to bring them to court at Edo castle on New Year’s day. You would be required to ensure that this Lord Sesshoumaru never harms the Hojo. We would hold you and yours personally responsible. You would show your good faith by handing me your sword. I would return it to you on behalf of the daimyo as lord and vassal. Accept and you can leave with Rin now.”
Inuyasha was stunned. Akitoki, Kohaku and Rin were all staring at him. They were expecting him to turn over Tessaiga to this man. To become the man of the Hojo daimyo. To defend them against Sesshoumaru All he wanted was to get Rin back before Sesshoumaru found out she was missing. Now he had to show up every New Year’s Day to show obeisance to the daimyo. Sesshoumaru considered him his man. He had used that to make his claim to Rin, although he no longer recognized Sesshoumaru as his Lord. Maybe he could pretend to the Hojo’s man when he was here and ignore them the other 364 days. In Inuyasha’s mind,he thought it might work.
“Whatever.” he said bowing and offering the sword to the castellan. There was an audible sigh from everyone as the tension level in the room dropped considerably. The castellan offered the sword back to Inuyasha
“Do you swear fealty to daimyo as lord and promise to protect him against Lord Sesshoumaru should the need arise If so say I will”
Akitoki prompted Inuyasha “ I will” he blurted out as last, just glad to have Tessaiga back in his hands. He felt naked without it. The castellan siganalled for Rin and Hana to be released. Rin ran to Inuyasha embarrassing him by hugging him while Hana had to be shoved to a waiting Kohaku who took her in tow.
“ You are welcome to stay here and enjoy the hospitality of the castle.” said the castellan
Rin replied “ I think we need to go home”
When they finally reached a stopping point in woods outside the castle. Rin turned to Hana and hit her first in the stomach. “ That is for Grandma Kaede.” And then in the face “ That is for me.If I ever see you again. I will kill you.”
Hana whined “ She broke my nose.”
Inuyasha retorted “ The rest of us would like to tear you limb from limb, but the deal we made prevents us from doing that. The question is what to do with you. We cannot let you go and we can’t trust you.”
Kohaku spoke up “ I need a miko to help against the youkai that Lord Sesshoumaru has me tracking. If she really wants to fight youkai, this is her chance.”
They all looked at her. Hana knew that she was not getting out of this one. She would have to swallow her pride and go with Kohaku At least with a taijiya she would be killing youkai, not spying and kidnaping mikos for the Hojo. She readily agreed when faced with no choice.
Kohaku stared at the group. “ I cannot take everyone. Three adults is the limit for Kirara.”
Inuyasha bent over and offered his back to Rin “ I got this one. Like I would let Rin out of my sight after this. Climb on Rin. You are about to get the ride of your life.”
Rin looked doubtful, but climbed on. She was used to riding Ah-Un, but the place on Inuyasha’s back had always been Kagome’s. It almost felt like she was intruding, but they were all waiting for her so she clambered on. Kohaku waved to her as they flew out of sight.
Inuyasha took off down the road Rin felt the wind in her face as she clung to his neck. His hands supported her knees to prevent her from slipping. He had always held Kagome by her thighs but that was another time and Rin was not Kagome. Rin whispered in his ear “ Can’t you go faster? I want to fly” Inuyasha just grinned and touched the sky.
When they arrived back at Kaede’s village they discovered that a miko had been dispatched from the temple where Kikyou and Kaede trained to take care of Kaede and perform her duties until she was well enough to do so. As they were settling in, Ah-Un flew into the area between the river and Kaede’s hut. As they watched, Jaken dismounted yelling “ Rin, you need to come quick. Lady Kagome’s baby is coming.”