Eternally bound

Chapter One

The blood red sky

Kaede's POV

Eleven years I had cared for this girl…she laid there, her skin seething hot and yet she shook as though she was ice cold. Her sheets were damp from sweat, her eyes struggling to stay open…"K-Kaede "she uttered so weakly. "I need to see him…one last time…I have to tell him…why I…." she trailed off her voice no louder than a whisper, before again losing consciousness. Of course she was referring to her demon Lord…he visited on the last day of each month…that was tomorrow…I prayed that she would at least last the night. Dear Rin was fading fast, there was no longer anything I could do to help, nor could Inuyasha or any of his friends…they already began mourning for this beloved girl.

I laid a cool wet cloth upon her head, the contact roused her from sleep "Sesshomaru" she breathed, her weary and red eyes focused upon me...by the way she stared I could tell that her vision was beginning to blur and had doubled so that there were multiple versions of me staring down at her, causing her to feel nauseous. She was unable to sit up on her own and needed my assistance so that she didn't choke on her own vomit. When the contents of her stomach had emptied into the bucket I gave her she breathed heavily "It hurts" she groaned feebly "my entire body hurts….Kaede…if I never see you again…thank you…for everything".

Sleep took her again and I truly feared she would not wake! But this could not happen….I was not meant to outlive this girl. However, Rin was stronger than I had anticipated, she kept her heart beating…she waited for him first. Two years ago he came for her…she turned him down without an giving him an explanation…I knew that she wanted to tell him her reasons…before this illness took her away. She was still only nineteen years of age…too young to be taken from us! She mumbled something about being cold and so I laid another blanket over her. I held her hand in mine…trying not to cry in front of her…I had never had children of my own…she was the closest thing I would ever have to a daughter, no parent should have to bury their child! If….when…she departed this world, she would leave so many broken hearts behind her…one of them mine…one of them Sesshomaru's and one…of a very dependent young boy, the very reason she could not leave with her Lord in the first place.

"Yoshi" she breathed in her sleep…

Sesshomaru's POV

The sun was setting…the sky was now the colour of blood…it was a foreboding sight, a sign that death was to come to beloved one. Usually I'd scoff at such superstitious nonsense…however, something inside me stirred, like a warning…a small crack in the heart before it was to shatter completely.

"My Lord" came the grating voice of Jaken "is everything alright?"

I ignored him, what thoughts pervaded in my mind was no concern of his…my face remained expressionless but the speed at which I flew quickened…Rin…I'm coming for you Rin.

The village was almost deserted…a crowed formed outside the hut of the old priestess I had left Rin with. Pathetic humans…they were snivelling, had the old woman finally died? Had age finally taken her? As I approached I saw my half-brother and his friends, he clung to his mate as she wept openly, the ridiculous monk comforted his former demon slayer wife. What were these petty beings weeping for? The old woman had lived on long enough in my opinion, it was her time to die. Two years prior I had come to Rin, giving her the option to come with me…she refused however for reasons she would not convey to me…but I knew it was because of that old woman…it had to be, there was no other reason. Perhaps now she was making a timely visit to the grave, my ward would reconsider.

"Jaken" I spoke to the pathetic toad demon.

"Y-yes my Lord?" he stuttered idiotically.

I didn't bother looking down at him, "I wish to speak with Rin alone, leave us be" I ordered, despite some noise of protest, he obeyed.

The crowd's eyes set upon me, most in fear…save my brother's and his companions, they were just surprised and dare I say…sympathetic? The other villagers scurried away, but as my foot reached the threshold, my brother called to me "Sesshomaru…you may not like what you see, I know you won't show it…just…brace yourself…okay".

What were these fools speaking of? I couldn't care less about the fate of the shrivelled priestess, my only concern was that of my ward. "Leave" I ordered, my brother made a movement to protest but was hindered by his mate. They did as I bid and left…such a weak race of being these humans, they clung to my kind for protection, I knew only one acceptation, only one among them whom I found tolerable and she laid inside, probably grief stricken at her recent loss. Before entering I took one last look at the blood red sky…still so ominous.

When I entered the humble home, it was not the slow decay of the old woman's before me, but that of Rin's…a flower still in its days of spring, not yet having felt the matured breath of summer though it was swiftly upon her, no winter's icy grip was enclosing in on her. With swift and effortless movement I knelt as her side. I could see her light was flickering, a dying candle…struck with a constant cold breeze. If she died…I could not revive her…what was happening? Would she recover?

The old priestess gawked up at me, almost in disbelief "ye are early Sesshomaru" she spoke "It's a good thing…I'm not sure how long she has left…" her voice faltered and the tears she held spilled from her wrinkled lids. I did not look to her…my eyes were set upon Rin…I dared not take my eyes off her.

But anger was coursing through me, raging hot beneath a cool exterior, "It should have been you old woman" I told her bluntly, she gave a small whimper, I contined "why is she the one to die? Why is it that the gods would take her…when you have borrowed enough of their time?"

She did not deny me instead she wept "If it were possible…I would change places…I would...ye should know this to be true".

I could not care for her whimpering…this was the very definition of unfair… "there is no hope of recovery?" I inquired, the priestess shook her head, I growled lowly, "she may have lived if not for you…two years ago…she stayed for you, had you let her go as we agreed…she may be well".

This truth apparently earned me a glare, aggression shooting from her single eye. "I am not the reason she stayed Sesshomaru…there is another in her life, someone she loves…perhaps just as much as she loves you…someone she could not bear to part from…she is his entire world".

Why did my insides feel as though they were being crushed? I glared at her for a moment then quickly set my gaze back to Rin. "Who" I demanded.

Old Kaede appeared regretful; clearly I was not meant to know of this man…whoever he was…I would make him pay, for this fate of hers was now because of him…she would have lived in splendour, drunk clear water and wholesome foods…Illness…I would have forbid them to touch her. When she did not respond I repeated the question in a tone that greatly implied that this was her final chance to tell me before I forced the words from her throat.

"His name is Yoshi…that is all I will say of him now" she confessed.

Yoshi…the name irked me, I dared not speak it for the vile taste it would leave in my mouth. This Yoshi…if she really was to die for this illness, then I held him responsible. "Tell me where he is" I ordered.

She shook her head "No…Sesshomaru, I assure you…that is not what you want, say your goodbyes to her I beg you, let her see your face and hear your voice one last time…then she may go in peace".

I do not take orders from hags as this one! I repeated in the same tone as before… "Where is this Yoshi".

At that moment I heard the entrance of another, there in the threshold of the hut stood the most mutilated thing I had ever seen…to ugly to be human and yet I sensed no demonic presence from it…it was an abomination…so sickly and pale, its skin peeled and sallow like that of a corpse!

"Kaede!" it spoke in a small voice, it appeared no older than two years of age…two years? "Kaede…I want mama!" it wept….mama? Why did he look to Rin as he said that?

"No Yoshi…she would hate for you to see her like this!" the old woman argued….this thing was Yoshi?

He shook his head defiantly and with a childish clumsiness he fled and threw himself upon Rin's frail body, crying and pleading "mama! Mama…please wake up! Mama don't leave!"

This….was Yoshi…this was Rin's child…it all became clear…why she did not come away with me two years ago…it stood before me, grotesque and scrawny. It was even fouler than Jaken by appearance…could it really be human? Could it really be a creation of Rin's?

I looked to the old woman, she had five minutes at the most…or I would start ripping heads.

She sighed and tore the hideous infant away, trying to give him some comfort but all he did was scream for his "Mama". She was silent for a while…eventually she opened her mouth to speak, "It happened two years ago…the day before you came for her…"

Okay so thats the end of chapter one, please review and tell me what you think of it and whether or not I should post the other chapters? PLEEEEEASE!