Chapter 2 - Questions and trials

Chapter 2-Questions and trials

Hours past and still Sesshoumaru sat in silence, his thoughts were in turmoil; from the folds of his kimono he drew out a small orb and stared into it intently.

The orb was mounted on a tripod of iron, the three prongs ending in vicious-looking spikes; within the glistening orb shone a shard of the shikon jewel.

‘I could use this to see his thoughts, his dreams, to gain my answers.’

The confusion of recent years once again filled his head, he had never been present at the trial of his younger brother following the death of Sesshoumaru’s demon mother and for years he had assumed his father had killed Inuyasha.

‘Why wasn’t he killed? Why was he given care of father’s tomb? Why did father commission the powerful Tetsusaiga for this bastard half-breed!’

With these questions roaring through his mind Sesshoumaru quickly made up his mind, he would use the orb to go into Inuyasha’s mind, he must know.

Sesshoumaru positioned the three spikes so one was above Inuyasha’s forehead, one above his heart, and the last, and the longest, pointing up at his own heart.

In one movement he plunged all three spikes in, he gasped as the chamber around him span before dissolving into blackness. When his sight returned Sesshoumaru was sat in the same chamber still next to Inuyasha, only there was another Inuyasha stood beside him.

“Why do you trespass here?” Inuyasha’s voice was distant and emotionless.

“I seek answers, I have come to observe the dreams.”

The dream Inuyasha regarded Sesshoumaru silently before nodding and leaving the room.

Once more the room span and dissolved into darkness, this time when his sight returned Sesshoumaru knew he was watching the fevered dreams of his brother; he was sat in the great hall in his castle and a warm summer breeze blew in, with a small thrill of anticipation he realised this must be the trial.

The huge stone hall, usually used for parties and balls was full; but this time the feeling was not one of merriment as the air hung thick with anger and misery. Three sides of the hall were lined with plain wooden benches upon which were sat the most influential subjects of the Western Lands.

The chosen speaker for the day, an ancient fox demon called Ititsu whose fur was balding in places and turning grey, stood and regarded those present with a solemn expression.

“Bring out the half-breed.”

As always a ripple of disgust went through the crowd at the mention of a half-demon; Sesshomaru sat on the end of one of the benches, waiting for the trial to begin.

Inuyasha walked alone into the room, around his neck was a collar of iron and his hands were chained together; although he was obviously in pain, his long white hair matted to his face with blood, he walked with dignity until he stood in front of the speaker.

Ititsu raised his eyes and scanned the room taking in the whole assemblage, his gaze passed over Sesshoumaru as though he were not there; which, the dog-demon thought, he wasn’t.

“For those of you assembled here to decide the fate of this whelp I will give a short account of the happenings in the forest. Early yesterday morning Inuyasha was heard arguing with our Lord’s first wife and mother to Sesshoumaru; he said vile things to her and threatened her for the honour of his mortal mother, who, as we know, died ten years since. Following the argument the noble Lady left for a walk in the forest surrounding the eastern walls of this castle; she was soon followed by Inuyasha and was later found dead. Inuyasha was stood over her mutilated body with claws covered in blood; he is today charged with her murder.”

The silence in the hall was complete, every pair of eyes glared at Inuyasha with hatred; Sesshoumaru found the feelings of hate rise inside him as he recalled the bitter hours he spent weeping for his mother’s death.

The silence was broken as the oak doors to the hall opened with a bang that made all assembled jump; every demon rose and bowed as the great Lord of the Western Lands strode to the front of the hall.

The tall dog demon scowled darkly as he drew his sword, his youngest son cowered before him.

“You have disgraced this family, filthy half-breed!”

Inuyasha’s face paled as a single tear ran down his face, he looked up at his father and saw the hatred in his eyes.

“Please, father. I did not mean to…I…I’m sorry.”

The great dog demon snarled and brought down his blade on Inuyasha’s back cutting a deep groove in the flesh, Inuyasha whimpered softly but stood his ground.

The sword came down again and again until eventually Inuyasha was driven to his knees, his blood making a crimson pool spreading on the cold stone floor; but still he did not cry out.

“I did not kill her.” Inuyasha’s voice was barely above a whisper and yet it carried throughout the hall as though he had shouted.

“Liar!” Many of the demons watching stood in outrage but their Lord restrained them with a wave of his hand.

Ititsu stood forward once again; he laid a reassuring hand on the arm of his old friend and Lord.

“The crime you have committed fills me with such revulsion as I am forced to witness the other lives you have ruined through this; your great and noble father as well as your worthy half-brother. As such this assemblage has decided that your punishment shall not be death as is usual; you shall be cast into exile, forever to live with your guilt.”

As two of the guards arrived to escort Inuyasha away the room faded again, the darkness this time was so complete Sesshoumaru felt smothered; as the room came into focus once more his face hardened in shock before softening into a rare smile.