The Loyalty of a Lord by Forsaken Tenshi
Breaking Tradition
Inuyasha characters do not belong to me but to Takahashi Rumiko.
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Drabble/Drawble Night: January 5, 2013
Theme: The Soul Piper and the Mischievous Little Soul
Word Count: 100 words each
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Prompt 1: Left behind
She stared sightlessly out the window, unaware of the droplets of rain streaking down the pane inches away from her face. The weather cried for her when she had no more tears. He had left her: left their love, companionship, and happiness—to fulfill his duty as heir to the Western Lands. It was unthinkable that a mortal could take the position of Lady of the Western Lands, not when its Lord would live for centuries, if not millennia. His eyes had shone with regret and sorrow and heartache, but despite all her entreaties, he had left her. Behind. Alone.
Prompt 2: Best Friends
She wandered aimlessly about the spacious Tokyo apartment, unwilling to take in the luxurious scenery. Everything reminded her of him—had been purchased by him. He owned the apartment they had shared, and now it was hers—a farewell present to his best and closest friend, his girlfriend, for the past five years. His ex-girlfriend, who would now, if she were willing, to be nothing more than his mistress if he so desired. The bitter irony was not lost on her. His mating and inaugural ceremony was to take place the day after tomorrow, and she planned to hide. Coward.
Prompt 3: Fireworks
There was a framed photograph of the two of them during Tanabata three years ago sitting on her bedside table. She had worn an exquisite navy kimono embroidered with plum blossoms and a gold obi, while he had worn his family crest and colors sans armor and swords. The picture was taken as they hung their wishes on a bamboo stalk, with the evening’s fireworks lighting up the night sky. Her eyes watered in remembrance of that magical evening—it was the night he had quietly declared himself in love with her. At the time, it was not a lie.
Prompt 4: Pink Jacket
The day of his inauguration and mating, she wearily pulled herself out of bed. She performed her morning ablutions mechanically and dressed, throwing a blue jacket over her pink sundress. She studied herself in the mirror: her hair lacked its normal luster despite the conditioner, her eyes looked bruised, reddened, and sunken into her too-pale face. She sighed heavily. While she had no desire to see him attached to someone else, she knew she would regret not seeing him in person one last time. She applied makeup in an attempt to hide her emotional distress, then shuffled out the door.
Prompt 5: Mischievous Ghost
The streets were crowded with excited adults and mischievous children as they ran amok underfoot. The mating and inauguration of a Lord or Lady of the Cardinal Lands was an event that happened so rarely in human lifetimes, that the whole of Japan was practically shut down as the people celebrated. She managed to squeeze herself into a spot before the cordoned-off street. Hours later, a guarded convertible Rolls-Royce rolled down the street with the to-be-mated couple sitting in the back. He caught her gaze in the midst of the crowd, paling as though he had just seen a ghost.
Prompt 6: Dead Children
Her heart constricted at the sight of him, and she felt something within her die. Around her both children and adults cheered their adulation for the new Lord and Lady, but she heard none of it. She only saw him, sitting with his bride-to-be. He was resplendent in his ceremonial kimono, his swords and armor shining brightly in the afternoon sun. He was unbearably handsome with his silver-spun hair, ochre eyes, and heritage markings, and she had once been his. A tear freed itself from the prison of her eye and grimly trekked down her cheek. “Sesshoumaru…” she whispered brokenly.
Prompt 7: Wooden Flute
His face was like a wooden mask that allowed no emotion to shine through. She was used to that. His expressive eyes, however, drew hers, and she read within them the stricken misery he felt upon seeing her desolate mien. His future mate, a beautiful phoenix-youkai female by the name of Abi, noticed his distraction and stared intently at her. She pushed her way back into the crowd, unable to face the royal couple any longer. As she made her way back to the apartment, the sound of flutes and drums announced the couple’s arrival at the Youkai Imperial Palace.
Prompt 8: White Hospital
She did not recall getting home, so deep was her grief. One moment she was walking, then she was waking up to the sterile shades of white of a hospital. Her mobile sat on a table next to her bed. She blinked and rubbed her scratchy eyes, the action attracting the attention of the attending nurse. She was checked over, and inquiries were made regarding her health. She found out someone had seen her pass out on the sidewalk and called an ambulance. An IV dripped into her arm, feeding her nutrients she missed from her distinct lack of appetite.
Prompt 9: Loyalty and Perseverance
She slept, lulled by the rhythm of the electrocardiogram. She did not know for how long, but a commotion by the nurses’ desk woke her up. She listlessly watched her doorway and shook her head when Sesshoumaru appeared, framed by the open door. “I must be dreaming,” she mumbled and turned her head away, distraught at the idea of her traitorously perseverant heart, “there’s no way he’s here. Not here with me.”
“Loyalty is something I value quite highly,” replied a rich, male voice she would recognize anywhere. “And it is something that Abi-sama apparently lacks, along with fidelity, Kagome.”
Prompt 10: Bright Soul, Loving Mother
Eyes bright with tears, she lovingly drank in the sight of him. “Sesshoumaru,” she whispered. “You’re really here.”
“There is not a soul I would rather spend the rest of my life with, Kagome,” he said, stopping next to her bed and gently grasping the hand not stuck with the IV needle. “I realized I could not go along with that farce of a mating because of a treaty. Kagome, will you consent to be my mate and mother of my pups?”
“Yes,” she breathed, “yes!” Clasping both hands around his neck, she pulled him down for a heartfelt kiss.