Anger and Family [Lord Sesshomaru]

[Birdie]

Brigantia lay against a tree, his fingers pressed against a long, bloody gash in her side. Her light blue kimono was stained with the red of blood. She loosened her obi to allow her hand to rest in such a position. Her large, black eyes were closed. Her breath was slow and shallow. Her shoulder length, silvery hair, which hung in sweaty tendrils around her paled face, was streaked with blood. Her full lips parted to make breathing easier.

She looked so helpless there. She looked almost dead. Butterflies danced around her. They cried out their silent worry. The landed and flew away and came back. They couldn't help their mistress. She had murmured to them not to worry before she fainted. The butterflies, unable to help, did the only thing they could do.

One, lone blue butterfly flew from the group. It dodged through trees, plants, grass, and animals. It fluttered, lazily, as is the way of butterflies, toward the one person who could help their mistress.

It landed softly on Sesshomaru's shoulder. "Help her.... Trouble..." it whispered in it's silent voice. It fluttered about his head, knowing he couldn't hear. It wove this way and that. Until it started off int he trees. It came back and went that way again. The butterfly, though flying lazily, was much like a dog trying to show it's master something.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Today seemed like a good day. Sadly, the word seemed ruined everything. Because Brigantia wasn't here. It was irriatating that he was still an obsessed little puppy. He would get used to it. He was still getting worried. And maybe even for a good reason for suddenly there was a butterfly landed on his shoulder and was flying around his head. Then it was flying off into the distance and back again. Sesshomaru stared at it for a moment, eyes narrowed in annoyance. Stupid annoying butterfly. But finally, he gave in, following the butterfly wherever it would lead him.

Only until he could smell it. Blood. Brigantia's blood. Without another moment he was off, leaving the slow butterfly behind. He came to the clearing where Brigantia lay. He stared at her for a moment, almost too shocked to believe what he was seeing. She was wounded. Very wounded. Slowly, he walked toward her, as if going too fast would make the wound worse. He crouched at her side. His narrowed golden orbs taking in her state. "Who did this to you?" he asked looking at her wound. There was another scent, mixed in with the blood. A scent he knew very well. Inuyasha.

"Did Inuyasha do this to you?" he found himself growling out the question, already assuming the answer.

[Birdie]

Her eyes fluttered open. Butterflies scattered every which way. His voice. it was Sesshomaru's voice. Large black eyes stared into gold ones. She reached up a hand and gently lay it against his cheek. Blood streaked the side of his face with this small action. She smiled weakly, pain dancing in her eyes but not on her features. Her features were just as placid as they had always been.

She dropped her hand and laughed slightly. "Jumping to conclusions? No... I don't suppose there is any evidence in his favor..." she sighed softly and coughed, wincing slightly from the pain. She tried to sit up, gasped and nearly fainted, falling back. She laughed lightly again. "No, It was not Inuyasha. A young girl was attacked by creatures with the same scent as the man we hunt, Naraku... She was badly injured. I took those injuries, she might have died otherwise. I, on the other hand, will not die from this." She looked up reassuringly at him. "I have to much to live of rhere... besides, I've had much worse." She looked out into the trees. "You're brother was also here, following the scent of the creatures, I believe. We met and spoke briefly. He's just as hard headed as you are. You are very much brothers. It is easy to tell you re related." Another small laugh escaped her lips. "I suppose you would take that as an insult. But really, I mean it in the kindest way." She closed her opal eyes for a moment.

"He knows that I am your mate. I could not hide your scent, I'm afraid.... Not to mention I couldn't help dropping hints. Your brother is some what dense, I must say... The thing is, he does not believe I could ever love you... or that you could ever care for me." She Reached out her hand to him again. "But I know the truth, even with out words." She kissed her fingers and placed them against Sesshomaru's lips.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Blood. There was so much blood. All from one person and he was finding himself doing nothing but staring at her and her wound. He tried to keep himself in check, to not worry or panic in a way that it would be unhelpful to Brigantia. He was furious, he was, even when she said he was jumping to conclusions. It didn't matter, did it not? She was in so much pain but she was still willing to smile for him. She always seemed to get herself injured. Small wound, or not it still mattered to him. She seemed to forget that sometimes.

Sesshomaru couldn't help but find his anger grow as she spoke. No, it was worse it seemed. Inuyasha didn't injure her. No one did. She brought it upon herself by helping that girl. What girl, he did not know. The scent of a girl barely appeared on Brigantia since it was an unfamiliar scent. But it was of interest, for it was Naraku who hunted the woman. She must have a jewel shard. That was the only reason Naraku would try so hard to hunt someone down.

Sesshomaru placed aside his thoughts as she continued to speak. She was talking of her interaction with Inuyasha. He was surprisingly interested. The hard headed comment was not needed. He narrowed his eyes for a moment, having to show how displeased he was that she saw how they were similar. They were not similar, not at all. At least she knew him well enough to see that he would take it as an unsult. Why would he take it any other way?

Sesshomaru didn't find himself angry that Inuyasha knew about her being his mate. It would have happened sooner or later. He wasn't ashamed or anything. Hiding it was pointless to him. He had to agree though, Inuyasha was dense. A little slow when it came to Sesshomaru and who he was. It took him a while to realize who's side he was on. He didn't find anything wrong with Inuyasha and what he believed. No one could believe he had taken a hanyou as a mate. He smiled as he looked up at him. As much as he could in a worried state. He was happy that she knew he cared, and that he didn't have to say it. He didn't want to. He still had yet to talk since she had spoken.

Sesshomaru needed to fix that since she seemed to be done with talking, and did her normally cute action with the kiss on her fingers. He kissed the fingers placed against his lips, his eyes always on her. His hand moved to grip her wrist and keep her fingers close to his lips as he spoke. "What are we going to do about your wound, then?"

[Birdie]

Brigantia sighed softly. She closed her eyes for a moment. It was only a moment, but it felt like forever to her. It was so hard to open them again, but if she did not she would worry him. She did open them. She stared up at the tree tops. She was trying to think of something she might do for her wound. She finally replied. "It will heal on it's own. We have to be able to heal quickly. If we did not we would have died out a long time ago." Her voice was barely a whisper. She seemed to be loosing strength by the minute. "Just... just stay here... with me... don't leave...."

She bit her lip and moved, slightly, so that she could rest her forehead against his. The movement pained her, but it only flashed across her face for a second, then was gone. "I can not leave you. Perhaps if I did not have you I might leave this body... but I must stay...." she gently kissed him. Her soft lips pressed so lightly against his. She then allowed herself to lean against his shoulder, her head in the crook of his neck, her free hand gripping his shoulder tightly. Her finger nails dug into his flesh when her grip tightened for a moment, then she fainted. Her body relaxed, as if she knew everything would be fine now that he was here.

Her breath came out ragged and shallow. Her eye lashes fluttered every so often, as if she were struggling to come back up from the deep of 'sleep'. It was a loosing battle. In a small amount of time her breath became more regular. It was almost as if she were peacefully sleeping. She was so pale and fragile seeming, at that moment. She looked almost human, oddly enough.

It was only another two hours before she opened her eyes again. This time she seemed better. She moved slightly, then snuggled closer to Sesshomaru. "You're still here...." she whispered. Then her fingers moved to her wound. She felt along where the blood was but nothing was left, not even a scar. She smiled. "It's healed." she said. Her body was still healing. She did not have enough blood, she had lost so much.

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Sesshomaru didn't say anything more. If it would heal on its own, then it would heal on its own. But if there was anything he could do to help, then he would do it. Although he wished there was something he could do, she was losing energy. He nodded his head to her last slow statement. There was no way he would leave her. Not in the state she was in. He didn't even know why she had to say it.

Sesshomaru stared into her eyes. Those large black eyes no sign of the white that surrounded the iris. And he looked into them, almost as if he was looking for it. A small hint of that white area. A small speck. He had looked into those eyes of hers before and to suddenly look now was pointless. It was hard not to when it seemed the only thing he could see with her forehead against his. His eyes narrowed slightly, the insitnctiveness to close his eyes came to him with something suddenly so close. He did not though. The way she spoke...was it possible to feel guilty to be the reason someone was living? She made it seem like it was a burden to stay in the form she was in. That she was forced to stay all because of one silly little emotion. That silly little emotion that could probably get him to roll over on her command. Such a thought made it not to silly and little anymore.

Sesshomaru had to admit it to himself. Of all those times of mocking that emotion. The one that made his father die by the hands of a human. The one that created Inuyasha. The one that controlled the fates and control of every being...

The kiss was short, but necessary to bring him away from his thoughts. Draw him away from naming the emotion that bothered him more then anything that ever could in the three worlds combined. He leaned his head and placed it against hers as she leaned against his shoulder. It didn't last long though, for although there was power in her grip her power to stay concious was low and she quickly gave way to whatever it was that made her feint. Exhaustion, pain, he could only guess as he repositioned her in his grasp. He brought himself completely to the ground and crossed his legs, placing Brigantia in his lap in a better position. His lap was the usual place for her rest when he could help it.

Why? He had no idea. Sesshomaru waited patiently, silently as she slept. A little fitful at first but she relaxed. He continued to wait, even closing his eyes and allowing himself to rest a bit. He did not sleep though. Sleep was rare. In fact, he only truly had deep sleep when he and Brigantia get close. The best word for it. Finally she seemed to awaken and he opened his eyes to look down at her as she spoke. "Of course I am." he did not understand her sometimes. Including with the obvious fact that he would still be here when she awakened. Was there some doubt? Was there any hint that he would leave for any reason?

Sesshomaru allowed that to pass as the fact of her wound being healed was spoken aloud. He was relieved and a small smile appeared on his usually stoic face. "That is good." he didn't really know what else to say to that.

(God, I hate how I post. All I do is explain what you just posted and then add a little tiny bit DX gosh darn)

[Birdie]

((it's quite all right lovie....))

Brigantia smiled and chuckled softly. She allowed herself to be held. Normally she might try to pull away in embarrassment from 'public displays of affection'. She was enjoying this. She was also too weak to really move much. She would probably not be able to walk back to their camp.

She opened her lips and spoke softly. "My love, did I mention that I met your brother? Of course I did. How silly of me to forget." in fact it wasn't all that silly considering how much pain she had been in at the time. He gently fingers toyed with a lock of hair. "I like him. He has so much energy. he has such a bright, happy aura.. But there are points of sadness, confusion, i think there might even be love. I wonder who has captured some of his attention. I do not think it could be a quiet girl like me. It is probably some one head strong, full of will and a desire to help and survive." She giggled and began braiding the lock of hair in her slim hands. "I'll bet she is very pretty. I wish I looked less like a child." she flushed slightly. "Oh.... I'm not complaining at all...." she trailed off and began braiding another fallen lock of hair with in her reach. "But I do not think she realizes it and neither does he. They are like two small children, Inuyasha and his woman. They don't know how to express their confused feelings. I understand completely." Sh sighed softly.

"Do you remember a time, before I became your mate, when we were traveling, and I was trying to hide a gash in my leg from every one. But you noticed..." she trailed off....


*** FLASH BACK ***


Brigantia sighed, glancing down as blood dripped along her leg. How had it happened? Oh yes. She had stopped to greet a butterfly. It had flown around her head, weaving this way and that. She had noticed that they had gone further a head. She had to runt o catch up. She had ran past a bush with many spikes. it had grabbed at her flesh and pulled.

She glanced over her should. Tiny drops of blood were on he ground. This was dangerous. She paused a moment to rip the bottom off of her kimono. She quickly tied it around her shin. It helped stop the blood from flowing. Her fingers shook as she did this. She hated blood. She had always had a great fear of it. She just couldn't stand it. Why? She couldn't remember.

She continued, hiding he limp as best she could. She watched his back. His hair was just as long as her own was. It was just as silver. She ran her fingers through her long hair. It fell through her slim hands in a silky mass. She smiled to herself. She really did hope no one would notice. It wasn't like she could not keep up. In fact she was keeping pace just fine. It just hurt so much. But it never showed on her face. On her face was just pure, child-like curiosity.

((I wanna do a thing where we have them before they became... well mates. With lost of sexual frustraion from them both... Of oucrse Brigantia owuld never understand.))

[Lord Sesshomaru]

Sesshomaru stared down at her as she spoke, a brow rising in curiosity. Yes, she had just told him of Inuyasha. Luckily she realized this before he started thinking she was having memory problems. He didn't find any interest in what Brigantia had to say about Inuyasha. About the hanyou and his relationship. He could easily guess who the woman would be. That miko, Kagome. Finally it seemed that Brigantia was done talking about those two. But now she was busy with a past memory. Yes, he did remember...

*** FLASH BACK ***

Sesshomaru couldn't help but smell it. The scent of blood was unmistakable but he ignored it. He would think the hanyou would be whining and complaining with such a wound. But now, she was quiet and was keeping pace just fine. There was no reason to stop if she wasn't slowing them down. Maybe he should though...the wound would catch up to her sooner or later. Continuing to walk didn't help the wound much. He waited, as if she would tell him of her injury. She did not, however, and that left him puzzled. Did she want to persist? For all he knew she would end up collapsing and only making things worse on them.

Sesshomaru couldn’t take it anymore, and he stopped, glancing at the sky to see if it was late enough to stop. It was just enough for an excuse. “We will camp here.” he said, glancing toward Brigantia for a moment. His eyes went to her leg before he looked away, watching as Jaken started the normal routine when camping. He could see it in the toad’s face on how confused he was on the decision to camp so early. It was only a tad earlier then usual. Besides, that wound of hers would only bother him later.

Sesshomaru turned his attention away from Jaken and toward Brigantia. “There is a spring nearby if you want to clean that wound.” he said, glancing toward her leg.