"My Lord?" Jaken said tentatively. "Dinner is served."
Sessho-Maru grunted in reply and turned to look at what was on the tray Jaken had brought in. He nodded his approval. Jaken quickly laid it down on the table before hurrying out again.
Sessho-Maru sighed, and sat down at the table and nonchalantly began to eat. He silently chuckled as he thought why Jaken was especially afraid of him that day - the anniversary of that half-breed's birth. The chopsticks in his hand broke as anger built up inside him. He looked back at the tray and found that Jaken had put in a second pair.
Sessho-Maru poured out our sake into his cup and downed it in one gulp. He smiled as the warm liquid burned its way down his throat, soothing him. He drifted into a reverie...
***
Sessho-Maru's mother was a powerful demoness, or at least that was what her son was told. Wild and temperamental, plus a tendency to overestimate her own abilities ended her life prematurely. Sessho-Maru remembered little about his mother, for the Great Western Lord had forbidden the household to mention his late wife.
He had a strong respect for his father. However that respect waned gradually as his father grew older, and less willing to challenge other demons and expanding his domain. Sessho-Maru didn't mind, after all, he would inherit his father's title and powers. Yet, he was quite unprepared when one day he was summoned to his father's room.
He knocked lightly on the door. A voice baded him enter. "Father, you sent for me." Sessho-Maru began but then he noticed another presence in the room. He stared open-mouthed at the beautiful woman sitting, head down, on his father's bed. His expression became one of contempt as he realised that she was human. He looked at his father for an explanation.
"This is Lady Shirubi," his father said, pausing. "She is my new wife."
Sessho-Maru let out a gulp, "Father that cannot be possible. She's..." A murderous look from his father bade him silent. He bowed his head in summittance and begged to be allowed to return to his room.
Back there, he had found Jaken waiting for him impatiently. He asked, "My Lord?"
"Shut up."
Both stayed silent for a few minutes then Sessho-Maru asked, "You knew about this?" Jaken nodded, then choked as a hand closed around his throat. "And you didn't tell me?"
Jaken gasped, "Forgive me, Lord Sessho-Maru! Your Lord father has ordered us not to!" He coughed a little as Sessho-Maru released him.
"How long has she been here?"
"A couple of months now, My Lord."
Sessho-Maru banged his fist on the table. "I've been kept in the dark for so long? So why tell me now?"
Jaken hesitated. "Your Lord father has not told you? Lady Shirubi is pregnant." He didn't finish his sentence as Sessho-Maru lashed out at him, sending him flying across the room. He yelled, "Get out!" Jaken shuffled quickly out of the room, leaving the door opened in his haste.
***
"Idiot." Sessho-Maru muttered as he snapped back into the present. He looked around. His room, thought sparcely furnished, was elegant and stylish, a mixture of cultures from the places he had travelled to. Ever since that fateful day, he had spent very little time at home. And then quite suddenly, he was summoned back...
***
"My son," his father had begun. Though looking very much like the way he did when young, the fire had burnt out from his eyes and they were now tired and hollow. "I feel that I shall not live very long in this world. As my first son, you are to inherit my title and land, but I also have a small request." He looked pointedly at Sessho-Maru, making his 'request' sound more like an order. "Take care of Lady Shirubi and her child after I died."
Sessho-Maru stood there, shocked. Even on his death bed, all his father cared about was his human mate and the little whelp! He could not refuse his father, and the latter nodded as he added and smiled ironically, "I have not forgotten my promise for passing to you my demonic powers." And with a wave of the hand, sent his son away for the last time.
The next time Sessho-Maru returned home was for the funeral. Lady Shirubi, in mourning clothes, was holding a small child in her arms, a child he had loathed to meet. Yet he was there only for one reason - rumours had reached him that his father had had one of his fangs made into a sword - the Tetsusaiga. He smiled, thinking that it was his father's promise of powers.
He went along with the rituals nonchalantly. Finally when it was all over, he was presented with the sword. Sessho-Maru fingered the scabbard lovingly, while the many other demons, who came to pay their respects to the Great Western Lord, held their breath as Sessho-Maru unsheathed it. Nothing would have prepared them for the chipped wooden blade which Sessho-Maru held in his hand. The dog demon was furious. He threw the blade to one side and stomped off.
Inside, everyone began chatting quietly among themselves about what they had just seen. They had all heard of the demon blade which was said to be able to cut through 100 demons in one swipe and the blade they saw was definitely not it. They began to speculate where the treasure blade was hidden. Glancing at Lady Shirubi, who had remained silent throughout the drama, and the child in her arms, a few whispered that it had been left for the younger son.
Outside, Sessho-Maru had also reached the same conclusion. He smashed his fist through the trunk of a tree, swearing under his breath.
"My Lord?"
Sessho-Maru whipped around. Jaken, his constant companion in his travels, stood there, holding the blade in his hands. He looked daggers at him, "What? You are going to mock me too?"
"My Lord, please." Jaken spoke quickly, hoping he would finish before Sessho-Maru killed him. "This sword is a present from your Lord father. I'm sure he had his reasons for giving it to you." He paused. "And as he promised you special powers, there must be some way of using the sword. It's just a matter of finding out what that is."
Sessho-Maru glanced at him, then silently tied the sword to his belt. "You know about the Tetsusaiga?"
Jaken nodded enthusiactically, "Yes, and you shall find it, My Lord. I found out where it is hidden."
"Tell me."
"The blade is embedded in his remains. Yet no one is told where his grave is. The only clue is 'A place where one can see, yet cannot be seen. A place its own guardian can never look upon.'"
Sessho-Maru broke into a rare smile, "That sounds like quite a challenge. You and I shall most certainly find it."
***
Sessho-Maru cursed himself for having taken so long to find the Tetsusaiga, and then that worthless half-brother of his had snatched it right in front of his eyes. He wished he could go back into the past and killed that whelp before he became more and more of a pain.
He glanced at his plates of food, now cold. He called out, "Jaken!"
The unfortunate servant arrived in seconds. "Yes, My Lord?"
"Take these away." He gestured to all the plates. Jaken nodded and left without another word. He sighed as he looked at all the delicacies, quite untouched. He looked around, seeing no one, set the tray down, and wolfed down the food.
Patting his full stomach, he returned the plates to the kitchen, as he engaged in similar thoughts to his master...