Till The End Of Time [Inuyasha Fanfiction ]
Chapter 63

"Have you heard the news about youkai?" ask a middle-aged man to his friend. They sat in a tea shop in one of the bustling human cities, resting and seeking warmth in the snowy winter.

"You mean the war of the western and southern youkai huh?" ask his friend back.

"Yes. The result was a series," the man replied again while shaking his head. "I heard that the war did not take any casualties either. What a strange war."

"There was actually a victim," brewing tea in his hand, the middle-aged man's friend sighed. "But they are lived again by the hime of the west."

"Hime from the west?? How could? Isn't he just a normal human??" the middle-aged man was surprised to hear his friend's words.

"I don't know how either, but that girl was the cause of the absence of casualties in the war," putting the tea glass in his hand on the table, the middle-aged man's friend snorted in dislike. "It would be good if all the youkai were dead. The human girl had clearly betrayed her identity as a human. Not only was he a pet youkai, he even sided with them."

The middle-aged man nodded his head in agreement with what his friend said. "Maybe with youkai and being a hime from the west, he can live in luxury."

"Surely so!" between a woman suddenly, he placed a plate of dango cake on the table of the two men who had discussed the youkai war. His face showed an expression of dislike and contempt. "She must be living a life of luxury like a princess. Even I've heard the news that she loves youkai who nurtures her. What a despicable girl."

The middle-aged man nodded his head again. "Because of the love of a youkai, that human girl is supporting thousands of youkai, once despicable human girls.."

....xoxOx....

Away from the human settlement, in the forest with a huge tree for hundreds of years, a huge palace stood firmly. The expanse of snow that piled up made the large palace dominated by red was so striking in the eyes.

In the white winter, in the eyes of ordinary men, the palace was a very beautiful palace; it was like a palace in paintings.

But, for humans who have spiritual power, then, the palace was a nightmare, because the terrifying aura of youkai felt so powerful. The palace was a youkai palace, more precisely; the palace of the youkai ruler of the western lands.

The palace was not silent, some youkai that had activity in it. Guards guarding the doors as well as the palace security, servants cleaning the palace, cooks cooking in the kitchen.

Then, in one of those palace rooms, a short silver-haired and golden-eyed inuyoukai knelt before his master respectfully. One look, everyone will know, he is a very powerful youkai, one of the famous twins from the west; Kira.

"South agreed to peace proposed north and east. The rulers of the north and east themselves did not move and concentrated their power to control the rebellion in their own territory." Kira flat report. He did not move in the slightest, waiting for further orders from the daiyoukai in front of him.

The daiyoukai in front of him was the strongest inuyoukai there was. Long silver-haired with a crescent moon on the forehead as well as two lines on the cheeks. A pair of cold golden eyes and an expressionless handsome face, then, from the terrifying youki that emanated, all the creatures that saw him would soon know, he was a terrible youkai and should be avoided.

The Daiyoukai was the son of the famous Inu No Taisho and Inukimi, the ruler of the western lands, Sesshoumaru of the west.

Sitting in front of his desk in silence, Sesshoumaru did not move in the slightest to hear Kira's report. The rebellion in the north and east was predictable, Takeru who sacrificed Sen and Asano who destroyed the Yukimura clan obviously had to accept the consequences of losing the trust and revenge of some of the youkai clans in their region. Only, Akihiko who accepted the peace proposal was clearly a little unexpected. Youkai the bloodthirsty and war-loving wolf let the north and east who are trying to find a rift in the south west war?—Sesshoumaru felt something strange.

However, Sesshoumaru did not consider it any further. He did not care about the north, east or south. As long as they did nothing to the west, he would not move.

"Supervise the south, north and east movements." Sesshoumaru's orders later. His face remained as calm and expressionless as ever.

"Hamba understands." Kira didn't say anything else. Rise to his feet, he then saluted and left the workspace of the ruler of the western lands.

The quiet workspace became silent without a sound after Kira. Remaining unmoved, Sesshoumaru then closed his eyes for a moment. A week had passed since his drinya returned to the western land palace. All his work and duties as ruler of the piled up western lands have been completed, he can now return to his usual activities.

Ordinarily.

Sesshoumaru felt that word was very awkward now. The first time in his long life he didn't know how he had to get through the day like he always did. In her daily life of the past few years in the western land palace, from spring to winter ended, the figure of a human girl was always beside her. Laugh, smile, sing songs, dance and call his name—Rin.

How would he go through the day as usual if he had decided to kill the feeling he had in his heart? How should he behave in front of the human girl?—Sesshoumaru knew, he should avoid and keep his distance with Rin now.

But, without a sound like the clink of the bell, without smelling the soothing fragrance, without the warmth given and especially; without the smile of eternal spring—he felt the void.

A week had passed since he locked himself in his study without a face to face with the human girl, the ruler of the western lands had to admit that this week was the longest he had ever felt.

Opening his golden eyes that were closed, Sesshoumaru stared out the open window of his room. He could see the snow coming back down and piling up on the ground. Inevitably, he thought, trying to search in his memory, what kind of winter had he been through with Rin in the western court?

In the garden of the pavilion east of the western land palace, Rin would make a snow puppet. Then, along with her, the two of them would sit on the terrace staring at winter. Sometimes accompanied by the sound of singing, making and reciting poetry, and the girl would laugh for him - Rin would be by his side.

Closing his eyes again, Sesshoumaru did not know what to do. Dodging and keeping the distance it does like there is no meaning. No matter what he thought, Rin would always be present in his mind. Should he admit that, not a day did he not think about the girl even though his duties as a ruler piled up?

Opening his eyes again, Sesshoumaru got up from his sitting position. He did not want to dissolve in his mind, did not want to think about the love in his heart. Youkai shouldn't think about it all. He could not keep dodging, inevitably the ruler of the western land knew, he had to face Rin—killing feelings that were his weakness.

Slowly, the ruler of the western land opened the door of his study room and walked towards the eastern pavilion where he knew the human girl was.

....xoxOx....

In the quiet garden of the western earth palace pavilion, on top of the snow piles that filled the view, the human girl stood staring at her made snow puppet full of satisfaction.

Two snow puppets stood side by side, one bigger and one smaller. There was nothing special about the snow doll even if it existed, it was a picture of a crescent moon on the forehead as well as two scratches on the cheeks of the larger snow doll.

Clad in a thick red winter kimono, the human girl then blew and rubbed her tiny white hands that were starting to get cold looking for warmth.

Plaques

The brown eyes of the human girl then fell on the snow that fell from the sky. Reaching his head to the sky, the smile on his face widened even more.

Raising his hand, he jumped up and caught the snow falling. Laughing happily as she felt the coldness of the snow in her hands, the human girl turned her face towards the terrace behind. "Sesshoumaru-sama! Lookie! Rin caught up with sal..."

Rin's words and laughter, the human girl came to a halt as she looked at the empty terrace behind her. Unlike the usual winter, there was no inuyoukai figure sitting there with an expressionless face looking at him.

A week has passed since they returned to the western land palace, and a week did not meet with the figure of the inuyoukai ruler of the western land. The tasks piled up made Sesshoumaru always busy and locked himself in his study.

Sighing, Rin then closed her eyes. To be honest, he felt sad and lonely because the inuyoukai could not keep him company. But, the girl also knew, she should not be selfish. The task as a lord of the youkai lands is a very important task. Sesshoumaru who couldn't accompany himself was perfectly fine.

Smiling back and encouraging himself, Rin opened her eyes. Looking around the snow slowly, he ran around trying to catch every snow.

Name no naka

Slowly Rin's tiny mouth opened, singing the song she always sang while waiting for Sesshoumaru as a child.

Yume no naka's

A smile adorned Rin's face. The figure of inuyoukai's face was reflected in his mind. In the depths of his heart, he was desperately trying to endure the longing that filled his heart.

Kaze no naka

Not far behind Rin, without realizing it, Sesshoumaru stood looking at the human girl in silence.

Sesshoumaru-sama doko ni iru

The voice that called his name softly, always made the heart of the ruler of the western land feel warm

Jakken - sama wo shita naete

Watashi wa hitori de machimashou

Waiting.

The human girl was always waiting for him, Sesshoumaru knew that. But, until when will he wait—In the lives of those who are a human and a youkai.

Sesshoumaru - samomodori wo

Go home.

Until when can he who is a youkai continue to return to the human girl?—fifty years more? Sixty years?

Closing his eyes, Sesshoumaru tightly clenched his fingers. The song that Rin had always sung while waiting for him since childhood, a strange song that for the first time he realized was a song of the improbability of their relationship. How long can the human girl wait for him? How much longer can he go home to the girl?—Sesshoumaru don't know.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?" rin's soft voice calling out her name rang out, making the inuyoukai immediately open its eyes. And what he saw was; the smile of spring he liked the most.

Rin who saw the figure of Sesshoumaru standing not far from him smiled widely. Both of his brown eyes glowed full of happiness. Not wasting any time, he immediately ran towards that inuyoukai.

Sesshoumaru did not move, the inuyoukai was standing in his place in silence. His two golden eyes looked at Rin who was approaching him. The human girl never changes, always smiles, and she always wants to see that smile.

Standing in front of Sesshoumaru, Rin smiled even wider. "Sesshoumaru-sama, your work is done all, huh? Sesshoumaru-sama is already not busy, right? Sesshoumaru-sama is not troubled by the piling up work, right?"

Sesshoumaru did not answer Rin's unrelenting question. His two golden eyes were still staring at the girl. The cold of winter makes both cheeks that always meet red getting red, both big brown eyes clear sparkling happy, then a big smile on the face—cantik.

Rin is beautiful, Sesshoumaru admits it. The more beautiful the day, until unwittingly since when, the ruler of the western land was unable to take his eyes off when he saw the human girl.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," call Rin slowly. The human girl was confused because the inuyoukai in front of her did not give the slightest reaction. Usually, Sesshoumaru would nod or answer briefly his answer when asked like this. But most importantly, he could clearly see the two golden eyes staring at him now exuding emotions that he could not understand.

Slowly, Rin's tiny hands moved down Sesshoumaru's cheeks. "Sesshoumaru-sama, what is it?" tannya slowly.

The tiny hand that touched her cheek was quite cold, Sesshoumaru knew, this girl must have spent quite a long time in this garden. But, not knowing how, the hand was still able to deliver an inexplicable warmth to him.

Unable to stop it, Sesshoumaru's left hand moved catching the fingers on his soft cheek. He still did not answer Rin's question. His two golden eyes fixed on the girl's face, then slowly, he closed his eyes.

Warm.

Since when did he like the warmth that the human girl before him gave him?Sesshoumaru asked inwardly. Then most importantly, why couldn't he pull over that tiny hand now? Why did he want to dissolve in this warmth?—when he knew, they could not be together; whereas he had already decided to keep his distance with her.

Rin looked at Sesshoumaru in silence. Although he remained calm, flat with no expression, he could feel that something was bothering the inuyoukai in front of him. His job as a ruler of the western lands?

"Sesshoumaru-sama," call Rin again slowly.

Sesshoumaru opened his golden eyes and re-captured the smile of spring ahead. Staying tightly grasped the tiny hand, there was no intention in the slightest he wanted to let go.

Rin laughed a little. Pulling the hand of Sesshoumaru who was clasping his hand, he guided the inuyoukai forward. "Rin made a snow puppet, Sesshoumaru-sama. You should see it."

Sesshoumaru let the human girl guide him walk forward in silence. Their linked fingers, the intertwined warmth. Can this all continue?

"Look, Sesshoumaru-sama!" show Rin happy. The smile on his face grew wider. "Rin's snow doll!"

Sesshoumaru stared at the two snow puppets in front of him. There was nothing special about the snow puppet, but he could clearly see the image of the crescent moon on the forehead as well as the two pairs of lines on the cheeks of the larger snow puppet.

Looking at her face at Sesshoumaru who was now beside her, Rin explained slowly. "The big one is you Sesshoumaru-sama, and the small one is Rin herself.."

Sesshoumaru looked at Rin as soon as he heard the girl's explanation. Their eyes clashed. The clear brown eyes in front of him were looking at him so gently. Blushing cheeks, bashful smile on the face—he was stunned.

"Well together..."

A gentle laugh filled Sesshoumaru's sense of hearing. Together forever the word was engraved clearly in the heart of the ruler of the western land. And an unbearable pain invaded his heart all of a sudden.

Unable to stop, Sesshoumaru released his bare hands in his gang. Tracing the small waist of the human girl in front, both of her hands tightly hugged the tiny body. He buried his face on the girl's shoulder.

That laugh, that smile, the sound and warmth that was given. The girl who always waits and loves him—forever together.

The innocent human girl, never changed even as the years passed. Sesshoumaru knew, Rin never understood the meaning of those two simple words.

Forever together.

Rin does not understand and should, he who understands, explain to the human girl; forever being together is an impossibility in them.

This impossibility was an opportunity that existed for him to outline the distance in their relationship, creating a chasm that would separate them.

But—dia can't.

Sesshoumaru could not do all that. His rational mind ordered him to release the human girl in his arms, yet his heart wanted the girl.

Hundreds of years into his long life, this agonizing feeling could not be swaddled. The first time Sesshoumaru felt himself very weak.

Rin who was hugged by Sesshoumaru did not know the struggle in inuyoukai. But, he knew, something was wrong. There was a sense of worry in him because, never the ruler of the western land like this as long as he knew him. The inuyoukai is always calm and full of self-control.

Slowly, Rin raised both hands in return for Sesshoumaru's embrace. Leaning his face on that inuyoukai shoulder, he whispered softly. "It's okay, Sesshoumaru-sama. Rin will always be there for you..."

Sesshoumaru did not reply to Rin's words. He's getting his arms tight. He wants to forget everything, youkai and human, his self that does not dare to love and the desire to have, the fear of losing his forever together that is impossible.

If time could be stopped, Sesshoumaru wanted to stop this second, because in this embrace, he could think, he had this girl, could be with him.

The human girl he loved, Sesshoumaru knew, he could not have her. Therefore, today alone, just today alone, he thought they could be together forever.

....xoxOx....