Chapter 49

Help me, Sesshomaru




"In two days, just in time for your execution." Said Goemon, smiling at her evilly.

Mai stared at him. What was happening? This man… he wasn't the same one he met at the castle. That Goemon was a charming gentleman and this one – there was cruelty on his face. How a man can change so easily? And the thing, he was talking about.

"Execution?" Mai repeated, feeling her fear spiking. Goemon looked at her with sick amusement in his eyes.

"Did you really think, that you were going to your wedding?" he asked in a mocking voice and laughed dryly. "I suppose, that I fooled all of the Asakura clan with the fake treaty. As we speak, my army is leaving the capital of Kaga, marching to claim Echizen."

Mai kept staring at him. What a bastard! To use such a wretched trick… She looked around. Her palanquin was surrounded by the samurais, who were pointing their spears at her. There was no way she could escape and live. She shifted her attention back to Goemon.

"I'm a valuable hostage." She stated. The man couldn't kill her. She knew, that politically she was worth more alive than dead.

"Perhaps you are. But, you see, I loved my older brother very much. Pity, that he wasted his life for a youkai's whore."

"What?!" Mai exclaimed, angry. How dare call her that?! "I'm not, you pathetic lying bastard! How dare you accuse me of such things?!"
The lord laughed again at her outburst.

"So you deny, that you came with the youkai willingly?" he asked, arching his eyebrow.

"Of course I deny!" Mai shouted at him, clenching her fists.

"I see that you are not wearing that pretty hairpin with emeralds. It really goes with your eyes." He said. Mai's hand wandered to the place, where she hid it. Why was he mentioning the hairpin now? Did he know, that…Goemon smiled "You should know, princess, that my spies are everywhere. One of them happened to see your silver-haired youkai lover presenting this very hairpin to you…"

"He's not my lover!" Mai hissed through the clenched teeth.

"DON"T LIE TO ME!" Goemon bellowed. Mai felt a shiver go down her spine. The guy is crazy! He narrowed his eyes at her, his face becoming a mask of wrath. "You belong only to one man, princess – my brother Gorouza. Once we reach the capital of Kaga, you will join him in afterlife."
With this words Goemon kicked the sides of his horse and rode away. Mai stared after him, feeling, that her hands began to sweat. Quickly, she hid herself behind the curtains of the palanquin, breathing heavily. She found herself in the clutches of a madman – and she came to him willingly. The girl covered her face in her palms.

"What have I done?" she whined. Trying to get away from Sesshomaru, she found herself even in a bigger mess. What should she do? She couldn't escape by herself, she had to ask someone for help. Who? Inuyasha won't make it in only two days, Shinji or her fake father neither. There was only one person who could.
Mai lifted her head.

"Myoga, get Sesshomaru." She said. The flea-youkai came out from his hideout and looked at Mai with concern.

"I'll do my best to convince him to help you." Myoga said and hopped out of the palanquin, leaving Mai completely alone, surrounded by the enemies. The girl sighed heavily. Why of all talents, she had to have the one of getting into lethally dangerous trouble? Perhaps Sesshomaru was right – she needed the constant protection. She reached to her kimono and took out the silver hairpin, tracing her fingers over the green gems. What an irony: she escaped from the inu-youkai and yet he was the one on whom she could count. But… will he be willing to help her or will he just leave her to die?
No, it was no time for negative thoughts. He would come and rescue her, as he always did. She peeked out of palanquin. There was already night and the caravan was still on the move. She looked up at the sky. There was the full moon today. She gazed at it.

"Sesshomaru, please come for me." She whispered, tossing out the pouch with the scent-masking herbs.



"Oyakata-sama!" shouted a man in tattered kimono, dressed like a peasant. "Oyakata-sama!"
Lord Asakura was just discussing the terms of the peace treaty between Echizen and Kaga with his first general, young Hiroyoshi Shinji, when a man run in. The servants let him in instantly. Although the man wore the plain and dirty clothes of a commoner, he wasn't one. That was Takenagi Hiroto, one of the most trusted retainers and a master, when it came to obtaining information.
"What is it, Takenagi?" the lord asked. Takenagi bowed shortly.

"My lord, my men discovered, that Maeda Goemon has been readying his troops for the assault on Echizen. We estimate, that they may have departed this noon. We are waiting for the further information from our scouts."

The lord furrowed his brows, trying not to show surprise. Shinji, on the other hand gasped.
"Are you certain, that Maeda broke the treaty?" Lord Asakura asked in gravely serious tone. Takenagi nodded.

"Yes, my lord, I am sure of that." He answered shortly.

"And Amayami-hime…" Shinji asked, worry all over the face. Lord Asakura clenched his fists and the older retainer shook his head.

"It seems, that Kaga gained a hostage. Oyakata-sama, we must not yield, even if Maeda threatens us with the princess's life!" said Takenagi.

"Amayami is my only child!" Lord Asakura bellowed, glaring furiously at his retainer.
"We cannot risk the future of Echizen, my lord." Takenagi didn't give up.

"Are you stupid, Takenagi? The future of Echizen has been already put in jeopardy the very moment I have let that bastard Maeda take my daughter as his future bride. If Amayami gives birth to a son, he will be the future head of Askakura clan and the ruler of Echizen. We must not let him have my daughter!"

Shinji and Takenagi listened to the lord in silence, knowing, that he was right. Shinji spoke up finally, breaking the long moment of silence.

"My lord, what do you command?" he asked. Lord Asakura folded his arms.

"Takenagi, prepare our troops to march against Maeda's army. Shinji, you will take our best men and ride for Kaga's capital. Once Maeda's troops leave for Echizen, the castle will be unguarded – that is our chance to get Amayami back." The lord explained his plan.

"And the lord?" Shinji asked. The lord clenched his fist.

"Tell your man, that the one, who will behead Maeda Goemon, will receive the princess as his bride and will be the heir of Echizen."



"Hurry!" Myoga the flea shouted to the owl, on which back he was flying. Fortunately, the sky was clear and the stars were shining brightly. Over a day of flying in circles, Myoga finally spotted the familiar group. "Land, bird!" he said to the owl.

The flea hopped and landed in the safe distance from Sesshomaru. Normally, he would land on the dog-demon and drink some of his blood – it must have been delicious, given the taste of Inu no Taisho's and Inuyasha's blood, but Myoga didn't have a death wish.

When the inu-youkai noticed the tiny flea-demon, he narrowed his eyes and glared at him.
"What are you doing here, Myoga?" he asked harshly. The flea sighed, seeing the dog-demon's hostile attitude.

"Sesshomaru-sama, your help is urgently needed!" Myoga exclaimed. Sesshomaru only glared at him in silence, so the old flea decided to go straight to the point. "The woman named Mai is in a grave danger!"

Jaken and Rin exclaimed, both at the same time, worried for the girl. However, Sesshomaru's face stayed emotionless, not showing the least bit of concern.

"Sesshomaru-sama, won't you save her?" Myoga asked. The demon averted his gaze.

"Save her?" he said after a longer while of silence. "Why would I do such a pointless thing? The woman sealed her fate. I have offered her my protection and she has refused it. This Sesshomaru will not save her again."

Myoga looked at the dog-demon and sighed.

"Sesshomaru-sama, if you not help her, Mai will be executed by the end of the day. Will you let her die?" Myoga asked, hoping to get to Sesshomaru's conscience. Granted, that he had any.

"That is not of my concern." The dog-demon answered, refusing to look at Myoga. The flea demon furrowed his brows. How can he be that stubborn? Well, it was the common trait for the Inu no Taisho and both his sons. Myoga decided to use stronger arguments.

"Your father would be disappointed if he saw you right now, Sesshomaru-sama." Myoga said sadly, shaking his head. The inu-youkai cast him an angry glare.

"Do not mention my father!" Sesshomaru hissed through the clenched teeth. Myoga decided to continue. He had to do his best to convince the stubborn young taiyoukai, if he wanted to save Mai's life.

"You want to leave a helpless woman to face the death, the woman, who waits for you, even in this very moment, praying for you to come and save her. Inu no Taisho would roll in his grave, knowing how heartless his firstborn son turned out to be…"

"Shut up!" Sesshomaru growled, infuriated. "My father's weakness for humans led him to his pathetic death. This Sesshomaru will not share his fate!"

"Do you remember a silver hairpin with emeralds, that you gave Mai?" Myoga asked silently. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes, unsure what the flea planned to say. "Then know, that this very hairpin is the reason this woman will be executed tonight – because she was seen accepting a gift from a youkai, from you. The responsibility for her death is all yours."

Sesshomaru's eyes widened, as he heard Myoga's words. The woman will die because of his action? Her death should not bother him – she betrayed his trust many times, but still… To let her be killed because she was with him? The image of her smiling face came to his mind – flushed cheeks, bright eyes. He would be the one to blame when those eyes would become lifeless. The demon clenched his fist. One last time.

"Myoga, lead me to her." He said quietly. Myoga smiled with relief and happed onto Sesshomaru's white fur.

"Sesshomaru-sama, we must hurry!" the flea exclaimed.



Rin and Jaken observed, as the huge white dog soared into the sky, vanishing in the distance.