Without You | Sesshomaru

Chapter 26

Both Rin and Jaken gasped loudly. "Lord Sesshomaru!"
Itachi stood straight. "So, I'm guessing you're Lord Sesshomaru," he said sarcastically. "I never would have guessed."

Sesshomaru lowered his arm and narrowed his eyes at the man in front of him. Witnessing the man falling all over Lyra and just being near her had angered him. Itachi glanced at Lyra, who actually looked a little frightened making him frown as he misunderstood their relationship. However, Lyra was simply scared because of Itachi's sarcastic comment knowing that Sesshomaru would kill him if he said the wrong thing.

"Who are you?" Sesshomaru demanded. "What is your business here, human?"
"I am Itachi Henso. Lyra- I'm sorry. I mean Lady Lyra," he corrected himself, looking to Jaken before continuing, "found me in the forest."

Sesshomaru glanced over his shoulder at Lyra, his eyes questioning. She held his arm after noticing his hand was on the hilt of his Tokijin and slowly pulled it away.

"He was unconscious, Sesshomaru," she explained. "I couldn't just leave him."
"Why were you alone?" he asked her, his tone clearly angry. He turned to Jaken. "I told you to watch them."
Jaken cowered slightly and bowed, ready to defend himself but Lyra beat him to it. "Jaken was against it. I didn't listen to him. Itachi could have died out there."
Sesshomaru glared at the man again. "And you trusted him blindly. Did it not occur to you that he could be dangerous? Were you that naive to believe he would not harm you?"
Itachi held his hands up. "I'm just a simple traveller. I have no weapons on me and I have no intention of hurting anyone."
"Is that so?"
"Sesshomaru." Lyra held his arm. "You know I would never bring anyone I didn't trust."
"And you trust this man?"
"Well, I had a feeling-"
"A feeling?" he scoffed.
She rolled her eyes. "Itachi is simply going to eat something to build his energy and then be on his way. Right?" she said towards Itachi.
He nodded. "That's right. I'll be out of your way soon enough."

Sesshomaru was still not convinced. His focus remained on the human man as Lyra went to her bag to retrieve some of the snacks. She rummaged around and found a couple of chocolate bars, a packet of potato chips and a juice drink. Going to Itachi, she handed them to him.

"I'm afraid this is all I can offer you," she said.
Itachi smiled and took them from her. "This is more than enough to keep me going until I reach the next village." He then bowed slightly before standing straight again. "Thank you."
She smiled in return. "It was nothing. Now sit and eat," she told him, motioning to the log.

With a nod, he sat down. Sesshomaru still disapproved of him being there as he began to eat. Rin kept him company, asking about his hair and where he had come from whilst Jaken kept watch. Lyra turned towards Sesshomaru who was now looking at her with disappointment. Before she could say anything, he turned and walked away. Her heart dropped slightly. Seeing that Rin and Itachi were talking, she left them to follow after Sesshomaru.

She didn't have to go far before finding him just beyond the clearing. The wind was making his hair and mokomoko flow with the breeze as he stood there, contemplating his next move. Lyra sighed out quietly and walked over to him, stopping at his side.

"Sesshomaru-"
"What you did could have put your life and Rin's in jeopardy."

He was scolding her but without raising his voice. The disappointment was thick in his tone and that's what pained her the most. She lowered her head and closed her eyes.

"I know... I'm sorry," she apologised quietly.
He looked at her before holding her chin to make her lift her head again. "I won't have another chance to save you again. I can't risk losing you."
She held onto his hand in between both of hers. "I'm really sorry, Sesshomaru. I won't do something like that again."
"Good. There's a group of mercenaries who have been brought back from the dead using shikon jewel shards. Naraku has revived them to carry out his dirty work," he informed her. "They are known as the Shichinintai."
"The Band of Seven..." she gasped. "Seven of them just like my vision."
"I just disposed of one earlier. He was about to kill Kagome."
Her eyes widened slightly. "Well, I'm glad you were there at the right time."
"His stench was that of the dead. There are others like him still out there," he said before looking out to the distance. "Naraku must be using them as a diversion."
Lyra thought for a short moment before clutching onto his sleeve. "Does Itachi smell of the dead?"
"No. If he did, I would have killed him without hesitation."
She sighed out in relief. "Thank goodness. I wonder who he is..."
"How did you find him?" he asked. "What made you go alone?"
"Something drew me to him," she began.