Of Claws and Fangs
Episode 46

Keishou reached out and put a hand on her shoulder, stopping her, "Haya...Keikan lost control, he was trying to kill Reiketsu. I'm sorry."

Keikan wrapped his arms around Shakaku. For a few moments he let her cry. "I did, didn't I? I hurt you in some way while I was Shiro."

She shook her head against his shoulder. "I was afraid you believed what my father said. I thought you believed he sent me to spy on you. I thought you hated me."

Keikan sighed, "I might have. Honestly, Shakaku I don't remember. I've never lost control like that. Never lost myself." He pushed her away from himself, "I think... no I know... I have to know everything that happened. I can't risk that ever happening again."

Shakaku nodded and took a breath then began to relate what happened. "Father took me out into the hall. I didn't know that you were following but he must have. He asked," her voice caught in her throat, remembering, "He asked what I had found out about you and your father." She stopped and looked at him imploringly, "I swear to you that is not why I came!"

Keikan smiled at her, reaching into the pocket of his hakama he pulled out a crumpled piece of paper. Opening it he read it to her, "Keikan, I can only hope that you have found this. I had wanted to return here and meet you again but I have discovered that the Western Lord's children are in much danger. I have gone to warn them. I do not know that I will be able to return here, my absence will surely be noted and my Lord will not be pleased. Gomen. P.S. My name is Shakaku." Looking up he smiled at her. "Even if I did believe it, which caused me to loose myself. I knew deep within myself you hadn't come for that. You wrote this note not to Keikan the heir to the Western Lands. You wrote it to Keikan, the inu hanyou you met by a lake. There are a few things I need to tell you, then you can decide if you still want me to court you." He took her hand and led her into a small room. Sitting he motioned for her to do the same, "Shakaku, what I'm going to tell you... no one outside the family knows. My Chichioya, Uncle, Daibo, the Houshi, my kitsune niisan, and Kagome of the Shikon No Tama, are pivotal souls. As was Naraku. There are more realities than this one. In some, two that we know of, Rin was my Chichioya's mate. In one they had a daughter her name was Leena. In another their daughter married a kitsune hanyou and had a daughter named Taka. I know this because my Hahaoya and Chichioya met in a different reality. My soul if from that world, the world of my Hahaoya. Shussan told my parents that I would become greater than my Grandsire. I know this is a lot, and is hard to believe. I didn't at first." He waited for her to question, accept, or run.

Haya looked over her shoulder at him. "Keishou, I ..." she swallowed, this was hard. "I can't keep doing this. I love you, with every ounce of my being. I have since I was eight. But, I will not be second in your life. I understand Keikan is your twin, but you have a father and an Uncle who I'm sure are quite capable of handling the situation." She shrugged her shoulder free of his touch. She knew this was hurting him as much as it was her, but she had to be honest with him. "When you decide, I'll be waiting." She ran, not really paying attention to where until she found herself knocking at his parents door. "Akisame?" She called softly.

Akisame looked at the door, 'Haya?' looking at her mate she whispered to him, "Go find Keishou, I think we have a lover's first quarrel. I'll take care of the girl. You handle our son."

Keishou stared after Haya. He had done the very thing he had promised never to do and he hadn't known he was doing. She was right though and that's what hurt the most. Part of him wanted to run after her right now, part wanted to sit down and howl his pain to the stars, and yet another part want to sit down and cry. He stood for another long moment then sank down to the floor, head in his hands.

Sesshomaru entered the kitchen to find Keishou sitting on the floor. He sat silently beside him. "You want to talk?" A shake of the head was his only answer. 'So much like me,' the inu Taiyoukai thought. He decided to sit and wait, eventually Keishou would talk.

She looked at the crumpled paper, then at Keikan. He was right, what he said was hard to believe but she knew somehow that what he said was truth. Shakaku smiled at him, "That does not change how I feel about you."

As Sesshomaru had left the room, Haya ran in. Akisame held her arms out to the girl who collapsed into them, crying. "Shhh ... Haya, what has my baka son done now?"

Not raising her head Haya sniffed then answered, "He was.... we were .... and then he left and... I know he cares a lot about Keikan. But shouldn't I come first?"

Akisame nodded wisely. "Of course dear. But sometimes duty comes before ones heart. In this situation Keishou was wrong. And if I know my son, he's very upset with himself about now." Placing a finger under the girls chin she lifted Haya's head forcing her to look her in the eye. "Frustration. That is more what you are feeling than anger or hurt. Isn't it dear?"

Haya blushed and nodded. "How?"

"Try becoming mates while traveling with two youkai." Akisame smiled, "Luckily our companions realized what was happening before we did. Though it still made for some frustrating moments."

Sesshomaru waited. Soon his son did begin to talk. "I hurt her."

"I assumed as much. What happened?"

Keishou looked up at his father, "Well...I was...we were...I heard the crash and left her. She's right...she shouldn't be second," he hung his head, "I don't deserve her."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes and smacked his son in the back of the head. "Chichioya!" he cried, rubbing the back of his head.

"Well, you are being a baka. You made a mistake. You love her hai?"

"Hai."

"You know what you did wrong?"

"Hai, but--"

"But nothing, now you apologize and pray that she forgives you."

Keishou considered a moment. "Chichioya?"

"Hai?"

"I...I want to go to Edo and live there with Haya. I paid some of the villagers to build me a hut there."

"Akisame?"

"Hai?"

"What should I do now?"

Akisame looked at her very soon to be daughter. "Now, Haya. You let Keishou's father slap some since into that head of his. Do you want to forgive him?" She watched the girl nod, "Then don't go to him. Let him come to you.... but if takes longer than a week... go find him. You have my full permission to slap him upside his thick skull." At the girls shocked expression she smiled, "It works with his father and yours, if Sango is to be believed. Now shoo... let a sick woman rest."

Haya kissed Akisame's cheek and moved to leave. Stopping at the door she turned, "I think I'm going to like being your daughter Akisame."

Sesshomaru was silent for a long moment. He knew the time would come when his children would be leaving him. "Go tell your mate, we will discuss anything you may need at a later time."

Keishou looked at his father, "Thank you Chichioya." He hugged his father and went in search of Haya.

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