Till The End Of Time [Inuyasha Fanfiction ]
Chapter 11's

Someone kissed her forehead gently. A very familiar smell was smelled by him, a smell that was like the sea, like the wind like a flower, like spring—bau that he loved so much. A smile was immediately on his face. He knows who kissed him now. That girl, that human girl.

"Sheena..."

A voice so soft and soothing as the clinking of a bell rang out. Immediately, he opened his eyes. In his heart, he knew what he would see. Smile. Warm spring smile—his much loved smile.

He could not stop his smile anymore. The girl was actually in front of him, although still looking pale, she was smiling and carrying her infant self. He raised both his hands to touch the girl's face. How happy he was when he touched her.

The girl laughed, and again kissed her forehead so gently. Then, someone's hand suddenly stroked his head. He did not know whose hand it was, it was a very big, strong hand but also a warm-hand man. Hands that guarantee safety and protection. Suddenly, he realized that the girl holding him was sitting on the lap of the owner of the hand.

His golden eyes were trying to see who the owner of the hand was. However, she could not see him, as the girl suddenly clasped her face to her chest, hugging him. Only, the smell of the man was not foreign to him. He knew who he was even better, though he could not remember it. Then, the pair of warm hands of the man moved to hug them, hugging the girl so tightly, yet also tenderly, as if they were both his life, his life, his life, his most precious possession—something irreplaceable in his existence.

He smiled again and buried his face in the chest of the girl, closing his eyes, letting the warmth of the two people envelop him. He felt very peaceful and protected. Warm. Very-very warm.

"Love, Shura. No matter what happens, we will always love you..."

Such a soft and soothing voice. The word he so desired. She's loved. He was loved by both of them. Blissfully. He was so happy, so happy, he didn't find a word to describe it. He was in a very pleasant place, he was in the arms of two people who loved and loved him very much.

"Eternal blessing. Forever, the bond of the three of us will never be broken..."

Shura opened her eyes. He immediately got up from the top of his futon. He dreamed of the human girl again. Only this time there was another man. A man she knew, but could not remember.

His golden eyes then fell on the red ribbon that was in Rin's right hand. He slowly lifted the ribbon and kissed it gently. It must be this ribbon that made him dream that strange dream. A strange dream that doesn't feel like a dream, a strange dream that feels like one of those forgotten pieces of past memory.

Shura then got up from the top of her futon. His eyes stared out the open window of the room, staring at the winter sky for a moment. Then, the look in his eyes fell on his body. The wound he got from Akihiko had healed completely.

Akihiko, the lord of the southern land, Shura could understand why the wolf youkai could become a ruler now. He already knew that the ruler of the southern land was strong, he could feel it. However, only this time did he see his true strength.

Robust. Akihiko was very strong, probably no less powerful than his father. He was nothing compared to the ruler of the southern land.

Shura then closed her eyes. He could not leave this place, he could not return to the western palace. He's trapped. However, unlike before, his heart did not feel chaotic and sick anymore. There is no feeling of sadness and also suffering anymore, which there is precisely calmness and clarity. Perhaps thanks to the dream, that very calming strange dream.

Slowly Shura then stood up, her golden eyes staring around her, looking for her new clothes. He found it, a haori and a new hakama had been located and neatly folded next to his futon. She could smell a little Tsubasa smell from the clothes, the concubine must have entered her room and left the clothes there earlier.

Without wasting any time, Shura immediately changed her clothes. Her clothes this time had been different, her clothes were no longer haori and white hakama with a slight red flower motif like her father, but rather a blue haori bearing the southern land and black hakama like Akihiko. Shura smiled cynically. Akihiko was serious about his words. He really intends to make it his heir, his son. This dress proves it.

Finished changing his clothes, Shura's eyes fell back on the red ribbon that was on top of his futon. Slowly, he took the ribbon again and kissed it gently. He then closed his eyes and raised both of his hands up, down his hair. With a slow movement of his hand, he tied his usual long silver hair loosely into a ponytail— tied it with a red ribbon that meant so much to him.

A smile flashed across his face as he opened his eyes again. His golden eyes no longer showed the confusion and doubt as they had in previous days, for he already knew what he should do now.

....xoxOx....

Akihiko sat under the leafless cherry trees within the garden of the southern earthen palace. His sky blue eyes stared at the snow that had started to fall and piled on the ground. His sharp ears and nose then caught the sound of footsteps and the smell of someone walking up to him.

"Winter is the season in which the world freezes. Don't I say this, Shura?" akihiko asked as she turned her face to look at Shura who was walking towards her.

Shura did not answer Akihiko's question, she looked at the ruler of the southern land with an expressionless face.

A smile flashed across Akihiko's handsome face as she looked at Shura's appearance now. "That outfit suits you well, Shura." Praise Akihiko slowly. "So does your new hairdo and the red ribbon."

"You know who he is, right? - Rin." Shura asked calmly.

Hearing Shura's question, Akihiko nodded her head with a smile still on her face, and Shura's eyes did not miss the chance to catch Akihiko's suddenly softening eye rays. An eye expression that he had only seen once as long as he knew the ruler of the southern land. "Yes. I-i know him... I know Rin.." Answer Akihiko slowly.

"And you're not gonna tell me who he is, are you?" ask Shura again.

"Yes." Yeah." Akihiko replied briefly.

"Because this is the best. You don't need to know who Rin really is and what his relationship with the dog is."

Shura was speechless hearing Akihiko's reply. He did not ask any more, for he knew that the ruler of the southern land would not change his decision. However, seeing Akihiko's expression and answer, she finally managed to find a little information about who Rin was.

"Rin" said Shura quietly."She's the only woman you've loved up until now, right?"

Akihiko's eyes widened, because it was never thought by him that Shura would know that - not so soon.

"I'll think of your facial expression as 'Yes'." Shura continued to calm down without changing her facial expression.

Akihiko just looked at Shura and chuckled. He indeed should not underestimate the small inuyoukai in front of him. Shura is always full of surprises. "Yes. Is correct. I love her, she's the only woman I love."

Shura did not say anything, she just silently heard Akihiko's reply.

Akihiko then fell silent and looked at Shura. "I won't repeat this again, Shura. Forget the west, forget the dog, forget Rin... " taught slowly. "Be my son, forget everything. I guarantee you happiness.."

Shura smiled cynically. "What a selfish you Akihiko-sama. You told me to forget Rin, but you can't forget her."

Akihiko was stunned to hear Shura's words. Didn't expect the little inuyoukai in front of him to say this to her.

"Then, remember these words of mine well, for I will not repeat them any more, 'In my life I am only destined to be a son of Seshoumaru from the west one.'."

Akihiko clenched her hands hearing Shura's reply. Confusion and anger filled his heart. He did not understand, after what happened, why was Shura still so loyal to the dog? Why does he still want to be the puppy?

Shura then pulled the sword that was on her waist and pointed it at Akihiko. "Come, Akihiko-sama. Let's fight again. Your challenge was still going on, wasn't it?"

Akihiko's eyes widened to hear Shura's challenge. "Why do you still want to go back west?"

Shura did not answer. Wh why? Why does he want to go back west? Back to his father who never cared about him. There were a lot of questions in his head. Who's Rin? Why were the paintings and rooms able to be in the western land palace? What does this have to do with his father? Why doesn't everyone want to tell her who Rin really is? Why did he dream of Rin? Why does he always feel a sense of darkness and peace when he dreams of it? Why could he miss her? What is Rin's relationship with her? What is the relationship between his father, Rin and himself? What is the relationship between the three of them?

Questions he never got the answer to. But, is that really true? Are these questions really questions that never get the answer? Nah! Actually, if he thinks with a clear head and uses his feelings, he, the answers were all actually answered since the first time he saw Rin's painting in the eastern pavilion of the western land palace—the answers to those questions have been in his heart for a long time.

Certainty and truth.

That's what he wants now. And for that, he knew, now, there was only one person who would answer for him; his father, Sesshoumaru, the ruler of the western lands. Only he will tell you the truth.

"He's dumped you, Shura!" akihiko was full of anger.

Shura just silently silently listened to Akihiko. His golden eyes remained calm with no expression, no more hesitation, sadness or confusion. The pair of golden eyes only shone with confidence, courage and certainty of something that Akihiko— did not understand - something that made the ruler of the southern land even more confused.

Love, Shura. Whatever happens, we will always love you...

Eternal bond. Forever, the bond of the three of us will never be broken...

The words in his dream were echoed in Shura's head. It was like a magic spell that could make his feelings calm no matter what Akihiko said. The words gave him strength and courage. He will continue to fight, maybe this little self will often lose and often get hurt. However, he will not give up. He will continue to challenge Akihiko until he wins, until he can return to the west.

"You're asking why, aren't you, Akihiko-sama?" shura asked suddenly.

Akihiko looked at Shura who was in front of him in silence. The small Inuyoukai in front of him looked different to the small inuyoukai he had defeated a few weeks ago. As if he had changed, he could not guess what was on his mind anymore.

"Because of the ties," Shura answered herself quietly with a small smile. "Because of the eternal bond that exists..."

....xoxOx....