Rise from the Ashes: Familiar Face

Fawks was enveloped in the sweet smell of spring flowers. Her body felt weightless, timeless, as if all her worries had been lifted off her shoulders. She opened her eyes to find she was standing in a bright world of swirling mists.

“Where are we?” Sensuke asked, Tensei whimpered in his arms.

“This is the border between the world of the living and that of the dead” Fawks replied. The mists began to part revealing a castle identical to the one they’d just escaped in the living world. Two lone figures approached from the main gate, a man and a woman.

“Ah…! My lady you have finally arrived!” The man bowed.

“It took you so long, we were worried that something had happened to Tenseiga…” the woman smiled leading them inside.

“It took me a while to figure out what Sessho-maru had planned…”

“I am Suzaku and this is Suzune, have no fear my lady we shall take good care of you and the pups. You are safe now”

Fawks smiled gratefully, “Thank you…”

 

Fawks lifted a blanket over her sleeping children.

“My lady…” Suzune coaxed. Fawks came to join her, closing the door behind her.

“It is late, my lady. You should get some rest…” she smiled kindly.

“…it’s been so long since I’ve actually had a good night’s sleep…I’m afraid I’ve forgotten what it feels like…” she smiled sadly.

“There is no longer any need to worry, Fawks-sama. You and your pups are safe…” Suzune patted her arm.

“Yes but…I feel like I’m abandoning Sessho-maru’s domain…all those people…under the command of that lunatic…” Fawks hugged herself.

“Never mind all that, my lady. I know that lord Sessho-maru prized you and your children over the entire western region…” Suzune began.

“Did you know Sessho-maru?” Fawks asked her.

“…briefly…” she nodded. “He saved my soul. So when he came to us asking for help we were more then happy to oblige him”

“He…came to you?” Fawks blinked.

“Yes. It was always Sessho-maru-sama’s intention that, if he lost the war you would take Tenseiga and come here. Then all of you could be together again…”

“You mean…Sessho-maru will be coming here?!” Fawks began. “When?! Why isn’t he here already?!”

Suzune looked away, “That…I am not sure of. The afterlife is a big place, Fawks-sama. He might just be lost…”

“That…doesn’t sound like Sessho-maru…” Fawks sighed.

“Just give it time, my lady. No doubt Sessho-maru-sama is trying to find his way to you now” Suzune smiled.

But as the days turned to weeks, Fawks patience began to wear thin. She did her best not to show it around the children, but she was anxious. She would stand in the outside corridor for hours, gazing off into the misty whiteness that surrounded the manor, hoping for some glimpse of silver hair or golden eyes.

“…I can’t take this…” she sighed as Suzune came to stand beside her.

“It’s been nearly a month and still no sign of him…”

“I know, my lady. I…don’t know what to say…” Suzune said softly.

“What if something happened…what if…?” Fawks began.

“My lady, look!” Suzune began. A silhouette began to emerge from the mist, his long silver hair and fur cloak drifted in an unseen breeze.

“…That isn’t…Sessho-maru…” Fawks began. The figure stopped just shy of them, his golden eyes gleamed beneath thick black eyebrows, his silver hair stood in a pony tail high on his head.

He bowed respectfully, “It’s a pleasure to finally meet you, Fawks-sama”

Fawks bowed low, “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Inu no Taisho”