The Eighth Daughter by otterbaby

The eighth daughter

This one is for Smittee.

----

Banished from the upper-kingdom by his half-sister, Sesshoumaru looked at the land around him with slight disdain. Below him was a good-sized rice farm that looked prosperous. However, as he surveyed the area critically he noticed signs of damage and with his sensitive hearing he could hear the slight sound of weeping coming from the house. Shaking his long mane, he made his way down to the home He tapped on the door once, then receiving no answer tapped again. The elderly couple that answered had haggard lines on their faces and there were tears still on their faces.  The sight of the tears disturbed him so he asked, “What has happened here to cause you tears, old ones?”

The old woman answered, “It is almost time for Naraku, the yamata no orochi, to come again. He comes every year to take one of our daughters. He has eaten seven of them and we only have one left, our younger daughter, Kagome.” A raven-haired young woman stepped forward and Sesshoumaru, catching a whiff of her scent instantly came up with an idea.

“Let me take care of Naraku and in return, give me Kagome to wife.” The couple was shocked and demanded to know who this stranger in their home was. “I am Sesshoumaru, the storm god, and elder brother to Izayasha, the sun goddess.”

“The great serpent Naraku has eight head with eyes like blood and they say he can fill eight valleys and cover eight mountains, although in that regard there is little truth. However, he does have a fondness for sake.”

“Get your builders and construct a wall around this place and in this wall place eight hatches big enough to fit one of Naraku’s heads through. After the wall is built place eight tables behind each hatch. On each table place eight casks of fine rice wine that has been brewed eight times,” Sesshoumaru instructed the couple. As the couple bustled around making sure his orders were carried out, Sesshoumaru approached the young girl. “Kagome, come here.” When the young woman stood in front of him, Sesshoumaru passed a hand in front of her face and chanted, “Komu ni kanojo o mawashi.” As the last syllable left his lips, a swirl of green mist surrounded her and seconds later in his hand he held an intricately jeweled comb. Slipping it into his hair, he left the home to make his own preparations for the coming of the great serpent.

When the Naraku arrived several days later he was shocked to find his way blocked by a large wooden barrier that held the scent of fine sake behind it. Hokudoshi, one of the heads, suggested knocking the barrier down, Kanna, a wiser head, disagreed because that would overturn the tables and waste the sake. Another one of the heads, Muso, suggested burning the barrier down, but again a wiser and older head, Kagura, disagreed, this time because the sake would evaporate. Finally Onigumo, the oldest of Naraku’s heads suggested that he should go in and try the sake to see if there was any danger. Sensing the logic in this, the other heads agreed and Onigumo stuck his head through one of the hatches and started to drink the sake that lay on the table.

After drinking a little, Onigumo came back out and told the others that there was no danger and to drink their fill. Eagerly, the heads entered the various hatches and drank all the sake that was set before them. Sesshoumaru, who had been watching, the entire time, waited until the heads left the hatches, and then stuck. Knowing that Naraku was drunk, Sesshoumaru easily behead the snake’s many heads, moving with a grace, known only to the kami.

Gathering up the various bits of snake flesh, Sesshoumaru made a pile of the offal and dissolved it with a poison emitted from his hand. The only thing remaining after the poison dispersed was a slender katana. Sesshoumaru gathered it up and proceeded back to the old couple’s home. The elderly pair welcomed him back and with a short incantation, Sesshoumaru changed Kagome back into a human. “Come, Kagome. We must go see my half-sister.” His lip curled with disgust.

The pair traveled to the gates of the upper kingdom and upon entering, Sesshoumaru announced, “My sister, Izayasha, I bear a gift in exchange for a favor.”

The arrogant looking female upon the dais looked down at the pair and scoffed, “Keh.”

“The name of the noble blade is the Tetsusaiga, from the belly of Naraku. In return for the gift, I wish for you to marry this woman to me.”

“Very well.” Sesshoumaru presented the blade to the white-haired woman. Izayasha took the blade, set it aside and presided over the union of Sesshoumaru and Kagome.

Now, it is said that the pair had many children that did great things, but that my friend, is another tale.

 --

A/N

Komu ni kanojo o mawashi - Turn her into a comb

Izayasha - female Inuyasha derived from his mother's name

Based on the tail of Susanoo and the Yamata no Orochi. I found it here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_mythology