Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha!

Pairing: Sess/Rin and InuKag.

Summary: Rin and her sacrifice for her disgraced lord. [SessRin]

[Rin's Choice]

When Rin turned eighteen, Sesshomaru visited the human village where his ward dwelt, and there he laid her options before her. In response, she made her choice to follow her lord and leave behind her friends and her roots.

Rin made her choice, and the world tumbled after.

:::

Rin went to live in Sesshomaru's castle, under the eyes of his courtiers.

"He is growing soft," the gossip-mongers whispered. "He is falling for the human, like his father before him."

The rumours soon reached the north, whose lord sat and pondered long and hard on the riches of the west – the bountiful returns of the land, the beauty of the maiden who had escaped death twice. Above all, he pondered the name and power of the lord of the west, whose name had by now fallen into disrepute among the powerful demons.

Even as the Northern lord contemplated his options, the courtiers of the lands of the west laid their own plans as they observed the relationship between Rin and Sesshomaru unfold like the petals of a blooming flower. They watched every step Rin took and studied every word Sesshomaru said and, slowly but surely, came to unsavoury conclusions.

"He is growing weak," the gossip-mongers said. "Anyone who loves a human must be weak. We must not let the glory of the west decay."

Thus was Sesshomaru betrayed by in whom he had placed trust.

:::

It was winter, a cold wind blew from the north, and Sesshomaru was stranded in a room with no one but his faithful old retainer.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken said, stepping forward. "You're awake. I will call for Lady Kagome."

"Why is this Sesshomaru here?" Sesshomaru asked. He ran his eyes over the thatched roof as he pushed himself up from the futon. "Where's Rin?"

"My Lord," Jaken said, "We are in the human village where Inuyasha lives."

"Why are we here, Jaken?"

"My Lord," Jaken said, licking his lips nervously, "perhaps Inuyasha can explain better than I."

"No." A voice came from the doorway. "You were there, Jaken. You tell Sesshomaru what happened."

"This Sesshomaru thought he smelled you, and hoped he was wrong," Sesshomaru said, wrinkling his nose. "Jaken. Why is this Sesshomaru in this half-breed's house?"

"You're awake, brother!" Kagome said, bustling in from behind Inuyasha. "I wouldn't move too much if I were you."

"This Sesshomaru shall move as he pleases."

"Not if you want your wounds to stay closed," Kagome warned. "I didn't wake up in the middle of the night to tend to your wounds only to have them split apart because you're can't be bothered to be cautious."

"Wounds?" Sesshomaru vaguely recalled smoke, orange flames, the tangy smell of blood and the thrill of the fight. "This Sesshomaru is a full demon, Miko. This Sesshomaru is not like Inuyasha and can heal himself. This one does not need human... human techniques."

"You're wrong for once, Sesshomaru," Inuyasha said. He still stood at the doorway, clutching Tessaiga. "Your wounds were bloody awful before Kagome patched you up."

"Where's Rin?" Sesshomaru asked again.

Jaken trembled. "Lord Sesshomaru, do you truly not recall what has befallen?"

"No. So speak, before this Sesshomaru dismiss you from his service."

"My Lord..."

"You were attacked," Inuyasha said, breaking in since Jaken seemed to have lost his tongue. Unlike Jaken, Inuyasha did not wilt under Sesshomaru's glare.

"No one could have injured this one this badly."

"No one in the west, perhaps," Inuyasha said.

"My Lord," Jaken said, even as tears streamed down his face, "the lord of the North besieged us!"

The Lord of the Northern lands? Sesshomaru thought. His eyes widened. It was all coming back to him.

:::

Sesshomaru and Rin had just finished their daily audience and now it was time for them to head to their respective chambers.

"Good night, Lord Sesshomaru," Rin said, dipping her knees prettily.

"There is no need to bow, Rin," Sesshomaru said. "This Sesshomaru has made this clear to you."

"Yes, my Lord, but Rin thinks she should do it to fit in with Lord Sesshomaru's retainers."

Sesshomaru nodded, wishing that all his courtiers were half as humble and malleable. "Do as you wish, Rin."

Rin left the room, and Sesshomaru stood up. It was time for bed – but he could smell something different in the air. There was a strange scent – he remembered it – but from where? Then came the smell of fire, of ash and smoke mingling with the falling snow.

Sesshomaru was afraid, though not for himself. He ran out of the room to the cries of "invasion! invaders!"

:::

"It was a great battle," Jaken said. "Lord Sesshomaru was fearless as he wieled Bakusaiga and the minions of the Northern lord fell like flies."

"Such flattery," Inuyasha whispered to Kagome. "Even when Sesshomaru's in this state."

Sesshomaru shot an ugly look at his half-brother. "Go on, Jaken."

"But my Lord was weakened when the lord of the North himself charged into the battle."

"Didn't Bakusaiga destroy him?"

"It couldn't, my Lord," Jaken said, looking down. He inched away from Sesshomaru. "I am sorry to tell you that it couldn't."

"But it isn't broken!" Sesshomaru said, picking up the sword and sheath that lay by him.

"You lost control of the sword, my Lord," Jaken said. "I do not know what the lord of the North did."

"He had some strange power," Kagome said. "I was drawn to the strange aura around Bakusaiga when Jaken brought you in."

"Is it still usable?" Sesshomaru asked.

"I've removed the binding spell," Kagome said. "You can wield it again, now."

"Rin told me to take you, my Lord," Jaken said. He started rocking back and forth on his feet. "She said to run."

"Why didn't you bring her, Jaken? You know she can't fight."

Jaken tried not to meet Sesshomaru's (furious) eyes. "Rin told me to go without her, my Lord."

"You could have grabbed her."

"My Lord..."

"Sesshomaru –" Inuyasha began.

""My Lord, Rin has – Rin has –"

"Sesshomaru," Kagome said, stepping in because it was evident that neither Inuyasha nor Jaken wanted to face Sesshomaru's wrath upon the revelation of the truth. "I want you to breathe."

"This Sesshomaru is breathing."

"And think happy thoughts," Kagome added.

"This Sesshomaru does not understand you and your strange expressions," Sesshomaru said, losing interest in speaking to Kagome. "Jaken. Continue."

"Oh seriously, don't you get it?" Kagome said. She knelt beside Sesshomaru and crossed her arms. "These two don't dare to tell you the truth. Rin isn't here, Sesshomaru. She won't be coming."

"What have you done to her?" Sesshomaru asked. His expression was unreadable, but Kagome thought she could see fury in his eyes.

"I haven't done anything to her. I haven't seen her since you took her away. Why don't you try asking yourself why she isn't here, hmmm?"

"Insolent lass!" Jaken said, no longer trembling. "How dare you address Lord Sesshomaru in this way –"

"In case you've forgotten, Jaken," Inuyasha said, taking care to hit Jaken on the hit, "my dear brother is no longer a lord."

Kagome waved her hand before Sesshomaru's face. "Rin sacrificed herself for you, Sesshomaru."

"Sacrificed?" Sesshomaru repeated. His voice was deepened with a hoarseness seldom heard from him – even Jaken was shocked. "She's dead?"

"My lord," Jaken said, "do not trouble yourself over one human girl. She –"

"She's not dead," Inuyasha said.

"Then this Sesshomaru will save her," Sesshomaru said. He stood up. "Do not try to stop this Sesshomaru from going, Miko. These wounds are nothing."

"You're not going anywhere," Inuyasha said. He blocked the doorway. "Hear us out."

"Make it quick," Sesshomaru said. "This Sesshomaru has no time for your trifling tales."

"Lord Sesshomaru,"Jaken said, clutching at Sesshomaru's legs, "you cannot go back."

"Explain yourself."

"Rin has married the Lord of the Northern Lands," Kagome said. "Or so Jaken says."

"Is it true?" Sesshomaru asked.

Jaken shuffled to the side. "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru."

"Why didn't you stop her?" Sesshomaru asked. He frowned and tightened his hold on Bakusaiga.

"My lord, there was no choice. Rin made a bargain with him."

"A bargain?" Sesshomaru's voice carried an element of incredulity. "To save this Sesshomaru?"

"Yes," Jaken said.

"That's why you can't go back," Inuyasha said. "The invaders clearly know how to prevent you from using Bakusaiga. There is no use in going back."

"You will not be able to save Rin," Kagome said.

Sesshomaru turned away from them all. "Leave."

"What?" Inuyasha said.

"Get out."

"This is my house, Sesshomaru, and I –"

Kagome placed a placating hand on Inuyasha's shoulder. "Let's go, Inuyasha. Come on. Good night, Master Jaken. Rest well, Sesshomaru."

Sesshomaru did not turn to watch them leave. In his mind's eye, he saw Rin, in pain and crying, and in the dark room, he sat and thought in agony, wondering if he should depart for his lady mother's castle and ask her (beg her, if he must), for a solution.

:::

Rin, dressed in the fine clothes of a lady, clothes she had never had the chance to wear before even with Sesshomaru's largesse, walked down a long hallway. The retainers of the Northern lord's court bowed to her, and she inclined her head in return.

She was trapped in this fine, gilded palace, a place once dear to her heart because of the lord whose residence it had been, the lord whose reputation had been despoiled because of her, a worthless mortal of uncertain parentage. Now, he suffered in the wild, while she was spoiled with treasures and power aplenty.

However, the nights were cold for her, despite the love and attention showered upon her by her new lord husband. He was a good man – a good lord and husband – but she yearned for another, another whose presence she felt must appear around every corner, the great dog demon of the West, now dethroned and disenfranchised.

Once she hoped to be his bride. Now, she only hoped that he was safe and not up and about, taking part in some reckless endeavour to save her.

Rin cried herself to sleep that night, as she had done for the many preceding nights.

:::

Sesshomaru raised his banner a few months later, and demons still loyal to the lord who had fallen from heaven's grace flocked to him. Inuyasha and his friends followed too, and Sesshomaru led the band to the castle in the West, the lordly residence he had built centuries before.

:::

"If I can't have you," the Northern lord said, holding Rin in a tight embrace, "then he can't either."

Rin struggled. 'My lord, please..."

"No," he said, and slit her throat.

"No!" Sesshomaru shouted, appearing behind the Northern lord. Bakusaiga appeared, and with a thrust, entered the invading lord's body. He withered and fell onto the floor.

Sesshomaru rushed to Rin's side.'Rin," he said. "Rin!"

"Lord Sesshomaru! You – you came," Rin said. Her face was pale and Sesshomaru could feel her blood on his feet. "You came for Rin in the end."

"This Sesshomaru will save you."

"Rin knows her Lord cannot," Rin said. With the last of her strength, she touched Sesshomaru's face. "Lord Sesshomaru will remember Rin after she dies, will he not?"

"This Sesshomaru will," Sesshomaru said. He cradled Rin in his arms. "This Sesshomaru will."

He laid his forehead on hers, and when he finally opened his eyes again, Rin's were closed and dead, her hands limp in his own.

A/N: Sesshomaru, you handsome enigma, you. I reread part of the Inuyasha manga recently and decided I couldn't get enough of Sesshomaru, which is strange, since I didn't pay much attention to him the first time round.

After writing this, I discovered a discrepancy. Why did the lord of the north marry Rin when Sesshomaru was ridiculed for falling for a human? The hypocrisy of it all (or rather, bad planning on my part).

Thanks for reading; all comments/reviews/suggestions would be welcome (: