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Where Loyalties Lie

By: Suaru-chan

Chapter One: A Party To Be Held

Tired; he was so tired and fed up with everything.

Sitting behind his desk, littered with the scrolls and papers of the days work, Inutaisho put his head in his hands and sighed. His shoulders were tight with tension and he felt a growing desire to either claw something or strangle a retainer, either would do at the moment. He had been in a mood as of late and the arrival of his youngest - by way of bursting into the study yelling at the flea youkai on his shoulder about when he would and would not mate did nothing to improve it.

"Inuyasha," Inutaisho did not shout by force of will alone, but there was an undertone to his voice that meant business.

The male froze, stopping in mid sentence, though he glowered at the diminutive flea youkai as he leapt from his shoulder to his father's.

"Now," motioning to a seat before him he waited for his youngest to settle down and arranged the papers on his desk, "what is the meaning of this?"

Eyes flashing a deep gold in anger Inuyasha shot out of his seat and paced the crimson fire-rat haori and hakama a contrast against his tan skin and pale hair. "You're arranging my mating!"

That was news to Inutaisho. "I'm not arranging your mating," Inuyasha turned to him in relief that quickly became a wash of anger at his next words, "I'm arranging for potential females to come to a party."

"I don't want to mate some annoying mesuinu!"

"I already told you, Inuyasha-sama, that all you have to do is play nice until they leave, we're not demanding anything of you!" The flea youkai had to shout to be heard over Inuyasha's anger and Inutaisho could feel a tic form in the corner of his left eye.

"You say that now but you'll be prodding me to pick one of them later!"

"Inuyasha-sama if you would just listen to reason, we," Miyoga's words were cut off as Inutaisho stood and slammed his hands down on the desk.

"Silence!"

Pailing his son went silent and still, looking much like a rabbit caught in the wolf's jaws and he noticed they had a specter at the door. "You may enter, Izayoi."

She came in then eyes wide as she looked from her mate and son and then back again. Her mate was smoothing his haori obviously trying to regain his composure while her son wouldn't look her solidly in the eye.

"Inuyasha," she went to her son first, taking his larger hand in hers and smoothing her fingers over the rough calluses from his training, "we have to put on a good show for the other lords. Your Chichi-ue is doing what is best for us all. The girls will be here to show for Sesshoumaru as well, so onegai, play along with us for this. All I ask is that you be polite and deal with it until they're gone, onegai ako."

He didn't want anything to do with it. He had no desire to tie himself down at the moment and he wasn't so good at small talk but looking into his mother's eyes he couldn't deny her, not that he'd ever been able to. "Feh, I guess it wont be that bad if Sesshoumaru has to do it too."

Resisting the urge to roll his eyes Inutaisho held out his hand for his mate and she came to him a smile on her lips. They exchanged a glance of humor at their stubborn pup and Inutaisho was grateful that Inuyasha was so loyal and willing to please Izayoi. "Speaking of Sesshoumaru, have you seen your brother since you've found out about our little party."

"Jaken was squawking about it earlier."

"That is what prompted Inuyasha-sama to abduct me and hold me until I confessed." Miyoga cowered behind his master's hair at the look he received from Inuyasha for that bit of information.

Giving his son a glance that said he would speak with him on the matter later Inutaisho inclined his head towards Inuyasha, "Konbanwa Inuyasha."

Knowing the words for the dismissal they were he bowed to his parents and exited the room, making his way towards his chambers.

Once the footsteps faded Inutaisho dismissed Miyoga and the flea bounded off glad to be free to find a blood donor for the evening.

"Sesshoumaru will not like it either."

"True but," he gave his mate's cheek a small kiss and leaned into her arms wrapped firmly about her waist, "unlike Inuyasha he will not complain and do as he's told."

Wriggling back into his warmth she shook her head, "I don't know how we're going to get either of them mated."

"A slow, tedious, and tricky process, that's how."

"They'll fight it every step of the way."

"It's for their own good."

Smiling at him she slipped from his arms, hands clasping her kimono closed as she eyed the obi he held in his hands. "It shouldn't take nearly as long if they're anything like you."

Are you saying," he advanced upon her and stopping before her he leaned down and whispered against her ear, "that I have some influence on females?"

"Exactly."

"Does that mean I have an affect on you?"

She flushed at the words and lowered her eyes, "Perhaps we should retire to our chambers, ne?"

He grinned at her, flashing fangs, and lifted her into his arms until she was cradled against his chest. "As my Lady wishes, so shall she have." He took leave of the room and headed for their chambers neither knowing that a courier had arrived and held a message with a seal Inutaisho had not seen since just before his first mate had died.

Servants scattered like leaves in the wind before the pristine figure advancing down the hall but he took no notice. He had no care for the servants and their duties so long as they did them and did not interfere with his days. In fact, his only desire was to go to his rooms and curl himself in the warmth of his sheets before the headache that was pounding just at his temples decided to come in at full force and leave him temporarily blind.

Turning down a hall he came face to face with the one person he didn't want to be around at the moment.

"Oi, did you hear the news?"

"If you are referring to the party, hai, though I've no idea what female in their right mind would attend to capture your attention hanyou."

A small growl was the reply before his younger half-brother was in his face snarling, "So what, you think they're going to come and try to warm your bed? You're colder than ice, you'll be lucky to get a female just long enough to give you an heir!"

Their exchange of insults wasn't anything new but the last hit a nerve Sesshoumaru did not know he even had. It sent a stab of rage through him and he lashed out with a closed fist, landing the blow on Inuyasha's right shoulder sending the hanyou hurtling across the hall; a wall ended his flight and Sesshoumaru left him there groaning in pain.

He made it to his rooms and shit the door before his headache arose with a vengeance and he hissed at the pain. Pinching the bridge of his nose, he closed his eyes and made his way to his bed. He promptly stripped, donned a thin yukata, and fell into bed and its warmth and let his mind close down and rest. After all the next few weeks would be hectic with the preparations and the two weeks following when the party and the visiting would take place would send the house into a tizzy.

Jade: Well I hoped you enjoyed the first chapter! The second will be coming ASAP along with an update on Together Forever!!

Chars: REVIEW!