Disclaimer: Don't own Inuyasha or related characters they belong to the respective owners. OC's are mine.

Chapter Two: Sesshomaru's Harsh Education

Many years had passed since the birth of Sesshomaru, the young yokai had only known peace and luxury under his father's rule. From his mother he learned to read and speak the human language, from his aunt he learned the history of the land he'd one day inherit. From his father and uncle he learned how to fight.

Sesshomaru lunged at his uncle swiping his small claws at his uncle's chest, but only slashing air as his uncle had moved slightly out of his nephew's reach. The scarred face twisted into amusement as his nephew stood surprise. He'd been sure his uncle hadn't moved at all.

His uncle patted the head of the young yokai, "You still have much to learn little one."

Sesshomaru glared at his uncle, and through this glare took his first good look at his uncle's distinguishing scars. Sesshomaru looked at his own claws on his left hand then raised them up so his claws lined up with the five jagged lines on his uncle's face. Sesshomaru's expression lightened as realization dawned on him, "Those scars are from claws?"

His uncle nodded sadly, "That they are Sesshomaru. Though, if you ask how I got them I cannot at this time explain it to you."

Sesshomaru looked confused as his uncle turned and walked away, "Why not?"

His uncle stopped and turned his head so the scars showed over his shoulder, "You are much too young to understand…ask me when you're much older, and I may tell you how I received these scars, and why I chose to not let them heal into nothing."

Sesshomaru watched as his uncle transformed into his Inu form and take off into the sky. Once his uncle was out of sight Sesshomaru turned and walked into the palace. Wandering the halls he soon came upon a small kitsune helping one of the older human servants clean a series of human portraits.

Sesshomaru stood until the two servants notice him and bowed. The human servant was in fact senior over the kitsune among the servants so spoke, "Lord Sesshomaru, are you in need of anything."

Sesshomaru nodded to the human, "You're descended from the original inhabitants of this palace correct?"

The human smiled, "Yes my lord, my ancestors have served your father faithfully since he inherited the estate from our last human lord. My family has always enjoyed being of service to him."

Sesshomaru showed no expression "Has your family ever told stories that told how my uncle received his scars?"

The human thought of the stories his own parents told him which in turn he told to his own children, "No my lord. All the stories I know concerning your uncle all describe him as haveing those scars. I know as children we humans make up stories concerning how he obtained such injuries, and as adults we wonder why he hasn't allowed them to just fade away."

Sesshomaru turned to the kitsune, who wasn't much older than Sesshomaru himself, "You'll finish this cleaning…" He turned back to the human, "…I would like to hear these stories you humans tell of us."

The human bowed and followed the young yokai into a sitting room where he recounted many children's tales to the young lord.

Elsewhere in the palace Inu no Taisho was reviewing reports about a new threat along the borders of his domain. The dragon yokai Ryukotsusei had been encroaching upon his territory for some time. He tossed the latest report onto a pile of similar reports concerning this wretch.

Turning he noticed his mate enter the room, "You have a visitor."

Inu no Taisho nodded and his mate moved aside to allow another yokai to enter. This human looking yokai bowed to Inu no Taisho, "Great lord, I am honored to meet you. I'm the head of the thunder yokai clan. We have heard that Ryukotsusei has been attacking the Western Lands. I volunteer my clan to act as governors of that region under attack, and take responsibility for handling the dragon."

Inu no Taisho frowned, "You will swear fealty to me and my clan?"

The thunder yokai dropped to a knee, "My father foolishly stood against you many years ago. My clan abandoned him on the field of battle when your brother brought a force of ten thousand yokai against us. I and all my clan joined him and held vassalage to your word. I only wish to gain some favor so one day my own sons can hold their heads high."

Inu no Taisho snorted then turned to a map of his domain, "Ryukotsusei has been attacking from the south east of this land. As my vassal you will take lordship of the holdings of three of the human lords, these holding have been the primary area the dragon has attacked. Those human lords will govern the humans while you handle the yokai. You will not overstep your bounds, or else."

The thunder yokai looked confused, "Or else?"

Inu no Taisho glared at the thunder yokai, "Or else you're entire clan will be wiped from existence. If you over throw one of the human lords or in any way harm the humans under your protection. I will show your entire clan my wrath."

The thunder yokai bowed, "Of course my lord…I am but your humble servant."

Inu no Taisho placed several parchments on his desk and slid them to the other yokai, "These are the deeds to a mansion and some one hundred acres that you will use as your clan's residence. There you will hold audience with the yokai, nobles, and other beings of your domain. If a situation is beyond your power to resolve, summon me, or send the complainants here."

The thunder yokai bowed again, "I will not disappoint you my lord. May this prove to be the beginnings of a long and fruitful alliance?"

Inu no Taisho nodded curtly and with a casual wave of his hand dismissed the newly appointed yokai noble. As the yokai gathered the parchment and hurried out the door Inu no Taisho's mate entered the office once more.

She walked up behind her mate and began rubbing his back, "You are tense my lord…was the thunder yokai such a bother?"

Inu no Taisho turned to his mate and grasped her clawed hands, "No my mate…I have had many things on my mind lately. The local human lords have begun warring with each other. The high amounts of bloodshed have instigated more uprisings among the lesser yokai. Many of the bestial yokai have become increasingly aggressive."

His mate calmly just sniffed at the air, "If the humans are causing the problem let them deal with it…it's not like they are our responsibility. We'd all be better off if you just wipe them all out. Not like it would take much, instead of insisting that your vassals protect the humans, let them slaughter them in mass."

Inu no Taisho glared at his mate, "Even with my brother's history with humans, he has never said such foul things. How would you feel if the humans decided they'd be better off without us, and began to kill us off in droves? What if they sent their spiritualists and exterminators here, how would you defend against sutras and weapons designed to kill us?"

His mate scoffed, "It's not like they would ever do something such as that. We are much too powerful to fall to such pathetic fools."

Inu no Taisho continued to glare at his mate, "Besides the fact of obvious genocide, many humans are but innocents. You would be willing to slaughter such as them? You'd willingly slaughter children?"

His mate glared icily back at him, "They are but vermin that could be so easily crushed below my foot."

Inu no Taisho nodded then backed away from his mate, "Then you leave me with no choice." Inu no Taisho went to his desk and pulled out a gold bracelet that glowed with power. He turned to his mate and handed her the bracelet, "Put this on."

His mate glared suspiciously at him but obeyed and took the bracelet. As the bracelet settled on her wrist it shrunk in size till it had sunk into her skin, after it stopped shrinking the glow spread across her body. Once the glow subsided she looked at her hands to see they looked like those of the humans. She turned back to her mate and spoke with a voice devoid of the strength of a yokai, "What have you done to me?"

Inu no Taisho sneered, "I am teaching you a lesson." Inu no Taisho walked over to the wall and pulled a cord that summoned his sister. Then turned to his mate, "That bracelet has sealed all your yokai powers; you are for all intents and purposes a human. If you had been in your Inu form you'd have become like a normal dog, but that would have not aided in this exercise. I am casting you from this palace. You will live among the humans in one of the nearby villages. You will aid them in all matters of their lives. The bracelet will only release your powers in the event your life is in danger, or if you need them to save another's life. You will have the appearance of aging, and when your human appearance reaches the age of natural death the bracelet will release you, if you've learned your lesson." Inu no Taisho then narrowed his eyes at her seriously, "Be warned, if you have not learned your lesson the bracelet will drain your life force and you will receive a true death."

His mate looked shocked at him, "You wouldn't…what about Sesshomaru? I am his mother; he'll never forgive you if I die."

Inu no Taisho shook his head, "My father did this exact exercise with my own mother many ages ago…" Inu no Taisho turned away from his mate, "…she never returned."

Inu no Taisho's sister entered the office then turned to the apparently human woman. Sneering she motioned the woman to follow her. Once they entered the hall way the woman started to berate her, "Don't you dare sneer at me, I'm the lady of this palace and as such am due a certain amount of respect."

The sister turned to look back over her shoulder, "If you haven't realized yet, oh honorable lady of the house. My brother basically just divorced you. I'm sure the entire Inugami clan will be betting whether or not you return. Neither our mother, or grandmother succeeded at this test." She then led the former yokai turned human from the palace.

Twenty five years later on a particularly warm spring day Inu no Taisho and his brother were sparing as Sesshomaru watched. Recently a yokai by the name of Totosai had approached the Lord of the West and had forged him a sword from his own fang. He had also forged the Lord's brother a sword from his own fang, though he'd complained about the brother losing a weapon he'd had forged many years ago.

Sesshomaru was watching intently as his father and uncle trained with the new weapons, and was only half paying attention as his aunt approached and sat next to him, "So who's winning?"

Sesshomaru nodded toward his uncle, "Uncle seems to have more experience with a blade than father."

His aunt nodded as she pulled her knees up and hugged them to her, "Your uncle has lived a very fascinating life…unlike many of us he's actually lived among humans…Without other yokai around." She'd added the last when Sesshomaru had looked confused.

The younger yokai frowned, "When mother was around she always complained that uncle was a shame on our family, and his only redeeming quality was his loyalty to father."

His aunt frowned then turned to watch her brother, who had his sword once more locked against his brother's blade, "Your mother is much too young, and too naïve to understand my brother. She wasn't even born until after your father claimed leadership of our clan."

Sesshomaru nodded then turned back to the duel as he spoke, "I thought you were out wandering again. Why have you returned so soon?"

His aunt remained emotionless as she responded, "That information is between your father and me…let's just say, something has come up, and I need to stay here."

Later that evening Sesshomaru watched from his window as his father's two siblings left the palace in their Inu forms and flew north.

The following morning Sesshomaru found it was only himself and his father at breakfast. He took it to mean his uncle and aunt had yet to return from wherever they'd vanished to in the night. Sesshomaru took a chance and spoke up to his father, "Father, why did you send mother away…and why hasn't she contacted us in so many years?"

Inu no Taisho looked down at his son sitting next to him at the table then turned his eyes back on his plate of food, "Your mother has much to learn. I fear that living in such luxury has spoiled your mother's attitude. It is unfortunately a common occurrence with the mates of the leaders of our clan. It comes from their belief in their own superiority, as well as their prideful nature as Inugami. One day even you will have to face your own pride, and learn to either swallow it, or let it swallow you."

Sesshomaru bowed his head, "So you are forcing her to face her pride?"

Inu no Taisho nodded, "I can't allow her to influence your thoughts with arrogance. Unfortunately, we are a naturally arrogant yokai. Living as nobles will only increase that as time passes. I do not refute our superiority over humans, but I will not allow my people to commit heinous acts against them."

Sesshomaru frowned, "Why father, they are nothing but insects. Some yokai, including our own clan in the past, feed on humans."

Inu no Taisho shook his head, "We do not feed on humans Sesshomaru, not in many generations have we done so. Among many yokai it is common, but most do not feed for nourishment. Under the false belief that feeding on humans will grant them higher power than their actually capable of those yokai become addicted to the blood of humans. They become nothing more than mindless killers."

Sesshomaru bowed his head, "Father, why must we protect humans…they are foolish creatures that know nothing."

Inu no Taisho frowned then pushed his half eaten breakfast away, "What is the reason for all these questions?"

Sesshomaru turned to his father, "Many years ago I had one of the human servants tell me the stories the humans tell of you. There are also some tales about uncle and a few others about aunt. The human stories make you out to be some kind of hero, but in reality you are just fulfilling your nature to conquer."

Inu no Taisho chuckled, "Actually Sesshomaru, I have defied my own nature. We of the Inugami tribe have in fact been a nomadic yokai for as long as we've recorded our history. Neither have we lived in such a large group, normally our clan is broken into many smaller packs that roam the western lands, only coming together to allow the young to find mates within other packs, or to choose a new leader. I chose to break our old habits, and I chose how we'd evolve."

Sesshomaru bowed his head, "So we've evolved as a people from nomads to a more sedentary culture?"

Inu no Taisho nodded, "Yes we have. I have also brought almost all the other clans within my domain under our command. As an allied army we can protect one another, as well as keep invading yokai away from our lands."

Sesshomaru stood and bowed to his father, "I understand father. You have begun shaping the world anew. I can only hope I am as intelligent and strong leader when I become the Lord of the West."

Inu no Taisho ruffled his son's hair, "You will be Sesshomaru, but not for many, many years."

Sesshomaru bowed once more then after being allowed to leave went to find his tutors to begin studying.

Twenty five years later Inu no Taisho stood at the gates to the palace as his mate returned in her yokai form. She bowed to her mate after taking a quick look at the others standing with him. To his right stood Sesshomaru, who had grown to just under a foot sorter than his father. Beside Sesshomaru stood her mates scarred brother, she looked upon him with new light after experiencing time among the humans. To her mates left where she should have been standing stood his sister, and clinging to her leg was a small child. Looking closer at the child revealed the child to have silver hair like most Inugami, though it was the darker shade of her mate's bloodline, also instead of the pointed yokai ears of the others the little girl had a pair of dog ears positioned just higher than normal ears.

Inu no Taisho followed his mate's line of sight to his niece. The girl had been born a little under twenty five years ago, but normally wasn't present within the palace. His sister refused to reveal who the father was, but it was quite obvious to Inu no Taisho that the father was human, thus the girl was a hanyo. His sister and niece had returned to wandering the land, but had returned when word had reached them his mate would return.

Sesshomaru also noticed his hanyo cousin. He was not impressed with the child. In fact he could still remember when his aunt had shown up with her. He'd let slip his feelings on the matter.

Flash Back

Sesshomaru watched as his aunt knelt before his father and handed him the small bundle. She'd been gone since the night he'd spotted her and his uncle leave. He'd returned a few days later, but it had been seven months since that night.

Inu no Taisho took the bundle then pulled the blanket back to get a better look at the child. Sesshomaru could easily see his aunt stiffen as her brother examined the child. Sesshomaru looked over at the child and immediately under stood why.

His honorable father held an abomination in his hands. Sesshomaru snarled as his father scrutinized the infant.

Inu no Taisho looked at his sister, "How?"

Sesshomaru's aunt bowed her head, "I mated with a human, how you think it happened."

Inu no Taisho glared at his sister then turned his gaze back to the infant, "So what do we do with you?"

Sesshomaru spoke before thinking, "Kill the disgusting abomination."

Sesshomaru quickly realized his father, uncle, and aunt were all glaring at him, and if looks could kill he'd have been sent to hell in the time it took his father to hand the infant back to the mother, and then cross to his son and lift him off his feet. Sesshomaru easily saw his father's anger was stronger now than he'd ever seen it.

Inu no Taisho allowed his yokai powers to flow, then spoke very slow so his son understood each word, "If. I. Ever. Hear. Those. Words. From. Your. Mouth. Again. You. Will. Loose. Your. Tongue.

Sesshomaru cowed and lowered his head in submission.

Inu no Taisho gently lowered his son back to the ground; "Do I make myself clear?"

Sesshomaru kept his head down as he answered, "Yes father."

Inu no Taisho flexed his claws then reigned his power back to a more tolerable level to those around him.

End Flash Back

Sesshomaru hadn't actually changed his opinion about the child, but knew better than to vocalize his distain. Even he wouldn't willingly face his father's wrath. Nor the wrath of his uncle that had been promised by the scarred yokai when they'd crossed paths later that same day.

Sesshomaru watched as his mother did not voice anything about the hanyo, but he did notice a slight twitch in her lip that could easily be seen as a sign of disgust. His mother then approached his father and handed him the gold bracelet. She was immediately welcomed back and followed his father into the palace.

Sesshomaru watched them enter then turned to see his aunt turn into her Inu form; pick up her daughter gently with her jaws, and with a piercing gaze toward Sesshomaru flew away from the palace. Sesshomaru lowered his head then began walking toward the palace but stopped when a clawed hand landed on his shoulder.

Sesshomaru turned to see his uncle looking at him emotionlessly. Sesshomaru frowned, "What uncle?"

His uncle turned to the full moon, "Come."

Sesshomaru watched as his uncle changed form and flew in the direction of the moon. Sesshomaru also changed form and then followed his uncle. They had traveled many miles before Sesshomaru noticed his uncle was heading to what appeared to be an ancient and abandoned hut in the woods. Near the hut were three markers that Sesshomaru recognized as human grave markers.

They both returned to their humanoid forms and Sesshomaru watched his uncle kneel before the center marker. He then stood and turned to his nephew, "You once asked me how I gained these scars."

Sesshomaru looked at the markers. There were no names on or identifying marks, but as he got closer he felt his uncle's own power flowing through the stones, acting as a barrier.

His uncle placed his hand on the center marker, "While I still believe it is too soon for you to hear the tale, recent event warrant you knowing. This is the grave of my human mate…she was very beautiful…and as strong in will as she was physically."

Sesshomaru allowed surprise to cross his face, "Human mate?"

His uncle nodded, "The other two graves are of my own sons…they would have reached adult hood by now, though the youngest was not even five years old."

Sesshomaru approached the graves and looked at one of the childrens' graves as he spoke, "Where they attacked by another yokai?"

His uncle chuckled, "Their mother was a yokai exterminator…them falling to a yokai wound also not result in myself being scarred. If some pathetic weakling had killed them I would have disposed of it with little more thought then you give crushing a bug." His uncle walked toward the hut, "It was during my exile many ages ago, when my own father still ruled our clan. He learned of my mate and our hanyo offspring. He summoned me to meet with him." His uncle turned back to him, "Three times he commaned I bring my son's to him, and three times I disobeyed." His uncle turned back to the hut and walked to the door.

Sesshomaru followed his uncle to the door and stopped as his uncle matched his claws to deep scars in the frame, "Why did grandfather want to see your hanyo sons."

His uncle dropped his claws to his side and spoke, "I believed he wanted to kill them, to wipe away my disgrace. I learned too late he wished to protect them from themselves…after the third command I returned to find my younger son dead and my elder one standing over his grievously wounded mother. He was unreasonable, I tried to bring him under control, but there was nothing to be done." Looking toward Sesshomaru he became very serious, "I did something that is unheard of among yokai…I hesitated. My mate used the last of her strength begging me to save our son. My only recourse to save him was to end his life…so he'd never be able to harm another person again."

Sesshomaru swallowed hard, "You killed him?"

His uncle looked toward his own right claws and nodded slowly, "I ripped his still beating heart from his chest, and crushed it."

Sesshomaru bowed his head, "Father knows of all this?"

His uncle nodded slowly again, "Not the whole story but most. My brother aided me in burying their remains, not long after that your father challenged our own father for leadership. He'd come to find me so I would join his side."

Sesshomaru walked away from the hut, "When your sister presented her daughter to father…this was why you all became enraged at my comment."

His uncle placed a hand on his shoulder, "It was one of the reasons, though we all agreed later that our anger was misplaced. Your father is still angered, but do not fear voicing your opinions around him. Just try to think more before you speak…your father respects all life no matter its form."

His uncle walked past him and moved to leave. Sesshomaru walked fast to catch up, "Would you mind if I returned here on my own?"

His uncle shrugged, "The barrier protects the graves, but don't be surprised if you find humans here. The descendents of her family come here regularly to clean and leave offering at the graves."

Sesshomaru looked back at the graves momentarily the changed his form and followed his uncle home.

End Chapter Two

A/N: Ok, first off I'm posting the names of these two reviewers Taraah36 and icegirljenni, because even though they didn't guess exactly right they both made good educated and logical guesses. Well, that's it for this chapter, if you have questions of comments you know how to leave them. So, until next time readers.