Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or the tale of Susanoo and Orochi.

A/N: Thanks you guys! Your responses were so heartfelt! I'm glad you're really into this. As a reward for you're encouraging feedback, there is a special appearance of a certain someone you all love. Enjoy!

The True Master

Part III

At first, the evening was strained with an obvious tension. The presence of the strange inuyoukai was unnerving, especially the icy coldness of his blue gaze.

Rin simply ignored him, acting very much in a manner she believed her mate would've in such unwanted company: aloof and indifferent. She ate in silence. When he began speaking of their departure the next day, she refused to even acknowledge he'd spoken at all.

Reizo was losing his patience with this human, damn if she was nobility!

"You ARE the Lady of the West!" he bellowed, after twenty minutes of seemingly talking to the walls, "You MUST return to your province!"

"It's of no use, Reizo-san," Miroku said, sipping his tea, "Lady Rin is not of the argumentative type. She'll leave whenever she wants to."

Reizo leaned back against the walls of the hut and crossed his long arms. Jaken sat beside him, uncomfortably fiddling with his food.

"Rin-sama must return with her husband's body soon. There's no telling what evil powers will try to obtain the throne during her absence. The funeral ceremony must have a date, as well as the immediate inauguration of the new Lord of the West.

"And who is this new 'lord'?" Kagome asked, setting a large tray of white rice on the table before them. Everyone hurriedly grabbed a bowl.

The inuyoukai picked up his chopsticks, "It has been arranged that the title and throne of the West remain within the Inu Family, as is stated by the all-powerful Master and Daiyoukai, Lord Toga Inu No Taisho."

Everyone glanced over at Myoga, who had taken to sitting on Rin's shoulder, relishing the thought of taking a sip of her blood. He flinched when he realized so many were watching him.

"Er… he would be correct," the flea said nervously. He had, after all, been the Great Dog Demon's vassal for hundreds of years.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Reizo snarled, "It is also written in Sesshomaru-sama's will that -"

"Whoa, wait!" Inuyasha held up a hand, "He had a will?"

Jaken glared and answered: "Of course, he did, you insolent Half-Breed! My Sesshomaru-sama had more enemies who wished for his death than even his mighty father! As already stated by Reizo-san; there is a tremendous uproar in the West."

"What does his will say?" Miroku asked curiously. Rin lifted her eyes from her bowl of rice, she too was curious at what Sesshomaru left for her, if he had always sworn to be with her forever.

Reizo reached a hand into his kimono, pulling out a thin sheet of parchment. His eyes met Rin's by accident. She looked away quickly.

"That's all there is to it?" Sango asked, leaning over the table to get a better look at it, "One sheet?"

"It has little to say," the inuyoukai answered honestly. He unfolded it, clearing his throat, and read aloud:

"I, Lord Sesshomaru Inu No Taisho,

Of the Dog Demon Clan,

Hereby now ensure upon the day of my death,

Request all of my lands, my fortunes, and my inheritance

Be passed on to the sole reigning

Lady of the West

My mate,

Rin."

Silence ensued.

"Rin-chan," Sango breathed, bringing them back to reality, "You really are a true noblewoman now."

"Congratulations," Kagome smiled at her. Rin bowed her head in thanks. She had already known of the will, though Sesshomaru had never spoken of it after its creation. With the life expectancy of a daiyoukai, usually thousands of years, it seemed almost obsolete.

Myoga shuffled uncomfortable on Rin's shoulder, "That can't be right," he murmured.

Everyone except Reizo and Jaken gave him a look of bewilderment.

"What the hell do you mean by that?" Inuyasha asked with a mouthful of rice, "Are you saying that thing's a fake?"

Reizo held out the parchment.

"As you can see," he said, "The signature is genuine. This is Sesshomaru-sama's dying wish."

Myoga scoffed at it, "Why that dog… HE of all people should know better!"

"What are you talking about?" Rin asked, speaking for the first time, looking at the little flea on her shoulder with puzzlement.

"I mean no disrespect to you, Rin-sama," he sighed, "But you cannot rule the Western Lands. It's impossible," he glared at the inuyoukai, "You already knew that though, didn't you, Chief Minister?"

"I haven't seen you for years, Myoga," he smirked, "Not since the passing of the Master."

The flea glanced down at his feet, muttering under his breath.

Reizo's smirk widened.

"What have you been doing these past hundred years, besides not serving our Lord's heir? Instead, you run to his hanyou? What a dishonor."

"Listen here!" Myoga snapped, "I did only as our Lord requested, guard his tomb and guide his children to come to a union of peace! And, may I add, unlike you, I have succeeded!"

The inuyoukai and the flea glowered at each other.

"Pure circumstance," Reizo said disdainfully, "A lucky turn of events: that is what you consider fulfilling orders? Nothing on your part has ever contributed to such a union! Not once have you attempted to sway in your words of wisdom Sesshomaru-sama during his leadership! Now why is that?"

Myoga appeared flustered.

"Well… I never exactly found the opportunity, you see…" he glanced at Rin, who was staring at him with one raised brow, "The Master's son was a brilliant leader, I am sure! I never officially acquainted him, but I admired his strength from afar…"

"What a load of shit," Inuyasha spat, "Myoga, lying through your blood-sucking chops! We all know you thought Sesshomaru was evil incarnated."

Now he gave the hanyou a look of deep loathing, "Master Inuyasha, you're not helping my case!"

"Can we please get back to the matter at hand?" Rin said sharply, "Why, Flea, do you think that I am unfit to rule my mate's lands?"

Before he could respond, Reizo quickly answered: "Despite Sesshomaru-sama's wishes, the title to the West must be passed on to the next male descendant if the current heir is unable to rule. You are the heir, you are a woman, you cannot rule. Which means…"

All eyes turned to the hanyou.

"Hell," he murmured, mouth stuffed full with rice. He swallowed quickly, "You want me, ME to be Lord of the West? Feh, no thanks!"

"Believe me," Reizo said, his nose cringed in distaste, "I would much rather not recognize such an abomination as my new master. However, these are long term traditions that simply cannot be ignored. You can't say no. And on that same note, it is also stated, the Lady of the West must remarry."

A pause.

Jaken looked up at Rin, who was listening attentively, and saw she suddenly became very pale. He wanted to cross the table to comfort her, but a sudden outburst from the miko stopped him.

Kagome slammed her cup down and stood.

"HOW CAN YOU DO THIS TO HER?" pointing an accusing finger at the youkai, "HE – HE JUST DIED AND YOU'RE SAYING SHE HAS TO REMARRY? THAT'S – THAT'S - !"

Sango grabbed her arm.

"Calm down! Its tradition, Kagome! Rin knew when she mated Sesshomaru that if he died she'd have to uphold her duty as his lady. I don't know about your time, but this is how it has always been."

She pulled roughly out of the demon slayer's grip.

"That's horrible! Oh, Rin!" she gave the pregnant woman a sympathetic look.

Inuyasha pushed his empty bowl aside.

"Tradition huh?" he flicked his dog ears, studying Reizo with golden eyes, "So I guess I don't get a choice, right?"

"None whatsoever."

He leaned back against the wall, his head cocked to one side, thoughtful.

"Hell, I'll do it."

"WHAT?" Kagome yelped.

"Seriously, Inuyasha," Miroku snorted, "YOU, Lord of the Western Lands?"

"He has no choice," Reizo repeated, pointing at Sesshomaru's will, "It is ordered by his father."

"Chill, Kags," he sighed, closing his eyes to his mate, "I'll… I'll do it, to help Rin, but as soon as that pup is ready, I am out, ya hear?" he glared at the inuyoukai pointedly, "OUT!"

Reizo snatched the will up from the table, folding it neatly into the inside pocket of his kimono.

"Um… there is yet another issue we must discuss, before we leave. It concerns both you and Rin."

"I'll help raise the pup," Inuyasha said hastily, glancing over at his sister-in-law, "I know first hand how difficult it can be raising a hanyou, especially without his father."

"Of course you will," Reizo said, casting his eyes downward, "Yes, you will, because YOU have to marry Rin."

~oOo~

The chaos that ensued after that was exceedingly violent.

The two subjects of this matter merely stared at each other in mild astonishment. Myoga quickly explained to a very enraged Kagome (who was being held down from strangling Reizo by both Miroku and Sango) that it was all written in ancient Inu texts: If the reigning daiyoukai's mate is left widowed, then the next male in line, be it a brother, cousin, father, or uncle – the relation held little importance – was to marry his wife.

"All Japanese women carry a dowry," the flea cringed under the miko's deathly glare, "When they marry, the woman brings a sum of money that is left with her to the marriage. Rin's dowry IS the Western Province, according to Sesshomaru's will. In order for it to remain in the Inu Family, she must wed Inuyasha."

"Kagome," Miroku snatched the bow and arrow out of her grasp, "Killing Reizo-san isn't going to help the situation."

"HOW DARE HE SAY - !"

"Damn it!" the hanyou growled, breaking out of his haze of confusion. Rin looked back down at her bowl of rice, suddenly feeling very small and helpless. She retreated behind the hard shell of an emotionless mask.

Sango held the miko tightly around her waist.

"You're upset, Kagome! We get it! C'mon now, think about Rin, how she must feel. She doesn't want to marry Inuyasha anymore than you want her to!"

"Obviously, Sesshomaru wasn't planning on widowing her," Miroku said, "He'd murder Inuyasha before giving Rin to him."

"It's not fair!" Kagome sobbed, leaning into Sango's arms, "How can he just come here and ruin everything?"

Jaken fiddled with the hem of his robes, muttering to himself, "Sesshomaru-sama, why oh why did you have to leave us?"

~oOo~

Rin, as soon as she was sure everyone was focused on comforting the miko rather than herself, got up and retreated back into her dark room. She glanced once at Reizo who, she thought, seemed amused by the reactions of her friends. The Council, she remembered Sesshomaru saying, never hesitated to stir some form of trouble. Except now he wasn't there to clean their mess up after them.

She rubbed her large belly, smiling sadly at her baby. How she adored the little thing that grew inside her, she'd give it all the love she couldn't give its father.

"Baby," she cooed, rubbing it again, "Mommy loves you… so does Daddy. Daddy loves you so much."

The hanyou gentle kicked at the sound of her voice, making her grin broader. She knew she'd be delivering soon. Demon children grew much faster in the womb than humans. Still cradling her stomach, Rin collapsed upon her futon, hoping to escape this world of misery, at least for the moment.

~oOo~

Odd, Rin didn't remember undressing.

Yet here she was, her pregnant body exposed to the dark blanket of the night. Outside the room, all else was very quiet, not even the hanyou's snores could be heard. This was very peculiar, since the day of her arrival there was always someone in Kagome's hut at any hour of the night.

But her worry quickly erupted into full fledge fear as her fingers brushed against a warm figure lying beside her.

She screamed. A flash of silver hair caught in the moonlight, and her first thought was of Reizo. Two strong, callused hands pinned her back firmly against the futon, a long, muscular body hovered over her own, preventing any form of escape.

"No!" she cried, closing her eyes.

"Maate," he purred, licking the mark on her neck.

She squirmed, "What are you doing - ?"

A soft sigh, "Open your eyes."

She did.

"SESSHOMARU-SAMA!"

"Shh," he winced, his pointed elfin ears ringing, "Hush, Rin."

"YOU'RE – YOU'RE - !"

And then he bestowed her with a dazzling smile Rin had been absolutely certain she'd never see again.

She started to cry.

"Mate?" he licked her cheek, concerned, "What is it?" Releasing her shoulders, Sesshomaru placed one hand on her belly while stroking long brown strands out of her tear stained face, "Tell this Sesshomaru why you grieve."

Rin's fingers grasped his face, fumbling, trembling, tracing the blue crescent moon, the markings, and the minute slashes of magenta on the hood of his eyes. This handsome face was perfectly symmetrical, exactly how she remembered it, a straight nose, high, defined cheekbones, that strong angular jaw… her hands brushed his lips and, she wondered, if he were an angel now, would he taste just as sweet…?

His lips parted, suckling the tips of her fingers, though worry shows plainly in the amber flames of his eyes as his mate started bawling yet again.

Now, a little agitated, "This was not the welcome I was hoping to receive," he murmured, more to himself than her.

"Sessho!" Rin embraced his neck tightly.

"Why are you crying?"

"Because…" she whimpered, "Because…"

He raised an arched brow.

"I DON'T WANT TO WAKE UP!"

Sesshomaru stared at her a long moment in bewilderment, taking the time to digest her reasoning. He nodded, "I understand. You do not believe that I exist."

"YOU CAN'T!" she sobbed, "I watched you die. I saw you in the shiro." Her fingers venture their way into his hair, "You're in there, right now, until Reizo…" she suddenly remembered, "Reizo is going to take you home tomorrow."

The softness in the inuyoukai's face suddenly hardened.

"Rin," he grasped her shoulders tightly, "I need you to listen to me. Stop crying, and listen! You can't let anyone touch my body."

"So this IS a dream!" she wailed sadly.

Sesshomaru growled lowly, giving her a glimpse of his flashing white fangs, "YES, you are dreaming. But why on earth would that mean I am not real?"

A/N: Cliffhanger! Thank you for reading; I've started the next chapter already.