I don't own anything Inuyasha.
...
The lady of the land stood stoically within the frame of her open, outer shoji door. Winds carried the fresh scent of the late season into the room to permeate her long tresses and silk kimono with the heady tang of decaying leaves. When she looked out upon the fall season she saw her lord within the trees. The colors matched that of her mate's varying eyes- deep golds, underlying rich browns… dangerous crimsons. He was a sturdy, stubborn male, deeply rooted into his status, but with emotions as bright as the changing foliage. It was such an oddity for a leader of youkai.
As the leaves danced with the strong breeze, she sadly watched each colorful one finally break from their base to fall softly onto the ground. Being raised as a noble lady, her emotions were of no benefit to her house, and she quickly learned to disregarded them. So, she hid them deep inside, never to shine as beautifully as her mate's. She knew it was a weakness and, while the land quietly stripped its expressive colors, she knew one day it would also be his downfall.
Yet, she couldn't help but marvel in its splendor while it lasted.
"Mate."
The strong voice from behind caused pause to her metaphors, and she turned slowly to meet the cool amber of her lord's eyes as well as the small smirk that she's never seen him give anyone else.
His low and strong baritone continued as he strode across the distance to stand at her side. "What troubles you?"
She had not begun the day thinking about her mate. Actually, it had started with an odd incident with their son.
She gazed back out into the deep workings of fall, lest she give away her true concern. "Sesshoumaru has been acting strange."
The Western Lord cocked his head to the side. "How so?"
"He had been talking to himself."
"He is a child."
She met his eyes again and contested, "He is the future lord."
The inu general nodded to give creedence to her concerns. If rumors were to leak about the mental stability of the heir, loyalties would become shaky and peace troublesome to fight for.
In a rare moment, she looked at him unguarded and expressed her heart. "I think he is lonely."
He smiled and enjoyed seeing her gaze travel to his lips. His arms slowly slipped around her and she held back a sigh as he pressed his body against her back.
With a whisper that trailed across the shell of her ear, he teased. "The Western Lord is never lonely."
Her body responded when her emotions could not as his claws traveled up her toned arms. "I will discuss this with him." His head left the crook of her neck and a strong hand guided her face to look towards him. "Until then…"
His burning stare flamed red as he took her lips into a quickly deepening kiss.
. . . . . . .
Meanwhile, Sesshoumaru sat high in branches of a tree said to be older than his sire and watched lazily as the leaves swung and fell tenderly around him.
"What are your parents like?" Miko had asked, appearing from nowhere on the branch to his right.
The inu child broke into giddy hero-worship without a second thought. "My father is the great dog general, Western Lord, and the mightiest of all youkai."
She shook her head. "No, I mean, with you. What are your parents like with you?"
"My father is my role model. He does not need to be anything other than the strongest."
She frowned at his response. "And your mother?"
If the Western Lady had emotions, she had none to show him. "The coldest."