Cycle of Mating

Summary: The cycle of demon mating has been going on for thousands of years. Not one demon complained about the consequences of their mating. Not one demon very much liked the choice of who their eternal mate is. Except one. The powerful dog demon lord isn't too questionable about who his mate is, until he see's she is his worst enemy. A human girl is his destined mate whether he likes it or not, he must claim her as his mate. There is no way out of it. Will she accept the fact that's she is destined to be with a demon lord? Will he forget she is human and take her as his mate? What will others think about this 'arrangement'?

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Inuyasha's characters. I only own the characters I made up in this story and I own this story. Other then that I don't own anything else.

"…." Means talking between characters.

"…" Means characters thoughts.

Italic: Means small flashback memories or conversation.

Bold/Italic: Demon Language, human's don't understand what they are saying.

Bold: Demon's instinct and their demon talking back and forth.

Recap of the previous chapter

Rin snapped out of her trance and back into reality, she pushed the vision of the bed out of her mind for a second to let Sienna know she was okay. "Oh no, I'm sorry, I really am fine, just a bit dizzy."

She lied, and she knew Sienna could probably smell the lie before it even slipped past her lips, she just didn't want to let her see her own embarrassment of her own thoughts.

'I truly do not know how I am going to get through this now, the whole council towering over, watching. Is that even legal, in demon law is it? Shouldn't the physical bond between two stay private, between them and no one else?'

Chapter Ten: The Darken Parts of One's Past

"Rin?" Sienna curiously asked, the expression written all over Rin's face concerned her. It was like she was in some trance that kept pulling her back. From her ghostly white face and the light blush hashed over her whitened cheeks, Sienna knew she had a lot on her mind, but so little she wished to discuss.

Lifting her head and glancing toward Sienna's direction, she suddenly snapped out of whatever spell she fell under and re-entered the world of reality. Knowing if she acted as though something bothered her, Sienna would bug and budge until she got the truth out of her. She would continue to push and push to figure out what was really bothering her. So she figured she'd act as though nothing was affecting her, like there was nothing on her mind. Then maybe Sienna would drop the subject.

But knowing Sienna, a great elder, whose power is absolute, she'd figure it out. It would be a matter of time before Sienna pieced everything together.

"I'm sorry, I spaced out for a moment." Rin smiled as she pushed every thought that has circled through her mind for the past few minutes to the back of her mind, preparing herself to never look back and think about it again.

Sienna smiled, knowing Rin fruitlessly tried hiding her true feelings of what was on her mind from her. But she didn't worry too much about it, because she knew once she made the spiritual connection with her once more, she will learn of what she has been hiding in her thoughts. Sienna held out her hand to motion the girl to take a seat right next to her own. "Come, take a seat, there is much to discuss, much questions to answer, and many answers you may question. We have little time."

Agreeing with her, she made her way over to woman sitting across the room in a six chaired table. As she headed toward the table and the elder awaiting patiently for her, she noticed her hues changing. They now glowed an evergreen color, much resembling the autumn grass.

She knew, oh she knew Sienna would do her little mind control on her again. She'll enter her brain and savage through her personal thoughts and learn of her feelings, see how much she was frightened of the council watching the physical part of her mating. But what she'd really find out is how much she was scared.

Scared of entering this world of demons, scared to disappoint anyone. She already knew Sesshomaru was disappointed int he council's choice of choosing her as his mate. Fear struck her cause she didn't want to prove them right, she wanted to prove everyone wrong. That she wasn't weak and she could handle herself.

Rin sat down in a chair nect to Sienna, a smile lightly painted on her face, she prepared to learn more of her soon to be future. Sienna would surely tell her the truth of what would be expected, from her and from this mating.

She knew of the many dangers of her mating with Sesshomaru, but she never got down to the depth of what was soon to come. She couldn't predict her future with him, all she could do was hope. Many demonesses would try and over her position as his mate, as the new lady of the west, they would try to take away everything she has worked so hard to gain, even take away her very happiness; that has now started to regenerate.

Even the council members decision's shall be harsh, although Sienna seems genuinely concerned with every pairing, but what about the other council members? Their decision is just as great and powerful as hers, what if they don't approve? Everything about the mating, the demon law, the council members and the phases and trials that are put into just one mating exhausted Rin's brain.

"From what I have been told, you've made it your priority to learn more about your mates culture and more about the western lands. That is an amazing trait you have and it's great to have during the evaluation of this mating." Sienna started off, she sighed as she continued, "But those history books don't go into depth of the west or the lords and ladies whom have ruled over them these past hundred years. They don't explain the reasoning's of some things that have happened. Like why certain battles were fought." Rin crossed her legs in comfort while she listened to Sienna. "I admire your want to learn. Especially since there is much you should know, much you need to hear about becoming Sesshomaru's mate."

"Like?"

"For one, you need to have complete patience, As we both know Sesshomaru lacks patience, but he demands obedience. It'd take time to get used to his cold demeanor, but that also includes getting to know the true reasoning behind why he has such rage and hatred for humans." Sienna not only wanted to discussed the traits that hits the surface, but also the ones that run deep inside of him, the ones he refuses to allow others to see. His true emotions, not his rage, or hatred, or even the revenge he feels he needs. But before taking a step into his kindly emotions, she must take a few steps into the darkness of what made him feel such rage. What triggered him to cut off his own humanity and show the world the true monster that lives inside.

There once was a time when things were perfect and there had been no hate, no fights, no agony in the world of demons and humans. It became an era of greatness, the lords and ladies were loyally acknowledged . And no one dared try to destroy the peace between the colonies, between the races. But that time, that era, had been corrupted with a shadowed cloud of despair and gloom, shame and dishonesty, perfidious and deceit. Shameless acts that came close to destroy something that took thousands of years to build.

Sesshomaru's distaste for humans began the year his whole world came crashing down, and his life became a rumor through the kingdom. His fathers dishonesty to his mother and the infidelity with the human princess, Izayoi, in the lower providence, changed everything.

But his rage came much later, after his parents had split it followed his hatred for the human species once the half-breed Inuyasha was born.

Sienna only wished Rin could understand why he has felt such deep feelings throughout the years, why he has kept everything under lock and key. His actions may seemed silly to her, but Sienna knew that he brushed off his feelings of abandonment. The whole situation triggered something that had been built up for so long. "Do you know why Sesshomaru hates humans so much? Has anyone ever brought up the reason?"

Shaking her head, Rin awaited for the answer as she crossed her legs, trying to relax her body as she begun to learn more about Sesshomaru's past. "It all started the night Lord Inu Taisho told Lady Sookie about his human love. Sesshomaru felt the distance with his father, he knew something was wrong. Even as a toddler, he knew what was going on. It had been said that Inu Taisho and Izayoi had no physical relations while Sookie was still in the picture, but it was all a lie. Izayoi became pregnant two weeks before Inu Taisho told Sookie the truth." Sienna sighed as she begun her story. She hated retelling every detail of her lords betrayal, it was like reliving the whole ordeal once again. If anyone knew how Sesshomaru or even Sookie was feeling, it was her. She stayed near Sookie for over three years because of how much hurt she endured while personally taking care of Sesshomaru. He begun to withdraw from the world, his anger scattered as he begun using humans as his personal target practice.

Even Sienna couldn't deny that even with his betrayal, there truly was a spark between the human princess and her lord. That spark could of been seen from hundreds of miles away. Sookie felt it, but never thought rationally about it.

The damage brought a destructive wave that could not be undone. But it did bring another life. A life she had always hoped for, the life of her own heir to her village. Inuyasha.

Three Hundred Years Ago

All the servants scattered around the palace like fleeing rats. Their lord's presence would soon grace them within the hour, along with the presence of the three ladies of the council. Sienna, Auzume, and Nayru. It was their presence that was truly needed, their presence that would change the future of the kingdom and his own future as well.

The preparations for the ladies of the council were almost complete. There were just a few things that needed to be cleared by Lord Inu Taisho, but he wasn't there yet. He has yet to return from his patrol of his kingdom that he started three weeks prior. Inu Taisho sent out his messenger to alert the palace servants and the guards that a dinner and a important meeting needed to be prepared before his return.

All anybody knew was he should be returning before the sun set below the horizon.

Clashing of thunder alerted the entire palace of the upcoming storm. No one had been prepared for this storm, normally the kingdom storms would show some sort of detail of a storm moving toward the lands, but this storm seemed much more vicious and eager to lay destruction upon the western lands.

Two of Lord Inu Taisho's main servant girls ordered everyone to finished the preparations, that their watch out announced that they'd seen their lord traveling by horse through the deserted forest, which was only a few miles could be arriving in ten minutes or less.

"Saya! Saya, where are you?" The girl screamed, she searched around for her sister, she did not want her anywhere near the lord when he came in. For she and the rest of the palace knew what this meeting was about. The only one dumbfounded about it would be their lovely lady, Lady Sookie, and the young lord Sesshomaru, who could barely spit out a complete sentence. A younger girl came running over to the worried servant, "Oh god, Saya, where have you been?" She asked then stopped, "Never mind, there is no time..."

As she begun to inform her sister to head to the servant quarters a knock on the main entrance of the palace stopped her. "They're here!" She quivered, as her shaking arms wrapped around her sisters shoulders and her eyes staring at her with much worry and fear much like the others. "Saya, head back to the servant quarters, don't come out for anything. The storm should subside by morning, stay there until I come get you."

She needed her head as she ran off into the other direction while he sister straightened up her dress and hurried over to the doors. Two of her fellow servants opened both doors and allowed the three ladies, who stood in front of the door frame soaked, inside.

"Welcome Lady Sienna, Lady Auzume and of course Lady Nayru!" She bowed her entire body to the floor as she heard the giggling chuckles of one of the women in front of her. Rising back to her feet she stared at her ladies of thge council, wondering what could be so funny. "Our lord has yet to come back from his patrol, but he should be here within the hour." They all nodded their head, Sienna stared at the girl, she could tell the servant was shaken up about something. Something she wanted to know. "Let me show you to the dinning hall, if you all can please follow me."

"Wait girl!" Auzume and Nayru stopped and stared at their sister. What could be on Sienna's mind. The girl turned and bowed her head low, awaiting for Sienna's to speak once more. "What has you so afraid?" When the girl refused to answer, Sienna rushed over to her side and grabbed her hand. "Are you afraid of what may come from this dinner?"

Tell me girl! Why are you afraid?!

"Sienna! There is no time for this, let the girl go!" Nayru demanded as she stopped Sienna from entering the memories and thoughts of the servant girl.

"Fine!" But right as she started to continue on with her journey to the dinning hall where Lady Sookie awaited, she could hear the silent thoughts of the young girl. It wasn't much, but it was enough to know what would be occurring this evening.

My lord...I'm afraid...

Sienna, Auzume and Nayru followed the servant to the hall, where Sookie had already been seated in her chair across from her mates. Once they entered the room she jumped up and ran over to them. "Nayru! Auzume! Sienna! Oh how good of you three to join us for this beautiful dinner Taisho has set up for us."

Everyone could see the excitement and joy in Sookie's face as she hugged the council members. But what only she could not see was the pain everyone felt as they knew her world would soon crash once Inu Taisho arrived. Even the servants would shed a tear as their watch the moments unfold and fall into the hands of destructive mass.

The girl who escorted everyone to the hall soon was pulled away for a message, "Yuri, there's been a change in plans for the night?"

She gasped as she nearly fell to the floor. "What do you mean, by the change in plans?"

"Lord Inu Taisho has turned around, headed back to the southern providence, back to that village." He announced as he started to walk away.

"What do I tell our lady? The council members? What am I suppose to say?"

No answer, the other servant walked away and disappeared into the halls of the palace. Yuri sighed as she headed back into the hall, she thought about what she could say, then thought about what she should of said a long time ago, when she saw them together in the meadows outside of the forest ruins. How could she be the one to break her lady's heart, knowing it would? Why should she have to tell her news about her lord's dishonesty?

She just didn't have the heart to let her down with news like that. "My lady?" She announced, which it caused everyone in the room to turn to her. "Lord Inu Taisho shall be arriving to dinner a little bit later then we thought. The storm has caused a flood in the eastern areas. It may be a few hours before he gets here."

Sookie's smile immediately dropped. Sienna could sense her pain and sense the sadness that washed up on her face. But as soon as she knew she was showing them emotions she closed her eyes and hoped for a speedier return of her mate. "Thank you Yuri, will that be all?"

Shaking her head, she excused herself from the room and rushed back to the servant quarters. Sienna knew something was up, sure Inu Taisho would be late, but the excuse of a storm was just terrible. Surely the girl could of made up a better excuse, knowing everyone knew why he would be delayed in this meeting, this dinner, that he'd set up.

Sookie jogged it all off her memory as she headed back to her seat. "Please come sit ladies, surely my mate's delay shouldn't ruin the evening. You all just got here, no reason to head back, is there?"

"Absolutely not Lady Sookie!" Auzume said as she sat in a chair a few feet away from her. Sienna sat in the chair right next to Sookie as Nayru sat across from her. "Milady, the palace looks incredible, much more suitable from the last I have been here. There's more light, more life in here."

"I agree Sookie, the lights have made the palace much more living. The palace always looked so gloomy with the curtains closed, seemed more like a beast lived here and not a noble queen and her fair child."

"Well with Inu Taisho always gone on patrols of the west, I decided to make this place more of a place I can call home. I actually started with the curtains. The burgundy curtains looked better in the rooms, while the golden ones with the purple design looked suitable here and the ball room. I must show you what I have created while he was away."

Sienna smiled as she knew Sookie only wanted to make conversation, and she did not wish to ruin her evening for her. But at some point somebody would have too.

"So Sookie, where is the little rascal Sesshomaru, shouldn't he be apart of this dinner as well?" Sienna asked, in all curiousness of where the heir of the western lands would be. Shouldn't he be here, she figured he of all people would feel something weird going on. But of course he was but a three year old toddler, he barely knew his right hand from his left.

Sookie smiled as she took a sip of her drink in front of her, her lips touched the glass, but the smell of the Sake that swam inside the glass caused her to put it down and reach out for the water that sat right across from it. "Oh, I gave Sesshomaru his dinner earlier this evening, I wanted this dinner to be special. At least I thought that's the reason Inu Taisho would go through this much trouble to make sure it was special."

"What do you mean by him 'going through all this trouble to make it special'?" Auzume said as she placed her glass on the table.

"He bought me this bracelet, it has a sapphire stone that glows at the touch of my hand. The inscription says, 'To my beloved, my love reaches across the land and seas. I cherish you more then the world put together'. Beside it was a letter, sitting on his desk in his study. I figured he wanted it a surprise so I put it back in it's place and left it be. I do enjoy his surprises, they are absolutely to die for."

"Indeed they are." Sienna snarled under her breath, causing Sookie to look toward her. "I mean, he has always surprised you with elegant gifts such as that necklace along you neck and the ring on your finger. What could be the explanation for this surprise this time? Has he conquered yet another land, that he would want to celebrate with his mate and child that he so often leaves behind?" Sienna let out her option, then realized what she had just said. "Oh god, I'm sorry Sookie."

"That is enough Sienna, you will not say another word tonight, unless spoken to, understood?" Nayru growled as her eyes turned fiercely red. Her anger could not describe how she felt right at this moment. But she hated to admit Sienna could be right. Inu Taisho only bought Sookie gifts so surprisingly such as this occasion if there was something wrong. There were only a few times that he showered her with gifts that had no meaning to them, just wanted to show her how much he appreciated her and loved her. Now after discovering his love for a human, he only showers her with gifts when he comes back from his long journeys away from Sookie and Sesshomaru, to apologize for the wrongs that she does not know anything of.

Sookie frowned a bit as she looked down at her glass, she swerved it around, watching as the water circled the glass. "Actually ladies, I'm very glad you have come to join me on this special occasion, I have something big to discuss with you guys, and I have yet to announce it to Inu Taisho. I was hoping to tell him in person tonight, I guess I'll have to just wait a while longer to announce it."

"Announce what?" Auzume asked curiously. Her hands trembled, hoping for the best and nothing to make the truth of this dinner harder on Sookie then it already will be once it all comes to air.

Just as Sookie went to open her mouth to answer, her main servant girl, Mina, came running over to the table and whispered something into her ear. Sookie's face immediately changed, the glow that radiated off her, now shattered as she rose from her seat.

"Is there something wrong Milady?" Sienna asked, Nayru turned her head, growled, warning her from saying anything else.

Sookie giggled a bit, though they all knew it was a giggle of pain, they felt it as she removed herself from the table. "Of course not! I apologize for you ladies coming all this way to this pointless dinner. My mate will not be joining us tonight. I shall retire now to my quarters."

Nayru rushed to her feet, her hands hitting the table as she spoke, "What about the news you wanted to discuss? What was it Milady?"

"Nothing...absolutely nothing!" Sookie said, she turned away, a tear falling down her cheeks as she walked out of the dinning hall.

Nayru turned to her other sisters. Sienna felt responsible for this change in Sookie's mood. "Nayru, I'm deeply sorry to have upset her."

"I'm afraid Sienna, it had nothing to do with you, nor us. It's something much deeper." Nayru whispered as she looked at the servant girl who caused Sookie to leave the table without any explanation.

Sienna stared at her, her eyes turning green and shined as she teleported over to the girl. Mina stared at her and smiled. Grabbing onto the girls hand, she looked into the thoughts of the girl. Something was blocking her entrance, she could only retrieve a bit of her recent thoughts and a small fragment of her memories.

Lady Sookie, I have news about Mi'lord...he has traveled back...southern providence. Looking in deeper of the words from the girl, she shivered as she witnessed something she never thought was possible.

Mina, please follow my mate, this amulet will protect you from being discovered through his senses and your aura. All else is up to you to not be discovered. It was Sookie's voice talking to the girl, Tell me everything that you witness. All that is known about this human princess, my mate has been running off to see during his patrolling of the west.

Sienna pushed away from the girl, her eyes glowing a deeper green as she embraced what she just saw. "She knows!"

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He knew he should have stayed away, he should of gone back to his palace where his mate and his son reside. But the feeling felt so real, as if time and destiny pushed him toward her. Toward a woman who was not his mate, she could never be.

Sookie, his first and before this moment in time, his only true love; the mother of his child, would be crushed it she knew what he was doing. If she knew of his deceit his betrayal of both her and their son. He had forgotten what made him fall in love with Sookie, he had forgotten why he stayed, why he loved her so cherishly. Forgotten the trouble he went through just to make her happy. And the way he treated her before now. She was his queen, his everything, his better half.

But now he turned away from her. He treated her like the dirt he walked above and became cruel to her feelings. Completely changed from the man who loved with everything he had, to being this monster that attacked her with the most harmful memories of her past. Memories of their past.

Including blaming her for the miscarriage of their second child. The daughter he always wanted from her. She would of been perfect. Sookie promised him a son, who would be his rightful heir, no matter whether if he was second born or first. And a daughter whom he can always protect with his life, much like he has with Sookie throughout the years of their mating. But she lost their second child, their unborn daughter.

And he blamed her.

So, after months of grieving the loss of his only daughter, he couldn't bare sticking around, couldn't stand looking into Sookie's eyes and lying to her, pretending that he was okay. He would not bare staying around the palace, hear the sobs of his broken mate. And when he did, he'd turn away. It pained him to watch her grieve and hurt over their loss.

At some point he resented the child. He stopped grieving, begun resenting his unborn baby. There was times when Sookie cried to him about her pain, and he'd act as if they never lost her, never were expecting another piece to their family. As if she never existed.

He hated watching his mate cry over a being that was never even there, she never craddled in their arms, or fell asleep to his mates luring lullaby's. Or even the touch of his hand against her face. She never existed. But she did. At some point he loved the unborn child, she had a place in his heart. Now that part was gone. She only existed in the memories and the bond Sookie felt as she grew constantly inside of her. The baby only existed in her heart, no longer in his.

"Sookie, why must this be so hard? Why do I have to put you in this situation?" Inu Taisho growled as he felt his emotions surfacing.

Tonight shall be the night, the night he ended it all. He was now prepared to tell his beloved mate the truth, but he was not prepared whatsoever to see her tears fall freely from her beautiful amber eyes. But he had to. He could not lie to her no more, he could not pretend to love her like he used to.

Yes, he still loved her. He was stuck between doing the right thing, which he knew will hurt her more then the loss of their child. And doing nothing will just hurt her more. Sooner or later she would find out about his affair with the human princess, and how he has drifted away from the love he once had with her, to this princess whom he had only known for a little over a year. Since six months after Sookie lost the baby.

Inu Taisho could no longer hide behind the lie that he has hid behind since he laid eyes on the lovely Izayoi. Sookie deserved to know the truth, she deserved to know where her mate ran to every time he left his family to patrol his kingdom. She needed to know, no she needed to hear exactly what was going through his head every night when he laid away under the stars debating on whether leaving her was an option or being depressed over losing a woman he barely knows.

He no longer loved her. The love, the emotions he once felt now disappeared like ashes from a fire. Every night when he laid beside her while he was home in his palace and playing the perfect mate, as if nothing has changed. But inside his head, he betrayed her, thinking about his perfect princess back in the lower providence of his land. Thinking about the feel of her skin against his as they laid naked in the fresh meadows outside of the Autumn woods.

The closer he got to her, the further he pushed away from Sookie. Spending less and less time with her, and less time near the palace. He barely touched her after he first made love to Izayoi in those same meadows. What used to be twice in the day, became once in the month, and it was not of his choice. But he could not turn down his mate.

During the begin of his betrayal, it at first started with just watching her after bumping into her in the Autumn Woods, where her dress had gotten stuck on a underground branch. He helped her and from that moment he started watching her. There was this feeling that exploded inside of his body when he held her hand. He knew right then and there that she was the one. His true love. And the mate whom birthed his heir was not.

He wanted so much to love Sookie more, and to learn to love her the way he used to, but he just couldn't pull away from the immediate attraction he felt for the princess.

For months and months, he eventually befriended her after their initial meeting, he'd show her his true side, who he truly was, and what could possibly become of their love affair. He comforted her in her darkest needs. Helped her. Loved her. And soon after forgot all about his life and did everything in his power to make her his.

And of course, she felt guilt for sleeping with the lord of the west, who was mated and had a son with another, but the feeling too great to walk away from. Her guilt soon lead to her loyalty to her lord. She would make him bow to her every need. She'd make him hers.

'Sookie, I truly am sorry. But this cannot be anymore, this game I play with you, I cannot do it anymore. I can't lie to you! We are much better then this lie I keep telling you.' Inu Taisho thought so carelessly as he felt his own tears rush past his eyes.

As much as he wanted to be strong about his decision and act as though it didn't phase him to hurt her. It really did. His feeling locked away inside of him because he was afraid. Afraid of hurting himself in the end. Leaving Sookie would hurt him, but walking away from Izayoi would destroy him. He was stuck between a tree and a sapling.

It crushed him having to do this to her, but it was unfair for her to believe that her mate loved her the way she loved him. It was unfair for him to treat both of the woman this way. He pushed away his mate who has stood beside him since his childhood, and pulled a woman whom he barely knew, but loved so very unconditional.

After all that Sookie has done for him, he would not blame her for hating him, regretting her life with him. She has given up so much, and he has given her so little. The one thing he could possibly thank her for was the son she gave him. Giving birth to Sesshomaru was hard enough, then she lost their other child, it became harder, she let depression and pain overwhelm her body. If he continued to fool her with his false love, neither of them would be happy. Not him, nor her.

But she would eventually figure the truth out by the villagers she helped every morning. The truth would find it's way into her hands, and she would learn what he has been keeping from her.

Not trying to contradict himself, but he did feel some sort of love towards her. But it was not what she believed it was. He wasn't in love with her. His heart belonged somewhere else.

Inu Taisho walked up the steps of his palace. The servants all bowed their head, but ducked as they knew something would soon happen. He had announced to his messenger earlier that he would be late. For he had to do something first, had to give something to his princess before returning back to his palace to start the next war between his mate and himself.

All the servants felt his aura miles away from where he stood when he looked across his valley, out to his palace. There was no pain, just confusion. But they sensed a sort of sadness from afar as he walked up the palace steps.

Inside everything fell silent. The lights were dimmed and the candles were still burning giving off a safer scent then the aura he possessed. From looking around, he could tell every bit of detail he asked for was complete, everything he wanted for this dinner was in its place.

Travelling through the halls and into the dinning hall where four seats he hoped would be filled were empty. From the scent of the room, they had been empty for over two hours. A servant passed through, picking up the untouched plates and the half drunken glasses. He stared at his lord and bowed.

"My lord! Your back!" He quivered as he stepped back, almost losing balance and focus on his priority.

"I am. Where is my mate? And the ladies of the council?"

"Lady Sookie retired for the night, she felt ill. And Lady Sienna has stuck around making sure Milady was okay. As for Lady Auzume and Lady Nayru, I have yet to see them since Lady Sookie rushed out the dinning hall earlier this evening."

'Sookie why would you leave? I sent word for you to stay.' Inu Taisho thought as the servant stared at him. "Very well, carry on with your chores."

Inu Taisho journeyed through his palace in search for the two missing council members. Auzume and Nayru had to hear what he had to say. They were the only ones, aside from Sienna, that could remove the mating mark on Sookie's neck and the mark that burned his wrist.

The thought of how to start off their conversation begun rushing through his head. He didn't know how to tell her, he didn't know how to make it easier on her. How can he tell his mate of over a four hundred years that these new feelings are circulating inside of him. The mother of his heir, how could he make it easier for her to understand. He feared that she would hate him, though she had the right, he wanted them to end on good terms, even considering the fact of him leaving her for a human. It all felt surreal, until he ended up in front of his bedroom door.

Venturing into his chambers, everything seemed to be untouched, just like the way he left it weeks before. Sookie had not slept in their bed since they last laid together. It seemed as though she had stayed far away from their bedroom since then. Her aura wasn't lingering inside like it used to. The fragrance she sprayed after every shower, after every bath. The scent of vanilla and cherry blossoms mixed wasn't there.

She wasn't there, her scent, her presence, everything that he loved about coming into their personal and very private corridors was gone, all gone.

But he sensed another presence who was not his mate. The scent and aura was familiar, yet so far away for him to detect. Almost like a scent he used to know that has now become a stranger to his demonic senses.

This familiar presence snapped him into reality, made him realize the one being he forgot all about while off on his travels. 'Sesshmaru, how could I forget my own son's scent?' He thought as he stepped further into the room.

All he could think about and how foolishly he was for having to do this to his son. He never thought about what this separation would do to his heir, how his feelings will change for him and his people. Whether he'd grow into the hatred and rage he has felt his entire life as well. It was a trait he hoped his son would never become accustom to.

But he would blame no one but himself if his son had. For he had brought shame and pain to his family and to the only woman who cared about him more then his own kind. even Izayoi has not shown to care as much as Sookie, but Izayoi was much different from Sookie.

The only thing that would crush him now is whether his son would hate him or not, or whether Sookie would eventually forgive him for his foolish deceit. Saying goodbye to his life with his son would adored him while he was at the palace, and seeing Sookie's beautiful face every morning when the curtains were drawn. It would be immensely rough for him to say goodbye. But it was time to let go of the past and begin to work on his future to make sure he would be happy, even if that meant hurting the people that used to make him happy.

Sesshomaru, barely still a toddler, would he truly understand what his father is saying if Inu Taisho told him to truth or told him why he was leaving? Could he be okay with it at such a young age? Still at the age he is now, Sesshomaru knew a lot, and although he wouldn't understand everything about his parents separation, he'll still understand that his family would be breaking up.

Inu Taisho hoped Sesshomaru wouldn't understand much of huge change of his life, that maybe one day when he became much older, that he could explain it more, in terms that he'd understand for his age.

"Sesshomaru, are you in here?" He yelled, he hoped the hyper toddler would run up behind him and make his presence known, but he didn't. And he knew he was lingering inside of his quarters. The scent that became a stranger to his senses were still pretty good to know his son was around.

But he did not show, he stayed, hiding from his father whose tone seemed angry but afraid at the same time. For Sesshomaru has witnessed this tone once before, right after Sookie announced her miscarriage of his baby sister. "Son, show yourself, NOW!"

In almost complete obedience, the small, silver-haired child crawled out from a corner behind the fusion across the room. At the sight of his father he dashed over to him in full speed. He's gotten faster since the last Inu Taisho has watched him run. Which would now be about four months since he interacted with his son.

It's been weeks since he has seen him. Months and months since they played together in the gardens or in the meadows. After meeting Izayoi, he refused to take him to the old meadows that he used to, afraid to run into her while his son was around. He didn't wish to complicate things with her or allow Sesshomaru to see them together and run back to tell Sookie how his day went.

Yet trying to keep the too from meeting became hard. Izayoi started traveling the forests and the lakes around the palace in hope to run into him purposely. And finally did while Inu Taisho was teaching Sesshomaru how to swim in the lake no more then fifty miles from his palace.

Inu Taisho introduced Izayoi as a princess who takes care of the human village in the lower providence. He explained that he was lord, but he allowed the humans the power to take care of the human villages, where one human family was blessed with royalty.

After that, Inu Taisho kept Sesshomaru inside the palace, refused to take him anywhere because of the incident.

It wasn't that he wanted to leave Sesshomaru this last time. He left after getting into a medium argument with Sookie about always leaving. All he wanted was to get some fresh air and patrol the borders for just a week and no longer. That would give them both time to cool and become adults about each others actions.

All he remembered about that night was receiving the gift he had made for Izayoi from his jeweler and hearing Sookie explain that she wanted to talk to him about something, but he refused to listen, he left instead.

And after walking around for a while, he ran into Izayoi in Autumn woods where she had been accompanied by a few of her female acquaintances she met while living in her village. She had hoped to see him. And of course her hopes and wishes came true.

"Papa, your back!" He jumped up and into Inu Taisho's arms. Inu Taisho gladly took his son into his arms, but the feeling of his small clutching his chest broke his heart. He let another tear fall from his eyes as he clutched his son close. He feared he wouldn't understand, but why would he? He was only a child in his eyes. But he feared even as an adult he wouldn't completely understand. His son would grow to hate him and he knew he would. Sesshomaru was almost a reflection of himself in his eyes. As soon as Sesshomaru felt that change in his father's aura, he pouted, "Pa, your crying. I see tears. Why do you cry Pa?"

So innocent and so very young. The young Sesshomaru actually felt care in his father, he felt love for him. Bu that would soon change over the course of time when the truth finally came you. Sesshomaru would show both his father and mother the same hostility and violence actions that Inu Taisho has shown throughout his entire childhood and the carelessness of his relationship with his son and mate. Although Sookie, who was still very innocent about the situation, he would hate her for not controlling the situations and taking care of it as soon as she became suspicious.

"Sesshomaru, where is your mother?"

He placed his son on the floor and kneel'd down to his height, the young lad stared at him while he brushed his silver bands out from in front of his face. There were a few tears forming inside his sons eyes as soon as he placed him on the floor. "Pa, why do you cry?" He asked, irrelevant to what his father wanted and asked for, "Why do you cry Pa, why? Mommy's crying too, why Pa, why?"

Once his son announced that his mate was crying as well as himself, he immediately felt guilty. He knew he caused her so much pain and yet he just didn't care, not one bit. He wanted to regret how he felt, he wanted to go back to the way it used to be before Izayoi came into the picture, but it was hard. At some point all he wanted was to just say, 'screw it' and forget about everything, and stay, make his family work, make his human princess the last thing on his mind. But he wouldn't, his feeling were too strong. He just couldn't ignore them. If he had he'd grow to hate Sookie and treat her worse then he has been lately. He'd hate her and make it his mission to make her life a living hell, even her dreams would be nightmares.

He'd rather have her hate him for his feelings, then being dishonest about them.

"Where is she?"

"Inside of her private studies Mi'lord." A woman answered inside of letting the boy. As she walked into the room she stared at the crying child and frowned. She placed down the basket of laundry she had just finished folding and had hoped to put it away before Lady Sookie retired and before Inu Taisho would return from his rendezvous. Sesshomaru immediately ran into her arms as the basket left her hands. "I apologized for interrupting you Mi'lord, I had hoped to get this laundry put away before I retire for the night." She looked down at Sesshomaru who was crying intensely in her arms. "And I had hoped to find Master Sesshomaru here, it's very much way past his bedtime."

"Take him to his quarters, don't worry about the laundry for tonight, just take him to his room. I need to find my mate." Soon she'd be just the mother of his child, his only heir.

The girl nodded her head as she grabbed Sesshomaru's hand and attempted to led him out of the bedroom. Sesshomaru kicked and screamed, trying to reach out to his father, but he ignored his futile pouting and temper tantrum. "No Pa, please..."

Inu Taisho headed to his mates study which landed right across the palace, far away from their bed room quarters. She kept the largest room in the west wing as her personally study from when she was pregnant with Sesshomaru. She couldn't go anywhere cause of the pain of her stomach, so she stayed int eh west wing until she had him. From the time she had become pregnant to the night he was born, she declared the room she always loved and stayed in as her own personal study and would hurt anyone who would tamper with it. It was her only space where she could think without any interruptions. Where she would cry her eyes out while Inu Taisho never returned from his journey across his kingdoms when he said he would.

Just mere inches away from the door that separated him from the woman who would soon became broken-heart'd., Inu Taisho sighed as he prepared to walk into a mass of destruction that only he created. But something stopped him, well more like someone did. A presence he could not forget about.

"Inu Taisho don't do it please! Just walk away, save her from the pain." A woman cried as Inu Taisho turned and walked around the corner where he found the ladies of the council. Each of the council members had tears in their eyes. It was as if they knew what he was going to say or even do. "Do you really wish to hurt her?"

"That is why I must do this Nayru, I don't want her to hurt anymore, I cannot continue with this charade. I will not and cannot continue pretending what's obviously not there." He said, closing his eyes, imaging the good times of his life with this woman he called his mate, after reopening them he met a blue eyes beauty whose tears has disappeared, "Why are you still here Nayru?"

"You called us here Inu Taisho, you asked for an audience!" Nayru shouted as she placed her hand out, a letter levitated from her hand, it exposed the meaning to their journey to the western lands from their homes. "You wanted us here remember. But it seems your judgement of right and wrong has been clouded by this human girl, why have you turned away from what should matter most to something that should not matter at all?"

Nayru preached her desires to stop him from making a mistake and hurting Sookie, whom she has become rather fond of throughout the hundreds of years she has known her. "Your making a mistake Inu Taisho. Can you really picture yourself apart from Sookie and starting a new life with a whole different woman who will just grow old and die?What life will you have with her, what kind of life can you have with her?" Auzume said as she stepped forward.

Auzume felt closer to Inu Taisho since their past over six hundred years before. He saved her from the pain of the mistake that she had made, and now it was her turn to return the favor. Whether he wanted it or not.

They judged Inu Taisho for his decision, they all had a past, some worse then others, but that's what made them strong together, made them closer of a bond. Each of them helped the other cope with their pain. But Inu Taisho fell firm to his decision of leaving Sookie, and not even his fellow council members could or would change his decision. "I love her, I'll make it work!"

"Have you considered what this will do to her? Does her feelings mean so little to you now?" Sienna asked as she stepped out of the shadows and into the light where she would make him listen. "What have become of you Inu Taisho, what has become of the powerful lord of all four lands, the same lord who killed a hundred demons in one swing because they threatened his mate. Your not the same lord you used to be, you've become a monster." She shouted, but remained as low as she can so Sookie could not hear, but it didn't matter, Sookie knew the truth. But she hated to admit it, she hid from it. "She gave you a son, the same son you asked her for, your heir, don't you remember?"

"Yet it was her fault my daughter is dead!" All three ladies gasped and felt insulted almost for his accusation.

"She miscarried your child, there's a difference!" Nayru yelled as she pinned him to the wall away from Sookie's study. An invisible wall kept him at bay from getting away. "She would have never miscarried if you never treated her the way you had. You abused her constantly with words of hatred, and all she did was love you! All she wanted was to service to your every need, yet nothing was ever good enough for the great Inu Taisho, the phantom dog of the west. Your a coward, instead of indulging in the pain of the loss of your child and comforting your mate like you should have, you walked away and ran into the arms of a girl who knew all about the loss of your child, yet she did not care. Neither did you! Do you even love Sesshomaru?"

Inu Taisho growled, "How dare you Nayru, raising your voice and insulting me with my love for my..."

"No how dare you treat the woman who has made it her need to make you happy like the dirt that you walk on while heading to that human village every day. " Inu Taisho growled once more, "You know were right, that's why your fighting back. This is a battle you will not win, even in a million years, you shall not win."

Yes they were right, but there was no going back. He had decided, he had blamed Sookie for everything possible thing there was, and he has found love in another. "I care about Sookie, I really do. But I do not love her anymore, just let me go Nayru!" Inu Taisho struggled in the web that Nayru has placed him in, but she wanted him to know the consequences he is making for himself. "It isn't meant for us to be together, and you all know that. Things have changed, time has changed. We disconnected long before Izayoi. And instead of dreading the ending of us and dreading to stay in a loveless relationship..." He sighed, "I find someone else." He whispered as he put his head down, "I do blame Sookie for miscarrying our daughter, she could of been stronger. She made it through with Sesshomaru, all I wanted was for us to be whole, and this child would have done it. But she wasn't strong enough." He couldn't take the pain any longer so he buried it.

After the demon doctor examined Sookie and removed every part of the baby that had formed he had a special orb created to make Sookie mourn better. The only part of the baby that completely formed was the heart, so he had it placed inside of this orb that glowed at the touch of his or Sookie's touch. Once their hands touched it they felt the heart beat, and felt the small bits of life the child had as if grew inside of Sookie.

"I didn't go looking for her, I just wanted time and space to think. I didn't know she existed until I laid my eyes on her in the woods. I never felt anything so powerful in my life. More powerful than myself. Sookie and I have been railroading this compromise for far too long, it's time to call it quits for good."

"Compromise? Is that what you call it?" Auzume asked, she thought she knew him better then this demon that stood just a few feet away from her. But it turns out that she knew nothing about him. He has become the monster he tried not to become. Her face frowned and her entire aura dropped to the lowest of her emotions as he said his last sentence.

"Inu Taisho, tell us, how do you figure this will work? Tell us and we will willingly remove you mating mark, as well as Sookie's. We'll allow you to find love in this human girl you speak so generously of, as long as you explain to us what makes her so special to give up everything you built." Nayru announced as she awaited for an upcoming answer.

"Willingly remove their mating mark? I'm not willing to do a damn thing for you Inu Taisho, your just another coward, afraid of your own feelings!" Sienna growled as Nayru snapped, whatever power she had to hold Inu Taisho back, she used to make Sienna quiet instantly. Her hold on the demon lord still remained intact.

"Silence Sienna! You have caused enough problems this evening, you will say nothing else! Am I understood this time?" Nayru growled, Sienna nodded her head as she stepped back.

Auzume turned away and walked odd, she couldn't handle Inu Taisho, her dear friend, slandering his mate and speaking about a woman he barely knew. For he grew up with Sookie and knew everything about her. She couldn't take the heart break of what Sookie would soon feel.

Sienna stayed silent, not by choice, but by demand. She needed to hear what Inu Taisho would say, but she would never approve of removing the mark.

"You wouldn't understand!" Inu Taisho said. "I loved Sookie, I really did. But I have become distant, I used my rage as a way to cope with things, cope with the miscarriage, with our relationship falling apart, with everything. But once I met Izayoi it all went away. The anger, the pain, the regret of blaming her and the feeling of wanting to be with her. Everything disappeared, it was like she was never there, and Izayoi had been there the entire time, just hiding under the form of my darling Sookie. It is very clear they are two different people, they are and will never be anything alike. Izayoi showed that she cared about her people more then her status, she didn't want to make me happy because she needed to, she did it because she wanted to. She wanted to be happy just as much as I did." He explained as he watched Nayru nodded her head allowing him to continue on. "I could never raise my voice with her, or even take out my rage with her, her innocence made me feel like a whole different person, not like the person I was afraid of becoming. And being with Sookie, I loved every moment, but it all snapped into the real universe and I realized that the more I stayed unhappy after she miscarried to more I would regret everything about us, I would regret Sesshomaru, which I would never want to do, I'd hate her for causing me such pain. Izayoi saved me from doing that."

Inu Taisho couldn't explain it, he felt alive with this woman, he felt like it was just him and her and no one else. "She has told me stories of her childhood and things that have happened to her that has made a dramatic change in how she acted on life, it was like I lived with her through it all. I know I grew up with Sookie, we'd always be one, always be connected with or without Sesshomaru, because she knows things about me that no one would understand, but I can no longer act myself around her, I'm a whole other person. I knew this before the miscarriage, but I figured that I just needed space, I just needed time to myself. There was no doubt about it, there was a disconnection, I felt I needed to distance myself, and soon I started to. As I started to stay away, I hoped that it would all just go away, this feeling that I dreaded, I hoped it was just a phase in our relationship, but it wasn't. There was nothing there anymore. Everything I felt for her had all just gone away, way before Izayoi. Izayoi just relived me of my pain and helped me cope. I didn't mean to fall in love, but I did. I cannot change what isn't there and what is."

Inu Taisho continued to explain, "I have never felt so alive until I met her, I cannot explain it, but it's there. I know deep down that I do love her!"

"Very well!" Sienna said, she broke free from Nayru's demand. She held out her hand, allowing a small crystal to form and float out of her palm.

"You are aware of what this crystal does, am I right Inu Taisho?" Nayru said as Sienna watched as it spun out of control in her hand.

Its purpose was very special to the council. It held memories of the mates they paired up, but mostly memories of the people she had looked into to figure out who they were. It held the darkest past of every mate paired, woman and man.

But it had another power, a power unknown to the kingdom. A power only the council knew of. It erased the mating mark, but didn't erase the pain that would soon be endured. Those that weren't allowed to mate, their memories would be erased, but there would be fragments of memories where they would know they were happy, but didn't understand why. In this case, the crystal could not perform that because of the child in the equation.

Sienna gained control of the crystal, her hand reached out towards Inu Taisho who was finally realized from his imprisonment, the crystal burst'd into flames inside, the hue of crimson flames burned as it spun faster around. Sienna closed her eyes, the power that it took from her drained her of her strength, she hated to perform such a task, but it was needed to be done. Nayru softly tapped the crystal while watching the flames vanish and the hue transformed into clear mist.

Inside they all watched as a turquoise moon appeared. Sienna opened her eyes, her eyes burning the flames that vanished from the crystal and now into her eyes. Auzume returned. As much as she hated to listen to Inu Taisho she had to. For she was the final piece to removing the mark.

She looked at the crystal then at Inu Taisho, she watched as the moon on his right hand light up. Reaching out to grab it, she reached inside of his skin and tore it from his hand and held it in her own palm. Then looked over at the moon turning inside the crystal and sighed. She gathered it into her hand, watching as the crystal dropped back into Sienna's hand and the piece of the moon in both her hands. With just one squeeze, she broke both of the marks with her hand. As soon as it cracked it just faded like dust.

Sookie may not feel it now, but she was no longer the mate of the great Lord Inu Taisho, he would be the one to tell her, not them. They only did their job, nothing more, nothing less.

The crystal now completely back inside of Sienna's hand, they all looked at each other and nodded. They felt the disconnection of the two separating if that wasn't form the ritual would not be complete and the mark would still be there, lingering someone, either in the mates heart or in their own. They had to let go, for the good of their people.

"It is done!"

"Like that?"

"Yes." Nayru answered, "There is nothing left to performed, your mark has been torn from your wrist, there is no connection, and Sookie's would soon be ripped from her body, and I will assure you she will suffer, the pain is truly unbearable." She explained then sighed, "There is but one more thing I will say before we depart."

"Which is?" He asked so vaguely.

"Beware Mi'lord, you cannot turn back the clock, you cannot change what we have done. There will be no redo's, you will not be able to remark Lady Sookie, if your love fore this woman Izayoi changes for any reason, you and Sookie will never be able to re-mate. You have made you decision and we have made ours."

Nayru begun to disappear with her last words. Auzume soon followed afterwards, but let him hear what he needed to first, "Inu Taisho!" She shouted, but felt more like an angry whisper as it faded, all he heard was the echoes of her voice as her body disappeared too, the look on her face pained him to even say goodbye. "Know you will never be able to make this up to her. She may never forgive you. And your son may soon learn to hate you. Will it all be worth it? Would it all be worth destroying your family for this woman you barely know?" She stopped, then said, "If you find the desire to make this girl your mate, I'll stand beside my sisters and honor your decision, but I do promise you I will make it very hard for you. I will not approve of it. You have disappointed me, I guess you not the same demon who rescued me."

"I understand Auzume, I am truly sorry to have disappointed you." Tears streamed down his face as he felt like he lifted more then the truth off his shoulders. But now he had to tell Sookie that they were not mates any longer.

Sienna was last to leave. As soon as her sisters left she stared at Inu Taisho and walked over to him. She raised her hand and slapped him across the face and let her tears fall. "I may have been silence from this whole ordeal, but do know Inu Taisho, you are not the demon we all thought you were. How dare you put us in this situation, put her in this situation? I've said it before and I'll say it again your a coward and nothing but. I'll hate you for as long as Sookie does. I truly hope you lose everything!"

And with that she disappeared with her sisters, "I hope you regret your decision!" She shouted, her voice echoed as it fade much like Nayru's and Auzume. But her words kept repeating until he toned them out for good. "I hope you regret your decision!"

Author's Note: So here you guys go, another chapter going your way. Before anyone judges me how I created Inu Taisho, it's a story, I kind of have his feelings all over the place. One thing was certain he wouldn't let Izayoi go. I first did the flashback as a much sentimental Inu Taisho, then I started to think, there's a point in my story where he's going to have a conversation with Sookie about this and he realizes what he did to her. And I couldn't really do that if he wasn't as much of an asshole as I made him in this chapter. But I also what to show where Sesshomaru's anger and hatred for humans come from as well, like it's not really explained why he feels the way he does, and I kinda wanted to bring that part of him out, and I wanted Rin to be able to understand that better then anyone.

Inu Taisho won't always be as cruel as he is at this point, this is only his past, his future and his present hes someone different cause all that rage disappeared after he freed himself from Sookie.

The next chapter will continue off with Inu Taisho telling Sookie the truth, and Sookie will reveal that his decision to separate from her will change her completely. You'll see what will end up happening. I promise I won't disappoint, I hope I'm not disappointing now.

I'm trying to make the story longer, I don't want to stop at just like twenty chapters, but I don't want to run it into the ground. So I'm trying to keep the story line going without messing it up in any way, form or fashion. I want it worth reading and experiencing something new, something beyond the horizon. Especially since I found my inspiration for writing, I always have listened to music while writing, but this one song in particular has given me a different insight of how to look at things and it kinda was the reason I changed Inu Taisho's character in this chapter and why I wanted to bring out Sesshomaru's feelings.

I also would like for everyone to understand the past of the council, and kind of why they are the way they are, though you haven't met the other two members of the council Ryu, who is Inu Taisho's brother and Bonseiga, you'll see how they fit into this story. Just please be patient.

There will be more flashbacks of Inu Taisho's and Sookie's past and flashbacks of Sesshomaru's past without his parents later in the future.

Thank you all for reading, and I'm sorry for this long closing, I just wanted you understand a few things first. But be prepared for a few surprises I'll hold in store for you guys, I won't say their mind-blowing, I'm not that good to confuse you, but I think it might amaze you at what I have done.

Every one have a amazing week and enjoy the spring, and continue looking out for the eleventh chapter coming soon.

Lady Siyana3