Mizuki almost puked right there. Kusaru stopped mid conversation with Sesshomaru and looked at her.

"Well well well, if it isn't Mizuki. Father has been looking everywhere for you." He smirked.

"Tazuna told us you were hanging around the Lord of the West, but I certainly didn't expect to see you here tonight, dressed as if you were his mate."

Sesshomaru gave a low growl at him.

"I mean, unless of course you are, in which case there would be no problem, however, I can clearly see that your forehead is still unmarked." He smirked again.

"What goes on in my lands is of no concern to you." Sesshomaru said.

"Well, actually Lord Sesshomaru, it does when it involves not only my dear sister, but the current heir to the Southern Lands, and by law she has no business here unless she is mated to you, therefore making our father's custody over her nonexistent, but considering that is not the case, she will need to come home, by law. I mean, unless of course, you would like to start a war, over a mere girl?"

By now, all heads were faced in their direction. Not only is it exceedingly rare for someone to stand up to Sesshomaru, but now they all knew that Mizuki was the heir to the Southern Lands and has been hanging around the Lord of the Western Lands, which is a bit unusual for such high ups to do, without an agreement to get mated.

Sesshomaru stepped in front of her, blocking her view of her brother.

"By law, you are also not supposed to beat the heir to a throne, and yet that is clearly what was happening while she was there. She will not be going back."

He must have gotten the hint when she told him he was just like her father, although she wasn't sure if he knew it was her father or her brother that she was talking about.

She heard her brother snarl at him and in return Sesshomaru snarled back. She put her hand on his arm gently. He instantly stopped snarling and looked back at her. She looked him straight in the eye.

"I will go. He's right. There is no need for a war over something as petty as this."

He just looked at her and it killed her to walk away from him and stand next to her brother. Kusaru grabbed her roughly by the arm and pulled her the rest of the way to him.

"We will be taking our leave now, Lord Sesshomaru." He pulled on her arm, causing her to follow him out. After they were a ways from the castle he turned to her.

"I would have thought you a little bit smarter than that, you fucking tramp. Did you sleep with him?"

"I don't really think that's any of your concern." She glared up at him.

She received a smack across her face, making her head snap to the side. She could feel the heat from it on her cheek.

"You fucking whore. I can't wait 'til father gets his hands on you this time. He will be more than happy that I brought you back."

"What is your problem? Why don't you just kill me so that he doesn't have to and you can have the lands. I don't understand why neither of you will just let me step down."

"Now where is the fun in that? I think by now father would enjoy it much more than I."

She dreaded the whole way back to the Southern Lands. It took a few days, but they soon enough arrived. They walked in through the very familiar double doors, that were much less extravagant than Sesshomaru's. Father was in there waiting for her.

Kusaru pushed her down to the ground in front of him. She was on her hands and knees, her tail curling around me. All she could think about was missing Sesshomaru and wishing he was there. Wishing she could have stayed with him.

Tazuna walked right up to her and ripped her up by her hair.

"You dumb bitch. It's nice to see you again, after you ran away from your family, your home, your throne, just so you could go sleep around."

She gritted her teeth and looked up at him. "So I could sleep around? You beat me on a daily basis, why would I stay anywhere near you?!" He drove his fist into her stomach and pulled her back up by her hair again.

"Have you had enough?"

"Have you?!" She yelled. She didn't care anymore. She had just lost everything she cared about.

He snatched her wrist up and brought it behind her back and pulled up. She could feel her wrist ready to give. It hurt like hell but she refused to cry anymore.

"Submit you stubborn bitch!"

"Go to hell."

"Boy you've gotten awfully disobedient in my absence." Snap. It broke.

She let out a how of pain, but refused to let her tears fall from her eyes. He stomped on her tail, breaking part of that. Then the tears fell. She couldn't take it anymore, she was in too much pain.

"Is this what you enjoy?! Beating the piss out of me, so all my bones are broken and you have someone to obey you?! Maybe if you ran our lands right, people would obey you out of something other than fear!" He punched her across the face, throwing her into the wall. Her head slammed against it before she slid down the wall barely conscious.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

"Jaken gather Ah-Un." He needed to bring her back. Her home was with him.

"Of course Mi'Lord. May I come?" Jaken looked up gleefully.

"No. You must stay and watch Rin. I am going to find Mizuki."

"But Mi'Lord, she is back in her lands where she belongs."

Sesshomaru glared at Jaken before slamming his fist into his head. He quickly got up and scampered out to get Ah-Un ready. What was he thinking, letting her go with her brother. She seemed so sure of herself and willing that he just let her go. They will kill her. He wouldn't allow that to happen. He couldn't. He couldn't explain why, not even to himself, but she had to be safe. He would get her, even if it had meant starting a war. He would do the same for Rin. She was part of the Western Lands now. She was his responsibility.