Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha.

Genre

: Romance/Angst/Hurt

Pairing

: Sesshoumaru/Kagome

Summary

: Little Rin has died and Sesshoumaru doesn't know what to do. He looses himself to his beast, lost in emotions he hasn't felt in hundreds of years. Kagome is called to subdue the raging beast and in the process binds herself to the taiyoukai stronger then her bond with Inuyasha. With Sesshoumaru's subduing comes the price of being Lady of the West and with the title comes all the downsides and perks of being ningen royalty among a youkai court.

A Demon Lord's Cry
Chapter Eight: Mourning

x . . . . x

Kagome was currently nice and warm, tucked against her guards broad chest. They had sneaked into a bathhouse where she was able to warm up. Takeshi disappeared for a few minutes and reappeared with a dry kimono and a fur-lined traveling cloak. They waited for her hair to be notably dry and then he covered her in a thick blanket and disappeared into the evening. Now they were traveling at a decent pace toward a place she called home. Her heart yammered in her chest due to both excitement and apprehension.

She had no idea how her little Shippo was faring but she hoped he was at least somewhat better.

They had put some distance between themselves and the Western Citadel, Takeshi's soft breathing filling the cool evening.

Distantly both he and Kagome heard a distinctive howl. Both were able to recognize it due to the fact it had filled the castle only a few days prior.

"It seems like Sesshoumaru-sama has realized we have disappeared." Takeshi murmured. Kagome nodded her head and nibbled her bottom lip. "The hunt is on, Kagome-sama."

"Oh Takeshi, I'm sorry!" she said vehemently. "I forgot about the trouble you'll be in!"

"Do not worry, Kagome-sama, I can handle Sesshoumaru-sama's anger." he answered with a small smile though he knew it was mostly a lie. Sesshoumaru might tear him to pieces regardless of what he said or his reasons for running off with the Lady of the Western Lands. He internally flinched and sighed, pushing himself further and placing more distance between them and the undoubtedly angry taiyoukai. At the speed they were going, it wouldn't be long before they reached her village.

Thankfully, Edo was within the Western Territory and so it wasn't an overly long trip at the speed they were going and that speed was almost invisible to the untrained eye.

Kagome's right hand went to clutch the shards at her neck and they pulsed beneath her fingers. Her mind was racing. If Sesshoumaru was already hot on their heels, he would be pissed by the time he reached them. She would grab Shippo from Kaede's hut, head toward the well, and pray that with the jewel shards, Shippo could enter through time with her. The last time Shippo had tried to enter the well, there had been a large tree blocking the way. So she only hoped that with her power and the jewel shards combined, Shippo could pass through the portal that connected the distant future to the far away past.

As if sensing her desperation, Takeshi pushed himself harder.

.

It had only been minutes since Shippo had passed and Inuyasha couldn't seem to recall the last time he had actually shed tears openly for anyone.

Sango had gasped and collapsed to the floor, Miroku had paled and began praying, and Kirara had mewed sadly, bounding up to the prone form.

"Oh God, oh God - Kagome!" Sango whimpered. "We have to tell Kagome!" Sango's eyes had misted over, her tears falling along her cheeks as her hands trembled.

"There's no need, Sango." Miroku murmured as a few tears filled his eyes but refused to be shed. After all, he had to be strong for Sango, who he knew couldn't bare to loose anyone else. "I can sense her not far from the village."

Inuyasha took a deep breath and rubbed his eyes, jaw set as he stood.

"I'll meet her." he said gruffly yet softly.

"Would you like me to accompany - " Miroku's offer was brushed away as Inuyasha brushed past him and set foot outside. The scent of death clung to Shippo like a second skin rather then scent of sunshine and freshly dewed grass. He took a deep breath as the crisp air filled his lungs, his eyes moving along the snow covered village. He raised his nose to the air and sniffed several times before Kagome's scent eased through him, caught on the wind.

His brows furrowed as he scented another unfamiliar person with the miko and a low growl rumbled through his chest and he immediately set off in a blur of red, headed toward his friend.

.

"Stop, Takeshi." Kagome commanded gently and Takeshi slid to a stop, an expression of curiosity on his face. Kagome sensed him just before her hanyou companion leaped from the trees and landed before her and her guard. Kagome slipped from Takeshi's arms and ran the short distance to the red clad figure and jumped into his arms. The hanyou caught her effortlessly and encased her in his warm embrace, her face buried into the familiar rough fabric of his fire rat haori.

"Inuyasha!" she cried as she pressed herself against him, taking in the familiar scent of his clean and wind blown scent. Tears welled unwittingly in her eyes but she held them back. His claws found themselves in her raven hair, his golden eyes softened upon seeing her. "I missed you! You have no idea what hell I have been through these past few days." she whimpered softly, burrowing deeper against him. Inuyasha only clutched her tighter as a wind whipped around them gently, white strands of hair caressing ebony.

The unfamiliar youkai was currently forgotten considering that he stayed off to the side and attempted to appear as non-threatening as possible. Inuyasha pressed his nose to the crown of her head, familiarizing himself with scent once again. He said nothing as his throat tightened, he merely held her close, and closed his eyes as she soaked up as much comfort as she could. She had longed to be with her feudal protector while she was with Sesshoumaru, knowing that once she was with him everything would be alright.

After all, Inuyasha fought tooth and nail for both her life and her happiness.

Everything was always alright when she was with Inuyasha.

She was safe with him from everything, including Sesshoumaru's manipulation.

Had Inuyasha been with her, he would have stolen her away the moment everything went to hell and taken her to the furthest recesses of Japan where Sesshoumaru's reach didn't extend to make sure she was safe.

As her thoughts turned to Sesshoumaru she immediately pulled away slightly, eyes wide and frantic as she quickly tried to explain everything she needed.

"Inuyasha, Sesshoumaru is right behind us and I need to get both Shippo and myself to my time. Takeshi and I just managed to escape and I need - "

"You had to escape from my brother?" Inuyasha interrupted, dark brows furrowed, and Kagome nodded her head.

"It's a long story but in short, I'm Lady of the Western Lands without mating your brother and he wouldn't let me leave but - " her eyes became pained and her voice cracked as tears welled up once again within her cerulean gaze. " - I have to take care of Shippo. I have to take care of my son!" she whispered, her voice filled with desperation. "I need to go to him and try and take him to my time so we can hide from Sesshoumaru until he heals!"

Inuyasha, looking down at her eyes filled with such anguish, almost broke down and cried. She looked so much like his mother in that moment that it nearly killed him. He remembered soft, hazel orbs filled with a similar anguish as they looked down at his cuts and bruises. He remembered fierce hugs as she attempted to rid the hurtful teasing with her love. In Kagome he saw a desperate woman, without any other options, trying to take care of her son and make a better life for him.

"Kagome." Inuyasha spoke softly. "I have to tell you - "

"There is no time, Inuyasha! You can tell me on the other side of the well - "

Inuyasha's voice was thick and the words seemed stuck in his throat as he attempted to interrupt her and tell her of the events that had previously transpired. His eyes were filled with sympathy he hadn't known he had and tears unwilling entered the sun-kissed orbs. "Kagome!" he called again but she continued her desperate tirade.

" - Sesshoumaru won't be able to touch me on the other side and we have medicine in my time and warmth and Shippo can get better - "

Oh, how he wished he could nod his head and agree with her. She clung to the red fire rat robe, her hands clenched so tight that her knuckles were pale. He effectively silenced her when he brought his arms around her and pressed her head to his chest. He placed his head atop of hers and nuzzled her head with compassion he had never shown her in attempt to soothe and prepare her for the news he was about to unleash upon her, to soothe her in order to rip her world asunder.

Clawed hands held her gently but tightly against his chest as he softly, grievously, whispered words he wished weren't true. "Shippo is dead, Kagome. He died a few minutes ago."

The world stood still as Kagome stopped breathing.

Silence reigned for a few moments.

An ear-splitting scream tore through the air and sent the birds flying from the trees.

"No, no, no, no, NO!" Kagome whispered, horrified. Her knees shook and she would have collapsed had it not been for the fact that Inuyasha was supporting her weight. Her eyes darkened to black as Inuyasha slowly went to his knees and cradled her against his chest. There was a sightless look to her eyes as though she weren't really seeing Inuyasha in front of her but rather her mind was elsewhere. Her lips were parted with shock and her hands had lost their grip on his haori.

"Shh, Kagome, shh." Inuyasha murmured as he ran his fingers through her hair.

"I was too late." she whispered, her face paler then death itself, eyes wide with shock. "Again... I was too late."

She wanted to cry but she couldn't.

For some reason, she couldn't stop talking.

"He died and I wasn't there for him, oh God, who was with him? Inuyasha, who was with him!" she frantically cried as she clutched his haori again. "Please tell me there was someone with him!"

"I was, Kagome. I was with him." he responded gently and he told he, nothing held back, because she deserved the truth. "He woke up and he was scared, Kagome. He was frightened but he told me he loves you. He asked for a story and I told him several. He passed quietly as I held his hand." he explained, his fingers brushing the hair from her face. He waited for her tears but none came and he didn't know whether to be grateful or concerned. Surely her holding it in was unhealthy. He felt Kagome stiffen in his embrace and then stand, her gaze on the forest behind her. The inu Inuyasha had spotted to the side began to move forward as if to stop her and then Inuyasha caught a new scent about to be known. "Kagome - "

In that moment, Sesshoumaru stepped from the trees and Kagome became hysterical. She screamed, long and ragged and launched herself at the taiyoukai. He was briefly caught unaware though he had expected to find her in the clearing ahead. He didn't expect to her to leap at him and attempt to claw his eyes out with her nails. His anger and frustration at her melted away and was replaced by confusion. He caught her hands in his and scented salt on the air.

In her moment of wild anger, she didn't use powers but merely her body to try and damage him.

It seemed as though she had entered a berserk frenzy and was unaware of anything.

She was gone, lost to her grief, screaming at him.

"It's all your fault! It's your fault!" she screamed. His grip on her wrist was lost and she beat on his armor plated chest with all her might as tears and raven hair flew about. "I'll kill you for his death!" For a moment, Sesshoumaru was at a loss as he looked at the miko who had a wild look in her eye. He hadn't killed anyone. "Why couldn't you just let me bring him?" she cried, sobbing for all she was worth. "Why? He was just a child! He's dead and I wasn't there for him! My son died and I wasn't there!"

And then everything was put into perspective as he sucked in a breath, heart stilling in his chest for just a moment.

In his moment of realization, Kagome landed a hard blow to his cheek.

"You bastard! I'll kill you! I'll kill you!" she cried, her fists once again hitting his armor. He didn't make a move to stop her, he just let her cry and attack him. "You were with Rin but I was denied even that! All because you were a fucking asshole!" she cursed and sobbed and finally all the fight faded, leaving an empty shell of a strong woman. She was now at his feet, sobbing, whining, whimpering. Her grief was both beautiful in it's rawest form and heartbreaking.

Sesshoumaru, for once found it hard to move, hard to speak, hard to breathe.

He looked at the woman that was wringing her traveling cloak in her hands at his feet as she rocked herself back and forth and he was at a loss.

Was it truly his fault?

He wanted to deny it all and merely walk away but he was a lot of things but a youkai in denial was not one of them.

He owned up to his actions and he had to admit, had he let Kagome being her kit, there was a possibility he might have became better.

Her pain was palpable and knew that only a few days prior he had been the same way but instead of screaming and crying he had been howling.

A sharp pain filled him as he observed her fallen form.

This was his fault.

"I offer my condolences... I am sorry this has happened." he murmured thickly as she peered up at him with eyes lost and desolate.

"Your condolences?" she cried incredulously. "You - how - I don't want your fucking condolences! Your apologies won't bring him back! He is gone Sesshoumaru and it's your fault!" she screamed.

It was almost tragically ironic at how similar their situations were.

Once again he was at a loss at how to feel.

This was the Lady of the Western Lands and he had been cold to her cries and now he paid for it in full.

"Get away from me, Sesshoumaru, or I'm going to purify you." she finally whispered through her tears. "Get away or your existence ends here and now."

"Miko - "

"Back! Back! Back!" she finally hissed and the Lord found himself tossed nearly sixty yards away from her, subduing beads acting violently, as he landing on his rear.

Sesshoumaru merely sat there and knew he was deserving of far worse.

Yes, he hated the position he was in and yes he wanted to be rid of the woman and he had in fact come with the intention of dragging her back kicking and screaming.

Yet, he would have never had wished this on the woman.

Never because he knew her pain and it mirrored his own.

His jaw clenched and cradled his head in his hands, wanting nothing more then to pretend this whole ordeal had never happened.

Not only was Rin's death on his conscience but now the he had the kitsune's as well.

Kagome on the other hand was still sobbing, "It was his fault and yet I can't bring myself to hurt him because we have suffered the same."

Lord knew her power sizzled just under the surface of her flesh, aching to be released but no matter how much she wanted to hurt him, in the end she would have felt hollow, knowing that hurting him would have brought no comfort. It wouldn't have been her lashing out, it would have been a sense of vengeance and Kagome just didn't have it in her. She was both physically and emotionally exhausted from the trials of the past few days. She was spent. A clawed hand rested upon her head and she looked into the searching, emerald gaze of Takeshi.

"Kagome-sama... " he murmured gently and then he reached for her hand and pulled her to her feet, supporting her weight as he brought her to the hanyou. "Will you lead me to where she can rest? She has had a trying few days."

"Who are you?" Inuyasha asked tiredly, loosing his normal angry tone. Kagome wasn't screaming so the youkai was obviously a friend.

"I am Takeshi, Kagome's guard." Inuyasha merely nodded and took Kagome from the other males grip and cradled her to his chest like a new born babe. There was no more sobbing, just an endless stream of tears.

"I'll take you to village, come on."

Takeshi cast one look behind him, his eyes able to make out the form of his lord, sitting in the snow.

He had a choice; loyalty to the ningen female, or his youkai lord.

He followed the hanyou without a second thought.

.

Kagome had been placed in an abandoned hut with Inuyasha looking over her because Shippo's body currently rested in Kaede's. She was unresponsive to anything that was happening around her. Sango had hugged her and she had stared sightlessly at the sky. Miroku had tried to help her out of this trance but her grief was strong and unmoving. Nothing was causing a reaction in the young woman. Inuyasha had made a fire, laid her down, and ran his claws through her hair as she fell asleep.

When her breathing had evened and her dreams haunted her, Inuyasha's eyes hardened and he walked outside. Takeshi was standing just outside the door and Inuyasha nodded to him, "Will you watch her?"

"I will though I wonder where you will be going." Takeshi said softly.

"Out." was all the hanyou said tersely as he placed a hand on the hilt of Tetsusaiga and bounded off into the night.

Sesshoumaru wasn't that hard to find.

He was still seated in the same place he had been left and Inuyasha clenched his jaw.

"Why the fuck are you so upset, you fucking dick?" Inuyasha snarled. "This ain't happenin' to you, it's happenin' to Kagome!"

"You do not understand, whelp." Sesshoumaru murmured.

"Then help me understand because you make no sense! Takeshi told me what happened! You come here hell bent on dragging Kagome away and then you stop? Just like that? What are you scheming now?" Inuyasha's eyes were narrowed, his fingers twitching on the hilt of his sword.

He shrugged, "Her child is dead. Though I knew he was ill, I never thought he might actually pass."

"Why couldn't you just let her bring, Shippo? Was it such a hard request to grant? You're Lord of the Western fucking Lands!"

"Yes, Inuyasha, it was hard." Sesshoumaru responded, for the first time in all of Inuyasha's life, his elder sibling had never said his name with anything other then malice and distaste. This time none of that present, it was just in a tired, weary voice that his name was said.

"Why?"

"It was too soon." he murmured.

"Too soon?"

"Yes."

"Too soon for what?"

"Too soon after Rin's death..." the taiyoukai answered. "I could not have another child's laughter replace hers within it's halls. I could not see another child in the eastern wing where the family remembers reside, playing with her toys, running through her gardens, and replacing her scent with theirs."

In that moment, Sesshoumaru opened up and explained his reasons maybe because he truthfully had no one and Inuyasha though by half was still his brother.

Inuyasha was pack.

That was all that mattered.

"I loved Rin as much as I was able." he confessed solemnly.

Then he mourned before his brother, truly mourned, a single crystalline tear sliding down his cheek, because though he had been locked within the crypt with her body, he had been in the wrong state of mind for mourning and hadn't done it properly.

Inuyasha's hand fell away from his sword, his eyes wide because never would he had thought to see this side of his brother.

As his brother broke and fell apart before his eyes Inuyasha was stuck with a decision.

He could turn his back on his brother or he could extend a hand and try to begin to bridge the gap between him.

The choice was his.

He intended to turn tail and head back to the village, fuck Sesshoumaru.

As he made to take a step back he found himself taking several steps forward until he was standing in front of his brother. A soft, keening, whine fell past his lips as he placed his hand on his brother's shoulder. The taiyoukai looked up into the face he hated for many years, looked at the person he had tried to kill on more then one occasion and a responding whine fell from his lips as well. Inuyasha settled himself beside his brother and sighed as he lay his head on his shoulder tentatively, form tense for several moments. When nothing happened, Inuyasha relaxed and offered solace and comfort to one that was grieving because that was what pack did.

Sesshoumaru was his brother, he was hurting, and he was pack. Though they had their differences, Inuyasha chose to help him heal rather then turn away because sometimes...

Sometimes instinct was stronger then blood.

And deep down, Inuyasha had always wanted to be like his brother.

When Inuyasha appeared inside Kaede's hut, Sesshoumaru following behind, no one said a word though there was a tenseness that seeped through everyone being's body.

Sango's face was a mask of anger and she was only thankful that Kagome was currently sleeping in another hut.

"Guys... you know my brother." Inuyasha said gruffly though sheepishly.

Miroku, contrary to popular belief was most likely Inuyasha's closest male companion and immediately picked up on the wariness in his friend's gaze. He had no idea what had transpired outside in the forest but he knew that Inuyasha was worried his sibling would be cast out and he'd be forced to choose. An easy smile spread along his lips as he inclined his head to the youkai, "Welcome, Sesshoumaru-sama, what brings you our way?"

"The kitsune." was all he said and then he took several steps toward Shippo's prone body. Sango made a move to stop him but Inuyasha gripped her arm in his and shook his head.

Sesshoumaru looked down at the small kit and remembered another child that had been claimed by the winter.

His golden eyes narrowed and he was surprised to note that the goblins of the underworld were having a hard time grasping the kitsune kit's soul. Normally, when the body had died, the spirit moved on or hovered above the body for a few hours and the goblins came took it. For some reason, there was no hovering soul but instead it was partly in and partly out of the boy's body. A smirk curled his lips. It seemed the little kitsune was having the fight of his young life as he fought to keep his soul from leaving.

His eyes softened only briefly before returning to cool indifference.

Was his bond to the miko so strong?

Tenseiga pulsed at his side and Sesshoumaru gripped the Sword of Heaven within his hand and brought it down on the goblins that were clutching onto the pulsing orb. Said orb sunk back into the body it was supposed to inhabit.

The occupants waited with baited breath to see if the soul would take or if it would move on regardless of Sesshoumaru's power over the sword.

Minutes passed and Sesshoumaru looked to his sibling, "I have tried." was all he said and he turned from the room and began to walk out of the hut.

Just as he reached to push aside the screen, a soft cough and rasping wheeze came from the child on the floor.

Sesshoumaru smiled though there was no one there to see it and he stepped out into the cold.

"Rin is proud of her Sesshoumaru-sama." A childish voice whispered and Sesshoumaru stilled. "But there is still much to do. Both Rin and Sesshoumaru-sama were selfish in wanting to keep Kagome-chan from seeing Shippo-chan. Rin wanted her to take care you and you wanted her to do her duty." Sesshoumaru turned almost desperately, searching for the body the voice belonged to. "Rin knows that this one instant doesn't change a person over night but Rin hopes that you can change over time. Do not be cold to her Sesshoumaru-sama. Please try and give her a chance. Listen to her words rather then scorn them. Give her some freedom rather then cage her. We were both wrong in doing this to her. We made her suffer without reason and it could have all been avoided."

"You were never so insightful alive, Rin." Sesshoumaru murmured as her voice whipped around him.

"Death changes everyone." she giggled and Sesshoumaru closed his eyes savoring the sound.

"I will try, Rin, for you."

Then her presence was gone.

Cold, emotionless, Western Lord had never felt so much emotion in such a short amount of time and still he grieved.

Now though, now he was exhausted. He had been so desperate to hide everything he felt that he had in turn caused another to suffer as he had suffered.

It went against everything he was to shed tears as he had.

It went against everything he was to apologize to ningen miko.

It went against everything he was to express his emotion but in the end, after it was all said and reluctantly done...

He had never felt so light.

.

He smelled her turmoil before he entered the hut she resided and tears filled his turquoise orbs. He bounded softly into the room and Takeshi looked at the child with awe-struck eyes. Apparently, Sesshoumaru-sama had been busy. Clawed feet and ningen hands moved across the floor as they stopped before the fitfully sleeping female. His body shook, trembled, as he reached a hand to touch her cheek lovingly. He had died and he had been revived but in his moments of death, all he had wanted to do was see Kagome one last time and there she was.

His heart pound quickly in his chest.

"Kagome." he whispered softly, voice thick with emotion. She stirred and Shippo sat there with barely breathing. "Kagome." he called a little more forcefully. Her cerulean eyes opened and Shippo bit his bottom lip as he attempted to not cry.

"Shippo?" she asked softly as she blearily blinked her eyes. "Shippo." she breathed and then she scooped him into her arms and held him to her heart, right where he belonged, and she began to cry. She didn't care about the how or why all she cared about he was there and he was alive and right in her arms.

Sitting atop the hut where the two were reunited, Sesshoumaru listened to her sobs and soft exclamations, Rin's words echoing in his head.

"Rin is proud of her Sesshoumaru-sama."

.

.

.

'Gome Yuki:: I had planned on bringing Shippo back all along, pinky promise :3 RECAP: Both Sesshoumaru and Rin had realized they were wrong in what they were doing. Sesshoumaru was able to properly mourn Rin's passing as he observed Kagome's own grief and Inuyasha has chosen to bridge the gap he and his brother had. As stated, he won't change over night. He's still a jerk BUT now you know WHY he didn't want Shippo in his castle. Takeshi has chosen officially chosen sides. Alot of you are requesting it be Kagome x Takeshi but I have plans for them! Sorry but no but I guarantee it'll be awesome. The only REAL difference you'll see in Sesshoumaru is that he is going to try and be less Machiavellian.

I know that some of you not so nice people or those of you WITH constructive criticism will say, "OHMYGOD, he is OOC." I don't think so. Why? Because grief does strange things to people and brings them close together but it can also tear them apart. I believe that once he had seen Kagome in her own grief, he was able to come to terms with his own, OR at least realize it was there rather then ignoring it entirely.

This chapter was about family, mourning, and trying.

The next chapter is going to have less Sesshoumaru insight and more questions about the future. I like 30-40 reviews :3 You guys did AMAZING with reviewing! Hence the reason this chapter is coming out earlier then normal! THANK YOU!