Chapter II

Inuhime was standing on the balcony of her brother's study. She was looking eastward, knowing full well where Sesshomaru was heading. She pouted. She wanted to meet the miko who Sesshomaru always had spoken about. Also she wouldn't mine seeing her youngest sibling. It didn't mattered to her if he was a hanyou. She still loved him. She knew if Sesshomaru really wanted to, he could have kill Inuyasha whenever he was a newborn pup. Lords have every right to go after those who have a legimate claim to his title. She seriously doubt that their half-sibling would want the title anyways.

Inuhime knew that one day that she would had to grace herself in his presence. The first time that she'd seen Inuyasha. She couldn't help, but to fall in love with him. He was so cute. She would had let him and his mother stayed, however, her mother didn't particularly liked that idea. Since Inukimi is alpha over her, she had no choice but to obey. She practically had to beg Sesshomaru not to kill their sibling. Yes, she was older than him, but he had to protect his place as lord. She remembered telling him that Inuyasha wasn't a threat to his title or his lands. However she didn't tell him that he could be a potiential threat whenever the time would come to pass for him to find a mate. She didn't understand that at the time why, but now she does. Whoever this female was must be special, that's what she knew for certain.

Inuhime felt her mother coming in the study. "Something's now your mind, darling?"

Inuhime nodded. "Mother, I believe that Sesshomaru has someone in mind, but isn't taking steps forward to court the female."

"Hn, what makes you think this, Inuki?"

"Because my brother is a coward."

Inukimi gasped at her daughter's words. "Inuki! How could you say such a thing? Sesshomaru is the bravest youkai out there!"

Inuhime looked at her mother boringly. "He may be brave in the expect of war or protecting his lands and so forth. But I wasn't talking about that."

"Then what were you talking about then?"

"Emotions, mother. He's afraid of his emotions. Those good emotions that makes one do things that one would never expect them doing, no matter how ridiculous it may be."

"Yes, with good reason, too. His father perished because he loved that human bitch and his bastard pup."

"Mother, Inuyasha isn't and has never been a bastard. You know this as much as this Inuhime and Sesshomaru knows it, too. Why would brother would be compelled to kill the hanyou, then, hmm?"

Inukimi hated to admit it, but her daughter was right. Inuhime looked at her mother with soften eyes. She knew why she felt nothing, but bitterness towards her father's human mate. The annoucement of his mating to Izayoi was sudden. It didn't give her mother or her brother time to have it sunk into their thick and stubborn skulls. It was unexpected because inuyoukai rarely, if ever, taken a second mate. There were moments in time that such a thing occurred, but the said lord of that time would had another demoness of their tribe or a demoness of a different species like a hyouyoukai* to be their second mate. Her mother was furious, which she didn't blame her, but still... it was father's choice. She really have no say in the matter. Yes, she could yell, throw tantrums, and such, but it wouldn't had change her father's mind.

Inukimi had never really resented Inuyasha for his father's wayward ways, because as Inuhime would put it, 'The pup is innocent. He didn't asked to be here.' However, after her mate died she wouldn't let her daughter bring Izayoi and Inuyasha into the palace because of her anger and resentment. Over time, though, she let go of her resentment toward the human and her pup.

"Mother, if I may ask you a hypothetical question." Inukimi looked at her for a moment and nodded. "I must warn you that you may not like the answer."

"Just ask your question," Inukimi demanded.

"How would like if his future mate be a human?"

"What?!"

"Think about it for a bit, mother. The bitches who pine to be Sesshomaru's mate are only after his titles and the privileges that will come with them. They weren't care about love, devotion, loyalty, or even him for that matter. Would you want to some bitch using him?"

Inukimi sighed. "Of course, but..."

"No, buts mother."

"Inuki, he hates humans."

Inuhime sighed. "I know," she yelled in frustration. "There's got to be a human..." She stopped speaking at mid-sentence. "Mother when will the bitches come?"

"Well, they should be here by the end of this week. Why?"

Inuhime ignored her last question. Inukimi rolled her eyes at her daughter's Sesshomaru-like antics.

Meanwhile a few miles from Edo, Sesshomaru, who was using his youki orb to travel, spotted Kouga and went ahead of him to make his appearance. Kouga slid into a stop.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" All Sesshomaru did was nod. "Is there a problem?"

Sesshomaru thought about how he should ask the Eastern prince about the reasons why he would want to mate with a human. His beast didn't like that idea at all, but he remained silent.

Kouga waited patiently for the Western Lord to answer his question. "Prince Kouga, this Sesshomaru heard from his half-brother that you keep claiming the miko. Is this Sesshomaru correct?"

Kouga's eye brow quirked. "Yes. Why? What did the dog turd say?"

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. He doesn't appreciate the wolf talking like that about his half-brother. However...

"What Inuyasha said to this Sesshomaru is none of your concern. This Sesshomaru wonders why you pursue the miko? This Sesshomaru has an understanding that the miko rejected your claim many times over. He wants to know, why?"

Kouga regarded him for a minute, contemplating to answer him or not. He inwardly shrugged. "Kagome is the most beautiful, caring, intelligent woman. She'll make a fine mate for me. She'll make a fine mother to my pups."

Sesshomaru knew this to be true. Kagome would make a mate and mother of pups. She was also all those things that Kouga describe her as well.

"But she's human." Kouga shrugged. "Yeah, she's also a powerful miko."

"You don't mind her being human. Will you risk ridicule from your court and also upon your people?"

Kouga smirked. "She's like a sister to my pack. They accepted her with no qualms at all. They also know my claiming of her."

"This is perplexing and intriguing, indeed," Sesshomaru thought. Kouga was looking at him suspiciously, "Why would you care on who I claim to be my mate?"

"This Sesshomaru doesn't. This one is curious is all." His beast snarled, "You lie! You do care!" Without another word, Sesshomaru turned around and went towards Edo.

Kouga was smirking as he had seen the Western Lord disappear from sight. He said, "Like I will tell that dog turd the real reason." He turned around and went to his cave.

As Sesshomaru was flying, he was contemplating on what Kouga said. His beast snarled, "If you keep this up, he will mate with our mate!"

"Silence, beast!"

"Master, he's withholding information. I can sense it. I know you could too."

"There was no deceit in his words."

"No, but that doesn't mean that he's not withholding something,"

"Hn."

Sesshomaru landed just outside of Edo, near the Bone-Eater's Well in Inuyasha's Forest. He looked at the seemingly innocent old well.

"I wonder if the wolf knows where she's really from."

"Hn. I don't believe so, master."

"Hn."

Sesshomaru walked to the elder miko's hut. He flared his youki making sure Inuyasha and the others know that he was near. Rin came running out the hut with Shippo. "Lord Sesshomaru, welcome back!" Kagome followed behind them with Inuyasha by her side.

A thought just entered Sesshomaru's mind. "Inuyasha, do you remember someone named Inuhime?"

Inuyasha looked at his half-brother strangely. "Keh, no. Why would I?"

Sesshomaru thought, "Of course, he was but a pup at the time." "Well, little brother, she's our sister."

To say that Inuyasha was shock was an understatement. "I-I have a sister."

"Well, technically, she's your half-sister, but a sister nevertheless."

Inuyasha looked at his half-brother. "So, did the old man had another mate?"

A legitimate question. "No, she's this one's twin," Sesshomaru stated proudly.

Rin took this time to add, "It's true, Lord Inuyasha. Inuki is Lord Sesshomaru's twin. She's nice and sweet. She watched over me when my lord wouldn't let me venture out when he patrols his lands."

Kagome added, "Well, she seemed like a good person to meet."

"You are in luck miko. This one's twin would like to meet you and also get to know our little brother."

"Keh, why should we go and meet her? Why she'd never came for me or anything? If she's this nice and sweet as Rin says then why..."

"Inuyasha, she probably has her reasons. I would like to meet her. Please Inuyasha!"

"No!"

"Inuyasha, you know you want to meet more of your family."

"No! If she's the bastard's twin, then there's a good chance that she is just like him."

Sesshomaru snorted at his comment. Inuhime wasn't anything like her twin. "This one assures you, little brother, that Inuhime isn't anything like me."

By the sound of Sesshomaru snort and his statement about Inuhime. Inuyasha said, "Fine, we'll go."

Kagome squealed as both brothers winced. "Oh, sorry, but can Sango, Miroku, and Shippo come, too?"

Sesshomaru nodded. "We'll leave at dawn."

AN: *hyou means panther or leopard.

Inuyasha (c) Rumiko Takahashi

Fanfiction & OCs (c) ladytari