Chapter 4

A collective gasp echoed through the room, a few looking angered, and many looking frightened and uncomfortable. They knew what lay at stake by this dismissal. Sesshoumaru turned to face his niece and nephew, and placed his back to Megahna. She stammered, her face growing red and looked around as everyone else did the same.

"You cannot send me back! You are honor bound to my father, you do no dare send me back!" her voice grew more shrill and panicked as she realized that it was exactly what was happening. Kohana glanced down at the folds of her kimono, keeping her eyes away from the enraged youkai woman as she stormed past, and felt a twinge of sympathy for her now rejected aunt.

Without another word, Sesshoumaru left the room, Keitaro quickly following on his heels, both looking serious and solemn. Kohana gathered up her skirts and quickly followed them out, ignoring the sudden uproar of commotion in the room as they left.

"Uncle," Keitaro spoke up, "You truly mean to dismiss her? What about the treaty? The Lord of the Southern Lands is allied with the East. If they combine forces, we might not be able to resist an attack."

"The East will not attack us," Sesshoumaru spoke calmly, "This Sesshoumaru has seen to all. It has been a long time that I have considered all the options." He paused a moment, before turning to the both of them.

"A strong alliance needs to be maintained both on paper and in person. Remember this when you are Lord, or Lady," he turned to Kohana with a strange look in his eye.

"I made the error of letting pride influence my decisions long ago. It was an error that has cost me peace, and my kingdom the unity of a strong bonded pair." He seemed almost to sigh, though Keitaro never heard the sound uttered from his lips. His shoulders fell.

"My father made the same error as a young man, when he mated with my mother. It was an error that the kami saw fit to correct when he met your grandmother. She was a powerful woman, ningen or not. I was young and rash for not seeing it at the time, and I was angered that he died to save her life." He paused a moment.

"Many will say I am weak for making you my heir, and many will say I now hunger for a human woman. However, you come from a linage that is powerful, both youkai and human. Rin was a woman who had more power and grace than many humans could ever wish for, and her granddaughter reflects the same qualities. Your mother and sister were exceptional humans, worthy of praise and honor."

Keitaro held his breath, confused. He had never heard his uncle open up to him like this. It was almost as if...could it be that he was saddened by his decision to dismiss Megahna?

Sesshoumaru stiffened in his posture, "That is all for the evening. I will speak to you both in the morning, to discuss how this new event changes both of your situations."

Kohana bowed low, and shuffled towards her room. She kept her pace slow and even until she heard her brother hurrying up to her side.

"Am I the only one who felt rather odd by that whole speech?" he whispered to her and she shook her head.

"I think, that perhaps Uncle has grown fond of her in this time. I don't think he wishes her to go."

Keitaro stopped in his tracks, "Are you insane? Who wouldn't be glad to be rid of her!"

Kohana shook her head, "You're a man Kei, you don't understand anything." He let off a 'keh' before she continued.

"Megahna has good qualities. She is a strong woman, and has the knowledge and power to be a strong leader. She is an asset to Uncle, and I think he knows this. I think he is more saddened because deep down, he might care for her and she doesn't return his feelings."

Kei leaned back against a support pole, his arms crossed in front of him, "I don't buy it. How could he love her?"

Kohana let a smile tease her lips, "Stranger pairs have this era known. Let's not forget the unwanted hanyou and the powerful miko woman from the future."

Kei glanced away with a huff as his sister continued, "And I do seem to remember that you and Francesca-neesama getting off on several wrong feet. I believe you threw her into a tree once?"

Kei flushed, and Kohana laughed. "I'm a woman, it's in my nature to notice these things. Now, let us go find our poor cousin, for I think that she may need family now, more than ever."