A/N: Well, been an awful long time....
Sess: Yes, Jade, it has. You would make a terrible ruler.
ToJ: What? Why?!
Sess: You're too negligent. All your subjects would rise against you. I for one would assassinate you. Of course, I'm not yours to command, of course.
ToJ: Yeah, yeah....
Patience
Chapter Eight: Conundrum
Sesshomaru strode confidently to his study. He actually considered smiling. 'I can't deny it. She's what I want.' Admiring the beauty of a passing servant, he decided that his Rin was much more fair. 'Far more delicate. And so much softer.'
Once he had reached his study he sank back into the ebony chair that was a gift from a Chinese Dragon, he let his body totally relax. He felt a glow build in his center. He felt like a pup, wanting to run about and bark loudly for everyone to hear of his love.
"No. I've got an even better idea." He stood and turned to the wall behind him, which was covered in little cubby holes with documents placed neatly in each hole. He scanned the shelves, searching for something special. "Jaken!"
The little toad scuttled through the shoji, bowing awkwardly. "Yes, Lord Sesshomaru-sama!"
"Jaken" Sesshomaru's golden eyes glittered with mirth, "Fetch me a pot of Bonding Ink."
Jaken's eyes became as large as saucers, "My Lord! You are taking another concubine!"
A small smile crept at the corners of Sesshomaru's mouth, "No. I'm taking a mate."
Jaken wailed in dissolution. "But, why, my Lord?"
Again he smiled. Lifting his shoulders in a slight shrug, he answered, "Because it suits me."
Jaken's expression sobered. "It's that Kouga, isn't it? He couldn't have his Miko, and you've never taken much interest in females of your own kind. I knew it would be him."
To say that Sesshomaru was shocked was a gross understatement. The look of disbelief on his face as his hands dropped limply to rest on the arms of the chair was almost comical as he gaped at Jaken. "What..." he sputtered inelegantly.
"I knew it the moment he stepped into the bath with you. I heard the growling." Jaken crossed his arms and pouted. "Oh, Master, you could have at least let me serve your offspring. Now there will be no offspring. I knew there was another reason for this whole 'bondmate' ritual."
Sesshomaru shook his head and leaned back to the wall, drawing a sheet of paper from the bottom row. "Now," he folded the paper in thirds and signed it, "Jaken, you will fetch it, and make sure you hand this recipe to the Stationist. It is imperative."
"Hai, Sesshomaru-sama." Jaken pouted.
"Good." He stared at the little youkai, waiting for something. Slightly annoyed at the way his manservant was wistfully staring at him, he prodded, "Well, go on."
Jaken yelped and ran out the shoji as fast as he had come.
When he was gone, Sesshomaru let loose and laughed long and hard. His body convulsed and he leaned back into the chair, hiccupping just a little as he tried to reign in his laughter.
Throughout the rest of the den, his subjects cowered.
The two servants redressing Rin sighed as the heard Sesshomaru's howl ring through the corridor. It signaled the end of the Second Ceremony. Aki sat shaking in tears on the bed. "Rin"
"Yes?" She turned her head away from the mirror and the two women working furiously at the ties of her last layer of silk.
"I can't let you jeopardize your standing with Lord Sesshomaru-sama. He could dispose of you."
The two youkai finished and stepped back, bowed, and left the room, leaving the two alone. "Don't be ridiculous, he'd never hurt me." Rin bowed in return.
"But how do you know?" Aki stood and frantically paced back and forth. "How do you know he won't tire of you and just kill you and be done?"
"Because." She smoothed the layers from her waist, checking to make sure everything was perfect before she went to Sesshomaru. She was pleased by the image she presented. Her hair was perfectly coiffed and oiled to shine like obsidian, her face was white as snow and her lips were red as blood. She liked the orange of the robes, because they reminded her of the garment she had worn when she was young. She hoped they'd remind him, too. "I am pack."
She looked out her window. The sun was setting, and it would be dark by the time she got to Sesshomaru's quarters. She had to move so slowly in the beautiful dress. All of silk and all beautifully patterned, it was heavy, and she had to take care not to harm it.
"Aki, I've got to go now. He'll be finished with his duties for this evening. I want to be there when he gets back." She looked down at her perfectly manicured fingernails.
"I understand." Aki wiped a tear from her eye. "Thank you, Rin-sama." She bowed and Rin bowed back, turned and walked towards the shoji screen doors, and left when the servant outside opened it.
When she reached Sesshomaru's quarters she was surprised to find that it smelled strongly of ink, which lay out on the desk. She was surprised to see the shadow of his muscular figure on the changing screen, lit from behind. She saw his head turn, then the candle was snuffed out. He came around the corner, wearing only his silken hakama. His hair, long and shining in the candle light, hung freely, as it always did, to his waist. But something was inexplicably...erotic...about the contrast between it and his warmly tanned flesh. Rin felt herself flush as her gaze drifted over his muscular torso.
"Rin?" Sesshomaru crossed the room to her. "What're you doing here?"
"I can leave, if you like." She turned to go.
"No."
He moved swiftly to block her from leaving. He looked her over, noting that she was in her festival robes. "Where were you, Rin?"
"Trying to get these robes on." She smiled and shook her head. "I guess I still wanted you to see them, even if I didn't make it to the second ceremony."
Sesshomaru watched the color creeping into her cheeks. He could smell her scent spiking, could hear her heartbeat racing. She looked so beautiful, glowing in the light of his lamps. In his chambers. On the night he was going to mark her as his. And she had come to him on her own.
He stepped closer to her. "I love it." He reached out to her and roughly drew her into his embrace, his eyes flashing red for just a moment. He inhaled the scent of her hair, heavily perfumed, but underneath was the smell of his Rin. And the smell of his Mark of Intent. He had never noticed it before, how much of his scent she took on. Most unwilling females rejected his scent when they were not mutually exclusive, but Rin seemed to have wrapped hers around his, so that hers almost seemed to blend with his. Almost. Soon it would be the same. But he could smell her fear and apprehension, as well as feel her trembling body. "I won't hurt you."
Rin squeezed her eyes shut tightly and murmured. "I came to offer myself as a replacement for Aki." She fisted her hands in his hair, against holding them against his chest. "She has a chosen life mate. She wants to be with him, but unless you let her she can never be happy. I could never live knowing how miserable she would be if I didn't do what I could to help her. I have no life mate or lover. I offer myself as an equal, if not greater, replacement."
Sesshomaru quickly plummeted into an icy rage. He suddenly felt detached from himself. "No lover? No life mate?" He pulled away from her and looked into her eyes. He saw how they shone and trembled. His body ached for her, as did his soul. "No."
"But, Sesshomaru-sama.."
"I SAID NO!"
He tossed her away from him. She landed on the floor, her hair came down and her robes slipped askance, some of the complex ties coming untied as she fell, leaving her almost transparent inner robe open to his gaze. "My Lord..."
"Who are YOU," he shouted, "To challenge MY decree. I am the Lord of the Western Lands. And what are you? Just a filthy human child whom I should have discarded long ago! You are nothing to me! Nothing!" His eyes bled red, and his claws glowed green. "I was going to mark you with my blood, but now I'll do it with my claws. Like one of my lowest concubines." He approached her, the claws of his left hand dripping in poison.
But when he reached her, he saw her trembling form, lying helplessly before him, and she was not even moving to protect herself. A great roar welled up in his chest as he crumpled before her. She reached out to soothe him, but he jerked away from her touch.
"If you wish to do so, fine. Go ahead and do it, but it will not be with my blessing. I will not sanction you nor your pups. Do you understand this, Rin?"
She tried to keep her eyes lowered and her voice steady. "Hai, Sesshomaru-sama."
He was quiet for a moment, and then stood swiftly. "If Kouga rejects your offer, I will not have you disgracing my halls any longer. You will be sent to live with my brother and his bitch; do you understand this, Rin? You will no longer be permitted to follow me if you leave this room and go to him."
"Sesshomaru..." She whispered his name and tears began to course down her cheeks.
"I am Lord Sesshomaru-sama to you, wench. You will not address me so personally. He looked down at her disheveled form and he felt a whimper begin to build in his throat. He suppressed it quickly. "Now get out."
Rin gathered her garments about herself and backed out of the room cautiously. Once she was outside his door he drew himself up and glared at her.
"But, Sesshomaru-sama..."
"Goodbye, Rin."
He slammed the door in her face.
She sank down on the floor and sobbed. "But I don't want to go to him! Not if you want me...Oh, Sesshomaru-sama!"
She sat at the door and scratched at the shoji "Sesshomaru-sama! Sesshomaru Sama!" She wailed and cried and carried on, while he stood inside the doors, steeling himself against her cries, while his own tears dripped steadily down his face.
"Go to your quarters, human, and pack what is yours. You will be leaving tomorrow morning with Kouga and his wolf clan, if he will have you. If not, you shall go with Inuyasha. Either way, you will be leaving my home. I give you freely to the world, may it do with you as it will."
He gave an order in inuyoukai, and guards appeared to drag Rin back to her rooms, where she was greeted by Aki and Sumisu wrapped in each other's embrace.