A/N: Sorry it took me so long to get back to you guys. Sesshie decided to …have a little fun. :glares:

Sess: I'm not the one who signed you up for twenty four credit hours. You did that yourself.

ToJ: You're the one who attacked the teacher!

Sess: I can do that if I want. You don't own me.

Patience

Chapter 9: Preperations.

When Sesshomaru woke up the next morning, he looked around at the havoc he had wreaked upon his habitat. Everything in his room was destroyed. The bed had long gashes and there were feathers everywhere. Whole pieces of furniture had been rendered into splinters, and there were ink spots on the tatami where he had shattered almost every inkwell he could find. There was even blood spattered on his sheets. It was evident that he had lost control of himself in his grief.

'I need to prepare for the last ceremony. I need to give. I need to give the Bondmate. It was my ultimate choice, and they shall get whatever I give them, even if it is human.' Sesshomaru lifted himself off of the floor, and picked at his tattered garments. "Jaken!"

The toad scampered in. "Oh my! Sesshomaru-sama are you alright? Have you been hurt?" Sesshomaru fixed him with an icy glare and he bowed and extended an ornate inkwell to him. "Here you are. I just got it back this morning. You are intending to do this today, aren't you?"

Sesshomaru stood and took the inkwell in his hand, clasping it tightly. "What concern is it of yours, Jaken? You should not be concerned with the succession. I shall live long enough. Perhaps one of my concubines shall bear a child. Call Kouga to me. I need to speak with him."

Jaken bowed, "Forgive me, My Lord, but I already took that liberty. He is waiting just outside. I shall send him in." The little toad bowed once more, and left the room.

Moments later, Kouga barged through the door. "Is this some kind of sick joke? You want to mate me? I hate to tell you this, Sess, but I've never quite felt the same way."

Sesshomaru rolled his eyes. "Shut up, Kouga and listen. I have no desire to mate you."

Kouga stopped pacing. "Oh. Good."

"But I have chosen a different bondmate for Hakaku."

"Who, may I ask, is to take the lovely Aki's place?"

"Rin." Sesshomaru studied the wolf closely as he resumed his pacing.

"No way, dog breath. I was willing to mix youkai bloodlines, but to force one of my most loyal and trusted men to mate a human against his will! No. You ask to much, old friend."

"You were once, and still if my perceptions were right, willing to mate a human."

"Sess, that was my decision. This is us making a choice for a good warrior and making a poor one. We condemn his bloodline!"

"Do not be so sure of that, Wolf. She has some of my blood in her. I actually considered mating her myself, but I have decided that she would be the best tie for us to use. I will protect her more than I ever would Aki."

Kouga shifted his weight from foot to foot, anxious at the idea of taking Sesshomaru's beloved Rin. "Are you sure you're not just disposing of a temptation that you can't deny?" Kouga gestured to the chaos that surrounded them. "I assume this is what happened after you made this decision."

"She made it."

Kouga blinked in disbelief. "What? She rejected you?"

"Yes. I am quite sure that she is revolted by the idea of me. She offered herself as a replacement."

"Sess, are you sure she knew your intent?"

"I appeared before her, vulnerable. That should have been enough."

"She's not a youkai, Sess. These reactions are not built into humans. They have to be told things."

"Kouga, take it or leave it."

He stood with his arms folded in front of his chest. "I don't have any objections, but I think we should let Hakaku choose."

"So be it. Call him."

Kouga howled and Hakaku came running. "My lords." He bowed. "You wished to talk with me.?"

Kouga turned to Hakaku. "Sesshomaru has decided to change the bondmate."

Hakaku frowned. "But why? She was perfect!"

Sesshomaru tapped his fingers together. "I am offering you Rin, Hakaku."

Hakaku shook his head in dismay. "But, she's…she's human!"

"A human I would give my life for." His golden eyes darkened as he said that, and for the first time since he was a small pup he had to hold back tears.

Hakaku could smell the unhappiness rolling off Sesshomaru in waves. "I will only take her if you insist."

"I do, damn it all!"

The two wolf brothers looked at each other and bowed to Sesshomaru. "As you wish, Inutaisho," Kouga silkily spat. With that they both exited the room.

Sesshomaru turned to face his open window. He looked out and saw the crowd gathering for the dismissal. "Jaken! Fetch me my spare robes!"

"Lady Rin." Hakaku bowed as he entered her room. He looked around, and noticed the chaos as numerous female inuyoukai packed belongings into traveling cases. "I do hope you are not unhappy with your Lord's decision."

Rin turned to him and smiled, "No. Of course not. It is what I requested, after all." She clapped her hands and the servants finished up their packing and left the room. "It is what's best for all parties involved."

Hakaku frowned. "I'm not so sure of that, Lady." He walked over to a cushion and sat down. "How is this what's best for me? I didn't even want mixed youkai offspring. How is it best for you to always be looked down upon and resented by your husband? How is it best for Sesshomaru? He is losing you."

Rin waved her hand in dismissal. "He loses nothing. Only a mere human child whom he has reared and allowed as a pet."

He rose. "I don't think either of you knows just how much you are losing."

"That may be, husband. That may be."

Hakaku cringed at her use of his impending title. "Do not use that yet. For neither of us wants it to be a reality until it must." He bowed and backed towards the door. "Lady."

She returned the gesture and went back to her packing.

The sun rose fully and clearly over the horizon as Sesshomaru stood out in front of the Den, before the crowd. He cleared his throat tentatively.

"The Festival has brought many unexpected things, this year. One of which is the bonding of the Ookami and the Inu tribes by the way of a bond mate. Present the girl."

A few white inuyoukai stepped forward carrying a litter. They drew back the curtain and inside was Rin, dressed in her finest robes. "Kouga, Lord of the Wolf Tribe," Sesshomaru called down to him from the top of the stairs, "Take this precious gift, and let her and all her offspring be the symbol of our bond. I give her to you, on this light of the first morning, may you get many strong pups from her and I wish your tribe happiness in the coming year. Do you accept this gift, Kouga-sama?"

"Yes, I do."

"Then the ceremony has come to a close. I wish you all well in the coming year." He dismissed everyone, and watched as Kouga's men took the litter from his own and began the journey to the Northern lands. He stood firm as he watched her disappear into the forest, and only when everyone had gone and he was in his ruined room alone did he shed his tears for his lost love. For his mate that he had willingly given away.