I take it that those who have read it like the story? Good, I work hard on it.

Quiet Escapist: Well, I'm very, no, extremely flattered that you think my grammar is very well written. I'm actually failing my English classes right now…eh he…

The rest: Well, I'm writing more, so keep on reviewing! Neecha likes reviews, yes she does…

() Means an author's note will be included down at the bottom.

-

Sesshoumaru wasn't one to sit inside a dreary castle all day. Unfortunately, the storm outside seemed to wage war with the youkai's desires. If the storm were an adversary, Sesshoumaru would add his head to the trophy cabinet in the main chamber. But nature isn't a tangible foe, thus Sesshoumaru's claws were forced to remain peaceful. He had been pacing around the interior of the castle, even going as far as the servant's quarters. Few dared to stand in their lord's path.

Pleased with his fearing audience, he left the shuddering maids to their laundry, with one less mouth to feed. His claws were tainted with a noisy maid's blood, one that the proud youkai would not stand on his outer appearance. With his white fur swishing behind him, he stole off to his private chamber.

Once the sticky red substance was removed from his digits, he turned to his window, with rain running down the glass. What the face didn't show, the eyes did. Sesshoumaru's cold, merciless eyes were no longer their. If possible, they had been replaced with lonely, broken eyes. What was it about these stormy nights that he hated so much?

"Father…" The youkai lord's deep, emotionless voice echoed along the stone interior. A low rumble of thunder sounded off a few moments after his voice. Now he remembered…he now knew what it was about this storm. It had been a stormy night, not as mild as the one raging outside now, but a storm nonetheless. The arrival of that…that thing that had ruined it all…

-

The Inu no Tashio walked into the dining chamber, his flea advisor jumping and skipping along to keep up with his lord. Sesshoumaru, younger but looking no different, also walked by his father's side, tall and proud. The future Inu no Tashio had a sort of snobby smirk on his complexion, different from the cold-hearted youkai that he would soon become. All three youkai sat down at the table, across from ningen.

Ningen didn't bother Sesshoumaru. Ningen were allies in time of war, but he wouldn't want to become deeply involved in their affairs. Youkai and Ningen weren't exactly friend or foe, but they had never had a problem before. That was…until the death of the Inu no Tashio's late wife, Sesshoumaru's mother. No one could figure out how the mistress of the land had perished, and blame had passed between the two races. The war negotiations were being held right at that moment, in the very room that Sesshoumaru and his father occupied with the Ningen party accused of slaying his mother. The smirk on his face was backed behind with the though of what his father would do to these lowly Ningen if he found out that they were responsible.

"Twenty-two years have passed, Jintu. You and I both know that continued warfare is useless until we sort out the truth. Now, I sit here, a respectable being, and wait for your testimony. I can tell if you're lying or not, Jintu, so let's not bring your tall tales into my chamber."

The Ningen warlord bowed his head in respect to the Youkai warlord. He coughed, and gave his speech.

"Inu no Tashio, we've been good allies and even better friends to you and your troops. Why would we have attacked, and even killed your mate? Do you think us mad?"

"No, no, that isn't what I'm passing judgment for. Your men…some seemed to have talked about tayjia before, so that they could hire them to eliminate my family and take my wealth. Are you sure that you know of no one who could have actually done this?"

"I would have told you and taken these men into private discussion, you know that. What gave you that idea anyways?"

The youkai's voice became low, as did his facial expression. He threw a white pelt onto the table, a white dog's pelt. Jintu took one guess as to what it may have belonged to.

"My mate's name has been dishonored, as mine had been. To take the life of my lover, then to dare give me her pelt back, that is the true reason to why we are here. Now Jintu…tell me again your story. Keep honest, and I can guarantee your life to be lived out to old age."

Jintu, as the man's name was, bowed his head low. "Good friend…it was indeed one of my men that called upon the slayers' services." Sesshoumaru's father's face became grim and angry, but he allowed Jintu to continue. "I am no longer the leader of my own army. My brother has been on the throne for all of these warring years. He was the one to order the murder of your mate. It was he whom sent her pelt back to you. But that doesn't make up for what my former people have done to you. I have been a dishonored man, my lord. I cannot do a thing but beg your mercy." Jintu then got up from his seat and bowed down fully to the angry lord in front of him.

Sesshoumaru's face was in disbelief. How…how dare this…this dirty Ningen come into his household and announce that he was a part of his mother's death! He stood to kill the traitor, but his father placed his arm out in front of him.

"Sit down, Sesshoumaru. This is not the place nor the time for bloodshed."

Furious, Sesshoumaru sat back in his seat, his long claws waiting for the chance to strike the man down. His father looked down at the groveling Ningen.

"Jintu…I am ashamed for you. But, even though I cannot truly blame you for her death, your villages shall have to pay the price. My sentence for you and your people is this. You are to send the fairest maiden, unmarried, to me. She must be deemed as the most beautiful woman of your people. She will stay with me permanently, and she will be allowed little contact with her family members. I will wait two week's passing before I change my mind and send my troops into your villages."

"…Yes, Inu no Tashio…we will have your new maiden to you in the time allowed. Thank you…" Jintu got up and began to walk out the doors.

"Jintu…" The Ningen looked back at the youkai lord. "I'm sorry it had to turn out this way between our people, Jintu. You may go." The Inu no Tashio stood and waved his hand to the doors. Jintu took a bow of respect before exiting the youkai's abode, to inform his lord of the negotiations. Sesshoumaru's father turned to his son, a hint of anger in his eyes. Sesshoumaru himself rose from his seat, emotion strong on his person.

"You let the traitor get away! You just let him walk out!" He yelled at his father. The lord wasn't threatened by Sesshoumaru's outburst.

"I'm just as angry as you are!" He bellowed back. Sesshoumaru became quiet. Inu no Tashio continued. "You know that I love your mother more than my own life. I wanted to kill him to, but spilling more blood will just continue this war. It would be pointless to just kill him. What good would come of that, tell me!"

"Revenge!"

"You are wrong, Sesshoumaru. If I killed Jintu, someone would try to kill me in revenge. And if I were to die, you'd continue the bloodbath until both families are wiped from existence. Sometimes, peace is the better path. I've taught you this more than anything else." He put his hand onto Sesshoumaru's shoulder. "I'm saving both families shame. Your mother wouldn't want her son to be like this. You need to help me in these times…I won't be Inu no Tashio forever. You will someday take my place. This is just one of the many hard decisions you'll have to make in your ruling days. Do you somewhat understand?"

Sesshoumaru did not look at his father. "Yes sir. I understand." His father removed his hand.

"Good. Come now, we need to give your mother's remains the proper respect that she deserves." Inu no Tashio then took the pelt of his former mate and held it close to his chest, silently grieving. Sesshoumaru followed his father out of the chamber, brooding over his father's words.

It was a few days later, after the negotiations had revealed stunning news. Sesshoumaru sat with his father in the throne room, waiting to see whom Jintu's people had sent. One woman walked up, young and graceful. Of course she was Ningen, but her beauty was of divine spirits. Her hair was long and pitch-black, the exact opposite of the white-haired youkai she stood before. Even her steps were long and graceful, as if she were walking upon a soft cloud. Sesshoumaru cocked an eyebrow at the Ningen beauty, a bit stunned by her looks.

Inu no Tashio seemed to not be bothered by her pretty face. "State your name to your new lord," he calmly ordered, his voice loud enough to just barely echo off of the walls.

She bowed down to them both. "My name is Izayoi. My former lord commanded me to come here as of the peaceful negotiation rules. I am here to serve you in any way you deem me fit." Izayoi continued to bow down.

'She'd more than likely be a concubine to my father, if anything,' Sesshoumaru thought as he watched her rise from her bowing state. Inu no Tashio rose up and began to walk to her.

"Indeed your beauty has outdone even youkai queens," he stated as he cupped her face in his clawed hand. She made no move to tear herself away from him. Instead, a wave of fear washed over her as her eye caught a glimpse of the dangerously sharp nail next to her eye. Inu no Tashio caught onto this very easily.

"Izayoi-sama, you have no need to fear me or my family. You are here as a permanent guest, and you will be treated as such. I will give you what you wish. You need not do anything here."

"…I am grateful, Inu no Tashio."

A rare smile, which was rather small, raced across the lord's lips. "Please, it would be best to call me by name. Touga is my name." ()

"Yes, Touga-sama."

Sesshoumaru's young mind raced with thoughts. His father never gave his name to Ningen! Even worse, she wasn't to be a new servant, or even a concubine! She was to be as an equal! The young inu youkai said not a word as he slipped away to his private chambers.

A few years had passes since Izayoi had arrived. Sesshoumaru began to become weary of the Ningen woman's actions when it came to his father. She was allowed to sit with them at mealtimes, to walk around in expensive kimonos, even to have her own servants! It was an outrage! His father was treating Izayoi like…like his mate.

No, he dare not think it. No Ningen woman could even be enough to please the heart of his father. Sesshoumaru, even though he told himself that this was not to be, was proven wrong. Izayoi had more than once been stolen away to his father's sleeping chamber, for far more than talking. He was no imbecile! Dare he say it? Was his father…in love with her? Or was he merely pleasing his desires? This woman, from the band that killed his first love, was this woman to become his relative?

Stormy weather. That was the first thing to be remembered. It was the day that Sesshoumaru last spoke to his father with emotion in his heart. The youkai lord went to his son's room, a now normal smile on his face. Sesshoumaru hated that smile, but said nothing to displease his father.

"Wonderful news, Sesshoumaru! You will soon have a mother again!"

'No…'

"Izayoi is to become my new mate."

'No…'

"Now we are a whole family again!" The youkai gave a hearty laugh.

"No." Sesshoumaru's voice was icy and cold.

Inu no Tashio stopped laughing. "What do you mean?"

"No. I won't allow you to bond to a Ningen."

"Sesshoumaru, you know that you aren't my father, you are my son. You should respect my wishes with full pride."

"You want to become family to someone who killed mother?" Sesshoumaru asked, high tension boiling in his blood.

"She didn't kill your mother."

"But she's a Ningen, a lowly creature unfit for you!"

"Watch your tongue!" Inu no Tashio's voice became loud enough to silence his son. "You will not disrespect my new mate, nor will you think any less of her. She will be treated as I would to be treated if I am away. Do you understand me in full?"

"…" Sesshoumaru said nothing, but he walked past his father. Being too angry to even speak, he trudged outside, into the storm.

-

It wasn't long after that until…he…was born. A mixture of two races was what he was. He was a mongrel, impure and weak. He could even be called the runt of the litter. Sesshoumaru could never figure out what had overcome his father's mind at the time, to even consider making his pure youkai line filthy with the likes of a son as that. But still…he loved his youngest son, and was perhaps a bit too tender with him.

"Well, Inuyasha, tenderness has brought you nothing, now has it?" the youkai lord pondered out loud. "It taught you to become soft and unable to handle yourself. Well, if you are alive down there, perhaps this will teach you that only those of us who have worked hard can expect to become strong."

-

"Where could those hunters be?" Kagura asked herself as she sat underneath a rock as she waited for the worst of the storm to pass. She wrung the rain from her hair, which was not the only place on her body covered in water. Her kimono was drenched, and the white fabric showed her skin. Luckily, her undergarments covered up her indecent parts.

"It was foolish to come out myself in this weather…" she mumbled as she gave up her futile attempts to dry herself. Slumping down, she sighed.

"It was foolish to even take the job…I would have been much more comfortable inside the castle…" Her complaints were cut short when a Siamyosho insect buzzed behind her, seeming to appear from the storm. The spy's wings buzzed about collected rain, once again soaking the wind witch in rain.

"Ugh! Incompetent idiot!" Her anger caused the insect to flutter backwards just a bit. "Never mind…what news do you have for me?" As if speaking in an understandable tongue (), the Siamyosho fluttered about, buzzing in different tones.

"Interesting…" She flipped her fan out, trying to rid it of collected moisture. "I'm sure that Naraku will find that very useful…then again, he doesn't have to know about those hunters…

-

NOTES:

() Touga was the name that they were going to use for Inuyasha's father in the 3rd movie. That was the name that they referred him to. But, in the final script for the movie, they ended up cutting it from the movie, and used Inu no Tashio, which means "Leader of the Dogs." It isn't an actual name, but it is a title that many of us modify to suit his namelessness.

() I don't know about most of you, but I sure can't understand how Kagura and Naraku understand those oversized honeybees! Oh well, I guess that it's all part of the evil villain effect…you know, every evil villain I know has an evil pet, whether or not it be a cat, dog, or a bird. I guess that Naraku was stuck with the bees after he picked the short end of the straw…

Thanks for all of the (ahem) shortage of reviews, and I hope to see more. (hint to all of you out there)