Disclaimer—only own the characters I create. Not Inuyasha or any of the others upon which this story is based.

(A/N-Rating may go back up. R&R please.)

"Why?"

Jaken bit his tongue as Rin asked what seemed to be her new favorite question for what seemed to be the millionth time.

Sesshomaru made a mental note to allow Jaken one moment of eruption at Rin if this continued. He understood that humans and their constant inquisitive natures were quite annoying.

They needed a why and a reason for everything. That in and of itself did not bother Sesshomaru. It was their constant...asking...that he found so bothersome. When he wanted to know something, he just found out on his own. He had always been that way. He only found himself asking questions when absolutely necessary...as a last resort.

But not humans...

Not hanyous...

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Flashback

Sesshomaru tossed the ball one last time, and as Inuyasha ran to catch it, Sesshomaru turned and began to stroll away from the village.

Inuyasha caught the ball and turned around, finding himself staring at the other's back. But for some reason, today, Inuyasha did not want to end their playtime so early. So gathering all of his speed he ran after, yelling out "Stop!"

By the third 'stop', Sesshomaru's nerves were had. "What" he answered so low it was almost a growl.

"Please play some more."

Sesshomaru turned, looking at his brother. "I'm done with your for the day."

"But..."

"What?"

Inuyasha opened his mouth, but nothing would come out. So Sesshomaru turned and began walking again.

Inuyasha's mind raced...he wanted the other to stay...he needed for him to stay...so...."Who are you?" Inuyasha finally got the nerve to ask.

The question stopped Sesshomaru and he turned, looking at Inuyasha. "Sesshomaru."

Inuyasha blinked his eyes, trying to form the name in his mind. "Sesshomaru?" he finally repeated.

"Yes."

Inuyasha smiled; proud he had gotten such a difficult name correct on the very first try. Thus, he figured this Sesshomaru owed him another answer. "Where do you come from?"

Sesshomaru pointed, "Far that way."

"Can we play there?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I do not want to play with you there. In fact, I do not wish to be playing with you at all."

Inuyasha knew enough to be hurt; yet not offended by Sesshomaru's statement. "Why?" Inuyasha's voice lowered, but he managed to keep the tears from stinging his eyes.

"Why what? Why do I play with you, or why do I not wish to?"

Inuyasha tilted his head, wondering which question he wanted answered. He decided on another one entirely."Why do you look like me?"

Sesshomaru cut his eyes, sending Inuyasha jumping back a small step. "The correct statement would be that you look like me...not the other way around."

Inuyasha nodded. "Why do I look like you" he corrected himself.

"That is how heredity works."

Inuyasha was completely confused now. What in the world did that mean? "Huh?"

"I have answered your question. When you are older you will understand what I mean."

For some reason that satisfied Inuyasha and he began another one. "Why are..."

Sesshomaru sighed deeply. He had more important matters to attend to. So with an "I have had enough of you." Sesshomaru turned and began walking again.

Inuyasha's ears dropped and he watched as Sesshomaru moved further away from him.

He had pushed too far...now he would never see Sesshomaru...

"Tomorrow." Sesshomaru called, just loud enough for Inuyasha to hear.

Sesshomaru heard his brother giggle with glee and then Inuyasha ran back towards the village.

Flashback End

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"Rin, no more questions." Sesshomaru ordered, eliciting a sigh of relief from Jaken.

"One more?" Rin plead.

"One."

"Can I go outside?"

"Yes."

Jaken felt his tiny body tense once more. Now he would be forced to spend the day trying to keep up with the little girl.

Sesshomaru watched as Rin ran down the hallway, Jaken following her, begging her to "wait" over and over.

There was a time when Rin was allowed to go outside whenever she pleased, as long as she stayed on the main grounds.

That was before the intrusion

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Flashback

Damned hanyou.

He couldn't believe that change in Inuyasha had actually made him, Sesshomaru, fearful for even a second.

It was just another in a long line of frustration Sesshomaru had felt...during those rare times he allowed himself to get frustrated.

His father left him with that useless Tenseiga, while giving the damn brother of his the glorious Tetseigua

But at least now Sesshomaru had the Tokijin. The Tokijin was made from the fang of the demon that broke the Tetseigua.

Yet, in breaking it, it seemed that Inuyasha had found another form of strength. It seemed that Inuyasha could in fact turn himself into a full-blooded demon.

And that full blooded-demon version of Inuyasha actually had the nerve to cause Sesshomaru just the slightest fear?

Even relieving his frustration by sleeping with Amarra had failed to do just that...Sesshomaru was still frustrated as all hell.

"Damned hanyou" he said to himself.

Hanyou...half-breed? Amarra remembered.


Whatever.

Amarra sighed inwardly, anxious to get back home. If it hadn't been for the fact that this damned demon had once saved her village,

For a price of course

His pick of his choice in jewels and one woman.

Lucky her, she was chosen....Amarra fought the urge to roll her eyes at the sarcastic thought...

To their credit, the villagers begged Sesshomaru to make another choice. Amarra was one of their best fighters...she was the only woman to fight with the men of her village against their attackers before Sesshomaru decided to step in and end the battle once and for all.

Little did Amarra or anyone else know, the reason he chose Amarra was because she was a warrior.

He had watched her battle and was impressed...as impressed as he could be by a human that is

He decided he wanted to know if there was any difference between the women he normally chose, the 'ladies' of the village, or a warrior. That was the reason he offered to end this battle for them.

Particularly so he could choose to take Amarra with him when he felt like it.

Meanwhile, Amarra would have rather he killed her than spend any time with this damned demon.

But, she did not want anyone else in her village to fall to such a fate. So she went "willingly" whenever Sesshomaru called for her. And she begrudgingly had to admit that it was not as awful as some might imagine. He was attractive...and there was a way about him...and while she knew she did not have the privilege of being able to say "no", Sesshomaru never physically forced anything.

And it got to the point where she would actually enjoy...being...with him.

While afterwards, she just wanted to run back home and hope he never called her again.

She usually stayed for a day or two before he took her back.

But judging by his demeanor...or the fact that he even had a demeanor...Amarra figured it could be awhile before she was allowed to go anywhere.

Suddenly, Sesshomaru looked upwards as if...

He bolted out of the room, leaving the door open in his rush.

Such a rush, that Amarra was curious to know where he was going.

If she was lucky, he was rushing off to his death and she could get the hell out of here and never return.

Sesshomaru landed in front of the gate to his castle before the intruder had the chance to get it open. The stench of this large, hairy demon would have made some queasy.

And what was that muffled sound?

"You have one moment to convince me not to kill you for daring to be here, demon." he stated calmly as he readied his claws, not bothered by the surrounding like intruders edging closer and closer to the gate.

He could use a nice demon slaughter.

"Listen" the demon replied.

Sesshomaru reached up...but that sound...that was a scream...

Rin.

"The girl is hidden."

Girl? Amarra wondered to herself as she watched from the inside of the gate, her form hidden behind Sesshomaru's from the other side.

"Even your ears aren't tuned enough to know where, dog. So if you attack, you run the risk of killing her."

"That's enough, Rin."

Rin? Rin? Amarra had heard that name before. Normally called by that Jaken thing in a panic as it ran past the bedroom door.

At the sound of Lord Sesshomaru's command, Rin stopped screaming.

Sesshomaru realized he could always revive the girl after the fact...

But first he would have to find her...and with all of the hair these demons had and their stench it could very well take awhile.

"I see you have no honor, using a human child as leverage."

Rin was a human child? Sesshomaru was keeping a human child? A disgusting thought reached Amarra's mind, but she shook it out quickly. She couldn't imagine Sesshomaru using a human child to satisfy his needs.

"Pride will not get us what we want."

"And what is it that you want?"

"To be the ones known as the demons who killed the Lord of the Western Lands." Amarra stated the obvious.

As the demon looked to see where the feminine voice came from, Sesshomaru reached out, grabbing it by its throat. He lifted it up off the ground. "Speak Rin"

"Lord..."

Before Rin even finished saying Sesshomaru's name, he had tightened his grip around the demon, squeezing the life out of it quickly. As it limped in death, Rin fell from it, landing somewhat hard at Sesshomaru's feet.

Sesshomaru tossed the dead leader aside. "Take her inside" he ordered to Amarra, even as the other demons began to run.

"Yes, Lord Sesshomaru." Rin replied happily as if the order was for her, grabbing Amarra's hand and leading her back.

Sesshomaru continued to wait until he realized that Rin was out of earshot. And then, in a flash, he chased after the demons...the slaughter beginning.

"I love being with Lord Sesshomaru." Rin replied happily. "He takes care of Rin."

"Takes care of Rin, how?"

"Food, and shelter, and Jaken to play with."

"That is all?"

"What else is there?" Rin asked Amarra.

"Nothing." Amarra was glad to know that her assumption was correct. This little girl was merely Sesshomaru's ward...not one of his lovers.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin called as Sesshomaru came into the room. Amarra stood, knowing she needed to go back to the bedroom. She began walking down the hall.

"Are you well, Rin?" Sesshomaru asked, without an ounce of concern in his voice. Though the fact that he was asking proof of the concern he felt.

"Yes!" Rin exclaimed.

"Then go to bed" he would tell her in the morning of the new rule where she was not allowed off the grounds without permission.

The fact that anyone dared to come so close as those things came today, and using Rin as well, meant that demons were beginning to think Sesshomaru had gone "soft". He would have to be more cautious.

And, for good measure, he would go on an attacking trip in the near future.

"Who told you to leave the room?"

Amarra managed not to gasp as Sesshomaru was in front of her right as her hand reached the doorknob.

"No one." Amarra answered honestly.

Sesshomaru waited, but that was all she had to say. There was no way she was going to apologize for having the "nerve" to leave the room.

Especially when she was able to cause the distraction that Sesshomaru needed to...

"How did you know where Rin was?" she found herself wondering aloud.

"Anyone who would use a child is a coward. It would make sense that the leader of the cowards would be the one who had Rin. In case things did not go as he planned, then he figured having Rin would be one the thing that would keep, at least him, safe."

"Oh." That made sense.


Sesshomaru opened the door and Amarra walked in. "Your distraction was admittedly helpful."

Amarra turned and looked at Sesshomaru, hopefully. Perhaps...he was letting her go for her help?

"Would you have protected Run if necessary?"

Amarra did not like this line of questioning. "No" she lied.

"Even if it meant your death?"

"Correct."

Sesshomaru watched Amarra. She was not being truthful.

Why humans found the need to lie was another thing he would never understand about them.

Sesshomaru closed the remaining space between them and bent so their eyes locked. "Therefore, you are attempting to tell me that if there had been a battle, and Rin was in jeopardy, that you would not have fought for her? Even if it meant fighting by my side?

Staring into his eyes, Amarra was unable to answer.


For some reason, realizing it would be impossible to lie at him at time like this.

She watched as Sesshomaru walked into the room as well. He closed the door, and her eyes followed as went towards the bed.

"Disrobe."

Amarra began undressing; Sesshomaru watching. He would tell her in the morning.

A beautiful female warrior who cared enough about a human child to help him save her?

A luscious female warrior, who may lie about it, but carved enough about Rin to protect her if necessary.

She was never going back home.

He would tell her that in the morning.

Flashback End.

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Sesshomaru wished he had taken Amarra back to her village now. And though there was a certain...ache without her last night...this morning he decided that he was glad that she was no longer here.

Because the more time he spent with her, the more he wondered if he would ever be as stupid as his father, and half-breed brother...and develop loving feelings for a human.