Disclaimer: For sale...one soul in exchange for the ownership of the whole InuYasha crew!
Word did indeed travel fast through the Western Lands. The inuyoukai lord was home...as was his human companion. Within the week the great hall was overrun with demon lords demanding answers. For years they had tolerated the girl's presence in the Western Lands and at Lord Sesshomaru's side but that tolerance had worn thin. No explanation was offered for her place within the great hall and Sesshomaru was giving no free answers. To his fellow demon lords, Sesshomaru's actions reeked of compassion. And compassion was a sign of weakness. A weak inuyoukai lord would not be tolerated as ruler of the Western Lands. Suddenly, Sesshomaru was finding himself and his authority in question.
"For too long now, Lord Sesshomaru, we have held our tongues! We have kept silent on your choice of companion but now we demand answers! When the human girl was a child, we could overlook your keeping her. Human children are helpless, harmless, useless. When you left these lands again, we were under the assumption it was to rid yourself of your disgrace!" a powerful panther demon lord spoke up, breaking the tense silence and pounding a heavy fist on the massive wooden table.
From his place at the head of the table, Sesshomaru slowly quirked an eyebrow. The rumbles of agreement from the other demon lords swiftly grew silent. They knew what they risked, speaking so plainly to the powerful lord of the Western Lands. For now they were counting on strength in numbers. When peace and quiet was restored, Sesshomaru remained still. Inside he was seething, his hand itching to grasp Toukijin and lay waste to every last one of these upstarts who dared to come into his home and demand he explain himself to them.
"The place of the human girl in my home is none of your affairs. Since when have demon lords trembled at the presence of a human? You all sicken me. Calling yourselves lords much less demons! This Sesshomaru answers to no one. It would seem I have been absent for too long. You have forgotten who is lord here." Sesshomaru finally spoke, his voice cold and tight with anger.
"NO! It is you who has forgotten, Sesshomaru! You who have forgotten who and what you are!" the panther lord retorted, the look of disgust plainly written on his face, "For centuries we listened and followed with blind obedience to your hatred of the humans. We saw them for what they were. A weak race to be fed upon! Then, the great Lord Sesshomaru, is defeated by his halfbreed little whelp brother and runs with his tail tucked between his legs! Only to return to the land of his birth with a human brat at his heels!"
It was a fight they wanted. Sesshomaru could sense their fear, their anger, their confusion. Obviously things were not going as they had planned. Several of the demon lords appeared ready to bolt. The panther, however, refused to back down. Someone saught to be the alpha male and Sesshomaru would be damned if it would be anyone but him. They would goad him til he lost his temper, they would realize Rin was his weakness.
"What does it matter why he keeps the little amusement?" a feminine voice spoke up, sounding both amused and bored at the same time.
All eyes saught out the speaker. Leaning in the doorway of the meeting hall stood a willowy female demon, her fiery red hair spilling over her shoulders and down her back. A coy smile tugged at the corners of her full lips. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed dangerously. Juri. A demon created from fire. Some said forged in the fires of hell to be exact. Her lovers died by those same fires, well not all of them. He had somehow come out of his time with Juri unscathed. All he had now was a deep hatred for the woman. The glint in her eye never wavered.
"It matters because he is going against his own decrees! Hate the humans...but what? Only so long as it serves him to do so! Why should we follow and band with a inuyoukai lord whose minds is so easily swayed!" the panther spat.
Juri's humorous facade fled and her jaw clenched.
"Because he is still Lord of the Western Lands, fool!"
None moved to defend or protect the feline lord. Juri's hand lashed out, casting a globe of fire into the demon's chest and burning him to ash. The others looked away, careful to avoid the woman's gaze. With their leader of the uprising gone, the tide has swiftly changed. All were back under Sesshomaru's thumb. If Juri had expected Sesshomaru's thanks, she would be disappointed. The inuyoukai lord had quit the chamber. With the fire demoness here, the danger to Rin had just increased.
Juri watched Sesshomaru's retreating back with a sly grin.
"You owe me one, love. And before I'm done with you? I'll see that you repay me with interest."