Disclaimer: Still don't own InuYasha or any of the characters however I do own Ishikawa, Kaito and Bassarious.
"I would ask one other thing of you, Lord Sesshomaru."
Sesshomaru had risen and was preparing to depart the room when Bassarious' words stopped him. He should have known better. The human had to be a least a tiny bit greedy or he wouldn't be Bassarious. Slowly Sesshomaru looked to the human and nodding, waiting to hear what bit of foolishness the man would spout.
"I would have your mediator as my own."
Any humor Sesshomaru may have held swiftly fled. Ice water seemed to fill his veins and thanks to eons of control he was able to keep from transforming and slaughtering the fool. From her position only one pace behind him, Sesshomaru had heard Rin's sharp intake of breath. The human had insulted her. Daring to think she was something to be bartered for. Kaito was sputtering at Bassarious' audacity and Ishikawa was unable to even open his mouth to make a sound. Neither of them could believe what the human lord had uttered.
"I might have known you could not go through this entire gathering without pushing my limits, mortal. The girl is not a piece of chattle for barter nor trade. You have given her and I a grievous insult with your foolish request. A request which is denied." Sesshomaru answered, his words as sharp as blades.
"Those are my terms, Lord Sesshomaru. If you wish to maintain peaceful relations with the demons and beings of the Northern lands, I would have your mediator as my own. With me she would be back amongst her own people. How long since she has known the company of humans, Lord Sesshomaru? A life lived amidst demons is not the appropriate place for a human. You know I am right in this matter." Bassarious pushed.
Sesshomaru's amber eyes narrowed. Back amongst humans was a more appropriate place for Rin! Hardly. Humans had mistreated her, abused her worse than they would any animal. Surely once they knew who she was, the human girl that had been raised by the dog demon lord of the Western Lands they would mark her for death. Publicly claimed or not, Rin was his mate. He would never allow her to leave. Already he could catch the scent of her nervousness. Whenever the girl was nervous the scent of wildflowers became stronger.
"My place is here, Lord Bassarious. I serve Lord Sesshomaru and I shall serve no other. When you conduct a trade it must be for something of equal value. Peace between the Western and Northern lands is far more important than my living amongst the humans." Rin replied, the tone of confidence she carried moments before having fled.
"Is that what Lord Sesshomaru has taught you to believe, my lady? A mediator such as you is a great asset to any lord. I implore you to come with me and serve your people in just such gatherings as this. Singlehandedly, you took these peace talks and made them beneficial to us all. You made no one region more powerful than the other. If you can help such large regions with such ease just imagine what you could do for the communities within those regions!"
Bassarious had seen how timid and skittish the girl could be. Her confidence wasn't much but with the proper encouragement...this girl could become a formidable ally. Once she had acquired a taste of power, she would hunger for it as he did. Sesshomaru was so damn careful to make sure the girl never had any inkling of what a heady feeling power could bring. She was still such an innocent.
Rin bit down on her lip. The idea of bringing peace to the lands did appeal to her. Without wars and battles there would be no need for her lord to leave, to fight. They could finally walk the lands without worry of attack. If she did this, Kagome and the others would be safe as well. Rin's eyes went to Lord Sesshomaru. He was watching Bassarious closely, his amber eyes betraying nothing of what he was thinking. Would he even miss her if she went to the Northern Lands?
Like a poisonous snake, jealousy was sinking its fangs into the inuyoukai lord's mind and pumping it full of dark thoughts. If Rin even dared to entertain the notion of going with Bassarious, he would slaughter the pathetic human where he stood. The audacity of humans never ceased to amaze him. They thought nothing to be beyond their reach. To try and take what was Lord Sesshomaru's was to show blatant disregard for one's life. Already he could feel his fingers itching to sink into the mortal's throat and let his poison claws do their deadliest work.
"You...have given me much to think about, Lord Bassarious. I cannot answer you now. Your offer is a generous and noble one, indeed." Rin finally answered, keeping her words careful and measured so to not insult.
With no warning, Lord Sesshomaru walked in front of Rin and left the room, his knuckles cracking. Rin quickly bowed respectfully to Ishikawa, Kaito and Bassarious before hurrying to follow after her lord. What had she said to anger him? She had not said she was going with the Lord of the Northern Lands. She had to handle the situation carefully or risk throwing two powerful regions into war, a war that would put her lord in danger. Having finally caught up to him, Rin peered up at Sesshomaru, her eyes wide and tinged with fear. Maybe he would send her with Bassarious whether she wished it or not. It certainly would make his life less complicated.
"Please...my lord. Say something." she pleaded as he threw open the doors to his room and strode in in frigid silence.
"Is it what you long to do, Rin?" he asked as the doors swung closed behind them.
"My lord?"
"Do you wish to go to the Northern Lands and serve a human lord? To serve mortals, those same creatures whose kind cared nothing if you lived or died? Whose treatment of you was so degrading that a life with a demon lord seemed like a saving grace?"
Rin could only blink in stunned silence. Was this some kind of bizarre test to see where her loyalties trully lay? No. Surely Lord Sesshomaru knew that he was the only lord she wished to serve. Human or not, she knew something else lay behind Lord Bassarious' offer. He made it sound simple but behind it was a complex game she didn't wish to be a part of. She watched as the inuyoukai lord stood before the window and gazed out onto the expanses of his lands. All she wanted was to keep him safe forever. It seemed foolish, a mortal wishing to protect a demon, but it was something Rin always felt she had to do. Wasn't that why she was a part of his life?
Sesshomaru heard the feather soft whisper of the kimono brushing the floor as she approached him. That sound had become such a part of the rhythm and flow of his life. He could not bear to think of the silence that would come in the wake of her leaving. In the chaos of his mind he registered her scent and felt the calm again. Why did it have to be her? Why did the one who could bring about this change in him have to be a mortal? The very creatures he despised, the race that had ended his father's life? Sesshomaru had never had to deal with such conflict within himself. His life was once so simple, it flowed as it should have with no disruptions.
"My lord, if I were to go with Lord Bassarious, I could possibly bring about change. You gave me this position as mediator that I might feel useful and I do! For the first time in my life I feel as if I have something to give. Whether I fill this position here with you or to the North with Lord Bassarious, what does it matter?" Rin reasoned, hoping to shatter that last wall that kept Sesshomaru from her. It was cruel to make it sound like she was going with the human lord but she was beyond caring.
Sesshomaru smirked, "You are right, of course. What does it matter which lord you serve? The mortal will keep you in his service so long as it benefits him. Then, when another lord has something he covets more, you'll be a piece of fodder for trading. What a noble existance that will be. I do not envy you such a life."
"At least his is open and honest about coveting me!"
Rin instantly wished her hand could reach out and snatch the words back. Oh what did it matter now! Her pride was already so sorely mangled by this point. She had done all she could within her power to reach him, humbling herself to the point of tears. And still he would not set aside his pride for her. For all her loyalty, devotion and service, her reward was a whispered secret that she was his mate. Being a shameful secret was not to be her lot in life. Her shoulders straightened even as Sesshomaru's fierce gaze settled on her.
"You told me my life was my own to do with as I saw fit, my lord. I think perhaps now my path in life is taking a different direction from yours. Your years of kindness to me will not go unnoticed. Should we cross paths again in talks such as today, I will see that you and yours are treated fairly. For all that you have done for me, my lord, I thank you."
With that, Rin bowed, her back as straight and rigid as a board. However before she could reach the door, her lord's mocking voice floated to her.
"Just like a typical human. So prideful. Not satisfied until you have everything, completely ungrateful for what you do have. Your departing has nothing to do with "serving your kind" and everything to do with your childish temper tantrum over the lack of a public claiming!"
Slowly, with all the dignity and pride of a born lady, Rin turned and locked her eyes with the inuyoukai lord. Even now his eyes were blood red with rage. She would provoke him, leave him with that same feeling of mocking defeat as he did his enemies when he got in the last word.
"Wasn't it you who taught me to never settle for less than my fair share, my lord?"
The door opened and closed as if on the whim of a breeze as Rin quit the room. Sesshomaru could only stand in stunned silence and watch her go. She had left him. She had chosen another over him. The slap to his pride he could withstand but to be abandon for a mortal was incomprehensible. With a snarl as deep and deadly as his great father's, Sesshomaru grasped Toukijin's hilt and sent the deadly blade flying across the room and embedding it in the door. This fight was far from over.
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To all my reviewers: WOW...I am so relieved you all enjoyed the liberty I took with Rin's character. I did what I felt was necessary to give the story some tension. Can't just have these two fall so easily into love and live happily ever after.
S.J. Kidd, what Sess was basically asking of Rin was for her to give him a reason to fight against his demon nature, for her to fight it and free him since his lifelong instincts say to reject her. If she gives up on him, stops fighting for him, than he will be alone again. And lets face it, once she started travelling with him and he was no longer alone, he became a lot less cold. Am I making sense here? LOL
Alisoro, my first ever reviewer when this wild tale began, a whole herd of gluefoots wouldn't be enough for Rin! lol
KeithKnightsGirl, believe me, I will be adding some citrus to the tale once again!
HawkAngelXD, who'd have thought that Rin would actually do it! She learned to provoke from the best!
And to all my other reviewers, I figure I'll get lashed with a wet noodle for sending Rin with the human. But look at it this way! Now SESSHOMARU will have to do the convincing and fighting for! That pride will go down easier with a spoonful of sugar, our dead-sexy-when-he's-pissed lord.