Demoness: Wow…normally it takes me a while to update, but when I read all the reviews I received, I was inspired and it just flowed. I hope this will keep you enthralled for a while until I can get the next chapter out. I don't know when that will be since I'm finishing up school for the year, but those reviews DEFINITELY help! Thank you to all who have reviewed so far. Keep them coming with any and all questions you might have.
I LOVE MY BETA READER SlientBystander.

Sesshoumaru: looks bored Will you get on with it already woman. They do not care about how much you appreciate them.

Demoness: Hits him on head with a rolled up newspaper You be quite. Remember my deal. No reviews….no third chapter…Now onto the story! Just to warn you this hasn't been read by my beta yet.

Disclaimer: You want one? waves disclaimer Go fetch it!

Chapter Two: Complicated Matters

Sesshoumaru brought Rin back to her room, but as news of her pregnancy spread, he was subjected to the hushed tones of the onlookers. He called Iyasu to examine her and make sure that something had not been over looked, and also to confirm what he had found earlier.

The old healer found that Rin had just fainted and needed to rest. Due to the new strain placed on her body as it tried to adjust to carrying a child, she would tire more easily and required greater amounts of sleep. She would not be able to keep up with the tremendous amount of physical demands needed of a person in her position. If she did not slow down, she would cause severe damage to herself and could lose the child.

Sesshoumaru was standing by the window, listening to the old woman speak. He knew she was right, but he also knew that Rin would not give up her duties willingly. He thanked Iyasu for her time and she left, leaving him to his thoughts.

The Taiyoukai walked over to her bed and sat down on the unoccupied side, farthest away from the girl. He looked at her peaceful face and he knew she had a difficult road ahead of her when she woke. He forced his gaze away and to the open window where the curtains billowed in the warm summer breeze. "How could I not have noticed until now?"

Rumors and gossip spread through the castle like wildfire after that small statement was uttered. The surface of the much deeper meaning contained in those two small words was only being scratched. The questions kept piling up, with the answers nowhere to be found. The servants whispered amongst themselves and the soldiers tried to comprehend the major implications of their Colonel's pregnancy.

How could she have gotten pregnant, and by whom? No one knew of a suspected mate or anyone that she was even remotely interested in. When did it happen? Why didn't anyone notice anything before now? There were too many questions lacking answers.

Sure, people had their suspicions, but each one led to a dead end without more information. The majority suspected General Hakunetsu of being the father, since he was the most logical choice. But there were the select few who suspected a youkai higher than the General…namely Lord Sesshoumaru.

Such notions were spoken in private by select individuals, but it was in the back of everyone's mind. Still some persisted with that route of thinking until they were shut down with a simple statement and question: "Lord Sesshoumaru despises humans. Why would he choose to mate one?"

However, a silent pair of ears were listening to the conversations in the halls and behind doors without ever being known. Nezumi used her extensive skills when word reached her of what happened on the training grounds. She had waited patiently in the shadows to uncover more information, but all she overheard was mindless chatter and quiet accusations, lacking in definitive proof.

The spy never heard Rin mention ever being with a man or demon, but she knew her friend was hiding something. She was sworn to serve Rin as a personal bodyguard five years ago when she first attained the rank of Colonel, and their friendship had bloomed from that point on. Nezumi was the closest thing to a sister Rin had ever had and they shared all their secrets.

Nezumi was hurt and angered that her friend had not disclosed something so important to her before, but she could never stay mad at her for long, especially not when Rin's world was about to be drastically turned upside down.

Nezumi's five foot tall, black clad form moved silently through the halls, making her way to Rin's quarters. She was so lost in thought that she did not notice Hakunetsu's much larger form join her and cling to her like a shadow. He cleared his throat and gained a quick glance showing her attention. "I know what you're thinking, Nezumi."

That statement earned him another glance, but otherwise the spy kept silent. He grinned at her evasiveness, but the General had learned long ago to read her like an open book. "You are thinking that I am the sire of Rin's child, are you not?" he asked, knowing of the rumors about him and Rin.

"I am sorry to disappoint you, but I am not the lucky youkai," he chuckled as she glared at him.

"Why do you think it is a youkai, General?" she replied, becoming wary of this type of talk in the open hallways where anyone could hear.

Hakunetsu paused and looked around for anyone, then spoke. "Because there are no humans in this entire castle and you are the only hanyou, Nezumi. I know Rin has never left the castle grounds except for battles, and the last one was half a year ago."

He continued walking with Nezumi contemplating everything he had said. "That leaves only youkai," she whispered.

He nodded in agreement as they entered the main corridor of the northern wing.

The castle was divided into four separate wings: North, South, East, and West. In the southern wing, one would find the healing ward located on the first floor, where the old healer Iyasu and her daughter, Namida, resided. A private dining room and various meeting rooms were located on the second level above the healing ward. The last significant room in that wing was the Banquet Hall. The large space used both of the levels and could hold hundreds of people if the need ever arose.

The eastern wing housed the library, which held information since before Inutaisho's time on hundreds of different subjects. Sesshoumaru's private study was located next to the library on the second level. From where he was, he could overlook the training grounds and vast parts of his territory. Located towards the end of the wing were the guest rooms for visiting Lords and Ladies, and other dignitaries from the four territories.

The western wing was a very private area, where Sesshoumaru's rooms were located. There were other rooms for his family, but had lain dormant and unoccupied for many years since the Taiyoukai had not taken a mate.

The last wing was the northern wing, which housed the top officials in the army, including specialty fighters and spies, such as Nezumi, on its two levels. The rest of the army lived in barracks, detached from the main castle, close to the training grounds, while the servants lived in villages surrounding the castle grounds.

Hakunetsu and Nezumi finally turned down the hallway where their quarters, and Rin's, resided and were greeted with a shocking sight that rooted them to the floor, unable to move.

Sesshoumaru stayed with Rin for most of the afternoon, yet she still had not woken and his thoughts remained muddled. He was aggravated with himself for failing to notice something of this magnitude, and furthermore, he was angry that he hadn't thought twice about the incident three weeks ago.

He stood up from the bed and paced back and forth as images and sensations from that night flittered back into his mind. Her scent had overpowered his senses, and drugged him into a haze of want. He allowed himself to be taken and neglected to think of the consequences. Sesshoumaru was repulsed with his reaction and inability to keep those thoughts from coming back. He shook his head and suppressed everything until he could be alone in the privacy of his own chambers.

His constant pacing had brought him unconsciously to Rin's side and he looked down at her. Before Sesshoumaru could stop himself, he ran a finger down the soft skin on her cheek. Disturbed by his own actions, he quickly stepped away and exited her room, firmly closing the door behind him. 'How can she affect me this way?'

He walked down the hallway towards the two stunned voyeurs, his gait resembling nothing of the turmoil of his mind, as his poise stayed intact. He glanced at them with cold golden eyes as he passed, his manner of acknowledging them. The pair of crimson and honey eyes followed his movements until he rounded the corner and was gone from their sight.

The spy and the General exchanged mirrored looks and silently entered Rin's quarters to see her starting to stir. Hakunetsu sat by her side as he saw her eyes flutter and fully open. Her dark brown irises darted around the room, not sure of where she was.

Hakunetsu placed his hand on top of hers. "It's alright, Rin. You were brought back to your quarters after you fainted."

Her gaze immediately snapped to his face when his voice filled her ears. She remembered losing consciousness, but how long was she out for? More importantly, why had she fainted? "Hakunetsu, what time of the day is it?" she asked as she sat up in bed, removing her hand from underneath his.

"It is fast approaching sunset. You have been asleep for almost the whole afternoon," he said, gesturing to the open window where soft hues of orange and red mingled with the white curtains.

Her eyes grazed the area where he had looked and indeed she had been out for quite a long time. "I guess my body must have given out from fatigue. It's hard work keeping up with you demons," she jested.

Nezumi came to stand at the shoulder of Hakunetsu and looked down at her friend. "Rin, you did not faint simply from fatigue. Is there something you have been hiding from us?" Nezumi questioned, eyes of crimson locking with those of brown.

Rin looked between Nezumi and Hakunetsu, feeling unease settle in the pit of her stomach. "The only possible reason for my fainting was from fatigue and you should know better than to ask if I have been keeping something from you."

The proud General looked to Nezumi, then back to Rin. "Do you not know that you are pregnant?" he asked gently.

She stared at him in shock, questioning if she had heard him right. When her friend did not hint that he was joking, panic gripped her heart. She watched as all she had worked for came crumbling down, never to be rebuilt again. No, surely all this had to be a cruel, elaborate joke. She couldn't be pregnant…she just couldn't. "You lie! How can you think this heartless joke funny?" she spat.

Nezumi's eyes held concern as she spoke, trying to calm her distressed friend. "It is true, Rin. We would never lie to you about something of this great significance," she explained.

"Please listen to us, Rin. It was confirmed by Lord Sesshoumaru himself. It was he who detected it in your scent," Hakunetsu affirmed, hoping the woman would listen to reason.

Rin's shoulders started to tremble while she tried to push back the tears that threatened to fall from her eyes. She soon lost the battle with her emotions, as crystalline tears fell one after the other, leaving glistening lines down her face. She buried her face in her hands, not wanting to show her inability to control her emotions.

Nezumi quickly pulled her friend into a hug and ran her hand up and down Rin's back trying to soothe her. Rin latched onto the girl and cried into her shoulder; her words were barely recognizable due to the sobs that racked her body. "Why did this have to happen? I'll lose…everything."

'Sesshoumaru…Sesshoumaru…Sesshoumaru!'

Demoness: hides under hentai rock for protection I know you're wanting to kill me right about now…but let me say that there's a lemon coming up soon…very juicy.

Sesshoumaru: Finally I get some action!

Demoness: looks at him like he's crazy and you call me a 'severely twisted individual'?