Author's Note: Ummmmm. . . Thanks for reading everyone! Please read n' review. Pweeze?

Disclaimer: If I said I owned Inuyasha, would anyone believe me? Didn't think so.

Sesshoumaru was in a foul mood. He had returned to his mother's home at her request, to answer more questions he was sure. When he arrived, some of the guards looked at him as if they wanted to ask him something, but when he turned to them they only looked away. He quickened his pace down the hallway to his mother's quarters. The faster he got this over with, the better.

"Mother, it is I Sesshoumaru." he said quickly outside the door. She opened it quickly as well. She returned to where she was sitting and looked up at him with a strange expression.

"Sesshoumaru, rumors are circulating about your father." she began. "Have you heard any of them?" she asked, her tone serious.

"No, I have not." "I do not have time to listen to petty gossip." he told her. His patience was already growing short. He couldn't believe that he had been called here over some matter that she had overheard. He had more important things to do than discuss matters of no importance such as hearsay.

Kagetsu took a deep breath and began. "Some of the guards here, the ones that were part of your father's army at one time, returned to the west to ensure things were running smoothly." "When they arrived, the soldiers at your father's fortress informed them that they had captured a spy for Ryuukossei's army nearby." "After much interrogation, the spy told them that Ryuukossei was planning another attack, but on your father himself." she continued. "It seems the old dragon has become quite unstable over the years, and only wishes to exact revenge on your father rather than his entire clan." She paused for a moment. "However, no one has seen your father in months." "He hasn't come back to his lands, and has sent no word." "Have you heard from him or seen him?" she asked. "A messenger has been sent to find him, but no word has returned yet." she finished.

Sesshoumaru was taken aback. It was not like his father to leave his home for months at a time without at least checking in. "No, I have not seen or heard from him." he answered.

Kagetsu looked at her son for a moment. She wasn't sure if she should tell him about the next part of the puzzle. She knew how he would feel about it. He seemed somewhat surprised at his father's actions, but so far he was taking things quite well. She supposed she may as well tell him everything.

She sighed. This wasn't going to be pretty. "They also said that Ryuukossei's spy mentioned that he had found him in the east, and was on his way back to tell his leader of your father's whereabouts." "He said that he found him one night at a human castle, talking with the princess of the castle late into the night." "He said that he was embracing her." she finished as evenly as she could.

Sesshoumaru stood silently for a moment, his face unreadable. "It is a lie." he said finally, his tone as sharp as a razor's edge. Surely his father had not completely lost his mind. He knew his father's sympathy for lower creatures, but sympathy and actually consorting with them were two different things. His mind flashed back to the last conversation between him and his father. It couldn't be. He turned to leave.

"Is it, Sesshoumaru?" his mother's voice stopped him. "Are you really so certain?" she questioned, her tone genuinely inquiring. "Your father has been unhappy and restless for a number of years now." "The spy even went so far as to say the name of the human's clan, the castle's location, and how Inutaisho's stupidly falling in love with a mortal woman would do Ryuukossei's job for him." she told him. "How or why would the cretin fabricate such things?"

Sesshoumaru wheeled around to face his mother. "Why would I know the inner workings of a lowly spy?" he asked, his voice rising. "If it is true, as you seem to believe, will you really sit and accept it without shame?" he asked. "Will you face it as calmly and without care as you have every other aspect of your life?" he continued. "If he has stooped to attach himself in some ridiculous way to one of those revolting creatures, the disgrace he will have placed on himself, as well as I his son, and you as my mother will be irreversible." he said, disgust dripping from his words.

Kagetsu sat quietly, waiting for her son to finish. She had already made up her mind about the situation, which she did believe to be true. "I released your father from our marriage contract years ago." she began. "If he has truly found what has made his heart whole, and quelled his uneasiness, then so be it." "Whether I think it is beneath him, or ridiculous, or foolish is beyond my judgement."

Sesshoumaru said nothing, then suddenly turned and left his mother's room. Kagetsu did not try to stop him, she had known he would probably react this way. She listened to his footsteps carry on quickly down the hallway, headed for the main entrance. She knew he would leave to find his father, and would not rest until he found out the truth for himself.

It was the first warm day after winter in the east, and the castle rejoiced at the coming spring. The servants were busy cleaning things left inside all winter, and everyone was bustling around. Sitting in the open doorway of her chamber facing the gardens, Izayoi was having a difficult time enjoying the nice day. Recent events were plaguing her mind. Inutaisho had left her the night before, saying that a messenger had come and he had to return to the west to take care of important business. He also said that when he returned, he would take her away with him. She had decided long ago that she could not marry Takemaru, not when her heart belonged completely to Inutaisho.

"My lady, are you well? You look pale." her maidservant stopped and asked with concern. "You haven't been yourself the past few days, should I send for the physician?" she asked.

"No!" Izayoi said, with more than a little fervor. "I am fine, its just the changing of the seasons I'm sure." she told the old woman. "Please do not worry about me." she finished.

The maidservant gave her a long look, and continued on her way. Izayoi's stomach turned at the thought of what the physician might find if one did come and examine her. This wasn't the first time her stomach had turned that day, and certainly not in the past week. She was lucky she hid it so well. Her mind reeled at the thought of what it could mean. She knew that she and Inutaisho were foolish to give into their passion for one another, but nothing else mattered when she was with him. He would take her away to live with him, she had no doubt of that, and whatever happened wouldn't matter. But he had such a worried look in his eyes the night before. . .

"Spring comes, my daughter!" she suddenly heard her father say behind her. She turned to look at him, and his face was beaming. "What luck this warm weather heralds!" he said. "Just think, by midsummer you will be a bride to one of the noblest samurai in the east!" he finished.

She smiled weakly at him. She hated deceiving him in this way. She wanted to tell him everything, about her love for Inutaisho, and their plans, but she knew he would fly into a rage the likes of which their home had never seen. She did not wish to hurt him, but she knew he wouldn't accept what a fine man Inutaisho was, demon or not. Her father carried on, speaking amongst the servants as he left her. She only stared past the gardens, into the west.

Sesshoumaru had just reached the end of the northern mountains by the time the sun set that day. He had decided to return to the west in the hope that the messenger had found his father. He was making exceptional time, and was surprised to realize just how fast he was traveling. If it was indeed true that Ryuukossei was planning to attack his father, then he must find him as fast as possible. But that was not the only reason for his haste. His mother's words about the human princess ate at him. Surely his father hadn't done such a thing. But the quickness at which he was traveling and the constant return of the thought told him deep down he really did believe otherwise. He picked up his pace even further, and did not stop to rest that night.

Amazingly, after only a few days he arrived at his father's compound in the west. There was a palpable unease, and there seemed to be much activity inside the fortress walls. He quickly made his way in. To his relief, he found that his father was there, and he had a grave look upon his face. The fact that Myouga was nowhere in sight didn't help matters, it probably meant that battle was not far off. He approached him while he was speaking with his officers, and waited for them to finish.

"Father, I need to speak with you immediately." he told him. Although, he didn't know why he still felt it was so urgent, his father obviously knew about the impending threat. He hadn't realized the human issue was bothering him so much.

"What is it Sesshoumaru?" his father asked, an air of tiredness in his voice.

"You have heard of Ryuukossei's plans by now, no doubt." he said. "Did you also know that the spy mentioned that he saw you with a human woman, at her family's home?" he asked.

Inutaisho's face fell. His eyes brimmed with something Sesshoumaru had never seen before. Fear. "Why has no one spoken of this to me?" he asked, his unease clearly showing.

One of his officers bowed apologetically to him. "Forgive us milord, we did not think it was pertinent information." "We assumed it was slander invented to arouse questions in our minds." he answered.

Inutaisho suddenly turned and headed into the castle. Sesshoumaru followed him. He had his answer now, without his father saying a word. "It is true, isn't it?" he asked Inutaisho anyway, his words echoing through the hall.

Inutaisho stopped. His shoulders slumped and he heaved a great sigh. "I do not have time to discuss this with you now, my son." he said, knowing what kind of discourse they would have over the matter.

"Of course not." "Yet you have time to spend long nights with a human woman while Ryuukossei is plotting your demise." Sesshoumaru spat out, suddenly realizing the insubordination and disrespect he had just dealt his father. He hadn't realized how much the matter truly bothered him, or rather why it bothered him. It seemed that all his life his parents had only spent as much time on him as was necessary for his upbringing, and now his father was. . .he couldn't believe his was allowing himself to feel this way.

Inutaisho looked over his shoulder at his son. There was pain in his eyes, and he didn't even call him down on the things he had just said to him. He regarded him for a long moment, and Sesshoumaru stared at him, but Inutaisho did not speak. Finally, he turned around and started back down the corridor. "Come and speak with me this evening in my chamber." he said as he walked away. Sesshoumaru stood and watched him go, unsure of what to think or feel.