A/N: Hope you're all ready for this because we're going straight into crazy town with this one. Let's go!
Rin struggled to the best of her abilities only to wear herself out considerably. The soldiers, guards maybe, stayed stoic and silent as they delivered her to the palace in the sky that she had only visited once years before.
It had not been a good experience and she had a suspicion this time would not be either. As they placed her down in front of the empty throne a demon female met with her.
"The lady of the west requests that you are properly bathed and dressed for your afternoon tea." The female stated.
"I am sorry, what?" Rin knitted her brows together wondering if she had heard right.
"Your presence has been requested to have tea with our lady." She said more slowly. "The lady does not appreciate tardiness so I would suggest you follow me."
"Tea?" Rin stood incredulous. "She kidnapped me for, a tea party?"
"Do humans not drink tea?"
"No we do it's just we normally would send a formal invite as opposed to snatching someone and flying off with them."
"This way." The female stated narrowing her eyes and nearly smirking at her quip. Rin swallowed hard and took a breath to be led deeper into the palace.
Once she was cleaned, dried, and properly dressed in a long purple kimono adorned with white blossoms across it she followed the other female barefoot into the tea room.
Sitting at the head of the table kneeling was the lady of the west, Sesshomarus mother.
Bowing down respectfully Rin pressed her forehead to the floor. Raising it slightly she addressed her. "My lady. To what does Rin owe the honor of your presence."
"My, how my sons little human has grown, not by much mind you but in all the places that count. You may join us." Rin straightened herself out to see that the other female that had led her in was sitting at the table as well.
"I suppose an introduction is in order; this is Lord Sesshomarus human pet. Human, this is Lady Izumi of the eastern house of the sun."
"My lady." Rin said bowing her head in respect. Her heart beat like mad as she tried to control her breathing. This was the woman that his mother wanted him to have a child with.
"What is your name?" Lady Izumi questioned. "Do humans have names?"
"I stated my name. I am Rin." She retorted biting her tongue any further from speaking out. As far as she was concerned she had nothing to say to either of them.
"Just…Rin?" The lady asked. Giving a curt nod Rin squared her shoulders and brought her attention to the lady of the west.
"Now I understand Sesshomarus defiance." Sighing out the words she waited until their tea had been poured and the servant left the room. "He has marked you. Here I was worried he was not enjoying himself."
"Lord Sesshomaru and I are to be wed."
"Explain as Lady Izumi and I are not familiar with your customs."
"Marriage occurs between two people who decide to share their lives with one another. The wedding is the ceremony that unites a couple in marriage." Rin felt her voice wavering.
"You sound parched Rin." Lady Izumi commented. "Have some tea."
"No thank you my lady."
"Oh, we're not going to poison you. That would be counterproductive. Rest assured girl; no harm will come to you. Why would I have saved your soul simply to send it back to the underworld?"
Staying silent the lady of the west sighed again. "To business and I do hope you can understand better then my incorrigible pup. Thus far Sesshomaru has neglected his duties as lord to the west opting to walk his own path. There are factions, other territories who are threatening to take them by force lest he commit himself as he should."
"The easiest solution would be for him to produce an heir, someone to pass it all along too as opposed to having it seized out from underneath him. There has always been an alliance between the western house of the moon, my own lineage, and the eastern house of the sun, Lady Izumis lineage."
"Naturally it seemed like the logical choice to join our houses together through a breeding and allow Sesshomaru to do whatever it is Sesshomaru does however once again he has defied me. Now Lady Izumis regal yet brutish father is threatening war with the west for the slight of his daughter being denied."
Rin took a breath and exhaled it slowly. Wringing her hands together tightly in her lap she stared down into her teacup.
"My lady, why the deceit then of making Lord Sesshomaru feel as if you were trapping him?"
"My son will not listen to me unless I take drastic measures such as the last time you were here." She replied.
"Why are you telling me all of this?"
"To persuade him to fulfill his duty."
"To…talk him into having a child for political reasons?"
"Males are good for two things; procreation and going to war. It is the females who have the power to prevent it, we are the ones who bare the heirs that will make or break empires." The lady of the west stated.
"Now, you have two options; you may continue to do as you please for however long that may be before Sesshomaru is forced to go to war or you convince him to prevent it by lying with Lady Izumi. The choice is yours Rin, what will it be?"
Rin closed her eyes to tune out her surroundings slightly to think. Reopening her eyes she swallowed down the lump in her throat before speaking.
"If by chance Lord Sesshomaru did agree then what would become of his child?" She questioned.
"The whelp would be raised in the eastern palace until it were old enough to assume the responsibilities of both houses, as long as it is a male. In the event it is a female then she will be mated and bred to a male of her standing." Lady Izumi replied.
"That sounds awful." Rin said turning her attention to the other. "Why would you want that for your daughter? Or better even, for yourself?"
"It is my duty to my pack and my people to ensure a strong bloodline." She replied. "Do humans not have arrangements as such or are you all just roaming wild across the land like animals?"
"There are human nobility who I am certain must adhere to strict rules however Lord Sesshomaru has always given me a choice to do as I please how I see fit to a certain point when I was younger." Rin felt distaste for this female rise and the need to defend her own species from such ignorant remarks.
"Is that so?" Lady Izumi asked with the small barely there smirk she had given her earlier.
The doors opened as chaos erupted with Sesshomaru barreling in unannounced.
"Ah, the prodigal pup returns." The lady of the west announced sarcastically.
"Lord Sesshomaru." Rin said remaining in her spot.
"What is the meaning of this?" He snapped fury radiating from him in waves.
"Seeing as how you were not capable of listening to reason it was thought by this one to appeal to your human girl. Which, I am both pleased and disappointed that you did not tell me you were intending to mate her." His mother stated giving a small laugh.
"Rin, are you well?" His eyes falling to her from where she knelt.
"Yes my lord, I am." She soothed.
"See Sesshomaru, no harm has come to her. Now, Lady Izumi and I will excuse ourselves while young Rin appraises you of the situation and I do hope you listen of her." She said rising regally as the other did the same.
With the door shut and the pair left alone Sesshomaru knelt beside Rin gathering her to him.
"Come."
"My lord, I think you do need to better understand the situation that is occurring."
"Whatever my mother has said to you, forget it."
"No. It is important and you will listen." Rin stated feeling him take a sharp breath. Wrapping her arms around his neck she coaxed him to rest his head against her shoulder. Whispering in his ear everything that she had been told she stopped at the end and swallowed hard.
"It is for these reasons my lord that I believe you should produce an heir with the Lady Izumi." Moving backwards from her as if he had been stung he sat up straight as a shot.
"No." He said quickly. "It will only cause more problems."
"It will prevent a war. You can have someone to share or lessen the burden of being tied to your fathers lands and titles." Rin appealed.
"The only female who will bare me heirs is you Rin, no one else."
"Lord Sesshomaru, any children I give you will be half-breeds. Maybe if you have one that is pure blooded then it won't be so bad on our children."
"Elaborate."
"I have heard what demons have said about your father for fathering Inuyasha. They compare you to him and relent in saying it must have been some wild whim or a curiosity he had to be with a human woman. If you only have me then I have a very bad feeling it would make far more enemies than allies."
"Well, yes. That is a risk I am willing to take."
"But why when we can cushion it or possibly prevent it now?" Rin placed her hand to his cheek and looked deeply into his eyes. "Tell me I'm crazy or that I'm not making sense and I will stop. We'll leave and deal with whatever happens."
"You're making perfect sense Rin. You are absolutely right and still I would rather fight in battle than breed with that female."
"They'll come me for me first. Your mother she said it in front of Lady Izumi, she knows you bit me and it is far more significant than I thought it was, isn't it?"
Sesshomaru absolutely deflated. She had never seen him appear as defeated as he did in that moment. Lowering his head slightly took her hands in his tightly.
"Rin, I need you there when…" Wrapping her arms around his middle she tucked her head under his armor.
"I will be there when you copulate with her. In whatever way you need me to be." She whispered. Embracing her stiffly Rin felt her heart nearly rip in two.