I Do Not Own InuYasha

Chapter 6

Rin was humming as she walked through the halls of her home. Winter was more firmly set in now, snows made it so it was impossible to travel, not that she had anywhere to which she wanted to go. But still, the inability to travel would wear on her. Years of living nomadically as a teenager and child had made it difficult for Rin to want to be still and in one place. Not that it mattered, not really, when it was all said and done, winters weren't time to travel as a mortal, as she and her lord had learnt in her pregnancy. Sesshōmaru had always had this home as his base, but he did not reside here with consistency until her pregnancy.

Arms snaked around her as lips pressed against her pulse.

"My lord, this is not the time or the place," she said softly.

"Towa and Setsuna are with Jaken," Sesshōmaru whispered huskily, which had her leaning back. "And your scent is driving me to distraction," he rasped as he started tugging on her obi. She hummed a bit as her head fell back to give him better access. There was a sound though which had both their attentions, Rin tensed in her husband's arms as she looked at him, he looked at her with a stoic expression. Shaking her head, he released her as he disappeared with the speed of a daiyōkai and she felt his power rippling through their home. Rin pulled her dagger as she went to find Jaken and her pups pushing through the doors of her home she rushed onto the engawa.

"Towa! Setsuna! Master Jaken!" she called out, then pressed her fingers into her lips as she made a shrill whistle. She heard her pups before she saw them, and she rushed around the engawa, she was stepping off the steps when a figure in red and white caught her eye. Rin reacted as she hurled the dagger at the target. There was a streak of white and she ran through the snow, grabbing up her girls and Jaken as they rushed the house.

"Get inside Rin!" Jaken hissed as he struggled to close the heavy amado. Rin threw him inside as she shoved the heavy shudder shut, herself on the outside just as a massive blade hit where her daughters had been. Rin grabbed the chain before the sickle could be pulled back twisting the chain as she jerked it, there was a heavy crash into the snow and Rin yanked the length of the chain to her as she pulled the weapon from the wood of the amado. The figure was up, it was the yōkai taijiya she had worked with from time to time when hunting a bounty for her lord.

"Yasha-hime," spoke a new voice, the monk, she recognized him from the village. "We come in peace."

"Attempting to maim my mate and pups is an ill-conceived greeting for peace," her husband spoke calm and clearly as he materialized from the snow above her. "Rin."

"Hai my lord," she answered calmly as she slowly started moving into a fighting stance.

"WAIT! WAIT!" a preppy voice shouted through the winter's air, and Rin saw the handy holding a woman dressed in red and white. Human, taller than rin, but nt a fighter, she was dressed for range rather than fighting, her long bow was slung across her back with a quiver of arrows.

"And my brother was in bad form, to which I apologize, my lord, he reacted upon old instincts," the monk stated.

"It's a death sentence," Sesshōmaru stated.

"Please… don't act rashly," the woman spoke then as she walked forward. "Please, we aren't here as a threat!"

"It's about our father," the hanyō stepped forward.

"I believe I sent my replies to his inquiries," Sesshōmaru stated levelly. "Rin."

"Hai my lord," Rin nodded as she kept her stance ready.

"Look, I don't want to be here, you don't want to be here, but I really need your help, because if you don't help us, then the entire yōkai world collapses, he has named you heir."

"And if I were to refuse?"

"Sesshōmaru, there are mounting armies to invade the mortal realm, and I'm guessing you have a lot on the line in this realm, not only three hundred years of history, but also territory claims and people you care about. And even the strongest daiyōkai can't stand alone," the hanyō shouted.

"Rin," Sesshōmaru said her name so sternly. "Prepare for guests."

"Hai my lord," Rin said warily as she slid the amado open again, then she slid into her house, closing the door behind her as she crouched down. Her toddlers came running up to her, tears flowing as she hugged them tightly.

"Mamamamamamamamamamama!" they were sobbing.

"Hush, my dears, it is alright, we are safe, we are safe," she promised as she soothed them over. "Master Jaken?"

"Hai Rin?"

"Take the girls to their nursery, keep them there, do not let anyone other than myself or Sesshōmaru-sama near them," she ordered.

"Hai Rin," he bowed as he collected his staff and the girls before disappearing into her home. Rin waited as Sesshōmaru entered when their daughters were safe, she had prepared tea earlier for herself, so she prepared to serve it for their intruders. Sesshōmaru stopped in front of her, his amber eyes traced over her as he reached up, touching her jaw as she fixed her obi a little to be proper. Sesshōmaru pressed his lips to her brow before he sidestepped and looked behind him, his mokomoko was twitching in agitation as he waited. The humans and hanyō appeared, Rin's hands trembled as she hid them in her sleeves, she could feel her throat tightening as she saw the humans. Her husband's mokomoko was wrapped around her, the heavy furs were warm and comforting to her as she hid her fears now that humans were in her home.

Everything in her rebelled, violently against the sight of humans walking into her home, she didn't like this.

"Rin," Sesshōmaru spoke her name soft and gentle. "They will not harm you, I will kill them," he assured softly.

"Hai my lord," she replied softly, his fingers trailing down her spine, toying with the ends of her hair as he turned to walk down the hall. She reassured herself she was safe by following her mate, her husband. Sesshōmaru was safe, she knew he was safe.

Kagome didn't know what she had been expecting, she didn't, the human woman wasn't anything particularly special. She was human as far as Kagome could sense. The way the woman did not speak to them, but rather watched, it was unnerving to say the least. The woman seemed to follow Sesshōmaru's ques and lead, like she was nothing more than a servant, but Sesshōmaru's address of her, and the way she reacted around Sesshōmaru, they were a united pair.

They came into a quiet area, and Kagome saw InuYasha's ears twitching, but then Sesshōmaru let out an audible snarl which had InuYasha looking straight ahead. Sesshōmaru's face was impassive, but his eyes were sharp and dangerous, Rin shared the same look as Sesshōmaru. Sitting carefully, Kagome shivered at the cold seeping into her bones. The home was warm.

"Sesshōmaru-sama, it is an honor to meet you," Kagome said as she watched Miroku and Kohaku also sit. InuYasha was stiff, but crouched down in the position he preferred to sit in. Sesshōmaru's fur seemed to drop around Rin as she sat.

Sesshōmaru said nothing as he assessed them, his claws gleamed in the light of the room, and his eyes were sharp as he looked them over.

"Thank you for welcoming us into your home, it is a fine honor," Miroku started.

Rin was tensing more and more as she sat beside Sesshōmaru.

"What army?" Sesshōmaru asked tersely.

"Look, I know you and father have had differences of opinions and you are…"

"Exiled," Sesshōmaru stated. "Jaken," Sesshōmaru looked at the kappa who came in with a tray of tea.

"Milord!" Jaken bowed lowly as he placed the tray by Rin. Rin was graceful as she served her tea, but she did not serve tea for them, and Kagome got the message; the pair wanted them to leave. Sesshōmaru accepted the tea cup from Rin, and Rin was tense as she held her own serving.

"Leave," Sesshōmaru ordered.

"Yes my lord," the kappa scurried off.

"Our father saw to exile me for the murder of my mother, she perished at the claws of Ryūkotsuse because father foolishly issued challenges to which he is no match for," Sesshōmaru-sama spoke icily, his deep voice rumbled and spoke with a clarity Kagome hadn't expected.

"Yes, I know," InuYasha stated. "When father perishes, the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan will go to war, the inner packs; the Ishizuchi, Naoshima, Sanukii, Shikoku, Shinanto, Tsuguri and Yoshino will only follow the true heir, the heir of Kimi-sama, and that is you, but there are rumors of your exile. Upon our father's death, not only will the Clan fall into civil wars, but the lack of protection and true unity, yōkai will come to this realm, they believe it is theirs to rule over, and the campion of Amaterasu is not here to protect the realm and the champion of Tsukuyomi is lost, without them, there stands to be no barrier between the mortals and the yōkai, and the kami cannot be involved. Without the champions, this world will collapse.

"Prominent Clan heirs of other yōkai factions are also missing, Tsukuyomaru-sama of the Hyakkikoumori Clan, Tōran-sama of the Hyōnekozoku Clan, Kōryū-sama of the Ryū Clan, they are missing," InuYasha explained. "If the Shikoku InuYōkai Clan falls then the mortals fall with it, and judging from the fact your mate is mortal I don't think you want that to happen."

Sesshōmaru said nothing, and Rin's face revealed nothing as they sat there assessing them.

"Is that all?" Sesshōmaru asked.

"Is that all!?" InuYasha roared. "Look you bastard! I don't care about what went down between you and the old man! I care about not having an entire world destroyed in a senseless war! It's one thing to hunt and kill for living, but the yōkai are talking about doing it for sport."

"And you believe I should care?" Sesshōmaru's deep voice rumbled dangerously.

"YES!"

"Leave," Sesshōmaru ordered.

"You selfish bastard!"

"PAPAPAPAPAPAPAPAPA!" the fusuma was thrown open and two blurs of black and white barreled into the room.

"JAKEN!" Sesshōmaru snapped furiously as his pelt caught the two toddlers.

"Sorry my lord!" the kappa appeared.

"Leave, now," Sesshōmaru ordered. "Jaken, see them out."

"Of course my lord, this way," the kappa ordered.

"No! I'm not leaving until you come home and stop this madness!" InuYasha bellowed. There was a flick of light as the floor fractured, Kagome shrieked and they felt the ki of the yōkai swirling, Sesshōmaru's claws dripped with acid then as he stood, his fur snaked around Rin and the toddlers.

"I do not care what you desire, you upset my mate and you will leave, now," Sesshōmaru caught the hanyō, Kagome watched as Sesshōmaru effortlessly picked up InuYasha who was struggling down and threw him through the wall, the wood splintered and broke, but Kagome squeaked and scrambled up with Miroku and Kohaku as Sesshōmaru's eyes bled red, and his ki was picking up a storm. She rushed out into the snow and saw InuYasha's prone bloody form. "Leave."

"Hai my lord," she bowed as she and Miroku grabbed up InuYasha and saw Kirara appear.

"Whoa, I didn't… I didn't expect that," Kohaku stated as they flew away from the clearing, the daiyōkai was watching them retreat, and Kagome watched as the daiyōkai disappeared from view.

"Didn't expect what?" Miroku asked.

"His wrath."

Rin released the shuddering gasp she'd been holding in as a sob tore from her lips, she collapsed, doubling over and he rushed to his mate's side. The girls were crying, and he tried to sooth them as he pulled Rin into him, his claws combing through her heavy black hair. The sob that tore from his mate's lips broke his heart as he held her tighter, and the girls were clinging to Rin sobbing.

"I would never permit another moral to harm you in our home," he promised softly as her sobs started receding. She nodded against him, hugging their girls, and trembling.

"My lord," Jaken was uneasy and Sesshōmaru looked at the hole in his wall before sighing. Picking up his more fragile pack members, who would be susceptible to the cold he took them to the warmer private quarters. He would have to fix the wall, and he shouldn't have lost his temper like that, but the entitlement of the hanyō to demand anything of him had been infuriating. Three hundred years, and Sesshōmaru did not have a single inclination to return to his Clan. He had thought about it, returning, overthrowing his father, slaughtering every single one of his father's stupid sons, but it did not matter after a few decades, and by the time the first century had come about of his exile he had no inclination to return. Instead he had built his life here, and resided here.

"They were in our house," Rin whimpered.

"Hush, rest, I will clean the house of their stench and fix the wall," he promised. His mate had never liked humans, and she tried to keep herself out of quarters with humans. He settled Rin on their bed with the girls, and waited for a time when Rin's breathing evened out, and the girls were pressed up against their mother, sleeping just as soundly that he leaned over Rin. She was wide awake, and she was lost in her head. Pressing his lips to her temple, she looked up at him.

"My lord…" she rasped, her fingers trembled as she reached for him.

"I am here," he murmured as he caught the tips of her fingers, pressing his lips to them. She gave a weak smile which warmed his heart, so he gave a playful nip on her fingers, and she softened. "Do you trust me, Rin?"

"Yes," she answered.

"Then know you are safe," he assured gently.

"I… I never had mortals in my home…" she started.

"I know," he answered gently. "I will purge the house and territory of them, you protect our girls, and I will return."

"Thank you, my lord," she whispered as she turned her attention on their daughters again. Leaving mokomoko wrapped in secure layers around his mate and daughters, Sesshōmaru went to inspect the damage of his temper. He was unsurprised at his loss of temper, but the damage was rather prominent so he had to repair it. His own hanyō daughters and human mate were susceptible to the elements after all.

"I have sent word to Tsukuyomaru-sama, my lord, if they speak the truth and war should come upon us," Jaken started.

"Jaken," Sesshōmaru cut off.

"Of course my lord, you know best," the kappa scurried off to make himself useful. Sesshōmaru stared out at the winter then, feeling the winds tugging on his hair, and frowned. If war was indeed coming because the champions of Amaterasu-kami and Tsukuyomi-kami then this was indeed going to be a bloody war, because Sesshōmaru would not expose his daughters to being the pawns of kami nor would he permit them to be used by yōkai like his own father. And it would not surprise Sesshōmaru if the invasion plans to the mortal realm were Tōga's own plans. The fact that mortals possessed resources and riches yōkai did not would cause conflict, and he knew that. Tōga always wanted what was not his.

Sesshōmaru took measurements he would need for the repairs, pleased there was no structural damages as he returned to his mate and pups. Rin was finally sleeping when he stretched out beside her, their daughters were hugging her tightly as they burrowed into the mokomoko.

"The kami have no claim, nor do the yōkai," Rin murmured.

He did not respond.

"If they want war, my lord," she started.

"I will tear them all apart, and bath the realms in their blood, I will tear the kami apart, and destroy creation, they do not have the right to command my compliance in their wars."

"My lord, even you cannot best a kami," she breathed.

"I am death, Rin, and I will remind them of that fact," Sesshōmaru informed her seriously.