CYCLE OF RIN

By Lady JenDragon

Disclaimer: More yada, yada, yada.

Author's Notes: Hiya life gets in the way!

CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

Change of Affection

Kagome walked out of Rin's hut, her heart sunk low. She could feel nothing but depression for Rin's loss. It was amazing she, herself, had not lost one of her own children to a demon yet. Even with demons bent on destroying Inuyasha, she kept her children safe. Maybe it was luck or maybe a combination of courage and luck. But to suffer such a natural loss like the abortion of a child, Kagome could not, did not know how to sympathize with Rin.

Still, Tenmari had bent over Rin with such tenderness and kindness not seen in other demons. Kagome felt a little solace that Rin's condition seemed to be well understood by another, especially by a demon. It was so unbecoming of a demon to care for another. No demon showed a human kindness even though she witnessed such a capacity on many occasions. Human-like emotions were considered beneath them.

Kagome looked up from her slow steps out of he hut to find Tenmari staring into the forest. She felt the demon auras increase within the last few hours. There was something about to happen. Where should she start? Taking a deep breath…

"Betrothed?" Kagome asked to get the demon's attention. "To Sesshomaru?"

Tenmari said nothing to this but replied instead.

"Get Inuyasha. And anyone who's capable of defending against demons." Tenmari folded her arms. "Rin will need to be moved to a temple where demons cannot reach her."

"Moved?" Kagome frowned. "She's just aborted her child. She's in no condition to move or be moved."

Tenmari turned to face the human.

"She's only lost the human child." Tenmari replied evenly. "The demon child remains."

Kagome felt her mouth gape open.

"You understand the situation now." Tenmari smiled wryly. "The demons were waiting for this moment to mobilize against Sesshomaru. He cannot be concerned with protecting her while battling the others."

"Her child will protect her." Kagome stated.

Then…all was not lost after all. Kagome did not like knowing the Human child perished because of the demon child though. Still, that meant Rin would be hunted by every demon willing to stand against a powerful opponent. And Sesshomaru had no choice but to defend Rin.

'The stupid idiot shoulda married, Rin.' Kagome berated the older Dog demon silently.

"At any other time, yes." Tenmari returned her eyes to the forest tree-line. "Now is the time when the demon child can be stolen by another. It's father replaced if another demon deemed stronger than Sesshomaru comes along. So the legend goes."

Kagome shook her head. "The legend doesn't mention the abortion of a child."

"Of course it doesn't." Tenmari answered softly. "Though the power of the Fire Dragon is immense, it cannot ignore the fact that the mother and father of this union are completely different species. One child from each was created to accommodate that difference."

"So, the demon child was more powerful than the human child?" Kagome asked slightly confused.

"Yes." Tenmari nodded. "The human child possessed no spiritual powers to fend off the demon child for which it shares a mother. Had there been a balance between the two, both children would survive. It was inevitable that her own body would eventually rid itself of the dead child without causing harm to the one that remains."

"Creepy." Kagome shivered and said mostly to herself. "So a Demon Bearer is wanted by every demon then. Makes sense when you think about it."

"Rin is unlike any other Demon Bearer that has ever lived." Tenmari turned her eyes back to the human. "She is human and can offer an exact duplicate of the father. The male demons will fight extra hard to make Rin theirs. Fools all of them."

"Am I to understand that there's more going on here?" Kagome narrowed her eyes.

"You are more adept than your human counterparts." Tenmari nodded again. "Yes, there is more to the story. You see, the prophecy of the Human Demon Bearer has come true. For thousands of years such a situation was suppressed into silence by the skeptics. Many believed it would never happen. Impossible they claimed."

"That sounds bad." Kagome stated to herself.

"It can be bad." Tenmari heard Kagome's words despite their soft uttering. "The Human Demon Bearer can do far more than any other before her. Some fear that the end of demons will result if the Human Demon Bearer is allowed to survive."

"So some demons have come to claim her for their own…" Kagome took a step back in shock.

"Others have come to kill her." Tenmari finished Kagome's thought. "Or try."

Kagome nodded she understood and turned to leave. There was no time to lose. Inuyasha and the others needed to be brought here immediately. She could be back here in less than thirty minutes.

"Go, Kagome." Tenmari spoke quietly. "I will stand guard until you return with your friends."

"Why are you doing this?" Kagome asked. "You gain nothing by helping Rin."

"Oh but you are wrong on that count." Tenmari smiled. "I gain more by keeping her alive."

Kagome frowned, not sure what that statement meant. But it would explain why the demon was willing to help her out. Rin would not suffer while she was away. Still, her instincts told her to be cautious and return quickly. She darted back towards the village for the others. There was little time to lose.

All hell was about to break lose.

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The Human Miko had run off then leaving the female demon alone.

Sesshomaru remained still, hidden behind the thick bushes, his amber eyes on Tenmari standing watch over Rin's hut. He understood why she dared to refuse the deal struck between parents from long ago. But her ignorance would not go unpunished. Tenmari would pay for dismissing his clan so easily.

Tenmari crossed her arms then turned to look directly at him.

"Come to make sure your woman's all right?" Tenmari nodded. "You'd better get going. There's thousands waiting to meet you."

He stepped out from behind the bushes to fully reveal himself to Tenmari. This Sesshomaru needed to hide from no one, only when he wanted to learn more about a subject or watch a particular person without alerting the person to his presence. Tenmari undoubtedly felt his aura and knew he had come. Knew he would come.

Sesshomaru also knew better than to give in to her attempt at humor. So he remained silent, his eyes never leaving Tenmari's face. An expressionless face at that. It irked him that the female had been allowed to grow up wildly. No etiquette.

"Father revealed his desire for our union long before he died." Sesshomaru pointed out.

"A pity the deal was never signed." Tenmari shot back coolly.

"A demon's word is enough." Sesshomaru made no move to step forward.

"Not if you're dead." Tenmari smiled.

It was then that the band of humans arrived at Rin's Hut. Inuyasha led with Sango, Miroku and Kagome coming up behind him. He skidded to a halt at the sight of his older half-brother and the female demon Kagome called Tenmari facing off.

Tenmari had not realized that time had passed so quickly between them. Felt like minutes since the miko had left the hut. Perhaps, her friends were already on their way here when they met up? Tenmari smiled. Humans were far more intelligent than they let on.

Inuyasha's eyes widened, taking a step back at the innuendo of the female demon. Her red hair and green kimono seemed to clash even to him. She seemed uncaring about some deal between clans. His bright red kimono shifted with every movement as he turned to look at Sesshomaru. His hand rested on Tetsusaiga's hilt in case he needed to pull it quickly from the sheath.

"You KILLED your own mother?!" He asked appalled.

"What would you have done?" Tenmari turned to Inuyasha. "My mother wanted your father for herself. Stories of his achievements reached everywhere, awe-inspiring to some while others grew selfish and sought him out to take his power by force. Foolishness. Demons talked of the great dog demon as though he were a god. He came to my mother when I was small. I vaguely remember seeing the pair of them at our home. Her pretense of setting up a union was all she needed to bring the General to her. And it worked. There was no intention of allowing a union between our two clans to be foraged. In the end, I discovered her deceit and disposed of her myself."

"The deal still stands." Sesshomaru pointed out.

In his mind, the union was set in stone. Not particularly proud of this deal made between the two clans, Sesshomaru could hardly challenge its authenticity. If a member of the Fire Clan came to make their claim, he had no choice but to abide and perform the duty he was forced to accept. The decision had been made long ago. Most likely forgotten by everyone…except him. Her ability forged him advantages he did not wish to ignore. However, Tenmari was not willing to accept her duty.

"I will NOT honor deceit." Tenmari retorted quickly.

She vowed long ago that should Sesshomaru refuse to free her from the deal, he would die slowly until he agreed to break the contract. Her sword was prepared especially for him, Tenseiga and Tokijin. Tenmari of the Fire Clan would not bow to any male, especially the son of the man with whom her mother tried to lure for purely selfish reasons. Such a plan was unbecoming of a demon to her, of any breeding, in her eyes.

"You will accept and honor your duty." Sesshomaru stepped forward.

"Or what?" Tenmari narrowed her eyes at Sesshomaru.

Sesshomaru placed his hand over both Tenseiga and Tokijin hilts. Tenmari made no move, no indication that she was intimidated by his arming himself. The son of the Dog General would fight to retain his honor.

"Ah, Tenmari," Kagome lifted a finger up. "What exactly do you do?"

"I'm a sword mistress." Tenmari looked to Inuyasha. "Equal to Totosai. My great-grandmother forged So'unga many centuries ago. The sword later possessed by an evil demon. Surely, you see why your father wanted a union between our clans, Inuyasha."

No one needed reminding of that sword. It had not been so long ago when So'unga possessed Inuyasha at her home in the future and was brought back to Feudal Japan. And nearly destroyed the world. Inuyasha and Sesshomaru worked together, though neither would admit that, to rid the world of its presence. They barely succeeded and sent the sword to hell.

Kagome and Sango nodded in agreement. That meant Sesshomaru would have access to power no other demon had. An endless supply of swords. Kagome shivered at the thought. Who would want that kind of life? 'No wonder Tenmari wants to free herself of the deal.'

But what would happen to Rin? As the Demon Bearer, Sesshomaru also had laid claim to her as the father of the child she carried.

"Doesn't surprise me. Poor you, though." Inuyasha turned from Tenmari to Sesshomaru and smirked. "Looks like she doesn't want you, big brother."

"Who could blame her?" Shippo whispered into Sango's ear.

No one seemed to care that the Fox demon just suddenly showed up and appeared on Sango's shoulder.

Kagome looked between Tenmari and Sesshomaru. Both were angry for very different reasons. Sesshomaru should be happy Tenmari wanted to break it off. She obviously did not want to marry Inuyasha's older brother. Why would she? He lacked certain attributes that a girl needed to survive a marriage.

Sesshomaru considered every option. To be so boldly confrontational in front of this group. Tenmari must possess her own unique gift for the art of the sword-smith. Otherwise, she would not try so vigorously to remove herself from the contract set down by their parents.

"Tenmari, the union between our clans is set." Sesshomaru set his eyes on Tenmari.

Kagome rushed between them, her hands extended out towards each of them. "Surely there's a better way to solve this!"

"What about Inuyasha?" Miroku put in. "He's Sesshomaru's younger brother."

Kagome whipped around to face the monk. Her eyes narrowed dangerously. What, did he just forget all that happened in the past seven years? As if Inuyasha was available?

"MIROKU!" Sango yelled. "He's already married, stupid!"

Tenmari smiled, returning her sword to its sheath.

"I'd forgotten about the half-ling." Tenmari never liked the word 'half-breed'. "Still the contract precedes any other. His marriage would be annulled immediately."

Inuyasha and Kagome, stared at one another in shock and disbelief. Kagome had yet to take a breath. Inuyasha frowned, his mind unaware of his thoughts forming on his face. 'This wasn't possible!' No way would either of them just allow this demon woman to end the marriage between them.

Tenmari walked towards Inuyasha who grimaced under her intense stare. But she was not lost on the fact that apparently Inuyasha's affections belonged to the young woman oddly dressed, the miko. However, the monk did provide her with an 'out' from the contract. Sesshomaru could not contest her acceptance of his younger brother. They were from the same family.

"I accept." Tenmari smiled slightly.

"WHAT!" Kagome's mouth dropped open.

Sango nearly fell over from shock, her hand over her mouth. Shippo barely had the energy to hold onto to stay on Sango's shoulder. Miroku backed into the shadows and strained not to look at Inuyasha, Kagome or Sango. He would be a dead man for sure by tomorrow.

All seemed to have forgotten Rin, who had awakened and overheard what occurred outside her home.

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An interesting turn of events indeed.

Kaori watched from the confines of her tree house view.

The human was still in shock of losing her half-breed husband to a full demon apparently unable to speak. The demonslayer comforted the miko while the monk stood with the half-breed for protection from the two Human women. The small Fox demon stayed with the demonslayer.

Odd that a woman of Tenmari's breeding would prefer the half-breed over the mighty Sesshomaru. She stood next to Inuyasha to prove her decision was final. If the dog demon was angry, he made no obvious show of it. As if Sesshomaru would openly show his anger.

Her eyes slowly moved over Sesshomaru from head to toe then back again. He was far more worthy of a husband than Inuyasha. Tenmari was a fool. Still, that afforded her the opportunity of making Sesshomaru hers once Katenomaru de-throned him and his clan. Once the Demon Bearer became Katenomaru's.

Still…

There were too many here to attempt an attack on the Demon Bearer right now. No. She would find another opening to rid the world of the demon bearer. Her brother believed her willing to help him defeat Sesshomaru and help deliver the Demon Bearer to him.

Foolish men.

No woman would ever aid any man to acquire any woman in such a demeaning way. Though the Demon Bearer held no use for her, there may be other ways of finding use for the woman. If the legend was true and prevented Kaori from killing her openly that is.

"Humans." Gruffed Kaori.

They could be so troublesome.