Title: By the Light of Mars

Parings: Inuyasha/Sesshomaru and Sango/Miroku

Chapter 9 of ?

Summary: After Naraku is killed Inuyasha's world is settling in to a normality he hadn't expected but when his brother appears bringing with him Rin and royal intrigues can Inuyasha prevail over the new obstacles in his life, including this strange affinity his brother seems to have for him?

Disclaimer: I do not own the Inuyasha franchise, anime, manga or characters. I play with them for fun not for profit.

By the time Sesshomaru had been able to leave his daughter sleeping with her governess in his bedroom it was nearly midnight. I should not have let Rin distract me for so long. He sighed pushing his locks from his eyes, he walked the corridors of his home as though there was nowhere in particular he wished to go. But his wandering had purpose; he had to make sure all of the nobles were abed and not planning anything sinister. Once he had swept the entirety of the grounds he made his way to the dungeon under the main palace. The wooden staircases and intricate paintings gave way to cold stone and the smell of musk as he made his way deeper in to the bowls of the palace. The cells were empty as it had been some time since they used this as any sort of correctional facility. And the smell of blood was faint even to his own noes. As he walked in the pitch back silence of the dungeon he heard a small barely audible whimper from farther down the corridor, as he neared he could also see the barest flicker of light.

He stopped before the last cell in the deepest depths of the dungeon. There lying in dirty rags was the traitor. Her hair had been washed and the numerous gashes dressed by the healer before Sesshomaru could stop it. But here in this hell whole she looked less a Lady and more the hell beast she was.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" She bit out glaring at him with a hatred he had never seen directed towards him before.

"This Sesshomaru should ask you the same thing. By attacking my intended you have committed crimes against the realm." He growled low in his throat daring her to deny her guilt.

"He is a half-breed, a mongrel! Where has your pride gone my child? We are higher that they are, more powerful! He does not deserve to bond with one such as yourself, his blood will taint any child conceived in your union!" She raged pulling at the chins that held her immobile.

Sesshomaru took in her struggling pathetic form and laughed. The Demoness stilled and she stared shocked at her grandson. "This Sesshomaru believes he knows the best punishment for your actions Obaasan." He hissed the honorific with malice. "Your fate will be decided by my intended, and your powers will be bound leaving you human in all but blood." His whip lashed out catching her right eye and blinding her. He turned from her then as she screamed her outrage for all the world to hear. "No one cares that you are hurt Obaasan, just as you did not care that you hurt my intended. This Sesshomaru hopes he sends you to rot in a human village." He finished waking back the way he had come.

He returned then to his rooms, where he found Rin and her Governess asleep on pallets around his bed. The Monk stood on the balcony prayer beads still in hand whispering to Buddha. Beside Inuyasha his little kit was cuddled tear stained face slack in sleep. Sesshomaru padded silently across the room to join the monk in the cool night air.

"He will live monk." Sesshomaru whispered just loud enough for the strange human to hear him.

"I… I know this Lord Sesshomaru and yet I fear this will not be his last trial." The man explained casting his purple gaze up at the demon lord.

"Is it your intention to stay by his side?" Sesshomaru asked not knowing why.

"Yes, for the rest of my days, as long as Inuyasha will allow it I shall stand beside him in friendship and brotherhood. He is my family and I can assure you that Sango feels the same. Inuyasha has done more for me in the short time I have known him than any other person I have ever known." The Monk explained leaning on the railing and looking out at the sprawling palace surrounded by rolling hills.

"He is fortunate to have such loyal friends." Sesshomaru finally responded watching the stars twinkle above them. Suddenly flashes of light started to shoot across the sky. He took in a sharp breath of delight. "Shooting stars." He marveled watching as the flashes became more tightly grouped together.

The human beside him smiled widely reaching his hand up as if to touch the stars. "Oh Great Buddha this is a sign of good things to come." He exclaimed softly.

They stood there for some time the two of them, staring at the falling stars as the world around them slept. At some point the Monk retired to the inner chamber to hold a vigil over the hanyou leaving Sesshomaru alone staring at the omens of good things to come.

The subsequent two days that found the hanyou in a deep restorative sleep were hellish for the monarch. His court was in an uproar over the imprisonment of the traitor Akiko and many of his lords threatened to take the throne from him by force. He spent the first five hours of that first day fighting idiots who did not know their place.

After most of his cousins had been suitably injured in their attempts at coos the council was assembled to try and talk him out of binding the traitor's powers. This assembly lasted for seven hours in which time Sesshomaru was stubborn in his defense of his declared punishment. After hours of pleading and threatening the council finally gave in to his demands and sent the castles Hoshi down to bind her with blood sutras.

The demon lord did not sleep for those two terrifying nights as Inuyasha thrashed in his dreams calling out for his mother. He attended dinner as was expected presiding over a vastly empty table as there were very few of his nobles in his good graces. He signed his name to dozens of decrees, inspected the new troupes, and made one good will mission to the city just outside of the palaces walls. The entire time he went through the motions of court life his heart ached to be near his intended. He knew the realm wouldn't stop needing to be run just because it was inconvenient for him and yet he wished it would, he yearned for his father's steady hand to lead him in the right direction. It was at times like these he wished he had the luxury of most nobility of his age, the luxury of prince hood. He was not yet six hundred years old, his parents should be there to take the reins of state while he searched for a mate, traveled the world and sparred with his fellow princes.

It was not often that he envied the Northern wolf princes, they were wolves after all; but he wished he could have the freedom of Kikatsu, Keguie or Koga as princes they lead small tribes that were mobile. If anything went wrong they could return to the mountain fortress and allow their father to take care of the problem.

A Lord was given no such protection, Sesshomaru was suddenly aware of just how alone he truly was. Inuyasha is my only blood family I can trust, my cousins defy me, Obaasan is a traitor and my Aunt Sanika is married to the Southern Lord and thus beholden to him. I must have an heir soon; this uncertainty with in the succession is driving a wedge between my family. But first they must accept Inuyasha as my mate and the barer of my future heir.

He sighed softly he was waiting in his office for Jakken, dinner had just ended and the Kappa was supposed to be bringing him a message that had just arrived from the North.

Deciding he had left his intended alone long enough Sesshomaru told the sentries to send Jakken to his rooms when he arrived and took off at a steady pace for his room.

His brothers scent washed over him as he came to a halt just before the door to his chambers. HE sniffed again wondering why the scent seemed so strange. It is mixed with my soap. He thought incredulously, pushing the door open slowly he stepped in to the room. His breath caught in his throat at the sight that met his eyes. Inuyasha stood hair damp and falling down his back wearing nothing but his nagajuban.

"You have bathed…" He commented finally wondering why he was stating something at they both surely knew. His brother stared at him as though he had no idea how to respond to that. His honey colored eyes flashing momentarily with a wary light.

"Uh yeah I kinda smelled. How long was I out?" The hanyou asked sounding small and unassuming. Seshomaru wanted to take his brother in his arms but was unsure whether that would be welcomed after the actions taken against his intended while he was supposed to be protecting him.

"Three days." He managed to answer wondering how he could have left this wonderful being alone for such a time.

"Oh… so what happened to me? The last thing I remember we were talking on the dais, then I was here." Sesshomaru blinked in confusion, Inuyasha did not remember the attack?

"You were attacked by the traitor Akiko." He explained trying unsuccessfully to restrain the growl when he thought of his traitorous Obaasan.

"Uh… should I know who that is?" His brother asked obviously confused, Sesshomaru sighed; he had forgotten how little Inuyasha knew about their family.

"She is our Obaasan." Sesshomaru felt himself grimace cursing himself for the show of emotion. How is it that I can never control myself around this man? He wondered watching the emotions flit across his brothers face.

The hanyou shrugged, a remarkably human gesture and looked at the ground. "Oh yeah I remember her."

The Lord of the West stilled watching his brother for some sign of distress. He was strangely calm about this attack on his being. "Why are you not more distressed over her behavior?"

"Eh it's not like this is the first time one of my family members has tried to kill me. By the way was poison involved, these scars look like the ones from when you pushed your hand through my abdomen." Sesshomaru felt the bile rise in his throat at his brother's admission. Things had changed so much over the past few years as they came together to fight Naraku and Inuyasha returned home, he had all but forgotten their past. He wished he could undo the hurt he had obviously caused his brother.

"Yes she injected more poison than I have ever seen one Inu use in one attack." He responded haltingly trying to reign in his emotions.

"Makes sense I was out for way longer than last time. Look I'm not mad okay, I wasn't mad at you and I sure as shit ain't mad at that old biddy. People hate me until they get to know me, it's kinda the story of my life." His brothers voice was heartbreakingly matter of a fact. How can one creature be so forgiving after living such a difficult life? I have truly found a perfect person to rule beside me.

"Look this is your room right?" His brother's word broke him from his internal reverie. "So if you could help me I'll head back to my rooms and rest until I'm better and then I'll leave. That way there won't be any more fighting because of me." Sesshomaru stilled at those words his demon rising inside him. You will not let our intended leave! It roared pulling at the chains encasing it. Hush he shall be going nowhere. He growled back talking a step forward. "Thanks for the offer or whatever but I think I am causing you way too much trouble to be worth keeping around." Again the beast within in him roared. I will kill the ones that have caused him pain! Its tirade was cut short by Inuyasha's next words "I mean if you just want me to leave now I could do that too." The heartbreak in those words made Sesshomaru come undone, he watched as his little brother squeezed his eyes shut blocking out the world. His demon roared and he heeded it. He was across the room in seconds pulling his brother in to his arms and shushing the hanyou the way his mother had done. He buried his face in to his intended's hair breathing in the calming scent of his soap mixed with Inuyasha's natural scent.

"I do not wish for you to leave now or ever." He whispered softly, breathing out and pushing Inuyasha so he could look in to the hanyous eyes. "I have asked you to join me in matrimony and you have agreed, we will not be parted my Inuyasha." Once the words had left his mouth he pulled the smaller man back in to his arms and sat gently on the bed holding the softly sobbing hanyou to his chest.

Their quiet reprieve was broken moments later by a knock at the chamber door. Inuyasha shifted in Sesshomaru's arms and the older man sighed he had wanted to stay there a while longer.

"Come." He called out allowing his younger brother to rise and walk to the balcony.

Jakken stepped through the door bowing low as he came to a stop a few feet from his master.

Sesshomaru stared at him impatiently before barking, "Yes what would you like?"

The small green demon flinched hunching but speaking finally. "This summons has come for you My Lord." He explained holding out the scroll.

Sesshomaru took it sliding the parchment open and reading what it contained. He wished he had not, the North sent word that his daughters fiancé the prince Kikatsu had been gravely injured in battle with strange demons from the East. He had succumbed to his injuries in the early morning, three days prior. The Lord Keietsu wished to bond one of his two other son's to the human princess.

Sesshomaru knew he would consent to this, bonding Rin to one of the demon princes would make her immortal as she would live as long as he did, never ageing. It was a perk of bonding that the Lady Izayoi never got to appreciate as his Father died soon after their bonding took place. He sighed in frustration, he had hoped that as the second son Kikatsu would be protected from such a fate, but the wolf demons were far too brutal for that to be the case it seemed.

"This Sesshomaru shall ask for the hand of his youngest son, on the condition that he is delivered here directly as well as the promise that he live out the remainder of his life here under my protection unless there is no other heir to reign in the North." He finally told Jakken, rolling the scroll back and handing it to his retainer. "Go create a scroll that says as much and bring it back this night for This Sesshomaru to sign, send for a runner in the meantime, we must get the new contract signed as soon as possible." With those words he waved Jakken away and turned to find his brother.

P.O.V. Change

Inuyasha stood staring at the shining moon, his life had been so connected to the celestial body for so long it was strange to him when he did not see it for several nights. He felt his brothers presence behind him as the elder inu stepped on to the balcony and pulled the doors shut.

"Why do you stare at the moon Intended?" The deep baritone broke through Inuyasha's reverie.

"I suppose because she has always been with me, every night I can count on her safe presence." Inuyasha explained turning to look in to his brother's face.

"What of the new moon?" The question caught the hanyou off guard making him wince and turn around again.

"That's not a time I like to think about." He sighed leaning on the stone banister. "I probably shouldn't tell you this… but what the hell this day has been weird enough already. The night of the new moon, every new moon I become human." He explained watching as a small red dot came in to focus near the moon.

His brother moved behind him shifting audibly. "That red body in the sky is Mars brother; it is from her that all demons receive their powers. Do not look to the moon for your strength brother for she will forsake you, look to Mars and you will be ever powerful." Sesshomaru whispered wrapping his arm around Inuyasha's slight waist. The hanyou blushed looking over at the gardens he used to play in as a child.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" He asked annoyed by his brother's cryptic remarks.

"It means that as long as Mars does not fall from the heavens I shall protect you my Intended. In this way the light of Mars will out shine the light of the moon and your human nights will cause you no fear. I am here now." Sesshomaru whispered this straight in to Inuyasha's delicate ears. He twitched them slightly moving the soft furry appendages along his brother's moist lips.

The hanyou shuttered wondering why he wasn't more repulsed by this situation.

"Oh well okay then…" Inuyasha muttered allowing himself to lean back in to Sesshomaru. Together they watched the moon dance across the sky with the tiny light of Mars.

End Chapter Nine.

A/N Gah thank you for all the great reviews! I love all sooo much! I hope you all like the idea of Rin's marriage being Important, I feel like a lot of authors over look her role in Sesshomaru's life. I also want to apologize to those of you who don't like how Sesshomaru dealt with Akiko. The idea behind the punishment is that no matter what he did to her putting her fate in the hands of a halfbreed would be worse. I will be responding to reviews in the next few day's Mediaminer reviews will also be answered on my LiveJournal from now on, a link to which is in chapter eight.

I hope you all enjoyed the chapter!

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