Feudal Affair

I don't own Inuyasha

Chapter V

Rin pushed herself back up in an attempt to separate herself from another attack. The attempt was pointless. She was shoved repeatedly, in a mocking fashion, until she reached the dead end of the wall. She wasn't meant to escape. The room grew colder with the venom of every word that attacked her. The brevity of each word lending greater weight than her transgressions. Rin blinked to keep the tears away, yet she had no interest in proving that she held no remorse. She'd never convinced herself that this was okay. She never forced herself to believe that Kohaku would not eventually find out about the affair. One day, she would have told him the truth. How she had slipped away to the hidden places just outside of the village to consort with a demon who had been her everything. She would have revealed that his absence led to happiness only to be with Sesshoumaru again. She never wanted him to find out like this.

"How could you do this to him?! How could you do this to my brother?!"

"Sango please…it's not…"

"Shut up! If it weren't for what I saw, I might feel the need to allow you to explain yourself, but my eyes did not deceive me. A married woman you would lay with another. You are worthless and you don't deserve my brother!"

Looking into Sango's eyes, she could see the pain and disappointment, the anger and the frustration, the result of broken trust. She hadn't thought about the effects that this affair would have on their family and friends and what kind of divide it would bring. Rin felt herself pulling deeper into despair as she tried to come up with a way to make this right; a way to keep from hurting Kohaku in the midst of the probability that Sango would reveal the truth of about her relations with Sesshoumaru.

"I can… I can fix it. Please. I know that Kohaku never deserved this. He doesn't deserve to be hurt and I didn't want that."

"Was that what was on your mind when Sesshoumaru was satisfying you?"

The shame of it made her turn her gaze to the floor, more tears slipping down her cheeks.

"Don't hurt him like this. I'll tell him the truth myself."

"You have the audacity to tell me not to hurt him when you already have? Do you know how ridiculous you sound right now? You never cared about him did you? He was just a fool to love you while you ran around giving yourself to a demon!"

"It's not like that."

"What's it like then?"

Rin shook her head, unable to find the right words. She would never be able to explain what it was like to be in love with someone who would sacrifice your love in exchange for your life. What was more important? Sango wouldn't understand how the world that was always promised to her and then stripped away could have pushed her to make the decisions that she made. It was too difficult and too late to explain what was and what would never be.

"I'll make it right."

"How?"

"I promise I'll never see him again."

"Your promise to me is as valid as the vow you made to Kohaku on your wedding day. You promised to love him. You promised to be faithful. You're a liar and you can't be trusted…"

Rin held her breath as Sango picked up her sword from the table.

"Your actions are punishable by death. But that does no one any good. I won't hurt Kohaku by telling him that you're a lying, deceitful snake. He is entitled to you as his wife. That is the vow that you took. You disrespected that vow and threw it to the wind. But you just made me a promise and I will see to it that you keep that promise."

Rin pulled back and shut her eyes as Sango held the sword closer to her face. She winced as the point of it pricked her skin slowly drawing downward multiple times leaving scars. Rin could feel the warmth of the blood against her skin before it dripped to her lap.

Sango straightened, letting some of the initial anger fade nearly pitying the girl she'd watched play with her brother as they grew up. She wasn't sure what had happened. From the outside, it was obvious that Rin always trusted Sesshoumaru as her friend. Maybe she and the others all questioned the relationship that was Sesshoumaru and Rin but once Kohaku started courting her the questions faded. Sesshoumaru never attempted to come between the two. It seemed like he approved it more than anything. But the one thing that was always clear was that the dog demon would do anything to keep Rin happy. Sango looked at the scar she'd created against Rin's cheek. It was convincing enough but would the reason be enough?

"Sesshoumaru will be banned from this village."

"Under what circumstances?!"

Sango tucked the sword into her sash.

"Your reasons will be no different than what you told me. Now that you're married, you don't want to tarnish that union by keeping a demon around that has developed feelings for you. When you discovered them, you asked him to leave. When Kohaku returns, that will be your explanation as to why you no longer want Sesshoumaru around. The scar on your face came from no one."

"Sesshoumaru will not stay away."

"He will if you tell him to. He's a dog. You should tell him to sit and stay far away."

"You think it's that easy with him. He'll know something is wrong with me."

"I want him to know something is wrong with you. It took the two of you to hurt Kohaku. The two of you should suffer the same."

…

Sesshoumaru watched the light flicker out as Sango left the dwelling. As if knowing he was there, she stopped to look toward his vicinity. Even if she'd questioned his presence he wouldn't allow her to question it any longer. It didn't seem to phase her to know that he was there. Instead, she welcomed it as she walked toward him. He wasn't sure if it was the cover of darkness or simply the anger that lent weight to her stature.

"What is the purpose of your presence here?"

"Shouldn't I be asking you that Sesshoumaru?"

"If you lifted a hand to her, you've become my purpose."

Sango smiled as she shook her head. "You should have thought about that long before you laid with her. You're nothing more than a dog. She certainly deserves you and not my brother."

"I didn't give her a choice."

"You forced her?"

"No."

" I didn't think so. Maybe she was even the one in control of all of your actions. You know as well as I do that what she's done is punishable by death."

"I wouldn't let you."

"Who says it has to be me? Do you think I would approach you without letting someone else know of this atrocity? Word travels fast Sesshoumaru. There's over a thousand other villagers here and your brother wouldn't just stand by and let you slaughter them all."

"Then Inuyasha would find his death as well."

"And here I thought you were honorable. I have no interest in taking Rin's life as long as she keeps her promise. You should probably ask her about it yourself."

A/N: I know it's been a long hiatus. I'm still working on my health and writing in between. I appreciate your patience and thank you all for the support.