a/n: as always, if you see a typo, pretend like you didn't! :^)

SONG OF THE WEST

an Inuyasha fanfic

xxxviii.

He wakes first.

His mornings were routine. He rose from bed, prepared his tea, went to work reviewing reports and writing replies to messages from other generals and inspectors. When Rin was a courier, before his father had taken her away, he'd stop when he was bored or hungry or he knew she was about to wake and prepare food. When she was gone, in her absence, he'd simply re-dress his wounds and sink back into parchment and ink.

But this morning, Rin was there again, with her head against his chest and her hair still damp from the torrent of winter rain.

When she appeared in his tent, soaked and shivering and exhausted, Sesshōmaru had been slightly unsettled. He only allowed himself to feel some elation after he had sufficiently warmed her up, after they had spoken and kissed and embraced.

She had chosen him; she would be his.

Perhaps.

What if I say no?

The question took him by surprise. But he supposed it was a good sign she did not reject him outright, considering their precarious start and his ruthless behavior. And she had given him the pleasure of holding her as she slept, of listening to her gentle breaths and sighs and she slept and dreamt.

And then—

"Milord!" a familiar, croaking voice called out.

Sesshōmaru tore his eyes away from Rin. The tent's entrance fluttered, and in came Jaken, with a nervous expression on his face.

Rin stirred at the sound but did not wake. Sesshōmaru gave Jaken a pointed glare.

Jaken's green eyes landed briefly on Rin before turning to back to Sesshōmaru. If her presence surprised him, he did not show it.

"Milord," Jaken whispered, now mindful of the sleeping young woman in their midst, "the Commander wishes to see you."

"Is he here?"

"No, milord."

Sesshōmaru huffed. He had expected his father to show up to the camp to retrieve Rin himself—after all, that was his style.

"I'm not leaving," Sesshōmaru said, shifting his gaze back to the young woman in his arms.

Jaken shuffled about.

"Milord," he continued lowly, "I don't think it's about…" his eyes flickered to Rin again "…this."

Sesshōmaru's brow rose. "What, then?"

"The messengers did not say. But the commander sent escorts."

Escorts. Why he of all people would need an escort, Sesshōmaru did not know.

He stifled an annoyed groan. He was loath to leave. But his father was being uncharacteristically secretive; there must be some good reason.

Sesshōmaru glanced back at Rin, who still slept, despite all distractions. With great care, he slid her off his body and onto the soft, fur-lined bedding beneath them with very little fuss from her.

"Send the escorts away," Sesshōmaru said, standing to retrieve his shitagi. "They are unnecessary."

With a nod and a quick bow, Jaken exited the tent.

"Lord Sesshōmaru?" a light voice came from behind him.

Rin was awake now—or at least halfway so—and squinting at him while yawning.

"Rest," Sesshōmaru said, though he was sure she wasn't lucid enough to care. "I'll return soon."

For once, Rin sleepily obeyed, curling up against the soft white fur of the bedding. Quietly, Sesshōmaru finished dressing and slipped out of the tent.

When he arrived at honjin, with ease and without escort, the ground was still slightly damp from the rain, and the camp was uncommonly still. Lord Tōga sat in solitude in the council of war, smoking from a pipe that must've been wrested from the very bottom of his supply chest. It was an odd sight—the older man had dropped this habit ages ago, before Sesshōmaru's birth.

"I only heard one horse," Lord Tōga said as soon as Sesshōmaru entered the tent. "Where are your escorts?"

"I didn't need them," Sesshōmaru said, walking about the room and towards the table at which his father sat.

Lord Tōga sighed. "You are a fool."

Sesshōmaru bristled. "Why did you summon me?"

Lord Tōga took another quick drag of his pipe.

"The Crown Prince is missing."

Sesshōmaru's brow furrowed. "Since?"

"His men last saw him yesterday," his father responded, "before the rainstorm."

"You didn't think to inform me then?"

With that, Lord Tōga's golden eyes finally alighted upon Sesshōmaru. "I presumed you were busy."

"You are childish," Sesshōmaru said, scowling.

Tōga shrugged and dumped the contents of his pipe. They formed a smoldering pile in the dirt. The Imperial Lord smothered it with his foot before rising from his seat.

"You would've been of little help," Tōga said. "I've sent Seiten with a party to search for him. If anyone can find the Crown Prince, it's him."

"Have you told the palace?" Sesshōmaru asked.

Tōga grimaced. "No; and I don't intend to until I hear something definite. Any premature news would send the capital into chaos."

His father was right. They were already embroiled in a war over accession. News that the legitimate—albeit clumsy and tactless—heir had suddenly disappeared would throw the capital into chaos.

However...

"Why did you summon me?" Sesshōmaru asked again, his voice harder.

"This is the most fortified part of the army," Tōga said. "I want you to wait here until further notice."

Sesshōmaru's eyes narrowed. Suddenly, the escorts made sense.

"Do you think I'd wander into the forest like that fool?" Sesshōmaru deadpanned.

Tōga clicked his tongue. "You've done more questionable things lately."

Sesshōmaru rolled his eyes and turned heel towards the tent's entrance.

"Need I remind you that you are in line for the throne if anything happens to Crown Prince?" Tōga seethed, slamming his hand against the table. "You are not as invincible as you believe yourself to be. I thought you'd know that after what happened."

Sesshōmaru growled back at the implication.

"And, pray tell," he started, his words dripping acid, "who is going to keep me here?"

Slowly, Tōga walked forward, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword. It was then that Sesshōmaru realized his father stood closer to the entrance than he.

So be it, then.

When Rin woke, she felt the softness of fur, rather than the warmth of another human body. Her eyes darted about the room, searching for Lord Sesshōmaru. Instead, who they found was Inspector Jaken, reading a book in the far corner of the tent.

She blinked. "… Inspector Jaken?"

Jaken looked up and gave her a small smile. That only confused Rin more.

"You're awake!" Jaken exclaimed, setting his book aside. "I thought you'd sleep forever!"

"Where is Lord Sesshōmaru?" Rin said, wrapping herself further in the white furs surrounding her.

"The Commander summoned His Grace to honjin."

Rin's eyes widened. With a start, she darted up from the bed, only to have her courage supplanted by the dull ache in her stomach and the sudden rush of darkness into her version.

Thankfully, the bedding was soft enough to break her fall. When she could see again, Jaken was beside her with a worried look on his face.

"Be at ease!" Jaken exclaimed.

"Lord Tōga is angry at him again, isn't he?" Rin asked.

Jaken hesitated. "No; he was summoned for something else."

The older man seemed genuine. With a small sigh, Rin relaxed into the futon again, only to be disrupted, this time by a rather inelegant sneeze.

Jaken sighed and walked towards the tetsubin he had long-since placed on Lord Sesshōmaru's desk. If Rin fell ill, the young Lord would have his head.

From her position in the bed, Rin could espy a slight limp to Jaken's gait. She frowned.

"You're hurt," she observed.

"It is not so bad," Jaken dismissed. "I'm only a bit sore from kneeling."

Rin's shoulders fell. He was made to kneel, too, as punishment for his association with her and Lord Sesshōmaru.

"I'm sorry–"

"Never mind that, Miss Rin," Jaken interjected, placing a warm cup in her hand. "Have some tea!"

Grateful, Rin took the cup into her hands and sipped. It was ginger.

Miss Rin. The sudden, unfamiliar addition of an honorific to her name felt odd, especially coming out of Jaken's mouth.

"You don't have to call me that, Inspector," Rin said.

"Nonsense!" Jaken squawked. "It's best we get used to it, especially you and the young Lord—"

Suddenly, Jaken paused, almost as if he had spoken too much. Rin stared at him.

"You and the young Lord are coupled now, right?" Jaken asked.

Rin paused. The night prior, after she had returned to him, Lord Sesshōmaru had rather unexpectedly asked her to be his lover. And he had kissed her. And she had kissed him back. A lot.

The days where she could state they were merely good friends were over. They likely had been long before last night.

"Inspector Jaken?" Rin asked, her voice lilting.

"Yes?"

"What happens…" She trailed off, not too confident in her question. Then, half-whispering: "What happens when a Lord takes a lover?"

"Why, you'll become his concubine, of course!" Jaken said, a bit too loud for comfort. "You'll bear the young Lord children—"

Rin's face flushed. She hadn't even considered having children with Sesshōmaru; she did not even know if she could.

"–and you'll live in luxury and serve the young Lord for the rest of your days," he finished.

"Like a wife?" Rin asked.

Jaken shook his head.

"Oh, no! Only noble daughters can become a Lord's wife."

Rin's lips pursed. Her experience at Asahiri months ago had told her as much—the title of "Lady" was reserved for beautiful, (supposedly) well-bred young women like Sara Asano, not baseborn fisherman's daughters like her. But to hear Jaken speak, a concubine's role thus far sounded so much like that of a wife's—serving the Lord, bearing his children—that Rin struggled to find the difference.

Thankfully, Jaken answered this unspoken question for her.

"As a commoner, you won't be expected to host events or socialize, or even make public appearances," Jaken said.

Rin blinked. "No public appearances?"

"It's considered indecorous for a concubine to leave the home," Jaken said.

"So, I'm merely his bedmate," Rin deduced.

"Yes! And what an honor!" Jaken exclaimed. "You are the only woman to have ever received such an esteemed invitation."

An honor. Rin shivered at the thought. She loved Sesshōmaru; she was certain of that, based on the way she felt when he held her or kissed her. But the idea of having sex with him felt unthinkable, and, truth be told, she could not fathom why he would ever want her—a former prostitute, of all women–as his lover. She was not pure, and she had not been in a long time. Lord Sesshōmaru did not deserve used goods.

And, of course, there was one more matter to contend with.

Rin swallowed nervously. "Lord Sesshōmaru will have to take a main wife, won't he?"

"Of course—"

Jaken stopped speaking once he saw the unwell expression on Rin's face.

"Don't fret, Miss," Jaken said. "Whoever the Lady is, I'm certain the young Lord will ensure she doesn't cause you trouble."

Rin swallowed hard. Yes, she knew that Lord Sesshōmaru would protect her from any harm, if she chose to be his lover.

"Would you like more tea?" Jaken offered.

Rin nodded and handed him her cup. Jaken turned to pour her more tea, utterly ignorant of the storm he had unintentionally created within Rin's disquieted mind.

After the dust settled and the room was thoroughly destroyed from their raucous dispute, Sesshōmaru and Lord Tōga sat on the hard earth, tired and bloody, with their interpersonal tension resolved.

Somewhat.

But, at least, Sesshōmaru felt slightly better now that he had given his father a fresh black eye to match his healing one. And he was sure that his father felt the same after cutting Sesshōmaru's lip open and preventing him from getting any closer to the tent's exit than he was prior to their fight.

Still, the two remained unsatisfied. Especially Sesshōmaru, who had re-opened more than a few of the lacerations on his back.

"I need to change by bandages," Sesshōmaru said, annoyed.

Lord Tōga slowly looked up from his bruised fist, his expression marked either by ambivalence or sluggishness—perhaps Sesshōmaru had hit him slightly too hard–and blinked.

"Rōyakan!" Tōga called.

"Yes, Commander?" A man unfamiliar to Sesshōmaru, who was now apparently standing outside the tent, responded.

"Bring some gauze!"

"Yes, Commander!"

Outside, Rōyakan shuffled off to fulfill his commander's request. Sesshōmaru rolled his eyes at the marked enthusiasm in the stranger's voice, but said nothing further, allowing a tense silence to settle over the tent once more.

"Rin…" Lord Tōga began.

Sesshōmaru's ears seemed to perk at the mention of her name.

"How did she seem when she arrived at your camp?" Tōga asked. There was a hint of dejection is his tone. Even a cold-hearted person like Sesshōmaru might have felt sympathy, if not for the fact that he was practically being held hostage by the man.

"Wet," Sesshōmaru responded. "Sad."

"Sad?"

"Yes," Sesshōmaru said. He was in no mood to elaborate.

Tōga sighed and ran his good hand through his hair.

"I've asked her to be a concubine," Sesshōmaru offered against his will.

Tōga blinked, surprised. "What did she say?"

Sesshōmaru's busted lip throbbed in disagreement. "She's considering it."

Tōga hummed. It was the first sound of approval Sesshōmaru had heard from him in days.

"Well," Tōga said, "it's a start."

Outside, hooves clomped, horses whinnied. Heavy boots crunched against the cold ground near the tent, and the entrance finally flapped open, revealing a bit of natural light. Instead of Rōyakan with the bandages Tōga had requested, Seiten entered with a look of panic on his face.

Sesshōmaru and Tōga rose from their seats on the ground.

Seiten swallowed hard.

"My Lord," he said. "The Crown Prince is dead."