WANTS and NEEDS

Chapter 3

The Ladies and the Lords

Rin looked at her lord husband InuTaisho who was training with Sesshoumaru and some warriors in the field across where she was sitting. InuTaisho, although he looked very much like Sesshoumaru, but there was gentleness in his feature that Sesshoumaru failed to possess.

Rin smiled when she recalled the first time she met him, the time when she was being given to him as a tribute by her very own clan. She was very young at that time, but she did know that her clan had sacrificed her in order to gain relation with the Western Lord. Before she arrived at the Western Land, she had heard rumors about the Western Lord being a merciless killer who had no heart. Then when she arrived at the castle, the moment she looked upon InuTaisho, all her fears disappeared.

Rin giggled when she remembered the many ways InuTaisho tried to make her happy, like giving her a bunch of rare flowers, bringing her here and there, and presenting her a garden where she could plant anything she wanted. She had thought she loved InuTaisho, but Sesshoumaru had then proved her wrong.

The first time she met Sesshoumaru was when InuTaisho brought her to the arena to watch the battle competition being held there, and Sesshoumaru was one of the participants, apparently being forced to join by his father. She had watched the way Sesshoumaru battled and it was not a good sight to look at, especially when he was killing his opponents; he was cold, cruel and merciless. Perhaps the rumors she heard during her way to the Western Land were not about InuTaisho, but Sesshoumaru, the next Western Lord.

When InuTaisho introduced her to Sesshoumaru, he had refused to acknowledge her, talk to her or even glance at her. Rin had thought it was because he loathed her, that was why he was rude to her by ignoring her presence, but later she found out not only did he act that way to her, but to the others female as well .

"This is none of your concern, woman." This was the first thing he had said to her when she asked him why he hated the women so. Since then, Rin had been careful not to go near Sesshoumaru, or to make eye contact with him. It was hard to do so because Rin was curious about him, the son of her lord husband. She had once asked InuTaisho about Sesshoumaru, but it seemed that even his own father did not understand him either.

"Rin, do you not want to come inside?" A soft voice brought Rin out of her thoughts. Turning her head slightly around, her eyes widened a little when she saw the person standing behind her. It was Izayoi.

She watched as the human woman walked to her side and sat down beside her, her smile never once leaving her face. With her long black hair that reached the floor, skin as pale as snow, and a gentle feature that could change a bad man into a good one, no wonder InuTaisho wanted her to be his mate. Shaking her head slightly, Rin replied.

"No, the weather is warm today and it is actually cooler than inside, Lady Izayoi." Rin smiled at her and turned to look at the training field again. She wondered what had brought Lady Izayoi out in the opening where it was not safe. As the Lady of Western Land, and a human as well, she was the target of every demon in Western Land. Lady Izayoi's life had been threatened many times, as well as InuYasha.

Rin glanced at Sesshoumaru. Even though Sesshoumaru had expressed his dislike of human and half-breed presence in the castle, but he had not and did not cause any harm to them due to his respect to his father. When she caught Sesshoumaru was staring at her, she blushed and lowered her gaze to the floor, failing to notice Izayoi's knowing smile on her face.

Looking at the training field as well, Izayoi stared at InuTaisho and then at Sesshoumaru, always in awe that how the both of them looked so much like each other in physical appearance but the total opposite in attitude. InuTaisho was gentle and kind towards all races while Sesshoumaru was cold and a human-hater. She smiled when she recalled the first time she met Sesshoumaru, and the words he said to her.

"Father takes you as his mate and accepts you as what you are, human, but this does not mean I will accept you."

"My son told me about you and thank you for helping him, Lady Rin." Izayoi said, bowing her head to show her gratitude for getting her son out of danger. Being the only human and half breed in the household, it was hard not to be criticized or terrorized by the others. Izayoi still remembered the time when one of InuTaisho's concubines tried to attack her few years ago and she almost got killed if not for InuTaisho.

"InuYasha is a very cheerful child, and I don't mind doing that. He is so adorable." Rin said and giggled when she recalled the way the small boy acted in her chamber. That time, she had to resist herself from touching his cute little doggy ears.

Izayoi smiled when Rin praised her son. Like InuTaisho had told her before, Rin was kind and loving, unlike the other women in the household who always act rude towards them. Even Sesshoumaru, the cold demon also seemed to like being around Rin and even his son claimed to see Sesshoumaru being friendly with her.

"Ahh, he is adorable and so is Sesshoumaru, ne?" Izayoi teased and giggled when she saw the blush on Rin's cheeks. Lately, she had heard rumors about Rin and Sesshoumaru's relationship, and was awed that such a gentle loving person would make the icy cold demon to fall for her. She looked at Sesshoumaru and sighed. To love someone is wonderful, but to fall for your father's woman is a little troublesome…

"Hopefully the elders will not say anything about this." Izayoi said and turned to smile at Rin who was looking at her curiously.

THE TRAINING FIELD

Sesshoumaru stared across the field at Rin who seemed to be chatting with that human Izayoi. Like his father, Rin was the type who accepted all races and held no prejudice against them, and even though Izayoi was the person who caused her to be abandoned by his father.

His father InuTaisho was going to leave for a battle soon and then, he could have Rin all to himself without any interruptions since the only person who dared to go against him was his father. He had asked Rin to move into his quarter during his father's absent, but she had yet to give him a reply. He wanted her, only her and all to himself, not his father. With his eyes focusing on Rin, he failed to notice his father InuTaisho who was staring at him with suspicious.

InuTaisho had knew for a long time that Sesshoumaru had special feelings for Rin; from the way he stared at her like now, and the way he glared at him whenever he was with Rin. The young girl he had had deep feeling for before he met Izayoi was not aware of her natural ability. When he first caught sight of her, she was just a frightened young girl but as days past by, she grew as well as her scent; sweet flower and spices that would attract any male.

Flower demon was the demon of seduction, the male, especially those with sensitive smell sense would fall for her not because they love her, but because of her alluring scent. He fell for her scent a few years back and thought he loved her, but not until he met Izayoi then only he knew what true love was.

Looking at his elder son, he knew he was attracted to her as he was before and he doubted that his son was truly in love with Rin because Sesshoumaru's six senses were stronger than him and he being attracted to Rin could be caused by Rin's tempting scent.

"Sesshoumaru, do you think it is time for you to take a mate?" InuTaisho asked and watched as Sesshoumaru's expression changed into his cold mask. He knew Sesshoumaru was aware of what he was asking.

"…This Sesshoumaru has yet to see the need to have a mate, Father." Sesshoumaru replied and stared coldly into his father's golden eyes, as if he was challenging him. If Rin was not mated with his father, she would have become his mate. He could have marked her when he took her but he did not, and it was because he did not want to dishonor his father in the household.

"But this InuTaisho thinks it is time for him to have grandchildren."

"I have no desire to sire pups yet, Father." Sesshoumaru replied again when he realized that his father was testing him, as if he knew about his relationship with Rin.

"Are you sure, Sesshoumaru?" InuTaisho tested again, knowing his son, he must be aware of his purpose by now; either to give up on Rin and seek others, or continue to challenge his property.

"…Yes, this Sesshoumaru is sure about what he is doing." Sesshoumaru said, glaring into his father's eyes, hating it when he saw his own reflection in them.

"It could be a mistake, son."

"It wouldn't be one if you…let it go, Father."

"You know it is impossible…"

"Then leave this Sesshoumaru alone to deal with his problem."

"The elders will have a fit."

"Let them be."

"I really hope the both of you are not making a mistake…" InuTaisho whispered and turned to stare at the two women under a shade near the training field. Izayoi had known about this for a long time, and had once made a suggestion to let both Sesshoumaru and Rin got what they wanted. But as a lord, giving a marked woman to another man was not an easy task. His pride and position were being threatened.

InuTaisho made eyes contact with his lady, Izayoi and smiled faintly. Knowing what both Rin and Sesshoumaru were going to face. There must have a strong reason to allow such relationship to continue…

A very strong reason…

One other than being attracted to each other…