Title: Aisoku (Beloved Son)

Author: Noubunka

Summary: I am the Daiyoukai. In the hierarchy of demon society, I sit at the peak. Demons fear my strength and many cower at my feet. However, there is one who can bring me to my knees with a single glance from those doe-like eyes … My son.

Pairings: None at the moment.

Warnings: AU, implied Non-Con.

Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha.

Author's note: My first story on this site. If you chose to review, I would be glad to receive any comments, suggestions and criticisms. A warning to all readers, this is an AU and so there is will be differences in characterizations, situations, etc.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

A young woman of great beauty stirred; her eyes opening slowly, clouded with the remnants of sleep. She gazed at the wall before her eyes, faintly confused when a loud roar caused her to jump in fright and look around her with wild, frightened eyes.

Another cry followed it and she frowned, looking troubled. Her kind heart ached as she recognized the pain that drenched the voice.

She moved off her futon, looking around uncertainly. Her room was large, beautifully painted shoji screens adding elegance to it but otherwise bare. She moved slowly, unsure of her own actions as pain filled moans and cries continued to haunt her.

Silently, she opened the door and stepped out of her room, gently sliding the door shut behind her. She looked around, the dimly lit hallways looked much more intimidating in the night than she had imagined. Carefully, she started moving in the direction of the noise, frowning when she found no one nearby.

Were the demons so callous to let a person suffer and provide him with no assistance?

The woman shook her head, remembering what her soon to be husband has said. Humans did not know much about demons other than that they were powerful beings to be feared. That fear drove them to spin a web of false tales and myths about demons.

She finally reached her destination and stood at the door to the room, never noticing the powerful wards that sealed the door so it could only be opened from the outside. She placed her hand gently on the door and made a softly inquiry.

"Pardon me?" she asked again, when she got no response.

Her grey eyes hardened in determination and she firmly opened the door.

Foolish girl.

What happened hours following her act of recklessness was a strange, painful blur. She was a noble hime. She had never suffered anything more than a gentle reprimand from her mother when she did something that was not permissible.

That night was filled with more pain than she had ever thought possible.

o.o.o.o.o.

Dark grey eyes blinked open, looking blankly at the ceiling before clouding in despair. A sob tore past her throat and she turned her bruised body to dig her face in the pillow. She did not know what was more painful, the wounds she had garnered or the shame and humiliation that she had to face.

A disgusted snort from somewhere behind her caused her to flinch. Her entire body trembled as she gathered the silk sheet to wrap around her body as she sat up carefully.

Her distraught eyes landed on a regal figure seated on a settee by the large windows. He was looking at her as though he was repulsed by her and ironically that was the only expression she had ever seen on his face ever since she met him.

"Why did you step into my chambers last night, ningen?" He asked her impassively, his arms disappearing into the voluminous sleeves of his haori. "Were you not warned?"

She nodded tentatively, turning her eyes away from him. She could feel the heat of his glare on her.

He was angry.

He was angry when he had no right to be so.

He was the one who violated her without a hint of remorse!

Her eyes narrowed and she turned to glare at him. How dare he sit in front of her and question her as though he had done nothing wrong?

How dare he?

"You are a monster." She hissed and he raised a brow, unfazed. "You are an inhuman, ruthless, dishonorable animal!"

He narrowed his eyes, "I am a demon of royal blood." He said calmly, "I am not human. You were told, explicitly, not to enter my chambers. Tell me, hime, what is a woman when she steps into a man's chambers in the middle of the night when she is not his wife?"

She flinched at the implication. "Because of your foolishness, I have now lain with a human and tainted myself with your touch. Because of your foolishness, I have lain with you on the night of the red moon during my heat. No demon, not even my father, would consider this as my error." He scowled, "But this will cause the relationship between father and I to sour. And I refuse to permit that. No feeble ningen woman will come between my father and I."

"How was I to know of your madness on such nights?" She asked desperately, "You were screaming, crying out in agony!"

He looked at her coolly, "You are to wed a demon and you do not know of heat and what comes with it?" There was a hint of a sneer on his handsome face, "I am an unmated demon, heat will always be painful for me. However, the red moon forces us to lose the precarious control we have over ourselves during heat." He retrieved a vial from his sleeve and observed its contents. "Within this vial is a special potion. Pour it into the bath while you bathe. It will wash away any trace of my scent on you and within you." He pulled out another vial, "This contains a fraction of youkai healing powers. Consume it so that your wounds can be healed."

He looked at her in the eye and said softly, dangerously, "Speak of this night to no one, ningen." The command was unmistakably and she knew that she would follow it.

He nodded, satisfied, "Make haste, woman." He snapped, "Bathe and do not return to my chambers ever again, is that understood Lady Izayoi?"

She nodded as she stood, "Yes, Prince Sesshoumaru."

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

A ten-year-old boy ran as fast as his little feet could carry him. There was blood on his rugged looking clothes though thankfully it did not come from him. He raced through the woods, dodging trees with agility and grace that was most decidedly inhuman.

Snow-white hair, untainted by the blood on his robes flew behind him like a curtain of silk. Everything about him told of nobility, of perfection and richness. Pure gold eyes that would put the original metal to shame looked determined, not straying from the path before him. All this other senses of smell, touch, feel, sound were focused on his surroundings.

From quite a distance away, the sounds of the heavy footsteps of his pursuers landed on his alert and sensitive ears. He could taste their vile scent at the back of his tongue and he grimaced. Ordinary demons could not hope to catch up with him at his peak condition but he was exhausted. The blood that flowed through his veins was saturated with power; however, the child was just that, a child, there was only so much he could do against an adult demon.

Suddenly he paused; dropping into a somewhat unpracticed fighting stance as a demon came rushing at him head on. He knew that he had no choice but to confront these demons. The two pursuing him would catch up soon and he would not be able to defeat this demon by the time.

With a scowl he moved, his speed unsurpassed by the demon though he was well aware that he greatly lacked in strength. The demon growled, looking monstrous in its repulsiveness, the primitive growl informed him that the demon was not capable of speech and his scowl deepened. To be killed by such animals would be a disgrace.

He needed to be swift and smart.

The child wasted no time; he flipped over the demon, bringing his claws down to the demon's throat. His attack was precise and the demon's head was on the ground even before it could think.

However, the boy had failed to consider the other two pursuing him. One attacked surprisingly fast, successfully clawing at his arm, rendering it useful for a fight. He hissed, golden eyes flashing red in rage.

He could feel something struggling within him. A source of unknown power that was locked away unnaturally. He hissed again as he dodged another attack, trying to suppress that part of him that was now proving to be a distraction. He quickly disposed off the one who damaged his arm, ignoring the last strike of that particular demon and the damage it did to his shoulder.

He gazed steadily at his remaining opponent; his eyes narrow as the demon circled him. This one was intelligent, he knew. His silver, feline eyes were aware of his every move and it frightened the boy though he tried not to show it.

"You are skilled, boy." He said his voice soft but dangerous, "To dispose of my servants so easily requires skill."

The child did not speak although as calculating glint had entered his eyes too. "I wonder if you would be of more value alive than dead…"

The child's eyes widened and the demon smirked, thinking that he had elicited the frightened reaction but unfortunately for him, it was not so. Before he knew what had happened, poisonous claws tore through him and he dropped to the ground, gasping as his vision blurred. "You do not kill a demon child on my lands without my permission." An icy voice informed him and he took his last breath.

Icy amber met impassive gold and the regal demon raised a brow at the child. When he had come across the scent of Royal Inu-hanyou blood when returning to his castle, Sesshoumaru deemed it necessary to investigate.

There was only one person who could have the blood that seemed so similar to his father and him.

The scene he came across was not something he was expecting. The hanyou pup was facing a demon he knew that the child would not be able to defeat. The two corpses of other demons and the blood and bits of torn flesh on the child's claws told him just who the cause of their deaths was.

The pup was strong.

He had garnered some wounds but Sesshoumaru could see that none of them was fatal and so he quickly disposed off the worthless demon attacking the child as he observed his supposed sibling.

He watched curiously, as the half-breed straightened his posture before looking at him with wary eyes. There was fear too but Sesshoumaru knew that the child would be foolish not to fear a Daiyoukai. Those eyes told him that the hanyou was no fool; intelligence glittered in those golden eyes that were just a shade darker than his own were.

"You are a great distance away from your village." Sesshoumaru informed blandly.

"I no longer have a village." The child replied with the same impassive note in his voice, much to the Daiyoukai's amusement.

Sesshoumaru let his eyes linger on the dead demons that were pursuing the child, "What of your mother then?"

The child's eyes shadowed in a pain that he could not quite hide though his face showed no expression. "My mother is dead."

"Father's blood runs true in you." Sesshoumaru said, watching as the child's eyes widened in realization. He now knew his identity; Lady Izayoi would have surely informed her son of his half-brother. "Commendable." He said.

The child narrowed his eyes, willing he fatigue and pain from his wounds away. "I need to survive." He stated as an explanation.

"And why is that?" Sesshoumaru questioned curiously, "You do realize that a hanyou will not survive long."

The hanyou snorted delicately, his hand flying to his wounded shoulder, showing his first sign of weakness. His wounds were serious indeed and Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. He wanted the child to survive, to prove to Sesshoumaru that he was worthy of their clan.

Subtly, he started releasing the poison from his claws. In his weakened state, the poison fumes in the air will render the boy unconscious. Sesshoumaru would then take him to his castle to be treated and then release him back into the woods before he regained consciousness.

That would serve his purpose well.

"What is your name, hanyou?"

"Inuyasha." He boy whispered, shaking his head as his vision clouded.

Sesshoumaru's lips curled, his father must have mistaken his male child for a female one to give him such a name. He watching impassively as the boy swayed before falling to the ground, unconscious.

Sesshoumaru moved towards him but paused when he felt something stir within him, something roaring in anger when he laid his eyes on the wounded, unconscious boy. His narrowed eyes flashed red and he scowled, suppressing his raging youkai with practiced ease.

"What was that?" he questioned to himself as he gathered the child in his arms and vanished from sight.

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o

Sesshoumaru sat impassively on a settee by the window, the same place he sat when the boy's mother had woken up in his bed for the first and the last time. He observed, silently, as the primary healer in his staff washed the wounds on the hanyou's body with professional detachment that contrasted the distasteful expression on her face.

He had warned the boy, a hanyou would never be worth anything in their world, not matter how powerful he would turn out to be. That determination to live that Sesshoumaru had seen in his eyes was futile. Prejudice was deeply ingrained in the mindset of nearly all demons. There were few exceptions as his father had been those capable of loving ningen and hanyou.

Sesshoumaru watched as the healer's palms started to glow with energy to help facilitate the child's own healing abilities. Just as she was about to touch the child's skin, she faltered, her eyes narrowing.

The Daiyoukai raised a brow and watched as the energy dispersed but his wounds remained. She was looking at the hanyou with a frown on her face. Her eyes glowed eerily for a moment and Sesshoumaru knew that she had found something out of place.

"Lady Chikako." He spoke, "Is something the matter?"

She frowned, "There has been a spell placed on him, my lord. Ningen witchcraft though I do not know what its purpose is."

He rose from his seat, gliding across the room to look down at his half-brother. His eyes slowly sharpened as he observed the odd aura around the child.

She was right. There was a ningen spell on the boy.

"Can you disable it?" He asked, still observing, "Or do I need to summon a ningen witch from a nearby village?"

She placed a hand on the child's forehead and narrowed her eyes, "I can disable it, my lord. Without causing any harm to the child."

Sesshoumaru nodded, "Then do so, Lady Chikako."

She nodded and closed her eyes. Sesshoumaru watched as she joined her hands in a praying position, weaving her power around the child skillfully, slowly pealing away the spell. It was not the first time Sesshoumaru was intrigued by her skills, she was able to manipulate her reiki with absolute precision, and to be able to mould one's own aura with such finesse was impressive.

A low cry caused Sesshoumaru to direct his gaze towards the small child on his bed. He looked as though he was in incredible pain, judging by the sweat that quickly formed on his brow and the small cries hissing past clenched teeth.

The Daiyoukai narrowed his eyes as once again, his instincts stirred, the demonic power within him trashing to be released.

When Inuyasha arched his back and let out a wail of anguish, a similar cry threatened to erupt from Sesshoumaru and the Daiyoukai's lips thinned, his claws digging into the palms of his hand as he forced his youkai back.

Now, Sesshoumaru was quite baffled as well as irritated. His youkai reacted few times in a manner similar to this. First time had been a few hours before his father's death. He had felt something, a strange connection that seemed to complete him, making him feel content, at the same time he had felt an unknown responsibility falling on his shoulders… as though something very fragile and precious has been placed in his protection.

To this day, he could not understand what happened at that moment.

He had felt his father's death just as keenly, feeling a part of him being torn away from him with brutal force. The pain had been unimaginable and the sense of loss, almost maddening. It had taken days for Sesshoumaru to recover from the event and garner enough strength to take over the West in place of his father.

Another wail along with the stench of freshly spilled blood brought Sesshoumaru out of his thoughts. His half-brother was on his stomach, withering as a tail, stained with blood slowly emerged from the base of his spine.

Lady Chikako gasped; her eyes were wide as her entire being trembled. She may have been a detached youkai healer, but she was still a woman and a young child's suffering always brought out a woman's maternal instincts.

"Lady Chikako," Sesshoumaru hissed, "What is wrong with the child?"

The healer looked at her lord with wide eyes. She had never seen him so rattled; she knew there was something about the child that was affecting him deeply. The child gave another whimper, curling into a fetal position, shuddering in pain. His face was still pressed against the pillow; his moist hair almost hid his entire body. She closed her eyes again, feeling the child's reiki.

Her eyes flew open, widening in shock.

"My lord… this child cannot possibly be your half-brother." She whispered.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, "Speak, woman."

She bit her lip, knowing that something had caused her master's ire to rise. She had no desire to endure the most of it. "The spell was some sort of cage, my lord. It was suppressing half of the child's youkai, locking it away so he would never be able to reach it."

Sesshoumaru forced his rage to subside as he leaned back, "What does that imply?"

Chikako sighed, relieved to see some of the anger drain from her master's aura. "He is a youkai, my lord. He was purposefully made a hanyou at the time of his birth; he was born a full demon."

He scowled, "He is my father's son."

Chikako shook her head, "No, my lord. Your father would need to be in heat if he were to sire a youkai child from a ningen. He was beyond that age, Sesshoumaru-sama; he was past his prime…" She narrowed her eyes, "If he were your father's son, he would have been a hanyou. This child is most definitely not your half-brother." The healer frowned, "Why would anyone force such circumstances upon a child? Why force a child to become something that is forced to bear stigma in both human and demon society?"

She moved forward, taking special care to be as gentle as possible as she turned the child on his side. He would not be able to sleep on his back for a few days. Under normal circumstances, the tail would grow gradually and painlessly but with the forced suppression, she did not know how many abrupt changes the poor child would have to go through.

A startled hiss caused her to jump in surprise and she turned to look at her master questioningly. However, he was not paying attention to her. His gaze was focused on the child's face. She followed his gaze and her eyes widened.

There, sitting regally on the child's forehead was a crescent moon of deep indigo color.

"Oh.. Kami-sama…" She knew exactly what this meant; the crescent moon was mark Sesshoumaru-sama inherited from his mother's clan. "He is your child…" she whispered, dazed.

She watched as her master's countenance froze, his eyes becoming icy. The child's scent only served to confirm their suspicion. "So it would seem."

"My lord?" She questioned tentatively.

He glanced at her but could not seem to keep his gaze away from his child for long. "Treat his wounds and then clean him. I will spend the rest of the day with him. Once you are finished, inform Sayuri-san and Hideaki-san that they are required in my chambers, see to it that they manage to procure a yukata for Inuyasha."

She nodded without any questions and slowly removed the boy's ruined hakama. The child still whimpered in pain and she cringed as she once again started cleaning the blood off him. Chikako wondered how her master was handling this; his instincts must have awakened the moment he set his eyes on the child. It was a testament of his control that he was sitting so calmly, allowing her to heal the pup. She knew his first instinct would be to tear down anyone who dared to touch the child.

"Hush…" she whispered involuntarily when the child let out a pained moan, her hand going to his warm forehead to soothe him. It did not take long for her to heal his wounds and soon the child was looking at her with dazed amber eyes that were an exact replica of her lord's icy gaze. "It's alright." She smiled, "Your wounds have been healed but you need rest…" she gazed uncertainly at the Daiyoukai who nodded in silent consent. "Certain events have occurred; Sesshoumaru-sama will explain them to you."

The boy did not seem to comprehend anything. He just turned his head away and buried his face in the pillow with a tired moan. She turned to look at her lord, "He will need to have a meal to replenish his energy, my lord."

Sesshoumaru nodded and dismissed her silently, his eyes intent on the child.

As the healer left his chambers, he silently contemplated the quiet child in front of him.

He had almost expected this but when he heard that the child was a hanyou, he had assumed that he was not his son. Sesshoumaru had been relieved to hear the news although he knew that he would not have been disappointed if he did sire a child.

In a way, Inuyasha was a gift that Sesshoumaru was pleased to receive.

The Daiyoukai was aware that Lady Izayoi had several, very valid, reasons to hide Inuyasha's true parentage from the world. Nevertheless, that did nothing to lessen the rage he felt building within him. Being a hanyou would have kept any demon away from Inuyasha, effectively keeping him away from demon society.

Izayoi knew that he would not take his half-brother under his care because he was a hanyou. She wanted to keep then separated.

The Daiyoukai's lips curled in disgust. Izayoi had developed hatred and distrust towards the demons after that incident which caused the conception of their child, though her love for his father had not diminished. He had been her true mate, a person who she could never despise. Sesshoumaru had no doubt that she must have held a small portion of resentment towards Inuyasha for not being her beloved's son.

Looking at his son now, he wondered how to proceed. His instincts as a father had awakened and they would guide him to raise the child as an Inu-youkai heir should be raised. Nevertheless, he could not discount the fact that the child had been subjected to many adversities an Inu-youkai prince should never have had to face in his childhood.

"Inuyasha." He watched, vaguely amused when a single eye opened to look at him petulantly. Watery amber glared at him tiredly and Sesshoumaru's lips curled into a faint smirk. "Are you coherent enough to carry out a conversation?"

The boy winced as he moved onto his side and looked at the Daiyoukai, silently answering Sesshoumaru's question. "Good." He murmured as he leaned back in his chair, looking at the child intently. "Did your mother tell you who I was?"

Inuyasha nodded, "My older half-brother." The answer came out naturally from his tongue and Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. The child was saying the truth, he was certain of it. His mother must have lied to him.

"And what of your father?"

Inuyasha scowled, "She never did say anything about father." The child sighed and closed his eyes for a moment, "She would get this… look on her face… it used to stop me from speaking."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow in question and the child hissed in irritation. The Daiyoukai could see that his son was a very temperamental person. "I always got the feeling that she disliked speaking of him. Whether it was because he was a demon or because she felt saddened by his memory, I do not know." He shrugged, "It was maddening, her reticence to speak of father. I…" Inuyasha paused, his eyes narrowing in suspicion, "Why am I…?" He looked puzzled.

"It is instinctual for youkai children to be absolutely honest with their parents. Moreover, youkai children are much more obedient than ningen children are… although that does not mean that they do not indulge in mischief." Sesshoumaru answered, understanding Inuyasha's question. "Had you been a hanyou, you could have easily lied to me."

"A hanyou…" he frowned, "I am a hanyou and I still cannot seem to lie to you or avoid answering your questions!"

The boy tensed abruptly, going cross-eyed to look at the finger that was now tapping his nose to silence him. "You are not and never were a hanyou. Someone placed a spell on you to suppress your youkai and made you a hanyou. I am assuming it was done on your mother's orders."

"Why would she do that?" He glared at nothing in particular, still looking tired and grumpy. "She told me that she regretted the fact that I was a hanyou."

"Precisely," Sesshoumaru nodded, "She regretted it but felt it was necessary." The Daiyoukai paused, realizing that despite the mature manner in which Inuyasha spoke, he was still a child and such topics should not be discussed with a child. However, he was also aware that Inuyasha needed to know about the circumstances of his birth. "You are not her mate's son."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes in confusion. Tilting his head to the side, he looked at Sesshoumaru questioningly.

"Your mother ventured into my chambers while I was in heat. You were conceived that night."

The child frowned, "Heat? What's that?"

Sesshoumaru scowled. "Every adult youkai, both male and female have to go through a period of heat one night every month. It is a night we are driven by our instincts and have very little control over our actions. That particular night was the night of red moon, I was overwhelmed," He bared his teeth in a silent snarl. "Your mother foolishly stepped into my chambers that night and you are the result of that night."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, "You are my father!"

Sesshoumaru nodded, "Yes. Your mother was not fond of me nor was I of her. Before that incident, we tolerated each other because she was to be my father's mate. She was a human, unsurprisingly wary of demons and our servants were not too respectful towards her."

His son looked torn, biting his lip. Accidentally, the boy turned, moving onto his back before Sesshoumaru could react and warn him. The child let out a pained cry, his eyes clouding in tears as he arched his back involuntarily.

Sesshoumaru reacted swiftly but with an odd gentleness as he turned Inuyasha onto his stomach, "You must lay on your stomach, musuko. You have grown a tail and because of your circumstances, it has emerged forcefully, tearing your skin."

Inuyasha nodded, sniffling as he wiped the tears from his eyes. The pain he was enduring was plainly written on his face. The illusion of maturity, which Sesshoumaru had seen in Inuyasha, shattered that moment.

Red nose, puffy eyes, pouting lips and small hiccups worked well to disperse any notion of independence and strength that Sesshoumaru had seen in his son and oddly enough, he felt satisfied. He quickly checked his child's back to see if any wounds had reopened, satisfied that he found the bandages clean and looked back at Inuyasha's face. "Do you have any questions for me?"

Inuyasha nodded, looking more than a little confused and insecure. "You said that I was a hanyou when we first met… and you now say that I am a demon… I have a tail, my ears are not were they are supposed to me… You say that I was forced to live a lie… yet you do not know who is responsible for this… except that you speculate it may be my mother. Has my entire life been a lie? With all this… I feel as though I was unwanted." He questioned softly, looking haunted, an expression far too old for such a young boy.

Sesshoumaru fell silent for a moment, contemplating Inuyasha's words. "Unplanned." He said after a moment. "Your mother and I had our differences and had I known that you were my son, you may never have known your mother, I wouldn't have permitted it."

Inuyasha's eyes widened. "Your mother would have never been comfortable amongst demons and you belong with us." The Daiyoukai turned to look at the door where he could sense the people that he had summoned waiting for him patiently. "Sayuri-san, Hideaki-san, you may enter."

Inuyasha tensed as the shoji doors opened and the servants entered. Sesshoumaru glanced at him, "Inuyasha, Lady Sayuri is responsible for the staff we have the in castle. She supervises all the servants that are employed to carry out the daily maintenance in the castle. Lord Hideaki is the General of the army that serves under me to protect and defend our lands."

He then looked at his puzzled servants, "It has been uncovered that I have sired a son." He gestured towards Inuyasha, "His mother thought it was appropriate not to inform me of his birth and disguise him as someone else's pup."

Both of his servants managed to maintain their composed faces though there is a slight widening of their eyes. "He must be protected at all times." He narrowed his eyes, "You realize the importance of this?" He asked icily, his gaze intent on his General. He gets a nod in response. "Discretion is necessary. No one must know of Inuyasha's existence outside the castle boundaries. He is my son and he will be a target of my enemies. I will not have him be harmed."

"I understand, my lord." Hideaki responded firmly.

The Daiyoukai turns his gaze towards Lady Sayuri, "Prepare the heir suit for him. For now, he shall sleep in my chambers until he has recovered from his wounds. Purchase whatever you feel is required by a ten year old child." She nodded in response, sending a small smile at Inuyasha in a failed attempt to put him at ease. She could tell by the manner in which he was hiding his face in the pillow. He was at ease only with his father and that too was because of his instincts.

"Assign servants who will be appropriate to care for his needs. Summon the seamstress to fashion new garments for him, inform Totosai that he is required in the castle and remind him to be prompt in his arrival." Sayuri nodded again, carefully noting all his orders. She dared not think of the consequences if she missed even one of them. She knew her lord well and she knew that he was enraged and unsettled though it was not apparent.

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes thoughtfully, "Have someone bring the family tapestry to my chambers this evening." He paused for a while, glancing at Inuyasha, "You are dismissed."

Both of his servants bowed low and left the room silently.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…?" Inuyasha questioned tentatively, unsure how to address his father. At the Daiyoukai's frown, he became even more uncertain. This was a strange, new situation for him. He never had a father so he did not know how to interact with a father.

When his father looked at him in question, he gathered his courage, "What now?" He asked softly.

The older demon looked somewhat amused and Inuyasha blushed, turning his head to the side to hide it. "Now, musuko, you rest while I work. We will speak more of your duties and privileges later."

o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.O.o.

When he was certain that his son was asleep and would not wake for a while, Sesshoumaru stepped out of his chambers. His sensitive ears picked up the excited chatter of his servants. Of course, his son was the center of their conversation and he was not surprised.

After all, a lord without an heir was dangerous for their land and now he had an heir.

He did not even glance when some of the house cleaners bowed to him, eyes shining with excitement.

His strides were swift as he walked to the other side of the castle to the throne room where his council had gathered. They needed to be informed of the recent development and Sesshoumaru did not doubt that the news would be pleasing to them.

He opened the door towards the throne room, glancing around to see if everyone was present and accounted for. Carefully, he evaluated every demon present in the room, they were trustworthy, he knew it but it was a necessary precaution, if he wished to keep his son safe.

The group fell silently; demons older and wiser than him looked at him questioningly while the younger ones have awe and respect on their faces.

"My lord…" the eldest councilor, Ryoumaru began, already knowing the purpose of the meeting. "What are your plans?"

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes. "No one must know. His heir has recently released Ryoukotsusei, he well be delighted to have this information."

"The attack on Izayoi-hime's village was to kill your half-brother? Have they succeeded?" The councilor asked and the other councilors stayed quiet out of respect, letting him direct the questions.

"I never had a half-brother. Inuyasha happens to be my son. Izayoi-hime thought it was wise to hide him from me."

Ryoumaru narrowed his eyes, a repulsed look crossing his features. "Infidelity an unacceptable act, as a Daiyoukai, you are not wise to indulge in it Sesshoumaru-sama."

The Daiyoukai raised a brow, sneering, "You think I would lay with a human willingly?"

Another councilor, Lady Sayaka intervened gently, "Perhaps Lord Sesshoumaru will explain?" She questioned softly, "It would be unwise to jump to conclusions Ryoumaru-sama."

"Heat." Was Sesshoumaru's only answer but it was enough for those in the chamber. Instantly, Ryoumaru looked less angry and more intrigued. "The child was conceived during your heat… was it during the red moon?"

Sesshoumaru nodded.

The demon leaned back with a wary sigh while others now looked worried. He stroked his beard looking at their lord with piercing yet sympathetic eyes. "I understand why you are so concerned my lord. You have our full support."

"He will need tutors, though I do not doubt that Lady Izayoi raised the child to be a noble." Lady Sayaka said, looking at the other councilors. "I believe I can take up the mantle of teaching the child about etiquette and the general rules and customs of our society."

Sesshoumaru nodded, "I will guide his hand so he may learn how to write if he hasn't learned it yet, he should know how to read now. When he is old enough, I will teach him the art of swordsmanship."

A young Lord with keen silver eyes leaned forward, "If you will permit, my lord" he said, looking at Sesshoumaru, "I would like to teach him about battle strategies and some ninja arts."

The Daiyoukai raised a brow, looking at the young man. Lord Kouhei was his cousin but the difference between their personalities was immense. However, he knew that there would be no better teacher in battle tactics besides him. He nodded in consent before turning to look in the direction of one person who had not yet spoken. She looked to be in deep thought.

"Haha-ue?"

The regal looking woman turned her chilling gaze towards her son, "He is your son, Sesshoumaru. You will raise him as you see fit. I will be his grandmother and I accept that role willingly." She smiled a little playfully, "With you as a father, we would need someone to coddle him."

Sesshoumaru raised a brow but chose not to respond. He knew what she meant to say. Inuyasha would learn many valuable lessons from his grandmother but she will not be his teacher.

He sat back and contemplated the woman before him. His mother had always been the primary influence in his life though he was unsure yet if it was a good influence or a bad one. His father had disliked what he had become after he found time to notice that he was no longer a child.

Exposing Inuyasha to her would be a calculated risk on his part. She would contribute in making his child strong. Would he be disappointed with Inuyasha as his father had been with him?

Considering that he intended to have an integral role in his child's upbringing should ensure that if there were any negative effects his mother had on Inuyasha, his influence would counteract hers.

As though reading his thoughts, her lips circled into a sly little smile and Sesshoumaru suppressed the urge to smirk in return.

Everything was a game for his mother.