To Know The Man by OnyxIvyStone

Prelude

Prelude

"If we could read the secret history of our enemies,

We should find in each man's life sorrow and suffering enough to disarm all hostility."

~Longfellow

Satori frowned. It was not often that any of her emotions graced her beautiful face. Most of her emotions lived in the deep pools of her eyes and, if one was perceptive enough, in the gate of her movements. Even everys few centuries, the faint wisps of emotion held deep in her soul would touch the tones of her voice as they fluidly parted through her lips. This was the first time since their meeting that he had ever seen any emotion touch her delicate features and it was enough to unnerve Inu no Taisho. "You realize, my Lord, what the outcome of your decision on the matter of our son will ultimately be, don't you?"

"I prefer you when you emote through your eyes, my Love. When your placidity is damaged, I often fear that you might try to thrust your talons through my chest again." He said softly as he drew her into his embrace. He met her eyes and observed the mirthful sparkle that passed through their amber countenance.

The frown faded at the memory of that first meeting when her father had presented her to him as a sign of good faith. She had been born on the continent. Her father had once been the Taiyoukai of the East, but had been betrayed by his own brother. Inu no Taisho had recently overthrown the pitiful excuse for an Inuyoukai and had invited the dethroned Taiyoukai to return and take his place again, even though he had shown himself to be too trusting of his subjects. But Inu no Taisho had other reasons for his coup in the East. He had wanted Satori. Rumors of her ruthlessness and power had drifted across the tumultuous waters and he had decided that a union with her would produce a suitable heir for his own lands. She had discovered this fact immediately and she had not been happy.

She had tried to thrust her delicate, clawed hand through his chest in order to strangle his heart and kill him in wrath. Her face had been a visage of fury as she had attacked him. He knew instantly that he wanted her even more for her rage when she had almost succeeded in her quest. Almost, but she had not. He'd caught her and pinned her to the stone wall of the mountain where their meeting had taken place with her hands held immobile above her head. Her poison had poured from her hands and he had laughed. He was immune even though the ability to produce poison was recessive in his blood. He'd mated her there and forced her into submission. It was that force she had fallen in love with and devoted herself to for eternity. She had given him a son whom she had named after the great Inuyoukai who had so skillfully and powerfully claimed her as his own.

Inu no Taisho dipped his head and kissed her deeply, tasting the bitter rise of her poison on her lips and sighed. "You will not forgive me for this, will you?"

"He is our son. He is your namesake and heir and still you will not yield. Ask yourself if you really deserve my forgiveness."

"I am not certain that I do." He said softly and gazed into her eyes. Their son's life had been hard from the beginning. Until now, none of that had been directly his fault, or Satori's. It was an unfortunate bi-product of being his heir. However, this was entirely his fault. What would come would be entirely his fault and he could not turn from his decision no matter what it would cost him. "You are going to leave me, aren't you."

It had been a statement of fact rather than a question. He wanted her to confirm his words so that he knew whether or not he was really alone in his decision. She nodded faintly and sighed as she allowed herself, one last time, to bring to her hands to his jaw, tracing his features, then to run through his hair. "I love you, my Mate, but I cannot stand idly by for this. I refuse to watch you destroy our son no matter what your reasoning. He doesn't deserve it. And if you still insist not to yield from the course, you do not deserve to have me at your side as your mate. I will sever our bond and walk away from you as easily as I would cut a thread hanging loose from my sleeve."

"What of Miyoko?"

Miyoko... Their daughter, Sesshomaru's little sister. She was barely over two centuries old. She was still so very young. Her body was the body of a ten-year-old mortal girl's. She was both her Mate and her son's greatest joy. "She will come with me to the continent. She should not be forced to watch the cruelty of her father against her brother any more than see her own brother's fall. You know she will be safest with me where your enemies cannot reach her."

"Will you take Meidou-Seki, then?"

Her eyes swam with emotion as she slowly returned her vision to his countenance. She loved him so deeply it made her ache to even contemplate stepping away from him, but she knew she had to. She was as unmoveable as her Mate in her decision. She would sever their bond, take their daughter but she would not, could not relinquish the amulet, Meidou-Seki, that hung around her neck. It would be all she had of him aside from the little girl whose eyes and features were so completely her father's.

"Because I am leaving you does not mean that I will leave all of you." She whispered and kissed him deeply, without the bitterness of her poison. She trembled as she felt his arms tighten around her, drawing her flush against his form. If she did not pull away then, she never would. He would kill her resolve as easily as if it were a spider he had crushed with his finger. She pushed away harshly and gasped. She closed her eyes and touched her lips with her slender fingertips, then turned her back on him as she forced herself to find her center again.

Had he any idea what effect he had over her? She was certain he did. He would use whatever he needed to keep her. He was more ruthless in matters of the heart than she was in battle. Her heart was his from the moment their lips first touched and now it was breaking, for she knew they would never touch again. A tear fell down her cheek before she could fight it away.

As instantly as she knew that he could smell the salt of her tears, she knew she would never love again. He was her whole heart and she had to walk away. There was no other choice. "Goodbye, my Lord."

He felt shaken and numb, as the scent of her tears had reached him. He had almost found his hands to reach out to her, but her words stopped him. He couldn't. If he forced her to stay, he would destroy her. He would destroy everything that he loved about her and would be left with a shell of the woman he'd come to know as his heart. No. He was not as ruthless as she thought him to be.

"Goodbye, my Lady." He whispered and watched as she walked from their bedroom. He sat heavily on the bed and rested his head in his hands to hide his face. He listened as he heard his Mate and daughter walk through the hall past the door without stopping. His heart iced over as he realized he was not even going to be allowed to say goodbye to his daughter. Neither was Sesshomaru.

His son would hate him more for that fact than for the actions he would soon take. He knew more completely than he had ever known anything before that he would never receive the forgiveness of his children or his Mate. The path was set out before him. He could not stray from it. If he did, it would cost the world it's future.

~

That's it. I hope you all enjoyed at least marginally. I promise that this is a Sess/Kag story. I will be there in time, but I like to deal with the questions in my mind first so that I can build up properly to the real story. Be patient with me. This is all very new to me. Thanks.