Chapter 1

Sesshoumaru, Lord of the Western Lands, sat idly under a tree, watching Rin splash the very annoyed Jaken. Her laughter filled the air, along with the whines of protest from the small toad demon. "Wheee! Sessy-sama, come play with Rin and Jaken-chan!" Rin giggled, as Jaken scowled looking at his master, silently pleading for him to stop the little girl. Water droplets fell down his face, making him look all the more pathetic.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow, his lips twitching in amusement at the soaking wet demon. "Not now Rin." He said quietly. Rin studied him for a moment before shrugging and continuing to play in the water. His pale golden eyes surveyed their surroundings, searching for any threat that could be near. Rin finally tired of playing in the water, and went to pick some flowers.

"Come on Jaken-chan!" she called excitedly. "We can make you pretty with flowers Rin pick!!" she skipped in to the forest, and left a very forlorn looking toad demon. Jaken hesitated before reluctantly following the young girl, knowing his life was forfeit if something should happen to her. Sesshoumaru got up, stretched, and then walked over to the large two-headed dragon, called Ah-Un by Rin. It snorted slightly, and sniffed at his master.

Sesshoumaru kept all of his senses alert, not wanting nor needing any surprises to come out. The loud shout for him, made him whirl in the direction in which Rin and Jaken had gone. He sped through the grasses, puzzled. He neither smelled nor sensed a demon presence. Why was Jaken calling for him? He sniffed the air again, and frowned when he smelled blood. The youkai halted when he saw Jaken nudging something with his staff, and holding a struggling Rin back. "Hold still brat!" the toad demon ordered. Jaken sighed with relief when he saw his master. "Lord Sesshoumaru!" he dropped to his knees, head bowed. Rin glanced back at him, before running up to Sesshoumaru and catching his clawed hand in her own small one.

"Look what Rin and Jaken-chan found!!" she pulled him forward and he saw a crumpled figure. He sniffed the air again, and realized that, that was there was the reason for the smell of the blood. The Tenseiga's pulsed at his side, warmth spreading around the area. He heard no heartbeat from the figure before him, and heard no breathing, but it had not been dead long. It was dead, what ever it was… Rin felt herself being pushed back by Sesshoumaru.

"Stay back Rin…" he warned. The little girl nodded, chewing on her bottom lip.

Carefully he drew the temperamental blade, which glowed a light blue, pulsing with energy, and nudged the still body with his foot. It rolled over, and his golden eyes widened. It was a woman before him. A barely recognizable woman, who had been impaled with what looked like a large sword. She had on a once white kimono, which was now a dark red with her blood. Her hair was tangled in a mess, and her face had small cuts as well. He slashed across her chest, watching as she healed quickly. His ears caught the sound of a quick breathing, and the steady heartbeat now coming from the woman.

The sword wound healed, and her eyes fluttered open. Sesshoumaru was immediately stunned by the striking resemblance to the young Rin. Her eyes focused on him, and Rin bent over. "Is lady okay now? Sesshoumaru-sama healed you." Sesshoumaru sheathed his sword and crossed his arms.

"S-Sessy-sama?" came the weak shivering voice. Sesshoumaru's eyes widened at the mention of the pet name that Rin had for him. The human stared at him for a moment more, before loosing consciousness.

"Jaken!" his voice was cold and clipped. "I want you and Rin to take this human back to the castle, and place her in the third room down, in the south wing. I will meet you there."

"Yes my lord." Came the humble voice. Rin ran off, getting the large two-headed dragon ready. Sesshoumaru knelt and scooped up the human woman, realizing how tiny she really was. The giant dragon trotted in to the clearing and bent his head to cautiously sniff the human. It jumped and gave a resentful look at his master, as if saying 'Why didn't you warn me- or something!!'

Rin was already sitting atop them, and peering down at the human woman. "Is she okay?" she said. Sesshoumaru gently placed the woman on the broad back of the dragon, and watched Jaken jump on it as well.

"She is fine Rin. I will meet you in a moment." He assured. Rin nodded and the Jaken nudged the dragon, which began to fly. When the four of them were out of sight, he took a final look at the bloodied ground where the woman had lain. 'Why does she remind me so much of Rin? And what is a human doing alone in my lands?' Shaking his head, he decided to figure out the puzzle when he got home.

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Sesshoumaru opened the door, fingering the hilt of his sword. 'Why did it choose for me to save her? This damn blade is so unreliable, why did my father give it to me? I am the stronger of that brat Inuyasha and I, yet he gave him the Killing Sword…why?'

The smell of blood increased as he stepped in to the room. He closed the door, and slowly walked over to the bed. The woman lay on the dark blue sheets, her eyes closed, her breathing slow. Sesshoumaru cleared his throat. The woman's eyes flickered open and she gasped. Sesshoumaru glared coldly down at the human. "Tell me. Why should I not kill you know?" he asked, his voice deadly soft.

The woman's eyes filled up with tears. "Y-you don't know w-who I am?" she managed to get out quietly. When he simply stood there, she slowly pushed herself up and then looked down at her chest. With careful fingers she felt around where the wound was and her chocolate brown eyes met his. "Sesshoumaru- Sama, my name is Rin."