-1Chapter 1: May I Come With You?
She had run to catch up with Sesshomaru. Her legs were longer now, but still two of her strides were necessary to keep up with his pace. Nearly seven years had passed since that first fated day. Rin recalled peering out, stealing and coveting the image this beautiful creature all clad in white. She was 13 going on 14, gangly, and self conscience. Jakken scuttled quickly behind his lord, babbling incoherently. "Wait Lord Shesshomaru." The toad gasped in a near run to keep up the brisk pace of the stoic demon clad in white.
Rin felt a certain heat in her chest as she peered modestly at Sesshomaru. Her heart beat quickly as she realized how much she had missed him. Taking residence in Kaede's village to get used to people left her longing for her lord's company. He often left her with no knowledge of when he'd return. He always did of course, but she wondered if there would be a day that she would never see him again. Her forehead creased with worry and a chill consumed her whole being. Would he forget about her someday? Was he such a fickle lord
that he would leave her behind?
The three made their way through a winding forest path lush and crawling with deep green undergrowth. The sun broke in speckles through the canopy dappling the ground with a slow motion dance of light and shadow. The path sloped downward into a small clearing. Crossing a babbling creek over stepping stones, the group found their way to an open meadow of wild flowers. A-un was lead by Jakken to drink from a sparkling pool at the far end of the meadow. Rin still caught up in her thoughts, meandered slowly among the knee high flowers in full bloom. The syrupy fragrance had an intoxicating effect on the girl. She ran her thin fingers over silkiness of their petals. She felt as if she had wandered into a dream. Images of the endless days making daisy chains, sleeping under a sky full of stars, and chasing fish from creeks under the watchful eye of Sesshomaru sped through her mind. She smiled inwardly. She always enjoyed surprises from the complex and in many ways eccentric demon. After countless weeks of absence he had swooped in with Jakken and requested that Rin follow him. The girl happily trailed behind the demons into the dark forest. Usually these random walks to unknown destinations rewarded the girl with lavish gifts and a feeling of her importance to an individual who had no time for the rest of the world.
Rin sensed Sesshomaru behind her resting against a large old tree gnarled with knots and twisting branches. Glancing over her shoulder Sesshomaru met her eyes. "Rin come here." The girl approached him without hesitation, stopping shortly before her lord. "Rin I may not come back to the village for a while." He spoke slowly in deep even tones.
"How long is a while?" Her throat constricted painfully. Sesshomaru was quiet for a moment. Jakken watched knowing full well that the demon's decision would devastate the girl. Rin knew better than to push any farther, nothing she did would illicit an answer from Sesshomaru. In Rin's mind a while was a few months, but she knew that a while for Sesshomaru could mean years. He had all the time in the world.
The distance had steadily been growing between Rin and Sesshomaru.
He detested coming to Kaede's village. Human's in general carried the foul odor of labor and the slow decay of being mortal. Yet, Sesshomaru always found his way back to the girl who waited anxiously between visits. Frequently looking towards the clear and open sky, hoping to see if she could spot the person she longed for most in the world. She enjoyed the company of Inuyasha and the others quite a bit, and had grown to love Kaede, but her desire to be near Sesshomaru nagged like a hunger deep inside of her.
A cool fresh breeze passed between the girl and the demon, catching the scent from the carpet of flowers. Sesshomaru inhaled the sugary fruity aroma of lillies, and Rin believed she caught a very small smile. "May I", the girl began, thinking twice about what she was about to ask, "may I come with you Lord Sesshomaru?"
"No Rin." There was no malice, only sincere regret in not having the child by his side on this venture. "I'm going to the continent. I will not put you in danger."
"I understand" Rin's voice was barely above a whisper. "Promise me you won't forget about me." She felt a little brave in making such a request. Some part of her knew he never did, but she could not help feeling as if her life was going to change drastically. The continent was so far away, and she understood better than even Jakken the lengths Sesshomaru would go to achieve his ends.
"I will return." Something about those words were like a caress, taking away the young girl's worries. Rin had faith in the demon, their bond was strong, but it had changed. Rin's feelings for her lord had matured. She wondered what Sesshomaru thought about her. She would grow older and eventually become a woman. Could he ever love a mortal woman as Rin wanted Sesshomaru to love her?
The girl smiled brightly even though her heart was breaking. Sesshomaru's cold stare softened when he looked into Rin's dark eyes. 'Please don't leave me behind Lord Sesshomaru.' She thought, taking a seat at his feet. The stems of the flowers were tall, and came up to Rin's shoulder. Her wistful daydreaming gaze made Sesshomaru realize the journey he was making would not be in vain.
Rin lay next to Sesshomaru's feet, flowers outlining her frame. She hummed softly as she made a flute out a blade of tall grass. She blew into the little flute producing soft sweet airy notes that fluttered away on the breeze. Sesshomaru closed his eyes and listened to the song coming from the long stalk of grass. Jakken had been instructed to busy himself during the afternoon. Interjections would not be permitted this time. The notes grew further and further apart and Sesshomaru's keen ears picked up Rin's slow deep breathing and her heartbeat. She had fallen asleep in the cool grass. He too was lulled to sleep by cadence of the girls breathing and the muffled thump thump coming from her chest.
When Rin awoke the sun had sunk low into the sky casting a marigold haze behind the tree tops. She rubbed her eyes and admitted absent-mindedly that hadn't intended to sleep that long. Upon sitting up, she realized Sesshomaru was still sleeping. He was very handsome in the warm glow of the late afternoon sun. What could possibly be on the continent that he needed? How ever long it took Sesshomaru to find what he was looking for, Rin would wait.
The girl moved a little distance away from the demon afraid of waking him, and gathered flowers as she had when she was a young girl. Some part of her wished that Sesshomaru would never wake up. She didn't want him to leave, and the dread of being far away from him began to creep upon her. Before she knew it, tears had begun to sting her eyes. She wiped them away quickly afraid that he would see her. Rin's emotions had betrayed her; the demon's keen nose picked up the scent of her salty tears and it awoke him. "Rin are you crying?"
"No, I just have some dust in my eye." She coupled her lame response with a forced smile.
"Do not lie to me." Rin's tears made him uncomfortable.
"I'm going to miss you, that's all." She wiped her eyes trying to stave off an on coming flood. She felt a little ashamed, but was over whelmed and could not help herself. Sesshomaru looked from side to side for a moment before he spoke.
"Do not worry Rin." It was said so softly that only Rin could hear. "I will return to you." Her tears stopped immediately. Very rarely did Sesshomaru reinforce that he cared for the girl with words, and she knew she would have to cherish that moment. She knew that it was a secret between her and the dog demon. It was a promise to come back to her. She knew she would see him again.
"Jakken." Sesshomaru startled the goblin who was twisting holes in the dust with his staff of two heads. He was ready to be back at his master's side.
Pulling A-un along on his tether, Jaken followed Rin and Sesshomaru out of the clearing. The short walk from the meadow to the village was hardly long enough for Rin. Her eyes adjusted to the dim forest path. Evening had begun to descend around the woods. Thousands of cicadas and crickets chirped and vibrated hidden amongst the shadowy leaves of intertwined trees. The fireflies bobbed along in the darkness of the forest illuminating the path beyond. A rosy sky was visible through the breaks in the canopy. As the pink faded into a blood red, Rin thought of all the long days she would have to wait for Sesshomaru's return.
The trapped heat and humidity of a long summer's day was oppressive in the lurid cathedral of trees and foliage. Mosquitoes sprung to life from the turbid pools of water on which they skated during the long hours of the day. They buzzed in the pockets of moist trapped air biting at any bits of exposed flesh. Even Sesshomaru was not immune to the itching sting of the blood-suckers. He swatted at his neck and scratched the bite. "Shall I apply ointment to your bites when we return to the village Lord Sesshomaru?" He gave her no answer.
Some part of the girl longed to touch the demon. She could not freely make physical contact with him as she would with her father or a friend. She wanted to feel the warmth of his skin. She hoped he would notice that she had learned to make healing ointments and potions just as well as Kaede or Jinenji in the years she had lived at the village.
She had an aptitude for treating ailments, and looked forward to following Kaede into neighboring villages to administer care to the sick and the wounded. She wanted Sesshomaru to see value in her other than being a pet.
No breeze was present that evening. The stuffy woods made her want to loosen the light weight yukata sticking to her skin. She didn't remember the day being so hot even though it was already deep into the summer season. The forest path opened up to the outskirts of the village. Sesshomaru stopped and turned to the girl. "It's time for me to leave Rin." The indifferent words cut her try as she might to keep from feeling hurt. He met her sad eyes and placed his hand upon the top of her head and lightly stroked her hair. Looking into his face free of emotion, Rin understood a while meant she would not see him for years. She turned her face away as her eyes began to glisten again. She swallowed hard trying keep from crying until he flew away on his mysterious quest. "Good-bye Lord Sesshomaru. Good-bye Master Jakken." Her voice cracked as she stepped aside. The dog demon and the toadish goblin took off into the sky with A-un trailing behind them. Sesshomaru's soft warm tail brushed past Rin as he ascended. He looked back just once and the girl waved with a sullen smile. She watched his figure move across the sky until she could no longer see him.
She turned back into the hot damp forest where she knew it would be safe to expel all her lost and lonely tears in private. Falling to her knees, she cried her eyes out.
The sky was indigo and rapidly filling with stars when she wandered out of the forest. She felt spent and tired. Her eyes stung from weeping hopelessly. Pulling her exhausted body along, she made her way through the quiet village. The smell of stews cooking over burning embers and the low murmur of families chatting pushed her to seek out the kindly old Kaede. When she pushed open the flap of Kaede's hut the old woman ran to her. The girl looked as if she'd been through hell and back. "Child what's the matter?"
"Kaede." Rin rushed to her as fresh tears began to flow again. She grabbed at the woman hoping to sink into her desperate for consolation. The old priestess rubbed the young girl's back and shooshed her, soothing Rin's rattled nerves.
"I see." Kaede said softly as she listened to Rin between sobs. "He'll be back, he always comes back dear. Don't yea worry I've never seen such devotion from a demon." Rin smiled a little.
"I'll just miss him so much." Rin admitted.
"Your training in herbs is nearly complete. Soon enough you'll be going outside of the village with me to heal the sick. The time will fly right by. Before you know it Sesshomaru will return." Rin nodded her head looking forward to applying what she had learned on real people. She had already assisted in the birth of Sango and Miroku's children, and was looking forward to helping Kagome give birth to her first child. There were many things to be positive about, but she still felt a longing in her chest to be close to Sesshomaru. Before drifting off to sleep, Rin said a silent prayer for Sesshomaru to think about her. Many many miles away under a full moon gliding over the sea, Rin's face popped into Sesshomaru's mind and he exhaled softly. He would miss her.