Title: Maiden of the Western Lands (A rewrite of "The Village")
Rating: T
Summary: The Western Lands was his Jurisdiction. He reigned over them. Within the castle of the great Demon Lord lives a beautiful maiden, some call a goddess for her outstanding beauty. This is her story.
A/N: It's been a while. This is a rewrite of my fanfiction "the Village". There are a lot of OCs in here. However, most of the OCs are mostly what I imagine Sango, Miroku, Kagome, and Inuyasha's kids would have been like. There are a few exception to this. I originally began writing this Fanfiction before the manga had ended. I wanted to keep the original setting and circumstances the same as I had planned before the manga ended. But I was able to weave together some cannon and my original plans together.
In my original plan, I wanted to focus on the next generation, Kids of Inuyasha and the others with a mild focus on Rin and Sesshoumaru's relationship. But that changed as it got too complicated. I changed the main focus is Rin, most of the story is told within her POV, though this is not always the case. She is esentially the center.
Disclaimer: Inuyasha and characters do not belong to me.
Mothers and Deals
Sesshoumaru's Mother seemed to have more influence over the demon lord than he would like to admit. The first time Rin saw her was when she approached Sesshoumaru about his father's sword. During their first encounter she had both died and was resurrected for a second time. She was given a third chance at life. But her second death was somewhat useful. For that was when Sesshoumaru learned that Tensaiga can only bring a soul back from the underworld once. Sesshoumaru became more of Rin since then. His protective nature of her seemed to only increase. So much he left her in a village with humans.
Rin remembers the pain of Sesshoumaru departure. But that pain was eased with the familiar faces of Kaede and Kagome whom she was most fond of. And Sesshoumaru never stopped visiting. After three summers, she made her choice. She never wanted to part from Sesshoumaru. So she left. By that time Sesshoumaru took his place as the Demon Lord of the Western Lands. He became master of his father's castle and commanded many lesser servant demons. She had come to learn that the decision seemed to have come from Sesshoumaru's Mother pushing him to do so.
Her second meeting with Sesshoumaru's Mother came when she first arrived at Sesshoumaru's castle. The lady demon smiled gently at her. Of course, she was never without that teasing playfulness. Just like their first encounter, she had made a comment about Sesshoumaru devouring Rin.
"And how are you going to keep your servants from harming her?" The Lady Mother said. "Many Demons kill and devour humans. Though you don't seem keen on such an idea."
"Then Mother, Tell me how I can protect her and keep her," Sesshoumaru spoke.
She ran her claws across Rin's face. "Well, other than staying by her side at all times, you might do well in threatening them. You are lord and master after all. They are lesser demons who serve you."
Rin rushed towards Sesshoumaru's side. "Please don't send me away. You told me I would get to choose where to live. I chose to be here with you."
Sesshoumaru mother tilted her head. A small smile graced her face. "How about I do this," she began. "I have some loyal servants who will do whatever I say. I will simply command them to serve you."
"How do I know they will?" Sesshoumaru inquired.
"Because I'm the one that broke them," she smiled. "I'd say I broke them rather well too."
"And what is in it for you?" he asked.
His mother gasped and brought her hand to her heart. "I'm hurt. How could you think such a thing to your mother."
"I don't have time for your foolishness, Mother."
Rin noticed the change in his mother's body language as she dropped her façade. "There will come a time, where I will ask you for a favor. I hope you will heed my request."
That was the last thing said between any of them and then she left.
A few days later, Rin rose to the sun shinning down on her face. She got up and went outside. From the far distance she saw what looked like a sea of people something approaching.
"Master Jaken!" Rin called out. The little demon scurried over to her.
"What is that?" Rin asked pointing ahead. "Something is coming this way!"
Jaken squinted trying to make out what was approaching. "She's returned!" came Sesshoumaru's voice behind them.
"Oh! So then she must have brought those servants then" said Rin.
It was not long before Sesshoumaru's Mother was before them. Behind her was about fifty demons. All of them worse the same blue uniformed Kimono. Sesshoumaru's Mother smiled.
"I give them to you, my son." When she recived no response from Sesshoumaru she continued. "I promise they will do your bidding."
"How can you be so sure?" asked a suspicious Jaken.
"As I said. I broke them. They will do my bidding. And I instructed them to serve you, as promised."
"How do we know they won't turn on us." Jaken voiced.
"And why would I put my own child in danger?"
"Sesshoumaru almost got trapped into the underworld because of you."
"No it wasn't"
Their banter was cut short by Sesshoumaru who kicked Jaken forward. Rin crouched to help Jaken up.
"What an energetic little thing," Sesshoumaru's mother said.
"Please refrain from more foolishness."
"hm. Well, as I was saying. They will do what you will. You are free to discipline them further if you don't believe me." Sesshoumaru's mother turned toward the crowd of demons. She then pointed at her son. "This is your new master. You will obey his every whim. I should warn you that he is a much more cruel demon than myself and more powerful if you understand what that means."
Rin saw the crowd of demons nod in union. Sesshoumaru's mother smiled and turned back to face them. "They are all yours," she smiled
Within the crowd of demons his mother brought was a female named Kyo. It was she who would be assigned to be a personal assistant to Rin. While Sesshoumaru finally made a decision to settle in one place, politics within the demon realm called him away from the Western Castle. Rin would accompany a few times, but it started to become more frequent that she was left behind. The first time Sesshoumaru and Jaken left her she wept and begged. Through many calm words, he assured her that she was not being abandoned. And so he left with the promise to return. When he left, Kyo acted as a guardian for her. And he instilled in all those who worked in the Western Castle that Rin must never be harmed. That is what became of Rin's Life.
Years past, so many that she herself was unsure how long she had been with Sesshoumaru. She had forgotten how old she was. But it didn't matter to her. She just preferred to live her life as it was. Life with Sesshoumaru wasn't boring. Of course for her it was never boring. This was her family, and it was where she desired to stay.
Rin wasn't always left at the castle. There were times that she did accompany Sesshoumaru as she did in the past, but those times were rare and began to shrink more and more as time goes by. During one of her travels with Sesshoumaru they came across an odd woman. She was old enough to be her mother. She was human, Rin could tell. Yet, at the same time there was something different about her. As always Jaken would begin dranting at the human to either get out of the way before Sesshoumaru kills her and what not.
That woman just stood there and smile. A smile that impressed Rin, for she held no fear against Sesshoumaru. Yet she could tell that Jaken was getting annoyed.
"My Name is Tejina," the woman said. "And you are Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands."
Rin was surprised, while Jaken was a mixed of impressed and proud that Sesshoumaru's name was becoming more well-knowed. Sesshoumaru however was not readable. Rin wasn't sure what his feeling on that was. He held that same emotionless stoic expression he always did.
"I've got a proposition for you, Lord Sesshoumaru," She said.
Sesshoumaru just tugged on A-un's reigns signaling them to continue forward and attempting to ignore the woman.
"Wouldn't ease your mind more, if you knew your little human girl was better protected from demons," she said. "There are powers that repels demons. You know well,"
"Are you a priestess then," Sesshoumaru asked her.
"No, I have no holy powers," She told him. "I do however grant wishes."
"And what makes you think that I have any wishes,"
"You're mother said you do."
"I do not wish for anything."
"You want that girl safe. You're mother left in your care demons that will obey you. Yet you don't feel that is enough."
"Foolish Human! What makes you think you know how Lord Sesshoumaru is feeling!" Jaken asked.
"Because, your still here. And I'm still alive," Tejina smirked. "You haven't left and haven't killed me for you are interested in what I have to offer." The woman pulled a chained necklace from inside her clothes. There was a large flat round piece of metal hanging from it. "This medallion will repel wild demons that may harm the girl."
"And what exactly do you want a payment?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"There is a village not far from here. It's a three day walk from your castle. I want protection for that village."
"That's ridiculus. Lord Sesshoumaru protecting a human village!" Jaken outraged.
"To be more specific, I want no harm to befall my village and the villagers, from you or any under your command. And I would hope, that we would be part of the land you would defend from other demons trying to overtake your land, if such things would happen."
"All that for a medallion?" Sesshoumaru questioned.
"Well, no" she said. "I will also give you back your arm."
"Could you really do that?" Rin asked. Her eyes went wide as she leaned closer.
"I can" Tejina said with confidence
"It's impossible," Sesshoumaru said.
"You haven't even tried. I'll tell you what. As part of the deal, I will restore your arm. Give the girl this protective charm, and in return you agree to my terms. And if anything should happen to either the girl or your arm, you are free to do whatever to me and the village."
Sesshoumaru stood silent contemplating a decision. Finally, he spoke and he took the deal.
"If anything goes wrong, I will kill you," Sesshoumaru told her. Her response was a smile and a nod. Rin watched as the older woman approached Sesshoumaru. She asked him expose the area where his arm was severed. Sesshoumaru then moved his armor aside and pulled the kimono down where his limb was missing. Tejina touched his arm. She voiced what process she would take. So didn't flinch or held no surprise when the woman dug her sharp nails into his skin. As blood dripped out, it began to glow. Slowly skin began to extend out wards and form his arm then finally his hand formed. And his claws.
Tejina stepped back. "I promise, if this does not work, you may have my life. However, if you go back on your word, you lose your arm and my protective charm will fail to work." That ended their first encounter with Tejina the witch. They would come to her for other favors.
A few years later, an unknown illness took Rin. Sesshoumaru brought Rin to Tejina. To Rin's dismay, she was forced to remain out of the presence of demons till she got better. She couldn't remember how long she stayed with Tejina or what payment was made, but she did know it was a bittersweet experience. She wept at the fact that she was away from her family, but she was glad that she got to know and became friends with Tejina.
That didn't end the interesting events in Rin's life. Sesshoumaru's mother would turn up and her mischievous personality was amusing always to Rin. It wasn't to say that Rin didn't find her intimidating. She was still a powerful demon, and Rin knew to be weary of her. She found amusement in Sesshoumaru's irritated expressions at his mother's playful nature. But of course, she still had an effect on him. She still had influence on him. Eventually, Sesshoumaru's mother came for that favor. She often egged him on. At that time, Rin wasn't sure as to what Sesshoumaru's mother wanted from him. But she did notice that Sesshoumaru would often follow his mother away from the castle. Jaken and A-un would follow, but not her. Rin didn't seem to be invited, and that fact made her sad.
When they returned, Rin often asked Jaken about their travel with Sesshoumaru's mother. But the little demon was unsure as the what Sesshoumaru's mother was up to.
"I have a feeling," he said. "But I don't want to say without being right."
Rin couldn't be too sure how long it went on, but she noticed that Sesshoumaru's departure and his mother's visits grew more frequent. It would be awhile till Rin got an answer to what it was Sesshouaru's Mother was planning.
A/N: Tejina is based on Yuuko Ichihara from xxxHolic. I really wanted Sesshoumaru to have his other arm back, and that was the reason I created Tejina. She was suppose to do that. Unfortunately, she comes off a little too powerful. I hope it's all right. I'll try not to take too long with the next chapter.
By the Way, "The Village" is still up for those who wish to read and compare