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Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters.

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chapter one

The crushed grass felt cool under her feet. Sounds of evening fluttered to her ears: crickets in the whispering wind. She crouched down, admiring the beautiful yellow flowers. Buttercups were her favorite. The softness of the petals always felt so good against her skin. Everytime they came to a field of wild flowers, she would look for golden beauties. After picking several of the delicate flowers, she began tying them together, forming a chain then a necklace. But she did not lay the string of flowers around her neck. Instead, she placed the circle of stems in her hair, intertwining the yellow petals until the last flower dangled at the end of her brown braid.

Absently, she picked up the long braid, smoothing the strands of hair between her fingers. It had been so long since it had been cut. Had it been ten years? Maybe so. Time did not matter anymore, only life did. A life with her protector was all she cared about.

At the mere thought of her protector, his deep voice sounded close by. "Rin, it is time to go."

Smiling, Rin looked up to the golden gaze that blinked once before turning away.

She picked some blue and white wildflowers to play with before rising and falling in behind the dog demon.

Rin marveled in the quietness. Jaken had stayed behind this time, mumbling something about catching flies in the palace pond. Her protector had not argued the strange request.

She grinned. Sometimes even the Lord of the Western Lands needed a break.

As they traveled from the green expanse of swaying wildflowers, Rin sighed contentedly.

Late evening darkened into dusk.

Soon, they came upon a shrouded black forest. Tall, forboding, knarled trees loomed up on either side of the path. A solitary bird of twilight screeched overhead. Frogs croaked in the creaking branches of ancient trees. All of this dark forest seemed to come alive with eerie noises of nature. These mingling sounds of twilight would be enough to scare a small child. But fear did not plague her mind for she was no longer a child and her protector was near. He had saved her life so many times that Rin had learned he was very good at keeping her from harm.

Night wind danced in her hair. She giggled while tying the blue and white flowers together. The breeze seemed to be trying to tickle her.

The wind suddenly stopped. Rin sensed something. She looked up into the starlit sky. The forest went still. All sound ceased. A forboding feeling crept over her skin, causing little bumps to prickle and rise. A second later, she ran into something very warm and very soft. "ooops."

Taking a step back, Rin realized her protector had stopped. She looked up to silvery white hair. "Sesshoumaru-sama?"

"Rin, stay very still."

Rin always knew that tone in his voice. It meant danger lurked nearby and to be on guard.

Silence reigned. The night brooded in a soundless void.

Without warning, a thundering flapping cut the air.

A large, black winged form swooped down.

Rin ducked with a squeek.

A bright light erupted from her protector's hand: a luminous green whip of demonic power.

She looked up in time to see a giant bat youkai splitting in two. The pieces fell a few paces behind them on the path.

They continued on. The encounter faded from memory.

The dreary forest opened up to a waterfall sanctuary. Fireflies danced in the air and over the spray of sprinkling droplets. Their lights mirrored on the rippling surface of the bubbling stream.

Happily, Rin ran passed her protector, skipping through the dew covered grass and laughing. She knew this place. This was his secret place. The one he would come to when the moon reached it's fullness. On those nights, he would sit on a stone, close to the water's edge and gaze at the moon until it hid behind the treeline.

Tonight, he proceeded to do the same thing.

Rin fell to her knees near the sparkling water. Cupping her hands, she reached down and spooned the cool water into her palms. She brought the wetness to her lips and sipped the clear water. It tasted so good.

After splashing a few drops on her face, Rin gazed into the clearness of the stream. She could see the bottom easily in the full moon's light.

An idea came to mind. It had been such a hot day. She wondered if she could.... bathe?

She turned slightly in her sitting position to look at her protector. He was staring upward. The twinking stars reflected in his eyes. He seemed to have forgotten her. Maybe it won't be so bad if she just......

With an innocent smile, Rin untied the belt to her dress as she looked back at the pool of firefly light. The very thought of savoring the coolness of the water on her body was enough to persuade her actions.

Standing, Rin opened her dress and let the garment fall to her feet.

Gently, she stepped into the water and waded a few paces from the bank.

The top of the flowing stream was cool, but the bottom current was very warm. She giggled for the second time that evening. The stream had a hot spring flowing beneath it.

As she went deeper, the coolness caressed her bosom as the warmth spread over her waist and thighs.

Rin looked up and beheld the sky for herself. She sighed with contentment again. She was happy, so very happy. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been a long time since Rin had bathed in his presense. In these later years, she had taken a fancy for the inground hot spring at his estate.

Sesshoumaru glanced down at Rin who was now wading into the Stream of Rainbows.

Her creamy skin shined delicately in the moonlight.

Water droplets from the waterfall mist formed on her long braid. The yellow flowers in her brown hair fluttered in the spray.

Many seasons ago, he had begun thinking of Rin as more than a mere human. Her childlike grace and innocence intrigued him. She, of course, had become his ward. She had been the only human to ever.....help him....well...she really didn't help him...but she had tried to.

A memory startled his mind: a recollection of the very first time he had laid eyes on the girl. He smirked to himself. His feral nature had come out. A wounded inu youkai was nothing to mess with. But the girl had not run away. She had not feared him. And that was something to behold: a small child approaching a snarling injured youkai with no trace of fear at all.

Rin was special.

And he would keep his ward close to him always.

Sesshoumaru returned to his monthly vigil: the beauty of the full moon.

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Rin woke with a yawn. Sunlight warmed her cheeks. Rubbing one closed eye lid, she sat up to determine her surroundings.

Several ripe plums fell on the grass before her.

She looked up to see her Sesshoumaru-sama strolling towards the stream.

Grinning, Rin picked up the fruit and began eating.

After getting her fill, she stood and walked over to the silent inu youkai.

He said nothing and began walking down a worn pathway that led away from the foreboding forest they had come though last night.

She glanced back while following her protector, taking one last long look at the secret place. Next full moon, she would see it again.

The pathway fell into a green forest. Butterflies scattered over hundreds of roses everywhere. White doves cooed from the tall oaks above. Rin's spirit soared with the beauty around her.

So delighted with the fascinating woods, that Rin did not notice the immediate arrival of another youkai or Sesshoumaru's sudden halt.

Again, Rin bumped into the softness of her protector. "Ooops."

This time, Rin did not step back but chose to peek around Sesshoumaru's left sleeve to see what had made him stop.

What she saw made her jaw drop in wonderment.

In the path directly in front of her Sesshoumaru-sama was a youkai.

A very handsome youkai.

Long golden hair streaked with silvery white braids fell about his shoulders, falling to his lower back. Large feathered wings were settling against his shoulder blades as he stood with a reserved stance. He had somewhat rugged boyish features that smiled at them both. A spritely gleam lit his sky blue eyes.

A swan youkai!

Rin observed the swan youkai closer. His dress suggested royalty. Somewhere in the back of her mind, Rin remembered this particular youkai. She had seen him at a Royal function many years ago.

The tall, handsome youkai glanced down at her peeking face and smiled.

Rin decided she liked his smile.

And his soft voice.

The youkai bowed low and addressed her protector. "Great Lord of the Western Lands, I, sunoo hakuchou, Lord of the Great Marsh Lands, do formally request your approval to openly court your ward: Rin."

Rin had to hold on to Sesshoumaru's waist to keep from falling from the shock.

This...this....male youkai, this incredibly handsome Lord wanted to court her? He wanted her as a mate? Wow!

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Sesshoumaru eyed Sunoo cooly. His regal stance mirrored his own. Honesty was all that he sensed in the outlandish request: a swan youkai Lord wanting to court a human female? Preposterous.

Even though Rin was of age, this youkai of Royalty was not thinking clearly. Rin would never agree to something so ridiculous. Rin was his. Rin stayed with him. Rin was his.....ward.

With a sniff of indifference, Sesshoumaru spoke in a soft but dry tone. "I, Sesshoumaru, cannot speak for my ward. I will approve of your courting Rin if Rin agrees....."

"I accept!"

Sesshoumaru froze. What did she say?

Rin stepped out from behind him and bowed slightly to the swan youkai. "Lord Sunoo. I respectfully accept your request to court me. I would be honored."

Sesshoumaru inwardly wilted....'Rin?'.....

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First chapter. If anyone thinks I should continue, please review. ^.^