Sesshomaru's booted feet stepped carefully through the carpet of dead needles and dry branches. Even though his demon blood aided his resistance to the extremes of the weather, he was grateful for the thick fur stole slung over his shoulder, and the heavy layers of his kimono. At least here, in the forest, the knitted branches of the trees kept off the worst of the snow. As he walked, he instinctively (and almost unconsciously) noticed the various minor demons of the forest around him. Squirrel-demons were sleeping soundly in their burrows, pillowed by smooth layers of nuts, and Sesshomaru even felt a bear-demon fast alseep with his mate in their underground cave. Sesshomaru walked on, noticing everything but noting nothing.
The sharp popping of burning wood reached Sesshomaru's ears long before he arrived at the campsite, and a modest cloud of smoke hovered above Jaken and Rin, trapped beneath the trees. Its scent made Sesshomaru's sensitive nose tingle pleasantly. The moment he entered the clearing Jaken and Rin rushed to greet him. Jaken's annoying voice pierced Sesshomaru's dog-ears painfully (as usual) and Rin bowed respectfully from a few feet away. As Sesshomaru glided by them, not bothering to notice them, an odd thought crossed his mind.
When did Rin stop hugging me? Not that I miss it, of course. I am foolish to have let such a detail, however small, escape me for so long.
Sesshomaru banished the thought the moment it entered his head, but it left behind a troubling. Well, not so much troubling as annoying. Sesshomaru never allowed himself to be troubled. He sat down gracefully at the foot of an old tree and accepted a steaming bowl from Rin and ate it slowly, savoring the sweet spices.
"Does the soup please my Lord Sesshomaru?"
Sesshomaru looked up to meet Rin's clear blue eyes, which were waiting hopefully for a reply. Rin continued. "I found the herbs myself, my Lord, they were buried beneath the snow, but not very deep. And I was the one who also set the snare for the snow-fox."
"I hardly noticed. I eat human food so infrequently that I cannot discern any particular good or bad qualities in any dish" Sesshomaru said cooly.
Rin's smile broadened. "But you did not say that the soup was bad! You would have, had you disliked it."
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. True. Rin turned away and stirred the soup with a stick stripped of its bark. Sesshomaru studied her for a few minutes. The thought and feeling from when he had first entered the clearning returned. Rin had grown up. She wasn't the little girl he had rescued from death any more. She was a woman, and the dirty castoffs that she wore couldn't hide it. Sesshomaru was never one to keep track of human time, but it must be nearly twenty years since that day, or more. He had given her no encouragement, no promises, to guarentees of wealth or power, as other demons would promise human companions - yet she had stayed with him. Even when he walked away without warning or made pacts with demons more evil than he, she had not turned away. What was wrong with her? Foolish human girl.
But why had she stayed? Perhaps it was for protection, as he had brought her back from the dead (twice), and she was an orphan, but he never said he would protect her. Quite to the contrary, she and Jaken were left defenseless about half the time when he went off to attend to his business. Sesshomaru knew why Jaken stayed; his type were always looking for someone more powerful to feed off. Rin, on the other hand...there was no practical reason why she should still be there.
"Rin. I must ask you a question." He might as well ask, now that he was thinking of it. There was no reason why he should not. Rin looked away from the soup and folded her hands respectfully in her lap. Her blue eyes stared into Sesshomaru's.
"Why have you stayed with me? You have no reason to. Especially now. It would be quite easy for you, a grown woman, to find a man in any of the villages that we pass who would be willing to give you a home. Yet you choose to stay. Why?"
Rin blinked and looked away from Sesshomaru, down at the wintry ground. A faint color came to her cold-pinched cheeks, a delicate red hue that dusted her high cheekbones. "I...I could not say my Lord. I have never found reason to leave."
Sesshomaru frowned. "That is ridiculous. There is plenty of reason for you to leave. Why would a human remain with such a dangerous demon? I welcome danger like the earth welcomes the rain. You have been thrown into the pits of Hell and died. Your life has been endangered many times before and after that. Yet you remain. There is no sense in it."
Rin gasped and her eyes filled with crystal-clear tears. "Does...does my Lord imply that he wishes I were no longer here?"
Sesshomaru opened his mouth to answer, then closed it slowly. The answer was so simple, and it had sprung to his lips in an instant - yes. Things would be so much simpler without Rin. His enemies had used her against him more than once, allowing them to escape or further their plots. She was an encumbrance that a powerful demon could not afford; at least Jaken had the Staff of Two Heads that he could protect himself with, but Rin was only a weakling human. Having Rin around was like having an infant slung around his neck. She always made him follow an irrational path - like when she had fallen into Hell, and he had gone to get her out. He shouldn't have done that, yet he did.
Yet...why had he not replied immediately? He knew what the answer was, but something kept him from saying it. Sesshomaru was surprised at himself .Am I allowing myself to be overcome by petty emotions? Impossible. This really is ridiculous.
"Yes, Rin. You should leave."
The words fell harshly in the winter-white clearing. Rin gasped, and covered her mouth with her hands. Her tears spilled over her eyelashes and on to her cheeks, and left dark patches on the front of her kimono. With a sob, she leapt to her feet and stumbled out of the clearing, crashing some distance into the trees before falling to her knees. She thought she was far enough away to mask the sounds of her sorrow, but Sesshomaru's dog-hearing could hear every intake of breath, and every beat of her heart; the familiar sound of her heartbeat was distorted by the tears. Jaken was staring at Sesshomaru with his mouth open, his staff hanging limply in his clawed hand. If Lord Sesshomaru was sending Rin away..."Must I leave too, my Lord?" Jaken asked in a tremulous voice.
Irritation, hot and white, flashed within Sesshomaru and boiled his demon blood. "Yes," he said, and his irritation permeated the single syllable like a crack of lightning. "You too, Jaken." Carefully setting aside his bowl, Sesshomaru stood and dusted snow off his kimono, and left, leaving Jaken's mournful wails and the steady sound of Rin's heartbeat behind him.
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Ah-Un plodded steadily through the thigh-high snow (her thighs) as Rin and Jaken huddled together on her broad back. The fire in her belly warmed them, but the shrill wind still chilled them to bone. Though Rin had scrubbed her face until the icey crystals of her tears had disappeared, her eyes still welled with liquid any time she thought of Sesshomaru. Which was often.
"Jaken?" she said tremulously, "will the Lord Sesshomaru come and get us? Did he truely abandon us?" Jaken sighed and clutched the staff of two heads. "Lord Sesshomaru has a hot temper, even if he rarely shows it. His hidden anger is far more frightening then when he is actually beating me! I do not know what drove him to do this, but I think he is serious.
Rin began to cry again. But whyShe screamed at herself. What did I do wrong!? I have served him faithfully all these years, yet he throws me aside without warning! Doesn't he know that I love him? I know that a great demon like him could never love a mortal woman such as I...but I thought at least that he cared for my company! He always returned to me, he always protected me, he always made sure I was happy and safe. I angered him somehow. I wish I knew how, but now I shall never see him again...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Prince Taromaru reined his horse in and lifted up his gloved hand for silence. His retinue stopped behind him, silently obeying their master. His white horse stomped its foot impatiently, and the silence was broken by the soft ringing of the silver bells sewn into his harness.
"Do you hear something, Ryoichi?" Taromaru asked softly, beckoning his manservant to move closer. The man cocked his head to the side and closed his eyes, listening intently. After a moment, a small crease appeared between hs brows. "It is...it is someone cying, sire. A woman, I would say." Taromaru frowned, and gripped the reins of his horse tighter. "She must be in trouble," he said, spurring his horse forward at a trot. Within a few seconds a great, scaled, beast came into view, with a young woman on its back. A small, green demon was clutching her possessively. "Demons!" Taromaru cried, urging his horse forward as fast as it could through the snow. "We must free the girl!"
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Rin gasped as a shout erupted from behind them. Before she could think, a cloud of spears flew through the air and pinged off Ah-Un's bronze sides. The beast shrieked and rose on its hind legs in panic, dropping Rin and Jaken in the snow. She cried out in fear and pain as she fell through the snow and her head struck a buried stone, and tried to pull herself out of the deep snow back to Ah-Un's back. The next moment was a terrifying frenzy of pounding hooves and flying snow as the band of horsemen overtook her. "Fly away, Ah-Un!" she cried, trying to shield herself with her arms. There were too many warriors! With another shriek, Ah-Un leaped into the air, with Jaken clutching her tail fearfully. The two demons eventually faded into the granite-colored sky, leaving Rin alone in the snow, surrounded by a band of warriors. Rin gasped with fear as one of the men dismounted and strode toward her, his hand on his sword hilt. Then the world swirled before her eyes, and she fell into a world full of flitting white snow and Ah-Un's strange cries.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Rin awoke with a soft gasp, residual fear pulsing through her veins - where did all the snow go? - but she realized that she was alone. She was in a medium-sized room with warm wooden walls, partially covered by long tapestries depicting flowers or garden scenes. Small, cheerful lamps were scattered over the walls in carved sconces that resembled lotus flowers. She was lying in the softest bed she had ever even imagined, and there was one window - with glass panes! The riches themselves would have made Rin drop her mouth with amazement, but the situation worried her. The band of men had attacked her...they had tried to kill Ah-Un and Jaken, and separated her from them...Rin dropped her head down into her hands. She didn't want to cry any more, but she felt so helpless and confused...
The door at the far end of the room slid open, and made no noise on its oiled runners. Rin heard it, however, and whipped her head up to see who had entered. A young man stood just inside the doorway, paused in the act of sliding the door shut. His kimono was obviously as rich as the room around him, but the pattern was not flamboyant or garish. His kimono was a simple dark green, almost black, with a cream pattern of dragons and mythical flames around the edge. His hair was long and black and flowed down to his elbows. His eyes were dark, but kind. His features were angled, but not angular. The way he stood, so confident yet unassuming, reminded Rin of Lord Sesshomaru...
Her eyes widened as she suddenly remembered all that had passed. This man was the one who had led the band of men to separate her and her friends! "Who are you, who has done this to me!?" she screamed, throwing herself at him. He was surprised for a moment, but not so surprised that he lost his head. He grabbed her wrists to keep her from scratching his face and held her at arms length for a few seconds, until she collapsed, sobbing, at his feet. He knelt in front of her, completely bewildered at her actions. "My Lady...?" he asked. "Are you feeling all right?" Rin continued to cry, but her anger rose. "You took me away from Jaken and Ah-Un!" she screamed, "after my Lord Sesshomaru sent me away, too! I hate you!"
Taromaru found himself completely at a loss and simply watched her cry. His retainer, Ryoichi, opened the door behind him, and stopped with surprise at the scene before him. "My Lord?" he asked, "what is going on?" Taromaru sighed and carried the now softly-crying Rin back to the bed, and lay her back beneath the covers. "I do not believe we have a full understanding of what has happened to this girl, Ryoichi," he said softly, retreating fron the room. "she mentioned our rescue, when we drove off the demons. She said that she hated us for it, that we did her some injustice...I fear that she is still under the control of the demons. We must find a way to free her of their grasp."
The two men stood in silence together outside of Rin's room. Crickets chirped outside under the waning moon, and a cool winter breeze made the corridor more than a little chilly.
"My Lord, I have an idea that may solve this problem...
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
Ryoichi panted as he crested the green hill; it had taken the better part of a week to get to this small temple, and his horse wasn't as young as it used to be. The ungrateful fat equine was trotting, happy as grass, but was making Ryoichi walk the last bit of the journey. Cruel beast.
A small child was playing with round, colored stones in front of a modest hut to the right of the temple. His kimono was decorated with colorful triangles, and his short black hair was tied back into a tiny ponytail at the base of his neck. "Excuse me, young man," Ryoichi panted, "I am seeking the great excorcist, the monk Miroku."
The child's face brightened, and he scooped his marbles and leapt to his feet in one smooth, energetic movement. "Papa is in the garden with Mama right now!" he said, running around the back of the hut. Ryoichi shuffled along after him.
A man in monk's clothing was lying on the ground, being severely beaten by a woman with a fearsome look on her face.
"Keep your hands to yourself, Miroku!"
"You're my wife!" the man on the ground protested, trying to shield himself from her blows, "I can hug you if I want to!"
"Not the way you hug! Not out in the open! Not where anyone can see! Not where the children can see!!"
"There are no children around! And no one else is around either...!!"
"Ahem," Ryoichi coughed softly.
With a muffled shriek, the woman threw herself away from Miroku and upon a hoe, and began to attack the ground between the cabbages ferociously. Miroku gingerly gained his feet and brushed the dust off his robes. "Hello, my good man!" he said, wiping dirt of his forehead and wincing as his fingers located a sizable lump on his cheek, "what business have you here? Do you need a good meal before continuing your journey? Or have you come to present your prayers at the temple? It's open, you can go right in, and Songo here can prepare you a meal...if...if you ask nicely..."
Songo ignored him.
"I actually am in desperate need of your assistance, good monk," Ryoichi said, taking his cap off as the man limped closer. "I am in the service of the Lord Taromaru, the Lord of these regions from the mountains to the Great Lake. Of late he rescued a young girl from her demon captors, but she is still under their potent spell. She attacks any human who draws near, especially my benevolent Lord Taromaru, for she recognizes him as her rescuer. Your reputation precedes you, sire, as a reputable excorcist - "
From behind them, Songo doubled over in a violent coughing fit.
" - and my Lord humbly requests your assistance in liberating this girl from her shadowed past. He will pay, my Lord is not wanting for either funds or generosity - "
"I shall do it," Miroku said gravely, clapping his hand on Ryoichi's shoulder in a friendly manner. "There is no need to talk about payment now. It is my life's purpose to battle evil demons, and I shall do my best to...hello Songo..."
Ryoichi jumped as Songo's fearsome countenance appeared next to Miroku. "A young girl beset by demons, is it?" she asked sharply. "How eagerly you have accepted this dangerous task."
"Well...if the girl's pretty...I mean, if she's in danger...if there's a demon..."
"Mmm-hmm," Songo sniffed, shifting her gaze to Ryoichi. The manservant winced, fearing her wrath.
"My husband and I both will help this girl."
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0
One week later the trio stood in Lord Taromaru's tea-room, and soft white steam rose in fragrent ribbons from delicate cups brimming with golden tea. "I understand that she will not see anybody, my Lord?" Miroku asked, sipping the tea. Mm. Expensive tea, and for a monk...this man is indeed wealthy.
"Yes. She has been here a fortnight, and will hardly let the women in to bring her clothing or rekindle the brazier. She has not spoken since that first night, and if she sees even the slightest glimpse of me she flies into a horrible rage. She has tried to escape; after the second attempt, we posted a guard about her door and window, though I cannot bring myself to lock her door. She has no control over her mind, after all."
"How interesting. The girl in trapped in a complex web indeed, if the demon can sustain its spell without being in contact with her. How would you describe the demon?"
"I caught but a short glimpse of it. It was small, green, and had claws - but I couldn't see anything more than that. It rode upon a giant, two-headed beast."
"It doesn't sound very powerful. For a demon of that size, it may use a talisman to keep its evil hold on the girl. Yet you say she has changed her clothes more than once since she's arrived?"
"Twice. It was all the women could do to convince her. If they had found anything upon her that could be used for that purpose, they would have told me."
"Then we can rule that out. This is a very troubling situation. I would see the girl." He rose to his feet, and his wife rose with him. Miroku grinned. "Songo, are you going to acompany me?"
Her glare noticably chilled the air of the room.
Lord Taromaru led Miroku and Songo, followed by Ryoichi, to the door of Rin's room. The guards bowed respectfully and stood to one side. Taromaru hesitated at the door and turned toward the monk. "I do not think I should accompany you, she will only become angry. I will retreat to the tea-room, but if you need any help to calm her down, these men here will answer to you." "Thank you," Miroku said, bowing. Then he and Songo entered the room.
Night was falling and the lamps had not yet been lit, so the corners of the room lurked in dim half-shadows. Through the window the stars were just beginning to dust the sky, and a light snow was beginning to fall. A bronze brazier smouldered next to the bed, casting a red light upon the slim figure of a girl with her knees curled to her chest.
"Go away."
Miroku opened his mouth to say something, but Songo put a hand on his arm to stop him. "Let me speak to her first," she whispered. Miroku nodded, but gripped his Shakujo staff harder. If this girl really was demon-possessed..."Songo, please be careful," he whispered.
Songo walked toward the girl, and knelt just before her. "Hello. My name is Songo. What's yours?" she put a hand on the girl's shoulders, but the girl slapped her hand away. However, Songo glimpsed her face for an instant -
"Rin!"
The girl looked up, shocked to hear her name spoken. "Songo?"
Miroku hurried forward, kneeling beside his wife. "Rin! What are you doing here? You're not really demon-possessed, are you?" Songo glared at him. "Sorry," he said, "but the lord of this castle is worried that you are demon-possessed because you're acting so wild..."
"Miroku! Can't you see she's crying!?"
Miroku's face softened as he saw Rin's tears. "Rin, what happened? Where's Sesshomaru and Jaken?"
Rin told them the story between ragged sobs, her betrayal and fear of the future showing through.
"A-and now this lord has t-taken me in, but I can't s-stop thinking of Lord S-Se-Sesshomaru..."
Songo held Rin as she cried, and looked at Miroku over Rin's head. "What do we do, Miroku?" she asked, "If Sesshomaru's finally abandoned her, then she's homeless..."
"He didn't abandon me!" Rin said wildly, "he'll come back for me! He's always come back for me...!"
"Hush, hush. You know, maybe the gods have actually given you a good thing here, Rin..."
Rin looked up at Miroku, surprised. "What?"
"I'm sorry if it pains you, but Sesshomaru has made it clear that he doesn't want you around any more. The Lord Taromaru found you, and he seems quite taken with you. He's very worried about your well being. He will take care of you if you let him, Rin."
"That's true," Songo mused, "he would if he could. Maybe you should stay here, Rin. We'll tell him that your curse was broken, and you can live with Lord Taromaru." At this, Rin burst into tears once more.
Miroku indulged in a slight frown. "You should at least consider staying for a little while, Rin. Here at least you have a soft bed, a roof over your head, and plenty of food. It would be wiser to remain here and wait for Sesshomaru to come to you, rather than risk your life alone in the wilderness with no protection. If Sesshomaru were to change his mind, it would be no trouble for a great demon such as he to find you again, and meanwhile you would be safe. Don't you think Sesshomaru would much rather find you happy and healthy than starving or dead?" 'If'...Miroku sighed inwardly, and meanwhile tried to affix an honest, earnest countennce on his face. Rin looked up from Sango's shoulder and sniffled. "You really think so?" Miroku nodded. "Yes, Rin. No one is forcing you to stay here, but I do think this is what would make Lord Sesshomaru happy." He watched for a reaction.
After a moment, Rin nodded shakily. "I guess so..."
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OmGOSH!! It is so hard to put line breaks in these things…why is the formatting so stupid!? Anyhoo! This is my first Inuyasha fanfic, so read and review please:D
And I'm sorry if the format on this page is still messed up. I can never figure out what will take or not as far as page breaks :P
Morough