SLOW COURTSHIP
CHAPTER 1
It has been a few years since I had left Kaede's care in Edo. I chose to rejoin Sesshomaru and Jaken in their travels. Although we do not travel as much anymore, we do split our time between staying at the Western Palace and traveling through Sesshomaru's lands. On one such journey, I asked Sesshomaru if we could stop by Edo. I was eager to see Kagome again, especially since she and her mate, Inuyasha, recently had a pup.
Inuyasha and Sesshomaru, though not enemies anymore, could only tolerate little of each other. They sat at opposite ends of two trees, eyeing each other warily. Kagome and I, sensing their tension, sought for a way to remove ourselves from them for some time.
"Uh Rin, you must be longing for a nice hot soak! There is a hot spring near by, if you want to go." hinted Kagome.
"Oh that would be just the thing! Thank you Kagome. Lead the way!" I replied, as cheerfully as possible.
I turned to Sesshomaru, quietly asking for his permission. He turned to me, silently nodding - his eyes cautioning me to be careful.
I smile and follow Kagome out of the village.
The hot spring was only fifteen minutes away, in the outskirts of the village. I carefully laid my soiled kimono in one pile and hung my clean kimono by a tree branch. Kagome, seeing my clean kimono remarked on its richness.
"Sesshomaru insists I wear only the finest kimonos produced in the Western Lands. He would not hear of me wearing anything less. He is far too set in his ways, I'm afraid." I sigh, as way of explanation.
"You know, I've always wondered about Sesshomaru's intentions for you Rin." said Kagome, eyeing me thoughtfully.
"What ever do you mean, Kagome?" I ask, completely unaware of her supposed hints.
"Well, haven't you ever wondered how Sesshomaru sees you?" probes Kagome.
"Ah, I see what you mean now. But I'm afraid I cannot shed any light on the matter since our relationship is just as murky as it was, when I was no more than a child."
"Still, doesn't it make you wonder enough to find out?" Kagome insists further.
Pushing a strand of hair out of my face, I reply, "No. I know that I am his companion while Jaken is his servant. That is why I do not address him with his honorific. At the same time, I also know that I will never be his mate or bear his pups and to be truthful, I do not want either of those two."
Kagome gasps, "But why? Do you not harbour any feelings for him at all?"
"Other than those of a companion, no. Sorry Kagome!"
"Oh Rin! You are just as mysterious as Sesshomaru. I can see why you two get along so well now." Smiled Kagome.
While Kagome and I were bathing, Sesshomaru and Inuyasha were having a discussion of their own.
"I see you have not taken Rin to be your mate yet. Do you mean to let her live all her days miserable and unmated by your side?" questioned Inuyasha.
"That is none of your concern, Inuyasha." replied a cool Sesshomaru.
"For once Sesshomaru, you would do well to think of others before yourself. Rin is young now, but she will not be young for long. You know humans have stages for every age. Once she is past the age of marriage, she will be seen as an old maid and then, if she wants to get married and have kids, it would be too late and why? Because you left her hanging, that's why!" - retorted Inuyasha, angrily.
Sesshomaru looked away into the distance.
"Just because we are related by father's blood, does not mean I share your ignorance Inuyasha. I realized all that you have told me even before I left her in Kaede's care."
"Then why have you not taken her as your mate?" questioned Inuyasha further.
"Because my simpleton of a brother, I am not sure if she is ready to be Izayoi."
Inuyasha's eyes widened.