*Hello all! Sooo, it's been over a year (I know I'm terrible!), and I'll be honest I wasn't planning on continuing this story as I've moved on to other projects, but I've gotten a few requests recently asking for a continuation so here it is! I have a decent layout for this story and it will be significantly longer than my previous one. That said, I'm asking for patience as I won't be able to update this one frequently (I'm guessing every three-four weeks), since I have a lot going on and free time is scarce. Also, please excuse any typos or grammatical errors. Despite my numerous read-through's I still don't catch every error. Also wanted to note that I'm rating it M to be safe. If at the end I don't end up diving into the M-rated territory, I'll switch it over to T. Hope you enjoy and without further ramblings here is Chapter 1!*

*Note: I would strongly recommend reading The Dragon Lands first, as the majority of this will not make sense.*

*Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of its characters*

Chapter 1 - Obstacles Emerge

Rin stretched her limbs and yawned. The sun had flooded into her room, no not her room, their room. A rush of heat flowed to her cheeks as she remembered what had happened the night prior. She put her hand to the mark on her neck that Sesshomaru had left and smiled brightly. She was his. Finally after years of waiting for his return, years of nursing her crush on him, and years of continued heart-break, she was finally his.

Rin sat up in the bed and noticed that Sesshomaru was nowhere in sight. "He gets up so early." She pouted, allowing her eyes to wander until she was abruptly interrupted by her growling stomach. "I'm starved!"

She hopped out of bed and found a brand new kimono laid out for her over the sofa. She gave a soft smile, an unusual pride swelling in her chest. It was a beautiful deep red with golden etched flowers stitched into it. She quickly dressed and made her way down the hallway toward the kitchen.

She playfully moved around the light that poured through the large windows of the dining room. A long wooden table stretched the length of the room with heavily cushioned chairs along its length. The soft carpeting beneath her feet was a welcomed change from the cold stone of the hallway. The elegant curtains hung all the way to the floor and Rin found herself in awe at the amazing size of the chandelier hanging from the high ceiling. The dragons certainly enjoyed their luxuries.

Rin began to hum one of her favorite songs as she skipped down the room, gently touching each chair as she passed. She froze suddenly when her large brown eyes stopped at the last table setting that was overflowing with different foods. A basket was filled with a variety of fruits, some native and some exotic. There was a plate of different dried meats along with various edible plant life. The meal set out for her would have looked appealing to a fully satiated girl, let alone a starving one.

In a flash, Rin was sitting at the table stuffing her face with all the different delights. She picked up a roll and took a large bite. "Oh my! Sweet rolls! I haven't had sweet rolls in..." She paused to take another bite, "I don't think I've ever had a sweet roll!" She exclaimed around a mouthful of sweet pastry.

"I thought you would enjoy them." Sesshomaru's stoic voice said from behind her.

Rin jumped suddenly. She swallowed her mouthful and looked up smiling. "Lord Sesshomaru! When did you come in?" A small smile crept onto his lips at her startled expression. "Did you do all this?" She asked astonished.

Sesshomaru nodded. He looked at her with soft eyes and a small smile. It was an expression so foreign to him, that Rin felt a need to memorize it, as if it would be gone in mere moments.

"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru."

"You're welcome, Rin."

Sesshomaru waited patiently as Rin ate to her heart's content. When she completed her meal, she got up quickly and began to clean off the table.

"Leave it." Lord Sesshomaru said quietly. Rin looked up at him with some surprise. "It can wait until later. Right now I want to show you something." Rin nodded and left her mess on the table. She wrapped her arm around his, locking elbows and waiting for him to lead the way.

He led her through a few hallways until they reached the back of the castle. There, he halted in front of a set of large wooden doors. "Close your eyes, Rin." He said.

Rin squeezed her eyes shut and shuttered with excitement. "Ok, I'm ready!" She said.

Sesshomaru pushed open the doors and Rin felt an unusual warmth brush across her face. "Open them." Sesshomaru commanded.

Rin opened her eyes to a vast, overwhelming garden, surrounded by its own glass enclosure. It was filled with a large variety trees, flowers, and plants. One section was teeming with fruit trees, another well stocked with vegetable plants, and all throughout were decorative flowers. The sounds of chirping birds surrounded them, while a lone butterfly landed on Rin's head. Her joyful laughed sent it fluttering off towards the flowers.

"Wow, this is amazing!" Rin exclaimed in absolute awe.

"It's all yours." Sesshomaru said.

"All mine?" Rin asked in a surprised tone.

"Yes. This is all yours. When my warriors arrive, we will start arranging for some servants to come. I will make sure a gardener is among them to help you care for it."

Rin paused, the joy dimming from her features slightly.

"Are you not pleased?" Sesshomaru asked.

"Oh no, I mean, yes it's all very wonderful! I was just thinking, Lord Sesshomaru, what will happen when everyone arrives?" Rin's voice had grown sullen. The results of their joining were sure to be a shock to everyone.

"They will do as I say, that is all they need to do." He responded.

"But, surely they will know I killed Lady Kimiko. Won't they be upset?"

"Rin, demons are not like humans. We are firm believers in the strongest surviving and if you are not strong, you will do well to serve under one that is. My men will not question me." He reassured her. "Again, you were defending yourself. And again, I am the one at fault for that. I will deal with it."

Rin didn't feel so confident in her Lord's response, but she decided it wasn't something she could change and she certainly did not want to change her new relationship with him. So instead she focused her attentions on the delicate chirping of the nearby sparrows as they feasted on the berries in a bush. She allowed herself to break free of Sesshomaru's hold and gently brushed her fingers against his arm affectionately before approaching her garden's residents. The tiny creatures eyed her cautiously, but did not flee. Rin pulled out a plum that she had snuck away in her kimono for later. She pierced the delicate flesh with tip of her nail and peeled the skin away, revealing the juicy delight. She held the fruit out towards the sparrows, keeping herself as still as possible.

The smallest one took a few hops forward, hesitating as he assessed his surroundings. Those little black eyes locked onto the juicy morsel and soon it was landing into Rin's hand. She stifled an excited giggle and continued to observe the bird that was now beak-deep into the fruit. A small auburn patch of feathers stood out on the back of his head, making him distinguishable from his friends.

Sesshomaru watched from a distance, trying to grasp these new waves of feelings flowing over him. He would have normally viewed such an act of compassion from anyone as an obvious flaw, but watching Rin feeding the small delicate creatures only warmed him. Instead of a desire to halt her misguided compassion, he felt a need to protect it. He couldn't deny that Rin was creating a chaos within himself, one that was troubling even for him. She had brought up an obvious detail that in his warm complacency, he overlooked.

No, he had no doubt that his men would follow his orders. They would probably be pleased with the outcome of her death. However, they will see he has mated Rin. They will see immediate weakness in him where there is none. They may attempt to challenge him.

It matters not. If they challenge me, they will die.

Sesshomaru scowled internally. Why was he having these doubts? Why was his mind being bombarded with this nonsense? Rin is nothing like that wretched woman. She is nothing like Inuyasha's mother. She is strong.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Rin's voice pulled him from his assaulting thoughts. The tiny bird was now engrossed, along with his companions, in the fruit she placed on the ground. She was standing in front of him, her long ebony locks cascading down her back, mingling with the crimson red of her new kimono. Those round chocolate eyes alight with concern as they stared up at him. Her pink lips tilted slightly downward, fueling a desperate need to eradicate any semblance of her displeasure.

"Rin." He replied, reassuring her that she still held his attentions.

"May we go see the rest of the garden?" The concern left her eyes and her lips curved into a relieved smile.

"Do as you wish, Rin." He replied. Rin noted the unfamiliar warmth in his voice, the slight up tilt of his lips, and his seemingly relaxed posture. She doubted anyone other than her would pick up these subtle differences in her Lord, but after spending so much time with his stoic, sometimes cold, demeanor she could see the differences immediately. That pride she had felt not an hour ago returned with force, filling her with giddiness she didn't believe she could possess. She released it as joyful laughter as she raced down the pathway, eager to explore the rest of her garden.

"I must scout around the lands to ensure there are no immediate threats. You will stay inside these walls." Sesshomaru demanded after she had finished her lunch.

"May I come with you?" She pleaded. She had more than proven herself capable of defending herself.

"No." He stated plainly. Rin wrinkled her nose in displeasure while her lips formed into a frown. He knew that look. She was trying to decide if she should question him. He was not quite prepared for how much bolder Rin had become as a young woman. She did not fear him. It was something he should have wanted, yet it were times like these he would have preferred it if she did not question his every motive. So instead of awaiting her bombardment of nagging, he stifled a low growl and responded, "You cannot travel as quickly as I can. This is intended to be a hasty task."

This response did not placate her as he had expected. Instead she huffed quietly while crossing her arms. "Rin." He growled with warning, but she did not back down. She instead leaned forward in her seat, appearing to challenge his word. It wasn't often Sesshomaru was caught off guard, and usually when he was, he was able to correct his situation with haste. This had him completely dumbfounded. Never before did Rin challenge decisions like this. She always went to safety when he ordered her to.

"If Ah-Un was here, then you may accompany me, but not this time." What was he doing? Why did he feel the need to explain himself to her? This should have ended at 'No.' Instead she was wordlessly pulling explanations from him. He needed to leave before this continued, before his obvious lack of control slipped even further down this slope. He sat up immediately and left her silently sitting in her seat.

Rin had to admit, Kagome was right, you could do amazing things with a simple look. She had taken pointers from Inuyasha's human wife many times and spent a lot of time observing their odd relationship, as it was the closest she could come to seeing a demon-human bond. There were no doubts that the two loved each other very much, but it was their way of communicating that she found most intriguing. They seemed to know what the other was thinking without even speaking. Kagome translated her feelings simply by the looks she gave him. It had made Rin curious enough to observe the relationship between Sango and Miroku. They had also interacted in such a way. It wasn't just this way of communicating that intrigued her, but what they accomplished from those simple wordless looks. Rin couldn't help but try it herself.

To her complete astonishment, Lord Sesshomaru had fallen for it. He would never explain himself to a subordinate, and he would absolutely never respond to questioning looks like he had. Rin even doubted he would have explained himself if she had simply asked why. With her simple expressions, she had gotten her Lord to explain himself AND make a promise that she could accompany him in the future. Rin couldn't help but smile to herself and laugh wickedly as she sped down the hall to the springs. This new found power over him was one that would come in very handy.

She paused when her body was fully submerged beneath the steaming waters, sighing contently once the water brushed against her chin. She reached her hands out in front of her, allowing them to float in the water. Her thoughts wandered to her battle just a few days prior as she felt a stinging sensation in her shoulder. She had promised herself she would not fixate on Lady Kimiko. Instead her mind fixated on the demonic powers that mingled with her human spirit. She called to it. A dark desire lingered in the pit of her stomach needing to feel it. Never before had she been able to summon the demon energy without the help of her swords.

She closed her eyes and tried to picture the energy lingering in those markings. She wondered what it would feel like to be surrounded by it, to feel it flow through her, to be able to command it at a moment's notice. She wondered what it would be like to be a demon.

She felt her wrists begin to warm at the thought. Tiny sensations began prickling at her skin beneath the markings. Soon her entire wrists were engulfed by the stinging feeling. She lifted one hand out of the water and pointed her fingers towards the wall. It was as if she could feel the energy moving, pulsing under her skin until it pooled underneath her finger nails. Her eye lids lifted. She became startled by the sight of her fingernails now surrounded by an eerie glow. She lifted her hand further, focused on a spot on the wall, and visualized its destruction. Within seconds, an electric energy shot from her fingers and hit her imaginary target, sending pieces of stone crumbling and filling the room with dust.

Rin's lungs filled with the debris and fell into a coughing fit. She waved her hands frantically in front of her, trying to clear the dust now assaulting her airway. When it finally cleared, she was left in a state of shock. She had shot a hole clean through the solid stone wall. Large chunks of rock had scattered across the floor, making for a huge mess. She jumped out of the spring in near panic, clamoring for her kimono to wrap around her soaked form. She then dropped to her knees, making a futile attempt at cleaning up the mess before Lord Sesshomaru returned, and return he would after that chaotic display.

In her adrenaline induced panic, she failed to see the amount of damage her attack had done to her own hand. It became immediately recognizable as soon as her burning fingers wrapped around a large chunk of rubble. She cried out in pain as the stone went tumbling. Cradling her hand against her chest, she looked down at her burning appendage. It was then she realized her hand was actually smoking. The smell of charred flesh plagued her nostrils. The black, charred marks on her hand were lightning bolt-like shapes running from the mark on her wrist up the palm of her hand, to the very tips of her fingers.

"This isn't good." She remarked. Foregoing her attempt at cleaning up, Rin made her way down the hall in a desperate attempt to repair her newest mess. She flew into their shared bedroom, pulling one of the silk garments hanging idly in the closet. She ripped the fabric into make-shift bandages and began the task of wrapping her injury. If she was lucky, Lord Sesshomaru wouldn't notice. "Yea right."

How could he be so foolish? How could he let a human have so much say over him? She's not just a human. She's Rin. She's my Rin. And she meant more to him than he could ever imagine a being could. The events of a few days prior had introduced him to yet another chaotic whirlwind of emotions. He could only substantially compare it to the time she had almost died because of his disgraceful desire to strengthen Tenseiga. He had put her life in danger again, but this time she pulled through on her own. She was strong.

But she was still a human. He had made her a target, and he had to make sure she was strong enough to defend against his foes. He could not be so arrogant to think he could protect her all the time. She had too many close calls in the past to account for that. Now he had marked her as his for all to see. Perhaps he should have waited.

For what purpose? She is mine, what does it matter if it happened now or later? If I am not strong enough to protect her myself, then we both deserve to die. He allowed a low growl to pass his lips. He could protect her if he was with her always, but that won't be possible. Perhaps he should train her how to better defend herself. Perhaps he should teach her how to better use those weapons. She was no master swordswoman. She knew the basics, but the basics would only work against lowly demons and humans. Those demon attacks have proven useful and capable of handling more mediocre demons. Perhaps I should call upon that dragon woman, the one that gave her these powers. She couldn't have gotten far.

A sudden sharp pain flew through Sesshomaru's arm. He grunted, turning his attention to a lone dragon demon making a desperate attack. He didn't waste his time taking out Bakusaiga for this pathetic creature. With a quick swipe of his poisoned claw, the demon was sliced in two.

She encompasses my mind even when she is at a distance. This has to end. I cannot allow myself to become distracted by this nonsense or it will be the death of me. His thoughts suddenly came to a halt at the sound of a blast coming in the direction of the castle. Rin!

He moved with purpose through the air. He attained speeds he himself didn't think possible. An abhorrent smell lingered on the wind as he pushed forward. It was the scent of burning flesh and Sesshomaru suddenly felt his world crumbling. Anxiety crept along his spine, rage defined his features, and the slightest hint of despair crushed at his heart.

Merely moments after he smelled Rin's burning flesh, he was inside their new residence. He raced through the halls, following that poignant stench, and half expecting to stumble upon Rin's charred corpse. He could not sense any others inside the walls. Whoever was responsible had already fled.

His feet came to a sudden halt in the dining hall. Sitting at her normal seat, was Rin stuffing a sweet roll in her mouth. Her crimson kimono was soaking wet. Her gold obi sash was so lopsided, that it was obvious she had retied it in a panicked rush. She waved, unable to speak beyond the hunk of pastry lodged in her throat. "Rin." He did not intend for his anger to find its way into his voice, but Rin suddenly withdrew against the chair proving he had once again failed to contain his emotions, a habit that was growing tiresome.

She swallowed down the sweet roll and lifted her eyes up slightly to see his enraged face. It wasn't like Sesshomaru to wear his emotions. She no doubt feared the consequences of being the cause of that. "That was quick, Lord Sesshomaru. You must be tired after such a speedy run-through." Rin's voice trembled slightly. He was displeased that he could still instill fear within her. He did not want her to fear him.

"An explanation, Rin. Now." He commanded, his patience worn.

Rin groaned before dropping her face into her hands. "I'm sorry, Lord Sesshomaru! It was an accident! I was just relaxing in the springs and I was thinking about my demon powers and I was curious about what else I could do and the next thing I knew I was pointing my fingers at the wall and kaboom!" The words escaped Rin's lips at a dizzying speed, but Sesshomaru caught the ones that interested him easily. He approached her, grabbing the wrist responsible for the stench. He ripped off the make shift bandages and peered down at the burns, the skin surrounding them enflamed and blistered.

He sighed while replacing his angered features with his trademark stoic face, hiding his concern behind this mask. Demon energy did not mix well with a human body. Even half demons had the body of a demon and whenever forced into their human form, their demon powers were inaccessible. Rin's body was not compatible with this energy and it could potentially kill her.

"Listen to me carefully, Rin. Do not experiment with this energy. You must preserve it and only allow it to transfer to your weapons. Never use your body as a replacement for your weapon." He was sure to keep his voice calm as not to frighten her, though he knew very little frightened his Rin.

"I promise, Lord Sesshomaru. I won't do it again." She shared his intense gaze, wordlessly showing her understanding at the seriousness of this situation. She had stumbled upon something powerful and she could tell it made him uneasy.

He replaced the bandages, taking extra care not to harm her further. A single drop of his blood dripped down his arm and came into Rin's sight. "Lord Sesshomaru, you're hurt!" She exclaimed.

"It's nothing to concern yourself with, Rin." He replied.

"Did a dragon do that to you?" She continued while fixated on Sesshomaru's wound. She reached out with her other hand to brush a gentle touch near the pulsing wound.

"It will be gone by morning." He reassured, avoiding her question, which in her mind affirmed her assumption.

"I'm sorry." She whispered. Sesshomaru stopped his work on her hand for a moment, halted by her sudden apology. It was uncalled for.

"There is nothing to apologize for." He said firmly before finishing up the bandaging.

"If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have been distracted. You wouldn't have gotten hurt." Pain rippled across her face, twisting those soft features. Her eyes became wet with unshed tears.

"That is not true." He tried to say it with confidence, but he was too startled by her insight. How did she come to that conclusion? And worse than that, she was right. He felt his strength wavering, driven to push away her agony, but needing to cling to his pride.

"Please don't lie to me." She managed to lock her gaze on his, a new determination forming.

"Do not be so foolish, Rin. I would never allow myself such vulnerability." He spat, and then cringed inwardly. More lies.

"I'm going to get you killed."

What was causing all of this? Had he not proven himself capable of protecting both of them? "Stop, Rin." He commanded as gently as he could manage. "We are both strong. Everything will be fine. This would is nothing to be upset about."

Rin had managed to harden her expression, but it was too late for her to hide her doubts. She had already voiced them and he knew right there it was a possibility she was regretting this coupling.

She gave a firm nod, wordlessly affirming her understanding.

Rin hadn't taken much time to think of the consequences of this binding. She was too wrapped up in the joy of it all, that she failed to think of what effect she may have had on him. She was an intelligent girl, and she could read her Lord's miniscule changes in his expression like no other. The look on his face when he first found her was one of pure distress. It was one she did not see very often. There was a quick hint of relief when he first laid eyes on her, but that disintegrated instantly into anger. The way his wall crumbled around her was a distinct sign that she had an effect on him like no other being in this world.

Then when she had discovered his wound, it was like a terrible reminder of the life they had in store. She had distracted him, and somehow she knew that she was the reason for this newest injury. Lord Sesshomaru wasn't injured easily. A demon needed to match his strength or catch him completely off-guard for them to even scratch him. There were no strong demons left here, which meant she had been the cause.

Rin swallowed the pain that surfaced from that realization. She had thought her new abilities would simply add to his strength. Somewhere in her mind she thought they would be this powerful pair that ruled over the lands triumphantly. In her mind she saw them being happy and living a life free of constant pain. But fantasies were for children and reality was never as glorious as how the mind pictured it. Already she could catch the signs of the stress this situation was causing. The slight slouch in his posture, the few wrinkles in his brow, the ever so small downward tilt of his lips were all signs he was suffering from her recent troublemaking.

So she did the only thing she could think of doing for him. In one easy motion, she moved out of her chair and wrapped her arms around Lord Sesshomaru's neck. She nuzzled her lips next to his ear and whispered, "I'm sorry, Lord Sesshomaru. I didn't mean to worry you." She smiled into his neck, breathing in his scent. She always thought he smelled like rain, the kind that showered a parched forest after a dry spell, reviving the life there. He had found it humorous the first time she mentioned it to him, comparing a demon like him with the renewing properties of the rain.

"You renewed me." Those big chocolate saucers stared up at him from the floor. She sat at his feet, organizing the flowers he had brought her on this visit.

"That is different." He replied, leaning back slightly as he relaxed in his seat.

"How so?" She asked curiously. Her mind was always questioning. He didn't answer and she knew he wouldn't. Whether it was because he didn't feel it worthy of an answer or if he just didn't have one, her younger self didn't care. She just continued her work, breathing in the flowers that smelled of a fresh spring rain.

She relaxed against him as his arms embraced her. Rin knew there were other things that had to be discussed. There were issues that needed to be overcome before they brought them to their demise. Despite her unbearable happiness, Rin realized that neither of them was quite ready for this commitment to each other. Neither of them had much experience in love and in the world they lived, where death was around every corner, they had taken a monumental risk.

But for now, she was content in getting lost in his embrace. Solutions could come at a later time. This moment in time was reserved for them, for getting lost in each other's warmth, for forgetting everything beyond these walls, and Rin wouldn't give up this moment for anything.

She felt him nuzzle into her neck, mimicking her movements just a few seconds prior. He took a deep breath and she felt his entire body relax in her arms, melding to her own. She knew the strain of the past few days was catching up to him. She felt him lean into her, desiring to get lost in her warmth. Her mind became hazy as he began a trail of kisses from the mark on her neck. He tugged at her kimono, exposing her collarbone and continued his trail. She whimpered just loud enough for his ears to pick up on. A new eagerness enveloped him as he broke away from his original path to press his lips against hers. He forcefully brushed his tongue against her lips, and she complied, welcoming these new sensations. Her hands moved upward, allowing them to get tangled into his long silvery mane. She released a heated moan as her tongue brushed his, her desires burning within her. She longed for him, much like the night prior and she did not doubt he wanted the same. That he needed the same.

Sesshomaru grasped her backside and lifted her up. She shrieked in excitement, tightening her grip around his neck and instinctively wrapping her legs around his waist. Off he went in the direction of their room. She released a relaxed sigh, looking forward to getting lost in each other for many moments more.