"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin cried out as she waved her arms back and forth. Her demon lord turned his golden orbs towards her, momentarily taking her breath away. He didn't reply, but she grinned at him and held out the flowers she had gathered. He shifted his gaze from her face to the flowers in her hands before turning away and dismissing her.
Rin didn't feel offended in the least at his behavior, living nine years with him had taught her that it was in his nature to act that way. And it was the way she liked it, she enjoyed the predictable behavior of her lord. It made her feel safe and secure in his presence.
"Why do you put up with such a girl? She's such a pain my lord," she heard Jaken say with his arms crossed and a shake of his head, and she glared up at him. The two demons were standing up top a hill that they had been waiting on for her to collect her flowers before moving on.
Jaken hated having to waste time for her, but Lord Sesshomaru always made time for her. Sometimes it caused a few bumps to appear from a nearby stone to get Jaken to comply, but most of the time the toad demon would just grumble in a corner while Rin went on her way.
"Master Jaken! I heard that!" Rin yelled at the toad, her eyes still narrowed in a glare at the little demon while she tightly balled her hands into fists. She was so angry at his comment, so angry that he would even suggest that she was a nuisance, that she broke all the stems of the flowers she had collected.
"You wretched little girl! Don't make me come down there and-" Jaken was interrupted in his threat when the sound of rapid footsteps breaking flowers and shifting through the grass was heard. Living with two demons had honed Rin's human senses, so her hearing was nearly as good as theirs. Of course she could never equal theirs, but she was still better off than any other human.
Rin saw Sesshomaru tense slightly before his hand reached for Tokijin that was attached to his belt. Jaken's expression changed from rage to horror in a matter of seconds and Rin hurriedly whirled around to spot whatever was coming her way. A moment later a huge figure appeared from behind a cluster of trees, its red eyes gleaming in the sun light. It turned its head this way and that before landing on her and its eyes instantly seemed to glow as it let out a loud howl.
Unable to control her shaking Rin stared at the monster before her, and took in its appearance. It had very dark purple skin, and it's arms were twice the length of its legs, both covered with random patches of black hair. A large amount of black hair sat atop its head and went down its spine. It's rib cage was showing distinctly under its tightly pulled purple skin. Its snout also seemed strangely too large for its body, and it pulled back its purple lips to bare razor sharp teeth at the trio. Those teeth were enough to get Rin's limbs moving and she made a dash for Lord Sesshomaru and Jaken, dropping her flowers on the way.
The demon let out an angered hiss and she could hear it running behind her. It was probably double her size, so it could cover much more distance then she could with her human legs. True to her assumptions the demon was on her before she could make it even remotely close to her friends.
One of it's larger-than-normal arms reached out and one purple hand grabbed a hold of her leg. Rin fell swiftly to the ground and let out a scream. The demon let out a victory howl as it dragged Rin along the grass towards it and placed both hands on either side of her. She turned to look up at it in horror, and her expression only seemed to fuel its wanting of her even more. Its right hand came up and roughly pushed her around so she lay on her back in the grass. It pushed one of its legs up and spread her legs apart as it let out a loud growl in Rin's face. She turned her head away from it and closed her eyes, willing it to go away and for her to be safe again. She shivered and let out another scream when she felt its slimy tongue lick her cheek and its leg push her legs even farther apart. Rin was waiting for it to bite her, but shot her eyes open when she felt the air from a sword swing hit her face and she turned up to see that Tokijin had sliced off the demon's head. Sesshomaru had come to her rescue, and had gracefully jumped to slice off the head. Rin watched him as if it were happening in slow motion, and watched in awe as he landed on his feet softly as the headless body fell right behind him.
He sheathed Tokijin on his belt before turning around to look at her, and she hadn't realized until Sesshomaru's eyes perked slightly with interest that she was shaking uncontrollably. He stayed away from her, which was good on his part. If he had approached her then she was sure that she'd flinch in fear, even though he had been her savior. Rin was in such a state of shock that she was sure if anyone had approached her then she'd be deathly afraid.
"Rin you insult girl, you did it again! You attract too much unwanted attention and are causing Lord Sesshomaru to go out of his way all the time for you!" Jaken yelled as he came up to her and bopped her on the head with his staff. Rin grabbed the spot that he had hit and winced while huddling in a ball. She heard a low growl before she heard Jaken squawking in pain and his tiny body hitting the floor. Rin opened her eyes and looked over to see that Jaken had been hit in the head with a rock and Sesshomaru was slightly glaring down at him.
He seemed to sense her eyes on him and shifted his gaze to her before she swiftly looked away.
"Rin," he called.
"Yes, my lord?" she asked, returning her chocolate eyes back to him.
"Let's go," he answered and Rin had no choice but to answer his command. She instantly stopped shaking and got up to stand beside him. He watched her move all the way to his side before looking back at Jaken, who was still twitching on the ground.
"Jaken, get up," Sesshomaru commanded and the toad instantly got up and bowed to him.
"Yes my lord," he stated and hurried over to their side. The trio walked for a time until the sun started to set and Sesshomaru set up a secure area for Rin to find food and rest. Rin was always thankful that her lord took her human needs into consideration when they traveled. She had never asked it of him, but he gave it nonetheless. After her basic needs were taken care of she curled up by a fire she had made and went to sleep without any trouble. Whenever she was under her lord's careful watch she never felt the need to fear for her safety, so she always slept soundly.
(Divider)
Lord Sesshomaru watched his ward carefully as she slept, noticing how much older and taller she had gotten since he first saw her. She was a runt of a human when she had first traveled with them, but now as a woman she had grown quite tall. She nearly reached his height, which was remarkable for a human since most seemed barely able to reach his chest.
Rin had also grown older in both mind and body, her cheerful almost childlike personality still intake from when she was a child, but seeming to have matured somewhat. Her body also had gone through a sort of transformation of its own, her frame was still petite for a human but she had filled out in all the ways a woman should. The observation unsettled him since he had never one noticed his ward as anything but a companion until recently. To be perfectly honest he had seen her as he saw AhUh, a traveling companion and nothing more.
But in the past few months he had started to notice her much more...sexually. She had started her menstrual cycles, signaling that she was mature enough to carry child, and since then their lives had gone to hell. Demons from all over could smell her miles away and ran as fast as they could to find her. As young as she was, her scent was much stronger and much more intoxicating then most.
He was sure his scent didn't help matters either, whenever a human smelled of a demon it usually meant he or she was or had offered "services" to them. Most demons saw humans as play things or "pets" more then actual companions, so treatment of humans as such was not seen as a crime of any sort. With Rin's scent on such a rise, mixed with his, he was sure they were giving demons all the wrong signals. Not to mention that he himself was having trouble around her. While he would never become as barbaric or out of control as the demon that had attacked Rin earlier was, he was still uncertain of how he would start reacting to her if she continued to stay with him.
The thought was a hard one to swallow, since he had traveled with Rin for so long, she had become a part of their group that it would feel strange without her. He was starting to think of ways to help them all when Jaken walked over to his side and sat on a nearby log.
"It's getting worse my lord," he whispered to him, giving spare glances at Rin's sleeping form, "Today that demon didn't even see you," he added. That had bothered him, most of the time demons would notice his aura and hesitate, even if it were for a second, but the one from earlier hadn't even seemed to sense him.
"I will take care of it," Sesshomaru replied, not taking his eyes off Rin as he watched her body slowly rise and fall with her constant rhythmic breathing.
"Hopefully it will be soon. Even you won't be able to resist," Jaken commented, but shrunk away when he noticed Sesshomaru's disapproving glare. Jaken was immune to Rin's scent since he had found another demon like him and had claimed her as his mate. Once a demon had a mate, they mate for life, so no other female's scent could ever faze Jaken, even Rin's. At the moment Sesshomaru felt slightly envious at Jaken's immunity towards her, and wondered if he could possibly gain some kind of immunity too. That way he wouldn't need to worry about losing her, but knew that there was no other way at the moment but to find a more suitable location for her.
"It'll be tonight, it's the only way," Sesshomaru replied and stood to walk over to Rin's side. The closeness intensified Rin's scent and Sesshomaru's nostrils flared as he took in the intoxicating aroma. His senses seemed overwhelmed by her and he could sense his eyes start to glow red and his mind fill with need to mate with her. So close...so perfect he thought and growled lightly to shut his mind up. His arms wound around her shoulders and thighs as he hoisted her up and she fell against his chest when he stood.
She cuddled closer to him and one hand grabbed out to gently clench his clothing before she snuggled her head into his chest. It was a innocent child-like act, but he couldn't help the need to be inside her that was filling him. He clenched his jaw as his hold on her body tightened slightly as he started to walk. Of course to an onlooker it probably looked like he was thinking rather then having an all out war going on inside his head.
Once he was sure she didn't awaken from all the movement he quickened his steps before it became an all out run towards Inuyasha's Village. He knew of an old priestess that cared for Inuyasha and his friends when they were injured or in need of shelter. While he would rather stay as far away from anyone who was friends with his half brother, he knew she was his only option. Giving Rin to Inuyasha's group was out of the question, he would never ask his brother for help for anything. That wasn't about to change, no matter how much Rin meant to him.
In a matter of minutes the old tree that Inuyasha had been sealed to for fifty years came into view, along with the village and Sesshomaru was upon it in seconds. It was dark out now, and most of the humans were in their huts fast asleep. Even the animals were fast asleep and didn't react when he rushed by. The old lady's hut was easy to find, it was the largest one in the village and sat atop a hill next to a dug up grave.
When he approached the entrance the smell of earth and death coming from the dug up grave gave him a moment of relief from Rin's scent and his sexual thoughts. The silent bliss was wonderful, on the way over to the village his thoughts had gotten stronger and more descriptive. He had even started fantasizing what he wanted to do to Rin. Rin was his, and he would never show her the darker nature that was the demon inside of him. Never hurt her like he knew he would if he lost control, he would never harm what was his. She was delicate and deserved better then to be taken forcefully and most likely (on her part) painfully.
He was about to push aside the hay curtain that covered the entrance to the Kaede's hut, but was stopped when the woman burst out with her bow knocked and an arrow pointing at his chest. At the sight of a sleeping Rin in his arms she loosened her arrow and stared at her in bewilderment.
"Lady Kaede," Sesshomaru stated nonchalantly, though it pained him to use such formalities with the human. It wasn't like she could do much if he didn't use her title, but it was unlike him since he was used to being polite. And if he were hostile with her it would only hinder his chances of her taking Rin into her care.
"What are ye doing here demon?" Kaede asked as she looked him up and down with suspicion. He felt his eyebrow twitch in mild anger when she didn't address him formally as he had her. The human could've at least returned the courtesy he had shown her.
"You've tended to Inuyasha and his friends, correct?" he asked.
"Aye,"
"I've come to drop off Rin,"
"Why should the girl stay with me? You've traveled with her for years and seem to take adequate care of her," Kaede noted as she looked over the expensive kimono that Rin was presently wearing. Indeed Sesshomaru tended to spoil her, but it was hard not to when she meant so much to him. No other being had ever meant so much, even his father and mother didn't matter as much as Rin did to him.
"I can no longer care for her, her life is in danger around me now that she's...gone through her womanly cycle," Sesshomaru answered feeling a little uncomfortable around the woman all of the sudden. He always assumed talk like "womanly cycles" were reserved for females, so with him being a male it felt unnatural and a little strange. Kaede seemed to think the same because her eyebrows shot up at the comment and she seemed a little uncomfortable as well.
"Oh...oh!" she replied before looking over Rin, then looking at him before returning to Rin. Sesshomaru lightly growled, registering what the old woman was thinking.
"I have not touched her, she is still innocent," he stated and could see Kaede's shoulders relax before she smiled at him.
"Good of ye to do so, or there would be no end to the mistreatment she might have received had she not been," Kaede replied and Sesshomaru couldn't help the protective growl and tightening of his hold on Rin's body that emitted from him. He would kill all those who were foolish enough to even jokingly tease his Rin. Suddenly he started thinking if leaving her there was such a good idea...
"She will be safe here Lord Sesshomaru. But is it the best for her? She hasn't been around humans for the majority of her childhood, do you think she'll make it through the transition?" Kaede asked and Sesshomaru felt his jaw tighten at the idea of Rin suffering in the least. He knew it would hurt her, and that she'd probably cry over him, but it would be better for her. He noted Kaede's expression turn to slight surprise as she watched him. He assumed some emotion must've gotten past his mask, and that it had taken her by surprise.
"How old is the girl now? Though I suppose I can't call her a girl anymore," Kaede added, seeming content without a direct answer from him about her previous question.
"Fifteen," he replied, and realized that she was at a ripe age for marriage. Most human women were wed by fourteen and with their first child at fifteen. The thought that a human man could possibly win Rin's heart and get her to bear his children sent a wave of disgust through him. He couldn't even stand the idea of another man touching Rin.
"Ah, I see. Well bring her inside. I have an extra bed I keep for Kagome and her friends whenever they are here," Kaede stated and held up the hay curtain so Sesshomaru could walk into her home. It seemed even larger inside then on the outside, and was fairly bare for a priestess's home. From what he had heard priestesses were given donations from the townspeople for her protection, but from what he saw it didn't seem like the town could offer her much. A fire pit was stationed in the middle of the hut and a large pot was hung over it, he assumed it was food she had eaten earlier that day. A rug was spread out at the entrance and there was a wooden table at the edge of the hut were he saw a bunch of arrows and a knife. He presumed it must be her carving station were she would make her own arrows.
He spotted the bed she had spoke of near the fire pit, close enough for the warmth of the fire but far enough that there was no worry of getting burned. He gently laid Rin down on it and let one clawed hand cup her cheek. He was not a man of affection, but knew holding her this way was a form of it. He studied her face and memorized every feature there, intent on being satisfied in just the memory of her face. She turned towards his palm and let one hand come up and gently rub his knuckles before grabbing hold of his fingers. His eyes softened slightly at the unconscious action, and was amazed that somehow she was still able to tell it was him caressing her while she was asleep.
"She will be fine here Lord Sesshomaru," Kaede said softly a few feet behind him. He stood up, his back to her still, and stared at Rin for another long moment before turning around to look at the priestess. She studied him intently, but he made sure that his mask was intact and that there was no way she could see past it. She gave up a moment later and turned her eyes slightly to the side to peer at Rin.
"Take good care of her," Sesshomaru commanded and Kaede's lips broke out into a smile as she nodded.
"Like she were my very own," she promised and Sesshomaru looked into her eyes for a moment to read her sincerity. When he noted that it was there he nodded in contentment before he walked past her and out of her hut, not looking back at Rin's sleeping form.
"When will you be back to get her?" he heard the old woman call out to him, but he rushed away and never looked back.
(Divider)