Desperate birds shot from the surrounding trees as the harsh crash of swords rang out through the forest. Animals hid, and demons took cover as they sensed the power in the air. Two powerful demons battled one another in the field below. They moved quickly, nothing disguisable between them except for the white of the demon lord and green of his foreign opponent. Only the occasional flash of a sword gave away their battle as it caught the light of midday.
The two pushed away suddenly then circled for a moment, the demon lord glaring and his opponent grinning foolishly. They met again, their boots kicking up dirt and grass as they moved over the field of shin-high grass and gentle flowers. The battle was becoming more heated with every passing moment as the demon lord became infuriated and his opponent intrigued.
Abruptly, the demon lord shot backwards, hoping to gain enough distance to use another attack, but his opponent followed him quickly, locking swords with him again to prevent any other movement. A great swordsman, the demon lord's challenger refused to give him the space necessary for his poison whip. He would not lose his advantage. He would be the first to defeat the lord of the West.
Irritated, the demon lord stopped his retreat and shifted his weight forward to catch his opponent's sword at the hilt. Both came within inches of each other, eyes locking, gold furious and green enthralled. The demon lord jerked his body sideways, throwing the other demon off balance for only a moment as he jumped back, sheathing his sword as his energy gathered in his fingertips. When the demon lord landed, he flicked his wrist forward, but the other demon sensed the danger and rolled away just as the poison whip melted the ground where he'd just stood.
The younger demon rolled to his feet and began to circle the demon lord at a run, sword held out behind him as he waited for an opportunity to attack. Golden eyes watched him carefully, their owner completely still as he waited, poison still dripping from his fingers to sizzle in the grass. Finally, the other demon leapt towards him, swinging his sword in a downward arch at the Western lord's neck with a shout.
Easily, the attack was met by the demon lord's whip, and the sword flashed as it flew from its owner's hands and buried itself in the dirt several yards away. The younger demon stumbled backwards, hands out in front of him in submission, terrified now that he'd lost his sword. The demon lord allowed his whip to recede as he coldly stared down at the demon.
"You dare attack this Sesshomaru?" he asked coldly, his golden eyes narrowing.
The younger demon pulled at his odd clothing, emphasizing his foreign lineage, as he continued to retreat. "You are a legend on the mainland, my lord!" he said desperately. "I only came to try you!"
Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed on the boy, infuriated by the demon's indiscretion. Without another word, the demon lord drew his sword, allowing his energy to flow into it as he held it before him. The other demon paled as he sensed the power flowing into the blade. "Please, spare me, my lord!" he begged as he began to look about him, desperately seeking an escape. "I shall return and tell of your power! No one will seek you out again! Please-!"
Tired of his sputtering, the demon lord smoothly raised his sword and swung downward, kneeling with the motion to increase its momentum. The powerful wave shot over the field, instantly killing the grass beneath it and distorting the air as it moved. Sure that the attack contained enough energy to kill the demon, Sesshomaru remained where he was, waiting for the satisfying cry of pain, but instead, his ears were met by the frantic shouting of several short words, and then an explosion.
Startled, he looked up to find the boy flying backwards and the wave of energy moving back towards him. "Fool!" he shouted as he shifted a foot back to steady himself and raised his sword again, ready to take on the powerful wave of energy. Only when it struck his blade did he realize what had happened. It was more powerful; the boy had returned the attack with a combination of his own energy. Cursing beneath his breath, the demon lord slid back several feet before the power overwhelmed him, and he cried out as it surrounded him. Tenseiga suddenly pulsed at his hip just as his armor burst beneath the force. A familiar blue light surrounded him as his skin burned, and then nothing.
Someone was close to him.
Instantly, he was aware, and he sat up abruptly, baring his fangs and growling threateningly. His energy filled the area, revealing his power and daring the creature to approach again. A soft, feminine gasp met his ears, and his vision cleared to reveal a young girl standing several feet away. She had dropped the basket she'd been caring and had a hand pressed to her mouth in surprise. Although panic radiated from her, she did not run but looked over him carefully, her eyes curious. She wore a short summer kimono of orange and was barefoot. Her dark hair hung to her upper back and her brown eyes were wide and familiar somehow.
Sesshomaru became aware of the soreness of his body as he examined her, and he inwardly winced, irritated by his situation. He needed rest, and he wanted the human girl away from him. He opened his mouth to scare the child from sight, but when the wind shifted and her scent filled his nose, words left him. Beneath the crisp scent of soap was a scent he had not experienced in nearly fifteen years.
"Rin?" he asked hoarsely as he looked upon the girl, recognizing his human ward within her features. The girl tensed, startled by the sound of his hoarse voice, and he realized his foolishness. This girl was no older than Rin had been when he'd turned her over to the care of a calm village in the East. She would be much older now.
Then this girl—who was she?
"Naomi!" A voice called from close by. "Where are you?"
Before the young girl could respond, a woman stepped from the trees and into the opening, a basket of soaps and damp clothing resting on her hip. With her back turned to the demon lord, she did not notice his presence as she began to gently scold the girl for running off.
The demon lord observed this new human closely. She was tall and slender with dark hair that hung freely to her waist as only children commonly wore. Her kimono stopped at the knees and her sleeves were rolled to the shoulder, revealing her toned and tanned skin. This perplexed him. The quality of the woman's clothing revealed that she came from a rich family, yet her body showed evidence of labor and her feet were bare.
Who was this woman?
He tried to catch her scent, but in his weakened state, he could not find its trace in the air. If only the wind would shift again and find its way through the dense forest. Annoyed further now, the demon lord touched his shoulder gingerly and wondered if he could stand, but before he could try, he felt eyes on him and looked up to find the dark eyes of the girl watching him from around her mother's hip.
The keen woman did not miss her daughter's redirected attention. "What are you looking at, Naomi?" the woman suddenly demanded as she turned, following the direction of her daughter's gaze. When her eyes fell on the injured demon lord poised to stand on the forest floor, she froze, the basket falling from her and empting on the ground. Her wide, brown eyes widened further, her full mouth falling open as she looked upon the demon.
"Lord Sesshomaru?" she breathed, her eyes showing a mix of concern and excitement.
Instantly, the demon lord recognized the human woman before him. "Rin," he replied, his voice as soft as her own. When he realized she was there, his resolution to leave disappeared, and he lowered himself to the softness forest floor again, suppressing a groan as his body ached. He turned his face into his pelt and allowed himself to rest.
Concerned deeply by his behavior, the woman turned back to her daughter and dropped into a kneeling position. She grabbed the girl's upper arms and twisted her about to face her. "Naomi, I need you to go home," she began calmly. The young girl tried to look at the demon lord again, but Rin caught her chin and turned her face back. "Listen to me, Naomi. Go home. You know the way. Be careful, and tell your father I will be home before nightfall, do you understand?"
The girl stared at her mother for a moment, then whispered, "Is he okay, Mama?"
Rin smiled softly as she brushed the girl's hair from her face gently. She reminded her so much of herself. "He'll be fine," she replied softly. "Don't worry." She stood then, towering over her daughter. "Now, go."
With one last glance at the demon lord, Naomi ran from sight, no doubt rushing to tell her father of the mysterious demon in the woods. She left her basket scattered in the clearing, forgetful as all children are.
As her light footfalls faded into the distance, Rin stood beside her spilled basket, examining the demon lord she had not seen in many years. He had not aged a day, his face still angular and handsome. The crest on his forehead and the stripes along his cheeks were as brilliant as she remembered, and she longed to run her fingers over them as she had done as a child. His white hair was spread out about him on the forest floor, mixing with the leaves and dirtying it. This bothered Rin, and she stepped forward, approaching him carefully. His eyes were closed, and she feared startling him in this state, but he only opened his eyes when her shadow fell over his face, not at all alarmed by her approach.
"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin whispered softly as she knelt beside him. His armor was broken to the waist and his shirt was torn, revealing a bruised shoulder and marred chest. Without thinking, she raised a hand to touch the battered skin, but he seized her wrist quickly.
"You are a married woman. You should not touch a man other than your husband." The demon lord said as he tried to sit up, his voice strained. Halfway up, he released her wrist as he let out a soft groan, laying back again with closed eyes. The Tenseiga had tapped his energy to save him, and now, he was too weak to move. The wounds were still too fresh.
Rin smiled softly at her lord, remembering his pride. He hated being incapacitated. When he seemed settled again, she leaned over him, pulling the remainder of his shirt from his shoulder to examine it. He did not protest this time, trusting her completely. "My husband is a reasonable man," she stated as she ran her fingers along the skin of his shoulder. "What happened, my lord?"
"I am no longer your lord, Rin." Sesshomaru said flatly.
"You will always be my lord, Lord Sesshomaru," Rin replied instantly as she gently pulled his shirt open the waist, looking for more injuries. He tensed slightly, surprised by her boldness. "You gave me life, and I will forever be indebted to you for it."
Sesshomaru remained silent, allowing her to inspect him as he stared into the canopy above him. It seemed strange now that he was with her again.
"Lord Sesshomaru?" Her voice was soft, hesitant, as she leaned back to sit on her folded legs.
Calmly, he turned his golden eyes to her, waiting for her to continue. Her gaze was focused on her lap, watching as she twisted her own fingers together nervously. She seemed hesitant to speak again.
Looking upon her, his mind flashed back to the last time he'd seen her do the same thing. Time had aged her face and body, but she was still the same girl. "Rin," he said flatly, indicating for her to continue.
Laying her hands flat on his thighs, Rin met his eyes, pain showing in them. "Lord Sesshomaru, why did you leave me?" she asked, her voice soft but hoarse.
Sesshomaru turned his face away to stare at the leaves above him once again, not answering. Rin lowered her face and nodded slightly, fighting back the tears she had held within for years. For a long while after he'd left her, she had been certain that he would return. She'd sworn to wait for him, but as time had passed and she'd grown older, she'd realized that she had to move on with her life. The son of a rich man in the village had asked for her hand, and she'd accepted. He was kind and cared for her, but he never filled the hole in her heart. In all of the time that her lord had been gone, she'd never let go of the hope that she'd see would see him again.
Her eyes moved to the sword at Sesshomaru's hip. Maybe he hadn't come to see her of his own freewill, but the Tenseiga had brought him to her again. With a sad smile, she wiped her tears away with the back of one hand before running her fingers lovingly over the hilt of the fang. Silently, she thanked it for saving her lord and bringing him to her once more.
Sesshomaru watched in silence as she touched the sword at his hip, her tears running freely down her face, yet, she smiled softly as though grateful. He hadn't missed the Tenseiga's coincidence in choice either. Why had it taken him to her again? She was just a human girl in a world of many. Why did it choose her?
Somewhere in the back of his mind, his father's last words resounded.
The sword had picked her for a reason. Disturbed by the thought, Sesshomaru sat up, meeting her startled eyes. From somewhere in his heart, regret seeped into him. This girl had never left his thoughts in all of the time that she'd been away from him. He'd thought that maybe he'd just missed her light voice and sweet intentions, such a contrast of his own, but now, he realized the truth. She'd been meant for him.
He rose to his feet, towering over her as he attempted to adjust his clothing the best that he could. She remained on the forest floor, her eyes cast downward as her heart ached. He was going to leave her again, and finally, she realized why she'd missed him so much.
"Lord Sesshomaru," she whispered as he stepped away from her, tears dripping to land on her thighs, "I love you. I've loved you all of this time, and I will always love you. If you'd never left me here—" Her throat closed, and she could not continue as she brought a hand to her mouth and sobbed.
The demon lord stopped with his back to her, and for the first time in centuries, his face showed his pained heart.
If he'd never left her…
He turned back to face her, his eyes soft as he looked upon her bent and shaking form. A gentle breeze brought her sweet scent to him and teased his hair. He understood now. He understood how his father had chosen love over duty. His hand touched the top of the sword at his hip gently.
You knew, Father…
The sound of approaching men reached his ears.
But it is too late now.
"Rin, love your husband and your children," he whispered softly. "I will find you in another life."
Her face jerked upward, surprised by his words, but he was already gone. A moment later, her husband burst into the clearing, his young face worried as he looked about. The men behind him paused as well, ready with their weapons.
"Rin!" the man shouted as he stumbled forward, his sword hilt clicking against his armor as he moved. He fell to his knees beside her, throwing his helmet away from him as he pulled her into his arms. Her nose found his neck as she clutched at him and cried.
Sesshomaru watched from above, his face stoic once more. Just as he went to turn away though, the young lord looked upward. For a moment, their eyes met, both serious, and then the human's eyes softened, and he turned his nose into Rin's hair. It was a silent thanks that Sesshomaru ignored, and as he turned away, he considered the motives of his father.
His hand touched the hilt of the fang once more as his body became surrounded by energy, and as he shot off towards the Western palace, he realized just how like his father he truly was.