Chapter 1: Remembrance

The meadow glistened in the morning light. The birds chirped merrily heralding the onset of spring. The winter had gone by and with it the most ominous demon in feudal Japan, Naraku, had been eradicated. But the death of the dark hanyou had come with a price tag. The well connecting Kagome to the Sengoku Jidai and to Inuyasha had lost its magic. Kagome had been transported to her world and the well had sealed with the destruction of the Shikon no Tama.
The Lord of the Western Lands alighted in the meadow. He almost quirked up an eyebrow on smelling the despair and sorrow radiating off his half brother who had obviously been unable to scent him as he wasn't brandishing the Tessaiga in his face by this time. Naraku had been defeated, Kikyo had been laid to rest, the world had been freed of the corrupted jewel. The taiyoukai pondered the posible reasons that were making the hanyou sulk. Not that he cared. He just had to know that Rin was being deposited at safe hands which brought him back to the present situation. He looked down at the young girl clad in her typical checkered orange kimono who was happily collecting flowers and singing to herself while Jaken was as usual nagging at her. Yes, he would miss her presence.
He allowed himself to accept that much.
She had been a source of light in his dark life. She had taught him things that he would never have believed that he was capable of doing. She had taught him compassion. He had wielded the tenseiga for her. He had even gone into hell to bring her back when he had learnt that tenseiga was capable of revival only once. He had almost lost her again at the hands of Naraku.
He still didn't know why he had let the demon slayer get away when she had thought of sacrificing Rin for the sake of the monk. He caught the taijiya's scent in the air. So she had mated the monk and was with child. The monk didn't lose any time did he?
"Jaken." Sesshoumaru called.
"Yes, My lord?" The toad squealed while bowing to him.
"Take Rin into the village and wait for me outside the old miko's hut." Saying that, Sesshoumaru headed in the direction of the old priestess' hut not bothering to answer the frantic cries of the imp behind him.
Lifting the bamboo mat above his head, the Lord entered the hut. Kaede expressed her surprise on seeing such an unexpected visitor but didn't scream or faint, much to Sesshoumaru's relief, as he didn't want to waste time.
The woman spoke first.
"How come this puny hut is gratified by your presence, Sesshoumru-sama?" Kaede inquired.
"I have come to deliver my ward at your hands and under the protection of my half-brother."
Kaede couldn't hold back her surprise. Did Sesshoumaru just acknowledge Inuyasha as his brother?
"May I ask why?" Kaede asked unable to understand why Sesshoumaru, who had protected Rin under all circumstances and provided for her, would now, after Naraku's death want to leave her in a human village.
"This Sesshoumaru does not need to explain himself." Sesshoumaru replied impassively, his face as emotionless as ever.
There was a silence for a while before the taiyoukai broke it.
"Are you willing to keep her or will I have to look for another village?"
"We will be honoured to look after Rin-chan." Kaede said humbly regaining her former disposition.
"Then I shall leave Rin under your guidance, miko. Teach her what she needs to know and protect her with your life for if she is harmed in anyway, this Sesshoumaru will personally look into the matter." His glare was enough to corroborate his statement.
He left the hut to find Rin and Jaken standing in front of him but what caught his attention were the glistening water drops in Rin's eyes.
Directing a glare to Jaken he asked, "What is the matter Rin? Are you hurt?"
The girl looked up at him with watery brown eyes and said in a pleading voice, "Rin wants to stay with Sesshoumaru-sama."
The girl and the imp had overheard the discussion.
Sesshoumaru sighed internally. He had known that this would be difficult. The girl had grown attached to him. He knew that. It wasn't going to be an easy task to make her stay in the village. She had been given the opportunity to stay with humans earlier but she had turned them down. Of course he had always let her decide and she had chosen to follow him but this time was different.
It was his decision. She wouldn't be given a choice.
"Rin."
His solemn voice only made her eyes more watery and pleading.
Sesshoumaru refused to be moved by such display of emotion. His heart felt heavy and deep inside him, something refused to let go of the girl but shoving all that aside he said, "You will stay here Rin. There will be no more arguments."
The finality of his tone quelled any hopes that the young girl had to change his decision.
Rin lowered her head and let the tears fall.
For a fraction of a second, Sesshoumaru thought about reconsidering his decision but the thought was dismissed as soon as it arrived.
Changing into a ball of light, he raised himself into the sky. As he disappeared followed by Jaken and Ah-Un he discovered the reason of his half-brother's distress. The miko, Kagome's scent had disappeared. The rumors had been true. Kagome had now returned to her time.
For the first time in his life, he did not blame his brother for getting attached to a ningen for with every step he took, the pain of leaving Rin behind intensified.
All that was three years ago.