A/N: I will apologize in advance for the short chapter, but I promised several of you a quick update and I don't like breaking promises. The next chapter will be longer. Enjoy!

chapter 2

When next her lord visited, the season had changed entirely.

The sun stayed out longer, and the nights were no longer so cold. The grass was back to being a healthy, verdant mass plush beneath her bare feet. Its blades tickled the skin between her toes. Rin had went outside to enjoy the new weather and to maybe pluck wildflowers for her simple home. She had not been expecting him, and -once again- he took her by surprise.

She had her eyes closed against the sunlight, her face angled toward the heavens, and held one bundle of wildflowers in a loose fist by her side.

When she opened them again, it was because a shadow had fallen across her eyelids and blocked out the orange glow. Also, the lack of warmth made her body shiver.

"Lord Sesshomaru!" she dropped the flowers, and -in an uncharacteristic gesture- he stooped to return them to her.

She ignored them, and hugged him instead before the memory of their last meeting had the chance to haunt her. This time, he did not step away for a long while.

Maybe it was the moment's magic, but her lord also seemed happy. The wind strummed his silver hair, its strands basking in sunlight.

"Rin," he said, "how do you fare?"

"I am well, my lord."

His golden eyes remained passive, but she thought he might've been studying her for signs of dishonesty. Finding none, he placed his hand in the space between his breastplate and haori and withdrew it to produce a strand of jade beads.

Though she was struck by its beauty, it took her a minute to realize it was a necklace.

"This is for you."

"Oh, Lord Sesshomaru, it's beautiful!"

She took the fine jewelry with all the grace she'd used to hold Kagome-chan's baby, stretched the strand, and tied it behind her neck. The demon noticed how the beads complimented the color of her tan skin and turned to retreat to her hut.

"My lord, might we take a walk today, please? The weather here is so nice."

"As you wish, Rin."

They started toward the stone steps that led to Kikyo's monument, made it to the top, and proceeded into Inuyasha's Forest without a word.

The hum of the forest was something both familiar and humbling. When Rin was fully enveloped by the canopy of leaves overhead, her lord spoke with his tone low and even.

"It is time that I should take you with me. To the West."

Rin paused mid-step, but the demon continued farther ahead without notice.

"My lord?"

"Times are turbulent. Edo may soon come under attack."

"Lord Sesshomaru," Rin breathed shakily. "We must tell Inuyasha so that he can protect the village."

"Inuyasha," she heard the name leave her lord's mouth like a curse. "My brother is a fool. The enemy at hand is far greater than the feeble capability of any hanyou."

Rin retreated a step; the bitterness in his voice bade her do so. "Then, I will return and warn him."

Sesshomaru turned to regard her. There was a fierce light like loyalty that made her eyes shine even under the tree's thick shade.

"You will risk your life for a futile cause rather than go with me?"

"Sesshomaru-sama, please don't make me choose."

"Five minutes."

He turned his back on her again, and Rin took flight. She ran so fast that she didn't consciously think as she leaped the stone steps two and three at a time. Though her sides ached and her lungs burned, still she ran. She had to make it to Inuyasha's house! Images of the baby kept running through her mind as it raced along with her sore, bare feet.

Unfortunately, she was only human.

And therefore, too late.

-=}{=-

They wore the armor of men from the continent. The braided leather breastplates, the curvature of their swords...

All of it was foreign.

Yet they were many.

Rin realized she was too late. Edo was being ambushed.

"You there! Come here!" the soldier's Japanese was jagged but understandable.

She complied easily and came to stand before him with her hands raised.

She looked for Inuyasha and Kagome in the crowd behind the soldiers, but with the continual shift and flow as people panicked and tried to flee, it was a hopeless task. She wondered if -desperately hoped- they were okay, hidden away with their baby somewhere.

"Priestess," the man had moved closer and was thumbing the rough material of her garments.

Rin wanted to scream, wanted to explain to these terrorists that she was no more an accomplished priestess than Miroku was a chaste monk, but she doubted if they would understand. Much less listen.

"Lord Sesshomaru," she muttered quietly.

The man narrowed his squinty eyes and began to focus on the new necklace she wore. Immediately, she moved her hands to take the jade beads off. She felt like she was betraying her lord in so doing, and her fingers trembled as they fumbled with the tie.

She had just untied the knot when the man moved his attention to a point over her shoulder.

"You!" he shouted. "Stay where you are. Don't move!"

Rin was tempted to look when she heard several of the villagers gasp, excited, but the man held his sword to her throat now and seemed to be debating whether or not to use her as leverage.

Could it be Lord Sesshomaru? Had he heard her plea?