Sadly I still don't own any characters from Inuyasha. Thanks for the reviews and I'm trying to listen to my editor more, I'm sorry about all my mistakes! I hope the story is worth bearing with me though. I will make a harder effort to watch what I type. For now enjoy the story!

--Flashback--

"speech"

'thought'

00000- shift in time/place

Chapter 2 (life in Rin's Village)

Rin finished dinner and went to her room. It had been a long day for her. ' I wonder where Lord Sesshomaru and Jaken are now. could it have been Jaken Ine saw?' Rin sighed softly ' no it couldn't have been'

While Rin drifted off to sleep Rentachi the master of the house went out and snuck around town. He knew he had to do quite a bit to fool Sesshomaru, and keep Rin from revealing how she's been doing through out the years. He went around from hut to hut waking villagers and gathering more and more items until early in the morning.

Upon returning Rentachi walked into Rin's room waking her abruptly. Rin's room was small and had a chest a bed and a small table. The table held up an old lamp and a vase with small purple flowers inside of it. As Rin sat up in bed Rentachi laid out a pile of items on the bed.

"These will be yours for the next few days. I want you to represent this family as a young Lady and not as our servant do you understand?" 'If she does not listen I will make her pay...'

"Why? What's happening?" Rin looked at the pile of beautiful kimonos before her and pieces of jewelry then finally at him with confusion just tilting her head. She waited for his response.

' Why must she ask so many questions? This girls been nothing but a burden on this village... what do I say I can not tell her the demon has come back for she will surly tell him how we treated her...and he will take it out on me.' He turned towards the door. " We are going to look for a suitor for Ine. And it's crucial that you represent us well and make us seem prosperous." He walked out the door before the girl could ask anymore questions.

Rin stood up mouth open as she held up a kimono. 'These are worth more than Ine's I wonder what she's received if I've been given these?' She looked at the piece of jewelry it was fake but still very pretty a small pink stone on a short chain. It had used to be Ine's when she was very little, Rin remembered seeing Ine in it when they first met. 'Poor Ine she better tell them about Hesabe.' Rin gasped 'Hesabe! What will happen if he were to find out?'

Ine was having the same thoughts as she ran down to Rin's room. Ine bursted through Rin's door and stopped short. " That is beautiful" She pointed to the kimono in Rin's hands. Her eyes widened as she realized why she had come to Rin in the first place. "Rin! YOU MUST HELP ME!" she knelt down by Rin's feet. " I need to tell Hesabe before he thinks that I had anything to do with this! It's still very early could you deliver a message to him for me? " Her eyes pleaded with Rin silently.

"Of course Ine I'll go at once. You're like a sister to me you didn't need to ask. I know how much Hesabe will be hurt if he hears about this. What do you want me to say?"

Ine told Rin what to say as Rin dressed in her new clothes.

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Sesshomaru didn't sleep that night. He watched the fire wondering what to do next. Early that morning He stood up restless needing to move onwards.

Jaken awoke to a hand hitting his head. " Jaken stay with Ah-Un I'm heading back to look for Rin."

"yes my lord!" Jaken stood quickly and watched as Sesshomaru walked away. 'I thought thats what he did last night?'

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The morning light was warm as Rin ran through the streets. She had only been to Hesabe's home once she remembered that it was on the other side of the village though His father was a tailor there and was well known in the village. She continued running quietly through the empty streets in search of Ine's love.

Sesshomaru stood on a roof top watching this girl run through the streets. 'Why is she in such a rush? there is no one following her and it's so early to be walking about.' He followed silently behind her. on rooftops hoping she wouldn't look up.

Finally Someone came running towards her. A young man not much taller than Rin herself. He stopped before her. "What is this?"

Rin bowed to Hesabe who looked very worried. She desperately delivered Ine's message. Hesabe stood listening patiently. You could see in his face he was becoming more and more relieved.

'She's more beautiful than the last time i saw her. She's better dressed too...somethings wrong with this...What is this?' Hesabe embraced Rin. He held her tightly and she rested her head on his shoulder before whispering something into his ear. Sesshomaru's eyes widened as he looked on he reached for his sword. 'Is that her mate? is he who she's chosen? impossible' He narrowed his eyes watching the boy run back to his home as Rin turned back as well. 'Perhaps I should follow her a little longer.'

Rin ran back to her home and snuck in through the back door. Sesshomaru knew for sure then, that something was amiss.

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Not long after Rin had returned did the sleeping village awaken. Small shops opened, venders brought out produce and other goods into the streets. It was a prosperous village and served the demons of the woods in return for some protection. This meant the demons would not attack and in return the village would produce weapons for humans and demons alike. The villagers all knew their place in the world as a weaker species.

Rin and Ine soon appeared outside of there home and began to walk at a leisurely rate. Sesshomaru followed silently behind still.

"Ine don't you think that your parents have been acting strangely today? I mean they woke us both up very early and suddenly decided to look for a suitor for you. And your father Rentachi bought me all these things I'm not sure why when the whole village knows who you are and that you come from a good family, regardless of how I am dressed. " Rin spoke quickly as they walked.

"Well I should be getting married soon so i suppose they wanted to start early. But I am curious as to what made them decide this last night in such a hurry, Why? do you think something is wrong?" Ine looked at Rin for answers but only to see the same puzzlement on her face.

After a long pause Ine and Rin started talking again. "Do you think that they found out about Hesabe? That maybe they want to marry me off so that he stays away from me?" Rin noticed a shadow move quickly behind a shop.

"Stay here Ine!" Rin yelled as she ran behind the shop. In the shadows she saw Hesabe standing close to the wall as if he were trying to cling to the shadows. "Hesabe?" She asked inquisitively. "Is that you? What are you doing here? Are you looking for a beating? If sees you here he will surely fight you! "

Sesshomaru watched the scene unfold but mostly watched Rin. She at first ran into a dark corner after seeing something then was worried about the same young man she saw this morning. 'Could he be her lover? Why did she meet him in secret? Why was she so worried every time they met? Perhaps this man is causing her trouble...I will not stand for that' Sesshomaru once more went for his blade, his eyes turned a crimson red. He looked on again ready to strike when he heard Rin's laugh She was smiling too, he hadn't heard her laugh since she had accompanied him and Jaken. Her smile made his eyes return to normal and soften.

Rin left the corners and went back to Ine, Hesabe departed off in the other direction. Rin excitedly ran back to Ine who was pretending to be looking at jewelry. "What happened where did you go?" Ine couldn't wait to hear as Rin came to her.

"I saw Hesabe" she whispered. "I think if you are to court some gentlemen we should get some flowers for your hair." Rin said very matter of factly as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind Ine's ear.

Rin and Ine had been through this before. After Rentachi found out about Hesabe's intentions for his daughter his only child he told him he could never see her again. Rentachi Made Rin go where ever Ine went and if anyone were to tell him that Rin was without Ine Rin would be punished. When Rin had to be seen with her at all times and Ine and Hesabe wanted to meet, they would go to get flowers. Rin would stay and collect flowers as Ine and Hesabe would walk or sometimes just sit and talk and watch Rin.

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Sesshomaru watched as the two girls walked towards the forest. It was a dangerous move on their part. The forest was a place where demons didn't have to follow the humans laws. If a villager wandered outside of the village they did so at their own risk. Rin walked ahead of Ine as they entered the forest. Sesshomaru followed closer behind them. The girls fell silent as they walked beneath the shady trees it always seemed dark here. Finally they reached a small circle of large trees in the center of the circle were flowers. and soft sunlight. Sesshomaru sat upon a high tree branch looking on. Hesabe sat against one of the trees large trunks he stood quickly, bowed at the two girls then spoke to Rin. Rin smiled and then nodded, the couple walked off. Ine and Hesabe would not be staying with her today. Her smile disappeared as quickly as it came and she was alone again.

'So he was not her mate but the mate of the other girl. What makes her unhappy then does she care for him? Impossible...' Rin sat down and picked a large white flower. She held it up to look at it a small smile appeared on her face just before a sigh. 'She's almost the same as she was so many years go. Still caring for others and she still loves flowers. She's always loved flowers, she's pretty for a human. She seems able to take care of herself. Should I leave her here once more...why do I care if she's happy or not? Shes safe and thats all that matters'

no sooner did he think that when there came a scream not far away. "That sounded like Ine!" Rin ran towards the scream. Only a few yards away were Hesabe with sword drawn and Ine surrounded by wolves. Rin's eyes showed her fear as she hid in a bush. She collected herself quickly though and looked for anything she could use that was around her. Rin picked up a large rock and threw it at the largest wolf. As she jumped out of the bush half the pack looked on at her. The largest wolf growling furiously bearing its teeth started towards her the others soon followed after. Rin looked Panicked as Ine and Hesabe ran away, back towards the village. She picked up a fallen tree branch and held it defensively to put some distance between her and the beasts.

With a huge flash of light the forest fell silent. The wolves were scattered in the dirt all dead, all covered in blood. Rin gasped as she looked before her. "Lord Sesshomaru?"