Hello!
A lot of thanks for icegirljenni and Taraah36 for reviewing the story. It really brought back my mind for fanfic writing. :) The reply for your comments are found at the bottom of the page.
Sorry, this chapter is a bit short but please forgive me, English is not my first language and for me it's difficult to think fully in this language since I have another project in another language.
Note: what is written in Italic are the character's thoughts
^.^
Eternal
Chapter I. - Stranger
At first it was hard. It was hard not to go each night on the hill and wait for some kind of sign that would make Sesshomaru appear again. Not knowing the reason why he decided not to visit her for a while was painful for Rin. But then she realized: he might wanted to tell something with this. For example that she needs to mature to understand some certain things or that during these years she should learn to anyhow protect herself. So that she won't be a burden for him. And after this those five years flew away like nothing. Rin learned to shoot arrow, make medicine from herbals for different disease and wounds. And from day to day Rin became more and more beautiful and mature. It was clear that she will soon recieve her first marriage offer, however, she didn't care. She was afraid that when she meets again Lord Sesshomaru he won't recognize her since she changed too much. This fear caused her more and more sleepless nights as her birthday approached. And so did the promised day.
Just the day before her birthday she dreamt with Sesshomaru. It was the same nightmare again. They were standing on the hill face to face. However, Lord Sesshomaru didn't recognize her: her looks, her voice, her scent. And so he left without saying a single word. Rin began to chase after him, however, the more she ran the more distant he seemed. And when she was finally about to reach him, she fell down from a cliff into a neverending rift. This was the time when she woke up trembling and crying. She sat up on her bed and wiped away her tears. She got on a purple checked kimono with pink flowers and she went to the river.
"Good morning, Rin!" A happy male voice greeted him. It was Kohaku. He must have returned not so long ago.
"Hello, Kohaku. When did you come back?"
"Not so long ago. Is something wrong?"
"Why do you ask?"
"You seem a little pale."
"I just couldn't sleep. That's all."
"I see..."
Kohaku watched still as Rin washed her face in the river. He knew her already for ten years and yet, he was suprised everytime he saw her. But another feeling dwelled in his heart, which made it beat faster each moment they spent together. He was in love with her.
"Rin..." Kohaku's voice trembled but Rin didn't seem to notice. "What do you think, will Lord Sesshomaru come this year?"
"Of course!" answered Rin with a big smile on her face. "He promised me and I suppose a daiyoukai always keeps his word."
Her naivety was so obvious that even Kirara noticed it.
"And what if he won't come?" asked Kohaku.
"He will come. I'm sure."
"And if he does then what happens?"
"I will follow him no matter where he goes."
"Rin just... think of it. Lord Sesshomaru never really liked humans. And if the two of you are... well... that would make hanyous and we both know that Lord Sesshomaru hates them..."
"What are you trying to tell me, Kohaku?"
"You shouldn't go with him. You should stay here in the village. With..."
"That won't happen. Never. Never ever."
Rin ran to the hill above the village. She was still upset because of the things that Kohaku said. She really began to think that he might inhaled some kind of toxic fume which makes him telling such stupidity that Lord Sesshomaru won't come.
"Stupid Kohaku. I know better Sesshomaru-sama than he does. And I know that he will keep his promise. And that time I will go with him."
While she wast staring at the floating clouds she imagined herself again by Sesshomaru's side. A neverending dream about a neverending journey. Even if they just wander around the country that would be fine with her as long as she is with him.
"Hundred years for us, demons mean nothing. But to the humans... You might be long gone by then" Master Jaken's voice echoed in her head from that night. She was worried about this because she finally understood what the imp wished to say. She won't live forever. But Lord Sesshomaru will.
"Jaken-sama doesn't know a thing. Kagome-sama didn't age since she married Inuyasha. So there must be something... And Sesshomaru-sama surely knows why is this. But still... what role could I have in his empire? Kohaku had right, even though I never thought that way... But hanyous are not evil they just..."
"Rin! Rin!" she heard Inuyasha calling her name. And soon he appeared on the hill and sat next to her. "What are you doing?"
"Day-dreaming?"
"Kagome is searching for you."
"I'm fine with that."
"Fine with that? You know if you will catch a cold, Sesshomaru will kill me."
"Only if Kagome-sama leaves any piece of you."
Inuyasha's look changed in the very moment he imagined Kagome's wrath. He was still wearing the Beads of Subjugation and they were the only worse thing than Sesshomaru's wrath.
"Inuyasha... May I ask something?" Rin sat up and turned to the half-demon.
"Sure thing"
"Is it bad to be a hanyou?"
Inuyasha suprised. He didn't understand why would Rin ask such a thing. Yet, he began to think over it. And while he was thinking Rin just simply disappeared.
Rin walked into the forest, she could have realized earlier that asking a half-demon about how does it feel like being one is eventually a bad idea. And not just because Inuyasha's answer would come slower than a snail. She stopped after a few steps and sighed. She turned around and began to walk in the direction of the village. However, after her first step she heard a voice behind her back.
"Please! Help me!"
Rin turned around and she discovered immediately the owner of the voice. A beautiful woman was laying beneath a tree. She had wonderful pale skin, emerald green eyes and honey-blonde hair put in a loose bun. Rin has never seen someone like her. And she saw the serious injury on her shoulders. It was a kind of déja vjú. She looked basically exactly the same when she met Lord Sesshomaru for the first time.
"What happened?" asked Rin when she knelt down next to her
"Can you do something with that?" the woman pointed with her head at the wound.
"I guess but I need the help of Kagome-sama..."
"Then... take me to her!"
"But wouldn't it be better to stay here and..."
"My shoulders are injured. And not my legs. So, lead me."
Rin waited until the stranger stood up and began to walk. However, when she saw that she is about loose her balance, she caught her.
"Thank you." said the blonde woman.
"If you would like to, you can use my shoulders as a hold."
"You are very kind, little girl."
Rin sent her a smile - that kind of smile could turn the coldest winter into a beautiful summer. And because of that smile the stranger got convinced that she is in a safe place.
They walked towards the village in a slow pace. Meanwhile they didn't talk. Whether it was because of the stranger's pain or because of Rin's empathy - none of them knew. During their walk Rin felt like as if she would be with Lord Sesshomaru again - similar aura, similar silence. Indeed, the woman kind of reminded Rin of Sesshomaru's mother: a cold beauty. However, this stranger couldn't be a demon: she did ask for help and she showed no hatred for humans. That's why - at least Rin thought so - she must have came from the continent.
"Oi! Rin-chan!" Kagome shouted in front of her hut when she saw her.
"That is Kagome-sama" Rin whispered to the stranger.
"Rin-chan haven't you seen Inuyasha? I sent him after you but.." That was the moment when Kagome noticed the stranger's heavy injury. "That looks really bad..."
"Can you do something with it?" asked the stranger.
"Sure thing" Kagome nodded. "Rin-chan, please bring me the necessary herbs!"
"Yes!"
Kagome walked with the stranger into her hut. She let her lay down on the bed and then Kagome disinfected the wound.
"Did a demon attack you?" asked Kagome suddenly.
"Kind of" answered the stranger. "Why do you ask?"
"I was just curious."
"It's not a big deal. I'm used to it."
"But that's not normal. I mean..."
In that moment Rin entered the hut with the herbs. Kagome took the plate from her and began to make the medicine. It didn't take too long until it was done and Kagome softly massaged into the wound and then put a bandage on it.
"You should rest for a few days" suggested Kagome.
"I'm fine. I can walk and that's good enough for me."
"But you shouldn't overdo yourself. It would just make things worse."
"Fine. But I will stay only three days. Three days and after that I won't care about my condition I will go."
"Okay. We can agree in that." said Kagome and then she left the hut. Rin was about to follow her when the stranger stopped her.
"Little girl..."
"I'm Rin."
"I just wanted to thank you."
"I'm happy that I could help, Miss..."
"Cara. I'm Cara from the Southern Islands."
Kagome and Inuyasha met halfway on the road to the hill. Inuyasha seemed to be upset and also a little bit tired.
"Kagome! I couldn't find Rin. She was on the hill but then even her scent just disappeared."
"Calm down. She is in the hut with her friend."
"With her friend? Are you sure of that?"
"Yes but... why do you ask?"
"It's because I still can't catch her scent. And it's the same with her friend's..."
Review reply
icegirljenni: And it meant to calm down Rin. You know, I imagined a moment a kind of like Rin more or less knows Sesshomaru's thoughts and she understands without any word that Sesshomaru does have a reason for that.
Taraah36: Sorry, I don't really understand what you mean. But if it's about Sesshomaru's reason, it will be revealed in the next chapter.