I do NOT own Inuyasha or any of the characters, but I DO own my story and my words.

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Chapter Two

Rin tried not to fidget as she sat in the bedchamber of Queen Kikyo, Pharaoh's first wife. The queen stood naked before two servants as they held various garbs before her. She didn't seem at all concerned about Lord Sesshoumaru's disappearance, but then again, Kikyo and Sesshoumaru had always held more of an alliance than a marriage. Rin sighed. Was she the only member of this house concerned about her lord?

"What do you think of this one, Rin?"

Rin looked up from her knees to see that the queen had donned a lilac-colored wrap that hung off one shoulder, wrapped around the torso, and was clasped at one hip by an elaborate golden pin. The fabric stopped just below one knee but revealed the entire leg where the clasp hung. "It's very lovely, my queen. May I ask what it is for?"

The queen chuckled softly in a way that held no humor, in her way. Rin caught the queen's cool gaze. "Sara's birthday is in two days. It's not like you to forget, Rin." The queen turned away and lifted her chin in the air as the servants Kanna and Shiori moved forward to help remove the gown. "Then again, I suppose you have been affected more than anyone by Pharaoh's leave."

Queen Sara was her lord's second wife, a kindly demon who was raised by humans and often did not know her own strength, much to her dismay. "Do you think he will return soon, Queen Kikyo?"

Kikyo let the servants fit her into a simple cotton sheath before looking at the young girl who was Sesshoumaru's ward. She was a fair beauty who could easily rival any noble in the palace but she wore her assets with a cloak of humility and for some reason Kikyo admired that.

Kikyo had arrived, a mere Lady, to Sesshoumaru's palace when Rin was but a small girl of nine years. Sesshoumaru had had her for two years by then and the orphan peasant was already carrying herself with the demeanor of royalty. As she grew with the pharaoh's love, Kikyo had mistakenly suspected the girl to be a challenge to her lord's favor. But Rin was not that woman. She worshipped Sesshoumaru as a daughter would and Kikyo was made to see that others saw her as such. In time, she too came to acknowledge the humble girl's status within the palace.

"What makes you think it was his choice to leave, young one?"

Rin felt the chill of the cool night air just as Queen Kikyo came to sit beside her on the chaise. She remembered the note, the secret note. Of course they would think it wasn't his choice, and if that was what her lord wanted… "Lord Sesshoumaru is so strong. Who could take him against his will?"

Kikyo smiled that cool smile that meant nothing and everything. "Yes, our lord is strong, and I do not think he left for his own safety. So, perhaps he left for someone else's. Maybe yours, Rin. If you were threatened, do you not think His Serenity would do what was in his power to protect you?"

Rin thought on this.

"Do not worry. You are right that Sesshoumaru is strong. He can take care of himself."

Rin wished that everyone would stop telling her not to worry when her mind was dominated by doubt and confusion, not to mention fear for her lord. She hid her frown and stood. "Thank you, Queen Kikyo. I'm sure you're right. I should probably just get some sleep."

"Yes. Tomorrow there will be much talk of who is to step into Pharaoh's shoes."

Rin's heart shuttered but she managed to nod before heading to her own rooms.

Of course someone would have to rule, but whom? Who was worthy enough to fill sandals of Prince Sesshoumaru of the Inuyoukai?

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Her scent was on the breeze, a whiff of soft jasmine and honey behind the throb of gentle, unfocused yet impressive power. The pale-skinned demon ran through the flowerbeds of the courtyard until he came to a high stone wall. The scent floated down from a small balcony where lavender sheers drifted about in light wind. Flicking his ears he listened as two voices carried on the wind. The first voice, commanding and sure, spoke of a strong being called Sesshoumaru. That name again. Then, "Thank you, Queen Kikyo." A queen. That made sense.The latter voice was softer, weak.

The demon backed up to gain good distance before running at the wall and leaping into the air to land on a balcony near to the one where the two voices sounded. Drawing aside the curtain he walked through the dark room until he reached a heavy wooden door. He pulled it open slightly and caught the scent of masculine sweat. Guards. Of course there would be guards so near to the queen's chambers. He shut the door and backtracked to the open balcony only to jump to the next one away from the queen's. It was there that the scent attacked him again. Sweet jasmine and honey. The queen? She had awakened him? Or the other? He jumped to the next balcony and was enshrouded by the sweetness. Her chamber.

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Rin walked the torch-lit hall with her head hung. The two bodyguards at her sides were silent and she was grateful. She wanted no condolences, no questions, no apologies. She wanted sleep.

"I must return to Queen Kikyo, Lady Rin, but Akitoki will remain outside your door for the night."

Rin looked up to the dark-haired, dark-eyed Onigumo, the queen's personal guard. She nodded to him before pushing against the door of her smaller chamber. It was quiet and dark and as still as it was when she abandoned it this morning. Only the cool breeze stirred. She moved aside so that Akitoki could use a torch to light the room. After lighting each side of the room, Rin dismissed him. Slowly, as if drifting through a dream, she removed her clothing and made her way to her private bath. With no energy or patience to summon servants to pour and heat the water, she shifted out of her day wrap into a light, plain cotton tunic. She walked to her small balcony and breathed deeply, letting the events of the day roll over her. Her lord wouldn't panic if he were in her place. He would think everything through and come up with the most logical conclusion. Then he would act accordingly. And that's just what she would do; relax, keep cool, and wait for the answer to come to her.

Inuyasha stood just behind the curtain as the door opened, flooding the room with light from the hall. A small woman, not much more than a girl, entered the room with a sandy-haired man. The man lit the room and left. The demon inhaled and was certain that this woman was the reason he was here. That soft floral smell wafted up his nose and did unspeakable things to his senses. He watched, without remorse, from the dark corner of the room, just inside from the balcony as she stripped of her day clothes and changed into a night tunic. She wasn't very muscular — quite puny, actually — but her slender form ignited something within him, something he hadn't felt for a long time.

The small holy woman sighed and walked towards him in graceful strides. Inuyasha stopped breathing as she passed and used his youki to conceal his powerful aura from the young priestess. She glided by none the wiser.

Rin gazed up at the stars. Astrologers spoke of destinies. The priestess Kaede had often spoke of hers. But when she looked to the heavens, she only saw the beauty of the night sky. Kaede once told her that her destiny was merged with Lord Sesshoumaru's, that she was supposed to save him somehow. She was thirteen and had laughed it off then. Lord Sesshoumaru had saved her. He had rescued a half-starved, recently orphaned girl from the mercilessness of the desert and taken her in as his own.

"Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin sighed.

Rin dismissed the sound of ruffling fabric behind her as the breeze playing with the curtains, but she could not ignore the baritone voice and wave of power as they penetrated her relaxed state.

She spun around to find a heavily-muscled bare chest and long white hair. At first she thought her prayers were answered, but then she noticed the differences jump out at her. Canine ears, careless hair, bulkier muscles, and shorter, but still a head above her. She reined back the instinct to call for the guard. He looked so much like her lord.

"Answer me, you stupid girl. Who the hell is Sesshoumaru and why the hell did you awaken me?"

Rin's bodily functions stalled but she instinctually answered the one question that made sense to her. "He is the pharaoh, the ruler of this land, and my lord." The words came easy and helped her to regain herself. Sesshoumaru was her lord, and her guardian. She was as his daughter, was she not? "Who are you?"

The demon scoffed. "Look here, little girl, I'm the one asking the questions, okay?"

"How dare you speak to me like that!" Rin opened her mouth to call for the guard but before a sound could escape her mouth was covered by the calloused hand of the bristling male before her.

"Don't even think about screaming for help."

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Syeira