Alright readers, its taken me a bit of time to write this chapter. I'm going up north today for the fourth and won't be back unitl late Saturday night. So while I enjoy tubing, jet ski's, fireworks, the company of my best friend whom I'm taking, six small cousins dancing to Hannah Montana and Corbin Bleu, and yummy hobo pies I want you to review. That would be oh so cool. Oh yea my computer still doesn't work and I tried to revise it without spell check and all that jazz so if grammar and spelling sucks I'm sorry. So go on and scroll down and start reading.
Changes.
Chapter 4: Her
Rin awoke to the abrupt knocking on her door. She shoved her head back under the covers to muffle the annoying knocks. After about five minutes of constant swats against the door she finally gave up, got out of her bed and headed for the source of the sound. Before opening the large oak doors she quickly checked her appearance in the mirror. Swiftly, she tighened her pearl white sleeping yukata around her waist making it cling to the various curves of her body and walked to the door. She grasped the brass handles and pulled the doors open.
There in front of her stood a terrifying demon. Well, to her this demon was not so terrifying even though she seemed to be four feet shorter than him. This particular demon had dark brown hair that went to his mid-back. His ice blue eyes could scare the living daylights out of anybody but not this young girl. Dark green stripes slithered their way around his arms and hands, and on his tan face just under each of his eyelids he bore a vertical, royal blue stripe.
"Good morning Miyoki-san!" Rin chirped banishing all hatred for the person standing in her doorway and lacing her arms around his lower torso giving him a hug.
"Good morning Rin-sama" he said, not wanting to crush the young girl he simply patted her head to add to his greeting.
"Miyoki-san you don't have to be so formal with me" Rin scolded taking a step back and putting her hands on her hips.
"Well I apologize Rin-sama" he mocked followed by a low graceful bow. She began to laugh at how silly he was being. There were not many people in the castle who could make her laugh, but Miyoki was certianly one of them. Rin's giggles soon died down and she regained her composure standing straight looking much like a solider.
"So Miyoki-san what is on todays agenda" she asked slightly curious.
"Well, first I suggest that you get dressed" he said noticing her ensemble. With a young, beautiful girl such as Rin in front of you in nothing but sleepwear any man, hanyou, or demon would gladly take her as his. But Miyoki would never even think lying one finger on Rin like that. Or any man for that matter, because he would have to deal with the wrath of The Great Demon of the Western Lands, Sesshomaru.
"One minute please" she requested holding a finger up and closing the door and walking back into her bed chambers. When Rin closed the door she realised that her room was incredibly dark. Changing that was her first objective, as she walked to the windows that covered by dark, thick curtians and pulled them aside letting bright sunlight flood into the room giving it a heavenly glow. She walked over to her wardrobe but accidentally tripped over her own feet making a loud smack as she made contact with the wood floor.
"Rin?! Are you alright?" Miyoki's fist pounded on the door frantically.
"Yes, I'm fine" she assured him "I just tripped." Gosh, so many people in this castle thought that she was delicate as glass. But that was so far from the truth. She had not always lived a life of pleasures. She had worn hands from her younger years of working and her countless lessons of sword fighting. And she now had lean muscles from defesive training every day.
Finally, Rin got up and made her way to the large wardrobe on the other side of the room. She pulled it open and looked at the colorful and pricey kimonos made special from the castles tailor. Rin quickly chose a silver, silk kimono with a dark blue dragon emroidered along the bottom. She soon slipped it on and chose an orange obi belt and tied it around her waist securing the whole outfit together. Walking over to her mirror, she grabbed a brush and began to graze her hair with it. Soon the tangled mass of brown was smooth and flowing. Once again she walked toward the large doors and opened them to see Miyoki leaning on a wall in the sitting room outside her bed chambers. At the sight of her he straightened up walking toward her.
"Milady you look lovely" he said gallantly holding out his arm for her to grasp.
"Why thank you kind sir" Rin giggled grabbing hold of the outstretched, armored arm. They walked through the sitting room passing one or two handmaidens on their way and soon got out into the hallway. Rin smiled at the two gaurds gaurding her room who looked very tired. Miyoki quickly dismissed them of their duties for now telling the next two to start their shift. After the gaurds were taken care of Rin and Miyoki kept walking down the hallway passing a Lord and Lady Rin did not know. Once they fluidly walked pass and down another hallway Rin let out a huge huff of air letting go of Miyoki's arm and loosing the poise she held moments ago.
"How do the Ladies do that all day?" she said throwing her arms in the air.
"I truley do not know" Miyoki chuckled. "Well Rin I think we have stumbled upon one of lifes wonders" He gave her a fanged smile as she took another step.
Miyoki did not know how a such a small girl like Rin could always be a step ahead of him. No matter how large his strides were she would always be in front of him chatting about random topics and smiling without a care in the world. But long ago Rin wasn't as open as she was now. When his Lord had returned eight years ago from an extened leave he didn't think a scared little girl would be in tow. A giant castle with many demons and demonesses seemed so forgien to her and she cowered behind her protector in fear. But when he needed to do his work he couldn't possiblly have a small girl with him. That was when Sesshomaru looked upon is most trusted general, Miyoki to look after her. Even though Miyoki looked young he was the leader of a great army, strong, and loyal. To take care of one girl instead of a great army, many would see this as an insult, but Miyoki thought of it as a great honor. To take care of a girl that was a human, a creature that The Great Lord Sesshomaru of the Western Lands dispised the most must have been truley precious to him, and that was enough for Miyoki.
Even after Rin had been placed with the dark haired dog demon she still feared everything. Suprisingly, she tagged along with the annyoing imp named Jaken. He just shoved her away telling her he had work to do, and muttered something dark about humans. And that just left her with him. Miyoki did not know much about young girls at the time, but there was one place he knew she would like. A flower feild. That day he remembered so clearly. It was a sunny late spring day when all the flowers were in bloom. The young girl shreiked in joy when she saw her traveling companion Ahun lying in the feild soaking up sun. She danced and hummed as she made crowns made of yellows, blues, purples, and pinks. Miyoki knew he earned her trust when Rin danced up behind his sitting form and placed a rainbow crown on his head and began braiding his hair while humming a soft tune. He could now hear the same tune she hummed back then as they walked down the hall. But then it stopped.
"Miyoki-san?"
"Yes?"
"We forgot to continue the agenda earlier" she reminded.
"Oh yes, well Sesshomaru-sama said he would like to speak with you this morning. So I suggest we drop by and you can speak with him. Then you have your lessons after you eat breakfast."
"Well that sounds like fun" she said with a tinge of sarcasim in her voice. The hallways seemed like they would never end it was just on and on. More turns and more turns. They finally made their way to the familiar office doors that belonged to the icy demon. They stood there for a few moments until a voice came from behind it.
"Come in." Rin looked at her protector and he nodded assuring that he'd be there when she exited the room and she entered. The curtains were already opened letting cheerful light flow through the windows. Sesshomaru's office, Rin hated to admit it was a very boring room in the extravegent castle. Everything was dark maple wood, there was a giant desk in the back of the room that overflowed with papers on end. On the opposite side of the desk were two chairs placed for one on one meetings with the ruler. On the complete other side of the room bore a giant fire place with dark ash and soot from the previous night.
"Good morning Sesshomaru-sama" Rin greeted realizing they were the only ones in the tastless room. He didn't respond, she saw him sitting at his desk and began walking over to him. She stood in front of him with poise like she did half of the time she was around him. "Miyoki-san said that you wanted to speak with me this morning" she started obviously knowing he wouldn't.
"Yes" he had been in deep thought all night about a delima that had recently come up. "Rin" he started but his words were cut off when a huge gust of wind blew it's way into the empty office. Papers started flying everywhere and a woman jumped through the large window.
"Hey" she said snapping her fan shut, and plucking a feather out of the air as it shrunk and she put it back in her hair. There in the office stood Kagura. She wore the same maroon and white kimono with a dark green and blue one under. Her crimson eyes looked over at Sesshomaru who didn't look mad nor pleased but just sat in his chair.
"I'd prefer if you didn't do that" he said without any emotion rubbing his temples with both hands.
"Well you can't always get what you want in life" she said stubbornly placing her hands on her hips. Kagura was definatley a woman Rin looked up to and admired. Two years after she began to stay at the castle Rin remembered Sesshomaru leaving for a week without any notice. He just got up one day and left. The day he returned was a cold rainy and she was sitting under her covered balcony and out of the mist came Sesshomaru carrying Kagura. Rin had known that Kagura had died, but rumor was that Sesshomaru had passed into the world of the dead, staying alive with the power of the great Tenseiga, and he grabbed Kagura and carried her back to the living world. But Sesshomaru nor Kagura said one word about it. And soon after that the whole castle filled with rumors again. Rin was totally oblivious to what was going on, but got filled in by her handmaidens that Sesshumaru's scent was all over Kagura. And then one day Rin saw the bite mark that belonged to her Lord on Kagura's neck and knew the reason he went and got her. It seemed that there was an amber and crimson war going on in the office as Kagura and Sesshomaru gave each other death glares. It seemed like they hated each other but Rin knew better.
"Ahem" Rin interuppted wanting to flee the uncomfortable feeling in the room.
"Rin, you may leave. We will finish our conversation later" Sesshomaru said. Slowly, she backed out of the room and slid out into the hallway.
"Well how did it go" Miyoki asked.
"It was cut short" Rin said as they began to walk down the hallway.
"Why?" he asked.
"Kagura came back" she smiled.
"Oh, well are you hungry?"
"Very much." They walked down a flight of stairs and towards the kitchens.
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"So, what did the Lord Azamein say?" Sesshomaru asked Kagura after Rin left the room.
"Nothing much, he said that there were suspicions of possible spies"
"Hmm this escalates some problems" he said stroking his chin.
"You're right, that means that there could be spies within these walls and right under our noses" she said sitting on his desk facing him.
"Which means secrets must be kept."
"Right, but do we have any idea what possible threat this is?"
"We have a slight insight, Lord Tetsuo said that someone tried to assasinate him a few months ago, but we are not sure if the spies an this are related."
"So should we just ignore this and see how things unfold?" she asked.
"For now yes, but we will investigate this problem further in time. But if anything should happen I know you are capable of handling yourself. But..."
"But?"
"It's her I'm not sure of."
"Rin is perfectly capable of handling herself, and if you have that little trust in her she has Miyoki" Kagura defended.
"True."
Just then there was a knock at the door.
"Come in" Sesshomaru said coldly.
"Oh Milord Milord" Jaken squaked as he ran into the office. Kagura stepped on Jaken's head to make him shut up, which Sesshomaru made a small smirk when she did so. And soon enough Jaken got over the step, and started mumbling to himself about how his great Lord could choose someone such as Kagura for a mate. When she heard this Kagura kicked him on the head once more.
"Jaken what is it?" he said in an annoyed and non-intrested tone.
"Milord, Daichi has returned with the leader of the Thunder Beast Tribe."
"Bring them here" he said. Jaken darted off out of the door.
"I don't know why you keep him around" Kagura said getting off his desk. That wouldn't look entirely proper for her when guests come in, she didn't care about it but Kagura was in a nice mood.
"Neither do I."
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Clank Clank Clank. The sound of wood hitting wood rang throughout the courtyard.
"Rin concentrate use precision" Miyoki demanded.
"Alright" Rin huffed. She was heaving in and out as sweat dripped down her brow, and it soaked her hair that was now tied back in a pony tail. She was now out of the pricey kimono and now wearing her training uniform. The uniform consisted of black pants that fanned out towards the bottom and a black haori with a white one under it. Her covered feet skidded across the grass as she blocked another strike from Miyoki. She gripped the wooden, training pole she was training with and ran towards Miyoki and tried to strike him in the stomach, but it was blocked.
"Rin, think! Where is the my most vulnerable place?"
"Ummm.." she could think of something but it would be quite embarrassing to say and a slight blush tinted her cheeks. Miyoki caught it and realized what she was thinking.
"No Rin! Not there. But think what is your closest target when I'm about to attack, my fingers" he said holding five clawed fingers up. "Think about it no fingers equals no weapons. And my legs, if you slice them it will cause me to kneel or fall which will only stretch the muscles larger and make the wound worse giving you an advantage."
"Okay" she held her pole up ready to go.
"1, 2, 3!" Miyoki yelled. Miyoki charged at Rin, and she found an opening by his legs as he raised his somewhat of a weapon. She swiftly dodged his attack sliding by his legs, and striking behind his knees and knocking him off his feet making him land on his butt.
"Good job Rin!" Miyoki got to his feet "you found an opening and took it. How do you feel?" Rin dropped her stick and now had her hands on her hips catching her breath.
"I feel...good" she jumped in the air.
"Good now lets try the triangle technique" he said handing grabbing her stick offering it to her.
"Rin! Rin!" Jaken yelled running from the castle and across the green grass.
"What is it Master Jaken?" she asked.
"Lord Sesshomaru would like to speak with you" he said.
"Alright Master Jaken!" Rin said cheerfully as she set down the pole "Come on Miyoki-san." She started off into the castle. She quickly ran into her room and decided not to change but simply wipe her face off. Soon the sweat and grungy look she held was gone and her hair was down and flowing. She put on a pair of sandals and headed out of the room, still in her uniform, and she bumped into Miyoki.
"Slow down Rin" he said. They once more walked the same path they did that morning to Sesshomaru's office. And again they were outside the big doors.
"Come in." This time both Miyoki and Rin walked in slowly. Kagura was standing by his desk and two people turned to see the newcomers. "Rin we will continue the discussion now."
Ok, somewhat cliffhanger. Who are the people, you kinda already know but yea. So go on and review so I can come back to something nice. I have the next chapter already written. I hope everyone enjoy's their Fourth of July!!!
Much Love,
ezap3