A/N: Finally they're at the palace :)

Chapter Four

I didn't remember the trip it took us to find Jaken, I didn't even know how long it took us but it must have been a while because it was dark. Actually considering we had been walking mostly unprotected for awhile, we were lucky something hadn't come along and tried to kill us. We were also lucky that Jaken had been looking for us, because honestly I don't know if we would found our way to the campsite.

When we arrived I thought that it was going to be like all those days at the clearing. That Lord Sesshomaru would disappear and leave us on our own. That he wouldn't come back for days, and then one day he would just show up and command us to follow him where ever he wanted to go. Maybe even to watch him almost kill someone else.

But I was proven wrong when out of nowhere an object came flying out of the woods, landing right beside the fire. At first I did know what it was, but I soon realized it was a boar and that it was going to be our dinner. Sesshomaru appeared from the woods not much later. Now I had never been a vegetarian or anything, but all I could do was sit and watch the boar cook and think about Lord Sesshomaru killing it. He killed it. Killed it. Probably with his bare hands. He probably didn't even blink. To be honest I was scared, scared out of my mind. I was barely holding it together, Rin tried to talk to me, but I couldn't think of any words to respond. I just sat there staring. Staring at the boar. At my food. At his prey.

"Bathe." The first time he said it, it didn't even register in my mind. But the second time he said it, it was hard, stern, a command. Impossible to ignore, "Bathe."

I looked up at him not sure he was talking to me, and not sure what he meant. "I'm sorry, what?"

"He said he wants you to take a bath woman, and I don't blame him, you smell like that filthy half-breed's cat," Jaken answered for him.

"Oh," even I could hear the lack of emotion in my voice, "where?"

Jaken huffed and stood up grabbing a stick from the fire as he did, "Stupid woman can't even hear the springs. Come on, get up!"

I stood up without saying anything in response and followed him. Before we stepped into the woods I heard Sesshomaru's voice again, "Rin."

"Yes my Lord?"The girl asked cheerfully.

He didn't say anything else but Rin seemed to understand because she got up and followed us to the springs.

The visit at the springs went by fast, Jaken turned around and we disrobed and got into the water. It was cold but it helped me keep my mind off other things so I didn't mind. As soon as we had scrubbed our bodies clean of any smell that could possibly be on us, we got out. I wanted to immediately put my clothes back on, but Rin pointed out that if we did that our clothes would be wet all night long. She had I point, I really didn't feel like sleeping in wet clothes. So we air dried, it probably would have gone faster if it had been daylight but I didn't say anything. Soon enough we were able to put our clothes back on and head to the campsite. Surprisingly enough, Lord Sesshomaru was still there leaning up against a tree not really looking at anything. If it had been a day ago I might have asked Rin why he did that, but today I decided I didn't care. I just wanted to go to sleep. So that's what I did.

During the night I had a horrible nightmare, it involved a lot of blood, dead bodies everywhere, and Sesshomaru. I shot up into to sitting position trying to dispel the memory from my mind and trying to catch my breath. For a moment I just watched the dying fire, wishing my dream would disappear like I knew the red embers soon would. Slowly getting my breathing under control I noticed that Jaken, AhUn, and Rin were still sleeping peacefully. Taking deep breaths I layed back down, I would have tried to stay awake but my eyelids felt heavy. However, before my eyes closed all the way I saw Sesshomaru, awake, watching. Protecting. And for the first time since I witnessed the fight I felt completely and utterly safe.

The next morning I was the last to wake up and I probably would've I slept longer if Rin hadn't been poking my face with a fish stick. "Wake up Nicole, breakfast is going to get cold."

I groaned and pushed away the fish stick. Rubbing my eyes I sat up, "but I don't want to get up," I pouted.

Rin giggled, I don't know if it was because of what I said or because it was the first time I had really talked to her since the incident, "But you have to eat."

I sighed, "I suppose you're right, I do have to eat. Come here!" I grabbed the girl and started tickling her. Her laugh sounded refreshing after the night we had had before.

"No, Nicole you have to eat food," Rin giggled once I had released her.

I smiled, "Oh, why didn't you just say that?" I asked as I took the fish stick from her. "Thanks Rin."

She nodded and skipped back over to the fire to get her own fish stick. As I took my first bite of fish I felt like something was staring at me so I took a lazy glance around the campsite. It wasn't Rin or Jaken because they were fighting over food, and it wasn't AhUn because he was eating berries off a nearby bush. But then the only other person it could be… no surely not. I looked anyway. He wasn't looking at me or at least not when I looked at him, but that stare had the same feeling as him. I didn't really understand but I couldn't help thinking that the person watching me had been him.

After breakfast we took off again. And again after a long while Rin and I had to ride on AhUn again. And I was happy to find that my eight year old companion did have some curiosity because she asked, "Master Jaken, where are we going?"

We were all surprised when Lord Sesshomaru answered, "Home."

I'm not sure where I expected Sesshomaru to live but it certainly was not in a palace. The sight of the place took my breath away because frankly, it was beautiful. It was something right out of the books I loved reading so much, it was an honest to goodness palace.

When Sesshomaru walked up to the front gates the guards bowed and stepped out of the way. And they weren't the only ones, every one we passed dropped down into a deep bow at the sight of Sesshomaru. Then it dawned on me, I turned to Jaken, "So he really is a Lord. Like, a real Lord? It's not just something you call him?"

Jaken looked shocked, "Of course he's a real Lord! He's the Lord of the West."

I stared at Sesshomaru's back, the only part I could really see of him since he was walking in front of us, with a new appreciation. But then another thought hit me, "But if Inuyasha is his brother," I whispered, "then doesn't that make him like Lower Lord of the West or something? I mean shouldn't he live here too?"

"Absolutely not!" Jaken shrieked drawing attention from the crowd. "Inuyasha is a half-demon, he is no better than filth, so he isn't entitled to anything."

"Just because his mother is a human?"

"Yes!"

"But wouldn't that give him a unique perspective over the matters in the west, especially ones dealing with humans?" I asked.

"You ignorant wench!" Jaken bellowed.

I'm sure he was going to say more but he was quieted by a stern, "Jaken."

I turned my attention back to Sesshomaru in just enough time to see him start ascending the stairs, I went to follow him but was stopped by Rin.

"He's probably going to his office now, we're not allowed to bother him there, but…" she lowered her voice and grinned mischievously, "sometimes I sneak in."She paused, "Come on I'll show you around," she told me taking my hand and leading me into a nearby room.

By the end of the day Rin had shown me every room there was to see in the palace. I got to see the kitchen, the dining room, the study, the ball rooms, the library, Rin's room, and many others. We were playing in Rin's room when a woman walked in.

"Rin we're glad to have you back," the woman said with a kind smile.

"Sensei!" Rin beamed and ran over to hug the woman.

"I'm happy to see you too Rin. And I see you have a new friend," The woman said.

"Oh yes!" Rin ran over to me and pulled my towards the woman, "This is Nicole."

"Hello," I smiled and greeted the woman.

Rin tugged me down so she could whisper in my ear, "You're supposed to bow your head when you greet someone."

"Oh! Sorry," I bowed head, "hello."

"Hello," the woman said and bowed her head to me, "my name is Chieko. I'm Rin-chan's teacher."

"Her teacher? What does she learn?"

"Oh, Rin-chan has to learn a great deal of things," Chieko started.

"Yeah," Rin sighed, "it gets kinda boring some times."

Chieko laughed, "Yes but you have to learn because you are the Lady of this household."

I looked at Rin, "What exactly does that mean, if you don't mind me asking?"

Chieko looked at me for a moment and then smiled, "You're not from around here are you?" When I shook my head she nodded, "Rin is Lord Sesshomaru's ward, therefore she has to learn all about our land's history and politics, in case one day Lord Sesshomaru decides to make her his heir."

I wanted to say something, but to be honest I didn't know what to say. Rin was like a Princess. Awesome! But the more I thought about it the more confused I got, Chieko said that Rin could become the heir one day. But she was human. Didn't these people hate humans, I mean they hated Inuyasha and he was only half-human, so wouldn't they hate Rin too?

I was going to ask about it when the door swung open once again, only this time standing in the doorway was a stern looking man. When Rin and Chieko saw they seemed to get tense. The man glanced around the room with a disapproving stare, and when his eyes landed on me his nose scrunched up like he had smelt something back.

"It's good to see you in her Chieko-sensei," his voice was hard and cold.

"I was just greeting Ri-"

"Yes, Lady Rin, it's lovely to see you," he sneered.

Rin just nodded, "Jun, this is Nicole."

"Yes," he looked down his nose at me, "I've heard about you."

"Okay?" I said haltingly.

"You are to come with me Miss Nicole." Jun said in a way that left no room for argument and headed out of the room.

I glanced back at Rin before I followed him, but she only shrugged.

Once we were out in the hallway he led me to another room, "Lord Sesshomaru has said that you are to stay here and act as Lady Rin's nanny."

I took a moment to take in that information, I would be living here. In a palace. Sure I would be a worker but really how bad could that be? Right? "Okay."

"Here are the clothes you are to wear," Jun said handing me a pile of fabric.

I looked at the fabric in my arms, it felt silky and it was very pretty. I don't think I've ever owned anything this beautiful. I held it up, it looked like a dress of some sort, "Umm… I don't know how to wear this."

Jun sighed and rubbed his forehead like he had a headache, "Of course you don't. Wait here." He didn't give me time to respond before he left the room. And it didn't take him long to return with a couple of girls. "These maids will help you get dressed. And once you are dressed you will return to Rin's room and stay with her for the rest of the day, understood?"

I nodded, "Understood."

He gave a single nod and left. Once he was gone the girls started to pull on various items of my clothing until finally I was down to my undergarments. And then they started pulling on me, getting me to turn and move the way they wanted all the time whispering. I couldn't make out all of their words but I think they were talking about my clothes and something about the how pretty they were. And I had a feeling that they didn't mean it as a good thing. When they had finally got me dressed they did my hair even though I told them they didn't have to, they ignored me. After they were done, they none to gently pushed me out of the room, it took me a minute to get my bearings but then I headed in the direction I hoped Rin's room was.

I only got lost twice trying to find Rin's room, I considered that pretty good since the palace was so big. We I did open the door to Rin's room I found her and Chieko sitting on her bed. Chieko was reading her a story from a book, but when they heard me open the door they stopped and looked at me.

Rin hopped up out of bed and ran over to me and hugged me, "Nicole you're back! I was so afraid they were going to kick you out."

"Well they didn't kick me out," I told her hugging her back, "I'm going to be your nanny."

Rin beamed, "So we can be together all the time."

I smiled down at her, "Sounds like it."

Rin stepped back and looked at my clothes, "Nicole, you look so pretty!" I looked down and I could feel myself blush but I didn't say anything.

"It's true," Chieko said standing up, "that yukata suits you."

I bowed my head, "Thank you."

Chieko nodded, "Well I'll be leaving now. Rin I'll see you tomorrow for lessons."

"Okay Chieko-sensei! Good-night."

We watched as she left and shut the door behind her. Rin and I looked at each other and Rin yawned. "Come on Rin, let's get you into bed."

"But I'm not tired," Rin argued.

I had to laugh at how young she sounded, "Yes you are, come on now, into bed." I said leading her over to her bed.

When she got herself situated and comfortable, I covered her up and tucked her in. "Will you stay with me?"

I smiled down at her, "I will stay."

She nodded and then she asked, "Will you lay down with me?"

"I supposed I could lay down with you, but just for a little while." I told her and lowered myself down next to her.

"Will you tell me one of your stories?"

"Okay but you have to try and go to sleep, promise?"

"Promise."

Soon we were both asleep on Rin's bed.

I woke up once in the middle of the night, at first I didn't know where I was but as soon as I saw Rin beside me I remembered we were in the palace. I tried to looked around the room to see what could have woken me up, but my eyes were closing by themselves without my permission. And before I had fallen all the way back to sleep I heard the door close.