Ch 4

Sad Memory

It was over a month since Inuyasha had returned alone that Sesshoumaru brought Rin to the village and arranged for her to stay and live with Kaede to learn what it meant to be a human girl. He had taken that long to allow Inuyasha to settle and become more used to the idea that Kagome had left and also so that Sesshoumaru could allow Rin to be reconciled to leaving her Lord.

Sesshoumaru no longer queried or debated to himself as to why he should take such pains as to explain and reassure the human child that it was in her best interests to stay in the village. After her second death when he could not save her and his mother had taken pity on his distress to do so, Sesshoumaru had never denied again that the girl meant a lot to him.

He informed Rin that she would have to make an informed choice one day as to whether or not she would become a permanent part of the Western Lands in some capacity. But to do that she must learn what is was to be a human woman first and the time would soon be upon her, when her body would change from that of a child.

Rin only had vague ideas about why it would no longer be appropriate for her to travel with an unmated male as yet, but she trusted her Lord and although she was unhappy at the decision, she would obey him. So it was that the tearful but resigned to her fate girl stood silently next to the youkai master she adored as he made the final preparations with Kaede and Inuyasha.

Inuyasha said nothing as his brother and Kaede conversed; he listened but his attention was on the child who had softened Sesshoumaru, however minutely. She was obviously obedient but not downtrodden, the spark of resentful anger was easily seen amidst her grief and there was no doubt that Sesshoumaru knew how she was feeling even if he ignored it.

Inuyasha didn't hate the child, although he had felt jealousy that she was cared for by the one whom he would gladly have remained with, but who had driven him away with cruel words and actions. Inuyasha suddenly realised that his brother had stopped talking and was looking at him questioningly.

"Feh!"

"You are willing to keep Rin safe Inuyasha?"

"She's safe, but she ain't happy" Inuyasha replied, before turning to walk away. He was stopped by Sesshoumaru's claws on his shoulder.

"I shall be visiting regularly and will supply all her needs. The elderly Miko will not be put to any bother concerning her."

"Keh! Kaede could use the company; Rin will not be neglected, if that's what you're worried about."

"It was not one of my concerns." Sesshoumaru stated and Inuyasha hid behind his fringe before walking away with a parting comment;

"No. I suppose it wasn't...far be it from you to neglect a child." With his inner peace disturbed, Inuyasha loped off, instinctively seeking the calming influence of Goshinboku where he would sit and think or talk to himself as if to Kagome. Sesshoumaru refrained from replying to the sarcastic hanyou, recognizing the source of his bitterness, but unconcerned that Inuyasha would harm Rin as any form of retribution for the neglect he had suffered.

Inuyasha was soon lost in thought and memories, the day was warm and the air sweet with wild rose and he pictured Kagome sitting with him; not speaking, but just sitting, with that contented little smile on her face. But for once the image didn't stay with him, the perfume was not hers and Inuyasha was reminded of his mother instead.

Izayoi had enjoyed the scent of roses and she and Inuyasha often sat in a small garden set aside for them at the Western Palace where Sesshoumaru had given them shelter after his father died. Not that it was done out of kindness, it was his duty to his father's memory and to not let his father's death be in vain.

Inuyasha had never realised that he and his mother were secretly kept at the Palace and that they were in danger if discovered. He'd been too young to know that there was a full world outside his boundary; his own consisted of only four, his mother and a maid, himself and sometimes his angelic looking brother.

Sesshoumaru's visits to them had been mainly silent and rare; he totally disapproved of his father's concubine and son, but at the time Inuyasha didn't know this. All he knew was that he adored his beautiful, but distant brother, longing for a time that he could emulate in some way his hero and stand beside him shoulder to shoulder.

It was not to be, one day while Izayoi and Inuyasha had been sitting idly watching the Koi lazily swim, popping their heads out of the water while looking for food, Sesshoumaru had come. Inuyasha had jumped up eagerly to greet him, but the Taiyoukai stared stonily back. He told Izayoi that they were to leave the Palace; a cart with their belongings had been packed and awaited them, to return them to the human village where Izayoi had originally lived.

Inuyasha had been stunned into silence; indeed the only sound was the soft splishes of the fish as water dropped from their heads and tails in the pond. It was a sound that was to haunt him for the rest of his life whenever he heard it. He had clung in tears to Sesshoumaru's sleeve but in vain, his brother had disentangled himself and looked at the hanyou as if he had crawled out of the mud before turning away.

Izayoi had merely picked up her son and followed, taking the long road back to the human village where they were once again despised. Inuyasha came out of his memories and sighed heavily, feeling the loss of Kagome even more deeply. She had always been able to comfort him with her scent and presence and he missed her greatly, who was to make sense of the world he lived in now that she was gone?

SFX Challenge, lj First Tweak/Pisha