"A kiss, when all is said, what is it?

A rosy dot on the 'I' in loving;

'Tis a secret told to the mouth instead of to the ear."

… Edmond Rostand …

IV: The Lecher

The visits to the first two princes had been unsuccessful and Rin was left with the bitter taste of disappointment. She didn't really know what she had been expecting when she went in search of them, but disappointment has washed over in waves when she got to know them a little better. They were perfectly nice people and they would no doubt make very good friends, but she wasn't searching for friends and the fact that each time she met a man and ended up with a friend instead of a prospective husband irked her. Was it so difficult to find a man whose company she enjoyed? There didn't have to fireworks when they first met and there didn't have to be any of the other romantic nonsense that tales said happened when one met their true love. Rin wasn't asking for her true love, she wasn't even asking for love at all. Asking for love was perhaps being far too greedy and asking for her true love was simply out of the question. All she wanted was someone whose company she enjoyed. Someone she wouldn't mind living out the rest of her life with. He had to be capable of dealing with her occasional emotional outbursts, but she had fortunately learned to control the emotions that sometimes got her into trouble.

Sighing to herself, Rin leaned her head back against the seat as the coach continued to make its way along the bumpy, dusty road towards the next prince's kingdom. She had never particularly enjoyed travelling and all this travelling she was suddenly doing was really not the best way to put her in a good frame of mind when she met the prince. They had left Shippo's village promising to return someday, but Rin doubted that that visit would ever take place. He would no doubt be busy with his clan and she could not see much freedom to travel after her husband had been decided. As she thought about it carefully, her life was going to change drastically and she wasn't entirely sure if the change was welcome. This task had started out as an adventure that she grasped with both hands even though she didn't like what she would find at the end, but now, it was simply unpleasant. She didn't want to have to give up her freedom and change her lifestyle just because there would be a man who called himself her husband.

Perhaps it was not too late to back out of this arrangement. Even as she thought about giving up on the task and going home, she knew that what she would find at home should she fail to complete the task would be even worse. Her parents had been quite decent with this situation by allowing her to be the one to choose whom to marry and Rin knew that not many other women in her position were given such an opportunity. It was imperative that she find a husband and Rin didn't question the reasons for that, but she dearly wished this could have been decided in a different way. She would have wanted to find a man worthy of her attentions and then succumb to the romantic side of her that was hidden by her cynicism, but she no longer had the time to find that perfect man. Despite it all, Rin supposed that she should at least be grateful that she was able to choose which man to marry. As much as she wanted to just ask the driver to turn around, she knew that when she got home, her parents would not be pleased with her. She also knew that if she went home without completing the task, the choice would be taken out of her hands. In most cases like hers, husbands were simply chosen and the person in question had no say in the matter. She didn't want to end up in that situation so she knew that she had little choice but to carry on and complete her task.

"You've not been looking very happy lately, Rin," Kagome observed, looking up from her book to look at her friend.

"Is it that much of a surprise?" Rin asked bitterly.

"Weren't you excited about this at first?"
"Not really. I maybe have feigned enthusiasm, but I was never particularly pleased about this task."

"I know it's not a nice situation, but at least you have the choice," Kagome reasoned, unknowingly voicing Rin's thoughts from only a short while ago. "What would happen if you gave up and went home?"

"My parents would make the decision for me. I wish I didn't have to get married at all."

"Marriage isn't that bad. Your parents have been married for years and they still get along fine, don't they?"

"They do, but they knew each other as children so there was never anything wrong with the idea of marriage when they were older. All they had to do was take their friendship one-step further. I don't know any of these men!"

"You'll have time to get to know the man you choose. The wedding isn't going to happen instantly. Your parents aren't going to push you into the marriage that quickly."

"I wonder about that," Rin muttered darkly, silently deciding that her parents probably would marry her off quickly if they could so she didn't change her mind.

"Cheer up, Rin! No man is going to want anything to do with you if you're ill tempered."

"You're right. At least I'm given the choice."

"Exactly! Now cheer up because I think we're coming up to a town!"

Rin glanced out the window, her earlier ill humour disappearing and replaced by anxiety over who she was about to meet. She hoped it would be someone as nice as Shippo had been, but she somehow doubted that any of these princes were alike in any way. The grasslands that had been present in Shippo's land were still present but Rin noted that there were clusters of trees scattered about and over all, she was rather pleased with what she saw. It was very pretty. In the distance she could see a town and as it grew closer, she saw a remarkable similarity between it and the ones she had visited in her own kingdom. Relaxing somewhat, she smiled to herself as she watched the scenery go past the window. Perhaps this wouldn't be so bad after all.

The town they eventually reached was quite large in comparison to the others they had visited, but there was a pleasant atmosphere that made Rin smile. The dusty streets were lined with happy people talking amongst themselves as they went about their business and children played happily in open grassy areas between buildings. Overall, Rin decided that his was the best town they had visited so far. It was obvious that this prince was the attentive to the needs of his people. The coach came to a stop outside a large building that looked like a smaller version of the castle she grew up in. There was a spring in Rin's step as she walked toward a short plump man standing nearby. Smiling politely, she curtsied to him and was rewarded with a cheerful smile as he bowed to her.

"Lady Rin," he said quietly. "It is an honour for you to be here. I will take you to the prince immediately."

Rin glanced at Kagome who merely shrugged and started to follow the man. Evidently this man was one o the prince's advisors if he had come out to greet them. Pushing away her thoughts of the prince, Rin looked around as they walked through the castle. There were no carpets on the stone floor and the sound of their shoes echoed loudly around them as they made their way down a corridor. The windows were small and high up on the wall, not allowing much light to enter and there were large torches mounted on the walls that she assumed would be lit at night. Every so often, they would pass an alcove in the wall where a statue or plant of some kind would be sitting, waiting for someone to notice it. More often than not the plants were dying which Rin though was a shame, but kept her opinions to herself as they came to a stop in front of an ordinary looking door at the end of a particularly long corridor. Their guide pushed the door open after knocking and waiting for a moment and ushered the two women inside.

Rin's eyebrow rose as she glanced quickly around the room. This room was completely different to the rest of the castle and she could only assume that it was somehow connected to the prince's own chambers. A thin carpet covered the floor and windows that were larger than those outside the room allowed more light into the room but still not enough to see into the darker corners of the room where the shadows gathered. In place of a chair where she would have assumed the prince would be sitting, there were a few rather comfortable looking armchairs just in front of the fireplace and Rin's suspicions were confirmed. This was not a throne room. This was the prince's antechamber. There were two other doors, one leading to the right and the other to the left, but Rin didn't want to guess where they led.

Before she could continue her examination of the room, the door on the right opened and a woman stepped out. Rin and Kagome glanced at her and then realised that she was a maid when the man who had brought them to the room dismissed her with a nod. She had been quite pretty and Rin wondered why she was alone with the prince and then decided that she probably didn't want to know. Moments later, the door on the left opened and a dark haired man stepped out. Rin glanced at him and wondered who he was. The man who had brought them to the room was dressed in lavish clothes that were obviously expensive and clearly showed his position in society, but the man who had just stepped into the room was quite plain in comparison. He wore black and purple robes that reminded her of the attire the priests and monks had worn back in her kingdom and a smile threatened to cross her face as she imagined their expressions if they were to see this man. Purple robes would definitely be a scandal! Mentally slapping herself for lapsing into ridiculous thoughts, she looked back at the man. A purple glove covered one hand and a rosary of some kind was wrapped around that. His dark hair was pulled back and his messy bangs stood out at odd angles. What amused Rin the most was that the man was dressed like a priest but his ear was pierced which she knew meant he was definitely not a member of the clergy. This was probably the most exotic looking person she had seen so far and she had to struggle to contain her giggle at his strange appearance.

"Ah! You must be Lady Rin!" the man said when he saw them.

Rin curtsied, bowing her head to hide her amusement. "I am. This is my companion, Kagome."

"A pleasure to meet you both! I have been wondering when you would arrive here. I have been most eager to meet you."

"You are the prince?" Rin questioned in surprise.

The man laughed. "I don't look much like one, do I?"

"No, but you definitely don't look like one of the clergy."

"Ah, that is behind me. They didn't approve of my methods," he said sadly, shaking his head before grinning at the two women and bowing. "I am Miroku. I am indeed the prince that you are here to see."

"I dread to think what your methods were if the clergy didn't approve," Rin said with a teasing smile, instantly liking the man.

The trio laughed quietly over the comment for a short while and Rin looked him over again. He was a nice person and she instantly felt at ease in his company. Perhaps he would be the one she chose. So far, he was making a very good first impression and Kagome seemed to approve as well if her smile was anything to go by. Miroku looked at Rin seriously for a moment and then a devious smile tugged his lips, which made Rin slightly wary of his intentions and wonder if she should rethink her ideas of choosing him. In the blink of an eye, Miroku was standing before her and had taken one of her hands in his. He looked into her surprised eyes and lifted her hand to his lips.

"Might I ask something of you, Lady Rin?" he asked softly.

"What would it be?" Rin queried, frowning slightly as she wondered if she had the wrong impression of this man.

Miroku stood upright and grinned, his hand still holding Rin's. "Would you bear my children?"

A shocked silence fell over the room in the wake of that statement. The silence was broken after a while by Kagome's muffled giggles and the advisor advancing towards his prince and berating him about the inappropriateness of that statement at such a time. Rin stared at the man in front of her, not entirely sure how she was supposed to respond to that. Her answer, of course, was no, but her voice escaped her. He looked at her expectantly, completely ignoring his advisor's shouts and Kagome's giggles.

"You are here in search of a husband, are you not?" Miroku said after a while. "I want children so we should marry!"

"It's not that simple, my lord!" the advisor said, his face flushed from his shouting and small beads of perspiration forming on his forehead.

"Of course it is!" Miroku said impatiently, turning away to look at the plump man at his side. "Both of us would get what we want so it's a good idea!"

"I regret to tell you that I do not wish to have any children just yet," Rin said eventually when she found her voice.

"Oh," Miroku's face fell and then his eyes slid over to Kagome. "Never mind then!"

Rin shook her head and smiled slightly at his behaviour. It was very much like a child and she couldn't help but find it endearing. Looking back at the man, she watched his gaze fall on Kagome and smothered her giggle as she realised what he was about to do. Sure enough, seconds later he was standing beside Kagome and had taken her hand in his just as he had done with Rin.

"Would you bear my children?" he asked earnestly.

Kagome stared at him in shock, but was not given the chance to reply when a sudden crash from the doorway broke the silence. The group turned to find the woman from before standing in the door way with a dismayed look on her face and a tray on the floor at her feet with shattered cups and plates littering the floor.

"Forgive me," she muttered and bent down to begin collecting the broken crockery.

"It's no trouble!" Miroku said with a smile as he wandered over to where she knelt and began to help her pick up the pieces, completely forgetting that Kagome had yet to answer his question.

The two other women in the room exchanged a knowing look and Rin smiled as she turned her gaze back to the kneeling pair. She frowned slightly when she thought she saw Miroku's hand on the woman's thigh but shook away the thought. He wouldn't do such a thing, he was a prince after all. Her thoughts were proved wrong when a loud slap echoed through the room and the woman beside the prince was on her feet, her face flushed and a frown creasing her brow. Miroku still knelt on the floor, his hand covering his bright red cheek and he sighed softly before getting to his feet. The woman fled the room and disappeared down the corridor while Miroku sat down heavily in one of the armchairs. The advisor shook his head and left the room after asking if she would accompany him to see if the other woman was all right. Sighing softly, Rin crossed the room to sit in the armchair directly across from where Miroku sat. He looked up when he heard her approach and smiled sheepishly before looking away.

"I'm afraid I've not given you the best impression of me," Miroku said sadly after a while.

"Don't fret. I don't think any less of you," Rin said with a vague smile.

"I meant what I asked you earlier."

"I know you did, but I think that's probably how you ended up in this situation, don't you think?"

"What do you mean?" Miroku asked with a frown.

"You're asking the wrong woman."

"I am?"

"You care for her, don't you?"

"Of course I do! She just doesn't like me!"

"I'm sure she does. Why not tell her how you feel?"

"Would she listen?" the prince questioned doubtfully.

"Kagome went to see her so I'm sure she will listen when you decide to tell her," Rin replied with a smile.

"If I do that, I will not longer be eligible to marry you," Miroku warned.

"Do what makes you happy. There are still three more men I have yet to meet."

"Then I will do as you suggest."

*-*-*-*-*

During the brief time Rin and Kagome stayed at the castle, Miroku eventually found the courage to confess to the woman he cared for. After spending some time together, Rin discovered that her name was Sango and that she was a very nice person. She and Kagome had become fast friends and she had supported Kagome's ideas about waiting for fairy tale princes and their white stallions much to Rin's amusement. Fortunately, Sango seemed to understand her predicament and was supportive. The women had exchanged tearful goodbyes and promised to write to each other. Therefore, the two women left Miroku's kingdom after making two new friends this time instead of just one.

"Do you think they'll marry?" Rin asked Kagome as they left the town behind them in a cloud of dust.

"Probably," Kagome said with a smile. "It'd be nice if they did. I imagine Sango will have her hands full trying to make sure he behaves himself though. What a lecher!"

Rin laughed. "They make a good couple, I think. Sango is more than capable of putting him straight."

"How many people are left to meet?"

"Three," Rin said with a slight frown as she looked down at the worn looking list in her hand.

"None of them have appealed to you so far?"

Rin raised an eyebrow. "One is obsessed with you, another I don't think I could see as more than a friend and the last has declared his love for another woman. None of them are what I'm looking for anyway."

"What are you looking for?" Kagome asked curiously.

"I don't know, but my instincts tell me that they are not it."

"I hope you find what you're looking for."

"So do I."