Rin woke from a deep sleep that had left her anything but well rested. She was surprised to find that she lay in her bed. She didn't remember making it to the bed. What she did remember was the shock of seeing Lord Sesshomaru with those women. She closed her eyes tightly against the memory. She wasn't so naive as not to know what pleasures a man sought from a woman, but Lord Sesshomaru wasn't a man. Not really, at least. He was a demon. So was that what she saw? Was he devouring the women? No, Lord Sesshomaru wasn't the kind of demon that ate people. He ate... something, but not people. Right?

Well then she would just have to ask him. It would be best to know outright what she was getting herself into. Once she knew, then she could figure out how to act upon it.

Though she was settled on her decision, the thoughts of Lord Sesshomaru eating humans continued to bother her. She dressed in a simple kimono and brushed out her hair. She was tying it up when Master Jaken called out to her. "Rin? Are you up? We should get going soon as there is much to see."

"I'm ready." Rin called as she made her way back to the front room to open the door for him.

Master Jaken shook his head at the appearance of the girl before him. She appeared just like the child from all those years ago. "No, no. This won't do. You must dress appropriately if you are to meet with Lord Sesshomaru later."

"But, Master Jaken..."

"No, buts. Wait right here."

Rin sighed as the little imp ran off. She looked down at her bare feet and wiggled her toes some. Even her kimono was little short. She didn't get it. Why did she have to dress up to see her lord? Surely, he wouldn't think any differently of her based on how she dressed.

Master Jaken had returned with several women whom he instructed to help Rin with dressing 'appropriately.' She was pulled out of the room and taken down the hall. "Wah! Wait a minute. Where are we going?" She cried out against the pulling hands. Master Jaken stood watching on, but made no move to help her.

"We are taking you to bathe and then we will dress the princess." One of the women replied.

"Princess?" Rin questioned with a scrunched up nose.

The question went unanswered as she was shoved behind a changing current and on into the warm bath water. She blushed as the servants scrubbed her hair and body. "I can do this on my own!" She gasped, trying to wiggle from their hold to no avail. Once washed and dried, Rin was put into a heavy kimono and her hair twisted into an extravagant style. Mild makeup was applied to her lips and cheeks.

Standing before a mirror, she was stunned. She looked just like a real princess. She held her fingers up, lingering just over her form. "But why?"

One of the women lifted her head to gaze at Rin. "You're to be presented to the master. You must look your best." There was something strange in the woman's eyes. A meaning that was lost mixed with fear and sorrow.

Master Jaken entered the room before Rin could ask what that look meant. "Much better! Come now. We have a lot to see before we meet with Lord Sesshomaru."

Rin nodded and bowed to the women who had dressed her. "Thank you." She spoke quickly as she hurried after Master Jaken. She barely listened to the imp explain the history of the castle or where each path lead. Her mind wandered back to the look of that woman. What had it meant? Why did she have this feeling it had something to do with the women she had seen the night before?

"Rin, Rin."

Rin blinked a few times as if to focus. "Huh?" Clearly, Master Jaken had been calling out to her for some time. "Oh, sorry." She laughed a little awkwardly.

Master Jaken sighed and shook his head. "As I was saying. That's all for the tour. Lord Sesshomaru is just beyond this door. Now, I have other duties as Chief Minister." The little imp puffed himself up proudly which made Rin smile warmly. He had achieved the position he always wanted next to their lord.

"Thank you, Master Jaken."

Rin entered the room, almost surprised to see Lord Sesshomaru at a desk reading over documents. It was almost too normal.

He looked up as she entered the room. Meeting his gaze, she was reminded of the previous night. She blushed and cast her gaze to the floor. "Rin." He stated her name softly in the same tone he always used. His golden eyes moved to take in her appearance, though he said nothing about it. "Come sit next to me." He gestured towards a seat that was clearly out of place next to him.

Rin nodded. Nothing had changed. Still, how could she just forget what she had seen? She bit her lip lightly as she moved to take the seat next to him. She kept her eyes down and cast away, though it didn't stop the feeling of his gaze on her.

A small gasp passed over her lips as his fingers touched her hair. Finally, she looked up to his gaze. For a moment the two simply stared at one another. Then he shifted his gaze back to where his fingers had tangled in her hair. With only one hand, he worked to free her hair from the way it had been put up. "Why are you dressed so?"

"Master Jaken suggested it, and one of the women said I should look my best to be presented to you." There was the faintest change to his expression. Did those words mean something to him? She swallowed her fear and worry to ask for the truth she had been fighting with for far too long. "Lord Sesshomaru. Do... do you eat humans?"

The silence seemed to go on for an eternity. Slowly, his fingers pulled free of her hair. "I am a demon, Rin."

Rin tightened her fingers in the cloth of the dress, but she met his gaze. She needed to know the answer to this. She knew he was a demon, but he wasn't like those kinds of demons. He was Lord Sesshomaru. Her fingers reached to take hold of his hand and bring it back to her, and he allowed her pull on him as she desired. "That isn't what I asked, my lord."

Lord Sesshomaru held still for a moment before finally speaking. "I do."

Her fingers tightened around his hand. She didn't want to believe it. "No." The word was barely a whisper. His fingers slipped away from her grasp and stole her very breath away with the ache in her chest. Never had she been so distant from Lord Sesshomaru. Maybe she never should have come. This must have all been a mistake.

His fingers touched her cheek gently, and she turned into his warmth. "However, I do not require such to survive." She turned her gaze away from him this time. That didn't make it any better. That made him like the bandits that killed for fun. His fingers moved to turn her chin so she would meet his gaze once more. "I have not devoured a human in all the years I have known you."

"That's not true. I saw you last night in the bath." Her words were soft and distant still. Of course, he already knew she had been there. He had met her eyes and still acted in such a horrible way. Her eyes shown with all her fears over losing him.

"I have not lied to you. I did not devour that woman or any of the others last night."

"I saw blood..." Her words trailed off in uncertainty, wishing to believe his words.

"The blood of young maidens is extraordinarily sweet. Tasting it does not require that I devour the woman." He drew his hand away once more and watched her with careful eyes.

Rin played with the dress some as she thought over his words. "Then, if you desire the blood of a young maiden, please take mine." There was a small surprised look as his eyes widened for a brief moment. Rin smiled to reassure him of her choice. "I wish only to be of use to my Lord." She didn't know if he would really accept her request, but she hoped so. She wanted more than anything to be useful to him.

"Rin..." A soft knock at the door had his words left unfinished as he called for whoever was on the other side to enter.

A guard entered and bowed before them. "My Lord, there is a visitor that requests an audience with you. She says she has a gift for you."

"Alright." He stated simply before rising to his feet. Lord Sesshomaru held out a hand to Rin. "Come with me."

Her fingers slipped into his waiting hand with a nod, and she rose to follow him. She was thankful that her fears had been wrong. She could continue living by him for these small moments. He wasn't like the other demons that ate humans, and he wasn't like the bandits that killed for no reason at all. This is where she would find her happiness.

[Author's Note: well this has taken far too long due to work and a broken laptop. I'm not going to make any promises of a quicker upload in the future, but I promise there is still more to come. ^.^]