The human woman called his name and Seshomaru released a deep growl in disgust.
This whore dares to venture so close to my castle? Even worse, she addresses me? Who does she think she is? Seshomaru thought spitefully, the scent of men was flooding his nostrils, causing him to twist his face in revulsion and anger. He had finished his work at the castle and was on his way to seek out his young ward when he stumbled upon this disgrace. Despite her emaciated appearance and horrid smell, something seemed so familiar about her...
"M-my Lord? Is it really you?" The woman said breathlessly, shocked in place where she lay in the flowers.
"Leave wench, before I cut you down and rid my lands of such a dishonorable presence." He replied coldly, his sword still pointed at her, breathing through his mouth to escape her scent as much as possible. She must have tried to bed me before. He thought scornfully, still attempting to place her face.
"But m-my Lord, it's me." The woman said, eyes wide from his hateful words. Her walls were crumbling, he didn't recognize her. Of course he wouldn't, he probably was expecting a young girl. If he even cared that is.
"Whatever fantasy you have had about me is a lie. I do not bed with humans, especially not ones like you." Seshomaru stated, "Now leave."
"My Lord, don't you recognize me?" The woman said desperately,
"I am R-" She started but stopped when metal was pressed against her throat.
"I care not who you are. Now leave my lands immediately." Seshomaru hissed, adding pressure to the sword pushed against her skin. He was frustrated that this woman was ignoring him, if he was in the mood he would have killed her already but he didn't want such a foul corpse so near to his castle.
The womans face was wiped of emotion, leaving a blank mask. Slowly she forced herself to her feet, causing her many cuts to re-open and bleed. She looked into his face one final time with hurt-filled eyes and started to walk away from the bristled Seshomaru. After taking a few steps she stopped, and looked down. She delicately picked a flower and stood up, facing away from Seshomaru. He readied himself to attack when something reached his ears that stopped him in his tracks.
"In the mountain, in the forest." The woman sang softly to the flower,
"In the wind, in a dream." Seshomaru felt himself involuntarily walking closer to the woman, entranced by her words.
"Where are you, Lord Seshomaru?" She whispered, feeling Seshomaru's powerful aura nearing her.
"With an ally like Master Jaken. I will wait alone until you come." A clawed hand lightly grabbed her chin and forced her face away from the flower towards golden eyes.
"Lord Seshomaru," She sang lightly, struggling to rein in her emotions that battled to escape her expressionless mask.
"Please return." She finished.
Seshomaru's eyes bore into her, slightly widened as he tried to grasp the situation before him. This woman was...
"Rin." He said softly. How many years had it been? He knew time passed faster for humans but what stood before him was nothing short of a grown woman. Despite her appearance and smell he knew it could only be her, his Rin.
"Lord Seshomaru," She replied, her voice cracking from emotion. For the first time since she lost her family a tear fell. "I'm so sorry." She said, pulling herself from Sehsomaru's grasp, hiding her tears from him. Her body trembled in an effort to control her emotions but it proved futile. She dropped to her knees, holding her face as she wept at Seshomaru's feet.
Seshomaru stared down at the woman, at Rin, and was disraught with what he saw. Where was his Rin? Where was the girl who smiled at the sight of him, who could make flower crowns for hours, who sang all day and hummed through the night? What lay before him was a soul so twisted and broken it was nearly unrecognizable.
Rin continued to weep into her hands when she felt two strong arms lift her up. Seshomaru carried her bridal style back to his castle, trying to think of how to fix this young woman. He had failed her and now he would do whatever was required to fix her.
Rin clutched his kimono tightly in her hands, fearing she would wake from a wonderful dream and return to Lord Akui. She buried her face into his chest, still sniffling but slowly regaining her composure.
"I'm so sorry my Lord, I'm so sorry." She whispered, causing Seshomaru to look down at her in surprise.
"For what." He said, posing the words more like a statement than a question.
"Y-your kim-mono." She stuttered before going limp in his arms.
He had smelled her blood from her wounds but he didn't realize how serious her injuries were. He looked down and saw his white kimono was now stained completely red with her blood. He paused for two seconds, shocked.
Then he jumped and flew faster than he had ever done before, desperate to reach his castle.