Chapter 7: A Promise Made
Rin opened her eyes to the sounding of the water dripping in the very same room that she was in. She stretched and cringed. Her head felt like it weighted a thousand pound.
It had almost felt like she was sleeping forever. She rubbed her aching forehead, making small circles. It helped a little.
She tested out her mattress. In her whole life, she always wanted to try this type of raised mattress. It felt much better than a futon. There were actual springs in them.
After bouncing a couple of times on the box spring mattress she stopped when she surely was satisfied.
She looked around the room. It was lit with candles of various shapes and sizes. The iridescent glow made the room look enchanted. She finally took in her surrounding. The room was very grand, more than she had imagined a room to be. It was bigger than her whole house put together.
Unfortunately, there was nothing more to it than a large bed and candles burning everywhere. The walls were bare, but it was painted in a deep golden color—golden, like his eyes. She now realized that almost everything was in that color.
Drip…drip…drip….
It's the sounds of water again. Maybe the room had sprung a leak? She looked to where the sound of water was coming from. To her left there were drops of liquid that was literary falling from the ceiling like rain into a small pool of water on the dented floor.
Drip…drip…drip...
She tossed her sheets aside and walked on the cool wooden floor towards the pool of water looking up to where it was coming from. It was certainly magic to her. There was nothing there to hold the water.
No pipe, nothing. She was certain that it was falling frown above, out of nowhere.
Its purity urged her to stick her hand out and taste it. Looking to her sides to see if anyone was looking, she stuck her hand out of her long kimono sleeves reaching towards the water.
"Don't touch that," his beautiful deep voice rang in the empty room stopped her and she snapped her hand back.
Her face was the image of a child who just got caught with their hands in the cookie jar. She bit her bottom lip and hid her hands behind her back.
She turned towards him and a large smiled played on her face. He realized that she was not smiling at him but at whom he was with. There he was holding her little brother's hand, doing funny things to her belly.
Upon seeing his sister, Kenshi pulled his hand from Sesshoumaru and ran towards her. She met him half way. Her joyous laughter rang in the darken room, sending warmth in the cool night air.
The reunion was so pleasant that any servant walking by stopped for a second or two to stare into the room. It was very rare for them to hear laughter inside the cold drafty castle. Pretty soon there was about a dozen of servant standing by the door to witness the event. They had grins and smiles fixed on their faces.
Sesshoumaru was the only one in the room that sensed the growing people outside his bedroom door. Rin and Kenshi were oblivious of the stares as they were too engrossed in their reunion.
"Rin I thought that you would never wake up! " Kenshi exclaimed as he ran into his sister open arms. She knelt down to his height.
"I was getting worried. But Sesshoumaru-sama had said that you needed your rest so I didn't wanted to disturb you. Finally he told me that you had waken up." How had he knew that she was awake? Like the loving little brother that he was, Kenshi put his two chubby hands on each side of her face looking concerned.
"Are you doing alright? You were asleep awfully long," he said frowning. "Why are you crying?"
She smiled, chocking back tears that already made its way down her small face.
At the age of five he was more concern of her well being than she was of her own. She was very grateful to have him.
"I am just glad that you're here," she said running her hand down his soft hair.
She brought him into a tight hug again. She looked at Sesshoumaru standing behind Kenshi staring at them. His eyes were suddenly so sad, and she had felt something that was there before.
"But I was always here Rin," he exclaimed breaking into her thoughts. "You were just sleeping for too long," he pouted.
He didn't know how close she was to losing him and she was determine not to tell him.
She placed her hand on his shoulder and laughed.
"I am just so happy that I woke up to find you here that's all," she took his hand and walked towards the comfy bed. She picked him up and placed him on the bed next to her. He spread himself next to her and laid his head on her folded lap.
"What have you been doing while I was being lazy in bed, hm?" She asked him suddenly feeling exhausted. She yawned once and the contagious manner had him yawning also.
"Well, remember that big ugly toad that I was talking about?" He turned his head to look up at her bend down head. She nodded splitting his long front bangs away from his eyes.
"I was playing with him. He is so much fun Rin. Sesshoumaru-sama said that you used to beat him silly sometimes, just like I was doing to him," he said and his chubby hand came to cover his mouth trying to contain his giggles.
"What are you talking about Kenshi? I have never…" Her eyes brows frowned making little creases on her forehead.
"Kenshi, why don't you go and play with Jaken while I talk to your sister," Sesshoumaru interrupted.
"No, he doesn't have to go. Kenshi can stay here with me," She turn to her side and caught a glimpse of movement. In an instance he was standing next to the rippling of water she was neared earlier, watching the waters flowed down like raindrops. She blinked once and shook her head.
"It's okay Rin, I told Sesshoumaru-sama that I will only visit you for a little bit. He said you had to rest," Kenshi got up and wrapped his short arms around her neck, squeezing once before letting go. Then he brought his mouth close to her ear and whispered, "I'll be here when you wake up, Older Sister," before running out of the room missing his sister's warm smile.
The servant bustled away then, giving the two people privacy. With a wave of his hand, Sesshoumaru sent the door closing silently behind him.
She didn't question his manner, but dwell on what her brother had said.
"How are you feeling?" He said. His voice held no emotion, yet she felt a stirring in the bottom of her stomach. The memory from the kiss was too vivid in her mind.
Her face heated, but she tried to keep cool and looked up at him. She didn't really wanted to talk or see him right now, but he was already here. Standing regally in front of her. His posture showed strength and power. His voice always held a hint of command.
She brought her feet to touch the cool floor. Her hands dug deep into the folds of her kimono to stop herself from running to him. She didn't know why she wanted to touch him again, but the urge was stronger than ever.
A few minutes had passed before he spoke again.
"This water falls from the spring that you were bathing in," he said looking up at the source of the water.
"You mean…" Her jaw dropped. He nodded.
"This room is underneath the earth," he simply said.
She walked over and stood next to him looking up the same way he was doing. He felt her presence beside her and stiffen. He could feel the heat coming from her little body and rubbing onto him.
He had hoped that she would not be thinking of his action in the village. It wasn't want he had intended, but he had almost lost her because of his careless act. He had acted on impulse and it frightened him. He let out a low growl. How can he lose to emotions like that?
"How can this be so? It must be some sort of magic," She whispered, her voice never wavered from being amazed.
Sesshoumaru took his attention away from the sparkling waters and stared down at her upturned face. She looked at him and she blushed.
Don't stare, don't stare, she told herself.Suddenly the yellow obi wrapped around his waist became very interesting to her. She folded her hand behind her and bit her bottom lips. He was so beautiful.
"You did this," he said and crossed his arms across his chest restraining himself.
He turned back to the waters and she did the same.
She took a glance to her side and see that he was trying hard to hold something back. It was eating inside of him. She felt his pain as if it was her own.
"Tell me," she said turning to him, she place her hand on the side of his folded arm.
His body eased at her gentle touch and his arm released down to his side.
Another low growl escaped his lips. He was trying very hard to restrain himself, but being so close to her didn't help him much at all.
He turned to her and looked down at her small face. She gave him a reassuring smile.
He was a tad bit uneasy at the situation that he had put himself into. Sesshoumaru rubbed the back of his neck and his powerful demeanor broke.
"Well its like this," he started and look away from her big eyes. "Iminda…mumble mumble…umy…mumble mumble…ateand…" he mumbled--something he would never find himself doing in front of anyone. He told himself that he would be ready to tell her the truth, but it was harder than he had thought. He rather fights a thousand youkais than be in the room with her at the moment.
Rin grumbled. "You're mumbling, I can't understand a word you said."
Sesshoumaru took in a deep breath and stare right back into her upturned face.
He cupped the side of her face and caressed her cheek with his large thumb. She held such beauty and innocence. She was distraction.
"Promise me something," he softly said. She placed her hand on his warm hand and rubbed her face in his hand like he did twice before. "Promise me you're never leave me, whatever happens…" Then he held his breath waiting for her answer knowing that this distraction would probably destruction and he welcome it with open arms.
She stared into the two pair of golden abyss. He looked so lost and lonely.
So sad somehow and she wanted to make that sadness go away.
She had known him for only a short time, but in the back of her mind held his image. Inside of her heart he was there.
Suddenly she realized, she had fallen in love with this youkai. This cold, lonely person, yet she wasn't scared.
She knew that he meant more to her than she could imagine and she in an instance knew that it was the same for him.
Finally she nodded. But he wasn't satisfied with her silent answer.
"Say it for me, Rin…"
"I promise," she said and she thought she saw his rare smile for a moment.
"Thank you…I will never make you regret your promise," he told her and ran the hand that was on her cheek onto the back of her head, gently bringing her close.
She placed a hand on his chest for support because her legs were getting all wobbly. His heated body against hers was comforting. He grabbed her hand on his chest hand held it next to his heart as he placed a warm kiss in the middle of her forehead.
"Now can you tell me," she said and he nodded.
"Because…" he began and growled as he was interrupted by a loud irritating bang coming from the other side of the door. "Damn human," he mumbled.
When there was no answer from the two, another couple of bangs came again.
He groaned in fury and she laughed. It was adorable to see him lose his posture. He glared at her with his "its-not funny" look and she shut her mouth behind a pair of hands hiding her giggles.
"Who is it?" He asked releasing Rin from his hold. She stepped back and walked towards the door. The big smile on her lips never wilted.
"It's…its…me Lord Sesshoumaru," Jaken croaky voice was heard on the other side.
"What do you want, Jaken?" He said and waved his hand to open the door. Rin stopped surprised that the door had opened on its own.
She looked back at Sesshoumaru with wide eyes and drop jaw. He only shrugged like it was nothing. His arrogant self returning and she smirked.
"My Lord!" Jaken said and bowed before his master feet. "They…they…the other youkai…they…I couldn't help him…there were too many…" He was stuttering so hard that Sesshoumaru barely understood him.
"Out with it Jaken," he said with slight annoyance. "And don't stutter."
"Where is Kenshi, Jaken?" Rin asked the kappa deamon, her smile suddenly fading. Her heart felt like it was being squeezed, hard, as she waited for youkai's answer.
"Th…the youkais had taken him!" he cried. "I am sorry I couldn't save him!"
"Sesshoumaru!" She cried, but it came pleadingly. Then her body limped and she fainted.
In a flash Sesshoumaru was right by her side hauling her up into his arms. He took three long strides and placed her gently on the bed.
"Send for the healer. I don't think she is rid of the poison. If anything should happen to her, you better wish that you were dead," he said not waiting for Jaken's answer. He took one look at her sleeping form and disappeared through the opening door and into the night.
TBC
It is so great to see that once I added a new chapter, I get new readers! This is so awesome!
Hey MindIIBody, lookie, it gotten longer on its own accord! I didn't do anything I swear! Hehe…
Oh Chew Chew, ( I'm so sorry it is so confusing for you…I will promise to make it less confusing soon…)))
"Sweet Peas and Carrots"! LOL I haven't hear anyone said that since…well since ek! The fifth grade! EK! That's so cute, though!
I am sure this is getting to mushy for all of you…promise something much less mushy in the next chapter…)))) Please don't gag! LOL, Anyhow, I thank you guys again, I will never lose interest writing this story because the reviews are so great! Thanks!
Until Next Time Readers,
Love, Suga Plum
