"You've been silent the whole time, Titus. Something wrong?"
Rin saw Titus shake his head and before replying "No. I... I don't know anymore. That Lady Elf, Galadriel. She... read my mind. She said some... things that disturbed me. Things that I would've taken to my grave. You heard her too, didn't you?"
Rin lowered her head and took off her Kasa. She ran a hand through her hair and sighed.
"Yeah, I did. It was... odd. To say the least."
She sat next to him and joined in staring at the pond.
"I mean, sure she talked about my issues but she didn't have to throw it back in my face." She snorted and watched her reflection stare back at her.
Seeing the patch that covered her lost eye and Galadriel's words brought back memories that are better left forgotten.
"Titus, can I trust you with a secret?"
Titus hears the seriousness in her voice and nodded.
"Of course."
Rin sighed "Let me tell you... My story..."
~Line Break~
"You really are a fool, Tanaka."
Rin could only cry out in pain as her beaten and naked body lay on the floor. Her hand held the left side side of her face in an effort stop the bleeding on her eye socket.
She couldn't believe it. The man that stood over her, the one she swore to give her life for and the one she foolishly gave her heart to, laughed at her bleeding form. He had deceived her like he had deceived the rest of the Dawn Empire. She had foolishly gave in to his advances and look where it got her. Raped and beaten within an inch of her life.
"Nothing but a naive, little whore who thought she could get her happy ending. Now here you are. What do you have to say for yourself? Hmm?"
Rin rolled over so her back was to him. There she saw it, a Tantō. As the psycho behind her turned around and grabbed a katana to finish her off.
She silently grabbed the Tantō and hid it from view.
"Now, I'm a merciful man. So, I'll make this quick. Get up."
Rin waited for her opportunity and stalled.
The man snarled and grabbed her by the hair.
"I said get up, Bi-"
Rin gripped the Tantō and slit the man's throat. When his grip slackened, Rin pounced on him and repeatedly stabbed him in the heart.
"YOU. PIECE. OF. FUCKING. SHIT. BURN. IN. HELL!" When she finished, she got off the body and sat herself up against the wall, hand still gripping the blade. Her sobs were the only sound that echoed through the room.
She didn't know how long she was there but she didn't care. She wrapped a piece of cloth around her head to cover her eye and cut off her hair. She took a look at the body one last time before spitting on it and grabbing the pair of katanas that sat on top of a table. She didn't bother covering herself up, she didn't care anymore.
She knew outside that doors were the very men that violated her as that psycho watched. The same people that she used to work with. She could see their shadow on the paper door. All their stance suggested they were waiting for her.
Her teeth bared and the grip on the swords tightened. All the exhaustion that took her body was gone and all that's left... was hate.
She charged through the paper door with a roar.
The bodyguards were shocked at the ferocity of this woman. They thought they had broken her. They were wrong.
Rin was a tornado of blades as she cut down the bodyguards that stood in her way. Heads rolled off their shoulders, Arms and legs fell off their sockets, Blood painting the walls.
Only one guard was left standing.
Without any clothes to cover her up. Rin's tattoos were bare for the world to see. The last guard saw the tail on her hand and the body slither around her arm until the dragon's head ended on her chest. The only light that came was from the lighting outside. It illuminated her form in a terrifying way.
"Shi no ryū." Was the only thing the last guard said before Rin lunged at him and cut off his head.
As the body fell to the ground. Rin heard a sob and looked for the source.
There hiding behind an overturned table was a little girl, barely older than five. The way she covered herself with the little kimono and Rin knew she just saved this kid from a fate worse than death.
She knelt down and gently shook the little girl.
"Hey. Hey, it's okay. You're safe now."
The kid whimpered before suddenly hugging Rin and crying.
"It's alright. I'm here. No one's gonna hurt you anymore. I promise."
"T-thank you."
After a few moments of letting the kid cry on her shoulder, Rin carried her outside and away from the massacre.
When they were outside, she set the kid down and brought a hand on her shoulder.
"What's your name?"
"Akane."
"Do you know where your parents are?"
Akane looked down and sniffed.
"I- I don't have any parents. I lived in an orphanage, before that s-scary man took me."
Rin hugged Akane. As the little girl cried her eyes out again.
"Hey, now. Don't cry. Come on, you're a brave little girl."
Akane looked at Rin "I am."
Despite her face was covered in blood, she managed to give off a warm smile. "Yes, you are."
No sooner had she said that, lightning flashed behind her and Akane let out a tiny squeak before burying her head on Rin's shoulder again.
"I'm scared of lightning!"
Rin tried not to squeeze the life out of the kid cause of how cute that was.
"It's okay. It's just a little lightning. Nothing to be scared about."
Akane nodded her head "Okay, Kaa-san."
Rin widened her eyes at that and remained silent.
"What is going on here!?"
Rin couldn't believe her eyes as Empress Ayu was standing there. Beside her were her Champion and Seijuro. Behind them were a company of the Empress's handpicked guards.
Akane bowed, so did Rin but she didn't try to cover herself up.
The Empress motioned her head for the Orochi and Seijuro to check the house. The two nodded and entered the building.
Ayu walked in front of them and asked "What happened here?"
Rin lowered her head further as she answered "Forgive me, my Empress. You may not believe the words of a noble's guard, but hear my plea. The way you see me now is the result of a noble's twisted desires. The very same noble that I served."
The Orochi and Seijuro walked out the building, their expressions filled with disgust. Not at the dead bodies, but at the evidence that they saw what this noble did to the women under his house.
In the Orochi's hands was a clean blanket that he handed to Rin. She accepted it with a bow and wrapped it around her body.
Ayu looked at her and decided.
"If it's not too much, I ask if you would like to join my personal guard under Seijuro?"
Rin lowered her head and saw Akane hugging her leg and staring at her.
Rin shook her head and said "Forgive me, my Empress. But I must decline."
"Why?"
"I'm sorry. It's just after this, I just wanna stay away from this place for a while. Maybe build a house in the middle of nowhere. Just away from people. But..." She looked down at Akane and saw her puppy dog eyes.
"Dammit. Okay, okay. Stop with the eyes already." She looked at Ayu and sighed.
"I won't join your personal guards but I will offer my services as a mercenary."
Ayu widened her eyes at that "A mercenary? Why?"
Rin looked back at the house "Because the moment I killed my noble, I fell from grace. I have freed myself from my master."
Ayu knew what those words meant "Your an Aramusha."
"Yes. But if you accept my services. I only wish for a house and Akane to be put under my name."
Akane widened her eyes "You mean you-"
Rin smiled and grabbed the little girl into a hug.
"That's right. If the Empress approves, I'll be your new mama."
Akane teared up and tightened her hug on Rin "Mama. I have a mama."
Ayu smiled at that and said "Of course, Tanaka-san. I will have your house built by the best carpenter the Dawn Empire has. Akane is under your care now. By tomorrow, it'll be official." She lowered her "Thank you for your cooperation."
~One Year Later~
"Akane! Have you seen my Kasa?"
The little girl ran around the corner and gave the straw hat to Rin.
"Here you go, mama."
Rin took the hat and placed it on her head. She ruffled Akane's hair and smiled.
"When will you be back?"
Rin hugged her adopted daughter and said "I'll be back before you know it, my little tenshi." She kissed the top of her head and waved goodbye.
She made sure her katanas were there and so were Wakizashis. She felt for the Tantō strapped on the back of her sash. The same Tantō she used to end the monster.
Satisfied, she chewed on a strand of straw before making her way to the Empress's Palace.
That was all she remembered before a flash of brilliant light then everything went black.
~Line Break~
"Then I ended up in Narnia, with you two jokers."
Through the course of her story, she didn't realize her head was leaning on Titus' shoulder and their hands intertwined.
Titus stared at her and she stared back. Slowly, the two of them leaned forward until they felt their lips meet.
Unbeknownst to the two, a certain Highlander was leaning on a nearby tree. Having overheard her story and now seeing them kiss, reminded him of his own sons and daughter and his wife.
He fingered the pendant that his wife, Eleanor, gave him.
"Bidh mi air ais a dh'aithghearr, dìreach feitheamh orm."
He kissed the pendant and walked away. Leaving the two in their own little world.
