A/N: I have to say that this chapter seems to be one of my not so best chapters. I guess you could call it a filler chapter of some sorts. I guess that's it. Oh, one other thing, I imagine Rin's voice to sound like Chloe Agnew from Celtic Woman when she grows up to sing. Well, I guess happy reading then! I can't say much because I need to go. Sorry for the short chapter.

Chapter Ten

Inuyasha and Jaken had it the hardest. If going through the crowd wasn't hard enough, they had a hard time finding the inn through the large crowd. It took them an hour or so before they finally found the building. They entered the inn and panted heavily after they knew they were no longer in the crowd. During their heavy breathing, Jaken and Inuyasha decided that small towns weren't so small after all.

Just as they were able to calm their breathing, they suddenly heard a low growl of distaste nearby that sounded strangely familiar. They looked up to see Sesshomaru and Rin in front of the counter speaking to an elderly lady behind the counter.

"What do you mean there are only two rooms?" Sesshomaru asked in a demanding tone, scaring the female innkeeper. Rin laid a hand on his upper arm and he looked down at her. She shook her head as if telling him not to act that way. Sesshomaru, understanding her gesture, let out a sigh before glaring at the woman again.

"I'm sorry, sir, but the rooms are all filled up. I can't give you four rooms," the woman said, her voice shaking. Rin smiled at her kindly and laid a hand on the innkeeper's hand.

"It's okay. We'll take the two rooms," Rin said kindly. The woman looked over at Rin and nodded, immediately giving her the keys and scurried off, forgetting about the money.

Rin tilted her head to the side in confusion.

"We didn't pay her yet," Rin stated. Sesshomaru growled in distaste once again.

"And she didn't show us to our rooms either," Sesshomaru added in annoyance.

Rin sighed and looked up at Sesshomaru sternly, forgetting about her fear of him.

"Sesshomaru, you shouldn't talk to her like that," Rin stated firmly yet her voice was gentle.

Sesshomaru, Jaken, and Inuyasha looked at her in astonishment. She didn't call him Sesshomaru for a while. Now that Sesshomaru thought about it, she did call him by his name in the woods but it was out of pure anger, sadness, and hurt unlike now. Now, it sounded like the way she used to call him. It was in a way that soothed him and made him feel at peace. His comfort had come back even for a small moment, though the moment was ruined when Rin took notice of Inuyasha and Jaken.

"Oh, you guys finally made it," Rin giggled happily but stopped when she saw their gaping expressions, "Um... are you two okay?"

"Y-y-you called Prince Sesshomaru without his title! Foolish girl do not show such insolence to his royalty," Jaken yelled, which gave him a punch to the head as well as a glare from Sesshomaru.

"Quiet, Jaken," Sesshomaru demanded in his calm yet cool tone.

Rin's eyes widened and gasped, "Oh!" She covered her mouth instantly and looked over at Sesshomaru with shocked eyes.

"Please excuse the insolence of this Rin," Rin apologized before bowing her head.

Sesshomaru felt the tightness in his chest again. He disliked her bowing before him. He turned to Jaken and sent an angry glare towards the short man. He ruined what little normality he had with Rin with his careless statement.

He turned back to Rin and saw her head was still lowered to him. He could never get accustomed to see Rin bowing before him, and he would not allow it anymore in their travels. One rule in traveling is to keep a low profile but with Rin bowing before him and calling him by his title would not help. Of course, having a low profile was not his only excuse to not want Rin to bow before him.

"Rin, you are excused. Now, look at me," Sesshomaru instructed her. Rin looked up slowly at Sesshomaru, feeling rather nervous than feeling fear.

Inuyasha was looking confused as to what was happening. He was about to speak but Sesshomaru started before he could.

"During our travels, you are not to call me by my given title or treat me as royalty nor shall you do the same to Inuyasha. We are considered as equals for now until our travels have ended," Sesshomaru informed her. Rin nodded slowly and hesitantly. Only one question came to her mind from Sesshomaru's request.

"But why, Pri- I mean, Sesshomaru?" Rin had stopped herself from saying Sesshomaru's title when he gave her a glare.

"We do not need unnecessary obstacles getting in our way," Sesshomaru answered curtly.

Inuyasha eyed his half brother suspiciously, wondering what Sesshomaru was planning. Inuyasha never knew that Sesshomaru's hidden agenda was to gain back some normalcy between Rin and him. But then again, it was better to be safe than sorry, so Inuyasha decided to be the watchdog. Rin was like a sister to him and to hear her sorrowful cries when she sleeps had let out the protective side of Inuyasha. Yes, Rin still had nightmares haunting her throughout their travels. It made it that much harder for the three men to sleep from her cries and pleas of help to stop touching her and to save her. It caused all three men to have sleepless nights even after her whimpers had stopped.

It took great effort from Inuyasha to hold back his anger towards Sesshomaru. Sesshomaru was the cause while Naraku was the effect that made Rin how she was now. Thankfully, Rin was slowly getting better. She had light in her eyes, and she was smiling again. She slowly progressed from having a full blown frantic attack at a mere touch to just cringing. But still, Rin wouldn't have been like that if Kagura hadn't entered their lives. Rin would still have been Rin if Kagura didn't accuse her of "pushing" her. Something about Kagura wasn't right to Inuyasha. That vixen had some air of malice to Inuyasha, and he wondered how Sesshomaru met her in the first place. Inuyasha knew something was going on, but he didn't know what.

Inuyasha had to find out, but he had to do it secretly. And Kagura being related to Naraku, it was never a good thing. He wasn't going to let Rin go through the same thing as Kikyo. Inuyasha clenched his hand into a fist at the thought of the raven-haired beauty he had known since he was a child and his first love. And what was more, Naraku was the reason Inuyasha's and Kikyo's red string of fate had been destroyed. If only, Inuyasha had stayed with her, he wouldn't have lost the girl he loved. And his new goal now was to protect Rin from the same fate.

Inuyasha's thoughts were soon interrupted by Rin's voice.

"I understand then I shall not use titles," Rin stated, "Inuyasha and... Sesshomaru."

She had a thoughtful expression on her face as she said Sesshomaru's name as if testing the name on her tongue like it was her first time calling him 'Sesshomaru'. His name felt odd on her lips when she was consciously saying his name unlike how she had said it before then or the time when she said it at the woods or even before anything had happened to her. It felt like the first time she called his name. It tingled on her tongue and felt strange like there was an aftertaste to it. The name strongly lingered in her mouth until her name was called once again by Inuyasha's concerned voice.

"Rinny, you okay?" Inuyasha asked. It had been so long he used that nickname towards her, but he thought it was about time he used it since Rin was supposed to treat them as equals. Rin mentally shook off the thought of Sesshomaru's name and smiled up at Inuyasha.

"I'm fine, Inuyasha. I'm just trying to get used to it, I guess," Rin stated but then changed the subject when she noticed Sesshomaru staring at her, "Um... but what about our sleeping arrangements?"

It was Sesshomaru's turn to speak up again.

"We will find out now. It seems the keys had been tagged. We can find our rooms easier that way." Sesshomaru started heading off upstairs with Rin and Inuyasha following behind, leaving one neglected short man behind.

"What about me?" Jaken screeched with sudden tears falling down his cheeks. It didn't take him long to scurry up the stairs when he was completely left alone.