Chapter 9: The Dance of Snow

Pulling the back of her shoe tight, Rin ran her hand over her foot, smoothing the fabric down. "Rin."

She looked up from the makeup table she was sat at and saw Lady Mother walk over and sit beside her. She smiled. "Mother."

"Rin." She took hold of her shoulder, careful of her claws on the near bare skin. "Today you graduate Rin. Today you find your Lenre. The garden is packed and all of them are here for you. I have never seen so many people for a graduation." She wrapped her arms around her back and held her close. "I am so proud of you."

"Mother…"

"You must do the Dance of Snow. You have practiced it to perfection."

"I will mother. I will make you proud."

"Indeed. Make me and this school proud Rin." She kissed her ear then leant back so she was looking into her eyes. "Rin… if you do well… if you shine tonight… then I will name you as my daughter and you will inherit the school."

Rin gasped suddenly and covered her mouth in shock. "Mother."

"All this will be yours." She held the girl's face in one hand. "And I will never be prouder."

Her eyes closed as she pressed her face into the hand and smiled. Then, outside, there was a drumbeat and the curtain of her dressing room pulled back. A girl smiled at her. "Everything's ready Rin."

Rin took a deep, steading breath and looked at the demoness who smiled and nodded. Standing, Rin walked to the door and outside to a makeshift open aired corridor. The sky was cloudy but a soft white cloud and the air was filled with chatter and laughter.

She walked up a few steps to the stage and stood behind the curtains, looking out. Her heart pounded as she took another breath.

"Rin."

She turned and for a moment, caught Sesshomaru's eyes. He was smiling, soft and sadly at her. "Sesshomaru." She whispered back.

He stood for a moment then reached up the stage and held her hand. "Good luck."

Rin squeezed back then slid away from him and looked at the curtains. Her head lowered and she waved to the side.

The curtain was pulled back and everyone fell silent.

She stepped forward slowly and carefully, eyes to the polished wooden floor of the stage. She could feel the eyes and hear their whispers.

She let out a breath as the music began; her own choice of music for graduation. In time with the first true beat, she lifted her hands to the side twisted her wrists in small delicate circles, steadily bringing them in towards her body until they were flat on her stomach. Then she shifted her weight from side to side, using the movement to separate her feet so they were apart, pointing her toes in doing so.

When she went back to the left, she pushed up and stood on her toe for a moment then stepped forward onto her right. Her hands lifted to the sides for balance then pulled back in as she stepped backwards onto her other foot, lifting her head up to the sky, hand reaching to the clouds.

The music grew a little stronger as she stepped backwards lifted her leg to the side with her hands above her, standing on her toe for a moment then coming back and hugging her stomach. She swayed then stepped out again, hands raised then slowly coming down, standing on her toe for longer this time.

Her leg burnt from the position but she stepped back and lifted the same leg high, her hands reaching out towards it and the crowds. She moved her head down to press on her chest and span on the spot, her saffron sleeves on the white and silver dress fanning out around her body while the skirt lifted up to her thigh.

Her heart jumped as the music grew again. She peeped at the stage, judging how much distance she had. Then she stepped forward several times quickly and jumped forward, landing on her right foot without her hands out for balance.

She span in place and bent at the waist, hands reaching for her feet.

With a build of music, she stood on both toes at the moment, hands twisting and floating in the air, drifting down to her side as she bent her knees.

Everyone sat, amazed, jaws open by her dance.

Then they gasped and moaned in disappointment.

Rin clamped her mouth shut as she pushed herself up off the floor, pain shooting up her left leg from her ankle. She'd slipped and twisted it painfully.

She could already hear the muttering and talking. To slip at graduation… it would ruin her. No… no I won't… I won't let this happen!

With all her strength, she pushed herself up off the floor, ignoring the pain. The music had stopped as she fell out of pure shock but she gave them a nod. "Play." She whispered and lifted her hands in the last position she held.

The muttering slowed and silence resumed as she began to dance again. She danced on her right foot, jumping to avoid her injury, her hands moving as gracefully as she could manage. Her eyes twisted shut with pain and her make up ran as sweat ran down her face but she continued.

She even managed a graceful leap in her agony.

Whispers ran in the crowd.

She felt on the edge of collapse as she stood alone on her left foot, lifting her right behind her. She could feel her legs and arms were trembling but too determined to give up, she continued.

Then, she felt something strange.

Something soft and cold landed on her bare arm but it soon vanished.

No… it melted.

Rin tried not to gasp or open her eyes as the snow began to fall. It made every one gasp in shock and look up at the sky, holding out their hands to touch the falling snow. Then they looked back at the dancer as she continued, her face a pure mask of pain and it was clear by how red it was that her leg was seriously hurt.

Yet she carried on.

She danced just as gracefully as before. Her hands moved, hardly disturbing the snow around her. It moved with her. She span and a small funnel of snow formed around her body, clinging to her dress and hair and body. She was dancing with the snow… for the snow… and the snow was dancing with her.

At last the song fell to its natural finish. Silence filled the void. They couldn't clap. They couldn't cheer or speak. They just sat as the snow fell and hung in her hair.

Finally someone took a deep breath and everyone began to clap and cheer and call out to her. The dancer bowed, keeping weight off her leg before limping back behind the curtains, the cheers still following her.

Out front, the shamisen player quickly stood and hurried backstage. He found Rin leaning on the wall, tears flowing down her face and ruining her make up. "Rin…" he pushed past the others and grabbed hold of her, letting her lean on him. "Rin, it's alright. We'll get you some help."

"Rin…" Lady Mother said, pushing her son away. "That was incredible. You danced for the snow and the snow came. Oh Rin, you are going to be incredible!"

Rin managed to look at her. "Thank… you mother."

"Now, I want you to get changed as quickly as you can and join me on the balcony up there. Do you hear me?"

"No mother." Sesshomaru snapped, taking grabbing hold of Rin. "She needs to rest and have that leg seen too."

"Sesshomaru, this is not up for debate. Rin will go and she will stand and meet her suitors before bidding begins."

"Mother if she stands for too long on that foot, who knows what damage could be done to her foot. She needs a doctor!"

His mother rolled her shoulders and looked away from him. "It will show her commitment if she goes as she is. I want her makeup removed and her up there, AT ONCE."

Sesshomaru held her a little tighter but his mother growled and grabbed hold of Rin's arm, dragging her away from him and into the building that over looked the garden and the stage. She pushed and pulled the crying Rin up the stairs into a small but very decorative room with pillows and an area for dancing and another for pouring tea. There was a small balcony by the wall but the Mother pushed Rin roughly into the wall, grabbing her chin and making her look her in the eye. "Now listen here; the men need to see you. They need to remember what they are bidding for. You will stand with your head high and your neck exposed."

"But mother…"

"Never mind your leg!" The demoness hissed. "You will do as I say!"

Rin shook her head, fresh painful tears rolling down her face. "I… I can't."

"You can and you will." She turned her around and pushed her onto the balcony. She could hear the gasps of joy from below but the mother carefully and delicately, lifted her head up to the sky, leaning on her ear. "If you must, hold the banister."

Rin slid her hands on the railing but it was useless from the pain. She began to cry again, the tears rolling down her cheeks and landing in the falling snow.

Her mother huffed then stepped away. "Do not even think about moving."

As the tears rolled down her face, Rin kept her neck stretched to the sky, straining it with every sharp intake she took for her tears.

She could hear the men below, talking about her. She felt the snow falling on her face and its coolness took away some of the pain in her body but not all of it. She was still crying when her mother returned with a man.

He asked why she was crying but her mother said it was tears of happiness.

He presented a gift and left.

It went on like that for over an hour. The pain Rin was enduring was immeasurable. She wanted to sit down, to take some strain off her body. She was going to collapse if this went on much longer.

Lady Mother held her shoulder softly. "I am going to see who has won the bidding and return with your new Lenre. Stay where you are."

Rin sobbed silently but nodded, head still lifted to the sky. She was beginning to feel dizzy in the cold. Her tears were gone, too painful to shed anymore. Her legs shook. She was going to fall. Her hands closed on the railing as she prepared for her knees to give.

Then, she felt something behind her and carefully on her arms, lifting her slightly from the ground and releasing the pain. She sighed in relief as her head pressed against something hard. A heartbeat pressed into her body.

"Sesshomaru." She realised.

The inuyoukai nodded as he held her. "Just relax Rin. I've got you."

She sniffed as his hands rested on her arms, taking the strain of her body. She felt like floating in his grasp. Her eyes drifted closed as she leant on him. "Sesshomaru…."

"Rin, this is the last chance I will have to be near you. I have to say this. I love you. Even if you don't return my feelings… I will always love you. No matter where you go or who becomes your Lenre… I want you to always remember the dance we shared. That one moment… where everything in my life was perfect."

"Sesshomaru." She sobbed and reached out to his hand as it rested on her. "I… I love you too." She lowered her head into him, turning it to the side. "And now… I'm to be taken from you."

"Rin…" he whispered, leaning closer. "If… if you love me… then why didn't you come and run away with me? I waited in the gatehouse all day and night."

"What? What are you talking about?"

"I asked you to run away with me. To just… leave. We could have had a life together. I would have done anything for you."

"But… when did you ask me?"

"In the letter. I left it on your bed weeks ago."

"I… I never got a letter." She turned her head to face him as much as she could. "If I had… we wouldn't be here."

His eyes widened as her words but before he could say another, he felt the aura of his mother as it radiated with anger. He swallowed and let go of Rin who almost collapsed. He managed to hold her up and look at his mother. "She needed my help." He explained.

His mother turned her head to the side slightly. "She is not our reasonability anymore." She held her hand out to the man beside her. "This man is to take her to her new home."

Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. This man was not her Lenre, he was a messenger. So she'd been brought by someone with money and power. Who couldn't be bothered to come and see him herself. "Who?" he asked as last.

His mother's smile showed her fangs. "The emperor."

Both Rin and Sesshomaru gasped at this. "The… the emperor?"

"Yes Rin. For more than 83 million, more than I have ever known or imagined. You are to leave at once. Your belongings will be sent later but for now… you will leave at once."

The man stepped forward and held out his arm. "Here my dear, let me help you. I saw you fall, you must be in agony." His eyes lifted kindly to Sesshomaru. "I will take care of her from here."

The dog demon wanted to pull the man's head off with his bare hands but he knew he couldn't. He was powerless to stop as the woman he loved was taken from his arms and helped out of the room. He let out a desperate whine as she vanished from his sight.

I'll never see her again.

His eyes turned to his mother who was grinning, proud and victorious. "I hope you are glad mother. You just sold my only chance at happiness."

"Happiness Sesshomaru? What ever happened to Street Rat?"

"You knew didn't you? You knew about the letter."

"Of course I knew. I could see it in your face. You wished to run away with her. Ruin everything I have worked for. Well… my boy… she belongs to the emperor. Feel free to steal her away but there will be nowhere safe for you if you do." She put a hand over his heart. "These feelings will soon fade. You will forget her."

"Never. And I will never forgive you for this."

"I can live with that."

A/N: OMG! LADY MOTHER IS A BITCH! And I mean that in more than one way! I mean, yeah, she's a female dog but she's also a bitch! That was cold and cruel and… *cries*