Chapter 10: Everything's going to be okay…

They traveled for a day and a half through the shallow ends of the river bank. They knew that they had Benjiro's men after them, and the best way of not being found was to leave no tracks. Things were looking hopeless, but when one was about to give in the other was there with just enough hope to get the other through it. Juro's wounds were still pretty bad, and made things slightly difficult on the journey. He was constantly in pain, and though he would not admit it out loud to her she knew by the look on his face when he rode.

Constantly they would argue over taking a break. Midori would claim that it was for the better, and Juro would say that was a ridiculous and idiotic plan that would get them caught or killed. Midori would drop it for a moment in embarrassment until she would feel anger take over her when that pained look would cross his face.

"Surely something is wrong Juro," Midori scowled walking beside him and the horse.

"I said no Midori now drop it damn it," he snapped angrily, "we are not stopping."

"Who left you in charge? If I remember correctly I saved you and got us out of that castle," Midori stopped and placed her hands on her hips. Juro pulled on the reins stopping the horse.

"Yeah barely Midori, you are hardly qualified to take charge and make accurate good decisions. You let your heart get in the way of your head," he said glaring down at her. Midori's mouth dropped open at his accusation completely stunned unable to move, "now let's keep moving. We need to find some sign of a trail or village."

"Yeah," a crack broke through her voice as she turned to keep walking leaving Juro there to realize that he said something that hurt her. They walked in silence for quite some time before they heard the sound of splashing around the river bend. Midori pulled to a stop nervously making Juro look up from staring at the horses ears in deep concentration; the baby firmly wedged into his chest.

"Shhhhh," Midori hissed as Juro asked her what was wrong. He went silent as Midori slowly glided through the water to look at the three women who were gathering water and cleaning laundry, "people."

"People?" he asked painfully climbing down holding his ribs painfully. Midori wouldn't look at him as he walked to her side to look at the people, "humans…"

"Yes," Midori agreed.

"Perhaps they have a village some where close where we can settle down for awhile until we are off the radar," Juro said making her shake her head.

"I need to get home as soon as possible," Midori snapped angrily.

"I know Midori," Juro snapped back, "but do you honestly think that he doesn't have men out hunting for you? We need to settle down until things are quiet, and keep an eye out for information. Your father will come looking for you eventually, and we can find a way to spread word to him or rumors to Benjiro. But we cannot pass through, that would look to conspicuous."

"Fine," Midori said angrily as Juro walked out past the giant rock foundation that kept them hidden.

"Hello," Juro said making the girls look up frantically. Obviously they never had visitors there, or anyone who walked out from the water. Midori timidly grabbed the baby and pulled the horses out from behind the rock so they were visible to the ladies.

"Who are you?" one of the ladies asked nervously holding her laundry very close to her.

"My name is Uro," Juro said very delicately obviously trying to think without showing the falseness in his words, "and this… this is my wife Midi and our daughter."

"Why do you wonder the waters stranger?" another one asked with curiosity at Midori who stood very still nervous of what could happen.

"We lost our home to a fire when our village was ransacked by bandits. We have been traveling since. But the days grow hotter, and my wife and child need a place to call home once more," Juro spoke with words that sounded as if they were nothing but the truth, it stunned Midori how well he was handling it. How much the ladies believe them, "is there a place near by where we can seek refugee and once more rebuild our lives?"

The woman chatted amongst themselves as Midori slowly made her way towards Juro. The thought of her being his wife seemed to strangely linger in her thoughts, but she would push it away as a ridiculous thought. Juro glanced over at her to see that she was very intensely buried in her own mind.

Strange this girl is, he thought to himself as he tried not making his observation known, she is always buried in her own thoughts. She is just…

"Alright," one of the ladies said with a smile, "we live in a village near by here. It isn't much, just a small farming community. We don't have much to help you start, but we can loan you things until you get back on your feet. There is an old man who has been looking for someone to live in his house and care for it for him. He is dying, and the place is falling apart. You may discuss with him what he wants in return, but he wants to make sure that someone will take care of his house once he has left this world."

"We will accept," Midori said frantically not wanting them to change their mind, "it would give them long enough to stay hidden, and yet they could easily leave when need be."

"We will," Juro nodded politely as Midori moved towards the bank of the river. Juro followed behind her as she moved their horses with speed. Juro helped the ladies carry their large laundry loads as Midori memorized the way back to the river as the ladies move through the thick trees.

One of the ladies had led them to a decent sized house that looked a little warn out. Shrubs and weeds were growing along where gardens and land had once flourished with fruit. An old barn sat falling apart with a few animals who looked slightly starving, but luckily they had plenty of weeds and over grown grass to keep them alive. A small creek ran through with clean water to keep the animals watered. It was a charming little place, nothing compared to a castle… but for those on the run it was perfect.

"This way," the lady said leading to the front door. You could tell it was once a place of wealth and wonder.

"We need a place to store our horses," Midori said hastily. The lady nodded and walked in the direction of the barn. Juro helped take two of the horse into the barn which was very wide and spacey. Midori fed the horses some of their grain and carrots, and then couldn't resist feeding the other two horses that belong to the old man which were looking very thin. Midori smiled as she saw animals she had only ever seen in books or from far away. Farm animals were not something royalty dealt with very much. There was a cow, two sheep, a little pigmy goat, and four chickens that looked gloomy and under kept.

"Are you done yet?" the lady asked as Midori finished playing with the little goat. She nodded and followed pursuit quickly.

"Jin?" the lady asked as she opened the door walking into the decently kept house.

"Yes," an old man said trying to wobble his way into the room. His head was pretty much bald with a few strands of white hair, his skin was old and wrinkly, his old bones creaked as he moved, "Sang-li," he said smiling at the lady, "you have come to visit this old man?"

"For a moment," she said very solemnly, "I have brought you some nice people as companions. They are willing to take over the property for you, and willing to look after you in exchange."

"Ah, I see," the old man said slowly making his way to look at them, "lovely couple you are. But why do you wish to take over my property?"

"We have lost our home sir," Midori said trying to remember Juro's story, "and we are in need of a new start."

"Well this place is yours with the agreement that I stay until my death. I want you to promise to care for, and love this home as I did when I was able to. I cannot do much, and the animals are in need of caring for. I would like your word that you will care for me as well," he said in his shaky old voice, "I'm sure it will not be long before I join my beloved wife Ming, so I will not be a burden for long. My son died in a war not of his own, and I have no one to leave this place to. So with your promise you may make your start here."

"It is a promise," Juro said politely bowing to the old man. Jin chuckled at Juro and lifted a shaky hand.

"Young man you remind me of myself, how I tried my hardest to provide for my family. If only my son had been a family oriented man instead, perhaps things would have been different. But this place is yours, and your free to make it so. The animals are useable, and still very fresh. But they will need to be kept better then they have to get them into shape. They have names already. The horses are both ten years old and very willing and able, the cow is about twelve, and the goat is fairly young. I ask that you do not sell them for they have lived their life here a long time," the old man chuckled before the old man tried to hobble his way back to the kitchen, "I was attempting at fixing myself some food. Their maybe enough for you guys to make yourself something as well."

"Allow me," Juro said helping the old man walk. Midori followed and looked at the kitchen. She had never been one for house work, nor did she know how to cook very well. The only things she cooked were simple, although she had watched the cooks quite often intrigued at how fast they moved.

"If I may ask, could you take over the cooking as well. I find myself not eating because I am unable to," the old man said feeling obviously embarrassed.

"Yeah," Midori tried to force a smile as she realized that this was the way that the rest of the world lived. She had no idea how easy she truly had it.

"Great," the old man said before eating his small salad. It looked very plain.

"Would you like something else to eat?" Midori asked nervously. The old man smiled at her.

"You're a very beautiful young lady," he said making out her facial features, "you are not like us, you are not human."

"Uh-oh, erm," Midori didn't know how to answer.

"It's alright missy," he said taking a bite of his lettuce, "we do not fear your kind around here, you have shown no ill temper or will to harm. As long as you keep your end of the bargain, you are safe here. Could one of you see me to my room, I am very tired."

"Of course," Juro said helping the old man walk out of the kitchen and down the hall to a small room with just a simple mat on the floor next to a picture of a younger him and a beautiful woman.

"Midori?" Juro asked as she finished making sandwiches. She glanced over at him with a confusing look on her face, "what is it?"

"I don't know," she said looking at him with no smile on her face or eyes, "it feels so strange being here. As if this is where I am meant to be, but at the same time… so far away. I don't know what to do Juro."

"It will be fine, everything is going to be okay," he said walking to her and placing his hands on her shoulders, "I've failed you in the past, but not this time. Never again."

"It's not you," she said pulling away so she could look out the window, "it's this place. It has so much history in it, and I just don't know where to begin. Do we plan for a long settlement, or is this short and temporary."

"Lets just live it day by day. Let's plan for some what settlement and play it by ear. Let's see what we can do with this place. If we get some vegetable plans and plant them, we will have food and stuff to sell. If we sheer the sheep, that is more money. We can sell two of our horses, and keep the big one and the old mans. We can make this work, get a small thing for the baby to sleep in."

"Where are we going to sleep?" Midori asked not looking at him.

"There are two extra rooms," he said walking beside her, "I can take one and you the other."

"It will look to conspicuous," she said sighing, "perhaps just separate beds."

"No," Juro said placing a hand on her shoulder, "you can have your own space. I will claim it as I have a study and I spend all my time in there. No one will ever know."

"I suppose your right," Midori said turning around to face him. Well I guess I will get started on the weeds."

"I will go to town, are you sure you won't go with me?" he asked nudging her. Midori nodded her head and gave a smile.

"Sure, I will go with you," she said following him out the door.

While in town they sold the two horses they had brought with them. Lucky for them they had such nice bred horses that they got a lot of money for them. They were able to buy food, a lot of vegetable plants of all kinds, and some tools. Even better, they had plenty of left over money to save up. As they began to set up their new life Juro couldn't help but notice that something was seriously bothering Midori. But he would figure it out, he would fix it, and he would make her proud… no matter what he had to do.

*-*-*-*

"It's been days," Rin said feeling hopeless, "and no one has heard anything."

"When did you get naive Rin?" Sesshomaru growled angrily. She glared at him with anger.

"At least one of us still cared about our daughters where about, I'm sorry I'm the only one who is worried!" Rin cried out tired and stressed.

"Rin if I didn't care I wouldn't be here," he said not looking back at her, "and I have nothing to worry about. No one would dare harm her in fear of my wrath."

"Have you ever thought that maybe you aren't as feared as you have been trying to make yourself?! That maybe leaving your daughter and wife behind were not going to get you the results you wanted, that you were giving them up in vain?"

"Nothing is in vain," he growled again.

"Apparently," she said with watery eyes. How could he be so uncaring? So careless? So… evil?

"Either your not the man I knew and loved, or you never were and I was fooled," Rin said stilling on top of her horse.

"Or perhaps you were to blind and afraid to see all of me," Sesshomaru said hating every venomous word that came out to sting painfully. But he had to hide his emotions, and the only way to pretend like he didn't care… was to be hateful.

"Well now we both see why," she said giving her horse a soft kick and riding past him angrily.

"Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken asked walking up closer behind him.

"What," Sesshomaru growled. Jaken coward and decided to keep going with what he was to say, "speak now Jaken while my patience is bearable."

"If you want to win Rin back I don't think your tactic is working," Jaken said nervously. Sesshomaru stopped and growled, "sorry lord Sesshomaru!"

"Do not tell me what I want or how to get it," Sesshomaru said with a warning in his voice.

"I'm sorry Lord Sesshomaru!" he squeaked scared. He quickly cowered down.

"How do you think she needs to be won over?" Sesshomaru whispered loud enough only Jaken could hear.

"Well…" Jaken shouted with excitement before Sesshomaru growled warning him to be discrete, "she needs to be cared for, she needs to feel like your there for her. That's why she goes for the human guy, Jaken knows Rin well. She needs to feel loved, and not have to guess or ask for the affection."

"Hmmm," Sesshomaru sighed with frustration, "she is so…"

"So what? Is she worth it?" Jaken asked worried in which the way he was saying it.

"She is," Sesshomaru growled once more, but it was not one of anger, or warning, or anything violent… it was one of defeat and sadness, "I want to be what she needs. But I fear it is too late for this Sesshomaru."

"That is not for you or I to decide milord, it is for Rin… perhaps you should talk to her," Jaken said nodding his encouragement.

Sesshomaru had made the decision right then and there that he was going to do everything to win her back, and on the next break… he would tell her of his feelings. He would hold nothing back, he would let her in… and he prayed, she would do the same.

Authors note: If I get some good reviews! I might make something yummy happen for Sesshy-poo and Rin! But I need reviews reviews reviews! Sorry it took me so long to put a new chapter up, but I have been preoccupied with being pregnant. I am being pushed into labor this coming Friday! So I hope… the sooner you review, the sooner I can get to a new chapter before the baby comes and takes ALL my time!

Love4horses