Author's Note: It's almost done. Sorry it's taken so long.
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Sesshomaru sat quietly as Rin hummed. It had been four months since Omari had left his company. He wondered how her injuries had healed and how she was doing in the Southern Lands. Her father had run a tight ship. No doubt everyone wondered if she could mimic what her father had done.
He had sent a letter to his mother to her what he had done before Omari had left. He was certain his mother already know what he had done. She would notice immediately that Omari's scent was different than the last time she saw her. There was no doubt in his mind that he would be questioned if he ever returned.
They were close to destroying Naraku. He could feel it in his bones. The demon had been a pain in his side for a while now. Rin and Omari had been subjected to his tyranny. The young girl hadn't been hurt near as much as Omari, but the demoness was ten times stronger than the human.
Sesshomaru watched Rin as she built a fire. The sun was setting and it was getting cold. He reached out and pulled the girl to him. She didn't argue as he draped his pelt around her. Jaken and Kohaku sat on the other side of the fire and ate his fill of mushrooms that had been roasting. The imp had taken good care of Rin these last few months even when he didn't want to. Sesshomaru had taken the young boy in after Rin had begged him to. It was only a temporary thing but he wanted to keep Rin happy.
When Rin fell into a peaceful sleep, he looked at Tenseiga. He had finally learned how to wield his sword. After months of being annoyed that he hadn't inherited Tetsusaiga, he finally let it go.
Sesshomaru had just witnessed the death of Kagura. The woman had taken Rin from him and hurt Omari before she left. The woman was a nuisance but he didn't wish harm to come to her unless she attacked him. He had just happened to come against Moryomaru, another demon Naraku had created. The demon had digested so many different demons that he was becoming undefeatable. No matter what anyone tried, they couldn't kill him.
The demon had opened his mouth and said something nasty about Kagura. Sesshomaru didn't like the woman but he wasn't going to sit by and let him insult her. He had unleashed an insane amount of demonic energy as he wielded Tokijin against the demon. It had penetrated Moryomaru's armor but the stress it put on the sword was too much. Tokijin had snapped in two.
The dog demon hadn't known the wind sorceress was badly injured. When he had found her, miasma was seeping from her body. She had looked up at him with a withering look then smiled when she realized it was him. They traded slight pleasantries before Kagura withered into nothing.
Sesshomaru had replied that scene over and over in his head. He hadn't understood why Kagura's death had done so much damage to him. He hadn't even really like the demon woman but he respected her abilities. He had really hated the fact that she was Naraku's incarnation. But he wasn't going to sit by and let someone insult a defenseless person.
That was when a bolt of lightning hit the ground. Sesshomaru turned around to look at the man who had forged both Tetsusaiga and Tenseiga. Totosai was always riding that stupid bull of his but it was efficient for him.
"I see how it is," the old man had said.
He had stood up and faced him. "What do you want?"
Totosai had looked around. "Tokijin's gone."
Sesshomaru had known what he was talking about and held up his hand. "Even without my sword, my claws will be enough to tear you apart."
The other demon had waved his hand in front of his face. "That has nothing to do with why I'm here. I was compelled to come. Tenseiga called me."
The dog demon looked skeptical even if he hadn't shown it. "Tenseiga?"
"Don't play dumb. You must have noticed Tenseiga is making noise." He had watched him closely. When Sesshomaru hadn't moved or said anything, he sighed. "It appears that your heart now has what it was lacking."
Jaken had come unglued at that point. "What do you mean 'lacking'? Lord Sesshomaru has a perfect heart!"
Rin had nodded behind the imp. "He's strong and kind."
The imp had turned with tears streaming down his face. "I have never seen him be kind."
The girl had looked to him. "Don't cry, Master Jaken.'
Totosai had ignored the bickering. "Tenseiga has reacted to the change in your heart. As heart that felt rage and sorrow for the sake of another most likely. Now hand over Tenseiga."
"What?" Sesshomaru had asked.
"The time has come to re-forge Tenseiga as a weapon."
Sesshomaru had let the old man re-forge his sword. Then in a courageous move, he had gone to see his mother. She would know something his father hadn't bothered to tell him or Omari for that matter.
As he had led his party, he had thought about seeing if Omari was around. He had doubted she was there and wasn't surprised to find she was. He had also transformed because he had felt another presence with him. It turned out to be his mother. Aayko was always meddling in her son's affairs but that never stopped Sesshomaru from doing what he wanted.
Like usual, Jaken put up a fight when someone who didn't address him in 'the proper manner' spoke to him. When they found out Aayko was his mother, they were surprised when they clearly shouldn't have been. He looked somewhat liked his mother, especially with the crescent moon on his forehead.
Aayko led them through the house towards his father's old throne room. Usually when he walked through, he always heard Omari's voice. She was always stationed somewhere near the family's quarters and the room where the Lord or Lady took they visitors. To not see her was a little offsetting.
He wasn't surprised when his mother told him all about the new technique he had to learn. She would know everything his father had planned even though they weren't married at the time the swords were forged. She would have the item he needed to get stronger.
What he wasn't prepared for was Rin to die again. He had gone into the void and was prepared to destroy the keeper of the underworld when he saw Rin. She had died but he wasn't sure how. He had grabbed her before destroying the keeper. When he brought her back to his family's estate, he had used the Tenseiga to heal her but it wouldn't work. Then his mother dropped a bombshell on him. The Tenseiga could only heal a person once.
Rin was going to stay dead.
That knowledge had gripped him hard and nearly brought him to tears. If he lost Rin, he would feel inadequate. Omari would be hurt as well. She loved the girl as if she was her own. Kohaku was her friend and her death would harm him as well.
Aayko had watched the emotions play across her son's face. He had never cared for a human for as long as she could remember. She had watched him walk away from humans with a sneer so for him to care for two humans meant he had changed.
Without a word, she revived the young girl. Sesshomaru had simply touched her face when she woke up.
They had remained in the Western Lands so Rin could gather her strength. The maids had taken good care of her as he talked with his mother over things that had happened while he had been gone. He had learned that Omari had taken her seat as the heir to the Southern Lands and had formed an unbreakable alliance with the Western Lands. She was doing well, but he had gotten the feeling his mother had been keeping something from him.
When they had left his home land, Sesshomaru led the way for a day then stopped so Rin could rest. She still wasn't up to her normal pace and Ah-Un was acting fidgety. Kohaku wasn't any better. So here they were resting in the woods.
"Lord Sesshomaru," Jaken said as he crawled to Sesshomaru's side of the fire. "When will your messenger arrive from the Southern Lands?"
Sesshomaru had sent a note to Omari via one of the many demon birds that he had under his command. The bird would have delivered his message by now, and knowing Omari, she would have written back immediately.
"He should be here tomorrow," Sesshomaru replied. "I still want Rin to rest. She has been through a lot recently."
"If you hadn't let her die in the underworld, she wouldn't be like this." Though he muttered it, Sesshomaru's dog demon ears picked up what the imp had said. He cut his eyes to the side. Jaken cringed. "I'm sorry, my lord."
As the night wore on, Sesshomaru kept watch over his little party. Jaken slept like a five year old and Kohaku had nightmares like he normally did. The boy would wake up in a cold sweat even though he was lying beside the fire. The older demon watched him like a hawk because he had threatened Rin before.
As dawn broke, he heard a squawking in the southern sky. The messenger was back and clutched in his talons was a scroll and a package. Omari had replied to his letter and had sent something else. The bird stopped above him and dropped its cargo before flying off. Sesshomaru opened the scroll first.
Sesshomaru,
Thanks for your letter. Your mother said you were going to be writing as soon as you could. She also told me what happened to Rin. How can you be so stupid as to let her go into the underworld? Never mind.
I need you to finish what we started. Naraku's minions have attacked the Southern Lands. I have raised an army to battle them so I'm afraid I can't meet up with you any time soon. If Naraku breaks through my forces, he will cut a line clean through to the North. I will stop him on this side.
Do your part and destroy him. When I feel his demise, I will seek you out. Until then, do not contact me. I cannot afford to lose you as well. Take care of Rin and Jaken. I want to see them as well.
Give the package to Rin.
Omari
Sesshomaru rolled up the scroll and tucked it in his kimono. He looked at the box before him. Omari would send something for Rin. The girl would tear into it once she was awake and he would get to see what it was. Until then he had to wait his turn. As he waited he'd let his mind wander to the mate he had allowed wander off.