West of the Moon

Chapter 20

Rin didn't understand it.

When Totosai had left, she made her way back to her room alone. She didn't see Kiyoshi on the way, and she was glad not to have to face him.

She knew that the fact that she was his superior rankled the dog demon, and she knew that serving her was a sort of punishment, but his reaction still concerned her. If he really was as nice as he had pretended to be, telling her things in confidence and agreeing to follow what ever plan was put in place to win Sesshomaru's war, then why had he reacted so badly to such a trivial request?

She knew that Tane didn't like her, and she suspected that Kiyoshi and Tane were closer than they liked to pretend in the presence of others. Or, at least, closer than Tane liked to think was obvious. It was clear to everyone that Kiyoshi was smitten. Rin knew that if there was ever a choice between saving Tane's life and saving hers – not likely since Tane was a powerful demon – Kiyoshi would not hesitate to save Tane, no matter the consequences.

But this was not a life and death situation. This was… She didn't know what it was. Deception?

Totosai had told her not to trust Kiyoshi, that he didn't like her. Rin believed him. But then what was the point in pretending to be her friend?

It made him seem devious and she couldn't imagine why he would bother.

His duty was to protect her. Sesshomaru believed he would do it. She had liked that he would both do his duty and be pleasant about the situation, but she really wouldn't have minded if the demon were very upfront about disliking her to begin with.

Jaken had been very critical of her when she had first met him, and she had never minded. As she had grown, Jaken had come to accept her, but he still called her stupid now and again.

She hadn't minded at all. He could be unpleasant, he didn't have to like her, but she also knew he would never abandon her.

Kiyoshi… Well, what did she know about him? He had been friendly, but it was a false friendship. So, was his loyalty to Sesshomaru false? Or, if not false, fragile enough to put her in harms way to spite Sesshomaru for his slight?

She didn't like having to question the motives of those around her, she wasn't used to it.

At home, she had always known that even if she didn't like the decisions they made for her, her brother and Niwa only wanted what was best. Their children loved her and would never hurt her. Hisa wanted her to be happy. There were others in the village that still didn't trust her, but there was no one there who would ever try to deliberately hurt her.

Had Kiyoshi been trying to hurt her in some way? She couldn't imagine why or how. She knew his friendliness had not been an act he put on for Sesshomaru's benefit, though, so he must have had some terrible fate in mind for her…

She didn't like this feeling that the world was out to get her. She wished she were home with Yukichi and Niwa, holding the new baby. She wished she was by Sesshomaru's side. She wished she were somewhere safe.

She could go home, Ahun would take her, but there was no point. Her home was just as icy as the palace by now, and a least if she was here she might find someway to help. Besides, she wouldn't abandon Sesshomaru like that, she couldn't. She had missed him so much, and missed him still. No matter what Kiyoshi had planned, Rin would take every moment she could get by Sesshomaru's side and treasure every one.

Besides, she was warned about Kiyoshi now. She would not be so quick to trust him again, no matter how convincing he was.

She stroked the hilt of her new dagger absently, thinking about the gift and knowing that she couldn't use it to defend herself against a human adversary much less the two demons she was apparently on the wrong side of.

The hilt was familiar in her hand though, and it felt friendly despite the wickedly sharp blade. Maybe it was just that it reminded her of Tenseiga, but having the blade was comforting.

It had been meant for Izayoi.

Rin didn't know much about the woman, only that she had captured the heart of Sesshomaru's father and was the mother of Inuyasha. She didn't know when the woman had lived or how she died, but Totosai told her that Izayoi was no fighter. This blade was small and slender and, although potentially dangerous, very feminine.

Rin could almost picture it tucked away in the obi of a beautiful princess.

It was also meant to be a wedding present. It was terrible that it could never be delivered, but just knowing it was meant to be something so intimate made it feel more special somehow.

She didn't know why it looked like Tenseiga, but she had a guess.

Tenseiga saved lives. Izayoi was human. When Tenseiga had been separated from Tetsaiga, the second sword could have been discarded, but it wasn't. For some reason the Great Dog Demon had kept it.

Maybe he had known that someday he would love a woman who could be taken from him. Maybe he had wanted her to have the dagger so that they could avoid the chance he would have to use the blade with the twin handle.

She ran her fingers over the familiar pattern again, twisting the blade in the light of her lantern and watching again the shimmer of blue along the edge.

It was blue like the Sesshomaru's moon. Blue like a summer sky. Blue like the heart of a fire.

It was then that she realized her fingers were warm.

Not really warm, not like she were actually holding something hot, but just…not cold. Even dressed in layers of furs, her finger and toes and cheeks were always just moment from going numb with cold.

Now they were back to normal.

She was sitting in a palace that was all but iced over, but she was very comfortable.

Totosai had said it wasn't a demon blade, but… She set it aside, just out of reach.

In a moment that nearly frozen feeling was creeping back into her hands.

She picked up the blade again.

A comfortable temperature.

"I've never made a blade like that before," he had told her. "That blade might save your life."

She didn't know the secret of this blade and she wasn't sure she wanted to, but she was glad to have it. As much as it comforted her to know that she had a weapon should she need it, it comforted her even more to know that weather or not she could fight the blade seemed to have a magic of its own.

Perhaps it was like Tenseiga in more ways than one.

Tane paced in front of Kiyoshi, thinking deeply.

"A sword master comes to see the girl and you don't even know what he wanted?"

Kiyoshi sighed. "The old man didn't know his top from his bottom; I doubt he had anything worth while to say."

"That old man it the same one who forged Tetsaiga and Tenseiga. I don't care how much of a fool he is; somewhere in there is a sharp mind."

"It's not like he came bearing some fantastic sword for her. Even if he had, she's human. She could never use any weapon he brought her."

Tane paused, looking at him. "But then why would he come?"

"To tell her he'd lost a sock? Or announce that it was snowing? He's an old man and no matter what he can do with a forge I don't believe there's much left of his sanity."

Tane huffed and threw herself down on a mound of cushions. Kiyoshi could help but notice that even when she was annoyed she was graceful and beautiful.

"I want her out of my palace."

He smiled at her a little, sensing her frustration. "So this afternoon didn't go as well as you had hoped?"

"No, it didn't. I served bad tea, I kept her here in this cold room, I made her read the histories, and not once did she complain. She didn't make a face at the tea. She was polite and drank it. She didn't ask to leave. The look on her face when I handed her the histories… I thought for sure that she would say something, but instead she just sat there, going over each character like a child, but she never once complained. Not once."

"Oh, Tane, what did you expect?" he asked, his small smile growing. She was cute when she pouted.

"I wanted her to be ungrateful. Mitoyo would have complained. And then I could have made her see how she didn't fit in here and made her see she should just go back to whatever rock she crawled out from under. She would have left and my son would never have been able to say I hurt her."

"I'm sorry your little attempt to pick a fight didn't work, but you will at least be glad to know that she was more than delighted to escape you."

Tane brightened a little, but not much.

"I know it doesn't seem like it, and I fear I may have set us back a little in my annoyance this afternoon, but I promise you I can make the girl leave without Sesshomaru suspecting a thing. I promise you she'll go and you will never have to see her again."

Tane sat up a little among her cushions, eyeing him with pleasure. "I like when you make promises to me Kiyoshi. You always know just what I need, and you always make it happen."

It was nearly midnight when Rin, with her dagger bundled close beside her, was awakened by Fuu. "There is a messenger here, Lady Rin. He says you and General Kiyoshi are wanted on the front. Lord Sesshomaru has need of you."

A/N: So, what do we think?