A New story by NikkiS71 and Gayle Nightingale
Based on a prompt from Inucestlover on TUMBLR
Prompt: Murder Mystery Edition!
Everyone is stuck inside Sesshomaru's palace during a tremendous storm. While everyone is having dinner Rin leaves to go use the bathroom. At the main entrance she discover a dead body and lets out a high pitch scream!
Yaoi.
Chapter one
Rin comes home.
It was a beautiful afternoon when Rin arrived at her father's home. The roses she had planted were all in blossom. They were beautiful. She looked about her and noticed the gardeners had taken her advice and added supplements to the soil around the roses. The roses burst with health. Rin stopped to smell them. She smiled as she recalled her childhood and her stoic father. 'All I had to do was just ask his permission and he would have let me plant the entire yard in flowers. I'm secretly glad Jaken stopped me from planting the whole yard. This garden is beautiful.' She reached out and touched a rose petal and cherished the soft texture. She plucked one and put it in her pocket. 'I'll use it in my apartment to make it smell like home.'
Standing and facing the building she steadied herself to face her father. She loved the man, but his recent antics had driven her to move out. He had become more and more withdrawn. When she asked, he wouldn't say and finally when she threatened to move out into an apartment with a friend, he just waved a hand and left. That was the last time he spoke to her.
It nearly broke her heart.
As she reflected she realized her father became withdrawn around the time Uncle Inuyasha left without a word. She missed her uncle too. Jaken had told her he had become a pilot and was flying all over the world. She never knew he wanted to be a pilot and travel. They used to hang out together reading books in the master library. Maybe some story had made him interested in traveling. Maybe she could ask him if he came today.
When Jaken called to say that Lord Sesshomaru was hosting a party and she was invited, Rin had hope that her father was opening up again. She could hardly wait for this day. Fact was she was actually early. Father wouldn't mind, would he? She trembled as she walked to the big imposing front doors.
'I used to live here. Do I knock? Or just walk in?' Rin contemplated. Deciding knocking was the best idea she started to lift the heavy brass dog knocker just as Myoga the butler opened the door.
"Greetings Lady Rin! Welcome home." Myoga bowed properly and using his free arm waved her into the grand foyer.
"Myoga!" she cried out as she grabbed the old man in a hug, "How good it is to see you!"
Rin released her hug on the butler who was speechless with joy as he quickly straightened his coat.
"How's Shoga? Is she cooking up some wonderful food for us?"
Myoga ushered her in the house.
The grand foyer was as lovely as always. Sparkling marble floors, a magnificent chandelier, twin broad staircases rising to the second floor, and a large portrait of Grandfather Toga smiling benevolently on all who entered.
Rin loved that portrait. She had often wondered if Grandpa Toga really beamed like that in real life. She wanted to believe it was so.
"My Lady," the butler continued, "allow me to take your coat. Please seat yourself in the sitting room. I shall bring you some of my mate's fares and some lovely floral tea." Myoga reached out for the garment.
"Oh, please Myoga, may I take my tea in the sunroom? It's so much brighter and happier there." Rin started to step toward the sunroom.
"The Master wants you to go to the formal sitting room," the old butler replied stopping her in mid step. His arms still reached out for Rin's coat. Then he added quietly, "It was your mother Sara's favorite room."
Rin passed her bright yellow coat to Myoga and stepped through the marble foyer, her shoes making a click, click sound that echoed in the empty area. As she scanned the foyer, she noticed none of the décor had changed. Two large stained-glass panes surrounded the large wooden front doors. They were accented by elegant pieces of art and classic sculptures that lined the front of the house. To her left was the master's office and library. The intricate hand carved wooden doors were slid shut. Rin wondered if Father was there but decided it would be best to follow Myoga's instruction and go into the formal sitting room.
She watched Myoga walk through the wide hallway under the great stairs. He was going to the kitchen to get her tea. The guest bathroom was in the hallway. When Rin was a child, she had wondered why they needed so many bathrooms, but Shoga and Kaede, the maid, told her it was for when Lord Toga and Lady Izayoi had had parties. The maid and cook would get dreamy-eyed and talk of the glorious parties they prepared for her grandparents, of all the people in fancy dress clothes and the merriment that echoed through the house. Rin enjoyed those stories. Sometimes she pretended she was there, and she would twirl and dance on the marble floor of the great foyer under the sparkling chandelier.
Gliding as though dancing, she entered the formal sitting room. Although it was a pretty space, it was too stuffy, definitely not her preferred location. However, it was her mother's favorite place. Her father had told her many stories of how her mother had spent many hours in that little room, playing her flute or doing needlepoint. The stories made Rin long for what she had missed. As a child when she asked her father where her mother was he would get choked up and change subjects. Uncle Inuyasha was the first to tell her that her mother had died in childbirth.
Specifically, Rin thought the room was too formal and too dainty. She was always afraid she would spill something on the furniture. She looked about to find a chair. She looked at the fine woodwork and delicate needlework pieces as she walked slowly about the room, her fingertips trailed across the back of the woodwork.
By the time she found a chair to sit in Myoga had returned with the tea and fresh berry scone. She started to stand and retrieve the tray from him, but he insisted he serve her.
"Sorry, Myoga. I'm not used to having people serve me anymore," Rin smiled bashfully.
"Allow an old servant the joy of serving someone, my dear. It brings all of us great joy to see you in the manse again," the old man sniffed as his emotions started to overwhelm him.
Rin inhaled the odor of the tea. "Delightful! Please tell Shoga. And I really would like to say hello to her and Kaede while I'm here. Would that be okay?"
Myoga's eyes opened wide, tears glistening as they gathered at the lower lids.
"It would be our greatest pleasure, my lady," he turned and dashed off, a handkerchief magically appearing from his sleeve as he dabbed his eyes.
When Myoga was gone, Rin turned her focus back on the room and her tea. The manse was quiet except for the large clock in the sitting room. Rin sipped her tea and nibbled her scone. She spied her mother's flute which brought up another memory.
She was six when she tried to play the instrument. It was hard to blow air and make a sound, but when she finally succeeded she was proud of herself. Multiple footsteps came running at the sound. Rin looked up from the flute smiling only to see the horror-stricken faces of the staff and the sad look on her father's face. Even Uncle Inuyasha seemed sad, but he grabbed her father's arm and led him away whispering to him the whole time. She never touched it again. She looked at something else.
Time seemed to crawl.
Rin shifted uneasily in her chair.
"I wonder who else is coming?" She asked. "And where is Jaken? Maybe he'll tell me what's going on."