~Several Months Later
So he had come this far, has he? Sesshomaru breathed in the saltiness of the sea, letting it fill his being with the scent that was always familiar to him. For a demon of such caliber and fearsome power, he was utterly exhausted. He would never admit it, not ever; wanting to push his limits as far as they could go but this quest for Naraku was wearing him thin.
That piece of filth. Sesshomaru sent a glare down toward the crashing waves that beat against the cliff side, the sounds reverberating in his ears and sending thumps of power into his being. This was where he found solace and the small gift of peace. For centuries when his mind was troubled, it was sea side cliffs he found himself upon. His body bringing him to these places like it was a muscle memory, like his heart believed that someone would be here waiting for him.
An old promise from a fading memory.
Tenseiga, obviously sensing its master's weariness, began to pulsate against his hip lightly in tune with the waves and with a sigh he grasped the hilt, holding it tightly and turned to set his focus on his company.
A-Un sat lazily amongst the grass with their eyes closed lightly in relaxation, the loyal beast keeping his senses sharp for any oncoming danger. Rin, his little Rin was happily skipping amongst the large bed of flowers that bore many different colors, finding bliss in plucking as many as she could while Jaken stood off to the side with an ever watchful eye on the young human.
Light of a smile sparkled in the demon lords eyes as he watched his little ward skip amongst the blooms, her brown eyes scanning the flowers as if looking for the perfect one to pick but what caught his attention was that with each flower she would grasp, she would immediately turn toward the edge of the cliff and hold the flower up as if showing someone.
Golden eyes keenly watched as she turned around with a large smile and added the flower to her already growing bundle, soon reaching down and running her hands over them until her eyes fell on a red daisy and immediately plucked it and ran to the cliff edge. Sesshomaru continued to stare as she held the flower up for a moment before smiling brightly and sitting down, her legs swinging over the edge.
What a strange child.
Rin happily swung her feet over the cliff while mindful of not getting to close as she placed the bundle between herself and a pool of green fabric. Looking up and offering her best smile, her heart beamed when a pair of green eyes found her own and offered an equally charming grin. Eavan had been appearing to her more often as of late; not like Rin was complaining, she enjoyed the company that she offered as well as the safety she felt in the older woman's presence.
Since finding the paintings at her Lords castle and learning just a small bit of information about the deceased human, Rin had been able to see her every so often during her travels with Lord Sesshomaru. Rin looked up from her lap to stare at her lord as he sat against a stone at the cliff edge, golden eyes ever staring toward the endless sea. She was indebted to the powerful demon, he brought her back to life when he didn't have to, he brought her to his home and she was cared after when she didn't need to be. He didn't have to do everything he did for her but yet he still did and no one had ever done so much for her.
Rin looked from her Lord and up toward the red haired woman that sat at her side, her green eyes staring just as intently toward Sesshomaru with what looked like sadness in her orbs. Rin cocked her head and stared at the woman, thoughts and questions swirling through her mind that she wanted to ask but she knew better.
Saiya told her that she and Lord Sesshomaru were close friends and that was all she needed to know. Rin understood when not to pry but she couldn't help but be curious about why Eavan was here like she was another being amongst them and why only she could see her, she also didn't speak very much which Rin could understand
In time, Saiya had said, in time she was sure Rin would know everything. Reaching down she plucked a pinkish colored Daisy that seemed to glitter in the sunlight of the late afternoon, holding it gingerly before putting it back and searched for another flower to pick up.
With the flowers piled at their sides, Eavan lifted up a transparent hand and let it ghost through the petals like they weren't there at all, her flesh not making contact nor moving the flowers from their positions on the ground. Rin looked up from the pale hand to see that an expression of sadness took over the red haired lady's fair features, her eyes becoming even greener than they were, looking almost like glass.
Eavan moved her eyes from the little girl to stare at her love who was seated upon a boulder at the edge of the cliff. A sad smile reached her lips as she floated to her feet and placed her palm just barely upon Rin's cheek before silently gliding toward her demon as he rose from the boulder to stand at the cliff edge.
She knew that he couldn't sense her, he didn't have the power like his father did to be able to speak upon spirits and it had made her heart hurt for so long. She couldn't speak to him, she couldn't touch him, she couldn't make his eyes see her but still she never strayed far from his side.
Since her death so long ago she couldn't leave him, not in the state he was in.
He used to be so kind, gentle and so curious of everything around him. He held a wonder about him that had captured her since the first day they met in the gardens she kept for the Lord Taisho. A smile lit her up her doleful features as memories from their past together swirled behind her eyes; the years she so wished to return to and begin all over again.
Yet they could not and never will.
After the battle of the estate and the arrow striking her down, he had lost himself, a darkness opening in him that not even the brightest light could quench. Sesshomaru had lost his humanity, his wonder and benevolent nature that night and it destroyed her even in death.
Tears sprang from her eyes and glittered down her cheeks as she set her gaze upon Sesshomaru. His eyes never strayed from the crashing waves and she could see the thoughts whirling through his mind; what he was thinking she did not know but it was in this moment that she saw how tired he actually looked. His eyes were duller than she remembered and lines of age began to appear upon his face from his frozen scowl. He wasn't the fresh adolescent demon that she remembered; no, he was now a mature and battle worn man who has seen his fair share and he was nowhere near finished. Not just yet.
Eavan reached out and went to place her hand upon his back but watched as like every time before, her fingers slipped through him like he were but a water reflection and it made the tears spring with more power. She just wanted to touch him. A sob heaved past her throat painfully. She wanted to speak to him. She tried again and watched as her fingers glided through his cheek, his expression never changing and his eyes unseeing of her. She just wanted him. Dropping her hand back to her side, she stood quietly beside him and listened as the waves again beat against the cliff side.
It was then a smile broke through her tears. So he did remember? Looking from her loves stoic features, she stepped forward and glanced down at the bluest of oceans and watched as the waves broke against the cliff, a roar sounding powerfully from each strike.
It reminded her of her homeland of green, her village upon a cliff that overlooked the sea. It was like she could see her mother and father, so in love and so happy as they stood at the edge arm in arm while watching the many sunrises and sunsets they shared through their years. It was their spot, their haven on land that was all their own.
She and Sesshomaru shared them as well.
"Meet me where the cliffs greet the sea."
She said those words to him when they wanted peace, when they wanted each other, when they wanted to just be together. Her parents would say the same thing to one another. The sobs were more powerful now as she relived those happiest of her short memories with him, the precious moments of time they shared together and the love they showed each other each more passionate than the last. Those were the memories that kept her going, those memories she held dear as she fought to rid him his darkness. She would not pass on until he was the demon she fell in love with once more.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" Rin's voice broke both of them out of their thoughts as the little girl came running toward the towering demon with her hands behind her back and a smile spread wide across her face. Rin sent a beaming grin toward her Lord as she rocked on her heels, waiting for him to say something first before she showed him her gift.
Sesshomaru raised an eyebrow and turned full to face his little ward. "What is it, Rin?"
With a hop of excitement, Rin snatched her arms out from behind her to hold up a very lopsided and quickly thrown together wreath of the flowers she had picked. Sesshomaru raised both eyebrows now as he looked upon the wreath of many colored blooms, the hues mixing together so brightly that it sent a small twinge of a headache through his brow. He watched as the smile never left the little girls face while she held the wreath out gently toward the demon lord.
"I, uh, made it for you, Lord Sesshomaru. I just learned how to do it so this is my first one." Rin shuffled from one foot to the other, kicking up a little bit of dirt as a small flush appeared upon her cheeks.
As if he were hit by a blow from a blade, the demon lord faltered a fraction as he watched the little girl thumb a leaf that was poking from the wreath. She made it for him? Is that so? Slowly his shocked expression relaxed and turned to stand right before the little girl, who had dropped her gaze down toward her left foot which was toeing the dirt.
She had been with him for several months since he left the castle for his quest. He had wanted her to stay with Saiya, to leave her in a place where she would be safe and well cared for but the little girl had refused as well as Saiya.
"She is precious, my lord; a gem that has been sent to you from someone just as precious. Please, remember that and keep her safe."
"She would be safer here where she would be protected and cared for. My quest shouldn't be hindered by the welfare of a human child."
"That may be true my lord but she is smart and a survivalist, she would do less than hinder your quest. You saved her life and she holds you highly to her, I'm sure one day you will too."
Blinking quickly and shooting a look down toward Rin, he saw that her shoulders had slumped and she had begun to turn around to walk away.
"Rin." He called gently and brown eyes darted around to throw a glassy look toward his golds. Slowly he held his palm out toward the little girl and quickly she had gotten the notion and skipped back toward him and placed the wreath in his waiting hand.
Sesshomaru wrapped his claws around the extremely delicate weaving and just held it, eyes wandering through the flowers and wrapped stems that were bursting from their knots. It was not the most beautiful thing he's ever seen but one look upon how proud she was of it and how he was her first thought to gift it to, it was more precious than beautiful.
"I will treasure it, Rin. Thank you." Was all he said before he gave her an approving nod and turned to look at the sea once more while Rin beamed up at the back of her Lord before running toward her pile of extra flowers, wanting to make another wreath for one more person.
Sesshomaru turned his eyes to look at the flowers his palm, his finger gracing over the petals softly and let a small ghost of a smile reach his lips. Saiya was right; she was precious and another human being that he didn't deserve to have in his life. Doing his best with only one arm, he gently opened the front of his kimono and slipped the small wreath into the silk and folded it back to hide the flowers amongst his armor. He spoke only the truth, he would treasure it for as long as he could.
Eavan watched the exchange with her heart filling to the brim with emotions. Rin, a little human girl, was able to send a large crack through the wall he had built around himself. Yes, slowly but surely he was becoming his old self. Slowly he was becoming the demon she had fallen in love with so long ago. Closing her eyes lightly and lifting her nose to the wind, Tenseiga gave one more gentle pulse and she shimmered away.
Sesshomaru, feeling the last pulse from Tenseiga hit his hip, it was decided that they must move on with their journey. Placing his hand upon the hilt of the silent sword, Sesshomaru turned toward his pack and began pacing toward them. A-Un stood when they sensed their master moving and followed behind him as he called for Jaken, the imp standing from his spot amongst the bed of flowers to run toward his Lord.
"Yes Milord, what is it?" He asked with a bow before staring up toward the massive demon.
"The crystal the wind sorceress gave you, we will use it to find where the scum keeps its heart." With that Sesshomaru began walking toward the lip of the forest and disappeared with his company following behind him and the waves sending one last thundering crash as the cliff side was empty once more.
