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Chapter 33: His Castle
Sunlight flitted over her lids in a soothing rhythm, pulling her from a sleep she would have sworn was death; bringing her into a world of soft warmth and harsh reality—a world of gold and luxury. Rin's eyes rolled to the back of her head as she swam to the surface of consciousness, fighting every temptation to let her cocoon of silk and cotton sway her back into oblivion.
Her doe-brown orbs skirted the offending flickers of sunlight through a circular window, where it rose into a maple tree, the leaves offering intermittent shade upon her face.
Where is this? Paradise?
Her body was heavy, every limb filled with damp sand and lead. Even as her eyes scanned the elegance of the bed, of the fresh and unstained tatami floors beyond it, and even of the demon servants holding various items in the corner, Rin couldn't seem to put it all together.
"Wh-where am I?" Rin sat up quickly despite herself—despite the pain and the numbing aid that the opium had offered—as she addressed the demons in the corner. "Who are you? What—"
"Oh, you're finally awake. It's about time." A dark green imp side-stepped out from behind the third demon in line by the door and Rin's face lit up with recognition.
"Honorable Jaken-sama…" All of a sudden the memories from the night before rushed to the forefront of her mind in tumultuous waves.
Sesshoumaru-sama had visited her room… and then he held her... and then…
"Yes, yes." Jaken bit back a blush while coughing into his hand. "Your memory serves you well, human!"
Rin stole one more look around the pristine room. High-reaching beams of dark wood with demons—dog demons—carved among them held up the structure; ceilings of arched mahogany and sumi-e murals of war and bloodshed. They all denoted a caliber of craftsmanship that could only belong to royalty.
Rin's heart thundered in her chest, her fingers growing cold as fear streaked up her spine.
He brought me to his castle.
Just as Rin relocated her vocal cords, Jaken's squawky voice filled the room.
"Ahem, come on, then." Jaken turned to the servants. "The order was for when the human awakened. Well, she's awake, so move it!"
The three servants near the door trotted over to the side of Rin's bed, causing her to sink further into and against the headboard. One servant threw out a pastel pink linen across her lap, the second leveled a tiny table on either side of her legs, and the last rested a tray of delicacies upon it.
Food. Human food. Roasted, freshwater trout, white rice, pickled vegetables, and fluffy steamed buns. The smell reminded her of every good thing in the world, as well as every bit of hunger that coursed through her body.
Rin gulped back the festering fear, letting her watering mouth replace it. Nausea, however, quickly presented itself, and the need to eat left her like a soul from a corpse.
"Well?" Jaken eyed her as if she were as unpredictable as Sesshoumaru-sama, himself. "Go on. It t'isn't poisoned."
"Why am I here?" Rin asked as her fingers began to tremble of their own accord, gripping the silk linens covering her as if they were a lifeline.
"Uh, how does that matter?!" Jaken squawked. "Look at you! Clearly, food should be your number one priority. Eat!"
Rin looked back down to the tiny table and wooden tray. The hunger refused to return. In fact, she was more enticed by the tableware. The porcelain, gold-embossed dishes were probably worth more than her, she imagined.
Was Sesshoumaru-sama actually concerning himself with her health? Enough to take her from Kodachi?
Jaken growled and Rin snapped back to the matter at hand. "I can't. I don't feel well."
The imp stood his ground for a moment before sighing, roughly uttering, "Please."
"What?" Rin asked, not sure if she heard him correctly.
"Please," Jaken's voice cracked as he mumbled louder. "Sesshoumaru-sama ordered me to make you eat. I don't want to soil my hands by forcing it down your throat… so I must insist…"
Heat flooded Rin's face for a split second before disappearing. Glancing back down at the food, she felt a twinge of hunger.
"Alright. I will...," she said, eyeing the imp. "...if you can please answer me."
Jaken tapped his foot impatiently and put both of his hands into his yukata sleeves. Turning his gaze to a far corner he admitted, "The great Sesshoumaru-sama usually doesn't explain himself—nor should he have to."
So, Jaken didn't even know. Rin sighed, reluctantly picking up the wooden chopsticks.
"But…," he followed up, looking her up and down with pity. "...I would imagine it has something to do with your current state."
She shook her head slowly. How ironic that Sesshoumaru-sama would display grace mere days after unrelenting cruelty. She didn't understand him at all, and yet…
"Well, he has himself to thank for the way I am," she muttered, feeling the pain ebb back into her arm as she lifted a piece of trout to her lips.
Jaken, to her surprise, said nothing in retaliation, but changed the subject. "Well, all I ask is you eat and not throw it up. Sesshoumaru-sama has matters of state to attend so he will be gone for quite some time."
The imp strode toward the shoji doors that led out of the room, the other servants followed behind in quick pursuit. One last time, he turned to address Rin. "Sesshoumaru-sama instructed that you eat and rest before he left. So stay out of trouble until he decides to concern himself with you further, understand?"
Rin nodded, the familiar ache from nights before traveling sharply along her neck. The door slammed behind Jaken and the servants, leaving Rin to only the sound of rustling leaves and her crippled thoughts.
How long had she been asleep? What did Sesshoumaru-sama bringing her here really mean? Did her housemothers and sisters know? Were they worried?
Face falling, Rin swept a clumped ball of steamed rice up to her mouth, choosing to ignore the swelling nausea after each bite.
Managing to hold down half the offerings, Rin thought well enough of it and reset her chopsticks. Hesitantly, and with care, she slid her legs out from under the table. She hobbled at first, choosing to withstand the pained tension coursing through her body, and walked to the circular window where the sunlight trickled in through the red and burgundy leaves.
No doubt, as she stood flustered by the view, that she was in Sesshoumaru-sama's—once InuTaisho-sama's—esteemed estate. She must be four or five floors up in the towering castle that overlooked the valley of the West. Yellow-green trees swayed in the distance like cotton tufts, mountains jutted upwards on the horizon in various, snow-capped patterns. Off to the right, tiny glimmers of straw roofs, and the speckled movement of ant-sized bodies piqued her curiosity. Was that her village? Where Kodachi was? It looked so small from up her window.
So… insignificant.
Rin rested a hand on the curved sill, appreciating its smooth edges; the fine detail. Did Sesshoumaru-sama ever appreciate trivial, though amazing things—like that of expensive polished wood?
She frowned, anger returning to the pit of her stomach.
Why was she here?
Voices trailed up the tower like hushed whispers, and Rin peered downward. Directly below her, in between the branches of a tree she could make out Inuyasha-sama surrounded by guardsmen and scribes. His arms were crossed and he seemed to be instructing—all of the surrounding men listening intently. Sesshoumaru-sama could be nearby, too. She found herself searching the crowd of dog demons out in the courtyard for him and gritted her teeth with annoyance. Why was she looking for him?
He would come to her soon enough. It seemed to be something he was good at.
Rin carefully removed the tray and table from the bed before curling herself back up in it. Weight still lingered in her lids and head, both eager for more rest.
Soon, enough. She thought, as she drifted back into a dreamless and heavy sleep.
When Rin reawakened, the room was dark. All light had left from her window, which now showcased only bright stars and silhouettes of the overlapping maples. She had lost all track of time. It was nighttime, but how long had it been that way?
She sat up, the pain less of a burden on her thin frame. The food and rest had helped more than she honestly thought it would. Rin turned her eyes from the window as a glint of silver caught her eye, and her face instantly fell.
Everything in her being hitched as she laid eyes on his form. Standing at the end of the bed—and how long he'd been standing there, she hadn't the slightest clue—was Sesshoumaru-sama. His arms were folded into the other's sleeve. He was armorless, expressionless… staring.
He tilted his head and the moonlight caught his golden orbs. The cold caress of his voice found her ears with scrutiny. "Still so riddled with fear..."
Rin swallowed hard, white-knuckling the sheets at her waist. "Sesshoumaru-sama…," his name fell from her lips in such an emotional way that she could not have possibly intended. "...why did you bring me here?"
He studied her for a moment before offering a reply. "I clearly cannot trust humans to keep you alive."
His lips returned to a taut line, his milky skin radiating in hues of blue and silver beneath the cascading moonlight.
Rin rolled her chapped lips together, daring to ask the pervasive question of her thoughts. "Does my life suddenly mean something to you, now?"
He scoffed, an upturn of his lips sending chills up the breadth of Rin's back.
"You are still alive despite your insubordination... despite my promises to tear you apart once my father was out of the way...," he whispered solemnly, his brows furrowing. "...Is that not answer enough?"
Rin inhaled sharply. She didn't know what to think.
Should she fear him? Should she trust him?
Was there even a right answer?
Sesshoumaru-sama was unpredictable… and that, somehow, was more disconcerting than any other alternative.
So, um, hi guys! I'll bet you gave up on me again… I'm so sorry. I've been writing my own stuff and dealing with my own stuff. But I have such amazing fans and friends on here that I could NEVER give up on this story, or on you. Sorry that you all have to wait so long, but know that I'm always going to be coming back no matter the wait.
You guys give me purpose with writing, I kid you not.
Love you all, I'm excited to take this story where it's headed. :)
Much love 3 Xera
