OK YOU GUYS, I SAID I WOULD POST THIS CHAPTER BY THE END OF THE WEEKEND AND I DID IT.
It is officially 11:55pm SO SUCK IT. 5 MINUTES TO SPARE. WOOHOO!
It's a shortie, but a goodie!
Please enjoy Memoirs Chapter 42:
Agenda
The trek outside the castle was less of a spectacle than Rin had initially thought it would be. She knew by now that she was the only human residing within it, and the sensitive noses of the common dwellers had to be on edge somewhat by her very presence. However, as she passed guards, demons and demonesses of nobility, they seemed to purposely avoid her gaze. Perhaps Sesshoumaru had said something to them.
Rooms and foyers filled with lacquer paintings, gilded swords, and armor sets fit for the most capable of generals followed her tentative stride. The wafting scent of broiling meats and pickled vegetables from dining hall overcame the fresh tatami, and hunger enveloped Rin's entire being. How long had it been since she had wanted food? When the room of wonderful, delicious smells came and went, Rin wrung her hands of the slight disappointment. So Sesshoumaru was apparently not meeting her for breakfast.
"Do you know where we are going, honorable Jaken-sama?"
"We are going to the courtyard to meet up with our lord. After that? I haven't the slightest idea."
"I see."
They approached the entrance to the castle where, just beyond the doors, was the courtyard. Rin's heart fluttered up to her throat with the gentleness of a butterfly wing. Something so small, yet it caused her to question herself yet again.
The guardsmen opened the massive doors, unleashing the deep rays of daylight across Rin's pale face. Happiness swelled within her veins as the warmth spread. Opening her eyes across the courtyard, she was met with delicate flowers of every color; greenery of every vibrant shade and shape; sky so brightly blue that it could mirror a floating sea—and yet, all Rin cared to focus her tightly coiled attention, was on the demon ruler standing lean and tall at center: Sesshoumaru-sama.
Something strange in her willed her to smile upon seeing him, but something stranger still forced her to hide it; to not appear vulnerable.
"My lord," she near whispered as they approached beneath his gaze. "Good morning."
"Mm," he acknowledged, and she could feel his eyes traveling carefully, methodically over her. "Jaken, you may go."
Jaken saw this coming, Rin could tell by the glint of jealousy in the imp's expression. Still, as dutifully as ever, he replied with a bow and a simple, "Yes, my lord."
After Jaken took his leave, permitting the air to grow still once more, Rin finally looked up, meeting the Sesshoumaru's lurid gaze.
"Thank you for last night," she finally muttered after enduring a loss of what else to possibly say. Yet, he ignored her, instead reaching up and touching the slender metal piece on her head.
"Resulted to stealing wares from the castle, have you? Are you so desperate for pretty things, Geisha?"
"What? O-of course not!" Rin replied, suddenly bound by embarrassment. "It fell out of my kimono that you sent with master Jaken… I-I thought it was a gift."
"Do you like it?"
When she looked back up there was a small hint of a smirk on the dog lord's face.
"Yes, I like it very much, but I never would have taken it had I known." Rin reached up to pull the stick out of her coiled hair, but Sesshoumaru's hand found hers before she could.
"No. It's befitting. Leave it," his voice caressed the atmosphere shared between them. "Consider it a gift."
Blood rushed Rin's cheeks as the lingering moment of skin to skin seemed to last an eternity.
"Thank you, my lord," she replied.
"Come," he said, "I want to show you something."
The reluctance in Rin's heart tugged on her far more than she thought it would. Where could he, Sesshoumaru-sama, Lord of Western Lands, be wanting to take her? Her imagination ran rampant as she mulled it over, with a fleeting recollection of his lips against hers planting her back in reality. She recalled his gentleness the night before, and it took her breath away as she followed him down the stone path from the courtyard. Would he be taking her somewhere… romantic, perhaps? She dared not think twice on it. Sesshoumaru-sama was not the sort, but daydreams were an affordable indulgence. It almost… almost made her forget about Kanna.
They approached a two-headed dragon demon across from a large stable. The dog-demon servant holding the reins bowed and offered them up to Sesshoumaru before heading back to his duties.
Sesshoumaru, reins in hand, turned to Rin. "This is Ah-Un, you will be flying with him. He will follow me naturally, but should anything happen in transit, he will remain at your side."
Sesshoumaru side-stepped out of the way so Rin could come face to face with the brown-scaled beast. Hesitantly, she lifted her hands to its heads, and lightly rested them on the snouts of the beast. Ah-Un growled softly, displaying its pleasant and good nature. Sesshoumaru smirked, and Rin caught traces of it in her peripherals.
"What is it?" she asked, but he simply turned away from her.
"Let's go. I want us to arrive by midday."
The journey to their destination was breathtaking, to say the least, but the destination itself rendered Rin unable to speak—in the worst possible way.
The ancient battlefield before her was stacked with deteriorating skulls, reeking of flesh long soaked up by the earth. The land was cleared of all greenery, of all things living. What happened here was nothing short of slaughter and bloodshed. However, in the center of the decay was the largest set of bones Rin had ever seen. They looked like that of an animal's, but the eye socket was at least four times the size of her.
"That… is my father. Or what's left of him, anyway," Sesshoumaru enlightened darkly, and Rin's heart swam up to her throat. A tiny coating of fear tinged her sullen features. Why did he bring her here?
"I'm… I'm sorry," Rin managed to say.
"Save me your pity," he replied without malice, "The real reason I brought you here is so you could see that."
Off to the right of the grave was a smaller, less notable patch of dirt, though it had the prettiest purple flowers resting on top of it—offering a small yen of hope to the otherwise deplorable setting.
"Is that…?"
Sesshoumaru offered a crisp nod. "She had once told my father that when she died, she hoped to be put to rest in a place that he would eventually share."
Rin's eyes suddenly brimmed with tears, eventually streaming down her face without warning. The thought of Izayoi-onee-sama being buried next to the highest of dog demon lords—next to her true love—was a beautiful, yet gut-wrenching ending amidst the tragedy.
"I saw to the execution of her wish, as I know my father also would have wished it—no matter my personal disapproval," Sesshoumaru stated emotionlessly, folding his hands into the sleeves of his kimono.
"…How beautiful," was all Rin could say as she covered her sobs with her hand.
"Indeed," he replied.
After a moment, Sesshoumaru spoke again, but in the gentlest octave Rin had ever heard.
"Tell me something, Rin… when you die, where do you want to be buried?"
The question caught her so off-guard, that she didn't know what to say. Why would he ask her that? After she thought about it enough, she clammed up.
"You can be honest," he replied to the insinuation of her silence. "It's only so I have the ability to fulfill your final wish, should the fates ever conspire so horridly."
Rin gulped down the budding anxiety, one that only accompanied the talk of her death. A moment or two passed before she whispered so low that it could have been the wind.
"…Next to Kohaku."
Sesshoumaru turned toward her and tilted his head ever so slightly. "And where exactly would that be?"
Okay, that's that! Now what's in store? Will Sess really bring Kohaku back to life? If so, how does he plan to keep Rin in the dark with a sly Naraku lurking about? And what about KANNA.
The next chapter will hopefully come sooner! But as you know, I'm in the middle of PUBLISHING HELL. hahaha
Much love,
Xera!
