A/N: I'm finally back from my trip. I have to apologize for this chapter though. I wanted to show more emotion, but it seemed like I was unable to. Thus, this chapter was made. It wasn't as emotional like I wanted, but it would have to do because I didn't want you, the readers, to wait. I hope it still gave out some sort of emotion. I know I did a time skip, but I find it that it was necessary. Warning! There is some adult themes present. Hope you like this chapter anyways, and reviews are always welcome.

Chapter Four

After Rin became unconscious, Inuyasha decided to look for a carriage for Rin. He reluctantly laid Rin in Sesshomaru's arms and threatened him to take care of her when he was gone. Sesshomaru glared at him for ordering him around. Inuyasha did not take notice as he already set off towards a nearby village for a carriage. With Rin in his arms, Sesshomaru looked down at her bruised face. He felt a twinge of guilt inside him as well as a sick feeling in his stomach. Even though Rin was just a servant, she had always stood by him as his faithful servant and someone he can confide in. In a way, she was somewhat a precious part of his life. He had known Rin would be set out to be beaten until she learned about obedience, but he never thought she would go through such cruelty. The sticky substance was still in contact with her body, and he growled at it. He wished to wash it off her, but he couldn't since he is an honorable man.

It had been a few minutes later before Rin suddenly thrashed in his arms and cried for help and pleading for something or someone to stop. Sesshomaru held her in his arms tightly, not caring if he got hurt from her thrashing against him. He would not let her fall. He called out her name, but she did not awake. Instead, tears fell from her eyes.

"Why, Prince Sesshomaru? Why?" Rin muttered under her breath before she fell limply in his arms. Sesshomaru stared at her and his heart seemed to tighten at how she sounded betrayed when she called him, and he noticed how she called him prince instead of just Sesshomaru. The shift in name had made Sesshomaru feel ill.

Suddenly, her eyes widened awake. When she saw Sesshomaru, she screamed. Her eyes speak of fear and betrayal. She tried to push him away, but Sesshomaru would not let her go. He wasn't going to let her fall. It was his duty to take care of her even when he did not have the right to do so.

"It is just me, Rin. Calm yourself," Sesshomaru ordered. Rin stopped thrashing against him but fear was still evident in her eyes and her body continued to shiver in fear.

"Why are you afraid of this Sesshomaru?" Sesshomaru asked, feeling unhappy at how she still feared him when she was no longer in danger.

Rin lowered her head and tears coursed down her cheeks.

"Th-this lo-lowly one b-begs forgivene-ness for her in-insolence," Rin stuttered quietly. Sesshomaru widened his eyes at her statement. Rin would never speak to him like this. She would always treat him like everyone else not like a prince the way she is doing now.

"Rin, stop speaking nonsense," Sesshomaru ordered. Rin froze and stayed silent. She was obeying his commands. This was not what he wanted. He wanted her to obedient but not in this way. He did not want her to fear him like everyone else has. He wanted his Rin back.

"Rin-" he began but he suddenly felt something wet against him and a pungent smell coming from it. He lowered Rin instantly and found out she wetted herself.

Rin saw and shivered again. She kneeled immediately towards Sesshomaru. Her forehead against the ground.

"Please forgive this lowly servant for dirtying his Majesty," Rin cried as she started bowing, her forehead hitting against the ground hard for each bow. Sesshomaru watched in shock. He stopped her when he saw blood starting to form on her forehead. He no longer cared about his clothes smelling of urine or it being dirty. He lowered himself and was about to reach her, but she cringed as he got closer. He stopped himself when he saw her back away from him. He clenched his hand into a fist. When Rin saw the fist, her eyes widened in fear as she backed away from him immediately. She hugged herself as her eyes closed tightly.

"P-please forgive this lowly one. This lowly one shall be good. Please don't hit this lowly one," Rin begged. Sesshomaru was speechless. He looked to his fist and then to the scared Rin before him. He didn't like this. What had Naraku done to her.

"Rin, do not be afraid. This Sesshomaru was not going to punish you," Sesshomaru said, but Rin did not listen. She continued to shiver in fear that she was going to be hit.

"Hey, I finally came back," yelled Inuyasha. Sesshomaru and Rin turned to see the carriage with Inuyasha and a stranger holding the reins.

Inuyasha stopped the horses and jumped off the carriage, but he stopped himself when he saw the state that Rin was in. He glared at Sesshomaru and growled at him. He pulled Sesshomaru by his collar.

"What did you do to Rin, you bastard?" Inuyasha yelled. Sesshomaru glared at him return and pulled his hand away from his collar.

"I did nothing," Sesshomaru replied. Inuyasha did not believe him but then noticed the pungent smell of urine on him.

"What the heck is that horrible smell?" Inuyasha asked. Rin cringed and bowed once again. She started hitting her forehead against the ground again while begging forgiveness.

"It is this lowly one's fault. This lowly one has dirtied Prince Sesshomaru. Please forgive this lowly one. This lowly one did not mean to. Please forgive me," Rin said, her forehead turning for the worse. Inuyasha immediately stopped her. He held her, not caring of the smell of urine from her.

"It's not your fault, Rin. It's okay. It's okay," Inuyasha comforted, but it only made Rin cry harder.

"Inuyasha, Rin is afraid," Rin stated. Inuyasha held her even closer to him. Tears entered Inuyasha's eyes. It was the first time he heard Rin being herself. Sesshomaru froze at the way Rin seemed close to Inuyasha than she was with him. He clenched his hands into a fists.

Rin had fainted right when she felt Inuyasha tighten his arms around her. Inuyasha ripped a piece of cloth and bandaged her forehead before he carried her in his arms and into the carriage.

Rin's head laid on top of Inuyasha's lap. Sesshomaru watched them with a cold expression. He looked enviously at Inuyasha. If it were not for his status and his pride, he would be the one that Rin would lay her head upon on his lap. But he wasn't and Sesshomaru wasn't one to go against his principles.

When Rin awoke again, Inuyasha and Sesshomaru watched with great relief. Thankfully, they were at an inn close by and Rin's forehead had been bandaged and she had been washed and cleaned by the lady owner of the inn. But as soon as relief came upon their faces, it left immediately when Rin screamed and cowered away from Inuyasha and Sesshomaru. She went back to being frightened and scared. Rin bowed immediately to the ground, but Inuyasha and Sesshomaru stopped her from going any further. Inuyasha held Rin by one shoulder while Sesshomaru held her by her other shoulder. The brothers looked at each other momentarily but went back to looking at Rin, who was shivering from their touch.

"Please forgive this lowly one. Please," Rin begged. Inuyasha couldn't help but look away at the broken girl begging for forgiveness when there was no reason to. Sesshomaru felt the same, but he would not allow himself to look away. He had to see the damage he had done, and he saw that the damage was deeper than he thought.

"Rin, we will return to the castle. You shall recover there," Sesshomaru stated. Rin looked up at him and nodded.

"This lowly one shall listen to her lord's orders," Rin said quietly, "So please milord, do not call me by my name. This lowly one does not deserve to be called by her name from her lordship's lips."

"What are you talking about, Rin? You aren't like the other servants," Inuyasha stated. Rin shook her head.

"Master Naraku speaks the truth. This lowly one is lower than dirt and should be considered so," Rin stated brokenly, "This lowly one is no longer clean."

The statement caused both of them to become speechless, afraid of the meaning behind her words. They went through their journey quietly and returned to the castle for a whole week. During the journey, she was still scared of both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru but Rin seemed to have gotten used to Inuyasha's presence while Sesshomaru's presence continued to make Rin fear him. Sesshomaru disliked the difference. Rin used to always be beside him. And now, she seemed to be furthering away from him.

When she entered the castle, she kneeled and bowed when Izayoi and Inu no Taisho entered. Both of them read the message about Rin from Sesshomaru before the trio appeared. They couldn't believe it until they saw it for themselves. Rin had changed. Inu no Taisho glared at Sesshomaru momentarily before asking Rin to stand. She did so, but she kept her head lowered unlike all the other times where she would smile at the king and queen. It broke Izayoi's heart to see Rin like this. When she tried to get closer to Rin, Rin would kneel and ask her not to come near her for she was unclean and should not be touched by royalty. Izayoi felt sick to her stomach and went back to Inu no Taisho's side and hugged his arm tightly. She looked up at her husband with tears in her eyes. Inu no Taisho frowned and patted his wife's hand comfortingly, though he felt the same as his wife. Rin had changed too much.

Rin was sent to Kaede to be taken care of and to report about Rin's injuries. Kaede's heart broke when she saw Rin change physically and mentally. She was no longer the lovable and smiling girl she used to know. This girl before her was broken and lost. Rin even became scared of her adopted mother when Kaede checked her privacies. Kaede frowned from all the bruises on her body. Rin did not deserve such harsh treatment and for her to be starved like this was too cruel. It will take her months or even years for her to get back the meat in her.

"Mother Kaede, please help me," Rin suddenly cried, "I want to die. Please let me die."

Kaede froze at her plea and tears formed in her eyes.

"Child, do not speak of such things. Things will be okay," Kaede assured her. Rin shook her head.

"There is nothing else for Rin to live for. They made me do unspeakable things. My happiness is gone and I live in fear of continuing those unspeakable deeds. I am a whore, Mother Kaede." Rin cried into her hands.

"Shush child. You are not a whore. Your virginity is still intact," Kaede told her. Rin shook her head.

"Even though my virginity is still there, this Rin is haunted by the men who forced me to pleasure them. Rin has been defiled. Rin is no longer pure," Rin stated, hugging Kaede.

"Rin. My dear Rin. It will be fine. Everything will be fine," Kaede told her as tears finally fell from the woman's eyes.

Not very far from them, Totosai heard everything and felt crushed from hearing Rin's broken words. Totosai would have to speak with Inu no Taisho. Rin did not deserve to feel this way.

Sesshomaru and Inuyasha stood in front of Inu no Taisho's office the next day. He looked very solemn, and it meant the meeting was rather serious. Inuyasha was still down from Rin's state. It utterly disgusted him how Sesshomaru could throw her to Naraku's clutches. He had never felt so much dislike for his brother until that time.

"Boys, I have summoned you two for a purpose, and the reason is Rin. Izayoi and I have decided to let Rin become Inuyasha's personal servant. Inuyasha, I am sure you will take care of Rin," Inu no Taisho stated. Sesshomaru froze and then anger erupted inside him.

"Father, I will not allow this. Rin belongs to me," Sesshomaru stated coldly. Inu no Taisho glared at him.

"You have no right to have any claim on Rin, Sesshomaru. She fears you while she copes with Inuyasha. You have made your choice, and your choice made you lose Rin," Inu no Taisho stated just as coldly towards his son, "For once, I thought Rin would warm you. But instead, you pulled her away from her happiness and made her go into the depths of hell. You had what you wanted, Sesshomaru. Her fear."

Sesshomaru was speechless. He did not want Rin to fear him. Not like this. He simply wanted her to obey, but he had gotten more than obedience. He had made Rin broken. He soon realized Rin was going further away from his reach. He would no longer have Rin by his side anymore. The thought struck him heavily against his chest.

One week after the announcement, Sesshomaru watched Rin follow behind Inuyasha. Rin no longer looked at him. Her head was always lowered by his presence. When Sesshomaru tried to get closer to her, Inuyasha would stand in front of him and cover Rin protectively.

Sesshomaru's usual daily routine ever since the incident changed dramatically. He would be awaken by his new personal servant and no longer the ever smiling Rin he had been accustomed to. The tea he usually drinks had changed from sweet to bitter. He had found out later Rin always made tea for him. His daily walk to the gardens felt more lonely than he was used to even though his new personal servant was present behind him. He stopped midway when he saw Inuyasha and Rin sitting under a tree, having a picnic. Inuyasha was talking to Rin and Rin would listen quietly. Inuyasha surprised her with a handful of flowers. Rin smiled gratefully and took them.

Sesshomaru turned away and went back to the castle with a frustrated expression. When he opened the door to his room and entered, he noticed some things on his dresser. There, he found the shoes and the expensive hair pins he gave Rin as gifts. His heart slowly felt a little emptier than usual.

It was already time for dinner, and he was summoned to eat at the dining table. Instead of Rin serving him, he saw her serving Inuyasha. Inuyasha gave her a smile and said thanks to her. Rin nodded and smiled at him. She looked up at Sesshomaru, which made Sesshomaru feel a little light. But just as soon as she looked at him, she immediately looked down in fear. Sesshomaru felt his shoulders being heavy once more.

Sesshomaru lied on his bed and knew it would be another sleepless night ever since he returned to the castle with Rin and Inuyasha. Usually, Rin would hug him and tell him a 'good night' before she left. Now, he had to get used to be without such warmth and sleep in his cold and dark room. He soon realized all the little things Rin had done for him, and how he missed it. Most importantly, he realized one truth.

He had lost Rin.