Disclaimer: _ Wahh!!! I don't own any of the Inuyasha characters! I'm just borrowing them!

Author's Note: Hey peeps! I finished chapter 13! Yay! *celebrates by drinking lots of Sprite* He, he! I'm high on sugar! Bwahahahaha!!! There's some subtle humor involved here. Hope you like it! (Sesshoumaru in braids is humor! Duh!) ^_~ Rin is so cute, isn't she! I have 24 reviews! Lots of thanks to Lightning (Gomen, about not allowing Inu-chan to use his sword to get them out) and Benten for reviewing continually! I truly appreciate the encouragement! And all you other readers out there, you better review, or I won't write anymore!!!!! I'm EVILL!!!! BWAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!

The Course of True Love Ne'er Did Run Smooth…

Chapter 13

Sesshoumaru, the Great Demon of the Western Lands, was sitting on a short wooden stool that was too small for him. Correction: the noble demon lord was actually hunched over on a small circular seat that was fit for a seven-year-old to sit on, inwardly groaning over the cruel tricks that fate always seemed to play on him.

"K, Sesshoumaru-sama, Rin's done with this side! It's so pretty! Now please turn around so Rin can braid your other pig-tail!" A small happy voice chimed loudly, right next to his sensitive ears.

Sesshoumaru turned silently and resignedly offered his long white hair to the young eager girl to plait into a thick tress.

Yes, the great, proud dog youkai had lowered himself to allow a small human child to play with his hair. Even more astonishingly, he was actually enjoying it. Not since he was a child had anyone offered to groom his hair for him. As a dog demon, his first instinct was to enjoy being groomed, as his own mother had used to do for him, before she passed away. Without realizing why, Sesshoumaru leaned into Rin's caresses, enjoying and relaxing under the nimble, quick little fingers that ran gently through his hair.

Actually, just being around this human pup relaxed him. Being able to breathe in her scent and hear her steady heartbeat calmed him down more easily than a strong cup of green tea. Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, using his sharp senses to pick out the sound of someone's footsteps tap-tapping along the empty corridors. It was accompanied by the sound of something wooden scraping the white marble floor and some occasional low muttering. Sesshoumaru bolted up from his position, scrambling around and hiding things, trying to hide any evidence of the fact that he had been playing with Rin.

But it was too late to stop Jaken from seeing him. A small, green toad wobbled into the room, and his eyes bulged out and jaws slackened at the sight of his usually dignified master standing there, with two braided pig-tails, tied at the ends with pink ribbons and laced with flowers. The ugly toad stood there, speechless. Rin had not noticed Sesshoumaru's servant arrive, so she continued rooting through her box of accessories, looking for something to "decorate Fluffy-chan's pretty hair."

Sesshoumaru drew himself up to his full height, managing to look somewhat impressive, despite the braids in his hair, and asked in a calm tone of voice, as if it were perfectly normal for Jaken to find his master like this, "Ahem. Jaken. Do you have something to say to me? Or shall I kill you for interrupting me for no reason. Speak up!"

"H-hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. Please don't hurt me! I just came here to tell you that the miko you rescued has woken up! She found she couldn't escape from the window or door and started throwing a tantrum. She's broken everything in the room and has made a mess. This lowly one thought it wise to alert you, master, before she did any more damage." The alarmed toad made several clumsy bows, trembling in fear.

Rin looked up upon hearing Jaken's words, and pleaded, "Oh, Sesshoumaru-sama, can I please go and play with Kagome-chan? Please?" She latched onto his sleeve, tears brimming at the edges of her eyes.

Sesshoumaru sighed. He nodded, and led her toward the guest room where the girl was staying. As he strode silently through the cool, stone halls, he wondered to himself, "How did I ever get into this mess?" ~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

This morning, Rin had wandered off to pick some flowers, with Jaken squawking noisily behind her, as a bodyguard, and Sesshoumaru strolling absently behind them. Rin finally settled down near a small cave, and was happily picking pansies and violets from the green grassy field when Sesshoumaru suddenly tensed and looked at the cave intently. He could smell his worthless half-brother and his wench inside, but on closer inspection, noticed that they were trapped inside the cave, though both were asleep at the moment. He quickly looked over the pile of rocks at the entrance, then through the small hole at the top. If there was any disturbance to the structure blocking the cave mouth, he knew the entire cave would collapse.

He called to Rin, "Rin, let's go." He started to stride away, but Rin was absorbing in her task, and did not hear him. "Rin. We have to leave. The cave will collapse and there are two people in it." He repeated again, tightly. Rin looked up, worried, but then became curious and asked, "Who's in the cave, Sesshoumaru-sama? Will they be able to get out if the cave falls down on them?"

Sesshoumaru was feeling slightly more verbose than usual, so he replied with a snort, "It's my half-brother Inuyasha and his woman. She's a miko. Her name's Kagome, I think. They'll be able to take care of themselves. If not, then that's too bad for them. Come on, Rin, we have to leave."

Rin cried out, "Oh no! Kagome-chan is in there?!?! We have to save her! I don't want her to get hurt!"

Sesshoumaru felt mild surprise at the fact that Rin knew his brother's wench, and asked, "Rin, how do you know who she is?"

Rin told him how she had met Kagome at a river a while back, and they had got along very well. Rin had had much fun playing with the teenage girl, and considered Kagome her best friend or sister afterwards. "I'm sorry that I forgot to tell you, Sesshoumaru-sama. But please, we have to save her if the cave collapses! Will you, please? I love Kagome-nee-chan like an older sister, and I don't want her to get hurt!" Rin looked at him with a desperate, pleading look, and she had begged him so hard than he finally relented.

"Alright. I'll stay here and rescue your friend if the cave falls. But you must promise me to stay on the other side of the hill, with Jaken, and not leave from there, until I tell you that it is safe." Sesshoumaru uttered in a stern voice.

"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" she smiled sweetly up at him, "Rin will be a good girl and wait until her Fluffy-chan rescues Kagome-chan. And can Rin play with Kagome-nee-chan afterwards? Please?" She begged.

"We'll see." Sesshoumaru had said, hearing three people coming towards them. "Jaken!"

"Hai, master?"

"See that Rin stays clear of the cave-in. If you fail to keep her safe, you will pay with your own life." The demon lord commanded in a cold voice.

Jaken shivered as he scraped the floor with his forehead, hearing his master's threat, and answered, "H-hai, Lord. This undeserving humble servant will obey Sesshoumaru-sama's commands."

So, Sesshoumaru had waited, unseen and unheard, using a stealth charm, until the cave collapsed. He had flew in through the hole in the roof and saved the life his brother's wench, all for Rin. After her plead, he had brought the unconscious girl to his castle, to allow Rin to play with her when she awoke.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*end of flashback*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

"Sesshoumaru-sama! We're here! Can Rin go in and see Kagome-chan now?" Rin's eager voice inquired excitedly, disrupting his thoughts. The young child was jumping up and down, enthusiastic about meeting her friend. He gave a barely perceptible smile at her impatience, opened the door for her, then hesitantly walked in after her, uncertain of how the girl would treat him.

A/N: Hee, hee. Small cliffhanger! Sorry, I couldn't resist! Wait for the next chapter to find out what happens with Sesshoumaru and Kagome! ^ u ^