*Disclaimer - Takahashi Rumiko is the rightful owner of Inuyasha and all of its characters. Now that I've admitted it, I think I'll go cry now.*


Sequel to "Theft Through Seduction"
"You may deny your fate, but you cannot escape your destiny."


For Rin: Chapter 11 - Fate and Destiny

Rin stepped outside of Inuyasha's Forest, gazed over the land that the villagers had built to suit their needs. She descended towards the village itself, hoping that Inuyasha would save her trouble and seek her out. Surely she smelled of Sesshoumaru and as she had learned from Jaken, the brothers did not get along. Should Inuyasha be convinced that she was Sesshoumaru, he would either come to stop trouble or start it.

Rin turned at the sound of a breaking branch, saw a figure that she assumed was Inuyasha racing towards her. But as it stopped in front of her, she realized that it was not Inuyasha. The pointy ears that she remembered Inuyasha had sat atop the youkai looking child that stood before her. He put a sharp claw in his mouth and pouted, showing his little fangs. Obviously seeing her had made him unhappy.

"How come you smell like my father?"

Rin blinked, confused for a moment by what he meant by the statement. The child looked like Inuyasha and perhaps because Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru were related, they smelled a like. "Is your father Inuyasha?"

"Hai. How do you know him?"

"In a way. Could you take me to him?"

"He isn't here, he and mother went back to her time."

Again she was confused. "Then do you know where I may find Sango?"

"Hai, she lives right next to us."

"Will you take me to her?"

He frowned. "Why?"

"I must speak with her. No need to worry, I mean no harm." Rin bent in front of the child, offered a smile of reassurance. "My name is Rin, what is yours?"

"Miyagi."

"I promise that everything will be okay Miyagi, please take me to Sango."

Rin walked briskly after the skipping boy, noting that he was going into back into Inuyasha's forest. She should have assumed that Inuyasha and his family would not live within the village but in what had been deemed his forest. They walked deep into the forest and into a clearing where a large estate stood, built between and around a large tree. At the farthest end a small path lead to a well. There were two entrances into the house, one between the well and the tree, and another on the opposite side of the tree.

Near the farthest entrance, a woman stood up and walked towards them. She sent both of them a wary stare before glancing down at Miyagi. "Miyagi, who is this?"

"Gomen, forgive him, but I asked him to bring me here. You have no reason to remember me, but my name is Rin. You are Sango, correct?"

"Hai, and I do remember you. Kohaku named his daughter after you. Please come in, I will send Miyagi to fetch him. I am sure he would love to see you again."

Rin was taken aback by the revelation, but quickly followed after Sango, glad that she was welcome. She stepped into the sitting area where a pot sat over a fire, cooking something that smelled rather tasty. Sango sat next to it and spoke to Rin as she added more vegetables to the pot.

"What brings you here Rin? Are you still traveling with Sesshoumaru?"

"I came here because we just recently parted ways. I was told that you are a youkai exterminator and I was hoping you could make my weapons more suitable for slaying youkai."

"You wish to become a youkai exterminator?"

"Oh no, it is just for my protection. Especially since I believed I was followed by some enemies from Sesshoumaru-sama's lands."

"You do not seem worried."

"I feel I will be able to defeat them without much trouble."

Sango smiled at Rin's confidence, thinking she would have made a fair exterminator. "Now that Kohaku has overcome his fear of anything exterminator related, he is the one making weapons. When he arrives here, you should ask him."

"Arigatou, Sango."

Both women looked up as Inuyasha burst through the door, nearly knocking Rin over with surprise as he halted in front of her. He stared at her with fiery eyes, his nose and ears twitching as he tried to place where he knew her. Kagome stepped in behind him, wondering why he had taken off so quickly when they climbed from the well. He knelt in front of a beautiful young woman with long wavy black hair, growling as if daring her to attack. Appalled, Kagome yelled out the command she knew Inuyasha hated most.

"Osuwari!" (*Correct me if the spelling is wrong...*)

Rin looked down, unable to stop the giggle that bubbled in her throat. "I see nothing much has changed between Inuyasha and Kagome."

Inuyasha quickly jumped to his feet the moment the spell wore off and stood in front of Kagome. "I swear woman this damn rosary needs to go! There is no need for it now!"

"Of course there is if I had to use it to get you out of that girls face. You shouldn't be so rude Inuyasha!"

"She SMELLS like Sesshoumaru so I came to make sure he wasn't here causing trouble."

"You still didn't need to be so rude."

The house seemed to fill with people all at once as Kagome and Inuyasha continued to argue. Miyagi and his younger sister launched themselves at their parents, putting an end to the noise the argument caused. Miroku brushed past the family, a boy about Rin's age and a girl about Miyagi's age following behind him. Kohaku appeared shortly after, holding a little girl no more than two or three in his arms. She heard someone wish Shippou and Souten hadn't gone up to the mountains, but was somewhat glad he wasn't there. The entire house was so crowded and reminded Rin of a loud village festival, providing so much for her to look.

Sango rose to her feet, announced over the noise that the food was ready. Everyone sat down around the pot, passed bowls to the next person as they were filled. When the noise level finally quieted down to the point where she didn't have to yell, Sango spoke up.

"Now Rin, why don't you tell us why fate has led us to meet again."

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

"Kagome, do you have the feeling that Rin is not telling us the entire truth?"

"Hai. What do you think it means?"

Inuyasha walked with Kagome as the women made their way to the river for a bath before the sun began to set. The entire situation had been bothering him since Rin's arrival and the more she spoke, the more it bothered him. He sensed that his mate was also unsure and held her back as Sango led Rin to the river.

"I am still unsure, but I think it has to do with Sesshoumaru and why he marked her."

"Like you marked me?"

"Hai. She was marked recently, but the scent is dying, as if the marking isn't permanent. I don't think they have mated, but I know he definitely almost made her his life-mate."

"But Sesshoumaru has never approved of youkai and human mating."

"Exactly. He probably couldn't go through with it."

"And Rin couldn't take the rejection and ran away. Poor girl. I'm surprised you figured all that out Inuyasha, are you okay?"

"Very funny. Go see what else you can find out."

Kagome caught up with Sango and Rin as they were already getting into the water. As Inuyasha had said, Rin had been marked, but it appeared as if it were only a fading bruise. She slipped in the water, held herself afloat as she tried to think of a smooth way to bring up the marking, and nearly drowned at Sango's indiscreetness.

"Alright Rin, tell mean what really happened between you and Sesshoumaru."

"What do you mean Sango?"

"You and Sesshoumaru didn't just 'go separate ways', something else happened, the marking on your shoulder confirms it."

Rin touched her right shoulder where Sesshoumaru's fangs had broken her flesh, leaving a tingling feeling that beat like another heart. "Marking?"

Kagome pointed to her right shoulder where two scars formed in the shape of fangs. "Youkai mark their mates in order to let the youkai race know that they have claimed that mate."

"...Sesshoumaru-sama is not my mate..." Tears threatened to spill from Rin's eyes, blurring the image of everything around her as she rushed to the shore. She sat down on the ground, covered her body with her kimono.

Kagome walked towards her, staying in the water so that her own body was covered. "Inuyasha smelled the marking and says that it is not permanent. But Sesshoumaru intended to claim you."

Rin stared at her, a hurtful expression on her face as tear drops began to fall. "Then why..."

Sango came forward, mimicked Kagome and offered a comforting smile. "Why don't you tell Kagome and I what happened and we'll try to help."

Rin looked at both women, her heart suddenly throbbing with an overwhelming pain. Her throat ached and her body began to shake. Everything she had tried to keep inside, the tears she had held back before she left the Western Lands, the truth she had tried to conceal. All of it came flooding out in loud sobs that could be heard by any creature with a sensitive ear.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

Sesshoumaru stood in front of the door to his quarters, staring up at the sky. The clouds were gray but for the random flashes of lightning that changed them to a variety of colors. Rain poured cruelly from the sky as thunder roared like a large creature experiencing a painful death. The sounds of nature drowned out the silence that now filled the castle every since Rin had gone. It was as if no life existed in the castle and the rain sought to flood his land and wash away the corpses. And if the weather did not make anyone sad, another factor would. Not one person could enjoy a moment of happiness when they assumed that the youkai lord would kill them if they did not find Rin.

But Sesshoumaru was glad she was gone.

"We have searched every inch of each village and the castle grounds. Rin is no where to be found."

"If that is all Jaken, remove yourself from my presence."

"H-hai, S-sesshoumaru-sama."

Nearly a week had passed since Rin had gone missing. He saw no need to look for her and was somewhat bothered by the effort his servants made to find her. It gave her entirely too much importance. He told himself he was satisfied with the situation, that he was glad she was gone. It saved him the trouble of getting rid of her himself. No longer would be tempted by her beauty or her smile, by her strength and her weaknesses. He would not admit that the castle seemed dead without her, that he felt some what dead without her.

Sesshoumaru knew Rin's feelings for him would never allow her to be happy if she stayed with him and he continued to deny her of what she wanted. Rin was meant to be happy, it was her nature, so she was better off without him. It was their destinies to grow together until it was time to part ways. That time had come and now there was nothing more for their relationship, nothing more for him.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~








-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~
I tried so hard to finish this before I left, but that isn't going to happen. I'm nearly finished so I'll try real hard to get it done ASAP. I fear that my classes will completely distract me from working on this, but I'll do my best not to let that happen! I am majoring in creative writing by the way, so writing fics a wonderful practice for me. Thank you all so much for your lovely reviews. I am so very pleased that everyone is enjoying the story.
-~Rabid Anime Gurl