Disclaimer: None of the Inuyasha characters are mine

Once the trio had caught back up together, they began walking along together at an amiable pace. There was nowhere in particular to go, so there was no need to use haste. "Where are we going, Lord Sesshoumaru," Rin asked curiously, wanting to break the silence that she was painfully used to.

"There is a village on the outskirts of my lands," he said quietly.

"Why are we going to that village, Lord Sesshoumaru?"

"There is a demon there, terrorizing the villagers."

"Oh! So you're going to protect them?" She smiled at him admiringly. "You're going to go and defeat the demon, and then you'll be the hero of the townspeople!"

He scoffed when she said this, and shook his head a little. "Rin, the safety of those mere mortals concerns me not. What concerns me is that a demon is on my land, when it has not gotten my permission. I am merely going to protect what is mine."

When he said this, she fell silent and her smile disappeared. The words 'mere mortal' echoed in her mind, haunting her. He had always made it clear that he held no respect for mortals, nor did he care whether they lived or died. When she was younger this did not bother her, but now that she was sixteen, it held meaning. It made her wonder if he truly cared about her. She never dared to ask, because her heart would break if he truly did not care for her.

Sesshoumaru glanced over at the silent Rin, wondering what was going on in that complex mind of hers. Something he had said had made her stop smiling, and although he showed no outward emotions, it concerned him. The girl used to frighten him, because he felt such an urge to protect her. He had never thought of a human twice, even after killing one. Why was this human so different, he wondered to himself. Perhaps it was because she was the first to ever show true concern for him that made his cold heart warm to her smile. Time and again he thought of just finding a village for her to live the rest of her life in. She deserved much more than he could give. She deserved true happiness, to love and to be loved in return. Rin deserved a loving husband and family, instead of a demon and his servant as surrogate parents. There were many times that he had the chance to just be gone from her life. There were many times that he had almost gone through with it. Always, though, he could not leave her. Just the thought of not seeing her smile, of hearing her voice caused a pain in his chest. She truly made him happy, and he hoped that he made her happy as well. He was no fool, though. He knew that she would eventually fall in love, as all young women did, and she would leave him. When that day came, he would let her leave without a fight. He would say his farewell to her, and he would never look back.

Rin's voice broke through his thoughts. "Lord Sesshoumaru?"

He sighed, and looked at her somewhat sharply. "What is it, Rin," he asked with a biting tone that caused her to recoil.

"N-nothing. It's nothing." She looked down at the ground as they walked, causing a small frown to form on Sesshoumaru's face.

"What is it," he asked more gently, forcing his features to become relaxed once more.

At the gentleness of his tone, Rin brightened and looked at him with a smile. "I was just wondering when we were going to eat," she said with a jovial note.

Sesshoumaru sighed softly, but a small smirk formed on his lips. "Did you not eat before we began, Rin," he asked in a soft, chiding tone. "I thought I told you to."

"Yes, you did. I forgot to, though."

"She was staring at her reflection in the river," Jaken interjected. "She's a vain one, if you ask me."

Sesshoumaru looked down at Jaken, his brow furrowing a little. "Well, I did not ask you, did I? Go, Jaken, to the village. When we meet up with you, you will give me a report."

"Yes sir! Thank you for entrusting me with such a task!" He scurried off, glancing back at Rin with a superior look, to which Rin just smiled.

Sesshoumaru turned to Rin. "Now, what were you saying about being hungry," he asked as he walked at a slower pace, glad to have some time alone with her before he had to perform the task he had set out to do.