Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha or any of it's characters.

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chapter 4: Journey

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Sesshoumaru now sat in his study, blankly staring at the cluttered mess of half open scrolls and scattered parchments.

He frowned, his mind wondering over the subject of Rin's courting as a shallow late afternoon breeze snuck in through his open window.

The inu youkai had never let the thought cross his mind that someone would want to court Rin. It was his belief that she traveled with him and other youkai knew this to be an absolute and unchangable truth, that she stayed with him and only him. He did not beleive that anyone would dare to come between him and his ward. No one would dare try to take what belonged to him. Along with that notion, he also believed that Rin only cared to stay with him, her Sesshoumaru-sama.

But Rin had accepted the swan youkai's request at courtship.

He growled. It had to be a swan youkai. If it had been any other youkai, Rin would have certainly refused the absurd notion to begin with. But it had been a Hakuchou, the most docile, noble, loyal, and...beautiful of youkai. Rin instantly recognized Sunoo's inner beauty. Sesshoumaru let out a long sigh. Even he could see the brilliance of the swan youkai's untainted soul, sticking out like an ivory dove amongst a midnight cluster of black-birds. Sunoo's radiance completely outshone his presence. He was nothing but a mere shadow to his ward now, a raven shadowed by the wing of a swan.

This very day was the eve of the full moon's night.

Within the last thirty days, he had watched his sweet young ward and her courtier in brooding silence.

Rin had become quite attached to the Hakuchou. Every day, she eagerly awaited his arrival at the palace gates. She would frown when he did not appear in the morning and light up when he arrived at midday. The swan youkai did not allow the sun to set without seeing Rin.

The couple would spend hours talking or simply sitting quietly together under the blosoming sakura tree. At times they would laugh and play like little children. The Hakuchou lord would pick Rin up in flight and she would giggle till her cheeks flushed with merriment.

There was one thing that bothered him: Rin's scent. Within the last few days, it had changed. Her base essence had mellowed into a fragrance that resembled the sweetness of honey. It tingled his senses whenever she came near, making his mouth water in anticipation, but he could not determine exactly what he was anticipating. Bothered by his reaction to his wards new smell, he had pushed the strange occurrence out of relevance, attributing Rin's change in scent to her rising emotions concerning the Lord Sunoo.

Another sigh escaped his lips. Rin was feeling.....emotions for the swan youkai, deep pure and....happy... emotions.

And tonight, under the full moons light, the Lord Sunoo would kneel before Rin and ask to be her lifelong mate.

Suddenly, Sesshoumaru did not want to think anymore. It was getting late and he had somewhere to be.

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A faint curt knock brought Rin out of the fairytale in her hands. She quickly put the book on the table next to the bed and stepped to the door. Rin felt as if she was about to burst. Sunoo was due anytime now. A part of her was nervous, excitedly nervous. He was coming tonight to ask for her hand. She had no idea what she was going to say, maybe the butterflies in her stomach would speak for her.

Gripping the handle, she opened the heavy wooden door to find her protector standing there. A warm gaze of gold caught upon her clothes and hair before freezing to ice. He spoke in a tone colder than the winter wind. "Rin, it is time to leave."

Her Sesshoumaru-sama turned.

Confused, Rin held out her hand. "But...."

She glanced to the open window on the far side of the room. Late afternoon was falling to early evening. Tonight....Sunoo. How would he find her if she left the estate? "But....I..."

Her protector's steps echoed down the hallway. "Do not tarry, Rin. Now come."

Sighing, Rin frowned in defeat then dropped her gaze to the stone floor before trailing in behind her Sesshoumaru-sama.

As they stepped through the castle gates, Rin peered up to the evening sky. She looked to the west, noting the sun would set soon. For an instant, she glanced to the garden. Sunoo promised to meet her tonight under the full moon by the ancient sakura tree. This night...he was suppose to ask her...

Despondently, Rin sighed and looked to her protector. His long silver hair swayed with the gentle breeze as he walked ahead. The silky strands of pearly white glittered in the late evening glow. He moved with elegance, tall and calm, his unearthly form flowed in the radiance of immortal beauty. For as long as she could remember, her protector had always been this way, quiet with the refined grace of royal lineage and the ethereal stance of pure nobility. Yet, she knew, somewhere in his stoic, rigid, silent demeanor, there resided something special, something akin to warmth. She did not know what it was, but it lay hidden within so deep that she doubted anyone else knew it existed, but Rin knew it to exist. She knew it was as real as the rain and was as warm as the sun.

Rin's quiet glance of contemplation eased into one of curious oberservation. For the first time, she noticed...how tall he really was....how his sure and steady gate pronounced a commanding masculinity....strong, powerful, and....

She swallowed heavily and tried to look somewhere else. Those were not the kind of thoughts she should be having for her protector, her keeper, her...

A strange feeling pulled at her insides. What was this? She did not understand what this sensation was. It was as if a feeling that had always been there suddenly decided to surface for the first time. It wanted her to look at her protector again...to see...to admire...to gaze at the one that had always been there for her, to find by any means necessary that something special hidden far deep within his soul, to touch it, to hold it...to take it... for her own.

Rin closed her eyes and shook her head. No. No. This was madness. A part of her wanted to touch him differently, innocently yet not so innocently. What was happening to her?

It happened again. While sqeezing her eyes shut and walking at the same time, she accidently bumped into his warm, soft form, her nose cushioned by his boa, her hands reaching out to steady herself before she stumbled and fell against him, wishing her grasp would find anything else to hang on to except his body, but there was nothing else. Her hands found his sides. "Ooops."

She began to back up but was stilled by his right hand grasping hers, pulling it forward to rest on the tie of his blue and yellow belt. His voice came low and deep. "Rin, we are flying tonight."

Rin opened her eyes. They widened with shock. What? They had not flown together since she was a child, right before she began riding Ah and Uhn. No. Right now was not the best time for her to be clinging to her protector, not with these strange and new feelings emerging.

Yet, before she knew it, they rose, flying high above the ground, far from the estate.

His hand held hers tightly. "Remain still, Rin."

Rin swallowed again. He was so warm, and he smelled so good. Without thinking, she inhaled deeply, trying to capture and hold his scent. It was spicy and inviting, a bold masculine fragrance, something close to cinnamon but deeper, richer, with a dark hint of male musk. This newly found scent compelled her to mold against him, which she did, unconsciously, her cheek resting against his back, her hands wrapped around his waist. She smiled, not realizing the hand gripping hers had gently squeezed once.

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. Oh, I just love fairy tales, wish i could do review responses, but I am sick. I will get to them next chappie. willow wisp