Disclaimer: I forgot about this in the first chapter. I'm only gonna say this once, I don't own anything in Inuyasha, plot, characters, etc.
Also, I should have made this more clear. The first two chaps are just setting the ground work. How they meet, etc. In the third chap the plot thickens. There will be hints that the story is connected to Escaflowne but blatant Inu Yasha/ Escaflowne scenes won't show up for a while.
Chapter two:
That night:
Rin was busy gathering herbs and fire wood. The first place she went to after she left the youkai was a small hut right outside of the village. There she had used some helpful sign language to ask for a mixing bowl that could withstand fire. She placed all the herbs she needed within the bowl and held the bowl on top of the firewood she was carrying. She did all this in a big hurry, not wishing to leave the youkai alone in case something attacked him or in case he vanished, thinking his hiding place had been compromised. Her thoughts were constantly going back to their encounter. She remembered the way he had stared at the flower as if the mere prescience of it on his lap had unmanned him. Or worse turned him into a 'weak' human. Rin giggled silently. Her shoulders shaking with mirth. She gradually grew serious 'he acts as if no one has ever given him a flower before, he needs flowers. If I stay with him long enough I'll teach him the true power of a flower is that it heals the soul.' She bent over and caressed a blossom close to her, nearly dropping the precious items in her arms.
Rin moved on her thoughts now on how he had barked at her. 'Does that mean he is a dog youkai, hmm . . . it certainly is possible.'
She was close to the clearing now. When she reached the youkai he appeared to be asleep. She checked, she watched him intently for a while to make sure he was breathing. When she assured herself that he was still alive she let go of the breath she had been holding. Rin then set about clearing a space for a fire. Once she had a fire going she ground the herbs in the bowl, placing the bowl slightly over the fire with a little trick she had learned from Kiyomi; the miko that watched over the village. Kiyomi had also taught her how to read and was in the process of teaching her how to write.
Rin added some water from the pouch she kept strapped to her waist, she let the herbs simmer. She sat down Indian style, lost in her own thoughts, every once in a while moving the bowl with a stick to stir it's contents.
Sesshoumaru wasn't asleep. He had been awake the entire time the girl was gone, and right now he was watching her every move. He hadn't been alarmed when she came walking quietly into his resting place, because he had already memorized her scent. A human's scent was what most youkais called an acquired smell. Not something you would want to smell often, but more annoying than repulsive. Sesshoumaru had never acquired a smell for the human odor and prefered to avoid them altogether. This girl's scent however, could be called nothing short of soothing. It was like . . . a drug, inhaling her smell was like the ultimate high for a dog youkai like himself. He wouldn't be drawn in. This close her scent calmed, and he didn't need to be calm, he needed to be alert, aware of everything around him especially this slip of a girl who sat before the fire she made as if unaware of the danger she might be in. The girl was unusual and danger oftimes followed the unusual.
As he watched the girl turned to look at him. Seeing that he was awake the girl smiled hesitantly, her small smile soon spread into a full fledged grin. Sesshoumaru caught his breath. The girl had jet black hair falling to her waist in thick luxurious waves, one side pulled into a small side ponytail. Giving her a child-like innocent look. Her eyes were soft brown nearly black, glowing as if she knew the very secrets of the earth. 'She has intelligence and character, I can see it in her eyes.' Her features were delicate making her look fragile belying both her inner and outer strength. Her face is that of many human wenches. And yet . . . why do I find her appearance unique and beautiful. 'When she smiles . . . when she smiles she lights up, her aura changes, and her attractiveness grows in leaps and bonds. Her smiles are as addictive as her scent. What is wrong with me, what am I thinking. She is a human and therefore not worth my time.' He continued to study her though trying to be more clinical this time. 'Her body seems fit. Her form is pleasing, long legs, curvaceous hips (good for having pups), small waist, slender slightly muscular arms, delicate shoulders, perfect sized breast; not too big, not too small, just a little over a handful.' He looked at his hand, 'What the hell is the matter with me!' he shook himself out of contemplating the size of the wenches breasts.
He didn't have time to expand on those thoughts, however, because the girl was coming toward him. She was still smiling and her scent was overwhelming him this close.
"What do you want wench?!" His words came out sharper than he had intended, trying to hide his discomfort. She hesitated then came two steps closer. She pulled out some folded cloth in front of him containing edible plants and vegetables, no meat anywhere. She laid it on the ground and pushed it towards him. Sesshoumaru started growling, Rin looked up puzzled, but Sesshoumaru wasn't concerned with her. He was looking at the forest. Some one was coming.
"Rin?!"
"Rin!"
"Rin, where are you?!"
Rin jumped up and ran to the fire lifting up the bottom of the short skirt kimono (which normally rested on the top of her calves. It was several sizes too small and ratted.) as much as modesty would permit to grasp the bowl resting over the fire, burning her hands a little as she rushed back over to him. She took out a clean cloth given to her by the same people who owned the hut outside of the village and dipped it into the bowl. She indicated with her hands how he was supposed to apply it to his wounds.
"Rin!"
"Rin!"
Rin jumped the calls were getting closer and more persistent.
She rushed up near him, her fear of them finding her here and thus finding him and probably trying to kill him in his weaken state causing her movements to be agitated. She brought the medicine within the his reach, gave him a weak smile and disappeared into the forest heading towards the voices. She couldn't allow them to keep looking for her.
Sesshoumaru stared at the items before him uncertain as to why this girl would help a youkai she didn't know. He wouldn't touch the food or the medicine, of course. He needed help from no human. And he was glad he had finally seen the last of her. Still . . .
Rin was out of breath by the time she reached the search party. It consisted of servants who worked in the castle some who liked her some, who didn't. There were also some of the villagers It was lead by Kiyomi the miko for the village and Rin's close friend.
"Why are we yelling for a mute girl she obviously can't yell back." An irritated voice complained. Rin recognized it as one of the castle guards, Basho. He was usually drunk and liked to plague the female servants at the castle. He was not a nice man and he was a loyal friend and servant to both the lord and his son.
"Because if she hears us she maybe able to show us where she is in some way or another, she's very resourceful. It's obvious that you don't want to be here, and we can do without the non-existent help you've given us, so why don't go back to the castle." Kiyomi turned on him.
Basho flushed at being reprimanded like a child. He turned and angrily stomped off.
Rin stepped out from behind the trees.
"Rin! Where have you been?" The miko hugged her. "Everyone, it's getting late. Thank you for coming and please have a good night."
She held Rin in a protective embrace as she addressed the villagers. Slowly they dispersed.
"What happened?" Kiyomi asked in a concerned voice. "Did he try to attack you again?" Kiyomi sighed as Rin nodded. "I thought it was the best thing in the world when his father became impotent, all the times you had to run away from him to prevent him from taking you. Only to be beaten when you were brought back. Now his son wishes to have you, well we better get you away from the village before he succeeds. Try to hold out for a couple more days ok? By then you'll have everything you need and the messengers I'll send out will have news as to which miko will take you in as an apprentice. "
Rin nodded looking at her dearest friend. Kiyomi was a pretty and somewhat plump woman with Rin's coloring, The only difference being that her eyes were a lighter brown. Kiyomi was in her late twenties and was more like an older sister to Rin than a mentor. Kiyomi had been there for her when no one else was and she would never know how much that meant to Rin. Rin plucked a pink flower out of her hair, one that she had picked in her mad dash through the forest. She held it up, her eyes focused on Kiyomi trying to convey the meaning of this gift. 'I have nothing, I own nothing, this flower is the only precious thing in my life. Please take it Kiyomi as a symbol of my undying friendship and appreciation.' Rin had tears in her eyes, so did Kiyomi.
"Thank you Rin."
'No thank you Kiyomi, for everything.'
***********************************
Rin woke up early to do her chores. Dawn was a few hours away and Rin would work those hour as hard as she had ever worked to finish her duties, which would leave her free to go see her youkai.
This was the third day since she had found him lying near dead under a tree. She had returned the second day to see that he hadn't touched anything she had left him. On the second day she had left him with fresh food, water, and some more medicine. She wasn't concerned that he hadn't eaten, he probably needed meat. All she could get at the moment was rice and vegetables which had been her evening meal. But today . . . today she would steal some meat from the kitchen.
She had it all planned out. But first she needed to see to her chores.
**********************************
Sesshoumaru wondered where the girl was. It wasn't interest that made him wonder just idle curiosity. She probably thought he was well enough to see to himself and didn't need her ministrations anymore. Which he had never needed in the first place.
Sesshoumaru mentally kicked himself back in line, he had more important matters to think about like paying Inu Yasha and his wench back for this outrage. He also wondered how long it would take Jaken to find him this time, the toad youkai was an idiot. He didn't know why he kept him in his employ.
Sesshoumaru mentally sighed. Jaken was loyal that was why. Annoying yes, stupid yes, smelly yes, but loyal.
'The human girl isn't annoying or stupid. Smelly? ::mental grunt:: I wish, I wonder if she is loyal.' Sesshoumaru growled aloud the thought catching him by surprised, being injured was no excuse for losing control over his thoughts, that control was what separated him from weaker youkais, hanyous, and humans. It was what made him the fearsome Sesshoumaru of the western lands. It wasn't like him to think about something he had deliberately put out of his mind.
'I will think of her no more!' he shouted to himself. He heard a rustle. Someone was approaching, he sniffed the air and relaxed. She was here.
Rin didn't want her youkai to see her like this, but she was determined to give him the meal she had fought so hard for.
~ Flashback ~
Rin had finished her chores and snuck into the kitchen. Beef had been cooked for lunch and she would take some of it. The smells in the kitchen made her mouth water and her stomach gave a growl as fierce as that of her youkai. It had reminded her that she hadn't had anything to eat yet. It didn't matter usually, all she got was rice. If she was lucky she would get mushrooms or vegetables with her rice, and if she was really lucky a piece or two of chicken chunks left over from a meal.
She wouldn't have been caught if she hadn't lingered to put some sauce on his meat. One second she was reaching for the sauce covered beef and the next she was jerked around by Basho.
"I know you're not taking that to my lord, because you are determined to tease him running away from him like the coward you are, when you would like nothing better but for him to take you. So that must mean you're here to steal something right?"
Rin looked at him with frightened eyes.
"There's no miko here to save you this time huh? Answer me bitch!" He slapped her hard across both cheeks.
"I forgot you can't can you? you couldn't scream no matter what I did to you. I like that, you should be punished for what you were about to do." He punctuated almost every word with a blow, Rin was on the floor trying to cover he face. When he paused she sat up quickly and bit into his leg, drawing blood. She usually didn't fight back seeing as it was pointless and just prolonged the beating, but for some reason this thrashing enraged her as no other had.
"Bitch!" He screeched in pain hitting her on the back of the head. She pushed back lying flat on her back disoriented. When he came for her again she put all of her strength in a kick aimed at his loins. When he bent over in agony, Rin staggered to her feet and shook her head trying to clear it. She grabbed the meat and walked out of the kitchen slowly, she was too dazed to run. No one in the kitchen stopped her, a young girl in the corner smirked, she had a weapon against little Rin.
Rin made it to a pond in the forest without collapsing. There she washed her face with the cool water. Her lip split, puffed and bleeding. Her left eye was swelling, she had a cut on her right cheek and her face was swollen into one big bruise. She opened her mouth, she didn't seem to be missing any teeth. She got some fresh water for her youkai while looking at her reflection . . . she couldn't go on like this.
~ End Flashback ~
There was nothing but silence as she came up to the clearance, she went directly to the magnificent youkai's side.
She presented the food to him a yellow flower on the tray next to the meat. Her gift to him for keeping her from being so lonely and making her feel safe. She had never felt safe, even in the old days with her family she had a feeling that she didn't belong and that she was hiding from something. Security was such a precious feeling she wanted it to last forever. 'He must be very powerful to make me feel this way when he's nearly defenseless.'
Sesshoumaru turned away from the food and water.
Rin's heart fell, cracking. She swallowed the lump in her throat her eyes burned with hurt and anger. Why wouldn't he take the food, it was fresh meat. It was the worse rejection Rin had ever experienced in her lifetime. She unconsciously made an injured sound pushing the food closer to him with determination. He looked at her and stared a long time.
"What happened to your face?" He questioned in his sexy monotone voice.
'He . . . he cares . . .' She resisted the urge to burst into tears, he deserved a smile. The smile she gave him came from her soul, transforming her bruised and battered face and radiating her inner beauty.
Sesshoumaru felt rage coarse through his body when he first saw her face. What fool would mar such beauty. He could feel the beast in him stir.
"What happened to your face?" He hadn't meant to voice the question.
He was glad he had however, never had he seen such a beautiful smile. 'Why would she smile. I don't care.'
"You don't have to tell me." 'When did I lose control of my tongue?'
He watched as the young woman did something unusual. She laid down on the ground in front of him. Lying down completely on the grass and dirt, she promptly fell asleep.
He couldn't figure out if she was fearless or just plain stupid. Did she think she was safe with him, she was mistaken if so. He inhaled her scent and felt the now familiar tranquillity flow over his body and mind. He leaned back, stretched his sense even further and watched her sleep, she looked exhausted as if she hadn't slept in a year. He would leave this place tonight, his wounds were fully healed, and though he was still a little weak, he was strong enough to travel. 'Yes I will leave this forest and this girl,(what had the villagers called her?) . . . Rin and her intoxicating scent behind.' The girl named Rin shivered. Absent-mindedly, still lost in his thoughts Sesshoumaru used his tail to bring her close enough for him to wrap his tail around her for warmth and comfort. When he noticed he merely shrugged it off, it was the least he could do. He smiled as one of Rin's small hands fisted in the fur of his tail.
********************************
Rin skipped toward the castle, she had woken up to the warmth of her youkai's tail. This day was wonderful, she fingered her bruised eye and grinned. The beef had been gone when she had awakened. Rin laughed 'ow it hurts when I laugh.' She laughed more giddy with happiness. She wouldn't think about how long this would last, she would just enjoy it and she would never ever forget him.
"Rin!! where have you been?!" Rin turned to see the lord's son walking towards her, Basho behind him.
"I haven't seen you for two days. Have you been avoiding me or have you been sneaking off to meet someone behind my back? I heard you stole some food from the kitchen."
Rin looked sharply at Basho. Basho smirked back at her, he hadn't told the lord or his son, not wanting to admit that he had been bested by a female, but that didn't stop him from enjoying this.
"It's funny because, you see, we looked in your quarters and we found no tray or any other kinds of remains, and you don't have it now." His voice had a deceptive quietness about it. "You didn't steal that food for yourself did you? No, you gave it to someone, who is he? Who have you been sneaking off to see? WHO IS IT?! YOU LITTLE SLUT!" He lunged at her, his eyes were wild.
"Who?!" They crashed to the ground Basho leaping forward to help his lord hold the girl.
Rin was desperate. She kicked him in the face when he grabbed her ankle, he let her go. She gave a silent whimper got up and ran. Not to the village she would find no protection there. She ran to the only person she had ever felt safe with.
All she could think was: 'If I can reach him I'll be safe, If I reach him I'll be safe.' It repeated in her head like a broken record.
Suddenly she was tackled from behind. Her attacker flipped her over he straddled her his face red, blood gushing from his nose where she had kicked him. Spittle flew from his mouth, his chest was heaving in and out with each breath he took, his expression was frightening.
"Who is he?" He whispered hoarsely almost pleading, placing his hands around her throat and squeezing.
Rin couldn't breathe. She clawed at his hands, she struck his face nothing fazed him. Her lips were turning blue, her face - puffy from the previous beating - turned several shades of purple. Her legs kicked tears were falling from her eyes a small trail of blood fallings out of the corner of her mouth. Her struggles slowly stopped, she laid there a breath away from her last. I'll never see him again, was her last thought as she left the world at the hands of one of the men who caused all her misery. Her right hand fell away from her body and lay opened on the ground crushed flower petals falling out.
******************************
Sesshoumaru felt a chill as he walked away from the forest, the village and Rin. He glanced back but when he felt nothing else he kept walking. He found Jaken bumbling about some nonsense. His servant had taken too long to find him, but he was in a generous mood so Jaken's punishment was just a small rock to the back of his head.
"Lord Sesshoumaru!!" Jaken exclaimed awe and worship in his voice.
"Jaken . . ." He had intended to say more but a gust of wind brought a familiar scent to him, except now it was overshadowed with blood and death.
Rin was . . . dead?
So what do you think so far? Review already! ^_^
Also, I should have made this more clear. The first two chaps are just setting the ground work. How they meet, etc. In the third chap the plot thickens. There will be hints that the story is connected to Escaflowne but blatant Inu Yasha/ Escaflowne scenes won't show up for a while.
Chapter two:
That night:
Rin was busy gathering herbs and fire wood. The first place she went to after she left the youkai was a small hut right outside of the village. There she had used some helpful sign language to ask for a mixing bowl that could withstand fire. She placed all the herbs she needed within the bowl and held the bowl on top of the firewood she was carrying. She did all this in a big hurry, not wishing to leave the youkai alone in case something attacked him or in case he vanished, thinking his hiding place had been compromised. Her thoughts were constantly going back to their encounter. She remembered the way he had stared at the flower as if the mere prescience of it on his lap had unmanned him. Or worse turned him into a 'weak' human. Rin giggled silently. Her shoulders shaking with mirth. She gradually grew serious 'he acts as if no one has ever given him a flower before, he needs flowers. If I stay with him long enough I'll teach him the true power of a flower is that it heals the soul.' She bent over and caressed a blossom close to her, nearly dropping the precious items in her arms.
Rin moved on her thoughts now on how he had barked at her. 'Does that mean he is a dog youkai, hmm . . . it certainly is possible.'
She was close to the clearing now. When she reached the youkai he appeared to be asleep. She checked, she watched him intently for a while to make sure he was breathing. When she assured herself that he was still alive she let go of the breath she had been holding. Rin then set about clearing a space for a fire. Once she had a fire going she ground the herbs in the bowl, placing the bowl slightly over the fire with a little trick she had learned from Kiyomi; the miko that watched over the village. Kiyomi had also taught her how to read and was in the process of teaching her how to write.
Rin added some water from the pouch she kept strapped to her waist, she let the herbs simmer. She sat down Indian style, lost in her own thoughts, every once in a while moving the bowl with a stick to stir it's contents.
Sesshoumaru wasn't asleep. He had been awake the entire time the girl was gone, and right now he was watching her every move. He hadn't been alarmed when she came walking quietly into his resting place, because he had already memorized her scent. A human's scent was what most youkais called an acquired smell. Not something you would want to smell often, but more annoying than repulsive. Sesshoumaru had never acquired a smell for the human odor and prefered to avoid them altogether. This girl's scent however, could be called nothing short of soothing. It was like . . . a drug, inhaling her smell was like the ultimate high for a dog youkai like himself. He wouldn't be drawn in. This close her scent calmed, and he didn't need to be calm, he needed to be alert, aware of everything around him especially this slip of a girl who sat before the fire she made as if unaware of the danger she might be in. The girl was unusual and danger oftimes followed the unusual.
As he watched the girl turned to look at him. Seeing that he was awake the girl smiled hesitantly, her small smile soon spread into a full fledged grin. Sesshoumaru caught his breath. The girl had jet black hair falling to her waist in thick luxurious waves, one side pulled into a small side ponytail. Giving her a child-like innocent look. Her eyes were soft brown nearly black, glowing as if she knew the very secrets of the earth. 'She has intelligence and character, I can see it in her eyes.' Her features were delicate making her look fragile belying both her inner and outer strength. Her face is that of many human wenches. And yet . . . why do I find her appearance unique and beautiful. 'When she smiles . . . when she smiles she lights up, her aura changes, and her attractiveness grows in leaps and bonds. Her smiles are as addictive as her scent. What is wrong with me, what am I thinking. She is a human and therefore not worth my time.' He continued to study her though trying to be more clinical this time. 'Her body seems fit. Her form is pleasing, long legs, curvaceous hips (good for having pups), small waist, slender slightly muscular arms, delicate shoulders, perfect sized breast; not too big, not too small, just a little over a handful.' He looked at his hand, 'What the hell is the matter with me!' he shook himself out of contemplating the size of the wenches breasts.
He didn't have time to expand on those thoughts, however, because the girl was coming toward him. She was still smiling and her scent was overwhelming him this close.
"What do you want wench?!" His words came out sharper than he had intended, trying to hide his discomfort. She hesitated then came two steps closer. She pulled out some folded cloth in front of him containing edible plants and vegetables, no meat anywhere. She laid it on the ground and pushed it towards him. Sesshoumaru started growling, Rin looked up puzzled, but Sesshoumaru wasn't concerned with her. He was looking at the forest. Some one was coming.
"Rin?!"
"Rin!"
"Rin, where are you?!"
Rin jumped up and ran to the fire lifting up the bottom of the short skirt kimono (which normally rested on the top of her calves. It was several sizes too small and ratted.) as much as modesty would permit to grasp the bowl resting over the fire, burning her hands a little as she rushed back over to him. She took out a clean cloth given to her by the same people who owned the hut outside of the village and dipped it into the bowl. She indicated with her hands how he was supposed to apply it to his wounds.
"Rin!"
"Rin!"
Rin jumped the calls were getting closer and more persistent.
She rushed up near him, her fear of them finding her here and thus finding him and probably trying to kill him in his weaken state causing her movements to be agitated. She brought the medicine within the his reach, gave him a weak smile and disappeared into the forest heading towards the voices. She couldn't allow them to keep looking for her.
Sesshoumaru stared at the items before him uncertain as to why this girl would help a youkai she didn't know. He wouldn't touch the food or the medicine, of course. He needed help from no human. And he was glad he had finally seen the last of her. Still . . .
Rin was out of breath by the time she reached the search party. It consisted of servants who worked in the castle some who liked her some, who didn't. There were also some of the villagers It was lead by Kiyomi the miko for the village and Rin's close friend.
"Why are we yelling for a mute girl she obviously can't yell back." An irritated voice complained. Rin recognized it as one of the castle guards, Basho. He was usually drunk and liked to plague the female servants at the castle. He was not a nice man and he was a loyal friend and servant to both the lord and his son.
"Because if she hears us she maybe able to show us where she is in some way or another, she's very resourceful. It's obvious that you don't want to be here, and we can do without the non-existent help you've given us, so why don't go back to the castle." Kiyomi turned on him.
Basho flushed at being reprimanded like a child. He turned and angrily stomped off.
Rin stepped out from behind the trees.
"Rin! Where have you been?" The miko hugged her. "Everyone, it's getting late. Thank you for coming and please have a good night."
She held Rin in a protective embrace as she addressed the villagers. Slowly they dispersed.
"What happened?" Kiyomi asked in a concerned voice. "Did he try to attack you again?" Kiyomi sighed as Rin nodded. "I thought it was the best thing in the world when his father became impotent, all the times you had to run away from him to prevent him from taking you. Only to be beaten when you were brought back. Now his son wishes to have you, well we better get you away from the village before he succeeds. Try to hold out for a couple more days ok? By then you'll have everything you need and the messengers I'll send out will have news as to which miko will take you in as an apprentice. "
Rin nodded looking at her dearest friend. Kiyomi was a pretty and somewhat plump woman with Rin's coloring, The only difference being that her eyes were a lighter brown. Kiyomi was in her late twenties and was more like an older sister to Rin than a mentor. Kiyomi had been there for her when no one else was and she would never know how much that meant to Rin. Rin plucked a pink flower out of her hair, one that she had picked in her mad dash through the forest. She held it up, her eyes focused on Kiyomi trying to convey the meaning of this gift. 'I have nothing, I own nothing, this flower is the only precious thing in my life. Please take it Kiyomi as a symbol of my undying friendship and appreciation.' Rin had tears in her eyes, so did Kiyomi.
"Thank you Rin."
'No thank you Kiyomi, for everything.'
***********************************
Rin woke up early to do her chores. Dawn was a few hours away and Rin would work those hour as hard as she had ever worked to finish her duties, which would leave her free to go see her youkai.
This was the third day since she had found him lying near dead under a tree. She had returned the second day to see that he hadn't touched anything she had left him. On the second day she had left him with fresh food, water, and some more medicine. She wasn't concerned that he hadn't eaten, he probably needed meat. All she could get at the moment was rice and vegetables which had been her evening meal. But today . . . today she would steal some meat from the kitchen.
She had it all planned out. But first she needed to see to her chores.
**********************************
Sesshoumaru wondered where the girl was. It wasn't interest that made him wonder just idle curiosity. She probably thought he was well enough to see to himself and didn't need her ministrations anymore. Which he had never needed in the first place.
Sesshoumaru mentally kicked himself back in line, he had more important matters to think about like paying Inu Yasha and his wench back for this outrage. He also wondered how long it would take Jaken to find him this time, the toad youkai was an idiot. He didn't know why he kept him in his employ.
Sesshoumaru mentally sighed. Jaken was loyal that was why. Annoying yes, stupid yes, smelly yes, but loyal.
'The human girl isn't annoying or stupid. Smelly? ::mental grunt:: I wish, I wonder if she is loyal.' Sesshoumaru growled aloud the thought catching him by surprised, being injured was no excuse for losing control over his thoughts, that control was what separated him from weaker youkais, hanyous, and humans. It was what made him the fearsome Sesshoumaru of the western lands. It wasn't like him to think about something he had deliberately put out of his mind.
'I will think of her no more!' he shouted to himself. He heard a rustle. Someone was approaching, he sniffed the air and relaxed. She was here.
Rin didn't want her youkai to see her like this, but she was determined to give him the meal she had fought so hard for.
~ Flashback ~
Rin had finished her chores and snuck into the kitchen. Beef had been cooked for lunch and she would take some of it. The smells in the kitchen made her mouth water and her stomach gave a growl as fierce as that of her youkai. It had reminded her that she hadn't had anything to eat yet. It didn't matter usually, all she got was rice. If she was lucky she would get mushrooms or vegetables with her rice, and if she was really lucky a piece or two of chicken chunks left over from a meal.
She wouldn't have been caught if she hadn't lingered to put some sauce on his meat. One second she was reaching for the sauce covered beef and the next she was jerked around by Basho.
"I know you're not taking that to my lord, because you are determined to tease him running away from him like the coward you are, when you would like nothing better but for him to take you. So that must mean you're here to steal something right?"
Rin looked at him with frightened eyes.
"There's no miko here to save you this time huh? Answer me bitch!" He slapped her hard across both cheeks.
"I forgot you can't can you? you couldn't scream no matter what I did to you. I like that, you should be punished for what you were about to do." He punctuated almost every word with a blow, Rin was on the floor trying to cover he face. When he paused she sat up quickly and bit into his leg, drawing blood. She usually didn't fight back seeing as it was pointless and just prolonged the beating, but for some reason this thrashing enraged her as no other had.
"Bitch!" He screeched in pain hitting her on the back of the head. She pushed back lying flat on her back disoriented. When he came for her again she put all of her strength in a kick aimed at his loins. When he bent over in agony, Rin staggered to her feet and shook her head trying to clear it. She grabbed the meat and walked out of the kitchen slowly, she was too dazed to run. No one in the kitchen stopped her, a young girl in the corner smirked, she had a weapon against little Rin.
Rin made it to a pond in the forest without collapsing. There she washed her face with the cool water. Her lip split, puffed and bleeding. Her left eye was swelling, she had a cut on her right cheek and her face was swollen into one big bruise. She opened her mouth, she didn't seem to be missing any teeth. She got some fresh water for her youkai while looking at her reflection . . . she couldn't go on like this.
~ End Flashback ~
There was nothing but silence as she came up to the clearance, she went directly to the magnificent youkai's side.
She presented the food to him a yellow flower on the tray next to the meat. Her gift to him for keeping her from being so lonely and making her feel safe. She had never felt safe, even in the old days with her family she had a feeling that she didn't belong and that she was hiding from something. Security was such a precious feeling she wanted it to last forever. 'He must be very powerful to make me feel this way when he's nearly defenseless.'
Sesshoumaru turned away from the food and water.
Rin's heart fell, cracking. She swallowed the lump in her throat her eyes burned with hurt and anger. Why wouldn't he take the food, it was fresh meat. It was the worse rejection Rin had ever experienced in her lifetime. She unconsciously made an injured sound pushing the food closer to him with determination. He looked at her and stared a long time.
"What happened to your face?" He questioned in his sexy monotone voice.
'He . . . he cares . . .' She resisted the urge to burst into tears, he deserved a smile. The smile she gave him came from her soul, transforming her bruised and battered face and radiating her inner beauty.
Sesshoumaru felt rage coarse through his body when he first saw her face. What fool would mar such beauty. He could feel the beast in him stir.
"What happened to your face?" He hadn't meant to voice the question.
He was glad he had however, never had he seen such a beautiful smile. 'Why would she smile. I don't care.'
"You don't have to tell me." 'When did I lose control of my tongue?'
He watched as the young woman did something unusual. She laid down on the ground in front of him. Lying down completely on the grass and dirt, she promptly fell asleep.
He couldn't figure out if she was fearless or just plain stupid. Did she think she was safe with him, she was mistaken if so. He inhaled her scent and felt the now familiar tranquillity flow over his body and mind. He leaned back, stretched his sense even further and watched her sleep, she looked exhausted as if she hadn't slept in a year. He would leave this place tonight, his wounds were fully healed, and though he was still a little weak, he was strong enough to travel. 'Yes I will leave this forest and this girl,(what had the villagers called her?) . . . Rin and her intoxicating scent behind.' The girl named Rin shivered. Absent-mindedly, still lost in his thoughts Sesshoumaru used his tail to bring her close enough for him to wrap his tail around her for warmth and comfort. When he noticed he merely shrugged it off, it was the least he could do. He smiled as one of Rin's small hands fisted in the fur of his tail.
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Rin skipped toward the castle, she had woken up to the warmth of her youkai's tail. This day was wonderful, she fingered her bruised eye and grinned. The beef had been gone when she had awakened. Rin laughed 'ow it hurts when I laugh.' She laughed more giddy with happiness. She wouldn't think about how long this would last, she would just enjoy it and she would never ever forget him.
"Rin!! where have you been?!" Rin turned to see the lord's son walking towards her, Basho behind him.
"I haven't seen you for two days. Have you been avoiding me or have you been sneaking off to meet someone behind my back? I heard you stole some food from the kitchen."
Rin looked sharply at Basho. Basho smirked back at her, he hadn't told the lord or his son, not wanting to admit that he had been bested by a female, but that didn't stop him from enjoying this.
"It's funny because, you see, we looked in your quarters and we found no tray or any other kinds of remains, and you don't have it now." His voice had a deceptive quietness about it. "You didn't steal that food for yourself did you? No, you gave it to someone, who is he? Who have you been sneaking off to see? WHO IS IT?! YOU LITTLE SLUT!" He lunged at her, his eyes were wild.
"Who?!" They crashed to the ground Basho leaping forward to help his lord hold the girl.
Rin was desperate. She kicked him in the face when he grabbed her ankle, he let her go. She gave a silent whimper got up and ran. Not to the village she would find no protection there. She ran to the only person she had ever felt safe with.
All she could think was: 'If I can reach him I'll be safe, If I reach him I'll be safe.' It repeated in her head like a broken record.
Suddenly she was tackled from behind. Her attacker flipped her over he straddled her his face red, blood gushing from his nose where she had kicked him. Spittle flew from his mouth, his chest was heaving in and out with each breath he took, his expression was frightening.
"Who is he?" He whispered hoarsely almost pleading, placing his hands around her throat and squeezing.
Rin couldn't breathe. She clawed at his hands, she struck his face nothing fazed him. Her lips were turning blue, her face - puffy from the previous beating - turned several shades of purple. Her legs kicked tears were falling from her eyes a small trail of blood fallings out of the corner of her mouth. Her struggles slowly stopped, she laid there a breath away from her last. I'll never see him again, was her last thought as she left the world at the hands of one of the men who caused all her misery. Her right hand fell away from her body and lay opened on the ground crushed flower petals falling out.
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Sesshoumaru felt a chill as he walked away from the forest, the village and Rin. He glanced back but when he felt nothing else he kept walking. He found Jaken bumbling about some nonsense. His servant had taken too long to find him, but he was in a generous mood so Jaken's punishment was just a small rock to the back of his head.
"Lord Sesshoumaru!!" Jaken exclaimed awe and worship in his voice.
"Jaken . . ." He had intended to say more but a gust of wind brought a familiar scent to him, except now it was overshadowed with blood and death.
Rin was . . . dead?
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