Red and White Destiny
By: Arthia Maxwell
"My, my, my, it seems I'm finally free." The woman purred then kneeled next to Rin, sniffing. "You smell like Sesshoumaru-sama." She looked down taking notice of the arm. She suddenly took up a defensive position.
"Why do you have Sesshoumaru-sama's arm?" She growled. But the loud hiss down the tunnel of the cave cut off any answer Rin was going to give.
"Little girl were are you? I'm sure Sesshoumaru will pay a pretty penny for your safe return." The voice hissed loudly causing Yukana to growl loudly. She looked down again at the cowering girl. Sighing she walked to the opposite wall drawing her double katanas from the cave wall.
"Stay here. When I come back I want an explanation." With that she was gone. Rin could hear the sounds of battle, but they were short and soon the hanyou she had freed returned. She slowly stood, still clenching the wrapped arm to her chest.
"Rin." She said softly as if testing the name. She sheathed the swords before talking again. "My name is Yukana and I once worked for Sesshoumaru- sama before I was imprisoned here." She watched as the expression on Rin face relaxed. "If you want I could take you back, although I don't know where he resides now."
"He has returned to the mountain refuge." Rin said quietly. Grinning Yukana turned and kneeled.
"Climb onto my back." The tone made the request sound like an urgent order. Rin did as she was told. "Hang on tightly." And with that she was gone out the cave entrance and into the woods.
It was her feline instant and heightened senses that saved her skin as she dodged backward to avoid the poison whip that lashed out at her. She strained her eyes looking around to find who had done it, but her smell was telling her that she knew this person.
Sesshoumaru attacked first and decided to ask questions later, but when the figure carrying Rin easily dodged his attack he had the feeling that he knew it. For there was only one youkai, or hanyou that could dodge him that easily.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin yelled from her position on Yukana's back. She was suddenly placed gently on the ground and Yukana was kneeling beside her. Sesshoumaru walked to her, his face expressionless.
"Rin." The unasked question intoned in her name.
"I'm fine. Yukana saved me from a youkai." She said reaching her hand out and lightly rubbing the catlike ears. A soft purr resounding from Yukana. Sesshoumaru looked down at the kneeling hanyou. Her scent was familiar to him.
"Yukana." His voice made the name a statement not a question. "You've been gone quite a while." Well over sixty years, he thought watching her rise. She was the only hanyou that he like, and respected. But it confused him greatly when she just disappeared and never returned or sent word of where she was.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, some old hag dared to entrapped me in a cave." Her voice ended in a deep growl. "It was stupid of me to be trapped like that." "I know you not to be careless." He said coolly. Then at a tugging on his empty sleeve he looked down to see Rin clinching something to her chest. "What is it?" It was the first question he had asked since he had caught them. Rin smiling broadly held up the warped arm. He looked down his eyebrow raise to show his interest in what she had run off for.
"Is that why you left?"
"For you Sesshoumaru-sama." She said simply. He could smell the slight fear rolling off her being. He was also aware of Yukana watching silently. She seemed to be in good working order, but confusion coloured her sent, and he notice that she meant him to be able to smell it. He reached out and took the gift that Rin handed him. Rin watched closely as he unwrapped the arm. Sesshoumaru's eyes rounded slightly in surprise before narrowing them at Rin. His left arm.
"Rin." His voice was low and tightly controlled. He would never hurt her but it seemed that Yukana had taken the girl's safety into her interest. She slid her foot all but half way between Rin and himself. "I thought I'd be able to return before you got home. I thought that if I gave you your arm back you would want to keep me around." She couldn't hold back the sniffle and blinked her eyes several times trying to stop the tears because she knew that Sesshoumaru-sama didn't like them, but they came any ways. Sesshoumaru reconnected his arm and flexed his slim fingers into a fist to test the motion in it. So it still works, he thought idly. When his eyes rested on Rin again he noticed that she was standing stock still as her silent tears ran down her face unchecked. Sighing, then signaling to Yukana to step down he picked her up. For a fleeting moment she was startled but then when he wiped her tears away she settled down. "Don't do that." The command was soft, but it was enough to throw the tired girl over the edge and she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face against his shoulder. Surprise and shocked coloured his face so vividly that Yukana reached out to take Rin from him only to have him glare at her, his protectiveness evident in his eyes. With a small grin she followed him to the only home she had ever known.
When they reentered the grounds no one said a word, not even Jyaken, but his face showed quickly schooled shock at seeing Yukana. He sighed as she passed by with only a glance in his direction. So I'm guessing that she doesn't remember. That's good, but how'd she escape? He wondered until he noticed he was falling behind his master. Sesshoumaru made his way to Rin's rooms and carefully laid her down onto the futon. He turned smelling death in the rooms. With a wave of his hand two youkai ran to obey his silent orders, the only ones staying were Yukana and Jyaken. He led them just outside the rooms, they stood silent for a few moments watching scenery.
"Now that you're back Yukana."
"I will do anything you bid Sesshoumaru-sama, but I'd like your permission to look for the one who had me imprisoned." She quickly interrupted him. He bared his teeth but that was all. She was the only youkai, hanyou he corrected himself, that he would allow to do such things.
"I want you to watch over Rin. This very well could have been a kidnapping." His statement was cold as he raised his left arm again and flexed the fingers.
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama." She bowed then was gone in a flash. Sesshoumaru turned cold golden eyes on Jyaken. "Never fail me again." Was all he said before he too disappeared.
Several years passed by only to find that some habits hadn't been broken. Rin watched her friend and companion from her safe spot in the middle of the garden lake. They were safe to swim there most days because no one would wonder out that far. Yukana's lean body gleamed in the sun from water droplets that covered her nude body. Rin really wished she wouldn't do that, just stand there as if not a care in the world. It wasn't that nudity bothered her she just didn't want to have Sesshoumaru-sama or Jyaken-sama seeing her that way. In one swift motion Yukana dived in and swam up to Rin. "Does my body offend you, Rin-sama?" Even though they had become close Yukana always added the sama at the end of Rin's name, even when they were alone. Another issue the poor hanyou had was the distaste of her own body. Although lean and very fit, she still saw herself as the half-breed the full-blooded youkai talked about. Her ears and tail had always been a favorite of Rin's and even though she hated it when Yukana would suddenly appear and be beside her, she couldn't fault the woman.
Smiling Rin replied, "Never. I care for my hanyou," Rin caught the flinch, "companion and wouldn't have any other." Yukana seemed to consider her answer, then again she always seemed to do so. Silently nodding she splashed Rin and swam a bit a ways from her. Rin was about to splash her back when she noted the sudden tension in Yukana, and the sudden raise of her dagger. Rin took that as her cue to hide, and that's what she did right behind Yukana. The tension didn't lessen any as Jyaken walked into the clearing first. Yukana had never liked the toad youkai and had expressively told him so.
"Get out of he you HENTAI!!" She yelled her voice warning as she threw the dagger for it to land between the legs of a shocked Jyaken, who looked up and back as his master appeared.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, did you see that, well of course you did. She tried killing me again!" He wailed at the taller youkai. "Something must be done."
"If she wanted you dead you would have been long ago. She never misses." Sesshoumaru retorted challengingly. Jyaken said no more but glared accusingly at Yukana as she emerged from the water. He wanted to yell at her but even as his mouth open her eyes dropped to his, challenging him to do so. She picked up a robe and flung it around herself.
Bowing deeply she spoke to Sesshoumaru with only slight annoyance. "What may I do for you Sesshoumaru-sama that you came here to call upon me, or Rin-sama?" She added the last as if a second thought.
"Rin needs to come and personally address this wedding proposal." The annoyance and jealous not missed by Yukana. He stood his eyes locked on Yukana, for Rin was trying to sneak out of the water and get her robe around her as quickly as possible. She looked frighten, Sesshoumaru realized when he finally turned to look at her. He could guess why.
"Is it human or demon?" Yukana snared out. She had hated the fact that both looked to mate with her. Ever since she had arrived males of all kinds had been asking for her hand in marriage. Sesshoumaru by rights could award any male he chose to Rin, but he said that it was her choice and hers alone. Yukana didn't like the pained look in his normally cold eyes as he made his way out of the garden. It looked so much like the ones he had when he had to leave while Rin was in heat. Explaining that to her was much easier then Yukana had originally thought. Turning she picked up her twin katanas and lead Rin back to their now shared rooms to change.
A short time later both entered. Yukana wearing her usual easy fight clothes and Rin trying not to make a face in a several layered kimono. She walked up beside the youkai, who as she suspected wanted her hand in marriage, then bowed to Sesshoumaru. At his gesture she rose and walked to his side taking the lower chair next to him. Yukana came to stand behind her, the face she wore carefully neutral.
"Why has Sesshoumaru-sama interupted our swim to call us here?" Rin asked softly knowing full well that both youkai beside and behind her like the personal joke and that the youkai in front of her shivered at her blunt way of speech. This one, unlike the last was unimpressed by the way she talk to Sesshoumaru, and dared to open his big mouth.
"If she becomes mine I will make sure she never," and here is were Rin noticed the look of discuss on his face, "speaks to a lord in such a way."
Rin raised her hand as Yukana, though she be a female, was still menacing, stepped forward growling. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin questioned softly turning to look at him.
"It is your choice Rin." He said coldly, glaring daggers down at this youkai who one dared to take his Rin from him, then dared to speak so in his court. He also knew that Rin had made up her mind long ago about who she wanted to mate with and be with, but he knew he couldn't bring himself to do so, not wanting to repeat his father's actions. His hated brother was created out of that bond, a bond he now understood was love and respect. But Rin was in that stage where humans married and started families.
"I formally refuse your offer, sir." Was all she said, it was all she ever said at these times. Yukana watched carefully as the youkais's muscles tensed as if he made ready to attack. But one look at him sent him whiling around and storming out of the grand hall. Rin sighed and relaxed visibly. She still couldn't understand why so many wanted her hand, but she knew it had something to do with Sesshoumaru. She yawned trying to cover it with the back of her hand, rather unsuccessfully in a room full of youkai. She never did sleep good during her cycle, especially when it meant Sesshoumaru- sama was away. She remembered the one time they tried to put a sleeping potion in her drink and the next morning when she woke up she couldn't move her arms or legs. It had seemed, or so Yukana confided in her and Sesshoumaru, that someone put an inhibitor into the drink as well. None of them like the idea and it was never tried again.
"You're tired."
"I'm," enter wide yawn here, "fine." She said trying to convinced him and herself.
"Go." The tone left no argument and both women disappeared though the back way. Sesshoumaru watched Rin's back as she disappeared. He lowered his eyes for just a moment before raising them again.
Once in the safety of the rooms Rin stripped down to the under kimono and flopped against her futon. She yawned once more before falling into a deep sleep. Yukana watched the steady rise and fall of her chest before she found herself unusually tired. She growled an order to the youkai guards outside before returning and crashing against her own bed. Sleep was a rare thing for her but today it came and it was very well welcomed.
A silent shadow moved through the gardens toward the scent that its master had told it to look for and steal. It moved on the breeze past the two unknowing youkai. Even the great Inu lord here wouldn't be able to sense him because he was not but a shadow. When it entered the room it stopped suddenly watching the hanyou woman sleeping. She would sense it, it was sure of it. First it needed to gather its pray, no, it corrected itself, its master's pray. The shadow resonated over the sleeping Rin. Bending it picked her up and threw her over its shoulder.
A loud screeched ripped open the night peace, waking all within the palace. Sesshoumaru leapt to his feet and was out the door by the time the growling scream resounded throughout the night like an alarm bell. When Sesshoumaru made it to Rin's rooms the youkai guard were dead and the door lay wide open. He could smell large amounts of blood and hear an insistent growling and whimpering.
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By: Arthia Maxwell
"My, my, my, it seems I'm finally free." The woman purred then kneeled next to Rin, sniffing. "You smell like Sesshoumaru-sama." She looked down taking notice of the arm. She suddenly took up a defensive position.
"Why do you have Sesshoumaru-sama's arm?" She growled. But the loud hiss down the tunnel of the cave cut off any answer Rin was going to give.
"Little girl were are you? I'm sure Sesshoumaru will pay a pretty penny for your safe return." The voice hissed loudly causing Yukana to growl loudly. She looked down again at the cowering girl. Sighing she walked to the opposite wall drawing her double katanas from the cave wall.
"Stay here. When I come back I want an explanation." With that she was gone. Rin could hear the sounds of battle, but they were short and soon the hanyou she had freed returned. She slowly stood, still clenching the wrapped arm to her chest.
"Rin." She said softly as if testing the name. She sheathed the swords before talking again. "My name is Yukana and I once worked for Sesshoumaru- sama before I was imprisoned here." She watched as the expression on Rin face relaxed. "If you want I could take you back, although I don't know where he resides now."
"He has returned to the mountain refuge." Rin said quietly. Grinning Yukana turned and kneeled.
"Climb onto my back." The tone made the request sound like an urgent order. Rin did as she was told. "Hang on tightly." And with that she was gone out the cave entrance and into the woods.
It was her feline instant and heightened senses that saved her skin as she dodged backward to avoid the poison whip that lashed out at her. She strained her eyes looking around to find who had done it, but her smell was telling her that she knew this person.
Sesshoumaru attacked first and decided to ask questions later, but when the figure carrying Rin easily dodged his attack he had the feeling that he knew it. For there was only one youkai, or hanyou that could dodge him that easily.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" Rin yelled from her position on Yukana's back. She was suddenly placed gently on the ground and Yukana was kneeling beside her. Sesshoumaru walked to her, his face expressionless.
"Rin." The unasked question intoned in her name.
"I'm fine. Yukana saved me from a youkai." She said reaching her hand out and lightly rubbing the catlike ears. A soft purr resounding from Yukana. Sesshoumaru looked down at the kneeling hanyou. Her scent was familiar to him.
"Yukana." His voice made the name a statement not a question. "You've been gone quite a while." Well over sixty years, he thought watching her rise. She was the only hanyou that he like, and respected. But it confused him greatly when she just disappeared and never returned or sent word of where she was.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, some old hag dared to entrapped me in a cave." Her voice ended in a deep growl. "It was stupid of me to be trapped like that." "I know you not to be careless." He said coolly. Then at a tugging on his empty sleeve he looked down to see Rin clinching something to her chest. "What is it?" It was the first question he had asked since he had caught them. Rin smiling broadly held up the warped arm. He looked down his eyebrow raise to show his interest in what she had run off for.
"Is that why you left?"
"For you Sesshoumaru-sama." She said simply. He could smell the slight fear rolling off her being. He was also aware of Yukana watching silently. She seemed to be in good working order, but confusion coloured her sent, and he notice that she meant him to be able to smell it. He reached out and took the gift that Rin handed him. Rin watched closely as he unwrapped the arm. Sesshoumaru's eyes rounded slightly in surprise before narrowing them at Rin. His left arm.
"Rin." His voice was low and tightly controlled. He would never hurt her but it seemed that Yukana had taken the girl's safety into her interest. She slid her foot all but half way between Rin and himself. "I thought I'd be able to return before you got home. I thought that if I gave you your arm back you would want to keep me around." She couldn't hold back the sniffle and blinked her eyes several times trying to stop the tears because she knew that Sesshoumaru-sama didn't like them, but they came any ways. Sesshoumaru reconnected his arm and flexed his slim fingers into a fist to test the motion in it. So it still works, he thought idly. When his eyes rested on Rin again he noticed that she was standing stock still as her silent tears ran down her face unchecked. Sighing, then signaling to Yukana to step down he picked her up. For a fleeting moment she was startled but then when he wiped her tears away she settled down. "Don't do that." The command was soft, but it was enough to throw the tired girl over the edge and she threw her arms around his neck and buried her face against his shoulder. Surprise and shocked coloured his face so vividly that Yukana reached out to take Rin from him only to have him glare at her, his protectiveness evident in his eyes. With a small grin she followed him to the only home she had ever known.
When they reentered the grounds no one said a word, not even Jyaken, but his face showed quickly schooled shock at seeing Yukana. He sighed as she passed by with only a glance in his direction. So I'm guessing that she doesn't remember. That's good, but how'd she escape? He wondered until he noticed he was falling behind his master. Sesshoumaru made his way to Rin's rooms and carefully laid her down onto the futon. He turned smelling death in the rooms. With a wave of his hand two youkai ran to obey his silent orders, the only ones staying were Yukana and Jyaken. He led them just outside the rooms, they stood silent for a few moments watching scenery.
"Now that you're back Yukana."
"I will do anything you bid Sesshoumaru-sama, but I'd like your permission to look for the one who had me imprisoned." She quickly interrupted him. He bared his teeth but that was all. She was the only youkai, hanyou he corrected himself, that he would allow to do such things.
"I want you to watch over Rin. This very well could have been a kidnapping." His statement was cold as he raised his left arm again and flexed the fingers.
"Yes, Sesshoumaru-sama." She bowed then was gone in a flash. Sesshoumaru turned cold golden eyes on Jyaken. "Never fail me again." Was all he said before he too disappeared.
Several years passed by only to find that some habits hadn't been broken. Rin watched her friend and companion from her safe spot in the middle of the garden lake. They were safe to swim there most days because no one would wonder out that far. Yukana's lean body gleamed in the sun from water droplets that covered her nude body. Rin really wished she wouldn't do that, just stand there as if not a care in the world. It wasn't that nudity bothered her she just didn't want to have Sesshoumaru-sama or Jyaken-sama seeing her that way. In one swift motion Yukana dived in and swam up to Rin. "Does my body offend you, Rin-sama?" Even though they had become close Yukana always added the sama at the end of Rin's name, even when they were alone. Another issue the poor hanyou had was the distaste of her own body. Although lean and very fit, she still saw herself as the half-breed the full-blooded youkai talked about. Her ears and tail had always been a favorite of Rin's and even though she hated it when Yukana would suddenly appear and be beside her, she couldn't fault the woman.
Smiling Rin replied, "Never. I care for my hanyou," Rin caught the flinch, "companion and wouldn't have any other." Yukana seemed to consider her answer, then again she always seemed to do so. Silently nodding she splashed Rin and swam a bit a ways from her. Rin was about to splash her back when she noted the sudden tension in Yukana, and the sudden raise of her dagger. Rin took that as her cue to hide, and that's what she did right behind Yukana. The tension didn't lessen any as Jyaken walked into the clearing first. Yukana had never liked the toad youkai and had expressively told him so.
"Get out of he you HENTAI!!" She yelled her voice warning as she threw the dagger for it to land between the legs of a shocked Jyaken, who looked up and back as his master appeared.
"Sesshoumaru-sama, did you see that, well of course you did. She tried killing me again!" He wailed at the taller youkai. "Something must be done."
"If she wanted you dead you would have been long ago. She never misses." Sesshoumaru retorted challengingly. Jyaken said no more but glared accusingly at Yukana as she emerged from the water. He wanted to yell at her but even as his mouth open her eyes dropped to his, challenging him to do so. She picked up a robe and flung it around herself.
Bowing deeply she spoke to Sesshoumaru with only slight annoyance. "What may I do for you Sesshoumaru-sama that you came here to call upon me, or Rin-sama?" She added the last as if a second thought.
"Rin needs to come and personally address this wedding proposal." The annoyance and jealous not missed by Yukana. He stood his eyes locked on Yukana, for Rin was trying to sneak out of the water and get her robe around her as quickly as possible. She looked frighten, Sesshoumaru realized when he finally turned to look at her. He could guess why.
"Is it human or demon?" Yukana snared out. She had hated the fact that both looked to mate with her. Ever since she had arrived males of all kinds had been asking for her hand in marriage. Sesshoumaru by rights could award any male he chose to Rin, but he said that it was her choice and hers alone. Yukana didn't like the pained look in his normally cold eyes as he made his way out of the garden. It looked so much like the ones he had when he had to leave while Rin was in heat. Explaining that to her was much easier then Yukana had originally thought. Turning she picked up her twin katanas and lead Rin back to their now shared rooms to change.
A short time later both entered. Yukana wearing her usual easy fight clothes and Rin trying not to make a face in a several layered kimono. She walked up beside the youkai, who as she suspected wanted her hand in marriage, then bowed to Sesshoumaru. At his gesture she rose and walked to his side taking the lower chair next to him. Yukana came to stand behind her, the face she wore carefully neutral.
"Why has Sesshoumaru-sama interupted our swim to call us here?" Rin asked softly knowing full well that both youkai beside and behind her like the personal joke and that the youkai in front of her shivered at her blunt way of speech. This one, unlike the last was unimpressed by the way she talk to Sesshoumaru, and dared to open his big mouth.
"If she becomes mine I will make sure she never," and here is were Rin noticed the look of discuss on his face, "speaks to a lord in such a way."
Rin raised her hand as Yukana, though she be a female, was still menacing, stepped forward growling. "Sesshoumaru-sama?" Rin questioned softly turning to look at him.
"It is your choice Rin." He said coldly, glaring daggers down at this youkai who one dared to take his Rin from him, then dared to speak so in his court. He also knew that Rin had made up her mind long ago about who she wanted to mate with and be with, but he knew he couldn't bring himself to do so, not wanting to repeat his father's actions. His hated brother was created out of that bond, a bond he now understood was love and respect. But Rin was in that stage where humans married and started families.
"I formally refuse your offer, sir." Was all she said, it was all she ever said at these times. Yukana watched carefully as the youkais's muscles tensed as if he made ready to attack. But one look at him sent him whiling around and storming out of the grand hall. Rin sighed and relaxed visibly. She still couldn't understand why so many wanted her hand, but she knew it had something to do with Sesshoumaru. She yawned trying to cover it with the back of her hand, rather unsuccessfully in a room full of youkai. She never did sleep good during her cycle, especially when it meant Sesshoumaru- sama was away. She remembered the one time they tried to put a sleeping potion in her drink and the next morning when she woke up she couldn't move her arms or legs. It had seemed, or so Yukana confided in her and Sesshoumaru, that someone put an inhibitor into the drink as well. None of them like the idea and it was never tried again.
"You're tired."
"I'm," enter wide yawn here, "fine." She said trying to convinced him and herself.
"Go." The tone left no argument and both women disappeared though the back way. Sesshoumaru watched Rin's back as she disappeared. He lowered his eyes for just a moment before raising them again.
Once in the safety of the rooms Rin stripped down to the under kimono and flopped against her futon. She yawned once more before falling into a deep sleep. Yukana watched the steady rise and fall of her chest before she found herself unusually tired. She growled an order to the youkai guards outside before returning and crashing against her own bed. Sleep was a rare thing for her but today it came and it was very well welcomed.
A silent shadow moved through the gardens toward the scent that its master had told it to look for and steal. It moved on the breeze past the two unknowing youkai. Even the great Inu lord here wouldn't be able to sense him because he was not but a shadow. When it entered the room it stopped suddenly watching the hanyou woman sleeping. She would sense it, it was sure of it. First it needed to gather its pray, no, it corrected itself, its master's pray. The shadow resonated over the sleeping Rin. Bending it picked her up and threw her over its shoulder.
A loud screeched ripped open the night peace, waking all within the palace. Sesshoumaru leapt to his feet and was out the door by the time the growling scream resounded throughout the night like an alarm bell. When Sesshoumaru made it to Rin's rooms the youkai guard were dead and the door lay wide open. He could smell large amounts of blood and hear an insistent growling and whimpering.
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