Flower In The Snow
Chapter 2: Snow Man
Sesshoumaru led his motley group through the rocky region that formed the border between the Western Lands and the South. It had been nearly forty years since he had crossed this place. The last time it had been to attend a conference of the Youkai Lords about how to deal with the deadly human assassins known as the Seven Man Group. Nibori-Sama was a peaceful Orochi and the activities of the bloodthirsty Shichinintai did not sit well with him. For once, orochi youkais had co-operated with humans to trap and slay a common foe. However, since that time, Sesshoumaru had had no reason to visit the South. He had politely declined an invitation to the birth of Nibori-Sama's son, sending rich gifts instead. In truth, Sesshoumaru did not like to expend energy where it was not needed, these matters simply did not concern him.
Now he found himself traversing the route he had taken so long ago, not by invitation but by necessity. He could not allow such massive bloodshed so close to his borders to go uninvestigated. It was even stranger that no word had come from Nibori-sama regarding the battles… perhaps the Tai-youkai had grown proud and stupid.
"Riiiiin!" Jaken's shrill voice brought Sesshoumaru out of his reverie. "Riiin, come back here!"
Rin was lagging behind, collecting coloured stones to grind into paste. She could use them for painting and writing when she returned to the Palace of the Western Lands. She smiled at Jaken and ignored him, gathering a fistful of ochre, then green permanganate, putting them in a pouch by her waist.
"Rin."
She stopped what she was doing and looked up immediately, "Hai Sesshoumaru-sama!"
"Do not fall behind. This region is a dangerous place."
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. Gomenasai, I found such wonderful pebbles for grinding into paint! There are different colours here than in the Western lands!"
Rin caught up with Sesshoumaru and Ah-Un. She stretched out her hands to show him the stones. Sesshoumaru nodded slightly and turned to continue on his way.
"You better not fall behind!" Jaken scolded, brandishing his staff around. "This region is inhabited by all sorts of nasty ningen and youkai…Nibori-Sama doesn't keep his lands as safe as Sesshoumaru-sama does. If you get eaten by a big youkai, don't expect me to save you!"
Rin tossed her long, dark-brown hair and her purple hair-ribbon glinted in the sunlight. Sesshoumaru watched as the girl laughed, her bright eyes full of confidence.
"As long as we're with Sesshoumaru-sama, Jaken, what have we to fear? Surely you know Sesshoumaru-sama is the most powerful youkai in the world and he will always protect us?"
She patted Jaken affectionately on the head and ignored his grumbling.
Sesshoumaru's thoughts went back to eight years ago…
He was on his knees in front of Naraku, blood pouring from an enormous wound in his chest. Naraku had plunged a tentacle right through him, breaking through his chest armour. Nearby, his brother Inuyasha wasn't faring much better. He and his strangely-dressed miko woman Kagome were trying desperately to free the wolf-demon from Naraku's clutches. The last two shikon shards were in that wolf-demon's legs, at all cost they had to stop him being absorbed. Inuyasha too was badly wounded, one arm hanging uselessly by his side, badly broken and crushed.
"You bastard." Sesshoumaru's eyes turned red. "You filthy hanyou!" He felt his hair begin to stand on end, his muscles begin to grow. A mad rage filled his mind as his teeth and claws lengthened horribly. It was his most severe attack, his transformation into his true nature. A terrible growl escaped him.
Naraku laughed. "A three legged dog? Don't waste my time." Naraku shot shouki straight into Sesshoumaru's open wound and the dog-demon abruptly stopped his transformation with a howl of pain.
"It will be a pleasure to absorb a tai-youkai like you…even if you only have three limbs, I suppose." Sesshoumaru felt himself being enfolded in the horrid folds of Naraku's rotting tentacles. "You were a worthy opponent, Sesshoumaru. I shall enjoy this."
Suddenly, Naraku's attention was distracted by something and he turned away. To Sesshoumaru's horror, he heard a familiar girlish scream.
"Why, Sesshoumaru's little girl. How nice of you to drop by."
Rin screamed as Naraku wrapped a tentacle around her and lifted her off the floor. Tears streamed down Rin's eyes, but she wasn't crying for help. She simply looked determined.
Sesshoumaru's mind whirled, what on earth was Rin doing on the battlefield? He had told her to stay with Ah-Un in the forest! She never disobeyed him. What could she be thinking?
"Leave Sesshoumaru-sama ALONE!" Rin screamed suddenly, and to Sesshoumaru's surprise, and the Inu-tachi who had managed to free Kouga and run over, but most of all to Naraku's enormous outrage and shock…Rin bit him.
Naraku looked annoyed beyond words. "You little BRAT!" he snarled, "What the hell do you think you're…"
But the momentary distraction had given Inuyasha enough time to hack through Naraku's tentacles with his Tessaiga.
Sesshoumaru leaped free, blood pouring from his wounds, his one thought was to save Rin. Having accomplished what she had come for, Rin suddenly looked panicky.
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" she screamed, "Tasukete!"
Kagome raised her bow and arrow to try to shoot off Naraku's tentacle…but she missed as her feet were swiped from under her by a blast of shouki.
"Watch me rip your little girl apart, Sesshoumaru! Feel her blood drip on your head!" Naraku slashed his tentacles across Rin's back, making her slump limply.
Suddenly, a mysterious purity arrow shot through the shouki and pierced the tentacle holding Rin. She screamed as she fell, but was caught by the Taijiya and the monk before she hit the ground.
Sesshoumaru did not hesitate. With Toukijin in hand, he and his half-brother went for the kill. Naraku lashed hopelessly at the two half-brothers, but he could not pierce through a protective barrier that had formed around them.
A pale miko stood by the side, a bow by her side, her hands clasped in prayer. Kikyou had arrived at last.
"This is it, Sesshoumaru!" Inuyasha gasped unsheathing a diamond-hard Tessaiga, "Let's kill that piece of shit!"
Sesshoumaru's eyes narrowed. His eyes were red. He barely heard his brother. How DARED Naraku harm Rin…the brothers lifted their swords, Kikyou chanted, Kagome put her final purity arrow into her bow, a badly injured Rin watched from the arms of the Taijiya…
"Sesshoumaru-sama?"
"Nanda?"
"How much further?"
He eyed her levelly. Even though she smiled and looked brave, he could tell she was tired. Lost in his thoughts, he had not noticed that night had fallen and they had traveled far.
"We will stop here tonight. Tomorrow, we should reach Nibori-Sama's palace."
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. I am going to bathe now, if you please." Rin grabbed a small pack of herbs from Ah-Un and ran off toward where a small cloud of steam appeared between the rocks. It was a warm spring.
"Jaken," Sesshoumaru said, "Watch over her."
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama!" The little toad retainer hobbled off to where Rin was bathing. He knew that Sesshoumaru only ordered him to watch Rin when the lands were not safe. This mountainous region of the South had an ill-feeling about it.
Soon, Sesshoumaru heard the sounds of splashing and squawking and he knew that Jaken was being dunked by Rin. The Tai-youkai leaned against a rock and took a deep breath. Rin was safe here with him. He never liked to leave her in his palace because he trusted no one but himself to protect her. So Rin accompanied him on all his patrols and journeys, and truth be said, she was safer with him than if left at home.
Sesshoumaru hoped that the problems with Nibori-Sama would be settled soon. In two months, it would be December and the snow would begin to fall. At this time, he liked to be near his Western palace, no where else on earth was as beautiful as its snow-covered gardens in mid-winter. Sesshoumaru's favourite season was winter: the white, smooth, snow soothed his spirit and he enjoyed nothing better than sitting silently in the snow, watching the frost grow on the lake.
Rin would sit beside him. She was always well bundled up in a thick wool kimono.
"Sesshoumaru-sama," she exclaimed playfully five years ago, "You are all white and still. You look like a snowman!"
"Who told you about snowmen?"
"Jaken-sama and Kyoko-chan taught me how to build one. Does Sesshoumaru-sama want to see?"
"Hnh."
Joyfully, Rin leapt off the bench beside him and began rolling the snow into balls. She worked happily and efficiently, her little hands turning blue with the cold, though she seemed not to care. Slowly, a small segmented man took shape beneath her hands. She found little black pebbles for its eyes, nose and mouth. Finally, she stood back and surveyed her work proudly. Then she frowned. Something wasn't right. Carefully, she took a stick and drew on a crescent moon on the forehead of the snowman and two stripes on each cheek. At last, she was happy.
"Does Sesshoumaru-sama like it?"
Sesshoumaru stared at the ridiculous snowman. It was crudely made, lop-sided, but there was no mistaking it…it looked like him.
"Very nice, Rin."
Rin clapped with joy then blew on her cold hands.
"Come here."
Sesshoumaru took the little girl's icy hands in his own, careful not to scratch her with his claws. He rubbed them vigorously till they were pink and warm, then he held them for a moment before letting go, contemplating her little fingers.
"Arigatou gozaimsu," Rin said quietly. Still but a young child of twelve, she sat in the soft snow by his feet and rested her head on his hakama.
Sesshoumaru watched her by his feet. She was wearing a pink wool kimono richly embroidered with white birds. She looked like a winter rose, blooming amidst the snow-field. He rested a clawed hand on her head. It was time to ask her that question again.
"Rin, do you want to stay with me or go to a human village?"
"I will stay with you forever, Sesshoumaru-sama, itsumo demo."
Sesshoumaru nodded, satisfied that his beautiful flower in the snow would be blooming in his garden next winter.
A chill wind blew in the air. Year after year, things remained the same. Seasons came and seasons went, and now, Sesshoumaru smelt a new winter in the air. He hoped that Rin had finished her bath and was warmed up. A sound to his left distracted him, Jaken appeared with a large bundle of firewood and a small fowl for dinner.
"Where is Rin?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"Rin finished her bath and was combing out her hair on a rock by the pool, Sesshoumaru-sama. She asked this Jaken to get dinner as she was hungry. She should be there still."
Sesshoumaru nodded and walked toward the warm spring.
Rin combed out her long hair with the ebony comb inlaid with mother-of-pearl and gold that Sesshoumaru-sama had given her. She hummed as she smoothed out the knots. She heard a rustle to her left.
"Hello there, pretty lady."
She said nothing but stared at the human men who had found her. There were three of them, all three were tall and well-built. She said nothing, having an innate fear of all humans since her family had been slaughtered by bandits.
"I told you it was a tennyou!" said one of the men to the one who had spoken. "She's a tennyou or youkai for sure. She's much too beautiful to be human. We'd better leave her alone before she puts a curse on us."
"No, she's human enough all right." The third man spoke, pointing to Rin's discarded kimono and little pile of washing soap by the warm spring. "That soap is a common village-make."
"Can you speak?" The three men began to walk towards her, their eyes clinging to her naked form, "What's a lovely girl like you doing alone out here?"
Rin shook her head, her dark hair covered right breast but her left was exposed. "You'd better not come closer. Sesshoumaru-sama hates people staring at me while I bathe."
"Why, she's not shy at all!" one of the men exclaimed. "She's not even trying to cover her modesty!" They were within five feet of her now. Rin made no attempt to jump into the pool, she certainly didn't want to get all wet again after drying her hair. All she had to do was scream and Sesshoumaru-sama would arrive.
"Who is Sesshoumaru-sama? Is he your father or your husband?" one of the men asked, "Whoever he is there's three of us and only one of him, little lady."
Rin still sat on the rock unmoved. "He will kill you if I call him, please go away." Rin said quietly.
Sesshoumaru took in the sight in less than a second. Three men were approaching Rin, who was unclothed. There was an explosion of green light and some muffled gasps. The three men fell dead. Rin looked up in surprise.
"Sesshoumaru-sama! How did you know to come? I had not even called you yet."
Rin thought there was something very wrong with Sesshoumaru. His eyes were tinged with red and his lips were pulled back into a snarl. She had not seen him look so angry in years.
"S-Sesshoumaru-sama?"
Sesshoumaru could hardly speak. The rage within him still boiled. How dare they stare so shamelessly at Rin! How dare they desire her body! She was not theirs to even think about. He would kill anyone who…
"S-Sesshoumaru sama?" Rin climbed down from the rock and placed her hands on his shoulders. "Daijoubu?"
"If any man sees you bathing next time, Rin, scream."
"Even if he doesn't harm me?"
"Yes."
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama." Rin watched the red fade from his eyes. He pushed her hair back from her face.
"Put on your clothes, you will catch cold."
Rin nodded and turned to pick up her clothes, stepping over the bodies of the three human men as she did so.
Sesshoumaru caught sight of the pink scars on her back. The scars Naraku had given her when she had tried to help him. The cream silk of her kimono rose over the scars and over her milk-white shoulders. For a moment, Sesshoumaru felt his remaining arm twitch towards that milk-white skin of hers. The softness, the whiteness….like winter snow that he so loved. He could almost feel that smooth whiteness between on his fingertips, it would be like experiencing the beauty of winter trapped in the skin of Rin. Would that smooth whiteness be wrinkled with age one day? Her smooth white purity dulled with cruel time?
She pulled her hair into a loose ponytail and fastened her obi.
"Let's go, Rin."
"Hai!"
"Remind me to smack Jaken when I see him."
"Hai!"
They walked in silence. Finally, Sesshoumaru could not hold it in any more.
"Rin"
"Hai?"
"Promise me you will never show your unclothed body to any man again."
Rin felt confused, "Why? Is Rin's body ugly?" That could be the only reason, Jaken often told her how her ugly human form disgusted him.
Sesshoumaru nearly smiled. The girl really had no idea.
"Your body is a precious gift from heaven that you may only show to your dearly loved ones, not to strangers. Do you understand?"
"Hai, Sesshoumaru-sama. Rin must treasure her body, like how Sesshoumaru-sama always says Rin must eat well to feed it, and bathe well to clean it, so it is like a treasure to be kept safe."
"Exactly, Rin."
"But for you it is all right?" Rin looked worried, "Sesshoumaru-sama is Rin's dearly beloved right? Rin is not ugly to you?"
Sesshoumaru suppressed a jolt in his chest. The urge to reach out and hold his human ward to him was almost irresistible.
"This Sesshoumaru knows that Rin's body is a beautiful treasure, but do as you like, Rin."
With that one sentence, Rin's mind expanded several times. Her heart gave a delighted leap. Was he calling her beautiful? Like how he said the moon was beautiful, or the flowers she brought him, or the winter snow on his lands? Did he think of her like all those things? Could she be as beautiful as all those things he loved so much? Then she was greatly honoured. She, a human, was thought of as the moon, the flowers and the snow, by Sesshoumaru-sama. Had he always thought that?
"Arigatou gozaimsu, Sesshoumaru-sama," Rin said softly, squeezing his hand gently, "You honour Rin too much. So from now on, Rin will keep herself beautiful only for you."
Much thanks to my reviewers. I love writing this story and I promise you a good plot! Please review!
