Field of Innocence

By Lady of the Ink
Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha, but you knew that . . .I hope. But I do own this plot and all the twists that it takes.

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A/N: And so begins the new content.

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Chapter Two

Rin woke just before dawn, as was her usual routine. Her unnamed visitor lie as she had left him in her bed. For some reason, she doubted that he was asleep, even though his eyes were closed and he was completely motionless. There was an alertness to him that seemed to preclude sleep. It was like nothing she had seen before, although she admittedly had little experience to compare it to.

Awake or asleep, she figured he'd let her know when he wanted her attention. Until then, she'd go about her day as usual. With that in mind, she folded the blankets she'd used as a makeshift mattress and piled them on top of the trunk. Once that was finished, she headed to her supplies and fixed herself a breakfast of berries and some bread she had gotten in exchange for one of her remedies a few days back. Food in hand, she drifted outside.

The dew-covered grass was cool against her bare feet as she headed towards the meadow. It was her favorite place to watch the sun rise. As it rose over the trees, it washed the clearing in its soft, warm colors. For those few moments, the flowers she loved so dearly wore a different shade, making then somehow exotic, though she saw them everyday.

On this particular morning, Rin found herself distracted from the view. Her mind remained focused on the stranger who had fallen so suddenly into her life. The poison he'd been hit with should have almost completely dissolved from his bloodstream. While she wasn't sure exactly how quickly it would happen, she knew his strength would return faster than a human's. In no time at all, he would be on his way and out of her life.

Rin sank to the ground, drawing her feet beneath her skirt and then resting her chin on her knees. She sighed. It had been strange having someone in the house with her. He didn't say much, but his presence was hard to ignore. In a way, it had been nice knowing she wasn't alone. She wasn't stupid; she knew that he was potentially dangerous to her. Her experience with demons was limited, but even she knew of their strength, speed, and skill.

It was that same knowledge that brought her comfort. Even in his condition, he could have killed or injured her a dozen times over the past day and night. One flick of his claws or just a squeeze of his hand and she'd have been done for. As isolated a life as she lived, there was no one and nothing stopping him from doing whatever he wanted to her.

And yet, he hadn't laid a hand on her.

It was perplexing, really. She couldn't think of a single reason why he was acting the way that he was. Sure, she had helped him, but he would have recovered just fine, if a little less comfortably, without her interference. He owed her nothing and yet had shown her what she could only call consideration. The mystery of it all was weighing heavily on her mind.

Coming out of her thoughts, Rin realized she had missed the sunrise due to her preoccupation. Rising to her feet, she started back the way she had come. As she walked, she picked fresh flowers to replace the wilting ones in her cottage. With pure strength of will. She cleared her mind with the logic that her intense interest in the white-garbed stranger was simply a sign that she had been alone for too long. Perhaps it was time for a trip into town.

She returned to the cottage to find her guest sitting up in bed. Flashing him a smile, she set about replacing the flowers and building up the fire. While the wood was catching, she walked to the man's side and flashed him a questioning look. He seemed to understand her expression even though he made no reply. It was only as she turned back to the fireplace that he spoke.

"I'll be leaving this afternoon."

A small spike of what almost felt like pain slashed through Rin's chest. Her steps slowed in response, leaving her at a complete stop halfway to her destination. It took a few seconds and a deep breath before she was able to move again. Looking over her shoulder, she gave him another warm smile and a nod of understanding. As if that was what he had been waiting for, he turned back to his former occupation of staring at the wall.

Making a quick retreat out the door, Rin came to a stop beside the water barrel that rested just next to the door. Leaning one hand against the rim, she tried to make sense of her feelings.

She had known he would be leaving and had guessed it would be soon. Not even an hour before, in the meadow, she had been thinking about it. There was no reason for his announcement to affect her so strongly . . .unless her other thought from the morning had been accurate as well. Maybe it had been too long since she'd been around other people. As much as she preferred her solitude, no one could spend all their time alone without losing a little something of themselves because of it.

It was settled then, she decided. It was time to make the trek to the village. It would be nice to see Larissa again, at any rate. The old woman was the closest thing she had to family and she had missed their conversations about plants and other things. A nice afternoon by her warm hearth was just what she needed to feel more like her old self.

Her smile resurrected, Rin dashed back into the cottage just long enough to push the large metal cauldron into the flames and grab her bucket. After that, she quickly completed several round trips between the fireplace and the water barrel, filling the former with the water from the latter. If she wanted to make it to Larissa's and back before nightfall, she'd have to set out as soon as possible. A quick wash and a few minutes to gather the prepared creams and other medicines she'd made and she'd be ready to start off.

That particular task completed, Rin moved right on to the next one. Crossing the room very close to the demon's side, she grabbed one of the blankets she had folded that morning. With a footstool and some maneuvering, she managed to get it over the thin rope she used for drying herbs. When she spread it out, it became an effective curtain, blocking her from view to the rest of the room.

She began bundling together the things she'd take with her while the water slowly heated. Stuffing a small satchel with jars and bags full of her blended remedies, Rin could hardly contain her excitement. Now that her course was set upon, she found waiting almost impossible to bear.

After what seemed like a ridiculously long time, the water finally began to boil. Cutting it with more cool from the barrel, she then gathered fresh clothes and pulled out a washcloth, towel, and bar of soap. Making sure she had his attention, she waved them at the occupant of her bed, hoping he got the hint and stayed where he was. She stepped behind the quilt and had a quick wash.

The outfit she changed into was the best one she owned, not that that was saying much. The tan skirt was of a thicker, sturdier material than her others, with no patches or badly mended tears. The shirt, a green so pale it was almost white, was simple in design but heavy with meaning. It had been her mother's, the same one she'd worn when she had married her father. Wearing it always made Rin feel like she was wrapped in her mother's arms once more, safe in a hug that would keep her protected for all time.

Sturdy walking shoes, the only pair she owned, completed the outfit. Once she tamed her hair into some semblance of order, she would look like any other village dwelling girl, which was exactly what she wanted. Aside from Larissa, she really wanted to attract the smallest amount of attention possible. Her goal was to go unnoticed during her visit, slipping in and out quickly.

Fully dressed, Rin stepped out from behind the curtain to find her guest also on his feet. His golden eyes looked her over from head to toe, seeming to take in even the smallest details of her appearance. His eyebrow dipped in what have been the smallest of frowns, but it smoothed out so quickly that she couldn't be sure.

Stepping past him, Rin tossed the dirty water and rinsed out the things she had used. She draped them over the surfaces close, but not too close, to the fire so they could dry. It was only when everything was in its place that she actively acknowledged the waiting demon. Tilting her head to the side in a questioning manner, she waited to see what he would say. He didn't keep her waiting for long.

"I'm going now."

She nodded and smiled brightly. He continued watching her for a long moment after his declaration. Rin thought he looked a little unsure, although she couldn't imagine why that would be. He seemed like the sort of person who would be anxious to return to his life. She was a little surprised he hadn't taken off already.

As though in response to her thoughts, he seemed to shake off whatever emotion had taken hold of him. With a slight nod of his head that could have been a thank you, he headed toward the door. Rin watched him disappear through it and heaved a sigh. What would probably be the most interesting encounter she would ever have had drawn to a close, and she hadn't even learned his name.

Rin allowed herself a few moments of gloom before she followed his example and set out on her way.

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Sesshomaru walked at a regal pace, neither hurrying nor lagging behind. As he made his way away from the cottage, he took careful stock of himself. Aside from a light feeling of fatigue that he knew he would shake off quickly, there seemed to be no after effects from the poison. With the strength of the toxin he'd been hit with, he knew he had the girl to thank for his almost complete recovery. Whatever she had applied to the wounds had sped up the already accelerated healing process of his body.

He paused slightly as a faint sound reached his ears. Turning in order to scan the area, he realized that it was coming from the direction he had just come from, and was getting closer with each moment. As though his thoughts had brought her to life, the girl from the cottage slipped into view, skipping along the path with the satchel he'd seen her pack slung over one shoulder. He could hear her humming under her breath as she moved, some tuneless song that repeated itself over and over, becoming slightly different with each repetition.

Her attention was so focused on the plants lining the path that she was almost upon him before she noticed his presence. When she did see him, she reacted in the oddest way. The brilliant smile she'd insisted on directing at him so often before reappeared, accompanied by a jaunty wave that shook her entire body with its exuberance. Without an ounce of the fear or deference anyone else would have shown, she walked right up to his side, keeping pace with his steps.

He had noticed the difference in her attire back at the cottage, the most noticeable change the addition of shoes. Putting it together with the bag that she had packed and the small preparations she made to her living quarters, he had thought it pretty clear she was heading out on a trip. He just hadn't expected that trip to cross their paths once more.

Sesshomaru refrained from looking in direction more often than was strictly necessary. As the distance from the cottage grew and she continued on by his side, he began to wonder about her destination. Where was she going that had her looking so expectant and happy? Who would she see when she got there? What was the purpose behind her journey?

Just as he was reminding himself that he didn't care about any of those things, the girl slowed to a stop. When he looked in her direction, he noticed for the first time that they had come to a break in the path. With another wave, this one slightly less enthusiastic than the first, she turned down the small trail to the right. Her steps seemed a bit slower to him and the humming had stopped.

He waited until she was out of sight before continuing on his way. Sesshomaru deliberately increased his speed as he went, suddenly in a hurry to make it back to his home. The sooner he got out of the human laden area, the better. The creatures were simply too disturbing to be dealt with, their actions odd and irrational.

He made it halfway there before he turned back.

X

The group of men stumbling their way through the forest was small in number but big in both bravado and malevolence. The amount of drinking they had done prior to their current excursion had added to both of those states, making them even more of a threat than usual.

Unfortunately for her, that threat went unnoticed by the girl it was presently directed at. A few dozen feet ahead of the men, a slim figure in a brown skirt and pale green shirt skipped down the path, humming quietly to herself. A bulging bag was hanging over her shoulder, little more than shadowy lump in the fading light of dusk.

"Are you sure she's the one?" came a slightly slurred voice, its owner leaning against a tree trunk for balance. The answer to his question came in the form of a hearty nod from one of his companions that almost tipped the man over.

"I know what I saw. She came down the same path this morning, wearing the same clothes and with the same pack. It's the same girl; I'd swear to it."

"And you're certain there was a demon with her?"

"'Course I'm sure! D'ya think I don't know a demon when I see one? He was tall and dressed all in white. He walked different from a normal man, kind of floaty like. I knew right away what he was."

"Disgusting little tramp," the man at the front of the group muttered. He was as close to a leader as the party had, a position he had come by simply by being he loudest of them all. "As if it's not bad enough that we've all got some half breed demon bastard for a ruler, now there's one of our own kind sneaking around with another of 'em."

There was a snicker from a third man. "I wouldn't exactly call her one of our kind. Everyone knows that she's not quite right. What kind of person would choose to live alone in the middle of a forest like she does? It's not natural. No one knows where she came from and there's the way she sneaks in and out of town without hardly anyone seeing her. It's almost eerie."

"All the more reason that we take care of her," the leader said, starting forward once more. "Who knows what kind of evil plotting she could be doing with that devil. If we sit back and do nothing now, we'll have no one to blame but ourselves when she brings ruin down on all our heads." There were rumblings of agreement and the small crowd, now reaffirmed in their course of action, moved forward.