First Movement: Hime no Zeitaku
(A Princess' Luxury)
The sun shone brightly in through the large, round window in her room. The sunshine peeked in through the open sill, striking her eyes at the perfect angle to rouse her from her sleep. Her eyes fluttered open. She grimaced as she realized she had slept with the window open. The parchment paper that lined the window spaces around the wooden paneling with the Inu clan emblem usually kept the morning light out when the window was shut. The prior night had been a little stifling, as it was the first days of Summer this week. Rin turned away from the window, rolling over to the other side and hugging her silk quilt with the length of her body. It felt good to stick her foot out from underneath the blankets into the cool morning air.
That was her favorite dream. A slow smile spread across her lips as she clung to the fading images. Fortunately for her, it was really a memory and not just a dream. She was five when she first found Lord Sesshomaru wounded in the forest near the village of her birth. Many years have passed since she first stepped foot into his palace and began an intermittent residence on its grounds whenever Lord Sesshomaru felt the need to return.
She ran a finger across the embroidered butterfly patterns on her quilt, tracing the intricate silk stitches with her nails. This caused her to frown and scrutinize her nails and the traces of dirt still underneath them. Jaken had warned her that picking and planting flowers would definitely get her hands and clothes dirty. She never really listened to Jaken anyway, and so the previous afternoon she had transplanted some white and yellow daisies in the palace garden. Jaken had scoffed at her, telling her that the other garden flowers were too fine and regal to be seen in the presence of such a common flower; daisies were only a small step up from the dandelion weed, he had muttered. But she liked weeds as well.
"Daisies are flowers too," she had retorted to Jaken. "Right, Lord Sesshomaru?" asked Rin. Sesshomaru, who was standing in the courtyard speaking to some of his servants merely looked at her with an expressionless face and gave a slight "Hmph," in response. Rin had traveled long enough with him to know that this response was neither in agreement nor disagreement with the statement previously uttered.
Unknown to the palace gardeners, from whom she had learned much of the gardening trade, she plucked up the dandelion weeds quickly when they were not looking, and planted them in small pots in her room, by the window. Her collection of wildflowers and weeds scented her room with the smell of earth, water, and faintly sweet nectar. The smell was most distinct in the morning. It often reminded her of when she was younger, traveling the borders of the Inu Clan's territories with Jaken and Lord Sesshomaru. She would often sleep on the ground, the scent of the earth all around her. It was calming.
For now, she mostly slept indoors, as Lord Sesshomaru has not patrolled his territories for a few months now. Rin wondered when they would begin their travels again. Strangely enough, Lord Sesshomaru still took her with him, wherever he went. Rin often wondered why, but she never questioned it. It was puzzling for the servants of the castle, surely, to see their great and illustrious lord patiently allow a human girl to accompany him. She was neither useful nor good to eat. They would never dare question his decisions or judgment, just as they would never do so with his father, as the leaders of the Inu Clan were demons to be feared and revered. But whenever Lord Sesshomaru would set off outside his palace, with his servant Jaken behind pulling Ah-Un the two-headed dragon ox, who in turn carried Rin on its back, they sent their worried glances after him. Over time, the demons who served Lord Sesshomaru became used to the girl child who chattered incessantly and asked the strangest questions.
Who was the oldest demon?
Why is Jaken bald?
Why does the moon change shape?
Why did Au-Un have two heads?
Do demons eat squash?
Perhaps as a means to quiet the restlessness in the child, Lord Sesshomaru ordered Jaken to be her tutor, having her learn the lore of the spirits and demons, teaching her how to write and how to play chess. In time, other intermittent tutors came along, teaching her to be more cultured and refined, in her dress and her manner of speech. Still, Lord Sesshomaru would allow her to be near him, and ask him questions directly if she felt the need had arisen. He did not seem to care that she enjoyed roaming around barefoot, or planting things in the earth and getting her hands and skirts dirty. Rin was certain that he had instructed the gardeners to be kind and to answer her questions and teach her about herb lore. They would have otherwise kept ignoring her.
Of all the lessons she did receive while residing in the palace, her favorite sessions were with Lord Sesshomaru himself. He was a surprisingly patient teacher. When she had turned eleven, he gave her a long dagger and taught her how to use it for her own protection. The dagger came as a matching set with a short knife. Both were sheathed in beautiful black lacquered scabbards with pearly white inlays. The knife could be used for eating outdoors, or it would suffice as a long range weapon when thrown. He also taught her how to throw the knife to hit her target every time.
The most important lesson he taught her was how to escape from a bad situation. Rin was always light on her feet, having walked around and gained much exercise from her lengthy travels with Lord Sesshomaru. But what he taught her was to run faster than the wind. When she became a sufficiently fast runner, Lord Sesshomaru gave her a third gift. It was a pendant with a shiny blue stone and she was instructed to keep this on her person at all times. This small stone was a levitation and enhancement stone. It was activated with thought, but once it was mastered, the person carrying the stone would be able to run ten times faster than humanly possible, and leap great distances as if floating with bare resistance from gravity. It would also assist in bounding into trees, and escaping by leaping away on tree branches. Aside from gardening, running was her favorite pastime. With Lord Sesshomaru's permission, Rin would often race with Ah-Un. Jaken would always be ordered to keep an eye on her, but he never could catch up to them. Whenever she used the power of the stone, it would almost feel like she was flying. This was the most precious gift she had ever received from her guardian.
Rin finally rolled herself out of her bedding and onto the tatami mats that covered the floor in her room. She then heard the servant slide open the door to her room. Rin peeked out from behind the tall screen that separated her sleeping area from the rest of her private chambers.
"Ohaiyou, Yoko!" said Rin in her usual cheerful tone.
"Ohaiyou gozaimashita, Rin," smiled the elderly servant. "I have prepared your kimono and robes for today," she said quietly. Rin leaped up from behind the screen and rushed over in her pale yellow cotton sleeping gown to where the servant was kneeling.
"I'm so glad that you were able to get the grass stains out of my robes!" she laughed.
"Oh no, Rin. These are new garments. Lord Sesshomaru ordered them for you since you soiled what you were wearing yesterday."
"Oh, that's sad," sighed Rin.
"Sad?" asked Yoko.
"I really liked the one I wore yesterday. That was my favorite. It seems such a waste to leave such refined clothes to me. I always end up sullying them."
"But you have Lord Sesshomaru's favor, Rin. You are blessed with not having to worry about such things."
It was true that Rin, once an orphaned pauper, now lived the life of a Hime-sama. Whenever she thought of how uncanny that was, it confused her and she stopped thinking about it. There were many questions in her head that she dared not ask him. If she did, she was afraid it would break the spell that bound Lord Sesshomaru to her and vice versa. Rin unfolded the kimono and robe and placed it onto the clothing rack for display.
"This one is beautiful as well," smiled Rin. Amid the blue embroidered patterns that looked like a running river, there were small yellow flowers speckled here and there on a cream colored backdrop. "I don't deserve it," sighed Rin. Yoko gently pulled her up and helped her undress.
"Lord Sesshomaru seems to think you do," smiled Yoko. "That should be enough."
"Why do you think he keeps me here, Yoko, and provides these things for me?" asked Rin, earnestly looking into the servant's eyes to discern the truth. Yoko would not meet her eyes. "I honestly could not tell you, Rin," she said as she brushed and arranged Rin's long dark hair.
"But I'm certain that's what everyone else is asking under their breath. I feel their stares every time we come back and rest from our travels. Their eyes are exceptionally sharp when we stay long periods of time like this." She sighed. "I think I like sleeping outdoors better."
"What everyone else is asking and thinking," smiled Yoko as she folded the kimono to the proper length, "should not be your concern. They dare not disobey Lord Sesshomaru. Hold this as I wrap the obi tightly." Rin did as she was told and Yoko wound and tied the obi firmly around Rin's waist. The knot in the back reminded Rin of butterfly wings.
"You always do that so beautifully, Yoko. Why is it you always tie this knot for me?" asked Rin.
"Because you remind me of a butterfly, Rin, delicate and fleeting."
"Because I'm human?" asked Rin.
"Yes, human life is fleeting. But I have seen you practice your training in the forest and have seen you fly away in bounds, as a butterfly that is caught in a strong wind," answered Yoko honestly.
"You have always been kind to me, Yoko."
"I am old and senile, my dear," she responded. Rin laughed.
"I'm off to do my morning routine, Old One," smiled Rin.
"Iterasshai."
The light blue robe she wore over her long kimono flowed silently behind her as she rushed toward the gardens. Her shoes made small clacking noises as she made her way across the empty courtyard. Lifting her skirts as she approached the steps to the garden's tall doors, she looked around and was satisfied that no one was awake yet. Pushing the tall creaking doors open just far enough for her to slip inside, she leaned pack and pushed the doors closed again. She lifted her skirts again as she went down the steps to the grassy floor of the gardens. Stepping gingerly across the stepping stones in the pebble path so that her skirts would not touch the soil, she went straight for the flower beds. Her tall, slender image reflected on the surface of the water in the pond at the center of the garden. She paused to inspect her appearance. Her long hair was tied up in loops with ribbons on either side of her face, framing her pale face perfectly. The rest was tied back with a simple ribbon and left to flow freely down her robe. Rin recalled that once someone had called her mother quite a beauty. Rin wondered if she had inherited any of it, as she could no longer remember what her mother looked like.
She picked a tall slender lily, which reminded her of Lord Sesshomaru. It had a golden center that was the exact shade of his eyes. She then accompanied the lily with several roses. Then, on a whim, she plucked a handful of yellow daisies and tucked them around the lily.
"A daisy is a flower nonetheless," said Rin to no one in particular. She heard the clattering of dishes on a lacquered tray from around the corner. Just on time, the servants were bringing the morning meal to Lord Sesshomaru's chambers. And perfectly on queue, Rin rushed up to the servants and placed the flowers in a vase on the tray.
"Please take these flowers to our most honorable Lord," bowed Rin to the head servant. They bowed back and without a word, and quickly disappeared down the hall. The head servants never spoke to Rin and she was used to it. The only demons who really spoke to her were Jaken, Yoko and her tutors. Most other demons residing in the castle ignored or barely acknowledge her existence. This was fine by Rin. The thought of being in a palace filled with demons would sometimes keep her up at night. When she was younger, she had nearly been eaten by quite a few demons on more than one occasion because she was a weak human child. She had once heard that demons enjoy eating young maidens, which made her current situation as a possible appetizer just as precarious. She held fast to Jaken's words, "Do not go wandering intentionally from Lord Sesshomaru." Even as a child, she was wise enough to understand how fortunate she was.
Now, with her morning routine done, Rin went back into the palace in search of Jaken, and thought hard to devise a new way to torment him as she hummed a happy tune.