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Rin sat quietly on the hill that overlooked the great hall. For hours now demon lords had come and gone and Jaken grumbled with each departure. She knew the vassil felt his place was at his lord's side and not out here, playing nursemaid to a girl old enough to care for herself. Ah-Un lay curled up at Rin's back, giving her a more than adequate backrest to lean upon. With an impatient sigh, she blew a lock of hair from her eyes.
"How much longer are they going to be down there?" she asked in a bored tone, watching as a cloud raced along the sky.
"As long as it takes!" Jaken snapped, his own nerves a bit frazzled, "It doesn't bode well that it has taken this long! None of the other demons are pleased with the company Lord Sesshomaru chooses to keep and they have voiced their displeasure by now."
"How very astute of you, Jaken." a voice purred from the slope of the hill.
The vassil sqwauked with a start, raising his staff in preperation to defend himself, Rin and Ah-Un. He knew that voice all too well. Juri, the fire demoness and former lover of his lord. Jaken had a healthy disrespect for the demoness. If there was ever a creature he wished his lord would allow him to destroy with the Staff of Two Heads, it was Juri. The woman was diabolically clever. Her obsession with the Lord Sesshomaru knew no bounds. It had taken the inuyoukai lord's plainly spoken threats to deter her.
Rin's eyes widened as the woman slowly made her way up the hill to stand before her. She had never seen someone with such red hair before! Remembering her manners, Rin rose to her feet and bowed, murmuring a quick greeting. This woman before her was flawless! The almond shape of her dark green eyes, graceful cheekbones beneath ivory skin not marred by a single freckle, lips as red as berries in summer. Suddenly Rin was painfully aware of her appearance. She glanced down at the simple violet kimono she had chosen this morning and then looked to the other woman's finery. Gold thread winked mockingly from each stitch, the ripple and move of the velveteen material over the woman's limbs had Rin wishing the ground would open up and swallow her.
"You must be Lord Sesshomaru's little human companion, correct?"
Even the woman's voice was beautiful! Rin closed her mouth tightly and merely nodded. Jaken had come to stand before her, glowering up at the demoness with ill concealed contempt. A part of her was surprised to see him coming to her defense. The woman wasn't a threat, was she?
"I had wondered where he was keeping you hidden," the woman chuckled, barely even giving Jaken a second look, "You have grown up, haven't you? Seems like only yesterday you were a knobby kneed, scrawny little thing. Now look at you. All filled out in all the right places."
"What is your business with Rin, Juri? Does Lord Sesshomaru know of your presence here?" Jaken demanded, refusing to be overlooked.
"Calm yourself, imp. I don't mean the girl any harm and yes, Sesshomaru is aware that I am here."
"That is Lord Sesshomaru to you!" Jaken sniffed haughtily, his eyes narrowed.
"Why don't you go and see if there is anything you can do for the Lord Sesshomaru. Rin and I can stay here and get better acquainted. I am incredibly curious about her after all and I'm sure she feels the same about me." Juri smiled, her tone friendly as well as her smile but there was a hint of a threat in her eyes.
"When my lord is not around it is my duty to stay with Rin, demoness. Any questions you might have for her you can ask with me present."
Juri sighed with a roll of her eyes. Suspicious little creature. Still the bothersome little busybody he always was. Some things did not change. Casually Juri strolled to the edge of the field, staring into the treeline, watching the woods. She knew Rin's curiousity would get the better of her and she would join her soon. The girl's soft tread brought a smirk to the demoness' lips. Typical human.
"Tell me, Rin. Why did Sesshomaru send you from the castle knowing full well the demon lords and myself were coming? Its not like we aren't aware of you. We have all known about you for some time, in fact. Many have even asked to see you in person but are never allowed. Why do you suppose that is?" Juri asked, her arms folded beneath her breasts, her eyes never leaving the dense trees.
Rin twisted on her slender fingers, staring first at the ground then out into the field to the great hall. Why indeed.
"He sent me out be...because he knows how much I enjoy the outdoors. Being inside the walls of the great hall is so suffocating to me sometimes. And...and he didn't wish for me to be bored while he was occupied with the demon lords." she replied, wondering why this woman would ask such an odd question.
"Hmmm. I see. I suppose that would make sense. A good sound excuse."
Excuse? Did this woman think Rin was making it up? Lord Sesshomaru never gave explainations for his actions. He did as he saw fit. However...Rin could not recall a time when her lord had sent her away like this when a demon or demon lord was expected. What had made this time so different from the others?
Juri glanced at the girl from the corner of her eye and bowed her head, hiding behind the curtain of her hair to smirk. It was almost too easy. It was laughable. The girl lacked any confidence in herself. Wrapping Rin around her finger would be child's play. And Sesshomaru's own actions would confirm each and every one of the girl's fears and doubts.
"Well we certainly know it cannot be that he is ashamed of you, Rin," she said cheerfully, turning to look the girl in the eye, "I mean, afterall, what is there to be ashamed of? Its not as if you two had lain together!"
Rin's heart slammed hard against her ribs, seeming to cut off her air. Of course! What a fool she had been! If she were to remain within the great hall the demons with keener senses of smell would have known! They would smell the scent of Lord Sesshomaru on her skin, even more so than usual. Everyone knew of his disgust at the idea of a demon laying with a human. He would have been humiliated before his fellow lords! He had said he had no regrets but his actions clearly stated that he did. Rin's hands curled into tight fists. A burning sensation started in her eyes but she refused to cry. Damn him! Damn him to the pits of hell!
Juri watched the emotions play across the human girl's face and would have burned her to a cinder then and there if it wouldn't put her plans into jeopardy. She might have guessed the beguiling little bitch had been bedded by Sesshomaru. Demons were always drawn to innocense, craving it, wanting to pollute and corrupt it. The girl's value to the inuyoukai lord just increased tenfold.
"They most certainly have not lain together, demoness," Jaken retorted, his voice filled with contempt, "Lord Sesshomaru would never bed a filthy human! He sent Rin here to keep her out from under foot! Her incessant chatter would have been a distraction he could not afford!"
If Rin could have hugged Jaken in that moment, she would have gladly done so. He knew her and Lord Sesshomaru's secret and was keeping it. Her shoulders almost sagged with relief. She would find a way to repay him for this.
"Lord Sesshomaru and I do not have a relationship like that, Juri. I am...just a human to him. That is all." Rin said softly.
And in that moment, in her heart, Rin believed that to be the complete and utter truth.