Little From My Heart

.:Castle in the Sky:.

In the silence and stillness of waiting, he could not be more displeased than he already was. What was keeping that loathsome toad to simply complete a mini task?

It was not long if he had not counted the seconds. It should have and had taken the toad exactly 169 taps of his clawed index finger to be back with the child. He could hear their footsteps rounding down the other end of the hall.

And soon, a knock rang through his ears. "Enter."

"My lord, the mortal Rin is at your command." The toad with a beak of a hawk squawked. His head touching the ground beneath Sesshomaru's feet, revealing his respect and commitment for the male above him.

Sesshomaru glanced to the door way, where the child stood with descriptions of lost and relief upon her youthful face. She was relieved to see him? He reverted his focus to the tea pot and tea cups on the table next to him, where his right arm was resting. For some eccentric reasons, he was not pleased to see her in such a state. Rin who was usually all vivacious and giddy whenever she saw him was withering in present, holding a ghostly like aura. She was pale and thin, he noticed by the visible skin of her neck and hands.

She seemed tired and supicious of everything as she skimmed the room through her dark, chocolate orbs. She was not informed on everything that was happening ever since he brought her here. She was partically shoved into a huge, almost ghost like room and left to be by herself for a few hours. Then, there were these twin wolf girls coming in and told her they were under her service. She had not seen him nor was she allowed to leave that room for days. She first thought he had imprisoned her because of what she had become. She desperately wanted to see him and explain, but now, seeing him sitting there with his usual coldness, she was not sure what she would do or how would she start to defend herself.

"Leave, Jaken."

That meant they would be the only ones left. What would he say? Would he spank her or whip for being so troublesome? Or would he abandon her? Please, no. She never wanted to be on the streets to steal food and seek warmth during the brewing fall and winter. She couldn't possibly survive now that she had become what she was. The men would beat her till she was no longer breathing like she saw they did to other unfortunate females.

She dropped to her knees with her head down; another mistake, she should have bowed when she first came in. All doors were closed but the sound of summer winds called out to them in the eerie silence. The small sound of him taking a hold of a small cup danced with the swaying winds.

"Rin," His voice was solid as gold; his eyes looking straight at her. "you were forced to grow by youkai's magic."

"Sesshomaru-sam--"

"Don't interupt. This Sesshomaru is aware that your mind and body are not on the same level. Certian subjects for one such as your physical age needs to know shall be explained to you through Misa and Reake. An instructor will be sent to you shortly. You may leave." He watched her bowed and left, uninterested. The sliding doors quietly shut as her footsteps gently echoed through from the other side.

--

She was asleep before she knew it, and by the time she awoke, the sun had already sunk behind the horizine line. The moon and stars were filling up the sky as the sounds of crickets and winds echoed through her enormous, emtpy room. Looking up at the sky through her huge, marvelously craved window, the sadness she had been harboring emerged in the plain moonlight.

It was a good thing Sesshomaru-sama had not thrown her out. She should be thanksful, and she was. But that didn't stop her from enduring the grief that had been awaiting patiently for her since the beginning of this. He was still in character, almost nothing had changed, yet she noticed, the slightly smallest of change between them. It wasn't something that could be clearly explained or proven, but she could feel and sense the solitary gate that now stood between them.

They were watching her, every step, every breathe she took, they were alarmed. Rin blindly walked into the darkness, the place where there was no moonlight, and couched down against the wall. Embracing her folded legs, her chin rested upon them, and she began to cry. She would be kept in here forever. Because she was of no uses. No uses at all...

She wouldn't be able to see him again. Today meeting was the last she would ever see him. She would grow old and die without seeing him or be of any uses to him. What good was she if she couldn't repay his hospitality!

Oustide with the cool blowing winds crafting the gentle locks of hair, Misa glanced to Reaka with suggesting eyes. They should, at least, soothe the girl, her weeping would anger the Lord.

Reaka shook her head, that wouldn't do. They had to follow his specific orders: not letting the girl out nor anyone in her room during night, she shouldn't go anywhere without consulting him, never left her defenseless, and no going outside the castle wall. If she were to be held captive, they would be held responsible, which resulting their heads.

Misa rolled her eyes and leaned back against the tree. "I feel sorry for the trapped bird."

--

She was wrong, they weren't the only ones who had heard her moanings. He, from his slumped position in his armchair upon the balcony, had been disturbed and edgy all morning. Her crying was like a pup slowly being killed in agony. She was displeased with how he had arranged the sequences of which he liked to see the scenes occuring?

Matter not. His morning servants were there, bringing tea and wet towel to cleanse him. The opaque robe gently sheathed his almost translucent robe, and the feeling of the slash embracing his waist seemed surreal due to his neutral state of being.

They bowed and left as he turned to the full length mirror. The image on the other side... smugged at him. He had weakened! Was the last thought before he sliced the mirror and dissipated.

--

"Rin-chan, this is your sensei, Kim Zi." Reaka bowed and left, closing the door without a last glance at the new teacher or pupil.

Rin bowed and shyly darted her eyes for a glimpse of Kim Zi. Rin was sitting on her legs (tea-style) with her hands in her laps. 'Rin wonders if she likes tea.?'

'She is nothing like I have imagined.' Kim Zi waved her hand, indicating she had accepted. Her new pupil seemed quiet, shy, and a little bit dense. 'But there's no denying that she is cute.' Kim Zi had to refrain herself from giggling, or else Rin might think she would go easy on her. "All right, Rin-chan. Let's start with the basics of Hiragana." she confirmed, watching Rin turned to the low desk next to her, looking highly confused upon what to do.

Rin glanced at her with silent questions. Her shoulders loosened and slowly she grasped the brush. Her hand trembled, making the half-dried ink spattered, poke dotting the rice paper.

"Relax." From there the teacher began her profession as her voices piled up the room.

--

In a bamboo forest, the sound of birds' chirpping emitted through and through. A female was sitting inside a dinh with a pipa in hands, softly, and slowly she plucked the strings, one after another, liberating an odd rhythms.

Sesshomaru stood at his spot, narrowing his eyes in distaste. The woman who he had not seen for over a decade hadn't changed, the same choice of clothing, the same ebony hair of which was pinned up in a childish manner, and the same... soft lips he now claimed. She was surprised, causing the fall of the pipa, but soon recovered in recognition of his face. His left hand roamed her back while his right hand kept her head in lock. He felt she quivered under the passion of his disire and smirked. And in the next few seconds, the sounds of clothings being discarded were heard as small moanings evaded the thick forest of bamboos.

--

Rin could feel pressure of education ganging upon her as her characters turned out inappropriate. During the first few hours of learning Hiragana and Katakana were bad enough and now, writing them too? She could never do anything right under the pressure, resulting Sensei leaving the room. She said it would help her, but it did not. The thought of being jugded over what she was doing was a new aspect she needed to get acquaintance with. And the worse part was, before Sensei left, she had threatened poor Rin that she couldn't eat until so and so was completed!

To Rin, that would take her more than forever because she had never picked up a brush before. Tsk. Tsk. And Sensei knew that, yet no mercy was offered. 'But at least she didn't hit me...' Rin said it to herself as she continued on.

Outside, Kim Zi was peeking through the two holes that she had poked on the rice paper that covered the window. She understood Rin's situation, in fact, she had been there before. She was not taught how to read nor write until she was 171 years of living. At first, she too couldn't get it and go on a tantrum each time she saw the brush and paper. And would've still remained that way, that was, if she had not been told of her position. She could tell that Sesshomaru had in store a highly valuable gaurded future for Rin. If Rin would not become a mate to a noble youkai or hanyou, then there must be with a human prince or lord who would be worthy enough.

Rin was a lucky mortal; one who was born with Heaven's blessing but didn't know it. Everyone had heard of Sesshomaru's little accounter with his 'pet,' even unfit rumors were flowing like the river's current among the youkai races. Of course it would, he was the Supreme Lord of all youkai, nothing less could come from his actions.

She even brought the small fable for 47,000 yens. This was hopeless! She loved the tale so much that she could not wait for the second one. The first time she received the messenger from Sesshomaru's castle, she did a little flip after the messenger left. It was so exciting for her and everyone else in her tribe to be in the service of Sesshomaru-sama. And when she came to know her term of service to not only him but 'her' too, she nearly shrieked.

"It's like a fairly tale becoming true." Not only would she be able to wiftness the actual events but took on parts of developing it as well! Although, she was surprised to see Rin so big, she didn't asked anything of it. But the curiousity of it all... she afraid her intensity of holding back the million questions was weakening. 'But I have a right to know, don't I?'

"Hmmm." she sulked on the step with her head in her palms. To keep oneself from one's desire or to be dead because of desire. Which option would be the right one?

--

Sesshomaru sat in his armchair, his left arm rested on the arm of the armchair, supporting the weight of his head while his right hand's index finger tapped the surface of his pale scarlet, wooden desk. It seemed that his head servant had taken care of the business well enough. There was nothing left for him to do except signing the stack of papers in front of him.

Picking up a document, his thin eyebrow raised, questioning himself whether or not he should approve it. This was the last month of summer and surely it would do him good to observe his subjects. Aa, then so it would be.

"Yuusu," he commanded, knowing he would be answered by the servants awaiting outside of his study.

"Yes, Milord."

"Prepare yourself and inform the others. A banquet shall be held by the end of this month."

"Yes, Milord."

"Leave. Inform Kim Zi I require Rin's accomplishments."

The wind slipped through the windows, setting aside the curtains, letting the picture of the sinking sun embeded in him. The day had come and go in a blink of an eye; sometimes it made the livings wondered, was the end nearing?

A draining feeling suddenly stirred inside him, and slowly, little by little his eyes drifted.

And that was how she had found him, peacefully resting in a dreamless slumber. She wondered, did he not know he was being watched? "Ni, poor Sesshomaru-sama, you're tired too. Rin has so much to tell you." She held a strip of silver hair in hand, blowing on it like she would do to flowers from time to time.

1.25.2006

Rumiko Takahashi owns the Inu casts.

pipa- it's like a guitar but smaller and much cuter looking.

dinh- a small hut with no walls but there are benches and sometines a table in the middle.

Here is a better version of what I had in mind. Let me know how I did portraying Sesshomaru. All I know is he doesn't talk much and so I had to limited his thoughts because what he is thinking, sometimes is... out of my lead. lol. Thanks for the reviews of the first and previous second chapters.

animeangel665

animegirl007

Jackson

Demented Insane Spirit

inu-lover-alwayz-n-4eva

Shadow-Seeker-13

&

Alex