A/N: Ok, so, here's chapter five! Yippee! Lol, I'm a little too excited about my own story, aren't I? Oh well. Now, I want to say thanks to those of you who've stuck with me so far! I do hope this story doesn't disappoint anyone, though I know it's unrealistic to think it'll satisfy everyone. Wouldn't that be nice, though? Well, here's my contribution. Enough from me.
Disclaimer: I do not own Inuyasha. And I can seriously see where typing this for every chapter irritates people. Oh well.
Someone to Protect
Sesshomaru and Rin walked in silence through the village; ignoring the villagers that stopped and stared at them as they passed through. Some flinched in fear, some had to restrain curious children, and others unconsciously let their mouths drop open in shock of a demon walking through their home. A very few, who were obviously warriors, reflexively reached for their swords or bows. Rin cringed at them, hoping they'd realize that Sesshomaru was no threat. They passed a monk and a pregnant woman who nodded and smiled at them politely, and Rin realized with a start that they were Inuyasha and Kagome's former traveling companions, Sango and Miroku. They look happy. Good. Rin thought as she waved in return.
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Jaken was sitting on the side of the well with Ah-Un eating the grass nearby when they returned. He jumped up instantly and bowed, asking how the meeting had gone. "Good." Was Sesshomaru's entire reply. He then turned and began walking away from the village. Jaken glanced curiously at Rin, who shook her head and shrugged her shoulder's, taking Ah-Un's reigns and following her lord and love. Jaken quickly scurried to catch up and fell into step beside the dragon. They'd both noticed that something which Sesshomaru didn't wish to share had happened between him and his brother. Jaken figured they'd gotten into a fight. Rin wasn't so sure; after all, neither had been even slightly bruised or even glared at each other. She figured it must've been something else.
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Sesshomaru himself had no intentions of sharing his conversation with his brother. He'd tried to ignore it the moment it was over, but that wasn't working. His brother had been, as usuall, curious about things that weren't his business. And he'd bothered to offer unwanted, unneeded, advice. "Tell her." He'd said. And he'd said it with a smirk, too. The worst part had been that he'd been tempted, if only for a second, to heed his half-brother's advice. Family life had matured the younger brother more than Sesshomaru had ever imagined he could mature. And the look of love that the mates had shared when they'd spoken together had been unmistakable, even for a so-called 'heartless' demon lord such as himself. What scared him most was the look of envy that he'd seen flash across Rin's face. He was sure she wasn't aware of it herself; and he was equally sure that whatever it was inside of him that'd been stirring lately was not going to help matters any.
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A few more days passed uneventfully, and the group, minus Sesshomaru, was beginning to relax again. Rin'd almost managed to put aside her worry over the snakes, and Jaken clearly hadn't given them any thoughts lately. It was nighttime, and Rin had returned from her bath, to which she'd had to take Ah-Un for security, and she was currently eating her dinner quietly, her mind wandering in many different directions. Sesshomaru had left shortly after her return to take his own bath, leaving her alone with Jaken and her 'pet' dragon. Jaken, of course, wasn't making any attempts at conversation. When she finished her meal, she rolled out her sleeping mat and layed down, closing her eyes. She heard Jaken acknowledge Sesshomaru's return and allowed herself to sleep, knowing her lord would protect her.
Dream:
Rin was walking down to the hotspring, taking a deep breath of the steamy air. She loved hotsprings. They were warm and soothing; she could almost always forget her problems and worries while she bathed. Dropping her expensive kimono, a birthday gift from Sesshomaru, she settled herself into the hot water and closed her eyes, a contented sigh escaping her lips. After a few moments of merely enjoying the relaxing water, she ducked underneath and scrubbed at her scalp, coming up for air, and going back under one more time. She shook her head to be sure that her hair was clean and resurfaced.
As she was resurfacing, she felt a hand roughly grab her hair and yank her upwards. She opened her mouth to scream, but it was still underwater and therefore her lungs were filled with scalding water. She coughed as her head broke through the surface and she was trying to cough up the unbearable water when she was half-lain over the rock that she'd earlier used as a backrest. She could see a man's shadow looming over her body, and she knew what he intended to do to her. Tears rushed to her eyes as she continued to choke on the water. It no longer burned in her lungs; the fear of this man overwhelming her senses. His hand came up to her throat, keeping her in place as he blatantly observed her naked body. His perverted leer was more than enough to convince her never to bathe without a bodyguard again. Then she noticed his hand moving towards her, but the hand gripping her throat prevented any reaction above a whimper.
She shut her eyes, hoping it would help dull the pain of what was about to happen, and causing her tears to spill from her eyes. Her attacker made a gurgling sound and the hand around her throat slackened limply, before it was removed completely and a light 'thud' a small distance away made it fairly obvious that he'd been tossed. She bravely opened her eyes, and relief flooded her as her eyes landed on Sesshomaru's golden ones. She attempted a smile, but wasn't quite able to bring herself to complete it, so instead she mumbled a 'thank you', as it was the best she could manage.
She moved to stand properly, still in the awkward position that the lone bandit had forced her into, when Sesshomaru was suddenly kneeling beside her and she felt his powerful arms wrap gently around her and lift her off of the rock. She gasped in shock, and her eyes locked with his. Though she was confused, and embarrassed by being naked and in his arms, she couldn't break from his golden gaze. Admitedly, it was his own fault she was in his arms. She wasn't entirely complaining, though. Which embarrased her even more. He smiled marginally, and her breath caught. She loved it when he smiled, even though it almost never happened, and only when something violent was about to happen. Somehow, she sensed this smile was different.
While one of his arms tightened it's grip on her waist, his other hand reached up and pushed her hair out of her face, tucking it behind her ear. Then his hand traced the side of her face from temple to chin and she tried her best to supress the shiver it caused, but she failed. Lightly grasping her chin between forefinger and thumb, he tipped her face upwards slightly and before she could process what was happening, his lips were on hers. She froze for a split second, shocked, before her body reacted and she pressed her lips onto his in return. Her arms found their way around his neck and she held on for all she was worth.
Just as his hand started slowly trailing down her back, along her spine, his tongue danced across her lips. When she opened her mouth to accept him, he pulled her closer towards him and she tightened her grip on him. As the kiss deepened, and she began to believe that Kagome had been right about anything being possible, she heard him growl and he bit her tongue, which had been inside his mouth. Gasping, she pulled back and looked at him, confusion turning to fear as she saw the red seeping into his eyes. Before she could speak, or force back the unbidden tears in her eyes, he tossed her onto the ground roughly and growled again.
"You dare believe that a demon such as myself coulf feel anything towards a human such as yourself! As you've been a decent ward, I'll offer you the chance to run. Now. Should you deny me, I will dispose of you. You would be nothing but an insult; and you are causing me unnecessary problems. Make your decision." For added emphasis, he flexed his claws and lifted one hand threateningly. He smirked at her cringe of fear.
"Please, my lord, I did not mean to offend you! I'll never do it again, please just don't abandon me." She begged without thinking. Then she flinched. She knew perfectly well that he considered begging a sign of weakness. And weakness, she knew, was unacceptable.
"I thought I'd taught you better than that, human. Now you'll never live to insult me, or any other demon, again. Your life is insignificant. I should have disposed of you years ago." He snapped, stalking towards her. She knew better than to crawl away, for it would only irritate him. Instead she shut her eyes, hoping that he would stop. "Open your eyes, human! I want you to see my face as I separate your head from your body." She opened her eyes slowly, not finding it in her to disobey him, even as he was about to slay her. She saw his claws flash, saw the whip form, saw it wrap around her throat, and in desperation, cried out.
"No! Please, my lord!"
End Dream
"No! Please, my lord!" Rin cried, cringing again from something that Jaken and Sesshomaru were beginning to suspect was Sesshomaru himself before she sucked in a ragged breath and bolted upright, gasping. She obviously hadn't noticed their gazes yet. Jaken, of course, put an end to that.
"Whatever were you dreaming of, Rin? You screamed so loudly that I'm surprised our ears still work. You-"
"Jaken." Sesshomaru snapped, darting a glare at the imp, before returning his attention to Rin. "What did you dream, Rin?" He asked gently. He noticed with irritation that she was still shaking visibly. That wouldn't do, though he'd do nothing about it just yet.
Rin did her best to collect herself, taking deep breaths to steady her breathing. She hadn't even heard Jaken's words; only his voice. Sesshomaru's words, however, had come in loud and clear. Slowly, she turned her head to look at them. When her gaze rested on Sesshomaru, she had to resist the urge to cringe. It was just a dream! You know perfectly well that he would never actually do that. That's not honorable. If he wanted me dead, I'd be dead already. If he wanted me gone, I'd be gone. I've no reason to fear him. None. She mentally reasoned with herself. Then she realized that he expected an answer to his question. "N-nothing important, m-my l-lord." She replied, hoping that he'd let it pass just this once. She didn't think she'd be able to tell him about her dream.
Sesshomaru knew she was lying. The dream might not hold significance in the grand sceme of life, but he could tell easily that it really bothered her. And he had seen the flash of fear in her eyes when she'd looked at him. Not once, in the 11 years he'd known her, had she ever feared him before. Not even when he'd tried to scare her off. It angered him far more than he liked to admit that she was afraid of him now. And it also solidified his fear that it'd been him who attacked her in her dreams. He didn't like her being afraid of him. True, with the exception of his brother and his comrades, everyone else feared him. Rin had never. And he intended to make sure that she didn't fear him for any longer than absolutely unavoidable, starting now.
Jaken had also noticed the fear. And he'd noticed his lord's anger at this fear, though that was harder to notice. The powerful demon didn't want the human woman fearing him, that much he could tell. Though he couldn't tell why, he knew better than to get in the way, so he mumbled something about getting water and ran off quickly. I'll give them a little time. Hopefully it won't take long for Lord Sesshomaru to repair whatever that nightmare damaged.
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Rin didn't miss Jaken's departure, and it didn't truly surprise her. She'd seen the anger that had flashed across Sesshomaru's face when he registered her fear. She'd looked away quickly enough, but she also knew it wouldn't help. She caught herself hoping that his anger wouldn't be best cured with her death, and quickly shook her head. Don't be ridiculous! It was a DREAM, Rin! She thought, trying to clear the image of his deadly grin as the poison whip had wrapped around her throat out of her head.
"Rin." Sesshomaru's voice cut through her thoughts and she looked up at him obligingly. "Tell me about your dream. Why do you fear me?"
Knowing she had to answer him, she decided to simply skip everthing was not absolutely pertinent to her unnecessary fear of her lord. "Y-you attacked me. You said something about m-me being an i-insult, and that I was c-causing you unnecessary problems. Y-you offered me the chance to run, but I-I was unable."
"Do you know why I said these things?"
"N-no, my lord." She dearly hoped he wouldn't ask to many more questions. She also knew that he probably would.
"Can you describe the situation, Rin?" He knew he didn't need to know anything more about her dream; and he already suspected the situation she was avoiding talking about; but he wanted to know more first. Maybe understand why she'd dreamed such a thing. He noticed without surprise that she was blushing quite a bit. He had, after all, smelled her arousal before her scent had shifted to fear and confusion.
"I...I had been bathing, and I was attacked by a bandit. He had his hand around my throat when you arrived, and then the bandit was dead. Then, you...kissed me, and then suddenly you bit me and threw me to the ground. The rest you know. Except, just before I awoke, you...were about to-to-" and though she seemed unable to bring herself to say the words, when her hand found it's way to her throat, he knew.
Sesshomaru nearly growled at himself, even if it was merely a dream. It had to have come from somewhere and he'd allowed her to worry about something enough to dream about him killing her. He could tell she knew that it was just a dream, but he could also tell that her irrational fear was not subsiding. He wasn't sure what he could do to dissipate her fear. But he knew he had to try; she wouldn't be able to sleep otherwise. "Rin, you need to forget your dream. It was just that; a dream. You should know by now that I've no intention of killing you."
She nodded, a stray tear escaping anyway. Her breath caught again when his clawed thumb came up and wiped her tear away. She dragged her eyes to his again, and she could tell that he was trying to reassure her. She smiled shakily. "I know, my lord. I know."
He nodded, and his hand returned to his side as he stood, intending to return to his tree when she spoke hesitantly. "Lord Sesshomaru?"
"Yes, Rin." he said, turining again. He'd barely completed the turn when she wrapped her arms tightly around his chest and buried her face into his kimono; his armor had been removed for comfort while he slept. She sobbed silently, and he slowly lifted his arms to rest on her back. After a minute, she pulled back and smiled; and he noticed that it was no longer forced. She wiped away her remaining tears and said, "I'm sorry. Thank you for that, my lord. Please forgive me."
"You don't need forgiveness, Rin." he replied, and she nodded and returned to her makeshift bed. Shortly afterwards, Jaken returned and made no motion to ask about what had happened in his absence.
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The next morning came rather quickly; too quickly for Rin, who'd barely gotten any decent sleep that night. She therefore opted, instead, to ride on Ah-Un's back for a while and take a small nap. She'd seen Jaken open his mouth to comment on her laziness before shutting it when he saw the look Sesshomaru shot him. She smiled appreciatively and closed her eyes.
Sesshomaru ignored Jaken once he was certain that the imp had gotten the hint and would leave Rin alone for a while. He'd wake her for lunch if she hadn't awoken by then. Sleeping too long, after all, would mess up her sleep come nightfall. He knew Jaken was confused as to why he was making a big deal out of her current emotional ordeal, and he had every intention to keep the small demon in the dark as to his reasons for as long as he could. Explaining the reason he'd only barely accepted on a subconscious level would begin a conversation he wasn't ready for. Not that he'd admit to not being ready for anything. Besides, he still didn't completely believe the reason himself.
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Lunch came and went rather smoothly; Rin had woken up an hour before Jaken had gone fishing and taken Ah-Un with her as she'd headed off to pick berries. She only got a small handful, as Jaken was the only one who ate them for lunch. She preferred them for dinner, and Sesshomaru rarely, if ever, ate them. After lunch, they'd resumed walking through the forest that they'd entered while she slept. She was fascinated by the beauty of the area; the trees were all tall and healthy; the grass was greener than the grass she was used to; the flowers were beautiful and full of diversity. She even found herself reminiscing about her younger days when she would've gone skipping ahead of them and picking flowers. Then she remembered the time she'd made both Jaken and Sesshomaru their own crown of flowers.
It seems like a lifetime ago, now. The days when we were looking for Naraku. When I didn't fully understand the danger he posed. Maybe one day, when we've nothing better to do, I'll go skipping through the flowers again, just for old-times sake; I don't think Lord Sesshomaru would appreciate that, though. Oh well. Rin thought, smiling to herself. She shook her head and turned her eyes forward, at least attempting to pay attention to where they were going. Though she knew she had no idea.
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The sun was beginning to set on another day, and Jaken had scampered off to get the food for dinner. He'd said something about wanting a rabbit, instead of fish, so he was supposedly off hunting. Rin tried not to laugh at the image; he'd undoubtedly roast it alive and it would probably taste horrible, but she'd eat it anyway. That was just Jaken's way. Wanting to feel helpful, she stood and grabbed Ah-Un's reigns as she said: "I'll go get the firewood, my lord." With that, she turned and led the dragon off to gather firewood.
She quickly discovered that their current location didn't have much in the way of burnable logs. A few twigs wouldn't be enough to sustain a decent fire, so she traveled a bit farther. Rin smiled as she saw the type of wood she was looking for, and she released Ah-Un so she could begin collecting it. The dragon stood patiently behind her, surveying the scene curiously. She had an armful of wood of various sizes when Ah-Un began to growl. She froze, not entirely accustomed to the sound. After collecting herself, she turned to ask him what the problem was, hoping he'd be able to nod in the direction of the threat when she heard hissing.
She dropped her load of wood instantly and backed away from the sound, suddenly reminded that there was a reason she'd had to take Ah-Un. "Ah-Un, help." She whispered, even as the snakes appeared in front of them. There's two! No, three! Oh, Ah-Un, please be able to defeat them! She thought, trying to stay calm. The dragon dutifully stepped forward, his muzzle removed, and began blasting at the offending creatures. She sighed, taking a deep breath to steady her heart. Ah-Un may've been outnumbered, but she was confident he'd still win.
She'd found a tree to rest against while she relaxed a bit and let Ah-Un fight when she heard something abover her. As she turned her head up to see what made the noise, a tail wrapped around her and covered her mouth, effectively preventing a scream. She still tried, though, and the sound was loud enough for the dragon to hear. He turned a head towards her, his other head finishing off the remaining snake, just in time to see her disappear into the foliage. He moved to follow her scent when he realized that it, too, had vanished. Snorting angrily, the dragon lifted off and flew to Sesshomaru.
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Sesshomaru had been resting when his sensitive nose detected Ah-Un's return. He was about to file the information away when he realized that Ah-Un was returning alone. He was on his feet before the dragon had landed. Though Ah-Un couldn't speak, he knew the question, and shook his head with another snort. Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed dangerously.
"Take me to where you lost sight of her." Sesshomaru jumped onto the dragon's back and allowed himself to be escorted to Rin's last known location.
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Sesshomaru frowned when the stench of snakes rushed into his nose. He traced her scent to the tree she'd been abducted under, but, just as he'd feared, her scent stopped cold half-way up. He growled low in his throat and his fists clenched involuntarily, his claws nearly digging into his palms. For a brief moment his eyes flashed red and he had to consciously focus on restraining his true form. He reminded himself that he knew where they'd taken her, and though it didn't calm him, it helped him gain control. They will regret abducting my Rin. If she is harmed, I'll slay their entire breed. The 'royal' family is already dead, though they may not know it. I will find them, and they will pay with their lives. She is mine, and they need to learn that lesson.
He reluctantly returned to where Jaken was to meet them, and fortunately for the imp, he didn't have to wait long. Jaken appeared moments behind his lord and nearly jumped out of his skin when his name escaped Sesshomaru's lips. "Jaken. Forget dinner, we're heading to the south."
"W-why, m'lord? And, where's R-oh. Have they...taken her?" He asked hesitantly.
"Yes." Sesshomaru growled, again clenching his fists as he suddenly lifted off of the ground, floating on a cloud. Jaken squeaked beneath him and hurriedly mounted Ah-Un as the dragon lifted off to follow the demon lord.
Oh dear. Those fool snakes in the south have finally pushed their luck too far. Lord Sesshomaru will surely have all their heads in no time. What were they thinking, kidnapping Rin? If they know anything about my lord, they'd know that those who threaten her have never lived to tell the tale. Unless-could it be a trap! I must warn Lord Sesshomaru immediately! Jaken thought, opening his mouth. "My lord, please beware, it could be a trap!"
"I am well aware of that possibility, Jaken." Sesshomaru snapped
"Of course, m'lord." Jaken squeaked, cowering behind the two-headed dragon's long necks. He hasn't been this angry in years! I need to keep my mouth shut before I get myself killed!
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The snake that had kidnapped Rin was nearly home, and he couldn't have been more proud of his latest 'catch'. He knew his brother, Reikoku, would be jealous. And he'd be handsomely rewarded, too. He licked his fangs, envisioning a delicious feast of guinea pigs and rats. He glanced down at the girl he currently held in his arms; he'd knocked her out after she'd refused to quit struggling, and now that she was unconscious, she wasn't unpleasant. Maybe, when this was over, he'd get to eat her. At least a leg, with any luck. He thought.
After another hour of traveling, he was home. He'd taken a short-cut that he was positive the dog-demon she traveled with didn't know about. Lord of the Western Lands he might be, he didn't know many short-cuts outside of his territory. Being a snake, he, himself, learned these pathways early. The snakes guarding the entryway moved aside as their prince slithered past and headed straight for his parent's. I'll be their favorite son by dinner time.
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As he entered the room, he dropped her unceremoniously onto the ground and she moaned in her sleep. Then he cleared his throat to get their attention. "Mother, Father, I've brought you the human that got Doku killed. I'm certain that Sesshomaru will be following to retrieve her. This is our chance to slay the Lord of the West and claim his territory as well."
The Lord of the Southern Lands raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's quite a capture you've got, Dokueki. You've done well, my son."
"Indeed he has, Uroko. We shall celebrate tonight with a feast in your honor, Dokueki. With your help, we'll be one step closer to attaining power over all of Japan!" The Lady of the South, Hebi, declared, throwing her scaly hands into the air.
"Guard, take our 'guest' to a cell. I want her to live long enough to lure Sesshomaru here. Once he is in our grasp, we'll kill her in front of him. I'll enjoy watching his reaction. And after he spent so many years denying his father's influence on him!" Uroko announced, as the guard slithered in and took Rin away.
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That evening, the family of snakes did, indeed, gather for a special feast. The younger twin, Dokueki, was bragging to his elder brother about his catch. Reikoku made sure to compliment him on his success, even as his jealousy over being upstaged by his younger brother set in. He had trouble finding it fair that the youngest in the family was able to achieve this goal so easily; and that he was receiving such praise over it, when he'd left without permission. But he vowed to be the one to slay Sesshomaru, and therefore forever surpass his siblings and maybe, one day, over throw his parents after they'd over taken the rest of Japan. Afterall, power was everything, and family was obsolete once you were old enough to support yourself. This was a lesson that Reikoku had learned young, and it seemed Dokueki and their elder sister, Suberiyasui, had yet to learn it. That was their problem. But his plans had to wait; Sesshomaru wasn't expected for a couple more days still, afterall. And that left plenty of time to defile the human woman. With a small shake of his head, Reikoku returned his focus to the celebration, as there was, indeed, plenty to celebrate.
To Be Continued...
A/N: Ok, I want to apologize if the end of this chapter seems a bit...rough. I wanted to make sure I gave the right impression for the family; aren't they all so close? Lol. Anyway, I know this chapter's a bit shorter, but, I didn't want to force it to be longer and thereby make it worse. Forgive me. And keep reading!