Heart's Filthy Lesson

Chapter Three

Sick Child

"Convalescing bruised I set my mind awake
Dare to take another look
If you say you will
If you could say you will" Siouxsie and the Banshees, Sick Child

Disclaimer: Nope. Not mine. Inuyasha doesn't belong to me

a/n: aaaa's are line breaks maybe next time I'll use sssss's!

"Run Child. Run and don't look back." She heard Tori whisper, but she couldn't move. Bandits...bandits had killed her parents and now they would kill her as well.

She felt Tori's palm on her chest and then she pushed. Rin stumbled backwards. A sudden, horrifying thought. Tori doesn't want me either...I make her weak too. Rin turned and ran, tears blurring her vision.

Rin stopped, breath hitching. She'd reached the trees and stood in the their shadows, watching with wide eyes as Tori attacked the man that was surely coming for her. I have to help her, Rin thought desperately. But what can I do? I am so useless.

Rin watched as the bandit leader slung Tori to the ground and began to drag her by her hair. She couldn't look anymore. Sobbing into her hands, Rin turned to go deeper into the woods. But she stopped.

There was a familiar shift in the air, an electric heaviness. The crickets had stopped chirping and the wind was still. With puffy eyes she looked up.

Sesshomaru looked down on her and she searched his face but it was lost in shadows. His golden eyes were all she could see and they glittered like ice. Rin rushed to him, throwing her arms around his waist, his armor was cold on her hot cheeks. He made no move to embrace her.

"Please, Sesshomaru-sama..." She wanted to beg for Tori's life, but lost her voice in her sobs.

He pushed her aside gently and headed to the field.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

He owed the human woman her life. Though certainly foolish and suicidal, her actions had saved Rin. Had she done nothing, Rin would've been dead before he had gotten there.

It would only be a minor annoyance to dispatch the bandits and then he would leave the woman and take Rin back with him. Surely the child had learned her lesson.

He drew Tokijin from its scabbard and stepped into the field. As the smell of blood, lots of blood, reached him, he was fairly certain he was too late, but he would avenge the woman and his pride. The bandits would learn how foolish it was to threaten his ward.

The leader was a large man and stunk of sweat, vomit and liquor. The woman was naked under him. She made no move to fight him and her eyes were empty, staring far away. Something akin to a smiled twitched at the corners of her lips, but Sesshomaru doubted she was enjoying herself. Her grudgingly admired her bravery.

The bandit had not seen or heard him until it was too late. Tokijin sliced through his gut and spilled his intestines. The smell was terrible and that enraged Sesshomaru further. With a flick of his wrist his blade sliced through the air and then through the man's neck. The bandit leader's body toppled, his blood spraying over the woman whose eyes regained their focus. For a moment, a flicker of disappointment creased her brow, but then it faded as her eyes once again went dull. Blood was pumping freely from her side and though not a mortal wound, Sesshomaru was certain that in her weakened state it would kill her.

There was confusion at first and then the other three bandits saw him. He relished their screams of terror, he relished the acrid smell of fear as they ran. But most of all, he relished the smell of their blood as they shed it, each one falling under his blade.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Rin bit back a scream of her own when she heard the bandits yell in terror. She peeked between her fingers and saw that they had either fled or had fallen. She wasn't afraid of them anymore and she rushed to Tori's side.

The woman was ashen and her eyes had lost their shine. Rin knelt beside her and took her hand. It was cold. Her eyes filled with fresh tears when she saw the blood. But more than that, Rin saw countless scars, bruises, bites, cuts...all over Tori's body. Not one inch of flesh was free of some sort of injury. Some were very old and had faded and some were new, still livid and ugly on the pale skin.

Tori looked up at her and smiled weakly and then her face blanched and she shuddered. Her eyes rolled back and then closed. And she was still.

Rin flung herself over Tori, sobbing.

"Rin. Come." Sesshomaru was standing over her. Rin didn't move.

"It was all my fault, Sesshomaru-sama! I am so weak and useless! I couldn't save her and now Tori is dead because of me!" She wailed.

"She lives still."

Rin sniffed and wiped her eyes. Her little hand went to Tori's throat and felt. The pulse was there, but it was erratic, like some wild thing trying to break free from its cage.

It was a small victory and short lived. Tori would still die and now she couldn't walk to the village. "What do I do now, Sesshomaru-sama? Please tell Rin what to do."

Then defeat. A small frown was on his lips. Rin hung her head. But then he reached down and picked up the woman and slung her over his shoulder.

"I will take the human to the miko. We will leave her there...understood?" His voice was cold and his tone was strained.

Rin nodded. "Oh, thank you, Sesshomaru-sama! Thank you!"

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He had two reasons for taking the woman to the miko. One, he owed her a small debt. Two, he was curious. Why was it that she had no smell? And her body...it was covered with marks and it was clear to him that most of them were not made by human hands. It was apparent that the girl had been tortured under the hands of many cruel youkai. He could smell them on her skin, but they were so numerous that he could not recognize just one scent.

Perhaps if the pathetic creature lived, he would demand answers from it...that is if he didn't lose interest first.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

The village slumbered, but Sesshomaru knew that the miko would come to him. His brother would surely catch his scent and come bumbling out to greet in him battle and the miko was his mate, was she not? The wench followed his brother everywhere.

So he waited patiently in the village square as the woman bled all over him. Rin stood by his side and he could tell she was trying not to fidget. He didn't have to wait long.

His brother emerged into the square, his hand resting on his sword's hilt. Tesseiga...the sword that should've been his. His anger flared, his rage was building.

But he wasn't here for that. He narrowed his eyes. Where was that blasted miko?

And then he heard her. "Inuyasha! Wait!"

He watched her set her bow at her feet and she approached him with caution.

He slung the woman off of his shoulder and dumped her unceremoniously to the ground.

"Miko." He began. "Fix it."

He turned to leave, his hand going to Rin's shoulder. He stopped when the girl didn't move to follow him. A line of irritation appeared between his fine brows.

"Rin wants to stay until Tori is well. Can Rin stay?"

Sesshomaru didn't answer because he was irritated, but he inclined his head and Rin went to the woman's side. He left without looking back.

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Sesshomaru was gone again, but Rin wasn't worried this time. She knew he'd come back for her. She took Tori's hand again and it was even colder, the fingers stiff.

She looked up at the miko...Kagome..that was her name.

"Kagome...please. Will you help Rin's friend?" She tried to steady her voice, but it quivered anyway.

Kagome knelt by the woman, worry in her indigo eyes. She smoothed the hair out of her face.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

The darkness gave way and birthed a vision. The palace grounds were alive with color and the summer sun sparkled in the reflecting pools as the koi swirled under the surface, writhing, living gold.

She trailed her hand in the sun warmed waters, a small, sad smile on her lips. Would he come today? He hadn't been to see her for many weeks. And if he came, would he talk to her? He had yet to and she so wanted to hear his voice.

A long shadow fell over her and she shivered in its wake. A beautiful face with a sour expression looked down on her and she hid her face behind a curtain of sun gold hair.

She waited, trembling until the shadow was gone. A hot tear snaked its way down her pale cheek and she ran.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

"Shall I sing for you again?" She asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

He didn't answer. His back was to her and he made no move, as if he hadn't even heard her.

"Well, I'm going to. You'll have to say something if you don't want me to." Her tone was teasing and she was smiling like a fool.

It was a simple song, a lullaby. She liked to imagine that her own mother had sung it to her, but she couldn't remember her mother. When she finished, he was looking at her and a small smile twitched at the corners of his lips. Her heart gave a painful thump and she sucked in a breath. Whether she was feeling particularly brave or foolish, she didn't know, but she placed a trembling hand over his. Much to her delight, he didn't pull away even if his smile had faded.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Tori felt as though she were engulfed in a river of flame. Her body burned but she shivered, her teeth clacking together so hard she feared they would break. Every so often she would feel cool, gentle hands on her forehead and she would try to open her eyes, but she was only greeted with a nauseating blur of color. She only wanted the visions to come back. Many times she had dreamed of the palace and her happy life there, but the fever dreams were much brighter as they always were when she was close to death.

Once she almost woke. There was a sharp pain in her scalp and muffled curses. Either someone was trying to rip the top of her head off, or they were trying to comb her hair. After that torture had passed, another was introduced. A rough cloth soaked with what she assumed was water and a rather medicinal smelling soap was raked over her fever sensitive skin. Her body was racked by such shivers that her caretaker remarked that she thought Tori was having a seizure. A cup was held to her lips and she drank. It was hot and tasted like tea but soon after drinking it, Tori slipped into a dreamless sleep.

Time meant nothing. A day could've passed, or a week and when she finally opened her bleary eyes. Unadorned walls, a small fire in the hearth...it was a hut with a dirt floor covered by thin grass mats. Her body felt light and her head fuzzy. She was dressed in a cotton kimono that felt abrasive to her tender skin, and a thick blanket was pulled up all the way to her chin.

Tori sat up, instantly sorry she had. She put her hands to her head as the room pitched wildly. Something silky slipped between her fingers and she grabbed it, hauling it in front of her face. It was her hair. Someone had combed out all the knots and had washed it. Tori pushed up her sleeves. Her arms were just as clean as her hair. She could see every scar, from the old silver ones to the reddish pink ones. Hastily she pulled the fabric back over her marks. She hated being reminded how hideous she was. At least the dirt had hidden them, but clean she looked like what she was. A slave. A whipping boy.

There was a soft knock on the door and then it opened. A girl with black hair and odd clothing stood there. When she saw that Tori was awake, she smiled gently.

"You look much better!" The girl exclaimed. "I was sure worried there for awhile."

Tori let her hair slip in front of her face and lowered her gaze. "So...it was you who healed me then?"

"Uh, yeah. You had pneumonia and that wound on your leg was infected. I guess you'll be leaving pretty soon?"

Tori shrugged. "I suppose."

There was a long pregnant pause, but it didn't bother Tori. She didn't feel much like talking. When she would talk to other humans, they always asked her questions, questions she didn't want to answer.

"So, you'll go home then?"

Tori looked up at her through the curtain of her tresses and was about to answer that she didn't have a home to go when the door opened.

"Hey, Kagome! Are you coming or not?"

Tori let out a small shriek. In the door frame stood a demon. An inu youkai. It couldn't be! She thought, panic chilling her insides.

The girl put a hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's okay. Inuyasha won't hurt you. He isn't like Sesshomaru at all."

Tori jerked away from the girl's gentle grasp. "Sesshomaru?" She could barely breathe. Hadn't the child said that name before? In her sickness did she not hear it? Had she truly blocked the past so much that name no longer held meaning...reverence? Or was it the sight of the Lord of the West's half brother that jogged her memory? She couldn't be certain of any of that. But she was certain she had to leave before Sesshomaru returned and saw her.

"Inuyasha's half brother...the one who brought you here."

But Tori couldn't hear her. "I have to go..." She whispered, trying to stand.

"Wait! You're not well enough yet!" The girl's hand grabbed her own, trying to pull her down.

Tori violently wrenched herself free. "I am fine!" She hissed.

Blindly she swatted at the caring hands and made her way out of the door, pushing the demon out of the way. It was mid afternoon and it was warm, but her skin prickled and she began to tremble again. The fever was coming back, but she didn't care. Didn't care if it killed her and she rather hoped it would. She had to get far away and quickly.

Each step was agony. Her leg wasn't healed all the way yet and every time she put pressure on it, spikes of hot agony laced up her wound and into the meat of her thigh. She pressed on, making it to the small village's square. Just a little farther, she told herself. Less than a mile and I'll be at the woods. If she could get there, she knew she would be nearly impossible to track.

"Tori!" It was the child, Rin.

She heard the soft pats of her little bare feet as the girl ran to catch up with her.

"Tori." The child was at her side now, huffing and puffing and all red in the face. "Where are you going?"

She pushed her hair away from her face and knelt by the girl. "I am sorry, Rin. I have to go. I have to get away."

The child latched onto her hand and tears filled her eyes. The girl's chin crumpled. "Please, Tori. Stay and be Rin's friend!"

Tori shook her head. "No child. I cannot. I would make a poor friend for you." She smoothed the little girl's hair fondly.

"But I saved your life..." Rin mumbled.

"I would stay and be your friend...but the dai youkai you travel with...I do not think he'd allow it."

The child snuffled. "Probably not."

"Goodbye, Rin." Tori said and she straightened, limping away.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa

Sesshomaru watched the woman with wide eyes. She looked very familiar, but it couldn't be...she should be long dead. But everything about her was the same. The same plain face, the same long sun gold hair. The same long fingers. He shook his head slowly. No...this woman was different. Her eyes were haunted, not the bright happy eyes she had.

He approached his ward and the woman. Neither had noticed him yet and he saw the woman turn and begin to limp away.

"Wench!" He called out.

The woman froze and turned at the waist, her hair hiding her face. Sesshomaru narrowed his eyes. He was pleased when he caught a very faint scent from her. It was the acrid, bitter scent of fear.

A/N: Hope you liked this one. :) Chapter four is in draft stage, so it will take awhile to update, but I will update. Thank you to my kind reviewers. Your kind words are very encouraging.