Chapter 10

Seishi groaned as she stirred... she had a major headache and when she moved her head, her temples throbbed. She growled in irritation at the pain and lifted a hand to her brow as she opened her eyes… only to snap them back shut with a hiss. Her eyes seemed to be rather light sensitive as well… but she forced them open again after a second, more prepared for the light. Wait… she blinked and glanced around… where was she?

She forced herself to sit up… she could move again… she had been poisoned by something strong enough to render her motionless… she remembered the boy she had been fighting… the dagger he had driven into her leg… she had the faint fuzzed memory of him about to pick her up… but then there was even fuzzier memories of a family calm voice, a figure in white and a flash of light. Sesshoumaru? Yes… looking around the room she was sure this was the one she had been in before when she stayed at Sesshoumaru's palace and when she drew a deep breath in through her nose she smelt dog demon… Had he saved her? Oy, how was she going to live that one down… Being saved by Sesshoumaru, from a human boy who wasn't even a full man yet to boot.

Still… something was very wrong about what happened… She had been looking for a human murder, and found a boy… At first he seemed like he wanted to kill her to get her out of his way, but then as soon as he had her poisoned, he just waited until she couldn't fight anymore and seemed like he was going to take her somewhere. She hated when things made no sense…

She sighed, forcing herself up… feeling a little off still in her movements, but at least she could move. She drew back the blankets to find herself in one of those Japanese bed robes; her wounded thigh had been treated and bandaged. She glanced around for her clothes but only spotted that cursed blue kimono thing she had worn when here last… the one that had kept popping open on her.

Just then the door slid open partially and Rin poked her head inside, "Seishi-sama, are you finally awake?"

Seishi turned her gaze to the door, a small smile reaching her lips despite her rather out-of-sorts mood. "Rin-chan…"

Rin smiled seeing Seishi was finally awake and she opened the door fully and walked inside carrying a tray. He bruises had mostly healed but her black eye was still fairly visible. She settled down next to Seishi and then help up one of the bowls on the tray to Seishi, "Sesshoumaru-sama said to drink this. I said it's for what's making you sick."

Seishi groaned inwardly at being reminded she owed Sesshoumaru one, but she moved so her legs were half off the futon and sat beside Rin, accepting the bowl and sniffing it. Not sure if she really wanted to drink it…

Rin sat next to Seishi and looked up at her, "You don't want it? The ladies in the garden said it would help."

Seishi looked at Rin... who seemed worried if Seishi didn't take the medicine... with another inward groan, she forced her head back and downed the contents of the bowl as quickly as she could without having to taste it long.

Rin smiled as Seishi drank the medicine, and then when she finished she held up the rest of the tray to her. It had a fish, some miso soup, and rice balls on it as well as a glass of water.

Seishi made a face of obvious disgust at the stuff she had just forced down, a rather funny expression on a face that was usually as smile or a smirk. She handed Rin the emptied bowl in exchange for the tray. "Thank you Rin-chan..." she regarded the girl a moment as she settled the tray on her lap, she had to ask, "Rin... how did you get that bruise around your eye?"

Rin blinked at Seishi and touched her eye. It still hurt a bit but it was feeling better now. "Rin was out getting food and found a bag in a field with food in it. Rin was hungry so she started eating some of it but then these big scary men ran up to me and claimed Rin had stolen it from them. I said I didn't but they knocked me over started hitting me." Rin brought her feet up to her chest and hugged her legs as she kept talking, "Then one of them drew his sword and said he was 'going to teach the brat a lesson,' but then Sesshoumaru-sama showed up and made them go away."

Seishi felt anger at the men, then some guilt and annoyance… damnit… if Sesshoumaru had just told her that to begin with… but she was the one asking him like she was accusing him… bah… she'd have to apologize. "I see…"

Rin nodded, "Hai, it was scary. Humans can be very scary sometimes. Bandits killed Rin's parents and brother a long time ago. Those men were scary just like the bandits from back then... Rin still misses mom and dad, and even big brother sometimes." Rin's face with had been sad during her little tale suddenly brightened up, "But Rin isn't lonely anymore. I have Sesshoumaru-sama now, and Jaken-sama too." then a big smile spread across Rin's face, "now I have Seishi-sama too."

Seishi felt a slight tightness in her chest… oy… why did she have to be so damned adorable… Moving the tray of food aside, she reached over and pulled Rin onto her lap, wrapping her arms around the girl in a hug. "I'm sorry Rin-chan… I'm sorry those men hurt you and I'm sorry I wasn't there to help." Seishi found herself nuzzling the girl some.

Rin reached up and wrapped her arms around Seishi, "It's okay, you couldn't have known so it's alright." She nuzzled back without thinking about it then pulled back some, "Seishi-sama, when you get better… are you... going to leave again?"

Seishi hesitated at the question… what was she going to do once she was healed? "Rin-chan… I'm not sure yet… I don't think I should stay here, because I'd be imposing on your Sesshoumaru-sama and we'd probably drive each other nuts being around each other too much in any case... But… I will stay nearby and visit you often, is that acceptable, Rin-chan?"

Rin blinked at Seishi and considered what she had said. That sounded ok but it still would mean that there would probably be long periods of time that she didn't see her. If only Seishi could have been her sister or her mommy... "Seishi-sama do you like Sesshoumaru-sama?"

Seishi blinked, leaning over and looking at Rin, "Like him? Well… He is kind of hard to get to know, so it's hard to really know if I like or dislike him." Sure she found him attractive, but she didn't think Rin understood those things yet… Rin probably thought since Seishi always said her and Sesshoumaru didn't get along that she didn't like him.

Rin looked down towards her feet, "I don't think Sesshoumaru-sama dislikes you…"

Seishi smiled some, sitting back; reaching up she pulled the little tie out of Rin's hair that held in the little ponytail she always wore. Using her fingers, careful to retract her claws, to run through the girl's hair since she lacked a comb, "Perhaps, but I still wont impose. I promise I'll try to be around as much as I can, Rin-chan."

Rin smiled and nodded, "Hai Seishi-sama." then Rin looked over at the food that Seishi had mostly left untouched, "Aren't you hungry?"

Seishi made a face, "I'm afraid my stomach is feeling rather fickle at the moment... I'll probably be hungry tomorrow." Seishi finished combing her fingers through Rin's hair, putting some of it back into her little ponytail.

"Oh, well are you feeling well enough to walk around?" Rin asked looking up at Seishi.

Seishi looked down in Rin's big warm brown eyes, reminded her of a pup of her own kind... "I could probably use it, actually. Staying in bed will make me get all stiff."

Rin smiled happily and leapt off Seishi's knees and grabbed one of her hands, "then lets go ok?"

Seishi laughed lightly as she pushed herself to her feet, "Not to quickly now, I'm still recovering."

Rin nodded and guided Seishi out of her room and through the hallways of Sesshoumaru's palace

Seishi felt slightly dizzy, but didn't have time to think about it since Rin lead her off, "Rin-chan, just where are we going?" She was still just in the bed robe someone had dressed her in while she was unconscious.

Rin looked back at Seishi, "To jump rope. I'm up to two hundred now."

Seishi smiled, "That's very good Rin-chan." Seishi felt her headache coming back with a vengeance, but tried to ignore it… damn that had been some potent poison to have such after effects. "I'll watch you for a bit, but them I probably should return to bed."

It ended up being a few hours before Seishi finally got to head back toward bed… Rin just seemed to excited to have her back she didn't want to let Seishi leave, even if it was just to go back to bed. Seishi assured her she wasn't leaving the palace any time soon and they could play again tomorrow, and Rin finally agreed Seishi should return to bed. She probably would have walked her there if Jaken hadn't shown up grumbling about having to try and teach the brat things. Seishi wasn't sure he would be a very good teacher with an attitude like that… but she was too weary to bother even insulting the toad today.

She head back into the palace and made her way back toward the room she was staying in… without Rin or anyone around to see her showing her weakness, she let herself put a hand on the wall for balance as she moved along… Bloody hell… she really shouldn't ignore her condition just to see Rin smile, she paid for it later. Oh well, by tomorrow she should be almost as good as new and in a few days she really would be.

Sesshoumaru made his way through his palace heading for his quarters. He had spent much of the past few days away from his palace looking for traces of Naraku or of the boy, Kohaku, but as usual both had disappeared without a trace. He rounded the corner and saw Seishi stumbling through the halls using the wall as an anchor. He knew Seishi was the sensible type and he suspected that Rin had something to do with her being up and about so late in the day. He walked towards her and as he got alongside of her he said in a flat tone, "Your room is not that way..."

Seishi groaned inwardly, she hadn't even heard Sesshoumaru approach. She quickly taking her hand from the wall and forcing herself to stand up straight, "Oh… I guess I lost track of the turns… If you would be so kind as to point me in the right direction?" She kicked herself mentally, stop acting like an obstinate Brit and thank him…

Sesshoumaru stared at Seishi for a moment, 'Even though her legs are shaking and she looks as though she is about to pass out, she still maintains her attitude. Is her pride that important?' he thought to himself. Then he grinned inwardly, 'Of course, after all I'd choose death over looking weak and vulnerable in front of someone that I wanted to have the respect of…' he then put his hand on Seishi's shoulder, "This way..."

Seishi looked at his hand, then looked away to the side, not really wanting to look at him when she next spoke… well now or never, "Oh… um… by the way, I wanted to thank you for helping me…" gods she hated having to say that, and to him of all people… Well she might as well get it all over and done with, "And… I owe you an apology as well… Rin told me what happened with those humans, and I'm not too proud to admit that I was wrong. I had no right to accuse you of anything, and really, I knew it was none of my business to start with…"

Sesshoumaru looked at Seishi slightly as he walked her in the direction of her room. Her apologizing? That was indeed unexpected. He quirked a brow at Seishi, "What was that? I didn't hear because you head was turned…"

Seishi eyebrow twitched… he was a dog demon, he would have easily have heard what she had said… she knew he was just baiting her, "I said I was sorry… and don't think I'll repeat it again you pompous jerk! And I know perfectly well you heard me the first time! Unless you are lame-eared for a dog demon, you could have heard me in the other room! So don't even think you… you…" there was the dizziness again, her equilibrium decided to take a break leaving her without any sense of balance. Next she knew she was hitting the wall, digging the claws of one hand into the wood and paper of its construction to keep from falling back and to the floor.

Sesshoumaru quickly grabbed her shoulders to stop her decent. She felt like a limp noodle in his hands and he doubt she would make it back to her room without ripping his walls to shreds. He picked her up at the waist and slung her over his shoulder to carry her back to her room.

Seishi took half a moment to recover from the spell, but when she did, she was more then a little upset. "Sesshoumaru! What do you think you're doing! Put me down this instant! Do you know how humiliating this looks?" If she hadn't felt as powerless as a week old pup, she would have started kicking and trying to force her way back down.

Sesshoumaru walked through the halls of his palace with his burden drawing more then a few stares from his servants and maids as they went about their duties. "Think about how humiliated it would be to wake up in the morning and find you had clawed my walls to shreds? You are hardly fit to walk on your own so this is the most practical way to get you back to your bed…

Easy for him to say… he wasn't the one that hung there with her hair cascading around her face, hanging over his shoulder with her rear in the air. She reached up and pushed her own masses of hair to one side, only to sneeze as his long hair tickled her nose. Seishi just growled in reply… "Damnit Sesshoumaru…"

Sesshoumaru carried Seishi into the room that she was using and laid her down on the futon. He pulled the blankets up over her then reached for a bottle of medicine that was on a nearby table. He poured some of it into a cup and held it towards Seishi, "drink this."

Once he laid her down, she glared up him, her silvery blue eyes showing her anger and distaste. There was a hint of a rosy color in her single streaked cheeks that very well might have been an embarrassed blush, but she quickly turned her face away, "Why do I feel like I'm a pup back home being ordered around by my nanny?" After she recomposed herself, she looked back and glared at him again, but took the cup. It was bad enough he weakness was so apparent, but his treating her like a helpless pup was not helping her mood.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes at Seishi, "You are not a pup, your sick. Your body is still recovering from the poison and it has still not been completely flushed from your system. You are extremely lucky to be alive. The poison used on you is one of the most potent I have ever encountered. The dose you were given should have killed you but the presence of another chemical in you blood cause it to instead cripple you nervous system. You are even luckier that you started to receive the antidote as soon as you did otherwise you might have been permanently paralyzed. I realize you find this situation unbecoming but if you are to make a full recovery you need to stop moving and fussing so much and let your body heal. Stop acting like the pup you claim your aren't."

Seishi blinked and looked at him… if she had been in dog form her ears would have drooped and her tail would have gone limp. He didn't have to be so mean about it… how was she supposed to know all that? She sighed, forcing down the medicine she had been given, making a face of disgust at the taste as she handed the cup back.

Sesshoumaru took the cup back then moved over to the wall and leaned against it, "Now rest. If you take it easy tomorrow, you body should be fully healed in a few days."

"Yeah…" she paused, then added, "Oh, I suppose I should warn you now… before you starting wondering when you'll be rid of me again, I should inform you I've decided to stick around Japan for a while… I have some personal business here now after that last incident. That and I have promised Rin I would stay nearby and I never go back on my word." Looked over at Sesshoumaru, "Don't worry, I won't impose on you here, but I will pop up to visit with Rin if I sense your group nearby. Rin needs some proper female influence in her life after all..." she turned her gaze toward the ceiling, "and maybe occasionally some better scholastics tutoring; I don't trust that impudent and impatient toad to do the job properly…"

Seishi paused, then added, "I mean… there is much more to raising a child then just protecting it from danger, after all…" Her tone hadn't held any mockery or sarcasm or anything that would indicate she was saying Sesshoumaru was unfit to raise Rin, she was simply stating what she knew as fact. Children required a lot more care then just being protected and loved. They needed warmth, affection, education, attention, and so many other things. With that, she sighed and relaxed on the bed to try and sleep.

Sesshoumaru watched Seishi for few moments but then he broke the silence, "If I may, I wish to ask you a question…"

"Hmm?" Seishi didn't bother reopening her eyes… they were more tired then the rest of her.

Sesshoumaru paused for a second then spoke, "Why were you fighting with that boy?"

"Heh… I'll tell you if you promise not to lecture me," Seishi replied.

Sesshoumaru quirked an eyebrow at that, "Agreed..."

"I had been asked a favor by someone you don't care much for. Right after you left after you killed those humans, Naraku showed up and said there was a human murder on the edge of his lands and asked my aid in tracking him down and bring him to justice… I have a habit of never turning down someone asking for help if what they are asking is within my morals and integrity. He never mentioned that the killer was a young boy… not that it would have mattered to most, especially after I had just seem him kill a group of village men who were pursuing him… but because of it, I was hesitate to chance killing him… At first the fight started like he meant to kill me to get me out of the way, but as soon as he drove that laced dagger into my leg, he backed off and just waited for the poison to take effect… I kind of feel like I was missing something there."

Sesshoumaru listened as Seishi told her story then closed his eyes once she had finished, "I think I can fill in the gaps for you. That boy is a pawn of Naraku. He was formally a Taijiya until he fell under Naraku's control. He is now an empty shell of a mortal that only follows Naraku's bidding. Naraku must have pitted you against his minion hoping to capture you alive."

Seishi listened to Sesshoumaru's words… an empty shell… well the boys eyes had been blank… She sighed, turning onto her side, laying a arm out under her pillow and resting her head on it, looking at the demon lord, "He spoke to me once before that, right after I lift your palace… tried to convince me you were only keeping Rin to raise up to adult hood to devour later… and other such things. I had defended you to his accusations, but then next I saw you, you had killed those humans and would not tell me your reason. I suppose I let Naraku's words make me doubt what I had believed for that time… again I apologize for that… But I don't understand… if Naraku was setting me up, why bother with such a scheme?"

Sesshoumaru gaze remained the same as he answered Seishi, "Naraku is a devious trickster that spends much of his time devising ways to trap others in his schemes. As to what his true intentions are I confess I don't know. Nor does it matter. I plan to kill Naraku soon enough. If you encounter him again don't be taken in by his deception."

"Oh I plan on encountering him again… I have some questions I want answered, but I wont make the mistake of blinding trusting either." She sighed and relaxed to her back and closed her eyes again. "I promise I'll try to leave enough of him for you to finish off…" she yawned.

Sesshoumaru let a smirk creep onto his face as he pushed off the wall, "good, remember Naraku is my prey…"

Seishi chuckled, "Of course, of course... but if all you say is true, he will feel the bite of crossing an Ironfang." Seishi heard Sesshoumaru move from the room and slid the door shut. Once he was gone, she turned over and curled up under her blankets, yawned again, and was asleep almost instantly.

To Be Continued…