Stolen Seasons XII
Sleeping in Winter's Silence
Lm. Samiko

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Winter came yet again, this time with powerful winds and over-thick blankets of snow. Nature's creatures, Sesshoumaru included, felt the pull of winter sleep even more inexorably, such that the taiyoukai did not bother to fight the instinct that drew him to his mountains much sooner than he was accustomed to doing.

Rin had long since accustomed herself to the cycles and habits of her Sesshoumaru-sama and slowed down--just a little--herself. Still, having boundless energy in an inu youkai's den, which is large enough to fit a pack of full-sized inu youkai without them running into one another for a week, is no great hardship.

Sesshoumaru himself, however, was more inclined to spend his time in meditation and Rin was under strict instructions never to approach him in his closed chambers. This did not prevent her from spending hours outside his door, waiting for his reappearance and wondering what exactly he was doing from moment to moment. She used the time to talk to Shin-chan, the fierce-looking black toy dog Sesshoumaru-sama had brought back one time. She had named him after her older brother, who had always protected her. He always said that if he died, he would come back as a big, fierce dog to look after her. After all, even peasants could find a way to keep a dog. And who knew? Maybe his soul did rest inside this dog, keeping a watch over Rin-chan just as Sesshoumaru-sama did.

Within the elaborately appointed chamber on the other side of the door, Sesshoumaru knelt, not in meditation but in contemplation. A small red stone played its light over his fingers as he watched it in bemusement.

A blood stone. Freely given by a miko of substantial power--for a human. A promise bound by unbreakable, irreversable magics.

It still fit the palm of his hand, matching even the tiniest ridges and irregularities there. It still warmed him, with a feeling that was beginning to tug at the farthest corners of his memory. Corners that he did not wish disturbed. And yet... he did not wish to let the stone go. He did not leave it in the gold-chased, ebony box that was the proper home for such a valuable--and unneeded--object.

Had she known the full effects of such magic? It was unlikely. She never did. Such a stone as this served not only as a tracking tool across the boundaries of life and death, it could be used to call its maker--even against his or her will--to its location. If destroyed, it would inflict near-fatal harm. She must have given it thoughtlessly, with the heedlessness that humans were known for. If he wished, he could use it to destroy her and remove her from his path.

But he could not bring himself to betray her trust. And this troubled him, for never before had anything human, much less their 'trust' or 'honor', meant anything to him.

...whatever you say to me or anyone else, don't lie to yourself.

Untrue and he could not deny it. He would not be so weak that he could not see himself for what he was. There was the one woman, in those years before, after the encounter with the hanyou that had cost him his arm... and again some time later... He had found in her loyalty and fidelity--and giri--beyond anything he believed a human--or youkai--capable of. And her music, which had soared through the air and become a distinct memory within the pain as his arm healed... That was the first time.

And then Rin had come to him.

Yes, he would look himself in the face and acknowledge what he found there.

And he would keep the stone that glowed warmly in his hand and hold the woman-child to her promise.

After all, he knew she had meant--and would honor--every word of it.

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Author's Notes

In spite of my best stylistic intentions, Rin's managed to sneak herself into this scene. Maybe she got past hibernating Sesshou's guard. In any case, in ep. 162, Rin speaks of her family: "tou-san, kaa-san, nii-san-tachi..." which tells us that she had at least one older brother (nii-san) and, if my understanding of the usage is right, more than one older sibling(-tachi).

giri is one of those words that is hard to translate exactly. It's meaning is somewhere in the realm of 'duty', 'honour', 'what is expected/right'.

The woman Sesshou thinks of is Sara-hime from ep. 133/4, "The Woman Who Loved Sesshoumaru".