It had taken an hour to restart the fire that projected the train forward, and all were tired and emotionally exhausted; some were still talking about The Silverados and their members. Rin however was not thinking of how scary it had been she was thinking about how handsome their leader seemed. She knew half of his face was hidden, but still those golden eyes were beautiful, they hid all his emotions, yet deep inside she understood his reasons for hiding them. He was afraid of what people might do to him after knowing that he was not as cold hearted, as he seemed.
'Perhaps' Rin mused 'he sees emotions as a weakness.'
Rin knew the man behind the cloth was someone she could love and just maybe he would love her back. Her mother always scolded her about having such fantasies, but it was all she knew to pass the time. Her mother had always been overprotected never letting her out of the ranch, or letting her talk to anyone else expect Kim and her brother. Kim was an excellent friend, but she too had not seen a lot of the world.
An hour and a half later the train arrived at their destination, Rin, was roused from her thoughts by Kim and slowly climbed down the train to be greeted by her brother, mother, and three soldiers. Andrew told them that he had to stay and report the attack. The soldiers were going to escort them to the Miasma Ranch where Naraku would be waiting for them. Rin was excided she had not seen Naraku for a long time. Naraku had been a good friend of her father always bringing her and Andrew presents. He would always buy her dresses, toys, and once he bought her a pony. What girl would not love a man like him? She considered him an uncle and loved him to death. So, when they arrived Rin jump out of the carriage and ran to Naraku and hugged him just like when she was a small girl. Naraku smiled at her and hugged her back thinking that she had accepted her arranged marriage to him, but her next words wiped that smile from his handsome face
"Uncle Naraku I have not seen you for years how have you been? I was so excited when mother told me you were inviting us for the summer. I hope we are not interrupting anything you had planned."
"Rin, please call me Naraku. You have become a beautiful woman I am glad you have come. Now, you all must be tired," Naraku looked up and inspected the rest of his visitors. They looked anxious, tired, and pale, " What's wrong did something happen in your journey."
It was Rin's mother who answered him, "Oh, dear Naraku you do not know how horrible it was. I thought I was going to die; The Silverados attacked us, raided the train, and stole a lot of our valuables. If it wasn't for Andrew I don't know what would have happened."
"Oh, I am glad you are all fine, but where is Andrew?"
Rin rolled her eyes "Mother is exaggerating. They did nothing to harm us it was only the scare. Andrew stayed down town to report the crime and to give the list of the stolen items to the sheriff."
"Uncle don't worry. We are all right nothing to worry about. Shall we go inside it is getting rather late and I wish to freshen up."
"Yes of course, Kagura show our guests to their room, and make sure someone stay alert for when Andrew arrives tell him that I want to see him in my study."
Kagura bowed low to her master then turned to the guests and pointed towards the house "This way please," and let them towards the enormous house. Once they entered she turned first right and walked for about a minute then turned left until she came to a corridor where five doors stood. She walked to the first door and looking at Rin's mother said, "This will be your room anything you need so do not hesitate to ask my master told the staff that we were to make any commendations necessary to make his guests happy."
Mrs. Yumiko stepped inside her quarters and closed the door behind after bidding her daughter a good night kiss. Kagura had all ready stepped towards the third door on her right when Rin walked up to her.
"If I am to stay here what is that door there?" Kagura turned to where Rin had pointed and noticed that she was pointing at the door that stood between her mother's room and hers.
"That is the bathroom My Lady. I had forgotten that when you were younger you would stay in another part of the house, and if you are wondering your brother will be staying in the room in front of you."
Once Rin had slipped into her room Kagura led Kim towards the servant's quarters and told her not to be wondering around the house. Kim was no fool she had heard of Naraku's tempered and was not going to risk having his rage directed upon her.
It was well after midnight when Andrew arrived at Miasma Ranch, and although he was hungry and tired Kagura had insisted that Naraku was waiting for him in his private study. Andrew knew that he should not keep Naraku waiting so he put aside his hunger and went straight to see Naraku.
Andrew was no fool he knew what Naraku wanted to see him about and he wished with all his might that he might change his mind and so with a look of determination he knocked at the door and waited until Naraku granted him entrance. Slowly he entered and stood before Naraku. At first glance Andrew assumed that Naraku was not angered by knowing that his bride to be did not know anything about their marriage, but he had known Naraku for a long time and looked at his eyes and he was not disappointed to see anger radiating from them.
Suddenly, after a few minutes of awkward silence Naraku's velvety smooth baritone voice inquired, "How did it go with the sheriff Andrew? I did not expect that the Silverados would be attacking so soon after their last one, which was but a few days ago."
Andrew seemed surprised that Naraku had questioned him about the attacked rather than why he had not told his sister that their long time "Uncle" wanted to marry her, "I had to give much specified details to the sheriff, but other wise it was fine. Kagura told me you wanted to see me. What did you want to talk to me about?"
"I think you know what about, but I will not make you suffer and ask you directly. Why doesn't Rin know that she is going to be marring me in two months?" Naraku's voice had hardened, "she keeps calling me uncle and I really don't like that."
"What did you expect me to do we have known you since we were small children and you were our fathers friend before he died." Andrew's voice had risen in volume "If I had told Rin she would have had refused to even come. She loves you, but her loves for you is as a family member not as a man."
"I see you were afraid she would refuse to come. Well, I guess it will take time for her to adjust to the idea. Well now that I think about it I believe your method was better. Here my servants can keep an eye on her after we tell her the good news. When do you think will be a good day to tell her? Hmmm?"
"The sooner the better she will have time to adjust," 'and maybe she will have enough time to be able to think of a way out' Andrew added in her thoughts.
The next day turned out to be a beautiful one. Rin had woken to the chirping of canaries outside her window their song vitalizing her for the rest of the day. She had breakfast with her family where she found out that Andrew had returned with out a scratch on him. Then, she borrowed a horse and had gone riding. The white long mane of her horse intensified the honey color of its skin. She rode him for a half an hour when she suddenly stopped; in front of her stood the most beautiful site she had seen in her entire life. A lake with the clearest water she had ever seen stood right in front of her, and around it where all sort of flowers. Rin was amazed at how they seem to blend together blue, purple, violet, maroon, red, pink and many other colors surround the lake and just behind the lake a mass of gigantic trees made it look as if it had come from the imagination of a ten year old.
She had hurried and dismounted she walked to the nearest tree and tied him to it. Rin had found a comfortable place in between the masses of flowers and laid there relaxed she had been so relaxed that she dozed off, but a snort from her horse a few minutes later brought her out of her slumber and turned to look at 'honey' their at a distance her horse honey colored skin and white mane reminded Rin of a certain bandit that she had met the previous day. His eyes had been the color of fleshly collected honey and his hair had been the color of a silver moon. 'He can't be real those eyes that hair how?' Rin had walked to her horse and led him towards the lake for it to have a drink. 'Normal humans do not have that color of eyes or hair. Perhaps he is a fallen angel who has lost his memory and now thinks he is human and those people tricked him to rob train, banks, and coaches.' Shaking her head Rin mounted her horse and heated back to Miasma Ranch. "Maybe mother is right I have been reading too much. Honestly, Rin angels do not fall from the sky, and are tricked to rob people."
Rin had arrived just in time to take a bath and be ready for lunch. It had been pleasant to eat with her family no one had screamed or had run out of the room, which was surprising. It had become almost a ritual that Andrew and her mother would have a fight and then one of them would angrily throw their napkins towards the table then hastily exit the room. Another pleasant surprise was when they had exit the dining room and entered the sitting area which was a spacious room with three large windows the colors of the room were maroon and gold 'tacky' Rin had thought, but paid no more attention to the room because she had noticed that they had unexplainably all fallen silent and now stared at her. In realization that perhaps they had asked her a question Rin face became bright red, "I am terribly sorry I was just admiring the room I did not hear what you were all saying."
Naraku smiled kindly, "It has been a long time since you were here. I was asking if you had a good time ridding your horse."
Rin nodded and turned to see that her mother had grimaced at her lack of attention. It was an hour later that Naraku had risen to his feet with a glass of wine in his hand walked to the middle of the room he cleared his throat and everyone paid attention to what he was going to say.
"Mrs. Yumiko I have always loved your family very much Ichiro and I had been the best of friends since we were small boys. It was a shame that he departed this earth so early, but since he is not here with us today I have asked you for your blessing and since you kindly given it. Now I must reveal my intensions to you," he had turned to look at Rin in the eye then moved to stand in front; his voice had lowered to just above a whispered when he said lovingly, "Rin I have watched you grow up to become a beautiful woman and I have asked your mother for your hand in marriage and she has agree to it. It three months time you shall become Rin Miasma." Naraku smiled obviously happy lifted his hand in the air then tipped his wine glass into his mouth.
Rin was shocked. She didn't know what to say she looked at the smiling face of Naraku her "Uncle" 'No' she thought her "husband to be" then to her smiling mother. 'Smiling is she happy, of course she is happy she gave her permission' to her guilty stricken brother, but seeing her mother smile like she was made her blood boil.
"Marry you! How? Why? How could you mother. He is. . ." Rin turned to look at Naraku "You are my "Uncle" old enough to be my father how could you think that I would marry you. Mother you never asked me about what I wanted why are you doing this to me?" Rin could not understand she deserved a chance to find some one of her own age or at least to have an opinion. Rin couldn't take it. It was too much for her. She bolted out of her chair knocking a surprised Naraku out of her way and ran crying her eyes out. She could not understand it her uncle wanted to marry her and her mother graciously handed her as if she were a pet that she did not want anymore.