"Thy love of mine went away to grow and know his destiny, to promise that our love would not fade away, bade goodbye and prayed"

Rin's Pov

My eyes closed, and I let it all go in that moment. Daku could have my body if that was his plan, for my soul was no more, and I would never be anything but a shell of my former self again. I let it all go, and everything went dark.

Sesshomaru's Pov

As I lay against a large tree in the forest, just far enough away from the village to not smell Rin's sent, I breathed a sigh of relief. The best thing I could do for her is stay away, but it takes everything in me to do so, just her scent is triggering. Internally I struggle with allowing myself to think of the possibility of being with her for many reasons, and I know that it hasn't been fair to her to be so fickle. Even if I could keep her safe from my enemies, what kind of life could she have with me? I will outlive her, and I selfishly don't know if I could endure the pain of loving her, and then watching her fade away from me. Any children she could bare me would be half demons, and I know very well that it would be a hard life for them. At the very least, they too would watch their mother die of old age as well.

"Eh, Lord Sesshomaru?" Jaken stood in front of me with worry in his big yellow eyes, causing me to jump to my feet. He was supposed to be keeping an eye on Rin in my absence, so I knew whatever news he had could only pertain to her.

"What is it Jaken?" As usual my voice was calm, and I presented no outside hints as to how I was truly feeling inside. The only time I ever had a hard time holding up this facade was when it came to Rin.

"Sire, Rin was walking back to her hut and I noticed a young man following her for many minutes. He finally attempted to speak with her and while I couldn't here what was said he appeared very menacing towards the end of their conversation, and I fear there may be trouble for Rin tonight if you do not keep a watch on her instead of I." Jaken shook in front of me, and I could see his fear consuming him, which let me know he must have felt strongly about this to come to me to take care of the situation instead of him. "Lord Sesshomaru I feel time may be of great importance." He squealed.

I took off immediately towards her hoping that Jaken's intuition was wrong, because I could not forgive myself if Rin was harmed do to my weakness. As I approached the village Rin's scent filled my nostrils, along with the scent of another's blood. I quickly reached her just inside the edge of the forest before her hut, and what I found horrified me. I could battle the most fearsome demons in the world, and not feel even a hint of fear, but what I saw before me made me feel like a scared child. He hovered over Rin kissing her neck as she lay unconscious while trying to rip the bottom half of her kimono off. I was enraged like I'd never been before, my eyes became red and I could feel my face starting to transform to my true form. I quickly came up behind him wrapping my arm around his neck, snapping it in mere seconds. I threw him to the side. and quickly began cradling rin in my arms. She was topless with the bottom of her kimono only hanging on by a thread, and her face was so dirty you could see the streaks down her cheeks from where she had cried. My nose told me that I made it back in time before he could do true damage, had I been a second later he would have raped her. My purpose, my reason for being, was to protect her and I was seconds away from letting the worst thing next to death happen to her.

I held Rin against me as tight as I could without hurting her, and for the first time in my life a single tear fell from my eye. How could I have let this happen? I began to tremble and more tears fell, I cried uncontrollably. I once held her as a young child promising to always protect her, and now I held her as a woman bruised, and violated all because I didn't keep her close. I denied her when she bravely professed her feelings to me, and I set her up to be harmed by lowly human scum.

"Why! Damn it all!" I screamed, punching my fist into the ground as I still held her close to me.

"Sire." Jaken stood before me with his head down.

"What." I gritted through my teeth.

Jaken began to step closer to me, and I hissed while turning my body to make sure I was covering Rin from sight. He stopped in his tracks nodding in understanding, "My Lord, I will go back to Rin's and grab her clothes. Might I suggest she stay with us, at least for the night?" I gave Jaken a blank stare in return. "Alright, then I will see you back at our resting place." Jaken exclaimed, knowing I was in agreement with his suggestion.

Once Jaken was gone I began to walk back to the nearby cave we had been staying in for the last few nights. About halfway there Rin began to stir in my arms, and her eyes finally fluttered open. Her beautiful eyes were plagued with pain and sorrow, and yet her face still lit up at the site of me. "Rin you can go back to sleep, you are okay now." I said as I wiped a tear falling from her eye.

Rin frowned, "Lord Sesshomaru please kill me." My heart skipped a beat at her request.

"Don't you dare say things like that. I'll do no such thing. You will be fine, he won't hurt you again. No one will ever harm you again I swear it." I tightened my grip on her, trying to control the seething anger I felt for what I had let happen to her.

Rin's frown turned into a slight smile. "Why not, My Lord? You cannot love me because I am human, and now that I have been used I am certainly and forever worthless to you. Please honor me and take my life, so I do not have to take it myself." Rin was sobbing, and I wished I could fall to the ground and sob with her.

We reached the cave, and somehow Jaken was already there waiting with her new Kimono. Rin's words gutted me to my core, but I thought it best to let her get dressed before we continue our conversation. "Rin we will give you the privacy to get dressed, you'll be staying with us tonight." I set her down and she took her new clothes from Jaken while trying to cover herself with her hands, I couldn't fathom the humiliation she felt. I wanted to fix this so desperately. While Rin was dressing I took the time to give Jaken instructions.

"Jaken, tonight you will sleep outside of the cave. I need to speak with Rin privately."

"Yes me Lord." Jaken happily obliged.

"I have one more duty for you tonight. Please find Kohaku, and tell him I will be paying him a visit."

Jaken's head tilted in confusion. "Of course Sire, but may I be so bold as to ask what you want with him? We haven't spoken to that strange child in years!"

I started walking towards the cave stopping to answer Jaken before I entered. "I let him get close to Rin in my place, and now I know that was a mistake. I must correct the mistake." I continued inside the cave while Jaken took off, afraid of what awaited me inside. For the first time in my life, I was truly afraid.

Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! I tried my best to stay in character when it came to Sesshomaru! I watched many old episodes with him and rin today trying to get the right feel for his character when itcomes to her. Thank you as always, ImagineRie