Chapter Seven: A Night of Safety.
When Rin had returned to the camp, she walked to the fire and seated herself beside it, looking around for Lord Sesshoumaru. She caught a glimpse of him standing staring at the sky, as though he were looking for something. Wringing her hair, allowing the excess water to drip onto the dirt, she looked over her shoulder at Jaken who stalked towards her angrily.
He always seemed to be angry. Shrugging her shoulders, her eyes landed on Ah 'Uh and she grinned. She had grown to really like the silent creature. It seemed that they also liked her company, and Rin moved her eyes away, staring into the fire silently. Fingering her kimono, she loved the feel of the soft silk, even the small tear on the edge of it seemed to be repairing itself and she blinked in confusion.
Startled, she turned her head to face Jaken who now sat beside her grumbling softly to himself. Tapping his shoulder, she felt him knock it back firmly.
"Don't touch me, you pathetic human." Jaken hissed.
Blinking, she lowered her hand and placed it in her lap. Rin wondered why he hated her so much. Had she done something to him without realizing it? Shaking her head, she lifted her eyes staring into the fire again. Her hand hurt now, and she rubbed it trying to ease the ache. The toad was just like those human's, except not hitting her as often as they had. Sighing, Rin stood up and walked over to Ah 'Uh who was now beside a large tree. Curling up beside the two-headed dragon, she felt the comforting feel of their embrace as they shifted their heads around her.
Sesshoumaru glanced over his shoulder and peered at Rin as she got up from beside the fire. He had felt Jaken and Rin return from the river, and the girl seemed to be happy, but after he heard the distinct thwap of something being knocked aside, the human girl had turned sad. The words Jaken had uttered to her had caused his blood to boil, and Sesshoumaru realized that this girl's strength came from deep within. Now she lay cured up beside his dragon, and Jaken remained by the fire.
His eyes roaming over the small girl for a moment, he waited until her breathing had slowed into sleep. Walking over to the fire, Sesshoumaru leaned down and plucked Jaken off the ground, and held him in front of his face. The startled gasp of surprise made Sesshoumaru narrow his eyes slowly.
"Lo-lord Sess-houmaru?" Jaken stammered.
Growling low in his throat, Sesshoumaru pulled the toad closer to his face. "Hit her again, and I will end your life quickly. If you abuse her with words again, I will kill you slowly." Sesshoumaru snarled softly. Dropping Jaken to the ground, Sesshoumaru turned away ignoring the apologies from his retainer.
Once again he stood staring into the dimming sky, waiting for the moon to make its presence in the sky. Turning his head slightly, Sesshoumaru heard Jaken get up and wander over to the bushes. Sesshoumaru knew that the toad felt bad for hitting the girl, but this ones anger and eagerness to please him sometimes made him forget his actions, and frame of mind.
Shaking his head, he allowed his gaze to wander to the little girl again, and he frowned when small whimpers reached his ears. Did she always have such dreams? This was playing havoc on his heart that he still refused to believe he had. There was something about this girl who was quickly unveiling his hidden heart, and he shuddered at the thought.
His own heart twitched when Rin's cries grew louder, and shaking his head, satisfied that everyone but him and Ah 'Uh were asleep he walked over to her silently. Kneeling down beside them, the dragon lifted one head and glanced at him curiously, before approval flashed in Ah's set of eyes.
"It seems her dreams are terrifying." Sesshoumaru whispered.
Ah's head nodded, before placing his nose on her arm. Uh lifted his head and glanced at the action his twin head was performing.
Sesshoumaru peered at his dragon firmly. "You truly care for this girl?"
Both heads moved to face him and nodded without hesitation.
"She hasn't even been with us for a week." Sesshoumaru whispered, pointedly.
The heads nodded.
"You never allow for anyone to come close to you, yet you allow this girl to sleep by your side." Sesshoumaru frowned.
Uh's head nudged his chest, and grunted.
"What is it?" Sesshoumaru felt his frown grow deeper, and his mouth turn down into a frown of its own.
Ah's nose snorted.
"I see. Besides myself I mean. You once belonged to my father, now you travel with me." Sesshoumaru shook his head, lifting the frown slightly from his face. "This is a human girl. You both know what my feelings are regarding these creatures."
Uh snorted dismissively, and Ah grunted. They turned their heads away curling up around Rin once again.
"Hnn." Sesshoumaru shook his head. He was startled when Uh's nose shifted under his hand and placed it on the girl's shoulder. Blinking, Sesshoumaru glanced at Uh curiously. "What are you doing?" Lowering his hand from the child's arm, Sesshoumaru felt Ah nip at his leg and he turned his head surprised.
Sesshoumaru swallowed, knowing exactly what his dragon was telling him. Shaking his head firmly, he made to stand up, but felt the two-headed dragon take firm hold of his pelt, and pull him to a stop. "Let me go." Sesshoumaru blinked.
A firm tug on his pelt made him sigh. Rin cried out desperately, making the dragon release his pelt and curl around her again. Sesshoumaru froze, and glanced down at them. Kneeling beside the dragon and Rin once again, he stared at them for a long while, before Ah lifted his head and nudged him again.
Sesshoumaru sighed, and sat down beside his dragon, and leaned against the tough hide. "I do not understand why you wish for me to comfort this girl."
Uh's head lifted and stared into his eyes firmly as though saying, 'Because you are the only one who can.'
"I already told her I would not coddle her like a pup and she understood that."
Ah nudged his neck, and Sesshoumaru closed his eyes briefly before shifting his position.
"This is dangerous, Ah 'Uh." The youkai grunted at Sesshoumaru's words, agreeing with him. "Are you willing to protect her when I am not around?"
Both heads nodded immediately, and then they nudged him as though asking him the same question.
"You are always here. I am not." Sesshoumaru muttered absently. "She is human."
Uh nipped his ear and Sesshoumaru growled.
Ah placed his head on Sesshoumaru's pelt and seemed to sigh. Absently, Sesshoumaru moved his hand placing it on Rin's shoulder unsurely. His dragon curled around him and Rin, and waited while Sesshoumaru struggled with himself concerning the girl.
"Ridiculous." Sesshoumaru muttered. Shifting his position again, the youkai lifted the girl into his arm and leaned against Ah 'Uh. Rin seemed to stop her dream struggles almost immediately. Ah nosed his pelt around the girl and Sesshoumaru watched silently as they tucked his pelt around her. "Why?" He whispered once they had finished.
Rin's little hands gripped the pelt tightly, and she snuggled into it sighing.
Sesshoumaru took a deep breath and closed his eyes, listening to her heartbeat strongly in her chest. "You know I used Tenseiga on her, don't you?" Opening his eyes he stared at them.
Ah 'Uh nodded. Their eyes seemed to say. 'You can't fool us, Sesshoumaru.'
"Hnn." He muttered. "If I can't hide this effectively, her life will be in constant danger." Sesshoumaru frowned, laying his head back against the tough hide. "I also…seem to find…" He stopped his absent muttering for a moment. Lifting his head, he peered at them for a long moment, shifting his eyes left to right as the dragon's heads curled around him. Lowering his gaze, he looked at Rin who clutched his fur, and one little hand held his haori. "She is…doing something to me." He whispered.
Ah 'Uh glanced at one another, and seemed to smile, and then they lowered their heads snorting into the ground before they went to sleep. Sesshoumaru leaned back against them once again and closed his eyes, allowing sleep to fill him for the first time in weeks.
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He felt something shift against him, and he remained perfectly still. When small fingers touched his face curiously, he opened his eyes, peering down at the girl in his arm.
Rin smiled at him, and he tilted his head to the side slightly as her finger traced his forehead. The tiny fingers were following his crescent moon, and then traced his markings on his cheak.She giggled softly her hand dropping into her lap, and her eyes stared into his piercingly. Blinking, breaking the steady gaze, heglanced around him, noticingit was early morning. Everyone was still asleep, except him and Rin. Moving his gaze back to her curious brown ones, Sesshoumaru blinked and swallowed. Amazingly enough, he felt comforted. "It is not yet morning." He whispered.
"You fell asleep." She answered.
He frowned startled. She spoke clearly. "I must have felt content."
"Did you feel safe with Ah 'Uh?"
Sesshoumaru felt the dragon shift behind him. Nodding in confirmation, he gave her a rare smile. "I did. You have nightmares." He stated.
Rin glanced at him uncertainly but nodded her head confirming his statement.
"Do you still not believe my words that I will not strike you?" He asked seeing her small flinch at the nod.
"Rin believes you. Rin feels safe with Lord Sesshoumaru. I know you will not hit Rin, not like those mean villagers, or Jaken."
"Jaken will not strike you again." He observed out loud, knowing his threat to Jaken would be heeded. "You are speaking in the third person."
Rin sighed. "When I'm scared." She whispered.
"What do you dream about?" He asked placing her answer in the back of his head for further reference.
"At first it was my mama and papa. Now wolves chase me in my dreams."
"Wolves attacked you." He whispered.
"I thought I had died." Rin whispered, shivering in his arm.
"You did. Do you not remember?" Sesshoumaru asked, tightening his hold on her.
"I remember you holding me. I remember Master Jaken saying Tenseiga saved me. At first I thought that was you." Rin placed her ear against his chest, listening to his strong steady heart.
"That is my father's fang. Does touch frighten you?" Sesshoumaru whispered seeing her hesitated movements.
Rin nodded and shook her head.
"Explain." He was confused.
"I remember my mama hugging me, and it felt safe, just like now. But those villagers used to touch me and it hurt." Rin whispered.
Sesshoumaru felt his chest tighten. "How did they touch you?"
Rin glanced up at him, and blinked back her tears. "I…" She shuddered, burying her face in his chest, making Sesshoumaru widen his eyes in horror.
"You do not have to tell me. I think I already know." He whispered gently. Sesshoumaru lowered his head placing his chin on her head, and he growled softly. This little moment had caused more of his heart to reveal itself, and he felt angry and confused.
Rin giggled against his chest, feeling the rumble.
Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, and smiled. He felt her hand against his chest and growled again. Her whispered words caught him off guard and he stilled.
"Rin knows Lord Sesshoumaru won't hurt her."
"Nothing shall hurt you again, Rin." Sesshoumaru answered.
"Can you growl for me again?" Rin asked.
Leaning back against Ah 'Uh, Sesshoumaru held Rin protectively, growling in his chest for her and she slipped back into sleep, leaving him confused and extremely unsure of himself. Lifting his gaze, he shifted, placing Rin in the center of Ah 'Uh and nudged the right head which lifted. Satisfied that the dragon was now awake, Sesshoumaru glanced around the clearing.
Standing and moving towards Jaken, Sesshoumaru nudged him with his foot. "Wake, Jaken."
The toad opened his eyes and stood right away. "Yes milord?"
"Who do you know besides Toutousai who will forge a sword for me?" He needed another sword besides the useless Tenseiga to protect the girl, but he would deny that was the reason to everyone including himself.
Jaken pondered a moment before answering. "There is Kaijinbo. He was an apprentice to Toutousai before he was cast out due to forging evil swords."
"His location?" Sesshoumaru asked.
"I'm not sure, milord. I can find out if you like." Jaken grinned excitedly. His lord was going to have a powerful sword made.
"We will need to find an oni fang, and then you will take me to him." Sesshoumaru turned walking away from the toad.
"Lord Sesshoumaru?" Jaken asked racing after him. "I did hear a rumor that Inuyasha killed a demon who broke Tessaiga."
Sesshoumaru froze, turning a glare to Jaken. "Broke Tessaiga? Explain."
Jaken was mighty pleased with himself. "Your pathetic brother fought this demon who was powerful, and the sword was broken in this demon's jaws."
Tessaiga broken? How could this have happened? "You will fill me in while we search for this youkai."
"What about the girl?" Jaken asked.
"We leave together, Jaken!" Sesshoumaru growled, disliking the implications Jaken continued to make regarding her presence. "Jaken."
The toad swallowed. "Yes, milord?"
"Rin is now part of this group. You will refrain from speaking against her presence in my company. Do you understand?"
"Yes, milord." Jaken grumbled.
Sesshoumaru turned away, and stared at the rising sun in silent contemplation. 'Inuyasha lost Tessaiga? What was he thinking?' Shaking his head, he turned slightly, upon hearing Rin gathering her feet, and running towards him with Jaken.
"We're leaving." He stated matter of factly.
"Where are we going, Lord Sesshoumaru?" Rin asked. Jaken gaped and lost his footing falling onto the ground stunned.
Sesshoumaru didn't answer, leading the way out of the clearing quickly. His mind was on his brother and his father's fang. Something wasn't right, and he needed to find out what that was exactly.