Hello there, everyone! I know exactly what you're all thinking…

How dare she make us wait this long? We don't have to read her stupid story! Who does she think she is!

All that I can say is, you're probably right. I know that I took forever to post this chapter and that I shouldn't try to justify myself through a plenitude of excuses… I'll just summarize my excuses… One, eleventh grade has been the hardest grade of my life. I went insane and decided to take three AP classes this year and also managed to score three of the most difficult teachers in the world as well… It's the homework load that's killing me, really, and with the AP exams coming up (only a month away!) I know it's just going to steadily grow more difficult. Two, out of all the chapters I've written (including the first draft of this fic), this one has been the most difficult. I wanted to focus a little bit more on the castle to give a bit of a historical edge and did tons of research about Japanese castle towns and on animals (I wanted to give the animal demons some realistic qualities). Also, I probably started this chapter three or four times over. I just couldn't find the proper way to begin it… I had close to five pages when I decided I needed to go back to the drawing board at one point… Third, JSEP. Need I say more? A six to ten page research paper which equated to twenty or twenty five (I'm not sure which) percent of all juniors' third quarter grades. It wasn't difficult, but there was a lot of stress there… However, I used it as an excuse to do even more research… My paper was on how "the samurai beliefs of honor, surrender, and self-sacrifice were carried on by the Japanese servicemen of World War II." Fourth, school again. To be honest with you, I used to do most of my writing when I'd finish my work in class or when I had just a little bit of free time in the mornings. All of that time is gone… My teachers work me to the end of the bell and I hang out with my friends in the mornings, the only time I get to see the majority of them. Enough excuses!

On a positive note, all of my hard work at school has paid off! I get to be a junior marshal at graduation and I get to do Teacher Cadet next year! WOOH!

Anyway, I'm sure you're all tired of listening to my life story… If you've hung on for this long, all I can do is offer you a MAJOR thank you! It really means a lot to me to receive your encouraging reviews because, face it, we're all our own toughest critics. Every time I look at this story, I sit there and wonder: Is it any good? Your reviews really help me by giving me the support to go on and by telling me what you like and what you don't like. Thanks!

Lastly, I want to apologize in advance before the probable lateness of the next chapter. I've yet to start on it and have so much still to go through before school lets out and even after… (I have to get a summer job for the first time in my life!) I have to take the SAT tomorrow (April Fools Day….) and then I must run off to celebrate my seventeenth birthday at my grandparent's house the same day (I turned seventeen yesterday!). And then there's the foreign language competition at Lenoir Rhyne next Wednesday, the ten English essays due the seventeenth, the AP exams coming up…

I'm way over my head!

Well, while you wait, you might want to take the time and check out some of the other great fanfics out there! Try my favorites list or something to tide you over if you haven't already sworn off reading Unfortunate Bonds. Also, please take the time to check out the fanfics of a friend of mine who I spend what little free time I have roleplaying with. Her name is Mayu Kitsune on here and one of her stories is called Sorrowful Soul.

Again, thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoy this new chapter of Unfortunate Bonds!

-

Now for the characters:

Rin Tasukeru – Rin is an eighteen year old girl who was betrothed to Sesshoumaru as the price for her resurrection by Maruchiizu. She is from a rural setting and so the many extravagances that lie ahead surprise her. Also, she is a little uncertain about what her new life with Sesshoumaru will bring and about meeting Hanami-sama (Aozora-chan). However, she's trying to see the positives that lie in the future and uses humor as a security blanket.

Sesshoumaru Taisho– Sesshoumaru is, naturally, the lord of the West and is betrothed to Rin. As always, he's against human/demon pairings and plans to have little to do with Rin once they're mated.

Tahyru Nobuyuki – Strange name, hmm? Tahyru is the son of Narasake and Gysei and looks up to his older cousin, Sesshoumaru. He wants to grow up to be a demon lord just like his cousin and is friends with Hanami-sama.

Aozora Hanami – Aozora is the main focus of this chapter as it is all about her arrival. She grew up with Sesshoumaru and, thus, has somewhat of a "friendly" relationship with him. About as close as you can get to friendship with the dog demon, that is. She is a wolf demon and is also the lady of the East.

Gysei Nobuyuki – Gysei is both Tahyru's father and Narasake's mate. He's a fairly strange fox demon with bluish gray hair and a few screws loose. Previously, Rin found him wounded when he met her in the garden. He was placed in Narasake's care afterward.

Narasake Nobuyuki – Gysei's mate and Tahyru's mother. She also happens to be Sesshoumaru's aunt, being Maruchiizu's older sister. She is the healer at the western castle and is very serious about her job. She tends to be Gysei's complement and is usually the one to keep his craziness at a reasonable level.

Iinaka Tasukeru – Rin's mother and the person to bring her to Maruchiizu when she was killed by the wolves. She worries for her daughter's future, yet agreed to Maruchiizu's conditions so that Rin would actually have a future. She cares deeply for her daughter.

Shinrin – This is a nickname given to Sesshoumaru by Aozora's mother. Aozora explains it later on.

Kawa – Aozora's deceased mother.

Kage Hanami – Kage is a half demon (hanyou) who tags along with Aozora for more than one reason. He tends to be an extroverted person and sympathizes with Rin as he is considered weaker by demon standards due to his human blood.

Maruchiizu Taisho – Sesshoumaru's father and the former lord of the West. He is deceased, yet was the one who decided both Sesshoumaru and Rin's fate to be together in an effort to get his son to accept humans.

Suikosu Nobuyuki – Suikosu is Narasake's son from a previous mating and is briefly mentioned in this chapter. He feels as though everyone thinks him inferior to Sesshoumaru and thus teases him about his future mating to Rin. He is Sesshoumaru's older cousin.

-

Now for the glossary of terms:

inu – dog

youkai – demon

-sama – Lord/Lady

taiyoukai – demon lord

ohayou gozaimasu – good morning

Shoji/Shouji screen door – a type of Japanese door; uses paper to cover a checkerboard like wooden frame (you might want to google image this one)

-kun – used to denote a close relationship to people; this person is your friend; usually reserved for males

otou-san – father

okaa-san – mother

kitsune – fox

-chan – see –kun; usually reserved for females

kaibutsu – monster; the thing Sesshoumaru was hurt by before in Chapter One

dojo – training area (you might want to google image this one too)

naginata – Japanese glaive like weapon used mostly by women (GOOGLE!)

tea house – it's a kind of feudal coffee shop with tea (I recommend you watch Samurai Champloo for this one or maybe Kenshin or just google it)

daimyou – feudal Japanese warlord

kimono – a robe like outfit usually in beautiful patterns for girls and plain colors for men (google!)

wakizashi – short Japanese sword, usually paired with the longer katana and used for indoor fighting or taking heads in battle (google!)

Hiraku! – Open!

sleeves – for women, short sleeves married person, long single person (unmarried); pay attention to this!

kon'yakusha – fiancé(e)

hanten – jacket (google!)

josei-shitatenin – seamstress

shukujo – lady

shihaisha – lord

hanyou – half demon

hai – yes

gomen-nasai - sorry

Higashi no Shukujo/ Lady of the East

Rin stared blankly up at the ceiling as the early morning waned. She'd hardly been able to sleep at all that night… The day before when Sesshoumaru had told her where she was to bed down, she'd thought him to be joking. By now, she should've known he wasn't the type.

"Stupid mate thing!" she mumbled, causing Sesshoumaru to move in his sleep. Rin froze, watching him anxiously until he'd settled down once more.

'I suppose I should get used to this, I mean, I'm going to be married…er…mated to the guy. I'm gonna wake up every morning in this room…in this bed…with him…' A faint blush stole across her cheeks. 'It's not a bad thing to wake up to every morning.' Her eyes shifted back to the oblivious inu youkai.

Sesshoumaru lay so that he was facing her. His arm was tucked beneath his head, providing him with a pillow of sorts. Alone, a plain pair of black, silky looking pants graced his muscular frame, the sheets bunched up and forgotten in between Rin and himself. A slight twitch from the tip of the "furry boa looking thing" drew Rin's attention lower and she let out a startled gasp before pulling the wayward sheets over her head.

"That thing is attached to his…" the discomfited teen shrieked, her voice tapering off before she mentioned the body part that it was indeed connected to. "He has a… a… tail…" This was certainly a new and unexpected development.

Her soliloquy caused Sesshoumaru to gain a slightly annoyed expression as he turned away from her, seeking silence. Feeling this subtle movement, Rin peeped out from beneath her temporary cocoon and studied him, watching to see if he would continue sleeping. Again he quieted and Rin sighed softly, dragging herself completely from her blanket roofed sanctuary.

"Sesshoumaru-sama." She said experimentally, tasting the curious name. Running a hand through her hair, she gained a pensive expression. "Rin-sama." She wrinkled her nose. "That just sounds weird…" As she spoke, the taiyoukai to her left drew himself back to reality, fuzzy golden eyes blinking as the light of day pressed in on them.

"Rin-sama, Rin-sama, Rin-sama…"

Again he blinked, wondering just what in the world the girl was doing. He remained still, choosing to listen and see if she would reveal the reason of this repetition.

"Still sounds weird… I guess I'll get used to it though. I mean, I'm gonna be Lady of the West, aren't I?" She smirked, rubbing her hands together and giving what she hoped to be a sinister chortle. "Muhahaha! Power, sweet power!"

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes, refraining from rolling them.

"In a single swoop, I shall capture both the handsome Sesshoumaru-sama and a fourth of the country! Muhahaha!"

The handsome Sesshoumaru-sama sat up.

Rin's eyes grew wide and she ardently hoped that he hadn't heard her momentary and melodramatic lapse into evil.

Sesshoumaru fixed the embarrassed teen with a chill, yet questioning look.

"Ohayou-gozaimasu!" she exclaimed, trying to divert his attention from her little speech. No such luck.

"Such infantile fantasies are not becoming. It would take more than a single swoop."

"Arrogant, much?" she prompted before she could stop herself.

"It is not arrogance if it is true."

Rin opened her mouth to reply, yet promptly closed it, unable to think quickly enough of a proper retort; one would come later, as always.

Sesshoumaru regarded her a moment longer before drawing himself to his feet and in the direction of his wardrobe.

The frustrated young woman followed him with her eyes, wishing him ill. He glanced back at her, raising a brow and causing a faint blush to overtake her fair features. 'Darn him…' she thought angrily. As Sesshoumaru returned his attention to his clothing selection, a faint tapping came upon the door.

"Enter." He called. The person did as ordered, sliding the shoji screen door open and slipping into the room.

"Ohayou-gozaimasu!" Tahyru chirped, bowing low to his cousin. "I trust you slept well, Sesshoumaru-sama?"

The demon lord inclined his head to him by way of greeting and in response to the child's question.

Tahyru seemed to brighten considerably, gaining a wide smile. "Guess what!" he exclaimed, all formalities forgotten.

"What is it Tahyru-kun… I mean, Tahyru-sama?" Rin prompted, leaning down a bit toward the small boy, her hands resting on her thighs. She now stood beside Sesshoumaru.

"My otou-san's not gonna die! Okaa-san said he's gonna be okay pretty soon 'cause he heals real quick!"

"That's great!" Rin replied. "It'll be nice to see Gysei-kun on his feet again." She paused, looking thoughtful. When had she become on such close terms with the kitsune youkai? She shrugged off her blunder, crediting it to loneliness and the want for a friend.

Tahyru's attention shifted once more to Sesshoumaru and he tilted his head to the side. "Is it true Aozora-chan's gonna be coming here today?"

Sesshoumaru gave him a disapproving frown before saying, "Hanami-sama."

"She told me to call her Aozora-chan!" Tahyru protested, his lower lip poking out ever so slightly into a small pout.

"She would." Sesshoumaru replied, drawing a set of clothing from the wardrobe.

"Well, is she?"

"Yes; her letter stated that she will arrive at noon, today."

Tahyru bunched himself up before springing into the air with a whoop. "All right!" He shot out the door shouting, "Aozora-chan's coming!" A moment later, he returned to bow to Sesshoumaru and Rin before darting off once more. "I can't wait to show her my new moves!"

"New moves?" Rin asked, her attention now back on Sesshoumaru.

"Gysei has been training him." Sesshoumaru answered, beginning out of the room.

"Where are you going?"

"To bathe, if you must know."

"A bath sounds nice…" Rin said, gaining a dreamy expression as she trailed behind him. It felt like an eternity had passed since she last rid herself of the grime of everyday life. Thinking back on the kaibutsu attack, she felt her skin crawl and picked up her pace. A sudden thought, however, caused her to stop in her tracks. "I don't have anything clean to wear!" she exclaimed, horrified.

"You will be provided with suitable attire." Sesshoumaru said, exiting the building and heading to another where he halted at a familiar door.

Rin stared silently at the door before turning her gaze to him. "I should've brought you!"

"Brought me?"

"I had to follow Gysei around the entire castle yesterday! Or was it the day before yesterday? It doesn't matter!"

"Gysei does not often visit the seamstress." Sesshoumaru replied.

"He didn't tell me that beforehand!" Rin gave a heavy sigh before trudging inside, coming back out wide eyed and with a fairly large bundle of clothing.

"I see that she was expecting you."

"Does she sleep…?"

Sesshoumaru didn't reply, choosing instead to continue forward, leading her finally to the bathing area which, by way of a removable screen, was divided for male and female use. Once the two had finished, Sesshoumaru before Rin, they dressed and moved on to breakfast. At the meal, the topic of Gysei's injury was once again brought up.

-

"So…" Rin began slowly, after swallowing a bite of rice. "Have you found anything out yet about Gysei? Since yesterday, I mean. You ran off after we left the infirmary and I'm guessing you went to go investigate."

Sesshoumaru fixed her with an appraising stare before replying. "I have looked into the matter."

"Did you find anything out about the attack?"

He gave a single nod. "The knives used were made recently by Gysei and are usually located within the dojo."

"So anybody could've done it… Anybody who went into the dojo at least… Can anyone go in there?"

"The use of the dojo is encouraged. I prefer that every member of my household be in peak physical condition, with those who are rewarded."

"Why's that?"

"If the need arises, all should be able to defend themselves. My soldiers need not waste their time protecting others."

"Oh, I think I get it now. Am I going to have to learn to fight too?"

"It would be in your best interest. If you would like, Narasake can teach you. She is very skilled in the use of the naginata."

"I'll talk to her about that…" Rin replied thoughtfully. "About the only thing I can do now is hit somebody really hard with a skillet like okaa-san."

Sesshoumaru wordlessly contemplated her words, wondering where the woman had acquired such a skill. After a moment's thought, he decided it best not to ask. Unfortunately, Rin had plans of telling him anyway.

"Then again, when a guy gets drunk at the tea house, that's the best thing to do if they try anything."

"Your mother works in a tea house." It wasn't a question.

"Yeah, how'd you think we made a living?"

He had been about to ask why her father's income had not been sufficient, but then remembered that the male portion of her family, including her two older brothers and father, had been slain by bandits. They had forced Iinaka to run with their newborn daughter, Rin. The girl had not even known them for a single year before they had been taken.

'At least she still has her mother.' He thought with a rye smile.

Several minutes passed before an indignant Rin demanded, "Are you listening to me?"

Sesshoumaru failed to reply and she frowned at the table.

"You could at least pretend to be interested…"

"As soon as she felt it, she hit him with the skillet."

"What…?"

"I was listening."

The annoyed teen crossed her arms, climbing to her feet. "Well, you didn't look like it!"

Sesshoumaru also stood. "Perhaps you would care for a tour of the grounds before Hanami-sama arrives."

"I guess that'd be a good idea; maybe then I wouldn't have to follow Gysei around."

"In other words, it would be beneficial to you."

"Exactly! So, are you going to show me around or not?"

"If you insist."

Rin grinned and eagerly followed Sesshoumaru from the dining room and into one of the many hallways. Each step either of them took resulted in a resounding squeak from the floor. Rin gazed downward, pondering over this, but Sesshoumaru's voice cut into her thoughts.

"Their purpose is to alert the guards of any intruders."

"What?"

"That is the reason the floor gives off such a sound. I would prefer not to be slain in the dead of night."

"Oh, okay." Rin glanced about, finally looking to Sesshoumaru once more. "Why do the windows all have bars on them?"

"Again, protection. It is difficult for people and objects to pass through them yet does not hinder my archers."

Bobbing her head up and down, Rin processed this information.

"I never knew being a daimyo was so dangerous…"

"Power has its price."

"I guess so. I didn't have to worry this much at home."

"I assure you that the defenses of my castle are adequate; however, they are not without flaws."

"Flaws?" she asked, blinking and then frowning. "I can't say that I much like the sound of that."

He didn't reply, his gaze was fixed on a door up ahead, the one that would lead them outside.

Rin had a sudden thought. "Er…Sesshoumaru?" she prompted.

"What is it?"

"Demons have heightened senses, right?"

"Correct."

"Then couldn't you just sniff the knives to see who Gysei's attacker was?"

He didn't seem amused. "I have already thought of that."

"Didn't it work?"

There was a lull in the conversation.

"As of late, Narasake has been practicing with them as Gysei originally crafted them for her use. Unfortunately, her scent covers them and nothing can be determined. The assailant seems to have thought things through."

"Yeah…" Rin replied, bringing her arms up to embrace herself. "It's kind of creepy, you know?"

He sent her a blank look and she scowled.

"Or, in your words," she continued, "it's unsettling."

"Precisely."

Sighing heavily, the teen shook her head. It was at this point that they reached the door.

Sesshoumaru pulled ahead of Rin and wordlessly drew the next door back, revealing a thick looking wall that stood a few yards away.

Seeing Rin's curious expression he decided to explain. "My home has three walls for defense purposes. We are currently within the second wall."

Nodding slowly, a small smile crept onto her face. "So you live in the second one. Well, you aren't completely paranoid then."

"I am not paranoid; I simply hold a dangerous position."

"I guess you're right." She replied, idly toying with the braid she'd pulled her hair into. "Do all daimyo…"

"Some do, I cannot account for all of them and I am certain some have even more walls."

"Just wondering. So, are you going to show me around the castle?"

"No."

"Then why'd you say you would?"

"I will give you a brief introduction but we must also prepare for Hanami-sama's arrival at noon."

"Oh, that's right, I forgot about that… What's she like?"

"What do you mean?"

"Is she nice?"

Gaining a pensive expression, Sesshoumaru seriously considered the question. "I find that a matter of opinion." he finally replied.

Rin swallowed. "Is there anything else you can tell me?"

"Why not simply wait to meet her?"

Rin halted and placed her hands upon her lean hips. "Because I'm about to meet her and I want to know a little about her!"

"If you must know, she is an excessively open person, but also an accomplished warrior."

"That's not a whole lot to go by."

"I wasn't aware you wanted a biography."

"You're impossible!" she shouted, throwing her arms up.

"You are improbable."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means that you should wait until you have spent time with her and then develop your own opinion."

Rin gave up and decided to change the subject. "So, what are you going to show me?"

"I will take you into the town about the castle."

"Why not the castle itself?"

"I will leave that for another day; perhaps Suikosu would be interested in giving you a thorough tour of it."

"Not him…he'll just yell at me and not answer any of my questions!"

"A very tempting thought…"

Rin ignored him and sped up, passing him and heading towards the outermost gate. Upon reaching it, she noticed that a demon guard stood on either side of the massive double doors, each bearing a wakizashi and taking aggressive stances.

Pausing, she cocked her head to one side. When Sesshoumaru drew up behind her, they quickly bowed and shouted in unison, "Hiraku!" On cue, the doors slowly began to open causing Rin to gasp in surprise. The magic of the moment was cut short when she saw that eight straining demons on the other side had obeyed the command and not the door itself. As she and the demon lord passed, all ten men bowed and, blushing, Rin picked up her pace. She did not get far when she halted at the sight ahead.

Having entered the castle so quickly before, due to Sesshoumaru's sudden affliction, Rin hadn't had time to admire the view, but now she had the perfect opportunity and admire, she did.

Spread out all around them was an enormous city with a combination of restaurants, homes, shops and more. It was the largest city she'd ever seen! She could utter only a single word, "Wow…"

Passing the awed teen, Sesshoumaru began down the main path that led to the object of her attention. After a moment, Rin hurried to catch up, nearly tripping in the process. Out of breath and once more at his side, her head whipped about as she tried to take in everything at once. "This is amazing!" she murmured. "I've never seen anything this big before!"

"If you will recall," Sesshoumaru said, "we passed through it upon arrival."

"I was too busy worrying about you then!" she protested with a wave of her hand.

If she'd been paying attention, she would've seen Sesshoumaru's eyes widen at the statement. Rarely did people say they'd worried about him and were truthful.

As they drew deeper and deeper into the busy town, Rin's gasps and exclamations of surprise grew more and more numerous. Finally, she simply hurried off, something having caught her eye. Already the youkai lord began to question his decision of being the one to show her about as well as his father's decision of betrothing him to a woman who acted like a child.

When he caught up to her, she was talking to a young woman who wore the short sleeves of a married person. He wondered if her husband had difficulties in keeping her under control yet, seeing her quiet and reserved manner, knew this could not be true. She was as a woman should be and, catching the scent of another growing within her, knew she did the job of one as well. The thought of bearing children with his flighty kon'yakusha resulted in a slight throbbing of his temples. He could only hope any children they had together took after him. Perhaps the experience of childbirth would quiet her some…

His attention returned to the present and he was startled to see Rin talking to him.

"So what do you think, Sesshoumaru?" Rin prompted.

Playing it safe, he simply raised a brow.

"What do you think of this hanten?" she demanded, her voice rising in pitch as her frustration with him grew. While speaking, she waved the dark material at him.

He halted the sporadic motion with a firm grip on her wrist that brought a startled look to her face. "I believe that the josei-shitatenin is capable of making a suitable hanten."

"I forgot about that." Rin said as she attempted to tug free. Sesshoumaru released her and she handed the hanten back to the pregnant woman with an apology and a bow. The woman didn't appear to take offense and bowed in return. Afterward, Rin left the stall, her cheeks glowing from embarrassment. Sheepishly, she raised her gaze to Sesshoumaru who stared down at her with a neutral expression.

"Sorry about that." she mumbled, now toying with her long sleeve.

"It is understandable, as you are not accustomed to your new way of life."

"I guess so." she replied, brightening up. "There's so much to look at around here!" she exclaimed. "It's so different from my old village!" It's too bad I didn't grow up around here instead…okaa-san would've loved it and everyone's so polite!"

"Everyone is polite because I am accompanying you."

"That probably has something to do with it…"

"I am surprised you have yet to ask why you were not brought to live at the castle once my father decided your future."

"I have been wondering about that." She admitted.

"He believed that it would prove awkward later on as it "would be strange for me to watch my mate grow up.""

"Those are his words?"

"Correct. However, I also assume he wished for me to have some sort of relationship with a person more familiar with the world outside the castle."

"I guess he does have a point… It would be weird for me too…and I don't know about the rest of it."

"You seem to "guess" often."

"Are you making fun of me?"

"I am stating a fact."

"Keep your facts to yourself then." she huffed, crossing her arms and scowling.

"I would have preferred you grow up in a castle setting rather than the pastoral one from which you were retrieved."

"Why's that?"

"It is possible that then you would conduct yourself in a manner fitting your station. You remind me of Hanami-sama."

Rin paused at these words and then smirked. "If I remind you of Hanami-sama, then I'm acting like a shukujo should!"

"Hanami-sama acts as a shihaisha."

An indignant, yet distinctly feminine voice was heard behind them.

"I heard that!"

In unison, Sesshoumaru and Rin turned to be greeted by a woman near Sesshoumaru's age, but Rin's height. As Rin stared at her, a single thought crossed her mind; she looked exactly like the type of woman Sesshoumaru would want as a mate.

A slight smile on her face and emerald colored eyes locked on them, the auburn haired woman offered a friendly bow, nearly losing the two broad swords on her back in the process. Her hair was drawn back into a loose braid, hanging to the middle of her thighs, while her bangs nearly hid her wide eyes. Those wide eyes gave her a childlike appearance that contradicted the slim and slightly muscular frame beneath them.

Her clothing consisted of a short midnight colored yukata, missing its sleeves, stamped with silver circles and wedges accompanied by a baggy pair of pants of the same shade. The obi settled about her waist matched the silver of the prints and a wolf's tail tickled the backs of her ankles right above her bare feet.

Focusing on her face, one could see the tan of her skin as well as the crescent moon facing opposite of Sesshoumaru's. One might have thought her quite pretty if he or she could overlook the thin and jagged scar that ran from beneath her left eye and to her chin. "Ohayou-gozaimasu!"

"You're early." Sesshoumaru replied tonelessly.

"You'd have preferred I be late?" she asked, quirking a brow.

"Better late or never."

"Why are you so negative, Shinrin-kun?"

"Shinrin?" Rin prompted.

Aozora winked. "My okaa-san always said Sesshoumaru-kun was like a forest; you could never fully know or understand a forest by looking at a single tree. Many trees make up a forest, just as many qualities make up Sesshoumaru-kun!"

"Kawa-sama gave me that name." Sesshoumaru summarized.

Rin beamed. "I'd like to meet her one day; she seems like a nice person."

Aozora's face fell and her hand trailed upwards to rest on her scar. "I wish you could have." she whispered.

"Oh…I…I'm sorry…" Rin murmured.

A taut silence settled about the three. It was at this moment that a streak of earthy brown shot past them, doubling back and leaving a small cloud of dust, people coughing and cursing in its wake. The streak halted and Rin nearly screamed. Now at Hanami-sama's side stood a massive wolf. On all fours, it rose just a little past her waist.

Rin felt as though she'd been frozen in place, staring wide eyed at the object of her nightmares.

The wolf studied her a moment before starting forwards.

With a loud scream that made Aozora and Sesshoumaru wince, she shot behind Sesshoumaru, cowering in fear behind him.

The wolf stopped, gazing up at Aozora with confusion in its eyes.

"I had forgotten her fear of wolves." Sesshoumaru mused aloud, seeming unperturbed by the sobbing teen whose arms were wrapped tightly about his knees.

"Fear of wolves?" Aozora echoed, glancing to the wolf. "You didn't tell me about that!"

"I will explain once you have dealt with Kage."

Nodding, Aozora took the wolf by a handful of fur and led it off.

While she "took care of it," Sesshoumaru thought it best to silence Rin.

Reaching down, he carefully unwound her arms, then tugging her to her feet. Instantly, the teen lurched forward, now holding tightly to his front, sobbing into his kimono. Arm pinned to his side, there was little Sesshoumaru could do, physically, to calm her. Relying on words, he spoke.

"Calm down, Tasukeru-san."

She didn't seem to hear him.

"Tasukeru-san, calm yourself."

Still, she didn't respond.

With some reluctance, he finally said, "Rin-san?"

Rin peered up at him from beneath her lashes. "Hai?" Stray tears continued to run down her plump cheeks but, with the wolf gone and in the presence of a man who looked as though he could protect her, she calmed.

"Calm yourself."

"Hai…" Sniffling softly, she drew away from her source of comfort, wiping her wet eyes on her balled fists. "Gomen-nasai, Sesshoumaru-sama."

"There is no need to apologize."

Hiccoughing, she meekly nodded. Brown eyes growing wide, she gazed about frenetically. "Where's Hanami-sama! Did it get her!"

"Hanami-sama is alive and well."

Rin was relieved. "Where is she?"

"She is with Kage."

"Who's Kage?"

"This is Kage." Aozora said loudly as she drug forward a man several inches taller than Sesshoumaru.

"Aozora-chan!" he wailed, pouting. "Let go of my ear! That hurts!"

"If you'd just act like a normal person, we wouldn't have this problem, Kage. And give up on the sympathy pouts; they're not working."

"How was I supposed to know she was afraid of wolves! You're a wolf demon and she's not afraid of you!"

Aozora rolled her eyes. "That's something completely different and you know it."

Continuing to pout, the man known as Kage quieted. Now that he stood still and silent, Rin could get a good look at him.

As she'd noticed before, he was quite tall and generously muscled. His skin took on a tanned hue, making it look as though dirt had been rubbed into it. Kage's eyes were of a dark brown color, nearly black as the wolf's had been. By far, the most noticeable feature he had was his hair. Brownish orange strands seemed to sprout out of his head in thick clumps and, overall, it needed a good brushing.

Eyes traveling below his face, Rin noted that he wore a black kimono that hung loose and open on him. No shoes adorned his feet.

Glancing up again, she was surprised not to see pointed ears, fangs, or claws. He was human! But why had he been a wolf before? Was her mind playing tricks on her?

Shoving poor Kage forward, Aozora's hands went firmly on her hips. "Apologize!" she commanded.

"What if I don't?"

She sent him a dangerous look. "I think you know what'll happen then, Kage."

Grumbling, he turned back to Rin. "Gomen-nasai…"

"Was it really that hard?" Aozora demanded, slapping him on the back.

He made a noncommittal noise and she grinned.

"How..? What..?" Rin stammered, trying to figure out what was going on. One minute ago, there had been a vicious wolf and now there was a man!

Aozora gave her a blank look before sending Sesshoumaru a similar one.

"Kage's transformation." he said.

Her green eyes went wide with understanding. "Oh! That!"

"Transformation?" Rin prompted.

Kage leaned towards her, puckering his lips. "You see…" he began. "Aozora kissed me and I turned into a handsome prince!"

Aozora blushed and her fist came into contact with his head. "That isn't what happened and you know it!"

Rubbing at the abused area, Kage scowled. "Then you tell her! I thought it was a good explanation!"

"You would." Aozora snapped. Taking on a gentler voice, she spoke to Rin. "You see," she said, "Kage isn't a demon, nor is he a human."

"But he looks human now!" the teen protested.

"And a mighty fine one at that!"

Aozora hit Kage and he fell silent, giving her an injured look in the process.

"Well, at the moment, he is human." she said.

"But you just said…"

"Kage is a hanyou."

The word fell from Sesshoumaru's lips like a malediction and Aozora gave him a sharp look while Kage frowned.

"So…he's a half demon and a half human?" Rin asked, too amazed to feel the sudden tension in the air.

"Correct." Sesshoumaru said.

"But unlike a normal hanyou, Kage is almost always in a demon form, his wolf form. He doesn't change to human at one specific time either; his changes are sporadic." Aozora added.

"Then why's he human now?" Rin asked.

Idly fingering a braided ring of black cords that hung from his wrist, Kage spoke. "Because of this."

"What is it?"

"It's a little item I picked up for Kage once I found out he was a hanyou and not a normal wolf. It reverts him back to a human state for a little while."

"So otherwise he's a demon?" Rin asked, amazed.

"He's no demon." Sesshoumaru snapped.

"Then what is he?"

"Sesshoumaru…" Aozora began, eyes narrowed.

"Aozora."

"Now, now, let's not fight." Kage said, moving to step in between the two. Seeing the looks they gave him, he thought better of it.

"Come on, Rin-chan." He said, taking hold of the teen's arm. "Let's not get in the middle of their little tiff."

"Are you sure we should just leave them alone like this?"

"They'll be fine. Trust me, I've seen it before."

Having decided to flee, the two darted off into the crowd, leaving Sesshoumaru and Aozora's angry words behind them.

-

"What was all that about?" Rin asked once they'd come to a stop by one of the many vendors.

"Sesshoumaru doesn't much like half-breeds. Ever since his father took a human mate and had a kid with her, he's been all spiteful."

Rin frowned. "If his father knew he didn't like half demons, then why is he making him mate with me?"

"Don't ask me, I'm not gonna try and figure out some dead guy… Especially not Maruchiizu."

"I just don't get it…" she murmured, toying with her small pigtail.

Kage shrugged as he popped one of his various purchases into his mouth.

"Kage?"

"Yeah?"

"Does Sesshoumaru hate me?"

He blinked. "What makes you think that?"

"I don't know…it's just…he doesn't seem to like me very much at all…" His words from before when they were traveling to his home resurfaced in her mind.

"It's the whole human thing, right?" Rin prompted, remembering what he'd said.

"You needn't worry about that; his anger lies elsewhere." Sesshoumaru replied. "Of course," he paused, "not everyone approves of ningen and youkai joining together as one."

Rin looked to him before bluntly asking, "Do you?"

He watched her from the corner of his eye. "No, I don't."

"Then why in the world are you doing it?"

"I am honoring my father's wishes, not my own."

"Well, it's hard for me to tell right off." he replied, chewing thoughtfully. "Of course, I was under the impression he hated everyone." He grinned.

The comment brought a smile to Rin's face and her mood lightened considerably.

"Don't let him get you down. Besides, Aozora's probably giving him a good talking to."

The smile vanished. "Are they close?"

"I guess they're about as close as you can get." he replied.

The thought worried Rin and she bit her lip. "As close as you can get…" she echoed.

Should she be jealous? Of course, she was betrothed to Sesshoumaru and she, therefore, had little reason to fear being shoved aside, but…was that what they both wanted? Did Sesshoumaru want to be with her? Did he want to form an unbreakable union with her? Did she want to do the same?

Rin knew so little about the cryptic dog demon and was forced to wonder even at his past. How could anything ever possibly work out between them? How could they ever be happy together when they didn't want to be together in the first place?

Despair washed over her and her brown eyes filled with tears of anger and frustration.

What right did her mother and Maruchiizu-sama have to decide their children's future? Who were they to play with their lives?

Rin had been forced to watch as, one after another, her friends had fallen in love and been married to the men of their dreams. Though she hadn't complained at the time and had offered her best wishes, she couldn't help but feel a sort of resentment towards those girls and their perfect lives.

If only it hadn't been her to be slain by the wolves! Then what would her future have been? Surely, it would have been a happier outcome than this! What did it matter if she were with a man who was physically attractive, wealthy, and powerful? She wasn't as shallow as the girls who had wished themselves in her place.

All she wanted was someone who loved her unconditionally and who she could spend the rest of her life with. Instead, she was stuck with a man she didn't love, yet would have to grow old with all the same. And hadn't someone mentioned that she would adopt a demon lifespan after the mating? She had thousands of years to be bound to a complete stranger who would use her for reproduction and little more.

Sesshoumaru didn't have to love her to have her carry his heir…

Why did it have to be her?

Her thoughts continued along their downward spiral until Kage startled her out of her reverie by nearly putting her eye out in offering one of his snacks.

"I'm not hungry." Was all she could muster, leaving Kage at a loss for words.

Not hungry? Was there such a thing?

He perked up on seeing Sesshoumaru and Aozora approaching and the questions fled from his mind.

Sesshoumaru quickly took note of Rin's saturnine expression, yet failed to ask her what the matter was. Instead, he announced that they would be returning to the castle so Aozora and Kage could settle themselves in.

As the four headed back home, Rin's hopes for the future continued to dwindle…

-

And now for the review responses:

ladyrinremix: I'm very glad to see that you're enjoying it. Thank you very much!

InuMekoGurl: Thanks very much, I'll do my best!

Arashi-sama: I'm glad you like the addition of the Japanese words. I'm trying to secretly make you all learn Japanese! Just kidding… I just think it makes it a little more authentic, you know? To answer your question, in this, I've got Sesshoumaru as about 2,100-2,200 or about 21-22 in human years. I mean, they showed that flashback of roughly 200 years that one time in the show and he looked about the same, so I figured 1 year equaling 100 was believable. What do you think? Thanks for your support!

Chibitsue: Thank you for your constructive criticism! I really appreciate it! I had a lot of difficulty in trying to define –chan, you know? I've finally settled on the dictionary definition since I've got a Japanese/English dictionary now and you're definition was a lot more accurate than mine. Thanks again!

Animedorkette: Interesting name! Thanks very much for your support and I apologize for the late update…please take note of my forever long rant above and you'll see my many excuses. Thanks again!

gothic-ember: Thanks very much! I'm glad you find it interesting! Again, I'm sorry about the late update, please take note of my uber long rant above and you'll see why. Thanks again!

AznAnimeFanXP: Is that the stick out tongue smilie on the end of your name? My favorite's the one with the closed eyes and button nose. . Thank you for your support and I'm glad to hear you like it!

angellaggaine: Thank you very much! Nice smilie!

-+-

Again, thank you all for your support and don't hesitate to tell me if you don't think something's right! How do you like the characters I'm using? Am I portraying everyone correctly? Is anything unclear? Am I including too many Japanese words? Tell me what you think and feel! It's nice to receive your support, but it'll help me a lot to know what you all like and what you all don't like! Thanks again and I hope you continue reading Unfortunate Bonds!

Ciao,

Misti Star