Timmain looked from the little girl to the demon. Timmain wasn't sure that she heard right. This little girl said that demon had saved Timmain. Timmain and the demon both let down their guards, Timmain relaxing her attack stance and the demon sheathed his sword and looked down at Rin. The little girl smiled up at the demon.
"Thank you, Lord Sesshomaru," the little girl said in relief.
"Rin, you should not have got in between us," the demon scolded, looking down at the little girl, Rin.
"I'm sorry, but I didn't want you two to fight," Rin answered quietly hanging her head at being scolded. "I don't want the two of you to get hurt," Rin continued.
"I would not have been hurt," the demon added in a cold voice looking down at Timmain. Timmain smirked.
"I'd beg to differ," Timmain told him. The demon's eyes narrowed but before he could answer back Rin turned around and walked over to Timmain.
"My name is Rin and this is Lord Sesshomaru," Rin said bowing as she introduced herself and the demon to Timmain. "What's your name?"
"Timmain. How did you save me?" Timmain asked directing her question to the demon, remembering what Rin had said to stop Timmain and the demon from attacking each other. The demon did not answer. He turned and started to walk away.
"Lord Sesshomaru used his sword," Rin answered for the demon smiling.
"Let's go Rin," the demon said over his shoulder. Rin left Timmain to follow the demon turning around to wave "good-bye" to Timmain.
"Good-bye Timmain! I hope to see you again!" Rin called then continued to follow the demon.
"Wait! Why did you...?" Timmain called to the demon. The demon ignored her and continued walking but Timmain did not finish her question when suddenly she was struck with a terrible revelation. "Was I dead?" She whispered in disbelief sitting hard on the ground. She wildly thought back to those last moments fighting Gulden. She remembered the pain she felt, the blackness enveloping her and her last thoughts. I have failed...
Horror seized Timmain when she realized that she had been killed by Gulden. She...Timmain...a demon slayer...a Maraigh, one born and trained to kill demons, had been killed by a demon. And not by a great powerful demon, but by a lying, conniving, thief who normally didn't fight hand to hand but tried to outwit others to get what he wanted. Timmain remembered the shock she felt when she finally faced Gulden in this foreign land she was now in. She could feel a great power emanating from Gulden, a power that he did not generate or was capable of generating. She also remembered a faint glow coming from within his neck and sensing the power coming from there. And then he attacked her. Timmain had been completely taken off guard. She hadn't expected him to attack her. She thought he would just run a way as he had done before. And when he did, he attacked with such force that it wasn't long before Timmain was beaten. But she fought as long as she could despite the many broken bones and slashes Gulden had dealt her. Her wounds were too numerous for her natural healing defenses to keep up and the loss of blood weakened her. Timmain closed her eyes at the humiliation of being defeated by Gulden. Tears stung her eyes and threatened to spill. She clenched her fists in frustration when she thought about this demon before her, adding to her humiliation, had saved her. This demon had somehow brought her back to life and Timmain didn't know why. Did he want something of me? Timmain thought. Yes, he did. He had asked why I was fighting Gulden in his lands. Why would that matter to him? Is he looking for Gulden too? But if he is looking for Gulden, why bother to save me? This demon seems more than capable of handling Gulden.
Timmain looked up at the retreating figures of the demon and the little girl. She began to get suspicious that this demon walking away from her did not save her just to question her about why she had been fighting Gulden in his land. Timmain knew a demon did not do anything unless it would benefit them somehow. But the demon was not going to lower himself anymore to explain his motives to a demon slayer, just as a demon slayer would not lower herself to run after a demon to beg him to explain why he saved her. Timmain stood up, brushed the loose grass off her clothes and began to search for her sword. She found herself torn between heading out on her own in search of Gulden or catching up with the demon that had saved her to find out what he knew of Gulden and his whereabouts. Timmain's search was interrupted when she heard something land in the earth behind her. She spun around and gasped in disbelief to see her sword firmly lodged in the ground waving slightly back and forth. Timmain glanced in the direction where the demon and the little girl had gone and found the demon looking back at her.
"If you want to know why I saved you I suggest you conduct yourself in a more respectful manner," the demon told her.
Timmain narrowed her eyes and glared at the demon. She reached out to grab her sword. Taking the end of her fur lined cloak, she wiped the handle of her sword off with it hoping the demon noticed the insult, and sheathed it. The demon in return narrowed his eyes at Timmain and she was satisfied to see a slight snarl across is lips as the demon took note of the insult.
"I take that as your final word," the demon growled turning his back on Timmain and stalked away. The little girl, Rin, who had remained silent throughout this last exchange between the demon and Timmain, looked back and forth between the two, then with a decided look on her face ran back to Timmain. The demon noticing that Rin was not following him turned around to see her running to Timmain.
Rin, stopping before Timmain slightly out of breath, pointed to the east.
"If you're hungry, there's a river that way with lots of fish and there are some caves nearby if you would like to rest," Rin told her.
"Thank you," Timmain said suspiciously, wondering why the little girl ran back just to tell her that.
"Lord Sesshomaru is really kind, you should come along with us," Rin said revealing her true motive for returning to Timmain. Timmain bent down so she was eye to eye with Rin and put her hand on Rin's shoulder.
"It is not in my nature to trust demons. I am a demon slayer, and I was born to kill demons, not tag along with them," Timmain explained not knowing of a better way to explain her position to one so young. A look of surprise crossed over Rin's face at Timmain's bold statement. But it vanished when Rin smiled happy that Timmain didn't try to hide such a thing from her thinking she was only a child who would not understand such things.
"Please," Rin begged taking Timmain's hand, "I really would like it if you came with us."
Timmain sighed and looked away. She had always liked being around children. She had several nieces and nephews of her own that she would play with and spoil. That was until Gulden killed them all along with the rest of Timmain's family. Timmain looked back at Rin who had been watching her in anticipation. Rin was hoping Timmain would come along.
When Rin first found Timmain lying on the ground covered in blood, she had started crying for her. Rin was so sad, but Lord Sesshomaru came along and saved Timmain and Rin thought she would never be as happy as she was when Timmain opened her eyes. But when Lord Sesshomaru and Timmain were about to hurt each other, Rin knew she couldn't stand to see that happen so she got in their way to make them stop. Now, Rin wanted Timmain to stay with her and Lord Sesshomaru more than anything. Rin thought it would be like having a mother and father around. Rin would have a family.
Timmain looked at the demon and back at Rin. Timmain didn't want to disappoint Rin, but she couldn't bring herself to travel with a demon, even if he could provide some information about Gulden. But Rin seemed so determined to have Timmain go along with them.
"Please, come with us" Rin pleaded again. Rin turned to the demon. "Lord Sesshomaru, I want her to come with us. Can she?"
The demon did not answer. Instead he turned around and continued on his original path. Rin smiled and turned back to Timmain.
"Come on," Rin said pulling on Timmain's hand. "It's okay, you can come with us," she said happily tugging on Timmain's hand harder. Timmain, giving in, allowed herself to be led by Rin to follow the demon. This was the first time Timmain ever worried if she would regret a decision she made.