With Or Without You
A/n: I'm back! I know, I know! Nearly a month since I last updated and I can't express how truly sorry I am, but I got writer's block right after I updated last and I tried my hardest to write this stupid chapter, but it was never right. It didn't really flow and I'm still not sure if this one's great...I like the last half of it more than the first, lol, I'm my worst critic and that's probably the number one reason why my updates take so long. This chapter is also extra long and it may be a little bland, I don't know...lol, just read it...
Chapter Sixteen
Slipping Back
>
She stepped out of the gates and abruptly stopped.
Breathing in deeply, her dark eyes slid closed and she felt a sense of freedom wash over her. Guilt, which had rooted itself so deeply within her stomach, had been lifted from her. She could stand tall and smile brightly without a feeling of hollowness to wash it away.
She couldn't hear the fearful cries from her fellow villagers. She couldn't feel the insistent hands upon her, pulling her back into the gates. She didn't see anything besides the pathway, leading to her lord. She knew he were heading this way for she could see the way everyone was scattering.
She could feel excitement spreading through her limbs and with a deep breath, she took off towards the center of the village.
She could hear the soft crunching of her sandals on the gravel and she could hear the rumble of the clouds above her, but to the rest of the world she was deaf.
She focused herself entirely upon finding him, and as she came upon a large, whimpering group, relief washed over her.
"I found him," she whispered.
>
Sesshomaru watched as the crowds began to thin and part. Most were in their homes or hiding somewhere safe by now. Only a few people remained, pushing and rushing away from him. He could see them moving away from him as he neared the mansion. They all watched him with wide eyes and pale faces. They were truly afraid of him, and really the only reason they feared him so was because of petty rumors.
It didn't bother him in the least, Sesshomaru simply found it somewhat humorous.
He watched them carefully before a movement started in the crowd. They were looking back and whispering loudly to one another. Perhaps someone wished to challenge him? Sesshomaru cocked an ebony brow in question as Jaken also grew quiet at the odd sight.
And then, from out of the crowds like a ray of sunshine against dark storm clouds, a beautiful creature emerged, flushed and panting. Her dark eyes were flashing dangerously about the crowd behind her as they tried to convince her to come back. She said not a word to them, but turned to meet his stare head on.
His breath caught in his chest and he stopped immediately in his tracks.
The bright afternoon sunlight hit the brilliantly white silk of the kimono she wore and she seemed to glow against the dingy, filthy commoners behind her.
Her dark mane was full and tousled, her cheeks rosy and eyes wider than ever. Never had he seen a mortal look so beautiful...no, never had he seen anything look as beautiful as she did in that moment.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" she cried out desperately.
Never did he think twice about his name. He had never considered its meaning, nor origin. It was his name, simple. But when she said it, when she cried out for him...it meant something. He couldn't explain it. He couldn't really think at the moment. She was the first person to catch him off guard so, and it both angered and fascinated him.
Rin took a deep breath and charged forward. 'Lord Sesshomaru, Lord Sesshomaru!' was all her mind could think of.
The bumbling, whimpering crowd behind her froze. Not one said a word as she ran to him. They all looked at her as if she were crazy. She were their prized beauty and she was just running towards a deadly youkai.
She stopped just before him as she had done a month ago. She looked up into his eyes, those golden orbs burning into her memory forever. Though his face were blank, a war was raging behind his eyes and she wanted nothing more than to know what he was thinking.
Was he happy to see her?
Had he been battling himself just as she had?
Had he even missed her?
Sesshomaru stared down at her, concealing everything in him. Holding back every urge the demon within him was screaming. Something else, something he did not know wanted to express to her everything. And yet, he would not allow himself.
He was not a weakling to his emotions. They could be, and had always been, controlled. So as she peered up anxiously to him, with eyes of the deepest, most beautiful brown, he said nothing.
"You came back?" she whispered softly.
Had it not been for his keen hearing, he would have never heard her.
He said not a word, but simply watched her. She was such an interesting thing to him. It was amazing how easily she captured his undivided attention. Even as a child she had been able to just simply grab his attention with a few words.
Her eyes fell down to Jaken when he said nothing, and her face brightened. "Master Jaken! You too have returned!" she exclaimed softly.
Jaken visibly jumped. "Only because Lord Sesshomaru! If it weren't for him, I would have never wished to return to this miserable place!" he snapped back with a soft blush to his green cheeks.
Rin continued to smile. "Thank you for coming back too."
Her eyes turned back to Sesshomaru as Jaken continued to mumble about filthy mortals, and she bit her lower lip as millions of questions tried to push themselves past her lips.
Before any could make it by, Sesshomaru finally spoke.
"Have you married that pathetic mortal?" he asked. Far too much spite was released in the question and he could see Rin notice.
She shook her head as she bit down the renewed hope boiling inside. Though she knew it may have just been his feeling of contempt for all humans in general, her love filled heart hoped otherwise.
He sounded jealous, almost angry, though to any other person he would have sounded just as monotone and calm as he always did. Rin, however, had studied him. She knew him.
As a child she had always watched her guardian. Yet, in many ways, she had liked the mystery, the unknowingness of his personality. It were those very traits that attracted her so to him as a child and even more so now.
"No, we have decided not to marry," she replied brightly. She would not explain why unless he asked.
And as she had assumed, he did not ask. Instead he simply stood before her.
Relief washed over him and he felt a small amount of weight lift from his heart. It was odd, that he found so much happiness in such a small statement.
"I see," was all he could allow himself to say.
An uneasy silence fell between the two, and even the crowds behind them grew restless. They began to murmur and whisper, wondering what it was that had Rin so attached to such a creature as Sesshomaru.
Rin could pick up bits and pieces of their comments. Some were that he were her true father, others that he were her secret lover. They all varied and were as diverse as the many rumors that followed and preceded him. She tuned them out and looked back up to Sesshomaru with hopeful, pleading eyes.
As she opened her mouth to speak, Jaken interrupted her by tugging obnoxiously at his master's leg.
"M'lord, we must leave soon! The rains are coming!" he whined, his shrill voice interrupting Sesshomaru's deep thoughts. Sesshomaru looked up to the sky and sniffed at the air, realizing that Jaken were right. He wondered momentarily why he hadn't sensed the change in weather.
'Because you've been too damn preoccupied with this mortal wench,' came his pride's reply.
He visibly sneered and it worried Rin. Were he already bored with her?
She wanted to ask why he had followed Roiyaru here, what his intentions were, but she couldn't find the right way to ask it. She knew she had to be careful with her words around him. If she arranged her words wrong or spoke in the wrong tone, he would not answer her. He were so sensitive and he didn't even know it. It was quite frustrating, but Rin had grown up with it. She was used to be ignored by him...it just actually hurt her now.
Sesshomaru looked to Jaken and gave a curt nod.
"Very well."
With those words, he turned away from her. He said not a word to her, nor did he even glance back at her. He simply began to stride away just as blatantly as he had before.
Panic shot through her like a bullet, piercing her heart and going straight down to her stomach. She stepped forward and without a second thought grabbed his only arm.
"Take me with you!" she whispered.
As he felt her touch, he stopped. No one had touched him years, not like that. He could feel her almost clinging to him, holding tightly to his lower arm as she spoke. Her voice was so pathetic, so needy. He wanted to cringe and embrace her all at once. The sudden need to hold her released his territorial instincts once again and he had to fight away the wretched emotions swarming him.
"Rin! You are a grown woman now! You don't need Lord Sesshomaru's protection anymore! Go back to your mansion and fiancee!" growled out Jaken, turning to glare at her. He had just found his lord and master and was quite content with presuming that it would be a simple hello again and then they would leave her for good.
"I said let him go, Rin-"
"Silence!" snapped Sesshomaru quietly.
It was a cold and vile command that hit Jaken to his very core. He immediately shut his mouth and dropped his eyes away from Rin and down to the dirt.
Rin glanced for a moment to Jaken, pitying him for a split second before she looked up to Sesshomaru. He couldn't leave her again. She couldn't live without him, much less return to Roiyaru and admit she had been rejected, that he were right and Sesshomaru were nothing but a beast.
"I promise not to be a nuisance, m'lord!" she whispered urgently, her doe eyes growing glossy as she peered into his. She sounded like a child once again, yet Sesshomaru saw the face of a woman before him.
And then the strong, heady scent of honeysuckle and lavender swarmed around him as the winds picked up. Her dark hair blew around her face, framing it perfectly.
He couldn't believe how she captivated him so. Inside he felt a sudden desire flare up, a sudden urge to...to kiss her. He hadn't felt this type of desire in years.
He jerked away his arm violently, causing her to pull back her own arm to her chest, clasping her hands together fearfully. She took a step back, praying she hadn't gone too far by touching him.
"I'm sorry, Lord Sesshomaru," she whispered, slightly bowing before him.
"Rin."
She looked up quickly, listening just as carefully as the crowd behind her.
Sesshomaru stared at her for a few agonizing moments as he fought himself.
The clouds above began to rumble and the sunlight was now completely blocked out. It would surely rain soon.
Rin gulped just as Sesshomaru turned away from her and began to walk away. Rin's eyes grew even wider with shock and just before her heart could break, Sesshomaru looked over his shoulder and muttered, "If you're coming, hurry up."
>
Rin waved her final goodbyes as the first drops of rain began to fall. She could see Lady Adzumi waving tearfully at the top steps of the mansion with her daughters. Rin was upset that she had not gotten to say goodbye to Lord Kisho, but she could not take up anymore of Sesshomaru's precious time. She had simply changed clothes, said goodbye and left.
It were so simple now.
Following her lord just as she had ten years ago. It were almost as if the past ten years had been a bad dream, a nightmare of loneliness and depression that had finally ended by her simply opening her eyes to a new day.
Above her the rain was just lightly dusting them with moisture and Rin was grateful. It felt as if her old life were being washed away. She looked before her to find Lord Sesshomaru walking proudly ahead of her, his strides strong and elegant. No matter how long she lived with such a rich family, she knew she would never achieve such an authoritative demeanor as his.
Behind her she could hear the uneven footsteps of Master Jaken clunking along. He had said not a word since they left and she feared Sesshomaru's command to be quiet had hurt him. She hadn't meant to cause trouble in returning to them. She loved Jaken dearly, like a funny uncle, but she had always felt her were competing with her.
Why was it that everyone was so damn keen on competing with her?
She did not mean to take away any of Sesshomaru's attention for Jaken, but it wasn't like he were always doting his undivided attention to the toad youkai.
She didn't realize the frown that had fallen upon her pretty features as they walked along, yet Sesshomaru had.
Due to the heavy moisture in the air, her flowery scent was flaring up and bombarding his senses. He couldn't described how his body were suddenly reacting to her presence. He felt like a hormonal human, like his hanyou brother.
Speaking of which, the group had now run to the trees for hiding and could clearly see Sesshomaru.
Kagome tugged at Inuyasha's sleeve. "Who is that woman with them?" she asked quietly.
Inuyasha frowned deeply at the sight. She were indeed a beauty, though she appeared to be troubled. Her head was tilted down and her expression were that of deep thought.
"Do you think he's kidnaped her from the village below?" asked Sango gently as she noticed what the attractive couple was staring at.
Miroku stood up immediately. "Well then we must go rescue her. A beauty like that does not need to be carousing with youkai such as Sesshomaru."
Inuyasha nodded. "You're right."
In a flash to the two were off.
"I'll stay here with the children," said Sango with an irritated sigh. Kagome nodded and soon followed after her husband and friend.
>
Sesshomaru looked up just as the three came bounding out of the forest, the weak miko dragging behind.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" wailed out Jaken, clutching his staff defensively.
"I see them Jaken," Sesshomaru replied cooly, keeping his eyes locked with his sibling's.
Rin turned and felt happiness jolt through her. "Lord Sesshomaru! You're brother is still alive?"
Sesshomaru did not turn to her but replied bitterly, "Regretfully the hanyou has managed to keep himself alive."
Rin bit back a small laugh and turned back to them just as Inuyasha landed before them.
"So I see you got jealous of me and Kagome and had to go get yourself a woman, too?" sneered Inuyasha, unsheathing Tetsusaiga. Sesshomaru let out an irritated sigh just as Miroku came to stand beside Inuyasha.
"Kidnaping an innocent woman is far too low for you Sesshomaru," grumbled Miroku, never taking his eyes off of the girl.
She rivaled Kagome in beauty and she appeared to be not a day over seventeen. She also did not appear to be afraid or scared to be standing at a youkai's side, which made Miroku automatically doubt his initial reactions that Sesshomaru had stolen the poor girl.
Kagome then came up, pushing in between Inuyasha and Miroku. Just as she did, Rin gasped.
"Kagome?"
Kagome looked up to the girl and for a moment, she had to place the face, the voice. Then it hit her, "Rin!"
Rin nodded quickly as Kagome embraced her tightly. "I can't believe it! You've grown so much!" she laughed, stepping back to examine the girl fully.
Miroku's eyes bulged. "Rin? The little orphan girl?"
Rin nodded, her brilliant smile exploding forth as a soft blush tinted her cheeks.
Sesshomaru stared at the monk and for the first time, felt a new sense of jealousy within him. He knew that glint which was in the monk's eyes. Just as Miroku were about to step forward, he looked up to Sesshomaru and thought it better not to.
"She's with you?" asked Inuyasha brashly, an ebony eyebrow cocked high in doubt.
Sesshomaru did not reply, though he felt Rin's eyes upon him, awaiting his answer. Instead, he turned away from them and began to head on over the hill and into the woods.
"Lord Sesshomaru!" called out Jaken, stumbling after his master.
Rin looked up, somewhat hurt and turned to the others, replacing her pain with a shy smile. "It was nice seeing you all," she said gently before stepping away. "I hope to see you all again sometime. Goodbye!" she called out over her shoulder as she caught up with Sesshomaru.
Kagome shook her head smiling. "I can't believe it. She is still with him."
Inuyasha sheathed Tetsusaiga once more and shrugged carelessly. "Who cares, she must be pretty dense to be following a boring guy like Sesshomaru."
Kagome turned away from the diminishing trio and smiled to Inuyasha warmly. "She loves him, didn't you see that?"
Both Miroku and Inuyasha exchanged puzzled looks, Inuyasha snorting. "What?" they asked in unison.
Kagome brushed past them, heading back to Sango who was now emerging from the woods with children in tow.
"She loves him. You could clearly see it on her face. I thought that at least you would see it, Miroku," she replied lightly.
Inuyasha 'humphed' at her comment and turned to Miroku who looked still rather puzzled.
"Well does he love her?" he weakly muttered, looking back up as the three entered the woods.
Inuyasha shrugged indifferently. "Who cares? Kagome doesn't know what she's talking about."
>
Rin placed firewood at the center of the cave, watching as outside the rain began to fall even harder. She turned back as Jaken started the fire. Her eyes settled upon the now blazing fire as Jaken set down his staff, sitting next to her in what she guessed to be, a peace offering for his behavior. She scooted a little closer to him to signal she accepted it.
Across from them Sesshomaru was leaning against the rocky wall of the cave, sitting silently. His eyes were entranced with the fire, igniting them into a blazing gold as thoughts Rin could only imagine passed through him. The beautiful silvery color of his hair was being illuminated in the dark yellow glow of the cave, making him simply perfect in Rin's eyes.
Sesshomaru looked up and caught her smiling softly to him. She immediately blushed and turned away to look at the rain falling outside. He watched her for a moment, smelling her soft scent once again. He could still see the gentle glow of her cheeks.
He couldn't believe what a calming presence she had. It was such a simple, comforting feeling that just seemed to resonate off of her small body.
He suddenly frowned, noticing the hollowness to her face. She did not appear as lively as she had the last time he had seen her.
He remembered the old man's words of the rumors that she had not been eating, that she were sickly now.
He looked to her and a sudden annoyance came over him. "Jaken, go find something to eat."
Jaken looked up and nodded quickly. "Yes m'lord."
"For Rin."
Jaken stopped and glanced to the girl. Before, when Rin were younger, he had made her help him. They were to fend for themselves if they were going to follow him. Now he was being ordered to feed her, a worthless human?
Indeed, the girl had captured his master's heart. It were quite obvious now.
"Y-yes m'lord," he replied quietly.
Rin looked to Jaken and smiled. "I'll help you, Master Jaken."
Sesshomaru watched her move to gather her things as she followed the small youkai outside without a word to Sesshomaru.
Rin followed behind Jaken closely, trying to keep her expression light and happy as to keep the toad in good spirits.
"It's nice to be traveling with you and Lord Sesshomaru, Master Jaken," she said, looking around as she found a few nice mushrooms. "These will do nicely, don't you think?" she asked gently, examining them carefully.
Jaken shrugged. "They are for you. If you like them, get them, Rin."
She noticed the soft sadness in his voice and it pained her. "Master Jaken, you must get something to eat too. You look starved."
Jaken shrugged once again. "Lord Sesshomaru ordered that I feed you, so I will do just that."
Rin sighed gently, hating to be tearing the strong bond between Jaken and his master.
"Are you angry with me, Master Jaken?" she asked quietly, stopping in her search for food.
Jaken stopped as well, sighing deeply at the gentle tone of her voice. Rin had always held a place in his small heart that no other mortal had. It did not compare in the least to his affections for Sesshomaru, but he did care for the girl. He had to admit that he would enjoy her company once again. He didn't have anyone to talk with when it were just him and Sesshomaru.
When Sesshomaru did speak, it were never to simply make conversation. It were either an order or information.
As a child, Rin had always kept a conversation going, either with Jaken or with Aun-un. The soft murmur of her voice had always kept him in a simply comforted mood.
Finally he replied. "No. I am not angry with you Rin."
He saw her face visibly brighten and she smiled. "Really, Master Jaken?" she asked earnestly.
Jaken half heartedly smiled and nodded. "Yes...now, now get moving. I'm getting soaked out here and you're just dwaddling with stupid questions. Hurry up, it's freezing!"
Rin continued to smile knowingly and nodded. "Yes Master Jaken."
She quickly plucked the remaining mushrooms and searched for extra for both Jaken and Sesshomaru, though she could only remember a few times seeing Sesshomaru eat and she could count those times on one hand.
When she had enough to fill both her and Jaken, plus a few extra should Sesshomaru get hungry, she called out to Jaken.
"Let's go back, Master Jaken!"
He grunted some sort of reply and headed back inside without waiting for her. She jogged over the brush and roots of the forest floor as quickly as her restricting kimono would allow and rushed back inside behind Jaken.
"We found plenty of mushrooms," she explained brightly, setting them down in a large pile on the floor next to the fire. "If I had a pot or something I could find some herbs and make us a nice little soup, but these will do just fine, don't you think Master Jaken?"
He nodded with a disdainful look upon his face. He glanced back outside just as evening began to settle upon the forest.
Sesshomaru watched Rin divide the mushrooms into three equal groups, her delicate hands moving gracefully as she grew silent. Her hair was damp and clinging to her face, as did her kimono. She visibly shivered and Sesshomaru frowned.
He knew she would become sick should she stay in those wet clothes, mortal women were so pathetically weak. "Rin, you should find some dry clothes to wear."
She looked up to him and nodded. "Yes m'lord. I brought an extra set of clothes."
She quickly left her previous intentions of dividing the mushrooms and began to unpack the small bundle she had taken from the village. She pulled out another set of clothes and looked back to Sesshomaru.
"Where am I going to change?" she asked quietly, a blush arising upon her cheeks once more.
Sesshomaru turned to Jaken, for he was not going to answer this.
Jaken hiccuped and turned to her. "Just change by the opening, it's took dark for anyone to see you," he replied matter-of-factly. Rin nodded to him and glanced a second to Sesshomaru before rushing to the edge of the cave's mouth.
She looked outside as darkness crept over the land. Indeed, no one would be able to see her safe for the two youkai inside. She turned and looked behind her with dark eyes.
Jaken had his back to her and Sesshomaru was staring at the opposite wall blankly. With a shaky breath, she began to untie the orange sash around her waist.
She slipped the soft materials off of her delicate shoulders and stood there, shivering as the thunderstorm's winds blew directly against her. She quickly bent to gather her dry clothes, thankful Lady Adzumi had insisted upon her taking two extra kimonos just in case she should need them.
As the winds blew into the cave, her scent blew with it. Sesshomaru turned and just as he did, he caught her eyes.
Her beautiful, thin frame was standing there, in all its glory. The only shield against his eyes was the material she held in her hands against her chest. Sesshomaru quickly looked away, feeling his body's heat intensify greatly, his breathing becoming slightly quicker.
'Get a grip, she's just a girl! You've seen countless female bodies before,' he snapped silently to himself.
Sesshomaru had seen corpses of women before they were to be burned after wars and such in the past. It was no surprise to him what the female anatomy was. It was just that...that he had an emotional tie or something to her...wasn't it?
Rin quickly finished dressing, tying her light blue obi quickly. She pulled her hair out of her collar, her cheeks still burning brightly when she returned to sit down.
Jaken was already finishing his stack of mushrooms and Sesshomaru naturally refused to look at her. She bit her lower lip nervously and without a word, began to pick at her own mushrooms. Silence, except for the storm raging outside, settled upon them.
Neither Rin nor Sesshomaru really minded at the moment.
>
"No!"
She awoke with a jolt, the word escaping her lips in a quiet cry.
She pressed a cool, clammy hand to her moist forehead and took a deep breath, shaking away the nightmare that so often plagued her dreams. She could still hear the wolves, howling out into the night. She could still see her parents, falling before her. Her mother's final words ringing in her memory for forever.
With a deep sigh, she glanced outside just as lightning flashed dangerously, illuminating the entire cave for a fraction of a second, soon to be followed by a growling clap of thunder.
Near her, Jaken was sound asleep, snoring softly as he cuddled against his staff. She smiled to him sweetly, before she looked up slowly.
To her surprise, Sesshomaru was sitting there as he had been when she had fallen asleep, but his eyes were closed and he appeared to be sleeping.
She couldn't remember ever seeing him sleep unless he were injured.
She watched him carefully, the way his chest slowly rose and fell, the way his eyes occasionally swirled behind his eyelids as he dreamt. His bangs fell low against his brow and she held back the urge to tuck them away.
She leaned back against the cool cave wall and took another deep breath, peering back outside.
It was so weird, how easily she had slipped back into the normal routine of traveling with Sesshomaru and Jaken. It almost disturbed her. He seemed to still see her as a child. Jaken also seemed to have forgotten that she were a grown woman now.
Rin looked down at her hands for a moment, biting her lip in thought.
Perhaps since time was such an idle thing to immortal creatures such as Sesshomaru and Jaken, that they just simply saw her as a passing moment. She would soon fade into middle age, then become an elderly old woman and waste away to become just another memory.
She glanced up to Sesshomaru's sleeping form and frowned.
She did not want to become just another countless memory to him. She wanted to be something to him because he had become so much to her.
The love for him that she felt was almost killing her slowly. She were so close to him now and yet she could say nothing. If he saw her as nothing more than a child, how could she expect him to take her seriously when she proclaimed her undying love for him?
The irony of the whole situation nearly brought tears to her eyes. In just a month she had been bombarded with countless new emotions that she almost longed for the days when she were just an innocent little girl, loving Sesshomaru as a daughter would.
Almost that is.
'I must be patient,' she told herself reassuringly.
Perhaps it were far too soon for her to say such words to her old guardian. She could possibly annoy him and he'd place her right back in that miserable village once again.
She turned away from him with a weak sigh and tried to drift back into sleep though she knew it were hopeless. She were now fully awake.
She opened her eyes once again and found golden orbs staring into the fire.
He looked up immediately and stared at her a moment before he spoke.
"Are you warm now?"
Rin nodded numbly, hating how he could catch her off guard with just a simple look.
He didn't reply and she hadn't expected him to.
She waited a few moments as a voice within her screamed to speak with him, to prove to him that she were capable of keeping his attention with more than just worrying him.
"Thank you," was all that she managed to let out.
Sesshomaru looked back up from the flickering flames, confusion written in his beautiful eyes. He didn't say anything for he knew her, and he knew she would explain herself as she had when a child.
"Thank you," she repeated, now looking at him with a kind smile. "Thank you for letting me come with you. I couldn't imagine living in that village for the rest of my life."
Sesshomaru looked away from her, one side of him wishing to believe she would have been miserable without him, the other doubting her words.
"If you had married that mortal, he would have taken you out of there," he replied calmly.
Rin nodded, pulling her knees up to her chest. "Yes, he would have...but I couldn't marry him."
Sesshomaru stared at her, searching her pretty face. She had grown so much. She were so very fragile to him and he couldn't understand why. He couldn't even remember what made him first save her when she were a child. He could think of countless reasons, but why had he allowed her to remain with him all that time?
"Why didn't you marry him? You have disgraced the human by not doing so," he spat coldly, his eyes closing up to her.
Rin almost flinched at his cruel tone, but did not let it deter her. She looked away at the fire a moment, choosing her words carefully, but could not find any other way to put it.
She slowly looked back up to him, her eyes so full of honesty and truth that there were no way she could have any other intentions for leaving her home. Even his stubborn pride had to concede that she spoke from her heart.
"I wasn't in love with Roiyaru, m'lord. I never loved him."
>
A/n: There it is...ending with them finally talking to each other. I know it was kind of boring how it seems like she's just a kid to him again and he's just being cold and junk, but the next chapter will be more of them talking and more revelations about how they feel for each other. It's taking a bit, but I don't want to take Sesshomaru out of character. Please review and once again, I'm terribly sorry about the long wait! HAPPY HOLIDAYS! MERRY LATE CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR GUYS! I LOVE YOU ALL! Lol.