A/N: Hello, hello. I just watched todays episode of Yashahime and oh my goodness, Rin talked to Sesshomaru. It broke me. Our poor, precious baby.
Lets put her in a happy place with her babies, love of her life, and friends.
Enjoy!
Awaiting the return of Nen with Mitsuo, Rin busied herself with the task of what the best layout would be for the new structures and optimize everyone's comfort.
Talking with Iku and Emi they both agreed that being in the same quarters as Jaken could be a bit frustrating at times as he liked to think himself their master, to which Rin shook her head and rolled her eyes.
"What is it you want Iku? I suppose now that Emis mate will be joining us they should have their own quarters. Would you like your own quarters as well?" Rin questioned.
"That would be very generous of you Lady Rin." Iku stated. "For my mate and myself."
"You have a mate too?" Blinking at the other she felt poorly that she hadn't been aware of this fact. Smiling at her kindly the female nodded.
"Riku is my mate."
"Oh! I did not know that. My apologies. Then most certainly you will have your own place for you and your mate my friend." She affirmed. "Then, maybe you can have pups for Hotaru and Hisashi to play with."
"Riku and I have had a few in the years we have been together. They are all already grown, older than Lady Izumi and Lord Sesshomaru." Iku said.
"Really? Actually, come to think of it, I don't know how old Lord Sesshomaru is. I know that he is a few centuries older than I am but I don't know how many." Rin thought aloud.
"Lord Sesshomaru is well into his ninth century." Iku said.
"Whoa." Staring at her Rin took a breath. "Then how old is Izu?"
"Lady Izumi is not far behind him take fifty years." Squaring her gaze at Iku it felt as if she had suddenly been hit by a ton of bricks. For as long as she could remember Sesshomaru appeared to be a young man, now they seemed to physically be the same age, but it was a number she couldn't even imagine.
Shaking her head she could remember back to a night she was taken by a demon and told by the monk that they didn't belong together. She would die one day and he would not.
She knew that but still, the small reminders that occurred from time to time chilled her to her bones. She was such a small piece in the fabric of time. "Are you well, my lady?"
Taking in the concerned look upon Ikus face she smiled brightly and nodded. "Yes. I'm thinking is all, about the new quarters we are to build. Tell me Iku, do you want your own separate hut or one like we have in the other house?"
Shaking down her self doubts and listening to Iku she focused on the tasks at hand, for now she was here. She was the lady of the western lands. She had a loving husband, two new babies, wonderful friends, and another person arriving soon.
There was much to be done. Adjusting her cloak and squishing into the muddy ground she made her way to the front of the house walking up the steps. Sliding open the door and leaving her footwear outside she hung up her cloak.
"Hello Izu." She greeted cheerfully. Izumi sat at the table in the sitting room with her hands folded on top.
"A letter came addressed to both of us." She replied. "It is from the celestial palace in the west."
"Sesshomarus mother?" Rin wondered receiving a nod. "For both of us?"
"Yes. I was waiting for you to read it. Care to do the honors?" Handing Rin the letter as she sat beside her she turned it over looking to the wax seal. Grasping the letter opener she took out the neatly folded paper and began to read.
"To the Lady Rin of the western land and Lady Izumi of the eastern house of the sun. You are cordially invited to take tea with one, Lady Nishi of the western house of the moon in her celestial palace. A date and time will be set upon the Lady Nishis schedule, at such time an escort will be sent." Rin read.
"Please be advised that it is only requested that the Lady Rin and the Lady Izumi attend. Regards, Lady Nishi of the western house of the moon."
Appearing less than impressed Izumi had propped her head on her hand as she sat with her elbow on the table. Rin put the letter down and sighed.
"She didn't ask about Hotaru." Rin whispered. Izumis breath stilled for a moment as she took in her friends composure. "I had hoped that she would come, as she did to see Hisashi but I guess not."
"Rin."
"Because I know it's true. I'm not stupid, what Jaken said is true. I knew that going into this but I still…I thought her grandmother would want to see her."
"Please…"
"It still hurts, to think that her own grandmother doesn't care about her because why? I'm a human? She's a half-breed?"
"Rin, listen, when the weather is nicer I want to take you, our mates, and pups to the east. Now that I have the key to my mothers gardens I want to show them to you." Izumi said suddenly. "Also to present Hotaru and Hisashi, officially to my land."
"You have been spending far to much time with me." Rin smirked sadly. "Thank you Izu but that isn't necessary. I'll accompany you but do not concern yourself with presenting Hotaru. Hisashi is the one whom your people will want to see."
"Hotaru is my daughter just as much as Hisashi is my son." Izumi replied. "I will present my daughter to the east."
"Izumi…"
"All of this is because of you. None of us would be here if it weren't for you."
"You chose to stay."
"Yes. I did. To stay with you in whatever way you will have me." Turning her eyes to Izumi Rin took a deep breath before fully turning her body towards her. Gripping at her kimono Rin buried her face into her friends shoulder.
Wrapping her arms around the more petite woman Izumi buried her face into Rins hair. "It's alright little Cho. Hotaru will be accepted and have a place in this world. We will make sure of that."
Nodding her head slowly they both jolted suddenly as they heard a sound outside the house. Both moving quickly to their feet they went out the front to stand side by side on the deck.
"Mitsuo!" Emi screeched launching herself at the man that stood a few feet from her.
"Emi, I can't believe it." Catching her he held onto her tightly as she wrapped her arms and legs around him.
"See." Izumi motioned towards them. Smiling widely to herself Rin agreed.
"Well, we must be doing something right to have so many others want to come and stay with us." Rin said.
"I think so." Izu replied watching the lovers as Mitsuo spun Emi around happily in a semi circle.
To the lady of the wests credit she had sent the letter as a formality dispatching escorts within a couple of days.
Iku and Emi assisted Rin and Izu to be presentable to the standards the other female would expect of them both. Having her hair twisted and pulled Rin found the entire task ridiculous when she could just go as herself.
Sesshomaru kept a wary eye on her the entire time she was bathed, dressed, and primped.
"No good will come of this meeting." He said once Emi had left the room. Standing in a long white kimono with a red outer robe she sighed.
"It is not as if Izu and I have much of a choice in the matter my lord." Rin stated. "Besides, I am curious as to why she wants to see both of us."
"Whatever it may be I am putting the entirety of my trust in you to say the right things and act the part. If you need guidance look to Izumi." Sesshomaru held out his hand to her which she happily accepted.
"I will my lord." She assured wanting to put his mind at ease. "Perhaps it is just to wish us both congratulations or to speak of our duties now as mothers."
Audibly sighing Sesshomaru held onto her hand more tightly. "You are already a far better mother than she ever was."
"Aside from what happened with the circumstances that brought us together, why do you hold such contempt for her?" Deciding to finally broach the subject she watched as he blinked a few times in surprise.
"The truth." Lowering his head slightly Rin had never seen him act in such a way and she wondered if he were suddenly ill. "The truth is that I was not meant to be an heir to my fathers title or land but to my mothers."
"Then why did you inherit from your father and not your mother?"
"Because I was born a male. Within my mothers house only females can inherit her title. To add insult to injury I was born with her marking." Pointing to the crescent moon on his forehead Rin felt crestfallen. "From very early on she wanted nothing to do with me and sent me off to live with my father on the land."
"Until my fathers death I only ever knew of her by name, that is all she was to me…just a name. Once he was gone then she decided to be my parent and by then I was far to old to be treated as a pup."
Squeezing his hand more tightly for reassurance he brought his gaze back to hers and stared into her eyes. Rin said nothing but held his gaze and in that gesture she conveyed more than any words could ever hope to.
Bringing her close to him into an embrace he practically bent in half to rest his head against hers. "Hurry back to me dearest."
"As fast I can Lord Sesshomaru, always." Rin whispered softly turning her face to his kissing him gently.