Rin sat by the fire in an attempt to warm herself, they hadn't stopped for three days and night. Sesshomaru was just as quiet as he had been and worse, Jaken was more talkative than ever. He prattled on and on about the woes he was now sure to face with Rin back at his side as a temptress and constant damsel in distress.
Certainly, the worst of the matter would fall on him and no one else, not even she who bore the burden most directly.
No, Jaken persisted that it was not enough having kept her alive and fed in her youth but now he'd do that and so much more and with as little appreciation from her as possible.
Rin smirked as she took in his pacing about, his genuine concern for his state of contentment. No, he hadn't changed at all and neither had their dynamic, he would blather on about something trivial and she would keep his company if only to give him the satisfaction of knowing he was heard.
"Oh Master Jaken, I wonder if you mean all that you say. Surely, you mustn't." Rin teased.
Jaken turned to scowl at her, "Of course I mean what I say, why else would I say it?"
"In jest." Rin replied before bringing a lone finger to her lower lip in feigned contemplation. "Or perhaps you speak so exaggeratedly for attention, either way it is not for your benefit alone and for that I thank you. Had it not been for you excessive talking, I might have died of boredom these last few days."
Jaken narrowed his eyes at her in firm disapproval only widening the smile that had grown pronounced on her face.
Unbeknownst to them, Sesshomaru watched on with mild interest.
This new Rin had a good-natured humor about her, teasing Jaken and yet managing to flatter him in the same sentence. She was witty and well spoken, she'd no doubt picked up this trait under the study of Inuyasha's human mate.
Yet in her voice he could hear her, the Rin he'd come to know, the Rin he watched over, the little girl who sought to please him and befriend Jaken. Even now in her jest, she words were warm and had no undercurrent of maliciousness; just like Rin. Except now her voice had an undeniable whisper of authority, of strength that spoke to her will and resolve. She spoke like a woman, a woman who could hold her own.
Jaken spluttered an ill-mannered response to which she laughed.
"Don't be upset Master Jaken, it's part of your charm. I for one, love it about you." She said as she brought her lips to the top of his head in an affectionate gesture she was certain he'd hate.
To her surprised Jaken blushed furiously, spluttered wordlessly before picking up his staff and marching away with indignity.
In truth, she loved Jaken's babbling; his stories and over dramatic quips often riddled her with laughter. No, the problem was that since the night at the river 3 days ago, Sesshomaru continued to pay her no mind, like a nuisance.
She sighed in frustration before forcing herself to speak to him directly.
"Lord Sesshomaru?" she asked, her voice strong and yet soft, carried by the night breeze and bathed in the warm glow of her kindness and innocence.
He turned to glance at her, the most attention he'd given her in days and she took this as a sign to continue.
"Where are we going?" she asked softly. "And what business have we there?"
This was new. Rin asking where they were off to. Did it matter? She would follow him as she always had and without question. After all, that was the role of a vassal.
He humored her.
"There is a demon village in the direction of Tortoise Dragon (North East) that has been overrun by ogre demons. They've caused quite a ruckus in the area, do not pay their dues, they have also refused to swear their allegiance to me. They cannot go unwarned and unpunished." Sesshomaru replied.
Rin nodded, she knew there had been a heavy ogre presence in the NorthEastern area of the Western lands, Inuyasha and Kohaku had told her as much. They'd warned her to avoid the area at all costs as there was surely a war to come in response. Ogres, after all, were brutish and unnecessarily destructive so much so that once they'd encamped on an area, demons and humans alike would flee.
Kohaku had left Kaede's village two months before she had in an effort to aid the humans in the nearby areas. Though the Western lands were quite far off, Kohaku had made it his life's work to aid humans whose lives were disrupted by demons as he knew too well the feeling.
He slayed demons, helped build new villages, and trained new slayers all across the lands but even he was forewarned by Sango and the rest to avoid a battle with Ogres if he could, at all costs. Their size and brute strength was nothing to scoff at, especially when in a pack; which was the only way they seemed to travel now. It was no wonder Sesshomaru sought to face them, a disturbance of this magnitude required none other than the Demon Lord of the lands to intercede.
"Yes, I've heard talk of them, they are truly fearsome creatures indeed." Rin mused.
"Not only that but they've gathered a small army to defy Lord Sesshomaru, they must be made an example of." Jaken conceded.
"A small army?" Rin gasped.
Jaken nodded, "Yes, that is why we went in search of Kimimaru. To battle an army of ogres is no small task, Kimimaru is originally from the lands of the Tortoise Dragon. He must've no doubt had an army of his own at his beck and call."
Rin flushed. "I see."
"Do you?" Jaken challenged. "Kimimaru might have been slow but the demons of the Tortoise Dragon were loyal to him. Now we must ask for their help without his pull-"
"We will do no such thing." Sesshomaru replied.
"My Lord?" Jaken stated in confusion.
"I, Sesshomaru, will put an end to this strife alone by slaying the ogre king. His army, I will leave to you and Rin."
"What?!" Jaken cried.
Sesshomaru shot him a baleful looked that told him he was not going to repeat himself.
"Y-yes my Lord, I will fight for you until the end!" Jaken pledged.
"But you just said fighting a small army of ogres was no small task, Master Jaken." Rin reminded. "How do you expect us to fight one off?"
"You should've thought of that before you slayed Kimimaru!" Jaken snapped.
Rin balled her hands into fists, she'd landed herself in a sticky situation. Inuyasha and Kohaku, not to mention everyone else, had specifically warned her to stay away from the direction of the Tortoise Dragon and had told her to particularly avoid the ogre dilemma there.
A lone ogre demon could be outsmarted, outmaneuvered, and slayed. A pack would prove much harder to take care and its not like she carried demonic weapons as powerful as the Tessaiga or Bakusaiga. She brought her head to her knees in contemplation a habit she'd picked up in Kaede's village when she would ignore her caretakers and refuse to play with the other kids or when she'd just felt down and she needed to think of a way to cheer up.
"Are you frightened, Rin?"
Sesshomaru's deep voice caused her head to snap up and his direct address caused her face to burn.
"N-no." she answered. "I will do my part and I will do my best. I live to serve you Lord Sesshomaru."
Sesshomaru studied her face for a moment, there was a burning resolve in her eye and tension pulsing out of her body. He couldn't understand what this meant and didn't want to think of it further. He'd spent the last three days studying her and he would do it no longer.
"How foolish." He mused quietly.
