Note from the Author.
*****Ahhhhh here we are again, a new chapter. For those of you who have been asking in the comments, yes this story will have some rated M content and I will let you know in advance when those scenes come about so that those of you who are uncomfortable do not have to read and etc. Again, thanks for sticking around, your comments and dedication to the story really keep me going, so comment, comment, comment!*****
End Note.
It was beautiful, the sun poked through the trees which stood adorned with fruits and flowers, the grass around them shining almost eerily with morning dew and lush floral arrangements seemingly put together by the hands of nature themselves.
Suddenly Rin shot up from her position, crouching on A-Un's saddle and whipping her head to and from. Her little body barely being able to control the glee that expelled from within. Color rushed to her face as excitement flitted across her features, her brown eyes shining with glee.
"What are you doing girl? Sit down." Jaken ordered.
Instead Rin jumped up on the saddle and nearly screamed with excitement.
"Rin!" Jaken shouted as she bounded off the dragon.
"We're here!" Rin shouted. "We're here, we're here, we're –
"Rin." Sesshomaru called.
She came to a sudden stop and spun around to face him, "You remembered!" she beamed. "Jeneji's forest, it's beautiful, more than I could have imagined. Thank you, my Lord, thank you!" she said as she threw her arms around him in a sudden embrace before turning and running over the fields, feeling the grass and flowers between her toes.
Sesshomaru smirked, his usually stoic expression put aside for the time being. It was a special day today after all and it was no wonder that it was in the spring, a season of life bringing. It was this same day, just years ago, that fate had granted him the most enigmatic gift.
He watched as she ran through the fields with glee, eventually squealing to herself as she sank into a bed of flowers. He could never understand her fixation with flowers, he imagined that he never would but he supposed he didn't need to.
"Happy Birthday Rin."
Rin turned back to look at his beautiful golden eyes; or were they more yellow in this lighting she wondered.
Jaken watched as Rin drew in her breath with great effort and clenched her teeth together from the pain while fighting off the unconsciousness that seemed to take her over and over.
"Jaken." She breathed as she fought through the memories that threatened to pull her down into a dark oblivion. "My sleeve."
Sesshomaru pulled the mokomoko, now shaped as a cloak, over his long head of hair and over the crescent moon that revealed his birthright and namesake. Though orgres were not known for their honed senses, their sense of smell would be enough to detect him if he did not take precaution.
He wondered idly if Rin was aware of that information and scowled as his train of thought started to veer back to her.
If she were the renowned slayer everyone acclaimed her to be, then she should be fine. He couldn't help but feel piqued around her, and for the first time in years he again pondered what had brought Rin into his life; Tensegia or his curiosity?
He'd always had a morbid sense of curiosity, especially when he realized what power he could wield with the fang bequeathed to him by his sire. The sword had compelled him to save her, but had the sword done so in response to his need to know, his yearning to understand the small helpless creature that had tried to help him so vigorously? And more importantly what in him allowed her to stay by his side for so long, to tend to her needs, to cater to her?
He truly did not know.
In the years that he had not visited Rin, he could easily admit to himself that it had been to cut off what he deemed an unnecessary limb. He had lands to conquer, enemies to defeat, he couldn't allow the physical manifestation of his curiosity or of his tenderness to linger around him. His enemies would no doubt make use of her time and time again, and though he had no doubt he would be able to save her, such a distraction would become a greater hinderance over time.
It would have also been unsafe for her, something he had factored in with great weight.
After all she belonged to him, he would not allow anyone to take or harm what was his, even if it was something he did not want around anymore. This new Rin however was no different from the old Rin in the same respect, except now he was all the more curious as she had changed and morphed into something he couldn't understand once more.
It was like the metamorphosis of a butterfly, one of the Kami's most beautiful creations, she had gone from one thing to the other almost over night and now he was exactly where he had started with her; piqued.
When he had first run into her, not only was he unamused but vexed. The first battle they'd fought, he couldn't understand how Rin who knew nothing but kindness, nothing but joy, and nothing but happiness could have become a slayer. A good one at that.
It was infuriating, it was almost as if she had grown to defy all he knew of her. The soft, kind child that he had come to know like the back of his hand, had grown into this being in order to prove to the world and to him, that he in fact did not know her and it insulted him, insulted the very nature of their relationship and disrespected the memory he had of her.
He only saw one solution, so in bringing her along with him to fight an unwinnable battle, she would die in both punishment and redemption. She would die for growing into what he did not know, for being something she was not; this would be her punishment. And in her death the memories he had of her would be redeemed, their relationship saved, because she would have forever remained the helpless ningen who depended on him for life.
Instead his brilliant plan for her demise and rebirth had backfired, and he now found himself…piqued. Everything she did drew his attention, every thought that shone in her eyes, every sigh she breathed, every smile….all of it confounded and intrigued him, and he sought to know it all, understand it all. This way he would know for certain what was in his possession and whether or not it was of use keeping around, until then she could not go.
Yes, that was the reason, the only reason he promised himself.
After all what could he want with her otherwise?
Jaken's inappropriate first comment upon meeting her flashed through his mind and he ground his teeth together.
As if her beauty were enough of a reason to keep her around. It was laughable really, what use did he have for a beautiful woman anyway. It was just another hinderance as they could go nowhere without men ogling her like a free meal.
As his thoughts brought him back to the boy by the bank, asking for her hand in marriage he found himself relieved that she had seemed so embarrassed by his claims. Not because he had any intentions with her, certainly not, what she chose to do in her romantic life was her own business. But he appreciated that she seemed of sound mind in spite of her beauty, she knew what she wanted, she knew her worth and yet did not belittle others. She was humble, graceful in her rejection of him and much too kind.
It was no wonder these men flocked to her, she was more than they deserved. Beautiful, kind, enigmatic, intelligent, strong, courageous, loyal. She was almost a deity among men. Almost. After all she was also headstrong, disobedient, smart mouthed, opinionated, sneaky and overly liberated.
No ningen man would be enough for her, she could not submit to them, anyone lower than herself; anyone other than him.
He growled at the distraction his mind refused to let go of.
Her servitude would be useful to him; nothing more and nothing less.
He pulled the cloak further over his features and stalked further into the wilderness, allowing his sense to pull him further towards.
He hated being piqued.
He hated her for having piqued his curiosity so thoroughly.
Jaken was at a loss, he rummaged through the weapons and vials of antidotes and poisons, she managed to keep on her person.
How had she been able to ever tell them apart? How had she been able to pack them into the little caps on her slayers wear to begin with?
He watched as her big brown eyes blinked at him almost painfully slow.
He held as many vials in his hands as possible.
"Which one Rin?" he asked her.
Her head hit the wall of the cavern with a small thud. He hopped onto her lap and pulled her hair painfully to get her attention.
"Focus you silly girl, which vial?" he hissed.
"Yellow." She breathed with a little nod, as if she had just become sure of something in that moment.
Jaken looked at the vial containing the yellow liquid and hoped to the Kami above that she was right and not simply hallucinating as he uncapped the bottle and gagged at the smell, it smelled acidic and potent, but what did he know he thought, as he slid the contents into her mouth.
