I Do Not Own InuYasha


Aienkien

合縁奇縁

A couple strangely but happily united;

Uncanny relationship formed by a quirk of Fate;

The mysteries of attraction and relationships or bonds between people


II: 34


Year 1308...

Tsuzuki Castle...

Sesshōmaru returned the shiro as Rin was continuing her preparations for battle and he walked straight to his private quarters. He still had some of her armor from the Mongol invasion and their travels through Goryeo. It was what he had commissioned for her from Tōtōsai and it would be handy for her to wear. Walking into his quarters he walked to where he had tucked away the armor, she had left it behind when she had dove for Honekui no Ido last time, narrowly escaping his father.

The armor was simple, light weight, it was not ornamental or ostentatious as his father's people favored, it was rather underwhelming to be honest. The armor was light, it was designed to protect her chest and abdomen, but she had refused the heavy strips to protect her legs. She had always hated shoes, but he had found a pair of boots in Goryeo she had liked that were fashioned simply. The armor was leather, he had kept it simple, it was mostly black and brown, but he had commissioned it with his fur woven into it so she could have a level of protection against all weaponry. His fur, like his fangs and claws, when properly used could be a dangerous weapon, in this case though he had had it turned into armor for his mate. Sesshōmaru was pleased with it. There were shoulder pads, and protective for arm bands too. Overall he was pleased with the armor for it had saved her several times. Collecting the attire he also grabbed some of the smaller soldier garments that would fit her, she couldn't fight in a kimono. He also grabbed a ribbon for her hair because she would want that up.

Returning to Setsuna swiftly he saw his mate cleaning her dagger and he started setting down the armor.

"Sesshōmaru!" she smiled.

"Rin, you will need this," he said. She stood to look at what he had brought which had her frowning as she touched it.

"I…"

"You will wear this," he warned her sharply. "Change," he ordered.

Rin just sighed and he waited. It didn't take her long to change into the soldier's uniform, the bland colors weren't what she normally wore but this would do. Once she was done he stood before her and carefully lifted her arms before he started dressing her. Rin's face turned a lovely hue of pink as he worked.

"Where did you get this?" she asked as he worked on securing the armor.

"It's yours," he answered honestly. "It's yōkai," he explained. "It's been made of my fur, which should protect you against an inferior human attack, taijiya or not."

"You… this is…?" she sputtered as he secured her shoulder pads.

"Hai," he admitted. He wanted his mate safe, especially when she had followed him into war and to the continent in the quest to find information of Heaven's Door.

"This is too much!" she gasped.

"No, it's not enough," he murmured. If she wasn't so small and weaker compared to the opponents, she would be fighting then he would've had her fully encased in armor, but Rin relied on her speed and agility to win where she didn't have brute strength. He pulled her hair up carefully, twisting it up into a bun then using the ribbon to secure it before taking his mother's weapon and slipping it into the mass.

"Sesshōmaru!" she started.

"You will win and you will not be injured," he stated firmly and pulled her hands up as he grabbed the bands for her forearms. Looking at her palms he was a bit stunned to see her old scar on her right palm was a vibrant green, a kitsune mark. He could remember her having it, but he had never asked her about the kitsune mark on her. This was a mark of adoption, he had seen a few in his time, and he and Tsukuyomaru had almost done this ritual before they realized they would have to go back to being enemies at some point. He traced the scar with care and looked up at her as he assessed her reactions.

Unlike a mating mark, adoption claims were not intimate in nature, merely bonds to pull strength from. And Rin had enough yōkai marks on her body to put her on par with a hanyō in terms of powers she could draw off of.

"Use this," he said firmly. "Do not hesitate."

"Hai my lord," she nodded. He tied Bakusaiga to her hip properly and secured the kaiken where she could grab it with ease before she could mess it up. Rin had never been good about actually securing her weapons on her person.

"Do not forget about this," he tapped the hair pin as he leaned over to trace his nose over hers again.

"Rin!" a voice called for his mate. Sesshōmaru pressed his lips her brow before letting energy engulf him and seek out a perch.

He was surprised when he landed when there was a flap of leathery wings before another being landed in the neighboring tree. He stared in annoyance at Tsukuyomaru who smiled happily.

"You didn't honestly think I would miss you leaving Tsuzuki Castle with her armor!?" Tsukuyomaru asked. "Who's she fighting?"

"Yōkai Taijiya Chief," he answered.

"Oh, this is going to be a lovely little blood bath!" Tsukuyomaru smiled as he settled in his tree.

"You were not invited."

"You would never be so civilized."

"Go away."

"No, my favorite little mortal is about to unleash hell on someone," Tsukuyomaru stated.

"You don't even like humans!"

"You don't either."

He shook his head as they both settled to watch. He couldn't ever seem to successfully rid himself of Tsukuyomaru, especially after everything in Goryeo.

"Why are you still at Tsuzuki Castle anyway!? Don't you have your own clan to run!?" he demanded sharply. His friend had been at his home for the last few decades and it was getting rather cumbersome.

"Your home is so much nicer than my own and your mother likes me," Tsukuyomaru answered.

Sesshōmaru refrained from groaning.


"Kato," she greeted the young warrior who had come to escort her no doubt. The young man looked grim but nodded at her as he slid her door open.

"I am ready," she said firmly. Rin tried to expel the intimacy of the act Sesshōmaru had performed of securing her armor, she had done that for him many times as a pup, but until recent years had never thought a particularly intimate task. Now she was positive that it was, and she had struggled not to become distracted by his hands or his nearness. Sesshōmaru had been gentle and thorough about dressing her, which was shocking but at the same time it wasn't. It was however a very great distraction, and now she was a little flustered about it.

Kato stopped her and smiled. "I don't think you should do this, I know what you are and I know who you belong to and I know this will not end in his favor, however I do want to thank you for everything you have done here and for our people. Thank you for saving Daisuke too, he's my little brother."

"I was pleased to be able to help," she nodded.

"Good luck," Kato said and Rin walked into the training courtyard of Setsuna. There were a bunch of soldiers around, faces she didn't know, she saw Izayoi and Takemaru sitting on a platform where they could see the battle, and she turned to look at a fully dressed, fully armed Yōkai Taijiya.

Muhai was a large man, with a massive barrel chest and impressive height, he was a fight man, and a warrior, Rin knew this very well. On his person she saw many of the traditional Yōkai Taijya weapons, he had something similar to a kusarigama, though it was a bit different, more crude, he also had Hiraikotsu, along with several other shorter blades that she couldn't remember the name of. She had never actually seen Sango or Kohaku use the swords, they had never seemed to need them, and they didn't ever train with them as far as Rin knew. However, Rin wasn't fool enough to think the man incompetent with a sword.

"The terms are very simple," Takemaru spoke. "If Rin is defeated she will submit to marry Muhai, if Muhai is defeated Rin is free to do as she pleases."

The soldiers cheered.

"Surrender now and maybe I'll be merciful on your wedding night," Muhai smiled.

"If you like your manhood, I would suggest you never speak to me in such a manner again," she warned seriously. She would never submit to the threat of rape again, she was not weak, she was not his, and if he dared to think differently she would happily remove what made him a man and shove it down his throat for ever suggesting rape again.

"Begin!" Takemaru shouted.

Muhai hurled Hiraikotsu at her, which had her narrowly twisting out of the way as she drew Bakusaiga to hit the massive bone off it's return course which sent it crashing into the houses, the soldiers were silent now. She snarled as she twisted in time to intercept the chain, which wrapped around her forearm and yanked her off balance. Rin didn't fall from her feet as she slashed Bakusaiga with lethal intent through the chain feeling the long chain she hand in her possession had her throwing her arm as hard as she could, the heavy metal started to snake through the air for Muhai's head, which had the taijiya diving out of the way. She let the chains drop as she charged him, he was barely able to intercept her attack with his own blade which had him staring at her and she smiled.

Moving swiftly she took his initial surprise to her advantage as she went for three heavy consecutive strikes, one for the head, the second for the neck and the third for the knee, which he narrowly blocked before hitting her away, she stumbled a few steps back and growled. Her palm was pulsing with the desire to use the energy but she didn't as she instead sidestepped while deflecting to send Muhai stumbling as she hit his back side to throw him off balance. Before she started another attack, slashing through his armor, which he barely fell back from.

Rin gasped when he kicked her legs out from under her, but she rolled, dropping Bakusaiga as she caught the hilt of kaiken and spun up just as he nearly caught her which had her stabbing his hand into his shoulder.

Muhai cried out in shock before she slammed her knee into his gut, his weight started leaning on her which had her falling back as she used her legs to kick him into the air and she grabbed her hairpin from her hair as she straddled him, pinning his arms, and had the tip of the kanzashi pressed firmly on his wind pipe which had her gripping the hilt her kaiken; which was still embedded in his hand and shoulder.

"Yield," she growled lowly.

"Never," he snarled as he attempted to use his weight to throw her off, she was faster though yanking the kaiken from his shoulder as she slammed the heel of her hand up against his nose; feeling it break with a satisfying crunch before he found the kaiken had replaced the kanzashi.

"Yield or die," she said seriously Muhai's eyes narrowed, and he snarled, his face was lathered in blood which had her moving to put her knee on his wound and kept him subdued. She could feel her hair fluttering loose as the heat of the dying heat hit her aching body finally.

"You're too soft to kill me, onna!" He snarled, showing his teeth, which had her using her kaiken swiftly to slice off his ear while the kanzashi was at his throat again.

"If you do not yield, now, I will continue and remove your manhood to shove it down your throat, yield!" she spat out.

"I yield!" he spat out the blood, she nodded as she stood and stepped away from him. Wiping the blood off her kaiken she sheathed it before picking up Bakusaiga to wipe the blood off the fang before she sheathed it.

Suddenly there was a snarl, she turned in time to see Muhai coming for her which had her using the kenzashi before she knew what to think, as the small hair pin embedded itself in his throat. Muhai's eyes were bright with surprise as Rin stared at him in equal surprise, her hand still firmly grasping the pin.

Rin didn't even remember moving her hand as she stared at the man, blood dribbled from his lips as his eyes bulged, and small gurgling sounds came from his throat. He stepped back off her pin, his hand uselessly clamping around his throat as he stumbled a step back and he fell to his knees. Blood poured a little from the wound, slipping between his fingers.

She took a deep shuddering breath as she stared into his eyes.

Rin was no stranger to death, she was Sesshōmaru's and a healer, she had seen people kill and be killed, and watched people die before even as she was trying to save them. She had seen death and destruction all her life, but this was the first time she had ever killed someone at her own hand, she trembled a little as she watched him die. Muhai finally collapsed on the stones and the soldiers gaped at her, she turned to look at Takemaru who looked so stunned.

"He yielded," she whispered.

"And he betrayed the terms of the duel," Takemaru replied.

"Why?" she asked.

"Rin!" Izayoi came rushing for her and Rin was stunned as she was engulfed by the woman.

"Why did he…" she started.

"Let us get you cleaned up," Izayoi gently offered.

"No, I want Sesshōmaru," Rin whispered.

"Sesshōmaru…?" Izayoi asked.

Suddenly found herself engulfed in light and wrapped up in strong arms as she rested against mokomoko and felt him carrying her away. She found herself in Sesshōmaru's quarters and he was undressing her with just as much care as he had dressed her for battle before he guided her into a bath.

"Rin?"

"I've never… I've never killed anyone," she whispered. "Why didn't he yield?"

"You protected yourself," he murmured. "You are not responsible for his death, he acted wrong," he assured her.

Rin nodded and accepted the silence. Sesshōmaru was inspecting her for injuries, and there were a lot of bruises, a cut on her cheek she hadn't felt, and a lot of blood to wash from her. When the water was pink he pulled her from it and had attendants change it before guiding her back into the warm bath to start washing her properly.

"I don't… I don't regret defending myself," she admitted after a while, he was gingerly washing her hair. "I just… why did he do that?" she whispered.

"Because you removed what he wanted, and he acted rashly," he said. "I am sorry you killed him, but I am pleased you live, and he is dead," he said softly.

She turned to assess him, Sesshōmaru's expression was calm, indifferent, and open, he continued cleaning her hair.

"Sesshōmaru-sama?" she whispered.

"Hai?"

"Can I stay here tonight?"

"Hai," he murmured.

"Will you stay with me?" she asked feeling small and wanting to feel safe.

"Hai, always," he promised gently as he continued his quest to clean her. She was stunned when he pulled her out of the water, drying her before putting her on the futon naked, then he went to strip before joining her.

"I didn't want to kill him," she whispered.

"I know," he murmured.

"How?"

"Because you are a gentle soul," he replied.

"I've seen people die before," she murmured.

"Rest," he murmured. "Recover, I will take you to Honekui no Ido when you are ready," he promised.

"Arigato," she whispered as she hugged mokomoko and curled up against him. His heavy arm was safely wrapped around her and the other was her pillow as his claws trailed over her stomach absently.

"Rest Rin," he ordered as she finally felt the exhaustion come crashing down.


Setsuna Castle...

Izayoi was stunned at the battle results in the end, she was stunned as she stared at the men preparing Muhai to return to the Yōkai Taijiya village. She had been stunned when Rin had been engulfed by light and vanished after whispering she wanted Sesshōmaru, and now they were there in a bloody courtyard.

"I did not know she was such a skilled warrior," Takemaru said softly as he watched the attendants start cleaning the blood off the stones in his courtyard.

"She had claimed to be skilled," Izayoi murmured. She remembered Rin taking on Tōga with the same brutal efficiency that she had displayed just now.

"I will see to it that the Taijiya do not retaliate," he sighed. "Muhai had yielded," Takemaru admitted.

"I heard," she agreed.

"As did all the soldiers, for now it will be best if we say that Rin was recalled by her daiyōkai lord," he said. "Perhaps forge an alliance against the yōkai through this tragedy," he sighed.

"Takemaru…" she sighed.

"We need the Taijiya to win the war, Izayoi!" he defended.

"And what about Rin? Did you not see her after that!?" she demanded. "Muhai forced her to do that, you will not turn her into the villain of whatever plot you are creating," she warned sternly. "After Muhai's unfortunate death Rin decided it would be best to return to her lord, that is all. There will be nothing about daiyōkai or yōkai because they had nothing to do with Muhai's death," she warned.

"Very well," he sighed.

"I mean it Takemaru," she warned sternly. "You will not sully Rin for keeping herself safe."

"I will not use Rin to gain a needed alliance," he avowed.

Izayoi nodded as she walked back to her quarters and shuddered, it was unnerving how a yōkai had just come in here and taken Rin without so much as a faltering. She was still stunned that Rin had been taken, or that the yōkai had revealed himself so brazenly.