AN: Hey, I'm back with another chapter! Although it's a lot shorter than usual, I hope you'll enjoy it. Also, I apologise for the major delay :( my life got pretty hectic and I was dealing with a considerable writter's block for this exact episode, but occasional reviews did actually motivate me to continue. Either way, have fun reading!
It was already late into the evening when a prickly pain shot up Rin's left leg, jerking her awake. Opening her eyes, she saw an indistinct silhouette of a woman kneeling by her side. Since the room in which she was placed was barely lit by a lantern and a few candles, the girl's vision had to adjust to the dim lighting at first.
"I thought it would wake you up. Don't worry though, it will only hurt for a few more moments until I'm finished. " The woman spoke, her warm calming voice filling up the silent room.
"Did Sesshomaru-sama bring me here?" Rin asked groggily, slightly wincing from the needle puncturing her skin once more, while trying to look up at the lady, balancing her upper body on her elbows.
"Indeed, he did. I'm not sure as to how you got injured, I can only assume from this wound that you were attacked, but Lord Sesshomaru was quite rushed at finding you a healer. Humans are such weak creatures I might say.." She sighed overdramatically.
From hearing those last words, Rin took a closer look to the woman helping her. She didn't look spectacular and didn't have any distinctive traits – she had long dark hair just like Rin, dark brown eyes, which were extremely common amongst humans, and appeared to be in her early 30's. But the way this woman addressed Rin's kind as 'weak' was an obvious sign that she wasn't human. But then, as the strange woman lifted her hand to move a strand of her dark hair behind her ear, Rin learned that she was, in fact, correct about her prediction. She was a yokai, and her ears, just like the ones Sesshomaru and most demons in this castle had, were pointed.
The yokai looked up at Rin and noticed her curious glance. „Since there are no human settlements in our Lord's estate, he had to resort to someone from the palace. I'm Hama, by the way. One of the castle's physicians."
"Thank you, Hama- sama." Rin smiled while trying to at least slightly bow her head to show gratitude.
"I'm not so sure you should be thanking me, since I'm doing this out of obligation. Sesshomaru- sama came to me, telling that if I don't fix you up properly, he will have my head," She chuckled, obviously finding this situation humorous.
"Well that doesn't sound welcoming." Rin mustered, letting down her eyes in attempt to hide her embarrassment. Could this get any more awkward? She sighed inwardly.
As the last stitches were put in, the stinging pain ended, but just for a moment. "You better bite down on something because this will hurt." Hama said as she took a white cloth, pouring some alcohol on it and then, without any hesitation, pressed the soaked fabric on Rin's closed up wound, causing the girl to yelp.
"That was not fun at all" Rin exhaled and looked down at her leg, her eyebrows faintly furrowed from the unpleasant stinging.
"The worse is over." The physician gave Rin a sincere smile and started bandaging up her shin. „ Although your injury is not that serious or fatal in any way, the wound is deep enough to damage your muscles and alter your movements when walking. It will take at least a week for it to somewhat heal but I advise you not to participate in any form of training for at least three weeks or so."
Rin did nothing but nodded, groaning internally and blaming herself for ending up bedridden for a week.
"I won't attend to all of your needs, but I will occasionally check up on you," Hama pointed out as she lifted herself from one of the tatami mats, placed by Rin's futon.
"Either way, thank you." The girl said, watching as Hama blew out most of the candles and picked up the lantern. "I hope I didn't inconvenience you too much… And goodnight."
"Likewise. Try not to mess up my work on your leg." The woman nodded and left the room, closing the wooden shoji doors behind her.
After a few minutes of silence, Rin reached for the remaining candles and blew them out, leaving the quarters in complete darkness. Soon enough, she was dozing off.
A week has passed since and Rin was already bothered out of her mind. During that time, Rin, if she didn't have any more lectures for the day, mostly spent her time with Tomoko or occasionally her maid Mako. But her evenings, as promised, were dedicated to Sesshomaru. Although he didn't let her walk or move too much during the first few days, she just couldn't stay still for too long. And right now, Rin was casually lounging in Sessomaru's study while he was trying to read the monthly border patrol report, just a few feet away from her.
"Rin."
"Huh?" She turned her head, her bangs falling across her forehead in a messy manner. Ever since that day, when Sesshomaru brought her back to the palace, her mind was more clouded with thoughts she shouldn't have, feelings that were foreign and most likely forbidden.
"Stop fidgeting." he said as he exhaled, not lifting his eyes off of the scroll.
"…I'm not."
"Is there something bothering you?"
But Rin didn't answer. Sesshomaru turned his head towards the girl and gazed at her form. She was lying on one of the tatami mats on her stomach, legs raised and swaying up and down.
Not even a second had passed when suddenly Rin felt Sesshomaru's hand wrapping around her ankles, stopping the swinging movement of her legs.
"You should be more considerate of your injuries." He quietly pointed out, sitting down near the girl.
Rin looked at him from her position, and hoisted herself up so she could be more or less at his eye level.
Even though she never actually had such thoughts of her Lord before, she couldn't help but admire Sesshomaru's features. His porcelain white skin, bright golden eyes, which to some might appear cold and empty, but to Rin they seemed warm and expecting. The magenta markings on his prominent cheekbones and the crescent moon on his forehead proved that the blood of a strong daiyokai was pulsing in his veins. Lost in these thoughts, she noticed her lord's lips move, but she couldn't hear his words.
"What?" She woke up from her daze.
Sesshomaru looked at the girl curiously. She seemed more absentminded than usual.
"If you do not wish to stay in my company, you may leave."
"No!.. No, I meant, um..," Rin stuttered, before starting again, "I do enjoy spending my evenings with you, but these past few days were completely dull. And even now, when I am by your side, you're busy with other matters, which I do understand, but…" She turned her head towards the window, avoiding to look in his eyes.
"You got yourself into this situation for disregarding my orders. What in god's name told you leave the estate without anyone's knowledge and completely unaccompanied?" Sesshomaru scoffed at Rin's absurdity, turning his gaze back down at the documents in his hand.
"Because I feel as if I am locked in this place. Every noble, every servant is looking down on me for being human. The only solace is you, my Lord. But you're away most of the time." She let out a long sigh of longing, lowering her head into the tatami mat while trying not to tear up.
"Rin…" the yokai lord reached for her cheek, turning her face so he would see her. "I was not aware that this is how you feel. I only wish to protect you – outside the walls of my palace there are numbers of predators and foul creatures seeking to disturb the balance I have created for the inhabitants of the estate. Nothing would upset me more than seeing you getting hurt by those degenerates." Sesshomaru finished with a snarl and a vile taste in his mouth, clearly displeased by the thoughts that sprung into his head. His eyes had a fiery look to them as he turned away from the girl.
A hint of a small smile played at the corners of Rin's rosy lips while she looked out of the window once again in an attempt to hide her amusement. Even though Sesshomaru-sama would never admit to it, he is almost as temperamental as Inuyasha, she thought.
"Even so," Rin began, "it would be lovely to be able to wander outside the walls once in a while or so, even if it's with supervision. Actually, I've been meaning to ask you-"
"No." Sesshomaru cut her off.
"You didn't even hear me out!" She protested, sitting upright and looking at Sesshomaru.
The daiyokai exhaled and turned his head towards Rin. "What is it that you want then?"
"I want to visit Edo." The girl stated matter-of-factly.
Sesshomaru knew this request would come sooner or later. Placing a palm near his temple as if from a headache, he stated "Your leg hasn't even healed and yet you require for such a bothersome journey."
"I'm not saying we need to go tomorrow, or next week. I'm just asking you to let me see Kagome, Kaede and others…" Rin uttered, her face clearly showing expectation.
"Hn." Was all that Rin heard when she was swiftly lifted up by his arms again. "It's getting late, you should go to sleep." The demon lord voiced as he stood up with Rin holding on to him. Throughout the week this manner of Rin being carried by him became just another technicality since the girl couldn't walk freely, but even so, Rin blushed every time she was held.
But unbeknownst to the girl in his arms, the daiyokai would also feel at times frustrated from the foreign emotions, which were causing him turmoil in both his heart and mind. Not knowing the meaning of these feelings caused him even more confusion and the great Lord of the West was not used to such perplexity. Sesshomaru often questioned himself if it's a lesser form of lust or desire, but he would swiftly bring such thoughts to naught. I am not my father, he assured himself.
Reaching Rin's quarters, he slid open the shoji doors and carried her inside. The room was submerged in darkness, which was only a mere obstacle against the demon man's exceptional eyesight.
"You can put me down now, my Lord." Rin said in a whisper, as if afraid to break the tranquil silence.
Sesshomaru carefully placed the girl on her futon, considerate of her left shin. "I will tell Hama to check up on you later," the yokai voiced tonelessly while running his clawed fingertips along her leg, causing the girl gooseflesh. "See you tomorrow." He finished and got up to leave.
"Wait-" Rin grabbed his wrist, causing Sesshomaru to stop abruptly.
"What is it?" If it weren't so dark, Rin could see him raising an eyebrow. He was anticipating something important, but it was soon forgotten when he heard Rin's request.
"Could you please um… bring me a glass of water?" She said in the sweetest tone possible, blinking her eyes. She knew he was able to see her expression.
Sesshomaru sighed and walked to a short-legged table, placed near one of the large windows, and filled her cup with water from a pitcher. Walking back to the girl, he thought, Why is the great Lord of the West acting as a servant to a human girl? He stopped short of reaching her futon. Sesshomaru placed the porcelain cup on the ground a few feet away from her and stood up. "Goodnight" he said huskily and smirked, leaving Rin in her room with a frown.
"Well that was not very nice at all." She muttered, stretching her arm out as far as possible towards the liquid so she wouldn't have to leave her warm sheets.
Soon, a lantern appeared in Rin's room and she heard Hama's voice. "It's time to see how you're holding up, darling."
After the bandages were removed, the physician inspected the moderately healed up wound. "I believe it's healed enough for you to move around again." She stated and nodded at Rin.
A smile crept onto the girl's face. Finally.
AN: Don't forget to review :) They do help out quite a bit lol. Also I have a lot of ideas for the upcoming chapters, but I'm still not quite sure how to put them together. Hopefully the next chapter will come out in 2 weeks or so :))