Upon Kinos arrival a few of the girls from the brothel met with her. Smiling widely as she went inside with them Jin watched on.
Going with Nagi up the path towards the compound he was not looking forward to telling Sesshomaru or Kohaku what he had found out.
Deciding to alter the course of his thoughts he turned to Nagi as he walked beside him.
"Does Kino spend a lot of time with the women at the brothel?" He asked out of curiosity.
"Yeah, she does. What they do I have no idea. She is very protective of everyone down there though, especially the women. I think it may be more that she is looking out for them." Nagi replied.
"Oh." Jin said.
"Listen, I know that telling on Rina isn't something that you want to do but you have to." Nagi stated.
"I know. I am." Jin retorted. "She said she made a mistake and she was living with it. I get that, I do. She brought up that she knows I almost killed everyone in the compound so I understand making a bad judgment call in the heat of the moment."
"She had time to figure out what to do. It's one thing to get mad at your boyfriend and burn some herbs. It is an entirely other to find somewhere to give birth and hide the evidence after." Nagi said shaking his head. "The whole thing pisses me off. There's something not right with that girl and this proves it."
"What do you mean?" Jin wondered.
"I don't know if I can explain it. She seems fine at first but once you get to know her she is…off. She tries too hard and does not understand or accept rejection." Nagi replies. "Rina acts as if she is needed all of the time and is very important; putting her nose in other people's business. The fact is everyone does well when she leaves them be."
"Maybe she feels as if she has something to prove to her parents or herself or feels inadequate in some way." Jin offered.
"Don't know, don't care." Nagi brushed it off. "I am just glad to get some distance between us. Question is, where am I going to stay? Thanks to you the barracks are gone and I am not sharing quarters with Jaken again."
"It is probably too late in the season to commission a hut for you." Jin said. "That will have to wait until spring."
"Right. Guess I'll just have to stay with you."
"No." Jin replied quickly.
"Why not? Nen isn't around right now. I can help with Nozumi."
"Because you're a dick, that's why."
"I thought that was what you liked."
"Exactly my point! You make fun of me and insult me all of the time! I am not living with you." Jin almost shouted at him.
"Sorry. I have no filter on my mouth. What comes to mind just goes out my mouth." Nagi apologized. "What if I promise to be on my best behavior? I will try very hard to be…good."
"Sleep in the stables for all I care." Jin responded sharply. Coming on the property that they called home Jin sighed relief.
"Good to be back." Nagi expressed with a wide smile.
"Oh yes." Jin agreed. As they neared the front walking towards the main house Rin sat outside on the deck in a warm cloak with Sesshomaru beside her.
"Please don't hug me." Nagi whispered under his breath. Smirking mischievously Jin glanced at him.
"Lord Sesshomaru! Rin! Nagi is back!" Jin called out.
"Bastard." Nagi grumbled. Standing Rin was down the steps and running towards them with her arms outstretched.
"Nagi! You came back!" Excitedly she wrapped her arms around him as he held his out to his sides. "I am so happy you returned. Did you get bored at the post? How was the season down there? What did you do to pass the time?"
"Hello Rin." He greeted with a small smirk glad to see his childhood friend even though his heart pounded as he felt Sesshomarus eyes on him. Letting go of him Rin took Nozumi from Jin to take her in the main house.
"Hello baby girl. We missed you. Let's get you changed and have some warm milk." She coo'd to the infant. As she went inside Jin and Nagi approached Sesshomaru.
"Lord Sesshomaru." Nagi greeted. Receiving a slight nod that was near invisible he relaxed.
"Lord Sesshomaru; I need to speak with you and the chief regarding a matter that has been brought to my attention. You as well captain." Jin said looking to Riku as he stood guard at the bottom of the steps.
"Captain. Find Kohaku." Sesshomaru said simply.
"Yes my lord." Riku replied dutifully turning to bow his head before running off to the wood line. Nervously Jin waited the few minutes it took for them to come.
"Hey Nagi!" Kohaku said with a wave. "Decided to rejoin us?"
"Yeah chief, if you would have me." Nagi returned.
"Absolutely." Kohaku nodded his head once.
"Jin. Explain." Sesshomaru commanded in a soft tone.
"Right. I know who my daughters mother is and I think it would be important for everyone here to know in case something happens again." Jin began.
"The woman is still down there?" Kohaku asked. "I thought the one responsible would be excommunicated when it was found out."
"Mui never found out. No one else knows because it is the last person down there anyone would expect…"
"Jin, stop beating around the bush and out with it." Riku ordered.
"Rina, Rina is Nozumis mother." Jin said quickly.
"The girl that came here and suggested we made a deal?" Riku asked.
"Yeah, that's her." Jin confirmed. "She knew the whole time that she was pregnant and took advantage of our agreement." Jin stated.
"The agreement was to benefit her. If she had intended to abandon her young then she used us as a way to do so." Sesshomaru replied.
"I told you, she ain't right." Nagi said glancing at Jin who paled considerably.
"What to do next." Kohaku stated. "Do we call off this arrangement or go forward with it?"
"It is a benefit to have supplies and conveniences close by. While the arrangement may have been made for a selfish want it would be foolish to end it." Riku offered.
"Agreed." Sesshomaru said. "If it were only demons here then I would not be so concerned but our humans need things at times that we cannot procure in a timely manner that the trading post has."
"Some of 'your' humans are standing right here you know." Nagi retorted before correcting himself. "Lord Sesshomaru."
"Jin, are you alright?" Kohaku asked as he had suddenly grown quiet.
"No. I feel…guilty in a way, as if I have done something wrong. Not by telling any of you but…I don't know how to explain it." Jin struggled.
"Guilt by association." Nagi offered. "You're close to the situation so you feel badly."
"You have done nothing wrong Jin." Riku said kindly. "This is a good thing you have told us. We needed to know this."
"Kohaku; we will inform our mates of the information we have received and will let them deal with it as they see fit. We will keep our arrangement with the trading post for now however that woman will not set foot upon our territory again." Sesshomaru said strictly.
"Yes my lord." Riku confirmed. "I will notify Jiro and Kino upon her return."
"Very well." Sesshomaru said standing. Rin came out at nearly the same time stopping when she saw them all standing at attention.
"Is every thing alright?" She questioned handing Nozumi back to Jin.
"There are some matters to discuss." Sesshomaru replied. "Summon Izumi from her chamber."
"Yes my lord." Rin said just as dutifully as the rest.
"Nagi, assume Kohakus patrol along the northern border. Jin, we will see you tomorrow." He said dismissing them. "Kohaku, with me."
Following Sesshomaru into the house he prepared himself for the anger and tears that were sure to come.