Chapter Nine

"Even in your old age, you still act like a pervert." The man called Shippou spoke after witnessing Miroku's less than subtle advances.

The corners of Miho's mouth uplifted slightly in amusement and fought to suppress a giggle, which made Shippo's mouth also upturn while the monk Miroku cleared his throat and pretended that he had no idea of what his companion was indicating. "Now really, Shippou, how can you think so cruelly of me? I was just introducing myself to this lovely young woman." The old monk bowed in Miho's direction once again and raised a hand to motion for her to sit amongst them.

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes suspiciously as he studied the lovely woman's face. There was something within her eyes that caught his attention but not as much as her scent, which had caught him off guard. Roses…yellow roses and a hint of cloves along with something else that I can't quite make out. This woman has wielded a sword recently. She smells like a demon hunter. I wonder if Miroku would be able to smell it too if he was close enough to her.

Inuyasha glanced sideways to catch the eye of his adopted son who was currently busy reprimanding Miroku with a look of pure annoyance.

Shippou, who suddenly got the feeling that he was being watched, turned his attention to Inuyasha and raised his eyebrows in question. "What do you think, Inuyasha?"

The half demon shrugged. "If only Sango could see him now."

"Hey, I resent that! She would have wanted me to be happy and find someone to live the rest of my life with." Miroku huffed and retracted his arms to cross them.

Inuyasha scoffed and rolled his eyes while turning to face his lifelong friend. "I highly doubt she would have wanted you to look for someone who was way less than half your age, monk."

"Yeah!" Shippou added. "Can't you go and look for someone closer to your own age?"

"Now don't you two start up on my age again! Just because I look older than you doesn't mean I am!"

Both demons rolled their eyes at him.

Miho looked on in wonder at the three men and fought hard to suppress a giggle. Despite the attractiveness of the two demons and the innocence of the old monk, she couldn't help but feel as if she were in the presence of kids. Why do all men have to act like children no matter what their age?

"Where are our manners?" Shippou, the youngest member of the trio stepped out from behind their table and moved closer to her. "You must forgive them, Rin. They have no manners when it comes to being in the presence of a lady." He held out his hand and motioned for her to take it.

Miho was startled by his forwardness but accepted his invitation none the less. To her secret delight, he looked not much older than her. No more than a teenager, and his eyes held a fresh innocence beneath forest green coloring. He is defiantly a demon. I can see his fangs…and he has a tail! This demon was a good few inches taller than her and was currently wearing dark blue trousers with a long sleeved white kimono. His hair was thick and fashioned in a long and bushy ponytail that hung loose. But what really caught her attention was still his bushy tail and fox like feet. Shippou was simply adorable. Maybe if we had met in different circumstances, we would have been great friends, Miho thought to herself.

A few moments later, Inuyasha was convinced that Miroku had no intention of acting his age. Huh! Over eighty years old and he's still a pervert! The half demon stared at the sight before him in deep disgust.

Miroku had somehow managed to wedge himself between the Maiko and Shippou and was currently attempting to read the lines on Rin's right palm as a ploy to distract so that the unsuspecting woman would not notice where his other hand was traveling to. But to Inuyasha's amazement, Rin proved to me smarter than he had given her credit for as she yanked her hand out of his and grabbed for something near her backside. When she moved to display what it was that she had caught, Inuyasha and Shippou both howled with glee simply because of the look of anger that transformed Rin's face from her previous look of sweetness. "I beg your pardon, sir, but I am not an object in which you can place your hands upon whenever you please. Do refrain from attempting that again, or else I will take this hand of yours and stick it in a boiling pot and cook it until your skin falls from your very bones."

Miroku's face burned red, while Inuyasha smirked. "You know…for a recently initiated maiko, you sure know how to handle a man if he tries to touch you in the wrong way." It was the first time he had spoken directly to her in the few moments that they had been introduced.

Miho flushed, realizing the crucial mistake that could possibly get her into serious trouble. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to sound so harsh!" She glanced behind her and discovered that her 'mother' had mysteriously disappeared from the room. "I…I-I mean…it's not the first time I have had to deal with someone who thought that I was some sort of helpless maiden who couldn't fend for herself."

Inuyasha's brow raised, suddenly full of curiosity. "Is that so?"

Miho nodded solemnly and pushed herself away from the still embarrassed monk. "Why…just earlier today, I found myself in the presence of a demon who seemed to think that just because I'm a woman, I would be an easy target to pick on."

"Another demon?" Shippou chimed in. He turned to Inuyasha. "I didn't sense another demon around when we arrived. Can you sense him?"

Inuyasha ignored him and continued to study Miho's strange expression. "Tell me, Rin…how long ago did you see this demon?"

Miho raised an eyebrow questioningly. "Um…I would say just before sunset." She thought for a second. "I had to kick him in the nose to get away."

Inuyasha grinned, impressed. "Not many humans would have gotten close enough to a strange demon to fight with it and had gotten away unscathed. How, exactly, did you come across him?"

"Well…I-I…um…" Should she reveal her secret practices to these strangers? Would it be wise to trust them? Sighing, Miho made up her mind. "Well…It's kind of a long story."

Inuyasha studied her curiously and shrugged. "I have time."

"Me too!" Shippou added through a mouthful of cake and mint tea. He had recently attacked the spread of food that was had been sitting untouched before them a few moments ago.

Defeated, Miho sighed. "I was born into a demon slayer family and…"

"I knew it!" Inuyasha interrupted while Miroku broke free of his embarrassment.

"My late wife and her brother were also demon hunters."

Miho's eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Yes, and she was wonderful at it too. She trained our children, as well as myself in the art. Are you any good?"

"Not really…"

"Can we please get back to the story already?" Inuyasha interrupted once again and crossed his arms, annoyed.

Miho cleared her throat and continued. "Well anyway, my family died while on a raid when I was eight and I was brought here to be trained as a geisha instead of staying in my village to continue training as a demon slayer. I was, however, allowed to keep my father's weapons as a way of remembrance…so whenever I got the chance, I would sneak away from my lessons and practice with the blades. It is not an easy task to get away from the main house and if I am ever caught, I can get into serious trouble, which is why I doubt that I am any good at my family's profession." Miho paused. "Anyway, I managed to get away today and in the middle of my practice, I spotted this strange silver haired man walking close by me. He saw me, but I did my best to ignore him. He didn't like that very much, so he picked on me…and so I tried to threaten him with my sword. He didn't like that very much either, so we fought. It ended with me being knocked to the ground and I kicked him in the nose to get away."

Inuyasha was stunned by one thing in particular about Rin's story. "He had silver hair?"

Miho blinked. "Um…yes?"

Miroku and Shippou looked from half demon to maiko, utterly confused.

Miho continued. "He had the same color hair as yours…even the same eyes. Only he was dressed in white, whereas you are in an all red kimono."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes. "My brother."

"Oh! Is he with you?" Miho was terrified by the prospect.

"What do you think, Inuyasha? Could it be?" Miroku asked calmly.

"Now that I think about it…I wondered why I smelled something familiar about you." Inuyasha was looking at Miho while he moved to get to his feet. "You carry the smell of my older brother, Sesshomaru."

Miho felt the unmistakable stabbing sensation within her abdomen again and she doubled over, catching the table in order to steady herself. "Lord Sesshomaru!" She whispered fiercely before she could prevent it and she couldn't fight the blackness from enveloping her vision.

The pain was unbearable. Warm blood flowed freely from the wound in her stomach. She lifted her weak hands to cradle the spot where her child had once been, but felt nothing but the sickening warmth of her life slowly fading. 'What have I done…to deserve…such a…fate…? Oh…my Lord, I'm so…sorry…'

Distant footsteps caught her attention but only slightly as she was too weak to even open her swollen eyes. "Damn it!" She heard through the fog of her mind. It was a familiar voice…and it was shouting a name…but what name? "Rin? Answer me! Rin!" Hot hands touched the chilled flesh of her cheeks and her fading heart jumped mildly as a pair of familiar lips met hers. "Answer me…" The voice was full of heartbreak. Her Lord had found her…and she hated herself for being so careless. Their child was gone, and she was dying…and she could not be brought back.

She wanted to cry…but no tears would come. Her lips parted, desperate to say something, anything to indicate that she was sorry…but she was so weak…so tired. Only a stutter passed her lips. "s…so…"Exhaustion overcame her and she fell silent, unsure if she could speak again.

"Rin…?" The voice of her husband pressed on, more urgent than before.

Oh…how she longed to caress his beautiful face and cling to his warmth. 'I love you, Lord Sesshomaru…I'm so sorry…' Her throat wanted to tighten from the agony of her sorrow, but every part of her simply refused to move anymore. She tried once more to speak, but she could only move her lips in the form of the words before she succumbed to the impending blackness of the unknown. 'So sorry…'

She jolted upright and released a loud cry of phantom pain before her eyes popped open. Feeling wetness on her eyes, Miho closed them once again and realized that she had been crying. In her mind, she had seen a massive castle, built for a great lord and Miho had been part of it, but outside of herself was reality. Instead of that massive castle she had seen, she was back in the present, sitting on the floor of the tea house with four very concerned facing staring back at her. The first one was the face of Lord Inuyasha, whose caramel eyes were wide with uncertainty. The second was the face of the fox demon, Shippou, who was watching her as if ready to catch her if she fell back again. The third was the face of the monk, Miroku, who had a hold of one of her hands like he was prepared to ease her of her ailments. And the fourth, which had not been there before she blacked out, was the face of the man that she had dreamed of.

Miho's jaw had dropped in a most unladylike fashion, but she didn't care. The tears welled again and she allowed them to flow freely as the blackness threatened to consume her once more. "L-l-lord…Sesshomaru…?" She paused to catch a breath, which did not help the tightness that was clenching inside of her throat. The hot tears streamed from her swollen eyes. "I'm so sorry, my Lord!" She cried before she blacked out once more.