I dedicate this chapter AzaMoura on deviantART. :D Forgive any spelling/grammar errors. I typed this in a rush.
And I'm still open for suggestions as to what you want to happen in this fic! ~
Chapter 6:
It had been three days since Sesshoumaru had come home to find his home destroyed and his ward missing, two days since the workers had begun work on the new shiro, and hours since he had made his way to the beach below the shiro cliff to stare out upon the gentle waves and think.
The tide was low, causing a vast amount of beach front to appear at the base of the cliff. It was times like this that Rin loved most; it was not uncommon to see her barefooted and digging through the sand to find little hidden sea treasures like shells and dried up starfish. She had started a collection of these simple little finds when she was younger and the hobby had not died as she grew.
But now her treasures were gone; burned to mere cinders just as everything else in the shiro had. As he stood on the beach, his shoed feet ever-so-slightly sinking into the sand, Sesshoumaru's mind was flooded with images of the girl as she danced along the water's edge, laughing and shooting him over-joyous smiles. He tried to imagine her reaction when she found that everything that had ever meant something to her was gone…
It would have been easy to track her scent. Despite the fact that the demon who carted her away had a disgustingly strong ember smell, his inu nose would have tracked them both to where ever the demon was running to. However, there was always that voice nagging him. You're turning into your father. Going soft over a mere human! Throwing yourself into battle over a little ningen! Pah!
That was when another voice argued back. That demon destroyed EVERYTHING. It ran off with something that belonged to YOU. Man up and show whoever was behind this what the consequences are for such insolence!
It was a never-ending battle in his head and Sesshoumaru was torn between the two choices. Was it really such a bad thing to chase after the girl who had been with him all those years? Would rescuing her really mean he had gone… soft?
Sesshoumaru had looked down on humans ever since he could remember and yet there was something so different about Rin. Her gentle nature, her pretty face, her fierce devotion - all of these things seemed so opposite to that of any other human and yet she still was one. After all these years, had he actually grown attached to this girl so much that he would go racing off after her at the mere mention of her being in danger? He had in fact done such things before…
"Sesshoumaru-sama!" barked a voice and the taiyoukai turned his head slowly to gaze up the cliff. Jaken stood on the edge, waving his stubby arms wildly in order to get his master's attention. With a scowl, Sesshoumaru vanished in a flash of white and was at the imp's side in mere milliseconds, sending the toad falling backwards onto his small rump. "Oh, my lord!" Jaken leapt to his feet, bowing repeatedly. "This came for you via messenger, my gracious lord," the toad continued, still hunched over as he handed a small piece of white cloth to the inu youkai.
Sesshoumaru eyed the poorly wrapped parcel and took it in his large, slender hands, unfolding in quickly. Inside was a small loop of orange and white fabric.
"Jaken, where is the messenger?" Sesshoumaru snapped quickly.
The old toad stammered for an answer, "Why, I sent him away, my lord! His job was done-"
The next moment the imp let out a terrified squeal as Sesshoumaru gave him a swift kick to the face, sending the toad flying off the cliff's edge towards the water. Satisfied, Sesshoumaru leapt into the air to pursue whoever had left him the little parcel filled with Rin's scent.
Lady Leiko had seen to it that Rin was moved to better quarters that boasted a soft, feather-stuffed bed and a window. While the new arrangement was more comfortable, it did not put Rin's racing mind at easy. Shoichi had not shown his face since the incident over three days ago, Akina barely spoke two words to Rin when she saw her, and where the heck was Sesshoumaru-sama anyways?
Despite these things, Lady Leiko had always shown Rin a cheerful kindness and had promised the girl that as soon as her husband had received what he wanted (whatever that was) that Rin would be free to go. Leiko had made sure that the human girl had received decent meals and proper medical attention from Akina. However, there was something about the demoness that caused Rin's skin to crawl… something about her smile was dangerous, like the calm before the storm.
Sitting with her knees pressed to her chest, Rin sat silently on the bed, her eyes closed to block out the large, silhouetted demon that lurked just beyond the rice-screen door in the hallway. She tried to block out all her swirling thoughts and fears, focusing solely on the sound of the pine tree outside her window as it scratched softly on the shiro when the wind blew. The simple sound brought a wave of memories flooding back to her; she had experienced a much similar event at the Western Shiro. However, when she was younger it was much more frightening. A large maple tree was positioned directly outside of her window and during dark, windy nights the moonlight would cast frightening shadows against the wall and the branches would scratch angrily against the wood, like a demon clawing to get inside. It would frighten the young Rin, bringing her images of those hungry, salivating wolves as they nipped and scratched at her heels.
On nights like these, she would find herself running down the hall to the only place she felt safe. She would nestle herself just outside of Sesshoumaru's room, curling up into a thin blanket and closing her eyes. Just being around him and knowing he was near made her feel at ease at once. Because she knew that he wouldn't let anything harm her.
It was years later that Sesshoumaru had finally figured out what was causing Rin's sudden midnight sprints to his room. He ordered the maple tree be torn down the next day. While Rin was thankful for his sudden kindness, she was slightly saddened by the fact that she would now have no excuse to flee to his room in the middle of the night. And secretly, she wondered if he felt the same.
The sound of the door sliding open had Rin's eyes snapping open and the hairs on her neck standing on end. Akina stepped into the room and flashed Rin a gentle smile, but didn't approached the bed any farther. "Dinner is ready, Rin," she said in a sing-songy voice. "Lady Leiko requests your presence immediately."
The messenger was a simple-looking ningen boy. Sesshoumaru spotted him quickly as he sprinted back down the trail from which he had come. As the youki around his body suddenly faded, the taiyoukai grabbed the boy by the collar of his kimono and tossed the human to the ground roughly. The boy choked out a grunt and scrambled to his feet quickly, using a small tree for support. His narrow eyes looked up at Sesshoumaru in terror, awaiting the worse. As if reading Sesshoumaru's mind, the boy began to speak in a rapid stutter, "I-I was sent from the S-Southern Lands!" he squeaked. "B-By a servant girl! She said to take the parcel to the b-burned shiro on the hill and to not stop till I got there!"
What pitiful things humans are, Sesshoumaru thought idly, almost surprised by the boy's rushed confession. And Shoichi trusts these things to do his dirty work for him?
Sesshoumaru flexed his claws, wondering if the boy was worth the energy to kill. It certainly would make him feel better… Seeing the murderous gaze flash through the demon's eyes, the boy dropped to the ground, clapping his hands together in a pleading motion. "I do not know what it is you are angry about, great demon, but understand that I know nothing about it!" he exclaimed, then added in a rush, "I can deliver a message back to the Southern Lands if you'd like!"
Sesshoumaru contemplated the boy's suggestion for a moment before replying, "Relay this message: This Sesshoumaru does not take well to threats. And what has happened to my shiro and my ward is most certainly considered a threat."
Leiko was donned in a pure white kimono, as if trying to send off the aura of innocence and peacefulness. She sat at the end of a long table in a relatively empty room and when Akina led Rin into the dining hall, the snow leopard rose with a smile. "Ah, Rin, I'm happy you came. We need to talk."
Those last four words sent chills down Rin's spine. Akina directed the older girl to a seat near Leiko, bowed to her mistress, and headed for a door on the opposite side of the room. When she returned, she carried a plate of steaming food and sat it in front of Rin.
"Akina, make sure no one disturbs us," Leiko said and Akina acknowledged her with a nod before leaving the room quietly.
Rin did not speak nor move for several moments. Leiko touched her arm gently, rubbing her fragile human skin in soft circles. "Don't be scared, Rin," she said with a coo. "I just need you to clear up a few things."
Rin did not reply and instead waited for the demoness to continue.
"Rin, what is your relationship with Lord Sesshoumaru?"
At the mere mention of his name, Rin's head shot up and a fire ignited in her dark eyes. Sesshoumaru words from days before rang in her ears: "Troubles with other lands," and suddenly it seemed like everything was falling into place.
"Is that what this is all about?" she asked quickly. "Are you trying to lure Lord Sesshoumaru here using me as the bait?"
Abruptly, Rin pushed herself up onto her feet, staring defiantly down at the demoness. Leiko stayed where she was, undisturbed by Rin's angry outburst.
"He will come for me. He always protects me. And when he comes - and when he comes -" She was so angry the words wouldn't verbalize. Her uninjured fist was clenched, her whole body was trembling. Never in her whole life had she ever felt so protective over someone else. Just the mention of his name in the mouth of someone unworthy made her blood curdle and her vision go red. And how ironic it was that such a powerless human would defend something as great as the Lord of the Western Lands.
She stood there, fuming and shaking, gazing down at the older demoness with such an obvious hatred. Leiko merely let out a small sigh and stood. "Rin," she began gently, folding her hands regally behind her back. "If Sesshoumaru is so protective of you, why hasn't he come for you already?" she asked and didn't wait to see the shock spark in the young girl's eyes before she continued. "Your faithfulness to him is admirable and foolish all at the same time. He had lured you into some kind of false security, Rin." She paused to take in Rin's upset expression before she began again, "A demon as powerful as Sesshoumaru would have had no trouble getting here the minute he found out you were gone… and yet here you still are. Rin, this is what I wanted to talk to you about. If Sesshoumaru doesn't come soon, we'll have to get our point across to him in a different manner."
Rin stayed deathly still, waiting for the words she already knew were coming.
"I'm afraid if he doesn't come, we'll have to kill you."