Yay! Thanks for the reviews! Here's the next chappie!

…………………..

She was the most beautiful thing Sesshomaru had ever seen. He guessed her to be fifteen or sixteen years of age. Her ebony hair fell like silk all the way to her waist and was cut around the smooth curve of her face so that it formed wispy curtains around her pink cheeks. A worn, orange kimono with yellow flowers dappling the sleeves hugged the curves of her breasts and hips. Her warm, brown eyes gleamed as she belted out her song, though she had no audience (that she currently knew of) other than nature itself.

Sesshomaru paused a moment, taking in the velvety song lyrics as they flooded past her full rosebud lips. Her scent also halted him. It was a strange mixture of lilies and some kind of herb. Sesshomaru couldn't quite recall the name of the plant, but it was an herb his family's healer used to mend cuts and soothe bruises. Nevertheless the herbal scent that wafted from the girl was nearly overpowered by the lily perfume, almost as though she was trying to cover up the medicinal smell.

Before he had time to ponder further in the matter, Sesshomaru shifted his weight and mistakenly stepped on a twig. Startled, the girl spun around to face him, clutching the front of her orange and yellow kimono defensively. Upon seeing Sesshomaru, she became slightly less tense.

Before she could speak, Sesshomaru barked, "Who are you?"

Tensing again, she held the flaps of her kimono shut tightly and replied, "I am called Rin."

"There's no need to panic, girl," Sesshomaru said firmly, noticing the way she gripped her clothing, as though he was moments away from tearing it away from her. "I have no vulgar intentions for a human such as you."

"How can I know that?" Rin hissed. "If humans are vile enough to seek me out, why should a demon be any different?"

Huffing, the young lord growled, "Is that why you have come into my territory? To escape human men?"

She avoided the question, unsure how to respond to the angry gleam in his golden eyes. "Territory? You must be a dog."

Though she had meant no harm by the comment, Sesshomaru snarled, a new wave of anger dancing across his eyes. "Human wretch! I, Sesshomaru, will not be insulted by the likes of you!"

"What? No! I meant dog as in dog demon!" Rin cried, falling to her knees in a deep bow. "Please forgive me, I didn't mean it as an insult."

A sniffle invaded Sesshomaru's sharp ears, and when Rin peeked up at him, small tears dripped down her cheeks.

"I'm sorry I'm in your territory, milord," she said, trying to sound respectful. "As you suggested, I was running from a group of men who live in my village."

For reasons he couldn't quite understand, that statement, combined with Rin's tears, infuriated Sesshomaru. Seeing the stunning young woman brought to tears over such a thing made him want to murder the men responsible.

Rin lowered her head again and cried, "But a demon of your stature surely doesn't care why I'm here."

"My stature?" Sesshomaru asked.

"You're a lord, aren't you?" Rin retorted, her head still turned to the ground. "The quality of your clothing is too good for you not to be."

Scoffing, Sesshomaru said, "Every member of my clan dresses this way, but I am a lord."

He pitied her. Here she was, on her knees apologizing and crying as though she had done something truly wrong to him, when she had only ended up in his territory by mistake. She would have been attacked, perhaps violated, had she not escaped. In fact, maybe she already had been. That would explain the strangeness of her scent, the mixture of medicine and lilies.

Sesshomaru truly pitied Rin. More than that, he wanted to protect her, though he still didn't understand why. Before he even realized what he was doing, he was gently lifting her from the ground into his arms. Broken and trembling, she pressed into the crook of his neck and wept against the satiny smoothness of his skin. Her delicate hands clutched the fabric of his kimono tightly.

"Hush," Sesshomaru soothed, drowning in the scent of her hair, her tears, and something else… blood. She was injured. Why hadn't he noticed before? "I'll take you to our healer. You can rest until you feel better."

"W-what?" Rin whispered. "Why are you doing this? Why now?"

Sesshomaru ignored her and began the trek back to the palace.

"Can I at least know your name?" Rin asked.

He gazed down at her and golden orbs clashed with sparkling brown. "I am Sesshomaru."

…………….

So? How was it?