Chapter 3
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the InuYasha characters. There, I said it. Happy now?
A/N: gasp, this is the third chapter of this one! And it's kinda funny considering I'm working on this one just after I finished with the fourth for my InuYashaXKagome one anyways back to the story at hand.
In my mind, I think that you'd be cursing Jaken for ruining such a perfect moment between Rin and Sesshomaru, and yes, I know I'm evil. If you're not cursing him shrugs oh well, it was just light fluff anyways. Since I HAD to do the disclaimer, in wich I don't know why we have to do it in the first place, I can say that I may not own the official characters, I can say that I DO own a: Sesshomaru plushy huggles, A Kikyou figurine (I like it even though I don't like her), and 3 of the 4 InuYasha movies, so if you don't like me for it then nyah:P
"Jaken," Sesshomaru said, summoning the toad to his side.
"Yes, M'lord?" He asked, coming up to stand beside Sesshomaru. Lord? When did Sesshomaru become a lord? I questioned silently. I mean, I knew he always seemed lord-like, but now as an actual lord.
"Gather Rin's belongings, she will be with us for a while." Sesshomaru said, never taking his eyes off of my face.
"Yes Sesshomaru-Sama!" Jaken said leaping into action.
"You don't have to do this, Sesshomaru," I protested. "I'm doing quite fine on my own." That was a lie; I knew that if it was true, I wouldn't be injured like this.
"Even though you may be an assassin, you are still the only heir to the Easter lands, so I am to protect you while you are with us." He told me as he walked over to the two headed dragon Jaken had brought over and took hold of its reins brining it closer to where I sat.
"Are you able to stand?" He asked me.
"I-I'm not sure," I stammered, trying to stand unsuccessfully. Sesshomaru came over, took my waist in one hand and slid his other one under my legs. Since I was wearing a mid-thigh length kimono, which allowed me to move around more freely than with a full-length kimono, I could feel the sleeve of his own kimono and the strength of the arms that held me. Since I wasn't expecting him to pick me up like that, I had to clutch at his broad shoulders to keep from falling out of his arms.
Even though he only picked me up to place me on the large saddle adorning the dragons back, a part of my squealed in delight, but I squelched down on it and threw it into a locked region in my mind to keep anything from escaping. I had already shown enough weakness by crying in front of him and letting him find out that I had been injured so badly. Soon, we were off. Sesshomaru, flying in his usual gracefulness, was ahead while the toad sat in front of me on the dragon, steering and controlling the large beast. It was in the quiet silence of things that my thoughts returned to what he had said earlier; 'Even though you are an assassin, you are still the only heir to the eastern lands…'
I guess that's all he thinks of me now, I thought as my face fell. I was just an assassin, Heir to the Eastern lands, and, a Princess.
"Of course you do, and here I thought that you might think of me as a woman who has loved you all her life instead of just a Princess and assassin. I guess not. I guess I really am just a princess and assassin." I whispered to myself. I didn't know then that Sesshomaru had heard me and that his eyes dropped in guilt and sadness before they hardened into a determined stare. Oh how I wish I could have heard his thoughts, that way I might've been able to hear what he truly thought me to be. It was nightfall by the time we reached his castle and Jaken quickly rushed inside to gather up the servants to greet Sesshomaru and I.
"Good evening, Lord Sesshomaru." The servants chimed, bowing in great respect.
A servant of a higher class than the others stepped away from the other servants. She was a tall, beautiful kitsune who not only seemed to be quite strong, she also seemed oddly familiar.
"Sesshomaru-Sama," she said. "We are glad that you are back, and who is this young female with you?"
"This is Rin, assassin, princess, and only heir to the Eastern lands." He said regally.
"Ah, yes, Rin. My kitsune clan thanks you for using your skills to get rid of that demon that had been plaguing our village" She said as she bowed at the waist.
"Yoshimuri," Sesshomaru spoke.
"Yes, M'lord?" She replied, waiting for Sesshomaru to walk ahead of her before she started walking, signaling to another servant to follow. He came up to the dragon I was still seated upon, turning towards Yoshimuri and the other servant.
"Prepare the room next to mine." He told her and picked me up the way he had before, and began walking towards his castle. I was quite shocked. Sesshomaru did not seem to be himself. First, he helped me with my injuries; second, he picked me up, not once, but twice! And now he was telling the servants to prepare the room next to his for me! As we entered the room, Yoshimuri, who happened to be the nurse, bowed gracefully at the door, awaiting further instructions. He placed me down on the freshly prepared bed, which had been prepared before we had entered by other servants, and looked towards where Yoshimuri stood.
"Fill a bucket with water from the river and bring it back here, I shall call for you if you are needed." By the way he spoke to her; you'd think that her very existence was tedious. She left the room but soon came back with the bucket just as Jaken came stumbling into the room with my belongings. Yoshimuri and Jaken bowed before they left, but I caught a glare from Yoshimuri at Jaken before they left.
"Dink this," Sesshomaru said, handing me a cup that had been handed to him by a servant. "It will aid in the healing of your wounds."
I took a questioned look at it, and then up at Sesshomaru. The drink looked like a steaming pile of green slime placed in a cup.
"You expect me to drink that slime?" I asked, appalled.
"Drink." He said, urging the cup to my lips. I sighed and obliged him, drinking the contents with a grimace.
"It's so bitter," I said, sticking out my tongue.
"Yes, But It will still aid you in healing." He said a smile in his voice.
Finally! Some kind of emotion! I thought. Suddenly my eyes felt dizzy and placed a hand to my head.
"Sesshomaru," I murmured softly, my eyes feeling heavy and droopy. Had Sesshomaru secretly slipped something, like an herb that commanded sleep, into the contents of whatever I just drank? No! Sesshomaru wouldn't do that. I heard him emit a loud growl, the rustle of his kimono and the clink of his armor as he stood up. Just then I picked up the scent of death and graveyard soil. I tried to fight off the commanding sleep, but my body had already begun to give in. My eyes closed in sleep. I barely felt Sesshomaru grab me and pick me up, and barely heard his voice as he spoke to me. He seemed urgent about something. Something else was in his voice as he spoke to me.
"Rin, you mustn't go to sleep!" He exclaimed.
He seemed so far away. I then began to recognize the unknown emotion that was in his voice. It was fear. But why was Sesshomaru afraid of me going to sleep? I asked myself barely feeling his tears on my face as my heart and lungs slowed to a stop. What we did not know was that the servant who'd given Sesshomaru the cup wasn't really one of his servants and that he's slipped a poisonous herb into the mixture. The cup rolled from my limp hand as my breath quietly left my body. He gently placed me back upon the bed, a loud growl emitting from deep within his chest.
"Do not worry, Rin. I am not willing to let you leave this world yet."