-Humbling Himself-

"Lord Sesshomaru! Lord Sesshomaru!"

Mikado rushes through the halls of the castle her face red with worry.

"Mi'lord!"

Where could Rin have gone, and why? That morning Mikado following her usual schedule went to Rin's room to wake her but when she got there….

Mikado laughs when she sees Rin hiding under the blankets on her bed, she slowly creeps over saying: ah so you don't want to get up. She throws her hands onto the bed hoping to shock the child into getting up but her hands sink into the blankets and into the pillows. She frowns throwing the blankets aside to find nothing but pillows. Mikado turns her head to the bathroom, the door was open so there was no way Rin was hiding in there, she goes toward the bathroom but on her way she notices a long line of kimono fabric tied to the end of the bed's bars. She walks over to it picking up the fabric, she uses her eyes to follow it's trail all the way to the window….

From the bed to the ground….

"How could she do something like this!?"

"Lord Sesshomaru!?"

Mikado bursts into the library to find Sesshomaru there scouring over books, the shelves were bare and every book around him, she gasps the room looked completely different now, he tosses a book aside growling lightly, Mikado rubs her arm nervously saying: Mi'lord I am-.

"I'm busy."

She shudders at the cold of his voice, his eyes were red and his teeth slightly bared, anger poured from him in droves. Mikado glances back down the hall for a moment hoping that maybe Rin was playing a trick on her but from what she found there was no way. Sesshomaru tosses another book taking another one.

"Mi'lord…R-

"Can you tell me where the Castle of Shadow's is?"

"No-"

"Then get out…."

Mikado could feel herself begin to perspire, every second she spent in the library counted against her.

"Bu-"

Sesshomaru slams the book in his hands shut, he stands and Mikado backs away whimpering.

"My Lord Rin has taken Ah-un!"

Jaken skids to a halt in front of the library door, he leans against the doorsill out of breath.

"Rounin the stable boy says that Ah-un is gone and the only other person he'd listen to besides you Mi'lord is Rin," Mikado nods saying: that is what I was coming to tell you she is gone. Sesshomaru glares ahead, Mikado gasps when he clenches his fist and every finger cracks, Sesshomaru pushes past them moving swiftly down the hall.

Mikado jumps when she hears the front doors open and close, to her it seemed he was on the edge of a massive blowup. She looks down at Jaken saying: are you going, he shakes his head saying: Lord Sesshomaru does not want me along this time. She folds her arms saying: and how do you know? He closes his eyes saying: because I know him well, she purses her lips turning back to the library.

"What a fun time we maids will have cleaning this up," she mutters shaking her head, Jaken looks up at her saying: do not complain wench, she frowns looking at the books again.

"Why does the lord search for a shadow castle anyway?"

Jaken clears his throat saying: I know but I will not be telling you, Mikado rolls her eyes, Jaken could be so annoying. She sighs saying: fine…you probably don't know anyway, she turns to leave but he snaps behind her.

"For your information you dirty house wench…he looks for the castle because he wishes to find the lady demon!"

Mikado turns to him putting her finger to her chin.

"So Lady Aya is in some sort of shadow castle hmm…well the lord must really care for her if he's going through the entire library at night."

Jaken glares at her now.

"No he does not…Lord Sesshomaru has no need for that mistake of a demon…she is weak…and annoying…and…and…."

"Beautiful…smart…good with Rin and good with the lord," Mikado says thoughtfully. Jaken glares up at her before saying: aren't you supposed to be doing something, Mikado nods saying: yes I am…hmm…. She turns walking down the stairs to go share the story with the other maids, usually the halls of the castle were quiet and a bit oppressive, this was the juiciest thing to happen in the Western Lands for a long time.

Once outside Sesshomaru truly grasps the gravity of the situation, snow covered everything and muted and dulled his senses, even if he caught her scent it would be broken and almost useless. Sesshomaru shakes his head, he didn't have time to stand and think about this, he takes off into the surrounding woods. Soon he catches Rin's scent but it mingled with another, he begins to run faster. Maybe that's why she'd snuck out, to find Aya. He grimaces, how did she find out? Why didn't she come to him? Sesshomaru follows the scent until it fades again only to be overpowered by the smell of decay, Sesshomaru runs faster until he makes it to the gruesome site, at first it looked like scattered body parts in the snow but soon he is able to make out the shapes of bodies in the snow, blood was everywhere. On the snow, splattered on the trees and some had dried in the bushes.

"Who did this?"

Sesshomaru sniffs the air trying to make sense of the multitude of scents that came at him, he frowns when he catches the scent of wolves. He looks down at the bodies.

"Wolf Demons."

Whoever did it was vicious in their dispatching of the demons in the snow, Sesshomaru turns away but that's when the original scent comes back to him, he turns to the bodies.

"Aya…."

He walks over to a pair of bodies that lay next to one another, he bends down yanking up one of their heads, a gash was dug into the side and dug almost into the other side of the demon's head. He drops the body, he turns again his eyes losing some of their intensity. Normally Aya wasn't a killer, but for Rin maybe.

"Where are you?"

Sesshomaru looks up at the sky searching for a clue.

Such a fine physique.

Aya smiles watching the human man before her preform sword tricks, his movements were so sloppy and yet so practiced, his confidence gave her joy.

"So cute…."

He pauses rubbing his red head; he gives her a crooked grin.

"Cute?"

She smiles nodding, she stands walking over to him, he had a nice body for a human, so chiseled. She touches his chest saying: you're cute that's a good thing. He shudders when she trails her hand from his chest to his back and back to his chest again.

He smirks saying: why did you bring me here….?

Kize likes his human thick….

She smiles looking him over, her eyes move from his perfect lips to the love lines that showed above the rim of his pants.

But I do as well….

It'd been a long time since she'd played with a human, an even longer time since she'd had good sex and though she knew she was taking a chance with a human she didn't care.

"What would a demon want with a man like me," he asks huskily when she drops to her knees before him, she quirks a brow looking at his pants.

"What do you think?"

He laughs and she smiles tilting her head, she had gotten him to the castle with the promise of a job but now he was willing to forget that.

"Beautiful woman…a bed…me…."

She chuckles saying: come here, she stands walking over to the bed. The man walks over to her and between her legs as she parts them, she sits up putting his hands in his hair as she kisses him.

Kize will have to wait….

She smirks whispering: what's your name, he laughs, just as he goes to tell her Kize bursts into the room.

"What are you doing?!"

Aya gasps when Kize yanks the man away, she stands saying: Kize this isn't your business, he sneers saying: it is while you're busy having sex with everyone Mio and I are missing our dear sister. Mio peeks into the room with sad eyes. Maybe it was the sadness in her eyes or the guilt that Aya still felt, but now she felt badly about the entire situation. Aya's glare falls and she nods saying: you're right. She walks over to Mio saying: were you waiting for me, Mio nods, Aya sighs.

Mio…she needs me more than anything.

That's why she helped me get home….

Aya's eyes glaze over as Mio pulls her out of the room, Kize grins at the man saying: beautiful right…nice body, the man frowns saying: I'll go. Kize grins saying: I don't like it when people step on my toes…it makes me hungry….

An hour later, Kize exits Aya's room licking his fingers, he stalks down the hall grinning like a cat who'd caught a canary, he could hear his sister's playing down the hall.

"Look Ay!"

"Nice Mio…."

Kize smirks when he approaches them from behind, Aya doesn't look back at him as she says "was he good?" Kize leans against the wall saying: delicious. Aya nods shallowly this makes Kize laugh. Kize cocks his head looking her over, the beautiful Aya Yuta in his possession. He'd dreamt of this for a long time, even if she weren't in this dreamland he'd created she wouldn't be able to see just how much he had her. Her secrets he knew, where she went the day when their parent's died, how many humans she'd been through, even when she went into heat next. She looks back at him feeling his eyes on her back, he smiles saying: so little one what is on your mind. She shakes her head saying: nothing really, Mio holds up a piece of paper saying: look Ay! Aya waves Mio off with her hand and a smile, she looks up at Kize her eyes digging into his own. He could feel that something wasn't right with her, he bends down in front of her saying: what is bothering you, she looks down and he puts his hand on the side of her face saying: Ay. She shudders saying: I still don't know Kize…why did you do it.

He frowns tilting his head slightly, she lowers her eyes to her hands saying: I can accept it now but…I just really want to know why.

"To make this possible," he whispers stroking her face, she looks down saying: b-but, he shakes his head pulling her into a hug, Mio now watched them with worried eyes. He smiles reassuringly at her, but inside he was troubled. How could she still have her own thoughts? Even if his power wore thin on her mind, he could still use her own weakness against her. He moves closer to her bringing his lips to her ear.

"Remember that man Ay?"

She looks at him saying: what man, he smirks saying: the one you were interested in…the one you spent the day with, she ducks her head saying: Kize, he smirks. Guilty.

"No Ay don't be ashamed-"

"Kize…."

"It's ok-"

"Kize stop!"

She yanks away from him wrapping her arms around her body, Mio stands now looking at Aya, she looks at Kize saying: brother….

"What could you have done Ay? You were out finding love-"

"No I wasn't, I was…trying to get away."

Kize smirks saying: away, she turns away saying: that doesn't matter anymore Kize, he sighs saying: oh Ay.

I should have been there that day but…I was with…with…friends…no…a friend…father…he didn't like it but I went anyway.

"All that matters now is that I am with Mio," Aya mutters looking at her sister, Mio smiles bashfully.

She drops her arms saying: I…left you behind, she holds her hand out for Mio, Mio smiles falling into Aya's arms, Aya smiles holding her close.

"For so long I held so much pain. I tried to forget your face…to save myself the hurt…and it almost worked but then-."

Aya trails off and her eyes light up, she shakes her head saying: that doesn't matter, Kize frowns. His little project seemed to be falling apart at the seams, Kize sighs saying: Aya do you miss the girl, Aya shakes her head saying: I have my Mio back. Mio nods holding her closer, Kize sneers saying: do you miss the demon lord. Aya's eyes glaze over and she shakes her head.

"I want nothing more to do with him."

"Good now that you're home you have no need for him."

She nods saying: I never did.

"Hey it's Lord Sesshomaru!"

Sesshomaru looks down at the girl before him with slight annoyance. She leans toward him saying: you're here for Rin right? She points toward the road.

"Yes she is here…um…she's in…um…the…the house."

Sesshomaru quirks a brow looking down at Yurime's Mio, she peered around his legs as if searching for something, she folds her arms saying: hmm where's Ay? Sesshomaru frowns down at the inquisitive child, she sighs saying: aw I really miss her, he looks away saying: she will come to visit you soon, Mio grins saying: oh is she at your evil castle. Sesshomaru snorts walking past the girl, Mio turns following him.

"Uh is Aya hurt?"

Sesshomaru growls saying: she better not be, Mio pauses clasping her hands together.

"So she's not at your evil castle….?"

Sesshomaru sighs saying: no, he begins to walk faster to Lana and Mio's home, the little girl was beginning to tug at his nerves.

Mio takes a deep breath before running to catch up to him, she grabs the back of his pants saying: can I ask you something, he begins to walk again dragging the little girl behind him, she holds tight to his pants.

"Please please please!"

He growls coming to an abrupt pause, Mio lets go of his pants crawling around Sesshomaru's legs to face him, she smiles saying: next time you come…bring her please…. He nods saying: I will, she smiles saying: ok! She turns running the distance to the house, Sesshomaru sighs before following her into the house. He frowns when he sees Rin inside sleeping on a thick mat covered in multiple blankets, Mio grabs his hand pulling him inside, she looks at up at him saying: she was really tired…and really frozen from the cold, she lets go of his hand going to sit next to Rin. She points to the wall saying: the dragon is in the yard…Lana didn't like him in the house, Sesshomaru nods sitting next to Rin who hadn't moved. He touches her forehead, she was burning up.

"Where is your sister?"

Mio stands saying: I'll go get her, she runs into the room ahead of them, Sesshomaru looks around, Aya's smell was strong here and her items lay around the room for him to see.

Mio comes from the kitchen followed by Lana who wiped her hands in a white cloth, she smiles saying: Lord Sesshomaru I am happy you came, he frowns. That was the first time anyone outside of Rin and Jaken had said that to him, she looks at Rin saying: she's ok now but when she first got here I was a little worried. She walks over Rin saying: she suffers from a small fever and frostbitten toes, she sighs saying: as bad as things were last night she is lucky to have even made it here. Lana looks at him saying: I had to change her clothes they were all bloody…she hasn't been awake since so I cannot tell you why. He nods.

"Aya."

Lana frowns saying: what do you mean Lord Sesshomaru, he looks Rin over saying: she had to have been with Aya…they were attacked and Aya must have brought her here it is the only way this could have happened, Lana bites her lip before saying: so where is Aya. He looks away saying: I don't know, Lana gasps and Mio cries out.

"But you promised-"

Lana tries to cover Mio's mouth but it was too late, Sesshomaru nods saying: I know…and for that…I apologize…I should have been more careful. Lana's eyes widen and her jaw drops, Mio had been outright disrespectful and here he was apologizing to two useless humans. Sesshomaru touches Rin's head again looking at Lana.

"Thank you for taking care of her."

Lana nods her head furiously. Mio runs over to him saying: she couldn't have gone far right, he shakes his head once again looking Rin over.

"Wherever she is…it has to be close. How else would she and Rin meet?"

Lana looks at Mio who scratches her head in confusion, Sesshomaru stands saying: could you keep Rin here, Lana nods wordlessly.

"I have to find Aya…."

Lana frowns saying: but…what happened where is she…how did you get split up? Sesshomaru closes his eyes saying: we had a disagreement….

He walks over to the door saying: I will bring her here when I find her, he leaves the house. Lana looks at Mio saying: um well…, Mio smiles saying: I don't even want to imagine them arguing, Lana looks at the door saying: the though is a little disturbing…hopefully Rin wasn't around.

Lana looks at Rin, she smiles when she sees the golden bangle on her wrist, Aya was very partial to those bangles, for her to have given one to Rin she must have really liked the girl.