A/N: I'm really enjoying writing this so far, and you'll all be glad to know that I have a fairly clear idea of what I want to happen. Also, please forgive minor spelling errors. I bore easily, so proofreading is not my forte. In addition to that, both my 'e' key and 'j' key have to be mashed down with a killing blow for them to actually type, so sorry in advance.
Goodbye is for Tomorrow
Chapter 2
When the sun came up the next day, the rain had subsided, and the sun shone brightly through the trees, casting the forest in a lovely green glow. Sesshomaru turned to Rin, who was currently sagged against his shoulder, her body curled against his side. It reminded him of a time when she was a child. Rin never wanted to sleep when Sesshomaru was around, and seemed content to play, or try to involve him in children's games. Sometimes though, on clear nights, she would come and sit in Sesshomaru's lap and listen to him tell her about the stars, and she watched as he pointed out pictures that the stars formed together, and eventually, she would fall asleep there.
Rin stirred from her sleep, as if awoken by his thinking about her. She sat up and rubbed her face as if to remove the remnants of sleep that remained there. She looked at him and smiled widely.
He cocked his head slightly to the side. "What are you smiling about?"
She suddenly looked at her boots as if they were the most interesting thing in the world. "I'm just happy to be by your side again."
He suddenly felt a pang of guilt. Rin had been anguished when he had told her that he was sending her away for a time. She had taken it hard; she had thought it was her fault, that she had done something to anger him. In truth, he had sent her away because of the feelings that he had felt growing for the girl, feelings that were very unbecoming of a youkai.
"Please Lord Sesshomaru, please, I beg you, don't send me away. Please tell Rin what she has one to anger you!"
This was harder than he thought it would be. "Rin, you have done nothing wrong. And it is not forever, just a short while," he assured her.
"But my Lord, I'm so afraid that you'll forget; that you won't come back for me!"
"Rin I promise that in two years, after you are eighteen summers old, I will come for you, and I will give you the choice of coming with me, or staying in the human village."
She sunk to her knees. "Please, please, don't send me away, I don't want to leave you," she cried imploringly.
Sesshomaru went to one knee in front of her.
"Please, my Lord."
He placed a hand on her cheek and wiped the tear that had fallen there with his thumb. "Be still," he told her, and then, quick as a blink, he placed a feather-light kiss on her forehead.
"My lord?" Rin asked, clearly not for the first time, rousing Sesshomaru from his daydreaming.
"Yes, two years was a long time," Sesshomaru replied, getting to his feet.
"Is it time to leave?" Rin asked.
"Hn." He nodded, and began walking.
Rin quickly gathered her pack and tied it around her shoulders. "Are we close, my Lord?"
Sesshomaru nodded. "In all likelihood, we will be there by mid afternoon."
"What's the western palace like?" she asked excitedly.
He gave a slight shrug. "Large, I suppose."
Rin frowned. "I hope you don't mind my asking, but what will I do at the palace?"
He regarded her curiously. "What do you mean?"
"Well, what will my duties be?"
His quizzical look deepened. "You will have very few, I imagine, besides those you choose for yourself. You will be my personal attendant, I suppose."
"Personal attendant," she said, gauging the sound of it. "That sounds too important for me," she said nervously. She had never lived the life of anything more important than a peasant girl.
Sesshomaru flashed one of his rare small smiles. "Silly girl, it involves doing little more than what you do already."
She blinked and gave him an inquiring look. "Which is?"
He shrugged. "You will be my official companion."
She laughed. "That sounds easy enough."
How strange, no one had ever thought of him as being easy to deal with, quite the opposite, actually. Everyone had always gone out of their way to avoid Sesshomaru. With good reason, he thought. He'd been quite irritable since he had left Rin with Inuyasha and the priestess. He'd been constantly restless, and he'd angrily lash out at anyone who mildly offended him in any way whatsoever.
He thought of his mother, who would be immensely satisfied with herself when she found that he had brought Rin. He thought of her words.
"Would you just go fetch yourself that human girl already? Your constant moping is grating on my nerves, Sesshomaru."
He sighed to himself and looked to Rin, who was amusing herself by reaching up to see if she could steal the leaves of low hanging branches. He must truly be mad if he was willing to look like a fool in front of his mother for this girl.
..:)O(:..
"Lord Sesshomaru! Is that it? It's enormous!" she exclaimed, cresting this hill before he did.
"Yes, that is the Western Palace," he confirmed, coming to stand beside her. The sprawling expanse of the castle was indeed, a huge fortress, surrounded by tall walls, and in the centre, a five story tower, surrounded by other buildings, in addition to training grounds for soldiers. The village sprawled out around the walls, bustling with people. The whole thing was a magnificent sight to behold. "Come, Rin," he said, walking down the hill towards the castle.
"Yes master," she said happily, following closely behind.
As they walked though village, people gave Sesshomaru wide berth, recognizing him as their future Lord; the fearsome Sesshomaru, and their Lady's only son. The people all seemed to give Rin strange looks. Rin stayed close to Sesshomaru, feeling threatened by their looks, while he seemed to remain unaffected by them, and even looking unaware that there were even people around him.
"What is wrong, Rin?" He asked. Perhaps he really was unaware.
"All the people keep giving me strange looks," she said quietly.
"They're probably trying to decide if you are a demon or not," he replied offhandedly. "Pay them no heed."
Rin was almost glad when they approached the palace doors and walked through, the demons of Sesshomaru's court only affording her glances, knowing better than to stare while Sesshomaru was by her side.
Rin looked around in awe. She had never seen such luxury before. She immediately felt like trash compared to all of these demons dressed in the finest garments, and not covered in mud from travel with matted, wet hair. She immediately wanted to be somewhere else, and followed close in Sesshomaru's shadow. As they neared the palace itself, Sesshomaru spoke.
"When we get inside, servants will take you to the bath house, and will prepare you for dinner, where you will dine with my mother and I. She wishes to meet you."
"Y-your mother?" she asked nervously. All of this seemed like too much.
"Yes, she saved your life once, do you remember?"
She nodded. "Of course I remember, how could I forget?"
He shrugged and continued on, still apparently unaware of the demons who walked by him in close quarters. The castle doors opened, seemingly of their own accord as the two neared the castle, and they were immediately assaulted by a flurry of servants who began appraising Rin as if she were a piece of meat. She caught whispers from them, and among them, she heard the word, "human" over and over again.
"Would you lot give the girl some space?" he said, looking around as if to spot someone. "Hitsuji." He called.
A young woman who had been standing at a respectful distance stood alert. "Yes, My Lord." The other servants looked mildly disgusted. Rin looked at the girl, momentarily puzzled, when she realized that the girl was a half demon. Standing not much taller than Rin, the girl's hair was relatively short, only brushing the back of her neck, and it was a pale violet in color. Jutting from her temples were two spiral horns that marked her as a half demon, and long pointed ears that drooped slightly, just like a goat's. Somehow, the feature that was even more striking was her vibrant yellow eyes. At first, Rin couldn't pinpoint why they were so unusual, until she realized that the girl's pupils were ovoid in shape, and horizontal, much like a goat's. Rin unconsciously shuddered. She had thought that goat's eyes were scary, like they were plotting something. This demon though, had large, kind-looking doe eyes.
"Take Rin to her chambers," Sesshomaru told her.
Hitsuji seemed very pleased. "Yes, My lord," she said, walking towards Rin with a smile on her face. Her smile was contagious, and Rin found herself smiling at the girl.
"Come, Lady Rin," she said, leading Rin away from Sesshomaru.
"I will come fetch you for dinner later," he started as she followed Hitsuji out of the room.
Hitsuji led her to the second story, guiding her past shocked looking demons. "So you must be the girl Lord Sesshomaru has been so distressed about since his return," she said.
"Me?" Rin asked. "that's doubtful."
Hitsuji nodded and whispered to her in a conspiring way. "The lady herself tells me that you are the reason the Lord has been so restless."
Rin shook her head firmly. She had no such hold over Sesshomaru.
The girl nodded and smiled slyly, "I am the Lady's personal dresser, I know these things," she said, tapping her head with her finger.
Rin chose to change the subject. "If you don't mind my asking, I'm curious about how you serve in the palace if you're a half demon?"
"Actually, I'm not a half demon," the girl said, to Rin's surprise, "I am three quarters demon. Meaning my father was a hanyou, and my mother was full youkai."
Rin nodded in comprehension.
"It was actually the Lord who brought me here as a child."
"Really?" Rin asked, shocked.
Hitsuji nodded. "I was brought here from the continent as a child as a slave, and Lord Sesshomaru bought me from the man who owned me. I was very frightened, as I didn't know any of the language of this place, but Sesshomaru was very kind, and brought me here."
Rin smiled. As much as her Lord pretended not to, he had a kind heart, and although it rarely showed, it was certainly there. "Lord Sesshomaru always did have a soft spot for children," Rin mused.
Hitsuji regarded her curiously. "So, what exactly are you to the Lord?" she asked.
Rin looked away. "I don't really know," she replied.
"Well you certainly must be something," she stated, "The Lord left you a gift in your chambers."
"Really?" Rin asked.
Hitsuji nodded and abruptly turned, sliding open the door to her chamber, stepping aside so that Rin could enter first. The room was lovely, with a sliding door that opened to an outside patio, and a silk dressing screen in the corner, decorated with chrysanthemums. On the futon in the corner of the room was a bundle wrapped in paper, which Rin assumed was left for her by Lord Sesshomaru. She ran excitedly to the parcel and knelt before it, immediately recognizing it as a kimono wrapped in tatoshi paper. Rin smiled, she had always loved and treasured the children's Kimonos that the lord had sent her. She had all the ones she had ever received from him, the ones that she had outgrown stored in a trunk at Kagome and Inuyasha's house. She pulled the string on the parcel and began to unfold the tatoshi. Rin gasped as she pulled the paper back to reveal the marvelous kimono. She lifted it carefully and let it unfurl before her eyes. This was a formal furisode, with its long sleeves that were almost as long as the rest of the garment. This was a kimono meant for a young woman, not a child. The kimono was a striking twilight purple, fading into an orange sunset and finally into a swirl of watery blue and white at the bottoms of the sleeves and hem. The image depicted long, beautiful wisteria blooms in shades of lavender and pure white elegantly dipping into the surface of a pond, disturbing the otherwise pristine waters mildly, causing the flower's reflection in the water to waver, ever so slightly. It was the most exquisite thing Rin had ever seen.
"Do you like it?" Hitsuji asked shyly. "The Lord had me make it especially for you."
Rin spun to face Hitsuji. "It's the most beautiful thing I've ever seen, I can't ever possibly accept it!" she cried.
"Of course you can, it's yours."
"And, you made this?"
Hitsuji nodded. "Well, I painted and dyed the furisode, but Lord Sesshomaru was very specific about what he wanted it to look like." She smiled wryly. "Who knew the Lord had such an artistic mind?"
Rin was touched, which apparently was plain on her face, because Hitsuji gingerly took the furisode from Rin and began to fold it. "Quickly, before you begin to cry, Lady Rin, I will take you to the bathhouse.
The bathhouse was located in a different part of the building, and as Rin was told, there were multiple bath houses throughout the castle, and the one she was going to was reserved for nobility and honored guests, and was split into many different rooms where people could bathe privately if they wished, a luxury not afforded to those of the lower classes.
"Lady Rin, would you like me to assist you?" Hitsuji asked. It was unnerving for Rin of course, but this was normal for nobility. She had bathed with Sango and Kagome before, but it was strange to Rin to have someone in the bath with her specifically to help her bathe.
"No, that's alright," Rin replied.
Hitsuji nodded, shifting Rin's folded Kimono in her arms. "Come to the dressing room when you are finished bathing, so we may prepare you for dinner.
Rin nodded and shut herself into the bathhouse, immediately relaxing into the warm air. She stripped herself of her robe and let it fall to the floor. She eased herself into the hot water and felt her aching muscles being eased. As she began to bathe herself, she couldn't help it as her thoughts began to drift to Sesshomaru. She was so happy just to be by his side again, and was overjoyed that he seemed to have missed her during her absence. Perhaps to most, he was unreadable as a statue, but to Rin, the slightest changes in his face meant everything, and Sesshomaru had been happy to see her.
"Sesshomaru," she breathed his name, without honorifics and sighed. "Why do you want me here with you?" she asked out loud what she hadn't even dared to think to herself. "Why must you be so cryptic, you stubborn man?"
..:)O(:..
"Lady Rin, are you ready? The Lord summons you."
Rin nodded to herself, steeling her nerve. "Yes," she said, nervousness plain in her voice.
Hitsuji slid the door to the dressing room open, where Rin sat in front of the Mirror, contemplating her reflection.
"Hitsuji, do I look alright? I feel like I look silly in all this," Rin asked, rubbing her thumb worriedly over the lid of the shell of lip color. Her attendants had painted her lips into a heart shape, with a shade of red that was vaguely reminiscent of pink, and had pinned the hair around her face back with an ornament made too look like wisteria, but let the rest of her long, black hair float around her freely.
"You certainly are acting silly. Lady Rin, you look beautiful." She smiled that wry smile of hers again. "Maybe enough to melt the Inu-Taisho-to-be's heart."
"Hitsuji!" Rin exclaimed, turning a shade of magenta to match her lips.
Hitsuji laughed. "Come now my Lady, you're keeping the Lord waiting." With that, Rin hurried to follow Hitsuji, struggling mildly in the heavy layers of the beautiful kimono.
Hitsuji rounded the corner to meet Sesshomaru before Rin did, who wasn't moving as swiftly because of the smaller strides she was forced to take in the rather restricting garment. She bowed deeply to Sesshomaru as Rin rounded the corner, smiling widely upon seeing him. He looked elegant, with his black hakama and white kimono, and a haori that displayed a seascape of ocean crashing against a rocky shore.
Sesshomaru blinked in surprise, and for a split second, his lips parted ever so slightly in shock, setting Rin's face ablaze in red.
"You may leave us, Hitsuji," he said to the demon, who was currently suppressing a smile as she left, casting Rin a wry smile from behind Sesshomaru as she did.
"Lord Sesshomaru, I want to thank you for this Kimono," Rin said shyly as she came to stand before him. "It's beautiful. I love it."
Sesshomaru shook his head lightly, "Think nothing of it," he said, turning towards the dining hall. "You look beautiful in it."
Rin looked up sharply, and smiled. She didn't feel the harsh gazes the demons afforded her, because it didn't matter anymore. Sesshomaru thought she looked beautiful. She felt her cheeks being colored slightly at the thought.
She followed Sesshomaru to the main dining hall where only his mother sat at the head of the table, lazing about casually, her kimono slightly askew from laying about the way she was. She was the very image of a goddess. She looked just the same as she did ten years ago when she had bought Rin back from the dead.
"Hmmm, I remember you, you're the little girl who died in the underworld, are you not?" The Lady asked.
Rin nodded respectfully.
"What was it again, Rui, Rei?"
"It's Rin, my lady."
"Strange," she mused, "You don't look all than stern, or cold to me." She cocked her head to the side. "Sit," she commanded.
Both she and Sesshomaru obeyed, Rin sitting at Sesshomaru's side as the food was brought out. The food smelled amazing, but Rin couldn't tear her eyes off of the Lady. She looked to fearsome, like a she-wolf, watching her with unwavering yellow eyes.
She laughed suddenly. "So this is the girl my son has been fawning over for the last two years. He's been awfully cranky while you've been away, my girl, where have you been?"
"I sent her away, mother," Sesshomaru replied.
"And why on earth would you do a thing like that?"
"That is none of your concern," he replied curtly, beginning to eat.
She turned her gaze back on Rin. "My you do have him trained well, a month ago, he would have overturned the table and tried to tear my throat out had I asked that same question!" she exclaimed, quite satisfied with herself and the whole situation.
Rin wisely chose to remain quiet as Sesshomaru stared daggers at his mother. She seemed to enjoy poking fun at her son. Sesshomaru turned from her, annoyed, and continued to eat.
"It seems that he has inherited some of his father's odder traits. Speaking of which, Rin, that is a lovely Kimono, where did you get it?"
A sharp snapping sound caught both their attention as Sesshomaru snapped the pair of chopsticks he was holding. They were immediately replaced by a servant who cleared away the discarded remains and left a new pair it their place.
Inukimi began to laugh wildly in amusement, having finally broken her son's cool composure.
Sesshomaru stood up, enraged, and stormed from the room, Rin watching him leave. She made a move to follow, but then remembered it would be disrespectful of her to leave without being dismissed, se settled herself and looked at the Lady solemnly.
"Girl," she said suddenly, as if it were her intention to be alone with Rin all along. "Listen to my words. I have nothing against you, or your association with my son; in fact, I think I encourage it, seeing as how your presence seems to bring out the best in him. I myself have taken human lovers in my long life, but know this: a day will come when Sesshomaru will be wed to a full youkai who can bear him powerful offspring; such is our way. This cannot continue forever. Am I understood?"
Rin swallowed her sudden fear as much as she could and said in an even tone. "Yes, My Lady, I understand. If it suits you, may I be excused?"
She waved her hand. "Yes, go."
Rin rose from her seat and hurried after Sesshomaru. As she ran down the halls, she raised her hand to her face, and it came away wet. 'Why am I crying?'
A/N: If anyone was wondering why Inukimi commented on Rin not looking very stern, or cold, that's pun on Rin's name meaning, which literally translates to "Stern, cold, or dignified" and I'm proud of you all if you caught that Hitsuji means sheep. Ah ha, you see what I did there?