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Chapter 11 Respect

Sesshomaru watched Rin stretch as she prepared for her morning practice. He didn't know why he had reacted to the boy touching Rin the way he had. The boy was after all technically pack, blood even, despite the many generations between them. However the idea of any male touching her, pack or no, angered him. What had changed? The only other one who brought this out in him was his, now long dead, mate.

Sesshomaru instantly stopped this line of thinking; he wasn't going to entertain such a thought. He focused instead on Rin practicing with her bow, her aim and form were perfect, and the crackling energy coming from each arrow was potent. Sesshomaru smiled.

Rin was glad to start her exercises, Sesshomaru's behavior was confusing. Picking up her bow she glanced over at Sesshomaru, he was facing her but obviously lost in thought. Knocking an arrow Rin straitened into the proper posture and released, hitting her target dead center. After the first few worm up shots she started putting her spirit energy into the shaft of each arrow. Rin had reached the point where she could shoot thirty arrows with enough purifying energy in each to kill an A class demon, and still have enough energy to put into her knives and sword.

Rin didn't notice that, as she let loose one arrow after another, she began to have an audience, demons from the castle, servants and guards alike, came to watch.

Sesshomaru eyed each demon as they came close and noted the ones that eyes Rin with anything other then awe or respect. Seeing Rin come to the end of her quiver of arrows Sesshomaru stood and walked over to her and placing a hand on her shoulder, to get her attention. Turning her to face the crowd of, now over fifty, demons Sesshomaru addressed their audience.

"I am Sesshomaru, this is Rin, she is under my protection. If you touch her, you will die. If you disrespect her, you will die. If you speak to her without my permission, you will die. Am I understood?" Sesshomaru smiled, Rin blushed and all the gathered demons nodded.

"That was so embarrassing!" Rin exclaimed when they got back to the room. "And I didn't even get to finish my training!"

Sesshomaru look at her placidly. "It needed to be said." He walked over to a window seat, and making himself comfortable stared out.

"The touching I understand, the respect I appreciate, but I can't talk to people?" Rin was exasperated, he had never limited her in that way before and she didn't like it.

"This place is different." Sesshomaru said still looking out the window.

"How? We've always been surrounded by demons, and I'm stronger now." Rin walked to Sesshomaru's side to see what he was looking at.

They were on the third floor so they had a good view of what was happening. Yusuke was in an open field, training with four demons, they were working on reacting to unexpected attacks.

"It seems you left an impression on Yusuke."

"Hn." Sesshomaru rapped his right arm around Rin's waist and pulled her to his side as they watched Yusuke. Without thinking Rin put her left arm across his shoulders and fingered his hair.

Sesshomaru looked up at Rin's face, she had grown into a beautiful young woman, strong and intelligent, finding a mate for her would not be difficult once he did start looking. He closed his eyes and rested his head against her shoulder.

Rin didn't know how to react so she stayed still, but after a few minutes a knock came from the door. Sesshomaru growled softly tightening his grip on Rin's waist, but Rin called for who ever it was to come in. Hokushin walked in carrying a tray, he paused in surprise for a moment when he saw them but quickly recovered himself.

"I have brought food, Lord Sesshomaru, is there anything else you require?" Hokushin set the tray on a table between the window and the bed, then stood waiting.

"No." Sesshomaru said, he still hadn't let go of Rin or even opened his eyes.

Rin smiled, "Thank you, Hokushin, we'll call you if we need anything."

"Yes, my Lady." He bowed and left the room.

Sense Sesshomaru still didn't move, Rin waited but her stomach soon started growling, the food smelled good and she had gone a whole day with nothing to eat.

Sighing, Sesshomaru released her. Rin smiled down at him and after squeezing his shoulder she walked over to see what Hokushin had brought her to eat.

Within a few weeks of Sesshomaru and Rin's arrival, the castle received a message from Lord Yomi, saying that he had heard of Lord Sesshomaru's return and wished to greet him in person. An invitation was extended to Lord Sesshomaru and his rumored companion, if she truly existed, to come to his castle in the north. With the politics as they were the Lords could not casually go between the lands without potentially starting the war they were all teetering on the edge of, however since Lord Sesshomaru was not the current ruler of the west, there was little threat from a social call.

Sesshomaru read the letter then dropped it into the fire, obviously disregarding the invitation.

"Sesshomaru, may we go?" Rin asked, surprising both Raizen and Hokushin, but gaining only a questioning glance from Sesshomaru.

"Why?" Sesshomaru asked, with a lifted brow.

"Well, Kurama is there as well as that group of demons that trained with us for a time at Genkai's place. I would like to see how they are all doing, and I am curious as to the type of person that could get Kurama to serve under him." Rin waited, she had noticed that Sesshomaru had been considering her words more carefully as of late, it was as though he considered her to have, if not always a wise opinion and counsel, at least one worth listening too.

"Very well, we will go for tea." Sesshomaru nodded.

"Are you sure, Father? Lord Yomi has not changed in the centuries since you knew him. He is as ruthless as ever and is surly planning something." Raizen eyed his farther, he too, had realized that the way Sesshomaru treated Rin was different. She was not over any one else in Sesshomaru's pack, not that there were many, but neither was she below anyone, she was as close to her alpha as one could be without being his mate, and although she didn't ask for much she got anything she did ask for.

Sesshomaru looked at his son, "There is a reason Lord Yomi never conquered the west when I reigned, just as there is a reason why he still has not with you in power, even as you are now on the verge of a foolish death." Sesshomaru walked toward the door, "Come Rin, prepare what you will need."

Smiling Rin ran after Sesshomaru.

"What do you think, Hokushin, of the way he treats Rin? Do you think we will soon be getting a happy announcement of their intentions?" Raizen's lips quirked into a half smile.

"My Lord? You don't think Lord Sesshomaru would mate a human do you, even one as powerful as Lady Rin?" Hokushin asked nervously.

"Why not?" Raizen shrugged, "My grandfather, uncle, and I have all chosen a human woman over what ever sacrifice we needed to make."

"I suppose that's true." Hokushin bowed.

"Now the only question is when will Rin figure it our and how will she react." Raizen smiled softly, he wasn't really all that worried about it. Rin was the only human to ever get any real consideration from Sesshomaru and to now be in his pack there was little doubt that she would ever get very far from him again.

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