PURE FLOWER

Chapter 6

Discovered

Rin laid on the soft futon, staring at the ceiling with her wide amber eyes filled with boredom. Her Lord Sesshoumaru had gone to have a short conference with the humans while she was forced to rest by herself; although it was a promise, but she was still bored. She wondered when her mate was going to return to her so that he could bring her to explore the village.

"Lady Rin, your kimono is ready." A voice outside the door of her room startled Rin. Lying up on her elbows, she watched as two female humans entered her room with two beautiful kimonos on their hands; one was a silver kimono with red flowers likeness at the sleeves, while the other was a red kimono with pattern of butterflies around the neckline and sleeves.

"My lady, which do you prefer to wear now?" One of the human asked as they placed both the kimono onto the futon. They were surprised to see that the Demon Lord had taken a human as his mate, but as they went nearer, they saw her slightly pointed ears and realized she was a demon as well. Although they have no real fondness for demons, but since she was the demon lord's woman, they were forced to play the lady's maids for the sake of the village. Without Lord Sesshoumaru's protection upon the village, wars and raids would likely to occur onto their village.

Rin stared at both lovely kimonos with admiration in her amber eyes. Ever since she was born, she had had wore nothing but rags, until the day Lord Sesshoumaru came to her father's stronghold. Reaching her hands out to touch the kimonos, she sighed when she felt the softness of the texture on her hand. She eyed the silver kimono with awe in her amber eyes; never had she seen such fine clothing, and now it was being offered to her. Smiling shyly at the women, Rin pointed her finger at the silver kimono.

"I would like to wear the silver one. Would you please help me dress?"

THE VILLAGE HEADMAN'S HOUSE

Sesshoumaru sat upon a pile of soft cushions as he listened to the village headman Sato complained about the recent attack in a nearby village; demons and humans were found dead together, and there were sign of a bloody war due to a few deep holes and scars on the ground. Although none of the people in his village were involved, but Sato feared whoever won in that bloody war would try attack his village.

"The person I send to investigate the village said that the bodies of the villagers had vanished, leaving only clothes on the ground. I fear it is done by demons…" Sato said, looking straight into the eyes of the demon lord, waiting patiently for his remarks. He gulped when the demon lord returned his gaze with a cold one, as if he knew he was hiding something. He was indeed hiding some information from the demon lord, not because it was something important but he was afraid he might offend the demon lord by mentioning it. When the investigator returned to the village, not only he had reported the situation of the village that was being attacked, but also mentioning seeing a white haired half breed that resembled their demon lord and a small group of people while on his way back. No doubt the half breed is…

"InuYasha was there…" Sesshoumaru said in a deadly whisper and heard the human took a gasp of air. InuYasha, his half breed brother who was produced by his proud father and a lowly human princess, had finally being released from a seal placed by a priestess fifty years ago. He had detected his scent while he was on the way to the village with Rin, and did not give a damn about him. The half breed was as good as being dead to him.

"The investigator only saw him on his way back, my lord. We did not know InuYasha was involved…" Sato said with fear and pressed his forehead to the ground, afraid of looking at the demon lord who was no doubt offended by the mentioning of his half breed brother InuYasha. Everyone in the village knew of the lord's hatred towards the half breed due to the lord's retainer Jaken who spread the words around.

"What he does and not does is none of my concern. This Sesshoumaru will see to the village safety since this is Father's promise to your ancestor." Sesshoumaru said and rose from the pile of cushions, silently dismissing Sato. In his mind, he did not think of that half breed brother of his, but one particular woman who was waiting for him. Rin.

"…Tell the guards to double their patrol while I take my lady around the village. Have some fruits prepared in the chamber while we are away." Sesshoumaru ordered and left the chamber, ignoring the surprise look on Sato's face.

Sato watched as Sesshoumaru exited the house, leaving silence behind. It was the first time he saw Lord Sesshoumaru treated someone in such gentle way. He could still remember when he was young, when the lord's first mate lady Ren came along to the village; he rarely saw Lord Sesshoumaru stayed close to Lady Ren. However this time, Lord Sesshoumaru seemed to be reluctant to leave his second mate alone.

"I guess even the almighty demon lord will change…"

SOMEWHERE IN THE VILLAGE

Rin smiled widely when she saw the human children ran about the village happily, as if they had no troubles at all. Young adults helped their parents in the rice field, farm fields, and other working fields while the elders sat before their residence; some were sewing clothes, some were talking to the children.

"This village seems to be very peaceful, my lord. The people living here are happy; I can see that on their face." Rin said while looking at a group of playing children. She had heard that the village safety was seen by her lord husband, and the demon guards she saw around the village were sent by him as well. Lord Sesshoumaru is a good lord, which is why the village is peaceful, unlike Father…

Rin shook her head slightly when she thought of her father. She was now the wife of Lord Sesshoumaru, and was no longer any concern of her Father Lord Soma. In fact, she only knew little of her father since she was confined in the underground cell from the day she was born. Why…?

"Rin…?" Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru when she heard his voice calling out for her. Her lord's golden eyes stared into her own amber one as if he was asking her questions. Rin smiled and said,

"I am fine, Lord Sesshoumaru. I am just thinking how wonderful this village is."

Through her changing scent, Sesshoumaru could tell she was thinking about something else other than the village. However, since she said it was nothing, he would not ask too much, but that did not mean he would not care. When she was watching, he had been watching as well; not at the villagers, but her. He could see many feelings in her amber eyes; happiness, sadness, and loneliness. No doubt she was thinking about her homeland and her own people.

"Lord Sesshoumaru, what are those houses behind…?" Rin asked when she saw a few not so noticeable houses behind a line of trees near where the children were playing. Curiously, she walked a few steps closer to get a better look of the houses. The houses were different with those she saw in the village; while those houses in the village were neat, nicely build, and clean looking, these houses seemed to be ran-down, and covered with dirt. She could also see a few shadows moving inside the houses, meaning that there were people living in there.

"…Demon children who are stranded are brought here to be cared of, but it seems the villagers fail to do so." Sesshoumaru whispered while adding the information into his mind. He had once told the people in his land, even the villagers in this village to take care of the demon children's needs; provide them a suitable place to stay, foods to survive until they wish to leave, or capable of surviving themselves without the help of the others.

"Demon children…? Where are their parents? Why are they here?" Rin asked when she saw a young demon girl who was about three years old came out of the house, carrying an empty water bucket.

"Their parents are unknown. Most of them were found abandoned around here. Some of them were taken in here because their parents were killed, and some came here themselves." Sesshoumaru said and took in the young child's condition; fragile, thin, and covered with mud and dirt.

"These children live in this village as well; can't they be treated better…?"

"They are supposed to be treated the same as the people living in here. It seems another conference is needed." Sesshoumaru said

THE WESTERN LAND

Ren crushed the piece of paper within her palm. Her brown eyes shone with malice as she absorbed the piece of information provided. She knew her father would obtain one object with exchange of another, and the exchange object would be a woman.

"That girl is still alive!!" Ren said out loud as she threw the paper towards her secret lover who provided her the information. She knew how sensitive Sesshoumaru could be, so in order to dupe him, Ren had set out two followers to follow him. One follower had been killed as she had thought, and her lover, who had been following the dead follower, took the information obtained by the dead one.

"May I know, my lady? Who is that girl who resembles you?" The demon asked as he looked his fill at the beautiful demoness before him.

"That girl will bring troubles, just as her mother once did."

"Troubles…?"

"Ever heard of the 'Wing People'?"

"The 'Wing People'…?"

BACK TO THE VILLAGE

Two small figures, Shippo and Ryuya moved alongside the demon lord's resting house, waiting for the opportunity to steal the foods prepared for the demon lord. It had been days since they had had proper food, and due to the celebration, all people would be too busy to notice their thievery.

"Shippo, do you think it is wise?" Ryuya asked softy as he watched the fox demon climbed up onto the window.

"Hurry up, no one is around here." Shippo whispered and pulled Ryuya into the house through the window. Just as he thought, everyone was too busy to stay in one place. Pulling out a cloth from his clothe, Shippo spread it onto the floor and grabbed the foods on the table.

"Ryuya, come here and fill the cloth with food. I will go outside and see if anyone is coming." With that, Shippo climbed out the window and kept on guard so he could warn Ryuya to escape if anyone comes.

Ryuya whimpered softly when Shippo left him alone in the room. Hurriedly grapping the foods set out on the table and wrapped it in the cloth, he failed to notice the sound of the approaching footsteps. After gathering all the foods, Ryuya took the bundle to Shippo who was waiting by the window.

"To think that Lord Se…AHHHHHHH!!!!!"

Ryuya and Shippo panicked when they saw two human servants entered the chamber. Shippo grabbed the bundle of food and ran away as fast as he could, thinking that surely Ryuya was behind him. However, he did not know that Ryuya was caught when he tried to climb over the window. Since his size was smaller, he was slower in escaping as well.

"HOW DARE YOU STEAL THE FOODS PREPARED BY US!!!? YOU FILTHY DEMON!!!" The servant yelled as she pushed Ryuya onto the floor on his stomach, yanking hard on his dirty silver hair while called for help.

"ANYONE, THERE IS A THIEF HERE!!! ANYONE HELP!!!"

"Let me go…!! Help me, Shippo. Shippo…!" Ryuya whimpered before everything went black.

A/N: Hahaha, it's been months since my last update. I was out of ideas and kindda busy. I apologize for not updating early. Exam is coming again, and after the exam, I have two months holiday. Hopefully I can finish the rest of the chapters.