PURE FLOWER

Chapter 8

Promises

In the garden, Rin giggled when the demon boy Ryuya tried to mimic her Lord Sesshoumaru's scowl. It was not very hard for him to mimic since he looked very much alike Lord Sesshoumaru. Yesterday he had asked her if she was his mother, and she had said she was if he wanted her to be his mother. When she said so, she had been surprise to see him cry. He told her he was not sad, but very happy.

"I never have a mama before, but now I have my mama." He told her.

Another surprise was that Lord Sesshoumaru did not object her adopting the child as their own child. At first she had felt a little fear for being rejected but her lord told her he did not mind at all as long as she was happy.

"I have a papa also!!" Ryuya said.

When Ryuya had said that, Rin swore she had saw a brief smile on her mate's face, but it had disappeared as fast as it appeared. Although her lord did not say it out loud, she knew he was pleased as well. How could he not when Ryuya is so adorable?

"Papa!!"

Rin looked up as she watched her lord Sesshoumaru bended slightly to pat Ryuya's head softly; a gesture he learned from her. She watched amusingly as the little boy clutched onto Sesshoumaru's pants leg, looking up at him adoringly. Her mate seemed to be saying something to Ryuya, and then Ryuya quickly ran off to join Shippo who was eating some watermelons at the corridor of the chamber.

After telling the child to go to the fox demon, Sesshoumaru stared at Ryuya who was now chatting happily with the fox demon child Shippo. It was no doubt that Ryuya was his son, although which demoness gave birth to him, he did not know. Not only had the child's figure looked so much like him, but the scent of his blood as well. Judging by the child's age, it could be an affair he conducted two years ago near this region. Why the mother didn't come to me?

Sesshoumaru turned around to look at his new mate, Rin who was staring curiously back at him. It had surprised him when Rin had asked to adopt Ryuya and he was pleased she had asked so. Rin will become a good mother, unlike his first mate Ren.

His golden eyes narrowed slightly at the thought of the woman who would go as far as killing her son to get to him. Once the news of him taking Rin as his second mate reached her, Rin's life would be in danger. He did not worry much about his son Shura because he possessed quality fighting skill, but Rin was no fighter, therefore needed his whole attention on guarding her safety.

"My lord…? Are you alright?"

The soft voice broke his thought as he stared into her pair of gentle amber eyes filled with worries. She now stood in front of him, her right hand laid softy on his left cheek, worrying about him; a quality people around him did not possess. Rin was unique. She was not afraid of him, she cared about him, and she worried for him. She was the only one to do so for him. Taking her right hand into his bigger one, he placed a soft kiss on her wrist, whispering,

"This Sesshoumaru will protect you, Rin, always."

THE WESTERN LAND

"My father what?!"

Shura spoke out loud after hearing the news from Kouga. His father had taken a second mate, and will soon be coming home. His golden eyes widen slightly at the perception of having another mother. His current mother was a murdering bitch, and he hoped the new lady will be a total different person.

"They are sisters, you know, your mother and the new lady." Kouga said as he finished reading the parchment send to him by Ginta. In these last few days, they had killed countless demons that had tried to harm the heir of western land. None of them admitted being send by Lady Ren, but he knew better.

Kouga glanced at the heir of Western Land, seeing that he shown no obvious expression, he sighed. Like father, like son, he thought. Sesshoumaru did not show his emotion in public, and it seemed Shura had inherited such trait. However, it had totally surprised him when Ginta wrote Sesshoumaru had taken another of Lord Soma's daughter as his mate. He wondered what kind of mischief the Southern Lord was trying to pull, and what the hell was Sesshoumaru thinking.

"What is the name of my father's new mate?" Shura asked, swinging his sword in the air as if he was attacking an invisible opponent.

"Her name is…Rin. She is the youngest daughter of the Southern Lord."

"…Rin…"

REN'S LIVING QUARTER

"He WHAT??!!!"

Ren screamed at the servants kneeling at her feet. She had just been told that Sesshoumaru had taken one of her sisters as his second mate. How could she have such bad luck? Not only her servants had failed to assassin the brat, and now her Sesshoumaru was bringing home another woman. How could he!!!

"They say the woman's name is Rin, my lady." One of the servants said.

Ren glanced at the wall which hung the portrait of her homeland, the Southern Land. Her father, Lord Soma had fathered many sons and daughters. She did not remember all of her siblings' names, but whoever the woman was; she will never let another possess her Sesshoumaru. He is mine, and mine alone.

"Rin…you will regret for taking what is supposedly mine."

THE VILLAGE

When the moon hung high in the night sky, a huge fire roared at the middle of the village with some villagers dancing around the fire, and others singing and playing music instruments at the side. Foods and drinks were served around by the women in the village, and the men who played important roles in the village sat at the far side of the demon lord and his lady.

Sesshoumaru stared emotionlessly at the humans before him. He had no liking for human's activities, but as the ruler, he had to endure it somehow. Besides, looking at Rin who sat beside him, he almost smiled when he saw how excited she was. With her cheeks flushed and her eyes danced merrily, she looked as if she was a child who had been denial of joy for a long time. When she caught him looking at her, she smiled brightly at him before turning to look back at the activities.

He looked around him and saw his son, Ryuya playing with several demon children at the near edge of the village. It was past time for the child to get trained if he wanted to survive in such a harsh world, and once they got back to his stronghold, he would start training him along with Shura.

"My lord, the message arrived."

Sesshoumaru nodded slightly at the wolf demon Ginta, a member of Kouga's clan, before accepting the parchment from him send by Kouga. Opening the parchment, he glanced briefly at the contents. It seemed that both his son and Kouga had not been harmed. After reading the parchment, he gave it to Ginta before dismissing him.

"Something happened, my lord?" Rin asked, seeing the demon walked away with something.

"It is nothing serious, Rin. However, it is time for us to go back to my stronghold." He said, pushing her raven black hair to the back of her shoulder with his right hand. He expected Rin to protest for leaving so soon, but she had said nothing but nodded her head at his suggestion. It is time.

Pushing himself up from the fur pellet he was sitting upon, Sesshoumaru raised his right hand to get the attention of his people. Instantly, all the activities around him stopped and everyone turned to look at him silently, waiting for what he was going to say.

"The people of Western Land, I, Sesshoumaru, the Lord of Western Land presents you my lady, Rin." He spoke out loud, and gestured for Rin to stand up as well. When she did, he placed his right arm around her waist in a possessive manner and said,

"And in a few months time, another pup with my blood will be born in the Western Land."

Everyone in the village cheered at the news, even Ryuya who had ran up to Sesshoumaru jumped up and down, shouting "I'm going to be a brother!!"

Rin's mouth dropped in shock. She was pregnant. Placing her hands on her tummy, a smile slowly appeared at her lips. She had not notice she was carrying a child because no one had ever told her how to notice. Closing her eyes, she could feel now. She could feel the present of another being inside her. She was going to give her lord husband a child soon.

"I'm going to be a mother." Rin said, looking up at her lord Sesshoumaru.

"You already are a mother, to Ryuya." Sesshoumaru replied, smiling slightly at her smiling face.

"I promise to be a good mother to our child."

"You will be a good mother to our pups, Rin."

"I promise to give you healthy children."

Sesshoumaru smiled at Rin's promise. He would personally see to that that they will have healthy pups together. I'll protect them…

A/N: It's been a long time now since my last update. There had been exams and tests, plus my laptop still have problem that have yet to fix. In fact, I was also hooked up with watching animation. Currently hook up with animation Romeo x Juliet. It's a very nice anime, although it has a sad ending.

Is Ryuya really is Sesshoumaru's son?

Yes, this will be explained in one of the soon to come chapters.