REVAMPED

Wow. Five reviews?! I'm soo happy. I'd better make sure I don't disappoint. Thank you very much.

Thanks to: Galandria the Vampire Queen, Angel64, New Fan, marnika, MintlovesSR, and anhimals. I appreciate the reviews and apologize for not updating soon. My work schedule can be iffy sometimes.

Alrighty then…

Note: The first couple paragraphs are quoted from a fictional character that I made up but it kinda' sets the tone for the rest of my story, so please bear with me. Thanks.

Oh yeah, and this story will move a little slowly at first but I assure you, there'll be some action before I'm through.

Hanyou - half youkai

Youkai - like oni is used as either monster or demon

Taiyoukai – "High" or "Great" youkai; like a prince

futon - bed

kimono - traditional Japanese robe

geta - shoe similar to sandals

daimyo – lord

youki – youkai energy

inu – dog

Disclaimer: One, Two- Please don't sue- Three, four- Lock the door- Five, six- I'm in a fix- Seven, eight- Please don't hate- Nine, ten-back again. I don't own so leave me alone.

Ties Of Blood

Chapter 1

Reunion

"Blood. Blood connects everything in this world of ours. It is shed over property, men, women, inheritances…things that become meaningless upon our demise. But sometimes, it is prized as much as gold for there are few chains stronger than those crafted from blood. It enslaves people to classes and castes – systems designed to raise certain humans over others - from which there is no escape except through death or dishonesty."

"Blood saturates the very ground we walk upon. Perhaps we have, in these troublesome times, seen an old battlefield. Does it not create a sea of green and red upon which the bodies of those who have fallen - by the sword or by the arrow - float? And yet, it nourishes the spring grass. Our blood, our flesh, and our bones will eventually fade away and aid in a continuous cycle. It is a cycle wherein that grass is consumed by the beasts or the earth. In turn, humans, youkai, and hanyou - like me –devour these innocent beasts in our selfishness, gaining power from the flesh and blood of other living things"

"We are insatiable in our lust for blood and the imagined superiority that comes with it."

"Often, men wish - and fight - for power, for glory, for wealth and prestige. They fight for blood, to breed superior bloodlines and to satisfy their basest cravings. But I…I wish at times that – if only for a short while – mortal and immortal alike could forget their endless struggles. My fondest and most foolish wish, before I die as a 'filthy hanyou,' is that all humans and youkai could discover the treasure that is hidden away in every being's heart - though perhaps it is buried more deeply in some.

But…how grateful I am for it.

That treasure of love…ah, so very sweet it is. For - if ever our selfish beings could comprehend such a powerful thing - we would all be equal and peace would end this eternal struggle for power. For love I have found is equal to power. And there is no greater strength than the ability to love and be loved."

- HiroAizawa, the night before his execution –

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The sun was bright – too bright - and Sesshoumaru couldn't help but notice it as he rested within his prison. But he didn't move, refusing to give the humans any indication of his discomfiture. It was bad enough that they had sealed him in this cage, this infuriating, insulting, wooden cage. Truly it was a slap in the face, telling him how far he had fallen. He was the strongest youkai, and these lesser creatures deemed him worthy of only a simple wooden cage that was sealed with their power to prevent his escape.

They were taunting him with this, he was well aware of it, and so he didn't so much as twitch a muscle to reveal or alleviate his annoyance. His only relief was that they hadn't paraded him out in the open when they marched through the town – opting instead to keep him covered up for fear that their fellow humans would look upon him and begin to feel sympathetic. He was very well aware of the fact that he was beautiful in form.

Being put on display would have been bad enough - but to have the pity of these lesser creatures? It didn't bear thinking about. And besides, there were things that were far more irksome than being locked in a cage.

For example…him.

Themanin the cage adjacent to his had remained silent from the moment he understood that protesting would do them no good. No doubt he was brooding over their capture.

'Or perhaps he is thinking of how I might be persuaded to spare him again once I am free.' And there was little doubt in his mind that he would be able to free himself and exact his revenge against these worms. As yet, there hadn't been a miko or priest alive who was strong enough to keep his youki completely in check.

Even now it was searching for cracks in the barrier holding him captive, feeling out the edges, prodding at anything and everything that seemed the least bit promising.

But there was nothing…

…yet.

Thin lips tightened imperceptibly and - even though his eyes were closed - he knew that the man was looking his way, having roused himself from whatever stupor he'd fallen into.

Slowly he cracked his eyes open and stared at the human, golden eyes meeting gentle brown.

Impassive youkai eyes which gave nothing away.

Guilty human eyes that could hide nothing from him.

How similar this was to the first time he'd met the human.

It was the same, this feeling that the human across from him was something…unique.

That he was a man who fought but could not kill.

A man who should never have gone to war.

A man whose life he should not take.

Indeed, it was the same. This feeling that this particular human would prove to be important, that he would lead him to something important.

'And yet, I listened to him, and ended up here.' He narrowed his eyes at the man before turning his head away in an obvious gesture of dismissal.

How he cursed the curiosity that so often plagued him. Very few of his fellow youkai knew of it because he usually kept it firmly in check, but it had picked at him on that day so long ago, his constant thirst for knowledge. Why was it that a human who could not fight had stepped out onto a battlefield? Why did he not spout that nonsense about honor and duty as all the others had right before he tore their heads from their shoulders? Why did he get the feeling that he had just set his feet onto the path to his future when his eyes first met those of this "lesser being"?

His questions hadn't been answered as of yet and it would have been wonderful if his curiosity had at least allowed him to find the answers that he sought before throwing another dilemma his way. But no – of course it didn't.

Now he was plagued with the question: "How had he allowed himself to get into this situation?"

This time he was questioning himself.

Oh, how he hated that. He was royalty, questioning himself was unacceptable and yet here he was. He hated indecisiveness. And to make matters worse, there was something else weighing on his mind. Something that he hated even more.

Betrayal…he hated betrayal.

Intentional or not, his human companion had betrayed him and forced him into the indignity of a cage – a wooden cage – as surely as if he had taken those frail hands of his and sealed him into this prison himself. It was reason enough for him to do serious harm to the human once he was free.

'Harm?' he thought, no, he would do more than harm. He was going to kill the human, as he should have done eons ago.

'I'll do it myself when I escape," he promised himself, vaguely pleased that the human emotion of "regret" hadn't rubbed off on him as much as he'd thought. 'At least he has not corrupted me in this.'

Closing his eyes again, he flexed his claws just a bit and wondered exactly how he would kill the man.

Should he slowly tear him to pieces, drawing out his death in retaliation for being humiliated like this?

Or should he end it quickly, put the fool man out his misery for thinking the impossible?

'As if a human would ever be equal to a youkai.' No matter how much the human preached to him about blood being "unimportant" there would always be a gap between the strong and the weak. How else - if not because their blood was superior – could they so easily kill off the pitiful mortals who thought to control the land that hadn't been theirs to begin with?

He was done with the man.

He was done with the other youkai who thought him weak for not slaughtering the human at first glance.

And he was most definitely done with being locked in this cage.

'The traitor dies' he thought and bowed his head, hiding his features.

"Traitor," was the title given to one who abandons his or her friends, country, or anyone who they have strong ties with for personal gain.

"Traitor" was what that man's own kind had called him for aiding a youkai, but for Sesshoumaru - Taiyoukai of the Western Lands – it was a far more serious matter. The results of his patient tolerance of the mortal were manifest in the wooden bars surrounding him and the jeering faces that ringed him on all sides. His kind had owned this land far before humans came along and he – he alone – was the only one who should rule over these worms. That was part of the reason why the war had begun in the first place.

This human was his servant – both because he lived on his land and because the man swore to serve the Taiyoukai until death.

Vicious they might be, but youkai made it a point to keep their word and as far as he was concerned the man had broken it.

His lord came before friends and family and he had ignored that rule by putting the latter first.

Hence, of the two betrayals the man stood accused of – by both youkai and human – the greater was towards Sesshoumaru.

'I will not be so lenient again.' He thought as he sensed the approach of yet another filthy human.

"Look at the little doggie," he heard a voice jeer and he slowly cracked his eyes open to stare at the man, one of the rough warriors who seemed to have a particular dislike for his kind.

Seeing that he had the Taiyoukai's attention, the worm actually had the nerve to grin at him and say mockingly, "Aww, what's wrong? Does the little doggie hate being locked up? Does he want something to chew on? Maybe the flesh of a baby perhaps? Of maybe he wants to chew on me, hmm? Too bad my tastes don't run that way, eh?"

He leered suggestively and Sesshoumaru fought the urge to growl low in his throat. The humans had flinched beneath his gaze at first until they realized that he wasn't going to immediately break out of the cage and devour them. After the initial apprehension, they began to mock him, laughing at him and throwing rotten food into his cage, staining his once beautiful, white kimono. The man was the primary ring leader and he contented himself with thoughts of how he planned to disembowel him once he was free to exact his retribution.

Really, how dare that filth suggest that he was like one of those lesser youkai who couldn't control their urges to feed on mortal flesh?! Not only that, but the man had the nerve to imply that he had a taste for humans – let alone human males - as bed companions. It wasn't the first time he'd heard that particular theory either. He had learned long ago that humans were given to groundless speculation but it irked it to hear such things suggested about him. And even more so because they seemed to have based it solely on the fact that he was beautiful – he stood out, even among his own kind - and also because they had found him in the company of that particular human.

His fangs ached from keeping his jaw clenched and he returned his eyes to his former companion, the man who was the very epitome of misery.

'All of this is his doing.'

Long hands clenched into fists, claws drawing blood as they scraped his fair skin, these conditions were pulling out all of the negative emotions that he thought he'd buried long ago.

He had spared this human, indulging him when he should not have, and this was what came of it.

The man swore that he had to be with his family and the Taiyoukai had wound up getting captured because he absolutely had to know what a family really was. His own family – if it could be called that - most certainly wasn't a shining example.

He hadn't known that the human was a wanted man - youkai could care less about such things.

However, the man had known that there were people who sought to arrest him and still he insisted on leaving. He even took advantage of his lord's curiosity by telling him that he would understand what family was if he came with him to meet his.

"You have to meet my family…but I especially want you to meet my little sister, Rin. She's very special."

Those were the human's words and he'd listened to him, his accursed curiosity getting the better of him a second time.

'What makes the girl so special?'

'What makes a family?'

'Perhaps I can trust him this once and go with him myself.'

How foolish he'd been to listen to such asinine thoughts. Such notions were contrary to the very nature of a youkai.

Giving a tiny 'hmph' he closed his eyes again and blocked everything out, even the warrior mocking him.

He'd kill them with his own hands.

First, the man who taunted him so would die. And then that foolish human, who had landed him in this predicament, would die as well.

And then he would take care of the rest of the humans in this pitiful town.

Including that worthless man's family.

'I will not show him mercy a second time.'

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The night was cool, as was often the case in early spring, and Rin hunkered down beneath the covers of her futon. In truth, part of her chill came from within as she thought about what she planned to do.

She took deep, calming breaths and clutched a small book to her breast, almost certain that it was midnight by now. There was no moon tonight and she thanked Kami for giving her an opportunity to put her plans into motion so soon – the darkness would certainly make what she intended to do even easier.

This night was not the kind to be making mistakes of any sort for, if she did, it could easily cut her life perilously short. And not just her, but the family that had taken pity on the small child she had been so many years ago. Rin took a deep breath and centered her thoughts on what she'd seen today.

Flashback

Six years. Six long, agonizing years. That was how long she'd been waiting for her nii-chan. Six months was the figure he'd given her when she asked, on the morning of his departure, how long he would be away

Only six months.

And it seemed that the gods had mocked his words by making it a year for every month that he'd promised her.

"Soutanii-chan, where are you?" she had wondered on that day, of all days. The war was over and that was attested to when - for months now - soldiers began filtering into the city. Every day that passed and didn't bring her nii-chan knocking on the shrine's doorto tell them he was back - she went to the market in the middle of town and searched the crowd of weary, disillusioned faces for one bright smile.

Just one wink.

Or even a wave.

She thirsted for it as a parched man thirsts for water.

And yet she saw nothing.

Always nothing.

Yet, on this day of all days, she watched a procession of soldiers transporting two cages via horse and cart. One was covered with a dirty red cloth to hide its contents but the other had a man inside. Briefly she wondered who the criminals were and felt a stab of pity as she moved a bit closer to the train of people.

Something drew her eye to the cloth-covered cage but no matter how she tried to peer through the thick material, it proved to be a futile effort.

'Could that be a youkai' she had wondered briefly before turning to examine the occupant of the other cage.

She looked at the man imprisoned therein…and nearly wept.

He didn't smile.

He didn't wave.

He didn't even wink.

No, instead he kept his eyes turned towards the ground and he slumped against the bars of his cage. His hair had grown long and disheveled and his clothes were in tatters. Every once in a while he would wince as if something was paining him and she would have given anything to spare him this…this humiliation.

Anything to prevent what she knew would happen. The only people who were put on public display were dead men or men who would be dead in very short order.

'Kami, please don't let this mean what I think' she prayed knowing that she was deluding herself with false hope.

Gathing her courage, she worked her way through the crowd and raised herself up on the tips of her toes.

Taking a small gulp of air, she called out at last.

"Nii…Souta-kun."

For one long, agonizing second it seemed as if he hadn't heard before slowly, so very slowly, he raised his head - as if he were a tired old man - and found her with his eyes.

His dead eyes.

She felt tears welling and refused to let them be shed. With an almost deliberate slowness, his once happy eyes - his human eyes - gathered in some of the light. She knew then how plants felt after a long winter of no sun and bitter cold. Yes, like a plant unfurling its new leaves, his eyes gained a faint sparkle of awareness and he was suddenly a living, breathing man.

Her nii-chan

He continued to look at her and a ghost of a smile appeared; it was so achingly slow that she wondered how much effort he had to expend to accomplish even that.

His cracked lips mouthed her name so very softly and her heart beat just a little bit faster.

Yes, there was her brother who loved her so very much, who had fought to keep them all safe.

The moment seemed to stretch into forever – and oh, how she wished it could truly be forever.

And then he was gone, swept on by the cart and oxen bearing his cage. A mist formed over her eyes and she blinked it away, feeling a single tear squeeze out and travel down the curve of her cheek. She couldn't take her eyes off of him until his cage was well out of sight and she had to wage a fierce fight against her tears lest the people around her grow even more suspicious.

She needed to know what was going on.

Snagging the arm of a burly samurai - who leered at the pretty little sixteen-year-old - she asked nervously, "What is going to happen to that man? Do you know who he is?"

The samurai had been genuinely surprised at her lack of knowledge and replied, "Girl, don't you know who that is? That man is the famous traitor Higurashi Souta. We nearly lost to those filthy youkai because of him. That trash is going to be executed tomorrow morning for his crimes along with that…thing in the other cage."

"That thing?" she queried gently.

"It's a youkai – the strongest of them all."

Rin noted the shiver that went through him when he mentioned the cage whose occupant had obviously been so frightening in appearance that it had been hidden from view. She herself shivered when she thought about the fate awaiting her brother. Yet, as strange as it sounded she also felt a bit of apprehension about the fate awaiting the youkai as well. There had to have been something special about the monster if her brother was willing to forsake the respect of his fellow humans to aid it.

'Nii-chan,' she thought,' what have you gotten yourself into?'

End flashback

The house was quiet as she got up - already fully dressed - and pressed her ear to the wall, hearing no movement in the adjacent room where her adopted parents slept. Slipping a small knife, as well as the worn book, into the folds of her kimono, she put years of tiptoeing around her volatile, adopted father to use and grabbed a tiny lantern. In all honesty, she didn't need to bring the book but it had been a gift from Souta and she had the strangest feeling that, if she didn't bring it with her now, she'd lose it forever.

Rin crept to the foyer where they kept their geta. The footwear was taken in hand and the young woman paused, holding her breath before slipping outside. Heading around to the back of the house, she lit the tiny lantern from the dying embers of the fire pit between the house and the shrine and exited through the rear gate. Only then did she let out the breath she'd been holding and don the shoes, heading in the direction of the Daimyo's residence.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

It was cold, so very cold outside and yet, Souta felt as if his body were already frozen from the inside. A chill that came from the heart had taken root inside of his very being and it was certainly colder than anything as mundane as the weather.

How had this process begun? He had wondered that more than once, moving his head slowly to his right so that he had a good view of His cage. The cage of his lord - a youkai who was most likely plotting the best way to kill him for this latest humiliation. They had veiled the portable prison and its contents so that the ignorant people of this city would never know just how much their enemy could resemble them.

So that they couldn't see just how human the inhuman beasts they'd fought for so long could look.

'Alas the similarities stop at the looks, his true form would be enough to make them wet themselves in terror' he thought, a humorless smile twisting his lips. The only humans - he being the one exception - who had seen what Sesshoumaru-sama really looked like were dead and scattered about in very fine pieces.

Scratch that, there were two other people – two women – who knew what his lord's true form looked like and lived to tell the tale because he had been forced to reveal it when they worked their powers on him. The result of that encounter was their current situation. They had been captured and his master was currently stuck inside of a cage that would have been nothing to him if not for the seals placed on it.

Going back to the matter of looks, he supposed that he should have been grateful for the cover given to the Taiyoukai. Kami knew that his fellow humans would especially fear Sesshoumaru – a youkai who maintained a frighteningly beautiful form and yet, was more vicious than any others of his kind.

'Ah yes…Sesshoumaru-sama' as much as he feared the prince and, even more so, the youkai blood that was so very strong in him, there was no one he respected or admired more. 'If only you could let go of some of your pride, my lord, it would be easy for you to control these lands and maintain peace. And still…still you remain hard hearted about us. Look at yourself and learn because, now, the people you so despise have caged you in a way that not even you can get out of.'

However, a part of him knew that this experience was more likely to anger his lord than to show him "the light." He was just stubborn that way. 'I wonder if Rin-chan…no, Rin could help him' he mused, frowning slightly. He had to remember that his sweet, little Rin wasn't so little anymore and that…soon, so very soon his parents would likely marry her off – she was certainly of age now. 'And a more beautiful girl I've yet to see,' he thought with a tiny smile, remembering his earlier encounter with his beloved adopted sister.

'What am I thinking? I'll be dead by the time she gets married,' he thought helplessly, 'If not by my fellow man, then by Sesshoumaru-sama's hand.'

He was doomed either way.

And what made it worse was that he actually did feel bad for betraying his fellow humans. Perhaps he could be forgiven by the Kamiif he gave up his life here, in this place. There were certainly enough people who hated him - both human and nonhuman - and his father had to have known that his only son was a good-for-nothing who deserted his own kind to follow the monsters ravaging their land.

The young man laughed - a short, almost hysterical laugh - at his plight, feeling pathetic and worthless.

What could a dead man do if Sesshoumaru decided to hunt down the girl, who had called to him in that sweet voice and, for a moment, made him forget that he would be gone in the morning - remembered only as "Souta the Traitor?"

He knew his lord well enough to understand that he eliminated anything that could possibly be a threat. And he most certainly would include the family of the only human he'd ever bothered to interact with as a potential threat. Why, if he himself could get close, then imagine what Rin could do, with her bright smile, her endless curiosity – surprisingly similar to his lord's - and that untouched innocence.

It made her so very unique.

So very different from other humans.

Sometimes, it seemed that she existed on a completely different plane from both humans and youkai alike. He wondered - and not for the first time - what events had led up to her being discovered alone in the woods so many long years ago.

How had ten years passed so quickly?

How could he have missed six of those already?

"I can practically hear you thinking something foolish, human," came His voice in a low whisper, interrupting his thoughts.

Quiet. Always, he was so quiet.

"Perhaps," the voice continued, "you understand that you will die at my hands for this?"

It wasn't really a question and any doubts as to what his future would be were quickly thrown out of the window. Sesshoumaru was not known for his mercy.

Souta felt the heart-deep chill begin to spread again. He would not be allowed to forget the price he was destined to pay for presuming that he alone could change the person in the other cage.

The monster with the face of a man.

'You need someone stronger than I to tame you, my lord, and a person even greater in heart to capture yours.'

That had been the entire point in insisting that his lord come with him to meet his family. He'd even shamelessly exploited the curiosity that he knew his master possessed in great quantities. All of it had been done so that he could meet Rin, the child he saw as a living miracle.

'If only you could meet her, maybe you would be able to see it then - to see the truth of my words. If I somehow live to show her to you, I can only hope that you do not kill her first,' he thought wistfully.

"Sesshoumaru-sama," he murmured, knowing that the youkai heard him loud and clear.

"I think that I really do deserve to die. An honor-less man like me who abandoned his own kind is fit for very little. I do not even hope to escape from this path because I chose it by my own hand. Even if I had an offer of freedom I would not take it. But…I would not accept my fate with more regrets than necessary. I would have you know the truth of my intent."

"Do you seek to change my mind by telling me what I want to hear human?" came the voice of his master, a distinct growl in his undertone.

"Of course not, Sesshoumaru-Sama. It just that…of all the people in the world that want me dead, it is your indulgence that I beg and yours alone. I know that you want me to die and I can accept that you have just cause in this, but please….please allow me to tell you that I did not bring you here to betray you. I know that you think I did. But…I just…I wanted you to meet her at least, to know how incredible she is." There was no question of who "she" was. Rin had been almost all he talked about during his stay with Sesshoumaru.

"And I will ask you again, human, why is this girl – this Rin – so different? You speak of her as if she was a goddess and you bring me here so that I, a prince, am forced to bow my head before the rest of your kind like a common dog. Tell me, did you seek to have me humiliated?"

"No!" Souta denied the charge vehemently, "With my last shred of honor, I promise you that I would never seek to have you bow before anyone. I vow that I will give my life into the hand of my executioner – be it you or another human - to compensate for my failure but…I wanted to leave you with the knowledge that at least in this…I can at last fulfill your expectations. I failed you, my lord, in so many ways, but I did not lie about Rin."

He trailed off and wondered if his lord even cared what he said at this point?

Silence stretched out before his master spoke at last.

"Human," not once had Sesshoumaru ever used his given name, even though he was certain that his lord knew what it was, "you are a very foolish man. Do you think to spare your family from my wrath?"

"No my lord, I am not so naïve as that. I just…I wanted you to spare her for just a little while before you ended her life. Just once, I wanted to give you the chance to smile," he felt silly, telling the cruelest being he'd ever known about his hopes for him. It made him sound weak and maudlin but he would not…could not take it back.

There was another long silence and, for a second, he thought that the Taiyoukai wasn't going to respond.

"Human," the voice took on a dangerous tone, "of what business is if of yours if I smile? The blood of my captors is not yet on my claws, therefore there is no reason for joy. Getting revenge would please me. Seeing you die, at last, would please me."

"Is that so Sesshoumaru-Sama? Would you truly enjoy my death?" he asked.

"You have humiliated me. You have placed me in a position that I never wished to be in. You have…brought things to my attention…" Souta could hear the unspoken "that I never wanted to know" in his lord's voice but wisely held his tongue.

"I grow tired of this, human," Seshoumaru said abruptly a tiny growl at the end of his sentence.

His voice held no inflection whatsoever, but Souta got the distinct impression that he was being just a wee bit petulant – like a child who had discovered an unpleasant truth. It gave him the insane urge to ruffle the youkai's hair the way he used to do to Rin when she was upset by something. Since he was hardly in a position to do so, he settled for letting a faint smile grace his lips.

"Is there something amusing about my words?"

'Dangerous territory here' he reminded himself. He doubted his lord would appreciate knowing that he thought of him as a younger brother. Never mind the fact that Sesshoumaru was almost two hundred years old, Souta had learned that, by youkai standards, he was fairly young. He had definitely spent enough time around the young lord to know that he was very inexperienced in certain things because of this.

For example, Sesshoumaru was a genius in battle and brutal in the extreme to his enemies, yet he avoided the opposite sex whenever he could. At first, Souta had believed that perhaps he had grown tired of women or preferred men but, after spending time with him, he realized that Sesshoumaru simply didn't know what to do with them. He was well educated and yet he did not know how to be tactful. He was graceful in form and movement but clumsy at building relationships with others. He didn't even know what a family meant and Souta had a strong feeling that it had everything to do with the way he was raised. Or the way he wasn't raised, rather.

It appeared to be a common shortfall among most youkai but the more time he spent around the young lord the more he felt that he could help him. Sesshoumaru was equally loved and hated by his own kind but he was well respected.

Yes, well respected and very much alone.

It was a huge factor in why he wanted him to meet Rin so badly. 'But I don't know how that's going to be possible now,' he thought. They were in a very tight spot after all.

Realizing that he hadn't answered his lord's question, he replied before too much time had passed, "No, Sesshoumaru-sama, I was not amused. I was just thinking of the time I've been privileged to have at your side. I thank you for allowing me to live for so long and for listening when no other of your race would."

A very tiny 'hmph' sounded and he heard a slight rustling before more was added.

"I simply found you amusing. Do not make more of it than that. This insistence you have that your kind is equal to mine and this belief that the two could ever coexist is a dream. You are a fool, human. Perhaps it is well that you will die here."

"Perhaps my lord…" he answered aloud but he added silently, 'And perhaps you will finally meet the person who can break those barriers you've erected around yourself. Sometimes, my lord, a dream is all it takes.'

Nothing else was said after that.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Rin used her body to hide the light of her lantern from anyone who might wander towards the shadowed corner she had squeezed into. She nervously licked her lips and waited. Stealth was needed to hide from the unruly men who prowled the streets at night, looking for innocent maidens - just like her - who were foolish enough to venture out alone.

Caution was a must, Souta nii-chan, taught her that.

"The world is full of dangers Rin-chan, especially for women, but if you think for yourself and take note of your surroundings,you'll find that life's road will be paved more easily for you." He had gotten that advice from the very book that rested securely against her breast.

She closed her eyes in thought. Souta had to be rescued tor it would be too late. Action now, questions later…but she needed a plan.

As gradually as possible, she made her way through town until she was about thirty yards from the local daimyo's gate. There were two men and she was mildly offended that they only had two people guarding the gate to the courtyard where "Souta the Traitor" was. It was a foolish feeling to have, given the circumstances, and so she shook her head, banishing the silly though.

Only one of them had a torch and she was grateful for their negligence, it certainly made things much easier. She blew out her lantern and moved into the shadows next to the gate, waiting for her chance. The man with the torch yawned and began to pace back and forth to keep himself awake and she restrained herself from snorting at how inept a guard he was. All she had to do was wait until he turned to pace towards his fellow sentry and she slipped through without so much as a twitch from either of them to indicate that they'd seen her.

Inside, her sense of wariness increased. The courtyard was well lit and there were few shadows to give her cover and so she had to move in slowly to avoid being seen. It felt like hours of creeping from one patch of darkness to the next before she was next to her brother's cage.

He had his head bowed in much the way she'd seen him when she first saw him being carted through town and she wondered if she would have to endure the pain of looking into his dead eyes again.

"Nii-chan," she called, her voice soft. He gave a start and swung his head around – far more quickly than he had previously - to stare at her in disbelief.

"Rin what are you doing here?! Don't you know what could happen if you get caught?! Leave right now!"

No "hello, how have been" or "I missed you Rin-chan", just a command to leave. It hurt more than she wanted to let on and apparently he realized that because he added softly, "Please…I don't want you to get hurt. I know you well enough to know that you might come to try and rescue me but…I don't want to be saved. It's best if you leave before they catch you and send you to join me tomorrow."

She stared silently at him for a log moment before asking in as strong a voice as she could muster, "Why, don't you want me to save you, Souta-kun?"

He looked at her with a pain-filled gaze before turning away, apparently refusing to give her an answer.

She felt like crying for the second time that day. And just as the image of him began to waver because of her unshed tears, she heard someone else speak.

"Save your tears girl," a deep voice said and she wondered how its owner could possibly have known that she was about to cry.

Her eyes followed the direction from whence the voice came and she realized that it had originated from the direction of the other cage. She squinted her eyes at the cage, but all she could make out was a human shape resting against the bars.

"He doesn't wish to be saved," the person continued, "because he's a foolish human like the rest of you, and is constantly ruled by his emotions," did she imagine that he sneered the word, "That particular weakness of his means that he has deluded himself into hoping that I'll spare your life just because he says he deserves to die. I've allowed him to live for far too long."

"My lord," her brother began, pressing his face against the bars and completely ignoring her for the moment. "I beg of you not to say such things. Truly, if giving up my life would appease your anger, then I will gladly do so. You are angry at my kind, I understand this well and I accept it but…master - if it is not troublesome - please spare Rin. She is an innocent in this."

"There is none of your kind who can be called innocent and what use would I have for her in the end?" the owner of the voice replied and she wondered if anyone else could pick up the slight bitterness in his tone.

Rin was thoroughly confused by the exchange between the two. Whatever the situation was, though, she disliked being ignored – even more so when it was her long-lost brother doing the ignoring.

Souta nii-chan was acting strange. She could understand his sense of desperation because he was slated for execution on the morrow but - if she didn't know any better - she'd say that his desperation was more like fear. It wasn't fear for himself either, no, it was fear for her. But why would he be so afraid of the being in the cage? If the person in the other cage was indeed a youkai, he certainly wasn't much of a threat if he couldn't even tear himself out of a simple wooden cage.

Moving just a bit closer, she peered into the cage, trying to make out the owner of the voice once more. The sound of movement reached her ears and she thought that he might be looking back at her, but she wasn't sure. The only thing she could tell was that he was man-shaped and had long hair.

"Are you the youkai they captured," she asked thoroughly puzzled, "I thought you were monsters but, from here you look…human."

She immediately regretted the words as soon as they came out of her mouth because the air suddenly turned…angry. A low growl sounded and she took a step back, wondering how she could possibly have missed the malice that poured out of him in waves.

"Please do not take offense on account of the child", Souta said, his high with fear. And she conceded that perhaps there was a good reason why her brother feared the being in the cage.

The sheer violence in the atmosphere seemed as if it would crush her with its intensity. She didn't even realize that she had been backing away until the sensation stopped as quickly as it had begun. She blinked at the abruptness of the feeling and was surprised to find herself pressed against Souta's cage and her limbs quivering with fear.

'Not human, Not human at ALL!' he mind screamed at her and she wanted to yell at Souta for associating himself with anyone who was so obviously evil.

So malevolent.

So frightening.

"She doesn't understand, Sesshoumaru-sama," her brother said with a sigh and he was absolutely right. She didn't understand how he could go from fearful supplication to a normal tone of voice. Was this not the first time that he'd been faced with the Youkai wrath?

How had he lived to tell the tale?

He looked at her again and gave her a lopsided smile that almost managed to reach his eyes – almost.

"There issomething you can do, Rin-chan, though I know you will not like it. My lord and master - to whom I owe a great debt - does not deserve to be caged like this. Could you free him instead?"

"Isn't it a youkai? Didn't you leave to fight its kind? Just now, didn't you feel…?"

'Didn't you feel how much he hates us?'

"Yes, he," Souta corrected her, "is a youkai. And yes, I know that I left to fight him and others of his race. And yes, I fear him as anyone with a shred of sense would. But still, I want you to free him and take him somewhere safe."

"I won't," she said stubbornly, she loved him but she would not endanger her brother nor her family.

"Rin…"

"I mean it Souta. He hates us, I can tell. How can you ask me to…to set him free? He won't allow us to live once he escapes."

"Rin-chan, I would never allow him to hurt you."

"You are not in a position to allow me anything," his lord interjected.

"Sesshoumaru-sama…please - just this once - hear me out. I accept that I am marked for death, but may I have your word that you will not harm Rin once she sets you free. I do not doubt that you have realized by now that the chances of you escaping before morning are nonexistent. I know because I am very…familiar with the Miko's who imprisoned you thus. Let me help you. Let us help you."

"I will never need your help, human," the youkai said and Rin wondered how it was that she knew – somehow – that he was saying the words because he was supposed to say them. He obviously had a great deal of pride to be so stubborn when it was clear that he wasn't going to be escaping on his own anytime soon - not if he couldn't break out of a mere cage. It struck something inside of her, some chord deep within and she found herself wondering about the situation.

'Would Souta serve a person who was unworthy of his loyalty?'

'Would he ask me to free someone who would bring me harm?'

'Did he not defend me before this youkai?'

'Is there something more here that I am missing?'

There were so many ideas, so many "what-if's" flying about in her head that it took a while to realize that she had already spoken out before collecting her thoughts.

"Sesshoumaru-sama."

Two pairs of eyes swung around to look at her; at least she thought so, but it was still too dark to tell in the case of the youkai. At that moment she simply knew that she was under a very close scrutiny. Swallowing, she opened her mouth once again and addressed the shadowy figure in the cage furthest from her.

"I…I do not know you, but I will help you if you promise to hold off on killing Souta nii-chan, because I will not leave this place without him."

"Rin," her brother tried to interrupt but she wouldn't let him.

"I apologize for my earlier rudeness, I was raised to be better than that," looking up, she thought that she saw a tiny flash of gold and knew for a certainty that his attention was focused on her.

"My lord, I know that if Souta trusts you so much, then I should as well. I also realize that I am distasteful to you and that perhaps my brother has offended you in the past, but I ask that you spare our lives for now in view of the circumstances. Please, allow me to serve you in the best way possible and bring the both of you away safely," she bowed deeply as she said the final words and held her prostrate position forcing herself not to show fear in front of the youkai. She could feel the weight of his gaze on her and she wondered how she appeared to him.

Minutes ticked by and her fear gave way to irritation – just what was he waiting for? It wasn't everyday that she had to beg for something but here this youkai was forcing her into it and she didn't like it, not one bit. She hated giving into fear and she really hated the fact that she had offered to serve him – dear Kami, it sounded like an improper proposition, the way she'd said it. However, if it meant that she could get Souta nii-san out of this fix, she would gladly lay down her life.

"A child every bit as foolish as her brother," she could have sworn that she heard him sigh as he answered her at long last. It was a good thing too because she had been about to demand an answer and that would have been counter-productive.

"So will you show us mercy, my lord," she asked, her voice only slightly strained.

His voice was quiet as he replied, "You have my word," and even quieter, "until we leave this town."

It would have to be enough she decided, there was little time to argue and she sensed that this was the best she could hope for from him.

"Rin," her adopted sibling's voice brought her attention back to him. Their eyes met and she willed him to read her determination. She needed him to understand how cruel of him it would be to force her to abandon him now.

He turned away first and said in resignation, "As you wish…but I want you to free Sesshoumaru-sama first."

'Why is he so stuck on this youkai?' she refrained from voicing the question out loud and shook her head - she would learn the why's and how's at a later time.

Reluctantly turning her feet away from her brother, she moved over to the cage containing the youkai and her breath caught in her throat.

Rin could certainly see more of him from this angle and for one second - when he brought his eyes around to scrutinize her own – she thought that she would drown in his gaze.

Perhaps the strangest thing was that she noticed the expression in those eyes of his before she noticed their color. The young woman saw interest in the look he gave her – curiosity perhaps – before it was skillfully hidden beneath cold indifference, a skill that was evidently well practiced. She searched those orbs further but it wasn't until she realized that she wouldn't get anything else out of him, that she noticed the color of his eyes.

They were gold.

Not the pale shade of brown that appeared to be gold in certain lights, no…these were twin pools of molten gold that went on for forever. A liquid sea upon which two vertical pupils of darkest black floated like lonely boats.

He had beautiful eyes.

Such beautiful, inhuman eyes.

She stared into those eyes of his and with a profound sense of inevitability – the knowledge that this was her future, that he was her future – she whispered his name into the chill of the night.

"Sesshoumaru-sama?"

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Please Read and review. Tell me what you think of the changes.